Campaign to change nutrition labels

I'm glad that the nutrition label has had some changes. When I was little, it was hardly readable. Its nice they made the print larger, and that trans fats are added to the picture. However, I would change a few very important things.

First off, I now believe the most important thing on the label is not the nutrition facts chart at all but the ingredients listing! I think the main thing to ask before eating is: is this real food?

Second, calories is right at the top of the chart, but focusing too much on calories loses sight of the fact that the chemicals put into diet sodas and low-fat foods often makes us more prone to weight gain than the actual fat and sugar it replaces.

Then on the actual chart, I think the Total Fat section should be expanded to include:
Omega 6 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids and its component DHA (these are essential for brain function, and we have no clue how much we're getting- do they want to raise U.S. test scores, or what?) The ratio of omega 3s to omega 6s in our diet is very important. At the turn of the century, they were eating more correctly, at about a 1:2 ratio. That ratio today is about 1:46. Omega 3s can be found in coldwater fish, primarily, fish capsules (keep refrigerated), walnuts, flax, also in grass-fed red meats and cage-free vegetarian-fed hen eggs. If it were labeled, we'd all see where it is! It'd be nice if all meats were labeled, period, with nutrition facts, but expanded to include omega-3 measurements.
Trans fats should be in milligrams instead of grams so there's no more deceptive labeling and
conjugated linoleic acid could be on there, too.

And, very importantly, the amount of post-production free glutamic acid present (see MSG) should be labeled, in grams, to the third decimal place. See more on this issue at Natural Health Care Products. There are lots of health risks from MSG consumption, and we have no idea how much we're eating.

Maybe post-production lead and arsenic should be labeled, too. Of course, that probably varies in production from month to month.

GMO definitely should be on the label, as well as irradiation. I think that's a consumer's right, yet the producers have vehemently decided for us that its not necessary, to prevent consumers being scared off from their product. Seriously! Its all about the money! Besides, how many people read labels anyway? Chill! People will still eat it anyway, label or no label, sadly.

What really should be jumping out at us to buy at the grocery store (fruits and vegetables!) don't even generally have a nutrition label. I wonder if we'd be amazed at the nutrition found in them (or lack thereof by growing and shipping practices), and want to buy them all up. The way our labels are set up, it destroys all the benefits of fruits and veggies; for example, I have a plastic baggie sitting on the counter stating calories, serving size, carbohydrates, fat, protein, and sodium, of common fruits and vegetables. Looking at it, it just doesn't make sense. No wonder there's so much confusion about nutrition. If we're comparing only those four components it almost makes celery equal to a salty soup. Should I avoid avocados, pears, and bananas because they're highest in calories, and start eating lots of cabbage, iceburg lettuce, cucumbers, and cauliflower? Ridiculous. I realize our food labels make no sense.

Currently on the label are macronutrients which include protein, fats, carbohydrates, (and water), and then micronutrients, which are vitamins, minerals, (and good bacteria). Sometimes I look at labels, and wonder how I'm even getting any vitamins and minerals (except in the case of fortified foods). Isn't it crazy how the nutrients are almost always 0% or 2%? If you're real lucky it may have 4% or 6% daily value. (My applesauce had 100% vitamin C, which I was surprised of. Then, I switched brands and realized it was all just the ascorbic acid added; my applesauce now has just 4% DV vitamin C and 8% iron.) I also wonder if there is ever a >1% DV in a food, is it always on the label? (You know... how its common to skip most and just put Vitamins C, A, Iron, and calcium?)

Beyond this, though, (note: its just a fantasy) but there's even more to put on the nutrition label. Heard of phytonutrients? Bioflavinoids? Antioxidants? Enzymes? Coenzymes? Cofactors? Amino acids? There are even some healthy properties of our food that science doesn't even know what they are yet, just knows they're there.

WIC

WIC is a national food program designed to benefit infants, children, and pregnant or nursing women by giving them checks for specific food items at registered stores. Its not meant to provide all the food that low-income children or expecting women need, but to supplement meager incomes with healthy foods in hopes of improving overall nutrition.

I first noticed WIC food choices were rather interesting about 3 years ago. The items that first struck me as odd were peanut butter and tuna fish. The foods available to buy on the check are pretty limited, and why peanut butter was selected was odd to me. Most children are advised not to eat peanut products until age two because of the risk of allergies.

