29 September 2010

Antibiotica Resistant Microbes Kill More People Than AIDS

Animal livestock raised under natural conditions and fed their natural food are generally healthy and do not need antibiotics or steroids. A cow raised on the grass and herbs of a natural pasture can be expected to live up to 19 years. One raised on corn and other grains in a confined feed lot factory farm will die in about 18 months, making it that far only with antibiotics and steroids and other drugs, drugs which permeate the milk or the meat consumed by the unsuspecting trusting public. Now the germs that sicken these animals in confinement have learned to become resistant to the antibiotics used to fight them and are being passed to the consumer in contaminated eggs, milk and meat. These drug resistant bugs are killing more people than AIDS does.

Deadlier than AIDS: Why is This Travesty Allowed to Continue in the U.S.?

Posted By Dr. Mercola | September 29 2010 |

Following a Lancet Infectious Diseases report of the spread of a new drug-resistant superbug spreading from south Asia, news agencies have reported "panic" over the germs' possible consequences.
Writing in the Guardian, for example, editor and columnist Sarah Boseley said:

“The era of antibiotics is coming to a close. In just a couple of generations, what once appeared to be miracle medicines have been beaten into ineffectiveness by the bacteria they were designed to knock out.”

The effectiveness of antibiotics depends on how antibiotics are used — how well drug use is managed in clinical practice and outside of it. But some 70 percent of American antibiotics — tens of millions of pounds of drugs each year — is used in animal feed.
According to Time Magazine:

“The European Union banned routine use of antibiotics in animal feed years ago because of evidence about its drug-resistance consequences for humans. Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending the same for the U.S. as well, for the same reason. But for now the practice continues.”

Sources:

Time Magazine August 16, 2010

The Lancet Infectious Diseases September 2010: 10(9);597 – 602

The Guardian August 12, 2010

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Antibiotic-resistant diseases have grown exponentially in recent years -- a direct result of the vast overuse of antibiotics in both the medical system and conventional livestock farming.
Antibiotic-resistant infections now claim more lives each year than the "modern plague" of AIDS, and cost the American health care system some $20 billion a year! According to a study published in October, 2007 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there were close to 100,000 cases of invasive MRSA infections in the United States in 2005, which lead to more than 18,600 deaths. Meanwhile, HIV/AIDS killed 17,000 people that same year...
In essence, in the war of antibiotics versus bacteria, the bacteria are clearly winning -- and this is a frightening prospect. As much as I stress that antibiotic use needs to be minimized, this is one class of drugs that I would not want to fall off the radar.
When used properly, in the correct contexts and with responsibility, antibiotics can and do save lives that are threatened by bacterial infections. But they will only remain effective if urgent changes are made to curb the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and disease … and this will only happen with a serious reduction in their use now.

A Growing Number of Dangerous Bacteria are Impervious to Antibiotics

Why are some news agencies spreading “panic” that the end of antibiotics is here?
Because they literally are becoming increasingly ineffective with each passing day.
Here is a list of various bacteria that are already resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics:

Acinetobacter: A bacteria found in soil and water that often causes infections in seriously ill hospital patients.

Anthrax: Spread by infected animals or potentially bioterrorist weapons.

Gonorrhea: A sexually transmitted disease.

Group B streptococcus: A common bacteria in newborns, the elderly and adults with other illnesses.

Klebsiella pneumonia: A bacteria that can lead to pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound and surgical site infections and meningitis.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): A superbug that can be so difficult to treat, it can easily progress from a superficial skin infection to a life-threatening infection in your bones, joints, bloodstream, heart valves, lungs, or surgical wounds.

Neisseria meningitides: One of the leading causes of bacterial meningitis in children and young adults.

Shigella: An infectious disease caused by Shigella bacteria.

Streptococcus pneumoniae: A leading cause of pneumonia, bacteremia, sinusitis, and acute otitis media (AOM).

Tuberculosis (TB): Both “multi-drug resistant” and “extensively drug-resistant” forms of TB are now being seen.

Typhoid fever: A life-threatening illness caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE): Infection with the enteroccocci bacteria that often occurs in hospitals and is resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic.

Vancomycin-Intermediate/Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA/VRSA): Various strains of staph bacteria that are resistant to vancomycin.

You can see from this list that antibiotic resistance is not isolated to a few obscure bacteria. It is a very real, and growing, problem.

What is Spurring the Rise in Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs?

Further, according to one meta-analysis, the health risk from over-use of antibiotics is also a very personal one, as opposed to simply raising the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in the general population over time.
Whenever you use an antibiotic, you're increasing your susceptibility to developing infections with resistance to that antibiotic -- and you can become the carrier of this resistant bug, and spread it to others.
Naturally, this issue needs to be addressed on a large scale by doctors and hospitals addressing their prescribing practices, but I urge you to also take personal responsibility and evaluate your own use of antibiotics, and avoid taking them -- or giving them to your children -- unless absolutely necessary.

An Even Bigger Threat may be in Your Diet

Even if you haven’t taken an antibiotic in 20 years, you could still be exposed to these drugs.
How?
In the foods you eat.
Agricultural antibiotic uses account for about 70 percent of all antibiotic use in the United States, so it's a MAJOR source of human antibiotic consumption.
Animals receiving antibiotics in their feed gain 4 percent to 5 percent more body weight than animals that do not receive antibiotics, but the price is high for you, the end consumer, because this practice also creates the perfect conditions for antibiotic resistance to flourish.
In fact, both MRSA and ESBL (enzymes produced by certain types of bacteria that render the bacteria resistant to antibiotics) are being traced back to animals raised for food production, especially pigs.
Another heavily tainted meat product you should stay away from is conventionally raised chicken.
Mounting evidence suggests the poultry industry's use of antibiotics induces antibiotic resistance among food-borne bacteria that prey on humans. One such antibiotic-resistant strain is Campylobacter, a pathogen common to chicken products.
Conventional factory farm raised chicken products are actually up to 460 times more likely to carry antibiotic-resistant strains than organic, chicken products, which are antibiotic-free.
So, please, understand that any time I discuss meat consumption, it is with the explicit understanding that I only recommend humanely raised, organically farmed livestock that have roamed free, feeding on their natural food source, without any use of the antibiotics and other growth-promoting drugs typically used in conventional farming.
Most often you will be able to find this type of healthier meat from a local farmer, farmer’s market, or CSA program.
But, the ramifications of using antibiotics in agriculture don’t end with your meat choices.
Antibiotics also filter down through the food chain in unsuspected ways. Studies have shown, for instance, that food crops like lettuce and potatoes will accumulate antibiotics from soil covered with antibiotic-containing manure.
This also has implications for those of you who are trying to avoid antibiotics by buying organic, as organic farmers are allowed to use manure from factory farms, which will invariably contain antibiotics. Your best bet is to talk to your local organic farmer and find out where he gets his manure from. Ideally, he would use manure from organically-raised livestock.

Can YOU Help Stop Antibiotic Resistance?

