Alternative Eating: Got Milk? Get Sick By Mike Adams

Here's yet reason to avoid processed foods. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that men who consumed the most dairy products showed a 60 percent increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease. And processed milk accounted for most of the dairy consumed by study subjects.

Researchers don't know why processed milk products increase the risk of Parkinson's disease in men. Epidemiologists do have theories on milk's link to other diseases, however. Dr. Samuel Epstein, M.D., is professor emeritus of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health. He also wrote the book, "What's In Your Milk?" This expose shows how the industry has covered up the dangers of drinking milk from cows treated with genetically engineered recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH). Milk from rBGH-treated cows, according to Dr. Epstein, poses a significant health risk to humans and appears to be linked to breast, colon and prostate cancers.

Raw, unprocessed milk is rapidly gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers. Many states are outlawing the sales of raw milk. They say it poses a health hazard to consumers with weak immune systems, but demand persists. Members of the raw foods community, for instance, use raw milk and active cultures to make their own kefir (fermented raw milk) at home. Kefir offers numerous health benefits and is a "living" food teeming with beneficial microorganisms.

[Ed. Note : Mike Adams, the Health Ranger -- a leading authority on healthy living -- is on a mission: to explore, uncover and share the truth about harmful foods and beverages, prescription drugs, medical practices and the dishonest marketing practices that drive these industries.]

Healthy Aging: Low Carb Diets Looking Better All the Time By James B. LaValle

If anyone needs yet another reason to change from a diet high in refined carbohydrates, they just got it. A study reported this July in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a diet higher in refined carbohydrates (high glycemic index foods) significantly increased the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is the number one cause of blindness in this country in people age 60 and up, a statistic of particular importance to baby boomers. Estimates from this study were that 100,000 cases of blindness from AMD could be avoided if people would make this one easy change -- stop eating refined sugar and flour and the foods and drinks made with them.

Several studies conducted over the last two years are showing a number of benefits of lower carbohydrate diets. These lower carb diets replace sugary foods and refined flours with plenty of vegetables (like broccoli and leafy greens) and some beans and legumes, but are moderate to low in fruit and whole grains. Over the years I have personally witnessed the benefits of this type of diet in my patients literally thousands of times. It is very rewarding to see the studies finally confirming anecdotal evidence.

[Ed. Note : Jim LaValle is an educator, clinician and industry consultant in the field of integrative healthcare. He is a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist and doctor of naturopathic medicine with more than 20 years clinical practice experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine. Named one of the "50 Most Influential Druggists" by American Druggist for his work in natural medicine, LaValle has authored 13 books, including his latest, Cracking the Metabolic Code.]

Exercise & Fitness: New Study: Interval Training Helps Reduce Belly Fat By Craig Ballantyne

Conventional wisdom says you can't spot-reduce belly fat. But new wisdom says you can lose that spare tire -- and not the way you think. Forget crunches. A new report says that "high intensity intermittent exercise may result in greater fat loss in the abdomen." In other words, interval training burns stomach fat first, over all other sources of fat on the body.

Professor Steve Boucher, the study's Australian co-author, and his colleagues put young women into two groups:

Group 1: Three workouts per week of 20 minutes of intervals (8 second sprint followed by 12 second recovery) for 15 weeks

Group 2: Three cardio workouts per week of 40 minutes for 15 weeks

Group 1, the interval group, lost a significant amount of abdominal fat.

So why do the intervals work so well?

Boucher believes it has something to do with the increase in hormones called catecholamines (adrenaline is a catecholamine hormone). These increase after intervals, but not after slow cardio. Catecholamines are a fat-burning hormone and there are a lot of catecholamine receptors in belly fat. He thinks the elevated fat-burning hormones from intervals ends up leading to targeted belly fat burning.

Interesting theory. We'll see if more research is able to confirm that hypothesis. Regardless, it's great to see studies showing intervals to be more effective for losing stomach fat than slow cardio workouts.

[Ed . Note : Craig Ballantyne is an expert consultant for Men's Health magazine.]

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 11-02-07] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/

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