food – Page 2 – MyWellness Network

Heavy Metals In Your Diet

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Heavy metals can either be an essential part of your diet or toxic and deadly. For instance, iron is needed for blood; however, men can build up toxic levels of iron as they grow older.

Living organisms require varying amounts of “heavy metals”. Iron, cobalt, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc are required by humans. Excessive levels can be damaging to the organism. Other heavy metals such as mercury, plutonium, and lead are toxic metals and their accumulation over time in the bodies of animals can cause serious illness. Certain elements that are normally toxic are, for certain organisms or under certain conditions, beneficial. Examples include vanadium, tungsten, and even cadmium.

Heavy metal toxicity can result in damaged or reduced mental and central nervous function, lower energy levels, and damage to blood composition, lungs, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs. Long-term exposure may result in slowly progressing physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes that mimic Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis. Allergies are not uncommon, and repeated long-term contact with some metals (or their compounds) may cause cancer.
– Wikipedia

Do not eat:

Shark
Swordfish
King Mackerel
Tilefish

Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury… some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish.
– The FDA of the United States of America

Heavy Metals Song from the album Food For Thought

Is Kale Bad For You?

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In an article for The New York Times, Jennifer Berman reports on the problems with kale:

“Imagine my shock, then, at my last physical, when my doctor told me I had hypothyroidism, common in women over 40. When I got home I looked up the condition on the Internet and found a list of foods to avoid. Kale, which I juiced every morning, tops the list, followed by broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and collard greens — the cruciferous vegetables I consumed in large quantities because they are thought to prevent cancer, which runs in my family. And flax — as in the seeds — high in omega 3’s, that I sprinkled on cereal and blended in strawberry almond milk smoothies. Also forbidden: almonds and strawberries, not to mention soy, peaches, peanuts, corn, radishes, rutabaga and spinach.”

This is based on a study by Oregon State:

“Very high intakes of cruciferous vegetables…have been found to cause hypothyroidism (insufficient thyroid hormone) in animals (68). There has been one case report of an 88-year-old woman developing severe hypothyroidism and coma following consumption of an estimated 1.0 to 1.5 kg/day of raw bok choy for several months. Two mechanisms have been identified to explain this effect. The hydrolysis of some glucosinolates found in cruciferous vegetables (e.g., progoitrin) may yield a compound known as goitrin, which has been found to interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis. The hydrolysis of another class of glucosinolates, known as indole glucosinolates, results in the release of thiocyanate ions, which can compete with iodine for uptake by the thyroid gland. Increased exposure to thiocyanate ions from cruciferous vegetable consumption or, more commonly, from cigarette smoking, does not appear to increase the risk of hypothyroidism unless accompanied by iodine deficiency. One study in humans found that the consumption of 150 g/day (5 oz/day) of cooked Brussels sprouts for four weeks had no adverse effects on thyroid function.”

Q:What should you do?
A: Avoid juicing with kale and most importantly cook kale.

NPR advises:
“The goitergenics properties of kale become dramatically lessened when kale — or any other cruciferous vegetable — is cooked. (Other veggies in this category include: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kohlrabi, mustard, rutabaga, turnips, bok choy, and Chinese cabbage. Arugula, horse radish, radish, wasabi and watercress are also cruciferous vegetables.)”

More On Edible Plants

Turkey Seasoning with Healthy Herbs

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Growing some herbs on a window sill is a good way to keep eating healthy all year round. When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can increase the health benefits of your food by adding herbs to just about everything you serve.

Rosemary, thyme and sage make an excellent combination when preparing your turkey. Finely dice the herbs for inclusion in the stuffing mix. Then, create a rub for application prior to cooking. Throughout the cooking process, sprinkle herbs over the top.

You can also add fresh herbs to your other dishes. Add some parsley to mashed potatoes. Add some basil to your vegetable dishes. Keep some aloe on-hand in case of kitchen burns.

VIDEO: Turkey Seasoning Healthy Herbs — Rosemary, Thyme, Sage.mp4

Herbs for Turkey Seasoning -- Rosemary, Thyme, Sage — Herbs for Turkey Seasoning — Rosemary, Thyme, Sage

More on Foraging for Food in the Winter

Medicinal Plants

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DESPITE INCREASES in the production of synthetic drugs, natural plant drug materials are still economically significant in the united States, and large quantities are harvested in the southern Appalachian region each year for medicinal purposes. A 1962 survey of 328,599,000 new prescriptions written in the U. S. showed that 25 percent were for drugs from natural plant products. However, during the past 30 to 50 years, fewer and fewer people have been harvesting wild lants in Appalachia, which is the principal American source, mainly because of families emigrating to more prosperous areas. Between 1950 and 1960, the southern Appalachian region lost through emigration more than a million people, nearly a fifth of the population. Increases in local blue-collar employment opportunities, a growing reluctance to work in the fields and forests, scarcity of some plants because of over-collecting, and land-use changes have also reduced the natural plant harvests for drug materials.

To locate, collect, and prepare plants for market is time-consuming work. Some collectors do not know all the useful plant species and the best markets for them. This manual was prepared to help collectors identify, collect, and handle plants, plant parts, and pollen.

Not all the plants listed are marketable at all times; so the collector would do well to write to one of the collecting houses listed (table 1) for prices and information about market demand. Buyers of such material are helpful in providing other useful information on collecting.

Guide To Edible Plants

Getting Enough Calcium

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Most Americans are developing a vitamin D deficiency. Calcium intake goes hand-in-hand with Vitamin D.

Your body needs calcium to build strong bones when you are young and to keep bones strong as you get older. Everyone needs calcium, but it’s especially important for women and girls.

Girls ages 9 to 18 need 1,300 mg (milligrams) of calcium every day.
Women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium every day.
Women over age 50 need 1,200 mg of calcium every day.

Calcium can help prevent osteoporosis (weak bones).
One in 2 women and 1 in 4 men over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis (“os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis”). Some people don’t know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone.

Calcium helps to keep your bones strong and less likely to break.

Q: How can I get enough calcium?
A: There are 2 easy ways to get your calcium:

1. Eat foods with calcium every day, such as:
Fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk, yogurt, and cheese
Broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables
Tofu with added calcium
Soy-based drinks (soymilk) with added calcium
Orange juice with added calcium
2. Take a calcium pill every day. You can choose a pill that has only calcium or a multivitamin with calcium. Let your doctor know you are taking extra calcium.