Fountain of Healthy Articles

Visit www.youtube.com/fountainofhealth and learn how to be healthy

2010-01-29T14:34:00.001-08:00

Pure Himalayan Crystal Salt

2009-12-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Salt as Nature Intended It
Salt is essential for life -- you cannot live without it. However, most people simply don't realize that there are enormous differences between the standard, refined table and cooking salt most of you are accustomed to using and natural health-promoting salt.

These differences can have a major impact on your staying healthy.
If you want your body to function properly, you need holistic salt complete with all-natural elements. Today's common table salt has nothing in common with natural salt.

Your table salt is actually 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals such as moisture absorbents, and iodine. Dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, the excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure of the salt.

Pure Himalayan Salt Is Over 250 Million Years Old
This salt from the Himalayas is known as "white gold." Together with pure spring water, Himalayan Crystal Salt offers all the natural elements exactly identical to the elements in your body -- the very same elements originally found existing in the "primal sea."
Containing all of the 84 elements found in your body, the benefits of natural Himalayan Crystal Salt include:
1. Regulating the water content throughout your body.
2. Promoting a healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells.
3. Promoting blood sugar health and helping to reduce the signs of aging.
4. Assisting in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in your body.
5. Absorption of food particles through your intestinal tract.
6. Supporting respiratory health.
7. Promoting sinus health.
8. Prevention of muscle cramps.
9. Promoting bone strength.
10. Regulating your sleep -- it naturally promotes sleep.
11. Supporting your libido.
12. Promoting vascular health.
You Are Losing Precious Intracellular Water When You Eat Normal Table Salt
For every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses 23 times the amount of cell water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt causes excess fluid in your body tissue, which can contribute to:
• Unsightly cellulite
• Rheumatism, arthritis and gout
• Kidney and gall bladder stones
When you consider that the average person consumes 4,000 to 6,000 mg of sodium chloride each day, and heavy users can ingest as much as 10,000 mg in a day, it is clear that this is a serious and pervasive issue.
Today's table and cooking salt is void of the vital trace minerals that make this Himalayan crystal salt so precious. Crystal salt has spent over 250 million years maturing under extreme tectonic pressure, far away from exposure to impurities.

The salt's unique structure also stores vibrational energy. All of the crystal salt's inherent minerals and trace elements are available in colloidal form -- meaning they are so small your cells can readily absorb them.

The Crystal Salt from the Himalayas does not burden your body as other salts do. It is very difficult for your body to absorb too much crystal salt since there are powerful and effective feedback loops that regulate this process. Natural crystal salt always promotes a healthy balance and does not contribute to high blood pressure like typical table salt.
Crystal Salt's array of elements forms a compound in which each molecule is inter-connected. The connectedness allows the vibrational component of the 84 trace elements present in the salt to be in harmony with each other and adds to the ability to promote a healthy balance. When it comes to the power of natural salt, nothing compares to Himalayan Crystal Salt. Here's why:
• It is the highest grade of natural salt.
• Under an electron microscope, crystal salt has a perfect crystalline structure.
• It is mined by hand and hand-washed.
• Crystal salt is immune to electromagnetic fields
• Crystal Salt contains no environmental pollutants.
• There is no limited shelf life and no need for silica packets to prevent clumping.

Himalayan Crystal Salt is salt in its native form, with all its vibrational energy intact and it helps promote a healthy balance in your body. Promoting balanced electrolytes helps to keep your body in homeostasis -- the balance of chemicals that is conducive to the body's function.

Himalayan Crystal Salt and proved that it has an amazing array of important trace minerals and elements including potassium, calcium and magnesium that help promote a healthy balance by maintaining fluids and replenishing your supply of electrolytes whenever you sweat heavily. (This salt does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient.)

Water and Your Heart

2009-11-19T18:26:00.001-08:00

Drinking high levels of water can significantly reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, say researchers at Loma Linda University whose research was reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology (Vol. 155, No.9). This exciting study reveals that drinking high amounts of plain water is as important as exercise, diet, or not smoking in preventing coronary heart disease.

"Basically, not drinking enough water can be as harmful to your heart as smoking," warns Jacqueline Chan, DrPH, principle investigator and lead author of the article. Dr. Chan and Synnove Knutson, MD , PhD , second author, chair of epidemiology department, found that California Seventh-day Adventists who drink five or more glasses of plain water a day have a much lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease compared to those who drink less than two glasses per day.

The results from this study show that by drinking more plain water, healthy people without any history of heart disease, stroke, or diabetes-- reduced their risk of dying from a heart attack by half or more . This is as much or more than if they had adopted any other well-known preventive measure, including stopping smoking and lowering cholesterol levels, increasing exercise or maintaining ideal weight.

Because drinking more plain water is a simple lifestyle change that anybody can do, this simple practice has the potential of saving tens of thousands of lives each year with minimal cost . Neither total fluid intake, nor intake of other fluids combined showed this reduced risk. Instead, for women, high intake (5 or more glasses a day) of other fluids showed a greatly increased risk of coronary heart disease.

"People need to be made aware that there is a difference, at least for heart health, whether they get their fluids from plain water or from sodas," says Dr. Chan.

Posting to the Universe

2009-11-19T13:11:00.000-08:00

by Eve Mayer
How many times have you thought something negative about a situation that is coming up only to have the exact negative situation play out right before your eyes? You know what I mean, a thought like; every time our family gets together for Thanksgiving we have a fight and you do. How about; my husband/wife never says anything nice to me. My son/daughter always does horrible on his English tests. My boss is such a jerk; he never pays attention to what’s actually going on in the office. Are you getting my drift about negative thoughts? Just take a moment and think of some of your more common negative thoughts. Let them out, don’t hold back. I know you have them.

To be clear I want you to know that everyone has these types of negative thoughts. We are human and we talk to ourselves. Negative thoughts are natural in other words. What I want to talk to you about is what we do after we have the negative thought. There is a wonderful word I learned, it’s called POSTULATION, what does postulation mean? The dictionary defines it as, “a declaration of something that is self-evident, a formal message that is submitted to an authority.”

When we have thoughts be they negative or positive, it is very much like throwing a pebble in a pond. For a moment think about throwing a pebble in a pond, can you see the rings the pebble makes in the water? The concentric rings keep going out from the center. Now imagine your thoughts like a pebble being thrown into that pond, they too radiate out into the universe and the universe, at your beck and call goes about delivering what you thought about. The more times you think a specific thought the more pebbles are thrown and the message is that much more powerful. The universe could care less if the thought is negative or positive it only wants to fulfill what you want. Pretty powerful stuff. This is your experience here; you can create your experience any way you like. Now, I love this thought: “I am in control of my own destiny via the thoughts I think!”

I could teach a whole class on thoughts and postulating, today I want to give you some tools that can make your life more happy, right now. I want to help you learn how to pivot out of a negative thought and replace it with a positive one. Let’s go back to our negative thoughts at the beginning of the article.

Every time our family get’s together for Thanksgiving we have a fight. This maybe true but I want you to change it at least in your own mind. You can think something after this negative thought like; when our family gets together for the holidays we all get along and there is an abundance of love and camaraderie. We enjoy each others company, the food is fantastic and we all have a blast. We can’t wait till next year to be together. WE HAVE SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!!! How does this thought feel to you?

My Husband/Wife never says anything nice to me. How about thinking: my husband/wife loves me crazy. He says the nicest things to me always finding ways to compliment me and let me know I am adored. I am so happy and in love. I have married my perfect partner. I could go on and on about the ways you should think about your spouse even if at the moment things are horrible, pivot out of the negative thought and POSTULATE what you want to have happen as if it’s already happening. If you don’t, you will keep creating the negative in your life. A husband or wife who never says anything nice to you. This will become the universal truth. YIKES!

My Son/Daughter always does horrible on their English tests. UhHuh, maybe so but again what do you want for your son or daughter? Do you want them to always do horrible? Of course not. We have to think positively for them and if possible teach them how to see themselves in a positive light. Teach them how to see themselves succeeding, doing well, and being the best person they can possibly be. Maybe say instead; my son/daughter learns with ease. When he takes the test, he is relaxed and comfortable. He has all of the knowledge at his fingertips waiting to jump out. He does incredibly well on his English test and has fun while taking it. He is calm and self assured. I am so proud and so is he.

And last but not least. My Boss is such a jerk; he never pays attention to what’s going on in the office. Hopefully by now you are getting how to pivot out of negativity and into something positive that you want to have happen. How would you change this negative postulation into a positive one? The more you let your mind flow into the zone of what you want the easier it is to postulate.

Don’t hold back when you think about what you want, let your mind go. The main point of this article is to help you pivot out of a negative thought and replace the negative with a more appealing positive thought. You can’t just say to yourself, “No don’t think like that.” The universe does not hear that. It hears your thoughts, be they negative or positive. YOU MUST REPLACE THE NEGATIVE WITH THE POSITIVE! This can not be stated emphatically enough. Have fun being positive, even when you’re frustrated. It certainly makes you feel better and definitely more in control of your life. Now who doesn’t want that?

The Great Egg Debate

2009-11-19T13:06:00.000-08:00

by: Courtney Dwyer
Eggs are the greatest food ever created by god to nourish our brains and our bodies. And Eggs have come to my attention, a lot recently, in the form of egg whites. It seems like there are a lot of people still concerned about the health “risks” associated with eating the whole egg, and therefore wanting to only consume the “whites”. The stores even go so far as to sell just the whites in plastic containers next to the carton of eggs to support those consumers eating just the whites. If I may…PLEASE EAT THE WHOLE EGG!

What the egg represents in itself is a perfect package of nutrients that changes into a living being, the chicken, and wouldn’t be able to do so if it didn’t contain all of the essential nutrients that help a body to thrive. In one egg there are 6 grams of protein, with all 9 essential amino acids, and 5 grams of good fat including 1.5 grams of saturated fats.

Now if the words; SATURATED FAT scares you, please come to Dawn’s ABC’s of health class to get further clarification on the difference between naturally occurring saturated fat and the kind that is man made, & how to tell the difference. Personally, I welcome this fat with open arms since learning over the years how much it helps me to thrive. Eggs are good for the EYES because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, and according to one study, may help prevent macular degeneration due to these carotenoids. Both nutrients are more READILY AVAILABLE in eggs than in any other source.

