People love to focus on calcium to have the healthiest bones possible. The “got milk?” campaigns left an impression on the general public, so most people believe milk is the answer for their calcium needs. Excess dairy consumption can lead to excess mucus production and inflammation in the body. Plus, calcium isn’t the only nutrient you need to worry about if you want healthier bones. 

Not only is vitamin D a key player in bone health, but it may also prevent osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones brittle. Vitamin D deficiency also contributes to a gradual loss of bone strength over time. You see, the body needs vitamin D in order for bones to properly absorb calcium. In fact, you can consume all the calcium in the world, but your bones don’t absorb it without vitamin D, according to health professionals. 

When it comes to how much vitamin D you need per day, the Institutes of Medicine recommends 600-1000 internal units (IU) of vitamin D per day to meet 95% of the population’s needs. Unlike other nutrients, which are measured in grams or milligrams, vitamin D is measured in IU for recommended daily intake. Read on to learn about plenty of vitamin D sources for optimal health.

Sunshine

Open the door and go outside in order to encourage the body to make vitamin D. A small amount of sunlight per day can help you meet your recommended daily intake of vitamin D. Experts say that 20-25 minutes of sun exposure can aid your efforts. You should also be mindful that the sun is less likely to provide you with your daily needs at higher altitudes or during the winter. If you have a darker skin tone, it will also be harder to meet your daily vitamin D needs in the sun. Sun exposure also increases the risk of skin cancer, so make sure to apply sunscreen when necessary. 

Certain Mushrooms

Just like humans, mushrooms can also produce vitamin D. UV light rays from the sun essentially fortify mushrooms with vitamin D. A 2018 study found that, with exposure to UV radiation, mushrooms could generate nutritionally useful amounts of vitamin D2. Oftentimes, mushrooms grow in darker environments, so they have to be treated with UV light for exposure. Certain mushrooms, like portobello and maitake varieties, are still beneficial sources of vitamin D. 

Ultraviolet Lamps And Bulbs

People at a high risk of vitamin D deficiency may require UV-emitting lamps or bulbs. Healthcare professionals may recommend people who are unable to absorb vitamin D these devices. People who cannot get enough sunlight in the winter months may also benefit from these lamps and bulbs. These lamps are similar to tanning beds, but on a much smaller scale. Each lamp is about 24 inches by 16 inches. An important note is that they do carry some skin cancer risks and you should wear protective eyewear when near them. 

Fresh Fatty Fish

Many dietitians agree that different types of fish are excellent to consume to increase vitamin D levels. Fattier and oily fish, including rainbow trout, salmon, tuna, and sardines are all great sources of vitamin D. Three ounces of cooked salmon has 570 IUs, while the same amount of cooked rainbow trout has 645 IUs. A 2021 study found that Atlantic mackerel and herring were rich in vitamin D. Adding these types of fish to your diet also increases your intake of valuable omega-3 fatty acids. 

Egg Yolks

A lot of people enjoy eggs and they happen to be a great way to meet your recommended daily amount of vitamin D. Vitamin D in eggs comes from the yolk, so don’t just opt for the egg whites. One yolk provides about 40 IUs, but dietitians suggest getting more vitamin D from other sources. The reason for this is because one egg contains about 200 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol. A 2019 study found that too much dietary cholesterol, including the type that comes from eggs, increased the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Cod Liver Oil

Unfortunately, this is one of those foods that does not have an appetizing taste or smell. Commonly sold in capsule form, cod liver oil is often flavored with mint or citrus to mellow the fishy taste. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that one tablespoon of cod liver oil contains nearly 1,300 IUs of vitamin D, which is about twice the recommended daily allowance of 600 IUs. Although this amount doesn’t exceed the maximum upper-level intake of 4,000 IUs for people over the age of eight, it does exceed the daily maximum for infants, which is 1,000 IUs.

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Ever heard the expression “you are what you eat?” That may not be technically true, but it embraces a focus on health that is right on target. There are many different ways to approach one’s health, and there are almost as many negative ways as there are beneficial ones.

Negative Health Consciousness

Merely being focused on your health is not necessarily embracing health consciousness, for there are many bad ways to approach your personal health.

Soy

Many people who claim to embrace health consciousness will adopt vegetarian or vegan diets. They’re mistaken in believing that replacing animal protein with soy protein is a healthy decision. Soy is a waste by product from the processing of soy beans. It has been linked to breast cancer. It is a false belief to think that replacing animal products with soy is engaging in positive health consciousness.

