DO THESE THINGS AND SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER BREAST CANCER RISK

With the recent announcement by Angelina Jolie to have her breasts removed due to having a defective BRCA1 gene, it seems as though the topic of breast cancer is on every one's mind these days.  When you consider that her decision is front and center on every news station and magazines like People, it's hard not to think about it.  The reality is that only about TWO PERCENT of breast cancer occurrences, so the chances of being faced with her decision are minimal.

But what about the other 98% of women?  Unfortunately, my wife Debbie was stricken with this terrible disease last year, and it seems as though you can't find many women these days who don't have a family member or close friend who hasn't had to face this diagnosis.  Why is this on the rise?  Unfortunately, there are a number of factors for this, but rather than talk about the causes, I'd like to focus on what can PROACTIVELY be done by women to SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER their chances of becoming one of the growing statistics.

While our medical community prefers to focus on higher cure rates through better treatment, wouldn't it make more sense to focus on the things that one can do to avoid it altogether?  My family has learned so much about how to do that since hearing the dreaded statement, "you have cancer" last October.  In the last six months, Deb has bravely battled through 16 rounds of chemotherapy with surgery and radiation still to come.  I often think, "If I had only known then what I know now, could we have avoided this?".  While I can't change our journey, my hope is that we can help as many women we know to avoid it as possible.  With that said, let's dive into some proactive ways that you can do just that!

• Avoid sugar, especially fructose. All forms of sugar are detrimental to health in general and promote cancer.Fructose, however, is clearly one of the most harmful and should be avoided as much as possible.
• Optimize your vitamin D. Vitamin D influences virtually every cell in your body and is one of nature's most potent cancer fighters. Vitamin D is actually able to enter cancer cells and trigger apoptosis (cell death). If you have cancer, your vitamin D level should be between 70 and 100 ng/ml. Vitamin D works synergistically with every cancer treatment I'm aware of, with no adverse effects. 

• Get plenty of natural vitamin A. There is evidence that vitamin A also plays a role in helping prevent breast cancer.  It's best to obtain it from vitamin A-rich foods, rather than a supplement. Your best sources are organic egg yolks, raw butter, raw whole milk, and beef or chicken liver.
• Lymphatic breast massage can help enhance your body’s natural ability to eliminate cancerous toxins. This can be applied by a licensed therapists, or you can implement self-lymphatic massage. It is also promotes self-nurturance.
• Avoid charring your meats. Charcoal or flame broiled meat is linked with increased breast cancer risk. Acrilamyde —a carcinogen created when starchy foods are baked, roasted or fried—has been found to increase breast cancer risk as well.
• Avoid unfermented soy products. Unfermented Soy is high in plant estrogens, or phytoestrogens, also known as isoflavones. In some studies, soy appears to work in concert with human estrogen to increase breast cell proliferation, which increases the chances for mutations and cancerous cells.
• Improve your insulin receptor sensitivity. The best way to do this is by avoiding sugar and grains and making sure you are exercising, especially with Peak Fitness.
• Maintain a healthy body weight. This will come naturally when you begin eating right for your nutritional type and exercising. It's important to lose excess body fat because fat produces estrogen.
• Drink a half to whole quart of organic green vegetable juice daily. We use a Vita-mix which keeps all the beneficial fibers of the fruits and vegetables we use intact.  A less expensive alternative to the Vita-mix that does a great job is the Nutri-Bullet.  
• Take Juice Plus Daily

  

• Get plenty of high quality animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil. Omega-3 deficiency is a common underlying factor for cancer.

• Curcumin. This is the active ingredient in turmeric and in high concentrations can be very useful adjunct in the treatment of breast cancer. It shows immense therapeutic potential in preventing breast cancer metastasis.  We throw a piece of turmeric into our smoothies every day.
• Avoid drinking alcohol, or at least limit your alcoholic drinks to one per day.  
• Breastfeed exclusively for up to six months. Research shows breastfeeding can reduce your breast cancer risk.
• Avoid wearing underwire bras. There is a good deal of data that metal underwire bras can heighten your breast cancer risk.
• Avoid electromagnetic fields as much as possible. Even electric blankets can increase your cancer risk.
• Avoid synthetic hormone replacement therapy. Breast cancer is an estrogen-related cancer, and according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer rates for women dropped in tandem with decreased use of hormone replacement therapy. (There are similar risks for younger women who use oral contraceptives. Birth control pills, which are also comprised of synthetic hormones, have been linked to cervical and breast cancers.)
If you are experiencing excessive menopausal symptoms, you may want to consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy instead, which uses hormones that are molecularly identical to the ones your body produces and do not wreak havoc on your system. This is a much safer alternative.
• Avoid BPA, phthalates, parabens and other toxic xenoestrogens. These are estrogen-like compounds that have been linked to increased breast cancer risk.  This includes ditching the cosmetics, shampoos, soaps and deodorants that have these.  Here's an example of the deodorant my wife now uses that is paraben free:
  

