Hook Up With Health

Pistachio Recalled for Salmonella!

2009-06-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

According to Reuters news, two potentially tainted pistachio brands should be avoided due to a salmonella-related recall, including:

1. California Prime Produce and Orange County Orchards, which were repacked by Orca Distribution West Inc of Anaheim, California.

2. Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, California, which issued a nationwide recall of its products in late March after salmonella was found in some nuts.

These pistachios they may have been repackaged and sold in airports and hotels, the Food and Drug Administration said.

While more than 660 products have been linked to that recall, so far, Orca and those selling its products have received no customer complaints of illnesses tied to the company's products, she added.

The salmonella bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Hook Up With Health Today!

3/31/09 - Possible Salmonella outbreak in Pistachios

2009-03-31T07:15:00.000-07:00

The Food and Drug Administration asked consumers to avoid eating all products containing pistachios as health authorities investigate a California processing plant that shipped about one million pounds of the nuts possibly contaminated with salmonella.

Authorities said no illnesses have been reported to date, but they are taking precautions until they can confirm if the shipments are tainted.

Salmonella Outbreak - Peanut Butter Crackers - Impacts Hundreds

2009-01-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

WARNING - USA Today is Reporting an outbreak in Salmonella allegedly in some Peanut Butter Crackers. Take this seriously. Salmonella is nothing to play around with as it is easily spread and can linger in your system for many weeks.

I am speaking from experience.

My youngest was diagnosed with salmonella at 2 1/2. There was an outbreak in her day care center; in this case, apparently spread through fecal matter.

We were constantly running to the doctor, having our child tested and re-tested. And we were changing diapers about once an hour. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) was in contact with us and my baby was not allowed back in the daycare until they gave us clearance.

We were also told to be very careful about what she eats as salmonella can return to a previously infected person very easily.

For more information on the current salmonella outbreak cut and paste the link below for the USA Today article.

http://news.idsk.com/viewer/story.php?CLIENT=INFOMAILER&NEWSID=ies-vOk0B9S6-JaHu7F2CEt&CU=med2877

Why does Your Health require more Omega-3 Fatty Acids and less Omega-6 Fatty Acids?

2008-10-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

This is a reprint an Oct 14, 2008 article by the American Associate of Health Freedom (AAHF).

When Time magazine asked to Dr. Water Willett, of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard, to name the most significant scientific news of the 20th century, he said simply, “We changed the fats in our diet.”

According to the September 2008 PUFA newsletter, the link between the type and amount of fats consumed and long-term cardiac health is now dubbed “the Japanese Paradox.” Why do Japanese men smoke, have high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure, yet have half the mortality from heart disease as Caucasian American men? And why do Japanese men who migrate to the U.S. develop atherosclerosis (commonly known as hardening of the arteries) as readily or more so than American white males?

Recent research indicates a long-term diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids tends to counteract the development of atherosclerosis. Other studies indicate the Japanese have less carotid artery plaque and a lower incidence of nonfatal heart attacks simply because of their consumption of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Dr. Willett’s point is that our fast and overly processed American diet changed the traditional ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. This shift not only created more inflammation but more allergies than ever before. And current research indicates that when the ratio is skewed above a certain level, depression and suicidal behavior rise dramatically.

Giants in the field of orthomolecular psychiatry like Abram Hoffer, M.D., and Richard Kunin, M.D., have successfully treated schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and other brain biochemistry diagnoses by focusing on lifestyle choices that include diet and supplements. Though they have solid scientific backing, these physicians often suffered the attacks of peers and boards of medicine; at the same time, the media were beginning to report that vested interests were affecting many specialties in medicine, but psychiatry in particular.

Other new research showed that women who ate fish more than three times a week had fewer non-fatal heart events; additionally, they had fewer tiny hemorrhages in the brain. People without these brain lesions are less likely to have a stroke or impaired cognitive/thinking ability. Another study showed that EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) supplements reduced the likelihood of having a second stroke in those who have already had one. The incidence of stroke has increased dramatically in recent years, and is now the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Omega-3 fatty acids now appear to be integral to the healthy performance of nearly all the body’s major systems.

Dr. Phil Landrigan of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine says that one in seven American children have a learning or behavior disorder. So it is sobering indeed that there has been so little focus on omega-3 fatty acids in the food pyramid, in school lunch menus, and in other federal guidelines. Research shows that children whose mothers eat more than 12 ounces of fish per week outperform those whose mothers avoid eating fish.

Practitioners like Carol Locke, M.D., and Andrew Stoll, M.D., author of The Omega-3 Connection, found that U.S. women have the lowest levels of DHA among all industrialized countries. Their work with bipolar disorder and omega-3 supplements was groundbreaking, though far too few physicians use key supplements like the omega-3 fatty acids in their treatments.

The science is clear: a public health campaign to “change the fats in our diet” would have far-reaching health benefits for every American.

Grapes: Powerful Antioxidants that Reduce the Risk of Atherosclerosis

2008-10-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

Fresh, delicious, juicy grapes!

Did you know that eating fresh grapes may prevent the accumulation of harmful oxidized cholesterol as well as the development of
atherosclerotic lesions. Yes. According to the study, as reported
in the Journal of Nutrition (vol. 135, pp. 722-728, 2005.), naturally occurring antioxidants in fresh grapes known as polyphenols are believed to be responsible for this beneficial impact.

In order to ensure the scientific validity of grape health studies, a representative sample of fresh California grapes was collected, freeze-dried and ground into an edible grape powder. The grape powder used in this study contains all of the biologically active compounds found in fresh grapes.

“We found a remarkable reduction in the development of atherosclerosis following consumption of grape powder,” said principal investigator Bianca Fuhrman, Senior Scientist at the Lipid Research Laboratory headed by Dr. Michael Aviram at the Rambam Medical Center in Israel . “Grapes contain an abundance of powerful antioxidants that appear to inhibit an array of critical
factors that can cause atherosclerosis.”

Atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, is the result of cholesterol build-up on the arterial wall, which leads to blockage of the vessels that supply blood to the heart or the brain, resulting in a heart attack or stroke, respectively. Blood cholesterol is carried throughout the body by two lipoproteins.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the “bad” cholesterol, deposits cholesterol in arterial walls when it is present in excess. High density lipoprotein (HDL), or the “good” cholesterol, removes the excess cholesterol from the arteries to the liver and out of the body.

When cholesterol is damaged by oxidation, such as oxidized LDL cholesterol, it is more easily deposited in the arterial walls, leading to a blockage of the vessels. Diseases caused by atherosclerosis are the leading cause of illness and death in the U.S.

Eating 5 to 10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day will help. And while you’re at it, be sure to lead your children towards a life of health, happiness, vitality, and longevity by adding delicious grapes to their diet.

Hook Up with Health and yummy grapes for better health!

PS. Check out our new lower prices on great tasting snacks and meal replacements at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy today!

Peanuts: Rich in Antioxidants, Protect Cells from damage linked to Heart Disease and Cancer

2008-08-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

Contrary to their name, peanuts are not really nuts. They are a
member of the legume family along with peas, lentils, chickpeas
and other beans. Peanuts start growing as a ground flower - but
because the peanut flower is very heavy - it bends towards the
ground and eventually pushes it’s way underground where the
peanut matures.

A University of Florida team says peanuts are rich in
antioxidants which protect cells from damage linked to heart
disease and cancer. Peanuts also contain high levels of protein
and "good" monounsaturated fat.

The US researchers tested the antioxidant content of a dozen
different varieties of peanuts. Antioxidants are the naturally
occurring substances in plants that protect the body from free
radicals - 'volatile' chemicals in the blood.

Although free radicals do play an important role in the
immune system, they also alter cholesterol in a process known
as oxidation, which is thought to speed up the hardening of
the arteries.

Red and orange fruits and vegetables are already known to be
particularly high in antioxidants. But the researchers found
peanuts were also high in the beneficial chemicals. They found
peanuts contain high levels of polyphenols, a family of chemicals
commonly found in foods, which have strong antioxidant
properties.

Steve Talcott of the University of Florida, who led the research,
said: "When it comes to antioxidant content, peanuts are right up
there with strawberries. We expected a fairly high antioxidant
content in peanuts, but we were a bit shocked to find that
they're as rich in antioxidants as many kinds of fruit."

If you’re a peanut fan we encourage you to consider Buckey Ball
Matrix. This delicious energy food is handcrafted from peanuts,
honey, white and black sesame seeds, dried whole raspberries, and
olive oil. It’s a taste that’s sure to please and always a hit
with the kids.

Hook Up with Health and antioxidant rich peanuts today!

PS. Check out www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com for our new lower prices on great tasting snacks, meal replacements, and personal care products.

Quinoa benefits people with high cholesterol and more!

2008-08-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Quinoa, though not technically a cereal grain like wheat or oats,
has been cultivated and eaten as a cereal for thousands of years
by South Americans. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is the tiny seed
of the Chenopodium Quinoa, a leafy plant that is a distant
relative of spinach and beets.

Quinoa was called the "mother grain" by the Incas (chisiya mama).
Now, as people in the rest of the world learn more about Quinoa,
they're discovering that its ancient nickname was well deserved -
Quinoa is indeed a nutritional powerhouse.

Quinoa's protein content, about 16 percent, is higher than that
of any other grain. Wheat also has a high protein content, about
14 percent, but the protein in wheat and most other grains is
lacking in the amino acid lysine, which Quinoa has in abundance.
In fact, the amino acid composition in Quinoa is almost perfect.

The World Health Organization has judged the protein in Quinoa
to be as complete as that in milk. In addition, Quinoa contains
more iron than most grains, and is a good source of calcium,
phosphorus, folate, and many B vitamins.

Eating a serving of whole grains, such as Quinoa, at least 6 times each week is an especially good idea for postmenopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease.

A 3-year prospective study of 229 postmenopausal women with
cardiovascular disease, published in the July 2005 issue of the
American Heart Journal, shows that those eating at least 6
servings of whole grains each week experienced slowed progression
of atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque that narrows the
vessels through which blood flows and lss progression in
stenosis, the narrowing of the diameter of arterial passageways.

Quinoa can be found in your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods
such as Phi Plus, as well as all seven of our Wholefood Farinas:
AmpliPhi, BeautiPhi, ClariPhi, DetoxiPhi, ElectriPhi, FructiPhi
& GloriPhi.

Hook up With Health and Quinoa today.

PS. To try great tasting Phi Plus and our seven Wholefood Farinas click the link at the Hook Up With Health tab.

PSS. The prices on some of our most popular products just got lower! Give them a try now

Which Vegetables Repair DNA and help Fight Cancer

2008-05-27T15:18:00.001-07:00

For many decades, science has been focused on understanding the
mechanisms of disease so that drugs could be developed. But the
closer they look at disease, the more they discover the
powerful and protective nature of whole foods.

In a new study published in the "British Journal of
Cancer" and by the journal "Nature" the researchers show that in
laboratory tests, a compound called indole-3-carinol (I3C), found
in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and a chemical called
genistein, found in soy beans, can increase the levels of two
specific proteins that repair damaged DNA.

This study is one of the first to provide a molecular explanation
as to how eating vegetables could cut the risk of developing
cancer, an association that some population studies have found,
says the study's senior author, Eliot M. Rosen, MD, PhD,
professor of oncology, cell biology, and radiation medicine at
Georgetown 's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center . "It is now
clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced
by compounds in the things we eat," Rosen says.

"Our findings suggest a clear molecular process that would
explain the connection between diet and cancer prevention."
In this study, Rosen exposed breast and prostate cancer cells
to increasing doses of I3C and genistein, and found that
these chemicals boosted production of the repair proteins
BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Since decreased amounts of the BRCA proteins are seen in cancer
cells, higher levels might prevent cancer from developing, Rosen
speculates, adding that the ability of I3C and genistein to
increase production of BRCA proteins could explain their
protective effects.

Hook Up With DNA Repairing Veggies today!

Tips for Controlling Hunger & Preventing Overeating

2008-05-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

The New York Times reported today that most people are not enjoying the food that they eat. Their reasoning is what they call "Mindless Munching". The article provides tips on ways to put an end to mindless munching, a habit many of us had at various times throughout our lives.

To read more click the link below.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121062985377986351.html?mod=hps_us_at_glance_health

Hook Up With mindful and healthy eating today.

PS. Remember, you'll find satisfying and great tasting snacks, meal replacements, and weight loss products via the link on the Hook Up With health tab.

Antioxidant Levels Higher for those with SPICE in their Life!

2008-04-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

Antioxidants are those nutrients in whole foods that keep
diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer away. When you
think about antioxidants, fruits and vegetables usually come to
mind. But those aren't the only foods where these health boosting
nutrients are hiding.

New research shows that herbs and spices also pack a powerful
punch when it comes to antioxidants. A USDA study looked at
nearly 40 common herbs and spices to test their antioxidant
activity. Oregano emerged as the leader of the pack.

Researchers found that oregano has 3 to 20 times more antioxidant
activity than the other herbs studied. In fact, it has more than
many fruits and vegetables. Oregano has 42 times more antioxidant
activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more
than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries. But that's not
the only herb or spice that can improve your health. Dill, thyme,
sage, rosemary, ginger and even peppermint have high antioxidant
levels too.

The main ingredient in curry is Turmeric, from which a spice
called Curcumin is derived. Sally Frautschy, Ph.D., is a
researcher from UCLA who has done extensive testing on Curcumin.
She says that “we accidentally found out that it blocks every
single step in Alzheimer's pathogenesis and it kills nearly every
cancer cell in the lab.” In India, curry is part of the staple
diet; they also have the lowest rates of Alzheimer's disease in
the world.

Marcia Herrin, R.D., a nutritionist at the Dartmouth Medical
School says "practically every herb and spice that's been studied
has some health benefit," herbs and spices are loaded with
antioxidants, but we may not be getting those benefits as much as
we could. Herrin says Americans don't use many herbs and spices
compared to the rest of the world.

Researchers also say that many of these herbs are only absorbed
by the body when they're eaten with fat, so recipes that include
healthy fats, like those found in Heart of Gold, a delicious
plant oil blend available only from Hook Up With Health, Wholefood Farmacy.

Hook up with Health by SPICING up your life today!

Salmonella Outbreak - Malt-O-Meal Recall

2008-04-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard the news, here is something you need to know...

On April 5, Malt-O-Meal announced that it was voluntarily recalling its unsweetened Puffed Rice and unsweetened Puffed Wheat Cereals produced with “Best If Used By” codes between April 8, 2008 (coded as “APR0808”) and March 18, 2009 (coded as “MAR1809”) because they may have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The recalled product was distributed nationally, marketed under the Malt-O-Meal brand and as some private label brands including Acme, America’s Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw’s, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. A comprehensive listing of impacted products can be found at www.malt-o-meal.com/recallinfo.

If you have this product in your house, with the dates mentioned, throw it out - immediately!!!

Speaking from first hand experience, salmonella is very serious. When my youngest was 2 1/2 there was an outbreak of salmonella at her daycare center. She caught it too and then proceeded to have the runs for 5 weeks straight. It was a very alarming and difficult situation. Keeping my daughter propertly hydrated was a big concern throughout.

The CDC was also in contact with us over this outbreak and indicated that my daughter would need two sequential tests free from salmonella before being allowed back in the daycare. We were constantly at the doctor's office getting her tested.

The source of my daughter's samonella was not fully identified though it was rumored that this case was not food based. Instead it was linked to what apparently is a common incident at daycares around the world - the innocent spread of fecal matter by a very young child.

Be aware - Salmonella can come back. Whether you've had salmonella or not take extra precautions with the food you eat and prepare. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling eggs or egg products. Avoid eating any thing with raw eggs in it - including raw batter (a typical source of interest for children).

Hook Up With "Health" Today!

The Many Health Benefits of Brown Rice!

2008-03-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Milling is the process that turns brown rice into white rice by removing the outer layer known as the bran layer - this alters the nutritional value of the rice.

The complete milling process that creates white rice from brown rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. In short, brown rice is a fiber-rich whole grain whereas white rice is simply a refined and nutritionally depleted processed food.

In March of 2006, research reported in the journal Agricultural Research, Nancy Keim and a team at the USDA ARS Western Human Nutrition Center studied 10 women age 20-45 who ate a whole grain diet for three days, then ate the same foods but with refined grains in place of whole grains. Blood samples at the end of each 3-day period showed that the refined grains diet caused a significant increase in triglycerides and a worrisome protein called "apolipoprotein CIII" (apoCIII), both of which have been associated with increased risk of heart disease.

At the University of Utah, in a study of over 2000 people, a team led by Dr. Martha Slattery found that high intakes of whole grains, such as brown rice, reduced the risk of rectal cancer 31%. They also found that a high-fiber diet, 34 grams or more of fiber per day, reduced rectal cancer by an impressive 66%. The findings were published in the February 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In a Study presented at American Heart Association Conference, March 2006, overweight children, age 9-15, spent two weeks on an all-you-can-eat diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein, while exercising 2.5 hours each day. University of California researchers led by Dr. James Barnard reported that in just two weeks the children's cholesterol levels dropped an average of 21%, while insulin levels fell 30%.Hook Up with healthier eating by replacing processed and refined grains with healthy, natural whole grains such as brown rice.

For additional healthy food choices visit www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Easy Weight Loss for the Whole Family that helps your Digestive System too!

2008-03-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

Many people are reporting wonderful weight loss results by simply enjoying 3 servings of Hook Up With Health's, DextoxiPhi, each day. Just one serving in the morning, in the afternoon and before bed aides weight loss.

This delicious apple cinnamon flavored combination of whole foods can cleanse your body. The ingredients act as natural carb and fat blockers while offering potent nutrition and colon cleansing as well. It's fast, it’s easy and it works!

If you're looking for another healthy step in the right direction - treat yourself and your family to three servings of DetoxiPhi a day - the results will amaze you!

Handcrafted from Psyllium Seed Husk, Oats, Almonds, Cashews, Pumpkin Seeds, Prunes, Apples, Flax Seeds, Phi Plus, Cinnamon, Stevia, Evaporated cane Juice, Senna Leaf, Cascara Sagrata, & our own custom Rice & Grain Blend, DetoxiPhi is designed to support your digestive system and eliminatory system. Many have also reported that DetoxiPhi helps to keep blood sugar levels within the healthy range!

DetoxiPhi, with its gentle whole food cleansing action, clears the way through your bodies system of different size and length tubes. These tubes are designed to move gases, liquids, and solids. What goes in a tube is meant to flow out of a tube. A major reason to DetoxiPhi is that it is now estimated that many diseases are caused by slow moving clogged tubes struggling with toxic waste.

