Breast Cancer Awareness

More than 230,000 women and 2200 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Over 39,000 women and 400 men will die from the cancer. Now the good news, 191,000 women and 1800 men will survive the cancer. (1).

Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-exams at least once a month. Johns Hopkins Medical center states,

“Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.”

While mammograms can help you to detect cancer before you can feel a lump, breast self-exams help you to be familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you can alert your healthcare professional if there are any changes.

Women should check for:
• A lump in a breast
• A pain in the armpits or breast that does not seem to be related to the woman's menstrual period
• Pitting or redness of the skin of the breast; like the skin of an orange
• A rash around (or on) one of the nipples
• A swelling (lump) in one of the armpits
• An area of thickened tissue in a breast
• One of the nipples has a discharge; sometimes it may contain blood
• The nipple changes in appearance; it may become sunken or inverted
• The size or the shape of the breast changes
• The nipple-skin or breast-skin may have started to peel, scale or flake

What are the causes of breast cancer?
Experts are not sure what causes breast cancer. It is hard to say why one person develops the disease while another does not. We know that some risk factors can impact on a woman's likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Getting older - the older a woman gets, the higher is her risk of developing breast cancer; age is a risk factor. Over 80% of all female breast cancers occur among women aged 50+ years (after the menopause).

Genetics - women who have a close relative who has/had breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to develop breast cancer. If two close family members develop the disease, it does not necessarily mean they shared the genes that make them more vulnerable, because breast cancer is a relatively common cancer.

The majority of breast cancers are not hereditary.

Women who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a considerably higher risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. These genes can be inherited. TP53, another gene, is also linked to greater breast cancer risk.

A history of breast cancer - women who have had breast cancer, even non-invasive cancer, are more likely to develop the disease again, compared to women who have no history of the disease.

Having had certain types of breast lumps - women who have had some types of benign (non-cancerous) breast lumps are more likely to develop cancer later on. Examples include a typical ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ.

Dense breast tissue - women with more dense breast tissue have a greater chance of developing breast cancer.

Estrogen exposure - women who started having periods earlier or entered menopause later than usual have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. This is because their bodies have been exposed to estrogen for longer. Estrogen exposure begins when periods start, and drops dramatically during the menopause.

Obesity - post-menopausal obese and overweight women may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Experts say that there are higher levels of estrogen in obese menopausal women, which may be the cause of the higher risk.

Height - taller-than-average women have a slightly greater likelihood of developing breast cancer than shorter-than-average women. Experts are not sure why.

Alcohol consumption - the more alcohol a woman regularly drinks, the higher her risk of developing breast cancer is. The Mayo Clinic says that if a woman wants to drink, she should not exceed one alcoholic beverage per day.

Radiation exposure - undergoing X-rays and CT scans may raise a woman's risk of developing breast cancer slightly. Scientists at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found that women who had been treated with radiation to the chest for a childhood cancer have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) - both forms, combined and estrogen-only HRT therapies may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer slightly. Combined HRT causes a higher risk.

Certain jobs - French researchers found that women who worked at night prior to a first pregnancy had a higher risk of eventually developing breast cancer.

Canadian researchers found that certain jobs, especially those that bring the human body into contact with possible carcinogens and endocrine disruptors are linked to a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Examples include bar/gambling, automotive plastics manufacturing, metal-working, food canning and agriculture. They reported their findings in the November 2012 issue of Environmental Health.

Cosmetic implants may undermine breast cancer survival - women who have cosmetic breast implants and develop breast cancer may have a higher risk of dying prematurely form the disease compared to other females, researchers from Canada reported in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) (May 2013 issue).

The team looked at twelve peer-reviewed articles on observational studies which had been carried out in Europe, the USA and Canada.

Experts had long-wondered whether cosmetic breast implants might make it harder to spot malignancy at an early stage, because they produce shadows on mammograms.

In this latest study, the authors found that a woman with a cosmetic breast implant has a 25% higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer when the disease has already advanced, compared to those with no implants.

Women with cosmetic breast implants who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a 38% higher risk of death from the disease, compared to other patients diagnosed with the same disease who have no implants, the researchers wrote.

After warning that there were some limitations in the twelve studies they looked at, the authors concluded "Further investigations are warranted into the long term effects of cosmetic breast implants on the detection and prognosis of breast cancer, adjusting for potential confounders." (2)

(1) http://www.cancer.org/research/cancerfactsstatistics/cancerfactsfigures2013/index

(2) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37136.php

---

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blog:
God in America

Other Website:
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate

Only Search This Blog

Cancer and Yeast Infections

(reprinted with permission)

April 2, 2013 by Dr. Juliet Tien, D. N. Sc.

According to the American Cancer Institute, cancer claims 7.6 million lives per year worldwide. Cancer death rate is more than AIDS (1.8 million); tuberculosis (1.3 million); and malaria (830,000).

Many factors have been associated with cancer. Tobacco, alcohol, pollution, an unhealthy work environment, food additives, pesticides, drugs, emotional stress and dietary habits have been cited as the most common factors causing cancer.

In my several decades of clinical practice, I have found that the same diet that is associated with yeast disorders is also associated with cancer. For example, I have noticed that a high incidence of stomach and esophageal cancers among Asian populations is associated with a high intake of fermented, yeast-loaded pickles. Another example is that when cancer clients walk into my office, I smell their heavy yeasty breath.

