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Thanks for your support, we couldn’t……and wouldn’t…… do it without you!

Kris

It’s all about learning, so here we go………….

Boost Your Healthy Simply by Alkalizing your Diet!

You’ve probably heard of alkalizing your body by now and how it will boost your health. But in order to fully appreciate how an alkaline body helps in our daily living, it is imperative to know the components of an alkaline diet and the importance of maintaining the pH of our body.

pH refers to the measure of acidity or basicity of a solution. More accurately, it pertains to the extent of dissociation of hydrogen ions of our body. If we consume the right types and amounts of nutrients and minerals conducive to our body’s development, our body is able to maintain the right pH balance. But you may wonder for a moment what exactly are the ‘right’ nutrients and minerals? This is where alkaline diet comes into the picture.

The concept of alkaline diet is ultimately about foods that leaves an alkaline residue in our body after digestion. Our body’s pH balance fluctuates with each intake of food, and in order to maintain it at the optimum pH, our body must have enough alkaline reserves which can only be obtained if we include at the minimum 80% of alkaline foods in our diet.

How do we classify foods into acidic or alkaline foods?

Chlorine, phosphorus and sulfur in food will probably give acidic residue after the food has been digested. Conversely, minerals such as calcium, sodium, magnesium and potassium found in food will leave an alkaline residue.

We should always bear in mind that all foods leave residue in our body after digestion. If you recall the food pyramid taught in Health education classes, meat and seafood, dairy products, alcoholic drinks, chemical sweeteners, sweets and chocolates, and even grains forms acidic residue! However, green leafy vegetables and fruits low in sugar contain organic aids and are full of alkaline goodness after digestion. So do remember to include a larger proportion of greens and fruits in your diet to maintain an alkaline pH in your body.

Why is it Important to Alkalize the Body?

People living in the modern society are plagued with many diseases and the growing number of sufferers far outstripped our ancestors? Why is such a scenario happening? It can be attributed to our diet which is heavily acidic. Foods that leaves a high content of acidic residues revolves in our circulatory system and are not rid of by our kidneys, lungs and bowels.

According to Dr Theodore Baroody, author of the critically acclaimed book “Alkalize or Diet”, the reason for these diseases was due to excessive acidic residue in our body. Acidic mediums are conducive for the breeding of diet-related diseases, which will lead to death. When our body is deprived of the essential alkaline reserves, nutrients and minerals, excessive acids in our bloodstream may lead to slow poisoning of our body due to our diet which comprises of a high percentage of acidic foods. Excess acids will also weaken and in severe cases, damage our bodily functions and cellular actives such as respiration, digestion, hormone production and blood circulation.

Start with an Alkaline Diet Today!

If you are guilty of consuming acid-rich food, fret not. You can definitely reverse the situation through alkalizing your body today. We will be able to enjoy a new lease of energy if we maintain the pH balance in our body. On top of that, another benefit of the alkaline diet is to remove the acidic environment that serves as the breeding ground of acidic toxins which will over time result in an onslaught of diseases. Nutritionists and medical doctors recommends a daily consumption of at least five servings of vegetables and green foods which are highly alkaline.

Affluence and technology have resulted in an epidemic of diet-related diseases. However, there is no need to remain pessimistic. Instead of blindness pursuit of wealth and fame, which will come to naught without good health, why not change your health for the better starting today? We should all grab this opportunity and start incorporating the alkaline diet into our everyday life. It may be difficult to give up your favorite acidic foods at the start, but be assured that your efforts will pay off when you see your overall health being restored. Instead of consuming supplements and medicine, start with the root of the problem - diet. And the solution is to begin alkalizing your body by providing an alkaline environment for every cells and bodily functions in your body to thrive.

About the Author –Emma Deangela is one of the key authors for <a href=”http://thealkalinediet.org”>Alkaline Diet</a>. She loves to share her experience with her readers on tips to stay healthy, disease free, and how to lose weight the alkaline way. Her alkaline diet newsletter is available at <a href=”http://thealkalinediet.org/registration/”>http://thealkalinediet.org/registration/</a> if you would like to find out more about juicy alkaline diet tips and recipes.

Ok, I am getting off topic. Why am I “like” a proud mom? Well, I use to tell my staff that I wanted kids until I opened the delis. But they drove me so crazy that it took all my maternal instinct way. I was 99% kidding, but after I read a paper written by my bar maker Emma Grace, I think the percentage went up to 100%.  I am older, and the boss, so I naturally fall into the mom category at times. So as a friend, boss, co-worker, citizen, and human I would like to share Emma’s paper with you because I am so darn proud! 

Kris Fillat

Founder - GoodOnYa

Emma Grace Fairchild

Eng 100 Kheen

Research Paper Essay 5

Soybeans are eaten regularly in the United States, after gaining popularity through farming, the medical industry and food production.  Originally grown in Asia to replenish soil, soy has a long, debatable history, which includes use as an inexpensive protein source when meat was unavailable, and a salty condiment. Our modern health perspective hosts a great number of believers of soy serving as the ‘miracle food.’ Many demographics in the United States regularly encounter soy; parents, children, doctors, and athletes are all directly affected, but the entire population has significant exposure to soy in the everyday foods we eat. Regardless of form, soy and its extracts are marketed to these demographics for numerous health benefits, ranging from menopausal remedies to nutritional supplements; however, contrary opinions have surfaced regarding how beneficial soy really is. Parents tend to value the health of their families, while conscientious doctors and medical professionals need accurate information to help patients make healthful nutritional decisions, and many athletes desire a complete understanding of the affects foods have on their bodies.  The American public deserves truthful, well-researched facts concerning the foods they consume.  I chose to research this topic because I work in the organic food and wellness industries, and wish to address the growing controversy. I want to be well versed in the positives and negatives of soy in order to converse with a wide variety of individuals about this topic and have a valid, informed argument.

