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Archive
Food Matters
Jason Simpkins - Wednesday, May 19, 2010
With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what's wrong with our malnourished bodies, it's no wonder that modern society is getting sicker.
Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide 'sickness industry' and gives people some scientifically verifiable solutions for overcoming illness naturally.
Comments
Post has no comments.The Disappearing Male
Jason Simpkins - Monday, May 03, 2010
Are males slowly disappearing from nature? This CBC documentary investigates the possible link to environmental pollution and the decline of males across a broad spectrum of species - including humans.
ATTENTION: If the video does not play when you press the play button, simply drag the cursor forward on the time line to start the video.
Comments
Post has no comments.How to Protect Against Wrinkles
Jason Simpkins - Thursday, February 18, 2010
Comments
Post has no comments.Exercise = More harm than good?
Jason Simpkins - Thursday, February 11, 2010
Comments
Post has no comments.Are you Running in the Wrong Direction?
Jason Simpkins - Saturday, October 10, 2009
This past weekend was the CIBC
Run for the Cure and thousands of women and men all across the country
ran in support for breast cancer research. This is a subject near and dear to my heart, as my aunt has been courageously fighting breast cancer for the past year and a half.
Despite my love and support for my aunt, I did not participate in the CIBC Run for the Cure this weekend and here's why...
Every year millions of dollars are raised in the quest to find the cure for cancer - in fact, hundreds of billions have been raised since "the war on cancer" was declared back in the 1970's by the Nixon administration.
And yet cancer rates have continued to rise to the point that today 1 in 3 people are now at risk for getting some form of cancer in their lifetime and after decades long research, the best that modern medicine can come up with for treatment is still the same as always: cut (surgery), burn (radiation) and poison (chemotherapy).
So where has all the money gone?
Now I'm no conspiracy theorist, but the deeper you look into the
cancer industry, the more you begin to realize that it has become just
that - an industry.
Cancer has become big business and with billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake, you can't help but wonder if perhaps not everyone with their hand in the cookie jar is hoping to find a cure.
Just think about the financial implications for the economy if scientists announced tomorrow that they had found a cure for cancer. A whole lot of people would suddenly find themselves out of work.
A closer look at a so called "non-profit" charity, the American Cancer Society (ACS), reveals that their budget is $380 million dollars and their cash reserves are approximately $1 billion dollars.
When people donate to cancer charities they assume that the majority of their money is going to cancer research, but the truth is that most of your donated dollar goes to pay overhead, generous salaries, pensions, executive benefits and travel expenses.
Most of what is left over of the ACS budget goes to basic research into profitable patented cancer drugs! As little as 16 percent of all charitable donations raised is spent on direct services like driving patients from the hospital after chemotherapy and providing pain medication.
Cancer has become big business and with billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs at stake, you can't help but wonder if perhaps not everyone with their hand in the cookie jar is hoping to find a cure.
Just think about the financial implications for the economy if scientists announced tomorrow that they had found a cure for cancer. A whole lot of people would suddenly find themselves out of work.
A closer look at a so called "non-profit" charity, the American Cancer Society (ACS), reveals that their budget is $380 million dollars and their cash reserves are approximately $1 billion dollars.
When people donate to cancer charities they assume that the majority of their money is going to cancer research, but the truth is that most of your donated dollar goes to pay overhead, generous salaries, pensions, executive benefits and travel expenses.
Most of what is left over of the ACS budget goes to basic research into profitable patented cancer drugs! As little as 16 percent of all charitable donations raised is spent on direct services like driving patients from the hospital after chemotherapy and providing pain medication.
Many pharmaceutical companies are happy to announce that their
cutting edge cancer treatment (not cure) drugs are the fastest growing
sectors of their business and cancer surgeries are a cash cow unto
themselves.
Meanwhile, government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. and Health Canada swiftly crack down on anyone attempting to treat cancer with alternative methods that are deemed unproven and potentially dangerous.
