HealthZars and Prophecies

Do You Know a Pollyanna Nutritionist?

2007-06-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

A “naïve optimist” is one way to describe the guy in front of me in the checkout line at Wild Oats, a few days ago. Or, I might label him a “Pollyanna Nutritionist”.

Pollyanna was a fictional character, created by author Eleanor H. Porter, in a novel by the same name in 1913. As a young orphan, Pollyanna devoutly practiced a game her father had taught her of always finding the positive in any situation.

Somewhere during the many decades of novels and movies about the adventures of the young “Glad Girl”, the word “Pollyanna” became synonymous with anyone who held a steadfast belief in the positive spin on any situation. Eventually, however, the name gained a derogatory meaning to describe the naïve optimist.

While waiting to check out, this pollyanna-nutrition guy apparently decided he could make points with the attractive lady in front of him by commenting on the nutrition products she had stacked on the conveyor belt. Most of us were fidgeting and becoming impatient, waiting for a price check on dried cumquats, or something, when he made his move to strike up a conversation.

“That’s a lot of vitamins, you have there...,” he says while poking his finger at her stack of bottles, “...that must get expensive each month.”

She glances back at him, and with a courteous but short tone, she responds...
“Sometimes... but it is worth it.”

Mistakenly, interpreting her polite response as an invitation to annoy her, he continues...
“Yeah... I don’t do any of that stuff. I stay healthy by eating right. You look like you are in great shape. You don’t look like you need any of that stuff. ”

Without looking back, she mumbles a subdued "thank you", which is then followed by the pollyanna-fella going on, ad nauseam, about something to do with his grams of protein per meal, or his five servings of fruit, or his percentage of body fat... I don’t know what all he was babbling about, and I suspect neither did the lady in front of him.

However, while I was witnessing this one-sided exchange – all the while, biting my tongue – I was reminded that even with all the information available to the average consumer, there are still droves of nutritional optimists out there that believe they get all their nutritional needs met with the foods they eat. I personally know several individuals, who fit this profile, and my guess is, so do you.

[Pol·ly·an·na·ish - adjective: unreasonably or illogically optimistic]
To continue with the full article, click here.

Antioxidants: Do We Need Them?

2007-06-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about rust, lately. I have an old gal that I keep around for “special times”, occasionally stoking her fires, and lovingly coaxing her out for a “dance” or two.

Nowadays, she is showing her age. She is sagging, fatigued, and clearly exhibiting signs of some tough years, but she still can teach the youngsters a thing or two when I loosen the reigns and let her run.

Although she may resemble a shadow of her former majesty, she still represents one of my most enduring, rewarding and memorable relationships. I am talking about my old truck that we affectionately nicknamed, the Great White Test-Dummy Hauler, or simply GWTDH.

Yes, the GWTDH is no longer the brightest, most shining filly in the stables. She has been replaced by a new, shinier workhorse for the heavy lifting chores, and respectfully called the Big Blue Test-Dummy Hauler... except by the "ranch hands", who call it "El Mucho Loco Hombre Vagón"... whatever that means...

However, the older gal is still my first love, even with her blemishes, and this is what got me to thinking about rust.

If people knew even a fraction of the stories that the GWTDH has experienced with me, they would be amazed at her condition. I can say with complete confidence that had I not taken such extraordinary care of her for all those years, she would have let me down decades ago.

I cannot help but shake my head and wonder why it had not occurred to me sooner; I practiced diligent protocols on the GWTDH to help her withstand the ravages of oxidation, so why did I not understand decades ago that I should employ tactics to prevent oxidation in me.

I realize that it is a bit more involved for a human, rather than merely smearing Kit Wax on my surface and vigorously rubbing... (although, that does create an interesting visual that might be worth exploring...), but whatever the effort, the rewards are priceless.

Evidence is continuing to mount that the aging process on a human is little more than the results of oxidation on our cells. As an oxygen-breathing creature, “oxidizing agents” are a natural by-product of our normal energy making process and our metabolism.

Oxygen is essential for life, but it is also very active and can combine easily with many compounds in the body, producing oxidizing agents, such as superoxides or hydrogen peroxide. These oxidizing agents are also known as free radicals.

No, “free radicals” is not a defiant chant from the groovy, anti-establishment inmates during the 60’s Peace movement. Free radicals are electrically charged molecules that are missing an electron. If you meet one of these little buggers, stand back, because he will try and take from you what he is missing.

A free radical has one mission, “get even”. That means all he wants is to find an electron – steal it if he has too – so that he can feel content. The problem is: if he succeeds in stealing an electron from a neighbor, then the neighbor is now a free radical, who steals one from his neighbor, and so on.

Would You Rather Wear Out... Or Rust Out?

To continue with the full article, click here.

Fats are Bad, Fats are Good... Who is Right?

2007-06-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

By now, I sort of assumed most people understand the difference between good and bad fat. However, since I continue to get the same questions from time-to-time, maybe a refresher course in the differences among fats is in order.

There is still a lot of discussion and hype about fat-free or low-fat labeled foods. There is no shortage of examples on the grocery store shelves of products that feature their version of "healthy", by promoting a reduced fat variety of their product. It is curious, though, that little is mentioned about "good" versus "bad" fat.

