February 2008
You may not realize it, but you’ve been enrolled in a grand-scale genetic experiment. It’s one that has been foisted on an unsuspecting public—and it could be destroying your health.
Every time you go to the grocery store, you’re purchasing the products of this experiment and may be serving them to your family at every meal. I’m referring to genetically modified (GM) foods, which have quietly snaked their way into many common food products. And a number of foods you may think of as being “natural” are anything but. The top GM crops include soybeans, corn, and canola —which are present in just about every food that’s processed.
You don’t have to dig very deeply into the existing research to come away shaking your head in disbelief at the reckless nature of the whole GMO (genetically modified organism) business. It’s controlled by profit-driven companies that also happen to be in charge of self-regulation in regards to product safety. Well, you can imagine how well that’s working.
And it looks as if the FDA is asleep at the wheel on this one, because these companies aren’t even required to label their products as containing GMOs. What does this mean to you? It means you’re purposely being left in the dark as to what you’re actually putting into your body or how your food was even produced.
Worse is the fact that no one knows exactly what the long-term ramifications are of eating foods that have been genetically tinkered and fiddled with, though more and more studies are coming out showing disturbing results.
Not that you’ve heard about them, because the mainstream media have been strangely silent on this whole topic. But I’m not going to be silent about it, so don’t think you’re stuck being the guinea pig of the big food companies and their ongoing experimentation. I’m going to show you exactly why you should avoid these genetically modified foods, and how to go about avoiding them.
What “genetically modified” means
It all begins with weeds. They’ve been man’s constant garden companion for as long as he has been toiling in the fields, and the bane of many a farmer’s existence.
The food conglomerates came up with a solution: to create crops that won’t die from an onslaught of weed killer. Soybeans are one of these crops that have been “improved upon.” The idea is to take a gene from bacteria that are resistant to weed killer and splice it into the soybeans. Then, you can douse your soybean field with a weed-killing spray like Roundup (glyphosate). No more weeds—and your soybeans are still standing. Oh, and as a bonus (for the food conglomerates), the crop seed is sold along with its corresponding weed killer as a package deal. The reason is that they are designed to work with each other. So for Roundup herbicide, you have Roundup Ready crop seed that won’t wilt under a liberal dousing.
That sounds reasonable, right? But what works in theory doesn’t necessarily translate into a process that produces food healthy for human consumption. While those soybeans have survived the chemical onslaught, they’re nonetheless now soaked in those same chemicals.
Then there’s the matter of the gene that has oh-so-casually been inserted into a foreign organism. In nature, everything’s connected, so you can’t change just one gene without causing surprise changes in other genes.
And it’s those changes (otherwise known as mutations) that can damage your brain, lungs, liver or skin… not overnight but over many years. The symptoms can be so mild that no doctor would necessarily be able to tell if anything was wrong. You might come away with an “It’s all in your head” answer or worse—a completely unnecessary prescription.
Consider the gene swaps that are being made: animals to plants and plant to plant, violating natural barriers that have separated species for ages. Pro-GM folks say there’s no evidence to suggest that the practice is unsafe. Nope, and there’s not likely to be—especially since they aren’t looking too hard. Think how long it takes some diseases to develop, and then guess how long it will take for anyone to connect the dots—not until it becomes a public-health emergency.
Think about it: These food companies aren’t about to pull the rug out from under themselves. They’ll use science when it’s convenient and brush it under the rug when it’s not. Pro-GM companies are perfecting the art of bad science.
And think also about our most vulnerable citizens: small children. They’re taking on the brunt of this illicit testing, precisely because they consume a disproportionate amount of these crops—especially highly doctored milk and corn. Children are three to four times more susceptible to allergies than are adults, and scientists are seeing a spike in kids’ food allergies. According to the head of an allergy department in one large Chicago hospital, the rate of food allergies has “skyrocketed” in the last few years. Could there be a connection? One won’t be discovered if no one asks the question.
