Natural Health Blog

Sep 3, Did You Know...?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:15:31 GMT

Did you know that what is marketed as 1 and 2 milk actually contains 13 and 23 fat? When you subtract the water, 13-23 of the solids are milk fat. The milk solids are all that counts, anyway. Amazing, huh? I learned this at Dr. McDougall's Web site, which has lots of useful vegan dietary info. See the link below for more about Anti-aging.

Aug 31, Thoughts On Foodie Porn (a slight re-run)

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:16:39 GMT

One of the subjects I haven't had a lot of time to research is the demonization of grains as a food source by the Paleo Diet people. (I realize that some folks are allergic to gluten, but there are other grains without gluten.) I was thinking of the Paleo-diet clan when I came up with the title of this post. Like the late Dr. Atkins' Diet, the Primal Blueprint(tm) gives the public what they want -- a nice, comfortable rationalization for doing pretty much what they wanted to do, anyway, which is eat meat and kill animals, fish, mollusks and whatever they can find. (Or pay someone else to do the hunting, while they work in their air-conditioned cubicles.) In this time of uncertainty and increasingly cataclysmic financial/social change, it must be reassuring to imagine yourself as a hunter-gatherer, roaming the aisles of the local supermarket, collecting slices of buffalo and free-range emu for dinner. What puzzles me is the Paleo advocates' hatred for something that I find so wholesome: whole grains. Without settled cultivation of vegetables, tubers, and yes, grains, we could spend 90 of our time hunting for animals, and the rare bits of vegetable matter to sustain us. There would be almost no time or energy left for any of the higher intellectual pursuits that humanity can excel in. It just seems to me to be insane to idolize (and merchandise) this kill-to-live mentality in a world armed with nuclear weapons. Anyone with the insensitivity to kill gentle farm animals for food -- or pay someone else to do it -- can easily be talked into supporting war, it seems to me. We see proof of his daily in the news. It is obviously popular and profitable to give a large segment of the public a vision that justifies meat eating. To their credit, Paleo Diet advocates also promote positive concepts about the importance of cultivating a strong, fit body and the general avoidance of pharmaceutical drugs, but this is secondary to the advocacy of becoming a tribe of hunters and wild food gatherers. Like porn, it sells, but I wouldn't say it is healthy for us. We need to evolve as individuals and as a society beyond raising and killing animals for food. It's not good for the animals, for us, or for our environment

Aug 31, Books, CDs, and DVDs

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:36:47 GMT

Books, CDs, and DVDs to help you adopt a Healthy Diet Plan.

Aug 30, Some Interesting News Items

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:13:30 GMT

There are, as usual, some very key stories on NaturalNews.com today that help me make a point for my readers. One, is an article ("Fatty Foods Should Carry Official Health Warnings") that shows the folks in the UK are also officially realizing that their citizen's diet and lifestyle are going to bankrupt their national health care system. Low-quality processed foods and a less-active lifestyle are creating for them a snowballing epidemic of diabetes for them, as they are for us in the USA. My take on the whole mess is that we all need to personally find better ways to feed ourselves than to rely on the junk that gets peddled to us on TV, magazines, and in fast food joints. Don't wait for the government to put a warning label on it. Here in the USA, our gov't regulators are fully infiltrated by consultants and policy board members who have financial ties to the giant milk and meat and processed food industries. So, it's hard to get them to officially say our popular foods are crap in plain language. Nevertheless, the spectre of government bankruptcy, which will give these career bureaucrats a pink slip, is causing them to question their loyalty to a food industry that is killing millions of unquestioning ignorant food consumers. The second article I'd like you to read is about our centralized agriculture industry and its dependence on dwindling resources like oil and potash. If we continue our highly wasteful -- and unhealthy -- meat and dairy-based diet, control of these substances will determine who will eat and who will go hungry on a massive scale. Of course, for organic gardeners, these are non-problems. It is only when you have millions of city-dwellers depending on only a few farmers to produce their absurdly rich diet that this stupid dependence on oil and potash becomes an issue. I write to warn intelligent individuals that we must arrange our lives to protect ourselves from these predictable shortages, higher prices, and increasing resource wars caused by our national preference for unhealthy diets of processed foods. Here is a quote that is refreshing to read: "Wealthier countries seem disinclined to adopt a more balanced, mainly vegetarian diet. In highly populated, fast-developing China, sudden unaffordability of food could cause a biblical catastrophe." There is no space here to deal with the big issues of world population and starvation. For now, I just wanted to bring these developments -- that health care systems will be overwhelmed by caring for the obesity-related diseases caused by our ignorance of healthy diet and exercise habits and that "the squeeze is on" to produce these cheap unhealthy foods with diminishing supplies of petroleum and potash. Protect yourself and your loved ones from the coming health and food crises by growing your own foods organically. The writing is on the wall, as we say.

Aug 27, "Let Food Be Your Medicine"

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:12:55 GMT

When Hippocrates, a Greek known as the Father of Medicine said "Let food be your medicine," food was real, not synthetic and laced with chemicals. What modern people in industrialized nations consider "food" is a monstrosity! It is polluted in so many ways and at so many levels now. You have to become an amateur scientist just to protect yourself from the poisons that are purposely and accidentally slipped into what we eat. A lot of people don't care, don't want to be bothered, and/or don't believe the long-term dangers of the micro-ingredients of the "foods" they consume. That is their right, if they choose to stay uninformed. My guess is they will be weeded out of the gene pool by dying or becoming so obese or otherwise diseased that they will not reproduce. (Sterility is becoming a real problem for about 25 of college-age men, I have read.) Unfortunately, those who are consuming -- knowingly or purposefully -- a long list of pharmaceuticals, excitotoxins, preservatives, genetically-modified-organisms, industrial pollutants, etc. -- may be producing a new generation of damaged children. Who knows what problems they will develop as they mature and contribute to the gene pool? The answer is to learn what you can to protect yourself from hidden additives in food and to prepare your own food from organic ingredients whenever possible. Growing your own food is a wonderful hobby and can be a lucrative home business with significant tax advantages. (If you want a good manual on organic gardening in limited space, visit our "Books, CDs, DVD's" page and pick up Brett Markham's "Mini Gardening".) I wanted you to see a video that hit on a danger I hadn't considered about aspartame. It is linked below (it's toward the bottom of the linked article). Check it out. Wishing you a healthy day!

Aug 26, An Adult Energy Drink

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:35:08 GMT

The adult energy drink is created for health and the sensibilities of discerning consumers.

Aug 23, Teens, Booze, and Energy Drinks

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:46:46 GMT

My insider sources tell me the new thing to use energy drinks for is to mix them with booze in the evening, at parties. I must confess, I've never done it. I will admit that -- many years ago -- we used to mix other stimulating herbal derivatives with drinking with devastating effects. It is a miracle I'm here to tell about it, no thanks to the booze. It is hard to be a teenager. They often don't trust adult wisdom, so they must find their own way through trial-and-error. Alcohol is one of the biggest challenges for anyone to learn to handle -- and, when you combine booze with stimulants, rational judgement goes out the window while self-confidence soars. Like the old adage, ("What do you get when you pour black coffee into a drunk? Answer: A wide-awake drunk!"), energy drinks make drinkers feel like they are being smarter than they are, with their judgement functions impaired by alcohol. It is hard enough to control the stupid things one might do when heavily under the influence of alcohol. Booze does some terrible things to your insides -- that's why we get hangovers as a reminder not to do that again. One fact about booze that deserves consideration is that, at some level, it is fatal. When your teenager mixes too much booze with their already raging hormones, they might be passing over the threshold to that "Big Party in the Sky". Obviously, you don't want that to happen. Hopefully, you have already developed an open line of communication with your teen (if you have one around the house)so you can, perhaps, give them some of your hard-earned wisdom on his difficult subject. If not, well...Good Luck! Teaching children to be responsible about drinking is the best insurance policy you can have against disaster. Prohibiting things probably will backfire -- in today's world, teens can get what they want one way or the other. The best thing you can do, IMHO, is to teach your children a respect for the miracle of a healthy body -- and to consider very carefully what they put into it. Learning moderation or total abstinence is more important than ever with temptations like energy drinks like "Sparks" and "Tilt" easily available to your children.

