benefits of a plant based diet

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Benefits of a Plant Based Diet by Elena Wilkins

© 2008, 2011 by Elena Wilkins. All Rights Reserved. For personal use only! No copying or resale is allowed. www.vega-licious.com

www.vega-licious.com

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Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4

In the Beginning .............................................................................................................................. 5

Hubby's Quest to Health ................................................................................................................ 7

Healing Journey ............................................................................................................................. 9

My Quest to Health ........................................................................................................................ 11

Dumping the Pill ....................................................................................................................... 12

Confirmation ............................................................................................................................. 13

*Fight or Flight Syndrome ....................................................................................................... 13

Highway to Health .................................................................................................................... 15

Green Smoothies ...................................................................................................................... 15

Answered Prayers .................................................................................................................... 16

What Future Holds ........................................................................................................................ 17

STATISTICS AND RESEARCH ......................................................................................................... 18

How did we get here? ................................................................................................................... 22

Good News ....................................................................................................................................24

T. Colin Campbell and His Research ....................................................................................... 24

Are All Proteins Equal? ............................................................................................................. 25

Development Stages of Cancer ............................................................................................... 25

Protein a Cancer Promoter?.................................................................................................... 29

The China Study ....................................................................................................................... 29

Acid or Alkaline? ............................................................................................................................ 33

Acidity Levels of Various Foods ...............................................................................................33

Acidity and Diseases .................................................................................................................33

Dairy: God's gift to Men?......................................................................................................... 34

Do Genes Play a Role? .................................................................................................................. 39

Can Drugs {Medicine} Cure? ......................................................................................................... 41

Medical Advancements ............................................................................................................ 41

Does Quality of Food Matter? ......................................................................................................42

Pure Food and Drug Act .......................................................................................................... 42

Example of FDA cover-up ....................................................................................................... 42

Good News Revisited ................................................................................................................... 44

Fruits and Vegetables are Better Than Supplements ........................................................... 45

Enzymes and Raw Foods ......................................................................................................... 46

Greens and Benefits ................................................................................................................ 47

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 49

Plant-Based Lifestyle is Not for Wimps ................................................................................. 49

It Is Your Time NOW ................................................................................................................ 49

Appendix A: Truth about Protein ................................................................................................ 56

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Appendix B: Truth about Fat ....................................................................................................... 65

Appendix C: Truth about Sugar .................................................................................................... 72

Appendix D: Truth about Organic ................................................................................................ 81

Appendix E: Truth about Microwaves ........................................................................................ 87

Appendix E: Natural & Safe Family Planning .............................................................................. 99

Appendix F: Importance of vitamin B-12 .................................................................................... 102

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Introduction Hello! I am so glad that you have made the decision to take a step toward improving your health. A few years ago, I, too, was in search of truth—needing desperate help, yet finding very little of it, as I found my health quickly deteriorating. It was then that I decided to become my own advocate and be responsible for what was happening not only in me but to me. I was told by my doctors that improvement in some areas of my health was not possible and I would have to be on medication for the rest of my life. I dared to disagree. I searched hard and long and found the truth, and set me free—my health had improved, against the odds, and now I feel better than ever before. Ever since then I have been on a mission to share the same truth with others, and to give them hope for better health and life. I have held seminars, cooking classes, one-on-one consultations and found one thing to be true—as long as people, who were in a need of drastic changes, were willing to take the necessary steps, keep an open mind and follow simple path to health, their health inevitably improved. I sure do hope that after reading this report, with an open mind, you will want to do the same; and then, in turn, do what you can to help others.

Elena Wilkins is a certified Fitness Instructor and a professional Photographer. She was able to reverse several severe health conditions in herself and her husband through a change in diet and exercise, and helped many others to start on the path toward better health.

DISCLOSURE: I am not a doctor and do not claim to be one. The information you are about to read comes from my experience and personal research, as such what you are about to read cannot be taken as medical advice or substituted for one. I shall not be held liable for the decisions made by readers of this report.

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In the Beginning In the beginning... that is before things became bad and I lost my perfect health. It was around 1998 when I moved away from home to attend college in Ohio. Like many young students I felt that I had enough energy to conquer the world. I was in college full-time, held a full-time job and volunteered as much of my "free" time as I could at my home church. 5-6 hours of sleep were not an issue.

After graduating from college I met my future husband*. We began our courtship and shortly after he was diagnosed with a brain cyst, which lead to one major and two follow up brain surgeries. As his was recovering, he was placed on medication that caused him to gain weight. In all, in a few short months, he piled on over 70 extra lbs, and I was not too far behind with nearly 30 extra lbs on me. I went from size 5 to size 10 in a matter of 6 months. While he was in the hospital and then recovering I was his primary caregiver, still working a full-time job, taking care of my life, his life and spending all of my "free" time [time after work] at the hospital. Sleep was scarce, and I had very little time to think about healthy, nutritious meals for myself. Hospital food, fast food and leftovers from occasional homemade meals became the norm for me.

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After a month and a half in a hospital Hubby was released. I continued to provide care and administer medication to him. As he was gradually recovering I started to pay attention to me. I noticed that my body changed. Extra 30 lbs did not feel good. To add to my concern my cycles became longer and longer.

To "help" me my OBGYN put me on birth control medication. Now I know how big of a mistake that was, but then I was fully trusting her professional opinions. Hubby and I were married in 2003. And soon after my quest for better health began. In addition to my own concerns, I soon discovered that Hubby suffered from frequent chest pains. They came at different times. Since I was not a doctor, I did not know what to suspect, and I surely did not know what to do to make him feel better. So, I lived in fear of losing him. *hereafter referred to as Husband, Hubby, and, lovingly, Hubster :). There are parts of my life that I prefer to keep private. I have chosen to make a lot of my life and thoughts public, however, I do not want to force my spouse to do the same, intentionally or unintentionally.

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Hubby's Quest to Health When all of our health issues ensued, I was still influenced to believe that genes were the biggest force behind someone’s health. Hubby was adopted at a young age and we did not know what his biological family's health history was. I was anxious to find them if for no other reason than to find out their medical history. [There were other pressing reasons also, of course.] I began my search for them even before we married, but it was not until the second year of our marriage that we were able to locate them. To my dismay, most of the males on Hubby's father’s side suffered or died from cardiovascular problems (hearts attacks, strokes, seizures due to strokes), on his mother’s side there was a history of strokes and cancers. Thankfully we both believe in God who heals. We knew that if we did our part, He would take care of the rest and provide us with perfect health.

I thought that I knew what I must do. I immediately adjusted our diet. I was already making 99% percent of our meals myself, using fresh ingredients as much as possible. I cut out “bad” fats that I knew about, we exercised, and we expected great results. Unfortunately changes did not happen as expected. Hubby was still suffering from continuous and escalating chest pains. At times I was scared that he might have a heart attack or a stroke. As Hubby recovered from the brain surgeries and his skull grew bone in the area where it was cut, he was able to start an exercise regimen. Some of the weight he gained after his hospital stay came off. However, the chest pains persisted. In 2005 Hubster went to see a physician. After having tried several medications the chest pains did not subside. We even went to see a cardiologist. Hubby was put through several different tests, but again, nothing “problematic” was detected. We insisted for more tests to be done. I made an educated guess that his arteries must have gotten clogged up quite a bit and were the culprit behind his torturous pains. In January 2006 Hubster’s physician finally ordered blood work. Here are the results:

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His cholesterol levels were VERY high: 220 mg/dL! (You might find it that some labs/doctors would suggest that 170-220 mg/dL is a normal range for cholesterol, but in reality it is not. It has become the new norm in the States during the last century, as the levels were gradually increasing, but it has not always been so. The doctors are now "grading" cholesterol levels on the ever sliding curve.) His doctor told us that the only way to take care of the problem was to take medication. His reasoning, having examined our lifestyle and diet, was that since Hubby exercised regularly, ate "healthy" (or so we thought) and was not overweight, there was nothing else that could be done by us to make the problem go away. So, his high cholesterol was written off to heredity—the ever-responsible for all evils of the world genes. At the time we did not know any better and were quiet frightened, so we agreed. Hubby went on Zocor, medication that was supposed to reduce his cholesterol levels, but had multiple side-effects. Hubby had to have blood work done every three months to see if the medication was damaging any of his other organs, primarily kidneys and liver. We continued to pray for healing. We did not want Hubster to continue on medication risking his long-term health. However, seeing that our prayers were not being answered (that is how we felt at the time) and doctors had no clue how to help us, we examined ourselves, knowing that God was not ignoring us, and changed our prayers. Instead of asking God for healing, we began to ask Him for wisdom. We realized that rather than having an instantaneous healing, as great as that would have been, we would actually rather discover a method which would keep us healthy for the rest of our lives. Call it what you want, audacity, bravery or stupidity, but we told Hubby’s doctor that we would be back within a year with a solution and Hubby would come off medication once and for all. Needless to say, the doctor thought we were naïve and were going to find out that there is nothing that can be done once medical science made its conclusions and pronounced its sentence. So, I set out on a quest to find a healthier alternative and a cure for Hubby’s problem.

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Healing Journey The information I started to acquire was incredible, yet simple, and I wanted to know more. It just happened that at that time we met someone who had taken a nutrition course, offered by a local wellness organization. Our new acquaintance told me about The China Study, an incredible book written by T. Colin Campbell, about the effects of nutrition on our health. I immediately got the book and began to read it. As I was reading it, with every page, I developed more and more hope that my husband would not have to be on medication for the rest of his life. It seemed that my educated guess [his arteries being clogged up] was actually true. I shared this exciting information with Hubby. We immediately started to make adjustments to our diet. In December of 2006 we changed our diet to vegan, excluding any and all animal products from our diet. We also excluded processed and refined foods, including sugars, white flour, white rice, and table salt. (Instead of table salt we use Himalayan/Sea salts and supplement with sea vegetables to meet our iodine needs.) In January of 2007 we went to see Hubby’s doctor to request for him to approve for Hubby to discontinue taking medication. The doctor, as you can only imagine, thought we were absolutely crazy. We, however, insisted. We told him that we wanted at least three months to prove that our theory and new discoveries would work. We ended up having to partially threaten that if he did not want to supervise our “experiment” we would do it on our own. He relented. We were expecting changes! We knew what was going to happen, although the doctor insisted that his condition was hereditary and there is nothing that could be done to fix it. Three months later, as we promised, we went back for a follow-up appointment. Here are the results from Hubby’s blood test:

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The cholesterol level went down from 220 mg/dL (pre-medication) to 173 mg/dL (without medication). That is whopping 47 mg/dL in three months. Amazing, isn’t it?! The doctor was surprised. We were simple happy. To add to our joy, the chest pains were declining in their frequency and strength. Both of us were dropping weight. We were more alert, more energetic, and certainly happier! As we parted with the “good” doctor, I made him a promise. I told him that when we return for a follow-up test, the timing of which was actually left up to us to decide, Hubby’s cholesterol will be under 150 mg/dL, which is optimal for cardiovascular health. You would have thought that the doctor had learned his lesson and would have believed me, but with scorn on his face he waved me off as an annoying insect and once again declared it was impossible. Apparently he did not know not to mess with a woman on a mission to save her husband. I bet you want to know whether we ever went back and, if we did, what the test results were. Indeed, we did go back in December of 2007, a year after we changed our dietary lifestyle. Here are the results:

Yes, you are seeing it correctly—the overall cholesterol, in fact, was below 150 mg/dL. It was 149 mg/dL, which is additional 24 mg/dL, making a total of 71 mg/dL down from the initial test. We were right once again. Only this time we decided not to go back to the doctor. It really was not worth to waste our time and money for us to walk in his office just to say: “I told you so!” The chest pains were gone as well, and I no longer live in fear of losing my husband.

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My Quest to Health As I previously mentioned, the entire journey of Hubby's treatments and recovery, as well as my busy life, took a toll on my health. In addition to developing a hormone imbalance, which went misdiagnosed for over 5 years, I also gained a "few" extra pounds. My OBGYN, out of sheer ignorance, placed me on birth control to regulate my cycle. That was the only thing that the medication was able to accomplish. Once on it, the weight started to pile on [I maxed out at 168 lbs on my small frame], followed by hair loss, skin issues, joint problems [I developed and anterior knee condition (softening of the cartilage around the bones of the knee cap and knee joint) and lived with severe pain, at times barely able to get out of bed], severe dry eye syndrome, and eventually, depression. So much for helping! Medication did nothing more than to mask my mounting problems.

I went from doctor to doctor and each one offered different methods to help my issues: dermatologist offered more medication to "help" solve my skin issues; orthopedic doctor offered a surgery, to have the knees scraped—he told me that the condition will never improve on its own and the medical field still does not know what causes it; optometrist

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inserted punctal plugs into my tear ducts to help retain tears; general physician offered calcium supplements for the knees—after my research the supplements turned out to be poorly made with indigestible sea/clam shells [welcome to total educated ignorance]; and lastly OBGYN had me on birth control. I was reluctant to go see anyone for depression, because I already knew that the only thing I could expect in the form of help would be more medication. With Hubster's health fixed up it was time to pay attention to me. While we were taking care of him and changing our diet my health also began to improve. I lost over 20 lbs, however I was still afflicted with a myriad of health issues. I began researching more of what could have caused my health problems and, rather than looking for different sources for each issue as all medical doctors/specialists had, I decided to look for what they had in common. I was able to accomplish what my numerous specialist doctors could not. With thorough research I self-diagnosed myself with hypothyroidism. All I needed at that point was to confirm it.

Dumping the Pill In October of 2007, after much research and soul searching I concluded that I could no longer stay on birth control medication. It was no really helping me any. Yes, it did cause me to have a menses, but it was not because it healed me, rather it peaked progesterone levels artificially and on the days when I was not taking the meds, progesterone withdrawal caused menses. In addition to the "cover up" all, and I must emphasize all, un-natural birth control medications cause side effects ranging from causing hormone imbalance, increased chance of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, various forms of cancers, and unintended miscarriages. Yes, women who take birth control can still ovulate and become pregnant. However, the medication, or artificial implants that go into a woman's body, can and some of them specifically serve that purpose, so they will, cause a disruption of the inseminated egg to get implanted, thus causing a miscarriage, or, if you will, an abortion. All of these also increase the risk of death to the woman. If you don't believe me just read the inserts for each birth control, and clinical studies research. You will be blown away that there is nothing, except for natural family planning, that is safe. [See Appendix F for details.] At the time these facts caused me a lot of heart aches. Although I had a severe hormone imbalance and the likelihood of me ovulating were very slim, there was still a possibility. Thankfully I found out the truth and got off birth control as quickly as I could. Amazingly, almost immediately there was an improvement in my health. I felt as if all of my senses had awakened back to life. Depression was one of the first things to go after I quit

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the pill, although the full recovery process from depression took a little while, but the beginning of healing from it was glorious.

Confirmation Having come to the conclusion that I was hypothyroid, all I needed to do is to have it confirmed by a specialist. In January of 2008 I did just that. The tests had confirmed what I long suspected and what my numerous specialists failed to accomplish—I was finally diagnosed as hypothyroid. My TSH was at 4.905. (My suspicion is that prior to our diet change it was higher, as ever since diagnosis it kept dropping by an average 1.3 points per year. If my statistical guess is correct, my TSH could have been as high as 6.2 or higher prior to us converting to a vegan diet.) With diagnosis I finally knew what I was up against. Although my medical doctor told me that hypothyroid condition is irreversible, by then I already knew and understood the power of lifestyle choices and refused to believe that something that I developed over time (I was not born with hypothyroidism) could not also be reversed, given time. My conclusion was that if I did things to encourage poor health, I should be able to do things that would help me retrace my steps and correct my wrongs, thus reversing health issues that were created in the process. My further research had also confirmed that all of the ailments I had were not independent of one another, but on the contrary, had a common root—hormone imbalance caused by hypothyroidism, which in turn was caused by severe stress, lack of rest and poor nutrition. As my body struggled through aforementioned neglectful habits, it depleted itself of minerals and vitamins necessary to maintain optimal thyroid function, which in turn affected many other physical processes. The stress forced my body to live in the survival mode [fight or flight*] for so long that I had to find ways to nourish it back to health. It meant forming better habits not only when it came to nutrition, but also better stress managements, treating my physical body with respect and dignity and giving it all things necessary for optimal health, i.e. rest, nutrition and exercise.

*Fight or Flight Syndrome Definitinions and Explanation taken from Fight or Flight Therapy site, emphasis mine Back in the 1930’s, Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon was the first to coin the term ‘fight or flight.’ He used it to describe our innate defense mechanism in the face of a threat or danger.

http://www.fightorflighttherapy.com/what-fight-or-flight.html

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The classic example of this is primitive man’s physiological response to sensing a tiger in the trees. This imminent danger triggers subconscious reflexes that immediately recruit his resources in an attempt to insure his survival. His body prepares to fight to the death or flee for his life. Adrenaline and other hormones, like cortisol, are released into his bloodstream. The liver releases stored sugar for an immediate energy boost. Blood flow increases to his brain, heart, lungs and large muscles (at the expense of lower priority functions like digestion, etc). His heart beats faster and his blood pressure rises. His breathing becomes more shallow and rapid to obtain more oxygen. Perspiration increases to keep his body cool. His senses become heightened and his pupils dilate to let in more light. His vision tunes out extraneous peripheral information so he can focus on the tiger, or zero in on his escape route. His muscles become tensed, ready to fight or flee. We (can) get stuck in this stage when stress occurs over a length of time. (as it happened with me) Most would agree life is already stressful before even considering some of the high-stress challenges we must endure. Intense situations like demanding jobs, rigorous schooling, long-term troubled or dysfunctional relationships, prolonged illnesses or auto accident rehabilitation. To survive, we somehow find a balance or equilibrium that allows us to function day after day under the pressure. The surge of the alarm reaction is dampened, but our engines are constantly idling in a perpetual low-level ‘fight or flight.’ In order to cope, we subconsciously redefine this continually stressed state as ‘normal,' …despite the negative consequences of the constant drain on our system. As world-renowned researcher Bruce McEwen warns in his book ‘The End of Stress as We Know It,’ “stress protects under acute conditions, but when activated chronically it can cause damage and accelerate disease.” As this process repeats itself though life, the cumulative effect can be dramatic. We do the best we can, but inevitably we find ourselves functioning less efficiently, usually well below our true capabilities. Without major lifestyle changes, over time we gradually become more and more susceptible to various stress-related illnesses. And unfortunately, "we carry our stress with us for a lifetime.” This is how J. Douglas Bremner opens his book, ‘Does Stress Damage the Brain?’ He goes on to clearly demonstrate how our “short-term survival response can be at the expense of long-term function,” ultimately causing permanent damage in our brains, our bodies and our psyches. After prolonged stress, the system resources become depleted. This is classic ‘burn out,’ with fatigue, adrenal exhaustion and a weakened immune system. The physical signs of

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alarm can reappear and the system shuts down, becomes debilitated and ultimately death may even occur.

Highway to Health I kept on with my research as we continually improved our diet, learning the What's and the How's of vegan living. I changed my perspective on how I should treat myself. I found that the Bible must have been correct. It says: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' {Mark 12:31}. After so many years I finally understood the meaning of it. For so long I loved others around me more than myself—taking care of them and neglecting myself. I finally knew that true love expresses itself through taking care of yourself: health, emotions, etc., first, so that I could be more effective helping others with whatever needs they might have. The new revelation helped me to reprioritize what was important in my life, thus reducing stress and tending to my needs. I spent more time away from stress, spending time in prayer and meditation on God's word, time with my husband and by myself, as well as taking time off to recuperate from every-day stressors. I learned that things can wait and the world won't fall apart if I don't immediately tend to what seems to be even the most pressing matter.

Green Smoothies In the Spring of 2008 I was introduced to Green Smoothies. Having read V. Boutenko's book "Green for Life" I jumped right on it and began to consume as many raw [uncooked] greens as possible, in blended form. Within 30 days I noticed a measurable change in my health. More weight came off and I felt better. The new revelation, in turn, made us consume more of a raw [uncooked] diet. Currently 60-80% of our diet is raw. One by one the health problems that plagued me for years melted away. The healing did not come overnight. I was mindful that but I did not develop poor health overnight either and I had to be patient to get well. But when healing came it stayed. My hair stopped falling out. Skin problems melted away. Depression fled the scene. The knees stopped hurting. My back became stronger. I slept better. Weight came off. I felt normal again. And, to top things off, I had hope and even more so, an assurance that things will get only better. I kept track of my medical tests to measure improvements. I am a person of hard facts, not speculations, so I needed to measure my progress with facts. I had blood work drawn every 1-1.5 years to measure my success. Below are the results.

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May 2006 January 2008 July 2009 July 2010

Cholesterol 179 mg/dL 131 mg/dL

Triglycerides 77 31

HDL 66 60

LDL 98 65

Ratio 2.7 2.2

TSH 4.905 2.23 1.66

T4 1.11 0.8 0.9

T3 3.9 3.1

As of today I am feeling better than ever, and I am certainly in better shape physically than I had been for many years. I am no longer diagnosed as hypothyroid, although there is still room for improvement. The doctor who diagnosed me in 2008 could barely believe the results when I went back to see him in January of 2011. Through the process I learned patience. I reconditioned my mind and my body. I am in total control of what goes into my body. I had changed my view of foods and medicine radically. I now know food is fuel for my body and I have to use the best available grade to make sure I achieve optimal results. In my opinion, medication is to be used only in critical conditions and only until we are able to improve our health naturally. I know that my health will only continue to improve, as it had to this point. I am looking forward to even a healthful future.

Answered Prayers As we got better we knew that our prayers have been answered, and not for only then and there, but we were equipped for a lifelong journey.

With all the prayers we prayed and tears we cried in the beginning, we did not realize that the answer to our prayers was as close as the hand is to the mouth.

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What Future Holds Since we reversed Hubby's health issues and got me back to the world of the living I have become consumed by the desire to help others do the same as long as I can. Proper nutrition and fitness are a key to our world's health. Both are imperative to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I believe that most diseases can not only be prevented but also reversed, including the worst of them. I hold to the view that 85% of diseases can be dealt with and prevented by a simple change in diet and lifestyle. Many view my husband and I as crazed lunatics who sacrifice the pleasures of life [i.e. junk and animal foods]. They believe that we lead a deprived life. We, on the contrary, know that what is perceived as sacrifice and depravation, are answers to our prayers for better health and longer lives. Our diet is very rich in nutrition. We eat a variety of foods and as much as we need to; we never get bored with our meals; we get full quicker than we used to, since there is actually whole nutrition in our foods; never get the "stuffed" feeling that those on over-processed, nutrient-poor, animal-product-rich Standard American Diet {SAD} get regularly. We had lost and kept off over 100 lbs combined; our health had improved and energy levels increased. We are far from thinking that we are deprived of anything, except for poor health. And we invite you, the readers, to feel the same way—full of health and deprived of sickness. There is a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will spare the description and show you what a Plant Based diet and a change in lifestyle has done for us.

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STATISTICS AND RESEARCH Having told you about our quest for health, and how we achieved it, I now would like to back it up with measurable data. Questioning our personal diet and lifestyle and seeing results that can be achieved made me look at the health issues Americans are facing on a whole new level. Let’s review some of these problems. And, since I like facts and not speculations, I will give you statistics that I collected from multiple sources.

In 1977 US government released a report which showed that 6 out of 10 causes of death in the USA are due to diet (source: Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs. Press conference held on January 14, 1977)

2005 statistics showed (source: Green for Life book):

Estimated 1, 372, 910 new cancer cases and 570, 560 cancer deaths will occur in 2005.

Five year survival rates [for cancer survivors] have risen from 50% to 74% from 1970s.

Lung cancer remains the biggest killer, estimated to have claimed 163, 510 lives

In 2005, about 232, 00 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, killing 30, 350 (the same year).

Some 211, 240 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, killing 40, 410 (the same year).

According to the American Cancer Society, an American male has a 47% chance of getting cancer and a female a 38% chance.

Americans have become less physically active, spending more time in front of a TV, playing video games and using the computer.

Diabetes among the people in their thirties has increased 70% in less than 10 years, and percentage of the obese people has more than doubled in the past 30 years.

One out of every 7 dollars the economy produces is now spent on health care. But are we getting HEALTHIER?

U. S. pays more for the health care than any other country. Health Care Financing Administration predicted that our system would cost 16 trillion dollars by 2030. (Source Book of Health Insurance Date 1999-2000, Wash. D. C. 1999).

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The World Health Organization ranked the U. S. 37th best in the world according to health care system performance. While other countries spend on average only about ½ of what the U. S. spends per capita on health care, yet two thirds of Americans are overweight and over 15 million Americans have diabetes, and the number is still rising.

Close to 44 million Americans are uninsured (source: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/1671-8064.html).

Heart disease will kill one out of every three Americans.

While we are trusting that doctors and hospitals will “fix” our ailing bodies, statistics show that medical care is the third leading cause of death preceded by heart disease and cancer.

Over 100,000 people die every year from unintended reactions to approved prescription “medicine” that is supposed to be helping them feel better. As I mentioned before, my husband is a perfect example. I know a young lady that has been experiencing chest pains that sound familiar to what Hubby had experienced in the past. Her doctors are trying to find out what the problem might be. They have not been able to single out one thing to be treated; yet, they already prescribed several medications to her. Let’s get this straight: medications are prescribed with NO diagnosis, all or most medications have some or a lot of side effects, she is yet to see any positive results, all-the-while risking all the negative side-effects of these medications.

