Turtle Dragon Herb & Tea Co.

Yesterday was Sunday.  On Sunday’s I do my best to not leave my house, unless I go for a swim.  I believe in having 1 day a week to really relax and rest.  Yesterday, while watching some afternoon TV I saw this commercial on High Fructose Corn Syrup.

It went a lot like this:

Two moms are pouring juice into cups while at a pool party full of kids.  1 of the moms says “Whoa, that stuff isn’t good for our kids it has high fructose corn syrup in it.”  The other mom says, “Oh really, well whats so bad about it?”  The first mom doesn’t know what to say, and so the second mom says its sugar and just like sugar or honey is ok for our kids.”

I flew up off of my couch disbelieving what I just saw and went to their website www.sweetsurprise.com.  You have to see it to believe it.  A whole website, of course sponsored by the Corn syrup association, trying to convince you that nothing is wrong with their product.

Let me take a minute and share what is wrong with High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Until the 1970s most of the sugar we ate came from sucrose derived from sugar beets or sugar cane.  Then sugar from corn–corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, dextrine and especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)–began to gain popularity as a sweetener because it was much less expensive to produce. High fructose corn syrup can be manipulated to contain equal amounts of fructose and glucose, or up to 80 percent fructose and 20 percent glucose. Thus, with almost twice the fructose, HFCS delivers a double danger compared to sugar.

(With regards to fruit, the ratio is usually 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose, but most commercial fruit juices have HFCS added. Fruit contains fiber which slows down the metabolism of fructose and other sugars, but the fructose in HFCS is absorbed very quickly.)

In 1980 the average person ate 39 pounds of fructose and 84 pounds of sucrose. In 1994 the average person ate 66 pounds of sucrose and 83 pounds of fructose, providing 19 percent of total caloric energy. Today approximately 25 percent of our average caloric intake comes from sugars, with the larger fraction as fructose.

The process of pulling sugar from cornstarch wasn’t perfected until the early 1970s, when Japanese researchers developed a reliable way to turn cornstarch into syrup sweet enough to compete with liquid sugar. After some tinkering, they landed on a formula that was 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose — sweet enough and cheap enough to make most soda companies jump from liquid sugar to high fructose corn syrup by the 1980s.

Because high fructose corn syrup mixes easily, extends shelf-life and is as much as 20 percent cheaper than other sources of sugar, large-scale food manufacturers love it. It can help prevent freezer burn, so you’ll find it on the labels of many frozen foods. It helps breads brown and keeps them soft, which is why hot dog buns and even English muffins seem to last for weeks on your counter without getting moldy or hard.

The question remains just how much more dangerous high fructose corn syrup is than other sugars.

Fructose or Glucose -

In the past, fructose was considered beneficial to diabetics because it is absorbed only 40 percent as quickly as glucose and causes only a modest rise in blood sugar. However, research on other hormonal factors suggests that fructose actually promotes disease more readily than glucose. Glucose is metabolized in every cell in the body but all fructose must be metabolized in the liver. The livers of test animals fed large amounts of fructose develop fatty deposits and cirrhosis, similar to problems that develop in the livers of alcoholics.

Pure fructose contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and robs the body of its micro-nutrient treasures in order to assimilate itself for physiological use. While naturally occurring sugars, as well as sucrose, contain fructose bound to other sugars, high fructose corn syrup contains a good deal of “free” or unbound fructose.  Research indicates that this free fructose interferes with the heart’s use of key minerals like magnesium, copper and chromium, all of which are essential is supporting healthy bones, and connective tissue.   Among other consequences, HFCS has been implicated in elevated blood cholesterol levels, the creation of blood clots, osteoporosis and osteopenia, obesity, and attention deficit disorders in both adults and children.  It has been found to inhibit the action of white blood cells so that they are unable to defend the body against harmful foreign invaders.

Journalist Greg Critser lays out a compelling case against high fructose corn syrup in his 2003 book, “Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World.” He argues that federal policies that aimed to stabilize food prices and support corn production in the 1970s led to a glut of corn and then to high fructose corn syrup. With a cheaper way to sweeten food, producers pumped up the size and amount of sweet snacks and drinks on the market and increased profits.

The FDA is even public with its opinion on HFCS:

“The use of synthetic fixing agents in the enzyme preparation, which is then used to produce HFCS, would not be consistent with our (…) policy regarding the use of the term ‘natural’,” said Geraldine June.

Critser writes that despite the food industry’s arguments that sugar is sugar, whether fructose or sucrose, no group “has yet refuted the growing scientific concern that, when all is said and done, fructose … is about the furthest thing from natural that one can imagine, let alone eat.”

