Declare War on Sugar

SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR’S WAR ON SUGAR: MIGUEL VILLARREAL

by Dana Woldow

Miguel Villarreal, head of school food service for Novato Unified School District, about 30 miles north of San Francisco in 2002 learning that 35% of their students were deemed overweight based on the California Healthy Kids Survey, decided to take immediate action to address this problem.

He decided to get rid of processed food and beverages that were high in sugar; telling the NUSD that we would be removing them, knowing this would end a $70,000 revenue stream.

His plan was to increase breakfast participation to help make up for the lost soda revenue. By making breakfast part of the school day, he was able to get over 1,400 NUSD students a day to eat breakfast, where previously only 200 had done so. The extra revenue more than made up for the loss of soda money.

Next, Villarreal phased out high sugar foods like pastries, cookies and cereals, and in 2006 he eliminated flavored milk in all elementary schools, and eventually from all NUSD schools. After hearing Dr. Robert Lustig of UCSF speak on the toxicities of refined sugars, he eliminated all juice products served with meals (a limited number of 100% juices are available a la-carte at the middle and high schools.)

To date, he estimates that he has eliminated a total of 400 pounds of sugar per day from the NUSD school meal program, the equivalent of 36 tons of sugar, every year since 2006.

Interview:
...what makes a school meal program successful,
- how to get high school students to eat in the cafeteria,
- why he does not support lobbying Congress to roll back new healthy school food regulations, and
- his belief that the job of Director of School Food Service should be changed to Director of Wellness.

A. – In the end, a successful school food service program is one that meets the financial and wellness goals of the school district.

Success is not necessarily measured by the number of students eating, nor by the healthiness of the food, if the kids are not eating it. 

Schools with lots of students eating may still be serving highly processed “kid” friendly meals. Is this more “successful” than a school district that is attempting to promote healthier, less processed food?

I do not subscribe to the theory that having students eat highly processed food is better than not having anything to eat. School food service programs must figure out how to overcome this way of thinking if they are going be part of the wellness solution.

  

Q. – What one piece of advice do you have for school districts about how they could better serve their students?

A. – We need to redefine the role of the traditional Director of Food Services to that of the Director of Wellness. The current food service director positions are primarily responsible for operations; extremely important, but it is difficult to change the overall culture of wellness of a school district or community just by improving school food. Students, parents, school staff and the community at large must embrace wellness as a comprehensive approach.

The Director of Wellness would be responsible for overseeing and helping coordinate all food, nutrition and wellness programs in the schools and community. Helping to connect the 3 C’s – Cafeteria, Classroom and Community – through coalition building with all vested individuals and organizations, as discussed in the book Food Justice by Robert Gottlieb and Anapuma Joshi.

The Director of Wellness would collaborate with numerous allied organizations in their communities, county, city and around the state, and serve as committee, advisory or board member for many of those same organizations, ensuring that the school food service program served as a hub for wellness both in schools and in the community. The Director of Wellness should also sit on the school district’s Cabinet and work closely with all internal educational departments.

If we want to see real, sustainable improvements in our children’s health, wellness and academic achievement, then it’s time for a major shift in how we view school food service programs. Sustainable change works when inside and outside forces come together for a common good.


Dana Woldow has been a school food advocate since 2002 and shares what she has learned at PEACHSF.org. Follow her on Twitter @nestwife, or read more than 140 characters of her writing in her complete archive.

CONTRIBUTOR
Dana Woldow

Read More:
Link: http://beyondchron.org/school-food-service-directors-war-on-sugar-miguel-villarreal/

BeyondChron | School Food Service Director’s War on Sugar: Miguel Villarreal

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver

QUOTATION OF THE DAY

"The equivalent of this is foie gras. You have to force feed ducks to get fatty liver, but people seem to be able to develop it on their own."

DR. JOEL E. LAVINE

, of NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, on the rapid rise of nonalcoholic fatty liver among American children and adults.

Healthy Diet Choices are foundational to Fitness

My favorite source for nutrition and diet information is Dr. Dean Ornish.

Spectrum of Choices

 Foods are neither good nor bad, but some are more healthful for you than others. You have a spectrum of choices.

Based on the latest science, while recognizing the limitations of research, I have categorized foods into a spectrum ranging from the most healthful (Group 1) to the least healthful (Group 5).

I started to say “most indulgent” to describe Group 5, but that’s part of the problem. Whether or not a food is healthful is not the primary determinant of how good it tastes. How fresh are the ingredients? Where was it grown? Local? Organic? How processed is it? How skillfully was it prepared?