Ask yourself a question: If we could use natural means and nutrition to prevent and treat diseases, would we be pouring toxic, at times potentially lethal, drugs into our bodies, at the last or even beginning stages of disease?

What would you say if I told you that the answer to our health crisis is the food that we choose to put into our mouths? While many Americans think they are well informed on nutrition, sadly they are NOT. We tend to follow faddish diets, anything from Atkins diet to Weight Watchers to South Beach Diet? Anything from counting carbohydrates to embracing animal protein in excess. How is the public supposed to decided which diet is right for them with this kind of information out, when books written on the subject are contradicting each other?

Remember: What we don’t know, what we don’t understand about nutrition might and will hurt us.

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/1671-8064.html

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/1671-8064.html

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Half of Americans have a health problem that requires taking a prescription drug every week, and over 100 million Americans have high cholesterol.

I want to use a live example, to make these numbers a bit more real. While I lived in Longview WA in 2008-2010 I went onto the Cowlitz County Health Department web-site and pulled these statistics:

68% of Cowlitz County adults are overweight or obese, and increase from 60% of those surveyed in 2001 (BRFSS 2001, 2003) (this means that every 7 out of 10 people you know are either overweight or obese) [By 2010 the number became higher.]

Only 31% of adults report moderate exercise at 30 minutes per day five days a week (BRFSS, 2001) (example below)

Taken from the Final Report – Healthy Lifestyles Coalition

Workplace Wellness Employer Surveys

Local Business Does the business have an

employee wellness program?

What % of employees participates?

Fred Meyer Yes 21 employees out of 240 use

fitness center.

Quiet sobering, isn't it?

One third of the young people in the US is overweight or is at risk of becoming so. They are falling prey to an adult form of diabetes.

These statistics are taken directly from the American Obesity Association web-site:

In the past 30 years, the occurrence of overweight in children has doubled and it is

now estimated that one in five children in the US is overweight. Increases in the prevalence of overweight are also being seen in younger children, including preschoolers. Prevalence of overweight is especially higher among certain populations such as Hispanic, African American and Native Americans where some studies indicate prevalence of >85th percentile of 35-40%. Also, while more children are becoming overweight, the heaviest children are getting even heavier. As a result, childhood overweight is regarded as the most common prevalent nutritional disorder of US children and adolescents, and one of the most common problems seen by pediatricians.

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Unfortunately sites like this have become a norm rather than an exception:

4-year-old Russian boy weighs 123 pounds

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How did we get here? It happens when Fruits and Vegetables are replaced with…

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America Obesity Association lists following as Contributors to Childhood Overweight:

Food Choices - diets higher in calories (including fats and simple sugars) and lower in fruits and vegetables are linked with overweight.

Physical Activity vs. Sedentary Activity - less physical activity and more time spent participating in activities such as watching TV results in less energy expenditure.

Parental Obesity - children of obese parents are more likely to be overweight themselves. Parental obesity reflects a family environment that promotes excess eating and insufficient activity.

Eating Patterns - skipping meals or failure to maintain a regular eating schedule can result in increased intakes when food is eaten.

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy - Several studies have shown that excessive maternal weight gain during pregnancy is associated with increased birth weight and overweight later in life.

Formula Feeding - Breast feeding is generally recommended over formula feeding. Although the exact mechanism in unknown, several long-term studies suggest that breast feeding may prevent excess weight gain as children grow.

Parental Eating and Physical Activity Habits - Parents with poor nutritional habits and who lead sedentary lifestyles role model these behaviors for their children, thereby creating an "obesigenic" home environment.

I am sure that hearing these statistics and seeing images does not come as a surprise to you. You might be ready to ask me if there is an escape from this “health-hell”. Let me tell you the good news.

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Good News

T. Colin Campbell and His Research [Source and Charts: The China Study book, T. Colin Campbell] T. Colin Campbell, PhD, is a scientist. He had been “in the system” [teaching in universities, performing researches founded by big name organization and the government, etc.] for almost 50 years at highest levels of research. Dr. Campbell was assigned to a nationwide project in the Philippines working with malnourished children. Part of the project was investigating high rates of liver cancer of Filipino children. The cancer was at first assumed to be a direct cause of mold toxin called aflatoxin, found in peanuts and corn. For 10 years his team tried to improve childhood malnutrition among the poor, mostly by increasing consumption of animal protein, especially from animal-based foods. (Protein comes from the Greek word “proteios”, which means “of prime importance”.) However, while working on the project, he uncovered a dark secret: children who ate highest-protein diets were the ones most likely to get liver cancer! They were the children of the wealthiest families. As a result of this finding and another study done in India, pointing to the same facts, T. Colin Campbell started an in-depth laboratory program that would investigate the role of nutrition, especially protein, in the development of cancer. Eventually, this research became handsomely funded for 27 years by the best-reviewed and most competitive funding sources (mostly The National Institute of Health, The American Cancer Society and The American Institute for Cancer Research). Doing the research, the team would inject lab animals with the carcinogen (aflotoxin) and then feed them with either low (5% of protein or lower) or high-protein (above 5% and up to 20% protein) diets and record their observations. The findings were shocking. Low-protein diets inhibited the initiation of cancer by aflotoxin, regardless of how much of the carcinogen was administered to lab animals. After cancer initiation was completed, low protein diets also dramatically blocked subsequent cancer growth. In fact, dietary protein proved to be so powerful in its effect that the research team could turn on and off cancer growth by simply changing the level of protein consumed. The amounts of protein being fed were those that humans routinely consume. In high-protein diet groups every single rat got liver cancer while in low protein diet group 0 (zero) rats got liver cancer. That was 100% versus 0%! This fact showed that high protein diets are more likely to cause cancer development.

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(Note: Laboratory studies were performed on mice and rats. Rats and humans have an almost identical need for protein. Protein operates in humans almost the same was it does in rats. Also, the level of protein intake causing tumor growth in rats is the same level that humans consume.)

Are All Proteins Equal? The research team found that not all proteins had this effect. The protein that consistently and strongly promoted cancer was casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein. The safe protein that did not promote cancer, even at high levels of intake was plant protein, including wheat and soy. Protein is very important in our diet. Unfortunately, uninformed doctors and the majority of present day society insist that the only way we can get our protein is by consuming animas products. Often, when I tell someone that I am vegan, one of the first questions I am asked is: “So, where do you get your protein?” American “love affair” with animal protein began a long time ago. A nutrition researcher Max Rubner (1854-1932) stated that meat protein intake was a symbol of civilization itself: “A right protein allowance is the right of civilized man.” It is no surprise than that protein, fats, carbohydrates and alcohol comprise virtually majority of the calories American consume. However, as mentioned before, not all protein is created equal. Quality proteins are those proteins that have the ability to provide the right kinds and amounts of amino acids to make new proteins in our bodies. While it is claimed that animal protein is of “the highest quality”, since animal protein is very similar to ours, a lot of compelling research is now showing that “low quality” plant protein, which allows for slow but steady synthesis of new proteins needed to replace our “lost” proteins, is the healthiest type. SLOW BUT STEADY WINS THE RACE! To learn more about the topic of protein please refer to Appendix A.

Development Stages of Cancer I would like to quickly review the development stages of one of the most feared diseases in America—cancer. There are three stages:

1. Initiation 2. Promotion 3. Progression

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1. Initiation

The initiation process can be likened to seeds being planted in the ground. Carcinogens (chemicals that are most often the byproducts of industrial processes) are responsible for initiating (creating) the cancer prone cells. The initiation stage can take place in a very short period of time, even minutes. Once the cell’s DNA has been altered by the carcinogen, and daughter cells have been formed, the process is complete and is considered irreversible. The seeds have been planted and are now ready to germinate.

Now starts the second stage of cancer development. 2. Promotion

Promotion takes place over longer periods of time, often taking many years. Just like seeds, cancer cells need certain conditions to grow. The seeds need water, sunlight and nutrients before they can sprout. If any of these factors are missing when seeds are planted, the seeds will become dormant, until those conditions change. Likewise, cancer cells cannot grow unless the right conditions are met, or, if any of these conditions are missing after growth starts,

the seeds will become dormant, awaiting the supply of missing factors. Promotion is reversible, depending on whether the early cancer growth is given the right conditions in which to grow. That is why certain diet factors (promoters) are important. Promoters feed cancer growth. Anti-promoters (dietary factors) slow or turn-off cancer growth. I will give you two examples of this how promotion happens. I happened to know two women that were diagnosed with breast cancer. It happened at different times and different place. Let’s name one L, and the second J. Lady L and Lady J were both faced with the same problem. The cancer was taking over their bodies and their doctors told them that the only way to treat it (stop it) was by undergoing chemo-therapy. Lady L decided to forgo the “blessings” of conventional medicine. She had done her research and found out that chemotherapy, once administered to a patient, causes irreversible damages. On top of that chemo-therapy has a recorded improvement of a 5

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year survival rate of less than 2%. In other words, undergoing chemo-therapy is very much like playing a lottery: you have less than 2 out of 100 chances to survive by undergoing the treatment, and in the process you will irreversibly damage your entire body.

The burning and scarring is the result of a spill of chemotherapy onto the bare hand.

Image Source

Lady J, on the other hand, decided that chemotherapy was the way to go, and started on it immediately. When she was first diagnosed she was given only 6 months to live.

I was honored to have taken this image only a few weeks prior to Lady J's untimely passing

http://www.cancertutor.com/ChemoSpill/chemospill.htm

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Meanwhile Lady L found out about nutritional treatment. She cut out all animals products, started juicing and following a strict dietary regiments. I am happy to tell you that Lady L made it! She is still cancer free. Lady J lived a year longer than the doctors predicted. She was constantly weak, unable to fend for herself, and too sick to do anything. I am sorry to tell you that Lady J is no longer with us. So, Lady L successfully reversed promotion stage of the cancer, while Lady J’s body was too weak to fight and she went through the third and final stage of cancer development. 3. Progression

Progression, the third phase, begins when a bunch of advanced cancer cells progress in their growth until they have done their final damage. It is like weeds, invading everything around them: the garden, sidewalk and driveway. The final stages of cancer results in death. In laboratory studies Dr. Campbell proved that increasing or decreasing enzyme activity (enzymes are primarily responsible for metabolizing chemicals) can be done by manipulating

amounts of proteins. Decreasing protein intake greatly decreased enzyme activity, and prevented dangerous carcinogen binding to DNA. Lower protein intake dramatically decreases tumor initiation, i.e. it decreases the number of “seeds” being planted in the “cancerous lawn”. The studies performed by Dr. Campbell and his team showed that when protein intake exceeded 10% needed to satisfy body growth rate cancer developed. The average American consumes 15-16% of protein, which is much higher than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 10%. 10% dietary protein is equivalent to eating about 50-60 grams of protein per day. The national average of 15-16% is about 70-100 grams of protein. For illustration purposes:

100 calories (15 oz.) of spinach has 12 grams of protein

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100 calories (2 tablespoons) of raw chickpeas has 5 grams of protein

100 calories (about 1.5 oz.) of steak has 13 grams or protein

Protein a Cancer Promoter? As mentioned before, not all protein is created equal.

Plant protein does not promote cancer growth, even at higher level of intake. The studies had shown to be true for many types of cancer. Further studies were done to see if other nutrients would have any effect on cancer promotion. The findings showed that nutrients from animal-based foods increased tumor development while nutrients from plant-based foods decreased tumor development. You might say: “Well, these are astounding findings, but he worked with lab animals.” First, let me introduce this important bit of information to you: most pharmaceutical studies are performed on lab animals as well. Secondly, Dr. Campbell also directed the most comprehensive study on diet, lifestyle and disease ever done with humans in the history of biochemical research.

The China Study The study was jointly arranged through Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. The project surveyed a vast range of diseases, diet and lifestyle factors in rural China and in Taiwan. The study, known as The China Study produced more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease! In the early 1970’s, the premier of China, Chou Enlai, was dying of cancer. He initiated a nationwide survey to collect information about a disease that wasn’t well understood. It was to be a survey of death rates for 12 different kinds of cancer for more than 2400 Chinese counties and 880 million of their citizens. The survey involved 650,000 workers. The end result was a color-coded atlas showing where certain types of cancer were high and where almost nonexistent.

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The atlas made it clear that in China cancer was geographically localized. It further showed that cancer was largely due to environmental/lifestyle factors, and not genetics. (Cancer incidents in China are less common than in the U.S.) The atlas served as a launch pad to form a new team and further investigate findings. Dr. Campbell’s team gathered data on 367 variables. The team went into 65 counties across China and administered questionnaires and blood tests to 6500 adults. They took urine samples, measured everything families ate over a 3-day period and analyzed food samples from marketplaces around the country. (Realize that Chinese dietary habits are unlike those of Americans. They do not have fast food for breakfast, Italian for lunch and microwave meals for dinner.) What was so important about doing studies in China is the fact that 90-94% of the adult subjects in each county still lived in the same county where they were born. The study supplied more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between lifestyle, diet and disease variables. New York Times called it “the Grand Prix of epidemiology.” In America, 15-16% of our total calories come from protein and upward of 80% of this amount comes from animal-based foods. In rural China only 9-10% of total calories comes from protein and only 10% of the protein comes from animal based foods.

Chinese and American Dietary Intake (standardized for body weight of 143 pounds)

Nutrient China United States

Calories (kcal/day) 2641 1989

Total fat (% of calories) 14.5 34-38

Dietary fiber (g/day) 33 12

Total protein (g/day) 64 91

Animal protein (% of calories) 0.8 10-11

Total iron (mg/day) 34 18 (In rural China, animal protein intake averages 7.1 g/day, which would be equivalent to about 3 chicken nuggets from McDonald’s.) The China Study had also allowed to study and compare other diseases. Here are the findings.

Diseases of Affluence (Nutritional Extravagance)

Cancer (colon, lung, breast, leukemia, childhood, brain, stomach, liver), diabetes, coronary heart disease

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Diseases of Poverty (Nutritional inadequacy and poor sanitation)

Pneumonia, intestinal obstruction, peptic ulcer, digestive disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, parasitic disease, rheumatic heart disease, metabolic and endocrine diseases other than diabetes, diseases of pregnancy and many others

As blood cholesterol levels in rural China rose in certain counties, the incidence of “Western” diseases also increased. Chinese blood cholesterol levels were found to be much lower than those of Americans. The average level of blood cholesterol in China was only about 127 mg/dL, which is almost 100 mg/dL less than American average of 215 mg/dL. Some counties had average as low as 94 mg/dL. American range is around 170-290 mg/dL. Our low values are near the high values of rural China.

Lower blood cholesterol levels are linked to lower rates of heart disease, cancer and other Western diseases, even at levels far below those considered “safe” in the West.

As the cholesterol levels decreased from 170 to 90 mg/dL, cancers of the liver, rectum, colon, male lung, female lung, breast, childhood leukemia, adult leukemia, childhood brain, adult brain, stomach and esophagus (throat) decreased. Cholesterol levels were linked not only to coronary problems but also to cancers!

Foods Associated with Blood Cholesterol

As intakes of meat, milk, eggs, fish, fat and animal protein go up…

Blood Cholesterol goes up.

As intakes of plant-based foods and nutrients (including plant protein, dietary fiber, cellulose, hemicelluloses, soluble carbohydrate, B-vitamins of plants (carotenes, B-2, B-3), legumes, light colored vegetables, fruit, carrots, potatoes an several cereal grains) go up...

Blood Cholesterol goes down.

On average Americans consume 35-40% of total calories as fat (meat and dairy are very high in fat). In rural China, dietary fat intake was only 14.5%. In China mostly all fat comes from animal-based foods, where in America fat is added or removed from foods on regular basis. American fat consumption comes from meat, dairy, potato chips, French fries.

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Finding from China showed that reducing fat from 24% to 6% was associated with lower breast cancer risk. To read more about Fat refer to Appendix B.

Food Percent of Calories derived from Fat

Butter 100%

McDonald's double cheeseburger 67%

Whole cow's milk 64%

Ham 61%

Hotdog 54%

"Low-fat" milk 35%

Peas 5%

Carrots 4%

Green beans 4%

The finding consistently showed direct correlation between diseases and animal-based food intake. The finding also showed that people who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic diseases.

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Acid or Alkaline? *pH (Potential Hydrogen) scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is The human body is almost 70 percent water. Water is considered neutral on the pH scale, at about 7. Blood is slightly alkaline, normally between 7.35 and 7.45. If the pH falls below that, a condition called acidosis occurs. If the pH is higher, the condition is called alkalosis. Both conditions can be fatal. Our blood's pH level is slightly alkaline around 7.41. No matter what happens the body must maintain this level to survive. So, what happens when we eat acid forming foods? The body must find a way to buffer the damage and bring its pH level back to 7.41. The buffer that our body uses for this task is no other than calcium—mineral found in our bones. When we eat acid forming foods the body pulls calcium from our bones, using it as a buffer to bring pH level to the norm. Once done with the task the body cannot reabsorb used calcium, so it dumps it out with urine. What happens to our bones? They become weakened. That is why societies that consume too many acid forming foods have higher incidence rate of bone related diseases: arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.

Acidity Levels of Various Foods There are some foods that measure to be acidic, such as tomatoes and lemons, however, when consumed, are alkaline forming inside the body, and some foods that might appear alkaline are actually acid forming in the body. Highly processed foods, sugar, caffeine and animal products are acid forming and put strain on the body's systems to maintain proper pH balance.

Here are some of the foods that are considered to be extremely acid forming:

Artificial sweeteners; Beef, Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks, Cigarettes, Drugs, Flour (white), Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes from white flour, Sugar (white), Beer, Brown sugar, Chicken, Deer, Chocolate, Coffee, Custard with white sugar, Jams, Jellies, Liquor, Pasta (white), Rabbit, Semolina, Table salt refined and iodized, Tea black, Turkey, White rice, White vinegar (processed), Dairy [milk] products, etc.

From the list you can conclude that animal products and highly processed foods are damaging to our bodies.

Acidity and Diseases Over 75 years ago, Otto Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering that cancer is caused by weakened cell respiration due to lack of oxygen at the cellular level. Damaged cell respiration caused fermentation, resulting in low pH (acidity) at the cellular level. Dr.

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Warburg showed that cancer thrives in acidic conditions (no/lack of oxygen). So, the lower the acidity value of a food, the more dangerous it is. Consuming such foods shuts off the supply of oxygen and encourages growth and development of diseases. In addition to that, the higher the food in acidic level, the easier it will cause weight gain—the body creates fat cells just to store (capture) the acid. Wouldn’t it be great if all foods that are sold had pH level indicated on the label? We probably would stop buying foods like parmesan cheese, highly acid forming food, and substitute it with spinach, which is highly alkaline forming food. LDL (lipoprotein)—“bad” cholesterol is made by our own liver in order to bind bad toxins and deactivate the acidic waste that comes from certain foods, such as fats and animal proteins. In addition to such foods, stress can also leave acidic residue in our bodies. [Stress if very acid forming—refer to my story to understand how it, in combination with acid forming foods, can wreak havoc in your health.] If you would like to find out a complete list of pH values of different foods, you can find in the book by Robert Young, titled: The pH Miracle. Now, let's concentrate on milk.

Dairy: God's gift to Men? If you followed my blog you heard me say this many times: Quit Dairy! It will kill you! The question that begs to be answered then is this:

Is dairy really dangerous? T. Colin Campbell and his team through their research established that animal protein, namely casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein consistently promoted cancer growth in lab testing. Let's look at milk and all animal products from another angle—alkalinity vs. acidity. I know that most of us were raised with a strong, religious like belief that Milk is God's gift to men. I am often reminded that the land of Israel was referred to as the land flowing with milk and honey, when the children of Israel were making their way to the promise land. The reference, however, is taken out of context. If those were the only two foods that the humanity needed to survive we would be overrun by bees and cows by now. However, there is more to our dietary needs than that. In the end, it was a metaphor used to describe abundance to a people coming out from under 400 years of captivity.

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As I already pointed out, the dairy is acid forming foods. When consumed, it brings our body's pH level down, make it us prone to getting sick, and rubbing our body of much needed calcium, contrary to the belief and millions of dollars spent on "Got Milk?" commercials. I addition to this, most milk currently sold in the marketplace is commercially produced. The animals that produce milk are bred with one purpose in mind—being used to pump "white gold" and to make money for the owners. Once the cow is no longer able to produce milk, it is sent off to a slaughter house. If you know anything about animal biology, you would know that the only time a cow would lactate to produces milk is when she is pregnant and for up to 9-10 months after the calf is born, just like a human. The milk in her udder is meant for her offspring—it is his nutrition, again, just like human breast milk for babies. The milk carries the cows DNA and nutrition needed for the calf to be strong and healthy. As you might have guessed our [human] DNA is quite different from animal DNA. When we consume our mother's milk we inherit her immunity, receiving all needed nutrients to grow and develop... as do calves. Just like humans cows won't produce milk once their offspring is grown or more milk than their calf needs. With our constant hunger for milk and dairy products, such as cheese, the dairy industry simply cannot handle the normal, God-designed mechanism of cows. They have to look for ways to make cows lactate non-stop and as much as possible. To achieve the first, cows are artificially inseminated. Once their offspring is born, instead of allowing the two to bond, as God had designed it [I would know, our family owned cows all the way through my childhood], and to allow the little one benefit from his mother's nurturing nature and nutrition she has for him, the calf is torn away and send to be placed in a stall, where he cannot move or develop—his purpose is to become someone's veal in a high end restaurant. The mother, which is grieving [yes, animals do have emotions—just watch your dog], is now in high demand—she is the money making machine for her owner. But because her natural milk production is meant for only one, maybe two, offsprings she could bare at one time, she is pumped with hormones that would make her produce more milk, and produce it faster. The hormone used in cows to increase milk production is known as rBGH: recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone. Look at some of the info I pulled from CPC (Cancer Prevention Coalition) site:

All of Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan ban rBGH milk and do not allow the sale of US produced milk or dairy.

rBGH is a genetically engineered, potent variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. Manufactured by Monsanto, it is sold to dairy farmers under the

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trade name POSILAC. Injection of this hormone forces cows to increase their milk production by about 10%.

Monsanto, supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), insists that rBGH milk is indistinguishable from natural milk, and that it is safe for consumers. This is blatantly false:

rBGH makes cows sick. Monsanto has been forced to admit to about 20 toxic effects, including mastitis, on its POSILAC label.

rBGH milk is contaminated by pus, due to the mastitis commonly induced by rBGH, and antibiotics used to treat the mastitis.

rBGH milk is chemically and nutritionally different than natural milk.

rBGH milk is contaminated with rBGH, traces of which are absorbed through the gut.

rBGH milk is supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), which is readily absorbed through the gut.

Excess levels of IGF-1 have been incriminated as a cause of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.

IGF-1 blocks natural defense mechanisms against early submicroscopic cancers.

rBGH factory farms pose a major threat to the viability of small dairy farms.

rBGH enriches Monsanto, while posing dangers, without any benefits, to consumers, especially in view of the current national surplus of milk.

Los Angeles Times, March 20, 1994 Article: A Needless New Risk of Breast Cancer The Food and Drug Administration recently warned dairy producers, distributors and retailers against "hormone-free" labels on milk from cows that have not been given the biotech milk-production stimulant known as recombinant bovine growth hormone. The FDA states that such labeling could be "false or misleading" under federal law, as there is "no significant difference between milk from treated and untreated cows." Monsanto, maker of the hormone, is already suing one large Midwest milk producer for using the label.

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The biotech hormone induces a marked and sustained increase in levels of insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1, in cow's milk.

IGF-1 regulates cell growth, division and differentiation, particularly in infants. While human and normal bovine IGF-1 are identical, they are largely bound to protein and thus probably less biologically active than the unbound IGF-1 in treated milk.

IGF-1 is not destroyed by pasteurization or digestion and is readily absorbed across the intestinal wall. In a 1990 FDA publication disclosing toxicity tests conducted by Monsanto, feeding the hormone (trade name Posilac) to mature rats for only two weeks resulted in statistically significant increases in body and liver weights and bone length. These effects were seen at a small fraction of injected doses given to control rats. But by gerrymandering these explicit data, the FDA alleged that IGF-1 "lacks oral toxicity."

Neither the FDA nor Monsanto has investigated the effects of long-term feeding of IGF-1 and treated milk on growth, or on more sensitive sub-cellular effects in infant rats or infants of any other species.

Cows injected with the biotech hormone show heavy localization of IGF-1 in breast (udder) epithelial cells; this does not occur in untreated cows.

IGF-1 induces rapid division and multiplication of normal human breast epithelial cells in tissue cultures.

It is highly likely that IGF-1 promotes transformation of normal breast epithelium to breast cancer.

IGF-1 maintains the malignancy of human breast-cancer cells, including their invasiveness and ability to spread to distant organs.

The breast tissues of female fetuses and infants are sensitive to hormonal influences. Imprinting by IGF-1 may increase future breast-cancer risks and sensitivity of the breast to subsequent unrelated risks such as mammography and the carcinogenic and estrogen-like effects of pesticide residues in food, particularly in premenopausal women.

