On the subject of Bromine

Bromine Toxicity Passed from One Generation to the Next

An interesting article reported that fish exposed to low levels of common flame retardants pass the chemicals along to their progeny. Scientists found that while the parents’ health effects were minimal, the exposures reduced hatch rates and altered the thyroid hormonal system in the next generation.

The effects were worse if the offspring were exposed to the same low chemical levels as their parents. What were the chemicals? Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE’s) were the chemicals studied. PBDE’s are used widely in our environment as a flame retardant. They are found in many consumer products such as clothing, furniture, mattresses, curtains, foam, and electronics. PBDE’s are found in large amounts in automobile seats and many children’s products. (Environmental Science and Technology. 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es2026592).

Comment:
PBDE’s contain bromine as part of their molecular structure. Bromine is a toxic substance that is a known goitrogen. It has no known therapeutic value in the body. To date, I have tested over 500 patients for bromine levels. Unfortunately, I have found bromine toxicity occurring in a surprisingly large amount of my patients—nearly 100% of those that I have tested.

If this study is replicated in humans, this could explain, in part, why we are seeing such a rapid rise in chronic health problems. Perhaps this rise in health issues is due to our increasing exposure to toxic agents such as bromine. In our modern society it is hard to avoid some sources of bromine. However, food sources of bromine can easily be avoided. Bromine is commonly found in food and drink. Food made with brominated flour or drinks with brominated vegetable oil can be avoided. Avoid baked products that contain brominated flour. Mountain Dew and AMP energy drink are examples of two sodas with bromine. Some Gatorade products also contain bromine.

Supplementing with iodine can help the body release bromine. On the other hand, bromine exposure can cause the body to excrete iodine. It is important to ensure that your iodine levels are adequate so that your body can keep bromine levels to a minimum.

Ingesting adequate amounts of unrefined salt is also helpful. Salt helps the body excrete bromine.

More information about these therapies can be found in my books—Iodine : Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It and Salt Your Way To Health.

posted by Dr. David Brownstein  http://drdavidbrownstein.blogspot.com/

Even if you are not Celiac!

BREAD, AND WHY AVOID MOST OF IT

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

© February 2011, The Center For Development

                 

                  Wheat bread, especially made of white flour, is one of the worst foods on planet earth.  Here are the reasons to avoid it altogether:

1. It is a wheat product.  Unfortunately, wheat is no longer a healthy food for anyone.  Even organic, whole wheat is greatly hybridized and is not healthful.  Wheat tends to inflame the intestines due to its high glutamine content today, and it is also much lower in protein and in many essential minerals than it was in the past, say 100 years ago. 

This fact is well-documented by the US Department of Agriculture and by many scientists as well.  It is truly a shame, because wheat was a fine food, and it is used in thousands of prepared food items as a thickener, in flours, and in other ways as well.

2. If it is white bread, the best part of the wheat flour is removed and fed to the pigs and other farm animals.  Whole wheat is not healthful, but at least it is rich in various vitamins, minerals and fiber.  To make white bread, however, the germ and the bran of the wheat are stripped away. 

This leaves a product that has almost no fiber, almost no vitamins and minerals, and is mostly just starch.  It is sometimes called ‘empty calories’ for this reason.  It is basically just calories that put on weight, without providing any micronutrients such as minerals at all.  It is truly an empty food.  The cardboard box of a wheat cereal may contains as much nutrition as the cereal itself, if not more.  This is how bad white flour is.

Do not be fooled because the label says the flour is “enriched”.  The reason it is enriched with 3 or 4 vitamins and iron is that around 1945, scientists realized how gravely deficient white flour was, and a law was passed forcing the baking companies to at least add back a few of the vitamins that are stripped away when whole wheat flour is refined into white flour.  However, this is paltry and not nearly enough.  It is as though someone just robbed you of $1000.00 dollars, and then decides to “enrich you” by giving you back one or two dollars.

3. Chlorine toxicity.  Almost all white flour is usually bleached with a highly toxic chlorine bleach.  This is another horrible insult to the basic wheat grain.  The same agent is used to bleach the wheat flour as is used to bleach clothing.  It is then baked and the concoction creates extremely toxic chemicals in the bread that irritate the intestines.

            The bleaching of wheat flour is purely cosmetic and never needed for any other reason.  One or two bread companies such as Pepperidge Farm use unbleached wheat flour, which is somewhat better, although all the other problems with flour are still present.

