Only Drugs Cure Disease: Codex

It has been decided on high:

Thou shalt not tell people that food prevents and cures disease- even if its true! 

Yes, you heard it right. It will soon be illegal to make health claims about food or to use nutrition to improve health. 

Your choice: This Drug, or, That Drug. 

Really want a vitamin? Your doctor will have to write you a prescription for a low dose synthetic. Yes, it has now come to this.

Codex Committee: “You Can’t Tell People that Food Prevents Disease!”

December 11, 2012

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Not even nutrient-related disease! Our executive director’s gripping report from the front lines.

As we discussed last week, ANH-USA represented US consumers at the international Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses, which met last week in Germany. Our executive director, Gretchen DuBeau, reports that the committee made a number of decisions that may well affect natural health in the US.

Here in the US, we have been debating various issues concerning natural health: Will we retain access to a wide variety of dietary supplements in high-nutrient-level dosages? Will we be able to access nutritious, healthy foods, or will selection and quality diminish because of industry or government control? Will we finally achieve mandatory labeling for GMOs? We naturally think that, if we are able to convince our policymakers, our rights will be protected. But we could be wrong. We have to keep a close eye on what happens overseas too.

Codex, which was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is creating international guidelines for member nations to follow. And while these guidelines are supposed to be voluntary, it is conceivable that our country’s food policies could be overridden by international trade law. At the very least, the wrong international guidelines won’t make it easier to keep the right ones here.

One of the most significant outcomes from this meeting would have the effect of squelching free speech even further.  In relation to principles underlying food fortification for the prevention of diet-related illness, the committee members emphasized that language indicating that food prevents disease is forbidden and they are opposed to claims that may “mislead”—even if the claim is true. Happily, the US delegation disagreed, and said that while the US has similar policies about food claims, by definition the nutrients in food prevent nutrient-related diseases! The Botswana delegation agreed with us, pointing out that iodine prevents goiter, so therefore nutrients do prevent disease, yet Botswana nevertheless reinforced the ban.

This is at the heart of ANH’s work. We are here to educate consumers about the role that food, supplements (including nutraceuticals), and lifestyle play in optimizing health. And now we are seeing the beginning of international policy preventing health claims related to natural health products and foods. It’s difficult to educate consumers when international leaders are forbidding the discussion!

In another extremely troubling decision, the Codex Committee adopted extremely low Nutrient Reference Values for labeling purposes—that is, the intake levels of essential nutrients deemed adequate to meet most people’s minimal nutritional needs. They are roughly equivalent to our “Recommended Dietary Allowances,” in that RDAs indicate the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient by the Food and Nutrition Board to meet the requirements of 97.5% of healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group. These new NRVs are far too low to be effective at preventing disease, according to most natural health experts, with even higher nutrient values needed to optimize health—though it was stressed that the actual values weren’t important because they are “just for labeling purposes.”

The committee also adopted single values—what some supposed “average healthy person” might need. And of course that doesn’t work! Children, young people, men, women (with different needs if pregnant), the elderly, and people with a multitude of nutrient deficiencies or excesses, food sensitivities, dietary needs, and illnesses—each would need a very different dosage. So we would advocate a range of values, which can take into account bioindividuality—the “systems biology” approach that considers the great variability in individuals’ genetic backgrounds.

Also under discussion were NRVs associated with reduced incidence of non-communicable diet-related diseases, or NRVs-NCD. Regarding those, the committee said, “Governments are encouraged to use the NRVs-NCD, or alternatively, consider the suitability of the general principles below, including the level of evidence required… in establishing their own reference values for labeling purposes for nutrients associated with diet-related non-communicable diseases.” In other words: member countries should adopt these standards precisely, or at least follow our guidelines if you need to tweak them to your needs.

Did you see that phrase, “including the level of evidence required”? At least here we find an upside: the committee proposed a broader scientific standard than the one it had been using previously. Instead of the “gold standard” of random-controlled trials (RCTs), both WHO and FAO now use something called the GRADE system, which takes into consideration all levels of evidence, including clinical, giving more weight to evidence that is more conclusive. And Codex is inclined to agree with this broader standard. This is extremely positive, as natural health products rarely have patent protection and therefore cannot afford hundreds of millions of dollars for RCTs, but may have an abundance of clinical evidence.

