Mild acidity in your body can over time cause such problems as:

• Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels, clogged arteries, weakened veins, and the reduction of oxygen
• All forms of Cancer
• Unwanted weight/fat gain, obesity, insulin disorders, and diabetes
• Liver, Bladder and Kidney conditions, including kidney and gallstones
• Weakened Immune system, increased stress, higher blood pressure
• Neurological Diseases: MS, ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s
• Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations
• Premature aging, frequent headaches, sinusitis, constipation, haemorrhoids
• Osteoporosis, weak, brittle bones, hip fractures, bone spurs and calcium deposits
• Osteoarthritis, joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid build-up
• Hormonal imbalances, Prostate problems and adult acne
• Low energy and chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, acid indigestion and flatulence

Body pH refers to the degree of acidity (sourness) or alkalinity (bitterness) of the body’s blood or other fluids. Acidity is expressed on the pH scale, in which 1.0 is a very low pH and strongly acid, 7.0 is neutral, and above 7.0 is alkaline, with a high pH limit of 14.

Blood is normally slightly alkaline, with a pH range of 7.35 to 7.45. The blood’s acid-alkalinity balance is controlled precisely because even a minor deviation from the normal range can severely affect many organs.

All cells, organs and fluids in the body have their own preferred pH values in order to operate at peak performance. These ranges are usually found in the slightly alkaline level. When the pH is pushed higher or lower than the level preferred, the ability of the fluid or cell to do its job is “stressed.” It cannot utilize the nutrients it needs, eliminate the wastes collected, etc., until the proper pH is restored. This is where you, the master operator of your body, can make things right using pH testing on a regular basis.

 A GOOD WARNING SIGN

It is difficult to give an exact definition of pH. A couple of simple descriptions offered are, “power of Hydrogen” and “potential Hydrogen” ion concentration. Neither are perfect descriptions. Both present a way of remembering the significance of “p” and “H”. Simply stated, pH tells us whether a solution is acid, alkaline or neutral. It does not tell us how much acid or alkali is present. It is a good “warning sign” (Proceed with Caution), but it does not establish whether the compound is corrosive or dangerous. pH is a critical measurement. Life depends upon it. For instance, human blood is basic with a pH between 7.3 and 7.5. If the pH of blood drops below 7.3, acidosis occurs. If the blood pH rises above 7.5, alkalosis occurs. Death will occur if blood pH goes below 7.0 or above 7.8. Our human existence depends upon a balanced and buffered blood pH.

The pH of a cleaning product does not signify cleaning performance or strength. It simply indicates the concentration of hydrogen or hydroxide ions. For instance, the performance of a cleaning product cannot be determined simply by knowing the pH of the product. A common misconception about cleaning products suggests that a higher pH means superior cleaning.

 IMPORTANCE OF pH IN OUR LIVES

Professionals know the importance of understanding pH. For example, floor care experts use neutral pH (7) floor cleaners for daily maintenance and alkaline pH (12-13) for finish removal. Professional carpet cleaners select carpet cleaning agents with pH’s between 7 and 10 to avoid potential carpet damage. Agricultural specialists control soil pH to enhance plant growth. Pool care personnel keep swimming pools and hot tubs pH balanced for safety and protection. Laundry experts keep the pH above 9.5 during the bleach cycle to protect fabrics from bleach attack. Industrial plants control the release of sulfur dioxide to control harmful acid rain from damaging our environment. These are a few of the thousands of ways pH plays an important role in our lives.

Of course, this “vaccine”, Provenge, doesn’t actually prevent cancer. It also doesn’t cure cancer. So what does it do?

According to USA Today:

“… studies show that the vaccine does help men with advanced prostate cancer live four months longer… Many men on Provenge developed mild symptoms, such as fevers, chills and headaches. One in four patients had a serious side effect… with 3.5 percent suffering a stroke…”

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Well, we are finally starting to see the transition. Remember that patents on many blockbuster drugs are expiring, and the tens of billions of dollars of revenue they generated are being lost. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find patented replacements for them, so the drug companies are shifting their focus to vaccines.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in American men, affecting about one in six men at some point in their life. It’s also the second leading cause of cancer death in men.

However, as dire as that sounds, the 5-year relative survival rate of all men with prostate cancer is, remarkably, 100 percent, and the relative survival rate at 10 years is 91 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. Which makes you wonder whether or not Provenge, the so-called “cancer vaccine” that might extend your life as little as four months, is really worth a price tag of $93,000…

Cost of Cancer Treatments are Skyrocketing, But What are they Really Worth?

Naturally, many will say that you can’t put a price tag on life, no matter how short, but what I’m questioning is not someone’s urge to live as long as possible, but rather it’s a question of what constitutes a successful cancer treatment worthy of such an exorbitant price.

To me, it seems more like a last ditch effort to squeeze every last penny out of a dying man and his family, without offering any significant hope of prolonged life in return.

In fact, after paying $93,000 for this vaccine, you’re also accepting the possibility of dying sooner, rather than later, as one of its more dangerous side effects include an increased risk of stroke.

According to a recent article in the US Today, the cost of cancer treatment has doubled in the last two decades, from just under $25 billion annually in 1987, to more than $48 billion a year during 2001-2005 (amounts calculated with inflation to reflect value of dollar in 2007).

And the trend shows no sign of reversing. In fact, several new, high-priced cancer treatments have been released in the past five years. But none of them offer any significant hope for a longer life, let alone a cure.

So, what’s missing from this equation?

A focus on prevention, for one, which I’ll go over below.

Prevention costs a tiny fraction of treatment, so a well-directed focus on preventive strategies would save multiple billions of dollars in health care costs each year once cancer prevalence is reduced.

But more important than billions of dollars, it would save the unnecessary pain and suffering that so many have to needlessly endure.

It would also save thousands of families from financial ruin, which is one of the hidden side effects of the high cost of cancer treatment.

According to a 2006 survey conducted by USA Today, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, 25 percent of cancer patients or their families said they used up all or most of their personal savings to pay for treatment!

Additionally medical bills are the number one reason that people declare bankruptcy in the US.. This trend is also getting more critical, as rising health care costs has led many health care plans to raise your out-of-pocket costs.

• So what’s the real VALUE of this new cancer vaccine in light of all these facts? 
• Does it really make sense?
• Is it a wise use of resources?

So far, the three studies conducted on this vaccine show that it can help men with advanced prostate cancer live about four months longer. However, exactly how it keeps you alive longer is still unclear and test results have yet to explain the mechanics of it.

The vaccine is “designed to train your immune system to recognize and kill malignant cells.” But previous studies of the vaccine showed that even though patients lived slightly longer, the vaccine did NOT actually shrink their tumors.

A second study showed nearly identical results, indicating that this is clearly not a cure as it does not affect tumor size.

I find it tragically amusing that a drug that cannot prevent anything, cannot actually treat anything, and cannot cure anything, is allowed and recommended to be used as a main line of defense – and at such an unreasonable price at that.

Despite this highly questionable performance, the FDA approved the vaccine, Provenge, as a cancer treatment, and its makers are surely dancing all the way to the bank.

According to USA Today, the vaccine is estimated to bring in $1.5 billion in annual sales.

Meanwhile, one of the safest, least expensive cancer-prevention and treatment support available is largely ignored, namely nutrition.

In fact, nutritional therapies may be more or less ESSENTIAL for successful avoidance and/or treatment of prostate cancer, and yet few patients ever get this information.

One of the Most Potent Cancer Fighters – Vitamin D!

One specific treatment for prostate cancer that has been brought to the research forefront is vitamin D from sunshine exposure.

According to a study published last year, men with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood were seven times LESS likely to die from prostate cancer than those with lower amounts.

Vitamin D’s impact on your cancer risk is becoming increasingly well-documented, and there are now well over 800 scientific studies confirming the link between vitamin D deficiency and multiple types of cancers, including prostate cancer.

Personally, I believe one of the most powerful ways you can improve your health status is by optimizing your vitamin D levels. For more information on how to do this, please review this previous article. Overall, getting a safe amount of sun exposure on a regular basis, or taking an oral vitamin D3 supplement could reduce your risk of ALL cancers by at least 50 percent!

There’s no drug or vaccine on the market that can boast that kind of cancer protection.
As opposed to this cancer vaccine, the how’s of vitamin D’s protective effects are becoming well understood. For example, we now know that vitamin D acts as a deterrent against cancer development in several ways, including:

• Increasing the self-destruction of mutated cells (which, if allowed to replicate, could lead to cancer)
• Reducing the spread and reproduction of cancer cells
• Causing cells to become differentiated (cancer cells often lack differentiation)
• Reducing the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, which is a step in the transition of dormant tumors turning cancerous

And for those who already have cancer, I believe it is virtually criminal malpractice, or at least gross medical negligence, to not optimize vitamin D levels when treating someone with this disease. According to vitamin D expert Dr. William Grant:

“From a scientific point of view, vitamin D reduces the risk of developing many types of cancer and increases survival once cancer reaches the detectable stage.”
 