You can make Group 1 and Group 2 foods that are good for you and also taste great and feel indulgent. Conversely, you can make Group 5 foods unappealing if they’re not well-prepared.

What matters most is your overall way of eating. I am not saying that you should never consume foods from Group 5 (unless you have a serious health condition). If you indulge yourself one day by eating foods from Group 4 or 5, spend a little more time in Groups 1 and 2 the next day.

- See more at: http://www.ornishspectrum.com/proven-program/nutrition/#sthash.zsrJ7mYH.dpuf

http://www.ornishspectrum.com/proven-program/nutrition/ Dean Ornish book and Website



These changes will make you live longer, Tweets Dean Ornish




Dr. Dean Ornish, founder and president of Preventive Medicine Research Institute and a clinical professor of medicine and the University of California in San Francisco, designed a program to reverse heart disease. Rather than pills or surgery, he supports using lifestyle and diet modifications to undo damage related to cardiovascular health.

In a 45-minute chat hosted by CNNHealth, he answered a series of questions about diet, lifestyle and heart health from @cnnhealth's Twitter audience, using#LastHeartAttack. Here are some of the questions he answered.

satya33: Is it important to have Omega 3 + 6 everyday? How much & which food sources would you suggest?
DeanOrnishMD: Omega-3 fatty acids are remarkable– they can reduce sudden cardiac death by up to 80%, reduce risk of cancer... even raise your baby's IQ! Take 3-4 grams/day of fish oil or plankton-based omega-3's, ones that take out bad stuff.

Ornish: Asking the right questions about health care

debsmith211: Does beef really put a strain on your heart?
DeanOrnishMD: Beef increases your risk of heart disease as well as colon, breast, & prostate cancers. And increases global warming.

The 'heart attack proof' diet?

ChanchalSHayr: Is there a vegetarian option for omega-3, instead of fish oil?
DeanOrnishMD: Yes, several brands of vegan omega-3's including Martek. Fish get omega'3's from eating plankton.


NWAngel: Heart disease is #1

















NWAngel: Heart disease is #1 killer of women. Are the risks & or treatments different than for men?
DeanOrnishMD: Even more women die from heart disease than men. Lifestyle choices to prevent & reverse heart disease are about the same.

Learn more from the American Heart Association

reidiculous1: Will flax-based omega-3 supplements do the trick?
DeanOrnishMD: Flax provides DHA but not ALA, so it's good but not as beneficial as fish oil which provides both.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil supplements. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants.

kenleebow: What are your thoughts on being heart attack proof by having a total cholesterol of 150 or less?
DeanOrnishMD: It's a good start but not enough to be heart attack proof. Also need moderate exercise, meditation, and love/support.

What causes a heart attack?

spinningvitamin: What do you think about soy protein supplement powder?
DeanOrnishMD: Soy is good in diet but you can get too much using the soy supplement powders, so I don't recommend them.

RPG80 asked: Eating like a vegan takes planning. Where can i get good tasting recipes to eat like this every day?
DeanOrnishMD: “Everyday Cooking with Dr. Dean Ornish" has hundreds of easy-and-quick-to-make delicious vegan & vegetarian recipes.

DrFinke: Are there risks of too much soy for women?
DeanOrnishMD: You can get too much soy from powders/supplements but not in a normal whole foods diet. Soy reduces breast cancer risk.

RecoveringFoody: Dr. O's view on olive oil contradicts what we hear. Is olive oil really terrible for you?
DeanOrnishMD: The Lyon study showed that a Mediterranean diet high in canola oil (not olive oil) & low in meat reduced heart attacks.
What your cholesterol number really says

SuzZenCrow asked: Can I keep my iron up & go vegan? I have chronic anemia, high cholesterol, ulcer.
DeanOrnishMD: An ulcer will cause you to lose microscopic blood & iron, so most important is to treat that (more). You can take iron supplements if needed, but most people have no problems getting enough iron in their diet.

Viartist_23 asked: Is it true that cholesterol can cause blind spots in eye?
DeanOrnishMD: Amaurosis fugax is temporary blindness in 1 caused by reduced blood flow, which too much cholesterol can promote.

goodskinla asked: Are avocados really OUT?
DeanOrnishMD: Avocados are high in fat so they're high in calories; if you don't have heart disease, they're fine in moderation. If you don't have heart disease, you have a spectrum of choices– check out www.ornish.com for more info.

