Page 12 - Spring2008

Caustic Commentary

Sally Fallon and Mary Enig take on the Diet Dictocrats

INFANTS AT RISK Centers for Disease Control lists water fluoridation as one of
The Cornucopia Institute has released a report that questions the ten greatest health achievements of the 20th century. Hard

the alleged benefits of adding “novel” omega-3 fatty acids to believe that fl uoride provides any benefi t at all as pediatric
DHA and ARA, produced in laboratories and extracted from dentistry is the fastest growing discipline in medicine. The
algae and fungus, into infant formulas. Formula makers have American Dental Association has even issued warnings not
been marketing infant formula with the added DHA and ARA to mix baby formula with fl uoridated water or allow children
as “closer than ever to breast milk.” Pediatricians report that to overuse fl uoridated toothpaste.
these advertisements make it a lot harder for health profes-
sionals to convince new mothers PRIZED ELK COWS
to breastfeed. Hospital nurses An astute member has sent us an
have often call it “the diarrhea article on elk hunting from the Bill-
formula” because of its associa- ings Gazette (January 27, 2008),
tion with long term serious diar- which includes a 1910 photograph
rhea, and there is no evidence that of elk hunters with the following
these oils actually confer any long caption: “In those days, cows were

term benefit to the infant’s brain prized more than bulls, because
and eye development as claimed. hunters believed that cows usu-
Most disturbing is the fact that ally carried more fat and would
these fatty acids are extracted with yield better meat.” Before the food
hexane, a petroleum product that police came along with their lowfat
certainly does not exist in breast dictums to spoil the basic act of
milk and is not allowed in organic eating, everyone knew that fatty
foods. Yet the manufactured DHA meat was better.
and ARA are promoted as key
ingredients in organic baby for- SEIZURE-FREE
mula. The Cornucopia Institute is “Diet keeps epileptic children
urging parents of infants who have seizure-free” reads the headline
reacted negatively to the formula of an article posted at theage.com.
to report these adverse reactions au. It describes how a high-fat,
to the FDA’s Safety Information “ketogenic” diet is controlling
and Adverse Event Reporting seizures in children not helped by
Program (www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/). They medications. The meals are based on fatty foods like heavy
are petitioning the FDA for a warning label on formulas cream, bacon and butter with about 90 percent of calories
containing these manufactured oils. For details visit www. coming from fat. Of course, the “experts” are warning about
cornucopia.org. “risks” and recommend that the diet be instituted only as a
last resort, after drug treatment has failed, and then continued
THEY WERE RIGHT no longer than two years. Then parents are urged to increase

Opponents of fluoridation, often ridiculed as extremists, the percentage of carbohydrates, hoping that the seizures
have been vindicated with the release of a new study in the will not return. Of course the sensible thing to do is to try
prestigious Scientifi c American magazine (January, 2008). this essentially healthy diet as a fi rst and basic recourse, and
According to the article, fluoride can “subtly alter endocrine continue it for as long as possible, even for life.

functions, especially in the thyroid” and also lower IQ. The US
12 Wise Traditions SPRING 2008