Healthy by Nature radio show this week:  Psychiatrist, Hyla Cass, MD, discusses a natural approach to emotional and mental problems. Dr. Parris Kidd explains how the little powerhouses inside our cells (the mitochondria) work and how PQQ helps them. Finally, I ask The Dirt Doctor, Howard Garrett about natural ways to deal with fire ants. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Note: Here is a new article I wrote on the Ezzilift device. Check out the free event listed below. It is tomorrow (Thursday).

Drink to your health
Last week we looked at 3 approaches to a chicken meal. My point was to find foods that are high in nutritional value but low in refined carbohydrates and other undesirable constituents while still keeping an eye on costs. The search continues…

Everyone knows that they are supposed to eat more fruits and vegetables, but there are obviously a bazillion different ways to go about that. I took notes on beverages as an example. I again used Wal-Mart–not Natural Grocers by any means as far as high standards, but it is a very popular retailer:

    Hawaiian Punch Orange Ocean
I’m not going to dignify this with a detailed “nutritional” breakdown. After water, the next most abundant ingredient is corn syrup. This confection contains less than 2% real juice and is full of artificial flavors, colors and a fake sweetener. It is even relatively high in sodium. (105 mg).  

Cost = $.12 (Since we are looking for value in actual food, this doesn’t qualify and would be money wasted. In fact, given the health consequences of corn syrup, this may be the highest price choice in this comparison.)

   Tropicana ® Pure Premium Orange Juice with “Lots of Pulp”
   Serving size = 8 oz (Note: restaurants sometimes serve 12 or even 16 oz juices)
   Sugar = 22 grams (5.5 teaspoons)
   Fiber = 0
   Vitamin C = 108 mg
   Cost = $.50
   A whole fresh orange
   Serving size = per USDA an average is one 2 7/8″ diameter
   Sugar = 12 grams (3 teaspoons)
   Fiber = 3+ grams
   Vitamin C = 83 mg
   Cost = $.31
As you can see, the whole orange has more fiber, roughly half the sugar, still a lot of vitamin C and is less costly. It will also be more appetite-satisfying and the membranes contain bioflavonoids which, among other benefits, strengthen blood vessels. I say don’t bother with the fortified OJ versions mainly because most folks get sufficient calcium from other sources and the mineral isn’t balanced in the juices with magnesium which is arguably more important.
Organic is always a good choice for health and for the environment, but if because of budget you have to pick and choose which organics to buy, at least oranges are not on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list. (But, they are also not on their Clean Fifteen list.)

   V-8® Original Low Sodium (vegetable juice)
   Serving size = 8 oz
   Sugar = 7 grams (1.75 teaspoons)
   Fiber = 2
   Vitamin C = 108 mg
   Cost = $.37
A glass of V-8 is the nutritional equivalent of 2 servings of vegetables. (The actual vegetables would contain more fiber and retain more of their enzymes). Especially because of the tomatoes, V-8 is a rich source of carotenes like lycopene. Click here to see some of lycopene’s many health benefits.

The low sodium variety V-8 has 140 mg of sodium compared to 650 in the regular one. (The fresh orange and the orange juice contain virtually no sodium.) The biggest problem with the high amount of sodium in the American diet is that the sodium is not being balanced with sufficient potassium. These real fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium–Tropicana 450 mg, an orange 232 mg and V-8 900 mg.

I was surprised that these comparisons require so much math to make them equivalent. I’m glad I remember at least a little of my algebra. But, as you read on, you will see I do forget things.

Condiment Sandwich
Over the 4th of July weekend, Bill and I hosted a small cookout. In addition to a big chopped salad*, I had cooked down onions until they were caramelized, sautéed mushrooms and assembled a variety of topping such as avocados, a heritage tomato, sweet raw onions and fresh baked buns to provide a gourmet twist to the traditional burgers because it was also my brother Jim and his wife Jill’s anniversary. I was halfway through really enjoying my “burger” when I cracked up laughing—I realized that I had never put the meat patty in mine.
 
*(The salad contained: little bitty broccoli florets, shredded broccoli stems, carrots, red and green cabbage, as well as minced red bell pepper, jicama, tiny green beans and raw asparagus, walnuts, cranberries, a little raw corn and a few black grapes. The dressing was a small amount of traditional slaw dressing to which I added cilantro and thinned with pear-infused white balsamic vinegar. It was a pretty tasty way to get folks to eat veggies they might usually decline.)

What’s up?
Free Demo of the terrific Avazzia’s pain devices that Dr. Brunk discussed last Saturday and the Ezzilift device I use and wrote this article about: Thursday evening, July 11 from 5:30 to 7:30. In North Dallas. Click here for details of the event and a GREAT offer to get the very useful Y-tool for free.
 
Dr. Kotsanis hosts a FREE Lunch and Learn event Wednesday, Jul 17th at noon, at his institute in Grapevine, TX. The topic is “What’s Your Cancer Personality? Cancer and Emotional Health.” Click here for details.

Last Week
LINK to Archive. We talked about summer skin issues with Jack Brown of Lily of the Desert. Dr. Darcy Brunk helped us with ideas for resolving the effects of summer injuries by using the Avazzia micro-current devices. We even discussed that the Avazzia is a modern answer to the legendary Rife machine, in this case used for Lyme’s Disease. Finally, The Dirt Doctor Howard Garrett talked about natural ways to control wasps and mud daubers with a nifty trick using haint blue paint.

Please help spread the good word-forward this newsletter to friends and family.
My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book: Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2013 Martie Whittekin, CCN