Aug 21, Trying to Reason With Cavemen

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:05:34 GMT

Yesterday, I decided to find out more about the latest diet/fitness craze, the Paleo Diet made popular by author Mark Sisson. It was like stumbling onto a group of Neanderthals sitting around the fire after a hunt! But I thought they should hear another point of view about about kindness to animals and the spiritual aspects of vegetarian living. Ha! they weren't having any of it! In a way, the Primal Diet strikes me as a new-and-improved Atkins Diet with a large component of physical fitness incorporated with it. One quote from a happy subscriber to this philosophy tells a lot about its appeal: "I can eat meat, and fat, and eggs in butter without the fear of getting fat again. I can be free free to eat, to run, to breathe, to live Primally." I appreciate Sisson's success and there are some good things coming out of this Paleo movement that are very similar to what I am trying to accomplish. Getting people off medications, getting them involved in preparing and even growing their own food, and adding a substantial fitness component to their lives are all good things that are very positive. Doing it while feeding on animals without concern for their lives is missing a lot of what separates us from our cave-dwelling ancestors. As I told them in one of my posts to their blog community, They are going against the flow of evolution toward a higher consciousness. But higher consciousness obviously is not of interest to cavemen. They flamed me pretty good! It was fun. Interestingly, Mark Sisson placed fourth in the Hawaiian Ironman triathlon, but a vegan Dave Scott won that same event six times. So this tells me that not eating animal products is no limiting factor in athletic excellence. In any event, it is interesting to find someone who shares some of the same interests and beliefs that I do, but who has diverged so radically from what I believe is the optimum diet for still-evolving humanity. Take a look at the discussion we had yesterday on his blog and make a comment, if you like.

Aug 19, The Cause of Prostate Cancer

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:25:12 GMT

Knowing the true cause of prostate cancer is critical to choosing the best treatment option.

Aug 17, Cancer Most Costly Disease

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:44:24 GMT

An article in USAToday points out that cancer, in terms of lost productivity, is the world's most costly disease. The UN prescription for dealing with this appears to be more money for treatment. "Tobacco use and obesity are fueling a rise in chronic diseases," says the article. "Lung and related cancers account for $180 billion of the $895 billion total. Smokers die an average of 15 years earlier than nonsmokers, the report says." Of course, the focus here is mainly on more money for treatment after the cancer has become noticeable. This is when it is most expensive to treat and least likely to have a happy ending. There is no mention in the article on preventing the disease by public education. The medical profession would be left out of the funding, if that were the case. It must be frustrating to be in the profession of public health when -- on the one hand, you have the tobacco and junk food industries pushing these dangerous habits on people with their monstrous ad budgets -- and on the other hand, most of the public health money goes to "treating" the diseases thus caused. To me, it seems totally crazy -- one group is making their big profits by causing disease and the other group is using the most clumsy and expensive ways to make their huge profits by treating the disease, after it is well along. And then those of us who try to point out how easy it is to avoid these self-inflicted diseases can get in big trouble if we say any nutrient can prevent disease, even when it is a proven fact! I know I am "preaching to the choir" when I say that the easy way to avoid lung cancer is to never take up smoking and to live where the air is clean. Likewise, a plant-based diet with a moderate level of healthy exercise, makes it so easy to avoid obesity. Would you please help me get the word out to people who care about their health? Prevention is so easy and so much more enjoyable than living with obesity and lung cancer, etc.

Aug 13, Just A Quick Post Today

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:24:16 GMT

The link below will take you to a very thought-provoking video about the direction our food supply is taking us. Is it a conspiracy, or just the result of dumb greed by a lot of very wealthy corporations? Either way, the results for those who eat this modern Western diet are the same -- obesity, illness, and premature aging. Check it out and see what you think!

Aug 13, The Strongest Energy Drink

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:11:47 GMT

Searching for the strongest energy drink is like holding out for the most beautiful mate.

Aug 12, Conversation with a Carnivore

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:52:17 GMT

I had a conversation about vegan diet at the checkout stand of my local natural foods store the other day. Looking back on it, there is much more I would like to have said. Two women behind me in line offered their comments on the necessity of eating animal foods. One, in particular, was in her Fifties and on the heavy side, told me with smug conviction that we should enjoy our food. I told her that I enjoy my food very much, but that didn't stop her condescending attitude that she knew better what I should be eating. Thinking back to it, I was struck by the assumed superiority that -- even though she would never have to kill the animal herself -- she had the right to take that cow or chicken's life to maintain her health (or so she believes). Interesting! I know that Dr. Mercola, whose views I usually respect, advocates the "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" thesis. I even took his free online test to determine which type of foods I should be eating and it recommended a high animal-protein diet for me! Just as a funny aside, I noticed on the recommended meats list, Mercola's test suggested I should be augmenting my diet by eating "peasant". (Has it come to that for high-income carnivores?) Looking back, it was obvious my smug omnivore didn't care much about what raising her animal foods was doing to either the animals or to the environment. As they say, "Ignorance is bliss". The young woman who runs the store took her turn at lecturing me on the need for some people to eat meat because she knew a doctor in a nearby city who did blood analysis that "proved" it. It may be true that some of the human race have adapted to eating a diet high in animal-sourced foods, but 1) I am not one of them, thankfully; and 2) I am not sure that this was a positive step in their evolution. I'll have more to say about this later. Finally, the fat and happy carnivore suggested I should read about Weston Price and what he learned in his search in the 1930s for the ideal diet. This appears to be the source of her self-satisfied attitude about meat-eating. I found this article that explains how the Weston Price message has been twisted over the years. See the link below.

Aug 9, Fosamax Warnings

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:31:08 GMT

Fosamax warnings about many long-term users having bones spontaneously breaking should concern the public.

Aug 9, Which Way To Go?

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:34:58 GMT

Often it seems we are buffeted by conflicting winds as we try to sail toward a healthier future. The status quo -- which the processed food industry wishes to maintain -- benefits from keeping us confused because for most people it leads to continued inaction. I saw a hopeful article recently that hinted that the new official recommendation for the USDA food pyramid diet would be for a move in the direction of a plant-based diet. Today, wouldn't you know, I can't locate that article. Sometimes I think I rant too much about the corruption of the FDA and the USDA, but when you read many of their official positions on their Web sites, they are clear in reminding Americans that we should be eating more vegetables, fruit, and whole grains and less animal protein. The problem is, most people don't even go that far. They are led around by the sweet messages of advertisers and the addictive cravings fostered by the MSG-laced foods themselves. It is hard to talk sense into an addict, as you may know. My belief is, they are not going to come around (if ever) until they are ready. My job, as I see it, is to reach as many as possible when they are ready to find a better way to eat and live. You can give the average processed food addict reasons for vegetarianism all day long, but until they are ready, they just won't care. Climate change, animal welfare, toxins in our foods, mad cow disease -- you name it, until something in them clicks they won't listen. But now, even the U.S. government may be beginning to realize that they had better start heading off the epidemic of diabetes they see coming. It will bankrupt them and they know it. A lot of factors are working in the favor of those of us who care about our health and that of our neighbors and the planet. The continuing downturn in the global economy, shortages in water, drought in Europe and Russia causing shortfalls of grain harvests -- all this may cause more influential people to look at what a waste it is to grow grains to fatten animals at a net loss of protein! Check out this article from VegSource.com, a fascinating site packed with supportive information:

Aug 6, Water Planets Are Rare

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:07:30 GMT

Water planets are hard to come by. Let's protect and cherish the one we've got.

