Ben and Tanya's Health, Wealth and Wisdom blog

How to have power and confidence in dealing with people, a great book

2011-04-18T09:45:00.004-04:00

How to have power and confidence in dealing with people is an amazing book and one of the TEAM's top 5 books that help individuals improve their business and personal lives in a signifigant way. I took the liberty of posting the key points of each chapter to help paint the big picture. Hope it helps and inspires everyone. Have a safe and blessed day!

Key bullet points from each chapter of the book, "How to have confidence and power in dealing with people.

Chapter 1

1. It is a proven fact that from 66 to 90 percent of all failures in the business world are failures in human relations.
2. So called personality problems such as timidity, shyness, and self-consciousness, are basically problems in dealing with people.
3. Learn the skills in dealing with people with confidence and you will automatically improve your own success and happiness.
4. Learn the underlying principles involved in dealing with people and you wont need gimmicks.

Chapter 2

1. We are all egoists.
2. We are all more interested in ourselves than in anything else in the world.
3. Every person you meet wants to feel important, and to amount to something.
4. There is a hunger in every human being for approval.
5. A hungry ego is a mean ego.
6. Satisfy the other persons hunger for self esteem and he automatically becomes more friendly
and likable.
7. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Psychologists now tell us that unless you do love yourself in
the sense of having some feeling of self esteem and self regard, it is impossible for you to feel friendly towards other people.
8. Help the other fellow like himself better and you make him easier to get along with.
9. People act or fail to act, largely to enhance their own ego.

Chapter 3

1. Don't be stingy in feeding the hunger for a feeling of importance.
2. Don't underestimate small courtesies such as being on time for an appointment. It is by such things that we acknowledge the importance of the other person. Unfortunately, we are often more courteous to strangers than to home folks. Try treating your family and friends with the same courtesy you show strangers
3. Remind yourself that other people are important, and your attitude will get across to the other person.
4, Start today, begin to notice other people more. Pay attention to a man or child and you make him feel important.
5. Don't lord it over other people or attempt to increase your own feeling of self importance by making other people feel small.

Chapter 4

1. Whether you realize it or not, you control the actions and attitudes of others by your own actions and attitudes.
2. Your own attitudes are reflected back to you from the other person almost as if you stood in front of a mirror.
3. Act or feel hostile and the other fellow reflects this hostility back to you. Shout at him and he is almost compelled to shout back. Act calmly and unemotionally and you turn away his anger before it gets started.
4. Act enthusiastic and you arouse the enthusiasm of the other person.
5. Act confidently and the other person has confidence in you.
6. Begin today deliberately to cultivate an enthusiastic attitude. Take a tip from Frank Bettinger, and act as if you were enthusiastic. Soon you will be enthusiastic.
7. Right now, begin deliberately to cultivate a confident manner. Don't mumble you words as if you were afraid to express them. Speak out. Watch your posture. A slumped figure signifies that you find the burdens of life too heavy for you to bear. A drooping head signifies that you are defeated by life. Hold your head up. Straighten up your shoulders.
8. Walk with a confident step as if you had somewhere important to go.

Chapter 5

1. In dealing with people, you yourself sound the keynote for the entire theme, when you begin the interview.
2. If you start off on a note of formality the meeting will be formal. Start off on a note of friendliness and the meeting will be friendly. Set the stage for a business like discussion and it will be business like. Start on a note of apology and the other person will force you to play that theme all the way through.
3. When you meet someone for the first time, the impression you make then is very likely to be the keynote that will determine how he regards you for the rest of your life.
4. Other people tend to accept you at your own evaluation. If you think you are a nobody, you are practically asking other people to snub you.
5. One of the best means ever discovered for impressing the other fellow favorably is not to strive too hard to make an impression but to let him know that he is making a good impression on you.
6. People judge you not only by the opinion you hold of yourself but also by the opinions you hold on other things. your job, your company, even your competition.
7. Negative opinions create a negative atmosphere. Don't be a knocker, and don't be a sore head. The way, itself in which you ask things sets the stage or sounds the keynote for the other persons answer. Don't ask no questions if you want yes answers. Don't ask questions or issue instructions that imply you expect trouble. Why ask for trouble?

Chapter 6

Accept, Approve, Appreciate

1. Accept people as they are. Allow them to be themselves. Don't insist on anyone being perfect before you can like them.
2. Approve. Look for something to approve in the other person. It may be something small. Let the person know you approve of that.
3. Appreciation. To appreciate means to raise in value as opposed to depreciate which means to lower in value. Treat other people as if they were valuable to you. Thank them and give them special treatment.

Chapter 7

1. Human relations often become deadlocked because each party is afraid to make the first move.
2. Don't wait for a sign from the other fellow. Assume that he is going to be friendly and act accordingly.
3. Assume the attitude that you wish the other person to take. Act as if you expected him to like you.
4. Take a chance that the other fellow will be friends. It is always a gamble but you will win 99 times for every time you lose. If you just bet on his being friendly. Refuse to take the chance and you lose every time.
5. Don't be an eager beaver. Don't be overly anxious. Don't knock yourself out trying to make the other fellow like you. Remember there is such a thing as being too charming and trying too hard.
6. Just relax and take for granted that other people do like you.
7. Use the magic of your smile to warm up the other fellow.
8. Starting today, begin to develop a genuine smile by practicing before your bathroom mirror.
You know what a real smile looks like when you see one. You mirror will tell you whether your smile is real or phony. Also, going through the motions of smiling will get you in the habit and actually make you feel more like smiling.

Chapter 8

1. Both success and happiness depend in large measure on our ability to express ourselves.
Therefore start today to study ways to improve your talk. Keep at it day after day.
2. Practice starting conversations with strangers by using the warm up technique of asking simple questions or making obvious observations.
3. TO be a good conversationalist, stop trying to be perfect and don't be afraid to be trite.
4. Nuggets and gems in conversation come only after you have dug a lot of low grade ore.
5. Ask questions to bring out interesting talk from others.
6. Use " me too" technique to identify yourself with the speaker and his interests.
7. Talk about yourself only when invited to do so by the other person. If he wants to know about you, he will ask.
8. Use happy talk Nobody likes a goomy gus or prophet of gloom and doom. Keep your troubles to yourself.
9. Eliminate teasing, kidding, and sarcasm from your conversation.
10. Encourage the other person to talk about himself. Talk about the other persons interests.
Chapter 9

1. The art of listening will make you rich.
2. Look at the person who is talking. Anybody worth listening to is worth looking at. It will also help you concentrate on what he is saying.
3. Appear deeply interested in what he or she is saying. If you agree nod your head. Respond to his cue, work with him.
4. Lean toward the person who is talking.
Chapter 10
1. Dealing with people you may not agree with.
2. Let him state his case.
3. Pause momentarily before you answer.
4. Don't insist on winning 100%
5. State your case moderately and accurately.
6. Speak thru third persons, Let the other person save face.

Chapter 11

1. If you want other people to help you, and go all out you must ask for their ideas as well as or their brawn.
2. Make the other fellow feel that your problem is their problem.
3. Use the principle of multiple management, giving each member of the team a voice in how the
team is to operate.
4. When you want someone to do you a favor make him a member of your team. Don't just say, how aboutputting in a good word for me. Say if you were in my shoes and wanted to get favorable attention how would you go about it?
5. Set up your own brain trust and make use of the ideas suggestions and advice of other people.
6. Be sure when you ask for advice you actually want advice. DON'T Ask for advice if you want sympathy or a pat on the back.

Chapter 12

1. Sincere praise miraculously releases energy in the other person, perks him up physically as well as giving his spirits a lift.
2. The person who is discouraging doing sloppy work or just hard to get along with is probably suffering from low self esteem. Praise can act as a wonder drug to give his self esteem a healthy shot in the arm change his behavior for the better.
3. Give others credit for what they do. Show your appreciation of what they have done by saying THANK YOU.
4. Be generous with kind statements. Gratitude is not a common thing. By being generous with gratitude, you make yourself a stand out.
5. Increase your own happiness and peace of mind by paying three sincere compliments each day.

Chapter 13

1. Criticism must be made in privacy
2. Preface criticism with a kind word or compliment.
3. Make the criticism the act, not the person
.4. Supply the answer.
5. Ask for cooperation, don't demand it.
6. One criticism to an offense.
7. Finish in a friendly fashion.

Chapter 14

KNOWLEDGE PLUS APPLICATION EQUALS SUCCESS!!
HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE!!

Author Chris Brady's Leadership Blog

2011-04-17T05:57:00.000-04:00

Author Chris Brady's Leadership Blog

An Unfair Advantage by Robert Kiyosaki

2011-03-16T14:40:00.001-04:00

Practice Kaizen

2011-03-03T18:25:00.001-05:00

Continuous improvement—the Japanese call it kaizen—offers some of the best insurance for both your career and the organization. Kaizen (pronounced ky'zen) is the relentless quest for a better way, for higher quality craftsmanship. Think of it as the daily pursuit of perfection.

Kaizen keeps you reaching, stretching to outdo yesterday. The continuous improvements may come bit by bit. But enough of these small, incremental gains will eventually add up to a valuable competitive advantage. Also, if every employee constantly keeps an eye out for improvements, major innovations are more likely to occur. The spirit of kaizen can trigger dramatic breakthroughs.

PDCA- Plan, Do, Check and Adjust or Act. Making corrections in your daily actions will yield the best results. Make a plan, excute the plan, check the results and if necessary, take corrective action to acheive the result you want.

The dictionary definition is: Kaizen (改善?), Japanese for "improvement" or "change for the better", refers to philosophy or practices that focus upon continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing, engineering, supporting business processes, and management. It has been applied in healthcare,[1] psychotherapy,[2] life-coaching, government, banking, and many other industries.

When used in the business sense and applied to the workplace, kaizen refers to activities that continually improve all functions. Kaizen was first implemented in several Japanese businesses after the Second World War, influenced in part by American business and quality management teachers who visited the country. It has since spread throughout the world[4] and is now being implemented in many other venues besides just business and productivity.

Some elements of kaizen are:

Teamwork, Personal discipline, Improved morale, Quality circles, Suggestions for improvement.

Practice Kaizen everyday and you will continue to acheive your goals and dreams. Personal development is key. Are you practicing Kaizen?

Future economic trends

2011-02-14T16:10:00.007-05:00

Over the course of the last 100 years in our US economic history, there have been a series of booms and busts on record that helps to explain the current state of our economy . A great example of a boom and bust cycle would be the recent housing market debacle. Whether this particular boom and bust was predictable or not remains questionable. There were a few economists and smart investors that knew when to get in and get out because they understood the laws of S curve economics. Every new trend and/or product has a pre-knee stage, beginning stage, critical mass stage and lager or loser stage. There always seems to be the select few that are in the right place at the right time. That is because they have the right information and financial intelligence to prosper within any given trend.

Today, there are a select group of individuals, the 5% ers, that know what and when the next trends will be and how to capitalize on those trends. One of driving forces behind the next trends are based on the baby boomers. The baby boomers, the people born between 1946-1964, have hit an age where they are just starting to retire and will continue to retire in massive waves over the next few years. Just as economists predicted many of the spending cycles and habits based on the baby boomer generation, they are able to predict the future of our economy based on the same data.

In the 1990's, the baby boomers reached their peak spending years, which helps to explain why the economy was experiencing an upswing. Now, with those same baby boomers on the fast track to retirement, we have only just begun to see a downward spiral in our economy. With approximately 310 million people in the USA, lets take a look at the breakdown:

If we look back to around 1926, approximately 47 million were alive, which ended up producing 78 million people born between 1946-1964. (its around 110 including illegals). The baby boomers only had approximately 57 million children, which subsequently, 20 years later had 50 million children, then 40 million children 20 years after that. There are approximately 18 million children currently under the age of 10. If you do the math, our population has declined dramatically. The decline has and will continue to impact the economy as we move forward.

I know there are a lot of other factors and variables that have contributed to the current state of our economy, (Government spending, etc) but lets focus on some facts about the baby boomers for a minute and see how this will affect us:

Size of the Boomer and Senior Markets:

78 million people were born between 1946 and 1964, which is defined as the baby boomer era (U.S. Census).

110 million baby boomers total if you combine illegals

The first baby boomer turned 60 on January 1, 2006.

An American turns 50 every 7 seconds-that's more than 12,500 people every day (U.S. Census).

As of 2009, 48 is the largest age group in the United States (U.S. Census).

By 2015, those aged 50 and older will represent 45% of the U.S. population (AARP).

By 2030, the 65-plus population will double to about 71.5 million, and by 2050 will grow to 86.7 million people (U.S. Census).

Wealth of Baby Boomers and Seniors:

78 million Americans who were 50 or older as of 2001 controlled 67% of the country's wealth, or $28 trillion (U.S. Census and Federal Reserve).

Households headed by someone in the 55-64 age group had a median net worth of $112,048 in 2000-15 times the $7,240 reported for the under 35 age group (U.S. Census and Federal Reserve).

The 50+ have $2.4 trillion in annual income, which accounts for 42% of all after-tax income (U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey).
Adults 50 and older own 65% of the aggregate net worth of all U.S. households (U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey).
Spending Habits of Adults 50+:

Adults 50+ account for an estimated $2 trillion in total expenditures for 2005.

This group has $2.3 trillion in disposable income.
Between now and 2010, the total spending for 50+ households will increase by over $900 billion.

By 2010, adults 45-years-old and older will out-spend younger adults by $1 trillion annually.

In 2004, people aged 50 and older spent an average of 47.6 percent of their family's budget on "nonessentials" (Bureau of Labor).
50% of baby boomers plan to buy a new home after retirement (Del Webb Survey).

As of January 2007, baby boomers are 27% more likely than any other generations to embark on a major home improvement or repair in the next 6 months (Consumer Intentions and Actions Study).

96 percent of baby boomers participate in word-of-mouth or viral marketing by passing product or service information on to friends (ThirdAge and JWT Boom).

Impact on the Economy ( some facts as told by a baby boomer )

We are amused when visitors ask what effect the boomers are having on the economy. Folks, in 2011, the economy IS the boomers! We represent the vast majority of the work force. There are 78 million of us; we ARE the economy. (That is not bragging; that is just a statistical reality.) The huge growth in the economy since the 90s is due, in large part, to 77 million of us working up to our peak earning and spending years.

What are we spending our money on? Other than Metallica CDs and movies aimed at 15 year-olds, whatever is being sold... we are buying it. What kind of cars are we buying? What kind are Detroit and Japan selling? We ARE the upper end of the automobile market. What explains the popularity of SUVs? Mostly, we do. Where do we go on vacation? Everywhere. How do we get there? Every way possible. Day care centers are thriving because boomers do not want to take care of the kids they produced. And their offspring think it is supposed to be that way. (Parents are not supposed to stay home and raise their children. Why, that's a terribly stupid idea, huh? That is what day care centers and the government is for.)

In the 50s, businesses focused on stuff for kids.... 30 million boomers... and still growing. Gerber (the baby food company) was huge in the 50s. Toys.... there was an enormous growth in the variety and quantity of toys. ("You can tell its Mattel; it's swell!") And TV, just coming into its own, focused heavily on kids' shows. Disneyland.... a 50s thing. (Disneyworld.... a 70s thing, paid more attention to history and thrill rides.... things of interest to young adult boomers.) The stylish cars of the 60s and 70s -- a direct response to the boomers.

The huge explosion in recreational vehicles in the 90s.... a direct response to empty-nest boomers.

The first half of the 21st century will see a huge explosion in stuff for aging boomers: active retirement communities and vacation homes, skin creams, tooth whitening goo, cosmetic surgery, lasik surgery, Depends, and, of course, the Hair Club for Men. The biggest expenditures will be in the wellness category.

As (relatively) old and aging as we are, we are still the largest age-related demographic.... "numbers too big to ignore." Now take these facts and understand that the housing market is dead for a reason and will remain dead for a long time. The economy is in trouble and thatÂ’s not hard to see. With millions of baby boomers retiring, and not enough children growing up to replace them fast enough, the economy will not see the boom that occurred in the 90's for a long time.

Some final facts and other tidbits of information contributing to our current and future economic crisis.

There are 310 Million Americans

82 Million Working Families

50 Million Americans on Welfare and Rising!

110 Million Working people

61% are living pay check to paycheck

78 Million are Baby Boomers

In less then 16 years they will exit the work force leaving 54 million ppl to replace them and they will pay for it all!

43% of Americans don’t have 10K in retirement

50% of Housing is owned by the banks

21% of Kids live below poverty and that’s increasing daily

62% of America lives paycheck to paycheck

4.28 Million new bankruptcy this year alone

929k new home foreclosures this year or 2900 per day

check out the USDEBTCLOCK.ORG; see for yourself

8.4 Million jobs are now over sea’s with no hope of returning, thousands of jobs leaving every month.

9.6% unemployment #’s will never return to work they had.

Why did I take the time to make note of all this? Gloom and doom? No. With the reality of what is coming and how the Government is handling everything, it is very scary to think about not having a plan B. We are helping America wake up and supply them with truth and wisdom. Every top economist, millionaire and leader we have involved ourselves with, sees the writing on the wall. This is the first time in economic history that a combination of all of these factors are going to hit.

There are always booms and busts and next bubble to burst is going to affect everyone, especially the hard working middle class citizens. We are in the eye of the storm. The good news is, there are always opportunities in a downturn and as we get educated, get better at who we are and leverage the information we receive from those who know what is coming, we can survive and thrive in the next several years. It is all about information. It is about embracing change. It is about understanding that we must dig our well before the well runs dry. There are no guarantees in life but its best to be prepared for a rainy day. It always rains. Its best to have a good umbrella!

Information age thinking

2011-01-21T06:38:00.004-05:00

World renowned economist, Harry S. Dent, talks about the current state of our economy and a term called "quantatative easing", in this short video below. Mr. Dent has a great reputation for educating the public and making accurate predictions partly based on demographics, spending cycles and the mass retirements scheduled to occur over the next few years.

With the combination of upcoming retirements and massvie Government debt accumulation, Dent believes that the current recession isn’t ending anytime soon. In fact, it’s just the beginning phase of a prolonged downturn that will be deeper and more severe than anything since we’ve experienced so far.

After reading Dent's books and watching his videos, something occured to me; Many people, including myself at first, didn't believe in gloom and doom and that somehow, things always seem to work out. But then I recalled that millions of people recently got caught 'with their pants down' and lost millions in the stock and housing market. I thought, if we knew then what we know now, things would have been different. Clearly, the right information helps to make the best decisions, especially in the information age.

This time, I believe accurate predictions are being made by the same individuals who predicted the previous crashes. For the first time in US History, we can see several bubbles getting bigger and bigger. The question is, what do we do about it? Most economists like Robert Kiyosaki agree, there are some clearly defined choices everyone can make now to protect or shield us from the storm. Everyone, no matter what job owns them, or what self employed jobs they own, or how financially secure they are, will be affected.

Between Harry S Dent, Robert Kiyosaki and the top financial gurus and business leaders with TEAM, we have a great number of resources to choose from to help protect us from the upcoming storm. Harry S Dent's website is http://www.hsdent.com/ There is an abundance of information on his site, should you be interested in learning more. I can also recommend Robert Kiyosaki's book, "Conspiracies of the rich, the 8 ways to make money". What a great book.

I know what we are doing to protect us from the storm. The idea is to be aware of the current state of affairs, what is coming and then make some informative decisions. I had to humble myself over the last few years, get my head out of the sand and not just hope for the best. I had to take my financial future into my own hands. In any downturn economy, there are ways to prosper. Even a small understanding of our tax structure and how a business can save you thousands of dollars a year, can make a huge difference. As more people get educated, change their thinking, and understand that we are in a new age, the information age, their lives will improve. We see it everyday in business. The video below should be an eye opener and will hopefully encourge you to ask the right questions about where we are headed and what to do about it.

How to prosper in a downturn economy.. The great depression ahead.

Robert Kiyosaki- An unfair advantage

2010-11-28T14:57:00.001-05:00

Robert Kiyosaki has a lifetime of experience teaching people how to think differently. His wisdom flys in the face of conventional wisdom and has helped millions of people change their lives through information and education.

Top 10 food additives to avoid

2010-11-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

Food additives have been used for centuries to enhance the appearance and flavor of food and prolong shelf life. But do these food additives really “add” any value to your food?

Food additives find their way into our foods to help ease processing, packaging and storage. But how do we know what food additives is in that box of macaroni and cheese and why does it have such a long shelf life?

A typical American household spends about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, and are in doing so exposed to a plethora of artificial food additives, many of which can cause dire consequences to your health.

Some food additives are worse than others. Here’s a list of the top food additives to avoid:

1. Artificial Sweeteners

Aspartame, (E951) more popularly known as Nutrasweet and Equal, is found in foods labeled "diet" or "sugar free". Aspartame is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined. It produces neurotoxic effects such as dizziness, headaches, mental confusion, migraines, and seizures. Avoid if you suffer from asthma, rhinitis (including hayfever), or urticaria (hives).Acesulfame-K, a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baking goods, gum and gelatin, has not been thoroughly tested and has been linked to kidney tumors.

Found in: diet or sugar free sodas, diet coke, coke zero, jello (and over gelatins), desserts, sugar free gum, drink mixes, baking goods, table top sweeteners, cereal, breathmints, pudding, kool-aid, ice tea, chewable vitamins, toothpaste

2. High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a highly-refined artificial sweetener which has become the number one source of calories in America. It is found in almost all processed foods. HFCS packs on the pounds faster than any other ingredient, increases your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and contributes to the development of diabetes and tissue damage, among other harmful effects.

