This is a Great article written by Dr Mercola at Mercola.com:
What Causes Kidney Stones?
In the U.S., about 10-15 percent of adults will be diagnosed with a kidney stone in their lifetime. Roughly 1 million Americans develop kidney stones each year.
Once you have had one kidney stone attack, your chance of recurrence is about 70 to 80 percent, and the younger you are when you have your first attack, the greater your risk of recurrence.
Typically, a kidney stone is the result of a super-saturation of minerals and acid salts in your urine, such as calcium and uric acid, which then crystallize and form solid masses. This can happen if you don’t drink enough fluids, and if your urine is highly acidic or highly alkaline.
Certain drugs can also promote kidney stones, such as Lasix (furosemide), Topomax (topiramate), and Xenical, among others.
Most kidney stones contain crystals of various types, with calcium as the key ingredient. However, usually one type of crystals predominates, and determining the type helps you identify the underlying cause.
The most common type is calcium oxalate stones, comprising about 75 percent of all cases. Oxalate is found in some fruits and vegetables, but your liver actually produces most of your oxalate.
You’d think one of the solutions for avoiding kidney stones would be to eliminate or radically reduce your intake of calcium, because calcium is part of the stone, but that is actually NOT a wise strategy.
This is because, normally, the calcium in your diet binds to the oxalate, and helps you excrete it in other ways than through your urine.
Other types of stones, and their underlying causes, include:
o Struvite stones: Found more often in women, these are almost always the result of urinary tract infections.
o Uric acid stones: These are a byproduct of protein metabolism. They’re commonly seen with gout, and may result from certain genetic factors and disorders of your blood-producing tissues.
o Cystine stones: Represent a very small percentage of kidney stones. These are the result of a hereditary disorder that causes your kidneys to excrete massive amounts of certain amino acids (cystinuria).
Two risk factors that elevate your chances of developing kidney stones include high blood pressure and digestive problems.
Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Stones
Most likely you’ll never know you have a stone until it moves into your ureter—the tube connecting your kidney to your bladder. At that point, common symptoms include:
* Pain in your side and back, below your ribs
* Episodes of pain lasting 20 to 60 minutes, of varying intensity
* Pain “waves” radiating from your side and back, to your lower abdomen and groin
* Bloody, cloudy or foul-smelling urine
* Pain with urination
* Nausea and vomiting
* “Urgency” (persistent urge to urinate)
* Fever and chills (indicates an infection is also present)
The pain you feel is a result of distention of the tissues above the stone, since it is blocking the passage of urine, rather than from the pressure of the stone itself.
To diagnose a kidney stone you can collect the kidney stone and have it analyzed for a definitive answer, or you can do a 24-hour urine test. This is a useful strategy to ascertain any imbalances in your urine that contribute and predispose you to develop stones.
Watch What You Eat if You Have Kidney Stones
There are a number of strategies you can use to treat this condition. If you suffer mainly from calcium oxalate stones, you’ll want to minimize the amount of oxalates in your body (as opposed to reducing your calcium intake).
Two foods in particular contribute to creating oxalates, namely soy, and beer. If you’ve read my newsletter for any amount of time, you already know I warn against unfermented soy products for a number of reasons, but preventing the formation of kidney stones is yet another.
Other foods that contain high levels of oxalate that you’ll want to avoid include:
* Spinach
* Rhubarb
* Chocolate
* Parsley
* Beetroot
* Strawberries
* Wheat flour
* Pepper
* Nuts
A diet high in sugar can also set you up for stones, since sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body by interfering with calcium and magnesium absorption.
Diets high in processed salt are also bad news as salt increases the amount of calcium and oxalate in your urine. Processed foods have notoriously high salt content and should therefore be avoided as much as possible.
Keep in mind that the salt referenced here is processed salt, like your regular table salt, not high quality, unprocessed salts that contain numerous essential minerals that your body actually needs for optimal health.
Naturally, eating fresh, whole foods according to your nutritional type is the best way to ensure you’re eating what your body needs for optimal performance, regardless of what health conditions you seek to avoid or improve.
Prevent and Treat Kidney Stones with Plain Water
Probably the single most effective way to prevent and treat kidney stones is to make sure you’re drinking enough water.
Actually, the number one risk factor for kidney stones is not staying hydrated enough, as it prevents your urine from dissolving minerals and acid salts.