Many Americans believe soy products are a valuable addition to their diet. In the American Family Physician article titled “Soy: A Complete Source of Protein,” Michelfelder mentions the prevalence of soy foods in the United States and claims significant health benefits. According to Michelfelder, “populations with diets high in soy protein and low in animal protein have lower risks of prostate and breast cancers than other populations” (Michelfelder. Cancer of many types is a growing threat to many Americans, whether because of family history or environmental conditions; naturally, a product suggested to reduce cancer risk is highly sought after by a wide range of consumers. Michelfelder attributes “lower risks of prostate and breast cancers” to soy products, insisting soy is safe and in fact should be consumed in significant portions.  From young adults wanting to prevent cancer, and older citizens hoping to minimize or reverse risk, the implication that soybeans benefit health convinces many consumers to include soy frequently in meals.  The food and medical industries have embraced the fear of cancer and succeeded in convincing Americans to eat soy as a part of a healthy diet.

 Although research shows reduced cancer rates in populations which regularly consume soy proteins, independent research claims processing soy for consumption leaves unhealthy by-products, which inhibit digestion.  Detrimental compounds found naturally in foods are also known as anti-nutrients, or mal-nutritious, and serve the opposite effect of a standard beneficial nutrient.  In the article “Increased in Vitro and In Vivo Digestibility of Soy Proteins by Chemical Modifications of Disulfide Bonds” Wang, et al suggest that the typical method of destroying mal-nutritious aspects in soy, high heat and chemical solvents, is not effective in eliminating anti-nutrients. “High temperature heating is the most common method to treat soy proteins in animal feed to denature the anti-nutritional factors… However, heat treatment alone is not sufficient to fully inactivate the anti-nutritional factors” (Wang, et al).   According to the authors, the current practice of processing soy proves to be inadequate to eliminate unhealthy compounds present in unprocessed soybeans, specifically protein inhibitors. When the authors admit the necessity to “denature the anti-nutritional factors,” they imply that soy foods are not safe to eat without significant processing, and negative qualities remain in soy after initial treatment. The study suggests alternate treatments may prove more effective; however, all practices, even historic methods such as fermenting, may still leave mal-nutritious components.  If researchers investigate various means of processing soy, the scientific community may further understand more effective treatments.  This in turn may lead doctors to conclude that soybeans may not be beneficial and excessive soy in processed foods may be reconsidered.   

The digestibility of soy causes concern for parents feeding their children an enriched soy milk infant formula. Morrel, MA, challenges general assumptions by parents and doctors that exclusive use of soy formula is safe for infants. Morrel states “the American Dietetic Association recommends no more than two servings of soy per day. Yet we are feeding our infants six or more servings of soy per day” (Morrel).   Morrel implies feeding a baby “six or more servings of soy per day” holds potential for unknown adverse affects. She suggests extensive studies are needed to provide concrete proof of safety before significantly changing children’s developmental diets.  If Morrel convinces the public that soy formulas should not be fed to infants, more parents may make informed decisions about their babies’ nutritional needs, and seek alternate sources for nourishment.

New research connecting exposure to phytoestrogens, or isoflavones, in soy with thyroid disorders may concern parents who feed their children soy. In “Soy Isoflavones: Panacea or Poison”? Dr. Fitzpatrick argues against a claim submitted to the FDA by the Archer Daniels Midland Company regarding the safety of soy isoflavones in American diets. Dr. Fitzpatrick references several studies over the last fifty years which associate phytoestrogen compounds found in soy with an increase of thyroid disorders, in both babies and adults.  When Fitzpatrick states “soy isoflavones can be the cause of thyroid disorders,” he emphasizes his belief that soy plays a serious role in thyroid health, ranging from hyperthyroidism to iodine deficiencies. If Fitzpatrick’s claim evokes exploration of the safety and side effects of soy consumption, consumers can access information to reach sound conclusions regarding dietary soy, and adjust personal diets appropriately. 

Soybeans have not only been connected to thyroid function; studies suggest soy contributes to heart disease. Kayla Daniel, PhD, CCN refers to a University of Colorado study which suggests a soy diet fed to rats contributes to a heart condition that is a known killer of otherwise healthy athletes. Daniel presents “…Researchers reported in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation that soy worsens cardiomyopathy… the leading cause of death among young athletes” (Daniel, PhD, CCN).  According to Daniel, athletes often supplement diets with protein powders, which tend to be soy based, and frequently eat energy bars with isolated soy ingredients. These habits increase exposure to any number of mal-nutritious compounds that are now being linked to serious risks, involving a weakening of heart walls.  When Daniel emphasizes cardiomyopathy is “the leading cause of death among young athletes,” she illustrates how otherwise healthy people are capable of unwittingly doing damage upon themselves due to misinformation. If athletes are persuaded to move away from soy foods, and instead consume whole sources of protein, fats and carbohydrates, the best possible health may result without consequence from diet.

