from http://www.easyhealthoptions.com

Those of us who try to eat a healthy diet usually pick out our foods with care. Besides being concerned about what we eat, though, we need to pay attention to what our food is eating. Recent studies of supermarket chickens show that they are being fed arsenic, banned antibiotics, Benadryl and caffeine. Much of this undoubtedly ends up in our chicken dinners.

Despite the recent findings of undesirable chemical residues in chicken, we’re supposed to believe that the levels are too low to affect human health. But reassurances from the agricultural industry about the harmlessness of these toxins are not too reassuring — not when analyses show the birds are consuming drugs like Benadryl that you would never expect to be in your drumsticks and chicken wings.

Banned Antibiotics

Originally, the tests on chicken were designed to check the birds only for antibiotics. In those experiments, the researchers found evidence the chickens were being fed floroquinolones, broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat serious bacterial infections in people, particularly those infections that have become resistant to older antibiotic drugs. These findings were an unpleasant surprise because floroquinolones have been banned for use in U.S. poultry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2005.

“The discovery of certain antibiotics in feather meal strongly suggests the continued use of these drugs, despite the ban put in place in 2005 by the FDA,” says David Love, another one of the researchers. “The public health community has long been frustrated with the unwillingness of FDA to effectively address what antibiotics are fed to food animals.”

The laboratory tests of feathers also showed the presence of acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) and caffeine. Chicken from China was found to contain ingredients linked to Prozac.

“This study reveals yet another pathway of unwanted human exposure to a surprisingly broad spectrum of prescription and over-the-counter drugs,” notes study co-author Rolf Halden, of Arizona State University.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

This is factory farms growing chickens as fast as they can for profit. YOU ARE EATING WHAT THE CHICKEN ATE AND WAS INJECTED WITH when you eat conventional chicken. Not for one second do they care about your health, as you can see. There is only one way to live healthy. BUY ORGANIC, FREE RANGE CHICKENS, raised without hormones, antibiotics and all of the other nasty stuff that factory farms feed and inject  chickens with.

Magnesium Stearate

	Magnesium Stearate in supplements

Magnesium stearate is a white substance, solid at room temperature, used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical and supplement tablets and capsules. It is composed of magnesium and stearic acid, and oftentimes, palmitic acid as well.

It’s in 95% of all Supplements!

The primary role of magnesium stearate in supplements is to act as a lubricant to prevent tablet and capsule contents from sticking to the machinery that processes them. This ensures that production machinery can operate at maximum speeds and profit targets can be met. In other words, it is primarily used for financial reasons.

What are the Pros and Cons of Magnesium Stearate?

Pros

The pros are for manufacturers that want to improve profit margins. It is far more costly and time-intensive to produce supplements without magnesium stearate.

Cons

Reduction of dissolution time

It is commonly noted in medical literature that magnesium stearate increases the time it takes for tablets and capsules to dissolve due to the film it forms on capsule or tablet ingredients. Magnesium stearate coats a good portion of the molecules in a tablet or capsule, requiring digestive enzymes to break down the magnesium stearate coating before being able to access the nutrients it envelops.

In a study published in the journal Pharmaceutical Technology (April, 1985), the percent dissolution for capsules after 20 minutes in solution went from 90% without stearates to 25% with stearates. In other words, stearates reduced the rate the capsule dissolved by 65%! This may result in the nutrients not dissolving in the appropriate section of the intestines as intended. We are particularly concerned about individuals with impaired digestion who may have more difficulty absorbing nutrients coated with magnesium stearate.

Are there metal catalysts in your supplement?

Hydrogenated oils are a common source for the magnesium stearate used in pharmaceuticals and supplements. The stearates are made by hydrogenating cottonseed or palm oil. Cottonseed oil has the highest content of pesticide residues of all commercial oils; cotton crops are heavily sprayed. In the hydrogenation process, the oil is subjected to high heat and pressure in the presence of a metal catalyst for several hours, creating a hydrogenated saturated fat. Hydrogenated vegetable fats contain altered molecules derived from fatty acids. According to Udo Erasmus in Fats and Oils, the metal catalyst used in the hydrogenation process may also contaminate the stearates produced.

RICO’S COMMENTS: If it isn’t one thing, it’s another! This is why I always tell you to read your nutrition facts panel very carefully. No one ever reads the part that says “other ingredients”. Only super conscientious  companies use 100% quality ingredients in all their pills and capsules. It’s harder today, than at any other time in our history to be healthy. 

rom www.mercola.com

Artificial sweeteners are frequently recommended as a practical way of replacing sugar found in the modern diet. But the research on nonnutritive sweeteners such as these three shows they’re far from healthful alternatives to sugar. First of all, contrary to popular belief, research has shown that they can:

• Stimulate your appetite
• Increase carbohydrate cravings
• Stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In fact, diet sodas, which are well-known sources of artificial sweeteners, may actually double your risk of obesity!

