Category: Wellness

Flu Fears and Fantasies

by Stephen Marini, PHD, DC – ICPA:flu vaccine

The grand fantasy for MedImmune was the billion dollar blockbuster vaccine, FluMist. $25 million marketing dollars attempted to create national demand for this miraculous new vaccine. The financial reality struck when $60 million less than anticipated revenues from this vaccine was realized. Perhaps people were a bit fearful of the listed adverse effects such as the spreading of live virus for 21 days after receiving the “mist”, getting the flu from the vaccine, Guillain Barre syndrome, and the warning to individuals with health issues, especially anyone on immunosuppressives like steroids, to avoid anyone so vaccinated for 3 weeks.

Isn’t it a coincidence that the media hypes up this tremendous flu epidemic in the beginning of flu season just when the drug companies dream of a mass demand for flu vaccine. Goes to show that epidemics can be created on demand without the epidemiologic support. What a great idea to shop at Walmart and get your Flumist. Even folks not intending to pay the $60 to $70 for the vaccine could just breathe in the cloud of live viruses unleashed in the store. It won’t take long for that horror fantasy to be listed as a dangerous biohazard. But neither the cheaper flu shot or the FluMist contain the Fujian strain of flu virus that will cause influenza this year, a fact the advertisers and the media have not mentioned to the consumers.

We have learned that cell mediated immunity rather than humoral immunity, the form induced by the vaccines, is necessary to become immune to the flu virus. Humoral immunity induced by the vaccines is conducive to a chronic ongoing infection rather than immunity. Permanent immunity to a specific viral strain and better versatility to respond to future variant strains of flu result from acquiring the natural infection. Nature intends for us to generate a predominantly cell mediated response to externalize this viral infection and become immune. The drug companies intend to generate a predominantly humoral response that may reduce the severity of the infection, providing the vaccine and the bug going around are pretty identical, but at the price of internalizing the infection to a chronic state. Of course the lack of response versatility generated by the vaccines necessitates getting the vaccine every year for protection. The main prevention against the flu virus as well as the plethora of other flu-like viruses is good hygiene. Hand washing with hot soap and water is a must, especially in public places. Alcohol prep pads and the waterless hand disinfectants which contain alcohol also work well. Parents and teachers need to instruct children in hand washing and not sharing food, drink and utensils.

If you or the children get the flu or any other cold virus, cellular immunity needs to be up to the task. We have also learned from psychoneuroimmunology that imbalances in an individual’s spirituality, emotions from stresses etc. as well as interference within the nervous system from subluxations, somatic and visceral dysfunctions etc. can have a drastic effect on the T cell conductor of the cellular response leaving us vulnerable to viral infection. Avoid the “too much stress, and too little rest” scenario. Kids need less time in front of the game boy, computer, television and more time exercising to remain healthy. Quiet times for reading, meditation go long way to restore balance to many body systems, especially the immune system.

Routine antioxidant use helps protect T cell function. Up your daily amounts of the 4 aces, Vit. A,C,E,S (selenium) and Zinc. Grape seed extracts, berries, certain teas, and even dark chocolate provide natural antioxidant protection. Sugar and caffeine on the other hand are suppressive to the immune system and are to be avoided. Immune stimulating support can be acquired from Astragalus, Ligustrum, Andrographis paniculata, and mushroom extracts such as Host Defense and Immune Enhance. I am skeptical of products such as Bovine Colostrum and Transfer Factor that claim to increase immunity. The increased immunity may be directed to life on the dairy farm and pastures but not human environments.

Homeopathic nosodes and preparations to assist the body in externalizing infections have also proven effective against flu. Standard antibiotics have no effect on virus infections and may generate unhealthy imbalances if used during viral infections.

Herbal supplements with anti-viral capability are garlic, especially if used raw, Isatis, Oil of Oregano, St.John’s Wort, Osha, Turmeric.

Keeping one well hydrated, especially when fever is present, is essential. Good hot chicken soup with perhaps some black mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, or whatever your cultural background finds helpful. Adequate hydration may be a challenge in a child with a sore throat. Making ice pops out of the sport water drinks is a good strategy to keep kids hydrated and in electrolyte balance. The sport waters are preferable to the high sugar Gatorades and the like. Children are very susceptible to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Some signs of dehydration that may call for immediate medical attention are: marked reduced urine output, dry mouth and nasal membranes, rapid heart beat, poor skin pliability, unresponsiveness, listless etc.

Put a humidifier in the bedroom to keep nose and throat membranes moist in order to protect them against germs and irritants. Adding herbs and essential oils such as thyme, fenugreek, eucalyptus, lemon, tea tree, lavender and sandalwood to the humidifier or infuser helps when you are sick. A hot bath with wrapping herbs such as wintergreen, eucalyptus, lemon grass, juniper and bath salts in a bath bag is another great water therapy when sick.

Living in harmony with our environment, being attuned to our bodies, and eliminating interferences within our spirit-mind-body are the recipes for converting the fantasy of health and well being to vibrant reality.

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

Subluxations

by Keith Wassung – ICPA:subluxations

Central Nervous System

The limbic system is the area of the brain that maintains homeostasis and the hypothalamus is perhaps the most important part of the limbic system. It is the “brain” of the brain and is the single most intricate and amazing part of the brain. The hypothalamus controls homeostasis in the brain by way of feedback. The combined neurological and endocrine function of the hypothalamus allows is to play a prominent role is the regulation of numerous body functions.

The main function of the hypothalamus is homeostasis, or maintaining the body’s status quo. Factors such as blood pressure, body temperature, fluid and electrolyte balance, and body weight are held to a precise value called the set point. Although the set point can migrate from day to day it is remarkably fixed.

To achieve this task, the hypothalamus must receive inputs about the state of the body, and must be able to initiate compensatory changes if anything drifts out of range. The Hypothalamus constantly receives millions of nerve messages from complex areas of the rest of the Nervous system including the nucleus of the solitary tract, reticular formation, the retina, the circumventricular organs, the limbic and olfactory systems, sense organs, neocortex, osmoreceptors, as well as numerous touch receptors.

“The hypothalamus receives signals from all possible sources in the nervous system, thus, the hypothalamus is a collecting center for information concerning the internal well being of the body, and in turn, much of this information is used to control secretions of the globally important pituitary gland.” 11

This input into the hypothalamus allows it to regulate and integrate heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, digestion, emotional responses, behavior, sex drive, body and skin temperature, appetite, thirst and body fluids, sleep cycles, metabolism, and much more. The effectiveness of the hypothalamus is directly proportional to the functional capability of the nervous system to send and receive nerve messages and especially to maintain the integrity of those nerve messages as they travel along the spinal cord.

Spinal Cord & Nerve Interference

The spinal cord is both a cable and a switchboard. As a cable, it connects the brain with the rest of the nerves in body. As a switchboard, it coordinates muscle movements, reflexes and other activities under its direct control. The spinal cord is actually a direct extension of the brain, composed of the same kind of nerve cells, nerve fibers and supporting glial cells as those of the brain. It is also protected by the same three coverings (the meninges) and the same fluid (cerebral spinal) that house and protect the brain.

The spinal column is composed of 24 movable vertebrae. The spine is straight when looked at from the front or the rear. When viewed from the side, the spine forms a series of geometric curves or arcs. When the spine is in its optimum structural position, the nervous system is protected, and the integrity of nerve impulses traveling to and from the brain is at an optimum level. This is when the control system of the body can best achieve homeostasis.

Because the vertebra are moveable, they are also susceptible to certain stresses and forces which can cause them to lose their proper position. This leads to stress in the vital nerve system. This condition is known as a “vertebral subluxation”. Subluxations interfere with the normal flow of nerve impulses and can cause either an increase or decrease of nerve activity. Other references in the scientific literature which describe subluxations are: spinal lesions, nerve dysfunction, dysponesis, nerve impingement, neuritis.

Hormonal imbalances can be the result of either too much or too little glandular activity. Spinal Nerve interference and its resulting decrease in function may be a significant cause of endocrine dysfunction and hormonal related health problems.

“Lesions of the hypothalamic input region may produce a variety of symptoms, including diabetes, insipidous, obesity, sexual dystrophy, somnolence, and loss of temperature control” 12 Correlative Neuroanatomy & Functional Neurology

“Studies have shown that more than fifty percent of hyperthyroid patients have damage to the pathways in their nervous system” 13 Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry

“Research at the A.T. Still Institute showed that spinal lesions resulted in pathological changes in the blood, urine, and tissue fluids. Spinal lesions of the atlas and axis ( C1& C2) were associated with abnormal function of the pituitary which resulted in abnormal hormone secretions. 14 Still Research Institute.