Tuna fish is on pregnant women's checks, yet, the amount is right at the limit of a pregnant woman's recommended intake of tuna, assuming she's rationing a can per week and not eating more than one. I was told that peanut butter is a great source of protein. Tuna as well, and its high in omega 3s which are essential especially for developing infants. But, why does WIC warn about high mercury consumption, and then have it as a WIC item?

The other available foods through WIC are (See Federal online listing or Washington State specific brochure):

• Select cold cereals
• Milk
• eggs
• fruit juice
• dried beans
• dried beans or peanut butter
• canned meats
  
• cheese
• fruit and vegetable choices
• whole grain choices
  
• soy beverages
• infant formula, cereal, and baby food
  

I won't even go into the quantities of foods that are on the checks, its just weird sometimes, like 1 quart of milk or two separate one pounds of cheese, but lets talk more about the health of these products. Here's Washington WIC:

Select cereals Kix, Special K, Cheerios, Wheat Rice or Corn Chex, Grape-Nuts, Grape-Nut Flakes, Cream of Wheat, Life; I thought it was all great, increasing whole grain consumption. I've lately learned a little about cold cereals, and that due to the level of heat of production, whole grain cereals like Wheaties and Cheerios result in higher insulin spikes than even straight sugar. The high heat also destroys many nutrients, and "creates toxic elements that have caused rapid death in test animals," yet the FDA approves the use of words like cancer and heart-health promoting on the box. (Barbee, 117)
Milk Well, I've learned raw milk from grass-fed cows beats all, including increasing omega 3s, but raw milk isn't allowed. Nor is goats milk, which is fit for those that can't digest cow's milk. Homogenizing milk (all supermarket brands) makes xanthine oxidase (which damages arterial walls) more absorbed in humans. (Read Politically Incorrect Nutrition.) The growth hormone rBST which has been linked to cancer and weakened immune, and is also important to avoid. In Washington state, rBST-free are readily available and labeled.
In the second year of life, children are given whole milk, which fats help in "brain development." At 2 years of age, they are then switched to anything but whole milk. Are we supposed to believe that the brain instantly doesn't need those fats for development anymore, and "dieting" should be higher priority? Low fat, reduced fat, and skim often have milk solids added which increases free glutamic acid.
eggs Organic eggs aren't allowed, which are higher in omega 3s, but I wonder if advertised vegetarian-fed "cage-free" eggs are, which also have higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids and DHA, essential for brain function. If they're not, I'm sure WIC would change if they realized more omega 3s would be available.
fruit juice This is one of the worst. Sure, it gives vitamins, and it comes from fruit, right? Well, its best fresh made at home. Pasteurization of packaged juice destroys a lot of the enzymes and other nutrients. Just sitting on the shelf, it loses nutrients. Its basically just a sugar drink. It also comes in a plastic bottle- BPA threat? or, tin can- aluminum threat?
WIC offers so much juice. Juice is one of the major sources of sugar in children's diets, right next to soda, according to Behavior and Nutrition. Dentists advise not giving these juices in sippy cups for all-day sipping, which leads to tooth decay, as well as hyperactivity, insulin resistance, and further down the road, type II diabetes. Boxed juice also contains lead, but big deal; so does much of our food.
dried beans Sounds good. They give out a cookbook of bean recipes to expand our world of beans. Cheap, great food storage food :), and they say "baby's love beans."
dried beans or peanut butter Who's really going to choose $1 worth of free beans over $3 worth of free peanut butter, even if it is allergenic? Avoid trans fats by buying 100% natural (Adam's) peanut butter.
canned meats Tuna: contains mercury, but excellent for omega 3s.
cheese Great. Gotta love this one. Just trying to switch over to raw milk cheese, rBST free, from grass-fed cows, and annatto coloring isn't great for us, nor are enzymes.
fruit and vegetable choices They just barely started this. Much needed.
whole grain choices choose corn tortillas, bulgur, oatmeal, brown rice, or 100% whole grain bread (all if its the right weight). Many dough conditioners, additives, and preservatives, aren't good for us. Bread is best homemade.
soy beverages, tofu Soy is not a complete protein; also, unfermented soy products can lead to hyperthyroidism
infant formula, cereal, and baby food Infant formula and baby foods often have hidden MSG and/or BPA. Most people I know have an excess of baby foods and cereals from WIC that they never used.

