Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Five Common Myths about Happiness



We all believe in happiness, but often our beliefs are false. Happiness is associated with many false beliefs. Here are some of the most common ones, which are likely to be present in your life. Once you understand these happiness myths, you can begin to deal with them, becoming happier.

1. Happiness depends on time

Do you expect happiness to come in your life? Will it come after retirement? Or when you get a new job? Or when you get married? Or divorce maybe? People often wait for the coming of happiness. They struggle with the bad things in their life, and hope that in the end good fortune will come.

Happiness does not depend on time. There is no such period of time, when the happiness comes. Simple existence for ten, a hundred, a thousand, a million years is not enough to be happy. It is an illusion to think that at some point in the future you will be happy. You can be happy now, but can not be happy someday. Someday never comes.

2. Happiness depends on events

If you were asked about what makes you happy, you would probably name some event. Events come and go, but they do not bring happiness. Marriage, work, holidays… But did they make you truly happy? Have you ever been unhappy during these events? If so, then it proves that happiness comes from another source.

3. Happiness depends on wealth

Wealth is good since it makes life more comfortable. It can be fun, but it does not bring happiness. To some extent, everyone is aware of this, but most people still live with the belief that material values ​​are the basis of happiness. You can say that “money does not bring happiness”, but deep inside, you will probably still feel that a certain amount of happiness has to do with money.

In reality, if you can not be happy now, material properties will not make you happy. The truth is that happiness and wealth are not connected to each other.

4. Happiness comes from outside sources


You may have noticed that the first three myths are associated with external factors. Many external factors can help achieve happiness, but the true happiness comes from within. It is true that a good relationship can bring happiness, but above all you must be happy within yourself. Have you ever been unhappy next to a good person? Even family can be a source of unhappiness. If you cannot create happiness inside you, then you can not get it from outside sources.


5. Fighting bad things brings happiness

Bad things happen every day. Most people struggle with them. This means that they get upset, experience stress and express negative emotions. You can deal with the bad things in your life, but the struggle against evil does not create good. Drawing attention to the bad moments does not contribute to one’s happiness. Happiness depends on how you appreciate your good moments.

You always have a choice. You can pay attention to your troubles and fight them, or you can focus on the good moments in your life. Most often, we choose the first option. We discuss and complaint about bad things, which does not lead to happiness. Instead of thinking about bad things, just enjoy the good ones.

By the way, unhappiness, in turn, is also subject to these myths. Many believe that it comes from external sources, as well as happiness. But it comes from you and not from your boss, your relationship, your broken car or whatever… No one but you are responsible for your psychological state.

45 Uses For Lemons That Will Blow Your Socks Off

Most people are familiar with the traditional uses for lemons to soothe sore throats and add some citrus flavor to our foods. However the diversity of applications for lemons far exceeds general knowledge and once you read the following list, you'll likely want to stock at least a few lemons in your kitchen 24-7.

 
1. Freshen the Fridge
Remove refrigerator odors with ease. Dab lemon juice on a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in the fridge for several hours. Make sure to toss out any malodorous items that might be causing the bad smell.

2. High Blood Pressure

Lemon contains potassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea and dizziness.

3. Prevent Cauliflower From Turning Brown
Cauliflower tend to turn brown with even the slightest cooking. You can make sure the white vegetables stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice on them before heating.

4. Mental Health
Lemon water can also prep up your mood and relieve you from depression and stress. Long distance walkers and world travelers as well as explorers look upon the lemon as a Godsend. When fatigue begins, a lemon is sucked through a hole in the top. Quick acting medicine it is, giving almost unbelievable refreshments.

5. Refresh Cutting Boards
No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, and prepare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.

6. Respiratory Problems
Lemon water can reduce phlegm; and can also help you breathe properly and aids a person suffering with asthma.

7. Treating Arthritis and Rheumatism
Lemon is a diuretic - assists in the production of urine which helps you to reduce inflammation by flushing out toxins and bacteria while also giving you relief from arthritis and rheumatism.

8. Prevents Kidney Stones
Regular consumption of the refreshing drink -- or even lemon juice mixed with water -- may increase the production of urinary citrate, a chemical in the urine that prevents the formation of crystals that may build up into kidney stones.

9. Keep Insects Out of the Kitchen
You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.

10. Anti-Aging
Lemon water reduces the production of free radicals which are responsible for aging skin and skin damage. Lemon water is calorie free and an antioxidant.

11. Fruit and Vegetable Wash
You never know what kind of pesticides or dirt may be lurking on the skin of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Slice your lemon and squeeze out one tablespoon of lemon juice into your spray bottle. The lemon juice is a natural disinfectant and will leave your fruits and vegetables smelling nice too.

12. Treat Infections
Lemon water can fight throat infections thanks to its antibacterial property. If salt water does not work for you, try lime and water for gargling.

13. Deodorize Your Garbage
If your garbage is beginning to smell yucky, here’s an easy way to deodorize it: Save leftover lemon and orange peels and toss them at the base under the bag. To keep it smelling fresh, repeat once every couple of weeks.

14. Keep Guacamole Green
You’ve been making guacamole all day long for the big party, and you don’t want it to turn brown on top before the guests arrive. The solution: Sprinkle a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over it and it will stay fresh and green. The flavor of the lemon juice is a natural complement to the avocados in the guacamole. Make the fruit salad hours in advance too. Just squeeze some lemon juice onto the apple slices, and they’ll stay snowy white.

15. Purges The Blood
We consume a lot of junk food or food with a lot of preservatives and artificial flavours. This builds up a lot of toxins in the blood and body but daily consumption of lemon water helps to purify the blood.

16. Make Soggy Lettuce Crisp
Don’t toss that soggy lettuce into the garbage. With the help of a little lemon juice you can toss it in a salad instead. Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put the soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.

17. Oral Health
Lemon juice also stops bleeding gums and reduces toothaches

18. Lighten Age Spots
Why buy expensive creams when you’ve got lemon juice? To lighten liver spots or freckles, try applying lemon juice directly to the area. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse your skin clean. It’s a safe and effective skin-lightening agent.

19. Create Blonde Highlights
For salon-worthy highlights, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then, sit in the sun until your hair dries. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.

20. Make a Room Scent/Humidifier
Freshen and moisturize the air in your home on dry winter days. Make your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stovetop instead and just simmer the water periodically.

21. Clean and Whiten Nails

Pamper your hands without a manicurist. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to 1 cup warm water and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 5 minutes. After pushing back the cuticles, rub some lemon peel back and forth against the nail.

22. Cleanse Your Face
Zap zits naturally by dabbing lemon juice on blackheads to draw them out during the day. You can also wash your face with lemon juice for a natural cleanse and exfoliation. Your skin should improve after several days of treatment. Lemon water is also a cooling agent, best way to beat the heat.

23. Freshen Your Breath
Make an impromptu mouthwash by rinsing with lemon juice straight from the bottle. Swallow for longer-lasting fresh breath. The citric acid in the juice alters the pH level in your mouth, killing bacteria that causes bad breath. Rinse after a few minutes because long-term exposure to the acid in lemons can harm tooth enamel.

