THE GREATEST MEDICINE OF ALL… IS TEACHING PEOPLE HOW NOT TO
NEED IT
Covid Update:
There is some serious concern from established virologists
that there may be some significant future health issues from the new mRNA gene
technology Covid vaccines. Unfortunately there were no long-term studies
performed on any of them as they were rushed into use.
The interview below is with Geert Vanden Bossche, DMV, Ph.D., and a virologist who has worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. He has been a supporter of vaccines, but is issuing a warning to the public about the current vaccines being used for Covid. It may be worth a read if you would like to know a little more about how the vaccines may impact us in the future. While this is only one expert calling attention to the potential health risks, there is a growing number of highly qualified people who are recommending caution be observed with these experimental gene vaccines. I am not indorsing his point of view; I am only bringing you information from the other side of the discussion than what you hear in the media. Here is the link to the article:
Reasons to Choose Organic Grass Fed Milk
There are many reasons why organic grass-fed milk is considered an important part of a healthy diet. As the only source of nourishment for newborn animals and humans, it is naturally rich in all the necessary nutrients for proper growth and development. Some of these nutrients include protein and calcium, which are important for building strong bones and healthy tissues; zinc, which is required for maintaining optimal immunity; potassium, which is needed for building muscles and supporting healthy nerve function; and vitamin A, which plays a huge role in physical growth as well as promoting healthy vision.
Unlike animals, many people don’t lose their ability to digest lactose – the sugar found in milk – after weaning. In fact, humans are the only species where some adults retain the ability to digest milk. Nutritionists strongly advise those who can to take advantage of this because the nutrients in organic grass-fed milk are also important for maintaining good overall health and well-being.
The importance of organic grass-fed milk for adults
Organic Grass-fed Cow’s milk – is about 87% water and 13% solids. It contains a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates, and appreciable amounts of essential vitamins and minerals. Besides supporting normal growth and development, the nutrients in milk are also beneficial to adults, especially the elderly. Here’s what they do for the body:
Protein – Milk is an excellent source of high-quality proteins, namely, whey protein and casein. Whey constitutes about 18% of the protein content of milk, while casein accounts for 82%. Although whey provides a wide range of essential amino acids, casein contains all 9 of them. Your body cannot produce these amino acids on its own but needs them to create proteins, which are important for building and repairing tissues, as well as protecting your body from threats.
Calcium – Dietary calcium plays a crucial role in every stage of life. Stored in your bones and teeth, it helps keep these structures strong and hard. When your intake of calcium is low, your body steals calcium from your bones, which can cause them to weaken. Drinking milk can help prevent this from happening since calcium in milk is readily absorbed by your body. One cup of milk can give you 30% of your daily calcium needs.
Riboflavin – Also known as vitamin B2, this essential nutrient is important for your body’s production of red blood cells. Riboflavin also helps you derive energy from proteins. Because it easily dissolves in water, excess riboflavin leaves your body through your urine. And since your body cannot produce riboflavin, you need to get it from various food sources like organic grass-fed milk every day.
Phosphorus – Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in your body and is present in every cell, especially those that make up your bones and teeth. As such, you need it to keep your bones and teeth healthy. Phosphorus is also involved in other bodily functions, such as the maintenance of a normal heartbeat, nerve signaling, muscle contraction and normal kidney function. In addition, phosphorus plays a role in calcium absorption and utilization.
Potassium – Like sodium, this mineral functions as an electrolyte and conducts electrical impulses throughout your body. This makes potassium important for healthy nerve function and muscle contraction. Together with sodium, potassium helps regulate fluid balance, transport nutrients into cells and move waste products out of them. You can get a decent amount of potassium from organic grass-fed milk.
Magnesium – Magnesium is known as a helper molecule that assists hundreds of different enzymes in your body. Other functions of magnesium include supporting your immune system, promoting healthy nerve and muscle function and maintaining a healthy heart.