Click Here To Order DetoxiPhi Now:
http://www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com/2005/cat_all.asp#2

Add Antioxidants to Your Diet with Great Tasting Cranberry Crunch

2008-02-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

For this entry I'd like to introduce you to new permanent additions to the Hook Up With Health Whole Food Farmacy line.

Cranberry Crunch is our first introduction. Actually Cranberry Crunch is not a new product at all... it was previously available as a holiday special and formally known as Christmas Corn. With the popularity of this yummy treat we decided to add Cranberry Crunch as a permanent addition to our whole food product line.

Cranberry Crunch is a delicious combination of whole grain roasted corn and cranberries. The whole grain nutrition of roasted corn, along with the incredible antioxidant powers of cranberries, offers an amazing taste sensation. Cranberry Crunch is also a great alternative to unhealthy proceses snack foods and it packs a potent nutritional punch. This delicious and health treat is sure to be a favorite of kids of all ages!

Another popular holiday treat to become a permanent offering in the Hook Up With Health product line is Apple Cinnamon Phi (formally known as The Holiday Feast).

Apple Cinnamon Phi is a version of our most popular product, Phi Plus, with a generous addition of apples and cinnamon. Apples add fiber and the benefits of cinnamon are highlighted in an earlier blog entry entitled "The SPICE of Life". This sweet and chewy treat will please your taste buds, warm your spirit, and nourish your body and mind.

Hook Up with great tasting Cranberry Crunch and Apple Cinnamon Phi at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com today!

18 Million Americans Need to Know... How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

2008-02-07T00:43:00.000-08:00

18 Million Americans have it...

20% of Seniors age 65 and older have it...

1 in 3 doesn't even know they have it... but they do!!!

What is it?

Type 2 (Adult Onset) Diabetes.

Yes, the number of Type 2 Diabetes cases in our society is skyrocketing. A great deal of it has to do with our food choices. In addition, this difficult chronic disease is now showing up in young adults and even in school age children.

Ready for some good news? 90% of Type 2 Diabetes cases are PREVENTABLE!

This post discusses several ways for you to prevent Type 2 Diabetes.

First, prevent starts with understanding how your body, particularly your pancreas, reacts to the food you eat.

When a healthy person eats a meal the body converts carbohydrates into blood sugar. The brain recognizes the rise in blood sugar levels and signals the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin is a chemical messenger that rings the "dinner bell" telling all 10 trillion cells in the body to come and feed on the available blood sugar. As the cells feed on the blood sugar, the blood sugar levels lowers to normal levels, reducing the amount of insulin produced.

The second level of understanding needed to prevent Type 2 Diabetes involves an overview of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates (carbs) come in two forms: Man-made (simple) and Natural (complex).

Man-made carbs are found in processed foods such as white table sugar, candy, sodas, high fructose corn syrup, and white bread. Eating man-made cards causes sudden, unusually high and sustained spikes in your blood sugar levels and stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin.

A constant over-stimulation of your pancreas, year after year after year, causes your "internal machinery" to wear out prematurely. In some cases, your pancreas gets tired and can't produce enough insulin. IN other cases, the "dinner bell" rings so often that the cells get tired of hearing it and stop running to get their blood sugar. Either way, when this happens, the health care industry declares that you have Type 2 Diabetes. And yes, for only a few hundred bucks a month for testing supplies and medication, they can keep you alive. Luckily there are alternatives with Natural sugars.

Natural sugars, like the sugars found in whole foods, are known as complex carbohydrates. They do not cause sudden and sustained spikes in your blood sugar levels. They allow your "internal machinery" to last a lifetime.

The next step in preventing Type 2 Diabetes is to access your risk.

The Washington University School of Medicine offers a comprehensive risk assessment tool on their website. We encourage you to click the link below and take the test - it only takes a few minutes.

http://www.yourdiseaserisk.siteman.wustl.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=start&quiz=diabetes

Finally, to prevent Type 2 Diabetes follow the advice of the Harvard School of Public Health.

Their findings show a few life-style changes can dramatically lower your chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes and also lower the changes of developing heart disease and some cancers.

Here are their top five Type 2 Diabetes prevention tips.

1. Control your weight. Excess weight is the single most important cause of Type 2 Diabetes. Being overweight increase the chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes seven-fold. Losing 7 - 10% of your current weight can cut your changes in half of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

2. Get moving. Inactivity promotes Type 2 Diabetes. Set limits on TV and Computer tip so you can work your muscles. Making your muscles work harder improves their ability to use insulin and absorb glucose, which puts less stress on your pancreas.

3. Tune up Your Diet. Two dietary changes can help prevent Type 2 Diabetes.

1. Choose whole grains and whole-grain products over highly processed carbohydrates. In other words, choose whole foods instead of processed foods. (Hook Up With Health can help in this arena).

2. Choose good fats, such as polyunsaturated fats found in tuna, salmon, liquid vegetable oils, and many nuts These foods have been found to help prevent the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Trans fats do the opposite. These bad fats, found in many margarines, packaged baked goods, fried foods in most fast food restaurants, and any products that include the phrase "partially hydrogenated" in the label should be kept to a definite minimum.

4. Quit Smoking. Non-smokers - skip to #5. Smokers take note, you are 50% to 90% more likely to develop diabetes than non-smokers. Take positive steps to become a non-smoker. There are many professional organizations to help you, as needed.

5. Moderate your Alcohol Intake. Moderate amounts of alcohol (1 drink / day for men and 1 drink every other day for women) increases the efficiency of insulin at getting glucose inside the cells. As a result, moderate alcohol may actually help in the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes. NOTE: If you don't drink alcohol or are under age, there is no reason to start. You can get the same health benefits by controlling your weight, exercising, and eating healthy foods.

Hook Up With Health is ready to provide you and your family with pure, great tasting, nutrient dense whole foods as snacks or meal replacements that your body needs to help prevent Type 2 Diabetes. We also have two wonderful 13-day programs to help you get on track with weight loss and a healthy new beginning. And, we offer a sampler pack for you to try out many of our favored products. Give us a try today.

Remember, today is the day to put your health in the forefront of your mind. You only have one life to live - make it a healthy one. And be sure to help your children lead a life of healthy choices, self-care and prevention as well.

Hook Up With Healthy Food Choices to prevent Type 2 Diabetes today.

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

How Does Childhood Obesity Shorten Your Childs Life-Span

2008-01-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

A recent USA TODAY article reported on the many health dangers of childhood obesity. They highlighted several dangers of carrying excess weight around including the very scary reduction of your childs life-span.

Daniel Jones, president of the American Heart Association and dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi in Jackson, says: "If something isn't done about the current childhood obesity epidemic, many of these kids will be at a higher risk of dying in middle age of heart disease and stroke."

Numerous other health risks were associated with childhood obesity including the potential for an increased rate of Heart Disease, Liver Malfunction, Type 2 Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, Fatigue, and more.

Remember, Hook Up With Health can help. We offer great tasting HEALTHY snacks and meal replacements so you and your family can eat right and feel healthy now. We have several different weight loss programs available too. If you or your child has a weight problem now is the time to do something about it. We can help. Click www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com for more details.

To read the full USA TODAY article click the link below.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2008-01-13-childhood-obesity_N.htm

Hook Up With A Healthy Child Today!

PS. "The New You Resolution Pantry"special is running for the next 17 days. As a Special Limited Time Offer – all orders for a New You Resolution Pantry placed through Jan. 31st will include 14 servings of Farmacy Pro Power, an 8 oz. bag of Apple Cinnamon Phi and a Free copy of the eye opening DVD titled, “ How To Get Fat Without Really Trying” (free gifts worth over $30). To get in on this special offer click www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Ten Great Tips for Staying Healther

2008-01-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

A HEALTHY and Happy New Year to all of YOU!

I’ve complied a list of the Top 10 Tips to Stay Healthy this year. If your health is important to you, and it should be, bookmark this page for easy reference throughout the year.

1. Be Personally Responsible For Your Health

If you don’t take good care of your health do you really think other people will treat you any better? Strive to be healthy. Give yourself reasons to stay healthy, whatever they are - such as an upcoming event you’re looking forward to. Take ownership of your health.

2. Think About Your Health Often

Your health is important. If you don’t believe it think back to the last time you had the flu or other illness. How did you feel then? Run down, not at all healthy! This is why you need to put your health in the forefront of your mind. Sometimes it requires a little bit of planning. Will you be staying late at the office? Then pack healthy food and bring it with you instead of eating only snacks from the vending machine. For those with children its equally important to plan for their health too. Are you giving them healthy snacks? Many today are not. As a result we have an obesity issue in our nation’s children and its very unhealthy. This is exactly why teaching your children about making healthy choices is so important.

3. Make Healthy Choices

In this day and age it’s easy to consume excesses without even trying. Decide for yourself if you can live with a half a portion instead of a whole one. Select water over soft drinks MOST of the time. Moderate yourself from excesses. Drink plenty of water. Sleep enough. Exercise your body and your mind. Get outdoors for some fresh air and sunshine. And, enjoy life.

4. Buy Organic as Often as Possible

Hands down, organic foods taste better and are better for you. Plus, you want the least amount of pesticides you can going into your blood stream - which is better for your overall health and for the health of our planet. Look for Certified Organic products and 100% Organic produce, foods, and nuts.

Please note, as of December 2007, Hook Up With Health is now offering organic foods, certified by Oregon Tilth. Three great products were certified organic - Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi Plus, and Coco Cherry Phi. Certification for more of our great-tasting food products will follow, throughout 2008. In the meantime, know that we handcraft our products using all natural, GMO free, whole food ingredients without the use of any artifical flavorings, colorings, or sweetners. And, you won’t find any type of chemical preservatives in our foods either.

5. Eliminate Hydrogenated Foods From Your Diet

Very simply, the Hydrogenation Process masks the fact that your food can be rancid. Do you really want to be eating potentially rancid food? If not, then avoid hydrogenated foods at all costs. This includes crackers, cookies, chips, and many of the quick foods we reach for when we just want a snack. Read the Labels.

6. Read the Labels

Labels are not so clear cut. Chemicals and preservatives can be hidden in the guise of “Spices.” Be selective. Reading the labels will help. Remember, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are part of a healthy diet. Eat lots of food with no labels at all (aka raw fruits and vegetables). Remember to read the labels of your cleaning products too. Many cleaning products have a laundry list of toxins. Buy only environmentally friendly cleaning products for home and office for better health.

7. Work on Ensuring Healthy Relationships

Stress from Relationships (whatever the relationship) is draining and wears you down. Take steps to either heal the relationship or heal yourself of the relationship if the former is not an alternative. This is one of the greatest steps you can take toward positive health.

8. Develop a Positive Attitude

Attitude plays an enormous role in health and healing. A positive attitude is a key trigger for maintaining your overall health. A negative attitude drags you down and, frankly, everyone around you. Yes, it’s not always easy to stay positive, especially when someone cuts your off on the road and you might slip up here and there. It happens. It’s important for your to find ways to stay positive (there are many great authors to learn from in this category), learn from your mistakes instead of wallowing in them or beating yourself up, and wear a smile in your heart for better overall health.

9. Educate Yourself on How to Improve Your Health

Topics included nutrition and physical activity. Health topics include hazards like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and the shortfalls of the typical American diet. Physical activity themes are to find ways to move more and avoid processed or refined foods.

Note: Hook Up With Health is a fantastic place to educate yourself on Health and Wellness, especially when it comes to fining out more about today’s health issues and for great tasting snacks and meal replacements. Find out more at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

10. Supplement with Vitamins and Minerals

Today’s food is void of many of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to stay healthy. A good bio-available multi-vitamin will help you stay healthy. To tell the bio-availability of a vitamin drop it in warm water (about 97 degrees - or roughly the same as our normal body temperature) and watch what happens to the vitamin within the first 5 minutes. Does the vitamin still have a hard coating around it or is the vitamin infusing with the water? What happens after 10 minutes. The infused vitamin is the more bio-available and works faster to deliver the nutrients your body needs. .

BONUS TIP - Live In Gratitude

Trying to keep up with the Jones adds stress. For healthy living learn to be thankful for what you have then set definite plans in place to attain what you want. Use a “gratitude rock” or other token as a symbolic reminder to be gratitude every day. Hold the token and tell the world what it is you are grateful for. Remember, if you look around the globe, you are likely more well off than 70% of the population. You have much to be grateful for - especially for your health.

So this is it, The Top Ten Ways for YOU to Stay Healthy this year. Set a goal to re-read this page once per month to help stay focused on your health.

All the best wishes for a HAPPY and HEALTHY 2008!!!

Hook up With Health Today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Best Way to Reduce a Nighttime Cough

2007-12-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

Honey - Nature's Prescription

Many parents are concerned about the recent FDA recommendation that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years of age because of a lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

With this recent news in mind, a team of researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine decided to put nature to the test.

They tested the effectiveness of three different approaches for children who were having trouble sleeping due to a cough. The children in the study were given either no treatment at all, alittle bit of buckwheat honey or dextromethorphan (DM), the chemical cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines. The children receiving the honey or DM took it about 30 minutes before bedtime.

The research team found that honey was more effective in reducing the severity and frequency of nighttime cough compared with DM or no treatment at all. Honey also allowed the children to sleep better. The findings are published in the December, 2007, issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

According to the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Ian Paul, Penn State’s director of pediatric clinical research: "Honey provided the greatest relief of symptoms compared with the other treatments. With honey, parents now have a safe and effective alternative to use for children over age 1 that have cough and cold symptoms”. Some of the children were hyperactive for a short time after being given the honey, Dr. Paul said. However, children who received honey slept better and so did their parents, he noted.

Paul cautioned that honey should never be given to children younger than 1, because of the rare risk of infantile botulism. In addition, he noted, cough medicines that mention "honey" on the label actually contain artificial honey flavor not real honey.

Honey has been used for centuries to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms such as cough. In addition, honey has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, and also soothes the back of the throat.

Once again, science has proven that food really can be your medicine.

Hook Up With Health and Honey Today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Are Artifical Food Coloring and Chemical Preservatives a Health Danger?

2007-11-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

The possibility that artificial food colorings and chemical
preservatives could affect your or your child’s behavior has been a hotly contested issue for decades.

Now proof is available. The September 2007 issue of the Lancet Medical Journal now provides a clear demonstration that changes in behavior can be detected in three-year-
old and eight-year-old children who ingest these artificial
processed food additives.

Psychology Professor James Stevenson of the University of Southampton and colleagues conducted tests on more than 300 children. They found significant differences in the children’s behavior when they drank fruit drinks with a mixture of common processed food additives including artificial food colorings and chemical preservatives.

“These findings show that adverse effects are not just seen in
children with extreme hyperactivity (such as ADHD) but can also be seen in the general population and across the range of
severities of hyperactivity,” the researchers wrote in their
study. The team of researchers commented that “the implications of these results for the regulation of food additive use could be substantial”.

Many parents today feel pressured by doctors and school
officials into treating their children’s symptoms with
narcotic medications. After witnessing the side effects, many
wish they had not.

On the other hand, wonderful non-profit groups like The Feingold Association (www.feingold.org) have a 30 year track
record and a 90% success rate in alleviating such symptoms by simply changing the child’s diet.

If you are a parent who is concerned about your child’s behavior, please visit The Feingold Association’s website for more information. We also encourage you to offer your children Wholefood Farmacy foods which contain NO artificial colorings, NO artificial flavorings, NO artificial sweeteners and NO chemical preservatives.

Maybe ADD should really stand for Artificial Diet Disorder – we encourage you to give your family and nature a chance by eliminating artifcial sweetners and chemical preservatives from your diet today. Replace ‘junk’ food with great tasting snacks and meal replacement from www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Hook up with an artifical sweetner and chemical preservative free diet today! Do it for your family!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

How to Reduce LDL (Bad) Cholesterol and the Risk of Heart Disease

2007-11-15T20:38:00.000-08:00

Back in 1993, the original Walnut Study from Loma Linda University made headlines around the world and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Why all the excitement? Because Loma Linda University had broken new ground. They were the first to find that walnuts in a controlled diet reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol and heart disease risk significantly more than the Step 1 diet that was then recommended by the American Heart Association. In other words - they proved, scientifically, that food really can be your medicine.

In April 2000, another landmark walnut study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study, a follow-up to the 1993 Loma Linda study, was conducted at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. Researchers had 49 men and women with high cholesterol incorporate walnuts into a healthy Mediterranean diet, substituting a handful of walnuts a day for some of the monounsaturated fat in the diet. Participants lowered their "bad" LDL cholesterol by almost 6 per cent and heart disease risk by 11 per cent beyond what would be expected from the Mediterranean diet alone.

The Loma Linda study participants substituted walnuts, one of nature's richest sources of polyunsaturated fat, for saturated fat. The Barcelona participants substituted walnuts for another healthy fat. Barcelona scientists also remarked on the ease of incorporating walnuts into the diet. According to researcher Juan Carlos Laguna, Ph.D., "That's the main point of the study. You eat a normal amount, like five or six walnuts a day. That's something you can do every day without any problem."

You can find Walnuts in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Coco Cherry Phi and TropiPhi.

Hook Up With Health and Walnuts Today to lower your Bad Cholesterol

With your Health and Wellness Through Food In Mind!

http://www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com/

The Amazing Health Benefits of Corn

2007-11-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

There's a wonderful whole grain food that is a good source of vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Folate, Fiber, Vitamin C, Phosphorous, Manganese and a nutrient called Beta-Cryptoxanthin. Would you be surprised to hear the food is CORN?

Yes, Corn.

It has been estimated that consumption of 100% of the daily value of Folate would, by itself, reduce the number of heart attacks suffered by Americans each year by 10%. Doesn't eating a food that can help lower your risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease make sense?

In addition Folate helps prevent birth defects and Folate-rich diets are also associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Consuming foods rich in beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid found in high amounts in corn, may also significantly lower one's risk of developing lung cancer.

A study published in the September, 2003 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reviewed dietary and lifestyle data collected from over 63,000 adults in Shanghai, China, who were followed for 8
years. Those eating the most crytpoxanthin-rich foods showed a 27% reduction in lung cancer risk. When current smokers were evaluated, those who were also in the group consuming the most cryptoxanthin-rich foods were found to have a 37% lower risk of lung cancer compared to smokers who ate the least of these health-
protective foods.

Corn is also a good source of Thiamin which is a nutrient essential to good brain cell health and mental function. The brain uses Thiamin to make a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine which is essential for good memory. In addition, maintaining healthy acetylcholine levels may help to reduce the
risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research reported at the 2004 American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, by Rui Hai Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Cornell University shows that whole grains, such as corn, contain many powerful phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized
because common research methods have overlooked them. Dr. Liu’s team measured the antioxidant activity of various foods, assigning each a rating based on a formula. Broccoli measured 80, Spinach 81, Apples 98, Bananas 65, but Corn topped them all measuring a whopping 181.

