Upcoming Wellness Workshops…

the doctors

the doctors

If you’re local (Metro Detroit-ish), please join us for our FREE Wellness Workshops in May!

The first one is titled “Fibromyalgia & Sleep ~ How You Can FINALLY Get a Great Night’s Rest!” on Tuesday May 25th at 6:30 pm.

The second one is called “Fat Loss Secrets for Permanent Weight Loss” on Thursday May 27th at 6:30 pm.

Click here to read more about them.

Both workshops are FREE to attend! Call (248) 628-4886 to reserve your seats… call early!!

If you’re not local, or can’t attend the workshops, they will be available to purchase and download a few days following the events.

*** If you know someone struggling with Fibromyalgia, loss of sleep or excess body weight, please let them know about our Community Education events!!

Here’s the Link to the Workshop Info

Related Blogs

See? Saturated Fats ARE Healthy! New Study Confirms… Again!

Leading health & wellness experts have known for a LONG time that saturated fats are not inherently “bad”. You’d never know it though by listening to the constant spin fed to us by “diet dictocrats”! They tell us to limit, reduce or avoid red meats, butter, fat and so on. That has turned out to be misguided and oftentimes dangerous advice.

Man made fats, toxic fats and highly processed vegetable oils & fats are the real problem.

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition last month reiterates this point.

I talk about the importance of healthy fats in “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”. No, “healthy fats” are not the commonly recommended processed and refined commercial vegetable fats we’re told to consume to “watch our weight” and “protect our heart health”! I’m talking about real fat from real food! THAT’S what builds health, therefore, that’s what will help you reach your optimal body composition.

http://www.LoseToxicFat.com

The following article is from a newsletter I receive from U.S. Wellness Meats. It’s an excellent resource – they consistently provide top-notch nutrition information and tips, plus, they are a fantastic source of CLEAN, extremely healthy meats.

Saturated Fats Are Healthy To Eat

Finally, more evidence that points to what we already knew…

Dietary intakes of saturated fats are not linked to cardiovascular disease, so says a meta-analysis from across the world.

The conclusion that dietary intake of saturated fat was not associated with an increase in coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition this past February, 2010.

This study accumulated data from almost 350,000 subjects in twenty-one different studies. The data from these study subjects showed the development of approximately 11,000 cases of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or stroke. However, there was no link established between the subject’s saturated fat intake and the incidence of CHD, stroke, or Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and this did not change when the researchers focused their research to consider age or sex, or the quality of the study.

“Our meta-analysis showed that there is insufficient evidence from prospective epidemiologic studies to conclude that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD, stroke, or CVD,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Ronald Krauss from the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California.

“[However,] nutritional epidemiologic studies provide only one category of evidence for evaluating the relation of saturated fat intake to risk for CHD, stroke, and CVD. An overall assessment requires consideration of results of clinical trials as well as information regarding the effects of saturated fat on underlying disease mechanisms, as discussed elsewhere in this issue. Nonetheless, a summary evaluation of the epidemiologic evidence to date provides important information as to the basis for relating dietary saturated fat to CVD risk,” the researchers said.

The study, funded by the US National Dairy Council, Unilever, and the National Institutes of Health, challenges the mainstream majority thinking that saturated fats are detrimental to heart health.

The old “lipid hypothesis” tried to show a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of coronary heart disease. This lipid hypothesis for heart disease received a huge amount of publicity and public favor, in spite of the fact that other studies showed this hypothesis to not be true many years ago.

In the last 50 years, big food processing companies jumped on the bandwagon and pushed the lipid hypothesis even further into the mainstream. Oddly enough though, prior to the 1920′s, coronary heart disease was very rare in America. Americans ate lots of lard, butter, beef and cheese, but heart attacks and strokes were uncommon.

While vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats were pushed as the “healthy choice” over saturated fats for the next forty years, the incidence of coronary heart disease actually increased dramatically, so much so that today, heart disease remains a primary cause of death in the U.S. With the advent of the revised food pyramid, grains and carbohydrates pushed those numbers up even higher.

If heart disease had any connection to saturated fats in the diet, how could it be that the use of saturated fats has gone down, while the use of processed vegetable oils like margarine, shortening, and trans fats-as well as sugar and grain-based processed foods have increased dramatically?

Clearly something has been amiss here.

Oils like canola, corn, soybean, and sunflower have been pushed as the healthy substitutes over saturated fats. It is these oils, though, that contribute to inflammation in the body, and upset the ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Diets high in vegetable oils -especially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cause a variety of health problems, including inflammation. This inflammation leads to an increased tendency to form blood clots, which leads to heart attacks and strokes, now at higher than ever levels in the U.S.

Most of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat comes in the form of triglycerides, which are made of three fatty-acid chains attached to a glycerol molecule. Elevated triglycerides in the blood are usually linked to a higher than average potential for heart disease, but triglycerides do not come directly from dietary fats. Triglycerides are made in the liver from sugars that have not been burned for energy. Excess sugars in the body are from starchy carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour. It appears that triglycerides and vegetable oils and excessive Omega 6 fatty acids are causing much of the problem.

So you see, saturated fats are not the villains they have been portrayed to be, nor are they the cause of today’s diseases; in fact quite the opposite is true.

Saturated fats play an important role in the body in several ways:

• Saturated fatty acids make up at least 50% of the cell membranes. They give cell walls their necessary stiffness and integrity.

• Saturated fats are extremely important for bone health. For calcium to be effectively utilized in our bones at least 50% of dietary fats should be saturated–so skim milk will not help your bones.

• Saturated fats are vital to the liver and help protect it from toxins such as alcohol and other drugs.

• Saturated fats strengthen the immune system.

• They are needed for the proper utilization of other essential fatty acids – Omega 3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues and utilized by the body when the diet is rich in saturated fats as well.

• The fat around the heart muscle is actually highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of physical stress.

• Saturated fats lower a substance in the blood called Lp(a), or Lipoprotein(a), that indicates a tendency towards heart disease.

• Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

The scientific evidence is beginning to pile up and does not (and never did) support the assertion that saturated fats clog arteries and cause heart disease.

So while saturated fats have not yet been exonerated in the mainstream public, the tide is beginning to turn. You as an educated consumer, and your own health advocate know the truth about saturated fats vs. the evils of vegetable oils and refined foods. Enjoy your grass fed steaks, butter, cheese and lard and know you are doing your body good.


References:

Mary G. Enig, PhD, and Sally Fallon, “The Skinny on Fats”, Weston A. Price Foundation, Jan, 1999.

Stephen Daniells, “Saturated Fats Not Linked to Heart Disease: Meta Analysis”, Food Navigator.com, February 2010.

P.W. Siri-Tarino, Q. Sun, F.B. Hu, R.M. Krauss, “Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease”, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, February 2010.


Related Blogs

“10 Steps to Transform Your Health” Seminar is Now Available to Download!

Recently, we presented one of the most important seminars we’ve ever had in our practice. It was titled, “10 Steps to Transform Your Health in 2010″.