So, overall, is WIC helping or hurting? I'm not anti-government-choosing-for-us what we eat, so its not Twinkies and Ho-hos, especially when we've got an obesity epidemic and we're undergoing universal healthcare. I think WIC is pretty helpful in many ways (whole grains, fruits and veggies). A real problem is just our food system in general, so how can you blame WIC when its got poor food to choose from?

But, money is voting power, and whoever decides what WIC can and cannot buy has a lot of power to choose a lot of votes in our food supply, for good or ill. What really kills me is the bottled fruit juice and the no-raw no-goats now no-organic milk, and, well, you can see what else I wrote above about the other items.

Alkaline foods

I was first introduced to the idea of eating alkaline foods reading Politically Correct Nutrition, but didn't quite understand the significance. Kevin Tudreau states it is a natural remedy; the more alkaline we are the better able we will be to fight off disease. The more acid our bodies are, the more susceptible to illness we becomes.

Here's a list of alkaline foods from energize.com. However, here's another list from rense.com which contradicts it, at least for lentils, so(?).

Clean Up Your Diet by Max Tomlinson lists "asparagus, onions, parsley, broccoli, garlic, okra, squash, green beans, celery, lettuces, sweet potatoes, zucchini, lemons, limes, grapefruits, mangoes, papayas, figs, kiwis, apples, pears, and all kinds of melon" as alkalizing foods.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is good for many things. This post goes out to my husband who is a huge advocate.

Apple Cider Vinegar should be unadulterated and selected to contain "The Mother" to get the best benefit. Kevin Tudreau in his book Natural Cures makes clear that the FDA strictly enforces its law that "only a drug can treat, prevent, or cure a disease," in order to destroy natural, unpatentable cures' ability to interfere with the sale of highly profitable patented drugs. This point comes home when I look at the back of our apple cider vinegar bottle, which states lots of benefits, but "The comments here are not evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." The reason they have to put that on the back of the bottle is that if they did claim it could do any of the above, they would be selling "drugs" without a license, and could potentially be put in jail or receive other retaliation by the FDA.

Here's what it says: Hippocrates, called the Father of Medicine, first prescribed it as a remedy in 400 B.C. (Ironic that the Father of Medicine prescribed it but it cannot even be claimed to help disease today.) They offer a book on the remedies and recipes of vinegar by sending $12 to Appleseed Orchards PO Box 1340 Sebastopol, CA 95473. Works as a disinfectant for things such as phones and computers so dangerous chemicals aren't on our hands and fingers, whiffing it helps with sniffles and stuffed noses, it repels insects, removes rust, whitens dingy socks, loosens hardened paint brushes, stops poison oak itch, and cleans shower mildew.

My husband's favorite use of it is to drink it diluted when he feels a cold or flu coming on. It changes the body's PH to prevent disease. My favorite use is taking a bath in it; its the best thing for a yeast infection even above over the counter meds and eating plain yogurts. Drinking lots of water is also helpful.

Parenting

"Dr. Mech suggests that parents stop being 'wimps' with their children's demands for junk food. He has treated children with seizures, depression, eating disorders, etc., whose symptoms completely disappeared when parents got tough about what they ate. He blames "unparented kids" and excitotoxins for delinquent, frustrated kids with "attitude". The lack of being models for "impulse control" by parents and culture, sets kids up for ADD and failure. Parents let other people and the media teach behavior which can sometimes reinforce disrespect for elders and the acceptance of violence. Add excitotoxins and you have explosive kids. How can we be examples of delayed gratification if we have lost touch with it?

He called MSG the first "gateway drug". This kind of drug leads to other drugs due to its ability to diminish impulse control at a very early age. Schools have caved in on fast foods for our children. Few serve untainted lunches anymore. He has little patience for parents and educators who say, "But it's the only thing they will eat" in reference to processed j junk foods. He disdains what he labels "Toxic Food Manufacturers (TFM's) who say, "Snack foods are important to the American diet." He criticizes doctors who are so quick to use drugs to treat children and adults for conditions (often behavioral) caused by excitotoxins. He claims that funding by drug companies compels doctors to prescribe more and more medicines. He also said 'Don't believe doctors who tell you that you or your child will probably always be on drugs.'" (Anglesey, 63)

Sacred Planet

Entertainment quality: 4 stars
Educational quality: 4 stars
Quality footage: 5 stars

This movie is a must see (Nat, James, Mom, Dad). It is healing for the soul. It would count as your yoga for the day. I like the way this is presented, and I think it speaks volumes, better than The Corporation, Speaking Freely, Homo Toxicus, Daily Bread, etc., to get the point across: where to find real wealth.