Wholefood Farmacy foods which are made with Corn include Cornucopia, Cornaborealis, Corn of Plenty, V-10 Creamy Yam Soup and V-12 Creamy Vegetable Soup. We encourage you to make Corn and other whole grains a part of your food choices each and every day!

Hook Up With Health and eat delicious Corn today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

PS. To maintain the wonderful health benefits of corn remember to go light on the butter!

2007-10-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

The October 22nd New York Times newspaper includes an article entitled “Five Easy Ways to Go Organic”. This article, found below, highlights the main reasons why you should switch to organics for five foods commonly purchased by most households. As you read this article remember www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com uses only organic foods and are actively involved with the USDA Organic Food certification process to gain their seal of approval.

Got organic milk? (Tony Cenicola/The New York Times)

Switching to organic is tough for many families who don’t want to pay higher prices or give up their favorite foods. But by choosing organic versions of just a few foods that you eat often, you can increase the percentage of organic food in your diet without big changes to your shopping cart or your spending.

The key is to be strategic in your organic purchases. Opting for organic produce, for instance, doesn’t necessarily have a big impact, depending on what you eat. According to the Environmental Working Group, commercially-farmed fruits and vegetables vary in their levels of pesticide residue. Some vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus and onions, as well as foods with peels, such as avocados, bananas and oranges, have relatively low levels compared to other fruits and vegetables.

So how do you make your organic choices count? Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, whose new book “Raising Baby Green” explains how to raise a child in an environmentally-friendly way, has identified a few “strategic” organic foods that he says can make the biggest impact on the family diet.

1. Milk: “When you choose a glass of conventional milk, you are buying into a whole chemical system of agriculture,'’ says Dr. Greene. People who switch to organic milk typically do so because they are concerned about the antibiotics, artificial hormones and pesticides used in the commercial dairy industry. One recent United States Department of Agriculture survey found certain pesticides in about 30 percent of conventional milk samples and low levels in only one organic sample. The level is relatively low compared to some other foods, but many kids consume milk in large quantities.

2. Potatoes: Potatoes are a staple of the American diet — one survey found they account for 30 percent of our overall vegetable consumption. A simple switch to organic potatoes has the potential to have a big impact because commercially-farmed potatoes are some of the most pesticide-contaminated vegetables. A 2006 U.S.D.A. test found 81 percent of potatoes tested still contained pesticides after being washed and peeled, and the potato has one of the the highest pesticide contents of 43 fruits and vegetables tested, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Go organic with kid favorites like peanut butter. (Lars Klove/The New York Times)
3. Peanut butter: More acres are devoted to growing peanuts than any other fruits, vegetable or nut, according to the U.S.D.A. More than 99 percent of peanut farms use conventional farming practices, including the use of fungicide to treat mold, a common problem in peanut crops. Given that some kids eat peanut butter almost every day, this seems like a simple and practical switch. Commercial food firms now offer organic brands in the regular grocery store, but my daughter loves to go to the health food store and grind her own peanut butter.

4. Ketchup: For some families, ketchup accounts for a large part of the household vegetable intake. About 75 percent of tomato consumption is in the form of processed tomatoes, including juice, tomato paste and ketchup. Notably, recent research has shown organic ketchup has about double the antioxidants of conventional ketchup.
Organic apples are readily available. (The New York Times)

5. Apples: Apples are the second most commonly eaten fresh fruit, after bananas, and they are also used in the second most popular juice, after oranges, according to Dr. Greene. But apples are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables. The good news is that organic apples are easy to find in regular grocery stores.

For a complete list of Dr. Greene’s strategic organic choices, visit Organic Rx on his website.

Hook Up With Health and Organic Food Today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Raw Food vs. The American Diet (aka "The Great American Rat Experiment")

2007-10-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

THE GREAT AMERICAN RAT EXPERIMENT
The following is an account of a three-part experiment comparing the effects of raw foods versus cooked foods - as fed to rats . This account is taken from a book titled “Goldot“, by Lewis E. Cook, Jr. and Junko Yasui:

“It has been found that a group of rats were fed diet of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains from birth grew into completely healthy specimens and never suffered from any disease. They were never ill. They grew rapidly, but never became fat, mated with enthusiasm and had healthy offspring. They were always gently affectionate and playful and lived in perfect harmony with each other. Upon reach an old age, equivalent to 80 years in humans, these experimental rats were put to death and autopsied. At that advanced age their organs, glands, tissues all body processes appeared to be in perfect condition without any sign of aging or deterioration.

“A companion group of rats we fed a diet comparable to that of the average American and included white bread, cooked foods, meats, milk, salt, soft drinks, candies, cakes, vitamins and other supplements, medicines for their ails, etc. During their lifetime these rats became fat and, from the earliest age, contracted most of the diseases of modern American society including colds, fever, pneumonia, poor vision, cataracts, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and many more ailments.

“Most of this group died prematurely at early ages but during their lifetime most of them were vicious, snarling beasts, fighting with one another stealing one another’s food and attempting to kill each other. They had to be kept apart to prevent total destruction of the entire group. Their offspring were all sick and exhibited the same general characteristics as there parents.
“As this group of rats died one by one or in epidemics of various diseases, autopsies were performed revealing extensive degenerative conditions in every part of their bodies. All organs, glands and tissues were affected, as were the skin, hair, blood and nervous system. They were all truly total physical and nervous wrecks. The same condition existed in the few, which survived full duration of the experiment.

“A third companion group of rats was fed the same diet as the second group to an age equivalent to about 40 years in humans. They displayed the same general symptoms of the second group being sick and vicious so that they had to be separated to prevent them from killing each other and stealing one another food.

“At the end of this initial period all rats in this group were placed on a strict fast, with only water to drink for a period of several days. Then they received the same natural (raw) diet as the first group of rats. This diet was alternated with periods of fast and within one mouth behavioral pattern had changed completely so that the now docile, affectionate, playful creatures were once again able to live together in a harmonious society and from this point on never suffered any illness.

“Several rats put to death and autopsied at the end of the initial period revealing the same general deterioration as that exhibited in the second group of rats. However, the remaining rats lived out the full duration of the experiment, to the equivalent of 80 years in humans, and when they were autopsied there were no signs of aging or deterioration or disease - just as those in the first group. The obvious disease, degeneration and deterioration of body parts evident in their first half of life had been completely reversed and excellent health restored.
“The same principles apply to human life as there is only one truth! YOUR DIET plays a huge role in your health and well being.

Decide right now to live a life of health, wellness, and playfulness by eating right.

Hook Up With Health can help support your goal with the great tasting raw food and snacks you need to support your healthier life-style.

Check us out, we’re just a click away.
http://www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com/

Hook Up With A Healthy Diet Today!

2007-09-28T12:53:00.001-07:00

The Harvard School For Public Health now has a very advanced diabetes risk test on their website.

We, at HOOK UP WITH HEALTH, encourage you to take the test to see if you are at risk for Diabetes.

Click the link below for the Harvard Diabetes Test.

http://www.yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu/hccpquiz.pl?lang=english&func=home&quiz=diabetes

Hook Up With Health and Awareness Today

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Can Children Learn to Eat Healthy?

2007-09-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Teaching children from a young age to eat healthy fats can have lifelong health benefits according to

a new study published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation in August, 2007.

The study focused on over one thousand children in Findland who were followed from the age of 7

months through age 14. The researchers found that children who were taught to focus on the

healthy fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils had slightly lower cholesterol levels compared

to children who ate an unrestricted diet by the time they reached the age of 14.

Dr. Art Labovitz, cardiology director at Saint Louis University School of Medicine pointed out that even a

small decrease in cholesterol levels can have a big influence over the course of your child’s life.

“If you study large numbers of people, the small increments result in a significant change in heart attacks

and cardiac deaths,” said Dr. Art Labovitz.

Dr. Harri Niinikoski, lead author of the study done at the University of Turku in Finland, said children begin

forming their eating and lifestyle habits in childhood. “We think that this lifestyle change can be started

early,” he said.

Dr. Sarah Blumenschein, a pediatric cardiologist with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical

Center, said the study shows that early intervention is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “The

earlier you intervene, the more likely you are going to be successful,” she said.

The key is to teach your children, starting as young as possilbe, to appreciate the healthy fats found in

fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. By avoiding the saturated fas and trans fats which are in most

processed foods, fast foods and junk foods – your children will lower their total fat intake and enjoy more

of the benefits that healthy fats have to offer. As your children grow into their teens and begin eating

more meals away from home, their healthy habits will guide them towards healthier food choices when

unsupervised.



We encourage parents everywhere to read the nutrition information on the foods that their children eat.

The healthy fats are listed as unsaturated fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

The unhealthy fats are listed as saturated fats and trans fats.


Wholefood Farmacy foods are rich in heart healthy fats which are found in nuts, seeds, and plant oils –

and these foods offer you a wonderful way to encourage healthy eating habits with your children starting

at a young age.  Great tasting Whole Food Farmacy foods, such as Phi Plus, Cornucopia,

and Bucky Balls can be easily introduced to your children.

Please note, many of the Whole Food Farmacy products are a combination of wonderfully healthy

ingredients therefore it is advisable to read the nutritional information available on each product ahead

of your purchase to prevent issues children may have with food allergies.

Hook your children up with heart healthy meal replacements and snacks today!


www.hookupiwthhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Antioxidants are 'Berry' Good For You

2007-08-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

Antioxidants are natural substances found in plants, which are known to aid in the prevention of heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Berries have an especially high level of antioxidants, according to a recent study published in the journal BioFactors Vol. 23, pages 197-205). The pigments that give berries their rich red to blue, black and purple colors are a type of
phytochemical that has been shown to have significant disease-fighting, cell-protecting antioxidant capacity. In addition to boosting your immune system, these valuable compounds are also known to slow the effects of aging by improving things like memory, balance, coordination and motor skills.

The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC Value) of foods is a measurement of the Antioxidant levels. The higher the ORAC Value, the more Antioxidants a food has. It's believed that foods high in these powerful nutrients give the body its greatest protection.

Berries are some of the most delicious and powerful disease-fighting foods available. Blueberries are among fruits and vegetables with the highest Antioxidant levels with an ORAC Value of 5486. Right behind blueberries are blackberries with an ORAC
Value of 4654; strawberries at 3520 and raspberries, 2789. Berry ORAC levels top that of many other fruits and vegetables such as oranges, grapefruit, cherries, plums, brussell sprouts, broccoli and spinach.

Single servings of fresh or freshly cooked fruits and vegetables supply an average of 600-800 ORAC units. Scientists believe that increasing intake of foods that provide 2000-5000 units per day may be needed to increase serum and tissue antioxidant activity
sufficiently to improve health outcomes. This is why it’s important to eat 5 to 9 servings daily of fruits and vegetables.

Hook Up with Health makes it easy and convenient to get your 5 to 9 servings f fruits and vegetables each day. Enjoy the very best that nature has to offer with Phi Plus, Trophi Phi, and many of our other great tasting snack and meal replacements. Check out the nutritional value of each product.

Hook up with Berries and Antioxidants today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Why is Dietary Fiber Important?

2007-08-11T22:59:00.001-07:00

Whole foods contain two types of Dietary fiber, or roughage that is very beneficial for your body. The two types are soluble and insoluble and are found only in the cell walls of plant food.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains. It cuts cholesterol and adds to your feeling of fullness.

Good sources of Soluble fiber are oats, oat bran, oatmeal, apples, citrus fruits, strawberries, dried beans, barley, rye flour, potatoes, raw cabbage, and pasta.

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and is found in whole grain brans, fruit pulp, and vegetable peels and skins.

Good sources of Insoluble fiber are wheat bran, whole wheat products, cereals made from bran or shredded wheat, crunchy vegetables, barley, grains, whole wheat pasta, and rye flour.

Insoluble fiber is strongly linked to cancer protection and improved waste removal. Results have shown that increasing dietary fiber decreases the risk of colorectal cancer.

A New England Journal of Medicine Study (1999), suggests the protective effect on the colon may be due to fiber's tendency to add bulk to your digestive system, shortening the amount of time that wastes travel through the colon. As this waste often contains carcinogens, it is best if it is removed as quickly as possible. Thus, the claim, increasing fiber can decrease chances for your intestinal cells to be affected.

Please note, recent studies suggest that small increases in fiber, such as adding vegetables to a chicken stir-fry or having a hamburger on a whole wheat bun, though helpful, do not offer as much protection for the colon as would replacing high-fat, animal products such as chicken, fish, cheese, and eggs with plant foods. Eating plant foods boosts fiber to levels where real protection is possible.

Keep in mind, when bacteria in the lower intestine break down fiber, a substance called butyrate is produced which may inhibit the growth of tumors of the colon and rectum as reported in the Journal of Oncology Research in 2000.

The Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1999) also reported that Dietary fiber may help protect against breast cancer, an effect noted especially with consumption of whole grains and wheat bran. Additionally, studies suggest that high amounts of fiber may also prevent breast cancer by binding to estrogen.

Dietary fiber may also have a protective effect against mouth, throat, and esophageal cancers according to a study published in the International Journal of Cancer in 2001.

If you're like most North Americans, you take in only 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day. However, most studies have shown that optimal intake for cancer prevention is at least 30 to 35 grams per day.

To get the full range of the cancer-fighting phytochemicals that fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains contain it's best to choose fiber-rich foods over fiber supplements.

When getting the right percentage of Dietary fiber into your digestive system is challenging www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com is here to help. Our DetoxiPhi adds 10 grams of fiber to your daily diet. Just mix it with water or juice and drink your way to better health.

For better health, Hook up with Dietary Fiber and DetoxiPhi today.

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

What type of Pepper can get Prostate Cancer Cells to Self-Destruct?

2007-07-26T20:26:00.001-07:00

Capsaicin (pronounced: cap-say-a-sin) is the stuff that turns up the heat in jalapeños. Not only does it cause the tongue to burn, it also drives prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, according to studies published in the March 15, 2006, issue of Cancer Research.

According to a team of researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical and their colleagues from UCLA, the capsaicin in hot peppers caused human prostate cancer cells to undergo “programmed cell death”, a process otherwise known as apoptosis (pronounced: ap-op-toe-sys).

Apoptosis is a natural process in many tissues that maintains a healthy balance between newer replacement cells and aged or worn out cells. In other words, the old worn out cells are naturally programmed to self-destruct. Cancer cells, on the other hand, often dodge this process by mutating the genes that participate in the process of apoptosis

This new research showed that capsaicin induced approximately 80 percent of prostate cancer cells growing in mice to follow the molecular pathways leading to apoptosis. Moreover, prostate cancer tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumors in non-treated mice.

“Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture,” said Sören Lehmann, M.D., Ph.D., visiting scientist at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the UCLA School of Medicine. “It also dramatically slowed the development of prostate tumors formed by those human cell lines grown in mouse models.”

Lehmann estimated that the dose of pepper extract fed orally to the mice was equivalent to giving 400 milligrams of capsaicin three times a week to a 200 pound man, roughly equivalent to between three and eight fresh habañera peppers per week – depending on the pepper’s capsaicin content.

The pepper extract also curbed the growth of prostate cancer cells through regulation of androgen receptors, the steroid activated proteins that control expression of specific growth relating genes. On top of all that, the hot pepper component also reduced cancer cell production of PSA, a protein that often is produced in high quantities by prostate tumors and can signal the presence of prostate cancer in men. PSA is regulated by androgens, and capsaicin limited androgen-induced increases of PSA in the cancer cell lines.

Habañeras are the highest rated pepper for capsaicin content according to the Scoville heat index. Habañera peppers, which are native to the Yucatan, typically contain up to 300,000 Scoville units. The more popular Jalapeño variety from Oaxaca, Mexico, and the southwest United States, contains 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units.

Hook up with capsaicin and a healthy prostate today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Can Raw Food Cure Illness?

2007-07-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

In March 2005 Dr. James Howenstine, MD. wrote and article for NewsWithViews.com addressing the very question, "Can Raw Food Cure Illness?"

He writes, "How much raw foods can accomplish in treating chronic illnesses is well illustrated by the immigrant Russian, Igor Boutenko’s family. Their son Sergie, age 9, was a heavy consumer of dairy products who had become obese and developed juvenile diabetes with blood sugars ranging from 200 to 400. His mother was encouraged to have him stop the use of dairy products and cooked foods and eat only raw foods. He initially balked but when confronted with the prospect of a life full of insulin injections decided to give the diet a try (high intake of dairy products is known to produce juvenile diabetes). Within two weeks he felt so much better he asked his mother if he could continue the raw food diet. Five months later his blood sugars had returned to normal. He remains in good health at age 20.

Father Igor at age 38 had developed hyperthyroidism with white hair, insomnia, fatigue, heart rate of 150 and a progressing arthritis. He was advised to have radioiodine therapy. Igor began the raw food diet and in a few months all his symptoms were gone.

Daughter Valya had been ill from infancy and developed asthma at age 9 with fatigue. On the raw diet her asthma disappeared as did the fatigue.

Doug Graham DC grew up taking antibiotics. He had nasal tubes to drain his sinuses and was annoyed by severe dandruff and a progressive spinal arthritis. At age 23 he already had severe changes of osteoarthritis in neck x-rays. At age 25 he started a raw food diet. Within 3 years all his symptoms had disappeared and his neck x-rays had returned to normal. The healing of bony abnormalities by simple dietary changes gives strong proof about the importance of what we eat."

These individuals are not alone in moving toward perfect health by changing their diet. Whole Food Farmacy receives numerous testimonials which speak of the amazing health benefits customers receive while on the 13-Day Tri-Decathlon and the 13-Day Liquithon.

Can eating raw food help your health condition? Isn't it worth it to you to find out how great you can feel in just13-Days?

Try the 13-day Tri-Decathlon or Liquithon today at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

You may be surprised by an additional benefit of moving toward your ideal weight. Now wouldn't that be great!

With your health and wellness through raw food in mind.

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

The Little Red Berry That Could!

2007-07-03T00:50:00.000-07:00

Imagine a little red berry that fights cancer, age-related diseases like loss of memory, heart disease, ulcers, and even cavities. Sound to good to be true? Allow us to introduce our friend, the Cranberry!

In 1996 laboratory studies conducted by University of Illinois scientists and published in Planta Medica demonstrated the potential anti-cancer properties of cranberries. More recently researchers at the University of Western Ontario demonstrated, in animal models, that human breast cancer cells showed significantly lower incidence of tumor development when the experimental group's diet was supplemented with cranberries.