These concerns are not new. In a 1989 letter to the FDA, I warned that the effects of IGF-1 "could include premature growth stimulation in infants, [breast enlargement] in young children and breast cancer in adult females." More recently, the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association stated: "Further studies will be required to determine whether the ingestion of higher-than-normal concentrations of bovine insulin-like growth factor is safe for

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children, adolescents, and adults." The opposite of "further study" is uncontrolled, unlabeled sales of treated milk to unwitting consumers. Apart from risks of breast cancer and other IGF-1 effects, the FDA and industry have down-played additional differences between hormonal and non-hormonal milk. The FDA- approved label insert for Posilac, a pamphlet that only dairy farmers see, admits that its "use is associated with increased frequency of use of medication in cows for mastitis and other health problems." Monsanto's own data further show up to an 80% incidence of mastitis, an udder infection, in hormone-treated cattle and resulting contamination of milk with statistically significant levels of pus; this will necessitate virtually routine use of antibiotics, with attendant risks of allergic reactions and antibiotic resistance. Congress should insist that, at the very least, the FDA immediately revoke its restrictions on labeling of milk from untreated cows. More prudently, it should ban the use of these hormones. Do you still think that milk is Good for you? Be it organic, or rBGH-full, dairy is still acid forming, thus still dangerous to our health.

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Do Genes Play a Role? It was certainly a question that Hubby and I were forced to ask and face on more than one occasion. It should not be treated lightly, so I will present you with a few more facts, on top of my personal experience and conclusions you read in the beginning of this report.

Review prepared for the U. S. Congress in 1981 estimated that genetics only determines about 2-3% of the total cancer risk.

Even IF genes played a role, they function only by being activated, or expressed [think of the seed analogy used in T. Colin Campbell's research]. Nutrition plays a critical role in determining whether good or bad genes are expressed.

Someone once said: "If genes were the bullets, the lifestyle [and diet] is the finger that pulls the trigger."

Disease rates changed over time: o Obesity doubled in the last 25 years. o Diabetes, heart disease, etc., were rare until recently, when diet changed. o Genetic code could not have waited hundreds of years to express itself in the last

100 years. o Immigrants coming from other countries with no known history of diseases found

in the US, tend to develop same ailments by the first or second generation, if they adhere to the diet and lifestyle of the region they live in.

If genes were to blame for our problems, reversing diseases would be impossible, but it is. I and my Hubby are a proof of that!

Some of the findings published in the most reputable scientific journals show that:

Dietary changes can enable diabetic patients to go off their medication.

Heart disease can be reversed through diet alone.

Breast cancer is related to level of female hormones in the blood, which are determined by the food we eat.

Consuming dairy foods can increase the risk of prostate cancer.

Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables are linked to better mental performance in old age.

Kidney stones can be prevented by a healthy diet.

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Type 1 diabetes is convincingly linked to infant feeding practices.

A lot of research has been done on links between nutrition and health. The information is available to the general public. So, apparently, it is not the lack of information that is killing people, maybe it is lack of right information and action that is? Billions of dollars are spent every year on lobbyist by the meat and dairy companies to make sure that the public hears their message, the message that would bring more money into their pockets.

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Can Drugs {Medicine} Cure? Drugs and surgery don’t cure the diseases that plague and kill most Americans. They sure had not helped me. If medication was the answer to all of our troubles we would be so much healthier and way ahead of other countries in healing the sick as well as preventing/reversing various diseases. However, it seems that the more medicine we produce as a country, the sicker we get. If it were otherwise we would be downsizing hospitals and clinics, but on the contrary, these institutions continue to grow and expand, spending billions of dollars on new constructions every year. So, what gives? [Having said that, let me add that I believe that there is time and place for medicine. If I were to get into a car accident an needed surgery, there is no better place to be than America for that. In crisis I thank God for Western medicine. But that is what medicine should be preserved for—crisis!]

Medical Advancements

While plant food that promotes health and great metabolism is readily available, Americans reportedly spend between $30 and 50 billion annually on diets, weight loss programs and products.

Weight-loss programs are usually not successful. Doctors find that 95% of those who

lose weight regain that weight within 3 to 5 years, no matter what type of weight-loss program they follow. Even people who have surgery (stomach stapling or gastric bypass) regain most of their weight over time.

Medications cause side-effects, and at times deaths, and only cover up symptoms,

rather than resolving the underlying issue. Despite more medications, more hospitals and more doctors, we are not getting

healthier.

Doctors often prescribe medications without diagnosing problems.

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Does Quality of Food Matter?

Pure Food and Drug Act The first food and drug law was passed on June 30, 1906. It was called the Pure Food and Drug Act. It prohibited the interstate transportation and sale of adulterated food.

The act defined adulterated food as that which is combined or packaged with another substance that adversely affects the quality or strength of the food; is substituted in whole or part by another substance; has had any essential component removed in whole or part; has been blended, coated, colored, or stained to conceal damage or inferiority; has had poisonous or harmful additions made to it; is composed of filthy or decomposed animal or vegetable matter; or is the product of a diseased animal or an animal that has died other than by slaughtering.

By 1912 the commercial food interests forced Dr. Harvey W. Wiley from his office as the head of the USDA’s Bureau of Chemistry because he was considered a purist. He was adamant that adulterated food created physical damage to the body. By 1931 the Bureau of Chemistry was dismantled and evolved into the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The times have changed the integrity of the FDA. From 1939 to 1949, the FDA worked diligently through federal court orders to block health food manufacturers from revealing the difference between over-processed synthetic and naturally occurring foods. The situation has not improved since then—the public us still unaware that nutritional (not to be confused with caloric) deficiencies led to the developing of numerous diseases. Instead of dealing with problems we are provided an arsenal of drugs to cover up the symptoms.

Example of FDA cover-up

Through refining process white flour loses 30 critical nutrients, normally found in wheat flour. When grain is processed bran is removed. One of the primary nutrients found in bran is Thiamin, which is a B-vitamin. Without this vitamin the heart muscle begins to show the effect of Beriberi disease. The heart muscles develop flabby enlargements and loss of contractibility. Because of this the valves do not fit correctly, resulting in murmurs and valve problems. The disease is thought to be rare, but it is of epidemic proportions. When Thiamin is lost in white flour, the industry goes back and “fortifies” it with synthetic Thiamin, to satisfy the FDA requirements. Synthetic Thiamin interferes with normal thiamin metabolism. The same synthetic Thiamin is found in the majority of vitamins available to the public.

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In addition to removing Thiamin all the vitamin E factors are removed in the milling process as well, contributing to a range of problems, from hormonal changes to calcium depletion and cardiovascular degeneration. Most US Americans use too many products made with refined grains, which would lead us to conclude that many suffer from vitamins B and E deficiency. For more on the topic refer to Appendix D: Truth about Organic.

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Good News Revisited I love hard facts, and I presented facts that changed my health to you. I now would like to as you a question: If there was a way that would point us to less cancer, less heart disease, fewer strokes, less obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, less kidney stones and blindness, would you take it? The answer is: There is a Way!

Whole Foods diet prevents diseases

Whole Foods diet can halt and REVERSE diseases

Green leafy vegetables and broccoli contain high levels of zinc, calcium and protein

About 500 g per day of green vegetables, including a mixture of lettuces, broccoli and darker leaves such as kale and spinach, is sufficient to bring mineral and protein intakes into line with general recommendations

Such vegetables also provide vitamin K, which promotes healthy bones

Carrots are a good source of calcium and peas a good source of zinc and protein

Bananas are a good energy food, high in potassium

Oranges are rich in calcium, folate, potassium and vitamin C

The high potassium and low sodium content of raw vegan diets reduces the need for calcium by reducing calcium losses and can be expected to reduce blood pressure and risk of stroke

There are no nutrients in animal-based foods that are better than plant-based foods

Nutrient

Plant-Based Foods Animal-Based Foods Equal parts of tomatoes,

spinach, lima beans, peas, potatoes

Equal Parts of beef, pork, chicken, whole milk

Cholesterol (mg) - 137 Fat (g) 4 36

Protein (g) 33 34

Beta-Caroten (mcg) 29,919 17

Dietary fiber (g) 31 -

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Nutrient Plant-Based Foods Animal-Based Foods

Equal parts of tomatoes,

spinach, lima beans, peas, potatoes

Equal Parts of beef, pork, chicken, whole milk

Iron (mg) 20 2 Magnesium (mg) 548 51

Calcium (mg) 545 252

Fruits and Vegetables are Better Than Supplements Very often hopes are placed on isolated nutrients and vitamin companies cash in on public’s unawareness by producing countless vitamin products, while the infinite complexity of nature is being ignored and disregarded.

Nutrients in Spinach

Macronutrients

Water Fat (many kinds)

Calories Carbohydrates

Protein (many kinds) Fiber

Minerals

Calcium Sodium

Iron Zinc

Magnesium Copper

Manganese Phosphorus

Potassium Selenium

Vitamins

C (Abscorbic Acid) B-6 (Pyridoxine)

B-1 (Thiamin) Folate

B-2 (Riboflavin) A (as carotenoids)

B-3 (Niacin) E (tocopherols)

Pantothenic acid

Fatty Acid

14:0 (Myristic acid) 18:1 (Oleic acid)

16:0 (Palmic acid) 20:1 (Eicosenoic acid)

18:0 (Stearic acid) 18:2 (Linoleic acid)

16:1 (Palmitoleic acid) 18:3 (Linolenic acid)

Amino Acids

Tryptophan Valine

Threonine Arginine

Isoleucine Histidine

Leucine Alanine

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Amino Acids

Lysine Aspartic acid

Methionine Glumatic Acid

Cystine Glycine

Phenylalanine Proline

Tyrosine Serine

Phytosterols (many kinds)

Colorful fruits and vegetables contain hundreds of phytochemicals in addition to the essential vitamins and minerals they also provide. When you eat fruits and vegetables, these phytochemicals are also absorbed into the body and work together to maintain and even improve our health by helping to prevent disease. In contrast, dietary supplements in the form of pills or capsules usually only contain large doses of one or two vitamins, minerals or phytochemicals. These isolated nutrients have not proven to be effective or even safe. Even multivitamins are isolated from all the natural compounds found in raw fruits and vegetables. You can benefit from all of the phytochemicals and nutrients found in plant foods by eating 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and including more whole grains and nuts in your diet.

Enzymes and Raw Foods Enzyme: A protein (or protein-based molecule) that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living organism. An enzyme acts as catalyst for specific chemical reactions, converting a specific set of reactants (called substrates) into specific products. Without enzymes, life as we know it would not exist. Enzymes are used by our body for every function it must perform. We have a certain amount of enzymes for each function. Enzymes are “guides”. They get nutrients to where they are needed the most in the body. Enzymes convert:

fats and oils into simple fatty acids

complex carbs into simple sugars

proteins into amino acids Living enzymes help digestion. Raw [uncooked] foods are rich in enzymes, as they are living organisms [not in the same sense as human bodies, but there are processes going on in plants all the same].

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When foods are heated above 118-120 F the enzymes are destroyed and food becomes "dead". Consuming enzyme depleted foods overburdens our bodies. Cooked foods lack enzymes, so digestion becomes more difficult and our bodies have to work extra hard to absorb nutrients. The body has to pull enzymes from other processes to concentrate on digestion and assimilation of consumed foods, thus abandoning its other functions. If you had ever had a Thanksgiving Meal you know exactly what I am talking about. I call the phenomena the "Turkey Coma". Continual depletion and abuse of our internal enzymes also causes faster aging and makes us more prone to getting sick. Raw foods are rich in living enzymes, so naturally, they are easier digested, and less energy is expanded by the body, so it is available to you for other important tasks. Raw foods provide a steady stream of complex carbohydrates, compared to cooked and processed foods. As a result it takes less raw foods to become satisfied. It is important to consume majority of your foods in their RAW form. While cooking makes the food softer and some think easier to digest, in the process of heating food loses all enzymes and majority of nutrients and vitamins. The minerals and proteins get altered and become less usable to the body. It is very important that if you consume a cooked meal to supplement it with a huge helping of raw [uncooked] foods.

Greens and Benefits Greens (green leafy vegetables) possess more valuable nutrients than any other food group. A quick example: wheatgrass juice has 70% chlorophyll and 92 out of 162 possible minerals, vitamins, amino acids and enzymes. Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in most plants, especially the greens and is formed only through contact with the sun. Chlorophyll is vital for plants to obtain energy from light. It can be likened to living sunshine. Chlorophyll, when absorbed, heals and cleanses our organs and even destroys things like fungus, cancer cells and other harmful internal bacteria. Our bodies need good bacteria for manufacturing of essential nutrients, including vitamin K, B-vitamins and helpful enzymes. Such good bacteria thrive and grow in the presence of oxygen. Chlorophyll “delivers” significant amounts of oxygen with it into our bodies.

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Greens, because of their high chlorophyll content are high in oxygen and in minerals are the most alkalizing foods that exist. By including more greens into our diet we can keep our bodies alkaline and healthy. All of the nutrients of greens are stored inside the cells of plants. To release all the valuable nutrients from within the cells, the cell walls need to be ruptured. Our bodies are responsible for the process. To make this process easier blending greens [as in making green smoothies] becomes very helpful. (Source: Green for Life book). Blended greens assimilate into our bodies much faster, thus we can preserve that energy for other, much needed functions.

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Conclusion

Plant-Based Lifestyle is Not for Wimps In conclusion I want to disspell the myth sold by junk food and meat companies that "real men" eat meat, and plant foods and salads are somehow "chick" food.

Brendan Brazier, a professional Ironman tri-athlete

Scott Jurek, ultra-marathoner, course record holder at Badwater and Western States

Chris Campbell, Olympic wrestling champion

Ruth Heidrich, six-time Ironwoman, USA track and field Master's champion

Bill Manetti, power-lifting champion

Yours truly [yes, me ;)] is a fitness trainer with quick recovery times Unfortunately magazine and TV ads are targeted at confusing you, while collecting a huge profit for pharmaceutical companies and large corporations. Medical doctors remain largely ignorant about the role of nutrition. It is not surprising, as in their entire education career they take only one course on nutrition, which, ironically is sponsored by the meat and dairy industry. So, how do we combat this misinformation and commercialism? Education, coming from trustworthy sources, is the answer! But you must have motivation, a need and a desire to make changes.

It Is Your Time NOW You might be thinking: "Is it really that simple?" The answer is: YES! Most solutions to our lives' problems are very simple indeed. And what can be more simple than eating great food?! Making changes might not seem to be 100% easy in the beginning, but that depends on YOU! It starts with a decision. A decision is followed by actions. Actions lead to a change of our mindset and habits.

There are two ways to make changes:

1. the way we did it—overnight; or 2. start with one meal at a time, one day at a time, one decision at a time

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You are already taking a step toward making improvement—you are reading this report, which means that you are interested in making a change, or at least you think that there is a possibility to make positive changes that will bear results. Eating right would largely obviate the enormous costs of drugs as well as their side effects. Fewer people would get sick with chronic diseases and waste years of their lives. More people could enjoy their lives by traveling, spending time with family and pursuing their passions, instead of giving their hard-earned money to pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and medical clinics. I have been in your place, in the same position. In the beginning, although I was very resolute, I found it both exhilarating and frustrating to figure out how to reconstruct our diet. I had to literally abandon all I knew to be true at that point in my life about health and nutrition. It is my hope that this report will help you on your journey. There is, however, even more information I have to help you. To make your journey easier and more enjoyable I have a blog full of recipes and insight. Make sure to stop by, read it, and pick up some of the e-books and products I offer to help you start on your journey. I also offer one-on-one online and in-person consultations, tailored to your needs and lifestyle. To get more information contact me at [email protected], or by calling 614-359-8969.

LIVE VEGALICIOUSLY!


http://www.vega-licious.com/store/e-books/

http://www.vega-licious.com/live-well/one-on-one-coaching/

[email protected]


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Appendix A: Truth about Protein

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As someone who eats a 100% vegan diet I am constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY, asked this question: “But where do you get your protein?” In the beginning of our vegan journey I took the time to explain it. Eventually I got smarter and instead of answering the question, I would first ask a question in return: “Can you tell me what Protein is?” Over 90% of the people did not know. They also failed to know what protein is for. With education on the topic of protein lacking it is really pointless to tell people where to get protein. We first must understand what protein is.

What is Protein? Protein became the new American mantra about 100 years ago. A nutrition researcher Max Rubner (1854-1932) stated that meat protein intake was a symbol of civilization itself: “A right protein allowance is the right of a civilized man.” People almost get a religious glow on their faces when they talk about it, and they get indignant when you suggest they quit meats and dairy, since they were led to believe that is the only true source of protein. Interestingly enough, when, instead of answering their question, I ask them a question: “What is protein?” they have a blank look on their face. So, before I tell you where and how you get your protein, let me tell you what protein is. Proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids. There are 22 different types of amino acid and our bodies need all of them to function properly. Amino acids are chemical compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, which combine together into different structures to form the various types of protein that the body requires. There are many forms of protein, which all play an important role in the function of the body. For example, collagen is a protein and is vital for the strength, elasticity and composition of our hair and skin. Proteins, through digestion, are broken down into individual amino acids. The amino acids are then absorbed and reform in order to create new proteins that are then used by the body. The 22 types of amino acid are divided into two groups: essential and non-essential amino acids. Out of the 22 there are 14 non-essential amino acids. They are termed non-essential because they can be manufactured by the body, the rest have to be derived from food, thus they are dubbed essential. Now, it does not mean that non-essential amino acids are not important! Not at all! Without them the new proteins that are formed by the body cannot be properly formed.

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I am sure that now you are curious to know what amino acids are essential. Well, ok, since you asked. But make sure to memorize them and recite in your dream. So here we go: phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, and lysine. Shoosh… you must feel so much smarter now—you can memorize these to impress your friends at the next dinner party. Cysteine (or sulphur-containing amino acids), tyrosine (or aromatic amino acids), histidine and arginine are additionally required by infants and growing children. The amino acids arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, histidine, proline, serine and tyrosine are considered conditionally essential, meaning they are not normally required in the diet, but must be supplied exogenously to specific populations that do not synthesize it in adequate amounts. [Source: Wikipedia] I hope that you are feeling much more enlightened now. So, next time you think about protein you might actually know what it means.

Complete and incomplete Proteins Some foods contain all of the 8 essential amino acids. These foods are called “complete” and are considered to be of superior quality. Interestingly enough, modern science has discovered that the proteins that are closest to ours can be found in animal products only and thus labeled it “complete”. The incomplete proteins are usually lacking one or more of the essential amino acids. They are generally found in plants, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and legumes. Since these protein sources have labeled “incomplete” they have been written off and the society decided that the only way to meet our protein requirements is through consuming animal foods. What you are not told and don’t know, though, is that by combining two or more of the “incomplete” proteins, a complete supply of essential amino acids can be made available. For example rice and beans will form a “complete” protein and give your body all the essential amino acids it needs. And… you don’t even have to eat these two at the same meal to get that—your body will do that for you!

The Role of Protein So, now that you know what protein (complete and incomplete) is, you curiosity might be finally be peaking enough to know WHY you need proteins at all. I am glad you are thinking about that. Protein is required by the body for growth, maintenance and repair of all cells. Protein is a major component of muscles, tissues and organs and is essential for nearly all processes that occur in our bodies, such as metabolism, digestion and even transporting nutrients and oxygen in the blood.

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Protein is also responsible for the production of antibodies, which fight against invaders: illness, infection, etc. It is also responsible for the main nutrient that keeps our hair healthy and shiny, our skin fresh and glowing, our nails and our bones strong and healthy.

Which foods are good sources of Protein? The amazing part of the answer is that most plants have some protein in them. It is truly unfortunate that the dairy and the meat companies along with media created this myth that the only true source of protein we have is animal products. History proves that it was not always so. Actually, it was not until the beginning of the 20th century, as the wages started to go up and employment was not as scarce as it was for centuries passed, that a common man was even able to afford such luxury foods as eggs, milk, cheeses and, especially meat. When I was growing up overseas, we did not have meat in every meal we consumed. Most of our meals were plant based and only occasionally did we have a chicken to share among the entire family in a week’s time. Milk was more readily available, but dairy products, such as cheeses, were more of a special occasion treat. Interestingly enough we were no sicker than the Americans. On the contrary, the population of our country was slimmer, with less coronary related diseases, and very few cancer cases compared to the American statistics. The allergies were not very common as well as obesity was almost an unknown phenomenon. So, where did we get our protein? Are you ready for the answer?! Same place animals do, of course—Plants!

It is almost naïve to think that animals, somehow miraculously covert sunshine or air into protein in their bodies. The animals eat grass (for the most part, or at least they should, as God intended it), and then their bodies extract needed nutrients to make protein, just like ours do. So, as you can see, we can, in fact, get a better quality protein by skipping the middle “man”, by going straight to the source. Here are just a few sources that will give you an idea of where to look for protein: oatmeal, brown rice, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, dark colored greens, etc. Just to give you an idea of how easy it is to get your daily protein intake, here is a comparison between animal and plant protein:

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100 calories (about 1.5 oz.) of steak has 13 grams of protein

steak, aka dead, decaying, hard to digest flesh

100 calories (15 oz.) of spinach has 12 grams of protein

rich in enzymes, living, vitamin rich food, 100% digestible

100 calories (2 tablespoons) of raw chickpeas has 5 grams of protein

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Sweet fruit averages about 4-8% protein

delicious, irresistible droplets of pleasure, rich in enzymes fruit

Leafy greens and veggies are about 15 to 20% protein

Sprouts [the most digestible source of protein] are up to 35% protein of their content

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So, next time you start worrying about your protein needs being met, think about the simplest most digestible form of protein available—plant protein; skip the middle “man” (animal products) and get straight to the source.

How much protein should we eat each day? The average American consumes 15-20% of protein, which is much higher than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 10%. 10% dietary protein is equivalent to eating about 50-60 grams of protein per day. The national average of 15-16% is about 70-100 grams of protein. World Health Organizations recommends only 5% of calorie intake as protein, 6% for pregnant women and 7% for women who are nursing. By these figures, even if you are an avid athlete and are burning 3,000 calories a day, you need only around 37 grams of protein. By looking at the figures I have provided above you can easily realize how effortless it is to get all the protein you need in just a few servings of plant foods. These days, most people suffer from protein overdose, resulting in many of our modern day illnesses. If you’re interested in reading more on the subject, read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. As far as I know, and I have studied this subject extensively and applied it in my own life, there is more than ample protein in the raw/vegan food diet.

Is too much protein bad for you? Glad that you asked! It is a question that begs to be answered, especially following the statements I had just made. The only harmful protein that you can consume is animal protein. The more you consume of it, the more risk you are placing yourself in and making yourself more susceptible to various diseases, such as coronary diseases, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, various forms of cancer, skin problems, hormone imbalances, etc. On the other hand, studies have shown (refer to The China Study) that plant protein, regardless of how much of it you consume, is not harmful at all. It is also important to note that when we consume whole plant based diet (i.e. unprocessed and as close to its natural state as possible) it is almost impossible to overeat on any give nutrient. From my observation and personal experience I find it altogether impossible. The rich content of fiber, enzymes, vitamins, nutrients and minerals makes you feel full faster, thus preventing overeating.


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Protein conversion Protein, when consumed, is converted by our bodies into energy. The process can be likened to gas to energy conversion in cars. The cleaner the gas the less toxicity is involved. As with cars, you don’t want any toxic residue staying behind in your body and poisoning you from within. To avoid toxic pollution internally you have to take the cleanest form of protein possible—plant protein. On a plant based diet, since protein intake is cleaner and less in quantity than average intake on SAD (Standard American Diet) the body is able to operate more efficiently and utilize every bit of protein you give it. If you do not agree with me, just think about all Thanksgiving dinners you have been to, where animal protein is to be the king. Instead of becoming more energetic after eating all turkey and ham imaginable, the pants and belts get loosened, happy eaters slide back in their seats to give room for air to get into their lungs, and go into “protein” coma. Their bodies work extra hard to push the dead weight (pun intended) of animal flesh down to their stomach, where it sits anywhere between 4-7 hours and then into the intestinal tract. I don’t know about you, but I can hardly call this kind of protein “life giving”. Living foods, such as vegetables and greens, take less than an hour to pass through your stomach and head on into the intestinal tract. Another thing you should consider is the design of the human body. Our gastro-intestinal tract is long and increases the transit time of food from the time of its intake to the time of its disposal. If foods are consumed that are devoid of fiber, such as animal food, we end up with a lot of putrefaction—rotting of animal protein our bodies are trying to digest. Pick quality Protein sources!

100% vegan! 100% healthy! 100% beautiful!

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Bottom Line The bottom line is that you don’t need to consume flesh foods (that included dairy as well) to meet your protein needs. Eat foods that make sense—foods that are easily digestible and are easy to eliminate; foods that will give you energy instead of foods that will deprive you of energy. Think long-term, not immediate pleasure.

In Conclusion Animal protein, such as found in milk, is only 50% digestible by the human body. Plant and human protein, such as found in breast milk, is 100% digestible.

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Appendix B: Truth about Fat

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vs.

vs. Before we dive into the topic, let's make a deal—let’s agree to forget, at least for the next few minutes, while you are reading this post, everything you have been told about fat. EVERYTHING! Let’s lock up all the talk you heard about poly- and mono- saturated fats, Omega-3 and -6 marketing hype, etc. Let’s start from the beginning.