4. Iron toxicity.  One of the worst features of enriched white bread is the addition of iron to the bread.  Not only is too much iron put back into the bread.  The form of the iron is also not very available to the body, and this is another insult.  The iron can build up in the body in a toxic form that is extremely irritating and inflammatory.  It can contribute to every possible disease from diabetes and arthritis to cancer.

5. Bromine toxicity.  Completely idiotic laws in most nations require bread companies to add bromine to bread instead of iodine.  It helps the yeast rise or has other effects.  Bromine is highly toxic for human beings.

6. Food chemicals and additives.  Almost all bread contains a number of additional food additives.  The most common is refined sugar or some other sweetener, as it not only gives the bread a sweet taste, but acts as food for the yeast as well.  Sugar is not helpful for one’s health in any form.

Other common chemicals include dough conditioners, yeast food, preservatives, flavors, coloring and many others that may or may not be listed on the label.  Bromine, used to enhance the rising of the dough, is one of the worst and is not required to be listed on the label.

7. Cooked at high temperature.  In general, the higher the temperature a food is cooked at, the more damage is done to certain nutrients.  Bread is baked at 300 degree F. or higher, and this is more damaging than steaming or stir-frying your food, for example.

8. A toxic and sometimes lethal concoction.  For all of these reasons, enriched white bread is one food to avoid completely.  The only way I suggest eating white flour, and only on occasion, is in the form of pasta.  This is a little better because it has no added chemicals, it is not bleached, and it is cooked at a lower temperature that damages the wheat less.  It may be eaten safely once a week, although I suggest rice, corn or quinoa pasta in place of all wheat pasta.

So if you have some white bread in the house, use it to clean up a mess on the floor, or to wipe down a counter top, but don’t’ eat it.

WHAT ABOUT ORGANIC WHOLE WHEAT BREAD OR MULTI-GRAIN BREADS?

These are a bit better.  However, all wheat is imbalanced today and causes intestinal irritation.  So even whole wheat is best avoided completely for optimum health.  This is especially true if one has impaired digestion at all, or any inflammatory condition in the body, such as joint pain, stomach discomfort, headaches or any “itis” such as arthritis or bursitis.

WHAT ABOUT WHEAT-FREE BREADS SUCH AS 100% WHOLE RYE BREAD OR SPROUTED GRAIN BREADS?

Wheat-free products are far better, in general, though they may still contain some toxic chemical additives.  Some people are also allergic to all gluten-containing grains, which includes rye, barley and oats in any form whatsoever.

Sprouted, non-wheat breads tend to be the best if you must eat bread.  However, once again, be sure your bread does not contain wheat, which is usually the main ingredient.  Even sprouted wheat is not healthful today and is best avoided, in my view.  The only wheat product I suggest consuming is a little wheat grass juice, up to 2 ounces daily.

Also, make sure your bread is free of preservatives, additives, sugar, honey, maple syrup or other sweeteners, and of course free of other chemicals that are often hidden in bread and not disclosed on the label.

More reasons not to eat wheat in any form.

Healthy life.

Suzanne

Dangers of wheat consumption

Please read this. Dr. Mark Hyman's article  explains why we have an increase in celiac's and gluten sensitivities. Problem is that many people do not get diagnosed properly and continue to eat wheat to their detriment.

http://drhyman.com/three-hidden-ways-wheat-makes-you-fat-8425/?utm_source=Publicaster&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=drhyman+newsletter+issue+#56&utm_content=Get+the+story


The more people get educated about this problem, the more doctors have to get with diagnosing and recognizing the many symptoms.
Healthy life.
Suzanne

Valentine Chocolate Cake

 Double the cake recipe.

Yellow Cake (makes one cake layer)

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons of honey (or other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (or other vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 cup of almond flour (finely ground, blanched almonds)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Prepare an 8 inch round cake pan by rubbing oiling on the inside, and then cut out a circular piece of parchment paper to place on the bottom of the pan. This allows you to remove the cake from the pan without it sticking. I trace a circle of the pan on the paper and then cut it out.
3. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Place the yolks in a separate mixing bowl, and then beat the egg whites with the vinegar until stiff peaks form.
4. To the yolks add the honey, baking soda, oil, and whisk to blend well.
5. Add the lemon juice to the egg yolk batter and whisk to blend well.
6. Fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture, and then finally add the almond flour to the batter and whisk to blend well.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, or the center is not soft and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the cake and  then run a knife along the outer edge of the cake to make it easy to remove.
9. Finally, remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake, frost and enjoy! 
10. I used heart pans and made a simple butter, cocoa and vanilla frosting with grape juice sweetened black cherry jam in the middle.

