WATER, WONDERFUL WATER!

Cheryl Hosmer, Naturopath, C.N.H.P.
Simply Herbs

This is the first part in a series of articles on water. The first part is about why water is so important, the second will be about the contaminants in water, and the third on what you can do to get pure water.

WATER, WONDERFUL WATER!

Cheryl Hosmer, Naturopath, C.N.H.P.
Simply Herbs

This is the second part in a series of articles on water. The first part was about why water is so important, the second is about the contaminants in water, and the third on what you can do to get good water. The Contaminants in Water Part 2

  Most people assume that their kitchen tap water is pure and clean. This is not necessarily the case, regardless of your drinking water source, and getting to be more of a problem every day. The EPA standards test for about 100 contaminants. There are more than 21,000 pesticides in use, and about 75,000 new chemicals have been introduced over the past 50 years.

   The sources of pollution and contaminants are many. The greatest concerns of water quality today focus on chlorine, pesticides, and parasites. Other concerns include naturally occurring arsenic veins in certain areas, heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and even the inorganic source of fluoride that is added to municipal water. The water utilities do the best they can, and are allowed to have permissible levels of contaminants. But even parasites can resist the chlorine added to municipal water.

   The water industry faces questions as to disinfecting the water adequately without creating adverse health effects from the disinfecting process. Today, some levels of chlorine in drinking water are quite high, and some chlorine byproducts can be carcinogenic. Consumed chlorine can also kill off and disrupt the good bacteria in your body creating an environment for candida yeast and digestive problems.

   Many contaminants such as fertilizers, herbicides, and industrial chemicals leech into our ground water. Residues from many of these chemicals can persist in the soil and ground water for decades. These chemicals are suspected of causing cancer or at least contributing to it.

   There have been many reports of major concern about contaminated water in recent time. Here in Wisconsin, the cryptosporidium parasite in Milwaukee's drinking water in 1993, reportedly caused 6 deaths and many illnesses. Most recently an increase has been found of the chemical Alachlor, used as a herbicide, in Wisconsin's drinking water. Recently, nationwide, it has been found that MTBE, (a non biodegradable gasoline additive to limit air pollution), has been showing up frequently in water supplies.

   Yes, this is rather depressing information, but my next article will give you information on improving the quality of your drinking water, empowering you to have control of the water you are putting into your body, the water it needs desperately. And in the mean time, get educated about water!

   A good book to read: Your Body's Many Cries for Water by Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

   Two good Websites: WWW.NSF.ORG and WWW.CSPINET.ORG

WATER, WONDERFUL WATER!

Cheryl Hosmer, Naturopath, C.N.H.P.
Simply Herbs

This is the third part in a series of articles on water. The first part was about why water is so important, the second was about the contaminants in water, and the third is on what you can do to get good water.

Purifying Water
Part 3

  There are many specific contamination problems depending on your water source, and many types of water purification. This is the difficult part, determining which water purification system is best for your needs because not one type will take care of all problems. My husband and I pondered and investigated this for quite some time! Hopefully our investigative knowledge will help you better decide on the best type of system for you!

   First, you need to find out what is in your water source that you want to get rid of. A thorough water test is a good way to start if you use well water. In the last article of this series on water I recommended some web sites with much information. Following are some phone numbers for water testing, there are local testing places too. Some things to test for - Arsenic, Bacteria, Atrazine, and Nitrates (an indicator of other contaminants). If you have city water ask for a print out of your water analysis.

  National testing labs - 1-800-458-3330
  Suburban water testing labs - 1-800-433-6595
  Water test 1-800-426-8378
  EPA safe drinking water hotline 1-800-426-4971
  Clean Water Testing (Appleton WI) - 1-800-801-7590

A few broad categories to look at:

  I mentioned in the last article that the biggest concerns with water quality today are, chlorine, pesticides, and parasites. Bottled water is not always the answer either. There are no regulations on bottled water so there are no guarantees that bottled water is free of contaminants. If you buy bottled water purchase ones that are members of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). Their plants are open to unannounced inspections by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), an independent certification agency. This agency also certifies water purification systems for certain standards and contaminants. Their web site is worth checking out and a good place to check on purifiers' certifications.

WWW.NSF.ORG

HTTP://CO.WATER.USGS.GOV/TRACE/ARSENIC

  Do you need to remove chlorine? If you get municipal water this is a category you want to consider because of the carcinogenic byproducts of chlorine.