Meanwhile, government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. and Health Canada swiftly crack down on anyone attempting to treat cancer with alternative methods that are deemed unproven and potentially dangerous.
These alternatives methods may include high dose vitamin therapy,
detoxification techniques, organic raw foods, juice fasting, lymphatic
drainage massage, meditation and visualization, herbal medicine, yoga
etc.
Not only are these therapies dismissed as being useless in fighting cancer, but many of the health care providers who advocate them to their patients with cancer, have been threatened with legal action, loss of their medical license, given fines and/or imprisonment and are generally harassed and discredited.
Not only are these therapies dismissed as being useless in fighting cancer, but many of the health care providers who advocate them to their patients with cancer, have been threatened with legal action, loss of their medical license, given fines and/or imprisonment and are generally harassed and discredited.
So what are these government agencies and medical associations
afraid of? Is it because of their intimate ties to pharmaceutical
companies who have a strangle hold on the cancer industry? If they were
truly committed to finding a cure for cancer then wouldn't they be open
to investigating all potential treatments regardless if they can be
patented or not?
With so many people starting to lose faith in the conventional medical system and it's methods of using toxic drugs for symptom suppression, my guess is that they don't want the competition that alternative health care represents.
With so many people starting to lose faith in the conventional medical system and it's methods of using toxic drugs for symptom suppression, my guess is that they don't want the competition that alternative health care represents.
Which way are you running?
It also doesn't help that two of the sponsors of the Run for the Cure event actually manufacture products that contain known cancer causing ingredients!
The first company manufactures a candy product that is loaded with sugar (which suppresses the immune system and feeds cancer cells) and the other is a cosmetic company that manufactures several beauty products that contain known carcinogens, neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors such as P-Phenylenediamine, BHA, Resorcinol and Methylparaben.
Of course it's great public relations for all the companies involved, but it's also hypocrisy at its finest.
It's also a shame that the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) only spends about 10 percent on its annual budget on the prevention of cancer, which basically amounts to little more than, "Eat right and exercise". I wonder how many committees they formed to come up with that one?
Now I'm not saying that eating right and exercising are not important, but ask any honest oncologist and they will tell you that 85-90% of cancers today are due to environmental factors and not genetics as many doctors and mainstream media outlets would have you believe.
Any person with half a brain would realize that this is worth investigating further, but it's virtually dismissed as insignificant by the CCS... we need to go further.
This distortion of facts has even prompted some medical authorities to suggest that women with a history of breast cancer in their family should consider having a double mastectomy even before they've been diagnosed with cancer!
I guess you could call that a form of prevention, but my guess is that the ones making this suggestion to women are probably mostly men. I'd love to see their reaction if someone told them that since there is a history of testicular cancer in their family, that they should go ahead and get castrated "just to be safe."
I can't tell you the number times I've heard women who are diagnosed with breast cancer say, "I don't understand, why me? I eat right, I exercise regularly and I've never smoked a day in my life."
But when you take a closer look at their lifestyle, a clearer picture begins to emerge that is anything but healthy. It's not through any fault of their own, it's just that we are not being told the truth about the real causes of cancer and more importantly what you can do to prevent it.
Prevention is the best medicine
There are no guarantees in life and even if you live the absolute healthiest lifestyle possible, you still might become diagnosed with breast cancer.
But you will significantly improve your odds of never being touched by breast cancer in your lifetime by following these 21 simple guidelines:
1. Throw away all household cleaning products that contain synthetic chemicals and stick to using white vinegar and baking soda for cleaning.
2. Stop using toxic hair colouring and instead use more natural products like Henna or use nothing at all.
3. Choose natural beauty products for makeup, hairsprays, skin moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners and soaps. If you can't eat it, then don't put it on your skin!
4. Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night in a completely darkened room to maximize melatonin production.
5. Reduce your sugar intake and this includes all high glycemic carbohydrate foods.
6. Purchase organic produce to avoid pesticide contamination.
7. Only eat free range grass fed meats and avoid commercial meats and dairy that are derived from animals that were treated with hormones.
