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2005/03/14, 07:49 AM
Came across this article on PTonTheNet.com It was disturbing enough for me to want to pass it along.
I can t think of one single smooth or clever way to introduce the sheer and utter importance of the following nutritional concepts. Marketing and PR in this country, and society as a whole, have done an incredibly AWESOME job of convincing consumers like you and I that this AGE OF PROCESSED FOOD & PHARMACEUTICALS we are currently in - is harmless to us. We have been brainwashed by a life-long onslaught of propaganda. This propaganda, which programs us from birth on, reaches us via TV, magazines, radio, billboards, internet, movies, etc. By using techniques that dehumanize, generalize, emotionally charge, stall, distract, maximize, minimize and LIE, these giant corporations make millions, billions and trillions of dollars annually, and they do it quite effortlessly.
We as the general public are at an unbelievable disadvantage. Millions of dollars are spent to research the most efficient and scientific methods of trickery to use on us all! This includes research on taste, color, economic class, racial/ethnic ties, sex appeal, perception... you get the idea. How can we compete? Unfortunately, many simply believe that since an MD on TV said a product is healthy, or safe, or harmless... that it must indeed be. As you might expect, this could not be further from the truth.
We must be made aware of the fact that there is little money to be made in the use of natural remedies, regardless of how beneficial they are. Why would industry and conventional medicine subscribe to such a notion? After all, they generate over a trillion dollars annually (the most profitable in America) by prescribing drugs and diagnostic and surgical techniques! If we learned how to take care of ourselves, there would be no money for them to make!
So one might ask, Why aren t doctors more interested or knowledgeable about NUTRITION? The answers here are simple. The average medical school provides only a handful of hours in nutritional education. Medical doctors are trained to treat, not to prevent, and thus focus only on the medical model , not wellness. This is because there is a reduction in liability of risk when usual and customary procedures are followed. But perhaps the ultimate reason is INSURANCE DOESN T COVER NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE. So the story of their education goes: Anatomy--->Physiology--->PHARMACOLOGY.
The purpose of this article is simply the advancement of truth. The reality of the current health situation of this country is not a good one; we are on the fence and teetering. Disease and sickness are running rampant, and the processed food and pharmaceutical industries have much to do with it. The only people with the power enough to change knowledge and perception for the betterment of all... are ourselves of course. In the following pages, some of the most common FOOD PRODUCTS, to be avoided at all costs, will be the topic of discussion. If we all can manage to reduce and eliminate these from our lives, we will all be one step closer to a happier healthier existence as well as beating those corporate monsters at their own game.
1. SUGAR
It s no mystery, sugar, particularly refined sugar, is bad for you. What you may not be aware of is just how bad it truly is. Some government officials have even stepped up and proclaimed that if they d known decades ago just how terribly damaging sugar was to our health (it has been labeled by some experts to be as addictive and destructive as heroin), the substance would have been treated and regulated as if it were a CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE!!!
Within the body, sugar creates drastic spikes in insulin. High levels of insulin PROMOTE fat storage, as well as the PREVENTION of fat being burned as fuel. Over time, these chronic high levels of insulin promote INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR) because the body is trying to protect itself from the toxic effects of high insulin. Now, what s the problem with IR? The problem is that insulin s primary function was NEVER to solely control blood sugar. Controlling blood sugar is now simply a primary trivial side effect of insulin, due to our society s obsession with carbohydrates. More importantly, insulin is in charge of the storage of nutrients such as protein, magnesium, vitamins, etc. as well as functioning as an anabolic hormone - a muscle builder! (This is of course so key, as muscle is the key to an increase in the metabolism as well as fat burning.) The point is, when one develops IR, that individual is ultimately becoming resistant to all of the other life-sustaining functions of insulin (just a few of which were listed above). Hence, the chronic diseases of aging may be soon to follow (i.e., cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, cancer). It is also important to note that a pregnant woman who has eaten herself into IR will pass it on to her child.