Found in: most processed foods, breads, candy, flavoured yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, cereals

3. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG / E621)

MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and many restaurant foods. MSG is known as an excitotoxin, a substance which overexcites cells to the point of damage or death. Studies show that regular consumption of MSG may result in adverse side effects which include depression, disorientation, eye damage, fatigue, headaches, and obesity. MSG effects the neurological pathways of the brain and disengaged the "I'm full" function which explains the effects of weightgain

Found in: chinese food ( Chinese Restaurant Syndrome ) many snacks, chips, cookies, seasonings, most Campbell Soup products, frozen dinners , lunch meats

4. Trans fat

Trans fat is used to enhance and extend the shelf life of food products and is among the most dangerous substances that you can consume. Numerous studies show that trans fat increases LDL cholesterol levels while decreasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol, increases the risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes, and contributes to increased inflammation, diabetes and other health problems.
Found in: margarine, chips and crackers, baked goods, fast foods

5. Common Food Dyes

Studies show that artificial colorings which are found in soda, fruit juices and salad dressings, may contribute to behavioral problems in children and lead to a significant reduction in IQ. Animal studies have linked other food colorings to cancer. Watch out for these ones:
Blue #1 and Blue #2 (E-133)
Banned in Norway, Finland and France. May cause chromosomal damage
Found in: candy, cereal, soft drinks, sports drinks and pet foods
Red dye # 3 (also Red #40 – a more current dye) (E124)

Banned in 1990 after 8 years of debate from use in many foods and cosmetics. This dye continues to be on the market until supplies run out! Has been proven to cause thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage in laboratory animals, may also interfere with brain-nerve transmission
Found in: fruit cocktail, maraschino cherries, cherry pie mix, ice cream, candy, bakery products and more!

Yellow #6 (E110) and Yellow Tartrazine (E102)
Banned in Norway and Sweden. Increases the number of kidney and adrenal gland tumors in laboratory animals, may cause chromosomal damage.

Found in: American cheese, macaroni and cheese, candy and carbonated beverages, lemonade and more!

6. Sodium sulphite (E221)

Preservative used in wine-making and other processed foods. According to the FDA, approximately one in 100 people is sensitive to sulfites in food. The majority of these individuals are asthmatic, suggesting a link between asthma and sulfites. Individuals who are sulfite sensitive may experience headaches, breathing problems, and rashes. In severe cases, sulfites can actually cause death by closing down the airway altogether, leading to cardiac arrest.

Found in: Wine and dried fruit

7. Sodium nitrate/sodium nitrite

A common preservative usually added to processed meats like bacon, ham, hot dogs, and corned beef. Studies have linked sodium nitrate to various types of cancer.
Found in: cured meats such as bacon, ham and luncheon meat, hot dogs, anything smoked.

8. BHA and BHT (E320)

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. This common preservative keeps foods from changing color, changing flavor or becoming rancid. Effects the neurological system of the brain, alters behavior and has potential to cause cancerBHA and BHT are oxidants which form cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.

Found in: Potato chips, gum, cereal, frozen sausages, enriched rice, lard, shortening, candy, jello
9. Sulphur Dioxide (E220)

Sulphur additives are toxic and in the United States of America, the Federal Drugs Administration have prohibited their use on raw fruit and vegetables. Adverse reactions include: bronchial problems particularly in those prone to asthma, hypotension (low blood pressure), flushing tingling sensations or anaphylactic shock. It also destroys vitamins B1 and E. Not recommended for consumption by children. The International Labour Organization says to avoid E220 if you suffer from conjunctivitis, bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma, or cardiovascular disease.

Found in: beers, soft drinks, dried fruit, juices, cordials, wine, vinegar, and potato products.

10. Potassium Bromate

An additive used to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls, potassium bromate is known to cause cancer in animals. Even small amounts in bread can create problems for humans.
Found in: Breads

Please print this out and take it with you shopping. Remember to read labels and shop as wholesome and organic as possible. The more whole, natural foods you eat, the better off you are - foods that do not contain preservatives, chemicals, fillers, artificial flavors or artificial colors.

Influence and Leadership

2010-11-06T17:15:00.003-04:00

Quite often I post information and blog our thoughs on health and wellenss. As the title of our blog is, " health, wealth and wisdom", it is always important to remember that all three of these categories work together and influence the other. I was inspired to write this post because so many of our successful mentors and friends have been on a life long personal development journey,which has been one of the main keys to their success.

In 1936, Dale Carnegie made publishing history when he wrote his book, "How to win friends and Influence people". To this day, his teachings has helped millions of people across the globle in the areas of personal development, leadership, business and relationships. I wanted to list a few of his basic points here as a refresher. Whether you are in business, an employee or in a relationship, these are great pointers.

-Avoid Arguments.

-You will get more in business with honey than vinegar so be friendly and gentle
-When you are wrong, admit it emphatically and move on
-When you begin a conversation with someone, even if it's an opponent, focus on the things you can agree on.
-Let the other person talk more than you do. Listen carefully.
-Try honestly to see things from other people's perspective.
-Lead other people to the conclusion you want by making suggestions, but ultimately let a person feel the idea was his or hers.
-Believe people are inherently good and honest.
-When pointing out someone's mistakes, talk about them indirectly.
-Let other people maintain their pride.
-Use questions to lead people instead of giving direct orders.
-Lavish praise anytime you see an improvement.
-See the best in people and then they will rise to your expectation.
-Be supportive and make mistakes seem easy to correct.

For more information, I suggest everyone read Carnegie's book. For those that have read it, I recommend you re-read it on a regular basis! As one of my favorite leadership guru's Chris Brady is fond of saying, "you dont know what you dont know and some of what you know just aint so" and "What you do know, you are forgetting". So, it's important to be reminded of this basic pointers and truisms to help further your journey in the areas of health, finances and relationships. God Bless.

Tuesday's Show - November > The Official Web Site for Doug Kaufmann host of Know The Cause TV

2010-11-02T10:30:00.000-04:00

Tuesday's Show - November > The Official Web Site for Doug Kaufmann host of Know The Cause TV

Awesome show!

The truth about Chemotherapy and the cancer industry

2010-10-27T19:14:00.001-04:00

Its been said that the truth is neither positive or negative, its just the truth. I couldn't agree more. Ask yourself why the number of people diagnosed and treated for cancer has increased exponentially over the last 20 years. Here is a link to some great information. As we become educated, the truth comes out. It is worth reading!

The truth about chemotherapy and the cancer industry (comic)

Have a blessed day!

Ben and Tanya

The corn we eat is infested with fungi causing Major health issues

2010-10-08T12:00:00.001-04:00

Read the article here:

The Corn We Eat is Infested with Mycotoxic Fungi

Seven of the most dangergous food ingredients to look out for in the groceries we buy..

2010-09-30T14:06:00.001-04:00

Do you know which seven dangerous food ingredients to watch out for in your groceries? These are the "deadly seven," as I call them, and they can directly promote heart disease, migraines, obesity, outrageous food cravings, osteoporosis, diabetes and even birth defects.

The top three most dangerous ingredients I've found in my research are:

1) Sodium nitrite -- causes cancer, found in processed meats like hot dogs, bacon, sausage. Used to make meats appear red (a color fixer chemical).

2) Hydrogenated oils -- causes heart disease, nutritional deficiencies, general deterioration of cellular health, and much more. Found in cookies, crackers, margarine and many "manufactured" foods. Used to make oils stay in the food, extending shelf life. Sometimes also called "plastic fat."

3) Excitotoxins -- aspartame, monosodium glutamate and others (see below). These neurotoxic chemical additives directly harm nerve cells, over-exciting them to the point of cell death, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock. They're found in diet soda, canned soup, salad dressing, breakfast sausage and even many manufactured vegetarian foods. They're used to add flavor to over-processed, boring foods that have had the life cooked out of them.

Want to know more about the genuine dangers posed by toxic food ingredients and additives? I'll share more with you in this email, but first let me invite you to check out the tell-all book I've written on the subject: "Grocery Warning."
Grocery Warning exposes the truth that food companies will never admit to and the mainstream media will never print (because they receive advertising funds from food companies, of course!).

http://www.truthpublishing.com/GroceryWarning.html

It reveals, in shocking detail, exactly which ingredients compromise your health (and how they do it). Based on thousands of hours of research, and quotations from the top doctors, authors and nutritionists, Grocery Warning tells you the truth about foods and groceries that will empower you with life-changing information.

Did you know, for example, that:
Feeding children hot dogs increases their risk of brain cancer by 300%?

Strawberry yogurt, fruit punch and other red-looking grocery products are often colored with dead, ground-up cochineal beetles? The ingredient is called "carmine," and it's made from insects. It's listed right on the label of many of your favorite foods.

Food companies now "hide" MSG in safe-sounding ingredients like yeast extract or torula yeast?

Many Florida oranges are actually dipped in an artificial orange dye in order to make them more visually appealing? It's the same dye that's been banned for use in foods because of cancer risk.

Girl Scout cookies are still made with hydrogenated oils that contain trans fatty acids?

Many so-called "healthy" or vegetarian foods also contain the very same offending ingredients as conventional groceries?

Eating just one serving of processed meats each day increases your risk of pancreatic cancer by 67%?

One artificial color additive causes behavioral disorders in children? And that 80% of children diagnosed with ADHD can be outright cured of the condition in two weeks by avoiding certain ingredients?

The #1 ingredient in Slim Fast meal replacement shake (powder form) is sugar?

Some guacamole dips don't even contain avocado? Instead, they're made with hydrogenated soybean oil and artificial colors.

The truth about metabolic disruptors
Nearly all modern diseases are caused by what I call "metabolic disruptors." These are common ingredients, such as white flour and sugar, that prevent your body from healing. Unfortunately, metabolic disruptors are used in almost all commercially prepared foods, which means most products on your grocer's shelves contribute to poor health. But if you know what to look for, you can fill your cart with foods that will help you live a longer more vibrant life.

Questions to ask..
Which common ingredient has been shown to ravage the cardiovascular system and promote heart disease while destroying brain cells.

Why some popular beverages have been linked to blindness and seizures, dementia, Alzheimer's and behavioral disorders.

How a single food ingredient is killing more than 30,000 Americans each year and yet remains perfectly legal due to food industry politics and influence on federal regulators.

How food manufacturers alter natural fats and convert them into disease-promoting ingredients that ravage your health and make it virtually impossible to lose weight, no matter what you eat!

The one natural, alternative sweetener that has no calories, no blood sugar effects, no chemical toxicity, and tastes great!

What "homogenized" means on milk products and the shocking truth of how this artificial alteration of dairy fats poses a very real threat to your health.

How to reverse osteoporosis and other bone disorders through dietary and lifestyle changes that create high-density bones throughout your body.

The truth behind the margarine scam and how the food industry convinced an entire nation to eat disease-promoting margarine for decades, based on shoddy scientific evidence and political influence.

The one natural oil that's lacking from the diets of virtually all Americans, but can significantly improve brain function.

Why at least one prominent doctor is accusing the FDA of committing crimes against humanity for not protecting the public from the immediate health dangers posed by three different ingredients found in virtually every grocery store.

So how do food companies manage to hide excitotoxins and taste additives to their foods? It's easy: They just keep changing the words to confuse consumers. Once customers learned to avoid MSG / monosodium glutamate, the food companies started using yeast extract.

And now, two years after I started sounding the alarm on yeast extract, many companies have switched to "torula yeast," which accomplishes the same thing. Other hidden sources of MSG include:

. Autolyzed vegetable protein
. Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
. Calcium caseinate
. Sodium caseinate
. Textured protein

The ingredients "stacking" trick

Food companies also use the ingredients stacking trick to intentionally leave you with the wrong impression about what's really in their food products.

For example, one company makes a nutrition bar that's absolutely loaded with sugar, but they way they've arranged the ingredients prevents sugar from appearing as the #1 ingredient. Instead, the first ingredient is rice. But looking down the label, you'll find all the following forms of sugar, all in the same nutrition bar:

. Sugar
. Sucrose
. High-fructose corn syrup
. Corn syrup solids
. Dextrose

Add all these up, and the #1 component in the bar is, indeed, sugar (or sugary substances). But the manufacturer has used ingredients stacking to make you think the top ingredient is actually rice.

It's a clever, dishonest technique used by food companies to lie with food labels.
Remember, the longer the ingredients label, the less healthy the food. Read those ingredients lists before buying foods, and if you discover chemical names that you can't pronounce, don't buy the food!

For more info, go here.... http://www.naturalnews.com/

Berries protect the brain in several ways

2010-08-24T13:03:00.000-04:00

The 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society held this week in Boston was the site of a presentation by Shibu Poulose, PhD, of the US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, of new findings for berries in protecting aging brains.

A reduction in the ability to protect oneself from inflammation and oxidative damage can result in degenerative brain diseases, as well as heart disease and other disorders, notes Dr Poulose. In previous research conducted by Dr Poulose and laboratory director James Joseph, PhD, aged rats given diets that contained 2 percent strawberry, blueberry or blackberry extract for two months experienced a reversal in the age-associated decline in nerve function and behavior that results in impairment of memory and learning. "The good news is that natural compounds called polyphenolics found in fruits, vegetables and nuts have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that may protect against age-associated decline," Dr Poulose remarked.

For the current research, the duo studied the brain's natural "house-cleaning" process, which involves autophagy by cells known as microglia. These cells remove and recycle toxic proteins that can interfere with brain function. "In aging, microglia fail to do their work, and debris builds up," Dr Poulose explained. "In addition, the microglia become over-activated and actually begin to damage healthy cells in the brain."

In experiments with cultured mouse cells, Dr Poulose found that blueberry and strawberry extracts inhibited a protein that interferes with autophagy. "The results strongly suggest that the benefits of both berries extend beyond the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects to cellular toxic clearance through induction of autophagy in brain," concludes a written summary of the findings.

Dr Poulose commented that the study adds evidence to the benefits of consuming polyphenolic-rich foods, including berries and walnuts. "Our research suggests that the polyphenolics in berries have a rescuing effect," he stated. "They seem to restore the normal housekeeping function. These findings are the first to show these effects of berries."

Green Tea may significantly decrease chances of lung cancer

2010-08-04T09:38:00.000-04:00

NaturalNews) Drinking at least a cup of green tea a day may significantly decrease a person's risk of lung cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Shan Medical University in Taiwan.

Cancer rates are significantly lower in Asia than in other parts of the world, and high consumption of green tea has been suggested as one of the potential explanations. Laboratory studies have suggested that the polyphenols in green tea can halt the growth of cancer cells, but the results of human studies have been mixed.

In the current study, researchers analyzed green tea consumption, smoking, genetic factors and lung cancer risk in more than 500 people. They found that among non-smokers, those who did not drink tea had five times the lung cancer risk of those who drank at least one cup per day. Among smokers, not drinking green tea was linked to 12 times the cancer risk of those who drank at least one cup per day.

A genetic analysis of all the study participants revealed that a specific variant of the gene known as IGF1 was associated with the correlation between higher tea consumption and lower cancer risk. Among those without this variant, green tea consumption had little effect on cancer risk. This could explain the inconsistent results of prior studies.

Health experts warned that whatever the benefits of green tea might be, they do not outweigh the danger posed by smoking.

"Smoking tobacco fills your lungs with around 80 cancer-causing chemicals," said Yinka Ebo of Cancer Research U.K. "Drinking green tea is not going to compensate for that. Unfortunately, it's not possible to make up for the harm caused by smoking by doing other things right like eating a healthy, balanced diet. The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit."

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8453628.stm.

Resveratrol suppresses inflammation in human trial

2010-08-03T14:44:00.000-04:00

A report published online on June 9, 2010 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reveals the finding of a trial conducted at Kaleida Health's Diabetes-Endocrinology Center of Western New York of an anti-inflammatory benefit for resveratrol.

"Resveratrol has been shown to exert an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress effect in vitro and in animal models," Husam Ghanim, PhD and colleagues write. "Resveratrol has also been shown to prolong life expectancy and to reduce the rate of aging in the yeast and lower animals like yeast, Caenorhabtidis elegans and Drosophila. Resveratrol actions are thought to be mediated by increased expression of sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1), a gene associated with longevity."

Twenty healthy participants were randomized to receive Polygonum cuspidatum extract containing 40 milligrams resveratrol per day or a placebo for 6 weeks. Blood samples collected at the beginning at the trial and at 1, 3 and 6 weeks were analyzed for indices of oxidative and inflammatory stress in addition to other factors. "Since there are no data demonstrating the effect of resveratrol on oxidative and inflammatory stress in humans, we decided to determine if the compound reduces the level of oxidative and inflammatory stress," explained senior author Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, who is a distinguished professor of medicine at the State University of New York at Buffalo. "Several of the key mediators of insulin resistance also are pro-inflammatory, so we investigated the effect of resveratrol on their expression as well."

The research team found a reduction in reactive oxygen species, which are unstable molecules that provoke oxidative stress and inflammation, in participants who received resveratrol. The resveratrol group also experienced a decrease in the inflammation protein tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as well as inflammation markers interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP). In addition, intranuclear binding of nuclear factor kappa-beta, the major pro-inflammatory cytokine, was suppressed. "These actions, demonstrated for the first time, in vivo, are consistent with potential anti-atherogenic and anti-aging effects," the authors write.

"The product we used has only 20 percent resveratrol, so it is possible that something else in the preparation is responsible for the positive effects," Dr Dandona noted. "These agents could be even more potent than resveratrol. Purer preparations now are available and we intend to test those."

Dr. Roland Cayer

2010-07-28T07:43:00.000-04:00

In the last few weeks, I have been under the care of an amazing doctor in the Celebration area by the name of Dr. Roland Cayer. It is a blessing to have found someone so talented, well balanced, honest and last but not least, skilled enough to have made a huge difference in my overall health and well being.

Dr. Roland Cayer is a licensed Chiropractor and utilizes a unique approach to wellness that only a hand full of Doctors use in the entire Florida region. Dr. Cayer uses a "whole person approach". This approach to wellness means looking for underlying causes of any disturbance or disruption (which may or may not be causing symptoms at the time) and make whatever interventions and lifestyle adjustments that would optimize the conditions for normal function.

Using this unique approach, Dr. Cayer is able to help you to accelerate and/or maintain your journey to good health. As a Chiropractor with experience, Dr. Cayer is committed to promoting optimal health and well being of his patients. The end results are what count and it is well worth it for me to "pay it forward" and share this information with everyone.

I encourage everyone who seeks pain relief, has specific medical issues/ health concers, or is simply interested in feeling better and being healthier, to go on Dr Cayer's website, and see what he has to offer. His site alone is very informative and explains specifically what techniques he utilizes.

Dr. Cayer is a man of character and integrity and I recommend him highly. The theme of this blog has always been about wellness and I am very happy to share my experience and praise. Here is Dr. Cayer's website and contact info. God Bless,

Ben

Dr Roland Cayer http://threekingschiropractic.com/

660 Celebration Ave, Suite 120
Celebration, FL 34747
office: 321 939 3180
mobile: 407 376 3068

TKC.Roland@gmail.com

Blueberries protect against cardiovascular disease risk factors in metabolic syndrome patients

2010-07-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

An article published online on July 21, 2010 in the Journal of Nutrition describes the outcome of a trial of obese men and women with metabolic syndrome which found a protective effect for blueberries against several cardiovascular disease risk factors. Metabolic syndrome is a group of factors that include reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, abdominal obesity, and greater oxidative stress and inflammation. Having several of these risk factors increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Researchers at Oklahoma State University randomized 4 men and 44 women to receive a beverage containing 50 grams freeze-dried blueberries (equivalent to 2.3 cups fresh blueberries) or an equivalent amount of water daily for 8 weeks. Weight, blood pressure, dietary assessments and blood sample analyses for various factors were conducted at the beginning of the study and at 4 and 8 weeks. Continue Reading

Resveratrol may prevent eye disease, blindness and Cardiovascular disease

2010-07-16T23:15:00.000-04:00

(NaturalNews) Resveratrol -- a natural compound found in red wine, grapes, blueberries, peanuts and other plants -- has been found to promote longevity and health in a variety of ways. For example, scientists have found evidence it prevents heart disease, helps keep weight under control, normalizes cholesterol levels and may prevent diabetes (http://www.naturalnews.com/027420_r...). Now there's another benefit to add to this remarkable list of benefits: it could prevent some of the top causes of blindness.

Vision researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have documented that resveratrol stops out-of-control blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) in the eye. This discovery means resveratrol could preserve vision in three major blinding eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 50); diabetic retinopathy, which causes vision loss in about 20 percent of people with diabetes; and retinopathy of prematurity which occurs when premature babies experience an obstruction of blood flow into the retina -- a condition that blinds 50,000 infants each year.

"A great deal of research has identified resveratrol as an anti-aging compound, and given our interest in age-related eye disease, we wanted to find out whether there was a link," Washington University retina specialist Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD, the study's senior investigator, said in a statement to the media. "There were reports on resveratrol's effects on blood vessels in other parts of the body, but there was no evidence that it had any effects within the eye."

So Dr. Apte's research team decided to test resveratrol on mice that develop abnormal blood vessels in the retina after laser treatment. Their findings, published in the July issue of the American Journal of Pathology, showed that when the rodents were given resveratrol, the phytochemical prevented the growth of abnormal blood vessels. In fact, abnormal blood vessels that already existed actually began to disappear.

When the scientists examined cells of the animals' blood vessels in the lab, they found a new pathway -- known as a eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2) regulated pathway -- that is behind resveratrol's eye-protective power.

"We have identified a novel pathway that could become a new target for therapies. And we believe the pathway may be involved both in age-related eye disease and in other diseases where angiogenesis plays a destructive role," Dr. Apte stated. "This could potentially be a preventive therapy in high-risk patients. And because it worked on existing, abnormal blood vessels in the animals, it may be a therapy that can be started after angiogenesis already is causing damage."

What's more, the resveratrol-mediated pathway Dr. Apte's laboratory has identified may be active not only in several blindness-causing eye diseases, but in cancers and atherosclerosis, as well. That means it might be possible to use resveratrol to not only protect and improve eyesight but to prevent cardiovascular disease and some types of malignancies, too, according to Dr. Apte.

Antioxidants improve insulin resistance and Diabetes

2010-07-12T21:51:00.002-04:00

(NaturalNews) According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD), insulin resistance is a condition in which the pancreas eventually can't keep up with the body's demand for insulin (a hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy). Eventually, an excess of glucose builds up in the bloodstream -- and that sets the stage for type 2 diabetes.

