HealthyNutrition.me

by, S. Steve Dounis

What are Essential Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids come from fish and plant oils and these are the good fats your body needs for survival. They are the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats referred to as the Omega fatty acids: Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9.

The human body does not manufacture Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and therefore these must be obtained from the foods we eat.

Omega-9 can be created in the human body from unsaturated fat such as olive oil. Some Omega-9s are common components of animal and vegetable oil.

Omega-3 is probably the best known of the essential fatty acids. However, we need all three omega fatty acids in combination to obtain balanced optimal levels of each for our good health.

Omega-3

The omega-3s are comprised of three polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA): alpha-linolenic acid ALA, eicosapentaenic acid EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid DHA. The EPA and DHA are found mainly in oily cold water fish. The ALA comes from plants and nuts such as flax (flaxseed oil), walnuts, and soybeans. The body converts the ALA to EPA and DHA which is more readily used by the body.

Research has shown that the omega-3 fatty acids are effective in reducing inflammation and helping to prevent the risk factors associated with such chronic diseases as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3s are highly concentrated in the brain (60% of your brain is fat with DHA the most abundant fat) and are important for brain memory and performance.

Pregnant women who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids put their infants at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urges women of childbearing age to consume more fish. The FDA further stipulates, despite warnings from environmental activists, that the fish found in supermarkets and in restaurants are safe to eat and that the health benefits far outweigh any potential risks. We have all heard about the mercury in the fish being bad for your health. According to a recent Washington Times article (Dec. 30, 2008), people in Japan eat eight times the fish consumed by the people in the United States (U.S.). The Japanese do have higher blood-mercury levels but they live longer and have lower rates of strokes, heart disease, and infant mortality. 

In a article of the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan. 14, 2009), researchers, led by Dr. Maria Makrides, deputy director of Women’s and Children’s Health Research Institute of Human Nutrition, University of Adelaide, Australia, found that a diet high in DHA boosted the brain function of female preterm babies improving their scores on a mental development test by five points and also led to an 80% reduction in the number of baby girls with significant mental delays. The same benefits were not seen in infant males.

Clinical studies of heart attack survivors found that daily omega-3 supplements dramatically reduce the risk of death, heart attacks, and stroke. The EPA and DHA help prevent and treat atherosclerosis by inhibiting the development of plaque and blood clots which cause arteries to clog. They are natural blood thinners. Thus, omega-3 fatty acid supplements can be a replacement for anticoagulant drugs including aspirin, and clopidogrel (Plavix), without any known side effects. However, it is best to use a whole EFA supplement that includes a balanced formula of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9.

A product such as Vita Logic EFA Formula or Vita Logic Fish Oil (Omega-3 EPA/DHA), can be taken by ingesting two capsules daily (approximately 1 gram of omega-3 fish oils) along with the Plavix, for example, for one whole month. After one month, the Plavix can be dropped. Keep taking the EFA or Fish Oil instead. Vitamin E is usually a part of the supplement in order to protect the fatty acids from oxidation. However, for other more potent anticoagulants, you may have to wean yourself off the pharmaceutical under a doctor’s supervision and monotoring. Always check with your health care provider for guidance.

Omega-6

Omega-6 fatty acids are consumed in the diet from vegetable oils (corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and cottonseed oil) as linoleic acid LA (not to be confused with alpha-linoleic acid ALA which is an omega-3 fatty acid). North American diets tend to be too high in omega-6, especially in relation to omega-3 fatty acids. The ideal ratio is deemed to be 1:1-to-1:4. That is, one omega-3 to one omega-6 up to one omega-3 to four omega-6. The typical American diet tends to contain 20 to 30 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids which can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, arthritis, and depression. Why is this happening?

Being that the essential fatty acids are fragile in their unstable nature, they are easly oxidized causing them to go rancid in a short amount of time. The food industry, therefore, in their infinite wisdom, came up with artificially hydrogenating vegetable oils (adding hydrogen to the molecule of an unsaturated organic compound) to create the infamous trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids in turn decrease the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the body by inhibiting their formation. The hydrogenated oils never break down. The body therefore cannot use or absorb them. This may cause inflammation which may lead to all kinds of maladies.

In the Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, a healthier and better balance exists between the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, leading to better health.

The linoleic acid (LA) is converted to gamma-linoleic acid (GLA) in the body and is broken down further into arachidonic acid (AA). AA can also be consumed directly from animal meats and egg yolks. GLA is taken from several plant based oils from palm, soybean, rapeseed (canola), and sunflower seed.

GLA, studies suggest, helps to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It also possesses anti-inflammatory properties, inhibits tumor growth and reduces skin itching and chronic dryness. Helps to reduce rheumatoid arthritis aches and pains. Reduces the symptoms of eczema, psoriasis, and clears up acne and rosacea. GLA can also be found in more rare oils including black currant, borage, evening primrose, and hemp oils.

Conjugated linoleic acid CLA, has been shown in some studies to be effective in lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad one) and increasing HDL cholesterol (the good one). CLA increases sensitivity to insulin which may provide long-term blood sugar control. Prevents and kills cancer cells. A good source is safflower oil.

Omega-9

Omega-9 fatty acid is a monounsaturated fat also known as oleic acid. When the body does not have enough omega-3 or omega-6, it compensates by producing omega-9 fatty acids to take their place. Because the body can produce omega-9 fatty acids it is not considered an essential fatty acid. Oleic acid is the main component of olive oil. The oil made by our skin glands is the same omega-9 fatty acid found in olive oil.

