Q. Is it okay to consume a food based prenatal vitamin during pregnancy while adhering to the Weston A Price pregnancy diet? (I am thinking particularly of the first trimester when morning sickness can drastically cut down on how much and what one is willing to eat.)

A. I'd have to see the prenatal. We do not recommend pre natal vitamins because they contain synthetic vitamin A and the synthetic can cause birth defects. Better to continue with the cod liver oil. Eat lots of leafy greens for folic acid. Click here for our diet for pregnant women. By the way, raw milk is great for morning sickness.

Q. Can I drink kombucha during pregnancy?

A. If you are used to drinking kombucha, you can drink it while pregnant. It would be a good thing to drink 4 to 6 ounces with meals. However, if you have not drunk kombucha before, don't start while you are pregnant because occasionally someone has an adverse reaction and we don't want that to happen while you are pregnant. Don’t let kombucha be a substitute for your one quart of raw milk per day.

Q. I was told not to consume fermented foods and drinks or raw animal fish while pregnant.

A. Kefir is very safe for pregnant women, as is raw milk--we recommend 1 qt per day of raw milk for pregnant women.

As for kombucha, what I tell pregnant women is that if you have been drinking kombucha with no problem, it is fine and very healthy to drink it while pregnant. Occasionally someone has a bad reaction to kombucha and you would not want that to happen while pregnant, but if you have been drinking it all along, fine if you are pregnant.

As for sushi, that I would steer clear of while pregnant, because of the threat of parasites. But lacto-fermented fish would be fine.

See this link for diet for pregnant women.

http://www.westonaprice.org/children/dietformothers.html

The establishment also tells pregnant women that cod liver oil and liver are dangerous--yet these are very important to consume while pregnant.

Q. Is it okay to take a pea-sized frozen piece of cow's liver a day while pregnant? What is the age that one can start children on this?

A. This is a GREAT idea--even more than a pea-sized. An ounce or more a day is fine. One can start at age 4-6 months with children. Raw grated liver should be one of baby's first foods. But better to give the liver as food to children rather than pea sized bites as these might be difficult to swallow.

Liver-Based Infant Formula

Q. When making the liver-based formula, can I use chicken broth made with just the chicken or do I have to make it with vegetables and spices?

A. You can use just chicken or chicken bones.

Q. Should the chicken broth be made daily and should I only use organic chicken?

A. You can make a big batch of chicken broth and refrigerate or freeze. Organic chicken would be best, but you can use non organic if that is all you can find. You can also use the bones left from baked or broiled chicken.

Q. What is the shelf life of the formula? Do I have to prepare it daily?

A. Daily is better but you can make it every other day if you need it while traveling or if your baby only takes a small amount.

Q. I would like to supplement my breast milk with about 10 ounces a day. How do I figure the amount?

A. I would make up the full batch and give half each day.

Q. What type of liver should I use, lamb or chicken?

A. Either is fine.

Q. How do you include the coconut oil without it solidifying or clumping?

A. The coconut oil is very important, be sure to warm it gently before adding.

Q. I recently ordered the ingredients for home made infant formula and I have one concern. Although my wife and I take cod liver oil daily, I have read that fish oils contain too much EPA for babies. It is suggested that the EPA competes with DHA and can cause stunting of growth. The commercial formulas use an algal sourced DHA/ARA, but it doesn’t seem to be available to consumers. I could buy Neuromins supplements and break them open, but that would not provide the ARA. Is the EPA a real concern?

A. We do NOT recommend fish oil, not for babies nor adults, but high vitamin cod liver oil, which supplies A and D without giving too much EPA and DHA. The EPA in cod liver oil will not compete with the DHA--these two always occur together in food. And do not use the synthetic DHA/ARA, we have heard bad reports from this. The baby will get ARA from the butterfat in the milk.

We have had nothing but good reports on growth from babies on our homemade formula

Raw Milk Formula

Q. I have a question about the raw milk infant formula. My two month old adopted daughter has been taking the formula since she was about three weeks old, when we ran out of breast milk donated by a friend. She is doing very well on this but the pediatrician has concerns about the ‘low’ iron in the formula. I have seen the comparison chart that shows about 3-4 times the iron content of breast milk. The pediatrician is comparing it to the high iron formulas that have about 10 times the amount of iron as the raw milk formula. Do you have any information or opinion whether I should supplement with more iron?

A. You should NOT give extra iron in the first six months. Iron competes with zinc, needed for neurological development. Besides, the lactoferrin in raw milk helps the baby efficiently absorb the iron that is there.

By 6 months, the baby does require extra iron and that is why the first weaning food in almost all cultures is liver. Egg yolks are also a good source of iron. So don't give supplements, but start with iron-rich foods by six months.