Although some researchers have long been suspicious that too much fructose can cause problems, the latest case against high fructose corn syrup began in earnest a few years ago. Dr. George Bray, principal investigator of the Diabetes Prevention Program at Louisiana State University Medical Center told the International Congress on Obesity that in 1980, just after high fructose corn syrup was introduced in mass quantities, relatively stable obesity rates began to climb. By 2000, they had doubled.

Further, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2002 published research that showed that teenagers’ milk consumption between 1965 and 1996 decreased by 36 percent, while soda consumption increased by more than 200 percent. Bray argues that without calcium, which nutritionists agree can help the body regulate weight, kids got fatter. He says that he could find no other single combination of environmental or food changes that were as significant to the rise in obesity.

The important thing to note here is that not only are people getting fatter, their bodies are weaker as a result.  Their weight will be related to hormonal issues, metabolic issues, and congnitive and emotional deficiencies as well.

So there is my rant on this monday morning.  My conclusion stay away from HFCS like the plague, and if your at a party or on some picnic with your friends and one of them tries to tell you HFCS is fine and even good for you - slap them and tell them to wake up.

Have a good week

Some information gathered from westonaprice.org, and the San Fransisco Chronicle as well as other medical reference journals and research regarding HFCS.

No one can see their reflection in running water,

it is only in the stillness that we can see.

I’m almost done with my next post.  This week the topic is a comparison between blood tests and saliva tests - stay tuned !

Something profound for Monday morning.

“At any given moment, I open my eyes and exist.

And before that, during all eternity, what was there? Nothing.”
–Ugo Betti

So what about Cholesterol? How does this relate to what kind of fats we eat or cook with? And how does it affect our cholesterol blood levels?

In my opinion this is another area where culturally we have not been given the information to make an informed choice about what is good for us and what isn’t. To start out in this assessment lets take a look at what cholesterol does for us.

What does cholesterol do for our bodies?

Cholesterol is a high-molecular weight lipid that is manufactured in the liver and in most human cells. When our blood vessels and/or cells become damaged in any way our bodies natural healing substance is released to quickly repair the damage — that substance is cholesterol. Cholesterol pairs up with saturated fats in all of our cell membranes thereby giving the necessary and vitally important elasticity and stability within the entire cell. When our diets contain an excess of polyunsaturated fatty acids these replace the saturated fats in the cell membrane creating a weak and flaccid cell membrane. When this happens, cholesterol in the blood is directed into the cell walls to give them structural integrity. If there isn’t enough cholesterol in the blood to actually shore up the overall quality of the cell membrane then more cholesterol is synthesized and released by the liver to bolster the cells integrity.

Cholesterol acts as a precursor to vital corticosteroids and hormones that help us deal with stress and protect the body against heart disease and cancer.

Cholesterol is a precursor to vitamin D, a vital fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy bones, a strong nervous system, proper growth, mineral metabolism, muscle tone, insulin production, reproduction and immune system functioning.

Bile salts are made from cholesterol. Bile which is stored in the gall bladder is vital for digestion and assimilation of all dietary fats.

Cholesterol (HDL specific) acts as an antioxidant protecting against heart disease and atherosclerosis. The antioxidant properties of HDL cholesterol are seen as similar to vitamin C, and vitamin E. As an antioxidant cholesterol protects us against free radical damage that leads to heart disease and cancer.

Cholesterol is needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is the bodies natural “feel good” chemical. Current research coming out of China is showing that people with low cholesterol levels are prone to depression, aggressive behavior and even suicidal tendencies.

Dietary cholesterol plays an important role in maintaining the health of the intestinal wall. This is why low-cholesterol vegan/vegetarian diets can lead to leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal disorders.

Where does cholesterol come from?

Cholesterol can come from 2 sources: dietary intake and that produced and transmuted in the liver. Dietary cholesterol comes mainly from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. After a meal, cholesterol is absorbed by the intestines into the blood circulation and is then packaged inside a protein coat. This cholesterol-protein coat complex is called a chylomicron. The liver is capable of removing cholesterol from the blood circulation as well as manufacturing cholesterol and secreting cholesterol into the blood circulation. After a meal, the liver removes chylomicrons from the blood circulation. In between meals, the liver manufactures and secretes cholesterol back into the blood circulation.

Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the blood on its own. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. There are two kinds of this type of protien: The High Density Lipid (HDL) which is often seen as the good guy, while the Low Density Lipid (LDL) always gets the shaft. In truth LDL cholesterol plays many important roles and is not bad—nor are high levels of LDL a marker for proneness to heart disease. Normally our genes produce a form of LDL that is described as “fluffy and light.” When the LDL produced is “small and dense,” this is a cause for concern because this form of LDL cholesterol is not normal, and can be associated with increased proneness to heart disease as this abnormal form of LDL can cause problematic blockages and plaque build up. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count.