Omega-9 lowers cholesterol levels and is an anti-inflammatory. Other sources of omega-9 fatty acids include avocados, nuts, and seeds.

In Conclusion

The essential fatty acids are an important part of our diet. Almost all the polyunsatured fat in the human diet come from EFA. Some of the food sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), hemp oil, soy oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.

As far as supplementation goes, it is better to take the entire spectrum of the EFA to get the full benefit of the omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. Two great sources of the essential fatty acids include: EFA Formula, by Vita Logic, and The TOTAL EFA, by Health from the Sun. Both supplements contain fish oils derived from fresh cold water sources, tested for purity and contaminants and contain no mercury, pesticides, or dioxins. 

As with all drugs and supplements, consult a competent health care professional before use.

January 30th, 2009 | Tags: alphalinolenic acid, docosahexaenoic, eicosapentaenic, essential fatty acids EFA, flaxseed, gammalinoleic acid, heart attacks and strokes, linoleic acid, omega-3, omega-6, omega-9 | Category: essential fatty acids EFA, omega-3, omega-6, omega-9 | Comments (5)

by, S. Steve Dounis

The Various Teas

Black tea, green tea, oolong (Wulong) tea, white tea and yellow tea, all come from the same evergreen plant Camelia sinensis. The differences lie in how each tea is processed. The tea leaves oxidize and wilt if not dried quickly after picking. As the chlorophyll in the leaves break down, the leaves progressively darken. This process of enzymatic oxidation is called fermentation in the tea industry even though in reality this is not fermentation. That is, no micro-organism is added to ferment the tea. Most teas in the West are usually tea blends from many areas.

The break-down is as follows: White tea is unwilted and unoxidized by picking and air drying; Yellow tea is unwilted and unoxidized but allowed to yellow; Green tea is wilted and unoxidized, picked, then heated (by steaming or pan frying) and drying the leaves; Oolong tea is wilted, bruised, and partially oxidized; Black tea is wilted, crushed, and fully oxidized; and , Post-fermented tea is Green tea that has been allowed to compost (decay).

Benefits of Tea

Tea leaves contain bioflavonoids (antioxidant plant pigments), amino acids, vitamins C, E, and K, caffeine and polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates such as cellulose, starch or glycogen). The benefit to tea drinkers is an improved immune system from beneficial intestinal microflora along with germicidal activity against bad bacteria. All tea leaves contain natural fluoride, and in conjunction with the flavonoids, helps to prevent tooth decay.

Both green and black tea contain many antioxidants that have anti-cancer, anti-mutant and anti-tumor attributes. It is well established that tea aids in normalizing blood pressure and preventing coronary heart disease by reducing lipids (fats). Helps to prevent diabetes by reducing blood glucose (blood sugar).

Green tea aids in reducing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), LDL (the bad) cholesterol, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, liver disease, healthy weight loss, neurodegenerative diseases, as well as halitosis (bad breath).

Black tea reduces the risk of stroke by 70 percent. Researchers contribute this to the bioflavonoids that studies have linked to protection against heart attacks, cancer and other diseases. These bioflavonoids have antioxidant properties that reduce the ability of blood platelets to form clots, the main cause of strokes. Even though green tea is also high in bioflavonoids, its  high vitamin K content may offset their anticlotting properties.

In the March 31, 2005, issue of the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers found that both black and green teas significantly inhibited cataract formation by decreasing glucose levels in diabetics. The study was based on the human consumption of less than five cups of tea per day.

The April, 2008 issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter points out what is known about tea’s potential benefits. Green tea in particular, could be beneficial in reducing inflammation related to arthritis and slowing cartilage breakdown. It may also improve bone mineral density in older women. Plus, those who consume green tea daily show less risk of memory loss. The potential benefits seem to be in the tea cup and not in supplements or tea extract capsules.

Myths and Truths

1. Tea prevents iron from being absorbed from foods. Drinking tea will not result in iron deficiency. A daily cup of black tea, researchers in Germany have found, can help stop excess iron from damaging bodies of people who suffer from hemochromatosis (a disorder of iron metabolism that occurs usually in diabetic men). The high content of flavonoids, commonly mistaken for tannins, in tea limit iron absorbtion but does not prevent iron absorbtion. (If worried about it, squeeze a little lemon in your cup of tea).

2. Fluoride in tea is harmful. No it is not. The tea plant accumulates fluoride from the soil. Fluoride is known to protect teeth from dental cavities. Tea is a natural source of fluoride, unlike the chemically produced fluoride from co-products of the phosphate fertilizer industry. [Fluoride is the single negatively charged ion of flourine containing antibodies specific for or capable of stimulating immune response. Fluorine, on the other hand, is a nonmetallic element that is a flammable, irrating toxic diatomic (2-atom) gas. Thus, fluorine is harmful but flouride is beneficial].

3. Tea contains as much caffeine as coffee. This is erroneous. Tea contains about a third of the caffeine in coffee. Small amounts of caffeine, as found in tea, offers a wide range of benefits. These include improved alertness, short-term recall and reaction time, positive mood and reduced levels of fatigue. Caffeine is beleived to impact on mood and performance by acting on neurotransmitters in the brain. Caffeine also enhances physical performance and, reduces the likelihood of Parkinson’s disease. Healthy weight loss, reduction in duration and severity of headaches and treatment of asthma symptoms are additional attributes of moderate caffeine consumption as found in tea.