Moreover, Dr. Otto Warburg, a Nobel Prize winner in Science in 1931, demonstrates that a cancer cell has the metabolism of a plant cell. He describes the process as “fermentation.” A plant cell thrives on carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen as its waste product. This is opposite to the function of “normal cells.”

Other researchers also report that one of the probable mechanisms underlying carcinogenic processes is the cellular release of free oxygen radicals. These free oxygen radicals contribute to DNA mutation (Willner, 1994).

Dr. Gaston Naessens, a renowned Canadian biologist in his research for a cancer solution, developed an advanced microscope capable of magnifying 30,000 times (standard microscopes are capable of magnifying 1,800 times). This enabled him to carefully observe an important phenomenon called polymorphism (the ability to change form). This is also known as the process of fermentation.

When the fermentation process takes place, a cell reverts itself to a more primitive state. This results in more rapid growth and chaos. Moreover, this fermentation process changes the biochemical codes or sensors of the cell.

Some researchers claim that all human beings have oncogenes (cancer genes). Why do some people get cancer, and yet others don’t? The answer is the immunity. The weakened immune system cannot identify the invader and start the normal battle to get rid of this invader. In fact, a weakened immunity may even adopt the identity of the foe (a fermented cancer cell) and attack a normal cell (Willner, 1994). When a chaotic battle takes place, the so-called autoimmune disease or cancer is the result.

All the above information was detailed in my book, Breaking the Yeast Curse: Food and Unconditional Love for Magic Healing, Published in 1997. At that time I was considered “ahead of the time.” Nearly two decades later, some literature begins to be available on the Internet supporting my assertion that cancer is a severe case of yeast disorder.

“Is cancer treatable?” I am sure that you are eager to hear the answer.

The answer is: “It depends.”

If people diagnosed with cancer rely on radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, or surgery with the hope to prolong their lives, I would say that they are heading toward the wrong direction on the freeway. Radiation and chemotherapy destroy the immunity. With surgery, there is heavy use of antibiotics that creates yeast overgrowth in the body. When yeasts ferment, they mutate the normal cells, and thus create cancer cells. Also, in the fermentation process, a chemical substance called propyl alcohol is released. This substance feeds the parasites that have been dormant in every living body. Thus, both yeasts and parasites are “activated” as a result of radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, or surgery. If the above treatment methods are combined, then there is a “double whammy” or “triple whammy.” Worse of all, after all that damage done to the body, the average survival rate is only five years!

My several decades of clinical experience working with people from all walks of life across several continents, suggests that when my cancer clients control the yeast overgrowth, they also slow down the cancer deterioration process. Together with other holistic treatment methods, especially stress management and releasing deep-rooted negative emotions, many cancer clients are often able to be in “permanent remission.”

So the ultimate answer is: “Yes! Cancer is treatable!” if one employs a holistic approach to remove both physical and mental toxins. This includes 1) adopting an anti-yeast nutritional program to control the overgrowth of yeasts and parasites; 2) using herbal therapy to heal damaged cells quickly and improve the immunity, and 3) managing stress effectively, and releasing negative emotions such as anger, resentment, fear, regret, and guilt.

Cancer can be seen as a “wake-up call.” If one can “wake up” and adopt a healthier lifestyle, the cancer experience is merely a “gift” from the divine source! Please note: Candida is a member of the yeast family. Therefore, candidiasis is also a form of yeast infection.

Consultation is available at our offices in downtown Los Angeles, or over the phone, or Skype (for international clients). For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (818) 472-2213 or send an e-mail to drj@drjsbest.com. Skype name: academyofvibranthealth.

--- End of Article ----

---

Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us.

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blog:
God in America

Other Website:
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate

Only Search This Blog

Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month

More than 230,000 women and 2200 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Over 39,000 women and 400 men will die from the cancer. Now the good news, 191,000 women and 1800 men will survive the cancer. (1).

Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-exams at least once a month. Johns Hopkins Medical center states,

“Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.”

While mammograms can help you to detect cancer before you can feel a lump, breast self-exams help you to be familiar with how your breasts look and feel so you can alert your healthcare professional if there are any changes.

Women should check for:
• A lump in a breast
• A pain in the armpits or breast that does not seem to be related to the woman's menstrual period
• Pitting or redness of the skin of the breast; like the skin of an orange
• A rash around (or on) one of the nipples
• A swelling (lump) in one of the armpits
• An area of thickened tissue in a breast
• One of the nipples has a discharge; sometimes it may contain blood
• The nipple changes in appearance; it may become sunken or inverted
• The size or the shape of the breast changes
• The nipple-skin or breast-skin may have started to peel, scale or flake

What are the causes of breast cancer?
Experts are not sure what causes breast cancer. It is hard to say why one person develops the disease while another does not. We know that some risk factors can impact on a woman's likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Getting older - the older a woman gets, the higher is her risk of developing breast cancer; age is a risk factor. Over 80% of all female breast cancers occur among women aged 50+ years (after the menopause).

Genetics - women who have a close relative who has/had breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to develop breast cancer. If two close family members develop the disease, it does not necessarily mean they shared the genes that make them more vulnerable, because breast cancer is a relatively common cancer.

The majority of breast cancers are not hereditary.

Women who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a considerably higher risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. These genes can be inherited. TP53, another gene, is also linked to greater breast cancer risk.

A history of breast cancer - women who have had breast cancer, even non-invasive cancer, are more likely to develop the disease again, compared to women who have no history of the disease.

Having had certain types of breast lumps - women who have had some types of benign (non-cancerous) breast lumps are more likely to develop cancer later on. Examples include a typical ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ.

