Angela Recommends

These are excerpts from another important article by Dr. Mercola.

“HEALTH BOMB #1: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become a modern-day plague. Not only does it contribute to our obesity epidemic, but it has also been linked to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

“Sadly, the average consumption of fructose has doubled between 1980 and 1994. Soft drinks and some fruit drinks are a major source of HFCS, but it is also found in many other products, from crackers to salad dressing.

“Fructose contains zero enzymes, vitamins or minerals — and it leeches micronutrients from your body. It doesn’t metabolize the same as sugar and because it’s often consumed as a liquid, it’s negative effects are multiplied.

“Why is it found in so many products? Because, after air, water, and salt, it’s the cheapest ingredient in the American food chain (and we know how the food industry likes to save money…)

“I’d also urge you to  be on the lookout for HFCS in its many “disguises” — conveniently (for the food industry) labeled as chicory, inulin, iso glucose, glucose-fructose syrup, fruit fructose, and others.

“The number one source of calories in the American diet is from HFCS.

“In my opinion, HFCS is truly the villain of sugars. A chemically-converted, unnatural corn-based sweetener, HFCS can have negative effects on your health. HFCS is positively linked to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

“When you understand how HFCS affects your body, you can appreciate how destructive this substance truly is.

“HFCS does NOT metabolize in the same way sugar does. It is a highly processed product that contains similar amounts of unbound fructose and glucose. Since HFCS is usually consumed in liquid form, its negative metabolic effects are significantly magnified.

“Whereas the glucose in other sugars is used by your body, and is converted to blood glucose, the fructose from HFCS is a relatively unregulated source of fuel that your liver converts to fat and cholesterol.”

“HEALTH BOMB #2: Gluten — Wheat (and other grains containing gluten) is NOT your friend. My experience has shown that you could well be one of the estimated 1 in 10 people who have at least a subclinical intolerance to gluten protein. This is actually a food allergy.

“I recommend avoiding gluten, even the organic whole-grain types.

“Gluten intolerance has been linked to miscarriage, intestinal disease (including irritable bowel syndrome), malnutrition, rheumatoid arthritis, and developmental delay in children, just to name a few. Oftentimes, your gluten sensitivity may present with various unexplained symptoms.

“Getting rid of these two health bombs will go a long way toward improving your health.” Please read the rest of it here: http://products.mercola.com/cocoa-cassava/?source=nl

From Dr. Mercola’s newsletter (read the whole thing here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/10/wakefield-interview.aspx)

As a gastrointestinal surgeon, Dr. Wakefield has investigated the connection between developmental disorders and bowel disease, and early exposure to vaccines. For example, in the beginning of our interview, he discusses the curious link between an unusual exposure to the measles virus and subsequent development of Crohn’s disease, and in many cases, autism. One of the routes of this type of exposure is clearly vaccination.

One of the primary reasons for this interview was to discuss Dr. Wakefield’s recent media exposure, and allow him the opportunity to finally set the public record straight. Please read the rest of this important article!

Here’s another important article excerpt from Dr. Mercola. Make sure you use the link and read the entire thing, especially if you are one of those who insistsin getting a flu shot eachyear. This is an eye-opener.

“Even as world health officials sit with egg on their faces, pondering why the 2009 H1N1 swine flu proved not to be the pandemic they predicted, they still insist people get vaccinated, even though the flu season is mostly over. And in a sky-is-falling move, they’ve also decided to include H1N1 in the seasonal flu vaccines for 2010-2011.

“I have already commented on the hyped-up H1N1 numbers that the US was reporting during the “height” of this non-pandemic. The lid was blown off by CBS investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson, who revealed that the vast majority of “swine flu” cases were not H1N1 at all — but, rather, some sort of respiratory infection.

“In other words, it was flu-like-symptoms — not flu of ANY kind — that was making people sick during the so-called H1n1 “pandemic.” The reason H1N1 numbers were so high was because the CDC had instructed health care officials to stop testing for H1N1, and just presume that everyone who showed up with flu-like symptoms was infected with H1N1.

