Corporate Farming vs. Organic in the Wheatgrass Benefits Debate

Corporate farming has inundated the food industry with genetically modified foods, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, growing crops that are being turned into processed foods with high amounts of chemical additives, forcing us to eat a synthetic diet devoid of nutritional value that our bodies have great difficulty processing.

A healthy solution is adding the benefits of wheatgrass to your daily diet because organic wheatgrass juice powder helps give you back all the vital vitamins and minerals which are very difficult to find in conventional foods today.

It’s a fact that the main component in wheatgrass powder is chlorophyll which is highly beneficial for your good health because it helps to cleanse and detoxify your body.

Every day your body is bombarded with a vast array of harmful chemicals, heavy metals and cancer-causing agents that causes premature aging, prevents healing and is harmful to the proper functioning of your entire body.

When taking wheatgrass powder on a daily basis, because it is one of the most potent green, leafy vegetables available, the superior health benefits can significantly contribute toward improving your overall health by giving you the helping hand you need in the following areas, including:

• removing harmful toxic metals, such as mercury and cadmium as well as accumulated drug particles;
• maintaining optimum pH and blood sugar levels in your body;
• supports blood production and improves blood circulation;
• improving/reducing high blood pressure;
• improving blood quality and normalizing blood sugar levels;
• cleansing the liver;
• protection against heart attack;
• preventing the growth of cancer;
• protection from harmful bacteria;
• optimizing digestion and elimination;
• improving complexion and healing of wounds;
• slowing down the graying of hair;
• effective in weight control as it improves metabolism

Without a doubt, organic food supplements are a must in today’s polluted world because they give your body back the extra advantage you need to maintain a healthy body and live a long, active life.

Why is organic wheatgrass organic powder a superior product for your good health?

Research has found that when grown in organic soil, wheatgrass retains 82 out of the 92 minerals found in the soil that we all need to maintain healthy bodies.

Amazingly, just 2 capsules of this ultra-potent powder contains the same amount of nutrients found in 1.5 pounds of green vegetables.

Clearly, organic wheatgrass powder benefits the blood cells, bones, glands, hair, kidneys, liver, muscles, spleen, teeth, and other body parts. Wheatgrass protects the lungs and blood from air and water pollution, cigarette smoke, toxins, and heavy metals.

It also helps in building red blood cells because its molecular structure is similar to hemoglobin, and as such, it helps to normalize blood pressure and prevent hypertension and hypotension. Plus, it stimulates the enzymatic machinery of the body and enhances the rate of metabolism to help with weight control.

If you want more energy and a boost to your overall health, the clear choice is to add wheatgrass benefits to your daily diet . To learn more about organic, freeze dried, gluten-free, wheatgrass powder with 70% chlorophyll (a potent anti-oxidant) that contains hundreds of live enzymes and over 108 vitamins and minerals and trace minerals, then please visit http://www.goodhealthsupplements.com/sweetwheat/ for more details.

Click here to view the embedded video.

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2011 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Not all Sweetners are Sweet!

Consider the meaning of the term “degenerative disease”.

The body is breaking down, degenerating and consequently malfunctioning and falling apart.

When something is malfunctioning and falling apart, common sense would dictate the first place to look.

Look to the materials from which it is made.  If the materials from which something is built or made —- including living systems —- is of poor quality, there should be no surprise that malfunction and breakdown —- degeneration —- results.

Poor quality includes refined and junk food —- the wrong type of supplements made with synthetic cheap imitation vitamins and inorganic minerals, food that contains insufficient nutrients, toxic bleach, food additives, pesticides, preservatives, trans-fats, etc.

Regrettably, this entire line of healthy thinking is completely ignored, actively resisted, and even ridiculed by conventional health care providers.

Example:  New News of Splenda® Reveals Shocking Information About Potential Human Effects.

Jim Taylor, the chairman of the national consumer education group, “Citizens for Health”, has expressed shock and outrage over the harm being done to humans after he read a news report from scientists outlining the dangers of the artificial sweetener Splenda® (sucraluse).

In animals examined for the study, Splenda® reduced the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50%, increased the pH level in the intestines, contributed to the increase in body weight, and affected P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in such a way that crucial health-related drugs could be rejected.

The P-gp affect could result in medications used in chemotherapy, Aids treatment, and treatments for heart conditions being shunted back into the intestines, rather than being absorbed by the body.

According to Taylor, the report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda®, and its key component sucralose, pose a threat to people who use this product.

“Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda®” he said, “and this study confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label.” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A 2008;71(21):1415-29

I did a quick Internet search for Splenda® to see if I could find any other recent studies.  What came up was a recent study from Duke university involving Splenda® fed to rats (which typically respond to a lot of foods the same way humans do):

“Splenda® is comprised of the high-potency artificial sweetener sucralose (1.1%) and the fillers maltodextrin and glucose.  Splenda® was administered by oral gavage at 100, 300, 500, or 1000 mg/kg to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 12 weeks during which fecal samples were collected weekly for bacterial analysis and measurement of fecal pH.

After 12 weeks, half of the animals from each treatment group were sacrificed to determine the intestinal expression of the membrane efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the cytochrome P-450 (CYP) metabolism system by Western blot. The remaining animals were allowed to recover for an additional 12 weeks, and further assessments of fecal microflora, fecal pH, and expression of P-gp and CYP were determined.

At the end of the 12 week treatment period, the numbers of total anaerobes, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, Bacteroides, clostridia, and total aerobic bacteria were significantly decreased; however, there was no significant treatment effect on enterobacteria. Splenda also increased fecal pH and enhanced the expression of P-gp by 2.43-fold, CYP3A4 by 2.51-fold, and CYP2D1 by 3.49-fold.

