Avoid These Foods Like the Plague

Although most nutrition professionals can agree that whole foods are good for you, there is controversy and disagreement that arises when we discuss what foods may not be good for you.  I personally take the stance that if it's a whole food that has not been tampered with then it's allowed.  If it's a refined, synthetic, or chemically or genetically modified food, then I want it to be proven safe before I put it in my mouth (or even on my skin)!  Unfortunately for us here in America there are many foods and ingredients that are approved and used in our food supply before enough testing has been done to prove their safety.

If you want to be as healthy as possible and eat as naturally as possible, then there are some foods I would recommend avoiding and removing from your food supply.  Although I believe most of us would feel some noticeable benefits in avoiding these foods, at the least you would have peace of mind knowing you're not eating something that is potentially toxic to your body.  You've heard the saying "one man's food is another man's poison."  Well the foods I will mention here are more like "every man, woman and child's poison" if you will!

The first potentially harmful food is food that has been genetically modified (GMO).  If you think you don't have these foods on your grocery list, think again.  Most corn, wheat, canola and soy in the United States is genetically modified and in almost every prepackaged food you can find.  Pick up any box in your pantry and look for any of those four ingredients, or any derivative of those foods (i.e., corn starch, wheat germ, etc.).  If it's in there and the ingredient list does not say that it's organic, then there is a very high chance that it's a GMO.

So what's wrong with GMO's?  Well, I don't want to get too into this on a blog post.  If you want to research this info, you can start at the website for the Institute for Responsible Technology.  But in a nutshell, most of these foods have not been sufficiently tested for safety.  There have been a few studies, however, and the results were not good.  These foods are potential allergens, toxins, carcinogens, the list goes on.  Many countries will not accept our foods because they contain GMO's.  I think it's most prudent to avoid them until they have been proven safe (if ever).  Some scientists are suggesting that the dramatic increase in food allergies in recent years may be tied to this bombardment of GMO foods in our system.  I don't want to be a guinea pig in this massive experiment.  Neither should you.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is most likely all produced from GMO corn.  It is widely used.  It is used to sweeten most soda and sweet beverages in this country.  Other than being a GMO derived sweetener, there are several other dangers with consuming this toxic sludge.  A previous blog post I wrote discusses some of these problems with HFCS.  The good news is recently consumers have been asking manufacturers to take the HFCS out of their products.  We may be close to tipping the scale and eliminating its use in our foods.  I assure you that you can only benefit from avoiding HFCS.  Look for it in your kitchen.  I'm certain you'll find it in more foods than you imagined.

Trans fats are almost old news.  Trans fats are fats that have been highly refined.  The refinement process makes these fats into highly toxic oils that are potentially cancer causing and artery blocking poisons.  You may find these listed as Partially Hydrogenated Oils.  Some cities like NYC have banned their use by restaurants.  However, they have not disappeared from our food supply all together.  You would do well to toss these oils and foods containing them out of your cupboard.  Most vegetable oils have gone through this refinement process, not to mention they are most likely GMO.

The last substance I'm going to recommend you remove from your sacred bodies are the Excitotoxins.  Excitotoxins are chemicals that cause damage to your precious nerve cells.  MSG and aspartame (Nutrasweet) are widely used excitotoxins.  These man-made chemicals are believed to cause irreparable damage to the brain and nerves throughout the body.  You may wonder why these are even legal to use in our food supply.  There are several documentaries to watch and books you can read that discuss the politics and history behind their use.  I can't tell you how important and essential to your health it is to eliminate these substances from your diet.  Unfortunately they can be found in so many of your daily foods and products, often under obscure names.  This is just another reason to stay away from prepackaged foods.  Chances are one or both of these chemicals are ingredients in your favorite snack.  Toss it out!

Well, I hope I haven't scared you so much that you don't come back and read next week's blog - Foods to Eat Abundantly!View / Post Comments

Whole Foods Foundation for Primo Health

What is the perfect diet that will keep everyone healthy, lean, energetic and happy?  That's sort of like asking what is the perfect haircut and color that will make anyone look beautiful, young and happy.  Humans are perfectly unique not only on the outside with our shape, size and color.  But we are perfectly unique on the inside as well.  We each have our own distinct genetic stamp inside of every one of our cells.  And that genetic stamp or code makes each and everyone of use who we are inside and out.