24. Treat Flaky Dandruff
If itchy, scaly dandruff has you scratching your head, relief may be no farther away than your refrigerator. Just massage two tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir one teaspoon lemon juice into one cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat daily until your dandruff disappears.

25. Get Rid of Tough Stains on Marble

You probably think of marble as stone, but it is really petrified calcium (also known as old seashells). That explains why it is so porous and easily stained and damaged. Those stains can be hard to remove. If washing won’t remove a stubborn stain, try this: Cut a lemon in half, dip the exposed flesh into some table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. But do this only as a last resort; acid can damage marble. Rinse well. Use These Lemons To Clean - Easy and Effective

26. Remove Berry Stains
It sure was fun to pick your own berries, but now your fingers are stained with berry juice that won’t come off no matter how much you scrub with soap and water. Try washing your hands with undiluted lemon juice, then wait a few minutes and wash with warm, soapy water. Repeat until your hands are stain-free.

27. Soften Dry, Scaly Elbows
Itchy elbows are bad enough, but they look terrible too. For better looking (and feeling) elbows, mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste, then rub it into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment. Rinse your extremities in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water, then massage with olive oil and dab dry with a soft cloth.

28. Headaches
Lemon juice with a few teaspoons of hot tea added is the treatment of a sophisticated New York bartender, for those who suffer with hangover headaches--and from headaches due to many other causes. He converts his customers to this regime, and weans them away from drug remedies completely.

29. Chills and Fevers

Chills and fevers may be due to a variety of causes; never the less the lemon is always a helpful remedy. Spanish physicians regard it as an infallible friend.

30. Diptheria
Skip the vaccine for this disease. Lemon Juice Treatment still proves as one of the most powerful antiseptics and the strong digestive qualities of the fruit are admired around the world. With the juice every hour or two, and at the same time, 1/2 to 1 tsp. should be swallowed. This cuts loose the false membrane in the throat and permits it to come out.

31. Vaginal Hygiene
Diluted lemon juice makes a safe and sane method of vaginal hygiene. Though it is a powerful antiseptic it is nevertheless free from irritating drugs in douches and suppositories.

32. Forget The Moth Balls
A charming French custom to keep closets free from moths is to take ripe lemons and stick them with cloves all over the skin. The heavily studded lemons slowly dry with their cloves, leaving a marvelous odor throughout the closets and rooms.

33. Stomach Health
Digestive problems are the most common ailments but warm water and lime juice is the solution to most digestive problems. Lemon juice helps to purify the blood, reduces your chances of indigestion, constipation, eliminates toxins from the body, adds digestion and reduces phlegm.

34. Disinfect Cuts and Scrapes
Stop bleeding and disinfect minor cuts and scraps by pouring a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut. You can also apply the juice with a cotton ball and hold firmly in place for one minute.

35. Soothe Poison Ivy Rash
You won’t need an ocean of calamine lotion the next time poison ivy comes a-creeping. Just apply lemon juice directly to the affected area to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.

36. Remove Warts
You’ve tried countless remedies to banish warts and nothing seems to work. Next time, apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.

37. Bleach Delicate Fabrics
Avoid additional bleach stains by swapping ordinary household chlorine bleach with lemon juice, which is milder but no less effective. Soak your delicates in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for at least half an hour before washing.

38. Clean Tarnished Brass and Polish Chrome
Say good-bye to tarnish on brass, copper, or stainless steel. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or substitute baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and coat the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then wash in warm water, rinse, and polish dry. Use the same mixture to clean metal kitchen sinks too. Apply the paste, scrub gently, and rinse. Get rid of mineral deposits and polish chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome. Simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.

39. Replace Your Dry Cleaner
Ditch the expensive dry-cleaning bills (and harsh chemicals) with this homegrown trick. Simply scrub the stained area on shirts and blouses with equal parts lemon juice and water. Your “pits” will be good as new, and smell nice too.

40. Boost Laundry Detergent
For more powerful cleaning action, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap stains and remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs and will leave your clothes smelling fresh. Your clothes will turn out brighter and also come out smelling lemon-fresh.

41. Rid Clothes of Mildew
Have you ever unpacked clothes you stored all winter and discovered some are stained with mildew? To get rid of it, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area, then dry the clothes in sunlight. Repeat the process until the stain is gone.

42. Eliminate Fireplace Odor
There’s nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a warm fire burning in the fireplace — unless the fire happens to smell horrible. Next time you have a fire that sends a stench into the room, try throwing a few lemon peels into the flames. Or simply burn some lemon peels along with your firewood as a preventive measure.

43. Neutralize Cat-Box Odor
You don’t have to use an aerosol spray to neutralize foul-smelling cat-box odors or freshen the air in your bathroom. Just cut a couple of lemons in half. Then place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room, and the air will soon smell lemon-fresh.

44. Deodorize a Humidifier
When your humidifier starts to smell funky, deodorize it with ease: Just pour 3 or 4 teaspoons lemon juice into the water. It will not only remove the off odor but will replace it with a lemon-fresh fragrance. Repeat every couple of weeks to keep the odor from returning.

45. Reduce Asthma Symptoms

In addition to a general detoxifying diet, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice before each meal, and before retiring can reduce asthma symptoms.

SOURCE

Hospitals Love To Serve Overcooked GMO Slop To Sick Patients


Food, far beyond any type of medicine, is the most relevant and effective way to nurture strong and healthy bodies. Frozen, unappetizing, nutritionally deficient, toxin-loaded, and GMO containing platters are not the path to healing. So why do hospitals insist on serving their patients these types of foods?

For starters, hospital food services are centralized in many cities that partner with specific companies that cater to these services. That means the cheapest most effective way to get the food from its unprepared state to its prepared state is the rule of thumb.

While most hospitals do consider the multitude of factors involved in dietary specifics relating to a patient's condition such as if a patient is on solid, minced, pureed food, or if the patient lactose intolerant or on a low-sodium or gluten-free diet, they don't however, consider food quality at all. The choices are extremely limited.

Much of the food that is eventually served to patients arrives frozen at central kitchens, some of it having been specially prepared for facilities, but most of the food is substandard and what could even be considered fast food, prepackaged, processed and even fried.

This occurs all over the world, whether healthcare is private or public. Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, the U.S. and many countries in Europe all have the same problems within their hospital kitchens which cater to this very negligent mentality relating to food for the sick.

All hospitals generally serve GMO corn, GMO soy, GMO zucchini/squash, foods made primarily with GMO Canola oil, as well as factory farmed meat and eggs from antibiotic, vaccinated and medicated animals. There are absolutely no precautions taken on harmful oils, preservatives, artificial flavors/sweeteners, sugars, colors or toxic emulsifiers that make up binding agents and sauces. If there was any nutritional value left in these foods, they are overcooked so that any remaining nutrients are eliminated. The result is slop. Take a look at some of these pictures for a visual:






For some of the meals, it's difficult to even identify what type of food is being served. How many toxins are floating around among these platters? I would estimate that from the perspective of nutrient density, more than 90% of the above foods have little to no nutritional value.

