Health

Health – Is Popular Culture Healthy?

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Our young people are growing up in an age where they are exposed to hundreds of television channels showing all manner of programs on different subjects. They also have immediate access to an unlimited amount of information to people near and far through e-mail and instant messaging. Besides the computer, there are DVDs, video games, magazines, advertising and malls to fill each young person’s life. Most young people between 2 years old and 18 years old will spend at least, if not more than, 5 hours a day absorbing this so-called popular culture. This popular culture is a very destructive force in their lives because of the values at its foundation. The culture of past generations in the Western world used to reflect Christian values, but the popular culture today reflects different values. We are now in serious danger physically, mentally and spiritually.

Instead of benefitting from our Christian cultures and background, the popular media is now implanting bad values, attitudes, and beliefs in our young people. They are being brainwashed as to what they need, and the majority of the time, their wants have no redeeming value. Anything that may be emotionally, socially or spiritually unhealthy is impressed upon the young people and is very destructive. Some examples include advertising that connects certain toys, clothes, food, or drinks with being popular or cool, or music that encourages racism, sexism, drug use, or violence.

We must remember that even “good” popular culture sometimes is not very good for young people. Many of the daily activities which include television, computers, ipods and cell phones teach children bad habits which include:

  1. Teaching them to be observers and not participants.
  2. Experiencing life vicariously instead of directly. In other words, the experience is felt or enjoyed through imagined participation in the experience of another.
  3. Sedentary games instead of physical activity.
  4. Indirect social contact with others rather than real contact. Many people today have lost the ability to interact positively with others. Even in families there is no interaction; many do not talk with each other because they have nothing to say.
  5. Preventing them from participating in activities that will support their intellectual, emotional, cultural, spiritual, and physical development.

Julius Gilbert White explains as follows:

It is a matter of common knowledge that human existence consists essentially of the exercise of three sets of powers: (1) the physical, (2) the mental, (3) the spiritual.

The physical body and life provide the habitation for the mental powers, which give life to them and so make their function possible.

Likewise, the physical life and the mental powers combined make it possible for men to meditate upon and conceive spiritual things, accept spiritual ideals and truths, and render a spiritual service, and so have a spiritual experience. Without the physical life there can be neither mental powers nor spiritual experience.

Everything depends, then, upon the physical life, which is the foundation of the entire structure of human existence, including the spiritual life, which is the highest object of man’s existence.

“The physical life consists essentially of the use of five senses—abilities to see, hear, taste, smell, and feel. If the foundation be destroyed the entire structure is ruined.” Julius Gilbert White, The Christian’s Experience, (Northwestern Publishing Association, Sacramento, California) 37, 38.

The devil wants to destroy the foundation of our young people. He knows that if he destroys the physical life, then the mental powers and spiritual experience will also be destroyed.

The following is taken from an article in the magazine Parenting.

Television, movies, and video games glamorize violence, sexuality, wealth, celebrity, and the use of alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. Fashion and celebrity magazines affect how girls think about their bodies, the amount they diet and exercise, and the occurrence of eating disorders. The internet gives your children limitless access to a universe of inappropriate information. In sum, popular culture in excess and without guidance is destroying your children psychologically, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and physically.

Popular culture is like a network of saboteurs that infiltrate your family’s lives with stealth and deception, hiding behind entertaining characters, bright images, and fun music. You probably don’t notice half of the unhealthy messages being conveyed to your children. It is also an invading army that overwhelms your children with these destructive messages. It attempts to control every aspect of your children’s lives: their values, attitudes, and beliefs about themselves and the world that they live in; their thoughts, emotions, and behavior; their needs, wants, goals, hopes, and dreams; their interests and avocations; their choices and their decisions. With this control, popular culture can tell children what to eat and drink, what to wear, what to listen to and watch, and children have little ability to resist.

The mere presence of popular culture shouldn’t be your greatest worry. Rather, your greatest concern should be the influence that this presence has on your children. Few people really understand how popular culture affects children’s lives. Even fewer people realize how truly harmful it is to children, families, communities, and to our society as a whole. Popular culture attacks children at their most basic level, the values that guide their lives.

Popular culture promotes the worst values in children and disguises them all as entertainment. Reality TV, for example, has made the “seven deadly sins”—pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth—attributes to be admired. Throw in selfishness, deceit, spite, humiliation, cruelty, and vengeance—all qualities seen and revered in popular culture—and you have the personification of the worst kind of person. Popular culture makes heroic decidedly unheroic values, characters, and behavior. Source: www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles (look in the index for “Know your Children’s enemy”).

Remember the family unit. “Let parents seek, in their own character and in their home life, to exemplify the love and beneficence of the heavenly Father. Let the home be full of sunshine. This will be worth far more to your children than lands or money. Let the home love be kept alive in their hearts, that they may look back upon the home of their childhood as a place of peace and happiness next to heaven. The members of the family do not all have the same stamp of character, and there will be frequent occasion for the exercise of patience and forbearance; but through love and self-discipline all may be bound together in the closest union.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 176.

So, shut down the computers and turn off the TV and cell phones and spend some time doing things together as a family. You could put on your running shoes and take your children for a walk out in the sunshine or dig a vegetable garden. Be creative and choose activities that are physically, mentally and spiritually healthy that will build tight family bonds and happy memories.

Do your best to keep your family healthy!

Health – The Brain and the Nerves

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There is a strange relation between the mind and the body. Diseases of each affect each. Involuntary actions of the heart, digestion, etc., are affected by the mind. Certain nerve-cells in the brain restrain other nerve-cells. One center causes contraction of the small blood-vessels: If this continued, the contraction would be too severe and prolonged. Another center therefore restrains the action of the first, thus balancing up the work of contraction, so that the proper supply of blood goes to all the body. This principle is called “inhibition.” Coughing and sneezing may be controlled by opposite nerve-cells. Cells that inhibit action of other cells lie in the front part of the large brain, or cerebrum. Here lies the power to exercise the will. 

We can inhibit wrong desires and curb evil inclinations. At first self-indulgence is a moral sin; then it becomes a physical disease. If we allow certain cells to act daily, always in certain ways, – that is, in our thoughts – this action becomes easier the oftener done; in other words, habit is formed. When we do a wrong act once, it is easier the next time, and becomes easier with each repetition. So with right ways. If we conquer evil and do right, it will become habitual. God gives us power if the will is submitted to him to overcome habit. While we cannot understand the will wholly, we know it is that which makes character, and character is what we are. This will live forever if the individual believes in Jesus Christ, and lives with the will submitted to Him. 

As one accustoms himself to think along certain lines, so the brain-cells become set, and thought runs in a certain groove, or channel. Think pure, sweet, happy thoughts, in harmony with the love of God and Christ’s example, and the brain and mind are thus attuned to heaven’s music. Philippians 4:8 is a good mental exercise. Proverbs 23:7 states a fact. A man once confessed to a Christian worker that it was impossible for him to think pure thoughts. Even Scriptures read in his hearing were, in his evil mind, associated with impurity in some form. He said that he had allowed his mind so to develop that it was impossible for him to be saved, for he could not think of anything but sin. God hates sin, and he will pour out his wrath upon it; but he does not destroy men: this they do themselves. How? – By thinking on evil, and then acting it out. In this way it becomes ingrained in them, a part of them; in fact, it is they themselves, SIN! This God will consume in the last day, because it has already consumed the man. If we heed the invitation of mercy before this condition of mind becomes fixed, there is hope. God wrought miracles in the past, and healed the lesions of the brain-cells, so that it was possible for pure thoughts to travel their course, and thus affect the character; and where a heart is now truly desirous of such a change, God freely gives it. 