Fish Oil

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are crucial for a body to operate at optimal efficiency. Most people turn to fish oil to help supplement the body’s need for Omega 3’s-the best known of the EFAs. Fish oil is an animal product, and taking it doesn’t support the belief systems of vegetarians, vegans or raw foodists. Rather than fish oil, there are a couple of plant-based oils that offer all three EFAs: Black Currant oil and Hemp Seed oil. Taking plant-based EFAs are a positive healthy consciousness decision.

Not Exercising

The human body is designed to move. When it doesn’t, it slows down, body chemistry changes, and body function is thrown out of balance. Living a sedentary lifestyle is a negative health choice and demonstrates a lack of health consciousness. Instead, make time to practice yoga or pilates. Take a walk in your neighborhood, visit a local park or hike a trail to re-engage with nature. Breathe in the life around you, and you’ll not only feel better, but make one more step toward positive health consciousness.

Positive Health Consciousness

Good overall health consciousness is built off of several aspects, including diet, exercise, mental health, and spiritual health.

Diet / Exercise

Diet and exercise are very important for physical health. Most people have the knowledge about how to diet and exercise correctly – the issue is a matter of willpower.

A crunchy carrot or crisp apple is delicious, but sometimes it is difficult to remember the allure of healthy foods with faced with the aroma of salty French fries or freshly baked doughnuts.

Similarly, even though people buy gym memberships with the intention of using them, it can be hard to find the time and effort to fit gym visits into a weekly schedule.

Motivation is key. To help improve your willpower and drive to succeed, make weekly and long-term goals. Write them down and post them in places you will see, whether on your computer, desk, or car. Try to get your friends involved in exercising with you. Join dance classes together or rent workout videos and have a dance party. Take turns cooking meals that are balanced and nutritious. Check in with your friends and see if they are sticking to their workout and diet schedules.

And don’t forget-after setting goals for yourself, set rewards too! They don’t have to be big goals – every marathon must begin with a single step. Tell yourself that you will treat yourself to a relaxing, healing massage after you’ve been to the gym 10 times. Be proud of the accomplishments you’ve achieved, but keep on reaching for those stars!

And in conclusion, don’t forget that health consciousness is more than just physical fitness. Take good care of your mind, body, and spirit, and you will reap the consequences for a lifetime.

Thank you for reading!

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It seems that everywhere you look these days, there’s people out there telling you that fish is healthy, and that it should be eaten as part of a healthy diet. Even on alternative health programs, such as Dr Gillian McKeith’s TV series, as well as plenty of legumes, vegetables, fruits and cereals, she plugs fish as a so-called health food. The latest popular diet, called the GI diet, also recommends fish as a low-GI food. In this article, we will have a look at some of the claims and see how they have led to so much false information and dangerous dietary advice.

The British Heart Foundation advocate fish eating as part of a healthy diet to avoid heart disease, and yet in their leaflet entitled ‘Eating for Your Heart’, they say that as well as providing Omega-3 fats (a particular type of polyunsaturated fat which is supposed to prevent blood clotting and help to reduce triglyceride levels), polyunsaturated fats also lower HDL cholesterol which is the protective cholesterol. Indeed, research based on studies concerning Omega-3 oils show that the risk of secondary heart attacks are reduced by 70% on plant-based Omega 3 fats as compared to only half this amount with fish oils. A UK study comparing fish oil and flax seed (linseed) oil observed that fish oil also increased the susceptibility of cholesterol to oxidation, potentially increasing the risk of heart disease, whilst the flaxseed oil diet did not.

It’s quite odd when you think about it, but considering the Food Standards Agency have set up ‘safe’ levels of eating fish, stating that twice per week is the maximum amount anyone should be consuming fish, that fish is still being promoted as a ‘healthy option’ food. Any food which is advisable only in small amounts certainly needs reconsidering as a healthy option! The traces of deadly pollutants, associated with birth defects, nervous system disorders and poor brain development would it seems be worthy of more than a second glance. Plus the fact that there is no carbohydrate in fish (essential for a healthy human body), no dietary fibre and no vitamin C.

FISH FAT

Animal fats have proven in many studies to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Fish is high in fat often 60% of its calories comes from fat, which is effortlessly incorporated into a person’s body fat contributing to the risk of obesity. In fact there is considerable evidence that fish fat will increase a person’s risk of cancer and also will increase the risk of metastasis (spread of cancer to other body parts). Fish fat is also known to paralyze the actions of insulin and increase the tendency for high blood sugars and eventually diabetes, it is known to suppress the immune system and is also known to increase the tendency for serious bleeding (hemorrhage) (see the Eskimo section in ‘The Undigestible Truth about Meat’).

