Natural Health Blog

May 17, Breaking Our Addiction to Oil

Thu, 17 May 2012 14:53:54 GMT

When we look at the Big Picture of where our civilization is going, it is safe to say it is driven by our addiction to petroleum products. Politically, no matter what our leaders say about invading tiny countries in the north of Africa or the Middle East, we're invading to secure our access to that precious fluid that powers our world.
Like most addicts, we will support fighting, stealing, and killing for the thing we must have. But I don't want to get into the politics of our thirst for oil today. I want to bring up 2 big mistakes the U.S. in particular is making to get more oil from our own national lands -- at any cost.
What I want to warn you about is a new technology called "fracking", which injects solvent-bearing water into underground rock formations to free the tiny amount of petroleum and natural gas contained in them.
Two problems here: Our agriculture runs on oil and natural gas. This is a mistake we could correct by going back to organic agriculture, but at the highest levels, our corporate-funded leaders have chosen not to go organic.
Instead, we are using desperate measures to get more oil and gas at the risk of poisoning our groundwater supplies, which we will all sooner or later be forced to drink. This is nuts and very short-sighted.
The other issue that relates to our obsessive use of petroleum-based herbicides -- that don't need to be used and are actually breeding stronger weeds -- is the push for Genetically Modified crops that can tolerate repeated dousing with RoundUp spray.
Folks, I haven't had the time to look into what long-term consumption of the RoundUp we are eating is doing to us, but I'm pretty sure I don't want it in my food.
We have so many carcinogenic chemicals in our food and water supply now, that it's hard to know exactly where our illnesses are coming from. And, the thing is, it's not getting better -- it's getting worse due to the money-driven decisions our dimwitted leaders are making for us.
So, what can we do about all this pollution that is being forced on us? Well, if you don't want to be part of the problem, you need to stop using so much of these polluting substances -- Stop driving that big Chevy Suburban or (God Forbid!)that Hummer and drive less in general. Stop using products you don't support in good conscience.
Support your local organic farmer. Walk or bike more and drive less. Stop giving your money to fund these industries that are trashing the world we're going to leave our children and grandchildren to live in.
Money is all these Captains of Industry understand -- and if we stop buying their products, you can be darned sure they will top making them. Do your part in reducing the demand for oil. It may not seem to do much good, but at least you'll have the satisfaction that you did what you could.

May 16, AddieUp Testimonials

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:27:42 GMT

AddieUp testimonials come from a variety of people, all using AddieUp for different reasons.

May 16, 8 Reasons for the Increase in ADHD

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:34:38 GMT

Here are 8 reasons we see more children and young adults being diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). First, we start with the obvious:
1)More frequent diagnosis, with teachers initiating the process. Schools, especially public ones, are an uncomfortable process forced on kids, with the bright ones being the most resistant to it. Teachers want order and quiet so they can do what they are hired to do, so it's perfectly understandable that they would suggest a quick-fix for the restless child.
2)Organophosphates -- nerve poisons in pesticides on our fruits and vegetables. Read this quote from Wikipedia("Organophosphate poisoning")and note the similarities in symptoms with ADHD: "Studies found veterans experienced deficits in intellectual and academic abilities, simple motor skills, memory impairment, and impaired emotional function." These chemicals are commonly used on our fruit and vegetables and in household pesticides -- developing embryos and children may be more susceptible.
3)Increasing number of early vaccinations. (mentioned by neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock, MD.)
4)Insufficient parental attention -- more working mothers, less 1-on-1 attention and communication.
5)Environmental toxins -- artificial colors, flavors, flavor-enhancers(?)
6)Less exercise: A more sedentary, indoor lifestyle can lead to poor sleep quality -- a factor in difficulty focusing, attentiveness, etc.
7)More Sugar: Excessive refined sugar consumption interferes with IQ.
8)Magnesium Deficiency: This and other vitamin/mineral deficiencies, both in utero, in the child, and even in adults, are likely suspects in incomplete development and activity of intellectual functions.
These are some likely major causes of ADHD. Some are reversible; some may not be. Adding Adderall and Ritalin to the mix of brain toxins in our environment does nothing to correct nutritional and other deficiencies.

May 15, Why Is Health Care So Expensive?

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:31:51 GMT

There is a saying here in the U.S. that tells us, "When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." I have been noticing how this applies to the way that medicine is practiced here -- and how that leads to higher costs for medical care.
Another old saying that conveys great wisdom is, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Preventing disease is inexpensive if proper attention is paid to eating intelligently, getting plenty of exercise, avoiding toxins, keeping a healthy attitude, and minimizing stress.
But most medical students receive little or no information about correct human diet, so they can't be much help to their patients beyond parroting the conventional USDA-promoted wisdom of eating a balanced diet -- which is rarely done, considering all the temptations presented by advertising and the convenience of eating industrially-prepared foods laced with additives designed to encourage us to eat too much of the richest foods.
Most doctors receive an intricate education on how our body works structurally and chemically and how drugs developed by the pharmaceutical industry can relieve the symptoms caused by our lack of proper nutrition and exercise and the bombardment we get of synthetic chemicals that throw off various bodily functions.
Drugs Are Expensive -- and So Is Surgery I once had a revealing chat with a surgeon, while relaxing around a campfire after a day of recreational bicycling near Crater Lake, Oregon. I asked him what his specialty was and he dryly replied, "Bellies." It was his way of saying everyone he operated on had a huge amount of stored fat that had to be cut through to get at their problem organs.
So, the bottom line is that, since doctors are of little help in teaching us the finer points of what to eat and what to avoid to stay healthy, we fall prey to advertisers and eat wrong, get sick, and must come back to the doctor for an expensive series of diagnostic tests, drugs, and possibly surgery being our only options.
In my experience, Health only requires eating natural foods, taking supplements to counter the modern unnatural stresses we're under, regular physical activity, and the willpower to avoid the many temptations. Health doesn't even require perfection in prevention, thank goodness.
Small daily efforts taken to maintain your body pay off big dividends in health repair savings. It's worth it, believe me!

May 14, Don't Expect Bureacracy to Be Your Health Watchdog

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:47:52 GMT

I've seen many people, who put their health in the care of others, die from preventable causes. They had the best health care insurance -- they had lots of money to spend on doctors -- they ate well(maybe too well) -- and now they're dead.
The Media have become very powerful in creating public trust in all the wrong factors, as regards our health. You need to remember that the Media is basically working as free advertising for our governments and the major corporations, which are motivated by money, and not your good health!
I have seen subtle shift in the public consciousness over the 50-plus years I have been paying attention. It is very important, if you value your health and happiness, to be aware of this mental shift. Here it comes:
We have been encouraged to take our faith away from God(or however you conceive of a Universal Power) and put our trust -- and the responsibility for our health -- in the hands of "experts" who are licensed by government bureaucracy and in business to make money.
This has been a fatal mistake and I don't want to see you make it. Your health is ultimately your responsibility. You need a certain basic knowledge of healthy practices -- and YOU need to do them. Buying magic pills from your doctors can't take the place of good dietary habits and a wise lifestyle.
Look, for example, at all the billions that our government wastes on protecting the public from natural herbs that never killed anyone -- and then read how the bureaucrats let Merck Pharmaceuticals off with a fine for killing 60,000 people with Vioxx. Oooops! Sorry about that!
Get out in Nature and re-establish your bond with her and the beneficent Power that gives life to us all. Get your information from those who trust Nature's God, not the "Almighty Dollar".

May 13, The Dangers of Group-Think

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:33:02 GMT

Over the past fifty years I have seen many things we have been told by "The Authorities" have been found to be false. In public schools here in the USA, we were taught that "Milk Builds Strong Bones", but now we find the opposite is true. Similar campaigns were done to promote beef, chicken, pork, and even breakfast cereal.
All these things taste good -- and we may have happy memories associated with them -- but, when we find out they are not healthy, it is crazy not to act on this knowledge. Being willing to change your behavior, when you learn you were given incorrect information, is part of growing up.
When you do some study of where these Group-Think ideas came from, you find that they are all commercially-motivated concepts. Some industry(like the milk producers) uses their money and influence to persuade the bureaucrats at the US Department of Agriculture that their product should be featured in the public schools -- and, in the USA, they usually get their way. We're a busy people and we're conditioned to listen to celebrities and (self-made) authorities.
Our health has suffered to the degree we fell under the spell of Captain Crunch and Ronald McDonald when we were kids. Our continuing love affair with sugar in its many forms, is a big source of our sluggishness, soreness, and heaviness as we grow older.
There are some other dangerous forms of Group-Think being fed to us now -- especially the push to vaccinate everyone old and young for every conceivable illness and, of course, the insidious pressure to Genetically Modify our food supply.
When you consider that this is all about making more money for the pharmaceutical and the giant chemical industry, it should be clear they don't have our best interests at heart.
The notion that we must accept the risk that "a few" children's lives will be destroyed by autism because of their vaccines is denied. Instead we are urged to consider our duty to "the herd". Sorry, I choose not to be part of the herd, when the solution (they just happen to be selling) is known to be dangerous to my health.
We've been sold a pack of lies before, when are we going to learn to stop listening to these smooth-talking liars?

May 12, The Benefits of Guarana for Energy

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:14:10 GMT

Guarana is the most popular source of caffeine used in South America, according to Wikipedia, and this surprised me. Guarana is an herb that contains several other active compounds, especially theophylline and theobromine, plus polyphenols.
One of the big advantages I have found in Guarana is that the caffeine is to some degree bound with the other compounds to make it slower-acting. The caffeine in guarana doesn't all enter the user's bloodstream immediately, so it provides a more long-lasting sense of energy and alertness.
This time-release quality of the herb guarana eliminates the nervous rush and the crash that come with energy drinks that are only fueled by anhydrous caffeine -- which encourages young people to drink too many energy drinks, usually containing far too much sugar, just to maintain that initial fleeting rush of energy.
In experiments using rats, which have a similar metabolism to humans, memory retention and physical endurance were increased when the rats were given guarana.
Another experiment with rabbits showed that guarana extract caused blood platelets to flow more freely, which might be advantageous in athletic activity. It is conceivable that this might help in the prevention of strokes and heart attack.
In other laboratory studies, guarana showed antioxidant and antibacterial effects, as well as fat cell reduction(when combined with linoleic acid, which is present in healthy diets). These effects were demonstrated in mice that regularly consumed guarana.
I recall first becoming aware of the unique benefits of guarana in the early 1990s when doing a lot of long, difficult mountain bike rides with some hardcore riders. At the time I noticed a distinct difference in how good I felt and my endurance, compared to drinking coffee or using other caffeinated energy supplements.
I am very sensitive to sugar, so the only downside of the energy bar that contained the guarana --(Thunderbar) -- was all the sugar that was in it. When mostly stevia was used for sweetness, as in the ACT Energy Drink, that problem was solved.
Guarana is used in some other energy drinks, but usually in addition to mainly anhydrous caffeine to produce a longer-lasting energy. Guarana has the designation of "generally recognized as safe" by the Food and Drug Administration.
Guarana has been used by the Guarani and Tupi Indians of the Amazon Basin for more than 600 years.

