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by Alan Graham

(with Alfred Lehmberg)

Alan D. Graham

Phone (334) 774-0395

E-mail -- alan068@centurytel.net

SEE BILL MAHER SPEAK ON THE SUBJECT OF EVIL PHARMZ

FAT FACTS!

Everything you need to know about one of the most insidious perpetrations

of dangerous fraud on human beings imaginable!

~~~~~~

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Dr. K. McCully

LivingTreeRoot #001  UpDated April 10, 2007

Discerning reader; 

This is the "Cholesterol Myth."

Once upon a time in the late 60's a brilliant Harvard scientist,  Dr. K. McCully, did extensive research regarding the effects of folic acid, B-6, B-12 & Betaine (TMG) on homocysteine levels in the blood.  He determined, conclusively reader, that these simple inexpensive B vitamins, plus the methyl-donor Tri-methyl-glycine (TMG), dramatically facilitated the breakdown of this corrosive amino acid.

Homocysteine, you see, has a toxic effect on artery cells, resulting in inflammation & deformation of the arterial walls.  This causes a "rough spot" that oxidized lipids, and an unfairly maligned cholesterol, stick to. Cholesterol sort of acts like putty…  "sealing the cracks" so to speak.

This "sticking to the rough spot" is not the fault of the cholesterol and can happen to a thin vegetarian with a "normal" total cholesterol. Especially if they are not a well educated Vegetarian but are actually a "Carbotarian" who consumes large amounts of sugar, fructose, refined grains, partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (pHVO) & polyunsat. food oils. This lethal combo of refined carbs & poly food oils provides the inflammation (refined carbs) & the material to build-up (poly oils like soy, canola). Consider the following :

a)... 80% of the cholesterol your body manufactures comes from carbs, not eggs and fat!

b)... The prestigious medical journal Lancet, in 1994 published a study showing that 75% of the stuff sticking to your arteries was the very substance that I have been warning people about for years...Oxidized Polyunsat. Vegetable Oils like Corn, Soy, Safflower, Sunflower, CANOLA, Cottonseed, Grapeseed, etc. This oxidation problem does not apply to Monounsat Oils like Olive & Macadamia Nut.

See?  High cholesterol is not the disease!  High cholesterol can be the response to the disease OR it can be a very normal condition... there are many Inuit (Eskimos) walking around with Cholesterol totals between 250 & 300 that will NEVER have a heart attack. 

Of course, these Inuit will simultaneously likely have an HDL (good Cholesterol) of 80 or 85 instead of a sickly 30 like many Polyunsaturated oil "Over-dosed" Americans. These bizarre, yet very healthful, cholesterol numbers are because of the EPA & DHA, Omega 3 from fish oil plus avoiding the aforementioned oxidized Poly Vegetable oils... like Corn, Soy, Sunflower, etc.

Well, for us non-Eskimos, the B Vitamin reducing Homocysteine discovery, being so easy & cheap, naturally prompted his fellow doctors and the AMA to praised him as a hero -- right?  Wrong.

Unfortunately, about that time, the large drug companies were eagerly anticipating the introduction of their very expensive and very dangerous cholesterol lowering Statin drugs like Lipitor!  Consequently, Dr. McCully, predictably, had to be squashed like a bug…

He was fired from his prestigious Harvard job, ridiculed in the press and medical journals, and wound up doing medical grunt work (autopsies) in a seedy VA hospital.  No good deed goes unpunished, eh?

Well... thirty years and millions of Lipitor prescriptions later, in 1998, Dr. McCully was vindicated by receiving the Functional Medicine Linus Pauling Award , his book "The Homocysteine Revolution," was published, and all the medical journals grudgingly admitted he was right all along.   Of course Merck Pharmaceuticals, et al. are doing all they can to discredit McCully's findings.

So everything has changed for the better -- right?  Sorry… wrong again.

It's business as usual -- doctors and HMOs have just covered their collective ears and continue to march in scurrilous lock-step.   If you don't believe me, go see 100 MDs and tell them artherosclerosis runs in your family and that your cholesterol is a little high. I bet all 100 MDs will put you on Lipitor in a New York minute, and never, and I mean NEVER, mention folic acid, B-6, B-12 or TMG.

You know I'm right, because we are constantly bombarded by Mandy Patinkin (who played a Doctor on TV) telling us we might need Crestor to lower our Cholesterol even lower than the already artificially, corporately driven, low number of 200...low, to sell more Lipitor. Anyway, while Mandy, et al. says "when diet & exercise aren't enough..." you'll never hear him say "when diet, exercise ...& folic acid... aren't enough..." - no, of course not.

Let's connect the dots.

Doctors are quick to point out that 50% to 60% of the people who have heart attacks have high cholesterol and the cause is eating high cholesterol foods like saturated fat and eggs.  But wait a minute, doesn't that mean that 40% to 50% did NOT have high cholesterol yet died of the same disease -- arteriolosclerosis!

This could only mean there must be some underlying reason that causes the plaque build-up and that high cholesterol just means that it might (but equally, might not) accumulate a little faster, so you die a little sooner.  You will still die even if you are a slim vegetarian runner who consumes virtually no sat fat or cholesterol.  This is because the underlying reasons have almost nothing to do with dietary sat fat or dietary cholesterol, yet has everything to do with the other foods consumed and the supplements which are not consumed.

See the underlying reason is that your body is trying to protect itself through inflammation of the arterial wall.  This is caused by one or more corrosive agents (like the aforementioned  glucose/insulin, an acidic body pH, oxidized polyunsat. food oils, carbon monoxide from smoking and excessive consumption of protein without adequate B-6, B-12, TMG & folic acid) raising your homocysteine level. 

Unfortunately many of the same dietary mistakes causing the aforementioned inflammation also cause an increase in platelet stickiness, further exacerbating the problem.  Unfortunately, most folks don't realize these dietary mistakes are mostly about sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (pHVO),  poly unsaturated food oil and too much highly oxidized, very acidic, processed protein like pepperoni, powdered eggs, powdered milk!  The undamaged dietary sat fat and non-oxidized cholesterol we consume is, in no way, the problem!

Isn't it obvious that taking a harmful Statin drug like Lipitor to lower cholesterol is a silly approach.  Statin drugs are dangerous poisons that cause liver damage, peripheral neuropathy, muscle degeneration, and everybody's favorite... erectile dysfunction!  This is particularly disconcerting when you consider these statins are completely unnecessary.  Wouldn't it make more sense to alleviate the two components that cause the build-up in the first place?  Inflammation and platelet stickiness!

Statins can cause heart attacks :

Statins, like virtually all pharmaceuticals, do not enhance bodily systems, they block systems & pathways... they are not Probiotic (For Life), they are Antibiotic (Against Life).  Statins are particularly evil in this regard.  To reduce cholesterol, they block the Ubiquinone System, but unfortunately, that system also produces the critical Heart nutrient, Co-Q10, which is also blocked.

The heart muscle and our cell's membranes for nerve and muscle integrity require a constant, high level of Co-Q10!  But as we get older we produce less, contributing to a weak heart with age..

Co-Q10 is also vital to the production of elastin and collagen... the basis for the structure of skin, muscle and tendons. This is likely the reason that one of the most serious effects of statin use is back and muscle pain, weakness, inflammation... and last but not least... heart failure.

All along, the evil drug companies could have done a little something to help by quietly putting about 100mg of Co-Q10 right in their Lipitor but that would be tantamount to admitting a problem.

 To that end, here is what you should do to be able to show a dramatic improvement in your lipid profile -- without talking  pharmaceutical poisons! 

1. Stop all sugar and refined flour.

2. Never consume trans fat from pHVO (partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) found in margarine, vegetable shortening, all commercial baked goods & processed foods, etc. of every kind... to include FlintStones Children's Vitamins.  Is nothing sacred ? 

3. Only use mono-unsat oils like Olive and Macadamia nut oil, or the magical medium chain triglyceride (MCT) non-hydrogenated, unrefined Coconut oil.  Avoid all poly-unsat food oils like corn, safflower, cottonseed, etc.  Read "Fat Fact's" (http://www.alienview.net/zfat.html) to understand why the so-called "mono-unsat" Canola oil is also in the avoid column!

4. Consume EFA's -- Take 2 to 6 grams Fish Oil or the superior, Krill Oil ( most fish have too much lead and mercury).  "Complex" Omega-3's (EPA & DHA) from fish/krill oils are mother nature's most powerful nutrients for reducing inflammation, platelet stickiness, blood pressure, allergic reactions and protecting you from Alzheimer's. Optional - I like to also take 1 or 2 grams of Black Currant Oil to get the other powerful Omega-6, anti-inflammatory, GLA & it also has a little "Simple" Omega-3 ALA.   I highly discourage taking large doses of only ALA, plant-derived Omega-3 (like flaxseed oil) without the balance of the other EFA's & FA's.  In contrast, taking large doses of "Complex" Omega-3's (like krill oil) without ALA works great.

5. Protein -- Excessive meat can cause high methionine, that becomes Homocysteine... all of which may, or may not, be converted by Folic Acid, etc. SO consume a moderate amount of undamaged, digestible protein (that's why I like Whey & Eggs as a partial or full replacement for less digestible meat) & take your B's & TMG.  Remember, trying to cut Methionine out of your diet is not the answer.  In fact if you get all your protein from Veggies, you should either use a Veg. Protein Powder that has been fortified with additional Methionine or take a Methionine supplement.  One of the reasons that Whey Protein & Egg Protein are so superior to Veg. Protein like Soy or Beans & Rice is because whey & eggs are high in Methionine.

6. Take a good multivitamin/mineral (NOT Centrum,etc.) to insure you are getting folic acid, B6, B12 to reduce homocysteine - because most Multi's don't have enough B's, this might require an additional 'B Complex 25' or 'B Complex 50' ...the following are "Ball-park" totals :  (a)...Folic Acid -- Take 800mcg. total. You will likely have 400mcg. in your Multi.  Folic acid is unique, in that it is actually better absorbed from supplements than food. Folic Acid & B-12 convert Homocysteine back to methionine.   (b)...B-6 -- Use P5P form. Take 50 to100mg daily...your Multi will likely have 5 to 50mg. The P5P form of B-6 converts Homocysteine into cysteine.  (c)...B-12 -- ALWAYS take sublingually (under the tongue). Your Multi will have anywhere from 10 to 200mcg of the less active form, Cyanocobalamin. I recommend you take from 1000 to 5000mcg of the preferred more active form, Methylcobalamin. Don't let those big doses scare you...it's non-toxic and is very multi-purposeful, especially at large doses.  B-12, not only converts Homocysteine back to methionine through remethylation but it gives you energy & aids in digestion.

7. TMG -- Take 1 gram (1000mg) daily. Trimethylglycine donates a methyl group which detoxifies homocysteine. The TMG is then reduced to DMG (dimethylglycine) which is known for its energizing effects. TMG is also called Betaine, but it is not the same thing as Betaine HCL.  IMPORTANT INFO - Many people who experience little or no reduction of Homocysteine with Folic acid, B-6 & B-12...by adding TMG, suddenly get a large reduction.

8. Stop ALL carbonated drinks.  They leach minerals from your bones and destroy valuable stomach acid, thus, adversely effecting digestion.  Drink iced tea sweetened with Stevia or Xylitol.  Both green and black tea are good for diabetes, osteoporosis, and are high in antioxidants. Cheap, non-organic tea will be high in the dangerous toxin, Fluoride.

9. Take Niacin -- Only take the the "flush-free" Hexanicotinate form in large doses - the other forms like Niacinamide are good in the smaller doses found in Multi's & B-Complexes.  Take 500mg Inositol Hexanicotinate 3 or 4 times daily...do not take these large doses if you have a stomach ulcer.  If you took large doses of the "regular" niacin it would damage your liver eventually.  MD's will use "Niacin-Therapy" for cholesterol but they only prescribe a 500mg daily dose...for some reason they don't give the "flush-free" form which wouldn't restrict them to these smaller doses.

Closing... Have you ever wondered why on virtually all TV adds for Statins there is a disclaimer which says "...Has not been shown to reduce Heart Attack or Stroke..."

...OK, I give up... why should you take a statin drug, again?

Until next time, then, Well be.

LivingTree Root #002 

UpDated April 10, 2007

Discerning reader; 

This is the "Antacid Myth"...

It is a cold hard fact that the older we get the ~less~ stomach acid (HCL with pepsin) we produce. We know mother nature not only works this way concerning gastric acid and digestive enzymes, but, so too, with pretty much ~all~ biologically necessary substances. For example, older people produce less glucosomine and SAMe, so arthritis develops. Additionally, advanced in years, people produce less COQ-10, so heart problems become an avoidable result.

A conservative estimate is that 75% of the people over 50 have too LITTLE HCL/pepsin available for proper digestion. That's a ~huge~ number, readers!

Conversely, if we could know the accurate percentage of people with ~real~ hyperacidity, or too MUCH acid, I suspect that that number would be surprisingly low, not high. It remains, ironically, that popular culture, and virtually all of mainstream medicine, talks exclusively about too ~much~ acid -- NEVER too little. This strangely facilitates, then, the manufacture of expensive substances to suit this peculiar misinformation. What is going on? How can this be so?

...Could the preceding be because two ...very expensive... prescription antacids are among the top five pharmaceuticals sold?  Also consider, the big pharmaceutical producers can't make money on the one compound that would very likely help the most -- Betaine HCL w/ pepsin! These are CHEAP substances to produce and are natural, always superior, substances... ... substances that can't be patented by drug companies, I remind the reader, to sell at inflated prices!

The preceding neatly facilitates a nearly perpetual alkaline condition, due to LOW stomach acidity. This is ~VERY~ unhealthy ... not just because it adversely effects digestion, but because a very acidic (pH less than 3) stomach is needed to kill harmful bacteria and other parasites!

A despair provoking ~pattern~ emerges. It becomes plain that indiscriminate and reflexive pill-popping antacid abuse only provides a continuous flow of revenues for Doctors and Drug Companies. This is not only because the antacids, themselves, are a big seller, but by adversely effecting digestion they make people sick in a predicted future as a result of the unhealthful effects of the undigested protein and harmful critters not naturally killed off by inadequate acid. Protein which has not been properly 'softened up' by hydrochloric acid (HCL) with pepsin (protein digestive enzyme ) can cause allergic reactions, arthritis/joint pain, and auto-immune wackiness (the undigested protein is actually seen as a foreign invader by your immune system!).

This is such a perfect scam for Big Pharm! Not just because ~low~ acid and ~high~ acid conditions both have similar symptoms, but because antacids actually appear (but ~only~ appear!) to work by reducing heartburn! But at what cost, reader!?! The hapless victim never makes the connection between the antacids taken in the past and the disease now endured in the present!

Heartburn and reflux are an extremely complex subjects ~ so much so that mainstream medical science does not fully understand all of the mechanisms that function to protect the esophagus from high acid conditions... mechanisms generally centered around the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This LES opens and closes at various times for various reasons.

When the LES stays open when it shouldn't, stomach acids can splash-up (reflux) and burn the esophagus. Pretty much the only answer that doctors seem to have (short of surgery?) is various forms of antacid, smarmily sold by a smiling washed up quarterback who never warns you of the potential for a future misery... ...that is very, very real!

Doctors cite bogus reasons in an attempt to explain what appears to be a ~defective~ LES... it's either hereditary, a physiological fluke... or it's YOUR fault because you have gained weight, don't exercise, eat fatty foods, or eat too much at once. Two things they never mention though, are the aforementioned and likely ~insufficient~ Stomach Acid... or the 40 or 50 ~other~ pharmaceuticals compromising an already distressed or abused LES ... things like blood pressure meds, NSAIDS (Aspirin etc), or sedatives.

To understand why ~I~ think heartburn is caused by too little HCL/pepsin, let's state some reference facts and casual observations. In order to find applicable references, one has to use animals, babies, or go back several decades before it was discovered that  prescription antacids were such a "gold-mine." The thread is there.

1. Why does the LES easily open with only 5 mm Hg of pressure from above (swallowing) yet 80 mm Hg pressure from below WON'T force it open. It will; however, gently open to burp with a full stomach, yet slams closed at the first sign of acid (Dornhurst AC, 1954).

2. Doctors were surprised to discover that neither high nor low stomach acid determines whether or not one got heartburn. Shouldn't heartburn be pretty much associated with HIGH acid? I mean, after all, don't doctors prescribe antacids as a matter of course if you complain of heartburn (...and they rarely check acid levels).

3. In 1967, Lastaste and Conthier made the following observation concerning acid secretion and inhibiting reflux. "If acid/pepsin is required to activate the receptor, it would be expected that removal of the acid secreting portion of the stomach would cause a failure of sphincter inhibition and consequently reflux. This complication has been described. Again, if there is a loss of gastric acid production from atrophic gastritis, there is increased reflux." In this condition the pH may be greater than 5 instead of the normal less than 3 (Lastaste and Conthier, 1967).

4. When burping babies, mothers put the baby in a position so air pushes against the receptive area, not gastric fluid on the posterior wall of the fundus ~ so gastric fluid won't activate the inhibitory reflex. In other words the LES will close because of acid thus prohibiting the burp.

5. As early as the previous turn of the century W. B. Cannon did extensive research in animals that showed that changing from an alkaline to an acidic stomach caused the cardiac sphincter (same as LES) to rapidly slam closed ~ thus PROVING the acid~closure connection ( yeah -- I know... it's animals, but so what!) (Cannon, WB 1908).

6. In 1953 see what T. Collis had to say about HCL and the receptor that closes the sphincter. "To be sure, this important reflex is not the only one affecting the sphincter.

For example, it has been shown that acid stimulation of the esophageal mucosa causes increased basal production of HCl in the stomach. This seemingly paradoxical vicious circle may actually serve the organism by feeding back a signal that will stimulate the CD receptor and thus close the sphincter. ."

Think for a second, reader, with regard to the preceding citation. Mother Nature... or God, if you'd rather, designed a system ensuring that when acid hits the mucosal cells of the esophagus, it doesn't do what one might logically assume, that is to say, stimulate a reduction of acid...NO, Mother Nature makes even more acid, knowing that is the healthy and intelligent way to get the LES to close, thus avoiding heartburn while maintaining a healthful acidic stomach... so why would a doctor do the exact opposite of God by prescribing antacids"?

