Milk: The Grand Finale

Hey!

I hope that you have learned a little bit about milk from the previous postings. I am now going to switch gears and begin talking about how the body can react to it. I'm sure you are all very familiar with the term "lactose intolerance," but you are probably not as familiar with the words "cross-reactivity" and "casein." I am going to talk about what they are, how they can effect you, what the symptoms related to them are, and what products you can and cannot have. Last, but not least, we will talk about why a gluten-free and dairy-free combination diet is the solution for a lot of people who are gluten intolerant but have unresolved issues.

Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose- a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products. This happens when the small intestine doesn't produce enough of the enzyme lactase. Premature babies can have this problem because they are not fully developed, but newborn babies are usually not affected. Most children do not show symptoms until they are around 3 years old. Genetics, race, etc can cause variations in the age, but be aware of your child's reaction to dairy products around this age to catch lactose intolerance early. It is estimated that 30 million Americans have some amount of lactose intolerance by the age of 20. The symptoms of lactose intolerance include:

• Abdominal bloating
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Gas 
• Nausea

It depends on your level of lactase (enzyme) deficiency to determine if you need to reduce or completely eliminate dairy from your diet. There are tests available that will be helpful in this decision.

Next up is casein. Casein is a protein found in bovine (cow) milk and is also found in many other things as a binding agent. According to wisegeek.com, "Casein can be found in two main types: edible and technical. Edible casein is widely used in both medicine and food, both for nutritional value and as a binder. Technical casein is used in an enormous range of products, including paints, cosmetics, and many types of adhesives. A not-insubstantial number of people have a casein allergy and may find themselves experiencing negative reactions both to casein-containing food products and to products such as nail polish that contain casein." People who react to casein will more than likely be able to enjoy goat and sheep dairy products with no problems unlike those with lactose intolerance. 


So how does dairy have anything to do with gluten? Well people who have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity in general are often times put on a dairy-free diet. For gluten intolerant people, gluten and dairy go hand in hand. Here's why... People with Celiac or Gluten Sensitivity have gut damage that doesn't allow them to properly digest proteins in their food (lactose and more). Do you remember when I told you about "Leaky Gut Syndrome?" - This is the main reason. 


More than likely, you are not lactose intolerant, but you can't rule it out completely. Celiac Disease has been found to cause lactase (enzyme) deficiencies. However, in most cases, when the gut has been allowed to properly heal, the problems associated with malabsorption decrease. Most people are able to reintroduce dairy products back into their diets after 6-12 months. For some it's more like 24-36 months. 


Another issue gluten intolerant people face is "cross-reactivity." Cross-reactivity is when, after a period of time, your body starts to see other proteins, such as casein, as an "invader" just as it once thought gluten was an invader in your body. This is quite a phenomenon and in a later post, I will talk more about it and the other foods your anti-bodies begin to confuse for gluten. According to Primo Health, "Studies show that about 50% of gluten sensitive patients also have a problem with a protein called casein." As you can see, that's a large group of people so a dairy-free diet is something that needs serious consideration for those who are gluten intolerant. Who else benefits from a gluten-free/casein or dairy-free diet? People with Autism and ADHD. I will also address this at a later date, but I wanted to mention it now. 


So where do you go from here? What can you eat? Well since I have been gluten-free for about 7 months, going dairy-free was somewhat easy for me. I know that not everyone is as well disciplined as I am and I definitely will not deny that both of these diets can be very challenging. Unfortunately, if you want to reap the full benefit and regain health or determine if one of these two (or both) are the root of your problems, you must strive for perfection. No cheating allowed! Obviously no milk, cheese, yogurt, etc along with no gluten. And if you're going completely dairy-free, that means no goat or sheep products either. Those are considered dairy too! It's a little easier if you are going casein-free because remember that's cow's milk only. 


Here are a list of great alternatives for a dairy-free diet: (listed in order of personal preference)

• Coconut Milk/Yogurt
• Almond Milk/Yogurt
• Rice Milk
• Soy Milk/Yogurt/Cheese (it has it's own risks and watch for casein in it as well!)

I hope this has been helpful, especially for those who are gluten-free, but have seemed to "hit a bump in the road" or maybe haven't fully been relieved of symptoms with gluten-free by itself. If you're still having problems go dairy (or at least casein) free, if that doesn't help, stay tuned for my cross-reactivity blog! 


Besos,


Courtney 

Dairy: Part 1

Hey everyone!