Another “Forgotten Vitamin” that May Be Crucial for Cancer Reduction and Health

Vitamin K2 has also been found to offer significant protection against prostate cancer. One 2008 study by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) found that increased intake of vitamin K2 may reduce your risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent.

Interestingly, the potential benefits of vitamin K2 were most pronounced for advanced prostate cancer.

Vitamin K has also been found beneficial in the fight against other kinds of cancer, including liver, colon, stomach, nasopharynx, and oral cancer, and some studies have even suggested vitamin K may be used therapeutically in the treatment of patients with lung cancer, liver cancer, and leukemia.

Although I don’t typically recommend adding extra supplements to your diet, vitamin K is one of the few supplements you should seriously consider because many people don’t get nearly enough of it on a daily basis through the foods they eat.

Although the exact dosing is yet to be determined, one vitamin K expert, Dr. Cees Vermeer, recommends between 45 mcg and 185 mcg daily for adults. You must use caution on the higher doses if you take anticoagulants, but if you are generally healthy and not on these types of medications, I suggest 150 mcg daily.

Please note that if you’ve experienced stroke, cardiac arrest, or are prone to blood clotting, do not take vitamin K without consulting your physician first.

Another important note is that vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that dietary fat is necessary for its absorption.

One easy way to do this is to mix liquid vitamin K drops with a high quality, animal-based omega-3 source like krill oil. This will ensure that the vitamin K is well-absorbed by your body.

Alternatively, you could add it to any other food that contains healthy fat.

Additional Dietary Recommendations for Prostate Cancer Prevention

Also keep in mind that your diet can either help or hinder cancer development or progression. Eating higher amounts of vegetables and fruit, and avoiding high energy intake, excessive meat, and excessive fdairy products and calcium may be helpful for preventing prostate cancer, and in treating patients already diagnosed with it.

One 2009 study identified the following foods as being particularly beneficial against prostate cancer:

• Tomatoes
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Green tea
• Vitamin E
• Alkalinize your system with loads of raw foods 

Consumption of highly processed or charcoaled meats, dairy products, and fats correlated with an increased risk for prostate cancer and should therefore be avoided.

However, Live Science reports:

“Overall, however, all the tuna had pretty high mercury levels. The levels were, on average, greater than the concentrations considered safe to consume in one day by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and higher than the concentrations allowed in Japan.”

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

You may think that the tuna steaks and raw sushi served in higher-end restaurants would be safer than what you typically find in your local grocery store. But according to this report, toxicological testing reveals that tuna sold in restaurants actually contain HIGHER amounts of mercury than the store bought variety.

The reason for this is because restaurants tend to favor certain species of tuna, such as bluefin akami and bigeye tuna. Unfortunately, mercury tends to accumulate to a greater degree in muscle than in fat, rendering these highly prized, leaner species of tuna more susceptible to high contamination.

Another explanation is that restaurants tend to buy larger sized fish, which in turn contain larger concentrations of mercury due to their size. Remember the larger the fish the longer it has lived, and the more time it has had to bioaccumulate toxins like mercury from the ocean.

Toxin-Free Tuna is Hard to Find…

I rarely eat fish anymore, unless I’m able to verify that it is not contaminated. And based on tests conducted during the past several years, it’s clear that finding uncontaminated fish is getting more and more difficult. For example, a recent study from the U.S. Geological Survey detected mercury in every single fish sample from streams across the United States.

Here too, they found that ALL tuna tested contained fairly high amounts of mercury.

Live Science writes:

“The levels were, on average, greater than the concentrations considered safe to consume in one day by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and higher than the concentrations allowed in Japan.”

This is yet another blow against fish consumption in general, and tuna sushi rolls in particular.

Buyer Beware: All Fish Come with Health Risks, but Some are Worse than Others

There’s really no way for you to know how much mercury a piece of tuna (or any other fish) might contain, which is why I recommend avoiding fish as much as possible – especially tuna, whether raw or cooked.

However, knowing which species of tuna and other types of fish tend to accumulate higher amounts of toxins can at least help you avoid the highest risk, should you choose to eat it anyway.

Of the various tuna species tested in this study, the bluefin akami and bigeye tuna species fared the worst. These species had significantly higher levels of mercury than bluefin toro and yellowfin tuna.

In fact, the average mercury levels in bluefin akami exceeded the US FDA permissible limit for mercury (1 part per million), which is a level that no pregnant woman or child should ever consume, and a level considered unsafe for most people.

Yellowfin tuna are also a leaner species of tuna, but still don’t accumulate as much mercury as the akami.

“They might have lower mercury levels for a few reasons,” Live Science writes. “They are smaller than other tuna, don’t eat as much, and tend to be killed at younger ages, so they don’t accumulate mercury for as long as other species.”

As for canned tuna, albacore has been found to contain about three times more mercury than light chunk tuna (0.353 ppm vs. 0.118 ppm). Independent testing by the Mercury Policy Project found that the average mercury concentration in albacore canned tuna was typically even greater than that, with most samples exceeding 0.5 ppm.

Three years ago, “The Madison Declaration on Mercury Pollution” declared a general world-wide warning to the public to be careful about how much and which fish you eat, stating that increasing mercury concentrations are now being found in a number of fish-eating wildlife species in remote areas of the planet.

In fact, the rate of mercury contamination in tuna and other Pacific fish has steadily increased, rising 30 percent since 1990.

Other fish that tend to contain potentially hazardous levels of mercury include:

• Shark
• Swordfish (previous testing found the average mercury concentration in swordfish to be 1.38 ppm; 38 percent higher than the FDA Action Level)
• King Mackerel
• Tilefish

Smaller fish like sardines, however, are not as susceptible to contamination.

If for some reason you believe that farmed fish is the answer, think again. Farmed fish is typically even more polluted than wild-caught fish!

Farmed salmon, for example, which is being eaten in increasing amounts by millions of Americans, have been found to contain high levels of dangerous PCBs – yet another potent toxin. One study found concentrations of PCBs were 16 times higher than those of wild, ocean-fished salmon.

Again, I recommend you eat fish very sparingly, and avoid it altogether if you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy. 
 
Pregnant? Take Fish Off Your Menu, but Remember to Add Omega-3 from Other Sources!

It’s important to realize that mercury is a neurotoxin that is easily transferred to your child while in the womb.

If you have high levels of mercury in your system, from eating a lot of fish for instance, you could be putting your baby at risk. Studies have shown that the level of mercury in the umbilical cord blood of newborns is 1.7 times higher than the mercury level in their mother’s blood.

Eating fish just two or more times a week has been found to raise mercury levels seven times beyond those in women who had not eaten any fish for a month, according to the CDC.

With this in mind, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, please avoid eating fish unless you can verify, via lab testing, that it does not contain mercury.

Now, once you abstain from fish, it becomes even more critical to make sure you’re getting healthy omega-3 fat from some other animal source.

Omega-3’s are particularly important for the healthy development and growth of your baby. In fact, omega-3 fat, especially DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), is so essential to a child’s development that if you — and therefore your child — are deficient in it, your child’s nervous system and immune system may never fully develop, and it can cause a lifetime of unexplained emotional, learning, and immune system disorders.

Safe Alternatives Still Exist

Fortunately, there are still safe and effective ways to get all the health benefits of animal-based omega-3, without the risks of toxic contaminations.

Smaller fish are far less likely to be contaminated, so sardines and other tiny fish would likely be relatively toxin free. You can also stick to eating only what you know is clean, non-contaminated fish. One such option is Vital Choice Alaskan salmon, which I have had tested on numerous occasions and can vouch for as being mercury free.

Lastly, you can take a high-quality omega-3 supplement.

I prefer krill oil over fish oil, for several reasons. To learn more about the superior benefits of krill oil versus fish oil, please review this previous article. And as far as dealing with mercury toxicity, krill is probably one of the absolute best choices, as krill are tiny little crustaceans that have very little time to accumulate toxins.

Contamination of meat by heavy metals, veterinary drugs and pesticides is a problem which the U.S. government has for the most part ignored.  And while bacterial contaminants can be killed by cooking, chemical residues stay in the meat.

AlterNet reports:

“Sick dairy cows are given medications to help them recover, but if it appears an animal will die, it’s often sold to a slaughterhouse as quickly as possible, in time to kill it before it dies.”

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

You are probably all-too-familiar with the contaminants lurking in the U.S. meat supply; that hormones, antibiotics and pesticides are part of most supermarket meat is practically common knowledge.

You might even know that 70% of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are for animals, primarily to serve as growth enhancers.

What you may not know, however, is that a new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has called into question the national Food Safety and Inspection Service’s (FSIS) ability to adequately monitor the safety of U.S. meat for potentially toxic residues.

Drug Residues, Heavy Metals Common in U.S. Meat

Residues of veterinary drugs, pesticides and heavy metals enter the food system when producers bring animals to slaughter that still have these toxins in their system. This occurs more often than you might think.