Why, indeed?

With all this in mind, here's how, ~I~ think, too LITTLE stomach acid can cause heartburn. Let's assume we eat a big meal and have too little stomach acid, because of age, antacid abuse, carbonated drinks, et. al. Because of this condition, digestion is slow to take place, so the food backs up, plus the alkaline stomach, within minutes, causes gas to build up which also causes the sphincter to relax, allowing stomach contents to splash into the esophagus. This causes heartburn, even though we have low stomach acid ~ the little bit of acid that ~is~ there still burns... ...so we dutifully take our obligatory TUMS. Then, a few minutes later, we are sure we've done the correct thing, because the burning goes away. Of course, by then, there is NO acid left to digest your food or kill harmful bacteria.

If you have a big meal with plenty of stomach acid, digestion is speeded along, and the high acid condition causes the LES to stay tightly closed ~ no heartburn... not to mention good digestion and critter protection.

It is a very simple process to determine if Betain HCL/pepsin, supplemental capsules will help you: First big meal take one 250 mg HCL/pepsin ( only take with moderate to large meals that contain protein). If the meal contains fat you should also take an additional enzyme complex that contains lipase, etc. If you are really suffering from too much acid, this additional stomach acid (HCL) will cause your stomach to feel warm, indicating you don't need additional HCL. If you don't get a warm stomach then the next day try one HCL capsule right before the meal, then take one halfway through the meal ~ if no adverse response, then the next day go to three capsules... continue until your stomach gets warm... and then back off one. If you have ulcers...don't try this until you fix the ulcer. Most ulcers can be fixed in 6 to 8 weeks with the proper diet and supplementation... taking antacids; however, every day will likely NEVER fix the problem, even though it gives you the illusion it is.

Another situation: After quitting antacids and building up to two or three HCL caps per meal your digestion improves dramatically... but you still get some occasional heartburn. This indicates that even at the proper high acid level, your LES is still sluggish and not closing properly. This could be, as I believe, because you've been operating in an alkaline condition for so long and have taken so many TUMS that your LES has *forgotten* how to properly close.

In this situation, if you do the following, the condition will hopefully correct itself.

1. Take supplements:

a. Betain HCL/Pepsin (don't take if you ever have a black stool...might be a bleeding ulcer)
b. Digestive enzymes ( some formulas contain HCL w. pepsin ). If you don't have a Gall Bladder -- take a formula with Ox Bile or bile salts.
c. Probiotic (like acidophilus)-- I think the superior way to get probiotics is 1 or 2 cups of Kefir daily but for vegetarians I recommend a "Stabilized" broad spectrum Probiotic Complex.
d. Quality multi-vitamin / mineral / trace minerals. Take something a notch or two above synthetic/inorganic Multi's like Centrum. I like Multi's where the majority of the minerals are Amino Acid Chelated, instead of the cheap inorganic crap like carbonate or oxide found in Theragram, Flintstones, et al. Get the trace mineral complex with 70+ elements, not just the handful that doctors say you need.
e. Sublingual ( under the tongue ) , methylcobolamine B-12 (1000mcg) -- they also make a 5000mcg tablet, which I perfer.

f. MSM ~ A natural form of sulfur that aids digestion, joint pain and too many other things to mention (by the way, you are not allergic to "sulfur," only "sulfa" it is impossible to be allergic to sulfur. Be not fooled).
g. 1 or 2 tablespoons fresh ground Flax Seed daily or 1 or 2 grams of Black Currant Oil..
h. 2 to 6 grams of Hi-Potency fish oil or Krill Oil -- NO fish ( too much lead & mercury )

2. Exercise.

3. Lose 10 pounds.

4. Avoid high fat meals ~ fat stays in your stomach the longest.

5. Eat four to six small meals a day. Whey Protein Isolate
Smoothies are great for 2 or 3 of those small meals.

6. Make last meal of the day very small and at least three hours
before bed.

7. Chew food extra well -- this is where digestion begins.

8. Avoid sugar and refined flour.

9. Avoid Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil / Trans Fat (margarine, etc).

10. Avoid poly-unsat food oils to include Canola (only use olive or macadamia nut oil
& unrefined, hexane free, Coconut oil ).

11. Avoid tap water & bottled water - use a top grade carbon filter or reverse osmosis (RO) & store water in glass, not plastic. The chlorine in tap water attacks the good "Bugs" in your gut and the Fluoride/Aluminum contributes to Thyroid disease, Heart disease, MS, et al.  RO water removes 95% of the 70 to 80 trace minerals...so water should be re-mineralized with liquid trace mineral drops.

 Worst situation: If you have a Hiatal Hernia ( Stomach lining is keeping the LES from closing ) try to do all of the previously suggested things... ...being particularly careful with the HCL/pepsin until you determine if it will make the burning worse. In rare situations, the hiatal hernia can correct itself, if you lose some weight and exercise moderately. But realistically, in order to have any real hope of these suggestions correcting the problem you probably need to start with the stomach lining not protruding up into the esophagus. The way to accomplish this is to have a chiropractor trained to perform the Hiatal Hernia(HH) Procedure where the Doctor pulls the stomach lining down out of the esophagus. This is generally a temporary fix that might only stay fixed for a month, a week, or only a few days... but if you are very aggressive with all of the previous suggestions you might get things under control without too many returns to the chiropractor to have the procedure repeated.

It's cheap - most chiropractors here in LA (Lower Alabama) charge $25.00 (which includes the whole spinal adjustment, not just the HH prcedure). If you've had a bad HH for a long time, your first HH manipulation will provide you with a serious, profound, and instantaneous relief ...trust me, you'll think you've seen God when he pops that lining down out of the esophagus!

You can try a variation of this HH procedure on your own (please start with a small distance above the ground)...with an empty stomach, drink about 1/2 quart or so of water...stand on something from about 6 inches up to a couple of feet (your age, weight, etc. will dictate how high) then jump off and land on your heels with your legs locked so gravity & inertia will sharply tug the lining down & hopefully out of the LES allowing it to close.  This may or may not work, but it virtually always works when the doc does it by hand.

That's the long and the short of it. "Excess acid" is mostly an ~evil~ myth and the pharmaceuticals proffered to bring that condition under control are a dangerous and unhealthful fraud! These pharmaceuticals are needlessly expensive and unnecessary, only lead to subsequent facilitated diseases to *manage*... ...each with its own class of dangerous and unhealthful pharmaceuticals prescribed for it! The preceding, of course, only *manages* disease symptoms without *curing* the disease... ...once again... a refrain becoming increasingly more familiar...

Until next time, then. If you have any questions concerning this paper or info on the somewhat unusual chiropractic procedure for HH... then give me a call, or E-mail.

Well, be!

Alan Graham
alan068@centurytel.net
Phone -- (334) 774 0395

LivingTree Root #003  UpDated April 10, 2007

Discerning reader; 

This is how *they* demonize the low-carb lifestyle.

The most powerful corporations and institutions in the world are strongly aligned against the low-carb (Atkins' Diet) movement. *They* will stop at nothing, in fact, to keep you well confused and so innocently consuming their ubiquitous poisons... poisons such as sugar, Poly-unsat. Food Oil (like Soy, Corn, etc.), partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (pHVO), bread, cereal, processed snack foods, and pharmaceutical drugs.  

Look at just a few of the key players who have an axe to grind: the "Cancer Industrial Complex,"  the heart disease foundation, the diabetes industry,  and the newly emerging, multifaceted, "pharmaceuticals for troubled children" market -- just to name a few.  And we can't leave out the HMOs, insurance companies, the FDA, the AMA... bloated bureaucracies like Medicare and Medicaid, and probably, most significant, are the lobbyists for these organizations who give us the best government regulations that money can buy... 

And, if that wasn't bad enough?  The untimely and accidental death of the low-carb *guru* Dr. Atkins has emboldened the forces of evil, as is evidenced since his death, regarding the "knuckling under" of Atkins Corp... to the AMA/FDA.  That knuckling under concerns the unnecessary lowering of the guidelines for the percentage of total dietary fat...aah, can you say Heart-Healthy, Blubber-Eating, Eskimoes? 

The first and most important step to effectively demonize Atkins is to find an attractive, "extra-white," poster child who lost weight on Atkins' diet yet had an adverse lipid profile response and developed some kind of heart disease.  Next, have the poster child sue Atkins and ensure it makes the national news.   

It is rare that a low-carb regimen will result in an adverse cholesterol response, but it can happen if you do most or all of the following eight things... the wrong way: 

1.      If you eat only meat, cheese, and eggs... but never consume green leafy veggies, you could have a problem especially if you don't take supplementary Omega 3.  Veggies are not only needed for the small quantities of Omega 3, but also for the fiber, antioxidants, and digestive enzymes.  Eskimos can get by without veggies, because 2 of the fats that are high in their diet are EPA & DHA Omega-3 from cold-water sea animals/fish.

2.      As previously mentioned, Omega 3 from both plant (flax seed, veggies) and animal (Fish oil, eggs) is vital for good health on a high fat, low-carb diet.  Omega 3 is why the Inuit can eat, exclusively, fat and protein (no veggies) without developing heart disease.

3.      Avoid pHVO (Did I have to say this?) -- Trans fat is Zero Carbs, so it does not inhibit weight loss; however, it can be a MAJOR contributor to heart disease.  I have to lay this one at Dr. Atkins' feet -- in subsequent publications he emphasizes the dangers of trans-fat  (HVO), but in his initial book he does not, and in fact recommends commercially processed fried pork rinds (avoid those fried in pHVO) as a zero carb snack.  See #6 ref. vicious free radicals in pork rinds.  If you want something fried, you have to do it at home with olive/macadamia/coconut oils, or real butter.  Remember, virtually all processed or fast foods (that contain fat) use pHVO.  For example "Hardees" uses pHVO in its new low-carb breakfast bowl!

4.      Avoid poly-unsaturated food oil (soy, corn, safflower, cottonseed, grapeseed, peanut, and yes... EVEN canola at 38% poly!)  Always use mono-unsat oils like olive or macadamia nut oil.  Poly-unsat oils are Zero carbs so they also do not inhibit weight loss; however, they too are a major contributor to heart disease (see FAT FACTS).  If you ask a Subway employee what kind of oils they use on their salads, 99% of the time they will say olive oil.  If you, then, have them read the container label they will see that it ~is~ 10% olive oil... but then 90% *evil* Canola oil.  We are inundated with too much Omega-6 poly-unsat food oils.  For example, commercial meat is grain fed making it high in poly Omega-6, as opposed to grass fed (free range) meat -- high in poly Omega-3.  Also, the cheapest grocery store eggs are high in Omega-6 as a result of being corn fed.  The slightly more expensive cage free or free range eggs are high in Omega-3.

5.      Try to limit processed or cured meats like bacon, sausage, pepperoni, salami... etc.  Use as much fresh meat as possible.  Overuse of processed meats can contribute to heart disease and cancer for numerous reasons to include the following:

            a.       They create and contain free radicals.

            b.      They contain unhealthful additives.

            c.       The protein is highly denatured and the cholesterol is damaged. Processed protein foods like powdered eggs/milk in particular have very damaged cholesterol.

6.      Avoid burnt or well done meat or eggs.  Burnt animal fat has Zero carbs... but creates a particularly DANGEROUS free radical called heterocyclic amines (HCA).  Fried pork rinds probably have the highest amount of HCA of any food.  The most healthful way to cook meat is "liquid cooking" -- stews, soups, and pot roasts.  Also, that 20 year old wedding present that you never use... the lowly crock-pot, is a great way to cook with moisture, thus avoiding free radicals that attack your heart and every cell in your body.

7.      Avoid carbonated drinks, antacids, and calcium carbonate -- they destroy valuable stomach acid needed for the proper digestion of fats and proteins (undigested protein in particular can adversely effect your heart, immune system, and general health).  See LivingTree Root #002 at www.alienview.net/livingtree.html... "The Antacid Myth."

8.      Avoid distilled and tap water -- always use reverse osmosis or highly-filtered water.  Tap water is toxic (this should be old news, so I won't explain why it's toxic).  Distilled water has two major problems -- firstly, distilled water has no trace minerals so it will leach minerals right out of your bones and tissue.  This is why a long distance runner who sweats out lots of minerals, then drinks distilled water (thinking it's more healthful), and doesn't take a trace mineral supplement... drops dead from heart failure at 55 or 60...., secondly, distilled water in plastic bottles from the grocery store usually has a pH of about 5 (too acidic!).  This also causes your body to leach minerals from your bones to correct the acidic/alkaline imbalance condition. 

I would bet money that the guy suing Atkins did most or all of these things wrong -- so don't you make the same mistakes.  And yes -- if you do most of these things correctly most of the time, you can eat a half pound of bacon with eggs, every Sunday morning, and feel good about it! 

Next time we will discuss why grocery store vitamins/minerals are not only a waste of money... they could actually be harmful. 

Well be.

Discerning reader; 

This is what's wrong with "Centrum..." (UpDated 12 Apr 2007)

The Ballad of Cheap Vitamins and Motor Oil

Every time I ask someone if they eat a healthy diet and take a good multivitamin/mineral, they invariably say, "yes."  They go on to explain how they first follow the new food pyramid (consuming lots of bread, pasta, cereal, fruit juice & milk)... ...and then they tell me they take a "Centrum" multi to, you know, insure they are covered from "A" to "Zinc."  They smile benignly at the witticism...   

I'll cut right to the chase.  The preceding is a recipe for rampant unhealthful disaster. 

Why?   Because the "food pyramid," is a corporate-driven lie (read LTR# 12, 13 & 15 at  http://www.alienview.net/ALLTCON.html ).  It is an egregious lie benefiting the few at the cruel expense of the many!  Sincerely,  all multi-vit/min (like "Theragram", "One-a-Day", and even "Flintstone") from grocery stores and the like are, pretty much, an unhealthful waste of money for the following two reasons:  

FIRST - these very cheaply manufactured tablets often pass through the system without even being completely dissolved!  This is because these pills are semi-indigestible little pebbles hard pressed at high temperature and pressure.  They are shellacked pellets with a pharmaceutical glaze coating and they are armored and bound with synthetic chemicals like dicalcium phosphate and magnesium sterate.  

SECOND - virtually every ingredient is the absolute cheapest and LEAST ABSORBABLE synthetic form of the many vitamin forms available!  In most cases, this not only makes them more difficult to assimilate, but can have adverse reactions like diarrhea... as opposed to the non-adverse effects of organically chelated minerals and "food based" Vitamins & binders.   This is the tip of the iceberg hazarding you and those you love, reader!  The stuff gleefully sold to you to enhance your health can actually degrade it and make you ill! 

Part of the reason for using these synthetic binders and inferior forms of minerals that are inorganic salts (as opposed to superior organic chelated minerals?), other than being cheap (...forgetting that's the main reason...), is to be able to get all that "crap" into one convenient pill that's not too big.  Synthetic binders and inorganic salts take up less space, you see, so all the hi-speed and low drag movers & shakers can conveniently pop one small tablet... and the per unit costs are reduced so a greater corporate profit is realized.  It's too bad that it degrades the product to the point of possible health hazardousness and uselessness. 

That is unfortunate, indeed.   

In contrast -- some of the better, more expensive supplements, using food based binders and organic chelated minerals, usually have to use a bigger tablet or capsule... or separate the daily dose into 2, 3 or 4 tablets (or capsules).  One of my favorite Multis, in fact, recommends 6 capsules daily!  Of course it has about anything you could ever want with regard to health enhancement, from Digestive Enzymes to Myco-Defense Mushrooms and more.  "Fine wine" compared with "pond water," reader.  I don't remotely overstate this!  

Also, the better tablets or caplets are pressed under, more expensive, 'cooler' temperatures.  This is forgetting, of course, that the chemical form of the vitamins or minerals incorporated are likely the best and most ABSORBABLE non-synthetic forms available!  See the difference reader? 

Here's yet another applicable Dr. Zorba Pasture anecdote...:  

"Tom", Dr. Pasture's radio side-kick, read an email to Zorba on his NPR radio show regarding a person who was taking a fairly expensive Multivitamin/Mineral requiring the consumption of 3 tablets daily...  

Incomprehensibly ignorant once again in his animated, bemused, and incredulous radio-voice, Zorby loudly exclaimed "THAT'S  TOO MANY"!   

You could tell by his reaction that he thought the writer was taking 3 times a "normal" dose. So "Side-Kick-Tom" (whom I suspect has about 10 I.Q. points on Dr. Z ) said "Zorba, I think that means the SINGLE daily dose is divided into 3 pills." to which Zorba said "Ohh ?... Well it's still too many - you only need one Vitamin pill daily."   

He moved on.  I was just incredulous!  What a Bone-headed thing for an alleged medical expert to say, eh reader?  Absolutely!  An expression of pompous ignorance at best!  At worst? 

OK...Why would a brilliant doctor with a world wide listening audience think it so strange & unnecessary to divide a dose of something into 3 smaller doses throughout the day...Gee, don't they do that with pharmaceuticals all the freaking time?  Yes! 

I suspect that other persons who know NOTHING about nutritional supplementation could easily visualize how dividing nutrients into 3 separate doses would be a good thing... and best practice... thereby having a relatively constant "Trickle-charge" of supplements throughout the day!  After all, don't we all try to eat three meals a day for that very reason? AND...because most supplements work in synergy with food, doesn't it make sense to take these supplements 3 times daily with meals... ...Am I missing something? 

Additionally, it is a well established fact in the holistic health community that one can only absorb about 500mg of Calcium at any one time!  So if you take a 1000mg to1500mg dose of Cal. all at once (like Dr. Z recommends)... aren't you wasting a bunch of it!   Yes! 

Folks, Dr. Pasture does not have the training to understand & appreciate just how complicated it can be to fully utilize any mineral, especially Calcium, and just how many Vitamins, Minerals & co-factors have to fall in place, domino-like, to accomplish this.  It can be a difficult, slow, and inefficient process that handles only "so much" at a time.  