DrFinke asked: Vegan assumes no fish. Is it better to supplement DHA/ALA or eat fish? Is there a difference?
DeanOrnishMD” Fish oil supplements are better if they remove the bad stuff (mercury, dioxin, PCB) that are found in almost all fish.

Will you have a heart attack? These tests might tell

spinningvitamin asked: Are there some non-soy protein powders that u feel are beneficial & safe? Feel protein deficient.
DeanOrnishMD: Most people aren't protein deficient; eat more high-protein foods (soy, rice & beans, etc.) Whey powder not soy.

Neal56 asked: In a vegan diet, where do you get your protein and fat? Both are necessary for rebuilding your body.
DeanOrnishMD: If you eat a variety of vegetables, whole grains, and soy, you'll get enough protein on a vegan diet. And legumes (beans, etc.). If you're not ready to be a vegan, eat a few vegan or vegetarian meals each week.
DeanOrnishMD: Thank you so much– these lifestyle changes make you feel better as well as live longer, which makes them sustainable.
From omnivore to vegan: The dietary education of Bill Clinton

Follow CNNHealth on Twitter


Link: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/19/these-changes-will-make-you-live-longer-tweets-dean-ornish/

Post by: Madison Park - CNNhealth.com Writer/Producer
Filed under: Healthy Eating • Heart

Colorado Pot Shops Raided By The Feds May Be Shut For Good

Matt Ferner Become a fanMatt.Ferner@huffingtonpost.com

Four Denver-area medical marijuana businesses may be permanently shuttered after federal officials reportedly probing links with Colombian drug cartels raided the shops in November.

The raid on the four interconnected companies came during a search of more than a dozen medical marijuana businesses in Denver and Boulder -- the largest by federal law enforcers on Colorado pot businesses since the state legalized medical marijuana in 2000. The Denver Post reported Tuesday that no federal charges have been filed as a result of the raids and people involved in the businesses denied any connection to illicit drug activity or Colombian drug cartels.

Nevertheless, Colorado marijuana industry regulators are pursuing the shutdown of four of the raided businesses: VIP Cannabis, Kushism, and Highlands Cannabis Co. in Denver, as well as Grateful Meds in Nederland. State regulators notified the four shops on April 3 that state licenses to operate as medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities would be denied. The state alleged violations of state code that in some cases stretched back to 2012, according to state Marijuana Enforcement Division documents.

"You have operated the licensed premises in a manner that adversely affects the public health or welfare or the safety of the immediate neighborhoods in which your establishments are located," the state notice of denial reads.

The denial notices say regulators have placed administrative holds on the shops' inventory of "marijuana plants, marijuana, finished marijuana products, marijuana-infused products or other marijuana inventory." Shop owners have 60 days to request hearings on the denial notices.

Federal raiders seized more than $2 million worth of marijuana plants and productsfrom VIP Cannabis. Owners Carlos Solano and Gerardo Uribe said the raid forced them to lay off more than 100 employees. They reopened about a month later.

Grateful Meds reopened about a week after the raids. Several other raided shops also have reopened, but Kushism and Highlands Cannabis Co. remain closed.

The Department of Justice has released little about the raids, which came less than two months before Colorado's legal recreational marijuana shops opened. Federal authorities suggested the businesses may not have complied with guidelines outlined in DOJ's August memo that assented to the new retail marijuana laws in Colorado and Washington state.

“While the investigation is ongoing, there are strong indications that more than one of the eight federal prosecution priorities identified in the Department of Justice’s August guidance memo are potentially implicated," Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office, said of the November raids.

The DOJ guidance says federal authorities will continue to prosecute to prevent:

• The distribution of marijuana to minors;
• Revenue from the sale of marijuana from going to criminal enterprises, gangs and cartels;
• The diversion of marijuana from states where it is legal under state law in some form to other states;
• State-authorized marijuana activity from being used as a cover or pretext for the trafficking of other illegal drugs or other illegal activity;
• Violence and the use of firearms in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana
• Drugged driving and the exacerbation of other adverse public health consequences associated with marijuana use;
• Growing of marijuana on public lands and the attendant public safety and environmental dangers posed by marijuana production on public lands; and
• Marijuana possession or use on federal property.

"There is little information available about the details of the cases against these businesses, and we will be awaiting further details as they are released," Michael Elliott, executive director of the Marijuana Industry Group, told The Huffington Post. "We continue to believe that everyone needs to abide by the 500 pages of state marijuana law in Colorado, which includes state and local licensing, background checks, financial disclosures, mandatory video surveillance, testing for potency and harmful contaminants, child-resistant packaging, labeling, and seed-to-sale tracking with mandatory RFID tags."