So much for being a dieter’s best friend… Furthermore, aspartame (rebranded Aminosweet two years ago)—best known under the names of Nutrasweet and Equal—is believed to be carcinogenic and accounts for more reports of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives combined.

The artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (Acesulfame-K) has been linked to kidney problems, and sucralose—best known as Splenda—has been found to wreak havoc with the healthful bacteria in your gut…  ALL artificial sweeteners are bad news for your health.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

Stevia—The Healthy, Safe Sweetener   

Stevia is a South American plant and it is estimated to be some 150 to 400 times sweeter than sugar, so it is used in extremely small amounts.  It’s a safe, natural sweetener that is virtually calorie-free. Stevia has been used safely for many years by millions of people all over the world. There are hundreds of scientific studies showing stevia’s safety. Check out www.stevia.com

from www.theherbalspirit.com

Today, there are more than 77,000 chemicals in active production in this country.  Our exposure to these chemicals is greater now than at any time since the beginning of the industrial revolution.  When ingested, these chemicals can remain in the body for years, altering our metabolism, causing enzyme dysfunction/nutritional deficiencies; creating hormonal imbalances and lowering our threshold of resistance to chronic disease.  These toxins block the cells’ ability to exchange oxygen, receive nourishment and produce energy.  We are continually subjected to poor air quality, chemically contaminated food and water, household cleaners, paint fumes, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides and heavy metals.  When our bodies exceed the limit that we can excrete, we begin to store these toxins (in the blood, musculature, organs and lymph.)  This toxic accumulation compromises our physiological and psychological health and leads to chronic diseases and other ailments.

The average person who uses a Far Infrared Sauna is exposed to temperatures in the range of 100°F to 130°F for approximately 30-45 minutes compared to 10-15 minutes in a Finnish sauna.  Traditional Finnish saunas usually operate at temperatures of 110°F to 150°F.  Most people cannot tolerate temperatures in this range for extended periods of time, as it can cause excessive perspiration and the drying out of mucous membranes.

Many symptoms that are associated with chemical and heavy metal toxicity include allergies, acne, anxiety, chronic fatigue, depression, eczema, frequent colds or flu, insomnia, memory loss, mood swings, muscle and joint pain, adrenal fatigue, fibromyalgia and many more. The Far Infrared Sauna is recognized by health practitioners world-wide as perhaps the most effective heat method of removing chemical and heavy metal toxins from the body.  Its relatively low heat emission makes it the detox method of choice for chronically ill patients as well as those that are in good health and wish to stay that way by reducing the level of toxicity in their bodies.

A typical sauna session will cause a brief 1°F to 3°F increase in body temperature.  This is the equivalent of a mild fever, which is the body’s natural defense against bacteria/viruses.  This beneficial side effect of the Far Infrared Sauna triggers the production of white blood cells and T cells, stimulating the immune system.

The body’s natural response to heat is to maintain homeostasis.  It does this by diverting blood from the organs to the extremities and skin.  This increases heart rate, cardiac output and metabolic rate.  Medical research indicates that use of a Far Infrared Sauna may be as effective a means of cardiovascular conditioning similar to but not a substitute for regular exercise.  This is important to those individuals who are not physically capable of regular exercise.

Additionally, Far Infrared Therapy may assist in weight loss and weight control.  It does this by reducing heavy metals, which are directly related to metabolic imbalances in the body. Metabolic imbalances in the body cause poor digestion and weight gain.  It also decreases the amount of toxins stored in fat.  Fat-stored toxins can prevent the body from eliminating the fat itself.  Although weight loss due to perspiration is quickly regained, sending more blood to the capillaries and converting fats and carbohydrates results in as much as 600 calories burned during one short session.

Continuous strain on the nervous system often leads to a high level of stress, one of the elusive causes of many chronic diseases.  Repeated sessions can result in a considerable drop in average stress levels and promote a calming atmosphere, especially if aromatherapy is used.

The Far Infrared Sauna can help restore health and balance to your body.