Following the 12 week recovery period, only the total anaerobes and bifidobacteria remained significantly depressed, whereas pH values, P-gp, and CYP3A4 and CYP2D1 remained elevated.”

The report concludes with a summary indicating how the rats responded to typical dosages of Splenda®:

“These changes occurred at Splenda® dosages that contained sucralose at 1.1-11 mg/kg (the US FDA Acceptable Daily Intake for sucralose is a lot higher, 5 mg/kg). Evidence indicates that a 12 week administration of Splenda exerted numerous adverse effects, including (1) reduction in beneficial fecal microflora, (2) increased fecal pH, and (3) enhanced expression levels of P-gp, CYP3A4, and CYP2D1, which are known to limit the bioavailability of orally administered drugs.”

OK.  So I gave you a lot of chemical mumbo-jumbo and what it boils down to is this: Stay away from chemical sweeteners, additives and cheap synthetic vitamins. They are not the strong building blocks that build strong bodies and minds. They are the blocks that cause your body to slowly degenerate and fall apart.

It doesn’t matter what you are building — your body, a house, an appliance, an automobile, or a garment.  When you use the wrong kind or poor quality raw materials, it may seem cheap initially, but in the end, you will pay a terrible price.

If you want to achieve long, lasting quality good health and long life, you need to begin with good quality raw material.

Eat healthy.  It is cheaper in the long run.  I know.  I’m 87 and going strong!

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2011 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Splenda® is registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC,

Healthy Restaurant Diet Tips

Eating out, in our fast paced lives, has become a way of life and in some cases, a necessity.

But restaurant food is the downfall for the many people who want to eat healthy and/or lose weight.

So how do we meet our needs and still remain healthy?

Make healthy choices and be conscious of portion control!

The better choice needs to be to never eat food prepared in a fast food restaurant.

What to do:  Here are some easy tips and suggestions when ordering in some of our favorite ethnic restaurants:

Chinese: Many Chinese dishes are deep fried and their sauces are high in sugar.  To pick the healthiest…

DO ORDER — Steamed dumplings (low in fat), wonton soup (low in calories), dishes made with tofu (protein), stir-fried chicken (sweet, but with fewer calories than sweet-and-sour chicken).

DON’T ORDER — Fried noodles (high in fat — usually trans fats), spare ribs (high in fat and sugar), egg rolls (high in calories and salt), fried rice (high in fat and salt), or egg foo yung (with possible trans-fats).  Stir fry is a good choice, but ask the cook to use as little oil as possible.

Italian: Most Italian restaurants serve huge portions with Alfredo cream sauces and lots of cheese.  Choose tomato based sauces instead and remember portion control.  You Don’t Have To Eat Everything They Put On Your Plate!  Eat less and live longer!

DO ORDER — Minestrone soup (lots of vegetables and fiber and about 80 calories a cup), whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce (fiber and vitamins), thin-crust pizza (fewer carbs), and grilled vegetables (high in antioxidants and good fats from olive oil).

DON’T ORDER — Lasagna (high in calories and fat), Alfredo sauce, (lots of fat and sodium), meat sauce (saturated fat), or thick-crust pizza (high in carbs and calories).  And don’t even think about ordering the “stuffed-crust” pizza —- a slice with pepperone has twice the calories and fat as a slice of thin-crust with cheese topping.

Japanese: Tempura is a code word for “fried”, so skip over that part of the menu.  Enjoy wasbi mustard with your sushi and munch on pickled garlic — studies have shown they can rev up your metabolism.

DO ORDER — California rolls (one roll is about 300 calories), sashimi (low in calories and fat, high in protein), tuna rolls (heart-healthy omega fats), teriyaki chicken (protein), and enjoy green tea with your meal (antioxidants).

DON’T ORDER — Tempura rolls (high in calories and fat), beef teriyaki (high in fat), sukiyaki (lard and sugar),fried gyoza (saturated fat), or sake and plum wine (calories).

Mexican: Tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese all conspire to make many Mexican dishes high in calories and fat.  But salsa is low in calories and rich in lycompene.

DO ORDER — Gazpacho (vitamin C and minerals), chicken fajitas (high-quality protein and vegetables rich in antioxidants), and chicken soft taco.

DON’T ORDER — Nachos (fat and salt), refried beans (too much sodium), or quesadillas (high in saturated fat).

Fat and Restaurants: A low fat diet is not a healthy diet, but fats in most restaurants are the wrong kind of fats.  To save money, most restaurants use refined soy oil or vegetable oil which either already contain trans-fats or turn into trans-fats upon frying whether deep, pan, or griddle fried.

Breakfast: The meal that kick-starts your day.  The meal that millions eat in restaurants every day is a great source for getting a heavy load of trans-fats, pesticides, hormones, and anti-biotics. Sounds delicious!

Here’s how to avoid all these slow killers and come away with a healthier breakfast to get your day started with your body in high gear:

DO ORDER — Oatmeal that is cooked, waffles made with buckwheat.  Eggs basted, boiled, poached or omelet (eggs have gotten an unwarranted bad reputation.  They are a super healthy food!).  Rye or nine grain bread, real butter, salad greens and tomato.

DON’T ORDER — Instant oatmeal (highly processed, preservatives, little nutritional value), fried eggs or any eggs cooked in oil (trans-fats), pancakes (white flour and oil, poor nutrition and trans-fats), regular waffles (white flour, nutrient deficient), bacon or ham (hormones and antibiotics) white bread (nutrient deficient), margarine or half and half margarine and butter (trans-fats) or fried potatoes of any kind (trans-fats).

