eggs and butter are good for you

How to make powder laundry detergent

2012-01-19T09:57:00.000-06:00

from" http://themarathonmom.com/how-to-make-laundry-detergent-powder.htm
Ingredients:

1 bar Fels-Naptha
1 cup Borax
1 cup Allens Naturally Laundry Powder***
2 cups Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

To make:

Cut into fourths, then grate Fels Naptha soap using cheese grater or food processor.
Once grated, change to blade in food processor. Swirl this around in food processor til it is as fine as you can get it. (I tried skipping step one, and had to go back and start over, because the pieces were just too big. Grating first is a must!)
Add the Borax and pulse til mixed.
Add the Allen’s laundry powder, and then the washing soda, pulsing several times after each cup is added.
Mix thoroughly.
Store in an airtight jar with lid. (Be sure to label so that your kids don’t think it’s lemonade mix!)
Use one to two tablespoons per load (depending on grit and grime, of course!) I threw in an old scoop from one of the boxes of powder I had.

***If you are not able to find this laundry powder, don’t fret. I replaced a second cup of borax with that. I personally don’t think there needs to be that much Borax in the recipe. If you do not have Allens, you could use a half cup of Borax and another half cup of washing soda and be just fine.

How to make your own liquid laundry detergent

2012-01-18T09:50:00.003-06:00

From: http://themarathonmom.com/how-to-make-laundry-detergent.htm

the “recipe”:

1 bar Fels-Naptha soap, grated
1 cup Arm & Hammer All Natural Super Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
water

What to do:
1. Boil 4 cups water on stove and add the grated soap, slowly, stirring until melted.
2. Fill a five gallon bucket half full of hot tap water.
3. Add melted soap, laundry soda, and borax. Stir.
4. Fill to the top with more hot tap water and stir again.
5. Allow to sit overnight.
6. Fill a large laundry detergent dispenser 1/3 to 1/2 full of water, and fill the rest of way with detergent mix. Shake container before each use.
7. Use as much or little for each individual load as you prefer. I used 1/4 cup at first, then tried 1/2 cup and even 3/4 cup and had no problems. Depends on size of load.

Coconut Oil and Alzheimer's

2012-01-18T09:40:00.001-06:00

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS

DIY Vanilla Extract

2012-01-15T22:02:00.000-06:00

This is from the blog 'Bake at 350':
link

Homemade Ketchup

2012-01-15T14:30:00.000-06:00

link to original post, It is from The Nourished Kitchen blog

(I have not tried this, but will as soon as I can.):

Deeply robust with the rich-sweet flavor of concentrated tomato, this ketchup differs from the cloying sweet varieties you find in the grocery store. Allspice and cloves, traditional inclusions often omitted in most store-bought varieties, bring a level of depth that would be otherwise absent. Not a particularly quick food, this homemade ketchup is slowly ripened and aged over a period of three to five days as beneficial bacteria metabolize the food’s natural sugars, creating a condiment that is potently rich in food enzymes and probiotics. It’s a traditional process, lactofermentation, that increases the nutritional value of the foods we eat and love. This recipe and over 100 others are included in the latest of Nourished Kitchen’s online cooking class: Get Cultured! How to Ferment Anything.

homemade ketchup: ingredients

2 cups tomato paste, preferably homemade
1/4 cup raw honey, maple syrup or whole unrefined cane sugar (see sources)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh whey*, divided
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar, plus extra for thinning the ketchup, if desired
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

homemade ketchup: method

Spoon tomato paste into a large mixing bowl and fold in raw honey or other natural sweetener of choice.
Whisk in one-quarter cup fresh whey or vegetable starter culture into the sweetened tomato paste along with apple cider vinegar, sea salt, allspice and cloves. Continue whisking these ingredients together until the paste is smooth and uniform.
Spoon the homemade ketchup into a mason jar, top with remaining two tablespoons fresh whey or vegetable starter culture, cover loosely with a cloth or lid and allow the ketchup to sit at room temperature, undisturbed, for three to five days.
After three to five days, uncover the homemade ketchup and give it a thorough stir before transferring to the refrigerator. Naturally fermented homemade ketchup will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

TIME: 5 minutes (active), 3 to 5 days (fermentation)
YIELD: about 1 pint.
DAIRY-FREE? Omit fresh whey and substitute one packet vegetable starter culture (seesources) dissolved in one-quarter cup plus two tablespoons filtered water.

Treating Candida Naturally

2012-01-14T18:00:00.000-06:00

What Is Candida, and Do I Have It?

Treating Candida with Diet
Treating Candida Naturally
[to go to the blog that posted this go Here]

There are many herbs, oils, and natural approaches that can help in treating candida. But before going too far, the first step we'd recommend is to do a colon (large intestine) cleanse. This will expel toxic waste so the body can work better at healing and absorbing nutrients. In fact, a blocked up colon harbors candida.

From personal experience, we recommend Blessed Herbs. Their colon cleansing kit is made entirely of herbs and is safe and effective.

Once you've finished your colon cleanse, you can look at these natural methods as well:

HERBS

Because using too many herbs or supplements at one time can decrease their potency, it is suggested to use only one herb per week. For example, use Black Walnut every day for one week. Then stop the Black Walnut at the end of the week, and start Garlic for one full week. At the end of that week, discontinue the Garlic and begin on Golden Seal and so on.

When you've gone through the herbs you want to use, repeat again until you have no more symptoms of candida.

Black Walnut - In a recent study, Black Walnut was shown more effective against candida than any other anti-fungal drug. It contains natural tannins which kill fungus, parasites, and yeasts. (Any parasite killing herb will also kill candida.) It also contains Juglone, a chemical that has anti-fungal and antibiotic properties.

-To take Black Walnut capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-You can also make your own capsules with Black Walnut powder.
-For Black Walnut extract, follow the directions on the label.

This herb should not be taken by pregnant or breastfeeding (will stop lactation) women.

Barberry - This berry contains Berberine. Berberine has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. It's also an effective immune stimulate.

-To make Barberry tea, boil 2/3 cup of water over 1 or 2 teaspoons of Barberry bark. Steep for about 15 min., strain bark, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
-If you prefer Barberry capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Barberry extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Barberry rootand cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Adults should not take this for more than 7 consecutive days. Children should only take for three days in a row. Not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers.

Burdock Root - Burdock is an anti-fungal and has been used effectively against candida for many years according to Medical Herbalism. It's also used to purify the bloodstream and internal organs of toxins.

-To make Burdock Root tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
-If you prefer Burdock Root capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Burdock Root extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Burdock Rootand cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Cat's Claw - Candida grows out of control in a weakened immune system, and Cat's Claw is a strong immune boosting herb that strengthens white blood cells.

-To make Cat's Claw tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
-If you prefer Cat's Claw capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Cat's Claw extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Cat's Claw Bark and cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Avoid using before pregnancy (can interfere with fertility) and while pregnant.

Echinacea - is one of the best immune stimulating herb and antiseptic. And a good, healthy immune system is needed to defend candida. However, it should be taken as needed (i.e. colds, flus), not as a regular supplement.

-To make Echinacea tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day. If you don't want to make your own, you can useechinacea tea bags.
-If you prefer Echinacea capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Echinacea extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Echinaceaand cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Garlic - Garlic is one of the most potent natural antiseptics. It has been shown effective against 24 out of 26 strains of candida. It destroys unfriendly bacteria while boosting good bacteria.

Garlic can be taken in several ways:
-garlic cloves - 2-4 grams per day of fresh, minced garlic cloves
-garlic softgels - 100-200 mg daily
-garlic oil - 0.03 to 0.12 mL three times a day

Garlic can thin the blood so anyone about to undergo surgery should refrain.

Goldenseal - contains Berberine and Hydrastine, two powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal ingredients that restrict candida's growth. Goldenseal also stimulates the immune system.

-To make Goldenseal tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
-If you prefer Goldenseal capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Goldenseal extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Goldensealand cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Pregnant women should not take Goldenseal as Berberine can cause uterine contractions.

Olive Leaf - is a strong anti-fungal and anti-parasitic that has anti-viral and antibiotic properties as well. It has 400% more antioxidants than Vitamin C and twice the antioxidants of green tea with similar effects to the antioxidants in garlic and onions. Olive Leaf also stimulates your immune system and helps stabilize blood sugar levels (elevated blood sugar levels feed candida). If that isn't enough, it also gives the body a natural energy boost which is helpful when candida drains us and makes us fatigued.

-Look for solutions with 20% Oleuropein if possible.
-To make Olive Leaf tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
-If you prefer Olive Leaf capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Olive Leaf extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Olive Leavesand cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Pau D'Arco - this herb has a two-fold effect against candida. First, it helps to gently loosen the bowels, creating a mini colon cleanse (not to the point of diarrhea). Then its anti-fungal, immune-stimulating, and anti-tumor properties can get to work. It inhibits and destroys candida. It is most effective in tea form.

-To make Pau D'Arco tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
-If you prefer Pau D' Arco capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Pau D' Arco extract, follow the directions on the label.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Pau D'Arcoand cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not use Pau D' Arco.

Thyme - an anti-fungal with no contraindications. It stimulates the thymus gland which regulates the immune system. It is often paired with Fenugreek, an herb that helps expel toxins through the lymphatic system.

-To make Thyme and/or Fenugreek tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.You can also allow the tea to cool and treat external fungal infections such as athlete's foot and vaginal yeast infections by washing with it.
-If you prefer Thyme capsules or Fenugreek capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-For Thyme extract, follow the directions on the label.
-Try Thyme essential oil in a diffuser.
-If you want to make your own tincture, take 1 cup of Thymeand/or Fenugreek and cover with 2 cups vodka. Let it sit in the dark for at least 3 weeks, shaking often. Drain herbs and keep the liquid. Take 28-56 drops three times a day.

OILS

Do not use any essential oils full strength. Dilute a few drops with a carrier oil (coconut, olive, jojoba, almond, or grapeseed oil ) before using on skin.

Clove Oil - has powerful anti-fungal properties while boosting your immune system at the same time. Cloves has a phytochemical called eugenol that anesthetizes internal parasites, bacteria, and fungi. It is safe to use as a breath freshener as it kills the bacteria that causes odor in your mouth.

Clove oil is quite strong so you will want to dilute 15-30 drops in water and take it 1-3 times a day.

Coconut Oil - Coconut oilcontains several candida-fighting acids:
- capric acid: a medium chain fatty acid (saturated fat - that's the good fats) known for its anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties which have been found very effective in killing candida. (also found in breast milk)
- caprylic acid: another medium chain fatty acid with anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties similar to capric acid.
- lauric acid: like capric acid, this anti-fungal agent forms a compound called Monolaurin, an expert at killing germs and fungi.
- caproic acid and myristic acid: mild anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.

-Take one tablespoon orally 1-2 times a day.
-It also works well to rub on infected areas on your skin.
-Use it as a night-time moisturizer!

Oil of Oregano (oil of wild oregano is the best quality) - This versatile oil has two microbial chemicals that actually dehydrate all varieties of fungi and yeasts without harming good bacteria.

-It can be taken internally by taking five or more drops of oregano oil under your tongue or adding it to water 2-3 times daily.
-You can diluted 1-2 drops of oil in a tablespoon of coconut oil to rub over infected areas for external use.
-If you prefer wild oil of oregano capsules, please follow directions on the label.
-If you have oregano leaves, you can make a tea by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of leaves. Steep for about 15 min., strain leaves, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day or add to bath water.

Neem Oil - this oil stimulates the immune system and is toxic to fungi, parasites, and viral infections. It is also one of the most powerful detoxifiers and blood purifiers.

-For external use, mix neem oil in a cream or coconut oil and apply regularly until the infection has cleared.
-To make Neem Leaf tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of herb. Steep for about 15 min., strain herbs, and drink 2 to 3 cups a day.
Neem leaf tea should only be gargled by children under normal, but adults can drink three cups for several days to help rid the body of both external and internal infection.
Pregnant and nursing women should not use neem.

Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca) - this powerful oil is anti-fungal and proven effective against candida.

-Tea Tree Oil is used internally as a mouthwash for thrush by adding 3-4 drops to 6 oz. of water and swishing it around your mouth before spitting out.

-You can use it externally for fungus and infections of the skin and nails by placing 2-3 drops in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and spreading it over the infected area or by adding several drops to bath water.

OTHER

Aloe Vera Juice - a gentle juice that is anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. It lowers pH levels (candida thrives in acidic environments) and can help alleviate constipation (remember, the colon collects toxic waste). Aloe Vera is a great detoxifier, especially for the liver (the organ that cleans the candida by-products from your blood.)

Taken no more than a 1/4 c. of aloe vera juicea day. It also comes in capsules (follow label dosage) if you don't like the taste of juice.

Colloidal Silver - fights fungi on contact, internally and externally. It's been reported to cure athlete's foot, vaginal infections, and skin fungal infections.

You can apply Colloidal Silver two to three times per day until the symptoms subside. However, if these symptoms reoccur, it's a sign of an internal infection in which you can take normal amounts internally, about 1 teaspoon up to 3 times per day.

Do not use for extended periods at a time.

Grapefruit Seed Extract - is another parasite eliminator (anything that kills parasites is also effective against candida) that does not harm good bacteria. A 1990 study showed it more effective than 30 antibiotics and 18 fungicides.

Grapefruit Seed Extract can be taken by adding 10 drops to a cup of water 3 times a day.

Propolis - has strong anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties that can be used externally and internally with great success against all types of viruses, bacteria, fungi and microbes, even strains that are very resistant.

-To take Propolis capsules, please follow directions on the label.

SIDE EFFECTS
Please be aware of herxheimer reactions (a.k.a. herxes). When candida dies, it releases toxic waste (the liver eliminates it) that can initially make a person feel worse, or have flu-like symptoms. Avoid jumping into any anti-candida regimen too quickly. If you notice these symptoms, ease into it more slowly.

What Is Candida, and Do I Have It?

Treating Candida with Diet
Treating Candida Naturally

Here

Pro Life video

2012-01-13T20:50:00.002-06:00

http://www.aish.com/movies/blinkofeye.asp

Make Your Own Baby Formula If You Can't Nurse Your Child

2012-01-13T13:17:00.002-06:00

Here is a video on how to make your own baby formula. This is important for those who can not nurse their child:

http://www.westonaprice.org/beginner-videos/baby-formula-video-by-sarah-pope

Here is an article on frequently asked questions regarding homemade formula:

http://www.westonaprice.org/faq/faq-homemade-baby-formula

How Stress Affects Your Memory

2012-01-11T18:40:00.004-06:00

http://herbalandalternativemedicine.com/how-stress-affects-your-memory/

Updated May 11, 2011

It's true! Chronic, long-term stress can indeed impair your memory. When you're exposed to stress, your body releases hormones, including cortisol, which may prevent the brain from remembering new information or even retrieving already stored items.

Stress can actually damage that part of the brain which is central to learning and memory. It's called the hippocampus, and according to Robert M. Sapolsky, the problem centers around the continued secretion of corticosteroids or cortisol.

When your body perceives a threat, the adrenal glands release a hormone called adrenalin. If that perceived threat – and a threat can be defined as anything from a life-changing situation to a looming deadline at work – is long-term, your system attacks it by releasing cortisol through the adrenal glands. Cortisol remains in the brain for a longer period of time where it can adversely affect the brain cells.

You might think that improving your memory is pretty much hopeless, short of shutting out all the stress in your life. Cheer up! That's not the case. Stress has another side effect on the body.

Exposure to constant stress literally gobbles up your reserves of the vitamin B-complex vitaminsin your system. And while that may sound like more bad news, it really leads us to a solution to stress-induced memory loss.

Research has discovered that simply by supplementing our diets with plenty of B vitamins, we can counter that memory fatigue. The B-complex of vitamins is really a family of eight related nutrients, including Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), folic acid, B12, pantothenic acid, Niacin (B3). B6, and biotin.

Another recent piece of research you might be interested in: Your system has more trouble dealing with stress when it's low on the B-vitamins.

When it comes to B vitamins and stress, it's a lot like that proverbial vicious circle. You're under increased stress at work, let's say. Your body, then, tries to compensate by using more of the B-vitamins. You become dangerously depleted in these nutrients, and your body reacts by managing stress even more poorly, including a sagging memory.

Your brain, just like every other organ in your body, needs to be supplied with plenty of nutrients in order to perform at its peak efficiency. Overexposure to stress depletes your system's reserves of vitamins.

If you find that your memory is failing you and you know that you've been dealing with anxiety or stressful situations, consider supplementing your diet with some B-vitamins. You may find it's just that easy to have a great memory again.

Why Our Memory Falters

[this is from HerbalandAlternativeMedicine.com]

I would like to add that my previous post, about liver, may be helpful to read for finding a food source remedy that has a super abundance of B vitamins.

Benefits of Eating Liver - Our Most Nutrient-Dense Food

2012-01-10T16:18:00.001-06:00

from Radient Life

http://blog.radiantlifecatalog.com/bid/26773/Benefits-of-Eating-Liver-Our-Most-Nutrient-Dense-Food

Beef livers provide us vitamin-rich storage depots. When sourced from healthy, grass fed cows, liver is absolutely loaded with a wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fat. It is particularly rich in the nutrients that help keep our brains healthy including the essential fatty acids needed by humans for proper nutrition and health including EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docasahexaenoic acid), and AA (arachidonic acid) as well as Vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 Jackpot!

Most animal foods contain some amount of vitamin B12, but by far, the best source is liver which should be eaten at least once a week. Many disorders of the nervous system often result from vitamin B12 deficiency causing a myriad of illnesses and behaviors. So if you are experiencing vague symptoms (related to a less than optimal functioning brain and nervous system) such as difficulty in thinking and remembering, panic attacks, weakness, loss of balance, numbness in the hands and feet, or agitated depression, make sure that your source of vitamin B12 is from healthy animal products, especially a premium source of liver. Vitamin B12 is only well absorbed from animal sources, with liver, by far being highest source of Vitamin B12, followed by sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon, lamb, Swiss cheese, eggs, haddock, beef, blue cheese, halibut, scallops, cottage cheese. chicken and milk.

If you cannot bring yourself to consume liver then raw desiccated liver from grassfed cows is a great alternative. Taken in the form of desiccated liver capsules provides the easiest and most convenient option. Added to soups, gravies, stews, smoothies, broths, etc., desiccated liver powder is a great way to introduce liver into diets of those who don't care for the taste and texture of liver!

Quite simply, desiccated liver contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food!

Highlights of Desiccated Liver

An excellent source of high-quality protein
Contains all of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
Nature's most concentrated source of vitamin A, which is rapidly depleted during periods of stress, as well as by consuming a low-fat diet
All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
One of our best sources of folic acid
A highly usable form of iron
Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA

Father Hardon's Examination of Conscience

2012-01-10T16:12:00.003-06:00

Faith

Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?
Do I make at least a short act of faith every day?
Do I pray daily for an increase of faith?
Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?
Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic faith?
What have I done today to externally profess my faith?
Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?
Do I make a serious effort to resolve difficulties that may arise about my faith?
Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?
Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

Hope

Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting discouraged?
Do I daily say a short act of hope?
Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing them from my mind?
Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?
Do I try to see God's providence in everything that "happens" in my life?
Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?
Am I confident that, with God's grace, I will be saved?
Do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God's mercy?
Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?
How often today have I complained, even internally?

Charity

Have I told God today that I love Him?
Do I tell Jesus that I love Him with my whole heart?
Do I take the occasion to tell God that I love Him whenever I experience something I naturally dislike?
Have I capitalized on the difficulties today to tell God that I love Him just because He sent me the trial or misunderstanding?
Do I see God's love for me in allowing me to prove my love for Him in the crosses He sent me today?
Have I seen God's grace to prove my love for Him in every person whom I met today?
Have I failed in charity by speaking unkindly about others?
Have I dwelt on what I considered someone's unkindness toward me today?
Is there someone that I consciously avoid because I dislike the person?
Did I try to carry on a conversation today with someone who is difficult to talk to?
Have I been stubborn in asserting my own will?
How thoughtful have I been today in doing some small favor for someone?
Have I allowed my mood to prevent me from being thoughtful of others today?
Am I given to dwelling on other people's weaknesses or faults?
Have I been cheerful today in my dealings with others?
Do I control my uncharitable thoughts as soon as they arise in my mind?
Did I pray for others today?
Have I written any letters today?
Have I controlled my emotions when someone irritated me?
Have I performed any sacrifice today for someone?

Beeswax Candles

2012-01-01T15:57:00.004-06:00

Coming soon: a post of how we made our own beeswax candles.

More sizes

"So, what's so great about beeswax anyway?

Beeswax is a natural substance made by bees in contrast to paraffin which is a chemical bi-product of the oil industry. Beeswax candles burn brighter, longer and with less soot than any other and it does NOT emit toxins to pollute the air you breathe. Beeswax candles emit negative ions when burned which has been shown to clean the air and invigorate the body. Beeswax gets it's color and aroma from the honey and pollen that is packed into the honeycomb cells by the bees that secreted and formed it into the familiar hexagonal pattern. [Unlike soy candles, beeswax candles do not break down in 10 months. These candles store indefinitely under the proper conditions i.e. not in a furnace.][Paraffin is made from the bottom of the barrel of left over residue from refining petroleum. This product produces carcinogens and soot when burned equal to some of the same toxins produced by burning diesel fuel. In fact, if you read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for Paraffin Fume, it states to "Keep away from heat & ignition sources" and to "Avoid breathing vapors". (Hard to do when your burning these type of candles in your home.)]" ---from a comment from some site (sorry, I don't remember where)
-They smell great- (no fake fragrances which have phytoestrogens).

Quote from Pope Benedict XVI

2012-01-01T13:50:00.000-06:00

(For some unknown reason the picture doesn't show up on firefox, I just spent an hour trying to do that, so I am going to type it up for those using a server that it doesn't show up)

"Wherever applause breaks out in the Liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of Liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly- it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation."

