Articles

CONSUMER BEWARE

California News: State asks Consumers to avoid eating a Mexican candy

July 20, 2007

Sacramento

State health officials issued a public warning Friday against eating a certain candy from Mexico that appears tainted with high levels of lead.

Department of Public Health Director Dr. Mark Horton warned consumers Friday not to eat a candy, namely, De La Rosa Pulparindo candy, imported from Mexico.

The warning was issued because it contains “high levels of lead” that could cause health problems.

“Lead is toxic to humans, especially infants, young children and developing fetuses, and can result in learning disabilities and behavioral disorders that could last a lifetime,” Horton said.

De La Rosa Pulparindo is a tamarind pulp candy that comes packed in 10-ounce boxes containing individually wrapped half-ounce candies. The boxes are bright red in color with the word “Pulparindo” boldly printed in black letters.

A department analysis found the candy contained between 0.12 and 0.18 parts per million of lead. California considers candies with lead levels more than 0.1 ppm unacceptable.

Dul-Mex Guadalajara Inc. of Hayward, the distributor where the De La Rosa Pulparindo was sampled, initiated a voluntary recall of the product, the department said.

© 2007 Garden of Healing®. All rights reserved.

POETICA

Focus on Foods that Heal

By Mark Isaac Thyss, Founder, Garden of Healing®

July 20, 2007

We are focused on food…

We believe that everything starts in the kitchen.

Who you are and what you can accomplish both depend upon what you put into your body.

The body heals itself.

Your body heals itself, but only if you are fueling it with truly healing foods – not substances born of food lies.

Garden of Healing® explores the power of foods that truly heal, and we seek to expose the food impostors that simply cannot.

Your body heals itself – and it does so with greater ease and significance in the presence of the right use of food and an awareness of what nutrition can accomplish when applied to specific illness.

Look deeper.

Look deeper by exploring the complex interplay of nutrients and your own unique genetic make-up for a more profound understanding of what works best for you.

This is the future of medicine – the cutting edge.

If you are looking to assist the natural healing process, start with the food you put into you body.

Everything starts in the kitchen.

Come home and go within. Welcome to Garden of Healing®.

© 1997-2007 Mark Isaac Thyss/Garden of Healing®.  All rights reserved.

POETICA

Is “Natural” dead?

By Mark Isaac Thyss, Founder, Garden of Healing®

Natural has made its way into the mainstream.

What’s an Earth Mama to do?

Can natural be for everyone? Well, at one time it was, You old Hunter-Gatherer You…

With the increased awareness of organics and natural, You again feel bored. With so much overuse, it is no wonder its meaning has become diluted.

It’s “Consumer Fatigue”.

Shift to quality…, embrace your individuality. Have an authentic food experience.

Itching for something new?

Quality and experience are at the forefront of Your mind, and granola’s got You down…

Journeying down the path of health and wellness, You seek premium food experiences.

Natural and organic are no longer enough. Even Corporations and The FDA cannot decide…

It’s You, YOU are changing the definition of quality.

Concerned about safety? You already select foods that are free from artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats. Now what?

Follow all roads to quality.

Use food to create lightness, freedom in movement and mental clarity.

Garden of Healing® shows You how.

© 1997-2007 Mark Isaac Thyss/Garden of Healing®.  All rights reserved.

ADVERTISING

Claim of “Superfood” not Enough

Source: BBC News

Published: June 2007

Products claiming to be superfoods will be banned under new EU rules coming into effect on Sunday - unless the claim can be proved.

Blueberries, salmon, spinach and soy have all been hailed as so-called superfoods - foods rich in nutrients.

Some say superfoods can protect against cancer and heart disease, but others say there is no evidence for this.

The new laws will apply to all food or drink products made or sold for human consumption within EU nations.

Onus of proof

Almost 100 products have been described as superfood, and sales of products like blueberries and spinach have soared.

But some nutritionists claim there are no proven benefits of “superfoods” and say marketing is misleading.