This is because Minerals, themselves, are INORGANIC so Mother Nature must use a couple of time-consuming tricks to get them into a configuration that can then be incorporated into "The Bio-System".   Me?  I feel I understand this science.  I take 500mg of Elemental, Amino Acid Chelated Calcium, 2 times daily. 

Back to Dr. Z who has the temerity to ignorantly mock those people who "foolishly" buy expensive Multi Vit/Min.  He says that folks should buy the cheapest, discount store, generic, giant-size bottle for about $12.00 a YEAR ... as long as it has the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) Seal ... This is a 'seal' essentially meaning that the product contains what's on the label & that it meets the MINIMUM standards to call itself a multi-vitamin. The reader might remember the character of corporate lap-dogs presently setting those standards.  The USP is supposedly "non-governmental" but their test criteria is recognized by the Government as the official source. 

 Here's what the CSPI has to say:    

"Center for Science in the Public Interest" -- For Immediate Release: October 4, 2002;

New Supplement Certification Program May Mislead Consumers :USP Mark Does Not Mean Ingredient Is Safe Or Effective."   

What!?! 

Yes folks, it's true!  Virtually ALL supplemental *watch-dog* organizations like the USP only verify "Potency & Purity" ...and may check to see if it meets the standards for dissolving (those standards are pretty low)...  BUT!  They don't care or comment about the efficacy of a particular ingredient.   

For example, one Multi may have Magnesium Oxide (which is Crap, reader!) while another uses Magnesium Citrate ( which is a superior form)... but both will get the same passing grade as long as they meet "Potency & Purity"!  So, if you have a Multi Vit/Min where EVERY ingredient is the cheapest, least absorbable form, what you have is a "Crapola-Multi" with a USP Seal...in other words, you have Centrum, Theragram, One a Day, Flintstones, etc, etc...   

"Flintstones", reader!  Flintstones?!?  Is nothing sacred? 

It is difficult to imagine a Multi that is inferior to the already inferior multi's like Centrum, etc... but if you CAN find a really, really cheap, discount, generic multi with 365 hard pressed tablets for $11.99 at Sam's Club or whatever, with a USP seal, then that's the one you want... ...according to the good doctor "Z."   

So, Let me get this straight... Zorba wants you to put "Stuff" in your body that barely meets the minimum standards to call itself a Multi, OKed by the Government.  Hummm... But how does he feel about his car? 

WELL...a couple of the government's "non-governmental" agencies put their seal on very cheap motor oil that meets the minimum standards to call itself Motor Oil ... here's what http://www.metrokc.gov/procure/green/oil.htm  has to say:

"Several oil companies now market products that have been certified by the American Petroleum Institute (API).  API Certification is the basis for warranty requirements of motor vehicle manufacturers and thus is used in specifications of motor oil buyers. Other technologies, such as simple filtration, have also been used to recycle used motor oil.  These technologies are often sufficient to make used oil useful as a substitute for virgin oil in fuel applications."   

The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) stamp of approval is on even very cheap "No-name" motor oils that meet the requirements for military vehicles... 

...So, here's my question to Zorba -- does he put that cheap, "cleaned-up" used motor oil or cheap "No-name" new oil in his new "BMW"?  Seeing as how it meets the minimum standards, set by the Government to call itself motor oil... he should, considering his faith in government "Seals" ...but somehow I doubt it...  Zorba would have more respect for his "Beamer"...just not much respect for your body & human physiology.  

This is pure speculation because I have no idea what kind of car he has, but if he has a nice new one, I bet he doesn't put cheap generic oil in it.  In fact, ask 1000 MDs who own new 700 Series Mercedes if they use "cleaned & filtered" used motor oil, considering virtually all car manufactories say that it meets their warranty requirements!  I bet 99.9% will say "HECK NO ! I use 100% Virgin, High Grade, High Detergent, Multi Viscosity oil that comes from a single individual batch of Pure, Pennsylvania crude drawn from the veins of Amish school girls"!  

OK,  I see...Well, Doctor... what kind of Vitamins do you take and recommend?  "Oh, it doesn't matter much... use any brand with the USP Seal"? 

So...putting a cheap, harsh, inferior, synthetic, poorly absorbed (and in my opinion, unhealthful), possibly toxic supplement in your body is OK because of some Mickey Mouse "Seal" that doesn't really tell you what you need to know and misleads you on the rest... ...but cheap motor oil with an official seal is not OK...  does the reader see the errant dichotomy or smell the inconsistency...? 

These self-same MDs would be the first to tell you the human body is a high performance biological machine, reader... you want to run rapidly "gunkable", bargain basement *oil* in the only bio-machine you will ever have?  I suspect not, on reflection.   

And this is the real kicker of irony!  That cheaper, recycled motor oil will do a MUCH more efficacious job in your car than those "Crap" Vitamins will ever do in your body! 

By the way...don't tell "Dr. 700 Series",  but MERCEDES has been putting RECYCLED OIL in THEIR NEW CARS for YEARS !!! 

Wait a minute Mr. Graham!  Do YOU use that cheap recycled oil in your car? ...Huh, Who Me? ...No freaking Way!  

Just kidding Folks...that was the old Al,...because I'm a "Green" sort of guy, I am going to start using recycled oil - not because of some government-blessed organization's "Seal" but because a bunch of Teutonic Engineers at Mercedes-Benz are probably on to something.  (...und you vill like it !!) 

You see...now all you have to do is get Dr. Mercola  www.mercola.com & the Leaf lady www.leaflady.org  to start taking grocery store vitamins and explain how they are superior ...then I will start taking Centrum...just like the recycled oil.  OK,  take a deep breath and hold it... 

The following describes three key things to look for when determining the efficacy of your multivitamin: 

Vitamin "E" -- the most obvious indicator of an inferior multivit... is the use of the petrochemical synthetic form of Vitamin "E" -- "DL" alpha tocopherol (the "d" and "l"  should actually be lower case... I cap them for ease of reading), as opposed to the natural forms "D" alpha (no "L") and/or, even better, Natural Mixed tocopherol ...( This superior Mixed form has beta, gamma, and delta along with the alpha).  In the synthetic "DL"  form, (the synthetic is always a double molecule) the "L" molecule is a mirror image of the usable "D" molecule, making the "L" unusable by humans.  Unfortunately the "L" still fits nicely into the Vitamin "E" receptor site, much like many keys will fit in a certain style of key-hole but only one key will turn the lock.  Consequently the "L" molecule is "plugging the keyhole", so to speak, and not allowing the usable "D" in to turn same!   Think chewing gum in the keyhole. 

This means that out of the 400 IU of "DL" Vit. "E" that you paid for, only about 150 IU, or less, are actually being used by you.  It gets worse.   

According to the Canadian Government  (you could perhaps argue the red-herring that Canada has an axe to grind because they grow lots of soy beans for natural Vit. "E" but don't even bother):  Even though the usable synthetic "D" molecule and the natural "D" molecule, in theory - on paper, are identical... ...Canadian science claims that the human body still tells the difference... and whereas synthetic "D" is used but one time, the natural "D" is used over and over again... ...several times!  Magic!   

This inexplicable recycling of one "D" molecule, but not the other, results in two to three times the vitamin "E" found in most tissue (...biopsy of the brain revealing the highest!).  Hmmm... Mother Nature on the job, I'm betting! 

Mineral Forms -- The other sure sign of product inferiority is the form of minerals used.  These are the cheap inorganic salts like carbonate, oxide, and phosphate.  These inorganic mineral forms are difficult to absorb and they are much more likely to cause problems -- a good example of this is magnesium oxide causing diarrhea.   

The inorganic calcium form Carbonate, found in Centrum (et sig al) is very difficult to absorb because the carbonate (...also in Tums, btw!) neutralizes the very stomach acid that is required for good absorption.  

So when a doctor tells you Tums is a "good source of calcium", they're either lying or they are a bonehead (like Zorba, who says it all the time). Always look for organic chelation, in the preferred form "Amino Acid Chelation" (like the Albion Process), or "citrate" ( especially for calcium ) or malate, lactate, etc.  Also, "Krebs Cycle Chelation" is very, very good. 

Vitamin "D" -- If the Vit. D is D-2, it's no good - this is the cheap crap found in milk.  Always make sure it is the more active form D-3 found in Cod Liver Oil, Eggs, made by the Sun & the better supplements.  The one exception is there are Vegetarian Multi's that use the D-2 (because it comes from plants) that are very  good quality...I wish more Vegetarians would see their way clear to use D-3 instead of D-2. 

The preceding three examples should be sufficient indicators as to the quality of a multivitamin:  SO... 

If the label says "DL" alpha tocopherol, calcium carbonate,  magnesium oxide & Vit. D-2 ... put it back!  Quick and dirty! 

But, if it says "D" alpha, or Mixed tocopherol, calcium citrate (etc), magnesium amino acid chelation (etc) & Vit. D-3 -- BUY IT... ...because this means the rest of the ingredients are almost sure to be OK.  You don't have to peruse the whole tedious laundry list...but if you're like me, you will do so anyway.  Label reading should be a required course in high school. 

In descending order: I prefer supplements that are liquid, scoop-able powder, capsules, and then food based tablets or caplets.  A caplet is just a tablet shaped like a capsule...a stupid, confusing term when Supp. Ads abbreviate caplet with "cap" and you think the "cap" means "capsule" not caplet.  Caplets should be called "Long-Tabs".

Sublingual (under the tongue) tablets or sprays are actually the best absorbed ( by going directly into the bloodstream ) and in some cases necessary, if easily destroyed by stomach acid... like SOD & Glutathion or like B12, which needs an "Intrinsic Factor" in the gut to be absorbed (often missing); however, some supplements don't work very well this sublingual way.  

Fortunately,  Methylcobalamin "B-12"  and B-12 Complexes with folic acid & B-6 do work well sublingually. 

Also, don't automatically poo-poo tablets in favor of capsules -- some things have to be in a specially coated tablet to make it through the stomach acid in order to open in the gut...SAMe & SOD are examples.  There is a capsule that is designed to make it through the stomach acid and open in the gut...and example is New Life Colostrum has a special "Lipid-Capsule" that does this. 

*Medical doctors* like Zorba don't really understand nutrition & supplements... ...and they don't want to understand because it is in their financial interest to play dumb... thus surreptitiously perpetuating the same old tired lies. Such is their cognitive dissonance.  

Here are just a few of those lies:

a)...Synthetic Vitamins are just as good as natural Vitamins.  No!  No way...the most cursory research will show this is just not true.  However, doctors want people to get used to the idea that "Synthetic is good" (or even better) so they can push Synthetic alternatives to natural forms... Synthroid (synthetic thyroid hormone) is a good example.  Do you want to know the big reason they give for why synthetic drugs are *better*?  It is because they can get the dosage very precise as opposed to natural forms sometimes have slight variations...   

OK...so freaking what!  I would rather take something that works & works naturally, even if the dosages have a little greater margin of error, instead of a harsh, toxic, or inefficient form that does not work or might have harmful side effects.  A good example is natural Armour Desiccated Thyroid Hormones as opposed to the synthetic Synthroid mentioned above. 

b)...You can get all the necessary nutrients in a balanced diet...  No!  Please!  What a festering crock, reader... 

Most people are EFA (Essential Fatty Acids) deficient -- even the sheeple who follow the New Food Pyramid (NFP) are Omega 3 deficient!  This is because we consume WAY too much Omega 6 food oils like corn, soy, canola, sunflower, etc. (all recommended by the NEW Food Pyramid, remember). These Omega 6 oils overpower & shut down the Omega 3 Pathway.   

We further block EFA's by consuming lots of NFP encouraged bread, cereal, pasta, juices & "Cheezy Poofs"  These inhibit the production of the D6D Enzyme needed for conversion of the simple Omega 3 (ALA), to the more complex "work-horse" Omega 3's: EPA & DHA!   

Also, many of the 70 plus trace minerals have been leached from our soil as a result of uninformed farming... artificial fertilizers only replace 3 of the elements!  Anytime different groups are given trace minerals, in particular really powerful, critical ones like Selenium -- heart disease & cancer decrease!  In fact the preceding was done with a whole country... New Zealand. The selenium depleted soil was causing several diseases, like cancer!  It was corrected by importing selenium rich meat from Australia. 

c)... You can meet your Calcium requirements with 4 servings of dairy.  No!  How do these people use a mirror at all!  Christ retches!   

OK,  lets say you need 1200mg of Cal. and 4 dairy servings has 1200mg of Cal. - So there you have it,  you've met the goal...not so fast, my Friend!   

Do you really think you are utilizing ALL 1200mg of that Calcium?  No way, boys and girls!  

The Calcium/Magnesium ratio needs to be at least a "2 to 1", and "1 to 1" would be even better... so Milk, at a "10 to 1" ratio, has a real problem. Also, Vitamin D-3 is needed to absorb Cal. but dairy uses Vit. D-2... ...which is not very effective for good absorption. 

Additionally, the doctors & the dairy people never mention that many other minerals, etc. are required to utilize Calcium, things like potassium, silicon & sodium ...also TRACE minerals like boron, zinc & copper along with 2 or 3 dozen other trace elements as co-factors.  Remember the dominos I alluded to before! 

So, when the women of the WHI study were given a garbage calcium supp. (Cal. Carbonate, Zorba's favorite form!) and the inferior form of Vitamin D ( D-2 ), the Doctors & Dairy Industry were able to shout it from the roof-tops that Calcium supps don't work!  Outrageous duplicity, reader!  They KNOW the difference!  What else can you call that... ...but evil!   

Something else they were reluctant to discuss with the consumer? They didn't mention that many of those women consumed dairy every day... and were still developing Osteoporosis!   ...Got milk? 

Please show this paper to your Family Doctor or Dietician -- then after they "spit & sputter" or otherwise hack up an institutional hair-ball and tell you I'm wrong? Write down their reasons as to why, will you?  E-mail those reasons to me.   I will promptly e-reply as to where and how they are lying to you... ...this time, too!  Sincerely, I will debate these scurrilous persons any time... any where! 

Remember, as you compare our conflicting positions; however, who has the biggest pecuniary dog in the hunt, reader!  Then watch as my dog handily shreds their dog and shows their dog for what it really is:  A conflicted shill for sociopathic corporate interests greedily and gleefully campaigning to make us stupid.  To make us sick... Why?  So they can sell us their 21st Century snake oil. 

Until next time, reader?  Well Be.

LivingTree Root #004.5 UpDated April 10, 2007

Well be.  

LivingTree Root #005

Dear Discerning Reader;

 

Let's talk about calcium and labeling subterfuge.  Said subterfuge regards the amount of actual, usable calcium, called "Elemental Calcium" (E.Cal.) found in your supplement... for example, if the label said **Calcium Carbonate...1000mg**, you might logically assume that you are getting 1000mg of usable, Elemental Calcium - but you would be wrong! You are actually getting 400mg of calcium & 600mg of carbonate...the "crap" in Tums.

Surprised?  Case in point.  You need to know a little about how minerals work and the different forms they take to get to the bottom of this duplicity. Moreover, this labeling slight of hand applies to all minerals, remember, but Calcium is the one most flagrant.

To start, Calcium and all minerals actually, are inorganic!   Consequently, they are not easily absorbed.  It's required they be bound to some other substance (preferably organic) in order to be utilized at all.  That's key, reader.   This even applies to ionic trace minerals in sea-water & tap-water that are not bound to anything... their charge causes them to "stick" to the oppositely charged intestinal villi, making them unusable until a slow, inefficient process is completed where the villi coats the mineral with amino acids to reduce the charge to zero so the mineral can sneek past the villi to be absorbed... so one could say - if the mineral doesn't come bound to something , your body will do it for you...but not real efficiently.

Now, the most popular forms are either the least healthful and least absorbable inorganic salts (all grocery-store Multi's like Centrum using carbonate, oxide, phosphate, chloride), or healthfully, the three organic types of chelation (pronounced key-lay-shun). Chelate, figuratively means 'bound to' but literally means 'to claw'.

1. Amino Acid Chelation - can be virtually any combination of the numerous amino acids and any mineral - however, some combos don't work as well, or, at all.
2. Organic salts - usually called organic chelation (like citrate, gluconate, malate, polynicotinate, and many more).
3. Kreb's Cycle Chelation - contains many or all 8 different substances along the energy producing Kreb's Cycle Pathway...actually this could be listed under 2. above also.

Now, MDs normally recommend the inorganic salts like calcium CARBONATE or magnesium OXIDE... mentioned above. This is just... so wrong.  Evidence of a predatory ethic not in the healthy individual's interest, you know?

Doctors do this, I suspect, because their very existence is propped up by the notion that inorganic and artificial are just as good, or better, than organic and natural. This too is... just wrong and more evidence of malfeasance. 

Back to the chelates... I feel most holistic types agree that any of the three organic chelation forms are much better absorbed. As for the disagreement concerning which organic type is best - I will save that discussion for a subsequent paper. Additionally, even as I report that I personally prefer amino acid chelation, I must add that chelation is a very convoluted, contentious, and not a real well researched subject.

But consider, reader, the consequences of the mainstream medical approach supporting what is determined to be deceptive labeling,  false advertising...not to mention, pushing the inferior forms of chelation!  Osteoporosis, a ready example of many, is out of control in this country as an oblique result, and suffered by many!

This is because most people, women in particular, are not consuming, or more accurately, absorbing, nearly enough Elemental Calcium/Magnesium (Cal/Mag) from their diets. This is true even (especially, actually!) if they eat dairy and or take Doctor recommended supplemental calcium like Caltrate or OsCal.

First, Supplements:

All grocery store Calcium supplements, and even many health food store supplements, mislead buyers concerning labeling amounts. In the initial example, each tablet contains 1000 mg of Calcium Carbonate -- the 1000 mg is the total weight of the E.Cal. plus the weight of the Carbonate. The percentage of usable E.Cal. in Calcium Carbonate is 40%. So, each 1000 mg tablet only has 400 mg of actual, usable E.Cal. The other 600mg is the carbonate. 