Dense breast tissue - women with more dense breast tissue have a greater chance of developing breast cancer.

Estrogen exposure - women who started having periods earlier or entered menopause later than usual have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. This is because their bodies have been exposed to estrogen for longer. Estrogen exposure begins when periods start, and drops dramatically during the menopause.

Obesity - post-menopausal obese and overweight women may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Experts say that there are higher levels of estrogen in obese menopausal women, which may be the cause of the higher risk.

Height - taller-than-average women have a slightly greater likelihood of developing breast cancer than shorter-than-average women. Experts are not sure why.

Alcohol consumption - the more alcohol a woman regularly drinks, the higher her risk of developing breast cancer is. The Mayo Clinic says that if a woman wants to drink, she should not exceed one alcoholic beverage per day.

Radiation exposure - undergoing X-rays and CT scans may raise a woman's risk of developing breast cancer slightly. Scientists at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found that women who had been treated with radiation to the chest for a childhood cancer have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) - both forms, combined and estrogen-only HRT therapies may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer slightly. Combined HRT causes a higher risk.

Certain jobs - French researchers found that women who worked at night prior to a first pregnancy had a higher risk of eventually developing breast cancer.

Canadian researchers found that certain jobs, especially those that bring the human body into contact with possible carcinogens and endocrine disruptors are linked to a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Examples include bar/gambling, automotive plastics manufacturing, metal-working, food canning and agriculture. They reported their findings in the November 2012 issue of Environmental Health.

Cosmetic implants may undermine breast cancer survival - women who have cosmetic breast implants and develop breast cancer may have a higher risk of dying prematurely form the disease compared to other females, researchers from Canada reported in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) (May 2013 issue).

The team looked at twelve peer-reviewed articles on observational studies which had been carried out in Europe, the USA and Canada.

Experts had long-wondered whether cosmetic breast implants might make it harder to spot malignancy at an early stage, because they produce shadows on mammograms.

In this latest study, the authors found that a woman with a cosmetic breast implant has a 25% higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer when the disease has already advanced, compared to those with no implants.

Women with cosmetic breast implants who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a 38% higher risk of death from the disease, compared to other patients diagnosed with the same disease who have no implants, the researchers wrote.

After warning that there were some limitations in the twelve studies they looked at, the authors concluded "Further investigations are warranted into the long term effects of cosmetic breast implants on the detection and prognosis of breast cancer, adjusting for potential confounders." (2)

(1) http://www.cancer.org/research/cancerfactsstatistics/cancerfactsfigures2013/index

(2) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37136.php

---

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blog:
God in America

Other Website:
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate

Only Search This Blog

Blood Sugar and Dementia

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine "showed how levels of blood sugar directly relate to risk for dementia. The investigation followed over 2,000 elderly individuals for an average of 6.8 years and found that even small elevations of blood sugar translated into a significant increased risk for dementia, even among persons without diabetes.

"The United States has now been granted the distinction of ranking first in terms of increased number of deaths from neurological diseases including dementia. In a recent report in the journal Public Health, Prof. Colin Pritchard and colleagues from Britain’s Bournemouth University evaluated causes of death in the 10 largest Western countries between 1979 and 2010. During that time period, deaths in America related to brain conditions rose an astounding 66% in men and 92% in women.

"These compelling statistics are supported by what we’ve recently learned about monetary expenditures for caring for dementia-afflicted patients. In a recent RAND study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, costs for dementia care in 2010 were estimated to be as high as $200 billion, roughly twice that expended for heart disease and almost triple what was spent on treating cancer patients.

"Research clearly shows that up to 54% of Alzheimer’s cases in the U.S. could have been avoided if proper attention was given to various modifiable lifestyle factors, including diet and physical activity, as published in the journal The Lancet Neurology.

"Mayo Clinic researchers have told us, for example, that risk for mild cognitive impairment, the harbinger for Alzheimer’s disease, or full -blown dementia is an astounding 42% lower in elderly folks who consume a diet higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates, as reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease."

To read more about this, below are the sources. The paragraphs above are exact quotations from these articles:

Sources:
*http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/22/why-we-can-and-must-focus-on-preventing-alzheimer-s.html
*http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/07/10278/over-half-alzheimers-cases-may-be-preventable-say-researchers
*http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS1474-4422%2811%2970072-2/abstract
*http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130510075502.htm
*http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1210951?query=TOC&
*http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1215740

New product that helps block absorption of sugar http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/product/sweet-fx-90-caps/sku-3068.aspx

Supplements for weight management http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/products/weight-management/cat-3-43.aspx

Supplements for brain health and memory http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/products/brain-healthmemory/cat-2-117.aspx

This article is a repost from Facebook: Nature's Sunshine Products, Inc.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us.

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blog:
God in America

Other Website:
Integrated marketing
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate

Only Search This Blog

GMO = Genetically Modified Organisms

(This blog post was inspired by my lovely Daughter-in-Law Heather)

Seven ways GMO toxicity affects animals, plants and soil

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer

http://www.naturalnews.com/038792_GMO_toxicity_digestion_cancer.html#ixzz2SHdDNqSa

(NaturalNews) In the aftermath of the defeat of Proposition 37 in California, many more Americans are now aware of the existence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their unlabeled presence throughout the food supply. But with this awareness has come a lot of confusion, as the processed food and biotechnology industries have spent a lot of money and effort spreading propaganda and lies about GMOs. So to help set the record straight, we have outlined seven specific ways in which GMOs damage animals, plants, soil, and ultimately humanity.