The Youth’s Instructor, December 13, 1900.

Stress, part 3

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In our last article, we noted that there are basically two ways of combating stress:

To strengthen oneself as a person in order to more readily resist the destructive effects of stress.
To resolve the actual cause of stress at its source.

Bearing in mind that there are many different causes of stress, it may be that a person’s stress problem will not be dealt with by simply dropping it into just one of the above areas. There may well be considerable overlapping. It is hoped, however, that a person of average intelligence should be able to prayerfully evaluate his situation and determine what measures need to be adopted to meet his case.

Previously we began to explore the first aspect of strengthening oneself as a person in order to better handle the stressors of life. In so doing, we dwell at length upon the importance of getting an adequate amount of rest and not overworking. To continue, we now need to consider several other modalities that relate to stress control and life-style in general:

Exercise

It has been rightly said that action is the law of our being. We all need to be physically active, but the sedentary type person who is under stress needs to be especially sure that he makes time for physical activity at some time in his day. Those in need of exercise should bear in mind that while stretching and twisting exercises and some form of moderate weight lifting may have their place, the best exercise for stress is aerobic activity, such as walking, swimming, or cycling. In addition to helping to dissipate stress and tension, this type of exercise also strengthens the heart and lungs and tones up the body’s oxygen delivery system. An efficient circulatory system is much better able to convey waste materials and impurities from the cells to the excretory organs. This will not only result in a clearer mind but, in conjunction with other factors, contributes to an increased energy level, which is helpful in combating stress.

The cells of the body contain minute structures called mitochondria, which produce a special energy substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). People who exercise regularly and sufficiently have been shown to have more mitochondria in their muscle cells than people who do not exercise. Often a person who feels chronically tired wrongly supposes that exercise will further deplete his energy level. This is not true. The best way to increase his vitality is to get up and start working out! The more he does, the more he will increase the number of mitochondria producing the ATP, turning his yawns and sluggishness into pep and energy.

It is not unusual for an overworked, under-exercised, and stressed-out individual to suffer from hypertonic muscle tension. This is a condition in which certain muscle groups become tense and wound up like a clockwork spring. Even when a person in this state tries to relax, his muscles in the scalp, neck, and shoulders, for example, remains taut and unable to fully relax. The best remedy for this situation is to go outside and engage in some physical activity, followed by a relaxing, warm bath. Another type of maneuver for dealing with muscle tension is to lie flat on the bed and physically contract the muscles in the arms and legs and then let them relax. Though this procedure is never as good as engaging in a more complete body exercise, it may be of benefit for someone who is trying to relax in bed before going to sleep.

The best and safest type of exercise is brisk walking, several times per week, for about thirty minutes per session. Gardening, weather permitting, is an excellent form of exercise and stress alleviator. These forms of exercise are very helpful as mood elevators, helping to overcome depressions.

Fresh Air

Fresh air is a vital weapon in overcoming stress. Deep, rhythmic breathing has a calming effect upon jittery and shattered nerves. People in the stressful throws of quitting cigarettes have often been advised to begin deep, rhythmic breathing when the craving starts hitting them hard. Coupled with prayer, this is a powerful means of getting them through an intense peak of craving. It has been shown that brain cells require about five times more oxygen than cells elsewhere in the body. A nervous system deficient in the vital element of oxygen is more vulnerable to the onslaughts of stress.

Diet

By far the best kind of diet for anyone, and especially those who seek to increase their stress resistance, is that which is prescribed in Counsels on Diet and Foods, 92; “grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.” Such a diet will provide all of the nutritional elements necessary for life and the challenges of living. Unfortunately, many subsist today on highly refined junk foods that do not provide the vital nutrition that their bodies require.

In addition to a deficient diet, the majority of people do not eat at the times best suited to meet the stressors of each day. For example, the most challenging part of the work day has been shown to be the morning, up until lunch time. Many individuals, however, go off to work in the morning with very little, if any, breakfast and with the false expectation that they will produce at their optimum. Regardless of how well they my think they have done, it is a fact that people who go to work on a good breakfast generally do better than those who do not. In the case of school children, it was shown in the now classic, Iowa breakfast studies of several years ago, that children who face school after an adequate breakfast did better academically and emotionally than those who ate little or no breakfast. Adults who eat breakfast have been shown to have better concentration and dexterity and are less accident prone than those who skip breakfast. It goes without saying that those who ate breakfast had much better resistance to stress.

One of the key factors in all of this is the blood glucose level. People who eat little or no breakfast, other than possibly some other type of sugary junk food, may have difficulty maintaining an adequate level of glucose in their bloodstream throughout the morning. Because junk foods are highly refined and usually contain a lot of sugar, they are very quickly digested. Their carbohydrate content is rapidly converted into glucose and released into the blood stream. This quick source of energy is soon spent, often leaving the individual as deficient in vitality as before. The rapid surge of large amounts of sugar into the circulation can cause an overreaction in some people as their bodies seek to restore homeostasis. The pancreas becomes over stimulated because of the sudden, rapid rise in circulating glucose and responds by secreting an excess of insulin, in turn causing the blood sugar to rapidly drop below its normal range. Such episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) leave a person feeling weak, nervous, jittery, and hollow inside. Apart from all of the other classical symptoms associated with hypoglycemia, the person is rendered much less capable of handling stress.

A number of years ago a study was conducted among a group of young women who had been placed on a diet deficient in vitamin B-1. The experiment finally had to be abandoned because they became nervous, irritable, intolerant to noise, and started having a hard time getting along with one another. While a person’s low stress threshold may not be due to a nutritional deficiency, it certainly does no harm to examine one’s dietary practices and especially ensure that he starts each day with a hearty breakfast.

Chemical Stimulants

Chemical stimulants never serve to strengthen the nervous system and fortify it against stress, even though they may give the impression of being beneficial. A degree of stimulation may come as a consequence of eating a flesh diet or ingesting a large amount of sugar, as is sometimes seen in hyperactive children. The greatest culprit by far, however, is caffeine. This chemical rapidly whips up the nervous system, only to produce greater debilitation once its stimulation has worn off. The usual response to this ultimate “let down” is to ingest more caffeine, continuing the vicious cycle of addiction and depletion of vital energy reserves. A physician friend of mine once described a very nervous and stressed out lady who visited his office. No significant cause could be found for her severe agitation until the doctor discovered that she was drinking a very large amount of coffee every day. His prescription was for her to go home and get rid of the coffee pot! She returned home doubting the credibility of his advice; but under the admonition of her husband, whom she had almost driven to despair, she quit the caffeine. Several weeks later she returned to the doctor’s office so completely relaxed and unwound that he hardly recognized her!

Not all stress problems, however, are related to lifestyle.

Relationships

Some of the worst kinds of stress are the result of strained relationships. In such cases, efforts must be made to facilitate communication between both parties in as unconfrontational way as possible in order to address the underlying issues. It may even be necessary to involve a neutral party to mediate between them.

During these types of situation, when discouragement threatens to break one’s hold upon God, it is crucial to cling tenaciously to the divine promises, believing that all things can work together for good to them that love Him and that God will not permit us to endure more than we are able to bear. (See Romans 8:18; I Corinthians 10:13.) If it yields nothing else, being locked into a stressful, hostile relationship is an opportunity for spiritual growth that may not have been possible on the sunny side of the street.

When subject to the stress of relationship problems, we should prayerfully search our hearts and honestly ask if the problem is not of our own creating. We may have to search our hearts to ensure that what we have said or done for the right has been done properly. It is also appropriate to ask if we are causing stress because of our lack of necessary action.

