Is Soy Cruel and Unusal Punishment?

I just got this announcement, and I didn’t even want to wait to publish it. If you’re unsure of the dangers of soy, PLEASE read this!

 

EXPERTS DENOUNCE HIGH-SOY DIET OF ILLINOIS PRISONERS
Too Much Soy Causes Serious Health Problems, Plaintiffs Claim

Washington, DC, June 26, 2012 — Plaintiffs in the lawsuit Harris et al. v. Brown, et al., Case No. 3:07-cv-03225 have submitted testimony of four qualified experts confirming the claim that large amounts of soy in the prison diet can cause serious health problems. In 2004, the state of Illinois began using large amounts of soy in prison menus to save money and use less meat.

Sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nutrition education non-profit foundation, the lawsuit claims that the soy being fed to the plaintiffs, in the amounts being fed to them, constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the eighth amendment to the Constitution, as well as a denial of plaintiffs’ liberty in violation of their due process rights under the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution.

Plaintiff health complaints include chronic and painful constipation alternating with debilitating diarrhea, vomiting after eating, sharp pains in the digestive tract, especially after consuming soy, passing out, heart palpitations, rashes, acne, insomnia, panic attacks, depression and symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as low body temperature (feeling cold all the time), brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, frequent infections and thyroid disease.

Public Health Expert Sylvia P. Onusic, PhD, submitted an analysis of prison menus showing that soy protein in prison meals approaches 100 grams per day, four times greater than the amount recommended by the Food and Drug Administration. Soy protein is added in large amounts to meat patties, meat mixes and sauces, and in smaller amounts to almost all baked goods. The soy in the prison food is a deliberate artificial manipulation using processed soy products, manufactured using highly technical process and toxic chemicals

Toxicologist Mike Fitzpatrick, PhD, provided evidence that even 50 grams of soy can cause thyroid problems, including thyroid cancer. Soy contains compounds called phytoestrogens, which depress thyroid function and cause endocrine disruption.

Physician David Brownstein, MD, submitted his opinion that the amount of soy fed to the plaintiffs is, to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, responsible for causing their health problems, including gastrointestinal distress and bowel dysfunction, vitamin deficiencies (vitamins B12 and D) as well as thyroid disorders.

Laboratory analysis expert William Shaw, PhD, noted that soy protein has the highest oxalate level of any known food and that the prisoners are receiving hundreds of milligrams of oxalates per day. According to Shaw, virtually all of the plaintiffs’ health problems can be explained by their high-oxalate diet. The toxicity of oxalates is well established; oxalates can deposit sharp crystals not only in the kidneys, but in virtually every tissue and organ of the body, including joints, heart, blood vessels, teeth, gums, eyes, skin, brain, nerves, thyroid and thymus glands. Oxalates also block the absorption of many essential minerals, leading to malnutrition.

The defendants have responded by arguing that the Illinois prisoners receive only minimal amounts of soy protein in their diets.

“Presiding judge Harold Baker has stated the importance of scientific and medical testimony in the case,” says Sally Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation. “We have provided both the science and the medical evidence and look forward to the next steps in this trial.

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nutrition education foundation with the mission of disseminating accurate, science-based information on diet and health. Named after nutrition pioneer Weston A. Price, DDS, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, the Washington, DC-based Foundation publishes a quarterly journal for its 14,000 members, supports 572 local chapters worldwide and hosts a yearly international conference. The Foundation phone number is (202) 363-4394, www.westonaprice.org, info@westonaprice.org.

http://www.westonaprice.org/press/experts-denounce-high-soy-diet-of-illinois-prisoners

Mentacide!

I recently read this depressing article in December 2011 Men’s Health: http://www.menshealth.com/health/auto-neurotic . The author coins a term, mentacide, which seems to be basically defined as when the brain attacks itself with over-thinking. If you read the article, you’ll see that the author clearly acknowledges the negative physical ailments that result from this issue, and he readily admits to being unable to follow through on actions which would incite positive change. His final solution seems to be “positive thinking” which, you can tell from the tone of the article, is clearly not working. But without a solution, what other choice is there?

Countless articles like this seek to prove to us that our mood disorders are normal experiences that we have to learn to love. It seems that there’s no middle ground between espousing the wonders of medicating the masses and denying that there’s any problem at all.

I spent many years on the denial end of the spectrum before I found the solution of Nuero-nutrient Therapy (also called Amino Acid Therapy). This revolutionary therapy based on the work of Dr. Kenneth Blum http://www.rdsyndrome.com/dr_kenneth_blum_rds_gene_discovery.php was further developed and perfected by Julia Ross http://www.moodcure.com over twenty years of clinical application.

