Caffeine 

Sally Fallon Morrell writes that . . .

caffeine stresses the adrenal glands, which can weaken the corresponding muscle groups on the same neurological circuit. Caffeine can weaken the psoas muscle, also called the hip flexor. In addition, by revving up our fight or flight response, caffeine drains our healing Qi energy stores. If caffeine does not stimulate you, it’s a sign that your stress-handling system is already exhausted and is now in the danger zone. “I find that once I get my patients off caffeine for a month or more,” says Kan, “they regain the ability to produce the proper neurochemicals in response to caffeine. In other words, they start feeling jittery again (adrenaline rush) whenever they consume caffeine.” Interestingly, caffeine is the most common cross-reactor to gluten.

Lori Lipinski writes that . . .  

Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands, leading eventually to adrenal exhaustion and symptoms like fatigue, lack of physical endurance and stamina, impaired ability to deal with stress, depressed immune system, allergic reactions, weight gain, low blood pressure, dizziness and lightheadedness or blacking out when standing up. Caffeine also stimulates the liver to release more sugar in the blood stream and further stresses the body’s delicate sugar-regulating mechanism. Besides creating major hormonal imbalances in the body, caffeine also impairs calcium absorption. This is a major concern for children who consume a lot of soft drinks while their bones are still developing.

Sally Fallon Morrell & Dr. Mary Enig write that . . . 

When people indulge in caffeine at toxic levels, the amount found in two to three cups of coffee or more, they can experience anxiety, headaches, dehydration, tremors, heart palpitations and nausea. The problem of caffeine overload is particularly harmful to still-developing teenagers and people with heart conditions. More than half the calls made to poison control centers regarding caffeine over indulgence were made on behalf of young people under the age of nineteen. Regular sodas also contain caffeine—a visit to Starbucks, a soft drink, an energy drink, a bar of chocolate can all add up to a life-threatening jolt to the adrenal glands and a trip to the emergency room.

Sylvia Onusic writes that . . . 

The average American drinks over twentysix gallons of coffee a year. Coffee contains caffeine and over three hundred other chemicals. Cola drinks also contain caffeine along with a large dose of sugar or aspartame. Caffeine is addictive, increasing homocysteine, dopamine, cortisol, energy metabolism and norephinephrine, while reducing the blood flow in the brain and decreasing serotonin levels.⁷⁵

Caffeine causes insulin spikes and increased blood sugar in diabetics or prediabetics. Caffeine will cause a small rise in blood sugar after meals. It causes urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium and potassium and thus affects brain metabolism. Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic. At high doses it can worsen anxiety and trigger mania or psychosis, confusion, headache, seeing flashes, psychomotor agitation and depression. 

Tom Cowan writes that . . . 

Since the adrenal glands, specifically the adrenal cortex (the outer portion of the adrenal gland), produce protective cardiotonics, an important strategy in protecting yourself against heart attack is to strengthen the ability of this important gland to work properly.

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and related substances in coffee, tea and chocolate. Caffeine causes the adrenal medulla (the inner part of the adrenal gland) to produce adrenaline. In response, the adrenal cortex must produce a host of corticoid hormones that bring the body back into homeostasis. Repeated jolts of caffeine can lead to adrenal burnout, a situation in which the adrenal cortex is unable to produce the myriad of protective and healing substance for the body, including the cardiotonics.

Tim Boyd writes that . . . 

[Jason] Christoff goes into some detail on one chemical which most people are addicted to. Healthy plants do not suffer greatly from insects because they have a natural insecticide. Coffee plants have this. It is called caffeine. It may not kill anybody immediately but continuous accumulated exposure will cause problems eventually. Human metabolism and energy increase the same way with caffeine as with any low level poison in the system. This raises a few questions which he didn’t address. If all healthy plants have some form of natural insecticide, what are the implications for a healthy diet? Not all plants have the same effect on human metabolism as coffee so is there something else affecting us besides the insecticide component of caffeine? My curiosity is not completely satisfied here but it is an interesting point.

Julia Indichova writes that . . . 