When I started this essay, I understood the controversy surrounding soy and the uncertainly of affects; however, now I am convinced that any concern regarding our food supply is worth scrutiny, and the entire issue deserves much more attention from the science, food and medical industries. I found reason to question both sides of the soy story because of minimal long term peer-reviewed studies, and political and financial agendas of both sides.  Doctors and medical professionals reserve the authority to advise the public about health concerns, but without the availability of objective scientific evidence this cannot be accomplished.  With a complete understanding of soy, parents, athletes, and every American would have the information to make sound decisions regarding diet.  Our health care system could benefit from an invested interest of personal health, instead of being burdened with problems stemming from diet that are difficult to diagnose.  If the general understanding of food and health moves toward whole, local and unprocessed foods with variety and moderation, everyone could benefit from greater health.

Works Cited:

Fitzpatrick, Mike. “Soy Isoflavones: Panacea or Poison?” Weston A. Price Foundation. 27 Feb. 2009. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.

Daniel, PhD, CCN, Kaayla T. “Not So Soy Healthy.” Weston A Price Foundation. Weston A Price Foundation, 13 Mar. 2009. Web. 8 May 2010.

Mead, M Nathaniel. ”From One Womb to Another: Early Estrogenic Exposures and Later Fibroid Risk.” Environmental Health Perspectives 118.3 (2010):  1. ProQuest. Web.  20 Apr. 2010.

Michelfelder, A. ”Soy: A Complete Source of Protein.” American Family Physician 79.1 (2009): 43-47.  ProQuest. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.

Morell, Sally F. “Soy Formula Panel Caves to Industry Pressure.” Weston A Price Foundation. 29 Dec. 2009. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.

Wang, H., R. Faris, T. Wang, M. Spurlock, and N.Gabler. “Increased In Vitro and In Vivo Digestibility of Soy Proteins by Chemical Modification of Disulfide Bonds.” Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society 86.11 (2009): 1093-1099. ProQuest. Web.  19 Apr. 2010.

I really believe now that getting back in touch with our bodies and paying attention to how things we eat make us feel is more important than ever. We are disconnected on so many levels. It’s all about real food for me! But what is real food!? Yeah, it’s getting confusing.

I am pleased to have our first guest blogger on the site; she has some wonderful info to share!

About the Author - Deborah Land writes for www.cholesterolloweringdiets.net fat.  Her personal hobby blog is focused on tips to eat healthy to prevent high cholesterol.

Thank you Deborah for sharing your words and experience with us.

What People Ask About Low Cholesterol Diets

a. Cholesterol Myths –  Both Good and Bad 

There are actually two types of cholesterol, which is not a known fact for people who misconstrue it as something bad. HDL is the name of the good cholesterol, while the bad one is called LDL. A bloodstream with too much LDL will result in plaques in the arteries. Over time, blood will have a difficult time travelling your arteries because the opening becomes narrow thanks to the amount of bad cholesterol in it. Dietary cholesterol is not the culprit for your having high cholesterol in the blood. Rather, it is copious amounts of saturated fat along with Tran’s fat that is to blame for the tightening of the artery. To keep your cholesterol on the low level, you should eat plenty of unsaturated fats and fibrous foods, as well as exercise often.

b. What Numbers Mean in Cholesterol 

Every five years, adults should go to the doctor to have their cholesterol checked out. Four results are returned to you after the check, namely LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, Triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. If you are over or under the healthy levels, you might need to undergo dietary change or do more exercise so you can stay within the normal range.

c. Protecting Your Heart with Vitamin E 

Vitamin E, an important vitamin, is sourced in vegetable oils, nuts and leafy vegetables. Vitamin E can decrease your heart disease risk, but it will not prevent a heart attack.

d. Top Five Foods that Lower Cholesterol 

1. Oat Bran, Oatmeal – contains high levels of LDL lowering soluble fiber.

2. Fish – jam-packed with omega 3 fatty acids which will increase HDL and lower LDL.

3. Nuts – a rich source of fiber and healthy fats that work to keep LDL down.

4. Plant Sterols – derived from foods such as salad dressing, orange juice, margarine and cookies, which decreases your LDL from 10-15%.

5. Soy – this amazing meal replacement can lower your LDL level by 3%.

e. Plant Sterols and its Healthy Benefits

Plant sterols can be found in foods such as Benecol Spread, granola bars, VitaTops Muffin Tops and fat free milk. To help your heart, you should eat a lot of plant sterols-packed food and stop eating foods with saturated fat. You should know that this does not balance out a diet rich in saturated fats. To be in control of your cholesterol, you should still eat healthy and exercise often.

I was driving down 101 the other day in Solana Beach and a saw a lot for rent/sale, a prime location. I have always dreamed of opening a full service restaurant that was off the grid, sold only local and organic food, and was a really hip and cool place to hang out. I would let kids from the local school come in and see what’s it’s like to grow your own food in the huge garden we had in our yard. We would sell only CA hand crafted beer and wine. The music would make you feel good and the food would you make you feel even better.

