The Most Dangerous Food You Can Eat

07/26/07  Issue 26 Volume 7

This Week In HealthBeat News:

• 10 Dangers of Carbohydrates - Carbs are NOT your friend!

• Fungus, Yeasts and Molds: Hidden Cause of Many "Unexplained" Diseases

• Those Not So Golden Years... and the story of a nice little truck.

• Raw Almonds No More! Your Government, Hard At Work Protecting You...
• Laughter is Good Medicine: Like it or not, a Compendium of Puntifications

10 Dangers of Carbohydrates

The US Food Pyramid advises us to eat 5-10 servings per day of carbohydrates, but high carbohydrate diets are the primary causes of our current overweight/obesity epidemic. 66% of adult Americans are overweight and 33% of these are obese. Diets high in carbohydrates (grains, beans, sugary fruits--- anything that quickly turns into sugar in the blood stream) are making Americans some of the fattest people on Earth.

Here are 10 reasons why carbohydrates --- “carbs” --- are so dangerous.

I.) Carbs are not "essential" and high consumption displaces necessary nutrients. "Essential" means that a certain food is absolutely required by the body (like gasoline or diesel in a car), is not manufactured by the body, and so must be consumed in the diet.

Have you ever heard of an "essential fatty acid"? (EFA)? Some types of fats --- Omega 6's and Omega 3's --- are absolutely required by the body.

Have you heard of "essential amino acids"? Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are 8 amino acids that are "essential." Without them, muscles, hormones and the heart (a muscle) cease to function properly. Muscles have a high protein requirement.

Have you ever heard of an "essential carbohydrate"? I hope not, because there's no such thing!

Of the three calorie containing molecules --- proteins, fats and carbohydrates --- only certain fats and proteins are "essential." When the diet is high in carbohydrates, it is often deficient in the necessary essential fats and proteins. Deficiencies of essential fats and proteins causes all manner of diseases, from mood disorders (neurotransmitters are made from essential fats and proteins) to muscle weakness (muscles have a high protein requirement), hormone imbalances, heart disease and premature aging.

II.) Carbs cause overweight. What do we feed cows to fatten them up quickly? Carbohydrates, especially corn. "Corn fed beef" is wonderful --- loaded with marbled fat. Cows don't eat meat, so obviously the vilified eggs, butter and meat aren't what is putting weight on these animals.

And pigs? Although pigs are omnivores (like humans, they’ll eat anything), they are fed carbohydrates including corn, soybeans and barley for maximum weight gain. A piglet can go from 60 pounds to 250 pounds in 3 months on a diet high in carbohydrates.

III.) Carbs cause adult-onset diabetes and "syndrome X" (pre diabetes). Fats and proteins have very little effect on blood sugar. Carbs have a BIG effect on blood sugar, causing rapid spike in glucose followed by a rapid rise in insulin. In the near-absence of carbohydrates, nearly all type II diabetics will fully recover from the "disease" in under three months. (I put type II diabetes in parenthesis because I don't consider it a disease so much as a dietary imbalance. When the diet is corrected, the diabetes goes away).

IV.) Carbs cause high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Look at the name of this molecule: carbo - "hydrate." Hydrate means to combine with water. Each molecule of carbohydrate draws eight molecules of water to itself. This means that carbs cause water retention.

Many cases of high blood pressure are caused by simple water retention. This is why one of the first drugs given for blood pressure is a diuretic --- something that makes you urinate and hence, eliminate fluid.

Congestive heart failure is caused by the body retaining too much water and literally "water logging" the heart, impeding it's ability to beat. Eliminate the carbs, and blood pressure drops --- often dramatically --- in as little as a week.

V.) Carbohydrates harbor deadly fungus and yeasts. Yeasts and fungus (which are really different forms of the same organism) feed on sugar. Many carbohydrate foods have a high propensity to become infected with fungus. What’s the danger of fungus? Please read Fungus, Yeasts and Molds: Hidden Cause of Many "Unexplained" Diseases elsewhere in this issue.

VI.) Carbohydrates cause nutrient deficiencies. Carbs require B complex vitamins for their utilization in the body. Unfortunately, it is the B vitamins that are removed during the processing of grains. Because refined grains are low in B vitamins and yet require high B vitamins for their utilization, they lead to B complex vitamin deficiencies.