Some of the above images were extracted from a popular blog on the Hospital Food Bingo board a hospital patient has put on his website.

Along with the pictures, the patient, who identifies himself only at 'Traction Man' provides a daily review of the dishes he is served.

Here are some of his entries:

"yesterday's offering plumbed new depths of culinary ineptitude. The macaroni cheese could have doubled as wallpaper paste."

"And as for the potato - let's not even go there. However, my opprobrium is reserved for the treacle suet pudding and custard."

"I don't know whether the chef used an industrial hardener or simply drove out the moisture with a flamethrower but it was the most inedible lump of carbohydrate ever to be passed off as a dessert."

"The entree tends to be uniform beige. Most of the vegetables need to go in a spin dryer before you get to eat them - they are that wet."

"As for the puddings, the jam roly poly takes the cake. It certainly tastes like it's been rolled - right across the kitchen floor."

"Some of the responses to my food postings have been hilarious. People legitimately cannot guess what some of the meals are."

Only One Solution

Food is our life force. We need it to live, grow and thrive. We need it as fuel and healing sources for our bodies. We need to pay more attention to what we give sick patients that need to heal, not from medications, but from food. Food is our medicine and health policy in hospitals needs to reflect this principal. Those in the phases of healing need high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats to facilitate recovery. This comes primarily from a raw plant-based diet filled with fresh nutrient dense greens, fruits and veggies. Although I am a strong advocate of eaters for health, in my experience with hospital patients, they do not heal as quickly if animal products are introduced in the early phases of recovery. If you ever require a post-operative or overnight stay at a hospital that involves you receiving any meals, the solution is to bring your own food, herbals and filtered water. Pack up the hospital food on your exit, bring it home, put it in your blender, liquefy it and use it as a deterrent for rodents and insects in the darkest crevasses of your home. They will either avoid that area or consume it and die quickly.

Antibacterial Agent In Common Household Products Shown To Weaken The Heart And Muscles


Found in a variety of soaps, hand sanitizers, fabrics, toothpastes, mouthwashes and even tap water, researchers have discovered triclosan is far from harmless. Linked to heart failure and decline in muscle strength, the agent has come under scrutiny due to its widespread use in common household products. Considering the Environmental Protection Agency estimates over one million pounds of the chemical are produced each year in the United States, such excessive daily exposure has researchers worried - and for good reason.


Impede muscle strength, stop the heart


Increasingly detected in human blood plasma, urine and breast milk, triclosan is setting off alarms in the scientific community. A study at the University of Davis in California showed that the chemical impairs the excitation-contraction coupling mechanism in mice, thereby hindering the heart's capacity to circulate blood. Limb muscle strength was seriously compromised as well. The researchers exposed the animals to the equivalent level of triclosan as a person is exposed to each day from household products. The first mouse died within a minute of heart failure. The scientists then lowered the dosage and found the chemical decreased heart function by 25 percent within 20 minutes. Limb strength was reduced by 18 percent for 60 minutes after the agent was administered. Dr. Nipavan Chiamvimonvat, the study's co-author and professor of cardiovascular medicine, said in a press release, "The effects of triclosan on cardiac function were really dramatic ... Although triclosan is not regulated as a drug, this compound acts like a potent cardiac depressant in our models."

Despite the fact that it's a leap from animal trials to humans, researchers suspect triclosan may have serious ramifications for people as well. Michelle Castillo, author of the ABC News article, "Antibacterial agent Triclosan shown to hinder muscle movement in mice, fish," notes:

"Triclosan binds to blood proteins and is easily expelled through urine or other body processes, which is why it typically considered to be harmless to humans. However, for people who do not metabolize the agent quickly, it can remain in the blood for quite some time. Also, some of the experiments the researchers conducted was done with blood proteins available, and even though the triclosan was binding to them, it still disrupted the muscle activity. However, most concerning is the fact that people with heart conditions may be more affected by exposure because of their weakened muscle state."


Taking into account the sheer levels an average person is exposed to on a daily basis, scientists are correct to be concerned. Isaac Pessah, principle investigator of the study, warns, "These findings provide strong evidence that the chemical is of concern to both human and environmental health ... We have shown that triclosan potently impairs muscle functions by interfering with signaling between two proteins that are of fundamental importance to life. Regulatory agencies should definitely be reconsidering whether it should be allowed in consumer products."

SOURCE

4 Solutions for Preserving Brain Health and Preventing Alzheimers


Young people may not be so worried about where their minds will be 40 or 50 years from now, but it’s extremely important to preserve brain health through diet and exercise to really enjoy life at all stages. According to current 2013 statistics, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, with 1 in 3 seniors dying with Alzheimer’s or dementia. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Simple dietary changes along with some physical activity may be more than enough to prevent and even reverse these cognitive issues in many cases.

Here are 4 solutions for Alzheimer’s disease.


1. Coconut Oil

The connection between coconut oil and Alzheimer’s may be one of the most well known dietary connections publicized today, as coconut oil is among the most promising solutions for those suffering from Alzheimer’s. One story in particular reveals just how powerful coconut oil can be for repairing and restoring the brain. In the story, a man named Steve Newport tried numerous pharmaceutical solutions, all of which failed miserably.

Not able to remember how to draw the face of a clock or get water out of the refrigerator, Mr. Newport was becoming more and more lost. Finally, his wife found out about some promising information. What’s known as ketones provide an alternative energy source for brain cells when they have trouble using glucose — as they do in patients with dementia. And when the body metabolizes medium-chain triglycerides derived from coconut oil, it forms ketones that may protect against and even reverse Alzheimer’s.

After taking coconut oil twice daily for a year, Mr. Newport’s dementia had reversed itself.


2. Marijuana

While this treatment may seem far-fetched, marijuana has actually been found to outperform drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. One study from Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology that was published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, found that the psychoactive component of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), both “competitively inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) as well as prevents AChE-induced amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) aggregation”. In plain English, cannabinoid molecules found in cannabis could halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and prevent plaque buildup in the brain.


“Compared to currently approved drugs prescribed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, THC is a considerably superior inhibitor of Aβ aggregation, and this study provides a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism through which cannabinoid molecules may directly impact the progression of this debilitating disease,” says study author Lisa M. Eubanks”.




3. Coffee
A paper published earlier this year in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease demonstrated that higher plasma caffeine levels were associated with a reduced or delayed onset of dementia in 124 individuals, aged 65-88 years. This is presumed to be indicative of coffee intake. The study abstract concludes with:



4. Cinnamon

In one study from Tel Aviv University, cinnamon bark was shown to inhibit the compounds found in the plaque formations of Alzheimer’s patient’s’ brains. These filaments are actually “disassembled and eliminated” when cinnamon is taken with food or as a supplement.

