Fast Company -- Chemicals Cause Stem Cells to Become Fat Cells!

The effect of chemicals on our endocrine systems has been well researched and documented. The article below by Fast Company asserts that chemicals also contribute to the obesity problem by causing our stem cells to become fat cells.

We can make conscious choices to reduce our exposure to chemicals by our choice of utensils, food, and elimination of chemicals in our homes, and workplaces. However, chemicals are so insidious in the environment -- our water, air, soil, grass and workplaces all have chemicals that can impact us in a very negative way. 

For instance, looking at the ads from hardware stores is just frightening! There are so many chemical solutions -- fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides -- for lawns and gardens, and very few organic and natural solutions! In each of the hardware stores that I visit, there are lots of chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and very few organic and natural options.

Just take a look at the weekly newspaper inserts and ads on TV. Spring and Summer are here - let's add more chemicals to our gardens, spray everything in sight, and pollute our rivers, lakes, oceans and waterways! No wonder there is such a dearth of bees, birds and butterflies!

If people would just stop buying these chemicals, the chemical companies that manufacture them will be forced to research and come up with natural solutions! 

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Chemicals Aren’t Why You’re Fat, But They’re Making You Fatter

A chemical that can be found almost everywhere causes stem cells to become fat cells. It won’t make you fat on your own, but it makes your crappy diet a lot worse for you. How can you avoid it?

BPA, a potentially toxic estrogen-mimicking compound used in plastic production, has been linked to obesity in the past. That’s bad news; BPA is in everything from soup cans to store receipts. But this is even worse: a chemical that breaks down into BPA can cause stem cells to become fat cells. And we’re exposed to a whole lot more of that chemical than BPA.

According to a study published this week in Environmental Health Perspectives, the chemical, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), was once thought to actually inhibit the production of fat cells--in other words, scientists thought it stopped us from gaining weight. The scientists behind the study were operating on that assumption when they discovered that BADGE is actually an obesogen, meaning it promotes weight gain.

Exposure to these kinds of chemicals can make it more likely for you to store calories instead of passing them through.

Source: read more ...

http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679908/chemicals-arent-why-youre-fat-but-theyre-making-you-fatter

Related articles

• BPA Could Permanently Program Genes For Obesity, Says Biologist (blisstree.com)
• Chemicals Aren't Why You're Fat, But They're Making You Fatter (fastcoexist.com)

Saturated Fats Are Not As Bad As Previously Thought!

Crisco (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am just glad that I can now eat all the saturated fats that I like without feeling guilty!  This article by Dr. Mercola and The Atlantic traces the history of how "Crisco" replaced saturated fats such as lard and butter, based on somewhat dubious scientific facts, and changed the way American cook. 

In the meantime, heart disease did not decline. We were made to believe that saturated fats, such as lard, butter and coconut, were really bad for us. While hydrogenated vegetable oil, such as Crisco and margarine were really bad for us.

We bought into this bad science, hook, line and sinker! We are now learning that saturated fats from walnuts, almonds, butter, coconut oil, and lard are not that bad. We need some fat in our diet, but everything has to be done in moderation as part of an overall healthy nutrition plan! So hello flavor, welcome to tasty and healthy cooking!

By Dr. Mercola

A little over 100 years ago a German scientist wrote a letter to a company that made soap, and in so doing changed the way the world cooks its food.  The soap company, Procter & Gamble, bought the scientist's idea—and Crisco was born.

At this time in history, people used animal fats for cooking in the form of lard and butter. And while Crisco was purposely formulated to resemble lard and cook like lard, it was nothing like lard. The rest of the story, as related in The Atlantic, is a tale of marketing successⁱ.

