Coconut Oil and Alzheimer’s Disease: The News is Spreading

By Brian Shilhavy 

The news about how effective coconut oil is in treating Alzheimer’s Disease is spreading fast, as news about the failure of drugs in treating Alzheimer’s continues to make headlines here in 2012. Just this month, drug companies Pfizer and Medivation admitted that the new drug they were developing for Alzheimer’s, dimebon, not only did not help patients in trials, but made patients worse. The expensive drug had already reached phase III trials. (See story here on ABC News) So as the development of this drug has now been abandoned, and so many other potential drugs have also failed, many are beginning to look at the role of diet in Alzheimer’s and focusing on prevention. People are also beginning to see positive results in using coconut oil to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s.

The harm of low-fat high-carbohydrate diets in cholesterol uptake in the brain

One of the most recent studies that looked at the role of nutrition in Alzheimer’s was published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine: “Nutrition and Alzheimer’s disease: The detrimental role of a high carbohydrate diet”1.

The authors of this study have noted how researchers have begun to direct their energies towards understanding the earlier stages of AD, since drug research in later stages has not been very successful. They note that several researchers have noticed a strong correlation between insulin resistance in the brain and early AD, suggesting that AD might be considered a neuroendocrine disorder of the brain or so-called “type 3 diabetes.” Other observations have noted an association of AD with mitochondrial dysfunction, which is also common in Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

But the authors’ main conclusions regarding the early causes of AD center around the transport of cholesterol from the blood stream to the brain. They state that there is mounting evidence which suggests that a defect in cholesterol metabolism in the brain may play an important role in AD. They give a nice summary of the brain’s dependency on cholesterol:

The brain represents only 2% of the body’s total mass, but contains 25% of the total cholesterol. Cholesterol is required everywhere in the brain as an antioxidant, an electrical insulator (in order to prevent ion leakage), as a structural scaffold for the neural network, and a functional component of all membranes. Cholesterol is also utilized in the wrapping and synaptic delivery of the neurotransmitters. It also plays an important role in the formation and functioning of synapses in the brain.

They point to several studies that show a lack of cholesterol present in the brains of AD patients which is so vital for several functions, and also note that other studies show this cholesterol deficiency in dementia and Parkinson’s disease. In contrast, high cholesterol levels are positively correlated with longevity in people over 85 years old, and in some cases has been shown to be associated with better memory function and reduced dementia.

The authors go on to explain that the lipid theory of heart disease started by the work of Ancel Keys in the 1960s led to dietary beliefs that cholesterol was to be avoided in the diet, and with that belief came the “over-zealous prescription of cholesterol-reducing medications over the same decades in which there has been a parallel rise in AD prevalence.”

Another result of the low-fat dietary belief was the replacement of fats in the diet with refined carbohydrates, which leads to a rise in blood glucose levels and over time to insulin resistance and diabetes. They point out that the prevalence of fructose, mostly in the form of high fructose corn syrup, is ten times more reactive than glucose in inducing glycation. This impairs serum proteins, and they hypothesize that this leads to a depletion of much needed cholesterol and fat in the brain. Strong evidence in favor of their hypothesis is the fact that studies show patients with type-2 diabetes are at two to five times increased risk to AD.

Increased lipid peroxidation is also shown to be an early cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Liquid vegetable oils, the polyunsaturates, are highly prone to oxidation and rancidity, and it is now well known that in the form of trans fatty acids (through the process of hydrogenation) they are extremely toxic. (More research on polyunsaturated oils here.)

Dr. Raymond Peat has talked about the difference between polyunsaturated oils and saturated oils in their importance for brain tissue for years now:

Brain tissue is very rich in complex forms of fats. The experiment (around 1978) in which pregnant mice were given diets containing either coconut oil or unsaturated oil showed that brain development was superior in the young mice whose mothers ate coconut oil. Because coconut oil supports thyroid function, and thyroid governs brain development, including myelination, the result might simply reflect the difference between normal and hypothyroid individuals. However, in 1980, experimenters demonstrated that young rats fed milk containing soy oil incorporated the oil directly into their brain cells, and had structurally abnormal brain cells as a result. Lipid peroxidation occurs during seizures, and antioxidants such as vitamin E have some anti-seizure activity. Currently, lipid peroxidation is being found to be involved in the nerve cell degeneration of Alzheimer’s disease.2

How Coconut Oil Can Help Alzheimer’s

Coconut oil, by contrast, is highly saturated, and in its natural unrefined form has a shelf life of more than 2 years. Unlike unsaturated oils, it is not prone to oxidation.

Also, the study from the European Journal of Internal Medicine referenced above notes that Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) all have an association with mitochondrial dysfunction. A study published in 2010 used coconut oil to show that a diet enriched in the saturated fatty acids of coconut oil offered strong advantages for the protection against oxidative stress in heart mitochondria.3

Much research is also being uncovered now on the advantages of high HDL cholesterol levels, besides the study we mentioned above in direct relation to Alzheimer’s. A study appearing in the American Journal of Cardiology earlier this year (February 2011) showed that the higher men’s HDL cholesterol levels, the longer they lived and the more likely it was that they would reach the age of 85.4 A diet with adequate amounts of saturated fat is essential to keeping HDL high cholesterol levels. Those with deficiencies and suffering from neurological disorders need to consider a diet that is high in saturated fat, in stark contrast to the mainstream dietary advice for low-fat diets that might be causing many of these late-in-life diseases.

Another major advantage the saturated fat of coconut oil provides is its ability to provide the brain with an alternate source of energy in ketones. Ketones are high energy fuels that nourish the brain. Our body can produce ketones from stored fat while fasting or in starvation, but they can also be produced by converting medium chain fatty acids in certain foods. Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of these medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). A study done in 2004 took MCTs from coconut oil and put them into a drink that was given to Alzheimer’s patients while a control group took a placebo.5 They observed significant increases in levels of the ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate (beta-OHB) 90 minutes after treatment when cognitive tests were administered. Higher ketone values were associated with greater improvement in paragraph recall with MCT treatment relative to placebo across all subjects.

As coconut oil’s use becomes more accepted and widespread, and as people begin to realize the dangers of the low-fat dietary belief, we are starting to see more testimonies in relation to diseases like Alzheimer’s. One of the most widely published reports is from Dr. Mary Newport as reported by the St. Petersburg Times on October 29, 20086. Dr. Newport’s husband had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and was watching her husband quickly deteriorate. After using drugs that slowed down the effects of Alzheimer’s, she looked into clinical drug trials and found one based on MCTs that not only slowed the progression of Alzheimer’s, but offered improvement. Not being able to get her husband into one of these trials, she began to give him Virgin Coconut Oil, and saw incredible improvement in his condition.

