Cup O' Calories--Teenagers (& Adults!) Are Drinking Their Way to Obesity

(This article was originally written for a teenage magazine that subsequently went out of business.  It is protected by copyright laws.  Please obtain permission before use. To share on the web, please add a hyperlink back to this page.  Thank you.)


Once she got her driver’s license, Kristi loved stopping at her local coffee shop on the way to high school.  Not only was it delicious, but it made her feel a little more grown up.  At school, Kristi visited the vending machine to get a soda before lunch.  On the way home, she stopped and got herself another latte.


Without realizing it, Kristi added more than 700 calories to her daily diet.  Experts report that eating an extra 500 calories per day will cause a weight gain of one pound per week.  If Kristi continues these habits for one school year, she could be 36 pounds heavier for summer.


Teenage obesity statistics are on the rise.  Nearly 16 percent of all teens are reported to be overweight.  Another 15 percent were considered at-risk for becoming overweight.  These numbers have tripled since 1980.  This kind of trend requires a sincere look at our teens’ dietary habits.  


If your teen (or yourself!) may be getting too many liquid calories, here are some important steps to take to protect them from future health problems:


Cut Out ALL Soft Drinks


A study from the University of Texas Health Science Center showed that a person’s risk of becoming overweight by drinking only half a can of soda each day rose by 26 percent.  Surprisingly, that risk jumped 10 percent to 36.5 percent for those drinking diet soft drinks.  


This study found that diet soda increased a person’s risk for becoming obese just as much as, if not more than, drinking regular soft drinks.  This risk of becoming overweight rose to a staggering 47 percent or more for people consuming more than two cans of soda each day.  


While sodas are a difficult thing for teens to avoid, these drinks aren’t doing them any good.  A study published in 2006 found that when parents replaced sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda, with non-caloric drinks in the home, teenagers cut consumption of those high-calorie drinks by more than 80 percent. From this, it’s easy to see the importance of starting this change at home.


Steer Away from Gourmet Coffee


A cup of regular medium brewed coffee has a mere ten calories and zero grams of sugar.  Replace that with a medium café latte and you’ll get an extra 250 calories and 19 grams (or 5 tsp) of sugar.  It should come as no surprise, then, that college gourmet coffee drinkers averaged a weight gain of about 20 pounds per year.  This study by Simmons College in Boston, MA, analyzed the gourmet coffee consumption of 165 women attending their college.  


These researchers found that the gourmet coffee drinkers had a 206 calorie increase in a typical day and a 32 gram-higher sugar intake than non-gourmet coffee drinkers.  This extra sugar and caffeine consumption can also stimulate these drinker’s appetites, leading to even higher calorie consumption.


If your teenager likes to have a morning cup of joe, brew a pot of coffee at home.  Chances are, the cream and sugar they add at home will still make their morning cup have less calories and sugar than their local coffee shop’s selection.  Also consider using unrefined natural sweeteners, such as honey or stevia.  


Don’t replace the sugar with an artificial sugar marketed to have zero calories.  These products carry their own risks.  Not only are they linked to neurological problems like seizures, brain tumors, and Parkinson's disease, but studies have proven them to make a person just as likely to become obese as sugary drinks, if not more!


Stay away from bottled coffee “creamers” at all costs as well.  These contain hydrogenated oils, otherwise known as trans fats, as well as large amounts of sugar, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.


Find Healthy Alternatives


Of course, water is the best liquid drink for us.  And coffee can cause our bodies to lose more hydration than it takes in, resulting in mineral loss and nutrient deficiencies.


But it can be hard to convince a teenager to drink a bottle of water over a bottle of soda or even juice.  Other drinks like fruit smoothies, the yogurt drink kefir, and natural teas with a touch of unrefined sweetener are great alternatives.  


While smoothies and flavored kefirs contain calories, they also contain fiber and/or other digestive benefits, reducing the negative impact of those calories.  


Because obesity brings with it many lifetime health problems, it’s important to get a firm grasp of it before our kids become adults.  Support your teenager by changing your sugary-drink habits alongside them.  Resist the temptation to veer towards the drive-thru line at the coffee shop and encourage them towards a healthy lifestyle.

Taking the Unpopular Route

In his book, The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn shares a story:

"I know a single man who came to Christ in his twenties, read the Scriptures, and got so excited that he decided to sell his house and give the money to God.  But when he shared this plan with older believers in his Bible-study group, something tragic happened: They talked him out of it."

