Healthy Holidays and Beyond

If you're as overwhelmed as I am at the prospect of 2009, you'll understand why this week's blog is short and to the point.

Eating Well magazine online's healthy recipe collection is all the resource you'll need for planning a menu or coming up with a quick idea for dinner. Since the weather is back and forth, and most of us don't get enough sleep during the holidays, eating well is all the more important.

This Is Your Brain on Eggs

My mom and I have breakfast every Tuesday, and I was fixing my most recent favorite, a black bean omelet with salsa, when she asked me about eggs citing the recent refutation that eggs contribute towards high cholesterol and heart disease. So I checked out the egg online.

There is actually an organization called the American Egg Board, and they have quite a few interesting things to say about eggs. Eggs contain 13 essential nutrients, and there is actually evidence that one main ingredient, choline, may actually reduce risk of heart disease. Choline also contributes towards brain function "by maintaining the structure of brain cell membranes, and is a key component of the neuro-transmitter that helps relay messages from the brain through nerves to the muscles"—making eggs, along with fish, a great source of protein and "brain food."

Protein for breakfast is important to keep from crashing later in the day, so if you're not into tuna salad at 7 a.m., saute some onions with red peppers, add a couple of eggs, and top with black beans and salsa for a great tasting combo of protein and carbs.

The Anti-Detox (Detoxing without Detoxing)

Detoxing, depending on who you talk to, is either a great way to clean out your body or else unnecessary and even harmful. Regardless of medical fact, drinking lemon water or eating raw vegetables only for two weeks doesn’t sound all that appealing, especially at this time of year when it’s cold outside and there are parties to crash.

I spoke to Janine Rossol, a Certified Holistic Health and Nutritional Counselor, and the founder of Positively Well here in Charleston. She gave me some good advice on detoxing that confirmed my own very nonmedical but necessarily realistic opinion: the best detox is the implementation of some easy changes that are simply the result of awareness.

1. Drink more water.
Depending on how active you are (more exercise=more water) and how much caffeine you consume (it takes 2 cups of water to rehydrate after 1 cup of caffeinated beverage) it’s a good idea to drink about 64 ounces of water per day.

Janine recommends a pre-breakfast detox beverage of warm water with juice from ½ a lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper.

2. Eat less.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can’t do it either. But…if you think about increasing your life span and reducing cancer risk, this sounds like a better and better idea.

Brad Pilon of EatStopEat promotes fasting twice a week to not only lose weight but also prompt a variety of health benefits. I highly recommend his ebook.

Janine recommends cooking at home more often as a great way to eat less. You get smaller portions and less processed foods and preservatives, and you can implement some new ingredients like the ones below.

3. Eat more fiber.
I think we all are familiar with this one. Instead of white flour products (bread, pasta, etc.) and white rice, go for whole wheat and brown rice. There are some other fun grains that aren’t too scary; I like spelt for its nutty flavor, as well as millet, quinoa, and amaranth, which contain B vitamins. Be careful even with whole grain varieties of bread, however; many of them contain high fructose corn syrup.

Dark, leafy greens like kale are the best vegetables. Banish thoughts of soggy collard greens and check out my kale and rainbow chard recipe on the September 25 blog. Or add them to soup to make them more palatable; EatingWell.com has a brief article and some great recipes.

Availability is also key. If I have Oreos or Doritos in my house, I will eat them even though they make me feel disgusting afterward. But if I have celery sticks, I’ll at least eat those on the way to the chips.

Popcorn is a way to get some fiber that isn’t too healthy, but do get the natural kind, not that fake butter stuff. Air-popped or Newman’s Own is always good, and Orville Redenbacher has a natural brand. But don’t overdo it; too much can be hard on your digestive system. Speaking of digestive systems…

4. Eat less meat, especially red meat.
You don’t have to become a vegetarian. But because of high protein and fat content, red meat takes longer to digest, though everything I’ve read debunks the theory that it can stay in your intestines for up to a month. (Gross.) According to Cocoon Nutrition, “Adequate amounts of stomach acid are necessary to break down protein. That’s why overeating meat, especially cooked red meat, is hard on the stomach—it uses up the stomach’s acid and enzymes very quickly. Eating red meat day after day can exhaust the stomach’s ability to build up sufficient amounts of hydrochloric acid.”