The Black Hats

Okay, let’s start with the bad guys. Saturated fats are regarded as “a bad thing”, and hydrogenated fats (trans-fatty acids) are regarded as “a VERY bad thing”. Saturated fats are in items like meat, cheese, milk, butter... a lot of the great comfort foods that people in my generation grew up eating, everyday. Saturated fats are, at least, something our bodies recognize as a natural material, but it is well-established that an over-indulgence of these foods can lead to numerous health issues. Hydrogenated fats are in most processed foods, including:

cookies
chips
margarine
shortening
chocolate
crackers

... and numerous other store-bought, prepackaged items. Hydrogenated (and partially-hydrogenated) oils are used to increase shelf-life for these products. Shelf-life is very convenient, but it can be argued that foods with hydrogenated oils are not much better to eat than those clever little, fake, plastic food items you see displayed on dessert trays at some popular restaurants.

Between these two types of fats, you would serve yourself well to remember that hydrogenated oils are not a "natural" fat (instead, created by man), and they are quite harmful to the body.

The White Hats

The "hero" characters in this discussion are the unsaturated fats. These are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Most of the vegetable oils fall in this category.

Within the polyunsaturated group are the very beneficial fats called Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Over time, we continue to learn more about the role of EFAs in sustaining a healthy body.

Essential fatty acids are, by the very definition, essential. It is known that EFAs help prevent certain skin ailments (including eczema), and help control triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They are linked to reproductive and immune health, and there is also mounting evidence of a link between EFA deficiency and certain mental disorders, including autism and attention deficit disorder.

Essential fatty acids can be considered the "super food" of the fats. EFAs are considered so vital to our health, the World Health Organization has recommended 3-4% of daily calories should be in the form of this good fat. They further have recommended that for young children and pregnant or lactating women, 5-6% is appropriate.

For A Closer Look

for the full article, click here

If you would like to read more about this topic, feel free to check out these articles on the website:

The Facts About Fats : A fascinating study of the difference between butter and margarine.

Frequently Asked Questions: Essential Fatty Acids and Nutrition

Throw Away Your Margarine, Long Live Butter

China-sourced raw materials - and valid concerns

2007-06-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

I was out early this morning climbing one of my favorite local hiking trails, up a mountain, enjoying a beautiful June breeze (which here in the Southwest hovers somewhere around a brisk 90 degrees) when my mind went into a typical trance-like thought process....

I have been told that the mental powers in the brain are increased quite dramatically during intense exercise, due to increased blood flow... or was it released endorphins... or perhaps it had something to do with a higher percentage of oxygen saturating tissues, because of consuming more air... I don’t remember why exactly, but it is true - I do some of my most creative thinking while exercising.

Usually, I am thinking of some problem I am trying to solve. Or, I am thinking about the design of a project I want to build. Or, I am thinking about a new product I want to make. Basically, I just urge my mind into any direction that has nothing to do with reminding myself about the heart that is on the verge of leaping from my chest, while my lungs are heaving copious amounts of wind.

On this particular morning, I found my mind avoiding the obvious burn in my legs in favor of thinking about maybe inviting a few people over for a shish-kabob dinner on the Bar-B-Q...

Let’s see... I could pick up a couple of different types of meat - maybe chicken and pork to cut up - and prerequisite veggies, such as onions and bell pepper... maybe a few other veggies for the vegan-minded crowd to substitute for the meat... I wonder how I can keep tofu on the shish-kabob-thingie?...

So, there I am pondering a clever menu when I begin to recall the recent controversy about the impurities in the food supplies finding their way into our grocery stores. Maybe you have heard of this...

On April 28th, 2007, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the FDA issue a press release to announce that pork from hogs that were fed melamine-laced feed has found its way into the human food channels.

Two days later (April 30th), authorities announce contaminated feed had been fed to chickens, as well.

This was following all the news about Menu Foods having to recall all those versions of dog and cat food, after it was discovered the reason Spot and Tiger were acting a bit lethargic (and sometimes quit breathing altogether) was because they had been fed melamine contaminated food.

Oops! - I am thinking - I might be concocting a menu to feed my guests the same toxins that killed people’s beloved pets.

Up until this recent news, the only time I had heard of the word "melamine" was when it was used to describe the type of white plastic shelving I get from Home Depot to put on the walls in my shop. If you are like me, you probably found yourself wondering why something like that would be in food in the first place. Well... I’ll be happy to tell you...

We're dining Chinese tonight...

It turns out that the source for this stuff getting into the food supply originated in China. Now, if you are in a business like ours, this news may not come as a surprise to you... but it is certainly disconcerting.

Melamine is used for numerous applications, typically after binding with some other substance. The white melamine shelving that lines my garage and shop is made from a melamine resin - a combination of melamine and formaldehyde - that results in a plastic material. Melamine is also used as a fire retardant, pesticide, fertilizer, and apparently in the opinion of a few Chinese companies, it makes a dandy filler for vegetable-based protein powders to falsify the appearance of increased protein content in certain raw materials.

Melamine can be (and probably has been) used for this purpose in:

soy protein, soy gluten,
wheat gluten,
rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate,
corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn by-products,
amino acids and protein hydrosylates,
and mung bean protein.

