Watchman News

During the low-fat diet craze, many people learned, wrongly, to shun butter from their diets. Well, I’m going to tell you something that may be music to your ears: Butter can be a very healthy part of your diet.In fact, butter, when made from grass-fed cows, is rich in a substance called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is not only known to help fight cancer and diabetes, but it may also help you to lose weight! Much of the reason why butter was, and continues to be, vilified is because it contains saturated fat. If you’re still in the mindset that saturated fat is harmful for your health, then please read this past article to learn why saturated fat is actually good for you. The reality is that most people — about two-thirds of the U.S. population — can include grass-fed butter in their diets and thrive! Those who may do better with lower fat choices are carb nutritional types (and are in the minority).But there is one caveat. Ideally, your butter should be raw (unpasteurized), otherwise you’ll run into the health issues associated with all pasteurized dairy. Making Your Own ButterGetting back to the topic of this post, what better way to get healthy, tasty butter than to make it yourself? This link will take you step-by-step through the process of butter-making. I recommend, though, that in addition to seeking out cream from grass-fed cows, as the article recommends, that you also look for cream that is raw (you will likely need to join a food coop or speak to a farmer directly for this).True, it takes a little more elbow grease to churn your own butter at home, but you’ll be left with butter that is vastly superior, in taste and nutrition, to anything you’ll find in a store.

New research shows that a high dietary intake of acrylamide can increase the risk of breast cancer. The study was the first epidemiological study using biological markers for measuring acrylamide exposure, and also the first to report an acrylamide/breast cancer link.
The study examined 374 postmenopausal women who had developed breast cancer, and an additional 374 healthy women who were used as controls. An increased acrylamide hemoglobin level doubled the risk of breast cancer.

Acrylamide is a carcinogen created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted. It was found to cause cancer in laboratory rats in 2002.

Britons enjoy fast food slightly more than Americans, and much more than the French, according to a survey of 13 countries by polling body Synovate and the BBC.One of the questions of the survey was “I like the taste of fast food too much to give it up.” Results found that:

45 percent of Britons agreed
44 percent of Americans agreed
37 percent of Canadians agreedMeanwhile, 81 percent of the French disagreed with the statement, as did 75 percent of Singaporeans and 73 percent of people from Hong Kong and Romania.In terms of losing weight, most people worldwide agree that cutting food intake is the best solution. Another 43 percent said they also do more exercise to lose weight.However, while 57 percent of Americans, 56 percent of French and 54 percent of Britons choose to eat less to shed pounds, 14 percent of Malaysians use herbs and supplements to cut their weight.

Two Men’s Health columnists have uncovered some dirty little secrets that the restaurant industry would rather keep quiet. In some cases, the true contents of what’s put into your meals at restaurants (both fast-food and sit-down) are shocking. In others, the information could not even be drawn out of corporate employees.How can a restaurant hide the nutritional facts of its food? Because of The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. This legislation says that fast-food and chain restaurants are not required to provide calorie, fat, or sodium information for any of their menu items unless they describe them as “low sodium” or “low fat.”Not surprisingly, many of the restaurants took advantage of this protection and kept their nutrition facts to themselves. Here is just a sampling of the secrets the restaurant industry has been keeping (you can click the link below to find out all 16).
1. Arby’s “100 percent all-natural chicken” contains artificial flavoring, and its “all-natural smoothies” may contain high-fructose corn syrup.2. An order of Aussie Cheese Fries at Outback Steakhouse has 2,900 calories.3. Hooters wouldn’t disclose any nutritional facts about their food, but investigation revealed that its wing sauce contains partially hydrogenated margarine, maltodextrin, propylene glycol alginate, xanthan gum and other additives.4. A medium-size fruit-and-yogurt smoothie from Dunkin’ Donuts has more than four times the sugar in a chocolate-frosted cake doughnut.5. Pastries at Panera Bread contain synthetic food colorings that have been linked to irritability, restlessness, and sleep disturbance in children.6. A large order of pasta at Maggiano’s contains two pounds of noodles.7. The top four ingredients in Baskin Robbins’ Blue Raspberry Fruit Blast are Sierra Mist soda, water, sugar and corn syrup.8. The French toast sticks at Burger King go into the same fryer as the pork sausage, pork fritters, Chicken Tenders, chicken fries, Big Fish patties, hash browns, onion rings, and Cheesy Tots — and all of these contain harmful trans fats.

