More profit driven propaganda!

Because soy is one of the two biggest US government subsidized crops, and because soy is also one of the two most common ingredients, in some way shape or form, in ALL processed foods, and because soy is one of the two biggest GMO crops on the market today, there is an enormous profit driven need and desire to make the public believe that it is healthy.  Many deep greedy pockets depend on it!

So when I read an article like this one in today's health news... Woman who ate more soy survive lung cancer better,  I am not the least bit surprised. Disturbed... but not surprised.

The majority of the soy consumed today as part of the typical American unhealthy diet is through the consumption of processed foods.  And aside from maybe "soy lecithin" the average consumer would never connect the dots between an ingredient listed on the package and its laboratory altered soy derived counterpart. 

This is why GMO soy (and corn) is such big business.  It can be shaped molded and restructured at the molecular level into whatever the food manufacturer wants or needs. 

What this "article with an agenda" fails to mention is that fermented soy (like Miso), not the otherwise heavily consumed filler, binder, flavor enhancer, preservative, etc. that is found in processed foods is the dietary staple for countries like China or Japan. 

It's important to remember that with fermented foods, unlike their unfermented counterpart, any and all anti-nutrients present in the original food are no longer present in this naturally modified version.  In fact fermentation increases the level of nutrients within the given food while adding the bonus of gut-friendly bacteria, which by now you should know is essential in a healthy diet.

So before you jump on the bandwagon and ramp up your already overloaded daily intake of unhealthy soy, make sure you know the facts.

All for a good cause...

I find it disturbing that our society is so hooked on processed sugary foods that it has become socially acceptable... No, expected that we take part in the consumption of them all in the name of "a good cause".

Case in point, Girl Scout cookies.

Today a coworker has brought in boxes and boxes of Girl Scout cookies to hand out to those who previously "contributed to the cause".  My question here is, what exactly is the cause?  Cancer... Diabetes... Heart disease... Autoimmune disease... Obesity?

All valid questions since processed foods (sugar) in the American diet can be blamed for nearly every chronic disease we suffer.  And yet those of us who make a conscious daily effort to NOT support what has become a lifestyle fraught in disease and chronic disorders, but rather support the prevention of disease are left having to explain our actions; or lack thereof.

Label me what you will, I refuse to be a supporter of the leading cause of death and medically induced financial debt in this country.  I stand firmly behind my actions and believe that by NOT taking part in this perceived social obligation is the true action done for a good cause!

I support my local organic sustainable farmers for a Good Cause!

I pasture my own laying hens in my back yard for a Good Cause!

I do NOT support factory farming for a Good Cause!

I support those companies that do NOT support the use of GMOs in our food, for a Good Cause!

I support the act of humanly raising farmed animals rather than the abusive torturous mistreatment they would otherwise endure, for a Good Cause!

I try to live my life with the belief that humans are not a superior all entitled species but rather merely a part (small part in fact) of the circle of life on this planet that starts and ends with the countless microorganisms that make up not only the land we live on but our bodies as well... for a Good Cause!

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

I found this article by Christopher Masterjohn on the benefits and importance of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K) to be a great example of why a diet high in healthy saturated fat is crucial for optimal health.  The author goes to great lengths explaining how these vitamins along with minerals (Magnesium, Zinc) work together in synergy and how they fall short without the proper daily amounts of each.

The Benefits of Fat-Soluble Vitamins...

I found his detailed discussion on the history of cod liver oil consumption in the US over the last ~100 years to be a great example of the nutritional power of a whole-food supplements, and why taking the right ones can be far superior to simply cherry picking individual vitamins thought to be important.   I started taking fermented cod liver oil a few years ago as a healthy source for Omega-3 fatty acid, but soon found out that it was naturally high in Vitamins D and A along with trace amounts of other beneficial nutrients. 

If you get a chance, give this article a read, I guarantee you it will be well worth your time.  Especially if you are still skeptical on the importance of a high fat diet.

Food allergies start in the gut.

I read an article in today's health news about a doctor who treated (desensitized) a child of multiple food allergies at once with the use of a "powerful drug" along with small daily doses of the allergen. 

What bothers me most about this is this treatment is that it does not fix the underlying issue at the root of the problem... Poor diet resulting in a damaged and compromised gut (immune system)!

Unfortunately like most children in this country (adults as well) this 10-year old's diet most likely consists of excessive amounts of sugar and grains (glucose), which ultimately leads to insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, an unhealthy environment within the gut, and a damaged lining of the intestinal wall (compromised immune system).  And it's my guess that most people are all too familiar with the resulting diseases and disorders; obesity, diabetes, Chron's disease, heart disease, cancer, and basically every other autoimmune disease on record... the list is endless!

But in sticking with the topic at hand (food allergies) whether the allergic reaction is minor or severe one thing is for sure, the damage within the body should be the focus of attention not simply minimizing the resulting side effects.  When allergic reactions occur it means the intestinal wall has been compromised.  As microscopic food particles penetrate the intestinal lining entering the blood stream, an all-out war within the body begins as the compromised immune system battles these foreign intruders.  The resulting allergic reaction with varying intensities causes acute side effects ranging from minor skin irritations to anaphylactic shock.  But it's the chronic effects that will ultimately lead to disease and disorder. 

It has been over seven years since I found out that I am allergic to both (cow) dairy and soy.  And rather than make it my life's mission to find a drug that simply blocks the pain and discomfort, I have made it my mission to find and fix the root of the problem.  Sure in the beginning I was consumed with finding food alternatives to those I was allergic to, but this has since morphed into a journey in search of the true meaning of a healthy diet.  And what I've learned is that a healthy diet is key.  

In short your diet should:

1. Promote a natural healthy insulin response
2. Promote a healthy bacterial friendly environment within the body
3. Inhibit (not promote) inflammation

And this can easily be done with a diet low in sugar and processed foods; gluten free and low in grains; high in healthy saturated fats and high quality protein, high in unpasteurized fermented foods like homemade sauerkraut, pickles and kombucha.  Remember, maintaining a healthy gut is the most important thing you can do to improve your health.