Why Are We So Sick These Days??

For the last 80-some years (in some cases, longer), we've been listening to the powers that be tell us that this and that will cause a host of health issues, including heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol/blood pressure; so we should eliminate *that* from our diet...or at least cut back on it! We've also been told that we should replace those things with their healthier options.

So, why have these medical issues become epidemics?? Because we've been listening to "them", instead of sticking with tried and true common sense nutrition.

In 1830, sugar consumption was 15 lbs per capita (most of it was molasses); today, we consume 150 lbs of sugar, per capita (most of it is high fructose corn syrup). In 1890, the obesity rate in the US (only white males, in their 50's) was only 3.4%; by 2009, it was reported that 32% of all Americans were obese. And diabetes has been around since the 1500's; but from 1980 through 2010, the number of Americans with diagnosed diabetes has more than tripled (from 5.6 million to 20.9 million). It's more common for an obese person to have diabetes, than for a person of ideal weight. High fructose corn syrup causes obesity, as well as other health concerns!

In 1902, Wilhelm Normann discovered that liquid oils can be hydrogenated, to create trans fatty acids. By 1957, the American Heart Association proposed that a reduction in dietary fats, namely saturated fats found in foods like butter and beef, can reduce the chance of getting heart disease. So, everyone switched to partially hydrogenated margarine.

In 1948, vegetable fat consumption was at 22 lbs. per capita. By 1976, it was at 55 lbs. per capita. As obesity and diabetes became public health issues, our consumption of of highly processed vegetable fats (including trans fatty acids) increased steadily, and consumption of animal fats has decreased. Dr. Mercola has a great article on the dangers of trans fats; you can read it, here.

Coincidentally (not that I believe in coincidence) but lard is a great source of Vitamin D, and a monounsaturated anti-microbial fatty acid called palmitoleic acid, that actually kills bacteria and viruses! And those same "experts" that told us animal fats were bad news, are now the ones over prescribing antibiotics, and other disease fighting drugs...they also say we're deficient in Vitamin D!

Do you see what I see? Those medical "experts" that gave us alternatives to the things that they said were bad for us, are the same ones who are inventing the medications we're being prescribed to help us manage the epidemics of diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol/blood pressure, etc.; all because we became sheep, and decided to take them at their word, and consume those "healthier" alternatives!

Salt is another thing..."they" tell us to reduce our sodium intake to avoid getting high blood pressure, or to lower it if we've already got it; but, have you seen the amount of sodium in some of these "healthy" foods??? And, "reduced sodium" or "low sodium" foods are higher in unhealthy fats, and/or sugar (mostly high fructose corn syrup), to make up for the lack of sodium.

Most of you know I'm following the Ketogenic Diet, now...low carb, high fat, moderate protein. In 1863, William Banting did the same thing, and published the Letter On Corpulence, Addressed to the Public. Mr. Banting had lost 85 pounds on a high fat, carbohydrate-restricted diet. But, the British Medical Journal and the Lancet reported that Banting's diet could be "dangerous"; they said, "We advise Mr. Banting, and everyone of his kind, not to meddle with medical literature again, but be content to mind his own business."

Mind his own business??? Shouldn't the health and well being of the people be the business of these medical "experts"?? Just what are they afraid of, anyway??

A loss of profits on the medications they've invented, to help us manage our illnesses, for one....they're the ones who caused those diseases to become the epidemics they are, in the first place, by telling us those things that are bad for us are good, and things that are good for us are bad. And we listened!! 

Harry S. Truman once said, “If you can't convince them, confuse them.” I'm not sure what that was in reference to, but "they" took it to heart...and we paid the price!!

The Bible says, in Isaiah 5:20 (NLT), "What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter." I've always believed that this means God's not at all pleased with people who lie, and take advantage of others' trust; so, when our beloved "experts" face their Maker (and we all will!), they're going to have to answer for why they chose to lie to us, and make us sick, for the sake of profits!

In my experience of becoming one of their Lab Rats, and developing a disease because I bought into their lies, too...I've learned to question EVERYTHING!! And, I encourage you to do the same...don't even take my word at face value; do your own research!

Are you ready for the truth??

Margarine vs Butter vs What the Heck??

Anyone ever have just coffee (or tea) and toast for breakfast? I like to spread my toast with some butter and fruit spread, most of the time.

Since becoming The Savvy Survivor, a niece of mine forwarded some information on the differences between margarine and butter, and said she hoped I could use this info in one of my blogs. So, here it is!

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Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.

It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow colouring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavourings....

DO YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?

Read on to the end...gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.

Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.


Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!

Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavours of other foods.

Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years .

And now, for Margarine..

Very High in Trans fatty acids.

Triples risk of coronary heart disease ...

Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)

Increases the risk of cancers up to five times..

Lowers quality of breast milk

Decreases immune response.