   Do you want to get rid of Volatile Organic Chemicals (V.O.C.S)? This is crucial for everyone especially if you have a well in the country because included in this group are many chemicals used on farm fields.

   Do you want to remove parasites, cysts, viruses? Everyone should consider this category because parasites' hard shells protect them from chlorine and they commonly show up in well water. Look at the rating certification of each type of purifier for the size of particulate matter it will reduce. Down to 0.5 to 1.0 Micrometer (sub micron) is considered a Class I by NSF. The smaller the micron size the better, because this will get rid of suspended particles called turbidity too. Viruses are very small, so not many purifiers will destroy them, currently only ozone filters or ultraviolet filters will.

   Do you want to remove heavy metals? If you have heavy metals such as lead or mercury you should consider this feature in a purifier. Lead can be picked up along the way in piping to your faucet.

   I sell three types of quality water purifiers, a carbon block system, reverse osmosis systems with carbon block, and ozone with carbon block. There is not one system that will take care of all problems. It's possible to solve all problems by putting two different systems in line, such as a carbon block and reverse osmosis. I feel that the carbon block filter covers the most crucial needs unless you need to remove minerals such as arsenic. Multi-Pure's most current model MP880 of the carbon block filter will take out arsenic too.  I find this model to be the best and most convenient. The ozone system is wonderful for eliminating viruses and bacteria and has a feature to rinse and clean vegetables of bacteria. Below are some good and bad points of some types of water purification. You need to look at certified standards for each manufactured system, the number of contaminants reduced can vary per manufacturer.

  What ever system you decide on will improve the quality of water that your body needs so desperately! Please contact me if you would like help in purchasing a drinking water filter or a shower head filter.

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You are What you Absorb

by Cheryl Hosmer, Naturopath,C.N.H.P., Simply Herbs

I often hear the comment from people, (Dad, are you listening?), I don't need supplements, I eat right. Working with people over the past eight years, trying to improve their health, I have found even those that eat a fairly good diet are likely to be deficient in minerals, enzymes and B vitamins. When people are deficient in these important components of a properly functioning body, the result is an imbalance of the body becoming too acidic and not absorbing nutrients properly.

This causes your body to pull alkaline minerals such as calcium from bones and elsewhere to maintain the blood pH balance.

   The saying has always been You are what you eat, but truly it is more accurate to say, You are what you absorb. I found this out when trying to improve my own health, trying to strengthen my weakness, and increase bone density. By increasing my mineral and enzyme intake I am able to maintain my body pH in a range that helps me better absorb nutrients.

   I also hear the comment, years ago they didn't need supplements, why now? There are many changes in our society now to cause a need for added nutrients. Some reasons to add additional nutrients are as follows:

     1) The wall of the small intestine is where we absorb most of our nutrients. Today, it is common that people are lacking fiber (needed to scour the intestinal wall), water, and good bacteria, which explains partly the poor assimilation of nutrients. Poor diet choices of white flour and sugar and too many dairy products clogs the intestines.

     2) The soils today do not contain the minerals needed by the plants that we eat. The farming practices that include chemical fertilizers increases this problem. This is a very good reason to eat organic fruits and vegetables and include additional mineral supplements.

     3) Foods now days are commonly cooked and pasteurized. This heating of foods destroys many nutrients including B-complex vitamins, and enzymes that are needed to break foods down correctly. This is why we need to eat raw foods to obtain needed nutrients and include additional enzyme supplements.

     4) We are exposed to so many more chemicals, antibiotics, and synthetic hormones in our environment than years ago. These unwanted substances are used as pesticides, herbicides, in food additives, injected in livestock, as medicine, and show up as air and water pollution. All of these chemicals take a toll on our detoxifying organs mainly the liver and kidneys. This is why we need to reduce any known chemicals you are exposed to and use herbal detoxifying formulas.

   So, raise your hand if you can say that 80% of your diet is of organic fruits and vegetables (mostly raw), 20% organic meats, dairy products, and grains and you get at least 8 glasses of pure water a day, oh, and you are not exposed to pollutants, and do not have undo stress in your live! OK, I'm not quite there either, that's why I use supplements. You can have optimal health by ingesting the correct nutrients required by your cells to function properly and in return have energy, a clear head, and a zest for life. Or you can just sustain your health with aches and pains, no energy, recurrences of viruses or infections, putting you on the path to disease. The closer you get to this goal of optimal health the healthier you will feel and in tune you will become with your body's needs.