May 11, What Can Be Done About Ostoarthritis

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:53:13 GMT

I have tried many remedies for the pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis -- the narrowing of the protective cartilage that lets our joints move smoothly. Here is the best program I have found to stop the pain naturally, without further damage to the joint (or my stomach lining, in the case of NSAIDs).
Every morning, when I wake up, I do a series of floor exercises to gently limber up my body. I will be filming these exercises later this morning and will post them here in the next week or two(depending on my videographer's schedule).
Here are the key recommendations I follow:
1) Keep excess weight off the body
2) Eat a vegan diet(or at least a lot of a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables). I also take Dr. Wallach's colloidal minerals and Source Naturals Inflam-Arest.
3) When my back is out of alignment, I visit my chiropractor. (My lower back is the source of much of my stiffness, due to past injuries.)
4) Accupuncture by someone who knows what they are doing has been proven to help arthritic knees. I haven't tried this, but I may. (My priority is to improve the cartilage with better nutrition, rather than to turn off the pain, which is what I imagine accupuncture is doing.)
5) Stay active with gentle, fluid motion such as swimming or walking or bicycling. Tai chi, yoga, and stretching also helps.
6) Glucosamine gets mixed reviews. In the page I have linked to this one, Dr. McDougall promotes glucosamine -- but not chondoitin -- by itself to heal and regrow cartilage. More recently, he quoted a study that showed minimal benefit from it. Experiment, if you like, glucosamine is a natural substance that can't hurt you. I have heard that the sulphate form is more effective. Take 1200-1500mg per day.
7) This is my personal belief: Avoid refined sugar, especially in the form of soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, which is known to cause osteoporosis. This can't help your cartilage and the calcium it leaches out of your bones may gravitate to calcify(harden) the inflamed joint surfaces. (This is my intuition. I may have read this somewhere, but it is something I do anyway.)
That's it for today. This info can be useful even if you don't have arthritis yet. The Western-style diet and inactive lifetyle seems to be why we have more of this disease, so let's try what's working for the non-Western world. Put the genetic excuse out of your mind -- the cause is our diet and inactivity.

May 10, Something Worse for Health than Obesity

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:10:42 GMT

Hopefully, not many who read this are guilty of doing this worst thing for your health. It is a perfect analogy for what I've been trying to say about how seemingly little things we do every day take a toll on our health so slowly we don't notice them.
This could be applied to sugary energy drinks or Aspartame-sweetened beverages. It could apply to little pleasures we treat ourselves to every day, like macchiatto cafe's -- little things we come to emotionally depend on.
This is one of the many legal, but deadly, pleasures our advertisers can push us to do. It is so obviously dangerous that the FDA finally reined in the promoters of this deadly habit a few years ago, while they let other things, such as Aspartame go.
The few of you who partake of this habit have your mental defenses ready. If you are young, you may be thinking, "I can quit later," but every morning later gets pushed back another day.
Of course, I am talking about smoking cigarettes. These are a lottery ticket you buy willingly that pays off in heart disease, cancer, stroke, or emphysema. That last one is especially bad, taking years to kill, while you gasp for air like a fish out of water.
I really hate to see beautiful young women smoking. What they don't know is that smoking ages the skin and causes wrinkles. You will be young for only a short time -- why make it even shorter?
My point here is to remind you to get on your own side. Stop undercutting your energy, your strength, and your health with the dumbest habit ever sold to people worldwide. It is a very slow suicide, but only you can stop it.
If you can conquer this addiction, you can conquer anything. Watch this video to see how a guy who had it all, lost it all. Be smarter than he was!

May 9, Where To Buy AddieUp

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:42:14 GMT

Many people are asking me where can they buy AddieUp, the natural herbal alternative to Adderall. The quick answer is that AddieUp is only beginning to be sold in a few stores in the Kentucky area of the USA.
I am working on getting AddieUp into stores in Oregon, but this is a slow process. The good news is that AddieUp is available online through a national fulfillment center -- just click on one of the AddieUp banner ads on the page linked to this one.
As you know if you've been reading this blog for a while, I am very eager to let parents of kids with ADD or ADHD know that there is a safe, natural alternative to Adderall, the most commonly prescribed drug for hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder.
Starting children as young as 3 on an amphetamine compound is just wrong, when there are herbal alternatives such as AddieUp.
Adults who are using Adderall, either with or without a prescription, will come to a point where "the honeymoon" with the drug is over and they realize they are firmly addicted to this destructive stuff and all its unpleasant side-effects.
Dr. Baker, the creator of AddieUp told me last night by phone that his 3rd-party clinical study of the weight loss effects of AddieUp has concluded with some very positive results. I will pass those along when the facts and figures are all tabulated.
I thank the many people who have taken my recommendation and tried AddieUp. If you film a video testimonial, I will put it up at Healthyplanetdiet.com for others to see.
For now, the best place to buy AddieUp is online. There is a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, so you have no risk in purchasing either the 20-count bottle or the 60-count one. You will no doubt save a lot of money over buying at retail prices, even when figuring in the cost of shipping.
I have found AddieUp to be a clean, non-jittery way to have extra energy, focus, and creativity when I need it. I have even noticed some improvement in my ability to quickly remember names and facts. This may be due to the brain-nourishing Ginkgo, Huperazine, and Choline which are part of the AddieUp formula.
In any case, if you'd like to see for yourself how AddieUp works, simply click on the link to this post, and order some. (I find it very strong, but you may need two or three capsules, especially if you are used to Adderall or other pharmaceutical ADHD medications.)

May 8, An Insight Into Autoimmune Diseases

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:34:57 GMT

I have been researching the various autoimmune diseases -- you know, diseases where the body attacks different parts of itself, as if it were an invading microbe. There seems to be some common features of these diseases, as to who gets them -- and this may point to a possible causative factor.
If any doctors are reading this, you might already have noticed this. I am simply trying to take a fresh look at the commonalities and find a pattern that helps make sense of these different diseases.
Here is what I've noticed in Medline: Most of the sufferers of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, and Multiple Sclerosis -- and perhaps some of the other autoimmune diseases -- are women and especially those of African. Asian, Hispanic, and native American descent.
This struck me because these are the same racial groups that most often suffer from Lactose Intolerance -- and we know that cow's milk introduced to a baby too early is believed to be the cause of Diabetes, Type 1, and also MS -- at least among my favorite medical doctors and researchers.
Could milk, which is one of the most common allergens(factor that causes allergic reactions), be the primary cause of most of these conditions where the body goes on the attack of various parts of itself?
(My feeling about this is that milk doesn't belong in the human diet. Some of us Caucasians tolerate it fairly well from long use by our ancestors, but for most of humanity, milk causes problems -- and, of course, those selling milk wants us to drink it anyway and take Lactaid to deal with the problems it causes our digestive system.)
The one disease in this group that doesn't fit this hypothesis -- so far -- is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which many sufferers point out gluten intolerance as the precipitating cause. But, still, this also centers around the gut, as does the Lactose Intolerance.
I'm short of time today, so I must cut this short. What do you think? Leave me a comment if you are familiar with one or more of these autoimmune diseases.
Tomorrow, when I have more time, I'll be talking about the popularity of AddieUp and more reasons not to get involved with Adderall.

May 7, MS, the Poster Child for Autoimmune Diseases

Mon, 07 May 2012 14:18:04 GMT

One astute reader responded to my recent survey question and said their concern was with the Autoimmune Diseases. There are quite a few of these, but I thought I'd start with MS (Multiple Sclerosis), where -- as with so many diseases, we already know how to stop it in its tracks, but very few medical doctors are willing to tell their patients.
MS has a lot in common with another autoimmune disease, Diabetes Type 1. Both are mostly found in countries where the diet is based on animal protein and especially milk products. It is believed that both occur in those with "leaky gut", where milk protein is able to pass into the blood stream undigested. The body sees this protein as a foreign invader, like a virus, and attacks it. Unfortunately, the antibodies also attack the insulation around the nerve tissue(in the case of MS) and this is thought to be how the disease starts.
In diabetes Type 1, a similar process where cow's milk is given to the infant too soon, the antibodies attack the pancreas, destroying the baby's ability to produce insulin. The distribution of the disease is also similar, occurring primarily in the U.S., Canada, and northern European countries where far more milk is consumed than in Asia or Africa.
MS is usually a slowly progressing disease, with intermittent flare-ups. Even with the best conventional treatment costing more than $20,000 per year, in only 8 percent of the cases do the patients have significant slowing of the progressive symptoms of MS.
With conventional treatment, in ten years half the MS patients are unable to walk unassisted or are dead. It is a rare but serious disease affecting mostly women in their prime.
It is interesting that Dr. Roy Swank of the Oregon Health Sciences University used a low-fat diet which decreased relapses by 70 percent in the first year after diagnosis. Then for the next 16 years, the rate of worsening of the disease was reduced by 95 percent!
Dr. Swank's work has been documented, peer-reviewed, and published in respected medical journals, but it is ignored by doctors and even the MS Society. There's no money in it and they didn't invent it.
Worse yet, the Swank diet requires the patient to do some work themselves. Most patients have been conditioned to believe there is a cure for every disease if we can only find it -- and then, they won't have to change the way they like to eat. So, we continue to throw huge sums of money at the problem, waiting for a Magic Pill, rather than change the way we choose to eat. Simply amazing, isn't it?
I have linked a one-hour video by Dr. McDougall further explaining this ignored treatment for MS for those interested.

May 6, Preventing Alzheimer's and Dementia

Sun, 06 May 2012 15:46:09 GMT

Preventing Alzheimer's Disease and dementia in yourself and your loved ones, such as your parents, becomes a natural concern once you have watched the terrible process where a person's identity is slowly washed away. I experienced this with my mother forty years ago. I have had a long time to look for clues to what causes these diseases and how we might prevent them.
In 1972, I was already into vegetarianism, so when I would come down to Miami to visit my mother, I was shocked at the poor quality nutrition she was getting. I would cook for her and try to entice her into eating steamed broccoli and stir-fry dishes with lots of onion and garlic, but she would protest and refused to eat them.
The broccoli upset her digestion, she said. What it was probably doing was trying to break loose all the toxic buildup in her gut, but she didn't want any change in her status quo.
I was aware at the time that there was an aluminum cookware and Alzheimer's connection, so I tried to encourage her to cook only in stainless cookware or cast iron.
Some of her favorite "foods" were Cup-a-Soup and canned Campbell's soups, which were full of MSG,an excitotoxin that Dr. Russell Blaylock has identified as being one of the worst brain toxins. The other thing she liked to eat was ice cream and deserts (sugar has been implicated in causing depression, which my mother suffered from).
She complained of tiredness, so I encouraged her to drink coffee -- which has recently been found to help stave off Alzheimer's -- but she refused this, too. She wasn't interested in the papayas and other tropical fruits I would bring back from the Cuban produce markets.
Contrasted to this avoidance of natural fresh foods that contain the antioxidants and other nutrients our body uses to protect itself, my mother was taking an ever-changing assortment of pharmaceutical drugs in hopes of relieving neck pain from her work as a legal secretary. She also thought she might be developing Parkinson's Disease, so she was on a number of these drugs.
She wouldn't have a glass of wine as a natural relaxant. She never smoked. She wasn't overweight. And yet this combination of poor quality nutrition and pharmaceutical medications, spiked with excitotoxins and sugary foods was like a vortex that was impossible for her to resist.
Many factors that are common in our life contributed to her developing senile dementia and mini-strokes. Seeing what happened to my mother motivates me to avoid all these factors. I hope this helps someone.