Of course, everyone’s big question is harmonization on supplements—that is, whether the US will accept the limits Codex creates for supplements (in terms of dosages and product availability). Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer to that one. The US delegation made it clear that our country intends to stay flexible—to create our own standards and use our own science, indicating no intention to harmonize at this time. Legally, we are not bound to harmonize. But we are subject to World Trade Organization (WTO) sanctions should conflicting national policy creates trade disputes.

This is unlikely to be an issue, but there have already been conflicts. For example, in 1985 the European Union enacted a ban on the production and importation of meat derived from animals treated with growth-promoting hormones. In 1989, the EU banned the import of US beef produced with growth-promoting hormones, dramatically reducing beef exports to the EU. In 1996, the US claimed that the EU ban adversely affected trade and because their standards exceeded those set by Codex, the WTO should intervene. It did, and a WTO panel ruled in the US’s favor, allowing the US to begin collecting tariffs on $116.8 million worth of imports from the EU—the amount that it lost each year due to the ban.

In other words, while a country may not be obligated to adopt a Codex standard into domestic law, international trade pressures, especially from powerful countries, could create pressure to do so. This is a particular threat when it comes to dietary supplements. Although the US may be able to maintain access to high level nutrients in its supplements, much of the rest of the world will not. And the weight of a standard accepted by 185 countries is almost certain to give determined anti-supplement legislators like Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) reasons, at some point, to introduce a new bill to harmonize.

Of further concern is the fact that Codex is creating principles for food fortification—adding folic acid or calcium to food—which, as we’ve reported, can in some cases be dangerous. For example, it is dangerous to fortify with calcium without any of the essential co-factors. In addition, this is a band-aid approach to treating nutrient deficiencies instead of focusing on the real problem. We need to address farming practices that are destroying the nutrient content of soil and leading to less nutritious food.

What about GMOs (genetically modified organisms)? Europe is not friendly to GMO, so could we gain some ground there? If this meeting is any indication, the answer is likely to be No. The issue of banning GMOs in children’s cereals was quickly dismissed because of a “lack of science” supporting the claim that GMOs are dangerous. We noted that there were dozens of “experts” in the room ready to support GMO.

Here again we have the international trade dispute problem to consider: If state bills requiring GMO labeling were to pass, and it eventually became federal law, and Codex prohibited such labeling, there would absolutely be a WTO dispute and the international standard would be hard to beat.

This meeting revealed the usual problem of the infiltration of special interests. This threatens to outweigh what appears to be positive intent on the part of many participating in the process. The underlying—and most relevant—question is, “Who benefits from harmonized standards on everything from infant formula to fortification of foods?” Answer: the largest companies in the world. Their interests are represented here, but the consumers of the world are not. The tagline on many Codex documents is “safe, good food for everyone,” but the point that was stressed over and over again at this meeting is that “we are here to facilitate trade.”

As Codex continues through its creation and approval process, it is taking on a life of its own that, despite the current intent of the US to maintain independence, may meet us at our front door and demand entrance.

Food: Then and Now

The family and espcially the family dinner table is the crucible for the development of human potential and human society. 

No one can possibly be any better than the food they eat. 

Your future is on your dinner plate now.

7000 Year Old Cheese

It is clear that the cultivation of cattle is crucial in human history
 for the development of advanced civilized societies. Dairy products made for a secure long-lasting supply of food, allowing for the flowering of the human imagination into realms other than hunting down the next meal. New evidence shows that dairy products were being used more than 7000 years ago.

Chemical analysis reveals first cheese making in Northern Europe in the 6th millennium BC

The first unequivocal evidence that humans in prehistoric Northern Europe made cheese more than 7,000 years ago is described in research by an international team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, UK, published today in Nature.

By analysing fatty acids extracted from unglazed pottery pierced with small holes excavated from archaeological sites in Poland, the researchers showed that dairy products were processed in these ceramic vessels. Furthermore, the typology of the sieves, close in shape to modern cheese-strainers, provides compelling evidence that these specialised vessels have been used for cheese-making.