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Choosing Quality Supplements

by Cheryl Hosmer, Naturopath, C.N.H.P., Simply Herbs

   You walk up to the shelf with the vast array of supplements, you're overwhelmed by all of them, you look at the prices, and grab the cheapest one. Just like buying foods, you need to read the labels, and gain knowledge about what you are purchasing. Hopefully the following information will help you decipher some of the confusing information out there about supplements.

  The best source of good nutrients is from raw, whole foods and herbs. This is how our nutrition is found in nature. The more foods that you can put in your diet in their original form, unaltered by processing and cooking, the more nutrients you will actually obtain from your diet. In whole raw foods the constituents work together synergistically meaning that all of the compounds in a food or herb work together having an activating and balancing effect on each other. Many nutrients including enzymes and B vitamins are lost when subjected to high heat in cooking or processing.

   When drugs are made or when one active constituent is taken out of a herb or food it no longer retains the other parts that work together synergistically. For instance, taking Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) without bioflavonoids is not a good idea. The bioflavonoids that are found in nature with vitamin C (as in rose hips or oranges) help the body to better absorb vitamin C. Also there are probably many things happening synergistically that us humans have not figured out yet! Any time something is more concentrated and not in its original form there will be an increased chance of more side effects. There are times when standardized or more concentrated forms of vitamins, minerals or nutrients can be beneficial, but the first place to start with balanced nutrition is whole forms of foods and herbs. There are so many reasons in today's society that extra nutrients from supplements are needed. Some factors that influence balanced nutrition today are stress, the lack of minerals in the soil, pollution, and poor eating habits.

   There is a wide variety of supplements out in the marketplace and they are very loosely regulated by the FDA. What this means is consumer beware. I tell people not to bother taking supplements unless you know that they are from a reputable company. Unscrupulous companies can put a product on the shelf that is contaminated with anything from molds to heavy metals or a lesser grade product. You will pay more for quality supplements, but you will also pay more for quality foods. It is well worth the cost of both to your health!

   First, lets talk about locating quality herbal products. To me, this is the best way to get easily assimilated, whole nutrition, besides eating fresh whole organic foods. Even though herbs are not as potent as a manufactured vitamin or mineral supplement, the herbs are more readily absorbed. One way to find out if you are getting quality herbs is by calling a company or looking at their quality assurance information to see if they use High Performance Liquid Chromatograpy (HPLC) to test all of their lots of raw herbal product. This is sort of a gold standard of quality. It indicates to an inspector any contaminates or if they are getting the quality constituents of a plant that they are looking for.

   The American Botanical Council initiated a study called the Ginseng Evaluation Program which evaluated more than 500 ginseng products sold in North America. This study measured product content, consistency, and labeling claims. There was a wide variance among potency of products and the label claims. At the conclusion of the study the ABC recommended defining specific guidelines for manufacturers to improve their accountability and consistency of their product. This would in turn increase the confidence of consumers and healthcare professionals when purchasing supplements. One example from this study that I found quite interesting was the results of one product that is actually locally manufactured. This company's first batches of ginseng tested by the ABC were found to not have the amount of concentrated ginseng that was indicated on the label. The company was informed of the inaccurate labeling and later started using HPLC testing equipment and then switched their label claims. Another reputable product in the ABC study relied on their raw product supplier for the HPLC testing. This product came up short in label claims also because they were not getting truthful claims from the supplier and is now testing their own batches of raw product with HPLC. (From HerbalGram magazine no. 52)

   Next, lets talk about quality vitamin and mineral supplements. The first thing to look for is the added ingredients listed such as colors, glycols and words that don't look familiar! Beware of added allergens such as yeast, cornstarch, or sugar also. If some of these ingredients are listed, this is my first tip off that it is not a quality product and has more fillers than active ingredients. This may be an inexpensive product because you are paying mostly for fillers. Another way that a company can cut corners is by using harsh, and possibly harmful solvents to extract ingredients.