Sorry I have been MIA for a while. I have been dealing with a few things and needed some time away to gather my thoughts. I began having some problems after we moved to Houston. I couldn’t figure out what was going on and I knew there had been some changes made to my supplements so I started by looking there. After trying different things, one of the two issues resolved. So then I started doing some research. I knew that people with a gluten intolerance can also face issues with dairy products so I tried dairy free for a few days and voila!... My issues were gone. Now I have to admit that this wasn’t an easy decision and not one that I wanted to make at all. I thoroughly enjoyed dairy products. Not milk, but yogurt and cheese. They were my “go-to” foods. I loved yogurt the most. Frozen or regular, no matter what flavor, I just loved it. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to have it for a while. I don’t think it will have to be a permanent change, but one that I will have to adhere to for about 6-12 months (according to my research). I had an absolute breakdown and cried about the thought of having to give it up. Hadn’t I already been through enough? Why was this happening? Couldn’t I just get a break? Well after coming to terms with it and finding some pretty great alternatives, I do what I do best. I began researching to figure out what the link between gluten and dairy is and why it affects people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. I also began to look at just how nutritious dairy products are and if it’s different in other countries ( I already knew the answer to this one).  Because my research is pretty extensive, I am going to do a “series” on milk. I would rather give you smaller amounts of information at a time rather than overwhelming your eyes with a novel on my blog.

Let’s begin.

Part 1:

I have been reading for some time now that there is a theory that “raw milk” is better for you and that it can help to heal or improve the health of people with certain illnesses. It is claimed that our pasteurized milk loses nutritional value once it endures the heat that occurs during the pasteurization process. My first thought was that this makes sense. We all know that eating cooked vegetables isn’t as nutritious as eating them raw. The heat “ruins” most of the nutritional value. I think that this is true for milk as well, although others will say differently.

According to the Organic Valley website, there are two accepted methods of pasteurization in the United States. “The first, traditional pasteurization, heats the milk to at least 165°F for 15 seconds. This is commonly referred to as "High Temperature, Short Time," or HTST pasteurization. Heating the milk removes 99.9% of the bacteria in the milk, which gives HTST milk a printed shelf life of 16 - 21 days from the date it was packaged.” The other is ultra pasteurization. “Ultra pasteurization, the most widely used pasteurization process for milk in Europe and throughout the world, is a more recently developed process. The ultra pasteurization process is often referred to as “Ultra High Temperature,” or UHT pasteurization. The UHT process heats the milk to 280° F for only two seconds, and eliminates a larger percentage of bacteria than HTST pasteurization. When coupled with sterile packaging, ultra pasteurized milk has a shelf life of 70 days from the date of processing. UHT is gaining popularity in the United States and Canada.”

So what is the reason for pasteurization? Well milk is considered sterile while inside the utters of the cow, but once it leaves, aka the cow is “milked,” there are microorganisms such as bacteria that can infect the milk. Pasteurization takes care of any of the risks associated with possible contamination by heating up the milk and killing off anything that could be potentially harmful for human consumption. These risks are all viable with raw milk so it is outlawed in most states in the U.S. Although the nutritional value may be compromised, pasteurization creates a safe drink that so many love. Because I have never enjoyed drinking milk, I am not particularly interested in which form is better because they both have pros and cons associated with them.  Here is a chart for those who might be interested:

After looking at this chart, decide what is best for you and your family. I will be talking about something that is a little closer to my heart in the next part of my series on milk-- growth hormones. Stay tuned for more information, and in the mean time, make the switch to organic milk if it's your drink of choice. That's one of the best decisions you will ever make. 

Besos,

Courtney 

Killer in the Fridge

Hello Everyone!

This is an email that I received and thought I would share. I'm sorry in advance because it is formatted in a weird way, but just read the information and ignore the fact it looks kinda crazy :)  I am working on a new post so keep an eye out for that soon! 

Please make sure to read till the end!!!

SWEET POISON...


In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick She had stomach
spasms and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major
chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much
pain.

By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was
on 24 various prescription medications. The doctors could not determine what
was wrong with her. She was in so much pain, and so sick she just knew she
was dying.

She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest
daughter's name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken
care of.

She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida (basically
in a wheelchair) for March 22nd.

On March 19, I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she
said they didn't find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.

I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister
if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she
was getting ready to crack one open that moment.

I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! I e-mailed
her an article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. My sister called me within 32
hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the
diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle spasms went away. She said she
didn't feel 100% but, she sure felt a lot better.

She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me
when she got home.

Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all
of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any
kind. In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet
soda.. and literally dying a slow and miserable death.

When she got to Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that
was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete
recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article saved her life.
**
If it says 'SUGAR FREE' on the label; DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
**
I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on
'ASPARTAME,' marketed as**'Nutra Sweet,' 'Equal,' and 'Spoonful.'
**
In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United
States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic
lupus. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to
be rampant. I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that
subject.