Decreases insulin response.

And here's the most disturbing fact... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC... and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.

These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:


* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)


* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.


Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?


Share This With Your Friends.....(If you want to butter them up')!

Chinese Proverb:
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others. 

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And now....a comparison of ingredients between some of the nations leading margarines, butter, and stuff I call "What the heck??" Those are supposed to be good for us, because of key ingredients...but they're really no better than margarine.

 Country Crock Margarine...  

Ingredients (16):

Vegetable(s) Oil Blend (Soybean(s) Oil Liquid, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Cottonseed Oil Hydrogenated) , Water, Salt, Soy Lecithin (Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Disodium EDTA Used to protect quality) , Whey (Milk) , Vegetable(s) Mono and Diglycerides, Flavor(s) Artificial, Beta Carotene color(s), Citric Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate

Right off the bat, I can't eat this....soybean oil; and anything that's "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" is a Trans fat...and WILL clog your arteries! Mono- and Diglycerides are emulsifiers...and another trans fat! Artificial flavors...what??? Artificial flavors from....where? Too vague for me! There are also hidden sources of MSG, in this product...do your homework!

Blue Bonnet Margarine...

Ingredients (15):

Water, Soybean(s) Oil Liquid, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Salt, Whey, Vegetable(s) Monoglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Propylene Glycol Monostearate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene color(s)

Again...soybean oil, and it's partially hydrogenated, too! Ok, wait...there's what in this stuff?? Does that say "Propylene Glycol Monostearate"?? Folks...that's an emulsifying agent found in cosmetics and personal care products!! Ewww!!

EDTA is short for Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (and I'm not even going to attempt to pronounce that! LOL!) Calcium Disodium EDTA is made from poisons and chelation chemicals; you can read all about this wonderful ingredient, here. And, again with the vague terms....natural & artificial flavors.

Next....

The folks on the Benecol website tout this as containing "a plant-derived ingredient that actually lowers your cholesterol" It even brags about it, on the package!

LIES!!! Read the ingredients...

Ingredients (15):

Canola Oil Liquid, Water, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Plant Sterol Esters, Salt, Emulsifier(s) (Vegetable(s) Mono and Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin) , Soybean(s) Oil Hydrogenated, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid and Calcium Disodium EDTA To Preserve Freshness, Flavor(s) Artificial, Di Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Colored With Beta Carotene

Do you see it?? Hydrogenated, and partially hydrogenated ANYTHING will increase your cholesterol...not lower it!!

Add that to all our other "favorite" ingredients, and I'd say this one goes on the "Ain't Happening" list, as well! LOL!

And, here we have butter....

Ingredients (2):

Cream Sweet Pasteurized, Salt

Well....finally! Ingredients I can pronounce; and, I know where they come from, too...no need for research, here! I think we have a winner, folks!!

Here's a few more brands of butter, with only those two ingredients...

I've never heard of this brand, but I thought the package was lovely!

Butter really is the best choice! As always, I will encourage you to investigate in order to find quality butter made from the milk of grass-fed animals; that's the best quality, and most nutrient dense, of all creamery butters.

And now...my "What the heck??" moment. This next product is touted as being super beneficial, because it's mixed with extra virgin olive oil; that's not the only thing it's mixed with...

Ingredients (17):

Butter Blend of Natural Vegetable Oils (Palm Fruit, Soybean(s), Flax Seed, Olive Oil Extra Virgin) , Water, Fish Oil, Contains less than 22% of Salt, Soybean(s) Lecithin, Flavor(s) Natural, Whey, Lactic Acid, Vegetable(s) Monoglycerides, Sorbitan Ester of Fatty Acids, Di Alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene

Natural Vegetable Oils....like soybean oil (can't do it!); flax seed oil is good and there's water in this. Wait...do I see what I think I see?? FISH OIL??? Now, fish oil is very good for you...but what's doing in a vegetable oil blend? Oh my!

Ok, moving on....more soy (soybeans and lecithin), natural flavors (still waiting for someone to tell me where these come from); monoglycerides...ok...don't let the "vegetable" notion fool you, folks, it's still bad news!!

Sorbitan Ester of Fatty Acids....used as a surfactant, an emulsifier, a buffering agent, a defoaming agent, a synthetic flavoring, a stabilizer and a lubricant. Ok...back up!! A defoaming agent?? I think I've just lot my appetite!! At least I now have a better idea of where "natural & artificial flavors" come from! LOL!! Here's some more info for ya!

I also understand why they used that in this product...water and oil don't mix, unless you force them to; hence, the need for a stabilizer/emulsifier.

Personally, I don't care how good vegetable spreads, margarine, and "blends" taste...pass the BUTTER, please!!

And, have a blessed day!! oxoxox

Soy – Dynamic, or Destructive?

