Immunity, Vitamin C, BPA-BPS, Lectins

In This Issue: 

• • Boost Your Immune System
  • Vitamin C Fights Flu & Viruses
  • BPS is NOT Safer than BPA
  • Lectin Fear Unfounded
  • More on Lectins

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!

You may not have guessed that I spend several hours most days learning about the latest health and nutrition updates. I’ve been doing it for years. Out of all the articles and books I read, podcasts I listen to, and videos I watch, I choose the ones that I think will serve you best and post them here.

I do it because I love it and I care about your health. I’ve been a nutrition nerd for 50 years – I guess that is just who I am. As I told a friend recently, this is my briar patch. It’s my happy place and I am glad to be able to share it with you.

Sometimes it is frustrating though, like when:

• a friend tells me she is going on a ketogenic diet to lower her cholesterol (OMG! And she even found “research” to support it somewhere – though I looked and couldn’t find any valid evidence)
• or when I find out that a dear friend of my family that I’ve known for over 60 years, since he was born, is dying of West Nile virus (and I know that the family have been heavy meat/fat eaters all their lives, with many of the health complications that go along with it – and no, his doctors never even tried changing his diet, or giving him mega-doses of vitamin C)
• or when I see media doctors like Dr. Mercola promoting really dangerous high-fat diets (his website recommends at least 50 to 75 percent of your daily calorie intake from FAT!!! There’s no way you could get that much fat without cutting your fruit, starchy vegetable and grain calories way back – and when you cut back on fruit and starchy vegetables, you lose so many healing phytonutrients and the fiber that is so essential for a healthy gut microbiome – not to mention the glucose that your brain, muscles, and liver so desperately need to function at their best. (BTW the ideal percent of fat, according to the doctors and researchers I’ve come to respect, is between 10 to 20 percent of your daily calories – these are the doctors actually curing people of heart disease, diabetes, and more in their clinics every day. They ALL recommend some version of a whole foods plant-based diet.)

This sort of thing literally makes me cry. Misinformation is causing so much suffering for people and so much grief for their loved ones, when the truth could set them free. And the truth IS out there, but special interests and the media obscure it, intentionally or unintentionally. Even a quick search on Google, or Duck Duck Go reveals an insane bias in favor ketogenic and “paleo” diets. They always seem to pop up at the top of the page in any nutrition search.

There is big money behind all the keto and paleo hype and some people are getting rich from it. As Dr McDougall says, “People love to hear good news about their bad habits.” One person saying it is fine to smoke, or drink, or eat a lot of fat can outweigh hundreds of valid studies to the contrary, just because they are saying what people want to hear. Hence a big pat of butter on the cover of Time Magazine, and books promoting debunked theories, like Grain Brain andThe Plant Paradox, becoming best sellers.

There is a whole industry of fake science, paid for by special interests. They can even make it look like eggs don’t raise cholesterol (they DO) by manipulating the experiment to fit their purpose! That’s why I always go back to fact check with doctors who are actually curing people with nutrition day after day –  like Drs. Barnard, Kahn, Esselstyn, Goldhamer, McDougall, Fuhrman, Campbell, and others. And of course I include Dr. Greger, because he reviews every single nutrition study in the English language, he does not take any money from special interests, and his conclusions are pretty similar to all those doctors I just listed.

So, that’s my little rant for today. I feel better now. I hope you will take the information you learn here to heart – for the sake of your heart and the rest of your body. I really don’t want you to become another statistic in our growing epidemic of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and more that could mostly be prevented by good nutrition.

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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Boost Your Immune System

Facebook and the news media are riddled with scary stories about the encroaching coronavirus, but there is a lot you can do to protect yourself without running around in a face mask everywhere you go. First of course, is eating a healthy diet that doesn’t feed viruses, like that recommended by Anthony William, the Medical Medium. It is most important to avoid eating refined sugar, eggs, and dairy products, and to keep your fats low so your liver can do the important work of keeping your blood clean.

