Bottled Water, How Much Do We Know About It?

Many of you swear by it. No expensive contraptions. Door-to-door delivery. In fact, one out of 15 families drinks bottled water because they like the taste and believe it’s safer than their local water supply.
Unfortunately, some bottled water may not be any purer than your own tap water. Remember the Perrier scare several years ago? This popular brand was recalled because it contained too much benzene, a chemical used in making many dyes and drugs. Other brands have been recalled because they smelled bad or contained unhealthy levels of organic compounds.
Let’s face it, all water comes from the same place — above or below the ground — so it all will be contaminated in some way. How it’s filtered and purified is what makes the difference. You may be surprised to learn that a quarter of the bottled water sold is actually tap water that’s been re-filtered to make it taste better.
One reason bottled water tastes better is that most bottling companies disinfect their water with ozone, which leaves no aftertaste or smell. Many local water systems use chlorine to help purify the water. The sodium-free water I’m drinking right now is called "Purified Water, Calcium Carbonate" and it is purified by reverse osmosis. Just to make it possible for you to visualize a crisp, cold water product, they have named it "ARCTIC BLUE." In addition to the name, they have place the words "Purified Water" under the trade name and added "with minerals added for a pure, fresh taste." Visit their web sit: http://www.clearsource.com./
Well, that really sold Julie on it. She bought two cases of the 50.7 ounce bottles for me at 38 cents a bottle at "BIG LOTS." That came to $9.92 with tax for 24 bottles.
She certainly got her exercise by loading the two cases into the shopping cart and then unloading the shopping cart into her car; at home she broke down the cases into four-bottles each in two canvas bags which she hauled into the kitchen and unloaded. She then returned to the car and finally she stored them in our basement. Julie wants you to know that they were heavy and she is "strong." She doesn’t spend any money on local health clubs and now she’s calculating the amount of weight-lifting she did in this total exercise. No "door-to-door" delivery here, just one strong woman.
Tips For Water Safety:
If you choose to drink bottled water, follow these steps to make sure it’s as pure and safe as possible:
Choose products from companies that belong to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). The IBWA supports the FDA’s bottled water standards.
Call the bottler (most have 800 numbers) and get a list of the contaminants it tests for. Ask about chlorine and fluoride. Most companies don’t use chlorine to disinfect the water because it can combine with other materials to create cancer-causing agents
Check the source. You don’t want water that comes from highly industrialized areas. A recent visit to Wal-Mart revealed bottled water that was from the Buffalo Water Department. Could that mean that the source is Lake Erie? In 1957, I worked at Bethlehem Steel and was part of the crew dumping the waste products, that amounted to slag, into Lake Erie. I can tell you that acres and acres of land were added to the property replacing what had once been the shores of that great lake.
Buy your water in glass containers. Plastic packaging may contaminate the water—no one is sure.
Disinfect your water cooler about once a month. Run a half gallon of white vinegar through it, then rinse with four or five gallons of tap water.
Just for the fun of it, join the Water of the Month Club and sample exotic waters from around the world. For example, try super-oxygenated Angel Fire Water or Fiji Natural Artesian Water. Find them on the Internet at: www.bottledwater.com

Prescription Drugs For Trouble

Consumer Reports finally confronted the nation’s number one problem – Prescription Drugs. And they didn’t pull any punches. They write of the common drugs (all too common) and the hidden dangers exposing tens of millions of people to high risk and life threatening consequences.
The time has come for Americans to rescue themselves by confronting high-priced doctors (and a Congress who protects them) with straight forward questions. When one party speaks of the second amendment "right to bear arms" they argue that it is the "right" of every American. They don’t blame the manufacturers of guns, so they explain that we need tougher laws for those who abuse those rights.

Well, we need tougher consequences for doctors who prescribe drugs that kill, but the Congress is trying to stop that with "Tort Reform." In other words, you shouldn't expect compensation for the leg the doctor cut off by mistake. He didn't mean it, he just didn't know what he was doing. Is that "temporary insantiy?"
Drug manufacturers sell the idea of drugs to doctors with perks and free samples. And then they distribute them free to their patients. The next step is usually a lifetime of drugs with a continuing dividend to the physician responsible for signing the prescription. The records are kept in the computers of the pharmacists and doctors reap the benefits. They just don’t want the responsibility nor should they be held accountabe. This has to stop. We have an epidemic of diseases that are the direct result of a sloppy and incompetent health care system in the United States. The AMA, the FDA, the drug companies and the doctors are all paying big bucks to their political protection committees. The insurance companies charge the doctors more money because they believe they deserve a cut of the pie. And they are probably right, because the doctor who cuts off the wrong leg, prescribes the wrong medicine, or doesn’t even read the charts expects to be held harmless.