I kept driving because I tried to open a place like this a few months ago and couldn’t get a loan. I have been in the restaurant business for 9 years and everywhere I turned the banks said it just wasn’t possible. They weren’t lending to any restaurants. They are going under and it’s too much of a risk they said. I said “what about the government stimulus”? Yeah right!

I kept telling them they have to look closer at what types of places are going under. I am not trying to open an Applebee’s!!! . But they don’t get it. We are all just lumped into one giant food court. I know a lot of people in Solana Beach and they were all excited about the idea. I live there, and I know it’s what we need.

I do have the GoodOnYa bar and that is everything I want it to be without store front. It’s just so sad to me that money stops people from doing things that will actually benefit our world. Kraft can create any food item they want and have it on grocery shelves around the world. Kentucky Fried Chicken can come up with a heart attack sandwich for under $5 and make hundreds of thousands of dollars all the while making the world a worse place.

So today this is just about feeling a little sorry for myself for not getting what I want. Sorry for the world and the state it’s in. Sorry for those people that have to make and serve fast food.

But really, in the end, it’s hard for me to even feel really that sad because I am so damn happy with my life, my company and all the people around me.

With the U.S.D.A.’s stamp of approval, the company’s processed beef has become a mainstay in America’s hamburgers. McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food giants use it as a component in ground beef, as do grocery chains. The federal school lunch program used an estimated 5.5 million pounds of the processed beef last year alone.
But government and industry records obtained by The New York Times show that in testing for the school lunch program, E. coli and salmonella pathogens have been found dozens of times in Beef Products meat, challenging claims by the company and the U.S.D.A. about the effectiveness of the treatment. Since 2005, E. coli has been found 3 times and salmonella 48 times, including back-to-back incidents in August in which two 27,000-pound batches were found to be contaminated. The meat was caught before reaching lunch-rooms trays.
In July, school lunch officials temporarily banned their hamburger makers from using meat from a Beef Products facility in Kansas because of salmonella — the third suspension in three years, records show. Yet the facility remained approved by the U.S.D.A. for other customers.
Presented by The Times with the school lunch test results, top department officials said they were not aware of what their colleagues in the lunch program had been finding for years.
In response, the agriculture department said it was revoking Beef Products’ exemption from routine testing and conducting a review of the company’s operations and research. The department said it was also reversing its policy for handling Beef Products during pathogen outbreaks. Since it was seen as pathogen-free, the processed beef was excluded from recalls, even when it was an ingredient in hamburgers found to be contaminated.
The Beef Products case reveals a schism between the main Department of Agriculture and its division that oversees the school lunch program, a divide that underscores the government’s faltering effort to make hamburger safe. The U.S.D.A. banned the sale of meat found to be contaminated with the O157:H7 strain of E. coli 15 years ago, after a deadly outbreak was traced to Jack in the Box restaurants. Meat tainted with salmonella is also a hazard. But while the school lunch program will not buy meat contaminated with salmonella, the agriculture department does not ban its sale to the general public.
Even so, E. coli outbreaks nationwide have increased in recent years. And this summer, two outbreaks of particularly virulent strains of salmonella in hamburger prompted large recalls of ground beef across several states.
Although no outbreak has been tied to Beef Products, officials said they would thoroughly scrutinize any future industry innovations for fighting contamination “to ensure that they are scientifically sound and protect public health,” and that they were examining the government’s overall meat safety policies.
The founder and owner of Beef Products, Eldon N. Roth, declined requests for interviews or access to the company’s production facilities. Responding to written questions, Beef Products said it had a deep commitment to hamburger safety and was continually refining its operation to provide the safest product possible. “B.P.I.’s track record demonstrates the progress B.P.I. has made compared to the industry norm,” the company said. “Like any responsible member of the meat industry, we are not perfect.”
Beef Products maintains that its ammonia process remains effective. It said it tests samples of each batch it ships to customers and has found E. coli in only 0.06 percent of the samples this year.
The company says its processed beef, a mashlike substance frozen into blocks or chips, is used in a majority of the hamburger sold nationwide. But it has remained little known outside industry and government circles. Federal officials agreed to the company’s request that the ammonia be classified as a “processing agent” and not an ingredient that would be listed on labels.
Within the U.S.D.A., the treated beef has been a source of friction for years. The department accepted the company’s own study as evidence that the treatment was effective. School lunch officials, who had some doubts about its effectiveness, required that Beef Products meat be tested, as they do all beef used by the program.
School lunch officials said that in some years Beef Products testing results were worse than many of the program’s two dozen other suppliers, which use traditional meat processing methods. From 2005 to 2009, Beef Products had a rate of 36 positive results for salmonella per 1,000 tests, compared to a rate of nine positive results per 1,000 tests for the other suppliers, according to statistics from the program. Beef Products said its testing regime was more likely to detect contamination.
Despite some misgivings, school lunch officials say they use Beef Products because its price is substantially lower than ordinary meat trimmings, saving about $1 million a year.
Another snapshot of processed beef’s performance emerges from confidential records of tests in 2007 by the food giant Cargill. In the preceding year and a half, Cargill, which used more than 50 vendors, suspended three facilities for excessive salmonella; two were Beef Products plants, records show.
Since introducing the treated meat, Beef Products has faced the challenge of balancing safety with taste, records and interviews show.
Pathogens died when enough ammonia was used to raise the alkalinity of the beef to a high level, company research found. But early on, school lunch officials and other customers complained about the taste and smell of the beef. Samples of the processed beef obtained by The Times revealed lower levels of alkalinity, suggesting less ammonia was used.
Beef Products acknowledged lowering the alkalinity, and the U.S.D.A. said it had determined that “at least some of B.P.I.’s product was no longer receiving the full lethality treatment.”
Beef Products said it had submitted new research to the agriculture department showing that its treatment remained effective with lower alkalinity. Agriculture officials said Beef Products’ latest study is under review.