Q. I have a 5-month-old baby whom I primarily breastfeed but also supplement with 8 ounces daily. I want to do your formula but am confused. I was told that babies should not have any oils added to their diet and that raw milk alone is sufficient to meet the baby’s needs. The same person told me fish oil is toxic because of the extraction process and should not be consumed by anyone (her information is taken from the work of Aajonus Vonderplanitz). She said the oils are solvent reactive, binding to toxins therefore pushing detoxification in the infant. Is this information correct?

A. If you do our formula, please follow the recipe exactly. It was designed to provide the same fatty acid profile as mother's milk, hence the addition of the oils. The cod liver oil is VERY important to add; it is not toxic, but provides much needed vitamins A and D. Aajonus is not right about everything, he is not a scientist. Mary Enig, who formulated these recipes, is a highly trained scientist. Go to the following links to read about the formula and the testimonials:

http://www.westonaprice.org/children/formula-faqs.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/children/formula-faqs-pt2.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/children/babies.html

We have a reprint on Children's Health that you can order from our office. It will help you as baby transitions into solid food.

Egg Yolks for Infants

Q. My 6 months old son is vomiting after eating egg yolk; what do you suggest?

A. If your son is having trouble with the egg yolk, just hold off and try to introduce it later. We did have one mother who was having this problem, but when she added a small amount of liver and salt to the egg yolk, the baby was fine. Remember to also add the salt.

Q. I have a 4-month old whom I'd like to introduce to solid foods. Your article indicates that egg yolk and bananas are a great start. How many servings of each should I offer per day?

A. It depends a lot on the baby, but 1 egg yolk and then perhaps 1/2 banana?

Dairy

Q. Does it harm raw cheese and other dairy products to heat them - particularly when you put raw cheese or butter over warm meals and it melts?

A. Gentle heating is probably okay, such as putting cheese in an omelet, warming milk (but not more than you can touch it without burning). But high heat does change the dairy products. If you have a high tolerance to dairy, heated cheese is probably okay in small amounts.

Q. Is it okay to freeze raw milk? Is it okay to freeze it in glass?

A. Yes it is fine to freeze milk--even the enzymes are preserved. You can freeze it in glass if the container is open and not completely full, although plastic is safer from a breakage standpoint.

Q. I have heard that spray dried milk is bad for you. Is dried cheese also and what about freeze dried cheese and milk?

A. Carcinogens are always formed in the process of spray drying. I don't know about freeze drying, but I would suggest sticking to real, unprocessed cheese.

Q. I am considering switching my family to raw milk. However, I have only one remaining concern, I have been reading about the bovine leukemia virus that is transmitted through raw milk and there have been breast cancer studies that have found it in tissue. I'm also finding on nomilk.com that dairy farmers who drink raw milk have higher rates of leukemia. Will you comment on this?

A. Please show me this website where they say that drinkers of raw milk have more leukemia. This is a completely unsupported statement! There have been no studies of drinkers of raw milk in the US for over 60 years. Milk from pastured cows is perfectly safe to drink. These cows do not have leukemia. But I would not drink raw milk from confinement cows.

Q. I have just found a source for raw cow's milk, who would I contact to find out what to look for and what questions to ask to know if the cow is clean and a good milk source?

A. Here are some summary guidelines. The last one is not really necessary if all the others are followed.

Cows graze on unsprayed pasture except during the coldest time of the year and then are fed mostly hay and silage when in barns.
The herd is tested free of TB and brucellosis.
When a milking machine is used, the cow’s teats are washed with iodine before putting the milking caps on.
The milking shed and surrounds are clean and tidy.
Milk is kept chilled in a stainless steel tank or individual containers.
Milk is tested regularly to ensure the absence of human pathogens.

Q. Do you have information showing the nutritional value of raw milk vs pasteurized?

A. The closest thing we have to an article on the nutritional composition of raw milk is the powerpoint presentation on raw milk on the splash page of realmilk.com.

The problem is that when you do an analysis for vitamins and minerals, raw milk does not look that different from pasteurized. But what is destroyed is the carrier proteins, which are destroyed by pasteurization. But the tests don't look for this.

Q. Is there growth hormone in milk?

A. All cow milk contains growth hormones, which are identical to human growth hormones. These are being sold as a health food and are considered beneficial in the health food industry.

Q. My acne seemed to get better when I stopped drinking skim milk.

A. Skim milk could cause acne for several reasons, notably because it depletes vitamin A and also because, if it is pasteurized, the body mounts an immune response to it. Raw whole milk often clears up acne.

Q. I would like to have information on the safety and value of raw cheese.

A. There is a book called, American Farmstead Cheese, The Complete Guide to Making and Selling Artisan Cheeses, by Paul Kindstedt (with the Vermont Cheese Council). It has a chapter about raw milk cheese safety, although no recipes. It’s a pretty interesting book. I would contact him directly at the University of Vermont, Dept of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

Q. I was recently advised not to drink milk because of the possibility of it causing Lyme Disease. Please comment.

A. This is just one more slur against raw milk. Raw milk contains components that kill all pathogens. One body of opinion believes that Lyme is caused by pesticides, not a virus. One of our members, Dr. Ron Schmid, cured himself of Lyme disease by drinking lots of raw milk.