5. Eat more yogurt.
There are all sorts of benefits to yogurt that improve digestion in general. I really like the DanActive yogurt drinks (see some testimonials) as they are low in calories and processed ingredients; they also claim to be suitable for lactose intolerant individuals, though I think it’s a case-by-case basis. Kefir is another really tasty option if you don’t like good ol’ plain yogurt (that Greek stuff rocks! Go Fage!).

I encourage you to stay away from Yoplait and many other commercial brands of yogurt, which are full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup and kind of defeat the detox purpose.

6. Drink less alcohol and caffeine.
I’ll leave that one up to you. Good luck.

Here are some other tips from Livestrong.com. Also, you can do a minor detox like this 24-hour cleanse and flush (which still doesn’t sound very fun but doesn’t take a lot out of your holiday season).

Cherry Burgers

I found another great recipe to counteract the carcinogenic effects of grilling meat in the March/April issue of Eating Well magazine. Use the cherry ketchup on your favorite burger recipe or try the one below.

This is also a great way to beef up your spice rack if you don't have one; spices often provide great antioxidants as well as flavor that enables you to cut back on oil and butter.

Cherry Ketchup
1 10-oz pkg (2 cups) frozen pitted cherries (not in syrup)
1/2 c dried cherries
1/2 c cider vinegar
1/3 c water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper.

Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve on top of cherry burgers.

Cherry Burgers
1/2 small sweet onion (Vidalia), cut into thin rounds
12 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 c dried cherries, finely chopped
1/2 c coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix beef, cherries, breadcrumbs, garlic, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Make 4 patties and grill to taste. Top with fresh or sauteed onions and cherry ketchup and serve on your favorite bun.

Primo Bottled Water

Found this interesting article about Primo bottled water, "the only US bottled water company to use bio-based material for its singe serve 16.9 fl.oz bottles," as of April 24. Here's the link to the rest of the article.

As of May, Primo is also "America's first and only national brand of bottled water for water coolers." These 5-gallon in-home options are more environmentally friendly than individual bottles, are available in retail stores, and are recycled.

Meat Marinades

I was recently horrified to discover that BBQ is very bad for you. Actually, cooking any meat at very high temperatures (350 degrees or higher, grilling over open flame, or smoking) causes the amino acids to break down and produce some very nasty carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been directly linked to cancer. See links at WorldHealth.net and Harvard Health Publications. Oh all right, and the National Cancer Institute online.

All this time I thought I was doing myself a favor by eating the BBQ and skipping the mac’n’cheese. And “high temperatures” means 350 degrees or higher; personally, I don’t know anybody who cooks their meat at 200 for fourteen hours, or boils it, or microwaves it prior to cooking, as one study recommends. Um, gross.

Fortunately, I recently came across a Journal of Food Scence study indicating that certain meat marinades block the chemical reaction causing HCAs. According to the study, soaking meat for an hour in an herbal marinade of antioxidant-rich spices reduces formation of HCAs by up to 80%. A Caribbean blend of spices was the most effective marinade tested. This still doesn’t really work for BBQ, but it’s great for steaks, burgers, chicken, fish, and pork just cooked on the grill or in the oven--and yes, your Thanksgiving turkey.

Beneficial spices include basil, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, or thyme. Turmeric and garlic have also proven to be powerful cancer-preventing agents. Study author J. Scott Smith also “suspects that the antioxidants found in red wine and in many fruits and vegetables might also do the trick” (especially citrus fruits) although this wasn’t tested. And a USAweekend.com article specifies that the marinade be a “thin, very liquid sauce” such as a teriyaki marinade or a turmeric-garlic sauce, though they still recommend staying away from thick BBQ sauces.

So am I saying don’t eat BBQ at all? Well, yes. But how realistic is that? As the author of a comment on one of these articles writes, rather appropriately, “You ‘scientists’ won't be happy until people are afraid to do anything, will you. Your next study should be ‘Breathing: A Leading Cause of Death.’ This study would show that 100% of the people who breathe die at some point or another and that people should try and limit their daily air intake to 2-3 times.”

Ultimately, we’re all going to die anyway, so just take it easy on the ribs and fried chicken and, well, BBQ. And other than eating less meat in general (which isn’t a bad idea for environmental reasons as well as a way to detox without detoxing, next week’s topic), there are quite a few things you can do to have your burger and eat it, too.