Story at-a-glance

• Crisco changed the way Americans cooked and ate, and it has taken 90 years to debunk the myth that hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fat) is healthier than animal fats (saturated fat)—a myth created and maintained primarily through wildly successful marketing and one seriously flawed hypothesis
• In more recent years, numerous studies have confirmed that saturated fat consumption is not associated with heart disease. On the contrary, it appears to be associated with improved heart health and decreased risk of heart disease
• I and other nutritional experts believe most people need upwards of 50-70 percent healthful fats in their diet for optimal health

Source -- click to read more:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/31/coconut-oil-for-healthy-heart.aspx?e_cid=20120525_DNL_artTest_A6


Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Avocados, Good Fats & Heart Health (avocadocentral.com)
• Standing by Saturated Fat (bodychange.net)
• Lard Is Back In The Larder, But Hold The Health Claims (wnyc.org)
• Is saturated fat bad for you? (mnn.com)

10 Foods That Fight Inflammation

10 Foods That Fight Inflammation

There are many drugs and some foods  that help fight inflammation. Health Central has compiled a  list of 10 foods that have been found to decrease inflammation in the body. 


One of the food items that is missing from the list is the spice Turmeric (Curcumin). I now put Turmeric in almost everything thing that I eat because of its cancer and inflammation reducing properties. 


Another food item that also has inflammation reduction and other properties is aloe vera! I add edible aloe vera gel to smoothies, and use aloe vera topically on my skin.


A lot of discomfort and pain that we feel is due to inflammation or internal organ and external parts of our bodies. If you can reduce inflammation, you can reduce all of pain and discomfort and improve the proper functioning of your body and organs.

By HealthCentral Editorial Staff

http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/cf/slideshows/10/1/?ap=825


Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Cancer And Inflammation: You Have Some Control (drbryanwarner.com)
• 5 Herbs for Arthritis & Joint Pain (mindbodygreen.com)
• Cancer Fighting Foods - 4 Anti-Cancer Foods (naturalsociety.com)
• 3 Things You Need to Know Before Using Aloe on That Sunburn (bellasugar.com)

More on Turmeric (Curcumin) from Dr. Mercola!

Turmeric powder 薑黃粉 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now I put Turmeric (Curcumin) in my smoothie, and also in soups, stews, tuna, salmon, crab and egg salads, and salad dressings! I can't get enough of it! 

I purchase Turmeric from an Indian food store. I recommend that you purchase spices from a source with high traffic and turnover to ensure that you get a fresh and potent spice. Also, ensure that the brand is reputable, and if possible purchase the organic version.

Here is an article by Dr. Mercola on the Health Benefits of Turmeric (Curcumin).

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By Dr. Mercola

English: Cover of the book Take Control of Your Health by dr. Mercola. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Story at-a-glance

• The antioxidant resveratrol and curcumin (the active substance of the spice turmeric) both show promise as natural chemosensitizers—substances that can help overcome resistance to chemotherapy drugs
• Both nutrients have a wide spectrum of anti-cancer actions and functions
• By modulating inflammatory pathways and inflammatory molecules, resveratrol may also help alleviate many of the debilitating side effects of conventional cancer treatment, such as wasting, fatigue, depression, neuropathic pain, cognitive impairment and sleep disorders
• Among all nutrients, curcumin has the most evidence-based literature supporting its use against cancer. Researchers have found that curcumin can affect more than 100 different pathways, once it gets into a cell
• Epigenetic regulation
constitutes an important mechanism by which dietary components can selectively activate or inactivate gene expression. Both curcumin and resveratrol induce epigenetic changes

Source -- Click to read more:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/16/antioxidant-resveratrol-on-cancer.aspx


Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Make Mincemeat of Cancer Cells With This Breakthrough Spice (articles.mercola.com)
• Like curry? New biological role identified for compound used in ancient medicine (earthsky.org)

Kashi Cereal Stirs Anger - Exposed by Small Rhode Island Grocer

Labeling for products that meet the USDA-NOP standards (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I really feel sickened and devastated! We have all probably had GMO exposure without realizing it. 


Now it has been determined that Kashi's supposedly "All Natural" cereals are not so natural after all! Kashi is a brand that is owned by Kellogg Company. Consumers have a right to feel betrayed and upset by this revelation!