Grains, Nuts, Seeds, Beans

Q. Please tell me if I should consume sprouted soybeans and other beans?

A. We don't recommend soybean sprouts as the toxins are still there and soybean sprouts were not consumed in Asia. They used mung beans for sprouting. Sprouting increases some nutrients but also some toxins (which protect the sprouts from animals eating them). Also remember that in traditional societies, the grains and legumes that were sprouted were then cooked.

Q. Does it harm sprouted wheat breads, tortillas, etc. to heat/toast them?

A. No, they should be cooked.

Q. Are the nutritional benefits from sprouted wheat breads that you buy different than the benefits from soaking grains at home?

A. It is hard to say, we are suspicious of some of the additives and techniques used in commercial sprouted breads. The healthiest breads are those prepared by genuine sourdough techniques.

Q. I am having some digestive problems. I recently started consuming a kefir smoothie to which I add wheat germ. Any suggestions?

A. I do not recommend wheat germ. For one thing, it is rancid. Furthermore, it is difficult to digest.

Q. How is sprouted wheat ground into flour when it is wet and mushy?

A. When you sprout the wheat, you then have to dry it--either in an oven or a dehydrator.

Soy

Q. Will the phytoestrogens get into the eggs of chicken fed soy?

A. Yes, the phytoestrogens can end up in the yolks--not as high as in commercial eggs, but they will be there. However, eggs are such a good food that we still recommend them.

One of our goals is to get farmers away from using soy for their chickens. But this is going to be difficult as the practice is almost universal--even for pastured poultry. We'd like to see chickens given whey, skim milk and bugs as their protein source. But without soy (which contains growth-stimulating estrogens), chickens grow much slower. Consumers must be prepared to pay more for soy-less chicken and eggs.

Q. Where can I find studies that explain the problem with soy?

A. Click here to go to the Soy Alert section of westonaprice.org. There you will find lists of studies and many well-referenced articles. I also suggest The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel (wholesoystory.com), which is a very well referenced book.

Q. Please explain what are the problems with soy protein drinks.

A. Soy-based liquid protein drinks (and soy protein in general) are high in many toxins and antinutrients. The may also predispose to arrhythmias. The reference for this is:

Chiang, CE and others. Genistein Inhibits the Inward Rectifying Potassium Current in Guinea Pig Ventricular Myocytes. J Biomed Sci 2002;9:321-326. Dietary isoflavones genistein dose-dependently and reversibly inhibit the inward rectifying K+ (potassium) current in guinea pigs ventricular myocytes, suggesting the potential for soy isoflavones to cause heart arrhythmias. But supplementation with liquid protein drinks predisposes to arrhythmias. High protein diets that do not contain fats, particularly animal fats, can deplete stores of vitamin A and D and consequently interfere with mineral assimilation.

For more on why too much protein in general in the diet is bad, click here to read the article Guts and Grease, under Traditional Diets, on the website.

Q. Can I use soy candles?

A. I think soy candles should be fine unless you are allergic to soy. People who are allergic can be affected by soy dust, soy ink, and probably the emissions from soy candles. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. Is the problem of soy the processing?

A. In my book, in chapters 8 and 11, I thoroughly discuss soy processing and the nitrites issue. Chapter 22 discusses fluoride toxicity. Both problems are primarily the result of modern industrial processing, typical of most of the soy foods and many soy milks now in the marketplace. In addition, all soybeans (regardless of processing) contain many other antinutrients and toxins, as well as endocrine-disrupting plant estrogens. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. Can soy cause rectal itching and compromise intestinal health?

A. To the best of my knowledge there are no studies that specifically link soy to rectal itching. However, there are hundreds of studies that link soy with damage to the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to numerous problems including parasites and other possible causes of itching. If I were in your situation, I would avoid all soy products and eat a varied, organic and omnivorous diet such as is recommended in the book Eat Fat/Lose Fat by Mary Enig & Sally Fallon. Despite its title, the book is not just about weight loss and has helped many people regain their health and energy. The book discusses the importance of good fats, including coconut oil and coconut milk, which have greatly helped many of my clients who are recovering from soy. You may also wish to consult a holistic MD, naturopathic doctor (ND) or clinical nutritionist (CCN) who can run tests to check for GI tract damage, parasites etc and who can recommend supplements that will help heal such damage and stop the itching. There's no reason for this problem to be life-long. Be sure that the health practitioner you choose is aware of the dangers of soy foods. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. What soy is safe to consume?