How to Make Fresh Mozzarella

2011-10-26T14:57:00.001-05:00

This video also has raw Ceviche recipe in part three.
part one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvZEHbYG8G4&feature=player_embedded
part two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGP47kzbrZ4&feature=related
part three:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=3AmsxzV3Ga8

Out of the Closet and into Chastity

2011-10-18T11:06:00.001-05:00

This is from Catholic Education Resource: Link

DAVID MORRISON

My pilgrimage from being a homosexual-rights activist to living life as a chaste Catholic began in earnest when I read the writings of a modern-day Protestant martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Notice to Reader: "The Boards of both CERC Canada and CERC USA are aware that the topic of homosexuality is a controversial one that deeply affects the personal lives of many North Americans. Both Boards strongly reiterate the Catechism's teaching that people who self-identify as gays and lesbians must be treated with 'respect, compassion, and sensitivity' (CCC #2358). The Boards also support the Church's right to speak to aspects of this issue in accordance with her own self-understanding. Articles in this section have been chosen to cast light on how the teachings of the Church intersect with the various social, moral, and legal developments in secular society. CERC will not publish articles which, in the opinion of the editor, expose gays and lesbians to hatred or intolerance."

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
1906-1945

Outside of the struggles over abortion and euthanasia, there may be no greater battle in the Church today than the one raging over homosexuality. At a time when the Church faces a righteous tempest about the abuse of altar boys at the hands of priests, when gay rights groups target the Mass for sacrilegious demonstrations, and when disobedient clergy preside at same-sex "weddings", it is no wonder traditional Catholics approach the topic carrying little but confusion, frustration, and anger. Most Catholics in the pews do not accept homosexuality, do not want to understand it, and wish, mostly, that the topic would go away -- or at least back into the closet "where it belongs." Others, a minority, in particular associated with the gay caucus Dignity, are only too happy to have the topic discussed -- so long as that discussion leads in the direction of the Church changing its doctrine on homosexual acts. As both a former homosexual activist and current faithful Catholic committed to chastity, I urge instead that all Catholics, laity and clergy, join together to preach the fullness of the Church's teaching on this matter. I implore this because I believe it to be a teaching filled with dignity, truth and self-respect for all people, one which, if preached in integrity and steadfastness, will bring many to a full life with Jesus Christ.
In making this case I will begin by telling a bit of my own history. I do so not to make public that which should be private, but because so much of the public discussion on this issue is either biased or aloof from the actual lives of homosexual people.¹ I believe that offering the witness of my journey from gay activism to chastity is necessary to help fill what has become a vacuum in the conversation.

My pilgrimage from being a homosexual-rights activist to living life as a chaste Catholic began in earnest when I read the writings of a modern-day Protestant martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Before reading Bonhoeffer my short Christian life had been marked primarily by my translating sidewalk gay-rights activism into similar activism in the Anglican pew.
Homosexual orientation and the life I had built around it were so central to my primary identity that I could not understand how anyone could object to what I was doing. Disapproval, doubts, objections of all kinds could only be the result of either confusion about what Scripture says about homosexuality or outright bigotry.
After all, I was living proof that homosexual people could live a sexually active life which was both spiritually and temporally satisfying. I had a lover of five years, a condominium in a major urban area, a satisfying job, and a church life as an Episcopalian which, while not perfect, was still a treasure. What more could I want? Yet, in prayer and in quiet times of reflection, I could not avoid noticing some thistles which sneaked into my "gaily" -modeled life.
As committed an activist as I was, I had to admit the shallowness and sheer improbability of many gay-friendly theologians and scholars when it came to Scripture and homosexual acts. Beyond the solid observation that Scripture does not discuss homosexual orientation per se,² authors as diverse as John McNeill (formerly S.J.), Sylvia Pennington, John Boswell, and Virginia Molenkott went wandering into scriptural speculations which, while creative, really asked their audience to suspend belief about the clear meaning of the original text.
When discussing what the apostle Paul "really" meant when he condemned homosexual acts in Romans 1:18-23 and 1 Corinthians 6:8-11, these authors alleged that Paul must have been condemning something other than the homosexual relationship of today since he could not have known anyone of confessed homosexual orientation. An argument for blessing homosexual acts was based on this reasoning, and it asked me to conclude that, had Paul known of the participants' orientation, he would have approved of the acts, even though nothing in his other letters indicated this would be so.
Likewise, the condemnations against homosexual acts in Leviticus were dismissed with the suggestion that the acts condemned there had more to do with ritual prostitution than with "loving" homosexuality. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed (Gen. 19:1-25), these authors allege, not because of homosexual offense, but because the people of the towns were greedy, corrupt, and inhospitable to strangers.
Each of these, while claiming fidelity to traditional scriptural exegesis, took interpretation in a radically new direction and ignored the strong possibility that greed, corruption, and inhospitality might have gone hand-in-hand with homosexual offense. Was it reasonable to assume that homosexual acts had nothing to do with the cities being destroyed, in view of the large part they played in the drama of Lot's departure?
So, there were little cracks in the theoretical foundation upon which I had built my life. There were also problems with how I saw "gay theology" lived out around me. Most gay Christians I knew differed little in their lives from gay pagans, agnostics, and atheists. Gay Christian worship services, while sometimes worshipful, were also often as sexually charged and "cruisy"³ as most bars I visited. Early on I decided to try to make a nearby non-gay Episcopal parish my spiritual home, and my experience there, contrasting sharply with what I saw of gay "worship", forced me to admit that many of my arguments in favor of gay Christianity were modeled more on a theoretical ideal than on practical experience.
A final source of pre-Bonhoeffer doubt came in the relationships I formed with non-gay, theologically orthodox Christians. Here were people who, I had been told, should have hated the very ground I walked upon and despised me for my sexual orientation. After all, hadn't much of the gay flight to the cities been to get away from traditional Christians? Yet the people I encountered loved me, even while they strenuously disagreed with the choices I was making in my life. Agreement, I came to realize, might be nice, but it was not a prerequisite for friendship and real affection. The ground was ripe for the Holy Spirit to work a revolution, and that revolution began in a dramatic way, with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
I remember the day clearly. It was early in the spring and raining. My then-lover and I had spent much of the miserable day in a shopping mall and had split up to pursue our own bargains, his in clothes and mine in books. I was in a discount bookstore, poring over a disorganized pile of titles, when I saw it, The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I opened it, and I can still remember its first sentence as though I were reading it right now: "Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace."⁴

Iwas hooked. It was as though those lines had been written just for me at just that time. Scooping together the loose change in my pockets, I bought the book, brought it home, and devoured it. Here, from this man martyred on Adolf Hitler's order, I heard a message which both commanded and terrified me. Would I, could I, give my life for Christ? Where had I compromised? Did being a Christian really mean going along with what my world was telling me, or did being a Christian mean being different, being wholly Christ's?
Swiftly I began reading everything about Bonhoeffer that I could get my hands on. With Bonhoeffer came other committed Christian authors, some of them Catholic. Augustine's Confessions convicted me of my own spiritual timidity and encouraged me that God never gives up on us. Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle awed me with the depth of communion possible in prayer, and Mother Teresa's life and writing showed me the potential fruit of such a prayerful life.
These took residence on my shelf next to books by Richard Foster, who writes powerfully from the Quaker tradition. His Celebration of Discipline and The Challenge of the Disciplined Life made me want to re-examine the role Christianity played in my all-too-modern life, specifically in the area of my identity and sexuality. Gradually I began to understand that my sexuality was not something I owned, but something God owned in me, and that the clear witness of Scripture was to a dual purpose for sexuality. Sex, in God's intention, is meant to do two things: provide for the procreation of children and build up husbands and wives in the love, respect, and life of each other. How did this square with the kind of sex with which I was most familiar, particularly in light of its inevitably transient nature? After all, homosexual sex is completely and unalterably divorced from the responsibility of procreation. Is this really how God intended we should use our sexuality?
After many months of indecision, I could remain dishonest no longer. The life I had been living for so long was a life of cheap grace and I knew it. In the light of Scripture, Tradition, and reflection I could only conclude that God demanded of me the same thing he demands of all unmarried Christians: a chaste life. So it was that I stepped out in faith from almost everything I had thought most important and dear to me. If Christ wanted chastity, I would be chaste. Everything else and everyone else I placed in his hand.

From there my journey to the Catholic faith was swift, drawn along as I was by the three realities which make the Catholic Church so attractive to homosexuals who seek to live in sexual purity and fidelity.
First, the Catholic Church is the only Christian institution that not only preaches the truth of chastity for homosexual people but offers practical, tangible help for achieving it.
Second, the Catholic Church is the only major Christian institution to recognize that we really do not know what causes homosexuality. The Church will not demand heterosexual conversion as a condition of fellowship, nor will it decide, in advance, that homosexual people are not capable of being responsible for their own decisions and actions. This position contains, as its corollary, the dramatically counter-cultural notion that homosexual people have as much human dignity as anyone else and deserve not to be patronized -- something which my more liberally-minded Episcopal Church did (and does still) with depressing regularity.
Finally, the Catholic Church possesses the truth, not simply in this dogma but in all its dogmas. Seeking assistance to live a chaste life may have been the road I traveled to Rome, but once it was in my view I could see so much more. The Catholic Church, I came to understand, was meant in itself to be a means of grace in my desire to lead a life closer to God. In its sacraments, particularly reconciliation and the Eucharist, it offered an enormously important avenue for drawing nearer to Jesus, and it would offer those to me no matter my sexual orientation.
Yes, I had doubts. No one in my family had ever been Catholic. Many of them were and remain anti-Catholic. Yet the truth which had drawn me this far would not let me tarry longer than absolutely necessary, and I entered the Catholic Church at Easter 1993.
How has it been? Rough but wonderful. Nothing could have prepared me for the strength I would draw from a Catholic relationship with Christ and no one could have prepared me for how difficult it would be to lose friends and strain family relationships because of this choice. Anyone who thinks there is a gap between Catholicism and evangelism either is not a Catholic or is not living a Catholic life in an open way. Simply to confess a belief in a Catholic view of Christ is to take a counter-cultural position which demands apologetics and explanation. Faithful Catholics who are homosexual do it every day and find in both the exterior witness and interior dialogue a remarkable path to deeper faith.
Occasionally I am asked what I expect of the future, and I sometimes run out of time trying to answer. The truth of the Catholic Church's doctrine on the subject of homosexuality and homosexual acts is so profound and such a real expression of love that it can easily dominate conversation. Yet it is a teaching which is frequently ignored among traditional Catholics and derided by heterodox Church members. This is a shame and must be corrected, for the sake of all those hundreds of thousands who seek a similar message and might enter the Church if they heard it. In my opinion clergy and laity, have an obligation to state the truth of Christ wherever we are and to whomever would hear it. We cannot allow a person's orientation to be an issue if we are to be faithful to the One who has called us. Here then is what I would hope Catholics would do in the future:
First, I hope all Catholics will learn what the Church teaches about homosexuality. Homosexuality, in the Catholic view, is a tendency toward disordered sexual acts, but it is not a sin in and of itself. In this it can be said to be no more sinful than an inclination to heterosexual fornication or adultery. The vast majority of homosexuals cannot be said to choose to have the desires they have, and many, including myself, find living with them, in the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a "trial" (CCC 2358).
Second, I hope traditional Catholics will get over being shocked and disapproving that homosexual people exist in our world and culture. This is an attitude that goes beyond simply and properly disapproving of homosexual acts; it comes perilously close to condemning homosexual people as human beings.
I think we must all agree that this is something Jesus Christ does not and would not do and, in fact, warns us away from doing (Matt. 7:1-5, Luke 6:36-37). This disposition, I believe, has done much to swell the ranks of homosexual Catholics whose behavior seems bent on hell -- not simply out of the blindness of sin, but also because no one has ever offered them the truth in love. Love without truth can degenerate into selfish violence, but truth without love is brutal.
Third, as hard as it might be, faithful Catholics must learn to recognize that not all homosexuals are child molesters. The current scandals of priests abusing altar boys has lent a level of popularity to this prejudice, but making the term "pederast" interchangeable with "homosexual" is not only uncharitable, but borders on slander.
Fourth, I hope Catholic clergy will be more encouraging to homosexual people about their dignity as human beings, created in the image of God, and their vocation to chastity, which they share by virtue of that dignity. More homilies ought to take this admonition from the Catechism to heart: "Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession, and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons. And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead" (CCC 357).
This essential dignity is insulted when traditional Catholics condemn homosexual people out of hand and when heterodox Catholics patronize us by trying to make believe that homosexual activity -- like other genital activity outside of marriage is not sinful and damaging to our ultimate relationship with God. Ironically enough, both groups are guilty of much the same attitude: defining homosexual people not by the virtue to which they are capable with God's grace, but by activity which that grace can empower them to resist.
Fifth, I hope more bishops, clergy, religious, and lay people come to acknowledge and support the powerful ministry of Fr. John Harvey, O.S.F.S., and his group, Courage.⁵ Starting from a small seed of concern, Fr. Harvey's organization has grown over the years to become a vital and supportive presence to thousands of homosexual people who are either leaving an actively gay life or who struggle privately against an inclination to homosexual sin.
Courage chapters around the country provide an important ministry of compassion because it is often in such places that the bare bones of Church dogma can be fleshed out in chaste friendship. It is not good for a man to be alone, Scripture teaches, and groups such as Courage can provide a needed antidote to the loneliness or emotional isolation which can inflict many who seek to live a chaste life. The Church recognizes this necessity: 'Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection" (CCC 2359).
Given that this teaching is the authoritative doctrine of the Church, how is it that so few of the dioceses in the United States have a Courage chapter? It is a scandal that some dioceses have not even explored beginning a Courage chapter -- or have rejected one outright. To deny homosexual Catholics a haven at the foot of the cross is a sin against charity and provides evidence of disturbing meanness of spirit.
Sixth, if there is one overarching teaching that the Church should emphasize in the future, not only for homosexual Catholics, but for all Christendom, it would be the role Christ our Redeemer plays in the formation of our primary identity.
Identity is like a pair of glasses. It is through our understanding of self that we interpret and view God, people, and our world. This is why Paul, in writing to the Church in Corinth for the second time, explained, "From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way" (2 Cor. 5:16).
What was it about his readers that Paul thought would change their way of looking at themselves and each other? It was living in the light of faith in Christ Jesus. Consider this definition of "gayness," which I have developed after over a decade of reflection on the question: Being gay means giving oneself over to one's sexual orientation to the point where it becomes a foundation and center of one's identity.
One can be a person with a homosexual orientation, but one cannot be "gay" in the modern context and be a person with just a homosexual orientation. In the act of self-identification, "coming out," which is so important to the gay community, one sacrifices individual personhood for identity in the group. Homosexual orientation moves from being a peripheral aspect of one's personality to being a defining aspect.
If you are a Christian who has made this choice, I believe there is reason to examine your heart for evidence of idolatry. I have observed that once a person has made a decision that he is not merely homosexually oriented, but is gay, then orientation tends to be a dominant aspect of his identity and everything else -- society, faith, institutions, and even God -- will be viewed and judged through that particular lens. Homosexual orientation is not a choice for most people, but being gay is, and it is this choice which motivates homosexual groups ranging from Dignity to Act UP.

Such a wrong understanding of our identity, I believe, is the source of these disastrous errors because rooting ourselves in anything outside of Christ undermines our efforts at obedience or following him.
If I, whether homosexual or not, do not unite my primary identity first and forever with that of Christ, then any notion I might have of ruling or restraining behavior will never succeed. It is to the identity of Christ, his whole self present in the Eucharist and remembered in the creed, to which I owe my first allegiance. All others, relationships, desires, thoughts, and hopes should be ordered around that one great truth and exist only in relation to him.
In the three years since pledging myself to a chaste life in obedience to Christ, I have communicated about this issue with dozens, if not hundreds, of homosexual men and women, people of all faiths and of none. God has seen fit to use some of what I have written to influence a few to re-examine their assumptions about faith, sexuality, and identity. Some have been led to change their opinions. Others have not. I have been struck at how few have rejected the teaching of the Church outright. Instead, at the risk of being overly broad, the objections I have faced have been of three general types.
First, in an argument based on confusing celibacy and chastity, some advance the notion that while a few may be called to be celibate, the vast majority of homosexual people are not meant to restrain their sexual desires for a lifetime.
Second is a closely related argument which can be summed up, roughly, as "God made me this way, so what I do must be pleasing to him." Here too a few raise the objection that to expect them to sacrifice genital sexuality is to ask them to act "unnaturally."
Finally, some say, "God is love. What I do with my lover has love as its focus. Therefore God must approve of what we do, or at least not disapprove of it, since God is love."
I have encountered a mix of these almost from the beginning, and I think it might be useful to point out how they might be answered. People who confuse chastity and celibacy need to be reminded of what the Church actually teaches about the two (paragraphs 2348-2350 of the new Catechism are a useful resource) and they need to have that distinction brought home in a practical manner. They often need to be reminded that homosexual people are not the only ones God has called to lifelong chastity as lay people. After all, if a heterosexual man or woman can live chastely, why is a chaste life impossible for a homosexual man or woman?
While it is true that this is not a reality all willingly embrace, it is nonetheless true that the same call of obedient dignity that precludes homosexual genital activity also precludes heterosexual genital activity outside of marriage. Chastity is not a matter of extraordinary grace, but is a minimal standard for Christian men and women, no matter their orientation.
Those who argue that homosexuality is God-given need to be reminded of basic facts. Homosexual people are not mentioned in the Bible at all, and if God really created an entire third gender of human beings, wouldn't he have said something about it? Moreover, that something exists does not prove that it exists as God envisioned it. In fact, Scripture teaches the opposite.
Death, disease, and pain came upon not only human beings, but upon all of creation because of Adam's sin (Rom. 5:12, 8:20-23). We bear this fallen creation in our bodies and in our minds, down into our very genes if the evidence of such diseases as hemophilia and Tay-Sachs are to be believed.
That most homosexual people cannot recall ever deciding to be homosexual does not mean that God loves homosexual sex any more than he loves adultery, fornication, or idolatry. Orientation may not be a choice. Actions almost always are.
The third line of reasoning can best be addressed by probing what is meant by "love," both in the mind of the persons engaged in the conversation and in the mind of Christ as well as the magisterium of the Church. If one truly loves another person, does one join him in activity that frequently causes harm? (Even before the arrival of HIV, sexually-transmitted disease in homosexually-active men was the subject of epidemiological concern). If one loves the other person, does one demand that he serve as a sexual object? Can sexually-active homosexuality ever be more than this, given that there can be no other ultimate object than pleasure?

Modern people need to be reminded that God destined a dual purpose in sex, unity between man and woman as well an avenue for the procreation of children. When one completely and intentionally removes either one of these conditions, the use of sex degenerates into misuse. I have left love for the end because, in the end, that is what this debate is all about. There is an old saying that all the best lies have an element of truth. This is nowhere better illustrated than in the discussion of homosexuality.

Gay activists appeal to the public mind by defending their "right to love whom they choose." In doing so they count on the muddled understanding of love which is so much abroad right now, and on the lie that all loves are equal.
But while they teach truth in generality, there is falsehood in their specific. As much as gay activists might wish to claim gay love imitates the divine, it is simply not so. At the heart of divine love is the transcendent desire to lose self in the good of the other, and, as both my life's experience and reason have taught me, an actively homosexual life precludes that desire. True love, Christ's love, will not bow to the whims of erotic enchantment or desire. True love knows restraint.
Christ told us, just before he showed us, that there is no greater love than that we lay down our lives for our friends (John 15:13). The greatest love is his, the perfect sacrifice of self that others might benefit. It is this most holy, most difficult, most chaste form of love to which homosexual men and women are called. We are summoned, like the apostle Paul, to pour ourselves out for the good of the Kingdom, sharing with many the talents and fruit which, had we been heterosexually oriented, we might have shared primarily with spouse and children.
I do not mean to write glibly about this particular cross. If my words here sound bloodless or impersonal, it is only because I do not wish to make myself the focus. The story of the emotional struggle and sacrifice which have come with this path is long and deep enough that it cannot be told here. Although I have not dwelt on the emotional details, faithful Catholics need to know that there are devoted, chaste homosexuals in their parishes, religious orders, and apostolates and that many of us live lives of deep sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom. Most of us are quiet. Many of us you will never know. But all of us stand in need of your prayers, charity, and good will.
I end with two quotations relevant to identity and discipleship. The first is from Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited. Julia is explaining her decision not to marry her lover, after their affair and after divorcing their original spouses. Her words have to do with choosing to serve God or something else -- a choice we each face:

"How can I tell what I shall do? You know the whole of me. You know I am not one for a life of mourning. I've always been bad. Probably I shall be bad again, punished again. But the worse I am, the more I need God. I can't shut myself out from his mercy. That is what it would mean; starting a life with you, without him. One can only hope to see one step ahead. But I saw today there was one thing unforgivable...the bad thing I was on the point of doing, that I am not quite bad enough to do; to set up a rival good to God's."⁶

The second is from Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship:

"And if we answer the call to discipleship, where will it lead us? What decisions and partings will it demand? To answer this question we will have to go to him, for only he knows the answer. Only Jesus Christ, who bids us to follow him, knows the journey's end. But we do know it will be a road of boundless mercy. Discipleship means joy."⁷

Catechism of the Catholic Church on Homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms throughout the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on sacred Scripture, which present homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity [Gen. 19:1-29, Rom. 1:24-27, 1 Cor. 6:10, 1 Tim. 1:10], tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered" [Persona Humana 8]. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved. 2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition: for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

Courage chapter forming online to
help homosexuals lead chaste and holy lives

Members of Courage, the Catholic ministry of support to homosexual-oriented men and women who seek to lead chaste lives, have begun to form an online version of a local Courage chapter via e-mail and the Internet. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time such a group has sought to form primarily through electronic communicationMuch as a local Courage chapter, the online version will aim to keep small the number of people in individual groups. This will better enable support and friendships to form. Other teatures will include general anonymity (except to the moderator), a chaplain participating, and a commitment to prayer and to spiritual growth. As is the case with local Courage chapters, members do not have to be Catholic. All that is required is a willingness to seek a chaste life in accord with the Catholic Church's teachings on homosexuality.

