Whole Food Diet - Raw, Organic Whole Foods

Avocados were once a luxury food reserved for the tables of royalty, but now avocados are enjoyed around the world by people from all walks of life.

Research published in the January 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry indicate that nutrients in avocados can work together to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells. The analysis was conducted at UCLA where researchers discovered that avocados are the richest source of lutein among commonly eaten fruits. Lutein is a carotenoid that acts as an antioxidant and has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer in previous studies.

According to Dr. David Heber, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, the study focused on inhibition of human prostate cancer cell growth when exposed to an extract of whole avocado fruit versus treatment with pure lutein. UCLA lab tests showed that when avocado extract was added to two types of prostate cancer cells, cell growth was inhibited by up to 60%, whereas purified lutein alone was ineffective. In other words, when a single nutrient, lutein, was extracted from avocados it did not offer the same anti-cancer results as the whole avocado extract.

Dr. Heber commented: "What's really exciting about this study is that the results indicate that the carotenoids, vitamins, and diverse compounds in avocados might have additive or synergistic effects against prostate cancer compared with pure lutein alone".

The moral of this story seems to be that whole foods, in their original whole form, offer the best nutrition possible for the human body.

Dietary fiber, or roughage, is a known cancer fighter found only in the cell walls of plant foods. For years, studies have pointed to the fact that increased fiber intake decreases the risk of colorectal cancer.

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1999), this protective effect may be due to fiber's tendency to add bulk to your digestive system, shortening the amount of time that wastes travel through the colon. As this waste often contains carcinogens, it is best if it is removed as quickly as possible. Increased fiber decreases chances for intestinal cells to be affected.

Fiber may also help protect against breast cancer, an effect noted especially with consumption of whole grains and wheat bran. Studies suggest that high amounts of fiber may also prevent breast cancer by binding to estrogen. When bacteria in the lower intestine break down fiber, a substance called butyrate is produced which may inhibit the growth of tumors of the colon and rectum. Fiber may also have a protective effect against mouth, throat, and esophageal cancers.

Most studies have shown that optimal intake for cancer prevention is at least 30 to 35 grams per day. Recent studies suggest that small increases in fiber, such as adding vegetables to a chicken stir-fry or having a hamburger on a whole wheat bun, do not offer much protection. On the other hand, when we replace high-fat, animal products such as chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs with plant foods, we easily boost fiber to levels where real protection is possible.

Whole foods contain two types of dietary fiber which are known as soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. It cuts cholesterol and adds to your feeling of fullness. Good sources of soluble fiber are oats, oat bran, oatmeal, apples, citrus fruits, strawberries, dried beans, barley, rye flour, potatoes, raw cabbage, and pasta.

As you may have guessed, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and is found in whole grain brans, fruit pulp, and vegetable peels and skins. It is the type of fiber most strongly linked to cancer protection and improved waste removal. Good sources of insoluble fiber are wheat bran, whole wheat products, cereals made from bran or shredded wheat, crunchy vegetables, barley, grains, whole wheat pasta, and rye flour.

It is best to choose fiber-rich foods over fiber supplements in order to get the full range of

Prunes are a good source of fiber and have long been recognized as a nutrient-rich fruit with multiple health benefits. But according to a recent study from Tufts University in Boston, prunes may also help slow the aging process in both the body and brain. The study ranked the antioxidant value of commonly eaten fruits and vegetables using an analysis called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity). Prunes topped the list with more than twice the antioxidant capacity as other high-scoring fruits such as blueberries and raisins.

ORAC is a test tube analysis that measures the total antioxidant power of foods and other chemical substances. Early findings suggest that this same antioxidant activity translates to animals, protecting cells and their components from oxidative damage.

"If these studies are borne out in further research, young and middle-aged people may be able to reduce their risk of diseases of aging - including senility - simply by adding high antioxidant foods to their diets," said Floyd P. Horn, administrator of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, in Beltsville, Md.

The role of fruits and vegetables in health promotion and disease prevention may also be related to nutrients, other than the vitamins, minerals and fiber, found in these plant-based foods. In addition to well-known antioxidant vitamins A and C and beta-carotene, there are over 1,800 other biologically active compounds that have been identified in foods. Research is just beginning to identify these nutrients and to describe their activity in the human body; however, many are believed to offer the protective benefits of antioxidants.

At The Wholefood Farmacy, prunes can found in Phi Plus and DetoxiPhi, which are two of the most popular foods amongst the family of Wholefood Farmacy Members.

Tri-Decathlon DELUX Full Body & Colon Cleanse

INCLUDES ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS

30 DAY UNCONDITIONAL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE!

The Tri-Decathlon DELUX weight loss system is a 13 day supply of pure, chemical free, whole foods. There are 6 bags of Phi Plus, 3 bags of Fruitalicious PLUS, 3 bags of Veggielicious SPICE, 1 bag of TropiPhi, 1 bag of DetoxiPhi, along with a special hydrating solution called Stardust 2 Hydr8. The foods are pure and come ready to eat - no refrigeration or preparation is needed. The concept is to "re-set" your body nutritionally - back to the basics of whole foods and water.

The instructions are very simple!

Start each day with a big glass of water and begin to eat the food of your choice A meal should not be rushed - take a little time, sit down, eat the foods, chewing them slowly and thoroughly, and continue to eat and drink water until you are satisfied.

From there, anytime you feel hungry, repeat that same process - in fact, we recommend eating at least every 90 minutes throughout the day. It is important to eat slowly and to pay attention to your body - when your stomach tells you that it's satisfied - stop eating.

After 13 days many people report:

Being Mentally Sharper!
Being more Focused, Positive and Energetic!
Having reduced Reflux - Naturally!
Being closer to their Optimal Weight!
Having a greater sense of Inner Well Being!
Rediscovering their Natural Hunger for Fresh Whole Foods!
Enjoying that Youthful Glow again!
Smiling More!
Having a Love for Phi Plus and Water in your life!

The Whole Food Diet

The following lists are based on analyses of pesticide residue after washing. For example, conventionally grown peaches, raspberries, celery and spinach have the highest amounts of pesticides on a single sample, nine or ten different chemicals. As I understand it, testing hasn't been done on what you find inside a conventionally grown fruit or vegetable. Conventional apples start being sprayed before the flower forms. When I cut into an apple grown "organically" in a friends back yard they almost always have worms in them. These worms start in the center and work their way out. To avoid this from happening conventional produce gets exposed to chemicals early and often.

While organic is the very best way to eat it is not always possible due to money constraints or scarcity of organic produce in your area. It is important to remember that eating as much fresh, ripe, raw fruits and vegetables as you can is the key to good health and prevention of disease. Don't give up this way of eating, even if you can only find or afford conventional produce. It is far better to live on conventional produce than on twinkies, white bread, coffee, processed foods of all kinds, hot dogs etc...these processed/manufactured items contain far more chemicals and offer no nourishment as well.

The list below should help you be able to make wise choices when buying produce.

Foods you should buy Organic if at all possible:
Compiled from several sources including analyses done by The EWG (Environmental Working Group)
(items in CAPITOL LETTERS are the most laden with pesticides)

apples
NECTARINES
PEACHES
pears
cherries
grapes (especially imported)
RASPBERRIES
strawberries
bell peppers
CELERY
SPINACH
potatoes

Multiple Pesticides are rarely found on the following items:
asparagus
avocado
banana
broccoli
cauliflower
corn
kiwi
mango
onions
papaya
pineapple
sweet peas

So if you have to pick and choose, buy organic from the first list and go conventional from the second list. Again these lists are in terms of testing for mulitiple pesticides after washing therefore they are offering limited but still useful information.