You can help yourself and your community by only purchasing antibiotic-free meats and other foods, and using antibiotics only when absolutely necessary. This is an important step that I urge everyone to take, even though ultimately the problem of antibiotic-resistance needs to be stemmed on a nationwide level.
Denmark, for example, stopped the widespread use of antibiotics in their pork industry 12 years ago. After they implemented the ban on antibiotics, a Danish study confirmed that it had drastically reduced antibiotic-resistant bacteria in animals and food.
The European Union also banned the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed over concerns of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the United States, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only got around to making this recommendation a couple of months ago.
The FDA has just recommended that livestock farmers no longer use antibiotics routinely for growth promotion and limit their use to disease prevention only. This would be a very positive first step … but before a final guideline is made, the FDA is awaiting comments from livestock producers, drug makers and others in the industry.
You can expect there will be a lot of kicking and screaming in vehement opposition. After all, antibiotics for livestock use are big business; remember, it constitutes about 70 percent of ALL antibiotic use in the US!
They couldn’t replace that market with human consumers even if they tried, so while I remain optimistic that one day the U.S. will ban this extremely dangerous overuse of antibiotics in agriculture, I expect it will be a long and bumpy road in the process.
For this reason, it’s up to each and every one of us to do our part to be a force for change. You take a stand against antibiotic overuse every time you avoid using an antibiotic for a minor infection, and every time you opt to buy antibiotic-free, organically raised meat.

28 September 2010

Breast Milk Works, Vaccines Don't

Research confirms what you already know: Baby's best food and immune protection comes from the breast of its mother, especially if the mother is well nourished with the right kind of diet. Of course research has also shown that vaccines are dangerous and don't work, so avoid all of them.

Babies breastfed for six months have fewer infections: research

Giving babies nothing but breastmilk for the first six months reduces the number and severity of infections they suffer, research has confirmed.

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Published: 7:45AM BST 28 Sep 2010
Comment

Babies fed nothing but breastmilk for six months have fewer and less severe infections, researchers have shown. Photo: CORBIS

Resaerch on 1,000 babies found those exclusively breastfed for six months had significantly fewer common infections than their peers who were either partially breastfed or not breastfed at all.

They had fewer respiratory infections, ear infections, and thrush, even after adjusting for other factors that could influence infection rates.

Partial breastfeeding did not exert the same protective effects, the study, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood found.
Women in Britain are recommended to breastfeed exclusively for six months to give their baby the best start in life but only a minority do.

Golden Elixir Tahini Dressing (video recipe)

You do not have to accept the phony and unhealthy salad dressings offered by the corporate food merchants

at the corporate store when it is so easy to make your own.

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27 September 2010

How to :Make Real Mayonaise- Real Easy (video recipe)

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25 September 2010

The Super Bugs Around Us

Could a cell phone be infected with a super bug? Well, it depends upon where your cell phone has been. If its been in the hospital it may be full of disease causing bugs that are reaching epidemic proportions and killing thousands. Here is a thought provoking article on the subject of emerging super bugs. Cell Phones Cause Superbug Outbreaks In Hospitals From Patricia Doyle, PhD 9-24-10

Hello Jeff - I could not help but notice #4: Cell Phones Cause Superbug Outbreaks in Hospitals. Interesting. There is a lot more on the website below but I thought the information below is very important to share. Patty From TheDailyBeast.com 1. Superbugs Spread the Most in Hospitals It's true: The hospital is one of the easiest places to get a superbug, as it presents so many potential breeding grounds. Scientific American estimates that nearly 100,000 people die each year from bugs they pick up in health-care facilities, and almost 1.7 million patients contract hospital infections annually, according to the CDC. How does this relate to superbugs? Well, they evolve by becoming resistant to antibiotics, and heavy antibiotic use in hospitals is one of the major factors in their growth. Also, think about how frequently there are open wounds in hospitals, or tubes carrying blood: All are breeding grounds for superbugs. The latest superbug, NDM-1, has a shadowy past with hospitals. British doctors said 14 of the patients found to have the virus had been hospitalized in India or Pakistan recently, mostly for cosmetic surgery. NDM-1 is also resistant to most antibiotics and can easily travel from one bacteria to another-meaning it can travel easily via other bacterial infections. 2. Superbugs Love College Campuses Ah, college. So many of those first "shared experiences" that are considered the cornerstone of American college life-communal showers, waiting to wash the sheets until returning to mom and dad's, the cafeteria's frequently-used trays, beer pong-are breeding grounds for superbugs. In 2007, nine athletes from Iona College in New York contracted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA, a staph infection commonly associated with hospitals. 3. Superbugs Can Travel in Food Since superbugs thrive in any living organism, it's only natural to assume they can be carried in food. It's just not something you really want to think about. The same things that have caused superbugs in humans-overuse of antibiotics, unclean instruments, close quarters-are key in their growth in animals. But one of the biggest problems with superbugs in animals is a lack of testing in processed food plants. Recent studies have found the superbug MRSA in retail cuts of pork, chicken, beef and other meats not only in the U.S., but in Europe and Asia as well. And earlier this year, researchers said China's excessive use of antibiotics in its farm production stood to be a major cause of superbug growth in the food chain. 4. Cell Phones Cause Superbug Outbreaks in Hospitals In 2009, researchers in Turkey found that 95 percent of doctors' and nurses' cell phones had at least one strain of bacteria, and 35 percent had two. So, OK, not all bacteria is not a superbug, right? No, but nearly one in eight of these cell phones were found to harbor MRSA, the rampant superbug found in hospitals. And cell phones can be particularly deadly; not only are they infrequently cleaned, but they are touched by hands, ears, and mouths. Science Daily recommends that everyone undergo strict infection control methods to prevent the spread of superbugs via cell phones, and remember to regularly clean your phone or think about the phone you are borrowing. 5. Gonorrhea Could Be the Next Superbug When exactly gonorrhea burst onto the scene is not known, and although it's existed for centuries, scientists say it has a fair chance of being the next superbug. The World Health Organization estimates there are 340 million new cases worldwide of all sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, every year in people among the ages of 15 to 49. What makes gonorrhea dangerous is that it has very few symptoms until the disastrous ones, such as ectopic pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease. But this is not the only factor in pushing gonorrhea toward a superbug-also there are very few new drugs available because it is not as deadly an STD as HIV/AIDS or even syphilis. As a result, doctors normally treat gonorrhea that is drug resistant by piling on more antibiotics, causing the bacteria to grow stronger and stronger. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/201 0-08-12/superbug-facts-to-know-as-ndm-1-emerges/ Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics Univ of West Indies Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message board at:http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php Also my new website: http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/ Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa Go with God and in Good Health

24 September 2010

The Return of the Flu Vaccines 2010

It may be that the phony swine flu scare of last year, conjured up by the wizards of the WHO and Big Pharma, was not just about the tens of billions of dollars to be made off the gullible scared witless public. It may have been to get into the marketplace vaccines that cause infertility as a part of a global population reduction program- otherwise known as genocide. As the pressure mounts once again and you are more and more likely to be coerced into rolling up your sleeve, think about what may really be behind the vaccines and what the ingredients are that are in them and what those ingredients will do in your body. Then remember: the vaccines don't work and vitamin D does!