1) GMOs disrupt digestion. Purveyors of GMOs claim that the human body is unable to tell the difference between GMOs and natural food. But a 2004 study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology tells a different story, having found that transgenic plant DNA actually persists in the human gastrointestinal tract upon consumption. According to this important study, which is the closest thing to a human clinical trial that has ever been conducted with GMOs, genetic material from GMOs actually transfers into the DNA of living bacteria in the gut, where it reproduces indefinitely. (http://www.anh-usa.org)

2) GMOs cause cancer. The most recent study to identify a link between GMO consumption and the formation of cancer, the so-called Seralini Study provides solid evidence showing that GMOs are processed by mammals far differently than natural foods. According to this study's findings, rats fed a lifetime of GMOs sprayed with the toxic Roundup (glyphosate) herbicide developed serious tumors that took over their entire bodies. An earlier study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences arrived at similar results, with the addition of organ failure as a symptom of GMO consumption. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

3) GMOs increase herbicide use. Contrary to industry claims, GMOs have not reduced the need for chemical inputs, but rather greatly expanded it. According to a comprehensive, 16-year review of chemical use in conjunction with the advent of GMOs in 1996, researchers from Washington State University's Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources found that herbicide use has increased by an astounding 527 millions pounds since GMOs were first introduced. To make matters worse, Roundup, the chemical of choice for many GMOs, has been found to persist in soils, waterways, and other environmental nooks and crannies, and sometimes it even ends up contaminating water supplies. ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com)

4) GMOs damage native species. A major point of contention with GMOs is that they can very easily pass their traits onto non-GMO, organic, and native crops and other plants, effectively destroying their very integrity permanently. Hundreds of farmers have actually been sued by Monsanto and other GMO giants over the years after their crops were inadvertently contaminated by GMOs. GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies. (http://www.naturalnews.com/035511_insecticide_bees_collapse.html)

5) GMOs pollute the environment. Mainstream scientists and industry spokespersons often gloat about the supposed environmental benefits of GMOs. But the truth of the matter is that GMOs and the chemicals used to grow them are a major source of environmental pollution. A 2011 study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science found that the Bacillus thuriengensis (Bt) bacteria engineered into Monsanto's GM corn can now be found in hundreds of streams and waterways throughout the U.S. Midwest. Another study published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry revealed that Roundup herbicide is also present in many waterways and groundwater sources throughout America as well. (http://naturalsociety.com)

6) GMOs deplete soil minerals, destroy beneficial bacteria. The presence of Roundup, Bt bacteria, and other GMO byproducts in our water and soil would only be half as bad if these toxins merely persisted as innocuous pollutants. But studies have shown that these chemicals actually degrade and deplete soils of vital minerals and beneficial bacteria, both of which protect crops from pests, viruses, and other threatening elements. Glyphosate, the active component in Roundup, also does not biodegrade, which means it is continually accumulating in the environment without restraint, perpetually altering soil composition and contaminating natural resources. (http://www.psrast.org/soilecolart.htm)

7) GMOs spawn crop-destroying 'superweeds,' 'superbugs.' The basic premise behind how GMOs work portends that artificially engineering crops with resistance to certain chemicals and exposures that would otherwise harm or kill them can improve yields and protect the environment. And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin. As a result, pestilence and disease is on the rise due to GMOs, which spells eventual disaster for the food supply. (http://grist.org)

To learn more about the dangers of GMOs, visit the Institute for Responsible Technology:
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers

Sources for this article include:

http://www.theepochtimes.com

http://essentialstuff.org

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/038792_GMO_toxicity_digestion_cancer.html#ixzz2SHeETIoK

(End of Article)

---

Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blogs:
God in America
Integrated marketing
100 Millionaires

Other Website:
Integrated marketing
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate

Only Search This Blog

GMO and Your Family

NON GMO PROJECT

GMO = Genetically Modified Organisms

(This blog post was inspired by my lovely Daughter-in-Law Heather)

Make informed choices about what your family is eating

One of the most common concerns about the prevalence of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in North America is whether they are safe for our children and families to be eating.

Are my kids eating genetically engineered food?

The sad truth is many of the foods that are most popular with children contain GMOs. Cereals, snack bars, snack boxes, cookies, processed lunch meats, and crackers all contain large amounts of high risk food ingredients. In North America, over 80% of our food contains GMOs.  If you are not buying foods that are Non-GMO Project Verified, most likely GMOs are present at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

What if I only buy organic?

Shopping organic is a great step towards ensuring that your family eats the healthiest foods possible. The challenge is that although GMOs are an excluded method under the National Organic Program, organic certification does not require GMO testing. Choosing products that are Certified Organic AND Non-GMO Project Verified is the best way to make sure you are getting the safest, healthiest, highest-quality food for your family.

What are the most common GMOs?

The most common GMOs are soy, cotton, canola, corn, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, alfalfa, and squash (zucchini  and yellow). Many of these items appear as added ingredients in a large amount of the foods we eat. For instance, your family may not eat tofu or drink soy milk, but soy is most likely present in a large percentage of the foods in your pantry.

GMOs may be hidden in common processed food ingredients such as: Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Yeast Products.

I am overwhelmed by the prospect of changing our diet, where should I begin?

Take a step by step approach. For instance, many parents find it is useful to begin with looking at what their family is eating for breakfast.

