Let Food Be Your Medicine

According to a new report published in Diabetes Care, a journal published by the American Diabetes Association, people who ate a low-fat vegan diet, cutting out all meat and dairy, lowered their blood sugar more and lost more weight than people on a standard American Diabetes Association diet.

Participants say the vegan diet was easier to follow than most because they did not measure portions or count calories. Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine, which helped conduct the study said, "I hope this study will rekindle interest in using diet changes first, rather than prescription drugs." After 22 weeks on the diet, 43 percent of those on the vegan diet and 26 percent of those on the standard diet were either able to stop taking some of their drugs such as insulin or glucose-control medications, or were able to lower the doses. In other words, food really can be your medicine.

The vegan dieters lost 14 pounds on average while the diabetes association dieters lost 6.8 pounds. An important level of glucose control called A1c fell by 1.23 points in the vegan group and by 0.38 in the group on the standard diet. A1c gives a measure of how well-controlled blood sugar has been over the preceding three months.

Small changes made now can make a BIG difference later, when it comes to educating your children and teaching them to steer clear of type-2 diabetes. If healthy foods are ALWAYS handy, then it's EASY for you and your kids to make healthy choices. Whether you like sweet, spicy, chewy, crunchy, hot or cold - we've got a delicious and nutritious whole food treat waiting for you! Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here

Diets Don't Work

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, examining 31 weight-loss studies found that long-term dieting doesn't keep the pounds off. While people can lose weight initially, many relapse and regain the weight they shed. The findings confirm what many scientists have been saying all along: Losing weight is easy. Keeping it off is another story. "If dieting worked, there would be a bunch of skinny people walking around," said obesity researcher Dr. David Katz, head of Yale University's Prevention Research Center. Since the 1970s, the ranks of overweight and obese Americans have risen with two-thirds of adults in that category. Obesity raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

If you're tired of diets that don't work, let The Whole food Farmacy offer you a pathway to the one and only true solution - a new healthy lifestyle! Our 7 & 13 day programs such as The Tri-Decathlon Delux, New You Resolution Pantry and Liquithon offer you a way to reset your body's nutritional system back to "original manufacturer's specifications" and to make a fresh start.

Can you imagine craving water, fruits and veggies the same way that you now crave sodas, junk food and fast food? Can you imagine feeling completely full and satisfied with half the amount of food it takes to do that for you now? That's what The Wholefood Farmacy's 13 day programs are all about. These wonderful programs can be your "on-ramp" to a new and healthier lifestyle - and that is the only true and permanent solution.

Would you like more information? If so, please call our 24 hour recorded information line at 620-294-1381. This recorded call offers complete information, details, instructions and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Whole Foods & Male Fertility

At a recent American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting, new research revealed that eating more whole food fruits and veggies can help men boost their fertility. These new findings indicate that the more produce a man consumes, the healthier his sperm will be. In a study group of infertile men, 83 percent of them were found to be eating less than five servings of fruits and veggies a day. Overall, the men who ate the fewest whole food fruits and veggies had the lowest sperm motility.

"We think that sperm quality is affected by dietary antioxidant intake," said study author Dr. Vivian Lewis, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. "Antioxidants, like those found in whole food fruits and vegetables, may help prevent damage to sperm that causes them to become sluggish and lose the ability to fertilize an egg".

In particular, the antioxidants glutathione and cryptoxanthin, which are prevalent in brightly colored produce such as leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers and oranges, were associated with strong, healthy sperm, Lewis said. She recommended that men hoping to father children eat "a variety of fruits and vegetables, at least five servings a day." With The Wholefood Farmacy, getting your 5 a day has never been easier.

The modern day researches continue to confirm what the ancients knew. Focus on giving your body what it needs - it knows how to do the rest.Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here

An Apple A Day

"An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away" - The latest scientific research shows that this old nursery rhyme is more fact than fiction.

WHOLE-BODY HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLES

The disease-fighting profile of apples provides a multitude of whole food health benefits, including a potential decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Several recent studies suggest apples may provide a "whole-body" health benefit which include Lower blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma.

A number of components in apples, most notably fiber and phytonutrients have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and improve bowel function, and may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. Preliminary research from Finland indicates diets with the highest intake of apple phytonutrients were associated with a 46 percent reduction in the incidence of lung cancer.

Findings indicate that two apples a day or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice reduced the damaging effects of the "bad" LDL cholesterol. (Interpoma 2002 Conference, Bolzano , Italy / Dianne Hyson, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., University of California-Davis )

CANCER PREVENTION

Over the past four years, apple consumption has been linked with reduced cancer risk in several studies. A 2001 Mayo Clinic study indicated that quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples, helps prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. A Cornell University study indicated phytochemicals in the skin of an apple inhibited the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43 percent. The National Cancer Institute has reported that foods containing flavonoids like those found in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50 percent. (Carcinogenesis March, 2001 / Nature June, 2000 /Journal of the National Cancer Institute January, 2000)

HEALTHY LUNGS

Two recent British studies indicated that eating apples can improve lung health. A study of Welsh men indicated that people who ate at least five apples per week experience better lung function. Researchers at the University of Nottingham reported that those who ate five apples per week also had a lower risk for respiratory disease. In the Netherlands at the University of Groningen , apples were singled out as a fruit that could cut smokers' risk of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in half. Scientists believe antioxidants found in apples may ward off disease by countering oxygen's damaging effects on the body. (American Thoracic Society Meeting May, 2001 - Thorax January, 2000)

HEART DISEASE & STROKE PREVENTION

A Finnish study published in 1996 showed that people who eat a diet rich in flavonoids have a lower incidence of heart disease. Other studies indicate that flavonoids may help prevent strokes. (The British Medical Journal 1996)

WEIGHT LOSS

Apples are a delicious source of dietary fiber, and dietary fiber helps aid digestion and promotes weight loss. A medium apple contains about five grams of fiber, more than most cereals. Also, apples contain almost zero fat and cholesterol, so they are a delicious snack and dessert whole food that's good for you.

UC-DAVIS: APPLES ARE HEART-HEALTHY

Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm.

You can find Apples in your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus and DetoxiPhi.

The Amazing Sunflower Kernel

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.

Fruit and Vegetable Intake

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 live whole foods and different fruits and vegetables that you eat.

Some basic fruit and vegetable tips:

1. Try to eat more fruits and vegetables. If you need 2,000 calories a day to maintain your weight and health, aim for at least nine servings (4½ cups) a day.
2. Choose a variety of different fruits and vegetables. It's easy to get into a rut when it comes to the food you eat. Break out and try a wider variety - include dark-green, leafy vegetables; yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables; cooked tomatoes; and citrus fruits.
3. If you have a fast paced lifestyle that prevents you from getting your daily requirements of whole food fruits and vegetables, there is a new convenient way to supplement with whole food nutrition. Visit www.best-whole-food-nutrition.com for more info.