Polysorbate 80 In Swine Flu Vaccines = Infertility In Humans

Would you feel comfortable being injected with a vaccine that contains a substance that has been strongly linked to infertility? Well, if you take the Fluarix swine flu vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline or any of the other swine flu vaccines that contain Polysorbate 80 that is exactly what you will be doing. If you are considering getting the swine flu vaccine, or any other vaccine for that matter, perhaps you should educate yourself about EXACTLY what is in these vaccines before you allow them to be injected into your body.
Perhaps you think that linking the swine flu vaccine with infertility is quite a stretch. Well, let's take this one step at a time.
#1) Polysorbate 80 is in the Fluarix swine flu vaccine manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline according to the CDC. This is confirmed by the CDC in the document below.....
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-2.pdf
#2) A medical study done in Slovakia injected newborn female rats with Tween 80 (Polysorbate 80). These newborn female rats were injected with Polysorbate 80 at days 4 to 7 after birth. The researchers found that Polysorbate 80 accelerated the maturation of the female rats, damaged the vagina and womb lining, caused significant hormonal changes, severe ovary deformities and ultimately rendered the young female rats infertile.
In fact, Dee Nicholson, the National Communications Director for Freedom in Canadian Health Care is not shy about saying that Polysorbate 80 is "linked to infertility in mice".

#3) In the package insert for Fluarix, GlaxoSmithKline specifically mentions that they cannot guarantee that their flu vaccine will not damage your fertility: "FLUARIX has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility." Thanks to foolishly passed laws by the U.S. government, you will not be able to sue anyone if it does leave you infertile.

#4) GlaxoSmithKline is not alone in using Polysorbate 80. It is being reported that Novartis is using the adjuvant MF59 in its swine flu vaccine. The MF59 adjuvant contains Tween80 (Polysorbate 80) and squalene among other things.
#5) On the World Intellectual Property Organization, a patent application for a "fertility impairing vaccine". The University of Georgia Research Foundation is listed as the patent applicant.
In the description section of the patent application, Tween 80 (Polysorbate 80) is listed as a preferred ingredient:
"In a preferred embodiment the vaccine comprises oil, preferably a biodegradable oil such as squalene oil, in an amount of about 2.5% to about 15%, preferably about 8% to about 12%. In preparing the vaccine it is advantageous to combine a concentrated oily adjuvant composition with an aqueous solution of the antigen, pZP glycoprotein. Typically, the vaccine is prepared using an adjuvant concentrate which contains lecithin (about 5% to about 15 % wt/vol, preferably about 12% wt/vol) and STDCM (preferably about 25 mg/mL to about 50 mg/mL) in squalene oil. The term % wt/vol means grams per 100 mL of liquid. The aqueous solution containing the isolated pZP glycoprotein is typically a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution, and additionally preferably contains Tween 80 (about 0.2% vol/vol to about 0.8% vol/vol, preferably about 0.4% vol/vol)."
#6) The United Nations is actively seeking ways to limit and control population growth around the globe. An incredibly shocking U.N. population division policy brief from March 2009 asked this very disturbing question:
What would it take to accelerate fertility decline in the least developed countries?
You can read this almost unbelievable document here:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/UNPD_policybriefs/UNPD_policy_brief1.pdf
The reality is that for the super wealthy global elite and the majority of the social engineers at the United Nations, population control is a major obsession. If you doubt this fact, just read this article:
http://signsofthelastdays.com/archives/the-radical-population-control-and-eugenics-agenda-of-the-global-elite
The truth is that the more people learn about what is in these vaccines, the less likely they are to take them. It is important to do your own research before letting anyone inject anything into your body. Those who blindly trust the government or world health authorities are likely the ones to end up being extremely disappointed in the end.

4 comments to Polysorbate 80 In Swine Flu Vaccines = Infertility In Humans

cindy
November 10th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I have been following this story since the Swine flu started in Mexico in April. The WHO declared it a pandemic level 6 prematurely, the vaccines makers started production immediately,some states even started making laws for forced vaccinations if needed in(Massachusetts). Commercials and marketing campaigns started running full force and Mainstream media pushing the safety of vaccines and the need for everyone to get vaccinated, on-site school vaccine clinics, news stories every other day… But what the WHO & CDC haven’t been telling everyone is the truth about the dangers of the vaccine or that Baxter Pharm. had sent out some tained vaccine vials last Feb. or that neurologists in Britian had fears about the vaccine causing neurological disorders, or that some of the vaccines have thimerosal, cleaning agents, adjuvants, sterilants. Lastly, there have been other vaccination programs run by the WHO & UN in other countries where young women were sterilized an unable to have children. Read this article and other articles to find out the truth and tell as many of your family, friends, and neightbors about what is really going on…
Lucy
December 9th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
I received the H1N1 shot on 11/23/09. I was 8 weeks 6 Days and my baby died that day!
I have done research and went to the health dept where my shot was administed and got the lot number. I am shocked to know the vaccine contains toxic ingredients. They are:
. MF59C.1 is an oil/water emulsion containing 9.75 mg squalene, 1.175 mg polysorbate 80 and 1.175 mg sorbitan trioleate in a citrate buffer. Quantities are expressed per 0.5 ml vaccine dose.
- Other Ingredients:
The other ingredients are: thiomersal (MERCURY) (multidose vial only), sodium chloride, potassium chloride, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium phosphate dihydrate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, calcium chloride dihydrate, sodium citrate, citric acid and water for injections.
If any of you have had adverse reactions to this vaccine PLEASE report it online at https://vaers.hhs.gov/esub/index
Also, I am trying to find someone who KNOWS what tests can be ran on my fetus at this early stage to determine EXACTLY if this vaccine contibuted to my fetus’ death. Please email me if you can help.

22 September 2010

The Pig in Your Life (video)

'People die younger in Harlem than in Bangladesh

I was a resident of Harlem when this graph was first published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1980. Nobody- including me- could figure out exactly why lifespan in Harlem was less than Bangladesh, at the time the poorest country on earth. It is clear to me now, that the reason is that Harlem like most urban core areas in America are food deserts. At that time and now, there is no real food available in Harlem, only fast food, and processed foods in corner stores and poor quality produce in a supper market that specializes in corporate food products, not food. No real food means that the people who live in that food desert will be the victim of poor health and shortened life spans. Harlem needs hoop house agriculture.

Lifespan crisis hits supersize America
Robin McKie, science editor The Observer,
19 September 2004
Bloated, blue-collar Americans - gorged on diets of fries and burgers, but denied their share of US riches - are bringing the nation's steady rise in life expectancy to a grinding halt.

Twenty years ago, the US, the richest nation on the planet, led the world's longevity league. Today, American women rank only 19th, while males can manage only 28th place, alongside men from Brunei.