There are many resources available to help you find non-GMO choices:

• Use the product search online to find verified products and brands

Social media can also be a great tool to find out about newly verified products and other people working to keep GMOs out of their home. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to connect with others who are committed to eating non-GMO.

For More Information about foods containing GMO, the Non GMO Project can be found at http://www.nongmoproject.org/

• GMO Myths and Truths
• Agricultural Crops That Have a Risk of Being GMO
• The Non-GMO Project Verified
• Information on GMO Sweet Corn
• A database of non-GMO products

Here is the definition of GMO by Wikipedia

(End of Article)

---

Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blogs:
God in America
Integrated marketing
100 Millionaires

Other Websites:
Integrated marketing
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate
Repair Your DNA

Only Search This Blog

GMO DANGERS

Genetically modified foods… (This blog post was inspired by my lovely Daughter-in-Law Heather.)

Are they safe?

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) doesn’t think so. The Academy reported that “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. The AAEM asked physicians to advise patients to avoid GM foods.

Before the FDA decided to allow GMOs into food without labeling, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that GM foods can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies, but were ignored.

Since then, findings include:

• Thousands of sheep, buffalo, and goats in India died after grazing on Bt cotton plants
• Mice eating GM corn for the long term had fewer, and smaller, babies
• More than half the babies of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks, and were smaller
• Testicle cells of mice and rats on a GM soy change significantly
• By the third generation, most GM soy-fed hamsters lost the ability to have babies
• Rodents fed GM corn and soy showed immune system responses and signs of toxicity
• Cooked GM soy contains as much as 7-times the amount of a known soy allergen
• Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the UK, soon after GM soy was introduced
• The stomach lining of rats fed GM potatoes showed excessive cell growth, a condition that may lead to cancer.
• Studies showed organ lesions, altered liver and pancreas cells, changed enzyme levels, etc.

Unlike safety evaluations for drugs, there are no human clinical trials of GM foods. The only published human feeding experiment revealed that the genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function. This means that long after we stop eating GM foods, we may still have their GM proteins produced continuously inside us. This could mean:

• If the antibiotic gene inserted into most GM crops were to transfer, it could create super diseases, resistant to antibiotics
• If the gene that creates Bt-toxin in GM corn were to transfer, it might turn our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide factories.

Although no studies have evaluated if antibiotic or Bt-toxin genes transfer, that is one of the key problems. The safety assessments are too superficial to even identify most of the potential dangers from GMOs. See our Health Risks brochure and State of the Science report for more details and citations.

Recent health studies provide growing evidence of harm from GMOs. Some of those studies are listed below.

GM Corn Damages Liver and Kidneys
Meat Raised on GM Feed is Different
Roundup Could Cause Birth Defects
Genetically Modified Soy Linked to Sterility
Damaging Effects of Roundup
GM Crops Do Not Increase Yields
GMOs Inevitably Contaminate and Persist
Industry Studies are Flawed

Why isn't the FDA protecting us?

In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration claimed they had no information showing that GM foods were substantially different from conventionally grown foods. Therefore they are safe to eat, and absolutely no safety studies were required. But internal memos made public by a lawsuit reveal that their position was staged by political appointees who were under orders from the White House to promote GMOs. In addition, the FDA official in charge of creating this policy was Michael Taylor, the former attorney for Monsanto, the largest biotech company, and later their vice president.

In reality, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that GM foods can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies, but were ignored.

Today, the same biotech companies who have been found guilty of hiding toxic effects of their chemical products are in charge of determining whether their GM foods are safe. Industry-funded GMO safety studies are too superficial to find most of the potential dangers, and their voluntary consultations with the FDA are widely criticized as a meaningless façade.

Information about the American Academy of Environmental Medicine

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine was founded in 1965, and is an international association of physicians and other professionals interested in the clinical aspects of humans and their environment.

The Academy is interested in expanding the knowledge of interactions between human individuals and their environment, as these may be demonstrated to be reflected in their total health. The AAEM provides research and education in the recognition, treatment and prevention of illnesses induced by exposures to biological and chemical agents encountered in air, food and water.

AAEM website can be found at http://aaemonline.org/index.php

Here is the definition of GMO by Wikipedia

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Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blogs:
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Help for Multiple Sclerosis

ASEA Testimonial by James Eckburg

(Editor's Notes: The below testimonial is taken from a blog post by James Eckburg. The original article can be found here. Parts of it are reprinted here with his permission. I personally do not have any financial interest in the ASEA Company nor am I a distributor of ASEA products. Ray R Barmore)

The article below is a testimonial I wrote last year.

Please read it and you will see how this product has been a great help for me.

December 8, 2012

My name is James Eckburg and I teach HTML classes for our global marketing system named Veretekk.

While doing so, I met someone living on the East Coast of the United States named Edward Najjar, who became a very good friend.

While I was helping Edward learn HTML, he became involved with a product called ASEA. Both he and his wife used it and obtained great results.

Well, I have MS (Multiple Sclerosis), have had it for over 30 years, and have been in a wheelchair since 1989. I have experienced severe tremors, to the point that I could make you a milkshake in 15 minutes flat on a bad day!

Over the years, I have been prescribed many different medications to help keep my MS under control, but these have also introduced other health problems along the way.

In 2009, I met with the owner of our local fitness center. She and I had several conversations and she put me on a program using a stationary bicycle whereby I did 100 miles a day through the summer. I went from over 300 pounds to about 210 pounds, but I could not get the weight any lower.