Beer for Life: Resveratrol and SRT1720

A friend recently asked me if there were a particular beer that was healthier for you than others. I thought he was kidding, but he persisted so I did some research. Of course, there are the generally proven benefits to the moderate consumption of alcohol—quite a few, in fact. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “moderate” means one drink (12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of hard liquor) per day for women and two drinks per day for men. I have to keep reminding myself, however, that according to the most recent issue of Women's Health magazine more than one drink boosts my chances of developing metabolic syndrome, a no-fun disease involving low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess belly fat . Oops.

However, a Wisconsin microbrewery, BluCreek, has apparently taken things to the next level. They have added “a mix of ingredients that are commonly found in some fat burners or weight loss supplements” to their line of beer, creating Zen (green tea beer), Wild Blueberry Ale (antioxidant beer), Honey Herbal Ale (ginseng beer), and then a regular old German AltBeer (chocolate coffee beer)—and I think we all know the health benefits of anything that tastes like that.

Seriously, though, this is pretty cool. I mean, it’s got to be better for you than “energy” beers like Tilt and B to the E. I have yet to find an ingredient list (if you come across one, let me know), but Associated Content online offers an interesting perspective on this “bizarre crossover fusion and slightly oxymoronic product” that seems to be taking the place of Red Bull and vodka in terms of messing with your heart.

Finally, we’ve got beer that’s supposed to fight cancer. Scientists from Rice University are experimenting by adding resveratrol, a “natural component of grapes, pomegranates and red wine” to beer. Resveratrol is supposed to enable you to eat a high-fat diet without gaining weight or developing heart disease. Studies in mice have shown that this compound promotes heart health and may prevent cancer.

The jury's still out as to whether resvertrol isolated from its natural habitat is a good idea or not, but there has been a development from isolating it that is kinda freaky: srt1720. This new drug is supposed to allow you to eat a high fat diet without exercising and either lose weight or not gain any. They're even hoping it may increase human lifespan. In almost every article I found, some form of "lose weight without effort" was prevalent even over cancer prevention or increased endurance.

This exempilfies the whole problem behind the health care mentality that says, "Fix your symptoms, not your disease--and do it without effort." Srt1720p has been called a "wonder drug" and described as fooling the body into losing weight. Waaaaay down at the bottom of one article, they mention how more testing is needed to determine side effects.

Hmm. Side effects—like leptin drugs being linked to heart attacks and dementia? Or antidepressants being linked to suicide and violence? "Generally, 51% of FDA-approved drugs have serious adverse effects not detected prior to approval. Each year prescription drugs injure 1.5 million people so severely they require hospitalization."

Okay, I've gotten way off topic here. And honestly, it's kind of funny. Based on this scenario, you can drink whatever you want as long as you take srt1720 to counteract side effects of weight gain. Sign me up!

Addendum: Plastics Updates

Here's a link to Safe Plastics from Ken Fox of The Soundings Group, a strategic business and marketing resource.

And, a little information from Dr. Greg Cooper, who is currently writing a book entitled The Reasonable Radical. Check out his site of the same name.

"With regard to the bottled water controversy, it may not be dioxins that break down but the presence of BPA (bisphenol A) and another substance called pthalates that are still causing concern. These are substances (plastics) used to make things smooth and stain resistant. The concern is that they are “endocrine disrupters” and cause our delicately balanced hormonal system to be affected. They are used to make the white lining of canned vegetable cans, in cosmetics (especially lipstick), baby bottles (of marked concern considering the bottles are usually heated before feedings), and even in our medicines (did you ever wonder why some medicines can be taken and will not break down quickly but are sold based on the advantage of “time-released”?). A good book on the subject is Toxic Overload by Paula Baillie-Hamilton."

Bottled Water Controversy

I recently received an e-mail from a friend warning about the dangers of plastic water bottles. Citing Sheryl Crow and Johns Hopkins, it claimed that when bottled water is left out in the sun (in your car, for example), chemicals from the plastic in the bottles can leach into the water and then into your body when you drink it, possibly leading to breast cancer.

I did a little research and found out that not only was Johns Hopkins not behind this study, but that Sheryl Crow never actually attributed bottled water to breast cancer. Also, according to Rolf Haden, PhD, PE, with Johns Hopkins, “there are no dioxins in plastics.” Dioxins are “highly carcinogenic” toxins (Wikipedia), formed during combustion processes that have been linked to cancer.