4. Tea is dehydrating. Wrong. Tea contains approximately 99% water. Both the Food Standards Agency and the British Dietetic Association advise that tea can help to meet the daily fluid requirements. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates. Tea rehydrates as well as water, United Kingdom (UK) nutrionists found. Tea not only replaces fluids but also contains antioxidants beneficial to health.

5. Tea is a diuretic. Tea does not have a diuretic effect unless you drink 5 and 6 cups of tea at one sitting. Those who regularly drink tea do not experience an increased urine output, research shows, because a tolerances to caffeine develops over time.

6. Tea contains tannin (a substance that has a tanning effect). Tea does not contain tannins. What was originally thought to be tannin (a chemical that may increase risk of nasal and esophogeal cancer) in tea turned out to be flavanoids.

More Benefits

As mentioned by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, laboratory studies on animals showed that the flavonoids in green tea inactivated oxidizing agents before cell damage occured, reducing the number and size of tumors, and inhibited the growth of cancer cells.

From the Life Science journal Carcinogenesis, a study demonstrated that green tea along with tamoxifen is effective in suppressing breast cancer growth.

The University of Geneva and the University of Birmingham conducted clinical trials indicating whereby green tea raises metabolic rates, speeds up fat oxidation and improves insulin sensitivity and glucose balance. Besides caffeine, green tea also contains catechin polyphenols that raise thermogenesis (rate calories are burned), thus, increasing energy endurance.

City College of the City University of New York, found that the amino acid L-theanine, found exclusively in the tea plant, is absorbed by the small intestine and crosses the blood-brain barrier affecting the brain’s neurotransmitters boosting mental alertness by increasing alpha brain-wave activity, and resulting in a calmer, more alert state of mind.

In a research project at the Brigham and Women’s hospital, L-theanine was found to help the body’s immune system respond, when fighting infection, by increasing anti-bacterial proteins.

An article in the New Scientist magazine mentions the numerous studies of how green tea protects against many cancers, including lung, prostate, and breast cancer. The main reason given is the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

How to Prepare for Best Results

Green tea is steeped for about three minutes or less at 140-185 degrees Fahrenheit (60-85 degrees Celsius). As a general rule, bring water to a rolling boil (212 degreesF/100 degrees C). Take pot off of fire and let stand for  one minute. This should be about the right temperature to pour water over tea in cup. Steep by placing saucer over mouth of cup for about 2 to 3 minutes. (White and yellow teas can be steeped for about 30 seconds to one minute, or not at all. Nonoxidized teas require less brewing).

Black tea should be brewed with water at the boiling point (212 degreesF/100 degrees C). Higher temperatures are required to extract the flavorful phenolic molecules found in fermented tea. Steep the tea for about 4 minutes but no longer than 5 minutes. Longer times will make the tea bitter.

Oolong tea (Wulong) should be brewed about 194 - 212 degrees F (90 - 100 degrees C). Can be brewed three to five times, the third steeping being the best. Unlike green tea, oolong improves with reuse. Brewing times are 30 seconds to two minutes.

In My Opinion

The health benefits of tea are hard to deny. From my own experience I know that when I drink tea, even one cup, I am energized the whole day. It is as if the energy is time-released but in a calm and even way. Not like coffee that jacks me up instatntly and later gives me the jitters. For me, I only add stevia as a sweetener (SweetLeaf Sweetener packet) to green tea. On days when I need more of a boost, I will add, besides the stevia, grated ginger, a dash of cinnamin and a dash of clove in my black tea (orange-pekoe). For a drink that has been around for over 4,000 years, you can only gain by adding tea to your daily routine. As a close second to water, tea is far superior to any other drink for rehydration and for health.

January 6th, 2009 | Tags: antioxidants, bioflavonoids, black tea, caffeine, cinnamin, clove, flouride, green tea, immune system, oolong tea, orange pekoe tea, white tea | Category: black tea, green tea, oolong tea | Comments (19)

by, S. Steve Dounis

Stevia is a herb native to Paraguay, South America, and is found mainly in the western hemisphere from South America to as far north as Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The leaves on the Stevia plant hold its sweetness. One leaf is about 30 times sweeter than sugar and calorie free. It has a zero glycemic index rating, so is good for diabetics, hypoglycemics, dieters and all of us. Stevia comes in powder and liquid form. The powder form comes also in individual packets.

The Discovery

Moises Santiago Bertoni (1857-1929), a Swiss botanist, was the first European to discover the sweet leaf plant, after he and his wife settled in Paraguay, doing scientific research in 1899. He and his wife’s name became the scientific name for the species Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni. His wife, who shared in the discovery, was Eugenia Rossetti Rebaud. Bertoni discovered that the Paraguayan Guarani natives had been using the sweet leaves in their yerba mate teas and in their medicinal teas for hundreds of years.

In 1931, two unnamed French chemists isolated the glycosides that contain the sweetness in the Stevia leaves and named them Stevioside and Rebaudioside. These two compounds are 250-300 times sweeter than sucrose from sugar and are heat stable, pH stable, and non-fermentable.

Begining of the Spread of Stevia

In 1971, Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., of Japan, was the first in the world to commercialize the Stevia sweetener. Since then, Morita has developed their own “Rebaudio” (rebaudioside) variety. Morita controls the whole process from cultivation of the Stevia plants to extraction and refinement of the rebaudiside glycosides. The Japanese have been using Stevia for over 30 years with no adverse effects. Stevia is used in Japan to sweeten Coca-Cola, other soft drinks, teas and food. Japan is the largest consumer of Stevia in the world.