The coconut oil he’d ingested seemed to “lift the fog.” He began taking coconut oil every day, and by the fifth day, there was a tremendous improvement. “He would face the day bubbly, more like his old self,” his wife said. More than five months later, his tremors subsided, the visual disturbances that prevented him from reading disappeared, and he became more social and interested in those around him.7

You can read Dr. Newport’s entire case study here. You can also watch an interview with her done by CBN earlier this month:




Carol Flett came across Dr. Newport’s research while praying for a solution to her husband’s worsening dementia. In her blog post Can God Use Facebook to Answer Prayers? she reports:

Within three or four hours after giving Bruce the first couple of tablespoons (of coconut oil) he was speaking in clear sentences again. He did have one relapse, shortly after starting, but it lasted only a day. After that he sprang right back and has been doing well ever since, taking care of many things himself that he hadn’t been able to do for a long time. The doctor came to see Bruce yesterday. He was amazed. He ordered another cognitive test, but he could see for himself that Bruce was much better. I told him about the answer to prayer. He believes in God. He didn’t scoff. He just said, “Keep doing what your doing because it’s is working.” I believe God can use whatever method he chooses. If He chooses to use part of his creation such as coconut oil, I won’t complain, and if He gives direction to His praying child through Facebook, that is His prerogative as well.8

She has since posted a video of Bruce thanking people for praying for him, and explaining how his condition changed dramatically after taking coconut oil. He reports how he was diagnosed with dementia and could no longer care for himself, and that the doctors recommended that he be put in a nursing home. Watch and listen to him now:

Ian Blair tells us in this video how “Coconut oil gave me my brain back” after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s:

Dietary Advice for Alzheimer’s Sufferers

Coconut oil does offer hope as nature’s most abundant source of MCTs, and it is an easily convertible fuel source for ketones. In addition, it is one of nature’s richest sources of saturated fat which is needed to produce HDL cholesterol to feed the brain. People suffering from Alzheimer’s should immediately start avoiding polyunsaturated forms of oil such as soy and corn oils, especially if they are hydrogenated and in the form of trans fatty acids. These are prone to oxidation and potentially mitochondrial dysfunction. Other healthy fats would include butter from the milk of cows that are grass-fed, and Omega 3 fatty acids from high quality fish oil, cod liver oil, or krill oil.

Refined carbohydrates in the form of refined wheat products and refined sugars should be strictly avoided! High protein foods such as eggs from pastured chickens (preferably fed a soy-free chicken feed), pastured poultry, and grass-fed meats are all desirable proteins for brain health.

I started checking into Coconut oil because I saw on the news that Alzheimers patients were dramatically improving after taking this oil. I bought some for my father who had recently been diagnosed and he now thinks the Alzheimers has gone away! I’m using it too and I feel so good, physically and MENTALLY better! Roxie (Coconut Diet Forums)

References:

1. Seneff S, et al, Nutrition and Alzheimer’s disease: The detrimental role of a high carbohydrate diet, Eur J Intern Med (2011), doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2010.12.017

2. 1996 Raymond Peat Newsletter, Eugene, OR -http://www.coconutoil.com/ray_peat_coconutoil.htm

3. Am J Cardiol. 2011 Feb 4. Relation Between High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Survival to Age 85 Years in Men (from the VA Normative Aging Study). Rahilly-Tierney CR, Spiro A 3rd, Vokonas P, Gaziano JM.

4. Mitochondrion. 2011 Jan;11(1):97-103. Epub 2010 Aug 5. Dietary fatty acids and oxidative stress in the heart mitochondria.Lemieux H, Bulteau AL, Friguet B, Tardif JC, Blier PU.

5. Neurobiol Aging. 2004 Mar;25(3):311-4. Effects of beta-hydroxybutyrate on cognition in memory-impaired adults. Reger MA, Henderson ST, Hale C, Cholerton B, Baker LD, Watson GS, Hyde K, Chapman D, Craft S.

6. Doctor says an oil lessened Alzheimer’s effects on her husband, St. Petersburg Times, October 29, 2008 - http://www.tampabay.com/news/aging/article879333.ece

7. Ibid.

8. Can God Use Facebook to Answer Prayers? Carol Flett EverydayChristian.com

Source: www.healthimpactnews.com

Medical records of 1,018 patients stolen at Lexington Clinic, but no apparent identity theft

One of the fears of electronic health records is that personal information can be stolen en masse, a possibility that became a reality when a laptop computer was stolen at the Lexington Clinic.

The machine was taken Dec. 7 from the clinic's neurology department at the St. Joseph Office Park. Letters were sent to the 1,018 affected patients last week about the theft, Mary Meehan of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.

The laptop contained the names, contact information and diagnoses from patients from as long as five years go. Not among the data were Social Security numbers, credit card or bank account numbers. So far, there is no sign of identify theft. 

The clinic said it took six weeks to informing patients because it took time to "pinpoint exactly what information was on the laptop, which was used in conjunction with the clinic's electromyography machine," Meehan reports.

Another theft happened at UK HealthCare in June, when the medical records of 3,000 patients were taken from the Department of Pediatrics' newborn screening program. Patients were not informed of that breach until two months later. (Read more)

455 deficiencies found in 72 Kentucky nursing homes in fourth quarter of 2011

State inspectors found 455 deficiencies in 72 Kentucky nursing homes in the fourth quarter of 2011, with one facility accounting for 25 of them alone: Kindred Transitional Care & Rehab-Fountain Circle in Winchester.

The information was released by Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform, a nonprofit organization that advocates for nursing home residents and obtains the data regularly through open-records requests to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and distributes it statewide. The information is posted as part of Medicare's nursing-home comparison data.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the average number of deficiencies for a nursing home inspected in the U.S. is eight and the average in Kentucky is seven. Inspections assess a facility on the care of residents and how that care is administered; on how staff and residents interact; and on its environment. Certified nursing homes must meet more than 180 regulatory standards. The state Office of Inspector General website has more data, such as the results of inspections and the ownership of each facility.

Nursing homes with 10 or more deficiencies in the fourth quarter of 2011 were:

• Bridge Point Care and Rehabilitation Center, Florence (22)

• Pineville Community Hospital (17)

• North Hardin Health & Rehabilitation Center, Radcliff (15)

• Richmond Place Rehabilitation and Health Center, Lexington (13)

• Hart County Health Care Center, Horse Cave (13)

• Parkview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Pikeville (13)

• West Liberty Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (13)

• Redbanks, Henderson (12)

• Knox County Hospital, Barbourville (11)

• The Forum at Brookside, Louisville (11)

• Bradford Square Care and Rehabilitation Center, Frankfort (10)

• Florence Park Care Center (10)

• Boyd Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Ashland (10)

• Corbin Health & Rehabilitation Center (10)

For more information about Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform, click here.

The Single Parents & the Effects on Families

Regardless of the head of the household's good intentions, there is almost always a different dynamic with single parent families. The degree to which the children are affected varies and is dependent on a number of factors, such as financial difficulties, the quality of the relationship with the absent parent and how much time the residential parent spends with the family.