Well think again, the doctor took an oath that spelled out one of the highest standards for their profession, "DO NO HARM." First and foremost, do no harm, and then practice, with knowledge and compassion, with the idea of making people aware of ways in which they can improve their body, their minds, and their overall health. Now that's Conservative Medicine.
Instead, they are raising the cost of health care to double that of any other country in the world without taking care of 45 million---unattended. The U.S. is ranked 37th by the World Health Organization and our loved ones are exposed to an epidemic of diseases and illnesses that are "Man-Made."
The necessity of organ donors is symptomatic of what is happening. Less than two months after her doctor increased the dosage, of the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor, to the maximum amount, Carolyn Reece, 69 of Hamilton, Ohio fell unconscious in her home. Her son rushed her to the hospital, where rhabdomyolysis, or muscle breakdown, and kidney failure were diagnosed. Reece must now undergo dialysis for four hours a day, three times a week. She’s suing the drug’s maker, AstraZeneca, charging among other things, that the company failed to sufficiently "convey the true risks associated with the use of Crestor." In court documents, the drugmaker denied the charges. Why not? The Congress, the President and the Judicial system is in sync with these rich donors and are beholden to the PAC money, they received from these companies.
Doctors Fail To Report: Physicians are supposed to voluntarily report any serious drug reactions to the FDA’s MedWatch program, where researchers look for signals that a medication might be causing problems.

I had that experience with a "beta blocker" administered by a doctor who failed to read the charts available in the very hospital where I was being treated. I reported it to MedWatch, but I didn’t sue the doctor or the manufacturer. The good news is that the whole cardiac and pulmonary facility has disappeared. There once was a big and beautiful building where there is now flat land without a building on the site. Sometimes the future changes in a subtle fashion and without the dance being done by our legislators and their cronies. An article in the January 2006 issue of Consumer Reports states that situation very accurately by saying, "But only 1 to 10 percent of such incidents are ever reported, various studies have estimated." "An FDA analysis found that pharmacists, and to a lesser extent, consumers, each filed far more MedWatch reports than did physicians in fiscal 2004." Nurses filed about as many as doctors. You’ll never see a doctor reporting to the scene of the crime, and admitting his mistake. I’ve never seen one at a funeral of a patient.
Some Positive Signs: The FDA has recently taken stronger action in some areas. In addition to issuing more warning letters about misleading ads, it has begun releasing information on its Web site: www.fda.gov/cder/drug/drugsafety/drugindex.htm about possible adverse drug effects even before the information has been fully vetted, according to postings on the site. Of course, most doctors wouldn’t tell you they are too busy triple-scheduling patients to focus on what is happening to the patients whose names appeared in the obituary column. A two-hour wait for an HMO (15-minute) exam may get you in that column.
Then, our system has the nerve to have writers include a disclaimer to real facts--in favor of checking with your doctor - who you trust with your money and your life. I am their employer and I call the shots, because I pay the bill.
Consumer Reports suggest that you ask your doctor if the risks outweigh the benefits - in your case. Really? What do you think the doctor is going to say? Will it sound like a salesman or a politician doing his own spin? Maybe that’s why they use the term "spin-doctor." Another suggestion is: Don’t pressure your doctor to prescribe a drug, (Since when does he needs pressure?), particularly a new one, unless other options haven’t worked. Well, the doctor is going to feel a little lost without the prescription pad or the needle. He may feel the need to do more to justify that $100+ fee he will send to your insurance company. You might want to check out the January, 2006 article from www.ConsumerReports.org
I wouldn’t be without this source, even though I subscribe to very few magazines these days. Page 39 of the January, 2006 article also lists "Drug Risks The System Missed." You’re probably on Lipitor or Crestor and many of those mentioned and you love your doctor, I’m sure. We have been so brain-washed into thinking that the man’s name is spelled "GOD" that we gave up all reasoning and surrendered our hard earned dollars to a man who is a multi-millionaire, and can’t wait for the next "cha-ching!" Sorry, if the shoe fits wear it, and if you really want to get the most out of your doctor – make a list and keep him "after school" until he answers all of your questions. If he doesn’t, I wouldn’t be pulling out my checkbook, if I were you. How about an honest day's work?

