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Organic food NOT NOT better after all.

When I saw the report on the news saying that a British study just concluded that organic food was no better for you than storebought factory food, I was not surprised.

After all, only the week before I saw a report on Brits not really caring about their health. So I am glad to see the report refuted so quickly. Here is the report on the report, showing it is waaay out of line.

Back to Nature: a Great little video

This young lady got the real deal; back to nature. Take a look and see why she's now back in New York.

Swine Flu To-Do

After the Avian 'flu episode we have all come into the Swine Flu scene with a little more understanding of how we can get too excited too fast about it all. I was in italy watching BBC TV when it began and was subjected to interminable 'direct relays' of absolutely everything anyone in Mexico had to say about the situation. Since then of course we have seen the flu accelerate and the naysayers have had to 'hush up' some on their conspiracy theories.

As a regular onliner I have also seen that there is a phenomena on line each time it came up; first with Avian flu and now with Swine Flu. The usual suspects; the anti-vaccination people, the newsletter people who regularly blast every single government based health issue.. and predictably, the same people who claim to have cures for AIDS, cancer and all the rest.

So I have been looking at how I am manipulated not just by the media, but by the anti-media. And I have a sneaking suspicion - given that Swine flu is Google's biggest search term recently, that some people publishing their ha'pence about it are actually more interested in riding the wave of hits to a higher Google search engine rating.

So what can be said about Swine flu that makes it so different than any other flu? Nothing really, except to say as far as I can see that it's no different to all of the other bugs in that the ultimate factor is our own immunity, and immunity is something we can work with at a personal level.

And yes, I believe that I have only had one cold and no 'flu for ten years because of my own immunity, ably assisted by my alkalizing strategy.

Finally, Cassie asked me this week if I would agree to a national vaccination program, or like her, protest against it. I sat on the fence and am still there. What do you think?

Alkalis and our Skin: or..how to give away your own power of decision.

I think I am learning something about discrimination. My problem has been trusting people because of the letters after their name., rather than taking the time to think things out myself.

I don't feel bad about it. I actually think it's a part of life today. So much to do, so little time translates into giving your power of discrimination away if an 'expert' says something in language you can quickly understand.

So when I originally heard Dr Robert O Young say that alkaline was good for the skin, I accepted it. luckily, a little bird kept a-twittering about it and when this report passed through my monitor I realised I'd just done it again: given away my power.

Hey, how can alkaline be good for the skin? Skin uses our acid waste to protect itself from bacteria. That I DO know. The question now is; what else have I accepted rather than really look at?

The REAL Law of Attraction

Anyone out there read 'The Secret'? (massive show of hands)

Here's a very insightful post on how I see The Secret.

Home Brain Surgery

Here's a new twist to telecommuting. Brain surgeons can now assess brain conditions of a patient from their PC at home with this new re-imaging technology. Take a look at the videos here.
me? I just hope he's not multitasking or watching the sports channel while he's looking at my brain!

The press release says:

"Surgeons can also use this technology to their advantage. It will give them the ability to visualize, before the patient arrives in the operating room, potential anatomical obstacles that could complicate performing a procedure.

For instance, if a surgeon is performing a liver resection, we can simulate removing part of the patient’s liver, and with the push of a button determine how much of the remaining liver will be viable after the operation,” Butler said. “If it’s 20 percent or greater, the procedure can be performed; if less, it cannot. This will take surgical planning to a whole new level."

Is 'organic' really a better juice?

A recent study by Washington State University assessed the levels of antioxidants in citrus fruits and juices.

Organic lemonade had ten times the total eriocitrin (a form of antioxidant) compared to its conventional counterpart. Organic apple juice had three times as much hesperidin and twice as much hesperetin (again both forms of antioxidants) compared to non organic apple juice.

You might also be interested, given the higher price we pay for organic fruit and vegetables, that we tested the two top live enzyme juicers on the market and found from our tests that an organic carrot juice a day for a family of four would cost $7000+ more on one juicer over the other. Wow,

Here's the facts.

Holistic car repair: I'm sure this guy lives in Byron Bay!

Even the Beer makers are doing it!

I well remember a comment by Dr Gerry Brady about beer drinkers. "Look at them, Ian." he said, pointing towards the inhabitants of a local bar. "What d'you think they are doing? They are acidifying! beer is loaded with acid!" (Gerry is the guy who directed me to benefits ofItalian wines grown in alkaline soil)

Now i find that beer makers are attempting to alter the potential hangover effects of their brews. On this beer appreciation site I read:
"Ingredients: Well-modified pale malt, with generous quantities of roasted malts and/or grain. May have a complex grain bill using virtually any variety of malt. Any type of hops may be used. Alkaline water balances the abundance of acidic roasted grain in the grist. American or English ale yeast."

Yep, it's all happening!