USDA scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have been finding promising results associated with diets high in antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Preliminary studies suggest that diets containing fruits and vegetables with high ORAC values may provide protection against chronic age-related afflictions like loss of coordination and loss of memory. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity which is a measure of the antioxidant activity for a particular food. Cranberries score very high on the ORAC scale at 1750 ORAC units per 3.5 oz. serving.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association reported that a unique cranberry juice component, a high-molecular-weight nondialysable material (NDM), has the ability to reverse and inhibit the coaggregation of certain oral bacteria responsible for dental plaque and periodontal disease in vitro. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition reported on a preliminary clinical trial using a mouthwash containing cranberry NDM. Saliva samples of the experimental group showed a two order of magnitude reduction in Streptococcus Mutans compared with the placebo group. This is exciting news because a large percentage of cavities can be attributed to Streptococcus Mutans.

Flavonoids have been shown to function as potent antioxidants both in vitro and in vivo and may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries). Cranberries contain significant amounts of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds that have been demonstrated to inhibit LDL (bad cholesterol) oxidation. Ongoing research continues to suggest that cranberries may offer a natural defense against atherosclerosis.

Peptic ulcers are increasingly being attributed to infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, as oopposed to stress and/or stomach acidity. A high-molecular-weight nondialysable constituent of cranberry juice has been shown to inhibit the adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric mucus in vitro. These preliminary results suggest that cranberry may be beneficial in the prevention of peptic ulcers through the inhibition of H. pylori adhesion to gastric mucus and stomach tissue.

You can find cranberries in your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as, Cranberry Phi , Phi Plus, Fruitalicious, and Fruitalicious Plus. Cranberries are also an awesome addition to a smoothie made from any of our fruit based Farinas such as BeautiPhi, ClariPhi, ElectriPhi, FructiPhi & GloriPhi. Here’s an idea to try – in blender, add 2 tbsp of your choice of Farina, a little ice water, a couple of ice cubes and a handful of cranberries. Blend on high for about 30 seconds and enjoy!

Hook Up with the Cranberry - The Little Red Berry That Could improve your Health Today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Are you Dehydrated?

2007-06-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Dehydration, says Dr. Marofsky, is a condition that occurs when you lose more fluids than you are taking in. The amount of fluid in your body then drops below the level needed for normal body function. This fluid is made up of water, electrolytes, and waste products. Surprisingly, your body loses about 2.5 liters of water per day through urine, sweat, and evaporation from your breath.

"Electrolyte" is a scientific term for salt ions. Body fluids -- blood, plasma, interstitial fluid (fluid between cells) -- are like seawater and have high concentrations of sodium chloride, containing the electrolytes sodium and chloride. Your body contains other important electrolytes including potassium, calcium, and bicarbonate. It uses electrolytes to carry important electrical signals to and from the brain.

Dehydration symptoms start when 2% of your normal water volume is lost. They include dizziness, headaches, dry skin and mouth, cramps, profuse sweating, darker and less urine. More severe symptoms may include: impaired mental performance, stumbling, shriveled skin, sunken eyes, muscular spasm, and nausea, and could eventually lead to heat stroke. Thirst is an indicator of dehydration, but not an early warning sign. By the time you feel thirsty, dehydration has occurred.

Avoid dehydration by drinking water and replenishing the necessary electrolytes. Your body is made up of 60% to 70% water which is essential for digestion, circulation, temperature regulation, joint lubrication, and detoxification.

Dr. Howard Flaks, a bariatric (obesity) specialist in Beverly Hills, California, says, "By not drinking enough water, many people incur excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness, and water retention." The minimum amount of water recommended for a healthy adult is 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses a day. Your body will require more on hot days or when engaged in physical activity.

Incredibly 10% of Americans drink no water at all, and unfortunately, drink about 6 servings a day of coffee, soda, and other caffeinated beverages. These drinks cause the body to lose water, making the problem worse.

Hook Up With Health and the Wholefood Farmacy Stardust 2 Hydr8 for a great way to help your body to operate at peak performance and to maintain proper hydration. Mixing one level teaspoon of Stardust 2 Hydr8 with a gallon of water and then drinking one or two glasses per day is a wonderful way to keep up your levels of electrolyte and to stay properly hydrated.

Hook Up With Health by staying properly hydrated today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Why are Electolytes Important?

2007-06-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

The human body is an “electrical machine”. All vital bodily functions happen as a result of electrical signals being sent between the various parts of your body and your brain. In order for your body to operate at peak performance, these electrical signals must be conducted in an efficient manner- this is where electrolytes come in.

Electrolytes are substances that will conduct electricity when dissolved in water – the most common electrolyte in your body is salt.

Your body is 70% water, about two-thirds of the water resides inside your cells, (intracellular fluid) and about one-third resides outside of your cells, (extra cellular fluid). Your body works constantly to make sure that the intracellular fluid and extra cellular fluid have the same amount of electrolyte concentration – this is a very important component of homeostasis or your body’s inner balance.

The mechanisms that monitor and adjust the balance of electrolytes respond only to changes in extra cellular fluid such as blood. When someone is ill or injured and taken to the hospital, one of the first and most common procedures is to hang an I.V. which simply means injecting salt water directly into the blood stream. Doing so helps the body to operate better because electrical signals moving between the brain and the body can be better conducted.

In addition, when salt is added to the extra cellular fluid it causes water to move between the intracellular and extra cellular areas allowing the body to become properly hydrated. This is why athletes, for example, take salt pills or drink “sports drinks” during work-outs. Sports drinks are simply salt water, or other electrolyte solutions, mixed with artificial colorings, artificial flavorings, artificial sweeteners and chemical preservatives.

The Wholefood Farmacy offers a wonderful product called Stardust 2 Hydr8 for only $8 and it allows you to make 20 gallons of a pure, hydrating electrolyte solution. When mixed with water, Stardust 2 Hydr8 offers you all of the benefits of a saline or electrolyte solution without any needles or artificial additives. It is made from pure salt and bicarbonate which are the main components of extra cellular fluid. Stardust 2 Hydra8 is mixed one tea spoon to a gallon of water creating a mildly saline solution - also referred to as an "electrolyte solution".

Stardust 2 Hydr8 is a great way to help your body to operate at peak performance and to maintain proper hydration. Mixing one level teaspoon of Stardust 2 Hydr8 with a gallon of water and then drinking one or two glasses per day is a wonderful way to keep up your levels of electrolyte and to stay properly hydrated.

Hook up with Stardust 2 Hydr8 and proper hydration today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

200% More Antioxidant Power

2007-06-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

Science has recently discovered the benefits of eating Almonds in their whole form. Recent research reveals that the flavonoids in "almond skin" works synergistically with the vitamin E found in almonds. This synergistic combination creates more than 200% the antioxidant power of the almonds and almond skins when separated.

"We have identified a unique combination of flavonoids in almonds," said Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University. "Further blood tests demonstrated that eating almonds with their skins significantly increases both flavonoids and vitamin E in the body. This could have significant health implications, especially as people age."

Blumberg's team tested the effects of almond skin's flavonoids alone and then in combination with the vitamin E found in almonds. The tests were done on blood samples containing LDL cholesterol. While almond skin flavonoids alone enhanced LDL's resistance to oxidation by 18%, when the almond’s vitamin E was added, LDL's resistance to oxidation was extended by 52.5%!

"The synergy between the flavonoids and vitamin E in almonds demonstrates how the nutrients in whole foods such as almonds can impact health," says Dr. Blumberg.

You can find almonds at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com in many of your favorite foods such as Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Coco Cherry Phi as well as all seven Wholefood Farmacy Farinas!

Hook Up With Almonds today for 200% more Antioxidant Power!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Hurry - Check out EWG's Pestiside Guide

2007-05-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

For years, you've been able to choose foods with less fat or fewer additives. Now, with Environmental Working Group's 4th edition of the popular Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, you can minimize your chemical exposure in the produce aisle. Just go to http://www.foodnews.org/getguide/.

There you will find EWG's best and worst list of fruits and vegetables plus their recommendation to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.

Hurry - get your guide today.

You can also rest assured that www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy products are additive free. Try great tasting meal replacements, snacks and wonderful personal care products today.

With your pesticide free health and wellness in mind!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Hook Up With Farmacy Pro-Power

2007-05-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

New Product News!

Hook Up with Whole Food Farmacy's new "Farmacy Pro-Power" - a delicious green drink, enhanced with sought after probiotics** designed to offer smooth, clean energy combined with whole body nutritional support in only one serving per day. The refreshing mint taste is pleasing to the palette and the wonderful nutritional blend will be pleasing to your body, mind, and spirit.

Farmacy Pro-Power flavor comes from an amazing blend of Red Raspberries, Blueberries, Pineapple, Orange Juice, Apple Fiber, Green Tea, and Spearmint.

Farmacy Pro-Power is a combination of proprietary blends which include an Energy Blend, Immune Support Blend, Digestion Blend, Cellular Repair Antioxidant Blend and a Healthy Aging Blend.

ENERGY BLEND:

Siberian Ginseng - Eleutherococcus, Suma, Stevia, Bamboo, Cinnamon,

Gingko Biloba - 24%, Equisetum Arvense, Lecithin Powder, Nova Scotia

Dulse.

 IMMUNE SUPPORT BLEND:

Silymarin Silibum Marianum - 80%, Damiana, Astragalus Membranaceous,

Royal Jelly 5%, Plant Enzymes: Lipase, Protease, Amylase, & Cellulase.


DIGESTION  BLEND:

Organic Flax Seed Meal, Rice Bran Powder, Apple Fiber,

Apple Pectin and a healthy Non-Dairy Probiotic Culture.

CELLULAR REPAIR ANTIOXIDANT BLEND:

Natural Rose Hips and Acerola Berry Powder, Orange Juice Powder, Bioflavonoids (Citrus),
Blueberry Powder, Grape Seed Extract - 92%, Pineapple Powder, Green Tea Catechins - 60%,
Red Raspberry Powder, Turmeric Powder, Dandelion, Freeze Dried Aloe Vera, Spearmint, Ginger Powder,
Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol).

HEALTHY AGING BLEND:

Organic Barley Grass Powder, Organic Beet Powder, Carrot Powder, Parsley Powder, Chlorella (cracked cell),
Spirulina Powder and Watercress Powder.


Antioxidants found in Red Raspberries, Blueberries, and Green Tea can help extend the life of your cells and
aid in healthy aging. Silicia rich Bamboo and Horsetail can help strengthen hair, nails, and connective
tissues (ligaments, muscles, bones, joints, and skin). Ginger, Tumeric, and Aloe Vera can help reduce
inflammation and support the recovery of sore muscles. Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Parsley, Watercress, and fiber
all contribute to detoxification of the liver, kidneys, and colon.

Moreover, Farmacy Pro-Power contains absolutely NO fillers, added sugar, yeast, corn, wheat, soy protein,
dairy, egg, MSG, GMOs, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.


Farmacy Pro-Power will be appealing to young and old alike and will offer a wonderful alternative to
commercial energy drinks. Many parents are concerned about these commercial energy drinks which are
little more than a combination of sugar, caffeine, artificial coloring, and chemical preservatives.

Now you and your kids can enjoy the pure, smooth, clean energy that nature provides combined amazing
whole body nutritional support.

Please note: Farmacy Pro-Power will be taking the place of Farmacy Greens.

Farmacy Pro-Power offers a wonderful way to Hook Up With Health right now.

Try Farmacy Pro-Power today at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

You're just one click away from feeling great today... so try all new Farmacy Pro-Power right now at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

**Probiocs defined by Wikipedia

Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria or yeast, with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as the most common microbes used. LAB have been used in the food industry for many years, because they are able to convert sugars (including lactose) and other carbohydrates into lactic acid. This not only provides the characteristic sour taste of fermented yogurt, but acts as a preservative, by lowering the pH and creating fewer opportunities for spoilage organisms to grow.

Good news for "Chocoholics"

2007-04-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

Some “chocoholics” who just couldn’t give up their favorite treat have inadvertently done their fellow chocolate lovers - and science - a big favor.

A recent study at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was focused on blood platelets and blood clots. The study participants, some of whom were fond of eating chocolate, were given a list of foods to avoid – the list included chocolate. It seems that some of them ended up indulging their cravings for chocolate during the study.

Amazingly, their indulgence led to researchers to an important discovery which is believed to be the first of its kind. Through biochemical analysis, the researchers are now able to explain why just a few squares of chocolate a day can reduce the risk of heart attack death in some men and women by almost 50%. It turns out that the chocolate decreases the tendency of platelets to clot in narrow blood vessels.

“What these chocolate ‘offenders’ taught us is that the chemical in cocoa beans has a biochemical effect similar to aspirin in reducing platelet clumping, which can be fatal if a clot forms and blocks a blood vessel, causing a heart attack,” says Diane Becker, M.P.H., Sc.D., a professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Becker cautions that her work is not intended as a prescription to gobble up large amounts of chocolate candy, which often contains diet-busting amounts of sugar, butter and cream. But as little as 2 tablespoons a day of dark chocolate - the purest form of the candy, made from the dried extract of roasted cocoa beans - may be just what the doctor ordered.

Are you fond of eating chocolate? Try mixing your high quality dark chocolate with some Phi Plus – you might be amazed by your own findings…….

Hook up with Health and enjoy 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate Today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Lookin for a Great DATE?

2007-04-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society recommends that you consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber a day. Dietary fiber comes in two forms – soluble and insoluble. Each serves a valuable function. Insoluble fiber increases the rate at which food moves through the digestive system. Soluble fiber may help control diabetes by decreasing elevated blood glucose levels. Soluble fiber also had been found to help lower serum cholesterol levels, particularly undesirable low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Dates are a great source of dietary fiber. According to researchers at the University of Scranton in Scranton Pennsylvania, dates have the highest concentration of polyphenols among dried fruits. The findings of this research suggest that dried fruits should be a greater part of the diet as they are dense in phenol antioxidants and nutrients, most notably fiber.

A serving of power-packed dates contains 31 grams of carbohydrates, making them a powerhouse of energy. Carbohydrates include 3 grams of dietary fiber and 29 grams of naturally occurring sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose to provide quick energy and are readily used by the body. Dates are a perfect energy boosting snack.

Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral your body needs to maintain muscle contractions including the vital heart muscle. Potassium is needed to maintain a healthy nervous system and to balance the body’s metabolism as well.

Since potassium is not stored in the body, and much is lost in perspiration, it must be continually replenished. As you consume potassium you excrete sodium, helping to keep blood pressure down. As people age, their kidneys become less efficient at eliminating sodium. About a 400 mg increase in potassium intake has been associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of stroke. This roughly amounts to one additional serving daily of Dates.

Dates also contain a variety of B-complex vitamins – thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid. These vitamins have a variety of functions that help maintain a healthy body – to metabolize carbohydrates and maintain blood glucose levels, fatty acids for energy, and they help make hemoglobin, the red and white blood cells. Dates also contain Magnesium which is essential for healthy bone development and for energy metabolism and Iron which is essential to red blood cell production. Red blood cells carry all the nutrients to cells throughout the body. In addition, Dates are fat and cholesterol free!

Phi Plus is our most popular food of all – it is handcrafted from dozens of whole food ingredients. Phi Plus is rich in Dates and all of their wonderful health imparting properties. Try some Phi Plus today?

Hook Up with a Great Date at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Is rBGH in Milk Safe?

2007-04-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

rBGH - What is it and is it safe for us to drink in milk?

rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) is a genetically engineered, potent variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. Manufactured by Monsanto, it is sold to dairy farmers under the trade name POSILAC. Injection of this hormone forces cows to increase their milk production by about 10%.

Monsanto, supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), insists that rBGH milk is indistinguishable from natural milk, and that it is safe for consumers.

According to a new book entitled "What’s In Your Milk?" An Exposé of Industry and Government Cover-Up on the DANGERS of the Genetically Engineered (rBGH) Milk You’re Drinking, with an introduction by Ben Cohen, Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and foreword by Jeffrey M. Smith, author of the bestseller Seeds of Deception, this is blatantly false.

rBGH makes cows sick.

Monsanto has been forced to admit to about 20 toxic effects,
including mastitis, on its POSILAC label.

rBGH milk is contaminated by pus, due to the mastitis commonly induced by rBGH, and antibiotics used to treat the mastitis.

rBGH milk is chemically and nutritionally different than natural milk.

rBGH milk is contaminated with rBGH, traces of which are absorbed through the gut.

rBGH milk is supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), which is readily absorbed through the gut.

Excess levels of IGF-1 have been incriminated as a cause of breast, colon, and prostate cancers. IGF-1 blocks natural defense mechanisms against early submicroscopic cancers.

rBGH factory farms pose a major threat to the viability of small dairy farms.

rBGH enriches Monsanto, while posing dangers, without any benefits, to consumers, especially in view of the current national surplus of milk.

The risks of cancer to consumers and particularly their children, especially those enrolled in the Public School Lunch Program, are undisputable.

"What's in your Milk" follows the research of Dr. Samuel Epstein who made a very persuasive and important case about hidden dangers in every day consumer products. And not only does Epstein raise our awareness about possible carcinogens in our milk supply, but also about how special corporate interests seek to keep the public in the dark about documentation relating to health hazards of their products.

Hook Up with Health by buying rBGH-FREE Milk and other Dairy Products today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Don't be fooled by all "ZERO" Trans Fat claims!

2007-04-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Some information came across my desk last week that really got me fired up and I want you to know about it and pass it along to your friends.

We have all seen the signs on our junk food - Zero Trans fats- and we feel good that we can eat these beloved products guilt free. Right? WRONG!

Do you know what Zero trans fats really means?
1. If a product has less than 1/2 gram or less per serving of Trans Fats, then the label can say "Zero Trans Fats." That's the first issue.
2. What if the serving size used to be 20 crackers? Well that has too many trans fats so now the companies manipulate the serving size to 3 crackers per serving so that the amount of trans fats per serving will be less than 1/2gram. Will you only eat 3 crackers?
3. Some products really don't have trans fats so how will you know?

You must still read the labels.
80% of the products that say Zero Trans fats have hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats in the ingredients. Read the ingredients.

Remember why we don't want trans fats? Coronary Heart Disease. Trans fats increase the LDL's or "bad cholesterol" while lowering the HDL's or "good" cholesterol. In 1994 trans fats caused 30,000 deaths from heart disease. Trans fats make your cell membranes stiff which diminishes your ability to eliminate cellular waste (getting rid of toxins.)

Hook up with health by staying informed and reading product labels - starting today.

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

What's Wrong with Trans Fats?

2007-03-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

A lot has been written about Trans Fatty Acids and how they are bad for your health. Let's explore this thinking by looking at what Dr. Frank B. Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, wrote.