Finances

Regardless of how much a parent makes, the issue remains that one less income is supporting the household. Even if the single parent makes a decent living, the event of losing a job for whatever reason looms large, since there is no longer a backup option. As a general rule, one-parent families make less money, and the effects on the standard of living are felt across the board.

Behavior 

For children, both current and future behavior patterns have the potential to be greatly influenced.
For starters, delinquency tends to be higher in single mother households. Also, they tend to hastily enter marriages of their own that end in divorce. There are positive effects, however. For instance, the older a child is, the more obligated he will feel to be more responsible.

Influence

Even if the custody issues are fairly addressed, parenting in absentia is not the same as when both parents live in the same home. Only one parent is there for day-to-day guidance, comfort and discipline.
Over time, this can take its toll, given that the single parent is not going to be able to be present all of the time. If the parents are not on good terms, then there's the added issue of one trying to undermine the other's credibility thanks to conflict and indignation.

Strain 

A single parent takes sole responsibility for a job that ideally takes two. Regardless of income from child support, more hours at work are often required to make ends meet. This presents a situation where you are not around as much at a time when the children need you the most. In a sense, you are working twice as hard for potentially poorer results. The increased strain can also affect your ability as a parent due to fatigue and irritability.

Top 12 Detox Superfoods

Even if you don’t plan on doing a detox program, your health will benefit from adding more detox superfoods to your daily diet. There are many great superfoods with detoxifying properties, but here are my top 12 picks. And, they’re delicious too.

Almonds—are high in fiber, calcium, magnesium, and useable protein that helps stabilize blood sugar and remove impurities from the bowels.

Avocados—lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity. Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks at least 30 different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that elderly people who had high levels of glutathione were healthier and less likely to suffer from arthritis.

Beets—contain a unique mixture of natural plant chemicals (phytochemicals) and minerals that make them superb fighters of infection, blood purifiers, and liver cleansers. They also help boost the body’s cellular intake of oxygen, making beets excellent overall body cleansers. Aphrodite, according to legend, ate beets to retain her beauty. She was definitely on to a good thing since beets, in addition to all the benefits listed above, also help stabilize the blood’s acid-alkaline balance (pH), which in turn supports healthy detoxification.

Blueberries—contain natural aspirin that helps lessen the tissue-damaging effects of chronic inflammation, while lessening pain. Blueberries also act as antibiotics by blocking bacteria in the urinary tract, thereby helping to prevent infections. They have antiviral properties and are loaded with super-detoxifying phytonutrients called proanthocyanidins.

Cabbage—contains numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds and helps the liver break down excess hormones. Cabbage also cleanses the digestive tract and soothes the stomach, which could in part be due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage (kale is another excellent choice—see below) demonstrate powerful detoxification activity, including neutralizing some of the damaging compounds found in cigarette smoke (and second-hand smoke). They also contain a compound that helps the liver produce adequate amounts of enzymes for detoxification.

Cranberries—have powerful antibiotic and antiviral substances to help the body cleanse harmful bacteria and viruses from the urinary tract.

Keep reading to learn about the foods that eliminates radioactive waste, neutralize compounds in cigarette smoke, and more…

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil— are loaded with essential fatty acids, particularly the omega-3s. They are essential for many cleansing functions and maintaining a healthy immune system. They are also critical to maintaining a healthy brain. The health of every cell in your body is dependent on getting adequate amounts of essential fatty acids.

Garlic—helps cleanse harmful bacteria, intestinal parasites, and viruses from the body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse buildup from the arteries and lowers blood pressure. Garlic has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties that help detoxify the body of harmful substances. It also helps cleanse the respiratory tract by expelling mucous buildup in the lungs and sinuses. I am referring to fresh garlic, not garlic powder, which has virtually none of the above properties.

Kale—contains powerful anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds that help cleanse the body of harmful substances. It is also high in fiber, which helps cleanse the intestinal tract. Like cabbage, kale helps neutralize compounds found in cigarette smoke and contains a substance that jump-starts the liver’s production of cleansing enzymes.

Legumes—are loaded with fiber that helps lower cholesterol, cleanse the intestines, and regulate blood sugar levels. Legumes also help protect the body against cancer.

Lemons— are superb liver detoxifiers. In addition, they contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make a substance called glutathione. Glutathione helps ensure that phase 2 liver detoxification keeps pace with phase 1, thereby reducing the likelihood of negative effects from environmental chemicals. Vitamin C and other antioxidants found in lemons are integral to ward off cancer, fight the effects of pollution and cell damage. Fresh lemon juice contains more than 20 anti-cancer compounds and helps balance the body’s pH levels.

Seaweed—could be the most underrated vegetable in the Western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body so it can be removed. Radioactive waste can find its way into the body through some medical tests or through food that has been grown where water or soil is contaminated. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body. In addition, it is a powerhouse of minerals and trace minerals.

Adapted with permission from The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan by Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD. Subscribe to my free e-newsletter World’s Healthiest News to get more health tips, news, and recipes.

Source: www.care2.com

A couple's journey with infertility; similar tale likely in your town

Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal follows the story of Kelly and James Durst, who turned to in vitro fertilization when they had trouble conceiving a child.

The Dursts are "among the 12 percent of reproductive-age couples in the United States who couldn't conceive without help," Ungar reports.

In April 2010, they gave birth to son Cooper, one of more than 675,000 babies born in the U.S. through assisted reproduction techniques since 1985. "He is literally the light of our lives," Kelly said. "He's why we try to make things better each day."

Ungar follows the Dursts' journey to have a second child, this time using the frozen embryos that were created at the time of Cooper's conception. The embryos will be placed in Kelly's womb.

Given the growing prevalence of assisted reproduction techniques, stories like the Dursts' can likely be found in nearly every community and make for a compelling read. (Read more)

Prescription pill abuse summit Wednesday at UK hospital

A prescription pill abuse summit will be Wednesday at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, featuring many notable speakers.

They will include: Gov. Steve Beshear; Wilfredo Ferrer, U.S. attorney from the Southern District of Florida; Van Ingram, executive director of Kentucky's Office of Drug Control Policy; police chiefs and law enforcement officials; and health care professionals.

"We think this summit will help lay the foundation for a future that will lead to increased communication and awareness among all the societal entities that are engaged in this fight," said U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey of teh eastern District of Kentucky.

The summit is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pavilion A auditorium. For more information, call Harvey's office at 859-685-4805. (Read more)

FDA wants to reduce standard for fluoride in public drinking water

Lowering the amount of fluoride in drinking water, as proposed in January by the Food and Drug Administration, will increase medical expenses and harm the poor and the poorly educated the most, a mother writes in an op-ed piece in the New York Times.

Jane E. Brody delves into the concept of fluoridation, pointing out its benefits. "In the early years, rates of tooth decay among the young dropped by 60 percent in communities that adopted fluoridation," she writes. "Every $1 invested in fluoridation saves approximately $38 in dental treatment costs."

