9 Food Label Lies

February 26, 2010

Mercola

Dr. Mercola

The healthiest food often has the least marketing muscle behind it. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published a comprehensive report on the subject, a persuasive indictment called “Food Labeling Chaos.”

Here are nine of the most common ways food labels lie, so you can prepare before your next trip to the grocery store.

“Made With Whole Grains”

Unbleached wheat flour is still the main ingredient; whole wheat flour is further down on the list, indicating that the product contains relatively little. One truth — the presence of whole grains — masks another; that whole grains make up an insignificant portion of the food.

Another factor to keep in mind is the presence of potassium bromate, a dough conditioner found in commercial bakery products and some flours, which is a major, but hidden cause of thyroid dysfunction. This ingredient may be used even in whole grain breads. For more information, please review this previous article.

Ingredients

Even if the first ingredient listed isn’t sugar, the product may contain more sugar than anything else. How is it possible? Just add up all the sugars that go by different names, such as sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and white grape juice concentrate.

Serving Size

There are 2.5 official servings in a 20 ounce soda bottles, meaning that 100 calories per “serving” is really 240 calories per bottle.

Omega 3

Everyone knows omega-3 fats are healthy, but that doesn’t mean every product emblazoned with the word is a healthy source of it. The FDA allows certain foods that are rich in two of the omega-3 fats to advertise that they can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, but only if they’re also low in saturated fats or other risk factors. Which is why some unhealthy foods use a bit of marketing misdirection: the packaging has the word “omega-3,” but nothing specifically about heart health.

“Made With Real Fruit”

Usually the only thing approximating fruit is concentrate (sugar). If you want real fruit, buy real fruit. If you want candy, buy candy.

“0 Trans Fat”

Many reformulated foods are basically just as bad, but they scream one truth: “0 trans fats!” to obscure another: “still bad for your heart!”

“Free Range Eggs”

This means chickens must be granted the luxury of exactly five minutes of “access” to the outdoors every day. Those eggs you buy may have been raised ethically, with room enough for hens to roam the yard. But there’s no guarantee in the “free range” label.

Fiber

The fibers advertised in many foods are mainly “purified powders” called inulin, polydextrose and maltodextrin. These “isolated” unnatural fibers are unlikely to lower blood cholesterol or blood sugar, as other fibers can.

Tastes Like Medicine!

The FDA allows food manufacturers to make certain pre-approved “qualified health claims” about the health benefits of nutrients in food. But marketers have stretched this inch into a long mile. For instance, food makers can’t say that their product “helps reduce the risk of heart disease” without FDA approval, so they say that it “helps maintain a healthy heart.”

That’s why several public health groups, including the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society, have voiced concern about this trend.

Click here for the full report

Thank you, Kevin Trudeau, for sharing these wonderful resources…

Hi Kevin!

I started the Candida cleanse in the New Year!!!

I am a 32 year old, mother of three children; my youngest being 10 months old. I have hypothyroidism, which I have had mostly under control with Natural Desiccated Thyroid. I didn’t get back to the gym until my baby was 6 months old, but it still took about 3 months of regular exercise before I saw a pants size drop and I was still not seeing much weight drop.

I had attempted this cleanse after my second child with a sharp weight drop, even though I only followed it for a couple of weeks. However, I was motivated to see if it could not only help with the weight, but help with the thyroid issue. I would love to get off medication!

Except for a couple of days where I caved in to some baking (kids kitchen activities) and for which I felt terrible afterwards, I have been following the food regimen, have managed to get to a sauna or hot bath almost everyday, and still regular exercise at the gym 3-5 times a week. I should be drinking more water, but being a busy mum of 3 kids, I can’t count how many cups of herbal tea have been left to go cold because of little sidetracks!

Still, the results after 25 days:
I have dropped 10lbs (155 – 145lbs)
I am no longer constipated (which I had always attributed to a thyroid symptom)
I have so much more energy
I am so much more alert and can concentrate better.
I am stronger with my exercise.
and yesterday I got into some of my size 10 jeans (at xmas I was just shopping for size 12 jeans)

Getting to the sauna (and gym) is also one of the best mum-time-outs ever!!! De-stress and detoxify!

I am yet to take a blood test to find out about the effect on my thyroid.