• Make sure you're not iodine deficient, as there's compelling evidence linking iodine deficiency with breast cancer. Dr. David Brownstein, author of the book Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It, is a proponent of iodine for breast cancer. It actually has potent anticancer properties and has been shown to cause cell death in breast and thyroid cancer cells.

By being proactive in these areas rather than simply hoping to not become a statistic, you can DRASTICALLY REDUCE your chances of facing this dreaded disease.  My hope is that we can begin to share more of a dialogue about prevention rather than so called "awareness".

That starts with sharing this post with everyone that you know via all types of social media.  Your decision to do so may have an impact on someone's health and well being!  Thanks!

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Much of the information in this blog was shared from the following article:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/27/angelina-jolie-double-mastectomy.aspx?e_cid=20130527_DNL_ProdTest3_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130527ProdTest3

"THE FOOD REVOLUTION" offers a free online summit

When it comes to your family's health, do you want to:

• GET INFORMED?
• PRIORITIZE YOUR HEALTH?
• MAKE CHOICES THAT EMPOWER YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR WORLD?
• STOP BEING VICTIMIZED BY JUNK FOOD MANUFACTURERS?
• PUT AN END TO FOOD DECEPTION ON YOUR PLATE?
• TAKE BACK YOUR RIGHT TO HEALTHY FOOD AND TRUTHFUL INFORMATION?

Starting this Saturday, April 27th through May 5th, we all have an unbelievable opportunity learn from 24 of the top experts in the field of nutrition and wellness about how to do just that.  "The Food Revolution" is an online summit that you can log onto and simply listen and learn (for FREE and without having to leave home).

The Food Revolution Summit is for you if...

• You feel concerned about what's happening with our food.
• You want your family to have access to good nutrition.
• You don't want to get cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
• You like to shop at farmer's markets or to buy locally grown food.
• You're disturbed by factory farms and genetically engineered food.
• You love animals.
• You want to find out how what you eat connects to the health of the planet.
• You want your family and friends to eat better but you don't want to seem like a nag.
• You love food - perhaps you're a bit of a foodie - or you love to cook!
• You want to enjoy food you can trust for a lifetime. 

Did you know that...

• Genetically engineered food is unlabeled, inadequately tested, and you're probably eating it every day.
• Some scientists have linked genetically engineered foods to toxic and allergic reactions in people; to sickness, sterility and fatalities in livestock; and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals.
• If you don't count French fries, ketchup or pizza as vegetables, more than half of Americans eat no vegetables at all.
• Thanks to the American diet, a child born today in the U.S. has a one in three chance of developing diabetes.
• Toxic pesticides developed as agents of war and linked to cancer and birth defects are routinely poured on farmland, and traces of them wind up in the food you eat.
• The same food choices that are good for you can be good for the planet, for farm workers, and for your great grandchildren.

Their speakers will share their expertise in areas like:

• Heart disease is the #1 killer, but it can be prevented and even reversed without drugs, surgery or excessive exercise. Find out how.
• Discover the nutrition that can help you prevent (and sometimes even cure) cancer.
• What are the top foods to avoid if you want to protect yourself and your family from GMOs?
• Recent reports say soy is toxic. Is it true? What's the real story?
• Which fats are healthy for you, and which are so hazardous that they should come with warning labels?
• Find out about affordable superfood breakthroughs that can give you health and vitality.
• Most vegetarians thrive. But over the years, some get sick or change course. Are they lacking vital nutrients?
• What are the health benefits and common pitfalls of a plant-strong diet?
• Type 2 diabetes is destroying lives, but it is completely preventable. Get empowered with the blood sugar solution!
• Which micronutrients are the most important for a strong immune system?
• How can you know if you are allergic to certain foods, and what can you do about it if you are?
• Multi-vitamins could be hazardous to your health. Find out why!
• Millions of people are eating raw or mostly raw diets. Is this a nutritional breakthrough, or a dangerous fad?
• Organic foods are increasingly popular. Are they worth the cost?
• Modern factory farms are breeding antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is killing tens of thousands of Americans every year. Find out what you can do about it.
• Use of the herbicide Roundup has increased three-fold since 1997. What doesn't Monsanto want you to know about its real health and environmental impact?
• You can help save the environment with your spoon and fork. You can actually stop big-agribusiness and build a better world by eating right.
• Find out how to be a positive influence on others. Yes, you can get your family to eat healthy like you instead of looking at you like a nut. We'll give you tips.
• Find out how you can stock a healthy pantry without spending a fortune.

To get signed up and attend the event, simply go to their sign up page at:

http://www.foodrevolution.org/summit?orid=127261&opid=18

Why This Summit is So Vital Right Now...

1) Our current food system is a mess and our health is suffering because of it.
Cancer and other diseases are becoming so widespread they seem normal! Large-scale industrialized food production is wreaking havoc on our forests, topsoil, air, water, and climate. Farm animals are being treated with incredible cruelty, and farm workers are often exploited. Genetically engineered (GMO) "Frankenfoods" are being shoved down our throats without knowledge or consent. Meanwhile, people are eating more and more artificial food --and getting fatter and sicker. In fact, more people are chronically ill than at any time in the history of the world.

2) Everyone has an opinion, but that doesn't mean every "expert" is reliable... or truthful. Despite an awesome volume of medical research that has come in over the last 60 years, the average physician receives only 24 hours of nutritional education in all their years of medical school. Advertisements try to sell us nutritional ideas, breakthrough gimmicks and pseudo-scientific diets that have little basis in reality. Many of these supposed "facts" are dangerously misleading, or just plain wrong.

3) People are rising up and making a change, and they are here to help.
Today there's a huge growing demand for natural, organic, sustainable, fair trade, humane, plant-strong, and healthy foods. In cities around the world, we're seeing more and more farmer's markets, and more young people getting back into farming. Grocery stores (even big national chains) are displaying local, natural and organic foods with pride. The global and local movements for healthy food have never been stronger. From the ground to our tables, food should be cruelty-free and fair trade and we want to see that become the new norm.

Join the millions of people who are concerned about the future of food who want reliable, up to date information from a source they can trust.

Again, to get signed up and attend the event, simply go to their sign up page at:

http://www.foodrevolution.org/summit?orid=127261&opid=18

If you know somebody who's health has deteriorated, or is suffering from illness, please consider sharing this vital information by clicking any of the "share" buttons below to have them learn how to improve their situation through good nutrition!

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CONSEQUENCES OF THE MONSANTO PROTECTION ACT PASSING

 

Just recently, the "Monsanto Protection Act" was passed into law, effectively putting Monsanto above the law.  I wanted to outline who Monsanto is, what the law is, how it was passed, and what it means to you and I and our loved ones' collective health if we continue to eat the GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) that they are responsible for.

First, let's take a look at Monsanto.  They are one of the world's largest Biotech companies at over $42 Billion in market cap per year.  Their enormous growth can be attributed to very effectively cornering the market on much of the world's genetically modified seed supply used to grow crops, and the poisonous pesticides used to fertilize them.  Here's a link to a great breakdown of some of the wonderful contributions that Monsanto has supplied us over the years:

http://gmo-awareness.com/2011/05/12/monsanto-dirty-dozen/

This link also goes into their introduction of GMO's (genetically modified organisms) to our food supply beginning in the 1990's.  Today, over 85% of the corn and 90% of the soybeans that go into the food supply in our nation are genetically modified, which translates to about 80% of the processed foods you'll find in your grocery store having GMO's in them.  Nearly all fast (fake) food carries GMO's as well.  What are GMO's, how do they effect us, and what can we do to avoid them?  Here's a brief explanation from the foremost expert on the adverse effects of GMO's, Jeffrey Smith, followed by a parody on GMO's:

The animated film does a great job (in a humorous and somewhat scary way) of outlining exactly how Biotech's like Monsanto are treating the population at large like guinea pigs with their pesticides and GMO crops.  Their goal is nothing short of squashing all organic farming worldwide and cornering the food market with their GMO farming methods.