These startling figures are blamed by researchers on two key factors: obesity, and inequality of health care. A man born in a poor area of Washington can have a life expectancy that is 40 years less than a woman in a prosperous neighbourhood only a few blocks away, for example.

'A look at the Americans' health reveals astonishing inequalities in our society,' state Professor Lawrence Jacobs of Minnesota University and Professor James Morone, of Brown University, Rhode Island, in the journal American Prospect .

Their paper is one of a recent swathe of studies that have uncovered a shocking truth: America, once the home of the world's best-fed, longest-lived people, is now a divided nation made up of a rich elite and a large underclass of poor, ill-fed, often obese, men and women who are dying early.

In another newly published paper, statisticians at Boston College reveal that in France, Japan and Switzerland, men and women aged 65 now live several years longer than they do in the US. Indeed, America only just scrapes above Mexico and most East European nations.

This decline is astonishing given America's wealth. Not only is it Earth's richest nation, it devotes more gross domestic product - 13 per cent - to health care than any other developed nation. Switzerland comes next with 10 per cent; Britain spends 7 per cent. As the Boston group - Alicia Munnell, Robert Hatch and James Lee - point out: 'The richer a country is, the more resources it can dedicate to education, medical and other goods and services associated with great longevity.' The result in every other developed country has been an unbroken rise in life expectancy since 1960.

But this formula no longer applies to America, where life expectancy's rise has slowed but not yet stopped, because resources are now so unevenly distributed. When the Boston College group compared men and women in America's top 10 per cent wage bracket with those in the bottom ten per cent, they found the former group earned 17 times more than the latter. In Japan, Switzerland and Norway, this ratio is only five-to-one.

Jacobs and Morone state: 'Check-ups, screenings and vaccinations save lives, improve well-being, and are shockingly uneven [in America]. Well-insured people get assigned hospital beds; the uninsured get patched up and sent back to the streets.' For poor Americans, health service provision is little better than that in third world nations. 'People die younger in Harlem than in Bangladesh,' report Jacobs and Morone.

Consumption of alcohol, tobacco and food can also have a huge impact on life expectancy. The first two factors are not involved with America's longevity crisis. Smoking and drinking are modest compared with Europe. Food consumption is a different matter, however, for the US has experienced an explosion in obesity rates in the past 20 years. As a result, 34 per cent of all women in the US are obese compared with 4 per cent in Japan. For men, the figures are 28 and 2 per cent respectively.

'US obesity rates jumped in the 1980s and 1990s, and the vast majority of the population affected by obesity had not yet reached age 65 by 2000,' state the Boston group. 'As the large baby boom cohort begins to turn 65 in coming years, a stronger connection between obesity rates and life expectancy may emerge.'

In other words, as the nation's middle-aged fatties reach retirement age, more and more will start to die out. Life expectancy in the US could then actually go into decline.

Excess Mortality in Harlem

Colin McCord, M.D., and Harold P. Freeman, M.D.

N Engl J Med 1990; 322:173-177January 18, 1990

AbstractArticleReferencesLettersAbstract

In recent decades mortality rates have declined for both white and nonwhlte Americans, but national averages obscure the extremely high mortality rates in many inner-city communities. Using data from the 1980 census and from death certificates in 1979, 1980, and 1981, we examined mortality rates in New York City's Central Harlem health district, where 96 percent of the inhabitants are black and 41 percent live below the poverty line.

SMRs) for deaths under the age of 65 in Harlem were 2.91 for male residents and 2.70 for female residents. The highest ratios were for women 25 to 34 years old (SMR, 6.13) and men 35 to 44 years old (SMR, 5.98). The chief causes of this excess mortality were cardiovascular disease (23.5 percent of the excess deaths; SMR, 2.23), cirrhosis (17.9 percent; SMR, 10.5), homicide (14.9 percent; SMR, 14.2), and neoplasms (12.6 percent; SMR, 1.77). Survival analysis showed that black men in Harlem were less likely to reach the age of 65 than men in Bangladesh. Of the 353 health areas in New York, 54 (with a total population of 650,000) had mortality rates for persons under 65 years old that were at least twice the expected rate. All but one of these areas of high mortality were predominantly black or Hispanic.

We conclude that Harlem and probably other inner-city areas with largely black populations have extremely high mortality rates that justify special consideration analogous to that given to natural-disaster areas. (N Engl J Med 1990;322:173–7.)

Read the Full Article...

Source Information

From the Departments of Surgery, Columbia University and Harlem Hospital, New York. Address reprint requests to Dr. McCord at the

21 September 2010

Nutrition and Criminal Behavior (video)

The video 'Nutrition and Behavior' by Dr Russell Blaylock, clearly showed the relationship between nutrition and behavior, and lightly touched on the issue of crime. Here is more on that very important aspect of life in modern America. A population mis-fed becomes criminal. That's why the food deserts of America are also the high crime areas.

20 September 2010

The Ancient Egyptians Invented Antibiotics

Among all the other things, it looks like the ancient Egyptian people invented antibiotics, along with their cousins the Nubians. They fermented a kind of thick pasty porridge that they called 'beer' which was highly nutritious and non-intoxicating that had naturally high levels of the antibiotic tetracycline. They used it as a food to cure illnesses. What's the recipe?

The Medicinal Beer of Ancient Egypt

As Christianity possesses its sacramental wine, so too does the Egyptian religion largely focus on a sacred beverage, beer. Numerous verses in the ancient Egyptian scriptures such as the Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts and Book of the Dead discuss the holy sacrament of beer, in the context of the deceased transitioning to the divine afterlife. For example, in the Pyramid Texts - the oldest of Egyptian religious writings, dating to c. 2350 BCE - there are over 40 references to beer, such as (210):

"What people receive when they have been buried, their thousand of bread and their thousand of beer, is from the offering table of Foremost of Westerners."

"Westerners" are the deceased themselves, who are said to have passed on with the sunset, in the west.

In the Coffin Texts (late 3rd millennium BCE), we find reference to a "beer god," so important was beer to the ancient Egyptians. His equivalent in Greek mythology was evidently Dionysus, a "god of cereals" as well as of the vine. Indeed, according to one myth, Dionysus is the son of Persephone, which makes him also the grandson of Demeter, goddess of the earth and grain. Another deity associated with beer in Egypt was the goddess Hathor, who along with the "offficial goddess of beer," Tjenenet, shared this characteristic with her Sumerian counterpart Ninkasi. It is interesting to note that the Sumerian word for beer is "ka," while "ka" in the Egyptian religion refers to the "force of conscious life."

Beer as staple

While it is tempting to assume that the obsession with beer in the ancient Egyptian funerary literature - which reflected the abundant use of the beverage in Egyptian daily life on Earth - has to do with intoxication in the face of unhappiness and death, there might actually be a very practical reason for some of this passion. In religion and mythology studies, it is often supposed that much religion is founded upon irrational beliefs without any basis in reality; however, when one studies religious and mythological concepts dating back thousands of years, there is frequently a very logical and rational reason for perceiving these ideas. For example, in delving back through religious history, we encounter many concepts rooted in science, such as those revolving around nature worship and what is called "astrotheology," which deals with the celestial bodies, i.e., the sun, moon, planets, earth, stars and constellations.