We know that not everyone could make it to the presentation that night, so we’re bringing the presentation to YOU…

Now, you can download your own copy of the seminar!
http://tinyurl.com/yfz2d3y

You can listen to over 2 hours of LIVE audio and follow along with the accompanying outline slide presentation that we used during the seminar. It’s the next best thing to actually being there with us… and you even get to “pause” us whenever you need a break!

This is rich content… it’s a loaded 2+ hours!

This is what’s missing in “health” care.

This is what you’re not hearing anyplace else.

This is what will make a difference.

http://tinyurl.com/yfz2d3y

This is priceless information.

Why was this such an important seminar?

1) The timing is perfect – critical, in fact. We are living in a time when chronic illness like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, digestive disorders, depression & anxiety, learning & attention disorders, reproductive & fertility disorders and so on, are sky-rocketing.

The leading researchers affirm that these conditions are preventable the vast majority of the time. We can DO something to prevent going down the path of chronic illness. But, you’ve got to know how! You’ve got to do something different than what the masses have been doing.

You must have a different understanding, a different strategy, and different actions or else nothing will change.

2) The “10 Steps to Transform Your Health in 2010″ seminar was jam-packed with solutions! We provided the scientific basis for how health is created, and outlined 10 of the most powerful action steps you can begin taking TODAY in order to start shaping your healthier future right away.

This is transformational stuff! Even implementing a couple of the steps can result in a dramatic shift toward better health and a better future.

Download your own copy today!

http://tinyurl.com/yfz2d3y

Related Blogs

“7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat and Unwanted Pounds… The Wellness Way!”

coming-soon-BLUE

coming-soon-BLUEI’d like to apologize for not being as regular with my postings as usual in the past week or so.

I’ve been spending most of my “Dr. Mom focused time” on a book I’m hoping to complete within the next week ~ “7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat and Unwanted Pounds… The Wellness Way!”

(By the way, this highly inaccurate, delusional fantasy I had of having MORE time once the kids were in school is a JOKE!! Sheesh!)

I love this book! It’s not the huge, life transformation type of guide like my other project, “Life by Design… The Wellness Way” (due to go to print any day now! Woo hoo!) No, this fat loss book is a focused, concise, action-oriented guide to success that is rich with content I haven’t seen in any other “weight loss” book on the market.

When you approach any health topic from the perspective of the Wellness Paradigm and The Wellness Formula, everything’s different… everything makes FAR more sense… and everything works!!

When you follow these steps, you WILL shed excess pounds of toxic fat! Oh, and you’ll get healthier in the process… bonus!!

Once I’m finished with the final 3 chapters, I’ll be recording the entire book (and throwing in some ‘extras’) so that the package will include a CD to listen to as well.

Fast forward a few weeks: I’m so happy and confident with the content of this book that it is actually going to be transformed into an exclusive 6-month members-only club… complete with coaching/mentoring calls and lessons with me and LOTS of strategies and tools for success! I can’t wait!

2010 is going to be a breakthrough year for so many people!!

Anyhow… I’ll do my best to keep you posted on the exercise, nutrition and mindset news and happenings around here, but if you don’t hear from me quite so much in the next few days, you’ll know why!

Related Blogs

On the Radio Today

WebsiteBarbara5Headshot_bigger

WebsiteBarbara5Headshot

Join me this afternoon at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Barbara as I am the guest on Barbara Hofmeister’s weekly radio show, “To Be”.

Barbara has been in the personal growth and development field since 1978 and is the founder of http://www.yoursuccesscycle.com. In addition to her vast knowledge and experience in helping others rediscover their dreams, Barbara is such a sweetie! She makes me smile every time we chat!

Join us today at 1pm EST by going to http://www.blogtalkradio/Barbara. You can wrap Christmas presents as you listen and begin developing your happier, healthier plan for the New Year!!

(If any of the links don’t directly take you there when you click on them, just type them into your web browser and it’ll work just fine! Sorry about that…)

Related Blogs

An Expert’s Opinion of the H1N1/Fear Pandemic

I want to share this article recently written by Dr. James L. Chestnut of Victoria, British Columbia.

I like logic, science, truth and common sense. Dr. Chestnut consistently cuts through the heaping mounds of pseudo-science that is so prevalent, and presents a clear, scientific perspective.

Here’s what he has to say.

October 30, 2009

The H1N1 Issue: Flu Pandemic, Fear Pandemic, or Both?

James L. Chestnut B.Ed., M.Sc., D.C., C.C.W.P.

The H1N1 issue has become so prevalent that I thought it appropriate to share some factual perspective. I realize that factual perspective is neither newsworthy nor popular when people are in the midst of a mob mentality of fear but I’m willing to risk unpopularity in order to encourage people to be guided by science, reason, and logic.

As you’ve heard me say so many times the key to finding the truth is asking the right questions. If we don’t ask the right questions we will never get the right answers. Irrational fear usually comes from asking the wrong questions or failing to ask the right ones. As I often point out it is not what we don’t know that poses the greatest danger, it is what we think we know that is false. We also must be aware of confounding factors creating self fulfilling prophecies. Sometimes fear is rational, sometimes it is not. Regardless, the most important thing is to ACCURATELY assess the threat and then identify an evidence-based, logical, reasonable, and RATIONAL response or course of action.

Let’s start with the H1N1 flu virus itself. Clearly this flu virus is a reality and clearly it can lead to illness. The most important question is what kind of illness. The FACT is that the type of illness associated with this virus in over 99.9% of CASES is mild to moderate flu symptoms which include fever, nausea which can include vomiting, and of course general malaise. Not very pleasant to be sure but is this any different than the symptoms associated with the flu viruses that have been the source of the seasonal flu for the past 50 years? No. Although not every seasonal flu virus is associated with vomiting the truth is that vomiting is not considered serious. Seriously uncomfortable – yes, seriously risky in terms of death or severe complications – no.

But what about the deaths from H1N1? We all must admit and understand that even the thought of a child dying is enough to send any parent into hysterics. I can’t think of anything more frightening. So let me be clear. I am not suggesting that the threat of harm or death to my child or any child is not something to fear. What I am suggesting is that we RATIONALLY assess the threat and then assess our fear level to see if it is appropriate. Good decisions, decisions that minimize threat and maximize safety, are NOT based on irrational fear. Fear is our worst enemy. Logical interpretation of available facts is our best ally.

Here is what we need to know before we can make a decision about an appropriate fear level associated with risk of death from H1N1. First we need to know how many deaths have been caused by H1N1 in any given population. The next question to ask is whether or not those who have died had underlying illnesses that made them more susceptible or more at risk. In other words we need to know how many of the deaths ASSOCIATED with H1N1 are actually CAUSED by H1N1.

To assess the absolute risk of dying from H1N1 we need to divide the number of deaths in any given population by the number of people in that given population. In Canada as of Oct 17, 2009 there had been a total of 1,604 hospitalizations, and 83 deaths associated with H1N1. By the way by this time H1N1 was already being portrayed as a DEADLY PANDEMIC. So, out of a population of approximately 35 MILLION there were 83 deaths. This means your chance of dying of H1N1 up to this point was 83/35,000,000 which is one in 421,687. This means the chance of death from H1N1 was 0.0002%.