Have you ever had a fellow brother or sister in Christ talk you out of something that God put on your heart to do? Or at least try to talk you out of it?  Or maybe you've been the one to talk someone out of doing something radical for God.  Did you "talk some sense into them?!"


I've been on both sides of this one.  In America, we preach the theology of "balance." Well-meaning friends tell other friends who are on fire for the Lord to "find balance" or warn them not to get too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good.  (FYI for those who have said that to me: I take that one as a compliment!)


Somewhere along the way, we forgot about abandoning our crosses and took up the practice of comfort.  We don't want to be unpopular.  We don't want to look extreme.  We find ourselves living off the praises of others.  And it's so deep in our society that it's really hard to get away from!  It really is!


But we are called for so much more!  Jesus Christ gave it ALL for us--let's do the same for Him!

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

I know some of you beautiful women and wonderful men in Christ reading this have sought to wholeheartedly seek after the Lord.  And it doesn't just include your health and dietary lifestyle.  It includes your family, your money, and more.  I'm writing this post for you, because it takes a lot of encouragement to do this in America today!


As you may be finding out, when you submit your dietary lifestyle to the Lord, you lose a lot of popularity.  You get a lot of slack.  You may even get nasty emails like I do.


When Lysa TerKeurst, author of Made to Crave and President of Proverbs 31 Ministries, announced to a crowd during a Q & A session that she was growing closer to God by cutting out sugar, this is what happened:

"The women in the audience gasped when I said I'm in a season of sacrificing sugar.  It wasn't two seconds later that a conference attendee grabbed the audience microphone and blurted out,

'Well, if Jesus called Himself the bread of life, I can't see how sugar and processed carbs are bad at all!'

The audience erupted with laughter.  

I forced a smile but felt smaller than an ant.  No, I take that back.  Smaller than a wart on the end of an ant's nose.  And that's pretty small.  

They didn't get it."

TerKeurst adds later:

"While making the intentional choice to deny myself unhealthy food options probably isn't the most popular route to growing closer to God, it is a route nonetheless.  A thrilling, hard, practical, courageous spiritual journey with great physical benefits."

Maybe I should put a disclaimer on my Facebook health page:

Warning: Choosing to submit your dietary habits to the Lord will make you the product of ridicule, insults, and possibly hatred.  Proceed only if you are serving an audience of One.

People do not want to hear that their food choices are the reason for their failing health.  It's hard to hear that we are addicted to certain foods.  It's hard to face the fact that our cravings are for food more than God.  It's a hard message to deliver, and it's a hard one to receive!


If God has put this message on your heart and you have found yourself with a passion for helping others in this area, I'm going to share a few things with you that I've learned along the way:


1.  We can't change someone's heart.  We know this, but it can be hard to accept, especially when we see someone's health failing and they don't want to make changes!  If you offer information out to someone, don't do it unless you can handle getting the door slammed in your face.  Be prudent in the way you offer out information.  Seek the Lord's direction constantly on this one!  And pray for others often, including those who respond with bitterness.


2.  Remember: You don't always have to answer someone's question.  Sometimes, questions are posed the way the Pharisees asked Jesus about paying taxes.  They're what my husband calls "loaded" questions--they're not asked in an effort to seek out an earnest answer.  They're asked in an effort to catch you like a trap.  Be on your guard for these. . .


3.  Constantly seek God.  What people who don't become radically different for God don't realize is that being like this causes a person to have to be constantly dependent on God's guidance.  When we go completely against the grain, thoughts that make us question our position cause us to seek after the Lord all the time.  Because let's face it--when we're doing the same thing as everyone else and we don't get any criticism, we aren't likely to question our position.


4.  Be encouraging.  Some people get defensive because they feel it is such an enormous battle to take on.  Some people have unsuccessfully tried and their failure is still too raw.  Be a messenger of hope.  Preach the power of Christ to help us in our battles!  Strive to keep a good balance of encouragement and facts.  (Yeah--I'm working on this too!)


5.  Finally--remember who your audience is.  Don't look for praises from others.  Don't focus on the numbers on the scale.  Just be obedient to God.  And remember that Jesus promised a hundredfold in blessings for those who give things up for Him.  Think of it as a really awesome investment package!


I hope I've offered you encouragement and courage to share this message of freedom---freedom from the bonds of food addictions and cravings.  We were ALL made for more!

Would Bad Things Be Allowed In Our Foods?!

One of the questions I get asked very often is, "The government wouldn't allow bad things to be put in our food, would they?  Isn't that what the FDA is for?!"