One of the ways you’ll know if you’re drinking enough is to look at the color of your urine. Ideally, you’ll want your urine to be a light yellow. If it’s dark yellow or even orange, it may be a clue that you’re not drinking enough.
Every person’s water requirement is different, depending on your particular system and activity level, but simply keeping your urine light yellow will go a long way toward preventing kidney stones.
Remember to increase your water intake whenever you increase your activity, and during summer months when you’re likely to sweat more. Also know that once you’re thirsty it’s usually too late. Thirst is usually a sign of dehydration.
The only condition that will interfere with that analysis is if you’re taking a multivitamin containing B vitamins, or a B vitamin complex. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), specifically, tends to turn your urine a bright, fluorescent yellow, which will prevent you from using the color of your urine as a guide.
Are You Still Drinking Soda?
With respect to your fluids, you also want to stay away from soda as it is loaded with phosphorous.
Sadly, the number one source of calories in the U.S. is from soda, and is in many cases the main source of fluids. The average
American drinks a staggering 56 gallons of soda a year, which is a surefire way to ensure health problems, including an increased risk of kidney stones.
In fact, children as young as five years old are now starting to struggle with kidney stones, and soda consumption is a major contributor to this disturbing trend.
Also, diet soda is probably worse for your health than regular soda, so please don’t think switching to a “lighter” variety will make a positive difference.
Quitting soda is one of the fastest and easiest ways to improve your health, and can reduce your risk of developing kidney stones. If you’re struggling to quit drinking soda, a very effective technique called Turbo Tapping may help reduce your cravings.
Other Approaches That Can Help Prevent and Treat Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. If you do get a large kidney stone, naturally you will not be able to pass it without some type of intervention.
In the past they had to do surgery to physically remove these larger stones, but now there are some more advanced options such as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy. This treatment entails being submerged in a tub of water where sound waves traveling through the liquid shatter the stones. They then pass as gravel through your urine in a few days or weeks.
Lastly, it may surprise you, but exercise is a very important aspect of kidney stone prevention. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you definitely raise your risk of developing stones, so implementing a regular exercise regimen can go a long way to keep kidney stones at bay.
Hopefully, by applying the principles above you will prevent it from ever getting to that stage, because kidney stones are no laughing matter, painful as they are.
So if you know someone who suffers with kidney stones on a regular basis, hopefully you’ll pass this article along to them, because this is the type of information you, and your friends and family, can use to take control of your health.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Are Vaccines Safe? Find out the Truth from the Experts!
This is a really intriguing interview with one of the most prestigious Vaccine Experts in America. He pioneered the research for more vaccine breakthroughs than any other scientist in American History. He now shares the Truth of the Dangers he found in Vaccines. If anyone would know the truth, this expert would. What he has to say is very important!! This and various other documented testimonies and studies stand to contest that vaccines, indeed, are not safe!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
11 Surprising Facts and Myths About Microwave Ovens
Microwaves are energy efficient and convenient. But what does the radiation do to our food, and can it affect our health?
By Brian Clark Howard of "thedailygreen.com"
Buzz up!
A fixture in office break rooms, convenience stores and homes for decades, the microwave oven has been heating frozen foods, leftovers and even more elaborate meals for decades. In fact, some hip urban restaurants employ the familiar device to cook all their meals, from apps to entrees. Not only does this save energy and allow the restaurants to cope with small square footages in space-constrained districts, but it also offers a new retro-novelty, giving a wow factor to those who aren't familiar with the appliance's true versatility.
Yet Google "are microwave ovens safe," and you'll get a barrage of hits from concerned mothers and others who are worried that the handy device might have a dark, even dangerous side. Of course, the prevailing consensus among scientists, public health experts, government agencies and the general public is that microwave ovens are overwhelmingly safe when used as directed. However, it's also true that there may be some legitimate questions about the safety of certain aspects of the technology, beyond the paranoia of the tin-foil hat crowd.
Let's take a closer look at some myths, facts and misconceptions about microwave ovens, which are estimated to be used in at least 90% of American homes.
1. Microwave Ovens Were Discovered Accidentally
Status: Fact
Apparently no one thought of cooking food with microwaves until the 1940s, when a self-taught engineer named Percy Spencer was building radar equipment in a lab for Raytheon, and noticed that a chocolate bar he had in his pocket started to melt. He had been building magnetrons, and realized that microwaves can be directed at food to heat it up rapidly. He tested his idea by popping popcorn and exploding an egg. Not long after we were all happily scarfing down TV dinners.