For instance, in the dairy industry if a farmer determines a sick cow is going to die, he will sell the animal as quickly as possible, even if it still has veterinary drugs in its system. This ensures he will get some return on his investment, at the expense of the Americans’ health who end up eating the medicated meat.

So-called “waste milk,” which is produced by medicated dairy cows and banned for human consumption, is also fed to veal calves, which then pass the meds on to the consumers that eat them.

I know what you’re thinking. Surely, there must be some type of regulatory agency in charge of monitoring for such blatant slip-ups as these. And there is. It goes by the name of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a program of the USDA.
 
Another Federal Agency Failing to Protect You

Unfortunately, FSIS’ regulatory practices are woefully inadequate. According to the USDA’s new report:

“Based on our review, we found that the national residue program is not accomplishing its mission of monitoring the food supply for harmful residues. Together, FSIS, FDA, and EPA have not established thresholds for many dangerous substances (e.g., copper or dioxin3), which has resulted in meat with these substances being distributed in commerce.

Additionally, FSIS does not attempt to recall meat, even when its tests have confirmed the excessive presence of veterinary drugs.”

For example:

• Despite the EPA’s urging for FSIS to test meat for pesticides deemed high health risks, the agency only tests for one type of pesticide.
• Many potentially harmful substances have no set tolerance thresholds. This means that if the FSIS detects a toxin in meat, it cannot ban it from the food supply unless it exists in quantities over the tolerance threshold. If there is no set threshold, the meat cannot be banned, no matter what! The report cites an example in 2008, when a shipment of U.S. beef was rejected by Mexico because of excess copper levels. The meat was instead distributed in the United States, where American consumers unknowingly consumed it, because the U.S. has no set tolerance for copper.
• In 2008, about 90 percent of residue violations occurred at dairy cow and veal plants. These producers had up to 211 violations that year, and many were repeat offenders.
  Although FSIS had reviewed these plants “multiple times,” they did not perform an analysis that would have alerted them to the numerous violations. So the plants were treated as though a residue problem was “not reasonably likely to occur,” when this was obviously not the case.
• Even when meat is found to be contaminated, FSIS does not recall it! The report states:
  “We also found that FSIS does not recall meat adulterated with harmful residue, even when it is aware that the meat has failed its laboratory tests. Between July 12, 2007, and March 11, 2008, FSIS found that four carcasses were adulterated with violative levels of veterinary drugs8 and that the plants involved had released the meat into the food supply.
  Although the drugs involved could result in stomach, nerve, or skin problems for consumers, FSIS requested no recall.”

These examples are glaring reasons why eating mass-produced meat is like playing Russian Roulette with your health. As the system stands, it is producing food that is not fit for human consumption, and federal regulators are allowing it to happen.

Even More Problems with the U.S. Meat Industry

The problems plaguing the meat industry are endemic among the entire U.S. food system. When food is produced and distributed on such a massive scale, contamination and poor quality become the norm.

Ground beef, for instance, is typically an amalgam of meat from different cows, from different slaughterhouses. So one burger could have come from hundreds of animals and different parts of the world.

Despite this, there is no federal requirement for meat grinders to test their ingredients for E.coli prior to selling them. And most retailers do not test either.

In fact, American Foodservice, which grinds 365 million pounds of hamburger a year, had to stop testing trimmings 10 years ago because slaughterhouses did not want to sell to them!

One retailer that does test their trimmings for E. coli before grinding is Costco, and according to The New York Times, Tyson will not supply them because they don’t want their product tested.
Back in August 2008, the USDA issued a guideline urging meat processors to test their ingredients before grinding. But the guideline is only optional and has been met with criticism from the meat industry.

As the New York Times reported, Dr. Kenneth Petersen, an assistant administrator with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, said they could mandate testing, but they had to first consider its impact on the companies, and not just you, the consumer. Dr. Petersen told The New York Times:

 “I have to look at the entire industry, not just what is best for public health.”

So that gives you an idea of how safe your meat supply truly is.

It may look like a steak and it may smell like a steak … but the only way to really know what you’re eating — if you got your meat at the supermarket that is — is to send it out for lab testing!

For an insider look at this flawed system, read Michael Pollan’s expose from 2002; it remains one of the best overviews of what is wrong with the way beef is raised in the United States.

If you’re not a fan of feeling like your hamburger is part of a giant mad science experiment, listen up: there is a better way.
 
Demand Better Food and Producers Will Listen

If you still buy your meat at your local supermarket, you should know that you are directly supporting this inhumane and filthy system. And you can bet that as long as there are people willing to buy cheap, toxic meat, the industry will continue to produce it.

But, if you start to demand more — meat that is raised in a healthy, humane way, free from toxins and disease — producers will have no choice but to listen.

Already, this type of healthy, humanely raised meat is out there, and you can find it by purchasing your beef directly from a trusted rancher whose farming practices you’re familiar with. Supporting local farmers and ranchers can go a long way toward improving the entire food system, and more importantly, your personal health.

I realize that not everyone has access to small farmers, but food from local sources is increasing in popularity and is becoming much easier to come by.

There are a number of grass-fed beef ranchers in the United States that offer safe, high-quality meats. For an excellent list of sustainable agricultural groups in your area, please see Promoting Sustainable Agriculture — this page is filled with resources for high-quality produce and meats in your area.

Eating most of your food raw is ideal. But most of us are not going to be able to accomplish a completely raw diet, and we’ll end up cooking some percentage of our food.

Smart food preparation starts with high quality foods and food preparation and that means saying sayonara to your microwave oven. Need to sterilize a dishcloth? Use your microwave. But zapping your casserole is a BAD idea if you are interested in preparing healthy food.

Why the no nukes policy?

When it comes to microwave ovens, the price for convenience is to compromise your health. In this article, I will review what we know about the effects microwaves on your food and on your body.

Sad State of Our Soils

Over the past century, the quality of fresh food has declined due to soil depletion, unsustainable farming practices, overproduction of crops, and the use of pesticides and herbicides. You can no longer assume you’re getting all of the vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients you need by eating a multitude of fresh produce—even if you’re eating organically.

Not surprisingly, a calorie today will provide you less nutrition than a calorie from 100, or even 50 years ago.

Three recent studies of historical food composition have shown 5 to 40 percent declines in some of the minerals in fresh produce, and another study found a similar decline in our protein sources.[1]

So now, more than ever, you must be careful to maximize the “bang for your buck” when it comes to the foods you eat.

Research shows that your microwave oven will NOT help you in these efforts—and in fact will threaten your health by violently ripping the molecules in your food apart, rendering some nutrients inert, at best, and carcinogenic at its worst.

Convenience Comes at Significant Toxic Threat to You and Your Family

Microwaves heat food by causing water molecules in it to resonate at very high frequencies and eventually turn to steam which heats your food. While this can rapidly heat your food, what most people fail to realize is that it also causes a change in your food’s chemical structure.

There are numerous issues that have emerged since microwave ovens were first introduced to consumers more than 40 years ago, besides depleting your food’s nutritional value, which will be addressed a bit later.

The first thing you probably noticed when you began microwaving food was how uneven the heating is. “Hot spots” in microwaved food can be hot enough to cause burns—or build up to a “steam explosion.” This has resulted in admonitions to new mothers about NOT using the microwave to heat up baby bottles, since babies have been burned by super-heated formula that went undetected.

Another problem with microwave ovens is that carcinogenic toxins can leach out of your plastic and paper containers/covers, and into your food.

The January/February 1990 issue of Nutrition Action Newsletter reported the leakage of numerous toxic chemicals from the packaging of common microwavable foods, including pizzas, chips and popcorn. Chemicals included polyethylene terpthalate (PET), benzene, toluene, and xylene. Microwaving fatty foods in plastic containers leads to the release of dioxins (known carcinogens) and other toxins into your food. [8] [2]

One of the worst contaminants is BPA, or bisphenol A, an estrogen-like compound used widely in plastic products. In fact, dishes made specifically for the microwave often contain BPA, but many other plastic products contain it as well.

Microwaving distorts and deforms the molecules of whatever food or other substance you subject to it. An example of this is blood products.

Blood is normally warmed before being transfused into a person. Now we know that microwaving blood products damages the blood components. In fact, one woman died after receiving a transfusion of microwaved blood in 1991 , which resulted in a well-publicized lawsuit.

Microwave Radiation Leakage

You may have heard that there is some danger of microwaves escaping from your microwave while it’s operating. This was more of a risk with earlier models than with recent ones, which undergo more rigorous testing.

Theoretically, there are very small amounts of radiation leakage through the viewing glass, but the FDA reports these levels are “insignificant” and “well below the level known to harm people.”  The FDA has been regulating microwave ovens since 1971 through its electronic product radiation control program, which is mandated by the Electronic Product Radiation Control provisions of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act[3] .

