By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CMTA

Roughly 40 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies. As winter goes into spring and summer into fall, the pollens from trees, grass, flowers, and plants make their way into the air, causing sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, as well as itchy, watery, and red eyes.

For many, relief is just a drugstore away. However, antihistamines do not address the underlying cause of seasonal allergies and they often come with side effects.

In the following, we will look at why we have allergies, how antihistamines work, and discuss a natural way to relieve seasonal allergies.

• Make sure you get plenty of antioxidants from a variety of above-ground vegetables and fruits (1-2 pieces per day due to sugar content).
• It is essential to include Omega-3 fish oil from oily fish products such as sardines and wild Alaskan salmon. Omega-3 reduces inflammation and promotes sinus health.
• Avoid the following common food additives, in particular, if you are sensitive to them; these foods may aggravate your seasonal allergies.

- Yellow dye no. 5 or tartrazine (in some breakfast cereals, pies, and canned puddings)

- Sulphites (in dried fruits, wines, French fried potatoes and chips, and pickles)

- MSG (in some Asian foods)

However, to manage serious seasonal allergies, just eating these quercetin-rich foods are not enough; you need to take quercetin as a supplement. Quercetin is safe and non-toxic, but quercetin is barely soluble in water, and is not very well absorbed when taken alone.

• Find a quercetin-bromelain supplement from a manufacturer that follows pharmaceutical GMP compliance, which is the highest standard.
• The most effective way to handle seasonal allergies is to start taking the quercetin 4-6 weeks before the season begins. If you start taking it when you already have allergies, it may take a few weeks to see any benefits.
• Take 800 mg of quercetin-bromelain with vitamin C on empty stomach upon waking. For those with a sensitive stomach, you can take them with food.
• If you find that you are still suffering from severe allergies, take another 800 mg before lunch and/or before dinner (no more than 2,400 mg per day). You can back down to 800 mg a day as your allergies subside.
• Never mix allergy medication with quercetin supplements.

• Avoid quercetin if you are taking a medication that tells you to stay away from onions, apples, grapefruits, oranges, pomegranates, white, green, and black teas. These foods are naturally high in quercetin.
• People who are sensitive to citrus may want to be cautious. Some have reported mouth sores, headaches, and digestive upset from quercetin supplements.
• People on hormone replacement therapy should be aware that quercetin may increase estradiol and reduce the effectiveness of other forms of estrogen.
• People on Cyclosporine, an anti-rejection drug for organ transplants, may find that quercetin increases blood levels of Cyclosporine.
• People on Felodipine, a calcium channel blocker, should not take quercetin, which breaks down Felodipine into inactive pieces.

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CHC, CMTA

In the past 50 years, there has been a raging controversy around salt. The medical community generally believes that over consumption leads to high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease. Indeed, there are a plethora of studies to confirm this. However, most of the research on salt is done on refined salt, not on natural, unprocessed sea salt.

Salt comes in the form of sodium chloride, two elements that combine to create something unique and essential for our bodies. Yet, there is a huge difference between conventional refined table salt and unprocessed natural sea salt.

In the following, you will learn about the role salt plays in our bodies, why people think salt is bad, the differences between refined table salt and natural sea salt, and why America has a problem with salt.

Vital Functions Of Salt In The Body

• It controls the amount of water within the body and maintains the critical balance between cells and body fluids.
• In conjunction with water, it helps to regulate blood pressure.
• It is essential for the contraction and relaxation of muscles and the prevention of muscle cramps.
• It is responsible for maintaining the acid-alkaline balance within the body.
• It helps transmit nerve impulses.
• It serves as a vital ingredient of blood plasma and digestive secretion like hydrochloric acid.
• It aids in balancing blood sugar levels.
• It helps make the structure of bones firm - 22% of the body's salt is in the bones.

Why People Think Salt Is Bad

 

The problem with salt is not the salt itself, but what has been done to the salt. Salt is generally obtained from two sources - rock salt from land mines and sea salt from the ocean or salty lakes.

 

Land-mined salt contains about 98% sodium chloride and the remaining 2% is composed of iron, calcium, and smaller amounts of aluminum and strontium. The commonly found refined table salt comes from land-mined salt. Other variations of table salt include iodized salt, popcorn salt, pickling salt, pretzel salt, rock salt, and seasoned salt.

 

The reason why salt has acquired a bad reputation is because manufacturers, in order to make salt whiter, dryer, and easier to pour, remove all the minerals and nutrients from salt and instead add some unsavory ingredients to it. The sodium from this type of refined salt often remains in the body long after it has done its job, causing joints to swell and kidney problems to develop.