With few exceptions, hormone deficiency or hormone excess is the result of pathologic manifestations in the neural pathways that supply the hypothalamus. 15 Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine

Causes of Vertebral Subluxations

Vertebral subluxations can be caused by any force or stress to which the body is unable to adapt. Examples of this would include automobile accidents, work related injuries repetitive motions events, sports and recreational pursuits, poor posture, poor bending, lifting and sleeping habits, and various types of chemical and emotional stress.

The body can adapt to the stress as long as the nervous and endocrine systems are capable of responding normally. All types of stress can not only cause vertebral subluxations, but it creates a viscous cycle in which the body can no longer adapt to stress as a result of a compromised nervous system.

Chiropractic

The purpose of Chiropractic is the detection and correction of vertebral subluxations which is accomplished by physically adjusting the spine. This restores the nervous system pathways to an optimum level of function, which maximizes homeostasis and the body’s inherent healing ability. Chiropractic is not a treatment for disease, nor do Doctors of Chiropractic claim to cure disease. Chiropractors simply remove nerve interference from the spine, and with a restored nervous system, the body is able to restore and maintain its own optimum level of balance.

Research studies as well as tens of thousands of case studies done in Chiropractic clinics have demonstrated that the correction of vertebral subluxations improves neurological function and health and allows the body to recover from a wide variety of health conditions, including many endocrine disorders.

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

Hormonal Health

by Keith Wassung – ICPA:hormonal health

When the body is in a state of homeostasis, the precise amount of hormones are released into the bloodstream and things proceed smoothly. But when the control system malfunctions-either too much or too little of a particular hormone is secreted, or when an organ or a tissue does not respond efficiently – the results can be severe and can result in numerous health conditions including, but not limited to, thyroid disorders, diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression. Thyroid disorders are either classified as “hypo-thyroid” meaning too little thyroid activity or “hyper-thyroid” meaning too much thyroid activity. At any given time in the U.S. more than twenty million people suffer from a thyroid disorder, More than ten million women have a low grade thyroid imbalance and nearly eight million people with the imbalance remain un-diagnosed. More than 500,000 new cases of thyroid imbalance occur each year.

15.7 Million Americans have diabetes and it is estimated that 5 million of them are undiagnosed. Each year there are 789,000 new cases of diabetes. diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and total direct and indirect costs of diabetes in the U.S is over 100 billion dollars.

The endocrine pancreas is regulated by hormonal activity controlled by the hypothalamus. The dysfunction of the regulation of islet hormone secretion as well as its mechanisms and the pathophysiology of the islet dysfunction is primarily a breakdown in the neuroendocrine control.

Osteoporosis is a major health threat for 28 million Americans, 80% of which are women. Annual treatment costs for osteoporosis exceeds 15 billion dollars. One out of every two women and one in eight men will have an osteoporosis-related fracture at some time in their life.

“Interference with bone remodeling-that is, the imbalance between bone formation and bone reabsorption-underlies nearly every disease that influences the skeleton. Most such disorders are caused by imbalances in hormones and related chemicals in the blood.”

“The key to stopping osteoporosis lies in a balanced body chemistry and a delicate balance of minerals in order to maintain a calcium homeostasis in the blood”

Depression is on pace to be the world’s second most disabling disease (after heart disease) by the year 2000; already the World Health Organization ranks it first among women and fourth overall. In the United States, depression afflicts 18 million people at any given time, one in five over the course of a lifetime and costs over 40 billion dollars a year in lost work time and health care.

The term “depression” often carries a stigmatism with it that denotes a certain sort of sadness, but research has revealed that the majority of the cases of clinical depression are due to imbalances in hormonal levels and are related to a dysfunction in neurological signaling and chemistry.

“Today, neuroscientists know that in many cases, psychopathology (ie depression) arises because of dysfunctions in particular brain structures or particular brain chemicals”

“In fact, it takes an incredibly strong person to bear the burden of the depression condition. The name, “hypothalmo-pituitary-adrenal-axis dysfunction” an appropriate jargony medical description that is accurate but would never make it into the headlines”

Traditional Approach to Hormonal Health

The medical approach to endocrine disorders and hormonal imbalances is to use a variety of drugs in an attempt to artificially compensate for a hormone deficiency. In the case of an overactive gland, radiation and surgical procedures are used. Drugs and related synthetic chemicals may be necessary and appropriate in certain situations, but they do little to correct the cause of the disorder or imbalance since they can do nothing to correct the original cause of the problem, which is often in the system of the control mechanism. Drugs often create an even greater chemical imbalance, which can result in harsh side effects that are much worse than the original condition.

“Too many medical remedies get in the way of the body’s ability to heal itself”…

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

Homeostasis

by Keith Wassung – ICPA:homeostasis

The word “homeostasis” describes the body’s ability to maintain relatively stable internal conditions even though the outside world is constantly changing. Homeostasis indicates a dynamic state of equilibrium or a balance in which internal conditions change and vary but always within relatively narrow limits. Communication within the body is essential for homeostasis and is accomplished chiefly by the nervous and endocrine systems.

Homeostasis: (ho`me-o-sta’sis) a tendency to stability in the normal body state (internal environment) of the organism. It is achieved by a system of control mechanisms activated by negative feedback. 1

Many of the most vital functions of the human body are influenced by the endocrine system, which consists of glands that secrete hormones, or chemical messengers into the bloodstream. The hypothalamus, located in the brain, acts like a radar, receiving incoming information from the nervous system. It then uses this information to manufacture hormones that either target specific part of the body, or to target other glands to produce specific hormones for homeostatic regulation.

The endocrine system consists of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, the thyroid gland, the parathyroid gland, the pancreas, the adrenal glands, the ovaries and the testes. All of the organs of the endocrine system are glands, but not all glands are part of the endocrine system. Other organs that produce hormones, but are not part of the endocrine system include the placenta in the pregnant female, glands in the gastro-intestinal tract, structures in the heart and blood vessels, and structures in the kidneys.

Hormones are the body’s internal chemical messengers. They carry the information that controls the function of almost all of the body’s cells and tissues. Most hormones are themselves are controlled by a mechanism called feedback, which is similar to a thermostat in a central heating system. When a gland is working harder than the body needs it to, the hormone system switches off; when the body needs the gland to speed up, the nervous system turns on the switch again.

Hormones reach every part of the body, and the membrane of every cell has receptors for one or more hormones that stimulate or retard a specific body function. The hypothalamus, located at the base of the brain, acts as the mastermind that coordinates hormone production, producing regulatory or releasing hormones; these travel a short distance through special blood vessels and nerve endings to the pituitary gland, which is often referred to as the “master gland”. Attached to the hypothalamus by a short stalk, the pea-sized pituitary gland hangs from the base of the brain and is composed of two parts, an anterior and a posterior lobe. Some of its hormones act indirectly by stimulating target glands to release other hormones. Others have a direct effect on the function of target glands or tissues.

Hormones can work in astonishingly small concentrations. On the high end, the ratio of hormone molecules to blood molecules is 1 to 5 billion, and on the low end side the ratio is 1 to 5 zillion, ( 1 in 5,000,000,000,000,000) This would be the equivalent of putting one drop of liquid in a swimming pool that was filled with the water of 660 railroad boxcars. A train with 660 boxcars would be six miles in length.

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

Pharmaceuticals are Gateway Drugs

by Colleen Huber, NMD – ICPA:gateway drugs

Gateway drugs to more serious substance abuse have often been thought of as just the illegal drugs: marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine to begin, and worse drugs, such as heroin, later. However, there are other gateway drugs, and these affect a much larger proportion of the population, and are perfectly legal.

You probably know all too well that pharmaceuticals often have side effects that result in the prescribing of additional pharmaceuticals.

One of the most common problems I see in my practice is the over-prescription of beta-blockers. These are utterly useless drugs. Sure they lower the blood pressure, which is why they’re prescribed. But they do that by weakening the whole cardiovascular system. So much so that at times, I have had patients who were then diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Furthermore, beta-blockers, because they weaken circulation, destroy libido, which then leads to the prescription of Viagra®, a drug that has been shown to cause blindness in some men.

Beta-blockers also cause weight gain, for which pharmaceutical corrections are then desperately sought. And perhaps worst of all, the beta-blockers cause fatigue, which is then interpreted by an incompetent or rushed physician as depression, and an anti-depressant is ordered.

In fact, anti-depressants seem to be gaining ground as the treatment of choice for doctors who simply have no idea what to do with the patient in front of them. The doctor’s inadequate understanding of the patient’s health is interpreted as “all in the patient’s head,” which then justifies the prescription of antidepressants. Some illnesses, not yet understood by conventional doctors, are treated this way more than others. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Epstein-Barr and Lyme disease are especially treated with unhelpful antidepressants.

But anti-depressants are not at all innocent. Just the psychological symptoms of them include suicidal thoughts and attempts and anxiety. (Don’t worry; there are more drugs to control the anxiety.)
The first drug opens up one wound, and then as sloppy bandaging of that wound begins, other wounds develop, until there are multiple wounds, and multiple inadequate bandages.