The FDA limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven throughout its lifetime to 5 milliwatts (mW) per square centimeter at approximately 2 inches from the oven surface. Because microwave energy decreases dramatically as you move away from the source of the radiation, a measurement made 20 inches from your oven would be approximately one-hundredth of the value measured at 2 inches.[2]

The federal standard also requires all ovens to have “two independent interlock systems that stop the production of microwaves the moment the latch is released or the door is opened.” And a monitoring system is also required, which stops the operation if one or both interlock systems fail.

You would think, with all these tests and regulations, that you’d be safe. However, according to Powerwatch, a non-profit independent organization with a central role in the microwave radiation debate:

“Even when the microwave oven is working correctly, the microwave levels within the kitchen are likely to be significantly higher than those from any nearby cellular phone base-stations. Remember also that microwaves will travel through walls if the microwave oven is against an inside wall.”

Powerwatch also states that we don’t really know if the current regulations about leakage are truly safe and recommends ovens be checked at least annually, since microwave emissions can change with normal use. You might also consider purchasing a $20 testing device that allows you to check the radiation in your home.

Make sure that, if you are going to use your microwave for cleaning sponges or for any use at all, regularly examine the door and hinges to make sure they are sealing properly. If the door doesn’t close correctly, or if it’s warped, bent, or otherwise damaged, don’t use it at all!

Since your eyes are known to be particularly susceptible to microwave radiation (high microwave exposures are known to cause cataracts), I recommend stepping away from your microwave while it’s in use.

New Study Confirms Microwaves Affect Your Heart

A recent study examining the effects 2.4 GHz radiation (which is the frequency of radiation emitted by Wifi routers and microwave ovens) on the heart was just completed. The study found “unequivocal evidence” that microwave frequency radiation affects the heart at non-thermal levels that are well below federal safety guidelines, according to Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University[4] .

Dr. Havas says: “This is the first study that documents immediate and dramatic changes in both heart rate and heart rate variability caused by an approved device that generates microwaves at levels well below (0.3 percent) federal guidelines in both Canada and the United States.”

No longer can skeptics claim that microwaves produce no immediate biological effects at ordinary household levels!

The study will be appearing in a peer-reviewed journal sometime during the summer of 2010. If you are experiencing rapid or irregular heartbeat, pain or pressure in your chest, you will want to visit your physician and share this video with him or her.

There is also evidence that this same frequency of radiation causes blood sugar to spike in susceptible individuals and may actually be the cause of one type of diabetes. For details about this, watch the video below.

Microwaving Also Zaps the Nutrients Right Out of Your Food

There has been surprisingly little research on how microwaves affect organic molecules, or how the human body responds to consuming microwaved food.

Wouldn’t you expect that a product that sits in more than 90 percent of kitchens, as well as practically every break room in the country, would have been thoroughly investigated for safety?

The handful of studies that have been done generally agree, for the most part, that microwaving food damages its nutritional value. Your microwave turns your beautiful, organic veggies, for which you’ve paid such a premium in money or labor, into “dead” food that can cause disease!

Heating food, in and of itself, can result in some nutrient loss, but using microwaves to heat food introduces the additional problem of the “microwave effect,” a phenomenon that will be discussed in detail later.

The majority of studies on microwaves and nutrition were conducted prior to 2000, I suspect because the focus of radiation research of late has shifted toward a more ominous threat: environmental radiation from electromagnetic devices, such as cell phones and computers, which has mushroomed into a gigantic cloud of electrosmog worldwide over the past decade.

Nevertheless, some excellent scientific data has been gathered regarding the detrimental effects of microwaves on the nutrients in your food:

• A study published in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture[5] found that broccoli “zapped” in the microwave with a little water lost up to 97 percent of its beneficial antioxidants. By comparison, steamed broccoli lost 11 percent or fewer of its antioxidants. There were also reductions in phenolic compounds and glucosinolates, but mineral levels remained intact.
• A 1999 Scandinavian study of the cooking of asparagus spears found that microwaving caused a reduction in vitamin C[6] .
• In a study of garlic, as little as 60 seconds of microwave heating was enough to inactivate its allinase, garlic’s principle active ingredient against cancer[7] .
• A Japanese study by Watanabe showed that just 6 minutes of microwave heating turned 30-40 percent of the B12 in milk into an inert (dead) form[8] . This study has been cited by Dr. Andrew Weil as evidence supporting his concerns about the effects of microwaving. Dr. Weil wrote: “There may be dangers associated with microwaving food… there is a question as to whether microwaving alters protein chemistry in ways that might be harmful.”
• A recent Australian study[9] showed that microwaves cause a higher degree of “protein unfolding” than conventional heating.
• Microwaving can destroy the essential disease-fighting agents in breast milk that offer protection for your baby. In 1992, Quan found that microwaved breast milk lost lysozyme activity, antibodies, and fostered the growth of more potentially pathogenic bacteria[10] .
  Quan stated that more damage was done to the milk by microwaving than by other methods of heating, concluding: “Microwaving appears to be contraindicated at high-temperatures, and questions regarding its safety exist even at low temperatures.”
• Another study about breast milk/infant formula by Lee in 1989[11] found vitamin content becomes depleted by microwaving, and certain amino acids are converted into other substances that are biologically inactive. Some altered amino acids are poisons to the nervous system and kidneys. (Numerous authors mention this study, yet I was unable to find the original article/study, so I cannot personally validate.)

Although many of the above studies are not new, there is certainly ample evidence that microwaving is NOT good for your food.

How Your Microwave Actually Heats Your Food

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation—waves of electrical and magnetic energy moving together through space. EM radiation ranges from very high energy (gamma rays and x-rays) on one end of the spectrum to very low energy (radio waves) on the other end of the spectrum.

Microwaves are on the low energy end of the spectrum, second only to radio waves. They have a wavelength of about 4.8 inches—about the width of your head.

Microwaves are generated by something called a magnetron (a term derived from the words “magnet” and “electron”), which is also what enabled airborne radar use during WWII. Hence the early name for microwave ovens: radar ranges.

A magnetron is a tube in which electrons are subjected to both magnetic and electrical fields, producing an electromagnetic field with a microwave frequency of about 2,450 megaHertz (MHz), which is 2.4 gigaHertz (GHz).

Microwaves cause dielectric heating. They bounce around the inside of your oven and are absorbed by the food you put in it. Since water molecules are bipolar, having a positive end and negative end, they rotate rapidly in the alternating electric field. The water molecules in the food vibrate violently at extremely high frequencies—like millions of times per second—creating molecular friction, which heats up the food.

If the food or object place in the microwave had no water it would not be able to have this resonance heating type effect and would remain cool. Or, as investigative journalist William Thomas[12] calls it, “electrical whiplash.”

Structures of the water molecules are torn apart and forcefully deformed. This is different than conventional heating of food, whereby heat is transferred convectionally from the outside, inward. Microwave cooking begins within the molecules where water is present.

Contrary to popular belief, microwaved foods don’t cook “from the inside out.” When thicker foods are cooked, microwaves heat the outer layers, and the inner layers are cooked mostly by the conduction of heat from the hot outer layers, inward. Since not all areas contain the same amount of water, the heating is uneven.

Additionally, microwaving creates new compounds that are not found in humans or in nature, called radiolytic compounds. We don’t yet know what these compounds are doing to your body. In addition to the violent frictional heat effects, called thermic effects, there are also athermic effects, which are poorly understood because they are not as easily measured. It is these athermic effects that are suspected to be responsible for much of the deformation and degradation of cells and molecules. [13]

As an example, microwaves are used in the field of gene altering technology to weaken cell membranes. Scientists use microwaves to actually break cells apart. Impaired cells then become easy prey for viruses, fungi and other microorganisms.[8] Another word for these athermic effects is the “microwave effect,” a subject of controversy that I’ll get into a bit later.

Microwave Sickness

When your tissues are directly exposed to microwaves, the same violent deformations occur and can cause “microwave sickness.”

People who have been exposed to high levels of microwave radiation experience a variety of symptoms, including:

• Insomnia, night sweats, and various sleep disturbances
• Headaches and dizziness
• Swollen lymph nodes and a weakened immune system
• Impaired cognition
• Depression and irritability
• Nausea and appetite loss
• Vision and eye problems
• Frequent urination and extreme thirst

There is a good amount of data emerging that people are suffering, to various degrees, these kinds of symptoms from living next to cell phone towers and other high-frequency radiation emitting antennas, which emit microwaves around the clock.

According to Professor Franz Adelkofer, a leading scientist in the area of biological effects of EMF fields:

“There is real evidence that hyperfrequency electromagnetic fields can have geno-toxic effects. And this damaged DNA is always the cause of cancer.

We’ve found these damaging effects on the genes at levels well below the safety limits. That’s why we think it’s urgent to base our safety limits on the biological effects, not the thermic ones.
They should be based on biology, not on physics.”