FISH CHOLESTEROL

Like all animal products, fish are high in cholesterol. Based upon weight, mackerel contains 95mg of cholesterol, haddock 65mg, tuna 63mg and halibut 50mg. This compares to beef at 70mg, chicken at 60mg and pork at 70mg. However when the comparison is based on calories, fish is higher in cholesterol than beef or chicken.

FISH PROTEIN

As a Natural Hygienist, I teach people that cooked protein is denatured and denatured protein is largely unusable by the human body. To consume protein in a bioavailable way to the human body, we would need to consume the animal whole, raw and complete with all the blood, offal and bones. This is what is termed as complete protein. Wouldn’t you rather eat some nuts?

That aside, the kinds of protein that make up fish are very acidic in nature. The high acidic load caused by ingestion of fish results in bone loss, which eventually leads to osteoporosis. Eskimos are among the highest consumers of fish on Earth and they also have the highest rate of osteoporosis (as well as high rates of hemorrhage).

MERCURY AND HEART DISEASE

Our discussion of fish would not be complete without some reference to mercury contamination. Methylmercury (MeHg) is a global environmental problem and is listed in the International Program of Chemical Safety as one of the six most dangerous chemical’s in the world’s environment. In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was warned that many fish contain such high levels of mercury that they may increase the risk of heart attack. Indeed, people in the study who had high mercury levels were thought to have more than double the risk of a heart attack compared with those who had lower mercury levels. Mercury is also known to be toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys with long-term exposure being linked to atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries).

FISH OIL SUPPLEMENTS

Unless these have been specially processed to remove cholesterol, fish oils contain large amounts of cholesterol (as well as pesticides and other toxic chemicals) and they will raise the blood cholesterol in those people consuming them. Even when the fish oil is purified of cholesterol, the Omega-3 fat itself will cause the LDL (the bad cholesterol) to rise. The final results are published in a study on the effects of fish oil on artery closure, where the authors concluded “Fish oil treatment for 2 years does not promote favorable changes in the diameter of atherosclerotic coronary arteries”. Furthermore, from studies, fish oils are reported to ‘Suppress the immune system, which can promote cancer and increase the susceptibility to viral infections and can cause severe bleeding’ and ‘Fish fat also inhibits the action of insulin, thus increasing a person’s tendency to suffer from diabetes’.

References
‘Eating for Your Health’ The British Heart Foundation 2001
‘Fish and Health’ by Stephen Walsh PhD (Study cited in The Lancet 1999 354: 447-455)
Veggie Health 2004 Issue 6
‘Fish is not a Health Food’ Report by Dr McDougall February 2003

Dr Gina Shaw DSc MA AIYS Dip Irid Dip NH is a health and nutrition consultant and Doctor of Complementary Medicine, iridologist and fasting and detox plan supervisor. Gina has helped people recover from a plethora of acute and chronic diseases and has appeared in The Times after healing a client of Ulcerative Colitis. She has been on local radio and has lectured around the country. She is the author of several health books and offers personal and group detox and fasting retreats both in the UK and in Europe.

Follow Dr. Gina Shaw!
www.vibrancyuk.com

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Omega 3 and Omega 6, Probiotics, Prebiotics, Calcium…they’re all huge selling points in today’s media oriented conglomerate-supplied society. Britain’s supermarket shelves are filled high with products which claim to reduce bloating and gas, painful joints, etc., etc. popped very kindly into their wonderful products which are filled with salt, preservatives, animal products, heated fats (trans and hydrogenated fats), etc. never mind how many different foodstuffs people eat in one go, fruit with proteins, carbohydrates and fats, never mind these digestive nightmares just eat one pot of the magic yogurt and at the drop of a hat excellent health appears! Well, wouldn’t that be nice? Yes. But true? – definitely not!

Unfortunately, the general public are looking for a panacea a cure all for their ills some miracle potion which can take away their ills. What they don’t realize is that we need to look at everything we place into our mouths and address issues such as the combination, the quality, the amount of heat processing involved, etc. Simple mono meals of fruit or salad are very easy to digest and don’t sap our energy. Foods which haven’t been tainted by industry, chemicals added, etc. and those which have escaped heat processing such as fresh fruits, salads and vegetables and raw nuts and seeds, are the best buys!

