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Doing The Right Thing

I usually prepare lunch in the morning and today, as I grabbed a bag of frozen mixed vegetables out of the freezer and was about to toss them into a pot of boiling water, I noticed that the packet had instructions for microwave steaming. I was in a hurry so for a brief moment I entertained the thought of microwave steaming then, but because I was awake to the moment, I thought of the article I wrote on BPA, BPS and the other plasticizes and chose the pot of boiling water t-h-i-s time.

How many times have we knowingly done what’s wrong for our health? Like, choosing the processed, carcinogenic hot dog instead of the quinoa salad. We lie to ourselves and say “everything in moderation”, but does that include poisons? Choosing to microwave steam the vegetables is actually choosing poison in moderation. I would love to jolt us into being more intentional about the food choices we make, knowing that they affect us and those we love the most.

So why is it that we do what we know we shouldn’t? Is it a lack of discipline, a shortage of resources, like money, or is it the ‘I’m invincible syndrome’? I often wonder if we just don’t love or value ourselves sufficiently. When I think back to my season as the mom of a newborn, I remember experiencing love like I had never thought was real. I did everything I knew how, to protect the tiny, helpless human that was in my care. I tried breastfeeding for months and pumped daily to no avail. Then I found the best formula I knew and changed it when I recognized that it was making him gassy. I researched and studied and read everything I could get my hands on because I so completely loved my son. There isn’t a mountain I wouldn’t have climbed or an inconvenience I wouldn’t have faced in order to ensure that he was healthy and well, and the same is true now that he’s a teenager. Why is it that I gamble with my well-being? Why do I knowingly poison myself with food? Somewhere deep in my subconscious, I think it’s okay. I’m positive that a psychologist or therapist could question me and figure out why I believe that,  but those are not my skills, so I’m determined to change that pattern of self-harming. Yes, I’m using a harsh term, but that is in reality what it is.

Starting today, I will eliminate Gluten from my diet. I know that I feel horrible when I eat gluten and I get bloated and nauseated, yet I’ve continued to consume it in abundance. Today marks a turning point, and I’m holding myself accountable to all of you. That means I can’t eat the two cinnamon rings I bought yesterday, the corn pie that my husband baked, or the whole wheat bread that’s in the refrigerator.

Without preparation I would surely be setting myself up for failure, so on my way home from work, I’ll stop at the farmers’ market and stock up on fruits and vegetables that I enjoy. My grocery list also includes eggs and gluten-free oats.

So who wants to join me? Who wants to be part of a tribe of those who love and value themselves enough to Do The Right Thing? You don’t have to start your journey today, but you have to make the decision to start or you’ll continue to procrastinate and you’ll be in the same place this time next year. Two things that Covid has taught us are: tomorrow is not promised and a year can go by in a blink. 

As you contemplate your journey, vow not to condemn yourself for setbacks, instead be determined, intentional, and present to the life-changing decision you’re making.

Whether you’re going gluten-free for a month or for life, cutting down on carbs, removing dairy from your diet, eliminating sugary treats and processed foods or deciding to go organic and GMO-free, choosing to take a nutrition supplement daily or starting a vegan diet, let’s do this together. 

Early last month, I decided to start a consistent exercise routine, so I contacted two good friends who were going to hold me accountable. Well, I’ve completed my routing daily for over a month, because I reported my activity daily. I almost missed a day, but a quick text from a friend, about my missing activity, jolted me into action.

With the support and accountability of a community, we are much more likely to succeed than if we try to do it alone.

If you’re in, join the Facebook group named ‘Focused On Nutrition’ via this link.

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Can You Prevent Or Reverse Chronic Diseases With Food?

by Averil Bernard
*Research studies are accessible via links in underlined words. 