"Humans cannot synthesize, or create, trans fatty acid. The only source is through diet."

Where in our diet are trans fats found?

The main source of trans fat in our diet is partially hydrogenated oils that are plentiful in cookies, crackers, pastries and fried foods.

Hu continues, "Eliminating the use of partially hydrogenated oils and other sources of trans fat in the U.S. diet -- as long as saturated fat intake doesn't increase -- will likely help reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease."

What is Partial hydrogenation?

Partical hydrogenation is an industrial process used to extend the shelf-life in baked products, provide longer fry-life for cooking oils, and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel". Partial hydrogenation also turns a perfectly good vegetable oil into a very unhealthy food ingredient. The big problem is that partially hydrogenated oils are loaded with trans fat.

What's wrong with Trans Fat?

The amount of trans fat in red blood cells correlates significantly with the amount of trans fat consumed. Trans fat is also associated with increased levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and decreased levels of "good" HDL cholesterol.

One study, which adjusted the factors that might influence the results, showed women with the highest trans fatty acid content in red blood cells were three times more likely to develop heart disease than women with the lowest trans fatty acid content in red blood cells.

Wholefood Farmacy foods have zero trans fats and zero cholesterol.

Let me repeat this...

Wholefood Farmacy foods have zero trans fats and zero cholesterol.

Wholefood Farmacy foods are also wonderfully delicious, natural, and nutritionally dense. Wholefood Farmacy products are a great way to start your family, children, and loved ones on the path to health, vitality and longevity.

Hook up with a Healthy Diet FREE of Trans Fats today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

What's the Problem with EXPIRED Box Mixes?

2007-03-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

What's the Problem with boxed Pancake Mix - MOLD!

Mold grows in EXPIRED pancake, cake, brownie, etc mixes - so the first thing to do is check your product label for an expiration date before using the mix. IF THE EXPIRATION DATE IS PAST DUE - THROW IT OUT. Here's a TRUE STORY to learn from...

A woman recently made a batch of pancakes for her healthy 14-year-old son, using a mix that was in her pantry. He said they tasted "funny," but ate them anyway.

About 10 minutes later, he began having difficulty breathing and
his lips began turning purple. She gave him his allergy pill, had him sit on the sofa and told him to relax. He was wheezing while inhaling and exhaling.

Her husband, a volunteer Firefighter and EMT, heated up some water, and they had their son lean over the water so the steam could clear his chest and sinuses. Soon, his breathing became more regular and his lips returned to a more normal color.

They checked the date on the box of pancake mix and, to their dismay, found it was very outdated.

As a reference librarian at an academic institution, the woman had the ability to search through many research databases. She did just that, and found an article the next day that mentioned a 19-year-old male DYING after eating pancakes made with outdated mix.

Apparently, the mold that forms in old pancake mix can be toxic!

When they told their friends about their son's close call, they were surprised at the number of people who mentioned they need to check their own pancake mix since they don't use it often, or they had purchased it some time ago.

With so many people shopping at warehouse-type stores and buying large sizes of pancake mix, I hope readers will take the time to check the expiration date on their boxes.
>
> Also, beware of outdated cake, brownie and cookie mixes.
>
> PASS IT ON!!!!
>
> This is TRUE--Check it out!
>
>
> http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp
>

Does the Size of Your Stomach Matter to Your Weight?

2007-03-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

With spring in the air, millions of people are once again becoming focused on shedding those unwanted pounds that seem to sneak onto their waistlines during the winter months. Others are preparing to renew their commitment to losing weight and declaring victory once and for all – we applaud you and are here to help.

With weight loss in mind, there is probably one topic that you haven’t considered… the size of your stomach. The stomach is much like a muscle, and like any muscle it can be stretched and will remain stretched until we stop stretching it. The capacity of a normal adult’s stomach is about 4 cups by volume, but many have stretched their stomach to two or even three times it’s normal size. This can happen by eating overeating on a regular basis and in our society super sized fast food meals and all-you-can-eat buffets are only making the problem worse.

When your stomach becomes stretched as a result of overeating it will remain stretched for a period of time. After eating a huge meal before bed, some wonder why they wake up feeling hungry. It’s because the stomach has become stretched and now feels empty. If you are one who has stretched your stomach to two or even three times it’s normal size, you now have to eat two or three times a normal amount of food in order to feel full and satisfied. Have you stretched your stomach? Can you eat more than 4 cups of food and still have room for more? If so, the chances are that your stomach is in a stretched condition.

The good news is this… as soon as you stop stretching your stomach it will quickly begin to return to its normal size. Can you imagine eating a normal portion of food and feeling so full that the thought of just one more bite would seem painful to you? Helping your stomach to return to its normal size is the very foundation of a permanent solution to a weight related challenge and The Wholefood Farmacy’s 13 day program known as the Tri-Decathlon Delux can help you get there in no time at all!

If you would like complete information regarding 13 day programs and learn how to help your stomach return to its normal size - we have a 24 hour hotline that is standing by to be of service to you. This 30 minute recorded call is and educational experience beyond words and offers a complete overview of our 13 day programs along with a discussion of the underlying principles, exactly how it works, exactly how to do it and answers to frequently asked questions.

Are you ready to make a fresh start and to declare victory once? If you're committed to a healthier YOU, Dial 620-294-1381 and listen up. You will be surprised, pleased and inspired.

When you're ready, place your Tri-Decathlon Order at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Hook up with Health, a smaller stomach, and great tasting and extremely satisfying food to put in it.

Have a Healthy Day!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Does an Apple a Day REALLY have an impact?

2007-02-28T23:48:00.000-08:00

You've heard it a thousand times. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Did you ever stop and ask yourself how? Today you will find out the secret behind that Granny Smith, Rome, or Delicious Apple.

True, "Eating your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet - and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

But what does "plenty" mean? More than most Americans consume!

The latest dietary guidelines call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Imagine eating 15 golden delicious, Washington, or Macintosh a day. That's a lot - isn't it?

The largest and longest study to date, completed as part of the Harvard-based Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, included almost 110,000 men and women whose health and dietary habits were followed for 14 years. The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. According to these two Harvard studies, for every extra serving of fruits and vegetables that participants added to their diets per day, their risk of heart disease dropped by 4 percent.

Increasing fruit and vegetable intake by as little as one serving per day can have a real impact on heart disease risk. That's right, just one winesap apple a day will do it!

Fruits and vegetables are clearly an important part of a good diet. Almost everyone can benefit from eating more of them, but variety is as important as quantity. No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. The key lies in the variety of different fruits and vegetables that you eat.

That’s why your favorite Hook up with Health Wholefood Farmacy Foods are made from a wide variety of great tasting fruits and veggies!

Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus, Veggielicious and Veggielicious Spice offer a delicious and very convenient way for you, your family and your children to get plenty of fruits and veggies every day. YUM!

Hook up Health and one more piece of fruit a day!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

YAMS - Why are they SO GOOD for you?

2007-02-22T23:07:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Yams are a good source of both potassium and vitamin B6, two nutrients that your body needs every day? That's right. Yams containg both Vitamin B6 and Potassium, plus more.

Vitamin B6 helps your body break down a substance called homocysteine, which can cause damage to blood vessel walls. High intakes of vitamin B6 have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Potassium is a mineral that helps to control blood pressure. In the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study, one study group ate servings of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy food in place of snacks and sweets. This approach offered more potassium, magnesium and calcium. After eight weeks, this group lowered their blood pressure by an average of 5.5 points (systolic) over 3.0 points (diastolic). Yams also contain a storage protein called Dioscorin. Preliminary research suggests that Dioscorin can help your body to achieve increased kidney blood flow thereby reducing blood pressure.

In addition, Yams' complex carbohydrates and fiber deliver the goods gradually, slowing the rate at which their sugars are released and absorbed into the bloodstream. Because they're rich in fiber, yams fill you up without filling out your hips and waistline. Yams are also a good source of manganese, a trace mineral that helps with carbohydrate metabolism and is a cofactor in a number of enzymes important in energy production and antioxidant defenses.

At hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com you can find our Farmacy Gourmet V-10 Creamy Yam Soup. It's a yummy way to offer your body all of the wonderful benefits that Yams have to offer.

Hook up with the benefits of YAMS today

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Are you RAIS-IN your hands for a top antioxidant food?

2007-02-19T21:40:00.000-08:00

Raisins rank among the top antioxidant foods, according to USDA government tests. Early findings suggest that eating plenty of fruits high in antioxidants, such as raisins may help slow the processes associated with aging in both body and brain.

Andrew J. Dannenberg, M.D. a cancer researcher at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University reports that the antioxidant catechin, found in raisins and some other fruits and vegetables, in the diet of mice genetically predisposed to intestinal tumors reduced the number of tumors by at least 70 percent compared to the control group. This type of study adds to the body of evidence which shows that components of fruits and vegetables have the potential to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, colorectal adenomas and other gastrointestinal tumors.

Carl L. Keen, Ph.D. from the University of California Davis reports that a significant amount of raisins eaten daily for 4 weeks increased the plasma antioxidant capacity. This in turn decreased the level of circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) also known as the “bad cholesterol”. These data clearly show raisins are an important part of 5-a-day diet and that benefits of eating raisins are similar to benefits seen when eating other fruits and vegetables with these plant antioxidants.

Christine D. Wu, M.S., Ph.D. of the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Dentistry has found that raisins contain compounds including oleanolic acid that inhibit in vitro growth of Streptococcus.mutans, the bacteria in the mouth responsible for tooth decay. Oleanic acid and other compounds in raisins also inhibit organisms associated with periodontal disease, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Oleanolic acid is most effective in suppressing in vitro plaque formation by Streptococcus mutans. Prevention of plaque building up on the tooth surface is critical both for preventing tooth decay and promoting healthy gums.

Mary Ellen Camire, Ph.D. of the University of Maine reports that dietary fiber and other components may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by binding bile acids and causing their elimination from the body. Camire’s study confirms that eating fibrous foods, such as raisins, stimulates the body to replace the bile acids that have been eliminated by making them from its own cholesterol, thus potentially lowering serum cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, bile acids that are bound by fibers such as those in raisins will not be metabolized to a more toxic form and this may potentially reduce cancer risk.

Gene A. Spiller, Ph.D. of the Sphera Foundation and Health Research Studies Center - Los Altos, CA reports feeding of raisins along with peanuts to 10-12 year old children prior to a soccer game resulted in lower increases in blood glucose and insulin than a snack of a white bagel and jam. This is important because it means a more steady fuel supply to the exercising muscle of the young players. Lower insulin levels are advantageous because high levels of circulating insulin can promote the laying down of fat and may lead to insulin resistance, a concern among US children today, where rates of obesity and type 2 Diabetes are increasing.

You, your family and your children can enjoy all of the health benefits that raisins have to offer with your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus and Cornaborealis.

Hook up with Health and Raisins today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Where's the Fruit?

2007-02-09T12:38:00.000-08:00

PARENTS - LISTEN UP!!!

According to a study released by the Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments over half of the most aggressively advertised children’s foods that prominently feature fruit on their packaging contain no fruit at all. Did you hear that? There was no fruit at all!!!!

The study - Where’s the Fruit? reveals that 51 percent of these commercially sold products do not contain fruit, and another 16 percent contain only minimal amounts of fruit despite prominent fruit promotions on the packaging.

“Parents drawn to products that seem healthier for their children based on references to fruit on the packaging are being deceived,” explains Leslie Mikkelsen, a registered dietician with the Strategic Alliance and lead author of the study. “Food and beverage companies are some of the most sophisticated communicators in the world and are clearly capable of accurately reflecting what is in their products if they wanted to.”

The Where’s the Fruit? study identifies the most heavily advertised children’s food products that include words and images of fruit and/or fruit ingredients on the packaging. A total of 37 products were included in the final study, and their ingredient lists were analyzed to determine the presence of fruit ingredients. A full 51% of the products contained no fruit ingredients at all despite the images of fruits and use of words such as “fruity,” “fruit flavors” and “berry” on the packaging.

“The nation is facing a staggering epidemic of chronic diseases that result from poor eating and physical inactivity,” cautions Dr. Andria Ruth, a pediatrician for the Diabetes Resource Center of Santa Barbara. “Children are particularly affected and these food companies are making parents’ jobs even harder by using misleading packaging to lead them to think that they are making a healthy choice when they are not."

If you’re tired of being misled when it comes to the food that your children eat, then let www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy be your oasis of truth amidst this desert of deception.

At Hook Up With Health we believe in truthfully describing our products and we don’t rely on fancy artwork or neon colored pictures to get the job done. All of our full sized food packages feature a clear see-though front panel so that you can actually see what’s inside.

Fruitalicious is 100% Fruit - and we’re proud to show you what’s inside.

With your health and wellness in mind!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

How to Avoid the Dangers of Contaminated Food?

2007-01-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

In September 2006 an outbreak of E. coli sickened over 100 people in 21 states and killed at least one peron.1 Recently grocers were forced to pull spinach from their shelves after learning of a dangerous bacterial contamination. Infectous contamination hits even quality restaurants, organic produce farmers, and fast-food alike.

How can you protect yourself? In his January 2007 Health Confidential Newsletter Dr. Al Sears offers this insight...

There are easy and effective steps you can take to reduce your exposure and lower your threat from infectious agents in your food.

First, start by understanding what Infectious Diseases are and how they spread.

Infectious Diseases are illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses and other microbes.

Infectious diseases have historically been the leading cause of death worldwide and are still the third leading cause of death in the US-where the annual cost of medical care for treating them is estimated at $120 billion.2

Infectious diseases spread by at least 4 routes:

1. Direct contact with an infected person or animal.
2. Ingesting contaminated food or water.
3. Insects like mosquitoes or ticks.
4. Contaminated surroundings like animal droppings or even air.3

Since foodborne Illnesses are becoming more common, it's also helpful to learn the red flags associated with each illness and the steps you can take to avoid them.

Common Foodborne Illness Red Flags...

The most common Foodborne Illnesses are caused by the bacteria E. coli 0157:H7, Salmonella and Campylobacter or bya group of viruses called Norwalkviruses.4

BUG
Major Symptoms
Source of Outbreaks

E. coli 0157:H7
Severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting (accompanied by little or no fever)
Undercooked beef, unpasteurized (raw) milk or juice, raw produce, contaminated water

Salmonella
Diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting
Eggs, poultry, unpasteurized (raw) milk or juice, cheese, raw produce

Campylobacter
Diarrhea (often bloody), cramps, fever, vomiting
Undercooked poultry, unpasteurized (raw) milk, contaminated water

Norwalkviruses
Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, fever
Poorly-cooked shellfish, ready-to-eat foods touched by infected handlers—such as salads and sandwiches

Finally, learn how Foodborne Illnesses effect you.

E. coli 0157:H7 is one of hundreds of strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli. Most strains are harmless and live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. However, this particular strain produces a powerful toxin that can cause severe illness.5

The vast majority of E. coli 0157:H7 outbreaks are associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef (or swimming in sewage-contaminated water). However, the recent outbreaks of E. coli 0157:H7 in organic spinach and bagged produce underscore the possible associated with all kinds of foods.

Other spreaders of E. coli in 2006 include Taco Bell, Wendy's, Dole and a large California organic spinach farm.

Salmonella (discovered by the American scientist named Salmon) is actually a group of bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. (as a note I had a family member who contracted salmonella at a day care and had diarrhea for 5 weeks, couldn't go back to the day care, and was contacted by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). These symptoms are for real!!)

In recent years, a new strain of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella-much of it from ground beef-has emerged and become more of a problem over the last decade. If you have poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.

Recent case: Salmonella lawsuit filed against Wal-Mart - 2006.

Campylobacter is one of the most common bacterial causes of diarrhea in the United Sates-as well as the underlying cause of ulcers and intestinal distress.6 It usually does not pose a threat to your life. The key is to stay hydrated well by drinking lots of water.

Noroviruses-though hard to diagnose-are extremely common Foodborne Illnesses. Infected kitchen workers can contaminate a salad or sandwich as they prepare it, if they have the virus on their hands.

Despite the recent Norovirus Olive Garden outbreak, which sickened over 400 people, the Florida-based restaurant chain "maintains that it already has the industry's leading health and safety practices." 7

In addition, Noroviruses can be extremely dangerous-particularly among the elderly. Other outbreaks have occurred in other restaurants, nursing homes and even cruise ships.

Just how common are they?

Roughly 76 million Americans become sick...
More than 325,000 are hospitalized...
And 5,000 die each year from foodborne illness!8

Hook up with a Healthy Immune system today!!

PS. THE LIQUITHON products found at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com can help you detoxify and revitalize your body.

FOOTNOTES

1 CNN. E. coli spinach scare increases to 21 states. http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/18/tainted.spinach/index.html
2 Infectious Diseases Sourcebook: Health Reference Series, 1st Edition. Omnigraphics. Copyright 2004, Page ix
3 Infectious Diseases Sourcebook: Health Reference Series, 1st Edition. Omnigraphics. Copyright 2004, Page 3
4 http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/foodborneinfections_g.htm#mostcommon
5 Infectious Diseases Sourcebook: Health Reference Series, 1st Edition. Page 75
6 "Two Win Nobel Prize for Discovering Bacterium Tied to Stomach Ailments," By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN, Published: October 4, 2005
7 Health Dept.: Norovirus Caused Olive Garden Outbreak - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16268395/
8 Nutrition Action Health Letter - "Bugs Are Breaking Out All Over", December 2006. Page 4

Wishing You A Happy and A "HEALTHY" 2007

2007-01-02T15:53:00.000-08:00

2007 is here... Happy New Year everyone!!

Do any of you include resolution making as part of your New Year event?

I used to make resolutions... then I found out I'd broken more than I'd kept. So I scrapped that idea and came up with a new system that works for me.

My new strategy focuses on both short and long term goals. What do I need to do this week and what do I need to do long term?

Short term goals might include following up on a bank statement that doesn't look right or creating an agenda for a meeting I'm attending or writing in this blog.

Long term goals definitely include health and wellness goals like maintaining perfect health and having all the energy I need to keep up with myself, my family, and my busy schedule.

Remeber Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine (460-377 B.C.). He had a great vision. Hear what he had to say all those years ago, "Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food"

At Hook Up with Health our mission is Health and Wellness through food and to embrace, educate, and inspire people to live the “7 Principles of Health” which are the foundation of a preventative based lifestyle.

The 7 Principles of Health!

1. Fresh Air & Sunshine
2. Pure Water
3. Whole Foods
4. Excerise (primarily Walking)
5. Loving Relationships
6. Passion to follow your dreams
7. A Good Night Sleep

To that end, hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com offers healthy, convenient whole food based meals & snacks, non-toxic personal care items, and a website dedicated to "self-care" and a preventative based lifestyle.

