Wednesday, June 24, 2015

A Common American Kitchen Staple Banned In 30 Other Countries

cow2.jpg


(I originally wrote this article for FitLife.TV)

Did you know that American milk isn’t allowed to be sold in Europe, Canada or 30 other countries including Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand and Japan?


And yet millions of Americans reach for their milk cartons daily to get their fill of calcium and other nutrients. It is estimated that Americans, on average, drink 20+ gallons of milk every single year. Not to mention ice cream and other products consumed that also have milk as a main ingredient.


But does consuming American milk have negative effects on the body that we as Americans have yet to realize?


With all the propaganda encouraging consumers to buy milk, not a lot of Americans realize that there is continued scientific research being performed that has linked milk to increased cancer risk and other undesirable health issues.


So what’s going on with American cows that isn’t happening to their relatives in other countries?   


In 1994, the use of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) in dairy cows was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The injection (invented by Monsanto) of this hormone helps cows produce about 20% more milk. It ALSO stimulates some unanticipated action in the liver, making it increase Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in a cow’s milk by 80% or more.


IGF-1 is a protein produced by people (and cows) and is important for growth during childhood as well as anabolic activity in adults.


So not only does rBGH and IGF-1 affect the cows, but it ends up in their milk and thus into every person who chooses to drink it.


The big question is: should we be concerned about this?


The IGF-1 produced by both cows and humans is identical, meaning the same 70 amino acids are arranged in the same order for this hormone in cows and in people. The overabundance of this hormone in cow milk has been linked to increased cancer risk and premature arrival of puberty.


A study done by researchers at The University of Bristol concluded the following:


“These data provide some evidence that variation in childhood milk and dairy product intakes underlies associations of leg length (a marker of prepubertal growth), IGF-1 and cancer risk. The association appears to be due to the protein content of milk.”


Another study done by the University of Osnabrück in Germany examined the correlation between IGF-1 and acne in adults. IGF-1 naturally increases during puberty, which is one of the causes of teenage acne. Milk consumption also increases this hormone (unnaturally) and may result in acne and increased cancer risk. The study reports as follows:


“Milk consumption results in a significant increase in insulin and IGF-1 serum levels comparable with high glycaemic food… Acne is proposed to be an IGF-1-mediated disease, modified by diets and smoking increasing insulin/IGF-1-signalling. Metformin treatment, and diets low in milk protein content and glycaemic index reduce increased IGF-1 signalling. Persistent acne in adulthood with high IGF-1 levels may be considered as an indicator for increased risk of cancer, which may require appropriate dietary intervention as well as treatment with insulin-sensitizing agents.”


No wonder other countries are hesitant about drinking our milk! After the approval of rBGH milk in 1994, the U.S. began pushing Mexico, Canada and Europe to also approve this Monsanto GMO milk to be sold in their respective countries, using reports from the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), an international expert scientific committee, which “... unequivocally absolved rBGH from any adverse veterinary and public health effects.”   


However some professionals, such as Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., believed that “.... these JECFA committees… operate under conditions of non-transparency and conflicts of interest, and are predominantly staffed by unelected and unaccountable U.S. and Canadian regulatory officials and industry consultants with no expertise in public health, preventive medicine and carcinogenesis.


Both Canada and Europe commissioned independent committees to examine and review scientific literature on the effects of rBGH on both cows and people.


“Based on conclusions on the adverse veterinary effects of rBGH, particularly an increased incidence of mastitis, lameness and reproductive problems, Health Canada reluctantly broke ranks with the U.S. in January 1999, and issued a formal ‘notice of non- compliance’, disapproving future sales of rBGH.”


European committees agreed with Canada and had similar conclusions regarding the rBGH milk:


“The public health committee confirmed earlier reports of excess levels of the naturally occurring Insulin-like-Growth Factor One (IGF-1), including its highly potent variants, in rBGH milk and concluded that these posed major risks of cancer, particularly of the breast and prostate, besides promoting the growth and invasiveness of cancer cells by inhibiting their programmed self-destruction (apoptosis).”


Despite the banning of milk in other countries, the U.S. continued to approve the use and marketing of rBGH milk to its American citizens. The media has done little to publicize the existing scientific evidence that there are indeed potential health hazards associated with the drinking of Monsanto milk products.


Did the concerns of Canadian and European committees prove to be true?