I could continue to describe why some companies in China find themselves with an abundance of melamine to use for displacing the more expensive raw materials that make up human and animal food, and I could go into the state of over-production and the drop in demand due to a severe drop in profit margins for melamine on world markets, but I will mercifully simply mention that it comes down to dollars and cents (sense?), with complete disregard for safety. If you absolutely have to get rid of stockpiles of melamine, what better way than to slip it into the food supply.

So, as I am continuing to trudge up the trail that seems to have gotten steeper since my last trip up - briefly noticing the hyperventilating mountain goat to my right - I was hit by an epiphany that started my mind thinking about how we put so much effort into protecting our health from the things we can see and control, only to be potentially blind-sided by sources of toxins beyond our control.

As a company, we realized a long time ago that we could not afford to use any raw material imported from China to make our products. This was actually a fairly easy decision to make, because even though a small company like ours needs to be considerate of our costs that go into making a product, we have to be even more considerate of ensuring that every product is the very best quality we can make. We just cannot afford the type of mistakes where we might have to recall a bunch of finished goods.

Our decision was not made out of an "assumption" that all China-sourced material was bad, or toxic, or compromised in some other manner. For us, it was a simple matter of economics: the money we would save purchasing less expensive raw material from China would quickly be used up to test every single batch of raw material to be sure it is exactly what is claimed - and nothing more! This is a very (as in VERY) expensive proposition.

I can absolutely assure you that no company tests every batch of raw material that goes into making their products. And for a company whose policy is to compete on price, it is very compelling to source their raw materials based on the cheapest cost... often times, material from China.

(Trustworthy High Claims Cheap) ... Pick any two...

I have been often asked why there seems to be such extreme differences in shelf pricing for - what appear on the surface - similar products. A well-flushed-out and thorough answer would take a separate newsletter, but this situation with the melamine contamination highlights one very blatant reason some products are more expensive than a competitor’s: some companies (like us) only source reliable, third-party tested, proven raw materials to make their products... and that proven material is always more expensive (sometimes substantially more) than an inferior material.

Perhaps, I have you wondering how good the quality is for the vitamin and supplement products you take, and those you feed your family. Here is one of my quickest suggestions to help you make a more reliable choice when selecting quality products: Don’t buy your supplements from mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart, Safeway, Walgreen’s, and such.

This is, by no means, to suggest that every product at those big-box type stores is of inferior quality, but you sure do increase your odds of getting inferior product when everything at a store like that is about making it cheaper. When "cost" is the primary deciding factor when buying items for your health, the old rule-of-thumb definitely applies: "you get what you pay for".

I often find myself standing in front of store shelves shaking my head in amazement at the “sale” prices I am seeing for some products. I commonly have a darn good idea what a product costs to make, and I have found myself standing in the aisle, holding a bottle, reading the “claimed” quantities of active ingredients, knowing there is no way the product could be produced - allowing for all the margins - and still have the stated quantity of raw material. At least, not without having sourced the raw material from an inferior supply.

There are several product categories I could suggest, where a cautionary measure is appropriate, but one glaring example is with the supplies of Coenzyme Q10 products. Until recently, the only thing we had to worry about when telling people to be careful about buying CoQ10 was that they should carefully read the label to make sure they get the same active level of CoQ10 in each dose, when comparing different manufacturer’s products. It is not that simple now.

Until about a year ago, Coenzyme Q10 came from only one place: Japan. They controlled the manufacturing of CoQ10, and as the demand went up, the limited supply capacity forced the prices to rise (classic supply/demand economic algorithms). As anyone who has bought a decent CoQ10 product in the past several years knows, this stuff is expensive. And in fact, our CoQ10 products have always carried the tightest margins of any of our products because the raw material is just so expensive.

However, a new source has entered the market: China. As soon as China-sourced CoQ10 entered the market, the quality material from Japan dropped in price. Much of the reason is because of "fair" competition – the manufacturers in Japan who had enjoyed a monopoly for so many years suddenly found they had to lower the price due to the competition. They also lowered the price because there was suddenly more supply (again, the supply/demand formula). That means that some of our competitors who had been buying their CoQ10 raw material from the Japanese source suddenly are taking advantage of the cheaper China source. No... I do not know who those companies are... but I can make a fairly educated guess. If the CoQ10 product you are looking at seems like it is substantially cheaper than you are accustomed to paying, I suspect you can make an educated guess, as well.

Unfortunately, it is going to sound like I am picking on poor little China... poor little sleeping giant China. Frankly, I can’t help but wonder if those companies who are now sourcing their CoQ10 raw material from China might one day learn there is something being put into it that really has no business being there. As a company, we prefer not to risk that chance... and I am proud to say that we never have.

How about some anti-freeze in your toothpaste...

So, while I am on the topic, did you hear about the toothpaste scandal in Panama and the Dominican Republic? I guess there are also some stockpiles of diethylene glycol laying around in China, too.

First, Panama had a bit of a mishap when the government mixed diethylene glycol into cold medicine last year and killed 100 people. Turns out, the substance was mistakenly labeled Glycerin (a harmless syrup). Diethylene Glycol is not so harmless... it is commonly used in anti-freeze. The source for the mis-labeled "glycerin"?... You guessed it... China.

