Elegant Survival

Pom Wonderful, an Amazingly Health-Promoting Juice

FROM NATURAL NEWS.com:

...polyphenols in pomegranates aid in muscle recovery, improve cardiovascular health, prevent prostate cancer, treat diabetes and improve erectile function. Pomegranate juice is also low on the glycemic index scale, is highly bioavailable and is rich in powerful antioxidants. Other independent and academic studies have illustrated the same benefits, as well as that pomegranates improve digestion, reduce the risk of breast cancer, decrease inflammation and improve brain health and memory.

A friend of mine who works in health-care sent me the following message, and I would like to share it here at Elegant Survival, with some minor editing. Though the article may have been written a few years ago, it is still relevant in 2012.

SWEET POISON...a MUST-READ WARNING about DIET SODA and ASPARTAME

In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick. She had stomach-spasms and was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain.  By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications. The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her. She was in so much pain, and so sick she just knew she was dying.  She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter's name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of.  She also wanted her last "hooray", so she planned a trip to Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for on March 22nd.  On March 19th  I called  to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn't find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.  I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda. She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment.  I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! I e-mailed her an article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle-spasms went away. She said she didn't feel 100% but, she sure felt a lot better.  She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home.  Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind. In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in diet soda.. and literally dying a slow and miserable death.  When she got to Florida on March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete recovery. And she is walking.  No wheelchair! This article on Aspartame saved her life.

If it says 'SUGAR FREE' on the label, DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT INGESTING IT!

I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on 'ASPARTAME,' marketed as  Nutra Sweet, Equal, and Spoonful.

In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant. I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.

I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: when the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus.

Many people were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!

Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers.

The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its use, enhancing the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition. We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptomatic, once taken off diet sodas.

In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We've seen many cases where vision loss returned and hearing loss improved markedly.

This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia. During a lecture I said, "If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs, cramps,  vertigo, dizziness, headaches,  tinnitus, joint pain, inexplicable depression, anxiety attacks,slurred speech, blurred vision or memory loss, you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!"

People were jumping up during the lecture saying, "I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?"

Yes! 

STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on food labels! Many products are sweetened with it. This is a serious problem. Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to ahospice; a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence.

Diet soda is NOT a diet product. It is a chemically-altered, high-sodium and ASPARTAME-containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates.

"Diet Soda" is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!

These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve tissue specimens.

Many products we use every day contain this chemical, but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our bodies!

Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of these so-called diet products, and with no significant increase in exercise, his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period.

Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics. We found that some physicians, who believed that they had patients with retinopathy found that their symptoms may have been caused by Aspartame. Aspartame elevates  blood sugar. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for proper balance.

Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain, causing various levels of brain damage, seizures, depression, manic depression, panic-attacks, uncontrollable anger and rage.

Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as well. Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turn-arounds in their behavior when these chemicals were removed from their diets.

So called "behavior-modification prescription drugs" (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place!

Most of these children were being 'poisoned' on a daily basis with the very foods that were "better for them than sugar".

It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome.

Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken by the mother at the time of conception and during early pregnancy. Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners.

There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grandmal seizures and other neurological disturbances talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.

Herein lies the problem: there were Congressional hearings when Aspartame was included in 100 different products and strong objection was made concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent ones, and still nothing has been done.The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.

Sadly, MONSANTO'S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a 'piece of the Aspartame pie".

I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is.

And isn't it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians?

This corrupt activity has been exposed in the New York Times. These organizations cannot criticize any additives or reveal their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products.

Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants.    The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms.  The bill was killed.

It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you're informed now!

Please print this out and/or e-mail it to your family and friends.

~~Author Unknown~~

An Elegant, Nutritious Drink for Winter Health: M-J's Vegetable Smoothie Buttermilk, lemon juice, raw broccoli, celery, jalapeño pepper, and cucumber blended together make an excellent breakfast tonic. ©M-J de Mesterton

The Irony Is So Thick, You Can Cut It with a Knife!--M-J

A food product that has been considered "health-enhancing" is potentially dangerous in its many forms. It is found in baked good, snack-foods, oils, "milks", canned drinks for senior citizens, and even pills. Soy, especially the unfermented type that is popular with vegetarians and Asian cuisine aficionados like me (Szechuan-style tofu being one of my old favourite dishes), has some qualities that are hazardous to human health. And not all of these dodgy properties are born of genetic-modification (soybeans are notorious as a GMO crop). Some are inherent in the plant itself. Potential victims of soy are men, women, unborn babies, and the elderly. Adults and children alike should consider a delicious, nutritious alternative to soy milk: almond milk, to augment their daily protein intake.