Though fluoride was initially thought to become incorporated into developing teeth, it was later found that its benefit is topical, meaning it works on teeth already formed. "Fluoride, which is present in saliva and concentrates in dental plaque, inhibits the action of acid on tooth minerals," she writes. "It also promotes remineralization by sticking to tooth surfaces, where it attracts calcium ions present in saliva."

Still, there remains controversy about whether or not fluoride is safe, with the substance being accused of causing everything from heart disease to Alzheimer's disease. "None of these supposed risks has ever been established in scientifically valid studies," Brody writes. "The only proven risk, a condition called fluorosis, which results in white and sometimes brownish markings on the teeth from too much fluoride, rarely results from a normal intake of fluoridated water."

Since fluoride is also available in other substances, like toothpaste, the FDA proposed reducing the amount of fluoride in public drinking water to 0.7 milligrams per liter, from a range from 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams. Brody feels the move is a mistake: "Fluoridation confers the greatest benefit to those who need it most: the poor and poorly educated and those with limited access to regular dental care," she writes. "In the years ahead, removal of fluoride from drinking water will almost certainly cost taxpayers millions of dollars in increased Medicaid expenditures." (Read more)

In Kentucky, there is 100 percent fluoridation in public drinking water systems, though perhaps half a million residents get their water from wells, springs or cisterns.

Kentucky ranks 37th, Louisville 33rd in percentage of commuters who bike or walk to work

Kentucky ranks 37th in the nation for its number of commuters who bike or walk to work. Of the 51 largest cities in the county, Louisville ranks 33rd.

These are the findings of the Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report, compiled by the Alliance for Biking & Walking. As well as looking at commuter numbers, it also examined how safe those commuters are and where transportation funding is being spent on "alternative means of local travel," reports Jeannine Stein of the Los Angeles Times. (Times photo by Wally Skalij)

Alaska, despite its cold climate, has the highest percentage of commuters who bike or walk to work. Boston has the highest ranking among cities. The lowest are Alabama and Fort Worth, Tex.

Across the country, 12 percent of all trips are on foot (10.5 percent) or by bicycle (1 percent), though from 2000 to 2009, the number of cycling commuters increased by 57 percent. While numbers are growing, safety is a concern. In the 51 largest cities, 12.7 percent of trips are by foot and 1.1 percent are by bicycle, but 26.9 percent of traffic fatalities are pedestrians and 3.1 percent are bicyclists.

Despite the risk, the report makes a connection with biking or walking and health. It points out cycling and walking levels fell 66 percent between 1960 and 2009, while obesity levels increased by 156 percent. The picture was more grim when it came to children. Between 1966 and 2009, the number of children who biked or walked to school fell by 75 percent, while the percentage of obese children rose by 276 percent.

Despite the physical benefits of the activity, states spend just 1.6 percent of their federal transportation dollars on bicycling and walking, amounting to just $2.17 per capita, the report found.

Instead of biking or walking, people are still relying mostly on their cars. The report found 40 percent of trips in the United States in 2009 were shorter than two miles, but Americans used their cars for 87 percent of trips that were 1 to 2 miles in distance. When it came to trips up to 1 mile long, Americans still used their cars 62 percent of the time.

The report was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AARP and Planet Bike.

Should companies refuse to hire employees who smoke? Opposing views outlined

The growing controversy surrounding companies who refuse to hire employees who smoke is featured in two opposing opinion pieces in USA Today.

Paul Terpeluk, medical director of employee health services at Cleveland Clinic, explains why the policy makes sense for his company. "Consider that cigarette smoke contains hundreds of chemicals and compounds that are toxic and at least 69 that cause cancer," he writes. "To ignore this would be to undermine our commitment to health and wellness, which includes providing a healthy environment for our employees, visitors and patients. Plus, the policy has not proved to be an overwhelming obstacle for job applicants. Since it was instituted, less than 2 percent of job offers — about 300 out of 20,000 — have been rescinded due to positive nicotine tests." (Read more)

But a USA Today editorial expresses a different view, in response to Baylor Health Care System's move to stop hiring workers who smoke. "Intruding this deeply into people's privates lives raises questions that bear scrutiny," it reads. "Companies can charge smokers more for health coverage or ban smoking on the job. But punishing people for using a legal product on their own time crosses a troubling line."

The editorial makes an exception for health-care companies who want to practice what they preach. "But such practices are not confined to the health care industry, and they raise a broader issue: If employers routinely reject people who engage in risky, but legal, behavior on their own time, what about such things are overeating or drinking too much alcohol?" (Read more)

West Liberty City Council votes to ban smoking in city buildings, but question may be revisited

The West Liberty City Council voted narrowly last week to ban smoking in city buildings, reports Miranda Cantrell of the Licking Valley Courier.

Mayor Jim Rupe opposed the move, which passed 3-2 with one abstention. If the vote had been tied, Rupe could have broken it.

"Rupe, a smoker, advised council members to consider city employees who smoke, including City Clerk Sally Barker and some department heads," Cantrell reports. Council Members Mark Walter and Belinda Jordan said they were trying to help members of the public who use city buildings.

"Barker said the council will likely revisit the smoking issue at next month's meeting," Cantrell reports. "No effective date for the ban was suggested." (Read more)

Cabinet files appeal to prevent releasing full child abuse records; Beshear backs decision

On the day the state was supposed to release unadulterated records on deaths and near deaths from child abuse, under a court order, it filed an appeal to stop the process. And though Gov. Steve Beshear had ordered the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to release the records, yesterday he sided with its officials, saying in an op-ed piece sent to Kentucky newspapers he did not "think the judge's order was protective enough" of informants who often want to remain secret, such as relatives, health-care providers, teachers and law-enforcement officials. (Getty Images photo)

“You teach in a small community and suspect a student is being abused,” Beshear wrote. “Can you come forward without the newspaper naming you as the accuser?" Jon Fleischaker, attorney for The Courier-Journal and the Kentucky Press Association, said Beshear was “fear-mongering,” and noted that Shepherd’s order to release records applies only in cases in which children were killed or nearly killed from abuse or neglect, following a state law designed to hold the cabinet accountable for its child protective services.

Beshear wrote, “The cabinet has been accused of 'operating under a veil of secrecy' in a supposed attempt to protect inept workers and a poorly designed system. But this is not about shielding the system from scrutiny. We understand the need to be more transparent than in years past.” In December, the cabinet handed over 353 pages of records, but the names of at least eight children who died from abuse or neglect had been redacted, along with all the names of children who had been seriously injured, as well as much other information. The Courier-Journal, the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Todd County Standard had sued the cabinet for refusing to release the records. Twice before, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ordered the cabinet to turn them over. Last week, Shepherd fined the agency $16,000 for its secretive treatment and delays. He also found the cabinet should pay more than $57,000 in legal fees for the newspapers. (Read more)

Yesterday, the cabinet filed its motion with the state Court of Appeals and "asked the court to block Shepherd's Jan. 19 order to release records, starting today, with limited redactions," reports the C-J's Deborah Yetter. In the meantime, the cabinet released about 90 internal reviews of child deaths and serious injuries incurred by abuse but with deletions it feels is necessary "to protect the best interests of the state's child welfare system," its motion read. (Read more)

Home-health industry is the latest to complain about late payments since state switched to managed-care Medicaid

Kentucky's new Medicaid managed-care system is three months late in making payments to home-health agencies, officials told the House Health and Welfare Committee Thursday.