We need some good old fashioned common sense before we pull out of this "War on Disease" and the overall incompetence that is running rampant in our health care system. These are very religious-right people who: "kneel at the alter of the almighty dollar!"

Salsa, Some Like It Hot

Buoyed by America’s fascination with Southwestern flavors and a flood of homegrown products with catchy names, salsa has become the king of condiments, outselling ketchup, barbecue sauce, and mustard.
The basic ingredients of tomato salsa—tomatoes, peppers and onions—make salsa versatile enough to use in soups, stews, sauces and marinades, though most people use it as a dip for tortilla chips. Since I don’t eat any fried potatoes, I prefer to use celery to scoop up this wonderful combination of Mediterranean vegetables. I also include it in my chili and beef-vegetable soup.
With manufacturers and entrepreneurs introducing an average of more than 100 new salsas a year, it can be hard for a salsa lover to keep up, so Consumer Reports did it for you. In their search, they found the nation’s best salsas turned up big differences in taste and texture. They found one product that was almost as good as the salsas made from their own recipe. But the worst were so bad that one taster almost gave up on the task. Commercial salsas don’t usually match freshly made. Lower-rated products were too watery, too tart, or over-processed. However, they did come up with one excellent salsa, Zapita Fire Roasted Salsa Roja, which is sold in more than half the states and five that were good salsas. Although most tested salsas were labeled medium, several left taster reaching for something to put out the fire.
Most salsas are fat-free and add vegetables to your diet. Their tomatoes contain lycopene which studies suggest might help prevent prostate, lung and ovarian cancers. But some are high in sodium: a half-cup of Tostitos or Herdez has more than 1,000 milligrams (the recommended daily limit is 2,300 mg). Green Mountain Gringo, rated very good, has only 360 mg.
Far From Old Mexico: Despite the little sombreros and cactus that parade across labels, most salsas are not from south of the border. Pace foods made a long running gag of competitors’ origins in TV commercials featuring "cowboys poking fun at brands made in New York City. In fact, the big brands are made by big corporations. Pace is based in Texas but is owned by Campbell’s Soup, head-quartered in Camden, N.J. Texas-based Frito-Lay makes Tostitos, but it’s owned by PepsiCo of Purchase, N.Y. And Chi-Chi’s is made by meatpacker Hormel, head-quartered in Austin, that’s Austin, Minnesota.
In Mexico, salsa can be anything from a simple Pico de Gallo, consisting of fresh chopped vegetables and herbs, to a complex mole, made of spices cooked with fruit, chocolate and tomatoes. In the U.S., most salsas are based on tomatoes. That said, they can be thin or thick, sweet or tangy, chunky or smooth, made with fresh vegetables or roasted. Some contain tomatoes, onions and jalapeno peppers, the latter of which predominated; others were spiked with olives, lime juice, cumin, corn or carrots. Less common ingredients may include mango, cheese and plantains. The best had fresh, balanced flavors with no hint of over processing, which can make it hard to tell ingredients apart. Only the Zapata had much of the flavor and character of salsas made from scratch. Others didn’t meet the tasters standards because they lacked any semblance of just-made taste.
Zapata’s Fire Roasted Salsa Roja (treeoflife.com) was listed as "Excellent" with smoky complex flavors of crushed roasted vegetables and chipotle chillies. The others rated "Very Good" were described as chunky, with complex flavors, crisp vegetables, and extras such as olives, cumin, carrots and corn. The "Very Good" category included: Jardine’s, Desert Pepper Trading Company, Green Mountain Gringe, Guiltless Gourmet and Joe T. Garcia’s. Listed as "good" were: Pace, Tostitos, Herdez Salsa, and those rated "Fair" were: Santa Barbara and Chi-Chi’s Fiesta Thick & Chunky. The ratings were based on blind taste tests by a trained sensory panel.
Consider The Heat: The capsaicinoids in hot peppers produce a burning feeling in the mouth, watery eyes, runny nose, and perspiration. The peppers used in many salsas are jalapenos, which are fairly low on the Scoville Heat Scale, a measure of a pepper’s potency. Bell peppers have no heat, while habaneros are hottest, with 200,000 to 300,000 Scoville heat units. Jalapenos register about 2,500 to 5,000 units.
I found the ingredients very much suited to my Mediterranean tastebuds. With tomato paste, onions, green peppers and diced tomatoes, salsa looked like an excellent prospect for a soup additive or celery dip. I found no "High Fructose Corn Syrup" and the sodium content was 7 percent, while sugar content was only 2 grams for a 2 tablespoon serving. Only 10 calories and none of them from fat. I bought the Casa Mamita Thick & Chunky Salsa "Mild" and paid $1.49 for a 24 ounce (1 lb 8 oz) 680g bottle at a chain called "Aldi." Aldi Foods are "bare essentials" markets with one person scanning and you packing. You pay a quarter for the use of the cart, but it is refunded upon return to the cart bay. Some food can be healthy eating with just a slight change in their usage. As I said, I like to scoop up the salsa with a wide piece of celery stalk.