Problems associated with B vitamin deficiencies include depression, memory loss, heart disease, insomnia, cataracts, atherosclerosis, fatigue, muscle cramps, allergies and GI symptoms to name just a few.

VII.) Carbs suppress the immune system. The immune system requires protein and certain fats to function normally. Sugar suppresses the immune system. (Remember, carbohydrates turn into sugar in the body). Three ounces of sugar in any form (can you say "fruit juice" or "soda pop" or "sports drink"?) suppress the activity of white blood cells for up to 5 hours.

VIII.) Many carbohydrates are allergens. Although a person can be allergic to any type of protein or carbohydrate, grains and beans are some of the most allergenic of all foods.

Subtle allergies to grains and carbs can cause GI problems ("tear up the gut") and result in increased intestinal permeability, where toxins are allowed to leak into the bloodstream from the colon.

IX.) Carbohydrates fuel cancer cells. Cancer cells use glucose --- blood sugar --- as their "food." Unlike normal cells, they are not equipped to burn ketones (the product of fat breakdown) for fuel.

Carbs suppress the immune system, making a person more susceptible to cancer. Then, the high blood sugar provides fuel for the cancer, like throwing gasoline on a fire. If you want to avoid cancer, limit your intake of carbohydrates.

X.) Carbs are addictive. When you eat carbs, your blood sugar rapidly rises. You get a temporary "high" when your blood sugar is high. Next, a blast of insulin from the pancreas causes a precipitous drop in blood sugar. At this point, feelings of weakness, fatigue, shakiness and even anxiety set in. In order to feel good again, a person will "self medicate" by eating another blast of carbs. This vicious cycle is exactly what happens to drug addicts, who must continue to have repeated "fixes" of their drug in order to feel good. No such addiction occurs with fats and proteins.

When a person is addicted to carbs, they repeatedly eat them. This results in overweight or obesity, decreased immunity, increased risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and depression to name just a few.

Isn’t it time you “got hip” and switched to a luxurious, low carbohydrate, high-health diet? Lose weight and reclaim health fast with the Super Fast Diet!

Fungus, Yeasts and Molds:
Hidden Cause of Many "Unexplained" Diseases
 
Every day, thousands of microscopic, decay-eating organisms find their way into our bodies in the food we eat and the air we breathe. These organisms are part of  The Fungi Kingdom and include yeasts, molds, mildew, mushrooms, fungi and others. Although most fungi feed on dead and decaying organisms, a number of them also feed on living organisms. Athlete's foot is a common fungus which feeds on a living host.
 
The entire class of Fungi are "opportunistic," and the ones which feed on humans can establish themselves in a human body during a time of weakness, such as during an infection or when the immune system is suppressed with drugs. There are also many fungi that do not require a weak immune system in order to establish themselves in a host. In addition to the direct effects of the fungi, which act like parasites in a human host, many also manufacture highly toxic substances called "mycotoxins."
 
Who Cares About Fungi and Mycotoxins?
 
Fungi produce toxins called mycotoxins ("Myco" from the Greek "Mykes", means "fungus"). Mycotoxins cannot be destroyed by heat, are known to suppress the immune system, and have a wide range of effects in both animals and humans. A number of these mycotoxins are quite poisonous.
 
Aflatoxin, a common toxin found in peanuts and some grains and a result of Aspergillus flavus fungus, is one of the most potent carcinogens known to man. Because of this, peanuts and grains must be constantly "screened" for aflatoxin. Even with this government-mandated screening, a person eating according to the US Food-pyramid is eating between 0.15-0.5 grams per day. (A lethal dose is considered to be 10-20mg). But at these everyday, low-grade exposures, negative health effects can still be experienced.
 
Symptoms and Diseases Associated with Mycotoxins and the Fungi Kingdom
 
When the World Health Organization recently convened, Dr. A.V. Costantini, head of the organization, an internist who modestly claims to be a "just a country doctor," listed fourteen diseases wherein fungal (mold & Candida Albicans) forms of microorganisms have been found include the following: atherosclerosis, cancer, AIDS, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus , erythematosus, gout, Crohn's disease, Multiple sclerosis, hyperactivity syndrome, Infertility, psoriasis, cirrhosis of the liver, Alzheimer's disease, Scleroderma, Raynaud's Disease, sarcoidosis, kidney stones, amyloidosis, vasculitis, and Cushing's disease.
 