Back to weeds. The residue from weed killer has what are called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can adversely affect your hormones. Legally acceptable levels are much higher than they should be and fail to take into consideration the seriousness and frequency of these effects—which may cause about 10,000 times more damage than officially asserted. And at concentrations that are 100 times lower than those recommended in agriculture, Roundup may disrupt a key enzyme involved in estrogen metabolism. This could result in a disturbance of normal estrogen levels and possible disease promotion. Roundup residues in beans have been found to be as high as 3 mg/kg, which is many times more than the allowable U.S. limit of 20 parts per million.
But at this time, the EPA has not conclusively determined whether or not Roundup at existing concentrations in the environment is potentially harmful. While the jury’s still out and no one is bothering to conduct further studies, you’re consistently being exposed to it in the foods you eat and possibly even in your drinking water.
Comforting, isn’t it?
Ignoring the elephant sitting in the corner
A payload of chemicals is being delivered on your food. How about what’s being delivered in them? Tell me how safe you think all of these sound: GM peas cause lung cancer in mice. GM corn and canola oil produce something called barnase that is toxic to human cells and causes kidney damage in rats. High lysine corn produces toxins that may retard growth, while cooking high lysine corn syrup may produce toxic compounds associated with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, allergies, kidney disease and cancer. GM potatoes cause cancer in rats.
Between 1996 and 2001, as GM foods were flooding the market, food-related illnesses doubled in this country.
Feeling a sense of alarm yet? Still think GM foods are safe? I can tell you, I felt the hair rise up on the back of my neck when I wrote this.
And here’s a nauseating tidbit: Bacteria in your gut can take up some of the DNA from GM foods. Hey, maybe you’re part-Roundup now—to go along with the genes your parents passed down to you from your forebears!
You can just imagine what happens to anyone who reports negative findings about GM foods. Consider the story of one former biotech scientist, Arpad Pusztai, Ph.D., from England, hired to evaluate GMO safety. He did his job. He duly reported his findings, which happened to be negative based on an animal-feeding study. He also criticized the food industry for its shoddy science. Do you think he earned a bonus for his work? Nope—he got a pink slip for his troubles.
The food industry comprises enormous entities, such as the company Monsanto. That company was fined $1.5 million for bribing government officials in Indonesia because it didn’t want an environmental-risk assessment done. Looks like a smoking gun for anti-safety if ever there was one, if they were willing to resort to bribery in exchange for a blind eye being turned.
That brings us back to the most important point for you to take away: The FDA does not regulate GM foods. Even if it were responsible for regulating them, I’m not sure I’d trust the FDA to do the job. GM corporations are “regulating” themselves. (More like their bottom lines.) It’s entirely up to them whether or not they consult with the FDA on new GM foods. A survey of FDA scientists showed that 70 percent of them don’t believe the FDA has the resources to perform its mission of protecting public health—so you’re expected to believe that profit-driven corporations are picking up the slack and ensuring your safety.
Animal instincts say no to GMO
GM foods are perfectly safe, huh? Then explain why many diverse animals turn up their collective snouts and beaks at them. That’s right. When given a choice, animals avoid GM foods.
Take the case of an Illinois farmer who planted GM soy on one side of the field and non-GM soy on the other. Same-same, according to the Corporate Suits—but not to geese. A flock of these winged beauties making their annual visit fed on the non-GM soy only. The same thing happened with visiting deer—so you can’t say it was just a few “odd ducks,” so to speak.
There are multiple stories like this one, but no one takes such animals and their instincts seriously—even when doing so could save human lives. Before the tsunami struck Southeast Asia in December 2004, elephants were reported to have made a mad dash away from the beach and toward higher ground mere moments ahead of the deadly waves. When people wondered about and remarked on this phenomenon—the elephants exhibiting what appeared to be a sixth sense—out popped the naysayers. They quickly squelched the idea that animals have any sort of extraordinary sensing ability. These are probably the same people who spout that GM foods are perfectly safe.
Meanwhile, you won’t hear these sorts of stories about GM crops from the mainstream media —because an effective media blackout has done a phenomenal job of suppressing them. And the food giants are running the show, making farmers hostage to their seeds and companion herbicides. It’s a clear case of the fox guarding the chicken coop. Don’t settle for it.
How to protect yourself from GM foods
1) Buy organic whenever you can. Organic foods are by definition GMO-free. Buying locally, when you know the source, also works, even if the products are not totally organic.
