A Natural Environmental Health Facts Ezine

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"A NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FACTS Ezine" Here to Inform and Help You Become Healthier and Happier while Achieving Quality Longevity!

http://www.antibiotic-alternatives.com
Email Lena
928-636-9425
Wednesday July 27, 2005
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Watch for Monday's "Ask Lena Health Q & A edition.
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Tuesday's & Thursday's "Your Home Business Coach"

This Ezine is available by subscription only and subscriber requests are kept on file!

I strive to bring you only the most timely, pro's & con's information for the betterment of your health without clogging the issue or your email box with a lot of advertising and other such junk! If I am not succeeding mailto:health@antibiotic-alternatives.com and let me know!!

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=> IN THIS ISSUE!
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==> Editors' Ranting & or Warnings
==> Something To Think About
==> Health Thought for the day!
==> Showcase Health Spotlight
==> Monthly Spotlight Ads
==> Today's Health Tip
==> Food of The Week
==> Health Today
==> Environmental Report
==> Life Changing Information

This week started off well enough but didn't last too long... We received notice that our best friends 40ish son has died so we will be off to Southern California on Friday and will be gone until late Monday, so I now have to make sure everything is in order before we leave. At the moment it looks like there will be no publishing of "A Natural Environmental Health Facts" on Sunday but will go out on Monday which means there will not be a Monday "Ask Lena Health Q & A". Each of you that has an ad scheduled for Sunday will find that will be published on Monday... Of course that could be subject to change depending on the services, time available and the internet hookup options once we are there...

Our Monsoon season seems to have finally arrived and we are seeing cooler weather, albeit more humid, but I can handle that... On to organizing the rest of the week... Enjoy today's ezine!!!

If you have a question or comment (good or bad) send it to me... Click Here
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Take charge of you and your family's health before it takes charge of you!
Lena

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http://www.thehungersite.com Share your LOVE here!

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Something To Think About
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Researchers used almost 40,000 healthy women from the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) of Harvard Medical School Women's Health Study. At the outset, all of the women were at least 45 years of age. They were randomly divided into three groups and assigned to take either a high dose (600 IU) of vitamin E every other day, or a placebo and low dose aspirin every other day, or a placebo alone.

After following the medical records of each subject for an average of ten years, researchers found that aspirin intake was not associated with a lower risk of heart attack, stroke or cancer, although there was a lowered risk of lung cancer death in this group - an unexpected link that may be a statistical fluke.

The risk of cardiovascular death was cut in HALF in women over the age of 65 (the age group most affected by heart disease) Heart attack risk was reduced by nearly 35 percent in this group The BWH team was on the right track but fell a bit short: They used natural alpha-tocopherol, also known as d-alpha tocopherol. And while that's an excellent choice, an even better choice would have been a mix of tocopherols: alpha, beta, gamma and delta.

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We accept all advertisements in good faith, but the advertisers are completely responsible for the content and accuracy of their advertisements. We do not give any warranties and accept no responsibility. The editor and publisher suggest that you exercise due diligence!
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All of the tissues in your body begin losing moisture and thinning out, including your skin.

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Group calls for health warnings on soft drinks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A consumer group Wednesday called for cigarette-style warnings on soft drinks to alert consumers that too much of the sugary beverages can make them fat and cause other health problems.

People who overindulge in soft drinks are also more likely to develop diabetes and have decaying teeth, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) said in a petition to the Food and Drug Administration.

The warnings are especially necessary to help counter the growing number of youth who drink soda, said the center, which has previously put out reports publicizing the health-threatening qualities of other popular foods such as ice cream and movie popcorn.

"Parents and health officials need to recognize soft drinks for what they are ? liquid candy ? and do everything they can to return those beverages to their former role as an occasional treat," CSPI officials wrote in a related report.

Studies show teenage boys drink about 1.5 cans of soda a day on average compared to 1 can for teenage girls, according to the group.