The new EU legislation will ban the use of the term superfood unless it is accompanied by a specific authorized health claim that explains to consumers why the product is good for their health.

However, companies will have just over two years to adjust their marketing in line with the new rules.

The legislation will also mean nutritional claims such as “low in salt” or “light” will have to meet a standardized definition agreed by the EU.

And foods that make a nutrition claim - such as being low in salt - will have to make it clear on the same label if they are also high in fat or sugar.

In addition, foods that are high in more than one nutrient will not be allowed to make a nutrition claim about another of its ingredients.

A spokeswoman from the Food Standards Agency said: “The use of general terms on food, such as ‘healthy for you’ or ’superfood’, imply a health benefit. However, these terms do not communicate why the food is healthy or a superfood.

“So, the regulation requires they are backed up by a relevant and authorized health claim. This way the consumer knows why this food is healthy.”

Kevin Hawkins of the British Retail Consortium said: “Our concern is not about the principle of this legislation.

“It is right that claims such as ‘reduced fat’ or ‘good for your heart’ are supported by science but customers must not be denied nutrition and health messages they find valuable.

“The regulation still risks unintended consequences. It could thwart national health campaigns and compromise innovation of healthier products. We will need to keep the impact of this regulation under review.”

Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/6252390.stm

© BBC MMVII All Rights Reserved.

NUTRITION

Another Benefit is Seen in Buying Organic Produce

By Eric Nagourney

July 2007

People who choose organic fruits and vegetables to avoid pesticides and other chemicals may have another reason to buy organic.

A new study finds that organically grown tomatoes have higher levels of flavonoids, which may protect against cardiovascular disease.

Writing in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers said the level of one flavonoid in the organic tomatoes was almost twice as high as that in conventionally grown tomatoes.

Because of evidence that flavonoids may fight age-related diseases, the study said, researchers have been trying to develop crops with higher levels of them. In the United States, only potatoes are eaten more often than tomatoes.

The researchers, from the University of California, Davis, looked at tomatoes grown over a 10-year period in organic fields and regular ones. Not only did the organic tomatoes score better, they said, but over time their flavonoid levels kept increasing.

The lead author of the study, Alyson E. Mitchell, said she was surprised at the extent of the difference.

“We sort of went into this expecting higher levels,” Dr. Mitchell said. “We did not expect to find the levels that we found.”

The study offered several possible explanations, most having to do with the fertility of the soil. Organic farms, the researchers said, gradually improve the soil by letting organic matter accumulate through the use of cover crops, compost and manure.

The study also said flavonoids were among a group of metabolites produced by plants in part to ward off pests. So it is possible, the researchers said, that the increased pressure on organic crops from pests may result in more flavonoids.

Source:  http://www.nytimes.com/

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company.  All Rights Reserved.

MEN’S HEALTH

Speaking of Prostate Cancer - Red Wine

Garden of Healing®

July 2007

It appears that red wine could be good for your prostate as well as the heart.

One well designed study found that men who drank four or more glasses of red wine per week saw a reduction in their prostate cancer risk by 50 percent. The same study saw a 60 percent lower incidence of higher stage prostate cancers in these men.

A glass or two of red wine per day appears to protect against prostate cancer.  No similar effects could be found with other forms of alcohol including beer and hard liquor.

Other research has studied the effects of resveratrol (the “active” ingredient in red wine) on several pathways of prostate cancer development. Most interesting was the change in the expression of a number of important genes in the PSA and AR (androgen) pathways. Resveratrol slowed down the proliferation and cell cycle speeds causing the cancer cells to take longer before they reproduce.

Studies on resveratrol have also demonstrated that it stimulated cell apoptosis in the prostate cancer cells, causing them to die.

Moderation is the key. Four to eight glasses of red wine per week, not all in the same day, of course(!), would implement the recommendations of the study.

Be sure that it is red wine you drink, as whites, blushes and other forms of alcohol did not demonstrate the same prostate protective effect.

© 2007 Garden of Healing®. All rights reserved.