Sylvia Onusic Reviews Barnard's Book . . . 

"Many researchers have linked low cholesterol levels to behavioral aberrations such as violent crime and suicide, as well as depression. Cholesterol is one of the body’s main building materials, in particular in the brain and nervous system, for building nerve cells. It is also the primary “stuff” from which hormones and bile are made. The specious high-cholesterol theory came out of misunderstood evidence from the famous Framingham Study. Yet when researchers examined the same subjects thirty years later they determined that high cholesterol was not a risk factor for older people, and more than twenty studies have in fact demonstrated that older people with higher cholesterol live the longest."

. . . 

Iron is absolutely necessary for human life. Without iron, cells will die. About one-half of iron in the body is contained in hemoglobin needed for oxygen transport. The body has mechanisms to tightly control iron usage in the body and to protect it from pathogenic bacteria. Iron is critical for the pregnant woman and her unborn child. Iron deficiency anemia is caused by lack of iron in the diet and absorption issues. Phytates in vegetables and tannins in black tea inhibit the absorption of iron.

. . . 

Although he mentions in passing the fatsoluble vitamins D (as a supplement) and K (only in its relationship to the blood-thinning drug warfarin), Bernard ignores the major roles of the fat-soluble vitamins in health and neglects to mention vitamin A at all. Not one reference to pre-formed vitamin A can be found in the book. Because these vitamins need fats to be utilized and are obviously found in animal foods, they do not conveniently fit into his ordained dietary paradigm and are therefore omitted or trivialized.

. . . 

New research shows that individuals with fasting blood sugar levels at the high end of normal are at risk for brain shrinkage and diabetes. It is well known that glucose control decreases and incidence of diabetes increases with aging. In fact, research strongly links high glucose levels to Alzheimer’s disease. It is high carbohydrate consumption that raises glucose levels in the blood. Alzheimer’s patients benefit from daily ingestion of coconut oil because it appears that their brains can no longer use glucose for fuel. This important finding is not mentioned in the book, perhaps because coconut oil contains saturated fat and does not fit into his model that “the brain runs on carbohydrates.”

One thing I did learn today that came out of this review is that there is a difference in the nutrient quality between fish oils and fish liver oils.  For example, I take the Zone Labs Fish Oils.  I get benefits from them.  I like their effect.  No complaints.  But I learned today that Cod Liver Oil, oil from that specific organ of the fish, has a lot of Vitamin A or Retinol, a fat-soluble vitamin that is very good for major organs that benefits people of all ages but particularly the elderly.  What does this mean?  It means that you will receive different nutritional benefits from cod liver oil versus fish oils.  Just a concluding note.  The Zone Labs fish oils is derived from mackerel, sardines, and anchovies, the smaller fish.

". . . Tooth decay . . . is often a symptom of a phosphorus deficiency."

Get your phosphorous from meats, fish, and dairy products.

from Healthwyze: Vitamin C when taken internally actually strengthens teeth, and the rest of the body. However, it should never be kept in direct contact with the teeth. We strongly recommend for those who are brushing their teeth with citrus formulas to discontinue immediately. Fluoride-free toothpastes which contain calcium carbonate are ideal for long-term dental health and for tooth whiteness. Toothpastes containing phosphorus (phosphates) are even better.

Tooth Nutrients

Those who suddenly start experiencing tooth decay should know that it is often a symptom of a phosphorus deficiency. It is a common problem for vegetarians. Phosphorus is best obtained through meats, fish, and dairy products. It is in seeds and some nuts, but not in sufficient quantities. Fructose causes a decrease in phosphorus, which is one reason why sugar seems to cause cavities. Technically, sugars and carbohydrates can be harmful too, but the greatest factor is the connection between phosphorus depletion and the intake of fructose.

Those suffering from periodontal diseases such as gingivitis should look in the direction of CoQ10. Gingivitis sufferers are invariably deficient in co-enzyme Q10. It has shown good success with topical application, so mouth rinses are now available with this ingredient. In addition, CoQ10 is created by the body during exercise. Chlorophyll can also reverse gum disease, and it was once an ingredient of popular toothpastes.

Ubiquinol is a more absorbent form of CoQ10.

Koreans Taste American Snack Foods

Comments are telling.

Don't Remove Wisdom Teeth

"The more teeth . . . an individual has, the longer he can retain information."

Biology is so interesting . . . .

