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Is Glyphosate Killing You?

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Is it possible that RoundUp and other glyphosate products kill only weeds? 

Commercial farmers use protective clothing when they spray the crops they sell at market for us to eat. RoundUp sold for public use contains the same chemicals including glyphosate. On the label it warns people not to spray on anything you like – it will kill it. People and pets shouldn’t come in contact with the sprayed area until it dries. The label also informs us that it shouldn’tbe sprayed where it can run off into storm drains, drainage ditches, gutters, or suface waters.

How safe can this be?

Glyphosate poisoning is an ambiguous term. Accidental or intentional ingestion/exposure of glyphosate or products containing glyphosate is rare but nearly always fatal.  According to the makers of glyphosate and products that contain glyphosate and the National Pesticide Information Center, the incidence of poisoning is low. The symptoms and effects are downplayed leading us to believe that glyphosate is fairly harmless.

Glyphosate cannot be washed off and is used on so may foods that eliminating exposure is unlikely, if possible, at all.

While some sources say that glyphosate doesn’t stay in the system very long, it may have long-lasting health effects
Glyphosate impairs the ability of the liver to detoxify the body! A toxic chemical that impairs the ability of the liver to detoxify the body of not only glyphosate but all other toxins as well.
Symptoms of glyphosate poisoning/sensitivity are nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, macrocytic anemia, and depression.
It has been linked to autism, autoimmune diseases, birth defects, cancer (breast, pancreatic, kidney, thyroid, bladder, liver, and brain cancers), cardiovascular diseases, depression, ADD/ADHD, hypothyroidism, obesity, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s, infertility and other reproductive disorders, ulcerative colitis, Celiac Disease, IBS, and other diseases and conditions of a compromised gut microbiome.

Glyphosate is found in corn, soy, sugar beets (sugar), canola, and cotton. While we don’t eat cotton, it’s used in everyday products such as clothing, sanitary napkins/tampons, coffee filters, etc. Nearly all processed foods contain these products and any animal products derived from animals that eat these products. (i.e. Livestock and some fish eat corn. Milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. may come from affected livestock.)

Reducing our exposure to glyphosate will take monumental effort in our day to day lives and extreme pressure on the government to ban the use of glyphosate and similar products.

Glyphosate Toxicity: What You Don’t Know Might Kill You!
National Pesticide Information Center: Glyphosate
15 Health Problems Linked to Glyphosate

Is There a “Magic Pill” For Weight Loss?

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Since the AMA has classified obesity as a disease, will there be a cure?

I’m sure the AMA had good intentions. Once classified as a disease, there may be more money spent on research, education and insurance coverage.
The number of overweight and obese men, women and children has been increasing steadily since the health craze began in the 80’s. Over the past several years we have seen initiatives, studies, reports, programs, task forces, agencies, guidelines, screenings, and counseling. We freely admit there is a problem, but seem unable fix it. So much money had been spent over the years to find out why people are gaining weight and how to remove the responsibility from the true causes.

Who’s responsible?
There’s no doubt that we make bad food choices and don’t exercise enough. But, there are many other causes also. Food additives, medications, genetics, and stress are contributing factors. There is no single reason for weight gain. Agricultural subsidies from the government should promote healthier foods instead of cheaper foods. Food labels should be truthful. The chemicals and additives in processed foods have side effects – we need to know what they are and what they do. We need REAL truth in advertising and junk food should not be marketed to children. Healthy food should not cost more than processed garbage masquerading as food.

Two drugs have recently been approved by the AMA as obesity drugs.
The magic pill – I think not!
Qsymia and Belviq are available by prescription as obesity drugs.

How does the FDA approve drugs you may ask?
First, a drug company creates, designs, concocts a drug and then tests it themselves. Then, the drug company sends evidence of the safety and effectiveness of the drug (that they tested themselves) to the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. A team of experts at the CDER reviews the material sent from the drug company. The CDER does not test the drugs themselves but conducts limited research.

So, how safe and effective are these drugs?