The goal of Courage Online is not to supplant or interfere with anyone's participating in a local, face-to-face Courage group, but to support those homosexuals who may be geographically remote from a local chapter or who, because of denominational or other uncertainty, may feel unprepared to participate face to face.Courage was established with these goals:

To live chaste lives in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality.
To dedicate our entire lives to Christ through service to others, spiritual reading, prayer, meditation, individual spiritual direction, frequent attendance at Mass, and the frequent reception of the sacraments of penance and the Holy Eucharist.
To foster a spirit of fellowship in which we may share with one another our thoughts and experiences and so ensure that none of us will have to face the problems of homosexuality alone.
To be mindful of the truth that chaste friendships are not only possible, but necessary to celibate Christian life and to encourage one another in forming and sustaining them.
To live lives that may serve as good examples to other homosexually-oriented people.

Endnotes:

For the sake of brevity and more readable prose I use the term "homosexual" for homosexually-oriented men and women. Readers should not think, though, that homosexually-oriented people can or should be defined only by their sexual orientation.
This is not surprising considering that even now there is no universally accepted definition of "sexual orientation," much less what causes it and whether or not it may be changed.
Cruising is a practice among sexually active gay men of seeking out partners for sex. A "cruisy" place or event is one where a lot of "cruising" takes place.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan. 1963)45.
For information on the location of Courage chapters, write to Courage, c/o St. Michael's Rectory, 424 West 34th Street, New York. NY 10001. or call (212) 421-0426.
Evelyn Waugh. Brideshead Revisited (New York: Dell, 1960).309.
Bonhoeffer. 41.

Anyone interested in participating sincerely in this ministry is invited to send e-mail to me. My address at American Online is dcmorrison, and on the Internet it is dcmorrison@aol.com. Each correspondent's identity will be kept confidential. Link

Ditch That Protein Powder

2011-09-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

I found this awesome blog that I really like. I am posting this in its entirety.

by SARAH, THE HEALTHY HOME ECONOMIST on JUNE 2, 2011

in HEALTHY LIVING,HEALTHY PREGNANCY, BABY & CHILD

link

Protein Powder in a Smoothie is not Healthy

If there’s anything that greatly concerns me, it’s ladies who are pregnant drinking smoothies fortified with protein powder and munching on other high protein/low carb “health foods” in their quest to reach the magical number of protein grams per day recommended by their obstetrician or midwife.

When I was pregnant with my third child, I was horrified at one prenatal visit to find a basket of soy protein bars in the waiting room! This was at a birth center staffed by midwives no less!

While adequate protein intake is indeed important during pregnancy, getting this macronutrient via highly processed protein powders and high protein foods is a disastrous choice. This is because these same ladies that are drinking high protein smoothies and protein bars are very likely avoiding saturated fat at the same time. A diet high in protein and low in fat rapidly depletes Vitamin A stores.

Whole foods containing large amounts of protein naturally include protective amounts of fat such as eggs, grassfed beef and other meats. On the other hand, high protein processed foods are devoid of any fat in most cases making them particularly dangerous.

Depletion of Vitamin A stores during pregnancy is a dangerous problem as Vitamin A is critical to preventing birth defects such as cleft palate, cleft lip, major heart malformations, and hydrocephalus. Vitamin A is also the “beauty vitamin” responsible for symmetry in physical and facial features.

Vitamin A deficiency from consumption of high protein foods is not assisted by prenatal vitamins either as these worthless pills do not contain true vitamin A but instead the synthetic version, Vitamin A Palmitate or the plant based version beta carotene – little of which is converted to true Vitamin A.

Vitamin A depletion when consuming high protein processed foods is also risky for the average individual as well. Symptoms of Vitamin A depletion include:

Heart arrhythmias
Kidney problems
Autoimmune disease
Thyroid disorders

Negative calcium balance is also a risk with high protein, lowfat diets which means that more calcium is lost than what is taken in. Consequences of negative calcium balance include bone loss and nervous system disorders.

Know anyone who drinks a high protein smoothie everyday for lunch who develops a bizarre neurological disorder out of the blue? I personally know several.

I’ve wondered about the stories in the news recently of young, healthy, vibrant male athletes, some only in high school, who inexplicably drop dead during competition. Could these young men be eating lots of protein, much of it processed, while on a lowfat diet in order to build muscle and strength as recommended by bodybuilding magazines? Such misguided advice would rapidly deplete Vitamin A stores which could potentially lead to heart arrhythmia and sudden death.

Good Alternatives to Protein Powder

Need a protein boost in smoothies and want to avoid the protein powders now that you realize the dangers to your health in using them? Try gelatin instead – it has 7 grams of protein per tablespoon. Gelatin is a colloidal substance which means it attracts digestive juices to itself similar to raw foods full of enzymes. Hence, gelatin is helpful to the digestion and contains a protein kick to boot.

Another option would be to add nutritional yeast (Frontier is the best brand as it has no additives and is low temperature dried) which has 8 grams of protein per serving.

Be aware that even natural gelatin contains small amounts of MSG, so if you are particularly sensitive, you may wish to choose nutritional yeast as the better alternative.

Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com

The Herbal Infusion “Wonder Water” Effect

2011-09-27T20:38:00.005-05:00

This is from Sarah at Healthy Home Economist: link

by SARAH, THE HEALTHY HOME ECONOMIST on SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

in GARDENING,HEALTHY PREGNANCY, BABY & CHILD,HERBAL REMEDIES

The two terms are in fact quite different as a properly prepared herbal infusion is much more potent and easily absorbed than plain herbal tea.

If you plan to use herbs therapeutically as in use of nettle tea during pregnancy to tone the uterus and prepare for natural childbirth, it is best to prepare herbal infusions instead of herbal tea.

The ease of assimilation and increased potency of herbal infusions is due to careful preparation which involves boiling of the water and steeping of the herbs for anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on the type of plant matter used.

The boiling of the water releases any dissolved gases from the water into the air which are not reabsorbed by the water due to the tight fitting lid on the steeping jar. These dissolved gases can interfere with the rapid and complete assimilation of the nutrients released into the water by the herbs as they steep in the cooling water.

This boiling of water to release any dissolved gases and then cooling of the water in a glass jar with a tight lid to restrict the gases from redissolving back into the water is referred to as the “wonder water” effect.

Using the wonder water principle, how should herbal infusions be properly prepared?

Very easily as it turns out.

Preparing Herbal Infusions

Roots and Bark

If making an herbal infusion using the roots or bark of a plant, use one ounce of plant matter per pint of water to be used.

Place the correct amount of plant matter at the bottom of a glass mason jar and fill to the top with boiling water. Screw the lid on tightly and leave at room temperature for 8 hours.

Leaves

Use one ounce of dried leaves per quart of water. Place the leaves in a quart mason jar and fill to the top with boiling water. Tighly afix the lid and leave at room temperature for 4 hours.

Flowers and Seeds

One ounce of flowers per quart of water should be steeped in boiling water as it cools in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid for no more than 2 hours.

One ounce of seeds are steeped in a pint of boiling water, again with a tight fitting lid on a mason jar and only for 30 minutes.

Herbal Infusion Dosage and Storage

Once the herbs have steeped for the proper amount of time, strain out the plant matter and drink 2 cups per day if you weigh between 125 – 150 lbs until the infusion is used up.

Add an additional one half cup per day for every 30-40 lbs additional weight. Similarly, if you weigh less than 125 lbs, reduce dosage by one quarter cup for every 15-20 lbs.

Herbal infusions spoil rapidly so it is best to make and use them up as soon as possible. Store unused portions in the refrigerator for no more than a day and then prepare a fresh batch.

Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com

What? White Rice Better Than Brown?

2011-09-27T20:06:00.001-05:00

From the Healthy Home Economist: link

by Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist on July 12, 2010

in Healthy Living,Most Controversial

*My last videoblog titled “Healthy Chinese” drew some comments from folks questioning my choice of rice.
Why was I using white basmati rice instead of brown? Isn’t brown rice the healthier choice, after all?
Ok, I’ll spill the ~~beans~~, rice. Here are my reasons …

Truth is, neither my husband or myself have ever enjoyed brown rice. Every time we eat it, it just seems to not sit very well in our stomachs. It, well, uh, sits like a brick for lack of a better word.
I’m never one to force feed a food to myself that doesn’t intuitively seem to be something my body enjoys receiving – even if politically incorrect. So, for our entire married life (19 years and counting!), I’ve always served white basmati rice in our home.
White rice just seemed to digest a whole lot better for us. That to me was reason enough to choose it over the brown rice.
You are what you digest, after all – not necessarily what you eat!
End of story? Well, not quite.

You see, a few years back at the annual Weston A. Price Conference, I became familiar with a new book called Fiber Menace. The author, Konstantin Monastyrsky, was a speaker at the Conference that year and his talk about the dangers of a high fiber diet was really buzzing around amongst the Conference attendees.
Now, Mr. Monastrysky’s point about the dangers of a high fiber diet was in relation to high fiber from grains, not fruits and veggies. In other words, folks who eat a bowl of All Bran every morning to keep the bathroom visits regular are unknowingly ripping their insides to shreds.
The basic premise of Fiber Menace is that grain fiber plays a leading role in many gut related ailments including colon cancer.
When I first learned of this information, my preference for white rice over brown rice started to make more sense. Perhaps the brown rice didn’t digest that well because of all that fiber?
Chalk one up for the white rice.
A second piece of information which seemed to further validate my preference for white rice came in the Spring 2010 Issue of Wise Traditions magazine (p. 28-39).
Ramiel Nagel, of Cure Tooth Decay fame, wrote a thought provoking article in that issue on the devastating effects of phytic acid in the diet. Phytic acid is a very powerful blocker of mineral absorption in the gut.
In this article, Mr. Nagel writes that brown rice is very high in phytic acid and that soaking reduces this potent anti-nutrient by very little. He also maintains that the traditional method for preparing brown rice is never to eat it whole (with only the husk removed), but rather to pound it in a mortar and pestle in order to remove the bran layer too – coincidentally, the primary source of the phytic acid.
Nagel goes on to point out that experiments have shown that milled rice, the rice that results from this pounding process, has the highest mineral absorption from rice. Mineral absorption from whole brown rice is much less as the phytic acid from the bran greatly interferes with the absorption process.
Which is Better? Brown Rice or White?
So it seems that brown rice is not necessarily a healthier choice than milled white rice. Obviously, whether you choose one or the other is a personal preference, but I hope this information helps you sort through the decision with a bit more clarity.
As for me and my family, we will be sticking with the white basmati rice (white basmati rice is more nutritious than plain white rice). Intuition told me many years ago that brown rice was not something that was sitting well in my stomach or my husband’s and it seems that as the years go by, more research is coming forth to indicate that this decision was the right way to go after all.

Pickles

2011-09-10T21:49:00.000-05:00

Link to article

Easy Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles

Posted by Sofya on Aug 16, 2011 in All Entries, Homesteading, Recipes | 4 comments

I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am to bring you this Russian classic – lacto-fermented dill pickles – known to Russians as maloslnye ogurzi. Unlike the more familiar vinegary dill pickles, the acid in these is produced by the activity of beneficial lactobacilli, which occurs when you expose vegetables to a large amount of salt in an oxygen-free environment.
A close relative of sauerkraut and kimchi, these cukes are both delicious and a breeze to make, with the only downside being their inability to be kept for a long time. Not that it’s an issue – at our house, they disappear faster than I can ferment a new batch. The upside is of course the fact that the beneficial bacteria in these are alive, making them a healthful accompaniment to many meals.

If you have never tried these, expect the flavor to be somewhat different from what you might be used to. Not at all vinegary, these are mostly sour and salty, with perhaps a slight touch of bitterness that is not at all unpleasant.
Meanwhile, the method itself is absolutely elementary (making it my favorite during this busy time of year):

Prepare your produce and pack it into crock/jars:

These can be made either in a ceramic crock, like my 2-gallon crock above, or a mason jar (or several).
I like to choose really small cucumbers for pickling as they are usually the crunchiest.
The pickles will be their crispiest when pickled the day they have been picked.
Wash your cukes thoroughly using a vegetable brush. Take special care to clean between all the little bumps as dirt could lead to spoilage.
Wash your crock in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
Trim off both ends to facilitate the fermentation and to remove the blossom end, which contains the enzymes that promote softening.
Pack your cukes tightly into a crock or a mason jar, along with whole garlic cloves, lots and lots of whole peppercorns, and whole dill stalks, stems and all. I like to have some dill on the bottom and some on top. Another very traditional addition would be oak or black currant leaves, both of which promote crispness and add a wonderful aroma. Note that all of the above ingredients should be thoroughly washed as well.

On adding whey: While Sally Fallon recommends adding whey to your lacto-fermented pickles, it is entirely unnecessary for the fermentation to take place, nor is it traditional.

Prepare the brine (makes enough for 4 quart jars):

4.5 tablespoons of pickling salt (which contains no additives that could interfere with the fermentation)
2 quarts of water (if you live in town and don’t have a well, filtered or distilled water is your best bet)

Add salt to the water, bring to a boil, and boil until the salt has dissolved.

Pour the boiling brine over the contents of your crock or jar(s).

If using a crock, weigh the contents down with a plate to assure that everything is submerged, hence creating the anaerobic environment conducive to the growth of lactobacilli.

If using a jar, you can weigh the contents down with some oak leaves (my husbands’ method), or just by packing everything so tight that nothing can float to the top.

Do not seal your jars. Place a clean, moistened cloth over your jar or crock instead, securing with a rubber band or a piece of twine.
Leave your jars on the counter at room temperature (it doesn’t matter whether or not the jars are next to a window) for 3 days.
In 3 days, remove the cloth, taste your pickles, and if you like the taste, screw on a lid and transfer them into the fridge. If you feel that your pickles could use some more acidity, however, feel free to leave them on the counter for another day or until the desired flavor has been achieved.

Note that the brine will turn milky/cloudy (above) and may develop white foam on top, the bottom, or the contents. It may also appear slightly slimy, and will grow increasingly so after you’ve transferred your jars to the fridge. These are a normal part of the fermentation and need not be a reason for concern.
Once refrigerated, the pickles will last for a couple of weeks, but their acidity level will increase with time as they continue to ferment slowly in the fridge (hence the increasingly cloudy brine). Because of their short life, don’t make more than your family can consume within that time frame.

Enjoy!

History of Vitamin 'C'

2011-09-05T16:06:00.000-05:00

From Radiant Life:

We are often asked about all natural Vitamin C and how it compares to Ascorbic Acid. What's wrong with Ascorbic Acid? How does it differ from natural Vitamin C?

Thousands of bottles of ascorbic acid are purchased everyday under the misguided assumption that ascorbic acid is the same as vitamin C. In reality, ascorbic acid is an isolated nutrient that is part of vitamin C but it is not the whole vitamin C.

You are getting cheated if you buy ascorbic acid thinking it is vitamin C. But that may be only a partial injustice! Studies over the last several years demonstrate that people taking high doses of ascorbic acid put themselves at risk for a number of health challenges. One study demonstrated that doses of 500 mg a day or more of ascorbic acid increase the incidence of arterial plaque buildup. Another study indicated that gallstones are more likely to appear in those taking ascorbic acid.

You may ask, what about all the studies done by Linus Pauling and other reputable researchers who have proven the benefits of Vitamin C and ascorbic acid? Let us put a little perspective on this:

Back in the 1930's ascorbic acid was isolated out of little red peppers by Dr. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi who won a Nobel Prize for his work. What he also found, which has mostly been ignored until recently, was that ascorbic acid was far more biologically available and active while it was still in the red pepper.

Scientists of the era of "Better Living Through Chemistry and Science" (which we have been experiencing for the last sixty years) decided to take the discoveries about Vitamin C and "improve" on Mother Nature.

They found that extracting ascorbic acid from natural foods, such as the red peppers, cabbage, cranberries, gooseberries, or acerola berries, is relatively expensive. Ascorbic acid can be created in the laboratory much less expensively (and of course much more profitably). Scientists discovered that they could take corn syrup, mix it with hydrochloric acid, and voila: ascorbic acid! (By the way, the corn is more likely than ever to be genetically modified and of course not organically grown.)

Years later, scientists discovered what Dr. Szent-Györgyi had discovered about ascorbic acid: it is not as effective when detached from the whole food matrix! So they went about trying to determine what other factors there could be in the whole food that would make the ascorbic acid work better.

First, they discovered the importance of bioflavonoids, so they figured out how to produce these synthetically in the laboratory, to be added to the ascorbic acid. Then they found that ascorbic acid worked better as a mineral ascorbate and they worked on that! Then they found that fat-soluble ascorbic acid was superior, because it went directly to the liver vs. water soluble ascorbic acid. In fact if you put 100 mg of ascorbic acid in the body, within a few hours at least 90% of it would be excreted in the urine. If you put 10 times more into the body to account for a 90% loss it would cause diarrhea. So they experimented with various things and concluded that if you attach the ascorbic acid molecule to another molecule, in one case a metabolite, the ascorbic acid will stay in the body longer (they didn't seem to care why it stayed in the body longer, but it stayed in the body longer and hopefully that was a good thing).

Today there is a broad variety of ascorbic acid products with various things attached to them. With all this research, time, thought and dollars being put into creating a synthetic vitamin C, the fact remains that none of them can come even close to the potentials of what Mother Nature makes. One important factor that science has not been able to duplicate is the special kind of energy that holds living food together. Whether this energy is found in the enzymes or in the energy patterns of whole food structures, it is unlikely that science will ever be able to reproduce it in a laboratory. This may be one of several reasons why studies have shown that the body will absorb close to 100% of the vitamin C that is consumed as part of a whole food, whereas barely 10% of the "stripped down" ascorbic acid is absorbed.

Again it is an issue of what we are willing to put into our bodies. Mother Nature has created foods for us that are complex and designed to be metabolized by our bodies in a synergistic way.

Natural whole food sources of vitamin C include: Amla, Camu, and Acerola

Beautiful Pro-Life article from the Chicago Sun Times

2011-09-02T21:21:00.002-05:00

Article on Amanda

“A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them,” as the famous Victor Hugo verse goes.

Facing adversity, criticism and an uncertain future for her conjoined twins, Amanda Schulten says she chose life.

Despite the devastatingly low probability of survival, the single Marengo mother-to-be said that, for her, there was just no other option.

Joined at the heart, her daughters — whom she’s already named Hope and Faith — should be given a chance to live, Amanda said, no matter how long those lives may be.

Strong in her Catholic religious beliefs, Amanda said she loves her children unconditionally and cannot interfere with God’s will.

“He has a plan for me, and for them,” she said. “We never know when our last day will be. We have to enjoy it, and appreciate health while we have it.”

Amanda has created a blog about her experiences at amanda-faithhopelove.blogspot.com, which tells the story of her journey throughout the pregnancy. On the main page is the poignant poem she penned, “I Love You.”

“No matter what happens, my soul will never leave you; If difficulties come here, I will never disappear,” the poem begins.

“I’m sure you would be proud to call me momma,” she writes, “for you are a special gift to me.”

Dark days

With delivery inevitably soon, Amanda has made it a long way from April 1, when she first learned she was carrying twins during a routine ultrasound at Elgin’s Sherman Hospital.

“My family thought it was an April Fools joke,” Amanda said. “We were so excited, but we wondered why they didn’t give us pictures.”

Later that evening, Amanda received a phone call from her doctor saying she needed to come in the following Monday morning.

Not thinking much of it, she went to the appointment alone, where she was given the distressing news.

“The doctor said the babies won’t make it, and termination is the best option,” Amanda said. “I broke down. I wasn’t thinking about abortion, I was thinking, ‘Will they survive?’ Not ‘I want them to die.’ ”

Amanda never returned to that doctor’s office. But dark days would follow in the form of depression and loneliness, as many around her didn’t agree with her decision.

“Some people were really supportive and thought I was doing the right thing … while others, not so much,” she said. “They would say things like, ‘the kids would suffer’ … ‘I’m selfish if I keep the babies because of how short their life span is’ … ‘they’re just going to die anyway.’ ”

One heart, in spirit

The girls have separate heads but are fully connected at the torso, sharing a heart, a liver, and two lungs and kidneys. One twin never developed a lower body, so they share two legs, one of which is clubbed. They each have one good arm, and one has another half an arm.

Conjoined twins result from a fertilized egg that begins to divide into identical twins but never fully separates — a rare occurrence found in only about 1 in 100,000 pregnancies.

A Caesarean section is almost always necessary, and roughly half of the babies are stillborn. If they make it past birth, survival rates are low.

Although Amanda heard about 7-year-olds surviving similar conditions, the oldest documented twins sharing a heart are 3½ years old.

“My goal is to have the oldest living conjoined twins,” she said.

With support from her family and church — St. Charles Borromeo in Hampshire — Amanda is now being cared for by an obstetrician who handles high-risk pregnancies at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Still, the prognosis isn’t good.

“Doctors kept telling me they aren’t going to survive much longer,” Amanda said. “Every day, I wake up thinking, ‘Is today their last day?’ ”

Amanda was admitted to the medical center on Monday, well in advance of her Oct. 11 due date. She will remain there until delivering.

It isn’t her first time in the hospital during the pregnancy. She had a kidney infection in May and, a few weeks ago, spent her 21st birthday at Sherman Hospital being monitored for high blood pressure.

The blog retells the journey.

Besides providing photos and updates, it also offers ways to donate to help the family.

Amanda said her needs are great as a single mother unsure how to prepare for the arrival of her special daughters.

“I didn’t have a baby shower, so I really have nothing,” she said. “It’s so hard to plan for them … for their clothes.”

Amanda said her blog has been a double-edged sword, with some contributors lifting her up, and others telling her to get an abortion.

“People say really mean things. I am constantly deleting things,”

Amanda said she will stand by her choice. “If they were in my shoes, maybe they’d see it differently.”

Amanda said if mothers don’t protect their children, who else will?

Perhaps really three are sharing one heart, as she, too, shares theirs.

“You know you’re really a mom when you’re willing to give up your whole life for them,” Amanda said. “I will love my kids always and forever, no matter what.”

Here is a link to her blog:

http://amanda-faithhopelove.blogspot.com/

Guardian Angels

2011-08-28T14:43:00.001-05:00

From Fr Hardon archives:
You said every baptized person has a Guardian Angel. What about the non-baptized, or non-Christians?
We believe that everybody is a child of God. Then why did God not give them also a Guardian Angel?
Well, in theology we have our different degrees of certitude. Different levels of being sure that something is true. The Church does teach, she does teach that every human person from conception has a Guardian Angel. The Church teaches it. But on everything that the Church teaches has been revealed, revealed by God. In other words, whatever the Church teaches we call doctrine. But only revealed doctrines are called dogmas. It is by dogmas that every baptized person has a Guardian Angel. It is however, by the Church’s teaching, that everyone, I repeat, from conception, has a Guardian Angel. In other words, the degree of certitude, is higher regarding Christians having a Guardian Angel, than every human being. I repeat, from conception, has a Guardian spirit.

