How smart is Popeye?

Smarter than you think. Popeye attributes his amazing strength to eating spinach but he is also protecting himself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer and arthritis. The Journal of Nutrition recently published a report that spinach fights prostate cancer while The Nurses Health Study reveals women whose diets are high in kaempferol, a nutrient in spinach, have a 40 percent less risk of ovarian cancer.

Spinach, like other leafy green vegetables, provides more nutrients than most other foods. Vitamin C and Vitamin A, two nutrients in spinach, are important antioxidants that work to reduce free radicals in the body known to cause blocked arteries, heart attacks, or strokes. Spinach’s Vitamin K promotes bone health. Add the iron and calcium and you have the mighty spinach. Make your spinach organic and you even increase the healthy nutrients of the mighty spinach. According to a study by Rutgers University comparing conventionally grown spinach with organic spinach, organic spinach has 97 percent more iron and 99 percent more manganese than conventionally grown spinach. Many of the essential trace elements that are absent in the conventionally grown spinach are rich in the organic. The United States—notably California and Texas—is one of the largest commercial grower of spinach.. Help the economy and yourself, have organic spinach for dinner.

Organic Spinach Recipe

Jasmati Rice with Spinach

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large organic sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup organic frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted
• 1 package of organic spinach, rinsed and dried
• 1 cup uncooked organic Jasmati Rice
• 2 cups of organic chicken broth

Place rice in pan with chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Wrap towel around lid. Secure wrapped lid on pan, making sure the cloth does not touch any part of stove top. Simmer rice for 20 to 25 minutes or until all broth is absorbed and rice is slightly dry. Turn off heat but keep pan on burner. Remove wrapped lid.

Sauté onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add mixed vegetables and spinach. Continue to sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice to large bowl. Add spinach mixture and stir well.
Serve Jasmati Rice and Spinach with sliced tomatoes on the side. Tomatoes help the body absorb the iron in spinach.
Sandy Powers
www.organicforhealthsite.com

Hormones are injected into cattle and sheep to promote weight gain in the animals. The faster they gain weight, the faster it reduces the waiting time for the animals’ slaughter, therefore speeding the meat to the dinner table and maximizing profits.

Dairy cows are injected with hormones to boost their production of milk. This increase in milk production requires frequent milking of dairy cows, which in turn leads to udder irritations and infections that require treatment with antibiotics. Since the infections don’t always completely clear up, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits a certain amount of pus to remain in the milk. This is the same agency that permitted synthetic estrogens (DES) to be used to increase the size of cattle and chickens in the early 1950’s. When DES was found to cause cancer, it was phased out in the late 1970’s only to be replaced by other steroid hormones.

According to a report by Cornell University, there are six different kinds of steroid hormones that are currently approved by the FDA for use in food production: estradiol and progesterone which are natural female sex hormones; testosterone, the natural male sex hormone; zeranol, trenbolone acetate and melengesterol acetate which are synthetic growth promoters (chemicals that make animals grow faster.) And, let’s not forget the protein hormone rbGH to increase milk production in dairy cattle.

Do These Hormones Affect Our Health?

Independent studies have been conducted to determine the effect of these hormones added to our food, and how they affect our overall health. Scientists at the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine have reviewed the studies submitted by the manufacturers of rbGH, the hormone given to dairy cattle. Based on the reports by the manufacturers, the FDA concluded rbGH does not affect human health. The FDA does not mention any independent studies in reaching this conclusion.

Doctors recognize girls are maturing earlier than ever. According to research from the University of North Carolina, girls are entering puberty as young as eight years old. Several research studies from other universities indicate boys are experiencing decreases in sperm count. Lifetime exposure to estrogen as well as other hormones are known to increase the risk of breast cancer and may account for decrease in sperm count. Bacteria are becoming immune to antibiotics’ fighting properties. Researchers are concerned cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and hyperactivity in children are exacerbated by the chemicals in our conventionally produced food. These are the outgrowths of the Cumulative Effect.