Last But Not Least: If you can avoid them, never eat in a fast food restaurant.  They are trans-fat, sodium, and preservative havens — just what you don’t need!

An example:  McDonald’s breakfast and hamburger buns never spoil.  Neither will their hamburgers, no matter how long you keep them, even not refrigerated.  They are so loaded with salt and preservatives they can lay around for years and never get moldy.  They are so bad, even the bugs won’t eat them, so why do humans?

Also — don’t forget to take nutritional supplements as there is no way you can get the nutrition you need from the quality of food that is available for us to eat.

Make healthy choices, stay healthy, live longer!

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2011 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

What Salt is Best for You?

Question: Do we need salt in our diets?

Answer: Life is not possible without salt for humans, animals, and even plants!

It is impossible to achieve your optimal health in a salt-deficient environment.  In fact, a recent study found that a higher salt intake was tied to longevity.

The common belief that salt is bad for your heart and blood pressure is a complete fallacy.

Only people with congestive heart failure need monitor their reaction to higher intakes of salt.

And for everyone — it is imperative that you eat the right salt!

Salt in usually referred to as sodium chloride. These are the two main electrolytes found in all salt products, however, there is a vast difference in quality and effectiveness.

Here are the two types of salt commonly available:

(1) Unrefined sea salt that contains many valuable minerals.

(2) Refined salt that is contaminated with aluminum, contains no minerals and may exacerbate many chronic illnesses.

Refined salt is 39% sodium, 60% chloride, iodide 0.01%, is bleached and has added a combination of up to 2% of aluminum silicate, ammonium citrate, ferrocyanide, and dextrose (sugar).

Refined salt has no nutritional value and should be avoided.

Unrefined Sea Salt is 33% sodium, 50% chloride, minerals 2% (a combination of over 80 minerals), and moisture 14.3%.

Salt is one of the most important nutrients for your body.  Here are some of the important benefits derived from unrefined sea salt:

• Alkalinizing agent (raises the pH of the body)
• Balances blood sugar
• Helps relax the body for sleep
• Improves brain function
• Prevents varicose veins
• Prevents osteoporosis
• Regulates blood pressure (if adequately hydrated)

For more information on the benefits of unrefined salt, I refer you to the book “Salt Your Way to Health”,  Medical Alternatives Press: Phone 888-647-5616.

There are many sources of healthy sea salt available:

• Bali Sea Salt
• Celtic Sea Salt from Brittany, France
• Eden Sea Salt, from France
• Helen Mon Pure Sea Salt, from Britain
• Hawaiian Red Alaea Salt
• Himalayan Crystal Salt
• Krystal Salt, from the Himalayas
• Real Salt, from Utah

The brand I prefer and use is “Real Salt” from Utah.  This is the salt we use at home for seasoning and cooking.  I also carry a small bottle of Real Salt with me when I go to eat at a restaurant.

I avoid eating packaged processed foods and do not go to fast food restaurants thereby minimizing my exposure to refined salt.  Try it, your body will love it.

Be good to your body and it will be good to you.  Take charge of your health and live longer!

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2011 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Canola Oil a.k.a Rape Seed Oil

For a long time, I have been telling people to avoid canola oil at all costs.

Some people took this advice seriously and others did not.  Some people totally disagreed with my advice while extolling the virtues of canola oil as a very healthy fat which only demonstrated how successful the canola industry has been in selling this poison to the public.

Twenty-five years ago the FDA banned the use of canola oil in infant formulas.  The FDA knew back then that canola was bad for babies and now it is suddenly ok for everyone else.  Why was it banned?  Because canola oil very effectively retards growth!

Animal studies proved that canola oil depleted vitamin E and increased the rigidity of membranes, which is a major factor in causing accelerated aging as well as being a trigger for degenerative disease.  Lipitor™ , many other drugs, as well as phthalates from plastic water bottles, also deplete vitamin E, a critical nutrient.

The depletion of E will cause chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes since more and more people are ingesting canola oil in processed foods, baked goods, salad dressing, fried foods, and candies.

Almost every place you turn today you will find canola oil, so aggressive and successful is their marketing.

In the U.S. and Canada, no human studies have ever been conducted with canola oil.

Canada does not want these studies as it is their largest export product.  Canola oil is Canada oil.

In the U.S. there are no human studies as the sale of canola oil is enormously profitable, and is used in  huge quantities that no one wants to upset this profitable apple cart.  Certainly not our government who is more concerned in boosting corporate profits then in protecting its citizens’ health.

This is all about money.  It is corporate greed and political greed.   It’s about money that is being funneled by these corporations to congressional representatives for the benefit of their political campaigns, and to government agency employees who enjoy being wined and dined by powerful canola oil lobbying organizations.

Studies in other countries with actual humans showed that canola oil caused damage.  In the U.S., some animal studies with canola oil shortened life spans and in others it reduced blood platelet count and increased the size of the platelets.  Healthy platelets are crucial to blood clotting, inflammation, cancer, and osteoporosis.  It is their role to help prevent, stroke, heart attack, metastases, etc.

Canola oil increases bleeding time by damaging platelets.  It raises the nervonic acid level which can be toxic to the brain.  Canola oil contains traces of sulfur compounds that no one knows anything about.  Canola oil contains small amounts of erucic acid which is known to be very damaging to the heart and toxic to other tissues.

