Do you know what natural means when defined in food and supplements? Natural is undefined by the Food and Drug Administration, (FDA). There are no regulations policing the term 'natural' and there are no standardized guidelines in the Unite States and Europe. This causes conflict for the consumer due to the lack of proper definition of natural. The FDA allows natural to be on a label if it has no added colors, artificial flavors or synthetic substances, which leaves a large gray area that isn't covered. "Arsenic is natural, but I am sure you wouldn't want that in your cereal? " What is a consumer to do until mandating stricter policies for the use of the term 'Natural' is enforced? The consumer must read the back of the package carefully under ingredients and make their own decisions of what they consider 'natural.' Educate yourself what high fructose corn syrup really means in your diet and how this ingredient contributes to obesity. To get further information on these subjects click on the links below.
(2004). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Consumption of high fructose corn syrup in beverages may play in the role epidemic obesity. Vol. 79, no. 4, 537-543, April, 2004. Retrieved February 14, 2011,
from http://www.ajcn.org/content/79/4/537.full?ijkey=3a74469113059287563c0dbc3f9b874276f46666
(2009). University Of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University & Case Western Reserve University. What a 'All Natural" food Claim Really Means. Retrieved February 14, 2011, fromWhat an 'All Natural' Food Claim <i>Really</i> Means
(2008). Food & Beverage Development of North America. How natural is 'natural.' EU edition.
Retrieved February 14, 2011, fromHow natural is 'natural'?(2004). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Consumption of high fructose corn syrup in beverages may play in the role epidemic obesity. Vol. 79, no. 4, 537-543, April, 2004. Retrieved February 14, 2011,
from http://www.ajcn.org/content/79/4/537.full?ijkey=3a74469113059287563c0dbc3f9b874276f46666
(2009). University Of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University & Case Western Reserve University. What a 'All Natural" food Claim Really Means. Retrieved February 14, 2011, fromWhat an 'All Natural' Food Claim <i>Really</i> Means
Unfortunately s,o the FDA only loosely regulates what are considered "natural" food and beverage products. It is important to understand that "natural health products" by definition does not make them safe or without side-effects.
ReplyDeleteA classical example is the herbal stimulant "ephedra," which has led to a few professional athletes' demise.
Possible Side Effects of Ephedra
ReplyDelete* nausea
* headache; dizziness
* irritation of the stomach; diarrhea
* anxiety; psychosis
* kidney stones
* tremors
* dry mouth
* irregular or rapid heart rhythms; heart damage
* high blood pressure
* restlessness; nervousness; sleeping problems
* decreased appetite
* flushing; sweating
* increased urination
Use of ephedra has also been associated with stroke, seizures, psychosis and death.
The risk of side effects and adverse effects appears to be greater in people with preexisting conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure; heart rate disorders; thyroid disease; hypoglycemia; glaucoma; anxiety; glaucoma; pheochromocytoma; diabetes; kidney disease or kidney stones; mental illness or a history of mental illness; enlarged prostate; cerebral insufficiency and a history of seizures, stroke, or transient ischemic attacks. People with these health conditions should avoid ephedra. People with allergies to ephedra, ephedrine, or pseudoephedrine should also avoid ephedra.
Ephedra is believed to increase the risk of heat stroke, because it increases metabolism and impairs the body's ability to lose heat.
Ephedra shouldn't be taken two weeks before or after surgery. It shouldn't be used by pregnant or nursing women or children. People with anorexia nervosa or bulimia should avoid ephedra because it affects appetite.
By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide
Updated January 31, 2008
Insight into what makes a man tick! This link from a previously written posted blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.empowher.com/healthy-eating/content/why-your-mans-mood-can-change-so-easily
Just copy and paste in your URL
(continuation of posted blog above)
ReplyDeleteIn my professional experience the overwhelming factors that drive a parent to have the procedure performed in the hospital are: 1) "I want my son to look like his father," 2) religious affiliation 3) to save the child from having the circumcision performed at another time (pediatrician's office).
I must admit that my own personal philosophy on the wisdom of circumcision, as a surgeon myself, have transitioned over the years. This modification in my logic stems from not only access to unbiased publications but also from my own inner thinking about the wisdom of the procedure. I must state affirmatively that this change in my thought process does not stem from anecdotal experiences from patients complaining as adults or certainly even from that pool of patients who had circumcision performed as adults and were disenchanted with their sexual experiences thereafter. This is stated as such simply, because, after 33 years of surgical experience I would be very hard-pressed to recall a single occasion that a patient complained to me that he was unhappy after he had made the decision to be "cut." This also includes patients who were circumcised at birth and I consult with in my adult clinic. I have never heard voiced from these patients that they have a concern over their sexual experiences after "comparing notes" with their uncircumcised friend.
I want to state also, in contradiction to previous posts, that I see many female partners of my patients. Never once in over thirty-three years of surgery have I heard even a single complaint that, compared to other partners historically, that they admit a level of diminished sexual fulfillment now with their "cut" sexual partner.
The rationale, as I have stated in much earlier blogs on this site to perform circumsion as an adult are: Failure after repeated conservative attempts to rectify phimosis (very tight entrapment of the preputial skin over the penile head), chronic lacerations (cuts of the foreskin) after sexual activity hampering the pleasure of the experience, and most commonly inability to maintain proper hygienic care of the tight foreskin due to inability to retract and or administer proper cleansing of the penis, resulting in chronic infection which requires multiple return visits to the MD or health care practitioner, and/or frequent circulation of this infection to their sexual partner(s) which sets up an ever-ending vicious cycle of disease. It is not uncommon for a gynecologist to recommend to the partner of their patient to seek a surgical opinion after multiple attempts at ameliorating the condition fails with conservative treatment.
Finally, the wisdom of propagating religious myths re: need for circumcision I believe is slowly changing to the conservative side.
I must also admit that my comments are not universally shared nor represent the majority of health care providers, but represent those of my opinion.
February 23, 2011 - 6:02am