Sugar causes pancreatic cancer ?

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods For Life says "It's good to see some hard evidence of what we have known all along - sugar can kill you!"

Sugar-packed diet may boost pancreatic cancer risk | Science&Health | Science | Reuters.co.uk: "NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating lots of sugar and sugar-sweetened foods could increase a person's likelihood of developing cancer of the pancreas, by far one of the deadliest types of cancer, Swedish researchers report.

Dr. Susanna C. Larsson of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and her colleagues found that pancreatic cancer was significantly more likely to strike men and women who added the most sugar to their food and consumed the greatest quantities of soft drinks.

The researchers followed 77,797 men and women aged 45 to 83 for an average of about seven years. Those who reported eating five or more servings of added sugar daily, for example sugar added to tea, coffee or cereal, were 69 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who never added sugar to their food or drink.

People who consumed two or more servings of soft drinks a day had a 93 percent greater risk of pancreatic cancer compared to those who abstained from these beverages."

Nutritionists London

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Bacon Causes Cancer?

Bacon causes Cancer? Health Food News

Those who ate bacon five or more times per week were 59-percent more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never did. Also, men and women who ate chicken this often were 52-percent more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never ate skinless chicken.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2006.

London Nutritionists

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Bacon tied to greater bladder cancer risk - Yahoo! News

Bacon tied to greater bladder cancer risk - Yahoo! News

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Indulging in bacon too frequently may be hazardous to your health, a new study suggests, while taking the skin off your chicken before you cook it might not be so good for you either.

Dr. Dominique S. Michaud of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and her colleagues found that people who ate bacon five times a week or more were nearly 60-percent more likely to develop bladder cancer, while those who ate skinless chicken this frequently had a 52-percent greater risk of the disease.

Some meat products contain nitrosamines, which are known to cause bladder cancer, Michaud and her team note in their report, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. But the studies that have attempted to investigate the meat-bladder cancer link have been small and most have not separated out the effects of different types of meat.

To better understand the relationship, Michaud and her team looked at data for 47,422 men and 88,471 women participating in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurse's Health Study, respectively. Participants were followed for up to 22 years, during which time 808 developed bladder cancer.

People who ate bacon and other processed meats frequently were also more likely to smoke and to take in more fat and fewer vitamins, the researchers found. They were also less likely to exercise.

The association between the total meat consumption and bladder cancer was not statistically significant. But those who ate bacon five or more times per week were 59-percent more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never did. Also, men and women who ate chicken this often were 52-percent more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never ate skinless chicken.

Compared with skinless chicken, cooked chicken with skin is known to contain a smaller amount of heterocyclic amines, carcinogenic compounds that form when meat is cooked at high temperatures, the researchers note.

The researchers suggest that nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines, or both are responsible for the health effects of bacon seen in the current study, but they note that their findings must be confirmed by other research teams before any conclusions can be made.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2006.

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Pharmaceutical Industry Attacks Complementary Medicine Industry

Efficacy of Complimentary Medicine

An Open Letter to All Complementary, Alternative and Integrated Medicine Colleagues


From Professor Jayney Goddard, President, CMA

Dear Colleague,

I am writing in response to the article about the new regulations on the licensing of homoeopathy and the recent media outcry concerning these regulations. Within the Complementary Association we fully support evidence based medicine and if you look carefully at the large amount of research within the homoeopathic environment it is quite clear that there is plenty of evidence attesting to the efficacy of homoeopathy.

However I would like to draw your attention to the organisation that seems to be behind the complaint about the regulations concerning homoeopathic licensing. If you do a quick search on the Internet you will find that Sense About Science is run by Lord Dick Taverne who has an interesting background, to say the least.

I had to take some time to research Lord Taverne's background as I appeared with him on BBC1 quite recently. I was shocked to find that he has been a long term avid supporter and spokesperson for the pharmaceutical industry.

In the late 1980s Dick Taverne and Roger Liddle founded the consultancy firm Prima Europe. In 1990 Prima published The case for Biotechnology, a paper written by Taverne. Liddle and Taverne were joined on Prima's board in 1996 by Derek Draper. Prima's client list included Unilever, RTZ, BNFL, and Glaxo Wellcome. In April 1998 Prima merged with GPC Market Access and Lord Taverne resigned from Prima, because of lobby-firm rules prohibiting employment of sitting MPs and peers. Interestingly, GPC's clients included Pfizer, Novartis and SmithKline Beecham.

Three months after Taverne's departure his former Prima co-directors Derek Draper and Roger Liddle were at the centre of the 'lobbygate' 'cash for access' scandal, which was one of the sleaziest episodes in the history of "New Labour".