How can we combat the disastrous consequences of the Cumulative Effect that is affecting the health and welfare of our families? We must eliminate the added hormones and antibiotics from our diet. The three most commonly eaten foods with the highest concentrations of added hormones and antibiotics are milk, chicken, and eggs. Switching to organics for these three foods are the best first choices to removing these damaging additives in our children’s diet.

It is essential that each one of us as parents and consumers stop the out reaching impact the Cumulative Effect is having on our children’s health. Their well being is dependent upon our actions.

Sandy Powers
www.organicforhealthsite.com

A new study out of the University of California at San Francisco, and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology has shown that in eating a diet that is high in fiber rich foods and whole grains, a person has the chance to lower their risk of pancreatic cancer.

Each year in the United States of America, over 37,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and just over 34,000 people die from it. In Europe, that number is even higher, with 60,000 people diagnosed each year. Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas, an organ in the digestive system.

“There is a possibility that diet can affect one’s risk of pancreatic, as well as other cancers,” researcher June M. Chan said, “and that eating a diet rich in a wide variety of grains is likely to not only help in the prevention of diabetes and heart disease, but also this very deadly cancer.”

University of California researchers examined the grain intake of 2,233 San Franciscans, who were relatively similar in age, body weight and gender distribution. However of the number, 532 had already been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and were also detailed as being more likely to be smokers.

In their research they found that those they surveyed who ate two or more servings of whole grains per day were 40% less likely to suffer from pancreatic cancer, than those who ate less than two servings per day. Likewise, but focusing more on fiber, they found that those who ate 26.5 grams or more fiber daily were 35% less likely of contracting pancreatic cancer.

Whole grains are cereal grains that retain their levels of bran, germ and endosperm, compared to refined grains which only retain the latter. Spend any amount of time in front of a television, and you will no doubt be told that eating a healthy breakfast of bran is good for your digestive track and healthy living.

In fact, you will probably have already encountered health advice along these lines. Eating whole-wheat bread or brown rice, compared to their “white” relatives, is good advice, to say the least.

The researchers believe that there seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding of what is good and bad for you. They found that those who ate two or more servings per week of donuts or cooked breakfast cereals, were more likely to contract pancreatic cancer than those who ate less than one serving per month. They speculate that many are simply unable to distinguish between the above mentioned whole grain and refined grain breakfast cereals. Subsequently, this misunderstanding could be a clue as to why their findings appeared as they did.

“The risk reductions associated with some whole grain foods and fiber provide general support for the hypothesis that whole grains are better than more refined and sweetened grains for pancreatic cancer prevention,” Chan said.

When you go to the grocery store, you may notice that virtually every product, from produce to meat, all have a “healthier” alternative, and usually, these alternatives have the word “Organic” printed somewhere on the product. But what does this mean? How does organic foods benefit you and your family?

So, Why are Organic Food’s Beneficial to our Health?

The below set of videos were produced by Nutrition By Natalie. She explains quite well, why we should ALL make the switch to Organic Foods.

While everybody’s opinion and perspective on organic foods may be slightly different, the above video’s make some pretty good points about “Why” & “How” organic foods are healthier. You may be reluctant to make the switch to organic foods, but it could make a long-term difference to the health of you and your family.

Here’s a really good article about The Dangers of Genetically Modified Foods.

The benefits of red wine have been debated for several years. For the most part, the reports that you might read about red wine as it relates to our health are not conflicting. Through scientific research and clinical studies, it has come to be generally accepted that, when consumed in moderate amounts, red wine can offer us quite a few health benefits.

If you are a fan of red wine, such news is certainly cause for celebration!

How Much Red Wine Should I Drink?

The key, of course, is to exercise caution when consuming red wine. Just because red wine consumption possesses some health benefits, it does not mean that you should drink as much red wine as you possibly can. For women, 1-2 glasses of red wine per day is considered to be a moderate amount. For men, 3-4 glasses of red wine per day is more than sufficient.

The Benefits of Red Wine

One reason that red wine has been examined so closely by health professionals, is because of the “French Paradox.” There are areas of France where the overall consumption of saturated fats is much higher than the typical American diet.