To date these risks are similar in the United States and throughout the rest of the world.

It is not easy to get exact numbers on the number of deaths that are caused by underlying conditions or secondary bacterial infections but estimates are that these would represent at least 99% of all deaths associated with H1N1. So, if you do not have an underlying illness your chance of dying from H1N1 is 1% of 0.0002%. Not exactly worthy of widespread panic.

The chances of dying in a car accident, airplane accident, a fall, from complications of air pollution, from complications from industrial toxins or from medical treatment are EXPONENTIALLY GREATER. What is the difference? The media and the health authorities are not focusing your attention on these risks. You have more chance of dying in a car accident on your way to get an H1N1 vaccine than dying from H1N1. Statistically it could be concluded that it is an undue risk to get into a car and get the vaccine! I could not find any published peer-reviewed data to determine whether the H1N1 vaccine is safe or effective. In other words there is no available information that would be required for any other medical intervention that the H1N1 vaccine works or if it is safe. This does not mean it is not safe or effective, it just means we have no data which would be considered scientifically valid to utilize to form our opinions. Even if we assume the vaccine is safe and effective, statistically there is still more risk of death from the car ride to get the vaccine than from dying from H1N1!

So what is going on in my opinion? Well I think some very well intentioned people are allowing fear rather than science and data to guide public policy. I’m not alone in this opinion by the way. Have a read of the following quotes from a recent article published in The British Medical Journal entitled “Calibrated response to emerging infections” http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/339/sep03_2/b3471. In fact read this entire article, I think it offers a very good perspective and it is very well referenced.

Pay particular attention to how the health authorities have changed the definition of a flu pandemic!

“Since the emergence of novel A/H1N1, descriptions of pandemic flu (both its causes and its effect) have changed to such a degree that the difference between seasonal flu and pandemic flu is now unclear. WHO, for example, for years defined pandemics as outbreaks causing “enormous numbers of deaths and illness,” but in early May, removed this phrase from the definition.”

Changing views of pandemic flu, before and after emergence of influenza A/H1N1 virus:

Aspect Before A/H1N1 Since A/H1N1
One line summary WHO 2003-9: “An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of deaths and illness” WHO: “An influenza pandemic may occur when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity”
Virus and immunity WHO 2005:”Most people will have no immunity to the pandemic virus” WHO: “The vulnerability of a population to a pandemic virus is related in part to the level of pre-existing immunity to the virus”
US CDC 1997: “When antigenic shift occurs, the population does not have antibody protection against the virus” US CDC: “Cross-reactive antibody [to A/H1N1] was detected in 6%-9% of those aged 18-64 years and in 33% of those aged >60 years”
Impact (health, social, economic) WHO 2005: “Large numbers of deaths will occur . . . WHO has used a relatively conservative estimate – from 2 million to 7.4 million deaths . . .
Economic and social disruption will be great”
WHO: “H5N1 has conditioned the public to equate an influenza pandemic with very severe disease and high mortality. Such a disease pattern is by no means inevitable during a pandemic. On the contrary, it is exceptional”
CDC 1997: “The hallmark of pandemic influenza is excess mortality” CDC: “There are some pandemics that look very much like a bad flu season”
Canada 2006: “An influenza pandemic results if many people around the world become ill and die from such a [new form of influenza] virus” Canada: “An influenza pandemic does not necessarily cause more severe illness than seasonal influenza”

“But the 2009 pandemic, taken as a whole, bears little resemblance to the forecasted pandemic. Pandemic A/H1N1 virus is not a new subtype but the same subtype as seasonal A/H1N1 that has been circulating since 1977.”

“Furthermore, a substantial portion of the population may have immunity. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 33% of those aged over 60 had cross reactive antibody to novel A/H1N1,which may explain why cases have been rare in elderly people.” Interestingly a recent report by CBC in Canada indicated that 4 preliminary studies showed that the chance of having immunity to H1N1 is DECREASED if you have regularly been vaccinated for seasonal flu. It will be interesting to see if they pursue this any further and publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal.

“On 26 April, with 20 cases and no deaths in the US, the Department of Health and Human Services declared a nationwide public health emergency.

“The SARS outbreak showed that large numbers of infected people are not necessary to generate concern and fear over disease. The SARS virus is known to have affected only 8096 people globally, but the fear of infection, involuntary quarantine, travel restrictions and subsequent political antagonisms, and at least $18bn in losses were felt by far more. It was not the virus but the response to it that caused these social and economic harms.”

So what is my conclusion; is the H1N1 issue a flu pandemic, a fear pandemic, or both?

My conclusion is that at this point it is a pandemic of fear and NOT a flu pandemic. Of course it depends on how you define pandemic! The data available make it clear that we are experiencing an H1N1 seasonal flu BUT that to date this is not associated with significant risk of death or serious illness.

The FACT is that the current level of alarm and fear are NOT supported by data. However, this could change. What we cannot say is that things will not get worse. There is sufficient data to date to strongly suggest that it won’t but data can only accurately tell us what has happened not what will happen. Certainly the odds are that H1N1 will pass with the same overblown fear and unactuated threat as SARS. Only time and data with tell.

I do have some concerns about the fact that testing for H1N1 has now been virtually all but discontinued. The authorities are now assuming that any case of the flu is H1N1. This means we will NEVER have any valid data about incidence, prevalence, or death rates. All such assessments without actual confirmation of infection are, in scientific terms, invalid. The term they will use is speculative. Sounds better than saying we are guessing.

Another concern is that deaths associated with H1N1, as with all previous seasonal flu viruses, are vastly overestimated. The annual published death rates for flu are NOT from confirmed deaths due to flu and in fact even CDC published stats reveal that most deaths “associated” with the flu are actually not from the flu at all but almost entirely from pneumonia. Less than one percent of deaths reported as associated with seasonal flu are actually caused by seasonal flu and even in these deaths the vast majority occur in people with underlying conditions.

Another concern is that it is unlikely that we will ever get any data on whether or not those who have been vaccinated have been protected. If one actually reads the primary research studies (not the news or published summaries by health ministries) on the seasonal flu vaccine what one finds is that the data does not support claims that the regular seasonal flu vaccine significantly decreases the incidence of flu or complications from it. Recently there has been some admission that the vaccines do not prevent the flu and that indeed they only guess correct on which virus to vaccinate against less than 30% of the time. However the health authorities still justify recommending the vaccine by claiming it decreases the severity of flu and complications from it. All I am asking for is to have DATA guide policy not DOGMA.