 

Additives in refined table salt --

• Anti-caking chemicals, some of which are aluminum-based. Aluminum is linked with heavy metal toxicity and possibly Alzheimer's disease.
• Dextrose (sugar) is added to iodized salt to stabilize the iodine and keep it from turning purple.
• Sodium silico-aluminate, which is associated with kidney problems and mineral malabsorption
• Sodium acetate, which is associated with elevated blood pressure, kidney disturbances, and water retention.

 

Sea salt, on the other hand, is natural and unprocessed. It contains about 85% sodium chloride, plus important minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These trace minerals in quality unprocessed sea salt is extremely beneficial to the body, serving many important regulatory and nutritional functions.

 

Sea salt comes in both fine and coarse grains. They come in many different varieties such as black salt, flake salt, Fleur de Sel, French sea salt, grey salt, grinder salt, Hawaiian sea salt, Italian sea salt, Kala Namak, kosher salt, and smoked sea salt.

 

Why America Has A Problem With Salt 

 

Most current guidelines for sodium consumption are less than 2,300 mg a day, or approximately one teaspoon of refined salt, but the average American takes in 4,000-5,000 mg of sodium a day. When you look at where the sodium comes from, you will understand the source of the problem - refined salt in processed foods. Over 90% of the money that people spend on food is for processed food.

 

Sources of sodium in American diet --

• 77% from processed foods
• 12% from natural sources (meats, nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products)
• 6% added while eating
• 5% added while cooking

Processed foods include canned vegetables, soups, luncheon meats, frozen foods, and snack foods. Food manufacturers use salt and other sodium-containing chemicals to preserve food and to improve the taste and texture of food. Food scientists have found that by adding excess salt, sugar, and fat to a food, people tend to overeat. Have you ever wondered why you can never eat just one or two potato chips?

 

Therefore, when you eat a lot of processed foods, you are automatically consuming more sodium than your body calls for. To make it worse, the refined salt used in processed foods is void of nutrients and full of unsavory additives. Given time, excess sodium in your body will lead to a host of health issues, including fluid retention, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, and kidney diseases.

 

Common Types of Salt

Iodized salt is refined table salt fortified with iodine in the form of potassium iodide. Iodine is an important micro nutrient vital for the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland. If you use other types of salt without added iodine, make sure you eat a diet including salt water seafood, sea vegetables, eggs, and dairy products.

Kosher salt is evaporated from salt water. It is prepared under specific conditions approved by the Orthodox Jewish faith and contains no additives or added iodine. It is a coarse-grained salt and dissolves quickly. Kosher salt is a much healthier choice than refined table salt.

Pickling salt is like refined table salt but it does not contain iodine or anti-caking chemicals, both of which turn pickles dark and unsightly. It is virtually 100% sodium chloride. It is a very fine-grained salt and dissolves quickly.

Rock salt is land-mined. Minerals and other harmless impurities give it a grayish color. It comes in large crystals and is not used directly on food. Rock salt makes a great bed for serving oysters and clams and is also used in ice cream makers and for de-icing driveways.

Sea salt is made from evaporated sea water and has a fresher, lighter flavor than standard table salt. Unprocessed sea salt includes naturally present trace minerals but does not contain any significant amount of iodine which is essential for the healthy functioning of the thyroid glands. Therefore, if you use sea salt, make sure your diet includes iodine-rich foods, such as salt water seafood, sea vegetables, eggs, and dairy products. Sea salt comes in many colors, from white to pink, red, brown, and black.

Table salt, found in most salt shakers, is land-mined and goes through a refining process that removes all naturally-occurring minerals. Chemical additives are blended in to prevent clumping.

© Carol Chuang 2010

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CHC, CMTA

What Is Raw Food? By definition, raw food is primarily unheated food or food warmed to a temperature of less than 104 ºF or 40 ºC.

The most common raw foods are the unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, and seaweed. But raw food may also include animal foods such as fish, meat, eggs, milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Proponents of the raw food diet rave about the numerous health benefits of living foods, like increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss, and reduced risk of heart disease. Critics, on the other hand, warn against sanitary concerns as well as a host of nutritional deficiencies including low calcium, iron, protein, and insufficient calories.

So which is better, raw or cooked? In the following, find out the pros and cons and what is right for your body.