Cranberry Phi Plus is perfect for the holidays. This rich tasting, moist delicious variation of Phi Plus features the wonderful flavor of Phi Plus enhanced with heart warming flavor and healthy nutrition of cranberries. Cranberries have a special place on the holiday table during this festive season of the year and Cranberry Phi Plus can be a wonderful Hor's Dourve, appetizer or a special part of your main course.

These amazing little red berries pack a powerful nutritional punch. In 1996 laboratory studies conducted by University of Illinois scientists and published in Planta Medica demonstrated the potential anti-cancer properties of cranberries. USDA scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have been finding promising results associated with diets high in antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Preliminary studies suggest that diets containing fruits and vegetables with high ORAC values may provide protection against chronic age-related afflictions like loss of coordination and loss of memory. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity which is a measure of the antioxidant activity for a particular food. Cranberries score very high on the ORAC scale at 1750 ORAC units per 3.5 oz serving. When you taste Cranberry Phi Plus your taste buds will jump for joy and the wonderful, familiar flavor of cranberries will create that warm inner glow that so many of us look forward to during this festive season of the\nyear. Cranberry Phi Plus is available now in your shopping cart in convenient 8 oz. bags. It's the perfect treat for the holidays - enjoy!

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At a recent American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting, new research revealed that eating more fruits and veggies can help men boost their fertility. These new findings indicate that the more produce a man consumes, the healthier his sperm will be. In a study group of infertile men, 83 percent of them were found to be eating less than five servings of fruits and veggies a day. Overall, the men who ate the fewest fruits and veggies had the lowest sperm motility.

"We think that sperm quality is affected by dietary antioxidant intake," said study author Dr. Vivian Lewis, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. "Antioxidants, like those found in fruits and vegetables, may help prevent damage to sperm that causes them to become sluggish and lose the ability to fertilize an egg".

In particular, the antioxidants glutathione and cryptoxanthin, which are prevalent in brightly colored produce such as leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers and oranges, were associated with strong, healthy sperm, Lewis said. She recommended that men hoping to father children eat "a variety of fruits and vegetables, at least five servings a day."

The modern day researches continue to confirm what the ancients knew. Focus on giving your body what it needs - it knows how to do the rest.

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A free radical is a molecule that has lost one of its electrons leaving it with an odd number of electrons

These unbalanced free radical molecules attempt to stabilize themselves by "stealing" an electron from another healthy molecule. The cells your body where this process is occurring can become injured. The cell may malfunction causing disease or even become malignant causing cancer. It is also widely believed that free radicals are one of the main causes of the aging process.

The body produces free radicals through normal metabolic pathways such as extracting energy from the food we eat. Exposure to the toxins in junk food or polluted air, for example, can also be sources of free radical production. In short, we are exposed to potential sources of free radical production every day of our lives.

Antioxidants are nutritional compounds in whole foods that have extra electrons. When an antioxidant comes in contact with a free radical - the antioxidant "donates" an electron to the free radical. This way, the free radical doesn't have to "steal" an electron from another healthy molecule and the damage normally caused by the free radical can be avoided. The antioxidant nutrients themselves do not become free radicals when they "donate" an electron because they are stable in either form.

The human body is capable of producing antioxidants naturally, but under conditions of a poor diet, toxicity, physical stress or emotional stress this antioxidant production can be severely impaired. Do you know someone who eats a poor diet, has high levels of toxicity and is stressed out much of the time? This is why they may appear older than they actually are.

Eating a healthy whole food diet and drinking plenty of water are two of the best ways to protect your body from the damage of free radicals. Fruits and vegetables provide an excellent source of natural antioxidants to help your body stabilize the free radicals and ward off the damage that they cause.

Are you ready to re-set your body's nutritional system back to "original manufacturer's specifications"? The Tri-Decathlon Delux is a 13 day program of whole foods, water and walking. You can cleanse your body of toxins and fill it with natural antioxidants at the same time. Imagine the good you can do for your body by treating it to 13 days of nature's best

Whole Food Diet

The Wholefood Farmacy Liquithon is 13 days of raw, liquid wholefood nourishment based upon meal offerings that were called "rational fastings" in ancient times. Great American is leading the wholefoods revolution by finding and resurrecting a treasure house of lost wisdom from antiquity. The Liquithon unifies, integrates, and harmonizes one's physical, emotional, and mental dimensions resulting in a more fluid, peaceful, and greater sense of well being. Enjoy 7 meals a day over 13 days!

Includes a one pound bag of each of our seven Farinas: AmpliPhi, BeautiPhi, CleariPhi, DetoxiPhi, ElectriPhi, FructiPhi, and GloriPhi.

Learn More About The Liquithon

"Before being introduced to Wholefood Farmacy, I was always feeling tired, ill and un-motivated about many things. I was primarily a meat and bread and desert monster kind of person. After only 13 days on the Tri-Decathlon, my mind became sharp and clear and my energy level went through the roof! My skin feels soft and radiant! I feel like a completely new person! It feels like a Spiritual Awakening! In all my life, this is the best that I've ever felt!" Claudia - FL

"I began to notice a rapid change in my body as well as my mental and physical health. I used to swallow 4 pain pills a day for my joint pain. The pain virtually vanished during my Tri-Decathlon and I have now stopped taking any pain medication! I no longer drink the costly and caffeine laden Mountain Dews. I went from 238 lbs to 217 lbs using the Tri-Decathlon and whole food concepts, and I have been able to maintain this weight rather easily. Now my 30 minute daily walks have turned into 40 minutes and I've gone from 2.5 miles to 3.5 miles in only 10 more minutes a day. I walk rain or shine with my little 6lb. dog, Tibet. People in my community often stop and ask how I've been able to make such a sudden change in lifestyle." Rodney - TN

Learn more about the Whole Food Diet

Spice up your salsa or cheese dip recipe with Ampliphi. Try adding various amounts of Ampliphi to create hot, hotter, and "get the fire hose" versions of your own recipe.

Pop some fresh popcorn and then stir in come Cornucopia, Cornaborealis, Corn of Plenty, or Veggielicious Spice- this will create a winning combination and it's a real hit with the kids.

Place serving bowls of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods where your fellow party goers or guests can help themselves.

Set up a Smoothie bar and offer fresh smoothies using the fruit based Farinas, water, ice and your choice of fresh fruit.

View the Wholefood Farmacy product line

Two of the most frequently asked questions I receive are: "What shall I eat?" And, "How do I know I am getting enough protein?" (or fiber, or fat, or calories)

There are as many ways to eat an all raw or high raw diet as there are people.

The simplest approach is the Natural Hygiene way. There are no recipes, or even any machinery. You just eat food as it comes from nature. There is a lot to be said about this easy to understand approach, and most of the time it is how I live. How much easier can it get than to have a large bowl of fruit on the counter waiting for you and a refrigerator filled with vegetables for you to grab. Add in some coconuts, nuts, seeds and oil and you have everything that you need. In a few moments, you can pack up a lunch in a paper bag of cut up veggies, greens, whatever fruits you can find depending on the season, and some nuts for protein. For those times that you want to make recipes add a few items to your pantry like almond butter, tahini, seasonings like garlic, sea weeds, basil, sea salt, and go from there.