New Age Movement and Thomas Merton and Centering Prayer

2011-08-27T14:42:00.000-05:00

from Fr Hardon archives:
Fr. Hardon:
The question is here - Can you speak more about the New Age Movement?
The New Age Movement is about, I would say, forty years old, in the United States. It is an importation from Asia and especially from India. And what has happened is that certain Catholic leaders and writers have begun to bring out, what I would call, the non-Christian, oriental, mysticism. Non-Christian, oriental, mysticism. The New Age Movement, as they call it. There is no definite pattern. However, the New Agers, as they are also called, have become deeply influenced by those Christian writers who have adopted non-Christian philosophy into Christianity. And I think the leader of the New Age Movement, who has since died, was a Trappist Monk, Thomas Merton. The name sound familiar? Thomas Merton. I could talk for many hours about the New Age Movement. But concretely, it was Thomas Merton who, in the late forties, that would be over fifty (50) years ago, became a convert to the Catholic faith, and he published a widely circulating book called the Seven Storey Mountain. Thomas Merton, I do believe was never intellectually converted to Christianity. He became a Trappist Monk, became a priest and wrote many books. So his conversion is Seven Storey Mountain. He became very famous, mainly because of his writing. But also, because his ideas, it goes back already to the fifties and sixties. His ideas were very sympathetic with oriental thought. Well, Thomas Merton entered my life when my Jesuit Provincial Superior told me to go to this Trappist’s monastery, which was quite some distance. I was teaching theology and I was told to talk to Thomas Merton, which I did. Our relationship lasted about six months. Thomas Merton had organized a campaign for the movement of what we now call the New Age Movement - meditation. Oriental meditation. At the Monastery of Gethsemene, his Abbot Superior either changed his mind or never gave Merton permission in the first place to start his meditation center - at the monastery in Kentucky. Then his Abbot simply told Merton, you cannot build this meditation center. In the meantime, a great deal of money had been collected for this meditation center. Thomas Merton had left the United States and he died suddenly in Asia by giving lectures on Oriental Mysticism. Thomas Merton's writings, his New Age writings, have been published after his death and without his Abbot's permission. In fact, the manuscripts were given to a lay person who has been publishing his books ever since.
And having said that, I can now talk at great length about the New Age Movement. Basically, the New Age Movement is, I repeat, Oriental Meditation, Oriental Prayer, or Mysticism that has penetrated many Christian circles. There are communities that follow that pattern. For example, there are Religious communities of women that follow the New Age pattern in meditation and prayer. And all I can say is that those communities, which have adopted these New Age ideas are all - I mean this sincerely - in danger of dissolusion. At the root of the New Age Movement, is the denial of an infinite, personal God, who created the world. And consequently, once you say that than how much you use the name God, no matter how much you talk about prayer and meditation, that prayer and mediation is no longer to God, but either to the unknown forces in the world or to one's self. And, you know, all I can say is, that one reason the New Age Movement has so deeply infected, as I should say, the Western world is because the Western world, unlike the Oriental world, has become very materialistic. Preoccupied with things that you can touch, taste, feel, see, experience with your body. The Western world needs a reformation. It needs to discover that there is a real world that you cannot touch, taste, see with your bodily eyes, or hear with the bodily ears. The real world - God is very real, God is God, does not have a body or extension in space, or size or weight. There is the angelic world, which is, as we say purely spiritual. Each angel is an individual person. Each of us, we believe, has a spirit; our souls dwelling within us. We believe this spirit, our soul, continues living consciously after the body dies.
Sister: Excuse me Father. What is centering prayer? And what is its connection with the New Age Movement?
Fr. Hardon: Centering prayer is part of the New Age Movement. Centering prayer is very dangerous. There are communities, I will not identify which communities, where the Sisters are taught and trained to practice centering prayer.
Sister: Father, I have read in the newspaper that the contemplative Missionaries of Charity practice centering prayer.
Fr. Hardon: Sister?
Gentleman: She said, she has seen a photograph in the newspaper of some Missionaries of Charity…
Sister: Contemplative
Gentleman: Contemplative…practicing…
Sister: Father, the article was telling us that they were practicing centering prayer.
Gentleman: They were saying, the MC's, the contemplative…
Sister: In Calcutta, were using centering prayer.
Gentleman: In Calcutta, they were using centering prayer
Sister: It was published in Miami by a Carmelite community.
Fr. Hardon: All I can say is, any community that practices centering prayer will die out.
Sister: What?
Fr. Hardon:
I can talk for hours on centering prayer. The word of course, is attractive. Centering prayer - It all depends on what you mean by centering prayer. And of course, again there are different forms of centering prayer. Because as you know, in India, Hindus are not united. There was no united Hinduism or kinds of Hindu - well, you might say religions. So with centering prayer. The heart of centering prayer is communicating with the center of your being. Now that, as the words are used, sounds harmless. Remember we were talking about indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Could we say that for those who are in that state of God's grace that at the center of their being is the Holy Spirit? We can say that. That is not for those who practice centering prayer mean. At the center of one's being is the Absolute. The Absolute, who is the only real being that exists. In other words, we think that we are separate individuals. At the foundation of centering prayer, you don't believe it. The center of our being, the New Agers say, is the Absolute. The only real being, the center of our being, therefore is the Absolute. According to God you are cheating. Because the god of centering prayer, I repeat, the way the New Agers have brought it in, is the only being who exists. He is the absolute being. And he is the same absolute being, in every human being as we would call it. But, what we call an – person – they would say - is not a distinct reality. At the heart of centering prayer, there is no infinite God who created the world out of nothing. A layman wrote a book on Thomas Merton - remember I mentioned Thomas Merton may be the founder of the New Age Movement, certainly in the Western world. He wrote a book, spent several years writing the book analyzing Thomas Merton's thinking. And he said Thomas Merton never, never believed there was a God who was infinite. Never believed there was a God who was really distinct from the world that we say was created. Centering prayer is communication with the inner being who is the only real being who exists. If you think you are a distinct person, distinct from God, you do not understand centering prayer. And another - oh, I could talk for hours - who's been deeply affected by centering prayer. Although, he himself died before what we now call the New Age movement came into existence. That was the Jesuit, Karl Rahner. I've been a Jesuit now, as I told you – if the Lord keeps me on this earth until the first of September - I entered in 1936 - it will be 60 years. Karl Rahner’s thinking is also behind centering prayer, and Karl Rahner never, never was convinced that there is an infinite God. NEVER. In other words, centering prayer is addressing the Absolute, which is the only being who really exists. And having known the Contemplative Missionaries of Charity, from before they began. That's how I first met Mother Theresa. She wanted to start the Contemplative branch and I was in New York teaching. She came from, well, from Calcutta, I was in New York, I’ve got I'll tell you this. I got a phone call - Mother Theresa from Calcutta wanted me to call her back. Gee, from New York to Calcutta! That's a lot of money. But the number was 292-00l9. Strange number, but I figured I'd save money. I'd try to call that number. Sure enough, it was the Bronx, in New York. Well, at last I could come to talk to her in the Bronx. Our first meeting was five hours. I have known the Contemplative Missionaries of Charity. For seven years. I was teaching the Contemplatives one full day every week. So thank you for sharing that with me. But I have to say I am not surprised. I am disappointed, but I am not surprised. Thank you for saying that. I could talk about the New Age Movement for hours. It is not Christian. It is very dangerous. Well, keep this covered.

Groupon

2011-08-24T18:59:00.000-05:00

To sign up for Groupon go to this link: http://www.groupon.com/r/uu7222154
I'm putting this out there because I actually have used them a few times and they were good deals. Although one time my husband used one that he didn't like so he sent an e-mail to Goupon, they with no questions asked credited his account the full amount of the Groupon.

Celiacs and Gluten Intolerance

2011-08-22T15:57:00.003-05:00

Wheat should be organic and fermented and used from fresh ground wheat (within twelve hours of grinding). You still may have a problem with it.
The following is from comments from the linked article:

An earlier article on Dr. M's site titled "If You Can't Beat Depression, This Could be Why" suggests that if we are going to correct our digestive/brain problems we have to start with young children. EXCERPT: "So it actually makes perfect sense to nourish your gut flora for optimal serotonin function as it can have a profound impact on your mood, psychological health, and behavior. "The authors concluded that: " '[T]he presence or absence of conventional intestinal microbiota influences the development of behavior..."

"This conclusion adds support to another recent animal study, which also found that gut bacteria may influence mammalian early brain development and behavior. But that's not all. They also discovered that the absence or presence of gut microorganisms during infancy permanently alters gene expression."

Again, the implications are that messing with the infant's immune system with injected foreign DNA (vaccines), and/or directly killing intestinal flora (by administering antibiotics), affects behaviour later in life. He goes on to say that even if as an adult you begin to use probiotics, this is too late to enable the beneficial brain development that normally happens in the infant stages.

That article references a study "Normal gut microbiota modulates brain development and behavior"www.pnas.org/.../3047.abstract%3E That study compared the effect of the presence or absence of gut flora in rat pups and adults. Once the animal is an adult, adding probiotics does not make any further difference to their behaviour.

So the effect of gluten reactivity in the young child would also likely influence behaviour and mood for life. This is probably part of the problem with which Dr. Andrew Wakefield was wrestling in his many articles on the gut-brain connection. See the video and Dr. M's comments at "Why Medical Authorities Went to Such Extremes to Silence Dr. Andrew Wakefield" elsewhere on this site.

Citing Dr. Mercola's other articles was to make the point that this is a coherent body of knowledge. Eating wisely and in harmony with nature -- as well as avoiding causing damage by heavy-handed medical interventions not based on this principle -- must begin from the earliest days of life.

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People have been eating wheat and grains for centuries. Allergic reactions to wheat and grains have been steadily on the rise in recent decades.

The studies cited here are subjective in trying to make the point against wheat and grains. Studies trying to equate allergic reactions to these foods are fatally flawed because they do not reference the quality of the food. THEY HAVE NOT established levels of toxins from pesticides, surfactants, fungicides, etc., in the wheat and or other grains eaten by the study subjects.

Yes, it is true that Lectins are very poisonous, but fortunately heating lectins destroys their toxicity. The article states "WGA binds to N-Acetylglucosamine which is believed to function as an atypical neurotransmitter functioning in nocioceptive (pain) pathways” is very interesting. WGA also binds to Sialic acid residues, in fact WGA has an affinity for Glycans (Poly and Oligosaccharides) and other chemical materials. Of potential interest to researchers should be polyglycoside surfactants used as spreader stickers for pesticides sprayed on wheat as well as the pesticides.

Pesticides and other chemicals are most concentrated in wheat gluten and there are over sixteen different hazardous chemical residues found in wheat. Newer systemic pesticides are now being found more frequently in foods than ever before. Bottom line, commercial wheat and grains are TOXIC. Always buy Organic.

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@Tony Gallo: Cadmium is another source of concern in ALL food, plants readily absorb Cadmium from contaminated soils. Commercial fertilizers, especially phosphate fertilizers contain Cadmium and are unacceptable. Leaf litter and top soil are used as an archaeologic record of heavy metal and metalloid contamination particularly from anthropogenic activity like the BURNING OF COAL.

@TonyGallo answer to question below: The fungus Claviceps purpurea has been responsible for many deaths with a theorized relationship to the Salem Witch trials. However, I believe anthropogenic chemicals are probably responsible for the rise in diseases related to wheat and grain as opposed toxins from fungi. Don't forget wheat is also sprayed with fungicides.

@Sayergi's comment below: Lectins are detoxified by the heat from cooking which causes a change in the material. Beans, Almonds, Walnuts, grains and other plants contain lectin and are safe to eat after cooking. Baking chestnuts, cooking almonds and boiling soybeans agglutinates the proteins, including the lectins and with soy washes away the soy trypsin inhibitor rendering it free of digestion inhibitors and lectin activity. However, Soy is not a healthy food.

@Sun99961 Below: Celiacs and organic sourdough bread read the study:

aem.asm.org/.../1088

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Samsel - your pesticide point is excellent. This connection is rarely addressed. As far as the wheat studies, feel free to review them directly here www.greenmedinfo.com/.../wheat Over the past two years I have gathered several hundred peer-reviewed research on the connection between wheat consumption and over 120 disease categories, with the connection between neurological/psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia most interesting.

There's another rather insidious side to what you're saying that is especially true today -- most people have no idea they can be consuming 'hidden' gluten everyday. Beer, salad dressings, ice cream, battered foods, some processed meats, rice mixes, gravies, icings, soy sauce, soups (even pasta free ones)... the list goes on.

One really has to be educated and vigilant in keeping gluten to a minimum as it's commonly used as a thickener/stabilizer in processed foods and it adds up in the body fast. I've read that if you put a hundred people with Celiac Disease or even wheat sensitivity in a room, you may not find any two with the exact same reactions, and that is why it's so hard to diagnose and treat. Best thing to do is go on a strict gluten free diet for at least three months and see how you feel!

Suzeaa - excellent information. Yes, celiac disease is mostly asymptomatic and/or expresses itself in "out of intestine" symptoms. Although 30% of the world's population has the genetic locus of susceptibility on chromosome 6 (HLA-DQ2/8), the classical diagnostic definition, e.g. intestinal biopsy and/or alpha-gliadin antibodies, to name but a few tests, makes it seem like wheat only affects a rare percentage. There is really a "celiac iceberg," with the broad submerged base being so massive, that most people have no idea how profoundly the anti-health food affects them. For more on this read my "Dark Side of Wheat." www.greenmedinfo.com/page/dark-side-wheat-new-perspectives-celiac-dise..

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Leaky gut is due to gluten...heavy metals come from liver not working well...so they build up...since gluten doesn't let nutrients absorb...so cells are not made right in the liver or work right. Rancid fats hurt me...make free radicals...so I am sure fresh ground is better, but gluten may still hurt certain people.

detoxify or simply support your liver

2011-08-19T21:51:00.000-05:00

These comments are from the above link in the comments section (a mercola.com post):

If you want to detoxify or simply support your liver, either as part of a treatment or as a precaution, there are some supplements that deserve to be mentioned:

* Milk thistle silymarin: known to clean the liver and to support the regeneration of liver cells.

* Turmeric root extract: boosts the liver enzyme production which supports the breakdown of sugar and fat.

* R-Alpha Lipoic Acid: Supports the liver function by breaking down toxins before the process begins in the liver. Especially if one is heavily medicated and thus compromising the liver, R-ALA should be considered.

* N-Acetyl Cysteine (should be supported by a strong C-Vitamin supplement): will support the liver function by influencing and optimizing the blood inflow.

* Astaxanthin: Of its multitude of benefits one is the detoxification of liver cells.

* Omega 3: for overall support of the blood and its fatty acid balance

In a more general note, vitamin E and A standout, but be wary if supplementing as their liver benefits will counteract when the dosage is too high. For E it is often advised not to exceed 1.200 IU. If it is the pure form of vitamin A, do not exceed 5.000 UI a day as your liver will otherwise be severely compromised. However, If the form of A is as beta carotene then there is no problem at all even in very high dosage.

The above article also mentions; Chlorella, Spirulina, Ginger, Green tea, Resveratrol and Holy Basil. Naturally I agree, but when it comes to detoxification I think especially Chlorella and Spirulina together with Resveratrol offer a supreme program.

-That is a fantastic list. Another supplement worth mentioning is Burdock Root, which can heal a damaged liver and protect it from further damage.

therkildsen, This looks like a useful list. However, I see you have listed Alpha Lipoic Acid. I want to point out that ALA is not the most bioactive form of Lipoic Acid. ALA is synthetic; RLA is the biologically active component. Google differentiates between the two, or look here: www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/Item01208/Super-R-Lipoic-Acid.html

( Be carefull not to mix ALA with ALA. Or said differently, to mix “alpha linolenic acids “ (a plant based Omega3 fatty acid) with “Alpha Lipoic Acid” the one I mention above. Despite the somewhat similar name they have completely different properties.)

(To clear up any possible confusion, the ALA in our Astaxanthin is Alpha-Linolenic Acid, not Alpha Lipoic Acid, and completely avoids the use of synthetic preservative chemicals. 100% natural and non-GMO ingredients are used.--Mercola)

@ Islander: You are absolutely right. The stabilized form of ALA (R-Alpha Lipoic Acid) of this magnificent nutrient has indeed superior absorption. I have read your advocating this form under other topics earlier and I concur completely. I have taken the liberty to correct it in my list above. Thanx.

@ kolibakoliba: I wondered to, but Omega 3 are beyond doubt crucial. Thank for you backup in source material.

@ elenajo: Thank you. In all fairness there are many other supplements that have a recorded benefit for the liver. Consider my list as a kind of program that supports on multiple levels and therefore work in synergy. The Burdock Root has proofed interesting effect and is used in some liver-detoxification programs, but to my knowledge this effect is not completely understood other than its antioxidant properties. Another one that could also be mentioned is Dandelion Root that is said to clean the liver of toxins, largely attributed to its antioxidating abilities and does therefore (IMO) not add much to my list. I am sure some will disagree. A third one that I find interesting and I did not know of until recently is the Artichoke Leaf which, apart from tasting good cooked, is also claimed to boost the production of bile in the liver. Perhaps not relevant for this article, but for general Liver support it has value.

The articles mention several natural agents that can help restore child's metabolic health. Surprisingly, authors failed to mention n-3 PUFA.

The idea that n-3 PUFA may prevent and reverse changes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been controversial until recently. Indeed, the dietary supplementation of PUFAs in fatty liver has been questioned by findings in a murine model of steatohepatitis, in which n-3 PUFAs failed to prevent the development of steatohepatitis because of accumulation of hepatic lipoperoxides (1). Another study in rats published recently showed similar effect (2). However, such effect, may be encountered by combination with other antioxidative strategies, such as treatment with vitamin E.

Other studies, however, showed that lipids called protectins and resolvins derived from n-3 PUFA can actually reduce hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance, in obese people (3). Importantly, a pilot study showed that prolonged n-3 PUFA supplementation ameliorates hepatic steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(4). Moreover, recent randomised placebo controlled trial showed that DHA supplementation (250 and 500 mg/day) improves liver steatosis and insulin sensitivity in children with NAFLD (5).

For whom ever this may help.I looked in to ways to help the liver for my brother a former drug addict and alcoholic with end stage cirrhosis and ascites(So severe he had to be drained a number of times) facing a liver transplant if he was lucky enough to get one.What I suggested to him and he has been doing every day for months now is a spinach smoothey with various fruits especially blueberries a salad and I think most important outdoor grown flash frozen wheatgrass juice.He is addicted to sugar and won't give up his candy. Despite this a week or so ago his Dr told him that in all his years of practice he has never told a patient that they needed a liver transplant and then told them they don't but that is what he told my brother!His Dr said he was sure he was going to die.He is shocked.

His ascites has improved remarkably also and he looks and feels so much better.It's worth noting that he also has a great tan so I'm sure his vitame d is up and he also takes a supplement that has milk thistle in it.I had been reading about Anne Wigmore and that is what led me to wheatgrass. I also read a study a man did with chickens. Some were fed wheat grass and others a normal diet. The wheat grass fed chickens produced double the amount of eggs and when examined the most notable result was the difference in the appearance of the liver.

The wheatgrass fed ones were deep burgundy in color and shiny vs the dull and beige color of the non wheatgrass group. Jesus was said to have people chew it to heal and the results I've seen are nothing short of miraculous!Just a gut feeling I have makes me suspect that the sudden rise in liver problems are more associated with GM foods and all the chemicals additives,sugar substitutes and pharmaceuticals combined than fructose alone. I think the fructose in soda is mostly from GM corn right?

The B vitamins, Choline and Inositol will help remove fats from the liver, and the Amino acid, L-Carnitine will turn the fats into energy.

Laurie2 - Sorry to hear about your brohter´s diagnosis. As a hepatology specialist, I see about 5-10 such cases daily and 80% of them improve when they STOP DRINKING. In some cases, it is even possible to REVERSE CIRRHOSIS. Of course, healthy nutrition including low carbo diet and wheatgrass and some supplements and hepatoprotective agents are also important. In particular, I would like to emphasize the need of adequate amounts of vitamin K (both K1 and K2), vitamin D, thiamin (especially in alcoholic hepatitis), low carbohydrate diet, grass-fed raw milk, medium chain triglycerides (coconut oil), branched chain amino acids (BCAA), probiotics, milk thistle and Liv-52 (only in compensated cirrhosis). Other usefull tips you can find here:

ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Reverse-Cirrhosis---Cure-Your-Liver-Cirrhosi..

By the way, regarding wheatgrass it is worth mentioning it is also thought to be superior to other vegetables in its content of Vitamin B12, a vital nutrient. Contrary to popular belief, B12 is not contained within wheat grass or any vegetable, rather it is a byproduct of the microorganisms living on plants. If plants are washed prior to consumption the water soluble B12 will be removed making most plants unreliable sources of B12. Importantly, raw wheat grass is entirely gluten free, as the grass top is cut off before juicing and so there is no gluten berry in wheatgrass.

As a hepatology specialist, it is my duty to warn on the dangers of some herbal preparations.

Although physicians and patients recognize that many conventional drugs cause liver damage, they are less likely to consider the hepatotoxic potential of herbal remedies. Identification of toxicity from herbal preparations is often difficult, because patients generally self-medicate with these products and may withhold this information. Patients may not even consider herbals as medications in the belief that “natural” products are automatically safe. They should recognize that any over-the-counter product, whether natural or synthetic, has the potential for harm.