Another example of essentially the same thing but even more deceptive... consider the label which says **Calcium...1000mg** - by leaving off the word "carbonate" you are even more apt to think this is actually 1000mg of USABLE Calcium. but if you look down below the 'Supplement Facts' box, in very fine print, all crammed together with any & all of the other ingredients, you will find the forms like Calcium 'CARBONATE' listed. The form Carbonate should be clearly listed up in the Supp-Facts box, not hidden down in the other ingredients ...so again you are getting 400mg of E.Cal, not 1000mg.  Real truth in advertising?  Your leg's not wet 'cause it's rainin' reader!

Now, many of the supplements in a health food store also use this deceptive labeling. The problem is that even if you are aware of this tricky but LEGAL labeling policy, you have the added burden of remembering roughly the calcium content of the various forms... ie, the most popular organic form, citrate, is 25% E.Cal. -- Amino acid chelation (AAC), the form I prefer, is only 20% E.Cal.-- and the other most widely used form, gluconate, is only 10% E.Cal.

Armed with this knowledge, you might assume the Cal. carbonate at 40% (calcium) is superior to AA chelation at only 20% (calcium)... but not so fast! Let's focus this. 

Actually, the inorganic salt, carbonate, neutralizes a required stomach acid.  Strike one.  Among many key physiological requirements and ratios, stomach acid is desperately needed for absorption of ALL minerals. Strike two.  TUMS (tm) is calcium carbonate because the carbonate degrades the acid required to absorb the calcium... then you're told said TUMS is "a good source of calcium." Strike three.  

Upon their expiration (death) and because they MUST know the difference? I suspect Special-Hell-Intensity-Training awaits Doctors who tell patients TUMS is a "good" source of calcium...  "Butt-Surfing" on the "Lake of Fire" might be provided as a cross-training activity?  I digress.

Back at the ranch, these negative characteristics mean that Cal. Carbonate is by far the least absorbable form -- probable WAY less than 10% depending on who you believe. On the other hand the 20% E.Cal. in the AA chelation is very well absorbed (likely about 90%). Less is more!

Strangely enough, even though I prefer Amino Acid chelation, I also take calcium citrate. This is because unlike most other forms of calcium that need to be taken with food (they require stomach acid) calcium citrate can be taken with or without food because it is 'pre-acidified', so facilitates breaking the required dose of E-cal into preferred multiple doses one can take throughout the day.  See?  This unique pre-acidified characteristic is helpful because one can usually only absorb about 500 mg of E.Cal. per dose! 

So it is important to divide your Cal (and to a lesser degree your Magnesium) into 2, 3 or 4 smaller doses...the Citrate form comes in handy if you miss taking your Cal (AAC) at mealtime, you can take a dose of Citrate between meals... still, Doctor Zorba Pasture on NPR says all you have to do is take one large calcium carbonate tablet a day!  I live to hear the "bone-headed" things that come out of Docca Zorbie's mouth.

If you take too much Calcium (and to a slightly lesser degree, Magnesium) at once, it will cause your body pH to rise, which might try to change your blood pH, but your blood pH WILL NOT change because even a small change will kill you instantly!  The body is quick to dump calcium & other minerals to check the rise in alkalinity.  Consequently, Don't worry about overdose.

This process also works in the other direction...if you are too acidic (not enough calcium & other minerals) your body will leach minerals from your bones (bone-loss) to raise the alkalinity.

Next, Dairy...

The TV commercials say a woman needs 1200 mg of Calcium (Cal) a day. And, to accomplish this she should consume 400 mg of Cal. in milk/cereal, 400 mg of Cal. in yogurt/cheese for lunch, and for supper, 400 mg cheese pizza... for a total of 1200 mg of Cal. Yikes -- this is so misleading!

You may put 1200 mg of dairy calcium in your mouth, but you will be lucky to actually absorb a third of it into your system (and I think I'm being generous)! This is primarily because dairy contains too little magnesium needed at the proper ratio to absorb the calcium.

Most would agree that a minimum amount of Mag in the Cal. to Mag Ratio is 2 to 1. However, many respected holistic practitioners like Dr. Mercola www.mercola.com think the ratio should be closer to 1 to 1... and some, like one of my favorite people, the Leaf Lady  (www.leaflady.org)  thinks the cal/mag ratio should be reversed...1 to 2,  not 2 to 1... you need more magnesium in your life, Folks !

...So milk, at a cal/mag ratio of 10 to 1, has a problem. It "doesn't get there from here," by an order of magnitude...

Some supplements come at the higher 1 to 1 ratio (although 90% are at the 2 to1 ratio); however, the increased Mag (at 1to1 cal/mag ratio) can cause some to get diarrhea, this usually only happens if it is in the inorganic salt form magnesium OXIDE.  That's the price, et al, of the inferior form.

For adults I maintain that dairy is generally an inefficient and unhealthful way to get calcium, at best! In other words if you need a little dairy for some particular recipe & it's something you really like... do it because you like it, but don't do it for the calcium.  It's not happening.

For children it is even more imperative that you keep them away from pasteurized dairy products, believe it or NOT!  Milk in particular! 

I'm offering a small 10 dollar wager (I'm not a bloated gold-plated-bathroom-fixture MD, or equally porcine pharmaceutical executive)... ...If your child has lots of ear and upper respiratory infections, colds, allergic reactions, etc, and they start every day with milk, sugar, and cereal?  Well, I bet if you switched to eggs, meat, vegetables and a small amount of fruit (NO fruit juices), these ailments would virtually disappear. Of course the benefits of this breakfast change can be dramatically negated if allowed to consume massive quantities of refined carbo snacks, sodas, and sweets throughout the rest of the day.  Sincerely, the diet diminishes you and undercuts your kid's potential!

Consider, why is it that my mother and many other old ladies are bent over double with osteoporosis... even after they ate plenty of dairy and took the doctor recommended calcium supplements most of their adult life?

...Could it be *they* know that dairy (and most doctor recommended calcium supp's) are not a good source of calcium... but they tell you they are because they don't really want the "calcium" to stave off osteoporosis... they would much rather sell you Fosamax (tm) instead?

Have you seen Sally Field's (heavy sigh) latest abomination "Boniva" commercial?  She idiotically opines (with a straight face, I might add)..."My girlfriend has to set aside time once a week to take her Osteoporosis medicine...then I told her about 'once-a-month' Boniva and she said - I could do that." 

You mean setting aside 20 seconds a week is just too big a hassle...so I guess asking you to take several quality Cal/Mag capsules 2 or 3 times daily would be completely beyond your capability!  I'd be way out of line for even suggesting such a ludicrous regimen... when there is 'once-a-month' Boniva waiting in the wings to solve all these critical time issues regarding seconds here and there...

Can you get an appreciation for how stupid they think you are reader?

And Sally!  Did you tell your "girlfriends" about "Phossy-Jaw" ? ...where these bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Boniva) can cause "Bone-death" of the jawbone, leaving the women's face horribly disfigured?   hummm... forgot to mention that, didja ?

Getting back to label amounts -- a small number of mineral manufactures make a noteworthy attempt at showing the amount of usable E.Cal. The following examples start with the 'clearest' and descends to the 'silliest'...

1. **Elemental Calcium... 250 mg (from 1000 mg of Calcium Citrate)** -- this is impossible to misunderstand. Even if you only read the first half, you get the info you need -- the amount of E.Cal. at 250mg.
2. **Calcium ... 250 mg (from 1000 mg of Calcium Citrate)** -- this leaves off the word Elemental , but that's OK because the 250mg is implied to be the Elemental by mentioning the amount of Calcium Citrate at 1000mg.  Again -- if you only read the first half you get the amount of E.Cal, (250mg) even if the word "elemental" is missing.
3. **Elemental Calcium... 250 mg (from Calcium Citrate)** -- this leaves off the 1000 mg, but you don't really need to know the amount of Cal. Citrate, as long as the first half tells you the amount of E.Cal. at 250mg.

OK, here they start going wrong :

4. **Calcium Citrate... 1000mg (containing 250 mg of E.Cal.)** -- this example shows everything you need to know, but by reversing the order it can cause confusion if you only read the first half (Calcium Citrate...1000mg). You might walk away thinking you're getting 1000 mg of usable calcium, when you are actually getting 250mg of E.Cal. that is only revealed in the second half of the blurb.
5. There are some manufacturers that have inexpensive, quality products, but have really confusing labels -- like Nature's Way: **Zinc (as Zinc Citrate)... 30mg**. Does this mean 30 mg of Elemental Zinc or 30 mg of Zinc Citrate? I think they mean 30 mg of Elemental Zinc -- so I would rearrange it and change the word "as" to "from". **Zinc... 30mg (from Zinc Citrate)**. Ok... now it makes a little more sense.
6. Here is the silliest example yet that I found on 'LIFEtime' liquid Cal/Mag sold by Puritan's Pride and many others... **Calcium (as Citrate Elemental)... 600 mg** This makes no sense -- treating 'Citrate Elemental' as two logically connected words on the label is the same as treating a 'Soup Sandwich' as two logically connected words on a menu. Elemental applies to the element Calcium, not the substance Citrate. This may be a wonderful product; however, I'm begging you to never buy it for one really big reason -- I spent 40 minutes of my life on the phone trying to determine if the 600 mg was Elemental Calcium or Calcium Citrate. I was not successful -- I still don't know. Consequently I want to punish them for insulting my intelligence and wasting my time.
7. Here is another "Law of perversity of nature" that ranks right up there with the universal law saying "the other line at the store always moves faster -- until you get in that line... then the line you left moves faster." If a supplement label only says **Calcium... 1000mg** and the form is nowhere else on the label, it is ALWAYS Calcium CARBONATE! This is because it is the inferior form, so they want to hide that fact. If it were the more expensive form they would proudly put it on the label -- shout it from the roof-tops!  

...Life seems mostly about what you are NOT told, eh reader?

Another note to my Black friends -- African Americans are several times as likely to have high blood pressure. And what do you suppose is the most important supplemental complex for this condition? That's right! Calcium and Magnesium (especially Mag)! Unfortunately there's a problem. Even if a conscientious Black woman knows the following 2 things.

1. Dairy is a poor source of Cal/Mag.
2. Cal. CARBONATE and Mag. OXIDE are very poorly absorbed.

Here's the problem... why does she still have high BP and the early signs of osteoporosis? Most Dark-skinned people in the US are Vitamin D deficient because they don't make much, if any, Vitamin D-3 from the sun, and Vit. D is necessary for calcium absorption. People of color should take oil-filled, soft-gels of Cholecalciferol (Vit.D-3) or take Cod Liver Oil soft-gels which also provides natural Vit.A & the powerful Omega-3s, EPA & DHA.

Closing out, the recommended amount of 400iu of Vit.D-3 is woefully inadequate... people should get 1000 to 1200iu daily in divided doses. By the way, the Vit. D in probably 98% of the milk in the US uses the inferior Vit.D-2 instead of D-3 (Sun, fish, quality supplements).  I suspect you are something less than surprised by now...

'Till next time -- question everything! Your life depends on it.

Well be.  

Alan Graham
alan068@centurytel.net
Phone -- (334) 774 0395

LivingTree Root #006

Dear Discerning Reader;

Albion chelated minerals & the Vitamin E controversy...

I have become an advocate for amino acid chelated minerals, a process patented by Albion and utilized by several manufactures. I feel this process provides for the best absorption of minerals -- they can be very difficult to absorbed.

When positively charged minerals are released from food by stomach acid and gastric enzymes they do one of two things:

1. The positively charged mineral attaches itself to a negatively charged carrier. This bond will likely be too strong to break, making the mineral unavailable for use.
2. The mineral might enter the intestine as a free positively charged ion. In order for a positive ion to be absorbed, its charge must go to zero, or become neutral. As long as it has a positive charge it will stick to the negatively charged intestinal villus and not be readily absorbed. This low absorption is due to a very slow, inefficient process where the mineral is coated at the villus with a binding protein which, in turn, hides the positive mineral thus creating a neutral charge which allows for good absorption. It can only do so much, however, very slowly.

With the Albion process the mineral is hidden by an amino acid coating (essentially protein) thus dramatically increasing the absorption efficiency.

I foresee more and more manufactures changing to this process. Unfortunately now there are only a handful of brands that use it (no grocery store brands).

The Vitamin E Controversy:

A recent vitamin E "report" indicated that very large doses of vitamin E increased deaths. Here are just a couple of flaws in this garbage report. It was not hands on research -- it was a "thing" called a meta-analysis... where you look at the data and results of numerous other studies and draw an independent conclusion. This is generally a BOGUS approach if you have an axe to grind, because you can cherry pick the studies that will support your thesis while avoiding those that don't. Also how do you know if the particular studies utilized were honest and uncompromised if you don't conduct them yourself.

Next, there are thousands of trials, studies, research papers, etc. coming at Vitamin E from every possible angle and every possible combination of "E" with other substances. The vast majority of these confirm the efficacy of vitamin E. Interestingly, in probably well over 95% of these reports, these positive results were achieved using the inferior synthetic form ("DL" alpha), as opposed to the natural form "D" alpha or "Mixed" tocopherol. Read Living Tree Root #004 to understand why the natural form is so superior. I believe that taking large does of synthetic vitamin E could cause harm under certain situations. This is because the 45% of the synthetic Vitamin E double molecule (the "L" portion of the "DL") that is not used by humans still has to be processed by the liver. I feel your liver views this stuff as a foreign invader, thus creating a slight amount of organ stress as your liver metaphorically scrambles around trying to either metabolize or get rid of said 'stuff'. This could exacerbate some preexisting conditions making it look like vitamin E is the problem.

In conclusion, take 400 IU to 800 IU of natural vitamin E. Use the preferred form, Natural "Mixed" tocopherol (the most utilized alpha form plus the beta, gamma, and delta molecules) or a second choice, "D" alpha tocopherol. Also, the latest research indicates the most synergistic way to take the vitamin "E's" is to take as many of the eight forms as possible -- the 4 tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta with alpha being the most powerful), plus as many of the four Tocotrinols (alpha through delta... with gamma the most powerful) as you can. Some natural "Mixed" tocopherol brands contain one or more of the four Tocotrinols . Check the label to be sure.

Some unscrupulous brands say they are "natural" when in reality they are 80 or 90 percent synthetic with just a small amount of natural. If you go to consumerlabs.com they will tell you the brands that pass; however, if you want to find those brands that failed you have to pay the $25 and become a member.

Until next time, happy new year and well be.
 

E-mail -- alan068@centurytel.net

LivingTree Root #009

Updated August 8, 2008

 

Why is Don Imus always so sick and miserable?

 

Frankly, I'm worried about him. He looks like hell and has a similar attitude.

 

And it's a real shame, too, as he has so valiantly moved away from drug addiction and pulled out of alcoholism. It would be a tragedy if he were to crash so needlessly on the hard rocks of creeping Malnutrition. That's what is happening, ironically.

 

The irony? It comes from a personal diet he feels is informed & healthful, best practice, and rationally scientific. It is few of these things. No, for all the best intentions and attentive concerns, unfortunately, it is few of these things...

 

If, like me, you need a regular "Imus In The Morning" fix on MSNBC, you will notice two defining "I-dude" characteristics:

 

First, he has a vicious short-fused temper.

 

Second, as he readily admits, he is SICK all the time (His latest complaint is kidney stones...). To counter this, J.D. has a lovely, health conscious vegan wife, Deidre, and the most brilliant *Doctors* on the planet... Still, they fail to correct his general malaise, needless depression, and his ongoing poor health.

 

I, on the other hand, think I know exactly what's wrong with "I-dude" ...and how to fix it, if I may be so bold. Wading in, the three most significant negatives in his life are: (the 1st is the biggie -- the other 2 are likely of peripheral significance...but maybe not.)

 

1. His total cholesterol is a dangerously low 130. This is the result of an essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency and a ludicrously low Satfat/zero cholesterol diet he practices. Even though he consumes plant derived Omega 3 (ALA) and some Satfat in food oils... 3 things could negate their positive effects:

a. In many people, plant ALA does not readily convert to the animal Omega 3 (EPA/DHA) found in fish oil & eggs.

b. He may not be assimilating Fats/EFAs efficiently, to begin with, due to a sluggish gall bladder causing poor bile secretion.

c. Poor Fat/EFA assimilation may be due to reduced lipase (fat digestive enzyme) production, very common with age. It almost has to be one or more of these to have such dangerously low cholesterol.

 

If, like most vegans, you don't consume fish or cod liver oil, an Omega 3 deficiency may result. Remember, these are people who can't convert ALA (physiologically, conversion is sluggish, or, artificially, conversion is impaired by the likes of poly, omega 6 food oils, et al). An EFA deficiency, remember, can cause virtually every chronic disease, aggressive behavior, depression... and the aforementioned, insanely low, cholesterol. This is also why he feels bad all the time! You feel better when your cholesterol is, healthfully, higher. To wit:

 

(From Yale University:)

 

According to researchers from Yale University School of Medicine, "The well-documented negative association between serum cholesterol and aggressive behavior has led Kaplan (Psychosom Med 1994 Nov-Dec;56:479-84) to propose a cholesterol-serotonin hypothesis of aggression.

 

According to this hypothesis, low dietary cholesterol intake leads to depressed central serotonergic activity, which itself has been reported in numerous studies of violent individuals."

 

Researchers studied 25 violent psychiatric patients For 7 days, the patients wore signaling devices that emitted an average of seven signals a day. Following each signal, patients filled out a mood questionnaire.

 

The authors found that "Total serum cholesterol (TSC) concentration was positively associated with measures of affect, cognitive efficiency, activation, and sociability, suggesting a link between low TSC and dysphoria." "These findings are consistent with the cholesterol-serotonin hypothesis and with the substantive literature linking both aggression and depression to depressed central serotonergic activity," they conclude.

 

Journal of Behavioral Medicine, December 1, 2000; 23: 519-529

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

2. Excessive unfermented soy in his diet -- this might be one of the reasons he has his kidney stones to begin with!

 

3. I'm guessing here, but I suspect that like most vegans, he consumes large amounts of bread, cereal, pasta, and refined sugar -- this can cause or exacerbate virtually every chronic illness, to include aggressive behavior and his kidney stones.

