Michelle Schoffro Cook's Blog, page 13
July 18, 2016
A Guide to Cutting Sugar Out of Your Diet
Let’s face it: we are seriously addicted to sugar. Since the 1950s the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), informs us that our per capita consumption of sugars like sucrose (table sugar) and high-fructose corn syrup increased 43 pounds, or 39 percent, between 1950-59 and 2000. Each American consumes an average 152 pounds of sugar annually – the equivalent of 52 teaspoons of added sugars every day. That amount does not include naturally-occurring sugars found in fruit, vegetables, legumes, and grains. While sugar manufacturers continue to feed off our addiction, claiming it is harmless, it’s not. Here are some of the reasons why this highly-addictive white stuff is dangerous:
It has been linked to osteoporosis: In a study published in the medical journal Archives of Oral Biology, researchers found that sugar consumption caused osteoporosis in animals.
It has been linked to cancer: According to research in the medical journal Cancer Research consumption of white sugar at levels comparable to the amount consumed in our Western diet led to increased breast cancer tumor growth and metastasis (movement of cancer throughout the body), when compared with a non-sugar starch diet.
It has been linked to more than other 100 conditions: Sugar consumption has been linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, and premature aging, to name only a few. According to Nancy Appleton’s research on sugar consumption in her classic work on the topic, Lick the Sugar Habit, sugar is linked to over 100 health symptoms or conditions, including: allergies, anxiety, depression, migraines, insomnia, infections, liver problems, and of course tooth decay.
Sugar takes many forms, from white table sugar (sucrose) to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or sometime just fructose. There is maltose, dextrose, and many other “-oses” If sugar is listed on the label of the foods you select, look for ingredients ending in “ose.” In addition to the many reasons to avoid sugar, high fructose corn syrup presents its own unique challenges.
How to Cut Down on Sugar
Skip the soda: The fastest and most effective way to significantly cut your sugar consumption is to forego the soda. That’s because a single can of Coke contains 39 grams of sugar. That’s a huge reduction in sugar.
Choose water or coconut water over sports drinks: Forget the artificial-color- and sugar-laden sports drinks that typically contain between 12 and 40 grams of sugar by choosing water or coconut water instead.
Bake with coconut sugar instead of white or brown sugar: White sugar contains 4 grams of sugar per teaspoon while coconut sugar contains 3 grams, which might not sound like a big deal but it works out to a reduction of over 50 grams of sugar every day, based on average consumption.
Eat the most important meal of the day: While many people skip breakfast or choose muffins and other high sugar pastries on their way to work, these foods are high in sugar and significantly contribute to your overall sugar consumption. The typical muffin has about 20 grams of sugar. Compare that to 1 gram of sugar in one-half cup of plain, cooked oatmeal. Of course, read the label for amount of sugar per serving. And, watch the serving size since many companies sneakily use extra small serving sizes to make their products appear nutritionally better than they really are. Even if you add a spoonful of fresh or frozen blueberries, you’ll reduce your sugar content by about 10 grams every day.
Switch your latte to a regular coffee or tea sweetened with stevia and you’ll save over 40 grams of sugar or more every day. That’s because many beverages like the Starbucks Chai Latte contains 42 grams of sugar in a single, 16-ounce beverage. And the White Chocolate Mocha has 59 grams of sugar in a single, 16-ounce beverage.
Switch to the herb stevia: Keep a small bottle of stevia in your purse or pocket. Stevia is a naturally sweet herb that doesn’t contain any sugar. Use a few drops or a tiny amount of the powder in place of sugar in your coffee or tea and you’ll reduce your sugar intake by 4 grams for every teaspoon of sugar you normally take. That adds up from day to day and over the course of a year. Pay attention to labels as many stevia manufacturers hide unwanted sugars and other additives in their stevia products. Avoid any ingredients ending in “-ose” which are actually forms of sugar.
Go Greek: Switch from flavored yogurt to plain Greek yogurt and you’ll save about 20 grams of sugar daily. That’s because most 6 ounce servings of yogurt contain 20 to 26 grams of sugar.
Scrap the Hidden Sugars: Sugar is hidden in many surprising places, including: bread coatings, hamburgers, canned fish, packaged meat and poultry, salt (shocking but true), luncheon meats, bacon, canned meat, bouillon cubes (and therefore soup), peanut butter, cereals, ketchup, cranberry sauce, and other condiments. These hidden sugars add in every day and every year.
