diet natural health dieting, exercise, cancer prevention, weight loss

"Our great industrial cornucopia has not only been polluting the earth with wastes and poisons;
it has also been spewing forth increasingly shoddy, costly and defective goods and services."
                                                            -Marvin Harris, Cannibals and King

                       The Diet for Natural Health
                          Index to Related topics

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Acne Foods that may relieve acne.
Allergies Food with chemistry that may relieve allergies.
Alzheimer's syndrome How to protect yourself.
Anxiety/depression Anxiety and depression what can you do about it.
Anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory foods. Foods that may relieve inflammation.
Antioxidants Foods that contain concentrations of antioxidants.
Antispasmodic Plant foods with antispasmodic activity.
Arthritis Natural Health and diet considerations for treating arthritis.
Asthma Natural health consideration for living with asthma.
Barriers to dieting Barriers to starting and maintaining a healthy diet.
Bloodtype diet Review of Dr. D'Adamo's book: Eat Right for Your Blood Type
Blood pressure lowering diet Six day diet for losing weight and blood pressure.
Blood pressure How to lower blood pressure.
Bioflavonoids/cancer Introduction to bioflavonoids and effects on human health.
Breast cancer Information on breast cancer, predispositions, treatment, bioflavonoids.
Caffeine Everything you did and did not want to know about caffeine.
Calcium What it does and how to get it. Also, preventing osteoporosis.
Carbohydrates Carbohydrate types and health implications.
Cancer Recent cancer research and diet/supplement recommendations.
Cancer: anti-tumor foods Food that have tumor fighting chemistry.
Cancer causing foods. Foods that have been linked to cancer.
Cholesterol Cholesterol: use in body, dietary controls, atherosclerosis and heart disease
Colorectal cancer Prevention and diagnosis colon cancer.
Collagen Amino acid sources from plants for building collagen.
Core diet Anthropological evidence for Natural Health diet.
Cravings Food cravings.
Creativity Quiz to improve creativity.
Cultural flavor principles and cooking Flavor principles from world cultures.
Culture and gender roles How culture effects self-concept and gender roles.
Culture and diet Best diets from world cultures and their flavor principles.
Cultural Dietary Enigmas Genetic and cultural differences, food preparation practices and its effects on disease.
Curry powder health benefits Curry powder ingredients and health benefits.
Dangerous Dangerous human practices.
DASH Dietary approaches to stop hypertension.
Diabetes Good food and herb choices for diabetics.
Diets, famous Synopsis of famous diets and their web pages.
Dieting Facts and tips on dieting. The Diet for Natural Health.
Diet for Natural Health Diet for Natural Health workshop agenda, key points.
Exercise Exercise and its importance to health. Amazing facts.
Exercise prescription Defines personal exercise prescription.
Fats Role of fats in good diet and bad diet.
Fiber Health benefits of eating fiber.
High fiber foods Food groups and their fiber content.
Fibromyalgia Foods that may help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Flavonoids Flavonoids and indications for health. Food sources of bioflavonoids.
Folate May lower risk of numerous diseases.
Gout Nutritional considerations for preventing gout.
Health How to take charge of your personal health. Very important.
Heart Heart protecting, cholesterol lowering, blood pressure reducing foods.
HRT Hormone replacement therapy.
Hypertension Foods that may raise blood pressure.
Hypoglycemia Natural Health help for hypoglycemia.
Hypotensive foods Foods, vitamins, minerals that may lower blood pressure.
Lifestyle and longevity Lifestyle backlash...But a healthy lifestyle does prevent premature death.
Love Self concept quiz...Are you loved, can you love.
Memory Memory and cognitive enhancing foods, drugs, phytochemicals.
Minerals Selenium.
Olive oil Benefits of eating olive oil.
Osteoporosis Osteoporosis and dietary considerations.
Paleolithic Diet Paleolithic human diet percentages as compared to modern humans.
Parkinson's Disease and Aluminum Guam study aluminum absorption and disease, including ALS.
Play The importance of play in health, work, creativity.
PMS Mineral and vitamin supplements to treat Pre Menstrual Syndrome.
Psoriasis Foods that may benefit psoriasis and anti-inflammatory foods.
Processing food The beneficial effects of appropriate food processing. Must read.
Prostate Natural health ideas for improved prostate health.
Protein Protein facts and figures. Guide to what you need.
Rest    How to reduce stress with rest and relaxation.
Satiety index List of foods that are most filling and bulking. Help cut cravings. List of foods that are most filling and bulking. Help cut cravings. List of foods that are most filling and bulking. Help cut cravings.
Spirituality How to find your spiritual self.
Stress Health benefits and techniques for reducing stress.
Stroke Natural Health alternatives for preventing stroke.
Taste Taste! What is it? Where is it? How to use it.
Vitamins Vitamins what you need and where to get them.
Water How much is necessary?
Wildness The cost of human domestication and the demise of humanity.
Wizard Essay on the state of the health food industry....I'm worried.
Work Why work has lost much of its meaning and value.

Foods That May Relieve Acne
These foods may benefit acne sufferers. Source: USDA, ARS, NGRL Phytochemical Database.
Plants are listed from highest to lower (concentration) of reported anti-acne chemicals in the food.
Butternut
Sunflower seed
Brazil nut
Pumpkin seed
Groundnut seed
Soybean
Lemon
Cashew
Pistachio
Avocado
Breadfruit seed
Black currant seed
Evening primrose seed
Asparagus pea
Chickpea seed
Anasazi bean sprout
Lettuce leaf
Asparagus
Thyme leaf
Fish oil and Omega 3 fatty acids

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke. (See web pages for direct link to this web site)Some people get good results using skin care supplements from Phyto Pharmica. Ask your pharmacist about Phyto Derm. Often milk products will give some people problems.Dove (sensitive brand) soap is good to use. Treat the skin gently. Some facial lotions or creams with active ingredient sulfur are helpful debriding skin.

Natural Health Diet:

Carb 60-65% of calories from vegetables, whole grain high fiber seeds, nuts, grains, flowers, sprouts, fruit, beans...

Fats 20-25% calories approx: 40 grams

Protein 12-15% calories 40-70grams (endurance and power athletes (+- 70 gm)

Vitamin/mineral supplement: Take good multiple vitamin with little iron in it for men, less than 18 mg for women unless blood test or existing condition necessitates more...See physician or nutritionist for answers.

I take a multiple vitamin with chelated minerals and trace complex with bioflavonoids in winter and eat from my organic garden six or seven months of the years apparently without need for vitamin/minerals. Much of this diet is herbs, live plants, wild plants and flowers.

FACT: all ethnic groups worldwide build a meal around a protein and carbohydrate.

Refined carbohydrate flours not made with the whole grain are too high on the Glycemic Index, they flood you with glucose creating metabolic problems caused by too much glucose. High Glycemic Index foods spike serum blood sugar. High Glycemic foods are too quickly turned to glucose.

Simple refined sugar is a major problem, too quickly assimilated, keep to high fiber, unrefined carbohydrate sources.

Focus meal around carb and protein dishes: i.e. brown whole grain rice and fish; beans, corn and yams; tofu and brown rice rice; meat and potato; millet and lamb; manioc and grubs, pasta and fish. Then add fiber, vitamins, minerals with cooked and raw vegetables. Fruits provide flavonoids, energy, cleansing, fiber, low fat in many cases. Good substitutes for rice and pasta are whole grain pasta, quinoa, amaranth and millet, bulgar wheat.

Snack on whole, high fiber foods: vegetables, fruit, cereals, whole grain breads

Exercise daily: equivalent of 30minutes minimum, low impact, doesn't have to be aerobic.

Exercise upper body and extremities for strength building and maintenance..i.e. lift weights.

At least three days per week.

Build on the 10 components of Natural Health (see that section on this floppy disk)

Avoid trans fatty acids: chips, pretzels, crackers, doughnuts etc., hydrogenated fats, margarine...

These fats pose a risk for numerous degenerative diseases.

Reject processed starches such as bleached white flour products: donuts, cookies, cake, pie, white bread, bagels, pastries...Instead eat whole grain products with seeds and whole fruit in them.

Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day to keep insulin levels low.

Review Diet for Natural Health

-Raise daily fiber intake to about 60 grams per day.

-Increase amount essential fatty acids and improve ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6.

-Cut salt and animal fat in diet (includes ice cream).

-Cut bleached white flour & processed starch foods: chips donuts, cake, pastries, white bread, bagels, muffins.....

-Replace above with sprouted wheat, whole grain products with seeds on or in them.

-Cut refined sugar products: soda pop, candy, cookies, sweetened yogurt, orange juice from concentrate (drink orange juice with pulp)....

-Eat more fruit, vegetables, beans, seeds, sprouts, nuts.

-Drink plenty of quality water to bulk fiber for full feeling.

-Grow sprouts, garlic shoots, dandelions and other greens in your home in the Winter if possible.

-Grow herbs, salad greens, edible flowers, wild edibles of many colors.

-Buy organically grown foods as much as possible.

-Get thirty to sixty minutes of exercise every day & perform light weight lifting or do weight bearing workouts at least three times per week. You may do dynamic tension exercises daily.

Plant Foods that May be Anti-allergic*

Anti-allergic plant foods are listed from highest concentration of reportedly anti-allergic chemistry toward descending concentration of physiologically active chemistry against allergies.

sunflower essential oil

grape leaf essential oil

evening primrose leaf

lemon leaf essential oil

cardamon fruit

broccoli leaf

pigweed leaf

onion

Da Zao shoot (jujuba)

thyme leaves

lambs quarters leaves

European nettle, stinging nettle (also found in US almost everywhere)

marjoram plant

fig leaf

groundnut

Some flavonoids are anti-allergic: eating tofu, alfalfa and other grain, bean sprouts, edible flowers, tea (green and black) may help.

*These plant foods have one or more physiologically active anti-allergic compounds. For more details see Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke. See web pages for direct link.

Anti-inflammatory foods

Anti-inflammatory foods are listed from highest concentration of anti-inflammatory chemistry to lower concentration, all are relatively high in anti-inflammatory chemicals.

cantaloupe cotyledon (cotyledons are the part of the seed under the seed coat that form the bulk of the seed surrounding the embryo, there are single cotyledon seeds called monocotyledons and double cotyledon type seeds).

English walnut seed wraps and nourishes the embryo. So eat the seed.

avocado fruit

cucumber cotyledon* (Seed "meat" under shell)

sunflower seed

parsnip root

Brazil nut

sesame seed

camu camu fruit

cantaloupe seed

Evening primrose seed

pumpkin seed

flax seed

watermelon seed

groundnut seed

- source Agriculture Research:ARS data base on WWW.

Foods High in Antioxidants

Foods listed from highest concentration, all foods relatively highly concentrated.

parsnip root

pawpaw fruit

camu-camu fruit

date palm

pomegranate

emblic fruit

vanilla

carrot root

coffee seed

Da-Zao jujube fruit

pea seed

sunflower seed

fenugreek (try sprouts)

beet roots

sugar apple fruit

rice plant

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Antispasmodic Foods*

Plant foods that have relatively high concentrations of antispasmodic chemistry.

Evening primrose leaves

lemon oil

licorice

onion

nude mountain mint

orange pericarp

horse mint plant

thyme whole plant

wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

basil leaf

pear fruit

thyme leaf

tarragon shoot

celery leaf oil

winter savory plant

celery pericarp essential oil (seed)

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Alzheimer's Disease

Ibuprofen or aspirin may provide protection from the in-brain buildup of protein fragments known as beta amyloid that have been linked to Alzheimer's disease. Increased beta-amyloid deposits are seen in Alzheimer's patients as the disease progresses. NSAIDs' like aspirin and ibuprofen appear to lessen the accumulation of beta-amyloid.in the brain. NSAIDs may interrupt the the process prompted by amyloid deposits that kills nerve cells. See your physician to ascertain whether aspirin therapy will assist you. Many people take a 1/4 grain of aspirin as prevention against strokes. Will this also provide protection against Alzheimers? It is unknown.

The amount of aspirin necessary to duplicate these animal studies was not available. A child's dose of aspirin is indicated for preventing heart attack and strokes (85 grains per day aspirin). This appears to be an optimal and tolerated dose.

HOMOCYSTEINE Elevated blood concentrations of this amino acid have been linked to dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Prevention may include the use of a B complex multiple vitamin, the complex should include ample amounts of B6, B12 and folic acid. Homocysteine is a constituent of animal protein, too much can damage blood vessels and nerves effecting circulation and potentially accelerating degenerative disease processes. Watermelon and avocado with glutathione may also lower homocysteine levels. Chronic alcoholism and caffeine consumption appears to raise homocysteine levels, moderate drinking of wine and beer, one or two servings, may reduce homocysteine levels.

A drug called CPHPC can reduce the amount of serum amyloid P in the blood and in amyloid deposits in the brain. A palindromic molecule (has identical ends) that binds from either end, grabbing two amyloid P molecules and escorting them to the liver to be destroyed. By depleting the serum concentration of amyloid P this drug draws the protein out of organs susceptible to the plaque formation, such as the brain, heart, kidneys, liver. See Science News vol. 61. No. 20 5/16/02.

Personal Note: Both my parents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and to prevent it I take a daily child's aspirin. Eat numerous live fruits and vegetables daily. I take Ginkgo biloba supplement (120mg standardized extraction). Also, I take a daily vitamin supplement that has folate and an additional vitamin E supplement 400mg. I exercise daily, read and write daily digging up and providing the public useful information in a easily accessible format.

Anxiety and Depression

What follows are a few of the integrative approaches being used to treat non-bipolar depression.

Orphanin a brain chemical that has been synthesized reduces anxiety. (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1997). Animal studies are promising.

Saint John's Wort standardized extraction of hypericin is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor keeping neural transmitter levels high, relieving mild depression in many.

GABA, Gamma Amino Butyric Acid, an amino acid, is antidepressive. High in tomatoes and evening primrose seeds.

Traditional medications like Prosac inhibit uptake of neural transmitters improving their abundance and affecting mood.

It is often helpful to seek help from a psychiatrist, counselor and an endocrinologist. Often there is a link with a life changing event and the onset of depression. A multi discipline approach of counseling, drugs, diet and exercise is helpful.

My parents have Alzheimer's disease and Kava lactones have been beneficial for my father, who is anxious and aggressive. It took about two weeks before we saw the full effect. This is highly anecdotal and your personal physician will help you make the right choice for you.

CAUTION: ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS DATABASE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE SOURCE. MUCH IS ANECDOTAL.

BE CERTAIN TO CONSULT WITH A LICENSED HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER BEFORE CONSIDERING ANY DRUGS, HERBAL PHARMACEUTICALS OR LIFE STYLE CHANGES.

Arthritis (Degenerative Joint Disease: DJD)

Glossary: Primal in this topic may be defined as pre-Columbian in the Americas or prior to agriculture (circa 10,000 years ago).

Arthritis and arthritis like diseases in primal human populations were caused by: heavy work loads, overuse, trauma and stress. Prevalence of arthritis is found throughout the anthropological record. It is not a modern phenomenon. There does appear to be a connection with overweight (extra load on joints) and the onset of arthritis.

Most osteo arthritis (DJD) in primal humans was from overuse and trauma.

Primal Eskimos (most strenuous hunter-gatherers) had fairly high shoulder arthritis (spearing, paddling, upper body and arm activity) and had slightly more arthritis overall (climate, shelter, arduous lifestyle).

Primal continental Native Americans show elbow arthritis (atlatl throwing)

There was little hip arthritis in primal people. It is a modern phenomenon of the 20^th century and is linked by some experts to obesity.

Primal women had earlier onset, men had more severity. These First people perhaps had well defined work roles where women did much food preparation and gathering from their knees. Men's roles required more stress on upper body: lifting, throwing, hauling. Thus, in men the arthritis was in the shoulder, hip, lumbar...Women mid-thoracic, knee...

Except for Eskimos most Native American women had more arthritis, men had more severe.

Generally, worldwide arthritis declines with agriculture (reduction of workload). Exceptions are some New World tribes whose agriculture, food gathering and preparation was more rigorous, with less technologically advanced tools.

Agriculturalists less arthritis of the lumbar, cervical, knee, elbow, ankle, hip in women...Less lumbar, shoulder and wrist with men.

Intensive Agriculturalists generally have more wrist, hand, knee, lumbar arthritis (metate corn grinding, bent over use of tools for agriculture).

Pueblo had less than sample of other tribes (better shelter, better climate, better tools?)

The introduction of the horse led to more pelvic and lumbar arthritis in the Americas.

Worldwide, higher status individuals showed less arthritis generally.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is rare in primal people. Most rheumatoid arthritis was found in conjunction with Erysipelothrix bacterium in North America. Evidence was found in the Southeastern United States from handling swine, deer that caused infections that mimic RA type arthritis. Many infective arthritides mimic rheumatoid arthritis. RA may have spread from New World to Europe..*

TODAY

MODERNS SHOW ARTHRITIS IN WOMEN EXCEEDS THAT IN MEN AFTER 55 YEARS OF AGE PERHAPS DUE TO HORMONES, CALCIUM LOSS, OVERWEIGHT, LESS ACTIVE.

For more see:

Patricia Bridges; Prehistoric arthritis in the Americas; Annual Review Anthropology; 92.21:67-91.

Diet for Natural Health Considerations for Arthritis

A few forms of arthritis have been relieved by dietary changes.

There are anecdotal cases of remission of Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis after giving up dairy product (Israel, Arthritis Today P 23. Sept/October).

A woman with rheumatoid arthritis was remarkably improved after eliminating corn from her diet (Ibid..above Arthritis Today).

A few patients improve when they eliminate additives, preservatives, fruit, red meat and dairy products (Journal: Arthritis and Rheumatism).

A few patients in a trial reported in Journal of Rheumatology developed arthritis symptoms when feed capsule of milk; shrimp; nitrates.

Nutritional balance of essential fatty acids may alter inflammation: get more Omega 3 (flax, fish oil, almonds, walnuts, perilla seeds) in your diet, less Omega 6(corn oil and soybean oil).

There is scant evidence that copper, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin C and fish oil have relieved arthritis symptoms (Parnish; American College of Rheumatology).

Topical application of capsaicin cremes blocks pain and may relieves inflammation.

Counterirritant beating and scarifying, like thrashing with nettles, helps a few (treatment worse than disease). Nettle has been used to treat arthritis this way for thousands of years. Stinging organs have anti-inflammatory chemistry.

Weight reduction and moderate exercise are beneficial, including mild weight bearing exercise (lifting weight).

Gout (a form of arthritis) is definitely connected to diet. Avoid foods high in purines: anchovies, organ meat, mushrooms, asparagus, alcohol...).

Raisins and grapes have many anti-inflammatory chemicals: rseveratrol, aspirin like compound, quercitin (and other flavonoids) ferulic acid, gentisic acid, kaempferal glucosides, ascorbic acid, cinnamic acid, myricetin, coumarin. Eating raisins may help some.

75% of Rheumatoid Arthritis is in women, 2.1 million males and females nationwide. Moderate activity and anti-inflammatory drugs help.

Foods to consider for their anti-arthritic characteristics are: ginger (gingerol), turmeric (curcumin inhibits prostaglandin production), red peppers (capsaicin), pineapple (bromelain), stinging nettles, oregano, rosemary, broccoli, advocado (glutathione), sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts have anti-inflammatory pain reliever: S-adenosyl-methionine. (for more see: Duke; The Green Pharmacy, Rodale, 1997).

Also see anti-inflammatory foods in this database...

FOOD SOURCES OF ANTI-ARTHRITIC CHEMICALS*

The following food are listed from most concentrated to less concentrated, given all have ample concentrations of antiarthritic chemicals.

cantaloupe cotyledon

English walnut

avocado

camu-camu fruit

cucumber cotyledon

safflower seed

great scarlet poppy seed

sunflower seed

butternut seed

calabash gourd seed

Brazilnut seed

sesame seed

evening primrose seed

pine nut

mariana seed

cantaloupe seed

black cumin seed

Chilgoza pine seed

Asthma

Here's where your cup of caffeinated coffee may be helpful...Coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa contain bronchialdilators. Anecdotal information suggests that three cups of coffee is therapeutic. Xanthines (theobromine, theophylline, caffeine) work both in stopping bronchial spasms and opening constricted bronchial passages.

Nettle tea from the leaves and roots is a traditional Australian treatment for bronchial congestion and other asthma symptoms. Steep the roots and leaves in water just off the boil. Sip and see what happens. Hot water destroys the sting. Wear gloves and chop a handful of leaves and about a fingers thickness of roots, pour over hot water. Let cool, then drink. This tea is mineral rich.

Ephedra (Ephedra sinica) ma haung, contains ephedrine and pseudoephedrine decongestants and bronchioldilators. this medication should only be used under the direction of a professional health care provider. There are many side effects: insomnia, increases blood pressure, anxiety, restlessness, stimulant.

Licorice root, anise and fennel seed tea may also be helpful. Steep about 10 grams of licorice with a 1/4 teaspoon of fennel and anise seeds. Or chew on the seeds and wash it down with licorice tea.

If I had asthma I would try this tea before any activity that exacerbated my condition. Licorice has many side effects, one of which is to raise blood pressure. Consider deglycyrrhizinated licorice extracts (DGLE). This process reduces the side effects of licorice.

Cockroaches (catnip placed around the house repels cockroaches)have been indicated as causing asthma levels to be twice as high in cities as compared to rural areas. Proteins (antigens) from cockroach droppings and saliva may trigger allergic reactions. Kids in poor urban areas are most effected. Cockroach antigen is highest in kitchens, in rugs and in bedrooms.

Estrogen: There may be a link with estrogen replacement therapy and onset of asthma (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Oct. 1995). A spin off from the Nurses' health Study (93,000 women participants) showed menopausal women on estrogen HRT had a 49% greater risk of developing asthma. Cause may be that estrogen restricts airflow in lungs. Risk is increased with the length of time women used the hormone replacement therapy. Since the incidence of asthma increases at puberty in women this estrogen/asthma connection has been suspected...More research needed.

Asthma Relieving Foods

Foods with Relatively High Concentrations of Anti-asthmatic Chemicals

Listed from highest concentration to lower concentration.

camu camu fruit

evening primrose leaf

tea leaf

mango flower

emblic fruit

guarana seed

almond

onion cacao

bitter melon fruit

pomegranate

coffee seed

purslane

cola seed

asparagus shoot

mate leaf

genipap seed

bell pepper fruit

ginger (antispasmodic, antimicrobial)

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Caffeine

Caffeine, a stimulant, is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and numerous other products including Anacin, Excedrin, Vivarin and No Doz. The liver converts caffeine to metabolite, 95% of which is excreted through the kidneys in urine.

Metabolic Activity

Caffeine increases:

-locomotor activity

-anxiety

-blood pressure

-respiration rate

-diuresis

-production and release of epinephrine

-potential for panic attacks

Caffeine decreases:

-blood flow to the brain

-fatigue

-need for sleep

Sensitivity and Dependence

A few people are less sensitive to caffeine and may not be as severely effected by it as others.

A few have weak tolerance and are severely effected.

Caffeine dependence may develop where when a person attempts to stop drinking coffee may experience headaches, fatigue, poor concentration, fatigue and compromised motor activity

Craving for coffee may be so severe as to leave the abstainer dysfunctional. Anxiety and depression may be manifested. Chronic and large volume consumption of caffeinated beverages and lead to "caffeinism". symptoms include insomnia, restlessness and anxiety with increased heart rate, at the extreme a person may suffer from severe psychological disturbance (when consuming over 10 cups of coffee per day or 1000mg of caffeine)

Therapeutic Uses

Caffeine acts synergistically with aspirin for treating non-migraine headaches. Cafergot is a combination of caffeine and ergotamine and is used for treating migraines.

Newborn infants who have periodic cessation of breathing (apneic episodes) are treated with caffeine.

As a stimulant there is the intriguing possibility that caffeine may actually calm hyperactive (ADD) child who had been taking Ritalin or Prozac.

MYTHS

MYTH 1: Caffeine and Alcohol: Coffee does not speed alcohol metabolism...You just have a drunk who can't sleep.

MYTH 2: Caffeine and improved athletic performance: As a stimulant caffeine may help sprinters. But it may be detrimental for endurance or distance athletes, and athletes who participate in events that go beyond a few minutes. Caffeine increases energy expenditure by stimulating the adrenal glands to release epinephrine. Naturopathic Physicians suggest that long term, frequent use of caffeine may exhaust the adrenal glands.

CAUTION: Caffeine products are not a good substitute for water because it is a diuretic actually increasing excretion of liquids and salts (electrolytes) from the body. Caffeine also raises blood pressure and kicks up metabolism

Effects on Women and Children

A caffeine imbibing child who drinks two cokes per day and weighs approximately 60 pounds receives the metabolic equivalent of 8 cups of coffee, making the youngster sleepless, restless and prone to all the physiological stressors of caffeine consumption.

Pregnant mothers should curtail their caffeine consumption for there is evidence that heavy coffee drinkers may have children with lower birth rate.

Nursing Mothers: Caffeinated coffee drinking during lactation may make the breast fed youngster irritable and restless, perhaps unable to sleep. Even one cup per day may interfere with the ability of the child to absorb and use iron.

Fibrocystic breast disease is sometimes associated with caffeine consumption. Vitamin E therapy and abstinence from caffeine has been a helpful therapy.

Decaf Coffee

Methyl Chloride decaffeination process may increase the incidence of cancer by one in one million in coffee drinkers who imbibe 2-3 cups of coffee per day.

Water process decaffeination is considered by most consumers as safer.

Warning: decaffeination does not remove all xanthine chemistry from coffee. Acids and alkaloids are little effected.

Osteoporosis and Caffeine Consumption

Osteoporosis may be accelerated by caffeine consumption because of the drugs ability to increase calcium excretion. Diuretic effect of caffeine increases excretion of calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc.

Heart Disease

One 1990 study reviewed evidence linking caffeine consumption with an increased incidence of coronary heart disease. Increased blood pressure is indicative of the stress that caffeine can put on the heart. (Benowitz, 1990, Clinical Pharmacology of Caffeine, Annual Reviews of Medicine; pp 227-28.)

Tyramine Interaction with Caffeine

If you are on a tyramine controlled diet avoid all consumption of caffeine. Caffeine increases the availability of Monoamine Oxidase inhibitors, with less MAO available tyramine is not inactivated and may lead to headaches, hypertension and possibly death.

Pharmacology

Caffeine is completely absorbed in the digestive tract within approximately 45 minutes. Absorption occurs in the stomach and small intestine, with the small intestine being the main site of absorption. The half life of persistence of caffeine in a person is from 2.5 to 4.5 hours. People who drink throughout the day may experience rising plasma concentrations of caffeine. Most clearing occurs during sleep. Caffeine is metabolized in the liver and most of the metabolites are excreted through the urine, about 5% or less through the feces. Less than 2% of caffeine is excreted unchanged. Caffeine metabolites are: 1-methyluric acid; 1,7-dimethyluric acid, 1-methylxanthine, paraxanthine, and 5k-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyluracil. (Source Principles of Neuropsychopharmacology, Feldman, Meyer, Quenzer; Sinauer Associates, Inc. 1997.)

Behavioral Effects

In addition to what has been mentioned previously, caffeine may improve performance in several measurable tasks. A survey in Great Britain of 7000 men and women caffeine drinkers were tested for their performance of several tasks. The four tasks: simple reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, visuospatial reasoning. Results showed an improvement in task performance significant to caffeine consumption. There was improved performance in each task with caffeine drinkers. Optimum improved performance for all four tasks appeared to require 4 cups of coffee equivalent per day. Thus, one might obtain increased performance with the cost of several physiological deficits such as increased arousal, fatigue, anxiety, increased respiration and elevated blood pressure

Caffeinism

Caffeinism describes chronic consumption of high doses of caffeine. Symptoms include nervousness, insomnia, restlessness, tachycardia. At doses over 1000mg/day (over 12 five ounce cups of coffee)severe psychiatric stress may result.

Resources: Feldman, Meyer, Quenzer, Principles of Neuropsychopharmacology pp. 611-12. Sinauer Associates 1997.

Chin. Adenosine receptors in brain: Neuromodulation and role in epilepsy, Ann Neurol 26, 695-698.

Arnaud. 1993 Metabolism of caffeine and other components of coffee, Caffeine , Coffee and Health pp 43-95 Raven Press NY.

Battig and Welz. 1993 Psychopharmocological profile of caffeine. Psychopharmacological profile of caffeine. Caffeine Coffee and Health pp 213-253. Raven Press.

Griffiths 1986 Human Coffee Drinking: Reinforcing and Physical dependence producing effect

of caffeine. J. Pharma cology Exp. Ther. 239: 416-425.

BARRIERS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Diet for Natural Health Theme

Four steps to weight reduction and disease prevention.

1. Reduce your craving and consumption of refined sugar, animal fat and highly processed white flour products.

2. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet by eating whole foods particularly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

3. If you must eat meat use it as a condiment or a flavoring agent, not the main course.

4. Increase your exercise routine to a two mile walk or equivalent, 5-7 days per week. Don't exercise when tired, sick or in pain.

BARRIERS

To adopt the Diet for Natural Health it is necessary to break down the following barriers to a healthy diet:

-motivation

-lack of knowledge (solution: hit the books and use this database)

-time constraints on the cook (Discover how to make healthful meals in 10 mingood taste)

-confusing dietary recommendations (change fat from animal to vegetable fats and carbohydrates from refined sugars to complex, fiber rich carbohydrates)

-some new research contradicts old research (be conservative, eat whole foods not processed foods)

-a healthy diet appears difficult to find and prepare (quick and simple)

-healthy foods are expensive (Most foods are highly processed and expensive, whole, natural foods are less expensive because you get more for your money)

-keeping family members on the same page (be patient, be gradual, share this information with them and explain what you are trying to accomplish).

Book Review and Opinion

Blood Type and Diet

Eat Right for Your Type by Peter J. D'Adamo

and Catherine Whitney

GP Putnam Sons 1996

Peter's Web Page: www.dadamo.com

RECOMMENDATION: READ THE BOOK AND SEE YOUR PERSONAL PHYSICIAN BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS DIET.

Does your blood type effect what you should and should not eat?

Genes play an important role in how we breakdown, assimilate and metabolize nutrients. One in seven Irish women and one in every three French Canadians are unable to efficiently utilize folic acid. This is a genetic defect.

Mediterranean women who eat fava beans and are heterozygous for the G6PD gene (homozygous trait that causes deficiency of enzyme glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase) may be protected from malaria death. The fava beans contain anti-malaria phytochemistry. Males without the G6PD allele may suffer fatal hemolytic response to eating fava beans. As a side note Fava beans are considered an aphrodisiac.

Many Africans, Asians and others have a genetic inability to digest the milk sugar lactose.

Women and Asians do not produce as much alcohol dehydrogenase and therefore assimilate more alcohol and get drunker on less alcohol than most men.

Our genetic fingerprint does effect our nutrition and health. We see this over and over again when studying primal populations. Isolated populations with long periods of inbreeding have different genetic frequencies from the world population as a whole. These groups have deficiencies and strengths. Human genetically inherited blood types are one of four. They are genetically fixed. Do they effect our nutrition? Are they a deficiency or strength? You be the judge.

The four basic type O, A, B and AB are not unique to humans. Chimpanzee's have O and A blood groups. Group O is common in humans but rare in other primates. Gorillas for example are all blood group B.

According to D'Adamo blood type B folks should be eating primarily a heavy dairy diet. Tell that to a gorilla.

Human Type O's should be primarily meat eaters and type A's are vegetarians. Chimps who are either A or O are omnivorous like their human cousins. And rarely eat meat. D'Adamo suggests that type A evolved in humans primarily in the Middle East and Europe and Type B's on the Asian subcontinent. Explain to me then how both A and B are found in African non-human primates. Were chimps European vegetarians that migrated to Africa?

South American Natives have a gene frequency for type O that reaches 95%. Yet, they are reportedly descendants of Asians who have (reportedly by D'Adamo) a high B blood type pool. The only accounting for this discrepancy is that the First People to inhabit the New World were mostly type O. Perhaps type A and B fell by the wayside because they afforded no survival advantage, maybe a disadvantage in the New World. Most likely this was a genetic bottleneck especially in South America where most type O's are found. The originating population may have been small and mostly type O. From available data, except for South America and Australia, the frequency of blood types is about the same on the other continents. With type O averaging between 50-80% on all continents. And A and B types averaging between 15 and 25% each on all continents. The spread between the percentages is probably due to regional variation attributable to evolutionary bottlenecks and genetic drift. That is, isolated populations may be heavily weighted in a particular blood type because the progenitors of the group were of a specific blood type.

This Diet Works for Many

Given all this, there is an emerging school of thought that suggests blood types have an evolutionary advantage. Perhaps evolving to provide us with disease protection. So let's bring in Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo ND and his book and theory: Eat Right for Your Type; Putnam's and Sons, 1996.

Many participants at my workshops want to know if their blood type determines what they should eat. Peter D'Adamo's research suggests that your blood type dictates what foods are beneficial and safe to consume and what foods you should avoid.

FACT: You are either type O, A, B, or AB. (There are many other blood factors beyond the scope of this essay).

PREMISE: Certain foods cause allergic reactions, others contain protein lectins that are agglutinating (clinging and clumping) for your blood type. This factors may be detrimental to your health leading to strokes, other degenerative diseases and immune disorders. Example: tomatoes for types A and B are agglutinating. Chicken for types B, AB causes allergic responses and agglutination.

ADDITIONAL ASSUMPTION: Stay away from smoked, salt cured and pickled foods regardless of your diet choice.

Author's caveat: There is an unintentional emphasis on nuts and seeds below. Remember they must be consumed in judicious proportions in a mixed and varied diet. Nuts are high in essential fats, but that fat counts against the total calories you consume...be prudent.

Foods to avoid are in bold type.

-Type O, the oldest blood type (hunter/gatherers), are high protein consumers and according to D'Adamo should eat more meat, fish, fowl and ample amounts of vegetables and fruit....To a lessor extent: pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds.

They should limit grains, beans and legumes...And avoid vegetables in the cabbage and mustard family: Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens.

-Type A, the agrarian blood type (cultivators), are vegetarians and the mainstays of their diet are vegetables, tofu, seafood*, grains, beans, legumes, fruit...Also, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

They should avoid: meat, dairy, kidney beans, lima beans, tomatoes and wheat.

-Type B, the nomadic omnivores, should pursue a balanced diet: eat most meats* but exclude chicken. Consume adequate dairy, vegetables, fruit, beans and grain. Nuts are not advised for type B, a few exceptions are: almonds, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, walnuts.

You should avoid: lentils, peanuts, sesame seeds, tomatoes, buckwheat, wheat and corn.

-Type AB, modern mix of blood types, should eat a mixed diet, with emphasis on moderation, not excess of any one food. They may eat white meat*, seafood, tofu, legumes, pulses, vegetables, fruit and dairy products. Beneficial nuts are chestnuts, peanuts and walnuts. Neutral nuts are almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews.

They should avoid red meat, kidney beans, tomatoes, seeds, corn, buckwheat sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

EDIBLE FOODS COMMON TO ALL BLOOD TYPES

There are foods that are common, beneficial or neutral, to all blood types.

THEY INCLUDE: olive oil, most vegetables, most seafood and most fruit.

-Tomatoes: nightshade family plants including tomatoes are most deleterious to type A and type B individuals, type O and type AB can eat moderate amounts of tomatoes.

Diet for Natural Health is a Good Fit

A diet of fruit, vegetables, seafood, some nuts, seeds and grains--with a few exceptions--is a good fit for those who are following D'Adamo's Blood type diets. Coincidently, this is the Diet for Natural Health.

OPINION

Like all new diets (ours included) it will take time before the Blood Type diet becomes fact, before the theory is law. In time, one of two things will occur. Less vested investigators will ferret out the same truths that Dr. D'Adamo has uncovered and the diet will garner more scientific support. On the other hand, researchers may, in time, after sufficient investigation dismiss many of the conclusions that form the cornerstone of the Blood Type diets.

It is not a difficult diet to follow because fully 2/3 of the foods are common to all diets. If you follow the list of foods to avoid for your blood type you will have taken a prudent path.

The Diet for Natural Health is a broad based diet of moderation. It is a close fit with the Blood Type diet with fewer restrictions. If Dr. D'Adamo's theory proves correct we will have ALREADY set you on a safe path with the suggestions in this database. If they prove off the mark, the course we have designed remains straight and true. On one hand you win, on the other hand you win.