2. There Is Dissent Over How Microwaves Actually Heat Food
Status: Fact
Microwave radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation (meaning it can't directly break up atoms or molecules) that lies between common radio and infrared frequencies. So it is not thought to damage DNA of living things, the way X and gamma rays do. Still, microwaves can obviously cause heating effects, and can harm or kill at high energies. That's why microwave ovens on the market must operate at or below strict limits set by the federal government.
Most microwave ovens hit food with microwaves at a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (GHz) (a wavelength of 12.24 centimetres (4.82 in)). The prevailing belief is that molecules in the food, particularly water, absorb energy from the waves through dielectric heating. That is, since water molecules are polar, having a positive end and negative end, they begin to rotate rapidly as the alternating electric field passes through. That rotation is thought to add heat to the food.
However, there are some scientists who have dissented with this view, suggesting that other interactions between the particles may be responsible for the heating.
3. Microwave Ovens Cook Food from the Inside Outside
Status: Myth
Although many people believe this to be the case, microwaves actually work on the outer layers of food, heating it by exciting the water molecules there. The inner parts of food are warmed as heat transfers from the outer layers inward. This is why a microwave can only cook a big hunk of meat to a depth of about one inch inward.
4. Metals Get Dangerously Hot in Microwaves
Status: Myth
Metals reflect microwaves, whereas plastic, glass and ceramics allow them to pass through. That means metals don't appreciably heat up in a microwave oven. However, thin pieces of metal, such as foils or the tines of a fork, can act as antenna, and the waves can arc off them, forming dramatic sparks.
5. Microwave Ovens are Energy Efficient Ways to Cook
Status: Fact
A complete analysis of cooking efficiency depends on a number of factors, including what you are trying to prepare and the cost -- and greenness -- of your local supply of electricity, gas or other fuel. Typically though, a microwave uses less energy to heat food than conventional ovens or ranges, because it works faster and more of the energy is focused directly on the food, versus heating containers or surrounding air. In fact, Energy Star calculated that cooking or re-heating small portions of food in the microwave saves as much as 80% of the energy needed for an oven.
Don't get too excited, however. Consumer advocate Michael Bluejay pointed out to Earth Talk that even for someone who bakes three hours a week, using the cheapest cooking method would save only an estimated $2.06/month compared to the most expensive method. "Focusing on cooking methods is not the way to save electricity [at home]," says Bluejay. "You should look at heating, cooling, lighting and laundry instead."
6. You Can't Heat Oils in a Microwave
Status: Fact
Oils such as olive oil do not heat well in microwaves because their molecules lack the polarity found in water. It's also true that frozen butter is hard to thaw in a microwave, because the bulk of the substance is oil, and the portion of water present is in the form of ice, which keeps the molecules locked up in crystal form, making oscillation more difficult.
7. Heating Plastics in a Microwave Can Be Dangerous
Status: Fact
The safest course of action is to avoid putting any plastics in the microwave. When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tested plastics labeled microwave-safe and advertised for infants, even those were found to release "toxic doses" of Bisphenol A when heated in a microwave. "The amounts detected were at levels that scientists have found cause neurological and developmental damage in laboratory animals," the paper reports.
In fact, the term "microwave safe" is not regulated by the government, so it has no verifiable meaning. According to the Journal Sentinel's testing, BPA "is present in frozen food trays, microwaveable soup containers and plastic baby food packaging." It is often found in plastics marked No. 7, but may also be present in some plastics labeled with Nos. 1, 2 and 5 as well, according to the report. Better to stick to glass or ceramics.
8. Boiling a Cup of Water in a Microwave Can Cause It to Explode
Status: Fact
One potential danger of microwave ovens is getting scalded by over heated water. What can happen is that when plain water is heated in a microwave in a clean ceramic or glass container for too long, it can prevent bubbles from forming, which normally cool it down. The water can become superheated, past its boiling point. So when it is disturbed, say by moving it or dropping something in it, the heat releases violently, erupting boiling water out of the cup.
To avoid this risk heat water only the minimum amount of time needed. Or place a wooden spoon or stick in it (you should be fine with a metal spoon too, as we discussed above. Don't use a metal fork though, which could spark.)
