Treat or Prevent?

It appears the Swine Flu is stubbornly pushing it's way into cities, towns and countries around the world as well as into the limelight of the media.

As of today, the cases in the US have risen to 20 and are scattered throughout the lower 48. It seems that some of those fallen to the virus have recently returned from Mexico where the virus seems to have sprung from while some have not.

It is said that this particular strain of flu originates from pigs, hence the name, and is typically transferred by pig to human contact. It is, however, capable of transferring from human to human contact where it allegedly mutates and becomes stronger, thus making it more difficult to both treat and fight off. Swine Flu is not believed to transfer to us by eating pork.

In the event we are struck by this virus, the medical community as well as big pharma are quick to tell us there are antiviral drugs available to treat us once we are sick.

My personal plan, not giving advice here, but rather sharing my best practices which haven't let me down for quite some time, is as follows. I prefer to prevent the onset of any flu, virus, bacteria or germ, rather than trying to treat it after it attacks me. A strong immune system will prevent disease, bacteria and virus from entering your body in the first place.

My personal arsenal for a strong immune system?

• One Tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar with honey twice per day.
• A Green Superfood once per day, usually with a home made smoothie.
• One Tsp of Silver Solution once per day.
• A whole food multiple vitamin, my choice is an Acai vitamin.
• An Omega 3-6-9 supplement.
• Fifteen minutes of direct sunlight every day.
• A minimum of ten 8oz. glasses of water per day.

To your ideal health!

Splenda in the News

I recently posted about the dangers of artificial sweeteners. Following is an excerpt from an article with yet more information, particularly pertaining to the artificial sweetener, Splenda, which is commonly used in many products consumed by you and I each day.

Chairman of Citizens for Health Declares FDA Should Review Approval of Splenda
New Study of Splenda and Sucralose Reveals Shocking New Information About Potential Harmful Effect on Humans
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 22, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- James Turner, chairman of the national consumer education group Citizens for Health expressed shock and outrage after reading a new report from scientists at Duke University. "The report makes it clear that the artificial sweetener Splenda and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product. Hundreds of consumers have complained to us about side effects from using Splenda and this study, published this past week in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A, confirms that the chemicals in the little yellow package should carry a big red warning label," said Turner.

Among the results in the study by Drs. Mohamed B. Abou-Donia, Eman M. El-Masry, Ali A. Abdel-Rahman, Roger E. McLendon and Susan S. Schiffman is evidence that, in the animals studied, Splenda reduces the amount of good bacteria in the intestines by 50%, increases the pH level in the intestines, contributes to increases in body weight and affects the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the body in such a way that crucial health-related drugs could be rejected. Turner noted that the P-gp effect "could result in crucial medications used in chemotherapy for cancer patients, AIDS treatment and drugs for heart conditions being shunted back into the intestines rather than being absorbed by the body as intended."

Turner said, "This report followed accepted policies and procedures and the results make clear the potential for disturbing side effects from the ingestion of Splenda. It is like putting a pesticide in your body. And this is at levels of intake erroneously approved by the Food and Drug Administration. A person eating two slices of cake and drinking two cups of coffee containing Splenda would ingest enough sucralose to affect the P-glycoprotein, while consuming just seven little Splenda packages reduces good bacteria."

To read this article in it's entirety, please go here.

If you are like me, reading, educating and making positive strides to improve your health, please think about putting artificial anything into your body. While difficult to eliminate everything bad from our diets, small steps will make big improvements over time.

Sugar, Oh Sweet Sugar

One of the components I have focused on in achieving ideal health as naturally as possible is to reduce the amount of sugar that myself and my family consumes. Now taking away sugar from children who have always had a love for it has not been easy. Please keep in mind I'm not eliminating anything, just reducing in practical amounts. Sugar is in everything they like it seems. In fact sometimes there is a look in their eyes that translates into something like the need to inflict bodily harm on me. But I still push forward, brave in my quest to get us healthy. Even if they hate me. At least I have more quiet, "me" time while they think they are punishing me. Everyone wins, right? I have had some success, the youngest with the largest sugar dependency now compares cereal boxes and chooses the one with the least amount of sugar...baby steps but we are going in the right direction. The oldest has almost eliminated soda and "energy drinks" from his diet and he was an addict, however his choice is because his football coach told him to, not his all knowing mother......sigh, I guess whatever works.

Here are just a few of the effects sugar has on our bodies. It is devoid of minerals and vitamins and interferes with the absorption of calcium and magnesium. It raises insulin levels, depresses the immune system, provokes mood swings, feeds nervous disorders, contributes to weight gain, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and can help bring on depression. It has the power to aggravate asthma, and is a major contributor in bringing on diabetes and heart disease. And these are just a few of it's favorite things......