Here is another equally troubling invitation: “Drink coffee. . . and alcohol in moderation. . .we didn’t see any effects on fertility at moderate levels of caffeine intake, which is the equivalent of three to four cups of coffee a day.” The interested reader will indeed find a number of sources documenting the adverse effects of caffeine, including higher miscarriage rates (Bolumar et al.,1997, 145(4):324-34), increased blood pressure, excessive urinary excretion of magnesium, potassium and calcium (essential nutrients for maintaining a healthy pregnancy), to name a few. And if none of these findings were convincing, when attempting to create a most welcoming environment for new life, wouldn’t it make more sense to abstain from ingesting a substance that leads to physical dependency serious enough to result in withdrawal symptoms?

Weston A. Price Foundation Administrator writes that . . . 

There has been recent interest in coffee and dark chocolate as “exemplary foods” for their antioxidant content. Dr. Weil wrote an article in Time Magazine advocating the consumption of seven or eight cups of coffee for everyone. There is a fundamental flaw in this reasoning. Yes, they do indeed provide antioxidants, but this benefit is overwhelmed in chocolate by the added sugar (the chocolate bean is bitter and it is the addition of sugar that provides its characteristic taste and makes it addictive) and the caffeine in coffee. For this reason, they are not the best sources of antioxidants.

Caffeine excites brain cells to function and consumes cellular energy, thus giving a false impression of “more energy.” This consumption of cellular energy often occurs in a person whose cells are already struggling to meet energy demands. I have seen hundreds of patients for whom these commodities are the cause of their symptoms. Of course, it depends on the individual sensitivity. I saw a polysymptomatic woman who drank two cups of coffee a day. I asked her to stop. She said, “That is absurd, my husband drinks seven cups and he is fine.” I said, “Well, you will never know unless you try it,” and she did. During the next forty-eight hours an extremely severe headache kept her in bed. The headache cleared and after that her symptoms disappeared. I admit that this was unusual but since we never know the individual biology, how many people suffer without anyone suggesting the possibility? I have seen hundreds of patients with PMS and 90 percent were addicted to chocolate and coffee. With withdrawal of the offending substances and the addition of a few vitamins, the PMS invariably disappeared.

CNSF cleans out your brain.

Obamacare Destroys Competition in Business


from Amazon . . . 

The Affordable Care Act will have a dangerous effect on the American economy. That may sound like a political stance, but it’s actually a simple financial fact borne out by economic forecasts.  In Side Effects and Complications, preeminent labor economist Casey B. Mulligan brings to light the dire economic realities that have been lost in the ideological debate over the ACA, and he offers an eye-opening and accessible look at the costs that American citizens will pay because of it.

Looking specifically at the labor market, Mulligan reveals how the costs of health care under the ACA actually create implicit taxes on individuals, as the increased costs to employers will be passed on to their employees. Mulligan shows how, as a result, millions of workers will find themselves in a situation in which full-time work, adjusted for the expense of health care, will actually pay less than part-time work or even not working at all. Analyzing the incentives—or lack thereof—for people to earn more by working more, Mulligan offers projections on how many hours people will work and how productively they will work, as well as how much they will spend in general. Using the powerful tools of economic forecasting, he then illustrates the detrimental consequences this will have on overall unemployment in the next several years.
 
Drawing on extensive knowledge of the labor market and the economic theories at its foundation, Side Effects and Complications offers a crucial wake-up call about the risks posed by the ACA for the economy. Plainly laying out the true costs of the ACA, Mulligan’s grounded and thorough predictions are something that workers and policy makers cannot afford to ignore.

Retinol Vitamin A Indispensable for Hearing Loss

Well, the more I read the better I am informed.  I can't always say that.  I read lots of articles and reports that are false, misleading, or oversell a vitamin or food.  Lots of misinformation out there that needs a conflicting opinion and some revision.  The other type of reports I come across consist of omitted data.  For example, when science and nutrition reporters tell us that Vitamin A is excellent for eyesight, they often point to the Vitamin A found in fruits and vegetables or phytonutrients, that nutrient being beta-carotene.  There are at least two kinds of Vitamin A that I am aware of--Retinol Vitamin A you get from animal meats and Beta Carotene Vitamin A obtained from fruits and vegetables, carrots being the most often hyped vegetable for its Vitamin A content. 