I will explain **why Aspartame is so **dangerous: **When the temperature of
this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, **the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME
converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes
metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire
ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple
sclerosis and systemic lupus.**

Many people were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is
not a death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!

Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis,
especially with **Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers.
**
The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or
she continues its use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may
become a life-threatening condition. We have seen patients with systemic
lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas.

In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms
disappear. We've seen many cases where vision loss re- turned and hearing
loss improved markedly.

This also applies to cases of tinnitus and **fibromyalgia**. During a
lecture, I said, 'If you are using ASPARTAME (**Nutra Sweet, Equal,
Spoonful, etc**) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms,
shooting, pains, numbness in your legs,
Cramps,Vertigo,Dizziness,Headaches,Tinnitus,Joint pain,Unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision,or memory loss you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!' People were jumping up during the lecture saying,'I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?'

Yes!
Yes!
Yes!

STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on food labels! Many
products are fortified with it! This is a serious problem. Dr. Espart (one
of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS
and during his recent visit to a hospice; a nurse stated that six of her
friends, who were heavy **Diet Coke** addicts, had all been diagnosed with
MS. This is beyond coincidence!

Diet soda is** NOT** a diet product! **It is a chemically altered, multiple
SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave
carbohydrates.**

**It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!**

**These products also contain formaldehyde**, which stores in the fat cells,
particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and
is used primarily to preserve 'tissue specimens.'

**Many products we use every day contain this **chemical** but we SHOULD NOT
store it IN our body!

Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the** 'diet
products**' and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost
an average of 19 pounds over a trial period.
**
Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics. We found that some
physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact,
had symptoms caused by Aspartame. The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out
of control. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that
aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other
amino acids necessary for a good balance.

Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, the
Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the
neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage,** Seizures,
Depression, Manic depression, Panic attacks, Uncontrollable anger and rage.

Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as
well. Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children
diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their behavior
when these chemicals have been removed from their diet.

So called 'behavior modification prescription drugs' (Ritalin and others)
are no longer needed.Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first
place!

Most of these children were being 'poisoned' on a daily basis with the very
foods that were 'better for them than sugar.'

It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke
and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be
partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome.

Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation,
if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy. Children are
especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given
artificial sweeteners.

There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering
grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances talking about a
plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly
poison.'

Herein lies the problem: There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame
was included in 100 different products and strong ob-jection was made
concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two
subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical
lobbies have very deep pockets.

Sadly, MONSANTO'S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over 5,000
products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be
thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a 'piece of the Aspartame pie.'

I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it
is.

And isn't it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes
Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the
American College of Physicians?

This has been recently exposed in the New York Times. These [organizations]
cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they
take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their
products.

Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require
label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding
pregnant women, children and infants.

The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and
the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes
in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms.
**The bill was killed.
**
It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for
this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and
uninformed public. Well, you're informed now!

Besos,

Courtney 

The Unhealthy Truth

Hey guys!

I wanted to let you know about a great book that is a must-read! It is full of great information, it's easy to read, and you can sense her passion through her writing. Robyn O'Brien, a mother of four children who all have food allergies, gives her account on how to deal with them, as well as, providing all sorts of connections and corruption with our food industry. If you are looking for a book to read for the summer, I would highly recommend it!

Besos,

Courtney 

Baby Steps

Hello!


Are you like most people making the switch over to organic but totally freaked out by the cost of it? Well the Environment Working Group (EWB) has come out with an updated list of the cleanest and dirtiest fruits and vegetables this year. This is based on the amount of pesticides these hold. Obviously fruits and vegetables with a thinner skin are going to absorb more than those with a hard outer shell. So here it is!


The Dirty Dozen:
1) Apples                 7) Nectarines
2) Celery                  8) Grapes
3) Strawberries         9) Bell Peppers
4) Peaches              10) Potatoes
5) Spinach              11) Lettuce
6) Nectarines          12) Kale/ Collard Greens


^ So make sure you buy these organically because it means that they were never treated with pesticides/herbicides so you can eat them worry free!


The Clean Fifteen:
1) Onions                 9) Cantaloupe
2) Corn                   10) Kiwi
3) Pineapples          11) Cabbage
4) Avocado            12) Watermelon
5) Asparagus          13) Sweet Potatoes
6) Sweet Peas         14) Grapefruit
7) Mangos              15) Mushroom
8) Eggplant


^ Until you are able to purchase everything organic, you will be okay with eating these non-organically. Most have a protective barrier so little or no pesticides reach the inside. 