Aug 6, Cancer-Preventive Mastectomy

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:52:32 GMT

Let's change our mindset about how we view the practice of medicine today. This is not a personal vendetta against doctors, but a discussion about general principles. One of my goals in life is to avoid the need for medical interventions, especially surgery. I believe it is very dangerous, particularly when you are unconscious and unable to say, Whoa! That's not the kidney I wanted removed!" Or whatever... It's mainly that I am not impressed with any group of highly educated people who would even seriously consider giving a young woman a preventive mastectomy when they haven't seriously looked into how cancer can -- I believe -- largely be prevented by better nutrition, exercise, et al. Most people put doctors on a pedestal. They have their strengths and their uses, but I approach them like I do poisonous snakes -- with great caution. My point is that doctors are, in most cases, franchised outlets for selling drugs, tests, and surgery. That's how they make their money. They know very little about nutrition, most of them, because their trainers believe there's no money in it. Doctors don't even live as long, on average, as their patients do, so what does that tell you? The take-away message I want you to have is that, for all the medical research that has been done, there is no less cancer occurring. And no cure has been found because, IMHO, they are looking in the wrong place. So, the burden of truth-telling falls on you and me. We must point out to the hypnotized public that the Emperor Has No Clothes! I will never donate to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer fund because, it is another(albeit well-intentioned) monster organization that is barking up the wrong tree. And gobbling up lots of money doing it! There are doctors right now who have a damn good idea of how to prevent and even reverse cancer, but they are oftimes persecuted by the FDA as "quacks" even though they have a track record of success. One book I read that made me more aware of the high-pressure sales techniques doctors use in selling cancer surgery is "Knockout" by Suzanne Somers. Whatever you think of her, if you read this book, you will come away with a better understanding of the way the cancer industry makes its big profits -- and it's not very flattering picture. I'm not endorsing Somers' diet, which includes plenty of meat -- and this, I suspect is her blindspot. If I was her and taking all the supplements she takes, I would be wondering, "Why am I getting cancer?" I recommend this for the dramatic picture of how docs and surgeons railroad patients into the operating room out of fear, like they did to my college roommate recently. He didn't survive the surgery. "Knockout" also contains lots of good resources -- doctors who are successfully treating cancer, if you ever need one. It's a worthwhile read.

Aug 5, Medical Boondoggles

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:46:24 GMT

I realize I am selling something the majority of Web surfers don't want: Health. If they had seen what I have seen in many visits to nursing homes and hospitals when I was young, they might want what I offer, but they haven't. And they probably don't want to even think about such unpleasant things. You, my small but loyal audience, already know most of what I have to say and perhaps want me to get on to the finer points of longevity and environment and animal protection issues. I'm sure I will, in due time. The other side of the coin is that, to the extent we can convert the average person to eat less meat and dairy foods, we are all benefiting the animals and the environment. This site is making progress in getting the message in front of new readers. We are #3 on Yahoo search -- right after WebMD for our major keyword. Several other first-page, even #1 rankings for other topics. You would think giving people a free way to avoid diabetes, heart disease, cancers, etc., would be attractive to them, but I am being outsold by the food and pharma industries. Frankly, I don't hope to reach everyone, but I do want to reach those who are looking for a clear solution to many serious health, ethical, and environmental problems. I believe we have it here. I see some major changes that may turn the tables in our favor -- changes in society which are pushing smart people to eat more vegetables and grow their own. I also see an overwhelmed sickness care industry about to collapse under its own greed, with our government being too weak to pay for the universal care they promised. In five or ten years, I expect many more people to be driven to find ways to eat healthier and to survive without impossibly expensive medical care. That is going to make this message more palatable to more people. My challenge is to be able to keep this site up and growing. I will soon be offering a "Recommended Reading" page and I will install a PayPal donation option. I plan to find items you may want, such as water filtration units. Any suggestions? I write this at 5:52 am before I go off to do some back-breaking, mind-numbing work to be able to keep this site going and keep a roof over my head. I would prefer to be spending my day researching new subjects and being in a position to respond to media requests for interviews when I send out a press release. With your help, I'd like to take this message before a lot more people. Colloidal minerals anyone? Books? Thanks for any help you can give to this cause.

Aug 4, Growing Up

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:19:28 GMT

Growing up in the 'Fifties was wonderful. The country was booming. Families could prosper on one income, leaving Mom (usually) home to raise the kids. We used to take lots of weekend driving trips in our '55 Buick. We even drove out to California from our home in Miami to see the just-opened Disneyland! Things were a lot different then. Cokes were five cents and they were tiny compared to today's Giant Gulps. Fat people were rare, especially in my school. Oh, I ate my share of sugar and all the deep-fried Southern cooking specialties that gave both my grandmothers diabetes and eventually heart attacks. The thing is, I grew up and gave up those fun foods -- the barbequed pork ribs, the fried chicken, and roast beef, because I saw them for what they are. I found out there were delicious alternatives that were healthier when I lived with a Quaker family in New Hampshire. Real food comes from the garden and seldom from the store. Real food makes us healthy for the long haul; the dressed up stuff that comes in a box does not. Most of our fellow citizens know, at some level, that what they eat is not the healthiest thing they could eat, but it is reassuring -- a familiar reminder of happy carefree childhood days, even though they are grown up now. The thing is, some of us have chosen to grow up and change our childish ways. We know what is in those "harmless" sugary treats and we know what goes into the milk and meat products. We know the cost to the environment and we don't want to add to it. We also see where that food leads us, healthwise. I see a lot of the older generation and many folks my age driving around, re-living the dreams of their youth -- the old-folks driving giant RVs with bumper stickers that say, "We're Spending Our Kids' Inheritance" and the grey-haired Vietnam Vets living their Easy Rider/"Rebel Without A Cause" fantasy roaring by on Harleys. Living in a fantasy world is a lot of fun, as long as it lasts. My advice, if you want it, is that it is a bad strategy to live in a fantasy concerning your health. "Comfort food" is a poor substitute for the real pleasure of being healthy and slim. I believe most of my subscribers already know this, but please tell your friends and loved ones.

Aug 3, Junk Food = Junk People

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:52:18 GMT

I just watched a video by Mike Adams at NaturalNews.com called Genopocalypse. The subject was epigenetics, or how what we eat causes our genetic information to be expressed differently. His main point was that infertility rates are skyrocketing, perhaps due to our junk food diet, and that in the future -- if you want your kids to be able to carry on the family genes, you should be eating real foods now. That's fine, as far as it goes. I am more concerned with a trend I've seen over the past fifty+ years where it seems we're developing a lot of dumbed-down semi-mutants. Part of it is the decline in our educational standards. Part of it is an anti-intellectual culture of ghetto-rap-thug music and the glorification of this mentality(as well as the skinhead reaction to it). But, according to neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, a big part of what is happening in society is caused by the flavor-enhancing chemicals added to our foods to make us eat more and to give us "diet" sodas and diet energy drinks(excitotoxins). Dr. Blaylock cites an experiment that showed that rat mothers who ate a diet laced with excitotoxins while pregnant had babies who appeared normal at birth, however as they matured they never were able to learn more complex behaviors that normal rats could. Might this be a factor in why we are seeing so many children with learning disabilities now? If pregnant women are eating almost any processed food or drinking diet sodas, they are getting lots of excitotoxins. Then, when their child is born, it is not uncommon to give them formula which is loaded with MSG-type flavor enhancers and high fructose corn syrup(just to fatten them up). From personal experience, I know how even the better brands of canned soup and salad dressings, etc., bring dramatic mood changes, headaches, and other negatives. I suspect this is part of the reason we see kids with a permanent "attitude-problem", kids who are unreachable, unteachable. The way we are eating will affect the quality of the minds we will depend on to make wise choices for the future. This is one more reason why we need to be eating natural, organic(if possible), whole foods. Watch the Blaylock video linked below when you have some free time. It is worth it.