Now, last week, Panamanian officials discovered diethylene glycol in 6,000 tubes of toothpaste that originated in China. In the wake of this discovery, Dominican Republic authorities seize 36,000 tubes of toothpaste contaminated with diethylene glycol, also originating in China.

The reason for the contamination of this highly toxic anti-freeze additive in toothpaste is simply because it is a cheap alternative to glycerin. The FDA has been asking questions of U.S. companies about toothpaste imports, but I have not heard of any similar alerts to U.S. consumers for our toothpaste.

As I huffed and puffed my final steps to the summit of my climb, I found myself making two decisions: I am going to read the packaging of each tube of toothpaste I have in my bathroom to make sure they are made in the U.S., and I think I will forgo the Bar-B-Q in favor of a salad for dinner.

As a company, we don’t source any ingredients from China to make our products.
Never have... never will...
I sure wish I had that much control over my food supply.

They're trying to take away rights again...

2006-09-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well folks,
It has come time to step up and have our voices heard for our right to choose what products we intend to consume for health purposes. The dudes and dudettes in Washington are voting on a bill that is trying to severely restrict our choices for supplements. This is the "doings" of the big pharmaceutical companies with their extensive resources and contributions to those in office. Even the guys who used to support our freedoms of choice ( like Senator Orin Hatch of Utah) are now bellying up to the big Pharma contributions bar. This is one of those classic examples of double-standards.

The bill in question is S. 3546 . The following link is a press release by National Health Federation on this topic:
http://www.thenhf.com/
oppose_S3546_nhf_press_release_september_2006.htm

As mentioned in the press release, our industry already has established methods for reporting adverse effects. What they are trying to do though is create a way for the FDA to outlaw a product if even one report is issued for an adverse effect. But here is an interesting comparison:

The FDA outlawed Ephedra-based products after a few people died as a result of not following the directions on the bottle, and instead they followed the ever-popular belief that "if a little is good, a lot must be better". Now, tragic though it was, I personally can't help but think this is the Darwinian methodology of "Process of Natural Selection", at work.

But while all this was going on, Merck's popular drug Vioxx (the COX-2 inhibitor pain killer) killed more than 50,000 people - just in the US - from heart attacks. That is FIFTY-THOUSAND! As in, Completely Dead!... Not just "Mostly Dead" (by the description of Billy Crystal's character in "The Princess Bride"). That is 50 Big Ones!

Oh, and it even gets better (worse?). One of the FDA's own scientists says the estimate is even more died from Vioxx. In July of '05, Dr. David Graham, the world-renowned scientist at the FDA said:

"By my estimates, FDA’s allegiance to the pharmaceutical industry and its blindness to safety caused the deaths of up to 60,000 Americans from heart attacks with Vioxx,”

The absurdity of this situation is almost laughable. Almost. If the trends continue, our powers of choice with regard to our health will be out of our hands.

If this scares you as much as it does me (and it should), then do something about it. The link below is a convenient way to write your Washington representatives.

"Washington Representatives"... Yeah, that means they represent you and me. They work for us! Not the pharmaceutical companies! Be heard. You don't even have to look anything up. The addresses and names are already figured out for you.

http://ga4.org/campaign/AER_bill

Thank you for your attention.

Bill Evans

PS: It might not hurt to forward this to family and friends who prefer to make their own choices. And to quote our good-buddy Arlo Guthrie from "Alice's Restaurant":

"You know, if one person, just one person does it,
they may think he's really sick and they won't take him.
And if two people, two people do it... in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them. And if three people do it... three... can you imagine, three people walking in
singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out?
They may think it's an organization.
And can you... can you imagine fifty people a day...
I said fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out!?
And friends, they may think it's a movement!"

Help me make this a movement.

According to Ayurveda...

2006-09-06T07:13:00.000-07:00

We have been fortunate to receive several submitted articles on Ayurveda medicine on our articles website (http://www.appliedhealtharticles.com). The author, Dr. Savitha Suri is an Ayurvedic Physician who has profiled specific treatments for common conditions we face. These are very intriguing suggestions, worthy of review. Some of the content has language translations that resemble what my articles look like when my forehead hits the keyboard as I pass out during an all-night writing stint, but once I remember to not try to phonetically sound out the words in my head, I just skip past to the meat of the articles to find a lot of great stuff.

You can get to the Ayurveda articles subdirectory by clicking on the following:
http://www.appliedhealtharticles.com/Category/Ayurveda/271

Thank you, Dr. Suri for your contributions.

Why Detox?

2006-08-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

We have a had an article submitted to the library site on the importance of detoxing. This is concise and about as "to the point" as I have seen in such few words. I have provided the first paragraph and a link below for your convenience. Detoxing in today's world really is vitally important. There are many ways to approach a detox program. Some methods are better than others, but it is more important to at least do *something*. I hope you will take the time to read this.