Keybiotics | Video

Keybiotics | Video:



'via Blog this'

Sugar, Aspartame and Tobacco?

This is a list of claims about Aspartame that seems we're being poisoned at every turn.  


 Dr Aseem Malhotra is an interventional cardiologist and the founding member and science director of Action On Sugar, a group of specialists concerned with sugar and its effects on health.  



Action on Sugar has been campaigning to reduce population consumption of sugar by 40% over the next few years to reverse the obesity epidemic. 


 Dr Malhotra, one of the most vocal campaigners against sugar industry and Big Food, tells Rema Nagarajan why sugar is the new tobacco.







Read: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/You-dont-need-added-sugar-in-diet--it-has-no-nutritional-value/articleshow/29275239.cms







Health Basics: What is Aspartame?

Sunday, December 04, 2011
by: S. D. Wells
Tags: aspartame, sweetener, side effects

   
 
(NaturalNews)
Over a billion people consume aspartame in their foods and beverages across the world, believing it to be a safe ingredient, but what they probably don't know is that aspartame currently accounts for over 75% of all side effects complaints received by the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS) for the past 4 years. 

It is banned by health-conscious countries all over the world, especially where there is a national healthcare system in place.

Aspartame is best known by the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Sweet One and Spoonful.

Aspartame is a synthetic chemical combination which is comprised of approximately 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol. Aspartame is found in thousands of foods, drinks, candy, gum, vitamins, health supplements and even pharmaceuticals. (http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/aspartame...)...

Each of the three ingredients in Aspartame poses its own dangers and each is well documented as causing a long list of side effects and dangerous health conditions. Watch for the ingredient Acesulfame Potassium, which is just another name for Aspartame.

Phenylalanine: Even a single use of Aspartame raises the blood phenylalanine levels. High blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. Because it is metabolized much more efficiently by rodents than humans, testing and research on rats alone is not sufficient enough to denounce the dangers of Aspartame for human consumption. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain cause serotonin levels to decrease, leading to emotional disorders like depression.

Aspartic Acid: Aspartic acid is considered an excito-toxin, which means it over stimulates certain neurons in the body until they die.  
Much like nitrates and MSG, aspartic acid can cause amino acid imbalances in the body and result in the interruption of normal neurotransmitter metabolism of the brain. (http://www.holisticmed.net/aspartame/aminoac...)

Methanol becomes Formaldehyde (Embalming fluid): The most prominent danger of Aspartame is that when ingested, the methanol (wood alcohol) is distributed throughout the body, including the brain, muscle, fat and nervous tissues, and is then metabolized to form formaldehyde, which enters cells and binds to proteins and genetic material (DNA). Methanol is a dangerous neurotoxin and a known carcinogen, which causes retinal damage in the eye, interferes with DNA processes, and can cause birth defects. (http://aspartame.mercola.com/)

The EPA's recommended limit of consumption of Methanol is 7.8 milligrams per day, but a one liter bottle of an Aspartame-sweetened beverage contains over 50 mg of methanol. Heavy users of Aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily, which is over 30 times the EPA limit.

Suspiciously similar to the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Multiple Sclerosis,  
Aspartame's long list includes 
- dizziness, 
- headaches, 
- behavioral changes, 
- hallucinations, 
- depression, 
- nausea, 
- numbness, 
- muscle spasms, 
- weight gain, 
- rashes, 
- fatigue, 
- irritability, 
- insomnia, 
- vision problems, 
- hearing loss, 
- heart palpitations, 
- breathing difficulties, 
- anxiety attacks, 
- slurred speech, 
- loss of taste, 
- tinnitus, 
- vertigo, 
- memory loss, and 
- joint pain. 

Also, many illnesses can be worsened by ingesting Aspartame, including chronic fatigue syndrome, brain tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, mental retardation, and especially diabetes.

Birth defects: According to Dr. Louis Elsas, Pediatrician Professor of Genetics at Emory University, Phenylalanine can concentrate in the placenta, causing mental retardation of a fetus. 

Also, formaldehyde in the blood stream of a pregnant woman can cause her immune system to target the fetal tissue as a foreign substance and destroy it, the result being a miscarriage. This can happen before she even knows she is pregnant.
(http://www.dorway.com/dr-elsas.txt)
Aspartame is known to cause weight gain

Products labeled Diet, Light or Zero most likely contain at least one of the major synthetic sweeteners, and Aspartame is used more widely than the three carcinogenic S's: Sucralose, Sorbitol and Saccharin. 