The Raw Benefits 

• One reason why eating foods raw is so beneficial is because you avoid the harmful compounds that are sometimes created when foods are cooked. Heterocyclic amines are cancer-causing substances formed when meats are cooked at high temperatures, especially during charbroiling and barbecuing. Additionally, acrylamide is another cancer-causing chemical byproduct of cooking foods like potato chips, French fries, and almonds at high temperatures.
• Heating destroys the digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria in the food. Take milk as an example, people who are lactose intolerant cannot drink pasteurized milk but usually have no problem with raw milk. The reason is raw milk contains enzymes and lactase-producing bacteria (lactobacillus) needed by the body to break down and assimilate the milk sugar, lactose. These helpful bacteria and enzymes are destroyed during pasteurization which involves heating the milk to 150 ºF for 30 minutes.
• Raw fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants including vitamins A, C, E, carotenes, zinc, selenium, bioflavonoids, lutein, and many beneficial phytochemicals. Some antioxidants like vitamins C and E are easily destroyed by heat. Prolonged cooking of vegetables also eliminates almost all the beneficial antioxidants.

 

Drawbacks Of Raw

• The biggest problem with raw food is absorption. Sometimes, to be able to absorb the nutrients in the food, it is necessary to cook it. A good example is beta-carotene in carrots, tomatoes, spinach, and other orange/yellow vegetables and fruits and dark green leafy vegetables. Cooking makes the beta-carotene more readily available for absorption by the body.
• Studies have shown that people who follow a raw vegetarian diet have higher risks of low bone density and vitamin B-12 deficiency. They are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D, iron, zinc, protein, and calories.
• A raw food diet may not be appropriate for children, pregnant or nursing women, people with anemia, and people who are at risk for osteoporosis.

 

The Middle Road

 

As you can see, both raw and cooked foods have their merits and demerits. For most people who eat everything cooked, it will be beneficial to incorporate more raw foods in the diet. The raw foods should always be fresh and preferably organic, free from pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.

 

Although raw foods are very nourishing, a raw-only diet may not be appropriate for everyone, especially people living in colder climates and for certain body types. In this case, your body needs to have more cooked foods to function at an optimal level.

 

After all, as with so many things in life, it is more sensible to take a moderate approach. The key is really about balance, finding what works best for your own specific body, instead of blindly following some best-selling diet books or the latest fads.

 

The following are some simple and easy ways to incorporate more raw foods into your diet. Try them out and see what works best for your own body.

 

Raw Plant Foods

 

Apart from having salads, vegetable juicing is the best way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet.

• Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables, and it is easy to add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet instead of eating the same vegetable salads everyday.
• If you are new to juicing, invest in a mid-priced juicer. Don't buy the cheap centrifugal juicers that break easily and make a lot of noise.

Choose raw nuts and seeds over the roasted ones.

• Raw nuts and seeds contain high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fats, and enzymes.
• Roasting nuts at high temperatures oxidizes the healthy fats, making them go rancid more easily.
• It also leads to the formation of a cancer-causing chemical called acrylamides in nuts such as almonds that have high levels of the amino acid, asparagines.
• If you don't like the taste of raw nuts, the next best option is to roast your own and keep the temperature no higher than 160 ºF. This will help avoid the oxidation of fats and formation of acrylamides.

 

Raw Animal Foods 

 

Many cultures eat animal foods raw. The Japanese eat sashimi or raw seafood. The Peruvians have ceviche or citrus-marinated seafood. The French make steak tartare served with raw egg. The Italians eat beef cappaccio.

• Raw animal foods are rich in enzymes which promote healthy digestion, and B vitamins which are crucial for metabolism, healthy skin and muscle tone, and immune and nervous system function.  
• If you choose to eat raw meat, always purchase high-quality organic and free range meat from grass-fed animals as opposed to the antibiotic- and hormone-ridden meat sold in most supermarkets. However, chicken, pork, and ground beef should always be fully cooked.
• If you just can't tolerate totally raw animal foods, at least avoid charring or cooking your meat at high temperatures due to the formation of heterocyclic amines which are cancer-causing. What's more, rather than having your steak well-done, try to have it medium-rare or rare.

 

Raw Eggs 

 

Eggs are a phenomenally inexpensive and incredible source of high quality nutrients, especially proteins and fats. Cooking changes the nature of the egg proteins and fats, and is often the reason for allergies. Generally, when the eggs are eaten raw, any incidence of egg allergy disappears.

 

Eating egg yolks raw preserves the integrity of the highly perishable nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin that prevent blindness and age-related macular degeneration.

 

Raw eggs are also exceptionally easy to digest and provide a completely balanced nutritional package. One way to eat raw eggs is to add them to fruit smoothies.

 

But what about salmonella? 

• First of all, only one in every 30,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella. You can further reduce this risk by simply buying eggs from healthy organic and free range chickens. Only sick chickens lay salmonella contaminated eggs.
• Don't eat the egg if there is a crack in the shell, has a foul odor, a watery white, or a yolk that is overly runny or breaks easily.
• If you are still concerned about salmonella and choose not to eat your eggs raw, the next best option is to eat them soft-poached or soft-boiled.