For the study, scientists extracted a compound in cinnamon called CEppt and mixed it into the drinking water for mice and flies. Both the mice and flies were genetically forced to experience Alzheimer’s symptoms. After four months, the scientists found that the disease slowed in progression and the animals experienced almost normal longevity and activity.



And this isn’t the first study to look at cinnamon’s effects on the brain. Two studies from Wheeling Jesuit University found that the scent and flavor of cinnamon affected attention, memory, and other intellectual qualities nearly instantly.

SOURCE

Soda Addiction As Bad For Your Teeth As Meth Or Crack: Study


Bad news, diet coke junkies: gulping down excessive amounts of soda is no longer just bad for your teeth, now it's as bad for your teeth as crystal meth or crack.

That's according to one study, anyway, which found that excessive consumption of soda - even diet soda - can rot your choppers as badly as ingesting two of the most dangerous narcotics on earth.

The good news is it likely takes far more soda than the amount consumed by a normal human being to achieve the same dental devastation as crack or meth.


Cola mouth: a new study claims that excessive soda consumption can damage teeth as badly as meth or crack

The study - conducted by Dr. Mohamed Bassiouny, a professor of restorative dentistry at the Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia - references a woman in her 30s who drank two liters of soda a day for nearly five years. According to Bassiouny, she had the same amount of dental damage as a 29-year-old meth user and a 51-year-old crack addict.

The meth user, however, also consumed two or three cans of regular soda a day because the drugs made his mouth dry, and the crack addict has been a regular crack user for 18 years, nearly four times as long as the soda drinker had been consuming excessive amounts of soda. Additionally, the soda drinker admitted that she has not seen a dentist in many years.

"None of the teeth affected by erosion were salvageable," Bassiouny tells U.S. News and World Report, noting that all of the study participants had to have all of their teeth removed.


The study also finds that sugar-free soda is just as damaging to teeth as regular soda if they are consumed in the same quantity because of their acidic content - a high acidity level also is what makes crack and meth so bad for teeth.

But soda advocates say the study is flawed, and that comparing soda to illegal drugs is unfair and 'irresponsible.'

'The woman referenced in this article did not receive dental health services for more than 20 years -- two-thirds of her life,' the American Beverage Association said in a statement. 'To single out diet soda consumption as the unique factor in her tooth decay and erosion -- and to compare it to that from illicit drug use -- is irresponsible.

'The body of available science does not support that beverages are a unique factor in causing tooth decay or erosion,' the group said. 'However, we do know that brushing and flossing our teeth, along with making regular visits to the dentist, play a very important role in preventing them.'

SOURCE

Proof that Your Own Thoughts and Beliefs Can Cause Self-Healing


If you are struggling with any major health concern, it is important to realize that your mind can sometimes be your own worse enemy, or it could be the main reason for treating a problem. Increasingly, it is being recognized that a ‘mind over matter’ approach can actually produce noticeable results in your health.

Numerous studies abound on the nature of the mind body relationship, and how your mind can affect your biological functions. Much like how a hypochondriac may convince himself that he is sick, and subsequently ‘find’ (or make up) symptoms of his illness, a negative or even apathetic mindset may induce you into a lesser state of health.

Conversely, having a generally positive disposition or outlook with regards to your health may actually make you healthier. In clinical studies where patients are given placebos, they often will respond positively to them due to the expectation that they are receiving some form of beneficial medicine. Although not talking about placebo sugar pills specifically this kind of self-treatment can be seen in one case where a woman’s own thoughts made her lose nearly 112 pounds.

What makes these test subjects have a positive response? Definitely not the sugar. An assumed belief that they are being positively affected by whatever they may have been given is what actually causes the change . If this is the case, then it means that your mental state plays a vital role in how your health progresses, or degenerates.

The power of the mind is immense. Its influence can literally bend reality to match its perspective. You can often influence a situation more by thinking about it meticulously, as opposed to simply acting. If you believe something to be true, you will conform the world around you to match this expectation.

If you believe that your illness is getting worse, it will probably get worse. If you believe that your treatment is helping you, you could actually cause massive self-healing to occur. Assuming a disposition will automatically prejudice your mind, and therefore cause your body to react either positively or negatively.

This applies to all things, not just health and wellness. Assuming a positive attitude and an optimistic demeanor will actually help you to overcome your trials in life, whether they are physical, mental, or emotional.

Though we face these trials, let them not be overwhelming or intimidating. Meet them with optimism and enthusiasm, expecting all the while to overcome them.

Thatcher Effect: Incredible Optical Illusion


The first thing that impresses is definitely its name!

The so-called «Thatcher effect» is nothing more than an impressive optical illusion that was given the name of the “iron Lady” just because its creators used it for the first time in the photo of British Prime Minister.

The second thing that surprises is that nothing seems strange in the inverted picture, aside from the fact that the depicted face is … upside down! Once the photo returns at the right place, the mystery is solved and the effect is revealed! But how is this possible?


 It is very difficult for the viewer to identify local changes in the characteristics of an inverted face (eyes, nose, eyelids, etc.), although these changes are evident in the “normal” face. Therefore, the Thatcher effect is the following:

Image in the normal position has overturned eyes, nose, mouth or eyelids, which can be clearly seen. However, once the same image is turned over, the alterations in the characteristics disappear as if by magic, i.e. the viewer sees a normal image turned upside down! It is believed that this phenomenon occurs due to some psychological processes involved in face recognition and coordinated in the normal upright faces.

Psychological Concentration Test: Optical Illusion


Here is an optical illusion of motion and color perception, which can reveal if you have normal psychological concentration.

This psychological picture test shows the amazing ability of the human brain, and perhaps, after a successful outcome of the test, it will make you wonder if we perceive the world correctly or maybe our brain deceives us. What if what we see around us is a kind of illusion of perception?

Look at the picture below, and you will see the pink circles move clockwise and disappear one after the other, creating an illusion of the movement of the gray hole between them. If you concentrate your mind in the middle of the circle on the black cross, then you will see that the moving gray hole will change its color to green. And then, as you continue to look at the cross for 10-15 seconds, all the pink circles will disappear and there will be only one green circle that will keep moving in the same direction. If you manage to see all the pink circles disappear and only one green circle move, then you have normal psychological concentration.

Research: Pineapple Enzyme Kills Cancer Without Killing You


Every once in a while a study pops up on the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic database known as MEDLINE that not only confirms the therapeutic relevance of natural substances in cancer treatment, but blows the conventional approach out of the water. Published in 2007 in the journal Planta Medica, researchers found that an enzyme extracted from pineapple stems known as bromelain was superior to the chemo-agent 5-fluorauracil in treating cancer in the animal model. The researchers stated:

"This antitumoral effect [bromelain] was superior to that of 5-FU [5-fluorouracil], whose survival index was approximately 263 %, relative to the untreated control."


What is so remarkable about this research is that 5-FU has been used as a cancer treatment for nearly 40 years, and has been relatively unsuccessful due to its less than perfect selectivity at killing cancer, often killing and/or irreversibly damaging healthy cells and tissue, as well.

