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.

New USDA MyPlate Food Guidelines Image

The new federal government’s evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity is a giant step forward with the new MyPlate from the Food Pyramid it has been promoting for the last five years which has been responsible for too much of the obesity and disease in our children and adults alike.

This shift has come about thanks to such organizations as Organic Consumers Organization, Center for Science in the Public Interest, and the Environmental Working Group, all in spite of the vast multi-million dollar lobbying campaign to protect the Food Pyramid by major food processing corporations.

Our government was forced to face the fact that more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States were overweight or obese, and that we are the sickliest developed country in the world!

As a result, the 7th edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption, placing a heavier emphasis on vegetables and fruits, and increasing physical activity. The new guidelines promote a shift in food intake patterns to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, seafood, fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products, and only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry, and eggs.

Although our government has made a giant leap in admitting that obesity and disease are food based, it still bends to the will of the food processing and corporate farm industries.  Both the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Health and Human Services, who jointly approved the new food guidelines, tell you, as a concession to the food processing industry, to minimize your intake of trans-fats instead of telling you never to eat any trans-fats.  For good health, there can be no allowable level; trans-fats should be banned here as it is in other countries.

The government conveniently says nothing about the thousands of chemical additives and synthetic food coloring they allow food processors to use without having to list these additives on their labels. Many of these additives unfortunately are carcinogenic and/or promote obesity and poor health.

In addition, our government speaks nothing about the highly carcinogenic chemical pesticides and herbicides being used on the crops grown by the large corporate farms and sold in your local food market. (That is why we tell you to eat as much organic as you can.)

The following is a statement from our Secretary of Agriculture:

“The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children are overweight or obese and this is a crisis we can no longer ignore,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement released with the new guidelines. “These new and improved dietary recommendations give individuals the information to make thoughtful choices of healthier foods in the right portions and to complement those choices with physical activity. The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country.”

The new guidelines include 23 specific recommendations for the general population and six recommendations for specific groups such as pregnant women.

Among the recommendations are:

• No one should consume more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day. Those who are age 51 or older and those who are African American or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams per day. This second group accounts for about half the U.S. population.
• Everyone should consume less than 10 percent of their calories from saturated fats by replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
• Everyone should consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
• Minimize trans fatty acid consumption by limiting foods that contain synthetic trans fats, such as partially hydrogenated oils.
• Reduce calories from solid fats and sugars added to food.
• Alcohol should be consumed only in moderation, which means up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. A good rule of thumb is that half the food on your plate should be fruits and vegetables.
• Consume more fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as yogurt and cheese.
• Consume more seafood and replace some meat and poultry with seafood. Breastfeeding women should consume 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week from a variety of seafood types. But breast-feeding women should limit their intake of white tuna to 6 ounces per week because of its high mercury content and not eat tilefish, shark, swordfish and king mackerel at all for the same reason.

“Helping Americans incorporate these guidelines into their everyday lives is important to improving the overall health of the American people,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a written statement. “The new Dietary Guidelines provide concrete action steps to help people live healthier, more physically active and longer lives.”

It is sad to think that the above guidelines have taken many months of work, millions of dollars, and hundreds of hours, and we still do not have a food program from our government that will truly insure your total health program.

Actually, the guidelines to good health are very simple.

• Eat as much organic as you can.
• Do not eat any processed food.
• Never eat the food in fast food restaurants.
• Minimize your intake of sugar and never eat artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup or syrups high in fructose such as agave syrup.
• Drink lots of filtered plain water.  Say no to soda or power drinks.  Drink no bottled “supposedly better” water unless nothing else is available.  Bottled water packaged in plastic bottles are generally unhealthy to drink.  You are better off with filtered tap water.
• Do not eat anything white.  No white flower, white pasta nor white rice.
• Eat whole grain bread, pasta, and brown rice.
• Do not eat farmed fish such as Atlantic salmon for example.  Eat wild fish.
• Eat lots of mixed greens.  About 70% of your diet should be raw.
• Eat grass fed beef whenever possible, free range chicken and eggs.
• Cooked vegetables should be steamed and no longer than 4 to 5 minutes or you destroy their enzymes.
• Eat beans (soak them overnight and they will be less gassy) peas and raw nuts.
• Eat lots of raw fruit.  Mostly organic if possible.
• Buckwheat pancakes are a good treat and so is steel cut oats for oatmeal.
• Packaged ready-to-eat cereals are a no-no.  They are bad foods!
• Drinking a cup or two of coffee is ok.  Work to get organic fair traded coffee.
• Having an alcoholic drink is ok, but no more than 2 for men or one for women in any single day.