HOW DOES IT WORK?:

FIR has the ability to penetrate, refract, radiate and reflect. The human body can absorb FIR because of its deep penetrating ability. When FIR penetrates through skin to the subcutaneous tissues, it transforms from light energy into heat energy. The thermal effect within the deep layers of the tissues causes bloods vessels and capillaries to dilate, promoting a better blood circulation, and the heat so produced helps to get rid of body toxins and metabolic wastes through sweating.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

I have had a Far Infrared Sauna Dome for several years now. As you can see above it’s an amazing machine with many, many health benefits. As a health expert I know that the MOST IMPORTANT KEYS in achieving optimal health, PREVENTING DISEASE and slowing down the AGING PROCESS is maintaining an ALKALINE pH and DETOXIFYING your body. Unless you have an ongoing system of ALKALIZING & DETOXING your body, you will become a statistic. 7 out of 10 die from PREVENTABLE chronic disease: Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. Most people I know don’t practice ANY detoxing. It’s just a matter of time before chronic disease sets in, in the form of some type of cancer, heart problem, Diabetes, etc. Trust me it’s a 100% sure thing with the amount of toxins, even very careful people absorb on a daily basis.. This machine is worth it’s weight in gold. They have come way down in price as technology has gotten better: a great investment for it’s tremendous benefits. 

RICO’S ROOM

Stuck in the gym? Bust through with SUPER-SLOW WEIGHTLIFTING

CLICK BELOW:
Rico’s Room slow weights

from: http://www.whole-body-detox-diet.com

Dry skin brushing may be the single most important therapy you add to your detox program. Your skin is your largest elimination organ. It releases a pound of waste each day and will be the first organ to show symptoms of imbalance or toxicity.

The skin is often called the 3rd kidney because it eliminates a quarter of the toxins from the body (the lungs are the 2nd kidney). If your skin cannot efficiently release toxins, you may experience rashes, acne, hives, itchiness, body odor, or even eczema and psoriasis. Dead skin cells, excreted wastes and external pollution (including dirt and skin care products) can build up and clog your pores. Clogged pores inhibit your skin from effectively releasing toxins.

If toxins are unable to escape through the skin they will either be stored in fat cells, contributing to cellulite and other fatty deposits, or they will be re-circulated back into the blood stream, overworking the kidneys, liver and other detox organs. Thus a seemingly simple and easy therapy like dry skin brushing can have a huge overall impact on your whole body health.

Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing – More than a Beauty Treatment!

Everyone knows that exfoliating the skin is great for creating radiant and vibrant looking skin. But did you know it’s also an essential tool for good circulation, strengthening the immune system, stimulating the nervous system, toning the muscles and improving digestion? Here is a list of the many inspiring benefits of dry skin brushing:

• Stimulates blood and lymph flow. The lymphatic system is an important part of your cleansing and immune system. White blood cells called lymphocytes carry nutrients to cells and remove waste. The lymph flows outside of the circulatory system to bathe, cleanse and restore all of our cells, but it must be returned to the blood vessels to dump its waste. It does this through tiny lymph vessels with one-way valves to the heart. If we don’t move the lymph quickly enough we end up with swollen tissues, particularly in the ankles. Exercise, massage and skin brushing help to speed the process and clear the lymphatic system.
• Removes dead skin cells. Dry skin is a sign of detoxification. It is important to remove the dead cells to keep from clogging the system. This will also improve skin texture and renew the skin cells.
• Stimulates the hormone and oil glands. With daily brushing and bathing, the skin can produce the oil needed to stay healthy. Sweating is an important part of detoxification but when your system is clogged, you may experience foul body odor and extra work is put onto the bladder, kidneys and liver. With regular exercise and cleansing the skin, you will notice that your sweat no longer smells. However, with increased detoxing on your whole body cleanse, you may find it gets worse before it gets better.
• Reduces cellulite. I had no idea that skin brushing would lessen cellulite until I started to see it in myself! It requires daily brushing for several months to start to see results. When you massage and stimulate the skin it begins to break up the toxic deposits of stored fatty tissues that pucker the overlying skin into cellulite. Connective tissue massage and releasing stored emotions are also good treatments for cellulite.
• Strengthens the immune system. Dry skin brushing can reduce the length of infections and illness by moving the toxins more quickly through the system and stimulating the lymph to move waste matter out.
• Stimulates the nervous system, tones the muscles, tightens the skin. By stimulating nerve endings in the skin, this technique will rejuvenate your nerves and activate individual muscle fibers, resulting in toner muscles. The increased blood flow to skin, and removing of dead cells, stimulates the creation of new skin cells which tightens and regenerates overall skin health.
• Nurtures your body. Maybe one of the most important benefits of this practice is purely the pleasure of nurturing your body. It’s essential for weight loss and the healing of any bodily “dis-ease.” Spend this time, 5-15 minutes per day, giving your body the attention it craves and deserves. It works hard to support you. Giving it superior support will reward you many times over.