Belviq is an appetite suppressing drug that may be habit forming. It is manufactured by a Japanese pharmaeceutical company for distribution in the United States. Belviq adjusts the serotonin levels in the brain and can interact with prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal products. It is not to be used by pregnant women, women who plan to become pregnant, nursing mothers, and children under the age of 18. While results may vary, the average weight loss is approximately 12-20 lbs. in a year. The trials performed by the drug company included a modified diet and an exercise plan. The side effects can range from mild to severe. (dizziness, fatigue, constipation, headache, nausea, dry mouth, hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face-lips-tongue-throat, unusual thoughts or behavior, feelings of being outside your body, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself, agitation, fever, rapid heart rate, fast or uneven heartbeat, tremors, slow heart rate, shortness of breath, swelling in hands or feet, trouble concentrating, memory loss, hallucinations, body aches, flu symptoms, back pain, sores in mouth and throat, breast swelling in men and women, nipple discharge, erection lasting more than 4 hours, painful erection, and depression)

Qsymia works much in the same way. It contains phentermine (the less harmful drug in phen-phen) to suppress appetite and topiramate (an anticonvulsant and migraine medication) which increases the feeling of being full and makes food taste less appetizing. The average weight loss on Qsymia is 22-28 lbs. over a year. Qsymia has not been studied in combination with insulin – hmmmm. The trials of this drug also included a modified diet and exercise plan. The drug should not be taken by pregnant women as it can cause fetal harm. The side effects range from mild to severe. (paraesthesia, dizziness, dysgeusia, insomnia, constipation, dry mouth, pounding heart, fluttering in chest, blurred vision, eye pain, halos around lights, glaucoma, severe low back pain, red or pink urine, feelings of thirst, inability to urinate, heavy sweating, hot-dry skin, mood disorders, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or behavior, impaired concentration, difficult with memory-speech-language, low blood sugar which can cause headaches-hunger-weakness-sweating-confusion-jitters-irritability-dizziness-fast heart rate, low potassium levels which can cause confusion-uneven heart rate-extreme thirst-increased urination-leg discomfort, dangerously high blood pressure which can cause severe headaches-blurred vision-shortness of breath-seizures-buzzing in ears-anxiety-confusion-chest pain).

The estimated cost of each of these drugs is expected to be about $200 per month. Some insurances will cover most of the cost. The FDA is requiring 6 post-market studies including a trial to assess the long term risk of heart attack or stroke. So it seems that we are to be the guinea pigs.

Who benefits from the release of these drugs?

Pharmaceutical companies and medical institutions.

Treating obesity as a disease will drive up healthcare costs which are passed onto the people, will remove personal responsibility for our choices, will remove the responsibility of our government to subsidize healthy foods and provide parks and recreation areas, will eliminate accountability of food companies for manipulating the salt, sugar and fat content of our foods and for being untruthful in their labeling and marketing. This may also cause more people to seek medical intervention through expensive and risky treatment or surgery and may also cause more people to seek disability status.

Somehow, the classification of obesity as a disease doesn’t sound like a good idea.

8 Ways to Nail Your Resolutions!

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Are you the kind of person who makes resolutions only to give up a few days or weeks later?

The tradition of making resolutions for the New Year began with the Babylonians – which means that we have been failing at it for over 4,ooo years. It’s time to change the way we think about our resolutions.

The Top 3 Resolutions each year are to lose weight, exercise more, and eat healthy.

We have great intentions but fall short when it comes to following through.

You are worth whatever it takes and you CAN do it! So, let’s get started!