Aug 2, Health for the Hard Core

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:30:01 GMT

One of the most enjoyable projects I ever took on was promoting mountain biking in a little, out-of-the-way, down-on-its-luck, logging community here in the hills of Oregon. I had just landed the job of economic development director for the town, so I had access to grants and a little bit of power. With the help of a few community-spirited folks and the hard core mtn. bikers from a nearby college town, we put that town on the map as one of the top venues for mtn. bike racing in Oregon within 3 years. In the 17 years since that time, the town has gone on to be a destination attraction for many human-powered outdoor sports. New businesses have opened and many young families and older active retirees have chosen to move there as a result. I am trying to bring the lessons I learned in bringing that little town to national attention as I build the Web site, also focused on another hard-to-sell concept: Doing what's right, rather than what is momentarily pleasurable. Promoting vegetarian diet and exercise may not be what the majority of people on the Web want when they seek to lose weight, but it is what they need to hear. To me, it is so obvious what we need to do to end the trend to obesity, to stop wasting oil growing good protein to feed to a captive bunch of animals which pollutes the environment with toxic manure and yields a net loss of protein for food. It is just insane the way we're living -- and it's time for this trend to reverse direction. There are many more established sites promoting vegetarian and vegan living, but their message is not getting across to enough people. As a promoter, I am challenged to do it better -- and I am gratified by your support, leading to steady upward moves in our ratings. We have an important message for people, one that they aren't getting from the mainstream media. Health takes steady effort. Wise dietary choices require that we reject most of the polluted foodstuffs that are seducing people into losing their youth, good looks, and health far too soon. I welcome your suggestions for topics to cover, as well as submissions of short articles, weight loss stories, etc. Help me to do something great with this Web site. The link below is an inspiring video of an underdog who is winning.

Aug 1, For Women Only

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:31:19 GMT

A woman named Natasha just approached me with an offer to share links with her site, which I am really excited about. Her site, RealWomanCentral.com, is new and beautiful and I see this as an opportunity for my female readers to help expose other women to some of the ideas that are important to you all. Or just make RealWomanCentral your own place to chat with other regulars from HealthyPlanetDiet.com Who knows where this will go? I've been thinking a lot lately about what the mission of this site is. One of the thoughts that came to me was that my mission is to show as many people as possible what a huge package of benefits a plant-based whole foods diet presents all of us, our animal friends, and the planet itself. Women, especially in their role as mothers, are the guardians of the future in the way they can shape their children. So, it's very important to reach these natural networkers with some fresher and more accurate idea-viruses than the Mainstream-Media are pitching. RealWomanCentral.com has placed a prominent link to this site on her "Diets" page, so it will be a great way to introduce new people to the best diet for us and the earth, itself. It is my passion to see how far we can take these valuable ideas. I welcome your help in getting out the message so we can incrementally help more people, and take some pressure off both farm animals and the planet. Check out RealWomanCentral.com and leave a comment, won't you? Thanks!

Jul 28, Two Kinds of People

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:26:36 GMT

I am still trying to get over the lack of response to the basic premise of this Web site -- that, the simple way to avoid all the obesity and most health problems people suffer is to change our diet. To me, it's obvious that the standard American diet isn't working for people. But don't dare suggest that they quit any of it! So, I've figured out there are basically two kinds of people in this world: those who are blindly following their own habitual pleasure cues; and those who take into consideration the effect what they do has on others, themselves, and their environment. The majority want what they want so intensely that they are unable to change their wants. So they look for ways around the problem -- a diet pill, the latest fad diet, a surgical procedure. Our country spends one-sixth of its GNP to provide what are mostly expensive ways around this simple problem. We insist, most of us, on fueling our engines with the wrong fuel. So, as a writer and a marketer of information and products to help people make the change to a diet that makes sense, I am frequently puzzled. Which audience should I be talking to? And, exactly what do they want to know? I know the answer to that question. I should be addressing those who are open to what I have to say. I'm not going to make much progress with those others who haven't yet understood how they are causing their own dietary problems. There are some spiritual aspects that become available to those who get the diet question settled. Abilities to attract good things into our lives are more accessible to those whose minds are preoccupied by the effects of bad food choices, for instance. I will start addressing the finer points of vegetarian/vegan living here on this site, because I suspect my true audience is -- for the most part -- far beyond needing much persuasion in that area. I leave the door open for the others to come along when they're ready to stop suffering the effects of our crazy animal-based diet.

Jul 27, Energy Drink Fundraiser

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:21:56 GMT

An energy drink fundraiser to raise money for any good purpose, short or long term.

Jul 25, Mother Nature's Weight Loss Plan

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:16:25 GMT

Mother Nature has the ultimate weight loss plan -- It is called "natural selection" or survival of the fittest. Basically, the fat aren't fit so they don't survive over the long run. They die before their time from any number of diseases. That is Nature's way of solving that person's weight problem, if they can't figure it out themselves -- Death. I have tried to provide strong arguments to break through these unfortunate people's defenses, so they can adopt the one diet that will produce dramatic results in both weight loss, their health, and in making this a more liveable planet for all of us. It appears they don't want that solution. They flit on to the next Web site that promises easy weight loss without changing their diet significantly. (I'm not willing to lie to them to make a sale. There are plenty of weight loss sites on the Web that specialize in "telling them what they want to hear".) Many who have a lot of extra weight to lose seem to expect they can dictate the terms on which they will lose weight to Mother Nature. In my experience, that's not the way life works. Mother Nature makes the rules. Our bodies need healthy nutrition, most of which is contained in plants. It is the height of irrationality to even dream that we can decide to eat otherwise and still expect to be healthy. In creating this site, I thought I would be serving the greatest number of people by telling the truth about the right way to achieve healthy weight loss. Foolish me! That's not what the masses want. It is truly shocking how thoroughly most Americans, in particular, have been brainwashed into believing there is an "easy, quick, and effortless" solution to every problem in life -- and someone, somewhere is selling it. I have come to realize that most of my blog subscribers probably already have their weight under control and are more interested in how we can reduce our damage to our ecosystem, end the cruelty to our fellow creatures, and perhaps achieve optimum health and longevity. Am I right or wrong? I would love to hear from you, to learn what information you want. Simply go to the "Your Comments" section on the main menu and leave your thoughts. I will set up a "Blog Comments" form right after I post this.

Jul 24, A Doctor Who "Gets It"

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:04:47 GMT

I just came across one of the few physicians who aren't pimping for the pharmaceutical industry. How refreshing to find confirmation of what I have been saying about the partnership between the U.S. food industry that contributes largely to making us sick, the pharmaceutical industry that offer us expensive remedies, and the Food & Drug Administration that legitimizes the whole deception. The doctor's name is Norton M. Hadler, MD, a professor of Microbiology/Immunology at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Hadler reviewed the most popular medical treatments for chronic health problems our society faces and he found something shocking. There is no proof that any of them work,, although there is plenty of proof they all cause disastrous side-effects! The beautiful thing is that he shares my contention that our body is inclined to heal itself, if we provide it with the right nutrition and stop giving it the destructive diet of processed foods and chemical toxins that are causing these health problems. I just found out about Dr. Hadler's book, which I will be ordering when I get a moment. I thought you would want to know about it, too. This book will provide useful confirmation to show friends and family that there is a better way to achieve great health and not spend a fortune on health care insurance, which generally doesn't pay for alternative therapies, anyway.