Also, I started taking Vitamin D in November and haven’t had a cold or flu ALL WINTER.

It has been such a learning curve to realize how much diet really does affect me. I used to think that I could eat anything and just exercise enough.

With these results, I am so motivated to keep on going and see it through, and I fully expect that by that time, my eating lifestyle will be rather profoundly changed!

Thank you, Kevin Trudeau, for sharing these wonderful resources! It is mind-blowing the amazing effects of what we choose in life. You really are what you eat!

Thanks again!
Jenny Lopez
Healdsburg, CA

Now in Your Drinking Water: Cocaine, Spices, and Hormones

February 1, 2010

Natural News

By E. Huff

A University of Washington research team recently released the results of a study it conducted on contaminant residue in the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State. Various spices, flavorings and other substances are being identified as making their way out of water treatment plants and back into the world’s water supply.

Winter holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas bring extra amounts of cinnamon while chocolate and vanilla are especially popular on the weekends. Likewise, caramel corn residue and waffle-cone pieces are particularly excessive around the Independence Day. The most popular contaminant found in the sound is artificial vanilla flavor which is found at an average of 14 milligrams per liter of water.

Around the world, scientists are finding all sorts of things from pharmaceutical drugs to illegal drugs in water supplies despite rigorous efforts to remove them at water treatment facilities. Piggy-backing a report from last year that found trace levels of pharmaceutical drugs in most U.S. water supplies, this report highlights even further how easily water is being contaminated by various human elements.

While spices and flavorings may not inflict any noticeable harm, the concept that traces of everything flushed end up in the water is what researchers wish to convey. Contaminant byproducts, also known as metabolites, regularly make their way out of water treatment plants back into natural waters. Experts hope that awareness of this will encourage people to be cautious about what they flush and engaged in working toward a solution.

Illegal drugs have become a problem in many water supplies where the residue is toxic to both animals and other humans. A 2008 study found that 92 percent of water samples at a Spanish treatment plant contained trace elements of cocaine. Italy’s longest river, the Po River, is also said to carry daily noticeable levels of the narcotic through its waterways as well as 44 pounds of daily pharmaceutical drugs which are also highly problematic.

Of notable concern is water contaminated by perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel and fireworks that inhibits the uptake of iodine. Iodine is vital for proper thyroid gland function, and without it serious diseases like hypothroidism run rampant. Perchlorate is currently unregulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Current EPA guidelines require that more than 90 known contaminants be removed from water supplies, but the introduction of new chemicals as well as the use of ones that are not completely filtered out are becoming troublesome. Awareness of the issue will hopefully drive the effort to remedy the problem.

Click here for the full report

Non-Stick Pans Linked to Thyroid Disease

January 22, 2010

Reuters

By Tim Pearce

A study by British researchers found that people with high levels of the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their blood have higher rates of thyroid diseases — conditions which affect the body’s metabolism.

PFOA is a common chemical, used in industrial and consumer products including non-stick cooking pans, stain-proof carpet coatings and waterproofing for fabrics.

The study, published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal, did not establish whether PFOA was causing higher levels of thyroid disease.

The researchers said the link might be complex and indirect, and added that their work highlighted a need for further studies of the human health effects of low-level exposures to chemicals like PFOA.

“We need to know what they (these chemicals) are doing,” said Tamara Galloway, a professor of ecotoxicology at Exeter University, who led the research.

Previous studies of people living near sites where PFOA is manufactured have not found an association between exposure to these chemicals and thyroid function, and some other scientists advised caution about drawing conclusions from the study.

INDIRECT LINK?

“Studies like this cannot tell us that the two things are definitely linked,” said Ashley Grossman, professor of neuroendocrinology at Queen Mary, University of London.

“We also don’t know whether this chemical is directly affecting the thyroid. Thyroid disease is often caused by the body’s own immune system attacking the thyroid gland so perhaps this chemical is having some effect on the immune system, rather than directly on the thyroid.”

The thyroid, located in the neck, is a kind of master gland, secreting hormones affecting metabolism. People with low thyroid function may lose hair, gain weight and feel sluggish, while those with overactive thyroids may lose weight and feel their hearts race. Both conditions can be treated.