I think this is a very fair question!  After all, isn't that what the original purpose of a government was?!  So let's clear up this elephant in the room once and for all.  I'll start with the words of former FDA commissioner Herbert Lay:

"The thing that bugs me is that people think the FDA is protecting them.  It isn't.  What the FDA is doing and what the public thinks it's doing are as different as night and day."

The simple fact that the government allows cigarettes, a proven cause of lung cancer, for legal sale in America should say more than enough about the government’s lack of consideration for the health of its citizens.  There is not a single health benefit or purpose that can come from cigarettes. 

To make matters worse, the same chemicals that got America charged with unethical war crimes during the Vietnam War are being sold to American people for use on their lawns.  The same chemically-treated green grass that children run barefoot through are treated with essentially the same chemicals used in Agent Orange.

I know, those aren't food items.  So how about some food examples?


Have you ever heard about cyclamate? This artificial sweetener was deemed GRAS (generally recognized as safe--the standard used by the FDA to either allow or disallow products into the market) in 1958.  It was marketed to diabetics as an alternative sweetener and also offered as a tabletop sweetener.  

Eight years later in 1966, a study revealed that this product could be chronically toxic.  Further studies in the following years proved that it contributed to or caused bladder cancer.  Consequently, it was taken off the market in 1969--11 years after it had been put into food and sold at grocery stores.


While the FDA eventually responded to those studies, this is not their normal way of operating.  For instance, hydrogenated oils are banned in other countries.  So is adding fluoride to drinking water.  And countries in Europe require that a special warning label be put on all foods containing artificial food dyes.  The warning must state that it can cause hyperactivity in some children.  

Interestingly, all of these ingredients are allowed for use in food by the U.S. FDA.  (They are also some of the most toxic ingredients.)

And it doesn’t stop there.  The chemical sodium nitrites/nitrates is used in processed meats such as pepperoni, hot dogs, sausage, and lunchmeat.  Health Ranger Mike Adams says about this ingredient:

"Sodium nitrite is a dangerous, cancer-causing ingredient that has no place in the human food supply."

The USDA actually tried to ban sodium nitrite in the 1970's, but was preempted by the meat processing industry, which relies on the ingredient as a color fixer to make foods look more visually appealing. We now know a few things about this preservative:

• People who consumed the most processed meats (hot dogs and sausage) showed a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer over those who consumed little or no meat products.
• Leukemia also skyrockets by 700% following the consumption of hot dogs. (Preston-Martin, S. et al. "N-nitroso compounds and childhood brain tumors: A case-control study." Cancer Res. 1982; 42:5240-5.) 
• Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that eating only one serving a day of processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or processed deli meats, was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Pregnant mothers consuming nitrite meats increase their unborn child's chances of having brain tumors increasing with the rate of consumption. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8824361)

When study after study revealed the high risk of leukemia and other cancers this preservative causes, what did the government do? Did they require its removal from our food supply?  Unfortunately no.  A discovery was made in 1970 that the addition of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) helps inhibit the formation of nitrosamines--cancerous chemical compounds.  As a result, the government requires 550 ppm of ascorbic acid be put into foods containing sodium nitrites.  


So instead of requiring the cancerous ingredient to be removed, they simply required the addition of a vitamin to slow the cancer down.


But even those requirements are becoming lax.  Food manufacturers are also allowed to to use erythorbic acid, a cheaper version of ascorbic acid.  And for those food manufacturers who really care about their consumers health, they might also add vitamin E to further inhibit cancerous growth in consumers’ bodies as a result of eating their products. 


Without citing the statistics and studies regarding the dangers of other things like MSG's (which we're currently covering on our Facebook page), hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, etc., I think it's clear that horrible toxic chemicals are being allowed in our food supply. And in everything else. The government is fully aware of their dangers.  


Unfortunately, the government does not value the health of its citizens over their profits.  When we also learn how they ban successful natural cancer cures and treatments in this country, we see further evidence to that effect.


(For more information on the legal drugs in America and how they also destroy our health for the sake of profit, check out my post: 
http://healthyfamiliesforgod.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-medicine-we-trust.html)

"My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)

If pursuing knowledge about how to take care of our bodies doesn't appeal to us, then we can go on trusting the FDA.  We really aren't left with any other choices.


But I want to encourage you that it also isn't necessary to do endless hours of research.  We can simply strive to get our diets back to God's original plan outlined in Genesis 1:29:

Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

Buy things that are grown--as much as possible. If it comes in a box, bottle, jar, plastic container, can, or any other packaging, the nourishment you'll get from it is questionable. 