While there are no set rules to follow, if often works out best if you eat some protein at lunch as it takes longer than other foods to digest, and complex carbohydrates at night so you can wind down, relax, and prepare for your nights rest without a lot of digestive activity.

As for protein, many people still have the misconception that they need far more protein than they really do. If you think about mother's milk, which only contains 2 1/2-3 12 % protein perhaps you can relax a bit about your protein consumption. Growing children and athletes need the most protein. Tahini, almond butter, almonds and sunflower seeds are all quick and easy sources of protein.

If you eat large salads and fruit every day you are probably getting enough fiber.

Our newest product, Coco Cherry Phi is meeting with rave reviews; it is available in 4 oz. and 8 oz. packages. Coco Cherry Phi is made by combining Phi Plus with Cocoa and Cherries - it is a very healthy, nutritionally dense whole food and the taste is simply "out of this world".

TropiPhi, the "Rolls Royce" of raw food is now available in a new and convenient 8 oz. package. TropiPhi is handcrafted from macadamia nuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, pineapple, papaya, mango, bananas, coconut flakes, brown rice, & orange oil. If you haven't had a chance to try it yet, perhaps the new 8 oz. package will better meet your needs.

We have a new 24 info line about our 13 day programs such as the Tri-Decathlon Delux - anyone wishing to hear a complete overview that includes the underlying principles, instructions and answers to frequently We also have a new support line for those who are doing any of our 13 day programs such as the Tri-Decathlons, Liquithon or New You Resolution Pantry. This support line is available 24 hours a day and offers 13 recorded calls that are designed to support you as you journey through your 13 day event.

There is a call for each of the 13 days and we encourage you to call and enjoy this information - the 13 day support line number is 620-294-1380. The Day 1 Call offers a wonderful overview of our 13 day programs along with a detailed instructions and answers to frequently asked questions. For those whose goal is weight loss, this new support line will be an invaluable resource.

Due to feedback received regarding our Posh Spaaa bath salts we are now offering the Posh Spaaa in a 32 oz. wide mouth jar with filter bag and scoop for only $19.95. The new wide mouth jar makes it much easier to scoop the Posh Spaaa out of the jar allowing you to enjoy your hot, relaxing and rejuvenating bath with more convenience and ease

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Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Children's Hospital Boston found that kids who spend more time watching television also eat more of the calorie-dense, low-nutrient foods advertised on television. Previous studies had demonstrated that children who watch more television are more likely to be overweight, but this is the first time a research team has found evidence for a mechanism explaining that relationship. The study results appear in the April 2006 issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

"We've known for a long time that television viewing is a risk factor for overweight, though the common perception is that this is due to the fact that it's a sedentary use of time," said Jean Wiecha, the study's lead author and a senior research scientist at HSPH. "This study provides evidence that television is effective in getting kids to eat the foods that are advertised, and this drives up their total calorie intake."

The results of the study showed that each hour of increased television viewing over baseline was associated with a total energy increase of 167 calories - just about the amount of calories in a soda or a handful of snack food, said Wiecha. Each additional hour of television viewing was also independently associated with increased consumption of foods commonly advertised on television, and these foods were shown to be responsible for much of the calorie increase. Viewing time seemed to have the strongest connection to additional consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

Twice as many children and almost three times as many teens are overweight today compared to their counterparts growing up 20 years ago. Overweight young people are more likely to become overweight or obese adults who are at risk for diseases like diabetes and heart disease. The results of this study bolster a longstanding recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics to limit children to less than two hours of television each day to both lessen sedentary time and reduce exposure to content associated with negative consequences

Do you have a child or teen who wants to lose weight? If so, consider limiting their TV time to less than two hours per day and offer them Wholefood Farmacy foods as healthy snacks!

Purchase food from the Wholefood Farmacy

Dates are a great source of dietary fiber. The American Cancer Society recommends that you consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber a day. Dietary fiber comes in two forms - soluble and insoluble. Each serves a valuable function. Insoluble fiber increases the rate at which food moves through the digestive system. Soluble fiber may help control diabetes by decreasing elevated blood glucose levels. Soluble fiber also had been found to help lower serum cholesterol levels, particularly undesirable low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

According to researchers at the University of Scranton in Scranton Pennsylvania, they have the highest concentration of polyphenols among dried fruits. The findings of this research suggest that dried fruits should be a greater part of the diet as they are dense in phenol antioxidants and nutrients, most notably fiber

A serving of power-packed dates contains 31 grams of carbohydrates, making them a powerhouse of energy. Carbohydrates include 3 grams of dietary fiber and 29 grams of naturally occurring sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose to provide quick energy and are readily used by the body. Dates are a perfect energy boosting snack

Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral your body needs to maintain muscle contractions including the vital heart muscle. Potassium is needed to maintain a healthy nervous system and to balance the body's metabolism as well

Dates also contain a variety of B-complex vitamins - thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins have a variety of functions that help maintain a healthy body - to metabolize carbohydrates and maintain blood glucose levels, fatty acids for energy, and they help make hemoglobin, the red and white blood cells. Dates also contain Magnesium which is essential for healthy bone development and for energy metabolism and Iron which is essential to red blood cell production. Red blood cells carry all the nutrients to cells throughout the body. In addition, Dates are fat and cholesterol free

Phi Plus is our most popular food of all - it is handcrafted from dozens of whole food ingredients. Phi Plus is rich in Dates and all of their wonderful health imparting properties. Have you had your Phi Plus today?

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A new study published in the journal Circulation supports recent efforts to rid the American diet of trans fats. In the study, women with the highest levels of trans fat in their blood had triple the risk of heart disease as those with the lowest levels.

"Humans cannot synthesize, or create, trans fatty acid. The only source is through diet," study chief Dr. Frank B. Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, said in a written statement.

The main source of trans fat in the diet is partially hydrogenated oils that are plentiful in cookies, crackers, pastries and fried foods. "Eliminating the use of partially hydrogenated oils and other sources of trans fat in the U.S. diet -- as long as saturated fat intake doesn't increase -- will likely help reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease," Hu said.

Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good vegetable oil into a very unhealthy food ingredient. The process is used to make oils more solid; provide longer shelf-life in baked products; provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel." The big problem is that partially hydrogenated oils are loaded with trans fat.

The amount of trans fat in red blood cells correlated significantly with the amount of trans fat consumed and was associated with increased levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and decreased levels of "good" HDL cholesterol.

After adjusting the study data for multiple factors that might influence the results, women with the highest trans fatty acid content in red blood cells were three times more likely to develop heart disease than women with the lowest trans fatty acid content in red blood cells.

All of The Wholefood Farmacy foods have zero trans fats and zero cholesterol . Wholefood Farmacy foods offer a wonderful way to enjoy delicious foods and snacks that are natural, healthy and nutritionally dense - it's a wonderful way to start your family, children and loved ones on the path to health, vitality and longevity

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A study of 5,500 children who agreed to wear a motion sensor device showed that those who exercised more were less likely to be obese and that short bursts of intense activity seemed to be the most helpful

Children who did 15 minutes a day of moderate exercise, equivalent to a brisk walk, were 50 percent less likely than inactive children to be obese; the research was reported in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine in March, 2007

Andy Ness of the University of Bristol and colleagues wrote - "Our data suggest that higher intensity physical activity may be more important than total activity,"

Chris Riddoch of Britain's Bath University, who worked on the study commented - "This study provides some of the first robust evidence on the link between physical activity and obesity in children. We know that diet is important, but what this research tells us is that we mustn't forget about activity. It's been really surprising to us how even small amounts of exercise appear to have dramatic results."