The British researchers looked at 3966 American adults aged 20 and above whose blood serum was sampled between 1999 and 2006 for PFOA. They found that those with the highest PFOA concentrations (above 5.7 nanograms per milliliter) were more than twice as likely to report current thyroid disease than individuals with the lowest levels (below 4.0ng/ml).

Thyroid diseases are much more common in women than men, but in terms of the link between PFOA and thyroid disease, the researchers found no difference between the sexes.

Galloway and colleagues stressed the need for more work but said their study suggested it is “plausible that the compounds could disrupt binding of thyroid hormones in the blood or alter their metabolism in the liver.”

“This new evidence does not rule out the possibility that having thyroid disease changes the way the body handles PFOA,” they added, and its presence “might also prove to be simply a marker for some other factor associated with thyroid disease.”

Click here for the full report

Prison Food Soy Lawsuit

December 23, 2009

UPI.com

A prison in Danville, Ill., is endangering inmates’ health by serving meals made with soy, nine plaintiffs allege in a federal lawsuit.

The Chicago Tribune said the plaintiffs allege in the U.S. District Court lawsuit the menu items involving soy that are served at the Danville Correctional Center could negatively impact inmates with existing gastrointestinal and thyroid problems, allergies or sensitivities.

The Weston A. Price Foundation, which is helping fund the suit, alleges prison inmates in Illinois are being fed as much as 100 grams of soy protein daily. That offered number is well above the nearly 25 grams a day recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“Never before have we had a large population like this being served such a high level of soy with almost no other choice,” foundation president Sally Fallon said.

The plaintiffs want the court to issue an injunction against the Department of Corrections to stop soy products from being used in prison meals throughout the state. The plaintiffs are also seeking unspecified damages.

The Tribune said the Department of Corrections has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Click here for the full report.

Natural Iodine Prevents Breast Cancer

November 19, 2009

Natural News

By Mike Adams

(NaturalNews) Breast cancer seems to be on everyone’s mind these days: How do you detect it? Prevent it? Reverse it?

Fortunately, preventing breast cancer is easy, and iodine is one of the key nutritional strategies for accomplishing precisely that.

Here, we bring you an extremely informative collection of information about how iodine helps prevent breast cancer. You’ll learn how it works, which different sources of iodine are available today, and which books to read to learn more.

Iodine and breast cancer
Big Pharma has no financial interest in looking at any natural product, including iodine. Q: Does iodine supplementation cause goiter? A: No. Iodine deficiency causes goiter, not iodine supplementation. Medical research has shown this for over 100 years. Q: Does iodine deficiency cause breast cancer? A: Breast cancer is a multi-factorial illness. However, the evidence linking iodine deficiency to breast cancer is overwhelming. Iodine deficiency may not be the sole cause of the epidemic of breast cancer that is plaguing us today, but, it plays a very large role in this illness.
- Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It by David Brownstein, M.D.

The thyroid gland needs approximately 6mg/day of iodine for sufficiency. The breasts need at least 5mg of iodine; that leaves 2mg (13mg-llmg) of iodine for the rest of the body. This 2mg is still well above the RDA (14x the RDA) of 150mcg/day of iodine. Either way, this would explain why the RDA for iodine is inadequate and why it is necessary not only to get your iodine levels evaluated but, more importantly, to supplement with the correct amount and form of iodine. FINAL THOUGHTS The connection between iodine deficiency and breast cancer as well as fibrocystic breast disease is strong.
- Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It by David Brownstein, M.D.

Donnie Yance, a health care provider who works with many women diagnosed with breast cancer, believes that a genetic predisposition to a weak immune system is a very strong risk factor for breast cancer. Iodine and thyroid hormones (both natural and synthetic) generally reduce risk of breast cancer. Max Gerson, M.D., an acclaimed (and controversial) cancer specialist, believed that iodine was critical to the process of countering cancer. Some researchers speculate that the low rate of breast cancer in Japan is due to the iodine-rich diet.
- Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way by Susun S. Weed

At iodine sufficiency, the largest amounts of iodine are found in fat tissue and muscle (striated) tissue. If obesity is present, the body’s need for iodine increases as the fat cells of the body would require more iodine. As previously mentioned, women’s breasts are major sites for iodine storage. Maintaining adequate iodine levels is necessary to ensure an adequately functioning thyroid gland and normal breast architecture. I believe it will also lower the incidence of breast cancer and help women overcome breast cancer.