Chronic Disease
The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics defines a chronic disease as one lasting 3 months or more. Most chronic diseases today have been categorized as autoimmune diseases, are in the process of being categorized as such or have been found to be linked to autoimmune diseases, these include: Vasculitis, Celiac Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, Dementia, Schizophrenia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Myasthenia Gravis, Psoriasis, Eczema, Alopecia Areata, Lupus, Colitis, Chron’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Irritable Bowel Disease, Parkinson’s, Sjogren’s Disease, Fibromyalgia, Addison’s Disease, Pernicious Anemia, Grave’s Disease, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Vitiligo and the list goes on and on.  Here is link to a more exhaustive list provided by the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA).

Autoimmune Diseases
The normal functioning immune system protects us from foreign cells like bacteria and viruses and repairs and rebuilds damaged tissues, for example, those damaged during exercise and strength training. The destruction of tissues occurs only when it has been damaged and needs to be repaired. The destruction process stops once all damaged tissue has been repaired.

An autoimmune disease is one in which unknown triggers cause the body to produce antibodies that attack its own healthy tissues, leading to the deterioration and in some cases to the destruction of such tissues. Autoimmune diseases therefore result in the human body harming itself. Exactly why the body does that is not known, but terms like Molecular Mimicry (where a foreign antigen shares sequence or structural similarities with self-antigens), Bystander Activation (where immune cells are activated in the absence of specific cell receptor stimulation which allows the cells to bypass certain immune regulatory checkpoints) and Viral Persistence or Persistent Viral Infection (where immune-mediated injury results from the constant presence of viral antigen causing a constant immune response) help to explain the possible causes. Here’s a link to a research article on possible causes of autoimmune responses.

Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is not usually considered an autoimmune disease but researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Toronto state that, “they are in the process of redefining one of the most common diseases in America (Type 2 Diabetes) as an autoimmune disease.” In the research study, in mice placed on a high -fat, high-calorie diet, inflammation produced by B cells and T cells eventually led to insulin resistance in addition to fatty liver disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Here’s a link to the article about the study,  published by Krista Conger a science writer for Stanford University School of Medicine.

Other studies conducted by the University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil and Université Libre de Bruxelles and Syed MA, Barinas-Mitchell E and Pietropaolo SL, all point to the autoimmune nature of Type 2 Diabetes.

The Food Component
When looking at foods for consumption we need to consider nutrient density as well as how the components of the food impact our health. Nutrient dense foods are those that are high in nutrients but relatively low in calories. Look for foods that contain vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats. Examples include kale, salmon (wild), seaweed, sardines, organ meats, blueberries, stabilized rice bran and other superfoods, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, spinach, almonds, broccoli, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, asparagus, collard greens, bok choy etc.

Positive Health Impacting Foods
How you react to food is dependent upon a variety of factors including your genetic makeup, the environment and the components of the food. You want to avoid foods that elicit an immune or allergic response in your body. These will include foods that you may be allergic to. For example, if you have a latex allergy you may want to avoid fruits with latex like pineapples, kiwi and avocados. Similarly, avoid dairy, nuts, wheat etc. if you have allergies.

Additionally, refined sugar, which causes a blood sugar spike and results in a flood of insulin being sent into your blood, should be avoided. The leaves, stems, and young, green tomatoes are toxic and can result in tomatine poisoning, especially in children. Tomatine is such a strong immunostimulant that it is used as an adjuvant in vaccines to increase the body’s immune response (to create antibodies) to inactivated vaccines.

How Gluten Allergy or Sensitivity Works
Certain individuals with a specific genetic makeup react negatively to the presence of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, in their food. When they consume gluten it causes Zonulin to be released in the gut. Zonulin is the only protein that regulates the tight junctions between the cells of the gut walls. They are usually released as an immune response to help flood water into the gut to wash out infectious toxins (eg. Cholera). Loss of proper regulation sometimes called leaky gut syndrome or intestinal permeability allows harmful microorganisms and undigested food particles to enter the blood and results in maldigestion, malabsorption and causes an immune/inflammatory response.