Nurses Registry and Home Health has outstanding claims of $300,000 to $400,000, Jeannie Lemaster, chief compliance officer, told lawmakers. "Kip Bowmar, executive director of the Kentucky Home Health Association, said only 8 percent of the claims from the approximately 150 home-health agencies have been paid since the switch to managed care Nov. 1," reports Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

"If these problems don't get corrected, there is a likelihood that some agencies could go out of business," Bowmar said.

Therapists who work with abused, neglected and at-risk children have likewise told lawmakers of back payments. Independent pharmacists have said "reimbursement rates are much lower than they were under traditional Medicaid, which means they are having to lay off employees," Musgrave reports.

In November, Kentucky made the switch to managed care for its 500,000 Medicaid recipients outside the Louisville region. The move is expected to save the state more than $1 billion in the next three years. Three companies, Coventry Cares, Wellcare of Kentucky and Kentucky Spirit, broker the care and are paid on a per-patient, per-month rate.

Lemaster said most of her agency's problems are with Coventry, which has denied 82 percent of their claims. "Lemaster said that because there are differences in the managed care companies and what is being approved for payments, there are inequities in the Medicaid system," Musgrave reports. "Some people are receiving services and others aren't."

Jill Midkiff, spokeswoman for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said problems related to the changeover are being ironed out. "The primary focus of the Medicaid program staff is and continues to be the prompt resolution of any issues that arise as we ease the transition of providers to managed care," she said. (Read more)

Lawmakers hear testimony about state's pill mill problem, discuss whether to put all prescription-drug issues into one bill

With a raid on a pain clinic in Paintsville making headlines yesterday morning, state legislators heard from community leaders and officials telling them to pass legislation to curb the proliferation of pill mills.

Lois Windhorst, best known as a leader of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, told the Senate Judiciary Committee about a family member she lost to prescription-drug abuse. "It just progressively got worse," she said. "She carried a big bag of pills with her wherever she went."

On the legislative agenda is Senate Bill 42, which "would require licenses for pain management clinics and doctors to own them," notes Greg Hall of The Courier-Journal. There are 77 pain clinics in the state, 33 of which are owned by people who have no medical background.

No vote was taken on the bill. Its sponsor, Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, said he will revise it based on yesterday's testimony.

Sen. Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, argued for a more all-inclusive bill, which would include the premise of Higdon's bill; ban cash payment at clinics, as proposed in House Bill 251; and require doctors and pharmacists to use the state's electronic drug monitoring system known as KASPER, a bill that Attorney General Jack Conway and others are expected to push once it is filed.

Jones "also said filling prescriptions from out of state should be required to check with registries in those states to guard against duplicate prescriptions," Hall reports.

Committee Chairman Tom Jensen, R-London, said there is much support to deal with the issue of prescription-drug abuse in this legislative session. Nearly 1,000 Kentuckians die each year due to prescription drug overdoses. (Read more)

Meds-for-meth bill could lead to overcrowding at doctors' office, Hopkinsville hospital official says

Making pseudoephedrine available only by prescription has led to fears of packed waiting rooms in doctors' offices, Dennis O'Neil writes for Hopkinsville's Kentucky New Era. (Photo of Sudafed pills by WebMD.com)

"It could lead to some overcrowding of primary care facilities that are already overcrowded," said James Goss, director of marking and community relations for Jennie Stuart Medical Center.

This session, three bills have been introduced to deal with pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient to make meth. House Bill 80 would prohibit anyone convicted with a meth-related charge from getting the drug without a prescription. The other two bills would prohibit anyone from getting the drug without a prescription, with the exception of pills in gel cap form.

Goss said he is worried a new law would inconvenience patients. "On its face, the bill seems well intended to protect the health and well being of the community," he said. "We are sympathetic to the pocketbook and convenience issues of our patients." (Read more)

State auditor will examine University Hospital's indigent-care trust

After the Jefferson County attorney said the fund lacked oversight, state Auditor Adam Edelen said he will audit and review the indigent-care trust in Louisville through which $32 million tax dollars flow. (Courier-Journal photo by John Rott)

The audit will determine "whether there are adequate resources to treat indigents in the Louisville area," reports Patrick Howington of The Courier-Journal. The issue came up recently when University Hospital, the recipient of the funds, tried to merge with two other hospital systems.

Earlier this month, County Attorney Mike O'Connell said the trust's board, which is appointed by the University of Louisville, "had not met in more than two years," Howington writes. The next day, U of L President James Ramsey asked Edelen to look into the trust's financial records.

Edelen spokeswoman Stephenie Steitzer said the lack of board meetings raises the question of "whether there is a proper and effective governance structure in place."

The trust receives $25 million each year from the state and $7 million from Louisville Metro Government. University Hospital uses those funds to treat poor, uninsured patients. Last year, the trust only paid for "about one-third of the facilities' charity care last year, which cost $88 million and involved more than 63,000 cases," Howington reports. (Read more)

Bills would require more assessment before a patient can be admitted to a personal-care home

Legislation dubbed "Larry's Law" is aimed at preventing what happened to Larry Lee from happening again.

House Bill 307, filed by Democratic Rep. Terry Mills, right, "would require an individual to be examined and assessed by a medical professional before admission to a personal care home, and it would require further assessment of the degree of disability for an individual with an acquired brain injury who was being considered for placement," report Valarie Honeycutt Spears and Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Senate Bill 115, filed by Republican Sen. Jimmy Higdon, left, would require that a potential resident be evaluated by a mental health professional before someone is admitted to a personal care home, a cost that would be picked up by the state. Higdon and Mills are both from Lebanon, where Larry Lee lived until he went to Falmouth Nursing Home in Pendleton County.

In August, Lee, right, disappeared from the home, one of 82 free-standing personal care homes in Kentucky. Lee, who had a brain injury from childhood, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and diabetes. He was found dead four week after his disappearance on the banks of the Licking River, which flows through Falmouth.

A pre-admission assessment "is the only thing that we found that could have saved Larry Lee," Higdon said. "His condition was too severe. He should have never been in a personal care home." (Read more)

Police make second raid in a year at pain clinic in Paintsville

As lawmakers wrestle with what to do about prescription pill abuse in Kentucky, law enforcement continues to crack down on so-called "pill mills."

For the second time in less than a year, officers descended upon Care More Pain Management in Paintsville last Wednesday, arresting 29 people outside the clinic. "The raid was part of an ongoing investigation by Attorney General Jack Conway's office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into doctors who allegedly over-prescribe pain medications," report R.G. Dunlop and Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal.

