Zika Virus or Roundup Herbicide The Cause of Microcephaly?
Zika Virus or Glyphosate Exposure Causing Microcephaly

Originally published on jeffreydachmd.com.

What's causing microcephaly? It might not be what the media is telling you...

Is It Zika Virus or Glyphosate Exposure ?

The news media has been reporting the Zika virus as the cause of microcephaly. The story originated in a Monsanto chemical industry press release dated Feb 17, 2016 which was then copied over the news media. The Zika virus was discovered in Uganda in 1947, and there have been no reports of microcephaly in Uganda. A US news article says, according to Associated Press journalists who visited the Zika Forest in Uganda on Feb 1, 2016, local officials have no concern about the Zika virus.(24)

New England Journal Reports

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported Zika Virus surveillance in Colombia.(80-81) Of 50 babies reported with microcephaly, only four (8 %) had laboratory evidence of congenital Zika virus infection on RT-PCR. The other 46 cases (92 %) were due to other causes.

Of 1850 pregnant women reported infected with Zika virus, no babies were born with microcephaly. The authors state: (80-81)

“maternal infection with the Zika virus during the third trimester of pregnancy is not linked to structural abnormalities in the fetus.”

Since 92% of microcephaly babies are not caused by maternal Zika virus, perhaps we should be looking for other preventable causes.

Dr Yaneer Bar-Yam reviewed this same data from the Colombia surveillance study After reviewing this data, Dr Yaneer Bar-Yam concluded in his own report entitled: “Is Zika the cause of Microcephaly?”that there is no direct link between zika virus and microcephaly, and he proposed pesticide exposure (pyriproxyfen) in the drinking water as an alternative explanation(99):

“This (data) would seem to rule out Zika as a cause of microcephaly. This gives a consistent interpretation that there is no direct link between Zika and microcephaly except for random co-occurrence.”….”An alternative cause of microcephaly in Brazil could be the pesticide pyriproxyfen, which is cross-reactive with retinoic acid, which causes microcephaly, and is being used in drinking water.”(99)

Dr Tiago Baptista Questions Zika as Sole Cause of Microcephaly

Maternal viral infection with rubella or cytomegalovirus have been known to cause fetal malformation and fetal demise. There is no doubt that viral illness during pregnancy is best avoided.(47-55) However, Dr Tiago Baptista in a 2016 BMJ article questions “whether the surge in reported cases of microcephaly is entirely due to Zika virus infection“(55) He says:

“The risk of microcephaly after maternal infection is estimated at roughly one in 100 women… This is a relatively low risk compared with other causal infections such as cytomegalovirus.”(55)

A Distraction From the Real Cause- Exposure to Glyphosate Causes Microcephaly and other Congenital Anomalies

I suggest that the Zika virus is merely a distraction away from the real cause, agrichemical exposure from Monsanto’s Round-Up Herbicide, glyphosate, (1-4)

Dr Alejandra Paganelli reported in 2010 that “Glyphosate-based herbicides produce teratogenic effects on vertebrates by impairing retinoic acid signaling.” (8)

Dr Paganelli concludes: “(congenital malformations) “produced by Glyphosate Based Herbicides are mainly a consequence of the increase of endogenous retinoid activity. ” (8)

Dr Sylvia Lopez

In 2012, Dr Silvia L. Lopez reviewed the effects of agricultural chemicals, glyphosate based herbicides, in human and animal models.(9) She says:

“It is very well known that acute or chronic increase of retinoic acid (RA) levels leads to teratogenic effects during human pregnancy and in experimental models. The characteristic features displayed by Retinoic Acid embryopathy in humans include brain abnormalities such as microcephaly, microphtalmia, and impairment of hindbrain development; abnormal external and middle ears (microtia or anotia), mandibular and midfacial underdevelopment, and cleft palate.” (9) Note: Retinoic Acid is Vitamin A Derivative.

Dr Benitez-Leite

Dr Benitez-Leite reported 52 cases of malformations in babies born of women exposed to agricultural chemicals. The congenital malformations observed include anencephaly, microcephaly, facial defects, myelomeningocele, cleft palate, ear malformations, polydactily, syndactily all consistent with the well-known and expected syndrome caused by upregulation of the Retinoic Acid pathway.(10) Left image Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide contains glyphosate.

Upregulation of Retinoic Acid Pathway

A number of reports have linked arial spraying with the mosquito larvicide pyriproxyfen to birth defects such as microcephaly in the crop sprayed towns of Northeast Brazil.(106-108) Pyriproxyfen disrupts retinoic acid (vitramin A) signalling, a known mechanism for microcephaly (106-108) In 1995, Dr Kenneth Rothman reported in NEJM that High Vitamin A Intake causes birth defects. (109)

Increasing Anencephaly in Yakima Valley in Washington State

Another mechanism is glyphosate disruption of folate metabolsm as discussed below in the Yakima Washington State case. (35-37)

Over three years from 2010 to 2013, the Washington State Department of Health reported an unusual increase in anencephalic babies born in Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties, four times higher than the national average. (33-34)

Anencephaply, microcephaly and spina bifida are all related disorders of neural tube closure associated with maternal folate deficiency. Maternal folate supplementation is preventive. Maternal folate supplementation in Yakima was not at issue, as this was similar to the national average. Barbara Peterson, in Farm Wars, makes a compelling case for glyphosate exposure as the cause, since the Yakima river running through the affected counties had been heavily treated with glyphosate for weed control during that time period.(29) Left image Yakima River Washington State.

