Mercury Fillings, Full Fat Cheese is Best

New Study On Mercury Fillings

For as long as I can remember the FDA has told us that dental amalgam (mercury) fillings are "safe and effective." Why, they have been used for over 150 years! That must make them okay, right?

But the biggest argument thrown at us by the FDA, CDC and dental groups is that there's no scientific evidence to show otherwise. 

Well, they can't say that anymore.

That's because a big study has proven once and for all what happens when you put one of the most poisonous elements known to man inside your mouth. The feds sure don't have their act together when it comes to mercury.

Take the EPA for example. It advises us that if we break a CFL bulb, which contains a tiny bit of the substance, that everyone, pets included, should immediately evacuate the room until it's aired out and cleaned up.

But as for putting mercury directly into our mouths, well that's perfectly fine.

For years now, people have been finding that once their amalgams, or silver fillings (which are 50 percent mercury) have been removed, they've had "amazing recoveries" from conditions ranging from MS to Alzheimer's.

People like Elena, who had been suffering from various, debilitating health problems for decades, and was on a "downward spiral." She finally put two and two together when she found that her blood mercury levels were off the charts. And sure enough -- after having her amalgam fillings removed, all her health problems cleared up.

But despite all that, our government kowtowed to special interests such as the American Dental Association when it came to amalgams. People like Elena were told their problems were all in their mind, but it turns out it was all in their mouth.

Now, a big study from researchers at the University of Georgia have found that if you have eight or more amalgam fillings, you've got 150 percent more mercury in your blood than someone without them.

While other studies on blood mercury levels have been done, they were called "inconsistent and limited." But not this one.

The Georgia researchers crunched the data on close to 15,000 people, and the results were crystal clear. Plus, the scientists found that amalgam fillings expose us to methyl mercury, the deadliest kind. And it doesn't take a lot of it to damage your brain, heart, kidneys and lungs.

Last year I told you how an urgent warning drafted five years ago by FDA scientists should have put the brakes on amalgams once and for all. It warned that these fillings shouldn't be used on nursing moms, pregnant women, kids under six or anyone with kidney or brain problems.

In fact, it advised dentists to just stop using them!

But the warning was hidden away by the Department of Health and Human Services and forbidden to be published.

Look, by now we have enough evidence to tell us once and for all that mercury fillings aren't safe for anyone. And certainly asking for composite fillings for yourself or family members is easy enough.

But what isn't so simple is what to do with the amalgams already in your mouth. 

Don't let a dentist just start drilling them out. That can send even more mercury right into your bloodstream. You'll need to find a dentist that's experienced in removing amalgam fillings and who uses protective measures. 

That would include things such as a rubber dam around the tooth and making sure the fillings are as cool as possible during the removal process, as heating amalgams releases a lot of mercury vapor.

But having them removed right might just be one of the best things you can do for your overall health.

Full-Fat Cheese Has Many Health Benefits, Including Weight Loss

By Dr. Mercola

Trading saturated fats for added sugars and trans fats in our diet is among the worst lifestyle alterations to occur in modern history. We now know this is a recipe for obesity, heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases.

Many of these illnesses are now showing up in children, who are exposed to these ingredients even prior to birth through their mothers' diets.

The preponderance of research shows that once you reach 18 percent of your daily calories from added sugar, there's a 200 percent increase in metabolic harm that promotes prediabetes and diabetes.

Fortunately, the low-fat recommendation — which flourished as a result of flawed science linking heart disease with saturated fat and the suppression of research showing sugar was to blame — is finally, albeit slowly, starting to lose its stronghold.

While still not ideal, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans do recognize that reducing TOTAL fat intake has no bearing on obesity or heart disease risk. Instead, the guidelines rightfully warn that sugar and refined grains are the primary culprits.

Unfortunately, the guidelines fall far short by still suggesting a 10 percent limit on saturated fats especially.

Harmful fats found in fried foods are another factor driving disease rates skyward. Fried foods are particularly bad for your heart and cardiovascular health, raising your risk for heart failure.

Meanwhile, research has consistently demonstrated that low-fat diets do not prevent heart disease. It's actually trans fat and oxidized cholesterol — not saturated fat and healthy dietary cholesterol — that clog your arteries.

Research Exonerates High-Fat Cheese

Cheese has long been demonized for its saturated fat content, but as the saturated fat myth has come under increasing scrutiny, this food may soon experience a revival as well.

Many recent studies into the health effects of cheese have come to exonerating conclusions. As Joanna Maricato, an analyst at New Nutrition Business, stated last year:

"In the past, studies focused on analyzing individual nutrients and their effects on the body. Now, there is a growing tendency to look at foods and food groups as a whole …

As a consequence, amazing results are appearing from studies on dairy and particularly cheese, proving that the combination of nutrients in cheese has many promising health benefits that were never considered in the past."