In 2007, the Cancer Prevention Coalition filed a petition with the FDA requesting a ban on rBGH milk in the U.S. but so far the FDA has done nothing about it. In the petition they stated:


“This petition is based on scientific evidence of increased risks of cancer, particularly breast, colon, and prostate, from the consumption of milk from cows injected with Posilac®, the genetically modified recombinant bovine growth hormone…”


It then goes on to describe concerns about the toxicity in rBGH milk and states that,


“Increased levels of IGF-1 have been shown to increase risks of breast cancer by up to seven-fold in 22 publications, risks of colon cancer in 16 publications, and prostate cancer in 10 publications.”


You’d think that with so much concern circulating about the safety of rBGH milk that the FDA would at least label it so consumers know what they’re drinking. However, many people don’t even know what rBGH milk is or what GMO means.


“The FDA has misled dairy producers and consumers with regard to its requirement for labeling of rBGH milk, to the effect that “No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST treated cows.” This, however, is misleading in extreme as the “FDA has determined it lacks the basis for requiring such labeling in its statute.””


Please see the full petition here.


There is growing concern that Monsanto is unreliable, especially in regards to its claims that GMO milk and other GMO products like soy and corn are safe. Despite popular and widely circulated claims that “...no negative health consequences have been detected (or are anticipated)...” with GMO products there is a lot of evidence to suggest otherwise.


Are we to continue being guinea pigs in a giant human experiment?  


It is important now more than ever for EVERY person to take full responsibility for their health. We must do everything we can to be sure the food we are eating is SAFE and PROVEN so. We, as consumers have power in where we put our money. As we become active in pursuing truth, whatever that may mean, we can and will be able to take a stand against corporations who may not have our best interest in mind.


It is up to us.   


Going off of dairy can be tricky at first, but isn’t as hard as you might think. Try different options until you find what you like and reach out to friends who are doing the same thing! If you don’t want to go off dairy you can also simply try to avoid rBGH milk by buying organic dairy products or products that are listed as rBGH or rBST free.


Best dairy alternatives: Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew or hemp milk, rice milk, organic butter, coconut butter, coconut cream, cashew sour cream, nutritional yeast (instead of cheese), coconut yogurt and kefir (coconut or water). I do NOT recommend soy or tofu as alternatives.


Sources:
Individual studies from PUBMED are linked when quoted above.
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Monday, October 20, 2014

Cancer- The 5 Most Important Things to Avoid


  1. Sugar

CANCER THRIVES ON SUGAR. Period. There are a lot of sources that may try to convince you not to stress about sugar. Every cell in your body uses sugar for energy. However, cancer cells have an estimated 15 TIMES MORE SUGAR RECEPTORS THAN NORMAL CELLS. Your doctor knows this! Every doctor knows this. When you get a scan for cancer (PET scan) you are given, by mouth or through a vein, a substance with radioactive glucose (sugar). Medical staff are able to see exactly where your cancer is because cancer cells go crazy on the glucose, positrons are released and collide with electrons, creating rays the doctors are able to pick up on the scan.


Cancer cells are just as alive as other cells, and when they grow they not only eat up sugar like mad, but they can even make you crave it.

If you have cancer, PLEASE avoid sugar. This includes: white, brown, artificial, pure, and cane sugars, as well as high fructose corn syrup. You CAN kill cancer, but only if you stop feeding it! There are natural ways to beat cancer and there are hundreds of stories of people who have.
  1. Grain

Grains are broken down by our bodies into glucose (sugar). Wheat, rye, breakfast cereals, white flour, enriched flour, white rice, pasta, and most other grains all convert to sugar once digested. Those with cancer should avoid grains entirely, except for maybe small servings of the safer grains listed below. If you are cancer-free there are still many benefits you can experience from avoiding grain. At very least, grain intake should be limited to small servings a few times a week or less.

Best types of grain to eat: Quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth and wild rice.

  1. Processed Meat

The World Health Organization has determined that what people eat accounts for a large percentage of cancers in countries around the globe. There have been numerous studies done on how eating animal products (meat and dairy) affects cancer growth, and in every case I’ve found, those who consume animal products always have a higher risk of developing cancer. This is especially true of processed meats (lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages, bacon, packaged ham, etc) that contain sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. These ingredients are absolutely carcinogenic (a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue). The World Cancer Research Fund says bluntly, “Limit consumption of red meat, and avoid processed meats.” There are many healthcare professionals that recommended avoiding meat entirely while fighting cancer, and eating it sparingly (3 times a week) once the cancer is gone.

Best types of meat to eat: Organic and grass fed.