Headstrong and self-assured, Eldon N. Roth had the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Mr. Roth spent the 1990s looking to give Beef Products a competitive edge by turning fatty slaughterhouse trimmings into usable lean beef.
Mr. Roth and others in the industry had discovered that liquefying the fat and extracting the protein from the trimmings in a centrifuge resulted in a lean product that was desirable to hamburger-makers.The greater challenge was eliminating E. coli and salmonella, which are more prevalent in fatty trimmings than in higher grades of beef. According to a 2003 study financed by Beef Products, the trimmings “typically includes most of the material from the outer surfaces of the carcass” and contains “larger microbiological populations.” Beef Products said it also used trimmings from inside cuts of meat. Mr. Roth was well suited to tackle the problem, friends say. Though lacking a science background, he had a knack for machinery and obtained patents for over two dozen pieces of equipment and methods used in processing beef.
“He looked and looked at stuff and always wondered, why can’t it be done this way?” said Dr. David M. Theno, a food safety consultant and friend of Mr. Roth. “He is like a lot of inventors. Not everyone sees Eldon’s vision. One of Mr. Roth’s early trials involved running electricity through the trimmings to kill bacteria, Dr. Theno and others said. Mr. Roth eventually settled on ammonia, which had been shown to suppress spoilage. Meat is sent through pipes where it is exposed to ammonia gas, and then flash frozen and compressed — all steps that help kill pathogens, company research found.
The treated beef landed in Washington in 2001, when federal officials were searching for ways to eliminate E. coli. Beef Products already had one study showing its treatment would do that; another company-sponsored study by an Iowa State University professor that was published in a professional journal seconded that finding.
Mr. Roth asserted that his product would kill pathogens in untreated meat when it was used as an ingredient in ground beef — raising the prospect of a risk-free burger. “Given the technology, we firmly believe that the two pathogens of major concern in raw ground beef — E. coli O157:H7 and salmonella — are on the verge of elimination,” Mr. Roth wrote to the department.
“The humane treatment of the animals is at best an afterthought, as is the welfare of all the humans who consume these products.”
Carl S. Custer, a former U.S.D.A. microbiologist, said he and other scientists were concerned that the department had approved the treated beef for sale without obtaining independent validation of the potential safety risk. Another department microbiologist, Gerald Zirnstein, called the processed beef “pink slime” in a 2002 e-mail message to colleagues and said, “I do not consider the stuff to be ground beef, and I consider allowing it in ground beef to be a form of fraudulent labeling.”
One of the toughest hurdles for Beef Products was the Agricultural Marketing Service, the U.S.D.A. division that buys food for school lunches. Officials cited complaints about the odor, and wrote in a 2002 memorandum that they had “to determine if the addition of ammonia to the product is in the best interest to A.M.S. from a quality standpoint.”
“It is our contention,” the memo added, “that product should be labeled accordingly.”
Represented by Dennis R. Johnson, a top lawyer and lobbyist for the meat industry, Beef Products prevailed on the question of whether ammonia should be listed as an ingredient, arguing that the government had just decided against requiring another company to list a chemical used in treating poultry.
School lunch officials said they ultimately agreed to use the treated meat because it shaved about 3 cents off the cost of making a pound of ground beef.“Several packers have unofficially raised concern regarding the use of the product since the perception of quality is inferior,” the 2002 memo said. “But will use product to obtain lower bid.”
In 2004, lunch officials increased the amount of Beef Products meat allowed in its hamburgers to 15 percent, from 10 percent, to increase savings. In a taste test at the time, some school children favored burgers with higher amounts of processed beef.
Beef Products does not disclose its earnings, but its reported production of seven million pounds a week would generate about $440 million in annual revenue, according to industry records.
Dr. Theno, the food safety consultant, applauds Mr. Roth for figuring out how to convert high-fat trimmings “with no functional value.”
“There were some issues with that,” Dr. Theno said. “But he, and God bless him, amassed a tidy fortune for it.”
As sales took off, Mr. Roth started offering a buy-back guarantee: If any of the most virulent E. coli was found in ground beef containing Beef Products meat, the company would buy the tainted meat.
This was based on Mr. Roth’s initial prediction that his treated beef could kill E. coli in any meat it was mixed with. The company acknowledges that its subsequent study found no evidence to back that up, although it says it is now trying with an enhanced treatment. The guarantee remains on the company Web site: “Contact a B.P.I. sales representative today to take the challenge!”
As suppliers of national restaurant chains and government-financed programs were buying Beef Product meat to use in ground beef, complaints about its pungent odor began to emerge.
In early 2003, officials in Georgia returned nearly 7,000 pounds to Beef Products after cooks who were making meatloaf for state prisoners detected a “very strong odor of ammonia” in 60-pound blocks of the trimmings, state records show.