How do we stop this?  With our wallets!  As was mentioned, you can go to http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/ to find foods that do not have GMO's.  You can also download the "Shop Non GMO" app to your IPhone, or the "Fooducate" app to your android phone.  Both of these apps allow you to scan the barcodes in your grocery store to determine if the foods carry GMO's.  I also look for the "Non GMO Verified" label on products that I buy, and the "Certified Organic" seal on products which do not carry GMO's.

My family has removed GMO's from our house by focusing on eating only whole foods, organic produce, and by removing all processed foods.  It took a while for me to understand how to navigate the GMO landmine that is our local grocery store, but with the Fooducate app, I was able to figure it out pretty quickly. 

Why are GMO's allowed into our food supply in the first place?  Unfortunately, money talks in America and our politicians have long been a part of the problem.  Take a look at John Stewart's explanation of how the Monsanto Protection Act was sneaked past us by our elected officials including President Obama.  This despite over 200,000 people including myself signing a petition against its passage:

So essentially, even if someone were to bring a successful lawsuit against Monsanto that proves the harmful side effects of their seed, farmers would be guaranteed to harvest and profit from these crops and they would still be able to find their way into our food supply as a result of this passing.

Unfortunately, our country has been woefully ignorant about GMO's and all of the negative health issues that they cause when compared with the rest of the world.  Europe has imposed mandatory GMO labeling as has Australia, Japan, and most other industrialized nations.  The main problem stems from the FDA only requiring safety studies from the Biotech companies themselves before approving the product for consumption by the public.  This is worse than having the fox guard the chicken coop!

We recently had a chance to finally pass meaningful legislation for mandatory GMO labeling with Prop 37 in California last November and it was defeated with 53% of the vote.  How can this take place when polls show that over 90% would like to see mandatory GMO labeling?  Monsanto and a number of our largest food suppliers contributed over $40 million to a smear campaign against it on TV to defeat it.  Unfortunately, it worked.   Here's a link to a list of the biggest contributors to defeat Prop 37 with the most to lose if it had passed:

http://www.carighttoknow.org/tags/syngenta

Take a look at the outcry of anger about GMO's in other countries across the world:

It's time our county joins the fight, and tells our politicians that they shouldn't sell out our health for lobbying $$$ from big biotech's like Monsanto.  What are the consequences if we ignore this?  How many people do you know that are contracting life threatening diseases lately without getting answers as to the true cause?  

I know that my wife recently contracting cancer at her age was a wake up call for our family, and my new purpose in life is to help as many people as possible to live a healthy life through healthy eating. For more detailed information on the specific health impacts of GMO's in your diet, you can visit the following link:

http://gmo-awareness.com/all-about-gmos/gmo-risks/ 

The father of medicine, Hippocrates, said it best when he stated, "Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food."  We have the ability to positively impact our health and the health of our loved ones by following this simple plan:

• Avoid GMO's in our diet whenever possible using the tools provided in this post.
• Boycott the companies that contributed to defeat mandatory GMO labeling.
• Insist that our elected officials support mandatory GMO labeling and vote for it when it comes up!  Support the cause.
• Help to inform everyone that you care for about this topic.

That starts with sharing this post with everyone that you know via all types of social media.  Your decision to do so may have an impact on someone's health and well being!  Thanks!

**If you would like to be updated when a new blog is posted to True Food Knowledge, please subscribe by clicking this link:

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REDUCE HEART ATTACK & STROKE RISK BY REDUCING THIS

Everywhere you turn, whether it be on grocery store shelves, or any variety of restaurant, we are bombarded with high salt options more than ever before.  Why do we have this obsession with this age old ingredient?  We love our flavor!  Ironically, the more salt we eat, the more we damage our taste buds which requires us to use even more of it over time!

The American Heart Association recently dropped their recommended daily amount of sodium intake from 2300 mg to 1500 mg.  The average daily dietary intake of sodium in the U.S. today sits at more than two times that amount at about 3500 mg per day.  Again, we like our taste, and the food industry is happy to fill that need, even if its to our detriment health wise.  