Over the next years, I was still experiencing a lot of pain and was having tests done through my neurologist, as well as trying new medicines. Well, in the process of trying all these different things, I began speaking with Edward and, while he didn't pressure me, he did tell me more and more positive things about this product ASEA.

Not only was Ed telling me about his and his wife's experiences with ASEA, he was also telling me about the reports he was getting from his customers as to what benefits they were experiencing.

He sent me some links to his website and I did look at everything. But what really got my wife's and my attention was that the last few times we talked, Ed kept assuring me that there were no side effects and that I could still continue to take my prescribed medications and not experience any problems or negative side effects.

During this time, my neurologists had changed some of my medications but I had not seen the results that I was hoping for. So the neurologist told me that he would run some more tests.

So, we thought that we should give ASEA a try. I called Edward and told him I wanted to sign up. Now I have been on ASEA for about 4 months. I have taken it regularly, daily, as instructed.

Meanwhile, my heart doctor as well as my primary care doctor told me that they needed a fasting blood sugar.

Okay, this was after a month and a half after taking ASEA.

My heart doctor looked at the results and said I was doing really well. Even my cholesterol level was fine; my bad cholesterol level was down to 85. Needless to say, the doctor was very impressed – he was blown away!

So, I left him some information about ASEA and told him that I was on it! In fact before I left the room, my neurologist came back and said that I looked better than I had since he had started to see me. I sounded a lot better and that I should stay on the product.

Well, I'm still drinking the product. Now this last time I saw my neurologist, I was able to stand up by the wheelchair and do a few other things that I haven't been able to do in 30 years.

So, I gave him my website and also left him some literature. So, he changed my new medicine and I was to let him know within one month, since he cut back on the medicine. So, I called him and reported that I was doing really great, so he decided to cut back more for the next 6 weeks.

And, then he cut me back again for another 6 weeks.

I would say to anyone who is out there with a serious health condition, or health challenge, that this product has meant more to me than anything since 1989; well, actually, it's been my miracle, so to speak.

So, this last Thanksgiving (2012) my wife and I went down to see our son in Louisville and this was the first time I was able to stand up, I was able to move around their apartment, and I walked up the steps to get to their apartment!! It took me a long time, but I worked at it and made it. (NOTE: Mrs. Eckburg, James' wife, clarified that James actually walked up two flights of steps to get to a second floor apartment – one set of 6 steps outside and another set of steps inside the building)

So this is a big testimony about how this ASEA product has been a help to me.

By taking 2 ounces in the morning, I am able to exercise on my stationary bicycle. And, then, by taking 2 ounces at night, after supper, I am able to sleep through the whole night. In fact, by holding on to my wheelchair after I exercise in the evening, I can I move out through the kitchen and into the bathroom. But, for now, once I stop, I can't get going again.

And, with ASEA, I have been able to hold my weight down to between 195 and 197 pounds. And, once in a while, I do get down to 194 pounds.

I say again, this has been my miracle. I hope and pray that this can help others.

There is much more to this story that I have yet too tell and share with you. As of March of 2013 my neurologist has taken me off one med and hopes to take me off more. I can now get up and stand up from my wheelchair and WALK!!!!!!

Yes that is right I can now walk which I have not been able to do since 1989.

So the ASEA product has been my ANGEL.

Article by James Eckburg
Senior Health and Wellness Strategist
www.teamasea.com/jamescornershop
www.eckburgjoe.veretekk.com
114 E. Franklin St.
Lanark, Illinois 61046
skype: jamesoeck1
joeckburg@gmail.com

(End of Article)

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For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

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Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

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Laughter is the Best Medicine (Article 2 of 2)

(The following 2 part article is taken primarily from http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

Bringing more humor and laughter into your life

Here are some ways to start:

• Smile. Smiling is the beginning of laughter. Like laughter, it’s contagious. Pioneers in “laugh therapy,” find it’s possible to laugh without even experiencing a funny event. The same holds for smiling. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling.
• Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the good things in your life will distance you from negative thoughts that are a barrier to humor and laughter. When you’re in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to get to humor and laughter.
• When you hear laughter, move toward it. Sometimes humor and laughter are private, a shared joke among a small group, but usually not. More often, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”
• Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.
• Bring humor into conversations. Ask people, “What’s the funniest thing that happened to you today? This week? In your life?”

Developing your sense of humor: Take yourself less seriously

One essential characteristic that helps us laugh is not taking ourselves too seriously. We’ve all known the classic tight-jawed sourpuss who takes everything with deathly seriousness and never laughs at anything. No fun there!

Some events are clearly sad and not occasions for laughter. But most events in life don’t carry an overwhelming sense of either sadness or delight. They fall into the gray zone of ordinary life–giving you the choice to laugh or not.

Ways to help yourself see the lighter side of life:

• Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take yourself less seriously is to talk about times when you took yourself too seriously.
• Attempt to laugh at situations rather than bemoan them. Look for the humor in a bad situation, and uncover the irony and absurdity of life. This will help improve your mood and the mood of those around you.
• Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your family or friends having fun.
• Keep things in perspective. Many things in life are beyond your control—particularly the behavior of other people. While you might think taking the weight of the world on your shoulders is admirable, in the long run it’s unrealistic, unproductive, unhealthy, and even egotistical.
• Deal with your stress. Stress is a major impediment to humor and laughter.
• Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.

Checklist for lightening up

When you find yourself taken over by what seems to be a horrible problem, ask these questions:

• Is it really worth getting upset over?
• Is it worth upsetting others?
• Is it that important?
• Is it that bad?
• Is the situation irreparable?
• Is it really your problem?