Coconut Manna Bark

Coconut Manna Munchies

These Coconut Manna Munchies are a perfect after dinner treat and will surely keep your guests asking for more!
Share your recipes with us by joining the Nutiva Recipe Club.
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. Container Nutiva Coconut Manna
1 Tbsp. Cacao Butter
2 Tbsp. Cashews Chopped
2 Tbsp. Cranberries or Goji Berries
2 Tbsp. Cacao Nibs
2 Tbsp. Raw Honey
1 tsp. Maca
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
Directions:
1. Gently heat Coconut Manna and cacao butter in pan on stove top until it is a pourable consistency.
2. Transfer to a glass bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and stir in to heated mixture.
3. Pour mixture evenly onto a rimmed, lined cookie sheet.
4. Allow to harden in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
5. Remove, cut into small pieces.
Voilà! a quick and richly nutritious treat for guests.
Recipe Credit: Catherine Taubenheim, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This was a hit at work and home. 
Next post Valentine's chocolate cake.

Celiac Brain: Here are some ways Gluten causes Depression

Celiac Brain: Here are some ways Gluten causes Depression: In my opinion it is very important to make sure a depressed person is not celiac, or gluten sensitive as this in the most common cause of ...

Please read this if you have mental and emotional problems.
It is from Dr. Powell at Celiac Brain.

How to Effectively Prevent Influenza by Dr. Mercola

Avoiding influenza and flu-like illness during the flu season or any season doesn't require a flu vaccine. By following the simple guidelines below, you can help keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you're far less likely to get sick or, if you do get sick, you are better prepared to move through it without complications. For more details, follow the hyperlinks provided.

• Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I've previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself. This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. Regularly monitor your vitamin D levels to confirm your levels are within the therapeutic range of 50-70 ng/ml.
  
  Ideally, you'll want to get all your vitamin D from sun exposure or a safe tanning bed, but as a last resort you can take an oral vitamin D3 supplement. According to the latest review by Carole Baggerly (Grassrootshealth.org), adults need about 8,000 IU's a day.
• Avoid Sugar, Fructose and Processed Foods. Sugar impairs the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a healthy immune system is one of the most important keys to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.
• Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you're tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night's Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.
• Have Effective Tools to Address Stress . We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness. If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as the Emotional Freedom Technique, which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma.
• Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.
• Take a Good Source of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also crucial to avoid excessive and/or oxidized omega-6 fatty acids, as well as trans fatty acids commonly found in processed foods, as they will seriously damage your immune response.
• Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.
• Use Natural Antibiotics. Examples include colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and garlic. These work like broad-spectrum antibiotics against bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in your body. And unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, they do not appear to lead to resistance.
• Avoid Hospitals. I'd recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you're having an emergency and need expert medical care, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infectious microorganisms of all kinds. The best place to get plenty of rest and recover from illness that is not life-threatening is usually in the comfort of your own home.

Taken together, these strategies lay the groundwork for a robust immune system that can stand up to all kinds of viral and bacterial assaults. However, there are also a number of all-natural therapies that can help you combat colds and flu's on a more short-term basis. Here's a listing of some of the most effective ones:

Zinc—According to a Cochrane Database Review of the medical research on zinc, when taken within one day of the first symptoms, zinc can cut down the duration of a cold by about 24 hours	Mushrooms—Beta glucans and proteoglycans are the primary biologically active compounds in the mushroom fruit body and mycelia that support your immune system	Oregano Oil: The higher the carvacrol concentration, the more effective it is. Carvacrol is the most active antimicrobial agent in oregano oil	A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint and ginger; drink it hot and often for combating a cold or flu. It causes you to sweat, which is helpful for eradicating a virus from your system
Chicken soup—Chicken contains a natural amino acid called cysteine, which can thin the mucus in your lungs and make it less sticky so you can expel it more easily	Vitamin C: A very potent antioxidant; use a natural form such as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients. You can take several grams every hour till you are better unless you start developing loose stools	Propolis: A bee resin and one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world; propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important compounds that aid in immune response	Olive leaf extract: Ancient Egyptians and Mediterranean cultures used it for a variety of health-promoting uses and it is widely known as a natural, non-toxic immune system builder