Here’s what happens in your body when you assault it with a Coke, the epitome of sugar intake:

Within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don’t vomit as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain – a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes, you’ll start to have a sugar crash.

Sources:
Nutrition Research Center October 24, 2007

Wow. Let's face it, sugar is a real bad guy who invades our lives and health more and more. I recently read where twenty years ago the average American consumed approximately 26lbs of sugar per year. The amount of sugar consumed now has risen to 135 lbs per year.

I salute and applaud those of you who eat completely healthy. You are the leaders, the setters of the standard I hope to live up to one day. But what about those of us who are evolving from a certain degree of unhealthy to becoming better at managing our health? Do we pull the plug on our bad habits and switch it up overnight? I don't know about you, but I would be somewhere between a mutiny and a full blown strike in my house. I guess it all comes back to the Balance.

For myself and my family that means no more soda, buying healthier cereal while reading boxes for sugar content, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and eating less processed and boxed foods. Will I give up my homemade brownies and cheesecake? Never!

hold the diet in my soda

We are led to believe as consumers that diet soda's are a healthy alternative to their sweeter sugar laden cousins. If it's approved by the FDA, then the it must be both safe and healthy. Guess again.

Diet soda is sweetened with artificial sweetener, and depending on the brand of soda, the type of sweetener varies, but not necessarily the hazards to our health.

Splenda

A common sweetener is Splenda. Splenda is made from sucralose, a chemical that was "discovered" by British scientists in 1976 looking to create a new pesticide. Yummy. Part of sucralose's chemical make up is chlorine. Chlorine is safe when used accordingly, but not recommended to be ingested in large doses. A major concern of Splenda is that no long term studies were performed on the harmful side effects of Splenda before it was approved by the FDA. Approximately 110 studies were performed before FDA approval however only two of these studies were performed on humans with the longest study lasting a mere four days.

The short term studies concluded that Splenda causes enlarged livers and kidney's and shrunken thymus glands. Studies also found that Splenda can reduce the amount of good bacteria (probiotics) in the intestines by 50% which can lead to a host of health issues and disease.


Actually a long term study is currently going on, all of us consumers who are buying and using products containing Splenda are the lab rats for determining the dangers of Splenda for the companies manufacturer, McNeil Nutritionals. How cost effective for McNeil.

So despite marketing slogans that claim Splenda is a sugar, it is not, it's an chlorinated artificial sweetener. Not only is it found in soft drinks, but is commonly used in juices, chewing gum, baked goods and much more.


Nutrasweet

Another artificial sweetener is aspartame, AKA Nutrasweet, used in Pepsi products. Aspartame has been in the news for some time and has a villanous reputation for causing a plethora of diseases including cancer and neurological diseases. For sixteen years, the GD Searle Group attempted to get FDA approval for aspartame with no success. In fact, the FDA's own toxicologist, Dr. Adrian Gross testified before congress that:

“without a shadow of a doubt, aspartame can cause brain tumors and brain cancer…”

Even with that, in 1981 a new FDA commissioner, Arthur Hays, was appointed by Donald Rumsfeld and before you know it this proven sweet poison had the coveted FDA approval stamp on it. So what has this deception cost us, the unknowing consumer?

For many years, there has been an increasing number of diseases on the rise, some being previously relatively unheard of. Diseases such as, fibromyalgia, MS, lupus, ADD, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, chronic fatigue, and depression. You see, studies have shown that the toxin, aspartame heads straight for cells within the nervous system and attacks them. Aspartame also likes to interact with a number of other chemical substances, like insulin, antidepressants, vaccines and even other artificial sweeteners, to name a few. Also, aspartame, like it's cousin Splenda, is found in a large variety of other products like dairy, juices, baked goods, candy and so on.

And guess what else? Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners cause us to feel hungry and crave sweets. It is believed that those who regularly use products containing artificial sweeteners actually gain weight as a result. Isn't that defeating the purpose?

What are sugar lovers to do?

The truth is sugar is bad period. Especially large amounts on a regular basis. Some experts agree that plain old sugar is better that chemically produced, artificial sweeteners. It seems to me the real deal is certainly the lesser of two evils. Eating healthier overall will reduce those sugar cravings, once your body becomes more balanced.

There is a natural sweetener called stevia that comes from the stevia plant. It is said to be 300 times sweeter than sugar. It can be found at your local health food store and is considered a dietary supplement and opposed to an artificial sweetener. That even sounds healthier to me.

sources:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/10/New-Study-of-Splenda-Reveals-Shocking-Information-About-Potential-Harmful-Effects.aspx

http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx

http://www.douglasreport.com/