Zinc – Unlike calcium, zinc is a trace mineral, meaning you don’t need to get large amounts of it from your diet. Nevertheless, zinc performs a number of important functions, such as supporting your immune system, normal wound healing and promoting healthy growth and development. Zinc also serves as an antioxidant that helps protect your cells from free radical damage.
Vitamin A – A fat-soluble vitamin that’s stored in the liver, vitamin A can be found in its active form, retinol, in organic grass-fed milk. You need this vitamin to maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucus membranes and skin. But the most important function of this vitamin is in the retina of the eye, where it helps maintain healthy eyesight. One cup of grass-fed organic whole milk can give you 16% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A.
Why you should only choose organic grass-fed milk
Today, many consumers place importance in knowing where and how their food is produced. When it comes to milk, research suggests that the type of diet a cow has directly influences the quality and nutritional value of the milk it produces. This is because cows fed an unnatural diet – usually of GMO soy and corn-based feed, which are difficult to digest – are given food in rations and don’t get enough nutrition from what they eat. Compared to these, cows that are given free access to pasture and fed a forage-based diet produce cleaner, healthier milk with outstanding health benefits.
Here are the 3 advantages organic grass-fed milk has over conventional cow’s milk, according to studies:
It contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids
For years, organic producers have been claiming that organic
grass-fed milk is more nutritious than conventional milk. One of the reasons they
cite for this is that their cows eat nothing but fresh green grass and legumes,
which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. A report on the nutrient composition of
various grasses confirmed the presence of 10 major fatty acids, of which
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is the most abundant. This plant-based omega-3 is
linked to many heart benefits. A 2013
study published in the journal PLoS ONE supported the claims of organic
producers after finding that organic grass-fed milk contains 62% more omega-3s
(i.e., ALA, docosapentaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)) than conventional
cow’s milk. These three healthy fats are
essential nutrients that support healthy cardiovascular and brain functions.
It does not contain harmful substances (growth hormones and antibiotics)
Cows raised on huge factory farms have zero access to pasture. Instead, they eat an unhealthy diet of genetically modified feed that affects their ability to produce milk. To resolve this problem, their growers give them an artificial growth hormone called recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH) or recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) to boost their milk production. RbGH has been found to cause significant health problems not only in cows but also in humans.
According to a report by the Center for Food Safety, cows that receive this hormone often develop leg and hoof problems and have an increased risk of serious reproductive problems (e.g., infertility, cystic ovaries and birth defects) and udder infections called mastitis. The milk they produce also has high levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which has been linked to the growth of breast, prostate and colon cancer in humans.
Another issue with conventional cow’s milk is that it contains antibiotic residues. Cows from conventional farms often live in confined, tight quarters that promote the spread of disease. And because rbGH makes them prone to infections, they are frequently given antibiotics that end up in their milk. Antibiotic residues can cause allergic reactions in sensitive consumers and also contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
It contains more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
According to a study published in Food Science & Nutrition, grass-fed milk also contains higher levels of another healthy fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a type of polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid that has been linked to several health benefits. A recent study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggested that CLA’s chemical structure allows it to support healthy weight management goals when accompanied by a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Grass Fed Milk can be a little difficult to find, but Trader Joes sells it for a reasonable price and they are conveniently found in most cities including the Seattle area. I highly recommend you use organic grass fed milk whenever possible.
Osteoporosis Is Scurvy of the Bone, Not Calcium Deficiency
Written By: Suzanne Humphries, MD for GreenMedInfo LLC, 2021
It saddens me to see older women diagnosed with "osteopenia" or "osteoporosis" listening to their doctors and taking supplemental calcium and even problematic drugs called bisphosphonates. These are irrational, dogmatic, harmful approaches to the problem of degrading bone as we age. In my time practicing nephrology and internal medicine, I saw numerous patients suffering from vascular disease while taking the recommended doses of calcium. X-rays revealed perfect outlines of calcified blood vessels and calcified heart valves.