The less the children exercised, the more likely they were to be obese, the study found. These associations suggest even a modest increase of 15 minutes moderate and vigorous physical activity might result in an important reduction in the prevalence of overweight and obesity," the researchers wrote

Small changes made now can make a big difference in the lives of your children - teach them healthy habits that can last a lifetime. A quick game of catch, a short bike ride or shooting a few hoops everyday is all it takes. A little more activity and some healthy Wholefood Farmacy snacks can make all the difference in the world

If you have a child or teenager who wants to lose weight, we encourage you to consider treating them to a Wholefood Farmacy Tri-Decathlon Delux. This wonderful 13 day program of whole foods, water and walking can get them started in the right direction

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Dr. Dana King and his team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have just completed a very inspirational study. Dr. King and his team set out to find if middle-aged adults could reap the rewards of habits like eating vegetables and walking 30 minutes a day.

The researchers reported in June 2007 that middle-aged adults age 45 to 64 who began eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least 2 1/2 hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking decreased their risk of heart disease by 35 percent and risk of death by 40 percent in the four years after they started.

"The adopters of a healthy lifestyle basically caught up. Within four years, their mortality rate and rate of heart attacks matched the people who had been doing these behaviors all along," said Dr. Dana King at the Medical University of South Carolina, who led the research. Dr. King added "even if you have not had a healthy lifestyle previously, it's not too late to adopt those healthy lifestyle habits and gain almost immediate benefits."

The four key habits are eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables everyday, exercising for 2 ½ hours per week, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. The study participants who adopted all four healthy habits enjoyed a sharp decline in heart disease risk and in death from any cause.

It took all four - having just three of the healthy habits yielded no heart benefits and a more modest decrease in overall risk of death.

Still, said Dr. Nichola Davis at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, "these benefits are on a continuum. The more of the healthy habits that you can adapt, the better. ...These are modest changes that they're talking about."

The Wholefood Farmacy foods offer you a convenient and delicious way to enjoy five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day. How many servings have you had today?

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Many are reporting wonderful weight loss results with 3 servings of DetoxiPhi per day! This simple and easy approach is affordable and effective as well. One serving in the morning, one serving with lunch and one serving before bed is all it takes. Give it a try and watch the excess pounds begin to melt away. Those following this approach have also seen wonderful results with respect to their blood sugar levels.

It's the perfect solution for busy people who are on the go and the results are sure to please.

Buy DetoxiPhi Today and Start Losing Weight

Teaching children from a young age to eat healthy fats can have lifelong health benefits according to a new study published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation in August, 2007.

The study focused on over one thousand children in Findland who were followed from the age of 7 months through age 14. The researchers found that children who were taught to focus on the healthy fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils had slightly lower cholesterol levels compared to children who ate an unrestricted diet by the time they reached the age of 14.

Dr. Art Labovitz, cardiology director at Saint Louis University School of Medicine pointed out that even a small decrease in cholesterol levels can have a big influence over the course of your child's life. "If you study large numbers of people, the small increments result in a significant change in heart attacks and cardiac deaths," said Dr. Art Labovitz.

Dr. Harri Niinikoski, lead author of the study done at the University of Turku in Finland, said children begin forming their eating and lifestyle habits in childhood. "We think that this lifestyle change can be started early," he said.

Dr. Sarah Blumenschein, a pediatric cardiologist with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, said the study shows that early intervention is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. "The earlier you intervene, the more likely you are going to be successful," she said.

The key is to teach your children, starting as young as possilbe, to appreciate the healthy fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. By eating a little less meat and avoiding the saturated fas and trans fats which are in most processed foods, fast foods and junk foods - your children will lower their total fat intake and enjoy more of the benefits that healthy fats have to offer. As your children grow into their teens and begin eating more meals away from home, their healthy habits will guide them towards healthier food choices when unsupervised.

The healthy fats are listed as unsaturated fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The unhealthy fats are listed as saturated fats and trans fats.

Wholefood Farmacy foods are rich in heart healthy fats which are found in nuts, seeds, and plant oils - and these foods offer you a wonderful way to encourage healthy eating habits with your children starting at a young age.

Wholefood Farmacy

7 & 13 Day Programs - Our 7 &13 day programs offer you an experience of whole foods and water. This is a wonderful way to cleanse your body, properly hydrate your body and move closer to your ideal weight. Our programs also offer exceptional value. Savings, taste, cleansing and wonderful results await you!

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A new study published in the November 2007 issue of the journal Pediatrics shows that more sleep for youngsters may lower their risk of obesity significantly. The researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child's chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.

Dr. Julie Lumeng of the University of Michigan, who led the research, said that "the less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the child's weight was in third grade".

If there was a magic number for the third-graders, it was 9 hours, 45 minutes of sleep. Sleeping more than 9 hours, 45 minutes lowered the risk of obesity significantly. Of the children who slept 10 to 12 hours a day, only 12 percent were obese by sixth grade. If you think about it, the kids can't eat while they're sleeping - and - if well rested, they are less likely to be stressed or exhausted which is when many kids turn to unhealthy "comfort foods" (candy, sodas, burgers, fries, chips, energy drinks, etc).

If your children consume these all-to-common energy drinks, we encourage you to read the labels - the levels of caffeine are extremely high. In place of these unhealthy energy drinks, consider offering Farmacy Pro Power which is a delicious, whole food based and very healthy energy drink. One serving is the equivalent of 8 servings of vegetables - that's where the real energy comes from. But all in all, the study gives parents yet another reason to encourage regular bedtimes, restrict caffeine and remove the TV from the bedroom.

Experts offer these ideas for promoting good sleep habits in elementary school children:

WAKE TIME: The biological clock resets in the morning, so it's just as important to have a consistent wake-up time as a consistent bedtime. Avoid over scheduling that interferes with sleep time.

WEEKENDS: Avoid letting children sleep extremely late on weekends, but be flexible enough to allow a little fun.

TEMPERATURE: A cool bedroom is better.

CAFFEINE: Soda or chocolate at lunch may keep some children awake at night, so limit or rule out caffeine.

ELECTRONICS: Keep TVs, cell phones, computer games and other electronics out of the bedroom.

BEDTIME ROUTINE: Encourage reading, chatting about the day or other soothing activities in the 30 minutes before bed.

After a good night's sleep, there's no better way for your kids to start the day than with convenient Wholefood Farmacy foods. The kids love it when you add Phi Plus or Fruitalicious Plus to their oat meal, cream of wheat, or quality whole grain breakfast cereal. It adds new dimensions of taste and nutrition to these healthy, whole grain types of breakfast foods.

Dr. Dana King and his team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have just completed a very inspirational study. Dr. King and his team set out to find if middle-aged adults could reap the rewards of habits like eating vegetables and walking 30 minutes a day.

The researchers reported in June 2007 that middle-aged adults age 45 to 64 who began eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least 2 1/2 hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking decreased their risk of heart disease by 35 percent and risk of death by 40 percent in the four years after they started.