Let’s now take a look at quite what these ingredients are and exactly what sort of health level they are genuinely expected to provide. Let’s start with yogurts: Now most commercial yogurts contain dairy milk. Dairy milk has been proven time and time again to cause gastric distress in people who are allergic to dairy products, which amount to a lot of people worldwide. Many people are what’s known as lactose intolerant, especially those of Afro-Caribbean origin and Chinese people but also an increasing number of Western people are beginning to realize that they too are allergic or intolerant to dairy products. So these may be the very products which are causing bloating, etc. in the first place!

All mammals take their mother’s milk during infancy. After they are weaned, they are sustained by other foods. Most humans, however, have been convinced that cow’s milk is an ideal food for humans and should be used all through adult life. The milk of each species is well adapted for the young of that species, but the use of cow’s milk in a child’s (and adult’s) diet causes excessive weight and complicated problems in adult humans, such as excess secretion of mucus, excess secretion of urine, constipation, diarrhea, bowel impaction, nausea, gas and discomfort, increased blood pressure, edema, and numerous digestive and respiratory problems. Indeed, many doctors and scientists have come away from the view that dairy products are health-giving and blame dairy milk and its products for a growing number of health problems in children and adults including iron deficiency, obesity, cancer, heart disease, a range of respiratory disorders and allergies, etc. There should be a transition period, during which a child eats other foods as well as nursing (on mother’s milk preferably), but the time comes when milk is no longer needed. The use of dairy products by human adults is unique in the animal kingdom – man is the only animal that is never weaned-except, of course, for domesticated animals, who lap up saucers of milk.

The Truth About Calcium

Calcium is needed for proper bone and cartilage formation, for proper blood clotting, for muscle functioning, for hormone activation, for tissue formation. Calcium influences capillary permeability. Calcium deficiency can cause headaches, heart palpitation, listlessness, sleeplessness, and affects nerve function and thought processes. Adequate calcium supplies can help to keep cholesterol levels in the normal range. Calcium activates numerous enzyme systems and normalizes the contraction and relaxation of the heart. It is essential in the maintenance of the delicate acid/alkaline balance.

During the years of growth, 99% of the available calcium is utilized in the formation of bones and teeth. Subsequently, extra supplies of calcium and other minerals are stored in the bones and drawn upon in emergencies for balancing the body chemistry. A small percentage of the body’s calcium is found in body fluids and tissues.

The calcium in cow’s milk is of too crude a nature to be easily assimilated by the more delicate, subtle human organism. Frequently, the coarser calcium attracts and absorbs the finer calcium in the human cells, robbing them of what little they had.” (lan Rose. Faith, Love and Seaweed, quoted in “Feeding Vegan Babies,” Freya Dinshah, Ahimsa, Nov.-Dec. 1974) This may be one explanation for the fact that tetany (muscle cramps) frequently follows the ingestion of milk.

Calcium is abundant in plant foods and provides many times the required amount of calcium, in a better form which is more readily utilized by the human organism. Indeed, Henry C. Sherman, Ph.D. Sc.D Professor of Chemistry at the Columbia University said that the dark green leaves are source of calcium, well utilized in nutrition. There are many non-animal foods in common use which are rich in calcium such as sunflower seeds, dried figs, pistachio nuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, kale and other greens and the calcium in these plant foods is readily available to the human organism, without stress and threat.

Natural sunlight (Vitamin D) is vital to calcium absorption. Foods high in oxalic acid (such as spinach, chard, beet greens, chocolate and coffee) interfere with the absorption of calcium. Wheat bran (a fragmented food) inhibits the absorption of calcium. Such unnaturally large amounts of fiber can impair the body’s ability to absorb calcium and other important minerals. Natural sources of fiber don’t interfere with the assimilation of calcium and other nutrients. (Hariand, Barbara and Hecht. Annabel, “Grandma Called It Roughage”- FDA Consumers Publication 78-2087, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, July/August 1977)

Yoghurt – Probiotics and Prebiotics

Yogurt is obviously subject to the same objections given for other dairy products (unfermented and fermented). Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria, Lactobacillus bifidus bacteria and coli bacteria are normally present in the digestive tract of humans. They are sometimes called “friendly” or “beneficial” intestinal flora and are necessary for human symbiosis and the proper absorption and utilization of foods. These natural intestinal flora can be adversely affected (or destroyed) by taking antibiotics. There has been some evidence that using yogurt cultures for prolonged periods can also adversely affect the natural intestinal flora or impair the body’s own ability to foster the development of such natural friendly bacteria. One research team at Johns Hopkins Hospital even discovered a relationship to cataracts.