A. I share your concerns about GM soybeans and have covered that issue in my book. I also share your concerns about soybean processing, including matters of glutamate toxicity, and cover that issue in my book as well. My book has been endorsed by Dr. Russell Blaylock, a leading researcher on excitotoxins. In terms of safe soy consumption for those who are not allergic or sensitive to soy, I recommend small amounts of the fermented products miso, natto, tempeh, shoyu and tamari made with organic soybeans if eaten in small quantities and no more than a few times a week. That is also the position of the Weston A. Price Foundation as stated in many of its publications. I also don't worry about the occasional vegetarian potluck with tofu or whatever. But these are very hazardous for people who react poorly to MSG. However, the bottom line is that all soybeans, including organic soybeans, contain naturally occurring antinutrients, toxins and phytoestrogens that have been linked to thyroid damage, reproductive problems, infertility, ADD/ADHD, cognitive decline and a host of other problems, including heart disease and cancer growth. Although old-fashioned fermentation processes eliminate most of the antinutrients (protease inhibitors, phytates, etc.), all soybeans and soy products sold in the marketplace contain the dangerous phytoestrogens. I document this thoroughly in my book, which is 457 pages with 44 pages of references (should you wish to do your own follow up). Several chapters from my book, including the one on Soy Lecithin, are posted on www.westonaprice.org. Two Special Reports taken from the book can also be obtained free from my website. As for nattokinase, it's a supplement and may have clinical uses. A few studies have come out that suggest it is promising, but I don't really know whether there are risks. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. Is there a difference between the phytoestrogen that is harmful in soybeans and the phytoestrogen that is found in wild yams and is used in Ostaderm? I am looking for a natural hormone cream to use for relief of menopause symptoms. Thank you for your assistance.

A. I am not familiar with the specific product Ostaderm but most of the over-the-counter wild-yam creams contain progesterone precursors. These are not reliably converted to progesterone in the body. I am a clinical nutritionist and not an MD, but if I were seeking to balance my hormones
and increase progesterone levels, I would not self medicate but see an alternative doctor or other health professional who can test hormone levels and, if appropriate, prescribe hormones of known quality and quantity. Hormone levels should then be monitored. Many women are using progesterone creams, some of which have no effect, and some of which produce excessive levels of progesterone in the body. In many cases, women are estrogen dominant and the priority needs to be decreasing those levels and not just increasing progesterone to improve the ratio. In short, it's a complicated issue and so best to work with a knowledgeable health professional. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. I have seen some supplement companies advertise their soy products as better than others and not dangerous, are these comments true?

A. I receive numerous letters every week from people who have developed serious health problems (most often thyroid damage) from eating soy shakes, soy energy bars and other products sold by companies such as ReLiv, HerbLife, Revival, Shaklee and others. All of these companies claim that their products are safe and healthy due to patented "breakthrough" processing methods that are unlike those used by any of their competitors in the marketplace. This is simply not true. While some of these companies might use organic soy and and/or make slight changes in the manufacturing process (such as using less alkaline rinses), none of these "innovations" markedly improve soy safety. None of these methods remove many of the plant estrogens and other toxins and antinutrients from soy protein. And the literature dispersed by these companies invariably tout the "health benefits" of these same estrogens, toxins and antinutrients.

I discuss soy processing methods in depth in chapters 4-12 of my book. I'm a clinical nutritionist and not a medical doctor so cannot diagnose or prescribe for you, but I personally would not eat any of these products. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. If I avoid GMO soy, can I eat soy cheese and yogurt?

A. In Chapter 6, I discuss soy milks, soy yogurt and soy cheeses in depth. Contrary to popular belief, these products were not consumed traditionally in Asia but were first promoted and manufactured by Seventh Day Adventist missionaries from America. Although it's better to eat non-GMO soy if you insist on eating soy, all soy products including organic products include naturally occuring antinutrients, toxins and plant estrogens. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. Can soy cause or worsen tumors? Is it bad for my condition, which is neurofibromatosis?

A. I do not have any other testimonials from people suffering from neurofibromatosis but have many stories of people whose tumors (of many different types) have grown because of the plant estrogens in soy foods, soy milk or soy isoflavone supplements. Many of those people saw their tumors shrink after removing all forms of soy from their diets. I am a clinical nutritionist and not a medical doctor so cannot give you medical advice. But if I were in your situation, I would eliminate all soy from my diet as well as foods containing plant estrogens including flax seeds and flax oil, clover and alfalfa sprouts and margarines, spreads and other products containing sterols. Also, please do inform your doctor that soy phytoestrogens may have contributed to your situation. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. What do you think about other health professionals such as Andrew Weil, recommending soy?

A. I find it appalling that Andrew Weil has become rich and famous as America's leading proponent of "alternative medicine" yet endorses soy, fluoride and vaccinations! His bestselling books have been fueling the soy fad for some time now, but I think the tide is turning. More and more people are starting to hear about the health problems caused by soy. Just this week the Israeli Health Ministry issued a health advisory warning. So people are starting to hear the truth despite the fact that we can't compete with the soy industry, which has spent millions building soy's "miracle food" image through advertising, lobbying in Washington etc, and favorable press. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Miscellaneous Food Questions

Q. Does it harm raw eggs to scramble them or cook them? Does it oxidize the cholesterol?

A. No at all. The whites should mostly be eaten cooked, as raw egg whites contain enzyme inhibitors that can cause digestive problems. Oxidation only occurs during commercial processing when the eggs are forced out of a tiny hole at high temperatures and pressure.