Twenty Years of Russian Research Supports Microwave Concerns

The Nazis are credited with inventing the first microwave-cooking device to provide mobile food support to their troops during their invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II[14] . These first microwave ovens were experimental. After the war, the US War Department was assigned the task of researching the safety of microwave ovens. But it was the Russians who really took the bull by the horns.

After the war, the Russians had retrieved some of these microwave ovens and conducted thorough research on their biological effects. Alarmed by what they learned, the Russians banned microwave ovens in 1976, later lifting the ban during Perestroika.

Twenty years of Russian research (and German studies as far back as 1942 Berlin) make a strong argument against the safety of microwave cooking.

Their findings led the Russian government to issue an international warning about possible biological and environmental damage associated with the use of microwave ovens and other similar frequency electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones).

I was not able to personally evaluate any of these older bodies of research, since those documents are now difficult to track down, so I can’t attest to their methodology or conclusions. All you can do is weigh their findings appropriately, as best you can.

The Powerwatch article cited above summarizes the Russian research quite well, which I will duplicate below.

• Russian investigators found that carcinogens were formed from the microwaving of nearly all foods tested.
• The microwaving of milk and grains converted some of the amino acids into carcinogenic substances.
• Microwaving prepared meats caused the formation of the cancer-causing agents d-Nitrosodienthanolamines.
• Thawing frozen fruits by microwave converted their glucoside and galactoside fractions into carcinogenic substances.
• Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.
• Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants—especially root vegetables.
• Structural degradation leading to decreased food value was found to be 60 to 90 percent overall for all foods tested, with significant decreases in bioavailability of B complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, essential minerals, and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumulation of fat). I might add that this finding is supported by the 1998 Japanese study by Watanabe7 about vitamin B12 in milk, cited above.

The Swiss Clinical Study: Hans Hertel

Some fairly compelling evidence supporting the destructive effects of microwaves comes from a highly cited study by a Swiss food scientist named Hans Hertel. Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to study the effects of microwaved foods on the blood and physiology of human beings.

His small study, coauthored by Dr. Bernard Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry, revealed the degenerative forces produced by microwave ovens on the foods they cooked.

Dr. Hertel concluded that microwave cooking changed the nutrients in the food, and that changes took place in the blood that could cause negative health effects.

Hertel’s conclusions were that microwaving food resulted in:

• Increased cholesterol levels
• Decreased numbers of leukocytes (white blood cells), which can suggest poisoning
• Decreased numbers of red blood cells
• Production of radiolytic compounds
• Decreased hemoglobin levels, which could indicate anemia

Not surprisingly, Dr. Hertel’s study was met with great resistance from those with much to lose. A gag order against Dr. Hertel was issued by a Swiss trade organization in 1992, which was later removed in 1998. But an American journalist, Tom Valentine, published the results of Hertel’s study in Search for Health in the spring of 1992[15] .

The study was not without its shortcomings. It involved only eight participants, of which Hertel was one. As compelling as his findings were, his methodology did not stand up to the scientific rigors of the field.

In spite of Hertel’s methodological shortcomings, his findings do raise concerns about what this form of radiation is doing to your food and should be taken as a launching point to larger, more robust studies in the future.

Hertel wrote: “There are no atoms, molecules, or cells of any organic system able to withstand such a violent, destructive power for any period of time. This will happen even given the microwave oven’s low power range of milliwatts.”

And then there is the issue of biophotons.

Possible Microwave Effects on Your Biophotons

Biophotonics is the study, research, and applications of photons in their interactions within and on biological systems. Much of the work in the area of biophotons was done in Germany. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt discusses biophotons in our 2008 interview.

Biophotons are the smallest physical units of light that are stored in and used by all biological organisms—including you. Vital sun energy finds its way into your cells via the food you eat, in the form of these biophotons.

Biophotons contain important bio-information and are very important to many vital processes in your body. They are partly responsible for your feeling of vitality and well-being. You gain biophotons by eating foods rich in them, such as naturally grown fresh vegetables and sun-ripened fruits, which are rich in light energy. The more light energy a food is able to store, the more nutritious it is.

If the “microwave effect” exists (as you shall see, there is a huge amount of evidence that it does), then microwaves can potentially destroy biophotons in the same way that it alters other structures, rendering your food dead and lifeless.

It seems quite plausible that microwaves could disrupt or destroy biophotons, since they are capable of breaking apart DNA bonds!

As far as I can find, there haven’t been any studies of the direct effects of microwave radiation on biophotons, but it seems like an important angle of investigation for the future.

Long-Term Effects of Exposure to Non-Ionizing Radiation

One of the basic controversies about the effects of microwaves centers on whether or not microwaves exert some sort of force beyond heat, commonly called “microwave effect” or “athermic effect.”

It is first necessary that you understand the difference between ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation.

There are two basic forms of radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing[16] :

1. Ionizing Radiation: Creates charged ions by displacing electrons in atoms, even without heat. Examples are radiation emitted from radioactive substances in rocks and soil, cosmic rays of the sun, and radiation from man-made technology such as x-rays machines, power stations, and nuclear reactors.
2. Non-ionizing Radiation: Can change the position of atoms but not alter their structure, composition, and properties. Examples are visible light, ultraviolet and infrared waves, waves from radio or television, cellular phones, microwaves, and electric blankets.
   Despite not being able to break atoms apart, non-ionizing radiation (such as microwaves) CAN cause physical alterations.

For example, sunlight can damage your skin and eyes. Overexposure to radiation can affect tissues by causing molecular damage, DNA mutations, and other changes that can lead to cancer.

The serious concern is, with all of this radiation surrounding us from cell and cordless phones, radio towers, satellites, broadcast antennas, military and aviation radar, home electronic devices, computers and Internet, we are all part of an involuntary mass epidemiological experiment, on a scale never before seen in the history of the human race.

And the truth is that we don’t really KNOW what long term, low-level (but persistent) radiation does to us—even the non-ionizing type.

But here are some of the things we DO KNOW:[17]

• Effects at low levels can be more noticeable than at higher levels. There is something called a “window effect,” meaning an effect occurring only at specific frequencies or power densities, but not occurring just above or below them. A number of studies demonstrate effects of microwave radiation on blood cells via this phenomenon.
• For a complete discussion of this, you can read Microwaving Our Planet, written by Arthur Firstenberg, president of the Cellular Phone Taskforce.
• Cindy Sage of Sage Associates, an environmental consulting firm, has compiled a comprehensive list of studies[18] showing biological effects at radiofrequency exposure levels far below what would be explainable as “thermic effects” and well within the range you are commonly exposed to every day.
• Resonance intensifies biological effect. Resonance occurs when a form of radiation has a similar frequency as a body part. For example, microwave frequencies are similar to the frequencies of your brain!
• Studies are typically done for short exposure periods, at higher intensities. Scientists claim that duration of exposure is equally important to intensity of exposure, but is often NOT studied, and that long-term, low-level exposure can have effects equivalent to short-term, more intense exposure.
• The effects of radiation are cumulative. Your body becomes more sensitive to it over time.
• There are no longer any control groups, since human beings are all now exposed to such pervasive radiation. Lack of a control group makes it even more challenging to conduct meaningful studies.

The point is, standing in your kitchen while your microwave is zapping your dinner, night after night, will not make you glow in the dark. But over the months and years, what is the cumulative effect on your body and health? Why expose yourself to these potential dangers when there are safer alternatives for cooking available?

Is Microwaving Food Any More Dangerous than Heating it with a Conventional Oven?

Some experts claim that the effects microwaves have on molecules can all be explained simply as the “thermic effect” of heating—in other words, microwave cooking is no more detrimental to food than conventional heating.

They argue that, since microwaves are non-ionizing radiation, then it’s impossible for them to damage your blood cells, or eradicate the folic acid in your spinach.

Others have proposed there is some sort of “microwave effect” that causes changes in the molecules in a way that conventional heating does not. For many years, the party line was that “microwave effect” is a myth.

However, study after study has resulted in evidence to the contrary, showing effects that cannot be explained away as simple thermal effects.

In a letter entitled “DNA and the Microwave Effect”[19] (sourced as Penn State University, 2001), the author reviews the history of the controversy surrounding the microwave effect and the research findings to date. He explains that, although fundamentals of thermodynamics and physics would tell you the microwave effect is impossible, studies keep turning up evidence of its existence.

Some of the main points made in the letter are the following:

• Microwave heating and conventional heating may appear identical on a “macro” level, but the two appear very different on a molecular level.
• Microwaves are effective for sterilization, which has been studied for several decades. There is controversy, however, is about whether it’s the heat they generate or if it’s something else altogether.
• One scientist (Kakita 1995[20] ) was successful in demonstrating that microwaves are capable of extensively fragmenting and destroying viral DNA, something that cannot be accomplished by heating alone.
• Multiple studies offer evidence that there are multiple mechanisms for breaking apart DNA without ionizing radiation, but no theory currently exists to explain this phenomenon.

