Welcome to the Rethinking Cance Newsletter #29
H. Gilbert Welch, M.D. has written extensively about the questionable value of routine screenings for the diseases of our times — cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc. Too often, he has found, these tests can lead to misdiagnosis and unnecessary invasive, costly treatments, not to mention significant stress. He echoes these sentiments in a recent NY Times Op-ed, entitled “If You Feel Okay, Maybe You Are Okay,” which is well worth reading. You might also take a look at our review of his excellent book, Should I Be Tested for Cancer?
And if you’re really feeling strong (and preferably not in the act of eating), take a look at this videowhich shows actual footage inside the stomach comparing the digestion of processed foods (Gatorade, Top Ramen, and gummy bears) vs. whole (hibiscus drink, homemade broth with noodles and gummy bears made of juice). What happens to the contents is strikingly different, possibly because, as the narrator puts it, “Top Ramen is made to survive Armageddon, while homemade noodles are made to be eaten.”
On the brighter side of things: two of our books, Detoxification by Ruth Sackman and Triumph Over Cancer — My Recipes for Recovery by Doris Sokosh, are now available on iTunes for download! All ebook platforms are now listed on our Donate page.
To your health!
Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy (F.A.C.T.)
P.S. Your Donations Matter! Thanks so much for your continued support. As always, we look forward to staying in touch on Twitter and Facebook.
Calcium and Your Thyroid
by Ruth Sackman
Magazines, television, radio, all contain advertising touting the great importance of adequate calcium intake, along with the calcium supplements they want us to buy. Yes, we need calcium, but do we need it in a tablet made from some inedible source, such as, chalk, eggshells, dolomite, or any chemical (carbonate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, phosphate) combination that is not synergistically sound? If it is not synergistically sound, it will not be metabolized competently by the body’s system; it is just wasted or worse. Read More
The Amazing Human Machine
If you happen to be an adult of about average weight, here’s what you do in 24 hours:
Your heart beats 103,689 times.
Your blood travels 168,000,000 miles.
You breathe 23,040 times.
You inhale 438 cubic feet of air.
You eat 3¼ pounds of food.
You drink 2.9 pounds of liquids.
You perspire 1.43 pints.
You give off heat 85.6 degrees F.
You turn in your sleep 25-35 times.
You speak 4,800 words.
You move 750 major muscles.
Your nails grow .000046 inch.
Your hair grows .01714 inch.
You exercise 7,000,000 brain cells.
It pays to take care of the machine.
USED PARTS ARE HARD TO COME BY!
Spice of the Month: Nutmeg
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), a nut-like pit or seed, got its English name from Latin nux, meaning nut, and muscat, musky. From the 14th-18th centuries, nutmeg was at the center of the bloody spice wars as the Dutch, Portuguese, French, and English fought over the “spice islands,” the Moluccas in Indonesia, until the English realized they could grow nutmeg trees on their own turf — the Caribbean. Today the Moluccas and Grenada are the largest world suppliers.
Nutmeg has a taste unlike any other in the world. Its intense, musky-sweet flavor comes frommyristicin, a volatile oil also found in plants (carrots, celery, parsley), but most abundantly in nutmeg. Today, this oil and other compounds in the spice are the subject of much scientific research, thus far showing promise in pain relief, lowering cholesterol, improving memory and sexual desire, relieving anxiety, indigestion, even reducing wrinkles.
Nutmeg also has a reputation, now confirmed by animal studies, as an inexpensive narcotic (“a cheap high” ). However, to feel any effect one would have to consume a heck of a lot: about 2 ounces, an impossible amount to eat in normal food where a teaspoon suffices for a whole cheesecake — which is probably why we never hear of drug enforcement raids on spice cabinets! It’s also why experimentation is a very bad idea — there are more than a few cases of fatal nutmeg poisoning in people who did! Read More
Cheesy Brussels Sprouts*
- 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, stem end removed, cut in halves
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Steam Brussels sprouts until crisp-tender (about 5-7 minutes).
- In a shallow baking dish, combine cooked sprouts and chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle or grate nutmeg over and top with the grated cheese.
- Broil in the oven for a few minutes, just until cheese melts.
- Remove to a serving dish. Makes 4 servings.
*Thanks to Doris Sokosh for this recipe from her book, Triumph Over Cancer — My Recipes for Recovery.