This is why rape seed, from which the oil is extracted, was genetically modified in order to make canola oil; rape seed oil contained 20% erucic acid.  Problem is, the genetically engineered seeds do not get rid of all the erucic acid.  The new GE seeds still contain 1.2% erucic acid, a level that is damaging, and the reason the FDA banned its use in infant formulas 25 years ago.

Promoters of canola oil will tout the fact the canola has high levels of the essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6.  What they don’t tell you is that canola oil contains a very high disproportionate amount of omega 6 which is extremely unhealthy.
Canola oil is processed in temperatures exceeding 300°F creating more dangerous trans fats then the hydrogenated oils it replaced.

Here are some key references:

• Enig M, Know Your Fats, Bethesda Press, 2000, The Oiling of America.
• Kramer JKG, et al.  Hematological and lipid changes in newborn piglets milk-replacer diets containing erucic acid. Lipids, 33:1:1-10, 1998
• Innis SM, et al.  Dietary canola oil alters hematological indices and blood lipids in neonatal piglets fed formula, J Nutr, 129:1261-68, 1997
• Sauer FD, et al.  Additional vitamin E required in milk replacer diets that contain canola oil, Nutr Res, 17:2:259-69, 1997.

Live longer —- live healthier.  If it reads “Contains canola oil” on the label, or “May contain canola oil or some other oil”, do your health a favor —- put it back on the shelf, even if it’s cheaper!

Canola oil is a made up name.  There is no canola plant.  The oil comes from the rape seed plant which is an easy crop to grow as insects will not bother the plant.  It’s a natural insecticide!  The erucic acid the plant contains is poison to insects and not too great for humans.  Insects have enough sense to stay away from the plant.  It’s time humans did too.

When humans stop consuming canola oil, the health in this country will soar.

I recently reported that on the world longevity scale, the U.S. was 38th.  I was wrong.  It is 44th.

There is no question in my mind that canola oil has played a big part in helping us acquire that horrendous distinction.

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2011 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

High Fructose Corn Syrup could be named "Corn Sugar"

A rose by any other name is still a rose.  High fructose corn syrup by any other name is still high fructose corn syrup and still a very unhealthy product.

High fructose corn syrup has caused more diabetes and obesity in both children and adults than any other product.

Why the name change?  So the powers to be can deflect the negative press this particular sweetener has received over the years.  It is blatant deception!

By calling it Corn Sugar, they are betting you will think of it as regular sugar or beet sugar and the bad press will be forgotten.

Why is this so important to you? If you have spent any time taking a look at food labels you almost certainly have noticed one particular ingredient listed which appears almost universally in bakery, packaged foods, and soft drinks, and that ingredient is high fructose corn syrup.

High-fructose corn syrup came into wide-spread use in the 1970s, and was given that name to differentiate it from common glucose-containing corn syrup, as outlined by a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

High-fructose corn syrup is manufactured by high temperature chemical processing and utilizing enzymes in order to change the glucose in the corn starch into fructose.

Food, bakery, and soft drink manufacturers buy high fructose corn syrup because it is cheaper than sugar and easier to handle and are not concerned with the negative effective effects this sweetener has on your health.

Unlike fructose from natural sources such as fruit which provide the body with energy, the fructose from high fructose corn syrup does not supply energy as the body is unable to properly metabolize this unnatural form of fructose causing undesirable health effects on the body.

Additionally, the corn used in this process is usually from genetically modified seeds and has been sprayed with pesticides.

To provide more background on this issue I have added a recent Associated Press news article outlined the various issues with regard to the re-naming and is listed below for your review.

Corn syrup producers want sweeter name: corn sugar

The makers of high fructose corn syrup want to sweeten its image with a new name: corn sugar.

The Corn Refiners Association applied Tuesday to the federal government for permission to use the name on food labels. The group hopes a new name will ease confusion about the sweetener, which is used in soft drinks, bread, cereal and other products.
Americans’ consumption of corn syrup has fallen to a 20-year low on consumer concerns that it is more harmful or more likely to cause obesity than ordinary sugar, perceptions for which there is little scientific evidence.

However, some scientists have linked consumption of full-calorie soda — the vast majority of which is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup — to obesity.

The Food and Drug Administration could take two years to decide on the name, but that’s not stopping the industry from using the term now in advertising.

There’s a new online marketing campaign at http://www.cornsugar.com and on television. Two new commercials try to alleviate shopper confusion, showing people who say they now understand that “whether it’s corn sugar or cane sugar, your body can’t tell the difference. Sugar is sugar.”

Renaming products has succeeded before. For example, low eurcic acid rapeseed oil became much more popular after becoming “canola oil” in 1988. Prunes tried to shed a stodgy image by becoming “dried plums” in 2000.

The new name would help people understand the sweetener, said Audrae Erickson, president of the Washington-based group.

“It has been highly disparaged and highly misunderstood,” she said. She declined to say how much the campaign costs. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are nutritionally the same, and there’s no evidence that the sweetener is any worse for the body than sugar, said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The bottom line is people should consume less of all sugars, Jacobson said.

“Soda pop sweetened with sugar is every bit as conducive to obesity as soda pop sweetened with high fructose corn syrup,” he said.

The American Medical Association says there’s not enough evidence yet to restrict the use of high fructose corn syrup, although it wants more research.

Still, Americans increasingly are blaming high fructose corn syrup and avoiding it. First lady Michelle Obama has said she does not want her daughters eating it.

Parents such as Joan Leib scan ingredient labels and will not buy anything with it. The mother of two in Somerville, Mass., has been avoiding the sweetener for about a year to reduce sweeteners in her family’s diet.

