Healthy by Nature radio show this week
First time guest Dr. Jeffrey A. Marler joins us to talk about his approach to helping children with speech and learning difficulties. Apparently the common practice of giving children “labels” might not be the most helpful approach. Also nutritionist and educator Tim Mount and I will talk about dry winter skin and getting the skin prepared to resist sun damage. I’ll also ask him about collagen in bones in anticipation of a show the next week on the book, Death by Calcium which I am adding to our HBN book store. Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Food in the News
Excellent news: The Chick-fil-A restaurant chain just announced plans to sell only chicken raised without antibiotics. The improvement will take 5 years to complete but, at least they have begun the process of developing the required sources. Millions of tons of antibiotics are used in the food supply. Often the drugs are not used as you would expect to treat diseases but, to fatten animals up. That means more money from items they sell by the pound. Antibiotic residues remain in the animal products (and are sometimes sprayed on plant foods). Therefore, someone who eats commercial (i.e. not organic) products can in effect be on a second-hand antibiotic regime. Guess what the antibiotics do to us. Besides killing our good bacteria and setting us up for yeast overgrowth and a myriad of health problems…they can also fatten us up.

Probably good news: Another example that consumer pressure for healthier foods does seem to be having beneficial effects here and there is that Kraft Foods announced that they will now use what they say is a more natural anti-fungal (one type of preservative) in its American and White American cheese Singles. This change is apparently a good one and it also  seems an improvement that Kraft is no longer owned by the tobacco company Phillip Morris.

Natamycin is the antifungal in question. The same substance is also used as an anti-fungal eye medicine that has few apparent side effects other than the fact that some folks may be allergic. There may only be enough natamycin in the product to prevent fungus growth in the cheese itself, but I suppose there a chance that there is enough left over to also kill some yeasts in the consumer’s system. That is usually a good thing, but remember that any time yeasts are killed off, it is possible to get a reaction. For example, if yeasts have been giving you boggy brain, killing a bunch of them at once may release enough of their toxins to give you a thumping headache. This is known as a Herxheimer reaction. Not a bad thing but it can be unpleasant.

Horrid news: The pesticide DDT was banned in the US in 1972 because it is not only lethal to wildlife, but damages human genes and hormones. Higher blood levels of it (or its metabolite in the body, DDE) are linked to cancer, diabetes, miscarriage, mental problems, thyroid trouble and now Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, DDT is still in use in other parts of the world and the long-term effects of other US approved pesticides are still an open question. That is one reason I recommend buying organic at least the dirty dozen foods the Environmental Working group deems most likely to be contaminated. Here is their hit list from last year which also includes their clean 15. (This is a good organization to support with donations.)

 What’s coming up?
 
Natural HealthFest Saturday, March 29 at Plano Centre

Look for our full page ad inside the front cover of my favorite magazine,
Natural Awakenings, N. Texas edition that you can find free at many area stores.
 
By the way, we were doing some housekeeping on Facebook to remove last year’s event so it wouldn’t confuse people about this year’s event. Unfortunately, without realizing it would send out notices, we canceled that old event. Oops. Now we know to handle it a different way, but if you got a notice because of that, please know that this year’s event is ON (big time)!
 
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY
Last Week Follow-up
LINK to that show in the archives. We talked about intelligent, gentle and effective approaches to preventing and treating cancer with Gus Kotsanis, MD and Dr. Ray Hammon, a Naturopathic Medical Doctor. One topic was an innovative test that analyzes circulating cancer cells and cancer stem cells (they are a reason cancer spreads). Dr. Hammon recommended the book Lights Out, Sleep, Sugar, and Survival. He also mentioned The Healing Code.

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 2014 Martie Whittekin, CCN