Calcium, High-Carb, Protein, Eggs, Endocrine Disruptors

Calcium, High-Carb, Protein, Eggs, Endocrine Disruptors

In This Issue: 

• • Best Non-Dairy Calcium Sources
  • Take THAT Anti-Carb Promoters!
  • Dr. Greger on Protein
  • Dangerous Eggs!
  • Avoiding Endocrine Disruptors

You’ll Find More Fascinating Health Posts my Facebook Page –

facebook.com/HealItAll/ – and lots of great recipes in my

Whole Foods Plant-Based, Gluten Free Diet & Recipes Group

Message from Bernadette Wulf

Greetings and Happy New Year!

I don’t think too many people will be sorry to see 2020 fading away in their rear view mirror. It was quite a challenging year, but we made it through. Congratulations!

I have a feeling things are going to smooth out a bit as we swing into 2021, but the world will never be the same. We’ve all learned a lot. Some have lost a lot. A few have profited a lot. I am hoping that you have gained more than you lost and that maybe some of the articles you’ve read here have given you tools to stay healthy and maintain your peace of mind. I wish you the very best in the year ahead.

This month we’ve tackled several misconceptions promoted by the meat, dairy and egg industries. Specifically, these articles debunk their claims about the value of dairy for calcium, high-protein diets, and health benefits of eggs. I even added some handy recipe links to help you bring in the new year with a healthy boost of calming calcium.

The other two articles focus on protecting your endocrine system from toxic chemicals in your surroundings, and a fascinating dietary experiment where a refined carb diet was found to be the surprising cure for many of our most common degenerative diseases. Find out why in the second article.

Have questions or comments? Email Bernadette <— Please use this link and do not hit reply to this post, because I may never get your message that way.

To your health and happiness!

Bernadette Wulf

HealItAll.com & Plant Based for Life

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Best Non-Dairy Calcium Sources

The dairy industry has spent millions of dollars on advertising aimed at getting us to connect calcium with milk and other dairy products. Sure, there is some calcium in dairy, but there’s also a lot of phosphorous which can cause you to lose more calcium than you absorb. That’s one reason why statistics show that populations with the highest intakes of dairy products also have the highest rates of osteoporosis.

The good news is that there are much better ways to get your daily calcium. Here are some of the top food sources:

1. Dark leafy greens – Go for the source. Cows get their calcium from leafy greens and so can we. In fact, without all the phosphorous in milk we will end up getting more usable calcium from greens.

The #1 plant source of calcium is Collard greens! You are in luck today, because they are a traditional New Year’s Day food along with black eyed peas. Start out the New Year right with this delicious recipe – https://minimalistbaker.com/smoky-instant-pot-black-eyed-peas-greens-vegan/#wprm-recipe-container-72311  

2. Plant-based milk – Most commercial plant milks are fortified with calcium, which usually isn’t the most easily assimilated form. In fact, unless it is sourced from plants, calcium can end up lining your arteries with plaque rather than strengthening your bones. I wouldn’t recommend any calcium supplement unless it is derived from plants.

The MK-7 form of Vitamin K2 can help send calcium where it belongs in your body and even help clear calcium deposits out of your arteries. You might want to take it as a supplement if you’ve been using non-plant sourced calcium supplements or calcium fortified foods.

3. Almonds – Of course, you can easily make your own plant-based milk out of almonds and bypass the artificial calcium fortification. Or just eat a handful of almonds now and then if you are not concerned about gaining weight. Recipe for almond milk – https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-almond-milk/

4. Tahini – One of my favorite foods is raw, organic Artisana Tahini. It is great for salad dressings and it adds a “cheezy” flavor to sauces. It is even high in lignans that help your body fight cancer.

Here’s my go-to salad dressing recipe:

• 1 heaping Tb. Tahini
• Juice of 1 lime or half a lemon (adjust to taste)
• 1 Tbs. Coconut Aminos (adjust to taste)
• 1 large clove of garlic squeezed through a garlic press
• 1/2 tsp. Italian herbs

5. Chia seeds – Try making chia pudding! It’s a fun way to get more chia seeds into your diet. Chia jam is great too. Up your calcium even more with this chia plus almond milk pudding – https://healthysubstitute.com/chia-pudding-almond-milk

6. Dried Figs – Make your own homemade fig bars for a delicious way to up your calcium intake – https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/fig-cookies

7. Oranges – According to Anthony William, the Medical Medium, oranges are the most bioavailable source of calcium. And don’t be afraid to drink fresh squeezed OJ – just don’t combine it with high-fat foods. Fats, even from a previous meal, will block the ability of cells to absorb the all-important glucose they need for fuel. That can lead to blood sugar issues like hypoglycemia and diabetes.