How to Use Your Dry Skin Brush

1. Brush your dry body before you shower or bathe, preferably in the morning.
2. Start at your feet and always brush toward your heart. Use brisk circular motions or long, even strokes.
3. Brush all the way up your legs, then over your abdomen, buttocks, and back. If you have cellulite on your hips and thighs, concentrate their a little longer. For complete dissolving of cellulite, brush for 10 minutes daily for several months.
4. Brush lightly on sensitive areas like breasts and more firmly on areas like soles of the feet.
5. When you reach your arms, begin at your fingers and brush up your arms, toward your heart. Brush your shoulders and chest down, always toward your heart.
6. Avoid brushing anywhere the skin is broken or where you have a rash, infection, cut or wound.
7. Finish by taking a shower and if you choose, use cold/hot therapy to further stimulate the lymphatic system and improve circulation.
8. Dry off vigorously and massage pure plant oils into your skin such as almond, sesame, avocado, coconut, olive or cacoa butter.

The Hot Towel Alternative

A hot towel scrub is an easy and absolutely free way to support your detox plan and experience similar benefits to dry skin brushing. All you need is a sink, hot water and a wash cloth. Daily hot towel scrubbing helps to open your pores, promote circulation and release stored toxins. This simple technique also encourages fat, mucous, cellulite and toxins to discharge through your skin rather than accumulating around deeper vital organs.

Wipe your skin first with a dry towel to remove dead cells, then use the hot wet towel to stimulate and rejuvenate your skin and organs. Scrubbing your underarms and groin will especially activate your lymphatic system.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

I added this to my regimen a few years back as soon as I found out about it. What a simple, easy way to get so many healthy benefits. The cost? … 5 to 15 minutes and a $5.00 brush! You are ramping up your skins ability to get rid of toxins efficiently which is one of the most important keys (ongoing system of detoxing) in preventing chronic disease later in life.

from www.mercola.com

Many supposed experts favor whey isolate. Here are some of the reasons I’m NOT in favor of using isolates in any protein powder… because whey isolate…

• Is derived from pasteurized dairy and processed with heat and acid.
• Goes through a process that removes the fat which in turn removes important components of whey’s immunological properties… healthful properties such as phospholipids, phosphatidylserine, and cortisol.
• Cheats you out of IgG immunoglobulins, which are excellent sources of glutamine and cysteine bound to fat globules.
• Hinders your body from effectively assimilating proteins in this isolated form.
• Is deficient in key amino acids and nutritional cofactors.

The bottom line with whey isolate… if you over-process the protein and remove the fat, you’re left with clearly inferior whey protein.

That’s why I promote whey concentrate… from raw unpasteurized milk… from grass-fed cows… and cold processed to avoid over-processing and heat damage.

Why You Should Avoid Soy Like the Plague

Many whey protein powders are not GMO free. And often at the heart of this matter is a cheap soy-based compound called soy lecithin.

If you look closely at a protein powder label and see soy lecithin listed in any form, this is something I strongly suggest you avoid. Sunflower lecithin is much preferred over soy lecithin. But if you can confirm that the soy lecithin used in the product is organic and non-GMO, it is ok, but not nearly as healthful as your whey protein should be.

There’s little doubt in my mind GMO soy lecithin is not an ingredient I would accept in anything I consume… including whey protein powder. I strongly recommend you take this approach as well.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

All protein is not created equal. You get exactly what you pay for. You are what you eat and supplement with. I used to use whey isolate for years until I discovered this kind of information. The great percentage of people using protein powders believe that ISOLATE is the best form of protein as it is noted to have a higher  bioavailability. This new info is very non mainstream knowledge that needs to get out. I doubt most protein companies would like it if it did! I would estimate that at least 95% of all supplements in a health food/supplement store are terrible for you. They are full of additives, food dyes, sugar, toxic sugar, chemicals, etc. Many of them have almost all good ingredients but are sweetened by SUCRALOSE, a toxic sweetener that has numerous health risks. One of the worst is that it kills the good gut bacteria in your stomach, resulting in an imbalance in good and bad. This results in Candida, yeast overgrowth which surfaces as over 30 DIFFERENT HEALTH PROBLEMS that a western doctor will never diagnose. Most people in our country have messed up digestive systems because of this with an inability to digest and absorb what they eat and supplement with. It also effects their immune system and production of seratonin, which primarily are located in the gut; our second brain.