As a highly toxic, fluoride-bound form of the nucleic acid uracil, a normal component of RNA, the drug is supposed to work by tricking more rapidly dividing cells -- which include both cancer and healthy intestinal, hair follicle, and immune cells -- into taking it up, thereby inhibiting (read: poisoning) RNA replication enzymes and RNA synthesis.

The material safety data sheet (MSDS) for 5-FU states:


The dose at which 50% of the animals given the drug die is 115mg/kg, or the equivalent of 7.8 grams for a 150 lb adult human.


Keep in mind that a 7.5 gram dose of 5-FU, which is the weight of 3 pennies, would kill 50% of the humans given it. Bromelain's MSDS, on the other hand, states the LD50 to be 10,000 mg/kg, or the equivalent 1.5 lbs of bromelain for a 150lb adult, which means it is 3 orders of magnitude safer!



How then, can something as innocuous as the enzyme from the stem/core of a pineapple be superior to a drug that millions of cancers patients over the past 40 years have placed their hopes of recovery on, as well as exchanging billions of dollars for?

There is a well-known effect associated with a wide range of natural compounds called "selective cytotoxicity," whereby they are able to induce programmed cell death (the graceful self-disassembly known as apoptosis) within the cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells and tissue unharmed. No FDA-approved chemotherapy drug on the market today has this indispensable property (because chemicals don't have behave like natural compounds), which is why cancer treatment is still in the dark ages, often destroying the quality of life, and accelerating the death of those who undergo it, often unwittingly. When a person dies following conventional cancer treatment it is all too easy to "blame the victim" and simply write that patient's cancer off as "chemo-resistant," or "exceptionally aggressive," when in fact the non-selective nature of the chemotoxic agent is what ultimately lead to their death.

Keep in mind that bromelain, like all natural substances, will never receive FDA drug approval. Capital, at the present time, does not flow into the development of non-patentable (i.e. non-profitable) cancer therapies, even if they work, are safe and extremely affordable. This is simply the nature of the beast. Until we compel our government to utilize our tax dollars to invest in this type of research, there will be no level playing field in cancer treatment, or any treatment offered through the conventional medical establishment, for that matter. Or, some of us may decide to take our health into our own hands, and use the research, already freely available on possible natural cancer treatment, to inform our treatment decisions without the guidance of the modern day equivalent of the "priest" of the body, the conventional oncologist, who increasingly fills the description of an "applied pharmacologist/toxicologist" - nothing more, nothing less

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

SOURCE

Don't Fall For These Tricks: The 6 Types of Links You Shouldn't Click On

In case you've been hiding in a cave somewhere, Vhong Navarro was subjected to a brutal beatdown in a condo unit in The Fort last January 22, Wednesday. The reason for the attack? According to the comedian, a group of guys wanted to extort money from him. The other camp says the shit went down because they caught him attempting to rape their mutual friend, Deniece Milinette Cornejo. It's all over the local news, and the shady part of the Internet has taken notice. We bet you've seen this link below on Facebook:


Did you click on it? We're hoping you didn't because there's no video. What's worse is you only helped spread a big fat lie. You see, when you click on it, you'll be asked to share the link first before you'll be able to view the non-existent clip. Tsk. This, dear friends, is an example of a negative form of clickbaiting. A clickbait (or link bait) is defined as a link that has a super interesting title or line that will make you click. Think of the links in your News Feed that go like "This blank did something really, really blank. What happened next is blank and utterly blank."

In itself, clickbaiting is not bad. It's actually a great way to spread the videos and articles that you want you want to go viral. However, if it's used for spreading fake and malicious content, then it becomes annoying and even dangerous since hackers can use it to steal confidential info (i.e. your log-in credentials). Spammers and hackers are sneaky and opportunistic. When something big happens, like the Vhong Navarro gulpihan issue, expect them to piggyback on it, using clickbaits to lure you in. So fellas, always be alert and follow the old "Think before you click" rule. Below is our rundown of The Types Of Links You Should Never Click On! THOSE THAT PROMISE A HUGE SUM OF MOOLAH

By this we mean links that promises something really big, like getting a boatload of cash in just a few easy steps. We all want to be rewarded, and this is why spammers and hackers create links that could attract the greedy bastard in us. THOSE THAT SAY SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE HAS HAPPENED

If you see a link that says something impossible has happened like, say, Jose Rizal was seen in a CCTV footage, be very wary. You can bet your next suweldo that it's fake (duh!) and it's just out to spam the heck out of everyone. However, if you want to make sure, use Google to verify its authenticity. If it's indeed true, numerous reputable sites have most probably written about the topic already—check it out there instead.

THOSE THAT POP UP AS COMMENTS WITH LINKS ON UNRELATED FACEBOOK POSTS


If you see a comment on a Facebook post that: 1) is completely unrelated to the topic and, 2) contains a shortened link, watch out. The poor commenter has been the victim of spamming and is being used by spammers to spread more spam. If you see a comment like this, be a good lad and notify the account it's associated with.
 THOSE THAT SAY THEY HAVE "EXCLUSIVE LEAKED" PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

Photos and videos can be leaked. Just ask Wally B. and Kim K. However, this doesn't mean every article or link that has the word "leaked" is legit. A prime example of this is the CCTV footage that allegedly shows Vhong Navarro getting his ass handed to him. As we've said, that one's as fake as your favorite porn star's ta-tas.

 THOSE THAT ARE SHARED BY YOUR FRIENDS WHO DON'T NORMALLY SHARE LINKS

When you see a link posted by your normally allergic-t0-online-sharing friend on Facebook, he or she probably didn't intend to do so. Spam might be at work here once again. Go ask your friend about it the next time he'sshe's online. If the answer you get is "no, I still don't share shit," then alam na.

 THOSE THAT CONNECT TO A DIFFERENT WEBSITE

Links can mask themselves using the name of a different website. For example, a link can say "Click here to see more FHM babes" but in reality it will send you to a shadier, much less sexy part of the Internet. And if you're really unlucky, you might just land on a site hackers use to get into your rig. There's a really simple way to check if a link won't connect you to another website. Place your mouse cursor (don't click!) over it and the full URL it's linking to will be displayed on the lower left side of your browser. If the address seems unfamiliar or isn't the one you're raring to visit then don't you dare click!

Source

Monday, January 27, 2014

14 Simple Ways to Super Charge Your Brain


Have you ever felt exasperated when you bumped into someone at the store but absolutely couldn't remember their name? Sure, it happens to all of us.

Despite being the strongest computer on the planet, our brains do lapse. It's hard to blame them really. As humans, we spend much of or existence stuffing our brains with stuff. Some stuff is worthless, some of it's meaningful, some of it, well, it's just stuff and there is an endless amount of it.

No matter how powerful our brains are, they need recuperation time, to be kept in shape, and even an occasional charge. Think of it as a tune up for your brain. Skipping brain maintenance is as silly as the person wandering the parking garage because they forgot where they parked. Is that you? Are you that person? Sure. We all are at some point. No worries, there is hope.