 

Raw Dairy Products 

 

Sale of raw dairy products is legal in 28 out of 50 states in America. If available in your state, opt for the raw organic dairy products instead of the pasteurized ones.

• Pasteurization was probably useful when it was first employed in the 1920s to kill germs that were spread during that time due to widespread unsanitary production methods. Nowadays, sanitary conditions of the dairy industry have greatly improved, making pasteurization unnecessary.
• Pasteurization of milk destroys the enzymes, beneficial bacteria, vitamins C, B6 and B12, denatures the fragile milk proteins, and is associated with many allergy symptoms. Raw milk, on the other hand is not associated with any of these problems. Many people who have been allergic to pasteurized milk can typically tolerate raw milk without any troubles.
• Pasteurized milk, which usually has a shelf-life of several weeks, is not as fresh as raw milk. Fresh raw milk is creamier and better tasting than pasteurized milk.
• Raw organic milk is always your best choice. If raw is not available, choose organic pasteurized milk over non-organic, because "organic" does not contain harmful pesticides and hormone residues.

 

© Carol Chuang 2010

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CHC, CMTA

Your health is the most important thing you own, so investing in it through the right foods is one of the best decisions you can make. In recent years the awareness for organic and healthy living has been on the rise but unfortunately, not everyone has the budget to shop at an organic grocery store. To address the demand and to attract health-conscious customers, many conventional supermarkets have started their own organic line, such as Kroger's Naturally Preferred, Safeway's O Organics, and Albertson's Wild Harvest.

However, how do you know when you should pay extra to buy organic? What do you do when you cannot afford grass-fed beef or organic chicken? Should you buy organic yogurt or the regular one that's on sale for 55 cents? Is it better to buy frozen or canned? In the following, you will learn the smart and healthy way to shop, aisle by aisle, without breaking your wallet.

Ground Rules

Shop the perimeter of your supermarket because that's where the fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and meats are. The packaged, processed foods are always in the middle aisles. If you ever bother to turn the boxes around and look at the long list of ingredients, you will be shocked by all the chemical names you cannot even pronounce. Processed foods are convenient but they are not "real" food. Try to eat only foods that are fresh and that will eventually rot, not the ones that have months of shelf life.

• Peaches (most pesticides)
• Apples
• Sweet bell peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes, imported
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Green beans
• Hot peppers 

Most of the toxins from hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides settle in the fats of animals. Therefore, when it comes to butter, it is important to buy organic. At Safeway, the O Organics butter costs $4.99 whereas the regular Challenge Butter costs $4.29 per pound, 70 cents more but a lot healthier.

In gastronomy, red meat usually refers to darker-colored meat, like beef, bison, venison, lamb, duck, and goose. Nutritionally, the meat is red because it contains myoglobin, an iron-containing protein that carries oxygen from the blood to the muscles. The higher the concentration of myoglobin, the redder is the meat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pork and veal are also categorized as red meat, whereas chicken is considered a white meat.

In the last few decades, you have heard a boatload of bad press about red meat, in particular, beef, and how it is bad for your health. But watch out, haven't the experts said the same about eggs and then they changed their minds? Likewise, they said that partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and a high carbohydrate diet were good, and then subsequently found that they were actually bad.

Beef has always been the most widely consumed red meat in America. In the following, you will learn about the good and bad of eating beef and whether the experts are right or wrong again.

• Beef is high in iron, something lacking in many teenage girls and women in their childbearing years. The heme iron in red meat is more easily absorbed by the body than the non-heme iron found in vegetable sources.
• Beef supplies vitamin B12, which can only be found in animal products. B12 is vital for the normal functioning of nerve cells and the formation of red blood cells. It is also needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vegetarians and the elderly often run the risk of B12 deficiency.
• Beef contains zinc, which keeps the immune system healthy.
• Beef provides a high quality protein, which builds bones and muscles.
• Beef is rich in alpha lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant which neutralizes free radicals in our bodies and protects our cells from damage.
• Ounce for ounce, beef has three times the iron, seven times the B12, and five times the zinc of chicken.

 

What About The Saturated Fat In Beef?

 

First of all, I want to make it very clear that saturated fat from beef and other meats and dairy products does not increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Instead, it is the industrially-produced trans fat found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that is the true villain.

 

In a new analysis that pooled data from 21 studies and included nearly 348,000 healthy adults, researchers surveyed their dietary habits and then followed them for anywhere from five to 23 years. They concluded that there was no difference in the risks of heart disease and stroke between people with the lowest and highest intakes of saturated fat.