*CAUTION: Meats and seafood should be selected carefully. Seek organic, free range meat and fowl. Marine animals are dearly pressed, populations are down. These wild creatures cannot feed the growing population of humans worldwide. Use meat and seafood as a condiment, a flavoring agent in your cooking...Preserve our will food resources and their habitats for future generations.

Sources: Cohen. Health and the rise of civilization, pp 113-114. Yale University Press.

D'Adamo. Eat Right For Your Type, 1996 GO Putnam and Sons.

Jones, Martin Pilbean, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution. Pp. 265, 282, 292, 459.

Meuninck, Corson, Behnke-Strasser, Diet for Natural Health, 1999. Meuninck's Media Methods.

Blood Pressure

Foods, Vitamins and Minerals that are Hypotensive

Cayenne, Onions, Valerian, CoQ10

Garlic, Basil, Tarragon, Calcium

Hawthorn, Oregano, Vitamin C

Kudzu, Black pepper, Potassium

Saffron, Fennel, Magnesium

-source Nature's Impact. Feb/Mar 1998; P 38.

Food Sources of Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium for Controlling Blood Pressure

Potassium rich foods: bananas, oranges, beans, dried peas, potatoes, tangerines.

Magnesium rich foods: almonds, cashews, pecans, rice, bananas, potatoes, kidney and lima beans, wheat germ, peas, soy products, molasses bran, oats, fish.

Calcium rich foods: nuts, salmon, sardines, low-fat dairy foods, watercress, kale, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens.

Blood Pressure Reduction: Major Considerations

Exercise daily.

Reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption.

Reduce refined sugar intake.

Reduce use of white flour.

Cut fat consumption.

Reduce salt intake.

Increase magnesium, calcium, potassium.

Lowering Blood Pressure

If you have a blood pressure cuff try the following experiment.

This is anecdotal evidence see your physician for consultation.

It appears--from experiments and trials performed by Claude Gunter Ph.D. and myself-- that blood pressure, at least for us, is near its high after we get up in the morning. If we delay breakfast blood pressure remains high. Should we drink caffeinated coffee blood pressure may even get higher.

After eating a bagel lathered with hummus and topped with Italian tomato salad: including peppers, onion, garlic, oregano and olive oil, my blood pressure dropped steeply from a high of 143/90 to 117/71 within a hour after eating. On the important systolic side this is more than a 20% drop.

According to a physician friend of mine, high morning blood pressure may be in response to low blood sugar, this causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline which begins a cascade of metabolic events, one sidelight of which is elevated blood pressure. Adding caffeine to the picture may further stimulate the adrenals perhaps exacerbating the problem.

Blood Pressure May be Atherosclerosis Contributor

Initial research suggests that hemodynamic activity (flow, eddies and flow pressure of blood in arteries and veins) may be the cause of atherosclerosis. Thus, high blood pressure may be a cause as well as a symptom of atherosclerosis. Exercise (see file) may provide a margin of protection against the degenerative of hemodynamics.

Resources:

-Stehbens, William; LIPIDS AND ATHEROSCLEROSIS, AN IMPOSSIBLE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP, Clinical Notes, Wellington Medical Research Foundation, Wellington New Zealand 1997.

Caffeine Antagonizes Dopamine and Adenosine

(More on caffeine)

Another perspective suggests that caffeine may raise blood pressure by other mechanisms. Research suggests that caffeine competes with adenosine by blocking receptor sites in the brain. Adenosine modulates (controls, reduces activity) the activity of neural transmitters in the brain. By blocking adenosine's modulating effect a cascade of physiological events occur a couple of which are increased blood pressure and increased respiration rates. Caffeine also competes with dopamine and this avenue of antagonism may also be responsible for numerous problems. See caffeine file on this disk for more information on the effects of caffeine.

Back to the Experiment:

Anyway, in the breakfast experiment, the bagel was my primary glucose source, and the tomatoes, onions and garlic in the salad have chemistry that is hypotensive. Onion oil and gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA from the tomatoes) lowers blood pressure. Garlic is a proven and potent hypotensive (blood pressure lowering). Other plant foods that lower blood pressure are celery, broccoli, carrots, purslane, tarragon, black pepper, basil, oregano, fennel and saffron to name a few

Herbs and Wild Plants

Herbal preparations of valerian (Valeriana officinalis); Kudzu (Pueraria lobata); Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and elderberry (Sambucus nigra, canadensis) (see Meuninck's videos for identification and recipes) have been shown to lower blood pressure in various studies.

Exercise

Regular exercise is also helpful for strengthening your heart and elasticizing your blood vessels leading to lower blood pressure from a bigger, stronger, slower beating heart.

Spiritual Self

Yoga, prayer and other forms of meditation have proven to lower blood pressure. Get in touch with body, your mind and your God.

Reduce Stress

Stress is an important contributor to high blood pressure. For example, one morning after swilling some coffee and raising my blood pressure, I lowered my systolic pressure 18% by eating cereal, a banana and some walnuts. Then, "Ring!, ring!" comes this business call. After ten stressful minutes on the phone I re-checked my systolic blood pressure. It was elevated 15% almost back up to the empty stomach caffeine state because of stress.

Dietary Considerations for Lowering Blood Pressure

Less Fat, Less Sodium, Less Refined Sugar, More Fiber, More Exercise

The Diet for Natural Health suggests...

-eat less animal fat and animal protein

-less salt, more potassium

-less refined sugar, more fiber

-less TV, more exercise

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

This Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension suggests eating fruits and vegetables with low fat dairy products. In the study, it was discovered that those who ate low fat dairy products (skim milk, low fat cheese, and low fat yogurt) significantly lowered their blood pressure (3 to 5 points) as compared to those who ate fruit and vegetables without dairy, and those who participated in a traditional meat and moderate fat diet. The dairy component is believe to have contributed ample calcium to the diet. Calcium from the dairy and potassium and magnesium from the fruits and vegetables may be the blood pressure lowering components in this diet (fat from all sources was 25% of Kcalories).

COUNT FAT NOT CALORIES: One Gram of Fat for Every Kilogram of Weight

DNH (Diet for Natural Health) suggests eat one gram of fat or less for each kilogram of weight (2.4 pounds per kilogram). For example, a 150 pound person weighs 62 Kg (150 divided by 2.4=62). This person may eat 62 grams of fat or less per day. For best results get this fat from plant sources: flax seeds, perilla seeds, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, olive oil, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, unsalted peanuts, cereal grains, filberts, avocados, pulses, soy, lentils...These are excellent sources of essential fatty acids, protein and fiber. Reduce the amount of saturated fats and cholesterol by avoiding animal protein and high fat dairy products...Eat low fat dairy judiciously.

Supplements

Take a quality multivitamin/mineral supplement with ample calcium, potassium and magnesium. sources. Consider a separate calcium supplement and get plenty of sunlight for vitamin D production.

Carbohydrates

It is very difficult to eat too much complex carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are full of water...They are bulking, filling, fiber rich.

Greatly curtail simple carbs, such as refined sugar, bleached white flour and products made with the same. Eat whole grain sources of carbohydrates.

Before your body turns excess carbohydrate into fat, your muscles will store more glycogen and your rate of oxidation will increase. You will have more energy on a high complex carb/low fat

diet.

Bottom line: get rid of the animal fat, kick up the complex carbohydrates, eat more fruits and vegetables.

For more on blood pressure see My Garden plants file and search under blood pressure and hypertension, hypotensive. More.....

BIOFLAVONOIDS

Focus Cancer

Also be certain to see cancer on this disk! CANCER

Bioflavonoids comprise 10000 plus unique plant chemicals.

Bioflavonoids belong to the family of C6-C3-C6 compounds. Phenolic compounds, Phenol rings...

They play a vital role in most metabolic activities in vascular plants for 1 billion years...Part of our diet since our existence. In plants they provide the color of Fall and the colors of flowers to attract pollinators; they block UV light-- reflecting and absorbing radiation, protecting plants; aid in light selectivity for plant based metabolism; important in germination, growth and reproductive processes of plants; found in all parts of the plant, flowers, roots, seeds, fruits and nuts.

NUMEROUS FOOD SOURCES: Found in black and green tea, fruit, wine, grape juice, citrus, edible flowers, vegetables, seeds (beans), stems, bark...all parts of plants and plant foods.

-We ingest on average about 1 gm per day of mixed flavonoids.

-Non-toxic, no reported cases of dermatitis or anaphylaxis

-Several mutagenic in high amounts (Ames test).

Flavonoids: anti-tumor, anti-proliferative, differentiating, antioxidants, hormone mimickers, inhibitors and initiators, capillary protectants, anti atherosclerosis, anti-allergenic, antihistamine, reduce gastric acid secretions (antiulcer), protective against cataracts (especially in diabetics Quercitin), antiviral (Hyssop blue giant Spurge Euphorbia spp.), ascorbic acid initiator, hepatoprotective, protective to anaphylactic smooth muscle contractions, mutagenic in micro organisms, may be mutagenic in mammals in high doses (extrapolated for Quercitin from Ames Test).

Other: Flavonoids provide protection from environmental carcinogens: drugs, pollutants, insecticides anti-allergic, antihistaminic, anti-proliferative, cholinergic, fungicide, fungistat.

Quercitin: inhibits biochemical events associated with tumor promotion. It's a "blocking agent" of metabolic activation, also induces enzymes involved in detoxification of carcinogen, rats had 48% lower incidence of breast cancer, lab studies show it inhibits colon cancer, topical application inhibited skin cancer in mice. Antiproliferative activity in breast cancer in human breast cells. Protective against gastric and colon cancer. At 18 grams quercitin not mutagenic to mice. Antioxidant. Capillary protectant.

Source: rinds of fruit, clover blossoms, ragweed pollen, apricots, wild eggplant, Herbs: artemisia, southernwood, glechoma. Analog: isoquercitin from nasturtiums.

Fisetin: anti-cancer, antioxidant

Source: Bark

Luteolin: Anti-cancer, antioxidant

Source: yarrow, dill, celery, tarragon, oats, peppers, cayenne, shepherd's purse, chamomile, lemon,

Genistein: genistein with mitomycin C induced cancer cell differentiation, genistein in high concentrations can cause differentiation of cancer cells, i.e. returning to normal cell from cancerous cell. Genistein also promotes production of good estrogen 2-hydroxlyestrone.

Source: legumes, soy products, prunus spp., rose, Podocarpus spicata

Daidzen: anti-cancer

Source: soy beans, red clover.

Myricetin: possible protection from skin cancer

Source: bayberry bark

Tangeretin maybe preferential over quercitin more active in lower concentrations....anti invasive action, inhibits cancer cell growth.

Sources: bitter orange, orange

Apigenin antioxidant, anticancer

Food source: parsley, celery, glechoma (gill over the ground), oats, peppers

Nobiletin inhibits cancer cell growth.

Source: mints, mountain mint leaves, fruit of bitter orange.

Silymarin (silybin) liver protection, antioxidant

Foods source: Milk thistle seeds.

OTHER BIOFLAVONOIDS

PLANTAGOSIDE (pansies, buckwheat eucalyptus leaves); CATECHIN (berries, tea, parsley carrots); COUMARINS (cabbage family, citrus); KAEMPFEROL (grapefruit, soybeans Cuscuta reflexa, leave of Trichosanthus cucumeroides) GINKGOLIDES, BILOBALIDE periferal circulatory problems (Ginkgo trees)

Indications for human consumption: BIOFLAVONOIDS appear in our urine, bile and other locations of the body. They are probably prepared for absorption by gut flora. They are potent antioxidants in the gut. Appear to strengthen heart thrust, strengthen capillaries, build heart tissue, improve peripheral circulation, anti cancer in many ways, cleanse and rebuild liver tissue, antihistamine effect in elevating allergic response, inhibit metabolic reactions and initiate other metabolic processes.

Bioflavonoids Isoflavonoids

-Bioflavonoids comprise over 10,000 plus unique plant chemicals

We ingest on average about 1 gm per day of mixed flavonoids.

Non-toxic, no reported cases of dermatitis or anaphylaxis

Mutagenic in high amounts Ames test.

Vital role in vascular plants for 1 billion years...Part of our diet since our existence.

In plants they provide the color of Fall and the colors of flowers, found in all parts of the plant, flowers, roots, seeds, fruits and nuts.

Flavonoids are anti-allergic, anti-anaphylactic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, cardiotonic, hypotensive, anti-rhythmic effects, capillary strengthening, improve peripheral circulation, anti bacterial, anti viral, anti cancer (anti proliferative, differentiate, anti-carcinogenic, anti oxidant, free radical scavengers, receptor site competitors to hormones), anti-zenotoxicants, antihistamine, inhibitors and initiators of numerous other metabolic processes.

GENISTEIN (Prunus, Rosaceae, Podocarpus spicata); SILYMARIN (Milk thistle); QUERCITIN, FISETIN(Rhus continus and rhodanthema): APIGENIN (parsley, celery, Anthemis nobilis flowers) TANGERETIN (citrus); PLANTAGOSIDE; RUTIN (pansies, buckwheat eucalyptus leaves); CATECHIN (berries, tea, parsley carrots); COUMARINS (cabbage family, citrus); KAEMPFEROL (grapefruit, soybeans Cuscuta reflexa, leave of Trichosanthus cucumeroides)GINKGOLIDES, BILOBALIDE periferal circulatory problems.

Indications for human consumption: Bioflavonoids appear in our urine, bile and other locations of the body. They are probably prepared for absorption by gut flora. They are potent antioxidants in the gut. Appear to strengthen heart thrust, strengthen capillaries, build heart tissue, improve peripheral circulation, anti cancer in many ways, cleanse and rebuild liver tissue, antihistamine effect in elevating allergic response, inhibit metabolic reactions and initiate other metabolic processes. Go to Prostate

What Comes from Edible Flowers (including flavonoids)

NUTRITION: ESSENTIAL FATS; ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS; VITAMINS;

MINERALS; TRACE ELEMENTS; POLYSACHARIDES.

TYPICAL ESSENTIAL OIL CONTAINS 100 UNIQUE CHEMICALS.

THESE CHEMICALS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS OUR OWN. MANY ARE PHENYLPROPANE THE PRECURSORS OF AMINO ACID SYNTHESIS. EASILY UTILIZED AND ELIMINATED.

HRT AND THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER

RISKS:

-One out of every eight women develops breast cancer in their lifetime.

-One in every one hundred Ashkenazi Jews may carry the BRCA1 gene. Carriers have an 85% rate of developing breast cancer.

-In the female population at large only 1 in 800 carry the mutated BRCA genes.

-HRT may increase risk of breast cancer by a factor of 1.3 to 1.7 times.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM:

-HRT estrogen only therapy may increase protection from heart disease and osteoporosis, but may increase potential for endometrial cancer and may slightly increase chance of breast cancer.

-Estrogen plus progestin (estrogen plus synthetic progesterone) provides protection from endometrial cancer. But may increases (slight) increase in breast cancer. This combination does provide protection from osteoporosis and heart disease.

-Other reasons for hormone replacement therapy: birth control, prevent hot flashes, less cramping, and night sweats and helps regulate menstrual cycle.

HRT AND BREAST CANCER RECENT STUDIES:

-Harvard: Long term use of HRT regardless of formulation increases risk of breast cancer: 3% chance with HRT and 2% without. Risk diminishes rapidly when women cease HRT. Use for over five years increased incidence of breast cancer to 1.3X-1.7X over non-HRT population. These risks are minimal compared to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetics (see below).

-Hutchinson(Cancer Research Center Seattle) Suggests estrogen plus progestin did not increase risk of breast cancer.

GENETICS:

-Thus no one risk factor proclaims dire consequences except women carrying rare BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (85 out of 100 carriers get breast cancer).

PREGNANCY: Teen and early twenties pregnancy has increased risk for breast cancer initially that becomes less of a risk post menopause. Late pregnancy (30 years or older) has increased post menopausal risk of breast cancer.

DIET:

High fat diet appears to contribute to high incidence of breast cancer in United States especially in obese post menopausal women whose fatty tissue produce a form of estrogen.

Educated , middle class, health conscious who have put off child birth slightly more at risk.

ENVIRONMENT: Xenoestrogens mimic estrogen in the body and are prevalent in environmental pollutants, pesticides, plastics and pharmaceuticals. To name a few: atrazine, chlordane, DDT, endosulfan (insecticide), kepone (ant and roach bait), methoxychlor (insecticide), PCBs, break down products of polycarbonate (vegetable and meat tins, plastic coated juice boxes); cimetidine (ulcer treatment) and synthetic estrogens for birth control and HIT. Xenoestrogens are carried in animal fats and oils and to a lessor extent in vegetable oils.

Biochemistry: Estrogen and progesterone stimulate breast cells to grow and divide. There are active sites on the breast cells where these hormones initiate this activity. Two metabolites of estrodial activate the breast receptor sites. One is called 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone (bad estrogen) and 2-hydroxyestrone (good estrogen). These products stimulate breast cells to grow and divide.

Good estrogen (2-hydroxyestrone) is a weak cell growth initiator and higher amount of this metabolite may be desirable. Overstimulation of breast cells may lead to breast cancer.

HYPOTHESIS: There are competitive estrogen like bioflavonoids in plants that raise serum levels of the less active (good estrogen) 2 hydroxyestrone--2 hydroxyestrone weakly activates estrogen receptors in breast. Whereas (bad estrogen) 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone strongly activates the receptor with growth promoting genes, which enhances breast cell proliferation and perhaps damages DNA. Genistein in legumes and particularly in soy bean products compete with estrogen and are inactive. This may be the reason why a large longitudinal study of Japanese Hawaiians who ate tofu as a regular part of their diet showed reduced rates of breast cancer. Tofu is an excellent source of calcium, low in fat, full of soluble fiber that bulks cholesterol. It appears to be hypotensive. It may, as a regular part of the diet, provide cheap insurance against breast cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease.

What May Help:

Exercising, staying lean and eating a healthful diet including estrogen mimickers that compete for estrogen sites (legumes, edible flowers, cabbage, broccoli and fruit, especially berries at least 5 times a 100 gram serving, ie five servings per day, may provide protection from osteoporosis, heart disease and breast cancer. But use HRT if the benefits outweigh the risk (unwanted pregnancy, hot flashes, sedentary lifestyle, etc.) Remember that if you have BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes risk are high, HRT may make things worse (no hard evidence of this yet and no inexpensive screening technique for finding the BRCA1 gene).

Purpose of Hormone Replacement Therapy

To prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, pregnancy, menstrual cycle regulation, reduce hot flashes, cramps, night sweats.

Estrogen plus progestin appears to be best choice.

Increased incidence of breast cancer with HRT may be 1.3 to 1.7 times...The higher rate (1.7X) is for women 60 and over who have had more than 5 years of HRT and continue to take it.

HRCA1 and HRCA2 genetics are rare (1 in 800; Ashkenazi Jews 1 in 100) but assure a 85% risk of breast cancer.

Obesity appears to be a contributor factor in many cancers, including post menopausal breast cancer. However, overweight may provide some protection pre-menopause.

Early pregnancy teens and early twenties, show early propensity for breast cancer and late (post menopause) protection from breast cancer. Pregnancies after 30 years of age appear to increase potential for breast cancer.

Plant flavonoids from fruit, flowers, broccoli, cabbage, leaves and particularly legumes my be cancer protecting. They are free radical scavengers (antioxidants), and may induce de-carcinogenesis (in laboratory models and animals studies). Bioflavonoids like genistein aid in the production of good estrogen 2-hydroxyestrone that is a weak cell growth initiator.

Advice: See a Physician you are comfortable with and respect before beginning any program, especially from self diagnosis.

If you exercise, eat a good diet high in bioflavonoids you may be providing protection against osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. But if you believe HRT makes your life more comfortable and provides needed protection then consult with your physician and consider taking or staying with the therapy. Until we have a diagnostic test to screen for HRCA1 and HRCA2 it's a wild card but odds are long unless you are of the Ashkenazi lineage.

LAST WORDS: Women most likely to get breast cancer are educated, health conscious, middle-class women who have put off childbirth are the least likely to need lifelong HRT to prevent heart disease and osteoporosis

Replace saturated fat calories in diet with high fiber, complex carbohydrates, 12% protein (40 to 70 grams depending on your lean body weight and activity level) in your diet should be adequate.

Colorectal cancer

Caffeine may Antagonize Adenosine

(may raise blood pressure)

It animal studies, it appears caffeine blocks receptors for the neurotransmitter/neuromodulator adenosine. Adenosine effects the relaxation of gastrointestinal smooth muscle; facilitates coronary vasodilation; inhibits blood platelet aggregation and stimulates triglyceride (fat) formation in adipose cells (fat cells). Adenosine also has neuro-regulatory functions in the central nervous system. It inhibits the firing of neurons. It controls the release of many neurotransmitters, including serotonin, GABA and others. Adenosine may act as a tonic control, dampening nerve firings in the brain. In effect, it may be anti-convulsive, suppressing activity and arousal. Also, Adenosine from nerve and other cellular tissues is increased during metabolic stress and oxygen deprivation. This mechanism assures there is enough adenosine available to dilate blood vessels restoring blood flow and oxygen to tissues in deficit. Caffeine appears to be antagonistic to adenosine, blocking or attenuating its functions. In this way, caffeine may gain its stimulating effect and short term performance enhancements by blocking Adenosine receptors, attenuating the nerve dampening activity of Adenosine.

Class Outline for Natural Health

This material is copyrighted. Please do not share this disk. You may use material for your personal use, or professional use, but do not hand out topics from this disk.

Replace saturated fat calories in diet with high fiber, complex carbohydrates, 12% protein (40 to 70 grams depending on your lean body weight and activity level) in your diet should be adequate.

Numbers below are plus or minus 5%:

Calcium

Calcium functions in body:

-structural support (bone formation)

-formation of teeth

-calcium ions assist muscle response, contraction and relaxation.

-nerve function and response

-blood pressure control and blood clotting

-immune system integrity and response

-acid/base balance in blood

-may protect absorption of too much aluminum*

-anti PMS when used with magnesium adequate Vitamin D (ratio calcium 2-1 with magnesium)

Calcium should be consumed with a meal or as part of a meal. Adequate stomach acidity is necessary to improve solubility of calcium for absorption. Thus, bitters prior to a meal in the form of beer or bitter salad greens may improve calcium availability. Interestingly, some of the most abundant plant sources of calcium and most absorbable are cruciferous and mustard family plants including: bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, rutabaga, turnip greens and watercress. The sharp and somewhat bitter taste of these greens may improve release and absorption of their high calcium content by increasing stomach acidity by reflex response.

Vitamin D

It is necessary to adequate sun exposure to assure sufficient manufacture of vitamin D a factor necessary for the absorption of calcium. Vitamin D acts on all three organ systems that control calcium in the body: the bones, intestines and kidneys. Vitamin D can raise blood calcium by accelerating absorption in the intestines.. Working with parathormone Vitamin D promotes reabsorption in the kidneys rasing blood calcium levels. Vitamin D and parathormone also stimulate osteoclast cells to dissolve bone, releasing calcium into the blood

Bone Supply

Bones provide a continuous and substantial bank of calcium the body can draw from in times of deficiency. In times of surplus the bone supply is replenished. Calcitonin, a thyroid hormone, lowers calcium in the blood by stimulating bone osteoblasts to build bone. Conversely, if blood calcium is too low, parathyroid glands secrete parathormone that with the assistance of vitamin D raises blood calcium levels by acting on the bones and kidneys.

Bones contain 99% of the body's calcium and serve as a calcium bank and a framework for the body.

Plant sources

Wild Plants: watercress, dandelion, purslane, lamb's quarters, pigweed, stinging nettles, red clover shoots, Herbs: marjoram, licorice, celery seed, basil, thyme, savory. Other foods: cruciferous plants, mustard family, tofu, soy milk.

Absorption Complexities

Too much phosphorous or too little is not good.

Too much vitamin D or too little is not good.

Absorption is diminished with aging (personal advice: Don't age!).

Lack of stomach acid is not good but too much is not good.

High fiber diet diminishes calcium absorption but protects you from heart disease and cancer.

High protein intake diminishes calcium, although meat has good calcium content.

Lactose in milk improves absorption but Seven Day Adventists believe high protein content in milk diminishes availability.

Phytates in beans and soy products diminish absorption by binding and removing calcium, but soy beans have a very high content of calcium.

Oxalates from sorrels and spinach and many other plant foods reduce calcium availability.

Good ideas:

-Exercise outdoors provides exposure to sun and vitamin D formation in skin. Exercise puts load on bones and strengthens them improving calcium absorption and bone density.

-Eat a broad variety of plant foods, with an emphasis on cabbage and mustard families.

-Add tofu (calcium chloride set tofu) and other soy products to your diet.

-Drink skim milk judiciously.

-Improve stomach acid by adding bitters to your salad greens, typically these bitter greens are also high in calcium... Or sip a beer before a meal.

-Eat root crops, nuts and seeds, flowers all fair calcium sources with phytosterols and essential fatty acids that provide starter material for production of your own hormones.

-Phytoestrogens from plants may also be beneficial. A few studies show phytoestrogens like genistein improve calcium absorption and bone formation.

-Spinach although fairly high in calcium is also high in oxalates that block absorption. Eat no more than once or twice a week.

Class Outline for Natural Health

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Osteoporosis and Menopause

Women are six times more susceptible to bone loss with aging than men. Over 25 million people are effected in the United States. Remember over the years your body has been using the bone bank of calcium to keep serum levels adequate to meet metabolic needs for muscle contraction, nerve response, pH buffering in blood, immune system integrity and performance, blood pressure control and blood clotting. If your stores were great in old age you will have adequate reserves.

But loss of both cortical bone (white outer structure) and trabecular (lacy inner structure) can lead to bone breaks and spinal compression may be the result of osteoporosis.

It appears that post menopausal HRT Hormone Replacement Therapy may prevent accelerated bone loss due to loss of estrogen during and after menopause. Bone loss in women is accelerated for 6 to 8 years following menopause. This sudden bone loss tapers off in women about 8 years after menopause.

Women who have higher peak bone mass prior to menopause appear to fair better because they have sufficient bone reserves to avoid fractures in their 60's and 70's. Thus building bone mass early in life appears important. This can be done by eating a calcium rich diet combined with moderate exercise. Anorexia like weight loss and too much indoor activity without outdoor load exercise may put your calcium reserves in debt sooner than you want.

Phytoestrogens from tofu may be helpful prior to, during and after menopause.

A few Women athletes are susceptible to bone loss due to amenorrhea induced by weight loss and over exercising, called athletic amenorrhea.

Long term consumption of carbonated soda (pop) may effect bone density leading to the onset of osteoporosis.

Also see caffeine.

Parkinson's & Lou Gehrig's (ALS) Disease and Aluminum Absorption

Ralph Garruto, Medical Researcher and Anthropologists at NIH is investigating the link with shortage of dietary calcium and increased absorption of aluminum in Chamorro people on Guam.

Chamorro have high rates (50-100 times) of Parkinson's Disease and ALS (Gehrig's Disease).

Increased aluminum absorption in the absence of sufficient dietary calcium is detrimental to the body and the brain. Aluminum poisoning in the brain destroys neurons and eventually leads to death. Calcium supplements may ease this problem. Aluminum is found in many plant foods, calcium protects us from getting too much. Alzheimer's disease has been linked to excess aluminum in the brain. Once again interesting evidence that we should make certain we are getting ample calcium.

(for more on osteoporosis see My Garden Plants file database.)

Class Outline for Natural Health

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Replace saturated fat calories in diet with high fiber, complex carbohydrates, 12% protein (40 to 70 grams depending on your lean body weight and activity level) in your diet should be adequate.

Numbers below are plus or minus 5%:

Pesticides/Herbicides

Alex Lu of the University of Washington in Seattle reported at the 1999 American Chemical Society's convention (August 24, 1999) that children of people who work in the fruit orchards of central Washing State are exposed to four times as much pesticide as other children in the same community. In studies performed in 1992 and 1995, researchers discovered that dust in the home of agricultural workers contained far more pesticides than dust in other homes in the area. The closer children lived to the orchards the higher the levels of organophosphate pesticides. Children tested during the fruit spraying season had higher metabolites of organophosphate pesticides in their urine than other children located away from orchards.

Current research expanded on the early research. The latest research shows that rural children, including those whose parents do not work in the orchards, have significantly higher concentrations of metabolites in their urine than either urban or suburban kids.

Even suburban kids whose parents garden and/or use lawn pesticides and herbicides had higher concentrations of pesticides metabolites in their urine than did urban children.

Carbohydrates

Simple Carbohydrates

Monosaccharides

glucose(end product sugar for metabolic needs)

fructose (sweetest sugar from honey, fruit, corn)

galactose (milk)

Disaccharides

sucrose (fructose+glucose)

lactose (galactose+glucose)

maltose (glucose+glucose)

Complex Carbohydrates (Polysaccharides) Long chains of mostly glucose and monosaccharides)

Starch (digestible plant polysaccharide <giant molecules> from grains, seeds, nuts)

inulin (slowly digested polysaccharide (hydrolized to fructose from root vegetables)

Glycogen (animal storage form of glucose)

Fiber

soluble fiber:

pectin (beans, citrus fruits, apples)

some hemicelluloses (cereal fibers)

gums (plant secretions)

mucilage (plant secretions, many flowers)

insoluble fiber:

cellulose (cell walls)

most hemicellulose

lignins (nonpolysaccharide fiber woody parts of carrots, vegetables, trees, small seeds of blueberries, strawberries)

How to Eat Fiber

Avoid foods containing refined simple carbohydrates and precessed starches. These are especially dangerous in high calorie diets combined with fat: white bread, donuts, bagels, ice cream, cookies, chips, soda pop...These high calory foods lead to accelerated fat storage and related consequences: hypoglycemia, diabetes, hyperinsulemia, degenerative diseases including prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and other cancers...arthritis.

Eat high fiber, whole foods: vegetables, beans, fruit (fruit may be high in simple sugars but is also high in complex fiber and water, slowing assimilation of glucose, fats and cholesterol. Fruit also contain nutrients, minerals, trace elements and health protecting phytochemistry.).

Glucose is stored as Glycogen. There is limited storage capacity in the body for glycogen .

When the body meets its energy needs and fills its energy stores with glycogen the body breaks glucose into fat and is stored in the fat cells in the fatty tissues of the body.

This problem is rare unless the person is eating high energy foods that are also high in fat, or combined with other high fat servings in the meal (beef, pork, bacon, eggs, etc.)

The excess glucose is stored as fat, the fat is stored as fat, and as I write I am getting fatter and fatter. Better get out and get some exercise.

When glucose levels in the blood fall below normal a person may feel weak and dizzy. You may experience during exercise this phenomenon. A carbohydrate drink may help. On the other hand, you can get a similar effect by eating before an event. This may occur while doing exercise after a big meal, or high glucose treat of refined simple sugars. What happens is that my glucose levels go up, insulin is secreted, perhaps over secreted, my glucose levels go down as quickly as they spiked. And I am in a hypoglycemic state, with low blood sugar, dizzy, weak.

Whole foods, whole grains and fruit are carbohydrate rich but bulky and fibrous. They are low in fat, slow glucose assimilation, slow fat digestion and bind cholesterol. This contributes to weight maintenance at a healthy level and prevents diseases of obesity.

Sugar rich foods are potentially dangerous because they provide lots of calories without other essential nutrients.

More active people can eat more refined starch (pasta, etc.) than sedentery people because they will use the extra energy in their workouts.

Remember, plant fiber slows down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, so glucose enters the blood slowly.

Protein in the diet promotes the secretion of glucagon, opposing the secretion of insulin, keeping blood glucose in the normal range.

Asides: Fiber is digested by lower bowel bacteria, forming short chain fatty asides that can be assimilated and used for energy purposes. This gut flora metabolic process also manufactures gas.

Stress increases blood glucose levels. Coffee stimulates the adrenal glands and may also raise blood glucose levels while at the same time raising blood pressure.

Recommendations: eat small, frequent meals of whole foods. Eat crunchy, chewy, bulking, fibrous plants foods. Cut back on fat rich animal proteins. Stop eating so much prepared and fast foods, especially foods made with processed starch, refined sugar and fat.

For weight maintenance: I need about 60% of your calories from carbohydrates (on average about 300grams). Of this amount 25 grams or more should come from fiber.

For weight loss: I need 60% of calories from carbohydrates, but about 40 grams are from fiber. To lose weight I kick up my fiber in the diet and take a mineral supplement. (Talk with your holistic health care provider to design a diet best for you.

For diabetics: Eat a low fat, high complex carbohydrate and fiber diet greatly restricting refined sugar and refined and processed starches.

-Two cups of broccoli has less glucose from 2 teaspoons of sugar.

-Six apricots has the glucose equivalent of 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Cancer and Diet

To avoid Cancer consider these dietary changes:

-Lower intake of animal protein, get protein from seeds, nuts and legumes. Too much protein may favor tumor development.

-Eat less saturated fat, largest source is from animal protein.

-Eliminate trans-fatty-acids (hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils used in cookies, pastries, donuts, candy....).

-Lower your overall calory intake to what is considered ideal for your body size and height.

-Eat live fruit and vegetables.

-Improve your ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids to Omega 6 fatty acids.

-Greatly reduce your consumption of refined sugar and refined starch.

-Eat more fiber, about 60 grams per day.

-Use olive oil instead of corn oil. Cook with water and oil to reduce heat on oils.

-Eat organically grown foods, have a garden.

-Avoid additives: flavorings, dyes, artificial sweeteners.

-Include a vitamin/mineral supplement rich in antioxoidants.

-Limit alcohol to one drink or less per day.

-quit smoking.

-avoid too much exposure to the sun.

-take a vitamin supplement that includes ample amounts of B6, B12 and folic acid, these B vitamins reduce homoscysteine levels and may help prevent cancer, premature dementia and may be linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Some Recent Cancer Research

Italian women with breast cancer consumed diets high in refined white flour products: white bread, bagels, rolls, spaghetti, macaroni, white rice, biscuits, cookies, pastries, cakes, pies and pretzels. Women who consumed more fruit and olive oil and less starch had lower incidents of breast cancer. -Francheschi, et. al. Intake of macronutrients and risk of breast cancer. Lancet 1996, May 18 1351-1356.

Women who progressively gain weight from puberty to adulthood, and specifically in the third decade of life, should be considered at a higher risk for developing breast cancer. -Kumar, et. al. Cancer 76; Jul 1995; 340-353.

Authors Note: There is disagreement between researchers on whether the above conclusions are related to over consumption of high Glycemic Index, refined starch leading to a high calorie diet and obesity...Or does the under consumption of fiber also have a contributing role. Also, most refined starch and simple sugar products like donuts, rolls, biscuits cookies and pastries are also high in fat, typically hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty-acids which are high in calories and carcinogenic (cancer causing).

The Diet for Natural Health suggests eat lower on the Glycemic Index; raise the amount of fiber you consume; and stop eating animal fat. Get your fat from plants. Improve your ration of Omega 3 to Omega 6....That is use less margarine, corn oil.

Moderate your calory intake until you reach your ideal weight. then add enough calories to keep your weight under control.

Conclusions: Eating whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables and beans may prevent breast cancer and other cancers. Fiber in these foods:

-Improves intestinal tract function.

-Prevents xenoestrogen absorption.

-Slows assimilation of glucose and fat (fat cells make estrogen).

-Binds with cholesterol and bile moving them from the body.

-Optimizes bowel elimination preventing colon cancer, diverticulitis.

irritable bowel syndrome...

-Freudenheim, et. al.; Premenopausal breast cancer risk and intake of vegetables, fruits and related nutrients. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 88: 9; Mar 20, 1996: 340-348.

-Hornross, Phytoestrogens, body composition, and breast cancer. Cancer Causes & Control 6: 6 Nov, 1995: 567-573.

-Lavecchia, et. al.: Olive oil, other dietary fats and the risk of breast cancer (Italy). Cancer Causes and Control 6: 6: Nov 1995z: 545-550.

Daily exercise improves mental function, burns excess calories, strengthens immunity, improves waste removal functions and much more...(see exercise on this disk).

-Mittendorf, et. al. Strenuous physical activity in young adulthood and risk of breast cancer (United States). Cancer Causes & Control 6: 4 Jul, 1995: 347-353.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and pulses (beans) contain phytoestrogens that are weakly active and compete for breast tissue receptor sites with a woman's endogenous estrogen, thereby lowering overall response to the hormone: thereby preventing the stimulation of uncontrolled tissue growth. -Hornross. Phytoestrogens, body composition and breast cancer. Cancer Causes & Control 6: 6 Nov 1995: 567-573 (see above).