With today’s food supply, getting the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, phytochemicals, and fatty acids is almost impossible, and in many areas around the country, totally impossible.  That is why we are now distributing reasonably priced organic SweetWheat® to fill in that deep hole of nutrient deficiency.

SweetWheat® will give you all 105 vitamins and minerals known to man, and an abundance of phytonutrients and amino acids.  People allergic to wheat can eat Sweet Wheat as it contains no glutton.

Go to our web site at www.GoodHealthSupplements.com for more information and to purchase and give yourself a real health and energy boost!

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.

Agave plant used to make Agave Syrup

Warning!  You’re Being Had!

It never ends. You know how bad High Fructose Corn Syrup is and how we have been blindsided by clever marketing into thinking HFCS is a healthy sweetener.

Well once again we are being blindsided by the clever marketing of a new so called “natural” sweetener implying it is a safe substitute for High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Science has proven conclusively that High Fructose Corn Syrup is a major cause of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease because of its 56% high fructose content.

This new so called “natural” sweetener is from the agave plant.  Ferment it and you have Mexico’s favorite alcoholic beverage — tequila.

Blue agave, agave “syrup”, or agave “nectar”, is nothing more than a laboratory generated super-condensed fructose syrup devoid of all nutrient value and offering metabolic misfortune.

Agave syrup is much worse than the High Fructose Corn Syrup it’s replacing.

It has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener —- 70% to 97% depending on the brand.

Your body burns glucose for energy, not fructose.  Nearly all of the fructose is  broken down by your liver and directly converted to dangerous fats, not energy.

This is why fructose is the leading cause of obesity.

It is important to understand that fructose from fruits and vegetables are a completely different animal.

Natural fructose contains fiber, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, whereas fructose sweeteners have no nutritional value at all.

Here are some more menacing facts about synthetic fructose like HFCS:

• Fructose elevates your uric acid level.  This is more dangerous than elevated cholesterol levels as it causes chronic low-level inflammation increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, arthritis and premature aging.
• Fructose “tricks” your body into gaining weight by fooling your metabolism.  It actually impairs your body’s normal appetite-control system.
• Excessive fructose decreases HDL, increases LDL levels, elevates triglycerides, elevates blood sugar, and raises your blood pressure.  This is classic metabolic syndrome.

Let me be clear that small amounts of fructose are not the problem, it is excess fructose, over 25 grams per day, that is the problem, and the average person consumes at least 70 grams of fructose per day.

Despite manufacturer’s claims, agave syrup is not made from the sap of the agave plant as is maple syrup.  Agave syrup is made from the starch of its pineapple like root bulb.

The root is comprised mainly of starch, similar to corn, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of fructose molecules.

The process in which the starch and inulin are converted into agave syrup it very similar to the way cornstarch is converted to High Fructose Corn Syrup.

The process uses genetically modified enzymes and is chemically intensive involving caustic acids, clarifiers, and filtration chemicals.

Here is a partial list of the chemicals involved:

• Activated charcoal
• Cationic and ionic resins
• Sulfuric and/or hydrofluoric acid
• Dicalite
• Clarimex
• Inulin enzymes
• Fructozyme

The public has been deceived into thinking that agave syrup comes from the pure sap of the agave plant just like maple syrup comes from the sap of the maple tree.

The result of this deception is the strong growth of sales of agave syrup to the public, bakers, and food processors.

This deception needs to be exposed and the purchase of agave syrup by consumers and food companies needs to be stopped or the health of millions of people will go down the drain.

Personally, we too were deceived.  We bought agave syrup thinking it was a safe substitute for maple syrup and other sweeteners as we do not use any products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup.

When we uncovered the fraud, we dumped our agave syrup down the drain, as should you.

We all need to help protect the health of our families, friends, and neighbors.  Pass on this information because when it comes to health, we need to help ourselves.

Don’t look to our government, FDA, USDA, or medical doctors for help.

Unfortunately, the very people who should be helping us, are the very ones who are causing the greatest damage to our health.

You need to take charge of your own health.  Don’t buy products containing High Fructose Corn Syrup and do not buy agave syrups or any products containing agave syrups.

Our only defense is to boycott those food processors as their only goal is to make money and could care less if they poison our bodies along the way.

The only way to beat them is by withholding our dollars.  It catches their attention in a hurry, making them sit up and listen.

For a long time I have been warning you about the dangers to your health of ingesting High Fructose Corn Syrup.

More and more studies have proven the folly of consuming products that contain HFCS to the extent that some of our major food processors are finally paying attention and switching away from HFCS as their sweetener of choice.

Pepsi-Cola being one of them.  But, if they switch to agave syrup, we will be worse off when using their products.  I use Pepsi-Cola as an example but no one should be drinking soda! Period!

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.