So, the good news is that the only thing you shouldn't leave in your car on a hot day is a rental DVD. However, there are some other good reasons not to drink bottled water.

1. It’s ridiculously expensive when compared to a filtration system or tap water.
2. Most of it isn’t much better for you than tap water.
3. It creates more waste.
4. It reduces demand for state governments to improve tap water supply.
5. Corporations are usurping groundwater and distribution rights.

If you want to play it safe, forgo plastic altogether: buy a stainless steel thermos ($25) and a Brita pitcher ($40, but cheaper on Amazon.com). If you do find yourself high and dry, however, here are some good sites to help determine which bottled water to choose.

• Which Bottled Water Is the Best?
• Best Mineral and Spring Waters
• Women's Health Best Bottled Water
  

Hedonism in Its Place

I recently found a great site: The Accidental Hedonist. (Look for my blog there soon.) This article extols the virtues of being a “foodie”—and the main one is awareness. I’m especially fond of points 5 and 6: eating fresh produce and being wary of food institutions. As for point 4—learn to cook—I’m hoping this site will help with that.

However, the author’s point of being proud of what you enjoy, in combination with taking responsibility is a valid one. Picking a few “junk” foods and enjoying them thoroughly in moderation is greatly preferable to (a) denying yourself any guilty pleasure and then overdoing it in the food equivalent of a nervous breakdown (guilty as charged) or (b) eating whatever is quickest and easiest, be it microwave meals or fast food.

Coming up: look for some surprising products that contain, in my opinion, the four most harmful “ingredients” out there: high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, trans fats, and monosodium glutamate.

Beginning Nutritional Correction

I recently found this fascinating article about Natural Health Practitioners. Rita Louise, ND, of SoulHealer.com, discusses the important role prevention takes in the face of disease, and how eating “empty calories” often leads to nutritional deficiencies that leave the body and mind open to disease later on in life.

Interestingly, Louise says, “Although there IS a point of no return…it is surprising to see how well the body responds to nutritional correction.”

Food for thought...

And some for the body: here's a healthy dinner full of nutrition and taste.

4 oz wild salmon
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T local honey

Marinate salmon and then broil 5-8 min. Serves 1.

1 small sweet potato

1 head kale
1 head rainbow chard
1 head broccolini
1 hot pepper
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Chop garlic and pepper and saute in olive oil; add chopped greens and saute until still slightly crisp, about 5 min. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Organic Milk and Cancer Prevention

This week I read an interesting fact in Women’s Health magazine: organic milk has a 60% health advantage over conventional, apparently due to more conjugated linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that may prevent tumors.

But this recent article calls into question whether or not organic milk drinkers are actually getting organic milk. It warns, “Federal regulations defining what exactly constitutes organic milk are somewhat vague.” It calls into question the organic requirements put into practice even by such major organic dairy distributors as Horizon.

Some good news, however: apparently the soaring popularity of organic milk has impacted conventional dairy farmers, causing many to raise cows without artificial growth hormones.

Speaking of growth hormones, I discovered a few months back the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting promoted by Brad Pilon. Don’t let the sales letter format of this site fool you. His research not only debunks many current myths about weight loss and metabolism, it provides a diet alternative involving simple fasting practices that will unleash the body’s natural growth hormone, which not only encourages weight loss but stimulates the body’s reparative functions, decreasing the effects of aging and the likelihood of cancer. (Not to mention that on a test run I lost five pounds in 2 weeks and felt fabulous.)

Check it out. In my opinion it’s worth $30.

Green Eggs and Baking Soda

In the vein of how what we put into the Earth affecting what we put into our bodies, I’ve come across two interesting alternatives to some pretty powerful chemicals we use often without thinking about them.

The first is tooth whitener. I’ve been appalled by the increasing popularity of whitening treatments and strips over just the past few years. If you Google “tooth whitening,” you actually get a lot of “tooth bleaching” results. Just think about how that sounds for a second. Would you swish around a mouthful of bleach? Hardly!