I’m sure you have heard the scary word “CHOLESTEROL” as being one of the reasons to stay away from eggs. New research is surfacing that contradicts that false information done by Harvard who found “no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease’ and according to another study ‘regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.” Other new research shows that “regular consumption of two eggs a day does not effect a person’s lipid profile (cholesterol level), and may in fact improve it, showing that dietary cholesterol DOESN’T raise cholesterol.” YES!!!

Eat your Eggs! Another significant piece of information; listen closely egg white lovers, the yoke of the egg, that’s right the yoke, not whites, is where something called choline is found in eggs. Choline is a very important nutrient that is the building block for important neurotransmitters in the brain and it also helps regulate the rest of the nervous & cardiovascular system as well as regulate the brain! EGGS ARE BRAIN FOOD!!!!

One egg yolk contains 300 micrograms of choline. Did you know that in Asian cultures, they have they’re pregnant moms eating 12 eggs a day!!! They want their babies to be smart!! No wonder that culture is so stereotyped as being smart! Their babies are fed brain food before they even enter into the world. They’re getting brain food as their brains are being developed! So that’s the secret! From personal experience being in very challenging classes for nursing and medicine, when I eat eggs for breakfast or otherwise, I can notice a difference in concentration compared to when I don’t eat eggs.

So egg white lovers; you’re missing out!! You’re missing out on key brain food that may help you focus better or be quicker witted, or be anything better that requires brain use! (By the way, that’s everything!) Eggs could be a super food! I recently discovered that eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D! So you want to improve your immune system for this flu season…EAT EGGS!

Eggs may also help to prevent breast cancer, according to one study, “women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%”. Besides all of these amazing qualities, eggs promote healthy hair and nails with its high sulphur content and the wide array of vitamins and minerals, including B12 (And as previously mentioned, Vitamin D). According to a study, “many people found their hair growing faster after eggs were added into the diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.” So those people wanting their hair & nails to grow faster; don’t look to those synthetic vitamins, EAT EGGS!

I know one of my girlfriends who will be happy to hear that information. With this great nutrition that comes with eggs, I must say, please get the best quality eggs you can find and afford. Chickens that are fed a diet that it wouldn’t naturally eat aren’t as high in essential nutrients then eggs by chickens fed grass and bugs. I have been blessed to have a mom who goes out to farms and ranches to get the best of the best free ranch, organic eggs. Oh Man! Are those eggs good! High quality eggs will have an orange yolk instead of yellow by the way.

Do what you can though. There are many grocers out there that have great organic, free range eggs that are easily accessible. Again, Knowledge is power! Discover for yourself the benefits, or deficiencies, that are in the foods you eat on a regular basis. Can you tell I love eggs? In the words of Reading Rainbow (I grew up watching that show), you don’t have to take my word for it. To your Health!

Living Healthy, Survey Says....

2009-10-21T11:34:00.001-07:00

Dr. Dana King and his team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have just completed a very inspirational study. Dr. King and his team set out to find if middle-aged adults could reap the rewards of habits like eating vegetables and walking 30 minutes a day.

The researchers reported in June 2007 that middle-aged adults age 45 to 64 who began eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least 2 1/2 hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking decreased their risk of heart disease by 35 percent and risk of death by 40 percent in the four years after they started.

"The adopters of a healthy lifestyle basically caught up. Within four years, their mortality rate and rate of heart attacks matched the people who had been doing these behaviors all along," said Dr. Dana King at the Medical University of South Carolina, who led the research. Dr. King added "even if you have not had a healthy lifestyle previously, it's not too late to adopt those healthy lifestyle habits and gain almost immediate benefits."

The four key habits are eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for 2 ½ hours per week, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. The study participants who adopted all four healthy habits enjoyed a sharp decline in heart disease risk and in death from any cause.

It took all four -- having just three of the healthy habits yielded no heart benefits and a more modest decrease in overall risk of death. Still, said Dr. Nichola Davis at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, "These benefits are on a continuum. The more of the healthy habits that you can adapt, the better. ...These are modest changes that they're talking about."

I WANT SUAGAR! What are the Effects? Dare to find out

2009-10-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

“No prescription is more valuable than knowledge” Dr. Linda Page, ND

How true those words are! I still get so excited every time I read that quote because it embodies everything that The Fountain of Health is wanting for all of you; knowledge. It is also what being a Naturopathic Doctor is about; imparting knowledge for their patients on prevention, as well as encouraging you to discover the knowledge for yourself.

I just love learning something new! So I have been taking world history this semester and wouldn’t you know; I learned something new about health along the way! Did you know that sugar was originally considered a spice!?! It originated in Asia and was used very moderately before the rest of the world got a hold of it. Sugar actually has a very troublesome past, including being a contributing and driving force in the slave trade. But as you well know, it wasn’t the sugar’s fault, but ours! As the world trade market expanded more and more, more and more people were exposed to sugar, and more and more of us became addicted.

The originations of our addiction taking place in the late 17th century and through the 18th century, and then carried on through today. In my history class, we have a text book that has documents copied from the past, mostly from letters, that shows first hand accounts of events that took place in that time. One letter I found interesting was written by a man trying to oppose an argument from a doctor, previously written, of the effects of sugar. The doctor was trying to inform the public of the side effects that were beginning to arise from the increased consumption of sugar. For example; royalty in Western Europe were some of the first privileged to sugar and it was evident in the Queen’s massive tooth decay from her well known “sweet tooth” consumption. This is the time of putting sugar in your tea; where and when it originated.

This was also a time of massive disease outbreaks in Western Europe as well as throughout the world. Now there were definite other contributors to the disease spread, such as lack of exposure in the west, but there is no doubt, in my mind, that the becoming large consumption of sugar was massively inhibiting their immune systems, making them more susceptible to disease. Another interesting point is that the beer that was made and consumed before sugar as a common beverage among the people was MORE NUTRITOUS, than the sweet teas and other drinks that were consumed after the introduction of sugar.

I believe this is what that doctor was trying to address to public of that time. What did the opposer have to say? He tried to compare sugar to that of “mother’s milk” and that every mother should give sugar to their children from infancy. This was just one of his arguments for the use of sugar. What is the hidden message? They were out for profit!!!! The author even used the wellbeing of “the sailor” that made his living from the transportation of sugar as an example of those that would suffer if sugar were taxed more or consumed less. From the very beginning of sugar’s role in global society, people’s addiction to sugar has gone hand in hand with the desire to make money from it! A side note; Money is also why sugar played a major part in the slave trade. I just never new the history of sugar in that light! Now making money is not a bad thing by any means, in fact sugar played a major role in the development of societies throughout our history and provided the means that led to the industrial revolution. But I think it’s important to note that this economical advance came at the expense of our health.

Sugar has been apart of our societies ever since and is still the MOST consumed product in the world. I could probably go on and on, but think that would make for a very, very long article. It goes back to that adage, “knowledge is power”. Discover for yourself more about sugar, or for that matter, more about the history of anything you consume on a regular basis. Where did it come from? What is it derived from? How is it made? How is it grown? In disease prevention, in disease treatment, in healthy living, “No prescription is more valuable than knowledge”.

Who Loves You Baby?

2009-10-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Remember that old country western song, Look’n for love in all the wrong places.
You guessed it, I want to talk to you about looking for love in all the right places.

The very act of looking for something means you are doing something outside of yourself. The dictionary definition of look is to spend time trying to find. To direct one’s gaze towards. You would have to agree that by this very definition looking for love literally means looking outside of ones self for someone to fill the love void…Yes?

Teaching people how to love themselves is one of my favorite subjects to teach. You have to love yourself. We hear it all the time and no one teaches you exactly how to do it. I had to learn the hard way. I was always trying to get others to love and fill me up. What a burden to place on others. Guess what, it doesn’t work! At least not for long, they get tired of trying to make you feel loved. Tired of trying to reassure you that you are lovable. Let’s face it; do you ever really believe them? Really? Truly? Of course not. You never really feel at peace in another persons love. Why? Because it is an impossibility. Love has to come from the inside out. The flow has to start from somewhere deep inside and flow up and out all over everyone else. Love can never get in from the outside and fill the cup up. I’ll show you what I mean and through the showing, I will teach you how to love yourself. Sound good?

I need your indulgence for a moment while I walk you through two scenarios so you will understand a couple of feelings.

Scenario #1
Imagine yourself as a parent, grandparent, or aunt, as a loving overseer for this example. A child, age 8-10 brings home either artwork or homework. This beautiful child is PROUD. You are likewise VERY VERY PROUD. You exclaim, “Oh my GOSH, what beautiful Work!” “You must be so proud of yourself.” “Are you proud of yourself?” The child beams and answers with a resounding, “YES!” Both of you smile and hug enthusiastically.

Scenario #2
You are at work, school, or home and you just completed a very big project and your co-workers tell you, “What a good Job.” You turn your face away, put up your hand and say, “Oh it was nothing, thank you.”

Let’s talk about scenario #1. The child has worked very hard and they both recognize it. The child is already beaming with pride of a job well done and the parent only confirms the child’s view of herself. It is essentially icing on the cake. The child has no problem letting a compliment in. Why? She recognizes the good in herself.

Now let’s discuss scenario #2. The woman worked very hard and she is unable to accept the compliments paid to her by her co-workers. She turns her face away from the kind words and puts up her hand to literally STOP the compliments. She says, “Thank you” because it is the socially required thing to do. She feels empty after the exchange is over. She wants to be loved; she wants to be filled up.

The Question begs to be asked….Can anyone ever fill you up? Why does the woman feel emptier inside than ever?

The answers are simple and maybe a little odd. We are the only people we believe. Let’s go back to the woman in scenario #2. She knows exactly how much time, effort, hard work or lack there of she put in to her project. Did she cheat? Use someone else’s idea? We know what we do, how we do it and what our true motivation is. Only us and no one else. This is the reason we are the only person to believe when the compliments come around and for this reason and this reason alone we MUST tell ourselves when we have done a good job. Just like that little child, we have to know that we are proud of ourselves. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying shout it from the roof tops, “Look at me I’m GREAT.” Far from it. That would border on narcissistic. What I am saying is, review your day. What did you do well? What did you do great? How were you a good person? What can you do to improve? Do you need to make amends to anyone? Were you kind, loving, generous?

