Thursday, September 30, 2010

Mom's "hat"

My mom asked me to make her a "hat" in the same style as this one from Vermont Country Store. I see that they call it an Ear Warmer Bonnet. Theirs is made from mohair, mom wants one in cotton. I would too.

So here's my version. Amy's modeling and taking the photos.

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This "hat" is the prototype. The final version will be red probably. In making this I got to practice increasing, decreasing and picking out a pattern that would work with the number of stitches on my needle. I also learned how to make an i-cord. The one thing I still need to work on is finishing the i-cord. Binding off didn't work so well.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Tilapia Recipe

We had this fish last night. I found the recipe in a "Cooking with Trader's Joes" Facebook post. Here's the link to the recipe.

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The picture is of the leftovers. It's cold, so the fat has solidified. Also, as I am looking at the recipe to type it, I realize I forgot to put the olives in. They would have made the recipe much better. I'll have to add them to the leftovers. Here's my version (except the forgetting the olives).

Mediterranean Baked Fish

1 lb tilapia
1 c cherry tomatoes, halved or roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 c chicken broth
salt

Oven 375 degrees. Place fish single layer in 9x9 baking dish (or whatever size they fit in). Sprinkle salt over.
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, olives, onion and garlic. Spoon over fish.
In a bowl whisk together oil and chicken broth. Pour over all.
Bake uncovered 25 minutes, or until fish flakes.

We liked this, but it didn't have much flavor, so the olives would have really helped that. Amy refused to even try it, she's not a fish lover. She had hot dogs which she cooked herself. DH put some kind of salad dressing all over his. :)

Monday, September 27, 2010

Quilt blocks

I blogged about the first quilt block here.

Here are the next three.

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Friday, September 24, 2010

Salsa

This morning I went to the quilt shop to do the next block of the week. It's on my list to take pictures of the blocks I've done so far. Today's was a pinwheel which involved making half-square triangles then sewing them together. I learned that squaring up each half-square is better than squaring up the final block (although it's a good idea to do both.). A more perfect midpoint is achieved by squaring up first.

After I got home I spent the afternoon making salsa. What an involved job! And I even used the food processor. Here's the recipe I used. I cut it in half, cut the jalapenos in half again and eliminated the sugar. It made just over 14 pints. I have no idea if it's good or not. I hope so, since we have that much. Amy was a big help. Even so, I was pretty worn out by the time I finished.

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Noelle the traveling doll just arrived yesterday, so she needed something to occupy her time today.

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She's pretty cute.

The weekend is here which means dh will check the garden. I wonder how many tomatoes he'll have for me tomorrow? Next tomato project--drying. Our oven will dry things, so we're going to try that.

After the tomatoes are done I'll do applesauce. I think our Z'ville friends ought to come help. ;-) You know who you are. :)

Bunny Bear give-away

Bunny Bear is having a give-away. I've made several dresses for AG dolls using Bunny Bear patterns. I have more on my list to make. This is a great give-away. :) Go check it out.

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Monday, September 20, 2010

12 Medical Myths Even Most Doctors Believe…

The following is from Dr. Mercola's newsletter.

CNN has published a list of the “truth about twelve “health myths”. Among the myths this article busts? “If you cross your eyes, they’ll stay that way.” “Eat the crust of your bread because it’s full of antioxidants,” and, “to get rid of hiccups, have someone startle you.”

Seriously?

There is massive amount of medical misinformation circulating right now, which is causing an epidemic of chronic disease, unprecedented in human history, and their big concern is whether or not if you cross your eyes, they’ll stay that way?

CNN is beyond clueless.

The primary purpose of their article is entertainment, as it has absolutely nothing to do with the top health myths. With articles such as this one, CNN is part of the problem of perpetuating misinformation and leading you astray with nonsense.

Below I will review 12 REAL health myths that CNN didn’t bother to mention, even though these are the cause of a lot of unnecessary suffering and premature death.



With all the medical misinformation we’re currently exposed to on a daily basis, it’s disappointing to see CNN waste time and space on yet another entertainment-style fluff piece, discussing “health myths” that have no real bearing on your health whatsoever.

Because, believe me, there is no shortage of real health myths that can, and do, have a massive impact on tens of thousands if not millions of people.

Here is my list of the top 12 health myths, none of which CNN bothered to mention:

1: Cardio is One of the Best Types of Exercise

In recent years, researchers have begun to realize that conventional cardio, such as jogging, is not all it’s been cracked up to be, and that you can actually improve your health and increase fat burning by making slight modifications to your cardio routine.

