Campbell’s Brand “Select Harvest Soup” is a Fraud!

Campbells wants you to believe their “Select Harvest” soups do not contain MSG.  But it’s a total Fraud.  They contain “Yeast Extract” which contains MSG.

Read the tiny print on their website:

* Except for the small amount naturally occurring in yeast extract.

MSG is MSG.  Naturally occurring or not, MSG is potentially very dangerous. Cigarette smoke from Naturally Occurring Tobacco is as dangerous as Cigarette Smoke from name brand cigarettes.  So many companies bury the fact that their products contain MSG in “hidden” names like Yeast Extract.

Why does Campbell try and trick people?  Why use Yeast Extract at all.  It’s not a necessary ingredient in soup. This is a very dangerous practice and injures and hurts people who are allergic to MSG.

Corporate Responsibility is an Oxymoron with Campbells Soup.

Learn more about the ingredients in your foods:  Natural News

Giant Food Corporations care about one thing: PROFIT!  They do NOT nor will they EVER care about YOUR HEALTH.

Buy Organic and eat FRESH not out of cans, boxes, or other packages.

Which Plastic Water Bottles are Safest?

Choose your water bottles very carefully in order to prevent chemicals in the plastic from leaching into your water.

Plastic water bottles are very convenient for carting water around when we are on the go, as they don’t break if we drop them. However, it is worth paying attention to the type of plastic your water bottle is made of, to ensure that the chemicals in the plastic do not leach into the water. If you taste plastic, you are drinking it, so get yourself another bottle.

To be certain that you are choosing a bottle that does not leach, check the recycling symbol on your bottle. If it is a #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a #5 PP (polypropylene), your bottle is fine. The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is usually a #1, and is only recommended for one time use. Do not refill it. Better to use a reusable water bottle, and fill it with your own filtered water from home and keep these single-use bottles out of the landfill.

Unfortunately, those fabulous colourful hard plastic lexan bottles made with polycarbonate plastics and identified by the #7 recycling symbol, may leach BPA. Bisphenol A is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it disturbs the hormonal messaging in our bodies. Synthetic xenoestrogens are linked to breast cancer and uterine cancer in women, decreased testosterone levels in men, and are particularly devastating to babies and young children. BPA has even been linked to insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. For more of the science on the effects of BPA on our endocrine system etc. Nalgene, the company that manufactures the lexan water bottles also makes #2 HDPE bottles in the same sizes and shapes, so we have a viable alternative.

Unfortunately, most plastic baby bottles and drinking cups are made with plastics containing Bisphenol A. In 2006 Europe banned all products made for children under age 3 containing BPA, and as of Dec. 2006 the city of San Franscisco followed suit. In March 2007 a billion-dollar class action suit was commenced against Gerber, Playtex, Evenflo, Avent, and Dr. Brown’s in Los Angeles superior court for harm done to babies caused by drinking out of baby bottles and sippy cups containing BPA. So, to be certain that your baby is not exposed, use glass bottles.

Check the recycling numbers on all your plastic food containers as well, and gradually move to storing all food in glass or ceramic.

Store water in glass or brass if possible, and out of direct sunlight.

Source: http://trusted.md/blog/vreni_gurd/2007/03/29/plastic_water_bottles

How Soft Drinks (Soda Pop) Destroys Your Health

Soft Drinks are Damaging to Your Health

Most people realize that consumption of soft drinks is not healthy, but just how unhealthy often catches them by surprise.

Soft Drinks impact your health by:

• Causing Obesity though the consumption of “Empty Calories”
• Wear down bones contributing to Osteoporosis
• Cause Tooth Decay and Erosion
• Contribute to Heart Disease
• Contribute to the development of Kidney Stones
• Contain potential carcinogens
• When combined with Artificial Sweeteners contribute to Neurological Disorders

The bottom line is every time you consume Carbonated Beverages - Soft Drinks - Soda Pop you are doing your body a disservice.

If you would like to know more please take the time to read this report by Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D. from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, D.C.

This is a PDF file and requires Acrobat or other PDF reader.

Report Link: Liquid Candy - How Soft Drinks Are Harming Americans’ Health

IV Drips - Intravenous Therapy

This is not the same as Intrathecal drug delivery. IV drips can be anything from drugs to vitamins or minerals. The reason this is valid and helpful treatment modality is the medication or vitamins/minerals go directly into the veins bypassing the stomach.

Most people do not realize that oral vitamin consumption may only deliver as little as 5 to 15% of the vitamin to your system. People who are ill generally absorb even less! You’re intestinal tract is your “Second Brain” full of nerves and needs the care an attention the rest of your spine receive. Opportunistic pathogens in one area of the body may prevent another area of the body from receiving the healing attention it needs. The body is a whole!

This is a complex topic whose use extends from Mainstream to Alternative Therapies. The whole point is to bypass the digestive tract and deliver Nutrition/Drugs directly to the bloodstream.

Visit this link to learn more about Intravenous Therapy

Detoxification

While not specific to the Neck or Back a toxic body may prevent, aggravate, or delay healing of the soft tissues. How does your car run when the oil is old, black and dirty?

The body performs best when it is free of toxins, this is exactly why we have lungs, kidneys and a liver! What most people don’t know is the skin is also a major player in detoxification of the body. In our lives we are exposed to many kinds of pollutants and toxins that our body must remove. How should we expect to feel if our body is full of toxins? How can we expect our body to heal if its allocating all it’s resources to detoxification? Take the load off and free the resources.

The body heals faster when it is free of the burden of toxins! The liver can metabolize about 20,000 chemicals. There are more than 3,000 chemicals in use in the food industry alone and another 70,000 in use world wide.

Most people never think of chemicals in their food, cosmetics, clothing, etc. as being a danger to their health. But an overburdened liver will shut you down fast! The body is a whole! Take a close look at what you consume.

Your skin is an organ, the chemicals you place on your skin can be absorbed into your body! If you’re interested then visit EWG.org and look for their “Skin Deep” report which tells of the many dangers in cosmetics, shampoos, bar soap, toothpaste, etc. Can one really expect to be healthy if they are toxic? We are all toxic to some extent - keep your levels low and get healthy! For those of you interested enough in your total health search for Dr. Sherry Roberts book Detoxify or Die and you’ll have your eyes opened. Enough said.

I apologize for not including methods of detoxification, which go beyond the scope of this post. The point here is to consider what you put into your body and changing your lifestyle to relieve the burden on your body’s detoxification organs.

Vitamin Safety

How do you know that the 1,000mg Vitamin C Tablet you just took really is 1,000 mg of Vitamin C? And how do you know it’s not contaminated with other ingredients (even potential poisons) that could cause you more harm than good?

You have probably noticed on some packages things like “This product packaged in a facility that processes peanuts, walnuts, etc.” or similar. They do this because cross contamination is possible. They use the same machinery and it doesn’t get sterilized before it’s next use. They go from walnuts to peanuts to ? These warnings are there for a reason.

I’ve heard a rumor that Chinese Vitamin C is to be avoided, why I don’t know, perhaps it’s due to contamination issues, or the laws and practices in China being less stringent than other countries. But how do you know the source of the Vitamin C in the bottle you purchase? The Bottle may even be a company in your home town, but contain ingredients manufactured in an undisclosed country. There is no law that makes a Vitamin Company disclose the source of the ingredients.

Vitamins are NOT Regulated by the FDA

Vitamins are not regulated by the FDA, which is good and bad. Good because most of the Vitamin Companies wouldn’t have the funding necessary to complete regulation requirements. If Vitamins were regulated they would be much more expensive and much less available. Bad because you are on your own to “Trust” who is selling a good product and who is not. If you are going to take Vitamins you owe it to yourself to stick with companies that have an established reputation and disclose in writing the contents, manufacturing locations, and processes.

This brief post is not intended to encourage or discourage you from using vitamins. It’s simply to open your mind up a little bit, to get you to consider “why” you are taking a supplement and then to find the best possible information about that supplement, and try to find the purest from of the supplement. Then be careful, listen to your body.

Don’t expect vitamins to cure your health problems. Treat them as any other medical solution - a possible tool on the road to recovery - WHEN USED PROPERLY IN THE CORRECT AMOUNT, TAKEN AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, FOR THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH OF TIME. Participate in a Healthful lifestyle including Organic Foods, Stress Reduction, Exercise, Spiritual Practice and do it in the most natural way as possible. Eat the best most wholesome variety of organic foods you can, then consider supplements a one spoke in the Wheel of your overall health.