Many times the first pharmaceuticals are prescribed for someone else. According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, published September, 2007, every day 2500 teenagers, aged 12 to 17 years, try a painkiller for the first time. This is often right out of their parents’ medicine cabinet, such as drugs left over from a surgery or simply left unguarded. Teens are finding drugs and taking large amounts so they can get high. In fact, for 12- and 13-yearolds, prescription drugs are the drugs of choice. For teens, prescription drugs are second only to marijuana for getting high. Unfortunately, because they were acquired legally, and were prescribed for a family member, kids assume they are safer.

But the problem is these kids don’t realize that prescribed drugs can be just as dangerous as illegal drugs. So, even if your kids would never try street drugs, they may be getting high out of your medicine cabinet.

In the specific case of painkiller abuse, which is the biggest accelerating problem for youth, these drugs are often opioid derivatives. A huge problem is the well-known mental impairment from these drugs. Another problem is the severe constipation that such drugs can cause. The rockhard constipation that can result from these drugs is not so easily resolved with fiber, and may require stool softeners and lead to accumulated toxicity in the body.

Sometimes the prescription or legal drugs are gateway drugs, not just to other pharmaceuticals, but to street drugs as well.

For example, Ritalin® and others in the methylphenidate class, such as Adderall®, Strattera™, and Concerta® have an identical molecular structure to amphetamines. Although these drugs are designed for the short-term palliation of hyperactivity or inattentiveness in kids (ADHD and ADD), patients never feel that they are permanently healed from these drugs. So, if the doctor after some years stops prescribing the ADD drug, the teenager very often ends up on a methamphetamine afterward. There are naturopathic physicians who have had numerous young men consult them in order to break the addiction to both Ritalin® and to the secondary addiction to crystal methamphetamines.

Both legally and morally, the pharmaceutical industry and the physicians who carelessly prescribe these drugs should be held accountable for this whole expanded branch of the street drug trade.

One of the main reasons that people come to naturopathic physicians is that they are tired of being on so many drugs, with the side effects and the expense. One of the main things we as naturopaths do is to taper people off poorly prescribed drugs. This is usually a gradual process because some drugs will cause a possibly dangerous rebound effect if stopped suddenly.

For every human ailment there are natural treatments. In fact they can treat more human ailments than drugs can resolve. So, consider this option for yourself and your family.

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

Rethinking Modern Medicine’s Germ Theory

by Daniel A. Middleton, DC – ICPA:germ theory

The germ theory states that diseases are due to specific microorganisms, which are capable of transmission from body to body. Yet although it is widely accepted by medical professionals, forming the basis for billions of dollars of healthcare spending (actually sickness care, but that’s another article), the fact that so many people believe it to be true doesn’t make it so. This is one of the classic logical fallacies: argumentum ad populum, the appeal to the majority, where a thing is stated to be true simply because so many people believe it.

That didn’t work for the belief that the earth was flat, and it shouldn’t work for a theory of disease that is increasingly coming under fire from the scientific community and whose fundamental premise was known to be flawed almost from the beginning. I am reminded of the famous quote by Anatole France: “If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”

Everyone has heard of the Black Plague that swept through Europe in the Middle Ages, resulting in the death of nearly a third of the European population (25 million people dead over the five-year period between 1347 and 1352). What is most interesting, however, is the other two-thirds—the ones who didn’t die. Many times the survivors were members of the same family as the victims, sharing a home and meals across the same family table. What about them—why didn’t they ‘catch’ the disease? Were they just lucky?

I’m not denying that the disease itself existed; it’s well-documented. The Bubonic Plague, associated with the bacterium named Versenia pestis, was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history—and one of the most studied. Instead, my argument is against the ‘germ theory of disease’ itself, the overriding idea in many people’s minds that exposure to a germ almost always equals disease, when common sense tells us that this simply is not the case.

The germ (or virus or bacteria) might well be the agent of disease, but the cause is much more complex than that. Otherwise, as chiropractic pioneer B.J. Palmer said, eventually no one would be alive to tell you about it! If our bodies can be kept whole and healthy, then the germs, which we come into contact with every day, would have no purchase. One of the goals of chiropractic is to have your body function at such a level that you don’t get sick very often—and that when you do, your immune system, stronger because of more efficient body-brain communication, is better able to fight off the disease, letting you recover more quickly.

Chiropractic is a vitalistic way of looking at our ideas of health and wellness, of how we get sick and why. Very often, it’s at odds with the predominant (mechanistic) model of health that everyone is used to. With the number of drug ads on television and in magazines, and news shows touting the latest medical advancement to treat this or that disease (many of which show up later with unpredicted—maybe even unpredictable—side effects or problems) and the countless TV shows idolizing medicine (e.g. House, ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Nip/Tuck, etc.) all the way back to the early days of television (City Hospital and The Doctor first appeared back in 1951, with the more well-known and iconoclastic Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey showing up ten years later).

Is it any wonder that we all grew up believing in the medical model of health care? After all, surely we could trust Robert Young’s kindly and grandfatherly Marcus Welby, M.D. In fact, we trusted him so much that Young made a subsequent commercial for a popular pain reliever (“I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV…”) that became a well-worn cliché. But what if the foundation on which the entire medical model rests is flawed? What if the “germ theory of disease” is not quite so cut and dried as we’ve been led to believe? Highly controversial when it was first proposed, the germ theory is now the cornerstone of modern medicine, and its chief proponent, Louis Pasteur, a demigod in the medical canon. But is what we remember Pasteur for the last he said on the subject?

Everyone is familiar with Pasteur’s name, but one of his contemporaries and chief opponents was a scientist named Claude Bernard (1813–1878), who argued that it was not the ‘seed’ (the germ) that caused disease, but was instead the ‘soil’ (the human body). Bernard argued that germs are nothing more than opportunistic organisms. It was an argument that persisted throughout their careers, and for his entire life Pasteur was convinced that germs lay at the cause of all disease. Only on his deathbed—with Claude Bernard present—did Pasteur finally admit that Bernard was right. In the end, Pasteur came to realize that the germ was not the only element in determining who became sick and who remained well.

What this tells us is that modern medicine (or Big Pharma, as the pharmaceutical companies with revenues exceeding $3 billion are often called) has based its fundamental premise on a theory that even its most well-known proponent—as Pasteur arguably was—recanted in the end. For the past one hundred years, modern medicine has pursued a theory that is, at best, only a single aspect of the cause of disease and, at worst, a theory flawed at its core.

How much better spent would our health dollars be—in treatment, education and research—if they supported instead research into how to make the “soil” less hospitable to the “seed,” rather than chasing cures and potions for every collection of symptoms that can be named? Just as in a court of law deathbed confessions are given an extra weight, so too should we regard Pasteur’s final comment on his most famous theory: “Bernard avait raison. Le germ n’est rien, c’est le terrain qui est tout.” (“Bernard was right. The seed is nothing, the soil is everything.”)

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

Fluoride in the Water Supply Might Be Destroying Your Health

by Darrel Crain, DC – ICPA:fluoride

Fluoride recently began flowing through the tap water into millions of Southern California households. But the pipeline of information to warn the public about fluoride exposure is apparently clogged up with something.

Many people need to avoid fluoride altogether to preserve their health. We know this because scientists in government agencies have documented it thoroughly. Babies up to 1 year of age; pregnant women; elderly individuals; and anyone with kidney problems, thyroid problems, liver problems, diabetes mellitus, or cardiovascular problems all need to be as fluoride free as possible.

The level of fluoride added to the water, we are repeatedly told, is “optimal” and “safe.” Unfortunately, the level of fluoride in the water is meaningless until we know the actual daily dose an individual receives. People who drink lots of fluoridated water are getting far more fluoride into their bodies than those who drink little.

And water is just the first item on the list, because exposure to fluoride and fluoridated water comes from many sources. Watch for fluoride toothpaste, mouthwash, dental treatments, soft drinks, juice, commercially raised fruits and vegetables (grown with fluorine-containing pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer), processed and canned food, wine, beer, coffee, and tea, to name a few sources—not to mention increasing fluorine pollution in the environment.

The U.S. Public Health Service reported in 1991 that people living in cities with “optimal” water fluoridation can easily receive a total daily fluoride exposure exceeding 6.5 milligrams per person —more than 600 percent higher than the “optimal” amount.

Perhaps our regional health leaders are reluctant or even embarrassed to post warnings about known safety problems with the public water supply caused by the intentional addition of fluoride, or maybe they are just too busy. The government research quoted below is probably in their files. One of them might even be planning to write a press release sooner or later, but who knows? In the meantime, the following notes of caution may help fill the information gap.

In October of 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that fluoridated water marketed for use in infants cannot claim to reduce the risk of dental cavities. One month later, in November of 2006, the American Dental Association (ADA) announced that babies up to 1 year of age should avoid fluoridated water because they are at high risk of developing dental fluorosis. This defect of tooth development can result in staining, pitting, and corrosion of the enamel.