The problem is that traditional cardio only works on the slow twitch muscle fibers in your red muscle, completely ignoring your white muscle super-fast twitch fibers.

“Peak 8” refers to peak exercises done once or twice a week, in which you raise your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold for 20 to 30 seconds, followed by a 90-second recovery period.

To perform these properly you will want to get very close to, if not exceed, your maximum heart rate by the last interval. Your maximum heart rate is calculated as 220 minus your age. You will need a heart rate monitor to measure this as it is nearly impossible to accurately measure your heart rate manually when it is above 150.

Researchers have found that interval cardio produces a unique metabolic response that is in large part responsible for its superior benefits. Intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin and within your muscles. The resulting increase in fat oxidation is thought to drive the increased weight loss.

It is also the only type of exercise that will increase growth hormone levels. This becomes especially important after the age of 30, when growth hormones steadily decline. It is much safer and far less expensive to have your body make growth hormone naturally though Peak 8 type exercises than inject it like many athletes do to the tune of $1500 per month.

2: Vaccines are Safe and Effective and Prevent Disease

I completely understand that for many this issue is not debatable as they believe that vaccines are one of the greatest gifts to public health in the history of civilization.

If you believe that, then let me encourage you to open your mind and explore other views held by many well respected physicians, scientists, clinicians and pro-vaccine safety educators.

You might want to review the article Read This Before Vaccinating for Anything, to help you start your exploration process.

When it comes to vaccines, there are three primary questions that need to be considered.

* First, is the vaccine in question safe?
* Secondly, does it effectively prevent disease?
* And third, which vaccines can safely and effectively be given together or in close succession?

Unfortunately, these issues have not been sufficiently studied for most vaccines, and those vaccines that have been studied frequently show that they are either unsafe or ineffective, or both!

Pro-vaccine-safety educators have long been saying that vaccines can over-stimulate your child’s immune system, sometimes causing the very disease it’s designed to protect against, or worse. And, when several vaccines are administered together, or in close succession, their interaction may completely overwhelm your child’s developing immune system.

This is one of the primary problems with vaccines in general – their detrimental impact on your body’s primary, natural defense against ALL disease.

Now consider that if your child is vaccinated according to the CDC's recommended schedule, by the time your child starts kindergarten he or she will have received 48 doses of 14 vaccines. Of these, 36 doses will be given during the first 18 months of life – a time when your child’s body and brain is undergoing massive development!

Public health officials have NEVER proven that it is indeed safe to inject this volume of vaccines into infants. What's more, they cannot explain why, concurrent with an increasing number of vaccinations, there has been an explosion of neurological and immune system disorders in American children.

This issue covers so much ground, it’s impossible to even try to summarize the many hazards and the lack of efficiency data for all the vaccines currently being given, in this article.

For more information please visit our vaccine section at http://vaccines.mercola.com/

3: Fluoride in Your Water Lowers Your Risk of Cavities

The theory behind the introduction of fluoride in your water supply initially seems beneficial – to reduce the incidence of dental caries in children. However, the health dangers of fluoride are so numerous; they far outweigh any benefit to your teeth, and that’s IF water fluoridation actually did what its claimed to do.

Today, even promoters of fluoridation concede that the major benefits are only from topical applications; fluoride works from the outside of the tooth, not from inside of your body, so why swallow it?

Statistics tell us that water fluoridation is ineffective for preventing caries. There is practically no difference in tooth decay between fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries, and no difference between states that have a high- or low percentage of their water fluoridated.

Meanwhile, fluoride can cause significant harm, from dental fluorosis to thyroid damage to reduced IQ... and much more.

I’ve joined forces with the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) to help end water fluoridation poisoning in Canada and the United States.

For more about the dangers of fluoride, and information about how to get involved in this campaign, please see this recent article, which also includes an excellent interview with Dr. Paul Connett, who created FAN and is one of the foremost experts on this topic.

4: GMOs Crops are Safe, Well Tested and Economically Beneficial

GMOs may be the greatest health disaster in the American diet. Within 9 years of their introduction in 1996, multiple chronic illnesses jumped from 7 percent to 13 percent of the population, food allergies doubled in less time, and many other ailments have exponentially increased with the introduction of GM foods.

Millions may already be suffering health problems caused by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their diet. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has already urged doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients, citing studies that show how GMOs cause disorders such as vital organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system problems, accelerated aging, infertility, and dysfunctional regulation of insulin and cholesterol.