Let’s go back to the child scenario. Trade places with yourself and the child. For those of us who had abusive upbringings this makes it much easier to see clearly. Your ethics, morals and values around another person become crystal clear, where they are muddy when the spotlight is on us. So trade places become the proud mom and witness the child. Let the child tell you all of the things they did today and as the mom, feel the pride well up inside. This is the TRUTH. Get used to it. Feel it. Let that pride in yourself start to flow through you. Believe it or not this is the Magic Key to loving you. This is what builds self confidence. This is how love starts to flow from somewhere deep inside and starts to flow out all over everybody. It becomes unstoppable.

There you have it. I know it’s simple. Love flows out by recognizing the beautiful light or the truth from within. By finding your goodness, you find your truth, you find your love. Simple.

How Healthy is our Childs Lunch?

2009-08-24T16:58:00.001-07:00

by Tye Dwyer

What can we do?

High carb snacks that our bodies turn to sugar are addictive. The fast food giants know this, so they spend thousand of dollars to test chemicals that enhance junk food. This creates even more of a mental and physical addiction to their food. The brain remembers “oooh, that felt good,” even though we can become hyped up, and then drop low after the surge of carbs. I like to relate it to a heroin user trying kick the habit of its use. Coming down off the drug feels awful, but the brain wants more; it doesn’t remember the bad of the come-down, only that it felt good when high.

So we make attempts to win this war against addictive carbs. We pack our kids a healthy lunch of a protein, vegetables and complex carbs. The question we all ask then is -- will they eat it, or trade it, or throw it away? Can they stand the finger pointing of the peers saying, “Eew, what’s that you’re eating?”

Are we doomed, fighting a war we can never win? When our children eat these empty foods, their bodies have to sacrifice their own stored nutrients to digest and assimilate them, leaving them more nutrient-starved than before they ate the junk. The fast food giants know this too. Think about it. How many apples can you eat before your body says, I’ve had enough; then think, how many potato chips can you eat? That’s why you can’t eat just one Lay’s potato chip!

Some parents may think, I can substitute juice for soda, and a snack pack for chips. But is this helping? Some juices are just as high in sugar as soda. Snack packs and other processed foods have trans fats that can harm brain function and development. The FDA is aware of the negative impact of trans fats, and we now have a law requiring food labels to list the amount of trans fats found in the product. Don’t be fooled, though -- if you read “0” trans fats, it may not really be so. If a product has below .5% of trans fats, it’s not required to list it; thus the “0” claim is allowable. Read the ingredients, and look for “partially hydrogenated.” Also, the fast food giants make the serving size smaller so they don’t have to list the trans fats. Clever!

The good news is -- I have found a way to fight back! We can make sure our kids have a fighting chance and are getting the nutrients they need by supplementing their diets. You see, our bodies are made up of water and minerals; take away the water and what’s left? -- minerals. Because we are predominantly made of minerals, our bodies’ need for them is large. The more we deplete them, the more we crave foods. Most of us, especially our kids, often don’t have enough food choices around us to choose nutrient-rich foods. Years ago I read a study done with a dozen of pre-school children. For one month during the day they were allowed to make their own food choices. They had a large array of options, from junk to nutrient-rich. Scientists recorded the choices they made. What they found was, when left to their own, the children at first chose some junk, but then balanced it out with nutrient-rich foods.

We must address minerals first because that is what we are made of, and we can’t assimilate vitamins without minerals. When our bodies are deficient in minerals, we crave salt; on a yin and yang scale the opposite of salt is sugar. So if we make sure our kids are getting enough of their minerals we can have a fighting chance. Not all minerals are created equal; you want a complete range of minerals in the right proportion and balance that our bodies need. Using a product with a high amount of one mineral over another causes the body to pull from its mineral reserves to assimilate it. Looks for whole food nutrients.

Whole Food Nutrients Verses Synthetics

2009-08-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

by: Courtney Dwyer
I must start by saying that it is a privilege and an honor to get to be around a wealth of knowledge and insight on health and nutrition as I am at The Fountain of Health. It is also a privilege to get to share that information with you, our Fountain of Health family.

More people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of whole foods and whole food nutrients as part of disease prevention and health. This weekend I had the opportunity to take a class on vitamins and I heard an analogy that gave me an “ah ha!” Sometimes a certain nutrient is promoted so much that it may be thought of as the only component to a healthy immune system. This may be said of ascorbic acid, for instance -- commonly known as vitamin C. Turns out, immune system health is not dependent on only one nutrient. It’s like with a team sport. There’s that one player who is the MVP, who helps the most in getting the team to a victory -- like the star quarterback for your favorite football team. Everyone knows his name; he’s praised for all the great plays and points scored. But let’s see him go out on that field and play the game BY HIMSELF. The quarterback knows it’s impossible for him to do what he does without the rest of the team. That is exactly the way whole food nutrients work! Doesn’t that make so much sense! I could hear myself say “Oh!” when I heard that analogy.

There are so many variables and components of food that make it vital to the body for health. That’s why its food! Scientists may identify the component that seems to play the biggest role in some mechanism in the body, but it’s not just about the one component. Once they isolate it and supplement with just that nutrient, the results aren’t the same! I will always remember my dad saying, “If you’re coming down with something and you want to get more vitamin C into your body to support your immune system, EAT AN ORANGE! Don’t take a synthetic (like EmergenC)! You are way better off eating the orange.” (wise man, my dad)

The bottom line that I learned from this seminar on vitamins is that EVERYTHING EFFECTS EVERYTHING ELSE when it comes to your body. The best way to handle health and disease prevention is by eating whole foods. That is ideal. If you can’t eat whole foods all the time, and we all know life happens, then support the body with whole food nutrients. Whole food nutrients aren’t at GNC, the drug store, or sometimes not even in the health food stores. If you look at the back of the supplement bottle and you can’t pronounce most of the ingredients, they’re not whole food nutrients. Keep looking. Your body will appreciate the FOOD! Eat like you’re following the color pallet of a rainbow. (And I don’t mean the colorful boxes of packaged foods.)

There are so many factors in whole foods that we currently aren’t able to identify exactly how they work, but they work together in a beautiful package created by nature. Bring your lunch to work, make your dinner at home, don’t forget breakfast! Support your farmers markets year round. Eat whole food and use whole foods supplements. We carry Standard Process Whole Food Nutrients.

Liver Cleansing - Yikes!

2009-08-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

by Eve Mayer
We have all heard about liver cleansing and somehow we are all drawn to it. Instinctively, we know it is good for us – yet when we read the protocol, most of us shy away. Maybe some of us have braved a harsh cleanse once or twice. What if I told you we could clean the liver and gallbladder gently, without the harshness of Epsom salts and all of the purging? Would you be interested?

For your information, the liver is the power plant of the body. It is responsible for two major functions: 1) feeding the body: nutrients, enzymes and hormones; and 2) cleaning the body: removing cellular debris and breaking down toxins (organic and inorganic). Our bodies have a mere 60 to100 trillion cells! Every disease can be traced back to the liver. That’s pretty powerful stuff. It makes sense to me because it’s such a powerful organ. The liver is the only organ in the human body that can regenerate! During a liver transplant, surgeons attach a lobe of your liver to the recipient -- and it grows into a new liver. Your own liver then re-grows into a normal size again too. AMAZING, don’t you think. It takes a lot to kill it, but once you’ve killed it, you’re done for. No getting around it. Taking care of this amazing organ is a good idea.

I’ve done a lot of reading on the liver and cleansing. Most of the books say that excess protein is the cause of all our liver troubles and that we should all be vegetarians. I don’t agree. Let me state my case and you can decide. Of course I want you to eat tons of vegetables, but I also believe we need meat, organic, free range meat. I see what often happens to vegetarians’ bodies; they age prematurely, and no, I don’t want to get into that whole argument. Do what you want. I’m talking about the liver cleanse and what is going on inside the liver.

When humans were created how many toxins were on the planet??? Not many. We occasionally had to deal with something toxic. Let’s just go back 150 years; how many man-made chemicals were on this beautiful planet? Again, not many. There are now over 100,000 man-made chemicals on the books and counting! Let that sink in for just a little moment. Is your head around that number yet? Okay, let’s go on a plane ride. You drive into the airport; have you smelled jet fuel yet? You will. When you sit on the plane you will be soaking up flame retardant. Mmm, sounds good, my liver just loves a meal of jet fuel and flame retardant. Not to mention the chemicals I don’t even know about. All kidding aside, let’s walk through the body’s process to deal with these offenders.

The body has two different detoxification processes, Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 takes care of the simple things; it’s like the body taking the garbage out to the curb. Phase 2 is a little more involved. Let’s go back to the airport. You breathed in jet fuel and sat in flame retardant. Both of these are man made chemicals. The liver has to turn on its chemical plant and try to break down these inorganic chemicals into something that it can recognize, like an organic substance.

Here’s the amazing part: during this part of the operation the chemicals almost always become more volatile than the original substance. Scary! The reason the body is trying to break down and turn the inorganic substance into an organic substance is so it can break that substance down into something completely harmless and then send it on its way through the digestive tract. When the liver can’t break down a chemical into an organic substance it can understand, it does something wonderful. It says, this chemical will harm my human, and I have to protect her/him; so, it wraps the offending substance in cholesterol and packs it into the liver. Fantastic!

I think this was a perfect solution when we were first created and there were hardly any toxins on the planet, wouldn’t you say? We have to take responsibility for the way things are in our lives. We live in this time, not 150+ years ago when things were more pristine. Chemicals are here and we have to help our livers get rid of the toxins this beautiful organ has so graciously protected us from. The liver has only been doing its job and doing a damn good job at that. We can clean the liver and gallbladder. You can do it the week-long Epsom salts and flush method, or a gentler method I’ve developed. It’s inexpensive and easy. Call the front desk for information.

As always I encourage you to do your own research.

Live to be healthy, happy and make your world a better place.

Erectile Dysfunction

2009-06-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

Television advertisers today are constantly bombarding us with erectile dysfunction commercials. At first we were shocked, but now we’re singing Elvis songs to Viagra -- “Viva Viagra.” I didn’t realize how wide spread the problem was until I had a conversation with a girlfriend who has been dating for the past 4 years.