Add health and wellness to your long-term goals for 2007. www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com can help.

Have a Happy and a "HEALTHY" New Year.

Why are we NUTS about NUTS?

2006-12-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

Pecans have it all. Besides being one of the most elegant, versatile and rich-tasting nuts you can put on your plate, they offer up a package of health benefits that’s very impressive. In fact, the new 2005 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend eating 4 to 5 servings of nuts each week.

The Mayo Clinic conducted a study which found that all nuts are nutrient dense and naturally cholesterol free. Not only are nuts cholesterol free but, studies have suggested that eating pecans may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels, leading to a reduction in the risk of heart attacks and coronary artery disease. The serving size for nuts is about one ounce, which equals about 15 pecan halves. Pecans are a great staple for vegetarians, because one serving of pecans can take the place of the protein found in an ounce of meat.

Pecans are also a rich source of oleic acid, the same type of fatty acid found in olive oil. Researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago recently found in laboratory tests that oleic acid has the ability to suppress the activity of a gene in cells thought to trigger breast cancer. While this area of study is still in its early stages, the researchers say it could eventually translate into a recommendation to eat more foods rich in oleic acid, like pecans and olive oil.

Researchers from Loma Linda University in California and New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, have confirmed that when pecans are part of the daily diet, levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood drop. Pecans get their cholesterol-lowering ability from both the type of fat they contain and the presence of beta-sitosterol, a natural cholesterol-lowering compound.

Eating 1 ½ ounces of pecans a day, when its part of a heart-healthy diet, can reduce the risk of heart disease. Moreover, a study published in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts contained the highest antioxidant levels of all nuts tested.

The same natural compound that gives pecans its cholesterol-lowering power, has also been shown to be effective in treating the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland in men. About two ounces of pecans provides a dose of beta-sitosterol found to be effective. In addition, a recent laboratory study from Purdue University found that gamma-tocopherol, the type of vitamin E found in pecans, has the ability to kill prostate cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. Last but not least, despite the widely held belief that “nuts are fattening,” several population studies have found that as nut consumption increased, body fat actually decreased.

Pecans, along with their antioxidant packed relatives, walnuts and hazelnuts, can be found in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Phi Plus, Cornaborealis, Corn of Plenty and your favorite Farinas.

Go nuts today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Why are Free Radicals a Danger to you Body?

2006-12-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Think back to your school days. There, in a science class, you likely learned a lesson about molecules. Here's a quick refresher.

A molecule has a nucleus at the center and then a certain number of electrons that orbit around the nucleus. Normally, the molecules that make up your body are balanced; they have an even number of electrons. A FREE RADICAL is a molecule that has lost one of its electrons leaving it with an odd number of electrons.

These unbalanced free radical molecules attempt to stabilize themselves by “stealing” an electron from another healthy molecule. The cells your body where this process is occurring can become injured. The cell may malfunction causing disease or even become malignant causing cancer. It is also widely believed that free radicals are one of the main causes of the aging process.

The body produces free radicals through normal metabolic pathways such as extracting energy from the food we eat. Exposure to the toxins in junk food or polluted air, for example, can also be sources of free radical production. In short, we are exposed to potential sources of free radical production every day of our lives.

Antioxidants are nutritional compounds in whole foods that have extra electrons. When an antioxidant comes in contact with a free radical – the antioxidant “donates” an electron to the free radical. This way, the free radical doesn’t have to “steal” an electron from another healthy molecule and the damage normally caused by the free radical can be avoided. The antioxidant nutrients themselves do not become free radicals when they “donate” an electron because they are stable in either form.

The human body is capable of producing antioxidants naturally, but under conditions of a poor diet, toxicity, physical stress or emotional stress this antioxidant production can be severely impaired. Do you know someone who eats a poor diet, has high levels of toxicity and is stressed out much of the time? This is why they may appear older than they actually are.

Eating a healthy whole food diet and drinking plenty of water are two of the best ways to protect your body from the damage of free radicals. Fruits and vegetables provide an excellent source of natural antioxidants to help your body stabilize the free radicals and ward off the damage that they cause.

Re-set your body’s nutritional system back to “original manufacturer’s specifications” through our Whole Food Farmacy 13-day Tri-Decathlon Delux program of whole foods, water and walking. With this program you will cleanse your body of toxins and fill it with natural antioxidants. Imagine how good you will feel treating your body to 13 days of nature’s best?

Check out our Tri-Decathlon products at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

HEALTH WARNING: Are you using your Microwave safely?

2006-12-07T12:14:00.000-08:00

Recent Cancer News from Johns Hopkins University, of Maryland, focuses on dioxins, chemicals found in plastics frequently used in freezing and microwave cooking. Read on to determine if you are putting yourself and your family at risk with your cooking and freezing methods.

Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to discuss dioxins and the risks they pose on our health. Specificially, he mentioned the dangers of dioxins and why they are bad for us. Here's what you need to know.

Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.

If you freeze your plastic bottles with water in them it releases dioxins into the water from the plastic.

He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers either. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Is this what you're feeding your family?

Instead, Dr. Fujimoto recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin.

Such food items as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.

Cover food with a paper towel instead (which may not be much better, depending upon the content of the towels)

In summary...

1. No plastic containers in micro - they release dioxins, which are toxic.

2. No water bottles in freezer - they release dioxins, which are toxic.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave - they release dioxins, which are toxic.

Personally, my family stopped using our microwave about a year ago. Other than to occassionally melt chocolate in a ceramic bowl for dipping strawberries and other yummies, this contraption sits unused on our countertop.

For healthy, delicious NO COOK options check out the yummy products at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

What is the SPICE of Life?

2006-11-23T22:48:00.000-08:00

Did you know great tasting Cinnamon is the SPICE of Life? Read on for more details.

There are two types of Cinnamon which are known to as Chinese Cinnamon and Ceylon Cinnamon? While they have a similar flavor, Ceylon Cinnamon is a bit sweeter and is considered be of a more refined and higher quality.

Cinnamon has a long term history of health benefits too. As a matter of fact, the use of Cinnamon as a spice and as a medicine dates back to 2000 BC?

A new study has found, just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, . The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.

This discovery was initially made by accident, by Richard Anderson at the US Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland.

"We were looking at the effects of common foods on blood sugar; one was the American favorite, apple pie, which is usually spiced with cinnamon. We expected it to be bad. But it helped," he says.

The active ingredient in cinnamon turns out to be a water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP. In test tube experiments, MHCP mimics insulin, activates its receptor, and works synergistically with insulin in cells.

To see if it would work in people, Alam Khan, who was a postdoctoral fellow in Anderson's lab, organized a study in Pakistan. Volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were given one, three or six grams of cinnamon powder a day, in capsules after meals.

All responded within weeks, with blood sugar levels that were on average 20 per cent lower than a control group. Some even achieved normal blood sugar levels. Tellingly, blood sugar started creeping up again after the diabetics stopped taking cinnamon.

In the volunteers, the Cinnamon also lowered blood levels of fats and "bad" cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by insulin. And in test tube experiments it neutralized free radicals, damaging chemicals which are elevated in diabetics.

Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida.

In a study, published in the August 2003 issue of the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the addition of just a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to approximately 3 ounces of carrot broth, which was then refrigerated, inhibited the growth of the food borne pathogenic Bacillus cereus for at least 60 days. When the broth was refrigerated without the addition of cinnamon oil, the pathogenic B. cereus flourished despite the cold temperature. In addition, researchers noted that the addition of cinnamon not only acted as an effective preservative but improved the flavor of the broth.

Research led by Dr. P. Zoladz and presented April 24, 2004, at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, in Sarasota, FL, found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants' cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants' scores on attention related processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program.

(Hint: simmer a few cinnamon sticks in water while your kids are doing their homework – this will also serve as wonderful yet non-toxic air freshener for your home)

In addition to the active components in its essential oils and its nutrient composition, cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.

You will find Ceylon Cinnamon used in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Phi Plus, DetoxiPhi, Joule and Cornaborealis.

Hook Up with the SPICE of Life Today!

Visit our website www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com for more information

What is MIND FOOD?

2006-11-13T17:27:00.000-08:00

What is Mind Food? It's the healthy dose of positive, educational, inspirational material that we feed ourselves on a daily basis.

What is Mind Food? It's a mentor's words, it's a story that moves us to action, it's an encouraging word to help see both sides of a story.

What is Mind Food? It's our acceptance of valuable life lessons in full sensory perception.

What is Mind Food? It's the input of others ideas to help us solve problems.

Did you know one fantastic way for you to get a healthy dose of Mind Food is by listening to audiobooks?

Now more than ever there's an incredible selection of great authors to choose from on audiobooks. The lessons these masters teach are priceless. And, the biggest benefit of all, is listening to Mind Feed on audiobooks saves time. Pop a cassette or cd into your car stereo or download one of these classics on your mp3 player and listen on the go. It's that easy to feed your mind healthy food.

Hook up with Mind Food and Audiobooks by clicking
www.hookupwithaudiobooks.com and join me in becoming a ROAD scholar today!

Feed your mind and body healthy food today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Why are Pumpkins Seeds a Great Family Snack?

2006-11-06T07:11:00.000-08:00

Save those pumpkin seeds! Pumpkin seeds support the function of the immune system, assist prostate health and help lower cholesterol levels. They are also a useful source of omega 3 fatty acids and zinc. Enjoy a time of family fun by roasting your pumpkin seeds and turning them into a healthy whole food treat. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin's inner cavity and wipe them off with a paper towel to remove excess pulp. Spread them out evenly on a paper bag and let them dry out overnight. The next day, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and light roast them in a 160-170ºF oven for 15-20 minutes. By roasting them for a short time at a low temperature you can help to preserve their healthy oils. Its lots of fun and your family will reap the rewards of a healthy snack.

For more great family snacks try Cornucopia, a delicious crunchy roasted corn snack that's out of this world. For more information visit www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

HEALTHY DRINKING WATER: Mark's Water4Life

2006-10-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

SPECIAL REPORT

Health and Wellness through Food & DRINK...

About a week ago I was introduced to a new ionized bottled water product / business by Mark Victor Hansen (co-author of the best selling series, "Chicken Soup for the Soul"). His message is clearly stated below.

The failure to provide safe drinking water and adequate sanitation services to all people is perhaps the greatest development failure of the 20th century. The most egregious consequence of this failure is the high rate of mortality among young children from preventable water-related diseases. If no action is taken to address unmet basic human needs for water, as many as 135 million people will die from these diseases by 2020.

Our use of man made chemicals is so extensive that we now find traces of low level toxins in virtually every public water supply in the world. A recent report stated, after reviewing over 10,000 documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, that "U.S. drinking water contains more than 2100 toxic chemicals that can cause cancer.”

In many municipalities the water infrastructure system contains pipes laid more than a century ago and are rotting. The EPA tracks over 90 contaminants in drinking water including microbes like E coli, and parasites like cryptosporidium and giardia lamblia, radium 226/228, radon gas, asbestos, cyanide, arsenic, lead, mercury, and disinfectants like chlorine dioxide.

“Water is blue gold, it's terribly precious," says Maude Barlow, who chairs for the Council of Canadians, an Ottawa-based citizens' watchdog. "Not too far in the future, we're going to see a move to surround and commodify the world's fresh water. Just as they've divvied up the world's oil, in the coming century there's going to be a grab."

Water had to be our first product. Our premise is simple:
If you could care for your health and that of your family while working to eradicate the lack of safe drinking water world-wide, would you do it?
If the water you need everyday could be a health-enhancing elixir, would you use it?
If you could lock in the price of quality water for three years, would you do it?
If you could create sustainable health and wealth, would you do it?
We answered yes to all four and that’s why we're the first members of Water 4 Life. And we know you're like us!

We live in a world of quick fixes, busy schedules there is limited time for properly caring for your health. We are becoming more toxic, resulting in increased illness, death and disability. These facts, coupled with aging local water supply systems and ever rising costs, point to a potential crisis in the making - clean life-sustaining water.

With Mark's Water 4 Life you can start prevention now by...

Immediately Enhancing Your Health
Reducing Cost and Gaining Convenience
Choosing to Create Sustainable Wealth
Having a Positive Impact the World

For more information on Mark's Water 4 Life product / business opportunity follow copy the link below into your web brower.

www.markswater4life.com/friend?af=11061

Remember the recommendation on drinking water is 8 glasses per day. In doing so make sure the water you drink is adding to your health not detracting from it.

Hook Up With Health and Mark's Water 4 Life today by linking to his new product website at www.markswater4life.com/friend?af=11061.

With your Health & Wellness in mind

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

HEART HEALTH: Heart Attack Survivors Hook Up with Fish Oil

2006-10-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

According to the October 3, 2006 edition of The New York Times our government is preventing heart attach survivors from getting certain kinds of follow-up care that may be critical to their survival.

The story tells how doctors in Italy routinely prescribe fish oil to heart attack survivors. They believe it’s effectiveness has been proved to the point that they would consider it malpractice to omit it from a patient’s recovery.

Here in the US, don’t expect to get a prescription for fish oil from your cardiologist. You can’t buy Omacor, the only prescription fish oil for use in heart patients. The FDA prohibits its sale.

This means doctors throughout the country have their hands tied and heart attack survivors may be suffering or worse dying, as a result.

Many doctors are not even aware that fish oil is critical for heart patients. And even if they were, they don’t have the option of giving you a prescription for the one thing that might save your life. What’s more, even if your doctor did tell you about fish oil, your insurance wouldn’t pay for it.

Instead, American cardiologists recommend drugs and other high-profit items – everything from statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) to implantable defibrillators.

According to the article, should you try to obtain Omacor, the rules are so stringent; the first page of Omacor’s website asks you a question: “Are you an US citizen?” If you click “yes,” you’re taken to a page that does not mention anything about heart disease or heart attacks.... even though fish oil is also essential for the prevention of heart attacks and heart disease.

Fish oil contains good doses of the omega-3 family of fats including linolenic, eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids.

Omega-3s play a central role in protecting your cardiovascular system. A recent issue of Circulation reported how the heart uses omega-3s as protection.

Researchers found that the cell membranes of heart cells store omega-3 from fish oil. This storage prevents irregular rhythms, which can lead to sudden cardiac death. (Sudden cardiac death is responsible for 50% of heart-related deaths in the United Sates.)

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported a study showing that fish oil lowers triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are fats in your blood linked to heart disease. The participants took a fish oil supplement or a placebo. Those taking the fish oil had a decrease in triglycerides that reduced their chance of heart disease by 25%. The subjects taking the placebo showed no significant reduction.

The New York Times article refers to a now landmark study conducted by Italian researchers. After giving just one gram of fish oil to heart attack survivors every day, they reduced the number of deaths by 20% and the number of sudden deaths by 40%.

With all this evidence, the FDA still refuses to make fish oil available to you by prescription. Of course, you can still get fish oil and take it yourself.

Heat Attack Survivors listen up... it's time to Hook Up with Fish Oil and get on a heart healthy diet.

Great tasting raw food products are available for you at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

While you're there check out the News & Events page. You'll be amazed at what you see & hear on our news videos.

Hook up with a healthy heart today.

Prunes - Not just for Grandma any more!

2006-10-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Prunes

Prunes are a terrifc source of fiber and have long been recognized as a nutrient-rich fruit with multiple health benefits. Now, according to a recent study from Tufts University in Boston, prunes may also help slow the aging process in both the body and brain.

The study ranked the antioxidant value of commonly eaten fruits and vegetables using an analysis called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity). PRUNES TOPPED THE LIST with more than twice the antioxidant capacity as other high-scoring fruits such as blueberries and raisins.

ORAC is a test tube analysis that measures the total antioxidant power of foods and other chemical substances. Early findings suggest that this same antioxidant activity translates to animals, protecting cells and their components from oxidative damage.

"If these studies are borne out in further research, young and middle-aged people may be able to reduce their risk of diseases of aging – including senility – simply by adding high antioxidant foods to their diets," said Floyd P. Horn, administrator of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, in Beltsville, Md.

The role of fruits and vegetables in health promotion and disease prevention may also be related to nutrients, other than the vitamins, minerals and fiber, found in these plant-based foods. In addition to well-known antioxidant vitamins A and C and beta-carotene, there are over 1,800 other biologically active compounds that have been identified in foods. Research is just beginning to identify these nutrients and to describe their activity in the human body; however, many are believed to offer the protective benefits of antioxidants.

At The Wholefood Farmacy, the fiber and antioxidant benefits of prunes can found in Phi Plus and DetoxiPhi, two of the most popular foods in the Wholefood Farmacy family.

Hook up with the health benefits of prunes and get your Phi Plus today.

With your health and wellness through food in mind,

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

SUNFLOWER POWER

2006-09-30T00:06:00.000-07:00

According to research completed in March 2001 by Dr. K. Phillips of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , the sunflower kernel is rich in a number of nutrients that have been shown to protect against cardiovascular and other diseases and to act as antioxidants and anti-carcinogens. When considered in aggregate, this amazing kernel packs a powerful nutritional punch.

Sunflower kernels contain high levels of vitamin E, betaine, phenolic acids, and choline. In addition, the kernel is a good source of arginine and lignans. Each of these compounds, while perhaps unfamiliar to the layperson, has been studied by the scientific community and shown to offer a variety of health benefits.

Vitamin E (Tocopherols): May protect against cardiovascular disease.

Betaine: May protect against cardiovascular disease.

Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid): Antioxidant and anti-carcinogen.

Choline: Plays a role in memory and cognitive function.

Arginine: Potential heart benefits.

Lignans: May protect against heart disease and some cancers; lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides

Sunflower seeds offer an easy way to add some crunch, taste, and nutrition to a variety of foods. Toss them over your salad, mix them in with popcorn, serve them a la carte, or even add them to your fresh baked, whole grain breads and muffins.

When you’re on the go, you can find sunflower seeds in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Cornaborealis, Corn of Plenty, and ClariPhi.

We invite you to HOOK UP WITH HEALTH through sunflower power today, at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

PS. The sunflower pictures in this post are from our backyard garden... look closely and you just might BEE surprised by what you see

Are Artifical Sweeteners Deadly?

2006-09-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

I rec'd the article below from Dr. Al Sears via the internet today. I couldn't get it on my post fast enough.

While you're reading this important notice please keep in mind at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com we only use the purest ingredients. Never, ever do we use anything artificial! Yes, it's that important! HOOK UP WITH HEALTH today and flush those artificial sweetners as fast as you can say Phi Plus.