 

4. This forth item does not apply to Imus or the Ranch but it could apply to you - that is the over use of the unhealthful and ubiquitous Poly unsat Omega 6 food oils like soy & corn. I bought Deirdre's cookbook to support their good works at the "Imus Ranch" for kids with cancer. I highly recommend her book...except... ...everywhere you see safflower oil be aware of two things:

 

First- They are using Hi-oleic safflower oil, from a hybrid plant, that is about 75% Mono unsat Omega 9 (much like olive oil) unlike the regular safflower oil that is an unhealthy 80% Poly unsat Omega 6.

 

Second- The cheaper Hi-oleic safflower oils are not truly "expeller, cold pressed" like most extra virgin olive oils. The Ranch uses the good kind, but you might not.

Let's take the first three points one at a time:

In the first, his cholesterol is 130. His low cholesterol is caused by his fatty acid deficiency and a low Sat Fat, zero cholesterol diet. When the vacuously clueless "fitness expert," Denise Austin, was on the I'man's show, she thought it was "wonderful" that he had a cholesterol of 130. This illustrates the depth of ignorance associated with cholesterol numbers. Read LivingTree Root # 001 "The Cholesterol Myth." for an in depth discussion...

 

http://www.alienview.net/ALLTCON.html ...

 

Remember folks... the Inuit eat Sat Fat (blubber) cholesterol protein exclusively, and most have cholesterol totals in excess of 250 or 300... but have the lowest incidence of heart disease on the planet. A question is begged, yea and verily! Also, they magically appear to be immune to many diseases, like MS, and yes... I suspect, maybe even kidney stones!

 

Even though Eskimos live in what could certainly be considered to be a harsh, depressing environment (Greenland ain't green) they are a calm, happy people. They are a people who find humor in most everything and are known for being frisky little nose rubbers. Move these same people to Chicago, feed them a typical American diet consisting of high sugar/carbs, low fat (EPA/DHA from fish oil), and they tend to become depressed alcoholics, prone to violence and suicide.

 

This is because over the millenniums (through lack of use) the Inuit had lost the ability to synthesize the Delta 6 Desaturase (D6D) enzyme because they did not have veggies, hemp or flax seed in their diet. The D6D is the enzyme required for the critical first step of both of the cascading Prostaglandin Pathways (PW) which convert both of the simple EFA's (omega 6, LA & omega 3, ALA) into the more complex, powerful, and multi-purposeful Fatty acids (...omega 6, GLA & omega 3's EPA/DHA).

 

The Inuit by-passed this first step and the need for D6D because, by consuming cold water fish, they entered the PW further down at the EPA & DHA position.... However, on a typical American diet (High in sugar/carbs & Low in fish omega 3) they rapidly become deficient, even if they consume plant omega 3. Consequently, because they are not consuming or making EPA/DHA - they feel anxious and depressed, craving something... but they don't know what... ...so they self-medicate with booze, drugs... and Twinkies.

 

So, what does this have to do with an Anglo-Saxon vegan like the I-man? Well, you see the vegan leadership, incorrectly mind you, tells their people that fish Omega 3 is not necessary because plant Omega 3 (ALA) is converted by the cascading prostaglandin path-way (PW) to the animal Omega 3 (EPA/DHA) -- this is bad advise because only a very small percentage is converted to the complex Omega 3... under the best of conditions! This is because, like all babies and people with diabetes, some adults (and probably Don Imus, too) have a very sluggish and inefficient Desaturase enzyme system - this is why all baby formula contains extra virgin coconut oil! Being a Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT), coconut oil can be digested without Desaturase enzymes (mothers milk is rich in MCTs). I digress.

 

Any way, these people (Iman?) don't readily convert ALA to EPA/DHA. Plus, there are numerous things we do that block or inhibit the production of D6D -- like using Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO), sugar/flour, a deficiency in the vitamins and minerals needed to synthesize D6D, and most significantly the overuse of poly Omega 6 oils like soy & corn oil.

 

Gall bladder (GB) problems can cause poor Fat/EFA assimilation, ultimately, low cholesterol - so J.D. should have every gall bladder test that M.D.s perform to rule out disease or gall stones (both can be symptom & pain free). However, even if they give his GB a thumbs up- he may still have a problem due to thick, sluggish bile. This is a condition that M.D.s must not recognize, because the only people that talk about it are the holistic types. In similar situations it means the M.D.s don't have an answer, while the "wacky" holistic folks seem to have a really good answer. Have you ever noticed that if *doctors* can't use surgery or patented pharmaceuticals for a condition, they pretend the condition doesn't exist. An example is to pretend that low stomach acid doesn't exist... so they can sell you Prevacid -- when most people over 50 have too little stomach acid, and it is THAT which is usually the cause of heartburn. See LTR#002 "The Antacid Myth".

 

http://www.alienview.net/ALLTCON.html

 

Our modern unhealthful diet, which causes this critical EFA deficiency, could very likely be the nexus for our growing propensity for drugs and alcohol. Don Imus readily admits he was self-medicated in this fashion. I really hate to point fingers after the fact, but this is where Wyatt could have been effected. DHA is what I call the "brain food for babies." Unfortunately the final conversion step for ALA becoming DHA is the slowest and most inefficient step in the process. It is my opinion, then, that a baby with a vegan mother (especially if Mom is D6D deficient) runs the risk of being a few IQ points lower than a baby whose mother consumed 2 to 4 grams of Krill oil daily throughout pregnancy and breast feeding. I say this with all respect to mother and child, sincerely.

 

Vegan's argue, in a product like Neuromins, they can get supplemental DHA from a plant source, algae. This is the kind found in all those baby formulas that proudly have DHA in large letters on the label. However, I see two problems with algae DHA: First - The manufactures of Neuromins readily admit that extracting the DHA requires RBDing (Refining, Bleaching, Deodorizing) but they don't say how much oxidation this causes, if any. The Weston A. Price foundation says that the lengthy processing causes the DHA to be 30% oxidized! Second - Most fish oil is about 1/3 higher in EPA than DHA-- Most cod liver oil has the opposite, higher in DHA. This makes fish oil better for cardiovascular health, and fish liver oil better for developing the brain, eyes, etc of the fetus, and preventing dementia (Alzheimer's) in the elderly. But it really doesn't matter if one is a little higher than the other, you still get the positive, synergistic effect of both.

 

The problem is when one or the other is completely missing - like the Neuromins & baby formulas. We evolved always consuming EPA & DHA together, so the resulting Fatty Acid imbalance, by only doing the DHA, could have long lasting negative effects or, as a minimum, dramatically reduce its effectiveness.

 

There's every indication that Wyatt is well above average intellectually considering he has occasion to legitimately beat the I-man at chess -- but so what? Even if he's a genius, I'm sure he wouldn't mind tacking on another 6 or 8 IQ points (...I'm just guessing at those numbers, of course).

 

FYI : I use to recommend Cod Liver oil for Mother's & children because of the higher DHA, but like many holistic types, I now recommend Krill Oil over both Cod Liver & Fish Oil primarily because of the increased likelihood of oxidation in fish oil & even a higher precentage of oxidation in Cod liver oil...this as opposed to Krill oil with virtually no oxidation due to a powerful anti-oxidant not found in fish/cod.  Also the EPA & DHA in Krill is absorbed through phospholipids in the gut much more efficiently than the fish oil method.

 

A dangerously low cholesterol resulting from an EFA deficiency can not only cause or exacerbate virtually every chronic disease... it makes you feel bad, folks! If you don't smoke, have elevated Homocysteine, or elevated C-reactive protein, then as we get older our cholesterol should naturally increase a little to protect us in our old age from heart disease, dementia, etc. Several mechanisms accomplish this, not the least of which is the powerful antioxidant characteristics of the unjustly maligned cholesterol.

 

We -are- fat and cholesterol, reader. But I mean that in a good way... it is an absolutely essential component in the make-up and construction of every cell in our body. It is the cell actually! For the optimum performance of each and every cell, the right kinds of the different kinds of fat are REQUIRED (in ratio or a relationship to one another), as food. Presently, as I just alluded, this country endures a pandemic of deficiency with regard to the "right kinds" of essential fatty acids in the everyday diet. Allowed to continue, this pandemic contributes the lion's share of responsibility to the descending spiral of impaired bodily cells... or, obesity, miserable illness, impaired cognition, and early death... presently enjoyed by rank and file Americans and a tormented "I-man"! Knowledge regarding essential fatty acids in (or not in!) our foods is key to realizing optimal health, maximized intelligence, increased energy, and an expanded quality of life!

 

High cholesterol (let's say as high as 260) in a 75 year old woman... is not a disease -- it can be a response to a disease (arterial inflammation caused by sugar, flour, HVO and Omega 6 poly oil), OR it can be a very natural, healthful response to old age.

 

With regard to the SECOND point above... we should talk about Soy's dark side. Up front let me say that this does not apply to fermented soy products like soy sauce, miso, etc...  

a. Unfermented soy contains Oxalates that bind with calcium in the kidney to form stones.

b. Soy contains phytates that bind with numerous minerals resulting in a possible deficiency or mineral imbalance.

c. Soy contains phytoestrogens that can effect hormonal balance causing subtle yet long term undesirable physical changes in little boys that are flooded with phytoestrogen from the moment of conception.

The Imus Ranch appears to make an effort to use less harmful forms of soy (fermented forms). But tofu is not fermented--and though less harmful than other forms, it still begs the question "how much is too much"? The rhetoric is so strident on both sides that it is difficult to know exactly where the truth lies. So I may be wrong about tofu - and I hope I am. However, the following gives me pause: 1st. Dr. Mercola at www.mercola.com says it's not safe (I've never found him to lie). 2nd. The Weston A. Price Foundation also warns us (I don't think they are in the tank for any special interest). 3rd. Homo Erectus did not evolve eating soy, or other high phytate/estrogen foods.

 

THIRDLY -- Grain's very dark side... Modern man's excessive consumption of bread, cereal, and pasta... is how we got in this mess in the first place. Grains, much like soy, also contain phytates which can cause a mineral imbalance that can contribute to kidney stones and aggressive behavior. Also, the insulin as a result of "pancreatic freak-out" caused by excessive refined carbs, is a major cause of heart disease. I'm sure the Ranch uses really good organic "true whole grain" products that are not processed "to death"....But for the rest of us poor folks - don't be fooled by the caramel colored, highly processed "whole wheat goodness" found in many so-called "whole grain" products.

 

The reason these problems exist is because we did not evolve eating grains, especially refined grains. A diet high in grain carbs, low in fat & cholesterol, is the cause of heart disease, not the other way around... remember the Eskimos?

 

I used to be a vegetarian, and I really enjoyed it because being a creative cook I rapidly became a "Tofu Grandmaster," plus, I didn't have to rationalize the whole "killing animals" thing. The problem; however, was that my lipid profile was way out of whack! How could I do all the things the doctors recommend -- regular exercise, no eggs, cholesterol, or satfat, yet have abominable cholesterol numbers, still... especially my HDL which was a dangerously low 30! After several years of intense research, I finally saw the light. I cut out all sugar, grains, soy, HVO, and poly food oils. I started eating 5 to 8 raw or poached eggs daily, along with whey, flax, and hemp protein... with just a little bit of lean meat. Folks, we are what we ate... millions of years ago!

 

I also consumed massive quantities of salad and veggies. Additionally, I use only olive, coconut, hemp, and flax food oils, plus fish, cod liver, and borage medicinal oils.

 

Well, in just two or three months my total cholesterol dropped from about 270 to 190 and my HDL rose significantly from 30 to 50. The reason this happened to me and millions of others is because we evolved eating those things just mentioned:

a. Grass fed meat high in Omega 3 (not cornfed meat, high in Omega 6).

b. Sea creatures high in Omega 3 (not cornmeal fed, farm raised fish high in Omega 6).

c. Eggs, high in Omega 3 (not corn fed, high in Omega 6).

d. Veggies, seeds, nuts and legumes (high in Omega 6, but the more complex desirable form...GLA).

e. Nutritionally dense insects containing super lecithin, etc...

f. A little bit of fruit (probably not all that sweet either).

HOWEVER, we did NOT evolve eating soy, grains, sugar, fruit juice, HVO, or massive amounts of rancid/toxic poly unsat Omega 6 oils like Soy, corn, grape seed, cottonseed, or saff/sunflower (...the regular, not the HI-OLEIC...) Additionally, both peanut and canola have a fairly substantial amount of healthful mono unsat Omega 9 at 48 and 54 percent, respectively. Unfortunately, the benefits of the Omega 9 are over shadowed by the oxidized, RBDed, Omega 6... at 33 and 37 percent, respectively.

 

Before I tell you how JD can get healthy and happy, let me say, if a person is any one of the numerous forms of vegetarian for moral reasons -- I have the utmost respect and admiration for them; however, if they are a vegan because they think it is more healthful, I'm afraid they are wrong, unless they do a few thing to correct the shortfalls... things that most vegans just won't do.

 

For example, most will not take a B-12 supplement because it comes from animals. Their leadership tells them the plant B-12 in spirulina, and chlorella, will protect them from pernicious anemia (PA). Unfortunately the plant derived B-12 won't work because it is a B-12 analog. In all fairness I've heard that some influential vegans have seen the folly in this attitude and are recommending supplemental (animal) B-12.

 

For those vegans who don't suffer from PA, as proof that the plant B-12 works, are actually getting the required teeny-tiny little dose (2 mcg) of animal B-12 in the nutritionally dense insects that are ground in their flour! Animals, after all. Supposedly this is why the vegan cultures, like India, where a lot more insects are part of the un-poisoned eco-system -- Indian vegans rarely have PA, but if you move them to a place with high insecticide use, PA goes up.

 

I feel in my heart that vegans are more than likely the most decently honest people on the planet (if you have sympathy to animals you are likely to be sympathetic towards people... Hitler was a noted exception). In my humble opinion their leadership is so ideologically driven, that they keep the truth from their followers. Here is what Don and to a lesser degree, Wyatt, should do:

 

1. Daily consume 4 to 8 grams of Krill oil. This, most importantly, but in concert with the rest of my recommendations, will cause his cholesterol to slowly increase and probably level off somewhere closer to a healthful 190 or 200.

 

2. For gall bladder health: (a). Daily take 2or3 grams of Taurine and Beet concentrate to thin the bile. (b). After 2or3 weeks, continue with the T&B, but add a periodic liver & gall bladder detox flush. (c). After the first detox flush, take a broad spectrum Bile Salts capsule with each fatty meal. If digestion improves or stays the same, continue with salts. If digestion gets worse, ie diarrhea, then stop- because it means you're producing plenty of bile.

 

3. Keep soy and grains to a minimum (except fermented soy). Get veggie protein from hemp seed and flax seed. I notice in the cookbook they have eggs, so maybe Deidre lets Don and Wyatt consume them and that they're not just for the visiting kids. If that is true, and I hope it is, I would hope that they would consider adding another benign animal protein in the form of the highly digestible whey protein. Whey is a milk by-product and if you use the more expensive WPI (Whey Protein Isolate) with cross flow filtration, it is even slightly superior to a raw egg as far as protein digestibility. If the Imus boys do eat eggs... as much as possible they should be consumed raw or cooked as little as possible on low heat.

 

4. Stay away from soy and cow's milk. It's easy to make your own Kefir milk.

1. Thin plain Kefir (no added sugar) with ice water.

2.  Sweeten with Stevia or Xylitol.

3.  Optional : flavor with ANYTHING...vanilla, chocolate, Mocha-Coffee or for New Years, Kalua Liquor Kefir.

A great alternative to soy milk without the throw away aseptic containers.

 

Two more suggestions: First, I just recently heard about fermented soy milk that I'm assuming is probably OK. Second, some magical stuff called Coconut Cream Concentrate -- blend with water, stevia, or vanilla, etc. to make a great milk substitute.

 

5. Never eat cereal ever again -- most of it ranks right up there with refined sugar as a source of pancreatic insulin freak-out... ultimately, heart disease. The Imus boys should eat a five or six egg, veggie, and cheese omelet every morning. Or a giant smoothie made from whey protein powder, hemp protein powder, and/or hemp seed, ground flax seed, melted coconut oil, a banana or blueberries, stevia to sweeten, and quality ice water. Other options -- raw eggs, green foods like spirulina, barley grass, alfalfa, etc.

 

6. The whole Imus family should take a large daily dose of 1000 to 5000 mcg of methylcobaline B-12 in a sublingual form in order to by-pass the gut in the event any are missing the intrinsic factor necessary for absorption. In fact, B-12 is so difficult to absorb, that just to be safe, Don should have his doctor give him methyl. B-12 shots in massive doses for several months. B-12 is safe no matter how large the dose and it is so necessary and so beneficial. This will help sooth Don's frazzled nerves.

 

7. Never use poly unsat Omega 6 food oils. See "Fat Facts" http://www.alienview.net/xzfat.html

 

8. Never use margarine -- use olive, coconut oils, or real butter.

 

9. Take a health food store quality multi vitamin/mineral and a liquid trace mineral formula -- the kind with 60 or 70+ trace element, not the kind the MDs might occasionally, grudgingly recommend, with only a handful of the most significant ones.

 

10. Also take a Calcium/Magnesium supplement at a 1 to 1 ratio complex, in divided doses (500 mg or less Cal. Per dose) for a daily total of 800 to 1000mg Cal / 800 to 1000mg Mag. Amino Acid Chelated is the best in my opinion. I bet Don's MDs told him to avoid calcium supplements because of his Kidney stones -- again, MDs don't have a clue... Strange as it may seem, you're more apt to develop kidney stones when you're calcium deficient. To insure maximum Cal absorption take 800 units of vit. D3 in divided doses (never take the potentially toxic D2 found in milk). Or, try to insure that you get 15 minutes of direct sun around high noon, 5 or 6 days a week. If you're black or live up north just take the D3 supplement ... and always take it with calcium... never without.

 

11. Insure your gut, the most important organ in your body, is working at peak efficiency:

 

a. If you don't have ulcers, take betaine HCL with pepsin (stomach acid in a capsule). If your tummy feels warm after the recommended dose then stop taking it. Always take with food.

b. Take a broad spectrum of digestive enzymes, in particular Lipase for Fat&EFA assimilation. Some enzyme formulas come already with the bile salt, Ox Bile, and some also have the stomach acid, Betaine HCL w. Pepsin.