My girlfriend’s story: At 50 and divorced for 7 years and dating for the past 4 years… she’s dated a few men. What’s surprising about her story is that every man she’s dated has some degree of erectile dysfunction. Not every other, but EVERY! Holy Cow! No wonder there are so many ads about it on TV. It’s a silent epidemic. These men are all around 50 years old and mostly healthy. What’s going on?

There are two things that I know are happening in the world that can be causing this problem:
1) Chemical Poisoning: You’ve heard me talk about it before. The prostate is the lowest organ in the body. Chemicals leach downward and get stuck in this very slow moving organ. The only way the prostate gets activity is, well, by being active. And when it’s got chemical poisoning, it doesn’t much feel like being active. This is where the partner comes in. It is very important to keep your man’s prostate active and keep his fluids moving. The old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” is no more truthful than here. You can refer to recent articles about chemicals for further information regarding this very real issue.

2) Hydrogenated Fats: “The Oh So Silent Killers”…They are in everything. If it’s packaged, it’s in there. I am begging you, if you care about your health and the health of those you love, read the labels and DON’T EAT THIS CRAP!!!! Let me just paint a little scenario for you about hydrogenated fat (Crisco). Hold it in your hand -- it doesn’t melt. Put it in your mouth -- it doesn’t melt. Butter does. Now put that Crisco into your body. It doesn’t melt -- EVER. What does it do when it gets into your liver? What does it do when it gets into your kidney? What does your heart do when it tries like the dickens to pump harder to clear that crap out of your beautiful congested liver, and your beautiful congested kidney? Oh, that’s right -- now you have high blood pressure. Let them give you a pill for your bad heart because it’s pumping too hard! Keep eating that hydrogenated fat; keep congesting your liver and kidneys, keep trying to pump harder to clean them out. Is my picture painted? Does a penis fill with blood? Can this also be clogged with bad fats??

Please eat butter. Eat it with my blessing. The body knows exactly what to do with it. Butter never clogged anything. If you want a treat, go buy a yummy from the Co-op and enjoy it! So, if you or your loved one is having trouble with Erectile Dysfunction, there is definitely help! It can be an exciting adventure to have your God-given sexuality back with a little education, cleansing and nutritional guidance. Nobody wants that more for you than I do.

“Viva Fountain of Health.”

Please help keep Naturopathic Doctors in California!

2009-06-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

There is a big concern for the future of Naturopathic doctors in the state of California due to proposed budget cuts. At the top of this article is a link to the California Association for Naturopathic Doctors’ website so you can let the Legislature know you are AGAINST the proposed cut to the licensure board for Naturopathic Doctors. The governor is proposing the cut to save the state some money. However the licensure board raises money from the doctors themselves and does not take any money from the state. If anything, the taxes that these doctors pay to practice in the state of California helps support our economy.

The most important reason to keep Naturopathic Doctors’ right to licensure in California is the help they give to the people of our state. They are healers who find the source of the disease in such cases as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, and help heal the person without first going to medication. They have proven holistic modalities that help promote the health of the people of California and are a vital part of our future. It is imperative that we keep our licensing right here in California or else these wonderful healers will have to practice elsewhere. These are doctors trying to make a difference in the world of disease who attend accredited four year institutions in order to get licensure to practice medicine.

I encourage all of you, our Fountain of Health family, to go to the website for the Naturopathic association and find out more information about the benefits these doctors give our society and how to send a letter urging the state not to cut licensure. There is a link in the website to a letter already typed out for you, all you have to do is add your name. Please send it to your friends and family to do the same. The more Californians we have supporting these doctors, the more people we can help to get better from chronic diseases.

Please watch the youtube video that’s on the website, sign your name on the letter and send it to Legislature. Please send the email to friends and family -- please save our Naturopathic Doctors!

We Are All Powerful

2009-05-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed a difference in your emotions when you think of interacting with different people? Does the thought of sharing a problem or even good news with a certain individual make you nervous or anxious while with another person you are excited to share? Lately I have become aware of another aspect of how the people we choose to surround ourselves with can affect us in our moments of challenge or celebration.

There are certain people who try to steal your power. They are those people that focus on the negative. When you present an issue, they tend to find even more aspects to worry about and invalidate your ability to manage the situation. Or when you are happy about something they find the negative side and try to bring you down. I do not believe this is the intention of the person -- it’s just where they are vibrating. There feel there is safety in numbers, and if they are vibrating at a low energy they want to recruit you to join then, stealing your power in the process.

There are certain people who try to give you their power. They have a difficult time being around others who are in pain or conflict of any sort. They are the people that try to motivate you by telling their stories or reasons to focus on the good. They tend to try to empower you by giving you their energy. However, this high will only last a certain amount of time and then it will diminish. It is only your own energy that is able to keep you empowered.

There are certain people who try to help you find your power. These are the people that see you for who you are and acknowledge all of your abilities. They hold a safe space for you to explore your emotions and thoughts without the influence of their own. They stay neutral and validate your capabilities while always speaking the truth and asking questions to help you reflect. These are people you know will be honest with you and who believe in you. They are a gift.

The reverse always applies. Take a moment to reflect and think about how you affect those around you. Do you focus on the negative and become envious when someone is celebrating life? Do you want people around you to be happy always and invade their space, filling it with your energy regardless of whether or not it is truthful? Or do you stop and take time to be in the present with your friend and create a space for honesty without judgment?

We are all powerful. Let’s always help each other live in our own authentic power!

Swin Flue...Everyone Run For Cover

2009-05-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

It’s remarkable how things go in circles. I have been reading about Poliomyelitis (Polio). A virus is a virus is a virus. When Polio was first around, it was considered a flu virus, nothing to be concerned about. The only people who truly got sick and showed the “true” symptoms were the very weak, the very old, or the very sick. The Polio virus presents itself much like any flu virus. Here are the symptoms, you be the judge:

• General Discomfort
• Headache
• Red throat
• Slight fever
• Sore throat
• Vomiting

These symptoms generally last for 72 hours, then you bounce back and go on about your business. BUT…if your immune system is compromised, or you are weak or malnourished, your symptoms are probably going to keep getting worse. Your central nervous system is going to start being affected -- the brain and spinal cord. These symptoms, just to name a few would include:

• Back pain (stiffness)
• Neck pain (stiffness)
• Muscle pain (tenderness to touch)
• Headache
• Breathing difficulty
• Constipation
• Irritability or poor temper control
• The patient goes down hill pretty rapidly from a normal flu virus.

The question has always been: why does one seemingly healthy person get sick and die and the other seemingly healthy person hardly gets sick at all? A lot of the news articles that have been written called the Polio virus “The Middle Class Epidemic.” Why is this? We believe it is a lack of nutrition. The first epidemics occurred in Vienna in 1840, coinciding with the advent of the flour mill in Vienna in 1839. This mill degerminated flour, making white flour. Approximately one year later was the first Polio Epidemic! The mill was brought to the United States in 1912. The head of the USDA/FDA, Dr. Wiley, confiscated the trainload of flour and burned it, and took the mill to court. Well, the government fired him and hired a new man (I can’t remember his name, but he was the former president of Pillsbury. Isn’t that a little like the fox watching the hen house? ) Anyway, they introduced white, bleached flour to the American public and about 1 year later….oh you’re so smart…you guessed it, a major Polio outbreak! (1916) 69,000 people died.

According to Dr. Royal Lee, we need the germ on the outside of grain. It provides us with very important nutrients that keep us healthy and strong, like vitamin B-1. So, back to the term. “A Middle Class Epidemic”-- what does that mean? The speculation is, and I have to agree, the middle class was able to buy all of the newfangled refined foods that resulted in them becoming nutritionally deficient. The poor people were still eating the foods out of their gardens, drinking the milk from the cow in their barn, making their own butter, raising their own chickens, eating those glorious golden yoked eggs, eating fresh baked bread from freshly ground grain… Those poor people couldn’t afford to eat the refined white sugar, refined white flour, corn syrup and man-made hydrogenated fat.

So, what do you think you should be doing when it comes to this new Swine flu virus? Run scared -- or eat right? Hmm. Allow me to suggest two very simple nutrients: Catalyn and Tuna Omega. Just take a couple of each every day. They are nutritional powerhouses!

Chlorella

2009-05-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

You may be familiar with Chlorella, but let me shed a little light on it anyway.
Chlorella is a green algae that has been used in Japan for years. Chlorella’s most popular attribute is the way it helps detoxify the body by binding to heavy metals to help the body get rid of them. But Chlorella does so much more than that.
Chlorella is largely composed of chlorophyll, a chemical that gives plants their green color. Why does chlorophyll matter? Because chlorophyll is very similar in composition to our blood and therefore is very beneficial in helping our blood be healthy and efficient in transporting oxygen.
Several studies have been done in Japan on the benefits of Chlorella, and our grandfather of nutrition and holistic health, Dr. Bernard Jensen, was a huge advocate of Chlorella all the way back in the 1950s. The Japanese studies showed that chlorophyll is effective in detoxifying the liver and bloodstream as well as cleansing the bowels and feeding the good bacteria. Chlorella improves elimination in all four of the elimination channels -- skin, kidneys, lungs, and bowels – and improved elimination is key to detoxification.
“One of the first things we find about chlorella is that it stimulates and normalizes an under-active bowel. Dr. Motomichi Kobayashi, director of a hospital in Takamatsu, Japan, prescribes chlorella for all his patients who are troubled with constipation…. In 1957, Dr. Takechi and his associates in Japan found out that chlorella promoted rapid growth of lactobacillus, one of the bacteria that promotes colon health. The chlorophyll in chlorella helps keep the bowel clean, while the tough cellulose membrane of chlorella binds to cadmium, lead, and other heavy metals and carries them out of the body… chlorella restores bowel regularity, normalizes beneficial bowel flora, assists in detoxifying the bowel and stimulates repair of damaged tissue.” (Naturalways)
This single-celled being is rich in nutrients, containing Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E, folic acid, PABA, inositol, Vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, phosphorus, amino acids and proteins. “Chlorella has been used in treating hypertension, diabetes, hypoglycemia, asthma, constipation, and elevated cholesterol levels. Recent research indicates the substances in chlorella stimulate the natural immune system to protect the body from cancer.” (Dr. Bernard Jensen)
I started taking Chlorella a week ago and already I have noticed a difference in increased bowel movements. I know Eve has suggested Chlorella for clients dealing with heavy metals, yet I never realized the benefits it has for all of us. What I am most excited about is its ability to support elimination and clean the blood. But don’t take my word for it, investigate Chlorella for yourself and see what you discover. 
To Happy Health.