“I found it in things that you would never think needed it, or should have it,” said Leib, 36. “I found it in jars of pickles, in English muffins and bread. Why do we need extra sweeteners?”

Many companies are responding by removing it from their products. Last month, Sara Lee switched to sugar in two of its breads. Gatorade, Snapple and Hunt’s Ketchup very publicly switched to sugar in the past two years.

The average American ate 35.7 pounds of high fructose corn syrup last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s down 21 percent from 45.4 pounds 10 years before.

Cane and beet sugar, meanwhile, have hovered around 44 pounds per person per year since the mid-1980s, after falling rapidly in the 1970s, when high fructose corn syrup — a cheaper alternative to sugar — gained favor with soft drink makers. With sales falling in the U.S., the industry is growing in emerging markets like Mexico, and revenue has been steady at $3 billion to $4 billion a year, said Credit Suisse senior analyst Robert Moskow.

There are five manufacturers in the U.S.: Archer Daniels Midland Inc., Corn Products International, Cargill, Roquette America, and Tate & Lyle. Corn refiners say their new name better describes the sweetener. “The name ‘corn sugar’ more accurately reflects the source of the food (corn), identifies the basic nature of the food (a sugar), and discloses the food’s function (a sweetener),” the petition said.

Will shoppers swallow the new name? The public is skeptical, so the move will be met with criticism, said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. “This isn’t all that much different from any of the negative brands trying to embrace new brand names,” he said, adding the change is similar to what ValuJet — whose name was tarnished by a deadly crash in 1996 — did when it bought AirTran’s fleet and took on its name.

“They’re not saying this is a healthy vitamin, or health product,” he said. “They’re just trying to move away from the negative associations.”

So remember…read those food labels!

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2010 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Discover the nutrient benefits of soaking raw almonds!

Discover The Health Benefits of Soaking Almonds

Almonds are considered, by nutritionists, to be the healthiest, most nutritious nuts of all.

Almonds are a rich source of protein containing fiber, omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, and zinc.

Almonds are also difficult to digest because of an enzyme inhibiting substance in their brown coating.

The enzyme inhibitor is there to keep the almond more intact until it is ready to sprout into a tree.

For humans, the inability of the nut to release its enzymes interferes with the digestive process makes digestion more difficult, and creating the loss of nutrient value of the almond.

Solution? Soaking eliminates the problem.

The key to maintaining the nutrient value is to only use almonds that are raw.

The eating and soaking process are practically useless if the almonds are pasteurized or roasted since both processes destroy the almonds healthy enzymes.

No Enzymes — No Digestion!

Unfortunately for us, a recent law requires all almonds grown in the U.S. to be pasteurized.  And yet the USDA still allows these processed almonds to be called raw even though they no longer are.

Don’t be fooled.  The so-called raw almonds found in health food stores are all pasteurized!

The law is weird. Almond farmers can sell raw unpasteurized almonds from roadside stands or mail order but not to food distributors or markets.

Another good source of true raw unpasteurized almonds is imported raw almonds.  You can find them at www.livingnutz.com, (they are reasonably priced) or Google raw almonds on the Internet and several other sources will show up.

All almonds have the protective brown skin which contains the harmful tannic acid and enzyme inhibitors.

Soaking removes harmful tannic acid and enzyme inhibitors making the nuts easy to digest and releasing their full nutritional value.  Soaking also makes the nut softer and easier to chew.

Always chew nuts thoroughly, whether soaked or not. Big chunks of un-chewed nuts can be hard on the digestive tract.

In addition, all nuts contain phytic acid in their outer layer or bran.  Untreated phytic acid can form insoluble or nearly insoluble compounds with many metal ions, including those of calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.  These compounds reduce dietary availability.

Soaking decreases the levels of this phytic acid.

Procedure:

Soak the almonds in cool water and drain the soaked water after 20-40 minutes. Add fresh water and continue the soaking for another 8-12 hours.

Be sure the water covers all the almonds.  Cover the bowl with something breathable like a cloth towel and leave the bowl in a warm place (room temperature).  In the morning you can drain the water and eat them.

Eating 6 soaked almonds in the morning is recommended by many nutritionists.  If you have soaked more nuts than six, refrigerate them after draining and drying on a paper towels.

If you want to continue to sprout them, you can.  They make one of the best sprouts.  Being that the almond skin is potentially irritating to the lining of the stomach and intestines, the almonds should be blanched following the soaking.

To blanch almonds:

• Place the soaked almonds in a saucepan of boiling water for 7 seconds.
• Immediately remove from heat and drain.
• Cover almonds with cold water to cool.
• Press each almond between thumb and forefinger to slip off skin.
• Dry almonds on paper towels.

You can also try blanching them in hot water from your faucet for 15 – 30 seconds.

The same soaking benefits apply to most nuts with a brown skin, but not to nuts with white skin like macadamias or pine nuts.

Taking the time to soak your almonds before eating is always worth the effort.  So be sure you soak them first to obtain the fully enhanced benefits of this power food.

Get your day off to a roaring start.  Add 6 blanched raw almonds to your oatmeal in the morning.

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2010 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Can Asparagus Cure Cancer?

Recently we received a copy of an email that has been floating around the Internet for some time now implying that asparagus cures cancer.

The email introduced the origin of the story and several testimonials from people with claims that asparagus did indeed cure their cancer.

Wow!  That simple?  Asparagus?  So I did my research and lo and behold, there is a basis for their claims.

Although there are no valid scientific studies to back up their claims, there is enough nutritional evidence as to the anti-cancer properties of asparagus that one organization has filed for a grant to begin these studies.