Brazil approved Stevia Rebaudiana products in 1980. China began using Stevia in 1984. China is the world’s largest exporter of Stevioside. Stevia has been used in powder and extract form in the United States (U.S.), since 1995.

The Controversy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) has not allowed Stevia to be sold as a sweetener but has allowed it to be sold as a supplement. Does this make any sense? If Stevia is good enough to be classified by the F.D.A. as a supplement (which is consumed), what is the difference with allowing it to be termed also a sweetener (which is also consumed).

This goes back to 1991, when an “annonymous” complaint (some suppose by the sugar and/or artificial sweetener industry) to the F.D.A. labelling Stevia as an “unsafe” food additive. The F.D.A., subsequently, banned the import of stevia giving the reason that it was not proven to be toxicalogically safe. The proponents of Stevia fought back pointing out that this violated the F.D.A.’s own guidelines under which natural substances used prior to 1938, with no reported adverse effects, should be “generally accepted as safe” (GRAS). Arizona Congressman John Kyle called the F.D.A. action “a restraint of trade to benefit the artificial  sweetener industry” (possibly the makers of Aspartame). To this day the F.D.A. has not released the source of the original complaint in responses to requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act, citing “privacy issues”. Makes one wonder.

In 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was passed by Congress. This forced the F.D.A., in 1995, to permit Stevia to be used. However, The F.D.A. permitted Stevia’s use only as a food supplement and not, also, as a food additive. This is an oxymoronic decision. The proponents of Stevia also see this as contradictory, labelling Stevia as both safe and unsafe, depending on how it is sold. In grocery stores you may notice that Stevia is only on the shelves in the natural food section and not placed besides all sweeteners in the spice aisle. Another example of our government bureacracy in action.

Health Benefits

The Stevia plants are rich in nutrients. These include: protein, calcium, phosphorous, sodium, magnesium, zinc, rutin, vitamin A, vitamin C, and others, but has no caloric value.

In 2000, The British journal of Pharmacology prinrted a Chinese study from Taipei Medical College and affiliated Taipai Wan Fang Hospital on a double-blind placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness and tolerablity of oral Stevioside in human hypertension. The report showed no significant adverse effect and no deterioration of quality of life. The study concluded that oral Stevioside is an “effective alternaive or supplementary therapy for hypertension”.

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) in 2006, performed a thorough evaluation of the recent studies of Stevioside and Steviols on animals and humans and concluded that Stevioside and Rebaudioside A are not toxic and that no evidence of carcinogenic activity was found. The W.H.O. also noted that Stevioside has a pharmacological effect in patients with hypertension (lowers elevated blood pressure) and with the Type 2 diabetes (helps stabilize blood sugar levels).

As of 2008, the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Canada have approved the use of Stevia as a sweetener and food additive.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Joint Expert Committee on Food additives (J.E.C.F.A), in 2008,concluded that Stevia steviol glycosides are safe for human consumption.

Stevia is also cultivated in Korea, Taiwan, China, and Israel.

In Atlanta, Georgia, Coca-Cola researchers Indra Prakash, John F. Clos and Grant E. DuBois studied clear glass containers of cola and lemon-lime sodas containing the two major naturally sweet components in Stevia, Stevioside and Rebaudioside A. The beverages were exposed to sunlight for one week to test the stability of the components. The scientist found no significant photodegration in either component of Stevia.

Even though Stevia may soon replace sugar in soft drinks, this does not make soft drinks any healthier. Why? Most, if not all, soft drinks contain phosphorous. Some soft drinks not only contain phosphorous but also excessive amounts of caffein. Both caffein and phosphorous strip calcium from your bones and may result in kidney stones (because the body cannot reabsorb the stripped calcium) and eventually causes osteoporosis (brittle bones) which leads to bone fractures. Better to drink water, tea or fruit juice.

Push for Stevia as a Sweetener

Coca-Cola is working with Cargill, Inc., on their version of Rebaudioside A sweetener, purified from Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni, in the brand name TruVia.

Pepsi has joined with the Whole Earth Sweetener Company (a subsidary of Merisant Company) in developing their Rebaudioside A sweetener, purified from Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni, called PureVia.

Both Cargill, Inc., and Whole Earth Sweetener Company have notified the F.D.A. that the Rebaudioside A should be granted generally accepted as safe (GRAS) status.

Wisdom Natural Brands, the parent company of SweetLeaf Stevia brand, the largest supplier of Stevia in the U.S., has said that it’s brand of Stevia is self-affirmed GRAS, without F.D.A. notification and, will be availabe in soda and/or food products by the end of year 2008. James May, the founder of Wisdom Natural Brands, has been involved with bringing Stevia to the U.S. for over 25 years.

The F.D.A. is expected to respond to the above mentioned petitions before the end of the year 2008. (See Update below).

Summing Up

There are literally hundreds of other studies that have been scientifically conducted over the past forty years world wide with no evidence Stevia is harmful to human beings in any form. On the contrary, most studies have added to the health benefits of Stevioside and Rebaudioside the natural glycosides in Stevia.

Stevia inhibits the growth and reproduction of bacteria preventing dental cavities (Department of Pediatric Denistry at the University of Illinois). Stevia is an aid to diabetics and hypglycemics because of its zero glycemic index rating. A boon to dieters because Stevia is calorie free. Helps to reduce elevated blood pressure in those with hypertension. There are many more benefits too numerous to include.