Quietly stewing inside over what others may have said or done to us is not healthy. This is not said to encourage anyone to passionately rise up in anger and defend a selfish interest. It is said, however, within the context of what Jesus Himself said, “If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Matthew 18:15. If we are genuine Christians, we will not treat such occasions as opportunities to get things “off our chest” in an attempt to dissipate our stress; but we will ask God to give us the courage and compassion to not only redeem our relationship with the individual and resolve the stress, but to redeem them from a wrong course of action which can affect their eternal interests.

A lot of unnecessary stress and anguish might be resolved if such individuals were willing to honestly enquire as did the psalmist: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me.” Psalm 139:23, 24. In the book, Early Writings, 113, Ellen White states that, “Many who profess the name of Christ . . . are not subdued by grace, and they are not dead to self, as is often shown in various ways. At the same time they are talking of having trials. But the principal cause of their trials is an unsubdued heart, which makes self so sensitive it is often crossed.” Individuals in this category experience tremendous stress which could be decidedly resolved if they were broken upon the Rock and were dead to self.

Learning To Be Content

While we should strive to do our best in life to the glory of God, the good of others, and the wholesome betterment of ourselves, we should ever remain thankful for what we have and for who we are and not allow covetousness to dictate our actions. Many people have pierced themselves through with many sorrows and burdened themselves with stress because they begin coveting the possessions and achievements of others. They get into the rat race of keeping up with the Jones’s and soon find themselves living beyond their means. The only way to resolve the stress that often overwhelms those who have trod this well-worn path is to stop seeking that which God has not called them to seek. Depending on the circumstances, it may require them to change their job, or to be content with less.

When we choose to cut from our lives the things contrary to God’s will that have stressed them out and robbed them of happiness, we may do so with God’s help. He understands each situation far better than we know it ourselves. “’Come unto Me,’ is His invitation. Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The way will be opened for you to disentangle yourself from embarrassment and difficulty. The weaker and more helpless you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in casting them upon the Burden-bearer. The rest that Christ offers depends upon conditions, but these conditions are plainly specified. They are those with which all can comply.” The Desire of Ages, 329. We need never fear of doing the right and accepting God’s plan for our lives. “In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Our Heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we now nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service and honor of God supreme will find perplexities vanish and a plain path before their feet.” Ibid., 330. As we make whatever changes are necessary in accepting that plan, we can become joyfully content with such things as we have (see Hebrews 13:5) and by faith rest in the assurance that all things needful will be ours. (See Matthew 6:25–34.)

Resolving the Stress of Guilt

In conclusion, we must never overlook the fact that many are stressed with a burden of guilt which they never can resolve in themselves. To all, Jesus extends the hand of mercy, presenting Himself as the only One able to lift the burden from their shoulders and their anxious minds. He alone is able to resolve the stress and inner turmoil caused by sin and exchange it for heaven’s sweet and lovely peace. Those who submit their lives into His keeping may know, even in the midst of a troubled world, the peace of God that passes all understanding. They can also rejoice in the sure hope of one day dwelling with Christ in glory, never again to know the distress of stress!

Health – Practical Suggestions

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In 1863, through His chosen messenger, God gave health reform principles to the early Adventist church. Some of those principles seemed quite radical, but were, in time, proven scientifically to be accurate.

More than one hundred and fifty years later, based on endless scientific studies on what he saw work best in his patients, James L. Marcum, M.D. in his book, The Ultimate Prescription, M.D., Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (2010), Carol Stream, Illinois, sets out a number of simple principles that if followed result in good health.

Practical Suggestions

  1. Eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and seeds. This would include soy, rice, beans, and whole-grain pastas. Fad diets can be harmful.
  2. Drink more water, and avoid soft drinks. Stay away from anything that contains corn syrup.
  3. Avoid foods with a high fat content. These are basically fried foods, meats, French fries, cheese, eggs, margarine and butter, ice cream, doughnuts, cookies, gravy, potato chips, and so on. These are high in trans-saturated fats (trans fats), which cause all sorts of stress and chemical problems in the body.
  4. Sparingly use monounsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil. You might learn how to leave them out completely. The body doesn’t process such fats. It stores them. I don’t have to tell you where.
  5. Reduce salt intake by diminishing your use of table salt and processed foods. Remember, too much salt can increase blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis, and kidney stones. In fact, half the people on dialysis are there because of high blood pressure. Try Bragg Liquid Aminos instead of salt to enhance taste without loading your body down with sodium.
  6. Avoid eating only for pleasure. Eat when you are hungry; stop when you are full. Eat small portions slowly. By the way, foods high in fiber (plant-based foods) send a clear “I’m full” signal to the brain, which switches off the hunger sensation at just the right moment. Non-fiber foods (animal products and highly processed foods) do not. Something to think about!
  7. Eat most of your calories in the morning. Not hungry when you get up? Simply eat a smaller supper and nothing after seven in the evening. The chemical reactions that result from skipping breakfast make it very hard for you to make good food choices later in the day.
  8. Become a vegetarian. Even most animals are vegetarians. When you eat meat, you’re getting your calories secondhand. In addition, the diseases the animals might have, the steroids used to promote growth, and chemicals added to the animals’ foods are passed on to you. Animal products are also absolutely loaded with fat. “But I’ll just eat fish or only organic animal products,” many patients say. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, meat is meat, and we weren’t designed to process it in any form.
  9. Avoid processed foods and the chemical additives found in them. Here’s a simple rule: look for packaged foods with the fewest ingredients. Again, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, you probably can’t digest it.
  10. Eliminate caffeine and alcohol from your diet. These are two powerful toxins that do much more harm than good.
  11. Be careful with supplements and herbs. Take the time to learn about them from a reliable source. Some herbs interfere with cardiac medications. It’s always best to get your nutritional needs from whole foods—foods as they were grown.
  12. Eat plenty of antioxidants. These amazing micronutrients have the incredible ability to fight the development and spread of cancer cells. Where do we find these antioxidants? In plant-based foods like fruits and legumes.
  13. Find foods with omega-3, -6, -9 fatty acids—the healthy fats. Again, choose plant-based foods—like flaxseed for omega-3. Grind flaxseed before adding it to your diet.

I hope you’re not overwhelmed after reading the list. Instead, I hope you’re encouraged. There is hope for you and your family. There is a plan you can follow to bypass the bypass, to reduce the risk of contracting cancer, to shield yourself from the diseases that are filling doctors’ offices and hospital beds.

Choose a couple of items from the list and try to follow those suggestions for a month. I guarantee you will feel better. Once those become habits, pick another suggestion from the list and work on it as well. After all, you only have one body and one life to live. You are in charge of your choices. When it comes to lifestyle diseases, you decide how sick—or how healthy—you want to be.

Health – Flavonoids

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The Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates famously advised people to “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” (This of course is the same physician/philosopher who gave us the Hippocratic Oath, the central theme of which is “First do no harm.”) Unfortunately, we have strayed from this good advice in modern times. Today, orthodox medicine is less about food as medicine and more about the rapid development of (often harmful) medications to treat symptoms. Rarely does conventional medicine actually address prevention or correction of the underlying health problem that is creating the symptoms.

We can get back to the Hippocratic philosophy of making food our medicine.

Flavonoids: Powerhouses of Prevention

A number of recent studies have shown that a class of compounds called flavonoids, which are found in commonly eaten plants, can not only slow the age-related degeneration of the brain, but can actually reverse it. (Lau, F.C., et. al., Subcell Biochem 2007; 42: 299-318; Barros, D., et. al., Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2006; 84: 299-234) These studies used blueberries in the form of a concentrated extract, which provides very high levels of the beneficial flavonoids, such as anthrocyanadins, that the fruit contains. You can buy this extract in most grocery stores.