Prostate cancer is 120 times higher in the United States than in China. Prostate cancer, the second leading cause of death in U.S. men, has a dietary component and that may be the excess consumption of fat (Authors note: Chinese consumption of phytoestrogen rich tofu, and flavonoid (antioxidants) rich mung, soy and other bean sprouts may also be a protecting factor.)

-Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: animal studies, mice with induced human prostate cancer tumors had slower disease progression when fed a low-fat diet. Journal of the National Cancer Institute; October 4, 1995.

Women with a dietary deficiency of beta carotene and Vitamin A have a higher incidence of breast cancer than women who have normal diets. A loss of vitamin A may signal developing breast cancer, as breast cancer cells may not be able to receive a vitamin A signal. Vitamins C and E may be protective against breast cancer but the evidence is not complete.

-Costa, et al. Prospects of Chemoprevention of human cancers with the synthetic retinoid fenretinide; Cancer Research; 54:20325-20375, 1994..

-Hunter, et al. A prospective study of the intake of vitamins C, E and A and the risk of breast cancer. New England Journal of Medicine: 329: 234-240 1993.

-Seewaldt, VJ et al. Expression of retinoic acid receptro-b mediated retinoid-induced growth arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Cell Growth & Differentiation, 6:1077-1088, 1995.

-Swisshelm, K et al. Down regulation of a retinoic acid receptor-b in mammary epithelial cells. Cell Growth and Differentiation., 5:1133-141. 1994.

According to several studies the combined use of estrogen and progesterone in HRT may increase the risk of getting breast cancer. A more recent study in Canada refuted this evidence.

-Harlab S. The benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1992: 166: 1986

-Seeley, T. Do women taking hormone replacement therapy have a higher uptake of screening mammogram? Maturitas 1994 (Aug); 19(2) 93-96.

-Risch, et al. Menopausal Hormone usage and breast cancer in Saskatchewan...American Journal of Epidemiology 1398: 7 April 1, 1994: 670-683

CANCER PREVENTING DIET: Eat more fiber, both soluble and insoluble. Eat whole foods, avoid processed foods, especially processed starch and refined sugar. Cut animal fat consumption, use olive oil, peanut oil or canola oil judiciously. Reduce your overall intake of calories. Eat fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans containing phytoestrogens and dietary fiber. Restrict meat, chicken, eggs, white flour bakery products, refined sugar products and diary foods. Eat foods high in beta carotene and other carotenoids (anti-cancer, anti-heart disease lycopene in tomatoes) and vitamin E. Exercise daily.

TIP: REFRIGERATE ALL OILS, FREEZE ALL NUTS, SEEDS AND WHOLE GRAINS.

Fruits and Vegetables with Cancer Fighting Chemistry

Eat 8-9 servings of Fruits, Vegetables and beans per day. Below are vegetables, fruit, herbs with have anti-cancer activity.

Fruit, Vegetables, Pulses and Nuts

apples

apricots

asparagus

beans

beets

berries

brown rice

broccoli

bok choy

Brazil Nuts

brussels sprouts

burdock root

cabbage

cantaloupe

carrots

cauliflower

celery

Chinese cabbage

citrus fruits

collard greens

cucumbers

Daikon radish

eggplant

garlic

kale

kiwi fruit

mango

whole oats, oat bran

onions

parsley

parsnips

papaya

peaches

peas

peppers

potatoes

pumpkin, pumpkin seeds

lettuce with deep colors

shiitake mushrooms

soy beans

soy products

spinach

sprouts

squash

sweet potatoes

tomatoes

turnip greens

walnuts

watercress

watermelon

wheat bran

yams

Wild Plants

alfalfa sprouts

burdock root

dandelions

daylillies

nettles

plantain

purslane

red clover blossoms

sea weeds

violets, leaves & flowers

watercress

mustard

wild leeks

Herbs

basil

chives

ginger

horseradish

lemon/lime

licorice

mints

oregano

parsley

rosemary

sage

star anise

tarragon

tea

turmeric

thyme

Meat

Cold water fatty fish

Dairy

yogurt, unsweetened Lactobacillus

rich yogurt

Dietary Guidelines

Studies show 40% of cancer in men and 60% of cancer in women have a dietary cause.

Eat 20% of your calories from fat.

Use essential fatty acids, preferably olive oil, peanut oil or canola oil for your fat content. Avoid animal fat and cholesterol. Eat a Brazil nut (essential fats, selenium) and a few walnuts (essential fatty acids). Consume up to 40 grams of fiber. Eat up to 8 servings of fruit, vegetables, pulses(beans) per day. Eat 5 servings of whole grain products per day. Eat 1 or 2 servings of animal protein (you will have already eaten ample protein in vegetables, beans and whole grains). Limit calories you eat to calories you expend.

Avoid animal fat, smoked, salt cured and pickled foods. Open flame barbecued meats may be carcinogenic. Moderate alcohol consumption to one or less drinks per day. Eat more beans, more deep colored salad greens, sprouts and leafy vegetables. Drink decaf coffee. Watch less TV, one hour per day on average...Exercise every day. STOP SMOKING! WHEN ON A HIGH FIBER DIET TAKE VITAMIN, CALCIUM AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS.

Calculating Daily Calorie Needs:

-Multiply body weight by 13.

(ex: 150 lbs. X 13=1950 calories)

-Add calories burned during daily exercise (ex: during 2 mile walk you burn 200 calories, thus add 200 calories to 1950 calories=2150 calories).

-Subtract 2% of total for each decade of age after 30 years.

(ex: if 55 years old subtract 6% from total 2150x.06=129 Then:

2150-129=2021calories/day allowed).

DAILY FAT NEEDS

A person on a 2000 calorie diet eating only 20% of their calories

from fat is allowed 400 calories from fat (2000X.20=400).

Since one gram of fat contains 9 calories you may consume 44.5 grams of fat (400 cal. X 9=44.5 grams).

PROTEIN & CARBOHYDRATES

THE REMAINING 1600 CALORIES COME FROM PROTEIN & CARBOHYDRATES. PROTEIN & CARBOHYDRATES HAVE FOUR (4) CALORIES PER GRAM CONSUMED. EAT approximately 100 GRAMS OF PROTEIN/DAY ( 20% OF DAILY CALORIES). EAT 300 GRAMS CARBOHYDRATES (55% to 60% OF DAILY CALORIES). Avoid carbohydrate calories from refined and processed foods such as white flour and refined sugar.

Foods with High Concentrations of Chemicals with Anti-tumor Activity*

Many cancer fighting foods contain one or more of the following families of phytochemicals: flavonoids, phenolic compounds, indoles and thioallyl derivatives. Indoles include foods such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. Garlic, leeks, onions, chives and the like contain thioallyl derivatives. Phenolic compounds are food in fruit, vegetables and tea, green, herbal and black tea. Flavonoids found in soy, apples and thousands of other plant foods are powerful antioxidants. Here is an alphabetical list of cancer-preventing and cancer fighting phytochemicals in common foods: Chemical first, then some food sources.

allyl sulfide: chives, garlic, leeks, onions

carotenoids: red fruits, yellow/orange vegetables and fruits, green leafy vegetables

coumarins: celery, figs, parsley, parsnips

curcumins: ginger, turmeric

dithiolthinones: cruciferous vegetables

ellagic acid: raspberries, grapes, strawberries, nuts

flavonoids: fruits and vegetables of all kinds

indoles/isothiocyanates: broccoli sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, radishes

isoflavonoids: soybean products, tofu, most legumes, turtle beans very good

glucarates: bell peppers, grains, tomatoes, citrus

lignans: flax seeds, soybeans

liminoids: citrus fruit, citrus peel

phthalides and polyacetylenes: caraway, celery cumin, dill, fennel, parsley, carrot, coriander

phenolic acids: berries, grapes, nuts, whole grains

phytates: grains, legumes

protease inhibitors: grains, nuts, legumes (soybeans), seeds

saponins: beans, herbs, many roots

terpenes: cherries, citrus, herbs

tocotrienols

Source: Andrews University, Medical Botany Course, 1999. Dr. Winston Craig and Dr. Woodland.

Here are a few more plant foods that may provide cancer protection:

lemon

thyme

celery

jujuba shoot (Da-Zao)

kudzu shoot

Indian fig seed

jack bean fruit

evening primrose seed

flax hay

kudzu stem

barley plant

tea leaf

guava seed

wheat plant

guava fruit

oat plant

coffee seed

sunflower seed

pea plant

banana shoot

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Cancer Preventing Chemistry Concentrated in some Common Foods*

From highest to lower concentration...

avocado

celery

sunflower seed

apricot seed

cantaloupe cotyledon

thyme leave

lemon

English walnut

Brazil nut

watermelon seed

evening Primrose seed

cucumber cotyledon

Indian fig seed

flax seed

celery

sesame seed

English filbert

parsnip root

mace seed

butternut seed

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke. Go to cancer causing foods

HIGH FIBER FOODS

GRAINS total fiber grams and soluble fiber grams:

Brown rice 1.2 cup 5.3- 0.4

Oat bran (dry) 1/3 cup 4.4- 2.0

Oatmeal (dry) 1/3 cup 2.8 -1.3

Whole wheat bread has over 5 times the fiber of white bread, add sprouts and cracked grains and seeds to whole wheat and the fiber count goes up.

BEANS

Black beans (frijoles negros)1/2 cup 8.0- 2.5

Kidney beans, dark red 1/2 cup 6.7 -2.0

Pinto beans 1/2 cup 6.7- 2.0

Beans are an excellent source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

prunes (6 medium prunes) 8.0- 3.0

apple (1 medium) 3.6 -1.2

orange (1 medium) 2.9 1.8

grapefruit (1/2 medium) 1.8- 1.1

grapes 1 cup 1.1 -0.3

Brussel sprouts cooked, 1/2 cup 3.8- 2.0

broccoli cooked, 1/2 cup 2.6- 1.1

spinach cooked, 1/2 cup 2.1- 0.5

zucchini cooked, 1/2 cup 1.6- 0.2

Cancer Causing Foods

Diets high in saturated fat, including diets high in red meat and dairy (whole milk, butter, cheese) should be restricted and controlled. Also read labels and avoid prepared foods and oils such as palm and coconut oils. Use oils sparingly. Favor olive oil and canola oil in food cooking and preparation. breast cancer

Cholesterol and Atherosclerosis

School One: Dominant Theory

Cholesterol is implicated as causing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Conventional medical wisdom links high serum cholesterol levels with heart disease. Victims who have heart attacks and strokes are typically put on cholesterol and blood pressure lowering drugs. Their diet is restricted, cholesterol laden foods like egg yolks, whole milk, prime beef and other fatty meat products including fish and fowl skin are forbidden.

School Two: Emerging Theory

A second school of thought hypothesizes that atherosclerosis and heart disease are caused by hemodynamic (blood pressure) effects that degenerate arteries and veins under the lifelong stress of blood pressure and blood fluid dynamics in blood vessels. The hardening of the arteries is a symptom of hemodynamic stress and degeneration, where the blood vessel walls thicken and form a matrix of cholesterol laden plaque.

Cholesterol is a very necessary lipid. It is the starting material for the body to make vitamin D; bile; sex hormones and adrenal hormones...It is a structural component of cell membranes, where 90% of the body's cholesterol is found. The liver makes up to 1500 mg of cholesterol per day. Cholesterol is manufactured by the liver from carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Insulin Effect

When insulin levels remain low, cholesterol synthesis is reduced. Small meals and snacks and ample dietary fiber throughout the day keep insulin levels low.

Bitter Greens and the Effect of Plant Fiber on Cholesterol

The bitter taste of dandelion, endive, chicory, beer hops, and other bitter plant leaves, roots and flowers stimulates the entire digestive system. Hydrochloric acid secretion is increased in the stomach improving appetite, digestion and the breakdown and absorption of calcium. Peristalsis is increased. Eating bitters is anti-anorexic. The reflex action of eating bitters stimulates the vagus nerve spurring the liver to produce and secrete bile. Bile is necessary for fat and cholesterol emulsification, digestion and absorption. Bile is made by the liver from cholesterol. Dandelion and other bitter high fiber greens can theoretically lower cholesterol in three ways:

1. They stimulate secretion of bile requiring more production of bile from cholesterol.

2. Fiber in the plants locks up bile in the digestive system preventing cholesterol emulsification, thus cholesterol cannot be absorbed.

3. Fiber removes bile from the body in fecal matter, requiring the liver to break down more cholesterol to make more bile.

My favorite bitter greens are dandelions, lovage, evening primrose leaves and chicory. Mesclun mix European bitter salad greens are beneficial. Try endive, arugula, watercress, radicchio.

These diet induced metabolic activities may effect atherosclerosis, reduce stroke, and lower blood pressure <hypertension>.

Cravings

Psychological, Metabolic and Nutrient Deficiencies

Men make more of the neurotransmitter serotonin than women.Women crave sweets perhaps because they produce less serotonin.

Men may crave protein. Excessive protein may lower serotonin levels, via mechanism that allows other amino acids to compete with tryptophan for access across blood brain barrier.

Cravings may be the body's way of letting you know what you need. Chocolate craving is like an addictive behavior. You develop a need for the taste, palate and mood boost chocolate provides. Chocolate is stimulating and satisfying. It contains elements we crave: sugar, fat, magnesium and the chemical mood elevator phenylethylamine, the "feeling like falling in love chemical". Research suggests cravings that are suppressed or neglected lead to binge eating and added weight gain. Solution: If you crave chocolate eat some. Satisfy the need. Do it judiciously. Just a bite or two.. Not the whole thing. Eat unsweetened chocolate, lower in calories. Then increase your activity. Get on with your day. Forgive yourself your sins.

Debra Waterhouse, author of Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell, suggests that women are more likely to crave bread, ice cream and chocolate, while men crave meat, pizza and potatoes. I can hypothesize that this is partly due to men producing up to 52% (McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Nishizawa, et. al.)* more serotonin than women. If you have low serotonin levels you may be subject to depression, fatigue, bulemia, carbohydrate cravings, binge eating. In a fasting rat study, it was discovered that carbohydrates raise serotonin levels, protein lowers serotonin levels. Thus, men may crave protein because of ample serotonin levels, whereas women may crave sugar and carbohydrates because of reduced serotonin levels. Given that many women crave carbohydrates and simple sugar but still may have low serotonin levels suggests that there may be a mechanism keeping levels low, regardless of nutritional intake. Numerous plant foods have serotonin; one I like is avocado, also pineapples and bananas. I believe that mood elevation and serotonin levels can be raised by exercise. Keep your expectation and ego in check. All this is hypothetical of course, but it cost little to try these ideas.

Protein then Carbohydrates 3 hours later

More about Serotonin ( a neural transmitter): There have been a few reviews about serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin may play a regulatory role in virtually every type of behavior. A few experiments suggest that serotonin levels in the brain modulate eating, craving and binge eating. Fasting rats fed first a high protein meal followed no less than three hours later by a high carbohydrate meal had increased production of serotonin (5-HT) in the brain. Conversely, if rats are fed first a high carbohydrate meal followed by a high protein meal brain serotonin levels would drop. The reason for this is that tryptophan the precursor (stimulator) of serotonin production shares a common blood-brain barrier transport system with a few other amino acids. These amino acids including leucine, isoleucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine and valine,* compete with tryptophan for transport from the blood to the brain. A high carbohydrate diet releases a surge of insulin into the blood which effectively moves glucose, fatty acids and amino acids* from blood plasma into...

*These are referred to as the large neutral amino acids (LNAA) and share with tryptophan the LNAA transport system through the blood-brain barrier.

other tissue. With the help of insulin, tryptophan is in a higher blood various other tissues. Tryptophan is unique in that it binds with albumin in the blood and is not concentration in the serum of a carbohydrate loaded rat and has little competition for the blood-brain barrier transport system. With more tryptophan available in the brain serotonin levels rise. Increased serotonin levels in the brain may decrease appetite and facilitate weight loss.

Drugs that Increase Serotonin Levels

Increased serotonin levels in the brain may also be stimulated by drugs.

Fenfluramine, fluoxetine and dexfenfluramine (Redux) are agonists to serotonin, that is they increase its production. As mentioned, increased brain serotonin enhances the satiating effect of food; it may slow the rate of gastric emptying leading to a feeling of fullness; and may increase heat production in endotherms (warm blooded animals). Appetite suppression is a key role serotonin plays and a better understanding of the neurotransmitter may lead to better weight control. Saint John's Wort, Hypericum perfolatum, contains hypericin, a MAO inhibitor that keeps serotonin levels high.

Increased serotonin levels in the brain may fight obesity and may lower agressive behavior, and may help resolve some obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

(For more on serotonin see: Principles of Neuropsychopharmacology, Feldman, Meyer, Quenzer, 1997.)

Mineral Deficiencies and Craving

Iron deficiency may cause cravings such as: pica, ice craving, clay craving, paste craving, geophagy . These needs are both caused by iron deficiency and may cause iron deficiency.

Geophagy may be the body's attempt to get minerals in a colloidal way...But geophagy also chelate (claws) minerals from body.

Pregnancy cravings: induced by hormone changes that change sensitivity of taste and smell.

Cravings for fatty foods like potato chips, pretzels, crackers, doughnuts, other junk foods

is triggered by variety mechanisms:

-too much protein causes carbohydrate craving

(carbohydrates need fat for proper glucose utilization)

-sodium/potassium pump may cause salt craving

-sugar craving is related to bodies need for glucose

-Primal cravings like these are genetically controlled

to protect us.

*see Procedures National Academy Science USA 1997; 94:48223-4824, 5308-5313.

Protein and Craving

Protein cravings like cravings for salt, sugar and fat are biologically programmed. Protein is vital. Its was once hard to come by. Now we have it in abundance. Domesticated meat is heavily mottled with fat. Modern animal protein sources provide more fat than we need. We need fat. We crave fats because like, sugar, protein and salt, fat was difficult to come by in the primal diet. Wild animals and wild plant foods of the primal diet had little fat, salt, sugar and protein when compared to modern diets rich in these nutrients.

Salt and Sugar Cravings

Sodium and potassium salts are necessary for the proper functioning of cells and nerves. Sugar, sweets provide glucose that is necessary for all metabolic functions of life.

We Must Eat an Appropriate Balance of Carbohydrates and Protein

Without the appropriate intake ratio of carbohydrate to protein we will crave either one or the other. Men who naturally produce more serotonin than women tend to crave protein, whereas women with lower amounts of serotonin crave carbohydrates. Carbohydrate snacks before a protein rich meal may actually reduce serotonin levels.

The production and inhibition of serotonin in the brain causes cravings. Eating the correct ratio of carbohydrate to protein helps avoid serotonin based cravings. And from animal studies it appears that eating protein first, followed after three hours with a carbohydrate snack may raise serotonin levels.

Body Needs Drive Cravings

Paul Rozin's now famous study of laboratory rats and thiamine deficient foods suggests that we crave foods that contain nutrients, minerals and vitamins we need. Rats that had been fed the thiamine (B1) deficient diet were presented with two dishes of exactly the same food, save one of the dishes had thiamine in it. As you might expect, the vitamin deficient rats selected the thiamine rich food over the dish without thiamine. If we expand this experiment and others to the human experience it may be that our cravings are for foods that contain nutrients we are deficient in. As a footnote, the thiamine deficient rats learned to avert, shun the thiamine deficient foods and correctly select thiamine containing formula.

Tips:

-Stress causes craving. Avoid stressors, learn how to cope with them.

-Thirst causes cravings. Keep well hydrated.

-Being housebound provides easy access to food. Get out and exercise.

-Watching television and the numerous food commercials leads to overeating and craving.

-Supermarket shopping should be done after you eat, not before you eat. A hungry person buys rich and fat heavy foods.

-My skinny Japanese friends eat huge breakfasts. Is this why they are so thin? They, on average, take in up to 1000 calories for breakfast. They have an ample lunch too. But eat few sweets and rarely snack.

-Add variety to your diet. Variety fills nutrient needs, lowers craving.

-Overeating can be caused by our need for variety in our diet. For example, large meals, such as at Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas and other holidays cause overeating. This excess of food volume may be due to our need for variety and experimentation. More choices lead to more eating.

Emotional Cravings

Much craving is emotional. When you crave foods hug someone. Don't let go until cravings pass. Tell the lucky person you are hugging that you are craving foods and are filling the hunger (the void) in your body with her/his love. This may satiate the craving.

Endogenous Opioids and Stress

Stress stimulates the release of endogenous opioids that increase craving for highly palatable, high fat, high sugar foods. These opioids may cause you to continue to eat when satiated, may cause you to spend more time eating, may increase eating speed...What's interesting is that in a low level stressed out state eating highly palatable foods such as fat and sugar may recycle the endogenous opioid response, a vicious continuous circle of overeating. Disatisfaction with self, poor self concept may trigger palatable food craving and initiate the endogenous opioid cycle.

Menstrual Cycle Craving

The three phases of the menstrual cycle influence craving. The follicular or premenstrual phase typically stimulates more craving. This craving decreases with ovulation (menstrual phase) and decreases further with the luteal phase (postmenstrual)(Dye and Blundell: Menstrual Cycle and Appetite control, Human Reproduction 12: 1142-1151, 1997 and Dye et. al., Food craving during the menstrual cycle and its relationship to stress, happiness and depression, J. Affective Disorders 34: 157-164, 1995)

There is an increase of estrogen and serotonin in the postmenstrual phase leading to stable mood and normal appetite.

During ovulation there is a luteal hormone surge and an increase of endorphins, slight increase in appetite and positive attitude. In the luteal postmenstrual phase there is an increase of progesterone and estrogen with a decrease of serotonin and endorphin withdrawal leading to irritability, dysthymic condition where cravings for sweets, fat and chocolate increase.

Why We Crave

Putting the foregoing together it appears we crave foods for a variety of reasons:

1. We may be nutrient deficient and our body needs the nutrient we crave.

2. We may be nutrient deficient and our body craves the nutrient, but we still make the wrong food choices. For example, pica and geophagy may provide the deficient nutrient but it may not be bio-available. Clay provides calcium and other minerals in a form that may not be assimilated.

3. You may crave hot foods to kick up your lack of energy or body heat.

4. You may crave foods that cool your body or lower stress and energy levels.

5. Cravings may occur to try to fill emotional needs: lack of love, lack of satisfaction in life or work, stress depleted mind and body.

6. You may crave foods to seek comfort and fun. This relates to 5. above.

7. You may crave food because so visual cues, environmental cues, conditioning and convenience. That is advertising and vending machines are omnipresent.

8. You may crave because of imbalance of neurotransmitters like serotonin.

9. You may have a culturally adapted craving for pasta, meat, rice, potatoes.

10. Hormones initiate craving: craving may be most intense at the postmenstrual and ovulation phases of the menstrual cycle.

11. Opioid Cycle: stress can initiate craving for palatable foods that release opioids intensifying our cravings.

12. Biomechanical and biochemical aspects of food may cause craving (crunch, sensory feel, pharmacological (serotonin, opioid release) and nutritive aspects such as need for calories, minerals, trace elements.

13. Reflex response to eating bitter foods that stimulate bile, acid release and increase peristalsis (see below).

14. Psychology of food craving: food used as a reward, pleasure, comfort. When physical hunger is disregarded in favor of emotional hunger. One perceives feelings as hunger.

15. Broken self-imposed rules may lead to binge eating. Binge eaters are typically "dieters" low blood sugar and low serotonin levels trigger response as well as feelings of deprivation from forbidden foods leading to a loss of control following violation of self-imposed rules.

GUILT and BINGE EATING

Binge eating may result from cravings from breaking self-imposed rules. Take for instance that box of chocolates sitting in the frig or on the counter that you have skirted by all day. But finally you give in and eat not one (as you promised) but eat five or six pieces. This type of binging is triggered often by the guilt of breaking down, giving in to your craving. This is called disinhibition or loss of control following a violation of a self-imposed rule. Don't have the box in the house. Buy your chocolates one at a time, make it a treat not a meal. I keep my wife's chocolate in the freezer out of sight and out of mind.

More Controls for Your Cravings

You crave to stifle or muffle your inner voice, to escape what you should be dealing with in your life. In her book, CONSTANT CRAVINGS, Doreen Virtue suggests that cravings are caused by unresolved emotions. These unresolved emotions place us on a treadmill where we try to achieve weight loss and weight maintenance, but instead we run in place, going nowhere, failing to achieve our goal. Doreen suggests we seek peace of mind instead of weight loss. With peace of mind weight control is possible, improbable without it. So seek comfort and fun. Recreation and leisure are healthy escapes. And in dieting and craving exercise is not an option. It is a necessary component of a healthy life. It is a daily endeavor. Work it into your schedule.

You can have all the diet information, nutritional knowledge, all the gimmicks, fads and diet programs available, but until you get control your emotional needs, weight loss and controlled cravings may not be possible. Cravings are caused by the voids created by fear, anger, tension and shame. You may need professional help to rid your self of these emotional cravings. Remember, if your hunger is in your brain or mouth it is probably an emotional need. True hunger emanates from the gut.

Consider Reflex Cravings for Foods

Eating bitter foods can increase your cravings. Bitter greens, roots and the like can increase appetite by stimulating the entire digestive system and related organ systems. Bitters increase peristalsis, the movement of smooth muscle

in your digestive tract. This is helpful prior to a meal or during a meal. Beer drinking for example puts weight on you twice. Once from the calories in the beer, and twice from the snacks you crave while drinking the bitter brew. Stomach growling is a natural reflex to eating bitters.

Latest research suggests that hormones my cause cravings and this may explain why Orientals are typically thin. They eat many foods that have naturally occurring plant hormones that mimic our own hormones but are less active. They compete with our endogenous hormones and lower hormone response. Try eating more legumes, live plant foods, seaweed, tofu, tempeh.

Tips to Controlling Craving

For PMS craving consider eating small frequent meals, occasionally eat chocolate, exercise. Aromatherapy may be helpful. Visit your herbal pharmacist a have them suggest aroma candles or oils to stem your particular craving.

Craving is like a wave, it gets more intense, rises to a crescendo and then subsides....Ride the wave. Meditation is considered helpful as is message. When craving intensifies consider exercise, get out of the house and away from the convenience and availability of food. Watch less commercial TV. Expect a stimulus and response from visual advertising of food...You see it and you crave it. Eat more vegetable that are high in fiber and low in calories.

Craving chocolates? Then open a can of your favorite vegetable: green beans, peas, beets, asparagus and enjoy. Eat when physically hungry. Learn to recognize the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger. Limit fruit juice. If drinking orange juice, dring "high pulp" juice. The flavonoids in the fibrous pulp favor vitamin C utilization and the fiber slows sugar absorption and impedes cholesterol breakdown and fat absorption. Make meals enjoyable and significant, not something you grab and run with. Eat protein, limit bread, pasta, rolls, sugar, sugar drinks, animal fats. Seek a supportive relationship to help you "urge surf" through bouts of craving. If no one is available talk yourself through it. Eat what you like and enjoy. When eating do nothing but eat. Eat 5 small meals per day. Make foods palatable and tasty, satisfying. Keep your animal fat calories down, stay away from sugar. Don't give in to restrictive diets. If not physically hungry try to discover the reason for your hunger and deal with it: write down your feelings, change your perception of the situation, change negative thoughts, avoid advertising cues that trigger cravings. Be positive. Avoid extremes of always and never. Don't focus on the negative focus on the positive. Don't try to read the minds of others, you don't know what they are thinking. Do not believe that negative inner voice, seek a positive inner voice. Forget guilt ridden words like: ought to; must; have to. Don't blame others for your problems. Distraction is one of the best ways to escape craving: dance, shoot baskets, tennis anyone, let's walk....Leave the craving environment. Talk about your craving and what you think triggers them, seek tips from others. Avoid social isolation. Get down to your community college and start filling your nights with classes: dancing, racketball, foreign language, etc... When craving focus on it. Try to discover where it is coming from. What does it feel like? How strong is the feeling? Does it occur elsewhere? Remember you may not feel better if you give into the craving. Or, at least, your satisfaction will be short lived. We are conditioned to eat at established times and feel we must eat then (I'll die if I don't eat now!") You don't have to eat at a given time, you can survive for days without food. You are not starving.

Remember everyone craves. Craving is uncomfortable, but you do not have to give into it.

Colorectal Cancer

One in twenty Americans develops colorectal cancer. With early diagnosis it is about 95% curable. The presence of benign polyps and tumors may be without symptoms. So you may not be aware you have the disease. Most frequent symptom is rectal bleeding. Excessive bleeding may cause anemia. tumors and large polyps may block intestine which although rare may cause excessive watery diarrhea. Benign polyps over years may develop into malignant tumors due to genetic insults. Malignant transformation typically occurs in adults over 50 years of age. Family history of colon cancer or personal history of of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel syndromes and/or gastritis may increase one's susceptibility to colon cancer. Dietary risks include: high fat and high sugar diets, diets high in red meat and low in fiber. High salt diets. Smoking may aid in the development of colon cancer. Consumption of more than two alcoholic drinks per day may increase risk. Sedentary lifestyle may be conducive. Diets higher in fiber, fruits, vegetables, folate and calcium may be protective. Exercise is protective. Aspirin may be protective.

Data on increased dietary fiber and reduced risk of colon cancer is not conclusive. Adequate fiber does reduce constipation and diverticular disease.

Aspirin users may have protection. NSAID's like aspirin inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) enzymes that assist in inflammatory prostaglandin synthesis...this type of inhibition has shown in animal studies the reduction of colon cancer. One COX inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex) significantly reduced polyps in Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) victims. This hereditary disorder often leads to colon cancer.

Treatment of colon cancer is the surgical removal of the tumor(s). Lesions spreading through tumor wall is called stage 2 colon cancer. Radiation and surgery are used to treat this stage. Stage 3 tumors: spread to the lymph nodes requiring chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Stage 4: is treated by the removal of the bowel and often removal of metastases from the liver. In addition immunotherapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are performed. Stages 3 and 4 have a bleak prognosis, but new therapies

SCREENING:

-Fecal Occult Blood test: tests for blood (iron) in feces.

-Digital rectal exam.

-Sigmoidoscopy: flexible tube investigation of lower two feet of colon where over half cancers occur.

-Colonoscopy: flexible tube exploration of entire colon, including air inflation of colon.

-Barium enema: chalky substance inserted in colon with air. X rays provide visual evidence of growth.

Personal Practice: I, Jim Meuninck 58 years old, practice colon cancer prevention by adhering to a low fat, low sugar diet with ample fiber. I eat 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. I take a multi vitamin supplement as well as extra vitamin E and essential fatty acids in the form of flax or fish oil; Ginkgo biloba tablets 120 mg.. Plus I imbibe regularly of a mixed lactobacillus formula coupled with one aspirin 85 grain per day. Exercise daily for at least one hour.

References:

Modern Drug Discovery P. 25-28. May 2000.
Thun, M. Journal Exp Med. Bio 1997, 400A 395-402.
Van Cuisen, E., et al. Summ. Am. Soc. Clin. Oncol., 1999, 11, abstr 900.
Kemeny, N. et al. New Eng. J. Med. 1999, 341, 2039-2048.

Plant Sources of Lysine and Proline for Building Collagen

Collagen is a protein building block for bones, teeth, tendons, ligaments, scar tissue and the glue between cells of arterial walls providing arteries with strength and flexibility .

Bones and Teeth: Cells lay down a matrix of protein collagen and fill if with crystalline phosphorous, calcium, flouride and other minerals.

For the body to build collagen it needs the amino acids lysine and proline as well as vit C and copper....

Good plant sources of lysine:

All are over 10,000 parts per million (ppm) per 100 grams: highlighted (bold type) plants are over 20,000 parts per million (ppm) per 100 grams.

Highest sources are in bold type.

cassie, amaranth, dill, peanut, asparagus, oats, annato, achiote, black mustard, Chinese cabbage(19,000 ppm), broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, pigeon pea, carob, celandine seed, lambsquarters seed, garbanzo bean, chaya, taro, Jew's mallow, pumpkin seeds (19,500ppm), summer squash, soybean, hyacinth bean, lettuce, lentil, watercress, black cumin, parsley (18,700 ppm), tepary bean (19,400 ppm), lima bean(19,000 ppm), green bean, pigeon pea, pistachia, purslane, winged bean, white mustard, spinach, fenugreek, wheat, fava bean (19,200ppm), adzuki bean (17,290 ppm), mungbean 18,200 ppm), asparagus bean, cowpea (18,000 ppm).

Good proline plant sources over 10,000 ppm per 100grams. Bold type over 20,000 ppm.

Indian fig, lima bean, purslane, almond, winged bean, almond, sesame seed, white mustard seed, spinach, fenugreek, wheat, faba bean, mung bean, cowpea, corn, velvetbean (19,000ppm), watercress (19,000 ppm), water lotus seeds, black cumin, okra, cassie, chives, pigweed, peanut, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, carob (18,000 ppm), lambsquarters, chickpea, watermelon seed, Jew's mallow, pumpkin fruit and seed (-+17,000 ppm) soybean,

sunflower seed, butter nut, lentil. Go to Bioflavonoids and Cancer

Core Diet/ Carbohydrate and Protein

Diet for Natural Health Theme

Four steps to weight reduction and disease prevention.

1. Reduce your craving and consumption of refined sugar, animal fat and highly processed white flour products.

2. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet by eating whole foods particularly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

3. If you must eat meat use it as a condiment or a flavoring agent, not the main course.

4. Exercise 5-7 days per week, the equivalent of a 2 mile walk.

DETAILS

Replace fat calories in diet with complex carbohydrates, lower the amount protein eaten.

All guidelines that follow are plus or minus 5% of total calories in a 2000 calory diet.

Carbohydrates 50-55%

Fats 20-25%

Protein 25%

Percentages based on a 2000 calory diet.

RESEARCH: Weight lifters may want to increase their dietary intake to 30% protein and reduce carbs accordingly. This information is based on research from Arizona Stat University, Dr. Carol Day and her associates studying the thermic effects of a higher protein diet as compared to the USDA recommended diet. This higher protein ration increased calory burn without muscle loss.

Your approach to diet is intuitive. Try to imagine how humans hunted and gathered food, how they prepared it. Basically, it was simple. Some foods were eaten right off the plant, raw, unprocessed and uncooked, high in fiber. Other items, like root crops and game were cooked in pits or in the coals of the fire. A few plants were processed, threshed, thrashed, winnowed, pounded to pulp, washed, fermented. As time went on, we became more accomplished preparers of food. Recipes became more complex, preparation time increased until today world cuisines are variegated, intricate and unique. There are thousands of ways to prepare food in China, Italy, Central America, Brazil, France and the United States. I have been fortunate to taste a hugh variety of foods from the distant quarters of the planet. It is one of the greatest pleasures in my life.

Unusual Diets

Eating can be a religious experience, spiritual. A diet may be very restricted, controlled and contrived. Vegans eat no meat. An Inuit's diet is virtually all meat (environmental restrictions). Pork is taboo to Moslems and Jews. Yet, pork is the most important food to the Maring of New Guinea. Beef is forbidden to India's Hindu. Some say food must be cooked....Others say it should be eaten raw. Some people always process certain foods, others never process their foods. The USDA says peel vegetables and fruits (to avoid contaminants)...I know people who never do. After all my travels and studies it appears to me their is only one bad diet. I call it the "Fast Food American Diet". This diet is a good fit for our fast paced lifestyle and a bad fit for our good health and longevity. This is a diet high in fat, sugar, refined starch, salt and cholesterol. The "Fast Food American Diet" is a bad diet. Good diets have a few things in common...What follows are some common threads.

How Our Diet Evolved

We are a chemical soup made up from the foods we eat. We eat plants or animals that eat plants. Thus, our chemistry is made up from plant chemicals taken directly from plant foods, or indirectly from animal flesh. We are, if you will, plants with wheels.

Pleistocene primates the progenitors of modern man were foragers, scavengers, predators. As compared to our fast food diet, our ancestors ate:

-less fat

-less sodium

-less refined sugar

-much more fiber.

Early human diets were often deficient. Food was not always available. There was lack of appropriate cooking and preparation techniques, such as washing, peeling and cooking, that may have proliferated disease.

It is a fact that human gut proportions imply our diet was of nutrient dense foods.