"Every day we are exposed to external toxins from our environment and internal toxins produced as the byproduct of our digestive and metabolic processes. Toxic and unwanted inorgranic chemicals are found in our foods, water and air in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals and other pollutants. Working in climate controlled environments is a source of airborne microorganisms and debris and home and work environments expose us to paint and carpet fumes. Everything from plastic containers to dry cleaned clothes to skin and haircare products and cosmetics bombard our bodies with unwanted pollutants. All of these fall in the categoryof environmental toxins..."

For the rest of the article, click below:

http://www.appliedhealtharticles.com/Article/Why-detox-/40

History of Dieting

2006-08-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

We just received a very interesting post to our Health Articles Library (Applied Health Articles) about the history of dieting. For anyone who is a chronic dieter, you might enjoy reading this. Even those of us who don't diet will find it interesting.

To read the article, click the link above to go to the Articles home page and scroll down and click on the "Weight Loss and Obesity" section. The article is called

Digesting The Often Unpalatable History Of Dieting.
Modern dieting fashions often follow ideas that have been tried before. Dieters need to place what they are doing within a detailed history of diets and to understand that any diet cannot be the whole story of weight-control because only fundamental behavior change can ensure long-term weight-loss success.

Or you can go directly to the article by clicking here:
Digesting The Often Unpalatable History Of Dieting.

Enjoy!

FDA Scientist Survey Results on Political Influences

2006-08-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

For some time now, we have been hearing the news about the embattled FDA’s appearance of a conflict of interest between their mandate to protect the American public, and their close ties and associations to the pharmaceutical companies they review. We can go into considerable depth of past events where the FDA allowed a “fast track” to be employed on the drug approval process due to the urgings of the pharmaceutical companies, but I think one of the most telling examples of the internal conflicts plaguing the FDA is indicated in a recently released survey.

Just shy of 1000 FDA scientists responded to a blind survey conducted by the Union for Concerned Scientists, with almost one fifth of those saying they "have been asked, for non-scientific reasons, to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information or their conclusions in a FDA scientific document."

Yikes!

We already know that the scientists who have stood up as whistle blowers in the early stages of approval processes for drugs like Vioxx routinely experience a backlash from their superiors. I cannot help but wonder how many more scientists would have reported similar tactics if they had complete confidence that the survey was truly confidential.

For the full story on the survey results, go here:
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/fda-scientists-pressured.html

When Pigs Fly

2006-04-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you feel like a duck, sometimes you don't. Almond Joy's got ducks, but Mounds don't...

No, wait... that’s not right.

Have you ever heard something that you immediately knew did not sound right? I mean, even before your mind had a chance to unravel what you had just heard, did the little voice in your head shout, “Hey... something’s nuts here!”

As is often my habit, I was sitting here patiently attempting to unknot a 12-pound bundle that resembles the fur ball a large cat coughed up, which is actually the result of rarely checking my mailbox more than twice each month. And since the first 30 minutes of this task is mostly mindless, I was indirectly listening to the Nightly News as I tried to match the ripped, shredded envelopes with their original contents that had arrived by curbside delivery to be unceremoniously slaughtered, wadded and crammed into a two gallon box already filled with 3 gallons of content.

So anyway, I am quietly mumbling some Aboriginal curse to bestow on my Postal-person’s favorite rose bush for wasting my time with this clutter when I hear Mr. Anchor-dude mention that scientists have figured out how to breed cloned pigs to have high omega-3 fatty acids with the intention of producing heart-healthy bacon.

“Huh!?… Something’s nuts here!”

Is this really something we think we need? If we could get past the whole controversy of cloning animals for the purpose of eating, and if we could get past the “yuck factor” that it is a gene from the roundworm (known for their ability to produce omega-3) that Harvard geneticists mixed with the swine, we still have to come back to the basic question that asks: Do we really need this?

Even the geneticists admit that there is no reduction in bad fat content in the resulting bacon. So apparently, the bacon will still make you fat, but now you can argue that you are healthier for it. This reminds me of the days when they first started putting salad bars in restaurants where the patrons had their freedom of building their own salads. How many times have you witnessed a customer (who has every outward indication of *needing* to be bellied up to the salad bar) get to the end of the table after having finely tuned the ratios of weight-wise veggies and heart-healthy legumes, only to top the platter with 17 hearty scoops of Thousand Island or Ranch dressing, most certainly rationalizing their wise lunch selection as low calorie because there was something green underneath.

To me, this news just flies in the face of logic. It just never ceases to amaze me the depths of which humans will delve for the chance to thumb our nose at Mother Nature. Already, we have genetically engineered fruit and vegetables that will survive Armageddon with nary a bruise. This stuff looks so perfect that it is hard to tell from the wax stuff. And I find it a bit unnerving that even the bugs and molds don’t want it. Sure, it looks great, but there is zero nutrition value... zip, nadda, zilch.

So, now we are being introduced to “healthy pigs” (is that an oxymoron?). This is an experiment on not just the pigs, but also the humans that may eventually consume them. Exactly how long did it take to learn that feeding a cow the pulverized remnants of his ancestors will propagate the, so-called, Mad Cow condition, and that this will also be passed to humans? I don’t imagine anyone predicted that. And I just can’t help but wonder how many years from now will we learn about some formerly unforeseen disease that has been unleashed because of this type of tampering with our food supply, in this case cloning a pig with a roundworm under the guise of health.