WSU Art

We went to see the artwork of Matthew Leiker "World of Mateo" at WSU's Museum of Art yesterday. It was fun. His website World of Mateo.com unfortunately doesn't display his donut shop or carwash. But contrast his artwork, which makes consumerism look fun, clean, and carefree, with the WSU art exhibit displayed at the Seattle Pacific Science Center in January 2010, and you get a quite different perspective. Chris Jordan's work is called "Running the Numbers."

How to Survive an Earthquake

See "How to Survive an Earthquake" by Doug Copp, Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the
American Rescue Team International (ARTI), and United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years. Lie in the Fetal position next to a large object but not under it, as it will get crushed, but the ceiling will be supported by the large crushed object and create a space. For example, lay in the fetal position next to your car, bed, or in the aisles at school between the desks. Avoid stairs and doorways, and its best to be near the perimeter of the building so you can escape once the earthquake is over.

The Corporation

The Corporation. Available at Washington State University library (search for "the corporation dvd achbar") and through Netflix.

Aluminum

Kudos to my husband for picking out Rumford baking powder. He said he was so glad when it said right on the front "aluminum free." It made it so easy. Aluminum is a brain toxin, I don't know why it would be added as an ingredient to our food. Its bad enough that in the processing of food it may collect lots of aluminum.

I first noticed aluminum in our food when I read the back of my salt box. I had just assumed salt would be safe for food storage, but it actually contained sodium silicoaluminate as the second ingredient, along with dextrose, and sodium bicarbonate (which obviously may also contain aluminum), all of which I'd rather not be eating.

We opted for Morton table salt, which has just salt and "Calcium Silicate" (an anti-caking agent). Unfortunately, its not iodized, and I have no idea what calcium silicate is.

In soy infant formulas, "Liquid soy products, often produced in aluminum tanks, contain 50 to 100 times more aluminum than breast milk (in addition to high levels of cadmium). The high manganese content of soy formula has already been implicated in harming the infant brain."

"There are several studies linking aluminum with fluoride, showing that aluminum is absorbed more completely in the presence of fluoride. The aluminum in the brains of test animals doubles when accompanied by fluoride, resulting in brain tangles (amyloid deposits). Fluoride is neurotoxic by itself, but becomes many times more toxic when combined with aluminum." This makes drinking soda particularly dangerous, as soda contains fluoridated water.

I bought my husband an aluminum water bottle (the trend to avoid BPA) after he bought me a stainless steel one at ShopKo. I think I'll have to upgrade his.

Disposable aluminum pans, commonly used for freezer meals or potlucks, may corrode in contact with acidic foods such as tomato sauces. So, use sparingly or for short durations with acidic foods.

Developing Brains II

Fetuses exposed to high levels of MSG won't appear to have birth defects. The affects will come much later on in development, perhaps decades later.


See developing brains first post

John Perkins Speaking Freely

This movie put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together for me. Whereas the world was kind of confusing to me, its now in perspective. Foreign aid, third world poverty, and immigration laws.

Toothpaste and Shampoo

Brand names from Debby's book for MSG free products:

Detergent All Free and Clear and Biokleen Free and Clear detergent
Shampoo Shampoo for color treated hair is milder, but avoid hydrolyzed proteins (wheat, silk, milk, soy) if listed
Soap Clearly Natural unscented glycerine soap for skin and hair
Dr. Bronner's soaps and liquid castile for shampoo (the soap can be used to brush teeth)
Dove soap for sensitive skin- no perfume or dyes
Toothpaste Baking soda, Homeodent
Deoderant Sure Original, plain baking soda

Polyunsaturated fats

"Unrefined polyunsaturated oils in small amounts can help provide us with some of the essential omega-6 fatty acids our bodies require. A better source for these essential fats would be vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and grains. The public, however, is consuming way too many polyunsaturated oils like corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, and soy. Too many of these fats can upset the balance they must keep with the omega-3 fatty acids, contributing to a number of problems including immune system dysfunction; damage to the liver, reproductive organs, and lungs; digestive disorders; depressed learning ability; impaired growth, and weight gain.

"Polyunsaturated oils are easily oxidized, making them a source of free radicals, which injure the arteries and create a situation that cholesterol tries to remedy. Not only does cholesterol attempt to repair the lesions created by free radical damage, it may be helping to prevent such damage in the first place by acting as a potent antioxidant."