Nearly all diet sodas, gum and most candy (not chocolate - yet) are loaded with Aspartame. (http://buildingbodies.ca/diet-pop-dangers-an...)

Some chewing gum brands contain only synthetic sugars, which are acid creating. The body in turn creates fat cells to store that extra acid, and this is why many people who consistently eat Aspartame will ironically put on weight.

Natural sugar-free alternatives: Xylitol and the Brazilian Stevia leaf (Not Truvia) are natural and do not cause side effects or nerve damage; however, truly effective weight loss starts with organic vegetables and cardio exercise. 

To be safe, simply avoid all "diet foods" and moderate sugar intake. (http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-d...)

Sources for this article include

http://www.holisticmed.net/aspartame/aminoac...

http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-d...

http://www.unhinderedliving.com/aspartame.ht...

http://www.dorway.com/dr-elsas.txt

http://buildingbodies.ca/diet-pop-dangers-an...

http://www.thenhf.com/article.php?id=833

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/art...

http://www.wnho.net/fdas_approval_of_asparta...

http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/aspartame...

http://www.wellsphere.com/men-s-health-artic...

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-ef...

http://www.issplendasafe.com/

www.alsearsmd.com/aspartame-ant-poison-fda-c...

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-case-hi...

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/638389/...

   



Learn more: 

http://www.naturalnews.com/034320_aspartame_sweetener_side_effects.html

Nicotine Withdrawal

 

ScienceAlert

A specific group of neurons in the brain can be targeted to help people quit smoking, new research suggests. Known as the 'interpeduncular nucleus', the region fires up when someone is desperate for a cigarette.

Read more: http://bit.ly/1fbKlHo via SBS

How Hippos Nearly Invaded American Cuisine

  The Hunger Game Meat: How Hippos

 

The Hunger Game Meat: How Hippos Nearly Invaded American Cuisine

By Layla Eplett | March 27, 2014 |  

 

Don’t have a cow but, at one point in history, it could have been that Americans weren’t having cows at all. Had the country’s cuisine gone on a different trajectory, Americans may have all been eating hippo meat instead. In American Hippopotamus, author Jon Mooallem recounts this fascinating and altogether quirky time in history.
The idea of hippo meat came about at the beginning of the twentieth century. At the time, a combination of high rates of immigration, increased populations within cities, overgrazed rangeland, and escalating meat prices led to a demand for meat that couldn’t be met. It became known in newspapers as the Meat Question, and two colorful characters, Frederick Russell Burnham and Fritz Duquesne, proposed hippopotamus as the Meat Answer.
Burnham and Duquesne had a few things in common. Along with a common vision of introducing hippopotamus meat to the United States, both were spies. The two also spent time in Africa. And each man had a penchant for posing with animals they slaughtered.

 

That may have been the extent of their similarities, though. Frederick Russell Burnham was the inspiration for both Indiana Jones and the Boy Scouts. Fritz Duquesne definitely wasn’t either of those things; more of a con man with many aliases, his career highlights included gaining notoriety for creating the Duquesne Spy Ring and faking his own death (only to later change his mind and return).
Some might ask, Why hippopotamus meat? to which Burnham might have replied, Why not? He reasoned that Europeans had imported cows, sheep, poultry and pigs to the United States and also noted that animals such as the ostriches in California and African camels in the southwest had also successfully adapted to their new American surroundings. Burnham’s rationale attracted some notable names, including as William Newton Irwin, a USDA researcher who believed the sole reason Americans didn’t dine on hippopotamus was “because nobody ever told them it was the proper thing to do.”
The introduction of hippo meat also gained the attention of Louisiana Congressman Robert Broussard. Broussard’s interest was the result of a curious problem within his district. In 1884, a visiting Japanese delegation had brought water hyacinths to New Orleans as a gift. After their introduction, the flowers quickly took over the surrounding rivers, killing many of the fish that inhabited them. Broussard’s solution to the hyacinth problem was to have Hyacinth Hippo come over and perform the Dance of the Hour in a tutu import hippos from Africa and introduce them into the waters of Louisiana.
For Broussard, the benefits were twofold; not only would the hippos provide a solution to the meat scarcity by living in areas like bayous that cattle couldn’t inhabit, since they were known to enjoy a meal of hyacinth, they would also alleviate the river congestion by eating the plants–sort of a way of having one foreign species come in to get rid of another foreign species.
Together, Broussard, Duquesne, and Burnham started the New Food Supply Society, to explore and promote their idea. Congressman Broussard introduced H.R. 23261, also known as the Hippo Bill, which sought the appropriation of $250,000 to import useful animals (such as hippos) into the United States. Citizens wrote letters in praise of his proposition, its taste was touted in an editorial in the New York Times as “lake cow bacon” and The Washington Post announced that hippopotamus would be readily available within the United States in a matter of years.
As we all know, America went down a different meat sourcing path. Although Mooallem doesn’t necessarily think the United States would have been better off with hippo meat, he notes “…there is something beautiful about the America that considered importing them—an America so intent on facing down its problems, and solving them, that even an idea like this could get a fair hearing; where the political system and the culture felt so alive with possibility, and so confident in its own virtue and ingenuity, that elected officials could sit around and contemplate the merits of hippo ranching without worrying too much about how it sounded; where people felt free and bold enough to imagine putting hippopotamuses in places where there were no hippopotamuses.”
Head over to the Atavist to read the entire story.
Image Credits: Unknown Artist, Charles F. Holder (Frederick Russell Burnham papers, Yale University) Fritz Joubert Duquesne (Published in Field and Stream) all via Wikimedia Commons.

