Covenant Natural Health Care

Health News Roundup

• Many Eco-friendly bulbs contain toxic chemicals: Though the notion now borders on political incorrectness among many environmentalists, the simple incandescent light bulb is still the cleanest, most non-toxic form of consumer lighting available. A new study published by the University of California - Irvine (UCI) has found that popular energy-saving LED light bulbs are filled with high levels of lead, arsenic, and various other toxic chemicals.

• 7,000 Clinical Studies Concur - This Meat is a Clear Invitation to Cancer... : Hot dogs and other processed meats contain OTHER compounds that put them squarely on the list of foods to avoid or eliminate entirely...

• Extreme weather taking a huge toll on global food production: An increase in the prevalence of extreme weather events due to global warming will seriously affect global food production worldwide, climate and agriculture experts are increasingly warning.

• Pharmaceutical drugs causing spike in diseases they supposedly treat: A recent U.S. News & World Report piece highlights new studies that point to serious problems down the road for the over-medicated population. According to reports, more than 60 percent of American adults now take at least one drug every day for a chronic health problem, and more than half of seniors take at least three medications every day. But the end result is more diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis and cancer.

• NEW! Self-Funded Study Found HUGE Tumors from This Everyday Food... : Victoria Inness-Brown conducted a personal two and a half-year experiment on the effects of aspartame, probably the worst of the artificial sweeteners on the market.


• Which Food Additives Make Children Behave Badly?:  Research has shown that the food additives used in hundreds of children's foods and drinks can cause temper tantrums and disruptive behavior. A Government-funded study confirms what many parents have long suspected about the effect of chemicals put into sweets, biscuits and foods. Colorings in products such as Smarties, Jelly Tots and fizzy drinks could spark behavior changes in up to a quarter of toddlers.

• Facts you might not know about gluten: Many people are growing interested in following a gluten-free diet. Whether a person suffers from gluten sensitivity or has full-blown celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet can be beneficial to people for numerous reasons already discussed on this website. So, if a person has chosen to follow a gluten-free diet, there are some things he or she might be interested in learning.

Health News Roundup

• The Sleeping Habit That Can Make You Hungrier, Plumper, and Forgetful: Time and again, research shows us the hidden price we pay for our 24/7 lifestyles. Lack of sleep due to over-crowded day planners, e-mail, web surfing, and other distractions take a toll on your health whether you realize it or not.

• New research: "smart" vitamin A plays multiple roles in the immune system, depending on the body's needs: It's been known for a long time that a lack of vitamin A can make you susceptible to infections. On the other hand, some research has shown vitamin A can suppress the immune system.

• New Report Shows How You Get Addicted to Diet Soda: "In other words, artificial sweeteners may spur drinkers -- or their brains -- to keep chasing a 'high' that diet soda keeps forever just out of reach ...

• NEW Studies Reveal Alarming Hidden Cause of Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide and breast cancer rates are increasing rapidly.

• Cancer on the rise globally as developing nations eat American foods and use American products: Cancer rates are increasing worldwide but especially in economically developing countries, according to a report released by the American Cancer Society in honor of World Cancer Day and published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

Health News Roundup

• Does topical fluoride really protect tooth enamel? Study suggests NO: A popular mantra in American dentistry claims that topical fluoride treatments help to protect teeth from cavities by forming a protective shield on the enamel of teeth. However, a new study published in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Langmuir has found that the "protective layer" created by fluoride is actually 100 times thinner than previously believed, which may render it practically useless as a cavity-preventing intervention.

• FDA to pull 500 unapproved drugs from market after allowing them to be sold for decades: For years, prescription cold and cough medicines like Cardec, Rondec, Organidin, Pediahist, and hundreds of other drugs have been available to patients, even though none of them have ever received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA recently decided to crack down on the unapproved stray drugs, ordering 500 of them to be pulled from the market.

•  Are You or Your Family Eating Toxic Food Dyes?: Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. While the European Union has recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to inform consumers of the health risks, the United States has no such requirement.

• Asthmatics should avoid this common food additive: Sodium Metabisulphite, or E223 as it may be more commonly referred to as, has been linked to a host of allergic reaction in people. Because of its ability to induce asthmatic symptoms and bronchospasms in individuals, this preservative product of industrial quality should not be consumed by those prone to these conditions, or by children.

•  What is the Most Dangerous Food Additive?: A new study concludes that there could be negative consequences associated with artificial sugar substitutes -- including a much higher risk of strokes.

• Cell phone use found to affect the glucose metabolism of the brain: Does using a cell phone have an effect on the brain? According to a 2011 study titled "Effects of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Signal Exposure on Brain Glucose Metabolism," the answer is absolutely. The study, headed by Nora D. Volkow, M.D. and conducted by the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, examined the effect of cell phone use on the brain by utilizing positron emission tomography (PET) on 47 participants.

• FDA Recall: Is There Salmonella in Your Skippy?: On Monday, Unilever announced a limited voluntary recall of Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread, after a routine sampling of products indicated possible contamination with salmonella.