Even the Beer makers are into it!here's a

Fluoride and Your Water Alkaliser

Fluoride has been in the news recently. We have wanted to test the AlkaWay water alkaliser for fluoride for some time.

We actually have a report on a previous model done in the US that showed complete removal of fluoride from the alkaline water outlet. However, to be safe, and considering that we use a different form of fluoride in Australian water, we couldn't really rely on it.

We got our chance last week with a report from our local water lab. on some water I collected from an Alphion in Nerang, on the Gold Coast, Australia's newest fluoride victims.

I collected the fluoride in two separate bottles; one with tap water and one from the Alphion. I am not completely happy with the results as gases like fluoride and chlorine can tend to 'degass' if not immediately tested. So the results may be affected by the fact that several days in a bottle passed between collection and test.

Anyway, the tap water I collected had .7 mg/L and the Alphion sample had only .4mg/L. So linking this with one of our AA fluoride prefilters makes a pretty efficient 'tandem' defence.

And another report on Liver Protection against oxidation.

Oh, how glad I am not to be a mouse!

Scientists poisoned mice with carbon tetrachloride to simulate the effects of excess acidity as liver damage (at least I think that's right!).

Results?
"Therefore, the results of this study show that ERW* can be proposed to protect the liver against CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage in mice, and the hepatoprotective effect might be correlated with its antioxidant and free radical scavenging effect."

Here's the link to the study abstract.

* Alkaline Ionised Water

45+ Cohort Study

I wish I had more time to share my understanding of this just-released study. It's based on Aussies' health and is a very comprehensive report you may find interesting. Here it is.

New Scientific Study on Cancer Cells and Alkaline Ionised Water

Here's the link to the abstract of the first of these reports: (more later) It's all about a test carried out by a team of scientists on cancer cells.

Cancer cells, you see, grow differently to normal cells, in what the team at Kyushu Uni termed a 'two-stage cell transformation", or classic cancer runaway mutational growth.

The test concluded: ERW (Elecrolysed Reduced Water or ionised alkaline water) supplemented with Pt nps (platinum) is a potential new antioxidant against carcinogenesis. The 'Pt nps' mentioned in the abstract is platinum, which combines with the water in a water alkalizer, as a result of the ionisation process using the platinum coated titanium ionizing plates.So this is very similar water to what AlkaWay users are receivibng every day from their ionisers.

What is significant is that this strong anti-mutation effect was only observed when the water used was made with platinum coated plates, (similar to our water alkalizers).

I have to add that this is still only a petrie dish experiment by the venerable science team at Kyushu University, so it at this stage has no real 'traction' in assessing the water for cancer. Let's hope that more comprehensive tests come soon!

And here's another one all about the use of alkaline ionised water in conjunction with glutathione. The results were 'apoptosis' (death) of human HL-50 leukemia cells but with no cytotoxic (cellular) effect. The scientist's conclusion was that these results suggest that ERW is an antioxidant, and that ERW, in combination with GSH, has an enhanced apoptosis-inducing (killing) effect on HL-60 cells, which might be mediated through the mitochondria-dependent pathway.

Again, it's a far cry from full testing.

Giving new meaning to a 'pee break".

HOUSTON — The toilet that is part of the International Space Station’s new onboard water recycling system has been deactivated by “astronaut-plumbers” after sending more than a gallon of pretreated water into the water separator room, FloridaToday.com reported July 20.

Astronauts Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency and Mike Barratt of NASA began working on repairs for the $15 million urine-recycling toilet on July 19, replacing parts with spare parts stored aboard the space station, and then eventually deactivating it, Brian Smith, International Space Station flight director, is quoted as saying.

Repair work on the system was expected to continue July 20.

The station crew of six will use a second toilet in the Russian part of the station, and Shuttle Endeavour’s crew can use an onboard bathroom, the story said.

John Stewart and his take on USA's 'Unquenchable' thirst for water

Funny, Yes. Tragic? Yes.

Building Bone Vitality: The Truth at last

I talked about this book in a previous post. Now I have it I am seriously excited. Just look at the chapter headings and you'll see why.

1. Countries that consume the most milk, dairy foods and calcium supplements suffer the most fractures.

2. Why some osteoporosis studies should be taken more seriously than others.

3. Milk, dairy foods and calcium supplements by themselves or in any combination do not prevent fractures.

4. Calcium intake during childhood does not prevent fractures at any stage of life.

5. Vitamin D with or without a calcium supplement prevents few if any fractures

6. The final score: we need a theory that works.

Wow! That's really putting it on the line. And for their answer - their 'theory that works'.. click here.

Multivitamins and Longevity

Our telomeres are the protective ends of our strings of DNA. It's commonly accepted science that as we age, our telomeres reduce in size and ability to protect our DNS strings. In the absence of telomerase, the telomere will become shorter after each cell division. When it reaches a certain length, the cell may cease to divide and die. Therefore, telomerase plays a critical role in the aging process.