About the Author: Layla Eplett writes about the anthropology of food. She has a Masters in Social Anthropology of Development from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies and loves getting a taste of all kinds of culture--gastronomic, traditional, and sometimes accidentally, bacterial. 

Find her at Fare Trade. Follow on Twitter @LaylaEplett.

More »

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Tags: food crisis, hippopotamus, meat, SciAmFood

 

Link: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/2014/03/27/the-hunger-game-meat-how-hippos-nearly-invaded-american-cuisine/

Gambling Skull

Danger: Liquid Nicotine for E-Cigarettes

Selling a Poison by the Barrel: Liquid Nicotine for E-Cigarettes By MATT RICHTEL "E-liquids" used to refill e-cigarettes are potent, unregulated neurotoxins. Evidence of the potential dangers is already emerging.

For more top news, go to NYTimes.com »

QUOTATION OF THE DAY

"It's not a matter of if a child will be seriously poisoned or killed. It's a matter of when."

LEE CANTRELL, director of the San Diego division of the California Poison Control System, on the dangers of liquid nicotine, a key ingredient in e-cigarettes.

 

Medical marijuana: No Advertisng Billboards

 

Medical marijuana: Don’t expect to see clever ads

Licensees are only allowed to lobby doctors and other health practitioners and forbidden to market to the general public.

Proponents of Canada’s new medical marijuana program promise patients will eventually have an abundance of choices. Even now, with just 11 commercial entities licensed so far, there’s pot worth bragging about.

Toronto’s Bedrocan Canada is bringing in strains of marijuana its Netherlands affiliate has spent nearly a decade perfecting. And Markham’s MedReleaf Corp.’s offerings will originate with a respected Israeli producer.

Meanwhile, Vancouver Island’s ThunderBird Biomedical Inc. is proud to offer a homegrown solution. “It’s called BC Bud worldwide because we know what to do,” said a representative by email. “Why on Earth would we import it? Do the French import Australian Champagne? ... We have Grand Cru here.”

Under Canada’s new Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR), which roll out completely on April 1, the government appoints and oversees producers. The old guidelines allowed users to grow their own medical marijuana or purchase it from the government.

But don’t expect to see any clever ads for their product.

Licensees are only allowed to lobby doctors and other health practitioners, since Health Canada prohibits the promotion of marijuana, defining it as a narcotic, along the lines of OxyContin.

The Narcotic Control Regulations stipulate: “No person shall…publish or cause to be published or furnish any advertisement to the general public respecting a narcotic”

“You are not allowed to advertise in any way which could be perceived as generating demand for the product,” said Bruce Linton, chairman of Smith Falls-based Tweed Inc. “But being credible and visible is different than advertising. We can educate doctors as group, or at their offices. We have our websites; and we can build our brand through media relations.”

However, with Health Canada forecasting a $1.3-billion medical marijuana industry by 2024, competition for patients is bound to be fierce. Some licensees have gone further than others to get their name out in front of the public.

Since the ratio of Cannabidiol (CBD, the plant’s major non-psychoactive component) to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the ingredient that makes users ‘high’) seems to determine marijuana’s therapeutic potential, there’s good reason for suppliers to make their wares known.

