Saturday, November 27, 2010

Soy: The Upside and Downside Of Soy Products

The debate over the potential benefits and dangers of eating soy is ongoing and often heated. Is soy good for you or should you avoid it? If you do eat soy, how much is OK to eat? There is research to support both sides of the issue....

The downsides of soy are important to note, although these disadvantages do not apply to fermented soy foods, as fermentation seems to destroy the toxins in soybeans....

Another issue regarding American soy consumption is attitude. "Soy" has become a buzz word in the food industry, where it is becoming more of a brand than a food. Manufacturers promote soy protein bars, kids' cereals with added soy, and soy protein mixes targeted for athletes as being "healthy." But just because a product contains soy does not automatically mean it is good for you as the soy branding is often a smokescreen for an otherwise unhealthy product containing sugars, additives, artificial flavors and other ingredients of questionable health.

Not all soy products are created equal. Like 99 cent tacos, you get what you pay for. Manufacturers make it cheap, throw on a brand like "soy" and sell it as hard as they can. It doesn't matter whether it is good for you or not. To me, soy is like the professional athlete that signs an unlimited use licensing agreement for his/her name and suddenly finds their image on the side of a cigarette box.

Consumers need to read nutritional and ingredient labels and not be swayed by marketing buzz words that grab your attention in the supermarket and have been taken over by the industrial food companies.


Craig Cooper, Huffington Post, Nov 4, 2010



Check out also my blogs at:
Natures Own Curing Power

Natural Remedies Forever

and squidoo at:
Dangers Of High Cholesterol

Monday, November 15, 2010

This Is "Deadly Ignorance" When It Comes To The Heart.

There are few diseases we are winning the war on today. Most diseases are rising at an alarming rate...One of the worst is cardiovascular disease. Here are some more sobering statistics:

* One in 2.8 deaths in the U.S. was due to CVD in 2005. Some 2,400 Americans die of CVD each day, an average of one every 30 seconds. CVD claims about as many lives as cancer, lower respiratory diseases, accidents and diabetes combined. Idaho ranks in the top dozen states for the highest number of strokes. In 2002 statistics reveal two million babies were born with congenital heart defects.

* High blood pressure accounted for 73,600,000 people in 2005, and is two to three times more common in women taking birth control pills.

One hundred years ago CVD was practically non-existent. What's happening? For one thing, our diets are so nutritionally depleted that we don't have a chance at having a healthy heart. Here is some more statistics to support this:

The average consumption of whole grains is less than half serving/day, fruit 1.1 servings/day; vegetables 1.2 svgs/day; nuts, legumes and seeds 1-2 servings per week; processed meats 2.1-3.4 svgs/week; sugar sweetened beverages 12/week (and up to 23/week for teens); sweets and bakery deserts 6/day (up to 9 for teens). (All above stats are from Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2009 Update, American Heart Association).

With the consumption of processed meats, sugar sweetened beverages and sweets ranking far above whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes, is it any wonder we have CVD ?

Further that with processed foods such as microwavable dinners, fast foods, chips, and other forms of junky foods - why are we even surprised? Heart disease is a nutrition-based disease, any way you look at it. We have replaced healthy whole foods and vitamins with synthetic, nutrition-less fakes. We can't build a healthy heart with non-foods.

DR. HOLLY CARLING, CDAPress.com, Nov 3, 2010


Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Think Your Doctor Tells You Everything? You Better Think Again!

Researchers at the University of Michigan report that doctors rarely give their patients all the information they require to make informed medical decisions. Sometimes, when making a decision over a difficult diagnosis, the questions patients should be allowed to ask (and expect to receive complete information) are as simple as "what are my options?" However, the researchers at the Institute for Social Research found that patients hear far more from doctors about the pros than cons of medications, tests and surgeries. The researchers asked subjects about decisions they made with their health care providersover the past two years regarding some common medical issues such as screening tests for colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer; taking prescription drugs for problems such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression; and also the daunting decision to have surgery for knee or hip replacement, cataracts, or lower back pain. The study came back with some chilling results. First, the study found that 75% of the people interviewed did have to make such decisions within the past two years, making the importance of distributing information from health care professional to patient all that more important. However, doctors and nurses were far more likely to discuss only the advantages to certain treatments or procedures, while skipping the negatives. Dr. Michael Barry, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said that "The study clearly demonstrates that people routinely make poorly informed medical decisions."
David Littleman, Personal Injury Attorney, Nov 4, 2010
Addendum note: Does one need a study to know that most doctors, no matter how concerned they are for their patients, really don't know about the prescriptions they are handing out, OR any natural supplements which would achieve the same results WITHOUT any Life Threatening Side Effects?