But not only are GM foods a health disaster, they also pose a significant environmental threat, and industry promises of financial benefits have turned out to be false as well.

For a quick introduction, I recommend reading the article 10 Reasons to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods, which delves into everything from the health problems associated with eating GM foods to the evidence against GM crops as a sustainable, economically and environmentally viable alternative to traditional farming.

5: Sun Causes Skin Cancer

There are many misconceptions about melanoma – the most dangerous type of skin cancer that accounts for more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. But despite all the bad press linking sun exposure to skin cancer, there’s almost no evidence at all to support that stance. There is, however, plenty of evidence to the contrary.

Over the years, several studies have already confirmed that appropriate sun exposure actually helps prevent skin cancer. In fact, melanoma occurrence has been found to decrease with greater sun exposure, and can be increased by sunscreens.

In my interview with vitamin D expert Dr. Robert Heaney, he explains how the conventional recommendations are in fact causing the very health problem they claim to prevent.

How does sunlight prevent, rather than cause, skin cancer?

In short, it’s the vitamin D formed in your skin from exposure to sunlight that provides this built in cancer protection.

The vitamin D goes directly to genes in your skin that help prevent the types of abnormalities that ultraviolet light causes. Unfortunately, if you follow the conventional recommendation to avoid sun exposure or always use sunscreen, your skin will not make any vitamin D, leaving you without this built-in cancer protection.

Statistics confirm the truth of these findings, as melanoma rates have increased right along with sun avoidance and increased use of sunscreens. If avoiding the sun actually was the answer, then melanoma rates should have decreased exponentially over the past couple of decades...

Instead, sun avoidance and the excessive use of sun screen are actually the two primary reasons for the rise in melanoma.

6: Saturated Fat Causes Heart Disease

As recently as 2002, the "expert" Food & Nutrition Board issued the following misguided statement, which epitomizes this myth:

"Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol have no known beneficial role in preventing chronic disease and are not required at any level in the diet."

This dangerous recommendation, which arose from an unproven hypothesis from the mid-1950s, has been harming your health and that of your loved ones for about 40 years now.

The truth is, saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances, without which your body cannot function optimally.

They also act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.

In fact, saturated is the preferred fuel for your heart!

For more information about saturated fats and the essential role they play in maintaining your health, please read my previous article The Truth About Saturated Fat.

7: Artificial Sweeteners are Safe, Well Tested and Help Promote Weight Loss

Most people use artificial sweeteners to lose weight. The amazing irony is that nearly all the studies that have carefully analyzed their effectiveness show that those who use artificial sweeteners actually gain more weight than those who consume caloric sweeteners.

In 2005, data gathered from the 25-year long San Antonio Heart Study showed that drinking diet soft drinks increased the likelihood of serious weight gain – far more so than regular soda. On average, each diet soft drink the participants consumed per day increased their risk of becoming overweight by 65 percent within the next seven to eight years, and made them 41 percent more likely to become obese.

The reasons for this ironic reality are still being investigated, but there are several potential causes, including:

* Sweet taste alone appears to increase hunger, regardless of caloric content.
* Artificial sweeteners appear to simply perpetuate a craving for sweets, and overall sugar consumption is therefore not reduced—leading to further problems controlling your weight.
* Artificial sweeteners may disrupt your body’s natural ability to “count calories,” as evidenced in studies such as this 2004 study at Purdue University, which found that rats fed artificially sweetened liquids ate more high-calorie food than rats fed high-caloric sweetened liquids.

In the end, the research tells us that artificial sweeteners are NOT a dieter’s best friend, because contrary to what the marketing campaigns claim, low- or no-calorie artificial sweeteners are more likely to help you pack on the pounds than shed them.

There are also a large number of health dangers associated with artificial sweeteners and aspartame in particular. I’ve started compiling a growing list of studies pertaining to health problems associated with aspartame, which you can find here. If you’re still on the fence, I highly recommend reviewing these studies for yourself so that you can make an educated decision.

For more information on aspartame, the worst artificial sweetener, please see my aspartame video.

8: Soy is a Health Food

The meteoric rise of soy as a “health food” is a perfect example of how a brilliant marketing strategy can fool millions. But make no mistake about it, unfermented soy products are NOT healthful additions to your diet.