Is there a Paradox in the use of Vitamins?

Do you think taking vitamin supplements improves your health? Well you do if you supplement. But do they really? How do you know what your own bodies vitamin requirements really are? What is vitamin toxicity? What if you take too much of one vitamin and not enough of another? Have you thought about what excess of one vitamin does to the absorption of other nutrients. Most vitamins are synthetically produced in a laboratory. The lab chemically isolates the substance then refines it and adds fillers to form a pill or capsule. How safe are the ingredients in the filler materials or the capsules?

Vitamin C is probably the most supplemented vitamin. It’s really Ascorbic Acid. That’s kind of a scary term isn’t it? How about Vitamin B, well there are actually several Vitamin B’s. B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12. Each has it’s own name as well. And each of those names has a pretty neat looking organic chemical structure. What does your body do with these substances and how much do you need?

Are the vitamins you are taking fat or water soluble? Are they stored in your tissues or are they flushed away, and if they are flushed away (metabolized) does this happen in the Kidneys or the Liver? Perhaps they are all “used up” or change form. Perhaps they leave the body via Sweat, or Urine, or Feces? Perhaps perhaps. Should we be rushing to the local Grocer or Costco type warehouse and stocking up?

Most of us know our diets are not perfect so we take a “multi-vitamin”. Does this improve our health? Can our bodies absorb and utilize these synthetic combinations of vitamins? The sad answer to all these questions is very few of us really know our real need for supplementation. And even fewer of us know how to determine it.

I feel “safe” supplementing Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) which comes in many forms - pure, calcium ascorbate, and sodium ascorbate and is usually in powder, crystal, or pill form. Which is the “Best” one to take? The calcium and the sodium act as buffers because the acidic PH of the pure powder form is really hard on the stomach lining, so if I chose the wrong formula am I doing my body harm? If you have a sensitivity to Aspirin or Ibuprofen or similar pain killers then you definitely want to take a buffered C, and probably with food. Vitamin C is water soluble and quickly excreted from the body. So taking mega-doses probably isn’t a good idea. In fact it might not be a bad idea to break your pill in half and take some in the morning and some in the evening with your meal.

Now you’re beginning to see the problem with supplementation. We (the general public including myself) do not have the necessary education (and unfortunately neither does your average Medical Doctor) to make vitamin recommendations. Before you go out and start supplementing you need to have many blood tests to see if you’re bodies chemistry is out of whack. Then you need to consult a nutrition expert to “fix” your diet, then you can consult a competent nutritional doctor and figure out which supplements might work for you. In Europe many of our vitamins are drugs. You wouldn’t (Or at least I hope you wouldn’t) take prescription drugs without the advice of a physician (Not that all physicians prescribe the “right” drug - they don’t know everything) would you?

So the bottom line is this - if you are going to supplement at least take the time to sit down and visit several websites (Not the ones run by those selling vitamins) about nutrition. Learn about what the vitamins do and what are considered to be the “safe” levels of consumption. Then start slowly and stop if you get an adverse reaction.

University of California Berkley Wellness Guide to Dietary Supplements

Nutrition, Fitness, and self care resource breaks down and describes the benefits and health risks to the most common dietary supplements.  Wellness Guide to Dietary Supplements

Jay Robb Enterprises Whey Protein

I like the taste and texture of the Jay Robb Brand Vanilla Whey Protein and the Vanilla Egg Protein. Although more expensive than conventional store brands, these have ZERO aspartame and use Stevia instead. The Egg Powder contains no fat and less than one gram carbohydrates per serving so Jay recommends you eat a few almonds or mix in some borage or flax oil to maximize absorption.

The plus to the Egg product is it contains NO DAIRY. The plus to the Whey product is there is some research to suggest the Cysteine (a precursor to the production of the molecule glutathione) is more readily available in Whey Protein. Gluthathione (GSH) is a protein molecule formed from the amino acids Cysteine, Glycine, and Glutamic acid. Glutathione is your body’s master antioxidant and one of the most important agents in healing. Found in largest concentrations in the liver it’s essential in the role of eliminating body toxins.

You can find out more by searching the Web. Both products taste great and mix readily with a variety of juices and of course water. I prefer mixing with Orange Juice or adding to the blender with filtered water, banana, a cup of berries, and a tablespoon or two of peanut butter (makes a nice thick shake). Take some time to read about amino acids and you’ll be fascinated by their role in maintaining a healthy body. Until I began to research these amino acids I was vastly unaware of the fact that I was actually consuming too little protein, while most Americans consume too much.

All Whey is not the same, all whey is not made the same whey (pun intended), and most contain ingredients you would not want to digest otherwise. Good stuff, albeit expensive.

Plant Sterols and Immune System Function:

The majority of the content in this post comes from The Hoffman Center. The Hoffman Center is Dr. Ronald Hoffman’s Integrative Medicine Website. Dr. Hoffman practices the kind of treatment we would like to see more medical professionals gravitate towards, specifically their mission is to “combine modern medical technology and complementary medical modalities in an innovative yet responsible manner to heal patents and optimize their health and vitality, while simultaneously empowering them with the knowledge necessary to overcome their fear of the unknown and to take command of their health and fitness”. The article below was taken from their site not in an attempt to slight their work and violate their copyright, rather to introduce you to a powerful online resource.

Plant Sterols and Sterolins: Potential Immune System Modulators

Robert L. Pastore, Ph.D. - Nutritionist for the Hoffman Center

Sterols are plant fats found in all plant-based foods. Sterols, including cholesterol, are in the same large classification family of steroids but they do not have the negative effects that are often associated with steroids. Sterolins are glucosides, which are molecular structures joined to the sterol. Sterolin is easily destroyed, and without it, the sterol does not have the same immune-enhancing benefits. In nature, plants never contain sterols only. The sterols are always associated with their glucoside sterolin. The original research on sterols and sterolins was based on an extract of the African Hypoxis plant or “African Potato”. Its nomenclature derived due to the potato-like appearance of the Hypoxis plant. Due to the presence of other potentially harmful substances contained within the Hypoxis plant, other plants were investigated as sources for the sterols and sterolins used in supplementation.

Wheat, for instance, contains about 4,200 milligrams of plant sterols per 100 grams, while wheat flour contains only about 52 milligrams of total plant sterols per 100 grams! The removed bran contains about 4,500 milligrams of total plant sterols per 100 grams and the unrefined oil about 2,600 milligrams per 100 grams. Crude plant oils are a relatively rich source of phytosterols and their glucosides, but most of these are removed during refining. While soybeans contain about 160 milligrams of total plant sterols per 100 grams, the crude oil contains approximately 350 milligrams. This is reduced to 220 milligrams when the oil is refined and is further reduced during hydrogenation. This applies to all plant oils.

In order to consume 100 milligrams of plant sterols, however, one would have to eat 500 to 700 grams of fresh vegetables and fruit or about 200 grams of flour products (without additives). This amount has to be doubled for a normal dietary supply due to the fact that sterols and sterolins are tightly bound to plant fiber and therefore are not completely absorbed. When processed food is eaten or when one is under stress, the attenuated rate of sterolin/sterol absorption is more acute. Slimming diets, ill health and old age also seriously reduce the intake of sterols and sterolins.

Sterols and sterolins seem to illicit immune regulating effects. Before we discuss this let s take a closer look at the immune system.

The immune response has two ways of dealing with foreign pathogens. The B-lymphocytes synthesize specific antibodies called immunoglobulins. This is known as humoral immunity. The other system involves T-lymphocytes, which regulate the synthesis of antibodies as well as direct killer cell activity and the inflammatory response of delayed type hypersensitivity. This system is known as cell-mediated immunity. The T-cells are further divided into helper lymphocytes (Th) and cytotoxic cells (Tc), also known as suppressor cells. When the T-cells encounter a foreign pathogen (antigen) they further secrete a number of communication molecules called lymphokines, cytokines, interleukins or interferons. These factors further elaborate and direct the immune response to a specific antigen. The whole process is a symphony of many co-factors, which are orchestrated into a sophisticated immune response. The T-helper cells are directly involved in assisting B-cells as well as coordinating their own cell-specific defense. The T-helper cells are further divided into two distinct lines of defense. The Th1 cells promote the cell-mediated line of defense and inhibit the other line known as Th2 cells, which regulate the humoral defense. The Th2 cell lines control the B-cells and inhibit the cell-mediated response of the Th1 lymphocytes. A careful balance between these two functions is thus achieved. When one line predominates, there is the opportunity for immune dysregulation to occur, resulting in either a hyper-immune response causing an autoimmune disease or a hypo-immune response resulting in an uncontrollable infection such as AIDS or tuberculosis.