Friday, November 5, 2010

Buying Only Organic Because Its Healthier? Really?

You're in a bit of a dilemma standing in front of the produce section of your local supermarket. In one hand, you're holding a conventionally grown Granny Smith apple. In your other hand, you have one that's labeled organically grown. Both apples are firm, shiny and green. Both provide vitamins and fiber, and both are free of fat, sodium and cholesterol. The conventionally grown apple costs less and is a proven family favorite. But the organic apple has a label that says "USDA Organic." Does that mean it's better? Safer? More nutritious? Several differences between organic and nonorganic foods exist. The word "organic" refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than using chemical weedkillers, organic farmers may conduct sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds at bay. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards. These standards regulate how such foods are grown, handled and processed. Any farmer or food manufacturer who labels and sells a product as organic must be USDA certified as meeting these standards. Only producers who sell less than $5,000 a year in organic foods are exempt from this certification; however, they must follow the same government standards to label their foods as organic. If a food bears a USDA Organic label, it means it's produced and processed according to the USDA standards and that at least 95 percent of the food's ingredients are organically produced. The seal is voluntary, but many organic producers use it. Foods containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients can't use the organic seal or the word "organic" on their product label. They can include the organic items in their ingredient list, however. You may see other terms on food labels, such as "all-natural," "free-range" or "hormone-free." These descriptions may be important to you, but don't confuse them with the term "organic." Only those foods that are grown and processed according to USDA organic standards can be labeled organic.
Mayo Clinic, Oct 27, 2010

Thursday, November 4, 2010

The Line Keeps Getting Bigger At Funerals Of Those Who Won't Check Cholesterol!

The risks of high cholesterol are quite clear.
"If you look at populations of people," says Laurence S. Sperling, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga., "the higher the cholesterol, the higher the level of heart and blood vessel disease." It's that simple.
Yet, globally, we continue to ignore this dramatic problem. For whatever reason, for whatever excuse, mankind continues to be in denial of this growing and ever increasing pandemic.
The headline is not for dramatic effect..it is a truth! One person globally dies NEEDLESSLY EVERY 34 SECONDS from heart disease, and the primary cause of this disease is HIGH CHOLESTEROL. All other conditions can be attributed to this core problem.
There are too many natural solutions to high cholesterol to accept STATINS as the only accepted cure...the dangers of their side effects far outweigh the benefits. Yet, many will not investigate what this planet provides as alternative cures. Why? • If everybody knew about it, pharmaceutical companies couldn't sell their life-long maintenance drugs anymore. • Pharmaceutical companies suppress this natural discovery that, without the use of medicine, is helping people cure their Cholesterol completely.
The body is designed to heal itself - naturally - provided it has what it needs to do its job. Here, my goal is to offer not only life saving information, but also the products which WILL save your life, within a common sense budget. Not $95 to $100 a month for the rest of your life, but $30 to $50 a month for a short time, and then much less monthly for maintenance.
Look over this site and see what is offered..spend some time...after all, its YOUR LIFE..How Long Do You Want It To Be?

Check out also my blogs at:
Natures Own Curing Power

Natural Remedies Forever

and squidoo at:
Dangers Of High Cholesterol

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Garlic Is A More Potent Herb Than Just A Flavoring