The "Nutrition Facts" are your key to eating healthy. Salsa had only 1 percent carb, 4 percent Vitamin A and 2 percent iron. Salute’

Vitamin D And Its Many Sources

Vitamin D plays its most critical role in maintaining healthy bones in both young and old alike. Research also indicates that it can help protect against numerous cancers such as that of the prostate, colon, breast, ovary and bladder by maintaining a healthy immune system. The major controversy seems to lie in what is the best way to increase our Vitamin D intake.
The two ways to get Vitamins D are from foods and the sun. Exposure to the sun involves the liver and manufactures a Vitamin D precursor (an advance representative or pre-vitamin) that migrates to the skin. With the help of the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV), this pre-vitamin undergoes another change. The liver and kidneys alter it again to produce the active Vitamin D hormone that scientists feel has become an important player in today’s health issues. Should we take in more Vitamin D? Should we increase our exposure to the sun? No one can disagree that if a substance can possibly prevent certain types of cancers, the substance or behavior should be encouraged. Some physicians and scientists are saying that RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) should be raised from 400 IU (International Units) to 1000 IU. Some propose increasing the upper limit to 2000 IU for children and adults. No so simple, because Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and can be stored up in the body. If you take in too much, it can cause toxicity. Therefore, we need to consider the amount of Vitamin D we get through either food sources or the exposure to the sun. Vitamin D fortified foods include milk: 1 cup supplies 100 IU. This is one-fourth of the current recommended daily allowance for adults between the ages of 51 and 70. Three ounces of tuna packed in oil will give you 200 IU and one tablespoon of cod liver oil will give you approximately 1300 IU. These are a few of the food sources of Vitamin D you might consider. But what happens to a poor eater? What if someone has a disease or condition that impairs the production of the active Vitamin D? Should they be given supplements and, if so, how much?
Vitamin D in excess is the most toxic vitamin, causing damage to the kidneys and to the heart and lungs where it can cause death. What is the right thing to do? The jury is still out on debating the issues.
Another way of obtaining healthy quantities of Vitamin D is from exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. The new advice being given out is to "get more sun." Unlike Vitamin D supplements, the sun imposes NO RISK of Vitamin D toxicity. But increasing exposure to the sun, raises questions regarding skin cancer. Some problems exist when it comes to how much sun we should expose our skin to. The problem is that the amount of color in the person’s skin, determined by a compound called melanin, influences how much Vitamin D you actually make.
Melanin is a brownish-black coloring found in the skin of some individuals. Melanin blocks UV rays. The darker a person’s skin, the longer the person has to be in the sun to form the necessary amount of Vitamin D.
As my Irish priest says, "Fair-skin is the curse of the Irish." Unlike darker-skinned people, the fair-skinned people are extremely sensitive to the suns rays and vulnerable to skin cancer. On the other hand, those who use skin blocker (a sunscreen with an S.P.F. of 8) are blocking 95% of the skin’s ability to make Vitamin D.
Until these issues are settled, we need to sift carefully through the information, for the best way appropriate to our body. As we have said many times, you are the final arbiter in deciphering the mixed messages and then determining what is best for you.
Eat well to include all vitamins, including Vitamin D, in your eating regimen. Try to get a little bit of sun for five or 10 minutes a day - a few times a week and consider if you need a sun screen. Outdoor tennis players play for at least 1 ½ hours - three times a week in my Senior Tennis League. Most have no problem with skin cancer and have been doing this for decades. In the winter, they often go south for more opportunities to play in the sun. It is true that the fairer skinned individuals have had surgery for skin cancer, but they don’t wear large white hats and full (cotton) shirts and long pants.
We need to examine the latest evidence, but realize that any general guidelines may exclude us. Simply put, we are individuals with different types of skin and coming from all areas of the earth with unique DNA that places us outside the realm of any guidelines. Experimentation is necessary to determine what works with you. I have an Italian-Polish ancestry that provides me with a skin type that tans, but doesn’t burn. Favoring the skin of my Sicilian background has given me the advantage of a sun-tanned appearance, which is commented on by all my friends. And yet, I make no attempt to become a sun-worshiper. Lying in the sun was never something I looked forward to or desired. The sun I get is determined by many factors, and during normal outdoor activities, which varies according to the time of the year, the weather, and the hobbies I have. Because I suffer no consequence from this exposure, I do not worry or cover myself with lotions or excessive clothing. If I suffered sunburn, like that which many of my friends experience, I would surely limit my exposure and use precautionary measures such as sunblock and clothing to protect my body.
However, we still need to realize how much individual responsibility is required. "Make Eating A Lifestyle Change" is not a diet and not just about exercise—it is a lifestyle that suits your individual needs, based on ethnicity, skin texture, allergies, our ancestry, our tastes, our likes and dislikes and most of all—what works for us.