 

Here is something you should know about saturated fat. There are over a dozen different types of saturated fat, but in your diet, you predominately consume only three:

• Stearic acid has no effect on cholesterol levels and heart disease at all. Your liver converts it to a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which is abundantly found in olive oil.
• Palmitic and lauric acid do raise cholesterol, but they raise the "good" cholesterol more than the "bad" cholesterol. Therefore, you are still lowering your overall risk of heart disease and stroke.

 

Your Body Needs Saturated Fat

 

For thousands of years, humans have been eating saturated fat found in meats and eggs. If you avoid eating all saturated fats, your health will suffer serious consequences. Although some people may need more saturated fat in their diets than others (due to different body types and metabolic requirements), saturated fat is essential for your well-being.

• It is the preferred fuel for your heart.
• It provides a concentrated source of energy in your diet. It slows down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry.
• It is the building block for cell membranes and many hormones.
• It is a carrier for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

 

Are All Beef Good For You?

 

The answer is: it all depends on how the animal is raised. A growing body of research suggests that many of the health problems associated with eating beef are really problems with the commercially-raised, corn-fed beef.

 

       Grass-fed cow                                         Feedlot cattle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cattle have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years by grazing on grass in open pastures. Sixty years ago, America's beef industry changed this natural method of raising cattle to concentrating them in feedlots where they are fattened on a steady diet of corn and soybeans. A corn-fed cow grows from 80 to 1,100 pounds in 14 months, whereas a grass-fed animal takes 18-24 months. As a result, corn-fed beef has become so much quicker and cheaper to produce.

 

Corn-fed cattle are given an arsenal of drugs (such as antibiotics) because they are constantly sick. Cattle are ruminants (mammals that chew cud - food regurgitated from stomach to mouth) and they are ill-adapted to eating corn. Studies show that corn-fed cows carry far more acid-resistant strains of E. Coli in their stomachs than grass-fed animals.

Corn-fed cattle are stuffed with growth-promoting hormones. It is believed that children are entering puberty earlier than ever before because of all the hormones they consume from commercial cattle and chicken.

There are vast differences in the nutrition profile between grass-fed and corn-fed beef. Grass-fed beef have:

1. Significantly higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). The ratios of Omega-3 to Omega-6 in grass-fed beef are about 1:1, whereas in corn-fed beef, 1:20. Remember, Omega-3 reduces inflammation and is essential for the brain and heart, while excessive Omega-6 promotes inflammation and is linked to obesity, diabetes, cancer, and immune disorders.
2. Five times more Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). In animal studies, CLA has proven to be a potent cancer-fighting substance. CLA is also sold as a supplement in health food stores for reducing body fat and weight loss.
3. Higher levels of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and other powerful antioxidants. The fat in grass-fed beef is yellow in color due to the presence of beta-carotene, while that of corn-fed beef is a vitamin-deficient, pasty white.

If you buy "organic" beef, don't automatically assume that the cattle are 100% grass-fed. "Organic" means the cattle have never received antibiotics and growth hormones and are raised on organic grains and grass without the use of pesticides and herbicides. Watch out for the so-claimed "grass-fed" beef that has been "grain-finished" (usually in small fonts on the packaging). Finishing refers to the last 90-160 days before slaughter. By feeding the cattle with corn/grain, they fatten and mature faster; unfortunately, the levels of vital nutrients like Omega-3 and CLA also decline drastically. Therefore, always look for organic beef that is 100% grass-fed.

 

Is Grass-Fed Beef Environmentally Friendly?

 

Grass-fed beef has a much lighter carbon footprint than conventional beef. Much of the carbon footprint of conventional beef comes from growing grain to feed the animals, which requires fossil-fuel-based fertilizers, pesticides, and transportation.

 

Grass is a perennial plant. When you rotate the cattle on grass, the grazing cuts the blades which spurs new growth, while the trampling helps work manure and other decaying organic matter into the soil, turning it into rich humus. The plant's roots also help maintain soil health by retaining water and microbes, and healthy soil keeps carbon dioxide underground and out of the atmosphere. Through rotational grazing, land degradation can be reversed, turning dead soil into thriving grassland.

 

Further, farmers do not need to use fertilizers or pesticides to maintain their pastures, and need no energy to produce what their animals eat other than what they get free from the sun.

 

When you put the cow where it belongs - on grass, that cow becomes not just carbon-neutral but carbon-negative. Researchers estimate that with proper management, ranchers and farmers can achieve a 2% increase in soil-carbon levels on existing agricultural, grazing, and desert lands over the next two decades. (Note: It is estimated that a 1% increase over vast acreages can be enough to capture the total equivalent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions.)

