Medical updates from Dr. Marz / Tabor Hill Clinic

How to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods?

2010-04-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

How to avoid eating genetically modified foods?

People are amazed at the considerable evidence of health dangers of GM foods and the extent of the cover-up by industry and government. The first question people ask is how they can avoid eating GM foods. A more complete treatment of this topic is found in Seeds of Deception, in chapter 8.

By not eating GM foods, you not only protect yourself from the risks, you also contribute economic pressure on food manufacturers to remove GM ingredients. They won't wait for a large percentage of shoppers to switch to competitors' non-GMO alternatives. If they lose even a small percentage of their market share, food producers will likely source non-GMO ingredients to protect their sales.

Earlier print runs of the book have a mistake that I am happy to correct here. Organic foods are not allowed to contain GM ingredients. Although there are a percentage of non-organic ingredients allowed in foods labeled organic, even these non-organic ingredients are not allowed to contain GMOs. (Just as with the organic ingredients, however, there is no testing required and it is possible that some contamination may have occurred.)

There are three categories of genetically modified (GM) foods: crops, dairy products and meat, and enzymes and additives created from GM bacteria and fungus. Not everyone who conscientiously avoids GM foods chooses to be strict in all categories. I mention this so that the task does not seem so daunting or difficult. It's also a good idea to have a family member or a friend to make the change with you. The site www.truefoodnow.org offers an extensive list of foods by brand and category, indicating if they have GM ingredients.

If you take the step of going non-GMO, I encourage you to let the manufacturers of your “former” favorite foods know that you have stopped eating them until they confirm that they have removed GM ingredients. Only a small percentage of the population making this switch may do the trick to convince major manufacturers to go non-GMO. In fact, if one of the largest food manufacturers makes the switch, it might create a landslide of other companies also removing GMOs. This happened in England, where the all the major food manufacturers committed to remove GM ingredients in the same week, following the announcement by Unilever.

Crops:

Currently, the major genetically engineered crops are soy, cotton, canola, and corn. Other modified crops include some U.S. zucchini and yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya, and some tobacco. GM potatoes and tomatoes have been taken off the market.

Dairy and Meat

U.S. dairy products may contain milk from cows injected with rbGH. And both meat and dairy products usually come from animals that have eaten GM feed.

Enzymes, additives, sweeteners

Genetically modified bacteria and fungi are used in the production of enzymes, vitamins, food additives, flavorings and processing agents in thousands of foods on the grocery shelves as well as health supplements. Aspartame, the diet sweetener, is a product of genetic engineering.

Unlike many nations around the world, in the United States and Canada GM foods are not labeled. Avoiding them, therefore, is both a science and an art. Here are some techniques.

Vegetable Oil

Most generic vegetable oils and margarines used in restaurants and in processed foods in North America are made from soy, corn, canola, or cottonseed-the four major GM crops. Unless these oils specifically say “Non-GMO” or “Organic,” it is probably genetically modified. Non-GM substitute oils include olive, sunflower, safflower, butter (see dairy below), almond, and just about any other oil available.

Soy and Corn Derivatives

Most packaged foods contain soy and/or corn in some form: as soy flour, soy protein, soy lecithin, textured vegetable protein, corn meal, corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin, fructose, citric acid, lactic acid, and of course, soy or corn oil. To avoid them you'll have to check the list of ingredients. For each type of food, there is usually a brand that is non-GM. These are often found in health food stores, but there are also plenty in supermarkets-depending on the food. Mayonnaise, for example, which is traditionally made with soy oil, comes in both non-GM soy and safflower varieties.

According to Cornell University's website Genetically Engineered Organisms, Public Issues Project (GEO-PIE), only 3 to 5 percent of the sweet corn in the U.S. is GM, and it is very unlikely that popcorn or canned sweet corn are engineered.

Foods that may contain GM soy or corn derivatives or GM vegetable oil include: infant formula, salad dressing, bread, cereal, hamburgers and hotdogs, margarine, mayonnaise, crackers, cookies, chocolate, candy, fried food, chips, veggie burgers, meat substitutes, ice cream, frozen yogurt, tofu, tamari, soy sauce, soy cheese, tomato sauce, protein powder, baking powder, alcohol, vanilla, powdered sugar, peanut butter, enriched flour and pasta. Non-food items include cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoo, and bubble bath.

Fruit and Vegetables

More than 50 percent of papaya from Hawaii is genetically modified to resist a virus. Most U.S. papayas come from Brazil, Mexico, or the Caribbean, however, where there are no GM varieties. According to GEO-PIE, your chances of encountering a GM papaya “are highest in Hawaii or the continental west coast.” Some zucchini and yellow crookneck squash are also GM but they are not popular with farmers.