1. CHOOSE 1 GOAL – Pick the goal that’s most important to you. Don’t try to fix everything at one time. Focus all your energy and attention on one goal to limit the distractions.
2. BE REALISITC – How much time do you have to shop, cook, or exercise? Do you need help? Set a goal that can be eased into your life and give yourself a generous time-frame to achieve it. You can’t lose 80 lbs. in one month and you can’t get 6-pack abs in a week.
3. CREATE YOUR PLAN – Break your goal down into several steps. Determine how much time each step will take and choose an end date. This is how you can track your progress and stay on course.
4. MAKE A “PROS” AND “CONS” LIST – How will you benefit? What value will it add to your life? What will you do when you succeed that you can’t do now? What do you need to surrender? What more do you need to do? What will happen if you quit? This list is a work in progress and can change as you crush your goals.
5. MAKE A “WHAT IF” LIST – Have a Plan B for temptations, excuses, and wrenches thrown into your plan. What if . . . I go to restaurant, get sick, travel, etc., etc., etc. What trade off or compromise are you going to make. Decide before it happens.
6. BUDDY UP – Get a buddy to work-out with. Share recipes with your friend. Get your support team on board. Everyone can use a cheer squad.
7. CREATE A “REWARDS PROGRAM” – As you reach step of your goal, treat yourself. A massage or something else that makes you feel good. Your “rewards” should grow as you get closer to your goal with the big reward at the end.
8. DON’T QUIT – When you slip-up (and you will), get right back on track. Don’t wait until Monday or next month. Every day is a new chance to pick up where you left off. Just keep at it. It takes time to form a new habit.

Always keep in mind that YOU DESERVE THE BEST!

How to Get Healthy and Find Balance This New Year

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 Written by Guest Blogger Sheila Olson

The new year is often associated with vows of fitness and health. However, to maintain a new fitness routine, one needs to ensure we do not push ourselves too hard. Health is more than strict diets and two hours of exercise a day, after all. Need help? Follow these tips.

Eating Sensibly

There is little doubt that food plays a significant role in our weight. And we tend to watch what we eat when we are trying to slim down. Marketers know this and use many clever tricks to get us to pick foods they want us to believe are healthy. The reality is that anything in a box or adorned with colorful cartoon characters probably isn’t actually good for you. Processed foods, those which aren’t in their whole form, don’t contain any real nutritional value, and they even lead to weight gain.  

Instead of buying portion-controlled meals from the freezer, fill your cart — and your plate — with lean proteins, good fats, and vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables. It’s okay to indulge every once in a while, but make these treats a rare occasion.  

Working Out for Health and Fun

Exercise is important for overall health. Yet, so many of us either overdo or underdo it. If you’re the kind of person who feels exercise is a chore, that’s simply because you haven’t found the right activity. One trick is to stop thinking of it as exercising and start thinking of it as fun. What physical activities do you enjoy? Walking your dog? Going to the park? Swimming at the beach? If you don’t know where to start, think about joining a dance class for beginners. Just try something; if you end up not liking it, then try something else. If you find yourself going gung-ho and over-exercising, and subsequently burning out or simply engaging in obsessive habits, you need to tone down. You can alternate high-intensity days with low-intensity sessions, or just cut back what you’re doing. You need a healthy balance, after all.  

Getting the Sleep You Need

There is no getting around the fact that if you’re not sleeping well, you aren’t at optimal health. In fact, prolonged lack of sleep can lead to more than just excessive snacking or moodiness the day after. It can produce serious conditions such as hypertension, depression, diabetes, and psychotic disorders. In other words, you need to improve your sleep hygiene if it is poor. Think about what might be causing you to sleep badly. Is it discomfort? Is your mattress lumpy, stiff, or otherwise uncomfortable? You may need to replace it to sleep better. You should also be following a good sleep routine. Go to bed at the same time every night. Rise at the same time, even on weekends. Lower your stimulants in the afternoon. Relax without technology an hour before bed to help your brain unwind. Find something that works for you, and stick with it.  

Looking Past Stress

Stress is a killer — literally. It can lead to increased suffering from illness and even conditions such as coronary disease and depression. Learning to deal with the stress you experience is in your health’s best interests. Start by reminding yourself in stressful situations that you will get through them, no matter what they are. Another good way to combat stress is to counter the physical reactions we experience under duress. Slow your heart rate by taking deep breaths. Try to treat yourself gently; everyone makes mistakes, and they typically aren’t the end of the world. Don’t berate yourself when you falter. Instead, remember past successes, and tell yourself your value is not dependent on what you produce. Positive self-talk can have a marked impact on our mental well-being and, thereby, our health.