9. Microwave Cooking Can Be Unsafe Because It Doesn't Heat Evenly
Status: Fact
As we learned from Jim Gaffigan, microwaves don't always heat food evenly, sometimes leaving cold pockets next to hot pockets. If you're working with raw meat, this can be dangerous, since it could leave harmful bacteria.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has warned that consumers should follow heating instructions carefully, including the standing time needed for additional cooking (in other words don't try to cool it off before you touch it).
10. Microwaves Leak Unsafe Levels of Electromagnetic Radiation
Status: Myth (at least most of the time)
For decades scientists and consumers have been debating over the possible effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation on living tissue. Since we can't very well grow people in controlled lab experiments, it's very difficult to sort out the various risks we might get from fields emitted from power lines, cell phones, airplane flights, computers, clock radios, and of course microwave ovens. We know strong fields raise cancer rates and other problems, but what about the cumulative effect of small exposure, or effects on children?
No one knows, although we can take heart that the FDA limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven throughout its lifetime to 5 milliwatts (mW) of microwave radiation per square centimeter, at approximately 2 inches from the oven surface. According to the agency, "This limit is far below the level known to harm people." It's also true that microwave energy decreases dramatically as you move away from the source of radiation. A measurement made 20 inches from an oven would be approximately one one-hundredth of value measured at 2 inches. The federal standard also requires all ovens to have two independent interlock systems that stop the production of microwaves the moment the latch is released or the door opened.
In an interview with TDG, mechanical engineer Mark Connelly, the deputy technical director of Consumer Reports, said that the vast majority of microwave ovens his group has tested have shown "very little leakage of radiation." Connelly echoed the advice of the FDA, which is that if people are concerned, they can simply step away from a microwave oven when in use.
Asked if people should avoid looking into a working microwave, since the eyes are known to be the most sensitive to that form of radiation, and are known to develop cataracts at high field strengths, Connelly said he didn't think it mattered, "since the window is shielded, and there shouldn't be leakage through that."
"If you are concerned, then go out and spend $20 on a testing kit to reassure yourself that there isn't any radiation leaking from your microwave," Connelly added. He said his testing of consumer-grade kits has shown them to be reasonably reliable, despite some press accounts to the contrary. "Microwaves can wear over time, with gaskets wearing or trouble developing in the door. So I think it's prudent to spend a little money to test them," he said.
11. Microwaves Alter Food in Undesirable, Possibly Unsafe, Ways
Status: Undetermined but Unlikely
It's a fact of life that any type of cooking changes the chemistry of food. It can reduce the levels of some nutrients, just as it can increase the levels of others (e.g. lycopenes), or make them more or less available to the body for use. (Raw food anyone?) The prevailing view is that microwaves do not alter foods in ways that are any more deleterious or harmful than other types of cooking. In fact, some have argued that the faster cooking time may actually preserve more nutrients versus other methods.
Still, we know sufficiently little about nutrition and the cumulative effects of food science that some aren't so convinced (of course, there is also the threat of any harmful substances present getting released upon cooking, such as the diacetyl blamed for "popcorn lung.") In a recent article E Magazine pointed out that popular holistic health expert Dr. Andrew Weil has written, "There may be dangers associated with microwaving food... there is a question as to whether microwaving alters protein chemistry in ways that might be harmful." According to the magazine, Dr. Fumio Watanabe of Japan's Kochi Women's University found that heating samples for six minutes degenerated 30 to 40% of the milk's vitamin B12. This kind of breakdown took about 25 minutes of boiling with conventional heat. In a 1992 Stanford Medical School study often cited by microwave opponents, researchers reported a "marked decrease" in immune-boosting factors in microwaved human breast milk. In the late 1980s Swiss scientists reported decreases in hemoglobin and white blood cells in rats that had eaten microwaved food.
It's also much reported on the Internet that microwaving human blood renders it unsafe for transfusion -- though medical professionals point out that rapidly heating blood via any method can have the same negative result.
The conclusion made by government agencies and mainstream organizations is that microwaved food is safe, as well as convenient. There's a limited number of studies that may suggest otherwise, but given the lack of large-scale or compelling evidence it's had to feel that tossing our your microwave is a particularly smart step. Everyone interviewed for this piece pointed to other issues as more pressing, from ubiquitous exposure to cell phones to more serious threats from radon, or bigger energy users like heating and cooling. That doesn't mean microwaves aren't worth thinking about, however.