Honey

Honey can be produced from GM crops. For example, some Canadian honey comes from bees collecting nectar from canola. This has shut down exports of Canadian honey to Europe.

Wheat, rice, and salmon on the Horizon

A major food fight is in the works, as biotech companies are trying to introduce GM wheat, rice, and salmon. We will keep you informed of the developments, and let you know how you can take action to help prevent the introduction of these new GM varieties.

Dairy Products

About 22 percent of cows in the U.S. are injected with recombinant (genetically modified) bovine growth hormone (rbGH). Dairies generally collect their milk from many sources. In the U.S., if a dairy product is not labeled organic, non-GMO, or made without hormones, it is likely that a portion of the product came from cows that were injected with rbGH. You can always call or email the dairy to find out. Also, non-organic dairy farms typically use GM feed. No studies have been done on whether that affects the milk.

Meat and Eggs

Organic meat and eggs come from animals that have been raised without hormones and with feed that is non-GMO. So-called “natural” meat is usually free of hormones and antibiotics, but the animal may have been raised on GM feed. If you want to avoid this, you'll need to ask the producer.

GM Additives, Cooking Aids, Vitamins, and Enzymes

Genetic engineering is used in the production of many food additives, flavorings, vitamins, and processing aids, such as enzymes. According to the Non-GMO Source, “Such ingredients are used to improve the color, flavor, texture, and aroma of foods and to preserve, stabilize, and add nutrients to processed foods.”

Among vitamins, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is often made from corn, vitamin E is usually made from soy. Vitamins A, B2, B6, and B12 may be derived from GMOs as well. (In the first print run of Seeds of Deception, the book mistakenly indicated that folic acid was created from other GM vitamins. This is untrue, and we are not aware of any GM sources of folic acid.) In addition, vitamin D and vitamin K may have “carriers” derived from GM corn sources, such as starch, glucose, and maltodextrin. In addition to finding these vitamins in supplements, they are sometimes used to fortify foods. Organic foods, even if fortified with vitamins, are not allowed to use ingredients derived from GMOs.

Flavorings can also come from corn or other GM sources. For example, “hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), a commonly used flavor enhancer derived from corn and soy could be GMO,” says the Non-GMO Source. Vanillin can also be GM.

“Genetically engineered bacteria and fungi are routinely used as sources of enzymes for the manufacture of a wide variety of processed foods,” says GEO-PIE. The live organisms are not added to the foods themselves. Rather, they are grown in vats and produce large quantities of enzymes. The enzymes are removed, purified, and used in food production. Oftentimes, the enzymes get destroyed during the cooking process and are not present in the final product. As such, they are rarely listed on the label.

One common enzyme is called chymosin, which is used in the production of hard cheeses. In the past, it was taken from the stomach linings of calves (called rennet). Since the GM variety was introduced in 1990, more than 70 percent of U.S. cheeses now use this variety. It is not allowed in organic cheese. Xanthan gum is another product that may be derived from a GM process.

According to the Non-GMO Source, “Europe, which is known for sensitivity about GMOs, is more advanced in genetic engineering of enzymes and microorganisms. The newest GM food labeling laws proposed by the European Parliament call for labeling of food additives and colorings, but not processing aids such as enzymes.”

Avoiding GM additives is difficult, since the label will rarely list them. You can find a list of GM enzymes and their uses at www.seedsofdeception.com or in the book's appendix B.

Tobacco

The company Vector has a GMO tobacco being sold under the brand of QuestÂ® cigarettes in the U.S. It is engineered to produce low or no nicotine.

I offer some tips for eating non-GMO in restaurants, both in the book and at www.seedsofdeception.com

Thank you for your support and SAFE EATING.

Jeffrey M. Smith, author of “Seeds of Deception” and “Genetic Roulette”

The Dirty Dozen Foods to Avoid

2010-04-03T03:48:00.000-07:00

In keeping with Earth Day April and sustainability, I am presenting the "Dirty Dozen Foods" to avoid when traveling and can't find organic foods. We don't want to encourage eating local and organic foods just for your own health but also for the health of the planet. Omnivite Nutrition Inc supported "Earth Hour" in turning out all lights. Thank you to all those who participated. It is estimated that such a very small contribution resulted in saving thousands of dollars in electricity just for turning off lights for one hour. What is more is the symbolic nature and gesture where people are coming together as a planet to acknowledge that we must all participate in saving our species. Here is the text message that Omnivite Nutrition sent out to encourage people all over the world to participate in this healing gesture.

