Sugar and Salt Infiltrate “Healthy” Snacks
March 15, 2010
Natural News
By David Gutierrez
Many children’s snacks marketed as healthy alternatives are actually full of unhealthy ingredients like sugar, salt and fat, according to an analysis conducted by the consumer watchdog organization Which?.
“Parents should be able to pick out healthy products for their kids’ lunchboxes, but what you see isn’t always what you get,” said the group’s Martyn Hocking.
“Many [products] declare that they don’t contain additives, but don’t mention they’re also full of salt or sugar – giving the impression they’re healthier than they are,” the report reads.
For example, while Dairylea Lunchables Ham ‘n’ Cheese Crackers are advertised as providing half of the recommended daily calcium for a child, nowhere on the label or in promotional materials does the company acknowledge that the product is high in fat, saturated fat and salt — containing 1.8 grams of the maximum daily recommended 3 grams of the latter.
The report also singles out Kellogg’s Frosties Cereal and Milk bars, which the company promotes by saying, “”Fortified with vitamins, iron and calcium, now you can give your kids a great tasting snack that you can be sure won’t come back from school in the lunchbox!” Yet the company does not explain that the bars contain seven different sugar ingredients and thus are nearly one-third sugar by weight.
Other supposedly healthy products that are actually high in sugar include Robinson’s Fruit Shoot orange juice drinks, with nearly five teaspoons (23 grams) or sugar in a single 200 milliliter bottle; Fruit Factory fruit strings, with 13.7 grams of sugar in a 24 gram product; and Munch Bunch Double Up fromage frais, which contain only 2.25 grams of fruit puree but more than two teaspoons (12.4 grams) of sugar.
“The best way to beat the lunchbox baddies is by checking the nutrition and ingredient information,” Hocking said. “We’d also like to see the rules on health and nutrition claims made tougher, so there’s less confusion on the supermarket shelves.”
Click here for the full report
PPI Drugs for Acid Reflux Have Side Effects
December 7, 2009
Natural News
By E. Huff
A new commentary published in the November, 2009 issue of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Survery warns doctors to be cautious when prescribing proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), drugs commonly recommended for reflux diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Research is revealing that acid is not the only contributor to reflux diseases and that PPIs are not always an effective treatment.
PPIs come with a slew of negative side effects that include inhibited calcium absorption that can lead to hip fractures, alteration of the gastric pH levels that can negatively affect vitamin B12 and iron assimilation, and increased propensity to develop certain types of diarrhea and pneumonia. For these reasons, researchers are urging doctors to carefully monitor patients prescribed these drugs.
In the past 20 years, there has been a four-fold increase in the number of people in Western countries seeking medical help for their reflux symptoms. As a result, there has been a corresponding increase in the volume of PPIs being administered despite the fact that they may often be causing more harm than good.
The study authors are encouraging doctors to weigh the pros and cons and carefully consider whether PPIs are necessary before prescribing them so freely. They implore doctors to consider venturing towards a more holistic approach in which dietary modifications and lifestyle changes are prescribed rather than drugs.
Mainstream medicine claims ignorance about the causes of acid reflux but it is increasingly clear that the over-processed, nutrient-deficient Western diet is to blame for the rapid increase in acid reflux problems among the population. For this reason, it is wise advice to consider a dietary reformation in response to acid reflux symptoms.
Regular intake of probiotic-forming foods like kefir, fermented fruits and vegetables, raw milk, yogurt, kombucha, and probiotic supplements will help tremendously in balancing the digestive system and eliminating the problems of over-acidity. Reducing carbohydrate intake while increasing intake of other foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, and grass-fed meats may help to eliminate the symptoms of acid reflux as well.
Many people have had great success treating acid reflux symptoms with apple cider vinegar. Highly inexpensive and incredibly alkaline-forming, apple cider vinegar is an excellent addition to one’s daily health regimen. Keeping digestive enzyme supplements on hand for use as needed is another great option; they work great in a pinch and will not damage the body like PPIs do.
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Car Brakes can Emmit Harmful Fumes
November 23, 2009
BioMed Central
By Graeme Baldwin
Particles from car brakes harm lung cells
Real-life particles released by car brake pads can harm lung cells in vitro. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology found that heavy braking, as in an emergency stop, caused the most damage, but normal breaking and even close proximity to a disengaged brake resulted in potentially dangerous cellular stress.
Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser and Peter Gehr from the University of Bern, Switzerland, and Michael Riediker from the Institute for Work and Health, Lausanne, Switzerland, worked with a team of researchers to study the effects of brake particles on cultured lung cells placed in a chamber close to the axle of a car. They said, “Brake wear contributes up to 20% of total traffic emissions, but the health effects of brake particles remain largely unstudied. We’ve found that the metals in brake wear particles can damage junctions between cells by a mechanism involving oxidative stress”.
The teams’ analysis revealed that brake wear particles contain considerable amounts of iron, copper and organic carbon. Exposure to these pollutants caused increased signs of oxidative stress and inflammation in the cells, and hard braking caused most exposure. Interestingly, some exposure still occurred even when the brakes were not being applied, presumably due to residual brake particles coming off the turning axle and the braking system.
A direct comparison to other (model) particles known to cause these stress effects in vitro was not done, so comparative statements cannot yet be made. The researchers hope that future studies will be able to determine exactly which components are involved in each cell-stress pathway. According to Rothen-Rutishauser and Riediker, “Just as for exhaust particles, efforts to diminish brake particle emissions will lead to an improved ambient air quality and so could provide better protection of human health”.
Click here for the full report
Chlorophyll: The Natural Way to Fresh Breath
October 16, 2009
Natural News
By Mike Adams
Forget about breath mints. You can never take enough to cover halitosis if your breath really smells bad. The only real way to get rid of bad breath is to solve the problem internally.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to do that: Chlorophyll. It’s Mother Nature’s amazing green cleaning machine, and the more you take, the cleaner you get.
Here, we bring you a collection of supporting quotes about chlorophyll and halitosis (bad breath) from some of the best-known natural health authors in the industry. You’ll learn not only why chlorophyll works so well, but also the best sources for getting some.
Of course, if you don’t have time to read this, there’s always mouthwash…
Chlorophyll eliminates bad breath
Taken from the green pigment in plants, chlorophyll is very similar in chemical structure to human hemoglobin. The difference is that where hemoglobin contains iron, chlorophyll contains magnesium. One of the reasons people drink wheat grass, alfalfa, barley, or spirulina is that these plants contain very high concentrations of chlorophyll and can help to “purify” or cleanse toxins from the bloodstream. Do you remember the chlorophyll gum that was recommended to improve bad breath? Bad breath is usually a sign of a toxic colon, and chlorophyll helps to remove the toxins.
- Stop Your Cravings: A Balanced Approach to Burning Fat, Increasing Energy, and Reducing Stress by Jennifer Workman
The green pigment known as chlorophyll does more than keep our world green. When it comes to human health, chlorophyll is an antibacterial and an anti-inflammatory. Chlorophyll is used to promote wound healing, promote new tissue growth, relieve gas and bloating, and prevent gallstones. Perhaps chlorophyll is best known for its ability to eliminate bad breath. Typical dosage: 1 teaspoon powder or three 100 mg tablets after each meal.