One of the sources of controversy is that vaccine benefits are often reported as relative risk reductions not absolute risk reductions so when one applies the results in real life one quickly realizes that the actual reduction of risk for those vaccinated vs not vaccinated is not statistically significant. They often report that the flu vaccine reduces hospitalizations or deaths but they report the relative difference between vaccinated vs unvaccinated not the absolute difference. In other words there might be 5000 people in each study group and there may be 4 deaths amongst those unvaccinated and 2 deaths among those vaccinated. This relative difference is reported as a “50% reduction in deaths in those vaccinated vs not vaccinated”. Of course what this really means is that if you are vaccinated, and you get the flu, you have a 2 in 5000 chance of death. If you are unvaccinated and you get the flu you have a 4 in 5000 chance of death. An absolute difference of 2 in 5000 – not even remotely significant and certainly not worthy of the national vaccination campaigns and the billions of dollars spent on the vaccines. YES, they do report things this way!!

Some good references on this topic are Jackson et al., Evidence of bias in estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness in seniors, International Journal of Epidemiology 2006; 35: 337-344 and Jefferson, T. Influenza vaccination: policy versus evidence. British Medical Journal 2006; 333: 912-915 and Jefferson et al. Efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccines in elderly people: a systematic review. Lancet 2005; 366: 1165-74 and Simonsen et al. Mortality benefits of influenza vaccination in elderly people: an ongoing controversy. Lancet Infectious Disease 2007; 7: xxx-xx.

But doesn’t it seem like we have more flu and more associated deaths this year?

Yes is does SEEM that way. However the truth is that although the flu seems to have come early this year it has not come with any greater incidence or seriousness – at least not yet. The real story is that although death rates are not significantly higher than most years there have been some deaths among children and this is just so tragic that it causes great fear and anxiety. HOWEVER, the risk to otherwise healthy children of dying from H1N1 is FAR less than the risk of dying in a car accident. This does not minimize the importance of these tragic losses, it just puts them in perspective in terms of absolute risk.

But aren’t more kids away from school and adults away from work this year?

Yes, absolutely. However the frenzy of fear this year has changed things significantly and skewed them toward a self fulfilling prophecy. This year if anyone has even a sniffle they are kept home because we have all been told that we are in the midst of a deadly pandemic and that it is our moral obligation to stay home. In past years we have always gone to work with the flu because for the most part we can work through it. We can’t logically use the number of people away from school or work as an accurate indicator of the severity of this year’s flu pandemic. We have to use the data about illness rates, severity, and death rates. When we use this data to form our opinions and policies our fear level will certainly move away from hysteria.

What is ironic is that the health authorities have started vaccinating those people who have been identified as most susceptible to serious complications. They have also stated that we should avoid close contact in order to avoid spread. Now we have those identified as being most susceptible congregating in close contact waiting for the vaccine! Remember these people also had to put themselves at GREAT risk (relative to risk of death from H1N1) by traveling on the road to get to the vaccination site. Obviously the minute risk of death from a car accident is not a rational reason to avoid driving to get the vaccine if you think this is a good strategy. This is a valid use of risk analysis to help you put your fears about death from H1N1 into perspective. Fear and anxiety cause the release of stress hormones that down-regulate your immune system!

So what should we do; what is a scientific, logical and reasonable strategy?

  1. Be rational, put things in proper perspective and ask the right questions.
  2. Be scientific and logical. Get the facts and apply them to your strategy.
  3. Don’t panic if you or a loved one gets the flu. Keep hydrated, stay home, eat intelligently and REST. If severe complications arise go to your medical doctor or a walk-in clinic.
  4. Be preventative. Eating well, exercising, and staying relaxed (Eat Well Move Well Think Well™) are evidence-based ways to optimize your immune defenses, to minimize risk of both becoming ill and of complications, and to maximize your recovery should you become ill.
  5. Take Vitamin D – this is absolutely one of the most evidence-based interventions available for reducing incidence and severity of seasonal cold and flu. The data is very very strong. See the upcoming Vitamin D newsletter from Innate Choice www.innatechoice.com for more information and for references.


Related Blogs

More on the Swine Flu Vaccine…

My earlier article, “H1N1 ~Should You Get the Flu Vaccine?” has ruffled a few feathers. I’m not exactly surprised.

It was written from a personal viewpoint – not meant to be a purely scientific report. I can send you to the right places to read your scientific data. I simply wanted to share my thought process with you.

Unfortunately, some folks out there who are dead-set on mass vaccination took this as an open window to attack my “unscientific pseudoscience” and dissemination of “misinformation”.

I, of course, find this highly amusing since that’s exactly what I think of the fear-mongering tactics, lack of evidence and questionable accuracy in reporting and advising, generated by mainstream health authorities. Widespread opinions and ‘health’ advice are being based on statistics which are highly inaccurate and poorly reported.

I’m talking about the federal governing bodies’ extrapolation of data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC says one thing – the figures and recommendations we’re hearing from the mainstream clearly do not match up.

Makes me ask all those silly questions again!

By the way, was I, or was I not perfectly clear that this is YOUR choice. You will have to do what you feel comfortable with. Do what you trust. I just encourage you to research BEYOND that which is being placed under your nose for you to conveniently find… and to hopefully convince you to look no further. Please, look further.

Once you do, if you still decide to get the vaccine, super. You will have made an educated choice. That’s nobody’s business but YOURS.

One thing I had personally questioned in that article is how “new” the vaccine is and how we can’t possibly understand long-term consequences as a result.

That was attacked by someone in the medical field saying “it’s not new”.

Hmm… really? How long ago does a vaccine have to be created in order to be considered “old” and trusted. (I just laughed really loud in my head… using all those words in the same sentence!)

Here’s an article from the end of May 2009 stating that companies were STARTING to work on the H1N1 vaccine. Tell me if I’m wrong – isn’t that about FIVE MONTHS ago?! Now, for some of you little renegades out there, that may be plenty long enough to assure you that a drug is “safe” (there goes that laughing in my head again!)… I’ll pass on this rookie concoction. Don’t you dare come near my children with something obviously still in experimental stages.

http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSN28367585

And I’M the one misinforming?

Actually, I’m sharing. You can choose to listen or not. But please don’t argue the silly little things like when the CDC reports to us that a new vaccine is in the making. C’mon!

Also, in case there was any confusion from my earlier statements, I do NOT believe that if you develop the flu it’s because you ate junk food and thought unhappy thoughts. Seriously?

I DO believe that many people will develop the flu this year – some H1N1, some not. I pray for them. I certainly don’t sit on a high horse of Wellness Lifestyle and say, “If you had only listened to me and eaten more broccoli, done more sit-ups and smiled more…” I can’t tell you how insulting that is.

Then again, it didn’t come from a regular reader of mine. Those of you who follow me know me better than that and understand the significance of consistently choosing non-toxic and adequate amounts  of genetically required movement, nutrition and a healthy mindset.

I’m going to address some other arguments that I’ve been hearing… but, just like my rule for nutritional toxins in this household, “only one at a time”. I need to take a break between commenting on these attacks… since I’m not a big fan of being personally attacked. The additional stress of having to defend myself, on top of researching and sharing, can become a negative thing pretty quickly. I don’t want that to happen.

I’ll be back with more… soon!

Related Blogs

Swine Flu Update

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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/27/Obama-Declares-Swine-Flu-Emergency.aspx

Here’s an excellent resource for current, accurate information regarding H1N1.