 

The Bottom Line  

• Do not be afraid to include some beef in your diet. Beef has great nutritional benefits and there is no evidence of saturated fat intake and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. However, this is not your ticket to eating a 16-oz steak every night. Due to metabolic and genetic differences, many people will not do well on a diet high in saturated fat; in fact, majority needs only a small to moderate amount of saturated fat in the diet.
• Whether beef is good or not depends immensely on how the animal is raised. Hence, avoid commercial, corn-fed beef. It doesn't take rocket science to see that your health is inextricably linked to the health of the animals you eat. So why would you want to eat sick cattle injected with antibiotics and growth hormones and fed a diet of genetically modified grain/corn sprayed with pesticides and herbicides?
• Buy organic, grass-fed beef that has never been corn- or grain-fed. Not only are they environmentally sustainable, they are also healthier and tastier. It is true that grass-fed beef is a lot more expensive but what is good health worth to you? We all set priorities in our lives, so what are yours?

 

© Carol Chuang 2010

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CNC, CMTA

Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO), in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur in nature.

GM foods were first put on the US market in the early 1990s. Nowadays, the US alone plants over 50% of the world's GM crops, followed by Argentina and Brazil which take up another 30%.

The four most commonly found genetically modified (GM) crops in the US are:

1. Soy (91% of all crops)

2. Cotton (88%)

3. Canola (88%)

4. Corn (85%)

All these are common ingredients used in modern food manufacturing. Hence, if your diet consists of mainly processed foods, you will be eating about 75% GM foods.

So, are GM foods safe? According to the biotech industry and the US government, a GM food is deemed safe as long as its composition and nutritional characteristics are substantially equivalent to an existing food.

The truth is GM foods have never been properly tested for human consumption. Only feeding studies on animals have been done and the results have raised much alarm.

In the following, you will discover that there is much more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse effects on human health and the environment. Thus, unless you want to be a guinea pig in this "experiment", you should really think twice before buying GM foods.

 

Why GM Foods Are Produced

 

The initial objective for developing plants based on GM organisms was to improve crop yield. As the world population is expected to grow from the current 6.8 billion to reach 9 billion by 2040, GM food manufacturers argued that this is the way to ensure an adequate food supply for the booming population. GM crops promised to meet this need by being:

• Pest resistant
• Disease resistant
• Herbicide tolerant
• Cold tolerant
• Drought tolerant
• Salt tolerant

The largest share of GMO crops planted globally is owned by a US company called Monsanto, which is also the manufacturer of the world's best selling herbicide called Roundup.

 

Monsanto produces these patented GMO seeds which are also Roundup-tolerant, known as Roundup Ready crops. Such crops allow farmers to use Roundup as a post-emergence herbicide against most weeds.

 

Current Roundup Ready crops grown in the US include soy, corn, canola, sugar beet, and cotton.

 

Is it safe to eat crops sprayed with Roundup? Monsanto claims so and it has consistently relied on industry-funded data to declare the safety of Roundup. However, objective research published in peer-reviewed journals tells another story.

• Various studies on rats and humans have challenged Roundup's alleged safety, ranging from hormonal disruption, impairment of liver and kidney function, to genetic damage.
• Environmentalists claim that Roundup is toxic to beneficial soil organisms and harmful to birds and small mammals by damaging their food supplies and habitat.
• Studies show that farmers use multiple times more Roundup on Roundup Ready crops than conventional ones, resulting in an epidemic of herbicide-resistant weeds and the use of even more toxic herbicides in developing countries, including those banned in the US and Europe.

Additionally, have you ever considered what may come to your health when you are eating a genetically engineered crop that has been made resistant to such a potentially toxic herbicide?

 

Lastly, the claim by the biotech industry that GM varieties of plants produce higher crop yields has not been substantiated. A 2009 report published by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) concludes that despite 20 years of research and 13 years of commercialization, genetic engineering has only increased US crop yields marginally and is unlikely to play a significant role in increasing food production in the foreseeable future.

 

Potential Dangers Of GM Foods

The biotech industry says that millions have been eating GM foods without any ill effects. However, no one has ever monitored the human health aspects of GM foods. Besides, even if the foods were creating health problems, it may take decades before the cause can be identified.

A good example was the introduction of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (transfat) back in the 1960s. Manufacturers claimed that it was healthier than animal fats, and it took the US government decades to acknowledge that transfat was in fact, the culprit of an epidemic rise in heart disease, breast and prostate cancers in the US.