Not only are the French diets higher in saturated fats, the French also typically drink several glasses of red wine on a daily basis. Despite this, there are significantly less instances of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease among the French. Why would that be so unless there is something about red wine that provides health benefits? This question led researchers to discover the antioxidant properties in red wine, particularly French red wines.

You may already know a few of the benefits of antioxidants for slowing the oxidation process in the body, which helps to deter many significantly harmful illnesses. The benefits of the antioxidants in some red wines may surprise you, too.

For example, did you know that red wine can help reduce the harmful effects of food poisoning? Red wine contains properties that help to rid the body of toxins, which can also be beneficial for reducing the effects of dysentery & diarrhea.

What Exactly is in Red Wine?

The primary antioxidant found in red wine is called resveratrol. Resveratrol is found in the seeds and skins of processed and fermented grapes. Because of the process that red wines are put through during processing, they have higher resveratrol levels than other wines. Resveratrol can also be found in peanuts, cranberries, and blueberries.

It has been suggested that drinking purple grape juice and non-alcoholic red wine offer similar or equal benefits as red wine consumption. Further research is required before a conclusive determination can be made regarding the resveratrol content (and health benefits) of purple grape juice.

Which Red Wines Offer You the Most Benefits?

According to researchers at the University of California-Davis, the highest concentrations of flavonoids (including resveratrol) can be found in Cabernet Sauvignon. Two other red wines offering high levels of these beneficial antioxidants are Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir.

Merlots & Red Sinfandels have significantly fewer flavonoids than these three red wines. White wines have even smaller amounts of them. A good rule of thumb to remember is the sweeter the wine, the fewer the flavonoids.

Red wine consumption is not appropriate for everyone. Health professionals only recommend that people with a clean bill of health drink red wine or any other type of alcohol. In fact, there are many health problems that can occur from the overuse of red wine & alcohol. Not to mention that certain medications can not mix with alcohol.

Put Yourself in My Shoes

You’ve worked really hard to prepare this meal. You shopped a week in advance, at least. You pressed the last of the napkins hot out of the dryer. You’re really pleased with your menu. Broiled fish, roasted chicken breasts with garlic cloves, bell pepper and onions and steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, and corn you took off the cob just this afternoon. And by request, your special macaroni and cheese is also on the menu.

It’s time to get everything heated, so you’ve got the oven set to 200 up and the warming pots on the stove. The vegetables are steaming and all that’s left is the macaroni and cheese and the corn. Planned down to the minute, your family will be arriving in twenty minutes; the macaroni will be put into the microwave, straight from the fridge in your microwave-safe plastic ware. Your corn will go in right after that for three minutes.

Everyone is on time. You’re placing the last two items on the table as the guests are seated—it went like clockwork.

What Could Possibly be Wrong with This Picture?

The only problem is the microwave. You know how you learn something but it doesn’t stick because it’s so out of line with the rest of life? That was my problem with the truth and fallacy of microwave cooking.

Many, many years ago, when the microwave was banned in Germany, I can recall hearing about it. I was a child and I remember thinking, What an odd thing to ban. Those poor people are so oppressed. Little did I know.

The Problems with Microwaving Foods

Microwaving changes food on the molecular level, denaturing its nutrients and therein making foods empty, useless substances.

What are you left with?

• Carcinogens in your proteins in cereal and milk
• Radiolytics - stuff unknown in nature
• Destroyed meat proteins

As a result of eating this food, studies have recorded the following:

• Reduces blood hemoglobin count (indicator of anemic condition)
• Increases cholesterol and white blood count

In 1991, microwaving blood denatured it enough to kill a transfusion recipient who received that warmed blood.

Most nutritionists will warn parents away from warming baby milk and formula in microwaves for two reasons:

• It destroys the nutrients in the formula
• The formula is generally much hotter than the bottle indicates when removed from the microwave

It’s even been demonstrated to be unsafe for people to stand in front of microwaves. It’s actually causing cell destruction.

Why People Still Use Microwaves

I am going to guess that many people are a lot like me. I extend to the government a benefit of the doubt that they wouldn’t deliberately make me sick. (I don’t know why I extend the government this because obviously that very thing is the case. It makes me sick.)