Q. I’m confused as to which type of sugar is better, Sucanat or Rapadura?

A. Both are fine; both are made by dehydrating cane sugar juice. For a while Sucanat changed the way they made it and were using white sugar, so we stopped recommending the product. But they are now making Sucanat the old fashioned way, so we can recommend it again.

Q. I have read that baking soda in baking destroys minerals. Can you respond to this?

A. There was a theory that baking soda destroys B vitamins (not minerals) but research indicates that this is not the case.

Q. Do we need salt in our diet, so many say we do not?

A. Mary and I discuss the subject of salt in our book Nourishing Traditions. Salt is essential to life, that is why we have salt taste buds. Without salt, we die. We need salt for protein digestion, carbohydrate digestion, adrenal function, cellular metabolism and brain development. Unrefined salt provides us with many trace minerals.

Q. I wonder whether salt collected from clay beds of coastal areas would actually be pure or not. There is a lot of pollution in the ocean especially around the coasts of industrial nations, I would think. I looked on the WAP site to find info on salt and couldn't find any. What do you know about possible pollution in this type of salt? Also, a friend of mine who is a nutritionist did her own research on salt and found Himalayan mountain salt. She says it is purer than sea salt because it is mined deep in the ground. It seems even more expensive than the Celtic salt, but she is convinced it is purer. Can you shed some light on this for me?

A. I think both products are fine; the ocean near Brittany is quite pure. But the Himalayan salt is also wonderful.

Q. When soaking nuts, why is the salt needed?

A. The salt helps activate enzymes that de-activate the enzyme inhibitors. For grains, we soak in an acidic solution to get rid of phytic acid. Nuts do not contain much phytic acid but do contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors. The method imitates the way the native peoples in Central America treated their nuts and seeds--by soaking them in seawater and then dehydrating them.

Q. Do you have a brand or type of fermented beverage or condiment that would be good for the first time user - one that would be a little subtler to the taste buds?

A. Try sauerkraut. The recipe in Nourishing Traditions is really great. Beet kvass is a wonderful beverage, really nourishing. But some of the fruit beverages or fruit chutneys might be better for first timers.

Q. Should I consume only raw foods so I don’t kill the enzymes?

A. What the enzymes do is help digestion in the upper stomach, where there are no digestive fluids. But most foods are not good sources of enzymes. You need to lacto-ferment the foods to get a lot of enzymes. So the lacto-fermented foods eaten with cooked foods more than compensate for the loss of any enzymes in the food you cooked. Lacto-fermented foods are 'super-raw' foods. Lacto-fermented foods also provide lactic acid and good bacteria, which do survive the digestive process.

Fats and Oils

Q. I have heard that I should not take flax oil. Please clarify.

A. Flax oil is fine if it is a good quality and in small amounts (see our Shopping Guide for recommended brands). People are taking too much flax oil--about 1/2 tsp per day is all you need. Remember to always store flax oil in the refrigerator.

Q. Can I use coconut oil for deep frying?

A. We don't recommend coconut oil for deep frying--it does not have a high enough smoke point and breaks down at high temperature. We recommend tallow or lard for deep frying.

Q. Mary Enig in The Skinny on Fats writes that polyunsaturated oils should never be heated or used in cooking. These oils are contained in healthy foods such as wild salmon. Should these foods, therefore, not be cooked?

A. It is when the oils are removed from the foods that they become dangerous to cook in. Inside the food they are protected. It is fine to cook foods containing polyunsaturates as long as you don't cook at too high a temperature or burn them.

Q. When organic butter is clarified as when one makes ghee, does this alter the vitamins or destroy the X-factor?

A. No, these vitamins are very heat stable. Only the Wulzen factor is lost. But try to make clarified butter using the lowest possible temperature.

Q. Do you think Udo Eramsus’ book, Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, is a good reference?

A. The best book on fats and oils is Mary Enig’s, Know Your Fats, which can be purchased by calling her office at (301) 680-8600. Udo's book is full of mistakes. Click here to read our review of it.

Q. Why do we see such emphasis on oleic acids, as in the Zone diet?

A. See ‘The Great Con-ola’, on our website – this is a quote from it:
“Let's start with some history. The time period is the mid-1980s and the food industry has a problem. In collusion with the American Heart Association, numerous government agencies and departments of nutrition at major universities, the industry had been promoting polyunsaturated oils as a heart-healthy alternative to "artery-clogging" saturated fats. Unfortunately, it had become increasingly clear that polyunsaturated oils, particularly corn oil and soybean oil, cause numerous health problems, including and especially cancer.¹

The industry was in a bind. It could not continue using large amounts of liquid polyunsaturated oils and make health claims about them in the face of mounting evidence of their dangers. Nor could manufacturers return to using traditional healthy saturates—butter, lard, tallow, palm oil and coconut oil—without causing an uproar. Besides, these fats cost too much for the cut-throat profit margins in the industry.