By Brian Clark Howard of "thedailygreen.com"
Buzz up!
A fixture in office break rooms, convenience stores and homes for decades, the microwave oven has been heating frozen foods, leftovers and even more elaborate meals for decades. In fact, some hip urban restaurants employ the familiar device to cook all their meals, from apps to entrees. Not only does this save energy and allow the restaurants to cope with small square footages in space-constrained districts, but it also offers a new retro-novelty, giving a wow factor to those who aren't familiar with the appliance's true versatility.
Yet Google "are microwave ovens safe," and you'll get a barrage of hits from concerned mothers and others who are worried that the handy device might have a dark, even dangerous side. Of course, the prevailing consensus among scientists, public health experts, government agencies and the general public is that microwave ovens are overwhelmingly safe when used as directed. However, it's also true that there may be some legitimate questions about the safety of certain aspects of the technology, beyond the paranoia of the tin-foil hat crowd.
Let's take a closer look at some myths, facts and misconceptions about microwave ovens, which are estimated to be used in at least 90% of American homes.
1. Microwave Ovens Were Discovered Accidentally
Status: Fact
Apparently no one thought of cooking food with microwaves until the 1940s, when a self-taught engineer named Percy Spencer was building radar equipment in a lab for Raytheon, and noticed that a chocolate bar he had in his pocket started to melt. He had been building magnetrons, and realized that microwaves can be directed at food to heat it up rapidly. He tested his idea by popping popcorn and exploding an egg. Not long after we were all happily scarfing down TV dinners.
2. There Is Dissent Over How Microwaves Actually Heat Food
Status: Fact
Microwave radiation is a form of non-ionizing radiation (meaning it can't directly break up atoms or molecules) that lies between common radio and infrared frequencies. So it is not thought to damage DNA of living things, the way X and gamma rays do. Still, microwaves can obviously cause heating effects, and can harm or kill at high energies. That's why microwave ovens on the market must operate at or below strict limits set by the federal government.
Most microwave ovens hit food with microwaves at a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz (GHz) (a wavelength of 12.24 centimetres (4.82 in)). The prevailing belief is that molecules in the food, particularly water, absorb energy from the waves through dielectric heating. That is, since water molecules are polar, having a positive end and negative end, they begin to rotate rapidly as the alternating electric field passes through. That rotation is thought to add heat to the food.
However, there are some scientists who have dissented with this view, suggesting that other interactions between the particles may be responsible for the heating.
3. Microwave Ovens Cook Food from the Inside Outside
Status: Myth
Although many people believe this to be the case, microwaves actually work on the outer layers of food, heating it by exciting the water molecules there. The inner parts of food are warmed as heat transfers from the outer layers inward. This is why a microwave can only cook a big hunk of meat to a depth of about one inch inward.
4. Metals Get Dangerously Hot in Microwaves
Status: Myth
Metals reflect microwaves, whereas plastic, glass and ceramics allow them to pass through. That means metals don't appreciably heat up in a microwave oven. However, thin pieces of metal, such as foils or the tines of a fork, can act as antenna, and the waves can arc off them, forming dramatic sparks.
5. Microwave Ovens are Energy Efficient Ways to Cook
Status: Fact
A complete analysis of cooking efficiency depends on a number of factors, including what you are trying to prepare and the cost -- and greenness -- of your local supply of electricity, gas or other fuel. Typically though, a microwave uses less energy to heat food than conventional ovens or ranges, because it works faster and more of the energy is focused directly on the food, versus heating containers or surrounding air. In fact, Energy Star calculated that cooking or re-heating small portions of food in the microwave saves as much as 80% of the energy needed for an oven.
Don't get too excited, however. Consumer advocate Michael Bluejay pointed out to Earth Talk that even for someone who bakes three hours a week, using the cheapest cooking method would save only an estimated $2.06/month compared to the most expensive method. "Focusing on cooking methods is not the way to save electricity [at home]," says Bluejay. "You should look at heating, cooling, lighting and laundry instead."