Before this study, milk residues had been detected in early sites in Northwestern Anatolia (8,000 years ago) and in Libya (nearly 7,000 years ago). Nevertheless, it had been impossible to detect if the milk was processed to cheese products.

Researchers from the Organic Geochemistry Unit at the University of Bristol, together with colleagues at Princeton (USA), Łódź, Gdánsk and Poznań (Poland) studied unglazed pottery from the region of Kuyavia (Poland) dating from around 7,000 years ago. These had been typologically interpreted as cheese-strainers by archaeologists for more than 30 years due to the peculiar presence of small sized holes on the surface of the sherds. In fact, these archaeological sherds looked like modern cheese-strainers.

Using lipid biomarker and stable isotope analysis, researchers examined preserved fatty acids trapped in the fabric of the pottery and showed that the sieves had indeed been used for processing dairy products. Milk residues were also detected in non-perforated bowls, which may have been used with the sieves.

Contrastingly, the analyses of non-perforated pottery (cooking pots or bottles) demonstrated that they were not used for processing milk. The presence of ruminant carcass fats in cooking pots showed that they were likely used to cook meat, while the presence of beeswax in bottles suggests the sealing of the pottery to store water.

Thus, the analyses of such a range of ceramics from the same area showed for the first time that different types of pottery were used in a specific manner, with sieves (and maybe bowls) being used for cheese-making, cooking pots for cooking meat and waterproofed bottles for storing water.

The processing of milk and particularly the production of cheese were critical in early agricultural societies as it allowed the preservation of milk in a non-perishable and transportable form and, of primary importance, it made milk a more digestible commodity for early prehistoric farmers.

Mélanie Salque, a PhD student from the University of Bristol and one of the authors of the paper said: "Before this study, it was not clear that cattle were used for their milk in Northern Europe around 7,000 years ago. However, the presence of the sieves in the ceramic assemblage of the sites was thought to be a proof that milk and even cheese was produced at these sites. Of course, these sieves could have been used for straining all sorts of things, such as curds from whey, meat from stock or honeycombs from honey. We decided to test the cheese-making hypothesis by analysing the lipids trapped into the ceramic fabric of the sieves.

"The presence of milk residues in sieves (which look like modern cheese-strainers) constitutes the earliest direct evidence for cheese-making. So far, early evidence for cheese-making were mostly iconographic, that is to say murals showing milk processing, which dates to several millennia later than the cheese strainers."

Peter Bogucki one of the co-authors of this new study and proponent of the cheese strainer hypothesis nearly 30 years ago notes that: "As well as showing that humans were making cheese 7,000 years ago, these results provide evidence of the consumption of low-lactose content milk products in Prehistory. Making cheese allowed them to reduce the lactose content of milk, and we know that at that time, most of the humans were not tolerant to lactose. Making cheese is a particularly efficient way to exploit the nutritional benefits of milk, without becoming ill because of the lactose."

The leader of the Bristol team, Professor Richard Evershed added: "It is truly remarkable the depth of insights into ancient human diet and food processing technologies these ancient fats preserved in archaeological ceramics are now providing us with!"

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The research was funded by the 7th EU framework Marie Curie Initial Training Networks (FP7-ITN-215362-2) and the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

For more information on using small molecules to answer archaeological questions please visit the Organic Geochemistry Unit http://www.bristol.ac.uk/chemistry/research/ogu/.

If you would like to learn more about similar research in which ancient biomolecules and isotopes has been used to shed new light on the past please visit 'The Palaeodetectives' at:http://www.bris.ac.uk/publicengagementstories/stories/2009/73.html

or

10 Tips Toward a Smarter You

The thing to keep in mind when considering human beings is that they can always improve and get better. No one is stuck. As a self-improving species by nature, we have so far we can go- our potential is unlimited. Here are some useful tips to help you on your journey of self-discovery and enhancement.