The Th1 helper cells secrete lymphokines such as interleukin-2 and gamma interferon. Th2 helper cells secrete pro-inflammatory lymphokines such as interleukin-6, interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. Interleukin-1 appears to be released in response to a specific injury and acts as an inflammatory mediator. Interleukin may be over-expressed in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Interleukin-1 deficiency is associated with metastatic tumors, nutritional deficiencies and certain autoimmune diseases. Interleukin-6 is associated with pro-inflammatory responses as well as mediating the proliferation and maturation of T-cells. High levels of interleukin-6 have been associated with a variety of autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple myelomas, and some cancers such as cervical and bladder cancer. Interleukin-2 is a growth factor for T-cell maturation as well as an inducer of T-cell cytotoxicity and natural killer cell activity. An interleukin-2 deficiency would cripple the cell-mediated immune response and its stimulation would enhance the overall efficacy of the immune system. Immune dysregulation occurs when the two sides of the immune response become imbalanced.

Stress and Our Body Chemistry

The body has developed mechanisms to protect it from the damaging effects of stress. The “fight-or-flight” response is one way the body deals with extreme situations of stress. Upon realizing we are in danger, the brain sounds an alarm, telling our adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and cortisol, which mobilizes the body to fight or run. This response is supposed to be a short-lived reaction yet today most of us are in and out of this state continually. As a result, our immune system becomes imbalanced, sending out too many inflammatory cytokines. Our adrenal glands become exhausted, weakening several body systems, especially the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. What mechanism in the body occurs when we are under constant stress that causes disease?

When we are exposed to stressors our adrenal glands secrete the stress hormone, cortisol, causing a corresponding drop in our anti-aging and immune enhancing hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). A tremendous body of research has shown that when cortisol goes up, DHEA drops and when DHEA is normal, cortisol also normalizes. Low DHEA levels are seen in those that are immune compromised, have arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes and lupus.

Cortisol helps the body maintain homeostasis in the face of stressors counteracts inflammatory and allergic reactions and controls the metabolism of protein and carbohydrates. Cortisol is a very misunderstood hormone. Balance is the key. In naturally low doses it stimulates the immune system and in high doses, as prescribed in synthetic drug form, it can be immune suppressing. Remember that cortisol plays a role in counteracting inflammatory responses in the immune system and when cortisol is not available because the adrenal glands have become exhausted from too much stress, inflammation is allowed to continue unchecked.

The immune system also responds to stressors by causing certain immune cells to secrete the pro-inflammatory cytokines, Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6). These cytokines are both involved in inflammation and IL-6 in particular is thought to worsen the symptoms of autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. Interleukin-6 has been found to act as a growth factor in several tumors and some viruses also use IL-6 to replicate. Interleukin-6 also causes calcium to be released from bone, promoting osteoporosis. We must control the release of these cytokines if we want to enhance immunity and reduce degenerative diseases.

In the presence of stressors the immune system and endocrine system work as an integrated circuit. Deficiencies in the immune system and abnormalities in the cross talk with the endocrine system can influence the susceptibility of developing chronic inflammatory disease, autoimmune disease like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, reduce ability to fight infections, osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, rapid aging, poor antibody production against vaccines and more. Modulating or keeping cortisol levels in balance through a healthy diet, nutritional supplements and stress reduction are key to disease prevention.

Mother Nature’s Cortisol Balancer

Endurance athletes are often studied because the effects of excessive exercise mimic other stressful events. Excessive physical stress causes tissue damage and in response promotes the release of cortisol and pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially Interleukin-6. DHEA and suppressed immunity are also seen in athletes that exercise to excess. Professor Patrick Bouic and his research team have shown that a plant nutrient called sterols and sterolins effectively modulates cortisol and controls Interleukin-6 and naturally increases DHEA. In a double blind, placebo-controlled study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine a group of 20 athletes were evaluated pre- and post-marathon run. Post-marathon results showed that the group treated with sterols and sterolins displayed a significant reduction in Interleukin-6 compared to the placebo group. A profound effect was observed in the balance between cortisol and DHEA levels in the sterol and sterolin-treated group. Cortisol increased as expected in the non-treatment group, causing immune suppression; it dropped in the group taking the sterols and sterolins. The cortisol decrease was accompanied by an increase in DHEA that was statistically significant.

Antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin A, C, E, B6, B3 and selenium, zinc, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, N-acetyl cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, essential fatty acids and an excellent diet rich in lean protein, complex carbohydrates with adequate amounts of organic fruits and vegetables should also be adopted to provide a powerful nutritional defense against the negative effects of stress. The mind and body is one unit, interrelated and highly complex. Though it may take a while for scientists to truly understand the intricacies of how stress affects immunity and the aging process, today we know that having a positive attitude; a loving family, friends and effective stress-coping strategies enhance our immune system and give us a few extra years.

Sterols and Sterolins in Clinical Research

A randomized placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy of beta-sitosterol and its glucoside as adjuvants in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Author: P.R. Donald; J.H. Lamprecht; M. Freestone; C.F.Albrecht; P.J.D. Bouic; D. Kotze; P.P. van Jaarsveld Source: International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, vol. 1 (5), pp. 518-522, July 1997

This is a double-blind study of 43 persons positively infected with pulmonary tuberculosis receiving conventional multi-antibiotic treatment to ascertain if the addition of a plant sterol/sterolin mixture could improve the clinical outcome. The study took place over 6 months and the patients were closely monitored with a variety of lab and radiographic tests. The groups receiving the sterol/sterolin mixture showed a significant weight gain over the placebo group. As well, the treatment group showed a significant increase in lymphocytes and eosinophils. The increase in lymphocytes is consistent with previous experiments indicating a T-cell proliferative effect with the oral intake of phytosterols. The increase in eosinophils is difficult to explain, since no previous allergic response has been attributable to the ingestion of the phytosterols. However, other data indicate there may be a relationship between the rise of CD4 lymphocytes and eosinophils. Plant sterols/sterolins have been demonstrated elsewhere to selectively increase CD4 lymphocyte counts. Other lab parameters remained the same between the two groups including hemoglobin, hematocrit, neutrophil count, serum globulin, creatinine, and urea. This preliminary study indicates that plant sterols and sterolins may have a positive role to play in the complementary treatment of immunocompromised patients.

Randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial of B-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia

Author: R.R. Berges; J. Windeler; H.J. Trampisch; T.H. Senge and the b-sitosterol study group. Source: Lancet, vol. 345, no. 8964, pp. 1529-32, June 1995

This is a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study of 200 men with BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) treated with the phytosterol, B-sitosterol. Two hundred men were selected and followed for 6 months using a variety of lab tests, and subjective and objective symptom indicators for BPH. Half the group received the active treatment, 20 mg B-sitosterol three times daily and the other half received the placebo. The results indicate that the group treated with B-sitosterol improved in both subjective symptoms of BPH and the objective measurement of improved urine flow. These results occurred independent of a reduction in actual prostate size. Only minor side effects were observed with the phytosterol treatment group compared to the more toxic side effects associated with the 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor drugs such as finasteride. No mechanism for the effects of B-sitosterol on the prostate has been elucidated as yet. This study indicates that traditional herbal treatment of BPH with saw palmetto; pygeum africanus and pumpkin seeds may be attributable to the phytosterol content of these herbs. A German herbal preparation sold for the last 20 years under the trade name Harzol for the treatment of BPH contains a mixture of phytosterols including B-sitosterol.

A pilot study of the clinical effects of a mixture of Beta-sitosterol and Beta-sitosterol glucoside in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Authors: Ingrid Louw, Anne Halland, Panaroma Hospital, Patrick Jacques Desire Bouic, University of Stellenbosch, Marga Freestone, Essential Sterolin Products (Pty) Ltd, Johan Lamprecht, University of Stellenbosch

Introduction: The mixture of Beta-sitosterol (BSS) and Beta-sitosterol glucoside (BSSG) has demonstrated anti-inflammatory activities in vitro, inhibiting the secretion of IL6 and TNF-alpha from activated monocytes. Both factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of RA.

Objective: Could the BSS: BSSG mixture result in the improvement of active RA as assessed by ACR 20% response criteria?