We are playing with technology that we do not fully understand. At this point, no one knows the full extent of what happens to the end product when you splice in new genes, and then eat that product for several generations. However, GM foods have already raised enough concern that they may be inherently unsafe for humans and the environment.

Allergies. Allergic reactions occur when the immune system interprets something as foreign, different, and offensive, and reacts accordingly. All GM foods, by definition, have something foreign and different. Soon after GM soy was introduced in the UK, soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in a single year. Soy allergies in the US have also soared after GM soy came to the market.

Gene transfer. There is the possibility that genes from GM crops may transfer to the DNA of human gut bacteria. A particular concern is the antibiotic resistant genes used in creating GMOs. Scientists use them as marker genes to identify the genes that have been successfully altered. Eating GM foods with these marker genes may encourage gut bacteria to develop antiobiotic resistance. Further, this foreign DNA may continue to produce inside our body even after we stop eating GM food.

Animal studies. There is hardly any feeding study on humans but the ones on animals have resulted in potentially pre-cancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, smaller brains, livers, and testicles, and higher death rates.

Environmental impact. Outcrossing is the movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops and related species in the wild. Nobody knows about the longer-term ecological consequences of such unintended cross-pollination.

To date, there is no direct link between eating GM foods and health problems. However, there is enough circumstantial evidence to raise concern. Given a choice, do you still want to eat GM foods?

Ways To Avoid GM Foods

Whole Foods - the two house brands, 365 Every Day Value and Whole Foods Market, are non-GMO.

 

There are many more that endorses non-GMO. Click here to find one in your neighborhood.

 

If you want to avoid GM foods:

1. Buy organic
2. Buy products that carry a "Non-GMO" label
3. Avoid at-risk ingredients made from corn, soybeans, canola, and cottonseed, which are commonly used in processed foods.
4. Buy products listed in this Non-GMO Shopping Guide  

Last but not least, you can support non-profit organizations such as Responsible Techonolgy and Non GMO Project that advocate for no GMOs. Please go to their websites to learn more about their mission and sign a petition to President Obama to support mandatory labeling of GM foods.

 

 

© Carol Chuang 2010

 

 

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CHC, CMTA

Few foods evoke as much passion as chocolate. Now and then, chocolate lovers may reveal that the notion of giving it up, even if it means being healthier, is often out of the question. Fortunately, this is one instance when you can have your chocolate and eat it too, because study after study has confirmed that chocolate is actually very good for you.

However, not all chocolate is created equal. Only dark chocolate is healthy, not milk chocolate, not white chocolate and not any combination in between.

In the following, we will look at why dark chocolate is healthy, how to choose the best chocolate for your body, and who should avoid eating chocolate.

Chocolate is made from cocoa bean (cacao), which comes from plants. That means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. Cocoa contains flavonoids which are naturally-occurring compounds found in plants. Flavonoids act as antioxidants, helping the body's cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal metabolism, the immune system, and environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke, and herbicides.

• Lower blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
• Lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 10%.
• Stimulate endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure.
• Act as an antidepressant as it contains serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects our mood among its many other functions.
• Act as a pick-me-up as it contains stimulants like theobromine and caffeine.

• Therefore, if you want to make a healthy cup of hot cocoa, choose untreated, non-alkaline, cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed cocoa) and add in your own sweetener and milk.
• When buying dark chocolate, find a high quality one that has been minimally processed. The chocolate should not contain unsavory ingredients such as soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavorings.
• Be cautious of the type of dark chocolate you choose. Avoid fillings with caramel, nougat, or marshmallow, which are merely additional sugar and fat.
• Avoid milk chocolate as it contains very little antioxidant-rich cocoa. Research also shows that the milk protein in chocolate may bind with the antioxidants and make them less easily absorbed by the body. Therefore, to get the most antioxidant benefit, don't wash your chocolate down with a glass of milk.
• Avoid white chocolate as it contains no cocoa. White chocolate is just pasteurized milk and sugar.

Who Should Avoid Eating Chocolate

Despite all the positive research, this is not a license to consume as much dark chocolate as you like. If you are struggling with any serious diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, or cancer, you should refrain from eating chocolate as most chocolate contains sugar and sugar depresses your immune system.

If you have acne or any acne-like skin eruptions, chocolate will likely aggravate the skin condition.

If you suffer from migraines, chemicals in chocolate may trigger the headaches.

If you have intense chocolate cravings, you are likely not eating the correct balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates for your metabolic type. Once this imbalance is addressed, you will find that your desire for sweets decline substantially.

If you tend to seek comfort from chocolate when you are upset, angry, bored, lonely, or depressed, you have some deeper unresolved emotional issues that need to be dealt with. If you have a hard time handling them, you should reach out for professional help instead.