Being healthy is a goal we should aspire to. However, that doesn’t mean letting diets and exercise push us to the breaking point. It means finding balance and enjoying our lives. 

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Do You Read Food Labels When You Shop?

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Picture it: You, shopping for food in Anystore USA on Anyday of the week. You pick up a product you have been using for weeks, months, maybe even years. You put it directly into your shopping cart, confident that you have made a good choice. OR You, shopping for food in Anystore USA on Anyday of the week. You pick up a product that has a very “healthy-looking” label that screams all the great attributes of the product. You put it directly into your shopping cart, confident that you have made a good choice.

A great deal of money is spent on advertising – from the name of the company to the name of the product to the size, weight, and shape of the container. Then, the colors on the label to the pictures, and the words. All of this is designed to compel consumers to purchase their product. Grocery shopping isn’t usually the highlight of our lives. We shop on auto-pilot most of the time and rarely read the BACK of the package where there is more truth than on the front.

I don’t think that word means what you think it means!
“Natural” and “All-Natural” really don’t mean much, if anything. The FDA has no real rules to define what those words mean when describing food, ingredients, processing, or packaging.

“Light”, “Lite”, and “Healthy” are terms the FDA applies only to the fat content of a product. “Light” and “Lite” are used by some manufacturers to describe the color of a product. Foods that have a low fat content may be loaded with sugars or artificial sweeteners, such as cookies and snacks. Foods that have a high fat content may actually be healthy, such as avocado and nuts.

“Gluten-free” is an over-used buzzword. Many foods that never contained gluten are now advertised as “gluten-free”. This designation doesn’t mean that anyone with Celiac Disease is safe. The same goes for “Nut Free”, “Dairy Free”, or any other “free” related to food allergies or sensitivities. If the ingredient is not intentionally added to the product, it doesn’t have to be added to the list of ingredients. Processing plants and manufacturers are mandated to clean their equipment but there is no way to remove all the allergens. So, if a product has no mention of allergens or says “may contain”, it’s a good bet that there are allergens.

“Non-GMO”, “Organic”, etc. are words. It’s our job as the consumer to find the meaning.

Some labels announce great health benefits. “Made with real (juice, fruit, honey, etc)”, “naturally flavored”, “0% trans-fats”, “heart healthy”, “no salt”, “less sodium”, “vitamin fortified”, “no added sugar”, “excellent source of (vitamin, mineral, fiber, etc.), and so on are claims made on too many products. Credit for this amazing level of misdirection goes to the well-paid advertisers. Read the ingredients. Do the ingredients support the benefits hyped on the front of the label. Read between the lines? “Made with whole grain” may mean wheat, or corn, or rye, or barley, or oat – who knows?

Another misleading item on labels is portion size. Cereals typically show very large bowls of cereal – larger than the serving size listed on the box. Frozen meals often show an overflowing plate of food. Even though we know these are “not true to size”, we just don’t think it through.

Become an informed consumer – read and understand the labels.

     

Processed foods are not only unhealthy, they cause weight gain. There is less nutrition in processed foods, so we eat more to satisfy our nutritional needs eating far too many calories along the way. Artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners are chemicals. We wouldn’t consider buying these chemicals and adding them to our recipes. Thickening agents, preservatives, emulsifiers, etc are more chemicals. Humans were never meant to consume these substances. Manufacturers remove vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from “real” food during processing and then add them back artificially. Many of our foods are genetically modified so that pesticides, herbicides, growth enhancements, and disease and drought resistant elements are an inseparable part of the food. These chemicals and toxins damage our organs and alter our hormones causing weight gain. 

The best way to a healthy diet is to eat foods that are not processed or minimally processed and to know the country of origin. It’s a new way of shopping and eating, but your quality of life depends on it.