There are a host of sites out there that will brag about the health benefits of soy; this product has been around for almost 5,000 years.

Nowadays, soy can be found in practically everything packaged, boxed, or canned, at the grocery store (even in the organic stuff!). If you're traveling through the inner aisles of the grocery store, chances are, you're purchasing something that has a soy product in it.

Soy has been touted as a beneficially healthy meatless protein source, because it’s a complete protein; I've read that it can also lower your cholesterol (low in saturated and trans fats), and may reduce your risk of heart disease. It’s even been said that it can help menopausal women, because it has phytoestrogens.

Here’s what else I've learned about its benefits -

• Good source of iron
• Reduced risk of certain cancers
• Protective benefit to cancer survivors
• Great alternative to cow’s milk

The recommended daily intake of soy is 25g per day. With all these benefits, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal, does it? Well, it probably wouldn't be, if it weren't for a few things we’re not being told.

The link I just gave you (click on the highlighted word “benefits”), is a website sponsored by Silk, whose parent company is Dean Foods. Dean Foods spent $253,000 in the cause to defeat Prop 37; kind of signals a red flag that the soy they peddle is GMO soy, doesn't it? Not only that…but we, the average consumer, don’t eat just 25g of soy a day. Remember, I said soy is found in practically everything packaged, bottled, or canned?

Read your labels...soy lecithin, soybean oil, and soy flour are all in our packaged, boxed and canned foods. Some of these may be, as well. Always read the labels!!

We, unfortunately, are eating WAAAAAAAY more than 25g, on a daily basis! And, you know what they say…too much of a good thing, is a bad idea!

Let me show you what Dr. Brownstein says about soy….this is an excerpt from one of his Newsletters:

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“I wrote about soy in both the December 2008 and November 2011 issues of Natural Way to Health. Soy is a type of plant called a legume – a category that also includes peas, beans, lentils and peanuts. And like other legumes, soy has been touted as a healthy food.

I can assure you that the vast majority of soy food sources are not healthy products. In fact, most soy products cause a myriad of health issues, including thyroid problems and deficiencies in many vitamins and minerals.

Then why is soy promoted as such a healthy food? For one thing, it is incredibly cheap to grow, so it is added to many products to increase volume. There are estimates that the food industry has added soy to more than 50 percent of supermarket food products. The vast majority of these products should be avoided.

Soy can be processed as a fermented or non-fermented product. Fermented soy is produced by using bacteria to break down the soy. Examples of fermented soy include miso, natto, tempeh, and fermented soy sauce.

The fermented forms of soy can be eaten in small amounts without causing nutrient deficiencies, or thyroid problems.

Non-fermented soy products, on the other hand, contain anti-thyroid agents and enzymes that block the absorption of many vitamins and minerals. Soy in its natural form contains protease inhibitors. Protease enzymes, such as trypsin, are used by the body to break down protein into amino acids. Amino acids are used to maintain muscle tone and bone strength.

Soy is one of the most potent trypsin inhibitors known to science. Animal studies have shown that trypsin inhibition results in illnesses of the pancreas as well as cancer. Examples of non-fermented soy products include soy milk, soy-based meat substitutes, soybean oil, tofu, and many kinds of spreads with soy in them.

Non-fermented soy use leads to hypothyroidism as well as autoimmune thyroid problems such as Hashimoto’s disease and Graves’ disease.

I have seen many patients develop thyroid problems due to soy ingestion. And it is nearly impossible to rectify thyroid problems in patients who continue to eat soy as a major protein source.”

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Ever hear of hexane? It’s a neurotoxin used to process soy milk. And you may not see the words “USDA Organic on soy products anymore…it’s not required. Hexane-processed soy milk can still be labeled “natural” or “made with organic ingredients” if there are any ingredients that were grown organically; regardless of how they’re processed.

Dr. Mercola is another voice of reason that I completely trust, when it comes to honest healthy lifestyle advice. His website as an article focused on soy; click here to read it.

To gain the benefits of soy, without consuming any, you can eat foods from these sites:

Balancing Hormones (the numbering system is a bit confusing, but this is a great list!)

Meatless Sources of Protein (#3, #6 and #9 mention soy products…we already know that’s not an option!)

Meatless Sources of Iron (this one also mentions soy, but there are a LOT more foods to choose from!)

Cholesterol Lowering Foods (soy alert!! Choose the other options!)

Cancer Fighting Foods (it’s an alphabetized list...skip over the soy!)

Alternatives to Cow's Milk (soy milk is mentioned first, but we won’t hold it against them! LOL!)

My own Oncologist even told me to avoid soy, since I was diagnosed with Estrogen-receptive Breast Cancer! Considering how much of our packaged foods have soy in them, it's not an easy task!

Soy is also used in products we don’t eat, so be mindful of labels on all your inedible products, too (body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, make up, etc.); it can still infiltrate your system, through your skin!