Taverne's position on many things is curious to say the least. When I met him in the green room at the BBC, the conversation turned to the subject of global warming. This was just after the hurricane Katrina disaster. Taverne went to great pains to explain to us all that there was "no such thing as global warming". Furthermore, his position on organic farming and genetically modified crops is also worth considering. I can only assume he was being flippant when he said that organic farming "will be the death of us all" - well, let's hope that it was a misguided quip, however, it certainly didn't come across that way.

If this is the man who is behind the recent attacks on homoeopathy which, by the way, he most unscientifically dismissed as "mumbo-jumbo" during a BBC interview, then we need to worry. The problem with Taverne is that he is well connected, and certainly has the ear of Big Pharma, he also comes across quite convincingly. However, if you take time to read between the lines you'll quickly realise that Taverne is not a scientist, never has been and actually doesn't understand science at all, if we use a definition of science as follows: Science - systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. Taverne is then, nothing more than a mouthpiece for the pharmaceutical industry.

It is worth noting too that Sense About Science is one of the closest allies of The Royal Society - who have also been involved in the recent attacks.

To read more about Taverne and some of the appalling ideas that he is attempting to propagate, take a look at http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=127 There are many other websites that are also wise to his shenanigans.

All, however, is not lost - it is at this time that I call for all of CAM to come together in order to protect our profession. It is not a time to sit on our laurels, after all, homeopathy is just one target for this man and his cronies. He loathes all CAM, and will, undoubtedly, attack other branches of CAM in due course. Then again, it might not be anything personal - after all, he is in the pocket of Big Pharma, and they would like nothing better that to see their biggest potential competitor blown out of the water.

The Complementary Medical Association is offering to facilitate a round table for all who are interested in seeing what we can do - together - to unite and protect our industry. If you would like to know more about this please contact me at Info@The-CMA.Org.UK and our dialogue and strategic planning can begin. I am interested in hearing from everyone in the industry – regardless of your discipline or therapy, your level of seniority and regardless of whether you are a practitioner, student, running a college or even an organisation. I also want to hear from people more obliquely involved in the CAM profession, such as people who work in the natural health retail sector and manufacturing. It is essential that we develop a way of connecting with as many people as possible so that we can communicate with each other rapidly and disseminate data so that we can develop ways of protecting our livelihoods.

How you can help . . .

The first step is to contact me by email. I’ll need your name, of course, and it would be helpful if you could give me a brief idea of what your role in the CAM profession is. I value my privacy as much as I value yours and I respect the laws of this land that serve to protect our data. I promise that your email details – or any other personal data - will never be passed on to a third party.

The second step is to tell your friends and colleagues within the profession about this initiative and get them to send me their details too. It might help to copy this letter and give it to them.

Don’t forget that CAM in the UK is not the only target for the Big Pharma industry and that anyone involved in CAM overseas is also a potential target. So, do remember to pass this letter on to them too. We could make this a global movement!

Yours faithfully
Professor Jayney Goddard

President, Complementary Medical Association
The-CMA.Org.UK
0845 129 8434

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Doctors Fail to Diagnose Dairy & Cow's Milk Allergies & Intolerance

Doctors Fail to Diagnose Dairy & Cow's Milk Allergies & Food Intolerances

Cow's milk allergy in babies is being missed by doctors, a survey suggests. (BBC)

Nearly 80% of 500 doctors polled by the medical taskforce Act Against Allergy thought their colleagues confused milk allergy symptoms with other conditions.

Experts say the problem lies in the symptoms being both vague and common - including skin rashes and diarrhoea.

The poll also found many of the doctors did not know the best treatment. Without treatment food allergies can be distressing and even deadly.

Many of the doctors questioned, however, said they would advise a soy-based formula.

There is also a risk that babies who are allergic to cow's milk will also be allergic to soy milk, and sheep and goat's milk.

Cow's milk protein allergy

Symptoms can be vague and include diarrhoea, vomiting, wheezing and skin rashes
Not to be confused with food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, which do not involve the immune system
Other common food allergies in infants are soy, egg, peanuts, wheat and shellfish
Correct advice is to avoid cow's milk and seek medical advice, which may include using a prescribed hypoallergenic formula milk


Cow milk protein allergy is a very common problem - at least 10,000 UK babies are thought to be affected.

Nearly all of the doctors questioned agreed that better information would make it much easier to diagnose the condition in infants.

The taskforce, which includes expert paediatric gastroenterologists, has developed guidance for doctors that will be published next year.

Judith Moore, paediatric dietician and spokeswoman for the British Dietetics Association, said: "If a parent suspects their baby has a milk allergy then they should see their GP who can refer them to a paediatric dietician.

"If you take a good medical history then you can pick it up but it can be difficult to diagnose. The symptoms do vary so it can be hard to spot."

She added that many babies whose parents suspect have an allergy turn out not to have one.