New research just presented at the Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting, held in San Diego, shows that natural antioxidants in the diet can be a powerful way to improve insulin resistance -- even in people who are obese and suffering from metabolic syndrome. A precursor of diabetes associated with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions (including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels) that raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as diabetes.

"The beneficial effects of antioxidants are known, but we have revealed for the first time one of their biological bases of action -- improving hormonal action in obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome," lead researcher Antonio Mancini, MD, an endocrinology researcher at Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy, said in a statement to the media.

Read more here... A diet loaded with antioxidant rich foods improves insulin resistance

Leadership talk from an amazing friend and mentor, Claude Hamilton

2010-07-11T15:53:00.005-04:00

Claude Hamilton is an amazing business and leadership guru who talks about what champions are made of in this quick video. We appreciate him so much for all the lives he has touched. He and his awesome wife Lana, are true servant leaders. Enjoy and God Bless. Ben

Study: Busy Social Life the Key to Beating Cancer

2010-07-11T15:32:00.002-04:00

(NewsCore) - An active social life may help patients fight cancer with a new study linking the stress of relationships to reductions in the size of cancerous growths, The (London) Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Experiments found that moving cancer-stricken mice from private lodgings into more spacious shared accommodation led to an average reduction in the size of tumors of 77 percent.

After three weeks, five percent of mice in the experiments showed no evidence of cancer. Matthew During, of Ohio State University, told The (London) Daily Telegraph the findings suggest cancer treatments should focus on living a "richer life, socially and physically" rather than minimizing stress.

"This paper really suggests if we look at people more in terms of their perceptions of disease, their social interactions and environment, we could realize a profound influence on cancer," he said. The findings differ to those of other recent studies that suggest high stress levels reduce the survival rate of cancer patients.

Although the points in this article may seem obvious, its worth sharing because sometimes its important to be reminded of the truths we already know. As I continue to share and write blog articles, I know it has helped many based on the feedback I receive.

For me personally, I know that a life full of purpose, having solid relationships and a desire to make a difference in other people's lives, makes a huge difference in our health, both physically and emotionally. What are you doing on a daily basis to flourish your relationships and accomplish your goals and dreams? Once you know what you want, go after it with everything you got.

Don't leave this earth with regrets. As a result of your passions and your pursuit of excellence, using your God given talents, you will live a healthy, happy life. We are only here on this planet for a short blip in time. In the end, you only have one body, one mind and one soul. Do everything you can to protect all three! God Bless, Ben

Fungus, the cause of cancer?

2010-07-04T13:13:00.000-04:00

Words of wisdom from Chris Brady.. He who Laughs, lasts

2010-06-19T14:07:00.004-04:00

Here is a re-post from Chris Brady's blog:

http://www.chrisbrady.typepad.com/#

Leadership is about the influence one has with others. To gain that influence, one must be an effective performer, trustworthy, visionary, and a whole host of other things we described in Launching a Leadership Revolution. There are some "soft" side considerations, too. One of these, often ignored, is humor.

Both the ability to inspire mirth and the quickness with which one laughs are effective skills in gaining influence. Why? Because people like to be around those who are fun and make them laugh.

Below are ten ways to increase your ability to both appreciate humor and to contribute to the laughter:

1. Don't take yourself too seriously - the world is overstuffed with people puffed up with their own self-importance. Distance yourselves from these bores by taking everything seriously except yourself.

2. Have an attitude of gratitude - one of the things holding many people back from humor is their bad attitude. They are in too bad a mood to see the funny side of anything. You won't appreciate the subtly that is humor unless you are appreciative to begin with.

3. Make your foibles the subject matter - the most enjoyable people to be around are those who are able and quick to laugh at themselves. Conversely, the worst kind of people to be around are those who laugh at others.

4. Stay away from sarcasm - humor is dangerous, especially when it is biting or berating. Tread carefully, and especially when it comes to your "humor style." Sarcasm may be fun to dish out, but it is never enjoyable to receive.

5. Be good-hearted - one of the things most endearing about someone is their good heart. It comes through in everything they say. When people intrinsically feel that you mean no harm and are instead only interested in their well being, they will be unguarded around you and open to your every statement. This relaxed posture makes everything you say more funny.

6. Tell stories - some of the merriest moments occur naturally as we live our lives. Capture those moments in your mind in story form and save them for later. Being able to tell good, humorous stories is always a skill in demand.

7. Become a prodigious noticer - Mark Twain first coined that term, giving away the secret of his mirth. Comedy comes from noticing the small and subtle things about this life we share together. It is this prodigious noticing that will give you the stories to tell in #6.

8. Techniques - there are some skills that enhance humor, such as timing, delivery, facial expressions, dramatization, gestures, and the like. Over time and with practice, develop a style all your own.

9. Circular - bringing something back around into a conversation that occurred earlier can be hilarious. Watch for ways to apply earlier humor to new situations.
10. Be a good laugher - one of the keys to reducing tension in a room is to be a good laugher yourself. Laughter is actually contagious. Be quick to enjoy others and their stabs at humor and their own moods will lighten and be more prepared to receive your quips, as well.

I could go on all day here, but one final piece of advice about humor: know when to quit!

Energy Drinks and Palatinose, a new natural healthy energy source

2010-06-11T20:13:00.001-04:00

Today, energy drinks play a vital role in everyone's busy and hectic lives. The main purpose of consuming energy drinks is to gain instant energy and also save time that is spent in having food. But there are some dangers involved in consuming certain energy drinks. Read on to know more about the dangers of energy drinks and some alternatives worth considering.

Energy drinks are actually soft drinks or simple beverages that claim to boost the energy levels of the consumer and speed up physical activities. Energy drinks are meant to improve the mental and physical abilities of an individual. Caffeine is the most common ingredient of many of the energy drinks. Other energy drink ingredients include carbonated waters, guarana, acai, ginseng and many more. Some energy drinks also contain added sugars and flavors. They also add niacin for a quick flush feeling that some compare to getting hot flashes. Most give you nothing but stimulants and very little true energy. Within a short time, most drinks wear off quickly and the consumer crashes. What next? Consume another!!!

Excess of it, say 2 bottles every day, would prove harmful for your health. Over 400 people a day go to the hospital with health issues due to certain energy drinks.Considering the dangers of energy drinks, it is time to think twice whether one should consume it.

There are alternatives however that have no artificial flavors, colors or sweetners. Here is a Doctor explaining what Palatinose is, a new energy source, and where you can find them. Watch the video!!!

http://video.o2mediainc.com/videolib/2010/BRND/beneo/

Cholesterol and the benefits of fruits and Plant Sterols

2010-06-11T19:37:00.000-04:00

If one of our ancestors was alive today and we asked about what he ate in his day, it wouldn't be surprising to learn that most of the ancient men and women survived on plants - fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries. That is a healthy diet that our bodies have evolved on.

With the advent of industrial revolution and technology, humans started to lean more towards tasty food rather than healthy food. We have forgotten about eating natural fruits and vegetables with antioxidants and phytonutrients that have kept us healthy for ages.

As a result, we developed all sorts of diseases and problems. One of the major issues that have plagued our health is the presence of excess cholesterol in our body.

Good cholesterol is required for the processing of fat-soluble vitamins. However, the bad cholesterol that comes from the greasy oily fast food and microwave dinners we eat isn't really good for anything (no wonder it's known as bad cholesterol). People gorge themselves on these delicious but empty calories only to get a high level of triglycerides in their blood. This bad cholesterol and triglycerides team up and cause plaque deposits in the veins and arteries. This results in atherosclerosisis and many other problems.

Over time these deposits tend to break up and go to strategic locations in the cardiovascular system. The result? Heart disease, strokes, myocardial infarctions and many other cardiovascular problems. You name it, you got it! Then you have doctors prescribing a variety of statins that come with their own side effects and issues. So, all these modern day foods and medicines really make your body a battlefield of sorts! So, how do you get rid of all these problems?

Switching to some good plant sterols or "phytosterols" can help in reducing cholesterol in an effective way. What are really plant sterols? These are also known as phytosterols and form an integral part of the cellular membranes in plants. According to the recent researches, these sterols help in reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines that causes a reduction in cholesterol levels in the body.

A regular consumption of these phytosterols according to some studies can help in lowering the risk of heart diseases in the body. A recent study indicated that when a person consumes about two to three grams of plant sterol every day, a reduction of up to 15 percent is seen in the LDL cholesterol levels. Besides reducing the risk of heart related ailments, plant sterols also aid in preventing many kinds of cancers as well.

These sterols are beneficial for diabetics as well and help in reducing their blood sugar levels as well as cholesterol levels. There are many foods that contain these plant sterols like wheat germ, rice, and corn. Oils like peanut, soybean and olive oil are also rich in such sterols. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also rich sources of phytosterols.

Excess cholesterol can not only just kill us but also cause paralysis and strokes as well. Regular consumption of natural plant sterols or even supplements containing these sterols can help in preventing such problems!

This is your brain on fruit, any questions?

2010-06-11T19:17:00.000-04:00

At one point or another in our lives, we have been told that fruits and vegetables are a necessary part of a well balanced and healthy diet which is essential to good health. Why is it that less than 17 percent of the population consumes 5-7 servings of fruits a day? Is it price? Is it inconvenience? Is it a lack of understanding of why fruit and vegetables are important? Maybe it is all of the above.

There is no question that our world has changed. The challenges we face today are much different than what our grandparents faced. Specifically, we now live in a world where fast food, prescription drugs, fast paced life styles dictate our health.

When your parents picked fruit off the tree in the back yard, it was the freshest, most delicious tasting fruit you probably ever had. Today, despite the Organic labels on fruit, we simply are not getting the same quality of fruit we used to. In fact, based on the method of harvesting fruit in our modern society, fruit is typically picked before reaching it's ripeness, thrown into a gas chamber and subjected to all kinds of herbicides, pesticides, and sprayed, thus modifying and compromising the nutritional properties of the fruit. All processed fruit are grown and cared for under perfect environmental conditions.

So, not only are we not typically consuming 5-7 servings of fruit a day, we are potentially consuming processed fruit that may even be harmful to you. Is it no wonder that cancer, disease and obesity are rampant in our society. So what are fruits and vegetable so important? In one word, Antioxidants.

Our bodies are rusting like a car. Fruit is like rustoleum. It prevents free radicals from causing harm to your cells. Over time, inflammation and oxidation stress causes health problems, rapid aging, disease and cancer. This doesn't happen overnight but it is accelerated by the life styles we live. Quality fruit is essential and is the only source of phytonutrients necessary to fight free radicals. Those are the facts.

Now, here is the reality. If we now know this or already knew this, then with this critical information, why are people not consuming enough fruits and vegetables? Even worse, quality fruits and vegetables? Fruit has a shelf life too. How is it possible to get the quality you need? The answer is that it is extremely difficult to do. When your parents told you to eat your fruits and vegetables years ago, they had the right idea and still do.

But, today, we are facing a battle against fast food, processed food, prescription drugs that deplete your body of proper nutrition, environmental conditions, stress, pollution and other health threats. Our bodies are so malnutrition that they simply cannot do what it was intended to do, which is repair itself and fight against disease and harmful oxidation. If you look at other cultures around the globe, you will find that disease and health issues are almost non existent.

The Price of success, By Chris Brady

2010-06-10T10:36:00.000-04:00

Chris Brady, along with Orrin Woodward, our mentors, are ranked #25 and #8th most influential leaders and business gurus on the planet. We appreciate them so much as they tirelessly and selflessly lead the way towards everyone's success in personal development and business. They are amazing.

Breast cancer cells destroyed by peach and plum extracts

2010-06-09T21:37:00.000-04:00

Breast cancer cells destroyed by peach and plum extracts

My sister Linda

2010-05-19T17:02:00.002-04:00

I wanted to change gears a bit and share with everyone the memorial site i created for my sister who passed away from cancer a while ago. She was my inspiration for starting this health blog and over the course of time i have received a lot of feedback from people who found this site useful and informative.

Sometimes, it is easy to get wrapped up in our daily endeavors and forget the things that are truly important. I received a condolence from one of my sister's friends today. As I sat back to read it and watch the memorial site, tears came to my eyes. Times like this give me the courage to continue the fight to help and serve others who are in need of help, especially in the areas of health, finances and relationships. Here is my sister's site should anyone want to see it. God bless.

http://linda-lamori.last-memories.com/index.php

Pesticides tied to ADHD in children

2010-05-18T11:00:00.001-04:00

According to an article written by Reuters Health, pesticides are once again a major topic of discussion. Every day you hear something new on the health front and over time, I believe people become desensitized by the information they hear. Ive heard some say, "just get used to it, thats the way it is" Hmm, is this the right attitude? Or, instead, should we get some new information, make some educated choices and not ignore what is clearly a trend in our health and environment? This is happening to all of us, not just our neighbors or others we read about! It is a silent, perhaps subtle, attack on our everyday life. Most of the time, we know about it after it is too late. Just look at all the people with cancer and disease. It didnt happen overnight!

As I read the article below, i have no doubt that pesticides are dangerous as I have posted several articles about the hazards in our food. My conclusion is that we must make sure our immune system is running at its peak. We cannot guarantee that the foods we eat are always safe but we can protect ourselves in other ways. Even after washing fruit, keep in mind that pesticides often seep into the fruit and even remain on the fruit due to the beautiful wax utilized to protect the fruit.

So, high quality fruits are hard to come by, they often contain very little nutrition based on how they were processed and may even be dangerous if not washed properly. Our body needs fruit to survive and it is one of the only sources of antioxidants required to protect us from oxidation. There are great alternatives to protect ourselves. Over time, doing the right thing helps us and doing the wrong thing hurts us. It takes information, knowledge and action to live a long healthy life. Isn't it worth it? Here is the article below:

Researchers tracked the pesticides' breakdown products in children' urine and found those with high levels were almost twice as likely to develop ADHD as those with undetectable levels.The findings are based on data from the general U.S. population, meaning that exposure to the pesticides could be harmful even at levels commonly found in children's environment.

"There is growing concern that these pesticides may be related to ADHD," said researcher Marc Weisskopf of the Harvard School of Public Health, who worked on the study."What this paper specifically highlights is that this may be true even at low concentrations."

Organophosphates were originally developed for chemical warfare, and they are known to be toxic to the nervous system. There are about 40 organophosphate pesticides such as malathion registered in the United States, the researchers wrote in the journal Pediatrics.

Weisskopf said the compounds have been linked to behavioral symptoms common to ADHD -- for instance, impulsivity and attention problems -- but exactly how is not fully understood. Although the researchers had no way to determine the source of the breakdown products they found, Weisskopf said the most likely culprits were pesticides and insecticides used on produce and indoors.

Weisskopf and colleagues' sample included 1,139 children between 8 and 15 years. They interviewed the children's mothers, or another caretaker, and found that about one in 10 met the criteria for ADHD, which jibes with estimates for the general population.

After accounting for factors such as gender, age and race, they found the odds of having ADHD rose with the level of pesticide breakdown products. For a 10-fold increase in one class of those compounds, the odds of ADHD increased by more than half. And for the most common breakdown product, called dimethyl triophosphate, the odds of ADHD almost doubled in kids with above-average levels compared to those without detectable levels. That's a very strong association that, if true, is of very serious concern," said Weisskopf. "These are widely used pesticides."

Can Foods forestall aging?

2010-05-10T09:26:00.000-04:00

Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high-ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain.

ORAC--short for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity--measures the ability of foods, blood plasma, and just about any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube.

Early evidence indicates that this antioxidant activity translates to animals, protecting cells and their components from oxidative damage. Getting plenty of the foods with a high-ORAC activity, such as spinach, strawberries, and blueberries, has so far:

raised the antioxidant power of human blood,

prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability in middle-aged rats,

maintained the ability of brain cells in middle-aged rats to respond to a chemical stimulus, and

protected rats' tiny blood vessels—capillaries—against oxygen damage.

These results have prompted Ronald L. Prior to suggest that "the ORAC measure may help define the dietary conditions needed to prevent tissue damage."

Prior is coordinating this research with Guohua (Howard) Cao, James Joseph, and Barbara Shukitt-Hale at the Boston center.

Science has long held that damage by oxygen free radicals is behind many of the maladies that come with aging, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. There's firm evidence that a high intake of fruits and vegetables reduces risk of cancer and that a low intake raises risk. And recent evidence suggests that diminished brain function associated with aging and disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases may be due to increased vulnerability to free radicals, says Joseph, a neuroscientist.

READ REST HERE:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb99/aging0299.htm

New research shows grapes reduce risk for heart disease and diabetes

2010-05-06T15:26:00.000-04:00

(NaturalNews) The millions of Americans with heart disease and type 2 diabetes didn't develop these diseases out of the blue. Their disorders are the result of a cascade of problems including high blood pressure, insulin resistance, abdominal fat and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Now University of Michigan (U-M) scientists say they've found something that could help put the brakes on this downward spiral of ill health. It's not a new drug but a delicious and easy lifestyle change: just eat grapes.

The U-M research findings, announced April 26th at the Experimental Biology convention held in Anaheim, California, showed grape consumption lowered blood pressure, improved heart function and reduced other risk factors for heart disease and metabolic syndrome, a condition affecting an estimated 50 million Americans that often leads to type 2 diabetes. The scientists stated the beneficial effects of grapes appear to be due to the rich supply of phytochemicals in the fruit.

The research team tested a mixture of green, red and black grapes on laboratory rats that are prone to being overweight. For three months, one group of the animals ate powdered grapes mixed into their regular feed, which was devised to imitate a typical high-fat, American style diet. A control group of similar rats received no grape powder in their food (which was supplemented so it had the same number of calories as the grape-added diet).

The results of the experiment showed the rats eating the grape-enriched diet had lower blood pressure, better heart function, and reduced indicators of inflammation in the heart and the blood than rats who received no grape powder. What's more, the grape eating rats had lower triglycerides and improved glucose tolerance even though there was no change in their body weight.

"The possible reasoning behind the lessening of metabolic syndrome is that the phytochemicals were active in protecting the heart cells from the damaging effects of metabolic syndrome," Steven Bolling, M.D., heart surgeon at the U-M Cardiovascular Center and head of the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory, said in a statement to the media.

While this was an animal study, the scientists noted there's good reason to think eating grapes -- along with tried-and-true natural strategies such as eating little saturated fat, keeping weight under control and exercising regularly -- could have broad effects on the development of heart disease and metabolic syndrome in people.

"Reducing these risk factors may delay the onset of diabetes or heart disease, or lessen the severity of the diseases," said E. Mitchell Seymour, Ph.D., lead researcher and manager of the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory. "Ultimately it may lessen the health burden of these increasingly common conditions."

Good health is no accident

2010-04-25T02:43:00.002-04:00

Wow, here is a hard hitting article which i believe speaks the truth. It's not that we haven't heard this before, its that we need to be reminded of these truths. Information leads to a change in perspective, which leads to action. The little things we do over time are truly what makes the difference down the road. Ben

NaturalNews) Those who seek answers for their health outside the realm of their own decisions are looking in the wrong place. Health is no accident. Lasting health can only appear as the result of a lifetime of informed, deliberate decisions aligned with nature's principles of health, not the distorted version of health promoted by our backward system of mainstream medicine.And yet many people still believe that health is something that is bestowed upon them by some mysterious exterior force. The whole effort to raise money to find "the cure" for cancer, for example, is a powerful demonstration of misplaced faith in external healing. This idea that a cure for cancer must come from outside one's self rather than from within is perhaps the greatest conceptual sleight of hand that has yet been pulled off by the sick-care industry.The cure for cancer is already programmed within. Each person is born with a highly-advanced cellular nanotechnology that already knows how to cure cancer. Activating this inner healing potential is all that's necessary to prevent and cure cancer everywhere around the world, starting right now.

Health happens through you, not to youAnd yet the masses continue to eat cancer-causing foods and pursue cancer-causing lifestyles even while blindly handing over their money in the form of donations to organizations that they naively hope will come along and "save them" someday.Think carefully about this dynamic: The person believes health is something that happens TO them rather than something that happens THROUGH them. And so they remain stuck, floundering in a pattern of self-inflicted sickness and disease while hoping that some other organization, government or health care plan will somehow save them.While they wait for that external solution, disease and sickness creeps up on them.Obesity is what happens when a person spends each day imagining how much they're going to start exercising tomorrow.Cancer is what happens when a person spends each day eating cancer-causing foods and donating money to Komen for the Cure rather than just getting some sunshine to boost their own vitamin D.Disease is what happens when people believe they have no role in their own health outcome. So they eat for entertainment rather than for nourishment, and they live for product-induced external stimulation rather than internal fulfillment.

http://www.naturalnews.com/028647_health_literacy.html

Cellular Inflammation- The cause of every major health problem

2010-04-18T14:31:00.000-04:00

(NaturalNews) Cellular inflammation has been shown to be the underlying marker in nearly every major health problem. Every single day our body is attacked by free radicals; cells are damaged; and inflammatory mediators are produced and triggered throughout our body. Fortunately, God gave us an incredible ability to heal and regulate abnormal cells. He also provided us with a way of life to minimize the negative effects of lifestyle stress.

From a nutritional perspective, one of the simplest things to do is add some of our Creator's most nutritious foods into our diet. Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered "super-foods." Here are a couple amazing superfoods that are particularly useful for reducing inflammation, destroying free radicals, and detoxifying cellular pollution. Here are some of nature's most powerful secrets to health and healing:

http://www.naturalnews.com/

Seasonal flu vaccines increase risk of pandemic H1N1 flu, stunned scientists discover

2010-04-09T22:41:00.000-04:00

NaturalNews) I remember the H1N1 "swine flu" season of 2009 very well. People were rushing out to get vaccinated, scared half to death by the mainstream media which was pushing false reports that the swine flu would kill tens of millions of people and that only a vaccine could save you. The CDC and health authorities were pushing a double-barreled vaccine strategy that demanded people get both a seasonal flu shot as well as an H1N1 pandemic flu shot.