Some scientists are taking advantage of the microwave effect and using microwaves in the laboratory to greatly accelerate chemical reactions, sometimes by a factor of a thousand, resulting in the completion of reactions in minutes that formerly took days or months and a lot of toxic chemicals[21] .

This newly found interest in “microwave chemistry” has spurred skeptic scientists into taking another look at what microwaves actually do and how they do it.
Sometimes common sense trumps empirical evidence.

The Penn State letter/article said it best:

“…It would seem there is reason to believe that the microwave effect does indeed exist, even if it cannot yet be adequately explained. What we know at present is somewhat limited, but there may be enough information already available to form a viable hypothesis.

The possibility that electromagnetic radiation in the non-ionizing frequency range can cause genetic damage may have profound implications on the current controversy involving EM antennae, power lines, and cell phones.”

Breaking Free of Your Microwave: A Few Basic Tips

Am I asking you to toss your microwave oven into the nearest dumpster?

Not necessarily. It can be a useful tool for cleaning. But if real estate in your kitchen is at a premium, it should probably be the first thing to go.

You really CAN survive sans microwave—people are living quite happily without one, believe it or not. You just have to make a few small lifestyle adjustments, such as:

Plan ahead. Take your dinner out of the freezer that morning or the night before so you don’t end up having to scramble to defrost a 5-pound chunk of beef two hours before dinnertime.

Make soups and stews in bulk, and then freeze them in gallon-sized freezer bags or other containers. An hour before meal time, just take one out and defrost it in a sink of water until it’s thawed enough to slip into a pot, then reheat it on the stove.

A toaster oven makes a GREAT faux-microwave for heating up leftovers! Keep it at a low temperature — like 200-250 degrees F — and gently warm a plate of food over the course of 20-30 minutes. Another great alternative is a convection oven. They can be built in or purchased as a relatively inexpensive and quick safe way to heat foods.

Prepare your meals in advance so that you always have a good meal available on those days when you’re too busy or too tired to cook.

Try eating more organic raw foods. This is the best way to and improve your health over the long run.

References:

• [1] Davis D R. (February 1, 2009) “Declining fruit and vegetable nutrient composition: What is the evidence?” American Society of Horticultural Science
• [2] Rust S and Kissinger M. (November 15, 2008) “BPA leaches from ‘safe’ products” Journal Sentinel Online
• [3] “Microwave oven radiation,” Food and Drug Administration
• [4] Havas M. “DECT phone affects the heart!”
• [5] Vallejo F, Tomas-Barberan F A, and Garcia-Viguera C. “Phenolic compound contents in edible parts of broccoli inflorescences after domestic cooking” Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (15 Oct 2003) 83(14);1511-1516
• [6] Kidmose U and Kaack K. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica B 1999:49(2):110-117
• [7] Song K and Milner J A. “The influence of heating on the anticancer properties of garlic,” Journal of Nutrition 2001;131(3S):1054S-57S
• [8] Watanabe F, Takenaka S, Abe K, Tamura Y, and Nakano Y. J. Agric. Food Chem. Feb 26 1998;46(4):1433-1436
• [9] George D F, Bilek M M, and McKenzie D R. “Non-thermal effects in the microwave induced unfolding of proteins observed by chaperone binding,” Bioelectromagnetics 2008 May;29(4):324-30
• [10] Quan R (et al) “Effects of microwave radiation on anti-infective factors in human milk,” Pediatrics 89(4 part I):667-669.
• [11] Lee L. “Health effects of microwave radiation-microwave ovens,” Lancet December 9, 1989 (Article)
• [12] Thomas W. “Cooked” Alive.com
• [13] “Microwave oven and microwave cooking overview,” Powerwatch
• [14] “History of microwave ovens” Green Health Watch
• [15] “Microwave ovens: A danger to your health?” (January 26, 2010) Nutritional and Physical Regeneration
• [16] Villablanca E (December 19, 2007) “Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation: Their difference and possible health consequences”
• [17] “Health effects of microwave radiation (Western view)”
• [18] Sage C. “Reported biological effects from radiofrequency non-ionizing radiation” Wave-Guide.org
• [19] Penn State University. “DNA and the microwave effect” posted from MailBag (April 8, 2002)
• [20] Kakita Y, Kashige N, Murata K, Kuroiwa A, Funatsu M and Watanabe K. “Inactivation of Lactobacillus bacteriophage PL-1 by microwave irradiation” Microbiol. Immunol. 1995;39:571-576.
• [21] Adams C. (May 6, 2005) “Does microwaving kill nutrients in food? Is microwaving safe?” The Straight Dope

By Iichiroh Ohhira

Abstract

Lactic acid bacteria are referred to as probiotics in scientific literature by Lilley and Stillwell (1965). Paricer (1974) redefined it as organisms and substances that contribute to the intestinal microbial balance. The latest and most accurate description of probiotics, like lactic acid bacteria based food products, was presented by Fuller (1989) as a live microbial feed supplement beneficial to the host by improving the microbial balance within its body. This balance is achieved by its inhibitory effect upon the harmful pathogenic microorganisms.

This paper presents some background on the scientific research and development of one such encapsulated product, which has become a commercial reality. Branded under the label Ohhira Mountain fruits eXtract (OM-X) it is fermented by 12 strains of specially isolated and cultured lactic acid bacteria from the genera Lactobacillius, Bifidobacteria, Streptoccus and Enteroccus. The substrate consists of mountain fruits, plants, herbs and mountain spring water and the fermentation process is done under natural conditions. The final capsule has a total count of 59 million colony forming units (cfu) of lactic acid bacteria. The high level of organic acids in the final fermented product further contributes to its antimicrobial property.

One of the strains used in the OM-X capsule is Enteroccus faecalis TH 10 isolated from the local food delicacy tempeh. This strain has shown inhibition on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The active inhibitory component was extracted with ethyl actetate at pH3 and did not show growth inhibition against the various lactic acid bacteria. Similar results were also obtained on E. coil 0157.

All strains of the lactic acid bacteria placed in the food supplement were found to be active against Helicobacter pylori. While more work is in progress, these findings establish the effectiveness of the product as a functional food with significant antimicrobial properties.

Introduction

Lactic acid bacteria have shown to play an important physiological role in the human gastrointestinal (Gl) tract Microbial interactions represent the main force in the homeostasis of the bacteria flora in the Gl tract. Combined with the host this microflora form a unique ecosystem in which the complex interactions can either be synergistic or to antagonistic depending on their strain identify, population levels and metabolic activity. The healthy survival of the host is determined by these interactions. The ecosystem is destabilized as a result of gastrointestinal disorders and other endogenous components such as enzymes, hormones and immunoglobulins can influence it.

The importance of maintaining a beneficial microbial balance in the Gl tract is vital to the stability of its ecosystem and the optimal health of the host.

The colon is also known to contain up to 3.5 pounds of bacteria of which some 700 types can give rise to ahmentary toxemia, which only 20 types are harmless. Toxemia results from harmfill bacteria.

OM-X probiotics contain specially isolated lactic acid bacteria that can inhibit the activity of several pathogenic bacteria and thereby overcome this toxemia. Ultimately this can bring about a favorable balance of beneficial or synergistic bacteria over the harmfill ones. This paper examines one such product that has been developed through a period of intensive research and development. OM-X can serve as an effective functional food or health supplement to bring about this favorable coionic microbial balance.

Branded under the label OM-X (Ohhira Mountain fruits eXtract) this paper presents its scientific rationale for it’s antimicrobial efficacy and how it consequently benefits the host.

Methods of Production

The lactic acid bacteria are mass-produced for encapsulation by a natural fermentation process. The substrate used consists of mountain fruits, plants, herbs and pure mountain spring water. Specially isolated and cultured strains of lactic acid bacteria are used. No other additives are used.

The inoculum consists of four major groups comprising six strains of Lactobacillus, three strains of Bifidobacteria, one strain of Streptococcus and two strains of Enterococcus.

The substrate is allowed to be fermented naturally with the inoculum for five years after which the end product in paste form is extracted for live encapsulation. At the end of the fermentation process the final product has a high level of organic acids produced by the 12 stains in the inoculum.

The shelf life of the bacteria in the capsule has been monitored and found to be viable for a period of five years.

An analysis of the metabolites in the final product has shown its efficacy by way of its functional ingredients as a functional food. The 18 types ofamino acids, five minerals and nine vitamins were determined by qualitative analysis.

Biosafety

For quality control the final product is subjected to qualitative analysis and quantitative estimation for the presence of any heavy metals. Arsenic, lead, copper, tin and mercury were tested.

The levels of these parameters were far below the accepted or permitted limit of international standards (Food Regulation Act, 1985). For instance the lead level is 0.07 ppm compared to the allowed standard of 2ppm. Copper present is 0.53 ppm compared to the standard of 300 ppm. It is also reassuring to note that mercury, cadmium and antimony are not detected.

This ensured the biosafety of the fermented end product.