Is Fat important? The reason we like fats, whether we admit it or not, is because they are pleasant to taste. Their molecules are round and feel great in our mouths. Our body has to have a certain percentage of fat in it to function properly. For males 12-16% body fat is considered normal, for females—18-24%.

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Here is a quick chart for those of you who are visual:

Now, don’t stop reading and try to figure out how much fat you have—you will get to that some other time. Remember that this we want to learn is about health first! Weight loss is a benefit of the entire process. It is bound to happen if you have a balanced diet. As you can see from the figures above the perpetuated image of all French women having 0% body fat is actually not a good one. Our bodies need fat for many reasons. Healthy fats are necessary for proper brain function. Roughly 50-60% of the brain’s overall weight is pure fat; the rest of it is a mix of protein and carbohydrates. The brain uses fat as insulation for its billions of nerve cells. The better insulated a cell, the faster it sends messages and the speedier your thinking becomes. Good fats are necessary for the brain. Walnuts, flax seeds, hemp seeds and dark, leafy greens will help the brain to run smoothly. Women, especially those hoping to achieve pregnancy, have to maintain their body fat at the level of at least 10%. Becoming too thin, which seems to be a problem with models and young girls they inspire, causes cessation of menses, and leads not only to infertility but to a host of other problems. Lack of menstruation disrupts hormonal production in females. Hormone imbalance can lead to sever disorders of pituitary gland, adrenal glands and thyroid. These, often neglected, small members of our body are of primary importance and cannot be neglected.

Is all Fat created equal?

Not all fats are created equal. There are good and bad fats. Primarily we should be thinking not about the quantity, but rather quality of fats. There are horrible fats that cause problems by clogging our arteries and increasing our blood pressure, as well as raking havoc in many other ways. These kinds of fats are found in processed and animal products. Then there are fats that are good for us (yes, they do exist!): Omega-3 -6 and -9 fatty acids (found in flax and hemp seeds), and polyunsaturated fats (e.g., walnuts). They contain

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antioxidants, oils that help joints, nerves, and bones, properties that help to lower the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol, and proven effects on lowering high blood pressure. Fats also help us to feel satiated. They are of paramount importance in digesting fat-soluble vitamins (A,K, D and E), and they promote brain function. These fats—provided we eat them in reasonable quantities—are not only beneficial, but vital to our diets. I hope this makes you feel better already. Now, don’t run out and get a jug of olive oil and have a bread-dipping party! Healthy fats are those fats that are found in nature in an unprocessed form. Vegetable and seed oils, no matter how wonderful they are said to be, be they cold-pressed or not, do not naturally occur in nature. It takes a lot of olives to make an ounce of olive oil; it takes even more sesame seeds to make sesame oil. Oils are processed foods. Oils, even of the highest quality, should be used moderately and sparingly. Healthy fats can be found in their natural state in many foods: nuts, seeds, avocados and coconuts. It would be very hard to get fat from these “fatty” foods. Remember that when we consume foods in their natural state they come with fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc., which make it very hard to “overdose” on fats they contain. I know that I cannot have more than a handful or two of soaked nuts at a time—they fill me very quickly. Avocados? I normally can master one, maximum two in one meal, but then I don’t eat them on a daily basis, so I do not worry about the quantity. Again: it’s not the fat that’s to be avoided, it’s the quality of fats you’re eating you should question. The question when you sit down to a meal shouldn’t be “how much fat is in this?” but rather “what kind of fat is this” and “how digestible is it?”

Difference between Cooked and Raw Fats Raw fats enter the body with the lipase enzyme, which helps us to digest the fat itself intact and provide and easy digestion and assimilation. Cooked fats don’t contain lipase, which makes it tougher for us to assimilate them properly. Unassimilated fats are stored by the body and end up clogging our arteries, creating other problems and settling on our hips and thighs. Cooked fats change their molecular structure and, if they reach a smoking point, become carcinogenic. Oil, at high heat, releases carcinogens, including acrolein, nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, and benzopyrene (one of the worst cancer-causing agents known). This is why some oils now list their “safe heating” temperature on the bottle.

Plant Fat and Cholesterol In the last several years Cholesterol has become a buzz word, especially with all drug ads running on TV, radio and printed media. People are now starting to read labels. Let me help you to save time reading labels by laying the foundation.

http://www.vega-licious.com/2008/12/soaking-nuts-seeds-and-legumes/

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Did you know that There is NO cholesterol in PLANT foods?!

Cholesterol is made in the liver. Animals produce cholesterol, humans do as well. We need the cholesterol that WE produce to live healthy lives. Even strict vegans will produce about 800-1500 milligrams of cholesterol a day internally. If you follow the logic here, you will realize that since we produce our own cholesterol we don’t need to bring an outside [animal] source to help us with the process. Animals have a different DNA than we do, so

their cholesterol is harmful to our bodies! When we ingest dietary cholesterol from animal products we increase levels of cholesterol in our bodies, and with that the chances of heart disease, obesity, and high-cholesterol. If you eat plants, even “fatty” plants, your body will not be invaded with foreign cholesterol and will make enough of its own, picking and choosing what it needs from the plants to produce needed amounts. However, let me emphasize this again—this does not mean that you are going to run out and get a bottle of olive oil to have a bread-dipping party! When I talk about natural fats, I am referring to the ones that have not been altered and are consumed in their unaltered state. Need an example? Nuts, seeds, whole olives, whole coconuts, avocados etc. We do use occasional olive oil, hemp seed oil, coconut oil for salad dressings, sautéing and skincare, but we should not overindulge in any concentrated fat, no matter how GOOD they might be.

Will Plant Fat make me FAT?

Let me start with a disclaimer: if you’re overeating anything, with a possible exception of green juices or greens, you’re not going to feel too great, and you may retain weight. Whatever the origin of food is: plant, animal, raw or cooked, our bodies are not created to have an excess of it. Food is meant to be eaten to provide energy and sustenance to our bodies. It is our fuel, if you will. Just like a car, we should fill our “tank” only until it gets full; otherwise everything extra is going to be a waste. The only difference with this metaphor is that in our case, instead of spilling on the ground, extra “gas” will be settling on our waistline. So, let’s think of moderation when we talk about any food intake, including healthy plant fats.

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With that in mind, thinking that the fat in avocados or other plant-based sources will make you fat reveals a serious misunderstanding of what does and doesn’t contribute to weight gain. Overeating and bad fats do contribute to weight issues, but since we are talking about moderate intake of healthy fats, we should look at more than the number of grams or calories of fat we consume. We need to look at

the accumulation of waste and toxins in our bodies that results from poor, mainstream diets, and our inability to process what we eat efficiently. When we consume poor diet that consists of highly acidic foods (animal and processed sources) we begin to store and accumulate waste matter. Even if we think we’re eliminating normally, we’re not! Chances are, we’re clogged up from years of eating bad, junk foods. Given, some of us eat better diets than others, in which instances there is less waste accumulation. However, most modern day people, especially those living in “developed” countries eat highly acidic diets, which create highly acidic bodies. With acidic bodies comes waste accumulation, and it comes with consequences: gastrointestinal disorders like IBS and excessive bloating, low energy, and weight retention, in spite of exercise and efforts to eat well. There are other severe side-effects that might be experienced: chronic colds and flu, yeast infections, acne, eczema and psoriasis, fatigue, depression, migraines, etc. To break the cycle of waste accumulation and weight retention we need to create alkaline environment in our bodies, which is achieved through a plant based, easy to digest diet. This includes: greens, vegetables, vegetable juices, avocados, nuts, legumes and other delicious foods. These foods do not only help to raise our bodies’ alkalinity, but, due to their high enzyme (in raw foods) and fiber content, also act like brooms and rough sponges, sweeping and scrubbing through our systems, removing the waste and toxins we’ve been storing. The effect of these foods, along with occasional regular colonic irrigation, if available, will help you end the weight retention and provide you with a renewed capacity to assimilate foods efficiently—fats included. The key to a slim, supple body is not avoiding fats. It is avoiding dense, acidic foods! Avoiding healthy fats is not going to keep you slim if you’re still eating tons of grains, soy, and dairy. It’s wise to avoid animal fats, but along with that you also should avoid other offenders, especially in their processed and refined forms: soy, grains, fried foods. These all might contribute to acidity and weight retention.

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The good news is that eating moderate amounts of healthy fats will not make you gain weight. If anything, avocados and young coconuts will help to alkalize your systems and keep you satiated, which can contribute to weight release. This is not a joke, I promise! I stay slim effortlessly, without counting calories or figuring out how many grams of fat are in my food.

In Conclusion

Let’s recap everything to make sure that you walk away having learned a lesson. 3. Not all fats are bad

animal fats are acidic and need to be avoided

raw plant fats are essential for our health 4. Concentrated fats are not as good as unprocessed fats

olives or avocados are better than olive or avocado oil 5. Avocados are not evil!

in a properly structured diet it is hard to overeat on avocados and gain weight

avocados are rich of vitamins, minerals and nutrients and should not be feared 6. Cooked fats are dangerous

heated fats, especially when they rich a smoking point, release carcinogens 7. Plant fats will not make you fat!

when foods are eaten in their natural (original) state, you will be unlikely to overeat on them

however, if you eat a plant based diet that is highly processed you are likely to have weight and health problems

8. Don’t count calories, consider foods you eat

Ask yourself these questions: “Is this good fat or bad fat? Will it be easy to digest and eliminate or will it clog my insides?”

We don’t have to be slaves to mainstream mentality that l would shackle us to label reading and fearing avocados for their high fat content. We can enjoy fats in healthy quantities without suffering any ill effects. Fats in a properly structured alkaline diet will not hurt you but help you. So, get up, go get yourself a couple of avocados and make a great guacamole!

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Appendix C: Truth about Sugar

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Truth About Sugar I find this issue [SUGAR] is so dear to many. My husband is a recovering sugar addict. I know it sounds funny, and, although it might not be something he would like to hear me say, as much as he would want to sugar coat it (no pun intended) and call it “having a sweet tooth”, the truth is, in the past, and at times even now, if there were sweets in the house he would forego all other foods just to get his sugar fix. Thankfully living a high raw diet and a desire for better health is helping him to overcome his weakness, but he still has his times of struggle. I know that he is not alone in this world feeling this way. I have many other sugar addicts in the family. One of my sisters-in-law self proclaimed that she cannot live a healthier life because she does not have the self-will to part with sweets. She admits that it is her downfall. I certainly can give you more stories, but why should I bore you? I am certain you can tell me a few of your own. You might be curious if I personally had to battle sugar “demons” in my life. I am happy to report that I have been blessed my whole life not to have acquired a “sweet tooth”. Sure I do have occasional taste for sweets, but they are easily met with a handful of dates, raw cookies, or simple things such as fruit.

History Our sugar consumption, as a society in total, has been drastically altered in the last century. Americans in the US consume close to, and at times more than, 156 lbs of sugar per year per person [Source: USDA]. That’s ¼-½ lbs of sugar per DAY! Most of it comes from refined sources, in forms of table sugar, baked foods, packaged foods, sodas, sports drinks, etc. As little as 100 years ago, it is estimated that Americans ate around one pound of sugar a year!

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What is Sugar?

Sugars are the simplest forms of carbohydrates.

Let’s visit Wikipedia for a deeper explanation on the subject. Shall we?

Sugar is a class of edible crystalline substances, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple (in maple syrup), and in many other sources. Excessive consumption of sugar has been associated with increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, obesity and tooth decay.

Scientifically, sugar refers to any monosaccharide or disaccharide. Monosaccharides (also called “simple sugars”), such as glucose, store chemical energy, which biological cells convert to other types of energy.

Glucose (a type of sugar found in human blood plasma) has the molecular formula C6 H12 O6.

Now that you are starting to feel more enlightened, let’s dig deeper and make you feel even more educated.

As I mentioned—sugars are simple carbohydrates. Carbohydrates serve as energy stores, fuels, and metabolic intermediates. Certain carbohydrates, ribose and deoxyribose sugars form part of the structural framework of RNA and DNA. Polysaccharides are structural elements in the cell walls of bacteria and plants. Carbohydrates are linked to many proteins and lipids, where they play key roles in mediating interactions among and between cells and

other elements in the cellular environment. [So, next time someone tells you that carbs are bad for you, go ahead and show off your newly acquired knowledge and put them to shame! There is a huge difference between bad and good carbs… but that’s the reason we are having this conversation in the first place.] Carbohydrates are simple organic compounds. The basic carbohydrate units are called monosaccharides, such as glucose, galactose, and fructose.

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Now we have come full circle and established that sugars are simple carbs, and simple carbs are sugars. Some carbohydrates are known as inoline or fruit-oligo-saccharides, which occur in certain foods like asparagus, leeks, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, and other roots and bulbs. They help feed our healthy bacteria in the gut. They are crucial for our health. When the bacteria are being fed by those carbohydrates, they become healthier and prevent the increase of bad bacteria in our gastric intestinal tract. They change our cholesterol level for the better; they inhibit various bad bacteria and viruses, and help to restore our gut flora, if we are ever subjected to go through antibiotic therapy. They also produce vitamins such as B vitamin, Folic Acid, and others.

Is Sugar Important? Sugar [the right kind] serves several purposes in our bodies. One that everyone is well acquainted with is the fact that sugars provide us with energy. Sugar is a fuel that burns easily. It creates the energy factor that is known as ATP. ATP [adenosine triphosphate ] is the major ‘currency’ of energy in the body. It is not energy itself, but rather temporarily stores energy. ATP is the activated carrier which gives organisms energy. Sugar is actually incorporated into our physical structure and acts as storage for energy in the future. [Now that you are becoming more educated on the topic of sugar don’t bolt out the door and head to the nearest store to buy a pint of Häagen-Dazs or German chocolate cake {my hubby's former mistres } or any other favorite dessert. Be careful! This is not the kind of sugar I am talking about here.] WARNING: refined/processed sugars do not serve any purpose in our bodies! People who eat too much sugar, especially white sugar (i.e. my sister-in-law and, formerly, my dearest husband), as well as refined carbohydrates, such as white flour that is so common in baked goods, tend to create increased acidity in their tissues, which leads towards an anaerobic [ineffective] metabolism. Excessive intake of such sugars and refined carbohydrates leads to changes in our blood, making our blood platelets stick together and make the blood viscosity higher, which contributes to cardiovascular risk and diseases.

Things to know about Sugar Overconsumption of bad sugars (i.e. refined/processed) is dangerous! The body easily converts excess sugar into fat. Any time we have extra sugar in the body, the body absorbs it into the cells or the liver, where it gets converted into fat. Sugar level fluctuations affect our mood, behavior, memory and focus, among many other important functions. It is of imperative to realize what foods and eating behaviors can cause

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sugar roller-coasters and avoid them. We need a constant supply of energy to maintain a healthy body. We need to ensure that our blood sugar level is always stable.

Stable Sugars?

Naturally occurring [unrefined/unprocessed] sugars are stable. Plants are made up of carbohydrates, which our body breaks down to extract right amounts of sugars. The sugars inside plants are not isolated, and are surrounded by wonderful things such as fiber. Our body has to work harder to extract such sugars, which takes time for sugar to be released into our blood stream, thus preventing spikes. Refines sugars go directly into our blood stream and cause us to have sugar. If we eat unprocessed foods, they will supply us with a proper dosage of sugar, also providing us with mental clarity and physical alertness. It is when we part from what God intended for our food that we get ourselves into huge trouble.

Why is processed Sugar bad for me?

Nowadays most people would agree that white (processed) sugar is bad for them. However, they are fooled to believe that somehow sugar that is darker in color is not as bad and feel at peace consuming it instead. The truth? Both evaporated cane juice and white cane sugar have been heavily processed to remove the molasses content. During this processing the vitamins, minerals, fiber, amino acids, and trace elements that make molasses nutritious are stripped away, leaving one of the purest chemicals ever manufactured. Following processing, evaporated cane juice is 99.5% sucrose, and white sugar is 99.9% sucrose. Turbinado sugar, considered the least processed of any of the forms of sugar, is 99% sucrose. Whether sugar is eaten in the form of white sugar, evaporated cane juice, turbinado, or any of the other names for it, its effect on the body is the same. When eaten in large amounts, or eaten without fat or protein [the kinds we talked about in previous posts], each of them will produce the same sort of insulin spike, weight gain, immune system suppression, and increased chance for diabetes. [source NaturalNews.com].

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All sugar is processed from the sugar cane or sugar beet plant, and the two types of plants are used interchangeably. High quality brown sugar is made by cutting short the refinement process and leaving a bit of molasses in the sugar for taste and color. Lower quality brown sugar sold in conventional grocery stores is usually made from processed white sugar with the addition of caramel for coloring. Some brown sugar is even made by processing white sugar through animal bone charcoal to add color. The big difference between evaporated cane juice and granulated sugar is the price, which runs about $8-$10 dollars a pound for evaporated cane juice compared to about $1-$3 dollars a pound for white sugar. If manufacturers are willing to spend the extra money to put the words evaporated cane juice on their labels, it means they know the public is seriously trying to avoid eating sugar and needs to be tricked into eating it anyway [source NaturalNews.com].

How important is Glycemic Index? Glycemic index, also known as GI is another buzz word. Carbohydrates behave quite differently one from another in our bodies. The GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. I am sure that you might have heard that choosing low GI carbs—the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels—is the secret to long-term health and weight loss. However, it is only a partial truth! Unfortunately GI, as many other things, became nothing more than another marketing tool and a tactic to sell products that are not good for consumption. Look at some of the ingredients on processed foods like sodas, cereals, even energy bars and ice creams. Some have lower GI than naturally occurring plant foods (fruit). But it does not mean that they are good for your consumption! Processed foods that are low in GI can lead to various health issues: cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and many others.

Stress and Sugar Physical exercise and physical stress can change our blood sugar levels. To cope with stress, be it emotional or physical, our bodies start secreting hormones like cortisol. Cortisol increases blood sugar level. In a stressful situations our brain and muscles use sugar to deal with stress, making us more alert and giving us a boost of energy (fight or flight mode).

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An increase in blood sugar level long-term will have a weakening effect on the adrenal glands, which produce the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated levels of cortisol have a negative physical effect. Given time, it can lead to osteoporosis, menstrual problems, fatigue, irritability, high blood pressure, depression, obesity, suppressed thyroid function and other problems. This was the very reason I personally developed hormone imbalance and hypothyroid.

Why do Sweets make us feel good?

Sugar helps our body to manufacture serotonin in the brain, which makes us feel good and relaxed. It is a natural antidepressant in a sense, so we become addicted to it. Unfortunately when the blood sugar goes down after we eat refined sugars, we end up more depressed than we did before eating them. So, we eat more sugar, get another spike, and get down again. It becomes an addiction, same as drugs. Because of these ups and downs the vicious cycle of addiction gets worse and worse. Emotional and physical stress, and eventually sugar addiction, will cause a lot of sugar cravings in order to reduce negative emotions, by increasing the serotonin output. Increased blood sugar decreases DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) levels. [DHEA is a hormone that protects us from stress, cancer, aging, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, from weakening immune system, hypothyroidism, and is a precursor to healthy sex hormones and other hormones.] Sugar spikes also affect our insulin metabolism. When cortisol levels go up insulin does not work, so not only do we increase the sugar in the blood, but we reduce the utilization of sugar in the tissues, as a result the tissues cannot regenerate. Because of this we release more fatty acids from the tissues, and reduce the synthesis [creation and absorption] of proteins. Our bodies go into a stage of breaking down instead of building our tissues up.

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What else can influence blood Sugar and increase Cortisol level? Emotional stress and refined sugars are not the only culprits. So, what else causes cortisol levels to increase? Surprise! One thing that nobody wants talk about is animal protein. Whenever we increase animal protein in diet, we start increasing cortisol secretion. This in turn

will decrease our testosterone level (ladies, you might be thinking that you don’t have to worry about this subject, but we all: male and female, need a certain level of testosterone in our body, so don’t dismiss this issue). Animal proteins can also cause extra estrogen production that can become detrimental to males and females alike. Most issues that I have previously mentioned: osteoporosis, menstrual problems, fatigue, cancer and other diseases, are associated with high sugar and high cortisol correlation that will occur with excessive animal protein intake. (You can find more on the topic in the

book [The China Study]) Increase in blood sugar causes continuous elevation in our insulin. When insulin is elevated for a long period of time the body might create insulin resistance. The insulin cell receptors lose their functionality, which creates the beginning of pre-diabetes, also known as metabolic syndrome. With increased insulin level in the blood we also have increased fats in the blood, increased triglycerides, and sometimes increased blood pressure. With that also comes increase in fat, especially around the belly. The problem in many cases, even before full-fledged diabetes which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, can cause a heart attack. There are other things that might cause blood sugar elevation. I was surprised to learn that electromagnetic radiation, especially radio frequencies that people are exposed to in their homes (computers, stereo systems, fluorescent lamps, dimmer switches, and other electronics) can be another culprit.

What about Sweeteners? First, let differentiate. There are artificial sweeteners and there are natural sweeteners. The natural sweeteners are derived from certain fruits, certain vegetables, and certain tubers. However, because they are derived from a natural product trough chemical processes they can cause some problems. There are also artificial sweeteners that are absolutely dangerous for your health (you will find a lot of them are used by diabetics and “health conscious” population of our society).

http://astore.amazon.com/vega-licious-20/detail/1932100660

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These sweeteners were invented in a chemical lab—not found in nature, so steer clear from them.

Where do I get my Sugar?

First of all let’s establish that it is never a good idea to abuse even natural sugars. There are many wonderful sources of God-given sugar. The best, of course, is raw vegetables and fruits. They will provide your body with complex sugars while preventing sugar spikes. There are also sweeteners like honey, brown rice syrup and stevia. If you use these, use them in moderation. Whenever possible, if additional sweetness is desired, use dates and raisins in your smoothies and desserts. If you decide to add dried fruits to your diet, the best way to do so is by dehydrating them yourself. Most commercially dried fruits have chemical additives to give them shelf life. If you cannot dehydrate your own fruit carefully examine labels of the fruit you are buying to make sure you are not buying sulfate, pesticides and herbicides along with the fruit.

In Conclusion Remember that the most natural, raw sources are your best friends and artificial and processed sugars are you enemies.

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Appendix D: Truth about Organic

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There are many reasons for us to choose organic foods over non-organic, but I am going to list only a few. Since the information that I would like to share is abundant on the web, I will add my reasons mixed in with other opinions that I agree with. Full credit is given to the authors.

What does "Organic" Mean? Organic agriculture is a production method that emphasizes the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality. Organic food products are produced using: Agricultural management practices that promote healthy eco-systems and prohibit the use of genetically engineered seeds or crops, sewage sludge, long-lasting pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. Livestock management practices that promote healthy, humanely treated animals by providing organically-grown feed, fresh air and outdoor access while using no antibiotics or added growth hormones. Food processing practices that protect the integrity of the organic product and disallow irradiation, genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) or synthetic preservatives. (2) One thing that you must keep in mind, however, is that not everything that has an organic label on it is truly 100% organic. I cannot stress the importance of reading and understanding labels enough. There are several labeling options you might see on store shelves:

100% Organic

Organic

Made with Organic Ingredients For complete definition, please click on this link! Things You Should Know:

Natural is not the same as organic.

Free range does not mean organic.

Cage free also does not mean organic.

Kosher does not mean organic.

Why Should You Buy Organic? 1. The body has to process everything you put into it and eliminate what it cannot

digest. If your food contains toxins in the form of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, your body has to figure out a way to get rid of the toxins. When the body cannot get rid of toxins fast enough, it stores them until it has time to eliminate them. This can lead to many health problems. Many of the pesticides used in farming have been

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/

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found to be carcinogenic. Reducing your exposure to these toxins can improve your health. True, some people eliminate toxins well. Still, the body needs to expend energy to eliminate toxins when it could be doing other things such as healing damaged cells, fighting off viruses and bacteria, or patrolling the body for cancer cells. (1)

2. Research has shown that chemicals used in fertilizers, herbicites, etc., can cause health issues, including infertility, birth defects, ranging from mild to severe.

3. Organic produce has more vitamins than its conventionally grown cousins. Look at

this comparison chart.

4. Organic food does taste better!

5. Not everyone has the determination to become Vegan. If you choose to continue consuming animal products, you must make sure to consume ONLY organic animal products (organic eggs, meat, chicken, etc). YOU CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO! Farm animals in the U.S. are injected with hormones, steroids and antibiotics to prevent disease and promote rapid growth. In fact, most of the antibiotics manufactured worldwide are injected into farm animals. The residue of all of these chemicals remains in the food, which is one of the reasons why there has been an increase in antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, particularly in the U.S. Another byproduct of consuming these growth promoters is early sexual maturation in children. This is a problem for many reasons. First, the longer an individual's exposure to sex hormones (estrogen for women and testosterone for men), the higher the rate of certain forms of cancer. Girls in the U.S. begin their menstrual periods at an average of age of 11 and sometimes as early as 7, while in rural China, the average age is 17, resulting in a much longer exposure time to estrogen for American women as opposed to Chinese women. There is a corresponding higher rate of breast cancer in American women as compared to Chinese women. Another problem associated with early sexual maturation is increased opportunity for pregnancy in children. I see many instances of 12-year old children living in 17-year old bodies, a recipe for disaster due to lack of maturity.

Other Reasons to Consume Organic Foods:

Organic farming meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.

Growing organically supports a biologically diverse, healthy environment.

Organic farming practices help protect our water resources.