Studies have shown that blueberries improved memory in older mice, including spatial memory, long-term reference memory, and object recognition memory. (Goyarzu, P., et. al., Nutr Neurosci 2004; 7: 75-83; Casadesus, G., et. al., Nutr Neurosci 2004; 7(5-6): 309-316)

Researchers have also found that feeding blueberry extracts to rodents greatly improved their ability to navigate mazes. (Williams, C.M., et. al., Free Rad Biol Med 2008; 45: 295-305)

In another series of studies, James Joseph and his co-workers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston [Massachusetts] found that concentrated extracts of blueberries, spinach, and strawberries could prevent changes in the aging brains of animals.

These changes, such as calcium accumulation in synapses (the connections between brain cells) are also commonly seen in aging human brains. Blueberry extract had the most potent effect in correcting high synaptic calcium levels.

Accumulation of calcium in the area of the brain called the hippocampus (essential for learning, memory, and behavior) is another common finding in brain-aging studies. This calcium can interfere with memory and cause depression, as well as other behavioral changes. Therefore, a substance that can return hippocampus calcium levels to that of younger animals is a real breakthrough.

Another part of this study examined the cognitive function (thinking) of the animals that were fed these extracts. The researchers found significant improvement of learning ability in animals that were fed the plant extracts. In tests of the ability of the extracts to reduce oxidative stress in the animals’ brains, the researchers found that only the blueberry and strawberry extracts were effective.

Interestingly, these extracts increase vitamin E levels in the hippocampus, but not other parts of the brain. Aging is associated with a progressive increase of oxidative stress (free radical creation and lipid peroxidation) in the brain, especially in the hippocampus.

Of great importance was the finding that only the blueberry extract improved psychomotor function in the aged animals. This refers to skills that have been performed so often that you don’t have to consciously think about them to perform the action (such as tying your shoes).

This benefit would be particularly important for elderly people, because weakness and a loss of coordination are common ailments that make life difficult for seniors.

Besides acting as an antioxidant, these plant extracts improve the fluid-like quality of brain neurons, reduce brain inflammation, and reduce activation of microglia (the brain’s immune cells) and the release of brain-destructive chemicals from the microglia. (Lau, F.C., et. al., J Neurosci Res 2007; 85: 1010-1017)

One way blueberries repair the brain is by stimulating the production of the brain growth factors BDNF and IGF-1. These chemicals repair damaged brain cell connections and stimulate brain plasticity (growth of new circuits).

If we apply the animal study findings to humans, it would require three years of consuming these plant extracts to attain the same effects. That is why it is important to make these dietary changes now and not wait for a neurodegenerative disease to make its appearance.

Flavonoids Enhance Brain Performance

There are thousands of plant chemicals that have been shown to have beneficial health effects. Over 5,000 flavonoids alone have been identified.

Human studies have shown that people who eat a large daily portion of fruits and vegetables develop improved brain function and are significantly less likely to suffer brain degeneration as they age.

One fairly recent study, called the PAQUID Study, examined the flavonoid intake of 1,640 people age 65 or older and assessed their brain function using sophisticated tests, including the Mini-Mental State Exam, the Benton Visual Retention Test, and the Isaacs Set Test. (Letenneur, L., et. al., Am J Epidemiol 2007; 165: 1364-1371)

What is especially interesting about this study is that the researchers followed these subjects for 10 years and repeated the tests four times during this period. Most such studies follow test subjects for only a few years.

The study was adjusted for age, sex, and education level to rule out confounding factors. Those who ate the most flavonoid-containing foods had the best cognitive performance. Even more important, they had the highest level of evolution of performance — that is, an increasingly better performance on the tests over time.

This study provides us with powerful evidence that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can improve our ability to think and learn.

But one of the best sources of concentrated mixtures of flavonoids is fruits and vegetables themselves. I have often recommended consuming blenderized vegetables and selected fruits to get the most nutrients from the diet. It is absolutely critical to clean all vegetables thoroughly with a vegetable wash before blenderizing to remove pesticides and herbicides, as well as bacteria.

Contaminated plants have become a major cause of illness. Organically grown vegetables are best, as long as they are healthy and without spots and damaged areas. The most nutrient- dense vegetables and fruits include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach, berries, celery, kale, and greens.

For more powerful health benefits, add blueberry concentrate, along with two cups of purified water and blenderize the vegetables. It’s best to use cold water to protect the vitamins in the vegetables.

One should drink 8 ounces of the mix once or twice a day. This provides a very high concentration of vitamins, fiber, and flavonoids in a highly absorbable form. In fact, the body absorbs only 20 to 30 percent of the flavonoids by eating raw fruits and vegetables, but 90 percent if you drink blenderized fruits and vegetables.

As for the omega-3 oils, I prefer taking pure DHA oils rather than a blend of high EPA and low DHA, as is found in many products. EPA is associated with increased bleeding, as well as disrupting diabetes and suppression of cell-mediated immunity.

Source: Excerpts from Blaylock Wellness Report, November 2011.

Stress, part 2

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In our previous article, we noted that it is impossible to remove all stress from our lives. What is more, stress is not necessarily all bad. Without some measure of this commodity, we could not prepare ourselves to meet various life challenges. The kind of stress that stimulates personal productivity and development without burning us out is described as eustress. On the other hand, the stress that exceeds our ability to cope with it is rightly described as distress.

As the body is continually being bombarded by everyday stressors, it is constantly adjusting through various physiological mechanisms to maintain its internal environment. This marvelous action of the body in keeping all systems functioning within their normal operating ranges is known as maintaining homeostasis. For example: if the body is subjected to cold, the surface blood vessels will constrict, causing more of the blood to circulate within the deeper tissues, maintaining the body’s core temperature and protecting the major organs from below normal temperatures. On the other hand, when the body is subjected to warmer temperatures, the surface vessels dilate, allowing the heat to dissipate, thereby preventing internal overheating.

We noted in our previous article that the body is also capable of making rapid and extreme physiological adjustments when faced with an emergency. This sudden response to danger and the threat of injury is called the flight or fight response. Under the influence of nervous and hormonal stimuli, the body’s internal environment is greatly affected as certain major systems are thrown into top gear in order to meet the emergency. While such excessive nervous and hormonal activity may serve the body well in an emergency, such is not the case if such activity continues long term.

When a person becomes subject to unresolved, ongoing stress, the body, in turn, reacts by producing excessive amounts of hormones in order to contend with the situation. This phase of excessive activity by the body to the demand of the excessive level of stress is described as the general adaptation syndrome (GAS). Long term exposure to this type of situation results in exhaustion and physical and emotional breakdown; and unless corrected, will ultimately lead to premature death.

We must now ask ourselves what must be done in order to prevent such a situation from developing, or to reverse, as far as possible, the negative effects of an already present situation.

Basically, there are two approaches to meeting this problem.

  • We must increase our ability to cope with stress, and
  • We must remove or reduce the source of the stress itself.

The First Step

The first approach requires that a person seek to maintain himself in the best possible health through close attention to his lifestyle. A person who is in good health is better prepared to meet the stressors of life. While this may not remove the stressors themselves, it helps us to more effectively meet the stresses and cope with them. A person who has kept himself in good physical condition is far better prepared to handle the stress of running for the bus than the person who has become a couch potato.

Much could be said about each of the approaches, as listed above; but if we will grasp a basic understanding of how adherence to proper lifestyle can help us in the battle with stress, we will have done ourselves a worthwhile service. Depending upon the kind of stress a person is under, he may find that lifestyle adjustments in harmony with the counsel God has given us may actually resolve his stress. For instance, a person may be subject to stress because the quantity and quality of his work may be on the downward slope. He may have gotten to the point where the harder he tries, the less productive he is. As a consequence, he finds himself under stress through concern of losing his job or seeing his business go under. The solution? Do the very thing that in this case would seem to make the least sense: do not spend so long on the job!