Ideally, save your fatty foods for dinner and go fat free most of the day. That will give your liver a chance to clear excess fats out of your body and help stabilize blood sugar.

By the way, if you eat a lot of high phosphorous foods like meat, fish, dairy, nuts and grains (generally high protein foods) you will need to consume more calcium to balance it out. Vegan recommendations for calcium are about 600 mg./day, while recommendations for meat eaters are about 1000 mg.

Read more about where to get your calcium at – https://billionvegans.com/vegan-calcium-sources/

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Take THAT Anti-Carb Promoters!

Lately, carbohydrates have been made the biggest boogie man in the nutrition world, but a lot of people would be surprised to discover that a high-carb diet is exactly what might cure what ails them. Though extremely low in protein and fat (the darlings of the Keto craze), this experimental diet turned out to have almost miraculous healing abilities.

From drmcdougall.com:

Kempner’s Rice Diet program began at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina in 1939. The treatment was a simple therapy of white rice, fruit, juice, and sugar, and was reserved for only the most seriously ill patients. Although low-tech, the benefits of the Rice Diet far exceed those of any drug or surgery ever prescribed for chronic conditions, including coronary artery disease, heart and kidney failure, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and obesity.

Wondering how this refined foods diet could possibly cure chronic diseases? Looking at all the diseases listed, it is obvious to me that they all have something in common. They are degenerative diseases caused by the typical high-fat, high-protein diet that is idealized in the Western World.

White rice, sugar and fruit juice might be a great stop-gap measure in a life-threatening situation, but a much better solution would be to prevent these diseases from occurring in the first place by cutting WAY back on fats in particular and protein too for most meat eaters.

Read more about why you should be eating whole-food carbs vs. excess fats and protein – https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2013nl/dec/kempner.htm

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Dr. Greger on Protein

Speaking of protein, here’s a study that shows how diets high in meat, eggs, and dairy could be as harmful to health as smoking – Animal Protein Compared to Cigarette Smoking.

Protein is so misunderstood these days, thanks to the meat industry propaganda that has been pushing us for decades to eat more and more meat (which they want us to equate with protein – though it could just as easily be equated with fat). For the real truth about protein, and other nutritional needs, let’s go to a source that is not out to make a profit.

Dr. Greger and his team of researchers have no ties to commercial food or pharmaceutical interests. They review all the nutrition studies in the English language, weed out the junk science and biased studies, and share their findings with us in brief, clear reports.

Here are some of their findings: Do Vegetarians Get Enough Protein? and The Great Protein Fiasco.

And there is a lot more! See:

• Prostate Cancer Survival: The A/V Ratio
• Methionine Restriction as a Life Extension Strategy
• Which Type of Protein Is Better for Our Kidneys?
• Caloric Restriction vs. Plant-Based Diets
• Putrefying Protein and “Toxifying” Enzymes
• Alkaline Diets, Animal Protein, and Calcium Loss
• Meat Consumption and the Development of Type 1 Diabetes

What about the rumors that plant protein is incomplete? See The Protein Combining Myth.

I hope all this information sets your mind at ease about getting enough protein. Even if you lived on nothing but potatoes and leafy greens you would get all the protein you need, along with everything else you need aside from vitamins B12 and D. Stick to whole foods and you will get plenty of protein as long as you consume enough calories.

Watch video on truth about protein here – https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flashback-friday-increasing-protein-intake-after-age-65/

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Dangerous Eggs!

Though often promoted as the perfect food, it turns out that eggs are only a perfect food for chick embryos. For humans, it looks like they can cause a lot of health issues including breast and prostate cancer.

From NaturalHealth365.com:

Researchers have linked egg consumption to several other types of cancer as well.  Unequivocal evidence from multiple trials suggests a strong association between eggs and the risk of developing ovarian, colon, prostate, bladder, and stomach cancer. The question is, why are there so few people who know about this? 