The more food we buy in packaging, the more we'll have to learn about ingredients.

If we really want chips, canned soups, and other processed foods, we will have to learn to study labels.  If all the nutrition is heated out of it, then it will hinder your health even without dangerous chemicals.  


However, if the food was recently alive, it will keep you alive and healthy.  You won't have to read the list of ingredients, because there won't be one!  Buy more produce.  Spend more of your money in the produce section and less in the middle aisles.  Shop farmer's markets.  And plant a garden!


And for those who are finding this journey overwhelming, be encouraged that we will spare our children from this overwhelming task if we get back to the traditional way of life and teach it to our children!  Traditional societies spent every day teaching their children how to catch and grow their food, and how to get the most nutrition out of it.  


For instance, did you know that traditional Native American tribes in Canada never got scurvy even though they only ate animal products? They taught each generation the importance of eating the moose's adrenal glands, which is one of the richest sources of vitamin C.  Without it, they would have all suffered from scurvy!  


These practices were taught and passed down.  It's time we get back to training our children this way, and then passing it down to each generation!


Stay tuned for our next topic when we address the other elephant in the room, "Since everything seems to cause cancer or some sort of disease, why even bother trying to change things?!" 

The Bread We ALL Need. . .

Everyone's dietary needs are different.  Some people stay healthy by avoiding grains.  Some people stay healthy by eating whole grains.  And some people have found health by remaining gluten-free.


But there's a bread we ALL need. . . the Word of God.  And many of us are not getting it as often as we're getting physical food.

A while back, I made it a practice to try and read my Bible while eating each meal.  I used to confine my bible-reading time to mornings and evenings.  But then something in Matthew chapter 4 really stood out to me.  When Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and had no food to eat, Satan tempted him by telling him to turn stones into bread for food.  I love the Lord’s response.  “

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

That must have been hard.  When the preceding verse said he had gone 40 days without food and “he was hungry,” I think we’ve found the understatement of the century.  But Jesus stayed strong and put God first.





I also read a book, "Ten Peas in a Pod."  This was definitely one of the most inspiring books I've ever read.  It's about a large family who traveled the country in their car(s) back in the 50's sharing their love for the Word of God.  They read scripture day and night, as they were driving and as they were eating.  And their children knew it so well!


The Bible reminds us how important it is for us and our children to know God's word:

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

Knowing God's word gives us and our children a sword to stand strong against temptation and impending sin.  If we don't know God's word, we might not even know we're on the wrong path!  Or that the wrong path is just a step away. . .

Personally, I don't trust myself.  I know I am not immune to that temptation and the wrong path.  I NEED God's word constantly to keep me from straying.  But with five kids and a husband who has to work two full-time jobs, getting spiritual bread with my physical bread can be very difficult.  Many times, I don’t even get to sit down and eat.  I’m often rocking the baby back and forth while getting a bite in here or there.  Or one of the kids needs me to scoop up seconds for them.  Another usually has to go to the bathroom in the middle of every dinner!


But as often as we can, my husband and I try to use this time for spiritual bread.  I’ve noticed that when I keep my eye open for these opportunities, more of them come up.  Sometimes, I’ll try and eat before the kids come to the table so that I can read scripture to them while they’re eating.  (It goes better when their mouths are full of food!)

This habit will look different for every family.  For instance, our family reads the Proverbs corresponding to the day of the month with breakfast.  (Did you know there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, one for each day of the month?! Although we usually skip over the ones dealing with adultery when the little ones are around. . . )





With lunch, we are reading through the New Testament.  With dinner, we are currently reading through the Miller's books.  The first one, "Missionary Stories with the Millers," was so good that we have read it twice!  Now we're on to "Wisdom and the Millers."





Of course, this is much easier to do with homeschooling.  But I know there are many creative parents out there who can come up with a great idea for their children that are in school outside of the home!

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

This practice provides many benefits in addition to giving us spiritual nourishment.  It also helps remind us to slow down and give time to focus on the Lord.  It keeps us from getting too busy.  It causes us to have meals as a family.  And as an extra bonus, it helps keep our eating habits accountable ;-)


Getting our daily bread is important.  Our bodies can’t live without food.  Without our spiritual bread, our spirits die.  And our spirits go on long after our earthly bodies die.

Do you have some good ideas on how you make sure you or your family get Living Bread with each meal?  Share your tips in the comments!  Many of us are always looking for more good ideas!  