In this article, Dr. Joseph Mercola explains why, and offers some alternative ideas to ingesting this industrial crop, a large portion of which has been genetically modified and is believed to be a cause of hormonal imbalances as well as several types of cancer.

©M-J de Mesterton 2011

Nutritious Almond Products, Healthy Alternatives to Soy-Based Foods

Blue Diamond Growers of Sacramento, California have produced some delicious new low-carb, gluten-free crackers and a line of almond milks that are very low-carbohydrate and dairy-free.

Read about Boosting Your Immunity to Disease Naturally, Instead of Following the Expedient Advice of an Untrustworthy Entity that May Be Supported by the Pharmaceutical Industry

Dr. Joseph Mercola writes:

"Ultimately it is the state of your immune system that determines whether or not you will get sick from being exposed to viral or bacterial organisms associated with infectious diseases like the flu.

The key to boosting your immune system, then, and making it a "lean, mean, disease-fighting machine" lies in your lifestyle habits -- healthy food, stress relief, exercise, sleep, and safe exposure to sunlight, among other things. Artificially manipulating your immune system with a vaccine to try to stay healthy is not the same thing, nor does it produce the same kind of immunity and sought-after, disease-fighting result. It may actually make you less healthy in the long run.

Since numerous studies show that vitamin D boosts immunity, particularly vitamin D3, the first thing you want to do is make sure you maintain your vitamin D levels at 50-70 ng/ml year-round. The only way you can be sure of what your levels are is to be tested. For an in-depth explanation of everything you need to know before you get tested, please read my latest updates in Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D Deficiency.

While a supplement is OK, the best way to get your vitamin D is with safe exposure to sunshine, or by using a safe tanning bed (one with electronic ballasts rather than magnetic ballasts, to avoid unnecessary exposure to EMF fields). Other things that you can do include eating healthy, avoiding sugars and artificial sweeteners, exercising, and getting enough sleep. I address these issues in my free nutrition plan.  My free one-hour vitamin D lecture can help you."

Other supplements that can be used as an adjunct to healthy dietary and lifestyle measures are listed in Dr. Mercola's article on avoiding flu without dangerous vaccines.

READ DR. MERCOLA'S FULL ARTICLE

Photo Copyright M-J de Mesterton 2008

Eat fruit sparingly. Dr. Mercola has published a chart showing the varying degrees of fructose in fruits. I'm happy to report that cranberries are low in this sort of sugar (there are many cranberry juices that are produced without added sugar). Many processed foods are laced with high-fructose corn syrup  or contain added fructose. Read the following report by Dr. Mercola  for more information:

Article on the Dangers of Fructose, by Dr. Joseph Mercola

A large hemorrhage-control bandage for application to gaping wounds has been developed by the Israeli Army. These are survival tools that everyone should have in their bug-out bags and first aid kits.

©M-J de Mesterton

I keep some coconut oil in porcelain bowls with lids, one on the vanity and another at bedside, to renew dry skin and heal cracks. I have found that it is better than bag-balm (used on livestock originally) and other crack-creams that have been popular lately, and coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is a human-friendly germicide. Coconut oil will liquefy in temperatures over 76° Fahrenheit. To read more about the health-benefits of this pleasant-smelling, good-tasting natural substance, please see The Properties of Coconut Oil.

©M-J de Mesterton 2011

Uses for Hydrogen Peroxide

Toothbrush-Safety Soak your toothbrush in 3% hydrogen peroxide between brushings to kill bacteria

Shower Keep a spray bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide in the shower for spraying walls and floors of the shower, to kill bacteria bugs and viruses.

Dishwashing Add 2 ounces (or more) of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the regular washing formula to safely reduce the transmission of colds and diseases.

Cleaning Meats Use salt and 3% hydrogen peroxide in chilled water for washing fish, chicken or other meats to kill bacteria and viruses before cooking.

Cleaning Vegetables Add salt in addition to 1/4 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide to a sink full of cold water. Wash vegetables thoroughly, rinse with cold water and drain. This process prolongs freshness.

Leftover Green Salad Spray with a solution of 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Drain, cover and refrigerate. Eliminates use of chemical preservatives.

Kitchen Keep a spray bottle of 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide in the kitchen. Use this liquid to wipe off counter tops and appliances. It will disinfect and give the kitchen a clean, fresh smell. Use for cleaning refrigerators and lunch boxes.

Humidifiers Use 1 pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water. This helps to keep them clean and germ-free.

Laundry Add 8 ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide to your wash instead of chlorine bleach.

Pets For small animals (dogs and cats), use 1 ounce 3% hydrogen peroxide to 1 quart water for their drinking water and bath.