If you find this recommendation startling then I would encourage you to review my Why Soy Can Damage Your Health, which contains links to dozens of articles on the topic, and a video I recently did.

On the contrary, thousands of studies have linked unfermented soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility—even cancer and heart disease.

Not only that, but more than 90 percent of American soy crops are genetically modified, which carries its own set of health risks.

Here is a sampling of the detrimental health effects that have been linked to soy consumption:

* Breast cancer
* Brain damage
* Infant abnormalities
* Thyroid disorders
* Kidney stones
* Immune system impairment
* Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
* Impaired fertility
* Danger during pregnancy and nursing

I am not opposed to all soy, however. Organic and, most importantly, properly fermented soy does have great health benefits. Examples of such healthful fermented soy products include tempeh, miso and natto.

9: Whole Grains are Good for Everyone

The use of whole-grains is an easy subject to get confused on especially for those who have a passion for nutrition, as for the longest time we were told the fiber in whole grains is highly beneficial.

Unfortunately ALL grains, including whole-grain and organic varieties, can elevate your insulin levels, which can increase your risk of disease.

It has been my experience that more than 85 percent of Americans have trouble controlling their insulin levels -- especially those who have the following conditions:

* Overweight
* Diabetes
* High blood pressure
* High cholesterol
* Protein metabolic types

In addition, sub-clinical gluten intolerance is far more common than you might think, which can also wreak havoc with your health.

As a general rule, I strongly recommend eliminating grains as well as sugars from your diet, especially if you have any of the above conditions that are related to insulin resistance. The higher your insulin levels and the more prominent your signs of insulin overload are, the more ambitious your grain elimination needs to be.

If you are one of the fortunate ones without insulin resistance and of normal body weight, then grains are fine, especially whole grains. It is wise to continue to monitor your grain consumption and your health as life is dynamic and constantly changing. What might be fine when you are 25 or 30 could become a major problem at 40 when your growth hormone and level of exercise is different.

10: All Plant Based Supplements are as Good as Animal Supplements

The primary example here is that of omega-3’s. It’s very important to realize that not all omega-3 fats are the same, and that the type and source of your omega-3 will make a big difference in the health benefits it provides.

There are three types of omega-3 fats:

* DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
* EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)
* ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid)

Many people do not realize that most of the well-known health benefits associated with omega-3 fats – such as mental health, stronger bones and heart health -- are linked to the animal-based omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA), not the plant-based omega-3 fat (ALA).

ALA, which is the type of omega-3 found in flaxseed and nuts, is converted into EPA and DHA in your body, but only at a very low ratio.

So even if you eat large amounts of ALA, your body can only convert a relatively small amount into EPA and DHA, and only when sufficient enzymes are present.

This does not mean plant-based omega-3 fats are intrinsically harmful or that they should be avoided, only that you ideally want to include an animal-based form as well. Personally, I regularly include omega-3 (ALA) plant-based foods, like flax and hemp, in my diet, but these are always combined with animal-based omega-3 fats.

But in order to reap its most important health benefits, your omega-3 needs to be from an animal source. For more information on this topic, please read through my previous article, Are You Getting the Right Type of Omega-3 Fats?

11: Milk Does Your Body Good

Can milk do your body good?

Yes, if it’s RAW.

Unfortunately, this myth insists that conventional pasteurized milk has health benefits, which is far from true. Conventional health agencies also refuse to address the real dangers of the growth hormones and antibiotics found in conventional milk.

Please understand that I do not recommend drinking pasteurized milk of any kind, including organic, because once milk has been pasteurized its physical structure is changed in a way that can actually cause allergies and immune problems.

Important enzymes like lactase are destroyed, which causes many people to not be able to digest milk. Additionally, vitamins (such as A, C, B6 and B12) are diminished and fragile milk proteins are radically transformed from health nurturing to unnatural amino acid configurations that can actually worsen your health.

The eradication of beneficial bacteria through the pasteurization process also ends up promoting pathogens rather than protecting you from them.

The healthy alternative to pasteurized milk is raw milk, which is an outstanding source of nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus, vitamins and enzymes, and it is, in my estimation, one of the finest sources of calcium available.

For more details please watch the interview I did with Mark McAfee, who is the owner of Organic Pastures, the largest organic dairy in the US.

12: Low-Fat Diets are Healthy

The low-fat myth may have done more harm to the health of millions than any other dietary recommendation. Again, just as the recommendations to avoid sunshine has increased melanoma rates, the low-fat craze led to increased consumption of trans-fats, which we now know increases your risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

To end the confusion, it’s very important to realize that eating fat will not make you fat!