How to Kick Cravings for Good
When you eat sugar you crave more sugar thanks to the spikes and surges in blood sugar levels. By satisfying cravings or low blood sugar levels (such as those in hypoglycemia) with sugar you set yourself up for a blood sugar and energy crash an hour or two later. And, of course, that crash means more cravings. Choosing healthier options that regulate blood sugar levels helps to nix cravings for good. Here are some simple ways to help give your cravings the boot:
-Snack on nuts or seeds between meals since they are high in healthy fats, fiber, and protein, all of which help keep blood sugar levels stable. That translates into fewer sugar cravings. Choose raw, unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or walnuts, almonds, or other favorite nuts.
Drink water before satisfying any sugar craving. Many of my clients over the years have found that this simple trick often halts a craving in its tracks.
Supplement with Saffron: Research in the medical journal Nutrition Research found that an extract of the spice saffron (Crocus sativus) reduces snacking and increases the feeling of being full, thereby reducing cravings. Study participants used 176.5 mg of saffron extract daily. Follow package instructions for products you select.
Power Up with Protein: Because protein foods tend to break down slowly they gradually release energy to the body as it needs it, thereby keeping blood sugar levels stable. Keep in mind that protein does not equate with meat contrary to popular belief. There are many excellent vegan protein foods, including: chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, pinto beans, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, avocados, quinoa, and many others.
Supplement with the Mineral Chromium: Many people are deficient in the mineral chromium, which helps to balance blood sugar levels, mood swings, and weight gain. Chromium is naturally found in many whole grains, Romaine lettuce, onions, beans, legumes, and ripe tomatoes but supplementing with 200 to 500 micrograms of chromium daily may be needed to reduce cravings.
Switch to Fruit: Grab a piece of your favorite fruit whenever you crave sugar. While fruit contains natural sugars, it also contains plentiful amounts of other nutrients that help boost your health.
Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is an international best-selling & 20-time author of: Be Your Own Herbalist: Essential Herbs for Health, Beauty & Cooking, Cancer-Proof: All-Natural Solutions for Cancer Prevention and Healing, The Probiotic Promise: Simple Steps to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out, 60 Seconds to Slim: Balance Your Body Chemistry to Burn Fat Fast!, and Weekend Wonder Detox: Quick Cleanses to Strengthen Your Body and Enhance Your Beauty. She is a registered nutritionist, and a board-certified doctor of natural medicine. Subscribe to her free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow her on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook. Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM.
July 14, 2016
10 Reasons to Love Beets
Beets are among the best superfoods. They are packed with nutrition and healing properties. Not counting their delicious taste and incredible versatility, here are 10 reasons to love these delicious darlings of the vegetable kingdom.
Lowers High Blood Pressure: New research on June 30, 2016 in the medical journal Nitric Oxide found that drinking beet juice significantly reduced high blood pressure. That’s great news to the more than one billion global sufferers of hypertension. In another study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension found that raw beet juice was more effective than cooked beets, although both are helpful.
Improves Blood Flow in Heart Disease: Animal research published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that the simple addition of beets to the diets of animals suffering from chronic heart failure resulted in significant improvement in oxygen transport and other blood markers for heart disease.
Boosts Prostate Health: The mineral zinc, found in beets, is essential to prostate health.
Battles Leukemia: In a study published in the Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, researchers compared the effects of drinking a combination of beet and carrot juice on its own or in combination with the anti-leukemia drug chlorambucil against leukemia. They concluded that “Beetroot-carrot juice can be used as an effective treatment for (leukemia) alone or in combination with chlorambucil when taken orally with regular diet on daily basis.”
Increases Exercise Endurance: Research in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that beets increase oxygenation of the muscles and increases exercise endurance.
Boosts Gut Health: Beets are a rich source of prebiotics, the foods for healthy microbes or probiotics in your intestines. By eating more beets you’ll feed the healthy bacteria and other beneficial microbes that give your gut health a boost.
Reduces the Risk of Birth Defects: Beets are rich in the B vitamin known as folate, which has been shown in many studies to reduce the risk of birth defects in fetuses.