Sugar has many other damaging effects (ultimately stemming from IR). Sugar suppresses the immune system, and research has shown that just one teaspoon of sugar can suppress the immune system for up to 4 hours! Imagine the devastating effects on the health and development of children when taking into consideration that the average 12 ounce can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar! Coke itself has 41 grams of sugar per can. Sugar s dark resume goes on and on... ...(2)
• SUGAR can upset the body s mineral balance.
• SUGAR can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties and crankiness, (ADD).
• SUGAR can cause drowsiness and decreased activity.
• SUGAR can adversely affect children s school grades.
• SUGAR can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
• SUGAR can weaken eyesight.
• SUGAR can produce an acidic stomach.
• SUGAR can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
• SUGAR increases the risk of CORONARY HEART DISEASE.
• SUGAR can lead to ALCOHOLISM.
• SUGAR contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
• SUGAR can cause KIDNEY damage.
• SUGAR can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDL s).
• SUGAR can elevate harmful cholesterol (LDL s).
• SUGAR interferes with absorption of CALCIUM.
• SUGAR may lead to BREAST CANCER as well as CANCER OF THE
• OVARIES, PROSTATE, RECTUM AND COLON.
• SUGAR encourages the overgrowth of CANDIDA ALBICANS fungus in the digestive tract.
• The list goes on, and on, and on... ... ...
2. FLOUR & PROCESSED CARBS
Processed flours are similar to refined sugars in their negative effects on the body and are absolutely nothing like nature intended. Because of this, they are something to completely avoid. Reason being as follows: A wheat grain kernel has three layers: the outer bran where most of the fiber is, the middle endosperm where the starch (carbs) is, and the inner germ where the many nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. In order for a wheat grain to be healthy for consumption, all three of these components must be in tact. This is where the nightmare of processing comes into the picture. Where flour originally was milled with stone keeping these three vital components together, today s methods are seriously inferior. Today, industry s high-speed steel roller mills eject the germ and bran - the most nutritious part of the grain - leaving nothing but the starch, essentially nothing but sugar. What s worse, even whole wheat flour is compromised by the high temperatures of these mills reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit, destroying the vital nutrients and rendering them useless.
It is important to keep in mind that our ancestors ate grains in their whole, unprocessed state. In nature carbs (i.e. sugars, grains, etc.) come from whole food sources and therefore were naturally linked with their corresponding vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, fats and fibers. These components are the body s health-building and digestion-regulating elements. Refined carbs (i.e. sugar, breakfast cereal, pasta, breads, chips, crackers, soda, juice, candy, etc.) are devoid of these essential elements to vitality. Thus, consumption of these empty or negative calories requires the body to give up its own stores of vitamins, minerals and enzymes for proper metabolization. Essentially, as mentioned above, you re left with nothing but starch - sugar. The previous section on sugar detailed that monstrosity.
3. GRAINS
The Paleolithic Concept is an item to consider concerning grain consumption. According to Crayhon, because the human genome has changed relatively little in the past 40,000 years since the appearance of behaviorally modern humans, our nutritional requirements remain almost IDENTICAL to those requirements which were originally selected for stone age humans living BEFORE the advent of agriculture.(11) Meaning in terms of evolution, since the organized farming and nurturing of grains is thought to have began as few as 10,000 years ago, this has created a situation where our digestive machinery simply hasn t had enough time to evolve to be able to process them safely and efficiently.
Grains contain phytic acid. In the digestive tract, phytic acid joins with calcium, iron, magnesium, copper and zinc, and thus blocks their absorption. Hence, they essentially are mineral blockers. Research has also shown some whole grains to contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion as well. It is for this reason that grains must be soaked or sprouted before eating them. Sprouting is a process that will neutralize phytates and enzyme inhibitors, in essence, beginning the digestive process before consumption, so that all the nutrients will be made more available to the body. Below, Fallon explains the sprouting process.(13)
Fill a mason jar one-third of the way with any grain or seed. Add filtered water to the top of the jar and screw on the top with its screen insert. Allow the seeds to soak overnight and pour off the water. Rinse the seeds well - you can do this without removing the top. Invert the jar and let sit at an angle so it can drain, and to allow air to circulate. These seeds should be rinsed every few hours, or at least twice a day. In one to four days the sprouts will be ready. Move the sprouts to another container and move them to the refrigerator.