Secondly, people with a gluten allergy or sensitivity are unable to digest gluten so it passes from the stomach into the small intestine undigested. This causes the immune system to become stimulated and it evokes an inflammatory response. The abundance of inflammation prevents the absorption of nutrients (malabsorption), which results in vitamin and mineral deficiency and any of the slew of diseases and disorders that are a consequence of such deficiency. Follow this link to view the mechanism.

Vitamin & Mineral Deficiency 
Vit K – Easy bruising, bleeding problems, low blood-clotting factors
Vit D – autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, rickets in children, osteomalacia, hair loss, AFib, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and stroke
Vit B6 or Folate – high homocysteine levels, vasospasms, death
B12 – fatigue, headaches, pins and needles (paresthesia), depression, memory problems
Magnesium – eyebrow twitching, muscle pain, asthma, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, leg cramps, high blood pressure, high homocysteine levels, see B6
Vit C – anemia, tiredness, numbness, and pain usually in the lower limbs and hands, gum disease.

Celiac Disease
Being allergic to or sensitive to gluten is not just mind over matter.  Many people believe that it’s all a large hoax to build another money-making industry, but there’s scientific evidence to prove that it’s a real disorder.

The main disease that describes people with a hypersensitive to gluten is Celiac Disease.  Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) describes people with a hypersensitivity to gluten who have not been diagnosed with Celiac disease. Celiac suffers can present with any combination of over 300 symptoms that include: Anemia, Anxiety, Atrial Fibrillation, Bloating/Gas, Cognitive Impairment (including disorientation, loss of focus & attention, short-term memory lapses and dementia), Constipation, Delayed Growth & Development, Depression, Diarrhea, Diverticulitis, Dental/Mouth Problems (including dry mouth syndrome, discolored teeth, tooth decay, and mouth sores), Failure to Thrive, Unexplained Weight Loss, Fatigue, Headaches, Hyperhomocysteinemia, Infertility, Itchy Skin Rash, Joint Pain, Osteoporosis, Sleep Apnea, Tingling/numbness, Varicose Veins.

The Journey 
In my quest for knowledge on this topic, I discovered a lot that left me feeling more puzzled than informed. The experience was like going down an endless maze of seriously interconnected rabbit holes.

Some of my findings led me to theorize that Celiac Disease is the cause of many chronic and autoimmune diseases, affecting many different organs of the body because it results in nutrient deficiencies and inflammation. Gluten intolerance or sensitivity appears to be the one common thread among the myriad of different diseases. It seems to follow logically that persons suffering from many chronic and autoimmune diseases could find help in the elimination of gluten from their diets together with improved nutrition, lifestyle changes.

Do you suffer from a chronic disease? Is it also autoimmune or linked to an autoimmune? Have you considered the possibility that it could be the result of gluten intolerance or sensitivity? Are you open to learning more and exploring that possibility?

Betrayal 
Someone once said, “When the student is ready the teacher will appear.” Well, in the midst of burrowing down rabbit holes, an invitation to view ‘Betrayal: The Autoimmune Disease Solution They’re Not Telling You’,  appeared in my inbox. After 30 years of clinical research and patient care, my friend and mentor Dr. Tom O’Bryan DC, CCN, DACBN, a world-renowned expert in the field of gluten-related disorders, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) and Celiac Disease (CD) created the docu-series, featuring 80+ top doctors and autoimmunity researchers from around the world, to help us understand how to prevent and reverse autoimmune disease.

The series is AMAZING! The information is Mind Blowing. I’m still reviewing the series and will be for many months to come. I’m grateful to have been blessed with this valuable information and vow to share it with as many people as are open to receiving it.

This Series is the perfect supplement to this post, so as a gift to everyone who reads this post, here’s a link to access the entire Betrayal Series free.

If you suffer from an autoimmune disease and you’re not sure if you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity Dr. O’Bryan recommends eliminating gluten (wheat, rye, and barley) from your diet for a 30 day period.

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For informational purposes only.  Not intended as medical advice.