   Generally it is not wise to take one nutrient by itself. Nutrients work together, and when you take one nutrient it is not as effective as when it is taken with other complementary nutrients. As an example, you should always take the B vitamins together in a good quality B-complex formula because they are found in nature together and work together. Then if one of the B-vitamins is still needed to resolve a problem it can be taken separately in conjunction with a complete B-complex. Another example of this is when calcium is taken it should always be taken with vitamin D and magnesium. Vitamin D helps the calcium absorb, and calcium needs to always be in balance with magnesium.

   Another factor that determines the quality of a vitamin/mineral supplement is the source or type of raw product. Vitamin E is a perfect example. There is synthetic vitamin E called dl-alpha tocopherol that is not as readily utilized by the body as is natural vitamin E. Natural vitamin E is called d-alpha tocopherol and can be enhanced with mixed tocopherols or selenium, which is another example of complementary nutrients.

   There are many forms of minerals. Some that are more easily absorbed are the amino acid chelates. Calcium is a mineral that can come in many forms such as chelate, citrate, lactate, gluconate. These forms are easily absorbed by most people, but some forms such as oyster shell and carbonate everyone should avoid. Most of the better quality multiple vitamin/mineral supplements will include a herbal base of ingredients such as alfalfa, kelp and rosehips. There will be a large price difference between these synthetic and natural supplements, but your body will know the difference!

As basic nutritional needs I recommend the following supplements:

Alfalfa - Has a balance of all vitamins and minerals and enzymes.

Spirulina or Bee Pollen - Have all of the essential amino acids and other nutrients.

Flax seed or oil - Has the essential fatty acids, Omega 3, 6, and 9.

(Also include eight glasses of pure water every day.) Children would benefit greatly if they took these supplements daily. This combination will do wonders for focusing and nourishing the brain and keeping the body in balance.

  The more that the body is lacking nutrients the more that it will become out of balance and more symptoms will start showing up. This is when a larger amount of supplements will be needed to feed the body systems that are not operating in peak performance. Getting the correct nutritional needs is fundamental for your body to operate optimally and to self heal.

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Think about what a vibrant healthy plant looks like. You probably get images of dark, lush, green leaves and maybe a plant with lots of sweet tasting fruits or vegetables hanging from it. Now think about what a vibrant healthy human looks like. Someone with glowing smooth skin, is slender, has bright eyes, and lots of energy.

So now, just the opposite, think about what a plant deficient in nutrients looks like. Yellowing leaves, stunted growth, infested with insects, and bitter tasting vegetables. Humans do not function optimally either when deficient in nutrients. When humans are deficient in nutrients symptoms such as sallow, pale or erupted skin, no energy, or worse, major health problems show up.

Being both a longtime gardener and now a naturopathic doctor I have learned that certain principals of life apply to soils, humans, and all living things. There is a relationship of all life on earth and its nutrient needs.

A commonality of need by all life is minerals. When the soil has the proper minerals it will produce healthy plants which will sustain healthy people. Getting the correct nutrients is essential to good health and minerals are the foundation of optimum health. A quote from Dr. Bernard Jensen in the book called The Chemistry of Man, "In my view the path to wholeness and high level wellness starts with nutrition and nutrition starts with the chemical elements (minerals) and the way nature puts them together for our use."

Much of the soils today do not have the minerals us as humans need because they are not available to the plants that we eat. This problem stems from topsoil erosion and common farming practices today that do not replace the full spectrum of minerals back into the soil and only replace a synthetic combination of phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium as fertilizer. These unhealthy soils are depleted of the mineral resources, especially the all-important calcium, and depleted of the good bacteria needed for growing healthy plants. These are the main reasons why we should eat fruits and vegetables that were organically grown or for that matter grown in your own garden that has been replenished with all of the minerals. Replenishing the soil properly can be done by adding good compost and other soil additives from natural sources.

Oxygen, water, and calcium are the primary needs of both the soil and our livers. Calcium is the most important mineral for the liver and soil but all the other trace minerals such as iodine, copper, manganese, etc. are also crucial. The liver is the most important organ of the body, keep the liver happy with the nutrients that it needs, and keep the toxins down so the liver does not have to work so hard, and you have a happy well functioning body!

We rely on getting oxygen and water mostly from the atmosphere. We should all be breathing good air to oxygenate our bodies and we should be drinking almost one half of our weight in ounces of pure water every day. Just drinking enough pure water every day will produce major health benefits such as alleviating dry skin and chapped lips, and better movement of toxins out of the body, making that liver oooh so very happy!