We do not have the extra gut dimensions of grass eating animals, yet our gut is longer and more efficient than carnivores. We are somewhere in between.

Foods then and today are chosen at least cost and risk: Thus, we are omnivorous. We eat what is easily available. This was an evolutionary advantage when food was difficult to procur and sometimes scarce. Today with an abundance of easily available food we make bad choices and often overeat.

Early ancestors relied on an arboreal diet of fruits, leaves, insects, nuts, seeds, eggs, flowers. As we escaped the trees the diet broadened especially with the invention of the stick to pry. With tools we could forage roots efficiently, thereby adding a new source of nutrient dense foods to our diet.

Roots may have made up 25% of diet of the early hominid diet.

We were then and are now generalists not specialists. We are gatherers, growers, predators. We prepare food, crave variety, preserve, transport, store and share food....This is unique in the animal kingdom. We can have more than we need and often do.

For millions of years we had a steady population of about 3 million worldwide. Then agriculture exploded our numbers. We now grow more food than we need. These superfoods: rice, tofu, corn, millet and bread (wheat) were preservable, storable, tradeable.

Primal Women were the greatest contributors to the human feast. Their efforts gathering available plant and animals provided 60% of calories. Whereas men who hunted were less production. The hunt then as today was often an unproductive waste of time and treasure. Yet, to this day our most desired food is meat.

The first animals to be eaten were probably insects, grubs, worms, frogs and lizards. With the invention of tools and weapons small animals were added to the bread basket. They became important for their high fat content: raccoons, opossum, ground hogs.

Hunting and especially gathering provided a broad range of food: nutritional variety. Women gathering and men hunting is not a novel human invention. One of our closest lower primate relatives the chimp employs divisions of labor: males hunt, females termite (gather).

Unlike other animals we evolved many unique capacities. We are hairless sweaters who could run down game and strike it with hand held weapon created with our nimble hands and creative consciousness. We can do what no other animal can do: obtain unseen food with cognitive mapping and female mobility. Spatial distance between supplies was obviated by transporting and sharing and temporal distance between food supplies overcome by preservation and storage.

Average primal humans travel about 1500 miles on foot per year. About 5 miles per day. Thus, exercise-walking in particular- has always been a vital component of life...Much neglected today.

Our search for variety, more space and abundance populated us around the globe.

A Danish Iron Age man, recently unearthed, had 50 species of plants in his stomach. Whereas modern humans prefer about 10 foods on average, our primal ancestors ate over 100 different foods, and some primal groups ate over 300 different foods.

The advent of agriculture about 10,000 years ago narrowed diet and led to malnutrition and population growth. Subsistence agrarians became smaller in stature. These first farmers became the gatekeepers of food supply...We ate what they grew, our diet narrowed. Eventually, food would be treated as a commodity not a nutrient. It's monetary value would become more important than its nutrient value, its safety.

We enjoy new food choices in America. Today the opportunities are greater than ever. Our diet is once again broadening. But for many these new choices are often bad choices. With our busy lifestyles we often eat fast, fatty, sugary, salty, overprocessed, packaged foods. These are expensive convenience foods that can be ruinous to our health when overconsumed.

A Balanced Diet

Most ethnic groups build a meal around a starch and a protein. These food choices have evolved over a long period of time, trial and error, they are nutritious and support long life.

The breakdown in calories for a typical ethnic diet is: 60% starch 20% protein.

Here are some examples of the starch and protein components of typical cultural diets:

rice and tofu....Oriental

maize, yams, and beans....Native American

skinned potatoes and meat....Irish

whole grain pasta, tomatoes and meat....Mediterranean

rice and beans....Indigenous Central American

fries and hamburger....American

cassava and grubs.....South Pacific, Amazon

millet and yogurt....Middle East

bread, beans, rice and fish....Belize

mogongo nut and game...

These carbohydrate/protein combinations provide life sustaining nutrients: glucose, protein and fat. Other essential phytochemicals and non-essential nutrients are made up from what we add to these combinations including: fruit, vegetables, other roots and tubers, flowers, leaves, condiments, herbs, seeds, nuts and grains.

Balancing Carbohydrates and Protein

If you eat too much protein you crave carbohydrates, if you eat too much starch (carbohydrates) you crave protein. Several amino acids that make up protein are antagonistic to tryptophan, lowering serotonin levels initiating a craving for carbohydrates. Carbohydrates increase production of tryptophan, precursor of serotonin. More serotonin helps induce sleep.

All groups of people appear to have the same protein requirements. Lack of protein makes us less able to respond to trauma and infection.

Salivary enzymes and other enzymes are broken down in lower digestive tract and re-utilized.

Children with inadequate protein uptake 1-4 years of age may have brain damage, although they are receiving adequate calory uptake.

Adults require 60 gms protein per day. Vegetarians may need over 100grams of great variety to get all essential and non-essential proteins.

Protein undernutrition is protected against by more efficient use of amino acids present in body.

Some indication that gut bacteria (nitrogen fixing) provide us with amino acids. Also, dead gut bacteria are broken down and their amino acids absorbed.

Protein in milk may inhibit calcium absorption from milk rich diets.

It Takes More than Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat

Flavor Principles

The flavor principles of various cultures employ herbs and spices. Herbs, spices are important in a variety of ways. They provide health protection, they are preservatives (antioxidants). In the past, they improved the taste of rotted food. They improved the palatability of bland food. Cultural food seasonings can blunt the fear of new foods by adding familiar taste...Today cultural flavor principles provide the themes of ethnic food: peppers, tomatoes, lemon, garlic, soy sauce, curry, olive oil, peanut oil, basil, oregano, sesame seeds, olives.

The Diet for Natural Health provides numerous recipes incorporating ethnic and cultural flavor principles. Cultural flavor principles are antioxidant rich. They provide health protecting phytochemistry. They are natural nutraceuticals that make food more interesting and nutritious. Flavor principles of the Orient, Mediterranean, India and Native America have protected these cultures for thousands of years. they contain in them numerous chemicals modern science has identified that protect us from degenerative disease such as cancer, heart disease, atherosclerosis, diabetes and arthritis.

Cultural Dietary Enigmas

Eskimos have high a fat diet without consequences seen in Europe and US.

Fish oils high in the Inuit diet (Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids) are protective lowering cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, anti clotting. Inuit (Eskimo) lack the digestive enzyme sucrase. They have difficulty digesting sucrose, a sugar that is not readily available in their environment (genetic drift, if you don't have it, in time you evolve away from it, to cease to exist).

Europeans, African herders and Middle Eastern people retain lactase enzyme activity to digest milk lactose into glucose and galactose which then can be absorbed in small intestine. Many Asians, Native Americans and others do not produce lactase.

In Japan, they heat milk and sweeten it to break down the lactose. Lactose deficiency leads to bloating, flatulence and diarrhea.

Race and Cultural Factors: Europeans are light skinned. This allows them to produce more Vitamin D in less sunlight available at higher latitudes with their long lightless winters. Vitamin D is necessary to absorb and utilize calcium, calcium from milk for example. Darker skinned races are protected from the sun so they do not produce too much vitamin D which could poison them.

Cultures that continue to drink milk after weaning have developed lactase persistence. This allows them to digest lactose. This genetic drift, this ability to digest lactose appears to be about 40,000 years old.

African herders have a high meat and high milk diet but low or normal cholesterol serum cholesterol levels. This may be due to the fact that much of their milk is fermented; although tests are contradictory. One observer notes that these high fat consuming African's almost universally chew spruce gum. Does the chewing of gum, and the release of digestive enzymes in the mouth that are then swallowed have anything to do with the Africans ability to eat fat without ill effects? This appears to be an easy test: does chewing gum lower cholesterol? The diet of African herders does fluctuate between periods of have and have not; seasonal fluctuations between high fat and low fat consumption. Their ability to efficiently utilize fat may be some economy mechanism at work.

Many nutritionists and Medical Doctors believe we drink too much milk. They believe vegetables and pulses may be better sources of calcium and protein. Milk protein may actually interfere with calcium absorption. Empirical evidence appears to contradict this.

Ethanol (alcohol) metabolism is fast in Chinese and Japanese, slower in southern Europeans. Japanese women (like all women) absorb 1/3 more alcohol than men, because they lack sufficient alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme. My experiences in Japan revealed that the Japanese were quick to get drunk, and that Japanese women typically avoided alcohol. There is less alcoholism in Asia because of cultural beliefs. Drinking is extensive but hidden in Japan.

Native Americans who are genetically related to Asians have facial flushing (acetaldehyde intolerance) and fast alcohol metabolism.

Native Americans and a few primal people have thrifty genes providing a quick release of insulin to hyperglycemia. This insulin efficiency inhibits the breakdown of fats. Thus, more fat and calories can be stored in times of plenty (feast/famine syndrome). When these indigenous people take on a fast food, high fat, high sugar, high salt Western diet they store more fat, become obese and have high incidence of diabetes and other degenerative diseases. This condition is called "New World Syndrome". People suffering from this condition have diabetes gallstones, high cholesterol, gall bladder cancer and arthritis. Research has shown with the Pima Lakota Sioux and other tribes that return to a traditional diet enjoy preventative and curative effects. This therapy includes a return to traditional diets of high fiber, root crops, beans, maize, slowly digested complex carbohydrates.

Africans have evolved the genetic efficiency to retain salt due to high perspiration in hot and dry climates. This thrifty gene prevents sodium loss. During slavery Black Americans fed poor quality, had much diarrhea, but salt conservation trait saved many lives. Their electrolytes stayed relatively high even after much body fluid loss. In modern world, Africans may have more hypertension due to high sodium retention.

Good and Bad

European populations that carry the recessive gene for cystic fibrosis may have increased resistance to tuberculosis.

A few populations that practice subsistence animal husbandry have what appears to be inherited resistance to helminthic zoonoses (parasitic worm disease).

Spanish descendents that settled Margarita Island of the coast of Venezuela birth 1 out of every 2000 children with a syndrome that produces: missing or peg shaped teeth, scaly skin, partially fused fingers, brittle hair, scaly skin and cleft palate or cleft lip. A mutant gene is responsible for the disorder. It is a recessive mutation and those carrying one copy of the mutant gene may be immune to herpes virus infection. the absence of the nectin-1 a cell surface protein, does not afford the herpes virus a hand hold to enter the cell. Unfortunately, this is a case where the defect (cleft palate) is worse than the protection the syndrom may afford.

(continued in cultural evolution, dangerous human practices and other sections of this disk)

Creativity

___ You like to add new skills to your repertoire of things to do.

___You would rather build it yourself than have someone build it for you.

___Television is a learning tool and not just an instrument of entertainment.

___You like to build sand castles, throw rocks, and look for fossils.

___You can find great joy in your mind's eye.

___You tell kids stories, and like to be told stories.

___You can fix minor problems with your car or home and don't have to wait for others to help you.

___If something comes too easy, it wasn't any fun.

___You like to go to a bar, cafe, restaurant and talk, discuss and interact. A sports bar is not for you.

___You still practice drawing, you have no aversion to crayons, and are quite handy with them.

___You would rather make a greeting card than buy one.

___Every day is an opportunity to make someone happy.

___You seldom prepare a dish exactly the same way.

___Your home is full of things you have made. Well, at least two or three things.

___You share your creativity with others, and enjoy hearing about the achievements of others.

___It would be cool to invent something useful.

___You really admire and respect people who can create with their hands.

___Every good book adds a dimension to your life.

___Any creative person could develop a page better than this.

___Not all great artists are recognized, this you know from experience.

___If you feel this effort is a waste of time better check the course of your ship.

Paleo Diet; Cultural Diets and Flavor Principles

Lifestyle and living conditions have changed but genetics have not.*

Sources

-Randal, JM. The time scale of genetic change and Boyden ed. The Impact of Civilization on the Biology of Man. Canberra, Australian Nat. U. Press 1970.

-Jones et al. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution. Cambridge U. Press. 443.

-Shostak, et. al. The Paleolithic Prescription. Harper and Row, 1988.

-Meuninck, Corson, Behnke-Strasser, Diet for Natural Health. Media Methods; 1998.

-Cohen, Mark, Health and the Rise of Civilization, 1989, Yale University Press.

Our recent and ancient ancestors consumed a diet lower in saturated fat and sodium and higher in protein, with more antioxidant vitamins and calcium and the same amount of cholesterol as the current American diet. Paleolithic diet was lower in omega-6 fatty acids, higher in omega 3 fatty acids--with minimal amounts of trans-fatty-acids (rare in Nature).

Paleo and ancient humans ate:

-three times more protein than moderns (33% Vs. 12%) -about the same amount of carbohydrates (but paleo carbs were complex with little sugar and refined starch, more fiber)

-1/16th the amount of refined sugar as moderns

-twice as much calcium

-1/4 as much sodium

-4.5 times more vitamin C

-7 to 8 times as much fiber: 150 grams vs. 10-20 grams for moderns

-1/2 the anmal fat

-less omega 6 (cancer causing, inflammatory disease causing and platelet aggregating) and more beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. Imbalance of these fats in favor of omega 6 may lead to more inflammatory diseases, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

20,000 BC Late Paleolithic Diet Nutritional Composition:

Paleolithic vs. Current American

21% fat 40% fat

45% carbohydrate 48% carbohydrate

34% protein 12% protein

150 grams 50 grams

2grams sodium 4-6grams sodium

520mg cholesterol 300-500mg cholesterol

Paleos ate slightly more cholesterol than moderns: Paleo 520 mg v. 300-500mg moderns.

Flavor Principles:

dried, smoked, salt, rancid

Major causes of death: high infant mortality, human/animal induced trauma, diarrheal diseases, environmental injuries, parasitism and slow infectious diseases. Short life span, but deaths not due to degenerative diseases, rarely lived that long.

Japanese Diet

Japanese people smoke as much or more than Americans. The pollution covering their country is as severe and perhaps worse than ours.

Given these disadvantages, you may be surprised to discover the Japanese are documented as

the longest lived people on Earth.

They have the largest number of documented centenarians on the globe.

Japan has low rates of heart disease and low rates of certain cancers including: breast, prostate, lung cancer and colon cancer.

Japanese rates of diabetes and obesity are lower than the U.S..

Rates of high blood pressure and stroke are higher in Japan and China as is the average rate of stomach cancer as compared to America. Japanese sodium intake in 1950 was 15-30 grams per day and remains high today. Pickled and salt cured foods are still a staple especially in rural areas. Tobacco smoking is also considered a factor in high incidence of stroke.

In 1950 (before the Western invasion of high fat, highly refined carbohydrate foods) the nutritional composition of the Japanese diet was:

1950 1990 US today

9% fat 21% fat 40% fat

79% carbohydrate 64% carbohydrate 15% trans fatty

13% protein 13% protein acids(carcinogenic)

15-30grams sodium 15-30 grams sodium 4 grams sodium

Average Japanese calorie intake was 2098 calories.

Japanese diet: (food groups prioritized by amount of calories)

-rice and noodles.

-Tofu, tempeh and other soy products

-Numerous vegetable, fruit and seaweed choices.

-Fish and shellfish, sea mammals

Flavor principles: soy sauce, ginger, various alliums, rice wine vinegar, rice bran oil.

Major causes of death: accidents, degenerative disease, stroke, stomach cancer.

Both in China and Japan as their economies have improved and they have adopted more of the high fat, high refined carbohydrate of the American diet so has there been an increase in adult onset diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Greek Diet

Greeks (and southern Italians) eat more processed milk products (cheese, yogurt) and less whole milk and butter than other Mediterranean countries.

About two thirds (2/3) of these dairy products came from goat and sheep milk.

A Greek's Diet:

1. Is low in saturated fat and high in monosaturated olive oil. Olive oil is the largest calory provider to Greeks than any other single food.

2. It is rich in carbohydrates.

3. Rich in vegetables and legumes.

4. Provides twice as much fruit as Americans.

5. Contains four times as much alcohol as Americans in the form of red wine.

6. Is composed of four times as much bread and cereal as ours.

7. Provides ten times as much fish as ours.

8. Contains one third as many eggs.

9. On average contains 30 times as many beans (by grams average per day over a year).

10. Is low in fatty red animal meats. Fatty red meat is associated with prostate and colon cancer.

Nutritional composition of Greek Diet:

Greek American

37% of energy from fat 40% of energy from fat

8% from saturated fat 18% from saturated fat

35 Grams/day of meat and poultry 273 grams of meat and poultry

Longevity and death in Greeks as compared to Americans:

- On average Greek men live 4 years longer than American men and Greek women live 1 year longer than American women.

-Greeks die more from stomach cancer (pickling and salt?) and Americans die more from heart disease, stroke, breast and colorectal cancer.

WHAT'S WITH OLIVE OIL THE SINGLE LARGEST CALORIE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE GREEK DIET.

-olive oil raises HDL (High Density Lipoprotein, good cholesterol) and prevents harmful oxidation (antioxidant) of LDL (whereas corn oil lowers HDL).

-contains no cholesterol.

-contains antioxidant vitamin E

-contains phenolic antioxidants with antithrombotic effects (3,4 dihydroxy-phenol ethanol).

-low in saturated fats

-decreases omega 6 in phospholipids, cholesterol esters and serum triglycerides.

-associate with rise in omega 3 linolenic acids without modification of archidonic acids.

-oleic acid in olive oil increases omega 3 fatty acids in cell membranes

-squalene in olive oil may rehabilitate scar tissue, increases heart activity, expands blood vessels and inhibits atherosclerosis.

-monounsaturated fats in olive oil are beneficial in the treatment and prevention of Adult Onset Diabetes (NIDDM).

Some anomalies in perfect Greek Diet:

-high alcohol (carcinogenic) in diet may be offset by phenolic compounds (anti-atherosclerotic) in red wine.

-a high refined carbohydrate diet leads to hypertriglyceridemia(increase of triglycerides in blood) may account for high levels of death by stoke. Another contributing factor to high levels of stroke may be the consumption of salted and pickled foods.

India's Diet

The Indian diet is primarily vegetarian, high in antioxidants. Curry was used to preserve foods before refrigeration. Its strong flavor and pungent odor masked spoiled foods and provided a variety of tastes to bland or unexciting dishes. Curry contains numerous herbs and spices which have anti-cancer and other health protecting characteristics.

Indian Flavor Principle:

Curry powder

turmeric, Curcuma longa: antioxidant, antimicrobial, simulates flow of bile, sprinkle on wounds, digests fats, antidysentery, protects liver, anti-inflammatory, reduces cholesterol, anti-clotting, anti cancer, phytochemical: curcumin.

coriander, (cilantro) Coriandrum sativum: digestive aid, anti infection anti fungal, anti inflammatory in animals, lowers blood glucose levels.

fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum: reduces cholesterol, demulcent for sore throats, uterine stimulant may bring on late menstruation, mile anti-inflammatory, may lower blood glucose levels, does so in animal studies.

cumin, Cuminum cyminum: migraines of digestive origin, digestive aid, improves assimilation of other herbs and nutrients, may improve liver function.

red pepper Capsicum annum: anti-inflammatory, cold stages of fever, asthma, old age stimulant, varicose veins, externally anti inflammatory and anti-pain.

black pepper, Piper longum: improves digestion, decongestant, antibiotic, analgesic.

cinnamon, cinnamomum sp.: antimicrobial, specific to E. coli and Candida albicans, eugenol (analgesic) digestive aid, Japanese study says reduces blood pressure.

ginger, Zingiber officinale: ulcers, nausea, warming, motion sickness, nausea, ulcers, colds coughs , influenza, peripheral circulation problems warming, diarrhea, vomiting, uterine bleeding blood in urine.

star anise, Illicium verum: abdominal pain, digestive aid, antifungal, antibacterial, lumbago, cold hands, coughs, breath sweetener.

clove, Syzygium aromaticum: gastroenteritis, intestinal parasites, nausea, vomiting, hiccups, impotence, stomach chills, externally for toothache, insect bites.

cardamon, Elettaria cardamomum: indigestion, nausea, vomiting, enuresis, pulmonary complaints, copious phlegm. Tinctured herb subject to legal restrictions.

fennel, Foeniculum vulgare: digestive aid, mild estrogenic effect

nutmeg, Myristica fragrans: diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting, indigestion, colic, externally for toothache, excess internally may give headache, insomnia internally

laurel leaves (bay )Lauris nobilis: antioxidant, indigestion, poor appetite, colic, flatulence, externally in baths dandruff, rheumatism sprains, bruises, scabies, atonic ulcers.

allspice Pimenta dioica: diarrhea, flatulence, exhaustion, externally muscular aches, chest infections.

garlic Allium sativum: antibiotic, heart disease lowers cholesterol, reduces blood sugar levels, anti-cancer, helps limit lead poisoning

There are curry powders, pastes and mixes. Find vegetarian curry at your health food store, Oriental market and Seven Day Adventist supermarkets.

Cross Cultural Recommendations: (also see dieting on this disk)

USE FLAVOR PRINCIPLES OF CHINA, JAPAN, GREECE, ITALY, INDIA AND NATIVE AMERICAN FOR ENHANCING NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FOODS AND FOR CREATING TASTEFUL VARIETY.

FLAVOR PRINCIPLES

ITALIAN: tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil.

GREEK: cinnamon, oregano, olive oil, lemon, tomatoes.

NATIVE AMERICAN: peppers, cilantro, garlic, tomatoes, corn, lime.

CHINESE: rice wine vinegar, soy, ginger, bean paste, peanut oil, peppers.

HUNGARIAN: paprika, lard, onions.

KOREAN: soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, sesame seed oil, chile.

JAPAN: rice wine, rice wine vinegar, soy, ginger.

US diet should be a high fiber, low in animal fat, low in refined foods..It's a crunchy, chewy diet of whole grain foods, vegetables, fruit and legumes with small amounts of chicken and fish.

Eat a complete protein source or combination of protein sources at two meals.

Use monosaturated fat olive oil instead of corn oil, margarine and other trans fatty acids.

Eat fruit, three kinds per day

Vegetables at both lunch and dinner, large salad daily. Three vegetable dishes as minimum at evening meal.

Add no salt

Use pepper and herbs, spices generously

Add nuts, seeds (walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds) to at least one meal every day

Calcium source at each meal tofu, fermented milk, yogurt, cheese, meat, fortified foods

Eggs two per week

Steak/game once per week if not vegetarian sirloin, round, low fat cuts only, no hamburger

Vegetated soy burger, vegetated soy protein three or four times a week.

Fish once or twice per week

Complete vegetable lunch twice per week

Diet for Natural Health Theme

Three steps to weight reduction and disease prevention.

1. Reduce your craving and consumption of refined sugar, animal fat and highly processed white flour products.

2. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet by eating whole foods particularly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

3. If you must eat meat use it as a condiment or a flavoring agent, not the main course.

Some menu ideas: ( see recipes on this disk for more high fiber meals you will soon crave)

Example of a 50 plus grams of fiber day

Breakfast: All Bran cereal one cup with skim milk, with a half cup of blueberries, and one orange(19 grams of fiber)

Snack: Two Triskets with hummus (see recipe section)(2grams of fiber)

Lunch: Cup of cooked beans in chili, or black bean soup, one slice of sprouted whole wheat bread, salad, apple (25 grams of fiber).

Dinner: Salad, side of broccoli, boiled potatoes with skin sauteed in olive oil and rosemary, protein dish of fish, game, poultry, tofu...8-9grams fiber

Snack: Hat Pepper tofu cheese over a slice of tomato on sprouted wheat bread (3-4 grams fiber).

TOTAL FIBER IN THREE MEALS AND TWO SNACKS=57GRAMS

Breakfast 1 Saturday morning

2 Eggs, whole wheat sprouted grain toast choice of whole (not juice, IF JUICE ADD PULP TO JUICE) orange, apple, pear, berries, sliced tomatoes....water,/decaf coffee/tea/skim milk.

Breakfast 2 Sunday

Paleo waffle made with Oat Bran waffle mix, egg white, low fat buttermilk, stir in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, cattail pollen, sunflower seeds, quinoa, amaranth and millet seeds. Spoon over blueberries and strawberries mixed with unsweetened yogurt. water/ decaf coffee/soy milk (silk)/ tea/ skim milk.

Breakfast 3 Weekday

Seven, nine or twelve grain cereal and sprinkle on brown sugar (high fiber will slow glucose absorption). Serve with frozen (then thawed) blueberries, add banana slice. Beveridge choice as above.

Breakfast 4 Weekday

2 or 3 slices of whole grain bread with marmalade or strawberry or blueberry jelly, no butter.

one serving of fruit or fruit yogurt. Try sliced banana over marmalade on toast. Coffee/tea/mineral water/milk

Breakfast 5 Weekday

Bowl of fortified low sugar whole grain cereal (don't add any sugar) with skim milk, crushed walnuts, fruit over top and shredded unsweetened coconut. Beveridge.

Breakfast 6 Weekday

Fruit bowl of melon, orange, berries, banana, pineapple (if can't get fresh use canned and rinse of syrup in collander) cover with unsweetened yogurt with Lactobacillus gg., beveridge.

Breakfast 7 Weekday

Whole grain, multi grain, fortified bread and tofu cheese toasted and topped with sliced tomatoes. Pear or apple.

Lunch 1

Steamed or olive oil sauteed Vegetated soy burger (Boca Burger) with pickle, tomato, onion, low cal mayo, catsup, mustard, melted low fat cheese, preferably soy cheese (try it it excellent). Garden salad (not iceberg lettuce, deep colored lettuce, dandelion leaves, lovage, nasturtiums, parsley, dill, malva leaves and the like. Mineral water. Small fruit of choice, may be cut onto salad.

Lunch 2

Hummus, sliced cucumber, onion, sliced tomato on whole wheat toast, or pita pocket, with , lettuce (leaf not ice berg) sprouts and walnuts...Lathered in olive oil, basil, oregano, tarragon, rosemary garlic vinegarette. Orange or apple or the like...

Lunch 3

Chili, or other soup, I like leftover fish soup, salad of many greens, topped with low fat

sour cream. slice of aged cheddar cheese on top or on the side.

Lunch 4

Caviar de Rancheros: see recipe at end of this guide, You may dip with fat free, oil free corn chips...Or have it over whole wheat toast. Cucumber salad made with Seasoned rice wine vinegar, pepper and dill...Sliced pineapple (wash off syrup).....

Lunch 5

Vegetated chicken sandwich or Morningstar vegetated cold cuts, with the works, tomato, lettuce,

Lunch 6

Satisfying salad: As many lettuce greens as possible, include dandelion, plantain, purslane, nasturtiums, lovage, endive, all colors of leaves, edible flowers, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, sprouts, sprinkle over Parmesan or Asiago cheese, slice in apple, cover with Italian dressing made with olive oil. This should be a big salad, drink mineral water, decaf coffee, tea, skim milk.

Lunch 7

Can of sardines, tuna, salmon made into "tuna salad" with celery, onion, relish (or diced cucumber) serve stuffed in tomato, or avocado or both...Radish seed sprouts would be great....Alternative toasted cheese sandwich with sliced pear (in the sandwich) and small salad....Or...Leftover meat or fish hot or cold with salad.

Snacks

-See recipe file on this disk for Mayan Caviar.

-Whole grain sprouted wheat toast, with slice of Wham.

-Corn tortilla with vegetarian, low fat beans, diced tomatoes or salsa, onions, salad greens.

-Bowl of high fiber cereal with skim milk.

-Apple, carrot slices, celery.

-Tossed garden greens salad with Marukan Gourmet Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar.

References:

Dinner: Scientifically I believe the evening meal was the largest meal during paleolithic and neolithic times. It was a favorite pastime, social.

How We Do dinner

Dinner: the key here is to serve three vegetable dishes and one fruit dish. So we have a salad with at least 10 different greens, flowers and herbs in it. We add sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Slice in an apple, pear or peach...Tomatoes, blueberries and raspberries when in season. Often the second vegetable is steamed or stir fried. We always use a cultural flavor principle with this second vegetable: It's curried, Italian, Greek, Native American, Japanese or Chinese. Sometimes it's an invention or combination of cultures. the third vegetable is a whole grain starch such as: brown rice, whole grain pasta, taboulleh, beans, pollenta....Or boiled potatoes with lathered in humus skin. Sweet potato. Jerusalem artichoke. Squash, often and of all kinds.

In step with all the great traditions of the world, we have a carbohydrate as just described and a protein every evening. The protein portion is tofu, vegetated protein burger, fish, fowl, beans, stews of fish, and vegetable and bean soups. Once a week we have (not Rebecca she's vegetarian) a piece of game or other lean meat.

The fruit dish is often cooked into the entre or the vegetable dishes, or sliced into the salad.

Typical dinner:

-2 or 3 servings of live vegetables, fruit, seeds= salad

-1 or two servings of cooked vegetable(s)

-1 serving of carbohydrate

-1 serving of complete protein source.

So may day requires 13 or 14 servings of food including snacks, plus condiments, about 2200 calories.

REGIMEN: Breakfast+snack+lunch +dinner+snack hour before bed (high fiber carbohydrate keep serotonin up and constant).

EXERCISE EVERY DAY FOR THIRTY MINUTES TO SIXTY MINUTES

This is exercise other than chores and works. Selfish stress reducing activity that you enjoy.

If I am cross country skiing, wind surfing, kayaking, hiking during the day I have a snack between lunch and dinner. Bringing my total to 2500 calories. On weekdays I walk every evening after dinner or during lunch, rain or shine, hot or cold. I try to do two miles minimum, but on some bitter Michigan nights I do only a mile. Weekends require hikes and a great variety of outdoor pursuits. I do not belong to a spa (personality thing, I like the outdoors). Exercise facilities are helpful, warm during cold months. I weight lift four times a week. Light weight lifting to keep tone, strength, flexibility.

______________

Resources:

-Jones, et al. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution, Cambridge U. Press. PP 423. 1994.

-Shintani, MD, MPH. Is a Japanese diet a key to good health.

-Simoulos, Artemis MD. The Medeterranean Food guide. Nutrition Today: Vol 30L 2.pp 54-61.

March April 1995.

-Meuninck, Jim. Diet for Natural Health and other files, M Files Database, Meuninck's Media Methods. Workperfect database. 1998.

-Feldman, Elaine MD. Chinese Lessons to Western Nutrition--and vice versa. Nutrition Today,

Vol 30:2 79-82 1995.

-Whitney and Rolfes. Understanding Nutrition, Seventh Edition; West Publishing 1996.

-Eaton, Shostak, Konner. The Paleolithic Prescription, Harper and Row, 1988.

-Stehbens. Lipid and atherosclerosis: An impossible causal relationship; Clinical Notes, Wellington School of Medicine, Wellington, South New Zealand.

-Eades and Eades. Protein Power, Bantam Books. 1996.

-Arnot. Dr. Bob Arnot's Revolutionary Weight Control Program, Little Brown, 1997.

Gender Roles in a Patriarchal World

Although there are numerous matrilineal and perhaps one or two matriarchal societies in observed history, this situation is extremely rare. Most societies on Earth today are governed by patriarchal religions and political bodies. Most decisions concerning family, work, religion and government are made from a male perspective. God, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Moses, Confucius: world religions are based on the revelations, needs, ambition, vision and designs of men. Women in their eonic struggle for equal participation have in many cases become cogs in the system, joining it, instead of improving or changing it. In this way, they secure its survival and their secondary role. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with the way things are. Let's take a closer look.

Food: Women are Second

In Japan, until recently, women walked behind their man. The first son in rural areas was killed so the first born could be a girl. She then would raise and foster the second son, who would inherit the household and farm. I lived three years in Japan. When visiting a friend, I watched his wife, mother and female children prepare our meal. The women cloistered in a separate room while the men ate the best cuts and portions of the meal. Later what was left was eaten by the women and children. Japanese men frequent bars, restaurants and cabarets ostensibly to entertain business associates. The truth is they drink, eat heartily of the most expensive and nutrient dense foods available: eel, salmon, tuna, squid and octopus. For dessert they have their favorite waitress or show girl sit with them, exchanging small talk laced with sexual coercion. It was not uncommon for Japanese businessmen to partake of there "dessert" later, in "discreet" and secretive places.

In communist China, female babies are adopted out in a numbers game. The patriarchal government has put "voluntary" restrictions on family size. Many first born girls are adopted out. A recent statistic showed that out of 200,000 adoptions emanating from China only ten of the children were males.

In India, to avoid expensive dowry's female children are sold.

Yanomamo mothers have killed there first born female child by stepping on both sides of stick placed across the infants neck. You may be punished or ostracized for having a first born female.

Males are mandatory for they are the warriors who secure the future of the tribe.

Iranian women wear veils. They lead restrictive lives by Western standards, but by their standards Iranian Muslim women relent to taboos to be socially distinctive, to be unique and closer to their patriarchal God.

Maring people of New Guinea, according to anthropologist Marvin Harris, have an average ratio of 15 boys to every 10 girls. But both sexes are born in approximately equal ratios: one to one.

This is a glimpse at how the world is, not how it can be. Our perspective is unique and driven by our cultural experiences. But what's right for us, isn't universally right. Each culture must reckon with their past and define their own future. It make me nervous to think that some people believe their way is the best way. Context is important. A short, spreading oak growing in a field looks different from a long spindly oak growing in a forest. But they are still oaks shaped by context...People are shaped by culture.

Dangerous Human Practices

Belief systems and how they cause disease.Disease Transfer at Contact:

What if aliens landed on our planet? They step out of their spacecraft oozing with disease. Pustules and necrotic blisters cover their skin. They are bent over, emaciated. Their deep set, yellow eyes, are striated with rivulets of blood.. Odorous breath exudes from their nostrils spewing a novel disease never before sensed on earth: it is the scepter of death to all of our kind. Our immune systems are soon overwhelmed, and, well...

This has been a common occurrence on the planet. But don't blame alien organisms. From time to time a "new" virus travels via an animal host to a place where it has never been seen before. There is devastation. Since Australipithecus left the trees infectious diseases have claimed more lives than all wars, accidents and natural disasters combined. Our flint knapping and spear throwing relatives developed habits, rituals and beliefs many of which unwittingly facilitated the onslaught of disease. This chapter deals with the wicked, weird and wonderful* ways we welcome disease to our breast.

____ * I use the word wonderful here in the classic sense: meaning "full of awe". While living in Newfoundland my "Newfie" friend John Spurvey told me of how his son drove his car off the cliff above their home to his death, "Jim, me boy, it was a wonderful sight!"

Belief Systems: Cultural Behaviors and Religious Practices that Promote Disease

Dog Love

Dogs were perhaps the first domesticated work animals used by primal people. In southwestern Ethiopia the Turkana people shepherd sheep with dogs. Ties to canine companions are interlaced into the cultural fiber of Turkana people and a few other neighboring tribes. They use dog feces for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Applications of dog waste are hand spread to seal and dress wounds. Feces is rubbed over the possessed as a defense mechanism to ward off evil spirits. Women use dog dung to lubricate and protect their skin from the weight and friction of heavy multi-layered necklaces. Specially trained "nurse dogs" are used by nurturing mothers to lick and eat feces off the buttocks of children. In an arid region, short on water, with no friendly Seven Eleven restroom nearby, these cultural adaptations make sense. Problem is Turkana dogs are the host for Echinococcosis or hydatid disease. The eggs of this life-threatening parasite are transmitted to children and adults in the saliva and feces of the dogs.

Eggs hatch and larval tapeworms penetrate the human intestine, then travel via the circulatory system to the liver, lungs, kidney, bones and brain. Larvae embed into tissue and develop into enlarged hydatid cysts. The cysts contain brood capsules and second generation daughter cysts with infectious scolices, that is, the hooked and suckered head of the next generation tapeworm.

Echinococciasis transmitted by dogs has been reported in humans from Alaska, Canada, Europe and the United States. It is rare here because we have not adopted the same cultural affection for

dogs that Turkana people have. Here's the rub, Turkanese do not associate their potentially lethal disease to dogs and dog feces. When it comes to ingrained cultural behavior it is difficult to get the unbelieving to believe what they don't want to hear. And even when they stop the denial thing, they may still continue the behavior that brings them down. This recurring theme of how difficult it is to change cultural behavior has a powerful health message for all of us.