What are the consequences of having a high sodium diet?  Most notably, raising blood pressure which leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.  Americans have a 90% chance of developing high blood pressure in their lifetimes.  Every year in the U.S., 780,000 people die from heart disease.  Coronary heart disease causes 1 out of every 6 deaths in the U.S. every year.  On average, someone dies from heart disease every 39 seconds.  

To put this in perspective, the amount of annual deaths related to heart disease is the equivalent of 9-11 occurring 260 times annually.  Sadly, the vast majority of those deaths are entirely preventable if people would just be willing to change their diets instead of the popular choice of using prescription medications which don't address the root cause and only treat the condition.

I am in disbelief at the number of people I hear that are having heart attacks at younger and younger ages in this country.  I'm sure all of you reading this post can think of loved ones or your friend's loved ones who were lost at an early age to this, the number one cause of death in our country today.  Let's take a look at how we can make sure that we and our loved ones don't fall pray to this silent killer by taking control of our diets.  Here's three helpful tips to help you fight heart disease:

1. Change what you eat when eating out (especially fast food).  Let's say I'm in a hurry at lunchtime and decide to swing through a Burger King drive through for a quick lunch.  If I order a Whopper with cheese and a large fry, I've just taken in more than the recommended daily of sodium at over 2100 mg in one meal!  

Don't think that this isn't the case at most sit down restaurants as well.  You need to take control by learning what the sodium amounts are in each of the options offered by the restaurant you're going to.  Let's say you're going to Olive Garden for dinner and decide to go with their Chicken Parmesan.  Seems pretty harmless, right?  Wrong.  You just doubled your recommended daily allowance of sodium at 3380 mg!  If you had gone online and Googled "Olive Garden nutrition" and pulled up their PDF listing of entrees with nutritional information, you would have known that.  Instead, you may have gone with the spaghetti w/ meat sauce at 1340 mg, the Venitian apricot chicken at 1290 mg, or better yet, the herb grilled salmon at 360 mg.

This is the case with almost all dine out options.  You just need to arm yourself with information before dining out.  A good tip is to simply go online before dining out and Google the name of the restaurant and the word nutrition after it.  Many restaurants will offer a PDF that shows the nutrition information for all of their dishes.  Here's the example I used for Olive Garden:

http://www.olivegarden.com/core_content/pdfs/olive_garden_nutrition.pdf


2. Check out the labels for sodium content at the supermarket.  This one seems pretty obvious, but most people just throw it in the cart if it looks good without taking the time to look at this.  If you take more time to do this the next time you go shopping, I'll bet you'll be amazed at how much sodium is in some of your favorites.  Look for lower sodium alternatives if you are.

3. Incorporate foods that naturally prevent cardiovascular problems and lower cholesterol.  Here's a list of natural foods that significantly reduce your cholesterol and your chances for developing heart disease:

- Berries such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries

- Beans are high in soluble fiber, which reduces blood cholesterol levels

- Monosaturated fats which are also known as the "good fats".  These can be found naturally in avocados, flax seeds, chia seeds, nuts, and cold water fish like salmon.  These decrease inflammation, and lower saturated triglyceride levels.

- Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, chard, and arugula are high in fiber and loaded with antioxidants.  These are natural heart disease fighters.

- Whole grains such as oats, whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, and other unprocessed grains contain fiber, and minerals which reduce the risk of heart disease.

Other things that we can do to significantly lower our risk of heart disease:

- Lower our intake of highly salted chips and crackers

- Reduce the amount of fried foods that we eat

- Limit the amount of processed meats we eat such as sausages, hot dogs, etc.

- Make red meat such as steak and burgers a "once in a great while" aspect of our diet

- Substitute whole wheat pasta for refined pasta which is high in fat and calories

- Substitute low fat frozen yogurt over ice cream which is high in fat and sugar

- Avoid doughnuts.  There is NOTHING beneficial about eating these.

The bottom line is that heart disease is the number one killer in our country and many of those deaths are preventable.  A high salt diet (along with bad cholesterol and highly processed foods) is the main culprit.  The average American lives on a 90% processed and 10% whole food diet.  If we were all committed to making the majority of our diets whole foods, and the minority processed, high salt options, we would see the annual death toll from heart disease drop by the hundreds of thousands every year.  Cut the salt, cut the cholesterol, and watch your blood pressure drop!