Methods: After a two-week placebo run-in phase, patients with active RA were randomized to receive either 20mg BSS/0.2mg BSSG capsules tid or placebo (225mg carrier) tid for 24 weeks. Mean demographics of the patient groups were similar. All patients had active RA as defined by ACR criteria. Stable DMARD doses were required for 3 months prior to the start and for the duration of the study. No new DMARD therapy could be initiated during the study. Patient response was assessed in terms of ACR response criteria (>20% improvement). Significant changes between active and placebo groups were calculated with the Kruskal-Wallis 2-sample test. Changes within a group relative to baseline were calculated with the Wilcoxon rank test.

Results: 18 Patients were enrolled (8 on actives and 10 on placebo). In the active group, statistically significant changes were measurable in the mean tender joint count (85% ACR response); patient s assessment of pain (28% response); patient s global assessment of disease activity (33% response); physician s global assessment of pain (47%) and the MHAQ decreased (47% response). The ESR also decreased significantly (56% response). The placebo group had no significant improvement in the ACR 20% improvement criteria. At 24 weeks, significant differences between groups with regards to tender joint count, MHAQ, physician s global assessment and patient s assessment of disease activity were demonstrated. The BSS: BSSG mixture was well tolerated and no serious adverse events were recorded.

The effects of B-sitosterol (BSS) and B-sitosterol glucoside (BSSG) mixture on selected immune parameters of marathon runners: Inhibition of post marathon immune suppression and inflammation.

Author: P.J.D. Bouic; P.P. van Jaarsveld; A. Clark; J.H. Lamprecht; M. Freestone and R.W. Liebenberg Source: International Journal of Sports Medicine

A double blind study was performed on marathon runners to see if the addition of a sterol/sterolin mixture would prevent the immune suppression and inflammatory reaction characteristic to high intensity athletics. Twenty marathon runners were recruited to take part in the trial and blood draws and medical histories were taken 4 weeks prior to the marathon event and three days after. Half the group received a placebo and the other half received a 100:1 mixture of sterols/sterolins. The RBC count went down significantly for the placebo group but remained the same for the treatment group. Neutrophils rose significantly for the treatment group, indicating infection, but remained constant in the treatment group. The lymphocyte count went down for the placebo group, specifically the CD3, CD4, and CD8 subsets. The treatment group actually experienced a significant rise for the CD3 and CD4 lymphocyte subsets. Interleukin 6 levels, which indicate an inflammatory reaction, went up for the placebo group, but down in the treatment group. As well, the cortisol levels, which indicate stress levels and degree of immunosuppression, were significantly elevated for the placebo group, but remained constant in the treatment group. The treatment group showed an increase in DHEA levels and a decrease in the cortisol/DHEA ratio, indicating that the sterol/sterolin mixture was helping to buffer the negative side effects of the stress response. The results of this experiment clearly show that taking a sterol/sterolin mixture prior to a highly stressful physical event protected the treatment group from the immunosuppression typically exhibited by the placebo group. As well, the sterol/sterolin mixture protected against the excessive inflammatory response typical of anyone running a marathon. Thirdly, the sterol/sterolin mixture buffered the excessive release of cortisol with its immunosuppressive effects. As well, the sterol/sterolin mixture raised DHEA levels and lowered the cortisol/DHEA ratio, indicating a more adaptive response to stress. These results indicate that sterols/sterolins are adaptogenic in that they modulate the immune and stress response. This makes them extremely valuable adjuncts to the prevention and treatment of a wide range of stress-mediated disorders, as well as immune dysregulation and inflammatory diseases

Addison s disease, Colitis, Crohn s Disease, Type I Diabetes, Grave s Disease, Hashimoto s Thyroiditis, Lupus, Myasthenia Gravis, Polymyalgia rheumatica, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, and Sjogren s syndrome are autoimmune conditions that could benefit from sterol/sterolin supplementation.

Who Should Avoid Sterol/Sterolin Supplementation?

Recipients of foreign organs and tissues, including bone marrow and corneal transplants, are cautioned not to take any immune regulating nutritional supplements. Therefore, sterols and sterolins are NOT recommended for transplant patients. People with synthetic replacement/reconstruction will not be affected, such as in hip replacement, knee replacement, breast reconstruction, and pacemaker implant.

What is the Difference Between Sterol/Sterolin Supplements and Herbs that Boost Immune Response, such as Echinacea?

The key difference between echinacea and sterol/sterolin supplements is that echinacea only stimulates the immune system, while sterol/sterolin balances it. Echinacea is not recommended for prolonged use, or for people with autoimmune conditions. Sterols and sterolins allow the immune system to regulate itself: “upregulating” or boosting an underactive response and “downregulating” an overactive one.

Introducing Moducare Dr. Hoffman is proud to announce that Moducare, a patented unique blend of sterols and sterolins, is available in his dispensary. Moducare contains only the isolated molecules of the sterols and sterolins, which have been extracted from pine trees (Pinus Maritima and Pinus Pinaster). What do you do if you have a pine allergy? There is none of the original plant in the final product. If you looked at these plant fat molecules in a laboratory, you would not be able to tell if they had been extracted from oranges, peas, almonds, etc. If you are still concerned, you can always start slowly with one-half or one capsule per day

Moducare should be taken on an empty stomach - one half hour before or two hours after a meal for maximum absorption. However it can be taken with fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds.

The important thing is to remember is to take it away from cholesterol (animal fat), including all meat, dairy, eggs, seafood, etc. Cholesterol has a very similar molecular structure and the two compounds “compete” for absorption. You can also take Moducare with beverages, as long as they contain no cholesterol.

Moducare is the only formula that offers sterols and sterolins in the correct ratio of 100:1, which has been shown to balance and improve immune system functioning. It is recommended as a daily supplement for immune support, as well as part of a targeted program to address autoimmune diseases, under the guidance of a medical doctor.

Dosage information

Adults: 3 capsules daily, usually one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening, taken on an empty stomach for maximum absorption. Children: 1 capsule per day for children under 5; 2 per day for children between 5 and 12; and children over 12 can take the adult dose. For very young children who are unable to swallow a capsule, the capsule can be opened and the contents mixed with applesauce or other fruit/vegetable puree.

Loading phase: When first starting to supplement with Moducare, it is often a good idea (except where contraindicated) to double the daily requirement for the first week or so. This allows the body to build up its reserves as quickly as possible.

PH Testing - Is Your Body PH Balanced? Do You Know About Alkaline and Acidic Foods?

Is your PH Balanced? Find out by testing with an inexpensive and highly accurate home testing kit. An alkaline balance of 7.35 to 7.45 is optimal for continued health, and acidic body is a diseased body. The test kits used for home ph testing like the ph stix (phstix?) pictured will give you are pretty good idea of the “trend” of your PH Balance. However no home test will tell you everything you know and the body’s ph balance fluctuates through out the day. The importance of these home testing kits and ph test strips is to give you a good idea of how close you are to a healthy ph range.

PH Testing Video Explanation

Don’t expect your body to be healthy and in an acidic state. I was shocked to find out I was Acidic. My Allopathic Primary Care Doctor said I was “A healthy Guy” and to “Eat a balanced Diet”. What a load of crap! I then went to a Naturopath and had complete blood work which showed many mineral imbalances but the real shocker I was highly acidic. Most people are completely unfamiliar with the concept of acid/alkaline balance in the body. Did you know that Cancer cells can not grow in an alkaline balanced body? It’s because an alkaline balanced body is an oxygen rich “Healthy” body and cancer grows in an environment void (or at least with very minimal) oxygen.

The foods we eat determine an alkaline or acidic state. And it’s not the acid in the food itself (Lemons for example are highly alkalizing, yet they are very acidic themselves). What matters is what the food you are eating turns into once your body “cooks” or digests the food. Lemons turn in to an “alkaline ash” and grains and meat turn into an “acidic ash”. Aside from keeping the body’s tissues oxygen rich there is another major factor at play here and that involves mineral depletion. Your body uses ionic calcium (and other minerals such as phosphorous) to keep your bloods PH in balance at a constant 7.35 to 7.45 otherwise you die.

So as you become acidic your body literally “pulls” minerals from your body’s reserves. Calcium from bones and teeth. This is a GOOD thing otherwise you would die! The problem then becomes what happens when my mineral reserves are depleted? You guessed it - illness. So check your PH Balance and eat the foods that make you healthy.