"High intake of polyunsaturated oils weakens cellular membranes. When this occurs, cholessterol comes to the rescue. Additional cholesterol enters teh cell membrane in order to stabilize and restore proper cellular function. In the process, cholesterol is drawn from the bloodstream, thereby lowering serum levels temporarily." This is sometimes misinterpreted that polyunsaturated fats are heart healthy. "In fact, it appears that cholesterol is simply trying to repair the damage done by high levels of polyunsaturated oils. These fats were not common many decades ago when heart disease and certain other chronic diseases were rare." (taken from Politically Incorrect Nutrition by Michael Barbee, C.D.C., p 22)

Anecdotal (disease) Evidence of MSG

Is this MSG thing for real? Are we really being poisoned? The evidence keeps stacking up. I wanted to show here that we're getting astronomically more sick. See stories of those that recover from various symptoms by eliminating MSG from their diet here.

The amount of MSG in our food doubles every 10 years.

ADHD has increased 500% since 1991.

Deaths from ALS have increased 4-fold in 50 years.

The rise in asthma was 42% in the US from 1982 – 1992. The death rate rose 40% from 1982-1991.

Mortality rates for atrial fibrillation have almost doubled since 1993.

In Canada from 1995- 2000 visits to doctors for depression rose 36% in just 6 years. Also, since 1996 prescriptions to treat depression increased 63%. China, a large consumer of MSG, accounts for 42% of all suicides in the world.

Autism has increased astronomically, so that baby boys now have a 1 in 96 chance of having autism.

See these statistics here.

Fluoride makes news

Disclose.tv - Doctor Exposes Fluoride as Poison Video
See video

Real Milk

I called Moscow Food Co-op, to see if they knew where to get raw milk. They said their milk comes from Spokane, we discussed how we didn't really know of any local dairies, and she said that raw milk is legal in Idaho, but no one is certified to sell it yet. She suggested I google real milk. Found a web site: realmilk.com
I didn't see anything local. Thank goodness we're moving.

Autism

2007 Autism/Glutamate Report
"The biggest news about autism in 30 years"
by Nikhil Swaminathan at Scientific American.com

"A February 2007 news release has validated what we have been suggesting for years. A Canadian team has lead research that has involved 120 scientists from 19 countries and 50 institutions. Studied were the genetic codes of 1168 families, each of which had at least two autistic sufferers. In the analysis, researchers implicated the gene neurexin 1 on chromosome 2, and a sequence on chromosome 11. They code for glutamate synapses and receptors and transport proteins that deal directly with glutamate's use as a neurotransmitter. The study mentions gluamate's role in wiring the brain during early fetal development and its ability to elevate neuronal activity. Neurexin 1 is specifically believed to be involved in glutamate synapses. A combination of mutations in any of these genes could contribute to the likelihood of being born with autism. Competing theories linking autism to environmental factors persist. One such theory that the report mentioned, linked mercury in childhood vaccines. In a recent e-mail from Jack Samuels discussing these new findings with me, he said, "While everyone is looking for a connection of mercury to autism, the following referenced article should have encouraged scientists to look for a possible connection of the ever increasing use of free glutamic acid (MSG) in our food supply.": Paschner et al. ("Methylmercury alters glutamate transport in astrocytes." Neurochem Int. Aug-Sep, 200; 37 (23): 199-206). It states, "In the absence of glutamate, neurons are unaffected by acute exposure to mercury... Co-application of nontoxic concentrations of methylmercury and glutamate leads to typical appearance of neuronal lesions associated with excitotoxic stimulation (Matyha and Albrecht 1993.)" Although ethylmercury was used in some vaccines, it is Jacks' understanding that it would have the same effect as methylmercury. Glutamate was present in many childhood vaccines where mercury was also present. I agree with Jack Samuels when he says, 'One must ask if autism is directly related to genetic defect (above) or if a predisposition for autism is inherited, a predisposition that is activated due to the ever increasing amount of processed free glutamic acid and aspartame that pregnant women are exposed to.' Keep in mind, in the last 10 years, the number of diagnosed cases of autism has increased ten-fold. And as Carol Hoernlein posted on our board at www.msgmyth.com, many autistic children share many of the symptoms we (MSG reactive individuals) suffer. "Twenty percent have epilepsy. Many have food sensitivieties, hyperactivity, sensitivity to light, sound, pain. They throw tantrums, have digestive distress.' This comes as vindication after decades of being told that MSG (glutamate) sensitivity was 'all in our heads.' We look forward to more research and answers with excitement and hope." (Anglesey, Battling the "MSG Myth", p 60).
See theory of autism flow chartMy kids liked watching this movie, and I learned how debilitating autism is. Its horrendous! This movie shows dedicated and talented people trying to make the best for those with autism, and tells many families' stories, and the sad stress autism is on marriages.