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10 supplements you can take today to enhance your intelligence

 George Dvorsky

One day, we may be able to make ourselves superintelligent with futuristic biotechnology. We're not there yet, but for the impatient among us there are still some things we can do to give us that little extra bit of brain power. By supplementing with so-called 'nootropics,' you may not become the next Stephen Hawking, but you may experience some noticeable improvements to your learning abilities, memory, mental clarity, and mood. Here are ten supplements you can take today to boost your intelligence.

Before we get started, a disclaimer: consult with your doctor prior to taking any of these (except the dark chocolate — feel free to eat that with reckless abandon). While most of the supplements listed in this article are fairly benign, you still need to make sure that you're healthy enough to take them, and that you're not susceptible to any allergic or negative reactions. Cool? Cool.

Similarly, while we make some dosage recommendations, you must adhere to the dosage instructions as described on the package of your particular product.

Also, it's crucial that you not blindly go ahead and start consuming all of these supplements at once. Unless otherwise noted, all studies cited in this article assessed the cognitive benefits of these compounds in isolation. By combining two or more of these supplements, you risk creating a cocktail effect in which the benefits may not work — and you might actually start to feel worse.

And lastly, you'll also want to measure and track any potential benefits you glean from these supplements. We are all different, so some may not work in the way described. Keep a log and see which supplements works best for you.

Alright, with that out of the way, here's the list (in no particular order):

1. Creatine

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Creatine, a nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in animals, is quickly becoming a popular supplement — and not just because it boosts muscle power (which it does by helping to supply energy to cells in the body and assisting in the growth of muscle fibres). Physiological benefits aside, creatine has also been shown to improve memory andattention span. Scientists have discovered that it plays a pivotal role in brain energy homeostasis, acting as a buffer for cytosolic and mitochondrial pools of cellular energy. Start by taking about 5,000 mg per day, or better yet, follow the dosage instructions specified by your specific product.

2. Caffeine + L-theanine

Caffeine on its own is not a great cognitive enhancer. In fact, studies show that it doesn't usually improve performance in learning and memory tasks, though its stimulant properties may occasionally have beneficial effects on cognitive performance and mood (though temporarily — what is usually accompanied by jitters and a crash). Now that said, when consumed in conjunction with L-theanine, a common amino acid found in green tea, it does in fact create more long-lasting and beneficial effects, including a boost to working memory, rapid visual information processing, and especially attention switching (i.e. reduced distractibility). The reason this works is that the L-theanine, which can cross the blood-brain barrier, counteracts the negative stimulant effects of caffeine, including anxiety and increased blood pressure. Researchers have found that this effect can be achieved with 50 mg of caffeine (that's about a cup of coffee) and 100 mg of L-theanine (green tea only contains about 5-8 mg of it, so you'll want to supplement — though some people follow a 2:1 rule in which they drink two cups of green tea for every cup of coffee).

3. Dark Chocolate (Flavanols)

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Dark chocolate — or more accurately the cocoas found in chocolate — contain flavanols, a phytochemical that has cognitive enhancing effects (as well as impacting positively on mood and cardiovascular health). It works through the action of antioxidant molecules, what stimulates brain perfusion and an array of other neurological processes in regions that involve learning and memory. Though not as powerful as some of the other supplements listed here, dark chocolate is readily accessible and a treat to eat. That said, be sure to avoid super-sweet dark chocolate, otherwise the sugar will counter many of its benefits (so start getting used to 90% cacao). Go ahead and eat about 35 to 200 grams a day, but divide it out evenly.

4. Piracetam + Choline

This combination is probably the most popular stack used by nootropic buffs. Piracetam, what is also known as Nootropyl or Lucetam, works by improving the functioning of (ACh) transmitters and receptors. Though primarily prescribed by doctors for people suffering from Alzheimer's, depression, and even schizophrenia, it is used off-label by healthy adults as a way to boost acetylcholine function — what is an important neurotransmitter. But in order to experience its benefits, including increased mental clarity, spatial memory, and an overall boost in brain functioning, choline needs to be ingested along with it. Choline, as a water-soluble essential nutrient, works with the Piracetam and is often used to prevent headaches that is sometimes associated with its use (see, this is why we told you to see a doctor before trying any of this stuff). An effective dose would be 300 mg of Piracetam plus 300 mg of Choline three times per day (about every four hours or so). Those willing to step it up a bit can also try the Focus XT + Piracetam stack. And interestingly, Piracetam is a popular supplement in the subculture of lucid dreaming.