“It was frozen, but you could still smell ammonia,” said Dr. Charles Tant, a Georgia agriculture department official. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Unaware that the meat was treated with ammonia — since it was not on the label — Georgia officials assumed it was accidentally contaminated and alerted the agriculture department. In their complaint, the officials noted that the level of ammonia in the beef was similar to levels found in contamination incidents involving chicken and milk that had sickened schoolchildren.
Beef Products said the ammonia did not pose a danger and would be diluted when its beef was mixed with other meat. The U.S.D.A. accepted Beef Product’s conclusion, but other customers had also complained about the smell.
Untreated beef naturally contains ammonia and is typically about 6 on the pH scale, near that of rain water and milk. The Beef Products’ study that won U.S.D.A. approval used an ammonia treatment that raised the pH of the meat to as high as 10, an alkalinity well beyond the range of most foods. The company’s 2003 study cited the “potential issues surrounding the palatability of a pH-9.5 product.”
Soon after getting initial approval from the agriculture department, the company devised a plan to make a less alkaline version of the beef, internal company documents show. Beef Products acknowledged in an e-mail exchange that it was making a lower pH version, but did not specify the level or when it began selling it.
In 2008, after the school lunch program temporarily suspended a Beef Products plant for salmonella contamination, the company wrote in a letter that its effort to combat ammonia “aroma” might have reduced the alkalinity below the initial target levels. It said it was taking steps to ensure that the alkalinity remained elevated.
Samples of the treated beef obtained by The Times this month showed a pH as low as 7.75, according to an analysis by two laboratories. Dr. Michael P. Doyle, a food industry consultant and director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, said one point on the exponential pH scale was a considerable difference, and “could have a significant effect on the antimicrobial effectiveness of the ammonia.”
This month, Beef Products provided The Times with new research that the company said showed that E. coli and salmonella were undetectable at a pH level of 8.5. The agriculture department said it did not learn that Beef Products was using lower levels until October, after inquiries by The Times, and that it was studying the company’s research.
McDonald’s, whose hamburgers have contained Beef Products meat since 2004, declined to say if it monitored it for pH. But Danya Proud, a chain spokeswoman, said, “We expect the pH level to meet the specifications that are approved by the U.S.D.A.”
Contamination and Notification
At 6:36 a.m. on Aug. 10, the Beef Products plant in South Sioux City, Neb., started up its production line for the school lunch program. In 60 minutes, the plant produced a batch of 26,880 pounds of processed beef that tested positive for E. coli.
Six days later at the same plant, another 26,880-pound lot was found to have salmonella, government records and interviews show.
Within hours of confirming the contamination, the school lunch division of the Agriculture Department in Washington began investigating.
Just down the hall at department headquarters, the division that oversees meat for the general public did not conduct its own inquiry for another month and half, after receiving questions from The Times.
The problems in South Sioux City came shortly after school lunch officials had suspended a Beef Products plant in Holcomb, Kan., for excessive salmonella. The main U.S.D.A. was not notified of the suspension by school lunch officials, and the plant continued to supply other customers.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has since directed school lunch officials to share information about their suspensions with the department’s meat safety division.
In addressing the latest contamination cases in Nebraska, Beef Products said it suspected a glitch in its treatment operations, referring to ammonia gas by its chemical name, NH3, according to an e-mail message to school lunch officials.
“The system was stopped for two minutes in order to install a new valve,” the company said. “When the system was restarted, there was product flow for approximately one minute without NH3 flow.”
After the school lunch officials replied that the glitch might explain only one of the two episodes, Beef Products shifted focus to its suppliers, saying it would more closely scrutinize them for contamination.
Under the U.S.D.A.’s new policy for Beef Products, the company itself is also likely to get more scrutiny.
Cargill, one of the nation’s largest hamburger makers, is a big buyer of Beef Products’ ammoniated trimmings for its patties. Company records show that Beef Products, like other suppliers, has periodically exceeded Cargill’s limits on acceptable bacteria levels. That led Cargill to stop buying meat from two Beef Products plants for several months in 2006 after company tests showed excessive levels of salmonella.
But the following year, when Cargill faced an E. coli outbreak, it ruled out Beef Products as a possible culprit, citing the U.S.D.A.’s view that the ammonia treatment provided a “lethality step” for the pathogen. In addition, Cargill officials said recently, they suspect that another supplier, not Beef Products, was the problem. As a result, Beef Products did not face as wide a recall as other Cargill suppliers.
Recently, another E. coli outbreak was traced to a hamburger maker in upstate New York that also used multiple suppliers, including Beef Products. This time, the agriculture department said Beef Products was being recalled with other suppliers, although a source of the contamination had not been identified.