Most consumers do not realize that the definition of "natural" in food labeling is not as tight as we all believe.  Consumers that absolutely want to avaoid GMOs should consider purchasing products that are labeled "Organic" and hope that the producer or manufacturer is honest!


Click on the link below to read more from Mercola.com's article about Kashi and GMOs!


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By Dr. Mercola

Story at-a-glance

• A note on a Rhode Island grocer’s shelf has gone viral, informing consumers everywhere that the popular “natural” cereal brand Kashi actually contains genetically engineered grains
• As a result of consumer outrage, the Kashi brand, which is owned by Kellogg Company, has now pledged to use at least 70 percent certified organic ingredients by 2015—a move that may be too little, too late for many health conscious consumers. The pledge came just days after initially trying to further mislead consumers by denying the test results, which had found Kashi GoLean cereal contained 100 percent genetically engineered soy
• Currently, the ONLY label that can protect you against genetically engineered ingredients, synthetic pesticides, and other harmful additives is the USDA 100% Organic label

Source -- Click to read More: 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/19/kellogs-kashi-brand-with-ge-soy.aspx?e_cid=20120519_DNL_art_1


Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Kashi Cereal Stirs Anger - Exposed by Small Rhode Island Grocer (articles.mercola.com)
• Consumers Are Mad Because Kashi Products Aren't Organic Or GM-Free (businessinsider.com)
• Kashi cereal's 'natural' claims stir anger (usatoday.com)
• ConsumerWatch: Watchdog Group Serves Up 'Natural' Food Controversy (sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com)
• Green grocer sparks nationwide debate (wpri.com)

Sunlight Plus Lime Juice Makes Drinking Water Safer

Container of lime juice with cut limes
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is really good news for developing countries where access to clean water is limited. 


The ability to reduce pathogens in water through the use of lime juice and use of freely available sunshine to  purify water will help to reduce the incidence of water borne diseases such as diarhhea and dysentry.


UNICEF states that lack of safe water and sanitation is the world’s single largest cause of illness. In 2002, 42 per cent of households had no toilets, and one in six people had no access to safe water.


The toll on children is especially high. About 4,500 children die each day from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation facilities. Countless others suffer from poor health, diminished productivity and missed opportunities for education.


The young and the old are particularly vulnerable. Over 90 per cent of deaths from diarrhoeal diseases due to unsafe water and sanitation in the developing world occur in children below 5 years old.




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By Dr. Mercola

Story at-a-glance

• In third-world countries, sunlight exposure is often used to help make water safer, but this natural disinfection process can take anywhere from six to 48 hours (depending on cloud cover and so on)
• Researchers have discovered that adding lime juice to the water, and then exposing it to sunlight, make this disinfection method even more powerful, significantly reducing levels of bacteria like E. coli in just 30 minutes
• Natural disinfection processes like these could have an extremely beneficial impact in countries that don’t have ready access to clean drinking water
• In the United States, most municipal water supplies use chlorine as a disinfectant, which creates disinfection byproducts (DBPs) linked to cancer, reproductive problems and other health risks; a whole house water filtration system is the easiest way to avoid these risks.

Sources -- Click on the links below to read more:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2099/12/31/natural-water-filter-system.aspx?e_cid=20120514_DNL_artTest_A7

http://www.unicef.org/wash/index_31600.html

Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Sunlight plus lime juice makes drinking water safer (medicalxpress.com)
• Sun, Salt, and Lime Makes Recipe For Cleaner Water (inquisitr.com)

How to pick, cut, use, and eat Aloe Vera!

How to pick, cut, use, and eat Aloe Vera!

Deutsch: Echte Aloe (Aloe vera)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I purchased an Aloe Vera plant from Home Depot's indoor plant section. I nurtured the plant indoors until I got some really good growth!


Unfortunately when I tried to remove one leaf I ended up cutting off most of the leaves in the middle leaving only two leaves on the base! No problem -- I thought -- "I will just fillet and eat them"! Wrong number! The inner fillet was so bitter -- I almost gagged! 