OH NO…my blood test says I have high cholesterol! What should I do?

First, don’t panic

Second it is important to take a very close look at all of your tests and compare there inherent ratio’s. High numbers in certain categories are not indicators of any real danger. Most contemporary cholesterol panels provide us with at least 3 readings to look at. Total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL. Without question these are the most important in assessing overall risks. The important comparison to make is in the ratio between your total cholesterol and your HDL levels. A low risk ratio between these two readings is an enviable overall lipid panel. Point being don’t let someone, even your doctor, scare you into taking drugs just because your total cholesterol levels are 250 or above. Looking at your full lipid panel and comparing what the readings all look like together is the key to assessing any overall risks to your long-term health.

Ten Commandments for Avoiding Coronay Heart Disease

1. Don’t smoke. If you find it impossible to quit, at least try to cut back and smoke only additive-free cigarettes. Smokers should avoid polyunsaturated oils at all costs. Saturated fats and vitamins A and D are particularly protective of the lungs.
2. Exercise regularly but you needn’t overdo. A brisk daily walk, 10 minutes on the trampoline, swimming, and sports are all appropriate.
3. Avoid being overweight by eating nutrient-dense foods and keeping sweets to a minimum, but avoid crash dieting.
4. Don’t work too hard. Counteract stress by doing something that you love to do everyday. During periods of unavoidable hardship or loss, increase consumption of foods rich in protective nutrients.
5. As much as possible, avoid exposure to fumes, chemicals, pollutants and pesticides.
6. Avoid all processed foods labeled “lowfat” or that contain polyunsaturated vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats, white flour, refined sugar and additives.
7. Consume high-quality animal products including a variety of seafood and milk, butter, cheese, eggs, meat, fats and organ meats from animals raised on green pasture. Unless your vegetarian
8. Consume a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, preferably organically grown.
9. Ensure sufficient mineral intake by using whole dairy products; bone broths; and whole grains, legumes and nuts that have been properly prepared to reduce phytic acid and other factors that block mineral absorption.
10. Supplement the diet with foods rich in protective factors including small amounts of cod liver oil (vitamins A and D); wheat germ oil (vitamin E); flax oil (omega-3 fatty acids); kelp (iodine); brewers yeast (B vitamins); desiccated liver (vitamin B12); rose hip or acerola powder (vitamin C); and coconut oil (antimicrobial fatty acids).

— Ten Commandments from westonaprice.org

“Understanding and love are not two things, but just one.  Suppose your son wakes up one morning and sees that it is already quite late.  He decides to wake up his younger sister, to give her enough time to eat breakfast before going to school.  It happens that she is grouchy and instead of saying, “Thank you for waking me up,” she says, “Shut up!  Leave me alone!”  and kicks him.  He will probably get angry, thinking, “I woke her up nicely.  Why did she kick me?”  He may want to go to the kitchen and tell you about it, he may even want to kick her back.

But then he remebers that during the night his sister was coughing a lot, and he realizes that she must be sick.  Maybe she behaved so meanly because she has a cold.  At that moment, he understands, and he is not angry at all anymore.  When you understand, you cannot help but love.  You cannot get angry.  To develop understanding, you have to practice looking at all living beings with the eyes of compassion.  When you understand, you cannot help but love.  And when you love, you naturally act in a way that can relieve the suffering of people.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step

This passage always reminds me of something Mark Twain once said:  “Everyone is fighting a dark and terrible battle, and most of them are losing.  Be nice to others, who can know what kind of day they could be having.”

If you concentrate your vital force until you become like the spirit,

Your grasp of all things will be complete.

Can you concentrate your mind? Can you focus your power?

– The Guanzi, Inner Workings

Welcome to our blog!

Here is the quote of the day :

True health is achieved by following the laws of nature; when we break them, illness is often the result.  Our continued health is not something blessed upon us at our birth; it is achieved and maintained only through active participation in the well defined yet simple rules of healthy living:

Eat good, unprocessed food - but don’t pigout!

Get enough rest.

Move your body regularly.

Have a good Wednesday everyone.  Feel free to post inspirational messages of your own.

Here is 1 of my favorite baby formula’s. Its super good for your little ones and packed with everything they need to build a strong brain and body.

2 cups organic whole milk

1/4 cup liquid whey or 2 tbsp whey powder

1 tsp bifidobacterium infantis - this is to assist in assimilation and help with colic.