When Faith & Sports Collide

Let me start off with my favorite saying: "I am the wretch the song refers to."  That's me.  Not because I was a teen mom, because I used to smoke and swear, or because I followed the ways of the world so obediently.  I AM the wretch now because my heart wants to keep serving itself.  In the words of the apostle Paul:

I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. (Romans 7:15)

I write this first because I want all of my readers to know that I post the things God has been tugging on my heart.  I write the things He's trying so hard to show me so that I can be conformed to His image.  I write these not as someone who has perfected these things but is struggling to sincerely follow Christ--not out of obligation, but out of gratitude for what He has done for me.  I write because every time I've let go of myself and followed Him in one area or another, it has been the most rewarding and joyful thing I have ever done.  I want more of that, and want everyone to have more of that too!


Consequently, I have made it my life's goal to lay down my will and accept the things God shows me to change, even the most difficult things.  I fail this goal often, especially when it comes to those big ones He shows me.  And to be quite honest, this is one of them.  So I thought I'd share this experience and some thoughts along the way that I've had when sports and faith collide.

8 years ago, God gave me this beautiful little baby girl.  After having two boys, we were more than thrilled to be buying pink clothes and hair ribbons.  Before her first birthday, she would show emotion and movement in response to music more than I had ever seen in a child. I quickly began dreaming of her becoming a beautiful, skilled ballerina.  I'm not talking little pink tutus and little girl dance classes; I'm talking Swan Lake ballets with her traveling the world.

So at age 3, I put her in a dance class.  She was the youngest girl in her class but more than kept up.  My heart beamed with pride.  I even cried--rather bawled--with joy and pride at her first recital.  My poor husband couldn't figure out why I was crying so hard.  


Shortly thereafter, I began searching for real ballet schools--not these little local dance groups.  I wanted her in classical ballet learning to dance to Tchaikovsky and other classical musicians' beautiful compositions. I discovered that at age 6, she could join a real ballet school.  How many days until she turned six? I counted them down. . .


But then something happened.  No, she didn't get permanently injured.  The Lord moved our family 750 miles away.  Not only that, but we began living with very, very tight finances.  My husband was working twice as hard for the same amount of money.  Work was sporadic and some weeks, we had to get food from the food shelf.  My daughter's sixth birthday quickly came and went.  


During this time, the Lord revealed so much to me.  Among them was the curse of sports for Christians.  Not that they are completely, wholeheartedly evil.  But that like sugar and Hollywood, they can quickly suck us into a cycle of addiction and draw our hearts away from our true mission.


Wanting to try and be so much more submissive to God than ever before, I started seeing things differently.  I began to take words to heart like these:

Servants don't fill up their time with other pursuits that could limit their availability.  They want to be ready to jump into service when called on.  Much like a soldier, a servant must be standing by for duty: 'No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him.' If you only serve when it's convenient for you, you're not a real servant.  Real servants do what's needed, even when it's inconvenient." (Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, quoting 2 Timothy 2:4)

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)

 I realized that driving around every day of the week for the boys' basketball games and the princess' dance classes was making me too busy to bring other families meals when they were sick.  Or to volunteer on Wednesday nights.  Or to invite people over for brunch after church on Sunday.  Or just to keep my schedule open for God's service.  And even when I still managed to do those things too, I was majorly burnt out.


I don't want to say to someone, "Sorry, I can't make it--the kids have a game."  I don't want to be too busy to show others around me God's love by being there when they need me.  I didn't want to live with stress headaches and fatigue from this vicious cycle.  


And I especially don't want my kids to grow up thinking this life is all about them.  I didn't want to be confined to drive-thru meals and no time leftover for devotions.  I want them to know that they are valuable because of who God has made them.  I want them to know that their identity is found in Christ and His mission for their lives.  And I want them to know that Christ is the only thing worth pursuing. Nothing else can fill that void.  


I noticed during that time that I was having a hard time receiving direction from God in our lives.  Unfortunately, I didn't make that connection until recently.  It seems it's much more difficult to receive guidance from God when we're following our own schedule and agenda.  (Duh--I know! Hang in there with me--I'm not always the sharpest knife in the drawer!)


Just to make things clear, I want to state that I haven't sworn off all sports, and I don't feel God is calling me to do so.  I signed my teenager up for a community ed archery class this winter.  I'd really like each of my children to eventually be in some sort of music lessons because I believe each child should have a musical skill with which they can worship God.  