Considering all the possible ways soy can get into our bodies, it's frightening to think that it could cause an estrogen overload, in all of us, if we're not aware! Let me know if you have any more ideas for improving the overall condition of the body, without the use of soy products!

Have a great day, and be blessed! oxoxox

Clean Eating to Fight Cancer

I thought I'd spend a little time explaining why I've chosen to become a flexitarian, and eat clean, now.

As soon as the diagnosis of Stage IV Breast Cancer had set in, I began to reasearch natural ways to fight it off...I wasn't too keen, in the beginning, about going through Chemo! To be honest with you...I'm still not fond of the idea! But, there are TONS to sites out there, devoted to natural healing...here's what I have discovered:

No disease, illness, virus, etc. can live in a body that is pH balanced!

That's right! If your body is too acidic, you're at risk for developing all sorts of health concerns....diabetes, the flu, cancer, fibromyalgia, etc. Only when your body's pH is balanced, will you be in perfect health. So, I dug a little deeper to find out what foods are acid forming, and which ones were alkaline forming.

Anything we would consider "junk food" is acid forming. It's not even in it's natural state, and depleted of all, or most, of it's nutrient value. The term "junk food" was coined over 30 years ago, and consists of foods made by these guys, and their competitors:

Any and all candies, chips, colas, snack cakes, desserts, etc. are also junk foods, and acid forming to the body.

However, I did discover that there are some healthy foods that are acid forming...but you shouldn't do away with them. Most of these foods have beneficial nutrients:


ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES
Corn
Lentils
Olives
Winter Squash

ACIDIFYING FRUITS
Blueberries
Canned or Glazed Fruits
Cranberries
Currants
Plums
Prunes

ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS
Amaranth
Barley
Bran, oat
Bran, wheat
Bread
Corn
Cornstarch
Crackers, soda
Flour, wheat
Flour, white
Hemp Seed Flour
Kamut
Macaroni
Noodles
Oatmeal
Oats (rolled)
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spaghetti
Spelt
Wheat Germ
Wheat

ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES
Almond Milk
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Rice Milk
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans

ACIDIFYING DAIRY
Butter
Cheese
Cheese, Processed
Ice Cream
Ice Milk

ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Legumes
Peanut Butter
Peanuts
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts

ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN
Bacon
Beef
Carp
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shellfish
Shrimp
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison

ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS
Avacado Oil
Butter
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Flax Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safflower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunflower Oil


Other foods and, products we consume, that are not-so-good for us are also acid forming:

ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS
Carob
Corn Syrup
Sugar

ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL
Beer
Hard Liquor
Spirits
Wine

ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS
Catsup
Cocoa
Coffee
Mustard
Pepper
Soft Drinks
Vinegar

ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Herbicides
Pesticides
Tobacco

ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD
Beer: pH 2.5
Coca-Cola: pH 2
Coffee: pH 4

Any and all medications we take, whether they are over-the-counter or prescriptions, are acid forming. In order that our bodies are pH balanced, we need to be consuming more alkaline forming foods, than we do acid forming foods.

Did you notice something, though? Pesticides and herbicides are also acid forming to your body....who, in there right mind, would EAT pesticides or hebicides???

We do....the consumer. Every time you purchase fruits and veggies that are not organic, you risk eating something Monsanto has genetically engineered/modified; which means it probably has pesticides or herbicides in it. Even if it's original purpose was to be alkaline forming...becoming a GMO alters it's purpose.

Here is the list of alkaline forming foods....

ALKALIZING VEGETABLESAlfalfa
Barley Grass
Beet Greens
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard Greens
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spinach, green
Spirulina
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watercress
Wheat Grass
Wild Greens

ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Kombu
Maitake
Nori
Reishi
Shitake
Umeboshi
Wakame

ALKALIZING FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon
Lime
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon

ALKALIZING PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder

ALKALIZING SWEETENERS
Stevia

ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS
Chili Pepper
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Herbs (all)
Miso
Mustard
Sea Salt
Tamari

ALKALIZING OTHER
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Fresh Fruit Juice
Green Juices
Lecithin Granules
Mineral Water
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures
Soured Dairy Products
Veggie Juices

ALKALIZING MINERALS
Calcium: pH 12
Cesium: pH 14
Magnesium: pH 9
Potassium: pH 14
Sodium: pH 14

When purchasing your foods, whatever you're getting, always try to buy organic. I know it can get pretty costly, but you'll be doing your body (and your budget) a favor, in the long run! Eat free range chicken (and eggs from them), meats that were not injected with hormones or antibiotics; organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains (also organic), and milk from grass fed cows or goats (or try almond milk, or rice milk, if you're lactose intolerant).

Thanks for taking the time to read this; I hope it serves you well! Be healthy, and may God bless you!