Irony of Endorsements

Marketing is everything. Here in the U.S. - we have put our trust into American icons, such as the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association - believing that our best interest is truly "at heart".
Yet both Dr. Russel Blaylock and Dr. Chris Kressler, and others, divulge in their publications the irony that both organizations put their seal of approval on food products that contribute to both heart disease and diabetes. Have we as Americans bought into this? You bet we do!
For years I thought eating Cheerios was a smart choice - because the heart association said it helps lower cholesterol? Really?  Refined processed flours, simple carbs - contribute more to high cholesterol numbers than a fat, juicy steak!
It boils down to glucose and insulin - simple carbs are treated like table sugar in our body (I learned this from Dr. John Lee in hish book, "What your doctor may not tell you about breast cancer".) To learn more about insulin resistance visit http://insulinresistanceguide.com
I won't get too technical here, but we all know what too much sugar does to our body, right? Well, if simple carbs from refined, processed flours are treated just as table sugar ....big revelation, don't you think? Well, it was for me and this realization is what made me turn my lifestyle around.
The number one food toxin, per Dr Kressler, is cereal grains - especially that made with refined flours. Which is pretty much ALL! In minute amounts its not going to cause sickness and disease, but we as a population eat a greater percentage of cereal grains than all other foods. Kresser titles "Cereal grains - the unhealthiest "health food" on the planet". Wheat, corn, rice, barley, sorghum, oats, eye and millet have become staples in our diet. They have also become, as he puts it, "poster children" of the low fat, high carbohydrate diet promoted by organizations like the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association. Grains with gluten are the worst as it damages the intestine and makes it leaky - per Kressler. Blaylock concurs in his newsletters as well.
Leaky guts cause things to enter the bloodstream that should not, to put it simply, including undigested gluten proteins. This causes an immune system response that can lead to auto immune disease, allergies and more.
Interesting, don't you think? This certainly helps explain why so many adults develop allergies, Celiac's disease and more. Researchers now believe that one of the major predisposing factors for conditions like obesity, diabetes and even heart disease.
Does this mean give up grains forever? No, not necessarily - I guess that depends on your health and symptoms. For myself, my health turned around when I gave up cereal grains (other than organic quinoa and brown rice) 50%, then 75%, working up to 90% - not missing the breads and such much at all. I have "indulgent days" - such as Friday morning with my daughter at the local coffeehouse and I enjoy a  bakery treat, or maybe a pastry with my family on Sunday after worship.
The real message today - don't believe everything you see on labels at the grocery store. The job of the manufactuer is to MAKE YOU WANT to buy it. What about trusting the AHA and ADA? Food for thought...if we did not eat the same foods they promote, we might put them out of business. The head haunch of the American Cancer Society makes multiple millions a year, no doubt the counterparts in these other organizations do as well.
The bottom line is money, the bottom line is not conceren for our well being, although we trust these endorsements because marketing is such a driving force in our world.
All that I continue to learn certainly has made me take a good look at my charitable giving these past two years. The veil has been lifted and the curtain torn in two, as far as I am concerned.

To your health,
Rita S.

Ear Aches - Natural Relief

I have read so much about anti-biotics, that when our son developed an ear ache last Thursday, my gut told me to aviod anti-biotics if possible. Here's the scoop...my husband calls me at work at 4 pm saying Kyle has an ear ache and she he take him to the clinic. Well, our son stayed home from school only one day Wednesday with a cold, and this was only day 2.  When you take your kid in for a continuing cough, etc., they always ask "how long has this been going on?" - and if it is less than 2 weeks...they say it is viral, time will take care of it and if symptoms persist in 2 weeks, come back.
From experience, I figured the doctor would not do a lot for someone on day two of a cold. So I told my husband it would probably be a waste of time. Fast forward 1.5 hours...
We're having dinner and our son is eating with one hand over his ear - it hurts. At 6:30 he is supposed to report to school for the last band concert of the year. His whole purpose in staying home Wednesday was to be better so he could play at the concert.  He was really in no shape to play in the concert.
Jesse wondered about taking our son to urgent care...I thought about drugs possibly being administered, and it would surely mean missing the band concert.
I sprang into action...on the internet. Found http://www.myhomeremedies.com/  and there I saw several reports of people talking about ear ache relief with olive oil, onion and garlic. I recalled how a chiropractor we used to see, when our son was a tot, had us put garlic oil drops into his ears for an infection. Garlic kills the bacteria inside the ear.  Apparently, per this site, onion helps alleviate pain. There were several suggestions and remedies on how to use onion. Not one remedy had all three ingredients being used together, and indeed one of the latter site respondents questioned this. So did I!
Time was running out - it was now 30 min. before band concert report in time. I decided to put extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a saucepan, had the Ninja quickly chop some onion, and pressed garlic into the oil as well. I sauteed the mixtured for about 7 minutes. Using a fine wire mesh strainer, I strained the mixture, which left a garlic and onion infused oil in the bowl. We did not have an ear dropper, but Jesse found a pipette. I used it to draw up a bit of oil, and allowed it to cool, so it was warm and not hot. I had Kyle lay on his side and put about three drops in the ear.
We waited. In three minutes he said he felt a pop, and then a lighter pop - and the pressure was relieved. (Not a painful burst, mind you.)  It was not 100% better immediately, but better. He rested for about 10 minutes and then he got into his concert attire - and we raced off to school.
Fortunately his sore ear was facing out of the band pit, which meant the row of instruments behind him were not blaring in to it. His ear was quite red though!
By the time the concert was over, his ear was normal in coloration and he said it felt fine - no pain. Amen for that!
Friday he was good for school, with just a bit of cold symptoms remaining. Saturday he said he felt a low ringing in his ear, and although he held his ear, he said that was more for himslef than it was being a need. Sunday there was no longer a ring tone in his ears. 
I will be doing this again if our children experience ear aches. (Not the same as an all out infection.)  It worked pretty fast as well, and saved us a trip and hours at urgent care.

To your health!
Rita S.