Jul 20, Beware The "Boiled Frog Syndrome"

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:08:15 GMT

You have probably heard the story about how, if you toss a frog in boiling water (don't try this at home!), he will immediately jump back out. If you put him in the water and slowly raise the temperature, he will stay until he is slowly cooked. Yes, it's probably an "urban legend", but there's a kernel of truth in this tale. There is a useful message in this parable when you apply it to your health over a lifetime: Small incremental habits, both good and bad, add up over time to produce a result you could never have imagined at the start of your life. When the middle-aged or older person looks in the mirror and sees who he or she has become, it is too late to do much about it. Perhaps they have accumulated so much excess weight that taking up jogging or even walking is just too painful, so they give up. They are cooked from a lifetime of unexamined dietary choices and a sedentary lifestyle. They may have earned a great retirement plan, but look what they sacrificed to get it! Now, even those with a desk job can take measures to counteract this creeping aging process. There is time for a jog before work, or after, or at lunch-time. Wise diet choices are key, also. The power of compounded interest, which Albert Einstein called one of the Wonders of the World, also applies to your health habits -- both good and bad. Small actions or in-actions, practiced daily, add up to surprising results. I believe it helps to do the right actions out of a desire for the end result you seek, not out of compulsion. There is no doubt that most of modern life's commercial programming will encourage you to take the wrong path -- you will never see fruit and vegetables advertised on TV, only processed lifeless foods. You will be tempted with Sara Lee cakes, but never oatmeal. It's a Zen thing, you know -- you must take the road less traveled, less popular, if you want to achieve vibrant health -- And have it to enjoy for a long lifetime. Believe me: Giving up tempting taste treats for a life without most of the common markers of aging is a bargain!

Jul 18, Beyond A Healthy Diet

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 13:48:54 GMT

There is a mental component to healthy living that can help or defeat our efforts to achieve our goals in life. If that mental attitude is not a healthy, positive one it can destroy us, no matter what we eat. Forcing ourselves to eat perfectly according to one system or the other is, I think, missing a key point. That point being that we need to do what we do because of our love for the results we get -- over the long term. Doing "the right thing" out of compulsion might be necessary when we're starting out on a healthier diet, but it is not the attitude we need to see us through. We need to learn to love what we're doing and love the results we confidently expect. In conceptualizing this Web site, I have tried to link long-term motivating factors to the process of weight loss -- factors like the desire to do the kind thing for the animals, for the environment, and for our own self-respect. Building a long list of powerful reasons we're doing what we have decided to do is an essential part of achieving that goal of healthy weight loss. The temptation of short-term gratification is always close by. Even though experience has tried to teach us that "instant gratification" is a short-lived pleasure with lasting negative consequences, many still fall for it. That's why we need powerful reasons to stay on course. Personal, internal reasons: becoming healthier for our spouse or our children come to mind. It is helpful to be able to step outside yourself and see what you are becoming. Do you like the direction you are going? I look at the vast majority of people who need to eat a healthier diet and I see so much wasted potential -- Beautiful people trapped in a "fat-suit". Like a cancerous growth, fat has taken over their body. So much of our society's messages conspire to keep these folks eating the wrong foods and contenting themselves with vicarious pleasures of watching celebrities having fun on TV or the 'Net. The combination of the mass-marketed, unnatural diet and their passive approach to life is going to kill them before their time, if they don't wake up and snatch back control of their own minds. Most people lose sight of the fact that our choice of what we eat is a life and death decision. Over the short term, it may seem like harmless pleasure. Over the long term the power of compound negative interest kicks in -- Something I call the "Boiled Frog Syndrome". If you have excess weight to lose, I hope you will put all the power of your mind to work on the problem today.

Jul 16, "How To Prevent Planet Getting Worse"

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:06:39 GMT

The title of this blog post was the search term someone used twice to find HealthyPlanetDiet.com. I thought it was worth discussing. We need to form a global alliance of individuals who are advocating doing the right things to making this a healthy planet, in my opinion. Remember the success of the anti-war movement in stopping the Vietnam horror. When enough people in enough countries speak and act consistent with ending the insane direction we are being driven by those who profit off war, who profit off clearing rain forest to graze more cattle to feed more people McDonald's hamburgers, and those who profit off selling us cars and oil to fuel them. At this point our political leaders aren't listening to our wishes. What they might pay some attention to is being voted out of office at the next election. Another thing that will get the attention of the corporate powers that run the world is a growing boycott of their products. Stop buying meat, milk products, factory-farmed fish, genetic-modified plant foods. Consider ways you can drive less and walk or bicycle more. Yes, I know how impractical city planners have made this, but we have to make some sacrifices if we want to save the planet. One big mental change we need to make -- and many of the younger generations are already on this -- is to stop buying into the latest propaganda excuses for new wars. The USA is the ring-leader of this war craziness, but they have persuaded many other countries to contribute token support. There needs to become a growing vocal number of world citizens who laugh at scare tactics such as are being used to justify an attack on Iran. Since when was it legal to start a war to prevent some imagined future scenario? The same stupid rationales were used to justify massive killing in Vietnam by the U.S. and its allies. Back then, we were told, if we don't stop the Communists in Vietnam, they will take over the world. Well, Big America couldn't stop the will of the people of Vietnam to choose their own form of government, but communism imploded on its own. So are we going to repeat the same murderous insanity all over again? Sorry to get off on a rant, but that's my take on the future. War is the worst threat to our global environment and to humanity, itself. There are better ways of resolving disputes. The way that governments take their citizens' minds off a depressed economy is usually a major war, so it may be inevitable. Keep in mind that this is only their tactic for dividing us so we won't throw them out of power. Stand firm in opposing our rulers' plans for us.

Jul 15, Mental Blocks To Exercise

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:38:54 GMT

Mental blocks to exercise get in the way of becoming healthy. Here are some tips to defeat them.

Jul 13, Lipitor Gummi Worms

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:13:25 GMT

Something I just read makes me think our civilization, if you can call it that, is on its last legs. The end must be near because we have lost all common sense -- all except for my astute readers. The big pharmaceutical manufacturers now want children to be screened for "high" cholesterol, so they can be placed on prescription drugs earlier in life. Say, at age 2! Customers for life is what it's all about. What alarms me is the uncritical acceptance of such a ploy by the regulators who are supposed to be watching over our health. As I pointed out, somewhat facetiously, in my blog item Now I Get It, the regulators are in many cases on the payroll of or are former consultants and executives of Big Pharma companies, so this news should not surprise us. What surprises me is that nobody in positions of authority is saying, "Wait a minute! Rather than subject children to the known side-effects of these drugs, we should be cleaning up kids' diet and their sedentary lifestyle." But Nooooo! We wouldn't want to deprive them of the pleasures of fast food burgers, milkshakes, and Cheez Doodles! That would hurt a big sector of what remains of the American economy -- the junk food industry! This is really nuts, but most of the public will swallow it whole without a thought. This leads me to think we are nearer to collapse than I had realized. Here is my non-expert opinion of what our Western countries have decided to do: We are facilitating bad behavior. Instead of firmly advising patients to change their diets to lower their cholesterol, we sell them a drug which costs them $70-100 per month for life and damages their liver, so they can go on living in a way that Nature would weed out of the gene pool. We can play God all we want to, but I'm quite confident that God and natural law will have the final word on this weakening of the human race. What do you think? Leave a comment on the Your Comments page. I'd love to hear your views!