Mort de Jour

Sometimes a law is the most effective and expedient way to stop a health damaging cultural behavior. The Fore people of New Guinea acquire a lethal viral disease called kuru from their mortuary practices. Mountain tribes people contract the invariably fatal neurological infection from their dead relatives. Bodies are ritually cut into pieces and the infected tissue of the deceased relative is rubbed over the bodies of living kin. Children and mothers are most often infected. Prompted by the cultural belief that the extinguished flesh will protect their children's health, sensitive mothers are thorough in spreading diseased blood over the bodies of their kids. Cannibalism then proceeds to dispense of the left over decaying flesh. Adult women are the culturally selected butchers of flesh and organs. Covered with infected blood the deadly virus finds entry through cuts and scraps on the women's hands and arms.

There ought to be a law (and there is) to stop this cultural nightmare. Western law forbidding cannibalism has greatly reduced the incidence of kuru disease. Some behaviors are so ingrained, so dangerous that authorities must step in. America today is posed with a tough choice: to impose the final restriction of law on the freedom of those who smoke cigarettes. Restaurants, theaters, airplanes and numerous other private enterprises have stepped in to stop the disease. The evidence for cancer and emphysema is monumental but the law against the cause, smoking, is not. It may take more laws to remove the burden of this costly cultural habit introduced by Native Americans and entrenched by Sir Walter Raleigh.

Muslim Worms

Another example of ritual causing disease is the contraction of Schistosomiasis among Muslims in Egypt. This disease is rarely found in Christians of the area. Why? Prior to prayer Muslims wash themselves in an available body of water. They walk into a river, gather water in cupped hands and pour it over their heads and shoulders. Free swimming larval cercariae are captured in the hands and dumped over the body. Under the feet of the bathers are snails spewing larval blood flukes into the water. Once attached to the body the larvae burrow through the skin and enter the circulatory system. Evidence of infection is severe itching at the site the larvae passed through the skin. Within three months adult worms migrate to the victim's veins of the bladder, liver and intestines and begin laying eggs. Victims experience inflammation in diseased organs. There is diarrhea. Fibrous capsules surround the alien eggs in the liver igniting cirrhosis. Egg cysts in other organs cause pulmonary damage and in some species of the fluke there is damage to the central nervous system. When the bather defecates, fluke eggs in the bowels are dumped into the river and the cycle begins anew: from human-to snail-back to human. Catholic Diet of Disease

There are other religious rituals that I am sure cause tremendous suffering. As a youngster attending Catholic school I was required to attend Mass every morning. As I passed through the humongous doors to the church I dutifully punched my finger into the holy water and made the sign of the cross. A hundred snotty nosed kids had done it before me, and hundreds more were to follow. Halfway through the ceremony I would be lost in a Jungle daydream, gazing at the stained glass window of Joseph chopping firewood for Mary and Jesus. As I swung from vine to vine just ahead of a great ape, I nervously chomped and chewed on my finger nails that had most recently been doused in that cesspool of holy water. The next day I was a snotty nosed kid going through the ritual all over again. Today, I understand, "enlightened" Christians sip from the same chalice of wine, that is passed from person to person, dirty lips to dirty lips. Hope the guy next to you doesn't have hepatitis.

Rub Off the Worms

Back to schistosome flukes for a minute. Right outside my door, thirty feet from where I punch these typewriter keys, is Eagle Lake. Under the ice, lethargic from the cold, are thousands of snails brooding Schistosome larvae. They were infected by free swimming larval cercaria that were released into the lake by infected ducks. In late spring, the mature fluke larvae leave the snails and swim among bathers. The swimmers, unaware of the danger, toddle in the sand, roll in the waves and dawdle in the water providing ample time for the larvae to attach to their skin. This species of fluke causes "swimmer's itch". The disease in humans is self-limiting. It never progresses beyond an itching dermatitis. It would take genetic modifications for the "swimmer's itch" fluke to pass through the human immune system barriers to its penetration. So, not yet. Maybe someday. The best way to prevent "swimmer's itch" is to vigorously rub your skin dry over your entire body upon leaving the water. That's good Little Medicine.

Tsetse Spirit Possession

Hausa tribes of Nigeria attributed sleeping sickness to "spirit possession". The British colonial government explained to the people the disease was not caused by "possession" but by a parasitic flagellated protozoans, transmitted by the Tsetse fly that lived and procreated in the brush along streams and rivers. That's like telling Catholics that colds are transmitted by fingers doused in holy water. It may be true, but it is not what they want to hear. Hausa had to be forced by law to cut the brush from around streams and rivers. But they never believed the connection between brush cutting and decreased incidence of the disease. Years later after "sleeping sickness" was nearly eradicated the Hausa still believed the brush burning was forced labor, something they never wanted to do and wished they could discontinue. "Spirit possession" was never successfully replaced by scientific evidence.

Likewise our feel good culture does not want to believe that drug use, permissive sex, smoking, high fat consumption, excessive salt intake and superfluous gorging of refined sugar are necessarily bad. Many are rallying to the cry: "Too much science". It's believed the scientific community has nothing else to do but to criticize who we are and what we do. Backlash against science, and the news media (the deliverer of bad news) presents frustrated consumers with a dilemma: do I lead a sterile, uninteresting, tasteless life, without excess or do I simply go along with the cultural feel good message presented by advertisers (Work on this disk). Feel good habits are reinforced by values and belief systems. It becomes a fight between them and us. Television commercial writers know the rules and exploit the them versus us message. Lifestyle advertisements debunk scientists as nerds, health conscious people as hippies and freaks. Even vegetarians, environmentalists, animal rights activists have adopted groupie mentality, the self-righteous, them versus us mentality. Change can only come from inclusion not exclusion.

INSERT: Synthesis of disease causing behavior: First there is a behavior that is pleasurable or apparently benign. Then there is revelation this behavior might be dangerous. This is followed by denial: this behavior feels good, therefore can't be bad...And finally and grudgingly acceptance: it feels good but I must quit... Or it feels good, the hell with science, I will continue.

WHERE YOU LIVE MATTERS

Native hill folks in North Vietnam live in homes that are raised above the ground on ten foot stilts. Whereas Vietnamese lowland dwellers nearby plant their homes at ground level on earthen foundations. This appears to be a paradox. You would think people living on flood plains and lowland areas would want elevated homes to protect themselves from rising water. And stilted homes would be superfluous in highlands. But enter the highland mosquito, a low flying vector of malaria. This blood sucking invader of upland forests has a flight ceiling of ten feet. So a house on ten foot stilts is in sight but out of reach of the blood drinking bug. Ingrained cultural practices of lowland Vietnamese migrating to highland environments "requires" them to build their homes in the old way, close to the ground, directly in the flight path of disease vectoring mosquitoes. Lowlanders migrating to highlands have a greater incidence of highland vectored malaria. Little Medicine common sense suggests they look around them. Discover why homes in this new environment are on stilts. Then do as you see and not as you did.

Accidents happen when people cling to romanticized cultural beliefs and ignore their natural setting when building a home. Here in the United States, dream homes are washed away on flood plains. Mud slides rip houses off hillsides. People building on arid grasslands and shrub covered hillsides can kiss home-sweet-home goodbye as a wildfire rages through the dry, fuel rich environment. Likewise for sun-seeking migrants over building in water poor Southwestern states: when water tables drop out of sight they will eventually prey on all of us to bale them out.

Risky Rituals of the Workplace

In China, your choice of agricultural career can effect your health. Rice farmers, wading through mud fertilized with human waste, are often infected with hookworm. Whereas silk farmers who keep their feet dry tending mulberry leaves on high ladders are rarely infected with hookworm.

Few of us investigate the health risks of our chosen career. Accountants spending numerous hours indoors often on the seat of their pants must develop "hunter-gatherer" strategies to improve cardiovascular fitness. People working in fast food restaurants who eat free or inexpensive meals as a job perk must weigh risks and benefits of eating hamburgers and french frys everyday? High school dropouts take labor jobs, low paying, often high risk. Then there is the interplay of time and money. Juggling two jobs to have enough money to pursue your recreational interests often leaves the young person bankrupt for free time: lots of toys but no time to use them. Where are our priorities? Simplify your life!

Other occupations that cause gruesome mortality: kids killed by robbers at gas stations, Remember you are endangered when exposed by isolation: coming home from work alone, closing work alone, opening workplace alone. Young kids who drop out of school and take manufacturing jobs appear to be at greater risk than those who continue their education.

Disease Makes us Better

Wars, exotic travel vacations, economic migration, animal husbandry, agriculture, global transport of food, religious persecution, prostitution, slavery, imperialism, colonization, religious rituals, are all ways diseases proliferate. We can say with some confidence that over the last 5000 years infectious disease was the primary agent of natural selection. We have become what we are because of disease. Our not so worthy relatives and their genotype were eliminated and worthy ancestors, your direct descendants survived based on their ability to combat disease. Genetic changes that have survival advantages preserve and direct the human experience, genetic disadvantages are booted out. Wide spread evolution of the genetic predisposition of sickle cell anemia in Africans provides protection from malaria. Mediterranean area female inhabitants heterozygous for G6PD gene may be protected from malaria death by eating fava beans. Europeans have an increased resistance to tuberculosis due to the fact they are carriers of the recessive gene for cystic fibrosis. Our long history of exposure to these diseases has left many of us genetically changed and protected. Herders who for centuries have domesticated and husbanded grazing animals have changed P2 genes of the P blood group system which provides them with resistance to parasitic worm diseases (helminthic zoonoses). Also, protective antigens may be passed on by infection to clusters of people, especially families with a history of a particular disease. Although this is not a case of altered genetics. Antigens passed on to infants from mother's milk may protect the child from the disease. A reason why breast feeding is so important.

Population Timebomb

"It takes 12 years to add a billion people to the planet."

-Wolgang Lutz, Demographer

Perhaps the greatest threat to civilization is being civilized. Ill-advised development schemes that have tilted the balance of nature cause tremendous human suffering. The consequences of large scale, internationally sponsored projects in industry, agriculture and medicine all with a seemingly sensible goal have displaced humans, animals, plants and often replaced them with eco-disasters that help disease proliferate. When we upset the balance of nature we tilt the scales of success in favor of the "first organisms", the microscopic parasites: bacteria, viruses and worms. Road construction, dam projects and land reclamation destroy the natural ebb and flow of life forms. With the balance mechanisms of nature disrupted third world countries the recipients of this civilized gifts of modern technology are soon immersed in the eco-disaster spin offs: a quickened spread of infectious diseases such as trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, malaria, including fecal and chemical pollution of drinking water in population dense communities created by economic development. today 300 million people are infected by schistomiasis. New epidemics of disease soon follow the expansion of waterways and roads into tropical habitats of disease organisms.

Economic development of third world ports and the dumping of contaminated bilge water from visiting ships has spread new outbreaks of cholera. And there is the intrusion of human population into remote areas where disease host animals, such as monkeys, are encroached and diminished. As the monkeys disappear the infectious organisms jump from them to us. In all cases we subject ourselves to disease by making ourselves a much too desirable and available host. In summation, natural resource exploitation and destruction compounded by over population resurrects old diseases and christens new diseases that can travel across continents by air, quickly moving infections to distant shores before in many cases incubation is complete. In this way ever disease can be your disease. It's a small world.

Population Migration and Disease Devastation

First contact with alien people with alien diseases can be overwhelming. In the period of Spanish colonization from 1494 to 1600 between 60 and 80 million natives perished (Stannard) from infectious diseases brought to the Americas by Europeans and African slaves.

In the United States during the sixteenth century their was a similar genocide of native population by Euro/Afro disease organisms. In Hawaii 95 % of the indigenous population died by the end of the 16th century (Stannard). According to Guerra (48) diseased pigs on Columbus' 1493 return to America transmitted swine influenza to native people of the Caribbean causing quick and complete depopulation. By 1568 90% of the native population of Meso America and Andean America had succumbed to European and African diseases. Why so fast? Why so complete?

Native Americans are a homogenous group of wayfarers who came to this continent from Asia. Geographic isolation from other people required them to inbreed for over 25,000 years as they diffused down across the American continents. Thus developed a homogenous gene pool similar to that of Pacific islanders who, having come from migratory stock separated by vast spaces of impassable ocean, were isolated from European and African disease organisms. These groups with their relatively homogeneous genetic histocompatibility antigens, or MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) were virtually unprotected against alien diseases at first point of contact. This lack of genetic variation not only left the door wide open to infection but also accelerated the spread of disease between Native Americans. By comparison South Americans were predisposed to a 32% chance of disease contraction from a virus passing between them. On the other hand Africans exposed to greater cross breeding and subsequent greater genetic variation had only 0.5% chance of spreading Afro/Euro diseases among their own kind. Simply put African, Asian and European diseases were not constrained by immune system barriers in Pacific Islanders and Native Americans and were free to ravage and destroy them in staggering numbers.

This population crash spread rapidly and far. Between 1587 and 1591 96.7% of the population south of Quito succumbed to smallpox. Disease once contracted by indigenous people moved faster than colonization. (Campbell 15) research suggests that the continental smallpox pandemic ripped across the Rocky mountains ahead of European colonizers. The diseases spreading from Amerindian to Amerindian had already done their damage before remote tribes were engaged by Europeans.

An irony that has left much of the Caribbean islands densely populated with blacks is the fact that Europeans who purchased the blacks for sugar plantation labor were not resistant to yellow fever endemic in the slaves and were struck down by the disease (Kipple and Higgins (58)). today disease resistant black Americans are the majority population in most of these islands and endemic Natives Americans are gone forever.

Common Sense Protection

Our best protection from disease is Little Medicine, discover all the little things you can do to avoid big medicine. Practice prevention by strategic isolation, cleanliness, observation, common sense and intuition. Superior nutrition and physical fitness provides a complete and strong immune system. Accumulate news and information that keeps you a step ahead of what is happening. Pro-active prevention of disease is possible. Learn how to make your own protective herbal preparations. Grow as much of your own food as possible. Buy from truck farmers who value and eat the food they grow. Practice organic and sustainable food production. Wear foot protection. Going bare foot in your backyard may be okay, but the streets of your community and the backroads of the world are infested with organisms that can gain access to your brain through the soles of your feet. Breathe fresh air and drink safe water. When you eat out, eat cooked foods. Raw foods handled by careless and unclean kitchen help cause illness. Be sure the restaurant is as fastidious as you are. I spent a few extra days in Bellingham, Washington confined to observation because I ate salad greens handled by a wind surfer who had contracted hepatitis while sailing in Central America. Don't let food handlers and raw hamburger undue you.

When traveling always eat well cooked food. Stay in quality hotels with purified water. Beach front vendors of food and drinks can be tempting but where did the water come from. Were the vegetables and fruit washed with the same water that cleans the streets and shanty towns? If you drink pop or other beverages in foreign countries it may be safer to drink from the bottle than from a glass. Always drink bottled water when on the move. Keep your body well hydrated.

Don't overeat. Don't overload the natural chemistry of your mouth, stomach and intestines that protect you from disease organisms that may be in the food you eat. I once ate a piece of sliced melon, washed by stream water where upstream water buffalo defecated. I paid a terrible price for this indiscretion. Think Little Medicine.

GOOD FOOD CHOICES FOR DIABETICS

Diabetics be warned a healthy diet can be made more healthy by the way you cook meat. Recent research suggests that eating poached salmon or poached chicken (versus broiled) produces less Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE). AGE is a result of complex reactions of sugars and proteins produced as a person digests foods. Broiled and fried foods produce more AGE than poached meats. Poached foods produce less AGE linked cholesterol and inflammatory tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha).

Poached chicken lowered the blood concentrations of AGE, AGE linked cholesterol and TNF factor.

Loosing as little as ten pounds and increasing your daily exercise regimen reduced your chance of developing diabetes by 60 percnet according to a Finnish study of adults at high risk for type II diabetes.

all participants in the study were overweight and showed impaired glucose tolerance. Another similar study performed in Oxford, England did not duplicate the results of the Finnish study. The Oxford study used a population 1/3 as large as the Finnish study (for more See Science News p.11 July 1, 2000.

The Diet for Natural Health has much to offer for Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (type 1) and Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetics (type 2). But please see your physician and share this information with him or her before putting anything into practice.

Obesity appears to be a major contributor to Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). Generally speaking, the cells do not efficiently use insulin to transfer glucose in NIDDM.

This type of diabetes increases appetite, causing overeating, leading to more obesity, more and larger fat cells, with developing insulin resistance, leading to a deeper downward spiral into NIDDM.

This self-repeating cycle makes the condition progressively worse.

Weight loss is essential therapy.

The medical community suggests a diet composed of low or no fat foods and foods low on the Glycemic Index: foods that do not spike blood glucose levels.

Avoid refined sugars and overprocessed starches. Eat fiber rich, bulking foods.

Of the 20% calories in fat allowed for this diet, increase the amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (primarily Omega 3 and olive oil).

Eat more high fiber foods. High fiber foods slow the breakdown and absorption of starch into glucose, by trapping these nutrients and delaying their exit from the stomach. Thereby preventing a blood glucose then insulin surge.

Sugar Substitutes

Sidebar: Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol are found in sugar free dietary products. They are not free of calories. They do however have a low glycemic response and may be better than refined sugar used to sweeten non-dietetic foods.

Exercise

Increase physical activity and improve physical fitness this will provide numerous benefits. It is known that vigorous physical activity can delay or prevent the onset of NIDDM. Consider walking about two miles per day, 7 days per week. Start slow. One step at a time...It may take a year or more before you reach this goal. Consult with a physician.

FOODS THAT HAVE ANTI-DIABETIC ACTIVITY.

Bitter melon, or bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) found in Oriental supermarkets has been proven in clinical trials to help diabetics. The active hypoglycemic chemistry is considered to be terpenoids, glucosides (charantin, momordin) and insulin like peptides . The unripe fruit juice lowers sugar levels in blood and urine (contraindicated for low blood sugar levels). Use in modest levels for no more than four weeks (according to Chevallier, Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Reaers Digest Pp 234, 1996). The melon can be thinly sliced and cooked with chicken breasts, lean beef, or tofu. Typically, glucose tolerance improves when drinking the juice of this plant. I like to eat it whole (actually the outer wrinkled skin is sliced thinly and cooked with beef or chicken in garlic and oyster sauce). Order it the next time you are at an Chinese restaurant.

Olive oil, a monosaturated fat, and macadamia nuts, avocados, Brazil nuts, walnuts cashews and peanuts all contain MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids). Calories from these nuts instead of from carbohydrates may improve blood sugar levels. I prefer using olive oil for its many other benefits (see culture and diet).

Tea, Camellia sinensis, in animal studies lowered blood sugar levels.

Garlic lowers blood lipids (cholesterol), lowers blood pressure, it's a blood thinner and lowers blood sugar levels. The sulphur compounds in Alliums (onions, leeks, garlic, chives...) compete with insulin causing hypoglycemic activity.

Fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) in curry and as a spice are anti-diabetic.

Legumes, pulses, beans cause an improvement in the diabetics condition. Complex carbohydrates and fiber in beans slow digestion of starch and slows assimilation of glucose. The haricot bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, also called the French bean may be beaten to a powder (bean flour) and infused in boiling water to lower blood sugar levels.

Goat's rue, Galega officinalis, is used by trained medical practitioners to lower blood sugar levels. Galegine in goat's rue strongly lowers blood sugar levels. The plant is used in an infusion. This plant may be toxic. To be used only under the care of a trained physician.

Other beneficial foods include: stinging nettles, dandelions, raw carrots, ginseng and gonadoderma mushrooms.

Holy Basil, Ocimum sanctum, is used in a India to lower blood sugar levels in diabetics.

It contains the bioflavonoids apigenin, luteolin. Also used to lower blood pressure, anti-inflammatory, fever reducing...And may inhibit sperm production. We eat at the Meuninck household. See the Cooking With Edible Flowers video for an excellent recipe.

Jambu, Syzygium cumini, also called Java Plum, is a edible fruit from Australia and Asia. For diabetes the seeds are powdered tinctured or infused to lower blood sugar.

Bilberry, Vaccinium myrtillus, contains high amounts of anthocyanidin (as do mountain ash berries, cherries, blueberries) that may provide protection and treatment for hemorrhoids, capillary fragility and varicose veins. The leaves of the plant have been made into tea for treating high blood sugar problems. See your holistic health care practitioner for more information.

Native Americans have found that a return to their traditional diets of pine nuts, mesquite beans, other beans, opuntia pads and the like have in many cases relieved symptoms of NIDDM.

Beneficial herbs include bay leaf (Laurus nobilis); cinnamon, clove and turmeric.

Aloe vera use may be useful, more research is needed.

Saltbush (Atripex halimus L.) prevents diabetes in genetically predisposed rats. Chromium, magnesium and manganese in these plants may provide the clinical good results.

Ginseng extract studies suggest ginseng as a good candidate for anti-diabetic activity.

Sweet Annie, Artemisia annua, is also beneficial to the diabetic. Use this herb with the help of a holistic medicinal practitioner.

According to Jim Duke in his book The Green Pharmacy, Rodale Press, 1997....Jackass bitters (Neurolaena lobata) may be added to alcohol , and sipped to regulate blood sugar levels in NIDDM. For more details see the book.

Supplements May Help Prevent Adult Onset Diabetes

(see your physician for advice)

Soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals are essential in therapy. Most frequently recommended are Vit C, E, B6, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese chromium picolinate, and essential fatty acids in fish oils or seeds, known as Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Calcium and Vitamin D may help prevent or relieve symptoms of adult onset diabetes.

Post menopausal calcium intake RDA is 1200mg...Some researchers suggest 1500 mg per day.

Amino acid chelated calcium is recommended by many. Researchers feel calcium should be taken between meals instead of with them. Divided doses over the day may increase absorption and utilization. Calcium supplements must dissolve to be absorbed. Test your supplement in a cup of vinegar, if it does not dissolve in half an hour, try a different one.

Niacin, nicotinimide, is under study as a supplemental preventative to diabetes (Behme, Nicotinamide and diabetes prevention; Nutrition Reviews 53 (1995) 137-139).

Vitamin E an antioxidant may reduce oxidative stress of diabetes. P. 423 Whitney and Rolfes, Understanding Nutrition. West 1996.

Gurmar: According to a handful of studies in India Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre) made into a tea may increase the number of islets of Langerhans, the insulin producing cells on the pancreas. This product is available in health food stores. Check with your holistic health care professional and see if this is a product that may be helpful to you (Patent drug).

Anecdotally, I heard that Cajuns use Spanish moss from trees in Louisiana in tea to treat diabetes. I have not found anything in the literature on this. Before experimenting find yourself a Cajun holistic health practitioner who can demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of this therapy.

SPECIFIC ANTI-DIABETIC FOODS From THE USDA/ARS/NGRL PHYTOCHEMICAL DATABASE COMPILED BY BECKSTROM-STERNBERG, DUKE AND OTHERS...

Foods listed by concentration of anti-diabetic chemistry from most to less concentrated.

chicory root

thyme leaves

Da Zao shoot

Kudzu shoot

Indian fig seed

Jack Bean fruit

kudzu stem

Evening primrose seed

Guava seed

Date palm fruit

pea plant

bell pepper

Strawberry guava fruit

Rice

Also see: Agricultural Research Service http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ A rated. Database covering medicinal plants and their chemical constituents pulled together by Dr. Jim Duke.

Diet for Natural Health

Diet for Natural Health Theme

The Western Diet has fundamentally four problems:

1. Too much fat leading to obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

2. Too much refined sugar leading to dental decay. Refined sugar has no fiber and no phytochemicals. Yo-yo diets high in refined sugar may lead to obesity and consequently cancer, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

3. Too much salt leading to elevated blood pressure, increased calcium loss with subsequent bone loss and possibly stomach cancer.

4. Too many highly refined foods (prepared foods). Eating highly refined foods provides too many calories leading to obesity, intestinal disorders due to a lack of fiber and micro-nutrients and ultimately heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Four steps to weight reduction and disease prevention.

1. Reduce your craving and consumption of refined sugar, animal fat and highly processed white flour products.

2. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet by eating whole foods particularly fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

3. If you must eat meat use it as a condiment or a flavoring agent, not the main course.

4. Try to exercise daily for at least 30 minutes.

-Battle Cry: Eat more food, less calories (Eat more high fiber, bulking foods).

-Eat low glycemic index foods that are bulking and high in fiber.

-Fill up on more bulk with less calories.

TIP: Eat boiled potatoes with their skins, eat cabbage, Brussel sprouts, Broccoli, cucumbers and all whole leafy vegetables that are bulking, filled with water, rich in phytochemicals but low in calories.

Starters:

IMPORTANT: A critical component of the Diet for Natural Health is to have readily available fiber rich snacks that contain little or no fat, salt, refined sugar, bleached white flour. The best between meal snacks are apples, carrots, celery, oranges, Italian tomato salad, hummus, Taboulleh, Cucumber Salad with rice wine vinegar, Texas Caviar, All Bran cereal and sprouted whole wheat bread. These snacks are delicious, nutritious, bulking, filling, satisfying and fiber rich. Recipes for these snack are in the recipe section of this disk. Fiber rich, dietary snacks should be substituted when you are hungry or craving crackers, donuts, chocolate, sugar rich cereals, chips, cookies, candy bars and the like.

Background Research

According to research 49% of American women and 59% of American men are overweight. Obesity may be the chief cause of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypoglycemia, arthritis and premature death. New studies suggest that Americans slightly to moderately overweight who maintain physical fitness may be at no greater risk to degenerative diseases and premature death than people within the desired weight scales (Cooper, Shapiro Newsweek April 21, 1997). The key dietary factors are physical fitness combined with a high fiber, optimum protein and moderate complex carbohydrate diet. The diet should be low in refined starch and sugars, low in animal fat, and low in hydrogenated vegetable oils. The Diet for Natural Health is composed of low Glycemic Index foods, that are high in bulk and high in fiber, low in animal fat. High fiber, high bulk, low Glycemic Index foods take up much space in the stomach but are lower in calories, require more time to digest and to be assimilated. A few examples of these foods are: Chinese cabbage, salad greens, cucumbers, celery, squash, tomotoes, green beans, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin. For a complete list of high bulk foods see Terry Shintani MD's book, Dr. Shintani's Eat More Weigh Less Diet.

Beans and whole grains of all kinds are an important addition to this diet because they:

- are slow to digest

- rich in fiber

- improve bowel function

- provide cancer protection

- slow breakdown and assimilation of simple carbohydrates

-soluble fiber from beans may bind cholesterol and effectively prevent it from being absorbed.

TIP: Make certain prepared beans are vegetarian, low in fat, low in salt.

Do's and don'ts of the Diet for Natural Health.

Major tenets:

Avoid Processed and Prepared Foods

NO: Avoid energy concentrated foods like candy bars, ice cream and high sugar desserts: soda pops, cookies, cake, donuts, potato chips, cheese puffs, bagels, sweetened fruit yogurt, fruit juices without fruit fiber, rice cakes, fat fried corn chips, white tortillas, white bread, white pasta, white rice, mashed potatoes, french fries, high fat and high sugar salad dressings and vegetable dips.

Explanation: These foods are quickly and easily turned to glucose, stimulating too much insulin secretion. Leading to more stored fat and potential for degenerative disease conditions.

Eat Whole Grain, High fiber Foods

YES: Get your unrefined starch, protein, fiber and essential fats from whole grain seeds and nuts made into: whole grain bread; whole grain baked corn chips; high fiber whole grain cereals, brown rice, whole grain pasta; unsweetened yogurt; whole grain bagels; boiled potatoes with their skins on and other products made with whole grains and seeds such as amaranth, quinoa, wild rice, millet, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Explanation: High fiber foods bulk your body making you feel full, satiated. Drink water with high fiber foods and the fiber will absorb the water, swell and make you feel full. Fiber slows the digestion of sugars to glucose, and slows the assimilation of glucose into the blood preventing potentially dangerous insulin spikes. Fiber also helps bind and move cholesterol and fatty acids from the bowel.

Eat Whole Plant Foods

YES: Change to a high fiber diet composed chiefly of vegetables, beans, salad greens, high fiber fruit, flowers, nuts and seeds. Rationale: This diet, as you will see, supplies ample protein, energy, fiber, essential fats, calcium, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Plant foods provide vitamin B6 and folic acid that may lower homocysteine levels. High levels of homocysteine are closely linked to heart disease. Folic acid is particularly necessary for pregnant mothers to prevent neural tube defects. There is evidence that some over-the-counter pre-natal supplements of folic acid are slow to dissolve and therefore poorly absorbed. Green leafy plant foods are your best choice.

Greatly Restrict Animal Fat and Cholesterol

NO: Greatly curtail your consumption of fat and cholesterol saturated beef, pork and fatted dairy products. Rationale: Less fat and perhaps less animal protein will help prevent obesity, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer. These considerations will improve your health and the health of the earth and its indigenous people. If you continue to eat meat: eat fish; skinless chicken and humanely treated, arm raised "wild" game.

YES: Eat Boca Burgers, Garden burgers, Harvest burgers and other vegetable product, high fiber burgers. Rationale: These are satisfying foods that taste familiar, and help stop the craving for fast foods high in fat and simple carbohydrates.

Drink More Water

YES: Drink plenty of good quality, safe water. Not always easy to find these days. Rationale: Water makes soluble fiber more bulking, it helps you feel full. Water by itself takes up space in your stomach. Water is essential to life and we typically do not drink enough of it. Water helps cleanse all organ systems. Water and teas quench appetite without calories.

Love and Sharing

YES: More love, sharing and socializing. Rid yourself of bias and prejudice, roll up your sleeves, jump in and help. Give love to others without expectation. Socialize, share your home, or your favorite places with others. Give of your time, and if you have it, give of your wealth both financial and physical. Your skills are needed by others. Volunteer. Join clubs, committees and other social organizations. If you become overstretched, simplify and cut back, but stay in the mainstream of life. Let your voice be heard. Rationale: The more active and involved you are the less time you care to snack and overeat. If you feel good about others you will feel good about yourself.

Exercise and Meditation

YES: Get ample exercise, rest, meditation and spiritual time. I do not separate these. They are integrated and critical to each other. You can't exercise without rest and vice versa. Exercise is a form of meditation, and meditation is a way to rest the mind, and probe the depths of your spirit, releasing the essential energy, the vital force that is you. Exercise and meditate daily. That means you can miss a day here and there, but you should feel guilty about it if you do. Lift weights or work on weight machines at least 5 times per week, moderately, not excessively. Improve, then maintain muscle mass and tone. Exercise and weight training are vital, perhaps the two most important aspects of this diet.

Why the Emphasis on Exercise

Rationale: (SEE EXERCISE PAGE IN THIS DATABASE) Exercise improves circulation at the cellular and intercellular level. Individual cells are cleansed and nourished more efficiently and thoroughly during exercise. Exercise moves the vital force to every distant and nearly inaccessible place in your body. It improves lung function. Stimulates circulation to brain. Tones muscle. Makes connective tissue more supple and less prone to tears and strains. And draws energy reserves down so fat can be metabolized instead of stored. It improves your vital capacity to sustain an injury or even a cardiovascular insult and live to talk about it. Perhaps most importantly sustained exercise releases "feel good" opiate like endorphins in the brain, these endorphins make you feel better and kick up metabolism. With ample exercise your Basal Metabolism Rate will stay high and you will lose or maintain weight. Exercise can prevent cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, weight gain.

Diet for Natural Health Food Pyramid

The Diet for Natural Health is a high fiber, low animal fat, low cholesterol, low sugar, low processed and refined starch, low salt diet. Whew! That's a mouth full of what you should not put in your mouth.

Most (base of the pyramid) (6 courses per day)Vegetables, beans, salad greens, flowers, buds, high fiber fruit, high fiber, whole grain cereals, lightly cooked roots (At last a 1/4 cup of seeds and nuts everyday: walnuts, almonds, acorns, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts).

Some (middle structure of the pyramid) (2 or 3 courses per day) Whole grain bread, tofu, veggie burgers, whole grain brown rice, whole grain processed cereals, whole grain pasta, low fat, low sugar yogurt, skim milk products (I'm still not sure we need this, I am greatly concerned about how we confine, feed, genetically manipulate and medicate domestic animals).

Once daily (top of pyramid) (1 course per day) Fish, wild game, goat, skinless chicken, skinless turkey, lean cuts of lamb...Or better yet, substitute another course of pulses(beans), nuts, tofu, veggie burgers for the above.

Optional: Once per week: A couple eggs, lean beef product.

1st Commandment: Restrict animal fat, refined starch, sugar, salt, cholesterol.

Cooking and Salad Oils

Olive oil is a healthy substitute for corn oil, avoid hydrogenated fats such as vegetable margarine. Hydrogenated fats are often hidden in many prepared foods. Exclude all animal fats if possible. Good, essential fatty acids vital to all aspects of your health are in almost all plant foods: grains, seeds, vegetables, beans, flowers, buds, nuts.

What Controls Weight Loss and Weight Gain

Don't diet! Dieting, the severe restriction of calories, typically fails. When the diet is over the body rebounds, causing you to overeat. Thus, the diet never ends. The Diet for Natural Health changes what you eat, it turns you into a healthy, energetic human being. You eat right and eat all your body and brain demands. You stay satiated. The Diet for Natural Health allows you to fill and satiate your body on less calories. So let's learn how not to diet and still lose weight.

Not convinced dieting is the wrong way to go, then read on.

-Loss of from one or more pounds per week triggers energy conservation in body, this energy conservation defeats weight loss (see next).

-Basal Metabolism Rate drops by up to 36% after initial weight loss while dieting. When your BMR drops it is difficult to lose weight. But exercise while dieting will raise BMR and keep it high for several hours after exercise. Many people can lose weight without cutting calories simply by exercising.

-Tropical people have a lower BMR than Temperate climate inhabitants, thus they may be more prone to put on weight.

-Native Americans and Polynesians have what is called a "conservation gene".

They are prone to weight gain, and all the health hazards of obesity when they switch to a Western high fat, high carbohydrate diet. When they return to their high fiber, low fat indigenous diet they can reverse weight gain, and correct blood sugar levels and hyperinsulemia problems.

-During pregnancy and lactation BMR will go lower to preserve nutrients for the developing fetus. Digestive capacity and efficiency increases. Supplementation is necessary due to insufficient , or poor quality of minerals, vitamins, nutrients in food supply. A diet high in green foods is necessary to provide ample folic acid (folacin). Warning: Dieting while pregnant would be devastating to mother and child. The Diet for Natural Health is not a weight loss diet, it is sound nutritionally through and through. You are eating the foods your body needs and not eating foods that it does not need: animal fat and excess calorie refined sugar foods. Because you cut excess high calorie, energy rich snacks, pop, and refined white starchy foods your weight will come down, but nutrient load will still be sufficient for baby and mother. Your personal physician should provide you with quality vitamin and mineral supplements if necessary.

-Short people are more efficient that tall. They have less energy costs, this can be detrimental if they try to eat as much as their larger husband or wife. Women are typically shorter than men, more efficient and have to be, preparing meals for a larger husband can lead to an upward spiral of weight gain for the wife.

-Undernourishment or dieting reduces physical activity, lowers BMR, impairs immune function.

-Fat cells are formed early and may always be there. Every time you overeat you risk making more fat cells. Avoid food bingeing. Even with excess fat cells you can still lose weight but you have to change what you eat. Consider the Diet for Natural Health.

-Rats on high fat diet get fat on less food than rats on low fat, high calorie diet. In a recent study, fat was 42% of calories in high fat diet for rats. Total calories for both experimental and control rats were the same, fat was the only difference. Rats on a high fat diet ate less but increased obesity to 50% body fat. So if you eat more fat you get fatter, even on less calories. That may be because the body does not efficiently convert fat to glucose. It stores fat if other energy sources are available. For improved efficiency the body will take glucose from carbohydrates or protein.

-We are quite different from rats. Humans on a high fat diet do not eat less and do not adjust Kcal intake like rats. Thus, humans are more prone to weight increase because they continue to eat high fat foods with no "thermostatic control" telling them to back off. Fat like sugar is not satisfying, you eat some and crave more. Protein and carbohydrates from beans, vegetables and whole grains, seeds and nuts are filling, bulking and satiating.

-People unconcerned about weight and who have no trouble maintaining an ideal weight sub consciously and consciously accurately adjust their intake of calories to output.

-Once more, fats are not as satiating as carbohydrates. And carbohydrates are not as satiating as protein.

- Complex carbohydrates provide longer satiety and limit food intake vs. fats. Because complex carbohydrates and fiber rich whole foods (not processed foods) are bulkier you actually take in less calories per volume, feel full sooner on less calories.