2) Check labels. Many products are now labeled “non-GMO,” and those are the ones you want. Also, the PLU number on stickers for organically grown fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number “9,” while GM fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number “8.”
3) Go to www.responsibletechnology.org for online shopping guides listing non-GM U.S. brands.
4) Arm yourself with the facts. I recommend you read Genetic Roulette, The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods by Jeffrey M. Smith. Clear and thorough, it has a unique layout that makes it accessible to the layperson as well as the concerned health-care professional.
If enough shoppers reject GM foods, companies will discontinue them. In Japan and Europe, consumers said “no, thanks,” and as a result, such foods have been removed from the supermarket shelves in those parts of the world. And the tipping point doesn’t require a majority of shoppers. Any one of several significantly large religious groups could probably force GM foods off the market simply by instructing its members to avoid them.
Urinary incontinence, which is the loss of bladder control, is not an inevitable part of aging. And in a good many cases, it can be improved or eliminated with non-drug approaches.
Let’s be clear: Urinary incontinence is a symptom—not a disease. There’s always an underlying cause, anything from loss of muscle strength to bladder infection or even irritants in your food.
As a symptom, it could signal a serious problem like heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or a neurological disorder like Parkinson’s. With guys, it could signal an enlarged prostate… or prostate cancer. For these reasons, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor so you know what’s going on.
There are three basic types of incontinence you need to know about: stress, urge and overflow. You can suffer from a combination of the above, called mixed incontinence, but usually one type is most obvious.
Stress incontinence is the loss of urine with any applied pressure, such as coughing, laughing, sneezing, or lifting a heavy object. The bladder’s sphincter muscle is weakened, usually from pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause in women or prostate surgery in men.
Urge incontinence occurs when there’s a sudden need to void, followed by loss of control. It’s also called an overactive bladder. You may also need to urinate frequently. Some feel the need when they hear running water or just before a car trip. Sitting or standing can cause trouble. Possible causes include nerve damage from diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s disease. It might also result from a stroke. Bladder infection can increase your urge and frequency, often with burning.
Most people who get infections know it when they have one. Irritants such as spicy foods, medications and drinking too much liquid may be contributing factors to frequent voiding. And some people just have overactive, sensitive bladders. “Thimble bladder” is an old-fashioned term sometimes used. Many of these folks are able to control their bladders but still experience a stronger urge and greater frequency than normal.
The third type is overflow incontinence. When you do urinate, you may only manage a weak stream. This is most common with a damaged bladder, in people with nerve damage from diabetes, and especially in men with prostate problems.
Here are 10 tips to help you resolve your incontinence issue. You may have heard about some but not necessarily all of them from your doctor.
It could be an infection
This may seem obvious, but check for a urinary tract infection (UTI). If you’re a man, recognize that because UTIs in men are rarer they also tend to go unaddressed for longer periods.
These uncomfortable infections can cause an increased urge, frequency and burning during urination. You can also experience weakness, fatigue and fever.
Sometimes, an infection will resolve on its own without any treatment. When it doesn’t, you’ll need to step things up in terms of treating it. You probably know that cranberries are good for treating UTIs, but I recommend you don’t reach for the sugary cocktails that are anything but healthful. Instead, try unsweetened cranberry concentrate or cranberry capsules.
Your doctor may think you require an antibiotic to treat your infection. If so, be sure to take a probiotic, two capsules two to four times per day while you’re on the antibiotic (and any other time you’re on one). Freeze-dried probiotic products work well, and you don’t have to worry about their dying off or losing potency as you do with the live products. Three widely available, multi-strain products are PB8 (www.lef.org), Kyo-dophilus (www.kyolic.com), and Florastor (www.florastor.com).
Check your medications
Common antidepressants, beta blockers, diuretics (water pills) and sleeping pills can all cause or contribute to incontinence. Antidepressants and sleeping pills are often inappropriately prescribed. Both beta blockers and diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide) often prescribed for blood pressure increase your risk of diabetes. This is well supported in medical literature. Many doctors, however, are ignorant of this fact or, worse, choose to ignore it. If you’re on any of these drugs and suffer from incontinence, discuss it with your doctor. Also, some herbs and herbal teas, including chamomile and dandelion, can irritate your bladder. So if you’re taking any herbs on a regular basis, consider stopping for a week to see if your symptoms improve.