Left untreated, infants with food allergies can fail to thriveand grow, have developmental problems and can develop severe shock and even die.

The World Health Organization recommends that babies are breastfed for the first two years of their lives if possible.

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Burger King Advert Slated

Are you Man enough for Obesity and Heart disease?

Food and farming charity Sustain has hit out at fast food chain Burger King over an advertisement for its XL Double Whopper burger. The print and TV ad carry the strapline ‘are you man enough’.

Richard Watts, coordinator of Sustain's Children's Food Campaign said: "One in three children is now obese or overweight. Given this epidemic of childhood obesity, the last thing the country needs is for teenagers to be told it is 'manly' for them to eat these unhealthy burgers.

Watts continued: "This kind of advert shows the food industry cannot be trusted to regulate itself. If the Government is serious about defusing the health timebomb of obesity, they need to end TV adverts for this kind of product before the 9pm watershed."

Sustain says an adult male would have to walk about 9 miles (15 kilometres) to burn-off the energy supplied by a Double Whopper.

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Trans fats to be banned?

Independent Online Edition > Independent - Trans Fats:
As Kentucky fried chicken KFC in USA promise to take trans fats out of their food The Independent asks if trans fats should be banned in the UK as they are in Denmark and some states in the USA.

"The British Medical Journal said in a review in July that a 2 per cent rise in our consumption of trans fats - five grams a day - was associated with a 23 per cent increase in the incidence of coronary heart disease. Consumption of trans fats has also been linked with prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity and liver problems, but there is no consensus on these effects.

Which British food products contain trans fats?

trans fats are the hidden fats in Britain, often not listed on food labels. The only way of calculating them is to subtract the sum of the saturated, polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats from the total fats. What is left is the trans fats. So unless you shop with a calculator it is difficult to know how much you are eating."

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'HEALTHY' CHIPS FOR KIDS SLATED

The Daily Record - NEWS - 'HEALTHY' CHIPS FOR KIDS SLATED



McCains have stepped in to help cash strapped schools in Scotland with £12,000 new ovens - the catch? - Oven chips.

Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston, founder of consultants Foods For Life, said: "The problem is the message you give to children.

"You don't want to encourage them to have potatoes with every meal."

Home made potato wedges without all the added fat, additives salt and sugar may be far preferable but still not every day.

There's nothing like a vegan staple nosh chip butty but it's not responsible to pretend it's healthy and serve as a staple 5 days a week.

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Autumn foods to fall for, A nutritionist selects her top seasonal foods - MSN Health UK

Autumn foods to fall for, A nutritionist selects her top seasonal foods - MSN Health UK: "Yvonne Bishop-Weston, a top nutritionist from Foods for Life, believes that autumn is a time of year when our bodies need a little help to fight common winter conditions. She says: 'During October, when the weather begins to cool, we are destined to spend more time indoors than out and we are therefore more at risk of germ swapping. However, nature provides us with a host of foods that help us prepare our immune system for the approaching winter months. Antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals are abundant in the many brightly coloured fruit and veg available in October."

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Milk 'unfit for human consumption' says EU

Britain faces devastating allegations that it is allowing milk containing antibiotics and other contaminants into the food chain.

The European Commission announced it is prosecuting the UK for failing to enforce proper residue testing and hygiene standards.

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Teens Smoke For Smaller Baby

Teens Smoke For a Smaller Baby
Teens 'smoke to have small babies' - Yahoo! News UK

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston said "This is ridiculous - young mothers are pointlessly endangering not only their baby's long term health but also their own. The baby's head is likely to be around the same size despite the smaller body and it's the head that's most difficult to get out. In addition smoking is really bad for the skin so the likelihood of horrendous stretch marks is far greater"

Pregnant teenagers are deliberately smoking in the hope of having smaller babies so giving birth is easier, it has been reported.

Public health minister Caroline Flint spoke at a Labour Party conference fringe meeting about teenagers' attempts to reduce their labour pains, the Nursing Standard magazine reported.

Smoking can lead to low birthweight babies, meaning some teenagers smoke throughout pregnancy, the magazine said.

The Department of Health said Ms Flint had heard about the issue anecdotally from health professionals and young women she has met.

Ms Flint said: "It is important that we understand what stops young women making healthy choices so we can provide the right answers to their concerns.

"In this case, childbirth is no less painful if your baby is low weight. So smoking is not the answer, pain relief is."

Studies have shown that women who smoke during pregnancy are three times more likely to have a low birthweight baby. Smoking can also cause other problems, such as respiratory illness.

Women who smoke are less likely to carry their babies to full term and there is a 26% increased risk that they will miscarry or experience stillbirth.

Babies of smoking mothers are also an average of 200g (7oz) lighter at birth.