-Plant fiber (soluble and insoluble) provides the additional benefits of slowing fat and sugar absorption, bulking and moving simple carbohydrates and fat to bowels, and expediting elimination. Fiber may bind nutrients, especially cholesterol and remove it from the body. Soluble fiber that moves carbohydrates to the bowel allows gut flora to ferment and convert carbohydrates to short chain fatty acids which are good.... More about this later.

-In a mixed diet, if you select more protein and complex carbohydrates, bulking, high fiber foods: you will get to a satiety threshold sooner and with less calories than if you eat more fats. Thus those who eat more fat, eat more overall to get necessary carbohydrates to reach satiety.

-By restricting protein and complex carbohydrate calories you intake more simple carbohydrates (refined foods high on the Glycemic Index--see next) and also consume more fat: more calories overall.

Point: If you eat more fat, you store more fat.

Point: Eat more complex, high fiber carbohydrates, plant protein (or low fat animal proteins), fiber, legumes, grains, vegetables and fruit.

Point: Exercise daily, weight train 5 days per week.

-Study after study proves dietary fat influences fat gain independent of total energy needs.

- A "Thin man" study: found that thin people gained more weight in less time by eating high fat diet.. Fat men who ate less than thin men gained more weight, and they kept this extra weight after the program.

-High blood lipids (fat in blood) from diet are easily stored. Once stored they are less available. Stored fat requires more energy to move out of storage, thus you must exercise and raise BMR, while maintaining or lowering calory intake. This is most simply done by eating more protein and less simple carbohydrate.

-TEF =Thermal Effect of Food is the heat given off when eating: chewing, swallowing, digesting, absorbing and moving food along, through and out of the body or into the blood where metabolism takes over and spends more energy in breakdown, synthesis and storage prior to utilization. TEF is typically 10% of dietary calories. Good News: Vegetables containing complex, high fiber, crunchy, chewy carbohydrates raise TEF, they require more energy to be physically processed, thus leaving fewer calories available for body needs.

Bad News: Dietary fats and refined sugars take less TEF, thus more calories available for body and storage.

-Simple carbohydrates (processed and refined starch) and refined sugars if over-consumed can be converted to fat, but this requires high energy, for example 1. It takes 3% of available energy to store dietary fat as body fat. Thus, fat is more efficiently stored than glucose. Still in people who flood their body with simple carbohydrates form much glucose and subsequently secrete more insulin, they are prone to store this excess glucose as fat.

It takes 23% energy to convert glucose to fat and store it..Almost ten times the energy of storing fat. But excessive carbohydrate consumption may be a major component of obesity.

Get the Point:

-After a meal the body's preference is to burn glucose, store fat.

-Energy intake must equal energy output...Fiber helps remove some energy.

-A high plant diet is bulkier and helps you feel full.

More Metabolism:

Glycogen, the form of stored glucose, dwindles quickly in an active person. Only 800Kcal of glycogen are in storage, whereas fat stored is equal to 140,000Kcal.. When dieting a " frugal meter" in our body cuts down oxidation (reduces calory burn) to maintain glycogen stores when carbohydrate consumption is restricted.. Conversely, if ample amounts of carbs are in diet, oxidation increases. This is not true for fats. Eat more fat and oxidation does not increase.

Alcohol is another fat producing factor. Drink one drink a day or less. Two beers will put fat around your navel.

The best diet requires self-control. Know your cravings. Avoid processed foods rich in salt, sugar and fat. Increase vegetable, fruit and fiber intake. Raise (or lower) protein intake to about 65 to 70 grams (20% of calories). Remember as you take in less fat and less carbohydrates your ration of protein may increase and body may catabolize protein for glucose...A not so good result.

This could leave you with a high percentage of protein leading to acidosis, calcium excretion and formation of ketone bodies...Taxing to liver and kidneys and when taken to the extreme: fatal.

Steps to success: Lower your calorie intake by cutting down on fat and simple carbohydrates to recommended levels. Increase your consumption of plant foods and low fat protein. Increase your exercise wheel. Drink more water. Expect to lose 8 to 10 ounces a week, no more. And remember if you are overweight, this may be normal for you. Forget it. Get a life! Have fun! You can only go so low. Discover what weight you can easily maintain, what appears to be natural on a good diet and good exercise program. Then throw away the scales and enjoy life. Later in life the little bit of extra fat will give you the capacity to live longer. For women it may help them avoid osteoporosis. It appears people who are a bit overweight actually live longer than those who are thin.

Once again:

A. Bring your diet within the guidelines of 20-25% fat (and most of that is essential fatty acids)15% protein 65% carbohydrates.

B. Exercise prolonged aerobic low to moderate intensity.

Body Shape and Set Point

People put on weight and take form in two shapes: an apple shape or a pear shape.

Overweight men are typically apple shaped and women overweight are pear shaped.

Studies suggest that an apple shaped body-weight around the stomach and upper body is more dangerous. Fat in this area is more active. It is utilized and stored more easily: moving back and forth into the blood stream and promoting problems of obesity: hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, heart disease. When you start a diet it is upper body fat that you lose first on the face, chest, belly. Fat on the extremities (arms, legs) is slower to disappear.

The pear shaped person carries her weight on the lower body and extremities: the thighs, arms and hips. Fat in these areas is not as active as fat stored higher on the body....AND IT APPEARS PEOPLE WITH PEAR SHAPED FAT STORAGE HAVE HIGHER LEVELS OF GOOD CHOLESTEROL (HDL). So being a pear is better! I love pears, don't you.

Set Point

We appear to have a set point for out weight but there is a high and low end.

In the winter I run 7-10 pounds heavier than in the Spring, Summer and FALL.

During the warmer months I eat less energy concentrated foods and much more from my garden.

More dieting Guidelines:

1. Eat nutritionally diverse and adequate diet that tastes good and is satisfying.

2. Take in no less than 1200 calories per day.

3. Eat small portions.

4. Eat mostly complex carbohydrates (pasta, rice, potatoes), fruit, roots, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, high fiber foods.

5. Eat slowly. Talk while you eat, or read, extend the process. Slow down.

6. Discover and eat no fat or very low fat snacks.

7. Avoid sugar and oils hidden in prepared and processed foods.

8. Exercise to raise BMR, physically activity will suppress digestive functions and floods body with glucose, activity passes time, relieves boredom, and prevents snacking. Exercise raises self esteem.

9. Drink ample amounts of water.

10. If you eat supermarket food take a multiple vitamin complete with antioxidants, bioflavonoid,

minerals, trace elements.

IMPORTANT: Even a small weight loss is beneficial. Degenerative bone disease, many types of cancer, heart disease and diabetes are all linked to too much body fat. Losses as little as 5 pounds have lowered blood pressure. Blood sugar levels stabilize. Insulin response is improved.

GET STARTED TODAY: You may be overweight because of inherited characteristics. Your cravings and taste for fat rich foods and energy concentrated processed foods (chips, cheetos, buttered popcorn) can be curbed. With more plant food bulk in your diet, less calories and more exercise your life will become more interesting and rewarding. At first it may be an effort, but I guarantee you, once you begin reaping the benefits of weight loss: improved health, more mental energy and more vitality, you will be hooked and happy. Your life will be richer, more rewarding and just possibly a bit longer.

Serotonin ( a neural transmitter): There have been a few reviews about serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin may play a regulatory roled in virtually every type of behavior. A few experiments suggest that serotonin levels in the brain modulate eating, craving and binge eating. Fasting rats fed first a high protein meal followed no less than three hours later by a high carbohydrate meal had increased production of serotonin (5-HT) in the brain. Conversely, if rats are fed first a high carbohydrate meal followed by a high protein meal brain serotonin levels would drop. The reason for this is that tryptophan the precursor (stimulator) of serotonin production shares a common blood-brain barrier transport system with a few other amino acids. These amino acids including leucine, isoleucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine and valine,* compete with tryptophan for transport from the blood to the brain. A high carbohydrate diet releases a surge of insulin into the blood which effectively moves glucose, fatty acids and amino acids from blood plasma into various other tissues. Tryptophan is unique in that it binds with albumin in the blood and is not removed to other tissue. Thus, with the help of insulin, tryptophan is in a higher blood concentration in the serum of a carbohydrate loaded rat and has little competition for the blood-brain barrier transport system. With more tryptophan available in the brain serotonin levels rise. Increased serotonin levels in the brain may decrease appetite and facilitate weight loss.

Increased serotonin levels in the brain may also be stimulated by drugs.

Fenfluramine, fluoxetine and dexfenfluramine (Redux) are agonists to serotonin, that is they increase its production. As mentioned, increased brain serotonin enhances the satiating effect of

*These are referred to as the large neutral amino acids (LNAA) and share with tryptophan the LNAA transport system from through the blood-brain barrier.

food; it may slow the rate of gastric emptying leading to a feeling of fullness; and may increase heat production in endotherms (warm blooded animals). Appetite suppression is a key role serotonin plays and a better understanding of the neurotransmitter may lead to better weight control. (From PRINCIPLES OF NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, Feldman, Meyer and Quenzer; Sinauer Associates 1997.)

Protein and Carbohydrate Load

It appears that about 65 grams of protein and 75grams of carbohydrate per day spread evenly over three meals is a good ratio. The higher protein amount prevents too much glucose from causing hyperinsulinemia. High serum insulin may lead to fat production and raised serum cholesterol levels, leading to obesity, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

What to Avoid, What to Do!

Key foods to avoid are bakery products, donuts, cakes, ice cream, chips of all kinds, all simple carbohydrate sources that can flood your body with glucose. Eat less rice, bread and potatoes. Eat more amaranth, quinoa, whole grains breads and cereals and wild rice. Eat less light colored pasta and more dark whole grain pasta, or spinach pasta. True, the Japanese do well on a relatively high carbohydrate diet. The difference from them and us is that the Japanese restrict there diet on average to 2000 calories. They eat more vegetables, they avoid sweet desserts (traditionally, that is changing as they adopt some of our bad dietary habits). There love of tofu and other soy based foods provides there diet with high soluble fiber, ample protein and numerous vital phenolic compounds (isoflavones) that provide protection from degenerative disease. The critical elements of the perfect diet are high fiber, high bulk foods, rich in complex carbohydrates(low on the Glucemic Index) and ample protein that is low in fat.

Let's see how these perfect concepts convert to perfect foods.

Book reviews and synopsis of various popular diets

Overeaters Anonymous' diet slogan makes the point: "No fat, no flour, no sugar". Fat and high energy, low fiber, refined carbohydrates are what makes us fat.

Dr Atkins suggests increasing protein and cutting carbohydrates in your diet. One concern with nutritionists with this diet is that the protein may be too high and the low volume of carbohydrate consumed removes too much fiber from the diet. If, indeed, protein is too high you may be taxing your kidneys and depleting calcium from your body. Increases acidity from a high protein diet in the bowel may produce an environment conducive to cancer. One of the complaints I read over the internet concerning this diet is that followers have difficulty with "too much cholesterol". Short term you cannibalize fat and lose weight, longer term bone health and overall well-being may be adversely effected. The Eskimo diet is much like the Atkins diet, high in protein low in carbs. Eskimos (Inuit) have had thousands of years to adjust to this diet.

Modern primal people consume on average about 20% of their calories from protein.

Evolution of the Atkins diet continues:

Dr. Michael Eades and Dr. Mary Eades recommend an increased protein, low carbohydrate diet. Their television advertisements suggest that you can eat steak, and not worry about fat content. Inside the covers of their book the story is somewhat different where protein recommendations and fat quantities are closer to traditional dietary guidelines. One of their quotes is: "Fat doesn't make you fat." This hypothesis like the Atkins diet is that a diet of refined sugars and simple carbohydrates increases glucose load and subsequently insulin secretion and the manifest problems that hyperinsulinemia produces: hypoglycemia, craving, diabetes, heart disease. By lowering your serum glucose and raising protein in the diet, your body will catabolize protein and utilize fat to provide glucose for energy and other metabolic needs.

Dr. Barry Sears' "Zone" diet increases protein in diet to 30 percent; drops carbohydrates to 40% and raises fat to 30%. The principle for losing weight is about the same as Eades and Atkins: lower your carbohydrate load, thereby cutting serum glucose, and consequently insulin secretion.

This diet leads to ketosis and mobilization of fat as a source of glucose.

In this way, your body will seek needed glucose from protein and fat.

Dr. Bob Arnot's Revolutionary Weight Control Program suggests that you raise protein to 20% of your dietary calories, and increase "complex" carbohydrate levels. Primarily, this means increasing soluble and insoluble fiber from carbohydrates. He suggests we ride herd on other carbohydrates such as starch and sugars. Fat is a no, no in this diet. Basically, olive oil is the fat of choice. Nuts are restricted. Refined grains and flours are not good, whole grains and beans are better. Best are high soluble fiber beans, soy bean products being one of his favorites.

Similar to the Diet for Natural Health but with larger amounts of protein and less carbs.

Dr. Dean Ornish's diet emphasizes unrefined, fiber rich carbohydrate foods. Although this may look like a high carbohydrate diet, the emphasis is on fiber rich, bulking foods, low on the glycemic index. Though you may intake more volume, your calories are probably lower. the large volume of fiber facilitates fat excretion and slows carbohydrate digestion and absorption. It is a more filling diet, much like Boy Arnot's...If you feel full on less calories this is good!

In comparison with our diet, Ornish recommends less fat and more complex carbohydrates.

I recommend you read Dr. Arnot's book. It is supported by substantial research. I agree with much of what he says. I eat more nuts than he recommends, because I believe they (especially almonds and walnuts) are great sources of essential fatty acids.

From what I have read and have experienced a diet with ratios that follows appears to be ballpark:

12- 20%* protein from skinless chicken, fish, beans, grains and wild game, yogurt and non fat milk products are fine they should be skim milk products, low or no fat, yogurt without sugar and fruit preserves.

60-65% carbohydrates from high fiber, unrefined, lightly processed vegetables, beans, whole seeds, fruit and nuts...Restrict fruit juices from concentrate unless they have fibrous pulp in them, donuts, ice cream, pies, cake, rice cakes....

20-25% fat, primarily vegetable fat with an emphasis on olive oil, a few nuts every day-- high in essential fatty acids like almonds, walnuts or Brazil nuts for the selenium.

*This amount is higher than what I would follow...12-15% with the lower amount for the less active and the larger amount for the athletic.

To discover information on the Blood type diet press this hyperlink

Eat Organic Foods Avoid Bioengineered Foods

RATIONALE: Organic gardening affords us with what has become a luxury: food free of synthetic herbicides and pesticides. Perhaps just as important Rutgers University; Firman E. Baer Report, tested organically grown foods with off-the-shelf non-organic plant foods. They tested spinach, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and snap peas. Organically grow plant foods had significantly higher weights of nutrients, minerals and trace elements as compared to the off-the-shelf non-organic plant foods.

-Total mineral matter was on average three times higher in the organically grown foods tested.

-Cobalt was missing entirely from non-organic snap beans, cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes.

-On average organic foods contained 20 times more iron;

-15 times more manganese,

-40 times more copper;

-7 times more boron;

-6 times more potassium;

-5 times more magnesium;

-5 times more calcium

-and twice as much phosphorus.

The use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides on our food supply and ground water will reap a savage harvest of human lives unless we do something about it. Practice Eco-Terrorism prepare your own organic garden. Grow open pollinated heritage foods. Cut your food costs and add entertainment, exercise and luxury to your life...Grow and eat food of the highest quality.

Back to first page

Famous Dieting Strategies

go to famous diet web pages

Overeaters Anonymous' diet slogan makes the point: "No fat, no flour, no sugar". Fat and high energy, low fiber carbohydrates are what makes us fat.

Dr Atkins suggests increasing protein and cutting carbohydrates in your diet. One concern with nutritionists with this diet is that the protein may be too high and the low volume of carbohydrate consumed removes too much fiber from the diet. If, indeed, protein is too high you may be taxing your kidneys and depleting calcium from your body. One of the complaints I read over the internet concerning this diet is that followers have difficulty with "too much cholesterol".

Evolution of the Atkins diet continues:

Dr. Michael Eades and Dr. Mary Eades recommend an increased protein, low carbohydrate diet. Their television advertisements suggest that you can eat steak, and not worry about fat content. Inside the covers of their book the story is somewhat different where protein recommendations and fat quantities are closer to traditional dietary guidelines. One of their quotes is: "Fat doesn't make you fat." This hypothesis like the Atkins diet is that a diet of refined sugars and simple carbohydrates increases glucose load and subsequently insulin secretion and the manifest problems that hyperinsulinemia produces: hypoglycemia, craving, diabetes, heart disease. By lowering your serum glucose and raising protein in the diet, your body will catabolize protein and utilize fat to provide glucose for energy and other metabolic needs.

Dr. Barry Sears' "Zone" diet increase protein in diet to 30 percent; drops carbohydrates to 40% and raises fat to 30%. the principle for losing weight is about the same as Eades and Atkins: lower your carbohydrate load, thereby cutting serum glucose, and consequently insulin secretion.

In this way, your body will seek needed glucose from protein and fat.

Dr. Bob Arnot's Revolutionary Weight Control Program suggest that you raise protein to 20% of your dietary calories, and increase "complex" carbohydrate levels. Primarily, this means increasing soluble and insoluble fiber from carbohydrates. He suggests we ride herd on other carbohydrates such as starch and sugars. Fat is a no, no in this diet. Basically, olive oil is the fat of choice. Nuts are not recommended. Refined grains and flours are not good, whole grains and beans are better. Best are high soluble fiber beans, soy bean products being one of his favorites.

Dr. Dean Ornish's diet emphasizes unrefined, fiber rich carbohydrate foods. although this may look like a high carbohydrate diet, the emphasis is on fiber rich, bulking foods, low on the glycemic index. Though you may intake more volume your calories are probably lower. the large volume of fiber facilitates fat excretion and slows carbohydrate digestion and absorption. It is a more filling diet, much like Boy Arnot's...If you feel full on less calories this is good!

I recommend you read Dr. Arnot's book. It is supported by substantial research. I agree with much of what he says. I eat more nuts than he recommends, because I believe they (especially walnuts) are a great source of essential fatty acids.

From what I have read and have experienced a diet with ratios that follows appears to be appropriate:

20% protein from chicken, fish, beans, grains and wild game, yogurt and milk products are fine they should be skim milk products, low or no fat, yogurt without sugar and fruit preserves.

60-65% carbohydrates from high fiber, unrefined, lightly processed vegetables, beans, whole seeds, fruit and nuts...No fruit juices, donuts, ice cream, pies, cake, rice cakes....

20% fat, primarily vegetable fat with an emphasis on olive oil, a few nuts two or three times a week, high in essential fatty acids like walnuts or Brazil nuts for the selenium

Exercise Prescription

Recommendation: Forty five minutes to one hour of exercise 7 days per week. Do not exercise if too tired or sick.

Major study showed that at least a two mile walk every day reduced overall risk of death by 50%. -New England Journal of Medicine (1998,33:94-99). *

*Study included 707 nonsmoking men from 61-81 years of age. Twelve year study: 208 died, 43.1% of dead participants walked less that one mile per day, whereas those who walked two or more miles only 21.5% died. Those who walked more than two miles faired better than those who walked two miles. Long walkers died 60% less of cancer.

Speculation suggests that two mile daily walking diminishes hypertension, lipid levels, clotting mechanisms. Improves immune function.

Exercise improves circulation of nutrients, oxygen and waste products to and from individual cells, all cells from the brain to distal capillaries.

Exercise and fat intake reduction may be the only way to lose weight and keep it off naturally.

Exercise can improve your cholesterol to HDL ratio.

Exercise can reduce stress and oxidative damage caused by stress induced metabolic changes.

Exercise is a form of play, it is creative, and when done in the appropriate environment provides spirit like trances and endorphin highs that can be addictive.

Exercise improves your rest.

Exercise raises your metabolic rate and there is an increased burn of calories hours after you have completed your workout.

Exercise tones all organ systems and strengthens the heart and diaphragm two vital muscles controlled by the autonomic nervous system.

Regular exercise can lower blood pressure (in some as much as 50%*)

Daily exercise, 30 minutes per day, lowers LDL, raises HDL, decreases adipose tissue on body, decreases triglyceride levels and improves LDL to HDL ratio.

Exercise has no gender bias.

Exercise increases longevity by restoring primal conditioning as hairless, running apes, not prone to the sedentary ways of information age anthropoids.

Fitness can be achieved by walking hand in hand, day after day with the one you love.

Exercise can delay the onset of degenerative diseases: arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.

Increases estrogen levels.

Induces relaxation by burning off adrenaline.

Relaxes muscle tension.

Builds bone mass and muscles.

Improves skin tone, elasticity of skin and connective tissue.

Improves bladder control.

Improves sex, aids digestion, reduces arthritis symptoms. (Copyright Meuninck 1997)

___________

*Williams, Paul; Relationship of distance run per week to coronary heart disease risk factors in 8283 male runners; The National Runners' Heath Study, Archives of Internal Med. 1/27/97.

Exercise Prescription Continued

Exercise Daily

(Also see documented benefits)

I try to perform fourteen exercise units per week: Seven of theses are stretching prior to a workout for a minimum of five minutes, this performed prior to weight lifting, walking, biking. Five other units are walking or bike riding five days per week. And two weight lifting units each week.

Two Units Weight Lifting: I lift weights, do pull ups, push ups or dynamic tension exercises where I flex my muscles both the upper body, torso, neck, legs and arms. Join a spa and learn the correct ways to lift weight.

Seven Units Stretching: This is full body movement, full range of motion, stretching and reaching. I stretch and exercise all my joints, to keep my body flexible and toned.

Five Units Moderate exercise walk for at least two miles or a 10-12 mile bike ride every evening. Cross train by varying your routine try: kayaking, wind surfing, hitting tennis balls against a wall, shooting baskets. If the weather is impossible, I skip a day. No guilt, no shame. I may increase my weight training on the indoor day. Once weekly I try to have a full day of activity. This will be a vigorous 2 hour hike coupled with a swim in Lake Michigan, maybe proceeded in the morning with wind surfing. This is my all out physical day and it is usually Saturday or Sunday. Guess what! I eat out on the evening of this all out exercise day. I break some of the diet's rules, knowing that tomorrow I am back on my healthy diet schedule. In the winter, it's cross country skiing in the dunes or in the forest. I also like to X-country at night (winter nights comes before five pm in Michigan). If there is no snow I walk, hike or ice skate. It's difficult to exercise as much in the Winter. I have all the indoor exercise machines, but they bore me. I have yet to join an indoor exercise facility, but am seriously considering it.

TIPS: Exercising after your eat raises your Basal Metabolism Rate, you burn more calories. Carrying a twenty five pound pack on your back raises your BMR to the equivalent of a run.

CAUTION: Before beginning any exercise program get a physical and permission from your physician.

Fats

Recommendations:

-Standard recommendation is 25% or less energy from fats or 600 calories on a 2000 calorie diet.

-Diet for Natural Health recommendation is 25% or less of total calories.

-Cancer patients, diabetics people with heart disease 15% to 20% fat in diet.

*These fat recommendations assume the fats you consume are primarily essential fatty acids from plants. There are 9 cal/gram in fat.

TIP: Oats and beans and lentils with pasta and other high fiber, high bulking foods make you feel full, bind bile preventing emulsification of cholesterol and saturated fats, bulks stool and improve gut motility.

Trans Fatty Acids: Leads to heart disease and comes from foods: meat, margarine, dairy snacks, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, crackers, peanut butter, heated cooking oils, fried foods...

TIP: Read food labels, avoid prepared foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

TIP: Fatty tissue is a source of estrogen, studies show that a weight gain of 10-20 pounds over recommended weight raises estrogen levels.

Essential Fatty Acids and Fish Oil

Essential Fatty Acids (must be supplied by diet) Purpose: make cell membranes; hormone like eicosanoids that regulate blood pressure, blood clot formation, blood lipid levels and immune response to injury and disease. Produce protaglandins, thromboxane's and leukotrienes. EPA and DHA make up communicating membranes of brain, essential for brain development, essential for growth and development and prevention of degenerative diseases: heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and cancer.

Two Essential Fats

Omega 6 linoleic acid

Omega 3 alpha-linoleic acid

RECOMMENDATION: Increase your ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 by changing to olive or canola oil for salads and cooking. Eat more nuts, flaxseeds, almonds...

Deficiency: In the modern diet, we may get too much of Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3. We need to improve this ratio. Essential Fatty acids make up about 3 percent of our daily energy intake. Deficiencies can cause: reproduction deficiencies, retarded growth, liver and kidney disorders, neurological and vision problems.

IDEAL RATIO: Change from 6 to 1 ratio to a 4 to 1 ration of Omega 6 to Omega 3. Too much omega 6 may lead to inflammatory diseases and too much omega 3 may lead to prolonged bleeding and stroke.

Purpose of Essential Fats: manufacture of brain membranes; normal brain development; development retina of eye; normal growth and development. Also they help prevent and treat diseases: heart disease; hypertension; arthritis, cancer and stroke.

Omega 6: Food sources: leaves, seeds, roots, grains, vegetable oils, meat in arachidonic acid form.

Omega 3: fats and oils (canola, soybean, walnut, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, butternuts). Also cold water fish (trout, sardines, tuna, salmon, mackerel).

Notes:

Fish oils and cold water fish provide a wonderful source of converted EPA (Omega 3) fatty acids. By increasing Omega 3 fats we reduce inflammatory conditions that may cause: arthritis, heart disease and other inflammatory diseases.

Essential fats can be stored: but we typically eat less than 1/10 what we need.

Balance: 4 to 1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3.

Fats are important fuels: heart muscle needs fat, triglycerides to function. Thus fats must be always circulating in blood.

Carbohydrates and proteins can be made into fat, but fat spares protein for its numerous other duties.

It is expensive energy wise to convert starch to fat. Thus fat is stored in fat cells, and you, me, we get fatter.

Carbohydrates are necessary to safely breakdown fats thus both must be in diet.

Fasting causes conservation measures to kick in, releasing ketone bodies and lowering Basal Metabolism Rate (BMR). This regressive cycle does not help one lose fat.

Glucose levels must be kept at optimum levels at the expense of BMR and poisoning of blood. Thus, less glucose BMR lowers itself.

Polyunsaturated fats lower LDL (bad fat).

Cholesterol and Saturated Fats

Saturated fats raise serum cholesterol even more than dietary cholesterol. Thus the fat in meat and butter may raise cholesterol more than the cholesterol you eat.

Too much fat causes heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

Personally, I think obesity is the single most dangerous promoter of disease.

Review: important nutritional lipids (fats) include triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols.

Triglycerides include: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Poly unsaturated fatty acids include the omega 3 and omega 6. Seek to balance your intake of these essential fatty acids at a 4-1 ration, omega 6 to omega 3.

Phospholipids are similar to triglycerides typically have a glycerol backbone and a phosphate group and usually a choline compound. Lecithin is an example. Lecithin a vital nutrient is found in liver, eggs, soybean products, wheat germ and peanuts.

Role of Phospholipids: help make up cell membranes; help transport lipids because of emulsifying capabilities, help transport lipids through cell membranes; help fat soluble vitamins and water soluble vitamins more across membranes; help hormones move across membranes; keep fats suspended in blood and other parts of body. The liver produces all the lecithin we need.

Many phospholipids are used as emulsifiers in the food industry.

Sterols: Most famous is cholesterol. Cholesterol is found only in animal and animal products such as milk, lard. Shellfish contain sterols but much less cholesterol than once thought. (sse PP 165. Understanding Nutrition; Whitney and Rolfes 1996). Shrimp however are high in cholesterol, higher than beef, pork and veal. Animal organ meats are very high, brains being the highest of all. Eggs contain 200 milligrams of cholesterol each. Research shows that lowering saturated fat is more successful than limiting cholesterol consumption. The American Heart Association recommended as of 1996 four eggs per week. The Diet for Natural Health I follow allows two eggs per week. I assume other foods that I eat throughout the week will contain more egg cholesterol.

Role of Sterols: Sterols help make hormones, vitamin D, cholesterol. Part of cell walls.

Controlling Cholesterol: The liver produces cholesterol at a higher rate than we can consume it about 800 to 1500 mg per day. Cholesterol can be controlled by keeping insulin levels low and by eating fiber containing foods that bind bile preventing the emulsification and absorption of cholesterol.

Avoid overeating and binge eating, eat small meals and snacks over the day.

Triglycerides provide energy

insulates body

absorbs shock pads

support, cushion vital organs

But we can get too much triglycerides if we eat too much animal protein.

Remember: We need some fat for the combination of glucose and fat in producing energy and thus sparing protein.

Fiber

Conclusions: Eating whole grain foods, fruits, vegetables and beans may prevent cancer, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, diabetes and arthritis.

Benefits of Fiber

Fiber helps prevent...

-weight gain (traps sugar and fat, locks up bile, bulking, satiating)

-high blood cholesterol

-hemorrhoids

-diabetes (slows sugar absorption)

-colon cancer

-hemorrhoids (quickens transit time, bulking)

-appendicitis

-diverticulosis

-gall stones

-dental caries (fiber abrades soft sugary foods from teeth, no substrate for bacteria)

-fiber Lowers cholesterol three ways!

-Helps youngsters develop strong facial bones and muscles.

-There is ample research proving the benefits of fiber.

In detail:

1. Soluble fiber draws water into the digestive tract prolonging the full feeling, satiety.

2. Eating soluble fiber traps sugars and fat in the stomach. This slows absorption preventing glucose surge and rebound associated with diabetes.

3. Fiber binds with bile preventing fat and cholesterol absorption.

4. Lowered blood cholesterol levels then stimulates the liver to break down more cholesterol to make more bile.

5. Short chain fatty acids from fiber digestion also inhibit cholesterol synthesis.

6. Fiber, fermenting in the bowel, lowers Ph providing cancer protection.

7. Fiber may prevent colon cancer by binding and removing carcinogens from the digestive tract.

8. Fiber promotes bulking of the stool and elimination.

10. Insoluble fiber stimulates microbial digestion of absorbable nutrients.

11. Fiber helps prevent hemorrhoids, appendicitis and diverticulosis.

12. Develops facial muscles for chewing and strengthens facial muscles.

13. Prevents dental caries by scrubbing away soft food that may become substrate for bacteria.

14. Fiber may actually abrade dental caries in the formative stages.

Fibromyalgia

Malic acid may reduce muscle pain in fibromyalgia sufferers. Malic acid is abundant in sour red cherries (sour cherry juice), sweet cherries and apples. Also, dry eating stinging nettles.

Research suggests that serotonin levels are low in people with fibromyalgia. Magnesium supplementation may help. Raising serotonin levels with supplements like 5-HTP (5-hydroxytruptophan a precursor of serotonin), Saint John's Wort hypericin extract may help.

Murray and Pizzorno, in their Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Prima 1998. recommend 100mg of 5-HTP combined with 300 mg of 0.3 percent hypericin with a magnesium supplement of 150 to 250 mg all three times per day. They prefer the magnesium bound to citrate or Krebs cycle intermediates: nalate, fumarate, succinate, asparatate. See your holistic health care physician for more help.

Foods high in magnesium include: purslane, Anasazi bean, oats, spinach, licorice root, black cherry, lettuce (leaf variety), bladderwrack, Nettle, red clover, coriander, borage, flax, asparagus, cucumber, baby lima bean, wheat, chives.

Getting a good nights rest is helpful. You might try a bowl of tart and black cherries with a little brown sugar before you go to bed. Or have the cherries stirred into brown rice with a teaspoon of brown sugar.

FLAVONOIDS THAT INHIBIT CANCER

Flavonoids comprise 4000 plus unique plant chemicals.

Family of C6-C3-C6 compounds.

We may ingest on average about 1 gm per day of mixed flavonoids.

They are non-toxic, no reported cases of dermatitis or anaphylaxis

Several mutagenic in high amounts (Ames test).

They have had a vital role in most metabolic activities in vascular plants for 1 billion years...Part of our diet since our existence.

In plants, they provide the colors of Fall and the colors of flowers to attract pollinators; they block UV light reflective and absorbing protecting plants; aid in light selectivity for plant based metabolism; found in all parts of the plant, flowers, roots, seeds, fruits and nuts.

Found in tea, wine, grape juice, citrus, flowers, vegetables, seeds, stems, bark,

In vivo and they are vitro anti-tumor, anti-proliferative, differentiating, antioxidants, hormone mimickers, inhibitors and initiators, capillary protectants, anti atherosclerosis, antiallergenic, antihistamine, reduce gastric acid secretions (antiulcer), protective against cataracts (especially in diabetics Quercitin), antiviral (Hyssop, blue giant Spurge, Euphorbia spp.), ascorbic acid initiator, hepatoprotective, protective to anaphylactic smooth muscle contractions, mutagenic in micro organisms, may be mutagenic in mammals in high doses (extrapolated for Quercitin from Ames Test).

Other: Flavonoids provide protection from environmental carcinogens: drugs, pollutants, insecticides antiallergic, antihistaminic, antiproliferative, cholinergic, fungacide, fungistatic.

Source: rinds of fruit, clover blossoms, ragweed pollen, apricots, wild eggplant, Herbs: artemisia, southernwood, glechoma. Analog: isoquercitin from nasturtiums.

Fisetin: anti-cancer, antioxidant

Source: Bark

Luteolin: Anti cancer, antioxidant

Source: yarrow, dill (seeds, leaves, flowers), celery, tarragon, oats, peppers, cayenne, shepherd's purse, chamomile, lemon,

Genistein: genistein with mitomycin C induced cancer cell differentiation, genistein in high concentrations can cause differentiation of cancer cells, ie returning to normal cell from cancerous cell. Genistein also promotes production of good estrogen 2-hydroxlyestrone.

Source: legumes, soy products, prunus spp., rose, Podocarpus spicata

Daidzen: anticancer

Source: soy beans, red clover (whole plant and flowers).

Myricetin: possible protection from skin cancer

Source: bayberry bark

Tangeretin maybe preferential over quercitin more active in lower concentrations....anti invasive action, inhibits cancer cell growth.

Sources: bitter orange, orange

Apigenin antioxidant, anticancer

Food source: parsley, celery, glechoma (gill over the ground), oats, peppers

Nobiletin inhibits cancer cell growth.

Source: mints, mountain mint leaves, flowers, fruit of bitter oranger.

Silymarin (silybin) liver protection, antioxidant

Foods source: Milk thistle seeds.

OTHER FLAVONOIDS

PLANTAGOSIDE (pansies, buckwheat eucalyptus leaves); CATECHIN (berries, tea, parsley carrots); COUMARINS (cabbage family, citrus); KAEMPFEROL (grapefruit, soybeans Cuscuta reflexa, leave of Trichosanthus cucumeroides)GINKGOLIDES, BILOBALIDE periferal circulatory problems (Ginkgo trees)

Indications for human consumption: FLAVONOIDS appear in our urine, bile and other locations of the body. They are probably prepared for absorption by gut flora. They are potent antioxidants in the gut. Appear to strengthen heart thrust, strengthen capillaries, build heart tissue, improve peripheral circulation, anti cancer in many ways, cleanse and rebuild liver tissue, antihistamine effect in elevating allergic response, inhibit metabolic reactions and initiate other metabolic processes.

Folate

Folate in your food or taken as a supplement (beneficial level is 400mcg per day) may help prevent heart disease (JAMA 1996, Vol.275). Folate, a member of the vitamin B family may provide protection from Alzheimer's disease. This vitamin, now fortified in bread and cereals, protects unborn infants from neurological birth defects, neural tube defects.

GOUT

A BUILD UP OF URIC ACID IN THE BLOOD OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME CAUSES GOUT.

A FORM OF ARTHRITIS GOUT MAY RESPOND TO FOODS THAT EFFECT URIC ACID LEVELS: Perilla or chiso (Perilla frutescens) is very high in Omega 3 fatty acids and contains xanthine oxidase inhibitors that inhibit the synthesis of uric acid: eat the leaves and seeds.

Celery seeds or celery seed extract contains chemistry that controls uric acid levels. Celery seed extract may be purchased at a health food store.

Curcumin in turmeric may relieve gout symptoms by attenuating production of prostaglandins. High levels (experimental) stimulate adrenals to release cortisol.

Licorice tea contains xanthin inhibitors. Licorice and astragalus tea may be helpful. I use six tongue depressor sized astragalus root sticks with a 1/4 cup of chopped licorice, simmer in six cups of water down to five cups (about 20 minute simmer in wide mouthed pan). Cool and sip.

Caution: prolonged use of licorice may raise your blood pressure, if you have elevated blood pressure see your health care provider for advice. DGLE (a form of licorice without the chemistry that elevates blood pressure) is available at health food stores.