Calcified breast artery, is often seen in women who are being treated for hypertension. The primary drug used in high blood pressure, a thiazide diuretic, causes the body to retain calcium and lose magnesium and potassium. We incidentally note these types of calcifications in the large arteries of the entire body, not just the breasts. I believe these problems are avoidable.
The matrix of bone will incorporate calcium and nutrients where they belong as long as the proper hormones and nutrients are present. Needless to say gravitational force in the form of weight bearing exercise is essential and should be the foundation to a healthy skeleton. Don't be afraid to exercise with some weight in a backpack if you have no disk disease or low back pain.
You still have to look at what you can do nutritionally, and in interpersonal relationships to help your body heal itself. Supplements are no replacement for good nutrition. After all, scientists are constantly discovering new things about food and its interaction with the body that we don't know.
The first thing to do is either google or look in your reference books to find foods high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K2, magnesium and minor minerals such as boron and silica. Silica is also important for bones. Remember too, that depression has many causes. Sometimes the cause can be nutritional deficiencies and sometimes depression can result from entrapment in unhealthy family dynamics.
But if time feels of the essence, then supplementation is one route which could be taken. While the medical profession supplements with calcium and the drug Fosomax, in my opinion, a more constructive supplementation regimen could include Vitamin C, Vitamin K2, vitamin D3 (in winter months, sun in summer) and boron, silica and magnesium. These are all far more important to preventing fracture and keeping bone healthy than calcium.
Calcium will ultimately land in the muscles of the heart, the heart valves and the blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular disease. However if you are getting enough vit C, D3 and K2, your body will direct the calcium you ingest from your food, to where it belongs, not in your heart and blood vessels.
Vitamin C does several things to strengthen bones
- It mineralizes the bone and stimulates bone forming cells to grow.
- Prevents too much degradation of bone by inhibiting bone absorbing cells.
- Dampens oxidative stress, which is what aging is.
- Is vital in collagen synthesis.
When vitamin C is low, just the opposite happens. Bone cells that degrade bone called octeoclasts proliferate, and bone cells that lay down mineral and new bone called osteoblasts are not formed.
Studies have shown that elderly patients who fractured bones had significantly lower levels of vitamin C in their blood than those who haven't fractured. Bone mineral density- the thing that the tests measure, is higher in those who supplement with vitamin C, independent of estrogen level.
Vitamin K2 is well known among holistic practitioners to be important in cardiovascular and bone health. Supplementing this is also a good idea if bone or heart issues are a concern. (check with your doctor if you are taking blood thinners)
And of course good old vitamin D3 with a level around 50-70 mg/ml will help keep the immune system functioning well and the bones strong.
This may seem like a lot of supplementing, yet to me is a worthwhile endeavor that will keep much more than the bones strong. These days getting enough vitamin C is not so easy with diet alone. With the toxic load we all have, even with the most pristine diets, we are requiring more vitamin C internally than our ancestors did. Adults would do well to take 2-5 grams per day of sodium ascorbate as a general supplement. If you have active kidney stones, or kidney disease please check with your doctor first.
Humans, monkeys and guinea pigs don't make any vitamin C. This leaves us on our own to get our needs met. Cats weighing only about 10-15 pounds, synthesize more than 15 times the RDA of vit C recommended for humans. Goats are about the size of a human adults, and under no stress they synthesize 13G per day. Under stress it can rise to 100G. Do not fear taking vitamin C. It is the one of the most non-toxic and safe supplements known. Use liposomal vitamin C, sodium ascorbate or ascorbic acid, never Ester-C or calcium ascorbate. If you prefer a natural plant-based source, camu-camu is very high in C. However its harvest does threaten the rainforest. Amla fruit is another natural plant with very high vit. C levels. Both Camu Camu and Amla are widely available in supplement form. www.DrSuzanne.net
Sorry, but Artificial Sweeteners Won’t Help You Lose Weight
Quit now while you still can.
If you’re gonna call something “diet,” it should have to actually help you lose weight. But like dieting itself, diet foods like artificial sweeteners don’t work as well for weight loss in practice as they do in theory.