Royal College of Midwives (RCM) midwife Gail Johnson said there was no evidence that having a smaller baby reduced pain in labour. She said: "It is vital that the risks associated with smoking are highlighted and that women are then supported to make changes to their lifestyle but the RCM is very clear that there is no evidence that the size of the baby relates to the amount of pain the woman may experience."

Story by PA Press Association

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Paris Hilton Diet - Diet Tips for Blondes?

Fad Diet - Fad Diets, Fun, and Weight Loss Tips

What is The Paris Hilton Diet? Is Paris Hilton a vegetarian or Vegan ? This headline suggests she is....'Paris Hilton Tells Dieters: Eat the Most Fabulous Food There Is!' - That sounds like a vegan diet to me.

In her book, Confessions of an Heiress Paris Hilton her blonde girl teen diet advice. A die-hard fan of McDonald’s and Taco Bell, she recommends eating chocolate, fast food, lasagna, and Coca Cola.

Maybe - thats all vegan hey? ( Vegan Chocolate, Vegan Fast Food, Vegan Lasagne and Coca Cola?)

The bleached blonde fashion junky also encourages girls to eat plenty of sushi, ( packed with antioxidant-rich veggies ?) seaweed and fish.

And as well as The Paris Hilton Diet tips, some domestic advice "Learning how to make healthy meals at home will save you both money and calories and will also impress your family! Paris also recommends staying away from diet sodas and artificial sweeteners, girls to drink the real version instead. Although drinking Coca-Cola may not seem like a diet tip that doctors would stand behind, the dippy diva is right in cautioning her audience to be wary of diet foods. Just because a food has “diet” in the name doesn’t mean that you should be eating it, so make sure that you don’t fall for these reduced fat food faux pas. (Go girl! many reduced fat items are laced with sugar!)

The heiress also believes that life is too short to deprive yourself of the foods you really love.

Thank goodness!

(if you were looking for the Hotel Paris Hilton in Paris, France please look here)

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Milk: is it good or bad for us? MSN Exposes Dairy Truths

Milk: is it good or bad for us? We weigh up the evidence for and against - MSN Health UK:

"Milk has for years been lauded for its many health benefits, but recent research has also linked it to numerous health conditions. One study discovered that women who consumed more than two servings of skimmed milk were 44% more likely to develop severe acne, possibly due to the hormones present in milk."

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Salad Eaters - Prove Vegan diet for health food

19/09/2006 - People who eat salads have higher serum levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid, and carotenoids, according to a large study of US adults that suggests these nutrients are well absorbed in the body from raw vegetables.

Researchers at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans based their findings on data from a federal health and nutrition survey of 17,688 US adults between 1988 and 1994. For the study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, salad consumption was assessed based on intakes of salad, raw vegetables and salad dressing.
The study contributes to the existing body of research showing Americans are not getting enough fruits and vegetables and could serve as a roadmap for supplement formulators to target specific populations not getting enough of the nutrients in question.

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IQ Test a bit Fishy Says Nutritionist

Fish Oil IQ test a red herring says leading London nutritionist on ITN - Video

Founder of Foods For Life Yvonne Bishop-Weston tells ITV ITN reporter Chris Choi that Fish oil is not a long term solution for UK school children. "It's unsustainable both financially and environmentally"

ITN report microscopic sea plants ( Algae )may be a cheaper more environmentally friendly option to address the predicament of low levels of omega 3 long chain fatty acids DHA and EPA in childrens diets.

Meanwhile Jamie Oliver star of Jamies School Dinners on Channel 4 says parents who fail to properly feed their children are "a*******s and t******s"

Yvonne says parents should be more responsible but not blamed as the people who they look to for guidance such as Doctors and Schools have a limited understanding of nutrition themselves.

"When you have Burger King offering Hospital Catering (Croydon, Southampton, Cambridge) it's a bit harsh to start calling parents rude names - Mr Oliver needs to aim his fully loaded barrels a bit higher!" advises Yvonne.

New interim guidelines for caterers of school meals were released by DfES , SFT and Govt this week. Free water has to be made available, less fatty and sugary foods, and it's now illegal to feed school children testicles, rectum, udder, feet and other nasty smelly bits of animals often hidden in sausages, burgers and twizzlers.

See video ITN report on Fish Oils

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Vegetarians win BBC IQ test programme

Vegetarians win BBC Test The Nation

Vegetarians and Vegans prove the benefits of a diet richer in fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds by winning the BBC's test the nation programme

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Not Enough Fish in The Sea for UK Govt Omega 3 Plans

Not everyone is delighted at the Govt's plans to dose children with omega 3 DHA and EPA (see Independent - Omega 3 on the menu)

London Nutritionist and founder of Foods For Life Yvonne Bishop-Weston says that "Apart from the issues of toxity in fish from dioxins, PCB's, xeno-oestrogens and heavy metals there are simply not enough fish in the sea for this type of mass dosing of omega 3 DHA and EPA from fish."