Find Your Optimal Acid Alkaline Balance (pH Balance) and Get Healthy

To maintain optimal health, the body will constantly seek to neutralize the excess acids that irritate the it and deplete it of important minerals. The principal organs responsible for the elimination of acids are the kidneys. Under normal conditions, urine pH should fall between 6.75 and 7.25. By testing the amount of acid present in the urine, you can determine whether your body is eliminating a normal quantity of acids. If the acid excretion rate is higher than normal, the urinary pH will be more acidic. Low urinary pH can be an indication that the body is too saturated with acids, thus the body is overly acidic.

Another good indication of your body pH can be revealed in the pH of your saliva. When your body is abundant in mineral reserves, these minerals will show up in a saliva ph test as a pH reading of 7.0 to 7.50. Low saliva pH readings may indicate that your body is mineral depleted. m

There is a strong correlation between the pH of the body’s internal terrain (tissues, cells, fluids) and that of the urine and saliva: urine and saliva become acidic when the body’s internal environment becomes acidic. You can discover the pH of these fluids by using Alkalive™ pH Stix™. These pH test strips are made specifically to test saliva and urine, and are the most accurate and economical test strips on the market.

Alkalive™ pH Stix™ are superior to pH paper and litmus paper. They give a clear indication of pH in .25 pH unit increments, and test a range of 4.5 to 9.0. Because they are “strips” (plastic strip with reagent pads), they are a lot easier to use and read when wet than floppy, soggy pH paper.

This is what Christopher Vasey, N.D., author of The Acid Alkaline Diet has to say about pH Stix™: “pH Testing is very important in order to gauge the health of your internal environment. I used to recommend using pH Paper, until I discovered these excellent pH strips. They are a lot more effective in helping one determine precise pH measurements. I advise all of my clients to use pH Stix.”

It is recommended to test saliva before and after meals. The pH levels of your saliva should be greater after meals because there is an abundance of alkaline-rich minerals in saliva. Test your saliva 60 minutes after a meal. If the pH level is lower than 6.75, your alkaline mineral reserves are too low.

Source: Part of this article post is provided by a manufacturers web site… www.phstix.com - this is the brand of testing strips we choose to use as they use a 2 color method, are inexpensive, and very easy to use.

Organic Foods -Just Say YES!

Fresh whole unprocessed foods grown without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or hormones. Yep the way they were grown up until Corporate America discovered Chemical Manufacturing and huge profits altering the food supply! Even ordinary people with no real interest or understanding of the corruption and depletion of our food supply can understand the benefits of not consuming pesticides. If the chemicals kill bugs it only makes sense they are not healthy for our body. Organic foods may not be the “cure” but at least they are not contributing to the problem. Be smart and go with organic foods.

What does certified organic mean?

Certified organic refers to agricultural products that have been grown and processed according to uniform standards, verified by independent state or private organizations accredited by the USDA. All products sold as “Organic” must be certified. Certification includes annual submission of an organic system plan and inspection of farm fields and processing facilities. Inspectors verify that organic practices such as long-term soil management, buffering between organic farms and neighboring conventional farms, and recordkeeping are being followed.

Processing inspections include review of the facility’s cleaning and pest control methods, ingredient transportation and storage, and recordkeeping and audit control. Organic foods are minimally processed to maintain the integrity of food without artificial ingredients or preservatives. Certified organic requires the rejection of synthetic agrochemicals, irradiation and genetically engineered foods or ingredients. To find out more about the national organic certification requirements and organic program, please go to the USDA National Organic Program website www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Reasons to Eat Organic Foods

Your health

Organically grown fruit and vegetables are not covered in a cocktail of chemicals – even after washing, a conventionally grown apple may have 20 chemicals on its skin.

Conventionally grown fruit and vegetables contain more water and less vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants than organically grown produce.

Even processed organic food is better for you as manufacturers are banned from using many of the most harmful additives such as hydrogenated fat, MSG and artificial flavourings and colourings.

Taste

Organic food simply tastes so much better than “normal” food. Carrots that actually taste of carrots, apples that go zing in your mouth and really chickeny chicken. Try organic and see for yourself!

Genetically Modified Foods (GM Foods)

You can be safe knowing that you won’t be eating genetically modified (GM) food. Intensively farmed animals are often fed on GM soya and much of the world’s production of cotton and rice are now GM. You can register your protest by buying organic produce.

Cost

While organic food may cost slightly more on the supermarket shelves, the true cost of conventional food is much higher. The BSE crisis cost nearly £4 billion and we support the conventional farming industry through our taxes. The Soil Association say that it costs £120 million a year to remove chemicals from drinking water, most of which are pesticides used in farming.

The countryside

Intensive farming methods can lead to soil erosion, the destruction of ancient hedgerows and the extinction or near-extinction of hundreds of our natural animals, birds and plants.

The Soil Association believes that organic farming is the best way to reverse the decline in wildlife by:

• Crop rotation so the soil is kept fertile and avoid the use of chemical fertilizers
• Mixed farming where different crops are planted together
• Encouraging natural predators so there is no need to use pesticides

Animal welfare

The Soil Association insists on stringent animal welfare standards. Animals must have access to fields and are fed mainly on clover and herb rich grass, just as they would in the wild. They are given comfortable bedding and more space when they are housed and are often treated with herbal or homeopathic drugs when ill.

And it’s not just food

Recent years have seen a huge growth in the number of organic clothing and toiletries ranges available. Once hard to come by and very expensive, companies such as Green Baby and The Natural Nursery are making organic baby clothes, nappies and toiletries accessible to all.

Many of the same arguments apply: the cotton industry accounts for 25% of the world’s insecticide use and it takes around 150 grams of hazardous chemical pesticides to grow enough cotton to make one t-shirt!

Arabella Greatorex is the owner of http://www.naturalnursery.co.uk, an online store selling organic and fairly traded products for families including organic clothing and bedding, fairly traded toys, natural toiletries, cloth and eco-disposable nappies and soft shoes.

Editors Note: Pesticide use is a World Wide problem! Outside the USA in Developed European countries people are becoming more concerned about food additives and GM (Genetically Modified) Food’s upon their health. Visit the Organic Farming Research Foundation for more information. Stand up and make a difference.

Glyconutrition - Glycobiology - Glycoscience

This is new to me as it probably is to you, and no claims are being made from HealthSynergyRx as to the effectiveness of the 8 Sugars in treating any health condition. We are as fascinated by Glycoscience as we are by all nutritional approaches to health problems. The basis of Glycoscience is the study of sugars within complex carbohydrates. Glyconutrition is the application of these sugars to the human body in the form of the foods we eat, and glycobiology is the study of glyconutrition on the body.

Let me first say while glycoscience has been around for quite some time now, it has not been until the last decade that glycobiology and more specifically glyconutrition has started to come into it’s own. Unfortunately there is no hard pressed “proof” that supplementing glyconutrients results in improved health. Just like there is no “proof” of many vitamins and supplements. This is because glycoscience is so new.

Many speculate the reason for declining health is the result of the body no longer getting appropriate amounts of the glyconutrients (or 8 simple sugars) known as:

1. Mannose is the chief of the essential super critical nutrient sugars. It helps strengthen the excretion system and helps to defend against bacterial infections . . . Foods: Black Currants, Red Currants, Gooseberries, Aloe Vera, Soybeans, Green Beans, Capsicum, Cabbage, Eggplant, tomatoes, Turnip
2. Galactose coexists with lactose. As with all 8 super critical nutrient sugars it is vital for intercellular communications. It promotes wound healing, decreased inflammation, and stimulates needed calcium absorption . . . Foods: Apples, Apricot, Banana, Blackberries, Cherries, Cranberries, Cherries, Cranberries, Currants, Dates, Grapes, Kiwi Fruit, Mango, Orange, Nectarine, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Plums, Prunes, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Passionfruit, Echiacea, Boswellia, Chestnuts, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Avocado, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Potato, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Leeks, Asparagus, Lettuce, Beans, Mushrooms, Beet root, Onions, Parsnip, Green Peas, Pumpkin, Spinach
3. Fucose is found in healthy mother’s milk and transfers immunity to newborns. It is important for proper nerve function, kidney health, reproduction systems and hydration of your skin . . . Foods: Kelp, Wakame, Beer Yeast
4. Glucose enhances memory, stimulates calcium absorption and increases cellular communication… Foods: Grapes, Banana, Mangoes, Cherries, Strawberries, Cocoa, Aloe Vera, Licorice, Sarsaparilla, Hawthorn, Garilc, Echinacea
5. Xylose is an antibacterial and antifungal. It promotes the growth of healthful flora in your intestines, therefore maximizing nutrient absorption which in turn strengthens your immune system . . . Foods:: Guava, Pears, Blackberries, Loganberries, Raspberries, Aloe Vera, Echinacea, Boswellia, Psyllium Seeds, Broccoli, Spinach, Eggplant, Peas, Green Beans, Okra, Cabbage, Corn
6. N-acetylneuramic acid (sialic acid) is vital to many body fluids including, serum, cerebrospinal, saliva, amniotic, and mother’s milk. It is an immune modulator that benefits many things and it is a powerful antiviral. It is 1000 times more potent than antiviral drugs used to fight influenza . . . Foods: Whey Protein (Whey protein Isolate), Chicken Eggs (Buy organic)
7. N-acetylgalactosamine helps in the prevention of many diseases. Evidence reveals it helps in tumor reduction and in promoting healthful heart cells. It is also key in promoting joint health and is also an anti-inflammatory. . . Foods: Bovine Cartilage, Shark Cartilage, Red Algae (Dumontiaceae - as a constituent of dextran sulphate)
8. N-acetylglucosamine found in the brain, thyroid, liver, small intestine, testes, epithelial cells of the endocrine and sebaceous glands, and endothelial cells of blood vessels. It is presumed that it plays a crucial role in all these tissues and organs. . . Foods: Bovine Cartilage, Shark Cartilage, Shiitake Mushroom