When you reach for a packet of NutraSweet or Splenda, you feel relieved that you’re dodging the evils of sugar. But did you know that these artificial sweeteners make good ant poison?

I just read a story from a lady who had a problem with carpenter ants. After spending thousands of dollars on professional exterminators and industrial poisons, she dumped 2 packets of NutraSweet in the corners of her bathroom and it killed the ants.1

It’s perhaps less of a surprise if you know that aspartame – the active ingredient in NutraSweet – was classified as a neurotoxin before it was approved by the FDA as a sugar substitute in the early 1980s.

But what does that mean when you eat ice cream, candy, or a diet soda that’s sweetened with NutraSweet? Or any of the other 5,000 products that use aspartame?

Aspartame accounts for 75% of all side effects reported to the FDA’s Adverse Reaction Monitoring System (ARMS), with 10,000 complaints in 1994 alone. By the FDA’s own admission, only 1 percent of those who experience side effects actually report them. That makes the real number closer to one million.2

The FDA is so defensive about their stance on aspartame; it took a Freedom of Information Act request to get the full list of 92 recognized symptoms the FDA linked to artificial sweeteners that use aspartame.

Here’s just a few of the 92 reactions you may experience:

Anxiety Attacks
Arthritis
Asthma
Chronic Fatigue
Death
Diarrhea
Insomnia
Memory Loss
Nausea or Vomiting
Seizures or Convulsions
Vertigo
Weight Gain

The threat of seizures and vertigo is so strong; pilots are routinely warned about the dangers of aspartame. Both the Air Force’s magazine Flying Safety and the Navy’s Navy Physiology have published articles warning pilots of these side effects.2

About 12 years ago, a hotline was setup for pilots suffering from acute reactions to aspartame. In the first year alone, over 600 pilots reported symptoms – some of whom actually suffered grand mal seizures while in the cockpit of their airplanes.2

What’s worse, most people have no idea that aspartame is causing their symptoms. Doctors usually link the symptoms to other diseases like multiple sclerosis, arthritis, Lyme disease, or even Alzheimer’s.

A recent study published by the Cancer Research Center in Italy found that, once inside your body, aspartame breaks down into very dangerous components. (One of these components is formaldehyde – a very dangerous toxin you may know as ‘embalming fluid.’)

An alarming number of rats fed NutraSweet died from various cancers including leukemia. The increase in cancer rates was 62%. Aside from cancer and the symptoms listed above, aspartame they discovered, can also lead to sudden death.3 How does this experiment relate to the amount of aspartame you consume?

The FDA set the Acceptable Daily Intake, (ADI) for aspartame at 50mg per kilogram of bodyweight (mg/kg). Lawyers for the FDA said in court that the average American averages 30mg/kg a day but often goes over the limit.

What’s disturbing is that the Italian scientists noticed markedly increased cancer rates in rats that consumed only 40% of this ADI. Rats eating only 8% of the ADI also had increased cancer rates. This means that many Americans are consuming more than this dose comparatively.

Russell Blaylock, MD is a well-known neurosurgeon and one of the leading authorities on the dangers of aspartame. He said, “This study strongly indicates that drinking a single diet cola sweetened with aspartame every day could significantly increase one's risk of developing a lymphoma or leukemia.”4

If you suffer from any of these symptoms and consume any aspartame, stop consuming products that have aspartame for at least 60 days. Instead of relying on sodas, drink liquids that occur naturally:

Water – Filter purified or spring water. (This is your best bet when you’re thirsty.)
Milk – If you can find a good local source, raw is your best choice.
Tea – Real tea, green or black, with no artificial additives.
To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD
www.alsearsmd.com

Is your Child Hungry in School (aka are they Skipping Breakfast)?

2006-08-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

The science is crystal clear. Children who eat a healthy breakfast before school are healthier, more alert, have more energy, exhibit better behavior and get better grades.

A recent State of Minnesota Breakfast Study found that students who ate breakfast before starting school had a general increase in math grades and reading scores, increased student attention, reduced nurse visits, and improved student behaviors. (December, 1997)

Researchers at Harvard Medical/Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that hungry children are more likely to have behavioral and academic problems than children who get enough to eat. At school, hungry children had more problems with irritability, anxiety and aggression, as well as more absences and tardiness. (Pediatrics, January, 1998; Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, February, 1998)

The recent Tufts University Statement (1998) on The Link Between Nutrition and Cognitive Development in Children cites new findings: "Recent research provides compelling evidence that under-nutrition impacts the behavior of children, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development".

The importance of a healthy breakfast is paramount to your child’s health, behavior, and academic performance. As the new school year begins, we encourage you take a stand for your children and make a healthy breakfast, everyday, the rule in your home.

If you’re on go and don’t have much time, please consider these quick, easy and very nutritious ways that The Wholefood Farmacy foods can help.

Our fruit based Farinas (BeautiPhi, ClariPhi, ElectriPhi, FructiPhi & GloriPhi) can provide a wonderful way to add taste, variety and nutrition to oat meal, cream of wheat, and whole grain breakfast cereals. Simply sprinkle them over these healthy breakfast foods and you’re done! Phi Plus, TropiPhi and Fruitalicious also make a wonderful and very delicious addition to these healthy breakfast foods and they provide a wonderfully sweet alternative to processed sugar.

Breakfast Smoothies are also a quick and easy way to start your child’s day with healthy whole food nutrition. Start with some fresh fruit and your choice of milk, then add any of our fruit based Farinas – hit the button and in 15 seconds it’s ready to go.

Make Phi Plus cookies the night before. Form Phi Plus into the shape of cookies then drizzle with Wholefood Farmacy Organic Coconut Oil and refrigerate. In the morning, you’ll have some very healthy and very tasty treats ready when you’re on the go.

Set the alarm clock a few minutes earlier and give your kids the daily advantage of a Healthy Start – it makes all the difference in the world.

Hook your child up with a healthy breakfast today!
www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Active kids do better in school

2006-08-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

A new study done by researchers from Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University found Middle School students who perform more vigorous physical activity than their more sedentary piers tend to do better in school. The research is published in the August issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

For one academic year, the study tracked more than 200 sixth graders. For one semester half of the students took the general physical education class offered by the school, while the other half took part in a non-physical education course. Halfway through the school year they switched. The researchers found that students taking the physical education course did no better or worse in their academic classes.

“Physical education and activity during the school day reduce boredom and help keep kids’ attention in the classroom,” said Dawn Podulka Coe, the study’s lead author who is now an assistant professor in the Department of Movement Science at Grand Valley State University. “We were expecting to find that students enrolled in PE would have better grades because of the opportunity to be active during the school day. But enrollment in PE alone did not influence grades.”

However, the researchers also found that students who took part in more vigorous physical activities – such as organized sports like soccer or football, or non-organized after-school activities such as skateboarding – did approximately 10 percent better in core classes such as math, science, English and social studies.

“The students who performed better academically in this study were the most active, meaning those who participated in a sport or other vigorous activity at least three times a week” added Coe.

The difference between vigorous activity and moderate activity is heart rate. Moderate activities, such as walking or raking leaves, don’t get the heart rate up or make the person breathe harder. Vigorous activities, such as running or swimming for exercise, increase heart rate, causing the exerciser to breathe harder and increasing oxygen to the brain.

With school about to start, we encourage all parents to take this new study to heart. We encourage you consider organized sports as a way to help your child do better in school, be healthier, maintain the proper weight, and to build a foundation of health that can last a lifetime. And remember to Hook Up With Health by having your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods for practice and game days!

Kids love Cornucopia - a crunchy and amazingly great tasting roasted corn treat.

Hook Up With Health Today and include your kids too!!!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

AMAZING FINDING: SUPPLIEMENTS vs. WHOLE FOOD

2006-07-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it – eating healthy is not easy and it’s not always convenient. That’s why many look to supplements to bridge the gap. Supplements can play a positive role in your health, but the real question is this:

CAN SUPPLEMENTS ALONE REPLACE THE PROTECTION AND BENEFTIS OF WHOLE FOODS?

Between 1985 & 1993 The National Institutes of Health funded one of the biggest health studies ever conducted. It was known as the ATBC Cancer Prevention Study. It tested the theory that vitamin A & Vitamin E supplements would prevent lung cancer in smokers. After following 29,000 male smokers for six years, the stunned researchers found a higher incidence of lung cancer among the men who received the supplements. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1994.

Many years later, the data was re-analyzed to study the impact of whole foods. Amazingly, the researchers found that the male smokers who simply ate more whole foods had a decreased risk of lung cancer. The most benefit was attributed to whole foods that offer high levels of the carotenoids Beta Carotene, Lycopene, Lutein, & Zeaxanthin.

With each passing year new studies continue to deliver astonishing discoveries that are shedding a bright light on the true power, innate complexity, and preventative nature of raw whole foods. And when it comes to the latest research, green foods are taking center stage!

Spirulina are blue green algae that grow naturally in lakes with high pH levels and it is very high in antioxidants. Immunologists at the University Of California Davis School Of Medicine added Spirulina to some cultured immune system cells. The result was a significant increase in the production of cancer & infection fighting cells called cytokines. The findings were published in the fall 2000 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Foods.

Chlorella is a single cell fresh water alga that gets its name from the high amount of chlorophyll it possesses. Chlorophyll is the pigment in plants that makes them green. This exciting nutrient is also the focus of cancer prevention studies around the world.

Wheat grass juice is high in chlorophyll, iron, oxygen, and enzymes and is one of the richest known sources of vitamins A, B, and C. Studies of wheat grass by Dr. Chiu Nan Lai of the University Of Texas Cancer Center showed it to be a potent inhibitor of several cancer causing agents. He applied low levels of the extract to cancer causing mutagens and found that the activity in the mutagens diminished by up to 99%.

Spinach and other deep-green leafy vegetables contain a carotenoid, called Neoxanthin. Research published in the September 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition shows that Neoxanthin fights human prostate cancer it two different ways. First, it induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct. Then, in the intestines, Neoxanthin is converted into additional compounds called Neochromes. Neochromes prevent the replication of prostate cancer cells.

Sea vegetables, such as Dulse and Kelp, are nature's richest sources of iodine. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones which regulate all aspects of your metabolism and other bodily functions. An iodine deficiency can have a devastating impact on your health and well-being. A common sign of thyroid deficiency is an enlarged thyroid gland, commonly called a goiter. Goiters are estimated to affect 200 million people worldwide, and 96% of these cases are preventable through proper nutrition.¹

Barley grass is known to contain an active ingredient called proanthocyanidin - a powerful plant chemical that supports the body at the cellular level. More recently, researchers from the School of Bioresources at the University of Andong in Korea have isolated yet another potent plant chemical in barley grass called lunasin. Lunasin is renowned for its ability to prevent skin cancer cells from multiplying. When the Korean researchers conducted further laboratory studies they found that Lunasin was able to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells as well.²

A new study done in conjunction with U.S. Department of Agriculture identified a class of compounds isolated from citrus peels that shows promise as a potent, natural alternative for lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol without the dangerous side effects of prescription drugs.

The compounds, called polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), are similar to other plant pigments found in citrus fruits that have been increasingly linked to health benefits, including protection against cancer, heart disease and inflammation. The study is believed to be the first to show that PMFs can lower cholesterol. The findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in May 2004.

And it’s not just the foods or the research. The researchers themselves are seeing the dawning of a new day. They’re not talking about supplements or new prescription drugs… they’re talking about food!

Jeff Prince is the vice president for education at the American Institute for Cancer Research. In his August 2004 interview with The Washington Post he said that “the thousands of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in whole foods act synergistically together to create a more powerful effect than the sum of their parts, producing a result which cannot be recreated by supplements".

At a recent American Institute for Cancer Research meeting, Dr. Rui Hai Liu, a PhD researcher from Cornell University said that “different plant foods have different phytochemicals; these substances go to different organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect – this teamwork – that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods.”

Well… what if it was easy and convenient to give your body a wide variety of green plant foods every day, including all of the foods you’ve just read about and more! Would you be interested?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and Farmacy Greens are an easy and affordable way get your “ounce of prevention” each and every day. Simply add a heaping tablespoon of Farmacy Greens to water or your favorite juice and give your body a fast, easy and very powerful infusion of potent plant based nutrition!

Farmacy Greens are handcrafted from Spirulina, Chlorella, Vegetarian Nutritional Yeast, Dulse, Kelp, Spinach, Alfalfa, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Rosehips, Beet root, Orange Peel, Winter Cherry Root, White Asparagus Root, Dandelion Leaf, Lemon Peel, Papaya Leaf, Horsetail, Barley, & Wheat Grass Juice.

As always, Farmacy Greens come with the comfort of our 30 Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee of Satisfaction – isn’t your body worth it?

Hook Up With Good Health and Farmacy Greens Today!
www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Reference:

1. Goldbeck N, Goldbeck D. The Healthiest Diet in the World. Plume (Penguin Putnam Inc.) NY, 2001, pp 378-80

2. Jeong HJ, Lam Y, de Lumen BO. J Agric Food Chem 2002, 50(21):5903-5908

CALLING ALL PARENTS!

2006-07-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

The health of our children is heading in a dangerous direction!

We have elementary school children who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are causing it and parents are the only ones who can stop it. Junk food, candy, sodas, remote controls, and computer games might put a smile on their face for now….. but what about tomorrow? A lifetime of obesity and chronic disease is not something that your children will thank you for.

When they’re 40 years old, obese, and stricken with diabetes, they’ll be thinking about you every time the insulin needle pierces their skin. They’ll be asking, “Why did they buy all of that junk for me to eat?” They’ll ask “Why did they let me sit on the couch watching TV and playing computer games for 6 hours a day?” The vast majority of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease are not passed from parent to child by bad genes. They are passed from parent to child through ignorance, lack of self control and bad habits.

Are you a victim of the bad habits that were passed onto you? If so, then you can be the one to rise up and break the perpetual chain of disease in your family. You do not have to pass it on to your children. You may have been defeated in the past, but today is a new day! Your child’s diet is YOUR choice. You CAN set a good example and you CAN teach them healthy habits.

There’s a new television show that we are highly recommending to all parents. It’s on The Learning Channel (TLC) and it’s called “Honey, we’re killing the kids”. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the first 5 minutes of this show are worth a thousand books.

Watching this show can help you save your children from a life of obesity, disease and suffering – it could even help you add 10 years to your child’s life. Will you watch it? Will you give one hour of your time for your kid’s sake? This is one of the best television shows regarding children’s health that has ever been produced and watching only one episode can literally be a life changing event.

Consult your local TV listings for more information.

Rush to www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy for great tasting, organic, healthy snacks and meal replacements that you can be proud to serve to your family. My kids love Cornucopia. It's a crunchy corn that's out of this world.

Hook Up With Health Today... for your kids sake!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

The Little Red Cancer Fighter

2006-07-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine a little red berry that fights cancer, age-related diseases like loss of memory, heart disease, ulcers, and even fights cavities too. Sounds to good to be true? Well, allow me to introduce you to our friend, the little red Cranberry!

Peptic ulcers are increasingly being attributed to infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, as opposed to stress and/or stomach acidity. A high-molecular-weight nondialysable constituent of cranberry juice has been shown to inhibit the adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric mucus in vitro. These preliminary results suggest that cranberry may be beneficial in the prevention of peptic ulcers through the inhibition of H. pylori adhesion to gastric mucus and stomach tissue.

You can hook up with cranberries in Wholefood Farmacy foods such as, Phi Plus, Fruitalicious, and Fruitalicious Plus. Cranberries are also an awesome addition to a smoothie made from any of our fruit based Farinas such as BeautiPhi, ClariPhi, ElectriPhi, FructiPhi & GloriPhi. Here’s an idea to try – in blender, add 2 tbsp of your choice of Farina, a little ice water, a couple of ice cubes and a handful of cranberries. Blend on high for about 30 seconds and enjoy!

Enjoy good health and wellness through food with the help of the little red cancer fighter - The CRANBERRY!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

HOOK UP WITH HEALTH TODAY!

GO BANANAS!

2006-06-26T21:44:00.000-07:00

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous, 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. Bananas can also help us overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Research published in the January 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer suggests that regular consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective against kidney cancer. The results of this large population based prospective study (13.4 years) of 61,000 women aged 40-76, show that women eating more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables per month cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were found to be especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 50% compared to those who did not eat bananas.

A group called MIND, the largest mental health charity in England, did a study amongst people suffering from depression and found that many felt much better after simply eating a banana. This is because bananas contain Tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Two-hundred students at a Twickenham (Middlesex, UK) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Bananas have also been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. In one study, a simple mixture of banana and milk significantly suppressed acid secretion. The nutrients in bananas help activate the cells that compose the stomach lining, so they produce a thicker protective mucus barrier against stomach acids. Bananas also contain compounds known as protease inhibitors which help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that are the primary cause of stomach ulcers.

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to help with high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Try making a banana smoothie with Phi Plus! Blend one banana with 2 oz. of Phi Plus, your choice of milk and a few ice cubes. It is delicious beyond words, a very healthy summer time treat, and the kids will love it!

GO BANANAS for a healthy lifestyle and Hook up With Health
www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Summer Time Tip: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Olive Oil

2006-06-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Olive Oil

Back on May 10th I blogged about Popeye's favorite food - Spinanch. Today, it's only fitting to include an article about his romantic interest... Olive Oil. This story goes back to ancient Greece (grease?!).

In ancient Greece, Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, called it “the great therapeutic". Homer called it "liquid gold” and ancient Greek athletes ritually rubbed it all over their bodies. The health benefits of Olive Oil that had been known and applied for centuries in ancient Greece are now being rediscovered by modern day researchers.

Olive oil was recognized for its importantance in maintaining metabolism and is now also known for contributing to the development of the brain and bones in children. On top of it, olive oil benefits are being recommended as a n excellent source of vitamin E for our aging populants, especially those with high cholesterol.

A study published in the March 2004 issue of Medical Science Monitor reported that 2 tablespoons a day of olive oil added to an otherwise unchanged diet in 28 outpatients, ranging in age from 64 to 71, resulted in significant drops in total and LDL cholesterol

A natural anti-oxidant, olive oil slows down the natural aging process. It also slows down acid overproduction in the digestive system thereby reducing the risk for ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems.

There is also a low incidence of skin cancer among Mediterranean populations, and olive oil consumption could be a contributing factor to this low skin cancer rate.

Published studies link the judicious use of olive oil to reducing the effect of a growing list of ailments. For example, Greek women have a 42% lower rate of breast cancer than women in the U.S.

Olive oil contains significantly higher amounts of Squalene than other seed oils, and Squalene is to a large extent transferred to the skin. German researchers believe that this transfer mechanism is probably accomplished by scavenging singlet oxygen generated by ultraviolet light. Japanese scientists also claim that virgin olive oil applied to the skin after sunbathing could protect against skin cancer by slowing tumor growth.