Luckily there is now an algae based sustainable alternative to fish called V-pure. A special strain of algae has been found that is rich in both omega 3 long chain fatty acids DHA and EPA . It's grown in tanks so is toxin free and environmentally friendly and doesn't endanger fish stocks.

Schoolchildren are to be given fish oil supplements to boost their brain power and improve their behaviour and ability to concentrate under plans being considered by the Government.

Health professionals fear that youngsters do not get enough Omega-3 in a daily diet dominated by modern convenience foods. Increasingly, they believe a lack of these nutrients can contribute to poor learning, disorder and violence in the classroom.

Now government experts are to examine whether daily doses of fish oil in capsule or liquid form might help to improve classroom behaviour and exam results.

The Food Standards Agency, the Government's advisory body on food, is conducting a major review into the effect of Omega-3 fish oil supplements on children's behaviour.

Alan Johnson, the Secretary of State for Education, who recently met the chef Jamie Oliver to discuss nutrition in schools, has asked to see the results. "The Food Standards Agency is currently conducting a systematic review of research looking at the effect of nutrition and diet on performance and behaviour of children in schools," he said. "This includes investigating studies that have used Omega-3 and -6 fish oil supplements in schools. While this work is not yet concluded, we will of course examine its results with interest.



See also vegetarian dha epa information - buy now at V-Pure Online

Press Release - "Not enough Fish In The Sea for Omega 3 Plans"

George Monbiot picks up the Torch for this subject in The Guardian with an article entitled ' Not Enough Fish In the Sea '

Yvonne talking about School Dinners and Packed Lunches (MSN)

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Proof of Hormones in Meat and Dairy Milk : Study

Hormones in Meat, Milk and other Dairy Products has long been a contetious issue. Meat and Dairy Industry say the many hormones in their products are not absorbed instead blaming beneficial phyto-oestrogens in plants. Do we need any more proof than this study that animal hormones have an effect on our bodies?

A Long Island, N.Y., obstetrician who studies factors contributing to multiple births reports this month in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine that women who eat meat or consume dairy products are five times more likely to deliver twins than are women who stick to vegan diets, in which no animal products are consumed.

The obstetrician, Gary Steinman, says that given the greater risk of complications in multiple births, women considering pregnancy may want to seek protein from sources other than meat. For no babies at all, we presume, the traditional advice applies.

Perhaps it's the case that people who consume large amounts of meat and dairy are more likely to have fertility problems due to the excess saturated animal fat and thus are more likely to undergo IVF treatment and thus more likely to have multiple births.

Or maybe it's just the hormones in meat and dairy?

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Health Food Awards - Healthy Eating Encouraged by Foods For Life Awards

Redwoods Foods Wins Foods For Life Healthier Food Award 2006: "Redwoods Foods wins Foods For Life nutritious and delicious Awards 2006

The new stars of healthy Vegetarian and Vegan catering, Redwood Wholefoods, have won yet another Award to add to their impressive list of achievements. The Foods For Life Nutritious and Delicious Award 2006"




Innovation in Health Foods Rewarded

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Even Light Alcohol intake affects unborn baby

bmj.com - Foetus affected by even moderate alcohol consumption in pregnancy

Light drinking has impact on unborn
Source: Financial Times
Date: 26/05/2006
The Financial Times is the only newspaper to feature the news that a new study has suggested even light to moderate drinking early in pregnancy can lead to cognitive problems in young children. The study, jointly conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the University of Washington, is based on data collected from 611 mother-child pairs, and has revealed that modest drinking - particularly during the second trimester - is associated with lower IQs in children at 10 years of age. Women were assessed during each trimester of pregnancy, and again with their children at birth, at eight and 18 months, and at three, six and ten years of age. At age 10 the children's cognitive ability was evaluated using verbal, quantitative, and short-term memory tests. The result was especially pronounced among African-American rather than Caucasian children, however, Jennifer Willford, lead author of the study, said that this racial discrepancy was not due to differences in the amount or pattern of alcohol use during pregnancy or by variations in socioeconomic status.

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Dairy Council slams McCartney wife milk health claims

Dairy Council slams McCartney wife milk health claims Dr Judith Bryans, director of The Dairy Council, said the claims were "irresponsible, biased and inaccurate"

Removing all dairy products from the diet could have serious health implications, she said.It was important to remember that Ms Mills McCartney and Professor Plant were not qualified dieticians or nutritionists and their views were based on personal experiences, she added.