Aids Diabetes: Beets are high in the nutrient known as alpha lipoic acid, which is one of the most potent antioxidants you can get. Not only does it fight disease-causing free radicals on its own, it recycles other antioxidant nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E. Alpha lipoic acid has been found to reduce the nerve damage often linked with diabetes.
Reduces Inflammation in the Body: Beets contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds known as betalains.
Alleviates Allergies: Beets are high in natural compounds known as anthocyanins, which is the group of natural pigments that give beets their characteristic purplish color. Anthocyanins have been found to alleviate allergies.
You can enjoy raw beets grated on a salad or juiced, and cooked beets in soups and stews. I love steamed beets tossed with a little flax oil (don't cook the flax oil though) and sea salt. And, of course, you can also add beets to your juicer or high-powered blender while making your favorite fresh juices or smoothies.
Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is an international best-selling & 20-time author of: Be Your Own Herbalist: Essential Herbs for Health, Beauty & Cooking, Cancer-Proof: All-Natural Solutions for Cancer Prevention and Healing, The Probiotic Promise: Simple Steps to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out, 60 Seconds to Slim: Balance Your Body Chemistry to Burn Fat Fast!, and Weekend Wonder Detox: Quick Cleanses to Strengthen Your Body and Enhance Your Beauty. She is a registered nutritionist, and a board-certified doctor of natural medicine. Subscribe to her free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow her on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook. Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM.
March 9, 2016
25 Ways to Get More Fermented Foods in Your Diet
Most people know that fermented foods build great gut health, but a growing body of research shows that they build strong immunity, brain health, heart health, and more. As a result there are more reasons than ever to eat more fermented foods. Check out my blogs “9 Reasons to Love Sauerkraut” and “The Surprising Foods that Alleviate Anxiety” to discover several reasons. But, if you’re like many people you may not know how to get more fermented foods into your diet, outside of yogurt with fruit or sauerkraut on your favorite hot dog. Here are 25 of my favorite ways to get more fermented foods into your diet:
Using Yogurt or Kefir:
1. Smoothies—Blend some yogurt or kefir (a fermented dairy or fruit juice beverage) with a handful or two of fruit for a delicious smoothie.
2. Frozen Yogurt—After making a fruit smoothie, pour it into popsicle molds for a frozen yogurt treat.
3. Yogurt Cheese—Pour yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined sieve and let it sit for at least a few hours for a soft yogurt cheese—simply add your favorite herbs for an unbeatable fresh cheese. Like all of the yogurt-based suggestions, these approaches work for vegan yogurt as well.
4. Yogurt Salad Dressing—Blend some yogurt with lemon juice or vinegar and some herbs and sea salt for a creamy salad dressing.
5. Save Yogurt to Make More—Save a few tablespoons of yogurt or the whey from yogurt-making as the starter culture to make even more.
6. Breakfast Cereal—Add a dollop or two of yogurt or kefir to your favorite breakfast cereal or oatmeal in place of milk.
Using Sauerkraut, Pickled Vegetables, or Kimchi:
7. Over Brown Rice or Quinoa for a Quick Meal—Simply adding sauerkraut or other fermented vegetable dish to cooked grains (after the grains have cooked) makes a quick, nutritious, and delicious meal. Check out my blog “Make Your Own Probiotic-Rich Sauerkraut.”
8. Over Salad—I threw some sauerkraut on top of a homemade Caesar salad and it was delicious. You can add fermented veggies to almost any salad for a quick probiotic boost.
9. On Noodles—Tossing brown rice or other whole grain noodles with kimchi or pickled veggies makes mealtime a cinch.
10. Sandwiches—Adding pickled turnip, fermented onions, kimchi, or sauerkraut to your favorite sandwich gives it a flavor and nutritional boost.
11. and 12. On Burgers and Hot Dogs—This one is fairly self-explanatory.
13. Lettuce Cups—Place freshly-grated vegetables, bean sprouts, and fermented veggies or kimchi in a large leaf of lettuce and wrap it up for a simple snack or meal.
14. Salad Rolls—Soak rice paper wraps in hot water, pat dry, and wrap them up with fermented and fresh veggies and kimchi.
15. Tacos—Top your favorite tacos with fermented vegetables like carrots or onions for a flavor boost.
16. Salad Dressing—Blend sauerkraut or kimchi with some 2 parts oil and 1 part vinegar for a quick and easy salad dressing.