"The adopters of a healthy lifestyle basically caught up. Within four years, their mortality rate and rate of heart attacks matched the people who had been doing these behaviors all along," said Dr. Dana King at the Medical University of South Carolina, who led the research. Dr. King added "even if you have not had a healthy lifestyle previously, it's not too late to adopt those healthy lifestyle habits and gain almost immediate benefits."

The four key habits are eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables everyday, exercising for 2 ½ hours per week, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. The study participants who adopted all four healthy habits enjoyed a sharp decline in heart disease risk and in death from any cause.

It took all four -- having just three of the healthy habits yielded no heart benefits and a more modest decrease in overall risk of death. Still, said Dr. Nichola Davis at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, "These benefits are on a continuum. The more of the healthy habits that you can adapt, the better. ...These are modest changes that they're talking about."

The Wholefood Farmacy foods offer you a convenient and delicious way to enjoy five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day. How many servings have you, your family and your children had today?

Rates of Type 2 (Adult Onset) Diabetes is skyrocketing in our society. 18 million Americans are now stricken with Type 2 Diabetes, 20% of those over age 65 have it and 1 in 3 who have it don't even know they have it. In addition, this difficult chronic disease is now showing up in young adults and even in school age children. The good news is that 90% of cases are PREVENTABLE.

Prevention starts with understanding the cause. When a healthy person eats a meal, the body converts carbohydrates into blood sugar. The brain recognizes the rise in blood sugar levels and signals the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin is a chemical messenger that rings the "dinner bell" telling all 10 trillion cells in the body to come and feed on the blood sugar. As the cells feed on the blood sugar, the blood sugar levels come back down. This is how it's supposed to work.

Carbohydrates come in two forms natural (complex) and man-made (simple). The man-made carbs are found in processed foods such as white table sugar, candy, sodas, high fructose corn syrup, and white bread. Eating man-made carbs causes sudden, unusually high and sustained spikes in your blood sugar levels. This constant over-stimulation of the pancreas, year after year after year, causes your "internal machinery" to wear out prematurely. In some cases, the pancreas gets tired and can't produce enough insulin. In other cases, the "dinner bell" rings so often that the cells get tired of hearing it, and stop running to get their blood sugar. Either way, when this happens, the health care industry declares that you have Type 2 Diabetes. And yes, for only a few hundred bucks a month for testing supplies and medication, they can keep you alive.

Natural sugars, like the sugars found whole foods, are known as complex carbs. They do not cause those sudden and sustained spikes in your blood sugar levels, so your "internal machinery" can last a lifetime. It really is that simple.

The first step to preventing diabetes is to know your risk. The Washington University School of Medicine offers a comprehensive risk assessment tool on their website. We encourage you to click the link below and take the test - it only takes a few minutes.

http://www.yourdiseaserisk.siteman.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=start&quiz=diabetes

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, making a few changes can dramatically lower your chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes. The same changes can also lower the chances of developing heart disease and some cancers.

Control your weight. Excess weight is the single most important cause of Type 2 Diabetes. Being overweight increases the chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes seven-fold. Being obese makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone with a healthy weight.

Losing weight can help if your weight is above the healthy-weight range. Losing 7-10% of your current weight can cut in half your chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Get moving. Inactivity promotes Type 2 Diabetes. Every two hours you spend watching TV instead of pursuing something more active increases the changes of developing diabetes by 14%. Working your muscles more often and making them work harder improves their ability to use insulin and absorb glucose. This puts less stress on your insulin-making machinery.

Long bouts of hot, sweaty exercise aren't necessary to reap this benefit. Findings from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study suggest that walking briskly for a half hour every day reduces the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes by 30%.

This amount of exercise has a variety of other benefits as well. And even greater cardiovascular and other benefits can be attained by more, and more intense, exercise.

Tune-up your diet. Two dietary changes can have a big impact on the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

1. Choose whole grains and whole-grain products over highly processed carbohydrates. In other words, choose whole foods instead of processed foods.

2. Choose good fats instead of bad fats. The types of fats in your diet can also affect the development of diabetes. Good fats, such as the polyunsaturated fats found in tuna, salmon, liquid vegetable oils, and many nuts, can help ward off Type 2 Diabetes. Trans fats do just the opposite. These bad fats are found in many margarines, packaged baked goods, fried foods in most fast-food restaurants, and any product that lists "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" on the label. If you already have diabetes, eating fish can help protect you against a heart attack or dying from heart disease.

If you smoke, try to quit. Add Type 2 Diabetes to the long list of health problems linked with smoking. Smokers are 50% to 90% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers.

Alcohol now and then may help. A growing body of evidence links moderate alcohol consumption with reduced risks of heart disease. The same may be true for Type 2 Diabetes. Moderate amounts of alcohol-a drink a day for men, a drink every other day for women-increases the efficiency of insulin at getting glucose inside cells. And some studies indicate that moderate alcohol consumption decreases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. If you already drink alcohol, the key is to keep your consumption in the moderate range. If you don't drink alcohol, there's no need to start-you can get the same benefits by losing weight, exercising more, and changing your eating patterns.

The bottom line? They key to preventing Type 2 Diabetes can be boiled down to five words: Stay lean and stay active.

To that end, The Wholefood Farmacy offers you a convenient way to enjoy the pure, nutrient dense, whole foods that your body needs. Our 13 day programs of whole foods and water can offer you a new beginning. Taking care of yourself is the only way to lead your children towards a life of self-care and prevention.

New research from the UK shows that maintaining a healthy weight may decrease a person's risk of developing up to a dozen different types of cancer by very significant margins. The study's lead author is Dr. Andrew Renehan, senior lecturer at the School of Cancer Studies at the University of Manchester. The findings were published in the February, 2008, issue of the prestigious UK medical journal, The Lancet.

The researchers analyzed data from 141 previous studies with information on over 280,000 people who were followed for up to 15 years. This approach expanded the research to more types of cancers and more diverse populations than researchers had ever looked at before. Researchers have long suspected a link between weight gain and certain cancers, including colon and breast cancers. But the new study suggests it could also increase the risk for cancer of the esophagus, thyroid, kidney, uterus and gall bladder, among others.

The study results show that in men, an average weight gain of 33 pounds increased the risk of esophageal cancer by 52%, thyroid cancer by 33%, and colon and kidney cancers each by 24%. In women, a weight gain of 29 pounds increased the risk of cancer in the uterus and gall bladder by nearly 60%, esophagus by 51% and kidney by 34%.

"This study provides a lot of circumstantial evidence about the dangers of obesity," said Dr. David Robbins, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, who was not involved in the study. "It also highlights the cancer crisis we face as obesity rates increase worldwide."

"One of the hypotheses is that the presence of excess fat cells could affect the levels of hormones in your body," Renehan said. "At a cellular level, that may favor the development of tumors in humans."

"The simple message is that, if you manage to keep a healthy body weight, you will have a lower risk of developing cancer," said Ed Yong, of Cancer Research United Kingdom.

If you would like to lose weight once and for all - the first step is understanding the true cause of an overweight condition - and the many myths about weight loss that are so prevalent today.

With spring in the air, millions of people are once again becoming focused on shedding those unwanted pounds that seem to sneak onto their waistlines during the winter months. Others are preparing to renew their commitment to losing weight and declaring victory once and for all - we applaud you and are here to help.

With weight loss in mind, there is probably one topic that you haven't considered%u2026 the size of your stomach. The stomach is much like a muscle, and like any muscle it can be stretched and will remain stretched until we stop stretching it. The capacity of a normal adult's stomach is about 4 cups by volume, but many have stretched their stomach to two or even three times it's normal size. This can happen by eating overeating on a regular basis and in our society super sized fast food meals and all-you-can-eat buffets are only making the problem worse.