COMMENT - The Dairy Council will have to do better than try to wrongly rubbish Proffessor Jane Plant's credentials - she is a life fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine so has some very influential and highly qualified friends! The other speaker was Professor Campbell , Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell and most of their claims are backed up by The World Health Organisation. The VVF event was stowed out and there were only a few spare seats at the launch of White Lies at Guys Hospital on Wednesday night.

Interesting that the Dairy Council described it as innacurate before they'd even read it! Hypocritical in light of this research that they call it irresponsible and biased.

There was a 2 ft stack of research to back up these claims and peer reviewed sound science discussed by the nutritional experts.

There are few independant researchers left in this world, someone has to pay the bills and to hear these people speak without a big global pharmaceutical company pulling the strings is compelling.

More than half of the world's peoples don't consume milk and have strong bones and far less incidents of key cancers than us. The more you look into it the more worrying it is for the UK Dairy Industry.

Telling young girls to drink milk for beauty is not the answer - the gamble that fat in milk will win over the sugar in cola in the healthier skin stakes could seriously backfire in the face of Dairy Council executives.

As Marks and Spencer and St Ivel ensure Vegetarians reduce milk consumption by adding in fish oil the future for UK Dairy Farmers looks bleak.
The Dairy Council needs to go back to the drawing board and stop wasting The Farmer's money.

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Mushrooms-Vegan Vitamin D Source

ABC News: Mushrooms Are Unlikely Source of Vitamin D

Zapping Mushrooms with Ultra Violet light can produce vast amounts of Vitamin D says FDA at their annual science forum.

The ongoing work so far has found that a single serving of white button mushrooms the most commonly sold mushroom will contain 869 percent the daily value of vitamin D once exposed to just five minutes of UV light after being harvested . If confirmed, that would be more than what's in two tablespoons of cod liver oil, one of the richest and most detested natural sources of the vitamin, according to the National Institutes of Health.

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Toxic fish oil contains cancerous chemicals

Boots Omega 3 fatty acid Fish Oil is Toxic

Stories in Wednesday April 12 Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror confirm that Boots has withdrawn supplies of its own-brand Super Strength Fish Oil Capsules because of illegally high levels of dioxins. The scare follows a recent move by Seven Seas to pull certain cod liver supplements due to a similar contamination. Dioxins are environmental pollutants and are usually removed during the manufacturing process, however, tests on two batches of the Boots capsules found levels to exceed the legal limit of two micrograms per kilo. Despite the illegal levels, both Boots and the Food Standards Agency reported that the levels that were present would not pose a risk to people's health, with an FSA spokesperson assuring consumers that: "The threat from dioxins comes from exposure over a long period of time - continued exposure at high levels. These are above the statutory level but do not pose a threat to health."

As reported on BMJ.com

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All Headline News - Barbecue Meat May Cause Prostate Cancer - April 8, 2006

All Headline News - Barbecue Meat May Cause Prostate Cancer - April 8, 2006

A study presented at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research linked eating charred meat with a higher risk of prostate cancer.

A compound, called PhIP, is formed when meat is charred at high temperatures, as is the case when cooking on a barbecue grill. Researchers reported that PhIP has been found to encourage the growth of prostate cancer

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Chicken With Arsenic? Is That O.K.? - New York Times

Chicken With Arsenic? Is That O.K.? - New York Times:

By MARIAN BURROS Published: April 5, 2006

ARSENIC may be called the king of poisons, but it is everywhere: in the environment, in the water we drink and sometimes in the food we eat.

Food Culture The amount is not enough to kill anyone in one fell swoop, but arsenic is a recognized cancer-causing agent and many experts say that no level should be considered safe. Arsenic may also contribute to other life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes, and to a decline in mental functioning.

Yet it is deliberately being added to chicken in this country, with many scientists saying it is unnecessary. Until recently there was a very high chance that if you ate chicken some arsenic would be present because it has been a government-approved additive in poultry feed for decades. It is used to kill parasites and to promote growth."

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Toxic Seven Seas EFA - Cod liver oil 'contaminated'

Toxic Seven Seas - Cod liver oil EFA brand 'contaminated'

A Seven Seas spokesman said: “The Seven Seas products have slightly exceeded legal limits for dioxins in food.”

Seven Seas has contacted the relevant retailers asking them to withdraw the affected batches from sale.

Imagine the sort of fishy rubbish going into milk, yoghurt and butter Omega 3 Essential Fat (EFA) products.

More reasons to seek out new vegetarian EFA omega 3 DHA EPA algae products from the bottom of the food chain.

See www.water4.net - Vegetarian DHA EPA

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Vegetarian EPA / DHA- Algae Omega 3 World First.

Vegetarian EPA / DHA - Sound Ethical Investment for Diet, Health & Nutrition

World's First Vegetarian DHA / EPA Product

Hot on the heels of her helping to develop what’s probably the world’s healthiest dairy free, sugar free chocolate (with shelled hemp for added essential fats and amino acids) Harley Street Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston is now helping to launch another world exclusive, a Vegetarian and Vegan docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) product.