*If you feel the information shared here can benefit friends or loved ones, please hit the share buttons below and spread the word!

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CHEWING GUM CAUSES MORE DAMAGE THAN JUST CAVITIES

Many of you who read my blog know that my youngest son Kyle is somewhat of a sugar-a-holic. When we started to learn the truth about many of the harmful ingredients in the candy that he loved to eat, we knew that we had to make changes.  We learned that what he loved not only made him hyper active, but it literally damaged brain cells and that many of the types of candies he loved had known carcinogens which have the potential to cause cancer when ingested consistently.

For this reason, we set out to find alternatives.  One of the biggest ingredients that we were dead set on removing from his diet was aspartame for a number of reasons.  If you're not familiar with what it can cause, please read my February 7th blog that covers it in detail.  We had always thought that we were doing Kyle a favor when buying sugarless gum until we realized that aspartame is in all of it!  We then figured that buying gum with good old fashioned sugar in it like Big Red and Juicy Fruit was a better option as long as we made him brush to avoid cavities.

It wasn't until today when he asked me for some when I filled up at the gas station that I realized that these options along with regular old bubble gum have aspartame and a number of other terrible ingredients that should be avoided at all costs!  Let's take a look at the Big Red gum that I almost bought.  The breakdown of ingredients below was provided by thesmilingman.hubpages.com:

Big Red ingredients: Sugar, gum base, corn syrup, natural and artificial flavors; less than 2% of: Glycerol, soy lecithin, aspartame-acesulfame, hydroxylated soy lecithin, color (red 40 lake, blue 1 lake), BHT (to maintain freshness).Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine.

1. Sugar: A sweetening additive. Made mainly from sugar cane and sugar beet.

Health effects: Safe if eaten in small amounts. Consumption of large amounts over time has been  linked to tooth decay, periodontal disease, obesity, hyperactivity, B vitamin deficiencies, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

2. Gum base: A non-nutritive masticatory substance used as a support for the edible and soluble portion of chewing gum.

Gum Base is made from a mix of raw materials which are categorized in five classes:

- Elastomers: act as the key ingredient and provide elasticity and bounce. Can be made from natural latexes such as couma macrocarpa, loquat, tunu, jelutong, chicle, or synthetic rubbers such as butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, and polyisobutylene.
- Resins: Act as binders and softeners, providing a cohesive body or strength and usually made from glycerol esters of gum, terpene resins, and/or polyvinyl acetate.
- Waxes: Render the elastomer soft to ensure thorough blending of the gum base. Usually made from paraffin or microcrystalline wax.
- Fillers: contribute to the overall texture. Made from calcium carbonate (chalk) or talc.
- Antioxidants: prevent oxidation of the gum base and flavors and extend shelf life. BHT is most commonly used.

Health Effects: Unknown. Though caution is advised due to the use of synthetic ingredients. Synthetic ingredients tend to be carcinogens.

3. Corn syrup: A sweet syrup made by treating corn starch with acid enzymes. May be genetically modified.

Health effects: Considered safe if eaten in small amounts. May cause allergic reactions.

4. Natural flavors: Any flavor not chemically derived. Obtained by physical processes from plants or animals. Made to provide flavor to a food rather than nutritional value. May contain MSG.

Health effects: Unknown.Different foods use different natural flavors and processes. Naturally derived ingredients may be altered, rendered unsafe. It should be noted that the use of the word “natural flavors” is often used to mask the use of harmful, naturally derived flavors.

5. Artificial flavors: A synthetic mixture not found in nature, designed to mimic a natural flavor. May contain MSG. Over 1,700 artificial flavors are approved by the FDA.

Health effects: Unknown. Companies are not required to identify the various synthetic mixtures (1,700 to date) used in foods, requiring only that they be listed under the umbrella of the “artificial flavors” listing. Some individuals are sensitive to artificial flavors, experiencing headaches, nausea, and drowsiness, among other symptoms.

Artificial flavors sample list: benzyl isobutyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate (petroleum derivative), methyl benzoate (petroleum derivative), hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone. An artificial flavor may be made up of any number of synthetic chemicals.

6. Glycerol: (Glycerine) A natural or synthetic (petroleum) byproduct of soap manufacturing. May be animal based. May be corn, peanut, or soy based. May be genetically modified. Used as a humectants (maintain moisture).