But Wikipedia identifies dental tooth-whitening procedures thus: “In order to reduce the risk of chemical burns to the soft tissues, most in-office bleaching procedures use a light-cured protective layer that is carefully painted on the gums and papilla (the tips of the gums between the teeth). The bleaching agent is either carbamide peroxide, which breaks down in the mouth to form hydrogen peroxide, or hydrogen peroxide itself.” (emphasis added)

Side effects include chemical burns, sensitive teeth, and damaged tooth enamel. Dentists tell us not to chew on ice. But enamel wear caused by bleaching is okay? And if you think sensitive teeth isn’t that big a deal, check out this firsthand experience.

If you’re determined to whiten your teeth, I found a site called Make My Teeth Whiter, which offers quite a few natural tooth-whitening alternatives, including brushing with baking soda, that are completely safe and don’t have any as-yet-unknown side effects.

Overall, it seems using a natural, baking soda toothpaste like Tom’s and avoiding coffee, tea, and red wine (yeah, right) is the best recipe for healthier, whiter teeth.

Hmm, that went on a little longer than I expected. If you’re still interested, I have another environmentally sound alternative that has nothing to do with teeth. But it does make use of baking soda, so you can kill two birds with one stone at the grocery store.

Instead of pouring chemicals down your next clogged drain, try this clog cocktail: pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain in question and chase it with ½ cup of white vinegar. Let this sit in the clog for a few minutes, then follow with a pot of boiling water.

Baking soda is just amazing, isn’t it? Maybe we’ll figure out a way to run our cars on it.

I’ve recently begun subscribing to Women’s Health magazine and being a procrastinator have only just gotten to last month’s issue (which turns out to be September, go figure). With the understanding that women’s health includes everything from blue jeans to Alanis Morissette (???), they have wisely included some environmental awareness, specifically about chemicals in the air we breathe.

Their article Got Gas? identifies some common air toxins from the familiar carbon monoxide to VOCs, which are found in all-purpose cleaners and dry-cleaned clothing, and phthalates, found in detergents and air fresheners (DON’T get me started. WHY do people feel that pumping flavored chemicals into their homes is a good idea?). They offer solutions to identifying and neutralizing these chemicals, including suggestions about green cleaners and dry cleaning.

Planet Green

A friend recently turned me on to Emeril Green hosted by Planet Green. I don't have cable, but the Web site offers Emeril articles, episode guides, and a recipe archive. There's also a lot of information about other green initiatives, including greening your kitchen.

I see green living and preventive eating as going hand in hand. We take in an appalling number of pollutants from our environments regardless of how we eat. Toxins enter our skin through shower water as well as what we drink; I've read recent articles about antidepressant and birth control pill residue passed through human waste that are not removed by current filtration systems and infiltrate the general water supply (Google "antidepressants in drinking water). We breathe in exhaust fumes, secondhand cigarette smoke, and of course pesticides every day.

Eating with awareness and prevention in mind, as well as doing a small part towards environmental repair. Try eating less meat, the farming of which not only uses vast amounts of water but contributes 18 percent towards greenhouse gas emissions--more than transportation! This doesn't mean you have to be a vegetarian, but a diet of less red meat not only can contribute towards lower cholesterol, weight loss, and a reduced chance of heart disease, but it increases your chances of trying a variety of veggie alternatives with a host of benefits, such as intestine-cleansing fiber and free-radical-busting antioxidants.

Here are some of my favorite vegetarian recipes that guarantee you won't be missing meat for long. And try using organic vegetables for these recipes specifically, even if your budget doesn't support an all-organic diet.

Grilled Portobello Steaks--Try these on a George Foreman grill or broiled in unsalted veggie broth with a drizzle of olive oil to cut the fat in this recipe.

Roasted Veggie Lasagna--Don't be afraid of eggplant! Choose a small one or opt for the baby variety, and slice thin for flavor without bitterness or toughness. Or try this Noodle-Free Lasagna recipe from Self.com's database.

Beet Salad--Again from Self.com, a great low-calorie recipe site that stays away from artificial sweeteners, packaged soup fillers, and , this fabulous salad is surprisingly filling and great for those dog days of summer. Beets are easy to prepare--simply rinse, roast in-skin, and then easily peel the cooled veggies. They're also bursting with sweet flavor and antioxidants.