Also, make sure you bookmark this site for ongoing updates: www.swineflu.mercola.com

Did you know that since August 30th, 2009 the CDC has not been tracking H1N1 virus activity? (Yet, a National Public Health Emergency has recently been declared!)

Nowhere on the CDC site do they mention 1,000 confirmed deaths due to H1N1… like we’ve been hearing from government officials.

As of August, NO serological confirmation is required for classification of influenza-like symptoms (!)… instead, clinical parameters have been suggested.

What does that mean? Is your doctor a psychic or does he/she have x-ray vision? Hope so, ‘cuz that’s pretty much what it’s going to take to determine if you have “regular” flu or H1N1… or something completely different. NO BLOOD CONFIRMATION IS REQUIRED.

Of those whose clinical parameters matching those of H1N1 (according to the CDC), after being properly tested, only 2% actually HAD H1N1!! That means, statistically speaking, 98% of people being diagnosed with H1N1 don’t actually have it.

If the CDC changes what they’re saying and/or doing, or the numbers on their site are wrong and they get corrected, I WILL CORRECT THE INFORMATION HERE.

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H1N1 ~ Should You Get the Flu Vaccine?

I’m finally going to start writing about this topic, first, because SO many of you keep asking me to! Second, because the powers-that-be have pushed me too far by declaring this a national emergency. It’s more than my already-full brain can take.

I’ll tell you what’s a national emergency – the number of people who die day after day from “properly”  prescribed pharmaceutical drugs and “properly” administered allopathic procedures. That’s a real crime AND a pandemic.

What else? How about the rates of chronic illness, like cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease, depression, anxiety disorders, learning disorders, infertility, reproductive and digestive disorders, Alzheimer’s… and on and on… these chronic illnesses are skyrocketing year after year. THAT’S a national emergency.

Science continues to clearly demonstrate that these are largely the result of our environment – nutrition, movement, mindset, response to stress – yet, those aforementioned powers that be continue to let it go. Instead, we dump more money into things that can’t POSSIBLY build our health. We are NOT getting sick – whether it’s the flu or cancer – because we are deficient in vaccines and drugs.

Anyhow, back to the issue of “Swine Flu”.

Should you get vaccinated? Guess what? It’s not my call.
You need to make that decision for yourself and your family. You need to understand that there are two VERY different sides to this story. Both come with heated opinions. It’s an emotional subject.

People will die every year from some strain of the flu. (Far more will die from pharmaceuticals, conventional allopathic procedures and chronic illness, mind you.) Is this enough of a reason to justify the risk of a completely new vaccine? Your call.

The people who die from the flu are not healthy. Sounds redundant, doesn’t it? Read it again.

Healthy people don’t die from the flu. In order to die from the flu, you have to be leading a toxic and deficient lifestyle already – in your nutrition, your movement and your mindset. You have to consistently fail to meet your body’s genetic requirements for health. You have to be placing yourself in and creating an environment that is toxic and stressful… and not do anything about it for a very long time.

If you’re leading that type of lifestyle, will adding a flu vaccine to your “intake” suddenly protect you? Gosh, that sure would be nice if vaccines actually worked that way. I might just be first in line to shoot up!

I can’t tell you what to do – just like you can’t tell me to vaccinate my children. Like any enormous life decision, you need to carefully weigh your odds. You need to understand the consequences of both possible actions you take. Have you researched enough?

The trouble is, “science” can so easily be presented in a way that suits the opinions and motives of the presenter. Sadly, it means next-to-nothing to me when I hear someone in the media quote a “scientific study”. I find myself wondering Who paid for the study and how the results have been distorted in order to present the desired version of the story.  Common sense, and perhaps an ongoing distrust in a system that generally concerns itself more with profits than health, urges me to ask simple questions.

Questions like, where’s the proof that the vaccine actually works? How could we really know that it does? The swine flu is still so new and the vaccine is even newer. Can you compare someone who (reportedly) dies from swine flu to the same person, vaccinated, to see if it could have been prevented? Of course not. So how can we say that certain deaths could have been prevented? It’s ignorant to say so.

How are we really testing and classifying what’s swine flu and what’s not? Does it really matter? Either way, that individual is not functioning at optimal levels of health and that’s where the problem is.

Explain to me again how injecting known toxins into my bloodstream is going to protect me and not cause me harm in any way? And, just for fun, once again tell me how clearly we understand all the trillions of possible cellular reactions and responses that could take place in each and every individual that gets injected… you know, the stuff like, how will this vaccine react with our entire cellular history of nutrition, stress, other drugs, tobacco, alcohol, environmental toxicity, and so on?

We still don’t even know the answer to that little issue in the case of a “simple” aspirin.

Trust me, I could go on and on in my oh-so simplistic way of wondering about the common sense things. My point is, there’s no possible way “science” can explain all of these things… especially when that science has a big financial stake in the whole deal.

In MY case, no, I’m not getting the vaccine. Don’t come near my children with it, either. You’ll meet Mother Bear pretty quick. I simply won’t allow anyone to play Russian Roulette with my future or that of my children. (I’m fully aware that some will use this exact same statement as their reason to GET vaccinated!) I’ve yet to see evidence of safety and efficacy of this vaccine. I’ve yet to see that creating better health and taking better care of yourself  isn’t the most effective approach by far. I trust myself and the tools for optimal health that I came equipped with FAR more than a vaccine or drug. I know what it takes to create health and avoid illness. (Whether I consistently do it or not is a choice.)

I will NOT tell you what to do regarding the vaccine other than think very carefully about it. It’s a personal choice. A choice every family makes for themselves.

For starters, I recommend looking at the other side of the story presented by people and organizations like Dr. Sherri Tenpenny (www.DrTenpenny.com), National Vaccine Information Center (www.nvic.org), Dr. Joseph Mercola (www.mercola.com), Mary Tocco (www.marytocco.com), Natural News (www.NaturalNews.com),  www.MomVaccines.org and www.Brainguard.com.  There are many more resources out there. Take your pick.

Then, in an upcoming article, I’ll focus on the REAL situation – how to get HEALTHY! If we get and stay healthy then we don’t get sucked into all the emotional drama and hype of a “national emergency”.

Arm yourself with better information in order to make an educated decision, then arm yourself with the right tools and support to do something about it.

Ultimately, I think the bottom line is this. If you want to stay healthy and avoid the flu – with or without the vaccine – you’ve got to make healthy choices. Your health is the result of your environment. I can help you understand the simple healthy lifestyle choices that will propel you to greater health.

If you choose to get the vaccine, I urge you to take these healthy choices even more seriously. Your body will need additional help overcoming the toxicity of the vaccine.

Healthy people make healthy choices.

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THE Leading Authority on Family Preparedness

James Talmage Stevens
James Talmage Stevens

James Talmage Stevens

I received a nice surprise today. A man I greatly respect and turn to as the decisive leader in the field of family preparedness, James Talmage Stevens, had some nice words to say about the Dr. Mom approach to keeping families healthy… even in the midst of great stress and potential crisis. (Kind of like what’s being created in recent months… weeks… days!)