"We're been looking forward to this day for almost as long as I've been in office," five years, said Paintsville Mayor Bob Porter. "Hopefully, other people will think twice before they try to get into this business."

Dr. Richard Albert, who had practiced at the clinic, was arrested last Feb. 16 and pleaded guilty in December to conspiring to illegally prescribe about 50,000 Percocet tablets. Conway's office believes Albert was prescribing about 100,000 pills a month and seeing about 55 patients per day. (Read more)

USDA issues new school lunch rules; not as broad as first written, but will make meals healthier

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released new, finalized requirements that will make school lunch a healthier meal for students.

The guidelines will mean:

• Students will be given both fruit and vegetables every school day.

• More foods will be made with whole grains.

• Students will be offered only fat-free or low-fat milk.

• Calories will be limited by portion size, based on the age of children being served.

• There will be less saturated fat and trans-fats in the food served.

• The amount of sodium will decrease gradually over the next 10 years.

Though the changes represent the first school-lunch overhaul in 15 years, they are not as comprehensive as the Obama administration initially wanted them to be. A bill passed late last year "would require the department to allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable, as it is now," reports Mary Clare Jalonick of The Associated Press. "The initial draft of the department's guidelines, released a year ago, would have prevented that." Congress also kept USDA from limiting potatoes to two servings a week. Potato farmers and frozen-pizza companies lobbied hard against those proposals, some conservatives said the government shouldn't be telling children what to eat, and some school districts said the changes were too broad and too expensive.

Some of the changes will be incorporated by September, and others will be phased in. The changes affect lunches that are subsidized by the federal government in the National School Lunch Program, which serves 32 million children. Participation rates are very high in Kentucky. The Covington and Owsley County school districts have the highest percentage of students — 88 percent — eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Magoffin County has the second highest with 86 percent followed by Newport (85 percent); Bell County (83 percent); and West Point Independent in Hardin County (81 percent). (Read more)

The changes are aimed in part at curbing childhood obesity. That has also been the target of measure to limit junk food in schools, which have been called into question. A recent study of almost 20,000 students found no link between junk food at school and weight gain in children. "The researchers examined the children's weight and found that in the eighth grade, 35.5 percent of kids in schools with junk food were overweight while 34.8 percent of those in schools without it were overweight — a statistically insignificant increase," reports Benjamin Radford of Discovery News. (Read more)

Free seminar on guardianship to be offered Feb. 26 in Lexington

Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform will provide the opportunity to learn from experts about guardianship Feb. 26. More than 23,000 Kentuckians live in nursing homes.

Lexington attorneys Carolyn Kenton and Robert McClelland will speak, along with Virgiel Clayton, director of the Division of Guardianship in the Department of Aging and Independent Living.

The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Tates Creek Branch of the Lexington Public Library. For more information, click here.

PhytoMultiTM The "Smart" Multi The Revolutionary Approach to Daily Nutritional Support* Only PhytoMulti provides a potent, research-based spectrum of phytonutrients that has been scientifically tested for biological activity—demonstrating its potential to recharge, nourish, and defend cells unlike any other foundation nutrition formula.* * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Smart Nutrigenomics Design Research-based combination of phytonutrients and essential vitamins/minerals for multidimensional health support* Smart Cell Signaling Support* Nourishes and recharges cells to enhance communication throughout the body* Smart Antioxidant Protection Capacity* Shielding potential against five free radicals demonstrated in vitro with total functional ORAC assay *Smart DNA Stability Support Potential* Potential to help maintain DNA integrity verified by sophisticated COMET assay* Smart Cell Protection Potential* Strategic combination of phytonutrients and essential nutrients designed to protect the cell and promote cellular health and function I am excited to share with you the new formula, PhytoMulti.  I was never able to be compliant with taking my vitamins because most of the good ones required taking up to 8 tablets a day.  I am thrilled with this new product because now I can take just 1-2 per day and get huge benefits!  This formula combines a Full Spectrum of Phytonutrients along with Optimized Vitamins and Minerals.  PhytoMulti goes beyond basic wellness support with a proprietary blend of concentrated plant extracts and phytonutrients with scientifically tested biological activity to protect cells and maintain DNA stability–activating health potential like no other supplement.* An analysis of all the PhytoMulti active ingredients equivalent to 2 tablets showed a total ORACFN of 25,268. Another sophisticated COMET assay demonstrated Phytonutrient-treated cells maintained 52% greater stability when compared to untreated cells.  PhytoMulti is truly a unique Multi-Vitamin: · Intelligent blend of a highly-concentrated, full spectrum of phytonutrients with science-based efficacy.*  · Phytonutrient potential for cell protection and DNA stability verified by sophisticated in vitro ORACFN and Comet assays.*  · Phytonutrients impact cell signaling to communicate healthy messages throughout the body.*   · Enhanced with select bioactive plant compounds—including lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and resveratrol.   · Optimized with essential vitamins and minerals for multidimensional health support.*   · Recharges, nourishes, and defends cells like no other foundation nutrition formula.* To order now or for more information please e-mail jes@jescollection.com or call 208-629-0444.

In 11-1 vote, Somerset passes comprehensive smoking ban

Lighting up in Somerset, once a big tobacco town, will no longer be allowed in all enclosed public places. The city council voted 11-1 Monday evening to pass a smoking-ban ordinance, reports Heather Tomlinson of the Commonwealth Journal. (C-J photo)

The ordinance includes restaurants, bingo halls, gaming facilities, nursing homes and any place of employment. "It's a public health safety issue," said councilor Jerry Girdler, who lost his well-known brother Eddie two weeks ago to throat and lung cancer. "The facts back up that smoking is harmful to the people around them."

The meeting attracted a crowd of more than 50, many of whom voiced their opinions. Business owner Teresa Singleton said, "I am really shocked at the fact that the City of Somerset is considering taking away the rights of businesses to make those decisions on whether we want our place of business to be smoking or non-smoking. For you to take that on your own, I think that's a major step in the wrong direction."

Local podiatrist Pamela Jensen-Stanley disagreed. "I believe the ban is necessary," she said. "I think it's time that Somerset moves up and gets with the program." (Read more)

Vitu vikali kama hivi kwa Kim Kardashian Huwezi vaa BONGO

Kim Kardashian was spotted arriving for dinner at the upscale restaurant Cipriani in NYC. She styled wearing a Versace for H&M black studded gold leather trench coat jacket ($399) paired with black Christian Louboutin Daffodile platform pumps ($995).

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Florida-to-Appalachia 'pill pipeline' appears to be shriveling

Attorneys general from Florida and Kentucky say the prescription pill pipeline between the two states is beginning to close, reports Bill Estep of the Lexington Herald-Leader. They credit new programs and rules in Florida, but Kentucky AG Jack Conway says more work is needed "to attack the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Kentucky." The pipeline has also supplied Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee.

