What You Are Eating (or NOT) Can KILL YOU: From the Supermarkets to the Restaurants
Let me start by saying that TRUTH is an absolute defense to any DEFAMATION or FALSE LIGHT lawsuit… And of course, “they” (food vendors) don’t want you to know what I am about to share with you in this article, but with TRUTH as our main motivation, I will share as much with you as I humanly can (time-constraints considered). Both what we eat and what we don’t eat can KILL US. And they both can induce CANCER, my most hated word as cancer took my late Mother and Aunt away from me way too early.
All consumers should have a right to know the exact source of their foods as to ascertain its nutritional integrity and value - Dr. Pete Lorins
LorinsPOST.com and Lorins Research Institute (LoRI) have partnered up to write this rather interesting, potentially-controversial and challenging article. It is challenging to write because it has to be grounded in TRUTH, one of our main premises. Thus, equipped with the Lorins Accountability Quotients (LAQs) particularly the healthfulness quotient, here we go!
I will cover as many pertinent or substantial/relevant items as possible as to focus on substance instead of just form.
PATHOGENS (i.e., Common Bugs Found in Foods)FOOD-BORNE
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDS) there are ten (10) top foodborne pathogens of which we should all be aware especially considering the fact that Americans love to eat out… My goal here is to excite your awareness about the potential agents that may cause malaises as you eat out, and why you should choose wisely, and be aware of warning signs or symptoms… You will not get a degree in Microbiology/Bacteriology, but what you learn here may save your life and that of your loves ones.
1) Campylobacter
Campylobacter is the most common bacterial cause of diarrhea in the United States. Its main root causes are raw and undercooked poultry and other meat, raw milk and untreated water.
2) Clostridium Botulinum/Perfringens
This organism produces a toxin which causes botulism, a life-threatening illness that can prevent the breathing muscles from moving air in and out of the lungs. Its sources are: improperly prepared home-canned foods; and honey. The latter should not be fed to children less than 12 months old.
3) E. coli O157:H7
E. coli O157-H7 is bacterium that can produce a deadly toxin and causes approximately 73,000 cases of foodborne illness each year in the U.S. The Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of people and animals. Most E. coli are harmless and actually are an important part of a healthy human intestinal tract. However, some E. coli are pathogenic, meaning they can cause illness, either diarrhea or illness outside of the intestinal tract. Its symptoms include: abdominal cramping, sudden, severe watery diarrhea that may change to bloody stools; gas; loss of appetite/nausea; vomiting (uncommon); fatigue and fever. Its sources are: beef, especially undercooked or raw hamburger; produce; raw milk; and unpasteurized juices and ciders.
4) Listeria monocytogenes
Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a serious disease for pregnant women, newborns, and adults with a weakened immune system. The symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur. But infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness. Its sources are: unpasteurized dairy products, including soft cheeses; sliced deli meats; smoked fish; hot dogs; pate’; and deli-prepared salads (i.e. egg, ham, seafood, and chicken salads).
5) Norovirus (Norwalk Virus)
Norovirus is the leading viral cause of diarrhea in the United States. Poor hygiene causes Norovirus to be easily passed from person to person and from infected individuals to food items. Its main sources are: Any food contaminated by someone who is infected with this virus.
6) Salmonella
Salmonella is the common bacterial cause of diarrhea in the United States, and the most common cause of foodborne deaths. Responsible for 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness a year. Its main sources are: raw and undercooked eggs, undercooked poultry and meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, and unpasteurized dairy products.
7) Staphylococcus Aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that produces a toxin that causes vomiting shortly after being ingested. Its main sources are: cooked foods high in protein (e.g. cooked ham, salads, bakery products, dairy products) that are held too long at room temperature.
8) Shigella
Shigella causes an estimated 448,000 cases of diarrhea illnesses per year. Poor hygiene causes Shigella to be easily passed from person to person and from infected individuals to food items. Its main sources are: salads, unclean water, and any food handled by someone who is infected with the bacterium.
9) Toxoplasma Gondii
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a very severe disease that can produce central nervous system disorders particularly mental retardation and visual impairment in children. Pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk. Its main sources are: raw or undercooked pork.
10) Vibrio Vulnificus
Vibrio vulnificus causes gastroenteritis, wound infection, and severe bloodstream infections. People with liver diseases are especially at high risk. Its main sources are: raw or undercooked seafood, particularly shellfish.