Other conditions known to be caused by fungi, yeasts and their mycotoxins include: postpartum depression, immune system weakness, bladder disease (especially non-bacterial interstitial cystitis in women and chronic non-bacterial prostatitis in men), pneumonitis and lung infections, endometriosis and weight gain.
 
A person suffering from yeast of fungal overgrowth may have any of these symptoms:

• In the intestinal tract: bloating, excessive feeling of fullness, diarrhea, constipation, alternating diarrhea and constipation, "rolling gas," abdominal cramping, heartburn, indigestion, gas or belching, mucous in the stool, hemorrhoids.
• In the female genital tract: recurrent yeast vaginitis, persistent vaginal itching or burning, persistent vaginal discharge, endometriosis, PMS.
• In the male genital tract: prostatitis, impotence, loss of sexual desire.
• In the urinary tract: urgency or urinary frequency, recurrent urinary tract "infections" but bacteria are NOT found to be the cause.
• In the nervous system: numbness, burning, or tingling, spots in front of the eyes, erratic vision, impaired coordination, irritability or jitteriness, dizziness or loss of balance, failing vision, ear pain or deafness.
• In the immune system: rashes, post nasal drip, sore or dry throat, wheezing or shortness of breath, recurrent infections, burning or tearing of eyes, cough.
• In the skin and mucous membranes: recurrent skin fungal infections, nail-bed fungus, "jock itch," thrush (yeast overgrowth in the mouth and esophagus)
• In general: fatigue, mental "cloudiness," joint aches and pains, obesity, depression, memory loss.

There are quite probably many other medical conditions associated with fungi, yeasts and mycotoxins in the human body. Because this is a largely overlooked topic in conventional medicine, our understanding of the disease-fungi connection is weak at best.

Your conventional doctor is unlikely to be aware of or to tell you about these mycotoxin-induced problems. You can learn more about candidiasis here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/candidiasis.htm . If you believe that you may be experiencing any of these symptoms or problems a Candida stool test is a good place to start your investigation.
 
References:
Mycotoxins in the food chain: human health implications. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl 1:95-101.
Contamination of food with mycotoxins and human health. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2001 Mar;52(1):23-35.
Limits and regulations for mycotoxins in food and feed.
Toxic effects of mycotoxins in humans. Bull World Health Organ. 1999;77(9):754-66
Toxins of filamentous fungi. Food Addit Contam. 2005 Feb;22(2):150-7
Mycotoxins in infant cereal foods from the Canadian retail market. Food Addit Contam. 2003 May;20(5):494-504.

Those Not So Golden Years... and the story of a nice little truck.

By Nurse Mark

Regular readers know that Dr. Myatt and I are RV'ers, traveling in our coach to speak and lecture. We have the pleasure of meeting folks of all ages, from all walks of life, but I must admit that the majority of folks we meet in RV parks are often "mature" folks - retired, older, sometimes considerably older, and often with multitudes of medical woes to relate. This is no surprise really, for anyone who has lived for seventy or eighty or ninety years or more is bound to have an ache or pain or complaint or two.

What never ceases to amaze us though is the total complacency of many people with their medical situations - quite willing to see their conventional doctor every six months or so for their 12 minute "checkup", blurt out their litany of complaints, and meekly accept the hastily scribbled prescription for yet another drug to be added to the growing list of daily pills. Then it is off to the drugstore to buy the magic pills, and then home to resume life as usual, firmly convinced that they are "doing everything possible" to ensure their continued good health and longevity.

Once back in the company of their friends (or anyone else who will sit still and listen) they then regale everyone within earshot with their medical hard luck stories, complete with descriptions of surgeries, diagnoses, drugs, treatments, and even lab results. The interesting common thread in these stories is that all these things are being done to them - not by them. There really doesn't seem to be much interest in taking any responsibility for one's own health beyond seeking out a doctor who will order tests, or drugs, or treatments, or surgeries, which the victim, er, patient, blithely accepts.

