What does Monsanto have in common with Joseph Stalin?

A fascinating and tragic cautionary tale about the world's greatest explorer of food diversity, Nikolay Vavilov.

http://www.splendidtable.org/story/how-nikolay-vavilov-the-seed-collector-who-tried-to-end-famine-died-of-starvation

MicroBiome , the latest thing

Recent research is showing a very important part of health - the diversity, vigor, and balance of our gut flora - is compromised by modern living in post industrial societies. We've variously known this anecdotally for the millennia, but it hasn't been common knowledge in recent decades. If you've heard the term "leaky gut syndrome" then you have some exposure to this concept already. If you understand the importance of healthy gut flora, and understand how the body heals from the opposite condition, then you also understand the anecdotal (can we say real world?) perspective on the importance of healthy gut flora.... it is thought to be the foundation mechanism to our varied and diverse immune functions (referred to as our "immune system").

Here is a news article on this recent research

http://gizmodo.com/a-remote-amazonian-tribe-harbors-unprecedented-microbio-1698678476

and here is a very interesting audio interview from NPR with the lead scientist in this study

http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/04/17/2015/exploring-remote-villages-for-clues-to-the-human-microbiome.html

and to conclude, a brief youtube video by Dr Michael Klapper of the Truenorth Health Center in California on leaky gut, how we get it, and how we heal it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRDoqS6QHQw

Haven't you heard? Cholesterol doesn't matter! (yeah right)

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/optimal-cholesterol-level/

Pond algae, blade grass juices, and other "super" (refined/fractionated) foods...

Humans likely never made a meal from algae or blade grasses, and yet they are promoted by certain factions within the optimum health culture as optimal sources of nutrition. Other refined fractionated "foods" fall into this category also. I'm of the opinion that nutrients removed from the host source are tremendously compromised, and when consumed "in extremis" (as pills, potions, powders, and "supplements" of all kinds), so that they form some significant portion of our daily diet, can, contrary to wishes, dreams, hopes, and claims, actually become counterproductive to health.

It is also my opinion (but not alone on this) we are not biologically adapted or meant to consume "concentrations" of whole foods as part of a daily routine, nor, in particular, are we adapted or meant to consume concentrations of substances that have never functioned as whole foods in the pre-technology era from which we evolved.

I also believe science is gradually showing us this, but it will be a long time coming for several reasons: one, it is a less significant part of the reason there is increasing discomfort and disease among us, two, "the mindset and promotional activities" of purveyors of "magical" pills, potions, powders, "supplements and medications" of all kinds, because, as Upton Sinclair famously said "it is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it", and three, there are times concentrations (medications essentially) are helpful as intervention measures, which has the potential to confuse things tremendously. If a little is good, a lot forever is better, right?

Wrong. To try to live on concentrations and medications is asking for disaster, as we are increasingly seeing. Alas, the technological dream of pop a pill and live forever is not coming to fruition, but fruit (and vegetables) are (imagine that).

Yes, it turns out consuming high quantities of whole fresh foods, plants in particular (it is increasingly evident), along with vigorous movement of the body, is the only path to health. So why then is it so bleeping hard to do, and maintain?

We are conditioned by the era we are born into. It turns out many of the conveniences and pleasures of technology are counterproductive when health, long term everyday comfort, and high functioning is the goal.

Collectively, they form the pleasure trap, which we do not see from an instinctual standpoint, the trap is effectively invisible to us. Which is the reason the book "The Pleasure Trap" is potentially so beneficial, it reveals "the trap" (hiding in plain sight) to us in very clear terms.

Book Review: The Pleasure Trap

When I was a kid I used to wonder why various flying insects found the porch light so irresistible they died there. Later I realized it must have something to do with the light over stimulating some survival instinct, which then paradoxically caused their death. Still later I realized it has something to do with technology exceeding the innate instinct envelope of the little critters, having evolved pre-tech. Good thing we're smarter than bugs!

Or are we? (you knew I was going to say that:)  Yep, it's a health blog, so of course I'm going to talk about diet and exercise -- but not this time. I'm going to show you a little big book that explains in the clearest most concise terms possible why it can be so difficult in this day and age for us to be the lean energetic people we would prefer to be.

Not only is it a compelling read, it may well be the most illuminating book about the "human condition" I personally have ever read. It's a grand exposition on who we are, where we came from, and how we came to this dilemma point with health and well being. It shows us the problems we face in technological society with creating and maintaining health, and gives us the most sensible reality based methods of becoming and being well I have ever come across.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

tiny URL for the Amazon page:    http://tinyurl.com/ol6bpjc

The Value of Intervention

I'm going to let this lovely courageous woman do all the talking in this blog post.

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/programs/10-day-program/

can alzheimer's be cured?

Apparently not (see link), but it can be prevented...

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-alzheimers-with-lifestyle-changes/

as we will increasingly see it is caused by the toxins we breathe, swallow, and absorb through the skin. "Medical science" does not recognize this yet, saying "we do not yet know the cause".

But they say that about all the common modern maladies easily reversed (or at least prevented in case of alzheimer's and cancer) with diet/lifestyle changes: heart disease, type 2 diabetes, immune function disorders (rheumatoid arthritis etc), cancer, the many gastro-intestinal disorders, etc.

How much longer are docs going to be able to tell patients with type 2 diabetes "no cure, medication for the rest of your life" when it is completely reversed in 2 weeks with change of diet? (Malpractice lawyers where are you - ho, still chowing on burgers:)

More nutriblast, less animal based food - did you see the Nutribullet RX yet? Twice as big. finally a Nutribullet worth owniing. Why do i say that? Smoothies are better as a meal "replacement" than as a supplement. Which means CALORIES in addition to NUTRIENTS. We need both TOGETHER to effectively curb appetite for the toxic foods we are conditioned to want.

Teeny smoothies don't make it.

Two Giant Green Smoothies a day, and one "regular" meal at dinner, the more vegan it is the better...

equals transform your life. It's pretty easy really when you think about it. But you need an effective big blender to do it.

Vitamix even better than a Nutribullet RX? (much better actually)

https://www.vitamix.com/shop/Certified-Reconditioned-Standard.aspx

Why blending is better than juicing

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/juicing-removes-more-than-just-fiber/