I found an article on the value of Vitamin A from Bill Sardi through Sally Fallon.  Fallon's article is elegant, concise, and to the point.  Sardi's article presents the data behind the finding--that Retinol Vitamin A is essential for treatment and to reverse hearing loss.  But a lot depends on those terms.  And not just Vitamin A Retinol tablets once or twice a week, though I am sure that even that small amount would work, but incorporating Vitamin A into daily meals.  See the list of Retinol Vitamin A foods below.  Not as difficult as you might first think.  Do you like liver--chicken or beef liver?  That is your Retinol Vitamin A powerhouse. Powerhouse because the other Vitamin Bs in liver produce a beautiful effect on muscle, nerves, and other tissue.  Also, fish oils.  Not all fish oils are created equal.  "Fish Oils" means you get all the parts of a fish, liver, brains, kidneys, everything.  Some manufacturers claim superior purity, but will have no liver in their fish oils.  It sounds to me that the liver of the fish is what you're after when you want Retinol Vitamin A.

First, here is Fallon's article published in October 2014, six months ago:

In these pages, we often report on vitamin A—that most necessary of all nutrients, found in very high levels in primitive diets but declared toxic by modern dietary authorities. Vitamin A supports vibrant health in so many ways—from formation and development of the fetus to hormone production to healthy eyes, skin and bones. A new report summarizes research showing that vitamin A supports a preventive, therapeutic and even regenerative role in hearing loss, and can even allay tinnitus—ringing in the ears. For example, a French study from as early as 1823 found that hearing levels were better among those who consumed the most vitamin A and also vitamin B12 from various foods, including red meat. A 1984 European study reported a 5-15 decibel improvement in patients with age-related hearing loss when given vitamins A and E. Other researchers reported that vitamin A deficiency results in a decline in the number of sensory cells in the nose, tongue and inner ear. A 1993 study reported in Science found that vitamin A can stimulate the regeneration of mammalian auditory hair cells. In 2009, Japanese researchers found that adults with the highest blood serum levels of vitamin A and carotenoids have the lowest risk for hearing loss. And, in 2014, researchers determined that vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy, especially during the early stages of fetal development “may predispose offspring to inner ear malformations and sensorial hearing loss.” These studies and several others are detailed in a fascinating report by Bill Sardi at knowledgeofhealth.com, May 21, 2014.

Next, here are a few key points from Sardi's article:

In the 1993 Science report researchers said: “sensorial hearing loss resulting from the loss of auditory hair cells is thought to be irreversible in mammals.  This study provides evidence that retinoic acid (Vitamin A) can stimulate the regeneration in vitro [in a lab dish] of mammalian auditory hair cells” in poisoned ear tissues of the lab rat.  “These results provide hope for recovery of hearing function in mammals after auditory hair cell damage,” said the report.  [Science April 30, 1993].  

FOOD SOURCES of VITAMIN A ABSORB READILY

Eat raw butter, egg yolks, liver from animals, cod liver oil, and heavy cream from grassfed cows.

What are true vitamin A foods – the foods that give the body retinol, not carotenes?

Liver from any animal, enjoy pasture-raised liver 2-3 times per week or take desiccated liver capsules daily.

    

     Fermented Cod Liver Oil, which is higher in vitamins (I recommend the Cinnamon Tingleflavor).    

     

     Regular Cod Liver Oil, the Weston A Price Foundation suggests this specific brand of cod liver oil capsules if the fermented option cannot be purchased. (However, there is some controversy that this cod liver oil is now stripped of the naturally-occurring vitamins during processing.)

     

     Egg yolks from hens foraging in pasture, ideally enjoy 2-4 egg yolks per day (Don’t worry about the cholesterol).

    

     Butter from grassfed cows. 

    

     Heavy cream from grassfed cows.

Sardi continues:

Another report said: “morphological (form and structure) experiments reveal different and in some ways contradictory results, but they showed that vitamin A seems to be essential for inner ear morpohogenesis.”  [Z Ernahrungswiss (European Journal Nutrition) June 1984].

. . .

By 1990 researchers fed two groups of guinea pigs a vitamin A-deficient and supplemented diet and reported that the vitamin A-fed group had greater sensitivity to sounds.  [Journal NutritionJuly 1990].  The researchers puzzlingly concluded that Vitamin A may increase the probability of noise-induced hearing loss without recognizing Vitamin A must be regenerative in some manner.  

VITAMIN A INJECTIONS?  A POWERFUL OPTION SAYS SARDI . . . 