When your stomach becomes stretched as a result of overeating it will remain stretched for a period of time. After eating a huge meal before bed, some wonder why they wake up feeling hungry. It's because the stomach has become stretched and now feels empty. If you are one who has stretched your stomach to two or even three times it's normal size, you now have to eat two or three times a normal amount of food in order to feel full and satisfied.

Have you stretched your stomach? Can you eat more than 4 cups of food and still have room for more? If so, the chances are that your stomach is in a stretched condition.

The good news is this as soon as you stop stretching your stomach it will quickly begin to return to its normal size. Can you imagine eating a normal portion of food and feeling so full that the thought of just one more bite would seem painful to you? Helping your stomach to return to its normal size is the very foundation of a permanent solution to a weight related challenge and The Wholefood Farmacy's 13 to 14 day program known as the Tri-Decathlon Delux can help you get there in no time at all!

If you would like complete information regarding our weight loss programs and learn how to help your stomach return to its normal size - we have a 24 hour hotline that is standing by to be of service to you. This 30 minute recorded call is and educational experience beyond words and offers a complete overview of our 13 to 14 day programs along with a discussion of the underlying principles, exactly how it works, exactly how to do it and answers to frequently asked questions.

If you are ready to make a fresh start and to declare victory once and for all, dial
507-726-4181 right now! You will be surprised, pleased and inspired.

View Our Whole Food Diets

One of the refrains we hear most often covering the health and science beat is: "You tell me one day something is bad for me and then it is good." There are many legitimate reasons for this perception, and this story is a fine example.

About three decades ago, dermatologists alarmed at the rising incidence of skin cancer began a campaign to get people to stop spending so much time in the sun, or at least to cover up with strong suntan lotion if they did. The effort was enormously successful.

Now there is a big problem with it. When the sun's rays (unfiltered by lotion) strike our skin, our bodies produce vitamin D. Scientists always knew vitamin D is critical for good health. Children not exposed enough to the sun can get a terrible disease called rickets. But around 1989 scientists began to discover that vitamin D played an important critical role in all the cells in the body, and they hypothesized that a lack of vitamin D could increase the risks for cancer.

Large population studies have now verified that people with low vitamin D levels indeed have higher levels of several common types of cancer, including colon and breast. Some of the best research comes from the Nurse's Health Study and the Health Professionals Study -- two efforts run by the Harvard School of Public Health that have been following tens of thousands of people for decades. The latest study looks at cancer incidence in men. In addition to the Harvard study, two others came out today demonstrating an increased incidence of breast cancer in women with low levels of vitamin D. Those were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

So how much vitamin D do we need? Based on these latest studies, experts now recommend a minimum of 1,000 units a day. We get about 200 from food and supplements usually contain 400. That is where the sun comes in. No one is saying people should get sunburned or even tan. But you can get 1,000 units of vitamin C by spending 10 minutes in the sun in the middle of the day with your arms and face exposed. Amazingly, with our automobile and indoor lifestyle many Americans do not get even that much. So here is an example where the advice is changing not because of confusion, but because science is making genuine progress. {end of article}

Once again, science is confirming the age old wisdom that sunlight is essential and beneficial to all living things. As the colors and smells of spring are beginning to fill the air, we encourage you to start the season by doing a Tri-Decathlon or a Liquithon which, incidentally, includes an hour a day of walking, fresh air, and sunshine. These 13 day programs of whole foods, water, walking, and sunshine turn out to be life changing events for many who rise to the challenge. Are you up to the challenge?

For optimum health, scientists say, eat a rainbow of colors. Your plate should look like a box of Crayons." - Janice M. Horowitz, TIME Magazine, January 12, 2002

Colorful fruits and vegetables provide the wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals your body uses to maintain good health and energy levels, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.*

Many of the phytochemicals and other compounds that make fruits and vegetables good for us also give them their color. That's why it's essential to sample the complete color spectrum every day to get the full preventive benefits of fruits and vegetables.

BLUE/PURPLE
Blue/purple fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics, currently being studied for their antioxidant and anti-aging benefits. Include BLUE/PURPLE in your low-fat diet to help maintain:

A lower risk of some cancers *
Urinary tract health
Memory function & Healthy aging
* Low-fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors.

Get blue/purple every day with foods such as:

Blackberries, Blueberries, Black currants, Dried plums, Elderberries, Purple figs, Purple grapes, Plums, Raisins, Purple asparagus, Purple cabbage, Purple carrots, Eggplant, Purple Belgian endive
Purple peppers and Potatoes (purple fleshed).

GREEN
Green vegetables contain varying amounts of phytochemicals such as lutein and indoles, which interest researchers because of their potential antioxidant, health-promoting benefits. Include GREEN in your low-fat diet to maintain:

A lower risk of some cancers*
Vision health
Strong bones and teeth
* Low-fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors.

Go green every day with fruits and vegetables like these:

Avocados, Green apples, Green grapes, Honeydew, Kiwifruit, Limes, Green pears, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Broccoflower, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage
Green beans, Green cabbage, Celery, Chayote squash, Cucumbers, Endive, Leafy greens, Leeks
Lettuce, Green onion, Okra, Peas, Green pepper, Snow Peas, Sugar snaps peas, Spinach, Watercress
and Zucchini.

WHITE
White, tan, and brown fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of phytochemicals of interest to scientists. These include allicin, found in the garlic and onion family. The mineral selenium, found in mushrooms, is also the subject of research. Including WHITE in your low-fat diet helps maintain:

Heart health
Cholesterol levels that are already healthy
A lower risk of some cancers*
* Low-fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors.

Get all the health benefits of white by including foods such as:

Bananas, Brown pears, Dates, White nectarines, White peaches, Cauliflower, Garlic, Ginger, Jerusalem artickoke, Jicama, Kohlrabi, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes (white fleshed)
Shallots, Turnips and White Corn.

YELLOW/ORANGE
Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as carotenoids and bioflavonoids, two classes of phytochemicals that scientists are studying for their health-promoting potential. Including YELLOW/ORANGE in your low-fat diet helps maintain:

A healthy heart
Vision health
A healthy immune system
A lower risk of some cancers*
* Low-fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors.

Choose Yellow/Orange fruits and vegetables like:

Yellow apples, Apricots, Cantaloupe, Cape Gooseberries, Yellow figs, Grapefruit, Golden kiwifruit, Lemon, Mangoes, Nectarines, Oranges, Papayas, Peaches, Yellow pears, Persimmons, Pineapples
Tangerines, Yellow watermelon, Yellow beets, Butternut squash, Carrots, Yellow peppers, Yellow potatoes, Pumpkin, Rutabagas, Yellow summer squash, Sweet corn, Sweet potatoes, Yellow tomatoes, and Yellow winter squash.

RED
Specific phytochemicals in the red group that are being studied for their health-promoting properties include lycopene and anthocyanins. Include a variety of RED fruits and vegetables in your low-fat diet to help maintain:

A healthy heart
Memory function
A lower risk of some cancers*
Urinary tract health
* Low-fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors.