Read what he had to say: http://familypreparednessguide.com/how-can-you-help-your-children-eat-healthy-at-school/

I’ll be telling you a lot more about James in the upcoming weeks and months. He’s someone to watch!

We need a voice of reason AND preparedness in these crazy, hyped up times. James is our go-to man to get us through! For now, his book, “Making the Best of Basics – Family Preparedness Guide”  is available on my home page. I strongly recommend that you investigate James’ years of dedicated research and commitment.

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Life Radio ~ Health & Wealth Experts to Help You Succeed

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This is a brand new and exciting adventure my husband, Dr. Marc VanHoogstraat, and I are on with our friend and Certified Life Coach, Todd Newton.

Check it out… expect AMAZING things from this up-and-coming team!!

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Facebook

Remember to follow me over on Facebook… LOTS more is going on over there that I can’t always easily post here.

www.DrMomOnFacebook.com or just click on the Facebook tab on the top of the page here.

See you there!

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    How Can I Make Sure I’m Getting Enough Vitamin D?

    Making some Vitamin D!
    Making some Vitamin D!

    Making some Vitamin D!

    With the infamous “cold & flu season” right around the corner, as well as all the hype about the swine flu, many people are wondering what they can do to stay healthy and decrease their risks for developing this flu.

    While I never believe there is only “one thing” when it comes to a successful ‘treatment’, or only “one thing” when it comes to the underlying cause of an ailment, Vitamin D does consistently make the list of things-to-do in order to achieve better health and prevent illness.

    Currently, it’s being hailed as the major player in preventing the swine flu.

    Yes, having sufficient levels of vitamin D will absolutely help us improve our health AND help us avoid illness… BUT, not at the expense of an otherwise unhealthy lifestyle.

    The REAL ‘magic’ happens when we’re consistently focused on making pure and sufficient choices in our overall nutrition, exercise and mindset, while we simultaneously reduce or eliminate toxic and deficient choices in those areas of lifestyle.

    We can’t eat a toxic diet, while leading a sedentary, stressed out, negative life and think that adding some vitamin D (or any other vitamin, or drug, or vaccine) is going to fix everything!

    Health and sickness are determined by the lifestyle choices we make.

    That being said, here’s a little article I recently wrote about vitamin D. Check it out, and pass it along to someone who’s trying to achieve better health!

    http://articlesmind.com/?id=18952

    Enjoy!

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    Facebook

    Remember to come over to www.DrMomOnFacebook.com and visit me there, as well. There’s a LOT more I’m able to post and pass along in that forum… you don’t want to miss it!

    When you become a “fan”, you’ll receive all of my updates and helpful, informative tidbits as I post them.

    If you’re already on Facebook, you should also be able to find me by going to the search bar on the upper right of your screen and typing in Dr Mom Online – Simple Health and Wellness Lifestyle Solutions.

    See you there!

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    The Sigh of Relief Heard ‘Round the World (by Women, anyway!)

    The picture women everywhere are talking about!

    The picture women everywhere are talking about!

    This is a photo in the September issue of Glamour magazine. Whatcha’ think?

    Should we all feel “relieved” that this beautiful young woman isn’t “perfect” in the way our society thinks a woman should look? (I understand this point of view!)

    Or, should we be a little uncomfortable with the ‘fact’ that size 12 is considered normal? (I understand this point of view, too… from an optimal health perspective.)

    The article by Glamour talks about how many women have written with their MASS approval!

    It also talks about how the 20-year old model, Lizzie Miller, is an active soft ball player and belly dancer. Sounds healthy to me, at least from an exercise perspective.

    Either way, she’s completely gorgeous!

    Here’s the link to the article:

    http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2009/08/on-the-cl-the-picture-you-cant.html

    What are your thoughts?

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    Where to Find Even MORE Dr. Mom Tips, Strategies, Info and Discussion

    If you follow me here on www.DrMomOnline.com, thank you!

    I just wanted to let you know that for even MORE helpful healthy lifestyle tips and information, as well as a growing community of like-minded individuals, you can follow me over on Facebook.

    My “fan” page there can be found by:

    1) just typing www.DrMomOnFacebook.com into your browser (or clicking on the link right here!)

    or, if you’re already on Facebook,

    2) in the search box on the upper right of your screen, type in Dr Mom Online – Simple Health and Wellness Lifestyle Solutions

    I’d highly recommend you follow me over there… there’s a LOT more information I’m able to post… and a lot more fun with all the interaction!

    See you there!

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    Thoughts on “Health Care” Reform

    Here’s a recent article I wrote regarding the current Health Care reform issue.

    If we were REALLY talking about true “Health” care, this reform would be far more valuable and effective! Alas… we’re still stuck in the “sickness” care paradigm… wondering why we’re still SICK (and getting sicker) and going BROKE as a nation!

    Click here to read the article:

    http://articlesmind.com/?id=13923

    Enjoy… and pass it along to someone else who might be interested.

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    Stay Informed and Know Your Rights ~ Swine Flu Vaccination

    Here’s a great video to keep you informed and aware of your choices.

    National Vaccine Information Center Public Awareness Video

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    Not All Fish are Created Equal! Tilapia is NOT as Healthy as You May Think… You Might Want a Doughnut Instead!

    Here is an excellent article discussing the omega 3 content of various fish, including tilapia and wild salmon. The article is from a newsletter I receive from U.S. Wellness Meats – a superior source of high quality meats and cheeses. I’d highly recommend getting on their mailing list in order to receive top notch nutritional information like this… free!

    The article is written by world renowned nutritional expert, Dr. Al Sears. He clearly describes why some fish are healthier than others, and why some – like tilapia – can actually be detrimental to our health.

    (At the end of his article, Dr. Sears recommends two products to help maintain an optimal ratio of omega 3:6. Just so you know, my favorite essential fatty acid product (based on evidence, not fluff!) is Omega Sufficiency from Innate Choice. www.InnateChoice.com)

    Enjoy Dr. Sears’ article… and thanks to U.S. Wellness Meats for providing fantastic information and products!

    If You Are Eating This Fish You May As Well Eat A Doughnut
    by Dr. Al Sears, MD
    Author: The Doctor’s Heart Cure
    July 25, 2009

    Last weekend, my sister came into town out of the blue, and we went out to dinner to celebrate. She glanced at the menu and then put it down, saying, “I’ve got to eat healthy when I’m with you. I’ll have the tilapia.”

    Most people are shocked when they hear the truth about modern tilapia. After all, it’s fish. It’s supposed to be good for you. The power of the omega-3s in fish is all over the news. Salmon is still the most popular, but tilapia is gaining on it because it has a mild taste and it’s inexpensive.

    But here’s the thing: Eat tilapia and you get the same amount of “bad fats” as a typical doughnut!

    That tilapia, served as the “catch of the day” in restaurants across the country, is usually farm-raised. And researchers from Wake Forest University found that farm-raised tilapia has more omega-6s than bacon, doughnuts and hamburger.