5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

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Omega-3 fatty acids are a common compound that's found in fish oil (which can be consumed directly via fish oil pills), grass-fed livestock, walnuts, flaxseed, and beans. It has been a staple brain food for quite some time now, and is increasingly being used as a dietary supplement to stave off the effects of age-related cognitive decline, includingneurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. And encouragingly, a recent study published in PLOS has shown that the same brain boosting effects can also work for perfectly healthy adults. Benefits of Omega-3 DHA/EPA include an improved ability to focus and it acts as a mood enhancer. In terms of dosage, about 1,200 mg to 2,400 mg per day should suffice (about 1-2 fish oil pills).

6. Bacopa Monnieri

Found primarily in northern India, Bacopa monnieri is a perennial creeping herb that's been used for centuries to enhance memory, learning, and overall cognitive performance (in addition to its use as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, and sedative). The active ingredients responsible for these effects include sulfhydryl and polyphenol, compounds that lessen oxidative stress. A reasonable dose would include 150 mg of bacosides each day. And for those looking to improve their long term memory, you might want to stack this with the Piracetam + choline combo.

7. Ginkgo Biloba Extract

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Ginkgo Biloba extract comes from maidenhair, an extremely unique tree native to China that has no relatives — what is considered a living fossil. Extracts of Ginkgo leaves contain flavonoid glycosides and terpenoids (ginkgolides, bilobalides) which are renowned for their pharmacological benefits, including their ability to improve memory and concentration. Recently, Ginkgo biloba extract has been used to help dementia patients, although its ability to stave off Alzheimer's is contested. Recent studies have shown that it can significantly improve the speed of attention factor in healthy adults, peaking about 2.5 hours after intake. Other cognitive benefits includeincreased attention, faster memorization speed, and improved quality of memory.Some studies, however, suggest that Ginkgo doesn't work well as an enhancer. And dosage is critical; studies have shown that 120 mg per day is too little, so you'll want to boost it up to a single 240 mg or 360 mg dose each day. Also, Ginkgo biloba is commonly stacked with Bacopa monnieri, though its synergistic effects are contested.

8. Panax Ginseng (Asian Ginseng)

Asian ginseng, what's been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years, is a remarkable supplement in that it hits virtually all the marks; it can be used to improve working memory, attention, calmness, mood, and even reduce fatigue. It's a slow-growing perennial with fleshy roots — one that can decrease fasted blood-glucose levels and modulate cognitive performance in healthy adults. Go ahead and take about 500 mg twice a day.

9. Rhodiola Rosea

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Rhodiola rosea can certainly be used to improve cognition and memory, but its real power comes from the way it reduces feelings of fatigue and anxiety — what can definitely improve your overall performance. It's a plant that thrives in colder climates, including arctic regions — and it has extremely beneficial phytochemicals that northern folks in Russia and Scandinavia have been taking advantage of for years; the herb has an affect on serotonin and dopamine levels due to monoamine oxidase inhibition. Studies have shown that Rhodiola rosea can improve a person's overall level of mental andstress-induced fatigue and complex perceptive and cerebral functions (such as associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation, ability of concentration, and speed of audio-visual perception). In terms of dosage, take anywhere from 100 mg to 1,000 mg each day, but divide it into two equal doses.

10. Spanish Sage (Salvia Lavandulaefolia)

Found in Spain and southern France, Salvia lavandulaefolia is an aromatic herb that boosts acetylcholine function. Studies have shown that it can enhance memory and mood in healthy young adults, as well as having benefits for those with Alzheimer's. Spanish sage has other beneficial attributes, including anxiolytic (calming), antioxidant, estrogenic, anti-depressive, and anti-inflammatory properties. A reasonable dose would be 300 mg of dried sage leaf once a day.

Top image: Shutterstock/agsandrew; creatine; dark chocolate:avs/shutterstock; omega-3:nikkytok/shutterstock; Ginkgo: tihis/shutterstock; rhodiola:moritorus/shutterstock.