I am all about the convenience of heating food quickly. I remember our first microwave. It meant and end to oven and stove reheating. No more steam burns—almost no more—hello, 4-minutes-to-a-complete-meal. Speed can’t mean a sacrifice of health. Who would allow that? Actually it was the same people who prosecuted a United States researcher, William Kopp, who went and collected the Russians’ and Germans’ research results.

So, What Does All This Mean to Me?

Instead of saying thank you to my family and friends for the excellent care they took of me after my surgery, I was giving them damaging garbage to eat with the rest of their meals.

The statistics on weight loss nutrition are grim. Research shows that almost 95% of repeat dieters fail in their efforts, and ultimately regain any weight that they initially lost. What about that successful 5%? What is their secret to weight loss nutrition?

Basically, people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off for years have made a few simple changes to their eating and exercise habits that have enabled them to live a healthier and lighter lifestyle. When asked to describe their eating habits, the top responses among this group usually involved weight loss nutrition that was low in fat and low in red meat. Here are some more secrets for success from those who have lost weight and kept it off for good.

Take Stock in Healthy Foods

Stock your kitchen with healthy organic foods so that you will always have the right things around to choose from. Weight loss nutrition includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dried beans, nonfat dairy and fish or lean poultry. Also, try to plan meals in advance in order to avoid making unhealthy selections just because you are hungry and rushed. And make a shopping list so that you’re more likely to choose healthy foods at the grocery store.

Eat Your Organic Fruits and Veggies

Dieters with long-term weight loss success also typically eat more fruits and vegetables than dieters who have failed in their efforts. For example, one recent Harvard study looked at the diets of 75,000 women over a ten-year period. Their results found that the more fruits and vegetables the women ate, the less likely they were to become obese.

Cut Calories

It’s a good idea to know how many calories you eat in a typical day. So if you don’t already know, make an effort to keep a food journal for a few weeks. Then you will be able to find the areas where your diet is weakest. You will also be able to identify the “hidden” calories such as high calories sodas or snacks that sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Once you know how many calories you typically eat, you can make a weight loss nutrition plan that gradually reduces your caloric intake. Make sure you still eat enough food to keep your energy levels high and your metabolism charged. But simply making an effort to limit your portion size will help you cut calories dramatically.

Get Support

Find some kind of support system to aid you in your weight loss efforts. Whether you join a weight loss group, work with a dietitian or simply enlist your family and friends, it is helpful to have someone with whom you can share your experiences. A support group can also be a source of new ideas and strategies for losing weight effectively.

Go Slow

Slow weight loss is critical to long-term weight loss nutrition. Aim to lose no more than one to two pounds a week. Quick weight loss is more apt to lead to the yo-yo dieting that has a negative impact on your long-term health.

It’s also a good idea to go slow while you are eating. Health experts say it takes about twenty minutes for your brain to realize it’s full. That means the amount of calories you take in before you feel full will vary depending on how quickly you eat. Go slow, savor your food, and enjoy every bite of your meal.

Stay Hydrated

Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of purified water each day. When the body isn’t adequately hydrated, the kidneys may compensate by conserving or “retaining” water. Drinking a lot of fluids also helps to stimulate the digestive system and makes the stomach feel fuller, so you don’t feel as hungry.

Get Physical

Physical activity is very important for losing weight, but you don’t have to workout to the point of exhaustion in order to see results. Try incorporating exercise into your normal activities. Walk to work, or take a stroll in the evenings with the kids.

When you get sick, you go to the doctor. And the doctor will, of course, prescribe medicines. You will go and buy medicines. You take them, and hopefully, you get well. This is how the health profession goes on nowadays, a cycle of diagnosis and prescription.

If anyone were to give you herbs for medicine, you would probably say that that person was a quack.

But nowadays, studies are being conducted to see if there are really is any merit to what is called natural medicine.

Natural medicine is the use of natural methods, herbal medicines, and traditional practices to heal ailments. Every culture has a form of natural medicine. In ancient cultures, village medicine men served as the doctors of the community, passing on medical knowledge to the apprentices that followed them.