“In Canada, we are now spending more money treating dental fluorosis than we do treating cavities. That includes my own practice,” says Hardy Limeback, PhD, DDS, and former President of the Canadian Association of Dental Research. (Canada is among the tiny number of countries that add fluoride to some of the public water supplies.)

But dental fluorosis is more than a cosmetic problem: It’s the first visible sign of fluoride overdose. The same week the ADA warned about shielding babies from ingesting fluoride, the British medical journal, The Lancet (November, 2006), reported that fluoride may damage a child’s developing brain. The article described fluoride as an “emerging neurotoxic substance” because of evidence linking fluoride exposure to lower IQs in children and brain damage in animals.

Babies and pregnant women are not the only ones who need to avoid fluoride. In 1993, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) listed several groups of people at high risk for fluoride toxicity. Following are excerpts from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, April 1993.

“Existing data indicate that subsets of the population may be unusually susceptible to the toxic effects of fluoride and its compounds. These populations include the elderly, people with deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, and/or vitamin C, and people with cardiovascular and kidney problems. Because fluoride is excreted through the kidney, people with renal insufficiency would have impaired renal clearance of fluoride. [Renal clearance means how well the kidneys are able to do their job and filter the body’s blood.]

“Impaired renal clearance of fluoride has also been found in people with diabetes mellitus and cardiac insufficiency…. People over the age of 50 often have decreased renal fluoride clearance.…Postmenopausal women and elderly men in fluoridated communities may also be at increased risk of fractures.”

The biological effect of fluoride on living tissue is the disruption of enzyme activity, including the enzymes that maintain life in the cells of the human body. Fluoride is an endocrine disruptor that was used for decades in Europe as a drug to treat overactive thyroid by depressing thyroid function. Alarmingly, the dosage once prescribed to reduce thyroid activity is about the same amount ingested by people in many communities today.

Fluoride is more toxic than lead and nearly as toxic as arsenic. The toxicity rating of lead is between 3 and 4 (3 is moderately toxic, 4 is very toxic). Fluoride is rated at 4, while arsenic is slightly above 4 (Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, 5th Edition, 1984).

Healthy kidneys are able to clear less than 50 percent of the fluoride taken into the body, and kidneys are prone to damage in the fluoride-filtering process. Fluoride is bone-seeking, and fluoride that is not excreted by the kidneys accumulates primarily in the bones, never to leave. Does it make any sense to surround the bone marrow, the blood cell factories of the body, with a toxic element more deadly than lead?

As the saying goes, “When all is said and done, more has been said than done.” The measurable benefit of drinking fluoridated water to fight cavities appears to hover around zero. All over the world the rate of dental cavities has fallen dramatically in developed countries, even though most have never added fluoride compounds to their water. The common factor for improved outcomes seems to be better nutrition and higher health standards.

If you are one of the millions of people for whom any amount of fluoride exposure is a bad idea, you need fluoride-free water. Removing fluoride from tap water at home is not simple, requiring the purchase of equipment to either distill the water, or filter it using reverse osmosis. It may be more feasible to buy water at the supermarket or have it delivered to your home. Eating organic foods and juices is another way to reduce fluoride exposure.

The fluoride being added to our water is actually toxic sludge scraped from the smokestack filters of American industry. Fluoride is a byproduct of the aluminum, steel, and fertilizer industries, among others. Because of this, we not only get a dose of corrosive fluorosilicic acid in our daily coffee, we also get an extra shot of arsenic and lead in each cup…

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.

A Comprehensive List of GMO Products and Companies

by Why Don’t You Try This?.com:GMO

Baby Food ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Nabisco (Phillip Morris)
-Arrowroot Teething Biscuits -Infant formula Carnation Infant Formulas(Nestle) -AlSoy -Good Start -Follow-Up -Follow-Up Soy

Enfamil Infant Formulas (Mead Johnson)
-Enfamil with Iron -Enfamil Low Iron -Enfamil A.R. -Enfamil Nutramigen -Enfamil Lacto Free -Enfamil 22 -Enfamil Next step (soy and milk-based varieties) -Enfamil Pro-Soybee

Isomil Infant Formulas (Abbot Labs)
-Isomil Soy -Isomil Soy for Diarrhea -Similac(Abbot Labs) -Similac Lactose Free -Similac with Iron -Similac Low Iron -Similac Alimentum

Baking ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Aunt Jemima (Quaker)
-Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix -Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix -Cornbread Mix -Easy Mix Coffee Cake

Betty Crocker (General Mills)
-Pie Crust Mix -Original Pancake Mix -Complete Pancake Mix -Buttermilk Complete Pancake Mix -Muffin Mixes -Banana Nut -Lemon Poppy Seed -Blueberry -Wild Blueberry -Chocolate Chip -Apple Streusel -Quick Bread Mixes Banana -Cinnamon Streusel -Lemon Poppy Seed -Cranberry Orange -Gingerbread -Cookie Mixes Chocolate Chip -Double Chocolate Chunk -Sugar -Peanut Butter

Bisquik (Betty Crocker/General Mills)
-Original -Reduced Fat -Shake ‘n Pour Pancake Mix -Shake ‘n Pour Buttermilk Pancake Mix -Shake ‘n Pour Blueberry Pancake Mix

Duncan Hines (Aurora Foods)
-Muffin Mixes -Kellogg’s All-Bran Apple Cinnamon -Kellogg’s All-Bran Blueberry -Blueberry -Blueberry Crumb -Chocolate Chip

Hungry Jack (Pillsbury)
-Buttermilk Pancake Mix -Extra Light & Fluffy Pancake Mix (all varieties) -Jiffy -Corn Muffin Mix
-Blueberry Muffin Mix -Raspberry Muffin Mix -Pie Crust Mix

Mrs. Butterworths (Aurora Foods)
-Complete Pancake Mix -Buttermilk Pancake Mix

Pepperidge Farms (Campbell’s)
-Buttermilk Pancake Mix -Pillsbury -Quick Bread & Muffin Mixes -Blueberry -Chocolate Chip -Banana
-Cranberry -Lemon Poppyseed -Nut -Hot Roll Mix -Gingerbread

Bakers (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Unsweetened Chocolate -Semi-Sweet Chocolate -German Sweet Chocolate -White Chocolate -Hershey’s -Semi-Sweet Baking Chips -Milk Chocolate Chips -Mini Kisses -Nestle -Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips -Milk Chocolate Chips -White Chocolate -Butterscotch Chips -Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bars

Bread ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Holsum (Interstate Bakeries)
-Holsum Thin Sliced -Roman Meal -12 Grain -Round Top -Home Pride -Buttertop White -Buttertop Wheat

Pepperidge Farms (Campbell’s)
-Cinnamon Swirl -Light Oatmeal -Light Wheat -100% Whole Wheat -Hearty Slices -7 Grain -9 Grain -Crunchy Oat -Whole Wheat -Light Side -Oatmeal -Wheat -7 Grain -Soft Dinner Rolls -Club Rolls -Sandwich Buns -Hoagie Rolls

Thomas’ (Bestfoods)
-English Muffins Original -Cinnamon Raisin -Honey Wheat -Oat Bran -Blueberry -Maple French Toast -Toast-r-Cakes Blueberry -Toast-r-Cakes Corn Muffins

Wonder (Interstate Bakeries)
-White Sandwich Bread -Country Grain -Buttermilk -Thin Sandwich -Light Wheat -100% Stoneground Wheat
-Fat Free Multigrain -Premium Potato -Beefsteak Rye -Wonder Hamburger Buns

Breakfast ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Kellogg’s
-Pop Tarts (all varieties) -Pop Tarts Snack Stix (all) -Nutri-Grain Bars (all) -Nutri-Grain Fruit Filled Squares (all) -Nutri-Grain Twists (all) -Fruit-Full Squares (all)

Nabisco (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Fruit & Grain Bars (all varieties) -Nature Valley (General Mills) -Oats & Honey Granola Bars
-Peanut Butter Granola Bars -Cinnamon Granola Bars

Pillsbury (General Mills)
-Toaster Scrambles & Strudels (all varieties)

Quaker
-Chewy Granola Bars (all varieties) -Fruit & Oatmeal Bars (all varieties) -Aunt Jemima Frozen Waffles -Buttermilk -Blueberry

Eggo Frozen Waffles (Kellogg’s)
-Homestyle -Buttermilk -Nutri-Grain Whole Wheat -Nutri-Grain Multi Grain -Cinnamon Toast -Blueberry -Strawberry -Apple Cinnamon -Banana Bread