At least 42% of the general population and a similar proportion of liver disease patients use some form of CAM on a regular basis. Herbal preparations are used by 20% of liver disease patients, the most common herb used being milk thistle or silymarin. Other candidate herbals for liver disease are glycyrrhizin, HM861, TJ-9, and Phyllanthus amarus and Liv-52.. Many of these have been shown to protect against experimental liver injury in vivo, and most possess one or a combination of antioxidant, ntifibrogenic, immune modulatory, or antiviral activities

However, a wide spectrum of liver injury can occur by using herbal preparations. Veno-occlusive disease may be caused by pyrrolizidine alkaloids, such as senecio, heliotropium, crotalaria, and symphytum (Comfrey), compounds are generally ingested as soluble extracts in teas. Chapparal leaf ingestion can lead to the development of either fulminant hepatic failure or cirrhosis. Germander, pennyroyal (squawmint oil), kava, margosa oil, and callilepsis laureola have all been identified as causing an acute, sometimes severe hepatitis. Many traditional Chinese herbal preparations have also been described to cause hepatotoxicity and rarely liver failure.

@kolibakoliba: excellent advice on the wheatgrass and a very useful list of herbs, both the protective and the dangerous ones. I want to add that among other things, pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is an abortifacient and definitely contraindicated for pregnant women.

How Consuming Fructose Can Damage Your Liver

2011-08-19T21:02:00.002-05:00

Fructose (HFCS is the worst) is very hard on your liver, in much the same way as drinking alcohol.
Liver burden number one: After eating fructose, 100 percent of the metabolic burden rests on your liver—ONLY your liver can break it down. This is much different than consuming glucose, in which your liver has to break down only 20 percent, and the remaining 80 percent is immediately metabolized and used by the rest of the cells in your body.

Liver burden number two: Fructose is converted into fat that get stored in your liver and other tissues as body fat. Part of what makes fructose so bad for your health is that it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar. For example, if you eat 120 calories of fructose, 40 calories are stored as fat. But if you eat the same amount of glucose, less than one calorie gets stored as fat. Consuming fructose is essentially consuming fat.

In the United States HFCS has been re-named "Corn Sugar". Americans should watch out for that on food-package labels in future.

Vital organ transplantation--not truly dead

2011-08-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

By Paul A. Byrne, M.D. and Peter Damian Fehlner, F.I., S.T.D.

The August 29, 2000 Address of Blessed John Paul II is often quoted by those in support of obtaining vital organs for transplantation, but other statements by Pope John Paul II and a more recent statement by Pope Benedict XVI are ignored.

Blessed John Paul II wrote in Evangelium Vitae: "Nothing and no one can in any way permit the killing of an innocent human being, whether a fetus or an embryo, an infant or an adult, an old person, or one suffering from an incurable disease, or a person who is dying. Furthermore, no one is permitted to ask for this act of killing, either for himself or herself or for another person entrusted to his or her care, nor can he or she consent to it, either explicitly or implicitly " (Ev. Vitae 52). On Feb 11, 2003, World Day of the Sick, His Holiness stated, "Every therapeutic procedure, all experimentation and every transplant must take into account this fundamental truth. Thus it is never licit to kill one human being in order to save another."

Pope John Paul II's Address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences February 3-4, 2005 included, "It is well known that the moment of death for each person consists in the definitive loss of the constitutive unity of body and spirit. Each human being, in fact, is alive precisely insofar as he or she is 'corpore et anima unus' (Gaudium et Spes, 14), and he or she remains so for as long as this substantial unity-in-totality subsists."

Many in support of vital organ transplantation base their position on the August 29, 2000 Address by Pope John Paul II: "This consists in establishing, according to clearly determined parameters commonly held by the international scientific community, the complete and irreversible cessation of all brain activity (in the cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem). This is then considered the sign that the individual organism has lost its integrative capacity."

A survey of the leading neurological institutions showed that there is no consensus of the many (more than 30, probably 100, or even more) disparate sets of criteria (Neurology, Jan 2010). Then, in Neurology, July 2010, it was published that "brain death" is not evidence based. Thus, for "brain death" can there be "clearly defined parameters commonly held by the international scientific community"? ["Evidence based is the modern standard that doctors are encouraged to follow; but it doesn't exist for "brain death"!]

Many misconceptions about criteria for determining "brain death" revolve around "irreversibility." Irreversibility cannot be observed by a doctor like a change in function or even destruction of tissue or an organ. Thus, "irreversibility cannot serve as evidence, nor can it rightly be made part of an observable criterion of death." [1]

A presumption of irreversibility of a lack of brain functioning, even if "cerebrum, cerebellum and brain-stem" are included, is insufficient grounds for removing a patient's vital organs or for immediate autopsy, cremation, or burial. Even though cerebellum is included, none of the many sets of criteria include evaluation of the cerebellum.

ABSOLUTE irreversibility of brain functioning, among other characteristics of a cadaver, reflects the fact of death. But such irreversibility can be known by us only if we already know the fact of death. Death is the criterion of absolute irreversibility, not vice-versa. RELATIVE irreversibility, viz., relative to our capacity to reverse the non-functional character of this brain, is not a criterion of death. If we are not sure of absolute irreversibility, then we are not sure that real death, as distinct from a clinical declaration of "brain death," "heart death," "as good as dead," "soon to be dead," etc., has occurred. Without such certainty organ extraction cannot begin without violating the fifth commandment.

The declaration of Pope John Paul II is a conditional one that has not been met because there are no "clearly determined parameters commonly held by the international scientific community."

Pope Benedict XVI on November 7, 2008 specified: "Individual vital organs cannot be extracted except ex cadavere." Pope Benedict XVI made his teaching clear and specific by using Latin, "ex cadavere," which translates as "from a dead body." Pope Benedict continued, "The principal criteria of respect for the life of the donator must always prevail so that the extraction of organs be performed only in the case of his/her true death (cf. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 476)." Thus, Pope Benedict is very clear, vital organs cannot be taken except from a dead body after his/her true death. A dead body does not have a beating heart, circulation and respiration.

Genuine certainty must exist prior to any declaration of death. A very simple test of the certainty that this key condition concerning "brain death" has been fulfilled is the following: could it be wrong and is it often wrong? If the reply is yes, then the condition required for moral certainty to be genuine certainty in the sense of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, namely that this human body is not a living body, but is a cadaver, has not been realized. Can there be certainty of any kind if one would say a cadaver has a beating heart, circulation, and respiration? A cadaver (dead body) does not and cannot have signs of life like a beating heart, circulation and respiration; a cadaver is suitable for autopsy, embalming, cremation and burial.

Over time it has become clear that "brain death" is not true death. Many do not accept that "brain death" is true death. These include: "Brain Death is Not Death: A Critique of the Concept, Criterion, and Tests of Brain Death" [2] Rix, 1990; McCullagh, 1993; Evans, 1994; Jones, 1995; Watanabe, 1997; Cranford, 1998; Potts et al., 2000; Taylor, 1997; Reuter, 2001; Lock, 2002; Byrne and Weaver, 2004; Zamperetti et al., 2004; de Mattei, 2006; Joffe, 2007; Truog, 2007; Karakatsanis, 2008; and Verheijde et al., 2009. Even the President's Council on Bioethics (2008) in its white paper, has rejected "brain death" as true death.

There are many news accounts of people recovering after a declaration of "brain dead." [3] Zack Dunlap from Oklahoma was declared "brain dead." There was no blood flow to his brain as evidenced by a PET scan. The helicopter was landing to extract Zack's organs. A cousin who is a nurse in the ICU did another test. A response was observed. The transplant was stopped. This and others were recorded for the national and international community. Even one such patient should be enough to wake people up to the fact "brain death" is not true death. And there are many!

NOTES:

[1] Byrne PA,O'Reilly S, Quay PM:Brain Death — An Opposing Viewpoint. JAMA 242:1985-1990 . 1979.

[2] Joffe, A. Brain Death is Not Death: A Critique of the Concept, Criterion, and Tests of Brain Death. Reviews in the Neurosciences, 20, 187-198 (2009), and

References that "brain death" is not true death include: Rix, 1990; McCullagh, 1993; Evans, 1994; Jones, 1995; Watanabe, 1997; Cranford, 1998; Potts et al., 2000; Taylor, 1997; Reuter, 2001; Lock, 2002; Byrne and Weaver, 2004; Zamperetti et al., 2004; de Mattei, 2006; Joffe, 2007; Truog, 2007; Karakatsanis, 2008; Verheijde et al., 2009. Even the President's Council on Bioethics (2008), in its white paper, has rejected "brain death" as true death.

[3] Zack Dunlap from Oklahoma www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23768436/

Val Thomas from West Virginia www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,357463,0.html

Frenchman began breathing on own as docs prepared to harvest his organs www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25081786

Australian woman survives "brain death" http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/brain-dead-woman-recovers-after-husband-refuses-to-withdraw-life-support UTM source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=231fd2c2c9-LifeSiteNews_com_US_Headlines05_12_2011&utm_medium=email

NASA Data Disproves Global Warming

2011-08-19T20:51:00.000-05:00

U.N. Climate Models Flawed - Grossly Exaggerate Warming Effect

by Steven W. Mosher

We have all heard, ad nauseum, about the so-called “greenhouse effect.” Even little children can tell you how the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat by increasing humidity and thickening the cloud layer.
Except that it doesn't — at least to the degree that the U.N climate models have been programmed to “believe.”
Instead, as soon as the climate begins to warm, the Earth's atmosphere begins releasing much of this energy into space.
How do we know this?
Two University of Alabama scientists, Dr. Roy Spencer and Dr. Danny Braswell, compared eleven years of data from the real world with U.N. climate model predictions — and found the models grossly flawed. The study, rather pointedly called On the Misdiagnosis of Surface Temperature Feedbacks from Variations in Earth's Radiant Energy Balance, appeared in a peer-reviewed journal, Remote Sensing, in late July. (Remote Sensing. 2011, 3, 1603-1613.)
As Dr. Spencer stated in a press release, “The [NASA Terra] satellite observations suggest there is much more energy lost to space during and after warming than the climate models show. There is a huge discrepancy between the data and the forecasts that is especially big over the oceans.”
This new study supports earlier National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA data showing that humidity and cloud cover did not increase the way that the flawed U.N. computer models predicted.
James M. Taylor, managing editor of the Environment & Climate News, also notes that “The Terra satellite data also support data collected by NASA's ERBS satellite showing far more longwave radiation (and thus, heat) escaped into space between 1985 and 1999 than alarmist computer models had predicted. Together, the NASA ERBS and Terra satellite data show that for 25 years and counting, carbon dioxide emissions have directly and indirectly trapped far less heat than alarmist computer models have predicted.”
This may sound to some like an abstract question of scientific research. It is not. There are many, including the President's science czar, who would like to make fundamental changes in our way of life — even dictating how many children we can have — in order to combat the threat of “man-made global warming.”
To such anti-people ideologues we may add the profiteers. The United Nations, joined by dozens of nonprofits, has literally raised billions of dollars by frightening both politicians and ordinary people with the specter of the planet overheating. It is safe to say that there are thousands of people who, one way or another, profit from climate alarmism.
In a sane world, the Spencer-Braswell study should sound the death knell for the theory that, by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we are making the planet unlivable.
Unfortunately, radical environmentalist and population control groups are largely immune to facts. For example, they continue to propagate the myth of overpopulation even as the populations of country after country age and die. Why should the myth of man-made global warming be any different?
Then, too, the Global Warming establishment has built up considerable forward momentum by this point. Movements with millions of adherents and billions of dollars in resources simply do not go quietly into their graves.
Still, while Global Warming alarmists like Al Gore continue to hyperventilate over the supposed danger of increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere — and call for increased funding for abortion and fertility reduction programs — the rest of us can breathe easier.
It's becoming abundantly clear that the only thing “man-made” about Global Warming is the hoax itself.
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Steven W. Mosher, M.S. Oceanography, M.A. East Asian Studies, M.A. Anthropology, is the President of the Population Research Institute and has a research interest in historical climate change.

Vegetarianism and Nutrient Deficiencies

2011-08-12T16:59:00.000-05:00

From westonaprice.org:

Written by Chris Masterjohn

I decided to go vegetarian when I was 18 and vegan soon after, believing I would save the animals, the environment and my health. I thought that my low intake of saturated fat would protect me from heart disease and that my low intake of animal protein and high intake of soy isoflavones would protect me from tooth decay and bone loss. Instead, over the next two years my health took a series of blows: my digestion fell apart; fatigue set in; anxiety took hold; and tooth decay overran my entire mouth—a single visit to the dentist yielded a treatment plan that would take the following year to complete. I was a mess, and I didn’t know why.
When I read Weston Price’s Nutrition and Physical Degeneration about three years after first removing animal products from my diet, I finally understood why my health had fallen apart. I had always associated nutrition with fruits and vegetables. Meat was for protein; milk for calcium; but vitamins were something you got from plant products. Yet the groups that Price studied had a very different idea of nutrition. They valued foods like liver, shellfish and deeply colored butter for their life-promoting qualities. Price used cod liver oil, butter oil and organ meats to supply the fat-soluble vitamins to his patients. These were mostly foods I had never eaten, and the foods with only small amounts of important animal-based nutrients—meat, eggs, and milk—were precisely the ones I had banished from my diet.
Not all vegetarians develop overt health problems in such a short length of time from abandoning animal foods and some—especially those who eat eggs, milk, or occasional fish and shellfish—may maintain good health for decades. A strictly vegetarian diet, however, clearly lacks nutritional qualities that an omnivorous diet possesses. If the people most sensitive to deficiencies of these nutrients suffer the types of problems that I did, those who are less sensitive and not suffering obvious problems may nevertheless fail to achieve optimal health without optimal levels of nutrients from animal sources. This article will discuss those nutrients, their functions and their sources, starting at the beginning of the alphabet with vitamin A.

Vitamin A

The roles of vitamin A in vision, growth, immunity, reproduction and the differentiation of cells and tissues are well known.¹ Vitamin A also plays a number of lesser known functions: it is a powerful antioxidant in cell membranes,^2,3,4 protects against environmental toxins,⁵ contributes to the regulation of bone growth,⁶ protects against asthma and allergies,^7,8 prevents the formation of kidney stones,⁹ and protects against fatty liver disease.¹⁰
“Fat-soluble A” originally referred to the ability of butter or egg yolks to support weight gain and prevent mortality in laboratory rats. One of the discoverers of vitamin A, Elmer Verner McCollum, initially attributed the ability of cod liver oil to treat both the eye disease xerophthalmia and the bone disease rickets to its content of this vitamin. Eventually, researchers recognized vitamins A and D as two different vitamins because heating cod liver oil destroyed its ability to cure xerophthalmia but not its ability to cure rickets. Although they would determine over time the fact that the vitamin D content of butter depends on the season and the condition of the cows producing it, the observation that both cod liver oil and butter could cure xerophthalmia but only cod liver oil could cure rickets also contributed to the differentiation of vitamins A and D.¹¹ Vitamin A, then, was originally discovered because of the life-promoting properties of three animal fats.
Research conducted soon after, however, showed that the yellow lipid fraction extracted from yellow-orange vegetables possessed the same activity.¹² These vegetables contain betacarotene and other carotenoids that humans and animals can convert into retinol, the functional form of vitamin A found in animal products. In 1949, Hume and Krebs induced vitamin A deficiency in three human subjects; they treated one with retinol and treated the other two with a concentrated dose of beta-carotene dissolved in oil. They concluded that 3.8 units of carotene are required to produce one unit of retinol. A similar experiment conducted in 1974 established a conversion factor of two and several others established conversion factors between two and four.¹³
In 1967, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) released a joint recommendation stipulating that six units of beta-carotene and twelve units of other carotenoids with vitamin A activity should be considered equivalent to one unit of retinol, a recommendation they renewed unchanged in 1988. This led H.P. Oomen, the prominent researcher who first highlighted the problem of vitamin A deficiency in the Third World, to write, “The whole procedure of vitamin distribution would be wholly superfluous if adequate carotene were present in the children’s diet.” Oomen believed that just 30 grams per day of dark green leafy vegetables would be sufficient in and of itself to provide adequate vitamin A to undernourished children.¹⁴
Yet in the 1990s, this view began to change. In 1994, Suharno and others observed that pregnant Indonesian women were consuming enough carotenes to yield three times the recommended amount of vitamin A based on the WHO’s conversion factor, yet large numbers of them were suffering from marginal vitamin A deficiency. Subsequent intervention studies aimed at Indonesian school children and breastfeeding women in Vietnam found that the conversion factor for carotenes to vitamin A in vegetables was 26 and 28 respectively, and 12 when the carotenes were consumed in fruit. In 2002, the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) established a conversion factor of 12 for beta-carotene, 24 for other carotenoids with vitamin A activity, and two for beta-carotene dissolved in oil. West and others criticized the selective use of studies employed by the IOM, and suggested that beta-carotene from fruits and vegetables in a mixed diet has a conversion factor closer to 21.¹⁴
In 2003, Tang and colleagues showed that even the efficiency of beta-carotene dissolved in oil had been grossly overestimated. The researchers gave a concentrated dose of radio-labeled beta-carotene dissolved in oil to 22 adult volunteers and traced its conversion to vitamin A both in the intestine and after intestinal absorption. The mean total conversion rate for the oil-soluble carotene in this experiment was 9.1, and individual rates varied from 2.4 to 20.2.¹³
Figure 1 compares the vegetables richest in carotenes to the animal foods richest in vitamin A. Eating liver once a week or taking a half teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil per day provides the RDA of 3,000 IU. To obtain the same amount with plant foods, one would have to consume two cups of carrots, one cup of sweet potatoes, or two cups of cooked kale every day. The presumed conversion rate, however, is just an average—by definition, many people will convert carotenes more efficiently than the average and many will convert them less efficiently than the average. People who convert carotenes poorly may suffer from vitamin A deficiency even if they are careful to eat large amounts of carotene-rich foods every day.
Many traditional diets contained much more vitamin A than our government recommends. In 1953, for example, Greenland Inuit subsisting on traditional foods consumed an average of 30,000 IU per day.¹⁵ Since researchers are still discovering new roles for vitamin A and still poorly understand many of those already discovered, it would be prudent to assume that the ten-fold increase over the RDA found in traditional diets may have some benefit—providing it is accompanied by a rich array of other fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin D, which protects against its toxicity.¹⁶
It would be virtually impossible to obtain this amount of vitamin A from plant foods without either juicing or using supplemental beta-carotene. Even these methods may be insuffi cient, however, since larger doses of carotenes are converted less efficiently than smaller ones.¹³ Massive doses of beta-carotene, moreover, increase levels of oxidative stress and stimulate the production of enzymes that degrade true vitamin A. By inducing a cellular vitamin A deficiency, large doses of beta-carotene cause cancerous changes in lung tissue even worse than those seen from cigarette smoking. For this reason, high-dose beta-carotene supplementation led to increases in cancer mortality and total mortality in two human trials.¹⁷ Although no studies have demonstrated this type of harm from juicing, carrot juice has the potential to raise blood levels of beta-carotene to the extremely high levels found in the aforementioned trials and large amounts of it may theoretically pose a risk.¹⁸ By contrast, the amount of beta-carotene found in a diet rich in vegetables protects against oxidative stress and cancer.¹⁷
The best plant source of vitamin A is red palm oil. Its oily matrix makes its carotenes more readily converted to vitamin A and its high content of vitamin E and low content of the polyunsaturated linoleic acid further augment the convertibility of its carotenes and also protect against their potentially destructive effects. It is pure speculation, however, to suppose palm oil can be considered functionally equivalent to vitamin A-rich foods such as liver and liver oils. Vegetarians should use red palm oil, but those who are willing to include liver or liver oils in their diet would be better off for doing so.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is best known for its relation to calcium metabolism. By supporting the absorption of calcium from food, it prevents and cures the childhood bone disease rickets and its adult counterpart osteomalacia. It also protects against tetany, convulsions and heart failure in newborns, helps prevent osteoporosis in the elderly, prevents the development of type 1 diabetes, and is believed by some researchers to have additional roles in protecting against cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and various other diseases.¹⁹
Vitamin D was originally associated with cod liver oil and exposure to ultraviolet light. It is found in the highest amounts in fish livers, the flesh of fatty fish, and the blood of land animals; and in smaller amounts in butter and lard from animals raised with plenty of exposure to sunshine. Skin contains a precursor to cholesterol called 7-dehydrocholesterol that converts to vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight in the UV-B range, which is available year-round in the tropics but absent during an increasing portion of the year with increasing distance from the equator.¹⁹
While humans and animals synthesize vitamin D₃, a second form of the vitamin called vitamin D₂ is found in some vegetarian foods, especially mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light. Although the relative safety and efficacy of the two forms is still controversial, vitamin D₂ appears to be five to ten times less effective at supporting long-term nutritional status.¹⁹
The RDA for vitamin D is 200 IU for infants and adults through the age of 50, 400 IU for adults between the ages of 50 and 70, and 600 IU for adults over the age of 70. Evidence strongly suggests, however, that the true requirement is far higher. Supplements of 2,000 IU per day in infants under the age of one nearly obliterate the life-long risk of type 1 diabetes while supplements of 800 IU or higher are required to reduce the risk of fracture in the elderly. Nebraskans need to supplement with 1,000 IU per day during the coldest six months of the year to achieve blood levels that maximize calcium absorption and with almost 5,000 IU per day during the same period of time to achieve blood levels similar to those achieved in sun-rich living conditions without supplementation. These amounts of vitamin D should only be consumed in the context of a diet rich in vitamin A and vitamin K₂ for maximal efficacy and safety.¹⁹
Figure 2 shows the distribution of vitamin D in foods. The easiest way to obtain dietary vitamin D is to eat fatty fish or supplement with high-vitamin cod liver oil. Obscure mushroom products can provide large amounts of vitamin D₂, but the safety and efficacy of this form is questionable. For most people living outside 35 degrees latitude from the equator, animal foods supply needed vitamin D in the diet.