The more teeth that an individual has, the longer he can retain information. In particular, healthy mouths are closely correlated with people having excellent short-term memory. Researchers are baffled by this and research is ongoing. The main hypothesis is related to the fact that dentists cut the nerves that rest behind the teeth during extractions. These nerves are believed to be directly connected to brain tissues, and cutting them may kill, or at least injure certain regions of the 

brain.

"While carrying out their experiments on animals, our Japanese colleagues managed to prove that whenever a doctor extracts a tooth, he also pulls out the nerve that stretches to the brain"

-- Prof. Ian Begdahl, University of Umea

Studies of rats have shown that tooth transplants do not return lost memory, lending credence to the presiding hypothesis.  Perhaps most interesting is that the loss of memory does not occur whenever a tooth simply falls out naturally. It only occurs when it is forced out through brute force trauma, whether that be from a brawl or dental work. The current research shows that memory problems are increased for every tooth that is pulled. Dental procedures may be responsible for most 

of the memory problems that are attributed to aging.

Butter Is Major Source of Heart-Healthy Nutrients

Butter is one of the healthiest fats on the planet.

It’s not just a big pile of yellow-colored fat, there are many important nutrients in there, some of which have potent biological effects.

However, this does depend on the type of butter, and the amounts of these nutrients vary greatly depending on what the cows ate.

Butter From Grass-Fed Cows is a Major Source of Heart-Healthy Nutrients

Butter is basically just milk fat, also known as butterfat.

Butterfat is highly complex. It contains about 400 different fatty acids, and a decent amount of fat-soluble vitamins (1).

Fatty acids are actually more than just energy sources, some of them have potent biological activity.

As it turns out, many of the fatty acids in butter can affect our physiology and biochemistry in some way, leading to major health benefits.

This includes the fatty acid CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). It is popular as a fat loss supplement, and studies show that it can have powerful effects on health (2, 3).

Grass-fed butter contains 5 times more CLA than butter from grain-fed cows (4).

Butter from grass-fed cows is also much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K2, compared to butter from grain-fed cows (5).

As you can see, butter from grass-fed cows is a much healthier and more nutritious choice.

Butter Contains Saturated Fat, But Who Cares?

Butter used to be considered unhealthy, because it contains saturated fat.

However, this is actually not a valid argument against butter, because the saturated fat myth has been thoroughly debunked in recent years.

Two massive review studies were published recently, one in 2010 and the other in 2014. Both included hundreds of thousands of people.

These studies clearly showed that there is no association between saturated fat consumption and heart disease(6, 7).

Studies Show That People Who Eat Grass-Fed Butter Have a Lower Risk of Heart Disease

In countries where cows are largely grass-fed, the people who eat the most butter seem to have a drastically reduced risk of heart disease.The relationship between full-fat dairy consumption and heart disease seems to depend on the country in which the study is performed.

An impressive study on this was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, in the year 2010:

Smit LA, et al. Conjugated linoleic acid in adipose tissue and risk of myocardial infarction. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010.

This study looked at the levels of CLA in the fat tissue of 1813 non-fatal heart attack patients, and compared them to 1813 similar subjects who had not gotten heart attacks.

Levels of this fatty acid are a very reliable marker for the intake of fatty dairy products, and this study was done in Costa Rica, where cows are grass-fed.

They split the subjects into 5 groups, from lowest to highest, depending on their levels of CLA. The results were fairly remarkable:

As you can see, the more full-fat dairy (like butter) people ate, the lower their risk of heart attack.

In fact, the people who ate the most were 49% less likely to experience a heart attack, compared to those who ate the least.

However, keep in mind that this was a case-control study, a type of observational study. These types of studies can not prove causation.

This study shows that people who eat more grass-fed dairy fat have a lower risk of heart disease, but it can not prove that dairy fat caused the reduction in risk.

But, at the very least, this study is pretty good reassurance that butter is NOT the devil it was made out to be.

Many Other Studies Have Shown Similar Results

This is far from being the only study.

Another study from Australia showed that people who ate the most full-fat dairy had a 69% lower risk of heart disease than people who ate the least (8).

Several other studies in European countries, where cows are generally grass-fed, have shown that dairy fat is linked to reduced heart attacks and strokes (9, 10).

Grass-Fed Butter is Super Healthy

Despite having been demonized in the past, real grass-fed butter is one of the healthiest fats on the planet. Period.

Editors note: Click here to Find a Local Farmer