Here is an example: Joe (not his real name of course) was a pleasant enough fellow we found ourselves next to in an RV park recently. Joe was puttering and as I hooked up our rig we began to chat. The conversation turned to his health (as it often does) and Joe recited his litany of medical troubles - taking pills for his blood pressure, pills for his cholesterol, pills for his heart, pills for his water, pills for his heartburn, and pills to put himself to sleep at night. Joe had undergone a bunch of surgeries, for a variety of complaints - none of which seem to have done much good and was considering yet another surgery in the hopes it would repair his failing immune system.

As Joe told me this I could hear the bitterness in his voice at the medical system that he felt had failed him in what should have been his "golden years." Having "worked hard and paid taxes" he felt that modern medicine only wanted to "push more pills" on him or have him "go under the knife" yet again.

I asked Joe a few questions: did he take any vitamins or supplements? No, his doctor told him those were useless - they would only give him "expensive urine." Hmmm... I wonder how expensive his urine is with all those prescription drugs?

I asked did he do any exercise? Yep, he said proudly, golfing keeps him in pretty good shape, except he gets kinda out-of-breath walking from the golf cart to the tee sometimes if he has to park too far away. This, from a man with skinny little legs and arms and a carbohydrate induced pot-belly that made him look about 8 months pregnant...

What about diet? I asked (knowing already what the answer would be)... Well, he said, his doctor sent him to a dietitian and the dietitian told him to follow the government food pyramid - and he thought that was  working pretty well except that he got "low blood sugar" a lot and needed to have a mid-morning snack to keep him from feeling jittery and a mid-afternoon nap because he would feel so sleepy after lunch... his wife fed him oatmeal every breakfast, whole wheat bread in his lunchtime sandwich, and potatoes or rice or beans or pasta (whole wheat of course!) for supper. They had given up beef, and everything he ate was low fat because his doctor told him his cholesterol was too high. He avoided protein because he had heard it was "bad for the kidneys" and besides, he needed the bread and potatoes and pasta "to fill up on" - he had memories of hunger during the depression years...

I gave up on the health questions at this point - I'd heard enough and was feeling discouraged for him.

Joe was meticulously polishing an immaculate 4 wheel drive pickup truck that he towed behind his sparklingly beautiful motor coach - both vehicles were perfectly maintained and obviously a great source of pride for Joe so I asked him about the pickup.

He told me how it was a few years old now, but he had taken "real good care" of it since new - he serviced it and changed the oil regularly, even more frequently than the manual called for. He washed and polished it at every stop. He rotated the tires regularly to keep them from wearing unevenly. Nothing but the best fuel and oil were ever allowed - no "cheap stuff" for this little truck, and a fuel additive went into the tank with each fill-up to keep the fuel system clean.

He always drove it carefully, never harshly or abusively, but he said that he always makes a point to take it out on the highway every week or so "to blow out the carbon and keep it running smooth" and carefully drove off-road in 4 wheel drive at least once a month as directed in his manual to keep the drivetrain lubricated and "exercised."

He told me how he had a buddy who had a similar truck with several hundred thousand miles on it, and he was aiming to better that record by taking even better care of this truck - he knew he could do it.

I wished Joe good luck and we went our separate ways - him to relax with a smoke and a beer after his hard work of polishing and cleaning, and me to exercise the dogs (and me) who had been cooped up for a few hours as we drove.

I thought about Joe, and about how many there were like him. Joe knows how to keep his truck in the peak of health and fitness - and as things stand now, it will easily out live him. If he would only apply those same techniques to himself he could easily live long enough to outlast several trucks.

If only Joe, and folks like him would take the same responsibility for their own health the same way they do for their other possessions, that is, good food, good optimal dose vitamins and supplements, regular exercise, clean air and clean water, and regular detoxing to look after the inevitable toxins of daily life - and Joe could probably throw away the pills and add happy, active decades to his life.

But I'm guessing that won't happen - it is far easier to make personal health the responsibility of a pill-pushing, scalpel-wielding, insurance-billing doctor.

Too bad - but maybe I'll be able to buy that nice little truck from Joe's estate...