    Instead of being good for your heart, it’s flooding your body with inflammation – the main culprit behind heart disease! And on top of that, it’s pumped full of gender-bending hormones!

    The Real Dark Side of Fat

    It’s not that omega-6s are necessarily bad for you. They are essential fatty acids that your body needs. But we get so much of them that our bodies often have an unhealthy ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s.

    In fact, the average American has an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 20:1. Your ideal ratio should be just 2:1. So, you need to eat foods that are high in omega-3s to balance out the omega-6s.

    Unfortunately, farm-raised tilapia isn’t a great source.

    The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in farm-raised tilapia is a whopping 11:1. Keep eating it, and it will do nothing to balance out the high levels of omega-6s in your body. It’ll do just the opposite.

    Those high levels of omega-6s can lead to obesity, diabetes, fatigue, and memory loss. They also cause dangerous inflammation in your body that leads to many health problems, including joint pain and heart disease.

    You see, farm-raised tilapia has less than half a gram of omega-3s per 3.5 ounces of fish. That’s probably the lowest you’ll find in any fish… even farm-raised salmon has 12 times more omega-3s and farm-raised trout has 4 times more. In contrast, wild-caught salmon has 22 times more omega-3s than tilapia.

    What makes tilapia so bad for you? It’s the corn diet the fish are fed. Most wild caught fish eat greens-or other fish that eat greens-which supplies them with omega-3s.

    Corn, however, is loaded with omega-6s. When the fish eat the corn, they convert the omega-6s into arachidonic acid, the main cause of dangerous inflammation in the body.

    Fish Undergoing Sex Changes

    The fact that tilapia has too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3 fatty acids is reason enough not to waste your time eating it. But, did you also know that young tilapia are pumped full of hormones that turn them all into males?

    You see, farm-raised tilapia are kept in enclosed ponds and breed like crazy. It takes them just two to three months to mature and then they breed once a month. You might think this overabundance of fish would be good, but it causes overcrowding in the ponds and ends up stunting the growth of the fish.

    So, the producers get an uneven harvest – some small, deformed fish and some larger fish (generally the male ones). In order to get a uniform “catch” of larger tilapia, fish farmers feed the stock the hormone 17 alpha-methyltestosterone, which turn all the fish into males.

    This lets the fish farmers produce bigger fish in a shorter period for higher profits. No wonder this fish is becoming more popular every day. It’s inexpensive. And its mild, white meat appeals to many consumers.

    The hormone treatment is the chosen method used by tilapia farmers worldwide. That means that just about all tilapia sold in supermarkets here in the U.S. are fed methyltestosterone.

    There aren’t any long-term studies to tell if this hormone is safe in humans eating tilapia. But the hormone itself is toxic to the liver and has been taken off the market in Germany.

    This steady diet of corn and hormones just isn’t the diet nature intended.

    The Healthy Side of Omega-3s
    Before the days of modern industry, your fish had abundant supplies of omega-3s. They dined on seaweed or algae and other fish below them in the food chain that ate these plants.

    But these days, even some salmon has little to none of these essential fats. Farm-raised fish are fed corn, soy, those fish flakes that you feed the fish in your aquarium, and other unnatural foods.

    Since your body can’t make omega-3s on its own, it’s critical that you find ways to get a steady supply through the proper food sources and supplements.

    The benefits are practically endless when your body gets enough omega-3s. Many of my own patients have not only reversed disease but improved their mental and emotional lives as well. Omega-3s have been shown to:

    * Prevent heart disease, cancer – even strokes
    * Lower blood pressure
    * Wipe out arthritis pain
    * Relieve depression
    * Lower triglycerides (blood fat)
    * Raise HDL (good cholesterol)
    * Boost memory and brain power
    * Lower your risk of macular degeneration
    * Protect blood vessels and nerves
    * Calm irregular heart rhythms, which can lead to sudden cardiac death

    Find the Best Fish for Your Omega-3s

    Don’t abandon fish altogether. They are still a great source of omega-3s.

    I’ve put together a chart of the fish with the best ratios of omega-3s to omega-6s.

    Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratio of Wild-Caught and Farm-Raised Fish

    Wild Sockeye Salmon 19:1
    Wild Coho Salmon 10:1
    Wild Trout 7:1
    Wild Eel 5:1
    Cod 5:1
    Farmed Trout 4:1
    Halibut 4:1
    Swordfish 3:1
    Flounder 3:1
    Farmed Eel 2:1
    Farmed Salmon 2:1
    Black Bass 2:1
    Farmed Catfish 1:11
    Farmed Tilapia 1:11

    Source: Journal of Diet Assoc (July 2008); American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990)

    As you can see, there are a number of fish varieties from which to choose that will give you the heart-healthy omega-3s you need.

    Here are my general rules when shopping for fish:

    Avoid Apex-Predator Fish. While tuna (albacore and bluefin) have good amounts of omega-3s, you should avoid them because they tend to contain high levels of toxins like mercury. Overall, stay away from top-of-the-food-chain fish like tuna, shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel because of their mercury levels.

    Choose Smaller Fish. Try to stick to smaller fish that are lower down on the food chain. They don’t typically eat other fish and fewer toxins get stored in their flesh. Good choices are herring, salmon, sardines, anchovies, trout, halibut, and haddock.

    Always Buy Wild-Caught Fish. Farm-raised fish are simple feed an unnatural diet and because diseased and inflamed. The potential health risks could cost your body in the long run.

    Because farm-raised fish don’t have lots of room to swim and are prone to disease, they are often given antibiotics as well as preservatives and commercial dyes to give them a healthy color.

    For example, farm-raised salmon is not the nice pink color that you would see with wild salmon, so it is injected with dye. At your supermarket you will often see “color-enhanced” in small print under the farm-raised salmon sign.

    Wild salmon, on the other hand, get their pink color from eating little sea creatures like krill. I prefer wild-caught salmon from the Pacific Ocean.

    You can find good quality wild-caught fish at specialty markets such as Whole Foods or Fresh Market. I often order mine online from Grassland Beef (www.grasslandbeef.com) or Alaskan Harvest Seafood (www.alaskanharvest.com). It comes right to your door, fresh, packed in dry ice.

    To get more information about the safety of fish you can also check out the website seafoodwatch.org.

    Make up for the Critical Nutrients You’re Missing

    Since your body doesn’t make enough omega-3 fatty acids on its own, choosing species of fish that have the highest levels of omega-3s is one way to get your daily supply.

    But this is not always possible, so supplementing with a good quality fish oil that is purified of contaminants is a sensible way to make sure you get enough to reap the health benefits.

    There are two supplements I recommend.

    Fish Oil. I recommend taking an 1100 mg fish oil supplement every day. I’ve developed a new fish oil capsule that comes from the pristine, non-industrial waters off the coast of Peru. It’s safe, pure and provides a huge, healthy dose of omega-3s.

    Cod liver oil. Cod liver oil is another great source of omega-3s. One teaspoon a day will give you the omega-3s you need. And I’ve developed an oil without the awful taste. Go here now for my great-tasting cod liver oil.