An allergic reaction to the protein Gluten (a protein found in many popular grains such as WHEAT), is called GLUTEN SENSITIVITY (GS) and/or CELIAC DISEASE (CD). GS and CD have been found to be at the root of a proportion of cases of cancer, auto-immune disorders, neurological and psychiatric conditions and liver disease as well as being associated with back pain and chronic fatigue. The implication is that the heavily wheat-based western diet (i.e. bread, cereals, pastries, pastas, etc.), is actually making millions of people ill! It is estimated that in the American public, 1.8 million adults and some 300,000 children have undiagnosed CD. (NOTE: These are considered to be LOW estimates.) The immune reaction to Gluten that damages the gut in CD can also cause problems almost anywhere else in the body. Signs of GS and CD are:
• Upper respiratory tract problems: allergies, etc.
• Symptoms of nutrient malabsorbtion: anemia, fatigue, osteoporosis, etc.
• Bowel complaints: diarrhea, constipation, bloating, etc.
• Autoimmune problems: rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, etc.
• Behavior problems: depression, ADD, etc.
4. SOY
Soy got its beginning as an INDUSTRIAL WASTE PRODUCT. To put it simply, after multi-million dollar figures spent on advertising and intense lobbying to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 74 percent of US consumers now believe soy products are another healthy(26). Another brilliant example of the effects of PR and marketing on the public s perception of healthy eating. From an evolutionary standpoint, soy was originally only consumed by a few cultures. These cultures consumed it in conservative quantities with specific techniques for preparation. Now however, it s being pushed as the next best thing.
The reality of the situation is that soy has been strongly linked to thyroid disorders, kidney stones, weakened immune systems and powerful food allergies. Soy has been found to contain phytates and enzyme inhibitors, such as those found in unsprouted grains, as well as haemagglutin which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen up-take and growth. But perhaps the most dangerous of soy s downfalls is that it contains high levels of phytoestrogens (the plant form of estrogen) that can indeed mimic the effects of actual human female estrogen! This has been linked to increased risk of breast cancer. Research has shown just two glasses of soy milk a day for one month are enough of this chemical to change a woman s menstrual cycle! Feeding soy to infants is even more devastating. It has been found that infants fed exclusively on soy formula are ingesting FIVE birth control pills worth of estrogen daily!
To top it all off soybeans, like most non-organic agriculture, are grown for the numbers. Meaning massive quantities must be grown to make a profit. This means the HEAVY use of pesticides, herbicides and quite often times, genetically modified (GM) plants (the effects of which we will only know in the future).
Research has shown that sprouted forms of soy such as tempeh, miso, natto and soybean sprouts are the only forms that can be consumed with some health benefits. This means avoiding all processed forms - soy milk, soy burgers, soy ice cream, soy cheese and all of the other trendy junk foods!
5. PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS
Folks, this is a no-brainer. Whey protein (bars, powders, shakes, etc.), like soy, was originally an industrial waste product. It s processing involves extremely high temperatures which render the product nutritionally void. The vitamins, minerals and any other nutrients added back in are synthetic, and potentially toxic. In essence, it s DEAD. Exposure to this processed food product, just as previously noted with flour and processed carbs, forces the body to tap into its own reserves of vitamins, minerals and enzymes just to process and eliminate what your body perceives as garbage. Whey can also seriously dehydrate its consumers as the average powder form of this product will absorb many times its own weight in water. To get your protein - EAT REAL MEAT!
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You only get ONE body, take care of it and it'll take care of YOU!
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