Sugar, on the other hand, displaces nutritive calories leading to numerous health problems and obesity. Artificial sweeteners can be hazardous to your health because of the reactions within their chemical make-up when used over long periods of time or in large quantities.

Conclusion

Stevia is the only REAL natural sweetner that offers health benefits besides its sweetness. It has been proven safe world wide. Even though Europe has not as yet accepted Stevia as GRAS, more and more countries around the world are seeing the benefits of using Stevia as a sweetener and food additive. England, especially, has an obesity problem as big as the U.S., and could reduce the obesity rate in half just by using Stevia. The United States (U.S.) can do the same. Using Stevia is a matter of national defense in preventing an ever growing obese population. We need a healthy populace to defend the nation. Use Stevia as your only sugar substitute.

Some Added Trivia

Stevia can be used in cooking and does not degrade when heated. However, it does not caramalize. Baking with Stevia may be challenging. Sugar is used in baked goods to add bulk and texture besides sweetness. With Stevia, you may have to add some sort of filler to add the bulk, maybe yogurt, nutmeal, crushed fruit or some other filler. Remember you only need small amounts of Stevia. You may have to experiment with the amounts to find what works best for your taste. Try it in your tea or coffee and at any time you need to add natural sweetness to food or drinks. My favorite is SweetLeaf brand Sweetener with Stevia Plus in individual packets for adding to hot or cold drinks. The SweetLeaf brand liquid I use in cooking. There are many other brands you may want to try.

Latest Update

The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)/Office of Food Additive Safety of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on December 17, 2008, notified Sue Andress, Director of Regulatory Affairs of  Whole Earth Sweetener Company LLC, of Chicago, Illinois, and Leslie Lake Curry, Director, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs of Cargill, Inc., Wayzata, Minnesota, that the rebaudioside A purified from Stevia Rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni has been granted generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status. GRAS Notice No. GRN 00252 for Whole Earth, and, GRAS Notice No. GRN 00253 for Cagill.

December 9th, 2008 | Tags: aspartame, Cargill, CFSAN, Coca-Cola, F.D.A., gras, pH stable, purevia, rebaudio, rebaudioside, Stevia, stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni, stevioside, sweetleaf, truvia | Category: Stevia, rebaudioside, stevioside, sweetleaf | Comments (21)

By, S. Steve Dounis

The Mediterranean Diet is more than fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, seafood, chicken, lamb, pork, veal, vegetables, onions, garlic, olive oil, olives, lemons, parsley and feta cheese. It is a way of life. In countries like Greece, for instance, the diet is related to the fasts and feasts of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church. As an example, for those Orthodox Christians who practice the faith strictly, meat is eaten only 145 days out of the year. How is this, you may ask?

Every Wednesday and Friday are meat free days year around, except for the great feasts of Pascha (Easter) and Christmas when there is no fasting the week following these feasts (and at some other times). There is the 40-day fast for Christmas. The Pre-Lenten fasts. The 40-day fast for Lent leading up to Holy Week and Pascha. The fast during Holy Week. Other fasts include the 15 days in the first of August, for the Dormition (falling asleep) of the Virgin Mary. Plus, many other minor fasts throughout the year adding up to 220 days without eating meat. Outside of monks in the monasteries and some of the elderly “old-timers”, there are very few who actually follow the guidelines of fasting strictly. But, most will try to do the best they can depending on their age, physical ability, and other limiting factors. Seafood, legumes, fruits, nuts, bread and Greek olives are some of the fare eaten during fasting periods.

Another distinction concerning the people of the Mediterranean is that most of the population eat their big meal in the middle of the day, usually for lunch, followed by a one to two hour nap. How do they do this? Stores and businesses close around 2 p.m. giving everyone time off to go eat and nap. In Greece, after their nap, the Greeks will have a cup of Greek coffee along with some fruit and/or baked sweets as a pick-up. All this gives everyone a breather during the day and relaxing time to share with their families. Stores and businesses re-open around 5 p.m. and close again around 9 p.m. Supper, usually taken around 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., consists of mezethakia (appetizers), or leftovers from lunch, plus fruit and yogurt. They don’t eat much at night. Of course, there are variations on all these examples.

Besides what they eat or don’t eat, most Mediterraneans walk more than we do in the States. They are more physically fit. Of course, everything for them is within walking distance so they don’t really have a need for a car. They use their cars to take trips or visit areas too far to walk.

Seafood, lamb, chicken, rabbit, pork, turkey and veal are all popular entrees usually baked, stewed, or broiled. They don’t eat much beef. Fried items consist mainly of fried squid and fried potatoes. And, who can leave out the gyro with pita bread or souvlakia (kebobs) on a stick. Most meals begin with a country-style salad of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, parsley, lettuce (when available), Greek olives and of course, topped with crumbled feta cheese, olive oil and squeezed lemon. Other delicacies include stewed or grilled octopus. Let us not forget also the famous Greek wines, beers, and Ouzo (anise flavored apertiff). As an aside, Greeks love to sing after they eat as a way of digesting their food.

 As you can see, there is more to the so-called Mediterranean Diet than what is eaten. The whole culture revolves around a daily routine. Good eating is part of that daily routine. It is not only what you eat but how and when you eat. Remember the old Greek adage, “everything in moderation”. As my maternal grandfather George Iliopoulos used to say, “eat what you want - just don’t overdo it”. My own father could never stress enough the importance of having a daily routine. Eating meals at the same time every day. Going to bed and rising in the morning around the same time every day. Of course, every now and then the routine may be interrupted by other factors requiring us to change those times but, only for an interval. That brings us to the main point of this discussion, which is, to be healthy you have to be diciplined in your daily life. Eat right and regularly, sleep regularly, excercise regularly, relax and enjoy life regularly. Laugh, sing and be happy. Kali oreksi! Bon Apetite!