"Omnivite Nutrition Inc urges all people and businesses to participate in "Earth Hour" turning off all lights from between 8:30pm and 9:30pm Saturday night in support of saving our species."

“The dirty dozen foods”: what foods should be avoided unless grown organically. The following foods are listed in order of toxicity:

1) Peaches	7) cherries
2) Apples	8) Kale
3) Bell Peppers	9) Lettuce
4) Celery	10) grapes (imported)
5) nectarines	11) Carrots
6) strawberries	12) Pears

The Clean 15 produce with the least amount of pesticides in case you don’t have a choice but you want to be somewhat clean. These foods have relatively lower levels of herbicides and pesticide residues.

Onion	Asparagus	Papaya
Avocado	Sweet Peas	Watermelon
Sweet Corn	Kiwi	Broccoli
Pineapple	Cabbage	Tomato
Mango	Eggplant	Sweet Potato

Why Should You Care About Pesticides?

The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.

What’s the Difference?

EWG research has found that people who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.

Will Washing and Peeling Help?

Up to 20 different pesticides are used in the traditional production of the Dirty Dozen and contrary to popular belief, simply washing or peeling your fruits and vegetables doesn't guarantee elimination. The pesticides used are often absorbed into the plants, which allows them to bind to the fruits and vegetables, making it impossible to eliminate their presence. Nearly all the studies used to create these lists assume that people rinse or peel fresh produce. Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.

How Was This Guide Developed?

EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at our dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.

The Sustainability Trip from Marz

2010-03-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

Dear People out there,

Well I certainly have not done well keeping this blog. Partly is that I do not understand what this is yet. Anyway for those of you that have gone on this blog this is the first update in a long time. Since Earth Day is approaching and tonight is earth hour, I'm thinking that this is a good time to put something in. Last month was black history month and I did a talk via plane and bicycling (no cars) to the new Naturopathic school in Chicago. Enclosed is the short story of my trip.

The Sustainability Trip from Marz

In accordance with the Omnivite Nutrition Inc mission, I, Dr. Marz, am pursuing a fully car-less travel experience. When planning my most recent trip, my vision was to avoid one of the most toxic and environmentally unsound forces: the automobile.

The car is the most common cause of death to humans in the U.S. and other countries in people under the age of 25. The amount of pollution that cars are responsible for is quite unbelievable, when considering all of energy spent collecting oil from the earth and then burning of all that oil in car engines. Considering the wars that have been fought over this oil, furthermore, is simply mind-boggling. Automobiles further hurt the plant by contributing to global warming.

In The History of Oil (available online), Robert Newman explores the “other” cause of World War I. Mr. Newman, a historian and stand-up comic, presents the argument that the mission of WWI was to stop the Germans from gaining access to oil in the Middle East. I will later recommend a number of books and films pertinent to this issue, but one that begs to be mentioned right away is Who Killed the Electric Car? This film is a very interesting and head-scratching movie that explores the 1996 introduction of an amazing, fully electric car, and then exposes the political reasons that resulted in the vehicle being literally and figuratively scrapped.

My most recent trip started in Portland, Oregon on Thursday, February 11, 2010. I bicycled to the airport with my luggage, a task made possible because a folding bike by the name of Bike Friday. All of the gear that I needed was totally self-contained, including books, computer, movies, and educational materials, along with enough clothes to survive the cold and wind of Chicago in mid-February. After a 45-minute bike ride to Portland International Airport, I took my clothes out of the trailer that I was hauling in my Bike Friday, folded up my bike, and put it into the suitcase with the rest of my accoutrements. I checked my bike in the suitcase and took the rest of my things to the gate.

I chose to fly to Chicago non-stop, because air-travel is another major contributor to pollution and global warming: it has been calculated that a multi-stop flight uses almost 70% more energy than a non-stop flight of the same distance. A cross-country flight round-trip, furthermore, uses more energy than the average car uses in 6 months!

After arriving in Chicago O’Hare Airport, I unpacked my bicycle and placed all of my belongings back into the suitcase. A student met me at the airport on his bike. Together we rode back to the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois, where I would be giving an eight-hour seminar to about fifty medical students that weekend.

Biking from the airport in Chicago, I realized that the infrastructure of our country is not laid out to accommodate traveling large distances by bike. This is certainly done from a very conscious intention. For example, the passenger railway system laid out across the U.S. was systematically destroyed to make way for automobiles. The oil industry purchased much of the old railway tracks and put them out of commission to make way for the automobile. (There is no more apparent example of this than in the city of Los Angeles. Without a car you are dead in the water trying to get around.) Thus it was with biking from the airport: we were not expected to attempt the ride.