I’m thinking for my money, if I want bacon, I will just fry up the real stuff and pop a handful of Essential Fatty Acid supplement capsules. And I didn’t have to clone anything.

But after hearing about this subject, I suspect it will be some time before I can even consider eating anything from pork...

Because... sometimes you feel like a duck, and sometimes you don’t.

Calcium: Another Perspective - Part 2

2006-03-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

The garage door slams behind me as I hear the echo of my own words returning from the dark and empty halls of my house; "Honey, I’m home!"...(home)...(home). During the following moments of silence, the ritual begins, once again, for another evening of bachelorhood as I instinctively negotiate the unseen obstacles and reach for the light.

When you have lived alone as long as I have, you find ways to entertain yourself and pretend that you are not quite so alone. I’m sure others have their own routines. For me, it means immediately targeting the TV remote, partly for the background noise and partly so that I have someone/something to talk to/at. Fortunately, I have not lived alone so long that I think the TV talks back to me... yet.

On this particular night in February, 2006, one of the national news programs is on as I neatly hang my jacket (okay... I actually toss it on the chair) and wander back into the kitchen to ponder my dinner options. I have my head stuck in the ‘fridge listening over my shoulder to the anchor-dude talk about one crisis or another as I am sniffing expiration dates for freshness on packages that are trying to scurry to the back of the shelf. As I reach for the "mystery pot" (a leftover remnant from Thanksgiving... 2004) I hear the unmistakable voice of the anchor-dude projecting well above the subtle sound of the throaty growl emanating from the pot:

" Researchers conclude that calcium supplements have no effect on women with osteoporosis."

BANG!
"Ouch!"
"What!?!"... (what)...(what)

That was my introduction to the news regarding the widely publicized results on the long-term calcium studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Vol. 354, pp. 669-683). Last month, in my article Calcium: Another Perspective - Part 1, I suggested a broader view of the study results. When something is being publicized that does not make sense, it never hurts to step back and try "reading between the lines";. Also, I mentioned two dimensions that can influence a health condition:
Lifestyle and Environmental dimensions. The topic of calcium supplementation is an excellent example of the effect of modern influences on a
health supplement program.

As I stood in front of the TV rubbing the back of my head, I was growing increasingly frustrated listening to the over-simplified statements being delivered to millions of viewers around the country. I was thinking how remarkably
irresponsible it is to take a watered-down piece of the study results and present them as being some sort of proof that calcium does not do any good. At the same time, I was thinking what a wonderful example this will be to show how study results can too often be manipulated to suit some other agenda. And I could just feel it
in my bones (no pun intended) that there was much more to this story that was not being shared.

A few days later, after having the opportunity to review the study in detail, some issues became apparent. I know there are many others who had very similar reactions, although, perhaps not while grappling with a new life form in their kitchen.

To repeat a point from Calcium:Part 1, there is no such thing as a magic bullet when it comes to preventing, or reversing, osteoporosis. This is not a trivial problem, and I have become just as frustrated in the past when I heard a "professional" suggesting that the solution to prevent this condition is to supplement a diet with calcium. Both perspectives are equally absurd.

As any problem that is considered complex, there are many factors that affect it. And this is the basic complaint I have about the results of the study as they were publicized. There is no indication suggesting the study coordinators have accounted for numerous Lifestyleand Environmental dimension factors.

I am not going to attempt to cover every factor that could be discussed within either dimension. I will only mention a few of the most compelling points. And if you need a review of the definition of the two dimensions, you can find those in Calcium:Part 1.

We know that for several decades, women have been encouraged to consume additional calcium to prevent osteoporosis, yet the rates of occurrence continue to accelerate. And we know this is an issue mostly affecting modern cultures, especially the U.S. population. We also know,from bone density analysis (actually indicated in the study), that women who *consistently* take their calcium supplements *do* show the
benefit of healthier bones. So, what other factors are present to either increase the withdrawal of calcium from the body, or reduce the absorption of calcium being taken into the body?

Within the Lifestyle dimension, well-known negative factors are the consumption of soft drinks (especially diet forms), caffeine, alcohol, diet of excess protein and sugar... basically anything that contributes to an acidic
effect on the body. This will cause calcium to be drawn from the bones as a buffering agent. Cigarette smoking should also be mentioned since this has a negative impact on osteoclast/osteoblast cells responsible for maintaining healthy bone mass. It is also worth mentioning that soft drinks are high in phosphorous, raising levels in the blood, and since the body needs to maintain equal levels of
calcium and phosphorous in the blood, more calcium will be pulled from the bones to make up the deficit.

Also under Lifestyle, we can mention the importance of weight bearing activities in exercise to help reduce the risks of the body throwing off calcium. The body is quite remarkable in its ability to identify when not to put effort into maintaining some part of itself. We see the effects of muscle atrophy for anyone
who has ever been in a cast. But did you also know that when you have a cast on your leg or your arm the bone will start losing calcium? The same thing happens to astronauts in space; the body recognizes it does not need to maintain the same levels of bone density for strength when it is not needed in a weightless environment. This mechanism also encourages the body to build or maintain strong bones when regular exercise is applied.