The solution was to embrace the use of monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil. Studies had shown that olive oil has a "better" effect than polyunsaturated oils on cholesterol levels and other blood parameters. Besides, Ancel Keys and other promoters of the diet-heart idea had popularized the notion that the Mediterranean diet—rich in olive oil and conjuring up images of a carefree existence on sun-drenched islands—protected against heart disease and ensured a long and healthy life.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsored the First Colloquium on Monounsaturates in Philadelphia. The meeting was chaired by Scott Grundy, a prolific writer and apologist for the notion that cholesterol and animal fats cause heart disease. Representatives from the edible oil industry, including Unilever, were in attendance. The Second Colloquium on Monounsaturates took place in Bethesda, Maryland, early in 1987. Dr. Grundy was joined by Claude Lenfant, head of the NHLBI, and speakers included Fred Mattson, who had spent many years at Proctor and Gamble, and the Dutch scientist Martign Katan, who would later publish research on the problems with trans fatty acids. It was at this time that articles extolling the virtues of olive oil began to appear in the popular press.

Promotion of olive oil, which had a long history of use, seemed more scientifically sound to the health-conscious consumer than the promotion of corn and soy oil, which could only be extracted with modern stainless steel presses. The problem for the industry was that there was not enough olive oil in the world to meet its needs. And, like butter and other traditional fats, olive oil was too expensive to use in most processed foods. The industry needed a less expensive monounsaturated oil.

Rapeseed oil was a monounsaturated oil that had been used extensively in many parts of the world, notably in China, Japan and India. It contains almost 60 percent monounsaturated fatty acids (compared to about 70 percent in olive oil). Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the mono-unsaturated fatty acids in rapeseed oil are erucic acid, a 22-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that had been associated with Keshan's disease, characterized by fibrotic lesions of the heart. In the late 1970s, using a technique of genetic manipulation involving seed splitting,² Canadian plant breeders came up with a variety of rapeseed that produced a monounsaturated oil low in 22-carbon erucic acid and high in 18-carbon oleic acid.

The new oil referred to as LEAR oil, for Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed, was slow to catch on in the US. In 1986, Cargill announced the sale of LEAR oil seed to US farmers and provided LEAR oil processing at its Riverside, North Dakota plant but prices dropped and farmers took a hit.³”

Supplements

Q. Is azomite a problem because of the aluminum, etc?

A. Yes, I get a lot of questions about Azomite. It is safe for human consumption. I recommend it because it is a natural, inexpensive mineral supplement. Tests have never been done on humans and won't be because the FDA won't allow it. There have only been studies with animals and it is a good mineral supplement for animals.

It does contain aluminum, but it is also rich in silica, which counteracts the aluminum. People have been eating clay and dirt as a tradition for thousands of years and all clay contains aluminum and silica.

Here's some information on minerals that may answer your questions

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/mineralprimer.html

This being said, I don't feel this strongly about it. You can also get lots of good minerals from sea salt, raw milk, bone broths, etc.

Q. What type of vitamin B12 should I take?

A. Pure Encapsulations is a good one--not sublingual but it is the right form of B12. This is recommended by Dr. Dommisse, who spoke at our 2005 conference.

Q. I am in the sun every day, do I need to supplement with vitamin D? I am having vaginal dryness and am looking for relief.

A. Being in the sun every day is not going to supply you with adequate vitamin D unless you have most of your clothes off and the sun is directly overhead. Also, you won’t get vitamin A, the best treatment for vaginal dryness from the sun. You can still take cod liver oil and I suggest a high vitamin one from Radiant Life (888-593-8333) or Green Pasture. This should help with the vaginal dryness. Take a dose that provides at least 20,000 IU vitamin A and 2000 IU vitamin D.

Q. I have heard that reverse osmosis filters remove minerals, is that true?

A. Yes, RO filters take out all the minerals, but they also are the only way to take out all the fluoride. So if you have fluoridated water, use an RO filter and then add minerals back in via mineral drops.

Cod Liver Oil

For a summary of our position on cod liver oil click here for the Cod Liver Oil section of the website.

Q. Is Carslon’s a good brand of cod liver oil?

A. We no longer recommend Carlson's because the vitamin A content is too low.

Q. How much cod liver oil should I take?

A. We recommend the equivalent of 10,000 IUs of vitamin A per day for general health of adults and half that for children. A high vitamin cod liver oil will have that much vitamin A in 1 teaspoon.