Some suggested warnings included: "To help protect your waistline and your teeth, consider switching to diet sodas or water" and "Drinking too many (non-diet) soft drinks contributes to weight gain."

Soft drinks with more than 10 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce serving should also carry warnings that say it is "a mildly addictive stimulant drug" that is "not appropriate for children," CSPI added.

The group, which has also been fighting the prevalence of soda-vending machines in U.S. schools, said new labels are needed to help counter aggressive marketing by the soda industry.

The American Beverage Association says soft drinks can be part of a healthy diet and help keep people hydrated, citing data from the American Dietetic Association.

"The beverage industry recognizes the need for children and adults to consume a wide variety of beverages, including milk, water, juices and sport drinks. And yes, there is room in that mix for soft drinks," the industry group says on its Web site.

Some soft drink makers have also recently introduced smaller-sized bottles and cans.

The three top beverage companies, Coca-Cola (KO), PepsiCo (PEP) and Cadbury Schweppes, own the 10 most popular carbonated drinks and account for about 90% of the industry, according to market report Beverage Digest.

USA Today

LENA'S COMMENT: Labels may serve their purpose but I'm still trying to figure out how this one is going to do anything. Everyone knows soda's are not good for them but continue to drink them and obesity continues to grow in the younger population... Labels are never read nor taken serious by 99.9% of young people, so who believes this will be taken serious either? The makers of sodas will not stop marketing to the kids and the government continues to give them free reign in the schools so I suspect this new rule would only server to help parents shirk their responsibility of teaching their child healthy habits so they can feel less responsibility!

You either love it or you hate it!

"Abelmoschus esculentus" and also "Hibiscus esculentus".

There aren't usually too many in between like or dislike it... I personally love it pickled, steamed or sauteed...

Heart healthy, long pointy ended fuzzy, vegetable that can make you itch when picking fresh! Known in various parts of the world as Okra, Ochro, Okoro, Quimgombo, Quingumbo, Ladies Fingers, Gombo, Kopi Arab, Kacang Bendi, Bhindi (S. Asia), Bendi (Malaysia), Bamia, Bamya or Bamieh (middle east). Apparently Gumbo is Swahili for okra. In Portugal and Angola, okra is known as Quiabo (plural: Quiabos). In Japan it is known as okura. Patrick Taylor adds: "Okra has found its way to Taiwan, where it's called "qiu kui" (pronounced cheeoh kway). Check out the potassium and calcium content below, making them great heart and bone builders.

"Okra is found in its wild state on the alluvial banks of the Nile and the Egyptians were the first to cultivate it in the basin of the Nile (12'th century BC). It was then introduced into North Africa to the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and India. It arrived then in the Americas at Brazil (1658), Dutch Guinea and at New Orleans before extending in the United States and going up to Philadelphia in 1781." Or so some say.

In the 1800's slaves from Africa used ground okra as a part of their diet, and this apparently led to the use of ground okra seeds as a coffee substitute by other southerners during the American Civil War blockades of the 1860's. Even today, ground okra is used in West Africa to make a "...local soup made from dried and ground okra, baobab leaves or rosselle. Fish sometimes is added into it . I wasn't there so I don't know that for sure?

Best and most tender when picked at approx. 3 inches in length. Picking the pods while wet may darken the skin, but the taste is not affected. We usually pick ours at mid day so they retain that bright green color. Picking every other day means less that the goats get from getting tough on us. Yes, my husbands pet goats get the tough ones and love them.

I grew up eating southern fried okra and I thought that was the only way you should eat it. Then my husband came along with his garden, which includes okra and one day, while he was giving me his weekly tour of his pride, he pulled off a couple of pods of okra and handed one to me to eat. Now I was sure that was a really dumb thing to do but he finally convinced me and I have been a raw okra fan ever since. Try it; you'll like it even if you've never liked okra before. I've seen it happen over and over with visitors to his garden as he repeats what he did with me to them. Our next favorite way of eating okra is steamed or boiled, both are equally tasty. I sometimes add a little rice vinegar just for a change in flavor. I also pickle several jars of okra every year. I make them spicy as my grandchildren will then eat them. (Recipe at end of article) If you cook okra in brass, iron or copper the pan will darken almost black.