6. You Can't Heat Oils in a Microwave
Status: Fact
Oils such as olive oil do not heat well in microwaves because their molecules lack the polarity found in water. It's also true that frozen butter is hard to thaw in a microwave, because the bulk of the substance is oil, and the portion of water present is in the form of ice, which keeps the molecules locked up in crystal form, making oscillation more difficult.
7. Heating Plastics in a Microwave Can Be Dangerous
Status: Fact
The safest course of action is to avoid putting any plastics in the microwave. When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tested plastics labeled microwave-safe and advertised for infants, even those were found to release "toxic doses" of Bisphenol A when heated in a microwave. "The amounts detected were at levels that scientists have found cause neurological and developmental damage in laboratory animals," the paper reports.
In fact, the term "microwave safe" is not regulated by the government, so it has no verifiable meaning. According to the Journal Sentinel's testing, BPA "is present in frozen food trays, microwaveable soup containers and plastic baby food packaging." It is often found in plastics marked No. 7, but may also be present in some plastics labeled with Nos. 1, 2 and 5 as well, according to the report. Better to stick to glass or ceramics.
8. Boiling a Cup of Water in a Microwave Can Cause It to Explode
Status: Fact
One potential danger of microwave ovens is getting scalded by over heated water. What can happen is that when plain water is heated in a microwave in a clean ceramic or glass container for too long, it can prevent bubbles from forming, which normally cool it down. The water can become superheated, past its boiling point. So when it is disturbed, say by moving it or dropping something in it, the heat releases violently, erupting boiling water out of the cup.
To avoid this risk heat water only the minimum amount of time needed. Or place a wooden spoon or stick in it (you should be fine with a metal spoon too, as we discussed above. Don't use a metal fork though, which could spark.)
9. Microwave Cooking Can Be Unsafe Because It Doesn't Heat Evenly
Status: Fact
As we learned from Jim Gaffigan, microwaves don't always heat food evenly, sometimes leaving cold pockets next to hot pockets. If you're working with raw meat, this can be dangerous, since it could leave harmful bacteria.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has warned that consumers should follow heating instructions carefully, including the standing time needed for additional cooking (in other words don't try to cool it off before you touch it).
10. Microwaves Leak Unsafe Levels of Electromagnetic Radiation
Status: Myth (at least most of the time)
For decades scientists and consumers have been debating over the possible effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation on living tissue. Since we can't very well grow people in controlled lab experiments, it's very difficult to sort out the various risks we might get from fields emitted from power lines, cell phones, airplane flights, computers, clock radios, and of course microwave ovens. We know strong fields raise cancer rates and other problems, but what about the cumulative effect of small exposure, or effects on children?
No one knows, although we can take heart that the FDA limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven throughout its lifetime to 5 milliwatts (mW) of microwave radiation per square centimeter, at approximately 2 inches from the oven surface. According to the agency, "This limit is far below the level known to harm people." It's also true that microwave energy decreases dramatically as you move away from the source of radiation. A measurement made 20 inches from an oven would be approximately one one-hundredth of value measured at 2 inches. The federal standard also requires all ovens to have two independent interlock systems that stop the production of microwaves the moment the latch is released or the door opened.
In an interview with TDG, mechanical engineer Mark Connelly, the deputy technical director of Consumer Reports, said that the vast majority of microwave ovens his group has tested have shown "very little leakage of radiation." Connelly echoed the advice of the FDA, which is that if people are concerned, they can simply step away from a microwave oven when in use.
Asked if people should avoid looking into a working microwave, since the eyes are known to be the most sensitive to that form of radiation, and are known to develop cataracts at high field strengths, Connelly said he didn't think it mattered, "since the window is shielded, and there shouldn't be leakage through that."
"If you are concerned, then go out and spend $20 on a testing kit to reassure yourself that there isn't any radiation leaking from your microwave," Connelly added. He said his testing of consumer-grade kits has shown them to be reasonably reliable, despite some press accounts to the contrary. "Microwaves can wear over time, with gaskets wearing or trouble developing in the door. So I think it's prudent to spend a little money to test them," he said.
11. Microwaves Alter Food in Undesirable, Possibly Unsafe, Ways
Status: Undetermined but Unlikely
It's a fact of life that any type of cooking changes the chemistry of food. It can reduce the levels of some nutrients, just as it can increase the levels of others (e.g. lycopenes), or make them more or less available to the body for use. (Raw food anyone?) The prevailing view is that microwaves do not alter foods in ways that are any more deleterious or harmful than other types of cooking. In fact, some have argued that the faster cooking time may actually preserve more nutrients versus other methods.