RESTAURANT ISSUES
According to the CDC, food-borne illnesses are common, but many people do not know much about them. People need to know more so they can be protected from foodborne illness.
illness often causes vomiting and diarrhea. Restaurants are one source of foodborne illness and many people die from such illnesses.Food-borne
The CDC conducted a survey in which it concluded that most people do not tell health departments about sickness they think came from food eating at a particular restaurant. And since health departments use this information for investigations, many culprits (restaurants) that should have been investigated as to induce particular corrections continue to infect their patrons with bugs.
From insect parts to fecal matter, we ingest it all at restaurants. While eating insects can be a good source of proteins (and is actually used for such a purpose in some parts of the World), in the U.S., it is still rather taboo to most. However, many of the bugs that are present in restaurants do end up in our foods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided that allowing insects like mites and maggots is perfectly acceptable, to a degree, provided they don’t hinder the “aesthetic” quality of foods. Aesthetic or not, who really wants to eat bugs? Nevertheless, in the US, it’s estimated that the average person, unwillingly, eats a pound of insects every year.
According to RodalesOrganicLife.com, the following insects can be found in your food…
Thrips
At anywhere from 1/25 to 1/8 of an inch long, these tiny little winged parasites are legally allowed in apple butter, canned or frozen asparagus, frozen broccoli, and frozen Brussels sprouts.
Aphids
Those same little green or black bugs that can destroy a bouquet of flowers can infiltrate your frozen veggies, particularly spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. And if you home-brew beer, you might consider growing your own hops: The FDA legally allows 2,500 aphids for every 10 grams of hops.
Mites
These tiny white bugs are common in wheat and other grains that have been stored for a while, but expect to eat a few with your frozen vegetables. If you have indoor allergies, that could be a problem, because storage and grain mites can cause the same type of allergic reaction as the dust mites common in homes.
Maggots
If you’ve ever eaten canned food, you’ve probably also eaten a maggot. These disgusting little critters abound in things like canned mushrooms, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and pizza sauces, as well as fresh, frozen, or Maraschino cherries. Mushrooms are by far the worst: 20 maggots are allowed for every 100 grams of drained mushroom and five for every 500 grams of tomato products.
Fruit Flies
Buy a piece of fruit covered in fruit flies and you can wash them off. Buy a can of citrus juice and you’ll be swilling five fruit flies with every eight-ounce cup of juice. Grab an eight-ounce handful of raisins and you could be eating as many as 35 fruit-fly eggs.
Corn Ear Worms
Corn is notoriously difficult to grow organically being that it’s so prone to insect infestations. But in most cases, it’s easy to avoid eating the earworms that burrow into corncobs and eat the silk—just cut the kernels off the cob and voilà, bug-free veggies. However, canned sweet corn will come with some extra crunch from all the larvae, skins, and skin fragments allowed by the FDA.
Caterpillars
Fuzzy, ugly caterpillars are supposed to turn into beautiful butterflies for people to marvel at—not eat in a mouthful of frozen spinach. But along with the 50 or so aphids, mites, and thrips allowed in 100 grams of spinach, you may also find yourself munching on caterpillar larvae and larval fragments.
ASIAN (Mostly Chinese) RESTAURANTS (As an Example, but Many Other Restaurants can also be Added on this List)
There is actually a syndrome called “CHINESE RESTAURANT SYNDROME”… I will elaborate on that later. But, the typical Chinese restaurant menu is a sea of nutritional NO-NOs, a consumer group has found. A plate of General Tso's chicken, for example, is loaded with about 40 percent more sodium and more than half the calories an average adult needs for an entire day.
I visited a Chinese restaurant recently and while dozens of people picked up their orders, I felt the need to look at some notices on the window or wall. One of them contained many violations from the department of health, which was rather inconspicuous, and that in of itself got my attention. Of course, I stopped eating at that restaurant altogether. Perhaps what attracted me to read it more is the fact that I didn’t feel that the food to be adequately “fresh”. The reality is that many people will continue to get sick from such unsanitary restaurants and since most will not report it, it will have gone undetected and the cycle will continue.
Chinese restaurant syndrome (CRS) is a collection of symptoms that some people have after eating Chinese food. A food additive called monosodium glutamate (MSG) has been blamed, but it has not been proven to be the substance that causes this condition. According to the NYTimes.com, in 1968, reports of a series of serious reactions to Chinese food were first described. MSG was felt to be the cause of these symptoms. Since then, many studies have failed to show a connection between MSG and the symptoms that some people describe after eating Chinese food.
For this reason, MSG continues to be used in some meals. However, it is possible that some people are particularly sensitive to food additives, and MSG is chemically similar to one of the brain's most important chemicals, glutamate.
Chinese restaurant syndrome is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms. The health care provider may ask the following questions as well:
Have you eaten Chinese food within the past 2 hours?