According to Ministry of Healing, 127, rest is one of the components of proper lifestyle given to us by God. Such information is not given to us by the Lord on an optional basis. It is a positive command to get rest. This is particularly important if we are consistently running short on rest because of overwork. For this reason, we would like to especially emphasize the importance of rest and its relationship to stress reduction.

God has told us, “The health should be as sacredly guarded as the character.” Christian Education, 183. The person who claims that he has to constantly suffer excessive stress from overwork in order to succeed is the person who needs to reevaluate what true success really means. The writer had a relative who operated his own business. He built a beautiful home and acquired many of the nice things of life. Yet the day came when he died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving behind his wife and three school-age children. That which in this life is termed success if often realized in this fashion by many every year in the so-called civilized world.

There is no question that God wants us to experience the blessing of good, hard work. He wants us to know the sense of satisfaction that comes with a productive and wholesome lifestyle. Christ was not a slacker, and anyone who truly succeeds in life will never do so while rising late and daydreaming at his workstation. There is a place for drive and initiative, but they must be exercised in moderation and controlled by wisdom. The hardworking producer who is truly wise will recognize that in the long run, far more is achieved if he will discipline himself to take a proper amount of rest. Not only will he achieve more at the time, but he will also do so without cutting his life short.

Lesson from Word War II

At the beginning of World War II, in a desperate attempt to produce armaments, British industry was thrown into top gear. It was supposed that if the average workweek were considerably lengthened, it would result in greater productivity. This worked, but not for very long. It was noted that production soon began to decline. As a consequence, the work period was extended even further; but productivity declined to an even greater extent. It was not a question of laziness or a lack of incentive, as their very hope of survival depended upon the output. It was lack of rest, not of motivation, that defeated their efforts to meet higher productivity goals.

Faced with this seemingly insurmountable problem, the government decided to drastically cut the workweek, allowing everyone more rest. The outcome? Production increased dramatically. More and better was finally produced in less time than was produced during the longer work period.

The factors that applied to a nation at war may also apply to a person in conflict with the stress of decreasing production. To refrain from overwork is not a disservice to one’s employer, to one’s self, or to our Creator. Taking necessary rest is the wise choice and will ultimately result in allowing you to not only a longer period of productivity to the glory of God and to the blessing of others, but increased productivity at the time.

True Faith

Further, “It is the very essence of all right faith to do the right thing at the right time.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 24. It is not the exercise of true faith to continue working when the time has come to obtain one’s necessary rest. There will always be emergencies or events that will arise from time to time to rob us of a night’s sleep, but we can be well assured that it is not God’s will that we constantly subject ourselves to the stress of overwork, living from one production crises to another.

At one time in their experience, Jesus told His disciples to “come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” Mark 6:31. It was the essence of right faith that the disciples demonstrated in doing the right thing at the right time and rested in obedience to Christ’s command. The Scriptures go so far as to tell us that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:23. We need to beware of the human tendency to play down the fact that in matters pertaining to health, it is a violation of the Divine will to fail to get proper rest. “Today there is need that God’s chosen workmen should listen to the command of Christ to go apart and rest awhile.” Review and Herald, November 7, 1893. [All emphasis supplied.] While the context of this statement is in respect to those who are gospel workers, it is not wresting the principle from its true setting in applying it to all people.

We are also told that, “He [Jesus] did not urge upon His disciples the necessity of ceaseless toil. . . . He tells His disciples that they will be unfitted for future labor unless they rest awhile. . . . In the name of Jesus, economize your powers, that after being refreshed with rest, you may do more and better work.” Ibid., November 11, 1983.

Rest is a Duty

When we are faithfully performing our Christian duty, we are faithfully working for God. When that duty is to rest, we are doing our appointed work just as surely as in our regular work. To be unfaithful in this duty will cause us to shortchange our Maker in future production and quality. We need to keep in mind that anything we do that decreases our ability to serve to our fullest capacity is something for which we will be required to answer in the judgment. At the same time, we will also have subjected our bodies to higher levels of stress, something from which God is seeking to protect us. Whatever is ours to do within a reasonable daily work period we are to do to the best of our ability, and then leave the results with God. It can be just as much an act of faith to close shop for the day with a multitude of things still to do and trust that God will preserve our enterprise, as it is to believe that God will preserve our business if we faithfully pay our tithe. God is concerned about our temperate life and is just as willing to bless us for our faithfulness in this area, as He is willing to bless us for returning a faithful tithe.

Some might view this as too simplistic and philosophical and not geared to the realities of life. For example, the busy housewife who is not only a mother, but also a home school teacher is seemingly never done with her work; nor is there a place to escape to where she can relax and dissipate her stress. There is also the work supervisor who has to follow people around to pick up the pieces and improve upon the mess that they have left behind, making it presentable to a customer who wanted it all done yesterday for half of its real value. These are but a few of the people who are faced with the harsh realities of life that include deadlines that must be met.

It is Possible?

This raises the question, Is it possible for such individuals to live temperate work lives so that they do not succumb to the stress of overwork? While on one hand there may be factors that seemingly deny the possibility of finding the much needed rest, we must ever keep in mind that there is the constant and unchangeable factor that all of God’s biddings are enablings. (See Christ’s Object Lessons, 333.) What may seem an impossibility from the human standpoint is never so from God’s perspective. For those who choose to do His will, “Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing.” The Desire of Ages, 330.

“He [God] will change, wonderfully change, the most hopeless, discouraging outlook.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 12.

“Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The way will be opened for you to disentangle yourself from embarrassment and difficulty.” The Desire of Ages, 329.

It is an act of faith to so order our lives that we find deliverance from the stress of overwork and live within the moderate parameters of God’s design. Though it may seem an impossibility to accomplish, if it is the soul’s desire to be right, God will make it happen for those who trust Him.

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5.

A person may be under the stress of over-activity, not so much from his work per se, but because he is constantly seeking to cram too many things into his day. While his day may be packed with good and interesting things, the constant treadmill of one activity after another wears upon the human organism. As mentioned in our previous article, people can ultimately burn out having a good time just as surely as a result of the bad times.

In order to follow God’s plan and rest at the appropriate times, it may be necessary for us to learn to say, “No;” not only to ourselves, but also to others who seek to fill our lives with so much activity. This can be difficult, but we must learn to do it if we are going to obtain the rest and relaxation that we need.

Now another question: What do we actually mean when we speak of rest and relaxation? We should not take this to mean simply going home, putting our feet up, and relaxing in front of the television. The sedentary worker who is brain weary through constant mental activity needs to relax by getting outside and doing something physical. Working in the yard or going for a long walk will do much to clear the mind and strengthen the body. In addition, it will also reduce the stress level.

The person who has been physically exerting himself all day long needs to adopt a pastime that allows more chance for his body to physically rest and his brain to exert itself for a change. A person is much more able to go back to his regular work, refreshed and ready to produce, after having allowed his thoughts and energies to run in a different channel for a season.

Ultimately, the reason why God wants us to come aside and rest is not only so that we can dissipate all of our stress, but to afford us an opportunity to commune with Him, and as we do so, to cast our burdens at His feet. A life that has become a constant whirl of activity is a life that cannot effectively tap into the well of salvation or become firmly anchored in the Rock. Those who will be partakers of the latter rain and give the Loud Cry will prove to be the most industrious army of soul winners that the world has ever seen. They will know what it means to work hard for God, but they will also know what it means to have gone aside and learned to rest in Him.