Now I am not a brain surgeon and I am not going to suggest you do anything surgical or dangerous. I am however an astute student of human behavior, so I always look for simple ways to super charge my brain.

Here are some things you can begin doing as soon as today to begin the great brain tune up.

1. Eat Almonds
Almond is believed to improve memory. If a combination of almond oil and milk is taken together before going to bed or after getting up at morning, it strengthens our memory power. Almond milk is prepared by crushing the almonds without the outer cover and adding water and sugar to it.

2. Drink Apple Juice
Research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) indicates that apple juice increases the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, resulting in an increased memory power.

3. Sleep well
Research indicates that the long-term memory is consolidated during sleep by replaying the images of the experiences of the day. These repeated playbacks program the subconscious mind to store these images and other related information.

4. Enjoy simple Pleasures
Stress drains our brainpower. A stress-ridden mind consumes much of our memory resources to leave us with a feeble mind. Make a habit to engage yourself in few simple pleasures everyday to dissolve stress from your mind. Some of these simple pleasures are good for your mind, body and soul.
  • Enjoy music you love
  • Play with your children
  • Hug a stranger
  • Appreciate others
  • Run few miles a day, bike or swim
  • Start a blog
  • Take a yoga class or Total Wellness routine

5. Fast for a day
Fasting cleans and detoxifies our body. It is known fact that heavy food not only causes stress on our digestive system but also drains our brainpower. Fasting relieves toxic emotions such as anger, grief, worry, and fears - before they accumulate and cause disease. By cleansing toxic emotions, fasting strengthens metal clarity with increases memory, concentration, creativity and insight.



6. Exercise your mind
Just as physical exercise is essential for a strong body, mental exercise is equally essential for a sharp and agile mind. Have you noticed that children have far superior brainpower than an adult does? Children have playful minds. A playful mind exhibits superior memory power. Engage in some of the activities that require your mind to remain active and playful.

  • Play scrabble or crossword puzzle
  • Volunteer
  • Interact with others
  • Start a new hobby such as blogging, reading, painting, bird watching
  • Learn new skill or a language

7. Practice Yoga or Meditation
Yoga or Meditation relives stress. Stress is a known memory buster. With less stress, lower blood pressure, slower respiration, slower metabolism, and released muscle tension follows. All of these factors contribute significantly towards increases in our brainpower.

8. Reduce Sugar intake
Sugar is a non-food. It’s a form of carbohydrate that offers illusionary energy, only to cause a downhill slump once the initial burst has been worn off. Excess intake of sugar results in neurotic symptoms. Excess sugar is known to cause claustrophobia, memory loss and other neurotic disorders. Eat food without adding sugar. Stay away from sweet drinks or excess consumption of caffeine with sugar.

9. Eat whole wheat
The whole wheat germs contain lecithin. Lecithin helps ease the problem of the hardening of the arteries, which often impairs brain functioning.

10. Eat a light meal in the night
A heavy meal at night causes tossing and turning and a prolonged emotional stress while at sleep. It’s wise to eat heavy meal during the day when our body is in motion to consume the heavy in-take. Eating a light meal with some fruits allows us to sleep well. A good night sleep strengthens our brainpower.

11. Develop imagination
Greeks mastered the principle of imagination and association to memorize everything. This technique requires one to develop a vivid and colorful imagination that can be linked to a known object. If you involve all your senses - touching, feeling, smelling, hearing and seeing in the imagination process, you can remember greater details of the event.

12. Sex
Our sexual imagination often empowers our ability to daydream, which strengthens our brainpower with greater imagination, visualization and association.

13. Control your temper
Bleached food, excess of starch or excess of white bread can lead to nerve grating effect. This results in a violent and some time depressive behavior. Eat fresh vegetables. Drink lots of water and meditate or practice yoga to relieve these toxic emotions of temper and violent mood swings.

14. Take Vitamin B-complex
Vitamin B-complex strengthens memory power. Eat food and vegetables high in Vitamin B-complex. Stay away from the starch food or white bread, which depletes the Vitamin B-complex necessary for a healthy mind.

SOURCE

New Study Reveals That Every Single Junk Food Meal Damages Your Arteries


A single junk food meal – composed mainly of saturated fat – is detrimental to the health of the arteries, while no damage occurs after consuming a Mediterranean meal rich in good fats such as mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids, according to researchers at the University of Montreal-affiliated ÉPIC Center of the Montreal Heart Institute. The Mediterranean meal may even have a positive effect on the arteries. The findings are being presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, which runs in Toronto until Wednesday, by the head of the study, Dr. Anil Nigam, Director of Research at the Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre (ÉPIC) and associate professor at the university’s Faculty of Medicine.

Bad fat vs. good fat

Dr. Nigam undertook the study to compare the effects of junk food and typical Mediterranean meal on the vascular endothelium: the inner lining of the blood vessels. By measuring endothelial function, it is possible to determine how easily the arteries will dilate after a temporary, five-minute occlusion, following the consumption of the two types of meals. This is a very interesting analysis for researchers to perform as endothelial function is closely linked to the long-term risk of developing coronary artery disease.

The study also revealed that participants with higher blood triglyceride levels seemed to benefit more from the healthy meals. Their arteries responded better to the Mediterranean meal compared to people with low triglyceride levels. "We believe that a Mediterranean-type diet may be particularly beneficial for individuals with high triglyceride levels, such as patients with metabolic syndrome, precisely because it could help keep arteries healthy," Dr. Nigam said.



Mediterranean meal vs. junk food meal

The results were established in 28 non-smoking men, who ate the Mediterranean-type meal first and then the junk food-type meal one week later. Before beginning, the men underwent an ultrasound of the antecubital artery at the elbow crease after fasting for 12-hours to assess their baseline endothelial function. The researchers then tested the effects of each meal. The first was composed of salmon, almonds, and vegetables cooked in olive oil, of which 51% of total calories came from fat (mostly monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats.) The second meal consisted of a sandwich made of a sausage, an egg, and a slice of cheese, and three hash browns, for a total of 58% of total calories from fat: extremely rich in saturated fatty acids and containing no omega-3s. At two hours and four hours after each meal, participants underwent further ultrasounds to assess how the food had impacted their endothelial function.

Dr. Nigam and his team found that after eating the junk food meal, the arteries of the study participants dilated 24% less than they did when in the fasting state. In contrast, the arteries were found to dilate normally and maintain good blood flow after the Mediterranean-type meal. "These results will positively alter how we eat on a daily basis. Poor endothelial function is one of the most significant precursors of atherosclerosis. It is now something to think about at every meal," Dr. Nigam said.

SOURCE

7 Beverages To Stop Consuming Today


Here are 7 beverages you should avoid consuming at any time, for your health and your waist line:


1. Soft Drinks (soda, pop, carbonated beverages, fizzy drinks, etc.)

There isn't enough bad things to say about soft drinks of any kind. Soft drinks account for more than a quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States. That works out to at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child. They are estimated to be at least one-third of the problem related to child obesity. Carbonated soda pop provides more added sugar in a typical 2-year-old toddler's diet than cookies, candies and ice cream combined.

