Page 13 - Winter2008

Caustic Commentary

had increased HDL-cholesterol, the so-called “good” cho- Journals,” thus eliminating “marketing propaganda in favor of
lesterol, whereas the other two groups did not. Furthermore, good science.” The nutritionists were agreed that we should
the low-carb dieters saw the biggest reduction in C-reactive eliminate refined and artifical sweeteners, hydrogenated or
protein, a marker for inflammation, and the non-diabetic low- trans fats, artificial vitamins, over-the-counter drugs and caf-
carb dieters had the lowest fasting insulin levels. (Diabetics feine from the diet, but the other dietary suggestions are just
on the Mediterranean diet had the best markers for fasting offshoots of the dietary guidelines, with a decided emphasis
glucose and insulin levels.) It’s a pity the researchers did not on plant foods. They recommend 5-7 servings of vegetables
look at a normal traditional diet containing 50-80 percent of daily, 4-5 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of berries (!) and 2-3
calories as fat, with at least half of those calories as saturated servings of nuts daily, along with 2-3 servings of “protein.” No
fat, but the results of even slightly more calories as saturated mention of whether this protein should be meat or soybeans.
fat compared to the AHA-recommended diet should give our Milk is included as long as it is organic (youhealyourself.
dietary pundits pause. How long will it be before saturated com/consensus/index.html). The guidelines contain no recom-
fats like butter, tallow and coconut oil take their proper place mendations whatsoever about healthy fats and nutrient-dense
in government dietary recommendations? Probably not any animal foods. Looks like the diet dictocrats have successfully
time soon. But meanwhile, those of us in the know can enjoy infiltrated the “natural” health movement.
plenty of butter on our bread—sourdough bread!
GOOD NEWS ABOUT GMOs
ONE IN FIVE Cultivation of conventional soybeans is on the increase, ac-
Almost one in five young American adults has a personal- cording to a report from the University of Mississippi Delta
ity disorder that interferes with everyday life, with a greater Research Center, replacing genetically engineered Roundup
number abusing alcohol or drugs, according to a report in the Ready beans. According to the report, farmers are choosing
Archives of General Psychiatry (2008;65(12):1429-1437). The conventional seeds because of lower seed costs, lower weed
findings are the result of interviews involving more than 5,000 control costs and comparable or higher yields. Roundup herbi-
individuals ages 19 to 25. The disorders include problems cide that cost $15 per gallon in 2007 is selling for $40-$50 in
such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies, anti-social and 2008 (www.nwrage.org). Other possible reasons for the trend:
paranoid behaviors that are not mere quirks but which inter- increased demand for non-GMO food and studies indicating
fere with ordinary functioning. Substance abuse, including that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, increases the
drug addiction, alcoholism and drinking that interferes with risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer (Journal
school or work, affected nearly one-third of those interviewed. of the American Cancer Society, March 15, 1999).
Pharmaceutical exectives must be rubbing their hands together
at the thought of this “untapped” source of more customers, FOR SCIENTISTS AND THE LAY PUBLIC
referred by their college health centers and dorm counselors.
Sadly, no media commentators are suggesting the obvious so- Please note that the mission of the Weston A. Price
lution—to clean up the food supply and stop the demonization Foundation is to provide important information about diet
of nutrient-dense animal foods needed by the brain. and health to both scientists and the lay public. For this
reason, some of the articles in Wise Traditions are neces-
EVEN ALTERNATIVE FOLKS ARE CONVENTIONAL sarily technical. It is very important for us to describe the
A group calling itself the Natural Therapies Research Board science that supports the legitimacy of our dietary prin-
surveyed “hundreds of nutrition research articles” and inTer- ciples. In articles aimed at scientists and practitioners, we
provide a summary of the main points and also put the
viewed over 300 “natural” nutritionists to develop a Consensus most technical information in sidebars. These articles are
Report on Basic Health and Nutrition. These research articles balanced by others that provide practical advice to our lay
were all published by “reputable scientists in peer-reviewed readers.

WINTER 2008 Wise Traditions 13