Have you eaten any other food that may contain monosodium glutamate within the past 2 hours?
The following signs may also be used to aid in diagnosis:
Abnormal heart rhythm observed on an electrocardiogram
Decreased air entry into the lungs
Rapid heart rate
Treatment
Treatment depends on the symptoms. Most, such as headache or flushing, need no treatment.
Life-threatening symptoms require immediate medical attention. They may be similar to any other severe allergic reaction and include:
Chest pain
Heart palpitations
Shortness of breath
Swelling of the throat
Outlook (Prognosis)
Most people recover from mild cases of Chinese restaurant syndrome without treatment and with no lasting problems.
People who have had life-threatening reactions need to be extremely cautious about what they eat and should always carry medication prescribed by their doctor for emergency treatment.
ARTIFICIALLY-CREATED FOOD & CANCER
Artificially-created foods can induce some unnatural health problems simply because they body wasn’t designed to consume them all while they contain no nutritional value, which is important to maintaining health. Many of the artificially-created or processed foods induce the following:
1) Weight Gain
2) Tooth Enamel Destruction
3) Dehydration (e.g., pops, sodas)
4) Diabetes
5) High Blood Pressure and Cancer
Is Fast Food Inherently Bad for you?
Although fast food isn't necessarily bad, in many cases it's highly processed and contains large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt (sodium). And quite often they are high in calories yet offer little or no nutritional value.
According to HealthLine.com, while an occasional night of fast food won’t hurt, a habit of eating out could be doing a number on your health. Economically-disadvantaged groups are even more exposed. Excessive exposure to fast or processed food can induce the following:
Headache
Depression
Acne
Dental Illness (e.g., Tooth Enamel Destruction)
Shortness of Breath
Heart Disease or Stroke
High Blood Pressure
High Cholesterol
Weight Gain
Blood Sugar Spike
Insulin Resistance
Bloating and Puffiness
Extra Calories
Dehydration
CANCER
Strong evidence shows that eating lots of processed and red meat can increase the risk of bowel cancer, and possibly stomach and pancreatic cancer. Processed meat includes ham, bacon, salami and sausages. Red meat includes all fresh, minced and frozen beef, pork and lamb.
Cancer-Causing Supermarket Items to be Avoided at All Costs
Microwave Popcorn
Canned Tomatoes
Farmed Salmon
Hydrogenated Oils
Processed & Red Meats
Bread
Refined Sugars
Alcohol
This is very important because of the prevalence of certain types of cancer in certain socioeconomic groups, such as prostate cancer among African American males. As always prevention is the best medicine. For instance, although tomatoes themselves are seen as anti-cancer foods, cannot tomatoes are the exact opposite of that.
Lorins Research Institute (LoRI) intends to continue its research endeavors in studying trends, issues along with human behavior or lifestyles as to ascertain the best approach to dealing with any epidemiological factors.
Artificial Sweetener Can be Good (Even Though It’s Created from E. Coli)… However There are Some Major Concerns
By the way, ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER is created from E-COLI… E. coli are grown in tanks and, as they defecate, their fecal matter is harvested because it contains aspartic acid-phenylalanine amino acid – the protein needed to make the aspartame. These fecal proteins are then treated with methanol to produce the artificial sweetener. (LOL)
According to Health.Harvard.edu, the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Diabetes Association (ADA) have given a cautious nod to the use of artificial sweeteners in place of sugar to combat obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes, all risk factors for heart disease. “While they are not magic bullets, smart use of non-nutritive sweeteners could help you reduce added sugars in your diet, therefore lowering the number of calories you eat. Reducing calories could help you attain and maintain a healthy body weight, and thereby lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes,” said Dr. Christopher Gardner, an associate professor of medicine at Stanford University in California, in a press release accompanying the scientific statement.
But All Artificial Sweeteners are not Created Equal
Although the FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, sucralose and one natural low-calorie sweetener, stevia, how the human body and brain respond to these sweeteners is very complex and thus creates some concerns:
CONCERN#1: People Replace the Lost Calories with Other Items.
“I’m drinking diet soda, so it’s okay to have cake.”
CONCERN#2: They May Limit our TOlerance for Complex Taste
It’s also possible that these products change the way we taste food. “Non-nutritive sweeteners are far more potent than table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. A miniscule amount produces a sweet taste comparable to that of sugar, without comparable calories. Overstimulation of sugar receptors from frequent use of these hyper-intense sweeteners may limit tolerance for more complex tastes,” explains Dr. Ludwig.In other words, people who routinely use artificial sweeteners may start to find less intensely sweet foods, such as fruit, less appealing and unsweet foods, such as vegetables, downright unpalatable.