Hungry Jack Frozen Waffles (Pillsbury/General Mills)
-Homestyle -Buttermilk

Cereal ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

General Mills
-Cheerios -Wheaties -Total -Corn Chex -Wheat Chex -Lucky Charms -Trix -Kix -Golden Grahams -Cinnamon Grahams -Count Chocula -Honey Nut Chex -Frosted Cheerios -Apple Cinnamon Cheerios -Multi-Grain Cheerios
-Frosted Wheaties -Brown Sugar & Oat Total -Basic 4 -Reeses Puffs -French Toast Crunch

Kellogg’s
-Frosted Flakes -Corn Flakes -Special K -Raisin Bran -Rice Krispies -Corn Pops -Product 19 -Smacks
-Froot Loops -Marshmallow Blasted Fruit Loops -Apple Jacks -Crispix -Smart Start -All-Bran -Complete Wheat Bran -Complete Oat Bran -Just Right Fruit & Nut -Honey Crunch Corn Flakes -Raisin Bran Crunch
-Cracklin’ Oat Bran

Country Inn Specialties (all varieties)
-Mothers Cereals (Quaker) -Toasted Oat Bran -Peanut Butter Bumpers -Groovy Grahams -Harvest Oat Flakes
-Harvest Oat Flakes w/Apples & Almonds -Honey Round Ups

Post (Kraft-Phillip Morris)
-Raisin Bran -Bran Flakes -Grape Nut Flakes -Grape Nut O’s -Fruit & Fibre date, raisin and walnut
-Fruit & Fibre peach, raisin and almond -Honey Bunch of Oats -Honey Nut Shredded Wheat -Honey Comb
-Golden Crisp -Waffle Crisp -Cocoa Pebbles -Cinna-Crunch Pebbles -Fruity Pebbles -Alpha-Bits -Post Selects Cranberry Almond -Post Selects Banana Nut Crunch -Post Selects Blueberry Morning -Post Selects Great Grains Quaker -Life -Cinnamon Life -100% Natural Granola -Toasted Oatmeal -Toasted Oatmeal Honey Nut -Oat Bran -Cap’n Crunch -Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch -Cap’n Crunch Crunchling Berries

Chocolate ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Cadbury (Cadbury/Hershey’s)
-Mounds -Almond Joy -York Peppermint Patty -Dairy Milk -Roast Almond -Fruit & Nut -Hershey’s -Kit-Kat -Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups -Mr. Goodbar -Special Dark -Milk Chocolate -Kisses -Symphony

Kraft (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Toblerone (all varieties) -Mars -M&M (all varieties) -Snickers -Three Musketeers -Milky Way -Twix

Nestle
-Crunch -Milk Chocolate -Chunky -Butterfinger -100 Grand

Carnation (Nestle)
Hot Cocoa Mixes:
-Rich Chocolate -Double Chocolate -Milk Chocolate -Marshmallow Madness -Mini Marshmallow -No Sugar

Hershey’s
-Chocolate Syrup -Special Dark Chocolate Syrup -Strawberry Syrup

Nestle
-Nesquik -Strawberry Nesquik

Swiss Miss (ConAgra)
-Chocolate Sensation -Milk Chocolate -Marshmallow Lovers -Marshmallow Lovers Fat Free -No Sugar Added

Condiments ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Del Monte (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Ketchup -Heinz -Ketchup (regular & no salt) -Chili Sauce -Cocktail Sauce -Heinz 57 Steak Sauce

Hellman’s (Bestfoods)
-Real Mayonnaise -Light Mayonnaise -Low-Fat Mayonnaise

Hunt’s (ConAgra)
-Ketchup (regular & no salt) -KC Masterpiece -Original BBQ sauce -Garlic & Herb Marinade -Honey Teriyaki Marinade

Kraft (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Miracle Whip (all varieties) -Kraft Mayonnaise (all) -Thick & Spicy BBQ sauces (all varieties) -Char Grill BBQ sauce -Honey Hickory BBQ sauce

Nabisco (Nabiso/Phillip Morris)
-A-1 Steak Sauce -Open Pit (Vlasic/Campbells) -BBQ sauces (all) -Chi-Chi’s (Hormel) -Fiesta Salsa (all varieties) -Old El Paso (Pillsbury) -Thick & Chunky Salsa -Garden Pepper Salsa -Taco Sauce -Picante Sauce

Ortega (Nestle)
-Taco Sauce -Salsa Prima Homestyle -Salsa Prima Roasted Garlic -Salsa Prima 3 Bell Pepper -Thick & Chunky Salsa

Pace (Campbells)
-Chunky Salsa -Picante Sauce

Tostitos Salsa (Frito-Lay/Pepsi)
-All Natural -All Natural Thick & Chunky -Roasted Garlic -Restaurant Style

Cookies ~Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Delicious Brands (Parmalat)
-Animal Crackers -Ginger Snaps -Fig Bars -Oatmeal -Sugar-Free Duplex -Honey Grahams -Cinnamon Grahams
-Fat Free Vanilla Wafers -English Toffee Heath Cookies -Butterfinger Cookies -Skippy Peanut Butter Cookies

Famous Amos (Keebler/Flowers Industries)
-Chocolate Chip -Oatmeal Raisin -Chocolate Sandwich -Peanut Butter Sandwich -Vanilla Sandwich -Oatmeal Macaroon Sandwich

Frookies (Delicious Brands/Parmalat)
-Peanut Butter Chunk -Chocolate Chip -Double Chocolate -Frookwich Vanilla -Frookwich Chocolate -Frookwich Peanut Butter -Frookwich Lemon -Funky Monkeys Chocolate -Ginger Snaps -Lemon Wafers

Keebler (Keebler/Flowers Industries)
-Chips Deluxe -Sandies -E.L. Fudge -Soft Batch Chocolate Chip -Golden Vanilla Wafers -Droxies -Vienna Fingers -Fudge Shoppe Fudge Stripes -Fudge Shoppe Double Fudge & Caramel -Fudge Shoppe Fudge Stix
-Fudge Shoppe Peanut Butter Fudge Stix -Country Style Oatmeal -Graham Originals -Graham Cinnamon Crisp
-Graham Chocolate -Graham Honey Low Fat -Crème Filled Wafers -Chocolate Filled Wafers

Nabisco (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Oreo,(all varieties) -Chips Ahoy!(all varieties) -Fig Newtons (and all Newtons varities) -Lorna Doone
-Nutter Butters -Barnum Animal Crackers -Nilla Wafers -Nilla Chocolate Wafers -Pecanz Shortbread -Family Favorites Oatmeal -Famous Wafers -Fudge Covered Mystic Sticks -Honey Maid Graham Crackers -Honey Maid Cinnamon Grahams -Honey Maid Chocolate Grahams -Honey Maid Oatmeal Crunch -Teddy Grahams -Teddy Grahams Cinnamon -Teddy Grahams Chocolate -Teddy Grahams Chocolate Chips -Café Cremes Vanilla -Café Crème Cappuccino

Pepperidge Farm (Campbell’s)
-Milano -Mint Milano -Chessmen -Bordeaux -Brussels -Geneva -Chocolate Chip -Lemon Nut -Shortbread -Sugar -Ginger Men -Raspberry Chantilly -Strawberry Verona -Chocolate Mocha Salzburg -Chocolate Chunk Chesapeake -Chocolate Chunk Nantucket -Chocolate Chunk Sausalito -Oatmeal Raisin Soft Baked

Sesame Street (Keebler)
-Cookie Monster -Chocolate Chip -Chocolate Sandwich -Vanilla Sandwich -Cookie Pals -Honey Grahams
-Cinnamon Grahams -Frosted Grahams

Snack Wells (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Devil’s Food -Golden Devil’s Food -Mint Crème -Coconut Crème -Chocolate Sandwich -Chocolate Chip -Peanut Butter Chip -Double Chocolate Chip

Crackers ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Keebler (Keebler/Flowers Industries)
-Town House -Club -Munch ‘Ems (all varieties) -Wheatables -Zesta Saltines -Toasteds (Wheat, Onion, Sesame & Butter Crisps) -Snax Stix (Wheat, Cheddar & original) -Harvest Bakery (Multigrain, Butter, Corn Bread)

Nabisco (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Ritz (all varieties) -Wheat Thins (all) -Wheatsworth -Triscuits -Waverly -Sociables -Better Cheddars -Premium Saltines (all) -Ritz Snack Mix (all) -Vegetable Flavor Crisps -Swiss Cheese Flavor Crisps -Cheese Nips (all) -Uneeda Biscuits

Pepperidge Farm (Campbell’s)
-Butter Thins -Hearty Wheat -Cracker Trio -Cracker Quartet -Three Cheese Snack Stix -Sesame Snack Stix
-Pumpernickel Snack Stix -Goldfish (original, cheddar, parmesan, pizza, pretzel) -Goldfish Snack Mix (all)

Red Oval Farms (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Stoned Wheat Thin (all varieties) -Crisp ‘N Light Sourdough Rye -Crisp ‘N Light Wheat Sunshine (Flowers Industries) -Cheeze-It (original & reduced fat) -Cheeze-It White Cheddar -Cheeze-It Party Mix -Krispy Original Saltines