Many categories of the healing methods fall under natural medicine. Among these are traditional medicine, complementary medicine, and alternative medicine.

Usually, natural medicine refers to medical practices that were in place before the advent of modern medicine.

This includes herbal medicine, or phytotherapy, which is prevalent in Chinese, Ayurvedic (or Indian), and Greek medicine.

Upon the advent of modern medicine, many professionals discarded the use of herbs in favor of man-made medicine. The fact that these treatments are based on the healing properties of some herbs was forgotten.

For example, opium, digitalis, quinine, and aspirin all have their roots in traditional medicine.

Natural medicine can be considered as a lost art. This does not mean that it has lost efficacy over time. In some cases, natural therapy is actually better than modern medicine. This leads some doctors to seriously consider and study the possible uses of natural medicine

Before we continue, it is important to stress that not all the natural remedies are legitimate. It would help to only try those remedies which have been thoroughly studied and are relatively risk free.

Take herbal medicine for example. There are many well-documented and studied herbal remedies available. However, only those that deal with minor ailments such as cough, colds, fever, skin rashes, and the like are likely to be recommended by health professionals. These remedies are sometimes superior to synthetic medicine. This is because herbal medicines are less likely to cause negative side effects.

Currently there are numerous organizations that study the effects and advocacy of natural medicine among which is herbal medicine. Some governments and health agencies openly advocate the use of natural methods since they are inexpensive and relatively risk-free.

As their studies compile, more herbs and treatments are added to the list of accepted medicines. However, many herbs and treatments have been proven to be bogus medicine. This represents a challenge for both the user and the agencies because they have to ascertain that the treatments they either use or advocate are legitimate.

Today there are many alternative medical treatments that fall under natural medicine. However, not all of them have been proven to be effective. You could mention homeopathy, aromatherapy, acupuncture, and other alternative medical treatments. It would pay to consult the experts as to the legitimacy of these treatments.

Natural medicine should also be thought of as an accompanying medicine. Right now, the current collective medical thought suggests that natural medicine be used only to supplement accepted modern medical practices. In that case of minor ailments your expert we actually advise you to take natural therapies instead.

The practice of modern medicine revolves around diagnosing an illness and prescribing treatments for such. Natural medicine is helpful because it suggests that treatment be not necessarily given only when sick. Natural medicine strives to make each patient practice good health habits. These habits include good diet, healthy living, and the regular natural treatment.

It is this same line of thought that leads our parents to tell us to eat our vegetables. Yes, a healthy lifestyle and will do no harm to our well-being. And this is the foundation of natural medicine; may it be massage, herbal medicine, aromatherapy or others.

It is funny but true that science, in its quest for excellence, is studying the knowledge of sages past. This, surprisingly, leads us back to the remedies nature offers. The possibilities of finding remedies to everyday illnesses in natural medicine are encouraging. So staying tuned to studying these remedies is worthwhile until we can verify that these therapies are truly helpful to our health and our society.

What is the liver’s job?

The liver has several functions that play a major roll in maintaining health. It breaks down red blood cells, stores fat and glucose, filters toxins from the body and produces amino acids and bile. Its jobs provide energy and facilitate the digestion process.

The liver is the largest gland in the body, located at the beginning of the small intestine. An adult liver produces between 400 and 800 ml of bile each day which is stored in the gallbladder until needed.

The Liver Can Be Damaged

The liver is one of few internal human organs that can regenerate. It can do this with as little as 25% of its mass in tact.

Still, liver function can be impaired, which in turn can afflict other parts of the body. Two common liver diseases are hepatitis and cirrhosis. The liver like the gallbladder can develop stones. Alcohol and other pharmaceutical grade chemicals such as, acetaminophen, and isoniazid can affect the liver adversely.

You May Get Warnings that there’s Trouble Looming

Sometimes your liver functions can be sluggish. Some ailments that have been reported that point to this condition are: headaches, depression, constipation, chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivities and digestive difficulties.