Vitamin K₂

Vitamin K is the king of the fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A and D cooperate to tell cells which proteins to make; vitamin K is responsible for activating these proteins and making them functional by conferring upon them the ability to bind calcium. In addition to its classically understood role in blood clotting, vitamin K is necessary for the deposition and organization of calcium salts in bones and teeth; the protection of blood vessels, kidneys and other soft tissues from abnormal calcification; and the synthesis of important lipids involved in brain metabolism.²⁰
Vitamin K comes in two forms: K₁ and K₂. Vitamin K₁ is found in green plants, while vitamin K₂ is found in animal fats and fermented foods. Vitamin K₁ is preferentially used for the activation of blood clotting factors, while vitamin K₂ is preferentially used for all of vitamin K’s other functions. The two K vitamins are therefore not interchangeable. The clearest demonstration of this is the fact that only vitamin K₂ is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. In the Rotterdam Study, subjects consumed nearly ten times more K₁ than K₂; a high intake of K₂ reduced the risk of severe arterial calcification by 52 percent and reduced heart disease mortality by 57 percent, while a high intake of K₁ had no effect.²¹
Figure 3 shows vitamin K₂ contents of selected foods. Animal products dominate the list—especially goose liver and goose meat, cheeses and egg yolks—but natto, a strong-tasting fermented soy food common in Eastern Japan, actually has the highest amount. Natto contains a specific form of vitamin K₂ called menaquinone (MK-7), rather than MK-4, the form found in animal products; the relative efficacy of these two forms is currently unknown. It is therefore possible for a vegetarian diet to be rich in vitamin K₂. Most vegetarians do not consume natto, however, and most vitamin K₂ consumed by participants in the Rotterdam Study came from meat, eggs and cheese.

Vitamin B₁₂

Vitamin B₁₂ is required for the synthesis of new DNA, the degradation of certain amino acids, the production of energy, the formation of red blood cells and the formation of myelin, the sheath that insulates neurons. Its deficiency occurs in four stages, beginning with declining blood levels of the vitamin (stage I), progressing to low cellular concentrations of the vitamin (stage II), an increased blood level of homocysteine and a decreased rate of DNA synthesis (stage III), and finally, pernicious anemia (stage IV). Irreversible nervous system degeneration also occurs in cases of severe deficiency.²⁴
Pernicious anemia is a condition in which red blood cells are immature, oversized and cannot function properly. Because DNA synthesis is compromised, the cells do not divide as they should. The disease was first identified in 1824 and was considered incurably fatal until the 1930s when physicians discovered that it could be treated with liver. Soon after, they found that stomach juice could be used in conjunction with the liver to enhance its effect.²⁵
Conventional nutritional wisdom considers vitamin B₁₂ as the one vitamin found exclusively in animal products. There are some bacteria in the small intestine that synthesize absorbable B₁₂, but their presence is unreliable and they face competition from bacteria that synthesize inactive analogues that compete with B₁₂ for absorption.²⁶ Most supplements supply cyanocobalamin, in which each molecule of B₁₂ is attached to a molecule of cyanide. Since vitamin B₁₂ detoxifies cyanide by binding it and causing its excretion in the urine, this form might have very poor bioavailability in many people. Cyanide can also be detoxified in the liver by the enzyme rhodanese or by the amino acid cysteine,²⁷ so people with a low activity of this enzyme or a low intake of animal protein to supply the cysteine might be especially unable to derive any benefit from cyanocobalamin. Thus, even vegetarians who supplement with standard B₁₂ supplements could be at risk for deficiency. Those needing B₁₂ supplements should take methylcobalamin, dibencozide or hydroxycobalamin, forms that are more easily utilized by the body; additionally, some people with certain genetic defects or heavy metal toxicity may require methylcobalamin specifically.
The role of vitamin B₁₂ in DNA synthesis and red blood cell production is primarily to recycle folate. A high intake of folate, however, can compensate for insufficient folate recycling. Unfortunately, this means that a high-folate diet can forestall the development of anemia, which is easily detectable with a simple blood test, while potentially irreversible nervous system degeneration progresses without warning. Vegetarians who consume large amounts of folate-rich green leafy vegetables could therefore be at risk for a form of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency that is not considered severe until it is too late.²⁴
A recent study using a biochemical blood test for B₁₂ deficiency—a test that is not vulnerable to the confounding effect of a high-folate diet—found that 16 percent of the elderly, 43 percent of lacto-ovo vegetarians and 64 percent of vegans are deficient in B₁₂.²⁸ Since deficiency can take decades to fully develop, the proportions of vegans and vegetarians who develop deficiency over time if they stick with the diet is probably close to 100 percent.
Some vegetarians and vegans maintain that these diets must be raw in order to be truly healthy. But raw foodists are no better off. The only large-scale study of raw foodists to date examined the B₁₂ status of over 200 men and women. Although 58 percent of the subjects consumed some meat and fish and only 21 percent were lacto-ovo-vegetarian and only 21 percent were vegan, a full 97 percent of all foods consumed were plant products. Those eating a mixed diet were thus eating very little animal food. Nevertheless, vegetarians were 3.1 times as likely and vegans were 5.4 times as likely to have deficient blood levels of B₁₂. Twelve percent of the subjects, all of whom were vegans, had stage IV B₁₂ deficiency.²⁹ Even though the average length of time the subjects had followed the raw food diet was only 3.6 years, over half the vegans were developing pernicious anemia; if many of them were eating folate-rich diets, the proportion of vegans developing irreversible nervous system degeneration might have been even higher than the proportion the study suggested were suffering from severe deficiency. Clearly, animal foods must be used if even in small amounts to prevent the worst form of B₁₂ deficiency from destroying a person’s mental and physical health.

Vitamin B₆

Vitamin B₆ contributes to myriad functions within the body. It is necessary for the production of histamine, which is involved in inflammation in most of the body but is essential to alertness in the brain; the production of dopamine, which is a precursor to adrenaline and noradrenaline in the adrenals, a precursor to melanin in pigmented tissues, and is involved in memory, attention, and problem-solving in the brain; the storage of carbohydrate as glycogen; the production of the elongated versions of essential fatty acids such as arachidonic acid (AA) and docosohexaenoic acid (DHA); the synthesis of cysteine, the precursor to glutathione, which is the master antioxidant of the cell; the synthesis of glycine, which is involved in detoxification in the liver; the synthesis of heme, which carries oxygen throughout the body in hemoglobin and is a component of drug- and steroid-metabolizing, energy-producing, and antioxidant enzymes; the synthesis of carnitine, which helps burn fat for energy; and the synthesis of taurine, which plays important roles in the brain and eye and assists the digestion of fat and assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins in the intestines. The requirement for B₆ is directly proportional to the intake of protein and increases with the use of oral contraceptives and under conditions of hyperthyroidism, liver disease, trauma and stress.²⁴
Vitamin B₆ occurs in three forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxamine and pyridoxal. Plant foods contain pyridoxine, while animal foods contain a mix of pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. Most reactions within the human body require pyridoxal but some require pyridoxamine. Pyridoxine, by contrast, plays no role in the body whatsoever but can be converted into the other two forms in the liver using vitamin B₂.²⁴
The plant form of vitamin B₆ has three strikes against it, making it inferior to the form found in animal foods: its conversion to the active form depends on B₂ status, and vitamin B₂ levels tend to be higher in animal foods; most plant foods simply contain much less B₆ than most animal foods; and most plant foods contain much of their B₆ bound up with sugars that make it difficult or impossible to absorb. Figure 4 shows some of the foods richest in vitamin B₂. Supplementation with baker’s yeast and the use of enriched white flour can boost B₂ intake, but the level found in natural plant foods is much lower compared to the levels in many animal foods. Figure 5 compares the plant foods richest in B₆ to the animal foods richest in the vitamin. Tuna and liver are the best sources, and, in general, animal foods contain twice as much as plant foods. Figure 6 shows the proportion of pyridoxine bound to sugars in various plant foods, which ranges from zero percent in almonds to 82 percent in cauliflower.
The sugars that bind to pyridoxine can be broken down by microbial enzymes and the mammalian intestine appears to produce a limited quantity of the enzyme as well.³⁰ Studies conducted with humans suggest that the sugar-bound form has at most fifty percent bioavailability and at worst, none at all. One study conducted in men with a purified form of glucose-bound pyridoxine, for example, examined the urinary output of a B₆ breakdown product and found that roughly half of the pyridoxine was absorbed. A more realistic study conducted in women using whole plant foods, however, examined not only the urinary output of breakdown products, but also the concentration of the active form in red blood cells and the activity of enzymes dependent on it. This study suggested that the portion of plant-based B₆ in the diets bound to sugars had no activity at all.³⁰
Heating destroys vitamin B₆. The effect is rather mild, leading to only five percent loss in scrambled eggs, ten percent loss after heating of milk for ten minutes and 45 percent loss after heating milk for one hour.³¹ The true effect on the biological activity of B₆, however, is much greater because heat-damaged B₆ can interfere with true B₆ and when fed in purified form can actually accelerate the symptoms of deficiency.³² Cooking most animal foods leads to a 25-30 percent decrease in activity while cooking soybeans leads to a 40 percent decrease in activity.³³ Many plant foods require more extensive cooking than animal products, which could further decrease the yield of active B₆ in vegetarian diets.
One striking comparison between lactating Nepalese vegetarian women and their American omnivore counterparts illustrates the low bioavailability of B₆ from plant foods. The Nepalese women in this comparison were consuming twelve percent more B₆ but had 35 percent lower serum levels of the active form after three months of lactation and 77 percent lower levels after six months. Their breast milk had the same amount of B₆ as that of American women, but a large proportion of it was glucose-bound pyridoxine. Despite the fact that the Nepalese vegetarians were consuming more B₆ in the diet and had equivalent levels in their breast milk, their infants had 83 percent lower levels of the active form at four months and 87 percent lower levels at six months.³³
Vegetarians should select plant foods that have the least amount of their pyridoxine bound up in sugar complexes. Bananas are an excellent source because the sugar-bound form is low, their total content is comparable to many meats, and they are typically eaten raw. Most plant foods are relatively poor sources, however, and B₆ intake would be much higher on a mixed diet including muscle meats, seafood and organ meats.

Zinc

Zinc is a cofactor for literally hundreds of enzymes. It is an essential structural component of all nuclear hormone receptors as well as some hormones themselves, such as insulin. It acts as an antioxidant in cell membranes by displacing pro-oxidant metals like iron and mercury and is also a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. A small sample of its biological functions include cell and tissue growth, cell replication, bone formation, skin integrity, immunity, digestion, glucose tolerance, maintenance of a high basal metabolic rate and taste acuity.²⁴
Figure 7 shows the distribution of zinc in foods. Although present in grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, it is found in much lower amounts compared to animal foods and is much less bioavailable. Oysters contain between four and twenty times as much zinc as beef, while beef contains two to four times as much as other meats, four times as much as eggs, ten times as much as milk and four or more times as much as virtually all plant products. Moreover, zinc absorption is inhibited by plant compounds such as phytate, oxalate, polyphenols and fiber, and enhanced by compounds present in meat. Its absorption is greater than 50 percent in the absence of inhibitors but less than 15 percent in the context of a high-phytate meal.³⁴ While a well planned vegetarian diet may escape overt zinc deficiency, it would be virtually impossible to maintain a truly robust zinc status without the inclusion of animal foods.

Essential Fatty Acids

The essential fatty acids as a group are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, small amounts of them are required for the synthesis of various biologically important hormones and hormone-like molecules; on the other hand, they are highly unsaturated and their multiple doublebonds are highly vulnerable to oxidation. Even fresh, non-oxidized DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and omega-3-rich perilla oil increase oxidative stress markers when fed to rats.³⁵
Since it is the elongated forms of the essential fatty acids that are especially important—including AA, DHA, EPA, and dihomo-gammalinolenic acid (DGLA)—and since the conversion of precursors in plant oils is inefficient, it makes sense to consume small amounts of these fatty acids preformed from animal foods so we can reduce the total amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) we need to obtain them. Moreover, some people with particularly low levels of the enzymes that make these conversions may be vulnerable to an actual deficiency of the elongated forms even while consuming plenty of pro-oxidant PUFA from plant oils.
Vegetarians have 30 percent lower levels of EPA and DHA than omnivores, while vegans have over 50 percent lower EPA and almost 60 percent lower DHA. By contrast, vegetarians have 10 percent higher levels and vegans have over twenty percent higher levels of linoleic acid, the omega-6 precursor fatty acid.³⁶ If this situation is characteristic of omnivores eating a standard diet high in polyunsaturated oils, we can imagine what the comparison might look like between vegans and vegetarians with a population that avoids PUFA-rich vegetable oils and consumes elongated EFA-rich liver, egg yolks, and small amounts of cod liver oil. The latter diet allows no deficiency of these fatty acids but provides a minimum of total PUFA, and therefore a minimum of oxidative stress and aging-related damage.

Conditionally Essential Amino Acids

There are a number of amino acids and related compounds that are not technically essential, but are useful in the diet, possibly essential under certain conditions, and found exclusively or almost exclusively in animal products. These include carnitine, taurine, creatine and carnosine.³⁷
Carnitine shuttles fatty acids into the mitochondria, the so-called “power house of the cell,” to be burned for energy, and recycles pantothenic acid, an important B vitamin. Omnivorous diets provide between two and twelve times as much carnitine from meat as the body can produce by endogenous synthesis. Moreover, its synthesis requires vitamins C, B₁₂, and B₆. Vegetarian diets tend to be rich in vitamin C but poor in these B vitamins, so synthesis could be compromised. A reduced rate of synthesis and little or no intake could lead to an impaired ability to utilize fat for energy and a lower pantothenic acid status.³⁷
Taurine and glycine are both incorporated into bile acids, but those incorporating taurine are absorbable much further down in the intestines and are therefore much more effective at maximizing the absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. Taurine is also involved in preventing drug-induced cardiac arrhythmia, maintaining the electrical activity of the retina and supporting the development of the brain. The developing brain contains three to four times as high a concentration of taurine as the adult brain, so taurine is particularly important for nursing infants. It is found almost exclusively in animal products and its endogenous synthesis requires vitamin B₆. The serum concentrations of vegans and infants nursing from them are lower than that of their omnivore counterparts, which may compromise the development of the nervous system.³⁷
Creatine is necessary for the maintenance of the cellular energy supply, especially during bursts of physical activity, and its supplementation is therefore useful for athletic performance. The endogenous synthesis is one to two grams per day while meat provides one gram per serving, so meat-inclusive diets make a substantial contribution to total creatine status. While vegetarians may not be at risk for an actual creatine defi- ciency, the additional creatine from meat could be helpful in boosting physical performance.³⁷
Carnosine functions as a neurotransmitter and is a powerful inhibitor of a process called glycation, whereby sugars and PUFA bind up with proteins and produce advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are believed to contribute to the adverse effects of aging. It is found exclusively in animal products, which may be one reason why vegetarians and vegans have higher levels of AGEs than omnivores.^37,38

Cholesterol

Most people make enough cholesterol to fulfill their body’s needs; cholesterol is therefore not considered an essential nutrient. There are, however, millions of people with genetic defects in cholesterol synthesis for whom dietary cholesterol is likely an essential nutrient.
Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) is the best-understood cholesterol deficiency syndrome. It results from a genetic defect in the enzyme that converts 7-dehydrocholesterol (a common precursor of vitamin D and cholesterol) to cholesterol. Most commonly, it results in spontaneous abortion within the first sixteen weeks of gestation so it shows up in only one in 60,000 live births. Children who are born with the defect may suffer from mental retardation, autism, facial and skeletal malformations, visual dysfunctions and failure to thrive. The current treatment is dietary cholesterol.³⁹
Because both parents must supply a defective copy of the gene in order for SLOS to manifest, and because most pregnancies that would result in an SLOS birth are spontaneously terminated, the number of people who carry a single copy of the defective gene is far higher than the number of people with the full-blown syndrome. One in a hundred North American Caucasians and as many as one in fifty or even one in thirty Central Europeans carry the defective gene. These people, called “SLOS carriers,” have a decreased rate of cholesterol synthesis, but still synthesize enough to escape the severe risks and abnormalities that characterize clinical SLOS.⁴⁰
One small study has examined possible mental health effects in 105 SLOS carriers. Carriers were more than three times as likely to have attempted suicide as those who do not carry the gene, and the methods of committing suicide were more violent. Unfortunately, the study was not statistically powerful enough to conclusively determine whether or not these associations were due to chance, but it was powerful enough to show a conclusive relationship between carrying the gene and having biological relatives who attempted suicide. Carriers were more than four times as likely as controls to have at least one biological relative and almost six times as likely to have a first-degree relative who attempted or committed suicide.⁴¹
It may be the case, then, that dietary cholesterol is an essential nutrient for one to three percent of the population. There may also be additional genetic defects or variations in cholesterol synthesis that may make dietary cholesterol essential. For these groups, animal foods are absolutely necessary.

The Essentiality of Animal Foods

When Weston Price traveled to the South Sea Islands of the Pacific, he hoped to find “plants or fruits which together, without the use of animal products, were capable of providing all of the requirements of the body for growth and for maintenance of good health and a high state of physical efficiency.” He was disappointed. On the island of Viti Levu, he instead found inland-dwelling groups relying largely on plant products who found it so essential to consume shellfish at least once every few months that they would trade plant foods from the mountains for shellfish with coast-dwelling groups even when these groups were at war with each other. Shellfish are especially dense in animal-based nutrients. One serving of clams per month provides the same amount of vitamin B₁₂ as two servings of salmon per week. One serving of oysters per week likewise provides the same amount of zinc as a quarter pound of beef per day. People who wish to minimize their intake of animal products would do best to consume small amounts of shellfish to obtain these nutrients. For those who do not wish to eat shellfish, the requirement for animal products might be much higher.
Price’s research led him to the following conclusion about vegetarianism: “As yet, I have not found a single group of primitive racial stock which was building and maintaining excellent bodies by living entirely on plant foods. I have found in many parts of the world most devout representatives of modern ethical systems advocating restriction of foods to the vegetable products. In every instance where the groups involved had been long under this teaching, I found evidence of degeneration in the form of abnormal dental arches to an extent very much higher than in the primitive groups who were not under this influence.”
Thus, we can conclude from Dr Price’s studies and a large body of subsequent research that animal foods should be used throughout childhood development, especially those animal foods that are richest in vitamins and minerals, such as liver, shellfish, egg yolks, bone broths, and high-quality dairy products. Depending on their individual constitutions, adults may have varying needs for animal products and those who object to the use of meat should either consume shellfish on a weekly or monthly basis, or high-quality dairy and egg products on a daily basis. Additionally, red palm oil and bananas would respectively be useful sources of carotenoids and vitamin B₆.
Many people may last a long time on a diet that does not contain optimal levels of animal products, while others like myself may develop health problems very quickly. Given all the nutrients that are so much more easily obtained from animal products, it should not be surprising that some people adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet may develop deficiencies very quickly. Each person has to pay careful attention to his or her own body and give it the nutrients it needs—and for many people this will mean giving up on the myths of vegetarianism and consuming the animal products we require by nature.

SIDEBARS

Figure 1. Vitamin A Yield of Plant and Animal Foods

All values are derived from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Release 17, except cod liver oil, which is derived from the information provided by commercial manufacturers. All values of vitamin A yield are expressed per 100 grams of food, except cod liver oil, which is expressed per teaspoon. Vitamin A yield values follow West et al. (2002) in assuming that the retinol activity equivalent (RAE) figures for vegetables overestimate the true conversion by 75 percent. These values, however, represent an average conversion factor from a mixed diet and therefore do not represent differences in bioavailability between specific foods—the carotenoids in carrots, for example, are five times more bioavailable than those in spinach.

Plant Foods	Vitamin A Yield IU per 100g	Animal Foods	Vitamin A IU per 100g
Sweet Potatoes	1,500	Turkey Giblets	35,800
Carrots	1,145	Beef Liver	25,800
Kale	1,295	High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil (1 tsp)	5,750
Spinach	997	Commercial Eggs	570
Collard Greens	770	Commercial Butter	330

Figure 2. Vitamin D Content of Selected Foods

These figures are obtained from Reinhold Vieth’s chapter in the second edition of the textbook, Vitamin D, edited by Feldman and others, except cod liver oil, which is taken from information provided by commercial manufacturers, and pork or bovine blood, which is estimated based on blood concentrations expected in a sun-rich environment. All values are assumed to be vitamin D₃ unless otherwise specified.

Food (100g unless otherwise specified)	Vitamin D (IU)	Food (100g unless otherwise specified)	Vitamin D (IU)
Dried Woody Ear or Silver Ear Fungus	16,000 (D₂)	Grunt and Rainbow Trout	600
Anglerfish Liver	4,400	Eel	200 - 560
Summer Pork or Bovine Blood (1 cup)	4,000	Cultured Red Sea Bream	520
High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil (1 tbsp)	3,450	Mackerel	345 - 440
Indo-Pacific Marlin	1,400	Salmon	360
Chum Salmon	1,300	Canned Sardines	270
Standard Cod Liver Oil (1 tbsp.)	1,200	Chicken Egg	120
Herring	1,100	Common Mushroom	100 (D₂)
Cultured Bastard Halibut	720	Pork Liver	50
Fatty Bluefin Tuna	720	Unfortified Summer Milk (1 liter)	40
Duck Egg	720	Beef Liver	30
Dried Shitake Mushroom	640 (D₂)	Pork	28

Figure 3. Vitamin K₂ Content of Selected Foods

Values taken from references 22 and 23. MK-4 is the type of vitamin K₂ synthesized by animal bodies from vitamin K₁. Whether it has special value apart from other forms of vitamin K₂ has yet to be determined.

Food	Vitamin K₂ (mcg/100g)	Percentage MK-4	Food	Vitamin K₂ (mcg/100g)	Percentage MK-4
Natto	1103.4	0% MK-4	Chicken Liver	14.1	100% MK-4
Goose Liver Paste	369.0	100% MK-4	Salami	9.0	100% MK-4
Hard Cheeses	76.3	6% MK-4	Chicken Breast	8.9	100% MK-4
Soft Cheeses	56.5	6.5% MK-4	Chicken Leg	8.5	100% MK-4
Egg Yolk (Netherlands)	32.1	98% MK-4	Ground Beef (Medium Fat)	8.1	100% MK-4
Goose Leg	31.0	100% MK-4	Bacon	5.6	100% MK-4
Curd Cheeses	24.8	1.6% MK-4	Calf Liver	5.0	100% MK-4
Egg Yolk (US)	15.5	100% MK-4	Sauerkraut	4.8	8% MK-4
Butter	15.0	100% MK-4	Salmon	0.5	100% MK-4
			Mackerel	0.4	100% MK-4

Figure 4. Vitamin B₂ Content of Selected Foods

Vitamin B₂ is necessary for the conversion of pyridoxine found in plant foods to pyridoxal, the active form of B₆, which is found preformed in animal foods. Data from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Release 17.