  1. Dairy

Professor Jane Plant, geochemist and chief scientist of the British Geological Survey, struggled with Breast Cancer 5 different times from 1987-1993. Jane and her husband had both worked in China , where historically breast cancer was extremely rare. The statistics had been 1 in 100,000 women in China verse 1 in 12 in the Western world. And when Chinese women went on American diets, within one generation they would have the same rate as westerners.

The difference? China didn’t have a dairy industry. After her fifth relapse with cancer, this realization changed Jane’s life and she soon devoted to an Asian style, dairy-free diet. In six weeks the cancerous lump in her neck disappeared. Although doctors had told her she was months away from death, she is still alive and feeling great 20 years later, and teaching as a professor of geochemistry in London. She went on to write books about overcoming breast and prostate cancer.  

Milk from cows, goats, whales, horses, and humans...is great for the baby of each animal respectively. They are all different from each other. For example: a cow’s milk is formulated by nature to grow a baby calf from 90 pounds to 700+ pounds within a year. Not to mention the fact that cows have 4 stomachs to digest that same milk with. Because our systems aren’t built the same way, drinking a lot of milk causes mucus and acidity in the body. Disease thrives in an acidic and mucus-filled environment. To learn the extensive research done on milk and casein, a protein found in animal products that has evidence linking it to cancer, please see T. Colin Campbell’s book Whole.

Best types of dairy: Almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, organic butter, coconut butter, coconut cream, cashew sour cream, nutritional yeast (instead of cheese), coconut yogurt and kefir. These must be free of carrageenan. I do NOT recommend soy or tofu as alternatives.    

  1. Fear

We are electrical beings. Many of us have heard of things like auras, energy work, vibrations, etc. Everything made of atoms projects a frequency because of the movement of electrons.


Did you know that words and emotions also have frequencies? And that they can affect your body just as powerfully as what you eat? It’s true! In her book LIVE With Outrageous Energy, Karen Urbanek H.H.P. says, “We all project an overall frequency, also referred to as our ‘energy’... Everything emits a frequency, and everything absorbs frequencies… Frequencies can aid you in getting well or making you sick. Make you happy or bring your spirit down. Frequencies are everything!”

Fear is one of the lowest frequencies we experience. When entering the world of cancer, it may be one of the first things we feel. But fear shuts us down. It puts our nervous system into sympathetic mode. It is often accompanied by anxiety. It shuts down the digestive system and weakens the immune system. It dramatically decreases our ability to think rationally. And it feeds cancer.


And yet the world of cancer, anyone who has or knows someone with cancer, even just the WORD cancer, is almost always surrounded by what? FEAR. I believe this is one of the biggest problems in the medical industry when it comes to cancer. There is a lot of money they make because of fear! If you feel you are being persuaded to make decisions and fear is being used as a tactic, please seriously considering changing health-care professionals.

Healing, although it may not be an easy road, will happen much more quickly and deeply when your
life is surrounded by the highest frequencies possible. This includes the frequencies of what you eat, drink, think about, who is taking care of you, your home environment, your work or school environment, and who you spend the most time with.

The most important thing to do for your health, whether you have cancer or not, is to take control. Accept the responsibility for the well being of each of your cells, and do what it takes to give them the tools they need to heal. Our bodies are magnificent and if we learn to listen and become one with them, we can feel better and have more energy than we ever thought possible. No one else can do it for you. Never give up!

Sources



Friday, September 26, 2014

8 Steps to a Higher Vibration


"What lies behind us 
and what lies before us 
are tiny matters compared to 
what lies within us." 
~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

We all have times where life isn't clear and we feel like we're walking through mud. Here are a few tips to help us find more happiness and fulfillment, and make it through the ups and downs!

1. Sleep

Now for those of us who aren't mentally on top of our game, sleep (too much or the inability to sleep at all) may be a nightly battle. A few tips to more restful sleep:
  •  Spend time earthing every day. This means getting your bare feet in contact with the ground. The earth's energy is very healing and there is a lot of evidence that when we connect with the earth our circadian rhythm becomes more normalized, thus helping us sleep and wake up at healthy times. You can even make or buy grounding pads to sleep on to maximize the benefits of earthing. 
  • Create a good sleep environment. Cool and dark works best for most people. Try to keep your room as free of electronics as possible. There is evidence that EMF's can be a cause of insomnia and sleeping disorders. Turn your phone on airplane mode and leave your computer in another room or away from the bed. Be aware of walls with lots of hidden wires, or smart meters on the outside wall of your bedroom. 
  • Before you go to sleep, write down everything that is on your mind. List the things that are bothering you or that you're worried about or just the thoughts that won't leave you alone. A 'brain dump' so to speak, that you can leave on your nightstand to think about tomorrow. 
2. Spend time outside

It is easy to hide away indoors when we are feeling 'off' but going outside and spending time in nature can be soothing and very healing. Whether it's going for a walk, playing an outdoor sport, or simply splattering yourself out on the lawn (my personal favorite,) reconnect with mother earth to find inner peace.