8. Maximize your vitamin D levels by getting 20-30 minutes of sun exposure daily or taking vitamin D3 supplements.
9. Getting appropriate amounts of exercise (not too little or too much) that includes both strength training and cardiovascular training.
10. Take nutritional supplements daily to ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you require - such as probiotics, multivitamins, fish oil, green drinks etc.
11. Eat enough fiber to keep your bowels regular and moving toxic matter swiftly out of your body.
12. Consider doing a liver and colon cleanse twice per year.
13. Drink plenty of fresh spring or filtered water.
14. Use glass storage containers to keep your food in the fridge or freezer.
15. Stop cooking your food in the microwave.
16. Do not drink out of plastic water bottles and instead use glass or stainless steel.
17. Get a lymphatic drainage massage as often as you can.
18. Do not wear your bras too tight and try not to wear them as often as possible.
19. If you are having a child, make sure to breast feed them as this will greatly reduce your risk of cancer.
20. Avoid synthetic hormone replacement therapy.
21. Learn to love your breasts and tell them that you love them on a daily basis. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!
How many more women have to suffer and die with this horrible disease, while the cancer authorities continue year after year, decade after decade to take our money and tell us that the cure is right around the corner? I for one have had enough!
So next fall instead of running for the cure, I propose that you get together with other women in your community and organize a "Run for the Prevention of Cancer!"
Get sponsorships from health food stores and alternative health care providers such as naturopaths and nutritionists, local farmers and green eco businesses.
You could print up brochures and posters educating women about all of the environmental causes of cancer and what they can do to prevent it in themselves and their loved ones.
The answer to cancer will never be found by throwing money at the problem... it will be found in each and everyone of us when we start taking back control of our health once and for all!
Comments
Anonymous commented on 12-Oct-2009 03:33 PM Thanks Jason,
For telling it the way it really is. Once you hear the words "you have cancer" life and trust as you know it changes forever. I can't tell you how mad it makes me to see everyone trying to make a buck off this disease. If we put our money into cleaning the air, water and supporting our local farmers, instead of "non profit organizations" that promise and won't deliver. We would be facing healthier times ahead.
Justin Smith commented on 14-Oct-2009 03:38 PM Excellent article informing people about the main issues associated with health charities. So many kind hearted people donate to large health charities without being aware of the fact that their money will in effect just go to support the agenda of big pharma. Your article also contains some excellent points about prevention of disease.
Jason Simpkins commented on 14-Oct-2009 10:40 PM Thanks for your comments!
Yes, I agree - if more of the money that was donated to cancer charities went to educating the public about prevention, I guarantee that the cancer rates would plummet.
Claudia Johnston commented on 27-Oct-2009 08:30 PM I enjoyed reading your article, way to go, and I couldn't agree with you more!!!
Jason Simpkins commented on 27-Oct-2009 11:00 PM Thanks Claudia! If anyone knows about running in the right direction, it is you.
Karen Bonsant commented on 10-Jan-2010 04:09 PM I agree with all the prior comments. I worked as a social worker with clients that were dying of breast cancer for many years. I documented each clients treatments and comments made by their medical team.
Each client received the same treatments, though the drug names were different it was basically the same. All of my clients died.
I had to complete my internship in an agency that changed the course of my life/career. This agency did not care about their clients. It was the funds from major drug companies that they needed.
I have not heard anyone or seen anyone (especially the average citizen say what this article said).
People need to wake up and learn to think on their own. Breast Cancer Awareness month is nothing but a marketing tool for AstraZeneca.
Great Article!
Jason Simpkins commented on 11-Jan-2010 01:14 PM Hi Karen,
Thank you for your comments and you're absolutely right... it's time that people learned the truth about where their money is going and who it's really helping!
Is Depression a Drug Deficiency?
Jason Simpkins - Saturday, August 08, 2009
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Use of antidepressant drugs in the United States doubled between 1996 and 2005, probably because of a mix of factors, researchers reported on Monday.About 6 percent of people were prescribed an antidepressant in 1996 -- 13 million people. This rose to more than 10 percent or 27 million people by 2005, the researchers found.