Glyphosate Disrupts Folate Metabolism

Glyphosate disruption of folate metabolism is discussed by Stephanie Seneff in her May 2016 article on Weston Price.(35) Glyphosate acts as an antibiotic, killing friendly bacteria by blocking the Shikimate pathway. These friendly bacterial are also involved in bacterial conversion of folic acid to methyl folate, its active form. Maternal methylfolate deficiency is associated with neural tube defects in the developing embryo.(85-87)

Glyphosate Disrupts Glycine Metabolism

Stephanie Seneff’s article then discusses how glyphosate disrupts glycine decarboxylase metabolism, known to cause neural tube defects in animal studies and humans.(36-37)

Glyphosate is the amino acid glycine with an added phosphate group, so glyphosate may readily displace glycine in various biochemical reactions. Glyphosate disrupts glycine decarboxylase by displacing glycine as a substrate. In addition, glyphosate replaces glycine at insertion sites in amino acid chains during protein synthesis, producing defective enzymes (35). Glyphosate is basically the amino acid, glycine with a phosphate group added on to it.

Glyphosate is a Patented Antimicrobial, Anti-Folate Drug

Glyphosate is actually patented as an anti-microbial drug. (83,84) Glyphosate serves as an anti-folate agent working in synergy with other anti-folate drugs.(58,61) Other anti-folate drugs in common use include the urinary tract antibiotic, Bactrim (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) the rheumatology drug, methotrexate, and the anti-seizure drug Dilantin (phentoin). Maternal exposure to anti-folate drugs such as methotrexate Bactrim and Dilantin increase risk of neural tube defects in the fetus up to six-fold. (85-87) Maternal folate supplementation has been shown to reduce incidence of fetal neural tube defects (NTD), and folic acid fortification in food supply was mandated in 1998. (85-87)(100-103)

Glyphosate Inhibits the Shikimate Pathway

Glyphosate’s known mode of action is inhibition of the shikimate pathway in plants, fungi, bacteria and parasites.(58) Glyphosate blocks the pathway which produces Folate, Ubiquinone (Co-Q10), Vitamin K, and the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine.

Government Regulators Deemed Glyphosate Safe for Humans

Government regulators deemed glyphosate safe for us humans because we lack the shikimate pathway. They forgot to consider that we humans depend on the shikimate pathway in plants and gut bacteria for our folate (vitamin B9), to prevents neural tube defects. If your lunch salad comes from an agricultural field treated with glyphosate which blocks the plant’s ability to synthesize folate, how much folate are you getting in your meal ? If you are ingesting glyphosate in your food, blocking your gut bacteria from synthesing folate, how soon will you be rendered folate deficient? Dr Bekaert says in 2008,

“Humans cannot synthesize folates (vitamin B9) and thus have to rely on plant food supplying these essential vitamins.“(104)

Dr Craig Roberts suggests that Glyphosate may serve as anti-folate, anti-parasitic drug ,He says:(58)

” it is likely that the shikimate pathway is important for supply of folate precursors in this parasite….inhibitors of EPSP synthase (such as glyphosate) can act in synergy with conventional antifolates and may be a useful addition to the agents used against apicomplexan parasites.”(58)

A quote from a University of Chicago Press Release 1998 (61) explains that Glyphosate blocks production of folate:

“Effective new ways to inhibit parasites that cause malaria, toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis” June 25, 1998.(61)

“Dr. McLeod’s team showed that glyphosate, …could block the production of folate, inhibiting parasite growth and survival. Glyphosate proved effective against malaria strains that were resistant to an anti-malarial medicine, pyrimethamine, which interrupts folate processing at a different point. To confirm the finding, they demonstrated that these folate-starved parasites could be rescued, in the test tube, by giving them folate.”(61)

Brazil Annual Pesticide Sales Surpasses the US

Left Image courtesy of Reuters. Brazil sales of herbicide (glyphosate) exceeds that of US.(81)

According to Paulo Prada in her 2015 article, Brazil has a huge appetite for pesticides and herbicides, surpassing annual sales in the US.(81)

Poalo Prado explains that in Northeast Brazil, irrigation canals were built, transforming previously arid land into fertile farm land. These open air irrigation canals are heavily contaminated with herbicides and pesticides liberally applied to the crop fields. Life is primitive for the agricultural workers who live without piped in water for their dwellings. The local workers use the open air irrigation canals for their drinking water, thus are heavily exposed to herbicide and pesticide runoff.