Those who questioned the sensibility of vaccines for fighting the flu were attacked as "baby killers" for not kow-towing to the vaccine mythology that drives Big Pharma's profits to record profits nearly every flu season.I specifically remember writing an article here on NaturalNews, warning people that taking a seasonal flu shot actually weakened your immune system and made you more susceptible to H1N1 swine flu

Seasonal flu vaccines increase risk of pandemic H1N1 flu, stunned scientists discover

Fresh produce often contaminated with pesticides

2010-03-19T14:25:00.000-04:00

I came across an article on how dangerous, unapproved pesticides have been found in non organic fruit. This article is interesting because most people believe that anything put on a store shelf must be safe. This is not necessarily true. The article even references the potential for organic fruit to have dangerous pesticides because they are grown next to neighboring Non organic crops which get sprayed with pesticides.

These pesticides are toxins. In many cases, even when you wash the fruit, the toxins permeate the fruit and once they seal the fruit with wax, the pesticides are potentially encased in wax and cannot be fully washed off. They even found certain pesticides and chemicals that were not approved and the onss that were approved, but registered higher in volume than what is safe for consumption.

If we need 5 to 9 servings a DAY to maintain optimal health, it is difficult, inconvenient and expensive to get the necessary fruits we need in our diet. These fruits are critical in our diet and unfortunately, fruit gets processed in such a way that contributes to a lack of nutrition, specifically antioxidants and phytonutrients. If they pull the fruit off the tree before they get ripe, gas them, and then stick them in a warehouse before reaching your mouth, it is a safe bet there is very little nutrition available. The last 10% of the ripening process provides 90% of the nutrition. Something to think about. Read more below:

Fresh produce often contaminated with pesticides

Food Matters website

2010-03-11T12:45:00.001-05:00

I love this website, Food Matters and recommend it highly. There is a saying, you don't know what you don't know. When people get sick, they search for answers and it is critical to get the proper information to make an informative decision. Blindly following your doctor's advice ( in my experience and opinion) is not a comprehensive solution. Get the facts, get educated and from the right sources.

I trust this site and the information contained within. As many of you know, I have dealt with cancer and disease in my family for many years. Since 1999, most of our experience and research came directly from learning the hard way. This blog has always served as a way to share information that I am glad to say has helped many people. I appreciate everyone's feedback as it motivates me to continue sharing what i believe to be critical information. God Bless

Over 130,000 cases of diabetes now linked to soda consumption, HFCS

2010-03-10T12:13:00.001-05:00

NaturalNews) For years, advocates of natural health have been hammering away at the message that soda causes diabetes and obesity. The soda industry, meanwhile, has remained in denial mode, mirroring the ridiculous position of the tobacco industry that "nicotine is not addictive." Soda doesn't cause diabetes, the industry claims, and it's perfectly safe to consume in essentially unlimited quantities.

The Corn Refiners Association has joined the denial with its own spin campaign that seeks to convince people High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is totally natural and completely harmless. HFCS is, of course, the primary sweetener used in sodas and soft drinks.

Now comes new research presented at the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention annual conference in San Francisco. This new research reveals that over the last decade, soda consumption has conservatively caused:

• 130,000 new cases of diabetes
• 14,000 new cases of heart disease
• 50,000 more "life years" with heart disease over the last decade

"The finding suggests that any kind of policy that reduces consumption might have a dramatic health benefit," said senior study author Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo (associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco).

Over 130,000 cases of diabetes now linked to soda consumption, HFCS

The key to success is "just do it"

2010-03-06T00:37:00.000-05:00

This video is awesome. Art Williams is a coach who talks about leadership, business and life, summed up in a popular speech called "just do it" I love this speech. Enjoy!

Why pharmaceuticals might be called Weapons of Mass Prescription

2010-03-02T13:27:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

I read this article and thought you would find it interesting.

Why pharmaceuticals might be called Weapons of Mass Prescription

Interesting article in USA Today by Robert Kiyosaki on our school system

2010-02-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

Hello all. I found an intersting article posted in the USA TODAY by multi billionaire Robert Kiyosaki. He talks about our school system. This article is an eye opener! I am currently re reading his latest book, "Conspiracy's of the Rich, the 8 new rules of money" and it is fantastic. I recommend it highly. Here is an excerpt from the article," We need two school systems"

In the summer of 1932, presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt promised, "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a new deal for the American people."
Today, it is time not for a "New Deal," but a "New Mission."

America's schools need to take a page from the businesses that have been created by entrepreneurs over the past decades. Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Sergey Brin and Larry Page have all given us the road map, but the path toward entrepreneurship is often the road less traveled America's schools.

The U.S. unemployment rate is currently 9.7% in what many call a "jobless recovery." So what should we do? The problem and the solution can be found in America's educational system and its current mantra: "Go to school and get good grades, so you can get a good high-paying job." In simpler terms that means, "Go to school to become a good employee." But there are too many employees, which is why we have an unemployment problem. Today, kids just out of school aren't finding jobs. At the same time, many of their parents are going back to school for retraining. But they're not finding jobs, either.

The idea of a high-paying job for life is truly an American dream — but no longer a reality. With low-priced labor and lower-priced, higher-performance technology, high-paying American jobs will be disappearing at greater speed as they move overseas.

Read the rest here. http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2010/02/column-we-need-two-school-systems-.html

Blueberries, Concord grapes and other Fruits and Vegetables Helpful for Slowing Memory Decline in Older Adults.

2010-02-01T12:58:00.001-05:00

Here is a great article from the website http://www.knowthecause.com/. I trust this website by Doug Kaufman and believe he is one of the best resources for fighting cancer, disease and cronic health issues.

A number of studies with older humans have reported that eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily significantly reduces risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of loss of memory and mental function. Animal studies have reported that consumption of blueberries, red or purple grapes or grape juice, pomegranates and walnuts provide considerable protection against the development of Alzheimer’s. All 4 of these foods are rich in plant produced chemicals called phytochemicals, while walnuts are also fairly high in omega 3 fats.

Some recent studies have reported that daily consumption of either blueberry juice or Concord grape juice can improve mental function in elderly humans. An Ohio studied the effects of consuming either about half a liter (a little more than a pint) of blueberry juice or a non juice containing placebo beverage. The subjects were over 70 years of age (average age 76 years) in good general health but with some memory decline. After 12 weeks, several forms of memory were significantly improved in the 9 subjects receiving the blueberry juice but memory remained unchanged in the 7 subjects given placebo. A similar study reported that consumption of half a liter of Concord grape juice for 12 weeks significantly improved memory in older adults, while those who consumed a placebo beverage had no improvement in memory. Both blueberries and Concord grapes are rich in phytochemicals which may improve and preserve mental function.

While blueberry juice and Concord grape juice are very nutritious, they also contain a fair amount of simple sugars. Eating the whole blueberry or Concord grape fruits would probably also result in memory gains. Eating the whole fruit would probably be better for the Kaufman phase diets since the whole fruits have more fiber and lower concentrations of simple sugars as compared to juices.

This research was conducted by Dr. Krikorian and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. The work is now in press at the British Journal of Nutrition and the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

A new Study reveals the link between fruit and breast cancer

2010-01-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Enzyme-blocking chemicals in pomegranates may reduce the risk of estrogen-fueled breast cancers, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer, the researchers wrote in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

"We identified some of these chemicals in pomegranates that actually have properties that can suppress aromatase," researcher Shiuan Chen, of the City of Hope cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, California, said in a telephone interview.

Many women who have had breast cancer take medicines called aromatase inhibitors -- such as Pfizer's Aromasin, Novartis' Femara and AstraZeneca Plc's Arimidex -- to keep estrogen from feeding tumors.

Chen and colleagues studied whether compounds, or phytochemicals, in pomegranates can suppress aromatase and ultimately block cancer growth. They found that 10 natural compounds in the fruit may potentially prevent estrogen-related breast cancer.

Chen said the compounds would not be a replacement for aromatase inhibitors.
"We do not recommend people start taking this as a replacement for the AI's," Chen said. "They (pomegranate compounds) are not as potent as the real drugs so we think that the interest probably is more on the prevention end rather than in a therapeutic purpose."

Other researchers not associated with the study told the journal that the results are promising, and suggested more studies involving animals and humans were needed to confirm the findings.

"It's not clear that these levels could be achieved in animals or in humans because the (compounds) are not well absorbed into blood when provided in the diet," said Gary Stoner of Ohio State University.

Dr. Powel Brown, an oncologist at the University of Texas, said in a statement that future studies should focus on testing pomegranate juice for its effect on estrogen levels, menopausal symptoms, breast density or even as a cancer preventive agent.

More than 400,000 women die from breast cancer globally every year. About 75 percent of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive, meaning they are fed by estrogen.

Previous research has shown that pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants -- vitamins and other substances -- that may help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. (Editing by Xavier Briand)

Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat

2010-01-05T13:22:00.003-05:00

Nice to know. I may think twice about ordering a number 1 special!

(NaturalNews) If you're in the beef business, what do you do with all the extra cow parts and trimmings that have traditionally been sold off for use in pet food? You scrape them together into a pink mass, inject them with a chemical to kill the e.coli, and sell them to fast food restaurants to make into hamburgers.

That's what's been happening all across the USA with beef sold to McDonald's, Burger King, school lunches and other fast food restaurants, according to a New York Times article. The beef is injected with ammonia, a chemical commonly used in glass cleaning and window cleaning products.

This is all fine with the USDA, which endorses the procedure as a way to make the hamburger beef "safe" enough to eat. Ammonia kills e.coli, you see, and the USDA doesn't seem to be concerned with the fact that people are eating ammonia in their hamburgers. Read More....Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat

Cupuacu- "A Pharmacy in a Fruit"

2010-01-04T12:01:00.001-05:00

The Cupuacu Fruit - When foreigners visit the rainforest, native Amazonians will often offer them Cupuacu - the "taste of the Amazon." However, this delicious fruit also happens to be a potent health resource. It contains unique antioxidant phytonutrients called polyphenols. The marvelous discovery about the polyphenols in Cupuacu (theograndins) is that they are totally unique, and have never been seen before. Like Acai, Cupuacu is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, and is traditionally known for its nutritive, energizing, and tonic properties.

Aside from its wonderful taste, Cupuacu has some amazing health properties, and scientists are very excited about its potential to deliver a superb boost to human health. Some call it "A Pharmacy In A Fruit." Further analysis of this amazing fruit has revealed that, in addition to the health boosting theograndins (superior antioxidants), it contains at least nine other antioxidants, including the powerful vitamins C and A. This makes the Cupuacu a real "one stop shop" for antioxidant replenishment. It is also rich in Vitamins B1, B2, B3 (Niacin), as well as essential fatty acids and amino acids.

Some of the reported benefits of Cupuaçu include: Increases libido,Boosts immune system, Reduces the signs of aging and promotes younger-looking skin, increases energy and stamina, Increases your body's ability to fight disease and cancer cells, Helps to lower cholesterol levels, Destroys free radicals.

The antioxidants in Cupuaçu are extremely potent and provide outstanding cardiovascular and immune system benefits. This is because antioxidants are essential to help us neutralize free radicals, the compounds that often cause the body to grow wrinkled and develop degenerative disease. Powerful antioxidants are also an excellent way to strengthen your cardiovascular system as they protect artery walls from the damage that can lead to heart disease by destroying the damage free radicals cause.

The marvelous discovery about the polyphenols in Cupuaçu is that they are totally unique, and have never been seen before. This new revelation is causing a stir in scientific circles and has prompted experts to give the new polyphenols in Cupuaçu their own name. These theograndins are excellent antioxidants, and can help you achieve optimum health the natural way. Theograndins found in Cupuaçu were uniquely effective at possibly destroying colon cancer cells, among others.

The fruit also contains essential fatty acids, such as the Omegas 3 and 6. These fatty acids help to reduce 'bad' cholesterol and keep the good cholesterol intact. This mix of antioxidants and essential fatty acids makes it an essential ingredient in the fight to maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system.

The Tikuna tribesmen of the Amazon have used Cupuaçu fruit and pulp as a natural source of energy, much like the energy found in caffeine in dark chocolate. Cupuaçu juice has even been used by Shamen to help with abdominal discomfort and midwives to help ease strong labor pains.

The fruit provides a host of healthy benefits for the body, especially for those who live in our stressful, fast paced world. It stimulates the immune system naturally, while increasing both energy and stamina without the nervousness or "jitters" that can be caused by other, synthetic caffeine sources.

What you should know about heart disease

2010-01-02T13:20:00.005-05:00

Over the last year and a half, I have received many, many kind emails from individuals who found this blog helpful. I know from first hand experience that when we get sick, our priority is to search for answers and solutions. Everything else in our life takes a back seat. In the information age, there are millions of sources for information so who do you trust? That is what we wondered. It has been a blessing to share information with everyone and I believe Networking information is critical. With a family history of cancer, it became my mission to help others who are searching for answers. Through a combination of real time experience and information from trusted sources, I have shared as much as possible from the heart and have seen it make a difference. There are alternatives to drugs, medications and other harmful procedures. If our society is overwhelmed with Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Heart Disease, high Blood Pressure, etc, obviously we are NOT doing something right. This epidemic has only occured over the last 50-60 years. We must swing the pendulm the other direction and I believe that starts with knowledge, information and awareness.

Last year, I posted a few articles on Heart Disease. I found an excellent video on the subject and is worth watching. Education and knowledge is important but applying this knowledge is critical. My hope is that this information helps everyone evaluate their own lifestyle habits and make some changes that WILL save them pain later. I know some people that think it wont happen to them. Maybe they are young and invincible. Maybe they are unaware. Maybe they just don't care. In any case, I have seen loved ones go thru pain and suffering. It doesn't have to be that way. We will all pass away but the question is how that happens. Laying in a hospital hooked up to tubes, having to endure Chemotherapy and Radiation, is not my idea of fun. Unfortunately, that is the staple of our Health Program today. If we want to live a long healthy life, it is up to us. I preach prevention and prevention begins by learning and understanding.

New Years Resolutions

2009-12-31T10:18:00.001-05:00

Is it just me, or did this year fly by fast? It seems like life is a recorded TV show and we hit the fast forward button to bypass all the commercials. I clearly recall what many of us were discussing last year which was the subject of New Years resolutions. I've made a few in my life but for many, it seems to be a yearly tradition to make resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier, get out of debt, work harder, exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, Improve their finances, save money, Improve their career, get a better job, Improve their education, improve grades, learn something new (such as a foreign language or music), get more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy, manage time, be more independent, volunteer to help others, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. As we live and grow older, we should all strive to get better, make changes for the better, improve our health, finances and relationships. Why do most of those never happen?

Why do some start out with good intentions and then give up? In short, like most things in life, if you don't know why you are seeking to accomplish these goals, then the how part doesnt matter. All of those resolutions require guts, courage and commitment, to follow through on and accomplish. In some cases, it requires time because as creatures of habit, it is difficult to change bad habits engrained in us. We can't change our destination overnight but we can change our direction overnight. The most important thing is to define what it is you want, understand why you are doing it and then commit to doing it.

Here is one great example. Within the context of my blog's title, Health, Wealth, Wisdom, I believe we should all strive to acheive better health. We are fighting an uphill battle everyday. Our soceity is overwhelmed with easy access to fast food, pharmecutical drugs, pollution, fast paced careers, chemicals, stimulants, etc. It is extremely difficult to eat well and maintain opptimum health. Its been said that 20% of what you eat keeps you alive and 80% keeps your doctor alive. So what can we do?

My first suggestion is to read. There is an abundance of ignorance on health, what we are eating and what the true causes of cancer, disease and illnesses are. Some simply dont know what they dont know. One of my missions with this BLOG, is to help inform, educate and inspire everyone to take a look at their habits before it is too late. Life is too short as it is- Why do many have a mission to make it even shorter? It may be ignorance or for some, they simply don't care until they get sick. Then, traditionally, they go to the doctor and find that they don't have many options. As I have witnessed first hand with family members who were terminally ill or sick, the minute you are diagnosed, life changes forever and your priorities change. Nothing else matters. That's not the way i want to go out. The key is that most things that happen to us and our loved ones are preventable.

Here's an option- preventative maintenance. Make the New Years resolution to make some changes that may save your life, may help you live life with more energy, vitality and vigor. For many, small changes can make a huge difference. The key again is to know why you are doing what you are doing. Regrets are avoidable. Excuses should be your reasons. If you make any kind of resolution, the way to keep it is to visualize your goals or resolutions, write them down, have someone hold you accountable and commit to them. If not, it is easy to go back to the way it was. The results you have, whether it be in your health, finances or relationships, are based on your thoughts and actions to this point. It is easier said than done but everyone has the ability to do whatever they set their mind to. It takes a new way of thinking, commitment and discipline to accomplish anything worthwhile. It can be done and the results are worth the effort. Happy New Year!

A new Super fruit to be excited about...

2009-12-13T21:47:00.001-05:00

A new superfruit called the Maqui berry has peaked the interest of many in the wellness industry. Here's a quick glimpse of where the Maqui berry comes from as well as some of it's potential benefits.

In distant Patagonia located in Southern Chile, there is s a deeply purpled berry like no other berry before. It thrives in a harsh climate where few would survive. Power packed with anthocyanins and polyphenols... powerful antioxidants protect this berry from UV sun radiation, disease, and biological enemies. This sacred berry has been used by the native Mapuche warrior to give them their legendary strength and stamina.

The Top 20 Maqui Berry Benefits

-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us By Having Very High Levels Of Polyphenols And Anthocyanins
-Maqui Berry Benefits Our Bodies By Supporting Healthy Aging
-The Maqui Berry Benefits And Helps Protects Cells From Oxidative Stress
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Bodies By Neutralizing Free Radicals
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Cardiovascular Health
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us With Being An Excellent Source Of Vitamin C, Iron & Potassium
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Daily Energy Levels
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Immune System By Providing Strong
-Levels Of Antioxidants
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Skin And Promotes A More Healthy,
-Youthful Appearance
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Weight By Contributing To Healthy Weight Loss
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Body By Helping To Flush Out Toxins & Chemicals
-The High Antioxidant Value In The Maqui Berry Benefits Overall Wellness By Protecting The Body Against Disease & Infection
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us Through Many Positive Anti-Imflammatory Properties
-The Maqui Berry Benefits The Natural Metabolism Of Our Body
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us By Supporting Healthy, Natural Strength & Stamina
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Heart By Protecting Against Heart Disease
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Blood Vessels By Protecting Against Oxidative Damage
-The Maqui Berry Benefits The Treatment Of Ailments Such As Sore Throat, Diarrhea, Ulcers, Fever, Tumors, Diabetes, And Many Others
-The Maqui Berry Benefits The Bones And Joints Of The Body
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Overall Health And Positive Mood

More details to follow on this superfruit. Wow, Wouldnt it be amazing if the Maqui berry could somehow be combined with the ever popular Acai Berry ( Freeze dried)? That would be an awesome combination to help the immune system fight the never ending bombardment of viruses, flus, and dangerous diseases.

In honor of Jim Rohn- Life is worth living if.....

2009-12-10T13:09:00.000-05:00

In honor of Jim Rohn's passing on December 5th, 2009, i wanted to post a little piece of wisdom from his work titled, "Life is worth living if......" Mr Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. His work has been influential in launching or furthering the careers of many others in the personal development industry, including Anthony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy and Jack Canfield.

1) First, life is worthwhile if you LEARN. What you don't know WILL hurt you. You have to have learning to exist, let alone succeed.

Life is worthwhile if you learn from your own experiences, negative and positive. We learn to do it right by first sometimes doing it wrong. We call that a positive negative. We also learn from other people's experiences, both positive and negative.

I've always said it is too bad failures don't give seminars. We don't want to pay them so they don't tour around giving seminars. But the information would be very valuable – how someone who had it all, messed it up. Learning from other people's experiences and mistakes.

We learn by what we see - pay attention. By what we hear – be a good listener. Now I do suggest being a selective listener, don't just let anybody dump into your mental factory. We learn from what we read. Learn from every source. Learn from lectures, learn from songs, learn from sermons, learn from conversations with people who care. Keep learning.

2) Life is worthwhile if you TRY. You can't just learn; you now have to try something to see if you can do it. Try to make a difference, try to make some progress, try to learn a new skill, try to learn a new sport. Life is worthwhile if you try. It doesn't mean you can do everything but there are a lot of things you can do, if you just try. Try your best. Give it every effort. Why not go all out?

3) Life is worthwhile if you STAY. You have to stay from spring until harvest. If you have signed up for the day or for the game or for the project - see it through. Sometimes calamity comes and then it is worth wrapping it up. And that's the end, but just don't end in the middle. Maybe on the next project you pass, but on this one, if you signed up, see it through.

4) Life is worthwhile if you CARE. If you care at all you will get some results, if you care enough you can get incredible results. Care enough to make a difference. Care enough to turn somebody around. Care enough to start a new enterprise. Care enough to change it all. Care enough to be the highest producer. Care enough to set some records. Care enough to win.

Four powerful little words: learn, try, stay and care. What difference can you make in your life today by putting these four words to work?

What you should know about your Immune System

2009-12-08T13:07:00.001-05:00

With all the reported cases of Swine Flu, H1N1 Virus, and other illnesses, I want to share some information on our Immune System. I am not a fan of drugs, antibiotics, or vaccinations and with good reason. More importantly, I believe preventative maintenance is the key. If our health is our number one priority, which it should be, then there are some important things to know. I've posted a great video here on the immune system, and how antioxidants affect the body. Also, Below, I highlighten some facts and some suggestions to help boost your immune system.