Admittedly, I still strongly feel the pull to give my kids everything.  I still hear that little voice that says I'm making them miss out.  I occasionally flash back to those visions of my daughter as a successful ballet dancer traveling the globe.


But then God reminds me that I'm giving them so much more.  Each day, I remind them that they are here for God's purpose, not their own.  I tell them the words Catherine Booth, wife of General William Booth and co-founder of Salvation Army, told her children:

Now remember, you are not here in this world for yourselves.  You have been sent for God and for others.  The world is waiting for you.

I think the healthiest families for God are those who are focused on the main purpose of their lives.  They are the ones that are heavenly-minded.  It gives us joy, passion, and purpose for our time on this earth.  And then we will get to hear our Savior say,

Well done, good and faithful servant.

And that is going to be so worth it.  Besides, we'll get to play all the sports we want in heaven! 

How To Avoid The Flu Without A Flu Shot!

Do you ever hear those people who say, "We just don't get sick?"  Maybe you think to yourself, "Yeah right.  Everyone gets sick."  Maybe it makes you wonder if it's really possible.  Or maybe it's you!

Well, it IS possible to not get every flu and cold that comes your way!  You see, the common cold is only common because our toxic world has weakened our immune systems to the point where it can't even fight off the simplest virus.


People are dying from things like tooth infections, flu viruses, and even chickenpox.  Children today have strep throat and colds for the majority of their lives.  But these are all signs of a weakened immune system.  And an immune system that's this weak will eventually develop dangerous diseases like cancer.


We'll Just Get the Flu Shot
We all know (or should know) by now that the flu shot doesn't work.  I've heard so many people say, "I got the flu shot but still got the flu anyway."  That's because studies prove:

• 97% of those injected with the vaccine received no benefit (and no different outcome).
• Vaccination had...no effect on hospital admissions or complication rates.
• Vaccine use did not affect the number of people hospitalized or working days lost.

There was never an independent, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study proving either the safety or effectiveness of the H1N1 swine flu vaccines that were heavily pushed last year (and are in fact in this year's flu shot cocktail). No such study has ever been done. As a result, there is no rigorous scientific basis from which to sell such vaccines in the first place.http://www.naturalnews.com/029641_vaccines_junk_science.html

In children under the age of two, the efficacy of inactivated vaccine was similar to placebo. It was not possible to analyze the safety of vaccines from the studies due to the lack of standardization in the information given but very little information was found on the safety of inactivated vaccines, the most commonly used vaccine, in young children.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16437500

Influenza vaccination has been widely touted even though evidence of effectiveness is lacking. One large scientific review looked at 40 years' worth of influenza vaccine studies. It found that flu shots were ineffective for elderly persons living in the community, and flu shots were "non-significant against influenza" for elderly living in group homes. The authors of another major review "found no correlation between vaccine coverage and influenza-like-illness attack rate."http://www.doctoryourself.com/flushot.html

Additionally, an increase in febrile seizures has been linked to children receiving flu shots:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/12/alert--seizures-now-reported-in-kids-receiving-flu-vaccine.aspx 


So why inject yourself and your little ones with dangerous chemicals when it hasn't even been proven to be successful?!  You CAN build up your family's body's defenses without risk!


The first thing to remember is that at least 70% of our immune system is in our gut.  

Gut flora is a hugely important part of our human physiology. Recently research in Scandinavia has demonstrated that 90 percent of all cells and all genetic material in a human body is our own gut flora. We are just a shell… a habitat for this mass of microbes inside us. We ignore them at our own peril. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

The healthier your digestive system is, the better you can fight off viruses and even bacterial infections.  There are many things that cause this--particularly the overuse of prescription drugs, chemicals in food, etc.  McBride further states:

Many of these modern factors created a whole plethora of young ladies in our modern world who have quite deeply abnormal gut flora by the time they are ready to have their first child. This is the abnormal gut flora that they are passing through their children.

What to Avoid
While we know that there are thousands of things causing this, here are a few of the most easily avoided ones:


1.  Prescription and OTC drugs, especially antibioticsThey weaken the immune system immensely by destroying beneficial gut bacteria and are not needed for colds, ear infections, or even strep throat in most cases!  Studies are now discovering that the beneficial bacteria destroyed by antibiotics may never be fully regained.





After healing her son of autism, Dr. McBride explains what she now knows about the importance of healthy gut and how prescription drugs destroy that:

… I always collect health history from the mother, the father, and preferably even grandparents of the child. I find that we have a growing and a deepening epidemic of abnormalities in the gut flora, which began since Second World War when antibiotics were discovered. Every course of broad spectrum antibiotics wipes out the beneficial species of microbes in the gut, which leaves the pathogens in there uncontrolled.