“It was a great game plan. Only it didn’t work because some health officials tested anyway, and found out the truth.

“Finally, a few weeks ago in February, after months of waiting for the hundreds of thousands of H1N1 deaths that didn’t come, the World Health Organization admitted to Business Week magazine that “the overwhelming expression of [H1N1] was mild,” and that they were going to use the pandemic-that-wasn’t as a learning tool.

“Apparently, what they learned is that, like it or not, H1N1 is going to be part of your flu shot package from now on.”

Read Dr. Mercola’s entire article here

I hate it when I think about what they put in food now! Why can’t they just leave well enough alone?

This important information is from Dr. Mercola’s blog. Link for the whole article at bottom. This is an exceprt.

Corn chips, or tortilla chips are quite pervasive. Perhaps you’ve had some yourself this week? Well, let’s see how you feel about buying them again once you realize what you’re risking by eating them.

In the only human feeding study ever published on genetically modified foods, seven volunteers ate so-called Roundup-ready soybeans. These are soybeans that have herbicide-resistant genes inserted into them in order to survive being sprayed with otherwise deadly doses of Roundup herbicide.

In three of the seven volunteers, the gene inserted into the soy transferred into the DNA of their intestinal bacteria, and continued to function long after they stopped eating the GM soy!

There are serious medical implications to this finding. However, the GM-friendly UK government, who funded the study, chose not to fund any follow up research to see if GM corn — which are engineered to produce an insecticide called BT toxin — might also transfer and continue to create insecticide inside your intestines.

These kinds of studies are sorely needed, and fast, because as of right now, about 85 percent of the corn grown in the US is genetically engineered to either produce an insecticide, or to survive the application of herbicide. And about 91-93 percent of all soybeans are genetically engineered to survive massive doses of Roundup herbicide.

What this means is that nearly ALL foods you buy that contain either corn or soy, in any form, will contain GMO unless it’s certified organic by the USDA. Other major GM crops include cottonseed and canola.

When trying to avoid these GM crops, you’d also have to avoid all the derivatives…. PLEASE READ THE REST HERE

America’s Deadliest Sweetener Betrays Millions, Then Hoodwinks You With Name Change

ATTENTION! Aspartame producer Ajinomoto is launching a new initiative that will rebrand the sweetener as “AminoSweet.”

Aspartame is used in many foods and beverages marketed as low calorie or sugar-free. However, its reputation has been clouded somewhat by studies that have investigated reports of ill effects.

Just to remind you, the side effects of aspartame can include:

* Headache
* Change in vision
* Convulsions and seizures
* Hallucination
* Nausea and vomiting
* Joint pain

It can cause many, many other problems as well.

Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was the most contested in FDA history. In the end, the artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but rather because of strong political and financial pressure. After all, aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent!

It’s hard to believe such a chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it was, and it has been wreaking silent havoc with people’s health for the past 30 years.

The truth is,

Read the rest of this entry »

It is a well-known fact that many of the top diseases plaguing the United States are diet-related, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. The National Institutes of Health even states that four of the six leading causes of death in the U.S. are linked to unhealthy diets.

This is one of the primary reasons that has lead to the startling fact that the current generation is the first one in recorded history in which their lifespan will actually be shorter than their parents. This is primarily due to chronic degenerative diseases that result from insulin and leptin resistance.

School Lunch Programs Get a Failing Grade

Processed foods are the norm at most school cafeterias, where under $1 a day is spent to feed your children.

“Renegade lunch lady” Ann Cooper talks about the coming revolution in the way kids eat at school — local, sustainable, seasonal and even educational food.

Hopefully this revolution will also influence the number of junk food ads on TV. The association between television viewing and childhood obesity is directly related to children’s exposure to commercials that advertise unhealthy foods, according to a new study.

The study is the first to break down the types of television children watch to better determine whether different kinds of content may exert different effects on obesity.

The researchers gathered data from primary caregivers of more than 3,500 children, ranging from infants to 12-year-olds. Through time-use diaries, study respondents reported their children’s activities, including television viewing, throughout the course of an entire weekday and an entire weekend day.