So this study tells me that the use of multivitamins actually extend our telomeres. Very, very good news.

This comes on the heels of another study report I just read on natural folate vs. synthetic folate, which makes the point that we are often told that multivitamin supplements are a waste of money, but we are never given the 'hard data' on what form of multivitamin was studied: natural or synthetic. So this study is an example of where natural supplement IS better.

No wonder it's confusing to the layperson; we simply don't haver the time nor drive to chase up these differentiations.

And where can we find natural folates? green, leafy vegetables, asparagus and lentils. That's not so hard, is it?

And of course if you just can't keep up your fresh, organic green leafies, try my favourite high speed life alternative here

What's for Dinner, Cassie? Dhal and Greens!

And while we are on the subject.. did you see that article of calorie restriction? A 20 year study at the University of Wisconsin has shown amazing results. Calorie restriction has already been demonstrated to enhance longevity in mice, but we've all been awaiting the results of this primate study. (Monkey to you)
Look at this pic of two 27 year old monkeys. Which one ate everything he could, and which one was calorie restricted?
If that's not enough, look at this one.
Before you empty your fridge, dieticians have a warning.

"Monkeys may be a close relation but there are significant differences which means not everything we see in them can be translated to humans," said Catherine Collins, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.

"And there should be some serious reservations about cutting calories so dramatically, particularly for anyone under the age of 30. Any such diet would need to be very balanced to avoid malnutrition, and it would be a long-term commitment.

"People would have to weigh up whether they are prepared to compromise their enjoyment of food for the uncertain promise of a longer life, and a life which could be dogged by all sorts of problems - including osteoporosis."

More from the BBC

My pH Balance Food Chart

Jacob dropped a comment on my blog this week regarding my Ph Food balancing Chart.

He loves it.. but had a couple of questions about some of the items on it. I used the book 'Acid Alkaline Food Guide' as my basis for assessment of the acid or alkaline value of the foods I have on my chart.

As most followers of the pH diet know, there are many, many versions of pH food charts on the net and they vary wildly in their food classifications. I used Dr Susan Brown's book because it is based on the very latest German research, which examines not just the pH effect of the food, but also the effect of the particular acid in the food. Some acids have a far greater effect on us than others and so, unlike the other charts you may have seen, it takes this into account.

Diabetes and Alkaline Water

Amazing what you find on the net. Here's a study I unearthed today about the effects of alkaline ionized water on diabetes.

Chlorination and cancer

We've been watching the debate about fluoride so long now that we've forgotten the chlorine debate.

Chlorine is a carcinogen, but we don't know at what level of addition to a water supply it becomes carcinogenic. This very recent study summary puts it well:

"The author concludes that the uncertainties surrounding possible health risks from chlorination DBPs appear not to be appreciated by many of those involved in drinking water regulation, production or research."

Doesn't really inspire confidence, does it?

We have seen several instances in recent years where drought conditions in capital cities has caused a concentration of parasites in the reservoir, prompting water engineers to drastically increase chlorine dosage. Where you are really affected is in the shower.
On the same note, I read last week of a school swimming carnival in the UK where management forgot to turn on the ventilation. The combination of chlorine with urine and sweat created clouds of chloramine gas which had the young competitors reeling. Of course w ehave nothing to fear, I guess.. unless we pee in the shower...

Chlorine is a gas, and is released in the shower cubicle in far greater volume than in drinking or rinsing water. That's why so many health professionals are still trying to tell people to install a chlorine shower filter.

We've had one installed for years and whenever we travel we are amazed at the chlorine we smell - and breathe in - as we shower. What it even more amazing is the fact that before we had our trusty Sprite filter, we thought it was OK to get gassed every morning.

Take a look at the Sprite

Aluminium and Alzheimers' The Facts

This link will take you to a summary of a long term study into the effects of aluminium in our drinking water. Not good news.

Summarizing, "The risk of dementia was higher for subjects with a high daily aluminium intake"

The good news is that any good filter will remove it.
However beware of new 'nanotechnology' coming onto the Aussie market that uses ultrafine aluminium shards to give 'ultra filtration'.

Golfing for the Diabled

How cool is this?

Ouch, Ouch, OUCH!!!

Is this the ultimate indictment of UK's National Health?

A chap decided that rather than brave the doctors of National Health-run hospitals, he should perform his own circumcision.
Over the kitchen sink.
With a pair of nail trimmers.

The Telegraph quotes the paramedics who attended the post-snip scene:

"This is something we would advise men never to attempt," a medic said, "The results can be quite horrific and long-lasting and have quite an affect on a man's sexual performance.

"Using a pair of nail clippers must have caused excruciating pain, even if he had had a few drinks beforehand."

More here (if you must)