May 5, Lifes Great Paradox

Sat, 05 May 2012 13:02:10 GMT

Life is funny in that often the things we really want to do, usually in the name of fun, are not the best things for our health or prosperity.
The food manufacturers are cynical enough to take advantage of this fact. They even take it to higher levels with their flavor-enhancers that have been shown to cause obesity in laboratory animals. Not only obesity, but some very undesirable neurological diseases like Parkinson's, ALS, and Alzheimer's appear to be potentially made worse by these food additives.
I can't stress enough how unhealthy the typical American-style diet is, but it is a rare person who considers the long-term results that come predictably from eating this way. I hope you will believe me when I say, "You will be glad when you are 63 years old and in great health that you were that rare person."
I am in the unpopular position of reminding my readers that many of the most familiar and popular foods should be avoided like the plague.
These dire warnings may find some acceptance by those who have already developed serious conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, but the millions of younger people who are in their prime usually don't want to be bothered. That's too bad because preventing obesity or heart disease is much easier -- and more pleasant -- than having to live with it, while trying to reverse these conditions.
Nobody wants to go out with friends to, say, a pizza restaurant, and have to try to find something else they can eat on the menu. Then you are put in the uncomfortable position of having to explain to your friends why you don't want to eat the delicious items the rest of the group are eating.
But, when you have come to a conclusion about some food -- that it always causes some unpleasant after-effect and you're tired of the crappy way you feel later -- I believe you must be true to what you believe. This is a sign of maturity.
This is where you decide to be a leader or a follower. In the long run, it is definitely better to be a leader, if you are being true to what you know about how you react or what trustworthy science has learned about some food, drink, or behavior.
It is uncomfortable to be different from your friends, but it is far worse to be living in conflict with what you know to be true.
Don't be like my old friends who arrive at the end of their lives grossly overweight and diabetic -- and expect Science to find a cure for what they did to themselves.

May 4, The End or a New Beginning

Fri, 04 May 2012 14:06:57 GMT

The reason I like energy drinks and stuff like AddieUp is that they enable us to think more interesting thoughts than the usual mundane BS. So, today, I thought I'd go into a subject that is in the back of many people's minds in the social media: Are we moving into a period of totalitarian government and a dumbing-down of society or are we entering the next higher phase of consciousness evolution?
My view, based on decades of observation and reading, is that we get to choose which side we will be on in this battle between Good and Evil. That's why I choose foods and energy drinks that feature ingredients that are more conducive to attaining a clearer awareness and a stronger immune system.
The mass marketers are trying to feed us foods that are adulterated with ingredients that are making us fatter and dumber, but I'm not going for it.
Most people won't listen and will go on doing what they habitually do. They will follow the Pied Pipers of Profit -- the advertisers of junk food and cheap convenience-store energy drinks -- and they will not be in any shape to survive the struggles of the next few years.
Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich,, pointed out something useful to us in our present situation. He said, "Keep your mind on what you want and off the things you don't want!"
We empower the things we think about. I have noticed a tendency of myself and my friends on Facebook to obsess over how oppressive and seemingly all-powerful our government is becoming -- and I think this is the wrong way to look at things. God, aka Universal Intelligence is all-powerful; governments are not.
Giving birth to something new is both a painful and a beautiful process. We are in that tumultuous stage of change where it is hard to tell which side is winning -- I plan to focus more on doing what will help the Good side win(and let me live to see it).
I hope to see you at the celebration, when the forces of intelligent Good have clearly won over dumb Evil. We are not alone in this struggle. Check out this video to see what I mean.

May 3, Your AddieUp Questions Answered

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:59:02 GMT

Although questions about energy drinks are the main reason people come to Healthy Planet Diet, AddieUp is attracting a lot of interest, too.
Here Are Some Questions I Have Received: Does AddieUp show up on a drug test? I contacted Dr. Baker, the creator of AddieUp about this. Here is what he said: "...employers typically use a seven panel test, cannabis, opiates, etc, not anything in the AddieUP formula. Olympics have banned caffeine and DMAA to my knowledge."
Question: "AddieUp Texas reviews?" I am not aware why AddieUp should be any different in Texas, so I thought this was funny. My suggestion would be to order some and submit the first AddieUp review from Texas. AddieUp is legal in all 50 U.S. states, if that's what you mean.
Question: "Where to buy AddieUp" You can buy AddieUp through either of two links or a banner placed on pages I have written about this exciting product. Shipment and payment info is handled by a professional fulfillment house. There is a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose by trying AddieUp to see how well it works for you.
(I will pass along that Dr. Baker told me yesterday he has had no requests for refunds and only positive comments.)
Question: "Will AddieUp make me high?" Yes, this is one of the despicable side-effects of this product. It makes me feel good because I have all the energy and mental alertness I want, to deal with whatever comes my way. When people around you do stupid things, you will laugh at them instead of getting mad. It is a very relaxed, positive feeling, not the "nothing is moving fast enough" feeling you get from having too much coffee or Adderall(from what I hear).
Question: "Does AddieUp suppress the appetite?" Yes, I find myself being able to go longer without eating. I have a fast metabolism and usually find myself thinking about eating a lot, so th way that AddieUp removes the frequent distraction about hunger helps me get more done. Some other people using AddieUp have mentioned not craving food as much. I heard there is a clinical study being done on this, but no results have been announced yet.
In summary, AddieUp is a natural, herbal way to do what the people have been trying to get from pharmaceuticals -- except that AddieUp allows you to lead a normal, healthy life sleeping and eating well when it is time. It is a surprisingly calm energy that it provides, lasting about 8 hours until you gently touch down again. No nerves or anxiety.
If this sounds like something you could use, you can buy AddieUp direct on the Review page linked to this post.

May 2, Dangers of a Toxic Work Environment

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:05:32 GMT

I had a conversation with a friend of a friend the other day that added more confirmation of a theory I've been thinking about for years. Like many of the topics I talk about, most of you may find reasons not to do what I have chosen to do about this, but at least this will give you something interesting to think about.
This guy had, up until recently, a big income with benefits from working for various agencies of government as a wildlife biologist. Like a lot of U.S. Forest Service employees, he was dealing with a lot of job-related stress and developing health problems.
His doctor had told him, if he didn't get out of this line of work, it would kill him.
From the outside he looked like a easy-going, very likeable, healthy dude. But, he had quit his cushy but stressful job and was on vacation when I met him, which makes a big difference in how someone comes across. He told me he is 50 years old, though he had no grey hair, which seems common among people in high-stress positions.
There is something about working or government organizations that pit one person against another, not from a personal standpoint but because the job description of a wildlife biologist, for example, will often be required by law to bring up obstacles to the smooth and speedy completion of a highway project. The road-building engineers don't like this and it tends to get personal in weird ways -- ways that we can't do much about because nobody is willing to openly discuss them, I imagine.
I once worked for 9 months as a consultant to help a small logging town that had lost its sawmill get back on a path to economic health, so I know a bit about these office tensions that hang in the air so thick it feels like you could cut them with a knife.
Generally, I think self-employment is best for one's happiness, peace of mind, their health, and even their income (if they do it right), but most people cling to these high-stress jobs that really aren't secure at all in today's economy.
Of course, I'm not suggesting you quit your present job, but I am saying it would be wise to start developing the marketing skills you will need to turn some concept you are really passionate about into a viable business that has the capacity to support you and your family.
Contact me if you'd like a way to do this that is tailored to your personality.
Dying in your first year of retirement -- as I have seen 3 Forest Service friends do recently -- is too high a price to pay for having what is called a "secure job with benefits".

May 1, Osteoarthritis -- What You Can Do About It

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:54:34 GMT

Osteoarthritis is a big subject that involves the pain and stiffness that comes from wear-and-tear on our joints. There are many ways to try for relief. Some will work for one person and not for another.
Source Naturals' Inflama-Rest is the best thing I've found for immediate relief. I will present more options soon.
This is a subject that deserves a full Web page to review the various treatments. I prefer to find the cause of the inflammation and to address that, rather than simply taking a drug to ease the pain. The pain, in my opinion, is there to tell us there is a problem that we can often do something about.
I am not a fan of surgery, especially to replace joints. Surgery is very axing on the body and joint replacements generally don't last more than a few years, so they don't solve the problem. I had one friend who went in for knee replacement, who came out with what appeared to be full-blown Parkinson's Disease, possibly from the anesthetic. Not common, perhaps, but why take a chance?
I have linked to a Doctor's page of dietary options, where the patient tries to find trigger foods that aggravate their arthritis. This seems a good place to start.
I have had some success with glucosamine sulfate, combined with Turmeric extract, which relieves the inflammation while the glucosamine, in theory, helps rebuild the cartilage protecting the joint.
Gentle exercise to keep nutrients and oxygen available to repair the joint helps, a does quality sources of Omega-3 oils. Acupuncture has shown some success for knee osteoarthritis.

Apr 30, Viagra Nation

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:06:47 GMT

I was wondering the other day why spammers think I would be so interested in Viagra. They are wrong on some other things, too -- like thinking I am stupid enough to fall for 10,000 emails a year claiming a bank in Nigeria has an extra 10 million dollars they need to find a next-of-kin for and (Surprise, surprise!) I have been chosen out of all the people on the 'Net. They must think Americans are really stupid!
But, as I got to thinking about why Viagra and E.D., as erectile dysfunction is so discretely called, seem to be such a big concern, it occurred to me that it's probably all the medications my fellow Americans take. I have read that approximately 50 percent of us are on meds, so I did a little research to learn that, "Yes, indeed, many prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause E.D."
Now, part of the reason this connection between the Big V and E.D. was news to me was that naturally, the pharmaceutical companies don't want to point out that their drugs are causing the problem!
I was already aware that most Rx drugs cause some nasty, unpleasant side-effects that unfortunately require another Rx drug to ameliorate(which means "make better"). My mother was an honest, but frequent customer of the local pharmacy and she was always complaining about this fact. Every new drug the doctor prescribed didn't just do what it promised -- it also had some distracting side-effect that made her an easy sale for one or two other drugs.
In any case, here is a shortened list of the Rx and OTC drugs that can cause E.D.: Diuretics, Anti-depressants, Anti-Anxiety drugs, Anti-Epileptic, Antihistamines, Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs(primarily Naproxen), Parkinson's Disease drugs, Antiarrythmics, Antacids like Tagamet and Zantac, Muscle Relaxers (Well, Duh!), Prostate cancer medications, and Chemotherapy drugs.
Also implicated by WebMD.com are Alcohol, Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Cocaine(?), Marijuana, Methadone, Nicotine, and Opiates. Some people would question how accurate these selections could be, but we'll let it go for now.
I suspect many people are buying Viagra and similar substances -- not because they need them -- but for fun. Perhaps they're hoping for that "four-hour erection" that the TV announcer sternly warned them about.
BTW, Viagra itself has some nasty side-effects like these: Diarrhea; dizziness; flushing; headache; heartburn; stuffy nose; upset stomach. And then there is chest pain, hives, and sudden deafness or blindness!
Leave me a comment, if you'd like.