Organic agriculture increases the land's productivity.

Organic production limits toxic and long-lasting chemicals in our environment.

Buying organic supports small, independent family farms.

http://www.thedietchannel.com/Organic-Food-Is-Organic-Food-Better-Than-Non-Organic.htm

http://www.organicnutrition.co.uk/whyorganic/whyorganic.htm

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Organic farmers are less reliant on non-renewable fossil fuels.

Organic products meet stringent USDA standards.

Buying organic is a direct investment in the long-term future of our planet.

Organic farmers preserve diversity of plant species.

In Conclusion No matter what you do in your life, always do it with tomorrow in your mind, and by that I mean that we need to think about future generations and their well-being and not only ourselves. For additional information about the Organic Rule, contact the USDA's National Organic Program at 202-720-3252 or visit www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Additional Reading Bringing the Culture Back in Agriculture [Exerpts from the article, you can read it in its entirety by clicking on the link.] After the turn of the previous century there was a lot of experimentation with mono cultures. By that is meant growing only one field crop, e.g. corn or wheat. This is a principle that goes against nature, which works with ecosystems based on synergy and complex wholes, whereby plants work together and support one another. Some plants root deeper than others, allowing them to uptake minerals from underneath the topsoil. When these plants die, their rich mineral content in turn fertilizes the soil. Mono cultures meant the end of the use of natural ecosystems in agriculture. In order to achieve higher yields faster, nitrogen-based fertilizer was developed. Encouraged by the success of nitrogen bombs in the First World War, scientists were led to develop nitrogen-based fertilizer for agricultural purposes. The funding came from petrochemical companies whose goal it was to make the national and international economy entirely dependent on gas and other fossil fuels. It is not surprising, therefore, that these powerful companies enjoy warm ties with the arms industry. Oil is a major waster of fossil fuels and many wars have been fought over oil. The Iraq war comes to mind as a recent example. Seen in this light, chemical weaponry as the inspiration for modern agriculture doesn't seem such a strange concept. The scientists were told to figure out the minimum amount of elements to achieve plant growth. The idea was to maximize profits with minimal means. The NPK method was the result. The letters N, P, and K stand for three elements: nitrogen (N), phosporus (P), and potassium (K). Using only these three elements, it was not only possible to grow crops but also to do it at a very fast pace. Through a clever propaganda campaign, a dependency was created on these synthetically produced fossil-fuel based variations, to which the chemical companies held the patent. Mono cultures and artificial fertilizer were hailed as the solution for the world food problem.

www.ams.usda.gov/nop

http://www.naturalnews.com/024989.html

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No longer would anyone have to be hungry because we were now able to grow food on a massive scale. Who wouldn't want that? These days, however, we are seeing food and oil prices rising, and food and oil getting scarce. The world hunger problem has never been resolved, while the petrochemical companies have only gotten richer and more powerful. Most readers here are aware that our soils have become depleted and acidified. How this came to be is not known to everyone, however. Let's continue with our history lesson. Though the NPK method was capable of producing large-scale mono cultures, the health of these crops left a lot to be desired. It appeared fast growth was not healthy growth, as these crops were attacked by mother nature's cleanup crew: insects, fungi, 'weeds', viruses, and other pathogens, among which cancer. Mother nature simply does not allow large concentrations of weak organisms to survive. The scientists looked again to the weapons industry to find something with which to battle these 'pests' and other unwanted garbage men of mother nature. These became the infamous pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other 'cides'. Their origin? Nerve gas. Originally they were nothing but diluted nerve gas (by now it may not surprise you to find out that the basis of chemo therapy is actually mustard gas). By selling farmers artificial fertilizer to grow their crops and pesticides to fight off unwanted intruders, a disastrous cycle was created, which can only be described with yet another 'cide': nutricide, the killing of nutrients. Crops grown in this manner are mere holograms: from the outside they may look like food, but in reality these weakened, pumped-up crops lack nutritional content. The one-sidedness of mono cultures and artificial fertilizer as well as the destructive nature of pesticides have brought about a serious depletion of our soils' mineral content. By replacing mother nature's rich menu of minerals with only three synthetic elements and by 'treating' crops with highly toxic pesticides at various growth stages, soils have been poisoned and exhausted. Humans and animals eating these crops will experience the same poisoning and exhaustion. It's not as if we couldn't have known. In the 1930s, Congress had an official investigation done into NPK-based agricultural practices. The report, which came out in 1936, had alarming conclusions and has become known as Senate Document 264. It warned about a health crisis of unprecedented proportions if these practices were to continue. The highly powerful chemical industry managed to successfully lobby lawmakers, however, and through bribes got a majority of senators on their side. Document 264 was subsequently disregarded. NPK farming and the pharmaceutical industry was then allowed to thrive. So was the incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other modern welfare diseases which followed as a result. Thus a system was created in which people were first made sick with non-nutritional, toxic foods, after which the same companies presented the 'solution'

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with medicines manufactured by their pharmaceutical branches. Chemical 'treatment' from the cradle to the grave. Why have we allowed to let it come this far in 100 years' time? We are now living the health crisis Senate Document 264 warned us about. Since the 1970s these same chemical giants have been genetically engineering crops in order to gain patents on 'new' seeds whose genetic structure has been altered. Monsanto, which gave us Agent Orange and DDT, is leading this dangerous game. For years, they have been buying up seed stocks in order to genetically modify and patent them. There is no patent on nature, but nature reworked can, in fact, be patented. There is nothing natural about GMOs as only through pathogens such as viruses and cancer cells are they able to penetrate cells to alter their gene structure. Monsanto is taking this idea even further. Monsanto's seeds are 'Roundup ready', i.e. they are resistant to their feared Roundup pesticide. You read it right, the seeds have been manipulated in such a way that crops cannot grow without being sprayed with Roundup, making the pesticide the fertilizer! Monsanto also has the technology to insert a so-called 'suicide gene' into their seeds, so that farmers can get only one harvest out of them, forcing farmers to buy new seeds each year. One cannot imagine a greater dependence on an industry which not only aims to control our energy reserves, but our food reserves as well.

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Appendix E: Truth about Microwaves

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When we first started our health journey we had MANY questions from friends and relatives. We would often invite people over—it seemed that "show and tell" [i.e. eat and talk] was so much easier than just telling the story alone. Many such "show and tell" (or "blab and grab") visits were quite interesting, through provoking and even humorous. One time my niece and a couple of her friends came over for dinner. They brought along a beautiful toddler. As you already know, I am a proponent of consuming unaltered fresh fruits and vegetables, and food in general. When we sat down to eat, I saw the little girl’s mom pull out a jar of “baby food”. I believe it was squash or something of sorts. Everything inside of me protested, knowing that by the time the baby was going to consume that food, she will get little to no of the benefits of vitamins and nutrients that could be found in a fresh form of the same food. Her mother proceeded to go into our kitchen. I saw her looking around, a bit bewildered... She seemed confused, so she twirled on her toes to see if she was missing something. I knew immediately what she was looking for… a MICROWAVE. The mom was surprised to see that we did not have one. She asked me how we warm up our foods.

Growing up in the former USSR, I had not even a slightest clue of what a microwave oven was. It was not until my family immigrated to the USA that we discovered the modern-day-marvel. Unfortunately for us, we did not know any better, so we quickly adapted to the American dietary lifestyle, and, as you can guess, since microwaves are considered to be a necessity, (a holy cow, really) we made sure to have one our kitchen. A few of years ago, when I was researching all I could about nutrition, I discovered the truth about microwaves. We immediately removed our microwave from the kitchen. I went back to the old conventional style of warming up our foods: stovetop. Since then I have not missed having a microwave at all. Old fashioned? No! Not at all. Let me tell you why. Let’s get to my research.

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Why Russians BANNED Microwaves After the World War II, the Russians experimented with microwave ovens. From 1957 up to recently, their research has been carried out mainly at the Institute of Radio Technology at Klinsk, Byelorussia. According to US researcher William Kopp, who gathered much of the results of Russian and German research - and was apparently prosecuted for doing so (J. Nat. Sci, 1998; 1:42-3) - the following effects were observed by Russian forensic teams: 1. Heating prepared meats in a microwave sufficiently for human consumption created:

d-Nitrosodiethanolamine (a well-known cancer-causing agent)

Destabilization of active protein biomolecular compounds

Creation of a binding effect to radioactivity in the atmosphere

Creation of cancer-causing agents within protein-hydrosylate compounds in milk and cereal grains;

2. Microwave emissions also caused alteration in the catabolic (breakdown) behavior of

glucoside - and galactoside - elements within frozen fruits when thawed in this way; 3. Microwaves altered catabolic behavior of plant-alkaloids when raw, cooked or frozen

vegetables were exposed for even very short periods; 4. Cancer-causing free radicals were formed within certain trace-mineral molecular

formations in plant substances, especially in raw root vegetables;

5. Ingestion of micro-waved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells in blood;

6. Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions occurred in the lymphatic system, causing degeneration of the immune system's capacity to protect itself against cancerous growth;

7. The unstable catabolism of microwaved foods altered their elemental food substances, leading to disorders in the digestive system;

8. Those ingesting microwaved foods showed a statistically higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, plus a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues with a gradual breakdown of digestive and excretory system function;

9. Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritional value of all foods studied, particularly:

A decrease in the bioavailability of B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotrophics

Destruction of the nutritional value of nucleoproteins in meats

Lowering of the metabolic activity of alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides (all basic plant substances in fruits and vegetables)

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Marked acceleration of structural disintegration in all foods. As a result microwave ovens were banned in Russia in 1976. Unfortunately, the ban was lifted after Perestroika.

Microwaved Plastic Wrap has 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits of Carcinogens!

As a seventh grade student, Claire Nelson learned that di(ethylhexyl)adepate (DEHA), considered a carcinogen, is found in plastic wrap. She also learned that the FDA had never studied the effect of microwave cooking on plastic-wrapped food. Three years later, with encouragement from her high school science teacher, Claire set out to test what the FDA had not. Although she had an idea for studying the effect of microwave radiation on plastic

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wrapped food, she did not have the equipment. Eventually, Dr. Jon Wilkes at the National Center for Toxicological Research agreed to help her. The research center, which is affiliated with the FDA, let her use its facilities to perform her experiments, which involved microwaving plastic wrap in virgin olive oil. Claire tested four different plastic wraps and "found not just the carcinogens but also xenoestrogen was migrating [into the oil]...." Xenoestrogens are linked to low sperm counts in men and to breast cancer in women. Throughout her junior and senior years, Claire made a couple of trips each week to the research center, which was 25 miles from her home, to work on her experiment. An article in Options reported "her analysis found that DEHA was migrating into the oil at between 200 parts and 500 parts per million. The FDA standard is 0.05 parts per billion." Her summarized results have been published in science journals. Claire Nelson received the American Chemical Society's top science prize for students during her junior year and fourth place at the International Science and Engineering Fair (Fort Worth,Texas) as a senior. "Carcinogens—At 10,000,000 Times FDA Limits" Options, May 2000, published by People Against Cancer, 515-972-4444. Interestingly enough, when I went to USDA web-site here is what the mention about microwave cooking (which, unfortunately, they do not discourage): “Cover the dish with a lid or plastic wrap. Allow enough space between the food and the top of the dish so that plastic wrap does not touch the food.” Yes, that's what the FDA says!

Uninformed Public A little evidence of the harm caused by microwaving cooking was given by the University of Minnesota in a radio announcement: "Microwaves ... are not recommended for heating a baby's bottle. The bottle may seem cool to the touch, but the liquid inside may become extremely hot and could burn the baby's mouth and throat... Heating the bottle in a microwave can cause slight changes in the milk. In infant formulas, there may be a loss of some vitamins. In expressed breast milk, some protective properties may be destroyed.... Warming a bottle by holding it under tap water or by setting it in a bowl of warm water, then testing it on your wrist before feeding, may take a few minutes longer, but it is much safer".

The Swiss Clinical Study Dr. Hans Ulrich Hertel, who is now retired, worked as a food scientist for many years with one of the major Swiss food companies that do business on a global scale. A few years ago,

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Microwave_Ovens_and_Food_Safety/index.asp?utm_source=VEGALICIOUS&utm_campaign=e9dd7549bb-Microwaves_Why_Not2_21_2011&utm_medium=email#4

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he was fired from his job for questioning certain processing procedures that denatured the food. In 1991, he and a Lausanne University professor published a research paper indicating that food cooked in microwave ovens could pose a greater risk to health than food cooked by conventional means. An article also appeared in issue 19 of the Journal Franz Weber in which it was stated that the consumption of food cooked in microwave ovens had cancerous effects on the blood. The research paper itself followed the article. On the cover of the magazine there was a picture of the Grim Reaper holding a microwave oven in one of his hands.

Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to conceive and carry out aquality clinical study on the effects microwaved nutrients have on the blood and physiology of the human body. His small but well controlled study showed thedegenerative force produced in microwave ovens and the food processed in them. The scientific conclusion showed that microwave cooking changed the nutrients in the food; and, changes took place in theparticipants' blood that could cause deterioration in the human system. Hertel's scientific study was done along with Dr. Bernard H. Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry. In intervals of two to five days, the volunteers in the study received one of the following food variants on an empty stomach:

1. raw milk; 2. the same milk conventionally cooked; 3. pasteurized milk; 4. the same raw milks cooked in a microwave oven; 5. raw vegetables from an organic farm; 6. the same vegetables cooked conventionally; 7. the same vegetables frozen and defrosted in a microwave oven; and

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8. the same vegetables cooked in the microwave oven. Once the volunteers were isolated, blood samples were taken from every volunteer immediately before eating. Then, blood samples were taken at defined intervals after eating from the above milk or vegetable preparations. Significant changes were discovered in the blood samples from the intervals following the foods cooked in the microwave oven. These changes included a decrease in all hemoglobin and cholesterol values, especially the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) values. Lymphocytes (white blood cells) showed a more distinct short-term decrease following the intake of microwaved food than after the intake of all the other variants. Each of these indicators pointed to degeneration. Additionally, there was a highly significant association between the amount of microwave energy in the test foods and the luminous power of luminescent bacteria exposed to serum from test persons who ate that food. This led Dr. Hertel to the conclusion that such technically derived energies may, indeed, be passed along to man inductively via eating microwaved food.

According to Dr. Hertel "Leukocytosis, which cannot be accounted for by normal daily deviations, is taken very seriously by hemotologists. Leukocytes are often signs of pathogenic effects on the living system, such as poisoning and cell damage. The increase of leukocytes with the microwaved foods were more pronounced than with all the other variants. It appears that these marked increases were caused entirely by ingesting the microwaved substances. This process is based on physical principles and has already been confirmed in the literature. The apparent additional energy exhibited by the luminescent bacteria was merely an extra confirmation. There is extensive scientific literature concerning the hazardous effects of direct microwave radiation on living systems. It is astonishing, therefore, to realize how little effort has been taken to replace this detrimental technique of microwaves with technology more in accordance with nature. Technically produced microwaves are based on the principle of alternating current. Atoms, molecules, and cells hit by this hard electromagnetic radiation are forced to reverse polarity 1-100 billion times a second.

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There are no atoms, molecules or cells of any organic system able to withstand such a violent, destructive power for any extended period of time, not even in the low energy range of milliwatts. Of all the natural substances - which are polar - the oxygen of water molecules reacts most sensitively. This is how microwave cooking heat is generated - friction from this violence in water molecules. Structures of molecules are torn apart, molecules are forcefully deformed, called structural isomerism, and thus become impaired in quality. This is contrary to conventional heating of food where heat transfers convectionally from without to within. Cooking by microwaves begins within the cells and molecules where water is present and where the energy is transformed into frictional heat. In addition to the violent frictional heat effects, called thermic effects, there are also athermic effects which have hardly ever been taken into account. These athermic effects are not presently measurable, but they can also deform the structures of molecules and have qualitative consequences. For example the weakening of cell membranes by microwaves is used in the field of gene altering technology. Because of the force involved, the cells are actually broken, thereby neutralizing the electrical potentials, the very life of the cells, between the outer and inner side of the cell membranes. Impaired cells become easy prey for viruses, fungi and other microorganisms. The natural repair mechanisms are suppressed and cells are forced to adapt to a state of energy emergency - they switch from aerobic to anaerobic respiration. Instead of water and carbon dioxide, the cell poisons hydrogen peroxide and carbon monoxide are produced." The same violent deformations that occur in our bodies, when we are directly exposed to radar or microwaves, also occur in the molecules of foods cooked in a microwave oven. This radiation results in the destruction and deformation of food molecules. Microwaving also creates new compounds, called radiolytic compounds, which are unknown fusions not found in nature. Radiolytic compounds are created by molecular decomposition—decay—as a direct result of radiation. Microwave oven manufacturers insist that microwaved and irradiated foods do not have any significantly higher radiolytic compounds than do broiled, baked or other conventionally cooked foods. As you can imagine they have all of the financial reasons in the world to carry on with such statements.

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The scientific clinical evidence presented here has shown that this is simply a lie. In America, neither universities nor the federal government have conducted any tests concerning the effects on our bodies from eating microwaved foods. Isn't that a bit odd? They're more concerned with studies on what happens if the door on a microwave oven doesn't close properly. Once again, common sense tells us that their attention should be centered on what happens to food cooked inside a microwave oven. Since people ingest this altered food, shouldn't there be concern for how the same decayed molecules will affect our own human biological cell structure?

Industry's Action to Hide the Truth

As soon as Doctors Hertel and Blanc published their results, the authorities reacted. A powerful trade organization, the Swiss Association of Dealers for Electro-apparatuses for Households and Industry, known as FEA, struck swiftly in 1992. They forced the President of the Court of Seftigen, Canton of Bern, to issue a "gag order" against Drs. Hertel and Blanc. In March 1993, Dr. Hertel was convicted for "interfering with commerce" and prohibited from further publishing his results. However, Dr. Hertel stood his ground and fought this decision over the years. Not long ago, this decision was reversed in a judgment delivered in Strasbourg, Austria, on August 25, 1998. The European Court of Human Rights held that there had been a violation of Hertel's rights in the 1993 decision. The European Court of Human Rights also ruled that the "gag order" issued by the Swiss court in 1992 against Dr. Hertel, prohibiting him from declaring that microwave ovens are dangerous to human health, was contrary to the right to freedom of expression. In addition, Switzerland was ordered to pay Dr. Hertel compensation.

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Carcinogens in Microwaved Food In Dr. Lita Lee's book, Health Effects of Microwave Radiation - Microwave Ovens, and in the March and September 1991 issues of Earthletter, she stated that every microwave oven leaks electro-magnetic radiation, harms food, and converts substances cooked in it to dangerous organ-toxic and carcinogenic products.

Further research summarized in this article reveal that microwave ovens are far more harmful than previously imagined. The following is a summary of the Russian investigations published by the Atlantis Raising Educational Center in Portland, Oregon. Carcinogens were formed in virtually all foods tested. No test food was subjected to more microwaving than necessary to accomplish the purpose, i.e., cooking, thawing, or heating to insure sanitary ingestion. Here's a summary of some of the results: • Microwaving prepared meats sufficiently to insure sanitary ingestion caused formation

of d-Nitrosodienthanolamines, a well-known carcinogen. • Microwaving milk and cereal grains converted some of their amino acids into

carcinogens. • Thawing frozen fruits converted their glucoside and galactoside containing fractions

into carcinogenic substances. • Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant

alkaloids into carcinogens. • Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants, especially root

vegetables. • Decrease in nutritional value • Russian researchers also reported a marked acceleration of structural degradation

leading to a decreased food value of 60 to 90% in all foods tested. Among the changes observed were: Deceased bio-availability of vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics factors in all food tested. Various kinds of damaged to many plant substances, such as alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides.

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• The degradation of nucleo-proteins in meats.

Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, I will conclude this article with the following:

1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent -brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].

2. The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

3. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods. [Have you ever wondered why there are so many hormonal issues in the modern, and especially American society?]

4. The effects of microwaved food by-products areresidual [long term, permanent] within the human body.

5. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

6. The minerals in vegetables are altered intocancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

7. Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.

8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

9. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

10. Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

I hope that having read all the facts I presented to you, you will ask yourself whether you can now continue to use microwave ovens and harm your, and possibly, your family's bodies and future? If you knew you were serving a cancer on a plate to your loved one, would you still do it? How about your children? I am sure that the answer is NO! But this is in fact exactly what we do, even though unknowingly. My hope is that having read these facts you will be ready to make a change. I did! And I have not missed microwaves in the least. In fact, I would rather eat cold food than poison myself with warm carcinogens. What about you? If you are still in doubt look what a simple experiment with microwave water did to these plants:

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How to Warm up your Food: Alternatives Very simple, you can do it on a stove, using a pan or a skillet, or in a conventional oven. It will take only minutes longer, but after a short while you won’t even miss the microwave oven any more.

In Conclusion

I hope that as you taken the time to read this post, you will take the time to consider long-lasting effects of microwaved foods on your body. One of my friends once said: We should spend at least as much time thinking about what you put in your body as you do when it come to what you put in your car.

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Appendix E: Natural & Safe Family Planning

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Birth control medication has the power to inflict unbearable physical and emotions agony, as well as increase chances of various ailments, as you read in the first part of this report. It can even cause death to the female taking it and a child who might be conceived while she is on it; or it can leave the child, who is lucky enough to make it, if conceived while the mother is still on birth control, handicapped physically or mentally. Who would ever think that popping pills that compromise a woman's health for years; having internal procedures, such as tube ligation and inserting things like Mirena or a Nuva ring, would be natural? All forms of birth control, except for Natural Family Planning, are un-natural. Even tube ligation and devices like Mirena can cause a lot of harm. Tube ligations cause hormone imbalance in women and all side effects that come with it, including depression, lack of sex drive, and ectopic pregnancies. Mirena and other similar devices prevent an already fertilized egg from implanting into the womb, thus causing a mini-abortion. There are doctors who would under no circumstances prescribe Mirena to their patients because they too believe that life begins at conception. Many couples do not know of this unintended consequence, otherwise they would steer clear of it. In addition to these evils [that's what they are] it places and undue pressure on the woman to be the only responsible party for fertility, leaving her feeling lonely and even abandoned. It is hard to believe that this would be the way God intended for a marital relationship to blossom. But, wait, birth control makes things ever worse... for the woman. Biologically females are made to experience the peak of their sexuality and sexual fulfillment right around the time of ovulation, when hormones are changing. When on birth control the process is suppressed, thus leaving the woman lacking what God intended for her to enjoy as much as her spouse—a loving, fulfilling sex life. In a sense she is stuck in an eternal winter season of her cycle.

Instruments of Torture

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On my journey, when I discovered the truth about all side-effects of birth control, Hubby and I wanted to get away from it as fast and far away as possible. I no longer wanted to be a victim of modern advancements and he did not want me to suffer and feel alone or unsatisfied on our marriage. He, as many great husbands out there, wanted his wife to be happy and fulfilled. Who knew it would be as easy as adhering to our natural biology. We looked for options that would still allow us to plan our family and keep the joys of intimacy alive. We came across a wonderful program, taught mostly by the Catholic church, known as the Creighton Model Fertility method. I also read a wonderful book on natural family planning: Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health. We combined both methods. We observe my temperature and cervical fluid for accuracy. It is easy, takes only 2-5 minutes from our daily lives [if that], and saves us money and health. My husband is now involved in our family planning as much as I am. We are truly a team and equal partners in our marriage. Now we don't only live medication free, but we are also free of fear of side effects and causing an unintended miscarriage or risking my life. Our intimacy has soared to new heights, and we shall never look back. I hope that you will consider doing the same. Creighton Model Fertility Care method materials can easily be obtained through a local Catholic church, if participating, as well as some of the OBGYN offices. The wonderful part is that some churches offer not only the materials but a guided training [classes] that couples can take together [married or engaged couples]. That is exactly what Hubby and I did. Here are some reference sites for Creighton Model method:

www.creightonmodel.com www.naprotechnology.com

www.popepaulvi.com www.fertilitycare.org

Another great resource that further explains the dangers of birth control is a CD titled: One More Soul: Contraception Why Not, by Janet E Smith, PhD. It's a great addition to other mentioned materials. It deals with the WHYs of natural family planning. Contact the Webmaster of the linked site to see how you can order a copy. Make sure to listed to it with your spouse, of, if you are planning to get married, with your fiancé.

http://creightonmodel.com/


www.creightonmodel.com

www.naprotechnology.com

www.popepaulvi.com

www.fertilitycare.org

http://www.omsoul.com/

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Appendix F: Importance of vitamin B-12

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The information below was a series of posts published on www.vega-licious.com, so they have a personal story line. I am adding each post under a different section [Part #] for my readers' benefit. I cannot stress the importance of vitamin B-12 enough to everyone, and especially to the vegan/vegetarian community. To avoid the subject is simply to do the biggest disservice to our and our family's health. As you will read through each part of the B-12 topic, you will certainly realize the necessity for something that can simply resolve so many threatening health issues, including auto-immune diseases, cancer and infertility.

Part I: B-12 Deficiency–A Road to Recovery

Sleepless nights are not always bad; in fact they can be blessings in disguise. So it was for me last week. I could not fall asleep, try as I might. I finally gave up. Not wanting to keep my hubby up I retreated to the study, aka–my home office--nights as such, if I have any deep thoughts or feel inspired, I journal. In other times I don’t simply waste my time, but busy myself with things that matter, until I tire my brain. That specific night something that had puzzled me for some time came flooding into my mind, so I decided to research it.