•  The Spice that Helps Prevent Cancer - Now Being Used to Repair Stroke Damage: Curcumin -- the pigment that gives the curry spice turmeric its yellow-orange color -- is a natural compound that should be on your health radar for a number of reasons. Both the ancient Chinese and Indian systems of medicine have recognized curcumin's beneficial properties for thousands of years, and modern research suggests it may be one of nature's most powerful potential healers.

• What You Need to Know When Shopping for Organic Skincare: More and more of us are turning to natural and organic skincare products, but this segment of the beauty industry can be compared to the Wild West. There’s little regulation and oversight when it comes to this labeling, so it’s important to be educated when opting for these types of products.

• 43 Percent of Americans Not Sleeping Enough as Tech Use Before Bed Soars:  Computer and other technology use an hour before bedtime may be killing your sleep quality. That's the latest news from the National Sleep Foundation, which also reports a significant number of Americans aren't getting the sleep they need.

Health News Roundup

• Homeopathy for children's emotional health: Most parents would never think of giving a child Valium or Prozac. We know their physical bodies are too delicate, but their emotional life is also very delicate. Yet they are subject to much of the same stresses as adults and need safe remedies to help support their nervous systems.

• Flu vaccines and neurological problems: Every vaccine on the market is associated with certain risks. Flu vaccines are no exception. As government agencies and medical authorities around the world urge entire populations to protect themselves from the latest strains of flu, little is said about the potential risks associated with this year's miracle cures.

• Junk food diet linked to lower IQ - study: Toddlers who have a diet high in processed foods may have a slightly lower IQ in later life, according to a British study described as the biggest research of its kind.

• The Newest Dangerous Sweetener to Hit Your Food Shelves...: Neotame is a chemical derivative of aspartame, and judging by the chemicals used in its manufacturing, it appears even more toxic than aspartame, although the proponents of neotame claim that increased toxicity is not a concern, because less of it is needed to achieve the desired effect.

• When Organic Isn't Really Organic - - How You're Being Duped: A "certified organic" product can actually have a mix of organic and conventional ingredients.

• Mainstream media websites promoting Acai Berry Diet weight loss scam with "weird belly fat tips" ads: A Consumer Wellness Center investigation (www.ConsumerWellness.com) has revealed the ad lures web surfers into a deceptive "fake news page" designed to trick people into agreeing to misleading offers that may result in hundreds of dollars being charged to their credit cards.

• Want to Improve Your Memory? Try Taking a Walk: New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) confirms the brain benefits of physical activity for older adults, but this time with the added evidence that walking can actually increase the volume of certain parts of the brain involved in memory.

The Not-So-Sweet Side of Sugar

Sugar sure does taste good, but it wreaks havoc on our body. Giving up or reducing processed sugar is no small feat because, chances are, it's been your diet for years and it's addicting. And, what I've learned from reading labels is that sugar is in more food than you'd like to think. Some examples of those foods are:

• Broth/stock
• Soup
• Bread
• Crackers
• Yogurt
• Tea
• Pasta sauce
• Mayonnaise and ketchup
• Protein bars/powder

Sugar typically isn't labeled sugar on an ingredients list, so it can sometimes go unnoticed as we strive to make healthy choices for our family. So, when reading labels, look for sugar under these names:

• Agave syrup
• Artificial sweeteners (Splenda, Sweet'N Low, NutraSwee, Equal, Sunette or Sweet One, Sorbitol, Mannitol
• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Galactose
• Glucose
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Lactose
• Malt
• Maltodextrin
• Maltose
• Muscovado
• Powdered or confectioner's sugar
• Rice Syrup
• Sucrose
• Sucralose
• Turbinado sugar

The best and easiest way to start reducing the amount of sugar you eat is by reading every label and avoiding products with sugar. The next best thing, but a lot harder, is to reduce the intake of sugary sweet foods and to avoid white and processed sugars (brown sugar, confectioners sugar, white sugar, and even some that are labeled raw sugar). Here are some other suggestions for licking the sugar habit:
• Always keep healthy snacks on hand at home, work and travel. This will not only save money, but keep you from caving in to sweet snacks when healthy ones are easily accessible.
• Don't buy sweets while grocery shopping. If you don't keep it in the pantry, you won't eat it.
• If you must have something sweet, make homemade treats with natural sugars like fruit, raw honey, stevia, or sucanat so that you can control the amount of sugar in the recipe.

Even if it takes some time, cutting out sugar means a healthier lifestyle with more room for nutrient-dense foods. For more information of sugar, check out these resources:
• This Addictive Commonly Used Food Feeds Cancer Cells, Triggers Weight Gain, and Promotes Premature Aging
• Lick the Sugar Habit by Nancy Appleton
• Relationship between sugar and disease and allergies

You can find recipes for sweets that we love by clicking on the sweets link, under categories, on the far right of this website.