Kenneth Blum was doing research on alcoholism when he basically discovered neurotransmitters and their connection to addiction. While doing this research, he also discovered that amino acids are precursors to these neurotransmitters, and that supplementing with amino acids could correct neurotransmitter deficiencies. (As an aside, I don’t agree with his more recent conclusion that all amino acids simply stimulate dopamine).

The original trials on Prozac provided much of the science that led to Neuronutrient Therapy (NNT). It turns out that the same sorts of deficiencies at play in addiction are also happening in anxiety and depression. And recently the National Institute on Drug Abuse said, “The two conditions (addiction and obesity) have roots in some of the same brain areas and circuits.” http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2007/10/nida-will-contribute-to-obesity-research

 

Alcoholism, drug addiction, overeating, under-eating, depression, anxiety and over-stress syndrome all have roots in neurotransmitter deficiency. Addictive behaviors all stimulate your brain to release “feel-good” chemicals like Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Dopamine, GABA and Endorphin, the very same chemicals that are deficient in those suffering from mood disorders.

There are drugs on the market that seek to raise the active amount of these chemicals in the brain by preventing the re-absorption and breakdown of these chemicals, but only NNT actually provides your body with the raw material needed to increase production. Every other method: drugs, exercise, medications, merely increase the release or slow the breakdown of the neurotransmitters. Only Amino Acids increase production in the brain!

If you’ve read the Men’s Health article, and you identify with it, there is hope for you! You don’t have to continue suffering. Those thinking patterns can actually go away—permanently! And naturally!

Check out our other articles on Amino Acids, and pick up a copy of Julia Ross’ The Mood Cure http://www.moodcure.com today!

Our clinic is currently accepting NNT patients, and we even take Skype clients for those who live more than an hour from San Francisco. Call Today: 415-424-3213

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Prep time: 30 minutes—but you get lunch for a week!

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 medium red bell peppers, chopped

1 med green bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch kale, chopped; split into two batches

2 c frozen or fresh okra, chopped

1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 c brown rice

1 (12 oz) package Andouille sausage cut into ½ in. rounds

2 t Tabasco sauce

4 T fresh thyme, mince OR 4 t dried

1 t salt (smoked salt is best)

1 t ground pepper

4 c chicken broth

 

3 T fresh parsley, minced

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (pre-cooked is okay, just add them at the very end)

 

Add all ingredients in the first group to a slow cooker in the order listed. Only use ½ the kale.

Cover and cook on low for 8 -9 hours

One hour before it’s done cooking, toss in parsley, shrimp and second half of kale. Stir well.

 

Makes 6-8 servings.

This is a full meal, so no need to add anything else. Just eat or freeze and eat later!

Acknowledgements:

This recipe was only slightly modified from Judith Finlayson’s healthy slow cooker. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Slow-Cooker-Judith-Finlayson/dp/0778801330

Check out these other sites for more slow cooker recipes:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_slow_cooker_recipes

http://healthyslowcooking.com/

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/seven-easy-slow-cooker-recipes/

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/slow-cooker-classics-00400000001101/

Natural Treatment for Depression without Antidepressants

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Even here in health-crazed San Francisco, many people suffer from anxiety and depression or other problems with their mood. If you watch TV for even an hour, you’ll quickly find the solution—antidepressants! And if antidepressants don’t work, don’t stop taking them, just add an antipsychotic, like Seroquel or Abilify. Or add more antidepressants!

Now maybe you believe that antidepressants are a good idea. Maybe you believe they are safe and effective. In fact, problems from heart disease to increased risk of death from suicide have been associated with antidepressants, so much so that for the latter, the FDA has mandated a black box warning on all SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), the most common form of antidepressant. Now you may be thinking, “A black box warning doesn’t sound all that serious.”

Actually, it is the most serious action the FDA will take apart from completely removing a drug from market. The FDA almost never does this. Even a drug like Vioxx that was clearly killing people was actually removed by the manufacturer. What did the FDA do? It required a black box warning.

What this warning means is that this medication is clearly dangerous, but it may show some sort of therapeutic value—or that it cannot be proven that it shows absolutely no therapeutic value and the government would lose its shirt trying to defend such “libelous” claims. It’s supposed to be your doctor’s job to very carefully monitor the risk-benefit analysis in your particular case. The problem is, they often don’t know of another solution, so they believe the only two options are prescribing the medication or forcing you to remain in a state that is making you miserable and ineffective. They also tend to lack an understanding of the seriousness of the side-effects. To understand how the data on these drugs get skewed watch this amazing TED talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_goldacre_battling_bad_science.html

In order to understand the alternative, we must understand what mood disorders really are. First of all, mood disorders are not mental illness. Mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or true bipolar, are completely different from mood disorders and may require medication for management. Mood disorders are merely an imbalance of the current brain chemistry. To be more specific, they are a deficit in one or more of the following neurotransmitters (brain chemicals): Serotonin, Norepinephrine, GABA, Endorphin or Glucose (technically not a neurotransmitter but it has a huge impact on brain function).