Using humor and play to overcome challenges and enhance your life

The ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of their relationships.

Life brings challenges that can either get the best of you or become playthings for your imagination. When you “become the problem” and take yourself too seriously, it can be hard to think outside the box and find new solutions. But when you play with the problem, you can often transform it into an opportunity for creative learning.

Playing with problems seems to come naturally to children. When they are confused or afraid, they make their problems into a game, giving them a sense of control and an opportunity to experiment with new solutions. Interacting with others in playful ways helps you retain this creative ability.

As laughter, humor, and play become an integrated part of your life, your creativity will flourish and new discoveries for playing with friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and loved ones will occur to you daily. Humor takes you to a higher place where you can view the world from a more relaxed, positive, creative, joyful, and balanced perspective.

(End of Article)

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Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

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Laughter is the Best Medicine (Article 1 of 2)

(The following 2 part article is taken primarily from http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter

Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use

Laughter is strong medicine for mind and body

“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.”

~ Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D.

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.

With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health.

Laughter is good for your health

• Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

The Benefits of Laughter

Physical Health Benefits

• Boosts immunity
• Lowers stress hormones
• Decreases pain
• Relaxes your muscles
• Prevents heart disease

Mental Health Benefits

• Adds joy and zest to life
• Eases anxiety and fear
"
• Relieves stress
• Improves mood
• Enhances resilience

Social Benefits

• Strengthens relationships
• Attracts others to us
• Enhances teamwork
• Helps defuse conflict
• Promotes group bonding

Laughter and humor help you stay emotionally healthy

Laughter makes you feel good. And the good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter subsides. Humor helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.

More than just a respite from sadness and pain, laughter gives you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh–or even simply a smile–can go a long way toward making you feel better. And laughter really is contagious—just hearing laughter primes your brain and readies you to smile and join in the fun.

The social benefits of humor and laughter

Humor and playful communication strengthen our relationships by triggering positive feelings and fostering emotional connection. When we laugh with one another, a positive bond is created. This bond acts as a strong buffer against stress, disagreements, and disappointment.

Laughing with others is more powerful than laughing alone

Creating opportunities to laugh

• Watch a funny movie or TV show.
• Go to a comedy club.
• Read the funny pages.
• Seek out funny people.
• Share a good joke or a funny story.
• Check out your bookstore’s humor section.
• Host game night with friends.
• Play with a pet.
• Go to a “laughter yoga” class.
• Goof around with children.
• Do something silly.
• Make time for fun activities (e.g. bowling, miniature golfing, karaoke).

Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. All emotional sharing builds strong and lasting relationship bonds, but sharing laughter and play also adds joy, vitality, and resilience. And humor is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Laughter unites people during difficult times.

Incorporating more humor and play into your daily interactions can improve the quality of your love relationships— as well as your connections with co-workers, family members, and friends. Using humor and laughter in relationships allows you to:

• Be more spontaneous. Humor gets you out of your head and away from your troubles.
• Let go of defensiveness. Laughter helps you forget judgments, criticisms, and doubts.
• Release inhibitions. Your fear of holding back and holding on are set aside.
• Express your true feelings. Deeply felt emotions are allowed to rise to the surface.

(End of Article)

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Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
Skype: barmore4

Other Blogs:
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Obesity is a Big Problem

Five Foods that can trigger a stroke. (1)

Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning. And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five foods that cause the damage that leads to stroke.

1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods

Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.

Why it's bad

For years scientists have known trans fats are dangerous artery-blockers, upping the concentrations of lipids and bad cholesterol in the blood and lowering good cholesterol. Now we can add stroke to the list of dangers. This year researchers at the University of North Carolina found that women who ate 7 grams of trans fat each day -- about the amount in two doughnuts or half a serving of French fries -- had 30 percent more strokes (the ischemic type, caused by blocked blood flow to the brain) than women who ate just 1 gram a day. Another recent study, also in women, found that trans fats promoted inflammation and higher levels of C-reactive protein, which have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

What to do

Aim to limit trans fats to no more than 1 or 2 grams a day -- and preferably none. Avoid fast-food French fries and other fried menu items and study packaged food labels closely. Even better, bake your own cookies, cakes, and other snacks.

When you can't, search out "health-food" alternative snacks, such as Terra brand potato chips and traditional whole grain crackers such as those made by Finn, Wasa, AkMak, Ryvita, and Lavasch.

2. Smoked and processed meats

Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.

Why it's bad

Smoked and processed meats are nasty contributors to stroke risk in two ways: The preserving processes leave them packed with sodium, but even worse are the preservatives used to keep processed meats from going bad. Sodium nitrate and nitrite have been shown by researchers to directly damage blood vessels, causing arteries to harden and narrow. And of course damaged, overly narrow blood vessels are exactly what you don't want if you fear stroke.

Many studies have linked processed meats to coronary artery disease (CAD); one meta-analysis in the journal Circulation calculated a 42-percent increase in coronary heart disease for those who eat one serving of processed meat a day. Stroke is not the only concern for salami fans; cancer journals have reported numerous studies in the past few years showing that consumption of cured and smoked meats is linked with increased risk of diabetes and higher incidences of numerous types of cancer, including leukemia.

What to do

If a smoked turkey or ham sandwich is your lunch of choice, try to vary your diet, switching to tuna, peanut butter, or other choices several days a week. Or cook turkey and chicken yourself and slice it thin for sandwiches.

3. Diet soda

Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down -- a heart-healthy goal -- it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.