Apr 29, Relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:08:29 GMT

I am starting to do some research on Arthritis, both Osteo and Rheumatoid. I know this is a major complaint for many people, both young (in their thirties) and old. I came across a small study that was quite amazing.
At Wayne State University Medical School, researchers put 6 rheumatoid arthritis patients on a totally fat-free die for 7 weeks. During that time all six got complete relief from pain! When any meat containing fat or even vegetable oil was reintroduced into their diet, "they Experienced Severe arthritic pain within 72 hours." (Courtesy of the T. Colin Campbell Foundation, and Alan Goldhamer, DC, and Jennifer Marano, DC.)
Now, it is true this is a very small study and rheumatoid arthritis affects only 1-4 percent of Americans, if you happen to be one of those people, this is big news.
I have a friend locally who has R.A. and it is heart-breaking to see the pain and rapid degeneration he is going through, as a result of being in the end stages of this disease. I will try to find him to tell him about this study.
There are a lot of dietary associations also connected with the more common Osteoarthritis, with a long list of foods that may trigger inflammation and worse symptoms. The most prominent factor that the two types of arthritis share is that in cultures where little animal protein and fat are consumed, there is little arthritis and the symptoms are milder.
In situations like this, where what science tells us conflicts with our cultural upbringing, most of us find it very difficult to even give serious consideration to radically changing our diet.
Food is one our last refuges of pleasure that we can control, pretty much "on demand". But, when the pain of arthritis -- or any other health concern -- gets intense enough, and objective science tells us that we may be causing our own pain, it seems smart to at least test it for ourselves by changing our habitual diet for a while.
Would you take a moment to answer a one question confidential survey? It will help me know what you would like information about. Thanks!
Click here to take survey

Apr 28, Something Else the Dairy Industry Won't Tell You

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:46:57 GMT

Here's an interesting and useful factoid for explaining why people other than Caucasians should avoid foods that contain milk: Lactose Intolerance (L.I.).
I happened to read a short article in a beverage industry publication that gave the percentages of people of different races who suffer from lactose intolerance. I thought you should see it because it might explain why those other than Northern Europeans might be having digestive difficulties when they eat Western-type foods, especially fast foods, snacks, and desserts.
Here are the percentages:
2 percent of Northern Europeans have L.I.
95 percent of Asian descent have L.I.
100 percent of Native Americans have L.I.
80 percent of Hispanics and African-Americans are Lactose Intolerant
Keep in mind that food processors love to put milk powder in recipes for cookies, cakes, bread, muffins, and a wide variety of sauces, and sometimes in meat casseroles. If you occasionally eat American-style fast food and have digestive problems later, this could be the cause.
This is one more good reason not to eat processed, packaged fast food, snacks, and snacks -- in addition to the MSG, high fat content, and other toxic preservatives in them.
The symptoms of L.I. are: bloating, pain or cramps in the lower belly, gas, vomiting, loose stools or diarrhea, and vomiting, according to WebMD.com. This can be a serious problem for babies, if they are introduced to cow's milk too early, perhaps through its presence in formula.
It is much better to totally avoid milk products for infants of any race because this has been linked to Type 1 Diabetes later in life.
Even though milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream have been eaten in some cultures for centuries, I don't believe these are natural and healthy foods for humans of any age or race.
As I told a black friend of mine once, after he told me about his Lactose Intolerance, "Cow's milk is for cow's babies." We got a big laugh out of that, but I have seen enough evidence over the years to be convinced of its truth.
If you want more info, read the page about how milk products cause osteoporosis, rather than help prevent it. It is linked to this post.

Apr 27, How To Have Great Health and Fun Throughout a Long Life

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:59:50 GMT

What's the secret to a long, healthy, interesting life? Unplug yourself from the standard Western culture, food, and lifestyle!
As I've said here and throughout the pages of this Web site, American food and culture is a killer -- the food that most people here eat is dead and will make you fat and/or sick, driving you into the arms of the medical profession which will sell you remedies that, in most cases will make you sicker and may eventually kill you -- but they'll still get paid for it!
A prime example is statin drugs, which one doctor proposed putting in public drinking water. These drugs are the lazy person's way to lower their cholesterol -- but, in the process, they interfere with Coenzyme Q-10, which is -- among other things -- the energy powerhouse in every cell.
This is like "jumping from the frying pan into the fire"! Google "statin drugs and memory loss", too, if you wonder why dementia is a growing problem.
Read this PubMed article for proof and what to do about this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16873939
That is just one example of the dumb, dangerous techniques by which modern medicine solves one part of a problem, which you could have solved yourself by eating real food and exercising. But their "solution" weakens your body, which makes you feel old and tired. And then they sell you something for that!.
Another classic example of this is the "common wisdom" on Osteoporosis. The truth, as demonstrated by honest scientists who don't work for the milk industry, is totally the opposite of what we have been told. (See the link to this post for that article.)
And then, you must unplug yourself from automatically throwing yourself into the arms of the "alternative health-food industry", which has a glorified new healthier sugar from Agave, which is just another(more expensive) form of fructose.
I don't have room to go into a lot of examples, so the bumper-sticker philosophy of "Question Authority" in general will suffice.
For the Boomer crowd, of which I am one, there are anti-aging benefits in a few carefully-selected energy drinks and brain-enhancers like AddieUp that don't actually make you feel younger because of the nutrients, more than any caffeine they contain. The media don't talk much about this.
And for the young, question the notion that the military is a good career option. It is often fatal; always voluntary brainwashing, and can give you a life full of regrets and nightmares if you survive.
So, survival in good health and style is possible, but you're going to need to Think Differently than the crowd. It will keep your mind sharp and youthful.
Expect opposition to this mindset, welcome it, don't fear it. We've got to turn this world around before this "anything for a buck" mentality destroys it and steals our health, our natural world, and our ability to think for ourselves. Are you up for it?

Apr 26, Where You Live Affects Your Health

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:44:51 GMT

Just some raw thoughts today about the effect on our health of where we choose to live.
First off, I don't know why our primitive ancestors ever moved into snow country. The northern latitudes make it hard to get enough Vitamin D, which is so essential for maintaining a healthy mood and protecting us against all diseases.
Whether they moved because of overcrowding down in the sunny Fertile Crescent of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, I don't know. Did the climate change overnight, I don't know but I doubt it.
I think the reason for any move of a tribe to an uncomfortable latitude might have been to get away from some aggressive group of Neanderthals who were making less-aggressive Cro-Magnons miserable. (pardon my lack of knowledge here about the details!).
I personally think there is some allegorical truth to the story in the Bible about the Fall of Man and being forced to leave the Garden of Eden. A lot of major changes occurred then that set the stage for what is still happening, to this day.
According to Genesis, God told man he should eat any seeds(grains), fruit(except for one -- and I have no idea which one that was -- essentially a vegan diet. Then man got curious and did the one thing he was told NOT to do. It all went downhill from there.
When Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, they had to start working the land. It was harder than living in the lush Garden. Conflicts arose. One of their sons killed the other one, which set a bad precedent. About this time, I assume men and women began eating meat.
I don't think the basic fact changed -- that we humans were designed to live on fruit, vegetables, and nuts and seeds. The Paleo movement chooses to go back to a less-than-ideal diet that -- I believe -- we fell into like a bad habit.
Hey, I miss eating barbequed pork ribs, but I notice my digestion and my weight are not happy with that diet. We can get away with eating some meat, but not making it the main course as in the Standard Western Diet.
This all seems a natural function of having been forced to move in the distant past to Snow Country where for half the year, there were few vegetables to eat and we began to look at animals as something to eat.
Have you ever lived closely with pigs? Scientists say, and I believe it from experience, that pigs are as smart as dogs. In my book, there is very little difference in the mindset behind killing animals and killing other men.
All these decisions about doing unpleasant things to survive goes back to our moving to an inhospitable climate. So, why not move back to a more pleasant climate, where there are plenty of good sources of vegetable food?

Apr 25, Why Politicians Don't Want Us to Have Energy Drinks

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:53:06 GMT

Somewhere in Washington, DC, a group of politicians and bureaucrats are deciding how they can extract some protection money from the energy drink industry. Will they place a new tax on energy drinks?
One way or the other, they will make it more expensive for you and me to get the energy drinks we want. Whether it is a tax or just the cost of the drink makers having to defend themselves against congressional hearings and creating laboratory proof that their ingredients are safe for you and me.
They will say this is all about keeping young people safe, but it's not about that. Not really. It's about control and it's about finding ways to extract money from the public to fund their lifestyle.
Did you notice how quickly that story about the woman who killed herself drinking too much Coca-Cola disappeared? Nobody cares about outlawing Coke, even though daily use of it leads to overweight, diabetes risk, and bone fractures.
No, Coke, and other health-destroying food products are protected by making campaign contributions to the right politicians. They know how to play the game -- They pay protection money so members of Congress won't single their business out for higher taxes and economic strangulation.
For those of you who don't enjoy energy drinks, are you aware that similar negotiations are going on over your right to have free access to vitamins and other supplements? Vitamins have been proven beneficial over and over, but the Pharmaceutical Industry doesn't want you to be too healthy. (If we were really healthy, they'd go broke!)
And finally, Congress feels threatened if you and I find ways to have a lot of fun with few consequences. They don't want you to be thinking big, new thoughts. You might see through their tricks and stop cooperating with their money-sucking, freedom-hating foolishness.
There is one simple action step you can take to protect your access to energy drinks, medical marijuana, and vitamins and other supplements: Support Dr. Ron Paul in his campaign for President. He is the only candidate who will protect your freedom to be healthy, happy, and prosperous in any way you choose.
This video captures the feeling of what they don't want you to have - Freedom is still legal, isn't it?

Apr 24, Horseback Review of Celsius, XS Energy Drinks

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:03:46 GMT

A healthy energy drink is very hard to find. This is not the fault of energy drinks, per se, but the ingredients they are made with.
I thought I'd give you a quick review of 2 energy drinks that are widely advertised on the 'Net: Celsius, and XS Energy Drink. I call this a horseback review because I'm in a hurry and it only takes a quick look to find something that totally disqualifies an energy drink for my daily use.
I see that many visitors to this blog and Web site are also concerned about "energy drinks without sucralose" and other ingredients, so I know that's important to many of you reading this.
How horseback review came into my vocabulary, I don't know. It just describes the process to a T. Think of the old Western movies we American kids -- and some of you elsewhere -- were raised on. The Alpha Cowboy, maybe the Lone Ranger, rides up, reins in his horse and quickly summarizes the situation. He doesn't even get down from his horse before he tells the other ranchers what his assessment of their problem and a clever solution is.
(And No, I'm not the Lone Ranger -- anyone can make quick judgements about products when they have been studying and trying many energy products for many years. You learn what to look out for.)
So, when I look at Celsius and XS(the Amway brand), I see low calorie claims and even negative calorie for the Celsius and my antennae go up. I go looking for the ingredient list and sure enough, I find Sucralose in Celsius and both Sucralose and Ace-K(acesulfame potassium) in the XS.
In addition, for the XS energy drink, we find artificial colors, in particular Red #40, which I recall has a negative effect on some people with ADHD.
That's all I need to know. I'm not such a purist that I question whether the B vitamins are synthetic or from whole foods. I've found over forty years of taking vitamins that those that are used these days are of good quality and make me feel better than taking a whole food derived vitamin did. For most energy drinkers, this isn't an issue.
The final nail in the coffin for both Celsius and XS is that they only contain anhydrous caffeine, which doesn't give that long-lasing mellow buzz that guarana does.
It's a plus that these drinks avoid adding sugar, but producing sweetness with Sucralose and Ace-K is not a healthy way to go. Read Dr. Mercola for the dirt on Sucralose, especially.
The only two really healthy energy drinks I've found so far are ACT Energy and Rev3 Energy from USANA. I have linked further info about them to this post. I hope this helps you in your search for healthy energy!