Under the Environmental dimension, one of the most fundamental factors to consider is the water you drink. Even without taking into consideration the concerns for heavy metal impurities, and fluoride, there is much to be concerned about regarding the acidic quality of water. High quality water should be on the
alkaline side of the pH scale. But sadly, all those "specialty" waters that come in
their plastic bottles are all acidic, as is water produced by the common Reverse Osmosis water filters. And remember, our body will try to buffer an acidic state with calcium.

So, these are just a few mentions of something that has the ability to skew results in a long-term study. I did not see where these types of habits and environmental factors were accounted for in the results as published. And, of course,the anchor-dude on TV failed to mention these deficiencies in the formula. But millions of
people were hearing how all those years they have been taking their supplements might have been for naught.

But wait! There’s more!

Even though the news media did not pick up on some of the study subtleties, other groups who scrutinized the results did notice something worth mentioning. It turns out that adherence to a supplementation program is crucial. Apparently, only 59% of the 36,000+ women in the study group actually adhered to the supplement program during the seven years of following the women. In this group, the data does, in fact, show a benefit for calcium/vitamin D supplementation, where
they showed a 29% lower number of fractures then those on placebo. This means, that calcium and vitamin D supplements did significantly reduce the risk of hip fractures. But you have to take them consistently.

We will save for another time getting into the pros or cons of popular forms of calcium. My main goal here was to broaden your perspective about news items that sometimes just don’t sound right. This was one of those times.

It is true that simply popping a pill may not be adequate to prevent or reverse osteoporosis. It is equally true that taking calcium supplements will help if other factors are taken into consideration. Allow yourself to pause and ponder, when your inner voice tells you something doesn’t add up. Sometimes the only way something you hear makes sense is when you step back to gain a new perspective and read between the lines.

Perhaps then, you too will instinctively negotiate some unseen obstacles as you reach for the light.

Calcium: Another Perspective - Part 1

2006-02-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

Here we go again... more confusing news. I can hear the rumbling frustrations of the millions of women who have been diligent with their calcium supplements in the belief that it helps prevent osteoporosis; a dangerous, sometimes crippling condition primarily associated with post-menopausal women.

In recent news, it was suggested that perhaps all those years of religiously taken your calcium supplement may not have done much good. A report published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Vol. 354, pp. 669-683) is the source of this recent hubbub. The study organizers followed more than 36,000 women, and they have concluded that supplementation did not actually improve the risks of hip fractures during the course of the study. But the news report is quite misleading.

The study focused on calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and concluded that although they did record an increase in bone density, they did not notice any substantial difference in actual hip fractures over the course of seven years. However, my concern with this broad generalization is the same concern I had in all the years of the “experts” telling women just the opposite; they CAN minimize their risk of osteoporosis by taking a calcium supplement. The bottom line is… it is just not that simple, but how we wish it were.

Read the rest of the article here...

It's About Time

2006-02-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

“Time”… We spend Time. We bide Time. We waste Time and lose Time. There is a Time to weep and a Time to laugh; a Time for talk and a Time for song. And whether we like it or not, Time marches on. Try though we might, we cannot slow or stop Time. And the reversal of Time should best be left for the H.G. Wells class of authors.As a child, I experienced many mornings when I would wish I had a stopwatch that I could use to stop Time, so that I could get that extra hour of sleep before school. This dream began after seeing a movie in which the main character had a stopwatch that would stop the world around him. As an adult, I still find myself dreaming about owning such a device that would allow me to accomplish many tasks in a given time period.
Albert Einstein taught us that Time is not “universal”. Instead, Time is “relative”. As children, we had the luxury of occasionally calling for a “Do Over!”, which in a child’s relative perspective, is their way of turning back the clock. As adults, we have learned that about the best we can do is try and squeeze more into less. Or at a minimum, turn back the results of Time.

At our company, we have understood the challenges of “beating the clock”. As any business owner knows, beating the clock is an ever-present shadow that looms over us while we go about our tasks of nurturing our vision and trying to do too much with too little; too little help, too little expertise, too little money, or too little Time. But what is of vital consequence for us – and is in fact the main reason we began this business back in ’97 – is not so much the passage of Time, but the effects of Time. We may not possess a stopwatch, but from a relative perspective can we postpone (or reverse) the effects of Time? Yes.

The first step is to shout – with all the intensity of a child’s heart - “Do Over!” This is the mental step, and for many people it can be the toughest. Too many of us get caught up in believing, “I’m too old for that.” But is that true? From my experience (being of a competitive nature), I have certainly heard the echo of those words in my own mind. I still want to race motorcycles, but I’m too old for that. I still want to mountain bike the Continental Divide, but I’m too old for that. I still want to hike Mt. Fuji, but hey… I’m too old for that. Or am I…?
Do Over!

I don’t need to be competitive to have fun. I don’t need to break records to feel alive. I don’t need to *be* young to *feel* young. And I know it begins with attitude; with my head, and with my heart.

We have made a business out of developing products to help reverse the effects of Time on our bodies. *Now* is always the time to reverse the effects on our minds. Ask for a Do Over. Heck! *Demand* a Do Over! It is up to you.