The Bottom Line

It is undeniable that chocolate contains a large number of flavonoids with powerful antioxidant effects. Although chocolate may be a preferred choice of treat, it is not advisable to indulge. Chocolate is a perfect example of when less is more. Researchers found that about ¼ ounce of dark chocolate per day is the ideal amount to achieve protection against inflammation and heart disease.

Keep in mind that your best choice is raw cacao (cocoa bean) or unprocessed cocoa powder, followed by high quality dark chocolate with 65 percent or higher cocoa content. If you opt for most commercial, heavily processed chocolate, don't expect it to be healthy.

Lastly, although chocolate is derived from plants and is antioxidant-rich, it is not a substitute for vegetables which are loaded with other healthy substances like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Further, chocolate contains sugar and fat and is much more calorie-dense than vegetables.

© Carol Chuang 2010

By Carol Chuang, MS, CNS, CHC, CMTA

Warning: Most Fish Now Contain Mercury!

v      A federal study conducted by the US Geological Survey (released in August 2009) found traces of methylmercury, a form of mercury that is readily absorbed, in every fish sampled in 291 streams across the country.

v      In around a quarter of those fish, the amount of mercury was above the level set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as safe for human consumption.

v      More than two-thirds of the fish exceeded the EPA level for fish-eating mammals, such as mink and otters.

Where Is The Mercury Coming From?

The leading source of mercury is pollution from coal-burning power plants, which accounts for 40% of all domestic mercury produced as by-products of human activities. Mercury is released from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants, cement kilns, and certain types of mining activities, and deposited in rain and snow, making its way into the water. From there, it is converted by bacteria into methylmercury, which is absorbed by fish, especially in fish that are up the food chain.

The larger the fish, the likelier they are to have high levels of this toxin. The National Resources Defense Council points out that predatory fish, such as shark, swordfish, and mackerel, can have mercury concentrations that are 10,000 times higher than that of their surrounding environment!

Mercury Is A Major Health Risk

When you eat contaminated fish, the mercury poisons your brain and nervous system. This is especially dangerous for pregnant women and small children. Mercury in the mother's body passes to the fetus where it accumulates. It can also pass from the mother to a nursing infant through breast milk. If fetuses or infants are exposed to mercury, it can cause:

·         Mental retardation

·         Cerebral palsy

·         Deafness

·         Blindness

Even in low doses, mercury can interfere with a child's development, leading to shortened attention span and learning disabilities.

In adults, mercury poisoning can be serious too, causing psychological, neurological, and immunological problems. It is linked to:

·         Trouble with blood pressure regulation

·         Fertility problems

·         Memory and vision loss

·         Fatigue

·         Neuro-muscular dysfunction

Further, mercury bonds very firmly to structures in your central nervous system. Mercury has an extremely long half-life (time to reduce level by 50%) of somewhere around 15 years in the body.

Farm-Raised Fish: Not An Environmentally-Friendly Or Healthy Alternative

Farm-raised fish contributes to the degradation of marine ecosystems.

·         Farm-raised fish are fed great quantities of fish meal, which comes from wild-caught fish. The Organic Consumers Association pointed out that for the 10 species of fish most commonly farmed, it takes 1.9 kg of wild fish to produce 1 kg of farm-raised fish.

The growing environment at fish farms is similar to the animal factory farms everywhere - overcrowded, sickly, infected animals being fed whatever it takes to grow them as large as possible in as short a time as possible.

·         Farm-raised fish, like factory-farmed meat, is pumped full of antibiotics, hormones, and even chemicals to change their color, such as to make salmon appear pink.

·         Studies have consistently found levels of PCBs, dioxins, toxaphene, and dieldrin, as well as mercury, to be higher in farm-raised fish than wild fish.

Therefore, steer clear from farmed-raised fish as they are clearly not a healthy food choice.

 

 

Healthy Choices

 

Fortunately, there are still some safe, unpolluted areas out there, such as in certain pristine waters in the Arctic, Antarctic, and Alaskan waters.  Safe choices of fish to eat regularly are:

 

·         Wild Alaskan salmon

·         Smaller fish, like anchovies, herrings, and sardines, which are lower in the food chain and less likely to be contaminated.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, if you decide not to risk your health by eating contaminated fish, you should remember that your body still has a requirement for omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats support heart health, reduce inflammation, improve cellular integrity, and are vital for memory and nervous system functioning.

 

·         Take a high quality fish oil supplement, one that is free of detectable levels of harmful contaminants like mercury, dioxins, lead, and PCBs.

 

 

© Carol Chuang 2009