Apr 23, Energy Drinks, Meat Add to Kidney Stone Risk

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:12:05 GMT

Kidney stones are extremely painful. I've been around a few people who have had them and their description of the pain gave me a lot of motivation to eat and drink in a way that would not cause them for me.
When I look at the amount of sugar in just one Monster 16 ounce energy drink -- and then I see the number of these that many young people go through in a day -- I see trouble in their future.
Just a quick reading of an article on kidney stones and sugar on the site DoctorYourself.com, shows very convincingly that sugar is indeed a major risk factor for Kidney Stones.
Interestingly, high meat consumption -- and I'm thinking fast food burgers that many young energy drinkin' dudes live on -- is also a major risk for a different type of stones.
Guys, in case you never took any anatomy courses, these Kidney Stones are hard and rough and sometimes not so little and they try to pass from your kidneys down through your urethra when you pee.
Women, who don't have such a long way for them to travel, tell me the pain is less than childbirth, but not by much!
A high Vitamin C intake tends to dissolve the stones,but we're talking 3-4 grams of the stuff, which most of us don't come close to. It makes more sense to me to limit sugar and meat consumption, while taking a good multivitamin daily to reduce the risk of ever having to get these surgically removed. (Especially on a weekend!)
One thing I figured out pretty quick when I was in my early 20's is that our American way of eating was very unnatural and was likely to give a person a lot of pain later in life. I don't like pain at all, so I figured it was easier to eat more carefully so pain wouldn't come to live with me later in life. (I'm really glad I made that decision, now that I'm 63.)
All I'm saying is, You can have a lot of fun with energy drinks, but the way to do that is to stick to a brand that keeps the sugar content as low as possible -- without using artificial sweeteners like Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium(Ace K), or Sucralose.
Drinking several Monsters, with 2 ounces of sugar in a 16-ouncer, every day or even occasionally, is just asking for trouble. Especially when you also eat a lot of ground beef, chicken, or other meats!
That's something to think about. Choose wisely what you run through your liver and kidneys -- and it will leave you free to have fun, without worry, for many years to come.

Apr 22, My Spring Road Test of AddieUp, ACT

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:07:01 GMT

Yesterday was the first gorgeous Spring day we've had, so I took my bike out for a ride. I try to stay in good condition all winter, but walking and trudging up steep hills on foot is different than the challenges and muscles used to bike those same hills.
This first annual longish ride was also a test of what effect, if any, my daily use of AddieUp would have on my physical fitness. I also learned whether my vegan diet was up to the task of powering my 63 year old body as well as it did last year.
The sport of bicycling is one of my greatest pleasures in life and also one big motivation to make sure my health continues to allow me to enjoy it for years to come. If I were to find out that something -- such as AddieUp or my daily reduced use of ACT energy drink -- was getting in the way of good energy output, that something would have to go!
I am happy to say that the road test went better than the last ride I did on that road in October, 2011!
I didn't get winded and generally had all the energy I needed to enjoy the ride, which takes me on the Oregon coast Highway over the Alsea Bay bridge, passing over about a hundred sunbathing seals below. Then I turn up Bayview Road and ride through mature forest overlooking the broad Alsea Bay.
A nice paved hilly road, with minimal local traffic, with nice overlooks to stop and catch some of that 64 degree sun! The breeze was light, which is not always the case here -- so the conditions were perfect. The further I road inland, the warmer it got.
There are some farms with a few head of cattle and big stands of trees that reminded me of Vancouver Island. Out toward the end of the pavement, after a long grind past big trees and rural homes with acreage, I was working the legs pretty hard. At the top I stopped to enjoy the sun and watched hummingbirds forage busily.
No complaints from my heart or my lungs; no lack of energy or enthusiasm for the task at hand. Today, I don't feel sore or tired, so I'm looking forward to put in some miles on another scenic road today, which is supposed to be over 70 degrees and sunny.
I will upload a picture of the road toward the top onto the Physical Fitness page I have linked below. It will give you some idea of where I went, but you won't experience the smells of the woods, the bay, and the wildflowers. If you enjoy recreational bike touring, get in touch and I'll show you some beautiful low-traffic roads that'll blow your mind!

Apr 21, Fast Forward to the Future With Coke

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:12:03 GMT

If I knew then what I know now is something oldsters like to say. There are ways to get a glimpse of what you should be doing now so that you won't end up somewhere you will be unhappy with in your old age.
Look for Extreme Bad Examples There is a young woman who developed a Coca-Cola habit of drinking about 2 gallons of Coke a day. She didn't look too bad in the picture I saw -- pretty average 30-year-old woman. Not even noticeably fat. But she's dead now at age 30.
The one thing that more than anything caused her death, according to a pathologist was hypokalemia -- an unusually low potassium level in her system, thrown out of whack by her poor diet and Coke habit.
(Check out the today's link, which shows a chart of energy drink ingredients -- ACT is the one with added potassium, which most of us need.) Here's the lesson to be learned from this -- It's all a matter of degree -- if you keep disturbing the finely-tuned chemical balance your body needs to keep you healthy -- you drink one or two Cokes or one of the many junk energy drinks every day for years, it will affect your health later in life.
In this gal's case, later in life came pretty soon.
You can use this kind of mental extrapolation to envision what any habit done over a long period will do to you. It is something I have used for years to help me choose what to eat -- and to push myself out the door to exercise when it was raining or snowing.
The important thing here is to learn to listen to your body. If you find yourself not feeling your usual perky self, take a look at what you have been eating over the past day or so.
One of the things I hear about the big name energy drink brands is that you get a quick, powerful rush and then you crash and maybe get a headache. I see many brands now including some guarana along with the cheaper anhydrous caffeine so that the energy effect lasts longer.
Why not choose an energy drink that uses nothing but guarana and green tea, so that you get a really long, stable feeling of energy? Go for the gusto, my friends!
Any smart person who is still drinking Coke, needs to re-think their drink. Coke was something I used to clean my battery terminals on my Austin Healey 3000 and my '57 Ford -- I lost my thirst for it when I saw what it did for corrosion!
Here's another thing: Why is U.S. Senator Durbin making trouble for energy drinks when junk like Coke is rotting kids insides out, and perfectly legal?

Apr 20, The Significance of 4/20 and Energy Drinks

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:21:29 GMT

The pattern of how drugs are taken from Nature, had their molecules tweaked and twisted enough to be patented and then sold to the public for high profits has become very clear. It is the modus operandi for the pharmaceutical industry and, really, for many large industries.
Recently, the first move toward possible outlaw status for energy drinks was made. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois has "fired a shot over the bow" of the energy drink industry, questioning the Food and Drug Administration why energy drinks are not under the same regulations that keep the caffeine levels low in U.S. soft drinks.
Now, I will be the first to say that most energy drinks are poorly made from a health standpoint, but it is ironic that our federal government has begun to put pressure on energy drinks, when pharmaceutical drugs, properly prescribed kill about 100,000 Americans a year.
It seems that any illegal drug can be made legal if the pharmaceutical companies tweak it, control all distribution, and get to jack up the price and make huge profits on it.
We have seen this with ADHD drugs in a particularly cynical situation. Meth is death, unless it comes under prescription from a Medical Doctor in a nicely starched white coat. In that case, it can be prescribed to children to make them straighten up and fly right.
Likewise, attempts to take one compound out of marijuana to produce Marinol have been approved by he FDA.
I have linked an article from NaturalNews.com about a similar process that is taking an herb with medicinal properties, Black Cohosh, and isolating one particular molecule that is believed to be useful in dealing with Alzheimer's Disease.
What does all this mean for the future of energy drinks? It may take a while to find out.
Here is what could happen -- my best guess at this early stage. You might need a doctor's prescription to get an approved pharmaceutical-made energy drink if the doctor verified your heart could take the excitement. All the non-approved brands would be regulated out of business, because, What would be the point of a lame energy drink that was no stronger than Coca-Cola?
If that happens, there might develop a black market for the original, stronger energy drinks.
I am very curious how this, will affect DrinkACT, which doesn't cause any of the problems experienced occasionally by those who over-do the sugary, highly caffeinated competition. I may decide to stock up, in case the DEA start going house to house searching for banned energy drinks.
As people young and old get together today to celebrate 4/20, they might consider that availability of banned substances doesn't change -- we just will see the price go up and a new Mafia begin fighting for a piece of the market.

Apr 19, Whitney Houston and the Real Drug Cartel

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:45:34 GMT

To continue on the theme that was such a hit yesterday, I bring you a video by Dr. Peter Glidden about the drug addiction that apparently killed pop star Whitney Houston.
Let me be clear that I have nothing personal against medical doctors. The problem lies at a much higher level of policy -- the mistaken policy that the remedy for most of our ills should be a pharmaceutical drug, not an herb or a nutrient -- and the ideal drug, from a business viewpoint is one we will take for life, like the statin drugs.
I have pointed out in a number of the pages on this Web site that nearly everything that MDs remedy with drugs can be reversed by diet changes and exercise. Diabetes, Type 2, or even heart disease and cancer are good examples.
Doctors will say, in their own defense, that the public cannot be depended on to stop eating so much junk food and begin a regular exercise program -- and there's a lot of truth to this. However, I don't believe they are trying very hard because they have a conflict of interests -- they are rewarded by their drug reps for prescribing the big-name drugs. The money is in managing a patient's drug use, not counseling them on their diet and exercise.
Things get a bit more sinister when it comes to prescribing drugs to "help" someone with anxiety or ADHD or depression. Drugs like Valium, as we learn from this video are more addictive than heroin -- and they make the original anxiety worse when you try to quit them.
This is where I dislike the almost-total control over the health conversation by what I call the Medical-Pharmaceutical Cartel. Any business wants loyal repeat customers, but when it is not in the best interests of the patient's health, there is an ethical problem.
My motive is to inform those who, like myself, are willing to do nearly anything to be healthy, if they only knew what to do. I have found some doctors who take a more enlightened view of their responsibilities to their patients and are willing to teach how we can help our body heal most of its own maladies.
My sense of the situation is that most MDs are only too quick to give up on lecturing their patients, especially drugged-up celebrities like Whitney Houston, and write out the prescriptions the patient thinks they need.
The general public, which is not whacked out on illegal drugs, might listen to healthier ways to cure their arthritis than to use Vioxx for one deadly example, if there wasn't such a push from advertising and MDs to go the pharmaceutical route.
A good place to start giving your body the nutrients it needs to be healthy is with Dr. Wallach's Colloidal Plant-based Minerals, linked to this post is info about them.