Here’s an excerpt from a probiotic supplier which admits the drawbacks: Even before they get into the stomach, the friendly bacteria in most acidophilus and soil-based organism formulations have a hard time surviving stomach acidity. Many die passing through the stomach. In addition, a great deal are dead and useless when you take them. They die in their capsules. Refrigeration is recommended to reduce the number that die, but many many studies have found that a large number of the supposedly active live bacteria in probiotics are dead by the time you take them. And researchers have found that most of your ordinary probiotics are contaminated by mold. Not exactly what you are looking for in a probiotic supplement. Has this put you off yet?

Now, let’s see, this might: Nutrition researcher Gordon F. Fraser, B.Sc. (“The Yogurt Scare Is For Real,” Let’s Live Magazine.August 1970) says. “Most commercial yogurts contain harmful bacteria, of other than human origin, called Bulgaricus bacillus; these die out in the human intestinal tract and do a great deal of harm to the system before dying.” He says that this culture dominates and destroys the beneficial, necessary intestinal flora which help to utilize food particles, keep down pathogenic germs, stimulate peristalsis, detoxify and create a soft. smooth stool. Their main function is to aid in the nourishment of the cells and speed up the utilization of food.

This certainly should make one uneasy about the use of any yogurt. Why risk inhibiting or impairing your natural intestinal flora? Why not, instead, stick to a natural diet devoid of animal products and abundant in raw fruits, salads, nuts and seeds a diet of mostly raw plant foods – and have faith in your body’s own ability to develop and foster its own beneficial intestinal flora?

Omega Fatty Acids

Regarding the much-touted Omega-3 fatty acids, Dr Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine argues that although these fatty acids can normally reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood which plays a role in heart disease, those found in fish are highly unstable. The fatty acids found in fish have a tendency to decompose and unleash dangerous free radicals, which are linked to cancer, arteriosclerosis and premature aging. According to researchers at the University of Arizona, the Omega-3 fatty acids found in vegetables, fruit and beans are more stable than those in fish, in addition to being coupled with antioxidants, which can help neutralize free radicals. Fish particularly oil fish – can also contribute to cancer and neurological disorders as they contain carcinogens and neurotoxins – contaminants from polluted waters and poisons such as mercury, DDT, PCBs, dioxins, hormone disrupters and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), etc. This is why pregnant women, nursing mothers and children are advised to limit the amount of oily fish they consume. Also about 40% of fish samples have so much bacterial contamination that they have already begun to spoil before they are sold.

The Physicians Committee argue that fish and fish oil contains an unhealthy amount of artery-clogging, saturated fat and that studies show that diets based on fish do nothing to reverse arterial blockages. Moreover, blockages continue to worsen for patients who regularly eat fish.

In theory, there are three types of Omega fatty acids. ALA (short chain fatty acids) comes from several plant sources, including flax seeds, walnuts and soya beans. The human body can convert short chain plant oils into long chain plant oils and the bonus of having these oils from plant sources is that they are not riddled with deadly poisons and they aren’t destroying the environment. According to Dr Justine Butler, you can in fact improve your conversion of this by avoiding eggs, meat and dairy products, which will reduce your cholesterol intake as well.

The latest studies show that it’s the ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 that’s important anyhow, not how much Omega 3 you consume. The best ratio is somewhere between 4:1 and 10:1 according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As Omega 6 tends to cancel out Omega 3 in the body, you can improve your ratio of Omega 3 simply by cutting down on foods which contain Omega 6. The easiest way of doing this is to consume flax seeds (ground and/or sprouted are best to digest and absorb), hemp seeds (hulled are best) and walnuts not in large quantities but regularly throughout the week.

Sources:
‘The Undigestible Truth about Meat’ by Dr Gina Shaw
‘Fish Frenzy Balancing the Scales’ article by Dr Justine Butler
The Life Science Course T C Fry
‘Get a Prebiotic with your Probiotic’ www.health-reports.com

Dr Gina Shaw DSc MA AIYS Dip Irid Dip NH is a health and nutrition consultant and Doctor of Complementary Medicine, iridologist and fasting and detox plan supervisor. Gina has helped people recover from a plethora of acute and chronic diseases and has appeared in The Times after healing a client of Ulcerative Colitis. She has been on local radio and has lectured around the country. She is the author of several health books and offers personal and group detox and fasting retreats both in the UK and in Europe.

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• Multi-Vitamins and Minerals
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