The more you know the worse it is!

(1)   The seed (the “bean”- the part we eat) is toxic!  Let’s just start there. It’s nature’s way of allowing the seed to grow into a plant.

(2)   This is well known in Asia so they soak or ferment the seed to remove most (not all) of the toxins.

(3)   In the US we use unfermented soy, so we are starting with the seed in its natural and toxic state. (Problem #1)

(4)   Ninety five percent of the soy grown in the US is a genetically modified. A GMO seed is created in a lab. They inject bacteria, DNA from all sorts of things, and herbicide into the seed. They do that so when they spray thousands of pounds of pesticides on the crop the seed will be resistant to those chemicals. (Read that one again) Ever heard of Round Up? They call this “Round Up Ready Soy”. (Problem #2) Gross!

(5)   The beans are then soaked in acetone and processed with hexane, a gasoline by-product. Then they are heated to extreme temperatures to remove the oil. The remaining sludge is turned into many products. Lecithin, soy protein isolate, soy crisps, soy flour, soy milk, soy formula. Vit E, make up, lotions, soaps, EVERYTHING.  Soy is a highly processed, industrial product.

(6)   All these highly processed soy by-products are added to 90% of packaged foods!

But wait, it’s a “health” food, right? I mean, we have been told that for years!  It’s an ideal source of protein, lowers cholesterol, protects against cancer and heart disease, reduces menopausal symptoms, and prevents osteoporosis, etc. How did such a ‘healthy food’ emerge from a product that in 1913 was listed in the USDA’s handbook not as a food, but as an industrial product?  Well duh, it’s because it is not a health food. It’s toxic.

Why would these companies tell us it’s a health food?

Eighty percent of the oil used in the US (for food consumption) is soy oil. That’s a lot of oil. Just think of the fries alone. According to lipid specialist and nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD, “The reason there’s so much soy in America is because the soy industry started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil became a very large industry.” There was a lot of soy oil and with it came a lot of soy protein residue as a left over by-product, and since they couldn’t feed it to the animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another big market which, of course, was human consumption.

What about people in Asia? They eat a lot of soy are really healthy. No they don’t, and yes they are. A study of the history of soy use in Asia shows that it was used by the poor during times of extreme food shortage, and only then the soybeans were carefully prepared (e.g. by lengthy fermentation) to destroy the soy toxins. A survey of 1242 men and 3596 women who participated in an annual health check-up program in Takayama City, Japan found that people consume less than 15g a day. One glass of soy milk is 220g! Combine that with the lotion you rub on your body, your soy milk in your cereal, your soy latte, the soy lecithin in everything, the soy protein in the bars or shakes you eat. Edamame when you go out for sushi and all the other hidden soy in things like bread, pasta sauce, cookies, crackers, ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I know, I know, you are thinking I am some crazy anti-soy lady. Yeah, I am. As with most things, people become interested in it when it affects them directly. I developed an auto immune disorder of the thyroid. Once I started feeling the ill effects of low thyroid function I became intent of fixing them. For all those I love, and those I don’t even know, I would never wish this annoying disorder, which can be deadly, on anyone. I am passionate about helping. Call me crazy!

This info must seem a bit out there, probably similar to the way people felt when they heard the world wasn’t flat. It goes against everything you have been told. And maybe you didn’t even really like it to begin with, you were trying to be healthy ordering tofu and switching to the soy latte. It’s not your fault, you were lied to. You were marketed to. But now it’s time to stand up and vote every single day with your wallet. You can literally make a change in the world, starting with your body!!

As if the info I have above isn’t enough, I haven’t even really told you what the health ramifications are!

Keep reading………………..

Serious Health Danger of soy

• Blocks the uptake of essential vitamins and minerals: Calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, iodine and especially zinc. It’s the phytic acid’s that binds to minerals, proteins and starch, and results in lower absorption of these substances. Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement for B12. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
  
  

·         Destroys the Thyroid: It inhibits the uptake of one of the most important minerals needed for growth and metabolism, iodine, which is used by the thyroid gland in the production of thyroid hormones.

·         Estrogen!!!!  Men, Women and Children: Stunted growth, low sex drive and man boobs! Perhaps the most disturbing of soy’s ill effects on health has to do with its phytoestrogens, which can mimic the effects of the female hormone, oestrogen. These phytoestrogens have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues. Drinking only two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a woman’s menstrual cycle. Feeding a baby boy soy formula is the equivalent as giving him 5 birth control pills a day! Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women. Soy phytoestrogens are potent anti-thyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.

• Protein inhibitors: You don’t get the protein listed on the label. None of it. Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein. Soy interferes with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.

·         MSG! What??? Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods. Don’t even get me started on the dangers of MSG. (coming soon)

·         Promotes kidney stones

·         Weakens the immune system

·         Contributes to food allergies and digestive intolerance

·         Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

·         Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.

I highly suggest you do at least one thing. Start reading your labels on everything. Food and body products. You will see that soy is everywhere.  GMO crops are also contribution to CCD (colony collapse disorder). The bees are dying, and without bees we are up the creek. Soy also causes infertility and low sex drive. And the toxic effects can kill us!

I think soy is trying to take over the human race! 

So it seems pretty dismal and I don’t want to leave you feeling hopeless. I don’t believe in the “everything in moderation” theory. That’s what the people who make NutraSweet tell you.  But with soy some of that might hold true. If you have organic, fermented soy there are even some positive benefits. But again, like they know in Asia, it should be a very small amount, not the main part of your meal. A few edamame beans aren’t going kill you or give you man boobs. But eating a bag of them as a snack a few times a week might lead to you the store looking for the “Bro” (Seinfeld joke). Information is power. Now you have it and are armed to demand more form the companies you support. 

Thanks for listening. I believe it really does matter!  