What is the VIBE Machine?

2009-04-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

The VIBE machine is an electronic device that brings the vibrational level of your body back to its natural state of being. VIBE stands for Vibrational Integrated Bio-photonic Energizer.

How does the VIBE work?
Every atom in the Universe has a frequency, whether it is a grain of sand, a piece of steel, a plant, animal or an organ in your body - each cell resonates, or vibrates, at a specific frequency or oscillation. Your body consists of a variety of atoms, which contain protons, electrons & an overall bio-electric energy that runs through it. The way you take care of your body physically, emotionally and mentally determines how many negative frequencies or toxins are being built up in it.
Generally there are four ways imbalance is created in the body. This can be from toxic substances we eat, pollution we breathe, exposure to a negative energetic environment, and how we process information in our thinking and feeling.
When a body becomes overwhelmed with toxic substances, thoughts or feelings, the positive bio-electric field is immensely lowered in vibration and frequency. In other words, our body has a higher frequency or vibration when it is healthy and a lower vibration when it is sick. You can actually test your body's vibrational level with various bio-electric counters. This can give you an indication of your body's energy level.

Healthy cells, according to Nobel prize winner Otto Warburg, have cell voltages of minus 70 to minus 90 millivolts. Due to the constant stresses of modern life and a toxic environment, cell voltage tends to drop as we age or get sick. As the voltage drops, the cells are unable to maintain a healthy environment for themselves. If the electrical charge of a cell drops below minus 50, a person can become chronically fatigued and may get sick often. If the voltage drops to minus 15, the cell becomes diseased. When the body's immune system gets overwhelmed and cannot fight an abundance of toxins and then we continue to put toxins into our bodies and minds such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, negative fear-based thoughts and heavy emotions, we can experience a physical imbalance.

The cells of a body that are being affected by a negative condition, have an oscillating rate that is lower than it was originally designed to have. After many months or years of this internal dis-harmony, our immune system can weaken and the symptoms begin to show in the form of an actual terminal physical imbalance or disease. All cells have small electrically powered pumps whose function is to bring in nourishment, and take out toxins. Imagine going into a house where the power has been turned off. The plumping wouldn't operate so the toilets wouldn't work. There would be no running water; therefore, no showers or baths could be taken and doing dishes would be impossible. The refrigerator wouldn't work so there wouldn't be any food to eat, and the food that was in there would go bad. Add to that trash strike and now trash is piling up. As you could guess, anyone living in that house would probably get sick.

One way to efficiently and safely raise cell voltages is with a device called a VIBE machine. An earlier type was invented by Georges Lakhovsky in the early 1900's. Dr. Lakhovsky discovered that healthy cells acted like little batteries and discovered how to recharge them (raise their voltages). He found that transmitting energy in the range between 750,000 hertz and 3,000,000,000 hertz raised the cell's voltage.

Dr. Lakhovsky had great results with all types of physical imbalances.
Not only was his unit able to return sick cells (and people) to health, but also those who used it regularly noticed that they rarely became sick. He proved the principle that life forms can absorb radio wave energy. The VIBE uses that principle to strengthen the healthy cells of the body, so that they can resist physical imbalances. Knowing the right frequencies and putting them out simultaneously does not necessarily destroy an infection, but we believe it charges the cell making it strong enough to resist the infection.

Similarly, everyone has been exposed to the oral variety of the herpes virus, and it lies dormant in their bodies. Only when a person is under stress does the virus flare up and show up as blisters on the lips. We carry many thousands of infections in our bodies, lying in dormant states. As long as we remain healthy (high cell voltages), these infections remain dormant. In this way, a VIBE Machine can prevent negative imbalance and stress of all kinds.
In some situations, physical disorders are not caused by infection. They are thought to be caused by toxicity and imbalanced metabolism. The VIBE may be of assistance here by helping the body detoxify, giving it enough energy to heal its chronic metabolic imbalances.

Every illness is an autoimmune illness. When your immune system cannot ward off a problem in your system in time, something fails. Your only defense is your immune system. By raising the oscillating frequency of every cell in your body, we are increasing the rate at which the immune system operates as well as eliminating the negative toxins that your body is trying to fight off. The quantum fluctuations (vibrations) that make up the memory of the cells of our body start creating different "memories." This type of frequency reprogramming allows the body to remember the natural effectiveness of the immune system and regenerate back to its original state.

What is actually inside a VIBE machine?
The device has 12 noble and inert gas tubes that are precisely positioned in a concentric ring to create a strong electromagnetic field around the machine. The gas tubes have been selected to develop specific results within the bio-photonic spectrum. Some of the tubes contain argon, krypton, and water vapor. Activated by a low power laser, it produces all the frequencies needed to resonate a higher pitch within your body. This electromagnetic field is unique; it raises the vibrational levels of your body to the highest of oscillations, where they were originally designed to be.

What can the VIBE machine do for you?
This machine is a technological breakthrough that enhances the human body by helping it reach its optimum vibration and energy levels. It has many long-term positive effects on the body, as it automatically eliminates the "unwanted vibrations" inside your body.

How long do you stand in front of the VIBE Machine?
Using it for only 30 seconds to 4 minutes 3 or more times per week, can raise your body's energetic vibration and regenerate the cells that are not vibrating properly. After using the machine for this brief amount of time, the lower vibration cells throughout your body immediately change their course of direction. They now will contain a slight new charge and begin to "reprogram" the lower frequencies in which they were previously stuck. Each time the VIBE unit vibrates these cells, it speeds up the removal of these toxins from you at an incredibly fast rate; and this frees up your immune system to fight whatever it needs to fight. It dumps the toxins from the lymph glands out of your system. It is the same for the cells of the body. Without enough energy to operate, the cells become toxic and malnourished. Then, when presented with an infectious organism they have lost the vitality to resist.

It's NICE to be NICE

2009-04-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

I’m amazed at how quickly this year is flying by. It’s already spring and summer is just around the bend, and then it will be fall -- you get the picture. I’m always learning so much about health and wellness; I have to tell you that it all starts with your state of mind. So I just wanted to share my thoughts and observations. Who knows, maybe it will help bring about a new perspective.

The news and media: I can hardly watch it; it’s bleak, and depressing. They keep ramming home “these troubled times.” Advertisements: they are doing a great job constantly talking about how horrible everything is for everyone. You would think this is the worst time the world has ever seen. It’s not! My god! Are we, as a society, incredibly spoiled? Stop listening to the media. I mean really. I know that we are in a significant and temporary down turn. Has this happened before? Yes. Will this happen again? Yes. Is it a natural occurrence? Yes. Just like the push and pull of the tides. Do the media companies want to sell papers and generate news? Yes. Do you want to be a pawn in their game? Hmmm, this is up to each and every one of us individually and as a team. I guess what I’m trying to say is, throughout history there have been some really bad events and we have pivoted out of them.

So let’s start to keep our chins up, and look on the bright side. For example, I have been observing, quite by accident, people being nice to each other with random acts of kindness. It warms my heart. They are always small acts but they generate so much positive energy. They bring joy to the people giving and receiving as well as to any witnesses.

I was in line at the 99 Cent Store and the first person in line was purchasing an item that cost $1.99. The cashier said, “I’m sorry but the minimum purchase with an ATM Card is $5.00.” The customer said, “But this is all I want.” The woman behind him had about 8 items and she said, “I’ll buy that for you, sir.” The two of them went back and forth… oh my goodness, how kind, no problem, yada, yada. The third person in line had 2 items and she was so touched by the second woman’s generosity she said, “Excuse me, I’d like to buy all of the items please.” Everyone in the store started clapping. It filled us all with such joy to witness this small act of generosity. We are still talking about it.

Since that day I decided to open my eyes and see if people are being “nice” -- and do you know what I found? They are. It’s everywhere in the smallest ways. Someone says, “Would you like to get in front of me in line, you only have a few items,” or “You look like you’re in a hurry.” Someone stumbles and falls and people stop and help, with genuine concern. I could go on and on.

You would think that with all of this economic nastiness, people would be more uptight and uncaring in their own little worlds. I am saying that it’s just not the case, if we will only look. Let’s start looking for the kindness in strangers. Not only that, let’s start being kind. My Father’s favorite saying since I was a little girl is, “It’s nice to be nice.”

We have to change this world energetically and what better way to do it than by one kindness at a time. So, let’s follow Dad’s example; he’ll be happy that I told you. What do you know, that’s one more happy person out there. You see it’s already working!

Corn Syrup Makes us FAT

2009-04-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Fructose is the sugar found in fruit and is healthier to consume in a granulated form than sucrose (table sugar). However, when corn refiners pull fructose from corn starch and combine it with glucose to make liquid high fructose corn syrup, the original DNA, if you will, is dramatically altered. Fructose does not stimulate the production of insulin or leptin. Both of these hormones decrease appetite and the body’s ability to control weight. Corn syrup increases the production of gherlin, a hormone that increases hunger and appetite. There are many more side effects from HFCS, too many to list. This is a great article to check out.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL

It seems that high fructose corn syrup is in practically every processed product on retail shelves these days. The commercials sponsored by The Corn Refiners Association claim that HFCS has the same calories as sugar and that it is fine in moderation. Although HFCS may have the same calories as sugar, it is everywhere and in everything. Why is HFCS so popular among food manufacturers? It’s cheap, about 20% cheaper than regular sugar. It extends the shelf life of a product, mixes easily with other products, and prevents freezer burn. For manufacturers, it's all about the bottom line. You end up consuming HFCS whether you want to or not. We eat and drink 76 more calories per day just from sweeteners. This is up 19% since 1970. HFCS is even in foods that aren't normally associated with being sweet or sugary. In 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated that the American public consumed 79 pounds of corn-derived sweetener per year. That's gone up from 63 pounds consumed in 2001. So what? We like things sweet.