c. Take a broad spectrum of pro-biotics like acidophilus.

d. No antacids or carbonated drinks... ever. See LTR #002 "The Antacid Myth" http://www.alienview.net/ALLTCON.html

 

12. No refined sugar... use stevia.

 

That's it folks -- unfortunately after JD does all of these things, his show will suffer because he is likely to turn into Mr. Rogers... when Rogers was alive of course. But hey, the "I-man" can always FAKE the efficacious bellicose... he doesn't have to be biologically driven to it...

 

Until next time... Well BE!

 

Until next time... Well BE!

The problem? AlFx is a TSH mimic that takes the job away from the TSH & "Yells" at the thyroid 24 hours a day to make more T-4, instead of only telling the thyroid to make T-4 12 hours on & 12 hours off... you are in big trouble.  If you are tired all the time but can't sleep (the AlFx won't let you "power-down" for 12 hours so you can sleep) then please read LTR # 011  http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#Lowthyroid  to understand AlFx poisoning.

LivingTree Root #012  (Updated 5 October 2008)

New Food Pyramid: The Big "FAT"Lie!

by Alan Graham (with Alfred Lehmberg)

www.AlienView.net

LivingTree Root #013 (Updated 6 Oct 2008)

The "New Food Pyramid" Part Deux... 

or Eric Cartman's "Breakfast of Champions"...

I think we showed last time ...(www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#Fatlie or www.rense.com/general68/fatlie.htm)... that the numerous lies concerning fats and oils prove beyond doubt that the New Food Pyramid (NFP) is "in the tank" for several powerful organizations.  The NFP stands already exposed...

Not surprisingly, these insults to the foundation of individual health are continued with regard to the remaining "Pyramid" categories.

Because the NFP relies heavily on grains and dairy but impacts on children so profoundly (in more than a few ways), let us begin with a discussion on the destructive "one - two" punch that starts virtually every child's day ... Cereal & Milk. 

This ubiquitous meal is not the "Breakfast of Champions," as it would be touted by a conflicted eight-year-old like the "I'm-not-fat-I'm-big-boned" -- Eric Cartman of South Park.  No.  Ironically?  It is more likely practiced in this country like a "breakfast of the diseased dim-bulbed..."

Grain? The "Staff of Life"? 

Our reliance on processed and refined carbohydrates in the multitude of cereals, breads, baked-goods, and pasta products is probably the number one health hazard facing this country.  Moreover, this "Carbo-Mind Set" is completely corporate driven, forgetting we have to make it so easy for them... ...willingly going for the *Fluffy-Sweet Goodness* of a Twinkie, say... even when we know it's crap... This is despite the reason for the alarming increase in obesity, diabetes and heart disease! 

Still, we "Carbo-load" Forgetting for a moment carbohydrate's role in expanding the disease lexicon... the so called "Adult Onset Diabetes" has to be called "type II" diabetes, lately... because NOW even children are effected!  Furthermore, an accelerating trend occurs as there are many inflammatory diseases revealing themselves... ...unheard of even a few decades ago. 

Examples?

Examples include Fibromyalgia, Syndrome "X" (essentially Heart Disease caused by Diabetes), and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)... all of which can be caused or exacerbated by over consumption of processed and refined carbohydrates. Add to the list my favorite new ailment: the "Double D" disease (...that's where you are born with type I diabetes, then, while still a child... you develop type II diabetes).  ...A list, not iterated here, continues, reader!

Concerning carbohydrates in general?  Here's an interesting fact. 

It is possible to have a deficiency in protein, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals (all 70+), and Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)... but there is no such thing as a carbohydrate deficiency!  Consider that...

Carbohydrates are not essential to build tissue, enhance the immune system, or protect the nerves!  They will provide ready energy... sure ...but any not immediately used will rapidly turn to body fat.

Two of the most heart healthy, diabetic free groups on this planet rarely, if ever, consume carbs of ANY kind, especially grains.  Discussed last time, the Eskimos consume meat protein, saturated fat, and EFAs.  Introduced now are the Massi warriors / herdsman in Kenya.  They eat meat protein, cow's blood, and raw milk (not the pasteurized / homogenized crap we drink).

 Carbohydrates are not necessary! Like the Eskimos, et al. I wish I could say "make meat your major source of protein..." ...but with all the hormones, antibiotics, and general disrespect  implied and extant in non-organic meat?  I think you should try to get most, if not all, of your protein from the two most digestible sources remaining: 1) Whey protein isolate.  2) Cage-free Eggs, raw yolks with soft scrambled whites or lightly poached.

Don't get me wrong!  Complex Carbs can be a very good thing if you get the majority of them from raw, mostly above ground, veggies...cruciferous & green leafy ones in particular.  Moreover, even unhealthful Carbs like soy and grains can become very healthful foods by soaking, sprouting, or made Hi-Probiotic by fermenting... Of course, the NFP never mentions  "fermenting, soaking, or sprouting...".

No, true to form, the NFP has you consuming twice as many servings of grains as compared to the other categories.  This is particularly troubling because, according to the NFP, half of the *total* can be refined Carbs ... like white flour.  That's insane, reader!  As most people are confused by *official* claims concerning which grain products are less processed, thus more healthful...  ...they wind up consuming, unhealthily, mostly refined Carbs, instead of unrefined or even half refined Carbs which are more healthful!

Here are just a few of the things wrong with grain Carbs and cereal in particular: 

1)  Gluten -- this is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley which is particularly difficult to digest, to start!  Now, exacerbate the situation by destroying valuable stomach acid with carbonated drinks and antacids ( MD's pass out antacids like candy ).

Folks, copious amounts of stomach acid are required to properly "soften-up" protein.   With a stomach acid deficit?  The undigested protein finds itself too far down the intestinal tract for its unsatisfactory degree of digestion!  This can cause an autoimmune response because the undigested protein is seen as a foreign invader, tragically, so your own immune system attacks... you!

This condition can result in undiagnosed and mysterious symptoms of joint pain, poor digestion, etc. with many persons.  With others?  Well, these develop debilitating and life threatening autoimmune diseases!

Unfortunately then, most *distracted* MDs giddily treat the symptoms of these provoked diseases the individual winds up with, but never address the underlying initial cause! What was the underlying initial cause? You needed to take supplemental stomach acid ( Betaine HCL with Pepsin ) NOT antacids... to improve your digestion... and stop betraying it!

Oh Yeah!  You might want to also avoid gluten.  If you have Celiac Disease, you have to avoid gluten, altogether.  FYI: Hi-gluten rice contains no gluten. FYI-2:  The pH of your stomach should be less than 3 to protect you from parasites, microbes, et al. and to rapidly start breaking down protein. A stomach pH of 1 is better than 2 for this purpose...battery acid is also a pH of 1. Doctors indiscriminately passing out Antacids to people that already have an alkaline stomach is a crime against Humanity.

2)  Refined Carbs cause pancreatic insulin freak-out which contributes to obesity and inflammatory diseases... ...like heart disease and MS.  Our society, gorging itself on cereals and Hi-carb snack foods is also the cause of the dramatic increase in Type II diabetes.  Smoke that.

3)  Grains are high in several anti-nutrients like phytates and oxalates which bind to minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron... ...and probably most importantly?  Zinc. 

Phytates can be avoided if grains are soaked, sprouted, or sour-leavened.  Phytates and oxalates found in veggies are  probably not a problem for non-vegetarians, especially if they supplement and avoid most grains. 

It is most likely a waste of time to try to maintain a low-oxalate diet like some recommend.  For one thing?  There are many very healthful high oxalate foods like spinach, blueberries, green peppers, green beans, etc. 

Also, Popeye was a little off concerning spinach... that's because even though it is high in calcium it is very high in oxalates which means only about 5% of the calcium is usable due to oxalate binding.  This is no problem if you supplement with a good absorbable Calcium / Magnesium Complex ( milk is not the answer ).  Minerals ( like Cal/Mag/Zinc ) which are bound to Inorganic Salts like carbonate & oxide are the least absorbable - always use some form of Organic Chelation like my favorite, Amino Acid Chelation, or others like Kreb Cycle, Calcium Citrate, et al.  This supplementing will also help you avoid calcium oxalate crystals turning to kidney stones. 

There is one food; however, that is so high in oxalates that it binds all its own calcium, then goes looking for more... that is unfermented Soy.  Unfermented Soy is a whole other paper.

4)  Cereals -- As far as carbohydrates causing an increase in insulin secretion is concerned... most cereals are the worst.  The absolute worst...

Even if you start with some grain that might be considered reasonably healthful, like whole wheat, etc... ...by the time it's converted to flakes or cute little shapes, it's almost as destructive as table sugar!  The various grains are ground and mixed in a slurry (a thick liquid) that is then forced (pooped!), under heat and pressure, through an extruder... ...to pop out magically delicious *charms* and *stars*...

The resulting grain *product* doesn't look or act anything like the grain product Jesus passed out with the fishes, reader...

...Now, "supercharge" the product with copious amounts of refined sugar... and you have a bowl of insulin producing garbage turning your children into troubled and aggressive little sociopaths *needing* drugs like Ritalin...  When you add cow's milk to the mix? Well, then you have the necessary ingredients for your children repeatedly having ear infections, respiratory infections and allergic reactions...

Commercially processed cow's milk, by its self, can cause these reactions, however, you "fan the flames" when you suppress the child's immune system with sugar, cereal & fruit juices.  Heavy sigh... reader!

And let's be honest as to why parents love cereal.  It's not because 'way down deep' they are certain the stuff is a healthful food ...no.  It's because they are too lazy or feel they are too busy to make their kids a big plate of eggs, soft scrambled with cheese & veggies. Or maybe a smoothie of Whey Protein Isolate, Kefir, ground flax seed, blueberries, or banana and then sweetened with Stevia... raw egg yolks are also great in smoothies as long as you go to www.mercola.com and read raw egg safety protocols.

Alternating these two breakfast meals can turn your hyper or listless child into a "Wunderkinder", and (with a gram or two of krill or fish oil?) maybe even snap them out of the ADHD hell they're forced to endure.  Both hyper activity & listlessness are very likely a manifestation of the same problem... too much Sugar, Cereal, Fruit juice, Toast & Jelly, Pancakes & Syrup, Doughnuts, Sweet Rolls, Muffins, Pop Tarts, Granola bars...

But hey!  Lucky Charms and Twinkies are so convenient for a "busy" mom, like Mrs. Cartman... besides Eric pouts, dangerously, when he doesn't get his "Cheezy Poofs & Snacky Cakes."  What's a doting mom and crack-smoking trollop to do?

FYI:  When you super heat carbohydrate foods and turn the surface toasty brown ( bread crust, french fries, etc.) you create 'Acrylamides,' a paticularly nasty Free Radical.  Guess which food has the most toasted surface area per cup... that's right - flake cereals, like Corn Flakes & Wheaties, "The Breakfast of Chump-ions".

Oh Boy... exercise!  Everyone's favorite!  But seriously...

As mentioned, most people (even vegetarians) don't have to worry about oxalates if they supplement properly.  Phytates, on the other hand, could be a concern for vegetarians, maybe even if they do supplement!  Keeping soy and grains to a minimum is probably the answer to this conundrum.  There is one situation; however, where oxalates and phytates can be deadly serious.

Visualize this scenario.  You have a 50 year old vegetarian and marathon runner who is jogging through his neighborhood and otherwise being as devout a disciple of the famous marathoner Jim Fixx as he can.  Like Fixx, this middle-aged obsessive of our conjecture, thinks supplementation is a foolish waste of money.  In his uninformed mind, longevity is all about physical fitness and caloric intake. 

Well, like Jim Fixx at 52, he has a heart attack and drops dead in his trendy cul-de-sac... drops dead while his overweight, 65 year old neighbor, lounging on his porch smoking cigarettes and chain-pounding DingDongs, remarks to his wife... "See, honey, I told you that running crap could kill you..." 

Ironically, in this situation the surviving neighbor is right.  Here's how.

Just like Jim Fixx... ...who set the stage by not supplementing with the Essential Big Minerals or the 70 or so, equally critical, trace minerals... ...who ate a high oxalate and phytate diet binding critical minerals and trace minerals... ...who drank distilled or reverse osmosis (RO) water, leaching out even more minerals and trace minerals... ...who consumed lots of unfermented soy leaching out even more essential minerals...

Then, to top it all off?  For years, his long distance running sweated out a "soup" of un-replaced electrolytes and essential minerals -- in particular, potassium (one of the most critical heart nutrients extant!) is readily excreted when he copiously perspired ... a decrease of potassium (Hypokalemia) can profoundly affect the nervous system and increases the chance of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), which, when extreme, can be fatal.

...Folks!  After a few years of chronic mineral deficiency blithely provoked in just this manner?  It's easy to drop dead from a heart attack!

True to form, after Jim Fixx died, his number one disciple Brian Maxwell only increased his effort through physical fitness without supplemental minerals... and he fell dead in his early 50's also! Many other high-toned athletes have dropped dead mysteriously in a similar fashion! But Gee...lets go find an innocent and beneficial herb, like Ephedra, to blame. Ephedra killed a few hundred people that abused it - Vioxx killed at least 28,000 when taken as directed.

FYI: Aerobic cardiovascular training is great... ...if you replace the lost minerals forfeited with the exercise! Also, more and more fitness folks feel that moderate weight training might be as importance as aerobic.  Also, I use RO water... ...but I always re-mineralize it with liquid Trace Mineral drops. 

Got milk?

I suspect that Pasteurizing & Homogenizing milk turns a fairly decent food (remember the Massi thriving on raw milk) into an unhealthful, completely unnecessary food source. There are certainly better ways to get the vitamins & protein that the Milk Advocates are always alluding to.  So, if you want to use a little cheese or some fermented dairy products... do it because you really like it ... not so much because of the vitamins & protein and certainly not because you think it's a good source of calcium.

The New Food Pyramid's reliance on milk as a source of calcium is bogus to the extreme!  Here's why.

Several major minerals need to be close to the correct ratio in order for the body to properly use calcium.  One in particular is magnesium.  This should be, at a minimum, a 2 to 1 ratio (2 Cal to 1 Mag).  Many of the top holistic practitioners (like mercola.com, The Leaf Lady, et al.) feel it should be even higher, at a one to one ratio, or even higher than that.  So you can see that cow's milk at a 10 to 1 Cal/Mag ratio has a real problem.  Do the math.

Also, the vitamin D3 that mother nature supplies from the sun, eggs and fish liver oils is critical for Cal/Mag absorption.  Unfortunately, most fortified milk uses the plant-derived vitamin D2!  It is not very effective for this purpose.  Additionally, D2 is much more likely to cause a problem with vitamin D toxicity.

For a great tasting milk substitute (that children love better than milk) I recommend the following Kefir concoction:  Kefir (plain, no added sugar) thin with ice water, leave plain or flavor it with whatever's handy (vanilla, chocolate or Kahlua if you're an adult) then sweeten with Stevia.

For those not familiar with Kefir? Kefir is a fermented product sort of like a "Super" yogurt, except it is higher in protein and Probiotics (good bacteria) yet lower in natural sugar. Fermentation makes the lactose digestible for lactose intolerant folks. Also, the Kefir I've seen in health food stores uses vitamin D3, not the inferior (and possibly dangerous) D2.  It also comes in Organic form to avoid any residual hormones or antibiotics.

Technically, I still have Crohn's Disease, but I no longer suffer from it like I did for many years when under the care of a team of MDs.  They almost had me poisoned to death with toxic pharmaceuticals when I discovered supplementation & proper nutrition! For the whole story read "How I Beat Crohn's Disease" http://www.alienview.net/crohns.html  ...

The Point is? Because of the Crohn's, I'm very sensitive to what works well & not so well for the gut... ...Folks, Kefir is the superior form of Live Cultured, Probiotics (good Gut Flora & Fauna) in my opinion, and I've tried most of them.

To sum up, a person does not have to scratch the surface very deep to see that the NFP is a dangerous joke.  Unfortunately the only ones laughing are the people in the "Sickness" business (like MD's & Drug companies) and the food industries that profit from the NFP's "official" prevarication (like the Cereal makers & the Poly Food Oil industry).

In closing, had you ever been warmed by the odd closing comment in probably every cereal commercial ever made that the cereal concerned was only PART of a good breakfast? 

They know, reader.  They know "Trix" isn't for Rabbits or Kids... Trix is for unhealthily maintained and cognitively compromised idiots and nascent dim-bulbs!

That's enough... ...If ADM (Archer Daniels Midland Company) doesn't have me "Whacked" for my transgressions... ? ...I should do one more iteration on the NFP, soon, concerning Fruit/Fruit Juices & Meat -- more scurvy lies there, too.

Well be!

LivingTree Root #014 

The Worrisome Calcium Lie...

by Alan Graham (with Alfred Lehmberg)

Do calcium pills work?  Is supplementation useful, effective, or even necessary?

Well, if you believe Christine Gorman's one-sided article in Time Magazine (Feb 22, 06), then the answer is NO!  Time and several of the other competing news magazines reported the results of the WHI (Women's Health Initiative) study showing that taking supplemental Calcium & Vitamin D was pretty much a waste of time and the "extra" Calcium (Cal) might even cause an increase in kidney stones.

What a patent crock.

Aren't Christine and her lock-step colleagues over at US News & World Report supposed to be crack "Investigative" reporters?   Right...?

It certainly wouldn't take much erstwhile "investigating" to find the ugly truth.  Moreover, shouldn't these strange, unexpected, and abundantly inaccurate results prompt ones FIRST question to be, "Are there different forms of Calcium & Vitamin D supplements, and if so, are some absorbed better than others, and if so ... what kind did the women in the *study* take"?

This is first tier, fundamental, and basic stuff in journalism, reader.

All she had to do was ask the first holistic practitioner she ran into... or even the teenage girl at the local health food store could probably give a decent explanation.  Seriously?  I can only presume that Christine is "in the tank" for "whomever", or that she's hugely inept... ...I'm going with "in the tank" because US News & WR ran pretty much the same article, and Ms. Gorman is supposed to be at the top of her journalistic game...