Gluten Sensitivity and Awareness

What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in grains such as: Wheat, Rye, Barley, & Oats*
*Studies continue to evaluate the effect of oats in people with Celiac Disease.
What Is Gluten Sensitivity?
Celiac Disease, or "CD", is a chronic, inherited trait that results in an immune-mediated response to the intake of gluten (from wheat, rye and barley). This can lead to serious gastro-intestinal symptoms, damage to the intestinal tract, and even malnutrition, if left untreated. The lining of a normal small intestine is made up of tiny finger-like projections called "villi." The villi absorb nutrients during digestion of food.

When a person with Celiac Disease consumes gluten, the villi become damaged and flattened, unable to do their job. Instead of foods being broken down in the small intestine and absorbed into the blood stream, the food passes undigested through the intestines. The resulting symptoms can include diarrhea, increased appetite, bloating, weight loss, irritability, and fatigue. Antibodies related to the gluten sensitivity can deposit within the skin, causing an itchy, blistering rash. This condition is called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), and is considered another possible symptom of gluten sensitivity.

Some people with CD have no apparent symptoms at all—and are unaware that damage is occurring. Celiac Disease may only be suspected when there is unexplained anemia or osteoporosis.

People with Celiac Disease are more likely to have type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease. Though different than Celiac Disease, some researchers believe autism or Down Syndrome can be treated with a gluten- and casein (milk protein)-free diet. Diagnosis and treatment of CD is complex. It’s estimated that one in 133 Americans suffers from Celiac Disease, which can occur in any ethnic group and at any age. It is generally diagnosed with a simple blood test, though more intensive tests may be performed.

Gluten Sensitivity should NOT be self-diagnosed, since other medical problems could cause similar symptoms. A gluten-free diet should not be followed until all testing for Celiac Disease is completed. A "false negative" can result if a person is not currently reacting to gluten in the diet. Because intestinal villi cannot properly absorb nutrients from food, and because gluten-free diets can be low in B vitamins, a multivitamin providing 100% of the Daily Value is generally advised for all people with CD.

Ask your doctor what supplement is right for you. Healing of the small intestine and symptom relief usually occurs when gluten is removed from the diet. In children, symptoms may seem to disappear when a child reaches his or her teens, but the disease does not go away. Physicians advise "once a Celiac, always a Celiac," and recommend a lifelong gluten-free diet.
I dedicate this blog to CD awareness, and to my granddaughter, who is thought to have it, and suffers terrible pain and discomfort when exposed to gluten. Children don’t realize what it is that causes this terrible affliction and need to be closely supervised, when it comes to their food-intake. Mothers are often victimized, as well, simply because they are trying to keep their child on a gluten-free diet in order to alleviate the painful consequences to their child.