Florida became the epicenter of the prescription drug trade to the Appalachian states because of lax regulation of pain clinics and tracking prescription drugs, Estep reports. People from the region traveled to Florida, stocked up on drugs, then returned home to sell them. In 2010, a police raid uncovered 1,400 files in a Florida doctor's office, and most were on Eastern Kentuckians. Police estimated that 60 percent of pills illegally sold in Kentucky were prescribed in Florida.

Florida officials have increased monitoring of prescription pills, boosted enforcement, required pain clinics to register with the state, started a prescription monitoring system and barred many clinics from dispensing pills. The results have been significant, Florida AG Pam Bondi said at a substance-abuse conference in Lexington. In 2010, 98 of the top 100 oxycodone prescribers were in Florida; only 11 are now. Registered pain clinics in the state have dropped from 943 to 579. (Read more)

Don't Stop Taking Resveratrol, Says Top Doc

Newsmaxhealth.com

Sunday, January 22, 2012 1:57 PM

A major scandal erupted this month when a researcher at the University of Connecticut was accused of faulty research — or downright fraud — in at least 26 articles he wrote about the benefits of resveratrol.

 Resveratrol, an anti-inflammatory found in the skins of red grapes, has been hailed as the "Fountain of Youth," and is said to fight heart disease, cancer, and other diseases of aging. Some researchers believe the resveratrol contained in red wine is responsible for the “French Paradox” — the apparent ability of the French to eat high-fat diets and drink copious amounts of red wine and still have low rates of heart disease and cancer.

 "It has anticancer properties and a powerful ability to protect the brain against immunoexcitotoxicity, the central mechanism in brain aging and neurodegenerative disease of the brain," says Newsmax Health contributor Dr. Russell Blaylock. "Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant that stimulates brain growth and synaptic connections."

 Although disturbing, the news that some resveratrol research is in question shouldn't taint the reputation of a valuable heart-healthy nutrient, says Dr. Blaylock. He is in agreement with other scientists and researchers who believe the news will have minimal impact in the field of resveratrol research, since Dr. Dipak K. Das, the scientist in question, isn't a major researcher in the field.

 "Dr. Das is NOT the major researcher in resveratrol effects on cardiovascular health," says Dr. Blaylock. "Several of his papers are review papers of other people's research.

 "We are not sure what is being questioned," says Blaylock, who notes that "bias and corruption within the ruling medical elite can attack a researcher unfairly." So, in Dr. Blaylock's opinion, the jury is still out on Das's guilt.

Das's research aside, the overwhelming amount of research from other sources found that resveratrolis, in fact, an effective nutrient. "There are 4,460 research and review papers listed on PubMed that are published from labs from all over the world," says Dr. Blaylock. "They are finding a tremendous effectiveness of resveratrol on cardiovascular health, neuroprotection, and usefulness in cancer prevention and treatment.

"That means that greater than 99.9 percent of the research done on resveratrol is from labs completely independent of Das' lab or his institution."

 The media adds to the confusion when stories like the resveratrol story break, says Dr. Blaylock. "The media wants to make the most exciting headline they can — so they write such nonsense as 'resveratrol research faked: forget that glass of wine,'" says Dr. Blaylock. "Ironically, they are committing a more glaring fraud than the person they are writing about.

 "It would have taken them no more than 10 minutes to find what I did — that 99.9 percent of the research is totally independent of Das' research, and virtually all of it finds resveratrol to be effective and safe."

There is also the problem that so many of the media's advertising dollars come from the pharmaceutical makers of statins, says Dr. Blaylock: "They have a vested interest in reporting a story that would destroy the resveratrol market. Again, this is glaring fraud by the media. The purpose of journalism is to dig out the truth — to carefully analyze a story and provide the real story to the public," says Blaylock. All too often, the media doesn't do its job, he says.

 As for himself and his patients, "I will continue to take resveratrol and recommend it," he says.

© 2012 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

UK opening new operating rooms, including high-tech hybrid

The region's first hybrid operating room, one that adds imaging and robotics to traditional surgery, is opening this week at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital. The only other hybrid OR in Kentucky is at the Trover Clinic in Madisonville, according to Kristi Lopez of UK Public Relations.

News media are being invited to see demonstrations and tour the facility, as well as eight new operating rooms opening in the next phase of the hospital's construction, on Wednesday afternoon. Those on the 1:30 p.m. tour will include Dr. Michael Karpf, UK's executive vice president for health affairs; Ann Smith, the hospital's chief administrative officer; Dr. Joseph "Jay" Zwischenberger, UK HealthCare surgeon-in-chief; Dr. Bernard Boulanger, surgical services director; Dr. David Minion, a vascular and endovascular surgeon; and Dr. Justin Fraser, a neurosurgeon.

"Advantages to a hybrid operating room include greater accuracy of surgical procedures, reduced recovery time, and reduced risk of postoperative complications," a UK press advisory said. "Vascular and endovascular surgeries will begin being performed in the new OR in the next few weeks."

Journalists wanting to take the tour and watch the demonstrations should park in the UK HealthCare parking garage at South Limestone and Transcript Avenue and meet university public-relations representatives promptly at 1:30. For more information or assistance, call or text Lopez at 859-806-0445.

Rockcastle County school board nixes ban on smoking at schools

While more than 30 Kentucky communities have banned smoking in enclosed public places, and about as many school districts have imposed a total ban, many districts remain resistant to the idea. This month the Rockcastle County Board of Education turned down a smoking ban that would have allowed designated smoking areas at athletic events but no smoke breaks for employees.

"Four of the five board members expressed opposition to the ban, including Mike Burdette, who said he didn't feel it was right to tell an adult they cannot use a legal product on grounds their taxes pay for," reported  the Mount Vernon Signal. Other board members said they didn't like the fact that the proposal from the administration did not include smoke breaks since employees "can't leave school during the day except for designated reasons."

The Signal reported that Superintendent Larry Hammond "put forth the argument that research has shown that second- and even third-hand smoke can be harmful to students," but only Board Chairman Martin Vanzant supported the proposal. To a member who suggested that the ban be delayed for two or three years, he said that would be "postponing the inevitable." (Read more)

In Kentucky, "All 174 school systems have restrictions of some sort on the use of tobacco products on their campuses, and any that allow staff smoking have designated areas," Brad Hughes of the Kentucky School Boards Association told Kentucky health News. "About 30 have a total ban."

The Alchemy of Food

By Liz Blake - 16 January 2011

At the heart of Alchemy is the dynamic relationship between psyche and matter. We access our transformational potential, both for the individual and the collective, by cultivating an alchemical relationship with our food. By eating intentionally, we generate the abilities to co-create ourselves and our world.