"Significant increases in antidepressant use were evident across all sociodemographic groups examined, except African Americans," Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University in New York and Steven Marcus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia wrote in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
"Not only are more U.S. residents being treated with antidepressants, but also those who are being treated are receiving more antidepressant prescriptions," they added.
More than 164 million prescriptions were written in 2008 for antidepressants, totaling $9.6 billion in U.S. sales, according to IMS Health.
Drugs that affect the brain chemical serotonin like GlaxoSmithKline's Paxil, known generically as paroxetine, and Eli Lilly and Co's Prozac, known generically as fluoxetine, are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant. But the study found the effect in all classes of the drugs.
Olfson and Marcus looked at the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys done by the U.S. Agency for Health care Research and Quality, involving more than 50,000 people in 1996 and 2005.
"During this period, individuals treated with antidepressants became more likely to also receive treatment with antipsychotic medications and less likely to undergo psychotherapy," they wrote.
Source: Reuters Health
Jason's Comments
Having suffered in the past with depression myself, I understand how disabling it can be and how it can make even the simplest of daily activities a massive struggle.
If you've never suffered from depression it can be hard to empathize with friends or loved ones who happen to be experiencing it.
The best way I can describe it is, it's like a giant vacuum sucks the life right out you and it becomes increasingly difficult to find joy or meaning in anything.
To sum it up... life becomes pointless.
Like the increasing numbers of people in the study above, I went to the doctor seeking answers out of desperation with the hopes that he knew something I didn't.
Unfortunately, the only thing he offered me was 3 minutes of his time and a prescription for an SSRI to be, "...filled out at the pharmacy downstairs."
At the time I was pretty ignorant when it came to my health, but I still left his office wondering why he only asked me how I felt and nothing about who I was.
Not once did he ask me about my diet, or what I did for a living; nor did he ask me if I drank, smoke or did drugs and he never once inquired as to the levels of stress in my life or how healthy my relationships were with others.
And yet somehow, the good doctor felt that he had gathered enough information in that 3 minutes to justify putting me on a powerful psychoactive drug, that often comes with side effects worse than the disease it's suppose to treat!
Needless to say, I decided not to fill the prescription and instead began a journey to seek out answers to my dilemma elsewhere.
Today I'm happy to report that I'm happily reporting and the mental fog and life sucking vacuum have been banished for good. It wasn't easy and it didn't happen over night, but it did eventually get better when I followed this one simple rule...
Take Responsibility for Your Own Health
Depression usually isn't caused by just one thing and it most likely won't be cured by one thing either (that holds true for drugs and natural remedies). You have to take a multi-factor approach that starts with the basics for achieving lasting health and happiness.
Through my own personal trial and error, I found the following remedies helped to lift my mood and get me back into the game of life:
1. Nutrition
Despite the over abundance of food in modern society, many people are nutritionally depleted. This is due to the consumption of processed foods, depleted soil from factory farming methods, transportation and storage issues and over cooking which serves to degrade already low levels of nutrients in all foods.
The solution is to eat more organic whole foods, naturally raised animal products (such as grass-fed beef and free range eggs) and purchase your food from local farmer's markets.
Still, this does not guarantee that you'll get all of the vitamins and minerals you need, so it's also a good idea to make organic whole-food supplements a part of your daily routine.
2. Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial for good health, as this is the time when your body repairs and rejuvenates it's trillions of cells.
Lack of sleep will lead to weakened immunity, unstable emotions, mental fog, fatigue and accelerated aging leaving you more susceptible to diseases that diminish your quality of life and hasten your demise.
Get a least 8 hours of sleep a night in a room that is completely dark, slightly cooler than body temperature, free of all electronic gadgets and if noise is a factor try using foam ear plugs.
Before going to bed try taking a hot bath with Epsom salts, read something calming, listen to relaxing music, meditate or trying a taking a natural sleep aid.