Have you ever noticed how big corporations will lie for each other... ...much like priests, doctors, lawyers & cops?  I digress...

It is conceivable (though doubtful) that Christine did ask something along those lines ... but I'm sure after the medical "doctors" very condescendingly explained how all Calcium & Vit. D supplements are "pretty much the same," she looked no further...  I think a real investigative reporter would ask for a second opinion from someone with an opposing view, like a Naturopathic Doctor or Holistic Nutritional Consultant, but that's just me...

Why would you exclusively believe that it is these "Naturopathic" Doctors who have the pecuniary ax to grind?  Who is making the BIG money with regard to what they would prescribe?  Follow the money, reader.

Are the pharmaceutical industries "God-like" pawns and too-willing imps... the MDs...  to be trusted to the exclusion of all others?  I think not.

Believe me, the Drug Companies and the MDs who receive cleverly concealed kickbacks as "Research Field Associates", for pushing a particular drug, are giddy with the prospect of selling you more Fosamax for your osteoporosis... and maybe, just by discrediting Calcium / Vit. D supplements, that discrimination will carry over to all supplementations -- then they own you!

...But, don't they own you already?  I suspect that they do.  You see folks, there are different forms of Calcium & Vit. D, and believe me, the differing forms make all the difference in the world.

Not writing to the appropriate period?  Here's what Christine said in her Time piece:

"...They took a standard Calcium & Vitamin D supplement..."

Whoa!  Gee Christine... ...what the hell is a "standard" supplement?  The truth of the matter is that there's no such thing as a "standard" supplement!  Ms. Gorman applied the term "standard" to the forms that "doctors" always recommend... and coincidentally they are the forms that not only don't work very well... they are actually bad for you.

The cheap, inferior mineral forms that virtually all the WHI women took are called 'Inorganic Salts'. They include Calcium CARBONATE, Calcium PHOSPHATE and Magnesium OXIDE, as opposed to a superior 'Organic Chelated' mineral.  Also, the Vitamin D was the inferior and less active form, Vit. D-2 ( ergocalciferol ) as opposed to the superior, active form: Vit. D-3 (cholecalciferol).  It makes a big difference, reader!

Calcium, like all minerals, generally has to "catch a ride" with some other substance like the Inorganic Salts, mentioned above (in capitals), or they can be Organically Chelated (Kee-late-id) with a variety of organic substances.  Chelate, figuratively, means "Bound To," but literally means "Claw."

Another way to get trace minerals and trace amounts of macro minerals is as ionic elements in concentrated sea water.  Or, they can remove most of the sodium to make Liquid Ionic Trace Mineral Drops that are great for re-mineralization of distilled or reverse osmosis water.

Lets start with the Inorganic Salts.  These are the cheapest, least absorbable forms... like carbonate, phosphate, chloride & oxide.  Calcium Carbonate & Magnesium Oxide are found in all grocery store Multivitamins like Centrum, Theragram, Flintstones (...God bless the children, huh?), etc.  Calcium Carbonate is also the main ingredient in most OTC antacids like Tums.

1).  Carbonate - Calcium carbonate is particularly unhealthful because it neutralizes valuable stomach acid (that's why it's in Tums). If Christine had paid attention in her High School Biology she might've remembered that minerals (themselves being inorganic) are very difficult to absorb and require copious amounts of stomach acid to be effectively utilized.

Under ideal conditions, with Carbonate, you will likely absorb less than 10% of the Calcium (many say less than 5%), but if you consume sodas, tums, tap water, sugar & Eric Cartman's Cheezy Poofs?  Then "Forget about it"...you won't absorb ANY Calcium from Calcium carbonate.

So, lets connect a few more dots... As we get older we produce LESS stomach acid, not MORE.  TOO LITTLE stomach acid (believe it or NOT!) is the cause of heartburn & "acid" reflux, in most cases because when you have a normal, healthful, stomach pH of less than 3 (VERY ACIDIC), your LES ( Lower Esophageal Sphincter ) will naturally try to stay tightly closed... protecting the esophagus. The LES will open (sort of magically) to swallow and to burp, but it can open when it shouldn't because your stomach is too alkaline and too full for that degree of alkalinity (it should be very acidic if full).  This, then, allows stomach contents to splash up into the esophagus... ...causing heartburn. This seems counterintuitive, I know, because even though there's too little acid to keep the LES slammed shut... ...there is still enough acid to cause terrible heartburn.

So, taking Calcium Carbonate with your meal will exacerbate the unhealthful alkaline condition.  That's the science.

Remember, when your stomach is as acidic as battery acid (pH of 1) it will not only encourage the LES to stay closed, precluding esophageal burning (heartburn), but will also insure good digestion & protection from harmful microbes!  Most importantly, it will properly "soften up" protein so the undigested protein will not cause an autoimmune response when it makes its way further down the gut... ...where it is then perceived by the body to be a "foreign invader."  In other words, this can prompt your immune system to attack YOU, reader, resulting in anything from nagging joint pain to life destroying MS.

I know when you have "heartburn" it's easy to assume you have too much acid... because it burns!   Moreover, this is especially true when your smilingly sociopathic Medical "Doctor" strolls in and proclaims his saccharin pontification that you have "reflux," caused by too much stomach acid... ...then prescribes pricey pharmaceuticals like Prevacid or Nexium (...the key!)... telling you authoritatively that, "Tums is a good source of Calcium."  Later you are sure he's a beneficent genius because... the pain goes... ...away!

Actually, all you did was destroy the little bit of acid that was left, which then leads to more undigested food in your gut, inadequate critter & yeast protection, Leaky Gut Syndrome, diminished toxin protection, mineral & trace mineral deficiency... ...ultimately chronic disease and early death.  I'm not overselling this... 

Please read our paper "The Antacid Myth":  http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#AntacidMyth

2).  Phosphate - Calcium Phosphate is also an inferior form because in order to absorb Calcium you need a Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio of about 1 to 1 (2 to 1 in the bones).  Unfortunately, even the poorest diet already has too much phosphorus because of colas, beer, dairy, bran cereal & processed meats.  Excessive Phosphorus inhibits Calcium absorption ... So taking Calcium Phosphate supplements can exacerbate a mineral / trace mineral deficiency!  It especially likes to inhibit Iron. 

3).  Oxide - Magnesium Oxide is the bogus "standard" form that the WHI women took... ...which is the kind found in ALL grocery store Multivitamins.  Fairly large amounts of Magnesium need to be soluble & absorbable in order to utilize the Calcium you take.  Humm...so how can I put this? Magnesium Oxide is "Crap".

Look at what the mainstream website PubMed  (www.pubmed.gov)  had to say when comparing Mag. Citrate (organic) & Mag. Oxide (inorganic):

"Magnesium OXIDE was virtually insoluble in water and only 43% soluble in simulated peak acid secretion (24.2 mEq hydrochloric acid/300 ml).  Magnesium CITRATE had high solubility even in water (55%) and was substantially more soluble than magnesium oxide in all states of acid secretion.  Re-precipitation of magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide did not occur when the filtrates from the solubility studies were titrated to pH 6 and 7 to stimulate pancreatic bicarbonate secretion. Approximately 65% of magnesium citrate was complexed as soluble magnesium citrate, whereas magnesium complexation was not present in the magnesium oxide system. Magnesium absorption from the two magnesium salts was measured in vivo in normal volunteers by assessing the rise in urinary magnesium following oral magnesium load. The increment in urinary magnesium following magnesium citrate load (25 mmol) was significantly higher than that obtained from magnesium oxide load.  Thus, magnesium CITRATE was more soluble and bio-available than magnesium OXIDE."

Even though most doctors will tell you that the Calcium Carbonate in Oscal & Caltrate is the superior form, some "conscientious" MD or dietician might recommend Citracal (which is Calcium Citrate, that we'll discuss in a moment).   Even though there are no grocery store Multivitamin/Minerals that have Organic Chelated Minerals, Citracal is the one grocery store Calcium Supplement that is Organically Chelated.  Here's the problem...  Even though it uses Calcium CITRATE, it then negates this positive by using Magnesium OXIDE! This will compromise the absorption of the Cal. Citrate.

Consequently?  I personally wouldn't take it ... not just because of the Magnesium Oxide, but as Frank Zappa was fond of saying, "It's Strickly Commercial..." meaning that it is in a cheap tablet form that uses numerous artificial binders, and other unnecessary "stuff".
Here are the ingredients off the label: Yikes!!

"Calcium Citrate, Polyethylene Glycol, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Povidone, Croscarmellose Sodium, Color Added, HPMC, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Borate, Manganese Gluconate, Magnesium Stearate, Carnauba Wax, Vitamin D3."

Kidney Stones (KS):

The consumption of Supplemental INORGANIC Salts will increase the formation of kidney stones, reader, exacerbated by carbonated drinks, tap water, sugar, Tums, and high phytate & oxalate foods, like grains & Soy.  This is because these things in concert can cause a mineral deficiency and contrary to what many MDs tell you... ...Kidney Stones are more apt to form when we are calcium deficient.  Remember, even if you've swallowed massive amounts of Calcium Carbonate, you can still be calcium deficient.  People who take Organically Chelated minerals and who have NOT neutralized their stomach acids with sodas & Tums, rarely have kidney stones.

Additionally, with older people, avoiding things that neutralize acid may not be enough, they very likely might need to take additional "Stomach Acid in a capsule"...supplemental Betaine HCL with Pepsin. 

I get e-mail all the time from people around the world that, after reading "The Antacid myth" NewsLetter, have stopped taking expensive Nexium and did the opposite by taking more stomach acid in supplement form...Betaine HCL w. Pepsin.  Not only did the heartburn stop but they were delightfully surprised when... ...so did the gas & bloating!  They were surprised because they didn't know the Antacid, ironically, was the cause of their discomfort. In many, the lower bowel distress had been around for so long they thought it was normal.

Ask the medical "doctor" with a new heartburn patient if they EVER check acid levels and if then found to be low?  Do they then recommend HCL w. pepsin for low stomach acidity?  The MD will likely either cover his ears and chant LA-LA, LA-LA, LA-LA, LA -- or his head will implode!   

You see, there is no pricey pharmaceutical available... ...so it's better to pretend there is no such thing as low acid (so they don't check)!  This is preferable to recommending a health food store item they won't be getting a kick-back on! Especially when doing the wrong thing (taking antacids) appears to work...  This is so sad,  not to mention morally repugnant.

...Here's what you SHOULD use, reader:

Organic Chelated Minerals -- these minerals are "bound" to an organic substance which INCREASES absorption and reduces bowel discomfort (unlike the inorganic Oxide).  The examples in (1). below are a sub-category that many, exclusively, refer to as "Organic Chelation"...but technically all 3 examples below are "Organic".

(1).  Citrate - Calcium Citrate is one of the most bio-available, plus it has the advantage of being "pre-acidified" so it can be taken with or without food.  Unlike Calcium Carbonate which must be taken with food to remotely have enough stomach acid to absorb... ...even a very small amount!

There are 3 more Chelators (along the lines of Citrate) that I also like LACTATE & a great combo CITRATE/MALATE. These have a little less "Elemental Calcium" but , like the LACTATE for example, is about 3 times more soluble than Citrate.

There are many other Chelators like GLUCONATE, ASCORBATE, SUCCINATE,
etc. that are fine... ...but Citrate (and the other 2 above) are probably the BEST in this smaller sub-category. This is particularly true for Calcium/Magnesium, but for other minerals a different chelator might be better.  For example - polynicotinate works well with the mineral Chromium & methionine with the mineral Selenium of course, so does Chromium & Selenium that are Amino Acid Chelated. (described in 3. below).

Just so I don't get called on this - If the label says "Amino-Acid Chelated" Selenium & if you knew which AA, you would likely see that it was Methionine...so Amino-acid Chelated Selenium & Selenomethionine are usually the same thing.

(2).  Krebs Cycle Chelation - The "Krebs Cyclers" (I just, now, made up that term) claim this is the superior form because it uses, as chelators, all or most of the substances associated with the 8 energy producing positions along the Krebs Cycle.  Actually, some of the Chelators above are some of the "stops" along the Krebs Cycle pathway...ie, Citrate, Succinate, etc, but I digress.

(3).  Amino Acid Chelation (Albion Process)...  This is my personal favorite and with time I suspect more & more brands will offer Amino Acid (AA) chelated minerals!  Right now there are only a handful available.  Some brands use their own Amino Acid Chelation process (which is fine).  However, a few brands use the patented Albion Process that I think is likely the best... but maybe not.  AA chelated minerals are surrounded by various Amino Acids that hide the "charged mineral" so it can sneak past the oppositely charged Intestinal Villi on the surface of the gut. 

Something to consider --  

As a bare minimum, the Calcium / Magnesium ratio should be 2 to 1 (2 Cal to 1 Mag). However, many holistic types, my-self included, feel that a 1 to 1 is closer to actual human physiology... making it FAR superior.

If a person tried to take a large dose of Cal / Mag  at a 1 to 1 ratio ( lets say 1000mg Cal & 1000mg Mag ) using the inferior Oxide? They would likely have massive diarrhea.  On the other hand, large doses of Amino Acid Chelated Magnesium are very well tolerated.

The Vitamin D Lie:

There are essentially 2 forms of Vitamin D ...D-2 & D-3 ( let's not waste time even discussing the manmade D-5 ).  Vit. D-2 is found in all grocery store Multivitamins  and is also used to "fortify" milk (...figures...).

Vitamin D is CRITICAL for Cal/Mag absorption...  unfortunately Vit. D-2 is ineffective for this purpose.  The more active form that your body likes is Vit. D-3, found in Cod Liver Oil, Eggs and made by the Sun (or in supplemental form)...I no longer recommend Cod Liver Oil because of the high amount of oxidation compared to my Favorite form of Omega-3's, NKO, Krill Oil.  But Krill Oil has virtually no Vit.D.

There are several reasons why you wouldn't want to take too much D-3 orally in supplemental form.  However, most people need 2 or 3 times as much as the recommended dose of 400iu and dark skinned people should get even more... along the lines of 1600iu of D3. Never take vitamin D by itself ...ALWAYS take with Cal/Mag.  Generally don't take over about 1000iu of D-3 unless you get tested for Vit.D.  Go to mercola.com to read about Vit.D-3 testing ...you have to take the correct test.

It is troubling that black leaders and the medical community ignore the growing Vitamin D deficiency ... thanks for your "help" Christine -- now even FEWER people of color will take Vitamin D-3.  Good work.

Half truths are the worst kind of lie, especially from those who should know better... ...here's a good example:  "Doctors" will tell you Calcium CARBONATE is the superior form because it has the highest percentage of "Elemental Calcium" at 40% (so that's 40% actual Calcium & 60% carbonate) as opposed to "only" 25% Elemental Calcium in Calcium Citrate.  Well yeah...that's true, on the surface, but if you only utilize a very small precentage in the Carbonate form but use nearly all the Citrate form -- then "more available" does not equate to "more usable".  See how that works?

The MDs and drug companies see this report as a gold mine because now they can sell even more toxic garbage like Fosamax & Boniva. The following is from our paper "Mo' Money, Mo' Money"

http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#Momoney

"Lucrative Drug Design -- Most pharmaceuticals work, when they work at all, in a negative and unnatural way.  These, very unwisely, BLOCK, STOP, MASK, SUPPRESS, INTERFER or INHIBIT normal bodily systems.  Let's look at one of the big sellers:  Fosamax --  It increases the amount of 'bone' in your bones. Yes... this is true... but this is a bad thing!  To insure you have strong bones, mother nature created a dual system by which, as new strong and healthy bone is manufactured, the older and weaker bone is efficiently removed. Fosamax blocks the system removing the old bone...  ...Yes, you have more bone... but it's brittle and weaker bone, crap bracing crap... so after 4 or 5 years of Fosamax the incidents of hip fractures increases."

The evil Dairy Lobby is also thrilled with the results of this study because, now more than ever, the universal message is ...drink more milk!  Unfortunately milk is a poor source of Calcium because the Cal/Mag ratio is not even close to 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 for that matter -- it is a Magnesium deficient ratio of 10 to 1!  Also, absorption is further compromised because the Vitamin D is the nearly worthless D-2 form. 

Fruits & veggies are a better source of Calcium & Magnesium.  Even though some F&Vs with Calcium have a poor Cal/Mag ratio (like maybe 5 to 1) the vast majority are at least 2 to 1 ratio.  Here are a few heavy weights that are almost 1 to 1 or better -- the BEST, are Avocados at 1 to 2 (at twice the mag these are better than great).  Pineapple & Raspberry are about 1 to 1.5.  Cauliflower, Peas & Mangos are almost 1 to 1.  Tomato, Asparagus & many green leafy veggies are about 1.5 to 1. Blackberries & Broccoli are about 2 to 1 (some Broccoli is as low as 5 to 1).  Folks, milk at a 10 to 1 ratio has a real problem.

Please remember friends - just because you read it in Time or heard it from a handsome, "greying at the temples" George-Clooney-look-alike "doctor"...doesn't make it true.

Consider: When you... caress your mate, cross a leg, or tousle a child's hair. Take a breath, blink an eye, wipe a tear.  Move, run, and jump, and then enjoy a good yawn along with a full-range-of-movement s-t-r-e-t-c-h.  When you know healthy satisfaction, convenient painless ease, and feeling good in your own skin...

It's the APPROPRIATE Calcium/Magnesium/Vit. D team of supplements that is key to, and absolutely required, for the enjoyment of the preceding... ...plus much, much more. Why?  ...Every time you contract even the tiniest muscle in your body it requires Calcium to contract that muscle & Magnesium to allow the muscle to relax.  Every one...

You are likely not getting enough of it.  Very likely not...

The "why" should absolutely outrage you.

Until next time?  Well BE.

LivingTree Root #015 

"New Food Pyramid" Part Three... or "Abuse, Manipulation, and Juice"!