Q. Should cod liver oil have an orange color?

A. Vitamin A is colorless (carotenes are orange). So there is no need for cod liver oil to have an orange color. In the past, before modern filtering techniques, cod liver oil was a dark yellow or brown color, which was from the livers.

Q. Cod liver oil makes me belch, what do you suggest?

A. If someone is belching from cod liver oil, try giving a smaller dose, more often, usually just right before a meal.

Farming, Cow-Shares

Q. How do I start farming the way you recommend?

A. We are an organization about nutrition not the practical how-to’s of farming. We suggest you contact AcresUSA for information on the practical aspects of grass-based farming.

Q. Can you help me start a cow-share program?

A. First look at our site realmilk.com which gives information about legal issues by state. It also shows examples of contracts that can be used. You may want to contact a local farmer who has already set up a cow share program. One farmer who has been successful at this is Chuck Oliver in Michigan, you can contact him through the Detroit Chapter of our foundation.

If you have further questions and want to contact Pete Kennedy for legal help, he can be reached at (941) 349-4984 or . You will need to pay him a fee, which is very reasonable. When you have started, you can post your information at realmilk.com. Also, you should contact your local chapter leader from our website to inform them of the service you have available.

Studying Nutrition

Q. What Should I Study To Become A Nutritionist?

A. I am on the Board of Directors of the Weston A. Price Foundation and received my PhD last year in Nutritional Sciences. Although I do not know of any accredited school that includes Weston Price's teachings in its curriculum, there are some accredited institutions with faculty members who allow -- and even encourage -- students to think for themselves and to identify research that challenges the establishment views of the ADA and AMA. For example, I received my PhD from the Union Institute and wrote a dissertation on the problems with soyfoods, a dissertation that I recently published as The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food.

Personally, I found all of my coursework valuable and that many of the standard textbooks provide evidence supporting the teachings of the Weston A. Price Foundation You will need that evidence if you are to work effectively with clients and their physicians. You also need to know the ADA/AMA point of view in order to effectively argue with it. Finally, I highly recommend that you supplement the required readings with books by Weston Price, Sally Fallon, Mary Enig and others.

If you wish to study nutrition at either the Bachelor or Masters level, you might want to consider the University of Bridgeport, CT (which is an on-line Masters Program). We recommend schools that have regional accreditation rather than national. In terms of core classes in anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathophysiology, etc., I would recommend that you attend classes at your local community college or other standard accredited universities. You should get as much science as you can. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Check into getting a CCN by looking at the website www.iaacn.org.

You can also receive certification through the Nutritional Therapy Association. They offer distance learning courses to become a Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT). The program is based on principles that are WAPF friendly. Please refer to their website, www.nutritionaltherapy.com for more information

Q. What is a CCN?

A. I don't believe the CCN program at the Natural Healing Institute in California is legitimate and heard rumors at the CCN convention in Orlando last week that the IACCN board may take legal action against them for misuse of the CCN initials. To be a true CCN, you need to complete a number of courses at accredited colleges (nutrition, anatomy & physiology, biology, organic chemistry, etc.), apply for CCN candidacy, then take their postgraduate seminars (which are given periodically as intensive weekend seminars at four locations around the country), and complete the study of a number of manuals and tape sets, and, finally, take a challenging three hour exam. No college or school offers a CCN program. I would recommend that you call or email the IAACN in Dallas for details. Their website is www.iaacn.org. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. Do you recommend becoming an RD?

A. Yes! We need well-informed counselors in the ranks of the RDs. Be aware, however, that the Registered Dietician program may require a one-year internship in a hospital. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

Q. What naturopathic options do you recommend?

A. There are 3 options: Bastyr University in Seattle is the most famous, the other two are National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland and Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Phoenix. I would highly recommend that you choose an accredited school because more and more states are requiring that nutritionists and other health practitioners be licensed. --Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story

A Member’s Comments about a CN Program

I became a Certified Nutritionist through American Health Science University (ahsu.edu). I have been a CN for many years now and the program has improved quite a bit since then and was good when I did it. I do recommend the program. It gives a good foundation, is professional, and is respected.

Each state has different licensing. New Hampshire does not license nutritionists (which by the way, is the way we have wanted it) but does license dietitians. We have fought against licensing bills for many years. The dietitians wanted to drive out competition and looked for third party reimbursement. Finally we all worked together on a bill that was only for dietitians leaving the rest of us alone. It may be at some point that we (NH nutritionists) might want to do something different, but right now this is where we stand. AHSU could probably tell you where your state stands.

Our professional organization, NANP (nanp.org), is working towards registration, with a qualifying exam. AHSU does have a "private federal license" which impressed the NH legislators when I testified. They are recognized by the Department of Education as nationally accredited (not regionally).

I highly recommend it as it will give you and others more credibility. You take the basic knowledge and then apply your area of interest (WAPF).

Further comments on nutrition studies by Kaayla Daniel.