Vegetable oil

See video "heart healthy" oils are really rancid oils. Recommended to use cold pressed olive oil or coconut oil.

Dr. Blaylock, M.D. from Excitotoxins (p 230): "The majority of fats in the American diet consist of what are called omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. This includes the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acids, which are high in corn, cotton, soya, safflower, and sunflower oils. While the popular trend, initiated by the American Heart Association, promotes the use of polyunsaturated oils, there is growing evidence that these oils promote the generation of "bad" as well as "good" eicosanoids. In fact, there is significant evidence that these oils may actually promote arteriosclerosis, and therefore, coronary artery disease and strokes."

Cancer mortality rates have risen along with the increase in vegetable oil consumption. SOme of the blame for cancer must rest with teh free radicals that are created by the heating, deodorizing, and refining of vegetable oils, which are stripped of most of their protective vitamin E in the process.

A significant risk factor for developing heart disease is high levels of a substance in the blood called lipoprotein(a). This Lp(a) is a 'sticky' variant of LDL cholesterol and appears to help form arterial plaques. Saturated fat lowers levels of this damaging substance while consumption of trans fat raises the amount of Lp(a) in the blood. Cell membranes simply prefer saturated fat, but through their advertising, promoters of the vegetable oil industry have tried to convince us otherwise. A high consumption of polyunsaturated fats, however, has long been connected to the development of cancer and heart disease.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is found not only in beef fat, but in lamb, buffalo, and ruminants, whole milk, cheese, and butter. Studies show that consumption of raw milk, yogurt, and buttermilk reduces the risk of breast cancer. Women with breast cancer have lower CLA levels in their blood than those without this disease. CLA inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cells, malignant melanoma, colorectal, and lung cancer cells, and animal studies suggest it lowers LDL, resulting in less atherosclerosis and being good for the heart.

Avoiding CLA may be a factor contributing to obesity. "It has been established that eating essential fatty acids helps the body metabolize other fats more efficiently, thereby contributing to weight loss. Yes, eating the right fats help you lose weight. CLA inhibits fat cells from getting fatter. Human studies have shown that consuming moderate amounts of CLA for three months without dieting resulted in as much as a 20 percent loss of body fat. Apparently, CLA affects fat metabolism by interfering with the activity of fat-regulating hormone, leptin, and possibly by increasing insulin sensitivity." (Barbee, p34) It can manage type-2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and reducing body weight. CLA can also stimulate the development of muscle tissue, besides ridding the body of fat, thus body builders take CLA suplements. There is also substantive evidence that CLA is antioxidant.

Unfortunately, good quality CLA is hard to come by in our current food system. Grain-fed beef, Bovine Growth Hormone, skim-, low-fat, and homogenization are to blame.

"Cattle-raising practices over the years have yielded meat that is contaminated with hormones and antibiotics, as well as pesticide residue from the grains fed to the animals. Today's typical beef contains an unnatural, overabundance of the omega-6 fatty acids. Not only that, animals fed hay and grains have a much lower CLA content. Ruminants have digestive tracts that convert the linoleic acid in food they eat into CLA, and when their food is green grass, the CLA content of the meat, or the milk, is many times higher. Grain-fed beef today is deficient not only in CLA but also in the healthy omega 3-fatty acids. Therefore, a search for organically raised beef is well worth the effort, particularly if the animals are allowed to graze." Buffalo meat is also good; they are not fed hormones and eat plenty of grass. (Barbee, p35)

The growth hormone rBST creates higher levels of a specific protein linked to cancer, enhances diabetes in people prone to the disease, and weakens the immune system in humans. It also makes more antibiotics necessary for the cows. Pasteurization destroys many protective health promoting nutrients. Homogenizing milk causes humans to absorb xanthine oxidase, which causes heart disease by damaging the arterial walls (raw milk is best, if it can safely be done). Taking the fat out of milk reduces CLA content, and, obviously, so does drinking soy milk instead of cow milk.