She states further:

Every course of antibiotics tends to wipe out the beneficial bacteria and that gives a window of opportunity for the pathogens to proliferate, to grow uncontrolled, and to occupy new niches in your gut.

She states how birth control pills are another factor in weakened immune systems.

And then, at the age of 15, 16, these ladies were put on a contraceptive pill… [which] have a devastating effect on the gut flora.

OTC medications do the same thing. Research has clearly demonstrated that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and Aleve damage gut function. 


Remember--the less you take, the less you'll need.  And vice versa.

2.  Processed foods--Like antibiotics, food that comes in a tray, can, box, or drive-thru


When a person consumes too much processed, heated foods and not enough raw food foods, they will become deficient.  This is important information because without these enzymes, food enters the gut without being properly broken down.  This will then breed bad bacteria in the gut, especially without adequate dietary fiber.  (Watch for an upcoming post on the importance of enzymes, where I'll make the science behind this crucial factor simple and understandable.)  


So the combination of processed foods and lack of food raw consumption (with digestive enzymes intact) directly weaken the immune system.


3.  Vaccinations

It's been known for some time now that vaccinations destroy gut health. 

The MMR vaccine increases the permeability of the bowel, causing "leaky gut syndrome." Toxin-laden fecal matter is then allowed to escape the digestive tract and enter the bloodstream. Once in the blood, the toxins travel to the brain where they damage sensitive brain tissues leading to the development of autism. Dr. Wakefield also found that autistic children develop inflamed bowel nodules causing indigestion and liver damage from toxic overload.  His findings have been corroborated by Irish molecular biologist John O'Leary , who found measles virus in the gut of 96% of vaccinated autistic children and in 75% of children with Crohn's Disease.  http://www.vaclib.org/basic/mmr.htm

4.  Sugar
Sugar weakens a person's immune system in a variety of different ways.  Like processed foods, it feeds bad gut bacteria and causes it to flourish.  Studies have shown that consuming the amount of sugar equivalent to what's found in one soda can suppress a person's immune function for up to six hours after consumption.  


That "winter bug" that everyone catches at holiday parties is more likely due to weakened immune systems after the high sugar consumption!

Remember--this also includes sugars found in things like fruit juice (yes, they are "natural" but without the fiber from the fruit, they act just like regular sugar in your body) and artificial sweeteners.


What to Get
In addition to avoiding these immune-destroyers, there are a few things you can take to build up your immune health like Fort Knox:


1.  Probiotics--A must for a healthy gut and strong immune system.  Kefir made from raw milk is our family's favorite probiotic.  It's very inexpensive to make it homemade (about $0.75/quart) and retains all of its nutrients since it isn't heated like yogurt.  It also contains at least six times the amount of beneficial bacteria as yogurt.  Water kefir is a dairy-free option for those who want/need to stay away from dairy.


(A few articles on kefir's health benefits:



What’s Kefir and Why Do I Need It?
This article from Natural News details the importance of healthy bacteria, what can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut, the health problems an imbalance creates, and why kefir is so important.
http://www.naturalnews.com/024477_kefir_bacteria_probiotics.html


Probiotics’ Healing Power Impresses Researchers
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/11/probiotics-healing-power-impresses-researchers.aspx)


That being said, yogurt, however, is a good choice as well.  Unless it contains sugar, that is.  Buy unsweetened yogurt or kefir and add raw honey, pure maple syrup, or stevia and fresh fruit.  Acidophilus tablets are another good choice.  Whatever way you get it, be sure to get it every day!





2.  Breastfeeding
I know it's too late for some of us, but for those who are pregnant or planning a family, this is very crucial information.  It's become too politically incorrect in our society to boast about breastfeeding's amazing health benefits, but I don't care.  Study after study proves that it's just too important to overlook.  Some people are unable to breastfeed, but I encourage everyone who can to do so.  It will give their baby a lifelong leap of good immune health.  In the words of McBride:

Adding injury to insult is the significant decrease in breastfeeding. We now know that breastfed babies develop entirely different gut flora compared to bottle-fed babies. Infant formula never was, and never will be a healthy replacement to breast milk, for a number of reasons; altered gut flora being one of them.