Dr. Greger has lots to say about eggs too:

Here’s another one about the link between eggs and cancer: https://nutritionfacts.org/2020/08/13/what-explains-the-egg-cancer-connection/

Bottom line, if you are looking for the perfect food, potatoes and sweet potatoes come a lot closer than eggs, but why not just eat a variety of delicious whole plant foods?

Read more about eggs and cancer – https://www.naturalhealth365.com/breast-cancer-risk-shocking-truth-3656.html

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Avoiding Endocrine Disruptors

When your endocrine system is disrupted your hormones get out of whack and all sorts of health issues can result. Unfortunately, we are surrounded with toxins that can disrupt endocrine functions. This excellent article explains some of the hows and whys, and more importantly some ways to avoid exposure to endocrine disrupters.

Excerpts from theartofantiaging.com:

Some chemicals mimic natural hormones. This means they can trick your body into responding to a hormone that isn’t actually present. This could result in an over-response or in your body responding inappropriately.

Other chemicals can stimulate or repress your endocrine system, which leads to your body either overproducing or underproducing certain hormones.

Some chemicals will even block the receptor sites for hormones. This means that even if your body is producing the right amount of a specific hormone, it can’t bind to the receptor to have its intended effect.

The article goes on to describe some of the most dangerous endocrine disruptors and how to avoid them. Excerpted from a more detailed list:

#1- BPA – How to Avoid: Look for BPA-free products, or better yet, avoid plastic altogether as much as possible. Especially avoid plastics that are labeled PC or #7. BPA also hides in the lining of food cans, so be on the lookout. [Also avoid handling cash register receipts, especially with wet hands. – Ed.]

#2- Dioxin – How to Avoid: You can’t avoid dioxins completely. However, because they accumulate in the food chain, animal products typically have the highest amounts. Eating more plant food can help.

#3- Atrazine – How to Avoid: Atrazine is most commonly a water contaminant. Have your drinking water tested for it (and other chemicals). If needed, use a water filter that specifically takes out atrazine.

#4- Phthalates – How to Avoid: The best way to avoid phthalates in cosmetics is to look for those actually labeled “phthalate-free.” Stay away from anything that simply has “fragrance” listed because that could be hiding any number of chemicals. Also, avoid using plastic food containers, plastic wrap, and any plastic labeled #3.

#5- Perchlorate – How to Avoid: It’s pretty much impossible to avoid perchlorate in food, but you can have your water tested for it. If it’s found in your water, you can install something like a reverse osmosis water filter. Ensuring that you get a good amount of iodine in your diet can also help negate the effects of perchlorates.

#6- Fire Retardants – How to Avoid: It’s impossible to avoid PBDEs completely. You can use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to cut down on toxins that may already be present in your home. You can also look for furniture (specifically couches) with no flame retardant materials.

#7- Lead – How to Avoid: Carefully get rid of any old lead paint, especially if it’s crumbling. Lead can also enter drinking water, so get it tested and filtered if necessary.

#8- Arsenic – How to Avoid: Water and rice are the two most likely places to find arsenic. Test and filter your water, and rinse rice well before cooking it.

#9- Mercury – How to Avoid: Mercury is most often found in contaminated seafood. Wild-caught salmon are often the best choice. Women may wish to avoid seafood altogether during pregnancy. [Also found in silver-mercury amalgam dentil fillings – consult a holistic dentist about whether you need to have them removed. – Ed.]

#10- Perfluorinated Chemicals – How to Avoid: Stay away from nonstick cookware (and microwave popcorn). Avoid using stain-resistant treatments on furniture and/or carpet.

#11- Organophosphates – How to Avoid: Organophosphate pesticides remain some of the most commonly used in conventional farming. Buy and eat organic whenever possible.

#12- Glycol Ethers – How to Avoid: Use natural and non-toxic cleaners and avoid ingredients such as 2-butoxyethanol (EGBE) and methoxydiglycol (DEGME) like the plague. [Glycols are often used in pharmaceutical drugs and personal care products. Check labels before ingesting, putting on your skin, or allowing these to be injected into your body. – Ed.] 

Read more about endocrine disruptors and how to clear them out of your body here – https://theartofantiaging.com/dangers-of-endocrine-disruptors