And from all I have read with regard to asparagus and cancer, I would encourage you to eat your asparagus if you have cancer or wish to prevent cancer.

The following is a copy of the email article.  Following that is a biochemist’s explanation of why we should include asparagus as part of our protective arsenal.

THE ARTICLE:
Several years ago, I had a man seeking asparagus for a friend who had cancer. He gave me a photocopied copy  of an article, entitled, Asparagus for cancer ‘printed in Cancer News Journal, December 1979. I will share it here, just as it was shared with me: I am a biochemist, and have specialized in the relation of diet to health or over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned  of the discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that asparagus might cure cancer. Since then, I have worked  with him on his project We have accumulated a numb of favorable case histories. Here are a few examples:

Case No. 1, A man with an almost hopeless case  of Hodgkin’s disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who was completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting the asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to detect any signs of cancer, and he was back on a  schedule of strenuous exercise.

Case No. 2, a successful businessman 68 years old who suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years. After years of medical treatments, including radiation without improvement, he went on asparagus. Within 3 months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumor had disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.

Case No. 3, a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971, he was put on the operating table where they found lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable. The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the Asparagus therapy and immediately started taking it By August, x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had disappeared. He is back at his regular business routine.

Case No. 4, a woman who was troubled for a number of years with skin cancer. She finally developed different skin cancers which were diagnosed by the acting specialist as advanced. Within 3 months after starting on asparagus, her skin specialist said that her skin looked fine and no more skin lesions. This woman reported that the asparagus therapy also cured her kidney disease, which started in 1949. She had over 10 operations for kidney stones, and was receiving government disability payments for an inoperable, terminal, kidney condition. She attributes the cure of this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.

I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of materia medica’, edited in1854 by a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania , stated that asparagus was used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even referred to experiments, in 1739, on the power of asparagus in dissolving stones. Note the dates!  We would have other case histories but the medical establishment has interfered with our obtaining some of the records. I am therefore appealing to readers tospread this good news and help us to gather a large number of case histories that will overwhelm the medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple and natural remedy.

For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked before using, and therefore canned asparagus is just as good as fresh. I have corresponded with the two leading canners of asparagus, Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that these brands contain no pesticides or preservatives.

Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to make a puree, and store in the refrigerator. Give the patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and evening. Patients usually show some improvement in 2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a cold or hot drink.

This suggested dosage is based on present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do no harm and may be needed in some cases. As a biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what cures can prevent.’ Based on this theory, my wife and I have been using asparagus puree as a beverage with our meals. We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to suit our taste with breakfast and with dinner. I take mine hot and my wife prefers hers cold.

For years we have made it a practice to have blood surveys taken as part of our regular checkups. The last blood survey, taken by a medical doctor who specializes in the nutritional approach to health, showed substantial improvements in all categories over the last one, and we can attribute these improvements to nothing but  the asparagus drink.

As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures. As a result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better with the latest theories about cancer.

Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called histones, which are believed to be active in controlling cell growth.. For that reason, I believe asparagus can be said to contain a substance that I call cell growth normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and in acting as a general body tonic. In any event, regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is a harmless substance. The FDA cannot prevent you from using it and it may do you much good. It has been reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, which is considered one of the body’s most potent anti-carcinogens and antioxidants.

In any case, contrary to the impression given above there are no peer-reviewed medical studies proving that eating asparagus alone “prevents” or “cures” cancer.

That’s not to say asparagus offers no cancer-fighting benefits whatsoever — there’s a good chance it does, given that it contains vitamin D, folic acid, and the antioxidant glutathione, all thought to play some role in lowering risk factors for certain cancers.

By all means, eat your asparagus!

Dietary glutathione intake from food sources such as asparagus has been associated with protection against certain forms of cancer in addition to potent anti-viral properties.

Researchers at the Institute for Cancer Prevention found in preliminary studies that asparagus, the food with the highest glutathione concentration, is a potentially effective means of enhancing the body’s defense systems and preventing cancer development.

Tests conducted last year indicate that asparagus from Washington contain 70mg/100g of glutathione, a small protein composed of three amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine which bind to fat-soluble toxins–more than twice the amount in any other common food.

The ICP study, led by Dr. Despina Komninou, will provide the basis for a major grant underwriting to the National Institutes of Health.  Clinic trials will determine if asparagus may be the ultimate disease prevention food.

So there you have it, eat your asparagus!  Not getting breast, prostate, colon, skin, or other cancers is the best cure of all!

To your good health and longevity and an end to cancer!

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2010 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Vitamin D Producing UVB Rays from the Sun

The sun’s rays that shine down upon us are UVA and UVB ultraviolet rays.

But only the UVB rays are vitamin D producing when they hit your skin.

Little known is that everyone living north of 35° latitude will get no UVB rays between the months of November through March because of the angle of the sun.

To give you some prospective, New York City, NY is in 40° latitude and Flagstaff, AZ is in 35° latitude.  Fully two/thirds of the U.S and all of Canada are above the 35° latitude mark.

As a further reference, the equator is at 0° latitude and gets the benefit of the highest level of the sun’s UVB rays, whereas the North Pole is at 90° latitude and gets the least benefit.

We do not get the same amount of UVB rays year round. As the seasons change, so does the angle of the sun’s rays.

In the summer, with the sun directly overhead, we get the maximum number of UVB rays.  As the season moves toward winter, we get fewer and fewer rays and in the winter, if you live in 35° latitude and above, you will get no UVB rays at all.

To make matters even worse, members of the medical profession, on advice of dermatologists, warned of malignant skin cancer from exposure to sun light.