The Immune System: The Body's Defense Department

The function of the human immune system is to defend the body against invaders. Microbes (germs or microorganisms), cancer cells, and transplanted tissues or organs are all interpreted by a healthy immune system as non-self against which the body must be defended. Although the immune system is extremely complex, its basic strategy is simple: to recognize the enemy, mobilize forces, and attack. Without a properly functioning defense mechanism, our bodies would be virtually overrun by various bacteria, viruses, cancers and other pathogens in hours to days and we will cease to exist

The immune system is not responsive to drugs for healing. Antibiotics used to fight infections actually depress the immune system when used long-term. Disorders in the immune system can result in disease. Immunodeficiency diseases occur when the immune system is less active than normal, resulting in recurring and life-threatening infections. In contrast, autoimmune diseases result from a hyperactive immune system attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign organisms. Natural nutritive forces, like healing foods and herbal medicines can and do support the immune system. By rebuilding immunity, health is naturally restored and disease disappears

Most of us take our immune system for granted until we're sick. Because our bodies have an amazing ability to adapt and get by, chronic illness rarely happens overnight unless some unusual event pushes you over the edge—the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. Instead, it happens over time and we don’t feel sick until it’s too late. Once your body is overwhelmed and falls into this downward spiral, it usually takes enormous efforts to begin to “spiral up.”

Because being sick is so common in our society, many people "perceive" they are healthy even though they get occasional colds, flu, headaches, fatigue, arthritis and allergies. But the facts are, chronic pain or sickness is not "normal" or you could be unhealthy even without experiencing any symptoms at all.

The good news is that you can prevent sickness and enjoy optimum health if you provide your body with the right tools. By providing your body with proper nutrition and eliminating the toxins in your body that harm your health, it can virtually heal, repair, regenerate, and restore optimal health without the use of expensive or harmful drugs. For more information, please feel free to contact me or spend some time on my health blog. http://www.gethealthwealthwisdom.com/ God bless.

How to prevent cancer with superfoods

2009-12-08T11:35:00.001-05:00

Hi all. I came across a good article today and wanted to share it with you. There has been such an overwhelming amount of scientific studies over the last several years on the coorelation between what we eat and cancer. After studying cancer for years and having first hand knowledge of what cancer patients go thru, it has been my mission to pass information on to anyone seeking answers. In my opinion, it's ashame that it takes a good dose of reality for some to make changes in their life style, often after its too late. Even small changes can make a huge difference, not only in preventing cancer, but it how we feel everyday. Who doesn't want to feel good everyday?

Despite our busy life style and easy access to fast food, processed food and chemically altered food, we CAN make some changes that will have a huge impact on our quality of life, now and later. Remember this; Most people who are sick were once healthy! It is what we do over time that hurts us. My sister passed away at 47 from cancer. My brother was diagnosed with colon cancer at 55. My Dad passed away from cancer at a young age. Bottom line, ignorance is expensive. They didn't know what they didn't know. Get educated now, not when it is too late. If you get some new information, it will change how you process things and how you do things. That can make all the difference in the world. Here is a quick article from from Caring.com

Can SUPERFRUITS help prevent cancer? The short answer to this question is—drum roll, please—yes. They really do. While studies are ongoing, and in many cases experts still don't know exactly how these superfoods work, there's strong evidence that certain fruits and vegetables rich in plant-based nutrients can both prevent tumors from starting and halt their growth. Here, the top foods to work into the family diet if you'd like to cut cancer risk or help those with cancer recover. And who wouldn't?

Blueberries, açai berries, raspberries, and cranberries

The rich, dark colors of blueberries, Brazilian açai berries, raspberries and cranberries come from phytochemicals that protect against numerous types of cancer. Most recently, researchers at the University of Florida found that the active ingredient in açai berries destroyed cancer cells when tested in cell cultures. And blueberries and muscadine grapes contain compounds that recent research shows cause cancer cells in the liver to self-destruct. In studies particularly important to women, cranberries have recently been discovered to be an important weapon in the fight against deadly ovarian cancer. Studies reported at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society found that ovarian cancer cells that were becoming resistant to platinum chemotherapy—the standard of care for ovarian cancer—became six times more sensitive when exposed to a compound in cranberries.

WHAT IF THEY ARE WRONG?

2009-11-29T10:24:00.001-05:00

Article by Doug Kaufmann from Know the Cause.. Doug has a tv show and a website that is awesome. I have recommended his show and website to many individuals searching for help. He has a free newsletter I also recommend highly. Here is one of his latest articles:

As many of you know, this has become my battle cry! What if mammography causes breast cancer? What if the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test isn't prostate specific? What if Amoxicillin, an antibiotic given to millions of children, causes hyperactivity? In this issue of KNOW THIS, we'll explore why, according to medical researchers, cancer is common and fungal infections are rare.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers have now identified how one deadly fungus, Cryptococcus neoformans, hides from the immune system, enabling it to grow, unabated throughout the infected person's body. What begins as a tiny encapsulated spore, consisting of an outer membrane made up of a sort of sugar (polysaccharide), now attracts more and more of this sugar from somewhere inside the body, leading the once tiny single spore to become too large for the scavenger white blood cells (macrophages) to gobble them up and digest them! Eventually, this mass of cells strangles off normal human physiology and the patient dies.

Lead researcher Dr. Arturo Casadevall says that the mechanism for capsule growth wasn't known until now. Of course, they have yet to identify where the other polysaccharides are coming from but, as you continue reading, you will see how, yet again, an exciting science has been touched upon. Could this discovery actually be a relevant cancer discovery? I think it is! I suspect that millions of other Cryptococcus neoformans cells are already inside our bodies and want nothing more than some bonding-time with their spore family members! Read on click Here

Colon Cancer Hits home

2009-11-25T09:44:00.004-05:00

Unexpected and shocking news from your doctor can turn your world upside down. Some think it could never happen to them or that they are pretty healthy and dont have to worry about eating Mc Donalds everyday. The statistics show that 1 out of 2 men will get cancer and 1 out of 3 women will get cancer. Ignorance and a lack of the correct information from the correct sources is very dangerous.

Within the last year, a family member and a good friend, were diagnosed with Colon cancer. The crazy thing is, with early detection, colon cancer is preventable and beatable. IT is critical to get checked early. The KEY is preventative maintenance and early detection. The standard age to have a colonoscopy done is 50 years old. I believe that having one done at 40 yrs old is wise.

It is important to understand some basics of colon cancer and how to keep your colon functioning. Keeping your colon clean provides a number of health benefits, the main ones being: A lowered risk of developing colorectal cancer, the second or third leading type of cancer in most industrialized countries, A lowered risk of experiencing irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, and chronic diarrhea, A lowered risk of developing hemorrhoids, Less objectionable gas production,More efficient absorption of water and minerals, A feeling of lightness, comfort, and well-being in your abdominal region.

After food passes through your stomach and small intestine, the remaining material, mostly waste products in liquid form, move on to the first part of your large intestine -- your colon. Your colon is approximately 6 feet long and serves primarily to dehydrate liquid waste material. In order to understand how to keep your colorectal region clean and healthy, let's go over a few key details on how your large intestine works.

Movement of Waste Material

After you eat a substantial meal, your stomach expands enough to trigger a reflex that causes a contractile wave (called a peristaltic wave) to travel through your small intestine and push any liquid waste material (chyme) that is sitting in the last part of your small intestine into your large intestine.

Movement of waste material through your colon is facilitated by something called "haustral churning". Your colon is divided along its length into small pouches called haustra. When a haustrum is filled with substantial waste material, its muscular walls contract and push the waste material into the next haustrum. The contractile reflex that allows haustral churning is regulated by a division of your autonomic nervous system.

On average, your colon experiences anywhere from about 3 to 12 moderate waves of contractions every minute. After every substantial meal, your colon experiences a much larger contractile wave, called "mass peristalsis". Mass peristalsis serves to push waste materials from your transverse colon all the way to your rectum. In most people, mass peristalsis occurs about three times a day.

When your rectal pouch is distended with enough feces to trigger a contractile reflex, your feces are pushed out through your anus. When you consciously contract your abdominal wall, your diaphragm moves downward and helps open up muscles that line your anal sphincter. If you choose not to release stools when you experience an urge to do so, your reflex contractions may stop, in which case you likely won't have a significant bowel movement until the next mass peristalsis occurs.

Natural Ways to Keep Your Colorectal Region Clean and Healthy

Chronic constipation is the single greatest cause of having an unclean and unhealthy colorectal region because over time, constipation causes your bowel walls to face excessive pressure -- pressure that is created by you straining to go and by your colon walls creating stronger contractions to help eliminate hard stools. Excessive pressure on your colon walls can cause little pouches called diverticuli to form. Sometimes, small bits of waste material can get lodged in diverticuli.

Eat substantial meals; don't nibble on small amounts throughout the day. Each time you eat a substantial meal, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines, ensuring regular movement of waste material through your colon and rectum. Also, eating substantial meals allows significant "chunks" of waste materials to travel together through your colon, turn into well formed stools, and get eliminated from your body in an efficient manner.

Don't suppress the desire to go. If you regularly suppress the urge to have a bowel movement, waste materials spend more time than is optimal in your colon, causing excessive dehydration of waste materials and formation of hard stools.

Ensure adequate intake of water and/or water-rich food. Water helps to move waste materials along, and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stools to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to drink several glasses of water per day. If you eat plenty of water-rich plant foods, then you can rely on your sense of thirst to dictate how much water to drink.
Eat fiber-rich foods regularly. Fiber adds bulk to the boluses of waste material that travel through your large intestine, and this bulk is essential to your colon's ability to turn waste materials into well formed stools. A diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains ensures high fiber intake.

Ensure adequate vitamin D status. Adequate vitamin D status significantly lowers your risk of developing all types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. When you aren't able to get regular exposure to sunlight, look to ensure adequate vitamin D status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin D, such as wild salmon and a high quality cod liver oil.

Ensure adequate vitamin A status. Glands that line the mucosal lining of your colon are responsible for releasing mucous that is needed to lubricate your feces; vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of these specialized cells that release mucous. It's best to ensure adequate vitamin A status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin A.

Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats. All of your cells, including those of your large intestine and nervous system, require a constant influx of undamaged fatty acids and cholesterol to remain fully functional. If you don't ensure adequate intake of healthy fats, your nervous system and the smooth muscles that surround your digestive passageway -- both of which are responsible for creating peristaltic waves throughout your digestive tract -- may deteriorate in function.

Also, intake of healthy fats is necessary for optimal absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A, which, as mentioned above, is critical to building and maintaining the mucosal lining of your colon. Healthy foods that are rich in healthy fats include: avocados, organic eggs, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconuts, raw nuts, raw seeds, and cold-water fish.

Build and maintain large colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. Large populations of friendly bacteria can keep your digestive tract clean and healthy by promoting optimal digestion, thereby preventing build-up of toxic waste materials. Bacteria also take up space and resources, thereby helping to prevent infection by harmful bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The easiest way to build and maintain healthy colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract is to take a high quality probiotic.

Work at feeling emotionally balanced. Stress can interfere with your ability to clean your colon through its effect on your enteric nervous system. Most people who have come to me over the years with a chronic colon-related health issue have had significant emotional stress in their lives. If you have a challenge with colon and rectal health, I encourage you to take a careful look at ways that you can more effectively manage emotional stress in your life.

Here's the bottom line on this topic: Your body is well designed to keep your colon and rectal regions clean and healthy. If you follow the steps outlined above, you can rest assured knowing that your lifestyle choices are minimizing your risk of having colon-related health issues.

Source: www.naturalnews.com

What you should know about Diabetes

2009-11-22T09:58:00.001-05:00

Here are some interesting facts from Food Matters.com and Dr Ron Rosedale MD:

Diabetes was not long ago primarily a 'disease' affecting a small portion of the mature population. Yet today, it is becoming commonplace with all ages of adults and we are now seeing an alarming epidemic of diabetes in increasingly younger children.

In the US, 20.8 million people (7.85% of the population) have type II diabetes and another 50 million have pre-diabetes. More than half are not even aware that they have this condition that can rob them of some of the most enjoyable years of their life, if left unchecked.

Type II diabetes is very much a 'disease' we have given ourselves through diet. While this may not be what many like to hear - it should ring as very good news indeed to anyone with diabetes concerns and the desire to reverse it naturally. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said 'Let Food Be Thy Medicine, and Medicine Be Thy Food'.

Diabetes Is Not A Disease Of Blood Sugar! By Ron Rosedale, MD

As I have stated previously, and one concept that I would like to make well-known to save thousands and perhaps millions of lives as soon as possible, is that diabetes is not a disease of blood sugar, but a disease of insulin and perhaps more importantly leptin signaling, and until that concept becomes well-known in the medical community, articles like the one published in this issue will fortunately continue to be published revealing the inadequacy of current conventional medical treatment for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and the falsity of their advice about nutrition.

Typically treatment concentrates on fixing a symptom, in this case elevated blood sugar, rather than the underlying disease. Symptoms are generally the way that nature has taught our bodies to deal with a disease. For instance, a runny nose is a symptom designed to cleanse the nose and sinuses of viruses and bacteria when one has a "cold." Taking a decongestant just inhibits our own body's mechanism for dealing with that infection and will therefore prolong it.

Similarly, treatments which concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar for diabetes while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication. It just trades one evil for another.

Elevated insulin levels are highly associated and even causative of: heart disease, peripheral vascular disease,
stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity and many other so-called diseases.

Since most treatments for (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetes utilize drugs which raise insulin or actual insulin injections itself, the tragic result is that the typical, conventional medical treatment for diabetes contributes to the manifest side effects and the shortened lifespan that diabetics experience.

Traditional medicine appears certainly not to, especially with diabetes. For two millennia diabetes has been considered to be a disease of sugar. Despite centuries of scientific progress including the discovery of insulin and more recently leptin, that has not changed. It appears that medicine has made little to no progress with that myth. Furthermore, the actual purpose of insulin is widely, if not uniformly, mistaken even among the medical community.

The Main Purpose Of Insulin Is Not To Lower Blood Sugar.

It may surprise you, as well as your doctor, that insulin's main role is not to control blood sugar. The control of blood sugar is mostly in an upward direction, not a downward direction. A few types of tissues and cells in our body such as red blood cells require glucose for energy (the rest can and even desires to burn fat or byproducts of fat metabolism called ketones). Thus it is important to always have a little bit of glucose dissolved in our blood.
The trick throughout most of our ancestral history was to keep sugar in our blood from falling too low since there was not that much sugar to be had. Most starches and grains that would turn into sugar are mostly indigestible unless cooked. You might even strain your jaw trying to eat an uncooked potato.

The major source of sugar was fruit, and that was mostly available only seasonally, and even then we had to work and exercise to obtain it, burning the sugar and preventing it from spiking very high. The hormones cortisone, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and growth hormone make sure that we always have some glucose available to the tissues that need it.

High Blood Sugar Was A Rarity.

However when our blood sugar did become elevated it was a sign that we had more energy available than we could currently burn and thus it would be a good idea to store the extra. "Waste not, want not." Food was not always available; feast or famine was the rule. When blood sugar becomes elevated it is a signal for insulin to be released to direct the extra energy into storage.

A small amount is stored as a starch called glycogen in our body, but the majority is stored as our main energy supply -- fat. Thus, in this regard insulin's major role is not to lower sugar, but to take the extra energy when available and store it for future times of need. Insulin lowers glucose as a side effect of directing the extra into storage.

Insulin's purpose may go far beyond even that. Insulin is being researched very heavily by scientists who study the biology of aging. It has been found that when insulin is kept low either through diet or via genetic manipulation animals live much longer and the rate of aging is significantly reduced. This appears true in many different species of animals from single cell yeast, to worms, to flies, and appears likely to be true also in primates.

Apparently, low insulin is a signal that energy is scarce and animals need to focus their energy needs on maintaining and repairing themselves so that they can outlive the famine to be able to reproduce at a future, more opportune time. Insulin's purpose has gone from controlling blood sugar, to directing energy stores, and now to actually regulating the rate of aging including the major symptoms of aging -- diabetes, heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, dementia, and even cancer.

All Chronic Disease Is Due To Miscommunication Of Messages Between And Within Cells.

As stated in a prior newsletter, all chronic disease is due to miscommunication of messages between and within cells. Certainly diabetes is a disease of insulin miscommunication, and recognizing insulin's true purpose certainly goes much deeper to the roots of diabetes and other chronic diseases. Yet we can go even deeper.

Insulin May Not Even Be The Most Important Hormone In Diabetes Or Other Chronic Diseases Of Aging.
That honor likely goes to leptin. It appears that the hormone leptin is largely responsible for the accuracy of insulin signaling and whether one becomes insulin resistant or not. Leptin, a relatively recently discovered hormone produced by fat, tells the body and brain how much energy it has, whether it needs more (saying "be hungry"), whether it should get rid of some (and stop being hungry) and importantly what to do with the energy it has (reproduce, upregulate cellular repair, or not).

Recent compelling research reveals that the two most important organs that will determine whether one becomes (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetic or not are the liver and the brain and it is their ability to listen to leptin that will determine this.

Leptin largely influences, if not controls, the manifest functions of the hypothalamus in the brain, including:
Reproduction, Thyroid function, Adrenal function and the Sympathetic nervous system.
Fat, and leptin, strongly influences chronic inflammation and therefore diseases associated with this including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. It appears now that rather than your brain being in control of your body, fat, by way of leptin, is really in the driver's seat.

The Enemy Is Not Only Foreign To The Medical Community; It Appears To Not Even Be Recognized.
It is no wonder that (type 2) diabetes has not been conquered. By some estimates, diabetes has increased over 700% in the last 50 years. This reveals two very important facts.

Diabetes cannot be primarily a genetic disease, since the prior statistic has taken place within the same generation and presumably essentially the same genetics. Something that we have been doing is obviously wrong and needs to be changed. That something is diet.

It is difficult, or perhaps even impossible, to actually prove that something is true. However, it is not difficult to prove that something is false. Americans have been following (at least partially), for the last 50 years, the nutritional recommendations of a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet from the: American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association That, in itself, is an oxymoron since most of those "complex" carbohydrates, such as potatoes, rice, cereals, pasta, and breads rapidly turn to sugar and the excess sugar (glucose) rapidly turns into long-chain saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid; "palm oil"). Concomitant with that recommendation the incidence of diabetes and obesity has skyrocketed and has become one of the worst worldwide epidemics the world has ever seen.

Eating a high "complex" carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet for health and longevity has been shown, and perhaps even "proven," to be wrong. Minimal common sense would say to try something else.
Diabetes Is A Disease Of Nutrition, And It Is The Science Of Nutrition That Must Treat It. Science is telling us that we must eat a diet that maximizes the accuracy of insulin and leptin signaling allowing cells, you, to better listen to their life-giving messages. (The need for those hormones to have to "yell" to be heard is reduced and the levels of insulin and leptin are therefore lowered.)

That would be the eating plan emphasizing good fats and reduced nonfiber carbohydrates/starches as outlined in my book "The Rosedale Diet" and Dr. Mercola's "Total Health Program". Doing so will greatly improve and even reverse type 2 "insulin resistant" diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, many other chronic diseases of aging, and even aging itself, as many of my patients who have been able to totally eliminate the use of their drugs, including insulin, can attest.

Following those guidelines will let you -- and your genes -- "be the best that you can be." Quick Fact: Estimated Diabetes Costs in United States (2007) Direct medical costs: $116 billion- After adjusting for population age and sex differences, average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes. Indirect costs: $58 billion - disability, work loss, prema

Açaí and diabetes - how do they go together? While diabetics are taught to approach excessive fruit intake cautiously - with fruit juices being nearly avoided all together, for generally high sugar levels - it seems counter-intuitive that açaí is having a very positive impact on the lives of many diabetics. Açaí is actually a low-gylcemic complete food that has been found to have a stabilizing effect on insulin and blood sugar levels.

Leadership and Liberty- Our world needs leadership now more than ever

2009-11-20T22:55:00.005-05:00

Hello all,

Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, top leaders in the business world, have written many books together over the last few years. Launching a Leadership Revolution, a New York Times best seller, has been wildly successful. Since everything rises and falls on leadership, this amazing book has helped individuals and groups learn the principles of leaderhip, soemthing that sorely needed in our world today.

Their latest book "Leadership and Liberty" is unbelievable! Here is a video clip of Orrin and Chris discussing this awesome book and why they wrote it. I highly recommend this book since it is one of my favorites.

Dr Blaylock talks about nutrition, behavior, aspartame and MSG

2009-11-20T20:21:00.000-05:00

Comsume these 3 purple items for your good health health

2009-11-09T16:23:00.000-05:00

Concord grapes, blueberries, red wine: They all get that deep, rich color from polyphenols—compounds that reduce heart disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease, according to the new research. Polyphenols help keep blood vessels and arteries flexible and healthy. "What’s good for your coronary arteries is also good for your brain’s blood vessels," says Robert Krikorian, PhD, director of the Cognitive Disorders Center at the University of Cincinnati.

Preliminary animal studies suggest that adding dark grapes to your diet may improve brain function. What’s more, in a recent human study, researchers found that eating 1 or more cups of blueberries every day may improve communication between brain cells, enhancing your memory.

Inspiring Quotes for success

2009-11-07T18:50:00.000-05:00

Here are some inspiring quotes I came across from Steven Covey. I wanted to share them with here. Have a great day!

Stephen Covey Quote # 1: "Live out your imagination, not your history."

There is no limit to who you can be and what you can achieve if you put your mind into it. Unfortunately, many people are too afraid to step out of their comfort zone.

If your family has always been in the pizza business, for example, you would find it almost impossible to try doing something else. But that is what Covey is trying to get you to understand.

You don't have to achieve what your parents have achieved. You have the entire world before you to take on. Explore and discover.

Stephen Covey Quote # 2: "There are three constants in life... Change, choice and principles."

Everyone knows that change is constant. But people seem to forget that choice and principles are, too!
And contrary to popular belief, we all have a choice. We choose to live, to die, to betray, to support, etc. Even in a situation where we seem to have no choice, we always have a choice. And this choice is always backed up by our principles.

Stephen Covey Quote # 3: "Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly."

You can't just rely on other people's pep talk alone. If you really want to bring forth 100% of your potential, you're going to have to call out the motivation from within yourself.

Ask yourself what you want to do and why you want to do it. You'll find that doing things for yourself, rather than for others, can fuel you to do the things you never even imagined you could.