The primary cause of excess weight and all the chronic diseases associated with it, is actually the consumption of too much sugar -- especially fructose, but also all sorts of grains, which rapidly convert to sugar in your body.

If only the low-fat craze had been a low-sugar craze... then we wouldn’t have nearly as much chronic disease as we have today.

For an explanation of why and how a low-fat diet can create the very health problems it’s claimed to prevent, please see this previous article.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there’s no shortage of health myths out there, and it only seems to be getting worse... The 12 myths reviewed above are but a sampling, because there are still many more.

If you want to review a number of additional health topics that are fraught with misinformation, please see the three-part series listed below in Related Articles.

As opposed to the nonsense offered in the CNN article above, these health topics are all essential to get “right” if you want to protect your health, and the health of your loved ones.

Related Links:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/19/Top-12-Mercola-Predictions-That-Came-True-Part-1-of-4.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/08/top-12-mercola-predictions-that-came-true-part-2-of-4.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/13/mercola-predictions-part-3.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/14/Expert-Pediatrician-Exposes-Vaccine-Myths.aspx

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Scrapbooking

One of my goals for 2010 was to get caught up on my scrapbooking. I was at November of 2007, now 17 pages (sides) later I'm only at February 2008. Scrapbooking is something I want to do, but it is not something I like, let alone love. I used to like it, but now I find it more of a chore. Maybe because of my goal I'm just trying to get it done instead of trying to create. Contributing to the "problem" is that I'm not remembering where all the scrapbooking stash is located. I am slowly finding things and remembering to use certain items. Just last night I thought about the corner rounder.

What to do? I've accomplished quite a bit over the last few weeks and that not at a mad dash, so I'll keep on slowly. Meanwhile, I think I'll go look at the other scrapbooks I've done and see if I can get some motivational inspiration or inspirational motivation. ;-)

Tomorrow is another day and another weekly quilt block. Right now I'm enjoying that more.

Totally unrelated, but cheerful:

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Marie-Madeline give-away

Pioneer Beauty is giving away an $100 gift certificate to Marie-Madeline. :) I've said it before, but I really like Marie-Madeline. Their fabric is delightful and they are such nice ladies.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Earrings

While we were in VA a month ago I took Amy and my niece and nephew shopping. Joann's was our first stop (there was a sale I wanted to take advantage of). For a while I'd been wanting some pink dangling earrings. At Joann's I found some Jolee's beads in just the right color. Now my niece can do things with beads! So right then at Joann's I commissioned her to make me a pair of earrings. Next stop was Michael's. My niece & I searched the bead area for just the right bead to add to what I already bought. We found nothing! But she did get an idea for them by looking at the picture on the front of a beading book. :) We bought some findings to put them together.

We went back home and found some beads from her stash to put with what I bought. She got to work and by supper time (our trip to town was in the afternoon) I had a new pair of earrings. (BTW a bead stash is similar to a fabric stash only it takes up way less space, just in case you want to know.)

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Return trip from PA

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We had breakfast at Bob Evans before heading back. I think we really maximized our time with the Gothards. I'm glad we had the opportunity. :) If you want to see all the pictures (over 100) click here.

So on the way home we encountered some odd signs. Seriously.

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Now I totally understand about not following too close behind another car, but these dots seem a bit over the top. Absolutely ridiculous, if you ask me. But, of course, they didn't.

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They are serious about this, apparently.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Our PA trip

On Thursday last week Amy & I went to Pennsylvania to see the Gothard Sisters perform. But first, since we were headed that direction I decided to contact a blogging friend to see if we could meet her. So on Thursday evening we had dinner with her and her daughter. I'm amazed at how perfect strangers (sort of) can keep a conversation going to over two hours. :) I'm so glad we started our mini vacation in such a way. After dinner we had more driving to do. We finally reached our hotel about 10 p.m.

We had a casual start to our morning and arrived at the fair after lunch. The Gothard's first show was at 1:30. This video has clips from that show as well as the second show.



After that show we wandered around the fair grounds making our way to the stage where Vocal Trash was performing. They are a group that the Gothard Sisters knew from other shows they've done.

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They had two more shows one at 4:15 and the last one at 7:30. We spent the entire day with them. We watched high divers dive into 8 feet of water. We saw horticultural and crafts exhibits and just generally had a great day. My favorite was just being with them. Their mom travels with them every where, so I enjoyed visiting with her.