November 24th, 2008 | Tags: Daily Routine, feta cheese, Greek olives, Mediterranean Diet, Orthodox Christians, pre-lenten, way of life | Category: Mediterranean Diet | Comments (2)

by, S. Steve Dounis

Every fall season the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) starts pushing for the public to get a flu shot. However, is this the best defense against the flu?

Each year the CDC’s 15-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) makes recommendations on who should be vaccinated for the flu; while, at the same time, being financially tied to the vaccine industry. Consequently, the CDC must grant a “conflict of interest” waiver for each member of the ACIP. What’s going on here?

On top of that, the World Health Organization (WHO) has to guess as to the most likely strains of the flu virus to attack for the next year, since in most cases, the vaccine they coordinated the previous year for the present year, does not work. So why take it? The mounting evidence is that the flu vaccine is not only ineffective but hazardous to your health.

The flu vaccine is usually grown in fertilized chicken eggs for up to 8 months. Formaldehyde, a known cancer causing agent, is used to inactivate the virus. Aluminum, a neurotoxin, is added to promote an antibody reaction to the virus. Also included is Triton X-100 (a detergent), Polysorbate 80 (an emulsifier), gelatin, ethylene glycol (antifreeze), carbolic acid (a caustic poisonous crystalline acidic compound, present in coal-tar and wood, that in dilute solution is used as a disinfectant), antibiotics such as: gentamicin, neomysin, streptomisine; known to cause allergic reactions in some people. The 2008-2009 flu vaccine also contains Thimerosal, which is 49% mercury by weight, and used as a disinfectant. Mercury has been removed from all vaccines except the flu vaccine. Is this why 70% of medical doctors do not get a flu shot?

There is evidence to the case that flu shots may cause Alzheimer’s Disease because of the combining of mercury with aluminum and formaldehyde. Mercury alone has been implicated as a cause of autism.

The most sever reaction to the flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune disease causing paralysis that strikes some people several weeks after having taken the flu shot. Other life threatening allergic reactions have been recorded.

Scientific research has found that because most of us do not get enough sunshine during the months between October and April, our bodies lack the vitamin D needed to ward off the flu. The majority of Americans have been found to be deficient in vitamin D.

Vitamin D3

Several studies in U.S. and Canada, have found that using higher doses of vitamin D lowers the incidence and severity of influenza. Vitamin D protects the body by releasing antibiotics (antimicrobial peptides) affecting the immune system by: promoting phagocytosis (the consumption and destruction of particulate matter; such as, viruses), anti-tumor activity, and immunomodulatory functions. In other words, fine-tuning the immune system. The best vitamin D for humans is found to be vitamin D3, cholecalciferol (from animal source).

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that is also a hormone. It is also the only vitamin that does not need to be consumed in food or supplements. Exposure of our bodies to direct sunlight (not through a window or sunscreen), converts the cholesterol in our bodies to vitamin D3. (Lower your cholesterol with the sun).

Twenty minutes in midday ultraviolet B (UVB) sun (during the warm seasons) with 40% exposure (without any sunblockers) will give you about 5,000 to 10,000 IU of vitamin D3. If no sun, take 2,000 - 5,000 IU vitamin D3 supplements daily. Take up to 10,000 if fighting the flu or cold. Fatty fish species, such as Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines, and Tuna, are natural sources of vitamin D. Also eggs, if vitamin D is added to feed.

Most added vitamin D in products, such as milk, only have 200-400 IU. Look for added vitamin D3 and not vitamin D2 (from plant source). Scientists now endorse the use of 2,000 IU as the new minimum. Scientific studies have shown that to achieve blood levels of vitamin D to protect against chronic diseases, at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 should be taken daily. 

The Vitamin D Council has reported that 5,000 IU should be taken daily. One rule-of-thumb states that 1,000 IU per 25 pounds of your weight should be taken daily. For example, take a man weighing 150 pounds. Divide the 150 by 25 which would equal 6. So six times 1,000 IU is 6,000 IU for a 150 pound man’s daily intake.

Even in Canada, the Canadian Pediatric Society has issued guidelines increasing the recommendations for pregnant women to 2,000 IU daily as a result of deficiencies found in pregnant and lactating women. They may be considering increasing their recommendations to 4,000-6,000 IU daily.

Can there be too much vitamin D? Both in this country and abroad, there has been a lot of misinformation. Hypocalcemia (low levels of calcium) is probalby the only problem with excessive use of vitamin D to worry about. However, to get to that point, in healthy adults, it would take 40,000 IU a day. The upper limit for the intake of vitamin D is roughly equal to what an adult lifeguard’s body will naturally produce in the middle of summer and that is 10,000 IU daily. So, 2,000-5,000 IU on a daily basis is well within the limits of safety for adults as well as for infants.

Our own American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children from newborn to teen should double the amount of vitamin D (from 200 IU to 400 IU) because of evidence that it may help prevent serious diseases. However, as noted, the latest research indicates that children should be taking at least 10 times the old daily recommendation of 200 IU; at least 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

The first line of defense is to WASH YOUR HANDS & FACE. Shaking hands, using public doors and door knobs, using office telephones and computer keyboards, public restrooms, etc. allows for the opportunity for picking up germs and viruses. Always wash your hands and face when you come home from being out and about. Why your face, too? You may have inadvertantly touched your face after picking up a virus.