1. Eating is an ACT OF CREATION

You are, quite literally, what you eat. Eating the fruits of the earth is a beautiful becoming, an elevation of matter, as they integrate into your conscious being. The fruit is conscious itself. Molecules of the earth’s creation are re-organized and integrated into your physical and subtle energetic bodies, directing and framing your conscious experience. Becoming aware of this molecular consciousness allows you to actively co-create with the molecules you are made of. They are gifts of the earth. Create yourself with love.

2. Discovering our Earthly Selves

Once you fully acknowledge that you are what you eat, you discover your body is made of the earth; your physical being is a reorganization of earth molecules directed by your DNA. Understand that your material existence is rooted in your food. Every bite presents the opportunity to make a conscious choice. You choose the materials for your own creation. I suggest choosing high quality, highly intelligent, highly evolved materials, they will serve you. They will fuel your individual evolution. They will awaken your transformation, your becoming of the best possible self that you have the potential to be, that is the work, the opus. This is alchemy. Eating is alchemy.

3. Welcoming the Earth as Teacher

Once you understand the earthly wisdom flowing through your body, you are able to receive her teachings, her intelligence, her healing embrace. The Earth is here to teach humanity. Your body is a vehicle to receive her teachings, her transmissions of intelligence. The teachings flow through your veins, encoded in the nutrients in your blood, they are inherent in your being. Awaken your awareness to feel her. Listen to her whisper.

4. Attuning to the Subtle

Awaken your awareness to the subtle. Learn to listen beneath the sounds, attune to the vibrations, the intelligence in your being. Assimilate the subtle, allow it to easily pass through your digestive system, into your blood, and illuminate your cells with information. Hear your whole being’s response; there is infinite information in the dialogue of the subtle. Different foods have different energetic qualities, knowing this difference empowers you to know your medicine. You are your own medicine.

5. Micro is Macro Cosm

Your evolution is your opus. The great work, the opus, your personal transformational journey, is yours to do as a service to all of humanity. As we heal ourselves, we respect ourselves and create the space to respect others, to respect our mother, this beautiful planet that hosts our being. A micro universe exists inside of you; it is a cell of the macro universe. We are to take responsibility of the cells that we are made of and influence, the cells that we co-create. As we awaken our individual cells, we support the awakening of all humankind. Our every action of taking care, of consciously loving ourselves, inspires those around us. This is the viral energetic upshift and it is beautiful. We are all designers of the future, creating our world with our thoughts. Nourish your thoughts with the consciousness of the earth to support a thriving future. Awaken on a cellular level. Bring in the light. Be solar powered. Eat plants! They eat the sun.

6. Taste the Sacredness of the Earth

Our mother planet is endowed with an intelligence we have yet to comprehend as a species. She knows our past and our evolution. She has co-evolved us, she is our co-evolutionary partner, and she is the master manifestor in the created universe. Allow yourself to deepen into this knowledge. When you take a bite of food, honor this highly intelligent biological ecological system, allow the information to flow through your being. Olfactory communication is a core element in the language of the earth. Learn to smell the truth in the air, the flowers, and your food. Attune your senses to taste the sacredness of the earth.

7. Honor the Container

The container is the physical, the matter, the mother, the earth, the feminine, the receiver. The holder of the magic. Honor this space. The physical body is the container for our evolution of consciousness. You must have energetic integrity in the physical to be able to receive and assimilate the frequencies of higher consciousness that are coming to earth. This is key to the evolution, to the upshift, to the way forward. This is honoring and listening to your mother. She is here to heal, she is here to teach, she is here to help us grow. She wants to create with you. Love her, she knows best.

8. Fasting in Silence

It is simple; to know how to eat properly once must cease eating. To know how to speak properly, one must stop speaking. By fasting, mono dieting and juice cleansing, you eliminate the energetic chaos, the noise, the clutter, the many paths and directions that pull you. You then create the space to settle into simply what is, this is medicine. Food has a powerful pull; eating many different kinds from many different sources can scatter your energy field. When you give your system a rest from overload of information, it reprograms itself to awareness. Suddenly you become aware of things you never noticed before, the depths of the scent in a carrot, the sensation miso has in your stomach, the digestion and assimilation of your beloved chocolate, the nutrients of kale in your blood, the feeling of clean water nourishing the energetic strength of your chakras. Attuning to the subtle provides unlimited information on your Self, your inner being, your body and your soul. Your soul knows how your body wants to be fed, so does your body, your work is to access its intelligence and support the body’s communication with your conscious mind.

9. The Secret Ingredients: Love And Intention

All matter holds intention. Working with this universal truth is alchemy. Transformation in matter is a container, a support structure and a symbol for transformation in the psyche or spirit. Understanding how these energetic transformations occur give you the power to create, create yourself, create our future. When you grow, harvest, cook and eat with love, you nourish on an energetic level. This realm is more subtle than the densely physical, this is the psyche, this is spirit, this is a powerful place to access, this is the source of creation. And yes, you can access it through the way of your food. Allow your food to support the intentions you have in life. Ask your food to nourish your true self, your higher self, the all knowing you.

10. Mastering the Art of Being

Whether you’ve embraced it yet or not, you are a creator, you have the power to create, all of humanity is evolving to embrace this power. Love it, be it, and emanate it, responsibly. Mastering the cellular response of your inner being to the outside world, to the wonders of the earth, is the initial step. Your body wants to support your evolution, but you must support your body. Your body moves towards balance, and you must nourish its moving towards center. Once you master the creation of yourself, mind and body, in matter and in spirit, you are an alchemist, you are a master in the art of transformation, which is the way of creation. You are embracing the Great Work, you are the artist creating your life, you become the opus. You are creator.

11. As Below, So Above…As Above, So Below

“That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracles of the One Thing. And just as all things have come from this One Thing, through the meditation of the One Mind, so do all created things originate from this One Thing, through Transformation.” - The Emerald Tablet: Alchemy for Personal Transformation by Dennis William Hauck

About the Author

Liz Blake is a designer of conscious culture and evolved lifestyle, inspiring a co-creative healthy future.

She is a graduate of NYU, with a self-designed BA in Holistic Health and Alchemy, focusing in Jungian psychology, nutrition, energy healing and shamanism. She is a practicing Reiki Master. She also earned a certificate as a Holistic Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as well as a Yoga Teaching certificate, 200 hr RYT.

As a conscious chef, she nourishes our evolution through alchemically integrating healing energy into the kitchen and creating food with love.

She is committed to nurturing community and healthy relationships to the earth and is an active member and healing center visionary of The Source Farm Ecovillage in Jamaica. She is also a friend of Growing Heart Farm in upstate NY.

Guided by sacred plant medicine, she traveled to Peru, Brazil and England to pursue her shamanic studies.

Liz is currently based in New York City and is offering services in nutritional and transformational coaching, focusing on personal transformation through working with the subtle energetics of food and balancing the inner ecosystem. She also offers Reiki and subtle energetic healing work.

Follow Liz via Facebook - envisionawesomeness.wordpress.com or thesourcefarm.com

Source: www.wakeup-world.com