.......Emperor's Herbologist Live Healthy!.......
Emperor's Herbologist's guide to living healthy in modern times.
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=> Opening Thoughts
=> Discussion / Comments Q &A
=> Spotlight On:
=> What's Happening
=> Meditations
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Opening Thoughts, Allen Weber
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I have a riddle for you.
When is Organic NOT Organic?
When the Politicians get involved.
“Why do you say that?” I can feel you asking. Well, it all boils down to two organizations that could care less about health, and are concerned ONLY about money and power.
“Who is that?”
Well, as the famous comedian Steve Wright once said, “You have Pro-gress, and you have Con-gress”
The other organization is called the “Organic Trade Association” who lobbied the Con's to change the Organic Foods Production Act so they could now include “Synthetic” products.
In fact the “Organic Trade Association” issued a press release on October 27, 2005 a day of infamy for your right and ability to buy Real, Untainted safe Organic products.
The press release is entitled: The Organic Trade Association Applauds Congress' Decision to Restore National Organic Standards You can read the full text at:
http://www.ota.com/news/press/182.html
Talk about Orwellian doublespeak.
Here are some parts of it.
“Congress was asked to take up the issue as a result of a June 2005 court ruling which declared that there were technical inconsistencies between the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), passed as part of the 1990 Farm Bill, and the National Organic Program standards, implemented in October 2002 after more than a decade of public input. The court decision threatened the livelihood of many organic companies and farms, both large and small.”
Sounds reasonable so far.... But just wait.
Continuing...
“OTA had submitted language to Congress to amend OFPA to allow the continued use of a limited list of stringently reviewed synthetic materials in post-harvest handling and processing and provisions for dairies converting to organic production. OTA's language was adopted.”
What? What's that? “Stringently Reviewed SYNTHETIC Materials?”
Organic...Synthetic...Organic...Synthetic...Organic... NOT!
Onward...
“Like organic standards used throughout the world, the U.S. organic standards have always allowed specific synthetic materials that are essential to making numerous organic processed products. These are non-agricultural materials, including items such as baking powder and a type of pectin, that are necessary in certain production and processing practices and have been used in producing foods for decades.”
Sounds reasonable. I mean baking powder and a type of pectin.
Again from the press release
“If Congress had not acted, many of the organic products consumers know and love would have disappeared. That's not good for consumers or the organic farmers and organic companies that are working hard every day to continue to grow this industry, DiMatteo said.”
But lets get to the meat of it.
The fact of the matter is that the Revisions so heartily applauded by the Organic Trade Association include according to a press release from the Organic Consumers Association:
“As passed, the amendment sponsored by the Organic Trade Association allows:
- Numerous synthetic food additives and processing aids, including over 500 food contact substances, to be used in organic foods without public review.
- Young dairy cows to continue to be treated with antibiotics and fed genetically engineered feed prior to being converted to organic production.
- Loopholes under which non-organic ingredients could be substituted for organic ingredients without any notification of the public based on “emergency decrees.”
The amendment was vigorously opposed by consumer, retail and growers groups, as well as public health and environmental groups, including National Cooperative Grocers Association, National Organic Coalition and Rural Advancement Foundation International USA, Beyond Pesticides, National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, Organic Consumers Association, and Consumers Union. Consumers sent more than 300,000 letters to Congress imploring members to stand up against industry's efforts to weaken the organic standards.”
Read their press release at
http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos/weaken102705.cfm
Frankly, I am totally disgusted. It really is a simple black and white issue. Total common sense.
As President Reagan said about taxes. “If it looks like a Duck, Quacks like a Duck and Walks like a Duck... It's a Duck.”
So I say, If it is raised using 100% natural methods without any synthetic, or genetically engineered, or hormone and anti-biotics (except what occurs naturally in the feed), it's organic.
If anything synthetic, or not naturally occurring is added or injected, it is not organic. Very simple. Don't you think?
By the way, lest you think I am against the big food concerns. I am not. I am against dishonesty.
I am 100% for complete openness, honesty, and integrity, which unfortunately seems to be so lacking all over the world now days.
To change to a happier subject. I do want to heartily commend both Hunts, and Del Monte. I was amazed to go into a local Supermarket (not health food store, and find Organic tomato paste, and organic tomato sauce on the shelves.
Kudo's to both Hunts and Del Monte. We bought up all they had out there on the shelf.
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What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Hate us? Love us?
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Discussion Q&A:
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I am enjoying your newsletter. I recently read that there are over 20,000 deaths per year in the US due to influenza....so now I am wondering what is the big deal about the bird flu?
Bill
Please keep the comments coming. Also, let me know if there are any topics you would like to see covered.
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Spotlight On: Eating Crab
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As you probably know, the months ending with “R” are good months for eating Lobster. I will venture to guess that they are also excellent for eating any shellfish. That being the case, we found some interesting information on how to eat Crab.
As everyone knows, crab always tastes great!
The meat from the claws is tender and has long fiber.
Crab also has a high percentage of protein and minerals and EFA's. In other words it has good nutrition. Crab also has according to Traditional Chinese Medicine - a certain medicinal value.
