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

---

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

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)

---

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 Millionaire Challenge

Other Website:
Organo Gold
Integrated marketing

Only Search This Blog

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)

---

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

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)

---

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

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

---

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

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

Only Search This Blog

Economics of Obesity

Excess weight, especially obesity, diminishes almost every aspect of health, from reproductive and respiratory function to memory and mood.  Obesity increases the risk of several debilitating, and deadly diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.  Treating obesity and obesity-related conditions costs billions of dollars a year. The enormity of this economic burden on health care is beginning to draw global awareness that we must do more to stem the rising tide of obesity.

Some examples of obesity's economic impact: (1)

* $190 billion in annual medical costs due to obesity, double earlier estimates.

* $1,850 more per year in medical costs for an overweight person than for someone of healthy weight, among employees at the Mayo Clinic and their adult dependents. $3,086 more per year in medical costs for a Mayo worker with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 to 40.

* $5,530 more per year in medical costs for a Mayo worker with a BMI above 40. By comparison, smokers' medical costs were only $1,274 a year higher than nonsmokers', who generally die earlier.

* $5 billion annually for additional jet fuel needed to fly heavier Americans, compared to fuel needed at 1960 weights.

* $4 billion annually for additional gasoline as cars carry heavier passengers.

* $1,026: annual cost of absenteeism per very obese male worker (BMI > 40). $1,262: Annual cost of absenteeism per very obese female worker.

* $277: annual cost of absenteeism per mildly obese (BMI 25 to 29.9) male worker.

* $407: annual cost of absenteeism per mildly obese female worker.

* $1,056: cost of a "bariatric chair," able to hold 500 pounds.

* $1,049: cost of a bariatric toilet rated at 700 pounds.

Missed days of work and higher insurance rates also contribute to the total cost of obesity.

Days missed from work are a cost to both employees (in lost wages) and employers (in work not completed). Obese employees miss more days from work due to short-term absences, long-term disability, and premature death than non obese employees. (2)

Employers pay higher life insurance premiums and pay out more for workers’ compensation for employees who are obese than for employees who are not. (3)

Tips on Preventing Obesity (4)

Children and Adolescents

Young people generally become overweight or obese because they don’t get enough physical activity in combination with poor eating habits. Genetics and lifestyle also contribute to a child’s weight status.

There are a number of steps you can take to help prevent overweight and obesity during childhood and adolescence. (They’ll help you, too!) They include:

• Gradually work to change family eating habits and activity levels rather than focusing on weight. Change the habits and the weight will take care of itself.
• Be a role model. Parents who eat healthy foods and are physically activity set an example that increases the likelihood their children will do the same.
• Encourage physical activity. Children should have an hour of moderate physical activity most days of the week. More than an hour of activity may promote weight loss and subsequent maintenance.
• Reduce time in front of the TV and computer to less than two hours a day.
• Encourage children to eat only when hungry, and to eat slowly.
• Avoid using food as a reward or withholding food as a punishment.
• Keep the refrigerator stocked with fat-free or low-fat milk and fresh fruit and vegetables instead of soft drinks and snacks high in sugar and fat.
• Serve at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Encourage children to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, such as soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice drinks.

Adults

Many of the strategies that produce successful weight loss and maintenance will help prevent obesity. Improving your eating habits and increasing physical activity play a vital role in preventing obesity. Things you can do include:

• Eat five to six servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A vegetable serving is one cup of raw vegetables or one-half cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice. A fruit serving is one piece of small to medium fresh fruit, one-half cup of canned or fresh fruit or fruit juice, or one-fourth cup of dried fruit.
• Choose whole grain foods such as brown rice and whole wheat bread. Avoid highly processed foods made with refined white sugar, flour and saturated fat.
• Weigh and measure food to gain an understanding of portion sizes. For example, a three-ounce serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards. Avoid super-sized menu items particularly at fast-food restaurants. You can achieve a lot just with proper choices in serving sizes.
• Balance the food “checkbook.” Eating more calories than you burn for energy will lead to weight gain.
• Weigh yourself regularly.
• Avoid foods that are high in “energy density” or that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food. For example, a large cheeseburger and a large order of fries may have almost 1,000 calories and 30 or more grams of fat. By ordering a grilled chicken sandwich or a plain hamburger and a small salad with low-fat dressing, you can avoid hundreds of calories and eliminate much of the fat intake. For dessert, have fruit or a piece of angel food cake rather than the “death by chocolate” special or three pieces of home-made pie.
• Crack a sweat: accumulate at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most, or preferably, all days of the week. Examples include walking a 15-minute mile, or weeding and hoeing the garden.
• Make opportunities during the day for even just 10 or 15 minutes of some calorie-burning activity, such as walking around the block or up and down a few flights of stairs at work. Again, every little bit helps.

References

1. Reuters reporting (Reporting by Sharon Begley)
2. Colditz GA. Economic costs of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992; 55:503S–507S.
3. Trogdon JG, Finkelstein EA, Hylands T, Dellea PS, Kamal-Bahl SJ. Indirect costs of obesity: a review of the current literature. Obes Rev. 2008; 9:489-500.
4. Stanfordhospital.org

---

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

Other Website:
Integrated marketing
Healthy Coffee, Tea and Hot Chocolate
Get the Proper Nutrition

Only Search This Blog

Obesity is a Big Problem

Many of my earlier posts are about obesity. Due to the fact that it is an on-going problem, I’m going to continue to write articles directed towards obesity.

Obesity has become a big problem not only in the health industry, but in almost every industry except the Weight Loss Industry. Airlines are charging obese flyers for two tickets; amusement parks are showing potential riders how big the seats are before they get in line and ferries are changing the rules as to how many passengers they can hold. The average weight of an adult used to be 160 pounds, now its 185 pounds. That means that normally they could take 8 passengers, now they can only take 7. Multiply that by 100 passengers or 1000 passengers and you have a tremendous amount of lost revenue. The only way to make up for that revenue is to increase the price that everybody pays. Many ferries will have 2000 passengers on a daily basis. Even though you aren’t obese, you are still paying higher prices because of obesity. Total weight also affects elevators where they have had to reduce the posted maximum capacity of people.

Obesity isn’t just a problem in the United States, it is a problem worldwide. In 1980, about 5 percent of men and 8 percent of women worldwide were obese. By 2008, the rates were 10 percent for men and 14 percent for women. Among rich countries, the US had the worst body mass index and Japan had the best. Other countries keeping the weight off are Belgium, France, Finland, Italy and Switzerland. Today, according to www.worldometers.info there are over 523 million people worldwide that are clinically obese. According to the World Health Organization, more than 40 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010.

Obesity means fat around your heart, lungs and internal organs. End result is an increase of diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, some cancers and ultimately medical expenses.

My next article will address the economics of obesity.

The problem with losing weight is most people go on a crash diet and as soon as they lose the weight, they gain it back. The best thing to do is to change your life style and the weight will take care of itself. If you need help with losing weight, send me an email. I can help.

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. In addition, I can provide you with products containing the Ganoderma Lucidum Herb.

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

For information and products containing the King of Herbs, Ganoderma Lucidum, Click Here

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

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

Other Websites:
Integrated marketing
Organo Gold

Only Search This Blog