The above list compiled from Techmedica Health - who boldly proclaims “Alternative Medicine from Real Doctors”. We have no relationship with this company and find their slogan somewhat offensive; as it implies that there is only one kind of Real Doctor. Anyhow it’s our philosophy to give copyright credit where due. Thanks to Dr David Bird MBChB, Dip Obst., Dip Clinical Nutrition, FACNEM for the foods listed.

You can get ALL Glyconutrients from Food!

Your body synthesizes all these 8 “essential” sugars from foods! The key is you MUST incorporate the foods into your diet. Nutrition provides the building blocks for optimal wellness. Should you decide you want to supplement (perhaps you simply can not absorb enough nutrients) you may want to consider Garden of Life’s RM-10, Cosamin DS, and a quality Whey Protien (sans artificial sweetener)… However our best recommendation is to get a good greens juicer like the Omega 8003, and a quality commercial blender like the Vitamix, and start making your own high quality juices. Be sure to purchase Organic Produce.

What about Glyconutrient Supplements?

If only there were reputable mainstream supplement companies like New Chapter, Solgar, Garden of Life producing these products. Unfortunately there are none (at least at this writing). The glyconutrients are being “pushed” by MLM marketing companies with less than stellar credentials. Mannatech for example has a very seedy history. When you get to the root of most any MLM (Multi Level Marketing) company you find profit as the incentive, not the well being of the customer/consumer. I truly believe in the science, but there is a long long way to go before it’s proven that supplementation of glyconutrient formulas currently on the market are truly beneficial. And I am very open minded. Seldom do I care that everything is double blind placebo tested. But I am leery of companies who make such unfounded claims without any credibility what-so-ever. It is not credibility to quote a University Study saying a product has potential in healing, and then to construe that their unique formulation is somehow the answer and the study proves it. Well enough said… moving on.

You Should Be Eating Sugar?

The answer to this is simply NO! We are not talking about consuming table sugar or any artificial sweeteners. We are talking complex carbohydrates from within the complexity of whole natural foods. It should go without saying that refined table sugar, corn syrup, and artificial sweetners are bad for overall health. They are not contained within the infinite wisdom of food, and do not contain the phytonutrients and natural enzymes needed for the body to deal appropriately with the sugars.

Do your Own Research - Read Reviews opinions of these Books

Please note the books rotate randomly… we suggest you look for “Sugars that Heal” and “The Healing Power of 8 Sugars”. Amazon does a great job of linking product titles from one book to the next we love the Readers Review feature which allows you to see what people think of the book.

Glyconutrition Marketing

Unfortunately the main “thrust” behind Glyconutrition as it pertains to nutritional application is multi-level marketing. It’s the same unproven (although we all want it to be true) unsubstaintiated claims made by the marketers of Noni Juice, Mangosteen, or whatever is the current rage. And while we don’t exactly put Glycoscience within this realm (It’s a real proven studied science at real universities worldwide, it’s just in it’s infancy) it’s unfortunate that the main purveyors of glyconutrients are the multilevel marketing companies. Again this is all about profit. When will people wake up and recognize we are placed on this earth for 76 years (if lucky) and the goal of life is not to acquire material items. The goal of life is to live well and be happy and to always care about the welfare of others. When you patent and/or protect a new potentially helpful product in the name of profit you prevent those who are truly in need from benefiting. Why are these technologies not within the realm of mainstream medicine? Probably boils down to money. Honestly how much money is going to be made by the pharmaceutical companies if it proves that natural sugars are a key to good health? Pharmaceutical companies make money treating symptoms not curing disease. If we were all healthy then where would their profits go?

Should you take Glyconutrition Supplements?

Well that’s a tough question to answer. And it’s going to be really hard at this point in time to find a health care provider educated in the use of these sugars. They are no without potential side effects. How much do you need, which should you take? Just because it’s related to food (All supplements no matter if they are derived synthetically or from plants are still artificial to the body). Our opinion is unless you are on the edge of health disaster you are best to incorporate dietary changes in the form of whole natural foods. God in his infinite wisdom has given us all the nutrition we need within natural foods. The hard part is finding whole, organic, natural foods - nearly impossible these days to eat 100% organic. So the supplementation issue arises. You’ll have to decide for yourself. We do always recommend everyone purchase a juicer and implement juiced greens into their diet on a continual basis.

Cosmetics Reviews - Alternative Products We Have Tried

This is a very simple page of some of the cosmetics products (Selected from the Environmental Working Groups Cosmetic Safety Database) I have tried and how I feel about their effectiveness for their stated purpose. This does not mean they are safe or unsafe. These cosmetics reviews are my opinions. I know there are many women out there who would rather die than give up their favorite brand of cosmetics. But that’s a bad idea. Your skin is pourous and chemicals in your cosmetics readily penetrate the dermal layers. These chemicals are now in your body as easily as if you had consumed them as food. Our cosmetic reviews consist or short opinions about our experiences. We review each cosmetic product by company name then product.

Cosmetic Reviews: Terressentials Brand Products

I chose Terressentials products because in general they are found at the bottom (meaning least toxic) of the EWG (Environmental Working Groups) Toxicity Lists. In short, they have the least amount of dangerous (at least as far as science knows for now) substances. I have no idea how big an operation Terressentials is and if they distribute any otherway than through their website (I bought online). I also do not know if they really make this stuff or if they just buy it and repackage it. For now I don’t care, I tried some of their products and here are my thoughts:

Terressentials Bills themselves as “Organics for Smart People”. And while that’s flattering I do not know if the people seeking these products are any smarter than anyone else, but I do know they (like me) are concerned about their health and the enormous amont of toxins being mixed in with our food supply and the environment in General. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize that the world we live in is becoming increasingly poisoned. What it does take is for people to WAKE UP and RECOGNIZE the dangers that are posed to their own personal health.

Extra Large Fragrance Free hair wash (16 oz). I don’t know what is “extra large” about 16 ounces? It’s a standard size and if anything it’s average size (The “Brand Name” shampoos are typically 13 to 20 ounce). Size aside the product was listed lowest on the Toxicity from the EWG “Skin Deep” report. The product is basically a clay mixture with the texture and look of chocolate pudding. This is “Hair Wash” NOT Shampoo. It does not lather, rather you work a couple tablespoon sized dabs throughout your hair for a minute or two then rinse. It does get your hair clean, but I doubt women with longer hair will like this product as it is unlike shampoo making it more difficult to work through the hair. 16 ounces of non-lathering product lasted me about a month or 30 showers, so I guess if I’m doing the math right I used about half an ounce per wash. My hair is only 1″ long at most so it worked for me. My hair did feel clean, but it didn’t feel like it was easier to comb or style or more shiny or anything like that. It was just clean, which is the intent of the product. You should also note it’s Fragrance Free which is what I like. Conclusion: Good product, does what it advertises, women probably won’t like it. Price Paid: $20.50 plus shipping. Will I buy this again? No! Reason: I simply can not afford to pay this much. I am currently just washing my hair with vegetable oil based soap. Not quite as good, but effective and much much cheaper. Update: JR LIggetts Shampoo bars are so much cheaper and so much better and they do lather!