It can vitalize the blood.
It can break down blood clots.
It can ease pain.
It can ease swollen areas on your body.
People use crab meat to treat bruises and related woes.
While it does all this good, some people can have problems after eating crab.
For instance some people are allergic to shellfish. Some people get stomach ache from eating crab - and I don't mean from eating to much crab. Some people can get diarrhea, vomiting etc.
The reason some people who are not allergic to crab can get these reactions is because they did not pay attention to the following when eating crab:
When you eat crab watch out for the following Six points:
- As you know, crabs eat dead animal bodies, and rotten animal meat. So the surface, lung, intestines, and internal organs are filled with all sorts of stuff... like dirt, bacteria, etc. Besides, crab always has small worms in their lungs.
So if you don't cook well with high temperature, you can not kill all the bacteria.
Once these bacteria get into human body, they can damage your internal organs.
Some bacteria can cause allergic poisioning, and infection of your intestines. Where your intestines get swollen with liquid.
This is why you should stay away from raw carb. And Yes, that does include sushi.
When you boil crab, after the water boils you need to cook for an additional 30 minutes. What is surprising it that in Chinese Cooking, carb is cooked this way, and yet it is very tender, and flavorful. The shell protects the meat, but it also is the reason crab needs to be cooked for so long. To insure that the heat penetrates the entire inside of the shell.
- Don't eat left over cooked crab. Eat it immediately when it is done cooking.
If you are going to save the crab, and eat it as leftover. Wrap it in clean wrapping. Put it in the coldest part of your fridge. Then steam or boil before cooking it again right before eating.
- Don't eat the entire Crab. Be Choosey.
Clean the crab stomach and get rid of it. Throw it away...don't eat it.
The stomach is in a triangle shape bag. Inside it has dirt or sand.
Clean the crab internal organs. This would be from the stomach to what looks like a black thread or black line.
Get rid of the crab heart.
Get rid of the crab lung. The lung is located right under the shell. It looks like hair.
If you eat all of these things (except for the shell) you are risking getting food poisioning.
- Don't eat to much at a time.
This is especially for people who have a weak stomach and spleen. The reason is because crab has the property of being a “Cold” energy food.
This type of food can cause stomach pain or diarrhea.
- Do not drink water or tea while eating crab. Wait at least 1 hour after eating crab meat before drinking water or tea. Even ginger tea.
It is best to drink a small amount of alcohol when eating crab. Here's Why.
Water will dilute your stomach acid. Tea will solidify certain protions of the carb meat and make it very difficult to digest. This can cause stomach pain and diarrhea .
- Don't eat crab meat together with persimmion.
Persimmion has a certain type of acid which will cause the crab meat to solidify. This makes it very difficult to digest. When the solidified crab meat stays in your stomach for a long time. It starts to rot and can cause vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea , and other not so pleasant problems.
Crab meat tastes good. It has very high protein, minerals, and vitamins etc. But it is not good for everyone because it is a cold energy food. It also has very high protein, and cholesterol.
So if you have a cold flu or fever; stomach ache, diarrhea, don't eat crab. If you eat crab when you have these conditions, it will make them even worse.
If you have a stomach problem, gall stones, liver disease avoid crab, because it will only worsen the condition.
In other words, if you are healthy. Enjoy well cooked crab and drink some wine or beer or other alcohol with it. Just be careful.
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What's Happening
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Gargling May Prevent One-Third Of All Colds
Concerned about a cold? Well, according to a study from Kyoto University in Japan.
Daily gargling with plain water can prevent over 1/3 of all colds among healthy people.
Lead author Kazunari Satomura, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Kyoto University was quoted as saying “The most important finding in our study is that the common cold could be prevented over 30 percent of the time by daily gargling with water.”
A total of 387 healthy volunteers were followed for two months during cold and flu season.
1/3 of the participants were told to gargle with water at least three times a day, another third were told to gargle three times daily with a mouth rinse containing iodine, and the rest did not gargle at all.
130 subjects (about 1/3) participating in the study contracted a cold, sore throat, sinus infection or a form of bronchitis. There was no significant difference in the rate of first infection between the control group and the Povidone-gargling group. But there was a 36 percent decrease among water garglers compared to controls.
There was no major difference in the rate of colds between the group that did not gargle and the group that gargled with the iodine solution. But there was a 36 percent decrease in infections in the group that gargled with water.
The Japanese study was published in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Researchers from Florida A&M University found using garlic to flavor meat could help counter carcinogenic substances produced by cooking protein.
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Since Chocolate is on Everyone's Mind... Especially our minds, ABC News must have read our minds. November 1, 2005 they published this story
A Healthy Chocolate Bar?
http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=1269348
They say “The average American consumes 11 1/2 pounds of chocolate a year.” That used to mean 11 1/2 pounds of sugar and fat. But with our new chocolate product which will soon be available.
Now Mars candy company is coming out with a Functional Chocolate... Hmm.... Makes you stop and think. Doesn't it.