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This guy is 80 feet in the air and dives into only 8 feet of water.

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After the last show we helped them get everything loaded up and then went to Olive Garden for a late dinner.

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Amy & I agree that whenever the Gothards are anywhere near Ohio we're going to try to see them. :)

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

25 Reasons the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are wrong about cholesterol, saturated fat, and carbohydrates

25 Reasons the 2010 Dietary Guidelines are wrong about cholesterol, saturated fat, and carbohydrates


1. In 1937, Columbia University biochemists David Rittenberg & Rudolph Schoenheimer demonstrated that dietary cholesterol had little or no influence on blood cholesterol. This scientific fact has never been refuted. Why, then, do the proposed 2010 Dietary Guidelines limit dietary cholesterol to less than 300 mg per day – or 200 mg if you are diabetic?

2. Dietary cholesterol is poorly absorbed, 50 percent at best (Mary Enig, PhD; Michael I. Gurr, PhD, lipid biochemists). According to these lipid biochemists, the more cholesterol you eat, the less cholesterol you absorb. Since our bodies must synthesize between 1200 and 1800 mg of cholesterol daily, why is there any dietary limit?

3. “Cholesterol in food has no affect on cholesterol in blood and we’ve known that all along.” These are the words of Professor Ancel Keys, American Heart Association board member and father of the low fat diet, who, in retirement, recanted the idea that dietary cholesterol raises blood levels. His recant has been greeted with silence.

4. All federal Dietary Guidelines since 1980 discuss cholesterol as something to fear. Since cholesterol is found in every cell in our bodies and is a precursor to all adrenal and sex hormones, why wouldn’t the 2010 Dietary Guidelines discuss the essential nature of cholesterol instead?

5. Cholesterol is a single molecule. There is no such thing as "good cholesterol" or "bad cholesterol." These descriptions were cooked up to sell statin cholesterol-lowering drugs. Referred to as "bad," LDL is not bad and LDL is not cholesterol. LDL is a lipoprotein that delivers cholesterol to the 70 trillion cells in our bodies. (Only oxidized cholesterol is bad and elevated blood sugar and elevated triglycerides oxidize LDL.)

7. Cholesterol, fat, and fat soluble nutrients are delivered to our cells in lipoproteins, such as LDL. Also, there are lipoprotein subfactions (such as LDL, subclass A and subclass B). Understanding lipoprotein subfractions is much more important in preventing and reversing heart disease than measuring your total cholesterol (TC). Ask your doctor to provide LDL subfractions and stop scaring you about your total cholesterol number.

8. The statement “saturated fat raises blood cholesterol” is a false and misleading overgeneralization. There are many different types of saturated fat and many reasons why blood cholesterol rises and falls. Saturated fat intake and blood cholesterol levels are not in a teeter-totter relationship.

9. Fat in food is always a combination of saturated and unsaturated fat. As an example, butter contains 12 different fatty acids, including 8 different saturated fats (and 8 different chain lengths). Saturated stearic acid, as an example, does not elevate blood cholesterol and, in fact, promotes higher levels of HDL, a lipoprotein associated with protection from heart disease. (Michael I. Gurr, lipid biochemist; Dr. Eric Rimm, Harvard University, member, 2010 DGAC).

10. Cholesterol is found in every cell in the body and is a precursor to vitamin D (actually a hormone) and to our stress hormones. Stress has the potential to temporarily elevate blood cholesterol. When the stress is over, cholesterol will leave the blood and go back to the liver and tissues. Frequent fluctuations of blood cholesterol due to fear, stress, weather, activity, and age represent normal body functioning.

11. Recommending that Americans eat a variety of healthy fats is more helpful nutritionally than labeling fats “good or bad” depending on their degree of saturation. Besides, “saturated” means stable; nothing else. Saturated fat is a stable fat and represents approximately 50 percent of the fat found in our cell membranes.

12. During the first meeting of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Dr. Eric Rimm from Harvard testified that he is concerned about "the artificial limit on fat" in the Dietary Guidelines. He mentioned that “there is some concern” about excess carbohydrates elevating triglycerides because the ratio of TG to HDL is emerging as one of the most reliable risk factors for heart disease.

13. Anything that promotes HDL (such as natural dietary fat) puts downward pressure on triglycerides – blood fats made in the liver from excess carbohydrates. Elevated triglycerides are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Saturated fats like stearic acid are heart-healthy in that they lower the ratio of TG to HDL.

14. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines should say: Eating beef – especially from the pasture – and enjoying some dark chocolate – from the rain forest – provides saturated stearic acid and monounsaturated oleic acid – fats that protect you from heart disease.

15. The primary dietary cause of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease is the excess carbohydrates in our diet, especially sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and the easily-digested carbohydrates found in grain and grain products.

16. Most dry boxed commercial breakfast cereals raise blood sugar rapidly; they are high glycemic. There is no warning about blood-sugar-raising foods in the proposed 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Since blood sugar has a very narrow healthy range (and cholesterol in blood has a wide normal range), why is blood sugar not mentioned in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines?

17. Only carbohydrates raise blood sugar and insulin levels. Why, then is the role of excess carbs in promoting obesity and diabetes not being addressed in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines?

18. By weight, all children’s breakfast cereals are 30 to 50 percent sugar. If the DGAC is concerned about reducing the incidence of chronic disease in America, isn’t there a scientific justification for warning parents and Americans about blood-sugar-raising foods, especially those that are being marketed to children?

19. The particularly harmful carbohydrates - sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) - are not singled out in the proposed 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Dr. Joanne Slavin defended the use of HFCS by saying “a calorie is a calorie is a calorie.” She chairs the Carbohydrate Committee and her testimony (Meeting 1) suggests she is not concerned about excess sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the American diet. She works for the University of Minnesota, and the U of M receives substantial financial support from Cargill (and General Mills). Was her recommendation not to single out high fructose corn syrup a serious conflict of interest?

20. Metabolic Syndrome - hyperinsulinism, weight gain, elevated blood pressure - is associated with high carbohydrate diets. It is estimated that 25 percent or more of us are sensitive to carbohydrates, even to the highly touted whole grains. Why isn't Metabolic Syndrome specifically discussed in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines? (Dr. Gereald Reaven, Stanford University Medical School, author of Syndrome X)

21. A high carbohydrate diet is associated with elevated triglycerides (TG), which, in turn, is associated with depressed levels of HDL. Depressed HDL is a potent risk factor for diabetes and coronary heart disease. A Harvard study verified that people with the highest TG and the lowest HDL (top quartile) were 16 times more likely to die of heart disease than people with the lowest TG and highest HDL (lowest quartile).

22. Blood-sugar-raising carbohydrates have a direct and immediate effect on blood sugar and insulin levels and, in the words of science writer Gary Taubes, "on the disruption of the entire harmonic ensemble of the human body.”

23. The simple explanation for why Americans have fattened: hyperinsulinism. Insulin is the fat storage hormone. When insulin levels are elevated – either chronically or after a meal – we make and store fat and then lock it up in adipose tissue. When fat is locked up, it is not available as a fuel to the trillions of cells in the body. Hunger is the result. By stimulating insulin levels, carbohydrates make us hungry and fat. High circulating insulin - in response to excess dietary carbohydrates - is the root cause of weight gain and obesity and all chronic disease associated with elevated blood sugar and insulin levels.

24. Excess carbohydrates - especially sugar, HFCS, and rapidly-digested grain products, lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease - which leads to slow, suffocating heart failure and premature death.

25. Heart failure is the #1 Medicare expenditure. The incidence of heart failure has doubled since 1990. According to the CDC in Atlanta, 1 in 3 children born today will become diabetics. According to the American Heart Association, eighty percent (80%) of diabetics die of heart disease. We have both an expanding population and a steadily increasing incidence of chronic disease. Americans need relief. It's time to end the confusion about fat and cholesterol. How bad do things have to get before we revise the U.S. Dietary Guidelines in favor of a higher fat whole foods carbohydrate-restricted diet?

For more information and videos about the failed 2010 Dietary Guidelines, please go to dietheartpublishing.com

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Shopping experience(s) and some ranting

Today we went shopping for a pair of jeans for Amy to turn into shorts. (We didn't go to the thrift store, but we should have!) Since we had shorts in mind, I was looking at the clearance rack for shorts or jeans to cut off. The shorts there were what I call "denim underwear." There were several racks of these on clearance which encourages me slightly, not many people wanted them, maybe. By that point I felt an mini-rant coming on. I let loose a little to Amy (poor dear) saying how I'm sick & tired of clothes that look like c____. Then I had a shocked daughter that such a word would come out of my mouth, so I had to apologize. :( But the feelings that evoked such an episode are still with me.