Our bodies, organs and organ systems pretty much function the same way.  But the more we learn about our body down to its smallest units is that we have slight differences in how well we carry on certain functions, and what we need to carry those processes out.  This is the principle of holistic nutrition known as biochemical individuality.  Roger J. Williams was a pioneer in nutrition and this concept of biochemical individuality.  He explained the need to address each person's unique nutritional needs based on their genetic distinctness.  How we determine our own unique nutritional needs is a project that should be undertaken with time and attention, preferably with the assistance of a well trained professional.  And this is not the focus of this message today.

The point that I'm trying to make is that there is no perfect diet or weight loss program out there that works perfectly for everyone.  It just does not exist.  This is the main reason that many diet programs fail, because they do not work for everyone.  That's not to say that you can't lose weight on some of these programs.  And they may work perfectly for some people for a short time.  But if we do not address this issue of biochemical individuality, we may end up frustrated and downtrodden for not succeeding on any particular program.  And that's not to mention that you may be out a hefty sum of money for having attempted the latest celebrity craze!

The good news, however, is that there are principles we can all share when designing our own plan for PRIMO HEALTH.  When we know these principles, we can start building on them so that we may find our own unique and perfect prescription for health and wellness.

The field of nutrition can be very controversial.  But there is one principle that would be difficult for anyone to argue.  That principle is that whole foods are good for you!  Does that mean you have to purchase all your groceries at a Whole Foods Market chain?  No!  Whole foods are foods that are as close to how they were grown as possible (as close to nature as possible).  So if you can pick it from a tree looking that way; or if you can gather it from a bush looking that way; or if it came out of the ground looking that way; or if it came directly from the animal looking that way (after cleaning and butchering in the case of meat), then it's a WHOLE FOOD.

The further from the original food item, the more refined that food is.  White rice, for example, doesn't start out white!  I know!  Go figure!  What rice is brown rice first.  And then it is beat and cleaned to remove the outer layers to reveal the innermost white part of the grain.  White rice is a refined grain.  It has been stripped of some of it's nutrients and fiber.  Although we could argue that white rice is still pretty close to the original, it has lost some of its nutrient value in the refinement process and not as beneficial as the original brown rice.

This is one of the most important foundational truths for developing a healthy diet that everyone must pay attention to.  Whole foods are good for you!  I challenge all of you to open up your cupboards and pantries and pick up each food item in there one at a time and ask yourself, "can I go find this out in nature looking like this?"  Open up your refrigerators and look on your shelves and ask yourself, "are these whole foods?"

A PRIMO HEALTH DIET will be a predominantly whole foods diet.  The standard American diet (aka SAD) is a highly refined, highly processed diet.  And the SAD diet is making America sick!  We need to move away from this way of eating if we are to turn the health of this country around.  So if you want to make one simple change that can have dramatic affects on your health and the health of your children, clean out your kitchen!  Remove items that are highly refined.  They are not healthy!  They have been stripped of nutrients.  Sure they have calories, but our bodies need more than just calories.  We need nutrients!  These nutrients are best found in unrefined whole foods.

My next blog will detail specific food items and ingredients that we should avoid like the plague if we want to experience PRIMO HEALTH.  Until then, happy healthy eating!

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A recent article in the Huffington Post exposes an alliance between the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Coca-Cola Company that has caused some uproar amongst the health community. Why would a seemingly good business decision that appears to support the AAFP be a problem? Perhaps it's the message that such a partnership exhibits to the American consumer. This move by the AAFP could be construed as an endorsement to drink Coca-Cola products. Inevitably, this alliance would also result in advertisement and marketing for Coca-Cola on AAFP website, marketing material, etc. But again we ask, "what's wrong with that?"

Reasons To Not Drink Soda

In spite of what you may have heard or seen on television, soda pop in most cases is not a healthy drink. Though this fluid is primarily comprised of water, it has been tainted with a slew of chemicals and additives that render it nutrient-free.