A study at Harvard School of Public Health showed that having one or more corn or sugar sweetened drinks a day dramatically increases your chance of gaining weight and developing diabetes. Soda has 13 teaspoons of HFCS in 12 ounces. Americans drink about 56 gallons per person per year. The USDA recommends that we limit our intake of sugar, including HFCS, to 10-12 teaspoons a day. Think twice before you hit up the soda machine for your midday boost or give your kids a sugary fruit juice. The fact is, the more corn syrup you consume, the more you want.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/kingcorn/taste.html

When it comes right down to it, with all the frozen foods, baked goods, and drinks we consume, we eat more sweeteners made from corn than from sugarcane or beets. Most nutritionists blame HFCS for the nation's obesity problem. They aren't blaming fat or carbs (those without HFCS). The sweetener started infiltrating food products in the 1980s, the same time the rise in obesity started -- it seems almost coincidental. HFCS has absolutely no nutritional value. It is the epitome of empty calories. Have you ever eaten a meal or snack and ended up being hungry 10-20 minutes later? Not only does HFCS not lend us any nutrition, the body processes the fructose in HFCS differently than it does old-fashioned cane or beet sugar; this in turn alters the way our metabolic-regulating hormones function. It also forces the liver to kick more fat out into the bloodstream, making us want to eat more while storing fat. In conclusion: the Food Giants love corn syrup because the product will last longer on the shelf, and the more we eat the more we want. Basically their bottom line gets larger -- and so does ours.

My Brain Health

2009-04-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

by Courtney Dwyer
Being a student, loving to learn new things about health and vitality and about the human body, my brain is super important to me! I am very aware when I’m not as focused or clear in my thinking, and when my energy is low and I’m not as motivated. I know how to improve my mental clarity with nutrition and diet, but I recently became aware of another piece to the puzzle of good health.

While on vacation up in beautiful Washington and Oregon, I stopped off at Powell Books to gather more information. I discovered a book written by a neurological doctor specifically about the brain, and the blip on the back cover absolutely enthralled me.

The first thing the doctor mentions to improve mental clarity, or to age gracefully cognitively if you will, is exercise! Now you may be thinking, well duh! That makes sense. But I never really understood the importance it has.

The doctor compared two men that he came across while watching television several years back. They were the same age, 80 years old, but there was a HUGE difference between them. The first man was in a care home, sitting in a wheel chair just staring out into space, pretty much waiting to die. The second man was Jack La Lanne. If you don’t recognize the name right away, this man swam across a river while towing seven boats -- with people on them! He is the man that sells juicers on infomercials and has the stamina and quick-wittedness of a 20 year old! What could have resulted in the big difference between these two men of the same age? Well, Jack was a fitness guru, a real authentic muscle man; he was even said to be the creator of the infamous “jumping jack.” There was no information about the physical activity level of the first man, but it seems likely that exercise was a key factor.

The author goes on to mention another doctor who studied school children and physical activity. Children who were more sedentary had anti-social behaviors, were more likely to act out in class, and had lower test scores. Children who were more active had less anti-social behavior, almost no acting out, and higher test scores!

It’s just simple anatomy as to why it works. The more you exercise, the more blood gets to your brain, feeding your brain! And the brain requires a lot of energy -- it uses 20% of the nutrients from the food you eat and requires a lot of oxygen from your blood!

The doctor explains another aspect of brain activity and exercise. It seems psychologists have been using exercise as part of treatment for people suffering from severe depression and severe anxiety! Some even prescribe an exercise routine instead of medication because of the amount of neurotransmitters produced, like endorphins, from exercise!

What’s awesome is that it doesn’t take that much extra physical activity to improve brain function. Even just taking a walk two days a week will improve brain function. It’s prevention! Do you want to age gracefully cognitively? Studies have shown that exercise prevents dementia and Alzheimer’s by almost 60%!

For me, if I want to continue learning and absorbing what I learn about health and nutrition, exercise is going to be a definite part of my daily life from now on. Riding my bike to work, taking up some Yoga from Megan here at The Fountain of Health, and jumping on my mini trampoline are all on the agenda!

I postulate for you healthy eating, exercise, and peace of mind.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC?

2009-03-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

In short, it's the difference between something that's living and something that's dead. That's a big difference!

NATURAL WHOLE FOOD VITAMINS - On vitamin labels the word "natural" has no specific definition other than that the substance exists somewhere on the planet or outer space. The key words to look for are "Whole Food Vitamins" - this means vitamins as they are found in food, untempered with in any way that would change their molecular structure, their biological or biochemical combination, or their actions.

Vitamins in their natural state always exist as living complexes with specific synergistic co-factors, enzymes, phytonutrients and organic mineral activators, and never as isolated single factors. A vitamin needs all of its synergists, most of which have not yet been studied but are nevertheless very important.

Organic food sources are preferred since they are more nutrient-dense and contain no pesticide residues.

CRYSTALLINE means that a natural food has been treated with various chemicals, solvents, heat and distillations to reduce it down to one specific "pure" crystalline vitamin. In this process all the synergists, which are termed "impurities," are destroyed. There is no longer anything natural in the action of crystalline "vitamins" - they should more accurately be termed drugs.

Synthetic means that a chemist attempted to reconstruct the exact structure of the crystalline molecule by chemically combining molecules from other sources. These sources are not living foods, but dead chemicals. For example, Vitamin B1 is made from a coal tar derivative. Ascorbic acid (the only part of the vitamin C complex that the FDA allows to be called vitamin C) is made by reacting sugar with sulfuric acid.

HOW TO READ A VITAMIN LABEL: To identify synthetics on the label, look to see if a source is given. If it isn't, assume the product is synthetic. These terms also identify a vitamin as synthetic, or a mineral as nearly impossible to digest:

Acetate, bitartrate, chloride, oxide, hydrochloride, nitrate, succinate and carbonate.

Whole-food natural supplements never come in high dosages. It is only possible to create high-dosage "vitamins" if you isolate one fraction of the vitamin complex as in crystalline, or synthesize one fraction as in synthetics. Look at the Vitamin C and Vitamin E diagrams. In naturally occurring Vitamin C Complex, the ascorbic acid portion comprises only about 5% of the whole complex. Similarly, alpha tocopherol only comprises a small percentage of Vitamin E Complex.

We as consumers have been thoroughly fooled and misled about vitamins! We have been hoodwinked into believing that large quantities of dead chemicals are more nutritionally potent than smaller amounts of high quality living compounds.

Relatively small amounts of whole food natural vitamins, with all of their naturally occurring synergists, are far more potent than high doses of synthetic imitation vitamins.

Amazing, huh?! I remember my parents telling me that a study was done saying that there is no difference with the cheaper vitamins than the higher priced ones. At the time, we didn't even know what to look for. That is why "whole food" supplements are important because it has the whole food to make it work in your body. We have a great whole food vitamin that we offer here at Fountain of Health, and there are other good brands available too that will do the job. The powdered formulas are good also (often have probiotics in them), and you can throw them in a smoothie! How about we just eat an orange to get our vitamin C?

I was at a a friend's house and was checking the labels on the vitamins that he bought at Costco. There were about 5 of the above terms on the label. He was saving money, yet wasting his money, and not doing a bit of good for his body.

I've mentioned it before -- I recommend watching Food Matters. You can sit in our waiting area and watch it, or go to the website and watch it for $4.95 online (foodmatters.com). We also have copies available for you to purchase. It is a documentary created to help educate the public about our food and medical industry. It is a must see!

How Do We Learn?

2009-03-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

by Eve Mayer
I love to learn new things. But that was not always the case for me. I remember being in middle school and raising my hand time after time. Remember, it was not cool to raise your hand. I could hear the other students saying, “Here she goes again!” Thank goodness I wasn’t a shrinking violet because I said “to heck with them” and I raised my hand anyway. I realized at a very young age that if I didn’t get it, most likely the other kids didn’t get it either. So I let the so-called smart kids make fun of me. I could take it.

Eventually there came a point where my mathematics class just wore me down. I really felt stupid and wasn't getting any of it. I was so far behind that all my question-asking only made me feel more stupid and inept. That became the turning point. “Shhhh,” I told myself, “be quiet, just slide through.” AAAHHH!!!

I wish more than anything that I had had an advocate to help me back then, but I wouldn’t be the advocate I am today if that had happened. Having children changes you. Learning how to be their advocate has helped me to be my own advocate. Because of this I am able to help you be yours. What this means simply is: you have the right to learn.

For example, I was in a class recently that was way over my head. It was filled with doctors of every kind. The teacher was a Micro-Biologist (a genius by all accounts). He was a horrible teacher and spoke far over our heads; the woman next to me was fast asleep. I couldn’t take it. I thought to myself, “This man is brilliant! I need to understand what he is talking about.” So, up went my hand. “Can you please explain that in layman’s terms?” I asked over and over again throughout the year long course. At the end of every class it never failed; a different doctor would come up to me and say, “Thank you for asking all the questions you do; if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t understand this course at all.” Now, what does that tell you? These incredibly talented doctors were completely willing to let valuable information just slip through their fingers, for fear of appearing STUPID in front of their peers. Wow! We paid a lot of money to learn. (LEARN is a verb, it means to acquire knowledge or skill). We were all adults but we were right back in middle school. I can only imagine what they must have thought about me. I was one of the only ones who wasn’t a doctor in the classroom. Most of them didn’t understand a word coming out of Mr. Micro-Biologist’s mouth, but they were too afraid to ask. It must be tough to be so smart; I guess that means you aren’t allowed to learn anymore, you’re supposed to know everything already.

That brings me to my husband. He landed a new job that required him to learn some new information and skills. After his first class he was all stressed out and I asked, “What is going on? Why are you all stressed out?” He said that he felt kind of stupid and didn’t know everything. He was approaching the class like those doctors! So we had the talk, the You Have the Right to Learn talk. I asked him to imagine that he was our son for a minute. How would he want our son to approach learning? Would he want our son to be open minded? Would he want him to ask questions? Does he think our son has a right to learn everything that the teacher has to teach? Or does he think our son is going to the class to show how smart he is? Of course my husband laughed his butt off seeing how silly it all sounded. He loves the idea of having the right to learn. At his next class, he asked many questions and realized how much it helped everyone in the class. He said that the classroom became more of a fun learning environment. His stress level around learning virtually disappeared and looked forward to attending the next classes.

We have a right to learn. Benjamin Franklin felt so strongly about thinking and learning that he started public libraries so knowledge would be available to all people. Prior to that, only wealthy people could afford books and higher education. Earlier, I mentioned being an advocate. It is so clear to me that we all need an advocate when learning becomes difficult. As humans we need to keep learning, growing and ever expanding.