Click here for the full report

How I Stay Warm During the Cold Season…

If you’re wearing a hat and gloves 24/7, there are things you can do to keep warm besides blasting the heater or wearing wool from head to toe.

How to Stay Warm During the Cold Season

Poor circulation may be one reason why hands and feet get cold, however, it could also be caused by thyroid activity level, kidney and heart disease, anemia, hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, and poor diet. See your doctor to be sure you do not have a medical condition. Then, try some of these ways to increase your circulation and to stay warm:

• Eat warming foods such as miso soup, red meat, whole grains, root vegetables, cayenne pepper and ginger; not ice cream or soft drinks.
• Indulge in heavier foods. Use more oils when sautéing, or dribble some ghee onto your rice or vegetables. Eat cooked rather than raw vegetables and fruit.
• Drink hot teas containing spices such as cinnamon, ginger, pepper and cardamom.
• Take hot baths, which are soothing and warm the body through and through.
• Try acupuncture, which increases circulation by stimulating nerves that relay information to the brain.
• Practice your favorite stress-reduction technique – meditation, yoga, therapy, laughter, and sex….
• Keep moving; your body generates heat as a byproduct when it moves. Get your heart rate up with brisk walks, bicycling or other forms of exercise.
• Use a rebounder or inversion machine to get the blood moving throughout your body. Much of your body heat is circulated via the blood stream, so wiggle those toes and fingers.
• Open blinds on south-facing windows during the day to let in the sun. Bask in it.
• Remember the old water bottle? Pour some boiling water into it, wrap it, and sleep with it at night to stay cozy. For extra warmth, try placing the bottle under your armpits or on the inside of your upper thighs. Your arteries are close to the surface of your skin there, and your blood can gain a little extra heat to circulate. 
• Surprise, surprise – drink plenty of water to keep your machine “well-oiled.” It’s important to keep hydrated, and to use good moisturizing skin products during the cold season as well as the heat of summer. 
• Mix raw, organic honey with some soothing cardamom pods into a cup of hot, boiled milk; light some lovely, natural scented candles; relax and enjoy the warmth.
• Flannel sheets and a thick down comforter make night time extra warm and inviting to snuggle into on even the coldest of nights!

If your house is just too cold, there are new space heating technologies such as convection heat and radiant heat that are worth looking into. A portable radiator-type oil heater uses a lot of power, but not nearly as much as a furnace. Tightening up the house by stopping air leaks, having insulated interior coverings on all windows, putting plastic up on the outside of windows, and putting a “jacket” on the hot water heater, all help. Close the heater vents and shut the doors to unused rooms in your home. Warning: electrical emissions from electric blankets and similar warming devices may be hazardous to your health.

Have a great week,
KT

Using Minerals in Kelp to Treat Thyroid Problems

November 2, 2009

Natural News

By Mike Adams

Goiter is the medical name for the swelling of the thyroid gland and surrounding tissue. The root cause of goiter eludes conventional medicine, but most naturopathic nutritionists agree that in many cases, it’s prompted by a severe imbalance in thyroid function caused by an iodine deficiency.

While individual cases may vary from this pattern (be sure to check with a naturopathic physician before self-treating any thyroid condition), most cases of goiter can be greatly improved or entirely eliminated through nutritional therapies involving iodine. One of the best sources for this important trace mineral is kelp.

Here’s a collection of supporting statements about kelp and goiter as published in top natural health books:

How help (and iodine) helps prevent goiter
Kelp Description: Kelp is a type of sea vegetable that’s rich in iron and several minerals. It is used as a supplement to support thyroid function. Indications: Goiter Hypothyroid Precautions: People with any type of thyroid disease should check with their doctors before supplementing kelp. Dosage: Take 2 to 4 capsules daily, or take as directed on the label or as advised by a health-care professional.
- Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.

You’ve heard of kelp and seaweed, but what about bladder-wrack? That’s the name of the kelp most often used medicinally, a name under which kelp products are often found. Bladderwrack is a tremendous source of iodine, which is essential for a healthy body. In children, a lack of iodine can result in delayed mental development or retardation. In adults, a deficiency of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism, a condition resulting when the thyroid operates at too low a level. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include extreme fatigue and lethargy, weight gain, and development of a goiter.
- Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.

Click here for the full report