Following many years of research and development, scientists in Europe have succeeded in developing a state of the art natural extraction process to extract DHA and EPA from a secret strain of pure algae.

Yvonne says “ There are very real concerns about toxicity in fish oils and even the ultra conservative British Nutrition Foundation admit that the idea of obtaining enough DHA and EPA from threatened fish stocks is unsustainable.”

“Studies show that, probably due to modern diets and lifestyles, many people’s body’s conversion of omega 3 LNA (alpha linolenic acid) to EPA and DHA is very hit and miss especially for DHA and especially in men.”

Algal DHA has been shown to match fish’s ability to increase DHA in the body , meanwhile fish based DHA and EPA has been shown to out perform LNA rich foods such as flax.

Although nutritionists struggle to agree the exact ratios of essential fats most of them agree that the levels of DHA / EPA should be balanced.

The discovery of a vegetarian EPA DHA product that offers a credible alternative is a huge leap forward in ethical health and nutrition.

Vegetarians, Vegans, and those with strong ethical, environmental and religious beliefs should be particularly delighted with this innovative product but it also offers beneficial long-term ramifications for the natural health industry at large.

Editors Notes

http://www.vegetarian-dha-epa.co.uk
http://www.foodsforlife.org.uk
http://www.news.foodsforlife.org
http://www.water4.net/press-release.htm

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Vitamin and Supplements > Vitamin D - More May Be Better

Vitamin and Supplements > Vitamin D - More May Be Better

Several recent studies have considered the effects of low vitamin D on health aside from bones. In a controlled study of elderly women, those taking vitamin D and calcium had much better leg strength and fewer falls than the women taking only calcium. Another study, of patients ages 10 to 65 with musculoskeletal pain, found 93 percent were deficient in vitamin D.

Researchers are looking at the role vitamin D may play in other diseases. Part of that interest is driven by the lower incidence of prostate, colon and breast cancers; multiple sclerosis; and Type I diabetes in regions that receive higher amounts of direct sunlight throughout the year. Skin exposed to sunlight can generate the equivalent of thousands of international units (IUs) of vitamin D.

Now the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends that adults through age 50 take 200 IU of vitamin D daily. The recommendations go up for older adults: 400 IU for ages 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those over age 70.

These recommendations were set to prevent severe bone disease. Researchers are increasingly concerned that these standards are too low. The studies suggest that the best levels for overall health may be higher than those recommendations, perhaps in the range of 800 to 1,000 IU a day.

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says " Vitamin D comes from sunshine - over doing the sunscreen and too much time in front of the telly or computer was always going to be more risky than just stupifying your brain. Forget virtual reality get some actual reality in the park - heart beating in real air, real oxygen in your lungs, real wind on your face, birdsong in your ears, and sunshine in your eyes."

www.london-nutritionist.co.uk

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Nutrition& Health Message hits home in USA

Aramark Research Indicates Health Consciousness Ranks Higher Among Consumers, Promotes Healthy Items For National Nutrition Month @ Vending Market Watch News at AMonline.com: "Consumers are now more concerned than ever with the health and nutrition of the foods they eat, according to research on the away-from-home dining habits and nutritional preferences of more than 5,000 Americans.
According to Aramark's Nutritional DiningStyles(tm) Research, first presented in October 2005 to scientists at the NAASO Obesity Summit, 'Health Consciousness' now ranks as the fourth most influential dining out motivation, up from number five in 2004. In addition, 41 percent of respondents would like to see nutritional information printed on menus."

Harley Street Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says "The Catering and Foodservice Industry needs to pull it's socks up as diners become more aware about good health nutrition and diet"

We need more initiatives such as the one by 3663 and Caterer Magazine

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Womens Health Initiative Health and Diet Study

WHI Women’s Health Initiative Diet TrialLow-Fat Dietary Pattern and Risk of Breast Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, and Cardiovascular Disease: The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial.

"Breast cancer rates were 9% lower in women in the Dietary Change group" the study shows that those women with higher changes in saturated fat consumption had even better rates of reduction. This figure is considered statistically insignificant as it could be down to chance.

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston foods for life questions the validity of conclusions of the diet trial.

* Participants reduced saturated fat - they didn't cut it out.
* The difference in fat intake between the Dietary Change and Comparison groups declined over time, from 11% at year one to 8%. 8% is lower than the 9% difference in lowered breast cancer that they claim is statistically insignificant.
* There seems an apparent lack of focus on cutting down meat.
* Focus was on low fat rather than bad fat - lack of essential fats in the diet could be almost as detrimental as too much saturated fat.
* No mention of cutting out dairy from the diet is mentioned.
* It's reported that participants had a more challenging time with increasing grains and no mention of replacing simple processed carbs with more complex wholemeal carbohydrates.