Work that is Restful

Working unselfishly for souls is one of the most revitalizing exercises of life, bringing fresh zeal and vigor to the faithful laborer. Yet,

“while we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the Word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.” The Desire of Ages, 362.

It takes time to effectually meditate, pray, and study God’s Word to the point that our work will prove to have been efficient for good. Therefore, each day it is important that we do not allow ourselves to become too exhausted to offer God no more than a heavy-eyed glance and a yawn. Those of this class are doing nothing less than shortening their existence for this life through the destructive working of stress and casting away all hope for the next life.

May we so order our lives that God can bring to us the same sweet release from the constant stress that we each face. As we rest in Him, may we find again the wellspring of power so that each day as we leave His presence we are freshly braced to meet the challenges of life. God bids us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. Not only is it here alone that true rest can be found, but this is the effectual preparation for all who would be laborers for God.

“Amidst the hurrying throng, and the strain of life’s intense activities, he who is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. He will receive a new endowment of both physical and mental strength.” Ministry of Healing, 58.

Health – Castor Oil Packs

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Conditions that stress or compromise the immune system will very often benefit from castor oil packs. Nowhere is this more obvious than with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). I have talked with several AIDS patients who have added castor oil packs (usually for one hour a day) to their treatment regimen with very positive results. Within two weeks, it was not uncommon for them to see increases in their WBC (white blood cell) platelet counts, hematocrit readings, and RBC (red blood cell) counts.

“I should mention also that in addition to the castor oil packs most of those I talked to are also drinking a combination of olive oil and lemon juice to further stimulate lymphatic flow and liver activity. It can be made by blending the following:

  • 1 clean whole lemon (pulp, rind, seeds, and all)
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups of distilled water
  • 4 rounded tablespoons of frozen orange juice concentrate

“The blended material is then strained through a wire strainer to remove the pulp, which is discarded. The remaining liquid is divided in four equal portions of approximately ¼ cup each and a portion is consumed with each of the three daily meals and before bedtime.

“In addition to stimulating lymphatic flow, the drink increases the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder, which, in turn, enhances one’s ability to digest essential fatty acids through the Peyer’s patches in the small intestine. It is not uncommon for AIDS patients to experience weight gain and a reversal of a long list of complaints often associated with fatty acid deficiencies.” Dr. David G. Williams, Alternatives Newsletter, July 1995.

The olive oil drink, Dr. Williams suggests, may be too sweet for many people due to the orange juice concentrate. I prefer a similar preparation made with: 1 grated beet, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon (include the peel and seeds if you like).

Castor oil has an impressive anti-microbial activity. Anyone with a congested lymphatic system or liver, whether they have AIDS or not, will benefit by using a castor oil pack.

To use a castor oil pack you will need:

  • Cold pressed castor oil
  • Hot water bottle or heating pad
  • White plastic (garbage bag)
  • Two or three one-foot squares of cotton flannel, wool, or towel

On top of the hot water bottle or heating pad, lay the plastic. Next soak the cloth with castor oil and lay this on top of the plastic. It is a good idea to lay plastic and/or a towel underneath on the bedding. The entire pack is then placed on the abdomen. The body can then be wrapped in a large bath towel. The pack should remain in place for at least an hour. It can be reused a few times, but it needs to be refrigerated. If the person is very toxic, don’t reuse often (use your intuition on this), as the pack draws the toxins out of the body. With each use, add a little more castor oil. Clean up with a little soda water. This treatment feels very comfortable. It will help the patient sleep soundly and wake up feeling rested. It is fine to go to sleep with the pack in use.

If using castor oil packs is too labor intensive, a simpler and very effective method of using castor oil externally is as follows: Before going to bed, warm a small amount of castor oil in a pan. Massage the oil into the abdomen (liver/colon) area and wherever there is pain. Lay a white towel underneath the abdomen area to protect the sheets. On top of the parts of the body where the oil has been applied, place clean, soft, cotton cloths. You may then wrap a towel around the abdomen, and place hot water bottles on the top of the cloths. This is a mild and gentle way to decongest and heal the liver/colon area. Use clean cloths each time. They are easy to wash, as the oil is absorbed by the body.

Uchee Pines Lifestyle Center
30 Uchee Pines Road #75
Seale, Alabama 36875
Tel. 334-855-4764

www.ucheepines.org

More information: Castor oil is primarily an external preparation, as packs placed over swollen glands, cancers, cysts, hard swellings, and other abnormal growths. The oil seems to stimulate the lymphatic system to draw away poisons. Packs are usually placed over the lymph glands near the shoulders, groin, upper back and neck, over the abdomen or liver, or over the kidneys. Castor oil packs have been recommended for arthritis, intestinal impaction, kidney and liver problems, uterine and ovarian issues, and many other complaints.

Health – Why Cow’s Milk is So Dangerous

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In 1863, the Seventh-day Adventist Church was blessed with information on health far in advance of medical science. “But I [Ellen White] wish to say that when the time comes that it is no longer safe to use milk, cream, butter, and eggs, God will reveal this.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 206. Those who obeyed the counsel by faith, put away meat eating and limited the use of sugar and dairy products, benefited from those principles that are only now, over 150 years later, being proven to be scientifically beneficial. Now there are many voices advocating those same truths as the following article demonstrates. Could this be our final warning that these things should not be introduced into the diet of those waiting the coming of Jesus?

Milk Does A Body Bad!

As we begin this renewal process, I am going to start with a food we have been programmed to accept not only as “good,” but absolutely necessary for good health ever since our earliest childhood: “Cow’s Milk.” A product the dairy industry proclaims, “Milk Does A Body GOOD!”

I will acknowledge that the breast milk of a human mother is the ideal source of nutrition for a human baby! Absolutely! That is God’s plan for almost the total nutritional intake of a human baby for at least the first year of life. On human breast milk, a baby will grow strong and healthy and develop a strong immune system (especially if mother is eating a healthy diet).

You will probably agree with me that under normal circumstances human breast milk is the perfect food for a human baby! I also believe that you would also agree that human breast milk is NOT the perfect food for a baby cow.

May I ask why you would accept human breast milk as being the perfect food for a human baby, and not accept human breast milk as being the perfect food for a baby cow? Think for a moment before you answer that question.

Now, if we do not believe human breast milk is the perfect food for a baby cow, why do we believe that cow milk is the perfect food for a human baby? Think!

To be successful in renewing our minds, we must allow ourselves to think “outside the box,” and to reevaluate what we believe, and why we believe it.

The Difference Between Human Babies and Calves

I believe that everyone reading this will acknowledge there is a huge difference between human babies and baby cows at birth and at maturity. Let’s begin with birth weight:

  • Human babies usually weigh in the 7 to 8-pound range at birth
  • A baby Holstein cow’s birth weight is in the 100-pound range.
  • The average human adult, worldwide, is in the 150-pound range.
  • A Holstein cow’s mature weight is in the 1,500-pound range.

Next, the protein content of human breast milk is less than 5%, and is designed by God to double the baby’s birth weight in approximately 180 days.

The protein content of cow’s milk is approximately 15% (300% of human breast milk protein content) and formulated by God to double birth weight in 45 days.

The protein content of rat’s milk is approximately 20% (400% of human breast milk protein content) and designed to double birth weight in 5 days.

Please note the correlation between percentage of protein and time necessary to double birth weights. God knew what He was doing when he created each animal species, and that He knew what he was doing when He specifically formulated the milk of each species exclusively for that particular species?

In nature, other than an extraordinarily rare circumstance of one species nursing the orphaned offspring of another, you will not find an animal of one species ever consuming the milk of another species on a regular basis. Animals in the wild are possibly wiser than we so-called intelligent humans!