Boosting your immune system is also important. Here are a few excellent suggestions to help with that, excerpts from Dr. Gittleman at Unikeyhealth.com (with a few tips I’ve added):

1. ELDERBERRY SYRUP [I’ve read that black elderberry is best for the coronavirus in particular – Ed.]

2. ECHINACEA

3. OIL OF OREGANO [Oregano tea is also excellent – Ed.]

4. OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT [Best in alcohol-free formula – Ed.]

5. MONOLAURIN [ ] When seeking monolaurin’s immune-supportive properties, it isn’t enough to ingest coconut oil, you must take the more concentrated form. I recommend 1500 milligrams twice daily in capsule form.

6. VITAMIN C [Liposomal vitamin C is much more potent than other forms, but even cheap ascorbic acid will help. I take 500mg/hour until symptoms subside or bowel tolerance is reached (loose stool) – Ed.]

7. VITAMIN D [2000 to 5000 IU/day – Ed.]

8. IODINE [ ] According to Dr. David Brownstein, “There is no bacteria, virus, parasite or fungus that is known to be resistant to iodine.” It can be taken in liquid form as Lugol’s solution, or in pill form as Iodoral. Aim for up to 12.5 milligrams of intake per day at the onset of symptoms. [You can also get it as liquid kelp at natural food stores. – Ed.]

9. MAGNESIUM [ ] Magnesium is in high demand in your body when you are under any kind of stress, including the physical strain of illness. Magnesium chloride, which can be applied topically either as a bath salt or made into a gel, is especially helpful because our bodies are able to tolerate higher doses. The gel is made simply by adding small amounts of water to the salts until liquified. Apply a few grams every few hours when symptoms start to help decrease duration and severity. It is important to note that your diet should be free from processed sugar while ill, because it takes more than 50 molecules of magnesium to process only one molecule of sugar. [Calm brand unflavored magnesium is recommended by Anthony William, as well as magnesium glycinate. – Ed.]

10. SELENIUM [One large Brazil nut per day supplies all you need for immunity. Do not eat more than four per day, or you can get an overdose of selenium. – Ed.]

One glaring omission in this list is ZINC – best taken in the form of zinc sulfate or ionic zinc sulfate (like Good State Ionic Zinc). If I could only take one thing to support my immunity, along with vitamin C, it would be zinc, hands down. It has made an amazing positive difference in my ability to fight off whatever bug is going around.

I would also add raw garlic, at least one clove per day. More if you can handle it. I also like Kids Wellness formula for short term (a week or two), because it seems to be very effective and it doesn’t contain alcohol. Oscillococcinum can also come in handy if you take it immediately when you start noticing flu-like symptoms.

Other than those herbs and supplements, make sure to stay well hydrated. Get plenty of sleep. If you start feeling under the weather, relax, drink lots of oregano tea with or without raw honey, and watch funny movies. Unless you are very old and/or infirm, you can handle this no problem. Remember all the hype about H1N1, Swine Flu, Ebola, etc.? Here we go again!

Article no longer online

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Vitamin C Fights Flu & Viruses

Want more information on how vitamin C can help you fight viruses. Check out these two articles on the NaturalHealth365.com website:

Studies on high-dose vitamin C oral supplementation or even intravenous delivery can feature amounts of 1,000 mg to many, many thousands of milligrams, taken multiple times per day.  Keep in mind, the “general rule” is: the sicker you are, the more you need vitamin C.

Even huge doses of vitamin C have proved harmless, so you can take as much as you can handle without getting loose stools (which can cause dehydration). Since your body uses up a lot more vitamin C when you are sick, you can usually handle quite a bit more than when you are well.

https://www.naturalhealth365.com/flu-antiviral-3296.html

Because of their findings, the researchers suggested that critically ill individuals may need as much as 3 grams (or 3,000 milligrams) of ascorbic acid per day, well over the recommended (conventional) “upper limit” of 2,000 mg and far more than most patients would normally receive in a hospitalized setting.