Citrus Tee Tree Hand Soap 16 ounce refill (They don’t call this one “Extra Large”). You can read about the benefits of Tea Tree Oil elsewhere. This product is a lot like washing your hands with thick syrupy lemonade. I was my hands frequently so this didn’t last me very long. Several studies have shown that just plain old soap and water (Non Bacterial) is the best way to wash your hands (and you should do it for 30 seconds, not 10). Is this a good product? Sure. Is it expensive - very! Will I buy it again? NO. Price paid: $10.95. Recommendation. Use organic bar soap!

Natural Unscented Glycerine Soap 6-Pack. Works just like any good glycerine soap. Priced like any good Glycerine soap. No smell, lathers on and rinses off. Very non toxic. Good product. Fair price (except I can buy similar local and avoid the shipping costs). Price paid: $11.25 for 6 bars. I also purchased one bar with oatmeal for $2.25 to see if it made any difference. And actually it does - it costs more. Skip the oatmeal.

Organic Fragrance Free Deodorant 3 ounce. The experience of using this product is about the same as rolling rubbing alcohol on your arm pits. I’ll pass. Price paid: $10. Advice - keep looking! It goes on very wet, is hard to apply and just doesn’t do a very good job.

Fragrance Free Moisture Cream 4 ounce. It works, it’s basically shea butter. Makes your skin feel a little greasy and will make you a little shiney. Price paid: $16. Will find similar product locally.

Organic Orange White Chocolate Lip Protector. Same size as a tube of Chapstick brand lip protector. This stuff doesn’t last as long, but it tastes great (and you don’t have to be concerned about accidentally swallowing trace amounts. Price paid: $3.75 a tube (Purchased 2). Would I buy again? Yes! I can find no other product like this locally, it’s spendy, but it works and it tastes great and it’s practically non toxic!

I spent $89.95 for my order. I did it to review the products and to help support a site which is making a difference in the lives of those who can afford to purchase organic cosmetics. Unfortunately the “economies of scale” in small operations drive up the costs of production. Organic costs more because its rare, and the products and manufacturing methods to insure purity involve more care. If you can afford these products then buy them and try them for yourself. if you can afford these pricesthen try to find the most similar ingredients at your local health food or vitamin store. But be careful, just because it’s Organic doesn’t mean it’s “Safe”.

Kiss My Face Cosmetic Products

Olive Oil Bar Soap. Purchased at the local health food store (Some Grocers with organic/natural sections also carry this product). It scored very well on the EWG “Skin Deep” report. I use it primarily to wash my face but I also use it to occasionally wash my hair (But I have very short hair). I like it’s texture and it seems to last as long as ordinary bar soap. I pay $1.29 to $1.99 per four ounce bar depending on if it’s on sale or not. Highly recommended. Be careful of other Kiss My Face Products because they contain many untested ingredients and actually score worse than some major and “regular” brand name products.

JASON Natural Cosmetics

Sea Fresh All-Natural Sea Sourced Toothpaste. After reading how dangerous Sodium Laurel Sulfate and Flouride can be when ingested I rushed out and tried to find a natural solution. At the time I had not heard of the EWG “Skin Deep” report. I purchased this product based on the packaging. Turns out there are better choices even Regular Colgate with Fluoride and Sodium Laurel Sulfate scored better. In my opinion this is not good toothpaste. I have since switched to the Weelda Brand and love their toothpaste!

Don’t be fooled by the “Natural” in Tom’s of Maine. Their tooth care products are full of the same poisons as the name brands. And while many of you may be fooled into thinking that chemicals like Sodium Laurel Sulfate are safe because you just rinse them back out, don’t be. And if you are then you really shouldn’t be reading this site. Go use whatever you want and good luck to you. The latest Government (and in USA Government) researchers are predicting 1 in 3 Americans will developed some form of cancer in their lifetime! I’m choosing to avoid being a cancer statistic I have enough health problems already

More cosmetics I’ve tried

I have become a fan of Dr. Bronners Soaps (I like it but it’s spendy), Weeleda Toothpaste (especially the “plant” flavor), Burts Bees Rosemary mint shampoo bar (Leaves a “wax” in your hair). and several others.

I believe in the future I’ll just write short mini reviews of products and give them their own review.

Dangers of Makeup - Are Your Cosmetics Safe?

When people think of illness they think inside the body, however most pathogens or illness are introduced to us from sources outside the body. Are your cosmetics safe? Please see our page titled Cosmetics Reviewed for information on products we have purchased and our opinions on not only the saftey of the cosmetics but are they as easy to use or “comfortable” as the brands you may be used to using. Just because it’s safe doesn’t mean it’s a good product. So read this cosmetics information and then read our reviews.

Quickly and Easily Compare the Cosmetic Brands You Use With The “Skin Deep” Report.

Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group. As part of The Environmental Working Group’s ongoing project to test and quantify the danger potential of your cosmetics, Skin Deep gets direct to the problem! Includes all the popular brand names of products including toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, bar soap, et el.

Just how dangerous your Shampoo, Bar Soap, Hair Coloring, etc? FDA May require warning on untested Products

By David Goldstein, Knight Ridder Newspapers- March 2005

WASHINGTON - Imagine reaching for a tube of lipstick or a can of shaving cream and finding this label: “Warning - The safety of this product has not been determined” Many popular cosmetics and personal care products could bear such warnings if the Food and Drug Administration decides they need them. The agency would act if it determines that their ingredients haven’t been adequately tested to assure their safety. It’s now working to decide that.

Last month the FDA informed the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, a Washington-based trade group, that manufacturers of untested products may have to add the warning. There’s no hard evidence of any health impact from long-term, low-dose exposure to the kinds of chemicals in cosmetics, said Lauren Sucher, a spokeswoman for the Environmental Working group, a private nonprofit research center. (Editors Note: That’s exactly why they need to be tested to see if they really are safe!)

Cosmetics Saftey: Dangers of Makeup Continued

Some ingredients in cosmetics, such as methylpentan-2-one, found in nail polish, haven’t been tested. Others, including triethanolamine, used in skin scrubs, are among the chemicals that researchers fear might cause cancer. Products that could be in line for FDA warnings, based on the Environmental Working Group’s study, include:

• Mascara, which can contain ingredients linked or potentially linked to cancer.
• Liquid hand soap, which may contain ingredients suspected of raising the risk of breast and skin cancer.
• Hair dye, which can contain coal tar, which has been linked to bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“The bottom line is people don’t know what the health effects are of the many chemicals we’re putting on our bodies every day,” she said. “But consumers do have the right to know who’s looking to see whether they’re safe.” A study last year by the Environmental Working Group found that only 18 of 7,500 common cosmetics and toiletries had had all their ingredients fully tested for safety. “So we’re talking about over 99 percent that have never been fully assessed for safety,” Sucher said.

Companies often do tests of short-term acute exposure to see whether their products make eyes water or skin itch,” she said. “Often, however, they’re not looking at whether they might cause cancer or birth defects that are long-term and don’t affect the profitability of their products.”

Eric Kraus, the vice president for corporate communications at The Gillette Co., in Boston, which makes shaving creams and other personal care products, said: “Gillette products undergo rigorous testing, based on the best available scientific information, to assure that they are safe for use and for our employees to make. For us, this should not be an issue.”

Kraus said he believed that Gillette’s product-safety tests included determinations of whether they could cause birth defects or cancer. (Editors comment: Once again Corporate America to the rescue, we are being asked to put our faith and our health in the hands of a for profit corporation that’s not in the business of wellness, but in the business of profit!)

FDA Does NOT Require Cosmetic Ingredients be Tested for Safety

There’s no federal requirement that the ingredients in such products be tested for safety. But federal law requires that cosmetics with unassessed ingredients include an FDA warning label informing consumers that “the safety of this product has not been determined.” Until now, the FDA has relied on the cosmetics industry to police its products.

Dr. Samuel Epstein, professor emeritus of environmental and occupational health at the Chicago School of Public Health at the University of Illinois and the chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, called the FDA’s recent letter to the cosmetics trade group “the first glimmer of responsibility in several decades.”

Janet Bartucci, the vice president for global communications at New York-based Estee Lauder, the cosmetics and personal care products company, said in an interview that she saw no need for FDA intervention. “Because there is so much testing done by individual companies, they haven’t had any need to step in.” (Editors Comment: Got to throw up the bullshit flag on this one, the only testing that’s being done is how well the product will sell. These people are not funding medical research - if they were they would be citing it in their sales literature. This is exactly the type of comment you should expect from a company representative, and the kind of comment that could lead you to the grave if believed).