  1. Colin Campbell, PhD, a prestigious nutritional biochemist, and author of The China Study, (Benbella Books, Dallas, Texas), writes: “Isn’t it strange that we’re the only species that suckles from another species.”

And though Dr. Campbell grew up on a dairy farm and prided himself that he could drink a gallon or more of milk a day, after years of research he’s convinced that cow’s milk is responsible for a huge share of our nation’s physical problems. The bottom line for Dr. Campbell is simple: “It’s unnatural to drink milk.”

Think about that statement for a moment. How many animals in the wild “DRINK” milk after weaning? The answer – NOT A SINGLE ONE!

Might the animals in the wild be wiser by instinct than we humans are by following the teachings of the nutritional experts and the advertising of the milk producing industry of this world?

Remember, the Bible tells us, “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” I Corinthians 3:19.

There are some 5,000 species of mammals on earth, and God formulated the milk of each species for that specific species.

As we continue, we are going to learn that when we attempt to nourish a human baby, child, teenager, or adult with cow’s milk—milk coming from another species of animal—it becomes one of the most foolish and dangerous things we can do. And it doesn’t matter whether the milk is organic or not! Both are equally dangerous and destructive to the human body!

Cow’s Milk Protein: 87% Casein

Casein is a powerful binder, a polymer used to make plastics, and the glue used in making sturdy furniture. It can also be found in many foods as a binder. But it is also a powerful allergen, causing a histamine release that creates excess mucus, and is responsible for many of our children’s physical ills.

Of even greater concern is that casein, according to Dr. Campbell, was found to grow cancer faster than any other thing fed to cancer-induced rats.

In his research, Dr. Campbell found that casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein, consistently and strongly promoted all stages of cancer development. Alternatively, proteins obtained from plants did not promote cancer at all, even at higher levels of intake.

Also, of serious concern regarding cancer is that one of those 59 hormones found in cow’s milk is insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). This hormone is a key factor in the rapid growth and proliferation of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, and is suspect in the growth of ALL cancers.

Is Cow’s Milk The Best Source of Calcium For Bone Health?

Where do cows get the calcium that builds their big bones? They get it from the green grass they eat! The calcium in plants has a large amount of magnesium, a mineral necessary for the body to absorb and use the calcium. The calcium in cow’s milk is basically useless in building bones, because it has insufficient magnesium content. Those nations with the highest intake of milk/dairy consumption have the highest rates of osteoporosis.

Cow’s milk has 300% of the calcium of human breast milk, but it is not very usable because in order to be absorbed and used there must be an adequate quantity of magnesium. When a cow eats grass, that cow gets all the calcium it needs for their big bones only because grass contains a substantial amount of magnesium. When humans consume large quantities of greens, they not only get the calcium the body needs, but the magnesium needed by the body to utilize that calcium.

Interestingly, though cow’s milk contains 300% of the calcium of human breast milk, it only has enough magnesium to absorb around 11% of that calcium.

Another serious concern here is the acidity of cow’s milk. The more milk and cheese, along with animal flesh a person consumes, the more acidic the body becomes. In an effort to neutralize this acidity, the body removes calcium (an alkaline mineral) from the bones to neutralize that acidity, thus possibly causing soft bones and ultimately osteoporosis and hip fractures.

Disparities between calcium intake and bone health can be seen worldwide. The more dairy that people consume, the more susceptible they become to hip fractures. The 12-year Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, involving 78,000 nurses, found that those who got the most calcium from dairy products had approximately double the hip fracture rate, compared to women who got little or no calcium from dairy products. In other words, the more dairy in your diet, the higher your risk of breaking bones.

Basic Composition of Cow’s Milk

Cow’s milk, whether it be commercial or organic, contains 59 active hormones, scores of allergens, fat, and cholesterol. Most cow’s milk has measurable quantities of herbicides, pesticides, dioxins, up to 52 powerful antibiotics, blood, pus, feces, bacteria and viruses.

Remember … cow’s milk (and beef, for that matter) may contain traces of anything the cow ate – including such things as radioactive fallout.

There’s a lot more fat in cow’s milk and dairy products than you might think:

  • Whole milk derives 49% of its calories from fat
  • 2% milk derives 35% of its calories from fat
  • Cheddar cheese derives 74% of its calories from fat
  • Butter derives 100% of its calories from fat

Most folks have no idea just how much fat is in milk and dairy. Americans who are overweight or obese need to understand that milk, ice cream, cheeses, yogurts, and all other products derived from cow’s milk are most likely a significant cause for their weight problem.

Homogenization

Large fat molecules from un-homogenized cow’s milk cannot get through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream; this is a good thing, the way God intended. But when milk is homogenized, cream no longer rises because homogenization breaks up those large molecules into small ones that DO get into the bloodstream! This becomes a dangerous, unnatural expressway for any fat-borne toxins (lead, dioxins, etc.) to get into the blood.

Is it any wonder why one of the top “killer” foods to avoid is dairy?
http://healthtip.hacres.com/index.php/2013/09/09/why-cow-milk-is-so-dangerous

Health – Attention Deficit Disorder

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“Said the psalmist, ‘I am fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14). God has given us faculties and powers of mind and body, which it is the duty of all to preserve in the best condition. … Only by the expensive offering made upon the cross of Calvary can we understand the value of the human soul. We are placed on vantage ground by the redeeming power of Jesus Christ, to obtain freedom from the bondage of sin which was wrought by the fall of Adam.” In Heavenly Places, 192

Attention Deficit Disorder

A child is given the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), also called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when he is considered overactive, cannot pay attention and cannot sit still, ALL VERY subjective symptoms! ADD is diagnosed four times more frequently in boys, because boys mature more slowly than girls, and because boys are put in classes at school with girls of the same age, so the boys, being less mature, appear to be hyperactive. Irritability, anger and mental confusion may also be present, so these children are then labeled as having a “learning disability.” However, these symptoms are virtually identical to the symptoms of hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, which is caused by the up and down swings of insulin, resulting from eating too much refined sugar.

Attention Deficit Disorder and Ritalin have become almost synonymous. Up to 90 percent of children who are first diagnosed with ADD receive a prescription for Ritalin. At least a dozen other drugs are prescribed for these symptoms as well. There has been a 500 percent increase in the use of Ritalin alone since 1991. Short-term use of these medications is associated with a 70 to 80 percent improvement in symptoms. So, naturally, it appears that the drugs have solved the problem. However, these studies don’t show the entire picture. Very few long-term studies have been done evaluating the success of amphetamine-type medication such as Ritalin, for ADD symptoms, and the few studies that do exist do not present a very encouraging picture. For years, it was thought that children outgrew symptoms of ADD so they were treated with drugs, until they “outgrew” the condition.

However, this has been found NOT to be the case. Children do NOT outgrow ADD symptoms. In 1990, an eight-year prospective study of hyperactive children was instituted. More than 80 percent of the children studied had been treated with medications. Sixty-three percent of the group had received the benefit of psychological services and 35 percent had special educational accommodations.

At the end of the eight years, 80 percent continued to have the ADD symptoms, while 60 percent had advanced to Opposition Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) diagnoses. (Barkley R., Fischer M, et al: The adolescent outcome of hyperactive children diagnosed by research criteria: J Am Acad Child Adoles Psychiatry 29 (4:546-556, July 1990.) These two diagnoses are considered to be much worse than the ADD diagnosis. A literature review dating back to 1971 showed little to be encouraged about. Children with ADD were more likely to fail subjects in school and dropped out of school more frequently. Fewer attended college. And there were NO statistical differences between the long-term results of children treated with medications and those who did not use medications. These studies indicate that there is little evidence of long-term success with the use of medications for hyperactivity.