Get your exercise
“Kegels” is the name for pelvic-floor exercises. Most people think of these exercises as being just for women, but men can do them too. It doesn’t require any equipment. Just squeeze the muscle you use to hold your urine for a count of three. (You can work up to a count of 10.) Relax and then repeat the procedure a minimum of 10 times.
The great thing about these exercises is you can do them anywhere, multiple times per day—and no one else will be the wiser. In fact, I recommend you aim to do 10 sets of these exercises (which involve 10 squeeze-and-release repetitions per set). Kegels can work for both stress and urge incontinence.
Schedule your toilet trips
This is a simple one: Go to the bathroom on a schedule instead of waiting for the inevitable. You could, for example, try every two to four hours, eight times per day. This can help you retrain your bladder or head off at the pass any specific times that you know are bound to lead to leakage, such as when you know you have a long drive ahead of you every day. One of your scheduled “stops” may be just before you head out the door.
Shed weight
Excess weight can press on the bladder. Even a 10- to 20-pound weight loss can improve control, especially in stress and urge types of incontinence. (Weight loss also confers a multitude of other desirable health benefits, of course.) Some of my patients have reported that weight loss, when combined with exercise, is all they needed to fix the problem. This is usually the case with people who have milder symptoms to begin with.
Avoid dietary irritants
For some people who have sensitive, overactive bladders, food can be a minefield of irritants. Hot spices, vibrantly colored peppers, onions and scallions are just a few of the suspects. If you’re eating any of those foods regularly, cut them out for a week and see if you experience any improvement in your symptoms.
Otherwise, try this: The next time you have a spicy meal, pay attention to what happens overnight. You might be surprised to discover that you’re having a bit more of a leakage problem than usual.
Try acupuncture
A lot of folks have used acupuncture to treat their incontinence, and with great results. In a study involving 85 women with urge incontinence, either acupuncture or placebo acupuncture was administered once per week for the duration of the study. The recipients of the true acupuncture at bodily sites known to improve urge incontinence saw a 50 percent decrease in the number of incontinent episodes. They also experienced significant improvements in urinary frequency, urgency, volume and capacity.
You can expect to work with your acupuncturist over a period of at least three to four sessions. Rest assured that the Chinese had 3,000 years of trial and error to figure out this whole system of acupuncture.
Use biofeedback
This treatment technique teaches you how to regulate your body’s functions in healthy ways. You learn how to monitor your skin temperature, muscle tension, and brain waves. It can be a very effective treatment for incontinence. And unlike the case with a drug, you don’t need to keep receiving treatment once you learn the skill. It can take anywhere from several weeks to a few months to learn, so hang in there. It literally teaches you how to take care of yourself. Check with your health-insurance company to see whether or not it will cover biofeedback treatment. It’s certainly less expensive than a surgical option, and there are no side effects for you to worry about.
Consider homeopathy
A traditional Western healing method, homeopathy is based on the principle that “like cures like” by harnessing the body’s inherent healing powers. Many conventional doctors, who have never spent more than a few minutes looking into homeopathy, dismiss it. I can tell you, however, that in the hands of an experienced practitioner, homeopathy is an immensely powerful and safe system of healing. See www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org for a list of practitioners.
Use herbs to your advantage
Herbal remedies have a long tradition of safe and effective use for incontinence. Mallow root, or marshmallow, helps soothe an irritated or inflamed bladder. Silica can help tone the bladder and urethra, the outflow tube from your bladder. Horsetail is a soothing astringent with an antispasmodic effect that can calm down an irritable bladder. Three-leaf caper is a time-honored Ayurvedic remedy from India that’s an anti-inflammatory and tones the bladder muscles, helping them to contract more forcefully.
All of these herbs can be found in vitamin shops, and you might even check your grocery or drug store to see if it carries them.