Jul 10, The Best Prescription for Depression

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 13:12:38 GMT

One of the main points I try to get across is that people, especially in the USA, have been seduced into looking to their doctor for a pill to stop whatever negative symptoms they are feeling. Feeling depressed? -- "Here's a pill." Got diabetes or pre-diabetes? -- "Here's a pill." Overweight? -- "Here's a pill. If it doesn't work, we'll get you into surgery to reduce the size of your stomach itself." Right... It's a long list of common conditions that are all a result of the crazy way we live and eat. So, the doctors make their money, not by telling us how we can correct our lifestyle and eating habits, but by selling drugs for the pharmaceutical industry. I have come to the conclusion -- kind of obvious, really -- that we humans are animals and like animals, we need natural foods, lots of sunshine, fresh water, and exercise to keep us feeling good and performing well. In our crazy modern work and lifestyle, we don't usually get these things unless we make a point of seeking them out. We drive to work, we sit in a cubicle most of the day, we eat "comfort foods" to compensate us for a lack of what we really want (freedom, physical exercise, sex, whatever), then we drive home and turn on the TV to watch others having a glamorous lifestyle and an interesting lifestyle that we don't have. This is the trap, the collection of habits that eventually make us gain weight, lose our youth, and get sick. Smart people make it a priority to take care of their physical animal needs first -- Going for a run in the morning before work, eating a healthy lunch they bring to work, or simply build a business around what they like to do. I have been told I'm crazy for not selling diet pills and magic Acai berry potions to the gullible masses here on my site. That's where the money is! But I would rather attract an intelligent audience who appreciate the truth and might occasionally need a reminder to help them avoid the pitfalls of modern life. Anyway...Here's a great article by Dr. Mercola confirming what I've been trying to say.

Jul 9, One Very Good Reason for Being Vegetarian

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:15:00 GMT

Give me five minutes and I'll provide you 1 very good reason for being vegetarian. While fish is the main dietary supply of the long-chain omega-3s

Jul 7, Now I Get It!

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:57:25 GMT

I just read an article brought to my attention by NaturalNews.com, a site I visit daily. It seems that hospitals now are responsible for 1 in 9 jobs in the U.S. economy. The article reminds us that this is a good thing -- and that our government shouldn't cut spending on Medicare, etc., because it will hurt this engine of economic productivity. To which I say, "Ha!" Now I see why our government subsidizes corn farmers, from which we get cheap corn-fed meats, corn chips, and all kinds of unhealthy food additives, such as high fructose corn syrup. It is to stimulate the creation of hospital jobs! And here all along, I thought being sick and requiring hospital care -- which is frightfully expensive -- was a drag on the productive economy. How wrong I was! Since gov't regulations, taxes, and the dumbing-down of American youth has sent our best jobs overseas, our economy now is kept afloat by making people sick so they can create new jobs in the hospital sector of the economy. I suppose wars are seen as good by the hospital administrators because they create lots of long-term care opportunities for bedpan slingers. This news also puts diseases like Alzheimer's in a new light. By getting sick on our degraded food supply, we are actually creating good jobs -- as long as we can tax the working people enough to pay for them... Yes, I am just being sarcastic. It's the only way I know to point out the idiocy of applauding the creation of "health care" jobs as a benefit to our economy. This makes me more dedicated than ever to show people how to be healthy so they never have to depend on the sickness care industry, where medical mistakes, legal prescribed drug interactions, and hospital-transmitted infections kill about 225,000 people a year -- our third largest cause of death in the USA. Join me in creating employment by teaching people how not to get sick.

Jul 5, "Keep Your Mind On What You Want..."

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:34:45 GMT

What we habitually think about has a big influence over the results we get in life -- that is why we need to take conscious control of our thoughts and make them focused on what we want. I was perusing the excellent site EnergyFanatics.com this morning and it reminded me that I get too bogged down in all the negative things that are happening in our world. This doesn't help me to manifest the changes I want to see happen and it may be keeping others from being attracted to what I have to say. The quote in the headline of this post is from Napoleon Hill, who wrote a book entitled "Think and Grow Rich", a classic text for developing your personal power. It was written in the dark days of the Great Depression and is very useful even today as our economy is going through similar challenges. The entire quote is, "Keep your mind on what you want and off what you don't want!" This is good advice for those who want to lose weight or otherwise improve their physical appearance and health. We can all do great things, but we must first believe that we can. Of course, if someone is eating a junk food diet, then simply believing they can lose weight with positive affirmations is not likely to do the job. We have to do our part -- and to do that, we need to know what to eat (and what not to eat). Knowing the truth about how to cause weight loss is what I want to give those who visit my site. I see such crazy diets come and go, then when they don't produce the desired results, people give up and say, "Diets don't work for me." What they should realize is that most of these diets don't work because they are not based on what our body is set up to eat. And, although absurd diets like the Atkins Diet may work, they do so by destructive means. So, we need to know the physical ground rules about what to eat and drink that is healthy. We need to know about food additives and foods to avoid. But we also need to keep in mind an image of what we desire for ourselves: a thin healthy body, a healthier planet, or whatever else we desire. And then, we need to take action! We have the power -- We just need to tap into it!

Jul 3, A Dietary Revolution

Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:44:22 GMT

America was born in a revolution. Tomorrow, the 4th of July, we celebrate our declaration of independence from Britain. And how do we celebrate? We set off fireworks and we feast! I'm looking at my local grocery's food sale circular, featuring a big picture of a cheeseburger and a big seedless watermelon. Under the headline "Let Freedom Ring", I see jumbo franks (hot dogs), potato chips, sweet barbeque sauce, baby back ribs, lemonade, and strawberry cream pie. And, in my little village, armies of Vietnam and Gulf War vets with grey beards ride their Harleys and pretend to be rebels, but mostly get tipsy and make a lot of noise. To my many readers in other countries, this may look like a lot of fun. But, when you have lived through 60+ years of seeing the handsome boys and girls of your high school yearbook become fat and old and ill as a result of our food and lifestyle, you would feel differently about it. The good news for those who want to live a longer, disease-free life is that we can win this dietary revolution -- without a shot being fired. The USA's health repair costs are about to bankrupt us and I'm watching numbers of my generation dying prematurely before they get to retire -- mostly because of this crazy, but tempting, diet. This is a war fought with information vs. misinformation. This is a battle between short-term pleasure and long-term results. And you get to decide whether you will win or lose in the long run. When I look at the health and fitness I enjoy compared to the lives of those of my own age, I am very content that I decided to -- for the most part -- avoid the standard American diet. (Yes, I've eaten more than my share of fried chicken and pork ribs, but I gave them up!) It's a small sacrifice when you see the damage those foods will do to your looks and health.

Jul 2, Dare To Be Different

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:34:43 GMT

If you want better health than those around you, you need to eat different foods and get more exercise than they do. I'm glad to see the high percentage of new visitors to this site who live in Honduras, Latvia, China, and other countries. To me, that means you still have a chance to avoid the terrible "typical American diet" that is killing people in my country. The American way of eating, of drinking unhealthy highly-sweetened energy and sports drinks, is being exported to your countries. It is being sold to you with advertising that makes it look like the cool, good-looking people all eat this way -- and that is a lie. You see, handsome young people may start out eating and drinking our popular foods, but they quickly become fat and sickly. Those people you see in advertisements are models -- they don't eat our American fast food in real life because they usually know it will shorten their career as models. Two thirds of Americans are fat! Advertisers won't show you what eating their foods does for you over a period of years. They lie by showing you impossibly good-looking thin people laughing and having a good time while eating junk foods that are slowly killing the average American! Whether you live in the USA or anywhere in the world, our crazy way of eating is being pushed on you. If you want to be healthy and slim -- if you want to enjoy your youth longer -- you need to dare to be different. I learned about eating what I call the "healthy planet diet" when I was twenty and now, at age 61, I'm still having a lot more fun and health than most people my age (many of whom are dead already!). There are plenty of delicious, healthy foods to eat. There are healthy energy drinks that I enjoy daily without the weight gain and other scary long-term side effects that come with the other brands. You can enjoy life a lot longer when you learn to see through the lies of junk food advertisers who are selling you an illusion. The real "beautiful people" -- actors, top athletes, and celebrities who stay at the top of their game -- tend to eat like the people at www.soystache.com/