The FDA declined to comment for this article because it’s still reviewing a petition by the Environmental Working Group seeking recalls or warning labels on a wide variety of personal-care products.

The FDA doesn’t assess the safety of cosmetics and toiletries before they hit the market, as it does with drugs. The cosmetics industry does its own evaluations through an independent panel of experts whom it appoints. Editors Comment: Gee now that’s comforting, isn’t this what the tobacco companies do? Appoint their own group of experts to tell us there is no proof that cigarettes cause health problems?)

Representatives of the FDA and the Consumer Federation of America, an alliance of public interest groups, attend those sessions. Since 1976, the panel, known as the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, has found 694 ingredients to be safe and nine to be unsafe. In a statement this week, the Environmental Working Group said the panel had reviewed only 11 percent of the 10,500 cosmetic ingredients recorded by the FDA.

“The 89 percent of ingredients that remain unassessed are used in more than 99 percent of all products on the market,” the group’s statement said.

The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, which created the review panel, responded positively to the FDA’s letter suggesting stronger federal oversight of its products.

“Even an industry with an exemplary safety record such as ours functions best with a tough cop on the beat and we welcome FDA’s action,” Ed Kavanaugh, the association president, said in a prepared statement. In an interview, however, Irene Malbin, the association’s vice president for public affairs, called the Environmental Working Group’s “Skin Deep” study “completely wrong.” (Editors Comment: The FDA a tough Cop? That’s laughable. It’s about MONEY people, the FDA approved Bovine Growth Hormone in the Dairy Industry in 1994 and the effects have been devastating. WAKE UP! You have to take responsibility for your own health, if you think the FDA - whom also approves of Fluoridated Drinking Water - has your health interests in mind? To believe so is about as logical as going to the Post Office and asking one of the clerks for Medical advice the next time you are feeling ill. Don’t get me wrong I’m FOR the FDA regulating and requiring testing of these products and very grateful for organizations like the Earth World Group, I just get offended by For Profit company reps tooting their own horn)

“Cosmetics are safe and consumers can have complete confidence in their products,” Malbin said. (Editors Comment: And that is why Cancer is the #2 Killer of USA citizens right behind Heart Disease - what causes cancer? Go ahead and coat yourself with chemicals and be part of the cancer team!)

The use of cosmetics dates to ancient Egypt, when people used eye makeup and scented themselves with unguents. Now it’s a $35 billion U.S. industry, and the stakes for consumer confidence are high. Concern over the use of possibly dangerous chemicals in personal-care products “marks a trend of increased regulatory and consumer interest,” said Heather Langsner, a senior chemical analyst with Innovest, a New York-based investment research firm. “Many companies are already conducting voluntary phase-outs of certain chemicals. They see the writing on the wall.”

The “Skin Deep” report and a searchable product guide are available online on the Environmental Working Group’s Web page, at Cosmetics Safety Database (Select Searchable product guide to see what kind of posions you are putting on and in your body - pay particular attention to DENTAL products as there really isn’t anything even close to being non-toxic. And this goes in your mouth? And Children swallow as much as 1/3rd of the toothpaste they brush with. WAKE UP and support this effort!

Goldstein covers Washington for The Kansas City Star. Kimberly Morrison contributed to this story.

Super Antioxidant CoQ10 - aka Coenzyme Q10

Found in every cell Coenzyme Q10 essential for energy production. Cellular Enzymes and coenzymes break down protein, fat, and sugar you eat to produce energy. Caution: If you are taking any cholesterol lowering drugs like Lipitor it’s essential that you monitor your Coenzyme Q10 production as these drugs interrupt the production of CoQ10. Elevated cholesterol is a symptom not a disease. You need to treat the cause not the symptom.

Coenzyme Q10 Benefits of CoQ10

This article is provided by: Newchapter at (http://www.newchapter.info/research/coq10.html) for more information see information at the end of the article.

CoQ10 is essential to energy production in the body. Without sufficient CoQ10, none of the systems in the body can function optimally because they simply do not have enough fuel to do their job. The systems most sensitive to deficiencies are those with high energy needs such as the cardiovascular and immune systems. In addition to energy production, CoQ10 also offers important antioxidant protection in the cells. It is believed that the combination of antioxidant protection and energy production creates the clinically documented benefits people experience when they supplement with CoQ10. As with all nutrients, the most bioavailable form is that found in whole food. A recent study concluded that whole food CoQ10 offered 9.6 times more antioxidant activity than the isolated chemical USP form found in almost all supplements.

CoQ10 is a vitamin-like substance required by the body to transform food into cellular energy. Amazingly, it is so essential to life processes that, without it, life would cease to exist in a matter of minutes! How can this be? To answer this question, let’s back up a few steps and take a microscopic look at the cells in our body. Each of our cells are self-contained little units with their own tasks, agendas and needs. Just as the whole body requires energy to work, so does each individual cell. Our cells produce energy to fuel their work and that, in turn, fuels the entire body. The mitochondria within each cell are the energy generators. If our cells (or bodies) were automobiles, the mitochondria would be the engines, and food would be the gasoline.

This is when CoQ10, also known as ubiquinone, enters the picture. During digestion, much of what we eat is converted to glucose to be used as fuel. However, the mitochondria must further reduce the glucose before it is usable by the cells. To accomplish this, the cell and its mitochondria use several complicated processes and substances that convert glucose to ATP, or cellular energy. CoQ10 is required for these processes.

Although CoQ10 may be synthesized in the body and found in food, deficiencies do exist. Refining and processing robs our food supply of this essential nutrient. Moreover, to synthesize CoQ10, the body must have a healthy liver and an adequate supply of other nutrients that are also often lacking in the diet. Consequently, after about age 35, CoQ10 levels in the body begin to diminish. Studies have shown that if levels decline by 25%, our bodies won’t have enough cellular energy to stay healthy. A decline of 75% is fatal.

To understand the enormous impact CoQ10 levels have on our health, we must keep in mind that diminished cellular energy is different from our colloquial use of the word “energy”. In common language, we often say “I don’t have the energy to______.” Rarely are we referring to life sustaining activities. The statement usually refers to leisure activities, housework, an evening out, or physical exercise. While any of these things may improve our health, our immediate survival does not depend upon them. Such is not the case with cellular energy. Our lives do, literally, depend upon our cells having enough energy to do their work. Consider for a moment heart cells. Heart cells have one job-to sustain rhythmic contraction and release in the heart muscle so that oxygen and nutrient rich blood is delivered to the cells and oxygen-depleted, carbon dioxide rich blood is carried away. If these cells don’t have enough energy to do their work, you have an immediate, major, life threatening problem. Your heart cells don’t have the luxury of reclining on the sofa until their “energy” returns!

When scientists and researchers first began to study CoQ10, they found the highest concentrations in the heart, the immune system and the liver. This makes sense as these are also the cells that require the most energy. Focusing on these CoQ10 hungry cells, research and clinical trials began to reveal some very impressive findings and results. They first found that people with poor health have insufficient levels of CoQ10 in their systems while healthy people have normal levels of this vital nutrient. This finding lead scientists to explore the effects of supplementing with oral CoQ10. Truthfully, their findings have been remarkable. A multitude of clinical trials demonstrated that CoQ10 is very useful in the treatment and prevention of congestive heart failure, angina, arrhythmia, myocardial degeneration and high blood pressure. In one study 80% of patients with severe congestive cardiomyopathy showed significant improvement after they began supplementing daily with CoQ10. In another, over 50% of high blood pressure patients were able to eliminate their hypertension medications after 5 months of daily CoQ10 use.

The American Heart Associations rank the severity of a patient’s heart disease with a class system. This system ranges from mild Class I heart disease to severe Class IV heart disease. Often clinical trials use this ranking system when evaluating their participants’ progress. In England, an eight year clinical trial of patients with various cardiovascular diseases found 58% of the participants improved by one Heart Association Class; 28% improved by two classes! This same study also found significant improvement in the thickness of the left ventricular wall of the heart and mitral valve flow. CoQ10 is such a powerful ally in heart health that Japanese physicians recommend it regularly to over 12 million of their patients. Imagine the positive effects of supplementing with CoQ10 before serious problems develop! The Medical Hypotheses journal published in England sug