See arthritis section of this database for more information.

Health

This quiz will help you remember the importants points for taking charge of your personal health.

I am in charge of my health? _____

Do I make informed decisions about my health? _____

When at a Doctor appointment do I feel in control? _____

Does my physician give me adequate time during an office visit? _____

Are all my questions answered?_____

Do I prepare questions in advance for my physician? _____

As I improve my Natural Health Goals, will my overall health improve? _____

I am not a hypochondriac? _____

Drinking coffee can negatively effect my health? _____

Drinking alcohol can negatively effect my health? _____

Healthy Heart and Artery foods

Tofu, tempeh, soy sprouts, soy milk de-fatted lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Also, garlic, onions, ginger, red pepper all lower blood pressure and reduce serum cholesterol.

Gamma Amino Butyric Acid found in abundance in tomatoes reduces blood pressure and strengthens heart muscle.

Rice (preferably brown whole grain rice) is cholesterol lowering.

Celery and saffron used historically for treating dropsy: high blood pressure, edema, poor circulation.

Some Good to Eat Foods that specifically lower cholesterol

-artichokes, barley, spinach, eggplant, carrots, beans, peas..

Glutathione

Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, that may prevent plaque formation (clotting), is abundant in cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, purslane, asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, avocados, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, watermelon (very high in watermelon and avocados specifically).

Increase Calcium Intake

High calcium plants are necessary to eat because of calcium's role in reducing heart attack.

A few of the plants above: spinach, purslane, eggplant deplete calcium if eaten too often (to neutralize concentration of oxalic acid) so add calcium rich food sources such as skim milk, lamb's quarter's (probably growing out there on the river bank), stinging nettle, dandelion (the former two are two of the most important foods listed by herbalists worldwide), broad beans, watercress, marjoram or oregano, savory, red clover shoots or sprouts, thyme.

Phenolic Compounds

Wild grape skins and domestic red grape skins contain phenolic compounds that lower cholesterol, best consumed in wine, but rseveratrol and other phenolic compounds and flavonoids can be found in blueberries, bilberries, blackberries, garlic and onions. The berries also provide pectin (see next).

Pectin

Pectin, a soluble fiber is useful in chelating cholesterol from the gut and removing it via the bowels. It also regulates bile secretions. Apples are an excellent source of pectin. Another soluble fiber in soy products is useful for lowering cholesterol (phytate).

From the health food store there are supplements like: hawthorn and sambucus for strengthening arteries, improving oxygenation to the heart and preventing capillary permeability. this is due to the high flavonoid content primarily rutin and quercitin.

Rosemary, Chicory, Olive Oil

Rosemary is great to cook with and has a long history of heart disease prevention. It is rich in antioxidants. Use it in cooking, make a tea from the leaves.

Egyptians use the root of chicory roasted for treating heart disease. Eat as a vegetable, grill it.

Oil of choice would be olive, too much linolenic acid in canola.

Be Careful When Using Iron

Do not take iron supplements. With this vegetable diet there is plenty of iron. Too much iron, a powerful oxidizing agent, is bad for men, direct connection to plaque formation and heart disease. There is some evidence that high levels of iron coupled with high levels of vitamin C may influence or exacerbate atherosclerosis.

HRT with Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are indicated for preventing cancer and relieving the symptoms of PMS and menopause.

Major phytoestrogens are isoflavones, lignans, phytosterols (flowers and seeds) and saponins.

Good sources soybeans, mung beans and black beans and their sprouts. One cup of soybeans contains approximately 300 mg of isoflavones, the equivalent of one tablet of Premarin.

Foods that contain Phytoestrogens and other plants indicated for women's health.

Food

alfalfa

aniseed

apples

baker's yeast

barley

beets

cabbage

carrots

cherries

chicory

corn

corn oil

cow peas

dates

fennel

figs

garlic

ginger

green beans

hops

licorice

linseed

marsh mall (Althea officinalis)

oats

olives

olive oil

oranges

papaya

parsley

peas

pineapple

plums

pomegranates

potato

pumpkin

red beans

red clover

rhubarb

rice

rye

sage

sesame

sunflower

soy beans

soy sprouts

squash

Swiss chard (betaine)

tofu

wheat

wild yams

yarrow

Herbal Supplements

Chasteberry (Vitex agnuscastus)for reducing prolactin treating amenorrhea.

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)

Seeds

Carrot seeds

celery seeds

dill seeds

Herbs

agrimony

angelica

betony

calaminth

caraway

catnip

coriander

cilantro

cumin

Chinese angelica Dang Quai

fennel

feverfew

ginger

horehound

hyssop

juniper

lady slipper

lavender

lemon balm

licorice (estrogenic compounds, glycyrrhizin reduces estrogen levels in women with high levels. Dose of true licorice candy no more than 5 grams.

liferoot

lovage

marigold

marjoram

motherwort

nutsedge

oregano

parsley

passionflower

pennyroyal

roselle

rosemary

rue

saffron

sarsaparilla (Jamaican or Honduran)

sassafras

tansy

tarragon

thyme

wild chervil

wild yams

wintergreen

wormseed (epazote)

yarrow

ylang ylang

Also consider raising boron levels to increase serum concentration of estrogens. Boron is found in strawberry, peach, cabbage, dandelion apple asparagus, figs, poppy seeds, broccoli, cherries, pears, apricots, beets, currants, parsley.

Hypertensive Foods

CAUTION: Listed from greatest potential to less are foods that may raise blood pressure. these may be foods to cut back on or avoid if you are hypertensive.

olive

broadbean flower

tea shoots

black pepper

guarana seeds

broadbean stem

coffee

broadbean fruit

cola fruit

Genipap seed

New zealand spinach leaf

Chinese cabbage

mate leaf

lettuce leaf

celery

beet leaf

cacao seed

turnip root

spinach

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Hypoglycemia

Classic hypoglycemia is a low blood sugar level below 50 mg/100ml of blood.*

Many have hypoglycemia symptoms without blood sugar levels getting this low.

Most hypoglycemia can be controlled by diet and moderate exercise.

Diabetes causes most reactive type hypoglycemia. See your physician if you are having symptoms described below. Symptoms typically express 2-5 hours after a meal.

SYMPTOMS:

hunger, dizzyness, exhaustion, headaches, irritability, temper, clammy, cold, trembling, rapid heart beat, sleeping problems, indecisiviness, nervousness, depression, overweight.

The brain is very sensitive to levels of blood sugar.

OTHER CAUSES: intense long duration exercise, fasting hypoglycemia, galactosemia (inability to process milk galactose), hypothydroid, liver disease, tumor on islet cells of pancreas, even more rarely cancer of the breast or adrenals.

THERAPY may include avoid foods with refined sugar (elemental sugar, or quick sugar).

Caffeine may raise blood glucose and trigger hypoglycemia.

Don't eat things that come from a box. Breakfast sugar must have higher fiber % than the sugar number.

Eat small meals throughout the day from 6 to 12 snack like meals daily.

East complex carbohydrate (high fiber) whole foods (not apple juice, but apples). Moderate protein, low animal fat.

EXERCISE: Aerobic helps your muscles use sugar more efficiently leading to long term improvement in hypoglycemic symptoms.

Probable causes: heredity; diabetes; weak immune system; prolonged use of antibiotics; too much refined sugar (junk food diet); hormonal disorder; infections; excess exercise; allergies; tumors; Pfeiffer disease... for discussion got to WEB address: http://huizen.dds.nl/~hypo/causes.htm.

_________________

*It appears sharp rises in blood glucose cause insulin secretions to overshoot, the increases insulin drives blood sugar to low, too fast. Perhaps too little glucagon is released and liver is not stimulated to release glycogen to make glucose...Thus blood sugar remains below normal range.

Ten Hypotensive Foods

Data reconstructed from Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL

Stepehn M. Beckstom-Sternberg and James A. Duke

These plant foods have the potential to lower blood pressure.

This is a hierarchy concentration of hypotensive chemistry, that is plant 1 is highest, plant 2 has less and so on. Consider that all these plant foods are relatively high in the physiologically active chemistry(s)

Common name Scientific name Percentage of potentially active chemistry

Thyme Thymus vulgaris 7 chemicals=70% of plants chemistry

Parsnip root Pastinaca sativa 1 chemical=65%

Evening primrose seed Oenothera biennis 5 chemicals=51%

Jack bean Canavalia ensiformis 3 chemicals=48%

Guava Psidium guajava 6chemicals=42%

Bell pepper fruit Capsicum annum 8 chemicals=38%

peas Pisum sativum 3 chemicals=38%

pigeonpea Cajanus cajan 3 chemicals=35%

jujuba shoot (Da-Zao) Zizyphus jujuba 2 chemicals=64%

Camu camu fruit Myrciaria dubia 3 chemicals=55%

Kudzu shoot Pueraria lobata 3 chemicals=55%%

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Love/Self/Other

Love assessment. Can you love, can you be loved.

Place a yes or no in the blank, or true or false whichever seems appropriate.

Does your ego get in the way of loving others? _____

Do you feel people are judging you? _____

Do you judge others? _____

Are you unfaithful to your friends? _____

When you feel bad about yourself, do you feel bad about others? _____

Do you feel pressed or uncomfortable helping others? _____

Do you feel friends should reciprocate? _____

If they don't reciprocate do you resent that? _____

Are you racially prejudiced? _____

Are you culturally prejudiced? _____

Do you dislike kids? _____

Do you dislike older adults? _____

Do you have high expectations of others? _____

"I'm sorry" are two words difficult for you to say? _____

Forgiving others is not easy? _____

Do believe there are many people who have no value, they're no good? _____

Do you seek revenge? _____

Do you store away and keep dislikes and hatreds? _____

Do you befriend physically and/or emotionally destructive people? _____

Are you either physically and/or emotionally destructive to yourself or others? _____

PUT LOVE INTO PRACTICE

I have seen many god fearing people, leave their faith, develop their own, self-centered beliefs only to turn back to their god fearing roots as death stalks them in their final days. Prolonged suffering gets your attention. Many wait for such disasters as impending death to discover their love for God, nature and human beings has been sorely practiced. Guilt is a wonderful thing when it makes you reassess how you are treating others, how you are treating yourself. If you believe what I am saying, if you believe loving others and loving yourself is the most appropriate behavior, then don't what for disease, suffering and death bring you to this door of divine understanding. Begin practicing love for others today. Here are a few tips that will make it easier.

1. No more putdowns. Boys (men) call this "grab-ass" when you poke fun at your friend, your parents, your lover. It's a "get them before they get you" way of communicating. It wrecks friendships, destroys parent child relationships, and drives your spouse away, making intimacy all but impossible. Never put a love one down. Avoid making fun of them. It is never fun to be made fun of.

2. Avoid unrealistic expectations. You can have expectations of your self, but not of others.

You have no control over what others think or do. Accept them for who they are, how they think and how they act.

3. Be quick to forgive, fast to apologize.

4. If you are being treated badly by someone, remember the perception of bad treatment is a symptom, not a cause. What are you doing to draw maligned treatment to yourself? Being vulnerable is a wonderful thing, let your partner know when your feelings are hurt. Explain to your friend what it is they do that hurts you.

5. Your first steps to intimacy are travelled on the words of tender, loving, vulnerable communication. Speak softly of others, lovingly about what they have done for you.

Speak of why they are important to you and how you do not want to live without them.

6. You don't have to love everyone but you must love someone. Don't waste time be something to everybody but be something to someone. To often we try to please everyone and end up being no-one. Be yourself, but be warm, friendly, interested, caring and you will never be alone.

7. Join a group even if you are suspicious and fearful. The social ties of a group protect you from disease and suffering. Family and group membership prolong and improve the quality of life.

8. Be positive, not negative. How we perceive relationships, how we talk about others effects us.

Think badly of others and you will feel poorly of yourself.

9. Find someone you can commit to, someone you can trust, who is vulnerable like you. Find and cherish a person who you can talk intimately with and they can intimate with you. Be interdependent. Life is better together than alone.

10. Be able to recognise when you make a mistake. Take responsibility for it. Be able to say, "I'm sorry that was my fault." Don't try to escape responsibility, don't blame others.

11. Be faithful to your lover. You can never remove the memory of having cheated on them.

12. Not everyone is capable of doing the above. Have compassion and empathy for them.

Do not judge them. They are losing a terrible battle. Step into their lives for a brief moment and experience their loneliness.

13. Seek people who have a purpose in life. Seek your purpose and pursue it. What is great about life: living. The process of getting there and moving on is what life is about. Be engaged. Collaborate with others. Be responsible to others. Cherish their smile, their frown. Consume life one delicious morsel at a time.

Memory

List of Plant foods, Plant extracts, Nootropics (Greek mind turning, smart drugs). Much of this is folklore and not scientifically proven:

Ginkgo

Ginseng

Bacopa, also rasayana the rejuvenator (Ayurvedic)

Ashwagandha (Ayervedic)

Ginkgo biloba

Siberian ginseng

Omega 3 fatty acids especially DHA; docosahexaenoic acid

acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC)

DMAE helps produce neural transmitter acetylcholine

acetylcholine (nutrients that help body build acetylcholine are lecithin, B Vit., Vit C, minerals.)

Phospholipids: (protects fluidity, flexibility of brain cell membranes).

phosphatidyl serine

phosphatidyl choline

amino acids: valine, proline, glycine, alanine

antioxidants

folic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids (green tea), selenium, coenzyme Q10.

Fresh fish: brain food includes salmon, tuna, cold water fish...

Synthetics: piracetium and hydergine

What Works for Me

Exercise and Human interaction, reading, seminar attendance, classes, teaching and lecturing make my mind essential, necessary, active...It has no time to age. Exercise both your brain and your body. The brain needs a constant supply of blood (oxygen and glucose) and constant removal of waste products: exercise improves circulation and is cleansing to the brain.

I also take Ginkgo biloba 120mg per day (standardized extract). That is 120mg less per day (240mg) than a recent study that showed the efficacy of promoting recall in Alzheimer's patients.

I eat blueberries, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, almonds for essential fatty acids. And I have been a lifelong consumer of cold water fish. I take a multivitamin and separate calcium, magnesium supplement and occasional tablespoon of lecithin (more for my psoriasis than my brain). After age 45 many physicians are recommending a 1/4 to a 1/2 grain of aspirin. I take a 1/4 grain for first heart attack prevention and improved circulation. An aspirin a day may save your brain too.

Some Ancient Brain Activity Enhancers (withstood the test of time)

Ginseng: stimulates adrenal cortex and cholinergic nervous system (Siberian ginseng favored over other ginsengs. Studies suggest an improvement in reaction speed cognitive function.

I have taken it simmered in water much the same as I prepare astragalus, about a 100 grams to 2 cups of water simmered for 20 minutes over low heat.

Ashwangandha: alkaloids and steroidal lactones relax central nervous system, lower stress and provides brain necessary amino acids: valine, proline, alanine, glycine. Nurtures and clears mind, calms and strengthen like ginseng it is esteemed as an adaptogen.

Long term evidence suggests that ashwagandha slows aging process, higher blood cell counts, lower serum cholesterol, improved male sexual performance, less gray hair...In animal studies if affects acetylcholine metabolism in brain.

Two to three grams of the dried, powdered root may be taken daily in water, juice.

Bacopa monniera: smart nutrient that improves intellect based on thousands of years of use as a nutrient in India. May stimulate a calming neurotransmitter (serotonin) central nervous system. Not scientifically proven. Indian practitioners say it regenerates dendrites in brain cells.

Rat studies suggest it improves memory and cognitive skills.

Dose: available in health food stores 70mg of the extract in the morning and in the evening. See label.

Ginkgo biloba: contains antioxidant bioflavonoids that promote clear thinking, cognitive thinking. Antioxidant premature prevents aging of brain. May improve circulation to brain.

In one study claimed to reverse memory impairment in Alzheimer's patient. May slow decline of cognition in Alzheimer's patients: JAMA. Journal American Medical Association, Oct. 1997.

Increased blood flow to brain may be responsible for benefits.

Alzheimer's patients were given 240 mg per day. I use 120mg per day. Available at drug stores and healthfood stores and SAM's Club.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine: improves cognition and creativity by facilitating activity of acetylcholine and dopamine.

Alzheimer's patients in a study improved showed improved memory and cognitive function. another study showed improved reflex actions as well as accuracy in playing a video game.

Expensive supplement available at health food stores.

Choline (available in lecithin): precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine used with phosphatidyl choline essential for cognitive and memory activities. also combined with B5 and DMAE to prompted acetylcholine proliferation.

All available at healthfood stores...See label for more information.

Available from seafood.

DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid): from cold water fish vital to brain development in children and infants in mother's milk). Japanese use it to improve academic performance. Wide ranging utility in brain and essential. Omega 3 fatty acids may be used by body to make DHA.

Sources: flax seed, parole seed, seaweed, cold water fish: salmon, tuna, in fish oil capsules.

Dose: as recommended on label, or 200 mg per day.

Phosphatidyl Serine: abundant fat in brain and elsewhere, reported to improve memory, concentration, verbal and cognitive skills, coping skills and brain rejuvenation. It improves flexibility of neural membranes and increases number of neurotransmitter receptor sites.

Often taken with Acetyl-L-Carnitine for synergistic effect.

Found in lecithin, eat sources of methionine and folic acid with it (grains, brown rice, seeds, nuts, corn, leafy vegetables, flax seeds....In other words: THE DIET FOR NATURAL HEALTH.

Dimethylaminoethanol: still under research, may have memory and cognitive improving benefits.

Available in fish, cold water fish, anchovies and sardines (unsalted or lightly salted are best).

DMAE is also available in healthfood stores.

Pyroglutamate: amino acid found in meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Improves learning an memory in laboratory animals.

Available as supplement in healthfood stores.

DHEA the mother hormone may be of use for improving brain performance.

Use only under the supervision of a trained holistic health care practitioner. Long term use and effects of this hormone are not none.

Pregnenolone: precursor to steroid hormone production. Not proven. More research needed.

Brain Stimulants

Alcohol, caffeine, ephedrine (from Ephedra sinensis) Guarana (caffeine). phenylalanine may give a quick transient boost to brain activity. There may be side effects. Abusive use of alcohol, ephedrine and caffeine have long term detrimental effects on the body and brain.

Minerals

Selenium according to research (Arizona Cancer Center) does not prevent recurrences of skin cancer (test amount was 200mcg per day) but did lower the incidence of prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer in the test group. A study in Clinical Chemistry suggested that people with higher levels of selenium had healthier hearts than patients with lower levels. In a USDA sponsored study participants on a diet of 180mcg of selenium had significant improvements in mood, being happier and more clearheaded. A NCI study and action in China reduced rates of stomach cancer by adding selenium supplements to the diets of Chinese living along the Yangste river. Thousands of years of intensive farming and flooding had leached selenium from the food supply and had increased the incidence of cancer in China. Selenium is a component of glutathione peroxidase that protects cell membranes and arteries from free radical damage...A good source of glutathione is watermelon.

Soy wheat, rye and rice are god sources of selenium when grown on selenium rich soils. Also, Brazil nuts, garlic and onions contain selenium.

Recommended daily intake is 55mcg for women and 70mcg for men. Doses up to or in excess of 800mcg are toxic causing loss of hair, teeth, nails and stomach upset.

A popular form of the mineral is taken in the form os selenomethionine in organically bound yeast tablets.

Food from the Northwest and the Atlantic coast including Florida is grown on selenium poor soil, generally speaking. Best selenium levels come from the Southwest and prairie states that receive less selenium leaching rain.

-For more information see Natural Health magazine, P.141. Nov/Dec, 1998.

Olive Oil Potential Health Benefits

Lower incidence of degenerative disease is correlated with consuming olive oil as fat of choice for salad dressings, bread spreads, food preparation and cooking.

-olive oil raises HDL (good cholesterol) (whereas corn oil lowers hdl) and prevents harmful oxidation of LDL.

-contains no cholesterol.

-contains antioxidant vitamin E

-contains phenolic antioxidants with antithrombotic effects (3,4 dihydroxy- phenol ethanol).

-low in saturated fats

-decreases omega 6 in phospholipids, cholesterol esters and serum triglycerides.

-associate with rise in linolenic acids without modification of archidonic acids.

-oleic acid in olive oil increases omega 3 fatty acids in cell membranes

-squalene in olive oil may rehabilitate scar tissue, increases heart activity, expands blood vessels and inhibits atherosclerosis.

Lifestyle and living conditions have changed but genetics have not.*

Paleo Diet

Paleos ate:

-three times more protein than moderns (33% VS. 12%) -about the same amount of carbohydrates (but paleo carbs were complex with little sugar and refined starch)

-1/16th the amount of refined sugar as moderns

-twice as much calcium

-1/4 as much sodium

-4.5 times more vitamin C

-7 to 8 times as much fiber: 150 grams vs. 10-20 grams for moderns

-1/2 the animal fat

-less omega 6 (cancer causing, inflammatory disease causing and platelet aggregating) and more beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. Imbalance of these fats in favor of omega 6 leads to more inflammatory diseases, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

20,000 BC Late Paleolithic Diet Nutritional Composition:

Paleolithic versus Current American Diet

21% fat 40% fat

45% carbohydrate 48% carbohydrate

34% protein 12% protein

Paleos ate slightly more cholesterol than moderns: Paleo 520 mg v. 300-500mg moderns.

The Paleolithic Western Diet was lower in saturated fat and sodium and higher in protein, with more antioxidant vitamins and calcium and the same amount of cholesterol as the current American diet.

Paleolithic diet was lower in omega-6 fatty acids, higher in omega 3 fatty acids--with minimal amounts of trans fatty acids (rare in Nature).

Flavor Principles:

dried, smoked, salt, rancid

Major causes of death: high infant mortality, human/animal induced trauma, diarreal diseases, environmental injuries, parasitism and slow infectious diseases. Short lifespan, but deaths not due to degenerative diseases, rarely lived that long.

Play

True False comments about play:

____Play initiates creativity.

___You recreate yourself with play, hence the word recreation.

___A sense of humor and a joy of experiencing and sharing humor is one vital component of play.

___Play is becoming your child again.

___Playing is sharing your favorite experiences as a child with a child.

___Play and a sense of humor may induce the mind to heal the body.

___Shopping is play.

___Collecting is play.

___Play may delay the process of aging.

___Play reduces stress. Provides a release mechanism for the accumulation of insults you have received during the day, week.

___Play is creative, often requires exercise, can be spiritual, has no gender bias, and nurtures lasting friendships.

___Play can be solo but is best with others.

___Play can make work bearable.

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome

Current research suggests premenstrual related problems may be caused by premenstrual phase related alterations in serotonergic (neural transmitter) activity causing mood changes and food cravings.*

Supplements that may be helpful.

-A combination of 500 mg magnesium and 1 gram per day (1000mg) of calcium

Food sources of magnesium: whole grains, nuts, seafood, dried fruit, brown rice, vegetables.

Calcium sources: lentils, watercress, milk, cheese.

Herbal supplements: Evening Primrose Oil should work in tandem with calcium and magnesium supplementation (dosage: 1 capsule a day, then begin four capsules per day about 10 days before your period.) Other herbals claimed effective are: Chinese angelica, Chasteberry (contra-indicated if depression is one of your symptoms).

Helpful diuretic teas or soups include: stigning nettle, dandelion leaves and root tea, raspberry leaf tea, burdock root tea, parsley tea....

*St. John's Wort, with hypericin, keeps seratonin levels high. In a double blind study a drug, Sertraline (keeps seratonin levels up), relieved PMS in 62% of the test group (JAMA, Strategic health Review, Amanda Adlington, sept 25, 1997...U. Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas TX). Consult your health care professional concerning the use of this drug and/or St. John's Wort.

EXERCISE: Exercise daily, outside, so your body can make vitamin D necessary for calcium utilization.

Research suggests: drink decaffeinated coffee, eat more protein in premenstrual phase.

My wife has had success with Co-enzyme Q 10 taken with a vitamin and calcium supplement and daily dose of evening primrose oil.

Food that Has Anti-psoriatic Activity

Here are some foods may be beneficial to the relief of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Cayenne

bell pepper

kale leaf

brussel sprouts

Other foods that are anti-inflammatory may abate some symptoms of psoriasis.

Anti-inflammatory foods:

Listed from highest concentration of anti-inflammatory chemistry to lower concentration, all are relatively high in anti-inflammatory chemicals.

cantaloupe cotyledon

English walnut seed

avocado fruit

cucumber cotyledon

sunflower seed

parsnip root

Brazil nut

sesame seed

camu camu fruit

cantaloupe seed

evening primrose seed

pumpkin seed

flax seed

watermelon seed

groundnut seed

Food processing

Diet is typically chosen for least cost and risk. But occasionally we go to great lengths to process foods we like to make them safe and nutritional.

TIPS AND POINTS:

Lack of food processing can kill because of poisonous secondary plant compounds. These compounds are manufactured by plants often to fight off environmental predators: fungi, viruses, bacteria, rodents. A few of these compounds are quite toxic.

Kitchen Processing

Peel potatoes, apples, carrots, oranges etc. Skins harbor dangerous protective compounds and accumulate pesticide and herbicide residues.

Wash (rinse) all foods twice. Use high speed water jet, and salad spinners. Do not use soap. You may brush appropriate foods.

Our large and small intestines are designed for efficient breakdown and assimilation of high quality, energy concentrated foods.

We begin processing information about food before we eat it. With our eyes...Primal doctrine of signatures, if it looked dangerous it may be dangerous.

Our nose, taste buds, stomach reflex actions and lower gut reflex actions also process food and reject dangerous foods: i.e. spitting, vomiting and diarrhea.

(See taste)

FAVA antimalarial....Cultural beliefs and processing techniques protect those who have G6PD allele (X linked enzyme deficiency)leads to hemolytic anemia.

Consumption of prepared beans may protect from falciparum malaria.

Geophagy: hill crackers may get needed minerals in chelated, colloidal form...But may cause fecoliths and depletion of other minerals.

Manioc or cassava provides malarial protection from cyanide left after processing root.

Processing plant removes cyanide, but cyanide metabolites, cyanate, enough to prevent sickling and may effect G6PD individual as well as inhibiting malaria. In time this nutritional intervention may lead population away from SS homozygote for sickle cell.

Yogurt is better suited to lactose intolerant individuals than raw milk. Or milk may be heated to improve digestibility. In Japan they add sugar to heated milk.

Be aware o foodshed. If the food you eat comes from a foreign country be careful. A few purveyors of food hold their product in more esteem than the workers they hire to produce and pick it.

Superfoods

Food processing over history has provided lock and key relationship to release full nutritional potential.

-Alkali processing of maize releases niacin and avoids pellagra

-Alkali processing of buckeyes and peeling, mashing and cooking protects from poisonous phenolic compounds

-Heat and MgCl processing of soy milk causes curdling, where protein is precipitated and anti trypsin factor is removed via the whey.

-Mixing yeast with flour makes bread. Yeast processing increases bio-availability of B vitamins, makes calcium available and improves the quality of the protein.

-Processing mashed acorns in running water removes water soluble tannins, makes nutrient rich nut palatable and safe.

Corn: Ground blue corn is cooked with lime or ashes from spent fire to raise pH.

When corn lime mix reaches pH of 8 niacin is released...avoids pellagra.

Soy Beans: Are soaked, ground into paste, boiled. Then MgCl is added to curdle soy mash.

curds are carefully removed from liquid whey. Whey carries away anti-trypsin factor.

Now tofu becomes complete protein.

Wheat: ground whole wheat flour is mixed with yeast and water to increase bio-availability of B vitamins and calcium. Protein quality improves.

Prostrate Health

To keep my prostrate healthy I eat raw pumpkin seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds and occasionally saw palmetto berries, tomatoes and tomato sauce.

I eat copious amounts of nettle in May, June and early July...Also, make certain you are getting zinc (60 mg) in your supplement. Vitamin D perhaps up to 2grams are now considered necessary to optimize the vitamin's advantages.

Licorice, Saw palmetto (2 grams of seeds or 320mg standardized extract), pumpkin seeds, stinging nettles all to varying degrees attenuate the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Elevated dihydrotestosterone is indicated in Benign Prostrate Hyperplasia BPH (swollen prostrate). Go to cancer

Protein

Author's personal practice: I consume on average about 15% calories per day or 60-65 grams. There are 4 Kcalories in every gram of protein.

Athlete's Protein Requirements

Endurance athletes can consume .9 grams to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Weight lifters (muscle mass building strength athletes) may eat up to 1.8 grams per kilogram of lean body weight. For example: An endurance athlete weighing 150 pounds must divide her weight in grams by 2.2 to get her weight in kilograms. This person's weight in kilograms is 68 kilograms. Next multiply 68 kilograms by .9 gram (amount of protein required by an endurance athlete per kilogram of weight) and this person's protein requirement for the day would be approximately 60 grams. (Source: Safran, MR, McKeag, D., Van Camp, S.: Manual of Sports Medicine, Lippincott-Raven (1998) p.130.

Formula: Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. Then multiply your kilogram weight .9 grams to get your daily protein requirements.

Authors notes: There is a problem when rationing protein into your diet. There are two major points of view. Both supported by ample evidence. One: We do not get enough protein in our diet. Two: We get too much protein in our diet.

Proponents of a high protein diet say that a high refined carbohydrate diet composed of sugar and processed white flour starches puts too much glucose in the blood leading to hyperinsulinemia and related problems of blood vessel plaque formation (atherosclerosis), high blood pressur and heart disease.

Proponents of a low protein diet (high carbohydrate) say that protein increases the load on the kidneys and liver, and by the nature of the source (confined domestic animals) puts more saturated fat and cholesterol in our diet. Whereas high complex carbohydrates with ample (45 grams) dietary fiber from whole plant foods reduces saturated fat, binds bile thereby lowering available cholesterol, and provides a steady flow of glucose buffered by fiber content of diet.. A high carbohydrate diet without enough fiber can lead to high serum glucose levels causing hyperinsulinemia and related problems.

Proponents of a high protein diet, on the other hand, say hyperinsulinemia of the high carb diet may lead to plaque formation by increased serum levels of saturated fat and cholesterol and by stimulating the growth of arterial smooth muscle cells (leading to tertiary stage of plaque formation and high blood pressure due to water retention by kidneys)...This accelerates heart disease and exacerbates obesity (see cholesterol in this database for a contrary opinion).

Personal Practice (Jim Meuninck)

From my research I believe either diet will work, the most important factor is reducing the amount of refined sugar and processed carbohydrates in your diet while increasing the amount of fiber. Diets with the following plant foods provide adequate carbohydrates, fiber, protein and essential fatty acids: all vegetables, beans, soy products, whole grain seeds, sprouts, nuts and high fiber fruits like: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, pears, prunes (NOT IN SYRUP) and apples are necessary. The lower the carbohydrate in the fruit the better, you want a high fiber, low carbohydrate fruit. The fiber should include both soluble and insoluble. Protein requirements are plus or minus 15% of total calories, 4 Kcalories per gram of protein.

Key foods to avoid are bleached white flour bakery products, donuts, cakes, ice cream, white bread, chips of all kinds, all high carbohydrate sources that can flood your body with glucose. Eat less rice, bread and potatoes, more amaranth and wild rice. Whole grain brown rice is better than white rice and potatoes with skins are better than mashed or skinless potatoes. Avoid juices without fiber, soda pop, candy bars, sweetened yogurt---products with high amounts of refined sugar.

Carbohydrate to Protein Ratio

Based on a 2000 calory diet it appears that about 15% protein or 60 grams of protein and 320 grams of carbohydrate per day (includes 40-45 grams fiber) spread evenly over three meals and two snacks is a good ratio. Both protein and carbohydrates have 4 Kcalories per gram. Total fat should be about 20% of calories or approximately 50grams. The higher protein amount provides ample amino acids and may provide protection from the glucose insulin seesaw from eating too much simple carbohydrate leading to hyperinsulinemia. High serum insulin may lead to fat production and raised serum cholesterol levels, leading to obesity, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.

The Bad Rap is Not on All Carbohydrates

TIP: Chinese diet is very close to ideal. They eat meat, whole plants and complex carbohydrates, perhaps too much salt and sugar. A typical Chinese meal is made up of lightly cooked vegetables, slices of meat and organ meats, oils, seeds, nuts, sea vegetables, sprouts, beans, rice. The only food I take issue with in this list is the rice. But for the Chinese, active people, pursueing intensive laborious jobs such as manual farming, extra rice provides the extra glucose they need. Our more sedentary lifestyle requires us to greatly reduce the amount of rice we eat.

TIP: When cooking rice rinse it at least twice to remove as much gluten as possible. A few of my Oriental friends rinse rice after it is cooked...This greatly reduces the amount of simple carbohydrates attached to the grain.

TIP: When increasing protein eat wild animal protein, not protein from confined domestics. Wild animal sources contain more essential fat and less saturated fat and cholesterol.

TIP: All diets require more exercise and exercise should be performed every day. Exercise is a great way to check insulin levels and burn off end energy products of glucose metabolism. Rest the antithesis of exercise is another integral factor too often overlooked. There must be balance. Get ample rest, 8 plus hours per day. Take naps as needed.

More Protein in the Diet Controversies

Protein is a controversial part of diet. Dean Ornish and many other nutrition experts have recommended less protein in diet to avoid associates saturated fat and cholesterol from animal protein. Dr. Adkins recommends a high protein diet for treating hypoglycemia and diabetes, and obesity. The compromise diet is the Diet for Natural Health. It requires more protein from seeds, grains, pulses, vegetables, nuts and wild animal sources: wild fish, rabbit, pheasant, ostrich, deer, elk, buffalo. These sources of protein are lower in cholesterol and saturated fat and higher in omega 3 and omega 6 (essential) fatty acids.

Protein roles in body: building blocks of cells and cell structures, enzymes, hormones, glucose, acid/base regulation (pH of blood); transporting, antibodies, clotting, vision, healing, collagen formation, neuro-transmitters, melanin pigment, makes fats, energy conversion.

Vegetarian Diet: How to Get Adequate Quality Protein

Vegetarians need to combine complex plant food sources to get complete profile. Food

combining is required for vegetarians to get complete essential and non-essential amino acids.

A few good combinations are: black beans and rice; tofu, vegetables and rice; corn, beans and seeds; corn, peas and beans. Eat whole wheat sprouted bread. Seed and bean sprouts. See Jim's paleo Waffle in recipe section.

WOW! A sandwich embracing 2 slices of Worthington's vegetarian meatless chicken with hummus spread, sprouts, tofu cheese, a slice of tomato and two slices of sprouted wheat bread provides 22 grams of protein.

A Boca burger on sprouted wheat bread, hummus, tofu cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and onion provides 25 grams of protein--that is about 1/2 your daily recommended allowance.

Vegetarians need to eat a variety of plant food sources. This variety makes the vegetarian diet the most delicious and satisfying on Earth. Vegetarians avoid fatigue, obesity and degenerative diseases by eliminating refined sugars, bleached white flour products and animal fat.

A B vitamin complex supplement may be necessary for unskilled vegetarians. Those who do not carefully eat a broad variety of foods, including those fortified with B12.

Potential High Protein Diet Dangers

A danger of high meat, high protein diet is the intercellular and extracellular fat that can lead to: degenerative diseases. But a too high carbohydrate diet without ample fiber can lead to increased fat production and higher serum cholesterol too.

Too much protein makes kidneys work harder, drink plenty of water with high protein food sources.

Also serum levels of calcium go up with too much protein, more calcium excreted as a blood buffer to raise the pH of the blood. This is not seen to the same extent with plant protein, therefore there may also be a connection with the fat in animal proteins and calcium loss?

Vegetarians be certain getting adequate calcium/protein ratio: 16 mg cal to 1Gm protein U.S. women get typically 9mg cal to 1Gm protein. The Boca burger and meatless chicken sandwiches mentioned above have poor calcium to protein ratios. It may be a good idea to supplement your diet with calcium.

Calcium, Vitamin D, B12 and Iron Supplementation

Vegetarians appear to have advantages of non-vegetarian: they are typically closer to their ideal weight; they have better control over blood pressure; Seventh Day Adventists vegetarians have less cancer. Vegetarian who include no fat or low fat milk products and eggs have few if any nutrient deficiencies. Vegans who eat no animal products have to make astute food choices and food combinations when eating. Greatest risk is for children and pregnant or lactating women.