2 tbsp organic cream

1 tsp cod liver oil

1 tsp unrefined sunflower oil

1 tsp extra virgin oil

2 tsp coconut oil

2 tsp brewer’s yeast

2 tsp gelatin

1 7/8 filtered water

1/4 acerola powder or agave nectar.

Add gelatin to water and heat on stove top until gelatin is completely dissolved. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well. Transfer to a very clean glass container and mix well.

To serve, pour desired amount a very clean glass bottle, attach nipple an set in a pan of simmering water. Heat until warm - don’t heat in a microwave.

1950's food pyramid picture

It seems to me to more fully understand our current trend in dietary fats a little perspective on where we have come from is in order.

Before 1920 coronary artery disease (CVD) was all but unheard of in America. In fact when the ECG was invented in the early 20’s they had a hard time finding finding anyone with any manner of blockage, and so treatment methodologies spent a long period of time in their conceptual period. During the next 40 years, however, the incidence of heart disease rose dramatically, so much so that by the mid-1950’s heart disease was the leading cause of death among Americans. Today heart disease causes about 43% of all US deaths.

So how exactly how does this relate to dietary fats? In the 20’s there were virtually no other types of fat available other than animal lards and butter, both of which were the epitome of “all-natural.” It was at this time that the now famous “Lipid Hypothesis” was written. A man by the name of Ancel Keys theorized that the reason for the increased incidence in CVD was due to the large amount of saturated fats and cholesterol in our diets.

During the 60 year period from 1910-1970, the proportion of traditional animal fats in the American diet declined from 83% to 62%, and butter consumption plummeted from 18lbs per person per year to 4lbs. During the past 12 years, dietary cholesterol intake has increased only 1%. Yet also during this time the percentage of dietary vegetable oils in the form of margarine, shortening, and refined oils increased about 400% while the consumption of sugar and processed foods about 60%.

So what happened? Who convinced us that butter and saturated fats were bad for us and convinced us to start consuming refined oils and margarine instead?

In fact there are websites like http://www.margarine.org/historyofmargarine.html that state on their homepage:

“Although it has been around for over a century, margarine was not always the preferred tablespread in the U.S. In 1930, per capita consumption of margarine was only 2.6 pounds (vs. 17.6 pounds of butter). Times have changed for the better, though. Today, per capita consumption of margarine in the U.S. is 8.3 pounds (including vegetable oil spreads) whereas butter consumption is down to about 4.2 pounds. Research studies have shown that the shift within populations around the world - from the highly saturated fat content of butter to vegetable oil-based margarines - have contributed significantly to the reduced risk of heart disease.”

As we can see from this modern day website the Lipid Hypothesis is still at work trying to keep us convinced that saturated fats are bad for us and that we should continue to eat the hydrogenated processed oils like margarine, vegetable and other refined oils to keep our risk of CVD at a minimum.

If animal fats (saturated fats) are so dangerous, and vegetable oils (polyunsaturated fat) are so healthy, why are we so unhealthy as a nation?

A study of more than one million males in India demonstrated that people in northern India consume more than seventeen times more animal fat than people in southern India. The incidence of CVD in northern India, however, is seven times lower than people in southern India. People in southern India consume much more vegetable oil than in the north.

The French, despite eating 50% more saturated fat than Americans, die two and a half times less often from CVD. This phenomenon is referred to as the French paradox. But it is only a paradox if one believes saturated fat and cholesterol cause CVD.

From 1951 to 1976, the consumption of animal fats in Switzerland increased by 20% despite a decrease in milk intake of 46%. Throughout this same period, smoking increased among women but remained the same among men. If the lipid hypothesis were correct, one would think mortality from cardiovascular disease would also increase. But to the disdain of the hypothesis proponents, mortality from CVD decreased by 22% in males and 46% in females.

The Masai and Samburu tribes of Africa subsist almost completely on milk blood and beef. The Samburu may drink over a gallon of milk each day, which works out to well over one pound of butter fat. The Masai don’t drink as much milk as the Samburu, but eat more meat. Both tribes are virtually free from cardiovascular disease.

The Japanese have the longest lifespan of any nation in the world, which is generally attributed to a low fat diet. The Japanese eat about one third of the dairy products as we do in the U.S., but it is still more than their total fish consumption per year. Their diets contain moderate amounts of animal fats from eggs, pork, chicken, beef, seafood and organ meats. Over the last 50 years, consumption of fats increased 15% and the mean cholesterol levels rose from a low 150 in 1958 to 188 in 1989. Despite the facts that the Japanese smoke much more than Americans and have increased their consumption of fats, they still live longer than any society in the world and have a very low incidence of CVD.