Why on earth do people, teens or otherwise, want to wear ripped, stained worn-out looking jeans, shorts, skirts, etc.? On purpose. And who in their right mind would want to parade about in their denim underwear? (These questions are rhetorical, just in case you feel like you want to argue with me. Just DO NOT go there.) I, of course, have some answers floating around in my mind. I haven't put them into words yet. But I know there's got to be a spiritual battle somewhere there.

Since I'm ranting already, when did it become OK for Christians to look like the world, in the name of Christian liberty? Is in OK for tattoos, piercings and body modificaton to be a part of a Christian's life? If so, why? I know someone who got a tattoo. He's a Christian. Why did he feel like that was a good thing to do?

Leviticus 19:26-29
26 ‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. 27 You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 28 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the LORD.
29 ‘Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness.

More questions: If it's now OK to get a tattoo, does that mean it's now OK to prostitute your daughter? Or practice divination? Where is the line drawn?

Here are two links to articles that deal with some of these issues. They are a bit disgusting in spots.

http://americanvision.org/2745/body-modification-the-return-to-paganism/

http://americanvision.org/2752/body-modification-and-a-christ-rejecting-culture/

OK I'm done with my rant, for now.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Quilt-Block-of-the-Week

Today was the first day of a new project. While I was dropping of the pillowcases at the quilt shop the owner told me about the new quilt-block-of-the-week program. This was Wednesday, Thursday I called to sign up, today I got up early (for me) to go participate. Each week several women meet at the quilt shop to sew a quilt block. I'd say most of the women were 10 to 20 years older than me. They were all very nice, so it seems like it's going to be fun, maybe even relationship building, who knows. Each week the block will be different, focusing on a slightly different skill. I know that one week we'll be sewing curves which happens all the time in garment sewing, but not in quilting. There's another week that involves applique. By the beginning of December we all should have a throw size quilt top. At which point borders can be added to make it bigger or not.

Here's my first block (we each made two of these). The lighting isn't the best because it's dark outside.

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Today I also finished one scrapbook page (rah, rah) and started a second. I'm amazing at how slow it's going. I hope to get on a roll and get caught up to 2010. I'm at the end of 2007 in sequence, so I really don't think it'll take that long as long as each page doesn't take two days to complete.

Right now, I'm working on a couple pages of Hawaii pictures and longing to go back there. I just finished reading Under A Maui Moon by Robin Jones Gunn. The woman in the story just spontaneously takes a trip to Hawaii. Sounds like a great idea! :)

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Turkey Taco Salad

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This recipe is from Martha Stewart's website.

My version:

1 tbs coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pound ground turkey
1 small zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, ribs & seeds removed, diced
1 1/2 cups prepared green salsa (Trader Joes brand)
Salt and ground pepper
Lettuce from garden
Tortilla chips
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup shredded smoked raw cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add ground turkey, cook stirring occasionally until done, add onion. Cook, stirring often until onion is translucent.

2. Add zucchini, bell pepper, and 1 cup salsa; cook until veggies are crisp tender, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and ground pepper. Transfer to serving bowl.

3. In a bowl toss lettuce and tomatoes with remaining salsa.

4. On individual plates, place tortilla chips, top with lettuce and tomato mixture, then add turkey mixture and grated cheese.

The original recipe calls for 4 tbs olive oil, which I rarely use for cooking because it's not best to heat olive oil. I should have used more than one tbs coconut oil, because it wasn't enough. I didn't really do only one tbs on purpose, I just guessed. Next time I'll use more.

(When I eat it, I leave out the chips and cheese.) My family did like it, although the lettuce was bitter, which made dh have a slight scowled face. ;-) He also said he thinks it might be better with ground beef. As usual, I liked it the way it was, except the bitter lettuce, which would be remedied by using a different lettuce. Amy added sour cream to hers.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Pillowcases

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I dropped off my five pillowcases at my local quip shop. I think Karen (the owner) is going to meet Cindy Kerr from ConKerr Cancer this weekend and give her the quilt the shop put together and the pillowcases. She said they have about 1000 if I remember correctly.

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Various sewing projects for dolls

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I like the crocs the best. ;-) The dress is a Bunny Bear pattern.

These two coats are for sale in my Etsy shop.

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This one already sold. Yay!

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This one is for sale.

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These next two aprons are also for sale.

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I just finished the last pillowcase today. I'll drop them off at the quilt shop tomorrow. I'll post pictures in another post.