Yvonne say "It's a shame that this massive 8 year study missed the opportunity to focus on a truly healthy diet rather than erroneously just focussing on "Low Fat Diets". Studies on vegetarian/vegan diets show significant benefits and lower risks especially if an adequate nutritional intake of vitamin B12 and essential fats is maintained.

WHI Conclusion
A low fat dietary pattern may have some potential for reducing breast cancer risk, particularly in women consuming a high fat diet. However, the current findings are not strong enough to make a recommendation that most women should focus on low-fat dietary patterns to prevent breast cancer. These findings indicate that a low-fat diet provided no protection from colorectal cancer and should not be recommended for that purpose. The low-fat diet did not specifically focus on reducing saturated fat, had only a small effect on blood cholesterol, and did not reduce the risk of heart disease. However, the WHI results suggest that women who achieved greater reductions in saturated fat or trans fat, and higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, might experience a reduced risk of heart attacks. Overall, the WHI low fat dietary pattern is not inconsistent with the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 and remains a healthy option for postmenopausal women in general.

Womens Health Initiative Diet Trial Findings

WHI BBC * Newsday * USA Today

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UK Natural Health Week

Foods For Life Supports National Health Week * When is UK National Health Week? It's 27 March - 2 April * Where is National Health Week? In Independent Health Stores all over the UK * What is National Health Week ? National Health Week aims to raise awareness about the benefits of healthy food, natural personal care and food supplements and how they can make a positive impact on our daily lives. The event will include in-store activities, product sampling and promotions, competitions and celebrity appearances. So be sure you visit your local natural health store to enjoy the experience.Visit www.thenaturalhealthweek.co.uk for futher information on events in your local store.

To get involved with National Health Week contact PEA PR - The Natural Choice for Natural Health PR

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Scotsman.com News - Health - Red meat diet damages DNA and adds to cancer risk, expert warns

Scotsman.com News - Health - Red meat diet damages DNA and adds to cancer risk, expert warns

LAURA ROBERTS

EATING red meat alters your DNA and may lead to an increased risk of developing bowel cancer, scientists said yesterday.

Chemical compounds formed while digesting meat can cause DNA to mutate and increase the likelihood of cancerous cells developing.



People who eat two portions or more of red meat a day suffer significantly more DNA damage to the cells of their colon than those who follow a largely vegetarian diet or eat red meat less than once a week.

The research, published in Cancer Research journal, found that people who eat large quantities of red or processed meat are more likely to develop cancerous tumours in their large bowel.

N-nitroso compounds are formed in the large bowel after eating red meat and can attach themselves to DNA and cause it to mutate.

Scientists compared the cells of healthy volunteers, some of them on a vegetarian diet, others eating large quantities of meat and over a period of two weeks were able to pinpoint DNA damage.

Professor David Shuker, who led the research from the Open University department of chemistry in Milton Keynes, said: "We hope to be able to develop a simple screening test so that we can spot DNA damage and advise people to change their diets by cutting down on the amount of red meat they eat before cancer develops.

"We advocate a balanced diet, not vegetarianism as there are some nutrients that are best got from meat.

"This research showed damage in healthy people so you can imagine that if someone was predisposed to bowel cancer or had an inflamed gut the effects would be more severe.

"People also have varying abilities to repair the damage to their intestines.

"I advise a balanced diet as there is not much evidence that vegetarianism lowers your risk of bowel cancer."

Eating a low-fibre diet combined with high red meat content also elevates the risk of bowel cancer because digested food and chemicals stay in the gut longer. Eating more fibre may help repair damage done to the colon.

Research by the Medical Research Council published last year showed the chance of developing colorectal cancer was a third higher in people who regularly ate more than two portions of red or processed meat a day compared to those who ate less than one portion a week.

Bowel cancer charities welcomed the research yesterday and supported the consumption of red meat in moderation.

Professor Annie Anderson, from the Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research at the University of Dundee and adviser to Bowel Cancer UK, said the rise of ready meals contributed to the trend.

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Healthy Cheese? Make it more vegan!

Having obviously finally grasped the concept of veganism and the benefits to health, Dairy manufacturers have started using plant foods in a last ditch attempt to hold on to their market share in the face of more people eating vegan than ever before.

Spotted this in the Independent On Sunday 22nd Jan.....

MiniCol cheese
The product MiniCol - a healthy alternative to cheese, in which all buttermilk has been replaced by wheatgerm oil.
What it claims Plant sterols in the oil help to reduce the absorption of cholesterol through the gut. It's guilt-free dairy overweight people can eat.
Where to get it £1.98 for 195g, from supermarkets

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