Food	Riboflavin (mg/100g)	Food	Riboflavin (mg/100g)
Baker's Yeast	5.47	Pork Ribs	0.38
Beef Liver	3.42	Veal	0.35
Chicken Liver	1.99	Boiled Mushrooms	0.30
Pork Liver Sausage	1.53	Boiled Beet Greens	0.29
Turkey Giblets	1.50	Boiled Soy Beans	0.28
Chicken Giblets	1.05	Boiled Spinach	0.24
Fried Shrimp	0.55	Skim Milk Yogurt	0.23
Enriched White Flour	0.51	Ricotta Cheese	0.20
Eggs	0.48	Milk	0.18
Roasted Duck	0.47	Salmon	0.17
Clams	0.43	Tomato Paste	0.15

Figure 5. Vitamin B₆ Content of Selected Foods

The richest animal foods tend to be about twice as rich as the richest plant foods. Although not shown in the table, the plant foods contain pyridoxine rather than pyridoxal and pyridoxamine, which must be converted to the active forms in the liver, and contain it in varying amounts bound up to sugars, making it unavailable. Data taken from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Release 17.

Plant Foods	B₆ mcg/100g	Animal Foods	B₆ mcg/100g
Buckwheat Flour	582	Fresh Tuna (Dry Cooked)	1,038
Roasted Chestnuts	497	Beef Liver (Pan Fried)	1,027
Canned Chickpeas	473	Beef Top Sirloin (Broiled)	631
Hash Browns	472	Pork Chops (Bone In)	513
Banana (Raw)	367	Pacific Cod (Dry Cooked)	462
Whole Wheat Flour	340	Roasted Turkey	460
Sweet Red Peppers	291	Roasted Ham	449
Brussels Sprouts	289	Halibut (Dry-Cooked)	435
Spinach (Boiled)	242	Rainbow Trout (Dry-Cooked)	435
Soy Beans (Boiled)	234	Chicken Breast With Skin	430
Pinto Beans	229	Swordfish (Dry-Cooked)	381
Prune Juice	218	Haddock (Dry Cooked)	346
Carrot Juice (Canned)	217	Pacific Rockfish (Dry Cooked)	270
Tomato Paste	216	Roasted Duck	250

Figure 6. Percentage of Vitamin B₆ in Plant Foods that Exists as Pyridoxine Glucoside

Pyridoxine glucoside is the sugar-bound form that has little if any bioavailability in humans. Data taken from reference 33.

Food	% Pyridoxine Glucoside	Food	% Pyridoxine Glucoside
Cauliflower, frozen	63-82	Peanut butter	18
Carrots	51-75	Whole wheat bread	17
Orange juice, fresh	37-69	Bananas	3-16
Soy beans, cooked	57-67	Peas, frozen	15
Broccoli, frozen	65	Apricots, dried	14
Raisins	65	Rice (white), cooked	14
Green beans, canned	28-58	Whole wheat flour	11
Broccoli, raw	35-57	Green beans, raw	10
Orange juice, concentrate	47-53	Corn, frozen	6
Cabbage	46	White bread	6
Navy beans, cooked	42	Fortified wheat flakes cereal	5
Wheat bran	37-36	Cauliflower, raw	5
Spinach	35	Rice bran	4
Tomato juice	32	Filberts, raw	4
Shredded wheat cereal	28-31	Avocados, fresh	3
Dark rye bread	23	Walnuts	1
Peaches, canned	21	Almonds, raw	0

Figure 7. Zinc Content of Selected Foods

The zinc content of animal foods is not only much more bioavailable than that of plant foods, but also much higher. Data taken from reference 24.

Animal Foods	Zinc (mg/100g)	Plant Foods	Zinc (mg/100g)
Oysters	17.0-91.0	Legumes (Cooked)	0.6-1.0
Crabmeat	3.8 - 4.3	Rice and Pasta (Cooked)	0.3-0.6
Shrimp	1.1	Whole Wheat Bread	1.0
Tuna	0.5 - 0.8	White Bread	0.6-0.8
Liver	3.1 - 3.9	Vegetables (All)	0.1-0.7
Chicken	1.0 - 2.0	Fruits (All)	<0.1
Ground Beef	3.9 - 4.1
Veal	3.1 - 3.2
Pork	1.6 - 2.1
Eggs	1.1
Milk	0.4
Cheeses	2.8 - 3.2

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Masterjohn C. Dioxins in Animal Foods: A Case for Vegetarianism? Wise Traditions. 2005;6(3):32-43.
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Arora P, Kumar V, Batra S. Vitamin A status in children with asthma. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2002;13(3):223- 6.
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Ross CA. “Vitamin A and Carotenoids,” in Shils ME, Shike M, Ross CA, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease: Tenth Edition. Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (2006) p. 351. Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (2006) p. 351.
Tang G, Qin J, Dolnikowski GG, Russell RM. Shortterm (intestinal) and long-term (postintestinal) conversion of ß-carotene to retinol in adults as assessed by a stable-isotope reference method,” Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78(2):259-66 and the references therein.
West CE, Eilander A, van Lieshout M. Consequences of revised estimates of carotenoid bioefficacy for dietary control of vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. J Nutr. 2002;132(9):2920S-2926.
Deutch B, Dyerberg J, Pedersen HS, Aschlund E, Hansen JC. Traditional and modern Greenlandic food – Dietary composition, nutrients and contaminants. Sci Tot Environ. 2007;384:106-119.
Masterjohn C. Vitamin A on Trial: Does Vitamin A Cause Osteoporosis? Wise Traditions. 2005- 2006;7(1):25-41.
Russell RM. The Enigma of β-Carotene in Carcinogenesis: What Can Be Learned from Animal Studies. J Nutr. 2004;134:262S-268S.
Thürmann PA, Steffen J, Zwernemann C, Aebischer CP, Cohn W, Wendt G, Schalch W. Plasma concentration response to drinks containing beta-carotene as carrot juice or formulated as a water dispersible powder. Eur J Nutr. 2002;41(5):228-35.
Masterjohn C. From Seafood to Sunshine: A New Understanding of Vitamin D Safety. Wise Traditions. 2006;7(3):14-33.
Masterjohn C. On the Trail of the Elusive X-Factor: A Sixty-Two-Year-Old Mystery Finally Solved. Wise Traditions. 2007;8(1):14-32.
Geleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, Schurgers LJ, Knapen MH, van der Meer IM, Hofman A, Witteman JC. Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study. J Nutr. 2004;134(11):3100-5.
Elder SJ, Haytowitz DB, Howe J, Peterson JW, Booth SL. Vitamin K Contents of Meat, Dairy and Fast Food in the U.S. Diet. JAFC. 2006;54(2):463-467.
Schurgers LJ, Vermeer C. Determination of phylloquinone and menaquinones in food. Effect of food matrix on circulating vitamin K concentrations. Haemostasis. 2000;30(6):298-307.
Gropper SS, Smith JL, Groff JL. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism: Fourth Edition. Boston, MA: Wadsworth (2004).
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Albert MJ, Mathan VI, Baker SJ. Vitamin B₁₂ synthesis by human small intestinal bacteria. Nature. 1980;283(5749):781-2.
Rietjens IMCM, Martena MJ, Boersma MG, Spiegelenberg W, Alink GM. Molecular mechanisms of toxicity of important food-borne phytotoxins. Mol Nutr Feed Res. 2005;49:131-158.
Herrmann W, Obeid R, Schorr H, Geisel J. The usefulness of holotranscobalamin in predicting vitamin B₁₂ status in different clinical settings. Curr Drug Metab. 2005;6(1):47-53.
Koebnick C, Garcia AL, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Lindemans J, Katz N, Letizmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term consumption of a raw food diet is associated with favorable serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides but also with elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol in humans. J Nutr. 2005;135(10):2372-8.
Gregory JF 3rd. Nutritional properties and significance of vitamin glycosides. Annu Rev Nutr. 998;18:277-9.
Holcomb G, Cutrufelli R, Lemar L. USDA Cooking Yield Database, Release 1 (2003).
Ink SL, Henderson LM. Vitamin B₆ metabolism. Annu Rev Nutr. 1984;4:455-70.
Reynolds RD. Bioavailability of vitamin B-6 from plant foods. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988;48(3 Suppl):863-7.
Sandström B. Bioavailability of zinc. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1997;51(Suppl 1):S17-9.
Saito M, Kubo K. Relationship between tissue lipid peroxidation and peroxidizability index after alpha-linolenic, eicosapentaenoic, or docosahexaenoic acid intake in rats. Br J Nutr. 2003;89(1):19-28.
Rosell MS, Lloyd-Wright Z, Appleby PN, Sanders TA, Allen NE, Key TJ. Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(2):327-34.
Bender DA. Nutritional Biochemistry of the Vitamins: Second Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2003).
Sebeková K, Krajcoviová-Kudlácková M, Schinzel R, Faist V, Klavanová J, Heidland A. Plasma levels of advanced glycation end products in healthy, long-term vegetarians and subjects on a western mixed diet. Eur J Nutr. 2001;40(6):275-81.
Elias ER, Irons MB, Hurley AD, Tint S, Salen G. Clinical Effects of Cholesterol Supplementation in Six Patients with the Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS). Am J Med Genet. 1997;68:305-310.
Nowaczyk MJM, Waye JS, Douketis JD. DHCR7 Mutation Carrier Rates and Prevalence of the RSH/Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome: Where Are the Patients? Am J Med Genet. 2006;Part A 140A:2057-62.
Lalovic A, Merkens L, Russell L, Arsenault-Lapierre G, Nowaczyk MJM, Porter FD, et al. Cholesterol Metabolism and Suicidality in Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome Carriers. Am J Psychiatry. 2004;161:2123-6.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Spring 2008.
About the Author

Chris Masterjohn is a frequent contributor to Wise Traditions and the creator and maintainer of Cholesterol-And-Health.Com, a website dedicated to extolling the virtues of cholesterol and cholesterol-rich foods. He has authored three publications published in peer-reviewed journals: a letter in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology criticizing the conclusions of a study on saturated fat, a letter in the American Heart Journal arguing that safety trials of cholesterol ester transfer protein inhibitors should test the effect of these drugs on vitamin E metabolism, and a full-length hypothesis paper published in Medical Hypotheses about the molecular mechanism of vitamin D toxicity. Chris holds a Bachelor's degree in History and is currently a doctoral student in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut.

Chris Masterjohn is a frequent contributor to Wise Traditions and the creator and maintainer of Cholesterol-And-Health.Com, a website dedicated to extolling the virtues of cholesterol and cholesterol-rich foods. He has authored three publications published in peer-reviewed journals: a letter in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology criticizing the conclusions of a study on saturated fat, a letter in the American Heart Journal arguing that safety trials of cholesterol ester transfer protein inhibitors should test the effect of these drugs on vitamin E metabolism, and a full-length hypothesis paper published in Medical Hypotheses about the molecular mechanism of vitamin D toxicity. Chris holds a Bachelor's degree in History and is currently a doctoral student in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut. He will be a speaker at Wise Traditions 2010.

Last Updated on Monday, February 07 2011 08:22

Magnesium/Gallstones

2011-08-08T21:02:00.000-05:00

(Sorry, but I'm not sure where I copied this from)

There's more good news about one of my favorite minerals: magnesium. According to a new study, a diet rich in magnesium can reduce the risk of developing gallstones. And, in case you haven't heard, gallstones are an amazingly painful malady.

As you know, I'm a big fan of magnesium for overall health – it's a great boon to bones and bodily tissues of all types, plus it helps release stored energy from your muscles. I've also recommended it for a myriad of more specific medical issues, like osteoporosis. So I'm glad to see that this helpful supplement has yet another benefit for your health.

Researchers studied data of more than 42,000 men from ages 40 to 75 and found that those with the highest magnesium intake decreased their risk of gallstones by as much as 33 percent. Magnesium helps to keep down triglyceride levels and raise HDL (the "good cholesterol) levels in the blood. Since cholesterol is a major component in the formation of gallstones (actually, some gallstones are made up entirely of cholesterol), a higher magnesium level helps to stop the gallstones from forming.

But in spite of its benefits, magnesium consumption has declined over the years. The reason? Today's foods have become so over processed that the magnesium (along with countless other healthy vitamins and minerals, no doubt) has been processed right out. It's just one more reason why you should be eating more organic and whole foods and steering clear of foods that have had too many things done to them, like pre-made packaged meals you'll find in the grocery store.

[Conventional farming practices also has the soil depleted of magnesium, so be sure to buy organic when possible]

The Five Things That Kill Us

2011-08-08T20:49:00.000-05:00

From a US Wellness e-newsletter:

By: Catherine Ebeling, RN, BSN

Most all chronic diseases including: acne, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, ADD, allergies, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, strokes, most cancers, weight gain, premature aging, cataracts, macular degeneration, infertility and IBS stem from five basic causes. For more information on diseases caused by inflammation go here.

Eliminate the causes and you can eliminate your chances of getting any of those diseases—and more. If you already have a serious health issue, you can still improve and even cure yourself of those diseases by making some simple changes in diet and lifestyle.

Our bodies are amazing—they are constantly in a state of rebuilding, regenerating and renewing cells.

So you don’t have to believe that you are merely a victim of your genetic makeup, and that you have to succumb to disease because your inheritance carries that possibility.

What are these five contributing factors?

Inflammation

Inflammation can be both good and bad. Acute inflammation is our body’s response to infection, illnesses, and injuries. Inflammation fights infection, heals wounds, repairs our bodies, and helps to get us back to a state of health. It is a part of a complex biological cascade of reactions to harmful stimuli in a protective attempt to get rid of the injury and to initiate healing.

However, there is another form of inflammation, and that is chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can result from an ongoing injury to a particular area of body system.

Prolonged inflammation, known as chronic inflammation, leads to a progressive shift in the type of cells present at the site of inflammation and is characterized by simultaneous destruction and healing of the tissue from the inflammatory process.

But chronic inflammation is different. Unlike the redness and pain that tells us loud and clear that our body is in repair mode, chronic inflammation is a silent internal process that slips “under the radar”. This quiet killer is the cornerstone of degenerative disease and physical aging. However, the good news is that the primary causes of chronic inflammation are completely within your control.

Some of the primary causes of chronic inflammation include high blood sugar, eating excessive amounts of the wrong types of fats, and excess body fat. In addition, cortisol, a stress hormone can also contribute to inflammation.

Glycation
We all have heard sugar is bad for our health, but do you really know what it does in your body?

Quite simply, glycation is the process where sugars attach to proteins in the body. It may not sound like much, but like inflammation, it can cause a slow deterioration of your health.

When sugar and protein molecules combine, they form a tangled mess of tissue. Glycation causes wrinkling not only of the skin, but also of connective tissue and internal organs. Glycated tissue is tough and inflexible, leading to problems in the functions of our organ systems.

Tissue that has become glycated then produces Aged Glycation End-products (AGE’s), which further compound the problem by producing large numbers of damaging free radicals.

Tissue glycation is a serious, deadly process which degrades important body tissues. It must be dramatically reduced if aging is to be minimized.

The tough, inelastic connective tissue is especially damaging to organs where flexibility is vital, especially for organs like the heart, kidneys, digestive system, brain, eyes and pancreas. The lack of flexibility in the important organs leads to reduced functionality and early death. This is the reason diabetics suffer from diseases like heart disease and blindness earlier than most people.

So what causes glycation? Chronically high blood sugar levels, and to a lesser extent eating a diet of foods cooked at high temperatures. Eating foods high in sugar, including starchy foods and grains, results in an increase in blood sugar. The sugar binds to your red blood cells, as well as other proteins and fats and creates AGE’s.

The sticky AGE’s bind to blood vessels and other body tissue. These glycated masses create havoc on your cells and cause oxidation and inflammation.

Oxidation

Oxidation, like inflammation is essential for our bodies to function properly. Oxidation is important to energy production. But oxidation has a bad side too. Oxidation is the removal of an electron from an atom or a molecule. Since they are missing an electron, they spend their time robbing electrons from healthy cells. The result is a cascade of cellular damage. Sometimes this can damage the molecule itself which causes damage to proteins, lipids and DNA in our cells.

Free radicals can cause cholesterol to be more likely to stick to your blood vessels, increasing your risk for heart attacks and stroke. They can damage DNA and cause mutations including cancer. Free radicals can attack and destroy the delicate nerve cells in the brain and eyes, causing cataracts, blindness and Alzheimer’s disease as well. And free radicals damage and weaken the skin structures and connective tissue.

What causes oxidation? Pollution, smoking, medications, alcohol, and eating processed foods with few nutrients will all increase oxidation. In addition, aging and exercise also cause oxidation as well.

But we can fight back by avoiding those things that cause free radicals, reducing inflammation, and by getting plenty of antioxidants, primarily in the foods we eat. These include vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, beta carotene and many other important phytonutrients in vegetables and fruit.

Toxification

Our exposure to harmful toxins is increasing every day. We are exposed to toxins in our food supply, toxins in our environment, and toxins in our everyday personal items such as shampoo and soaps, as well as household items. Beyond that, there are toxins in our water, toxins in medications, and toxins virtually in almost everything that we come into contact with, in some degree. It’s very difficult to escape toxins, unless we live a primitive life far, far away from civilization.

However, our bodies have an amazing capability to detoxify themselves, but if overloaded and left unguarded without the fortification the body needs to fight and filter toxins, it soon becomes overwhelmed and diseased. The liver is our primary source of internal detoxification and when our liver is overloaded, our health pays the price.

Toxins damage our cells’ DNA, and affect hormonal balances, causing weight gain, thyroid dysfunction, cancer, and more.

While most of us cannot retreat to the country and live a primitve life far away from the ills of civilization, we can avoid many toxins by eliminating chemicals in our personal care products, avoiding household cleaning chemicals, and most of all, eliminating or greatly reducing the chemicals and toxins in the food supply that come from conventionally raised meats, pesticide laden vegetables and fruits and processed foods with preservatives and artificial ingredients.

Deficiencies and Depletion

The last thing in this interwoven list is deficiencies and depletion. It’s a sad fact that the vegetables and fruit that we buy in the grocery store are far lower in minerals (including selenium, magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium) than the ones from 50 years ago.

Conventional farming methods and widespread use of chemicals in farming have depleted the soil and the nutrients that we receive from these foods. And livestock raised on an unnatural diet of grain, antibiotics and hormones are also sickly and low in the esstential nutreients we need in our diets to thrive.

Many of us who may be following a reasonably healthy diet, are missing important nutritional elements in the foods eaten. And, even worse, are those people eating a diet virtually devoid of natural nutrients, phytochemicals and anti-oxidants. (SAD) And that comes at a huge cost to health.

Even Dr. Linus Pauling, winner of two Nobel prizes said, “You can trace every sickness, disease, or ailment in the human body back to a trace element deficiency.”

Most of us are deficient in at least one or two vitamins and minerals. And deficiencies in dietary nutrients feed into the rest of the contributing factors that cause diseases.

Beyond our dietary deficiencies, many of us can be suffering from an unhealthy digestive system that doesn’t absorb nutrients well.

What can we do to avoid disease as best we can and achieve optimal health?

- Eat real food—Avoid artificial, processed, packaged, nutritionally devoid, chemically laden foods. Eat high quality, organically raised, local foods, and naturally raised meats.

- Avoid chemicals in your foods—Eat organic as much as possible, eat locally, eat naturally-raised grass fed meats,poultry, eggs, and dairy; and eat only wild caught fish.

- Avoid chemicals in your environment—Eliminate dangerous household chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides and personal care items. These add a heavy load of toxins.

- Optimize your fats—Eating naturally raised meats and fish will give you a better omega 3:6 ratio, but also avoid transfats, and added processed fats and vegetable oils.

- Avoid sugar—as much as possible. That means not only avoiding sugary drinks like soda and avoiding candy, but also avoiding foods made from grains like whole grain breads, pastas, and baked goods. Sugar also lurks in fruit drinks and starchy foods like potatoes as well.

Each of these killer causes is interwoven with the others but amazingly the same things we do to prevent one of the above causes also prevents the others. Simply being aware and making changes in your diet and lifestyle can help to minimize these five things, and contribute to your optimal, vibrant health and long life.

Sources:

Kelly Herring, “Do you know the 5 main causes of disease?”, Healing Gourmet, July 20, 2011.
Living to be 150, Aging and Longevity, http://livingto150.com/aging-and-longevity-glycation.

Cell Phones / Tumors / EMF

2011-08-01T14:31:00.000-05:00

Opposing views on EMF, taken from different sources:

"I just posted on the recent cell phone-brain tumor epidemic article where I shared my clinical findings about wireless EMF combined with underlying heavy metal toxicity in the body or what I like to call 'The Antenna Effect' (currently working on a book about this). I strongly feel that those with EHS (highly sensitive to EMF) ALL have significant levels of heavy metals in their body acting like an antenna source drawing in the EMF around them and that combo is what makes them very sick. This is what I find in my clinical practice. Here is part of my post from the previous cell phone-brain tumor article as it seems to fit:

"This is a tradegy waiting to happen of course but my view is slightly different. A great deal of my work is focused on heavy metal and chemical toxicity as it relates to illness and dis-ease in the body. My clinical findings suggest that those with the highest level of metals in their body have the most difficulty with EMF (their cell, pda, microwave oven at home, and even the electronics in their car can occasionally cause rather bizarre symptoms in these patients but not always as most of the time people are completely unaware that they have metals as this truely is a silent epidemic). The metals in your body simply acts like an antenna drawing in EMF. That is why it is my mission to educate everyone to get screened for metal and chemical toxicity and God willing our healthcare system will catch on to environmental causes. It is a tradegy that we all have to tolerate the increase in unavoidable EMF from wireless emissions among other sources. The jury is out as far as what effects the radiation alone will do to our delicate brains but eliminating 'The Antenna Effect' by cleaning the metals out of the brain and nerve tissue may very well be one of the best forms of prevention within our control."