In this regard, a modern discovery seems to confirm that, for Egyptians, the word "beer" meant much more than the frothy intoxicant we envision and enjoy today. Instead of being a nice light lager, pilsner or even a more substantial porter or stout, "beer" in ancient Egypt evidently referred in some areas to a thicker and relatively non-intoxicating "sour porridge." This thick porridge or "bread beer" would therefore possess more nutrition than the average beer as we know it.

The manufacture of this beer-bread is related in mythology to have been taught by the Egyptian equivalent of Dionysus, the god Osiris:

According to legend, Osiris taught ancient Egyptians the art of brewing beer, [which] was traditionally but not exclusively a female activity through which women could earn a little extra money (or bartered goods) for themselves and their families. The main ingredient in the beer was bread made from a rich yeasty dough possibly including malt. The bread was lightly baked and crumbled into small pieces before being strained through a sieve with water. Flavour was added in the form of dates and the mixture was fermented in a large vat and then stored in large jars.

Moreover, in the discovery in Southern Egypt/Nubia that has stunned scholars and scientists, some of this ancient African beer-porridge apparently was loaded with the broad-spectrum antibiotic tetracycline, a fact that may explain in significant part its reverence in the ancient texts, which are focused on the afterlife, preservation and resurrection. Says Wynne Parry of LiveScience:

The ancient Egyptian practice of brewing beer, documented through archeology and ancient art, is believed to have been a long-standing practice in the region at the time. Brewing beer using fermentation mixtures containing Streptomyces, which excrete tetracycline, appeared to be the only way these people could have produced the quantity of the antibiotic necessary to explain the fluorescent [tetracycline] signal [found in their bones]. So they likely intentionally added the bacteria to their fermenting brews.

It may well be that the ancient Egyptians and Nubians observed the astonishing effects of the tetracycline-loaded beer on people with bacterial illnesses and decided that this beverage/food must be one of the gods' great gifts to humanity. Indeed, we know that beer was valued throughout the Middle East as a medicine and sacred substance, as related by Michael M. Homan, in "Did the Ancient Israelites Drink Beer?":

Nobody disputes the importance of beer in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, where it was the national drink. Beer was used to pay laborers and the fathers of brides. It was used medicinally for stomach ailments, coughs, constipation; one ancient Egyptian prescription calls for a beer enema. Hammurabi's Law Code regulates the price and strength of beer. Many ancient temples had their own brewers. One text from Mari indicates the possible use of beer to induce a prophetic state.

In addition to the relatively non-intoxicating beverage being discussed here, it appears that there were other stronger brews, as the word for "beer" in these lands often came to be equivalent to "drunkenness," as further related by Homan.

Ancient African Cocktail: Beer and a Shot of Antibiotic

About 1,500 years before the modern world discovered the antibiotic tetracycline, North Africans were fermenting and consuming it, probably for most of their lives, according to a chemical analysis of the bones of people who lived along the Nile.

The ancient human remains were recovered near the Sudanese-Egyptian border, where species of tetracycline-producing bacteria inhabit the soil. This region, in Northeastern Africa, was once known as Nubia. Much of it is was flooded when the Nile River was dammed.

The practice of brewing beer was widespread in the region, including in Ancient Egypt to the north, and the researchers think the Nubians fermented Streptomyces or related species with their grain to brew a thick, sour beer spiked with tetracycline. And everyone, from about 2 years old and up, consumed it.

The researchers suspect the Nubians added the bacteria knowing its benefits, though they likely didn't realize the compounds were antibiotics.

"It wasn't a one-time event, because it was all throughout their bones," said Mark Nelson, senior director of chemistry at Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and an expert in tetracyclines. He performed the chemical analysis on bones from several individuals, which revealed significant amounts of tetracycline....

17 September 2010

Changing the Name to Hide the Guilty

A rose by any name would smell just as sweet... and high fructose corn syrup by any name is just as deadly... Be aware of the intention to change the dirty name of HFCS to hide their food crimes against humanity.

CRA petitions FDA for high fructose corn syrup name change

By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 14-Sep-2010

The Corn Refiners Association has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking it to allow the term ‘corn sugar’ as an alternative label declaration for high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

HFCS has suffered from a spate of bad publicity in recent years, and food and beverage manufacturers have been increasingly switching it out of their products in preference for beet or cane sugar (sucrose).
The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) has said that the reason it filed a petition with the FDA was to be clear with consumers about what HFCS is: A sugar made from corn. The CRA – a trade association that represents the corn refining industry in the United States – has repeatedly stressed that HFCS is not high in fructose, even though that is what the name may suggest. In fact it contains proportions of fructose and glucose that are similar to sucrose.
President of the Corn Refiners Association Audrae Erickson told FoodNavigator-USA.com: “The words ‘high fructose corn syrup’ have caused confusion…This is all about consumer clarity on the ingredient label.”
She said that in much the same way that there is beet sugar and cane sugar, sugar from corn should be called ‘corn sugar’ in order to give it a name that is easily understood.

It is expected to take up to two years for the FDA to come to a decision on whether to approve the renaming.
The American Dietetic Association has also found that HFCS is "nutritionally equivalent to sucrose”, and that it is metabolized by the body in the same way as sucrose.
Erickson said: “We hope that the FDA will act positively on our petition in the interest of consumer clarity."
This is not the first time that a name change has been sought for an ingredient that has been declining in popularity in an effort to simplify its image with consumers.
In November last year, Ajinomoto rebranded its aspartame ingredient ‘AminoSweet’, saying the time was right to “remind people that aspartame is made from two amino acids and brings absolutely nothing new to the diet, just sweetness without the calories”.

Contact the editor

Rense and Celente: We Are What We Eat (video)

16 September 2010

Nutrition and Behavior (video and commentary)

The problem with people is their behavior. If they acted better we would like them better. The real problem isn't the behavior itself, the problem is what is controlling behavior and that is nutrition. The brain is most easily influenced by the nutritional status of a person and of course the brain controls behavior. Good nutrition means good behavior, bad nutrition equals bad behavior. The devil knew that, that's why he got Adam to eat wrong, so he would act wrong. Want right actions? Eat right. This is a very informative video. Enjoy it.

Nutrition and Behavior
Dr Russell Blaylock – Nutrition and Behavior

Tags: ADHD, Alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, Anti-depressants, Aspartame, Crime, Criminal Behavior, Depression, Diabetes, dopamine, Dr Russell Blaylock, Free Radicals, Health, Health Food, Hyperactive, Hyperactivity, Hypoglycemia, Hypoglycemic, Junk Food, Lou Gehrig's Disease, Metabolism, MSG, Neurotransmitters, Nutrition, Obesity, Parkinson's Disease, Russell Blaylock, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic, Serotonine, SSRI, Sugar Rush, Suicide, Suididal Thoughts

This blog offers background and supportive material to the topics raised in the video above. References are normally either put in place or added as footnotes, in case of controversy, I’ve added references in place as well as a footnote. The sources of the pictures not extracted from Blaylock’s lecture are accessible by clicking. All references present in this blog were added by me that were not explicitly supplied with the Blaylock video. My own occasional commentary will be given between square brackets, [like so].