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Your plastic water bottles are BPA free but are they really safe. 

by Averil Bernard

These day we’re all super concerned about the dangers associated with pesticides and other chemicals. We all steer clear of styrofoam and double check that our plastic containers are BPA  (bisphenol A) free because we’ve heard that there are health risks associated with it.  We’ve thrown out our old plastic water bottles and purchased safe BPA free ones. The Big Question is, are those plastic BPA free water bottles really safe?

BPA
BPA (bisphenol-A) is a chemical compound that has been in commercial use in manufacturing since 1957.   It’s a starting material for the synthesis of plastic and has many uses. Most of us know that BPA from plastics leach into food and beverages when heated or scratched, and when consumed results in multiple health problems including an increased risk of cancer, reproductive issues, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and obesity.

The issue is that BPA is a plasicizer, and performs the very important function of making plastics more usable. Merriam-Webster (dictionary) says that a plasticizer is “a chemical added especially to rubbers and resins to impart flexibility, workability, or stretchability.” Logic says that if manufacturers eliminate BPA they need to use something else to perform it’s function.

BPA Substitutes
Well, to remedy the BPA issue manufacturers now use replacement chemicals (plasticizers) like BPS (bisphenol S), Pthalates, BPF (bisphenol F) and more recently BPSIP (4-Hydro​ xyphenyl 4-Isopro​oxyphenyl​sulfone) a derivative of BPS. The super sad thing is that these chemicals also leach into food from their containers and have been determined to be endocrine disrupters just as BPA.

Endocrine Disrupters
So what do these endocrine disrupters actually do anyway? According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, “Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife…When absorbed in the body, an endocrine disruptor can decrease or increase normal hormone levels…, mimic the body’s natural hormones…, or alter the natural production of hormones….”

A collaborative study done by Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China and University at Albany, State University of New York, University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, United States, has identified the fact that BPS is now found all over the world and in all environmental mediums. Alarmingly it was also noted that  the US beats all other countries in the speed of substitution of BPA with BPS. (Read a short review of the study here – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28963899# )

Additionally, a study conducted at University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal- 741235, India found that BPS alters blood homeostasis,  is a haemolysis promoting chemical and is probably a cardiac risk augmenting chemical.

More Studies
For those who need more data, click the links below to check out two studies that show the impact of BPS:
1. Done at UMASS Amherst-
Mary C. Catanese, Laura N. Vandenberg; Bisphenol S (BPS) Alters Maternal Behavior and Brain in Mice Exposed During Pregnancy/Lactation and Their Daughters, Endocrinology, Volume 158, Issue 3, 1 March 2017, Pages 516–530, https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2016-1723

2.Done at UCLA-
Wenhui Qiu, Yali Zhao, Ming Yang, Matthew Farajzadeh, Chenyuan Pan, Nancy L. Wayne. Actions of Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S on the Reproductive Neuroendocrine System During Early Development in Zebrafish. Endocrinology, 2015; en.2015-1785, https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2015-1785

Pthalates
While BPA and BPS are really terrible. I consider Pthalates to be extremely, extremely terrible because they lurk almost everywhere and we are, for the most part unaware of them.

Pthalates can be found in items like the lining of food cans, plastic plumbing pipes, nail polish, meat and dairy products from animals that have been exposed to pthalates, lubricants, shower curtains, vinyl flooring, carpet, upholstery, vehicles, toys, teethers, pacifiers, sippy cups, baby bottles and their rubber nipples, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical tubing, medical fluid bags and cash register receipts. Pthalates may also be found under the name ‘fragrance’ in shampoo, perfumes, skin moisturizer, soap, hair spray and deodorant. I included a long list so you could see how widespread pthalates are. Please note that this list is by no means exhaustive. So where else are pthalates lurking?