Antimicrobial Properties of OM-X Lactic Acid Bacteria

The most significant finding is the inhibitory activity of these specially isolated strains of lactic acid bacteria against three pathogenic bacteria – methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli 0157.

MRSA is a challenge to medical practitioners as it is involved in nosocomial infections worldwide. During an outbreak it has been shown to play havoc in hospitals. Antibiotics lead to only partial control during a widespread infection. The emergence of vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is also of great concern.

One of the 12 strains used in the capsule – Enterococcus faecalis THIO – demonstrated inhibition on the MRSA.

This strain is used in the fermentation process and thrives well within the capsule. Originally isolated from the local Malaysian delicacy – tempeh – the strain was cultured and used as the inoculum for the production of the capsules. The strain was tested for its antagonism against MRSA. For qualitative test, a paper disc bioassay technique was used. Zones of inhibition were noted in comparison to the control.

Further investigations revealed that the active component of TH 10 extracted in ethyl acetate at pH3 retained its activity after treatment with various proteases. The bacteriocidal activity of the ethyl acetate extract was tested using MRSA and a variety of related lactic acid bacteria strains as the test organisms (Table 4). Contradictory to the common properties ofbacteriocins, the extract did not show potent growth inhibition or activity against the various closely related lactic acid bacteria. However the growth inhibition against MRSA was evident while most of the lactic acid bacteria were not affected. Streptococcus salivarius and Pediococcus acidilactici were affected, but only when the dosage was twice the amount required for the inhibition of MRSA.

In addition it was found that the active component retained the bactericidal activity against MRSA when it was treated with various proteases such as proteinase K, V8 protease, trypsin and achromopeptidase. These results suggest that the active component is not a peptide or protein. Further work is in progress to determine more details on its physical and biochemical characteristics which is beyond the present scope of this paper.

But it is important to note that the active component of TH10 did not show any hemolytic activity towards human and rabbit erythrocytes.

Inhibition of Helicobacter Pylori

The 12 strains of lactic acid bacteria in the OM-X capsule showed antimicrobial activity against H. pylori in vitro as shown by loss of viability of the latter.

A well diffusion assay technique was used. One OM-X capsule was dissolved and incubated in All-purpose Medium with Tween (APT) broth with or without biotin for good recovery of the organisms from the capsule. The colonies recovered from the capsule dissolved in water and then plated on APT agar and de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) agar showed decrease in the number of colony forming units of the H. pylori strains (NCTCI 1637 & NCTCI 1638).

This preliminary results explains how viable lactic acid bacteria contained in live capsule based probiotic can bring about much relief to those suffering from peptic ulcers and gastritis by inhibiting the H. pylori infection.

Growth Inhibition on E.Coli 0157

The component from THIO strain was extracted with ethyl acetate and then neutralized by regulating the pH. Then variable rates (0.75, 1.5,3.0,6.0, 12 and 24 mg) of the lactic acid bacteria extract were introduced on dipped paper discs into petri dishes containing cultured viable colonies of E. coli 0157m several replicates. These petri dishes were incubated at 37 degrees centigrade. Growth inhibitions of the 0157 strain were monitored by observing the diameter of zones of inhibitions obtained around the paper discs.

Results indicated that inhibition of 0157 were obtained at all amounts of 3.0 mg and above of the extract. Consistent results were obtained on repetition. Inhibitory effects were increased with more amount of the extract.

The substance acting on the 0157 strain is initially made out to be of low molecular weight and further research is being carried out to specify its structure and mechanism of activity.

Mode of Action

At this stage the explanation that can be offered is the action of the different bacteriocins and the lowering of pH by the OM-X inhibiting the proliferation of the antagonistic microorganisms. With the five years fermentation and low pH achieved it is found that the acidolin produced by the LactobacUlus acidophilus is particularly active against bacteria and viruses. This evidence is farther supported by earlier research ofHamdan and Mikolajcik (1974). These makes OM-X lactic acid bacteria highly effective in terms of its antimicrobial property as well a functional food supplement.

References

Lilley, D. M. and StiUwell, R. H. (1965). Probiotics: growth promoting factors produced by Microorganisms. Science 147 747-748

Parker, R. B. (1974). Probiotics, the other half of the antibiotic story. Anim. Nutr. Health 29:4-8

Fuller, R. (1989). Probiotics in man and animals. J. Appl. Bacteriol. 66: 365-378

Hamdan, 1. Y. and Mikolajcik, E. M. (1974). Acidolin: an antibiotic produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus. Journal of Antibiotics 8: 631-636.

Foods that contain goitrogens

There are two general categories of foods that have been associated with disrupted thyroid hormone product in humans: soybean related foods and cruciferous vegetables. In addition, there are a few other foods not included in these categories – such as peaches, strawberries and millet.

Soybean related foods

Included in the category of soybean related foods soybeans themselves as well as soy extracts, and foods made from soy, including tofu and tempeh. While soy foods share many common ingredients, it is the isoflavones in the soy that have been associated with decreased thyroid hormone output. Isolfavones are naturally-occurring substances that belong to the flavonoid family of nutrients. Flavonoids, found in virtually all plants, are pigments that give plants their amazing array of colours. Most research studies in the health sciences have focused on the beneficial properties of Flavonoids, and these naturally-occurring phytonutrients have repeatedly been shown to be highly health supportive.

The link between isoflavones and decreased thyroid function is, in fact, one of the few areas in which flavonoid intake has called into question as problematic. Isoflavones like genistein appear to reduce thyroid hormone output by blocking activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase. This enzyme is responsible for adding iodine onto the thyroid hormones. (Thyroid hormones must typically have three or four iodine atoms added on to their structure in order to function properly)

Cruciferous Vegetables

A second category of foods associated with disrupted thyroid hormone product is the cruciferous food family. Foods belonging to this family are called “crucifers”, and include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mustard, rutabagas, kohlrabi and turnips. Isothiocyanates are the category of substances in crucifers that have been associated with the decreased thyroid function. Like the isoflavones, Isothiocyanates appear to reduce thyroid function by blocking thyroid peroxidase, and also by disrupting messages that are sent across the membranes of the thyroid cells.
 
Goitrogens and health

In the absence of thyroid problems, there is no research evidence to suggest that goitrogenic foods will negatively impact your health. In fact, the opposite is true: soy foods and cruciferous vegetables have unique nutritional value, and intake of these foods have been associated with decreased risk of disease in many research studies. That’s one of the reasons we’ve included both types of food among the world’s healthiest foods!

Because carefully controlled research studies have yet to take place on the relationship between goitrogenic foods and thyroid hormone deficiency, healthcare practitioners differ greatly on their perspectives as whether a person who has thyroid problems, and notably a thyroid hormone deficiency, should limit their intake of goitrogenic foods. Most practitioners use words like “overconsumption” or “excessive” to describe the kind of goitrogen intake that would be a problem for individuals with thyroid hormone deficiency. Here the goal is not to eliminate goitrogenic foods from the meal plan, but to limit intake so that it falls into a reasonable range.

Limiting goitrogenic intake is often much more problematic with soy foods that with cruciferous vegetables, since soy appears in so many combination and packaged food products in hidden form. Ingredients like textured vegetable protein (TVP) and isolated soy concentrate may appear in foods that would rarely be expected to contain soy. A standard, one cup serving of cruciferous vegetables 2-3 times per week, and a standard, 4-ounce serving of tofu twice a week is likely to be tolerated by many in a meal plan because of their strong nutritional value and great track record in preventing many kinds of health problems.

The effect of cooking on goitrogens

Although research studies are limited in this area, cooking does appear to help inactive and goitrogenic compounds found in food. Both isoflavones (found in soy foods) and Isothiocyanates (found in cruciferous vegetables) appear to be heat-sensitive, and cooking appears to lower the availability of these substances. In the case of Isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, as much as one third of this goitrogenic substance may be deactivated when broccoli is boiled in water.

Practical Tips

Although for many people goitrogens do not seem to pose a health concern, certain individuals who have thyroid problems may be advised by their health care practitioner to limit excessive consumption of foods that contain these compounds. As cooking seems to help to inactivate the goitrogenic compounds found in food, I seems reasonable to conclude that for individuals with deficient thyroid hormone production, steaming of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli makes good sense, as does consumption of tofu in cooked versus raw form.
 
Article sourced from WHFoods – The George Mateljan Foundation

An increased acid load will impair healing

Metabolic acidosis is unfortunately, very common in people today. This chronic, low level of metabolic acidosis is primarily caused by diet, and can have some serious long-term repercussions for some people. Acidosis can also interfere with your treatments, reducing the clinical efficiency of some of the best naturopathic interventions. In particular, make sure to evaluate the acid/alkaline balance of a person undergoing treatment for:

• Toxicity
• Fatigue
• Stress Management
• Pain Management
• Osteoporosis
• Body composition (i.e. muscle gain)

Alkalisation for Detoxification

Improving elimination of toxins requires repair of the digestive tract and restoration of healthy gut flora, with rebalancing of hepatic Phase I, II and III detox enzymes to facilitate the chemical biotransformation of toxins into water-soluble metabolites for excretion in the urine. This process generally gets people feeling great. A good detox program will yield even greater clinical results for a person if they would also work to alkalise their system, as renal excretion of toxins is greatly enhanced by urinary alkalization. This is why a detox program containing alkalising nutrients such as potassium citrate and glutamine.