Our first trial of getting out of the Chicago O’Hare Airport was met with a police car patrolling the area, radioing to a tow truck that stopped us while we were biking out of the airport because, “It’s just not done.”

I have been doing triathlons and bike racing for almost 30 years and normally on a good day I can bike 25 miles in an hour, but it took us about three and half hours to travel about 25 miles in the freezing cold. We had taken our lives into our hands and we succeeded, but not without a price (mostly to our hands and feet). Arriving at my hotel near the university, I was met by the hotel staff, who were overcome with disbelief that I had actually biked from the airport.

The next day I biked over to the university to give a one-hour lecture. Again, I was greeted with awful traveling conditions, even though it was only about a mile to the school. None of the side roads went through, and the main roads had absolutely no shoulders. If there was anything at all it was covered in snow.

Saturday’s lecture went well. I presented my case on sustainability, pointing out that the manner in which we conduct our lives will cause the mass extinction of more than half of ALL of the species on earth within the next 75 years. This to me is just mind-boggling and heart breaking. (I refer you to the documentaries The 11^th Hour and The Call for Life: Facing Mass Extinction.)

Since February is also Black History Month in the U.S., I gave a presentation on Percy Julian, one of America’s greatest scientists. Percy Julian is considered to be the Jackie Robinson of the science world, as he overcame a tremendous amount of adversity and contributed to some of the greatest discoveries in hormone chemistry in our history. (Unfortunately, his discoveries also paved the way for pharmaceutical corporations who now dominate the American economic system.) This lecture will soon be partially available on my website, OmniviteNutriton.com. (I also recommend the film Percy Julian: The Forgotten Genius.)

To conclude my trip with a bang, I set foot on a train to go visit Percy Julian’s house. I was able to go right up to the house and get video taped by someone who stopped his car to tell me about his company that is involved in sustainability. He informed me that the house was actually on the market to be sold. It certainly looked vacant from what I could see. As I was about to ring the doorbell, a neighbor from across the street came by and chastised me for going up to the house and terrorizing Percy Julian’s daughter, threatening to call the police if I didn’t leave.

~~It would have been great if I could have interviewed Percy Julian’s daughter but as it turned out again,~~ My trip back to the airport took a lot longer than expected. I thought I had given myself more than enough time, but again the biking conditions were less than optimal, this time for other reasons. I took mainly side streets, biking through Chicago neighborhoods. I passed some interesting factories, such as Mars Inc, the famous candy manufacturer (whose gigantic plant seemed more like a military installation than a friendly candy factory). I thought I was pretty early, arriving at the airport about two hours before my flight, but there were no signs directing me to the airport terminal. I bicycled almost around the entire circumference of the airport trying to get in! ~~According to my GPS and my maps, there appeared to be access to the airport from the north.~~ My unexpected foray into an inability to find any signs directing me into the terminals was very frustrating.

After biking around the circumference of the airport for over and hour in the freezing cold and wind, I ran into a police car at a railroad crossing. When I asked him how to get into the airport, he literally could not tell me. He told me that I would somehow have to take the train into the airport terminals. How could it be possible that you cannot bike to the terminals? Finally, after asking several people, someone told me that I could go down this road that was lined with barbed wire fences and had absolutely no signs for several miles. How could there be an airport with no signs to the airport terminals?

I finally arrived at my terminal, about 30 minutes prior to the departure of my flight. I was told that it was too late for me to take my flight, but fortunately I was able to secure a seat on a next flight out. I now will get back to Portland after midnight, when the light rail will be closed for the night. Oh well, I might as well finish the trip on my bike!

Dr. Russell B. Marz

2009-09-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

What prescription drugs sell the most?

2008-06-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

At a recent seminar it was very interesting to see what pharmaceuticals sell the most in 2008:

1. LIPITOR - Treats: High cholesterol - Pfizer - $8.4 billion

2. ZOCOR - Treats: High cholesterol - Merck - $4.4 billion

3. NEXIUM - Treats: Heartburn - AstraZeneca - $4.4 billion

4. PREVACID - Treats: Heartburn - Abbott&Takeda - $3.8 billion

5. ADVAIR DISKUS - Treats: Asthma - GlaxoSmithKline - $3.6 billion

6. PLAVIX-Treats:Heart disease-Bristol-Myers Squibb -$3.5 billion

7. ZOLOFT - Treats: Depression - Pfizer - $3.1 billion

8. EPOGEN - Treats: Anemia - Amgen - $3.0 billion

9. PROCRIT - Treats: Anemia - Johnson & Johnson - $3.0 billion

10. ARANESP - Treats: Anemia - Amgen - $2.8 billion

1) Lipitor- to lower cholesterol (in women, eating fish once per week had greater effect than lipitor.
2) Zocor- studies have shown that cholesterol lowering drugs increase your risk of dying by suicide, homicide and by violent accident 3x.
3) Nexium- people who develop stomach ulcers most often actually have decreased acid secretion.
4) Prevacid- Maybe NOT eating ones favorite food would stop the heartburn!
5) Advair diskus- perhaps we should clean up the air we breathe!
6) Plavix
7) Zoloft- perhaps if everyone took Zoloft and Prosac we wouldn’t worry anymore about global warming!
8) Epogen, procrit and aranesp- how could a country that eats so much be so anemic!?

Iron will kill you (or save you...)

2008-05-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Why you should get your tissue levels of iron checked?

IRON DEFICIENCY

Most people, when they think of iron, they think of how it is important for making red blood cells and preventing anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition whereby your ability to make hemoglobin becomes diminished and red blood cells (RBC’s) lose their ability to hold oxygen. This inability to hold oxygen and distribute it to all your tissues in your body is what doctors call “being anemic”. Anemia is the decreased ability to carry oxygen to your tissues with the resultant wide array of symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, headaches, cold intolerance, restless legs, poor memory, lack of ability to concentrate, depression just to name a few.

Numerous biochemical reactions in the body require iron and a deficiency in the tissues of the body is possible without actually being anemic. In fact, many symptoms described above to anemia may be more linked to low tissue iron levels.

IRON OVERLOAD

Iron Overload- also known as “hemochromatosis” is a disease where the body stores excessive amounts of iron in the tissues (“iron overload”). It is the most common inherited genetic defect to afflict humans. The abnormal gene that causes hemochromatosis is present in about 10% of the human population! There are little or no symptoms of iron overload in the early stages, but if left untreated people may eventually experience chronic infections, local inflammatory conditions such as bursitis, arthritis, tendonitis, fatigue and dizziness. As symptoms progress, early heart disease, diabetes, sterility, impotence, abnormal menstrual cycles, hepatitis and cancers may also develop.

Measuring iron levels in your tissues?

Years ago iron levels in the tissues could only be checked by doing a bone biopsy, a rather painful and unpleasant experience to say the least. Scientists have discovered a much simpler and easier way to determine tissue levels of iron by measuring ferritin, TIBC and % transferrin saturation in the blood. These can be measured, very simply and inexpensively, in the blood, with results coming back in as little as 24-48 hours. For as little as $20.00 to $50.00 your complete tissue levels of iron can be checked.

More information concerning iron:

Hemochromatosis (iron storage disease) & silent killer: easily diagnosed & treated

It has been known for many years that many people tend to store iron in their tissues in excessive amounts in a condition known as hemochromatosis. It is believed that this hereditary disease was actually very helpful for survival. In Paleolithic times, because iron was in short supply in our diet, people who could store their iron more efficiently had a better chance of survival. They were less likely to become anemic (fatigued and exhausted), thus succumbing to other hostile humans or wild animals.

Why don’t more people get tested for this condition?

Most physicians are not aware that some of these conditions may be related to iron overload and do not practice the art of preventive medicine. Here at the Tabor Hill Clinic we are very aware of screening for common conditions that may affect your health. We routinely screen all of our patients for hemochromatosis by checking ferritin and % transferrin saturation. We also look much closer at what is “an ideal level” of iron and as a result we have a much tighter range that we consider as “normal”.

What to do if high levels of iron are found? There are a number of therapeutic options to consider depending upon the progression of the condition and how high your iron levels are. Mildly elevated levels can be conservatively treated by just avoiding sources of iron such as supplements, cooking in cast iron pans, foods high in iron, and high levels of vitamin C with meals, which can greatly increase absorption of iron.

Higher levels of iron may require periodic blood donation, oral or intravenous chelation, depending upon the individual case, always remembering that most reference ranges are set way too high. For more information go to www.americanhs.org.

What to do if low tissue levels of iron are found?

Increasing foods high in iron, especially those that have better absorbed iron, is the first line of treatment. Supplements (there are many different ones), oral, IM or IV may be used in more advanced conditions. Please make sure that at some point you get your ferritin and % transferrin levels checked when getting your blood analyzed. Contact our office if you have any further questions.

Dr. Russell B. Marz