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), based in Atlanta, Georgia, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lists phthalates in their ‘Toxic Substances Portal’ and states the following, “Phthalates are … typically colorless liquids used to make plastics more flexible and resilient, and are often referred to as plasticizers. Because they are not a part of the chain of chemicals (polymers) that makes up plastics, they can be released fairly easily from these products. These plastics are found in products such as toothbrushes, automobile parts, tools, toys, and food packaging. Some are also used in cosmetics, insecticides, and aspirin.”

How To Reduce Your Exposure?
It appears to me that the big issue is plastics and the leaching of these plasticizers into our food and the environment. I took some intentional steps in order to reduce my exposure:

  1. I carry my own stainless steel mug when getting hot beverages at coffee shops etc.
  2. If I choose to use the shop cup, I don’t use the plastic lid provided.
  3. I invested in a glass water bottle that’s nicely padded and I’m super careful. Nothing’s wrong with stainless steel or ceramic, glass is just my preference. This took months of research and sorting through tons of reviews.
  4. I use glass, ceramic or stainless steel dishes and containers instead of plastic containers, as much as possible.
  5. I never ever put hot foods in anything plastic, use plastic wrap to cover anything hot or microwave foods in anything plastic.
  6. I use a silicone microwave plate cover. Plate covers are also available in glass with silicone handles.
  7. I encourage friends and relatives to use glassware or ceramic bottles and containers for feeding babies. This is something my parents did.
  8. I use filtered tap water instead of water bottled in plastic. Consider how much heat those bottles of water are possibly exposed to during the journey from supplier to store.
  9. I try to avoid canned goods: I cook, package and freeze beans and vegetables for quick meal prep.
  10. I use fragrance free (pthalate free) body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, dish detergent and degreasers.
  11. I choose items labeled phthalate-free.
  12. I avoid items with pthalate acronyms like: DHEP, DiBP, DINP, DnOP, and DIDP.

Now that you have the information, what will you choose to do with it? I recommend sharing it, but it’s totally up to you. 🙂

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For informational purposes only. Not intended as medical advice.

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Do You Know Your Numbers?

by Averil Bernard

Everyone has ‘magic numbers’ that can aid them in the quest to be healthier. Individually these numbers are important health measures but when two or more are combined they are great predictors of performance and survival, as they reflect both health and nutritional status.

These ‘magic numbers’ are called Anthropometric Measurements and are used to assess the size, shape and composition of the human body.

Your magic numbers include your Weight, Height, Percent Weight Change, Skinfold Measurements, Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Adiposity Index (BAI), Waist Circumference, Waist to Hip Ratio and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

Most people don’t have the time to keep up with all of their Anthropometric Measurements, but focusing on a few can be sufficient to keep an eye on your health.

Weight
While the scale doesn’t tell us how much of your body is muscle and how much is fat or fluid, studies have shown that maintaining a healthy weight is very important to your health.  Dropping excess pounds can reduce the risk of angina, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, lower the risk of diabetes and certain cancers and can ease lower back and joint pain.

Percent Weight Change
Keeping a focus on your weight can help you track and identify unintentional weight loss or gain. Cancers, bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, thyroid problems, gastrointestinal diseases and diabetes are some of the health conditions associated with unplanned weight loss or gain.

How to calculate your Percent Weight Change:
% weight change = [[usual weight – actual weight] ÷ usual weight] x 100

Body Mass Index
Knowing your weight and height is necessary to determine your BMI.
The World Health Organization has established the following classification for BMI:
BMI                               Classification
< 18.5                           underweight
18.5-24.9                 normal weight
25.0-29.9                overweight
30.0-34.9                class I obesity
35.0-39.9                class II obesity
> 40.0                         class III obesity

How to calculate your Body Mass Index?
Click here for a link to a BMI Calculator or calculate it by hand.
Standard Calculation: BMI = weight in pounds / [height in inches x height in inches] x 703.
Metric Calculation: BMI = your weight in kilograms (kg)/the square of your height in m (m2)

Waist Circumference
Your waist circumference helps to identify if you ‘carry’ your fat in your waist. How would you describe your shape: pear, apple, hourglass or banana (rectangle)?