Garlic's uses: cholesterol lowerer, blood pressure reducer, blood sugar balancer, cancer combatant, fungus fighter, bronchitis soother, cold curer, wart remover, and immune system toner, and simply, a herb that enhances Mediterranean dishes. This remarkable herb is a member of the lily family and is one of the most extensively researched and widely used plants. Its uses and effects upon body tissue and various systems are extensive. Many will include garlic in their daily diet for health reasons, either in its natural (cloves) form or in supplements, while others will take it simply because of its flavoring. Extensive medical research has been done on this simple herb, and much has been written on its curative powers. Jennifer Brett, in Discovery Health writes "Garlic lowers blood pressure by relaxing vein and artery walls. This action helps keep platelets from clumping together and improves blood flow, thereby reducing the risk of stroke. Garlic also decreases the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, substances that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Garlic's cardiovascular protective properties have been demonstrated in a number of studies, including a four-year clinical trial on people over 50 years old, who already had symptoms of atherosclerosis. Those who consumed at least 900 mg per day of a standardized garlic supplement had significant reduction of arterial plaque formation. Garlic contains a large number of unique sulfur-containing compounds, which are credited with many of this herb's medicinal actions. Did you ever wonder why garlic bulbs on your kitchen counter don't have a strong odor until you cut or crush them? That's because an enzyme in garlic promotes conversion of the chemical compound alliin to the odorous allicin. Allicin, in turn, produces other sulfur compounds: ajoene, allyl sulfides, and vinyldithiins. These sulfur compounds are potent antimicrobials and are thought to be the source of garlic's lipid-reducing and cancer-preventing effects." Add Garlic to your diet, naturally or supplemental, and start work on your high cholesterol today.

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Natural Cures Forever

Monday, November 1, 2010

Top 5 Cholesterol Myths In Use Today

Myth 1: Americans have the highest cholesterol in the world
One of the world's enduring stereotypes is the fat American with cholesterol-clogged arteries who is a Big Mac or two away from a heart attack. As a nation, we could certainly use some slimming down, but when it comes to cholesterol levels we are solidly middle-of-the-road. According to 2005 World Health Organization statistics, American men rank 83rd in the world in average total cholesterol, and American women rank 81st; in both cases, the average number is 197 mg/dL, just below the Borderline-High Risk category. That is very respectable compared to the top-ranked countries: In Colombia the average cholesterol among men is a dangerous 244, while the women in Israel, Libya, Norway, and Uruguay are locked in a four-way tie at 232.
Myth 2: Eggs are evil
It's true that eggs have a lot of dietary cholesterol—upwards of 200 mg, which is more than two-thirds of the American Heart Association's recommended limit of 300 mg a day. But dietary cholesterol isn't nearly as dangerous as was once thought. Only some of the cholesterol in food ends up as cholesterol in your bloodstream, and if your dietary cholesterol intake rises, your body compensates by producing less cholesterol of its own. While you don't want to overdo it, eating an egg or two a few times a week isn't dangerous. In fact, eggs are an excellent source of protein and contain unsaturated fat, a so-called good fat.
Myth 3: Kids can't have high cholesterol
Most people think high cholesterol is a problem that's strictly for the middle-aged. But guess what? Research has shown that atherosclerosis—the narrowing of the arteries that leads to heart attacks—can start as early as age eight. In July 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics released guidelines on kids and cholesterol that recommended that children who are overweight, have hypertension, or have a family history of heart disease have their cholesterol tested as young as two years of age. Children with high cholesterol should be on a diet that restricts saturated fat to 7% of calories and no more than 200 mg per day of dietary cholesterol, according to the guidelines. Fiber supplements and more exercise are also recommended. While the guidelines prompted a bit of an outcry from parents worried that doctors would be pushing cholesterol-lowering drugs for kids, a new study suggests that less than 1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 would be considered candidates for medication.
Myth 4: Food is heart-healthy if it says "0 mg cholesterol"
The Cholesterol portion of the nutritional label refers to dietary cholesterol, which is only one of the things found in food that can cause your cholesterol to go sky-high. (A bigger contributor to elevated cholesterol? A high-fat diet.) It's also believed to be the least important. Saturated fat (found in animal foods and dairy products) and trans fats (found in packaged foods) appear to have a far greater impact on low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called bad cholesterol that causes atherosclerosis, than dietary cholesterol.
Myth 5: Cholesterol is always a bad thing
When most people hear "cholesterol" they think "bad." Like most things in life, the reality is more complex. High cholesterol can be dangerous, but cholesterol itself is essential to various bodily processes, from insulating nerve cells in the brain to providing structure for cell membranes. That's why your body makes the white, waxy substance (about 75% of the cholesterol in your blood is made by the liver and cells elsewhere in your body). Health.com, Oct 28, 2010