Know the Cause - Hosted by Doug Kaufmann

2009-11-06T15:54:00.003-05:00

http://www.knowthecause.com/ is a great site for health information. Doug Kaufman has a TV show that has been extremely helpful to us.

Majority of Americans not Meeting Recommendations for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

2009-11-06T09:22:00.000-05:00

Interesting article published by Healthy News service on October 17, 2009

No U.S. state is meeting national objectives for consumption of fruits and vegetables, according to the first report to provide state–by–state data about fruit and vegetable consumption and policies that may help Americans eat more fruits and vegetables.

“State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009”was released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Healthy People 2010 objectives aim for at least 75 percent of Americans to eat the recommended two or more daily servings of fruit, and for at least 50 percent of Americans to eat the recommended three or more servings of vegetables daily. However, CDC surveys indicate that only 33 percent of adults meet the recommendation for fruit consumption and 27 percent get the recommended servings of vegetables. The statistics are even worse for high school students – 32 percent report eating at least two servings of fruit daily and 13 percent say they eat at least three servings of vegetables each day.

“A diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight, and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, all of which currently contribute to health care costs in the United States,” said Dr. William H. Dietz, director of CDC′s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. “This report will help states determine what is taking place in their communities and schools and come up with ways to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables.”

Ironically, even though our society consumes less than the recommended amount of fruit, I question the integrity of the fruit that IS consumed. When fruit is pulled off the tree before ripening, then gassed, and bombarded with harmful chemicals, one should wonder how healthy the fruit really is? It stands to reason that fruit today is nothing like it used to be when your Mom had her own garden. Cancer and disease is rampant and has been linked to lack of fruit and vegetables in our daily diet. How do you get quality fruit every day conveniently without breaking the bank? We live in a pharmaceutical fast food culture and it all comes down to education. If we chose to ignore the studies and statistics thinking that it doesnt apply to you, keep in mind that 1 out of 2 men are going to get cancer. As well, 1 out of 3 women are going to get cancer. Alarming but true. Its never too late to make some positive changes that can positively impact you and your family's health in a major way.

Food Inc presents a documentary on the truth about the food we eat.

2009-11-03T12:56:00.001-05:00

Store Wars.. This is funny!

2009-11-02T06:30:00.003-05:00

ORAC Score revisited..

2009-11-01T10:41:00.006-05:00

According to our government, our body requires approximately 7-9 servings of fruits a day OR 3000-5000 orac a day, ( ORAC is simply a measurement of antioxidant acticity from fruit or vegetables) to maintain optimum health. Based on the chart below, it is no wonder why we do not get that amount in our diet everyday. According to the scientists and doctors, along with thousands of published papers, lack of fruit in our diet (along with our fast food, chemically laden, pharmecutical culture) contributes to all of the health issues we face, including disease and cancer.

Now, here is what approximately 13 servings of fruits looks like and their associated costs.. 15.73 cents for fruit that may not contain the quality we expect, depending on where you bought the fruit. Unfortunately, most fruit today has been chemically altered, pulled off a tree or out of the ground before ripeness, guaranteed not to have the same quality as the fruit from your Mom's garden.

Now, if taking two ounces in the morning and two ounces at night could give you the same amount, wouldnt that be something? We certainly spend a lot of money on things that do nothing to help our health. Chemicals and fast food take care of that for us. Its been said that 10% of what we eat keeps us alive and 90% of what we eat keeps our doctor alive! Quality fruit is so important in our diet, yet less than 5% of the population gets the required amount EVERYDAY for good health. The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing over and expect different results. If we cannot conveniently give our bodies what it needs to survive in this world, then we may want to find a way to do it. Those who dont have time for proper health will be forced to make time for sickness which we all know is expensive. Fruit for thought.......

Effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on blood pressure

2009-10-24T20:41:00.000-04:00

Background High dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables are associated with reduced risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Short-term intensive dietary interventions in selected populations increase fruit and vegetable intake, raise plasma antioxidant concentrations, and lower blood pressure, but long-term effects of interventions in the general population are not certain. We assessed the effect of an intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption on plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins, daily fruit and vegetable intake, and blood pressure.

http://realhealthanswers.com/docs/Journal-Articles/MiscFruit/Effecs%20of%20Fruit%20Consumption%20on%20Plasma%20Antioxidant%20-%20trial.pdf

How to Reverse and prevent Diabetes the natural way

2009-10-19T08:55:00.007-04:00

When I learnt about a breakthrough in how to prevent and reverse Diabetes I immediately investigated. When I was actually convinced that this genuine method has been researched, trialled and tested, I couldn’t wait to share the news with you.In America over 20.8 million people (approximately 7.85% of the population) suffer from Diabetes. However in India a country of more than 1 billion people very few people suffer from Diabetes. This points to the fact that our diet and lifestyle have a direct influence on the onset of Diabetes. It also points to the fact that our diet and lifestyle habits have a direct influence on the reversal of Diabetes.Our friends at Food Matter had such an overwhelming response to their popular DVD, ‘Food Matters’, they have been asked to produce a targeted learning program especially about Diabetes.

http://www.foodmatters.tv/AP.aspx?ID=547&EID=4642472.

The 'Food Matters Diabetes Learning Program' is an extension of the documentary film 'Food Matters' featuring never before seen footage focusing specifically on Diabetes issues. In a collection of interviews with leading Nutritionists, Naturopaths, Scientists, M.D.'s and Medical Journalists you will discover the secrets of treating diabetes naturally. “My personal experience with diabetes and review of the literature made it VERY clear to me that virtually every case of type 2 diabetes is 100 percent reversible.”--Dr. Mercola, Specialist in Nutritional and Alternative MedicineNow is a good time to learn about:

The importance of Nutrition and Natural Therapies for treating Diabetes Naturally

Specific information on which foods, therapies and vitamin and mineral supplements can promote healing

The true causes of Diabetes and how you can build your bodies own defenses naturally to live a long, healthy and abundant life.

How to start to reduce your insulin dosage and gradually eliminating the need for it entirely!

How to avoid the pain, suffering and unnecessary expenses by naturally addressing the root cause of your diabetes.

Why you’ve never been told about these options before and why most doctors don't advocate these safe and effective modalities

How to most effectively detoxify the body and rebuild the nutrients safely helping you to lose unwanted pounds The 'Food Matters Diabetes Learning Program' gives you:

Over 6 Hours of Instantly Accessible Crystal Clear Video Lessons

Interviews With 9 of the Worlds Leaders In Nutrition and Natural Healing for Diabetes

You Receive Unlimited Access to All of The Videos Which You Can Pause, Stop, Start and Listen to as Many Times as You Wish

A Comprehensive 22 page Workbook Which Follows Along With Each Of the Video Lessons
An Extensive Listing of Doctors and Clinics Specializing in Nutritional Medicine From Around The World

An In-Depth Listing of Recommended Websites, Books and DVDs Click to instantly make the change to a long-term and healthy alternative to Diabetes medication

http://www.foodmatters.tv/AP.aspx?ID=547&EID=4642472.

Fruits and Vegetables shown to reduce the risk of Breast cancer and its reoccurance

2009-08-22T01:58:00.003-04:00

NaturalNews) Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables drastically reduces the risk of ever getting breast cancer and of having a recurrence. Scientists at the University of Hong Kong have just released more research findings adding to the growing pile of evidence that selections from the produce section are the best bet for keeping away this dreaded disease.

The association between vegetable and fruit intake and breast cancer risk was evaluated using a hospital-based, case-controlled study. Four hundred and thirty-eight breast cancer cases were matched with an equal number of controls by age and place of residency. Their dietary intake was assessed by face-to-face interviews using a food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistical regression was used to estimate odds ratios.

Total vegetable and fruit intake was found to be inversely associated with breast cancer risk. The odds ratios of the highest quartile relative to the lowest quartile of total vegetable and fruit intake were 0.28 and 0.53 respectively. This means that those eating the lowest amounts had a 47% increased risk of breast cancer. Consumption of individual vegetable and fruit groups such as dark green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, bananas, melons (watermelon, papaya, and cantaloupe) was inversely and significantly related to breast cancer risk. An inverse association was also observed for vitamin A, carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and fiber intake. (International Journal of Cancer, July)Fruits and vegetables modulate the cell cycle to safeguard healthPeople were created to eat fruits and vegetables.

Several systems in the body depend on constituents from nature's garden for proper functioning. One of these is the cell cycle that regulates the growth and maintenance of all living things. During the cell cycle, chromosomes are duplicated, and one copy of each duplicated chromosome is transferred from the mother cell to the daughter cell. Proper regulation of this cycle is critical for the normal development and maintenance of health in multi-cellular organisms. If the cell cycle is not working as it should, cancer and other degenerative diseases may be the result.The successful reproduction of new cells depends on two critical processes, the replication of DNA, and mitosis (the nuclear division of the daughter cell from the mother cell).

Compounds from fruits and vegetables stand guard over this process and assure successful completion. (Frontiers in Bioscience, January, 2008)In a world in which more and more genotoxins are constantly bombarding people, a greater intake of fruits and vegetables is necessary to modulate the effects of deregulation at cell cycle checkpoints and keep the cycle running smoothly creating new cells that are healthy. Up to ten servings of fruits and vegetables each day are now recommended by some health gurus.Fruits and vegetables can reduce breast cancer recurrence by 40 percentScientists from the University of California examined the relationship between plasma carotenoid concentration as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake and the risk for a new breast cancer event in 1,550 women previously treated for early stage breast cancer. After 5 years of follow-up, those women with the highest plasma carotenoid concentrations had a 40% reduced risk for breast cancer recurrence. (Journal of Clinical

Read the rest... http://www.naturalnews.com/026607_vegetables_cancer_fruits.html

alkaline-acid- Tips for balancing your diet

2009-08-19T13:22:00.004-04:00

NaturalNews) The American diet is anything but balanced. The mass consumption of meat, grains and processed foods causes the body to become overly acidic, which strips it of minerals. Over the long haul, those who do not balance their diet with alkaline foods (fruits and veggies, primarily) become prone to weak bones, joints and muscles, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and a host of other health problems. In other words, long-term health and longevity have everything to do with acid-alkaline balance.

Consider the Inuit (a.k.a., Eskimos), who do not have access to many fruits and vegetables. Their diets consist largely of seal meat, fish and whale blubber. While they eat few grains, their diet is nevertheless highly acidic. Though a sturdy bunch, with healthy hearts, their bones start breaking down prematurely. Indeed, the Inuit people have the worst longevity statistics in North America.

In contrast is Okinawa, where more people live to 100 years of age than anywhere in the world. While meat, rice, soy and seafood (highly acidic foods) are squarely in the diet, so are a vast range of different vegetables and fruits, rich in anti-oxidants, as well as minerals that counteract acidity. A wealth of fascinating anthropologic and scientific evidence exists that supports the acid-alkaline theory of health and longevity; there is much information to research this further.The typical American diet is similar to that of the Inuit in that there is entirely too much meat and not enough alkaline vegetables to balance it.

Factory farms in the US manufacture meat and animal products in unhealthy ways, leaving them loaded with toxins and inflammatory compounds. Furthermore, charring meat adds flavor, as well as cancer-causing substances.

Read More click here http://www.naturalnews.com/

A third of breast cancer patients treated needlessly

2009-08-12T18:34:00.004-04:00

In an artice written by Newsmax.com, it was interesting to read that 1/3 of breast cancer patients were treated needlessly.

One-third of women diagnosed with breast cancer in public screening programs are treated needlessly because their tumor will not be life-threatening, the British Medical Journal reported Friday.

Scandinavian researchers highlighted the dilemma facing doctors when it comes to detecting and treating breast cancer. Not all breast cancers kill, though. In some cases, the cancer will grow so slowly that the patient will die of other causes before it produces symptoms, or it might remain dormant or even shrink over the years.
Because doctors have no idea whether a cancer will be lethal or harmless, they tend to treat all patients diagnosed with a tumor. But cancer treatment, using powerful drugs, radiotherapy, or surgery, causes harm.
So it is vital to know how many patients may be being treated unnecessarily, especially given the huge investment in having women undergo regular mammograms.

Karsten Jorgensen and Peter Gotzsche of the Nordic Cochrane Centre in Copenhagen pored over data from screening programs in Australia, Britain, Canada, Norway, and Sweden.
They looked at trends seven years before and seven years after the programs were implemented.

They found that, when screening programs were introduced, doctors did indeed spot more cases of breast cancer - but= 0also treated more women who would not have needed it.
"One in three breast cancers detected in a population offered organized screening is overdiagnosed," they said.

In an accompanying editorial in the British Medical Journal, Gilbert Welch, a professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Research in Vermont, said the findings raise key questions about the trade-off between deaths the screening programs avoid and the harm treatment programs inflict.

One study has suggested that one death is avoided for every two women who are overdiagnosed, while another puts the ratio far higher, at one death avoided for every 10 cases of unnecessary treatment.

"Mammography undoubtedly helps some women but hurts others," Welch said. "No right answer exists. Instead, it is a personal choice."

leadership and Liberty- Pieces of the puzzle

2009-08-12T18:26:00.004-04:00

"Pieces of the Puzzle"

In this new book, NY Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling authors Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward describe how the principles of leadership are instrumental in preserving freedom, liberty, and justice not only in our personal lives, but in society at large. Designed to build upon two of their previous books, Launching a Leadership Revolution and Leadership Tidbits and Treasures, this inspiring read teaches you how you can help improve our society to ensure the continuance of liberty and freedom for all.

Fantastic Book! http://www.the-team.biz/shophome/product/tabid/94/p-1183-leadership-liberty-pieces-of-the-puzzle.aspx

More Fruits equal lower risk of diabetes and less weight

2009-07-30T20:33:00.003-04:00

In an article by Joene Hendry, a common conclusion is reached about the benefits of fruit.
Amid numerous ongoing debates over which dietary interventions are most beneficial, one standard suggestion continues to ring true: Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables “are unbelievably loaded with good-for-you nutrients,” observes American Dietetic Association (ADietA) spokesperson Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LD, of the Northwestern Memorial Wellness Institute in Chicago.
“Eating more fruits and vegetables can only help prevent diseases, as well as manage diseases that people already have,” she says. “I have never seen a research article that implicates fruits and vegetables in any sort of negative light.”
Evidence shows that fruits and vegetables, consumed in proper amounts, are good for preventing stroke, heart disease, and hypertension, as well as promoting vascular function, weight loss, and other health aspects.

“I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE CONNECTED TO THE FACT THAT IF THEY CONSUME FIVE TO SIX SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PER DAY THEIR RISK OF STROKE IS GOING TO BE REDUCED.”

Berries beyond the hype?

2009-07-28T07:01:00.003-04:00

Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN American Institute for Cancer Research

Berries are often described as "super foods," but then, so are many other foods. Are berries really such a nutritional powerhouse, or are they just one more fruit option? And is one kind of berry really better than the rest? Research does show that berries are among the fruits highest in antioxidant content and that they are excellent sources of several phytochemicals that seem to help block cancer development. However, other fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients and phytochemicals with unique health benefits.

The best advice, then, is to eat berries often for their great taste and health boost, but stay focused on the main goal of eating a wide variety of produce every day. Strawberries are known as excellent sources of vitamin C, providing as much or more than a whole day’s recommended amount in just one cup. But all berries are good sources of vitamin C, with one cup of raspberries or blackberries giving you close to half of amounts currently recommended for a whole day for adults. One of the ways vitamin C protects our health is its function as an antioxidant.

Antioxidants attract and neutralize highly reactive molecules called free radicals that could otherwise damage body cells in ways that initiate cancer development, heart disease and age-related eye damage. Yet laboratory studies show that much of the antioxidant power of fruits and vegetables comes not from the classic antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, but from natural protective compounds called phytochemicals. Anthocyanins are a group of phytochemicals that give many berries their red color. In laboratory studies, anthocyanins inhibit growth of lung, colon and leukemia cancer cells without affecting growth of healthy cells.

Decreased cancer development is also seen in animals given anthocyanins. Ellagic acid is another important phytochemical in virtually all berries. More than a simple antioxidant, ellagic acid also blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. In animals, it has inhibited development of colon, esophageal, liver, lung and skin cancers stemming from a variety of carcinogens.

Sterostilbene is yet another powerful antioxidant phytochemical that seems to
affect metabolic processes to decrease development of both cancer and heart disease.

Blueberries are an excellent source of this relative of the health-promoting resveratrol that is found in grapes and red wine. Phytochemicals seem to be a vital part of the benefits we get from berries. One study showed that strawberries’ power to inhibit cancer cell growth was unrelated to their antioxidant content, suggesting that the direct influences of the phytochemicals on cancer development are very important.

An essential question remains: Do normal portions of berries give us enough phytochemicals to get protective benefits or do we need to eat larger portions than standard 1/2 cup servings? Some research does suggest that concentrations normally found in the blood after eating berries are enough to substantially decrease cancer cells’ growth and to stimulate their self-destruction.

Overall, research on phytochemicals shows that looking at the effects of single foods does not show the full picture. Studies show that a wide range of phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans act together in ways far greater than would be expected from looking at them individually. That’s why, as fabulously healthy as berries are, the bottom line has to be abundance and variety of many fruits and vegetables.

Doctors discuss alternative ways to manage cancer

2009-07-27T01:16:00.003-04:00

John Hopkins Update - Good article AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.. *CANCER CELLS FEED ON: a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells.. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color.

Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.

About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells. 1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Pa per isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.

5 thoughts

2009-07-24T10:21:00.003-04:00

Here are 5 inspirational thoughts to live by which can affect not only your health in a positive way but in your professional and personal life as well.

Be Thankful. It's easy to think about what is missing and ignore what you have. When you develop an attitude of gratitude, you begin to view things from that positive light and start working toward making something happen. Giving up is not an option you can entertain.

Be Thoughtful. When things go wrong, don't go with them. As you look at yourself, you have to harness your will, you have to be grounded, you have to pause and you have to go within. Begin to clear your head and give yourself permission to accept the reality that is happening. And then turn the page and start working toward where you will go from there.

Be Active. If you're going through hell, don't stop. Keep moving. Start with small steps and build from there. When you are not active and you're not engaging in life, you have a tendency to worry and regret and to engage in less-than-useful emotions. It's very important that you start moving and working and doing things that can give you some headway. The more active you are, the less chance you have of becoming depressed, angry and immobilized with fear.

Be Connected. Many times, people fail because they can't see the picture when they are in the frame. They think there is no way out. These are people who are disconnected and feel isolated and desperate. But interacting with others provides a number of benefits, including helping us find new paths and new ideas to explore.

Be Patient. Don't expect instant results. Plug away carefully and consistently, and keep the mindset that things are going to get better even though you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are living in a microwave society where we want instant results. But it's not that kind of party. Patience and a spirit of expectation and trust will help you work to reach your goals and dreams.

Study finds fruits help the fight against cancer and disease

2009-07-23T19:03:00.005-04:00

"Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet. And for good reason. Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

Over the past 30 years or so, researchers have developed a solid base of science to back up what generations of mothers preached (but didn't always practice themselves). Early on, fruits and vegetables were acclaimed as cancer-fighting foods. In fact, the ubiquitous 5 A Day message (now quietly changing to Fruits and Veggies: More Matters) seen in produce aisles, magazine ads, and schools was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute. The latest research, though, suggests that the biggest payoff from eating fruits and vegetables is for the heart.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Cardiovascular Disease

There is compelling evidence that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. The largest and longest study to date, done as part of the Harvard-based Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, included almost 110,000 men and women whose health and dietary habits were followed for 14 years. The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Compared with those in the lowest category of fruit and vegetable intake (less than 1.5 servings a day), those who averaged 8 or more servings a day were 30 percent less likely to have had a heart attack or stroke. Although all fruits and vegetables likely contribute to this benefit, green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale; and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit (and their juices) make important contributions.

When researchers combined findings from the Harvard studies with several other long-term studies in the U.S. and Europe, and looked at coronary heart disease and stroke separately, they found a similar protective effect: Individuals who ate more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per had roughly a 20 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, compared with individuals who ate less than 3 servings per day.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. As such, it's a condition that is important to control. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. One of the most convincing associations between diet and blood pressure was found in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study.

This trial examined the effect on blood pressure of a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricted the amount of saturated and total fat. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed this diet reduced their systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a blood pressure reading) by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by almost 6 mm Hg—as much as medications can achieve.

More recently, a randomized trial known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health (OmniHeart) showed that this fruit and vegetable-rich diet lowered blood pressure even more when some of the carbohydrate was replaced with healthy unsaturated fat or protein.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Cancer
Numerous early studies revealed what appeared to be a strong link between eating fruits and vegetables and protection against cancer. But because many of these were case-control studies, where people who already have a certain health outcome (cases) are compared to people who do not have that outcome (controls), it is possible that the results may have been skewed by problems inherent in these types of studies; people with illnesses, for example, often recall past behaviors differently from those without illness, which can lead to potential inaccuracy in the information that they provide to study investigators.

Cohort studies, which follow large groups of initially healthy individuals for years, generally provide more reliable information than case-control studies because they don't rely on information from the past. And data from cohort studies have not consistently shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables prevents cancer in general. For example, in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, over a 14-year period, men and women with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables (8+ servings a day) were just as likely to have developed cancer as those who ate the fewest daily servings (under 1.5).

A more likely possibility is that some types of fruits and vegetables may protect against certain cancers. A massive report by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that non-starchy vegetables—such as lettuce and other leafy greens, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, as well as garlic, onions, and the like—and fruits "probably" protect against several types of cancers, including those of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, and stomach; fruit probably also protects against lung cancer.

Specific components of fruits and vegetables may also be protective against cancer. For example, a line of research stemming from a finding from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study suggests that tomatoes may help protect men against prostate cancer, especially aggressive forms of it. One of the pigments that give tomatoes their red hue—lycopene—could be involved in this protective effect.