After all, isn’t it about Time?

Now, where did I put that map of Fuji…

4 Benefits for Using Probiotic Supplements with Antibiotics

2005-12-12T21:49:00.000-08:00

With the increase in proliferation of broad spectrum antibiotics, there has been an equivalent increase in chronic GI distress and yeast infections. As a result, it is now well-understood and recommended to take a supplement of Probiotics. Probiotics offer the following four benefits:

* Prevents diarrhea
* Prevents yeast infections
* Reduces symptoms of IBS
* Reduces frequency of antibiotics

Oral antibiotic therapy can alter gastrointestinal (GI) microflora and result in troublesome gastrointestinal complaints and vaginal yeast infections (1,2). The bacterial flora of the GI tract plays an important role in maintaining the health of the GI tract and protects against colonization by invasive pathogens (2). Supplementing with the "good" bacteria lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium has been shown to reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and prevent antibiotic–associated diarrhea, traveler’s diarrhea, infectious diarrhea and vaginal yeast infections (3). This is not only beneficial for adults but can also help children who are constantly on antibiotics (4). Supplementing with probiotics may help reduce the frequency of antibiotics by up-regulating immune response (5).

Additional research continues to show the relationship of systemic yeast infections (Candida Albicans) with complaints about Chronic Fatigue Symptom (CFS), Fibromyalgia, Epstein Barr Virus, Lupus, M.S., Alzheimer's, Crohn's disease, as well as other chronic conditions.

In summary, antibiotics are certainly one of the greatest medical discoveries, saving countless lives when there was no other option. But the indiscriminant use that has become prevalent for minor infections has serious consequences that years later can develop into chronic symptoms that could have been minimized, if not alleviated entirely, if the recipient had simply supplemented with a high quality Probiotic.

For more information on pharmacist-preferred Probiotics, visit: Applied ProLine ProBiotics.

Applied Health Solutions, suppliers of high-end nutritional supplements and antiaging products.

(1) Witsell et al, Effect of lactobacillus acidophilus on antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal morbidity, J Otolaryngol 1995 Aug; 24(4):230-3
(2) Levy, The effects of antibiotic use on gastrointestinal function, Am J Gastroenterol 2000 Jan;95(1 suppl):s8-10
(3) Elmer et al, Biotherapeutic agents. A neglected modality for the treatment and prevention of selected intestinal and vaginal infections, JAMA 1996 Mar 20;275(11):870-6
(4) Vanderpool et al, Use of probiotics in childhood gastrointestinal disorders, J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1998 Sep;27(3):323-32
(5) Erickson et al, Probiotic immunomodulation in health and disease, J Nutr 2000 Feb; 130(2S Suppl): 403s-409s

Why A Blog?

2005-12-09T10:45:00.001-08:00

Since 1997, we have been actively involved in the health industry with our company Applied Health Solutions, Inc. As a proprietor of this type of company (especially over this many years) I have answered many a similar question, time and time again. And although I should know better, I cannot help but sometimes be surprised by the naïve nature of so many of the reoccurring questions. And we are all running so fast, trying just to keep up with today’s pace of life, most people do not have time to focus on learning about the “big picture” in health.

The disappointment for me is the recognition that the masses are not recognizing some of these big-picture messages. But I must remind myself that there is so much misinformation out there, how can I fault anybody but my own industry.

Oh sure, I could point fingers at the charlatans who make their grandiose claims with the latest cure-all. And I could point at some Federal organizations that are perhaps too heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical companies. I could certainly stand on a soapbox and talk until the cows come home about the lack of education with our fine medical establishments about nutrition and natural healing. And you know what? I just might do that, on occasion. However, when it comes right down to it, I too must accept responsibility for my part in these failures. I have not done all I can do to help educate the public. And for that, I bow my head in shame.

Back in the beginning of time (at least for our company), we began a newsletter to allow us a platform to delve deep into various topics that caught our attention. Frankly, most of the early newsletters simply reflected my frustrations with what I saw happening with my friends and associates regarding their health issues. We still use the newsletter, on occasion, for in-depth discussions on a topic of health or natural healing, but it does not lend itself to answering quick questions or discussing a day’s thought. This Blog is for that.

The primary purpose of this Blog is to answer, for those interested, many of the common questions I repeatedly hear. I will also be discussing the nature of some trends, newest health fads, and trying to weed through so much conflicting news about “the latest and greatest”. In other words, I will help you read between the lines. I will also occasionally tackle issues that are much more important for your immediate health. The topic that screams at me daily, which falls in this category, is the topic of “Drug Induced Nutrient Depletion”. Yeah, I know. It is a mouthful. But if you are routinely taking any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, this is information you want… [correction], this is information you *need*.

So with that said, welcome to my Blog. Stay tuned as I deliver a view of my industry from the inside; weeding out the hype, provoking some thoughts, perhaps pinching your guilt or opening your eyes, and sharing some health antidotes… while on the run.

Best regards,

Bill Evans
President
Applied Health Solutions, Inc.
www.appliedhealth.com

PS: If you would like to view our current newsletter, “Applied Health Journal”, please visit:
www.appliedhealth.com/ahs_digest/current_digest.html