Still, we know sufficiently little about nutrition and the cumulative effects of food science that some aren't so convinced (of course, there is also the threat of any harmful substances present getting released upon cooking, such as the diacetyl blamed for "popcorn lung.") In a recent article E Magazine pointed out that popular holistic health expert Dr. Andrew Weil has written, "There may be dangers associated with microwaving food... there is a question as to whether microwaving alters protein chemistry in ways that might be harmful." According to the magazine, Dr. Fumio Watanabe of Japan's Kochi Women's University found that heating samples for six minutes degenerated 30 to 40% of the milk's vitamin B12. This kind of breakdown took about 25 minutes of boiling with conventional heat. In a 1992 Stanford Medical School study often cited by microwave opponents, researchers reported a "marked decrease" in immune-boosting factors in microwaved human breast milk. In the late 1980s Swiss scientists reported decreases in hemoglobin and white blood cells in rats that had eaten microwaved food.
It's also much reported on the Internet that microwaving human blood renders it unsafe for transfusion -- though medical professionals point out that rapidly heating blood via any method can have the same negative result.
The conclusion made by government agencies and mainstream organizations is that microwaved food is safe, as well as convenient. There's a limited number of studies that may suggest otherwise, but given the lack of large-scale or compelling evidence it's had to feel that tossing our your microwave is a particularly smart step. Everyone interviewed for this piece pointed to other issues as more pressing, from ubiquitous exposure to cell phones to more serious threats from radon, or bigger energy users like heating and cooling. That doesn't mean microwaves aren't worth thinking about, however.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Dr James Chestnut briefly explains the Expression of Genes
This is a video clip of Dr James Chestnut briefly explaining how the environment that we place our genes under is what truly determines how our genes are expressed. We are the ones who choose our genes' environment, through daily decisions in what we eat, how we think and the movement we get. The top five killers in America, even those which are "genetic," are ALL PREVENTABLE.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
What is the key to Truly Living Healthy?
Have you ever wondered what the true definition or meaning of health is?
According to the World Health Organization…“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
According to the Medical Dictionary Health is… “the condition of an organism…in which it performs its vital functions normally or properly."
This is an Awesome video clip that explains how there is more to our health than just our genes.
Do our genes affect our health? Yes, but they DON'T CONTROL OUR HEALTH. OUR ENVIRONMENT is what CONTROLS the expression of our genes. The environment is what expresses one tissue as heart tissue and another tissue as lung tissue... from the same gene.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Movement is Life
Your body was created to MOVE!
Movement is life.
This may sound a bit strange at first but if you think about it for a moment the truth of this statement begins to become more and more apparent. Without movement you could not sustain life: blood cells that don't move cannot transport oxygen, lungs that don't move can't breath, hearts that don't move can't pump blood, and spines that don't move can't create the motion required for proper joint nutrition, for the activities of daily living, or for the stimulation of the joint-brain pathways required for proper brain and body function.
You heard correctly, movement (especially of the spine) is required for proper brain function, for the coordination of activities such as concentration and learning, emotions, motor control, and organ function (including immune organs). Roger Sperry the recipient of the Nobel prize in 1982 for his work in brain research stated that the importance of movement of the spine in relation to brain function could be equated to that of a windmill that generates electricity for a power plant. He also stated that the more structurally distorted we are, the less energy we have for metabolism, for healing, thinking, and functioning.
In fact research has shown that if you cut off the supply of somatosensory information (sensory info from the body) going to the brain, the brain will actually reach a state of coma!! That's right, the brain does not simply control the body, the brain requires constant stimulation; it requires constant input from movement to keep the batteries charged.
I know this weeks article was a little longer than normal but when I found something that helped to describe how important the chiropractic adjustment is I thought you might think it was really interesting. Thanks and have a great week
Movement is life.
This may sound a bit strange at first but if you think about it for a moment the truth of this statement begins to become more and more apparent. Without movement you could not sustain life: blood cells that don't move cannot transport oxygen, lungs that don't move can't breath, hearts that don't move can't pump blood, and spines that don't move can't create the motion required for proper joint nutrition, for the activities of daily living, or for the stimulation of the joint-brain pathways required for proper brain and body function.