Several of the big, fast-food restaurant chains have recently come out with a series of soft and fluffy television commercials, highlighting their new “healthier” menu items, such as their salads.
So, I did some research on these salads to see if they really are as healthy as these restaurant chains are claiming they are. It‘s very interesting when you see some of the ingredients that go into these salads; it really reinforces the idea that you don‘t want to go anywhere near fast-food restaurants.
Some of the ingredients in their salads include high fructose corn syrup, liquid margarine, preservatives, corn syrup solids, and all kinds of nasty, mucky things that you really don‘t want anywhere near your body.
I thought this was something you should be aware of, especially if you have a family and you‘re considering going to a fast-food restaurant and trying out their so-called “healthier alternatives.” This is surely information you need to have, so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to let your family eat at these restaurants.

After looking at a database of 850 patients diagnosed with lymphatic and bone marrow cancers between 1972 and 1980, researchers from the University of Tasmania and Britain‘s Bristol University found that living near high-voltage power lines might increase the risk of leukemia, lymphoma, and related conditions later in life. People who lived within 328 yards of a power line up to the age of five were five times more likely to develop cancer. Those who lived within the same range to a power line at any point during their first 15 years were three times more likely to develop cancer as an adult.
Internal Medicine Journal September 2007; 37(9):614-9
Physorg.com August 24, 2007
 

The demand for raw, unpasteurized milk is booming. According to Sally Fallon, president for the Weston A. Price Foundation, the number of raw milk drinkers is now at about half a million people across the United States — many of them willingly breaking the law, purchasing their milk from “underground black markets,” and other creative setups.
Twenty years ago, the Food and Drug Administration banned interstate sales of unpasteurized milk, but individual states determine how raw milk is allowed to be bought and sold within their borders. The sale of raw milk for human consumption is illegal in 15 states, whereas 26 allow it with restrictions. Only a handful of states, including Washington and California, allow it to be sold in stores.
Gregory Miller, vice president of the National Dairy Council, claims drinking raw milk is like playing Russian roulette, asking, “Why would you take that risk?”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture tested raw milk from 861 farms in 21 states in July 2007. Their report came back claiming nearly a quarter of the samples contained illness-causing bacteria, including five percent with listeria, three percent with salmonella, and four percent with less dangerous types of E. coli.
Raw-milk proponents claim it contains more nutritional value, and more antibodies and healthful enzymes than pasteurized milk. “What proponents of raw milk call ‘life forces,’ we call bacteria,” says Ted Elkin, deputy director of Maryland’s Office of Food Protection and Consumer Health Services.
But Sally Fallon points out that tainted dairy is only a problem when the milk comes from typical conventional dairy facilities. “That milk could pose a danger,” she says, “But milk from cows fed on pastures actually has [it‘s] own antimicrobial components that keep it safe.”
New York Times August 8, 2007
Washington Post August 7, 2007

Today, I‘ll show you how to make a delicious chilled, Greek Chicken Salad. It‘s a great recipe for both carb and mixed types. This one is yummy!
INGREDIENTS:

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped into large chunks
1 large cucumber, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh spearmint leaves, chopped
1 cup raw goat‘s milk yogurt
PREPARATION:

Place chicken in medium-sized bowl.
Add in cucumber and spearmint.
Pour in raw goat‘s milk yogurt.
Mix well.
Note: Mixed types can use raw sheep milk or cow milk yogurt in place of goat‘s milk yogurt, though goat‘s milk yogurt has a lower fat content, which is good for carb types.
Likely, you can find a local source for fresh, raw goat‘s milk.
Now, we‘ve got an amazingly-aromatic, refreshing, scrumptious salad, perfect for a summer picnic or barbeque. And pretty too!
Enjoy!