People with pear and hourglass shapes tend to have smaller waist circumferences than those with banana and apple shapes. Apples usually have large waist circumferences as they ‘carry’ their fat around their waists.
The health risks associated with waist fat include: cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancers, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia and dementia.

This is how the CDC says you should correctly measure your waist circumference:
1. Stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hip bones.
2. Make sure tape is horizontal around the waist.
3. Keep the tape snug around the waist, but not compressing the skin.
4. Measure your waist just after you breathe out.

For women, a waist circumference greater than 35 inches is considered obese, between 32 and 35 inches is overweight and 24 inches to 32 inches is normal.

For men a waist circumference greater than 40 inches is considered obese, while 37 inches to 40 inches is overweight and between 31 inches and 37 inches is normal.

Waist to Hip Ratio      
Your waist to hip ratio like your waist circumference is a measure of your central adiposity. It’s the ratio of your waist circumference to your hip circumference or simply put your waist in cm or inches divided by your hips in cm or inches.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that abdominal obesity is defined as a waist–hip ratio above 0.95 for males and above 0.86 for females.  A good waist to hip ratio for males is 0.85 – 0.89 and for females 0.75-0.79.

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For informational purposes only.  Not intended as medical advice.

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How Can You Rid Your Body Of Heavy Metals?

by Averil Bernard     Click here to subscribe.

Whether we know it or not, we’ve all been exposed to heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium from our food, water, airborne pollutants, beauty products, medicines, vaccines, dental fillings, household items, keys and toys. The truth is, we’re exposed to heavy metals daily and they gradually accumulate from a variety of sources. It’s like filling a glass by adding just one drop of water every day. It may take a long time but the glass will eventually get filled.

Lead Paint Ban

While attending Real Estate school in New Jersey, I learned of the dangers that lurked beneath the fresh coat of paint on the windows in homes built before 1978. Lead-based paints weren’t banned for use in housing until 1978 so all houses built before 1978 are likely to contain some lead-based paint. According to the Center For Disease Control (CDC), “Lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust are the most hazardous sources of lead for U.S. children”. Imagine my surprise when I later learned from a study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that some children’s vitamins and even prenatal vitamins contain lead. How ironic that lead is banned in paints but actually put into food items for consumption by pregnant women and children.

Health Risks

It goes without saying that a buildup of heavy metal in our bodies is harmful and can even be deadly. According to the FDA there are specific levels that the body can tolerate but beyond these levels, health risks include cancers, autism, kidney failure, brain fog, chronic fatigue, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, Parkinson’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Heavy Metal Tests

There are several lead test kits available online but I’m not sure about the integrity of those tests. If you’re curious or you think you may have been exposed to heavy metals, ask your doctor which test is best for you. Quest Diagnostics, a popular lab had test codes listed on their website for their Heavy Metal Blood Panel which tests for Arsenic, Lead and Mercury. Test Code – 7655, CPT Code(s) – 82175, 83655, 83825. Once you have the results, the big task becomes, determining how to even begin the detox process.

Detox

I’ve been curious about the topic for a while and have been doing quite a bit of research. I discovered that foods including some herbs and root vegetables can actually help with the process.

Here is a list of some of the foods that aid in the removal of heavy metals from the body:

  1. Cilantro and it’s ‘cousin’ Culantro
  2. Rice Brand and other foods containing alpha lipoic acid
  3. Chlorella
  4. Milk thistle
  5. Ginger
  6. Broccoli and other sulfur-rich foods

I’m supposing that it shouldn’t be too difficult to begin incorporating a few of these into your diet. For over a year now my family, including my parents, in-laws and siblings have been taking Zeal For Life, a real food supplement that contains Rice Brand, Chlorella, Milk Thistle and Broccoli. I was super happy to know that we had been detoxing daily for over a year. Also, I make a green seasoning mix for daily cooking and that includes Cilantro, Culantro and ginger. I was super happy to know that we had been detoxing daily for over a year.