House-Plants Put 1 ounce 3% hydrogen peroxide in a quart water., then feed or mist plants with this solution.

Sprouting Safety Add 1 ounce 3% hydrogen peroxide to one pint of water and soak the seeds overnight. Add the same amount of hydrogen peroxide each time you rinse the seeds.

Article on Bedbug Plague in Sweden

Yerba Mate is a tea-like beverage that is commonly consumed in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil as a healthful alternative to coffee. This traditional infusion is brewed from the dried leaves of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis), a native plant of subtropical Latin America.

YERBA MATE HAS THE FOLLOWING KNOWN THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS:

1.- SUSTAINS YOUR ENERGY LEVELS. 2.- INDUCES MENTAL CLARITY. 3.- PROVIDES ANTIOXIDANTS. 4.- BOOSTS IMMUNE SYSTEM. 5.- IMPROVES DIGESTION. 6.- RELIEVES STRESS. 7.- AIDS WEIGHT-LOSS.8.- CLEANSES THE COLON. 9.- INCREASES LONGEVITY.

See a wide range of Yerba Mate products on Amazon.com.

After reading this article, I'm wondering why anyone still flies, unless they absolutely must. There are high-tech ways of holding business meetings and visiting with loved ones. "Being There" ain't the end-all, be-all, after all! Reject the perverted tyranny that poses as "security" and find alternate means of transportation until this inane window-dressing stops. And imagine how small your carbon-footprint will be....

"But oh, oh, oh, who's got the last laugh now?"--the old standard song asks. The listeria outbreak generated by poorly-washed cantaloupe melons reminds me of something egregious that I brought to the attention of the Health Department at Princeton in the late 1990s, which they flippantly laughed-off and ridiculed. Yet, people are now dying from that very sort of carelessness and ignorance. I wrote about the experience in 2007 on this website's Elegant Cuisine page:

Don't buy prepared foods at the supermarket. Instead of spending a lot on dubiously produced dishes, you are better off spending twenty minutes cooking, and will be in control of what goes into your dishes, as well as of its quality and cleanliness. Many expensive restaurants get demerits from their respective municipal health departments. Some of them are shut down for infractions. Cooks at restaurants are often carriers of hepatitis and other ills. Roaches, mice, rats and flies get into the food supply in restaurants, and carry disease. Imagine, then, the food-preparation area in the back room of a supermarket, with various non-professional employees having a hand (perhaps dirty hands) in making your food. I once bought half a watermelon from a fancy supermarket in Princeton, New Jersey. When I got it home, I noticed that they had carelessly cut it in half while it had a coating of dirt and no doubt manure on its outside--their knife must have gone right through that hazardous material, causing the interior of the melon to be contaminated. I had to return the offending item to that store, and talk to a callous store manager. His lack of proper response brought me to the health department at Princeton Borough Hall, where I was met with more complacency. No one cares what goes into your food like you do. Think of how infrequently supermarkets are inspected. Protect yourself and save money by buying your own ingredients, preferably from factories with standards.

The officials are recommending care in washing produce to prevent listeria and other food-borne infections. To prevent catching a disease (or two) from fresh fruits and vegetables, do not buy them pre-cut or halved at the market. Take them home whole, and scrub them with vinegar or anti-bacterial soap until you see no vestige of dirt on their outsides before cutting into them. 

©M-J de Mesterton

http://www.cedarcidestore.com/catalog/item/3580888/8477049.htm

Healing Crystals: How Natural Stones Can Support Wellness,

by Patricia Deneen. 

M-J says: I have been painting stones, rocks and crystals since 1972. They are powerful, calming and healing pieces of earth; stones are the quintessential "elegant survival" objects. 

Below: M-J de Mesterton at her 2007 painting show in Santa Fe,New Mexico

M-J's Bread-Making Blog Entry

Grandpa Brands Company Presents: Pure, Hypo-Allergenic Soaps 

I use the Very Feminine Kirk's Castile (see below);

He Uses this Magically Earthy Grandpa's Pine Tar  

Since 1839, Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap has given the consumer a high quality, all natural soap at an affordable price. Current national market research ranks Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap as the top selling all-natural bar soap.

"Castile" originally referred to the highly-prized vegetable based soap produced in Castile, Spain. For centuries this soap was considered "the soap of royalty" because of its luxurious lather and gentleness to the skin. Today, "Castile" refers to any vegetable based soap.

Why ALL-Natural?

- No Animal By-Products

- Never Tested on Animals

- Hypoallergenic

- Biodegradable

- No Synthetic Detergents

Dr. Mercola discusses the beneficial influence of Vitamin D on cancer, diabetes, and auto-immune diseases in this new article.