_____

"The Health Effects of Electrical Pollution" published by the National

Foundation for Alternative Medicine.

www.electricalpollution.com/.../NFAMemf.PDF

------

New Cell Phone Study Says Hang Up & Use a Land Line

www.seventhgeneration.com/.../new-cell-phone-study-says-hang-use-land-line

By the Inkslinger - April 30, 2008

No Cell PhonesIf you're a cell phone user (and who isn't?), you've no doubt been reading along for several years as we've reported various studies addressing the safety of this technology. Some have said that cell phones are safe to use. Some have suggested they might not be. For our part, we've urged precaution until more is known. Now a new examination of the available evidence says that was wise advice.

The new study, Mobile Phones and Brain Tumors – A Public Health Concern, was conducted by noted Australian brain surgeon Dr. Vini Gautam Khurana. Dr. Khurana analyzed more than 100 separate studies, both pro and con, on the potential health effects of cellular phone usage and concluded that the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by cell phones will likely lead to an epidemic of brain cancers within the next decade.

Among the points the new research phones home:

• There is a "significant and increasing body of evidence" that demonstrates a link between "excessive and/or prolonged" cell phone usage and certain brain tumors.

• This link should be taken seriously and no longer regarded as a myth.

• The time between the start of regular cell phone usage and the diagnosis of a brain tumor in susceptible individuals can be anywhere from 10 to 20 years. Thus, a statistically significant spike in brain cancer rates should be seen sometime in the next four years (assuming the mid-90s marks the moment cell phone adoption became widespread).

• Enough evidence currently exists to compel government and the cell phone industry to take immediate action to alert consumers to the hazards posed by cell phone EMR.

• This evidence suggests that cell phone radiation will eventually pose a larger threat to public health than asbestos or smoking.

-----

"I don't agree with this. The entire Earth is a magnet. This is why we have a North/South pole. This magnetic field is constantly changing and works at many many frequencies including 2.4GHz. The power of a wifi magnetic field doesn't even come close to the frequency / power of the sun. Numerous things in history have operated at 2.4GHz. HAM radio operators for instance have used this frequency on huge amplifiers. This frequency has also been used for data transmission VIA packet radio for HAM operators. Pagers amplified off huge towers.

"Everything has a magnetic field working at numerous frequencies. Blenders interfere with televisions for example. 2.4 GHz is a high frequency, but no way near unheard of. (even a chunk of wood has a molecular magnetic field)

"2.4GHz, is just the wavelength of the radio signal. Smaller (less broad) and not broad makes more penetration at less power. Lower frequencies are more broad and take more power to amplify.

"So for a police radio, operating in the 40MHz frequencies, penetrate your body at 4 Watts (usually minimum, but often upwards of 7 watts for hand held units) Wifi on the other hand from most routers, operate around 20-28 mw (milliwatts). 28 ten thousandths of 1 watt. or 28 X 10 to the -3 power. Wifi barely makes it through a wall, while things like police radios make it through cities & buildings. Police radios also can truncate at 2.4GHz as well shoving 7 watts @ 2.4 GHz right through your body.

"There's nothing that can be done about this. Your body is bombarded with radio signals at huge wattages, powers, and frequencies constantly - either naturally, or man made."

-----

"Interesting article. My wife is very chemically sensitive, and we're almost through a process of getting our house completely freed from mold. It's been a interesting journey so far, and thankfully the Lord has provided the means to help take care of the house problem. Right now, she's on a special diet to help rid her body of the mycotoxins and to get her hormones back in the right order. For those with mold, lyme's disease, and chemical sensitivities, you may want to look into www.chronicneurotoxins.com and http://www.moldwarriors.com for more information with the problems of neurotoxins from mold and lyme's disease. Also, the diet my wife is taking is based on the "Maximized Living", www.maximizedlivingchiropractic.com, healing diet that uses charcoal as a natural alternative to elminate toxins from the body instead of cholestrol binding drugs. The diet has been helping, but after reading this article, I think we need to seriously start looking into getting her fillings and crown replaced. She has a lot, and we think that may be contributing to her sensitivities."

Coconut Oil

2011-06-12T17:55:00.000-05:00

From Radiant Life:

Coconut oil is uniquely beneficial to health in ways that range from disease prevention to anti-aging. Whether taken as a supplement, used in cooking, or applied to the skin, the benefits of coconut oil are many!

Did you know?...

Substituting coconut oil for vegetable oil in all your cooking is one of the best things you can do to help your thyroid gland, control your weight and brighten your mood.

Coconut oil increases the body's metabolism, as it takes more energy to metabolize the medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) than the MCFAs provide. Eating meals containing MCFAs can increase your metabolic rate. When MCFAs are consumed, they are immediately converted into energy by the liver, not circulated in the bloodstream as lipoproteins, which then may be deposited as fat.

A diet composed of saturated and monosaturated fats (butter, lard, coconut oil and olive oil) helps protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and many other degenerative diseases.

Heavy metals and other toxins in the body are eliminated by binding to dietary fats such as coconut oil, butter, and olive oil.

Coconut oil contains the right kinds of fats that insulate the nerves, helping them to function normally.

Coconut oil has been and often still is a main ingredient in baby formula (Coconut oil contains lauric acid, an important fatty acid that is abundantly found in breast milk).

So, enjoy coconut oil daily for its nutritional and health benefits!

1. Strengthen your immune system

2. Improve your digestion

3. Prevent premature aging of your skin

4. Promote healthy weight loss permanently

5. Protect against many degenerative diseases

6. Detoxify and heal your body through oral cleansing (oil pulling)

7. Improve your health

8. Beautify your hair and skin

9. Experience Nature's ultimate germ fighter (caprylic acid is a potent anti-fungal)

10. Recognize coconut oil as both a food and a medicine

Go to this link to order from Tropical Traditions coconut oil:
http://tinyurl.com/3f7zp82

Sleep

2011-06-06T15:16:00.000-05:00

Things to do to help get a good night's sleep:

-Sleep in complete darkness. Get room darkening shades and make sure all little lights from chargers, clocks, computers, etc are off or covered.

-Go to bed at a set time every day and get up at a set time.

-Get at least 6 hours of sleep, 7 or 8 is better depending on your age. Children should get more.

-Make sure your feet are warm enough. If cold feet keep you awake put on socks.

-Use 100% cotton sheets.

-Don't sleep on your stomach.

-Don't have any electronic devices within 6 feet of you.

-Make sure your room is cool enough. It is better to sleep in a 60 degree F room with blankets than in a warm room.

-Pray or read spiritual books just before falling asleep.

-Don't eat or drink anything for a couple of hours before bedtime.

-Eliminate all processed foods that have any chemicals in them. For example: MSG, preservatives, dyes, natural flavors, unnatural sweeteners, bad fats (margarine, vegetable oils) etc.

-Do a good examination of conscience, make an act of contrition and firm resolution of amendment. If you are aware of grave sin on your soul go to Confession as soon as you are able.

-Make sure to do some strenuous exercise each day or every other day if possible. This releases a lot of toxins caused by stress which will help your body relax and have rejuvenating sleep.

-Don't watch TV or look at a computer for at least an hour before going to bed.

-Try to have your bedtime be 9 or 10 since most reparative sleep supposedly occurs before midnight.

The Number 1 Reason You’re So Tired?

2011-06-06T14:37:00.000-05:00

This is from Caring.com. I'm just throwing this out there for those of you who suffer from insomnia. There are several things one can do to help get a good night's sleep this may be one thing to look into if you are baffled.

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor

Does this sound familiar? You finally manage to get everything done and fall into bed, where it’s easy to fall asleep because you’re bone-tired. You sleep a reasonable number of hours–at least it seems as if you do–but when you wake up, you feel like you hardly slept. Then you drag around all day, feeling fuzzy-headed, grumpy, and longing for a nap.
If this sounds like you or someone close to you, you’ll want to know about a little-known breathing problem called Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). Unlike sleep apnea, which has been well known for a long time, UARS has only recently been getting attention. The term “resistance” refers to the fact that something is slowing or blocking air in the nasal passages. The most common causes are mild nasal congestion or tongue position during sleep that blocks breathing. Because resistance in the upper airways makes it harder work simply to breathe, your sleep is disrupted throughout the night. According to otolaryngologist Steven Park, UARS is extremely common in older women–one French study found that nearly half of all women with chronic insomnia and daytime fatigue turned out to have this type of sleep-disordered breathing.
Park says he sees many patients with UARS who think they’re sleeping poorly due to stress or insomnia, but it’s more complicated than that. He wrote a book about the phenomenon called Sleep Interrupted: A Physician Reveals the #1 Reason Why So Many of Us Are Sick and Tired. What’s really happening, Park says, is that your body is half-waking up over and over again during the night. Since you’re unable to fall into a deep restorative sleep, you don’t feel refreshed in the morning.
While sleep apnea is much more common in men (only 5 percent of those with apnea are women) UARS affects men and women about equally. Other characteristics common to many people with UARS: having a narrow face, having a small or narrow jaw, and having a thin neck. In fact, if you had to have orthodontia as a child for overcrowded teeth, Park says it’s very likely you could develop UARS. Some people with UARS also have low blood pressure and cold hands and feet. And, says Park, if you have found over the years that you simply cannot sleep on your back (you invariably wake up) it’s very likely the reason is UARS.
UARS is so new, not all doctors are familiar with it, and many sleep clinics don’t use techniques capable of identifying these subtle changes in breathing patterns. (UARS may not show up in traditional tests for disordered breathing, which measure oxygen levels.) So if you suspect you have UARS, choose a sleep study lab that’s familiar with the disorder and has the equipment to test for pressure changes in your nose or alternations in breathing or pulse wave signals.
Over-the-counter products can be effective at treating UARS, says Park, so this is a great first step. Many people benefit from breathing strips, such as “Breathe Right.”
To see if breathing strips might work for you, try this simple test: Looking in a mirror, press the side of one nostril firmly to close it off. Then close your mouth and try to breathe. If you feel resistance as you inhale through the open nostril, try holding it wider open with your pinky finger or the flat side of a toothpick. Try this on both sides. If you notice that you breathe more easily with your nostril propped open, you’re a good candidate for breathing strips.
If these don’t work, the next step is to ask your doctor for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. With the help of an ENT, you’ll have access to a number of treatments, including dental devices and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), a specially designed nasal mask that prevents your nasal passages from collapsing and delivers air directly into your airway.
If the otolaryngologist determines that tongue position during sleep is causing your UARS, she might recommend a dental device that pushes the jaw forward, which also pushes the tongue forward and prevents it from blocking the opening to the throat. If the obstruction is in the nasal passages, then CPAP is likely to work best. There are also minimally invasive surgical techniques available in cases where the obstruction is located in the area of the soft palate.

The Truth is, Acne is one of the Easiest Problems to Treat Naturally

2011-06-06T14:28:00.000-05:00

From Mercola.com:

Just like other chronic diseases running rampant in Western society (like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity), acne is primarly a disease of the Western world.
More proof is continuing to emerge that the root cause of acne is not bacteria or genetics, but environmental factors—particularly your diet. Acne is much less of a problem in non-Westernized societies, where refined carbohydrates and sugar are consumed in much lower amounts. Solid evidence exists that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates are the primary CAUSE of acne.
We now know that a low-grain or no-grain diet will very likely clear up your skin, permanently! Antibiotics are unnecessary because correcting your diet creates an internal environment that does not ALLOW bacterial overgrowth to occur.
After diet, the other major factor is stress.
Part of a holistic plan for preventing acne flare-ups is managing your stress. We know that stress is a major factor in infections of any kind. So why aren't physicians lining up to give you the good news? Well, they can't "sell" you a healthful diet. The only one who will reap the benefits from that is you!

Grain-Free Diets Can Clear Up Your Acne FOR GOOD!

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Carbohydrates can be categorized into the following types:
Simple carbohydrates are sugars, such as those found in candy, soda, and baked goods. Your best bet is to strictly limit those in your diet—working toward eliminating them completely. Be especially careful to avoid all high fructose corn syrup, which is a major component of sodas and processed foods.
Complex carbohydrates are found in natural whole foods such as beans, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables. Although beans, nuts and grains contain more nutritive value than simple carbohydrates, you will need to limit them if acne is a problem for you.
Your body "prefers" the complex carbs found in vegetables to the complex carbs found in grains, because your body handles their digestion differently. Vegetable-carbs are slow to break down into simple sugars, with minimal insulin impact, whereas digestion of grain-carbs raises your insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).
Higher IGF-1 levels can lead to increased male hormones, which cause your pores to secrete more sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria. IGF-1 also causes skin cells (known as keratinocytes) to multiply, a process associated with acne.
This is why most grains should be avoided if you have acne issues.
The research holds this up.
In a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, young men (ages 15 to 25) with acne problems were placed on low-glycemic diets for 12 weeks, showing significant improvements in acne and insulin sensitivity.
Similar findings were shown in this 2002 study.
Simply eliminating grains, sugars (particularly fructose), cereals, potatoes, corn, rice, pasta, processed foods, etc., radically improves acne for most people. Fruit contains a fair amount of fructose, so it should be consumed in very limited quantities if you are predisposed to acne. And fruit juices should be strictly avoided since the sugar is very concentrated in them. (Vegetable juices are great, though, especially green juices.)
If you incorporate these dietary changes, not only will your acne subside, but also your complexion will become more radiant and youthful.

Can Gluten Make Your Acne Worse?

Gluten in wheat and other grains may be contributing to your acne symptoms if you have a gluten intolerance, which many people do. This is a separate issue from the insulin effects already discussed. Gluten is a prime suspect if you have rosacea, a growing problem, especially for Baby Boomers.
According to The Gluten Free Diet:
"A person who is gluten intolerant cannot digest gluten, so the body will not recognize it when it is eaten and therefore treats it as a foreign body when trying to digest it.
Because the body of a gluten intolerant person cannot process gluten properly, the small intestines become damaged slowly over time causing digestive issues. The gluten intolerance can produce other symptoms and push the toxins through the skin such as acne."
Since gluten sensitivity is so pervasive anyway it would make loads of sense to try a a gluten-free diet for one month and see if your acne or any other health symptoms improve. This shouldn't be too difficult if you are already implementing a low-grain or no-grain diet, which minimizes sources of gluten.

The Milk-Iodine-Acne Connection

You may already know that I am an advocate of raw milk for its vast nutritional benefits in general. However, there is a cautionary statement for you, IF you are an acne sufferer. Milk generally contains a fair amount of iodine, although there is less in raw milk than pasteurized milk. Iodine is known to aggravate acne.
Several studies document this relationship as farmers often feed their cows iodine-fortified feed to prevent infection.
Therefore, if you drink milk, you should seek to choose raw over pasteurized—this is true, regardless of whether or not you have issues with your skin. Since raw milk naturally contains iodine at healthier levels, it is less likely to aggravate your acne than pasteurized milk—but the potential still exists for even raw milk to trigger flare-ups. In the interest of eradicating your acne once and for all, then, it seems wise to eliminate milk and other dairy products from your diet altogether.
There are no studies of which I am aware investigating the relationship between raw milk and acne. If you want to test it out for yourself, you can try consuming raw, organic, grass-fed milk, and if it seems to be making your acne worse, then eliminate it from your diet.

Many Skin Care Products Only Contribute to the Problem

What you put on your skin is as important as what you eat. In fact, what you apply topically is readily absorbed through your skin, which is really a semi-permeable membrane through which substances pass directly into your body.
Many of today's skin care products and cosmetics are nothing more than a toxic mélange of harsh chemicals, which cause more skin problems than they solve. And when it comes to acne, these chemicals can seriously inflame an outbreak, or prevent one from healing.
Why do so many cleansers, lotions and potions contain these potentially hazardous ingredients?
Because they're cheap, readily available, and easy to dilute.
When it comes to the skin care industry, anything goes. The Environmental Working Group estimates 99 percent of personal care products contain more than one ingredient that has never been evaluated for safety. It's a self-regulated industry—an industry that operates on "the honor system" but has a multitude of dishonorable players.
So you have to be a meticulous, well-educated label reader to know what you're getting.
You should spend five minutes every day cleansing your face, which removes the impurities that collect on your skin during a typical day and clog up your pores. And ladies, please never sleep in your makeup. It's also advisable to exfoliate your skin once or twice per week. But do so gently, especially if you are experiencing an outbreak, and never pull or rub your skin aggressively.
You should use pure, safe, natural skin care products—preferably organic ones. Apply your skin care products to warm skin, which maximizes absorption.
And once you've cleansed, exfoliated and moisturized, take a deep breath and… rela-a-a-a-x.

Relaxing Your Way to Clearer Skin

Stress can potentially worsen just about every condition, including acne. It's important to learn how to manage your stress, BEFORE it becomes overwhelming. It is even more important to teach your children how to do this when they're young, before stress accumulates unabated and begins to take a toll on their health.
Recent studies substantiate the hypothesis that stress can aggravate acne.
One study involving college students found a connection between acne flare-ups and stress from final exams. Researchers found that subjects who had the most stress during examination periods also had the worst acne outbreaks, suggesting emotional stress from external sources is a significant factor.
While it has been argued that the stress associated with acne is an effect of acne rather than a cause, the above researchers believe this new evidence proves otherwise—that it's the stress that is exacerbating the acne, not vice versa.

You Can Take Control of Your Skin Health

Remember, your complexion is a reflection of your overall health. Don't forget to incorporate these essential factors into your acne-busting plan:
Sugars and Grains: This is probably the single most important step you can take to improve your skin health. If you can eliminate all sugars and grains for a few weeks there is a major likelihood you will notice rapid improvement in your complexion.
Water: Drink plenty of fresh, pure water every day. Hydrating your body facilitates cell growth and regeneration, elimination of wastes, and sloughing away dead skin cells. Hydration will also improve your skin tone.

Every day, drink enough water so that your urine is a pale yellow color. If your urine is bright yellow, you probably need to drink more water (unless you take B vitamins, which themselves turn urine bright yellow).
Exercise: Getting plenty of high-intensity exercise helps your body flush out toxins, including those in your skin's pores. Plus, exercise is vitally important to all other aspects of your heath. If you happen to have access to an infrared sauna, this can be helpful, because the more you sweat, the more you flush unwanted debris and contaminants out of your pores.
Sleep: Did you know that a good night's sleep can decrease your stress and lead to clearer skin? Your body's time for healing and rebuilding is at night while you sleep, and this applies to your skin. Sleep is also required for good energy and mood.
Proper balance of bacteria: This is especially important if you have been on antibiotics, because those drugs indiscriminately kill off the beneficial bacteria in your gut, without which you cannot have a strong immune system. You can reestablish your bacterial balance by taking a high quality probiotic supplement, and by incorporating naturally fermented/cultured foods into your diet.
Vitamin D: This important nutrient is crucial for maintaining a healthy immune response, and most people are deficient in it. Without adequate vitamin D, your body cannot control infection, in your skin or elsewhere. Exposing large areas of your skin to appropriate amounts of sunshine is the best way to optimize your vitamin D levels, or use a safe tanning bed. You should expose your skin until you just barely begin turning pink, which indicates you've generated the optimal amount of vitamin D for the day.

If you don't have access to regular UV exposure, the next best thing is an oral vitamin D supplement, accompanied by regular monitoring of your vitamin D levels with a blood test.
If you change your diet and lifestyle in the ways I've recommended, you can expect significant improvement in the health and appearance of your skin. Plus, those same strategies will lead to improvements in your overall health, as well as relieving your bank account of expensive acne drugs that don't offer any real or lasting solution to your skin's woes.
Remember lifestyle changes are not a "quick fix," but over the long run, they reap endless rewards!

Accutane: One of the MOST Dangerous Drugs Ever Made

2011-06-06T13:55:00.000-05:00

This is from Mercola>com:

Accutane is a highly controversial drug yet incredibly remains the industry standard for severe acne. Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG, manufacturer of Accutane, has spent most of this century in court defending itself against lawsuits from people whose health has been irreparably damaged by this menacing drug.
Roche has lost six out of six lawsuits and was recently ordered to pay $25.16 million in damages to an Accutane user who developed inflammatory bowel disease as a result of the drug. Due to generic competition and the exorbitant cost of defending personal injury lawsuits, Roche stopped selling the drug in June 2009.
However, the generic form of Accutane (isotretinoin) is equally deadly and remains available in the marketplace under the names Claravis, Sotret and Amnesteem. More than two million people have taken Accutane, despite the fact that it is known to cause depression, suicide, inflammatory bowel disease, and 100 percent guarantee of birth defects if taken by a pregnant woman.
In 2004, brain scans showed that people taking Accutane suffer a 21 percent decrease in frontal brain activity, the part of the brain that plays a critical role in mood and social interaction. These brain changes may explain the depression, suicidal and aggressive behavior, and psychotic reactions reported by some Accutane users.
Is reducing your acne worth that?
Even official regulation policy acknowledges the real danger of Accutane. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned physicians and consumers about reports of "depression, psychosis, and rarely suicidal thoughts and actions" related to the use of Accutane. Patients using Accutane reported to the FDA that these psychological symptoms improved after stopping Accutane therapy, but worsened with re-start of the drug.
In light of this evidence, the labeling of Accutane was changed to strengthen the warning about its risk for causing depression.Isotretinoin now has the strongest warning available for any drug category—and given a FDA Pregnancy Category X rating..
If you are taking isotretinoin and become pregnant, you are virtually guaranteed to be damaging your baby. Accutane is extremely teratogenic (causing damage to a fetus).
According to the Mayo Clinic:
"Isotretinoin is associated with severe birth defects, so it can't be taken by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant during the course of treatment or within several weeks of concluding treatment. In fact, the drug carries such serious potential side effects that women of reproductive age must participate in a Food and Drug Administration-approved monitoring program to receive a prescription for the drug."
In addition to teratogenic and psychological adverse effects, Accutane (isotretinoin) users have reported the following negative effects:

Increased levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in your blood	Increased liver enzyme levels and liver damage	Erectile dysfunction
Headaches and brain swelling	Disturbances of your central nervous system	Seizures
Damage to skin and mucous membranes Premature epiphyseal closure	Hyperostosis (excessive bone growth) and bone demineralization	Neutropenia, agranulocytosis, and rhabdomyolysis (blood disorders)
Development of inflammatory bowel disease	Damage to your eyes including cataracts	Hearing impairment
Pancreatitis	Heart attack and stroke	Allergic vasculitis