Eat at least two heaping tablespoons of organic plain yogurt a day. The probiotics in the yogurt protect 80% of your immune system, which lies in your digestive tract. Or, take a probiotic supplement. Eat onions daily and especially garlic, a natural antibiotic. Eat something RAW at every meal; fruits, nuts, seed, veggies. Drink plenty of water. Do not become dehydrated. Use natural sea salt, which has 80 essential minerals, including magnesium and potassium. Salt and water together stimulate metabolism. Stay away from sugar, as much as possible. Why? Because sugar shuts down your immune system up to two hours. Use Stevia, a natural sweetener instead. Take a good multivitamin (from a health food store and not from grocery or drug store). Take a good essential fatty acid complex supplement (Omega 3, 6, & 9 combined). Take vitamin C. And most of all take 2,000-5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 supplements. If you have the flu, take liquid vitamin D3 up to 10,000 IU daily. Stay healthy.

October 22nd, 2008 | Tags: Alzheimer disease, autism, CDC, cholecalciferol, Flu shots, GBS, mercury, Thimerosal, Vitamin D3, WHO | Category: Flu shots, Vitamin D3 | Comments (4)

by, S. Steve Dounis

There are a number of fairy tales and misinformation about salt. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is even contemplating regulating salt as a “dangerous substance”. You know, you’ve heard all the hype about salt and hypertension, and how we would be healthier without it in our diet. Baloney! The FDA makes the mistake of lumping refined (table) salt and unrefined (natural) salt in the same category.

Refined (Table) Salt to be Avoided

The only salt you should avoid is refined salt. Why? Because it is a chemically cleaned, devitalized and a toxic substance that has no food value. Virtually all its trace minerals are missing so that it is almost pure sodium chloride. All food-grade salt available in the U.S. must comply with the National Academy of Science’s Food Chemicals Codex Sodium Chloride Monograph. Sounds impressive, as if a guarantee of quality. It is not. The final purity of food-grade salt is between 99.7% to 99.95% pure. “Pure”, in this case, means  the level of sodium and chloride in the salt. Usually, this is 60% chloride, 39% sodium, and up to 2% additives. These additives may contain sodium ferrocyanide, ammonium citrate, and aluminum silicate for the purpose of preventing the salt from caking. The additives are anti-caking agents. NONE of these products provide any benefit to your body.

The most important mineral missing in refined salt is magnesium which balances out the sodium. Magnesium is one of the most versatile minerals needed for over 500 enzymes in the body. It is involved in energy production, nerve function, muscle relaxation, and bone and tooth formation. In conjunction with calcium and potassium, magnesium regulates heart rhythm and clots blood; it also aids in the production and use of insulin.

Commercial processing of our food, removes 85% of the magnesium from milling wheat to make white flour. Refining sugar cane to make white sugar removes 98% of the magnesium. These are some of the reasons most people’s diets are deficient of this important mineral.

A tiny amount, 0.1%, iodide, is also added to the refined salt. Iodide is a compound of iodine usually with a more electropositive element; especially, a salt or ester of hydriodic acid. Next, refined sugar (dextrose) is added to stabalize the iodine so that it stays with the salt.

The Merits of Unrefined Sea Salt

Unrefined sea salt is loaded with 80 essential minerals, including magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, chloride and others. These minerals help to raise the pH levels of the body making your body more alkaline. They aid in maintaing your electrolyte balance. Sea salt has little or no effect on blood presure. It also contains traces of iodine, a nonmetallic halogen element that is necessay not only for thyroid hormone production, but responsible for the production of all the hormones of the body. Iodine contains antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, and anticancer properties, necessary for proper immune system function when present in adequate levels.

The best source of iodine is seafood, especially shrimp, along with fish and sea vegetables (kelp, seaweed, e.g.). Produce and fruits from farms located close to the sea, may also be sources of iodine. This would also include milk and cheese from cows or goats raised near the sea. Most of us do not get enough of the iodine our bodies need.

Our bodies contain about 250 grams of salt. Without enough salt, our muscles will not contract, blood will not circulate, food will not digest, the heart will not beat. But, salt needs water as its partner. They are intimately related. Our body is approximately 70% water. Our brain is about 80% water. Together, water and salt stimulate metabolism, improve detoxification, transport nutrients and aid in keeping the hormonal, nervous, and immune systems functioning at their optimum. Water is key to optimal brain function, as it allows the brain to flush out toxic chemicals. Too many of us, however are often dehydrated without being aware of it. Unfortunately, the end result of dehydration and not enough salt is cellular decline and death.

How much unrefined sea salt you should use in your diet depends on how much water you drink during the day and your overall health. One general rule uses l/4 teaspoon of salt per quart of water you drink. Some may need more, and some less. Use it throughout the day in your cooking and dining, in moderation.

Buy sea salt where it is the only ingredient, without any added anticaking substances. You can always insert a few raw rice grains in the salt to absorb any moisture that may restrict it from pouring out. You can find sea salt in grocery stores, health stores and on the internet.

In Conclusion

Do not risk your health by cutting down on salt. A low salt diet does NOT lower blood pressure. Even in those individuals with hight blood pressure, the lowering effect is, at best, modest. The blood pressure effect of refined table salt can be due to the lack of magnesium which can constrict the arteries and raise blood pressure in some individuals. SEA SALT, contains some magnesium, which is why it usually does not affect blood pressure as much as refined table salt. If your magnesium levels are adequate, salt-eating will have less effect or no effect on blood pressure. Magnesium has a relaxing effect on the heart, which is one reason it is often the first element given during a heart attack.