Actions You Can Take

Be proactive when it comes to having good health. Let pharmaceutical drugs be your last resort. They can damage the liver and they put a heavy burden on your liver to filter them from your blood stream. Limit or eliminate alcohol consumption. Your body only needs purified water to live. Choose organically grown items whenever possible. Genetically modified foods add many unnecessary toxins to your diet. Eating a proper diet is a good plan of action.

Eating Habits You Want to Have

Remember the dietary stuff you learned in school? If you decided to ignore it in favor of fast food and steaks at your favorite steakhouse restaurant, consider returning to the healthy choices.

Good eating and drinking habits will save your liver the extra wear and tear of purging your system of all the toxins you regularly ingest. The following healthy dietary practices will nourish you, not overburden your liver, and should improve your energy overall.

• Make sure as much as 40% of your diet consist of live red, purple, orange and yellow fruit and vegetables, including dark green leafy organic vegetables
• Avocados and oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines promote liver health
• Many varieties of raw seeds such as flaxseed, sunflower, and alfalfa seeds are beneficial
• Eat balanced meals, not until you’re stuffed or overstuffed
• Avoid empty calories of fatty foods, and excessive carbohydrates
• Limit your vitamin A intake. Instead opt for emulsified vitamin A, the liquid form of the vitamin, which does not contain cholesterol or fat.
• Keep your sodium intake low
• Find out what your optimal protein intake is and don’t overdo it
• Certain oils (primrose, black currant seed, and cold-pressed olive oil to name a few) assist the liver as well.
• Always wash your food before eating and preparing it.

There are several healthful organic herbs that promote healthy liver functions. Some of these beneficial herbs are:

• Turmeric
• Greater Celandine
• Peppermint Leaf
• Dandelion Leaf
• Dandelion Root
• Chicory Root
• Yellow Dock Root
• Milk Thistle Seed
• Wildcrafted Chanca Piedra

More information about these herbs is provided in The Liver and Liver Stones and their related articles. There are many more healthy living practices you can incorporate into your routines including minimizing your environmental toxins, and exercising regularly.

Make it easy for your liver and other organs to do their parts. Eat healthy for an energized life.

10 Questions Come To Mind

When I hear in the news that 143 million pounds of beef gets recalled, after most had been distributed (business as usual during the investigative period) and subsequently consumed by an unknowing public, questions come to mind.

While the investigation was going on, the producers were able to continue selling. Subsequently most of their food when to schools; no one protected the children. As a result of the recall delay, 28 people fell ill.

10 Questions I Would Like Answered

1. What body will protect us from the recall of already-eaten, 143 million pounds of anything?
2. Who keeps the public from suffering from the business end of USDA?
3. When do we get the protection that is explicit and implicit in the formulation of government?
4. When will government put the health of people before the revenue of business?
5. How does one create a viable argument for health overruling practices so obviously rooted in commerce?
6. Why are non-organic substances allowed in organic foods?
7. When did we agree that the USDA could defile organic products with non-organic ingredients?
8. Why are producers allowed to label their products organic when in fact they aren’t?
9. How is it acceptable to call non-organic food organic when such a thing is fully unnecessary?
10. Should it really take an act of congress to say that organic needs to be organic?

There are many who take serious issue with the National List’s allowances. Two great articles are on The Daily Green. When “Organic” Doesn’t Really Mean Organic the first article, there is a detailed example of the implications related to the use of non-organic intestinal casings. And, in 38 Non-Organic Ingredients Found in ‘USDA Organic’ Foods the second article, you find a list of the non-organic substances and how they came to be on the list, (when the information was not restricted).

Just because “the people” want it and it is good for them, doesn’t mean that they can have it. It must be economically feasible. Some people decided that they wanted healthier diets for themselves and their families. Some farmers decided that they wanted to produce healthy, organic, fruit, vegetables and cattle. The USDA decided to step in and “regulate” to hell what is organic and how it should be done, and who gets to obfuscate the guidelines. In the face of all that goes on surrounding meat and product, the bonus question that I have is:

Are we any safer with government regulating than if it weren’t in charge of organic guidelines?