Many sodas and diet soft drinks approach the pH level of battery acid in terms of corrosiveness and erosion of tooth enamel.

Besides the fact that diet soda causes dehydration, weight gain, mineral depletion, diabetes and caffeine addiction, research shows they're also responsible for an increased risk of vascular events such as stroke, heart attack, and vascular death.

Artificially sweetened soft drinks are marketed as healthier alternatives to sugar-sweetened beverages, due to their lack of calories. However, past research has shown very serious long-term health consequences due to highly toxic additives and artificial sweeteners such as sodium benzoate, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose and high-fructose corn syrup.

Men who drink just one 300ml can of soda per day are much more likely to require treatment for a serious form of cancer than those who never consumed the drink. One soda a day can raise aggressive cancer risk by 40 percent.

One study of more than 66,000 women found those who drank artificially sweetened drinks were more 60 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those who indulged in regular versions of the same beverage.

Another recent study published in the journal Respirology revealed that soft drink consumption is associated with lung and breathing disorders including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


2. Tap Water

If you're still drinking tap water, you may be hiding from a flurry of information exposing its dangers.

Only 91 contaminants are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, yet more than 60,000 chemicals are used within the United States, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates. Government and independent scientists have scrutinized thousands of those chemicals in recent decades, and identified hundreds associated with a risk of cancer and other diseases at small concentrations in drinking water, according to an analysis of government records by The New York Times.

Many readers know fluoride is a chemical waste product of the fertilizer industry that is problematic environmentally in regard to how to dispose of it. So the government and the industry figured out that putting it in our drinking water would solve the problem.

Studies have shown that fluoride can pull lead from pipes and add that to the poisonous mix coming from our taps. That might be the reason fluoride also seems to bring copper and aluminum with it as well as the lead.

Animal studies have demonstrated evidence of fluoride’s toxic effects on brain tissue. These include brain cell damage, reduced lipid content, impairment in anti-oxidant defense systems, increased aluminum uptake, and the formation of beta-amyloid plaques. These are the plaques which are indicative of Alzheimer’s Disease. Maybe this explains why many dogs seem to prefer to drink from puddles than their own tap-filled water dishes.

Depending on the country, cardiovascular disease is typically either the number one or two cause of death. A new study published in Nuclear Medicine Communications Journal has concluded that increased uptake of fluoride in arteries may be associated with an increased cardiovascular risk.

Just in case the toxicity levels of fluoride were not sufficient in the water supply, are now proposing that lithium could soon be added to drinking water.

An investigation by the Associated Press (AP) has also revealed that the drinking water of at least 41 million people in the United States is contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs.
Drinking tap water contaminated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a serious health risk. The highest measured levels of PFOA in human blood in the US, other than factory exposures, are in people who have consumed PFOA contaminated tap water.

Lead pipes once used routinely in municipal water distribution systems are a well-recognized as a source of dangerous lead contamination. Construction crews have been feverishly replacing these pipes in major cities in Canada and the U.S, but only partially using brass in conjunction with copper lines. The research shows that joining old lead pipes with new copper lines using brass fittings spurs galvanic corrosion that can dramatically increase the amount of lead released into drinking water supplies.



3. Sport Drinks

The sports drinks market keeps rising because unsuspecting consumers keep feeding into the marketing ploy. Worldwide, it's a multi-billion dollar industry sponsoring some of the biggest athletes. But in a word, it's "crap".

Gatorade is almost as corrosive as coke. Researchers at the University of Iowa's College of Dentistry found that energy drinks and sports drinks, such as Gatorade and Red Bull, eroded the enamel more than soda and fruit juices. In a 2008 study published in the journal Nutrition Research, the dentists soaked extracted human teeth in various liquids for 25 hours, and then measured the structural changes, or lesions.

"Power drinks can be quite acidic, usually because there is an addition of citric acid to those to give it tartness that is desired by some consumers," said Dr. Clark Stanford, the associate dean for research at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. " It's important to look at the label and see if citric acid has been added." Sipping on sports drinks can damage your teeth because of the high levels of acid in them, dentists have warned.

A recent study published in the May/June 2012 issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth--specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.

Some experts called for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- which treats energy drinks as dietary supplements -- to require warning labels on the hundreds of energy drinks now on the market.

Sports drinks are loaded with petrochemical artificial colors that have no purpose other than to make a visually appealing beverage. Artificial colors offer no nutritional value which support the assertion by many that sports drinks are a complete waste of money and can really harm you.

If you want a real energy drink, try the rehydrating powers of coconut water which match or even better any carbohydrate-electrolyte sports beverage.

Even bananas were found to have the same or more health benefits during heavy exercise than high-tech sports drinks.



4. Specialty Coffee
 

I know this may disappoint many coffee drinkers, but there are responsible ways to drink coffee and the other ways. If you indulge in big brand name speciality coffee from chains such as Starbucks or McDonalds, not only are you getting coffee from toxic coffee beans, but you're consuming some serious calories.

How about a Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee? Try 660 calories. Or what about a Java Chip Frappuccino Blended Coffee. That'll be 600 calories. Why would you want to add this kind of artificially liquid creamed, refined sugared, artificially sweetened coffee to your daily beverage consumption?

Recently, there has been a big push to promote the benefits of coffee. From fighting free radicals, to improving memory, diabetes, parkinsons, and even reducing cancer risk, there is plenty of studies touting the so-called miraculous health benefits of coffee. But are these claims true and non-biased or exagerrated claims with alterior motives? Some of the biggest promoters of coffee's health benefits come from the largest producers themselves such as those in Brazil.

I personally love coffee, but I will only drink bold organic varities that are grown responsibily. You won't find this kind of coffee at Starbucks or any other kind of large coffee chain. The only types of coffee beans you'll get from any major chain of specialty coffee is pesticide-laden and chemically grown.

The coffee plant is one of the most heavily sprayed crops. It's coated with chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides, nothing you'd want to be ingesting. These chemicals then leech into the ground water and make people sick in local areas where coffee is grown.

Even though many chemicals that have been found to be harmful to the environment have been banned or are strictly regulated in the U.S. or Europe, they remain legal to use in less-developed countries, including many countries that grow coffee.

Endosulfan, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, disulfoton, methyl parathion,triadimefon and cypermethrin and a few of many chemicals and pesticides used to grow coffee all over the world.

Coffee should be brewed within 4-6 weeks after roasting. The industry standard shelf life is 1 year. Over 70% of coffee importers do not follow these protocols far exceeding the time range for sales and stock.

Organic coffee is one of the choices you could resort to especially if you are searching for high quality and the best coffee blends. This is fast becoming a favorite among coffee aficionados because of its high end and awesome taste and aroma. Moreover, coffee lovers who are health conscious at the same time find this coffee choice the most remarkable one.