Include RED fruits and vegetables in your diet such as:

Red apples, Blood oranges, Cherries, Cranberries, Red grapes, Pink/Red grapefruit, Red pears
Pomegranates, Raspberries, Strawberries, Watermelon, Beets, Red peppers, Radishes, Radicchio
Red onions, Red potatoes, Rhubarb and Tomatoes

In a hurry? Phi Plus offers you all of the colors in every bite! And don't forget The Wholefood Farmacy Farinas - AmpliPhi (red), BeautiPhi (orange), ClariPhi (yellow), DetoxiPhi (green), ElectriPhi (blue), FructiPhi (indigo), and GloriPhi (violet). Did you eat your colors today?

Many parents are concerned about the recent FDA recommendation that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years of age because of a lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

With this recent news in mind, a team of researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine decided to put nature to the test. They tested the effectiveness of three different approaches for children who were having trouble sleeping due to a cough.

The children in the study were given either no treatment at all, a little bit of buckwheat honey or dextromethorphan (DM), the chemical cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines. The children receiving the honey or DM took it about 30 minutes before bedtime.

The research team found that honey was more effective in reducing the severity and frequency of nighttime cough compared with DM or no treatment at all. Honey also allowed the children to sleep better. The findings are published in the December, 2007, issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

According to the study's lead researcher, Dr. Ian Paul, Penn State's director of pediatric clinical research: "Honey provided the greatest relief of symptoms compared with the other treatments. With honey, parents now have a safe and effective alternative to use for children over age 1 that have cough and cold symptoms". Some of the children were hyperactive for a short time after being given the honey, Dr. Paul said. However, children who received honey slept better and so did their parents, he noted.

Paul cautioned that honey should never be given to children younger than 1, because of the rare risk of infantile botulism. In addition, he noted, cough medicines that mention "honey" on the label actually contain artificial honey flavor not real honey.

Honey has been used for centuries to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms such as cough. In addition, honey has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, and also soothes the back of the throat.

Once again, science has proven that food really can be your medicine.

Antioxidants are those nutrients in whole foods that keep diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer away. When you think about antioxidants, fruits and vegetables usually come to mind. But those aren't the only foods where these health boosting nutrients are hiding.

New research shows that herbs and spices also pack a powerful punch when it comes to antioxidants. A USDA study looked at nearly 40 common herbs and spices to test their antioxidant activity. Oregano emerged as the leader of the pack.

Researchers found that oregano has 3 to 20 times more antioxidant activity than the other herbs studied. In fact, it has more than many fruits and vegetables. Oregano has 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries. But that's not the only herb or spice that can improve your health. Dill, thyme, sage, rosemary, ginger and even peppermint have high antioxidant levels too.

The main ingredient in curry is Turmeric, from which a spice called Curcumin is derived. Sally Frautschy, Ph.D., is a researcher from UCLA who has done extensive testing on Curcumin. She says that "we accidentally found out that it blocks every single step in Alzheimer's pathogenesis and it kills nearly every cancer cell in the lab." In India, curry is part of the staple diet; they also have the lowest rates of Alzheimer's disease in the world.

Marcia Herrin, R.D., a nutritionist at the Dartmouth Medical School says "practically every herb and spice that's been studied has some health benefit," herbs and spices are loaded with antioxidants, but we may not be getting those benefits as much as we could. Herrin says Americans don't use many herbs and spices compared to the rest of the world.

Researchers also say that many of these herbs are only absorbed by the body when they're eaten with fat, so recipes that include healthy fats, like those found in Heart of Gold, a delicious plant oil blend available only from The Wholefood Farmacy.

Some fairly recent analyses of the Adventist Health Study findings showed a remarkable relationship between eating nuts and whole wheat bread, and experiencing a reduced risk for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). These findings were the subject of a research article submitted by Dr. Fraser and his colleagues to the Archives of Internal Medicine, and published in its July 1992 issue.

The most outstanding findings of this part of the overall study show that nut consumption reduces the risk of both fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease. Again, the researchers looked for a variety of ways to disprove the finding, adjusting the data for differences in age, sex, smoking habits, exercise, relative weight, and hypertension. The protective qualities of nuts remained statistically significant and essentially unchanged in magnitude.

Those individuals who ate nuts one to four times a week had 26% decrease in the risk of suffering from definite nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and a 27% decrease in the risk of definite fatal coronary heart disease as compared to those who ate nuts less than once a week. However, those individuals who ate nuts five or more times a week had a 48% decrease in the risk of definite nonfatal heart attack and a 38% reduced risk of definite fatal CHD as compared to the group who ate nuts less than once a week.

Age- and sex-adjusted analyses of the associations between nut consumption and definite CHD were calculated for various subgroups within the Adventist Health Study. Results were examined to see if the association between nut consumption and CHD held up in different segments of the population. The consistency was quite remarkable and adds to the researchers' confidence in the importance of these findings.

Both "ever-smokers" and "never-smokers" showed a 46% decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease when they ate nuts five or more times a week. Study participants with normal blood pressure showed that eating nuts more than five times a week reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by 60% percent, and hypertensive individuals enjoyed a 30% decrease in risk compared to similar subjects who ate few nuts.

Nuts are widely used here at The Wholefood Farmacy and you can find them in many of our foods. In addition, the next time you go to the grocery store, spend a few minutes looking at all of the different types of nuts and consider them in place of other processed food snacks such as potato chips and cheese puffs. You'll love them, your kids will love them and your whole family will be much better off. Now is the best time to put your kids on a path that leads to health, vitality, longevity and happiness.

Milling is the process that turns brown rice into white rice by removing the outer layer known as the bran layer - this alters the nutritional value of the rice. The complete milling process that creates white rice from brown rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. In short, brown rice is a fiber-rich whole grain whereas white rice is simply a refined and nutritionally depleted processed food.

In March of 2006, research reported in the journal Agricultural Research, Nancy Keim and a team at the USDA ARS Western Human Nutrition Center studied 10 women age 20-45 who ate a whole grain diet for three days, then ate the same foods but with refined grains in place of whole grains. Blood samples at the end of each 3-day period showed that the refined grains diet caused a significant increase in triglycerides and a worrisome protein called "apolipoprotein CIII" (apoCIII), both of which have been associated with increased risk of heart disease.

At the University of Utah, in a study of over 2000 people, a team led by Dr. Martha Slattery found that high intakes of whole grains, such as brown rice, reduced the risk of rectal cancer 31%. They also found that a high-fiber diet, 34 grams or more of fiber per day, reduced rectal cancer by an impressive 66%. The findings were published in the February 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In a Study presented at American Heart Association Conference, March 2006, overweight children, age 9-15, spent two weeks on an all-you-can-eat diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein, while exercising 2.5 hours each day. University of California researchers led by Dr. James Barnard reported that in just two weeks the children's cholesterol levels dropped an average of 21%, while insulin levels fell 30%.

In May, 2008, the FDA approved the following health claim for Brown Rice: "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers."

Using Brown Rice in place of white rice is one small change that can make a BIG difference in the lives of you, your family and your children.

Raisins rank among the top antioxidant foods, according to USDA government tests. Early findings suggest that eating plenty of fruits high in antioxidants, such as raisins may help slow the processes associated with aging in both body and brain.

Andrew J. Dannenberg, M.D. a cancer researcher at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University reports that the antioxidant catechin, found in raisins and some other fruits and vegetables, in the diet of mice genetically predisposed to intestinal tumors reduced the number of tumors by at least 70 percent compared to the control group. This type of study adds to the body of evidence which shows that components of fruits and vegetables have the potential to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, colorectal adenomas and other gastrointestinal tumors.