I hope you will share this wisdom with others.

Alli, New Weight Loss Aid, How does it work?

2009-03-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

by Megan Andry
You’ve probably seen the advertisements on TV for the new weight loss aid Alli, also known by its generic name, Orlistat. What does this new over-the-counter pill do? Combined with a low calorie, low fat diet, Alli helps you lose up to 50% more weight than with just diet alone. How does it work? Alli basically prevents the body from absorbing fat. Like many diet drugs on the market today, it is not an appetite suppressant. You might say that Alli is an appetite enhancer because fat, like fiber, helps you feel full and satisfied after a meal.

The manufacturers of Alli recommend that users consume no more than 15 grams of fat per meal. If this level is exceeded, what Alli calls “treatment effects” can occur. If more than the suggested 15 grams of fat per meal is consumed, your body flushes it out in loose, runny stools. There can be oily spotting as well if you fall off the dieting wagon (users of the pill have suggested not wearing white pants when on the drug). Because Alli blocks fat absorption, it can also block the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals. Since you aren’t eating enough fat to burn for your energy needs throughout the day, your main energy source becomes carbohydrates which don’t contain the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Is Alli still worth taking to lose weight? Alli conducted one six month study on the drug's effects before releasing it to the public. After participants stopped taking the drug, they gained back most if not all of the weight they had lost while taking Alli. That’s why Alli’s website suggests a life style change, because you will gain the weight back if you revert to your old ways. Keep in mind that this drug is not meant to be taken for the rest of your life. It is a diet drug. Diets end and drugs run out. For more information, please visit their website at www.myalli.com and www.webmd.com for more articles regarding Orlistat and its parent drug Xenical.

While losing weight, do not stop eating fat. Dietary fat plays very important roles in our bodies, some of which may surprise you. Fats provide essential fatty acids that are not made by the body. These essential fatty acids control inflammation and blood clotting, and support healthy brain function. Your body uses fat as its main energy source, not carbohydrates. It takes only 20 minutes of exercise to burn off carb calories. After that your body switches to fat calories for energy. That’s why everyone keeps telling you to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day! Fat aids in the absorption of vitamins A, E, D, and K through blood stream. Fat breaks down the vitamins into a form that the body is able to use. Fat protects every cell in our body, the lipid by-layer of our cells. If we don’t have good fat to protect our cells, cancer, viruses and bugs can get into them. The bottom line is: Don’t eat carbs like sugar and flour and do eat protein, tons of vegetables (low glycemic) and only two fruits a day. A really cool website to check out is www.nlm.nih.gov/. Search “fats “and it will tell you all about the different types of fat, how our systems process them and which ones are best for a healthy life.

Drug manufacturers are making trillions of dollars by giving us false hope. Just keep it simple and you will lose weight. We have a great food plan to follow, the same one that allowed my boss Dawn Throne to release 70 pounds so far in 7 months. The deal is you have to stick to a food plan consistently: basically you have to burn more calories than you consume. Drug companies get us with the “get thin quick scam” and we hope, hope, hope it works and it never, never, never does.

Cheap, Versatile Soy-No Evidence of Health just Big Money

2009-03-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Cheap, versatile and karma-free, soy in the 1990s went from obscurity as vegan-and-hippie staple to Time magazine. With mad cows lurking between whole wheat buns, and a growing distrust of conventionally-produced dairy products, soy seemed like the ideal choice, the perfect protein.
As the soy industry lobbied the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a cardiovascular health claim for soy protein, two senior FDA scientists, Daniel Sheehan and Daniel Doerge--both specialists in estrogen research--wrote a letter vigorously opposing such a claim. In fact, they suggested a warning might be more appropriate.
Their Concern?
Two isoflavones found in soy, genistein and daidzen, the same two promoted by the industry for everything from menopause relief to cancer protection, were said to "demonstrate toxicity in estrogen sensitive tissues and in the thyroid." Moreover, "adverse effects in humans occur in several tissues and, apparently, by several distinct mechanisms." Sheehan also quoted a landmark study (Cassidy, et al. 1994), showing that as little as 45 mg of isoflavones could alter the length of a pre-menopausal woman’s menstrual cycle.
The scientists were particularly concerned about the effects of these two plant estrogens on fetuses and young infants, because "development is recognized as the most sensitive life stage for estrogen toxicity."
It wasn’t the first time scientists found problems with soy, but coupled with a Hawaiian study by Dr. Lon White on men, the controversy ended up on national television. While industry scientists criticized both the White study and the two FDA researchers (who are now disallowed from commenting publicly on the issue), other researchers weighed in on the anti-soy side. The tofu’d fight had begun.
What About Asia?
One of the favorite mantras of soy advocates is that the ubiquitous bean has been used "safely by Asians for thousands of years." With many soy "experts" (often with ties to the soy industry) recommending more than 250 grams of soy foods--and in some cases, more than 100 mg of isoflavones each day--it’s easy to get the impression that soy plays a major role in the Asian diet. If you saw it on TV or read it in a magazine, it must be true, right? Well, not exactly.
Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation and author of Nourishing Traditions, responds that the soy industry and media have spun a self-serving version of the traditional use of soy in Asia. "The tradition with soy is that it was fermented for a long time, from six months to three years, and then eaten as a condiment, not as a replacement for animal foods," she says.
Fallon states that the so-called Asian diet--far from centering around soy--is based on meat. Approximately 65 percent of Japanese calorie intake comes from fish in Japan, while in China the same percentage comes from pork. "They’re not using a lot of soy in Asia--an average of 2 teaspoons a day in China and up to a quarter cup in some parts of Japan, but not a huge amount."
Contrast that with modern America, home of "if a little is good for you, more must be better." Walk into any grocery store, especially the health-oriented variety, and you’ll find the ever-present bean. Soy is found in dozens and dozens of items: granola, vegetarian chili, a vast sundry of imitation animal foods, pasta, most protein powders and "power" bars, and even something called "nature’s burger," which, given the kind of elaborate (and often toxic) processing that goes into making soy isolate and TVP, would make Mother Nature wince.
There’s even bread--directly marketed to women--containing more than 80 mg of soy isoflavones per serving, which is more than the daily dose in purified isoflavone supplements. All of this, in addition to the traditional soy fare of tempeh, tofu, miso and soy sauce. It’s no wonder that Californians are edamame dreaming.
So, while Asians were using limited to moderate amounts of painstakingly prepared soy foods--the alleged benefits of which are still controversial--Americans, especially vegetarians, are consuming more soy products and isoflavones than any culture in human history, and as one researcher put it, "entering a great unknown."
Oddly, nowhere in industry promotion does anyone differentiate between traditional, painstakingly prepared "Asian" soy foods and the modern, processed items that Fallon calls "imitation food." And therein lies the rub. Modern soy protein foods in no way resemble the traditional Asian soy foods, and may contain carcinogens like nitrates, lysinoalanine, as well as a number of anti-nutrients that are only significantly degraded by fermentation or other traditional processing.
"People need to realize that when they’re eating these soy foods--and I’m not talking about miso or tofu--but soy "burgers," soy "cheese," soy "ice cream," and all of this stuff, that they are not the real thing. They may look like the real thing and they may taste like the real thing, but they do not have the life-supporting qualities of real foods," Fallon says.
There’s No Business Like Soy Business
"The reason there’s so much soy in America is because they started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil became a very large industry," says lipid specialist and nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD. "Once they had as much oil as they did in the food supply they had a lot of soy protein residue left over, and since they can’t feed it to animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another market."
According to Enig, female pigs can only ingest it in amounts approximating one percent during their gestational phase and a few percent greater during their lactation diet, or else face reproduction damage and developmental problems in the piglets. "It can be used for chickens, but it really has limitations. So, if you can’t feed it to animals, than you find gullible human beings, and you develop a health claim, and you feed it to them."
In a co-written article, Enig and Fallon state that soybean producers pay a mandatory assessment of one-half to one percent of the net market price of soybeans to help fund programs to "strengthen the position of soybeans in the marketplace and maintain and expand foreign markets for uses for soybeans and soy products."
They also cite advertising figures--multi-million dollar figures--that soy-oriented companies like Archer Daniels Midland or ADM spend for spots on national television. Money is also used to fund PR campaigns, favorable articles and lobbying interests. A relaxation of USDA rules has lead to an increase in soy use in school lunches. Far from being the "humble" or "simple" soybean, soy is now big business--very big business. This is not your father’s soybean.
There’s been such a rush to market isoflavones that the before-mentioned multinational corporation, ADM, in 1998, petitioned the FDA for GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status for soy isoflavones. For those who don’t know GRAS, the designation is used for foods, and in some cases, food additives, that have been used safely for many years by humans. For those who didn’t know--like a number of protesting scientists--that soy isoflavones had been widely used by generations of Americans before the late 1950s, it was a revelation indeed. Ahem.
Dr. Sheehan, in his 1998 letter to the FDA referenced earlier, states "that soy protein food are GRAS is in conflict with the recent return by CFSAN to Archer Daniels Midland of a petition for GRAS status for soy protein because of deficiencies in reporting the adverse effects in the petition. Thus GRAS status has not been granted." And what about those safety issues?
Requiem for a Thyroid
One of the biggest concerns about high intake of soy isoflavones is their clearly defined toxic effect on the thyroid gland. You don’t have to work too hard to convince Dr. Larrian Gillespie of that. Dr. Gillespie, author of The Menopause Diet, in the name of scientific empiricism, decided to run her own soy experiment--on herself. She notes that she fits the demographic soy isoflavones are most marketed to: borderline hypothyroid, menopausal females.
"I did it in two different ways. I tried the (isoflavone) supplements (at 40mg), where I went into flagrant hypothryoidism within 72 hours, and I did the ‘eat lots of tofu category,’ and it did the same thing, but it took me five days with that. I knew what I was doing but it still took me another seven to 10 days to come out of it."
Harvard-trained medical doctor Richard Shames, MD, a thyroid specialist who has had a long time practice in Marin, says that "genistein is the most difficult for the metabolic processes of people with low thyroid, so when you have that present in high enough concentrations, the result is an antagonism to the function of thyroid hormone."
"If you’re a normal person, and one in 10 are not normal, the effect [of 50 mg of soy isoflavones] may be fairly insignificant, but even a normal person can have problems at levels greater than that," says Shames.
Dr. Gillespie says the daily amount to cause thyroid problems may be as low as 30 mg, or less than a serving of soymilk.
A number of soy proponents say the thyroid concerns are exaggerated and that if dietary iodine is sufficient, problems won’t likely happen. Not so, says Shames: "Iodine is a double-edged sword for people with thyroid problems, and for those people, more is going to increase their chance for an autoimmune reaction ... throwing iodine at it is not going to be the protective solution." Shames recommends limiting soy foods to a few times a week, preferably fermented or well cooked.
Soy Equals Birth Control Pills for Babies?
Environmental toxicologist Mike Fitzpatrick, PhD says he doesn’t have it out for soy. His original concern was for babies: "They were getting more soy isoflavones, at least on a bodyweight basis, than anybody else," he notes. "It wasn’t so much that I knew what that would do, but that I didn’t know what that would do." Fitzpatrick, who is also webmaster of ... Soy Online Services (www.soyonline-service.co.nz), a Web site devoted to informing people about the potential problems with soy, stresses the potential dangers for the developing human body: "Any person with any kind of understanding of environmental endocrine disruptors, compounds [like isoflavones] that are not in the body normally and can modify hormones and the way they work in the body, any expert will say that infants need to avoid these things like the plague."
Fitzpatrick was quoted--and misquoted--worldwide a few years ago when he suggested that the isoflavones in soy formula were the equivalent of birth control pills: "When I first did my review, I did compare the estrogenic equivalents of the contraceptive pill with how much soy infants and adults would be consuming," he says. "It’s at least the equivalent of one or two estrogen pills a day, on an estrogenic basis. I’ve been criticised that it’s not the same form of estrogen, but in terms of estrogenicity, it’s a crude but valid and alarming statistic."
The typical response by industry experts has been to downplay the uniqueness of soy isoflavones, stating--accurately--that isoflavones of various kinds are prevalent in most fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
No evidence soy is good for us
"No, you’re not going to do that because you get exposure from all kinds of things, but the exposure you get from soy is way, way higher," Fitzpatrick says. "Soy formula is going to give babies a real whack, far in excess of what you might find in apples. Soy is a very rich source of isoflavones--that’s how the industry markets its product. You don’t see an apple extract to help women deal with menopause."
You’ve got to wonder how the industry can market soy isoflavones as a form of estrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women (and a host of other health claims) and still claim that soy formula is safe for infants. And while the mechanism for biological activity is clearly defined, the industry keeps repeating the same tune: "no credible evidence exists."
But credible for whom? Says Fitzpatrick: "We’re not talking about little studies here but long-term effects on infants and adults, and that’s what concerns me. It’s very trite. They (the industry) give half-baked answers. What you really need is long-term studies." Likewise, "no credible evidence" is not good enough for Dr. Naomi Baumslag, professor of pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical School. She joined a host of others in criticizing a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), purported to be the definitive study on soy formula safety.
"It was not an acceptable epidemiological study--you can take it to any decent epidemiologist and hear what they think about it, and they use it to say that soy is safe," says Baumslag. "It’s totally unsubstantiated."
Manganese Madness
Besides the dangers of prematurity and other reproductive problems posed by isoflavones, Baumslag mentions the high levels of the mineral manganese (no, not magnesium) often found in soy formula. The problem of manganese is so serious that even one soy manufacturer put warning labels on its soymilk.
The company’s president, in a press release, stated that "there is mounting evidence of a correlation between manganese in soy milk (including soy-based infant formula) and neurotoxicity in small infants." With manganese toxicity known for producing behavioral disorders, the press release even goes further stating, "If research continues, showing that the current epidemic levels of ADHD in children, as well as impulsivity and violence among adolescents, are connected with the increase in soy-based infant formula use, our industry could suffer a serious setback by not dealing with the issue upfront."
With all the potential problems with soy formula, Baumslag notes that formula is also missing key immunological factors only found in mother’s milk, the lack of which could give a child a life sentence of chronic health problems. She links soy-pushing to corporate profits and the PR campaigns that they fund.
"There’s been so much PR in regards to soy formula and I think you also have to ask yourself why it’s so much cheaper for them to make, which means there’s more profit. How come only one percent in the UK are on formula, where it’s closer to 30 percent in the United States? I don’t know why it’s so important for them to push soy, they should push breast-feeding." Perhaps it’s because breast milk for babies isn’t as lucrative as milking the soybean for profits.
So is it the soy or is it the fish?
I’m disturbed by the vast array of modern, processed soy products that have come on the market in the last few years, without any recognition of potential pitfalls. Safe bet: If it hasn’t been eaten safely for thousands of years, you probably shouldn’t put it at the center of your diet. We’ve been sold a bill of goods that says "soy is good for you," but it doesn’t tell you what kind of soy or how much, or even definitively if soy really is what makes Asians so supposedly healthy.
It’s well known that the Japanese also eat a very large amount of omega-3 fatty acids from fish each day--substances which have been clearly shown to have anti-cancer and anti-heart disease effects. So, is it the soy or is it the fish? As the industry spends millions and millions of dollars to find something that isoflavones are good for--some health claim to justify their unprecedented presence in the American diet--I have to ask: why are they trying so hard? Why is there such a push to push soy?
Soy isoflavones are clearly biologically active--they affect change in your body. It’s no longer acceptable for the industry to see no bad, hear no bad, and speak no bad. Legitimate concerns need to be studied--and not studies funded by the industry, conducted by soy scientists.
In the meantime, I’ve located a wonderful, old miso company on the north coast. They age their miso for three years in wood barrels and sell it in glass jars. It’s rich, earthy and real. I enjoy a teaspoon in a glass of hot water a few times a week after dinner. It tastes lively and feels good. I no longer get the "urge" to eat soy "dogs" or soy "burgers," though I now suspect that urge didn’t come from my own instinct, but from the lofty dictates of the soy experts.
But why wait years while ignorant armies clash over this and that isoflavone and studies that say one thing or another? Perhaps the safest way to use soy, if you choose to use soy, is the way it’s been used by Asians for thousands of years: fermented, in moderation, as a condiment.