Apr 18, The One Thing You Need To Know About Your Health

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:36:50 GMT

There is a critical mistake many (most?) people make when thinking about their health. Since it is one of those things that everyone(almost) accepts on faith, we tend to think, "Ninety percent of my friends believe this; it's what we were taught in school; everybody's doing it; therefore, it must be true."
Here's the One thing you need to know about your Health -- Before anything else: You are in control of your health. You must be responsible for your health, and not surrender that responsibility to your doctor, unless you are sure he or she is also operating under this same basic premise.
Most people mentally turn their health over to their doctor -- and then, they go about eating what they see most people eating and drinking -- and why do most people do that? Most people eat the foods advertised by the most successful food marketing companies, the ones with the biggest budgets for advertising -- NOT the ones that make the healthiest foods!
Since you are reading this, I assume you have noticed, as I have, that most people have some terrible things happening to their body, as a result -- in most cases -- of what they eat. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's are all generally symptoms telling us that we're doing something wrong in our choices of what we eat.
Here's another Key Point: Most medical doctors are not trained under this paradigm. Most get very little, if any, training in nutrition. Their whole training at medical school and in practice is to know which pharmaceutical drugs to sell you and which surgical procedures can sort-of force your body to stop hurting you -- without asking you to change your diet very much, if at all.
Why is this? It's because Drugs, Tests, and Surgery are how they make their money. These are the AMA-approved treatments -- and any licensed doctor will get in big trouble if they don't prescribe the established treatment.
This video of Dr. Peter Glidden, Naturopathic Doctor, will explain this more fully. It is very important for your long-term health that you understand the average MD's business plan, because your life, literally, depends upon it!

Apr 17, Why Conventional Medicine Is Failing Us

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:45:36 GMT

Today I want to let you hear from Dr. Peter Glidden about why we have no cure for cancer in mainstream medicine -- and those who are actually curing the disease must practice medicine outside the USA.
People need to know this, though they may have a hard time believing that the truth has been kept from them. Why, for instance, are we still giving hundreds of millions of dollars every year to "find a cure for cancer" if there already is a cure?
The answer is one short word: Money.
This short video will tell you that and more.
I link this post to my page on Dr. Esselstyn's amazing proof that arteries can be cleared of cholesterol without surgery, as additional confirmation that we -- in the Western medical tradition -- are practicing medicine all wrong.

Apr 16, Look Good for June Wedding With AddieUp Diet

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:20:09 GMT

No need to get stressed worrying how you'll look for your June wedding, AddieUp has several advantages for dieters that can help you.
Waking up today, I opened Yahoo! News to see a woman with a feeding tube running up her nose, dripping nothing but protein and fat into her stomach. She paid a doctor $1500 for ten days of this ludicrous discomfort!
I've got a better, healthier way for you to lose weight -- Get a bottle of AddieUp delivered to your door for less than $50 per month and I will coach you on eliminating that excess weight you want to lose, if you order through one of the AddieUp banner ads on this site (Healthyplanetdiet.com).
One thing I have noticed about AddieUp is that my stomach is not as demanding about eating as often, or as much, as usual. Using this to your advantage solves half the problems usually associated with losing weight.
My formula for weight loss is very simple:
1) Eat Less
2) Exercise a Little More
3) Eat as much as you like of the healthy, non-fattening foods suggested on the AddieUp Diet page
The problem most dieters have is that they are trying to change long-established eating habits and they just don't have the energy or the willpower to win the battle.
This is where AddieUp -- or the ACT Energy Drink, if you prefer -- can help you change the habits that have caused your weight gain in the first place.
If you are ready to lose weight for an upcoming wedding, or simply so you can look good at the beach this summer, you can learn what you need to know to get started today on the AddieUp Diet page, linked to this post.
This offer of AddieUp is only good for those who live in the United States. The ACT Energy Drink can be shipped in powder form to most countries.
My offer of personal coaching must be limited to the first 10 people who order either the AddieUp or the ACT or BodyTRIM products. I will answer your questions, provide encouragement and guidance once a week by email for one month -- but Only for the first 10 people who order.
If you are serious about losing some fat, try the AddieUp Diet risk-free for one month. Use the Contact Me form if you have any questions.

Apr 15, Take Magnesium for Migraines

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:46:52 GMT

I saw a tip for migraine headache sufferers in an interview with Dr. Russell Blaylock, conducted by Mike Adams at NaturalNews.com this past week. In case you missed it, I thought I would share this.
It is very simple: If you occasionally get migraines, begin taking about 600mg of magnesium daily. I like to take my 800mg before bedtime -- not because I get migraines, but because it helps me sleep soundly, keeps me regular, and seems to prevent depression.
Dr. Blaylock has pointed out elsewhere how important magnesium is -- and that most people don't get enough -- so it is cheap insurance to keep us functioning at our best levels.
Another tip about preventing migraines that was revealed in the Natural News interview was to avoid Aspartame, which is a common artificial sweetener(AKA NutraSweet and the similar NeoTame)in soft drinks, chewing gum, and other "diet" products. It may be found in some energy drinks and even protein shake mixes, so be careful!
Aspartame, as Dr. Blaylock points out, is one of the worst excitotoxins and, along with MSG and all its related flavor-enhancers, should be avoided if you want your brain to continue to work when you're old.
(Dr. Blaylock, a neurosurgeon, has found strong evidence that Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ADHD, and ALS disease may be made worse by all the excitotoxins that are now present in our food supply.)
Many chelated forms of Magnesium will work. That's why I chose to recommend the Magnesium Malate by KAL. I wasn't able to get my usual Mag. Malate at my local store, but have been getting equally good (or better?) results from the Solaray 200mg caps I was able to purchase. It only took 2 capsules of their amino acid chelate to give me overnight relief.
Hope this helps someone who suffers from migraines, depression, or irregularity!

Apr 14, Tiny Qatar Shows Americans How To Get Health Totally Wrong

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:21:52 GMT

The nation of Qatar should attract our pity if they weren't so rich. Here is a tiny country with more wealth and more diabetes per capita than the USA that should be an example to us of what not to do.
In many ways, the Qataris are caught in the same comfortable prison I faced growing up in the culture of the Deep South: "Just follow this boring career-path and you, too, can end up old, sick, and dead before your time!"
"No, thanks!" I said as I ran off looking for the keys to health and freedom at age 18.
To their credit, the Qatari government is trying to educate their people about how to avoid Type 2 Diabetes, but it is very difficult to encourage the population to get outside and exercise in the 105 degree desert heat. Especially when they all have nice cars to take them to air-conditioned, comfortable fast-food restaurants where they can wile their time away smoking and eating and talking.
To compound their problems, Qataris live under a culture that has traditionally encouraged intermarriage between close relatives. This has made diabetes even more of a sure thing than a diet of fast food can make it!
The women of Qatar are kept in a cultural bondage even more restrictive than the men. Forced by their traditions to wear head-to-toe black robes to protect their modesty, they are even less inclined to get the exercise they need to stay healthy and thin.
Americans and other nationalities can learn many lessons from the suffocating cultural legacy the Qataris are comfortably imprisoned by. Freedom starts in the mind that senses that there is a better way of living somewhere -- and the determination to find it.
In many ways, people in the USA live in a low-security prison created by our affluence, just as the Qataris do. But trying to satisfy our innate human craving for freedom is made difficult by nonstop distractions force-fed us by our media, centered around tempting High-Def images of fattening foods to buy and the latest adventures of our reality TV celebrities, the Kardashians.
To learn how to be healthier, read this short article linked below -- and then don't make the mistakes that affluence can lead to.

Apr 13, What's In Store for Energy Drink Regulation?

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:27:02 GMT

It is too early to predict where this new push for stiffer energy drink regulations could go but I'll venture a few quick guesses today, while I gather more information.
The video clip below is from a Chicago FOX News station and they seem to be following along with Senator Durbin's talking points, playing up to parents' concerns over the safety of energy drinks. Sen. Durbin represents the state of Illinois and Chicago is his big power base.
What's the Worst Case Scenario?
1) The amount of caffeine in any energy drink could be reduced to soft drink levels. (Then, who would buy energy drinks?) The industry, which has been growing while soft drink sales have stayed flat, may be able to negotiate a little more caffeine content just to stay in business, but that remains to be seen.
2) If the energy drink companies must prove scientifically that each of their formulas are safe, that will be very expensive for them. This could put some of them out of business. Since most of the big soft drink companies are also making energy drinks -- and Coke and Pepsi, in particular, have a lot of clout -- it is hard to imagine they will be hurt too badly in this fight(but, you never know!)
3) Energy drinks don't have many friends in the Mainstream Media, which makes them vulnerable. Companies like Monster have been playing to the teen market with extreme sports promotions, and sexy chicks on their Web site, have been begging for this kind of regulatory crackdown -- and they, a smaller independent company, are likely to be hit the hardest.
4) This whole Kabuki Play is very well scripted. It's an election year. Chicago is President Obama's hometown and I expect Sen. Durbin, also a Democrat, is doing his part to make his party look like they're "protecting the children" -- always a popular theme with voters. The thing is, many of those who like energy drinks can vote, but will they?
Any type of prohibition will likely send kids in the direction of something even less healthy, like taking No-Doz and washing it down with Diet Coke. (I don't recommend it!)Stay tuned!

A 14-year old girl reportedly drank two Monster 24-oz. energy drinks in a 24 hour period and died.
One reporter(Scott Paulson of Examiner.com) gave this sketchy piece of information: "Though the amount of caffeine isn’t listed on the can of Monster, it has been reported that the ingredients include 480 milligrams of caffeine as well as other stimulants."
This brings up more questions than it answers. Was there an autopsy to determine if there were other substances in her body that might have caused her death?
Did she have congenital heart problems?
And the Big One: Does Monster even sell a 24-ouncer that contains 480 milligrams of caffeine?
Answer: It's hard to tell from their Web site. They have so many flavors and it is hard to tell how big the cans are. I'll go to my neighborhood convenience store to find the answer and report back to you.
Here is some bottom-line info that loose-talking Media Muppets are openly ignoring:
The Lethal Dose of Caffeine, according to Wikipedia, ranges from 80-100 cups of coffee for the average adult. It is safe to say that this 14 year old did not consume enough caffeine to cause a heart attack unless 1) she had a congenital defect in her heart; and/or Was also under the influence of other contributing factors.
Nevertheless, the news media never lets the facts get in the way of a profitable witch-hunt! There are all the elements in this story that raise the number of readers for the news media, so they're all over it -- except for asking the hard questions that the public needs to have answered to find the truth.
Another important fact pointed out by the American Beverage Association: 52% of those who came to the Emergency Rooms of hospitals -- reportedly for problems related to energy drinks -- were also under the influence of alcohol,prescription drugs, and/or illegal drugs.
Why this issue is being raised now is another question. I'm not in favor of stupidly extreme caffeine contents, either, but -- with so many more important issues affecting our nation -- I'm very suspicious of Den. Durbin's motivation for spending taxpayers' money trying to protect fools from themselves.

Apr 11, What Is In An Ideal Weight Loss Diet?