3. Movement
Getting the right amount of exercise daily can help to increase blood, oxygen and nutrient flow to every part of your body, including your brain. Feel good chemicals such as serotonin are released when exercising and this will help lift your spirits and calm your mind.
Proper exercise will also help to clear out toxins and metabolic waste through your lymphatic system, that can contribute to mental sluggishness and loss of energy.
If you don't know where to start when it comes to exercise, try to find a trainer who will give you a thorough lifestyle evaluation to determine what level of activity you require.
It is important that your plan is designed specifically for your unique situation, because exercise is like a drug in that if you give the wrong prescription, you'll get the wrong response.
For example, if you happen to suffer from a condition like fibromyalgia or you have a lot of stress in your life, then it would be best that you start with something gentle such as Hatha yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong.
4. Hydration
Most people are chronically dehydrated not only from a lack of drinking fresh water daily, but more so from an over consumption of caffeinated beverages. From coffee, tea, pop and now the increasingly popular energy drinks.
These trick people into thinking that they are getting enough water by drinking these beverages, when in fact the caffeine contained in them act as a diuretic.
It's been said that for every cup of coffee you drink, you need to drink two glasses of water to replace what you lose and in fact your brain will actually shrink when you become dehydrated.
Cutting down on caffeinated beverages is a good start and drinking 2-3 litres of fresh water daily will help to replenish water lost through sweat and urine, as well as aid in clearing out metabolic wastes that impede proper functioning of your body.
5. Digestion
While anti-depressant medications tend to focus solely on manipulating brain chemicals, not many people realize that 90% of serotonin (the feel good chemical) in the body is produce in the gut.
Often called the second brain by some forward thinking physicians, there is a definite connection between a healthy intestinal tract and happy thoughts.
Without proper digestion, the right nutrients in the right amounts will not be absorbed into your body's cells and without timely elimination of waste, the colon becomes a toxic breeding ground for all manner of pathogens.
Over time, this backed up waste can inflame the intestinal wall leading to a condition known as leaky gut, whereby toxins and undigested food particles pass through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream where they can cause an autoimmune reactions, such as inflammation of the brain.
To achieve healthy digestion, eat more raw whole foods, drink plenty of water to hydrate the colon and encourage peristalsis, consume more fiber, make sure to add abdominal strengthening exercises to your workout routine and never suppress the urge to have a bowel movement.
When necessary use digestive enzymes, eat more fermented foods like sauerkraut and cultured foods like yogurt or kefir and/or take a high quality probiotic daily.
6. Healthy Fats
The human brain evolved on high levels of essential fatty acids known as omega fatty acids found in sea foods and the brains of land based herbivores.
Of the two families of essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6), the most important for brain health are the omega 3 fats. In the past, humans had a healthier balance of omega 3 to omega 6 fats in a 1:2 or 1:1 ration when it came to their diets.
This not only fueled the growth of larger brains, but also helped to optimize hormones for fertility and healthy offspring.
Today because of greed and misinformation by the vegetable oil industry, the ratio of omega fats is alarmingly imbalanced at an average of 1:20 omega 3 to omega 6.
The result of this imbalance is increased inflammation in the body which is now being recognized as a causal factor in diseases such as arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Eliminating the use of vegetables oils by replacing them with healthier fats like extra virgin olive oil and organic grass fed butter, as well as adding more omega 3 fats in your diet by eating more fish such as wild salmon or taking fish oil supplements, will give your brain and body the right mix of fats it needs to maintain excellent health and operate at an optimum level for life.
7. Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are chemicals produce by the brain that relay and modulate signals between brain cells. They have a great influence over your thoughts and emotions and when they become imbalanced the effects can include fatigue, mental fog, depression, anxiety, insomnia, sexual dysfunction and emotional instability.
There are a number of causes for neurotransmitters to become imbalanced and this may include the following:
- Pharmaceutical and/or recreational drugs.
- Sugar and caffeine.
- Stress.