17. Condiments—Add pickled vegetables or kimchi as a condiment to almost any meal.
18. Guacamole—I mix an El Salvadoran fermented salsa known as Curtido with mashed avocado for a simple and amazingly delicious guacamole in minutes.
19. Salsa and Chips—Mix fresh salsa ingredients: chopped tomatoes, onion, garlic, lemon juice, and minced chilies with the contents of one probiotic capsule and let sit for at least a few hours but preferably overnight. Then serve your fermented salsa with chips for a great snack.
20. Hummus—Blend sauerkraut (or sauerkraut juice) and chickpeas with a little extra virgin olive oil for a quick and probiotic-rich hummus. The sauerkraut and sauerkraut juice adds flavor and replaces salt in this recipe.
Using Other Fermented Foods:
21. Fermented Juice—Empty the contents of a probiotic capsule into your favorite fruit or vegetable juice, cover and leave at room temperature overnight or for a day. Not only will you get the probiotics found in the capsule, but the beneficial microbes will proliferate and actually reduce the amount of natural sugars present in the juice.
22. Choose Kombucha over Soda—Skip the sugar-laden soft drink and instead enjoy a naturally-sparkling kombucha (a probiotic-rich beverage).
23. Cultured Cream—Soak raw, unsalted nuts like cashews, pine nuts, or macadamias in enough water to cover and the contents of one probiotic capsule. Let sit for 8 hours or overnight. Blend. Use over fruit in place of cream. Use only as much of the soak water as needed for a thick vegan sour cream.
24. Vegan Cheese—Follow the instructions under 23 but use only enough water to cover the nuts and allow them to ferment with the probiotic powder for at least 24 hours or longer for a sharper cheese flavor. Blend until smooth and creamy for a quick and probiotic-rich soft cheese.
25. Vegan Pudding or Cheesecake—Follow the instructions for vegan cheese but add some fruit and sweetener (if you wish), along with a couple tablespoons of a thickening agent like ground chia or flax seeds. For a cheesecake, crumble some graham crackers or cookies with a small amount of coconut oil and press into a small cheesecake mold. Pour the fruit-cashew mixture over the crust. Refrigerate until firm, et voila! Enjoy a simple, raw, probiotic-rich pudding or cheesecake.
Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is a registered nutritionist and international best-selling and 19-time published book author whose works include: The Probiotic Promise: Simple Steps to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out.
December 16, 2015
The Holiday Spice that Boosts Mood, Fights Depression
Who doesn’t love the taste of ground nutmeg over a holiday hot chocolate or latte? It’s not only the classic eggnog spice, it’s perfect in spice cookies and other holiday fare. While delicious holiday treats may be enough reason to enjoy nutmeg, research shows that it may help boost moods and help us deal with depression and sadness, which are also unfortunately common this time of year. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide.
In a study published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, researchers found that nutmeg (myristica fragrans) boosted mood and showed comparable antidepressant activity to the drug imipramine—a drug used to treat depression and bed-wetting.
Most of us have heard of the “fight or flight” reaction which occurs when we are severely stressed but there is a third reaction which is “freeze” during which we are so stressed that we have difficulty reacting at all. Like the term suggests our muscles can become rigid and we simply freeze up. In the study researchers found that herbal extracts of nutmeg had the ability to significantly reduce the amount of time spent in “freeze” mode and better cope with stress.
The scientists believe that nutmeg works as a natural antioxidant to reduce harmful free radicals in the body and restores the balance of hormones in the brain, known as neurotransmitters, in the same way the drug imipramine works, without the serious drug side-effects. Imipramine can cause dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, weight gain or loss, increased sweating, painful breasts, mood changes (including depression, which it is used to treat), irregular menstrual periods, muscle stiffness, restlessness, ringing in the ears, trouble urinating, leg swelling, and sexual problems (changes in desire and decreased sexual ability).
Conversely, nutmeg has shown to have beneficial side-effects in multiple studies. In one study it was shown to have anti-tumor properties. Additionally, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that nutmeg inhibited 90% of rotaviruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and children worldwide.
There are many ways to get more nutmeg in your daily diet, including: on your favorite latte, added to almond or coconut milk as a delicious eggnog alternative, with cinnamon and added to apple cider, in your favorite sugar cookie or spice cookie recipe, or added to savory dishes like soup or stew. Nutmeg extract is also available in many health food stores. Use as directed on the package. Be sure to consult your physician prior to use.