Their advice was to cover up and load up on sun-block when you are in the sun.

For fear of getting skin cancer, most people today stay in the shade, cover up with protective clothing when they are in the sun and coat the exposed parts of their body with sun-block.

This guarantees that no UVB rays will ever penetrate their skin.

Result:  The world is full of sick people due to rampant deficiencies of Vitamin D-3.

Dark and Black Skinned People —- Pay Attention!

The melanin (color) content in your skin plays an important role in vitamin D deficiency.  The darker your skin, the more melanin content your skin has and the less vitamin D your body will produce with sun exposure.

People with dark or black skin are, therefore, at greater risk.  It is harder for them to produce vitamin D-3 in their skin.

People who have dark or black skin need up to 10 times the amount of sun than light-skinned people need to absorb vitamin D in their skin.  Many scientific studies have shown that black skinned people have staggering rates of vitamin D deficiency which seriously impacts their health.

FACT:  Vitamin D-3 is a hormone and not a vitamin.  It impacts 32 organs in your body as well as tissues and cells.  It also seriously impacts your heart and bones.

FACT:  Science has proven that vitamin D-3 impacts 105 different diseases and conditions of the body.

FACT:  Dermatologist’s warnings against exposing ourselves to the sun led to a huge increase in the use of sun-block.  Skin cancer has increased more than 3 fold since that announcement.

FACT:  Sun-block can block the sun’s health producing UVB vitamin D rays.

FACT:  Sun-block cannot block the sun’s cancer producing UVA rays that can occur through long exposure.

FACT:  Science has proven conclusively through a multitude of tests that we need Vitamin D-3 to prevent a whole host of cancers! And very specifically, cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate!

FACT:  400 IU a day of vitamin D-3 will prevent Rickets (a deformity of the bones).  That is where the government’s %DV (Daily Value) came from.

FACT:  Science has proven that the government’s %DV recommendation is far too low to prevent cancer, respiratory diseases, MS, other auto-immune, heart diseases,and osteoporosis, etc.  According to science, the minimum daily need for adults is 5000 IU to 10,000 IU of vitamin D-3 to maintain good health.

FACT:  Air pollution can dramatically block the healthy UVB sun rays from reaching us.

FACT:  Cloud cover can cut healthy UVB rays by 50%.

FACT: The best time of day to get the most UVB rays from the sun is between 10am to 2pm.

FACT:  Sitting in front of a window with full sunshine will give you no vitamin D benefit.  Vitamin D forming UVB rays do not penetrate glass.  Only UVA rays can penetrate glass.

FACT:  You cannot eat enough fish, eggs, or fortified cereals to get adequate—let alone optimal—amounts of vitamin D-3.

Vitamin D in food is inadequate to reap health benefits.   The best source of vitamin D-3 today is supplementation.

Our lifestyles limit our exposure to the sun even in the months UVB rays are available to us.  Most of our activities are indoors.

Work, TV, play, computers, etc.  Most people still fear skin cancer and will continue to cover up and use sun-block.  Even in countries close to 0° latitude people are vitamin D-3 deficient because they cover up.

The following list of vitamin D content in food is from the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements:

•    Cod-liver oil, 1 tablespoon.                1,360 IU
•    Salmon, cooked, 3.5 ounces                    360 IU
•    Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 ounces                    345 IU
•    Tuna fish, canned in oil, 3 ounces                200 IU
•    Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 ounces            250 IU
•    Milk, nonfat, low fat and whole.  D fortified.  1 cup         98  IU
•    Ready to eat cereal.  Fortified 10% daily RDA for D         40  IU
•    Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces.                                          15  IU
•    Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D found in yolk)                 20  IU
•    Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce.                                              12 IU

Now that I pointed out the many pitfalls you face in acquiring and maintaining optimal levels of life sustaining vitamin D-3, it gives me pleasure to present you with the Easy Solution to a Huge Health Problem.

Just take our inexpensive liquid Mirimmune Super D-3 @10,000 IU per dropper squeese.

It will charge up your body and raise your immune system to optimum levels as you smile the smile of good health throughout life!

It’s all about nutrition and it’s there for the taking.

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2010 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.

Magnesium and Vitamin D-3 Connection

Vitamin D deficiency, the cause of probably 60% of the diseases in the U.S. and the world today, is a bit more complicated than appears on the surface.

Most people believe that just taking a vitamin D-3 supplement will eliminate their deficiency in two to three months by raising their D-3 levels to “normal”, and expect all of their health problems to disappear.

That’s the quick fix syndrome, and I wish it were so.

You can improve the quality of your health by just taking a vitamin D supplement, but better still, by taking care to include the other missing ingredient in your diet, the mineral magnesium, you can really raise your overall health and the quality of your life.

The inclusion of these magnesium laden healthy and tasty raw vegetables in your diet will result in turning a small health correction into a full blown shot-in-the-arm!  This can positively impact your longevity.  The supporting science is well documented.

Magnesium is the key factor in converting vitamin D-3 into 1,25D₃ the only form of vitamin D the body can use.

Magnesium from supplements does not work well because the body has a difficult time  metabolizing minerals that are not combined with food.

As such, magnesium laden vegetables are the simplest, easiest, and most efficient way for the body to build up a sufficient store of magnesium to meet the body’s various every day needs.

Having a deficiency of magnesium is not only harmful to the body, it is wasteful; your body will not be able to convert all of the vitamin D-3 you are getting, from supplements or sun, into its useable form.

Like so many North Americans:
•    You are probably eating too many grains and cheese,
•    You are not getting enough magnesium-rich foods.