What is in a soda? Although the different brand sodas have unique ingredient mixes to create each unique flavor, there are some components that are common that can be discussed here. First of all, most sodas are now sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS has a myriad of health concerns attributed to it. First, it has been found to contain traces of mercury. It is well known that mercury can be very toxic and can damage the brain and kidneys. Though the amounts found in HFCS have been small so far, it is not certain whether these levels are safe for consumption in the long run. HFCS is also known to contribute to diabetes and heart disease. Any form of refined sugar, including HFCS, can have a dramatic impact on the immune system for hours after consumption and can also decay one's teeth. And finally, HFCS is derived from genetically modified corn, which carries with it its own group of related health problems, some of which we have yet to learn since it's a fairly new product.

As if HFCS wasn't enough of a problem, there are several other concerns to address. Sodas are also high in phosphorous and caffeine, both of which can contribute to bone loss by leaching the body of precious calcium deposits. Growing children who drink a lot of soda may be stunting their growth and inhibit their developing bones. Caffeine is purposely added to cause addiction to drinking soda. It is also a diuretic that when overused may be dehydrating to the body.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported high levels of cancer-causing benzene when testing several sodas on the market. Benzene is formed when the ingredient sodium benzoate found in sodas is combined with vitamin C. New research links sodium benzoate consumption to cirrhosis and cancer.

There are other health concerns that have been suspected to be linked to drinking too much soda pop like infertility, Alzheimer's (from the aspartame in diet sodas), and so on. However, as we have just discussed, there is more than enough evidence to cause a concern to those who take responsibility for their health and wellness.

Alternative Beverages That Are Healthy Options

It is important to learn how to read labels and determine healthy drink options. The list of ingredients above can help one avoid some of the dangers associated with drinking soda. But there are many healthier beverages available to substitute for soda. Pure (100%) fruit juice, though high in natural sugar, can be used to sweeten and flavor mineral water. Coconut juice (or coconut water) that has no sugar added is naturally high in electrolytes. It has been called "nature's best sport drink." The vitamin rich kombucha tea has become increasingly popular as a healthy beverage. It has several health benefits associated to its consumption, like healthy digestion, as well as immune boosting and detoxifying effects. There are healthier versions of soda pop in markets like Whole Foods that may be missing the above ingredients, but one would have to be careful in looking over the labels to ensure they are not hidden in there somewhere.

Return to Health

The United States is clearly exhibiting the results of decades of eating a diet low in nutritional value. Families and individuals must take immediate action in lifestyle to foster prevention and reversal of degenerative disease. To begin, there is a dramatic need for education and awareness of the issues influencing the health of our families. Teach your children to reach for the healthier choice when they open the refrigerator by teaching them about their health and growing bodies.

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Morning TV can often times be very educational.  However, since those shows are run by journalists and their producers, the information they provide can often be flawed. This morning on Good Morning America was a segment that asked an "expert" to share some "healthy" snack substitutes for kids and their parents. Surprisingly they exhibited selection of boxed manufactured foods that were being touted as HEALTHY just because they were low in calories, fat or sugar. There was no mention of what is NUTRITIOUS to eat. Instead they were recommending an ice cream sandwich that was low in fat and sugar. This is shocking!

Humans require a lot more than just protein-carb-fat formulas put together in a lab somewhere. Real people NEED live nutritious food that is loaded with plant and animal derived (not synthetic) vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other micronutrients that can only be absorbed from CLEAN fruits, vegetables, organic meats, healthy fats and other booster foods like sea vegetables and spices. Don't kid yourself parents, manufactured boxed microwaved foods will NEVER substitute for REAL FOOD! It doesn't matter what the package claims.  Teach your children from a young age to reach for an apple, carrots, salad... REAL FOOD. If you need help making the necessary changes in your home, then enlist the services of a well trained nutritionist or other health practitioner that believes in using REAL FOOD and holistic lifestyle recommendations for a healthy foundation. 