Nutrition and Genes

Nutrition controls what genes are operative or not. Mothers help determine the character of the life of children already in the womb, depending on the quality of the food this can go either in a good direction or bad direction.[1][2]

Nutrition as fuel for the brain

The nervous system is the most metabolically active organ in the body. It’s metabolism never ceases.

Because of its high metabolism, the brain produces a lot of free radicals and lipid peroxidation generation. Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer, Parkinson, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, etc…) are characterized by high free radical generation, high lipid peroxidation.

The brain consumes 20% of all oxygen in the blood, 25% of all the glucose in the blood while being only 2% of the body weight. [this article even claims 60%]

Every component of the brain is constantly being replaced. Some lipids are replaced weekly.

Nutrition and behavior

1910 – George M Gould, MD, first mentioned connection between diet and behavior.

1935 – recognized that hypoglycemia could imitate anxiety neurosis, hysteria, neurasthenia, and even psychosis.

1973 – Dr Wendel and Beeb found 74% incidence of hypoglycemia with anxiety associated with schizophrenia.[3]

Hyperactivity-Behavior Connection

60% of members of families with hyperactive children have diabetes, obesity or alcoholism…. all sugar consumption problems.

75% of prisoners were hyperactive as children [both sources give numbers of 50% though]

How excessive sugar consumption triggers hyperactivity [4]:

Crime and Nutrition

Probation Violations: 56% while on a bad diet (junk food, lots of sugar); 8% while on a healthy diet

In particular, probation violation by using narcotics. 47% while on a bad diet; 13% on healthy diet

Dramatic reduction in suicides with improved diet

Alabama Prison systems, change of diet:

42% reduction in criminal events

61% reduction in antisocial behavior at one year

Case of Raymond who attempted murder of girlfriend

Age 4 -spells of weakness so mother gives him a bit of sugar

Age 13 – radical mood swings, his grades begin to fail

Age 23 – attempts murder

Diet: junk foods, donuts, pastries, candy and coffee

After diet change – no further criminal activity

Study of prison systems in 5 states

Adult felons had deficiencies of Mg, Zn, folate or B6

Violent offenders had 5 – 9 deficiencies in all 5 states. “The more violent the more deficient.”

Oklahoma Children’s Center

Change of diet resulted in 43% reduction in serious crime. Elimination of high fat and sucrose in diet.

Brain Wave abnormalities (EEG) in felons

Went from 14 to 2 abnormalities in those with serious offenses through supplementation

In one child went from 6 to 0 abnormalities by giving a vitamin

Even marginal deficiencies could cause criminal behavior to surface.

Selenium and Behavior

Deficiencies cause depression and confusion [preconceptual care]

High selenium supplementation (227 ug/d) saw significant improvement in mood.

Major role in brain function

Sugar Consumption and Behavior

1900 Americans consumed 4 pounds of sugar a year

Now 129 pounds a year, 2500% increase [actually in 1999 it was already at 159 pounds a year]

57% of this comes from processed foods

Leading source is fruit juices and sodas (43%)

Since 1974 consumption of sodas has doubled

Teenagers are drinking an equivalent of 54 teaspoons of sugar a day (nutritionists say not more than 10 teaspoons a day)

Adults age 40-59 increased intake of soft drinks 250% between 1972 and 2001

Over age 60+ increased 300%

Sugar makes the body age faster. People with a high calorie diet have more Altheimer’s disease than normal people.

Estimated that 50% of people have reactive hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia and Aggression

Strong connection between alcohol abuse, hypoglycemia and criminal behavior

97% of alcoholics are hypoglycemic vs 18% of controls are hypoglycemic

When hypoglycemia is treated:

71% attain sobriety

25% for Alcoholics Anonymous

Associated with aggression, especially those with temporal lobe dysfunction.

Indians of Peru – 55% hypoglycemia and aggression very high

Aspartame and MSG both stimulate insulin release from the pancreas and induce hypoglycemia and thus stimulates actual weight-gain.

MSG induces intense rage with micro-injections into the hypothalamus

In presence of hypoglycemia, MSG induced excito-toxicity is greatly magnified

Several amino-acids can make you hypoglycemic: taurine, glutamine, isoleucine, leucine… the latter kind kills babies (sudden death) and it can kill adults

Research

Virkkunen 1983 Study of violent offenders in prison

In impulsive violent offenders, blood sugar fell suddenly and rose quickly after a glucose challenge

Antisocial offender had a fall in blood sugar that was slow to rise

Ron Prinz University of Florida 1980

First to study effects of sugar in children

Children ate 40% of calories as sugar

The highest consumers of sugar (top 25%) demonstrated significantly poorer measures on attentiveness (hyperactive)

Jane Goldman at the University of Connecticut 1986

Giving sugar equal to one coke; decline in mental performance by 30 minutes and highly significant at 1 hour (2x as many mistakes)

Harmful effect subsided at 1.5 hours

Judith Wurtman found a strong correlation between sugar intake, behavior and brain serotonin levels

Can create killer mice by lowering brain serotonin

Dr Ralph Bolton studied the Quolla Indians in Andes of Peru, known to be very aggressive. Found that:

55% of male population were hypoglycemic

Main diet was mostly potatoes (a very powerful hyoglycemic)

Docile males had a normal blood sugar

Egger and Carter (1985) studied 76 hyperactive children who were placed on a low carbohydrate diet, which also eliminated food dyes

82% of the children improved on diet and 28% returned to normal

Highest reaction:

Yellow dye #5 (tartrazine)

Sodium benzoate

Most common reactive foods:

Soybeans 73%

Cow’s milk 64%

Chocolate 59%

College Male study Benton 1982

Screened for psychiatric history, drug use and medical conditions

Given questionnaire on aggressive behavior, hostility, anger and aggressive acts

Strong relationship between aggressive answers and hypoglycemia

Nutrients and Behavior: Amino Acids

Tryptophan (precursor to neurotransmitter serotonin)

Low tryptophan intake leads to depression, aggressive behavior and suicide

Corn is very low in tryptophan (corn flakes, cornstarch, corn flour etc…)

Tyrosine (precursor to epinephrine, norepinephrine (attention) and dopamine (motivation))

Low levels associated with depression and sensitivity to stress

Nutrients and Behavior: Vitamins

Niacin (vitamin B3)

Forms nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)

Pellegra-psychiatric symptoms common; 4 D’s: diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia and death

Subclinical deficiency described in 1938 – very common

Niacin-responsive schizophrenia [Counter-indication]

Vitamin C,D,E,K,A,B and carotenoids

All associated with behavioral manifestations when deficient, either in combination or alone

B1 deficiency: Beri-Beri

Insomnia, depression, memory failure, chronic fatigue and personality change

National Nutritional Survey of Adolescents

60% deficient in iron

57% in vitamin A

43% in vitamin C

39% in B1

30% in protein

16% in riboflavin

Research in Children

Study of 1.1 million NY Public school children found a daily multivitamin significantly increased CAT scores when sugar was also removed from diet

In the first three bars no dietary changes were implemented. In the first yellow bar, sugar was removed and some of the food dyes. The next bar, some more food dyes were removed. The next year no dietary changes were effected and the last year even more food additives were removed. The CAT scores improved dramatically with the removal of sugar and food additives.