Frozen Dinners ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Banquet (ConAgra)
-Pot Pies (all varieties) -Fried Chicken -Salisbury Steak -Chicken Nugget Meal -Pepperoni Pizza Meal

Budget Gourmet (Heinz)
-Roast Beef Supreme -Beef Stroganoff -Three Cheese Lasagne -Chicken Oriental & Vegeatble -Fettuccini Primavera

Green Giant (Pillsbury)
-Rice Pilaf with Chicken Flavored Sauce -Rice Medley with Beef Flavored Sauce -Primavera Pasta
-Pasta Accents Creamy Cheddar -Create-a-Meals Parmesan Herb Chicken -Cheesy Pasta and Vegetable
-Beef Noodle -Sweet & Sour -Mushroom Wine Chicken

Healthy Choice (ConAgra)
-Stuffed Pasta Shells -Chicken Parmagiana -Country Breaded Chicken -Roast Chicken Breast -Beef Pot Roast -Chicken & Corn Bread -Cheese & Chicken Tortellini -Lemon Pepper Fish -Shrimp & Vegetable -Macaroni & Cheese

Kid Cuisine (ConAgra)
-Chicken Nugget Meal -Fried Chicken -Taco Roll Up -Corn Dog -Cheese Pizza -Fish Stix -Macaroni & Cheese

Lean Cuisine (Stouffer’s/Nestle)
-Skillet Sensations Chicken & Vegetable -Broccoli & Beef -Homestyle Beef -Teriyaki Chicken
-Chicken Alfredo -Garlic Chicken -Roast Turkey -Hearty Portions Chicken Florentine -Beef Stroganoff
-Cheese & Spinach Manicotti -Salisbury Steak -Café Classics Baked Fish -Baked Chicken -Chicken a L’Orange -Chicken Parmesan -Meatloaf with Whipped Potatoes -Everyday Favorites Chicken Fettuccini
-Chicken Pie -Angel Hair Pasta -Three Bean Chili with Rice -Macaroni & Cheese

Marie Callenders (ConAgra)
-Chicken Pot Pie -Lasagna & Meat Sauce -Turkey & Gravy -Meat Loaf & Gravy -Country Fried Chicken & Gravy -Fettuccini with Broccoli & Cheddar -Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes -Country Fried Pork Chop with Gravy -Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ore-Ida Frozen Potatoes (Heinz)
-Fast Fries -Steak fries -Zesties -Shoestrings -Hash Browns -Tater Tots -Potato Wedges -Crispy Crunchies

Rosetto Frozen Pasta (Heinz)
-Cheese Ravioli -Beef Ravioli -Italian Sausage Ravioli -Eight Cheese Stuffed Shells -Eight Cheese Broccoli Stuffed Shells

Stouffer’s (Nestle)
-Family Style Favorites Macaroni & Cheese -Stuffed Peppers -Broccoli au Gratin -Meat Loaf in Gravy
-Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole -Homestyle Meatloaf -Salisbury Steak -Chicken Breast in Gravy
-Hearty Portions Salisbury Steak -Chicken Fettucini -Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes -Chicken Pot Pie

Swanson (Vlasic/Campbells)
-Meat Loaf -Fish & Chips -Salisbury Steak -Chicken Nuggets -Hungry Man Fried Chicken -Roast Chicken
-Fisherman’s Platter -Pork Rib

Voila! (Bird’s Eye/Agri-Link Foods)
-Chicken Voila! Alfredo -Chicken Voila! Garlic -Chicken Voila! Pesto -Chicken Voila! Three Cheese -Steak Voila! Beef Sirloin -Shrimp Voila! Garlic

Weight Watchers (Heinz)
-Smart Ones Fiesta Chicken -Basil Chicken -Ravioli Florentine -Fajita Chicken -Roasted Vegetable Primavera

Energy Bars & Drinks ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Power Bars
Power Bar (Nestle)
-Oatmeal Raisin -Apple Cinnamon -Peanut Butter -Vanilla Crisp -Chocolate Peanut Butter -Mocha -Banana
-Wild Berry -Harvest Bars Apple Crisp -Blueberry -Chocolate Fudge Brownie -Strawberry -Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Drink Mixes
Carnation Instant Breakfast Mix (Nestle)
-Creamy Milk Chocolate -Classic Chocolate -French Vanilla -Strawberry -Café Mocha

Heat & Serve Meals ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients
Chef Boyardee (ConAgra)
-Beefaroni -Macaroni & Cheese -Mini Ravioli -ABC’s & 123′s

Dinty Moore (Hormel)
-Beef Stew -Turkey Stew -Chicken & Dumplings -Hormel -Chili with Beans -Chili No Beans -Vegetarian Chili with Beans

Kids’ Kitchen (Hormel)
-Spaghetti Rings with Meatballs -Macaroni & Cheese -Pizza Wedges with 3 Cheese

Franco-American (Campbell’s)
-Spaghetti O’s -Mini Ravioli -Power Rangers Pasta in Sauce

Meat & Dairy Alternatives ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients
Loma Linda(Worthington/Kellogg’s*)
-Meatless Chik Nuggest

Morningstar (Worthington/Kellogg’s*)
-Harvest Burger -Better ‘n Burgers -Garden Veggie Patties -Grillers Burgers -Black Bean Burger -Chicken Patties

Natural Touch (Worthington/Kellogg’s*)
-Garden Vegetable Pattie -Black Bean Burger -Okra Pattie -Lentil Rice Loaf -Nine Bean Loaf

Worthington (Worthington/Kellogg’s*)
-Vegetarian Burger -Savory Slices

Dairy Alternatives
Nutra Blend Soy Beverage(Bestfoods)
-Original -Vanilla -Apple -Orange
*A company letter states that they are in the process of converting to non-genetically modified “proteins” in all products.

Meal Mixes & Sauce Packets ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients
Betty Crocker (General Mills)
-Garden Vegetable Pilaf -Creamy Herb Risotto -Garlic Alfredo Fettuccini -Bowl Appetit Cheddar Broccoli
-Macaroni & Cheese -Pasta Alfredo

Knorr (Bestfoods)
-Mushroom Risotto Italian Rice -Broccoli au Gratin Risotto -Vegetable Primavera Risotto -Risotto Milanese -Original Pilf -Chicken Pilaf -Rotini with 4 Cheese -Bow Tie Pasta with Chicken & Vegetable -Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato -Fettuccini with Alfredo -Classic Sauce Packets Hollandaise

Béarnaise
-White -Brown -Lemon Herb -Mushroom Brown -Onion -Roasted Chicken -Roasted Pork -Roasted Turkey

Pasta Sauce Packets Alfredo
-Four Cheese -Carbonara -Pesto -Garlic Herb

Lipton (Unilever)
-Rice & Sauce Packets Chicken Broccoli -Cheddar Broccoli -Beef Flavor -Spanish -Chicken Flavor -Creamy Chicken -Mushroom -Sizzle & Stir Skillet Supers Lemon Garlic Chicken & Rice -Spanish Chicken & Rice -Herb Chicken & Bowties -Cheddar Chicken & Shells

Near East (Quaker)
-Spicy Tomato Pasta Mix -Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Pasta Mix -Falafel Mix -Lentil Pilaf -Couscous
-Tomato Lentil -Parmesan -Toasted Pinenut -Herb Chicken -Broccoli & Cheese -Curry

Pasta Roni (Quaker)
-Fettuccini Alfredo -Garlic Alfredo -Angel Hair Pasta with Herbs -Angel Hair Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
-Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato Parmesan -Angel Hair Pasta Primavera -Garlic & Olive Oil with Vermicelli

Rice-a-Roni (Quaker)
-Rice Pilaf -Beef -Chicken -Fried Rice -Chicken & Broccoli -Long Grain & Wild Rice -Broccoli au Gratin

Uncle Ben’s (Mars)
-Long Grain & Wild Rice (Original & with Garlic) -Brown & Wild Rice Mushroom -Country Inn Mexican Fiesta -Country Inn Oriental Fried Rice -Country Inn Chicken & Vegetable -Country Inn Chicken & Broccoli -Natural Select Chicken & Herb -Natural Select Tomato & Basil -Chef’s Recipe Chicken & Vegetable Pilaf -Chef’s Recipe Beans & Rice -Chef’s Recipe Broccoli Rice

Frozen Pizza ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Celeste (Aurora Foods)
-Supreme -Pepperoni -Vegetable -Four Cheese -Deluxe -Cheese

Tombstone (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Pepperoni -Supreme -Sausage & Pepperoni -Extra Cheese -Stuffed Crust -Three Cheese

Totino’s (Pillsbury)
-Crisp Crust -Pepperoni -Combination

Snack Foods ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Act II Microwave Popcorn (ConAgra)
-Butter -Extreme Butter -Corn on the Cob

