Many of us today are suffering from time sickness. Many are obsessed with doing more and more in less time. In this age, instant gratification takes too long!
Today we are media-drenched and overloaded with data. We are bombarded constantly 24/7 with breaking news. Most of us want broadband computer service, microwave our food, learn to speed read, channel surf, use Ipods, cell phones, laptops, and do computer gaming. Many of us work extended hours regularly and some don't even take full vacations or they don't stay home when they have colds.
Here is what the National Safety Counsel has determined:
* Stress is rampant. We are sleeping less than other generations, and we are burning out early in life.
*We suffer from migraines, hypertension and gastrointestinal problems.
*We are finding less time for exercise and we're drinking too much alcohol.
*1/3 of Americans are clinically obese.
*The inner psychology of speed has caused many to wolf down their food or turn to fast food restaurants. Many don't take time for breakfast missing the most important meal of the day. Today, for too many, its Gobble, Gulp, and Go!
* Studies reflect a rising use of stimulants; amphetamines, methamphetamine, and cocaine in the workplace as many are sleep deprived. The usage has jumped up by 70% since 1998.
*We get into a vicious cycle. We lose sleep and this causes stress. Stress causes us to lose sleep and we get trapped. We are getting, on average, 1 1/2 hours less sleep than a mere century ago. The cost to American business has been estimated to be $10 billion annually.
It might be a good idea to follow the old adage to slow down and smell the roses. Also, wait to worry and don't worry about things you can't control. Researchers have shown that people think more creatively and possess more energy when they are calm and stress free. "Eureka" moments seldom come when we are stressed or highly fatigued.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
You Need an Oil Change!
It has been said that trying to understand nutrition and health without appreciating the significance of balance between Omega3 and Omega6 essential fatty acids is like trying to understand earthquakes without knowledge of plate tectonics or motion without knowledge of physics.
The Omega fatty acids are essential which means that the body can't produce them on it's own. They must come from the food we eat and they must be in balance, much like sodium and potassium.
Science has established that we have caveman guts and that our Paleolithic ancestors consumed a diet which supplied an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of between 1:1 and 4:1. Today, say the experts, the typical American diet supplies ratios of between 10:1 and 20: 1.
Why the imbalance and what does it mean? The American diet is askew say the experts because we consume too much polyunsaturated fats found in processed foods and too much fat from the meat we eat. Cheap corn oil is especially pervasive and yields ratios of Omega6 to Omega 3 of 46:1. Other examples include sunflower oil 19:1, peanut oil 29:0, palm oil 46:1 and cottonseed oil of a whopping 259:1. Others are typical.
The problem is that the two fats use the same enzymes to produce their end products. The enzymes are not in limitless supply and the two fats must compete for them. When they are in a ratio of 1:1 or even 4:1, chances are they will each get use of the enzymes they need, But, when the rations are inflated for Omega6s, the real possibilty exists that Omega 3s will get short-changed. Unfortunately, Omega6 acids make both inflammatory and non-inflammatory end products whereas Omega3s don't produce inflammatory end products. Some inflammtion is natural but, because of the overwhelming use of the oils in processed foods, many experts believe that Omega3s are rendered less effective.
The conventional wisdom today urges us to consume more Omega3s. This is a good idea! But, at the same time, we should be urging people to eat more "live" food, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low-fat dairy products., and elimate or drastically reduce the consumption of highly processed foods and too much meat.
In her book The Queen of Fats, Susan Allport tells us," If you are eating a typical fast-food diet, your cells will be full of omega-6s. If you are avoiding processed foods and partially hydrogenated fats and eating a lot of greens and fish, your cells wil have a good balance of omega-3s and omega-6s. In the matter of fats, we truly are what we eat and what we eat truly matters."
The Omega fatty acids are essential which means that the body can't produce them on it's own. They must come from the food we eat and they must be in balance, much like sodium and potassium.
Science has established that we have caveman guts and that our Paleolithic ancestors consumed a diet which supplied an Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio of between 1:1 and 4:1. Today, say the experts, the typical American diet supplies ratios of between 10:1 and 20: 1.
Why the imbalance and what does it mean? The American diet is askew say the experts because we consume too much polyunsaturated fats found in processed foods and too much fat from the meat we eat. Cheap corn oil is especially pervasive and yields ratios of Omega6 to Omega 3 of 46:1. Other examples include sunflower oil 19:1, peanut oil 29:0, palm oil 46:1 and cottonseed oil of a whopping 259:1. Others are typical.
The problem is that the two fats use the same enzymes to produce their end products. The enzymes are not in limitless supply and the two fats must compete for them. When they are in a ratio of 1:1 or even 4:1, chances are they will each get use of the enzymes they need, But, when the rations are inflated for Omega6s, the real possibilty exists that Omega 3s will get short-changed. Unfortunately, Omega6 acids make both inflammatory and non-inflammatory end products whereas Omega3s don't produce inflammatory end products. Some inflammtion is natural but, because of the overwhelming use of the oils in processed foods, many experts believe that Omega3s are rendered less effective.