Stress–the Silent Killer It was 10 years ago, when my hubby ended up in a hospital with a brain cyst and had to have 3 surgeries, that I became his primary caregiver. That was before we were married, and our budding romance was just taking root. We had two separate lives, two separate homes, jobs, and accounts. Overnight I became a nurse, a personal assistant, still held a full-time job and had my own life to run. On an average I totaled 4-5 hrs of sleep for at least a month and a half. At the same time my father, who lived in a different state and was fighting Parkinson’s disease, suffered a stroke. Being so far away and being unable to take off to see him, because hubby just ended up in the hospital at the same time, and his family lived in yet a different state, I felt overwhelmed. I also felt guilty and stressed because I could not be there to help my two wonderful sisters to take care of Dad.

Stress Related Spasms Slowly, in the span of 2-3 months, I developed a muscle/nerve spasm, that radiated in my forehead. I knew it must have been due to stress, and thought that given time it will subside and go away. Unfortunately it persisted, and only got worse with time, and spread into my right ear, neck, arms, abs, and right shoulder blade and leg.

http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/05/navitas-naturals-maca-root-powder-review-and-giveaway/

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The spasms, once they reared their ugly heads, stayed. They were there all the time, but got worse when I was tired or under a lot of stress. At first I thought I could control them–after all it was not only inconvenient but also embarrassing. Thankfully by 2004 my forehead stopped spasming, but as that stopped, spasms moved into the other, above mentioned, parts of my body. Try, as I might, no amount of self control, praying, or psyching myself out of it, I could not control the spasm. If I could hold them off for a few seconds, or even a minute, they eventually had its way with my muscles and nerves. Knowing that I had no control over my body kept pushing me to research this issue more and made me think that there is some sort of deficiency in me, otherwise I would fix anything that could be fixed.

Crossing Wires The best way I can describe my situation to you is that if you imagine having wires that were stripped of their coating in some places, which would cross once in a while, creating an energy shortage and sparks–that’s how it felt in my body. I consulted with doctors and NDs, but, as you can imagine nothing helped–and most did not even know what to tell me, so they ignored it. One did mention that it might be B5 deficiency, but the more I researched it the more I knew it could not be due to my nutrient rich diet… in addition to that, the supplements she prescribed to help me did nothing.

Could it Be? So, last week, the sleeplessness welcomed me into its arms. As it pulled me in closer into its merciless embrace, the thoughts of possible B5 deficiency came to mind. The more research I did, the more I felt that it would be impossible for me to have B5 deficiency. Then, out of nowhere I know, except maybe from God Himself, a thought struck me: “given my diet and lifestyle, what could I possibly be deficient in?” The only think I knew that vegans might lack, was vitamin B-12. As the thought dawned on my, before I even knew, my fingers were typing away, one stroke after another. What flashed in front of my eyes, made me sink into the chair. The possibility, and more likely probability, of my issue being tied to B-12 deficiency was almost undeniable. I did supplement with B-12, however, I did not start it when I first changed my diet, and was not always faithful in doing so. In further evaluating my problem, I was cognizant that my nerve spasms began way before I became vegan, so I had to look into my past to connect it to my present.

Reasons for my B-12 Deficiency The only suspicions I had as to what could cause B-12 deficiencies in me would be: 1) stress, as I identified it above; and 2) using birth control and other medications, such as antibiotics. My suspicions were quickly confirmed–indeed, high and prolonged stress can deplete B-12 storage, not to mention other nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which I will address at a

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different time. My study further revealed that birth control medications and antibiotics, along with some immunization shots and other meds, also deplete B-12 in our systems. Once B-12 vitamin has been depleted it has to be replenished aggressively. Although I was still an omnivore at the time when these issues began to happen, apparently no amount of animal B-12 was sufficient to do so, or perhaps it could no longer be properly assimilated. (This, along with other factors that I will mention in my future posts, confirms that it is not only the vegan and vegetarian populations that could fall prey to B-12 deficiencies.) It was not until my vegan days that I even thought to supplement with B-12. However, it was obvious that the amounts I did take were insufficient to replenish what I had lost.

The Truth Shall Set Me Free! Faced with this information, there was a temporary relief and hope. My next query was, could other remaining symptoms that I still carried from my old lifestyle, be contributed to B-12 deficiency? If they could be connected to the same source, the likelihood of B-12 deficiency in me would be more probable. I don’t think I was surprised when 9 out of 10 remaining symptoms had checked off against B-12 deficiencies list. With these numbers and facts it could hardly be a coincidence. If it were 1 or even 3 symptoms, maybe there could be a different underlying issue, but 9-out of-10… hardly. I am sure you are curious to know about all of my symptoms, and one day I will tell you about all, but for now I will run down through B-12 deficiency side effects/symptoms, listed in alphabetical order for easier reference. I will also update this list with time.

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Symptoms: Abnormal reflexes

Anemia

Anisocytosis

Anovulation

Apathy

Ataxia [in children]

Bleeding gums

Bright red, smooth tongue

Brittle nails

Burning feeling in the feet

Chest pain

Chronic fatique

Claminess

Confusion [mental]

Constipation

Coronary artery disease

Damage to optic nerve

Damaged nerves

Dandruff, as well as scalp scaliness

Dark under eye circles [possibility, especially combine with vitamin K and other vitamin B deficiencies]

Delusions

Dementia

Depression

Developmental delays

Developmental regression

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Easy bruising

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Enlargement of the mucous membranes of the mouth, vagina, and stomach

Excessive/abnormal sweating

Exertional Dyspneal

Failure to thrive [in children]

Falls

Fatigue

Feeling tired, weak [chronically]

Fever

Forgetfulness

Frequent upper respiratory infections

Gastritis

Gastrointestinal problems

Geographic/sore tongue

Hair loss

Hallucinations

Headaches

Hepatomegaly

Hypothyroid [B12 can be low in hypothyroid patients due to low stomach acid]

Hypotonia

Impaired mental function

Importance

Increased bleeding

Increased susceptibility to infection

Incontinence [urinary/fecal]

Infertility

Intellectual disorders

Involuntary movements

Irrational anger

Irritability

Insomnia

Lack of energy

Language delay [in children]

Leukopenia

Lightheadedness

Loss of appetite/weight loss or anorexia

Low energy

Low platelets

Low sperm count

Low white blood cell count

Lower IQ [in children]

Macrocytic anemia

Mania

Memory loss

Mental fog

Mental retardation [in children]

Miscarriages

Misdiagnosed MS, ADHD, Autism, Alzheimer’s

Muscle fatigue

Nausea

Nerve damage

Numbness, tingling of extemeties

Obsessive-compulsive behavior

Orthostatic hypotension

Ovalocytes

Osteoporosis

Pallor

Palpitations

Pancytopenia

Paralysis

Paranoia

Pernicious anemia

Personality changes

Pins and needles sensation

Poikilocytosis

Poor head growth [in children]

Poor socialization [in children]

Poor motor skills [in children]

Poor weight gain [in children]

Poor wound healing

Post-partum depression

Premature graying of hair

Psychological conditions

Psychosis

Seizures

Sever muscular cramps

Shaking

Shortness of breath

Sleep disorders

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Sleepiness

Sore tongue/Glossitis

Soreness of the mouth

Speech problems [in children]

Splenomegaly

Syncope

Tachycardia

Tingling, numbness in hands and feet

Tinnitus [ringing or roaring in the ears]

Tremor

Thrombocytopenia

Violent behavior

Vision changes

Weakness

Weight loss

This list is by no means complete. The list I compiled comes from research, and reading not only various forums and sites, but a couple of books, one of which I mentioned in my previous post: Could it Be B12?

Now, having some of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you are B-12 deficient, but there is a possibility, so it is worth checking into it. However, if you find checking off more than a few things from this list, it is time to pay attention and schedule an appointment with your doctor.

In the next few days I will explore the topic of B-12 deficiency in depth, so you don’t want to miss even one of these posts… trust me on it. Meanwhile I had called my physician and scheduled an appointment to get tested for B-12 level through B-12 serum test and Urinary MMA test [I will talk about various tests later as well].

Avoid Self-Treatments When I first came upon this information I became CRAZY with excitement. I learned that, if caught on time, B-12 deficiency can be treated quickly and efficiently with injections. There is hope for me to be 100% “normal”! Having reversed hypothyroidism, along with other

http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/update-b-12-deficiency-and-cookbook/


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ailments, I already felt AMAZING compared to the years of misery, but to finish the circle of my healing would be an answer to my prayers. It just happened that I had a bottle of B-12 supplements at home [please don't rush out to buy any yet, until I tell you about your best options], so the same night I popped in SEVERAL of them into my mouth, as I did for the following 3-4 days, before realizing that I should wait until after tests to help myself. I stopped as quickly as I started, however, what I did in the 3-4 days of taking in mega doses of B-12 supplement [~5000 mcg/day] did a miracle for me. The nerve/muscle in my ear has become calm and relaxed. It is barely spasming at all now, making me feel so much more normal. Although it is amazing how only 3-4 days of supplementing made me feel, I wish I had waited to be tested to be treated. Now I will have to wait an extra week, to get what I so quickly put into my system out, so that the tests would not be skewed. So, if you are like me–ready to jump to action, be patient–wait to be diagnosed. If you are indeed B-12 deficient, the best way to be treated will be through injections, which I will discuss in the later posts. As for me, at least now I have an explanation as to why I was spasming in the first place.

B-12 Vitamin and Nervous System Source The nervous system is responsible for communication with your brain. It transmits signals to your brain to communicate information about internal and external stimuli, and receives messages from your brain to act on these stimuli. The nervous system is made up of the spinal cord, which runs from your brain through your spine, and of nerves, which extend from the spinal cord to your muscles, bones, organs and connective tissues. Of the B vitamins, vitamin B-12, also known as cobalamin, is the one that is essential for neurological health. Vitamin B-12 is necessary for the production of myelin in your body. Myelin is a type of fat that coats the nerve branches that extend to your organs, bones, muscles and connective tissues. It also coats the nerve bundles that make up your spinal cord. Myelin forms a protective sheath that helps protect nerves against damage from toxins in your body. Deficiency of dietary vitamin B-12 may result in demyelination, or loss of the myelin sheaths that coat nerve cells. Demyelination may impair psychomotor activity, which involves speed or cognitive activity and physical reaction. Vitamin B-12 deficiency may cause neurological symptoms such as numbness and tingling sensations, particularly in your extremities. A severe deficiency of this vitamin may result in permanent neurological damage, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. So, what is most likely happening in my body is that some of my nerves are becoming demyelinated, and as that happens, the nerves, much like the wires that I previously mentioned, become exposed, and when they cross, they have the same effect as would

http://www.livestrong.com/article/447396-which-b-vitamin-is-essential-for-neurological-health/

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happening in electric wires–there is a shortage, which in turn is causing the spasming in my body.

Solving Mysteries As much as I enjoy being a detective, there is nothing I will enjoy more than confirming my findings and getting immediate treatment–injections and all. I expect nothing short of a miracle when that happens, and I will keep you all posted. As I am preparing myself for the upcoming lab testing, I will continue to post on the subject in the next few days, shedding more light found in my research and also for ways you, yourself, can avoid B-12 deficiency, and also how to get tested and treated if you happen to be short on this important vitamin B-12.

Part II: What is Vitamin B-12 and how it Works? If you are like me, it isn’t enough for you to know that there is a problem and you might be able to fix it. You would also want to know why the problem happened, how it works, how you can fix it and, most importantly, how you prevent it from ever happening again. When it comes to understanding and treating vitamin B-12 deficiency, I think it is very important to understand:

1. what vitamin B-12 is 2. why it is so different from other vitamins 3. how it works in your system 4. how you can become deficient 5. how you can treat it, and 6. how you can prevent it from happening again.

In this post I will embark to explore first four of these topics. The conversation will be worth your attention, if not for yourself, then for someone you might love or know, so hang in there. You might not see many photos in these posts, which I love to add to make them fun, but getting the information that I researched and paid for is totally priceless.

Symptom #2 Yesterday I embarked on exploring B-12 deficiencies and how B-12 deficiency is potentially affected my own health. I told you that there were several annoying symptoms that I was still experiencing, most of which checked against B-12 deficiency list. I also promised you that I will tell you about all of them with time. Yesterday I told you about my muscle spasms; today I will touch on Symptom #2: brittle nails. My entire life I had very strong and considerably beautiful, natural nails.

http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/b-12-deficiency-a-road-to-recovery/

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It was not until deep into my fight with hypothyroidism that I noticed my nails change. And it was not an issue with every single nail either, just my thumb nails, and only occasionally a couple of others.

As my diet changed and my overall health improved, at first I thought that I might be low on iodine, but with time I had to rule that possibility out. A couple of years back I was taking iodine supplementation, as prescribed by my ND, and eventually started to supplement my diet with iodine rich foods, so I could not be deficient. As my TSH [thyroid marker] numbers improved, I had to rule that out too. It was not until my late night epiphany last week, when I made a list of ALL of my remaining health symptoms I could not yet reverse, and coming across information on B-12 deficiency that I came up with a possible explanation for my brittle nails.

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I am expecting that as I get on treatment for B-12 deficiency after my diagnosis, I will be able to, once and for all, kiss brittle nails goodbye! For now, let’s dive into our topic for today.

What is B-12? Vitamin B-12 was discovered in 1948 in the liver of animals, as a results of three scientists–Whipple, Minot and Murphy, looking into what caused pernicious anemia, which until the time of their discovery was deadly. In 1934 they discovered that a liver, a very rich source of B12, could be used to treat pernicious anemia (inability of the bloodstream to carry oxygen). When the discovery was made this deadly disease became treatable, if caught in time. The substance found in the liver, later became identified as vitamin B-12. It was not until 1960′ s, however, that the full chemical structure of B12 was not identified.

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Vitamin B12 [or B-12], also called cobalamin, is a water soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is normally involved in the metabolism of every cell* of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis and regulation, but also fatty acid synthesis and energy production. [Source]

*this sure helps us understand why the symptoms of B-12 deficiency are so widely varied.

How it Works Vitamin B-12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells and is also needed to make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach, if your body functions properly, releases B-12 from protein during digestion. Once released, B-12 combines with a substance called intrinsic factor (IF) before it is absorbed into the bloodstream.

How is B-12 Different from Other Vitamins “[Our] bodies need 13 different vitamins to stay alive and remain healthy. These tiny molecules participate in thousands of chemical reaction that build [our] tissues and organs, provide [us] energy from the food [we] eat, clean the toxins from our bodies, protect [us] against infections, repair damage, and allow [our] cells to communicate with each other.” “[Our] bodies cannot make vitamins [on their own], so [they] depend on [us] to provide them by eating the right foods. Some (fat-soluble vitamins) can be stored; others, including

B vitamins, are water-soluble and need to be “restocked” every day.” [Source: Can it Be B-12?] With water-soluble vitamins, if we don’t get enough of them through our food, our supplies dwindle, leaving us with a deficiency, eventually causing deficiency diseases, such as scurvy or beriberi. B-12 is one of the 13 vitamins our bodies need to function. In some ways it is like the other vitamins, but in some it is nothing like the others at all. “B-12 is the only vitamin that contains a trace of element–cobalt [thus B-12 is calledcobalamin].” [Source: Can it Be B-12?] It is thought to believe that B-12 is produced in the gut of animals, making it the only vitamin you cannot get from plants of sunlight. In reality no plant or animal, including human beings, has been proven to be capable of producing good, usable B-12–after all even animals must get it from some source. The exclusive source of this B-12 vitamin appears to be tiny microorganisms like bacteria, yeasts, molds, and algae, and even some of these sources are not usable by humans–they are known as analogs. ”There are bacteria in the colon which are capable of producing B12, but their location makes it difficult for absorption (hence why many vegetarian animals eat their own feces such as rabbits etc).” [Source]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12




http://www.healthiertalk.com/vitamin-b12-clarifying-some-misinformation-0578

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If you follow the thought pattern that the only way humans can get B-12 is from animals, you will quickly drift to think that it is only non-animal eating humans who are deficient in this vitamin. However, according to studies, and authors of Can it Be B-12?, “…the majority of B-12-deficient people eat plentiful amounts of the vitamin [i.e. animal products]–it’s just that their bodies can’t absorb or use it.” Interestingly enough I found an article written by Dr. Nishant Rao, that states the following: “…human feces is loaded with B12 due to these bacteria [bacteria found in the colon, as mentioned above]… Researchers found a group of Iranian vegans who showed no signs of B12 deficiency– it was discovered that the reason behind this was that they ate vegetables fertilized with… human feces and then did not sufficiently wash the produce.” [don't you appreciate the humor ?]

How Does B-12 Work in our Bodies “…to get from your mouth into your bloodstream, vitamin B-12 must follow a complex pathway,” and anything that might get in the way of B-12 can cause B-12 malabsorption which will lead to deficiency. B-12 goes through five different processes before it can become usable to us. I will not belabor you with intricate details of each process–you can find them by ordering Can it Be B-12? book–it will be worth every penny you spend on it and then some. If will suffice for me to tell you that if even one of these processes, most of which take place in your stomach and small intestine, is not carried out properly by our bodies, we become B-12 deficient–vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike. Being that a lot of the processes take place in our stomach and small intestine, people with gastrointestinal issues, and diseases such as Celiac, Crohn’s and others, are very susceptible to not assimilating B-12 properly, even if they eat a ton of animal foods.

How Can We Become Deficient in Vitamin B-12 There are two ways it might happen:

1. We don’t consume enough B-12, as it happens to a lot of vegans and vegetarians, who do not properly supplement their diets with proper amounts, or right kind of B-12

2. We have health issues that prevent us from properly absorbing B-12 into our system

Statistics According to the statistics quoted by the writers of Can it Be B-12? over 80% of long-term vegans and 50% vegetarians who do not adequately supplement with B-12, show evidence of B-12 deficiency.


http://www.healthiertalk.com/vitamin-b12-clarifying-some-misinformation-0578




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In June 2009, CDC [Center for Disease Control and Prevention] reported that one out of every 31 people, over the age of 50 are vitamin B-12 deficient. Consider that CDC is very conservative with their numbers, as current American standard for B-12 deficiency testing is much lower than in other countries [we will address this topic later], which unfortunately causes too many too fall in the gray zone of what is thought to be normal, and they go untreated, sometimes falling prey to deadly side effects of B-12 deficiency. Statistically if you are over 4o, you are at risk of being B-12 deficient. By the time you hit 60, you have a 40% chance of being low on B-12. If you are younger than 40, don’t get too excited yet–studies have shown that even infants can fall prey to B-12 deficiency, as well as children and young adults. Some liberal estimations had stated that as much as up to 80% of the population might be at risk of being B-12 deficient, be it moderately or severely. There are certain populations who are prone to B-12 deficiencies more than others and certain health conditions and situations that make us more susceptible to the deficiency [information largely drawn from Can it Be B-12?]:

those with inflammation/deterioration of the stomach lining, known as atrophic gastritis, common [but not restricted to] in the population over 50

those who had undergone gastric surgery [gastric bypass]

those who had partial or complete stomach resections

those with Crohn’s disease

with enteritis

those with Celiac disease

certain medications and drugs [birth control, antiacids, antibiotics, certain vaccines, gastrointestinal drugs, ulcer drugs, diabetes medication, H2-blockers: Zantac, Tagament, Pepsid, potassium chloride, etc] make users susceptible to B-12 deficiency

those with hyperthyroidism

pregnancy

extreme stress

alcohol and recreational drugs cause B-12 malabsorption and, thus, deficiency

those who have been exposed to nitrious oxide [drug used in surgeries as anesthetic, even in dental surgeries]

toxins such as mercury, found in some vaccination shots

inborn errors of B-12 metabolism [sometimes hereditary]

vegans

vegetarians

women who had to have C-section

breastfeeding mothers

malnutrition

eating disorders


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malabsorption syndrome

inflammatory bowel disease

advanced liver disease

genetic mutations The list can go on. This goes to show you that no one is really exempt from B-12 deficiency, so we must be mindful to understand our bodies, and get regular tests… as long as they are done correctly–we will cover that later.

Dangers of B-12 Deficiency Vitamin B-12 deficiency, if not caught in time, can potentially cause severe and irreversible damage, especially to the brain and nervous system. You can refer to yesterday’s post for the list of possible symptoms of B-12 deficiency. Tomorrow I will begin addressing some of the specific diseases caused by B-12 deficiency, and later talk about testing and treating B-12 deficiency. In the last post to this series, I will provide you with a list of resources that you will find helpful.

Part III: Can Vitamin B-12 be a Cure for Infertility and stop Miscarriages?

Symptom #3: Sore/Geographic Tongue Before I dive into today’s topic I will continue sharing my suspicions about personal B-12 deficiency possibility. I already told you about muscle spasms and brittle nails, today I will tell you about one more symptom that I occasionally experience that might be due to B-12 deficiency, although I will find out for sure in the next few days–I scheduled an appointment to see our family doctor and called him ahead to let him know that I want to get tested. It was not until a few years ago that I started experiencing an odd side effect when I indulged in some of my favorite foods–tomatoes, berries and pineapple. I attributed it to the possibility of these foods having higher acidity level [although plant foods, when they enter our system, become alkaline forming]; however with time I noticed the same thing happening when I had potato chips, on the rare occasion that I do, or even other foods that I would not otherwise suspect. When I ate these foods my tongue, within a short period of time felt like it was on fire–if you looked at it you would notice little grooves that formed that felt like paper cuts. The tongue would become sore very quickly. So, I had to be very watchful of what I ate, and how much of it I ate. Some of my doctors told me I have a geographic tongue, not that it helped me any.



http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/what-is-b-12-and-how-it-works-b12-deficiency-and-cure/

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Once, I decided to try out acupuncture, to see if it can aid me in the healing process. The acupuncturist, during our consultation, when I told her about this symptom, took a look at my tongue and said: “You have so much heat built up.” ”Okay,” I said, “now can you speak English and tell me what it means and how I can fix it?” Unfortunately, besides trying to babble something about the ying and yang, she was unable to enlighten my curious mind. Geographic, or sore, tongue, is not something I had in the past–EVER!–and not something that I experience unless I eat certain foods that provoke the effect. Through my studies I found that vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause sore tongue, as well as soreness of the mouth. My hope now is that once I get my tests done and get treatment, I can go back to enjoying all of the foods that I like without ever getting sore tongue.

B-12 Deficiency Can be Responsible for Infertility and Miscarriages When I stumbled upon information pertaining to B-12 deficiency a light bulb went off in my head. "Could vitamin B-12 deficiency possibly cause infertility?" I asked myself. When I started to search the net, there was not much information on it, but the information that I found brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart–I found published medical studies that confirmed my suspicion. The first one was just a little abstract from an article published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine in 2001 [Bennett M. Vitamin B12 deficiency, infertility and recurrent fetal loss. J Reprod Med 2001; 46:209-212]. It was short, but explosive: Abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of infertility to recurrent fetal loss in patients who were vitamin B12 deficient. STUDY DESIGN: The obstetric histories of 14 patients presenting with 15 episodes of vitamin B12 deficiency were analyzed. Infertility (two to eight years) had been present in four episodes, and recurrent fetal loss was a feature in 11. RESULTS: In six episodes, periods of recurrent fetal loss were followed by periods of infertility greater than one year. CONCLUSION: Hypercoagulability due to raised homocysteine levels may lead to fetal loss when vitaminB12 deficiency first develops. A more prolonged deficiency results in infertility by

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11304860

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causing changes in ovulation or development of the ovum or changes leading to defective implantation. Just in case if you need an interpretation, here it is: Low B-12 [deficiency] is directly related to elevated homocysteine* levels. The combination of both becomes dangerous to women who conceive, causing miscarriages, and after prolonged periods of B-12 deficiency, women can become altogether infertile. Hang with me on the next paragraph, I will explain it when you are done reading it: *Homocysteine (hcy) is a sulphur containing amino acid which is not present in natural proteins. It is derived from demythylatian of methionine, requiring folate, vitamin B6 and B12 as enzymatic co-factors. Malnutrition or malabsorption of folate and /or vitamin B6 and B12 or inherited enzymatic defects such as methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) or Cystathionine B-synthetase (CBS) deficiency leads to raised hcy levels. In the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, it has been underlined as risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome like early pregnancy loss, neural tube defects, pre-eclampsia, abruptio placentae and intrauterine growth restriction. Researchers also pointed towards the harmful effects of hhcy on female fertility. Exact role of hhcy in the earlier stages of reproductive physiology and in related diseases including subfertility is not clear. Defective follicular development, impaired chorionic villous vascularization, implantation failure and harsh uterine environment were the proposed reasons. [Source] In layman’s terms: if a woman is short on folate [folic acid], B6 and B12, or has a genetic errorr, known as MTHFR or CBS, and cannot properly absorb these vitamins, the woman will develop high level of homocysteine, the sulphur that should not be present in our bodies in high amounts, which is normally suppressed by normal levels of B6, B12 and folic acid. When that happens, a woman can become infertile, or will have problems with implanting an inseminated egg, or have tubal/placenta issues, or miscarry, on most occasions more than once. This might not mean much to some of you, but to everyone who had experienced the pain of losing a child through miscarriage, or for those who had never been able to conceive, this might be a glimmer of hope in the darkest of nights. [Men, hang in there, this is NOT a female issue only, I will tell you how B-12 affects your fertility as well.] Well, the abstract, as revolutionary as it was, only whetted my appetite–I had to know more! So, I searched, and searched… and searched more. I was ecstatic to have found a longer summary of the same study on http://findarticles.com. I am reposting it in its entirety:

http://www.sid.ir/en/VEWSSID/J_pdf/100720100204.pdf

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2001_July/ai_76445709/

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Vitamin B12 deficiency, Infertility and Miscarriage Infertility as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency may be related to anovulation [inability to ovulate], abnormal cell division in the fertilized ovum or a lack of implantation due to megaloblastoid changes in the endometrium. Recurrent early fetal loss may also be associated with vitamin B12 deficiency, though rare. The obstetrics histories of 14 patients presenting with 15 episodes of vitamin B12 deficiency were analyzed. Infertility of two to eight years had been present in four episodes, andrecurrent fetal loss was a feature in 11. Two of these 11 cases had never had a full-term delivery. Case 1 had had seven spontaneous abortions before the finding of vitamin B12 deficiency. Treatment with B12 resulted in their first full-term delivery within nine months followed by two more full term deliveries. In six cases, miscarriages were followed by a period of infertility. In one case, after 3 miscarriages followed by six years of infertility, severe megaloblastic anemia was found with ahemoglobin of 5.8 g/dL and a serum B12 level of [less than] 50 pg/mL. Following parenteral B12 administration, the patient became pregnant immediately and delivered a full-term infant. In 10 patients, a full-term delivery occurred after vitamin B12 therapy. Six of them almost immediately conceived. Recurrent fetal loss in the presence of B12 deficiency may be due to elevated homocysteine levels and a resulting thrombophilic state. Pregnancy is already a prethrombotic state, and the homocysteinemia and increased risk of thrombovascular disease may cause thrombosis and inadequate perfusion of the placenta, preeclampsia, abruptio placentae, fetal growth retardation and stillbirth. This study demonstrates the importance of measuring B12 levels in the evaluation of infertility or recurrent spontaneous abortions. Since folate therapy, high-folate diets, iron deficiency or thalassemia minor may mask a B12 deficiency, serum measurements are crucial. Bennett M. Vitamin B12 deficiency, infertility and recurrent fetal loss. J Reprod Med 2001; 46:209-212 [I hope you paid attention to the last sentence I underlined--if is possible that you could take a test and show up with a negative result to B-12 deficiency, so alternative testing will be needed. I will talk about your options in the coming posts.] One of the women, who took a part in this study, had not one, but seven miscarriages. She found Dr. Bennet, who identified B-12 deficiency and treated her with injections. Nine months later she delivered a healthy baby, and since has give birth to two more children.