The best source of calcium and other minerals for humans is from plants that were grown on mineral rich soil. These mineral rich vegetables are very alkalizing to the body. In order for humans to absorb minerals they must be attached or "chelated" to amino acids. Minerals from plants are in this easily assimilated form. But because of the previously mentioned lack of minerals in the soil, and also due to the Standard American Diet (SAD) of people today, mineral supplementation is a must for optimum health.

There are hundreds of sources and types of calciums that can be used as supplements for humans, some more absorbable than others. The latest craze is coral calcium. I suggest its use only when someone is very acid because it is a very alkalizing calcium. A specific source of calcium should be used depending upon how acid or alkaline a person's body is. The medical profession says that you can't change the pH of the blood. This is true. The body will do anything, including pulling minerals from the bones, to keep the blood at a specific pH. There are other fluids of the body that can be pH adjusted. This is the pH concept that the natural health field works with.

At Simply Herbs I offer Reams Analysis to evaluate health by saliva and urine testing to find out what nutrients are most needed.

"We don't live off the food that we eat, WE LIVE OFF THE ENERGY IN THE FOOD WE EAT!!!"

- Dr. Carey Reams -

Dr. Carey Reams was both a physician and agronomist and developed testing for both human health and soil in the 50's and 60's. Reams believed that the reason for human degeneration was due to the lack of calcium and mineral colloids in the soil. He developed a urine and saliva analysis that uses instrumentation to determine if energy is lost or gained from what is consumed.

By using the Reams Biologic Theory of Ionization (RBTI) Testing, we can see whether what we consume is beneficial or harmful to the cells of our body. The results of the test numbers can be compared to the "perfect health numbers," and recommendations would be made for bringing the client's health numbers into the proper range.

The only way to obtain optimum health is to take responsibility for it!

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Cheryl's Recommended Book List

Cheryl Hosmer, Naturopath, C.N.H.P., Simply Herbs

Encyclopedia of Aromatherapy - Christine Wildwood

The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy - Valerie Worwood

The Woman's Book of Healing Herbs - Sari Harrar & Sara Altshul O'Donnell

Nourishment Home Grown - Dr. Beddoe ( for learning the secrets to growing more nutritive food)

The How to Herb Book - Velma Kieth & Monteen Gordon

Spiritual Bathing - Rosita Arvigo

What Your Dr. May Not Tell You About Menopause & What....About Breast Cancer - Dr. John R. Lee

Is This Your Child's World (allergies) - Doris Rapp

Growing & Using Herbs in the Midwest - Rosemary Divock

Tyler's Honest Herbal or Herbs of Choice - Dr. Varro Tyler

Prescription for Nutritional Healing - James F. Balch

Before the Change - Ann Louise Gittleman

The Ultimate Healing System (allergies & muscle testing) - Donald Lepore

Food Enzymes - Smokey Santillo

Your Health Your Choice (acid/alkaline balancing) - Ted Morter Jr.

Your Body's Many Cries for Water - F. Batmanghelidj

The Yeast Connection - William Crook

Candida Albicans, The Quiet Epidemic - Weinberger

Asian Health Secrets - Letha Hadady

Menopausal Years - The Wise Woman Way - Susan S. Weed

The School of Natural Healing - Dr. John Christopher

Healthy Healing - Linda Rector Page N.D, Ph.D

Eight Weeks to Optimum Health - Dr. Andrew Weil

Heart Sense for Women - Stephenson Sinatra

Lose to Win - Stephenson Sinatra

Feelings Buried Alive Never Die - Karol Truman

Psychocybernetics - Maxwell Maltz

Diet and Nutrition - Rudolph Ballentine M.D.

Women's Bodies Women's Wisdom - Christiane Northrup M.D.

The Guide to Intuitive Healing - Dr. Judith Orloff

Body Electronics - Doug Morrison

Strong Women, Strong Bones - Mariam Nelson

Thin through the Power of Spirit - Lucia Capodelupo

Food Additives, Nutrients, & Supplements - Eileen Renders

Making Plant Medicine - Richo Cech

From The Shepherd's Purse - Max G. Barlow

A Modern Herbal - Mrs. Grieves

Naturopathy for the 21st Century - Robert Thiel

A Cancer Battle Plan Source Book - David Frahm

Inconceivable - Julia Indichova (fertileheart.com) on infertility approached naturally