Dr. David Katz who is a contributor to Good Morning America has been conducting a study at Yale University funded by Hershey on the health effects of chocolate.
The study used ultrasound technology and sophisticated measurements to determine the effects of eating dark chocolate on 45 moderately overweight adults. The study also measured participants' blood pressure before and two hours after eating two servings of dark chocolate. Sure enough, after consuming the dark chocolate, which is high in antioxidants, their blood pressure dropped. Dark chocolate also helps blood vessels dilate which allows blood to flow more freely, according to the study.
As quoted form the article
“Chocolate remains a concentrated source of calories and sugar and too much of those things will seriously offset any health benefit,” Katz said. “Milk chocolate doesn't work because it's high in saturated fatty acids that harm blood vessels and the overall health of your heart … So don't go overboard, but switch to dark chocolate and you can really have your cake and eat it too.”
People should look for chocolate that has a cocoa content of 60 percent or higher, Katz said.“
Kind of like our new Antioxidant product that mixes up like Hot Chocolate.
And from a study done in Spain and published in Journal Agriculture Food Chem. 2005 Nov 2;53(22):8506-11.
Flavonoids from Theobroma cacao Down-Regulate Inflammatory Mediators.
by Ramiro E, Franch A, Castellote C, Perez-Cano F, Permanyer J, Izquierdo-Pulido M, Castell M.
Departments of Physiology and of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
In the present study, we report the effects of a cocoa extract on the secretion and RNA expression of various proinflammatory mediators by macrophages. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) were significantly and dose-dependently diminished by cocoa extract, and this effect was higher than that produced by equivalent concentrations of epicatechin but was lower than that produce by isoquercitrin. Interestingly, cocoa extract added prior to cell activation resulted in a significantly greater inhibition of TNFalpha secretion. Both cocoa extract and epicatechin decreased TNFalpha, interleukin (IL) 1alpha, and IL-6 mRNA expression, suggesting that their inhibitory effect on cytokine secretion is produced, in part, at the transcriptional level. Cocoa extract also significantly decreased NO secretion in a dose-dependent manner and with a greater effect than that produced by epicatechin.
In conclusion, our study shows that cocoa flavonoids not only inhibit NO release from macrophages but also down-regulate inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.
And Finally, Am J Hypertens. 2005 Jun;18(6):785-91.
Effect of dark chocolate on arterial function in healthy individuals.
By: Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, Alexopoulos N, Economou E, Andreadou I, Stefanadis C.
1st Department of Cardiology, Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece.
BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies suggest that high flavonoid intake confers a benefit on cardiovascular outcome. Endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and wave reflections are important determinants of cardiovascular performance and are predictors of cardiovascular risk.
METHODS: The effect of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate (100 g) on endothelial function, aortic stiffness, wave reflections, and oxidant status were studied for 3 h in 17 young healthy volunteers according to a randomized, single-blind, sham procedure-controlled, cross-over protocol. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, aortic augmentation index (AIx), and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) were used as measures of endothelial function, wave reflections, and aortic stiffness, respectively. Plasma oxidant status was evaluated with measurement of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). RESULTS: Chocolate led to a significant increase in resting and hyperemic brachial artery diameter throughout the study (maximum increase by 0.15 mm and 0.18 mm, respectively, P < .001 for both). The FMD increased significantly at 60 min (absolute increase 1.43%, P < .05). The AIx was significantly decreased with chocolate throughout the study (maximum absolute decrease 7.8%, P < .001), indicating a decrease in wave reflections, whereas PWV did not change to a significant extent. Plasma MDA and TAC did not change after chocolate, indicating no alterations in plasma oxidant status.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows for the first time that consumption of dark chocolate acutely decreases wave reflections, that it does not affect aortic stiffness, and that it may exert a beneficial effect on endothelial function in healthy adults. Chocolate consumption may exert a protective effect on the cardiovascular system; further studies are warranted to assess any long-term effects.
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Meditations
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“Doing nothing is very hard to do...you never know when you're finished.”
Leslie Nielsen
Don't Forget to Live Healthy!
Allen
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Health Disclaimer:
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Health Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the USA Food and Drug Administration. These statements and the products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult your professional health care provider. The information provided in this ezine or on this website should not be construed as a heath-care diagnosis, treatment regimen or any other prescribed health-care advice or instruction. The information is provided with the understanding that we are not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. We do not advise or recommend to our readers treatment or action with regard to matters relating to their health or well being other than to suggest that readers consult appropriate health-care professionals in such matters. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication or website. The information and opinions provided herein are believed to be accurate and sound at the time of publication, based on the best judgment available to the authors, publisher, and contributors. However, readers who rely on information in this publication to replace the advice of health-care professionals, or who fail to consult with health-care professionals, assume all risks of such conduct. We are not responsible for errors or omissions, or your actions. Be a responsible adult.
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Copyright 2005 Smarter Health Corporation You must have our permission in writing before using any of it for any other purpose than your personal use. However, you have our permission to pass this Ezine in it's entirety to friends, and relations who may benefit from it.
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