In 2012 researchers at the University of Southern California reported on the use of Vitamin A injections (200,000 international units) among poorly nourished school children in Nepal.  It is assumed frequent childhood inner-ear infections would induce hearing loss.  Among children who had experienced inner ear infections, the Vitamin A-treated children were 42% less likely to have experienced hearing loss than non-vitamin-treated children.  [British Medical Journal Jan. 10, 2012]

"liver provides . . . An unidentified anti-fatigue factor."

Because of its Retinol A content and its saturation of important Vitamin Bs, liver maybe the best food for any kind of repair--from injury, from illnesses, from regular sports workouts.  

Two authors that I love are Sarah Corriher and her brother C. Thomas Corriher over at Healthwyze.  Ever since I followed their recommendation on removing a kidney stone with lemon juice and olive oil I was a convert.  From that point on I could not believe the wealth of knowledge they have at their site.  And it is well-visited and well-viewed.  They have plenty of healthy traffic, commentors and a few products to sell.  I love their site.  

At their site I found an article on the nutritional benefits of liver.  They argued that because the livers are the organ that filters out disease and toxic substances that the livers themselves may not be so edible.  The article was titled "Quick Tip: You Should Never Eat Liver."  I commented about it here. And I think that they are right.  That the organ meats, and especially the liver, should not be eaten regularly. But gosh darn it all if I don't feel better and fortified after each time I eat chicken livers.  I always feel better. Whether that is because I am on occasion Vitamin B deficient I don't know.  But every time I eat chicken livers my muscles and nerves feel great.  

Writing for Weston A. Price, Lynn Razaitis refers to livers as "a sacred food."  She writes:

Since history began, “liver has ranked above all other offal as one of the most prized culinary delights. Its heritage is illustrious–whether savored by young warriors after a kill or mixed with truffles and cognac for fine patés de foie gras.” So write Margaret Gin and Jana Allen, authors of Innards and Other Variety Meats (San Francisco, 1974).

Then a list of the nutritional benefits are posted:

So what makes liver so wonderful? Quite simply, it contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food. In summary, liver provides:

·         

    1.  An excellent source of high-quality protein.

    2.  Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A.

    3.  All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12. 

    4.  One of our best sources of folic acid.

    5.  A highly usable form of iron.

    6.  Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper.

    7.  An unidentified anti-fatigue factor.

    8.   CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function.  

    9.  good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.

The author of the Weston A. Price article, Lynn Razaitis, in fact, addresses the toxicity issue raised by Corriher:

In spite of widespread tradition and abundant scientific evidence on the health benefits of liver, conventional nutritionists and government agencies now warn against its consumption. The putative dangers of eating liver stem from two concerns–the assumption that liver contains many toxins and the high level of vitamin A that it provides.

One of the roles of the liver is to neutralize toxins (such as drugs, chemical agents and poisons); but the liver does not store toxins. Poisonous compounds that the body cannot neutralize and eliminate are likely to lodge in the fatty tissues and the nervous system. The liver is not a storage organ for toxins but it is a storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron). These nutrients provide the body with some of the tools it needs to get rid of toxins.

Of course, we should consume liver from healthy animals–cattle, lamb, buffalo, hogs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. The best choice is liver from animals that spend their lives outdoors and on pasture. If such a premier food is not available, the next choice is organic chicken, beef and calves liver. If supermarket liver is your only option, the best choice is calves liver, as in the U.S. beef cattle do spend their first months on pasture. Beef liver is more problematical as beef cattle are finished in feed lots. Livers from conventionally raised chicken and hogs are not recommended.

[end of Razaitis' remarks]

So according to Razaitis, the liver itself does not "store toxins"; instead, it "neutralizes them.  Does this mean then that the toxicity of liver meats is exaggerated or innocuous?  I mean how many people have gotten sick from eating chicken liver?  I have not.  So Corriher's argument is interesting, but it is not convincing.  Given my experience with eating chicken livers, I find them to be absolutely necessary for health and longevity.

I am sold on liver.  I like its Vitamin A content and how rich it is in Vitamin B.  For strength, it may be unbeatable.  If you are an athlete who is getting beaten up and dragged on the basketball court you may want to consider incorporating the kinds of liver recommended by Razaitis and Weston A. Price.