The Chemistry of Man - Dr. Bernard Jensen

The Nursing Mother's Herbal - Sheila Humphrey

Never Be Sick Again - Raymond Francis

The HeartMath Approach to Managing Hypertension - Bruce C. Wilson MD

COOKBOOKS

Eating for A's - A. Schauss, B Meyer, & A. Meyer (a 12 week plan to improve childrens' diets)

Fibromyalgia Cookbook or Fibromyalgia Nutrition Guide - Mary Moeller

Prescription for Dietary Wellness - Phyllis Balch & James Balch

The Natural Lunch Box - Brown

The American Vegetarian - Harvey & Marilyn Diamond

Still Life with Menu & Vegetable Heaven - Molly Katsen

Diet for a Small Planet & Hope's Edge, The Next Diet for a Small Planet - Frances Moore Lappe

Stevia Sweet Recipes - Jeffrey Goettemoeller

The Healthiest Diet in the World - David & Micki Goldbeck

Smart Muffins and The Smart Baking Cookbook - Jane Kinderlehrer

The Healthy Kitchen - Andrew Weil & Rosie Daley

Nourishing Traditions - Sally Fallon

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Before describing what Iridolgy is, I would like to explain what Iridology is NOT. Iridology is not an eye exam. Iridology is not a psychic reading. Iridology is not a medical diagnosis.

What is Iridology? First it is pronounced Eye Rid Ology (indicating the study of the iris of the eye). This is a tool I use that can indicate tissue weakness of the body. I look at the iris of the eye with a magnifying glass and flashlight to view the iris fibers, looking for colorations. Color changes in specific areas of the iris correspond to areas of the body and can indicate strong or weak constitution (inherited genes) or strong or weak body tissues. The right eye relates to the organs of the right side of the body and the left eye relates to the left side of the body.

I like to use Iridology as a general view of body tissues in conjunction with other modalities to find the "weakest links" of the different body systems. I integrate Iridology with analysis of the diet and physical traits of a client. I also test reflex points that relate to the body's energy balance, and I test saliva and urine which can indicate many imbalances. These natural health techniques, and many others, can be useful to find clues to imbalances and disorders of the body's energy and to determine what body systems are in need of nutritional support.

There are four stages of inflammation that show in the eye. The acute stage can show white, degrading to darker colors as a more chronic degenerative stage occurs. It is believed that the nerve endings throughout the body transmit vibrations of good or bad health to the brain and are then reflected through the nerve endings in the eyes. The first area that is looked at in the eye, which rotates immediately around the pupil, is the digestive and elimination areas. Practitioners of holistic health believe that the health of the colon directly influences the health of other organs. The colon can build up toxins that spread to other areas of the body, and we also absorb our nutrients directly through the small intestinal wall. As Dr. Bernard Jensen says "Our blood is only as clean as the intestinal tract because it absorbs both nutritive and toxic materials from there." If someone does not eat healthy whole foods, and does not live by the natural laws, these areas of the eye will probably show black, orange, or other discoloring.

Other areas that commonly show in the eye these days are stress rings and signs of overworked adrenal glands. This is no wonder with the stress of today's society, the lack of B vitamins in the diet, and over consumption of sugar and caffeine!

The account of the discovery of iris diagnosis goes back to the 1800's when Dr. Ignatz von Peczely near Budapest, Hungary was playing with an owl. The owl broke a leg and Dr. von Peczely noticed the appearance of a dark stripe in the lower region of the bird's iris. Dr. Bernard Jensen, who passed away only a couple of years ago, was the American pioneer of Iridology and was instrumental in developing Iridology into what it is today. Truly the "eyes are the windows of the soul," a quote from The Science and Practice of Iridology, by Dr. Bernard Jensen.

SUGAR – Enemy Number One!

by Cheryl Hosmer, owner of Simply Herbs in Greenville, WI.  She is a Naturopath, Certified Natural Health Professional and a Certified Biofeedback Specialist.

There are some very alarming facts regarding the average American these days.  First, is that the average American eats 120 pounds of sugar each year!   Second, is that one out of three children will be diabetic by the time they are adults. 

White sugar, or sucrose, is a lifeless non‑nutritive substance adding only calories and taste to food. Sugar is extracted from the sugar cane leaving the nutrients behind. Black molasses is the nutritive substance left behind.  Refined white sugar and also high fructose corn syrup create "nutrient debts" to the body so they are destructive to the body in many ways.