Raw Almonds No More!

For those of you who enjoy raw almonds, there is bad news; the Almond Board of California, a quasi-governmental group that dictates to the almond farmers and processors of California where 80% of our almonds are grown had colluded with the FDA to require that all almonds produced in that state must be pasteurized either by exposure to steam or by exposure to propylene oxide. This new rule, set to take effect September 1st, is in response to two recalls of almonds within the past 5 years due to reports of salmonella contamination.

Here are a few things to think about:

The Almond Board of California (ABC) seems little concerned with the nutritive value of their product - indeed, taken from their own website, their information mentions nothing about nutritive qualities playing any part in their decision: their "objectives" called for "no significant degradation of the sensory and quality characteristics of almonds, such as the flavor, color, texture, or skin integrity" and their "report" was:  "Collectively, while there are some differences noted in comparing treated with control, there are no indications at this point in the research of significant degradation or product deterioration."

There is no information from them about what effect heating almonds with superheated steam, essentially cooking them, will have on the many vitamins and phytonutrients that consumers of raw almonds enjoy.

Worse, the ABC has decided that an acceptable alternative to high-heat pasteurization will be spraying the almonds with propylene oxide (PPO), a suspected carcinogen. It is worthy of note that this chemical is a "suspected carcinogen" in this country, but a known carcinogen in most other countries around the globe. Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia says in part: "Propylene oxide is a highly toxic flammable chemical compound. It was once used as a racing fuel, but that usage is now prohibited under the U.S. National Hot Rod Association rules for safety reasons. It is also used in thermobaric weapons. It is an epoxide."

As noted, this heavy-handed action is in response to the fear of salmonella contamination. Again, from the ABC's own website:

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a type of bacteria found on many raw foods that is easily killed by heating or removed by washing.  The illness caused by the Salmonella bacteria is called salmonellosis.

How is Salmonella spread?

Salmonella is unavoidably present in the environment.  It is primarily spread through the feces of wildlife and domestic animals which may enter an orchard, but is also spread by contaminated water, poor fertilization methods and other agricultural practices.

How is Salmonella prevented?

The presence of pathogens such as Salmonella is not uncommon in an agricultural setting.  Food safety measures are needed throughout the production process, including  Good Agricultural Practices and Good Manufacturing Practices.

This might lead one to wonder if there would be less destructive and toxic ways of ensuring that almonds are not contaminated with this bacteria - things that are alluded to in the ABC's own words above.

Interestingly, the FDA will allow the almonds that are pasteurized either by high heat or by exposure to toxic chemicals to still be sold as "raw", though labeled as "pasteurized" - an apparent contradiction in terms...

According to news reports, small growers will still be able to sell truly raw almonds at roadside stands, and may sell small (under 100 pounds, per person per day) quantities at California Certified Farmers Markets. Most sellers however will have to begin importing raw almonds from other areas of the world where they are grown and not mistreated with heat or chemicals.

In my opinion, the ABC might better focus their efforts on such things as cleanliness in growing and processing. Almonds grow on trees. Feces from animals would be found on the ground. Could it be that salmonella is being spread with poorly treated "fertilizer" or irrigation water? Or is it being spread by less-than-hygenic workers?

The Almond Board of California has more information about this topic here: http://www.almondboard.com/Programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=890&snItemNumber=450, and there is a "Contact Us" link at the top of the page for anyone who would like to comment on this issue.

Laughter is Good Medicine: Let's face it, love 'em or hate 'em puns are an unavoidable form of humor. Even when we don't mean to, they just seem to pop up and tickle us in the punny-bone... So, here is a Compendium of Puntifications: you might enjoy these....

1. I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

2. Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a
rest.

3. Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's
all right now

4. The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.

5. To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

6. When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.

7. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

8. A thief fell and broke his leg in wet concrete. He became a hardened
criminal

9. Thieves who steal corn from a garden could be charged with stalking.

10. We'll never run out of math teachers because they always multiply.

11. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U C L A.

12. The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes was on shaky
ground.

13. The dead batteries were given out free of charge.

14. If you take a laptop computer for a run you could jog your memory.

15. A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.

16. What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead giveaway).