Why it's bad

People who drink a diet soda a day may up their stroke risk by 48 percent. A Columbia University study presented at the American Stroke Association's 2011 International Stroke Conference followed 2,500 people ages 40 and older and found that daily diet soda drinkers had 60 percent more strokes, heart attacks, and coronary artery disease than those who didn't drink diet soda. Researchers don't know exactly how diet soda ups stroke risk -- and are following up with further studies -- but nutritionists are cautioning anyone concerned about stroke to cut out diet soda pop.

What to do

Substitute more water for soda in your daily diet. It's the healthiest thirst-quencher by far, researchers say. If you don't like water, try lemonade, iced tea, or juice.

4. Red meat

This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn't healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn't exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.

Why it's bad

Researchers have long known that the saturated fat in red meat raises the risk of stroke and heart disease by gradually clogging arteries with a buildup of protein plaques. Now it turns out that hemoglobin, the ingredient that gives red meat its high iron content, may pose a specific danger when it comes to stroke. Researchers are investigating whether blood becomes thicker and more viscous as a result of the consumption of so-called heme iron, specifically upping the chance of strokes.

What to do

Aim to substitute more poultry -- particularly white meat -- and fish, which are low in heme iron, for red meat. Also, choose the heart-healthiest sources of protein whenever you can, especially beans, legumes, nuts, tofu, and nonfat dairy.

5. Canned soup and prepared foods

Whether it's canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association's recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you'll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years.

Why it's bad

Salt, or sodium as it's called on food labels, directly affects stroke risk. In one recent study, people who consumed more than 4,000 mg of sodium daily had more than double the risk of stroke compared to those who ate 2,000 mg or less. Yet the Centers for Disease Control estimate that most Americans eat close to 3,500 mg of sodium per day. Studies show that sodium raises blood pressure, the primary causative factor for stroke. And be warned: Sodium wears many tricky disguises, which allow it to hide in all sorts of foods that we don't necessarily think of as salty. Some common, safe-sounding ingredients that really mean salt:

• Baking soda • Baking powder • MSG (monosodium glutamate) • Disodium phosphate • Sodium alginate

What to do

Make your own homemade soups and entrees, then freeze individual serving-sized portions. Buy low-sodium varieties, but read labels carefully, since not all products marked "low sodium" live up to that promise.

How to tell if someone is having a stroke (2)

Stroke sign #1: Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg -- especially on one side of the body

You may notice that the stroke victim's mouth suddenly looks "uneven." Ask him to smile and see if one side droops. He may have difficulty moving his arm or controlling his fingers. Have him close his eyes and raise both arms to see if one of them drifts downward.

Stroke sign #2: Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

Language problems are among the most common signs of stroke. Someone having a stroke may suddenly begin slurring his speech or have trouble speaking. He may not be able to understand what you're saying to him. Ask him to repeat a simple sentence back to you, such as "I went to the tore today." If he has difficulty getting the words out, the cause could be a stroke.

Stroke sign #3: Sudden vision trouble in one or both eyes

Vision problems that come on suddenly is another common stroke symptom. What to look for: Someone having a stoke may not be able to see clearly out of one eye, or may have difficulty looking to the right or left. He may complain of blurry or double vision.

Stroke sign #4: Sudden difficulty walking, loss of balance or coordination, dizziness

Walking as if intoxicated, stumbling, or even falling down are all stroke symptoms. Other similar signs to watch for: Walking with legs spread apart or a sudden loss of fine motor ability, such as an inability to write.

Stroke sign #5: Sudden severe headache with no known cause

A headache is not necessarily a stroke symptom. But if a headache strikes unexpectedly or seems unusually intense, it's reason for concern. If a stiff neck, facial pain, or vomiting accompanies the headache, the cause could be an intracranial hemorrhage, also known as a "red stroke."

Not all of these warning signs occur with every stroke. Don't ignore stroke symptoms even if they disappear. And don't let the person talk you out of calling 911. Tell him you understand that he's upset, but you're going to call anyway because you love him. The most precious gift you can give someone who's having a stroke is immediate treatment.

What to do if someone shows signs of having a stroke

It's common for someone having a stroke to try to downplay the situation because he's embarrassed and doesn't want to cause a scene for no reason. Take charge and call for help even if he tries to talk you out of it. Don't wait to see if his symptoms go away -- and call even if his symptoms suddenly disappear. He may be having a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or ministroke, which is itself a warning sign that a full-blown stroke may be on the horizon.

If you notice one or more of the above stroke signs, call 911 right away. Make a note of the exact time when symptoms began; this information can be extremely helpful for the emergency room personnel.

(1) http://www.caring.com/articles/5-foods-that-can-trigger-stroke
(2) http://www.caring.com/articles/signs-that-someon-is

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Get help losing weight and keeping it off. I’m offering you the hassle-free, low-hunger path to weight-loss success. Created by doctors and scientifically based, this program is all about personalization – giving your body the nutritional support you need. If you are trying to lose weight, rather it’s to lose 10 pounds or that baby weight, I offer weight loss help.

I can help you with diet planning and counseling.

For information on nutrition and losing weight, go to Rays Nutrition Center
or contact me at: raybarmore@gmail.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: Billionaire Ed Mercer wants to break a Guinness World Record by making 100 people millionaires. This is a very exciting opportunity. Come and join us. For access to a conference, CLICK HERE

Ray R Barmore
Health and Wellness Coach
The Herbal Guy
San Diego California
619-876-5273
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