If you're not getting four cups of vegetables, and two to three fruits a day, then you are starving your body of needed nutrients.  And remember, a calorie isn't a calorie no matter where it comes from.  Your body is more selective than that.  You can eat an 800 calorie burger or a 800 calorie meal of vegetables and some protein and a little fat and your body will respond differently to that food.  Your body knows what to do with the healthy meal.  The burger it will have some questions with.  Most likely it will store it in fat cells somewhere that is already crowded until it figures out what to do with it!  Stop picking up boxes that say NATURAL and HEALTHY and go to the produce aisle.  The produce department needs a new publicist!

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Modern lifestyle and diet have made the "d" in the vitamin D stand more for deficient than for anything else. The 2003 National Institute for Health (NIH) conference on vitamin D reported "a growing prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in the U.S. population." Previous concerns over vitamin D toxicity along with a modern sun-phobic America are probable causes of this growing trend towards a lack of something good. Growing concerns over skin cancers and aging skin have forced many of us out of the sun and into the dark about vitamin D. Dramatic increases in sun protection are suspiciously coinciding with decreases in blood vitamin D levels. But is this correlation really that mysterious? Not if one knows that sun exposure is the body's main source of vitamin D production. The Vitamin D Council website states that "the high rate of natural production of vitamin D3 cholecalciferol in the skin is the single most important fact every person should know about vitamin D..."

Vitamin D And The H1N1 Virus

Vitamin D may be a misnomer. Because our bodies can produce vitamin D by action of sunlight on our skin, most scientists consider it more of a hormone than a vitamin (Murray; 1996:39). Nonetheless, recent research is increasingly confirming the important role that this hormone/vitamin may be playing in the health of our country. Very recent studies may even show that it is protective against the H1N1 virus as well as a treatment for fighting this dreaded flu.

It has long been known that a deficiency of vitamin D can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. But more importantly, the Vitamin D Council website reports that a deficiency of this vitamin "plays a role in causing seventeen varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, and periodontal disease. Some scientists even argue that exposure to the sun may even help prevent deadly forms of skin cancer, like melanoma."

Vitamin D From The Sun

As natural production of vitamin D from the sun is our most important source of this valuable substance, how much sun do we need? Recent research indicates that you need about 4,000 units of vitamin D per day (currently there is insufficient evidence to establish an RDA for vitamin D). According to the Vitamin D Council website, most of us make 20,000 units of Vitamin D after 20 minutes of exposure to the sun (sans sunscreen lotion). Therefore, exposing a large percentage of the skin to 15 - 20 minutes of sunlight (avoiding sunburn) would supply most of the needed supply of this vitamin. During the winter months, or for persons avoiding the sun for other reasons (ie, aging effects), there should be supplementation. Many health experts believe that cod liver oil is a good source of vitamin D during the winter. Vegetables are typically low in vitamin D, yet are highest in green leafy vegetables (Murray 1996:39).

Don't Overdo It

Over-supplementation of vitamin D can also lead to toxicity. "Increased blood concentration of calcium..., deposition of calcium into internal organs, and kidney stones are some of the characteristics of vitamin D toxicity" (Murray 1996:42). Care should be taken when supplementing with Vitamin D. Nonetheless, given the current trend towards deficiency of this supplement, the Vitamin D Council website claims that taking 2,000 units per day is safe for most individuals. Ordering a 25 hydroxy vitamin D test from your physician can be very helpful in determining dosage of the vitamin.

As the field of science and medicine grows, we may see more of this mixed-message type of recommendation occurring. However, it is the test of time that will reveal the truth about our bodies and how they function optimally. In the case of vitamin D, we sort of "threw the baby out with the bath water." As we continue to discover the importance of this seemingly simple vitamin, let us not waste time in implementing what we already know. Do not be afraid to spend a few moments a day in the sun without any sunscreen. And if you will be in the sun for an indefinite period of time, ensure any products that you use are safe to be absorbed by your skin. Remember that the liver needs to process those substances and remove them from the body along with everything else it has to do.

So it's not so bad to take a walk on the sunny side of the street!

Bibliography

Murray, Michael. Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1996.

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