Check out my new books Weekend Wonder Detox, 60 Seconds to Slim, and The Probiotic Promise. Subscribe to my free e-mail newsletter World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow me on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook. Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD.
December 3, 2015
Peoples' Tribunal Charge Monsanto for "Crimes against Humanity and Nature"
In an announcement made at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris, Monsanto will stand trial for ecocide and crimes against humanity and nature. The trial will take place next year at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands on October 16, 2016 (incidentally and aptly, on World Food Day). Dozens of international food, agriculture, and environmental justice groups, including: Millions against Monsanto, the Organic Consumers Association, Regeneration International, and IFOAM Organics International—an umbrella organization of over 800 affiliated organizations in 100 countries, are involved in the legal action.
The International Court of Justice’s role is to settle disputes, in accordance with international law, as well as to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations agencies. While the trial is still ten months away and the outcome to be determined by the Court, the announcement comes as a victory for many environmentalists and food activists, who are making the ultimate stand against the practices of a company they deem unethical.
As part of the announcement Andre Leu, president of IFOAM boldly stated: “Monsanto is able to ignore the human and environmental damage caused by its products, and maintain its devastating activities through a strategy of systemic concealment: by lobbying regulatory agencies and governments, by resorting to lying and corruption, by financing fraudulent scientific studies, by pressuring independent scientists, and by manipulating the press and media.”
The announcement follows on the heels of a recent French court decision to charge Monsanto with chemical poisoning (check out my blog “Monsanto Charged with Chemical Poisoning”). Additionally, the World Health Organization declared earlier this year that glyphosate is a “probable carcinogen” (Check out my blog “Did Monsanto Cover Up Evidence of Roundup's Health Risks for Decades?”). Monsanto’s flagship pesticide product known as “Roundup” contains glyphosate and is used in conjunction with the company’s own genetically-modified Roundup-Ready seeds (corn, soybeans, and rapeseed).
Even after the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency, the IARC, declared glyphosate a probable carcinogen, Monsanto continues to hold onto its claim that “No regulatory agency in the world considers glyphosate to be a carcinogen.” Incidentally, California’s Environmental Protection Agency has also announced that it will label glyphosate as a “carcinogen” as part of its Proposition 65 involving a requirement that the state publish a list of products that cause cancer or birth defects.
But, the legal action was not initiated solely due to the company’s development of glyphosate. As part of its legal claims the dozens of groups taking a stand against Monsanto at the International Court of Justice are citing a lengthy history of toxic products developed by the company, including: PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls); 2,4,5 T (2,4, 5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid which is a component of Agent Orange), and Lasso (an herbicide banned in Europe).
Like many food activists, I’m hopeful that the public statement of physicist, author, and activist Dr. Vandana Shiva foreshadows the court’s decision: “Monsanto has pushed GMOs in order to collect royalties from poor farmers, trapping them in unpayable debt, and pushing them to suicide. Monsanto promotes an agro-industrial model that contributes at least 50 percent of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Monsanto is also largely responsible for the depletion of soil and water resources, species extinction and declining biodiversity, and the displacement of millions of small farmers worldwide.”
Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is the international best-selling author of the books The Probiotic Promise, 60 Seconds to Slim, and Weekend Wonder Detox, a registered nutritionist, and a board-certified doctor of natural medicine. Subscribe to my free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow my blog on DrMichelleCook.com, and follow me on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook. Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM.
October 15, 2015
What Exactly are “Natural Flavors” in Candy?
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Photo Credit: antpkr FreeDigitalPhotos.net
If candy manufacturers were required to declare the exact ingredients found in candy, the label would read like something out of a witch’s brew: dried beaver’s sac, sheepskin excretions, or insect excretions. This may sound more like “trick” than “treat” but it’s true. When it comes to the ingredient “natural flavors,” it is considered a trade secret and, as a result, does not require disclosure from manufacturers. So, what exactly are “natural flavors” and just how natural are they?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) here’s the official definition of natural flavors:
“(3) The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural essence or extractives obtained from plants (identified in other sections of the document).”