Sugar causes the body to leech calcium from the bones, blood, teeth, and hair.  Sugar also retards the growth of good bacteria in the body and allows Candida yeast to thrive in the body. 

Large amounts of refined carbohydrates, especially white sugar, have been shown to increase the blood fats, cholesterol and triglycerides. Calcifications can show up such as joint pain, kidney or gallbladder stones, or hardening of the arteries from too much sugar in the diet. Eating non‑nutritive sugar not only promotes obesity but also promotes malnutrition at the same time!

Our bodies do need some carbohydrates as the primary source of energy but the complex carbohydrates are better utilized than the simple sugars. The simple sugars cause our blood sugar levels to skyrocket and then fall rapidly. This is especially true when the liver and pancreas are not functioning optimally to process these sugars, or when the adrenal glands are weakened and cannot respond properly to low blood sugar. This blood sugar imbalance causes a wide array of problems, phobias and fears and classically the burst of energy followed by weakness, irritability, and anxiety.

 When these events happen, the body assumes a stress is occurring and releases adrenalin, the body thinks there is an ENEMY ATTACK! The person eating refined sugar then wants more sugar to feel good again. Yes, this is an addiction! All carbohydrates even fruit, fruit juices, natural sweeteners, pasta, bread, can cause uncontrolled blood sugar levels, but white sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the worst causing the most severe imbalance because of the lack of fiber and nutrients in them.

Hugo Rodier MD believes that the massive sugar addiction in this country affects us at a cellular level causing many degenerative problems not just diabetes.  He says that refined sugar causes failure of our cells to communicate and failure of our cells to provide energy.  The lack of cellular communication results in free radical damage, inflammation, and oxidation.

In Europe the theory of sugar feeding cancer is well recognized and proper diets with no simple sugars and regulating blood glucose are advised to cancer patients to essentially starve the cancer cells. Here is a quote from an article called Cancer's Sweet Tooth from the April 2000 Issue of Nutrition Science News by Patrick Quillin, PHD, RD, CNS. ADuring the last 10 years I have worked with more than 500 cancer patients as director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla. It puzzles me why the simple concept "sugar feeds cancer" can be so dramatically overlooked as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment plan.@

The artificial sweeteners Aspartame and Splenda are not the answer for better health either! They both are chemicals that the body will store as a toxin in our fat or the liver will have to work hard to remove them from the body.

Need some solutions to your sugar addiction?  Increase protein and vegetable foods in your diet. Get rid of the processed foods, eating only whole foods, which are foods in their original form.  Some supplements that can help reduce cravings are minerals especially chromium, the herbs Gymnema and Licorice Root.  Also Spirulina and Bee Pollen, which both have amino acids, can help balance blood sugar levels.  Eating yogurt with active cultures or by taking probiotic supplements which have good bacteria to proliferate the intestines can be beneficial to counter yeast.

Read labels! Sugar comes by many names such as sucrose, dextrose, caramel, or sorbitol.  Wean yourself off of sugar by using the natural sweeteners Stevia or Xylitol.

Stevia is a sweet herb that has NO calories. Stevia Rebaudiana is a small shrub from South America with very sweet leaves.  One teaspoon of Stevia (white powdered form) is equal to 1/4 cup of sugar. Some lower grade brands of Stevia leave a strong licorice after taste so use sparingly. Be aware that some brands are also cut with malodextrin so are not pure Stevia.

Xylitol naturally occurs in foods such as raspberries, corn and strawberries.  The glycemic index of xylitol is 7 compared to sugar with an index of 64 so it is safe for diabetics to use.  Xylitol has a unique five carbon structure which inhibits the growth of bacteria.  This is the key reason it is being used in some gum and mouthwash products to prevent tooth decay.  Granulated Xylitol can be used in baking as an equal replacement for sugar and is tasteless and odorless.  

Isn't it time to fight this ENEMY NUMBER ONE from your body?

References:

Sweeten Your Life the Xylitol Way Cookbook - Karen Edwards

Stevia Sweet Recipes Cookbook - Jeffrey Goettemoeller

Sweet Death - Hugo Rodier MD

Xylitol: Our Sweet Salvation? - Sherrill Sellman article WWW.LALEVA.CC/FOOD/XYLITOL.HTML

How Sweet It Isn't - Steven Horne article/Tree of Light

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