…As a result, their digestive system—instead of being a source of nourishment for these children—becomes a major source of toxicity. These pathogenic microbes inside their digestive tract damage the integrity of the gut wall. So all sort of toxins and microbes flood into the bloodstream of the child, and get into the brain of the child. That usually happens in the second year of life in children who were breast fed because breastfeeding provides a protection against this abnormal gut flora.
So breastfeeding is crucial to protect these children."  Dr. Joseph Mercola

3.  Vitamins C & D

32 years ago, twice Nobel-Prize winner Linus Pauling reviewed the nutritional literature and determined that high doses of vitamin C reduce the frequency and shorten the severity of influenza. Orthomolecular (nutritional) physicians have repeatedly confirmed this. Robert F. Cathcart, MD, successfully treated thousands of viral-illness patients with massive doses of vitamin C. Vitamin D also increases resistance to influenza, as do the minerals selenium and zinc.

The important thing to remember about taking multivitamins, especially vitamin C, is that it's very difficult to consume a toxic dose of it. In fact, many researchers like Pauling have taken mega doses of Vitamin C every day of their lives. Our family takes 1 gram a day (or more some days). 

The measly amounts recommended by the FDA is not the amount to achieve good health--it is the amount necessary to prevent nutritional deficiency and disease. In the case of Vitamin C, that means their recommendation is the minimum needed to prevent scurvy.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers, which maintains the USA’s national database from 61 poison control centers, indicates that even including intentional and accidental misuse, the number of vitamin fatalities is less than one death per year.

Drugs, however, are an entirely different matter:

"Harmful reactions to some of the most widely used medicines — from insulin to a common antibiotic — sent more than 700,000 Americans to emergency rooms each year, landmark government research shows.” (Associated Press, Oct 17, 2006)

There are many ways to take vitamin C, but I do not recommend buying the flavored chewables since they have added sugar and sometimes artificial flavors and preservatives. Look for a powdered jar of ascorbic acid at your local natural foods store or online. Follow the recommendations on the label or on the chart below:

Vitamin C dosage chart:  http://www.doctoryourself.com/klenner_table.html

As far as Vitamin D goes, this is a very difficult one to give dosage recommendations for.  Here are Dr. Mercola's general guidelines:


VITAMIN D DOSE RECOMMENDATIONS








AGE               DOSAGE
Below 5          35 units per pound per day
Age 5 - 10      2500 units
Adults            5000 units
Pregnant Women 5000 units

WARNING:
There is no way to know if the above recommendations are correct. The ONLY way to know is to test your blood. You might need 4-5 times the amount recommended above. Ideally your blood level of 25 OH D should be 60ng/ml.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-deficiency-part-one.aspx

With good nutrition bolstered with supplemental vitamin and mineral intake, the human body's natural defenses are strengthened and can rapidly adapt to resist new flu strains.

Clinical evidence indicates that nutrition is more significant that vaccination. Malnutrition is far more dangerous than not getting vaccinated.

Andrew Saul, PhD, author of Doctor Yourself

So resist the urge to eat whatever you want and get a flu shot, thinking that will protect you.  Strengthen your body the way it was intended to be!  


And when you need antibiotics, don't forget to check out my post on the Creator's Natural Antibiotics:   http://healthyfamiliesforgod.blogspot.com/2011/03/creators-natural-antibiotics.html

Since colloidal silver is only mentioned briefly in that post but deserves more attention, here is some additional information on this wonderful product:


Colloidal Silver--The most powerful natural antibiotic


"Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics which destroy beneficial enzymes, Colloidal Silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact as they are radically different from the enzymes of primitive single-celled life."


"Unlike with antibiotics, resistant strains have never been known to develop. In fact, antibiotics are only effective against perhaps a dozen forms of bacteria and fungi, but never viruses. Because no known disease causing organism can live in the presence of even minute traces of the chemical element of metallic silver, colloidal silver is effective against more than 650 different disease causing pathogens."
http://www.familyhealthnews.com/articles-colloidal-silver.html


Colloidal silver can be found at your local natural foods store, in the natural foods section of larger grocery stores, and online.


Replace all those man-made drugs in your medicine cabinet with God's wonderful medicine, fill your refrigerator with His whole, health-giving foods, and see what a difference it makes in your family's lives!


Finally, having a strong immune system is not just for fighting off colds.  We live in a toxic world where everything that goes onto our lawns, into our mouths, on our ears (cellphones), and a hundred other things can cause cancer.  A Fort Knox immune system can prevent your body from being easily sickened and diseased from infections, allergies, and even cancer.  


In the words of Hippocrates, "Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food."