Research in Adults

Tucker et al 1990, found that deficiencies in thiamin and riboflavin impaired neuropsychological performance and altered EEG patterns in a significant number of adults

Study of 260 adults age 60+ found association with status of vitamin C, riboflavin, B12, folic acid and concept learning

Carotene showed a stronger correlation than vitamin A

Brain Allergies

Food allergies associated with neurological effects

Immune factors interact with the brain

Food-triggered immune reactions: Lethargy, stupor, disorientation, paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, agitation, rage, panic attacks, criminal behavior and even seizures

Schizophrenia:

88% allergic to wheat

60% to milk

50% to corn

100% to gliadin or gluten

put on a gluten free diet almost all schizophreniacs returned to normal

Food allergies often result in craving for the food causing the allergy

Food allergies and hypoglycemia are linked (adrenal effect) [5]

Leading foods for allergy

Milk (juvenile offenders drank more milk)

Wheat

Corn

Coffee

Eggs

Potato

Peanuts

Soy

Research Showing a Connection Between Nutritional Status and Brain Function

Animals fed lard (animal fat) had impaired spatial learning, temporal memory

Newer studies found impaired ability to learn and remember with saturated animal fats

Omega-3 fats improved depression, memory retention and thinking (brain uses much omega-3 fats for its membrane)

Animal fat absorb pesticides, industrial chemicals and herbicides

DHA and arachidonic acid (omega 3 fats) in baby formulas to improve infant brain quality

Low level of DHA in neurons correlated with violent behavior

MSG injected into hypothalamus or amygdala could produce rage

Lead is known to significantly increase violent behavior, suicide and juvenile delinquency

“N-3″ and “N-6″ stand for Omega-6 fatty acids (bad) and Omega-3 fatty acids (good), respectively.

References and Further Reading:

Symposium Introduction: Nutrition and Gene Regulation

Gene-nutrient interactions during fetal development

W. Wendel and W. Beebe, ‘Glycolytic activity in schizophrenia’, In Orthomol Psychiatry, treatment of schizophrenia, Eds. Hawkins D & Pauling L. (1973)

There seems to be some controversy on this topic. Read a scope of literature available on the Internet through Google, here.

Hypoglycemia

08 September 2010

The Science of the Navy Bean

The navy bean was pointed out to us by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad as a wonderful healthy food for us to eat that, along with pure milk and high quality whole wheat, would allow us to live a long healthy life. From personal experience I know he is right- now science is bearing him witness as well.

Navy bean

The navy bean got its current popular name because it was a staple food of the United States Navy in the early 20th century. These small white beans are perfect for making baked beans. Dry navy beans are available year-round in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Canned navy beans are also available year round at local markets.

Navy beans are small, pea-sized beans that are creamy white in color. They are mild-flavored beans that are dense and smooth. Like other common beans, navy beans are one of 13,000 species of the family of legumes, or plants that produce edible pods. Combined with whole grains such as rice, navy beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Navy beans provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Navy beans can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Navy beans, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Navy beans are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, navy beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, navy beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. But this is far from all navy beans have to offer. Navy beans are a very good source of folate and manganese and a good source of protein and vitamin B1 as well as the minerals phosphorus, copper, magnesium and iron.

A Fiber All Star

Check a chart of the fiber content in foods and you'll see legumes leading the pack. Navy beans, like other beans, are rich in dietary fiber. A cup of cooked navy beans provides 46.6% of the recommended daily intake for fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that combines with bile (which contains cholesterol) and ferries it out of the body. Research studies have shown that insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk and prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

Lower Your Heart Attack Risk

In a study that examined food intake patterns and risk of death from coronary heart disease, researchers followed more than 16,000 middle-aged men in the U.S., Finland, The Netherlands, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Greece and Japan for 25 years. Typical food patterns were: higher consumption of dairy products in Northern Europe; higher consumption of meat in the U.S.; higher consumption of vegetables, legumes, fish, and wine in Southern Europe; and higher consumption of cereals, soy products, and fish in Japan. When researchers analyzed this data in relation to the risk of death from heart disease, they found that higher legume consumption was associated with a whopping 82% reduction in heart attack risk!

Navy beans' contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these beans supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Elevated blood levels of homocysteine are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20-40% of patients with heart disease. It has been estimated that consumption of 100% of the daily value (DV) of folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered by Americans each year by 10%. Just one cup of cooked navy beans provides 63.7% of the recommended daily intake for folate.

Navy beans' good supply of magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker. When there is enough magnesium around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart. Want to literally keep your heart happy? Eat navy beans--a one cup serving provides over one-quarter 26.8%) of your daily needs for magnesium. Potassium, an important electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart, is another mineral that is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Navy beans are ready to promote your cardiovascular health by being a good source of this mineral, too. A one cup serving of navy beans provides 669.8 mg of potassium and only 1.82 mg of sodium, making these beans an especially good choice to protect against high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.

Navy Beans Give You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar

In addition to its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the heart, the dietary fiber found in navy beans helps stabilize blood sugar levels. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, navy beans can really help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fiber diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits provided by these high fiber foods. Researchers compared two groups of people with type 2 diabetes who were fed different amounts of high fiber foods. One group ate the standard American Diabetic diet, which contained 24 grams of fiber/day, while the other group ate a diet containing 50 grams of fiber/day. Those who ate the diet higher in fiber had lower levels of both plasma glucose (blood sugar) and insulin (the hormone that helps blood sugar get into cells). The high fiber group also reduced their total cholesterol by nearly 7%, their triglyceride levels by 10.2% and their VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein--the most dangerous form of cholesterol) levels by 12.5%.

Iron for Energy

In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, navy beans can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with navy beans is a good idea--especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, navy beans are low in calories and virtually fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And remember: If you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron. A one cup serving of navy beans provides 25.1% of the daily recommended intake for iron.

Copper & Manganese-More Help with Energy Production Plus Antioxidant Defenses

Navy beans are a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, trace minerals that are essential cofactors of a key oxidative enzyme called superoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells).

Copper is also necessary for the activity of lysyl oxidase, an enzyme involved in cross-linking collagen and elastin, both of which provide the ground substance and flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints.

As explained above, iron is primarily used as part of hemoglobin, the molecule responsible for transporting and releasing oxygen throughout the body. But hemoglobin synthesis also relies on copper. Without copper, iron cannot be properly utilized in red blood cells. Fortunately, Mother Nature supplies both minerals in navy beans. Just one cup of navy beans supplies 50.5% of the DV for manganese, 27.0% of the DV for copper, and 25.1% of the DV for iron.