I write the posts in this blog strictly from information I’ve learned and experiences I’ve had, and I share them because I believe that they would be helpful to others. When you find or learn about something that could positively impact the lives of countless people, it would be totally selfish to keep silent.

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For informational purposes only.  Not intended as medical advice.

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Are Your Vitamins Helping Or Hurting You?

by Averil Bernard

So you have the routine down: every morning you take your stack of vitamins because you understand how important they are to your health. Do you know that some or all of your vitamins could be synthetic? Yes, your vitamins could have been created in a lab just like sucralose , aspartame, egg substitutes and the plethora of other fake foods.

Some of the popular synthetic vitamins are Retinyl Palmitate (Vit A), Cyanocobalamin (Vit B12), dl-alpha tocopherol (Vit E), dl-alpha tocopherol acetate or succinate (Vit E), Ascorbic Acid (Vit C), Calciferol (Vit D).

Cyanide

There is actually Cyanide in Cyanocobalamin and it’s stated to be safe because  it contains only 0.6% of the lower level of Cyanide thought to be harmful. My question to you is would you drink a know poison daily in amounts so small that it was determined to be harmless? My answer is an emphatic NO WAY, but that’s exactly what I had been doing before I switched to my current supplement which has natural B12.

Toxicity

Artificial versions of vitamins A, C, D, E and the B vitamins are very popular. Fat soluble vitamins like A, D, and E are particularly dangerous in their synthetic forms because they provide a higher more concentrated serving than you would derive from the natural, food based forms, and because they build up I your liver and fatty tissue and can cause toxicity.

GMO Concerns

With the engineering of vitamins comes the concern regarding the components used in the engineering process. Genetically Modified microorganisms are used to engineer vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), B12 (cyanocobalamin), A (beta carotene) and others.

Nutritionally Deficient

It’s true, according to studies of data collected by the US Department of Agriculture and published in the Journal of American College of Nutrition, 43 different vegetables and fruits showed reliable declines in the amount of nutrients they possess now when compared to fruits and vegetables from 50 years before. It’s therefore understandable that we need supplements to make up for the short fall. The type of supplement you get is vitality important. Choose wisely because your health depends on it.

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For informational purposes only. Not intended as medical advice.

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Gluten Sensitivity: Fad or Fact?

By Averil Bernard                                                                                                                                          Click here to subscribe.

Jane, not her real name, was super excited about her experience with starting a gluten-free diet. “I feel less bloated, the mental fog is gone, I no longer feel drained after meals and I just feel better,” she said excitedly. “A friend encouraged me to try it and I’m so glad I did”.  So, is this all in Jane’s mind or is there a scientific explanation for what she is experiencing?  

According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), “Research estimates that 18 million Americans have gluten sensitivity.” “Gluten sensitivity or intolerance is a condition that causes a person to react after ingesting gluten. Symptoms vary widely and can include gastrointestinal problems, joint pain, fatigue and depression.” This suggests that there are a whole lot of people who experience negative reactions to gluten and Jane may very well be one of them. Watch the video via the link below for valuable details about the topic.

I did a two month gluten elimination diet to explore the possibility that I could be sensitive to gluten. Like my friend Jane, I felt less bloated, more focused and overall a whole lot better during my three gluten-free weeks. Once I started to reintroduce gluten containing foods the symptoms of gluten sensitivity returned. It’s important to note that not all gluten causes the negative symptoms mentioned above but mainly gluten found in wheat, barley, and rye. So, I eliminated just the ‘bad gluten’ from my diet.

I’m not a doctor so I can’t diagnose myself with a sensitivity to gluten but I sure prefer the way I felt on a gluten-free diet. I guess at some point I’ll get tested but for now I’m just content with feeling better. How about you? Could you be one of the 18 million?

Video-Learn More About Gluten Sensitivity.

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For informational purposes only.  Not intended as medical advice.