Conventional medicine has a number of drugs, none of which works very well and all of which you’ll pay the price of common undesirable side effects. Electrical stimulation, inserted medical devices and surgery are much more invasive. Apply good common sense. Make sure you know the underlying cause of your incontinence by checking in with your doctor. Then see if you can’t take care of your problems with one or more of the smart, safe non-drug approaches listed above.
Hemp: Historically useful, but now a victim of political hysteria
I’m constantly amazed by the upside-down, inside-out thinking that passes as common sense in our country today. Hemp is a classic example. The growing of industrial hemp is outlawed in this country. However, we’re allowed to import it.
Does that come across as sound reasoning to you?
Hemp, or Cannabis sativa, is a fast-growing plant that requires almost no pesticides. It’s remarkable for the variety of uses it can be put to. These include biofuel, clothes, plastics, and oils for cosmetics, as well as food and health food supplements. And, believe me, that list barely scratches the surface.
Unfortunately, hemp as a whole has been caught up in legislative mass hysteria due to its link to a strain that is grown for recreational use—marijuana. But here’s the difference. I’m talking about industrial-grade hemp, which has extremely low levels of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). The concern is that the high-THC strain of hemp will be snuck into fields that are growing the industrial version.
This ignores the fact that this theory has been invalidated by farmers, scientists and growers, who insist that these fears are simply unfounded. But that’s politics and big government for you, making decisions while ignoring the facts from people who are in the trenches.
Hemp has a long-standing history of inciting knee-jerk reaction. I’ll bet most of our lawmakers are probably unaware of its history, such as the fact that the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. Our Founding Fathers weren’t what I’d describe as characters from a Cheech and Chong movie. And they actually supported the growing of hemp. Thomas Jefferson believed that it should be grown instead of tobacco, as tobacco exhausted the soil whereas hemp did not. Also, hemp offered multiple manufacturing opportunities, whereas tobacco was a one-trick pony. Jefferson actually devised a machine that was used to ease the preparation of hemp.
Here’s a bit more history:
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Betsy Ross stitched together the stars and stripes using hemp cloth.
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Henry Ford used it to make plastic for cars in the 1930s.
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Hemp was grown in Kentucky and Wisconsin during World War II for wartime use.
But along came a special interest. You see, hemp became an economic threat to wood as a source of paper pulp. William Randolph Hearst, owner of multiple newspapers as well as large timber holdings, was none too happy. A little political leaning was applied and next thing you know, hemp was outlawed in 1938. The argument is no longer valid, because now there are improved, economical “green” methods of processing paper.
There’s another special interest, though: the pesticide industry. And where would we be if we didn’t have crops that required a liberal dousing of toxic pesticides? The government doesn’t worry about that—it’s just a health issue, one you can deal with.
That leads me to what’s so good about hemp. Besides the fact that it’s a productive crop that doesn’t exhaust the soil and can be used in a myriad of products, it also has tremendous value as a food source. It contains 20 percent high-quality protein similar to more complete proteins normally found in animal sources. It also offers a balanced array of health-promoting essential fatty acids—especially the omega-3 alpha linolenic acid that’s also found in flaxseed oil. Like flaxseed, it’s much too delicate for cooking. However, the cold-pressed form is suitable for salad dressings and as a healthy-oil supplement.
Pen Tsao, a classic Chinese medical book by the Emperor Chen Nung, classifies hemp as one of the “superior elixirs of immortality.” Even today, Chinese herbalists often prescribe hemp seeds to nourish the yin (associated with the feminine), combat constipation in the elderly, treat “blood deficiencies,” and aid recuperation from febrile (feverish) diseases. In Chinese medicine, hemp seeds fall under the categories of sweet, neutral and clearing heat, operating through the channels of the stomach, large intestine and spleen.
If you’re interested in hemp nutritional products, I recommend you check out Nutiva (www.nutiva.com) and Living Harvest (www.livingharvest.com). Both Web sites have store locators on them, where you just plug in your Zip code and the site will list the closest stores to you. Those listings will include your area vitamin shops and health-food stores.
Both companies offer an intriguing array of products that include hemp protein powders, hemp milk, hemp oil and hemp bars.