Yet, delivering this vitamin intravenously would likely prove more beneficial because it could increase the circulating levels of vitamin C more readily and with fewer side effects.

https://www.naturalhealth365.com/pneumonia-vitamin-c-infusion-3302.html

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BPS is NOT Safer than BPA

Now that everyone seems to be jumping off the BPA bandwagon, it may be a case of “out of the frying pan, into the fire.” What’s the next toxic alternative they use to replace BPA? Why, BPS of course! Maybe all those BPA-free cans and bottles are really no better than the BPA we’ve been trying to avoid.

From naturalhealth365.com:

The “rapid” effect of BPS on rodent cardiac function is an important finding, the study’s authors say. Why? Because it shows that BPS can induce potentially harmful health effects even after a brief single exposure – the chemical doesn’t have to “build up” in your system or bioaccumulate in order to do damage.

Meanwhile, over 90 percent of people from a range of populations test positive for BPA.  Now, thanks to a knee-jerk reaction to find an alterative to this dangerous household chemical, American consumers may be unwittingly exposing themselves and their families to yet another harmful toxin.

Indeed, BPS can be found in so many places in our daily lives: food containers, canned goods, child toys, and paper receipts (BPA can still be found in many of these, although it is banned from baby bottles by the Food and Drug Administration and banned in receipts by the European Commission).

How can you protect yourself? Avoid eating out of any sort of plastic container as much as possible. Skip the canned beans and cook them yourself – they last several days in the refrigerator, so you can cook up a bunch and eat them over several days. Never touch grocery receipts with wet hands, or after applying lotion or hand sanitizer – or just don’t take them.

Give your kids natural toys made of wood, wool (ethically sourced, of course), organic cotton, and metal. We can’t avoid all BPA and BPS, but at least we can minimize the amount we absorb from all these sources.

Read more about BPA and BPS – https://www.naturalhealth365.com/common-chemical-heart-health-3288.html

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Lectin Fear Unfounded

Along with a lot of other erroneous information published by the Keto/Paleo crowd, there is the alleged danger of lectins. Lectins are simply plant proteins that bind to carbohydrates. They are found in ALL plant foods and are highest in some of the most nutritious foods on the planet.

Unless you happen to be one of the few people with allergies to particular foods containing lectins, or a digestive sensitivity like irritable bowel syndrome, or Crohn’s disease, lectins are perfectly safe to eat and even highly beneficial.

Even if you do have one of those digestive or allergy issues, boiling food destroys lectins, so you can just make sure your beans, nightshades (tomato/potato/pepper/eggplant), grains, and fruits are well boiled.

From foodrevolution.org:

It’s true that plant lectins bind to carbohydrates, which slows down their digestion. But, in many cases, this is a good thing. It lowers the glycemic index of carbohydrates, and it contributes to the weight loss and anti-diabetes effects of beans and many other plant foods. Dr. Gundry is telling people to be afraid of eating foods like beans and many fruits and vegetables. But the plant foods that he says to avoid are, in fact, among the healthiest foods we can eat. The more of them we eat, the lower our risk for heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

A small percentage of the population does have a sensitivity to lectins, but one person’s allergy definitely does not apply to all of us. Most often, allergies and sensitivities are caused by viruses and/or an unhealthy gut microbiome. The funny thing is that the fiber from beans (one of the foods highest in lectins) is also one of the best foods to restore healthy gut bacteria. Go figure!

Read more about lectins – https://foodrevolution.org/blog/the-truth-about-lectins/

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More on Lectins – and Other Objections to a Plant-Based Diet

I included some good links to more information on Lectins, Phytates, Paleo, Keto, and other misconceptions promoted by misguided health “experts” on my plantbasedvegancoach.com website. Here’s a brief quote from the “Vegan Objections” page:

Potatoes (in the nightshade family) are highly recommended by Anthony William, and Dr. Greger strongly recommends beans. You can destroy lectins by boiling for 15 minutes, which you would always do with beans, anyway. Sprouting beans and seeds will also reduce lectin levels. In any case, I wouldn’t worry about them unless you have a serious digestive problem or mineral deficiency. Then you might want to temporarily avoid unboiled cashews, beans, and nightshades until you heal your gut.

Find out more about Lectins, Phytates, Paleo, Keto, and other misconceptions here – http://www.plantbasedvegancoach.com/what-vegans-eat/vegan-objections/