I know it's hard to find organic produce in some areas or the cost may scare you off, but think about your health and the health of your family the next time you are at the supermarket. In a recent news, it has been found that fruits and vegetables contain 2+ pesticides each, and there has also been a link made between pesticides and children affected by ADHD. Hufingtonpost.com reports that, "with the latest news that ADHD in children is linked to common pesticides used on fruits and vegetables, it is more important than ever to be aware of what we are putting on our plates. Of the 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides used annually in the US, less than .01% actually reach their intended targets--the bugs! Obviously they are completely contaminating our food, and the consequences are disastrous, with numerous national and international government agencies acknowledging the connection to various health problems--nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone system effects, and irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs among them." 


Take steps toward a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't have to happen all at once. Look at the things you eat the most or the top 5 things on the "Dirty Dozen" list and start your organic journey there. Good luck to you all! 


Besos, 


Courtney 

E Coli: Corn vs Grass

Hey guys!


So I must say that I have been reading and learning so much information that I feel overwhelmed- in a good way! My head is spinning and my emotions are all over the place, but it's ok because I know that I am supposed to be doing what I am doing! After the European E Coli scare, I really started thinking about why they don't just make a few obvious changes and put an end to E Coli as we know it. I know that it wouldn't be easy because it would affect too many pocketbooks - aka the meat producers and government - but who cares! Is our health and safety really not worth it?


In a 1998! (that's 13 years ago) study done by Cornell, they look the differences in corn vs grass fed beef. I don't know where you are, but in Texas this is a big deal. We are all about eating a big, juicy steak the size of our plate. I, on the other hand, am thinking - and have been thinking for some time - about becoming vegetarian or vegan. Meat has honestly started grossing me out, especially with the amount of information that I have learned!


I want to start out by giving you the overview of E Coli.Their article states that, "E Coli is a normal bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, and most types are not harmful." So after reading that, I wondered what could cause it to be harmful. I am not oblivious to what happens in today's beef industry with the over-crowded feedlots, the use of anti-biotics and hormones, and corn fed diets. I feel that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this stuff out, but hey, let's just look at the facts. So how did corn-fed diets for cattle become such the go-to diet anyways? Last time I checked, cows were supposed to eat grass. Well during WWII, farmers were producing more grain than the US population could eat so they started feeding it to cattle. They soon realized that they could fatten them up a lot faster for slaughter with grain (corn). During that time, it would take 4-5 years to fatten a cow to 1,200 pounds, but with the discovery of feeding them corn, it cut the time to 14-16 months. Wow! That is so great, right? Well it sounds great, but what are the effects?


Healthytheory.com states that, "the stomachs of cows are naturally pH neutral. A corn-based diet, however, creates an acidic environment that contributes to a host of health problems. Corn-fed cattle are prone to serious health conditions such as bloat, diarrhea, ulcers, liver disease, and a weakened immune system. To combat these health problems, cattle are continually fed antibiotics, which leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that increasingly render modern medicine ineffective." All I can say is... the poor cows! So they are suffering, and we are ruining their digestive and immune systems in the process. Sounds like the kind of cow I want to get my meat from. A sick one. - Total sarcasm. 


I would think we would want them at optimal health so that we can get the healthiest product to feed to consumers, but it's all a money game. So where does E Coli come in with all of this? Well corn leads to a very acidic intestinal tract which is a perfect home for E Coli. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, states that "the lethal strain of E. coli known as 0157:H7 is believed to have evolved in the gut of feedlot cattle. The development of a more acidic environment in cows’ intestinal tracts created an acid-resistant strain of the pathogen, which is able to survive the acidic conditions of the human stomach and prove fatal." In the documentary Food, Inc., Pollan states that switching feedlot cattle to a grass diet would eliminate 80 percent of the E. coli in the cows’ digestive tracts. 


E Coli 0157:H7 can lead to bloody diarrhea and kidney failure in humans, that ultimately, could lead to death if not treated immediately. That's such a scary situation, but it happens more often than we think. Sure, we have had big outbreaks of E Coli here in the States just like they did in Europe, but what people aren't getting is that there are people that die, here in the United States, all the time from E Coli. Just a few weeks ago, a 2 year old girl and her older brother were both hospitalized for E Coli. The little girl did not survive, but her older brother was able to pull through. It's heartbreaking that preventative changes could be made, but they're not. 


Next time you're in the grocery store, look for organic, grass-fed beef. I know you can get it at Whole Foods and other specialty stores. Make sure it's hormone and antibiotic free also. Antibiotic use is another topic that I could talk about forever, but I will shorten it for your sake, and just say that it doesn't help E Coli. At all. Don't let the media and other people make you think that E Coli comes from vegetables or that you should avoid them at all costs either! Vegetables, cannot produce it, but they can definitely transport it if they are contaminated with some corn-fed, E Coli tainted manure. Reduce the risk and eat beef that's grass-fed (or no beef at all). You're less likely to eat an E Coli burger that way!


Besos,


Courtney