You heard correctly, movement (especially of the spine) is required for proper brain function, for the coordination of activities such as concentration and learning, emotions, motor control, and organ function (including immune organs). Roger Sperry the recipient of the Nobel prize in 1982 for his work in brain research stated that the importance of movement of the spine in relation to brain function could be equated to that of a windmill that generates electricity for a power plant. He also stated that the more structurally distorted we are, the less energy we have for metabolism, for healing, thinking, and functioning.
In fact research has shown that if you cut off the supply of somatosensory information (sensory info from the body) going to the brain, the brain will actually reach a state of coma!! That's right, the brain does not simply control the body, the brain requires constant stimulation; it requires constant input from movement to keep the batteries charged.
I know this weeks article was a little longer than normal but when I found something that helped to describe how important the chiropractic adjustment is I thought you might think it was really interesting. Thanks and have a great week
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Can Chiropractic Improve Sports Performance?
YES!... but let's here what some of the BEST Athletes in the world have to say about it:
“The Team wasn't just the riders. It was the mechanics, masseurs, chefs, seigneurs, and doctors. But the most important man on the team may have been our chiropractor..... If you judged the most important man on the Postal team by the foot traffic in and out of his door, then it was the chiropractor. Without him, we knew we'd never make it to Paris." - Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts
What do Evander Holyfield, the heavyweight champion of the world, John Smoltz, the 1996 Cy Young award winner, and Dan O’Brien, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist in the decathlon have in common?
They have all been on the cover of Today’s Chiropractic Magazine sharing their excitement about the benefits of Chiropractic Wellness Care.
Evander Holyfield stated in the December 1988 issue, “I do believe in chiropractic. I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. Once I drove 20 miles to see a chiropractor before a fight. I have to have my adjustment before I get in the ring.”
Dan O’Brien said in the August 1996 issue, “you obviously can’t compete at your fullest if you’re not in alignment. It was the holistic idea that I liked about chiropractic. I really think chiropractic is essential in running. If I could put a percentage on it, I think I compete eight to ten percent better from regular chiropractic use, if not more. It is essential for me and my training routine,” declared O’Brien. 1
Ten percent is a huge amount for an athlete, or anyone for that matter. For Dan O’Brien it was the difference between him winning the gold medal and not even making the team.
Can you imagine if your entire life improved by ten percent? What if your energy, sleep, healing ability, and immune function were all improved by 10%? How about a 10% improvement in hormonal balance and digestion efficiency? If your entire body was functioning just ten percent better it would make a huge difference. Our goal is to get your body working at a higher level so every day your body is performing better.
Click Here for Jerry Rice Clip!
“The Team wasn't just the riders. It was the mechanics, masseurs, chefs, seigneurs, and doctors. But the most important man on the team may have been our chiropractor..... If you judged the most important man on the Postal team by the foot traffic in and out of his door, then it was the chiropractor. Without him, we knew we'd never make it to Paris." - Lance Armstrong, Every Second Counts
What do Evander Holyfield, the heavyweight champion of the world, John Smoltz, the 1996 Cy Young award winner, and Dan O’Brien, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist in the decathlon have in common?
They have all been on the cover of Today’s Chiropractic Magazine sharing their excitement about the benefits of Chiropractic Wellness Care.
Evander Holyfield stated in the December 1988 issue, “I do believe in chiropractic. I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. Once I drove 20 miles to see a chiropractor before a fight. I have to have my adjustment before I get in the ring.”
Dan O’Brien said in the August 1996 issue, “you obviously can’t compete at your fullest if you’re not in alignment. It was the holistic idea that I liked about chiropractic. I really think chiropractic is essential in running. If I could put a percentage on it, I think I compete eight to ten percent better from regular chiropractic use, if not more. It is essential for me and my training routine,” declared O’Brien. 1
Ten percent is a huge amount for an athlete, or anyone for that matter. For Dan O’Brien it was the difference between him winning the gold medal and not even making the team.
Can you imagine if your entire life improved by ten percent? What if your energy, sleep, healing ability, and immune function were all improved by 10%? How about a 10% improvement in hormonal balance and digestion efficiency? If your entire body was functioning just ten percent better it would make a huge difference. Our goal is to get your body working at a higher level so every day your body is performing better.
Click Here for Jerry Rice Clip!
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