Nutrition Facts (1/2 cup cooked okra) 4 or 5 pods.

Calories 25
Dietary Fiber 2 grams
Protein 1.52 grams
Carbohydrates 5.76 grams
Vitamin A 460 IU
Vitamin C 13.04 mg
Folic acid 36.5 micrograms
Calcium 50.4 mg
Iron 0.4 mg
Potassium 256.6 mg
Magnesium 46 mg

Raw will contain much more nutrients as they have not leached out!

The super fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. Okra not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn't stop there... The okra fiber, absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools, helps prevent and improve constipation. Fiber in general is helpful for this but okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium. Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal tract, okra's mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. Making it great for those with IBS?

This incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids) which cause numerous health problems if not evacuated, but then assures easy passage out of the body of same. Unlike some prescription and over-the-counter drugs for this, the veggie is completely healthy, non-toxic, non-habit forming (except for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economical.

Okra can be frozen or pickled for storing.
Frozen: Start with freshly picked okra. Wash, cut the stems off, being careful not to cut into seed chamber, otherwise the seeds may spill out. Blanch by putting into rapidly boiling water for about 3 minutes. Remove and cool immediately by placing under cool running water. Pat dry, pack in plastic bags, seal tightly and place in the freezer. Unblanched okra will quickly lose its nutrient content, flavor and turn dark. Should keep well up to a year.

Canned: Making spicy canned okra is simple and easy!

Lena's Pickled Spicy Okra:

Step 1:
Wash wide mouth pickling jars in dishwasher for maximum germ killing, or in hot soapy dish water and rinse in boiling water.
Fill canning pot with water and begin heating on stove. (Any pot that will hold pint size jars and can be covered with water, such as a spaghetti cooker will work. You will need to put a rack of some sort in the bottom so jars will not be in direct contact with bottom of pot.)

Step 2
Wash okra and trip stem. Do not cut into pod as seeds will fall out and you will have nothing but slime...

Step 3
Pickling liquid:
2 cups white vinegar
4 cups purified/filtered water
1/3 cup sea salt

Put on stove and bring to boil. Stir until salt is dissolved. Keep hot until ready to pour into jars.

Step 4
Put lids and seals in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes immediately before putting on jars.

Step 5
Fill hot jars with cleaned and dry okra.
Add 2 cloves fresh garlic, 1 jalapeno pepper sliced, more if you like really hot. Or put 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper? ? teaspoon dill seed or 1 teaspoon fresh dill. 1 small or medium bay leaf. Pour boiling pickling liquid over okra and spices, leaving about ½ inch of top. Wipe rim with moist paper towel or cloth. (Anything on the rim will prevent sealing of jars, hence spoiled okra. ) Put hot lid and seal on jar.

Step 6
Put jars into canner, making sure water covers the tops and about ? inch above. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove jars from water to a clean cloth covered surface to cool. You may hear popping sounds coming from the jars as they cool and sealing takes place.

Enjoy!
Lena

An Inside Look at the Arteries Brings a Pleasant Surprise
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
July 12, 2005

I have had cholesterol scores of more than 300 for decades, and several doctors have urged me to take statin drugs, but I had a bad experience with Lipitor, the only one I tried.

Recently, my total cholesterol jumped to 380, and I told my doctor I would try another, but only if he could show me evidence that my arteries were actually clogging.

He called a friend, a radiologist experimenting with a new technique, a substitute for coronary angiograms, which can cost $4,000 or so and require a day in the hospital.