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“What?” you ask. ”Could it be?” I asked the same question and needed more information. Thankfully I found just what I was looking for–another medical study, which was done over a period of one year [April 2008--March 2009]. This one was done in Pakistan:

Hyperhomocysteinemia in Pakistani women suffering from unexplained subfertility. The article is 4 pages long, so instead of reposting it here, I am going to give you a quick summary:

Abstract Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia (hhcy) {see explained above under *Homocysteine (hcy)} has been considered as a risk factor for several obstetrical complications such as early pregnancy loss, pre-eclampsia and IUGR. Recently its association with infertility has been underscored in IVF failures; however limited information is available about the relationship of hhcy and subfertility. Objective: To find out the association between unexplained subfertility and hhcy in Pakistani women. Materials and methods: This observational study was conducted in Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad from 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009. Study group consisted of all those women who were subfertile for more then one year, have body mass index less than 25, regular menstrual cycle, normal pelvic examination findings and no past history of pelvic inflammatory disease. Results: In total, 61 subjects were enrolled in the study including 49 subfertile women and 12 healthy women. Among subfertile women, 39 (80%) were suffering from primary subfertility while 10 (20%) were complaining of secondary subfertility. Majority of the subjects were young, house wives and residents of Hyderabad city. Mean serum fasting homocysteine levels were significantly higher in women suffering from unexplained subfertility as compared to controls [that means "healthy women"]. Findings: Raised hcy levels in ovarian follicular fluid were associated with poor quality of embryo and may influence pregnancy outcome following natural or invitro-fertilization. Intervention studies have shown that supplementation with folate, vitamin B12 and B6 can lower hcy concentration. As you can see, this study too, showed a correlation between B12, along with B6 and folate, deficiency and infertility. In the US a lot of foods are now fortified with folate, so it is harder for the population to be short on it, and many plant foods contain B6 naturally, so it is just a



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matter of eating a good, balanced diet, or supplementing, which leaves us with B-12 which some might be lacking and others have trouble absorbing, even if they do eat foods rich in B-12.

Are you as excited as I am? I was ecstatic! I know enough women, who are very close to my heart, who suffered multiple miscarriages. The pain of such losses is unbelievable. Can you imagine that a simple B-12 injection therapy can fix this issue for most, and give so many infertile couples, who long for children, and would do anything to be parents, a chance at happiness? The best part–it costs only pennies compared to infertility treatments, not to mention emotional pain and suffering. In Japan, B-12 is presently used to treat infertility. Don’t you wonder when other countries and the US will catch up with it, instead of sending infertile couples to the poor house and leaving them in need of counseling after numerous failed attempts at conception?

Vitamin B-12 and Sperm Count Men, I told you I won’t leave you hanging. There are times when it is the men who are infertile. Sometime it is due to low sperm count, sometimes it is due to sperm motility, and whatever other reasons that might be, such as impotence and erectile dysfunction–all of which might be connected to B-12 deficiency. The author of “Could it Be B12?” states that “In about 40% of cases, a couple’s inability to conceive is due to male infertility.” She goes on to say, “The link between male infertility and insufficient B-12 levels first became commonly known in the 1980s, when research reported a study in which 27% of men with [low] sperm counts were able to increase these counts… after receiving 1,000 mcg per day of vitamin B-12.” “In another study, 57% of men with low sperm counts showed increases in sperm number after receiving 6,000 mcg of B-12 per day.” “A newer study sheds light on the connection between B-12 and male fertility by showing that low B-12 levels affect both gonadal and sperm health.” [Source: "Could it Be B12?"]

Testing and Treatment As I mentioned before, testing and treatment of B-12 deficiency is quiet cheap, especially compared with emotional pain and financial burden of those who are suffering. I will talk about the test options I researched in the upcoming posts, but for now I will mention this–I am planning to get 3 different tests when I go for my appointment next week: blood serum B-12, urinary MMA and homocysteine, just in case if one of them comes



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up negative. When I read "Could it Be B12?" I found that the author of the book suggests the same. Treatment options are very cheap via B-12 injections. [Again, stay tuned for the next posts to learn about correct and effective types of injections you should ask for.]

B-12 Deficiency and Amenorrhea or Early Menopause? If you are struggling with amenorrhea, and thus you will struggle with infertility as well, or have been told that you have reached a premature menopause, you MUST watch this video. If you are suffering from similar issues as the person in the video [amenorrhea or premature menopause], you should get your vitamin B-12 levels checked.

Part IV: Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Can Cause Hair Loss Symptom #4: Hair Loss A few years back, when I was raging my battle with hypothyroidism, I had gone through a season of abnormal hair loss. No matter what I did I could not stop it, and none of my well educated doctors could even begin to guess what caused it. Needless to say, it was not until after self-diagnosis and finding the right doctor to confirm it, that I knew it was due to hypothyroid condition. As I took my treatment into my own hands and healed [yes, healed!] hypothyroidism, my lovely thick hair stopped shedding and once again I felt normal. Unfortunately some of it fell out right around the edges of my forehead and had never fully regrown to its former glory. One of my ND’s, at one point, had me on supplements to help it, but alas, I still waited for the miracle. Around March of this year, due to unknown to me reasons, my hair declared a war on me and started to look for a better place that might be flowing with better promises than I gave it–instead of a normal, few hairs a day, loss, more hair started to shed, which was of great concern to me. I did not want to go through the same stress again. Given, we normally shed about 50-100 hairs a day or so, but when it is more than usual, it becomes a concern {although I have not counted what I am losing now, but it is more than usual for me , and I am not ready to go through it again}. Little did I know that B-12 deficiency can cause hair loss, in women and men alike. It was not until my epiphany and coming across this video that I had my AHA! moment. Watch it and gasp with me, at what vitamin B-12 deficiency can do.


http://youtu.be/TYGCR6TNWm8

http://www.vega-licious.com/about-vegan-recipes-nutrition-fitness-reverse-hypothyroidism-naturally/detailed-story/

http://youtu.be/klobLSxv6i0

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[make sure to watch the video before going on to the next section]

Dr. Chandy Cures Patients with MS & Hair Loss with B-12 Injections So, you have watched the video. Mind blowing? YES! Infuriating at the medical system and government agencies? YES! Can you imagine the amount of grief these patients had to go through when their life saving treatment was taken away? Thankfully we have more freedom in the US [for now], for which we have to fight. Unfortunately, our medical community is light years behind in diagnosing B-12 deficiency and treating it properly.

Vitamin B-12 Deficiency is a Mimicker If not careful, our doctors, who don’t have a full grasp on proper B-12 deficiency diagnosis, can mistakenly treat you for the diseases B-12 deficiency can mimic. Since B-12 is involved and essential to so many processes in our bodies, it can be mistakenly identified as many other serious diseases:

Adrenal fatigue

ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]

Alzheimer’s

Anemia

Autism

Bipolar disorders

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Dementia

Depression

Diabetic neuropathy

Erectile dysfunction

Guillain-Barre syndrome [includes muscle weakness, paresthesias, and paralysis]

Heart disease

Infertility

Multiple Sclerosis

Parkinson’s [pre-Parkinson's disease tremors]

Pain from inflammation

Poor digestion

Poor sleep

Postpartum depression

Psychosis

Restless [shaky] leg syndrome

Visual disturbances, blindness, or vision loss

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I am sure that there are other diseases that are mimicked by B-12 deficiency, but this is the list that I was able to gather so far. I don’t want you to get the impression that all patients diagnosed with these diseases have B-12 deficiency, but studies have shown that some might and do, and when treated with B-12 injections, improve or completely reverse the symptoms of misdiagnosed diseases. The cost of misdiagnosis, in dollars and human suffering, is insurmountable. For example, some of MS drugs alone, not counting the cost of care and supplies, can cost as much as$36,000 per year, while B-12 therapy costs around $40*! Which one do you think would be easier on the person that might be wrongfully diagnosed? And how about long-term implications? While B-12 therapy promises treatment and recovery, MS treatments and care are nothing more than long-term care for those who are doomed to get worse, not better. The cost of human emotions, pain and suffering cannot even be measured–I know–my father fought valiantly against Parkinson’s, which eventually took over and had its way with him. I wonder, however, had I known what I know now, if we got him tested and maybe, just maybe, he could have been treated for something like B-12 deficiency… Alas, I will never find out. *Source

Part V: Vitamin B-12 Deficiency–Who is at Risk? If you read first four installments on B-12 deficiency, you are probably ready to charge and get it treated… if you have it, that is. But hold on! Don’t rush out the door and get something you will find out you will need to dump into trash later or something that might harm you instead of helping you. I will cover the subject of diagnosis, testing and treatment and won’t leave you hanging. PLEASE, please do not start self-treating, because you might find it that you either:

1. did not get properly diagnosed [if at all], so you can’t get proper treatment; 2. you used over the counter vitamins [and maybe even the wrong kind] which will

skew your tests, so you might not get treated; 3. it is just better to know the whole truth before drawing any conclusions. 4. So, hang in there and either way for me to finish all of my posts this week and give

you all resources I found in my studies, or get this book and read it: Could it Be B-12?



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For now I would like to continue this important conversation. Let’s look into who is at risk of B-12 deficiency. In short–EVERYONE! But there are certain groups of people who are more likely to develop the deficiency than others. I am listing possibilities of risk in alphabetical order.

abnormally enlarged red blood cells

abnormally small red blood cells

abnormal cells in Pap smear

AIDS

alcoholics

Alzheimer’s

anemia

anyone subjected to nitrous oxide use through surgeries, including oral surgeries, or used as recreational drug

autoimmune disorders

breasted infants of mothers with B-12 deficiency

cancer patients [especially if you have undergone treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation]

cervical spndylosis

chronic fatigue

dementia

depression

diverticulosis

drug addicts

eating disorders [bulimia, anorexia, etc.]

excessive/abnormal sweating

family history of pernicious anemia

fibromyalgia

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gastritis

gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD]

gastrointestinal disorders

gastrointestinal parasites/tapeworm diagnosis

gastrointestinal surgeries [such as gastric bypass, etc.]

genetic disorder which does not allow for proper B-12 absorption

high/severe stress levels

hyperthyroid

hypothyroidism

inflammation/wasting of the stomach lining

insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [aka Type I diabetes]

iron deficiency [especially if confirmed through blood tests]

iron deficiency anemia

low stomach acid

low white blood cell count

malabsorption syndrome [Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Celiac disease]

microbiotic diet

neurological or poor motor symptoms

occlusive vascular disorder

onset of early menopause

overweight/obese population

people on a western diet [SAD--standard american diet]

people over 40, and especially over 60

proton pump inhibitor use

psychiatric disorders

raw diet

small bowel overgrowth

smokers

those on macrobiotic order

ulcers

use of medications: antibiotics, birth control, metforin, proton pump inhibitors, H2-blockers, anticonvulsants, phenobarbital, potassium supplements, colchicine, neomycin, cholestyramine, colestipol, aminosalicylic acid and other medications

vaccinations containing mercury as preservative bind B-12, creating deficiencies [some shots are Tetnus, TB skin test, flu vaccines and RhoGAM]

vascular disorders

vegans

vegetarians

women who had undergone emergency C-section

women who become pregnant shortly after a previous delivery are at increased risk of B-12 deficiency

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[Sources: personal experience, Could it Be B12? B-12 Exposed and other various sources] If you experience symptoms or belong to groups of people at higher risk for B-12 deficiency listed here and/or in Part 2 post: B-12 Deficiency–A Road To Recovery–you might be at risk. Could it Be B12? as well as B-12 Exposed actually have a great section where you can score your risk factor for B-12 deficiency. I scored myself and… well, I am going to see my doctor this Wednesday–that should be enough to tell you where I stand.

Homework Assignment So, here is my assignment for you:

1. Before my next post comes out, take a pen and paper, go through this list and the list in Part I: B-12 Deficiency–A Road To Recovery, and mark down possible symptoms you might have.

2. Secondly, take a separate paper, write down all health issues that are bother you currently and compared them against the two lists I provided to see how many of them might fall into B-12 deficiency category.

For now remember, don’t rush out and get self-treatments–it is best to wait, get all the information you need, and get tested professionally so you can get better results through appropriate B-12 deficiency treatments your doctor can provide, but even before then, stay tuned to find out what tests and treatments [should you need them] you should ask for.

Part VI: B-12 Deficiency–Diagnosis Reasons for B-12 Deficiency As I mentioned in Part 2 of the series, there is a big misconception on who can become vitamin B-12 deficient. It is generally thought that only vegan and vegetarian populations are susceptible to shortage of B-12, which is true only in part. Crane et al (1994, USA) had 13 students change from a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian (dairy and eggs, no meat) to a Vegan diet (no dairy, eggs, or meat):

All 4 students with serum B-12 in the 600-900 range fell to below 500 pg/ml in just 2 months.

10 students followed the diet for 5 months and their average serum B-12 went from 417 ± 187 to 276 ± 122 pg/ml.

After 5 months, 2 went from normal B-12 to below normal B-12.


http://vegalic.7ahsecrets.hop.clickbank.net/




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[Source: Crane MG, Sample C, Pathcett S, Register UD. "Vitamin B-12 studies in total vegetarians (vegans). Journal of Nutritional Medicine. 1994;4:419-430.] So, it is true that if vegan and vegetarian population does not supplement with B-12 properly, they can quickly, quicker than formerly thought, become B-12 deficient. The second part to this equation, most often missed even in the medical profession, is that vegan and vegetarian populations are not the only ones susceptible to B-12 deficiency. In last part: Who’s At Risk? I discussed other populations who can quickly become vitamin B-12 deficient.

According to David Rainosheck, MA [B-12 Exposed], there are four main reasons we can become B-12 deficient:

1. Dietary Sources are Inadequate 2. Digestion Issues 3. Toxicity 4. Lack of Absorption/Assimilation of B-12

So, there is a high possibility that you can eat all of the foods thought to contain B-12, yet use none of it. In fact that is exactly happened to the author of Could it Be B12? Sally Pacholok, RN, BSN. In her early years, right around the time when started having B-12 deficiency related issues, she was a big meat eater, and had a low intake of plant foods. Her doctor actually thought that her health issues were related to low plant food intake. It was not until she was in the nursing school that she discovered that her problems were tied to absorption of B-12, not lack of it in her diet.

Vegan vs. Omnivore In 1995 an article, titled: “Vitamin B-12 Status of Long-Term Adherents of a Strict Uncooked Vegan Diet” was published in THE JOURNAL OF NUTRITION. It discussed a study done to compare B-12 intake/retention in raw vegans vs. omnivores. Here is the chart taken from the article:



http://jn.nutrition.org/content/125/10/2511.full.pdf

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/125/10/2511.full.pdf

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As you can see, even omnivores largely fell under what is an acceptable normal range of B-12 levels in the US [discussed below], which is considerably low in comparison to other countries. Both groups were low on B-12. A WORD OF CAUTION TO VEGANS/VEGETARIANS: I, like many other vegans, although supplementing, thought that I could add to my B-12 intake from certain plant foods: nutritional yeast, algae, seaweeds, tempeh, barley, malted syrup, sourdough bread, parsley, shitake mushrooms, tofu, and soybean paste, etc., which do have B-12 in them. What I did not realize is that a lot of these foods carry an analog B-12–a form of not human active B-12; and some carry a combination of analog and human-active B-12. The bad news is that analog [not human-active] B-12 in some of these foods can block human active B-12 from proper absorption. As such we cannot rely on these foods to meet our vitamin B-12 needs, although they are great foods to consume.

Acceptable B-12 Levels In the USA, as it stands now, a “normal” level of B-12 blood serum [commonly used test to determine B-12 levels] is considered to be 500 pg/ml. Some doctors will take anything between 200-450 pg/ml as acceptable. In reality people with levels close to 500 pg/ml can still have deficiency symptoms. In Japan, for example, the limit was raised to 550 pg/ml as a benchmark.

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If you read Part 5 of these series, you had a chance to meet Dr. Chandy, a general practitioner from the UK, who has been researching and treating vitamin B-12 deficiency since 1981. Could it Be B12? states that “He recommends that B-12 deficiency be diagnosed on the basis of signs and symptoms, clinical features, and family history.” He defines four different stages of B-12 levels:

1. normal, where there are no symptoms [I am assuming that would be around 500-550 pg/ml and higher; older adults should be around 1,000 pg/ml or higher]

2. 300-450 pg/ml–subtle deficiency 3. 200-300 pg/ml–intermediate deficiency 4. <200 pg/ml–severe deficiency

Sally Pacholok, in Could it Be B12? quotes a medical doctor, John Dommisse, MD, who states that the normal range should be regarded as 600-2,000 pg/ml, and anything below 600 pg/ml should be considered as a deficiency. He further states thatanything less than 300-400 pg/ml range should be considered as severe deficiency, and that older adults should have a level of at least 600-2,000 pg/ml, andchildren 1,000-2,000 pg/ml. [Medical Hypotheses (1991) 34, 131-140] WARNING: Here is a catch, however, some of you might be symptomatic with B-12 deficiency, but if you consume a high folate, high iron, high B-6 diet or take B-12 supplements [remember how I told you not to rush out and get a bottle of vitamins?], your blood serum test might show that you are in a “normal” [acceptable] range, thus becoming totally useless; and your B-12 deficiency might be masked. If this is your case, I will tell you in a minute what you can do to still get tested.

Diagnosis So, how do you know whether you are deficient in vitamin B-12? Remember the homework assignment I gave you yesterday? I asked you to do the following:

1. take a pen and paper, go through this list and the list in Part I: B-12 Deficiency–A Road To Recovery, and mark down possible symptoms you might have.

2. secondly, take a separate paper, write down all health issues that are bother you currently and compared them against the two lists I provided to see how many of them might fall into B-12 deficiency category

If you have done these, you are one step closer to finding out the truth–because no one knows your body better than you do. Sometimes it is the little, subtle annoying symptoms that might steer you in the right direction.

What’s Next? Remember that your symptoms matter. Now that you have your checklist in hand and if you are not feeling yourself, schedule an appointment to see your doctor. Hopefully you have a

http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/vitamin-b-12-deficiency-can-cause-hair-loss-in-women-and-men-hair-loss-treatment/

http://www.b12d.org/



http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/vitamin-b-12-deficiency-who-is-at-risk/



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good primary care physician, who is open minded and does not limit you to 10 minutes in the office before moving onto his/her next case.

How to Hire a Doctor If you don’t have a doctor, now is a good time to find one. However, don’t just schedule an appointment with any ol’ Joe–you should interview your doctors. That’s what I do. When I look for a doctor, I call a few offices and ask questions. I speak with receptionists, nurses, and eventually ask for an introductory interview with the doctor himself. If the answer is “NO”, I move on–if s/he does not have time to answer my questions beforehand, s/he will not value me as a person when I become his/her patient. Once I get a doctor on the phone, who agrees to give me 10-15 minutes of his time, I ask him/her questions that are important to me. I tell him/her about my lifestyle/dietary choices and inquire if s/he will be open-minded to work with me. If the answer is “YES”, we proceed. The doctor that I am about to go see tomorrow was just such a man. When his answer was “YES” I went on to tell him about my suspicions about possible B-12 deficiency, and asked if he would be willing to run tests on both hubby and I. ”Yes,” he said, so I moved on to my next question, which was about treatment options that I already had in mind. When his answer was “Yes” to that too, I was ready to schedule my appointment. I would suggest you do the same. After all, when you get ready to buy a car or a computer, you spend days researching your options and dealerships. Don’t you think we should give even more consideration when it comes to people helping us achieve optimal health, and potentially save our lives?

Already Have a Doctor? If you already have a doctor, I pray for your sake, that s/he is open minded and ready to listen and work with you. If not, you have two options:

1. be assertive and insist on still running tests–after all it is your insurance that will be paying for it, or you paying out of pocket; or

2. if you need to, fire your doctor and find a new one Yes, it is that simple–I had to fire a couple of doctors in my quest to health. I am sure they don’t miss me much… but the feeling is mutual.

Test Options Your doctor will most likely run only one test to check for B-12 deficiency–serum blood test, which might work for some, but not for others. As I mentioned before, there are certain

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conditions that might mask B-12 deficiency, not to mention that US standards for “normal” B-12 levels are so low that even if you get low range results your doctor might still not want to treat you. [In such a case remember--you have an option to fire your doctor and take your test results to someone else, whom you hopefully will interview beforehand.] Sally Pacholok, in Could it Be B12? discusses 4 different testing options. I personally strongly suggest buying her book, reading it, and even taking with you to the appointment. Who knows, your doctor might be grateful that you did, and you will help many other patients who might otherwise go misdiagnosed. Not only that, but the book will save you heartache, and money–Sally graciously offers various Reimbursement Codes in the one of the Appendices in the book your doctor can use to order testing for you, so that your insurance covers it. The following are your options:

1. Blood Serum B-12 test [I gave you level ranges above] 2. Urinary MMA/Creatine Ratio test [Healthy levels: .58 to 3.6 μg MMA/mg

creatine; different levels for children, a suggested in B-12 Exposed: 820-11,200 micromoles/mmol/cr of MMA]

3. Plasma Homocysteine test [remember our conversation about homocysteine?] [Healthy levels: 4.0-12.0 μmole/L, some accept levels of 2.2-12.0 μmole/L]

4. HoloTC [holotranscobalamin] test: [Healthy levels: 35-101 pmol/L] Sally Pacholok further suggests that it might be wise to do a combination of 2 or more of these tests, which is what I am planning to do. At the least the first two tests should be combined together for better accuracy–I personally hope to get tests 1-3 to improve my chances of being properly diagnosed.

Where to get Urinary MMA Urinary MMA, aka uMMA, stands for urinary methylmalonic acid. The test measures methylmalonic acid (MMA) by selected ion monitoring isotope dilution gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in a random spot urine specimen. The MMA value is normalized to urine creatinine to correct for urine dilution. The urinary MMA/creatinine ratio (uMMA) test is more accurate than the blood test as it indicates tissue/cellular B12 deficiency. If it happens that you do not have an insurance, or your insurance does not cover uMMA, which they should, you can go directly to the source to have it done for $150 per test–it’s a small price to pay compared to what you might have to pay if you don’t catch the deficiency in time to get it treated! Norman Clinical Laboratory, Inc. (NCL) provides a means to test individuals through the mail for cobalamin (vitamin B12 ) deficiency. NCL, established in 1985, was the first commercial laboratory to provide the uMMA test. NCL introduced the Mayo Clinic to the uMMA assay



http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/can-vitamin-b-12-be-a-cure-to-infertility-and-stop-miscarriages-early-menopause-amenorrhea/

http://www.b12.com/

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and Mayo Clinic has also provided the uMMA test for years. Now other laboratories around the world are offering the uMMA test which has benefited thousands. The lab is located in Cincinnati OH [go, Ohio!], and the turnaround time for the test results is around 3 days, once they have your sample. All you have to do is call them [800-397-7408] and ask for them to mail you materials and container needed for the test, and they will respond immediately. I called them, just in case if our insurance did not cover the test. Having left a message I heard back from them within an hour, and in a couple of days I received all I needed to collect a sample in the mail, along with instructions on how to do it.