These deficiencies are rooted in nutritional deficiencies that sometimes take many years to compound into an issue with the mood. “But,” you say, “I eat really well. I avoid meat and saturated fat. I shop at Trader Joe’s.”

So many of us have reduced meat and fat to get healthy, others have cut calories to lose weight. Sometimes we just settle for food out of box or can, because we’re busy or we don’t know how to cook. These strategies all have proponents telling us we should do this, or it’s okay to do that, but the soaring trend of anxiety and depression tell a different story. They tell a story of chronic undernourishment, in particular of protein deficiency.

Neurotransmitters are made by the body out of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Without protein, we have no amino acids. Without amino acids, we have no neurotransmitters. Without the right levels of neurotransmitters, we have what Julia Ross, author of The Mood Cure, calls “false moods.” These are moods that do not represent the real you or your true personality. These moods can make you irritable, down, stressed, angry, even suicidal. They can cause you turn to sweets, alcohol, drugs or behaviors that give you a temporary boost. They manifest in different ways for different people, but the main thing to remember is that they are not “you,” and they can be fixed.

So if the problem is nutritional, then the solution is also nutritional. What’s the secret? Primarily it is protein. Adequate protein is absolutely essential for proper brain function. However, if you already have a problem with your mood (or with eating behavior, alcohol or drugs) the deficiency is probably too great to correct just by correcting the food you put into your mouth. Your brain will need a big dose of these amino acids all at once, and the best way to accomplish this is through supplementation.

Isolated amino acids are given in supplement form (usually capsules or sublingual tablets) in order to boost brain production of your neurotransmitters. Taking amino acids is the ONLY way to accomplish this. SSRI’s don’t do it; they merely keep the chemicals already in your brain from being reabsorbed; this is one reason they don’t work for many people. For a somewhat slow and cheesy but informative video on this look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_XFfdkJXnM&feature=related

With 1 in 10 Americans taking antidepressants, this information could be revolutionary. In my clinic, we’ve treated numerous patients who either want to get off antidepressants or want to avoid getting on them in the first place. The results with the amino acid therapy are almost unbelievable. Before studying with Julia Ross, I had no idea that there was an effective alternative for treating anxiety and depression. I struggled with only getting marginal results with many of my own patients. Since learning this amazing treatment, I can’t believe that it’s been kept such a secret, and I want to bring hope to all of those people out there who are looking for some alternative to their current treatment approach. There is hope, and you can get better!

The most amazing thing about amino acid therapy, and the main reason I chose to become certified as a specialist in it, is that it is a corrective therapy. This means that a course of treatment can correct the deficiency so that you no longer need to take the supplement. As you may have guessed, correcting the diet will be necessary for permanent results. But can you imagine, after years of depression, becoming depression and supplement-free in a matter of months? I’ve seen it, and it is amazing.

The other advantage amino acid therapy has over drugs is that it has no side-effects. Or to be more correct, if you have a side-effect the therapy is immediately altered to eliminate it. In holistic medicine, a side-effect is seen as a signal that your body does not agree with the treatment. A medicine that is designed to fix your system, should not create such a response from your body. The only thing you should feel is better.

This is a very short summary of a very complicated issue, so if you’d like to read more I’ve included several resources below. My clinic, Wood Tiger Acupuncture, in San Francisco is always happy to consult on this topic. We also are gladly accepting new patients for this therapy, and we offer a free consultation to determine if the therapy is appropriate for you before beginning. You can try to self-treat using Julia Ross’ books, but I have seen very limited results with that approach. I think it’s just too difficult to trouble-shoot your own brain chemistry, especially if you haven’t had intensive training on the subject.

Acknowledgements: Julia Ross has been the pioneer in this field. She has spent many years refining her treatment approach, and I have been so lucky to study directly with her on this topic.

Resources:

Antidepressant statistics:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/10/20/141544135/look-around-1-in-10-americans-take-antidepressants

FDA black box warning:

http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20041015/fda-orders-strict-antidepressant-warnings

Celexa  and heart disease:

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20110824/fda-warns-of-celexa-heart-risk

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/25/139943213/why-the-cardiologist-cares-about-your-antidepressant

Antidepressant withdrawal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_-4QhO0hjY

Antidepressants don’t work: excellent video—as seen on Dr. Oz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg3KgRXDB3k&feature=related

Serious side-effects:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-6pmsVOe3g

For information on how doctors are influenced by drug companies:

http://nofreelunch.org/index.htm

There are so many more resources. Several books could be written on this topic without scratching the surface, but the best ones currently out there are:

http://www.moodcure.com/

http://www.dietcure.com/