The radiologist, Dr. Burton A. Cohen, slowed my heart with a beta blocker, injected dye into my veins and put me through his fastest CT scanner in less than 20 minutes, taking pictures of "slices" of my heart.

I was afraid that I would discover that I had serious narrowing, or at least a high calcium score - a measure of the calcium bonded to cholesterol in plaque. Scores in excess of 400 predict imminent heart trouble.

Instead, to my astonishment, my score was 11, just one point above the negligible risk category. The computer found just two pinhead-size bits of calcium.

Click Here for The rest of the story

LENA'S COMMENT: Seeing is Believing!!! This is almost exactly the results found with my husbands' tests last year and his cholesterol runs 300 to 700 and triglycerides 500 - 1100 for the last 27 years that they have been testing them... His arteries are as clean as a whistle and if cholesterol and triglycerides were the culprit for blocked arteries he would definitely have them blocked big time... He has refused cholesterol medications, to his doctor's consternation, but stands his ground and since last year has proof that they are not needed, but his doctor continues to stand by the lies built up by the drug industry that makes and sells their $billion$ drugs along with their skewed statistics, as does this doctor... Of course there are a whole lot of other things going on the body that will contribute to clogged arteries but cholesterol isn't it... What happened to common sense and seeing is believing?

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Blackberry Fungus Enters U.S., Hits Oregon
Jul 25, 2005
By RUKMINI CALLIMACHI

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A deadly fungus used to control the spread of unwanted varieties of blackberries overseas has landed in the United States, infecting numerous fields in Oregon, the capital of America's blackberry industry.

First spotted this spring on the southern Oregon Coast, the rust fungus has spread to seven counties, according to officials with the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Initially, the species was only spotted on the Himalayan blackberry, a weed.

Now it's also been reported in virtually all of the fields of the commercially grown evergreen blackberry, the No. 2 blackberry crop in Oregon, accounting for roughly 9 percent of the state's $30 million blackberry industry.

The fungus - which prior to its appearance in Oregon had never been detected in North America - has not attacked the Marionberry, Oregon's state berry and one of the region's most lucrative berry crops, said Bruce Pokarney, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Officials said it was too early to estimate the potential economic damage.

"We're at an early stage with the potential for serious economic damage, but we're not at the stage where that serious damage has happened," said Tom Peerbolt, a researcher with the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission.

The fungus has been used since at least the 1990s as a biocontrol agent to tame the growth of wild blackberries in Australia, New Zealand and Chile. As recently as last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approached blackberry growers in Oregon to discuss the possibility of introducing the fungus in the United States to control invasive varieties of blackberries - but the plan did not move beyond the discussion stage, said Pokarney.

Ken Johnson, a professor of botany and plant pathology at Oregon State University, theorizes that because the evergreen blackberry - which is not grown commercially in those countries - is native to North America, it might be more susceptible to the foreign pathogen.

While all the evergreen blackberry fields appear to have been infected in Oregon, so far only one grower has reported losing his entire crop.

"It's appeared in all the Oregon evergreen fields, but it is not at the stage where it is causing real damage, except at this one site. Meaning we can find it, it's on the leaves, but the crop is still intact," said Peerbolt.

Agriculture officials are meeting this week to begin discussing possible remedies.

"The remedy is expensive - spraying," said Johnson.

"It's a huge problem because it's something that can be battled and fought, but it takes a pretty rigorous spray program to do that," said Mark Hurst, owner of Hurst's Berry Farm in Sheridan.

While the disease has so far only been confirmed in Oregon, scientists and growers say it's already crossed into southwestern Washington, where samples taken from several fields are currently being tested for the fungus.

Once infected, the leaves of the blackberry bush become stained with a mosaic of purple spots. Underneath, the foliage is tainted with yellow pustules.

"It was brought to my attention today," said Dan Tsugawa, an employee at his father's Tsugawa Farms in Woodland, Wash. "It's so prolific that my workers have come out covered in yellow dust."