3. Hang out with the right people

"You become like the 5 people you spend the most time with."

Even on my lowest days, my husband always manages to poke through my walls and make me laugh. His ability to love me on any kind of day gives me safety and support that is priceless.

We are deeply entangled with the people around us. It is so important to spend our time with people who bring balance and don't constantly drain our energy or fill us with negativity. Sometimes this means letting go of someone. Spend your time with those who lift you up, love you, and encourage you to be your true self.

4. Get in this MOMENT

"The secret to change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new" ~Socrates

In his book 'The Screwtape Letters' C.S. Lewis tells of letters written from a senior Demon Screwtape to his nephew Woodworm, a junior 'tempter.' Woodworm is responsible for the undoing or damnation of a certain human referred to as 'The Patient.'

One of the demons' tactics is to keep The Patient focusing constantly on the past or future. They know that if they successfully keep him from thinking about the moment, if he is consistently stuck on things in past or future, he will never be able to accomplish what is important in the now.


Do what it takes to let go of the past. Who you are today is more important than anything you have been, and will determine who you will be. Learn how to pull yourself back into the present.

5. Be honest

A lot of anxiety and sadness comes when we lie to ourselves or those around us. This also applies to
times when we 'hide' from those we love out of fear. The truth is, people who truly love us will keep loving us no matter what. It is easier in the end to be honest and upfront with those close to us than to bury ourselves behind a good face.

I heard once that we all have three selves: who we are when we're alone, who we are when we're with close friends/family, and who we are when we're in the general public. The closer these three selves come together, the happier and more content we will be. We need to learn to to be true to ourselves, to be free, and to give others the same privilege.

6. Find your confidence 

When depression sets in, when anxiety wrings you dry, when you're in a fog and just aren't sure of anything anymore...breathe. Remember that you are a piece of the universe. You are one with the stars and the galaxies and the birds above your rain clouds. Look deep inside and find that connection with God or the Universe or Mother Earth, and know that you are not alone. This moment of dark won't last. Feel what needs to be felt and then hold your chin up and face your demons with power. This life is yours. Though your mind and ego may seem to hold the reins, in reality they belong to you and you are the master. 

7. Balance your chakras 

A lot of instability emotionally comes from your energy being unbalanced. This can happen for many reasons, and is often subconscious until you pay specific attention. Balancing your chakras is an excellent way to meditate, clear muddy energy, process emotions that are stuck, and become more in tune with yourself. Here is a simple method I've found effective:

  1. You can do this anywhere anytime but I've found it is easiest if you are somewhere comfortable where you can relax. Lay down or lean back in your chair.Take some deep breathes and try to let go of external distractions. Focus on your breathing and on feeling your body. 
  2. Let yourself focus on your energy. It surrounds you, runs through you, and is in constant motion. It is connected with the earth and the universe and everything that is in you. 
  3. Start at the bottom and either physically or in your mind hold your hand over the chakra, and move it clock-wise motion with the flow of energy. This is more about feeling than thinking. Focus on the flow and whether or not it feels fluid and clear. If not, focus on the imbalance. Is there physical discomfort? Thoughts or images that come up? Accept, process, and continue in motion with the energy until it is clear. 
  4. Move up to the next chakra and repeat. Continue until you've gone through each chakra individually. 
For more specifics about the chakras, please see here.

8. Spend some time with an animal 

Who doesn't feel better after cuddling a puppy? Or having a kitten on their lap? Or even getting to hold a big reptile? For me, almost nothing compares to being with horses. Their beauty and power have always touched a deep place inside of me. Animals, because they accept and love us so easily, have great ability to help us accept ourselves and experience healing. Go play with a pet! 


Here's to all of us and our journey and the growth that comes with it. May we find in ourselves our greatest potential and happiness!

References:

Dr Ghaly's study on earthing and cortisol: Ghaly M and Teplitz D "The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2004

EMFs and sleep disturbance
The Screwtape Letters Synopsis