While it’s a bit intense, on the surface it seems fairly harmless too. But, there are a few issues:
Odd and unwanted ingredients: Because the single ingredient of natural flavors can contain 100 other ingredients, there is room for a lot of potentially unwanted substances in foods containing this enigmatic ingredient. Some candy manufacturers exploit the definition to include ingredients like castoreum—found in the dried castor sacs (near the anus) of beavers—while this ingredient is technically “natural” in that it is derived from meat, it’s not something most people would knowingly choose to eat; or confectioner’s glaze or shellac, which gives many candies their shiny coating, but it is actually extracted from the excretions of certain insects found in India and South Asia.
Potential for allergens: If you have a severe food allergy, such as to seafood, you’re better off staying clear of any candy (or any other food for that matter) that contains natural flavors. As you may have noticed from the FDA description, natural flavors can be derived from seafood, among other potential allergens. The same is true if you have an egg or dairy allergy, or another known food allergen. You may be at risk of an allergic reaction when consuming candies that contain natural flavors.
Potential for GMOs: Because genetically-modified organisms currently have GRAS status “generally-recognized as safe” genetically-modified dairy products, corn, soy, or other GMO food can be used in the process of obtaining natural flavors. GMO foods have been linked in studies to reproductive disorders, cancer, and other serious health concerns so candy containing natural flavors may not be suitable for you or the children who are consuming it in droves this Halloween.
Solvents and pesticides: There are frequently residues of solvents (usually petroleum-based) used in the extraction of certain flavors from plant or animal sources. Additionally, because the foods used to manufacture natural flavors is probably not organic, the ingredient “natural flavors” tends to have pesticide residues as well.
Sometimes natural flavors are listed as “natural flavor (organic vanilla)” or “natural flavor (organic peppermint),” or something similar on labels. In these cases, the candy is probably devoid of the unwanted ingredients sometimes found in natural flavors and is likely safe to eat. But, considering that “natural flavors” is the fourth most used ingredient in processed foods, after salt, water, and sugar, unwanted or questionable ingredients are found in a lot of our foods, and certainly a lot of the Halloween candy being distributed to children.
For more information about hidden chemicals in your food, check out my book Weekend Wonder Detox: Quick Cleanses to Strengthen Your Body and Enhance Your Beauty.
Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is the international best-selling author of the books The Probiotic Promise, 60 Seconds to Slim, and Weekend Wonder Detox, a registered nutritionist, and a board-certified doctor of natural medicine. Subscribe to my free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow my blog on DrMichelleCook.com, and follow me on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook. Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM.
October 7, 2015
Monsanto May Be Involved in a 40 Year Cover Up
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared that glyphosate—the primary ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup and other pesticides—a “probable carcinogen.” What’s more: there is evidence to suggest that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actually classified Roundup as a carcinogen thirty years ago and then mysteriously reversed the decision. Now, there’s a new advancement in the plot to uncover the truth about glyphosate. This time, there’s alleged evidence to suggest that, while Monsanto maintains that Roundup is safe and environmentally-friendly, the company may have conducted research dating back to the 1970s which showed that Roundup caused serious health issues. According to the scientists who are releasing this information to the public, Monsanto may have tampered with the evidence it sent to regulators.
An independent and well-known research scientist and member of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Anthony Samsel, attempted to obtain the research and data Monsanto submitted to the government through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) without success. He then enlisted the help of his senator and along with his co-investigator Dr. Stephanie Seneff at MIT. They successfully received over 15,000 pages of documents in response. Since reviewing the thousands of pages of Monsanto data, Samsel has come forward and stated in an interview with Dr. Gary Null on the Progressive Radio Network that “Monsanto misrepresented the data...and deliberately covered up data to bring the product [glyphosate] to market.”
According to the scientists’ assessment, Monsanto's own research shows that glyphosate exposure is linked to: cancers of the pituitary gland, brain, heart, lungs, salivary glands, lymphatic glands, prostate, bladder, thyroid, adrenal glands, and skin.
Independent research has shown that exposure to glyphosate is linked to many serious health problems. In an animal study conducted at the University of Caen, Institute of Biology, in Caen, France, researchers found a link between reproductive disorders and sterility and glyphosate-based pesticides.