Frito-Lay* (PepsiCo)
-Lays Potato Chips (all varieties) -Ruffles Potato Chips (all) -Doritos Corn Chips (all) -Tostitos Corn Chips (all) -Fritos Corn Chips (all) -Cheetos (all) -Rold Gold Pretzels (all) -Cracker Jack Popcorn

Healthy Choice Microwave Popcorn (ConAgra)
-Organic Corn (soy/canola oils)

Mothers Corn Cakes (Quaker)
-Butter Pop

Orville Redenbacher Microwave Popcorn (ConAgra)
-Original -Homestyle -Butter -Smart Pop -Pour Over -Orville Redenbacher Popcorn Cakes -Chocolate
-Caramel -Orville Redenbacher Mini Popcorn Cakes -Butter -Peanut Caramel -Chocolate Peanut

Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn (Betty Crocker/General Mills)
-Natural -Homestyle -Jumbo Pop -Extra Butter -Light -94% Fat Free Butter

Pringles (Procter & Gamble)
-Original -Low Fat -Pizza-licious -Sour Cream & Onion -Salt & Vinegar -Cheezeums -Quaker Rice Cakes -Peanut Butter -Chocolate Crunch -Cinnamon Streusel -Mini -Chocolate -Ranch -Sour Cream & Onion -Apple Cinnamon -Caramel Corn -Quaker Corn Cakes -White Cheddar -Caramel Corn -Strawberry Crunch
-Caramel Chocolate Chip
*Frito has informed its corn and potato suppliers that the company wishes to avoid GE crops, but acknowledges that canola or other oils and ingredients in its products may be from GE sources.

Soda & Juice Drinks ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Coca Cola (Coca Cola)
-Sprite -Cherry Coke -Barq’s Root Beer -Minute Maid Orange -Minute Maid Grape -Surge -Ultra

PepsiCo
-Pepsi -Slice -Wild Cherry Pepsi -Mug Root Beer -Mountain Dew -Cadbury/Schweppes -7-Up -Dr. Pepper -A & W Root Beer -Sunkist Orange -Schweppes Ginger Ale

Capri Sun juices (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Red Berry -Surfer Cooler -Splash Cooler -Wild Cherry -Strawberry Kiwi -Fruit Punch -Pacific Cooler -Strawberry -Orange -Grape

Fruitopia (Coca Cola)
-Grape Beyond -Berry Lemonade -Fruit Integration -Kiwiberry Ruckus -Strawberry Passion -Tremendously Tangerine

Fruit Works (PepsiCo)
-Strawberry Melon -Peach Papaya -Pink Lemonade -Apple Raspberry

Gatorade (Quaker)
-Lemon Lime -Orange -Fruitpunch -Fierce Grape -Frost Riptide Rush

Hawaiian Punch (Procter & Gamble)
-Tropical Fruit -Grape Geyser -Fruit Juicy Red -Strawberry Surfin

Hi-C (Coca Cola)
-Pink Lemonade -Watermelon Rapids -Boppin’ Berry -Tropical Punch -Smashin’ Wildberry -Blue Cooler -Blue Moon Berry -Orange -Cherry

Kool Aid (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Blastin’ Berry Cherry -Bluemoon Berry -Kickin’ Kiwi Lime -Tropical Punch -Wild Berry Tea -Ocean Spray -Cranberry Juice Cocktail -Cranapple -CranGrape -CranRaspberry -CranStrawberry -CranMango

Squeeze It (Betty Crocker/General Mills)
-Rockin’ Red Puncher -Chucklin’ Cherry -Mystery 2000

Sunny Delight (Procter & Gamble)
-Sunny Delight Original -Sunny Delight With Calcium Citrus Punch -Sunny Delight California Style Citrus Punch

Tang juices (Kraft/Phillip Morris)
-Orange Uproar -Fruit Frenzy -Berry Panic

Tropicana Twisters (PepsiCo)
-Grape Berry -Apple Raspberry Blackberry -Cherry Berry -Cranberry Raspberry Strawberry -Pink Grapefruit -Tropical Strawberry -Orange Cranberry -Orange Strawberry Banana

V-8 (Campbells)
-V8 Tomato Juices (all varieties) -Strawberry Kiwi -Strawberry Banana -Fruit Medley -Berry Blend -Citrus Blend -Apple Medley -Tropical Blend -Island Blend

Soup ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Campbell’s
-Tomato -Chicken Noodle -Cream of Chicken -Cream of Mushroom -Cream of Celery -Cream of Broccoli -Cheddar Cheese -Green Pea -Healthy Request Chicken Noodle -Cream of Chicken -Cream of Mushroom -Cream of Celery -Campbell’s Select Roasted Chicken with Rice -Grilled Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes -Chicken Rice -Vegetable Beef -Chunky Beef with Rice -Hearty Chicken & Vegetable -Pepper Steak -Baked Potato with Steak & Cheese -New England Clam Chowder -Soup to Go Chicken Noodle -Chicken Rice -Garden Vegetable -Vegetable Beef & Rice Simply Home Chicken Noodle Chicken Rice Garden Vegetable Vegetable Beef with Pasta

Healthy Choice (ConAgra)
-Country Vegetable -Fiesta Chicken -Bean & Pasta -Chicken Noodle -Chicken with Rice -Minestrone

Pepperidge Farms (Campbell’s)
-Corn Chowder -Lobster Bisque -Chicken & Wild Rice -New England Clam Chowder -Crab Soup

Progresso (Pillsbury)
-Tomato Basil -Chicken Noodle -Chicken & Wild Rice -Chicken Barley -Lentil -New England Clam Chowder -Zesty Herb Tomato -Roasted Chicken with Rotini -Fat Free Minestrone -Fat Free Chicken Noodle -Fat Free Lentil -Fat Free Roast Chicken

Tomatoes & Sauces ~ Genetically Engineered Ingredients

Del Monte (Nabisco/Phillip Morris)
-Tomato Sauce

Five Brothers Pasta Sauces (Lipton/Unilever)
-Summer Vegetable -Five Cheese -Roasted Garlic & Onion -Tomato & Basil

Healthy Choice Pasta Sauces (ConAgra)
-Traditional -Garlic & Herb -Sun-Dried Tomato & Herb

Hunts (ConAgra)
-Traditional Spaghetti Sauce -Four Cheese Spaghetti Sauce -Tomato Sauce -Tomato Paste

Prego Pasta Sauces (Campbells)
-Tomato, Basil & Garlic -Fresh Mushroom -Ricotta Parmesan -Meat Flavored -Roasted Garlic & Herb -Three Cheese -Mini-Meatball -Chicken with Parmesan

Ragu Sauces (Lipton/Unilever)
-Old World Traditional -Old World with Meat -Old World Marinara -Old World with Mushrooms -Ragu Robusto Parmesan & Romano -Ragu Robusto Roasted Garlic -Ragu Robusto Sweet Italian Sausage -Ragu Robusto Six Cheese -Ragu Robusto Tomato, Olive Oil & Garlic -Ragu Robusto Classic Italian Meat -Chunky Garden Style Super Garlic -Chunky Garden Style Garden Combo -Chunky Garden Style Tomato, Garlic & Onion -Chunky Garden Style Tomato, Basil & Italian Cheese -Pizza Quick Traditional

Article originally posted at whydontyoutrythis.com.

A List of GMO-FREE Food Companies

by Why Don’t You Try This?:gmo

These brands, at the time of writing, source their ingredients from GMO-free supplies. If you’re concerned about the very real threat that genetically modified organisms pose to our food supply and ultimate health, please purchase from these companies and contact them to let them know that you support and value their decision to use non-gmo soy, corn, canola and other ingredients.

Please enjoy this GMO-free food list and share it.

If you have a question about a certain product or brand that is not listed here, please call the company and ask or contact us.

Remember: one of the best ways to raise awareness among the food corporations is to voice your concerns directly to them and boycott companies who continue to source ingredients from genetically modified sources.