Jul 1, How To Change the World

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:04:20 GMT

My topic for today is how to change the world when the people in power aren't listening to us. I originally started thinking about writing about how stupid it is to spend billions of dollars on space exploration, when there's no better planet than this one to live on. Really! -- Who wants to live on the barren moon or Mars? I figure space exploration is all about developing the ability for the elite to move on when they have trashed this beautiful planet. You and I won't be allowed to go, but we will be forced to pay for the Rockefellers, etc., to go. Meanwhile, our country and much of the world is going broke, being forced to pay for bailouts of bankers who caused our economic crisis. I don't have any desire to go anywhere else. This is the planet most suited to our life-form, but we're messing it up fast. War, hunger caused by corrupt regimes, and investment in space travel bleeds us all and wrecks the quality of life here. And, let's not forget the oil industry when we talk about wrecking the quality of life on earth! But how do we stop it? We in the USA have seen that our representatives no longer listen to us, so writing your congressman is a waste of time. I see more potential in withdrawing our financial support for industries, such as the meat and dairy industries, pharmaceuticals, and the military weaponry makers. These industries are big political contributors to and lobbyists for the insane status quo. Don't buy their products, don't invest in their companies, and don't contribute your labor. Cut your tax contribution to the legal minimum through starting your own small online or other business. Or find a beautiful country that doesn't waste its people's money on useless wars and space exploration -- and expatriate. Switzerland and Singapore are good examples.

Jun 28, The Invisible Health Threat

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:44:35 GMT

I have a confession to make: I read the obituaries out of curiosity when I find a local paper. I consider it market research to discover what's going on in the lives of average Americans. I am shocked at how early many people are dying. The people whose lives and passing I find especially interesting are those with every advantage -- money, education, social respectability, loving children and spouse -- and they still die young! Is it true what Billy Joel sang? "Only the good die young"? (Better, in my estimation, to live long, enjoy life thoroughly, and die an old coot!) Is this the reward you get for following the path of "study hard...get good grades...do well in college...become a professional...get a corner office with a window"? To go to all that trouble, just to get cancer or heart disease and die before you can retire and do what you want to do -- It doesn't seem fair. Here's what I think is killing these folks: #1) The standard American diet #2) The medications they take to deal with the diseases caused by #1 #3) The stresses involved with living and working on someone else's timetable #4) Dealing with the daily insanity of traffic jams, rude people, slacker co-workers and employees, adding up to major internalized stress #5) A sedentary lifestyle, where if you have a car, you tend to drive it, rather than walk -- Your possession becomes a burden on your health. In seeing the meager rewards of those who "succeed" at the American lifestyle, I long ago made a strategic decision to live my life as a self-directed entrepreneur, doing what I have felt is important -- and this has made all the difference in my health, satisfaction, and prosperity.

Jun 23, Life Lays Traps

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:33:28 GMT

Today I'd like to share with you a way of looking at life that may help you in preventing yourself from becoming a victim of our modern way of eating, which is a killer. If you haven't read "Food, Inc.", Fast Food Nation, or The Omnivore's Dilemma, you should read them to see what you are up against, if you are concerned about your weight and living a healthy life. Simply put, there are thousands of businesses and food scientists who are scheming to make it irresistible for you to eat as much as possible of their particular brand of processed food. I'm not saying their purpose is to make you fat, old before your time, and die, but it does seem to work out that way. They just want to sell more of their products and they will use every bit of scientific and psychological data they have to accomplish that goal. They know what flavors we find tempting. They use flavor-enhancers like MSG and include sweeteners like HFCS because they know they make us want to eat more. The fact that MSG is a nerve poison, an excitotoxin, and fructose is major cause of obesity and liver damage is not their concern. When you know you're being hunted as a source of profit for these big soul-less corporations, it is up to you to foil their plans. When you realize that the US Department of Agriculture and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) -- which some naively thought were there to protect us from harmful foods -- are actually controlled by people friendly to the food industry, you need to get smart to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of these deadly foods. I have some very good news for you -- if you generally eat a plant-based, whole foods diet, you can largely eliminate your risk for the weight gain and medical complications that most Americans suffer from. If, on the other hand, you eat like everyone around you eats and live a mostly sedentary lifestyle, the odds are you will succumb to the same cluster of symptoms they have. We are not "fated" to get old-looking and fat because of our genetics; much of the cause is our crazy diet of unnatural foods designed in laboratories. I refuse to be used as a source of profit for the food and medical industries. I refuse to be herded around for their profit, like the fat little aphids in the link below. When you realize that you are choosing your health future, based on your everyday food choices, you can take back control of your health from those who make their living by laying tempting traps for you.

Jun 21, Your Contribution To a Healthy Planet

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:32:16 GMT

The massive oil gusher one mile under the Gulf of Mexico has been on everyone's mind lately. It is cruelly ironic that -- as much as our civilization is frantic to get more oil -- when we finally "hit it big", it is in some uncontrollable gusher at the bottom of another precious planetary reserve, the ocean. We could all cut our need for oil and natural gas substantially if we and our leaders put our minds to it. But, as it stands, our civilization runs on the stuff. Where does most of it go? According to the U.S. Agency for Energy Information, about two-thirds of the oil we use goes for transportation -- and I have heard that the US Military is consuming the largest part of this. About a third of what we consume is used for industrial purposes -- as feedstock for pharmaceuticals, plastics, and agricultural fertilizers. We could all do with less of all these items if we chose, but we are divided into two camps: one group of those concerned only for their continued comfortable lifestyle, and the other, willing to change their habits to achieve a workable solution. The problem, as I see it, is that the former group -- the Continued Consumption advocates -- are where the money is for the moment. Many are senior citizens who will not be around much longer. They are addicted to the easy life, the pharmaceuticals, the auto dependence, and addicted to a lifestyle which requires cheap gas and food that can only be provided by more oil. And, they don't care what our leaders do to get that oil. Consumption is where the money is for the "oiligarchs" that run our economy. So the politicians are for the most part going to vote for what Big Oil wants. The best we, the people of conscience, can do to contribute to a smooth landing is to cut our consumption of meat and dairy products(which are fantastically inefficient and unnecessary sources of food), pointless driving, and shift our food spending to organic farmers in our local area. This is the right thing to do; whether it will be sufficient to start changing the minds of those who don't care(yet) remains to be seen. News came out yesterday that a flotilla of U.S. and Israeli warships are on their way toward Iran, perhaps in a misguided attempt to provoke them into doing something that will justify our country attacking them. This is an insane way to distract the American public from one eco-catastrophe by creating another one. Our national leaders seemed determined to take us all down the road to war and ecological/economic collapse, and we are simply along for the ride. Please Digg this news story link below. It deserves attention. You might contact your Congressperson, but I doubt it will do much good. The most psychotic inmates are running this asylum.

Jun 20, Weight Loss Surgery: A Second Opinion

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:49:27 GMT

Weight loss surgery is not something to take lightly. Is it really your best option? Are you aware of the dangers?