The conventional wisdom today urges us to consume more Omega3s. This is a good idea! But, at the same time, we should be urging people to eat more "live" food, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and low-fat dairy products., and elimate or drastically reduce the consumption of highly processed foods and too much meat.
In her book The Queen of Fats, Susan Allport tells us," If you are eating a typical fast-food diet, your cells will be full of omega-6s. If you are avoiding processed foods and partially hydrogenated fats and eating a lot of greens and fish, your cells wil have a good balance of omega-3s and omega-6s. In the matter of fats, we truly are what we eat and what we eat truly matters."
Saturday, June 12, 2010
I Ate What?
According to Forbes magazine, Cargill is America's largest private company. Founded after the civil war, over time Cargill grew from a grain storage facility into an international producer and distributor of agricultural products. It owns the public held Mosaic Company a producer of fertilizer and other agricultural chemicals.
Salt has been under attack for it's ill effects on the nation's health. As one of the biggest producers of salt, Cargill is pushing back and has produced a video which proclaims that " Salt is a pretty amazing compound. So make sure you have plenty of salt in your kitchen at all times. Salt is life enhancing they say and we should sprinkle it an foods as varied as chocolate cookies, fresh fruit, ice cream, and even coffee. " You might be surprised by what foods are enhanced by its briney kiss."
Salt works in tandem with sugar and fat to achieve flavors that grip the consumer and do not let go. In his best selling book, The End of Overeating, Dr. David A. Kessler quotes a high level food industry executive who wanted to remain anonymous," Higher sugar, fat, and salt make you want to eat more. They are called the three points of the compass. They make a food compelling and indulgent. They make it high in hedonic [pleasure] value which gives us pleasure." Then Dr. Kessler asked," Do you design food specificaaly to be highly hedonic?' To which the executive replied," Oh, absolutely. We try to bring as much of that into the equation as possible."
There are scores of examples of the hedonic foods offer by the industry. Here are just a few:
Chicken Tenders are so soaked with BATTER and FAT that Dr. Kessler's source joked that they are a UFO- an unidentified fried object. SALT and SUGAR loaded onto FAT.
Blommin Onions-the trademark of Outback Steakhouse-are very popular and provide plenty of surface area to absorb FAT. Fried in BATTER and topped with SAUCE, their flavor comes from SALT on SUGER on FAT.
McDonald's Big Mac bun contains not only REFINED flour, water and SALT but also HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SOYBEAN OIL [made with Monsanto's GMO beans] and PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED.
T.G.I.F. Friday is targeting the children's market by offering the Cup-of-Dirt-chocolate pudding with CRUMBLED OREO COOKIES,and GUMMY WORMS. Its FAT on SUGAR on FAT on SUGAR on SUGAR.
Hardee's Monster Thickburger contains 1,420 calories and 108 grams of FAT. It is essentially FAT on FAT on SALT on FAT on SALT on FAT, and all on a HIGH GLYCEMIC, REFINED CARBOHYDRATE bun.
There are many more examples but I think you get the point. Eating all these highly processed foods laced with syntheic chemicals, salt,sugar and fat which are highly hedonic,can play a role in creating very real overpowering cravings and crippling appetite. Cravings are based on appetite and not real hunger. Its easy to fall into the carbohydrate "black hole" with a diet based on these "dead" foods. Your body wants real food-"live"food in order to get the essential amino acids, complex carbs, essentiial fatty acids, water, vitamins and minerals, fiber and antioxidants which it needs. Deprive the cells of these nurients and you can lose the ability to tell the differnce between appetite and hunger. Then you may have a problem controlling unwanted body fat.
Salt has been under attack for it's ill effects on the nation's health. As one of the biggest producers of salt, Cargill is pushing back and has produced a video which proclaims that " Salt is a pretty amazing compound. So make sure you have plenty of salt in your kitchen at all times. Salt is life enhancing they say and we should sprinkle it an foods as varied as chocolate cookies, fresh fruit, ice cream, and even coffee. " You might be surprised by what foods are enhanced by its briney kiss."
Salt works in tandem with sugar and fat to achieve flavors that grip the consumer and do not let go. In his best selling book, The End of Overeating, Dr. David A. Kessler quotes a high level food industry executive who wanted to remain anonymous," Higher sugar, fat, and salt make you want to eat more. They are called the three points of the compass. They make a food compelling and indulgent. They make it high in hedonic [pleasure] value which gives us pleasure." Then Dr. Kessler asked," Do you design food specificaaly to be highly hedonic?' To which the executive replied," Oh, absolutely. We try to bring as much of that into the equation as possible."
There are scores of examples of the hedonic foods offer by the industry. Here are just a few:
Chicken Tenders are so soaked with BATTER and FAT that Dr. Kessler's source joked that they are a UFO- an unidentified fried object. SALT and SUGAR loaded onto FAT.
Blommin Onions-the trademark of Outback Steakhouse-are very popular and provide plenty of surface area to absorb FAT. Fried in BATTER and topped with SAUCE, their flavor comes from SALT on SUGER on FAT.
McDonald's Big Mac bun contains not only REFINED flour, water and SALT but also HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SOYBEAN OIL [made with Monsanto's GMO beans] and PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED.