Part VII: Purely Happy {B-12

Deficiency Diagnosis}-My Tests I followed my own advice from the last part, in hiring our new doctor. I interviewed him over the phone, before making the decision to schedule an appointment. However, I did not stop there–I was prepared for the appointment with my research and talking points.

Being that our new doctor was seeing us for the first time, I brought all of our previous lab results [both, hubby and I, scheduled our appointments back to back, also using this time as an opportunity to do our annual physical], our health history, and yes, even my research printouts, the book, and a list of talking points for the appointment. I have learned that you can NEVER be too prepared. Some of you might think that it is too much. Am I right? And some might think that you would be too intimidated to do the same yourself. Correct? Well, to the first group I would say–it is never too much when it comes to our health and well-being; and to the second group–remember, you are your best advocate and no one, except the Lord himself, knows your body better than you, so, don’t be afraid to take a stand. Also, look for a doctor who would not feel insecure and intimidated by an educated and prepared patient. “Insecure


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doctor?” you might wonder. Yes, there are many of them, except their insecurity comes in shape of arrogance–the “god” syndrome, thinking that they know you better than you do, and you can’t tell them anything they don’t already know. If you have a doctor like that–RUN! Run as fast and far as you can and find someone who will work with you. It’s given that your physician will know more than you do, but it is dangerous if s/he thinks that s/he might know everything and have nothing left to learn, especially if it comes from their patients.

The Nurse The mood for our appointment was set by our new doctor’s nurse, Kimmy. Jolly, smiley, and friendly she took us through all of the routine steps–weighing us in, measuring our height, blood pressure, etc. Then we sat down and went through the reasons for our visit, while she was jotting down notes in our charts. At that point I whipped out my “symptoms” list for myself and hubby, and went through every single one of them. To my pleasant surprise Kimmy did not look at me like a goat at a sheep’s gate–she actually was familiar with B-12 deficiency symptoms, and kept saying: “Yes, that could be connected. Yes, that sounds right.” In a few moments I was in love with Kimmy. She rocked!

The Doctor A few minutes after Kimmy was done taking notes, our new-found doctor came into the office. He looked confident, healthy and friendly–just what you want to see in a doctor. I was sure to thank him for the phone interview, especially because not all doctors would do that. I also wanted to set the tone for our appointment–I did not want him to think of me as “know-it-all”. He intently listened to what we had to say [mostly me ], while I respectfully referred to my symptoms and the research I had done, pulling out our labs, my research reports and even the book, one by one. Although he did not seem to agree with everything 100%, he was open to hear my opinion–that’s a huge plus in my books. When we got to talking about diagnosis, testing and treatment, I mentioned the tests that I wanted to have done. Although he was familiar with serum [blood] B-12 test, urinary MMA was news to him. Thankfully I brought literature with me to back it up and show that it might be more accurate than the blood serum test. When I did that, the next few words that came out of our doctor’s mouth made me fall in love with him [in a doctor-patient kind of way, of course ]: “Can I make copies of these studies, please?” he inquired, “I would like to learn more about this and expand my knowledge on the topic.” ”But of course!” I beamed from ear to ear, adding all other reports and printouts to the pile he carried off to the copy machine. The Doc also listened to my requests for treatments: “Methylcobalamin B-12 injections, pretty please!” I said, “and as soon as we can start.” The next few words that he spoke were a melody to my ears: “Great! What regimen would you like to follow?” Oh, my! I whipped out Could it Be B12? and cracked it to the marked pages:


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1,000 mcg methyl B-12 injections every day for seven days

1,000 mcg methyl B-12 injections weekly for four weeks and

1,000 mcg methyl B-12 injections bi-weekly thereafter “OK,” he said, as his pen was silently moving from side to side, filling out our prescriptions; “Oh, and you don’t have to wait until the test results come back to start the treatment,” he said, “we can start as soon as you get your prescriptions filled.” WHAT? He took those words out of my mouth before I could even ask for it. “It won’t hurt either way, so why wait?!” he said, and I could not agree more. It felt like the heaven opened up and the sun was smiling at us. Next he wrote out prescriptions for our labs, as we discussed our NEXT step on my TO-DO list.

The Labs and the Insurance Most people do not know, but B-12 testing is covered by insurance. So, if or when you go in to get tested, make sure to ask your doctor to bill your insurance. This year hubby and I signed up for a health plan that has a higher deductible, although it allows us to set money aside in a health savings account that earns interest, and does not have an expiration date, unlike flex accounts. We were not sure, however, if all of the labs we wanted would be covered at 100% by our insurance, since we wanted not only B-12 serum test but a couple more, or if we would have to pay out of pocket until we meet our deductible. Although we get our annual physical and labs covered at 100% by our insurance, there was a possibility that some of much needed tests could not be coded with wellness, i.e. preventative, codes. But the good news kept rolling out for us… It happened that our new doctor has an agreement with the next door lab, which was not even on our preferred labs list, that his patients’ bills would have a cap of $25/person! So, no matter what our insurance covers or does not cover, especially if they decide that some of those test are not a part of a regular physical, we still would not pay more than $25 per person when all is said and done. I cannot tell you what a relief it was, since I had 16 or 18 different tests that needed to be done for me, due to my previous health condition [hypothyroidism], in addition to regular annual labs, and three B-12 tests we wanted. Whew! What a huge weight off our shoulders, since urinary MMA test alone can cost up to $250 at some labs [I will tell you about ways to save on this test later, should you decided to get one and your insurance does not cover it]. Hubby and I came fasting and prepared for our labs to be drawn after our appointment. It turned out, however, that some of my tests had to be done early in the morning, so my fasting was for nothing more than weight loss. Hubby had his tests done, though.

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To help him with replenishing the blood he lost, we brought along a serving of coconut water… and even our nurse and the lab technician were impressed.

B-12 Prescription With our prescriptions in hand we headed off to the pharmacy closest to our house. ”Methyl- what?” they said “No, we can’t fill it for you and neither can we order it.” Off we went to another pharmacy, and then called 4 more. We were out of luck, it seemed–none of the labs even knew what Methylcobalamin was. All of them carried the less preferable, nasty B-12 form–Cyanocobalamin. Thank God for GPS! I typed in PHARMACY as my search word and looked for local, private pharmacies that could give us hope. On the third try I found a local compounding pharmacy that did not only know what methylcobalamin was–they were formulating it in their lab. Could things get even better?! Instead of waiting several days for any other pharmacy to order methyl- B12 shots for us, even the nasty kind, we were going to have it in 24 hours!

Blood Work and Recovery This morning, having fasted once again, I was at the lab by 8:00 am, armed with a green smoothie, made with coconut water, and a bottle of filtered water, to quickly replenish what I was about to lose. 10 vials of blood later, I was smacking my lips in pure delight, enjoying the green smoothie. Later, when I got home, I loaded up on more nutrients, iron and protein:

{radish/cucumber salad and quinoa pilaff}

Immediately after, I headed off to the pharmacy, since we could not get to it in time yesterday. I ended up getting there 40 minutes before the place opens, but yet again, my day kept getting better. A wonderful young lady let me in early so I can be on my way.

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Pure Happiness There are few times in our lives when we feel purely happy, when, for just moments, we want nothing more than what we already have. I lived through several of such moments in the last couple of days. It seemed that the heaven itself opened and made all things easy and possible, lining up in perfect symphony to make a path for me toward this next step on my way to full recovery.

Part VIII: B-12 Deficiency–Treatment Options In this part, having already told you about who might be at risk of B-12 deficiency, how to get it diagnosed and asking for right tests, I am going to tell you about treatment options you can ask for from your doctor, what you can do at home, and what pitfalls to avoid. The information for this post comes from my research of various studies done on the topic, and also reading Could it Be B12? as well as B-12 Exposed.

Treatment

Safety First let me start with this, and you might have learned this from my last post, on my personal approach to treatment, once you take your labs [i.e. give your blood and urine], talk to your doctor about starting treatment immediately. B-12 vitamin injections/tablets* are totally safe–you cannot overdose on them, there are no side effects, and it is NOT toxic; so even if you have healthy levels of B-12 you are safe to do injections or take supplements. *you do not need a prescription to get B-12 in a form of a supplement, so, should you decide not to get tested, although I would strongly suggest it, you can order it on-line [options below], or through your local health food store. Just How Safe is B-12? I recently wrote to Dr. Chandy–the physician in the UK that treats a lot of his patients with B-12 injections; you watched him in the video in this post. I was fortunate to have heard back from his assistant [one who holds a PhD nonetheless ]. Here is what he told me about safety of B-12: “…one doctor we know of gives 100 mg (100,000 mcg) twice per week by infusion. What level of B12 could be too much? To put it bluntly, no level is too much. The treatment for cyanide poisoning using B12 is 5 g (5,000 mg or 5 million mcg) and a fireman who inhales smoke without breathing apparatus could get two doses 20 mins apart. I’m told the Paris fire brigade use the B12 treatment routinely, so they might dose their firemen and women



http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/purely-happy-b-12-deficiency-diagnosis/


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more than once per month with these incredibly high doses. It makes their urine turn red (cobalt red not blood red), but I believe they don’t even get to sit out the rest of the shift (nor do they need to). “ Now, if that is not safe, I am not sure what is! So, don’t worry–you simply can’t overdose! Options There are several approaches to treating B-12 deficiency. Everyone who is in the danger zone:

1. 200-300 pg/ml–intermediate deficiency 2. <200 pg/ml–severe deficiency; and even 3. 300-450 pg/ml–subtle deficiency

should ask for B-12 injections. You might wonder if there is a reason for it, and the answer is YES! If you take B-12 orally, most of the vitamin gets lost during digestion process. If you have an autoimmune disease or digestive problems, your stomach won’t be able to process of absorb B-12 effectively, so you will be wasting your time and money. There is a form of B-12 called lozenges, that you can take by placing tablets under your tongue, like a candy, and some of it will absorb through your salivary glands–it is a better option than tablets you have to swallow. Another option is B-12 nasal spray–which will bypass your digestive system altogether. There are also B-12 patches you can apply behind your ear, so that B-12 would absorb through your skin, going directly into the blood stream. With all these options, injections have been proven to be the best way to go–injections are administered into the muscle, which is supposed to store part of our B-12 storage by design already. While all other types of supplementation/treatment might take time to show benefits, with injections a difference can be felt within the same day, especially in those suffering from severe deficiency or neurological deficiency symptoms. However, even if you fall in the gray zone [300-450 pg/ml--subtle deficiency] but are very symptomatic, be emphatic with your doctor to request injections. I would not hesitate to ask for injections even if I came up with 550 pg/ml and was symptomatic–after all, it is my money that pays for it, and again, remember that there is no danger of overdosing! In addition to that studies* have shown that even omnivores with “normal” B-12 levels can greatly benefit from injections, alleviating such symptoms as depression, and a sense of wellbeing was reported in many. [*Source] Types of B-12 {Cobalamin} Treatments B-12 is produced in three forms used for B-12 deficiency treatments: 1. cyanocobalamin

http://www.gabrielcousens.com/DRCOUSENS/DRCOUSENSBLOG/tabid/364/language/en-US/~/Default.aspx?tabid=364&PostID=114&language=en-US

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2. hydroxocobalamin 3. methylcobalamin Studies have shown that hydroxocobalamin is superior to cyanocobalamin, and methylcobalamin is superior to methylcobalamin. 80% of the injected cyanocobalamin dose is excreted within the first 24-hours [Source]. You will be surprised to find out that cyanocobalamin is made with poison–cyanide, and who needs that in their bodies? Not only that but patients with Leber’s neuropathy cannot properly clear cyanide from their system, so cyanocobalamin can be life-threatening to them. Cyanocobalamin is the WORST choice of B-12! ”Not only does cyanocobalamin require a higher dosage for the same effectiveness of hydroxocabalamin, but it is entire ineffective for several conditions related to vitamin B-12 deficiency.” [Source] Since 1970′s several researches presented strong cases to remove cyanocobalamin as an option for treatment altogether. It is unfortunate that the US still has not heeded their educated advice, while Great Britain got on board with their recommendations. In contrast hydroxocobalamin has a greater retention rate [28-days after injection retention rates is nearly three times greater than cyanocobalamin], and it is more available to cells and is processed more efficiently by them. [Source] Methylcobalamin, as you have read in my last post, unfortunately is not as familiar in the US, not even to doctors. Methylcobalamin, unlike its two less effective cousins, “bypasses several potentially problematic steps of B-12 metabolism. Furthermore, methylcobalamin provides the body with methyl groups essential for various biological oxidation-reductions. Studies show that a small oral dose of methylcobalamin results in a greater accumulation of cobalamin in the liver than an oral dose of cyanocobalamin, and methylcobalamin is retained approximately three times longer in the tissue than cyanocobalamin.” [Source] “Degenerative neurological problems are where methylcobalamin shows its greatest benefits over other cobalamin preparations, and it is often one of the ONLY promising treatments for these tragic diseases. While Japan uses methylcobalamin nearly exclusively and it is the form present in prescription vitamin B-12 there, the United States has virtually ignored the hundreds of studies that show the benefits this simple vitamin can bring.” [Source] With this information you should be outraged to see cyanocobalamin in pre-natal vitamins, which unfortunately is the case.




http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/purely-happy-b-12-deficiency-diagnosis/



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How Much B-12? If you are low and your doctor agrees to B-12 injections, assuming that you will request methylcobalamin [fight for it tooth and nail--it will be worth your money], the author ofCould it Be B12? book, Sally M Pacholok, RN, suggest the following regimen:

1. Initial intramuscular injections of B12—1,000 mcg daily or every other day for 5-7 days, followed by

2. Intramuscular injections of B12—1,000 mcg weekly for four weeks, followed by 3. Intramuscular injections of B12—1,000 mcg either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, to

be individualized for each patient. Patients can get their injections at their doctor’s office, or, if you are a brave soul like me and wish to save money, you can ask your physician, or his/her nurse, to teach you how to give injections yourself. When ordering methylcobalamin from a pharmacy, ask for the one without preservatives, if at all possible. The bi-monthly/monthly injections after the initial treatment can be maintained as long as needed, for some for the rest of their lives, or, if you are able to properly and easily absorb B-12 vitamin through other forms of supplementation, the upkeep can be done with those options. Personally, we are going to go through 3 months of injection treatment, then we will have a check up and either continue with injections or/and switch to sublingual form of B-12. We are also planning to supplement with sublingual B-12 in-between our shots, once we go on a biweekly regimen. Again, remember that B-12 is not toxic and you cannot overdose, so doing both, injections and supplementation is totally safe. Sublingual and Oral Dosage If you, or your doctor, for one reason or another, decide that you are not doing injections, when choosing B-12 supplementation, look for the same options as in injections–methycobalamin is still the best way to go. There are many dosage options out on the market. When I shopped for B-12 for the first time a couple of years back, I found options ranging from 25 mcg/dose to 6,000+ mcg/dose. At the time I did not know any better and settled for 500 mcg lozenges. Had I known then what I know now I would have gone with at least 2,000-5,000+ mcg/dose. If you read my first article, you know that even a short treatment with 5,000 mcg/day of B-12 provided a huge relief to my muscle spasms–something I had not experienced for years. I can tell you, however, that 6 mcg, 25 mcg, or even 100 mcg, are not going to make much of a difference even for people with normal levels of B-12. It is like a grain of sand on a large beach–it will be lost and you would have wasted your precious time and money. I know that


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it can be misleading to read on a bottle that the dosage you take is 8000% of daily value–remember that a lot of it gets lost in the absorption/retention process. And yet again, remember that YOU CANNOT OVERDOSE WITH B-12! So, don’t be timid and afraid to go for 5,000 mcg of B-12 or more a day.

What I Use The moment my blood was drawn today, since I was holding off on supplementing with B-12 for the last week and a half, I popped in a 5,000 mcg lozenge into my mouth, and later in the day followed up with another one. Can you blame me? I just want to feel better FAST! I used Jarrow formula of methylcobalamin, which also happens to be safe for vegans to use:

The same company produces a different strength of this supplement:

There are other formulas that come recommended by those in the vegan community:

choose between 1000 and 5000 mcg

Liquid option of methylcobalamin:

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and a couple of patches of methylcobalamin:

and

[if you click on images you will be taken to the area where you can order any of these supplements]

Part IX: B-12 Deficiency–Dangers

of Deficiency and Resources

Dangers B-12 Deficiency and Misdiagnosis

So, what’s the worst that can happen if you don’t catch your B-12 deficiency or get misdiagnosed? This will vary for every single person. As I explained before: B-12 is involved in pretty much every single process in our body, including our DNA, so the deficiency can express itself in whichever way you can imagine. As such, it can also mimic several very vicious diseases, having the same symptoms. The issues, if B-12 deficiency goes untreated, can range from:

1. infertility 2. tingling/numbness in your extremities 3. severe headaches 4. onset of early menopause 5. insomnia

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6. neurological disorders, especially dangerous in children [that's why all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should test and supplement!] and older adults–that’s why their levels of B-12 should be higher then even the rest of the general population; they can include but are not limited to: Autism-like symptoms, developmental delays, lower IQ, schizophrenia, bi-polar disorders, etc.–all of which can be quickly addressed if caught in time!

7. autoimmune diseases: Alzheimer-like symptoms, Parkinson-like symptoms, dementia, etc.

8. paralysis 9. memory loss 10. frequent falls 11. pernicious anemia… which can literally live up to its name and be deadly

and everything else listed in these two posts: B-12 Deficiency–A Road To Recovery & Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Can Cause Hair Loss/B-12 Deficiency-the Great Mimicker. Reflecting back on those issues, do you think you would want to risk ignoring something that can be treated so simply and quickly if caught on time? I know that I don’t, that’s why the moment I realized this vitamin’s importance, I immediately scheduled an appointment with my doctor to get tested.

Examples Just to show you how dangerous misdiagnosis can be, I will give you a few examples I read about in Could it Be B12? book. “In 2000, a 50-year old woman, Vicki L., received a $3 million out-of-court settlement from two hospitals and two physician groups. Vicki charged doctors at each of these institutions failed to diagnose her B12 deficiency, leaving her permanently crippled. She suffers from chronic painful neuropathy, uses specialized crutches to walk, and has irreversible cognitive deficit. She is unable to work as a nurse because of her disability and has moved to a one-story home because she could no longer do up and down stairs. ‘Unless someone were in my shoes, you can’t imagine,” Vicki told a newspaper reporter. ”I can remember lying in bed and feeling death would be better because I was sick.’”

_____________________________ “In December 2007, the Toronto Sun reported the case of a 12-year old boy named JJ, who suffered great neurological injury due to misdiagnosed B12 deficiency. JJ was in and out of the Hospital for Sick Children for more than eight months, slowly losing his ability to walk, write, and draw. JJ’s neurologic status continued to deteriorate to the point where he needed a wheelchair, and none of his doctors could figure out why. He then became jaundiced, and his pediatrician worried that JJ’s organs were shutting down.






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‘I was watching my son dying in front of my eyes and no one would do anything,’ his mother said. ’…He stumped everyone {doctors}, he hit the medical history books because no one has been as bad as him.’ [But] JJ did not have a bizarre disorder; he simply had vitamin B12 deficiency. Yet none of his doctors knew the signs or symptoms, despite JJ’s classic presentations.” When the doctors finally did check JJ’s B-12, the levels were at… ZERO! ”As a result, of his chronic misdiagnosis, JJ’s simple B12 deficiency progressed to the point where it injured his myelin and nerves. JJ received a diagnosis of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord, secondary to pernicious anemia. A year after treatment, he was being home-schooled and needed to use a walker. His ability to concentrate was impaired, and he had trouble using his hands and legs. B12 is essential for bone-forming cells called osteoblasts, and JJ was found to have osteoporosis in his spine with multiple fractures.” Are you angry yet?! I hope you are. When I was reading the book I was in tears because of the pain these people, and some that I know, have gone through only because our medical community is not properly trained or is too ignorant and arrogant to pay attention to such a vital component to our health, which is so simple and affordable, it should be illegal not to test for it annually! But let me give you more to be angry about and cry about. Watch this video again. But I am not done yet… there is more. Remember the woman I told you about? The one that had seven, yes, SEVEN!, miscarriages before finally finding a doctor who could properly diagnose and treat her. Can you put a price sticker on that pain and heartache? Or can you determine the depth of pain of being unable to conceive, going through IVFs, infertility treatments, and spending thousands of dollars on futile and painful attempts to become parents, when an answer can be simple, and cost you less than $1000, including diagnoses and treatment. Can you put a price on that or can you afford to ignore it? How about seeing your parent waste away, due to Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, or even falls and memory lapses, and blaming “old age” on it, while they could be treated and be full of life and contributing to their families and society in general? “In an article in Discover magazine, Leslie Bernstein, MD, told of her shock when she saw ‘Pop,’ a formerly active, healthy patient of hers. ’If his grandson hadn’t been holding him up, he’d have pitched straight forward onto his face,’ she said. ’Saliva dribbled from the corners of his mouth. His eyes were vacant.’ Over time, Pop had changed from a healthy jogger and loving grandfather into a confused, incontinent man whose doctors diagnosed him as having senile dementia.

http://youtu.be/klobLSxv6i0

http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/07/can-vitamin-b-12-be-a-cure-to-infertility-and-stop-miscarriages-early-menopause-amenorrhea/

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Pop’s blood work looked normal, except his red cells were slightly larger than normal. His psychiatrist had concluded that he suffered from ‘toxic/organic disease without significant depression.’ Luckily, his family brought him to see Dr. Bernstein, who almost immediately thought of a more logical explanation for Pop’s drastic decline: Due to his age and vegetarian diet, he was probably B-12 deficient. Dr. Bernsteinquickly ordered blood work that showed that Pop had B12 levels too low to measure. Pop received an injection of B12 and by the next morning he could sit up by himself. Within two days, he could control his bowels and bladder, and within a week he could play card games and talk coherently on the phone. He did not make a full recovery–he continued to have a short attention span and to cry easily–but he didn’t need to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home, labeled with ‘senile dementia.’” [Source: Could it Be B12?] Have I gotten your attention yet? I hope I have.

Lesson Learned I hope I have also shown you that regardless of your age or diet, we are now all at risk of B-12 deficiency. If in the past people could rely on animal foods as their B-12 source; modern farming and animal farming practices, however, where animals are kept on a junk food diet of M & M’s, potato chips and corn… and even parts of their less fortunate dead comrades, and are raised in dangerous and miserable conditions, fraught with dirt and diseases, makes it impossible to live thinking that as long as we eat meat we are OK. It is no longer true. Albeit vegans and vegetarians are more prone to B-12 deficiency decline quicker, if they do not supplement, no one, and that includes you, is exempt from B-12 deficiency and its possible horrible side effects. I hope you have learned enough to now know that it is your responsibility to become even more educated on the topic and ask your doctor for annual checkups [remember that one test (blood serum) might not be enough to show the entire picture of your B-12 level], as well as supplementing every day, and, if needed, with injections. I also hope that you will spread this information to the people you love and care about–don’t let them suffer. It is OK if someone thinks that you are weird by connecting a possible vitamin deficiency to their pains and aches; it is OK if you become assertive and maybe a little pushy, like I have to do with the ones I love–in the long run the worst that could happen is you helping them to get better; and that is worth the risk of ridicule!

Resources I have already told you about the shots you can request and the types of vitamins you can use to supplement your lifestyle. Now I will share the resources I used in my study and research, although I will list only the ones that had a lot of information to offer, leaving out minor sources.


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Books

Could it Be B12? by Sally M Pacholok, RN, BSN & Jeffrey J Stuart, DO

B-12 Exposed, David Rainoshek, MA [e-book]

Webinar

David Rainoshek, MA, offers a FREE webinar on B-12 that will be worth every single moment you spend listening to it and watching it. All you have to do to register is click through this link , and pick the next time it is offered. It just happened that I found out about his webinar just as I was starting to do my research on B-12 [it could not have been more timely]. I enjoyed the information he shared so much that I ended up buying his e-book [see above] immediately.

Web-Sites B-12 Deficiency Patient Support Group–run by wonderful supporters of Dr. Chandy of

UK.






http://www.b12d.org/

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B12 Awareness, run by authors of Could it Be B12? Sally M Pacholok, RN, BSN & Jeffrey J Stuart, DO

Norman Clinical Laboratory, Inc. (NCL)–site is loaded with information on urinary MMA testing, you can also get your uMMA done through them

Wrongdiagnosis.com–the first thread I came upon when I just started doing my research. It prompted me to take a deeper look at my own symptoms. I have not read the entire thread–it spans over 3 years!

All of these resources should be enough to keep even the most curious of minds going for a LONG, LONG time. I wish you all the best and best health. [To learn about my progress, visit www.vega-licious.com]

http://b12awareness.org/

http://www.b12.com/

http://forums.wrongdiagnosis.com/showthread.php?t=9948

http://www.vega-licious.com/2011/08/cobalt-red-miracle-in-a-bottle-b12-injections/

benefits of a plant based diet

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