Anti-Aging Nutrient for Great Skin, Breath, Body Oder

2009-03-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

What is the latest anti-aging nutrient that also helps get rid of any body odor (bad breath, stinky pits) and supports your immune system? Who would have guessed it would be Probiotics? Probiotics are good bacteria that live in our colon (large intestine) and play a vital role in keeping the body in balance. I have been reading more and more about the importance of good bacteria in our bodies and I am astounded at what I am discovering. It has made me think, “Everyone needs to know about the amazing benefits that these good guys have for our bodies!”
So how do probiotics benefit us? They are key in supporting the immune system and helping to regulate the bowels to prevent a build up of toxicity in the body. Probiotics are becoming so popular that articles about them are appearing in skin care magazines suggesting that skin care professionals advise food and supplements rich in good bacteria for clients with skin sensitivities. People suffering from acne and rosacea would highly benefit from adding good bacteria to their diet, as well as people looking for anti-aging since probiotics play a part in prevention. According to Skin Inc., “the skin reflects the inner ecosystem of the body.” That means an imbalance of good bacteria in the body (colon) can lead to an increase in toxicity in the body -- which is then reflected in your skin. Want beautiful skin? You need to first cleanse (colonic’s) “beautify” the inside, then by adding good bacteria.
An imbalance of GOOD bacteria in your body also leads to an overgrowth of BAD bacteria that can be pathogenic, produce odor in the body, or both. Bad bacteria thrives on rotting food that’s not being eliminated out of the body and when there’s not enough good bacteria to keep it in check, thus creating foul-smelling odor as a by-product. Odor can also come from the rotting food in your gut. So supplementing with probiotics is going to get that bad bacteria back into check which will help get rid of any body odor, including halitosis (chronic bad breath).
But probiotics are not just for those with body odor and who want beautiful skin. The majority of our immune system is concentrated in our gut, to protect us from pathogens we consume in our food or drink. “They [probiotics] help stimulate the formation of antibodies which protects us from infectious disease.” (Loree Jordan, Far From Poopin). So you want to support your immune system? Give it a boost by supplementing with probiotics. The good bacteria also produce the enzyme lactase in their by-products. Are you lactose intolerant? You could absolutely benefit from supplementing good bacteria in your diet to help digest dairy. “Some studies suggest that probiotics are effective in treating some forms of irritable bowel syndrome, a chronic digestive condition with no known cure. Other populations who benefit from probiotics are those with weak immune systems, such as babies, those with lactose intolerance, and the elderly who tend to use high levels of antibiotics that eventually erode the protective lining of the intestinal mucosa.” (Skin Inc.) Good bacteria are also key in the production of vitamins in the body especially Vitamins K, B1, B2, and B12. Probiotics also help in removing toxins out of the body and are instrumental in lowering cholesterol.
So pretty much EVERYONE can benefit from getting more good bacteria. If you’ve ever had to take antibiotics, you need to give the bacteria back to your body. If you have ever drunk coffee in your life time, you've killed the good bacteria.
I know you're now wondering where you can get these essential friends. Probiotics can be taken in supplement form which can be found at your local health food store. The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op is an awesome place to check out if you don’t already frequent them on a regular basis; or come here to The Fountain of Health, we’ve got awesome good guys (aka probiotics). You can also find them in your yogurt. When taking probiotics it’s essential to eat fiber or supplement with fiber. Cleaning your colon gets rid of the bad bacteria so the good bacteria feed on fiber and that’s what helps them to thrive. Remember none of this advice does us much good unless we are eating whole foods such as 6 servings of veggies and 2 fruits a day.
To really drive home the importance of probiotics, the following is a partial list of problems associated with inadequate bowel flora (aka probiotics, aka good bacteria).
Chronic diarrhea
Constipation
Breast enlargement in men
Menstrual cramps
Severe bruising problems
Candida infections
High cholesterol levels
Chronic anemia
Chronic bladder infections
Intestinal gas
PMS
Dairy product allergies
Prostate problems
Chronic bad breath
Osteoporosis
Vitamin B deficiency

List courtesy of Loree Taylor Jordan, Author of Far from Poopin; When Sh*t Doesn’t Happen