T.G.I.F. Friday is targeting the children's market by offering the Cup-of-Dirt-chocolate pudding with CRUMBLED OREO COOKIES,and GUMMY WORMS. Its FAT on SUGAR on FAT on SUGAR on SUGAR.
Hardee's Monster Thickburger contains 1,420 calories and 108 grams of FAT. It is essentially FAT on FAT on SALT on FAT on SALT on FAT, and all on a HIGH GLYCEMIC, REFINED CARBOHYDRATE bun.
There are many more examples but I think you get the point. Eating all these highly processed foods laced with syntheic chemicals, salt,sugar and fat which are highly hedonic,can play a role in creating very real overpowering cravings and crippling appetite. Cravings are based on appetite and not real hunger. Its easy to fall into the carbohydrate "black hole" with a diet based on these "dead" foods. Your body wants real food-"live"food in order to get the essential amino acids, complex carbs, essentiial fatty acids, water, vitamins and minerals, fiber and antioxidants which it needs. Deprive the cells of these nurients and you can lose the ability to tell the differnce between appetite and hunger. Then you may have a problem controlling unwanted body fat.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The K factor
It seems foolish to argue that too much salt in the diet can worsen the affects of high blood pressure. Yet, in the face of a mountain of scientific medical evidence, the processed food industry continues rationalizing salt's over-use.
The processed food industry continues to use an arsenal of chemicals to produce food items whose ingredients lists look more like formulas for rocket fuel rather than healthy, natural food.
Scientists agree that our internal food processing [digestive] mechanisms are Paleolithic in origin. They evolved over thousands of years on natural, live whole foods without any added chemicals. These added chemicals, including too much salt, are profoundly mismatched to our natural food processing system.
Overlooked in the arguments with Cargill, Kraft et.al., is the"K" factor. K is the symbol for Potassium, Like other vital combinations in our internal environment, Potassium and Sodium [salt] go together like ham and eggs or beans and rice. When they are out of balance, like they are in a typical processed food, we begin to have health problems, high blood pressure being just one. Potassium and sodium are electrolytes which are always found in pairs. They function in the maintenance of water balance and distribution, acid-base balance, muscle and nerve cell function, heart function, and kidney and adrenal function.
Potassium and sodium together keep the balance and provide the body with the sodium-potassium "pump" which, among other things, get nutrients into the cells and waste out. According to noted Alternative Medicine doctor Michael T. Murray, " Most Americans have a potassium-to-sodium ratio of less than 1:2. This means that most people ingest twice as much sodium as they do potassium. Researchers recommend a dietary potassium-to-sodium ratio of 5:1 to maintain health.
Here is what you can do [I don't see agribusiness changing soon]:
1. Make fresh fruits and vegetables the core of your diet. They are naturally rich in potassium and light on sodium.
2. If you are a meat eater, eat free-range grass- feed animals. The same with chicken and eggs.
3. If you are thinking of taking a potassium supplement, check with your doctor or nurse practitioner first.
4. Read labels, especially for sodium and sodium-like chemicals.
Remember, we are "engineered" to eat natural "live" food from nature's bounty. 'Live" food has all the essential ingredients your trillions of cells need to function optimally. We can each live healthier and also fight these businesses who put profits before health.
The processed food industry continues to use an arsenal of chemicals to produce food items whose ingredients lists look more like formulas for rocket fuel rather than healthy, natural food.
Scientists agree that our internal food processing [digestive] mechanisms are Paleolithic in origin. They evolved over thousands of years on natural, live whole foods without any added chemicals. These added chemicals, including too much salt, are profoundly mismatched to our natural food processing system.
Overlooked in the arguments with Cargill, Kraft et.al., is the"K" factor. K is the symbol for Potassium, Like other vital combinations in our internal environment, Potassium and Sodium [salt] go together like ham and eggs or beans and rice. When they are out of balance, like they are in a typical processed food, we begin to have health problems, high blood pressure being just one. Potassium and sodium are electrolytes which are always found in pairs. They function in the maintenance of water balance and distribution, acid-base balance, muscle and nerve cell function, heart function, and kidney and adrenal function.
Potassium and sodium together keep the balance and provide the body with the sodium-potassium "pump" which, among other things, get nutrients into the cells and waste out. According to noted Alternative Medicine doctor Michael T. Murray, " Most Americans have a potassium-to-sodium ratio of less than 1:2. This means that most people ingest twice as much sodium as they do potassium. Researchers recommend a dietary potassium-to-sodium ratio of 5:1 to maintain health.
Here is what you can do [I don't see agribusiness changing soon]:
1. Make fresh fruits and vegetables the core of your diet. They are naturally rich in potassium and light on sodium.
2. If you are a meat eater, eat free-range grass- feed animals. The same with chicken and eggs.
3. If you are thinking of taking a potassium supplement, check with your doctor or nurse practitioner first.
4. Read labels, especially for sodium and sodium-like chemicals.
Remember, we are "engineered" to eat natural "live" food from nature's bounty. 'Live" food has all the essential ingredients your trillions of cells need to function optimally. We can each live healthier and also fight these businesses who put profits before health.
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