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:59:23 GMT

What makes an ideal weight loss diet work? I like simplicity -- less to remember, less to do. After looking at a lot of diets on the 'Net, it seems that a lot of diets claim to work on this principle of simplicity.
We're all super busy, so it's very appealing to buy a special green tea or some acai berry juice that has a good story behind it. Then we drink the tea for a while and not much happens. We're disappointed.
Strangely enough, Einstein had something to say that sheds light on the diet dilemma. He said something like, "We can never solve a problem in the same state of mind that we created it."
I remember the state of mind that caused me to crave fattening foods that were my crude, ineffective way of boosting my slow metabolism for a little while. Eating a pint of ice cream and/or some chocolate chip cookies -- or drinking a sugary energy drink -- were the only ways I had to get over the energy slump, but they ended up making me even more lethargic, as they added pounds around my waist.
More coffee wouldn't solve this energy slump. It was sugar or alcohol my body craved -- and while green tea or Hoodia cactus extracts are healthy, they just don't have what it takes to put me in a state of mind so contented that my cravings no longer existed.
Now, a lot of people in desperation have turned to obtaining Adderall or Ritalin for appetite control and there's no doubt they are effective -- perhaps too effective, just look at skinny Demi Moore.
Cocaine, Adderall, and other highly illegal stimulants demonstrate the principle I'm talking about -- of making uncontrollable cravings for food a non-issue. They work, but they are very hard on the body, expensive, and not necessary. Using these substances to help you follow a weight loss diet is like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly. There is a better tool for the job!
To successfully lose weight, I have found you need 1) something that reduces your appetite and lets you feel content; 2) something that gives you the energy to go burn some calories; and 3) something that will give you the willpower to eat what you know you should.
I found these benefits in the ACT Energy Drink and their BodyTRIM drink, but recently I have found the new herbal cognitive-enhancement pill AddieUp to be even more effective. Click on the link to learn more about the ideal weight loss diet.

Apr 10, Is Your Dream Job Causing You Stress?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:59:33 GMT

Today's blog title comes from a question submitted by a reader who wondered if a "dream job" could be causing stress.
My answer, without knowing the particulars, is a definite "Yes, it could."
In today's economy or actually, any economy, you are always vulnerable because your fate depends on the decisions your employer makes. Any time your fate is not firmly in your control, there is bound to be stress.
When you work for someone besides yourself, there is always the uncertainty that -- for some reason you may find irrational -- your job will be given to someone equally qualified in another country where they are willing to work for less money.
Your competition may simply be a younger person in your own office, perhaps a niece or nephew of the boss, who can be hired for less pay. You never know, until the axe falls and you walk in to a pink slip.
You may not want to believe this. It's easy to rationalize in your own mind how you are the best person for the job -- and you may be right -- but it is not your decision to make. For any of a thousand reasons, your employer may decide to give your Dream Job to his or her worthless son(or daughter). And, for you, it's GAME OVER.
This is why it's always good to have a second source of income, something you really like to do and are good at, that can take the place of any outside "job" you hold.
Today, with the Internet, this is easier than ever. And, frankly, it's necessary so that you won't be feeling this psychological vulnerability that naturally exists when your income depends on someone else.
The big money and the tax benefits go to the person who starts their own business. The simplest and lowest risk ways to do this are by either joining a well-chosen network marketing business or by writing short e-books on your hobby or profession and publishing them on the Kindle platform.
The people I worry about are those who are unemployed and are taking out loans to pay for training in some career where they think they will be able to find a job. Going back to school and saddling yourself with debt, based on the hope that there will be a job waiting for you is one of the biggest gambles I can think of!
Stress is not good for your health or your peace of mind, so it is wise to have a stable "job", but also be working on your own business venture on the side so that you're covered with a Plan B if your employer does something unexpected.

Apr 9, Things You Can Stop Worrying About

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:23:18 GMT

You can stop worrying about the honeybee colony collapse disorder because they have found the cause. Was this keeping you up at night? The answer is in NaturalNews.com today, if you want to know.
The bad news -- apart from the death of our food supply at some future date -- is that we can't do much about it. Yeah, sure, we can petition the government to rein in one of their biggest campaign contributors, the pharmaceutical industry, which makes the poison sprays that are killing the bees we depend on.
Worrying about the many things that are reported in the news is useless and unhealthy. About all you or I can do about the honeybees is to support organic farmers and maybe buy some farmland far from any farmers who use sprays or that raise GMO crops(another possible cause of dying honeybee colonies.)
Here's another thing you won't have to worry about: I read in the news last week that Coffee is no threat to health. Whew! After people have been drinking the stuff for thousands of years, we finally decide it's not bad for us!
We could hope that Energy Drinks are now safe, too, but I'm sure someone is still trying to prove there is some scary problem with them. (My advice is to keep the sugar levels low, choose one with no artificial sweeteners, colors, preservatives, and that uses Guarana, yerba Mate, or green tea -- like ACT Energy Drink has -- and you'll be fine.)
In other, more positive news, energy drink sales grew 14.4 percent in 2011, so we won't need to worry about having enough energy for a while. Energy shots are also growing in popularity. I will venture to predict that energy strips and pills, like AddieUp, will become major plays as the market matures and seeks to get away from paying so much for sugar and water.
Finally, I heard a new non-drug, natural solution to remedy
Major Depression: Take 3 grams of Niacin which can be purchased inexpensively at your vitamin shop or natural food store. This will, no doubt, give one a wicked flush of blood to the skin, but it is otherwise harmless. I'll let you know what I think when I try it.
With so many things the news agencies want us to worry about, it is wise to remember that you attract to yourself the thoughts you spend the most time thinking about. So, "Don't worry -- Be happy!" Do what you can to make things better for you and those around you -- and then stop worrying!
The link today gives more natural ways to cure Major Depression without drugs. Sunshine, outdoor exercise, Omega-3 oils, and good sleep are much more effective than Prozac.

Apr 7, Does Anyone In America Die From Old Age Anymore?

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:08:23 GMT

I recived the question in the headline from the search query someone used to find my Web site. It's an interesting question that sheds some light on a trend I've noticed myself while reading the obituaries.
The trend I've seen is for a surprising number of people dying in their 40's, 50's, and early 60's. Often the cause -- when it's listed -- is cancer or heart disease.
What is really surprising is the number of people who were well-educated professionals, business owners, and even doctors who would have had access to the best health care, appeared to be of a healthy weight, and were probably non-smokers.
Now, I will admit this is a totally unscientific survey, but I bring it up to make a point. Here in the U.S., we put so much value on having access to single-payer health care like most of the developed countries have, and yet it doesn't seem to do those who have it much good when measured by the standard of healthy longevity.
The problem, I believe, lies in our system of medicine. Those who have access to "free" medical attention tend to take more prescription drugs and get talked into more surgical procedures than those who don't. Drugs and surgeries generally wear the body down and often cause weight gain, low energy, depression -- just as side-effects of the drugs commonly used.
Medical mistakes, including drug interactions and mistakes and infections picked up in hospitals, are the third largest causes of death in the U.S.! My strategy is to stay as far from hospitals and doctors as possible.
Most of what doctors today do is catering to the inherent laziness of Americans. Got blockages in your coronary arteries from what you've been eating and lack of exercise? "Here, we'll ream out your arteries on the operating table so you won't need to change any of your unhealthy habits! It will only cost $80,000, but your insurance will pay most of that."
Got a speck on cancer in your prostate? Let the doctors operate on it, even though it won't kill you in most cases!
Got high blood pressure? Don't like to exercise? Don't want to change your diet? "No problem! your doctor can give you a pill (that may also make you impotent, tired, and gain weight)o take care of it."
There are some people here still dying in their 90s and beyond, people who still true to their country roots, more independent, and less likely to go to the doctor for every little sniffle. My generation -- the Boomers -- grew up with fast foods, soft drinks, and the automobile. We, generally, are very different than earlier generations who used to die in their sleep of "old age".
In this casual video, I discuss another possible cause for the deaths of those with good health care and apparently good health habits -- Vaccinations.

Apr 6, Does 5-Hour Energy Do What It Says?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:23:24 GMT

Does 5-Hour Energy really deliver what it promises? I've read mixed reviews, with too many adverse reactions. From reading the ingredients, I don't choose to try it for several reasons -- #1)The ingredients don't offer a quality buzz; #2)It's overpriced; and #3)I have healthier ways to get a longer-lasting buzz for $1.
What does interest me about 5-Hour Energy is the size and demographics of its market. The latest figures for the year ending August 2011, showed 5-Hour commanding about 90 percent of the almost $1 Billion spent on energy shots, excluding sales at Walmart!. Now that's impressive, but the product is still junk.
What interests me even more is the crowd of people who use 5-Hour Energy shots: Office workers, women, and people over 55. This is a much broader market than the 18-34 year-olds who prefer energy drinks.
What I bring to this discussion of energy shots and drinks is a familiarity with most of the ingredients, what they do -- not just for 5 hours, but over months of daily use -- and I can help you avoid falling into a rut when there are better energy options that most people haven't heard about yet.
Although it's been hard to tell the younger generation about better quality energy drinks, the computer programmers, sales reps, and even the top managers who may be using 5-Hour are in a better position to understand and want a cleaner, clearer buzz, without the physical distractions caused by the cheap ingredients of something like 5-Hour Energy.
In the competitive business jungle, it is all about substances that increase our performance. Not flavor, not big-breasted bimbos adorning the maker's Web site, not NASCAR team sponsorships. It's about finding a product that will make us smarter, sharper, more alert and still relaxed -- without any let-down or crash.
This is where AddieUp is poised to take a big bite out of 5-Hour's lunch! I am pleased to be helping so many smart people find a better, healthier, longer-lasting, and less expensive alternative to 5-Hour Energy.

Apr 5, Free Health Care and Retirement Income

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:13:44 GMT

The two greatest needs my generation -- the Baby Boomers(and really anyone, of any age) -- has is to learn how to preserve and improve their health and to find a dependable source of supplemental income, so they can enjoy a comfortable prosperous retirement.
"Working until we cannot physically work anymore" is not a realistic option, though many of us kid about it. Many good, hard-working people have lost 40 to 70 percent of their savings in the stock and housing markets and they are looking for a safe way to restore their losses, so they can retire.
In the pages of this Web site, I have already given you the secrets of how you can have "free" health care. Healthyplanetdiet.com is essentially a "Do-It-Yourself" manual, with references to Doctors who have written books on how to prevent and reverse heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, clinical depression, and diabetes by changing our diet, getting on a regular exercise program, and supplementing our diet.
President Bill Clinton is listening to the advice of one of these doctors, with good results!
I suspect that many who read this skimmed right over these instructions because: 1) They don't want to change the way they like to eat; 2) They put their faith in medical doctors who, they believe, can put them on a prescription that will solve any problem(How's that working out?); 3)When all else fails, they can go in for surgery to get a new knee, coronary artery, or to remove a cancer. All of this assumes they have insurance and nothing goes wrong -- and medical mistakes are the #3 killer of Americans.
So, much depends on where we put our faith. If we put our faith in doctors, drugs, and surgery, we go down one path, blindly trusting it will all work out. Often it doesn't, as my mother, my college room-mate, and many others found out too late.
If you take nutritional supplements(or even drink coffee or energy drinks) -- and I believe everyone should -- you can turn the money you spend on them into a source of unlimited retirement income. I learned about this source of income twenty years ago when I was employed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, helping find re-employment options to set up minimally-skilled workers in small businesses. I became fascinated with this unique American-invented business model, studied it, and found it works.
A couple of 27-year-old friends have already retired with a six-figure income, using this simple system. It's working for me, too.
I am out of space today, but if you want to learn how this "retirement income" program works, contact me at the link below. It is simple and risk-free.

