Page 14 - Winter2020

Caustic Commentary

other symptoms for at least seven days, and had two negative Kathryn Dewey, specifically recommends chicken liver. But
PCR results. . . a suggestion that would result in the mom the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is not
quitting breastfeeding altogether. After complaints, Danone happy. “There isn’t scientific evidence to suggest somehow
removed the video but the channel still exists. During the infants would be better off consuming meat, seafood, eggs
pandemic, many companies have donated milk powder to and dairy,” says Susan Levin, a registered dietitian and the
communities in Canada, India, Italy, Pakistan, the Philip- organization’s director of nutrition education. According
pines and the UK, violating both national laws and the WHO to Levin, infants and toddlers can get iron from foods like
code. And in a recent online survey of over one thousand fortified cereals, spinach and lentils (Wall Street Journal,
mothers who had recently breastfed in the UK, 80 percent October 13, 2020). Iron, zinc and choline aren’t the only
reported contact from formula companies, typically on social nutrients that toddlers get from animal foods —there’s also
media, even though this violates the WHO code (Lancet vitamins A, D, K , B and B , and minerals like calcium,
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October 8, 2020). magnesium and iodine. A diet without animal foods is a fast
track to cognitive impairment throughout life.
B DEFICIENCY AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
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In a systematic review, researchers from the University of MYCOTOXINS
Melbourne examined the associations between low vitamin A survey of four hundred corn samples from five continents
B levels, neurodegenerative disease and cognitive impair- harvested in 2018-2019 discovered that 95 percent were
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ment (International Psychogeriatrics 2010;24(4):541-556). contaminated with mycotoxins (toxins produced by fungus)
They found that vitamin B levels in the subclinical low- (mycotoxinsite.com). Mycotoxins cause allergic reactions
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normal range (less than 250 ρmol/L) are associated with and can adversely affect the major organs, gut health, the
Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s brain and the respiratory system. The primary toxin infecting
disease. They found that outright vitamin B deficiency (less the corn was fumonisin, which can have carcinogenic and
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than 150 ρmol/L) is associated with cognitive impairment. estrogenic effects. In addition to corn, rye, wheat, barley,
Vegetarianism and use of metformin (a widely used drug coffee and chocolate are major sources of mycotoxins in ani-
to control symptoms of diabetes) contribute to depressed mal and human diets. Scientists attribute blame to unusually
vitamin B levels and may independently increase the risk wet weather or poor drying and storage procedures, but we
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for cognitive impairment. They found that a small subset of wonder whether poisons sprayed on crops and accumulating
dementias are reversible with vitamin B therapy and noted in the soil make our grains more prone to fungal infection.
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that this treatment is inexpensive and safe. Unfortunately,
few patients incarcerated in our nursing homes are offered HAVANA SYNDROME
such beneficial treatment. First reported by U.S. embassy workers in Havana
in 2016, people suffering from “Havana syndrome” com-
STARVATION DIET FOR CHILDREN plained of dizziness, fatigue, headaches and loss of hearing,
In light of what we know about vitamin B , the fact that memory and balance. U.S. diplomats in China and Russia
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some groups are objecting to the new dietary guidelines for
infants borders on the incredible. For the first time, the U.S. FOR SCIENTISTS AND LAY READERS
Dietary Guidelines for Americans include guidelines for Please note that the mission of the Weston A. Price
children younger than two. While there is plenty to criticize Foundation is to provide important information about diet
in these guidelines —which recommend lots of whole grains and health to both scientists and the lay public. For this
without any caution on how they should be prepared, and reason, some of the articles in Wise Traditions are necessarily
which include lowfat dairy foods and no encouragement to technical. It is very important for us to describe the science
that supports the legitimacy of our dietary principles. In
provide youngsters with butter —at least they include red articles aimed at scientists and practitioners, we provide a
meat, poultry, seafood and eggs “to meet the needs for criti- summary of the main points and also put the most techni-
cal nutrients for growth and development, particularly iron, cal information in sidebars. These articles are balanced by
zinc and choline.” In fact, one member of the Committee, Dr. others that provide practical advice to our lay readers.
12 Wise Traditions WINTER 2020