One strain may be more suited to glaucoma, for example, while another might work best for inflammation. Patients might pester their physicians for certain brands.

The Star Googled “medical marijuana Canada” over several days this week and found the top paid ad was for Toronto’s Mettrum Ltd. The company did not respond to requests for comments by press time.

The Star also received a scan of a letter which Saskatoon’s Prairie Plant Systems Inc. sent to a user encouraging them to transfer their prescriptions to Prairie’s “distribution affiliate” CanniMed Ltd.

Prairie, which provided medical cannabis to patients under the outgoing system on behalf of Health Canada, is now operating as the manufacturing arm of CanniMed, which is “basically the online pharmacy that interacts with the patients under the new regulations,” said CEO Brent Zettl.

“The form letter that we sent was only for individuals who had been in contact with PPS over the last period of time. We know that we can’t advertise. We know that we can’t solicit.

“Patients who are dependent on a product of a specific Cannabidiol profile, nobody’s been informing them of where they can get their very specific medicine under the new program.

Health Canada hasn’t offered that because they’re afraid of promoting one LP over another, or whatever their reason would be,” said Zettl.

Health Canada spokeswoman Sara Lauer would not address the Star’s specific questions about Mettrum and Prairie activities but said in an email “licensed producers who disregard the requirements of the Narcotic Control Regulations may be subject to compliance and enforcement action by Health Canada which could include revocation of their licence.”

“The regulations surrounding the marketing of this product at this time we’re finding to be a little bit ambiguous or vague”, said MedReleaf CEO Neil Closner whose company is focused on overcoming reluctant “I don’t know how to prescribe a plant” doctors.

Bedrocan Canada CEO Marc Wayne, who like Closner will offer one of the high-CBD, low-THC marijuana combinations that has been mentioned often in connection with the treatment of childhood epilepsy, is also bent on winning over the healthcare sector.

“The way you differentiate yourself in this field is with high level thought leadership projects that are outside of the scope of advertising yet kind of develop a name for ourselves in the industry; for example, put out scientific papers that speak to the science and the research of medicinal cannabis, not necessarily your product,” he said.

“The last thing you want is billboards advertising cannabis and marijuana all over the city. In my opinion, it’s appropriate that it shouldn’t be advertised and it shouldn’t be promoted, but rather just money invested in educating stakeholders, physicians, along with the responsible community programs that also speak to the dangers and the safety issues of the drug.”

 

MORE ON THESTAR.COM

Financing abounds for medical marijuana startups

Colorado reports $2 million in recreational pot taxes in first month of sales

Jamaica looks at the marijuana market

 

 

 

Link:  http://www.thestar.com/business/2014/03/14/medical_marijuana_dont_expect_to_see_clever_ads.html

 

 

Anti-Inflammatory Food - Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid

    It's how Dr. Weil eats! Achieve and maintain optimum health while enjoying delicious foods. A lifetime of optimum nutrition is just a click away!


What Does An Anti-Inflammatory Diet Do?
The anti-inflammatory diet is a blueprint for a lifetime of optimum nutrition. Simple changes in how you eat can help counteract chronic inflammation, a root cause of many serious diseases, including:

• Heart disease
• Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
• Age-related disorders, including many cancers
• Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus

HEALTHY SWEETS How much: Sparingly Healthy choices: Unsweetened dried fruit, dark chocolate, fruit sorbet Why: Dark chocolate provides polyphenols with antioxidant activity. Choose dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa and have an ounce a few times a week. Fruit sorbet is a better option than other frozen desserts. RED WINE How much: Optional, no more than 1-2 glasses per day Healthy choices: Organic red wine Why: Red wine has beneficial antioxidant activity. Limit intake to no more than 1-2 servings per day. If you do not drink alcohol, do not start. SUPPLEMENTS How much: Daily Healthy choices: High quality multivitamin/multimineral that includes key antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, mixed carotenoids, and selenium); co-enzyme Q10; 2-3 grams of a molecularly distilled fish oil; 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 Why: Supplements help fill any gaps in your diet when you are unable to get your daily requirement of micronutrients.  Click here to learn more about supplements and get your free recommendation. TEA How much: 2-4 cups per day Healthy choices: White, green, oolong teas Why: Tea is rich in catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation. Purchase high-quality tea and learn how to correctly brew it for maximum taste and health benefits. HEALTHY HERBS & SPICES How much: Unlimited amounts Healthy choices: Turmeric, curry powder (which contains turmeric), ginger and garlic (dried and fresh), chili peppers, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme Why: Use these herbs and spices generously to season foods. Turmeric and ginger are powerful, natural anti-inflammatory agents. OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN How much: 1-2 servings a week (one portion is equal to 1 ounce of cheese, 1 eight-ounce serving of dairy, 1 egg, 3 ounces cooked poultry or skinless meat) Healthy choices: High quality natural cheese and yogurt, omega-3 enriched eggs, skinless poultry, grass-fed lean meats Why: In general, try to reduce consumption of animal foods. If you eat chicken, choose organic, cage-free chicken and remove the skin and associated fat. Use organic dairy products moderately, especially yogurt and natural cheeses such as Emmental (Swiss), Jarlsberg and true Parmesan. If you eat eggs, choose omega-3 enriched eggs (made by feeding hens a fl ax-meal-enriched diet), or organic eggs from free-range chickens. COOKED ASIAN MUSHROOMS How much: Unlimited amounts Healthy choices: Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, oyster mushrooms (and wild mushrooms if available) Why: These mushrooms contain compounds that enhance immune function. Never eat mushrooms raw, and minimize consumption of common commercial button mushrooms (including crimini and portobello). WHOLE SOY FOODS How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soymilk, ½ cup cooked edamame, 1 ounce of soynuts) Healthy choices: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts, soymilk Why: Soy foods contain isoflavones that have antioxidant activity and are protective against cancer.  Choose whole soy foods over fractionated foods like isolated soy protein powders and imitation meats made with soy isolate.  FISH & SEAFOOD How much:  2-6 servings per week (one serving is equal to 4 ounces of fish or seafood) Healthy choices: Wild Alaskan salmon (especially sockeye), herring, sardines, and black cod (sablefish) Why: These fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which are strongly anti-inflammatory. If you choose not to eat fish, take a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement that provides both EPA and DHA in a dose of 2-3 grams per day. HEALTHY FATS How much:  5-7 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 teaspoon of oil, 2 walnuts, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, 1 ounce of avocado) Healthy choices: For cooking, use extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed organic canola oil. Other sources of healthy fats include nuts (especially walnuts), avocados, and seeds - including hemp seeds and freshly ground flaxseed. Omega-3 fats are also found in cold water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, and whole soy foods. Organic, expeller pressed, high-oleic sunflower or safflower oils may also be used, as well as walnut and hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a flavoring for soups and stir-fries Why: Healthy fats are those rich in either monounsaturated or omega-3 fats.  Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant activity and canola oil contains a small fraction of omega-3 fatty acids.  WHOLE & CRACKED GRAINS How much:  3-5 servings a day (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked grains) Healthy choices: Brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, buckwheat, groats, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats Why: Whole grains digest slowly, reducing frequency of spikes in blood sugar that promote inflammation. "Whole grains" means grains that are intact or in a few large pieces, not whole wheat bread or other products made from flour. PASTA (al dente) How much: 2-3 servings per week (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked pasta) Healthy choices: Organic pasta, rice noodles, bean thread noodles, and part whole wheat and buckwheat noodles like Japanese udon and soba Why: Pasta cooked al dente (when it has "tooth" to it) has a lower glycemic index than fully-cooked pasta. Low-glycemic-load carbohydrates should be the bulk of your carbohydrate intake to help minimize spikes in blood glucose levels. BEANS & LEGUMES How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup cooked beans or legumes) Healthy choices: Beans like Anasazi, adzuki and black, as well as chickpeas, black-eyed peas and lentils Why: Beans are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber.  They are a low-glycemic-load food.  Eat them well-cooked either whole or pureed into spreads like hummus. VEGETABLES How much: 4-5 servings per day minimum (one serving is equal to 2 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw or juiced) Healthy Choices: Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea vegetables and washed raw salad greens Why: Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.  Go for a wide range of colors, eat them both raw and cooked, and choose organic when possible. FRUITS How much:  3-4 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 medium size piece of fruit, ½ cup chopped fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit) Healthy choices: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, apples, and pears - all lower in glycemic load than most tropical fruits Why: Fruits are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.  Go for a wide range of colors, choose fruit that is fresh in season or frozen, and buy organic when possible. Additional Item: WATER How much: Throughout the day Healthy choices: Drink pure water, or drinks that are mostly water (tea, very diluted fruit juice, sparkling water with lemon) throughout the day. Why: Water is vital for overall functioning of the body.

Source:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.html