So what do saturated fats do for us?

– Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of the cell membrane thereby giving them necessary stiffness and integrity so they can function properly.

– They play a vital role in the health of our bones. For calcium to be effectively incorporated into the skeletal structure, at least 50% of our dietary fat should be saturated. Incidentally since the 1950’s and the beginning of the Lipid Hypothesis osteoporosis has also been on the rise as people consume less and less saturated fat.

– They lower Lp(a), a substance in the blood that indicates a proneness to heart disease.

– They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, such as Tylenol.

– They enhance the immune system.

– They are needed for the proper utilization of essential fatty acids. Fatty acids like Omega-3 are better retained in the tissue when the diet is rich in saturated fats.

My ultimate point in bringing all this up is to keep us informed on a part of our dietary needs that is often misunderstood. For some people and their bodies any type of fat including a diet rich in saturated fats can lead to further illness and/or complications. My suggestion is that when you are cooking at home take a look at what you are using. Organic butter and olive oil are great healthy choices. If you have any vegetable oil, crisco or other type of shortening, or any margarine then open up your trash can and deposit them where they belong

For the last part in this series we’ll bring things all together by bringing in the hot topic of cholesterol. Stay tuned

Welcome!

Our blog, like so many other things, has been sometime in its development and yet here we are. Its August, its hot in Texas and the question of dietary fats keeps coming up. That being said this and next few posts will deal specifically with what I believe to be the “truth” (Yes! I said it!) about fats, the good ones, the bad ones, the ones that get all the hype, and the ones we often forget.

Since its friday night, and our homemade spelt pizza is in the oven (man it smells good!), lets start with the greatest, the most evil of all the fats currently in existence - Hydrogenated Fat.

I have a number of favorite books, one of my all time favorites related to dietary issues and related facts is called Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. The following is a paragraph from her book on the subject of hydrogenated oils/fats:

“Hydrogenation is the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature — margarine or shortening. To produce them, manufacturers begin the cheapest oldest oils — soy, corn, cottonseed, or canola. These oils are already rancid from their extraction process, then they are mixed with tiny metal particles — usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then jubjected to hydrogen gas in a high-pressure, high -temperature reactor. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine’s natural color, an unpleasant dark grey, is removed by bleach! Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a “health food.”

To read more info about fats both the good and the bad check out this link http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/oiling.html

Lets look at a few fat specific facts. Fats are a class of organic substances that are not soluble in water. In simple terms fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms filling in the available bonds. Most fat in our bodies as well as in most of the food we eat is in the form of triglycerides or three fatty acid chains, each is attached to a glycerol molecule.

Fatty acids are often classified into 3 main types:

1. Saturated Fats: The definition of a saturated fat is when all available carbon bonds are occupied by a hydrogen atom. This type of fat is highly stable, mostly because all the carbon-atom linkages are filled or “saturated” with hydrogen. They do not typically go rancid, even when heated, and are solid at room temperature. They are found mostly in animal fats and tropical oils, and our bodies also make them from carbohydrates.

2. Mono-unsaturated Fats: These fats have one double bond in the form of two carbon atoms which are double bonded to each other and therefore lack two hydrogen atoms. Our bodies make these fats from saturated fats and are important in many ways. These oils don’t usually go rancid and hence are often used in cooking. The mono-unsaturated fat most commonly found in our food is oleic acid, the main component of olive oil as well as the oils from almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, and avocados.

3. Poly-unsaturated Fats: These fats have two or more pairs of double bonds and therfore lack four or more hydrogen atoms. The two most famous of these fats are unsaturated linoleic acid also called omega-6, and triple unsaturated linoleic acid also called omega-3. Our bodies cannot make these fatty acids and are hence referred to as “essential.” These acids we must obtain from the foods we eat. These acids go rancid easily, particulary omega-3 and are often refrigerated to prolong their longevity. These types of oils should also never be heated or used in cooking.

I’ll write more about these fats and their significance tomorrow, the pizza is almost ready

Gall bladder troubles are already starting to show up in the clinic. The gall bladder provides a very significant contribution to our ability to process, digest, and assimilate fats and oils. If you are someone who tends to have gall bladder issues like: bloating, gas, belching, shortness of breath, acid reflux, or pale stools, then start to take a look at your diet. Significantly cut back on grains, fats, acidic and spicy foods as these tend to put a lot more stress on producing proper amounts of digestive enzymes and your gall bladder in general.

If things still don’t shift then give us a call and we can probably help troubleshoot how to help.