Monsanto is also the biotechnology company behind the creation of Roundup Ready corn, or Bt corn, which is short for Bacillus thuringiensis—a type of bacteria whose genes are crossed with corn to create genetically-modified corn that produces glyphosate-based pesticides within every cell. This type of corn is found in many fast foods, packaged foods, and prepared foods in the form of corn niblets, corn starch, corn flour, or high fructose corn syrup. This GMO corn has recently been found in children’s snack foods. Check out my blog “Shocking GMO Ingredient Found in Baby Food.”
A recent study found in the Journal of Applied Toxicology found that Bt genes added to corn are not the inert substances the public has been led to believe. They also found that the GMO corn and the glyphosate it manufactures within cells can combine with other pesticide residues to cause potential health effects.
Last month a French court ruled for the second time that Monsanto is guilty of chemically-poisoning a French farmer with another one of its pesticide-products, known as “Lasso,” which is specifically used to destroy weeds and grasses. In the government’s own Health and Human Services Household Products Database, Lasso is listed as causing blindness, respiratory irritation, liver damage, eye nerve inflammation, jaundice, bladder inflammation, and other serious health concerns.
If the scientists who are involved in exposing an alleged cover-up at Monsanto are correct, Monsanto needs to be subjected to a thorough investigation and its glyphosate products like Roundup and Roundup Ready corn eliminated from the market, not to mention the corrective actions that should arise if the company is found guilty of a decades-long cover-up.
Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is the international best-selling author of the books The Probiotic Promise, 60 Seconds to Slim, and Weekend Wonder Detox, a registered nutritionist, and a board-certified doctor of natural medicine. Subscribe to my free e-magazine World’s Healthiest News to receive monthly health news, tips, recipes and more. Follow my blog on DrMichelleCook.com, and follow me on Twitter @mschoffrocook and Facebook. Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM. All rights reserved.
October 1, 2015
Your Diet May be Shrinking Your Brain
You might want to rethink that cola and hamburger as these foods may be shrinking your brain. New research in the online journal BMC Medicine found that the Standard American Diet (SAD) can cause shrinkage of a part of the brain known as the left hippocampus. While poor dietary choices have been linked to many health concerns, including: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and others, this study is the first human study to link poor diet to brain shrinkage of the hippocampus.
The left hippocampus is a portion of the brain involved in memory, learning, mood regulation, and depression in particular. Since this is the first part of the brain to deteriorate in Alzheimer's disease this study is significant to our understanding of causal factors for this serious disease as well.
The study analyzed 2551 Australians between the ages of 60 and 64 at the outset of the study who participated in dietary questionnaires, cognitive, and physical health assessments. For a second round of assessments, 2222 of the original people agreed to have a second round of tests four years later, of which 622 of the original people were randomly selected to have brain MRIs at the four year mark.
The researchers found that those who ate a Western diet consisting of refined carbohydrates like sugary foods and beverages and higher amounts of saturated fats which are found in meats and cheeses had significantly smaller left hippocampus size than those who ate a healthier diet. An unhealthy diet was characterized by inclusion of: roasted meats, sausages, chips, hamburgers, steaks, fries, and soft drinks. The scientists described a healthier diet as one with lower intakes of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats, with higher intakes of nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, green salads, and fish.
This is a ground-breaking study because, while it has been established for years that the hippocampus is typically the first part of the brain to deteriorate in Alzheimer’s patients, it has not been studied in humans to see if there is a correlation to dietary factors. In earlier studies, brain diseases like depression have been linked to stress, low-grade inflammation, free radical damage, and imbalanced gut microbes, all of which are still considered important factors to address in brain disease prevention and treatment. This new study demonstrates that diet can influence the actual size of the hippocampus, which when shrunk is further linked to brain diseases like depression and Alzheimer’s.
The long-held medical belief that diet can't do much to influence the health of our brain or prevent brain diseases is now outdated and irrelevant. Study after study shows that brain health is significantly impacted by your food choices, for better or worse. Perhaps fast food and junk food manufacturers should add “may cause brain shrinkage” to the labels of their products? That cola and hamburger are certainly sounding a lot less appetizing aren’t they?
For more information about factors affecting brain health and disease, check out my upcoming book Boost Your Brain Power in 60 Seconds: The 4-Week Plan for a Sharper Mind, Better Memory, and Healthier Brain.
To learn about the gut-brain health link check out my book: The Probiotic Promise: Simple Steps to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out.
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