Accentuating the basics of good mouth care
Q.I read with interest your article last month on the importance of dental hygiene for overall health. It really got me concerned. I brush my teeth three times per day, but am I doing enough? I still get some bleeding of the gums, and I worry that my breath isn’t as fresh as it could be. What do you recommend?
––John D., Provo, UT
A.Thanks for reading and following up with your question. Many of my patients express concern that they’re not doing something right. Don’t forget —you probably haven’t had a “lesson” on dental care since you were a wee babe. And there have been some updates on the how-tos as understanding of the overall health link has grown.
It sounds to me as if you’re doing fine with keeping up a regimen. I can provide you with some details though that might help you feel better about how you’re doing. First, it’s important that you recognize that this is mouth care and not just care of your teeth. And I’ll tell you right off the bat that I owe a debt of gratitude to Michael P. Bonner, D.D.S., and Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D. They provided excellent advice in The Oral Health Bible, which I strongly recommend you purchase and read. In the meantime, here’s the way to take care of your mouth:
1) Brushing: Use a soft Radius brush (it’s what I use) or a Sonicare electric toothbrush. Start with the front of your upper teeth, moving right to left. Keep the brush at a 45-degree angle on the gum line (bristles should be pointing somewhere between a direct line to your teeth and down toward your feet). Pay attention to just two to three teeth at a time, using 10 light side-to-side strokes. With me so far? Next, move to the back of your upper teeth and brush at a right angle. Again, aim for just two to three teeth. But this time you’ll want to do 10 light up-and-down brush strokes. Next, brush the chewing surfaces of the upper back teeth (ten light strokes per tooth). Repeat this same method for your lower teeth.
2) Flossing: Choose the floss you feel most comfortable with, meaning the one you’ll use. I know of one lady in her 90s who has used sewing thread her whole life. Don’t laugh—she still has all but one of her original teeth. However, there are waxed and unwaxed dental-floss products available at an average cost of about a dollar. Grab about 18 inches of floss and hold it taut. Start with your back upper teeth, all the way to the back there, and move the floss gently down into the “sulcus,” as it’s called. The sulcus is the surface area of the tooth that’s just below the gum line. Guide the dental floss gently up and down until you feel the surface is smooth and clean. Go one at a time on each side of every tooth. Be sure to remove all food particles—they’re the culprits that are causing you problems and might have led to that bleeding you’re experiencing.
And if you’re having difficulty handling floss because of arthritis in your hands, purchase an interdental device. Basically, it’s a two-prong contraption that holds the floss in between the prongs allowing you to maneuver a bit better.
3) Tongue scraping: Do not overlook this one. Invest in a tongue cleaner. There are different styles, all of which work, so choose the one you like. Go back as far as comfortable and then sweep forward. Repeat that procedure several times for 10 to 15 seconds. Rinse with either water or your mouthwash. This more than anything can freshen your breath.
4) Gum Sulks Cleaning: Again, the sulcus is that bit of tooth just below the gum line. Here’s where the nasties hang out and create their infective, inflammatory mischief if you don’t keep the area nice and clean. Dr. Bonner (mentioned above) recommends one of two magnetic irrigators, the product from Hydrofloss (www.hydrofloss.com) and the Oxycare 3000 device. (For the latter, simply go to www.google.com and put in the product name.) Magnetic irrigators are reportedly twice as effective at removing plaque as are nonmagnetic devices. Using a mouthwash (preferably one of those recommended below) in your irrigator can maximize the cleansing and deodorizing effect. An irrigator will cost you between $120 and $150 but can greatly improve your mouth care, so please consider investing in one.
5) Check-ups and cleaning: Have these done every three to six months, depending on your individual needs. No excuses.
6) Toothpaste and Mouthwash: When rinsing with mouthwash, swish vigorously through your gums for at least 30 seconds for best results. If your teeth and gums are doing well, you may continue using your current products. There are also many excellent natural toothpastes and mouthwashes, including products from Weleda (which have a small amount of alcohol), Jason, and Ecodent. Most stores that carry natural products will carry these.
The text contained herein does not constitute medical advice. Health Revelations advises that you consult your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained within this publication.
Posted in Newsletter.