It is necessary for vegetarians to consider soy milk fortified with calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Eat at least a cup of dark green leafy vegetables to help meet zinc and iron needs. To meet calcium needs drink calcium fortified soy milk and fortified citrus juices. Sesame seeds, tofu, almonds, broccoli, turnip greens, kale and beans also are good sources of calcium. Cook vegetables in iron skillets for more iron. Eat B12 fortified tempeh, fortified cereals and a vitamin B12 supplement. For vitamin D get out in the sun, exercise outdoors.

Protein Review

One point of view: We overvalue protein and eat too much of it. Ratio should be 15% of calories. Fat= 20% Carbs=65% Protein=15%

I believe you can eat a higher ration of protein if it is from vegetable and wild animal sources, or at least animals that have not been confined and overfed high corn, soybean diets (unnaturally fattened, sedentary domesticated animals).

High protein weight loss diets can be dangerous. Can lead to cancer, heart disease, kidney failure, osteoporosis, low energy.

Athlete amino acid supplements compete for carriers and may cause deficiencies and toxicity.

Both proteins and carbohydrates are essential to sleep (see serotonin).

A low carbohydrate high protein diet may lead to forming ketone bodies, incomplete fat breakdown... This upsets acid base balance may cause protein to draw calcium to balance pH in blood, increased excretion of calcium.

Good protein sources:

top 4: egg ( I eat two eggs per week).

beef

pea flour

soybean products

Metabolism fact: carbohydrates and fat are selected to form glucose to spare protein in the high carbohydrate diet, thus if fat content is high it is stored leading to obesity.

Types of amino acids, the building blocks of protein:

Essential

Non-essential

conditionally essential

Essential amino acids are more difficult to come by in the vegan diet. Make good choices when combining beans, corn, other pulses, seeds, nuts, tofu.

Hybridization and the Effects on Essential Amino Acids

Alan Kapuler PhD, molecular biologist at the University of Oregon has studied the amino acid profiles in 9 hybrids of the common tomato and various hybrids of sweet potatoes. In the tomato study, Kapuler discovered the Burbank (one of the first hybrids)and the cherry tomato(genetically close to the wild strain) are good choices for balanced and complete essential amino acid profiles. Tomatoes that have undergone more tampering, more hybridization, have skewed amino acid profiles with some amino acids nearly absent and others in high amounts. Humankind's tampering with plant foods--the foods we co-evolved with--may negatively effect plant nutrient profiles. Soybeans with over 200 hybrids varies in fat, protein and carbohydrate content from one variety to the next. Corn too varies according to variety in carbohydrate, fat and protein content. Seed producers try to genetically manipulate foods for many reasons. Often they attempt to increase fat, carbohydrates and proteins. A soybean with a very high fat content may have a lower percentage of carbohydrate.

Nutrient Profiles Vary Between Same Species

Nutrient profiles can vary between two samples of the same species of plant food. Take soybeans for example. Data from the CRC Handbook of Proximate Analysis Tables of Higher Plants edited by Duke and Atchley (see page 78) show that of four strains of soybeans (Glycine max) tested calories content ranged from a high of 405 calories/100 grams to a low of 139 calories per 100 grams. Protein in the same three strains varied from 33.7grams/100 grams to 13grams/100 grams. One variable was moisture content that helped skew ratios. Just the same, when corrected for moisture content nutrients, vitamin and mineral content varied between samples. Below is an example of how two samples of the same food grown in different conditions can have varying nutrient and mineral profiles...

Glycine max* Protein Carbs Fats Fiber

sample 3156 +4% +4.5% +8.5% +9%

sample 3163 +18% +18% +47% +26%

*Explanation: Sample 3156 had more protein, carbohydrate, fat and niacin. Sample 3163 had higher amounts of fiber, calcium and iron.

Corn to Fatten Animals vs. Corn for Humans

From the same tables (p. 385-386) ten sub-species of Zea mays (corn) were tested at a zero moisture base. Nutrient, vitamin and mineral amounts varied greatly between subspecies.

Calories varied by 13%. Protein content varied by 47% between sub-species. Fat varied by 76%.

For human nutritional needs the best profile appeared to be Zea mays subspecies mexicana which tested out at 24% protein; 72% carbohydrate and 2.8% fat. Others species, probably grown to fatten animals, contained three times as much fat as mexicana.

Typically, heritage varieties have less carbohydrate and fat and higher protein ratios. The density of nutrients per given weight are higher in original varieties because of their smaller size due to less carbohydrate and fat content.

Rest
Melatonin

Do you sleep adequately? _____

Do you bounce out of bed enthusiastic to greet a new day? _____

Does stress keep you awake? _____

Do you take naps when you need one? _____

Do you have a diurnal schedule, a time for sleep and a time for activity? _____

Do aches, pains, tinnitis, or other health problems that keep you awake? _____

With an exercise program you will rest better? _____

Other _____

Place yes or no in the space after each question. This will give you a map on what you need to deal with to get adequate rest. You may need at least 8 hours of sleep per night. A high protein dinner followed two or three hours later with a high carbohydrate snack may increases melatonin in the brain and induce sleep. Three to four mg of melatonin is a very effective sleep aid for me, and the vivid dreams are a bonus.

Satiating Foods

What foods are most filling, satiating?

TEST: Group ate 1000Kc portions of 38 different foods to test satiety over 120 minute period.

RESULTS:

Tip: Protein, water and fiber content increases satiety and fat decreases it.

-Complex carbohydrate foods are more satisfying than fat rich foods.

-Whole grain bread is 50% more filling than white bread.

-Oranges and apples are more filling than bananas.

-Fish is more satisfying than chicken or lean beef.

-Popcorn, without butter (one of my favorite night snacks) is twice as filling as peanuts or a candy bar.

-Hard candy and high sugar foods rated very low in satiety.

-Cheesecake rated poorly, not satisfying over a 120 minute period.

-Lean meat rated better than fatty cuts of meat.

-Fiber rich foods moderate (slow) glucose absorption in stomach.

Most filling foods are high in fiber, dense (heavy for their size) relatively high in protein and high in water content. Water content is a bit deceiving. A dry cookie is more satisfying than a moist cookie or donut, ounce for ounce, thus viscosity is important. I believe that the dry foods have more fat and draw more moisture into them as they are digested, requiring you to drink more water, thus adding to their satiety index. These are high moisture binding foods increasing the viscosity of the digesting meal.

IMPORTANT: Fat foods are least satisfying initiating craving for more almost instantly.

The most filling and satiating food tested was boiled potatoes. A boiled potato is seven times more filling than a croissant. I prefer them with the skins on for even more fiber and bulk. Bulk is a critical filling factor.

Jellybeans were an interesting case, turned out to be satisfying perhaps because after eating a 1000 Kc of jellybeans "all the volunteers became slightly nauseous". That kind of reaction to sugar will make you think twice about going back for more.

SATIETY OF FOODS RATINGS

Scale: from most satisfying to least satisfying. White bread equal 100% on the scale.

Baked goods, snacks and candy breakfast are carb rich foods.

Crackers 127 popcorn 154 oatmeal 209 potatoes 323

Cookies 120 jellybeans 118 All Bran 151 brown pasta 188

White bread 100 white bread 100 Honey Smacks 132 wheat meal bread 154

Doughnuts 68 ice cream 96 Cornflakes 118 Grain bread 154

Cake 65 crisps 91 Special K 116 White rice 138

Croissant 47 yogurt 88 Sustain 112 Brown rice 132

Peanuts 84 Muesli 100 White pasta 119

Mars bar 70 white bread French frys 116

White bread 100

Protein Rich Fruit

Fish 225 oranges 202

Beef 176 apples 197

Baked beans 168 grapes 162

Eggs 150 bananas 118

Cheese 146 white bread 100

Lentils 133

White bread 100

HIERARCHY OF SATIATING AND BULKING FOODS

SATIATING BULKING/ most wt./cal.**

BOILED POTATO 323/ Chinese cabbage tomato

FISH 225/ lettuce watercress

ORANGES 202/ celery artichoke

OATMEAL 209/ cucumber cabbage

APPLES 197/ radish green beans

BROWN PASTA 188/ zucchini asparagus

BEEF 176/ eggplant spinach

BAKED BEANS/ 168 squash bamboo shoots

GRAPES 162/ endive cauliflower

POPCORN 154/ chili peppers mushrooms

*Resource: Holt et. al., Dept. of Biochemistry, U. of Sydney Australia, A satiety index of common foods. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol 49, Sept 1995, pp 675-690.

**As calculated from: THE HANDBOOK OF PROXIMATE ANALYSIS TABLE OF HIGHER PLANTS...James A. Duke, Alan A. Atchley, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL>

Spirituality

Key Words for Discussion: The following words describe how we achieve spirituality. Say the words one by one to yourself and define them according to your beliefs. Do not discard them.

Learn how to use them in a way relevant to who you are. Try them. Give them a chance to be part of who you are.

Prayer

Meditation

Chanting

Yoga, get your exercise.

Inner Voice, is it positive or negative?

Acceptance, ACCEPTANCE, ACCEPTANCE practice it in all its forms.

Role Recognition: What is your role in your group in your family, in your world?

Mission, discover your path, what it is...and pursue it.

Foundational Belief System...What do you believe? What is the foundation of beliefs that support you?

Do you have someone to talk to when there is no-one

You belong to the family of life on earth and have been elected its president. Everyone reveres and loves you because you are the perfect human being. Describe yourself.

Like a skyscraper, a human being needs a solid foundation to rise toward the heavens.

Stress

Stress can lead to overeating and the onslaught of disease. Several studies have shown that stress reduction heals and prevents disease. Stress reduction can lower blood pressure. It can prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Most of us have spend numerous years in public education learning occupational skills. Few of us have learned life skills. Life skills we fail to learn that prevent stress are: relaxation techniques; healthy emotional expression; spirituality; acceptance.

A few studies have shown that spiking a meal or snack with sugar or eating a starch rich snack may improve mood. This procedure raises serotonin levels in some people, reducing stress and improving mood.

Stroke Prevention

A baby aspirin (common name for a synthetic drug modeled form salicin in willow, spirea, poplar) once a day is being prescribed by physicians worldwide to keep platelets from aggregating to prevent stroke and a first heart attack.

Take a calcium supplement and eat calcium rich foods (high calcium support cut incidence of stroke by 1/3 in six year Harvard study).

Calcium Rich Foods

Pigweed, lamb's quarters, stinging nettles, watercress, red clover shoots, collard greens, Chinese cabbage, Bok choy, dandelions, purslane.

Carotenoid rich foods in another Harvard study of female nurses reduced stroke (carrots and spinach)...Eat more carotenoid and vitamin C rich tomatoes, pineapple (anticlotting) fruits and vegetables.

Legumes and pulses containing flavonoids such as genistein may have an anticlotting effect.

Dr. Duke in his landmark book The Green Pharmacy suggest eating scurfy pea (Psoralea corylifolia) it appears to date to have the highest concentration of Genistein (discovered as a result of work by Peter Kaufman Ph.D; U. of Michigan.

Anthocyanins in blueberries, bilberries, cherries, huckleberries, cranberries, mountain ash berries and blackberries may prevent blood clots and even diminish plaque lining arteries.

Other natural sources of anti-clotting chemistry are Evening primrose oil (gamma-linolenic acid GLA) ginger tea, and cooking with ginger, turmeric (curry dishes) and folate (mostly from animal sources of food but available in moderate amounts in spinach, endive, parsley pigweed leaves, cabbage, asparagus, okra).

Eat more tofu, peas, sprouts.

Preventing Platelet Aggregation: Anti-aggregating Foods

parsnip root

sunflower seed

flax seed

evening primrose leaf

clove flower

lemon

purslane

butternut

fennel seed

tea leaf

black currant seed

evening primrose seed

onion

orange pericarp

garlic

turmeric

allspice

thyme

*as per Phytochemeco Database USDA ARS NGRL Beckstrom-Sternberg, Duke.

Taste as Protection

We crave and reject different tastes. Spitting out rejected foods is a protective mechanism.

The broad spectrum of human taste requires great food variety to be satisfied. Variety assures us that we are getting a broad base of foods to meet our nutritional requirements.

Ethnic groups small in stature may be on narrow agricultural diet with restriction of nutrients, primarily protein.

Sweetness is an excellent predictor of high energy source of good nutritional value.

Glucose drives human metabolism. We cannot live long without it. Taste: 1 part in 200 parts.

Bitterness is an intense taste in humans. It is selected against. Bitter principles in plants are typically secondary metabolites that protect plants, they are poisons: some alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds. We can taste bitterness: 1pt in 2 million.

Bitterness reflexively kicks our entire digestive system and related organs into action. Bitters make us hungry because the increase peristalsis and digestive juice secretions. Bitters are used to treat anorexia by holistic health care practitioners.

Salt craving (see cravings) reminds us of the need for potassium and sodium in proper balance to drive osmosis in every cell of the body.

Fat cravings remind us that we can not live long without essential fatty acids.

Protein craving ditto. We need it. We crave it. Without it we die.

Vitamins/Mineral

How to Increase Absorption

1. Take supplements with meals. Fat soluble vitamins are best eaten with fats like peanut butter, or olive oil, oily fish.

2. Consider digestive aids like bitters, beer, bitter drinks and bitter salads to improve digestion and assimilation. Take bitters, such as dandelion greens in your salad, prior to the meal.

3. Take antioxidants together they are synergistic, with the meal.

4. Stimulate bile production by taking Omega 3 fatty acids. Flax seeds (1/4 cup) ground in a drink provide ample Omega 3's. But a few of us do not process flax seed oil into animal Omega 3. For those try fish oil supplements, fish oil capsules.

5. Make certain your vitamins, minerals are dissolving, capsules dissolve faster than tablets. I break a tablet in half to increase surface area and facilitate breakdown.

6. Sit down to a stress free meal (and not in front of the TV) to improve breakdown, digestion, assimilation.

7. Oral contraceptives lower vit. E levels, antibiotics block absorption of B vitamins and minerals, acetaminophen lowers levels of antioxidants according to Natural Health Magazine, P 60. March/April 1998.

The case for taking vitamin supplements is not cut and dried. Over 40% of Americans take a nutritional supplement everyday. This is a multi-billion dollar industry. Most vitamins users take a supplement as "health insurance". The prevalent belief is the supplement provides a measure of safety over what they may not be getting in their diet. Thus, vitamins are considered by many a food and drug. A food to provide chemistry insurance for the proper function of all human metabolic activities and a drug to ward off acute and chronic disease. For some vitamin taking can be both expensive and harmful. Most people take vitamins without having a valid nutritional assessment. A friend of mine takes a mineral supplement high in iron, because he donates blood frequently and believes the mineral and high doses of vitamin C protect him from anemia, colds and chronic degenerative diseases. It makes sense to me to have a blood test to check your red blood cell count before taking iron supplementation. Iron is a double edged sword it protects and it destroys. Too much iron, especially in children can be fatal. Iron is reactive and can cause oxidative damage. In effect excessive iron causes free radical damage in the body.

Vitamin/mineral supplements may be a good idea. But bear this in mind. No supplement can provide the broad array and variety of vitamins and minerals as a mixed and variegated diet. A single tomato has over 10,000 Phytochemicals. There is not a vitamin made to match this chemistry. Eating whole foods from good ground is the best way to protect your health. Take your vitamin/mineral supplement, but more importantly eat a broad based diet of quality plant foods and good health will be yours. My garden has over 100 edible wild plants and over 50 edible flowers. For seven months of the year it provides me with ample vitamins and minerals. In the Winter when my garden is dormant, like most folks I eat supermarket foods, so I take a vitamin/mineral supplement. I do not take vitamins in the spring, summer and winter. It would be superfluous. Every salad in our home has over ten living plants, also pumpkin seeds, typically flowers and fruit. Virtually every color in the plant spectrum is eaten every day. By eating our colors we ensure that we are getting a broad base of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and Phytochemicals conducive to good health. Another reason I do not take vitamins and minerals in the crop growing months is that I am incredibly cheap.

People who should consider vitamin/mineral supplements are the elderly, dieters, fast food eaters, people who eat in restaurants more than twice a week, and individuals who have stressful lives or stressful work. And of course people who spend more than four hours per day in a factory setting that contains air pollutants: paint fumes, fabricating and firing gases of combustion, fiberglass and other resinous fumes, chemical manufacturers, automobile and other internal combustion fumes. Farmers too who use chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides should consider vitamin/mineral supplementation.

Too much vitamin A in supplement form can over an extended period of time cause liver disease.

Usually, discontinuing the vitamin A will restore healthy liver function.

Poison control centers in the United States report over 30,000 cases of toxic or near toxic ingestion of vitamins by children. Chewable, flavored and sweetened vitamins are too great a temptation for accidental overdose by youngsters.

Iron supplements are the leading case of accidental ingestion fatalities in children. Black diarrhea reflects gastric bleeding in over exuberant iron supplementation. Severe overdose of iron may result in liver damage, shock, coma and death.

Too much Vitamin D an oil soluble vitamin can lead to calcium depletion and kidney and liver disease.

One of the greatest dangers from vitamin/mineral supplementation is the false security that a person can continue a poor diet and be protected. Friends who keep eating their fat rich fast foods and nutrient dense and cholesterol saturated desserts will find no safe haven from degenerative diseases by taking vitamin and mineral supplements.

Remember the body has co-evolved with the food chain. We are exquisitely designed to extract, absorb and utilize vitamins and minerals from common foods. Plant foods provide vitamins and minerals in diluted and dispersed form mixed with all the nutrient ingredients necessary for life.

This blend facilitates absorption and utilization. On the other hand there is evidence that nutrients taken in concentrated form compete and interfere with absorption. Zinc hinders calcium copper absorption. Magnesium interferes with the absorption of calcium and iron. Iron hinder zinc absorption. Beta carotene competes with and interferes with vitamin E metabolism. Vitamin E is antagonistic to vitamin K activity. Chewable Vitamin C can dissolve tooth enamel.

Test your vitamin dissolving time. Put it in a vinegar and water solution. About half to half vinegar and water. Put in your vitamin pill and close the jar. Now agitate the jar frequently while you watch your favorite half hour television show. At the end of the half hour the vitamins should be totally dissolved if it is not get yourself another brand of vitamins that dissolve more efficiently and quickly. If your vitamin does not dissolve in thirty minutes it is not likely to release the nutrients you may need in ample time to be absorbed.

Folate

Vitamin C

Large doses of vitamin C in animal models appears to alleviate stress and prevent illness (study: P. Samuel Campbell; U. of Alabama, Huntsville, ACS; http://www.axs.org). Two hundred mg of vitamin C reduced the amount of adrenal secretions of corticosterone and cortisol, "fight and flight" inducing hormones that suppress the immune system. Megadoses of vitamin C reduced body weight loss, decreased adrenal gland swelling and reduced the size of the thymus gland and spleen. IgG antibodies were increased systemically providing increased protection from systemic infection.

Ironically, endogenous vitamin C in the adrenals supports production of stress hormones. Megadoses of vitamin C appear to suppress the stress producing adrenal vitamin C.

Other trials showed vitamin C boosted immune function in elderly women and reduced the number of upper-respiratory infections in distance runners.

One last shot over the bow, antioxidants are the rage. Antioxidants in judicious amounts may provide protection from heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants in large doses may produce harmful by-products and just may accelerate the diseases you are trying to prevent.

NOTE: Vitamins act as enzymes, co-enzymes, assist enzymes. Several are antioxidants and quench free radical damage from oxidation. They are abundant in foods. B vitamins may be the most difficult for vegetarian to get, especially B 12. Vitamins can be destroyed by cooking. They are very available in raw foods.

Recommendation: Take a multivitamin once a day with a meal. Make certain it is low in iron or has no iron, unless a blood test show you have a iron deficiency.

Minerals

Minerals unlike vitamins are inorganic elements that always retain their chemical identity. They are not destroyed by cooking or combining with other minerals or elements, vitamins. However minerals are leached from food into cooking water and lost when that water is tossed away.

Colloidal and Chelated

Seaweed provides a broad variety of minerals in chelated form...Chelated in carbohydrate minerals enclosed in a carbohydrate sphere), the seaweed minerals are contained in very absorbable balls of carbohydrates. The recent rage is for colloidal minerals. Colloidal minerals (colloids) are minerals typically scrubbed from rock, mountains by glaciers or running water. If you have visited the glacial areas of mountains you may have noted how the streams running off the mountain sides and glaciers are grey or green colored from the suspended rock dust in the water. A few mountain lakes maintain this tinted rock dust laden water. The minerals in the water are suspended as a colloid because they are electrically charged. Instead of clumping they remain suspended. A connection has been made between long lived mountain people, like Incas, Georgians and Hunzas, and the glacial colloidal mineral waters they drink. More research is needed to prove that colloidal mountain waters do not contain toxic amounts of heavy metals and trace minerals. For my needs a broad based menu of organically grown plants puts numerous chelated minerals in my body in a form that evolution has prepared me for. Seaweed packets from Oriental supermarkets provide another safe and nutritious way to get minerals and electrolytes.

Minerals are divided into major and trace minerals. Major minerals are found in the body in quantities greater than 5 grams. Trace minerals are found in the body in quantities less than 5 grams. Minerals taken in excess may be toxic. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, over 1150 grams in a 132 pound person (Understanding Nutrition, Whitney and Rolfes p 439 1996). Minerals like selenium and iodine are found in amounts of .02 grams in a 60 kilogram human. Plant foods are excellent sources of all minerals. However some minerals are more absorbable and bioavailable than others. Whole, unprocessed foods are your best source of minerals. Water processing, pickling, creaming, frying, baking changes the mineral content. For example, potassium, the second most needed mineral after phosphorus and calcium, diminishes with all forms of processing identified above. Sodium displaces the potassium and the vital sodium/potassium ratio is disturbed. Too much sodium and too little potassium can lead to high blood pressure and poor cellular function. Fresh herbs are excellent sources of potassium, phosphorus and calcium. They are your best substitute for salt (sodium chloride) when cooking.

Watermelon is a great source of potassium and other electrolytes. Like other melons Native American use watermelons to cool themselves and replace body salts and minerals lost to sweating, work and exercise (also use cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes).

Calcium

Calcium absorption can be promoted with adequate vitamin D production. Get out in the sun!

It is best to ingest calcium with your meal. By taking calcium rich foods after tasting bitter drinks (Swedish bitters, beer) you get better breakdown and absorption. The bitter drinks increase the secretion of stomach acid which improves calcium absorption. Growth hormones also help calcium absorption. Root vegetables provide hormone like substances, as do seeds and nuts. These foods are often calcium rich. High phosphorus diets may inhibit calcium absorption. On the other hand phosphorus is also necessary for calcium absorption. This makes the picture more complex. As we age calcium absorption is not as efficient and the body may rob bones of calcium to meets it metabolic needs. This may lead to osteoporosis. People who eat ample vegetable diets and exercise daily are less likely to lose calcium from their bones. Their bones will have more density and hence more calcium. Ironically, high fiber diets (leafy plant diets) may prevent calcium absorption (roots and seeds are lower in fiber). Orientals who eat tofu high in phytate apparently have little osteoporosis. Yet, phytate in soy beans, prevents calcium absorption. It is believed that preparing soy beans with magnesium chloride (from seawater) destroys much of the phytic acid and improves calcium absorption from tofu. Oxalates from spinach, solanaceous plants, and docks, including French Sorrel, should be eaten discriminately. Oxalic acid interfere with calcium absorption. Interestingly, spinach with oxalates is one of the most nutrient dense calcium foods. For non vegan canned salmon with bones and sardines with bones are excellent sources of calcium as are skim milk, yogurt, swiss and cheddar cheese. All beans are calcium rich with tofu (soy bean curd) being the richest.

According to Whitney and Rolfes, cauliflower, watercress, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, kale, mustard greens, bok choy, broccoli an turnip greens are excellent sources of absorbable and bioavailable calcium. Note most of these greens have a bitter taste which improves digestion and increases stomach acid facilitating the absorption of the calcium they contain.

A varied diet of organic foods with adequate protein and fat, containing vegetables and fruit of all colors is my way of meeting my vitamin, mineral needs. I eat seaweed. I also eat nuts, seeds, flowers, roots and leaves.

Add pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and root crops to your diet.

Water Recommendations for Your body

Water provides the environment for all the body's activities.

Actively participates in many chemical reactions, transports nutrients and waste; forms large molecules; is a solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other molecules.

Lubricates and cushions joints; absorbs shock and protects fetus in womb, protects eyes and spinal cord.

Helps regulate body temperature; maintains blood volume.

We need about 2.5 liters of water per day. We get about half of that from food and metabolic water (water derived from energy yielding activities in body).

Half the daily loses of water are from the lungs and skin.

We need on a 2000 calory diet to drink 2-3 liters (7 to 11 cups)of water per day. Juice or milk okay. Tea, coffee, alcohol as diuretics can cause increased excretion.

WHO prescribes a combination of sugar, salt and water taken by the mouth to rehydrate during diarrhea (oral hydration therapy). formula: 1 cup boiled water+2teaspoons sugar+pinch of salt.

When craving foods try a glass of water before giving in. Drink a full ten ounces.

When snacking with high bulk foods drink water to increase their expansion, and thus the full feeling they give you.

Drinking ample water cleans the kidneys and bladder of toxins and salt cystals...This helps you avoid kidney stones and kidney disease.

People may overeat when they are simply thirsty. Quench your thirst not your appetite.

When sick-- a cold, flu or other illness--drink ten ounces of water every hour.

Domestication of Food

Hybridization

Manipulation of the food supply by prehistoric and modern man is not always associated with improvements.

Wild wheat has more protein than most domesticated wheat.

Wild plants are typically higher in fiber and protein than their cultivated cousins.

Alan Kapuler has researched many variety of tomatoes and squash to discover that the essential amino acid content is altered by hybridization.

The Function of Domestication

Humans were the first domesticated animal. Domestication developed parallel with our genetically precocious ability to talk and solve problems. Discussion and problem solving birthed technology. With tools and language we began to dominate the earth. Our language helped us define and label the other world...We called it wilderness. There are two domains: wild and domestic. Slowly, over a good deal of time, we have nearly accomplished our mission; the elimination of the wild domain. We have used technology and language to tame the other world and bring it shackled into our existence. Animals that could not be controlled were eradicated. Plants that would not bend to our will were labeled weeds and poisoned. With the tools and chemistry of technology we bred, whipped and fenced wildness from Nature. It's a us-versus-them kind of thing. By defining wilderness and by separating ourselves from it we have lost our ability to commune with nature, to understand the mechanism of a larger process, bigger than us. Instead we have re-created ourselves bigger than life. It is the humanization of the globe.

Along the way we re-invented the Master in our own image, then usurped dominion over all lifeforms. With technology, and a wink from our Gods, we ruled, subjugated and redefined our world in a whimsical and unintegrated way. Farm communities became urbanized. Cities swelled with the yeast of human fecundity. Our fascination with the unnatural found fertile ground in these peopled places: the training sites for urban gorillas, drug Mafias; and grey flanneled wilderness tamers. Murder, mayhem, drugs and war are creations of domestication.

We have born a domesticated world of terrible dreary sameness. A homogenous environment of human confinement: ghettos; game rooms; television entertainment centers; McDonalds; Malls. Cultural diversity is 5 billion humans in blue jeans and a t-shirt. This ennui place paved from the wilderness is so boring that looking the same, being the same and killing our own kind is the stuff of entertainment. We are the wild ones. We are the wilderness.

By separating ourselves from the wild we have over time removed from our memory banks the knowledge of self-care. We have delivered our health into the hands of others. We don't know how to fix ourselves. We have created a medical hierarchy of experts (created by law and fired in technology ) to whom the masses stand in line begging for pills: pills to calm their nerves; pills to domesticate their children; pills to alleviate-self inflicted pain; pills to save a fatted heart, or a hardened artery; pills to replace nature and nurture: Prosac, insulin, estrogen, thyroxin, vitamins, minerals, trace elements and on and on. Then the ultimate experiment in domestication: genetic engineering....We can now improve on God's work.

A spin-off of our slavery to technology is a food supply that is domestic, not wild. Many domestic foodstuffs are genetically inferior: lacking the wild nutrient profiles that we co-evolved with. Tame plants can nolonger breed. Grains and seeds must be purchased like commodities, year after year...And year after year they are further weakened through hybridization until they are so domesticated that they can no longer compete with their wild cousins. To protect them from their own lack of vigor we spray them with poisons: herbicides, pesticides and incomplete nutrients. This is how food survives under our control, displacing the wild things they once were. Food has become a commodity, not a nutrient. Just follow the bouncing balls of ADM, Dole and Libby on the stock exchange. These companies are part of the problem, not the solution. They begat the demise of the small farmer, and have accelerated the subjugation of poor people who labor in distant fields flayed by the dollar green whip of fatted capitalists, fatted communists and fatted dictators. Think about it, in a typical urban setting, you can travel fifteen miles through a failed technological battleground, trapped in pollution belching machines--like a nucleus in a droid--running for a quart of milk and a pound of lettuce. Lettuce from across the continent delivered by Wall Street boardroom farmers. Milk from genetically engineered cows pumped full of hormones--milk making machine--that are neither wild or domestic, unfortunately they are alive. We can't even bite the hand that feeds us, because we don't know who feeds us!

This is the cost of how-to-do-it technological domestication; bondage to a must fix-it mentality. Nature does not fix what is not broken....We unfortunately are bound to our tongues and our tongues spew legislation.. We create more laws in one hour, than God could create in seven days. In our search for a quick fix, we have inflicted human bondage across the planet. We have lost our Nature. We in turn are enslaved to technology and its mistress human law. Our mission is to domesticate the Universe. To control the waves; to quiet the volcanoes; to stop the rain; and still the wind. We want to domesticate the planet until we are bored into non-existence. We are dangerously close to achieving our goal. With every technological breakthrough we become more convinced that we can save ourselves. In our arrogance, we believe we can fix it or can learn how to fix it...Just in time. This myth allows our dangerous mission to continue: the domestication, humanization and subsequent demise of humanity. After we are gone the shredded integuments of life will pull together, consolidate and continue...Evidence will suggest that we were here, we ravaged and were gone in a wing beat.

What can we do?

1. Take time to observe wild things. See how peaceful they are. Try to understand their world from a different perspective. Wonder at how a thousand birds can turn on a wing beat. Feel the remorse of blowing leaves heralding the call of Winter. There is no attempt here for control, only to be. Plants and animals connected. No hierarchy. We created that myth. Just exchanges, there a mouse becomes a coyote. A dragonfly eats a mosquito, the mosquito is a dragonfly. Think about those words we use to describe "wild" things: aggressive, dominant, competitive. Stop calling Nature names. Stop describing others in terms that describe us. We are the wild ones We are the rogues. We are the dangerous animals, the beasts that idolize: control, security and sameness.

2. Join a club that buys back wilderness or saves wilderness. A place you enter on a path, walking on your feet. The only vehicle allowed is a wheelchair.

3. Get your congressman to sponsor a bill that increases wilderness in your State. Shoot for 12% like they achieved in British Columbia.

4. Grow a garden of wild things and start eating them.

5. Join a garden club or a botanic garden. Help naturalists eliminate alien plants that are competing with our endemic flora. Support and participate in efforts of conservation and restoration.

6. Use your parks, beaches. Seek legislation that supports our National Parks, helps them expand, but does not pave them over and turn them into concession stands.

7. Buy your groceries from locals. Encourage them to practice organic gardening. Discourage the use of the term sustainable as in sustainable agriculture: at the present rate of human growth nothing is sustainable this is our deluding myth.

8. Cut your trips to the Mall in half. Shoot for only one trip a month.

9. Use your bike for short trips. Take walks everyday. Make your presence felt: truly wild things, rogue humans, those tyrants who sell drugs, rape and steal cannot withstand your presence.

10. Buy fine art and utilitarian tools and pots from local artisans. Reward those who simplify their lives and have a direct hand in what they do and who they are.

11. Buy whole foods, not manufactured foods...Stay away from energy rich (refined sugar) snacks.

12. Don't cry wolf or coyote. There is room for all us And if there isn't then here's a good how-to-do-it problem we should tackle. If predators are a threat to us, it's because we have squeezed them out of the picture. They are terribly afraid of us, we can destroy them with a simple flick of a finger.

13. Stop trying to tame the wild, a domesticated wilderness is a boring place.

Issues: Who Has the Wizard's Sword

The Alternative Health industry is driven by good intentions. It is also driven by money.

Competition for dollars in the industry has begat consumer confusing trends. Industry providers upstage the next guy by inventing new gimmick remedies daily. Cloaked in jazzy or scientific terms new herbal preparations are described as fast actives, standardized, power herbs, protectors, nutriceuticals, actins, certified potency, optimals and on and on. So not only are new products conceived daily but the hype is amplified in an increasing crescendo of meaningless terms. Also, some strange bed fellows have slipped between the sheets with Mother Nature. Mainstream pharmaceutical companies have changed from white cloaks to green gowns. It appears everyone is getting involved regardless of their belief system. Most of these people are sincere and can be helpful. Others are, well, they have found another way to get inside your purse. A few bad actors here. Those with lots of capital. I get nervous when mainstream pharmaceutical companies embrace products that just a few short months ago they termed quackery. These big dollar corporations hurt small holistic companies that have been there for us when no one else cared. Of course, with a proliferation of practitioners and providers there is a proliferation of new therapies. Remember the song: "A Thousand Ways to Leave Your Lover" Well alternative health practitioners have a melody called: "A Thousand Ways to Cure Your Liver". By the time you pay the bills for 999 failed treatments you can't afford the one therapy that might help. And, and how about all those books. One right here in my hand describes the nutritional and herbal therapies for treating psoriasis. There are over fifty herbs, oils, essences, vitamins, minerals and other earth products described. Then there is the food avoidance list (of course, everything I ever liked in my life). Follow that with the recommended diet (everything I dislike). And there you have the cure. It's guaranteed to fail because not even God could stick to the formula. Leave-me-a-life! For most of us with psoriasis a bath in sea salts and a rub with emollient creams followed by a relaxing snooze in a sunny back yard is still the best therapy. It's cheaper than what's in the book and it is more effective. Simplicity and time are still the best cures. Remember that-- as all of the capitalist dance around you, chanting the benefits of new found miracles.

Finally the "magic bullet". Now this is your fault, my fault. The proliferation of therapies, providers, practices and practitioners is in answer to our siren song for a quick fix. Forget all the hucksters and stick with a therapy you've researched and believe in. Add in balanced nutrition from organically grown herbs, flowers and foods. Then be patient. Don't bolt the barn for the next quick fix that is hyped on the street. Take hold of the helm and ride through the storm. There's a rainbow beyond that next dark cloud. Set your course with positive thoughts and good deeds and your body will heal itself...And if it doesn't get on with your life.

Work

A brief and cynical history of work:

In the past, the reward for a hard day's work was a full basket of basic needs: shelter, food, clothing, protection, stable population and well nurtured kids. As we became more proficient at these tasks we could fill the basket in just a few hours. Suddenly we had free time. We started pinging art, inventing origin stories, and dividing people up as to their skills. We made rules. We invented tools. Tools could be traded for food and clothing. Tools could be accumulated. With more and better tools we became more proficient. We discovered how to produce and capture supplies of food beyond immediate needs. In a few hours, we could gather several days supply of food. These foods, like grain and dried fish, were transportable. They were non-perishable. Like tools they could be stored and accumulated. Stored treasures of food and tools could be bartered for things made by others. Agriculture, fishing and animal husbandry proliferated. Small communities attracted artisans who made goods to trade with farmers, hunters and herders. A few amassed more than others. They became big men, then chiefs and kings. Meanwhile, farmers were producing far too much food, more than could be stored or distributed. There was no longer a need for so many farmers. Kings and barons confiscated the fields and forests. They drew circles around people, within the circle you paid tribute and followed the rules of the chief. These circles became states, then nations. One circle ran into another, states shared borders. Soon there was nowhere for a person to run should they chose not to follow the rules of the state. For just outside their circle was another scribed arc, an alien state. States conscripted armies to protect themselves from other circles. Circles allied with each other for protection. People within each circle evolved their own culture: values, mores, rules, cuisine. Dispossessed farmers moved to villages, villages swelled to towns and towns became cities. City folks could not grow or produce their basic needs. They took jobs to make tools, clothing and things. Money was useful to city dwellers who made nothing to trade. Now they traded money for goods. The money was backed by the wealth of the king. In the end, people began to work for and accumulate money. They began to perform tasks they didn't enjoy, to buy things they didn't need, made by people they didn't know.