Today‘s recipe is for a fantastic summer salad alternative. Though it may sound like an unlikely combo, the sheep‘s milk feta really brings out the flavors in the watermelon beautifully. It‘s a pretty, colorful dish as well. Trust me. You will really love this yummy dish, and there will be no going back once you‘ve tried it.
INGREDIENTS:

2 cups watermelon, (seedless) chopped into bite-sized chunks
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
¾ cup raw sheep‘s milk feta cheese, crumbled
PREPARATION:

Place watermelon in large bowl.
Add mint leaves.
Add feta cheese.
Stir to combine.
There you have it! An incredibly quick and easy summer salad that you and all your guests will love!

Today I‘ll show you how to make a raw, red-hot-spicy tomato soup which promises to be a very, very tasty dish, that will be enjoyed by all.
INGREDIENTS:

4 large, organic tomatoes, rough chopped
1 large red sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
¼ onion, chopped
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on taste
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 to 3 Tablespoons olive oil (see note below)
PREPARATION:

Pour tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic and onion into large mixing bowl (or food processor or large blender).
Add cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Adjust seasoning according to taste.
Add as much olive oil as you like (see note below).
Blend with immersion blender, in food processor, or blender until smooth.
Serve chilled.
Note: This recipe is best suited for mixed types. But if you‘re a carb type, you can just reduce the amount of olive oil accordingly.
I hope you enjoy this very simple, raw, chilled soup.

Today, I‘ll show you a fantastic recipe that‘s great for both protein and mixed types, and is a fine way to use up leftover chicken.
INGREDIENTS:

2 cups dark-meat chicken, cooked & chopped1/2 cup raw cashews2 stalks organic celery, choppedSmall handful organic fresh Italian parsley, chopped (may also use curly parsley)2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped1/3 cup red onion, chopped1/2 cup to 1 cup fresh, raw cream1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard Splash of organic olive oilJuice of ½ lemon
PREPARATION:

Place chicken, cashews, celery, parsley, thyme and onion in medium-sized bowl.
Add lemon juice, raw cream and mustard (the secret ingredient).
Add splash of organic olive oil.
Mix well.
Note: Protein types omit lemon juice, as it‘s not an ideal food for you. It‘s fine for mixed types.
This is a scrumptious dish you can keep in the fridge. It can be made in larger batches for entertaining. I‘m sure your family will love it!

People who work rotating shifts during the night and early morning have significantly lower levels of the hormone and neurotransmitter serotonin, according to a study of 683 men.Serotonin plays an important role in the regulation of sleep, and low levels have been linked to:Sleep problems Anger Depression AnxietyIn the study, men who worked hours when the body typically expects to be sleeping (shifts starting at 6 p.m.) had notably lower levels of serotonin than those working shifts during the day (starting at 6 a.m.).Anywhere from 2 percent to 5 percent of the U.S. population is thought to have sleep problems related to shift work. Shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder that is caused by a work schedule that takes place during the normal sleep period, thereby confusing your body’s internal clock.The disorder can result in trouble sleeping, severe fatigue, poor sleep quality, and not feeling refreshed upon waking. The ensuing fatigue can affect work performance and alertness, and may also increase your risk of getting injured at work.Rotating shift workers typically sleep one to four hours less than average, and often feel fatigued when they’re awake.Sleep August 1, 2007 Science Daily August 1, 2007

Public health advocates, environmentalists and laundry workers have petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban “gender-bender” chemical additives found in some household detergents and other cleaning agents. They‘re also calling for studies on the human risks related to nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), which are known to be potent endocrine disrupters. These chemicals are already thought to be the cause of male fish transforming into females in waterways around the world. Some believe these transformed fish may be the proverbial canaries in the coal mine, pointing toward a much larger human problem. About 250,000 fewer boys have been born in the last 30 years in the United States and Japan, and scientists are linking the phenomenon to a body accumulation of these types of gender-bending toxins. As endocrine disrupters, NPEs affect gene expression by turning on or off certain genes, and interfere with the way your glandular system works. They mimic the female hormone estrogen, which is the reason behind some marine species switching from male to female. Approximately 400 million pounds of NPEs are manufactured in the United States each year.Organic Consumers Association June 6, 2007 DarkTruth.com Natural Health—A Much Better Way July 21, 2007