- Environmental toxins.
- Lack of sleep.
- Heavy metal exposure.
- Monosodium glutamate.
- Artificial sweeteners - e.g. Aspartame.
8. Balanced Hormones
Many individuals who suffer from depression often have hormonal imbalances that go undiagnosed by conventional medicine because blood tests are often interpreted incorrectly or the physician doesn't think it necessary to explore this area.
Issues with the thyroid (both states of hypo and hyper), the adrenals (low or high cortisol and DHEA), low testosterone and imbalanced estrogen levels all can contribute to mood and emotional disorders.
Since all of your hormones are interconnected like a spider web, if one is out of whack it will in turn effect the others to a lesser or sometimes greater degree.
Many things can effect hormone levels such as stress, poor nutrition, drugs and alcohol, heavy metals, environmental toxins and general aging; all of which need to be addressed before embarking on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy through a competent health care practitioner.
9. Heavy Metals
Many people today are being exposed to high concentrations of heavy metals whether they realize it or not. This is due to the fact that thousands of food products, household cleaning products, personal care products and industrial products contain significant amounts of metals such as aluminum and mercury.
Heavy metals settle into the body’s vital organs and tissues (such as your brain) where they disrupt their ability to function normally. They also can also block essential minerals (e.g., calcium, magnesium, zinc) that are needed for maintaining health.
Precautions must be taken to minimize your exposure to these metals and measures taken to remove them from your body if you've already been exposed (e.g. chelation therapy).
Make certain that when consuming seafood that you only source and purchase high quality selections and even then you may want to reduce your over all seafood intake weekly.
If you do wish to consume seafood, taking chlorella supplements before your meal can help to absorb and eliminate deadly mercury through your bowels, instead of into your bloodstream.
You may also want to consider having your amalgam fillings replaced by a holistic dentist knowledgeable in proper filling removal procedures.
10. Sunlight
People who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) will tell you that the dark days of winter can be crippling for them when it comes to depression.
Therapies such as the use of light lamps and light boxes can help to raise serotonin levels which elevates mood, decreases pain and helps to control your appetite.
In summer time it's a good idea to get moderate sun exposure during the afternoon for 15-30 minutes and it's important to not wear sunglasses all of the time when outdoors in order to maximize the full effect on the release of the feel good chemicals in your brain.
11. Detoxification
There are currently ten of thousands of chemicals that have been introduced to our environment since the 1950's and that number is growing yearly.
Our bodies are not designed to be able to cope with these newly created foreign substances and the consequences are being seen in the rising rates of cancers, most notably breast, prostate and colon cancer.
The main organ of detoxification in the body is the liver and in today's polluted world it is definitely working over time. In traditional Chinese medicine the liver is known as "the seat of anger" and even Shakespeare wrote of black bile causing one to be of a melancholy disposition.
This shows that there can be a profound connection between the health of one's liver and the state of their thoughts and emotions.
You can reduce the toxic load on your liver by choosing non-toxic home cleaning products, chemical free personal care products, eating organic and naturally raised foods and cleansing your liver for one week per month using the herbs milk thistle and dandelion root.
12. Get in Touch
Physical contact is essential for the proper growth and immune stimulation in infants and adults.
A study done with monkeys showed that infants separated from their Mothers early on after birth were not only lower in body weight, but when given the choice between food and being with an artificial surrogate doll, the infant choose to forgo eating and clung tightly to the doll.
Start by giving more people you know and love hugs instead of hand shakes or go to a massage therapist for a relaxing full body massage.
Getting a pet such as a dog or cat can also make you feel good when you pet them and they snuggle up to you on the couch.
Another great form of touch is making love, which can not only boost your mood but can also improve your cardiovascular health if done correctly! : )
Depression is not a deficiency of drugs and does not have to be a life sentence. By implementing the above recommendations into your daily lifestyle slowly over time, you just might find that what seems like the end of your world, is really an exciting new beginning!
Share your story in the comment box below and help others by describing therapies that have helped with your depression.
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