Although it is quite true that symptoms resulting from excessive salt intake include high blood pressure and cardiac problems, the problem lies more is in the refinement process of the salt itself than in amount you take in. Just like sugar and white flour, table salt has been highly processed and stripped of the vital minerals that were once there in salt’s original form.

It’s that time of year again – and I’m not referring to Christmas. The opportunity to get a flu shot is everywhere you look. In fact not getting a flu shot could be considered stubborn behavior.

Last summer, “U.S. News & World Report” published an article saying that the FDA has recommended lowering the maximum dose of over-the-counter acetaminophen — the key ingredient in Tylenol. But wait… isn’t Tylenol the medication “doctors trust most”? The report found that severe liver damage and even death can result from a “lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen can cause such injury.”

The United States has the most expensive health care system in the world, yet in terms of morbidity and mortality rates, we rank 39th in the world. Among the facts contributing to this miserable statistic — thousands of people die each year due to potentially preventable in-hospital errors, and infections such as MRSA (a virulent type of staph infection) are rampant in hospitals

One of America’s favorite ways to prepare food – summertime, or not, is ‘on the grill.’ Nothing tastes better than steak or chicken that has been cooked on an open flame. However, the reality is, that anytime you cook meat at high temperatures, you create some nasty chemicals — HCA’s (heterocyclic amines,) PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,) and AGE’s (advanced glycation end products.) Still thinking of grilling the perfect steak?

Although it weighs only 1.5 oz and secretes only about a teaspoon of thyroid hormone in the course of a year, your thyroid gland is responsible for driving the metabolic rate of every one of the trillions of cells in your body — 24/7. Even slight variations in its functioning can have significant effects on how you feel.

The story of soy and how went it from a relatively obscure, seldom eaten food to a mainstream $6.6 billion a year industry and growing is a curious one. In 1913 soy was listed in the USDA’s handbook not as a food but as an industrial by-product. Originally planted in the US extensively in order to extract the soybean oil — which eventually replaced the far healthier tropical oils — the by-product of the process was a massive amount of soy protein.

The main difference between a monosaturated fat and a polyunsaturated fat is in their molecular structure. Mono fats are linked by one molecular bond; polys are linked by many. Multiple bonds are highly unstable, and contribute to oxidative stress and free radical damage, the precursors to most chronic disease.

John Erb, a research assistant at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, made a disturbing discovery while reviewing scientific journals for a book that he was writing on the health risks posed by various food additives. In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese rats and mice for diet or diabetes studies by injecting them with MSG.

In December 2004, “The British Medical Journal” published a fascinating article concerning what researchers called the “Polymeal” — an ideal meal, that, if consumed daily, would significantly reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. After a significant amount of research, they came up with a theoretical meal that would reduce cardiovascular disease by 75% — not a pill in the world can achieve that! The ingredients of this Polymeal? Wine, fish, nuts, fruits, vegetables and chocolate!

Except for salt and a handful of synthetic chemical food additives, most every item in the supermarket is a link in a food chain that starts with a plant, animal or creature from the sea. In the produce aisle, and even the fish and meat department, it is easy to trace the genesis of the food presented for purchase. Not so with processed food. The industrial food chain that now feeds most of us most of the time, either at a supermarket or in a restaurant, inevitably leads to the American Corn Belt.

Deciding to eat healthy, nutritious and truly natural food is one of the best things you can do for your quality of life. Decision made, you would think determining the quality of the food you eat would be a fairly straightforward process. No so — the facts about nutrition and eggs are yet another example of what I’ve come to call ‘a food myth.’

Just when I thought I’d examined the greater portion of the products I use to better and maintain my health, I realized I had never asked myself this question – about a substance I’ve been using twice a day for over 35 years. I’ve certainly asked such questions about nearly everything else I put in my mouth. How had I managed to skip over this one? Although I gave up fluoride containing toothpaste a few years ago, I had never stopped to ask “What’s in toothpaste?” Little did I know about the other ingredients in toothpaste — ingredients that actually contribute to dental problems!

With all of the advances in modern medicine, we have become increasingly less able, and willing, to listen and honor the wisdom of our own bodies — the natural healing doctor within. In our quest to feel better, we’ve traded patience and our natural ability to heal for the fast acting symptom relief of medications. The fact is, this choice may actually be working against us.

There are still many who believe that choosing margarine over butter is better for your health. You may be unpleasantly surprised to discover that margarine is a highly processed trans fat that can triple your risk of heart disease; increase your risk of cancer; lower the quality of breast milk; decrease immunity to disease; and decrease your response to insulin.

America has a sugar problem, and it is growing larger every day. Did you know that it is estimated that one out of every four people either has diabetes or is in a pre-diabetic condition? In 1801, historians estimated that sugar consumption per person was about 8.4 lbs of sugar a year, translating to about 2.2 teaspoons a day. Current consumption has skyrocketed to about 170 lbs. a year, or about a cup a day!

Look closely at the eyes of anyone ‘glued to the TV,’ and you may see zombie eyes or a spaced out expression. TV is made to grab out attention and keep it there. Everyone knows that watching TV feels relaxing. It shuts out the rest of our crazy world and allows us to retreat somewhere else. But did you know that your brain waves are actually altered when you watch TV?

We all grew up reading “The Little Train That Could.” We are familiar with Henry Ford’s famous quote, “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right!” We all know that without the “I Can’ts” that show up so frequently in our minds, ready to knock us off the path to getting what we want, our lives would be very different indeed.

In 2002, The Journal of the American Medical Association released a recommendation that all adults should take a multivitamin each day in addition to eating a healthy diet. But there is evidence that suggests that merely adding a one-a-day tablet may not be the best way to ensure proper nutrition.

In a study by the University of Texas and the Center for Adult Diseases in Japan, Coenzyme Q10, CoQ10 for short, was shown to lower high blood pressure without drugs or dietary changes. Promising research is being done to show efficacy in reducing mortality in experimental animals afflicted with tumors and leukemia. In Japan, CoQ10 is widely used by more than 12 million people for heart disease; high blood pressure; and to strengthen the immune system.

Vitamin D is finally starting to get the attention it deserves. Vitamin D is essential to your health and has the ability to keep you well protected from a wide range of maladies. It has even been said that the H1N1 virus is just another name for Vitamin D Deficiency.

Have you noticed the size of green peppers these days? As a matter of fact, when you walk through the produce aisle you may be impressed with how the fruits and vegetables appear shiny, colorful and larger than life. But did you know that unless you specifically purchase food labeled organic most of the food in the produce aisle (and other aisles as well) has been genetically modified?

Even traditionally trained M.D.’s have come to acknowledge that everyone needs to take a vitamin supplement. Eating a perfect diet that consists of organic, wholesome food is not the way the average American eats. And even if your diet consists primarily of fruits and vegetables, our soil has become so depleted of minerals and nutrients that much of their nutritional value is lost. While we do indeed need to supplement, walking into a health food store can be both overwhelming and expensive.

Lecithin is a naturally occurring lipid produced by the liver and is integral to your health. Lecithin plays a vital role in almost all biological processes including breathing, energy production and nerve transmission. The word lecithin is derived from the Greek word “lekithos” which means “egg yolk,” particularly apt nomenclature as the egg is considered a symbol of life, strength and fertility.

We all know that eating processed food laden with chemicals such as MSG and sugar can contribute to weight gain. And fast food, huge portions and sedentary lifestyles are all likely to put on pounds. In addition, stress releases excess Cortisol –a hormone integral to health in the proper amount, but responsible for increases in abdominal fat given too much. But did you know that one of the biggest contributors to obesity is rarely if ever mentioned – let alone discussed?