Jun 19, My Operating Assumptions

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 15:28:28 GMT

I live by the belief that this is a loving universe and we can spare ourselves a lot of misery is we learn the ground rules of how to live and eat. Unfortunately or intentionally, these rules are not written on stone tablets in some ruined temple, waiting to be found by a modern-day Indiana Jones. I believe clues of how to eat and live are hidden in the Bible and most of the texts of the major religions and philosophers. These truths can be verified by testing or observation -- and we, if we use this fantastic mind of ours, are smart enough to do this. It is instructive that in the rules given to Adam and Eve about what they should eat, no mention was made of killing and eating animals. It was only after the discovery that humanity could break these rules -- and it might be temporarily pleasant to them -- that meat-eating and fratricidal war became accepted. I believe this was a mistake that we, as a race, have not finished recovering from. Today, advertisers tempt us with delicious (but unhealthy) foods and drink and we see the results all around us. Most have come to accept their lack of health and go to the doctor for some new pharmaceutical to override what their body is trying to tell them. I come from the point of view that the truth is knowable and it is up to us to find it and use it. Unfortunately, medical science is, for the most part, off on the trail of new crutches to allow us to continue eating the unhealthy delicacies we've come to love. Bariatric surgery -- Need I say more? Sawing us open and replacing small sections of arteries so we can live a little longer? Does anyone else find that barbaric? Wouldn't it be simpler, cheaper, and more effective to correct our dietary habits? In any case, that's the approach I have chosen to take and it has served me well. See a few of my sources for this belief in the link below.

Jun 18, Why You Can't Eat Just One

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:03:33 GMT

I used to go by a basic rule for buying unfamiliar foods: If there were more than four or five ingredients, i probably shouldn't eat it. Especially if those ingredients were from a chemist's laboratory! Linked below is the product information label from a Lay's Barbeque Flavor potatoe chip bag. Important are the several forms of sugar, which tend to make us eat more, and also the presence of Monosodium Glutamate, Maltodextrin, and citric acid -- all excitotoxins. MSG has been blamed by Dr. Blaylock for a big part of the obesity epidemic sweeping the world. High fructose corn syrup is also convincingly blamed for obesity by disarming our body's mechanism for telling us when to stop eating. Here, you may have both these elements in one delicious bag. (It's not clear that the sugar referred to on the label is HFCS, but it may be.) This is an engineered food, not a natural food. I know it's hard, but you should avoid it if you care about your longterm health.

Jun 17, A Life and Death Matter

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:46:23 GMT

One of my all-time best friends in my life died a couple days ago. He was 62. He lived a pretty conventional life. We were roommates in college, until I dropped out to see the world. We stayed in touch, on and off, for a few more years and then I lost track of him in 1977 or so. Then, about a year ago, he found me on Facebook. We caught up on recent history, re-lived some of the great times we shared as we chatted online. He even called me from Saudi Arabia on my birthday, which he remembered after all those years. He was over there teaching English -- and finally getting to travel outside the USA. After years of teaching at our alma mater, he got screwed out of tenure and lost his professorship. Here was the nicest guy you would ever meet: a good son, a loving parent, a musician, and a teacher who touched many lives. He did everything we were taught to do, and yet he died quite young. The lesson I find in this is that the conventional American-style diet is a killer. I've seen it happen to so many good people who eat what 'most everyone here eats and they die from cancer or heart attacks or other weird diseases like ALS. This is why it's important to make the changes in your diet. I wish I could have spent more time with my friend to perhaps teach him what I have learned about the dangers of our USDA-approved, conventional way of eating. We don't have to lose our health and fitness so early, but it takes a lot of vigilance to counter the environmental and diet-related threats to our health. Doing what "everybody does", as advertised on TV, is obviously not working. Our medical establishment is not plainly showing us what we're doing wrong, so I will do my best to spread the wisdom of Dr. McDougall and others, linked below. We need to keep good people in the game of life. Please help me share this message. Read the link below, it tells how to protect your health and youthfulness.

Jun 14, Who Can You Believe?

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:05:30 GMT

There are two levels of the Truth: One, that is good enough to fool the masses; and one that can be verified when one objectively considers the evidence. Why is this important? Without correct information, we can easily be led astray by advertisers and spend years eating foods that are damaging to our health, only to realize -- too late -- that we were basing our actions on lies used to sell us those foods. A perfect example of this is the ad campaign by the corn syrup manufacturers called SweetSurprise.com. It is subtitled "The Facts About High Fructose Corn Syrup". Amid images of ideal American families with cute, *thin* kids dipping chunks of fruit in HFCS (that's one way to get your kids to eat more fruit!), we are presented with a line-up of all sorts of influence peddlers who are willing to go to bat for HFCS -- for a price. BTW: There are NO overweight people anywhere on the SweetSurprise.com site! Very suspicious! This has come to be "The American Way", where Katie Couric, a highly paid "Talking Head", is set up as more of an expert on the subject than a research scientist who knows the inner workings of the body and dares to say that HFCS is a liver poison and at the root of the obesity epidemic. Dr. Robert Lustig's presentation isn't mentioned directly on SweetSurprise.com. I wonder why? This is no doubt the reason so many people are confused about what is a healthy diet, as they tend to believe the ad campaigns and go on eating the foods that are causing so much sickness. A good rule to help you figure out who is telling the truth is this: Who has the most to gain? Who has money to spend with the TV news networks? The food industry? Or some brilliant scientist with -- at best -- a book to sell? Is NBC News likely to risk losing some of their biggest advertisers (Coca Cola, Pepsi, Betty Crocker, Etc., etc.) to alert the public of some scary health discovery by some scientist no-one ever heard of? No Way! I have watched Americans morph into an army of Pillsbury Doughboys since fructose was introduced in 1975. Coincidence?

Jun 13, Happy Vegan

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:14:05 GMT

I became a vegan pretty much cold turkey almost two years ago and haven't looked back since. The more I read about the health problems associated with

Jun 13, Really good info!

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:12:28 GMT

Hello, just wanted to say that the info on your website has proven true for me. If people followed sensible advice like cutting out meat, dairy and junk

Jun 11, Minding Your Healthcare Affairs

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:46:05 GMT

No one will mind your healthcare affairs as well as you will - if you know how. Our healthcare system is very complex. With the interjection of government

Jun 11, Enslaved To Flavor

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:01:37 GMT

I've been writing for Yahoo Answers lately and -- old person that I am -- I am amazed at how intellectually-challenged most of the questioners are. These are, it seems, mostly young teens asking questions about health and diet (my area of interest) without the educational background or the attention span to digest the critical facts of the answers I offer them. American commercialism is having a field-day with this dumbed down market of young folks, who apparently were raised by -- not human parents -- but by what they saw on TV. My point is, these kids are asking serious questions about why they are so fat and how to "loose" weight, but I'm not sure they can understand my answers. Education is obviously out of fashion. It is cool to appear clueless. But, in my book, clueless is helpless when it comes to guiding one's life through a gauntlet of advertisers of foods, beverages, and even chewing gum that contain legal food additives that will make them even fatter and dumber. (I am talking about HFCS and excitotoxins here.) We're talking life-threatening diseases and neurological degeneration here, folks! But it's hard to explain the danger to this group of young folks because the food scientists that conjure up our designer foods have created potions that will eventually destroy the consumer's ability to decide to quit them. I am reading Dr. Blaylock's Excitotoxins, the Taste that Kills and it links diseases like Alzheimer's, ALS, and Parkinson's Disease to our consumption of excitotoxins. This "slavery to flavor-enhancers" now can cause debilitating disease in future years, asserts Blaylock, a neurosurgeon. The danger, not just for us personally, but for our society -- a democracy driven by the demands of these food-addled masses -- is what I want to warn you about. For those who care about their health and their ability to think clearly, I encourage you to beware of this USDA-approved disease-inducing plague that's coming your way. There are healthier alternatives. Look at the HFCS levels (and note that citric acid is an excitotoxin) in these popular energy drinks, linked below.