There are renowned coffee beans and brands for organic java which are trusted by countless coffee lovers around the world. Green Mountain: Fair Trade Organic, Sprouts Farmers Market and Tom Thumb (Safeway): O Organics European Blend are just few of the brands established in the market today.

The best way to help our migratory birds is to purchase certified Bird Friendly coffees. Rather than being grown on land that has been cleared of all other vegetation, Bird Friendly coffees are planted under a canopy of trees that provide habitat for birds. In addition to being shade grown, Bird Friendly coffees are also organic, meaning they're grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that poison the environment. See what Kenn Kaufman says about Bird Friendly Coffeeon his blog.

The Rainforest Alliance has a broad social and ecological mandate that spans many sectors including agriculture. Coffee is one of the agricultural crops targeted by Rainforest Alliance programs. The coffee certification program is aimed at ensuring that coffee workers are paid fairly, treated with respect and that the crop they tend does not contribute to soil erosion, water contamination and forest destruction: the Rainforest Alliance seal means that both social and environmental values are respected.



5. Pasteurized Milk

The United States is the world's largest producer of pasteurized cow milk, but oddly enough it is also one of the world's smallest consumers. The dairy industry thus has a vested interest in eliminating all raw milk suppliers from the market place to enforce and increase per capita consumption of pasteurized milk which is lagging behind most of the world.

Pasteurized milk is perhaps one of the most nutritionally deficient beverages misappropriately labeled as a "perfect food." Raw milk enthusiasts have known for a very long time that unpasteurized milk is the ONLY milk worthy of consumption. Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

All cow's milk (regular and 'organic') has 59 active hormones, scores of allergens, fat and cholesterol. Cow milk may also have measurable quantities of herbicides, pesticides, dioxins (up to 200 times the safe levels), up to 52 powerful antibiotics (perhaps 53, with LS-50), blood, pus, feces, bacteria and viruses.

The primary claim by the food industry: As the world's population climbs, the sustainable production and distribution of food is balanced against the need to ensure its chemical and microbiological safety. Scientists believe they must irradiate, pasteurize and sterilize all foods to keep the public safe.

And pasteurization does not always kill the bacteria for Johne’s disease suspected of causing Crohn’s disease in humans with which most confinement cows are infected. Much commercial milk is now ultra-pasteurized to get rid of heat-resistant bacteria and give it a longer shelf life. Ultra-pasteurization is a violent process that takes milk from a chilled temperature to above the boiling point in less than two seconds.

One of the possible methods of pasteurization uses propylene oxide, a highly flammable and "highly toxic" chemical used in thermobaric weapons. Foods treated with the chemical are banned in some countries, including Canada and Mexico, as well as the European Union.

A very interesting point addressed by Marco Torres is do we really need to drink any milk of any kind from another species besides our own?

I love coconut, nut and seed milks. Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, and hemp seeds all make nutrient dense, great tasting milks and they're all essentially made the same way and you can make them yourself without any sophisticated equipment.



6. Processed Fruit Juice

One of the great scams of the industrial food cartel is the so-called “fresh” orange juice sold in supermarkets.

Ever wonder why commercial orange juice--even the premium, not-from-concentrate, "100-percent pure" juice kind--tastes the same each time you buy it, but doesn't taste exactly like a freshly peeled orange?

Turns out there's a lot more to making juice than simply squeezing some citrus. As part of the mass-production process, big-name brands like Tropicana, Minute Maid, Simply Orange, and Florida's Natural add artificial flavouring in order to make sure your juice tastes consistent from carton to carton--and to make sure it tastes like oranges.

"It really rocks people's world to learn that most orange juice is not a fresh product," says Alisa Hamilton, author of "Squeezed: What You Don't Want to Know About Orange Juice"

Pasteurized, not-from-concentrate orange juice takes up a lot of storage space. In order to keep it from spoiling without adding chemical preservatives, the companies "deaerate" (or strip the oxygen out of) the juice. (Another surprise: During production, deaerated juice often sit in million-gallon tanks for as long as a year before it hits supermarket shelves.)

A shocking investigation has also revealed that some of the best known brands of apple juice contain arsenic.

American apple juice is made from apple concentrate, 60% of which is imported from China. Other countries may use pesticides that contain arsenic, a heavy metal known to cause cancer and heart disease.

Findings of a Consumer Reports investigation about arsenic and lead levels in apple juice and grape juice have prompted the organization to call for government standards to limit consumers’ exposure to these toxins.

Fruit juices of any kind are rarely 100% juice and specific additives to extend shelf life can be hazardous to your health and your family.

7. Any Artificially Sweetened Beverage

Aspartame and sucralose are still used in hundreds of artificially sweetened drinks including cocktails, milks, juices, cold coffees and sodas. If you see either of these two ingredients in any beverage, please do not consume it. They are two of the most toxic sweeteners in the world.

Monsanto, the creator of Aspartame knows all about the dangers. They fund the American Diabetics Association, the Conference of the American College of Physicians and Congress.

When aspartame is ingested into the digestive tract, it breaks down into numerous other poisons. The intact Aspartame molecule and its diketopiperazine form are vastly worse poisonings than any of the other poisonings which arise from it during digestion, and liver processing of the digestive blood, which is delivered directly to the liver via the portal vein. The other poisonings, as mentioned, are indeed horrendous but Aspartame from gum is far worse, making even the smaller amounts contained in chewing gum strikingly dangerous and damaging.

Aspartame, via ingestion into the digestive tract, is made into some ten other poisonings by the digestive processes, and then excepting that which is delivered directly to the pancreas, they are transported straight to the liver via the portal vein, where they then are very partially dealt with, and partially reprocessed. Afterwards, they are sent in somewhat lesser concentration to the entire body, lessening the amount which eventually goes to the brain.

A report from scientists at Duke University demonstrated that the artificial sweetener Splenda (sucralose) and its key component sucralose pose a threat to the people who consume the product.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 11 to 27 percent of ingested sucralose is absorbed by the human body (FDA 1998). Research published by the manufacturer of sucralose (Roberts 2000) shows that when 8 healthy male adults where given sucralose (in 1 mg/kg amounts), between 10.4% and 30.6% of the sucralose was absorbed. In addition, 1.6% to 12.2% of the sucralose accumulates in the body.

Splenda/sucralose is simply chlorinated sugar; a chlorocarbon. Common chlorocarbons include carbon tetrachloride, trichlorethelene and methylene chloride, all deadly. Chlorine is nature's Doberman attack dog, a highly excitable, ferocious atomic element employed as a biocide in bleach, disinfectants, insecticide, WWI poison gas and hydrochloric acid.

In test animals Splenda produced swollen livers, as do all chlorocarbon poisons, and also calcified the kidneys of test animals in toxicity studies. The brain and nervous system are highly subject to metabolic toxicities and solvency damages by these chemicals. Their high solvency attacks the human nervous system and many other body systems including genetics and the immune function. Thus, chlorocarbon poisoning can cause cancer, birth defects, and immune system destruction. These are well known effects of Dioxin and PCBs which are known deadly chlorocarbons.  

SOURCE