Apr 4, How To Prevent Or Stop Cancer

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:36:35 GMT

How to prevent of stop cancer in its tracks is the subject I'd like to talk about today.
Our body, if properly nourished and maintained with rest, exercise, and stress relief, has its own mechanism to defeat rogue growths of cells, such as cancers. The problem is, most of us don't eat enough of the "Good Stuff" and we eat too much of the "Fun Stuff".
Our immune system has grown weak from neglect, so what do we do about this? If the typical medical practitioner finds even a tiny mass of cancer cells, their first reaction is to get us onto some combination of radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery -- all of which further weaken our natural immune system!
It is as if they are trying to "finish us off". As has often been said, "I the chemo doesn't kill you, the cancer will." And the reality is that what medicine likes to call "curing cancer", only allows the patient 5 more years before the cancer comes back and they die.
Mainstream medical protocol for cancer doesn't encourage any improvements in your diet, they usually discourage you from taking vitamins which they claim "interferes with the action of the chemo", and everything they do further weakens your immune system. They are working against the body, not with it.
Rather than encouraging the patient to do what would have helped their body repel the cancer in the first place, the medical establishment takes the patient further and further along a path from desperate measure to even more extreme measures which have a poor record of success. All the while, your bank balance is being drained, as is your immune system.
It is unfortunate that doctors and hospitals typically get paid, whether they kill us or they heal us. Like auto mechanics, they go about taking this part out -- and if that doesn't solve the problem, they try something else. The average person is so afraid and knows so little, that they just trust the doctor knows what they're doing.
Check out this video trailer of the movie Food Matters to learn some innovative nutritional strategies to re-empower our body's natural immunity against cancer. You may be able to get the full-length version from your library.

Apr 3, Dr. Oz Adderall Herbal Substitute AddieUp

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:03:54 GMT

Dr. Oz did a fine series on the Adderall Epidemic and what it does to the body. Adderall must be very appealing to the many Americans, especially women who are trying to work a job, raise children, be a good Mom -- It's a huge task and they have tried everything it seems(except quitting eating the traditional fattening foods per the Healthy Planet Diet), so it is very tempting to turn to a pharmaceutical remedy like Adderall.
So, in the unique American tradition of believing "We can have it ALL!", they turn to a pharmaceutical pill that will appear to give them everything they wanted...and more!
I believe this is a Faustian "making a deal with the Devil". There is a price the Devil makes us pay and that price is paid in US Dollars, addiction, and in our long-term health and sanity. But we don't think of these things immediately -- We're so happy to have all these benefits of boundless energy, easy weight loss, a sharper mind, and self-confidence.
We go through what experts in addiction call The Honeymoon, where everything is hunky-dory and life couldn't be better. During this period the physical shackles of addiction are quietly locked in. We don't notice because we're so euphoric.
In my crusade against this stealthy process the Pharmaceutical Industry is happy to lock people into -- for life, or until they come to their senses and say, "This has begun to SUCK!" -- I have had some interaction with those who defend Adderall like one might defend a lover. They will forgive her anything, but please don't say anything that will cause them to lose her!
Never fear! I am fully in favor of your freedom to have access to any substance you want. I'm not out to make Adderall illegal -- I'm just here to say that, when you're tired of being addicted to something that is physically destructive to your health, your looks, and your body, I'd like to show you an herbal alternative that will give you the benefits without the penalties.
I'm talking about AddieUp, of course.
It is useless to argue with addicts to anything! They will defend the substance, blind to its faults, and even become violent or devious to get what keeps them "Feelin' Alright". So, don't bother to argue with them -- It's useless!
I'm just saying, when you're ready to get off Adderall -- or you want to get your child off pharmaceutical amphetamine compounds -- you can try AddieUp, risk free. Decide for yourself, click the AddieUp banner on the page linked below.

Apr 2, Health Care Cannot Replace Self Care

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:13:00 GMT

Let's think today about the American health care system -- such as it is -- and its chances of avoiding financial collapse long enough to maintain citizens alive today in reasonable comfort until the end of their lives.
Just from a commonsense point of view, without some firm caps on individual spending limits, I don't see how any nationalized health care program (such as Obamacare, now being decided in the Supreme Court)can afford to pay the virtually unlimited sums that could be spent to try to keep up with the damage people are doing to their internal organs by the way they eat, get too little exercise, too little sleep, and too much stress.
With one-third of the population of the USA obese, and another third classed as "overweight", just the cost of treating the potential cases of Diabetes Type 2 that are likely to arise will bankrupt the entire system.
To this, we can add in all the cases of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and care for those incapacitated for years by Alzheimer's and other types of dementia -- then factor in the exorbitant, escalating cost of drugs, hospital stays, surgery, and high-tech diagnostics -- it is clear that "health care, after-the-fact" cannot possibly provide humane care for a growing population that doesn't know how to eat(or live) to stay healthy.
I just watched half of a PBS show about some of the creative ways local communities are implementing to provide quality health care for everyone -- and I am encouraged. This is local-based care provided in Western cities like Grand Junction, Colorado and Seattle, WA. (http://video.pbs.org/video/2198039605/)
This is definitely not the type of care generally offered in Miami, where the philosophy seems to be, "I've got my med-school loans to repay, so how can I increase my billings?" I have read about a lot of Medicare fraud that comes out of Miami, too. But there are communities where physicians are actually spending time with patients and trying to provide appropriate care at the lowest cost -- which could help bring this nation back to health if coupled with a national educational program about how to eat for health.
I don't hold out much hope for a national health care plan because it will be designed by a group of for-profit corporations advising a group of government bureaucrats, who are enthralled by the money being earned by their fellow administrators on the for-profit side of the table. In my mind's eye, I see a flock of vultures circling around a dying, corpulent man, waiting for him to stop moving.
Below is a cartoon by one of these Ivy-League ivory-tower economists who assure us that it's all going to work out well, but when it doesn't they are nowhere to be found. It is amusing, but I encourage you to keep eating and exercising in ways that minimize your future need for health care. That's my plan!

Apr 2, The PR Campaign to Sell GMO Foods

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:41:18 GMT

It has become very difficult to determine the scientific truth about issues these days. Slick-talking self-promoters can write a book, get on the right talk shows, be interviewed by doctors who agree with their agenda -- and soon, the public accepts that person as an expert, without knowing for sure if their claims are based on solid premises.
On the other hand, any billion dollar industry can throw together a group of university scientists and underpaid professors, register as a ".org", throw up a Web site and begin a slick campaign like "Sweetsurprise.com" telling the public how safe High Fructose Corn Syrup is.
Of course, I'm referring to Jeffery Smith, when talking about the self-proclaimed expert on Genetically Modified (GM) foods. Dr. Mercola, who does much fine work, I feel is a little too loose sometimes in checking the credentials and the facts behind positions he takes. I was about to bring you a video of Mercola interviewing Smith, but I want to give you some original reasoning that is beyond dispute.
I don't need to know everything about how genes from other species are inserted into our food crops to know I don't want to eat GMO foods.
I don't need to read biology textbooks to know that I don't want to eat foods that are repeatedly drenched in Roundup and perhaps pesticides, too.
I have worked in commercial, non-organic, agriculture -- I have seen the all the evidence I need to make a point to avoid eating sprayed produce if I can avoid it.
I don't need to figure out which "scientific expert" I can trust to know whether or not my eating GM corn chips is going to turn my lower intestine into a pesticide factory, as some reports have claimed.
These are all interesting questions, but, while I want to protect my health from what may be dangerous GM foods, I also want to have a life.
So, I have a simple rule that allows me peace of mind from all these worries about my foods: Eat only certified organic foods -- or, better yet, foods I grow myself.
Now, I realize our government, which we pay to protect us from food-borne illness, refuses to require producers to label what foods contain GM organisms. I can't do anything about that. These administration officials are obviously in the pay of the trillion dollar food industry(campaign contributions?)or perhaps are hoping to get a plum job from Monsanto when they leave the revolving door at the Food & Drug Administration. Either way, Divine Justice is inescapable!

Mar 31, Sugar IS Toxic

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:43:30 GMT

The American TV program "60 Minutes" is doing a special at 7pm April 1st, called "Is Sugar Toxic". It features the work of Dr. Robert Lustig, who I have written about on this site. I hope you can watch it.
They are making the case that sugar is what cancer cells prefer to feed on -- and Americans now consume n average of a half pound of sugar a day! This is crazy.
This is what I've been trying to warn energy drink users about, but few seem to listen. Cancer is a terrible price to pay -- and a sugar buzz is not worth it, anyway...so get smart and live a longer, healthier life.

Mar 30, Are You Ready for the Truth About Your Health?

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:44:29 GMT

I would like to help you sort out questions you have about your health, but I have only a vague idea of your questions. So, I can only put out general information and occasionally info about topics that come up in your search queries.
I sense that you don't trust me enough to leave a comment. That makes it hard to know what you want to find out.
So, today, I will give you the basics:
* Refined sugars(especially HFCS), meats, and dairy products are a big part of any health and weight issues you may be having.
* Tiny amounts of flavor-enhancers like Aspartame, MSG, hydrolised vegetable protein, contained in most processed foods, cold cuts, fast foods and snacks are the hidden reason why you may have an uncontrollable appetite.
* Stick to real, homemade foods or foods like Ezekial bread where you know there are no unwanted ingredients, and no meat or dairy products and many health issues will clear up.
* Energy drinks, used in moderation and with intelligent formulation(low sugars, no artificial ingred.) are nothing to worry about. Same with AddieUp -- both are not to be used as a substitute for sleep and healthy eating.
By eating real foods, like fruit, vegetables, grains, beans, squashes, sweet potatoes, etc., you will be supporting the new farm economy that is producing healthier food organically, not laced with chemicals which are some part of our many health issues.
* Getting our protein from animals is very damaging to the environment and hard on our animal friends, plus it exposes us to some terrible diseases from fecal contamination usually.
I don't make this stuff up. I bring you stuff that has worked for me for 40 years, stuff I have gathered from medical doctors who see that our drug-based sickness-care system doesn't work and are willing to tell you the truth.
If you are young and open to listening, I would like to help you extend your youth as long as possible. There are many traps laid for you to sell you products that will hurt your health. I would like to help you avoid the sad loss of health my generation has suffered, if you will let me.

Mar 29, Aspartame

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:36:38 GMT

Aspartame and the other excitotoxins(such as MSG) are some of the most dangerous ingredients in the many processed, packaged foods we may be consuming every day. They may taste great, but the after-effects are terrible.
Short-term memory loss and headaches are the least worrisome. The long-term damage to the brain and nervous system may explain major diseases such as Parkinson's, and the prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease.
Then, too, there are the tumors that have been caused in laboratory animals during the testing of Aspartame. This is serious stuff. Please watch this video of Dr. Russell Blaylock on the dangers of Aspartame to learn more.