The adverse reactions (side effects) for Ritalin include nervousness, insomnia, joint pains, fever, anorexia, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, headache, dyskinesia, drowsiness, increased blood pressure and pulse, rapid heart rate, angina, cardiac arrhythmias, abdominal pain, actual psychosis. And there is a major warning in the Physician’s Desk Reference regarding drug dependency.

The Physicians Desk Reference of Drug Side Effects notes that, regarding the pharmacology of Ritalin: “The mode of action in man is not completely understood.” And this is what you’re giving your child! The pharmaceutical manufacturers admit that they don’t even know how it works. They’re just experimenting—on your child!

Ritalin has effects similar to other stimulants including amphetamine, methamphetamine and cocaine. There are six million prescriptions for Ritalin filled annually. The United States (U.S.) pharmacists distribute five times more Ritalin than the rest of the world combined. No other nation prescribes stimulants for its children in such volume. In fact, the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board has on two recent occasions written to U.S. officials expressing concern about the six-fold increase in Ritalin usage since 1990.

Does Ritalin Cause Cancer?

Scientific studies on carcinogenicity were finally released in June 1993 revealing that feeding mice Ritalin, induced liver tumors including very rare and highly malignant cancers. These results were found at dosage levels close to those routinely prescribed for children. Animal tests are very good predictors of human health effects. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer suggests that if a chemical is proven to cause cancer in animals, it should be treated as if it were cancer-causing in humans as well.

But the response by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the pharmaceutical company that makes Ritalin was predictable. The drug company wrote to 100,000 physicians informing them of the study showing that the drug caused cancer, but said: “It’s not enough of a signal that we think kids should be taken off the drug.” They reassured the doctors that Ritalin is believed to be “safe and effective” by the FDA.

Does the public school system have the right to force parents to accept the drugging of their child? They do in America. But the drug’s side effects, according to vocal opponents of Ritalin, include: zombie-like behavior, growth suppression, behavior or thought disorders (exactly what it is supposed to treat) seizures; headaches, blurred vision, scalp hair loss, barking like a dog and babbling profanities. It can also result in mood swings, depression, drug dependence and inclination for criminal activity.

Why would anyone give such a drug to any child?

The American Psychiatric Association describes a hyperactive child—the target child for this drug—as follows:

“One who exhibits behavior such as fidgeting, squirming, answering questions before being called on, difficulty playing quietly, engaging in physically dangerous activities such as running into the street without looking, or one who has difficulty following instructions.” That sounds like a normal kid to me!

I hope it is clear that drugs do NOT cure, either anxiety, depression or supposed hyperactivity, but treat only symptoms. The English word pharmacy comes from the Greek word pharmakeia. Pharmakeia means sorceries and witchcraft.

Prevention and Treatment

The following steps are ways to help prevent ADD and ADHD and to reverse the factors that cause them:

1) Change the child’s diet to all natural whole foods. This means fruit, grains and vegetables full of natural vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

2) Eliminate dairy products and other animal products because these contain hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and the diseases of the animal itself.

3) Eliminate caffeine, sugar and other sweets, processed food, MSG, aspartame (Nutrasweet) and other sugar substitutes and any foods that contain preservatives, food dyes or other chemicals.

4) Eliminate eating at fast food restaurants as most of these apparently use MSG and preservatives, plus the food in many restaurants often contains less nutrition, but many harmful chemicals.

5) Encourage the child to eat a lot of raw fruit and vegetables because they are full of health-producing enzymes, vitamins and minerals.

  1. Drink water, and fresh home-made vegetable and home-made fruit juice. Eliminate soda pop, caffeinated beverages or milk from cows or any other animal. Rice Dream (rice milk) from your health food store is a reasonable substitute.
  2. No white bread. Only whole grain bread, either home baked or from a health food store.
  3. No white rice. Only whole grain brown rice and other whole grains.
  4. No peanut butter: It contains aflatoxin, a fungus that causes cancer. Instead use almond butter (it spreads like peanut butter and tastes just as good) from your health food store or other store. Also you can make home-made cashew nut butter.
  5. Get proper rest. Children need a lot of rest and should go to bed early.
  6. Get proper exercise daily, outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine.
  7. Eliminate TV watching. It is reported that children watch an average of 43 hours of TV per week, that’s longer than the average adult work week. While watching, they rapidly become almost hypnotized. It has been shown scientifically that within minutes of beginning to watch TV, the brain changes from the alert brain waves (beta waves) to the hypnotic waves (alpha waves) where the judgment center of the brain is bypassed. So the violence and decadence that the child sees, bypasses the judgment center in the brain and is implanted in the child’s brain without any ability on the child’s part to decide whether what they are seeing is right or wrong. The violence and decadence are accepted by the brain without any moral judgment being applied to it. It then becomes part of the child’s permanent subconscious. What goes into a child’s mind is just as important as what goes into his or her mouth!
  8. Trust in God and teach your child to trust in God. Study the Bible and pray with your child every day. Read Bible stories to your child. Children (and adults) become like those they admire. If they learn about Jesus, they will admire Him and want to be like Him. This has the most calming influence of all. http://www.drday.com/attentiondeficit.htm

What a responsibility we have as parents to give our children the best possible advantage to resist the temptations of the enemy in these last days. Stay alert and be careful because the devil is roaming around like a hungry lion seeking to destroy anyone he can (I Peter 5:8).

The 13 Impossibilities

by

“Who will enter in through the gates into the City?—Not those who declare that they cannot break the force of appetite.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 19.

“One of the highest attainments in the Christian life is to control appetite. . . . Without this victory, all hope of Heaven is vain.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 206.

  • “It is impossible for a man to present his body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, while continuing to indulge habits that are depriving him of physical, mental and moral vigor.” Counsels on Health, 23.

 

  • “It is impossible to present our bodies a living sacrifice to God when we continually fill them with corruption and disease by our own sinful indulgence.” Counsels on Health, 24.

 

  • “It is impossible for the spirit and power of the truth to sanctify a man soul, body, and spirit, when he is controlled by appetite and passion.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 570.

 

  • “A diseased body and a disordered intellect, because of continued indulgence in hurtful lust, make sanctification of the body and spirit impossible.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 44.

 

  • “It is impossible for those who indulge the appetite to attain to Christian perfection.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 400.

 

  • “It is impossible for men and women, while under the power of sinful, health-destroying, brain-enervating habits, to appreciate sacred truth.” Counsels on health, 21.

 

  • “It is impossible for an intemperate man to be a Christian, for his higher powers are brought into slavery to the passions.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 51.

 

  • “In order to render to God perfect service, we must have clear conceptions of His will. This will require us to use only healthful food, prepared in a simple manner, that the fine nerves of the brain be not injured, making it impossible for us to discern the value of the atonement, and the priceless worth of the cleansing blood of Christ.” Our High Calling, 308.

 

  • “It is impossible for those who make free use of flesh meats to have an unclouded brain and an active intellect.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 62.

 

  • “It is impossible for any to enjoy the blessing of sanctification while they are selfish and gluttonous.” Counsels on Health, 66.

 

  • “It is impossible for you to increase in spiritual strength while your appetite and passions are not under perfect control.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 63.

 

  • “It is impossible for those who give the reins to appetite to attain to Christian perfection.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 236.

 

  • “It is impossible to work for the salvation of men and women without presenting to them the need of breaking away from sinful gratifications, which destroy the health, debase the soul, and prevent divine truth from impressing the mind. Men and women must be taught to take a careful review of every habit and practice, and at once put away those things that cause an unhealthy condition of the body.” Counsels on Health, 445.