Carl L. Keen, Ph.D. from the University of California Davis reports that a significant amount of raisins eaten daily for 4 weeks increased the plasma antioxidant capacity. This in turn decreased the level of circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) also known as the "bad cholesterol". These data clearly show raisins are an important part of 5-a-day diet and that benefits of eating raisins are similar to benefits seen when eating other fruits and vegetables with these plant antioxidants.

Christine D. Wu, M.S., Ph.D. of the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Dentistry has found that raisins contain compounds including oleanolic acid that inhibit in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria in the mouth responsible for tooth decay. Oleanic acid and other compounds in raisins also inhibit organisms associated with periodontal disease, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Oleanolic acid is most effective in suppressing in vitro plaque formation by Streptococcus mutans. Prevention of plaque building up on the tooth surface is critical both for preventing tooth decay and promoting healthy gums.

Mary Ellen Camire, Ph.D. of the University of Maine reports that dietary fiber and other components may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by binding bile acids and causing their elimination from the body. Camire's study confirms that eating fibrous foods, such as raisins, stimulates the body to replace the bile acids that have been eliminated by making them from its own cholesterol, thus potentially lowering serum cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, bile acids that are bound by fibers such as those in raisins will not be metabolized to a more toxic form and this may potentially reduce cancer risk.

Gene A. Spiller, Ph.D. of the Sphera Foundation and Health Research Studies Center - Los Altos, CA reports feeding of raisins along with peanuts to 10-12 year old children prior to a soccer game resulted in lower increases in blood glucose and insulin than a snack of a white bagel and jam. This is important because it means a more steady fuel supply to the exercising muscle of the young players. Lower insulin levels are advantageous because high levels of circulating insulin can promote the laying down of fat and may lead to insulin resistance, a concern among US children today, where rates of obesity and type 2 Diabetes are increasing.

You, your family and your children can enjoy all of the health benefits that raisins have to offer with your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Apple Cinnamon Phi, Cranberry Phi, Coco Cherry Phi, Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus and Cornaborealis. Enjoy!

Some vegetables contain chemicals that appear to enhance DNA repair in cells, which could lead to protection against cancer development, say Georgetown University Medical Center researchers. In a new study published in the "British Journal of Cancer" and by the journal "Nature" the researchers show that in laboratory tests, a compound called indole-3-carinol (I3C), found in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and a chemical called genistein, found in soy beans, can increase the levels of two specific proteins that repair damaged DNA.

This study is one of the first to provide a molecular explanation as to how eating vegetables could cut the risk of developing cancer, an association that some population studies have found, says the study's senior author, Eliot M. Rosen, MD, PhD, professor of oncology, cell biology, and radiation medicine at Georgetown 's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center . "It is now clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced by compounds in the things we eat," Rosen says.

"Our findings suggest a clear molecular process that would explain the connection between diet and cancer prevention." In this study, Rosen exposed breast and prostate cancer cells to increasing doses of I3C and genistein, and found that these chemicals boosted production of the repair proteins BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Since decreased amounts of the BRCA proteins are seen in cancer cells, higher levels might prevent cancer from developing, Rosen speculates, adding that the ability of I3C and genistein to increase production of BRCA proteins could explain their protective effects.

The study was funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Cancer Institute and co-authors include Drs. Saijun Fan, MD, PhD, Qinghui Meng , MS , Karen Auborn, PhD, and Timothy Carter, PhD.

For many decades, science has been focused on understanding the mechanisms of disease so that drugs could be developed. But the closer they look at disease, the more they discover about the powerful and protective nature of whole foods. Have you had your veggies today?

Veggielicious Spice is a spicy, crunchy alternative to traditional snack foods. It's a combination of 12 low pressure dried ingredients: Maize Corn, Sweet Corn, Peas, Tomatoes, Carrots, Green Beans, Zucchini, Broccoli, Red Peppers, Green Onions, Green Peppers, & our own Cajun Spice blend (Pure Salt, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Chipotle Pepper, Garlic, Lemon Peel, Onion, Parsley, Rosemary, & Black Pepper). This complete meal is packaged as a convenient snack and contains everything you need to stay energized throughout the day, the healthy way.

Over half of the most aggressively advertised children's foods that prominently feature fruit on their packaging contain no fruit at all, according to a study released by the Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments. The study - Where's the Fruit? reveals that 51 percent of these products do not contain fruit, and another 16 percent contain only minimal amounts of fruit despite prominent fruit promotions on the packaging.

"Parents drawn to products that seem healthier for their children based on references to fruit on the packaging are being deceived," explains Leslie Mikkelsen, a registered dietician with the Strategic Alliance and lead author of the study. "Food and beverage companies are some of the most sophisticated communicators in the world and are clearly capable of accurately reflecting what is in their products if they wanted to."

The Where's the Fruit? study identifies the most heavily advertised children's food products that include words and images of fruit and/or fruit ingredients on the packaging. A total of 37 products were included in the final study, and their ingredient lists were analyzed to determine the presence of fruit ingredients. A full 51% of the products contained no fruit ingredients at all despite the images of fruits and use of words such as "fruity," "fruit flavors" and "berry" on the packaging.

"The nation is facing a staggering epidemic of chronic diseases that result from poor eating and physical inactivity," cautions Dr. Andria Ruth, a pediatrician for the Diabetes Resource Center of Santa Barbara. "Children are particularly affected and these food companies are making parents' jobs even harder by using misleading packaging to lead them to think that they are making a healthy choice when they are not."

If you're tired of being misled when it comes to the food that your children eat, then let the Wholefood Farmacy be your oasis of truth amidst this desert of deception. At The Wholefood Farmacy we believe in truthfully describing our products and we don't rely on fancy artwork or neon colored pictures to get the job done. All of our full sized food packages feature a clear see-though front panel so that you can actually see what's inside. Fruitalicious is 100% Fruit - and we're proud to show you what's inside.

Almonds are a wonderful Whole Food and science has recently discovered the benefits of eating them in their whole form. Recent research reveals that the flavonoids in almond skin works synergistically the vitamin E found in almonds. This synergistic combination creates more than 200% the antioxidant power of the almonds and almond skins when separated. "We have identified a unique combination of flavonoids in almonds," said Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University. "Further blood tests demonstrated that eating almonds with their skins significantly increases both flavonoids and vitamin E in the body. This could have significant health implications, especially as people age."

Blumberg's team tested the effects of almond skin's flavonoids alone and then in combination with the vitamin E found in almonds. The tests were done on blood samples containing LDL cholesterol. While almond skin flavonoids alone enhanced LDL's resistance to oxidation by 18%, when the almond's vitamin E was added, LDL's resistance to oxidation was extended by 52.5%!

"The synergy between the flavonoids and vitamin E in almonds demonstrates how the nutrients in whole foods such as almonds can impact health," says Dr. Blumberg.

You can find almonds in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Coco Cherry Phi as well as all seven Wholefood Farmacy Farinas!

Cranberry Phi is a rich tasting, moist and delicious variation of Phi Plus that includes the healthy addition of cranberries. The taste is "out of this world" and Cranberry Phi is a favorite of young and old alike. Recent research shows that Cranberries are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that your body can use to ward off disease and aging. In fact, Cranberries score 1750 on the Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) scale. Cranberry Phi Plus is a fantastic meal replacement, a wonderful treat and a great snack at any time of the day or night.