Vegetable Soup--As fall approaches, soup becomes one of the best ways to enjoy vegetables and fill up. This is my mother's tried and true base:
Saute onion, garlic, and a chopped celery stalk in 1 tsp olive oil. When veggies begin to brown, add no-salt-added vegetable broth and a can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add chopped carrots and potatoes or butternut squash. Once these have simmered about 5 minutes, then you can add these quicker-cooking vegetables that are fresh, frozen, or canned: green beans, broccoli, cabbage, corn, kale or chard, zucchini, yellow squash, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and other canned beans or pasta. Add water, salt and pepper as needed, and top with any fresh herb: parsely, thyme, sage, oregano, chives, or dill. You can also do a rice base instead of potatoes for this soup; I like brown basmati rice, which cooks more quickly than regular brown rice and adds a nuttier, sweeter flavor.

Miracle Blueberry

The brother of a friend has a great web site that I've recently discovered: miracleblueberry.com. Daniel explains how the blueberry and other fruits provide vital antioxidants, and promotes a natural juice product that contains the benefits of each of these fruits combined. He’s going to send me some samples, and I’ll post my opinions in a future blog.

He also offers free remedies to common ailments such as acne, stress, even ADHD. This site is under construction but it’s a great resource.

And here's a great recipe for blueberry pie. I prefer real butter to shortening, but if you want to go vegan just use vegan butter or shortening. Also, when I made this recipe I cut the sugar by half a cup, and it was still delicious and sweet.

Some Unusual Skin Cancer Prevention

Taking up where I left off last week, I’m so impressed with Natural Health magazine’s website. This site is aesthetically pleasing despite a few advertisements, clearly marked and easy to use. Just some of the features today—dental x-rays safety, fast food going organic, growing your own fruits and veggies—are practical, useful, everyday subjects that take so little effort out of our daily lives to read and explore. And the consequences are monumental.

One of my favorite articles on this site is especially appropriate for summer and our reduced ozone layer: Eat Your Sunscreen. This article lists five categories of foods you can eat to naturally protect yourself from the free radicals that cause skin cancer. I had a conversation with a friend who doesn’t believe in free radicals. Fair enough, some people don’t believe in global warming. I’ve heard convincing arguments on both sides. But my take on both of these issues is this: we can absolutely do no harm trying to combat these “imaginary” crises, so why not do things like recycle, carpool, eat more fruits and vegetables, and wear sunscreen?

Skin cancer is a scary thing. After reading an article about skin cancer, I went to my first dermatological exam sponsored by Oil of Olay. They partnered with dermatologists around the country to offer FREE skin cancer screenings. While this promotion is officially over, the Oil of Olay website will help you find a dermatologist in your area.

Promoting Natural Health

I’ve recently subscribed to a popular health newsletter. It’s a pretty basic layout with a feature article surrounded by text advertisements and finished up with a Q&A. I have to say that I’m all for anyone that provides options other than the lies promoted by pharmaceutical companies and the irresponsibility of mainstream medicine. But it seems this newsletter is a lot hype, too—supplements promising miracle cures, secrets about hidden “killers,” etc.

Yes, you’ve got to make a buck. And these natural health promoters are providing alternatives to surgery, chemotherapy, and physical and emotional anguish. That’s a good thing. But their tone has a decided air of National Enquirer to it that gives me a little insight into why Big Pharmaceutical is raking in the dough, while natural health companies are still largely unknown.

Yes, sales letters have been proven to work. If I read long enough, even I’m convinced to subscribe, to believe almost anything. And this is certainly not to say that the cures and miracles promised aren’t deliverable. But I’m talking about awareness here, about education and raising the standard for individual responsibility in this country so we can start demanding it from our health care providers and food sources.

Hype and hypochondria don’t encourage that, if you ask me.

Pay attention next time you see a commercial for Viagara or Paxil or Lunesta. Yes, those drugs work for many people. Yes, there is a lot of hype surrounding them and a lot of doctors irresponsibly recommending them, and as a result there is untold damage to the bodies of people who use them. But the commercials are professional and intelligent; they appeal to the emotions of reasonable, sensible people who are looking for reasonable, sensible answers so they can get on with their lives. These commercials don’t exist to put fear into the minds of their consumers; they exist to create comfort. They aren’t “unbelievable” cures; they’re the most reasonable, sensible thing in the world.

It’s time natural and preventive health promoters started to live up to this standard. Because natural healing is, literally, the most natural thing in the world. It’s reasonable and sensible, much more so than putting a bunch of chemicals in your body that only “manage” symptoms while creating a host of others. And I think we should start treating it as such.