 by Alan Graham (with Alfred Lehmberg)

It's like a health mantra: "DRINK JUICE & EAT LOTS of FRUITS & VEGGIES"...right?  Well, not so fast little Buddy. This ubiquitous motherly advise, when said correctly, no longer rolls off the tongue so easily ...Moms (who usually know what they're taking about?) should, instead, say something a little more in-depth, like: 

"If you don't have Diabetes, eating a little bit of small, dark fruit, with a large 'Skin to Pulp' ratio, is OK... but never... never ever... drink sweet fruit juices... not even the so-called naturally sweet kind... and eat lots of raw, mostly above ground, veggies (except corn)."  

In defense of my new & improved, necessarily convoluted, "buzz-phrase" I will explain how the NFP (New Food Pyramid), the ADA (Amer. Diabetes Assoc.) and the AHA (Amer.Heart Assoc.) have dropped the ball... again... but first some pertinent info... 

Refined Sugar is BAD in every way!  Discovered today it would probably be identified as a hazardous food substance like MSG.  It does not do one positive thing... well, except make things sweet.  Now days, that single "sweet" reason won't fly because we have the amazing, healthful, and completely natural sweetener from the South American Rain Forest, "Stevia".   

The sugar industry is in a veritable panic trying to figure out how to stop the "Stevia Invasion".  Because all of the above Associations are "in the tank" for the Sugar, Juice, Grain & Pharmaceutical industries, it is not remotely surprising that when you go to their websites and put "Stevia" in their search engine...  Why... they've never even heard of it? 

Liars! 

Did you know the FDA is actively trying to keep you from learning or even hearing about Stevia?   

Wouldn't you think that the ADA (the Diabetes one), in particular, would be all over something as "Heaven Sent" as Stevia -- no calories, no blood-sugar rise, and it's an all natural food with NO side effects.  Even the other ADA (Dental) should love it because it will not cause tooth decay... Oh, wait ! ...I forgot!  The only reason the Diabetes ADA exists is because you get sick with diabetes & the Dental ADA makes big money on tooth decay ...but I digress. 

To understand the lies & misdirection concerning sugar and fruit juice you need to know a little about carbohydrates. The ADA would have you believe all carbs are the same to include table sugar.  This is SO wrong. 

Here is an ADA quote :

..."Research has shown that sugar has the same effect on blood glucose levels as other carbohydrates"...also they say... "To include sweets in your meal, you can cut back on the other carb foods at the same meal."  Great idea !! substitute Real Food with Anti-food...   

By telling a "half truth" they can get away with this LIE...Yes, it is true that all digestible carbs eventually turn into the "cell food", Glucose, but what happens on the way to becoming Glucose (also called Dextrose) makes all the difference in the world.  

This is primarily centered around how much insulin is secreted to keep your blood sugar down where it should be.   If you are slim, exercise just a little, and you have very sensitive, thus efficient insulin... with a stable, normal blood sugar... ...the glucose that insulin takes into the cell will be used as energy or temporarily stored as Glycogen for quick energy BUT ... not stored as fat. 

Carbohydrates : there are 2, 3, 4 or even more different kinds of carbs depending on how you break them down... 

(1).. Simple Carbs - One of the 2 major classifications (the other is Complex) only have one or two sugar molecules.  The Monosaccarides (means *one sugar*) of interest are Glucose & Fructose.   These two go together to form Sucrose (table sugar).  Table sugar is called a Disaccarides, which means *two sugars* - at least one of the sugars has to be Glucose.   The other Disaccarides are Lactose (milk sugar) which is made of the two Mono's, Glucose & Galactose... ...and Maltose, made of Glucose & Glucose.  Simple carbs taste sweet and are considered "empty calories" - in fact they rob the body of enzymes & acids as they are processed.   

Simple carbs (except fructose) can cause a too rapid rise in blood sugar, requiring an insulin secretion to lower it. The insulin turns this excess sugar into fat.   

Fructose (fruit & corn sugar) does not cause a rise in blood sugar like Sucrose (table sugar) so manufactures went crazy and started putting Hi-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in everything...with the blessing of the medical community.  But here's the Coup d' Gras!   HFCS  is usually a mixture of 50% Corn Fructose & 50% Glucose ...Gee, that looks an awful lot like the Disaccaride Table Sugar mentioned above... Fructose + Glucose = Sucrose. 

Granted, fructose alone does not cause the same rise in blood sugar, but it is still a simple sugar, which means it is an empty calorie with no vitamins, minerals or enzymes!  But because of the low blood sugar rise, the "Fructose Crowd" tries to pass off a fructose carb as comparable to a complex veggie carb... ...they are, decidedly, not the same just because fructose acts sort of like a complex carb!  

In fact, Fructose... even though it does not cause a large increase in blood sugar, still manages to reduce the affinity of insulin for its receptor, so if you are "genetically predisposed" then a little later down the road you will start getting an increase in insulin anyway, because the body has to secrete more to do the same job as before -- this is "Fructose-induced Insulin Resistance."  

Because it is possible for a fat person to eat lots of fructose & sucrose without becoming Insulin Resistant,  I will very reluctantly concede that a person might have to be genetically predisposed to develop Type II Diabetes... but if that's true, then there is a very large percentage of the population that is susceptible because "Adult On-set Diabetes" is increasing exponentially... 

Oh [...Snap...] wait a minute! That's right!  It has to be called Type II Diabetes because NOW even children develop it...  

"Maaa..." Eric Cartman whines, "...more Snacky Cakes"!! 

There is growing evidence that "Fructose-induced Insulin Resistance" is also associated with stimulated Liver VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein) secretion. Models show that the induction of VLDL causes a subsequent increase in plasma triglycerides... ...this can eventually contribute to Heart Disease, Folks ! 

(2).. Complex Carbs - As the name implies, these carbs are more complex because they contain many thousands of sugar molecules strung together.  Don't; however, make the mistake in thinking any & all complex carbs are healthful and that they are all "slow burning" thus avoiding a rise in blood-sugar & insulin. In fact, some very starchy complex veggies, like mashed-potatoes (w/o the skin), can cause a much greater insulin release than sucrose (table sugar). 

This is because Complex carbs come in two forms - Low & High Fiber... 

a).. Low fiber - which are starches (potatoes/rice), or veggies & fruits that are low fiber (tomatoes/grapes).  

b).. High fiber or non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) - Like Cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, gums & mucilages, (all carbohydrates) and lignins, the only non-carbohydrate component of dietary fiber.  Lignins, which gives wood the ability to grow tall, are the precursor to the powerful cancer fighter, Lignans (with an a) found in all plants... but VERY high in Flaxseed. 

Another way to classify fiber is by how it dissolves in water or Water Solubility...  (Viscosity is the newer, more applicable term for Solubility...) 

a).. Insoluble - Cellulose & some Hemicellulose, (Ligins, non-carb)...this is the good stuff slowing the absorption of other sugars... ...thus avoiding the rapid sugar rise & the need for more insulin. If at all possible, a substantial portion of your "Carb containing foods" should be high cellulose veggies like raw broccoli, dark green leafy lettuce (Romaine...not iceburg), greens (mustard/turnip), etc...   

b).. Soluble - ( Viscose Fiber) -  Pectins (apples & carrots ), gums ( Oats & legumes ), mucilages (Seed protection, like in Flaxseed ), Hemicelluloses-- (Grains) some are soluble, others are insoluble.  Soluble fiber will partially dissolve and form a gel that is good for lowering cholesterol, blood Glucose, and ultimately, Insulin. The more viscose or greater Viscosity of this gel the slower your blood glucose fluctuates, which in the long run, actually strengthens the sensitivity of your insulin because it's not over-used & abused continuously by the ingestion of Fruit Loops & Cheezy Poofs.  Cartman is called "Fat Ass" for a reason, folks. 

High fiber foods (both Viscose & Insoluble) can slow digestion of other carbs, like sugar & starch, reducing insulin need... but not always. For example, too much sugar can still cause an insulin increase with the ingestion of a high fiber food.   

Take Prunes... They have about 3 times the fiber of other F&V but they also have lots of sugar with 30% of its weight consisting of glucose, 15% fructose, and 2% sucrose...that's 47% sugar. Of course, with that much fiber, prunes turn out to only cause a moderate rise in Glucose. 

The poor Baked Potato doesn't fair as well -- with the skin it is pretty high in Insoluble fiber but the high starch makes it considerably worse than Sucose (table sugar) for a rise in glucose and the panicky insulin reaction to follow. 

Does all this mean that a person should consider eating Sucrose rather than a baked potato or they should never eat prunes or potatos?  NO & NO... MMMMMmmmm  no... 

A potato is real food with many healthful nutrients -- Sucrose is an anti-nutrient.  Homo Erectus ate roots & tubers but he never saw Table Sugar.  Homo Erectus ate foods the equivalent of prunes & potatos...and so can you, if you are like homo Erectus in that you are slim, exercise daily, and don't have Diabetes or any other chronic inflammatory ailment like Heart Disease...   

We are homo Erectus, remember, with a keyboard, HDTV, and, thank your God of choice, an internet.  ...Or, you wouldn't hear me pontificate, reader. 

(3).. Refined Carbs (...Cue the funeral dirge!)- Bread, Cereal, Pasta & the aforementioned Cheezy Poofs... This is the Manmade stuff that is killing us insidiously.  Refined carbs are very much like Simple Carbs in that they are anti-nutrients and cause a rapid rise in glucose & insulin. However, most are complex carbs that have been stripped of the fiber & nutrients that make them "real food".  For example, if you strip the whole wheat of its bran & germ - you wind up with the endosperm - the plants store of starch...this becomes "White Bread," or put in "Anything Brown" and call it "Wheat Bread" or throw in some visible chunks of rye or whatever & some caramel coloring and call it "Multi-Grain" bread or cereal.  Death by "The Staff of Life." That's irony. 

And did you know ?? They now have "100% Whole Wheat..." ...that's WHITE !!  Here, let me hold your hair back while you vomit. 

What about Juice vs. Fruit ?? 

Several times a day Mom uses her Juicer to make some homemade, healthful "Vegetable Juice" - she tells her friends that juicing veggies is such a wonderful thing to do for your family...Well, the only problem is she makes it the way she saw it on TV - so her "veggie juice" is actually about 50% apples, 40% carrots (people love to use carrots for juicing because they are very high in...you guessed it - SUGAR) and 10% broccoli & spinach.  So, her "Healthful Veggie Drink" actually contributes to Fructose-induced Insulin Resistance because of too much SUGAR with virtually NO fiber!  

You can cut the irony with a plastic knife.  Healthful in this case is decidedly unhealthy.  I don’t care HOW bushy your white eyebrows are or how many trucks you can pull with your nipples!  

Instead, try juicing broccoli, spinach, celery, cabbage, beets, onions, etc...most adults (and EVERY kid) will go "Yuck ! it needs apples & carrots."  Then sweeten with the aforementioned stevia! 

Come on Uncle Al!!   I can hear the internal dialogue...  

Homo Erectus must have eaten apples and carrots ...so what's the diff?  The diff is that we did not evolve juicing fruit. When you eat the whole fruit, digestion of the sugar is slowed because of the fiber... ...which means you don't get a big "sugar blast" all at once!  Plus, part of the sugar is carried away with the fiber.  

Also, have you ever noticed that it takes a lot of fruit to make a fairly small amount of juice -- so when you drink a big glass of juice it's like consuming the amount of sugar in more whole fruit than one would ever eat at once!  Consider that a moment. 

Fruit should be kept to a minimum (NO fruit if you're diabetic) and you should use only those very dark, black, blue, purple, or red fruits, with a large "Skin to Pulp" ratio. The skin is where most of the magical stuff (antioxidants, etc.) is located, so you want "little dark guys" like blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.  The one exception to the "small-dark rule" is one banana a day... ...if you don't have Diabetes and are not overweight.   

Here are just a few of the reasons why Fructose is nothing like complex veggie carbs and why too much fructose is likely worse than too much Sucrose : 

(1).. OK,  we've already mentioned the "Fructose-induced Insulin Resistance" problem.

(2)..  ... hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia and high blood pressure can be induced in fructose-fed rats!  We’re not rats?  Correct.  They're mammals... ...that's enough.

(3).. Fructose raises both LDL & VLDL but does not raise HDL. All 3 do the wrong thing biochemically on fructose. The rise in the Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) is particularly significant compared to other carbs.

(4).. Rats fed a fructose-enriched diet had a 72% higher homocysteine levels after 5 weeks - This is consistent with the increased TG (Triglycerides), VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein) secretion, and atherosclerosis associated with chronic fructose feeding.

(5).. Excess fructose can accelerate mineral loss. In particular Copper...this can be a very serious problem for people that don't supplement with Zinc & Copper yet consume in excess of 20% of their calories from fructose. 

(6).. Fructose is metabolized in the liver and is converted to fat more readily than other sugars.

(7).. Feeding rats fructose created a 56% increase in TG secretion rate, and an 86% increase in plasma TG.   Feeding glucose, however, did not have this effect on TG production, This is likely because glucose stimulates both TG production, and TG removal, maintaining homeostasis. Fructose stimulates TG production, but impairs removal. The human liver possesses a large capacity to metabolize fructose to fat.  

Who's Looking Out for You ??...well, lets just see... 

1)  Amer. Diabetes Assoc. -- The ADA would tell you pretty much everything I've said reference "Fructose / Sucrose / Refined Carb Induced Insulin Resistance" is because I'm a "Subversive" out to destroy America.  In fact the ADA would have you believe that it's not empty carbs that cause Insulin Resistance (IR)...the empty carbs cause you to get fat and being fat causes IR. 

OK...then, why is it that many traditional Eskimos (eating only Fat & protein) don't mind putting on some extra Fat to stay warm while "rubbing noses" on those long Arctic nights?  Lets see...if they had a smiling, sociopathic Medical Doctor telling them to "...reduce Saturated Fat (Blubber) in their diet & lose weight to avoid Heart Disease" - the overweight Inuit would laugh, thinking this must be a joke, because the Inuit have the lowest incidence of Coronary Disease on the planet... Oh yeah, if you can find one case of Type II diabetes among all the fat Eskimos that eat only Fat & Protein...I will shut-up & put my head in a micro-wave for two minutes on high. 

Of course, if you ask the ADA why more & more NON-traditional Eskimos who now consume the White Man's poison (sugar) are starting to develop the White Man's disease,  Type II Diabetes...they will say "How 'bout those Yankee's?" or, "Why do you hate America, Mr. Graham...?” 

2).. The Amer. Heart Assoc. -- Recently there was an "earth shattering" story that just barely made it to "mainstream news" and within a couple of days was lining bird cages everywhere.  The insane & unexpected results of a large study proved what I (And many other holistic types) have been saying for years -- that undamaged Saturated Fat (SatFat), like real butter, was not the enemy and that this whole "Low Fat" craze, not only didn't help but appeared to hurt. 

Also if you go to http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#CholesterolMyth   and read my paper "The Cholesterol Myth", I think it will convince you that High Cholesterol is not the disease... high cholesterol can be the response to the disease.  The Disease is Arterial Inflammation that is caused by smoking, SUGAR / Refined Carbs, Trans Fat in pHVO (partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) & oxidized Omega 6, PolyUnsat. food Oils like Corn & Soy...but it is not CAUSED by high cholesterol! 

Someone should point out to the AHA that there are many Eskimos walking around with total cholesterol in excess of 250 that will never have a heart attack.   

YET...if you go to the AHA website,  everywhere you turn, it's warning you about SatFat & Cholesterol, but you have to search to find any ref. to Sugar or the poly food oil, except to say use "sugar in moderation" and it evilly portrays Poly Food Oil as healthful.  Cue your outrage, reader.   

These are institutional tramps and thieves who lie to you, cheat you, and steal from you, forgetting they are trying to kill you in a managed way so the most amount of profit can be derived from the commission of that, astonishing, mass murder...was that too harsh?  Sorry. 

If you go to the recipes & nutrition section, it gives you instructions to avoid SatFat (use Poly Oil), avoid Cholesterol (use Margarine), avoid Sodium (who cares), avoid Calories (avoid Fat) & how to add Fiber (eat brown cereal & bread) - but no where does it show low sugar / low refined carb recipes. It also warns you about Trans Fat but does not emphasize that the Trans Fat Molecule & the pHVO molecule are the same thing.  Read LTR 12 to understand why that's important - 

http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#Fatlie 

3).. The New Food Pyramid (NFP) -- If you haven't read the first two installments Ref. the New Pyramid please do - the first NFP paper will explain how the recommended Poly Food Oil mentioned above is, not so slowly, killing us.  --

LTR# 12 - 

http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#Fatlie

and

LTR# 13 -  http://www.alienview.net/ALLT1.html#champ 

Fruit - the recommended 2 to 4 cups of fruit daily would be fine except :

(a). You can substitute juice for the whole fruit...which is exactly what many will do all the time instead of only sometimes. 

(b).  Also, Mom gives little Janey a Big glass of grape juice - the NFP says 1/2 cup but Regis Philbin says you should drink a big glass because Welch's Grape juice is indorsed by the American Heart Assoc....so more must be better... 

Regis wouldn't lie?  Maybe not... ...but he could be ignorant as the dickens!   

See?  Actually, grape juice is one of the worst juices because it is naturally very sweet.  Yes, the stuff that makes grapes a purple/red color, is the stuff that is rich in powerful antioxidants. But that free radical protection, with its long-term positive effects, does not justify the long & short term damage caused by sugar-insulin... especially when you can get the same antioxidants without the sugar!  So, drink dry, dark red wine (for b'fast you might want the Alcohol-Free wine) or take Grape Seed extract capsules (they are very cheap).

(c). Canned fruit is always acceptable?   It shouldn't be... Canning destroys 2 of the really good things about fruit - digestive enzymes & many Vitamins. 

Other Carbs - the official "Pyramid" recommends twice as many servings of grains (bread, cereal, pasta) as veggies. I think this is just wrong - especially when you consider that half can be refined carbs which will surely increase & desensitize your insulin. 

Well Folks, this concludes the final installment on "The New Food Pyramid."  Or... ...exactly how you are being manipulated to indorse and practice the dodgiest system of human nutrition conceived... ...as you allow yourself to be manipulated by sociopaths only interested in maintaining the status quo regarding how far they can get their hand in your pocket... ...while they further rob you of your quality of life. 

The hyperbole meter bumps zero, reader.

Until next time -- Well be!