    To Your Good Health,
    Al Sears, M.D.

    ————————————————————-

    Dr. Al Sears, M.D. is a board-certified clinical nutrition specialist. His practice, Dr. Sears’ Health & Wellness Center in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., specializes in alternative medicine. He is the author of seven books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation, including The Doctor’s Heart Cure. To get his free special report on the proven anti-aging strategies for building a vibrant, disease-free life, go here now. You’ll learn how to stop Father Time without giving up the foods you love.

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    Is There a Connection Between Eating Meat and Developing Breast Cancer?

    Over the years, various news reports have associated many different lifestyle factors with an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The most common have been: obesity, low levels of physical activity, using hormone therapy, eating few fresh vegetables and fruit, alcohol consumption, smoking, not having children or having children ‘later’ in life, not breast feeding, and eating meat.

    Time and time again, we see reports and studies that point the finger of blame to just one factor fall flat on their faces. Of course it’s not just one thing. Of course it’s not just one cause. That’s short-sighted, unscientific thinking.

    For every woman who, for example, has a low level of physical activity and also happens to develop breast cancer, there are many more who share the same sedentary lifestyle and will never develop the illness. Yet, we know of many extremely active women who have developed breast cancer. It’s not one thing.

    It’s the same as the fit, trim, veggie-eating-picture-of health-person who suddenly experiences major health issues. Meanwhile that same person has relatives of a ripe old age who have never exercised a day in their lives, eat bacon and eggs and fast food all the time, can’t remember the name of a vegetable, let alone the last time they ate one, and lay on the couch all day watching television, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes!

    How do we explain this? It’s certainly not genetics. How could it be? Think of all the examples in your own family where that makes no sense. There’s always somebody who was “the first” to develop a so-called genetic disease. And there are always family members who will never develop certain chronic illnesses that their relatives have. It doesn’t add up.

    In my family, my mom was the first and only to ever be diagnosed with breast cancer. She has 5 sisters and dozens and dozens of aunts and nieces. Her sisters are all in their late 70′s and 80′s now, and several aunts are in their 90′s. No breast cancer. She was the only one. Where’s the genetic connection?

    The challenge is, it’s not that easy. It’s not that clear.

    Our current level of health is 100% the result of the choices we have made up to this point in our lives, as well as the external environment we’ve been exposed to throughout the years.

    Everything that we’ve ever eaten, drank, inhaled, every drug we’ve ever taken, everything we’ve ever thought or felt, how we’ve slept, our stress levels, how we’ve moved our bodies, how we feel about ourselves and others, whether or not we have children, whether or not we nursed them, every injury we’ve ever had, every toxin we’ve been exposed to in the air and water, every body care product we’ve ever used, every lawn and gardening product we’ve ever been exposed to, every bug spray and sunscreen we’ve ever applied, every vitamin we’ve ever taken, whether or not we’ve been vaccinated…

    We have trillions of cells in our body, and each one of them has its own stored experiences of what it has been through. Every person responds differently (physically, chemically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) to life and its many intricate components. How could we possibly think that just one thing could affect us all the same?

    It’s overwhelming to think about! I choose to focus on what I CAN control right here, right now. I can choose to create health by making pure and sufficient lifestyle choices (in what I eat, how I move and how I think), while simultaneously reducing or eliminating as many toxic and deficient choices as possible. The choices I make NOW will determine my future health.

    We may not know the one exact cause of cancer, but we DO know how people get sick… too much toxicity and deficiency for too long, without enough purity and sufficiency. We can change that.

    Regarding the meat and breast cancer connection, the science just isn’t there to support it.

    It’s difficult to support a theory that goes against what our healthiest ancestors ate. According to many researchers, the healthiest cultures on the planet all have animal products in their diets, most in the form of meat. If we want to learn about health and how to avoid illness, we should study cultures who ARE healthy and have avoided illnesses like those so prevalent here.

    I believe that the massive problem with meat is not the idea of eating meat itself, but the devastating level of toxicity in the meat the majority of us consume. Now THAT is the type of “one cause of cancer” that makes far more sense. Toxicity.

    From sick and diseased livestock living in horrible, disgusting conditions and being fed unnatural, toxic diets in order to plump them up for sale, to all the hormones, steroids, antibiotics and radiation in our conventional meat… it’s no wonder all chronic illnesses are sky rocketing. We’re ingesting highly toxic, poisonous food.

    Our healthiest meat-eating ancestors ate meat from animals that ate THEIR natural diets, with no drugs or poisons added. For example, cows allowed to eat fresh green grass (vs. fattening, toxic grains and toxic soy) are healthier cows – they provide healthier meat and milk.

    My advice, if you’re concerned about any connection between cancer and meat consumption, is to clean up your sources of meat. Purchase (or raise) grass-fed and free-range sources. Organic is also a superior choice, when available. Toxins bioaccumulate in meats, dairy products and eggs more so than in produce. It’s important to clean up the most dangerous foods in your diet whenever possible.

    Here’s an article that was recently sent to me from The U.S. Wellness Meats Newsletter regarding a recent report on the connection of meat and breast cancer.

    I’d love to hear your comments! Enjoy the article…

    EATING MEAT DOES NOT RAISE CANCER RISK IN OLDER WOMEN

    Eating red or white meat, including meat cooked at high temperatures, does not increase the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, according to a large study conducted by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

    A number of previous studies have found that eating red meat or meat cooked at high temperatures increases the risk of breast cancer. (High temperatures caused by grilling, barbecuing or pan-frying produce high amounts of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in meat; HCAs and PAHs are mutagens (chemicals capable of causing mutations in DNA) that can cause breast tumors in laboratory animals.)

    But a link between meat in the diet and breast cancer in women hasn’t been established. “Previous epidemiologic studies in humans looking at the amount of meat in the diet and estimated intakes of HCAs and PAHs in relation to breast cancer risk have yielded inconsistent results,” says lead author Geoffrey C. Kabat, Ph.D., M.S., senior epidemiologist in the department of epidemiology and population health at Einstein.

    To clarify this issue, Dr. Kabat and his colleagues analyzed data on 120,755 postmenopausal women who participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. When the women enrolled in the study (between 1995 and 1996), they gave detailed information on what types of food they ate and how often they ate certain foods. In addition, they provided information on meat-preparation methods.

    Over the next eight years, approximately three percent, or 3,818, of the women developed breast cancer. The researchers found no evidence that the amount of meat consumed, meat-cooking methods used, or meat-mutagen intake was associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. Reported meat intake included steak, hamburger, chicken, pork, processed meat and meat cooked at high temperatures.

    The study also found that consumption of meat or meat cooked at high temperatures, through grilling and oven-broiling, did not increase breast cancer rates in subgroups including obese women, those who did not have children, who were consumers of alcohol, who were smokers, who used menopausal hormone therapy, who had low levels of physical activity, or had a low intake of fruits or vegetables.

    source: Medical News Today, May29, 2009

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