Maintain Your Memory with Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

Thiamin participates in enzymatic reactions central to energy production and is also critical for brain cell/cognitive function. This is because thiamin is needed for the synthesis of acetylcholine, the important neurotransmitter essential for memory and whose lack has been found to be a significant contributing factor in age-related impairment in mental function (senility) and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is clinically characterized by a decrease in acetylcholine levels. Don't forget to make navy beans a staple in your healthy diet: a one cup serving of navy beans provides 24.7% of the daily value for thiamin.

Protein Power Plus

If you're wondering how to replace red meat in your menus, become a fan of navy beans. These hearty beans are a good source of protein, and when combined with a whole grain such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice, provide protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fat found in these foods. And, when you get your protein from navy beans, you also get the blood sugar stabilizing and heart health benefits of the soluble fiber provided by these versatile legumes. A cup of navy beans provides 15.8 grams of protein--that's 31.7% of the daily value for protein.

Description

Navy beans are small, pea-sized beans that are creamy white in color. They are a mild-flavored bean that is dense and creamy.

History

Navy beans and other beans, such as pinto beans and black beans, are all known scientifically as Phaseolus vulgaris. They are referred to as "common beans" probably because they all derived from a common bean ancestor that originated in Peru.

From there, beans were spread throughout South and Central America by migrating Indian trades. Beans were introduced into Europe in the 15th century by Spanish explorers returning from their voyages to the New World. Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought them to Africa and Asia.

As beans are a very inexpensive form of good protein, they have become popular in many cultures throughout the world. The navy bean got its current popular name because it was a staple food of the United States Navy in the early 20th century. Today, the largest commercial producers of dried common beans, including the navy bean, are India, China, Indonesia, Brazil and the United States.

How to Select and Store

Dried navy beans are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Just as with any other food that you may purchase in the bulk section, make sure that the bins are covered and that the store has a good product turnover rate to ensure maximal freshness.

Whether purchasing navy beans in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure there is no evidence of moisture or insect damage and that beans are whole and not cracked.

Canned navy beans can be found in most markets. Unlike canned vegetables, which have lost much of their nutritional value, there is little difference in the nutritional value of canned navy beans and those you cook yourself. Canning lowers vegetables' nutritional value since they are best lightly cooked for a short period of time, while their canning process requires a long cooking time at high temperatures. On the other hand, beans require a long time to cook whether they are canned or you cook them yourself. Therefore, if enjoying canned beans is more convenient for you, by all means go ahead and enjoy them. We would suggest looking for those that do not contain extra salt or additives. (One concern about canned foods is the potential for the can to include a liner made from bisphenol A/BPA. To learn more about reducing your exposure to this compound, please read our write-up on the subject).

Store dried navy beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place where they will keep for up to 12 months. Cooked navy beans will keep fresh in the refrigerator for about three days if placed in a covered container.

How to Enjoy

Tips for Preparing Navy Beans:

Before washing navy beans, spread them out on a dark colored plate or cooking surface to check for and remove stones, debris or damaged beans. Then place the beans in a strainer, rinsing them thoroughly under cool running water.

To shorten cooking time and make them easier to digest, navy beans should be presoaked. There are two basic methods for presoaking (presoaking has been found to reduce the raffinose-type oligosaccharides, sugars associated with causing flatulence.) For each, start by placing the beans in a saucepan with two to three cups of water per cup of beans.

The first method is to boil the beans for two minutes, take the pan off the heat, cover and allow to stand for two hours. The alternative method is to simply soak the beans in water for eight hours or overnight, placing the pan in the refrigerator so that the beans will not ferment. Before cooking the beans, drain the soaking liquid and rinse beans with clean water.

To cook the beans, you can either cook them on the stovetop or use a pressure cooker. For the stovetop method, add three cups of fresh water or broth for each cup of dried beans. The liquid should be about one to two inches above the top of the beans.

Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, partially covering the pot. If any foam develops, simply skim it off during the simmering process. Navy beans generally take about one to one and one-half hours to become tender using this method.

Navy beans can also be cooked in a pressure cooker where they take about one-half hour to prepare. Regardless of cooking method, do not add any seasonings that are salty or acidic until after the beans have been cooked, since adding them earlier will make the beans tough and greatly increase the cooking time.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Make a delicious sandwich spread by blending cooked navy beans in a food processor with olive or flax oil and your favorite herbs and spices.

Add a protein punch to tomato soup by serving it with some pre-cooked navy beans mixed throughout.

Mix cooked navy beans with olive oil, sage and garlic and serve on bruschetta.

Combine navy beans with cooked roasted buckwheat and healthy sautéed onions and shiitake mushrooms for a hearty main dish.

se navy beans to make delicious and nutritious white chili.

Add cooked and cooled navy beans to a salad of leeks and chard and top with a rosemary vinaigrette.

Individual Concerns

Navy Beans and Purines

Purines are naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called "gout" and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. Yet, recent research has suggested that purines from meat and fish increase risk of gout, while purines from plant foods fail to change the risk. For more on this subject, please see "What are purines and in which foods are they found?"

Nutritional Profile

Navy beans are a very good source of both folate and manganese. They are also a good source of many minerals including phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and copper. In addition, navy beans are a good source of dietary fiber, protein and vitamin B1.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Navy beans.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Navy beans is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system.

Navy beans, cooked

1.00 cup

182.00 grams

258.44 calories

Nutrient Amount DV

(%) Nutrient Density

World's Healthiest Foods Rating

folate 254.62 mcg 63.7 4.4 very good

tryptophan 0.19 g 59.4 4.1 very good

manganese 1.01 mg 50.5 3.5 very good

dietary fiber 11.65 g 46.6 3.2 good

protein 15.83 g 31.7 2.2 good

phosphorus 285.74 mg 28.6 2.0 good

copper 0.54 mg 27.0 1.9 good

magnesium 107.38 mg 26.8 1.9 good

iron 4.51 mg 25.1 1.7 good

vitamin B1 (thiamin) 0.37 mg 24.7 1.7 good

World's Healthiest

Foods Rating Rule

excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%

very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%

good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Navy beans

References

Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.

McIntosh M, Miller C. A diet containing food rich in soluble and insoluble fiber improves glycemic control and reduces hyperlipidemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutr Rev 2001 Feb;59(2):52-5 2001.

Menotti A, Kromhout D, Blackburn H, et al. Food intake patterns and 25-year mortality from coronary heart disease: cross-cultural correlations in the Seven Countries Study. The Seven Countries Study Research Group. Eur J Epidemiol 1999 Jul;15(6):507-15 1999.

Queiroz Kda S, de Oliveira AC, Helbig E et al. Soaking the common bean in a domestic preparation reduced the contents of raffinose-type oligosaccharides but did not interfere with nutritive value. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 2002 Aug;48(4):283-9 2002.

Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988 1988. PMID:15220.

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