Although several studies other than the Health Professionals study have also demonstrated a link between tomatoes or lycopene and prostate cancer, others have not or have found only a weak connection. Taken as a whole, however, these studies suggest that increased consumption of tomato-based products (especially cooked tomato products) and other lycopene-containing foods may reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer. Lycopene is one of several carotenoids (compounds that the body can turn into vitamin A) found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, and research suggests that foods containing carotenoids may protect against lung, mouth, and throat cancer. But more research is needed before we know the exact relationship between fruits and vegetables, carotenoids, and cancer.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Gastrointestinal Health
One of the wonderful components of fruits and vegetables is their indigestible fiber. As fiber passes through the digestive system, it sops up water like a sponge and expands. This can calm the irritable bowel and, by triggering regular bowel movements, can relieve or prevent constipation. The bulking and softening action of insoluble fiber also decreases pressure inside the intestinal tract and so may help prevent diverticulosis (the development of tiny, easily irritated pouches inside the colon) and diverticulitis (the often painful inflammation of these pouches).

Vegetables, Fruits, and Vision
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables also keeps your eyes in good shape. You may have learned that the vitamin A in carrots aids night vision. Other fruits and vegetables help prevent two common aging-related eye diseases—cataract and macular degeneration—which afflict millions of Americans over age 65. Cataract is the gradual clouding of the eye's lens, a disk of protein that focuses light on the light-sensitive retina. Macular degeneration is caused by cumulative damage to the macula, the center of the retina. It starts as a blurred spot in the center of what you see. As the degeneration spreads, vision shrinks.

Free radicals generated by sunlight, cigarette smoke, air pollution, infection, and metabolism cause much of this damage. Dark green leafy vegetables—such as spinach and kale—contain two pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin, that accumulate in the eye; these pigments are found in other brightly colored fruits and vegetables as well, including corn, squash, kiwi, and grapes. These two pigments appear to be able to snuff out free radicals before they can harm the eye's sensitive tissues.
In general, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables appears to reduce the chances of developing cataract or macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin, in particular, seem protective against cataract.

More news on the cancer-fiber front

2009-07-23T18:04:00.004-04:00

More News on the Fiber-Cancer Front-- by Jeff Jurmain, MA

Scientists have long known that keeping a diet high in fiber goes a long way to protecting the body from chronic diseases. It is most powerful in protecting all areas of the digestive tract from problems. And those problems include cancer.

A brand new study in the journal "Gastroenterology" has found an added benefit to eating lots of fiber and foods made with whole grains. We had known that eating this way could help prevent colon cancer. But they also found that these dietary habits could prevent cancer from developing in the small intestine as well.

Of the entire digestive tract, the small intestine comprises about three-quarters. Cancers are less common in the small intestine, however, when compared to the large intestine or colon. (Colorectal cancers are among the most common and most fatal tumors.)

A team from the National Cancer Institute analyzed data to gauge fiber's cancer protection in the small bowel. Over the span of one year in the mid-1990s, they looked at data from nearly 300,000 men and 200,000 women. It was called the Diet and Health Study. Over the course of seven years, they discovered that 165 patients had developed cancer of the small intestine.

Researchers found that people with the highest intake of fiber from grains had a 49% reduced risk of such a cancer. (That is compared to people with the lowest intake.) And for whole grains? There was a 41% reduced risk of small bowel cancer for people eating the most to people eating the least amount.

Experts call for adults to consume between 20 g and 35 g of fiber per day through food. Unfortunately, the average adult gets only 12 g to 18 g -- in some cases, far below what is recommended. Dietary fiber comes in a variety of foods and it's not that hard to stock up on it. It will also contribute to you feeling full faster, so you are not tempted to overeat (important for people trying to shed pounds).

Here is the best of the lot for finding fiber in foods:
-- Fruit: raspberries, pears and apples (with skin)

Cha-de-Burge

2009-07-15T10:16:00.004-04:00

Cha de Burge is an ingredient i came across in a new energy drink by MV. Since I have never heard of it, i did some research and came across this information

Cha de Bugre is yet another exotic weight loss ingredient that hails from South America. The powdered herb is served all over the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While it hasn't quite reached that status here in the States, it is a sensation there. And what a list of sensational health benefits it apparently has: decreased appetite, kills viruses, reduces cellulite, reduces fever, increases urination, supports heart health, and acts as a stimulant.

The Cha de Bugre tree produces a red fruit similar to a coffee bean which can be roasted and made in to a coffee substitute.

Cha de Bugre is supposed to suppress appetite, but not completely, which is key. The idea is not to not eat at all, then binge later when famished. Cha de Bugre gives one a sense of being full after eating a few bites of food. This seems to promote smaller more frequent meals, which is common knowledge today as the best way to a healthy weight

Some very interesting facts everyone should know about wild fruit

2009-07-09T09:05:00.005-04:00

I was listening to Dr Carson speak about the benefits of fruit and I wanted to share some interesting facts that I learned.

As I learn more about the importance of fruit in our diet, statistics show that less than 18% of the population consumes 2 or more fruits a day. Countless studies have concluded that we still need 7-9 servings of quality fruits and vegetables in our diets to maintain optimum health. How many are getting that? I wasn't. Not doing so is one of the main reasons our society is rampant with disease, cancer, and most of the health problems we face today.

First, fruit from the store, including organic fruit, carries a much higher risk of carrying food borne illnesses than chicken or beef. To mitigate that, manufacturers pasteurize or use extreme heat to kill dangerous bacteria. Unfortunately, this destroys much of the nutritional quality of the fruit. There is only one way to maintain the nutritional quality of fruit and that is to flash pasteurize it. Flash pasteurizing heats the juice up at a rapid rate for only a few seconds to kill bacteria, then reduces the temperature rapidly to help maintain the nutrients.

Fruits from the wild, ie, the Amazon Jungle, have 40% more nutrition than fruit from the USA. Why? Because the environmental conditions of the Amazon are so harsh that most of the fruit grown over there developed survival properties. The protection mechanism built into fruit protects it from the following: viruses, bacteria, mold, fungi, parasites, droughts, floods, radiation, high heat, toxins, pollutions, free radicals, over crowding, predators and mutations. The person consuming these raw fruits benefits greatly from these defense mechanisms. Acai fruit for example, is an amazing fruit that has kept Brazilians healthy and young for years, based on it's survival properties.

There are many products out there but keep one thing in mind. As Dr Carson says, and i am paraphrasing, there are a certain things you don't want to save money on- Heart transplants, parachutes, life preservers and wellness products. Get the facts and understand that what you do on a daily basis makes a difference in your health.

Which is the #1 killer of men and women?

2009-07-09T09:01:00.002-04:00

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. If you are worried about heart disease, one of the most important things you can do is to start eating a heart-healthy diet. Changing your diet can help stop or even reverse heart disease.

At first, it may seem like there is a lot to learn. But you don't have to make these changes all at once. Start with small steps. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up to a big difference in your heart health.

To have a heart-healthy diet:

Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods.
Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Limit salt (sodium).

Stay at a healthy weight by balancing the calories you eat with your physical activity.
Eat more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.

Heart Disease, high blood pressure, stroke and the power of acai

2009-06-02T18:02:00.005-04:00

About half of Americans die from high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Fortunately, 80 percent of those deaths could be prevented by changing the toxic lifestyles at the root of diseases. Hypertention, heart disease and strokes are the problems that start with cell membranes lining our arteries.

By improving the health of our intestines, acai increases the levels of Short Chain Fatty Acids that are indispensable to the health of the cell membranes lining the arteries. The high amino acid content of the acai berry is also helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease. Acai is also high in monounsaturated essential oils, fats, and trace minerals, which are critical for cell membrane, insulin and arterial health.

How cancer develops- an excellent video

2009-05-24T16:23:00.003-04:00

Here is a good video of how cancer forms. It is clear that the root of the problem ultimately comes from damaged cells and DNA caused by lack of antioxidants.

Choices in life

2009-04-30T11:42:00.003-04:00

" The Doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame. In diet and in the prevention of disease." -Thomas Edison

CHOICES! Life is all about choices....choosing the "right" car, the dream house, your perfect job, the names of your children. We even choose our brand of coffee, shampoo and laundry detergent. Deliberate concentration is given to our choices in all areas of life...except healthcare. We allow doctors to make all the decisions concerning the MOST important aspect of our lives! WHY? The answer is simple really, we are an uninformed nation when it comes to healthcare, so we accept what the "experts" tell us. We take the pill, go under the knife, subject our bodies to radiation, chemotherapy and drugs that haven't been on the market long enough for the "experts" to know all of the side effects because we don't have knowledge of "other options".

Our goal is to bring to you the information available on prevention of disease and alternative healing. You should be armed with the knowledge to explore other options. The power should be put back into your hands. Make the choice to be healthy. One final note, there are a few things you dont want to save money on..... parachutes, bungy cords or proper health and good nutrition.

Inflammation - The Damage From Within

2009-04-22T13:02:00.006-04:00

We are slowly learning about a greater enemy within that is the cause of more disease and discomfort than we realize, and it is largely food caused. Poor but popular food. This silent but voracious condition is INFLAMMATION.

Unlike a temporary fever chronic inflammation is a smoldering, never ending, internal fire. It is insidious these days and it is the root cause of much disease, and it is now epidemic, and it is not getting adequate attention. If you suffer from extreme allergies or arthritic pain and swelling you are on the assembly line of inflammatory attack.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) FEEDS THIS FIRE.
Every day we launch an army of free radical when we eat convenient and processed foods that are deep fried, made non-fat, artificially powdered, hydrogenated, sweetened, etc. Things like coffee creamer, french fries, crackers, cookies, chips, nonfat milk, and more. It is estimated that at least one third of the population is allergic to wheat gluten, the highly lauded protein in wheat... which inflames the gut. That spongy softness we love in our baked goods is evidence that we are eating highly hybridized wheat. This makes our bread, cakes, pasta and cereals delicious and harmful. They all now contain more starch, less protein and few trace minerals.

This absence of nutrition actually causes us to crave them more creating a vicious circle of eating habits. The original set of allergies we may possess are now fully inflamed and out of control. The immune system works poorly as a result. Infections are easy to attract. Root canals and dental problems can then add to our burden of infection. In some an overgrowth of candida eventually overload the gut and all sorts of problems ensue. This is the internal environment that sparks arthritis and other diseases. When inflammation attacks a joint it eats away the cartilage, becoming crippling in the worst cases.

Before our modern food processing, back on the farm so to speak, soups and broths included the bones and cartilage as part of the recipe. This base contained glycine rich gelatin as a result, a protein released from boiled bones. The soup was rich in flavor and it provided anti inflammation properties. The raw cream, milk and butter of the day also contained preventative ingredients, lost now to pasteurization. Further, the grass fed livestock we once digested provided gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that also diminishes joint pain as well as many diseases.
Drugs can arrest the pain but they never put out the fire. The immune system just becomes further stressed.

Fruits are inflammation busters. Glucosamine and esterified fatty acids help to lubricate joints and to help build cartilidge. Combining the two would make a powerful blend.

Some facts about Free Radicals, oxidation and fruit

2009-04-22T12:47:00.007-04:00

Oxidation is caused by free radicals. Free radicals are charged molecules that contain an unpaired electron. Being charged makes such molecules very reactive and unstable. By nature such molecules are always looking for a partner to bond with to fill the gap. By snatching unpaired electrons from other compounds, free radicals become chemically stable but may at the same time convert, or oxidize, the compounds that lost electrons to new free radicals, thus starting a chain reaction.

The oxidized molecules are sometimes damaged by the electron loss and acquire new properties--for example, becoming insoluble. Picture a slice of apple turning brown, a crumbling rubber ball, the metal rusting on your car, fats that go rancid, or rotting meat. These are all examples of free radical damage generated by oxidative stress-oxidation. Try slicing an apple in half and put a little lemon juice on one exposed side. You will see the effects of the Vitamin C.

This oxidation is happening in the cells of your body every second. Several years ago a worldwide antioxidant revolution sparked in the nutrition industry. The world began to learn about cellular oxidation's significant contribution to harm the body's functions and rapidly accelerate aging.Finally, scientists were learning how to pluck dangerous, degenerative free radicals out of cells with the use of antioxidants. The word "antioxidant" has become a common term associated with anti-aging, immune system strength, and total body health.

The truth is, over 1100 different families of free radicals exist. They attack your cells from the air you breath, the sunlight you live in, the food you eat and drink, the stress you feel, and the hygienic products you buy at the store. Although some antioxidants are superior in selectively fighting some free radicals, there is not one single antioxidant that can rid the body of all of the very different kinds of free radicals. The only source of antioxidants in the form of plants come from fruit. With the concept of balance, variety and moderation, consuming 7-13 servings of fruits a day helps supply an ample amount of antioxidants necessary to combat free radicals according to the FDA.

A video parody on fruits and vegetables- This is hilarous!

2009-04-22T11:10:00.001-04:00

STORE WARS- A PARODY ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. This is hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVrIyEu6h_E&feature=related

Cancer proof your body

2009-04-15T13:09:00.006-04:00

Here are a few recommendations on how to cancer proof your body.

Consume Cranberries

Make every day Thanksgiving and you could slash your risk of several different cancers. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have confirmed that cranberries contain a trove of tumor-blocking compounds, including phenolic acids, glycosides, and anthocyanins.

These phytochemicals are effective at preventing cancer down below—in the colon and prostate—as well as up top—on the head and neck. "They force cancer cells to die or they inhibit their unregulated growth," says David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., a coauthor of the study.

Consume Pomegranate Juice

Some say this luscious, lusty red fruit is Eve's original apple, but what the pomegranate truly banishes is cancer risk. The fruit's deep red juice contains polyphenols, isoflavones, and ellagic acid, elements researchers believe make up a potent anticancer combo. It's been shown to delay the growth of prostate cancer in mice, and it stabilizes PSA levels in men who've been treated for prostate cancer. And now University of Wisconsin at Madison researchers have learned that pomegranate may also inhibit lung-cancer growth. If you currently smoke, have smoked in the past, or hang around in smoky places (Cleveland, for instance), the juice of the fruit could bolster your defenses.

Use it: The mice in the Wisconsin study received the human equivalent of 16 ounces of juice per day, so quaff accordingly.

Eat Blueberries

Got pterostilbene? Rutgers University researchers say this compound -- found in blueberries -- has colon cancer-fighting properties. When rats with colon cancer were fed a diet supplemented with pterostilbene, they had 57 percent fewer precancerous lesions after 8 weeks than rats not given the compound did. Eat blueberries and you'll also benefit from a big dose of vitamin C (14 milligrams per cup). In a study of 42,340 men, New England Research Institute scientists discovered that men with the highest dietary vitamin C intake (as opposed to supplements) were 50 percent less likely to develop premalignant oral lesions than men with the lowest intake were.

Some interesting facts about Glucose and Antioxidants

2009-04-12T19:24:00.005-04:00

Some key points about sugar and antioxidants.

Your brain needs glucose to function properly. The glucose supply should be steady, so that means no skipping meals. It also means you should avoid a cheap source of glucose, like a candy bar. Candy will give you a quick high and a plummeting low in terms of glucose levels, and if you've ever experienced a sugar crash, you know what that can do to your body. To provide a steady stream of glucose, you should look for food that slowly releases carbohydrates into the bloodstream, which include most fruits and vegetables. Foods such as candy and white bread just give you the sugar rush.

Glucose is essential for keeping the neurotransmitters in the brain at peak levels but don't go too crazy with all these brain foods. When you consume too many calories, you can undo the positive brain effects. In the process of converting glucose to energy, extra oxygen is created as unstable molecules called free radicals. Free radicals in turn cause oxidative stress by destroying brain cells they come in contact with. Not only does this oxidative stress force the brain's synapses to work harder, it's also a major factor in many diseases, which is why you so often hear about the benefits of antioxidants.

Fruits and vegetables are full of the antioxidants that can fight those free radicals. Green tea also provides antioxidants to the brain. Keeping your brain running smoothly by means of fueling it with the right energy is just one step to increasing your smarts, though. Eating the right food will clear the pathways for knowledge to zoom around the brain, but you'll have to put it there.

Dont forget, if you are not consuming at least 7-13 servings of quality fruits and vegetables a day, you are at risk for many health issues simply because one of the only sources of phytonutrients and antioxidants necessary to fight free radicals come from plants, ie, fruits and vegetables.

There are many reasons why we do not comsume this many fruits and vegetables. Besides the fact that the quality of most fruit is questionable, it requires a discipline to consume this many servings. It can be expensive and it is inconvenient, expecially with how little time we have to protect the most important thing in our life which is our health and the heatlh of our loved ones.

There are solutions to this dilema for those interested. We only have one shot at getting our health right. If the scientists and doctors are saying that we dont get enough fruits and vegetables in our diet and that is the cause of many of today's modern health issues, it would make sense to pay attention but do we? The statistics say that we are not. So, is it worth considering? It should be. It seems that only when we are diagnosed with a medical problem do we drop everything and make our health a priority. This is why the sickness industry is a 3 trillion dollar industry.

Fortunately, with the right information, more and more people are paying attention to their health and to the warning signs. The wellness industry which focuses on prevention vs treatment is a burgeoning industry that is projected to be a trillion dollar industry. The baby boomers are fueling this industry and as more people understand that it is cheaper to prevent a medical problem, not to mention easier, rather than finance a disaster, it is just common sense.

We provide solutions, we provide answers, we provide information critical to helping you understand why fruit is important. You dont know what you dont know and in this case, not knowing what you dont know will hurt you.

Food Choices Are Critical in Preventing Disease

2009-04-08T10:40:00.001-04:00

Food Choices Are Critical in Preventing Disease

A new study, the first of its kind, found that the antioxidant potency of the foods you choose is more important than just increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables.

The study included both men and women and found that vegetables and fruits containing high levels of antioxidants significantly lowered liver enzymes (indicating improved liver health).

At the same time, the high-antioxidant foods reduced inflammation in the body. Fruits and vegetables which contained low amounts of antioxidants had no beneficial effects. This could explain why previous studies of diets high in fruits and vegetables found little beneficial effects, since the choice of foods was the critical factor.

Nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, those high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids, protect against disease best. Because most chronic diseases are inflammatory, this can dramatically improve one’s health and speed recovery (Amer. Jour. of Clin. Nutr. 2008; 87: 1290-1297).

Two great sites to refer to for health and cancer information

2009-04-03T14:53:00.004-04:00

In the last few years, I have come across two great websites regarding health, cancer and disease that I highly recommmend to anyone looking for quality information. It is easy to get analysis paralysis with the thousands of books and websites referencing cancer, disease and health related matters. I trust and believe in everything on here.

Here they are.. www.knowthecause.com and http://www.healthywealthyandwiseshow.com/

Reference Doug Kaufman on the first site and Dr Sherry Rogers on the 2nd site. I know you will find value in the information they provide. Sometimes having the right information can make all the difference in the world. We need the truth and both these individuals and everyone included on both sites provide some great information everyone should be aware of. God bless.

Very important info regarding the acai berry

2009-03-30T11:00:00.003-04:00

Acai berries top the charts for antioxidant potency, but commercial processing may destroy nutritional content by Jessica Fraser

(NewsTarget) New research appearing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has found that although the Amazonian acai berry has the highest antioxidant content of any food, certain commercial processing methods may strip the fruit of much of its nutrition.

Two studies led by Alex Schauss from AIBMR Life Sciences -- along with colleagues from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of California and other institutions -- examined the antioxidant properties of OptiAcai-brand freeze-dried acai fruit pulp and skin powder, as measured by the powder's oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC).

Schauss and his team found that the OptiAcai product had a 1026.9 ORAC score, compared to an ORAC score of 155 for other commercially available freeze-dried acai samples.
"What mystifies me is that the acai products we tested in the commercial marketplace had a
fraction of the antioxidant activity reported in our paper for OptiAcai," Schauss said.
The OptiAcai product also demonstrated "extraordinarily high" peroxyl scavenging activity -- the highest of any food researched so far -- as well as high superoxide scavenging activity. According to Schauss, the ability of acai berries to halt the formation of damaging free radicals could have profound implications for treatment of a wide range of diseases.

Schauss says that although the OptiAcai product was impressive in its antioxidant content, not all acai products available on the market are as effective. "We believe there are many reasons for the lower ORAC values of various acais that have been on the market for some time," Schauss said. "First, freeze-drying is superior to spray drying or air drying in retaining phytochemicals and nutrients, but more expensive. We believe that other suppliers have not considered the issue of enzymatic degradation of the fruit."

Much of the acai shipped from Brazil to the United States or Europe is sent in large frozen blocks that fail to prevent nutritional degradation, Schauss said. For that reason, many commercially
available acai products have low ORAC levels. Consumer advocate Mike Adams, author of "The Seven Laws of Nutrition," said acai berries have a pleasant taste and provide high-density natural medicine to consumers.

"As with many of the smaller berries such as blueberries, sea buckthorn and goji berries, acai
berries pack a potent nutritional punch in a tiny package," Adams said. "I recommend them to
anyone interested in improving their health."

Antioxidants do not interfere with cancer radiation treatments, research finds

2009-03-30T10:51:00.001-04:00

Antioxidants do not interfere with cancer radiation treatments, research finds
by Ben Kage

(NewsTarget) Research by Cancer Treatment Centers of America scientists have found that
antioxidants provide nutritional benefits to cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment without interfering with the treatment itself. The study, entitled "Effect of Concomitant Naturopathic Therapies on Clinical Tumor Response to External Beam Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer," was presented this weekend at the non-profit Society of Integrative Oncology's Third International Conference in Boston.

Most doctors feel that radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery are the best treatment
options for cancer patients, but the side effects of the treatments can be physically and
emotionally damaging. So, supporters of complementary and alternative therapies have sought to improve their patients' post-treatment quality of life through the use of antioxidants.

"In cancer treatment today, we have to look beyond the traditional focus of treating only the
tumor," said Timothy Birdsall, ND, vice president of integrative medicine for Cancer Treatment
Centers of America and lead author of the study.

However, doctors have long been concerned about antioxidant use with radiation treatment
interfering with the cancer cell oxidation levels that assist chemotherapy and radiation in killing
tumors. To address this, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America researchers analyzed the
prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels of prostate cancer patients after radiation therapy, and
found no difference between the control group and the group using antioxidants such as green tea extract, melatonin, high-potency multivitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E.