  • Arrowhead Mills: GMO-free providers of baking mixes and flours found in both natural health food stores and regular supermarkets.
  • Eden Foods: GMO-free providers of canned goods, noodles, tamari, miso, vinegar and Asian foodstuffs.
  • Natural Choice Foods: GMO free providers of frozen dessert products.
  • Purity Foods: GMO free makers of spelt-based noodles, snacks and other goodies.
  • Rapunzel: My all-time favorite chocolate company. They also sell speciality oils.
  • Spectrum Oils: GMO free manufacturer of speciality oils, cooking oils, salad oils and natural shortening.
  • Genisoy: Uses only certified GMO-free soybeans for their many soy products.
  • Earth’s Best: Baby food manufacturer uses non-GMO ingredients.
  • Healthy Times: Baby food manufacturer uses non-gmo ingredients.
  • Bob’s Red Mill: GMO free provider of baking mixes and specialty flours.
  • Pamela’s Products: Provider of luscious gluten-free baking mixes sources non-GMO ingredients.
  • Cascadian Farms: Provider of frozen entrees, juices, frozen vegetables and fruit, yogurt and other foods.
  • Imagine Foods: GMO free provider of soy and rice milk as well as broth and other foods.
  • Muir Glen: Source of canned goods and vegetable juice uses gmo-free foods.
  • Thai Kitchen: Source for coconut milks and Asian ingredients sources gmo-free ingredients.
  • Amy’s Kitchen: GMO-free source of canned soups, chilies, boxed and frozen meals.
  • Nature’s Path: Manufacturer of cereals and snack bars made with ingredients sourced gmo-free.
  • Annie’s Naturals: Manufacturer of BBQ sauce, salad dressings and other condiments sourced from gmo-free ingredients.
  • San J: GMO-free manufacturer of soy sauce, shoyu and tamari. Tradition
  • Miso: Manufacturer of miso pastes that are made from GMO-free ingredients.
  • Barbara’s Bakery: Manufacturer of cookies sources from gmo-free ingredients.
  • Lundberg Family Farms: GMO-free provider of rice and wild rice foods including raw rice, soups and convenience foods.
  • Walkers: Provider of the best shortbread cookies ever as well as other sweet treats.
  • Fantastic Foods: Provider of hummus, falafel, risotto couscous, soup and other mixes with gmo-free ingredients.
  • Vitasoy: Manufacturer of soy-based foods sourced from gmo-free ingredients.
  • Clif: Manufacturer of energy bars sourced from gmo-free foods.
  • Kettle Chips: GMO-free manufacturer of potato and tortilla chips.
  • Que Pasa: Manufacturer of tortilla chips and other Mexican foods sourced from non-gmo ingredients.
  • Garden of Eatin: Manufacturer of chips, salsas and other snack foods.
  • French Meadow Bakery: Manufacturer of bread and baked goods using non-gmo ingredients.
  • White Wave: Manufacturer of soy products including tofu and tempeh using gmo-free soy.
  • Bearitos: Manufacturer of snack foods and dips using gmo-free foods.
  • Chaffin Family Orchards: Is committed to GMO-free foods and sells an assortment of goods including olive oil.
  • Cultures for Health: All starters and products sold at Cultures for Health are GMO-free.
  • Grindstone Bakery: GMO-free provider of wheat- and gluten-free bread.
  • Pure Indian Foods: GMO-free provider of grass-fed ghee.
  • To Your Health: Provider of gmo-free sprouted breads and sprouted flours.
  • Trader Joe’s : GMO-free provider on their personal products. All labels with Trader Joe’s, Jose’s, Ming’s, etc. are GMO-free
  • US Wellness Meats: Provider of pasture- and grass-fed meats free of GMO supplemental feed.
  • Zukay: Provider of live cultured condiments and salsa free from GMO.
  • Wisconsin Healthy Grown Potatoes: GMO-free potatoes.

Article originally posted at whydontyoutrythis.com.

Mindful Eating

by Stephen Scott Cowan, MD – ICPA:eating

Eating right is certainly in the news these days. From fads like the South Beach Diet to the front-page image of the First Lady planting an organic vegetable garden on the White House lawn, Americans are beginning to pay closer attention to their eating habits. Staggering reports of the epidemic of obesity are flooding the scientific community and serve as fodder for TV shows like The Biggest Loser. One in five children in the U.S. are obese today…

Why We Eat

While choosing what we eat is certainly critical to our cognitive health, a truly holistic understanding of eating goes much further, considering how we eat, where we eat, when we eat and why we eat. So: Why do we eat?

I pose this question to children all the time, and they giggle and stumble around for answers like “we eat so we can grow.” But we are not just machines requiring the right set of nutrients as basic fuel to keep going. We are living organisms, not automobiles! In a recent workshop, I asked participants to describe the taste of a blueberry. No one could get far past the fact that they’re sweet and blue. While scientists might accurately analyze all the phyto-nutrients in a blueberry, this tells us very little about the actual experience of eating one.

Eating is a deeply personal encounter. It conveys something about ourselves at a particular moment in time. It feeds our memory and points directly to who we are, to our mood and temperament. Eating reflects our basic sanity because it is how we make contact with the world—how we exchange with the world. Our hunger to grow and know the world is not just physical, but intellectual and spiritual. Eating is how we become the world.

In Chinese medicine, the “spleen/stomach network” is considered central to our being. It corresponds to the ground we live on, the good earth, which supplies all that we need to grow. But the spleen is home to our thoughts, as well. We gather information from the world in all different forms. As we take it in, it gets sorted. Some is integrated into our being, and some is eliminated. This gathering, sorting, integrating and eliminating is a cognitive process. It represents how we learn. Our immune system (with which we learn to identify the world), digestive system (which tastes the world), and neurologic system (which perceives the world) are interconnected aspects of information processing. The body does not know these are separate systems. They only seem separate to us because there are immunologists, gastroenterologists and neurologists. As a field of medicine, the study of this cognitive network might be more accurately described as neuro-immuno-gastroenterology.

Industrially Fed, Spiritually Starved

If we take a minute to look at how we eat in America, we begin to see how it directly relates to the modern epidemics of childhood: obesity, allergies and ADHD. We eat as if we are in a race. This is the real purpose of “fast food.” It’s cheap and convenient, just like a roadside gas station is for your car. But, again, we are living organisms, not automobiles. The same kind of assembly-line mentality informs the way our children are force-fed information in school. We’ve been led to believe that education is a race, and that the fastest child is the smartest. But in my 22 years as a developmental pediatrician watching children grow, I’ve found that this simply isn’t true. Sometimes the smartest kid turns out to be the one who took her time digesting the world. The current trends in standardized education have left us with a system that treats children as if they are USDA Grade A meat. The education of our children must be more than simply passing inspection! What’s more, when we are not given the time to digest the material, whether it is food or academics, it stagnates.

Chinese medicine considers stagnation to be of grave significance. A healthy life is defined by the free flow of qi, that which animates our life. Stagnation represents the accumulation of “stuff” that drags health down. It’s as if the body recognizes the need to slow down in order to work on unfinished business, even if it results in a pathological condition. This feeling of stagnation is not satisfying, because things are simply not moving properly. The lack of movement is boring, and boredom leads to the need for distractions—so we try to spice up our lives. We try not to look at all that unfinished business accumulating within…which makes us agitated. We try to get things moving and shake up all that stagnation. This hyperactive state drives us to look for happiness somewhere else. TV ads capitalize on this, promising happiness with a Whopper or a Happy Meal. This leads to infatuations, bizarre cravings, impulsive eating and binge-buying. We feel like we deserve to be happy—we deserve that tub of ice cream, for having had to work under these conditions. And when we can’t have what we think we deserve, we become hostile: Don’t take a piece of my pie!

This state of agitation, distractibility and impulsivity defines Attention Deficit Disorder. The Chinese medicine classics say that accumulation causes an inflamed state, and this phlegm can “mist the mind.” We become confused, unable to think straight, and find it difficult to concentrate on one thing for very long. And so we take stimulants to try to wake ourselves up.

Likewise, the same vicious cycle leads to the accumulation of phlegm in our bodies; our neuro-immunodigestive system becomes confused, hostile and inflamed. In my practice, I see a host of chronic health problems in children that can be traced back to the phlegm of stagnation: ear infections, asthma, obesity, colitis and autoimmune disorders. These manifestations of chronic inflammation did not exist to such a degree a century ago, or even 50 years ago. The inflamed state of autoimmunity is a spiritual crisis. When the mind-body remains in such a confused state, we no longer have time to recognize who we are. We are left with a Spiritual Deficit Disorder.

Taking Time

Correcting this vicious cycle begins at birth. I work with many mothers on that first day, counseling them about breastfeeding or bottle feeding. In that moment, there is a real opportunity to learn how to learn, how to digest the world calmly, attentively and with ease. Feeding a baby when she is crying is a common mistake. Moments of hunger are not a crime. Hunger is a way of waking up. We may naturally feel the urge to feed our child when she cries; feeding is a basic way we show our love. But it is vital to pause and consider the true reasons for eating. Babies feed much better when they are fully awake. They are less gassy and more likely to gain weight properly. They are actually learning to pay attention with their whole bodymind. This is a simple yet profound lesson for us all to live by.

When you select information, whether food or academic, as a conscious process, you are determining which aspects of the external environment you will allow inside your body to operate on an unconscious level. This is the meaning of “mindful eating.” We should take the lead from our babies. Whether we are stimulating our immune system, going to school, or sitting down at the dinner table as a family, taking time to digest is how we become truly sane in this world. Ultimately, time is the greatest alternative medicine. And taking time to digest the world is the ultimate spiritual practice.

Article originally posted at ICPA.org.