Fatigue people may be acidic

Metabolic acidosis may impair cellular metabolism and reduce ATP production, thereby worsening existing fatigue. Further, patients with impaired mitochondrial function may not be able to effectively produce ATP aerobically, thereby relying more heavily on anaerobic metabolism. Unfortunately, anaerobic metabolism, as well as being relatively inefficient, is also an acidifying metabolic process. This therefore contributes to their net acid load, potentially further impairing ATP production. This reciprocal relationship between metabolic acidosis and fatigue may rapidly become a self-perpetuating cycle that needs to be addressed through dietary alkalization.

Is Metabolic Acidosis stressing you out?

Anxious, hyperadrenalised people will struggle to relax and unwind if they are in a state of metabolic acidosis as tissue acidity stimulates glucocorticoid production and promotes an endocrine stress response. Conversely, administration of alkalising mineral supplements has been shown to reduce plasma cortisol. As well as the dietary changes discussed, consider supplementing with a product to promote more rapid tissue alkalization and relaxation of the stress response in agitated, anxious people. The magnesium and potassium within a formula combine very effectively with taurine and glutamine to increase acid excretion, alkalise the body and moderate the stress response.

Acid = Pain

Drops in physiological pH activate neuronal acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs). ASICs specifically sense acidic shifts within the neuronal synaptic cleft, triggering nociceptive signals and sensitizing pathways. Therefore, any person suffering from chronic pain who is in a state of metabolic acidosis may only ever experience limited relief unless their acid/alkaline balance is addressed. Restoring healthy physiological pH through dietary changes and/or supplementation with an alkalising mineral supplement can yield dramatic results. For example, a recent study in patients with chronic lower back pain, found that a 4 week alkalising supplement regime reduced pain by 50% in more than 90% of subjects.

Like acid eating away at bone…

The human skeleton is a great reservoir of alkalising minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Bone tissue is involved in maintaining a healthy pH balance by providing alkalising minerals to effectively buffer systemic acidosis. These minerals are released into systemic circulation via osteoclast activity. Acidosis is a key trigger for osteoclast activity, with osteoclast being virtually inactive at pH 7.4 but being increasingly active at lower pHs. Metabolic acidosis can, therefore cause increased bone demineralisation, contributing to osteoporosis and reduced bone mineral density.

Wanting to attain an ideal body composition?

If a person wants to gain muscle, acidosis is an important consideration. Metabolic acidosis can contribute to muscle wasting as muscle tissue is a primary source of glutamine, and glutamine is used to excrete acid via the kidneys. Therefore, in people who are having difficulty gaining or maintaining lean muscle mass, consider alkalising.

Eat yourself Alkaline

Dietary changes are essential for alkalization to be a long-term achievement. This basically requires a patient to reduce their intake of acid-forming foods (e.g. grains and dairy), whilst increasing their intake of foods high in alkalising minerals such as magnesium and potassium. These nutrients are found in a variety of whole, unrefined foods, especially fruit and vegetables.

Nearly all of us will suffer from a headache during our lifetime, and those less fortunate will experience migraines. In fact, after back pain, headaches and common colds are the two main causes of sick leave for working Australians.

What happens during a migraine?

Migraines are thought to be triggered by a sudden narrowing (or vasoconstriction) of the blood vessels. The body attempts to correct this by widening the blood vessels, which causes intense pain. Most migraine sufferers experience certain symptoms before an attack, such as dizziness, visual disturbance, over-sensitivity to light, limb weakness, strange tastes in the mouth and detection of strange odours.

Causes of headaches and migraines

Poor diet – eating foods low in nutrients and eating irregularly can be triggers.

Certain foods – alcohol, chocolate, citrus fruits and dairy products, especially cheese.

Stress – noisy and polluted environments, a hectic lifestyle, accumulated fatigue and excessive worrying.

Constipation – mild constipation can often give rise to dullness or heaviness in the head. When constipation is more chronic, headaches become more persistent.

Hormones – menstruation and hormonal fluctuations have been connected to headaches, which may be why women tend to suffer from headaches more than men.

Natural treatments

Certain herbs and nutrients can help to treat and manage migraines and related ailments. Here are some that are regularly prescribed by natural health practitioners:

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), a herb with a long-held tradition for use in the prevention and relief of migraine headaches, helps to reduce the dilation of blood vessels and dampens pain. Take daily as a tea or as a nutritional supplement for a few months to help manage migraines. It’s recommended that you have an occasional break from use, gradually declining the dosage for about a month before the break. Feverfew is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women and should not be given to children under the age of two.

Willow bark (Salix alba) is known to relieve headache symptoms and can also help with chronic pain, back and neck pain, muscle aches, arthritis and menstrual cramps. Willow bark contains salicylic acid, the active component in aspirin. Natural therapists believe willow bark is a better option than aspirin because it’s milder and less likely to trigger side effects such as stomach irritation or bleeding. Avoid taking willow bark if you are sensitive to aspirin or have tinnitus, and avoid its use in children under the age of 16 with a cold, the flu or chicken pox.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin like substance produced in our bodies that is important for energy production in cells. Studies show migraines may be caused, at least in part, by an impairment of energy production. So migraines could presumably be improved by CoQ10 supplementation. In one study, 31 migraine sufferers were given 150 mg of CoQ10 per day for three months. The results showed sufferers experienced headaches less frequently and for a shorter period of time. The longer CoQ10 was taken, the more positive the effect.

Useful tips

Reduce the severity and frequency of your headaches and migraines by:

• Eating a well-balanced diet that includes wholegrain foods, fruits and vegetables
• Limiting protein, refined sugar, processed foods and fat intake
• Increasing your water intake to at least two litres daily
• Ensuring you have good back and neck alignment. See a chiropractor for more advice
• Finding ways to effectively manage your stress

TIP:

Some people experience the shakes and jitters when taking 150 mg of CoQ10 in one dose take a 75 mg natural sourced capsule instead.

Article thanks to Herbs and Health Magazine Australia

Why is a detox necessary?

Think about it – all day every day you are exposed to toxins. These toxins can include heavy metals such as mercury and lead, solvents such as formaldehyde, pesticides, prescription drugs, alcohol, oxidised fats and cholesterol and even topical creams such as sunscreen contain toxins, all of which must be broken down and excreted by your liver. If your immune, liver and digestive functions are not at their optimum your body can struggle to deal with excess external or internally produced toxins. When this happens toxins can build up in your body and lead to a variety of symptoms.

Do you need to detox?

If you suffer two or more of the below symptoms then you should consider a simple detox program!

• Bloated after eating
• Constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence or irregular bowel movements
• Dark circles under your eyes
• Skin problems
• Weight gain
• Sleep problems or sleeping for extended periods
• Reduced mental clarity
• Bad breath
• Allergies or food intolerances
• Lowered resistance to infection, eg catch a cold regularly
• Low energy and vitality
• Frequent headaches or lower back pain

How to detox?

Clean out the pantry and fridge! : Eliminate foods and drinks that burden your liver such as red meat, coffee, black tea, processed and refined foods, dairy foods, sugar, alcohol and soft drinks.

Eat right: Consume fresh organic vegetables and fruits, lean chicken or fish, wholemeal bread, pasta, brown rice and lentils. Drink two litres of fresh filtered water daily.

Look after your liver: Herbs such as St Mary’s Thistle (also known as milk thistle) not only have a reparative function for your liver but also protect against future damage, an important consideration given that it is hard to avoid future toxin exposure. Other supplements that can help include liquid chlorophyll, an internal deodoriser and alkaliser of body tissues. For those who experience symptoms such as constipation, herbs such as cascara, frangula and black walnut taken temporarily will encourage the bowel to remove waste. Long term, psyllium hulls will provide bulk to the stools without making the bowel become lazy.

How long to detox?

Ideally detoxifying for at least six weeks would ensure that your liver receives a thorough clean out, however if you can maintain the recommended diet for at least one week, and preferably two, and continue to supplement with liver herbs for at least one month you should reap the benefits that detoxifying brings.

What’s in it for you?

For many people, detoxifying will lead to weight loss. This is not just fluid loss either – your liver is a fat burning organ, if it works better, it is much more capable of burning fat, especially if you are no longer eating as much in your diet. The other big plus is the added energy you will feel. You are eating low glycaemic foods which give the body a sense of satiety or fullness. This alleviates fluctuations in blood sugar which can cause sugar cravings. If you do experience sugar cravings, the herb gymnema sylvestre is ideal for maintaining blood sugar levels to reduce your cravings.

Article thanks to Herbs and Health Magazine Australia