CONCERN#3: They may prevent us from associating sweetness with coloric intake. As a result, we may crave more sweets, tend to choose sweet food over nutritious food, and gain weight. Participants in the San Antonio Heart Study who drank more than 21 diet drinks per week were twice as likely to become overweight or obese as people who didn’t drink diet soda.
Back to Sugar Anyone? LOL
Perhaps sugar in and of itself is not bad after all. Perhaps the devil is in how it's packaged.
“Sugar-containing foods in their natural form, whole fruit, for example, tend to be highly nutritious-nutrient-dense, high in fiber, and low in glycemic load. On the other hand, refined, concentrated sugar consumed in large amounts rapidly increases blood glucose and insulin levels, increases triglycerides, inflammatory mediators and oxygen radicals, and with them, the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses,” Dr. Ludwig explains.
Perhaps we should all revert to NATURAL NATURAL ITEMS again... Yup, the ones found in NATURE? such as a purified-electrolyte-and natural-chemical(mineral)-rich glass of water, fruit juices, veggies, or simply a carefully-washed fruit (e.g., orange or apple)... perhaps these coupled with exercise are the only things that can essentially keep the doctor away, unless genetics is not on our side.
But, what if people's habits prevent them from doing the latter? One may ask!
OR
Is the FDA or the CDC doing or saying enough?
OR
Is the Pharmaceutical Industry too Money Hungry or Not-Cure-Centric enough?
Lorins Healthfulness and Minority Friendliness QuotientsWhile the FDA and CDC get a C+, the pharmaceutical industry gets a D+ on the . at best when it comes to their level of empathy towards people (particularly the less fortunate) and their ability to truly put people first and/or their efforts to truly promote healthful habits in various communities.
While medical science has allowed people to live longer lives, it is often at the expense of a lower life quality and unnecessary over-medications. The same medications that help in some ways may irreversibly hurt in other ways.
NUTRITION - Best Drug (Post Treatment)
Once a patient has been deemed treated (or ideally cured if the root causes were attacked instead of the symptoms, then the BEST DRUG must become NUTRITION. I met a top physician (an allergist and asthma specialist named Dr. James Thompson) recently who decided to school to study NUTRITION after decades of practice because he realized that a lot of the drugs that he had been prescribing or administering might have been avoided with an understanding of NUTRITION on the part of both the doctor and patients. Doctors don't learn enough about NUTRITION in Medical School... Far too many become intentional or unintentional "DRUG DEALERS" for the drug companies as opposed to true fiduciaries for their patients. something that they took a HIPPOCRATIC OATH to do. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should be better and do better at promoting best practices on the part of both doctors and patients. Americans are living longer, but far too many have, unnecessarily, become legal or illegal DRUG ADDICTS. The latter could have been avoided in many ways, if KNOWN natural cures or treatments were used or promoted INSTEAD of PIMPED-and-SIDE-EFFECT-FILLED DRUGS. By the way, I did not make any mentions of preservatives and additives only because many of such things are relatively harmless, unless they are as cancer-inducing as the ones that line the interior parts of the food cans.
The RIGHT DRUGS should be used (administered) at the right times and ONLY when natural means cannot readily or eventually be used or promoted to help the amazing and miraculous human body (machine) SELF-RESTORE health (preferably in a controlled environment). Doctors need to be more conscientious about promoting DIETARY LIFESTYLE CHANGES as opposed to prescribing MAGIC PILLS that they know don't have any truly "magic" effects at all. Thus, the FDA needs to create rules that will encourage such a practice across all involved industries. I would like to continue to work on projects that promote health in our communities with doctors like Dr. Thompson because in the end OUR HEALTH is our BEST WEALTH. AND, so what we are living longer if it is at the expense of living a MISERABLE and UNHEALTHY LIFE.
Well, I am in the process of creating a natural “ANTI-CANCER & PRO-HEALTH” product . Please stay tuned (smile)... I believe that it could have saved the lives of my LATE AUNT and MOTHER, not to mention that of countess men and women who died of breast cancer and prostate cancers every year , particularly in the non-affluent and in socioeconomically-deprived or less-aware communities. May God pour his blessings on this project!
Dr. Pete Lorins is the Chief Editor of LorinsPOST.com. This article was sponsored by LORINS.biz, a multi-industry consulting firm that provides the following types of services… Management of Law Firms, Medical Clinics, Businesses...Project Management, Sales, Marketing, & Leads Generation...Research & Engineering... It can be reached via www.LORINS.biz