Whole grains ARE healthy to eat, but not too much of them.

Grains, like cheese, are acid forming, especially soft cheeses.

So too are meat and fish, pasteurized fruit drinks, most processed foods, fast foods, sodas, coffee, tea, and power drinks.

Are you asking yourself “So What”? What has acidity got to do with vitamin D and magnesium? A whole lot!

Let me explain.

Think of how meat tenderizer works.  You pick up a cheaper cut of beef from your local butcher.  You know it’s tough, so you coat it with meat tenderizer and let it sit.

When you think it is ready, you broil it or whatever, and it is tender as can be.
What happened?  The highly acidic meat tenderizer attacked the tough sinews between the cells tenderizing the beef to the extent that you can cut it with a fork.

The acid tenderizer is so effective, if you left it on the beef long enough, the beef would dissolve and disintegrate.

The same would happen to your organs if the acid from acid forming foods you eat were not neutralized with the minerals magnesium, potassium or calcium, which are alkaline.

One of your body’s highest priorities is to protect your organs from destruction.

If you do not give your body enough alkaline forming foods to provide your body with sufficient neutralizing alkaline minerals, your body will strip the minerals from your bones and muscles in order to protect the organs from destruction.

If the acid content of your body is overwhelming, and your body cannot supply enough minerals to neutralize the acid, your body will then encapsulate the acid molecules in fat cells and keep them encapsulated until it builds up excess alkali.

Only then will your body release and neutralize the excess acid it has been storing to protect itself.  One of the side effects of storing acid in fat cells usually results in weightgain or obese.

Why am I telling you this?

Because the more acid there is in your body, the more magnesium, potassium and calcium your body will need to neutralize all the acid.

You need to know that your body is desperate to neutralize this acid and will take these minerals from anywhere it can get them.

This action is vital to your very existence!

Osteoporosis, which is so common today, is a result of your body stripping minerals from your bones creating holes in them and making them brittle.

Another result could be the softening of your bones called osteomalacia which will dangerously weaken your skeletal structure.

To make matters even worse, fewer minerals would be available for other vitally essential uses in your body as your body’s first priority is neutralizing its excess acid.

A prime example being the need for magnesium to convert the vitamin D-3 into the active form, (1,25D₃), which is the only form of D the body can use.

You cannot make up a magnesium deficiency by taking more vitamin D-3.  If the D-3 is not converted, your body cannot use it.

Here are some of the problems you may encounter if your magnesium level is low:

•    Your body will have trouble converting Vitamin D into the form it can use to create its amazing benefits.
•    Your body won’t be able to produce ATP (cells power engine)
•    Your body will decrease expression of Vitamin D receptors which impairs receptor signaling.  Poor signaling interferes with the normal workings of bodily functions.
•    Your body will limit the use of what calcium and magnesium is available.  Suppress the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin, hormones that help regulate the metabolism of calcium and magnesium.
•    Your body will compromise the activity of enzymes that regulate your membrane mineral pumps that are vital in keeping potassium inside the cell and sodium outside the cell as well as performing other functions.
•    Your body needs magnesium for more than 300 enzymatic reactions.
•    Your body loses much needed potassium and calcium via your urine.

That is a long list of nasty happenings, but not a complete one.  These will have long term nasty effects on your health.

Magnesium is an antacid.  You need antacids in your body —- magnesium, potassium and calcium—-the kind that come from food, not drugs, to neutralize acid waste.

The more antacids you make available in your diet the less you have to take from your body stores (bones and muscles).

The purple pill, Tums, and other over-the-counter antacids are not the solution!

These are just chemicals that will neutralize the acid in your stomach, disrupt the digestive process and minimize your body’s ability to extract much needed nutrients from the food you eat.

To get enough magnesium in your diet so that your vitamin D functions properly, and to facilitate all important enzymatic reactions, you must eat magnesium rich foods to balance the acid-base in your diet to reduce the loss of magnesium and other alkaline buffers in your urine.

Here’s is what I suggest:

•    Eat lots of fruits and magnesium rich vegetables such as spinach, bok choy, kale, collard greens, and Swiss chard.  Mix them in with your organic salad greens.
•    Have at least one banana a day.
•    Eat a hand full of nuts a day.  Ten to twelve.
•    Minimize eating cheese and especially do not eat processed cheese.
•    Don’t use processed salt.  Use only sea salt.
•    Avoid fast foods, all processed foods, and pasteurized orange, grapefruit and other juices.
•    Eliminate soda and power drinks from your diet and minimize the intake of coffee.
•    Eat only lean meat and or wild fish and free range chicken.
•    Eat as much organic as you can.

Your body is a highly complex marvel of functionality.  It requires you to understand and provide what it needs to keep it functioning at its peak to allow you to live the vibrant healthy life that is available to you, just for the taking.

Don’t be like the average Joe who knows more about, and spends more on, his car then he does his body.

Take your vitamin D-3 and make sure you eat enough magnesium rich foods.

Supplements alone will not do the job.  Your body works best in an alkaline state, pH 7.3, so do your best to keep it there!  Increase your intake of magnesium rich vegetables.

Help us at Good Health Supplements solve the country’s health care problems —– follow our advice and ——- STAY HEALTHY!

To your good heath & longevity.

Ira Marxe
“The Good Health & Wellness Guy”

Copyrighted © 2010 – All Rights Reserved

Note: Good Health Supplements are dietary supplements and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals as necessary on any matter relating to their health and well-being. Individual results will vary and statements mentioned are anecdotal and may not represent typical results.