"This study provides evidence that antioxidants as a complementary therapy in cancer treatment do not interfere with external beam radiation therapy," Birdsall said. "Antioxidants are one of many complementary and alternative medicine therapies that are crucial in today's fight against cancer."Cancer patients will be the first to tell you (traditional treatments are) not enough," he said. "The integrated, whole person approach to cancer is highly valued, so much so that cancer patients and their caregivers are seeking out complementary or alternative therapies on their own."

More than 80 percent of the cancer patients interviewed for the report said they had used some
sort of complementary and alternative medicine treatment, many without any sort of medical
supervision. This presents a danger, the researchers said, as some may interfere with traditional
treatments. St. John's wort, for example, is often taken for depression, but can reportedly reduce the effectiveness of some forms of chemotherapy.

"For years, oncologists have caused great harm to cancer patients by insisting that they take no
antioxidants whatsoever during chemotherapy or radiation treatments," said Mike Adams, a
consumer health advocate and holistic nutritionist. "This misguided advice has caused
immeasurable harm among cancer patients, and is one reason why conventional medicine's
cancer treatments ultimately kill so many people.

"What we've known for a long time in the natural health community is that boosting nutrition
protects the healthy cells of the body from chemotherapy and radiation without interfering with
those therapies," he said. "But bull-headed doctors and oncologists -- who can never admit they
Antioxidants do not interfere with cancer radiation treatments, research finds might be wrong -- simply refuse to accept any scientific facts about the value of nutritiona

Americans still not eating enough fruits and vegetables

2009-03-30T10:20:00.002-04:00

In an article by Ben Wasserman from foodconsumer.org, he points out an alarming fact about our diet and the fact that Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. Here are a few clips and points I found interersting:

Americans are still eating less than the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, according to two recent studies. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends that adults eat at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables each day.

Although the federal government painstakingly asks the public to increase use of fruits and vegetables, two studies published in the April 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine show clearly that American adults do not eat enough of fruits and vegetables.
Experts are concerned that this is a serious public health concern because low intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with increased risk of obesity and certain chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Tiffany Gary Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health states in her study article that "With two thirds of the U.S. adult population overweight or obese, the implications of a diet low in fruits and vegetables are extensive - New strategies, in addition to the 5-A-Day Campaign, are necessary to help Americans make desirable behavioral changes to consume a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables."

It is clear that there is a direct link between health related issues and lack of quality fruit in our diets. More importantly, it is important to see how many Americans actually consume the required amount of fruit to maintain health. This fact leads to the conclusion that America is either unaware of the importance of fruit in the diet, or that our society finds it difficult and inconvenient to include 5-13 servings of fresh, quality fruit in our diet EVERY DAY. Is it cost, is it lack of quality fruit available, is it a cost issue, is it the convenience factor? In my opinion, its a little bit of everything. If there were only a way to get wild, raw fresh fruit every day in a convenient way, just as easily as driving through Mac Donalds.

Limited fruit and vegetable consumption a cancer risk?

2009-03-28T12:48:00.003-04:00

According to the Natural Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/), People whose diets are rich in plant foods such as fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of getting cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, and there is some suggested evidence for colon, pancreas, and prostate. They are also less likely to get diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. A diet high in fruits and vegetables helps to reduce calorie intake and may help to control weight.

To help prevent these cancers and other chronic diseases, experts recommend 4 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, depending on energy needs. This includes 2 to 5 servings of fruits and 2 to 8 servings of vegetables, with special emphasis on dark-green and orange vegetables and legumes.

Acai Berry – Super Antioxidant

A small grape like fruit from the Amazon Rain Forest has been found to be one of the most potent natural antioxidants. The Acai berry, pronounced “a-sigh-ee”, has been shown to have 10 times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries. In addition to the antioxidant properties, Acai fruit is also rich in iron, fiber, protein, vitamin E, and contain a high level of essential fatty acids & omegas. Acai also contains a multitude of trace minerals.
The Importance of Antioxidants

There is considerable laboratory evidence that indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. Antioxidants are substances that are believed to help protect cells from damaged caused by unstable molecules called “free radicals”. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants, like those found in Acai fruit, help to stabilize free radicals and may help to prevent some of the damage that free radicals cause.

Exposure to certain environmental factors such as tobacco smoke and radiation lead to free radical formation. Free radicals are also a natural by product of normal cell activities. Free radical damage to DNA overtime may lead to cancer.

One thing to note. This fruit must be quality fruit. Also understand that today's fruit is no where near the quality that your Mom's fruit was in the garden. Researchers suggest that you need more of the recommended daily intake of fruit to get the necessary antioxidants than ever before.

Definition of an Anti Oxidant

2009-03-27T14:01:00.003-04:00

Our bodies are rusting just like a car. We will continue to rust and oxidize after we are gone. The only soure of antioxidants on the planet comes from plants and fruit.

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. As a result, antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols or polyphenols.

Although oxidation reactions are crucial for life, they can also be damaging; hence, plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxidases. Low levels of antioxidants, or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, causes oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.

As oxidative stress might be an important part of many human diseases, the use of antioxidants in pharmacology is intensively studied, particularly as treatments for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is unknown whether oxidative stress is the cause or the consequence of disease. Antioxidants are also widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. Although some studies have suggested antioxidant supplements have health benefits, other large clinical trials did not detect any benefit for the formulations tested, and excess supplementation may be harmful.[1] In addition to these uses in medicine, antioxidants have many industrial uses, such as preservatives in food and cosmetics and preventing the degradation of rubber and gasoline.

Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological evidence.

2009-03-27T13:58:00.001-04:00

Dept. of Social and Administrative Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.

Approximately 200 studies that examined the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, bladder, pancreas, and ovary are reviewed. A statistically significant protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption was found in 128 of 156 dietary studies in which results were expressed in terms of relative risk. For most cancer sites, persons with low fruit and vegetable intake (at least the lower one-fourth of the population) experience about twice the risk of cancer compared with those with high intake, even after control for potentially confounding factors. For lung cancer, significant protection was found in 24 of 25 studies after control for smoking in most instances.

Fruits, in particular, were significantly protective in cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity, and larynx, for which 28 of 29 studies were significant. Strong evidence of a protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption was seen in cancers of the pancreas and stomach (26 of 30 studies), as well as in colorectal and bladder cancers (23 of 38 studies). For cancers of the cervix, ovary, and endometrium, a significant protective effect was shown in 11 of 13 studies, and for breast cancer a protective effect was found to be strong and consistent in a meta analysis. It would appear that major public health benefits could be achieved by substantially increasing consumption of these foods.

Fight cancer with fruits and vegetables

2009-03-27T13:54:00.004-04:00

Here is an article I found on the benefit of fruit in the fight against cancer

One of the best-kept secrets in the field of health is that the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute have been conducting studies with vegetable and fruit extracts for years, discovering their remarkable cancer-inhibiting effects. Even so, most oncologists know very little about this and many have, in fact, told their patients not to eat vegetables, thinking it might interfere with their treatments. Their advice is based on the erroneous belief that chemotherapy and radiation treatments depend on free radical destruction of cancer cells. In fact, this is only partially true. Most treatments inhibit cancer through many different mechanisms .

Nutrients from fruits and vegetables - especially the flavonoids - have remarkable powers that have been confirmed by a number of researchers and documented in most major oncology journals. The nutrients enhance the ability of most chemotherapy agents and radiation to kill cancer cells, while at the same time, they protect normal cells from the treatments' harmful effects. Unfortunately, most oncologists ignore these studies. Instead, they concentrate on new chemotherapy protocols and radiation methods. Antioxidants, which are found in fruits and vegetables, are powerful cancer fighters. One of the most important antioxidants is a substance called glutathione. It is present in every cell in the body, and low levels are associated with higher rates of several types of cancer. Conversely, when glutathione levels are high, cancer rates are low. Nutritionally, there are several ways to increase glutathione levels, including flavonoids.

The following are powerful natural c ancer-fighters: Vitamin C: Vitamin C in the form of buffered ascorbate should be taken twice a day. Take it on an empty stomach because vitamin C greatly enhances iron absorption from all foods - and iron is a cancer-growth stimulant. I discuss vitamins and their benefits in detail in my special report "Key Vitamins that Save Your Heart, Prevent Cancer, and Keep You Living Long. N-acetyl-L cysteine (NAC): This chemical supplies one of the chief building blocks of glutathione-cysteine. A number of studies have shown that it is a safe and efficient way to bolster glutathione levels in cells. Flavonoids: Research indicates that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can raise levels of glutathione in cells. Such foods include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, parsley, celery, kale, greens (turnip, collard, and mustard), spinach, tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and carrots.

Reduced glutathione is also available as a supplement, but generally it's poorly absorbed. Melatonin - which most people think of as a sleep supplement - is also a powerful antioxidant. A growing number of studies are providing evidence that this substance fights cancer, as it has been proven to increase levels of several antioxidant enzymes in the brain and possibly other parts of the body.

What does one serving of fruit consist of?

2009-03-24T17:27:00.002-04:00

One serving equals:1 medium piece of fruit1/2 cup fruit (raw, canned, or frozen)1/2 cup cooked vegetables (canned or frozen)1 cup raw vegetables1/4 cup dried fruit4-6 oz. of 100% juice (serving size depends on the type of juice)1/2 cup cooked peas or beans

So lets look at this. According to the officials, we are supposed to get 5-7 servings of QUALITY fruits and vegetables a day to maintain health. So the above serving example must be multiplied by 5-7. Hmmm, That is a lot of fruit and vegetables. What would you estimate 5-7 servings costs a day?? Do the math. I mentioned quality. By the time any of these fruits and vegetables above reaches your mouth, they have been heavily compromised.

From the minute the fruit was prematurely picked off the tree ( an un ripened piece of fruit or vegetable does not have its nutrition yet), to the time it gets to you, taking into consideration the herbicides, pesticides, gassing, and storage in a warehouse for 3-5 weeks, and exposure to air, the fruit or vegetable does not have the nutritional equivalent in anti oxidants to have any major affect on your health. Matter of fact, it may hurt you based on the numerous studies of the effects of pesticides and herbicides. Don’t let the FDA fool you. The food industry is a money making business and they have to make fruit look nice but I still question the safety of chemicals that seep into fruit, regardless if you wash it off. If you cook vegetables too long, microwave them or let them sit around, even more nutrients are lost.

You can buy organic but some suggest that it may be only slightly safer. In any case, what we are really talking about is our life style. It is a fact that less than 5% of the population gets 5-7 servings of quality fruit and vegetables a day, necessary for good health. Look around you. That is obvious. The overwhelming rates of cancer and disease are dominating our culture. We live in a fast food, pharmaceutical drug culture and people don’t want to make the time to take care of the root of the problem in America. IF the scientists and doctors all say the cancer and disease rates are sky high due to lack of fruits in our diet, it would make sense that we should all add more fruits and vegetables to our daily routine. Again, we don’t.

It is important to help others understand that for less than 4 dollars a day, you have a convenient delivery system of the most synergistic, high quality, raw, fruits from all over the world. It is less than 4 a day if you buy in bulk. It is free by sharing this amazing product in no time. Isn't your health worth 4 dollars a day? How many people spend money on stupid stuff everyday, including coffee, snacks, value meals and other things that don’t have a positive impact on the one thing that should be most important to you, your health. I know a lot of people who are sick and who have been sick that would have done anything to fix what was wrong. Why regret things after its too late?

Someone once said, "those that don’t have the time or money for good health, will make the time and find the money when they get sick. Keep in mind, everyone that is sick and hurting, was healthy at some point ( for the most part). We are all headed for a train wreck if we ignore the little things we do to our bodies on a daily basis.

Free radicals exist in our bodies everyday. Our body has a natural system to flush out free radicals. Unfortunately, how we live, the air we breathe, how we eat, etc, causes an excess of free radicals in our body which is toxic to our cells. As new cells in our body are born, they are carbon copies of the good or bad cells that created them. The ONLY way to combat free radicals is through plants, fruits and vegetables.

It stands to reason that without enough fruits, our body cannot function properly and our immune system cannot do its job of fighting disease or cancer. Just a thought. You have one shot to get your health right. If you get sick, your life changes and there is no other focus. Since most wont change their habits statistically, at least we offer a convenient delivery system. Don’t forget, this scientific blend of 19 fruits, including the amazing acai berry, offers 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day with just 4 ounces a day ( 2 shots ) The science is amazing, the testimony is amazing and it works. You are part of this. 1.6 Billion in sales in 3 years cannot be due to a placebo effect. It is real and helping change lives both health and wealth wise. I hope this helps.

Ben

The dangers of pesticides in humans

2009-03-24T17:25:00.003-04:00

Here is an article on the dangers of pesticides in humans including the effects of pesticides on fruit

http://www.purezing.com/living/toxins/living_toxins_dangerouspesticides.html

2 independent studies and information on the importance of fruit

2009-02-26T14:54:00.004-05:00

Here is some interesting information on fruit consumption as recently reported by 2 independent sources. In an article on fruit consumption and the effects of antioxidants found in the magazine, BestLifeOnLine.com, by Adam Baer, according to the study, " Eating a variety of fruits together provides more health benefits that eating one alone." " Studies have shown that the antioxidant effects of consuming a combination of fruits are more than additive but synergistic."

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, by Rui Hai Liu, PhD, from Cornell University's department of food science, looked at the antioxidant capacity of various fruits individually ( apples,oranges, blueberries,grapes) verses the same amount of a mixture of fruits, and found that the mix had a greater antioxidant response.

According to the study, this effect explains why no single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables.

The author also recommends eating five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily to reduce disease risks, as opposed to relying on expensive dietary supplements for these compounds."

In an article posted in the latest US NEWS and world report magazine, a survey was conducted on what the leading causes of chronic health conditions were and the following was noted:

Low fruit and vegetable consumption, ( less than the recommended 5 serving of fruits a day) equated to 76%

No vigorous exercise equated to 72%

Being overweight or obese equaled 66%

High Blood pressure 34%

High Cholesterol 21%

smoking 21%

Diabetes 8%

It was further noted that the chronic killers were Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, Chronic Respiratory Disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer's, Inflammatory Disease and Hypertension.

These killers have arguably been the result of lack of nutrition, diet and exercise, including a life style that embraces a fast food, pharmaceutical culture.

The choices we all make on a daily basis impact our future. Every person ever diagnosed with a disease or illness, was most likely healthy at one point. Some are fooled into believing that it could never happen to them and then one day wake up, feeling pain or under the weather, only to find out that they have a major medical issue. It is then and only then that they DO NOT care what it costs or what they have to do to remedy the problem. If we put value on our lives, and we only have one life to live, why do we continually ignore the signs, reports, articles, studies and testimonies of others who are already sick?

If the overwhelming testimony, research, science and literature, points towards eating fruits and vegetables, as your Mom told you to do, it is our choice and decision to make. Preventative care is important. The old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It should be worth anything to stay healthy and live as long as possible. We can avoid a train wreck as long as we adhere to the information available.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every single day is critical. How many people are not doing that and why? Is it a cost factor? Is it a convenience factor? Is it a lack of understanding of just how important it is to consume the only source of phytonutrients and antioxidants necessary to fight disease and cancer? Maybe it's all the above. What i do know is this: If there was a way to get a convenient delivery of everything my body needed, it would be worth anything to keep my body in balance, feeling good and helping me to live longer without pain. Most would agree that our quality of life is just as important as how long we live.

Which Fruits and vegetables are the most toxic

2009-02-12T17:00:00.004-05:00

Interesting website and information regarding pesticides found on foodnews.org

Conventionally grown peaches, apples, and lettuce are marinated in a toxic cocktail of pesticides, which have been shown to cause everything from dizziness to cancer, as well as headaches, rashes and liver toxicity. The environmental working group- a research firm in Washington tested several fruits and vegetables.

10 most toxic: Peaches, apples, sweet peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes and pears. The following is some interesting information worthy of reading..

Reducing Exposure is Smart

The more that scientists learn about the toxicity of pesticides, the more questions are raised about the potential toxic effects on people. Pesticide manufacturers often portray these unresolved scientific issues, and the uncertainty that comes with them, as safety.
Statements like, "There is no conclusive evidence of harm to humans" from exposure to pesticide X are intended to mislead the public into believing that exposures to pesticides and toxic chemicals are without appreciable risks. This is not true. Absence of knowledge is not proof of safety.

Ignorance Does Not Equal Safety

There are two chief reasons why it is so difficult to link human harm conclusively to toxic chemicals like pesticides.
First, most safety tests done for regulatory agencies are not designed to discover whether the low dose exposures to pesticide and chemical mixtures that we all experience are safe, particularly during critical periods of development. In general, the government demands, and companies conduct, high dose studies designed to find gross, obvious toxic effects. In the absence of the appropriate tests at lower doses, pesticide and chemical manufacturers claim safety because no harm at low doses has been conclusively demonstrated (or even studied).

Second, because people are contaminated with trace levels of literally hundreds of chemicals, it is generally impossible to attribute a specific health effect to any one of them. There are several worrisome exceptions, however, including chemicals like PCBs, mercury, dioxin and lead, where low doses at critical periods of development have been shown to have significant permanent adverse effects on learning, behavior, and development (CDC 2001, CDC 2003, EWG 2003, ATSDR 1999, ATSDR 2000).

Tiny Doses Can Be Toxic to Children

Beyond the narrow confines of regulatory agencies, independent research scientists are beginning to understand the subtle ways in which small doses of pesticides during critical periods of fetal development and childhood can have long lasting adverse effects on people. It is well established that the fetus, infant and small child are typically most vulnerable to the toxic effects of pesticides and toxic chemicals (NRC 1993, EPA 2003, FSA 2003). The metabolism, physiology and biochemistry of a fetus, infant or child is fundamentally different than an adult.
A host of vital organ systems continue to grow and mature from conception throughout childhood. At critical periods of developmental change, these systems are susceptible to the toxic effects of pesticides and toxic chemicals, both individually, and in mixtures. Many organ systems, for example the nervous system and brain, can be permanently, if subtly damaged by exposure to toxic substances in-utero or throughout early childhood that, at the same level, cause no measurable harm to adults (Jacobson 1996, CDC 1997, NRC 2000).

The endocrine (hormone) system is perhaps even more sensitive to toxic exposure than the nervous system, and over the past decade, enormous effort has been put into the study of how pesticides and toxic chemicals interfere with normal endocrine signaling and function. A significant body of research in animals now shows that ultra-low doses of pesticides and toxic chemicals on critical days of development can cause changes in hormone function and effects on organ development and function that often only appear later in life. A growing number of these studies show that low doses at a susceptible moment of development can cause more of an effect than high doses (vom Saal 1997, Alworth 2002, Hayes 2003). This is particularly relevant to childhood and fetal exposures via food and water where the timing of the exposure is at least as important as the dose.

Many pesticides are now considered "endocrine disrupters", in part because the term is something of a catch phrase for chemicals that cause a variety of changes in normal hormone signaling. Some better known examples of highly toxic endocrine disrupting pesticides are DDT (and its metabolite DDE) which are now known to exhibit much of their toxicity through anti-androgenic (de-masculinizing) properties (ATSDR 2002), vinclozolin, a heavily used fungicide that is also anti-androgenic (EPA 2000), endosulfan, a DDT relative with estrogenic properties that is found more often in food than any other pesticide (EPA 2002, USDA 1994-2004), and atrazine, a weed killer with broad hormonal activity, that contaminates the drinking water of about 20 million people in the United States (EWG 1999, EWG 1995).

Today scientists know much more about how pesticides can change critical hormone signals in the human body in ways that can have potential life changing effects. Yet in spite of these advances, there is little agreement on how much endocrine disruption is too much, and how much is without harm. The same is true of immune system effects and to a lesser degree effects on the developing nervous system.

As science advances, public health and environmental officials are faced with growing knowledge about the hazards of pesticides, but uncertainty about precise mechanisms and nature of the adverse effects. This conundrum is straining a regulatory system that has become overly dependent on scientific certainty when certainty is increasingly difficult, and even impossible to achieve.

Rather than preventing exposures and putting the burden of proving safety where it belongs, on pesticide and toxic chemical producers, most pesticides remain on the market with no threat of regulatory action. EPA is increasingly mired in complex and arcane scientific arguments, mostly generated by chemical companies, that serve primarily as delaying tactics to keep pesticides and toxic chemicals in the marketplace. With no end in sight to this stalemate, the consumer is wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.

Doesn't the government regulate these chemicals?

Yes, but far too slowly. Further, it's important to remember that the government said that highly toxic pesticides like DDT, chlordane, dursban and others were safe right up to the day the EPA banned them.

The EPA is in the process of upgrading pesticide safety standards to comply with a 1996 law (The Food Quality Protection Act) that requires protection of infants and children from pesticides. Several highly toxic pesticides have been banned or restricted under the law, but others have either escaped controls, or have not yet been subjected to them. Pesticide makers, food companies and agribusiness groups are fighting strict application of the statute, and so far have succeeded in weakening several key provisions.

Even the best application of the 1996 law will not protect the public from the combined effect of multiple pesticides. Although some of the most dangerous pesticides have been removed from the food supply in recent years, overall, the number of pesticides found on the most contaminated fruis and vegetables has decline only slightly. If you eat in this country, you eat pesticides.

Are these chemicals bad for me?

Pesticides are toxic by design. They kill bugs, weeds, fungi, rodents and other "pests." That's why the government regulates them--though not stringently enough. The risks you encounter when you eat them depend on a number of factors including the toxicity of the pesticide, degree and form of exposure, your age, genetic susceptibility, and exposure to other toxics, including other pesticides. We believe that:

1. You have a right to know what's in your food.2. The risks from many of these contaminants remain unacceptably high, especially for infants and children3. The government can and should take steps to dramatically reduce the number and amount of toxic chemicals, including pesticides, from the food supply.

For more information, go to http://www.foodnews.org/methodology.php