Most recently, a Danish research team concluded that eating high-fat cheese helps improve your health by raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Higher HDL levels are thought to be protective against metabolic diseases and heart disease.

Nearly 140 adults were enrolled in the 12-week study to investigate the biological effects of full-fat cheese. Divided into three groups, the first two groups were told to eat either 80 grams of high-fat or reduced fat cheese each day. The third group ate 90 grams of bread and jam each day, with no cheese.

None of the groups saw any significant changes in their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, but the high-fat cheese group increased their HDLs.

Other Studies Supporting Full-Fat Cheese Consumption

Other recent research showed that cheese consumption helps prevent fatty liver and improves triglyceride and cholesterol levels — parameters used to gauge your cardiovascular disease risk. Studies have also found that full-fat cheese can be useful for weight management.

For example, in a study published last year, researchers found that cheese helps ramp up metabolism, thereby reducing your obesity risk.

People who ate cheese or dairy on a regular basis, compared to those whose only dairy consumption was butter, had higher levels of butyric acid, a short-chained fatty acid associated with lower cholesterol levels, higher metabolism and lower risk for obesity.

Roquefort cheese in particular has been linked to cardiovascular health and improved longevity, courtesy of its anti-inflammatory properties. Cheese — especially when made from the milk of grass-pastured animals — is also an excellent source of several nutrients that are important for health, including:

• ·        High-quality protein and amino acids
•         High-quality saturated fats and omega-3 fat
•       Vitamins and minerals, including calcium, zinc, phosphorus, vitamins A, D, B2 (riboflavin)       and B12
•         Vitamin K2 (highest amounts can be found in Gouda, Brie, Edam. Other cheeses with               lesser, but significant, levels of K2: Cheddar, Colby, hard goat cheese, Swiss and Gruyere)
•         CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a powerful cancer-fighter and metabolism booster

Eat REAL Cheese

Even if you're lactose intolerant, there are many cheeses you will likely tolerate as most of the lactose is removed during the cheese making process. There is a major difference between natural cheese and processed "cheese foods" however.

Natural cheese is a simple fermented dairy product made with just a few basic ingredients — milk, starter culture, salt and an enzyme called rennet. Salt is a crucial ingredient for flavor, ripening and preservation.

You can tell a natural cheese by its label, which will state the name of the cheese variety, such as "cheddar cheese," "blue cheese" or "brie." Real cheese also requires refrigeration. Processed cheese are typically pasteurized and otherwise adulterated with a variety of additives that detract from their nutritional value.

The tipoff on the label is the word "pasteurized." A lengthier list of ingredients is another way to distinguish processed cheese from the real thing. Velveeta is one example, with additives like sodium phosphate, sodium citronate and various coloring agents.

A final clue is that most processed cheeses do not require refrigeration. So, be it Velveeta, Cheese Whiz, squeeze cheese, spray cheese or some other imposter — these are NOT real cheeses and have no redeeming value.

Raw Cheese From Pasture-Raised Animals Is Best

Taking real cheese a step further, opt for cheese made from raw grass-fed milk (i.e., milk from cows raised on pasture, rather than grain-fed or soy-fed animals confined to feedlots).

The biologically appropriate diet for cows is grass, but 90 percent of standard grocery store cheeses are made from the milk of cows raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), which must then be pasteurized before it can be made into cheese.

CAFO milk cannot be safely consumed without pasteurization due to the increased likelihood of contamination with harmful bacteria, which are prevalent in these crowded, unsanitary settings.

Not only does raw cheese have a richer flavor than cheese made from pasteurized milk (as heat destroys enzymes and good bacteria that add flavor to the cheese), grass-fed dairy products are also nutritionally superior.

Cheese made from the milk of grass-fed cows has the ideal omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio of 2-to-1.

By contrast, the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of grain-fed milk is heavily weighted on the side of omega-6 fats (25-to-1), which are already excessive in the standard American diet. Grass-fed dairy combats inflammation in your body, whereas grain-fed dairy contributes to it.

•    The milk from grass-fed cows contains three to five times more CLA than that from grain-fed            animals. Grass-fed cheese will therefore contain far higher amounts of this potent anti-cancer              compound as well.

•    Because raw cheese is not pasteurized, natural enzymes in the milk are preserved, increasing its          nutritional punch.

•    Grass-fed cheese is considerably higher in calcium, magnesium, beta-carotene, and vitamins A, C,       D and E.

•    Organic grass-fed cheese is free of antibiotics and growth hormones.

Until next time, stay healthy and happy

JD Roma

The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).