So put down that Coke Zero and listen up. Maybe you think the jury is still out on artificial sweeteners. Someone once told you they cause cancer. Someone else said they could help you kick your sugar habit. Yet another person claimed that only natural sweeteners are healthy, so you considered switching to stevia. Well, there’s good news and bad news.
The good news is that the scientific verdict on this stuff is actually pretty clear. The bad news is that none of those artificial sweeteners will help you lose weight. Oops.
We’ve known for a while that artificial sweeteners don’t help with weight loss
This may be a revelation to you and that sanctimonious stevia sipper in your yoga class, but it’s not news to the medical community. Years of research has shown little benefit to switching from the real deal to a sugar-imitator. It’s just in the news now because of a meta-analysis published on Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. A meta-analysis is basically when a group of researchers search for all the studies done on a certain topic and gather them to see whether there’s some overarching consensus. In this case, they searched for all the research about whether artificial sweeteners and weight loss were actually linked.
The vast majority of the studies they found were observational, so the quality of evidence isn’t great. Not to mention the few long-term, randomized controlled trials were sponsored by industry, which means they’re liable to be biased. But even with those issues, the preponderance of evidence says clearly and loudly that artificial sweeteners do not help you lose weight.
There’s actually a chance artificial sweeteners cause weight gain
Some of the studies showed that those who ate non-nutritive sweeteners had higher BMIs and elevated risk for cardiometabolic problems. There are two ways to interpret that. One is through the lens of a relatively new idea that artificial sweeteners can change the way your body metabolizes sugars. There’s some evidence that if your body starts to learn that “sugary” things don’t contain calories, it could screw up your response to the real thing. But it’s also possible that people who eat artificial sweeteners tend to already have health problems. If you’re overweight or at risk of getting type 2 diabetes, you might switch to the supposedly healthier zero-calorie sweetener option. In a study that only observes the differences between sweetener eaters and non-eaters, it would seem that people eating the zero-cal option are contracting problems from the sweetener itself. But correlation doesn’t imply causation.
In a surprise third option, it’s also possible that people who eat non-nutritive sweeteners over compensate by eating more calories overall. If I drink a diet soda, surely I can have another scoop of ice cream. But surely you can’t. We see this phenomenon in exercising too: People who start to exercise to lose weight often overeat because they now have an excuse to eat more. If you do SoulCycle before brunch, you might feel like you earned an extra margarita—but that cocktail probably has twice as many calories as you actually burned listening to a peppy man on a bike tell you to pump it harder.
There’s no such thing as healthy sugar
This news shouldn’t be your excuse for switching to regular Coke: you should just try to get out of the sweet game altogether. Sugar, especially refined sugar, boosts your insulin levels and makes you an addict in much the same way that hard drugs can (though the effect is significantly counter-acted by other ingredients in many natural sources, like fruit). One soda a day quickly turns into one soda per meal, and soon anything that’s not sugary just tastes bad. Artificial sweeteners are no better. When given a choice between a hit of coke (no, not the soda) and some saccharin (you know it as Sweet-n-Low), cocaine-addicted lab rats chose the saccharin. The researchers literally could not give the rats enough cocaine to get them to choose it over the sweetener.
Humans probably can’t get addicted to sugar to quite the same extent. An addiction diagnosis in humans, whether it be to illicit drugs or food or sex, is a serious thing. It’s not just craving, it’s an inability to function without the thing you’re addicted to. Sugar and drugs both play into positive reward loops in your brain, but so does caffeine. You experience some “withdrawal” symptoms with all of them, but if you can get through the day without sugar you’re not actually addicted.
But don’t let the fact that you’re not a true sugar addict lull you into complacency. Sugar is not good for you and it does give you cravings. Kick the habit now and your body will thank you later.
For the record, Stevia, Xylitol, Monk Fruit and other natural sweeteners are NOT artificial sweeteners. They are a much better alternative to refined sugar.
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).
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