Health effects: Excess may cause headaches, nausea, elevated blood sugar,and may affect stomach and reproduction.

7. Soy lecithin: Made from soybean waste. Extracted with hexane, a gasoline byproduct, through a “hexane bath”. May contain pesticide residues. May be genetically modified.

Health effects: The use of hexane in the making of soy lecithin raises issue since hexane is a neurotoxin.

8. Aspartame: Artificial sweetener. Made from aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

Health effects: Studies link it to cancer in rats. May cause neurological and behavioral issues. Reported symptoms include irritability, headaches, insomnia, hyperactivity, seizures, memory loss, migraines, depression, vision problems, memory loss. Should be avoided by those with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria.

9. Acesulfame: Artificial sweetener. Not digested by the body, eliminated through urine.

Health effects: In animal studies, cause lung tumors, breast tumors, respiratory disease, leukemia, and cancer. Emits toxic fumes when heated to decomposition.

10. Hydroxylated soy lecithin: An emulsifier made from soy lecithin, which is made with hexane.

Health effects: The use of hexane in the making of soy lecithin raises issue since hexane is a neurotoxin.

11. Red 40 lake: Pigment manufactured to make insoluble color. Done by combining red 40 (a coal tar derivative) with a form of aluminum, calcium, barium potassium, strontium, or zirconium.

Health effects: A suspected carcinogen. Has been linked to hyperactivity, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and lower IQs in children. Some scientists question its safety since all tests were conducted by the manufacturer instead of the regulator, the FDA. May contain aluminum, which has been linked with lung & kidney disorders, and reduced skeletal mineralization. Alzheimer’s victims have been found with aluminum deposits in their brains, implicating aluminum as a factor in Alzheimer’s disease.

12. Blue 1 lake: Pigment manufactured to make insoluble color. Done by combining blue 1 (a coal tar derivative) with a form of aluminum, calcium, barium potassium, strontium, or zirconium.

Health effects: Produces malignant tumors at the site of injection and by ingestion in rats. Possible effects include asthma, hives, hay fever, low blood pressure, allergic reactions. Caution is advised if aspirin sensitive. May contain aluminum, which has been linked with lung & kidney disorders, and reduced skeletal mineralization. Alzheimer’s victims have been found with aluminum deposits in their brains, implicating aluminum as a factor in Alzheimer’s disease.

13. BHT: (Butylated hydroxytoluene)Antioxidant made from petroleum. Banned in the United Kingdom.

Health effects: Possible carcinogen. May cause chronic hives, asthma, aggressive behavior, and may affect liver, kidney, stomach, and reproduction.

Pregnant mice fed BHT gave birth to offspring with abnormal behavioral patterns. Possible link to DNA damage in mouse gut. Toxic to aquatic organisms.

A special thanks goes out to the Wrigley company for caring about their customers health so much by putting these ingredients in their products (NOT!).  So what can we do when we or our kids have the urge to chew on some gum if we don't feel like paying for it with a long list of potentially harmful side effects?

1. Order Glee Gum (www.gleegum.com)  Here's a link to their aspartame free gum options:

http://www.gleegum.com/aspartame-free-gum.htm?c1=GAW_CM_NW&source=GUM&kw=aspartame_in_chewing_gum&cr5=17098219448&gclid=CKTpmO_VhLYCFW2oPAodQUMAmQ

It has:

• No aspartame or other artificial sweeteners
• No artificial coloring or flavoring
• No preservatives
• No GMOs
• Sugar-free flavors sweetened with 100% xylitol
  for dental health
• Classic flavors sweetened with Fair Trade sugar
  & brown rice syrup
• Made with chicle to help conserve the rainforest
• Packed in biodegradable, recycled cardboard

2. Pur Gum (www.pur-gum.com)

PÜR Gum is sweetened with Xylitol, a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol found in corn cobs and stalks which a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.  Available in four delicious and tantalizing flavors: Wintergreen, Pomegranate Mint, Spearmint and Peppermint. YOU can KICK ASPARTAME to the curb with PÜR Gum.  Also, PUR Gum prides itself on the use of all-natural flavors, colors, and sweeteners, and their products are 100% GMO-free.

These are just a couple of options available to spare you and your family from the health hazards that we face by instinctively grabbing for the terrible options available to us at the check out lines.

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