The world’s biggest and most powerful agricultural companies are still trying to convince you that their soy products are healthy… but there’s a problem. It’s not traditional soy. You see, Asian farmers used to consider soy to be a type of fertilizer, not a food. They recognized that most of what’s in a soybean is indigestible to people.

They only started eating soy after discovering that natural fermentation processes make soy okay to eat. That’s why – to this day – Asian cultures ferment their soybeans in a traditional way to make soy foods like natto, miso, tempeh, edamame and tofu. It’s made by a simple process that Asian cultures have been following for thousands of years.

But this is a far cry from the soy foods made from the genetically modified, heavily processed ingredients that are in nearly every product you can buy at the market.

Instead of “soak, steam, ferment,” most food manufacturers follow an industrial crushing process called cracking that breaks down the raw, genetically modified bean to thin flakes. Then the flakes are “defatted” by percolating them like coffee in a petroleum-based hexane solvent to extract the soy oil. The remains of the flakes are toasted and ground into meal. For soy flour, the oil then goes through a process of cleaning, bleaching, degumming and deodorizing – all to remove the harmful solvents and soy’s horrible stench. The sludge that forms in the oil during storage used to be considered a waste product. Now you know it as soy lecithin. In other words, the part of the soy that’s left over as garbage after the petroleum processing and bleaching is the heart-destroying oil that makes up the trans fats in every kind of junk food you can think of. Sound like something you want to eat?

When processed like that, soy products have huge amounts of natural toxins that block food digestion, and also absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

I have preached this story for years but many people still unknowingly consume soy products on a regular basis, being conned by the soy industry, telling us it’s a health food. It’s only healthy when it’s fermented. It is an estrogen mimicker and has numerous health consequences if consumed (indigestion, hormonal imbalance, gout, thyroid problems, blood clotting, etc.) Start checking your labels. SOY LECITHIN is in almost everything you buy! Remember what it is from the above description and be wary! In today’s times the food consumer must be very knowledgeable to avoid consuming so many toxins in our food chain.

MILK IS NOT HEALTHY. Whether it’s whole, 2%, skim or any other version it still has the same things in it.

Watch this disgusting but true video on where the milk you drink most likely comes from.

WARNING: This video contains graphic images of inhumane treatment of dairy cows and their calves. May not be suitable for young or sensitive audience.

Most conventional milk comes from cows raised in intensive production systems, also known as confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). About half of the milk sold in the U.S. comes from just four percent of the farms, which are owned by a handful of large corporations.

Why CAFO Milk MUST be Pasteurized

“Pasteurized dairy is produced in the filthiest conditions imaginable. Blood, pus, and dangerous pathogens routinely end up in pasteurized milk.”

CAFO animals are given large quantities of antibiotics, vaccines, vitamins, and other potentially toxic drugs to prevent the diseases that would normally overtake them as a result of living in such filthy, overcrowded conditions. Those chemicals get passed along to you in the milk you consume. In fact, using a highly sensitive test, scientists have detected as man as 20 painkillers, antibiotics and growth hormones in samples of COWS MILK.

from www.mercola.com

As a nutritionist I am often asked about drinking milk. Most people assume that they have to drink milk or they will suffer serious illness. This could not be further from the truth. If I were to offer you a cocktail drink of pituitary hormones, steroid hormones, thyroid and parathyroid hormones, gastrointestinal peptides, growth factors, growth inhibitors, fat, cholesterol, allergenic proteins, blood, pus, antibiotics, bacteria and viruses, would you drink this? Probably not, as you know that these constituents are unhealthy for your body. Well, believe it or not, this is what you get every time you drink cow’s milk from the supermarket, but people still drink milk due to ignorance. Here are a few facts that may provide some food for thought!
Dr. George J. Georgiou, Ph.D.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

Hopefully most of you know by now what is really in milk: Don’t rush out to buy SOY MILK either as all soy, unless it’s fermented is terrible for you causing multiple health problems as well as being an estrogen mimicker. 95% of all soy is GMO and it’s in tons of products in your local grocery store. Want some great NON DAIRY substitutes? Try ALMOND DRINK, RICE DRINK and COCONUT MILK. They are all great milk substitutes and gluten free, non GMO, non dairy, packed with vitamins. If you have a well trusted source of RAW MILK, it is one of the healthiest things for you but often it’s very hard to find so as a general rule of thumb don’t do dairy. Pasteurization destroys/denatures the protein and healthy benefits of milk.