Kris Fillat

Founder-GoodOnYa

References:

http://www.naturalnews.com/022630.html
(http://www.phytochemicals.info/phyt…)
(http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/ind…)
Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favourite Health Food by Kaayla Daniel (http://www.mothering.com/articles/g…)http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/01history.htm

(just to name a few)

I have a constant craving to learn about the food we are putting into our bodies. Books, blogs, documentaries, websites feed my brain. Moral, environmental and health issues motivate me to learn. I often tell people “the more you know the worse it is”. I rely on my common sense to weed through the lies, propaganda, and just straight up non-sense. I always question the source because obviously people trying to sell you something have a warped perspective. For example did you know that High Fructose Corn Syrup is good for you and your family? http://www.sweetsurprise.com/hfcs-and-your-family. At some point we have to sit down, read and figure out exactly what guar gum is! What are we eating? What are they creating in the labs and putting into our “foods”? High Fiber Fruit Loops is one of my new favorites! http://www2.kelloggs.com/general.aspx?id=2952

But why don’t we tackle one thing at a time.

Here is the skinny on soy! And I warn you, it’s shocking on many levels.

· Soy is a genetically engineered crop. It’s GMO (genetically engineered organism).

· Soy is a subsidized crop. That means the corporations buy it at a discounted rate. The farmers are going bankrupt as the major food manufactures get rich.

· Soy is in everything. Ok, not everything. But it’s more than you know. Most chocolate and candy, packaged foods, chips, crackers, frozen foods, ice cream, cereals, bread, cosmetics, shampoo and soaps, lotions, vitamin e. Yeah, just about everything. Including energy bars. Lots and lots of energy bars.

· Soy in the US is unfermented. That means it is ANTI nutrient. In their natural form, soybeans contain phytochemicals with toxic effects on the human body. The three major anti-nutrients are phytates, enzyme inhibitors and goitrogens. These anti-nutrients are the way nature protects the soybean plant so that it can live long enough to effectively reproduce. If they are not removed by extensive preparation such as fermentation or soaking, soybeans are one of the worst foods a person can eat.

Unfermented soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women, allergies, ADD and ADHD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer, malnutrition, and loss of libido!

For detailed info check out this article

http://www.naturalnews.com/025513.html

Trying to make sense of labels, diets, and the massive amount of misleading marketing claims can cause one to give up and head for the drive through. It’s a passion of mine to dig deep into this issue and understand each ingredient and the way it found it’s way into whatever I was eating. The motivation of the huge corporations that provide us with the majority of the food we eat is profit. All responsible companies need to worry about their bottom line, but when it’s the only focus is when we are mislead.

When the mass distribution of our food began in the 50’s, the way food was grown and processed changed dramatically. Mono crops demanded more pesticides and began to destroy the soil. Preservatives and shelf stabilizers were added to ship food across the country and around the world. Nutrition for our bodies and the earth was no longer a thought. It was instead how much food can we produce and for how little money can we do it?

For so long we have been willing to accept the idea of pesticides and preservatives; it is more convenient for our lifestyles. We celebrate the .99 menus and love the fact that we can throw a granola bar into our purse and find it 6 months later and it’s still “good”. We don’t want to understand what the process of hydrogenating oils is, we are just happy that our peanut butter spreads easier. These past 50 years have caught up with us, and at this critical time the food is changing even more for the worse.

The great news is there are more and more companies everyday that truly do care about you as well as their bottom lines. The health of our bodies and the planet are their focus. To heal we need to search out and support these companies that care. But the first step is understanding what you are eating so you know just how important that is.

The Four Food Types (from poison to perfection)

#1. GMO: Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are the result of laboratory processes which artificially insert foreign genes into the DNA of food crops or animals. Those genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. GMO’s are not safe, but have been in the food supply since 1996. (1) 70% of packaged food, and most if not all animal products that aren’t organic are fed GMO corn and soy for their diet. That means when you drink milk or eat a burger that isn’t organic you are eating GMO’s.

#2. Conventional: This is the food that most of us have been raised on. Your basic pesticide sprayed, preservative filled, corn fed, hydrogenated, processed, grocery store food. This is the food that we have accepted for the past 50 years. The problem is that GMO’s are finding their way into conventional foods.

#3. Organic: This food group is free of anything not natural and by definition does not include GMO’s. However with organic food gaining in popularity the big companies are getting into the game; and mass-produced organic food has arrived. It is still worlds away from #1 or #2, and it’s never been more important that we support this movement; but there is an even better way. It’s the future, and ironically it’s full circle all the way back to way it use to be.

# 4. Beyond Organic:

This food has nutritional value. Quite a concept for the way we have been eating for the last 50 years. This is using what is given to us by nature to fuel our bodies with what we are designed to eat. Energy from the sun that grows the grass that animals feed on. Soil that thrives from rotated crops offering us more vitamins and minerals, and locally grown fresher food. Food that isn’t picked before the sun is finished with it and then imported, sprayed and transported in trucks. It’s an apple from the tree in your yard, from your CSA box or farmers market. It’s food. Pure, simple, nourshing. Local.

If you don’t have the time, energy or desire to learn the in depth knowledge of our food system, but you care about your health and the earth; the short answer is…. Buy Organic, Buy Local.

It has never been more important.