Sea salt comes from the Mediterranean Sea (Greece, Italy, France and Spain), the North Sea (celtic salt), and the Atlantic Ocean (coast of Brittainy in France). My personal preference is sea salt from the Mediterranean Sea. Salt pans are filled with sea water and left to evaporate to a sparkling white by the sun and sea breezes. It is then washed in more clear Mediterranean sea water. Harvesting ends with the salt being crushed and ground (coarse and fine) without further refining. We are what we eat, so, eat healthy.

October 7th, 2008 | Tags: essential minerals, FDA and Salt, hypertension, iodine, magnesium, refined salt, sea salt, sodium chloride, water and salt | Category: iodine, magnesium, sea salt | Comments (11)

by S. Steve Dounis

On the popular radio-syndicated health program, Duke and the Doctor, Dr. Jan McBarron refers to the multivitamin as “your foundation”. She is absolutely correct. So, before you start popping the new “supplement-of-the-day”, you first need to establish a foundation for the supplement to build upon.

A multivitamin is a preparation intended to supplement, not to replace, your diet with essential vitamins, dietary minerals, and other nutritional elements. Multivitamins come in the form of tablets, capsules, powders and liquids.

Research shows that most of us do not get the nutritional value, much less the recommended daily allowances (RDA), of vitamins and minerals, from the majority of food we consume. Convenience has taken the place of sound nutrition. Fast food, frozen foods, and a plethora of processed packaged foods are full of calories but lack the vital nutrients our bodies need for good health.

Water soluable vitamins such as the B-vitamins, vitamin C and certain minerals are not stored in the body. Consequently, these need to be replenished daily. Why? To support energy levels, to form the substances needed for neutrotransmitters, hormones and, to strengthen the immune system.

Natural phytonutrients such as lutein, other plants and herbs, as well as fruit extracts, are some of the other nutritional elements found in a good multivitamin.

Most people assume that meeting the RDA for vitamins and minerals is sufficient. It is not. The RDA’s were established over 50 years ago intending to set bare minimums needed to prevent severe deficiency, NOT to promote health.

Science has proven that the daily use of a multivitamin can bridge the gap between poor eating habits and optimal health. Even if you have  good eating habits, the depletion of nutrients in some of our farm lands make it necessay to supplement your diet with a multivitamin foundation.

Constant changes from science research are made daily as to dosages for optimal health. For example, the daily requirement for vitamin D has been 400 units. Now, the research concludes that this shoud be upgraded to 2,000 units of vitamin D (e.g., vitamin D3, or cholecalsiferol).

The medical profession is now claiming that most of us do not get enough SALT and IODINE (more on this in a future article).

A Few Recommendations

Here are some brands that I am using now or have used in the past. This list is not conclusive by any means, as there are literally hundreds of brands on the market. These are based on the criteria of getting the most for your money, concerning the nutrients contained in each one and their absorbability. You want a multivitamin that is going to be nearly completely absorbed and not one where the pill only passes through with no benefit realized.

• Vita Logic’s Daily Extra (tablets and powder form)
• TwinLab’s Daily One Cap (capsules)
• Panacea-315 (liquid) ( a Super Food)
• Doctor’s Choice Daily Multiples (by Enzymatic Therapy) (easy to swallow “OrganicGlide” tablets)

My Favorite

Vita Logic. Founded in 1994, with the mission to produce supplements that would meet the highest standards of quality and, providing customers the best value for their money. Vita Logic has been recognized in the natural health industry as a leading supplier of high quality, potent vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements. (A company statement).

Vita Logic’s Daily Extra multivitamin is formulated by a team including researchers, scientists and medical doctors.

As with all of Vita Logic’s products, Daily Extra has a hypo-allergenic formulation that allows for greater customer tolerance, digestibility, and absorption.

Each of Vita Logic’s supplemental formulas is designed using only research based ingredients that provides customers with the assurance of quality and effectiveness.

These are very important foundational features for an exceptional supplement; the main reason I take this product. You want something that is based on true science and research.

Vita Logic’s claim that Daily Extra is, “…backed by science, doctor recommended, all natural, synergistic formula of vitamins, minerals and herbs”. Found in most health food stores. (As a side note, if some health stores do not carry a product you want to purchase, the store can always order it for you).

Final Notes

Do your own research and talk with health store employees to help you find the right supplements for your needs. Find a good multivitamin for your foundation and take it daily.

Buy from health food stores and not from grocery or drug stores. Why? Because most of those vitamins in grocery stores and drug stores are made synthetically. A dl in front of vitamin E, for example, signifies it is synthetic and not natural. The “synthetic” E is the one reported in the “news”, some time ago, as being capable of producing heart attacks. The natural tocopherols of vitamin E are good for your heart and circulation (d-alpha, d-beta, d-gamma and d-delta) . Ask questions as to natural ingredients and absorbability wherever you shop.

From the U.S. Council for Responsible Nutrition(CRN), “multivitamins can provide consumers with a major boost in their attempts to meet their nutrient needs while controlling costs and avoiding excess calories. Supplements can be an integral part of an optimal diet and should always be viewed in the context of a healthy lifestyle”.

September 26th, 2008 | Tags: CRN, depletion of nutrients, multiple vitamins, optimal health, poor eating habits, RDA, supplements, vita logic | Category: Multivitamins | Comments (4)