I think it especially important not to get a "diploma mill" degree from Clayton or other of the correspondence schools that are open to more alternative points of views. Although many people enjoy the coursework, the degrees are not respected and not valid for licensure in most states. Note that many of these colleges claim to be accredited, but have actually been accredited by one of the new national accrediting agencies that have sprung up. Make sure the school you pick is accredited by a board recognized by the Department of Education.

Vegetarianism

Q. It is my understanding that vegetarianism is healthier, please comment.

A. I know of no conclusive study showing superior health benefits of a vegetarian diet. On the contrary, vegetarians, especially vegans, develop numerous health problems. These links may be helpful.

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vegetarianism.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/bookreviews/chinastudy.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/oiling.html

The China Study

Q. Chris Masterjohn's critique of the China Study and T. Colin Campbell fails to address a key question: why would Dr. Campbell who was dedicated to the animal food industry become vegan? Additionally, why would Howard Lyman a lifetime cattleman become a vegan activist?

Appeals to authority are not arguments. Either the evidence does or does not support veganism. I made several very clear, distinct and approachable criticisms. If they are not valid, Dr. Campbell or anyone else can refute them.

Lastly, I'd like to point out that the vegan way of life, a way that respects life, is coming and growing all the time. The meat and dairy industries can make no such claim and are fighting a losing debate. The world has always been a majority of vegetarians and in the very near future the industrialized countries will be too. In the U.S. we're only one major media story about Mad Cow Disease away.

A. Chris Masterjohn replies:

First, I'd like to draw your attention to Dr. Campbell's response to my review:
http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/campbell_china_response.htm

And to my response to Dr. Campbell:
http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Campbell-Masterjohn.html

I think I did address this: Campbell became convinced through his laboratory experiments, his work on the China Study, and the other evidence he presents in the book that animal products are the cause of ill health and that a vegan diet constituted the optimal diet for humans. As I pointed out in the review, his lab evidence indicted isolated casein, not "animal-based nutrients," as a problem. The data in the China Study do not lend any convincing support to his conclusion, and he presents the work of others with high selectivity and bias. I am not sure what you think I am leaving out.

I do respect life and quality of life is part of the reason I support open pasture farming in addition to nutrition. As far as I know, vegetarianism has been more or less absent for most of human history, so I'm not quite sure what you mean. Even in rural China Dr. Campbell did not study any vegans.

Q. Where did you get the information for your review of the China Study?

A. The original data including the questionnaire is contained in the following monograph:

Junshi, Chen, T. Colin Campbell, Li Junyao, and Richard Peto, Diet, Life-style and Mortality in China: A Study of the Characteristics of 65 Chinese Counties, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990.

I borrowed a copy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. You should be able to find this either at a university library or through interlibrary loan.

Miscellaneous Questions

Q. What is the cause of bird flu and what can we do to protect ourselves?

A. We don't really have any answers although my guess is overcrowding in industrial bird facilities (yes, they have these in Asia also). The best protection is our diet, especially fermented foods like sauerkraut, and cod liver oil.

Q. I was sad and discouraged to learn Stephen Byrnes died so young, even on this diet.

A. Stephen Byrnes had been under enormous stress for at least three years, including being hounded by the Hawaiian dept of health and being cheated out of a lot of money. Also, Stephen was a very excitable person. Plus, we never will know just how good he was about following our dietary principles. Constant stress can do terrible things to a person, even one on the best of diets.

Q. Where can I find the statement on the Japanese finding statin drugs to be toxic?

A. Coronary Heart Disease
The Dietary Sense and Nonsense
George V. Mann, ScD, MD
Janus Publishing Company, London, England, 1993

This statement is on page 14: In the 1960s the Japanese discovered a substance in a mold that inhibits the in-vivo synthesis of cholesterol from simple precursors. . . But the Japanese found the substance (lovastatin) toxic in animal trials, and so they sold their process to Merck and Company in the United States. With remarkable and unexplained speed, the FDA approved the Merck drug now known as Mevacor.

Q. I am not sure what is meant by this sentence on your site: “These primitives with their fine bodies, homogeneous reproduction…”

A. Another way that Price expressed this (and yes, these are his words) was that in primitive societies, all the men looked like brothers and all the women looked like sisters, even if they were not related. This is because the diet supported the full expression of the genetic potential.

Q. My child has an underdeveloped face, can diet change that?

A. It is not clear how much can be done with diet alone; we recommend orthodontics to widen the palate. However with a good diet, you can reverse this in the next generation, and also ensure that your child has a healthy life, in spite of the underdeveloped face.

Q. I am confused because my farmer feeds grains to chickens; is that okay?

A. Cows and sheep are ruminants and should get mostly grass. But chickens and turkeys have to get grain or they won't grow right or lay enough eggs. We wish farmers wouldn't give soy because the isoflavones do end up in the egg yolks and the fat. Unfortunately, most farmers doing pasture feeding are giving soy to their chickens.

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This page was posted on 17 JUN 2006.