I decided to just fillet all the leaves and use them topically. Only problem was that I started to itch a bit when I rubbed the inner side of the leaf on my skin. I knew I had to be doing something wrong so I decided to search for a good video on how best to pick, cut, use, and eat Aloe Vera.


Next time I will pick the leaves for my smoothie when they are nice and round! By the way -- my Aloe Vera plant just sprouted new leaves in the middle so the plant is quite hardy and will rejuvenate without much effort! Also, I  used a potato masher to mash up some of the raw fillet for topical use, and froze the rest for use later. You can also use a blender  but it is too much effort to clean up later! I just go with the easiest approach as long as it works! I hope that it will work for you too.


Here is a video from YouTube that describes how to pick an Aloe Vera leaf and what part is edible. Please click to view the video!

Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Multi-tasking hero: 10 ideas on how to use aloe vera (echolife.com.au)
• The Side Effects & Health Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice (refreshingnews99.blogspot.com)
• Aloe vera juice for the hair (africanhairblog.com)
• Homemade Aloe Vera Face Moisturizer (blogher.com)

Cephas Gilbert on the Benefits of Aloe Vera!

Rastaman Cephas Gilbert shares his wisdom on the benefits of Aloe Vera!  


"Aloe Vera Vibrations, Yeah, Positive!" That is so funny! Sometimes we need to lighten up a little!






Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• Homemade Aloe Vera Face Moisturizer (blogher.com)
• Multi-tasking hero: 10 ideas on how to use aloe vera (echolife.com.au)

Avocado -- one of the most complete foods!

I just love avocado which are quite prolific in Ghana where I was born and raised. We had some of the largest avocadoes you can ever imagine! We had a tree in our garden in Accra that was overshadowed by a giant silk cotton tree which tended to shed lots of leaves during the Harmattan season and created a lot of work for our household help. My  mother asked them to cut down the Silk Cotton tree an suddenly, the avocado tree bloomed. The avocadoes were so large they would sometime burst while on the tree. The avocado itself was very creamy with a slight sweetness. When the avocado tree was in bloom we would wake up each morning to pick up baskets full of avocadoes. This made us very popular in the neighborhood since we had to give away a lot of the avocadoes to our neighbors. 


There is so much that one can do with an avocado -- you can eat it raw or with crackers or a piece of toast; cut it into slices to add to a salad; mash it up, and add salsa and sour cream for guacamole, or use it as a mask for your face! However you decide to use it -- avocado is good for you!





Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

The Toxin So Dangerous It's Causing Catastrophic Birth Defects

Story at-a-glance

• Roundup Ready soy is being cultivated on a massive scale across the globe, having devastating effects in many countries; one of the hardest hit is Argentina due to its dependence on soy as a source of revenue
• In Argentina, widespread reports exist of immediate illness from massive glyphosate spraying operations, but physicians and regulatory authorities continue turning a deaf ear
• One Argentinian scientist confirmed what other scientists had already found—that glyphosate can potentially cause birth defects, sterility, and neurotoxicity—but they attempted to silence him by threats and public ridicule
• Legislation requiring the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients is a key to slowing and stopping the production of GE foods by Monsanto and other biotech companies; one 2012 California ballot initiative has the potential fornationalimpact, but victory depends on you—find out how you can help it pass, even if you don’t live in California

Source -- Click the link to view the video: 


http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/13/ge-food-cause-birth-defects.aspx?e_cid=20120513_SNL_Art_1


Disclaimer: The statements regarding the nutritional and medicinal properties of the various foods have not  been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These items are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult your own physician for guidance regarding your health and nutrition.

Related articles

• The Toxin So Dangerous It's Causing Catastrophic Birth Defects (articles.mercola.com)
• Anti-Monsanto Activist Received Anonymous Death Threats (huffingtonpost.com)
• Monsanto's Roundup Continuously Shown to Cause Birth Defects (naturalsociety.com)