Among all children, commercial viewing was significantly associated with higher BMI, although the effect was stronger for children younger than 7.

Read the rest of this important article here:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/06/why-school-lunches-are-so-important-and-what-can-be-done-to-improve-them.aspx

A livestock drug banned in 160 nations and responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown and 10 percent mortality in pigs has been approved by the FDA.

The beta agonist ractopamine, a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis, was recruited for livestock use when researchers found the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular.

Ractopamine is started as the animal nears slaughter.

How does a drug marked, “Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask” become “safe” in human food?

The drug is banned in Europe, Taiwan and China, and more than 1,700 people have been “poisoned” from eating pigs fed the drug since 1998, but ractopamine is used in 45 percent of U.S. pigs and 30 percent of ration-fed cattle.

Ractopamine, aka Paylean and Optaflexx, is banned in 160 countries, including Europe, Taiwan and China. If imported meat is found to contain traces of the drug, it is turned away, while fines and imprisonment result for its use in banned countries.

Yet, in the United States 45 percent of pigs, 30 percent of ration-fed cattle, and an unknown percentage of turkeys are pumped full of this drug in the days leading up to slaughter.

Why?

This drug, manufactured by Elanco Animal Health, increases protein synthesis. In other words, it makes animals more muscular … and this increases food growers’ bottom line.

Adding insult to injury, up to 20 percent of ractopamine remains in the meat you buy from the supermarket, according to veterinarian Michael W. Fox. Yet this drug is marked “Not for use in humans,” and is known to increase death and disability in livestock.

Why is Ractopamine Allowed in U.S. Meat?

Read the rest of this important article here:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/06/why-does-fda-allow-banned-drugs-to-be-fed-to-livestock.aspx

Here’ a film that could literally save your life. The beautiful aspect of this movie is that, in a short 90 minutes, you will finally understand why aspartame is a toxic poison you need to avoid at all costs.

There are few things you can do in 90 minutes that can make a HUGE impact on your health—but this is one of them. I’m so happy to see Dr. Mercoal publish this, becase I’ve seen up close the effcts of a person’s taking aspartame and how it ruined her life. It’s taken her nearly ten years to recover.

The toxic long-term effects of aspartame are often dismissed as a “hoax” by the sweetener industry; however this documentary thoroughly unravels truths far more disturbing than any “hoax.”

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/06/sweet-misery-a-poisoned-world-you-can-finally-view-free-online.aspx

Today’s article in Dr. Mercola’s weekly nesletter bowled me over.He’s upset that Forbes Magazine has named Monsanto as Company of the Year. Well, yeah!

Read the whole article and boycott Forbes, unsubscribe or whatever it is you can do to show you are unhappy with their choice. Good grief. Go here for the full article.

This is a partial list of the “do-good” things Dr. Mercola lists in his article that Monsanto has done. In my humble opinion, Forbes must be in their sway to say Monsanto rates anything less than being shut down. Just their terminator seeds alone would qualify them in my mind. Do you know about them? If you don’t, heads up!

• Secretly discharging PCB-laden toxic waste into an Alabama creek, and dumping millions of pounds of PCBs into open-pit landfills for decades after PCBs were banned in the US for being a possible carcinogen.
• Being found guilty of bribery to bypass Indonesian law requiring an environmental assessment review for its genetically engineered cotton.
• Last year, the supreme court of France found Monsanto guilty of falsely advertising its herbicide Roundup as “biodegradable” and “environmentally friendly.” Scientific evaluation discovered that glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp, is acutely toxic to fish and birds and can kill beneficial insects and soil organisms that maintain ecological balance. Additionally, the surfactant ingredient in Roundup is more acutely toxic than glyphosate itself, and the combination of the two is even more toxic.
• In 2007, the South African Advertising Standards Authority also found Monsanto guilty of lying when advertising that “no negative reactions to Genetically Modified food have been reported.”
• According to one EPA scientist, Monsanto doctored studies and covered-up dioxin contamination of a wide range of its products. She concluded that the company’s behaviour constituted “a long pattern of fraud.”

Go here for the full article.