Hook up with Health and Wholefood Farmacy’s Heart of Gold made from Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Walnut Oil, Avocado Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Orange Oil, & 24 Carat Medicinal Gold. Use Heart of Gold to make your own salad dressings, pour it on raw or steamed, or use it as aymmy dip for whole grain breads.

With your health and wellness in mind.

Hook up with Health at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

The Healthiest Food on the Planet - Works Synergistically!

2006-06-04T07:02:00.000-07:00

Today's lesson is on Synergy and the value it plays in your health and well-being.

Synergy or synergism (from the Greek synergos meaning working together, circa 1660) refers to the phenomenon in which two or more discrete influences or agents acting together create an effect greater than the sum of the effects each is able to create independently.

Jeff Prince, the vice president for education at the American Institute for Cancer Research, said iIn his August 2004 interview with The Washington Post that “the thousands of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in whole foods act synergistically together to create a more powerful effect than the sum of their parts, producing a result which cannot be recreated by supplements".

Dr. Liu, a member of the graduate fields of Food Science and Technology, and Environmental Toxicology and an associate professor in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University where he received his Ph.D. in Toxicology, recently appeared at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer to present some of his latest findings. “Different plant foods have different phytochemicals,” he said. “These substances go to different organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect – this teamwork – that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods.”

At Hook Up With Health and the Whole Food Farmacy Team we call Phi Plus “the healthiest food in the world” because it'is a synergistic combination of dozens of great tasting, organic whole food ingredients including nuts, seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs, oils, & spices. (Preview the full list of 72 ingredients at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com)

Phi Plus has a delicious taste and pleasing texture, comes ready to eat, and requires no refrigeration. It's a great snack or meal replacement. And, it's always ready to go whereever you are,... on the road, at the office, in the woods hiking, on a boat. It's also a great alternative to regular as a substitue kids junk food (I flatten them and make little "cookies" out of them for the kids). Treat yourself and your family to synergistic Phi Plus today and get on the road to better health.

We also offer an exceptionally great tasting tropical fruity version of Phi Plus called TropiPhi.

PHI PLUS - SYNERGY at it's best!

HOOK UP WITH HEALTH TODAY!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Tomatoes!

2006-05-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Cherry RED Tomatoes - Mmm good for you!

Scientists are suggesting that tomato lovers may be more likely to reduce the risk of serious disease. Lycopene, an anti oxidant which gives tomatoes their lovely rich red color, helps remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules and have been implicated in cancer and other serious diseases.

Professor Michael Avirim of the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel who is testing lycopene in clinical trials says, ' In its natural form, lycopene is an excellent anti oxidant that helps to prevent formation of oxidized LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol in blood, which contributes to the build up of plaque that narrows, stiffens and constricts arteries and can lead to heart attacks. When this natural extract was added to cancer cell cultures, the lycopene inhibited their growth. Lycopene is the most potent nutritional antioxidant found to date.

Another study compared men who had had a heart attack with the same number of healthy men and found that those with high levels of lycopene appeared to reduce their risk of heart diseases by 50%. The study’s coordinator, Lenore Kohlmeier, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the university of North Carolina, said, 'Based on our findings, and other research, lycopene can be an excellent antioxidant, we recommend that people eat tomato based cooked foods.'

Several recent studies have shown that a diet rich in tomatoes and tomato products is strongly linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers. In a six year study of 48,000 male professionals, Dr Edward Giovannucci and colleagues at Harvard Medical School found that consuming tomatoes and tomato based products between five to seven serving a week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer of 21% to 34%.

Another study published in the International Journal of Cancer said that lycopene appears to protect against cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Researchers at the University of Illinois report that women with the highest lycopene levels had a five fold lower risk of developing precancerous signs of cervical cancer than women with lowest lycopene levels.

The human body does not produce lycopene alone and therefore relies on a consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products for this anti oxidant. Nutritionists and other health professionals have long advocated the cancer preventative benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Lycopene: Just The Facts

Research by Dr. Joseph Levy and colleagues from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel, may have identified the unique mechanism through which lycopene protects against cancer which is by activating cancer-preventive phase II enzymes.

Lycopene is an open-chain unsaturated carotenoid that imparts red color to tomatoes.

Lycopene is a proven anti-oxidant that may lower the risk of certain diseases including cancer and heart disease.

In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends to be higher than all other carotenoids.

Epidemiological studies have shown that high intake of lycopene-containing vegetables is inversely associated with the incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, habitual intake of tomato products has been found to decrease the risk of cancer of the digestive tract among Italians.

In one six-year study by Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, the diets of more than 47,000 men were studied. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products (which contain large quantities of lycopene) showed a measurable relationship to reduce prostate cancer risk. As consumption of tomato products increased, levels of lycopene in the blood increased, and the risk for prostate cancer decreased. The study also showed that the heat processing of tomatoes and tomato products increases Lycopene bioavailability.

Ongoing research suggests that lycopene can reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin.

Our Hook Up With Health Wholefood Farmacy’s Vichyssoise V-6 Creamy Tomato Soup is quick and easy taking only a minute to prepare. Handcrafted using the finest whole food ingredients, our V-6 Tomato Soup is made from Tomatoes, Brown Rice, Soy Beans, Oats, Onions, Dill Weed & Sea Salt. If you haven’t tasted it, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Another fantastic tomato product is our AmpliPhi. This simple to use product mixes with hot water. After three minutes minutes this delicious great tasting organic 'farina' satisfies you and also helps to revitalize your circulatory system.

Hook Up With Health Today

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Alzheimer's Risk Lowered by Mediterranean Diet in Study

2006-05-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Findings from a new study show how food choices, particularly a Mediterranean Diet, reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. The results are published in the April 2006 issue of Annals of Neurology, a journal published by John Wiley & Sons and show that Americans who ate a Mediterranean diet - lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, some fish and alcohol, and little dairy and meat - had a reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease as they aged.

Let me repeat. Alzheimer's disease may be reduced by a healthier food choices!!!

The authors report states a "Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease." For each additional point to Mediterranean diet scores (indicating increased adherence to the diet), Alzheimer's risk dropped by 9 to 10 percent compared with the subjects in the least adherent group that adhered to a Mediterranean diet the least. Subjects in the middle compliance range had 15 to 21 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, and those in the highest group had a 39 to 40 percent lower risk, suggesting a significant response effect.

Let me repeat, the healthiet eaters had a 39 to 40 percent lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. Let me ask you, what category of food eaters do you want to be in?

The report concludes "That higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduction in risk for Alzheimer's disease." In addition, they state the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet for non-neurological conditions have been previously shown to be generalized to different populations, and that the current study provided the opportunity to examine the effect of this diet for a neurological disease in a multi-ethnic community in the U.S. {end of article}.

Pretty stunning results isn't it?

So let me ask you - what are your eating habits like? Are you getting 5 servings of fruits and veggies everyday? If not Hook Up With Health and the Wholefood Farmacy products.

Here's how we can help.

Our whole food products such as Phi Plus are packed with healthy organic ingredients - 72 in all - including fruits (dates, raisins, raspberries, apples, figs, and dried plums) and vegetables (Green Peas, carrots, beet powder, and Kindey Beans) plus a wonderful variety seeds, nuts, grains, and spices. Phi Plus requires no refrigeration, is tremendously easy to transport (no large containers needed), requires no utensils, and tastes great. It can be eaten as a snack or even a meal replacement.

Fruitalicious and Fruitalicious Plus are great tasting, delicious, organic dried fruits that can be eaten right from any small snack-size container or plastic bag. No refrigeration necessary (great for road trips, seminars, and other activities that keep you on the go).

Veggielicious and Veggielicious Spice are two yummy ways to eat your vegetables. This blended pack of bite-size, organic veggies contains potatoes, carrots, tomotoes, corn, peas and more. Great way to get your vegetables, are delicious to snack on, and again, very simple to carry.

One of our family favorites is Cornucopia, a delicious crunchy corn and maize snack that is out of this world. Two other corn products are available at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Whether you're in your car, at work or at home Wholefood Farmacy products are a convenient and easy way to eat your fruits and vegetables.

Hook Up with Health by keeping Wholefood Farmacy products on hand for snacking or for a mean replacement. Help “bridge the gap" between your health and disease by eating right.

Remember, once you get started making the right food choices and bringing the right foods into your home the rest of your family will follow suit. Your whole family will benefit from your choice of health and wellness through food, such as a Mediterrean Diet.

Visit www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com for product information. Nutritional facts available for every food product.

Hook Up with Health Today!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

GOLD - A 5000 Year Old Medicine

2006-05-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Many of you may know GOLD prices shot up to $700 an ounce recently but did you know over 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians ingested gold for mental, bodily and spiritual purification? The ancients believed that gold in the body worked by stimulating the life force and raising the level of vibration on all levels.

The earliest records of the use of gold for medicinal and healing purposes come from Alexandria, Egypt. The Alchemists of Alexandria developed an "elixir" made of liquid gold. They believed that gold was a mystical metal that represented the perfection of matter, and that its presence in the body would enliven, rejuvenate, and cure a multitude of diseases as well as restore youth and perfect health.

As many as 4,500 years ago, the Egyptians used gold in dentistry. Remarkable examples of its early use have been found by modern archaeologists. Still in favor today as an ideal material for dental work, approximately 13 tons of gold are used each year for crowns, bridges, inlays and dentures. Gold is ideal for these purposes because it is non-toxic, can be shaped easily, and never wears, corrodes or tarnishes.

Historically, medicinal gold has had a reputation as a "nervine," a therapy for nervous disorders. A review of the historical literature shows gold in use during the 19^th century for conditions including depression, epilepsy, migraine, and glandular problems including amenorrhea and impotence. The most notable use of gold was in a treatment for alcoholism developed by Leslie E. Keeley, .D.

Gold has been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases for more than 75 years, but until now, the way that gold worked has remained a mystery. Harvard Medical School researchers report in the February 27^th, 2006 issue of Nature Chemical Biology that gold, platinum, and other classes of medicinal metals work by stripping bacteria and virus particles from the grasp of a key immune system protein. "We were searching for a new drug to treat autoimmune diseases," says Brian DeDecker, PhD, “but instead we discovered a biochemical mechanism that may help explain how an old drug works."

Once again, modern science has confirmed what the ancients seem to have known all along – that gold is indeed a very precious metal. At HookUpWithHealth.WholeFoodFarmacy.com, we are proud to offer two exclusive products which offer an easy and delicious way to bring this ancient wisdom into your life today.

Joule is a combination of Spring Water, Aloe Vera, Cinnamon Oil, and pure, 24 Karat medicinal gold. Aloe is known as the "potted physician" because of its naturally occurring potassium, niacin, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and 8 of the 10 essential amino acids. Joule is the perfect "nightcap" for people seeking a good night’s sleep through a great tasting oblation of medicinal gold and plant nutrition.

Heart Of Gold contains only heart healthy fats from 5 plant oils, blended to perfection and compounded with pure 24 karat medicinal gold. Fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, & K are worthless without fat. Good fats are gifts of nature for life. Add salt, herbs, or spices to Heart Of Gold and use it as a sop for whole grain breads, make your own salad dressings, or drizzle it on raw or steamed veggies. Feel the peace, joy and restful sleep that a delicious gold sop invokes.

GO FOR THE GOLD at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Popeye's Favorite

2006-05-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

Am I dating myself when I mention Popeye? Probably, but those in my generation know exactly what food he ate to give him super human strength. Yes, Spinach.

I happen to love spinach. One of my favorite ways to enjoy spinach is simply steamed over rice. I spice it up a little with crushed red pepper and Mmmm it makes a tasty lunch that's quick and easy to prepare.

Spinch has numerous health benefits. Read on for more information.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are antioxidants in the carotenoid family. They are found in high levels in spinach and they concentrate in the part of the retina where macular degeneration occurs. Once there, they protect the retina from damage caused by sunlight. Harvard researchers reported that people eating the most Lutein and Zeaxanthin had a 57 percent decreased risk of macular degeneration, compared with people eating the least.

At least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach have been identified by researchers. These compounds function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. The anti-cancer action of these nutrients has been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells, and in studies on mice, to reduce skin cancers. A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer.

Another carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the September 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state of stasis, thus preventing their replication.

Spinach can be consumed cooked or raw. Baby spinach leaves are especially good in salads with bleu cheese, walnuts, red onions, and a vinaigrette dressing made with Heart Of Gold. Spinach cooks very quickly, and doesn’t need added water. Just place it in a pan, cover, and simmer for two to four minutes until it wilts; spinach is also excellent when steamed, or it can be sautéed in olive oil with garlic for three or four minutes. Spinach is a good addition to stews and to soups that contain beans, pasta, or potatoes, or to any kind of curry dish.

Don’t have the time to go shopping or to do the cooking, but still want to eat your greens? Farmacy Greens has got you covered! These delicious and highly nutritious, highly assimilable greens are great anytime and can be purchased at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Enjoy Farmacy Greens with water or juice. We suggest that if you use juice to use ½ water and ½ juice. White grape juice or apple juice would be the best choices. Also, for optimum results, allow greens to sit in liquid for several minutes before drinking. Ingredients such as Spinach, Spirulina, Chlorella, Dulse, Kelp, Beet Root, Barley Grass and more go to make this gloriously green beverage a must for the health minded.

Hook up with spinach or Farmacy Greens for great health benefits.

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

PLANT A TREE

2006-04-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

When I was a child we had this great maple on our front lawn and I would jump up and grab the lowest branch with my hands then swing my feet around the branch and pull myself up so I was sitting comfortably on the limb. Afterwards, I would rise to my feet and start my ascend. I would climb, climb, climb, climb, climb until the branches were too thin for my childhood frame and there I would sit, in my favorite maple, for hours on end.

What an incredibly peaceful feeling I had in my tree. I was safe in "my" tree. I'd sit on a high, high branch and observe the beauty of the world around me. I'd soak in hours of fresh air that so many kids of today simply have no desire for.

I played in my tree for years until one day my father decided that the lowest branch was hanging too far out over our driveway. He came out with his saw. A long red-handled tree saw. I stood there numb as I watched him decide exactly where to make his cut. First he place the saw on the branch very close to the driveway. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then in a quick change of heart he started sawing the branch off at the trunk. I wanted to yell, "Dad, Stop!" but I couldn't find the words in time. It was too late. The saw had begun it's destruction of my haven. The other branches were just too high for me to reach from the ground. It was at that moment that I lost the ability to climb my favorite tree.

For a while I felt misplaced. I wandered around my yard searching for alternatives. I found one small, interesting looking tree in my back yard with a branch that bent over to the right. I could sit on that branch which overlooked the river but it wasn't the type I could climb, climb, climb, climb, climb, like my favorite maple. Sometimes I sat on that bent branch but it just didn't feel the same. That little tree was too far from the security of my home and it felt dark and second rate to my glorious maple.

I never did find another tree quite like my favorite tree. But I'll keep searching and when I find it you'll know by looking straight up to find me high about the rooftops.

In the meantime, I'll continue to support the PLANT A TREE USA organization whose goal is to plant 18 billion trees to help counter the effects of global warming (see Special Report - Global Warming, New York Times Magazine, April 3, 2006) and ensure kids of the future have trees to climb!

Plant a Tree in Honor or in Memory of a special person in your life (or maybe in honor of a special tree like mine). It's a GREAT Mother's Day Gift.

For more information follow the link below.
http://www.plantatreeusa.com/individual/?promopin=ICFKIDS

Hook Up With Health
hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

What Exactly Does the Term ORGANIC Food Mean?

2006-04-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

When it comes to food more and more people are selecting products labeled as ORGANIC. I wonder, how many people really know what they're getting?

First, let's take a look at what the term ORGANIC means?

To most of us the term ORGANIC implies no use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizer, antibiotics, and hormone. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

So what exactly is ORGANIC?

The Webster Dictionary definition states:

1. Of or having to do with a bodily organ.
2. Inhernet; inborn
3. Systematically arranged
4. Designating or of any chemical compound containing carbon
5. Of, like, or derived from living organisms

Next, let's take a peek at our governments view.

The pureness of ORGANIC products vary. The actual amount of organic matter within the product varies by the ORGANIC phrasing found on the product label.

When a product states it's "Made with ORGANIC ingredients" this statement guarentees that ONLY 70% of the ingredients are ORGANIC.

If a product is labeled 100% ORGANIC you can be more confident that you are getting a fully ORGANIC product.

But what about the rest of the products labeled ORGANIC? Here's an eye opener... Our government requires ORGANIC products to have "at least" 95% of the ingredients produced organically. That means the remaining 5% might contain pesticides - LEGALLY. Just think about it, you can be eating a bowl of ORGANIC cereal and 5% of that product may have been grown with pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. That's probably not what you had in mind when you purchased the cereal.

At Whole Food Farmacy we have a different philosophy on ORGANIC products. We actually prefer to use the term "ORGONIC". "ORGONIC" means life energy and without question our Wholefood Farmacy food products are snacks and meals you can enjoy with peace of mind. All of our products are handcrafted with ingredients that are free from artificial and synthetic preservatives, synthetic additives, articial flavors, artificial colors and fragrances, synthetic chemicals, hydrogenated oils or trans fats and are GMO and animal cruelty free.

You'll really love our PHI PLUS... a high energy snack and food that contains 72 different healthful fruits, nuts, and berries.

Check out our line of good for you and great tasting products by visiting our website, www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

Your health depends upon it!

THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL "CONFIRMS" YOUR HEALTH IS AT RISK!

2006-04-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

Recent reports from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other agencies, confirm what most of us know from just going through the day. Americans are fat and getting fatter. Further studies have brought us to the conclusions that we’re not only fatter, we’re sicker as a result of being fatter. Some states are fatter than others, but NO STATE IN THE USA IS FIT. Scary!

Here's what U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Richard H Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS had to say...

“As a society, we can no longer afford to make poor health choices such as being physically inactive and eating an unhealthy diet; these choices have led to a tremendous obesity epidemic. As policy makers and health professionals, we must embrace small steps toward coordinated policy and environmental changes that will help make Americans live longer, better, healthier lives.”

Learn more about our health crisis by preview NEWS & EVENTS at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

We are a whole foods distributor with a philosophy to: 1) feed / nourish the body with what it wants, needs, recognizes, and knows how to utilize - and - 2) assist the body to cleanse / detoxify.

Our mission is to regain HEALTH and WELLNESS through great tasting whole foods products.

Check out our complete meal and snack replacements and self-care product line at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com.

PS. Our body butter, Sublime, smells incredible and works great too!