House Passes 1.1 Billion Zika Virus Bill. Methyl-Folate is Cheaper.

Instead of spending 1.1 Billion dollars on a “controversial” Zika Virus Bill, I have a better idea for prevention of microcephaly and neural tube defects. (90) Suppose we instead allocate 100 million dollars to give out free methyl-folate tablets to all pregnant women exposed to glyphosate here in the US, and in Brazil. That would solve the problem at a fraction of the cost, saving a Billion Dollars.(90)

53 Countries Have Mandatory Flour Fortification with Folate

Folate fortification of flour for prevention of neural tube defects (anencephaly, microcephaly, spina bifida etc.) is mandated in 53 countries. Fortification of flour with folic acid was mandated in the US in 1998, the most successful public health measure in history, with reduction of neural tube defects by 36%.(100-103) In 2009, Dr Oakley declared this success story a “modern miracle of epidemiology”.(103)

Study Blood Folate Levels in North East Brazil

Why not allocate research funds to study blood folate levels in women in Northeast Brazil at high risk for having babies with neural tube defects? This was done here in the US before and after starting folate fortification in 1998, showing reduction incidence of neural tube defects by 36%.(101) Folate deficiency (blood folate levels less than 3 ng/ml)) decreased from 21% to less than 1% of the population. (101)

In Australia, mandatory fortification of bread with folate and iodine was introduced in 2009, resulting in a 50-80 per cent reduction in neural tube defects in at-risk indigenous women and teenagers.(100-112)

Reducing Microcephaly in Brazil with Folate Fortification

Studies done in Brazil shows folate deficiency is severe, affecting 94% among the poor.(113) Folate fortification of flour in three south American countries (Brazil, Argentina, Chile) resulted in significant reduction in 52 different fetal anomalies including reduction in microcephaly and anencephaly.(114) Currently all South American countries except Venezuala have mandatory folate fortification legislation.(115) In populations using folate fortification there have been decreases in neural tube defects from 30-50%.(115)

How is Such an Error Possible ?

You might ask the obvious question, “how is such an error in thinking possible” that the government would waste a billion dollars on Zika instead of Folate Fortification? This is called CrimeStop or “Protective Stupidity“, aptly described in 1984 by George Orwell (91):

“The mind should develop a blind spot whenever a dangerous thought presented itself….Crimestop, they called it in Newspeak….the Party says the earth is flat’, ‘the party says that ice is heavier than water’—and trained himself in not seeing or not understanding the arguments that contradicted them.”

“Crimestop means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments…”…”Crimestop, in short, means protective stupidity.”(91)

Using Fear and Smear Tactics to Distract Attention from Monsanto

This article in the Huffington Post Feb 16 is typical of the Monsanto tactics to distract attention away from Roundup glyphosate as the cause of the birth defects in agricultural workers in Brazil; A Viral Story Links The Zika Crisis To Monsanto. Don’t Believe It. by Anna Almendrala Senior Healthy Living Editor Huffington Post. Anna’s piece is pure Monsanto propaganda masquerading as journalism, don’t believe a word of it. If you trust anything Monsanto says, then I have a bridge to sell you.

Monsanto has known for decades that Glyphosate causes birth defects, see this report: Roundup and birth defects. Is the public being kept in the dark ? by Michael Antoniou Earth Open Source June 2011

Search Google Scholar for articles with key words “microcephaly pesticide“ : you will see 2160 articles pop up.

Glyphosate is “Probably Carcinogenic to Humans”

A number of studies show glyphosate exposure doubles the incidence of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.(92) As reported in Lancet Oncology by Dr Kathryn Guyton, on March, 2015, 17 experts from 11 countries met in Lyon France and classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (89)

Zika Distraction from Glyphosate – The Elephant in the Room

Certainly, maternal viral illness with Rubella, (CMV) cytomegalovirus and Zika are all risk factors for fetal demise, and fetal malformations, and are best avoided.(93-95) However, the Zika Virus is a distraction from the real cause of the problem, massive glyphosate exposure to pregnant agricultural workers in Brazil. Glyphosate is a patented anti-folate drug, Anti-folate drugs are known to cause microcephaly and neural tube defects in animals and humans.

Professor Don Huber, GMO Food and Glyphosate

Increased incidence of birth defects in the population caused by exposure to the anti-folate agent, glyphosate is only the “tip of the iceberg”. The adverse health consequences of GMO food and glyphosate contamination of our food and water supply are much more extensive as outlined in a series of articles posted on the Stephanie Seneff home page. Here is a quote from Professor Don M. Huber:(88) from his document GMO Failed Promises Flawed Science Serious Health Safety Issue

” Future historians may well look back upon our time and write, not about how many pounds of pesticides we did or did not apply, but about how willing we are to sacrifice our children and jeopardize future generations for this massive experiment we call genetic engineering that is based on failed promises and flawed science, just to benefit the bottom line of a commercial enterprise.” Dr. Don M. Huber

Link to this article: http://wp.me/p3gFbV-3En

Jeffrey Dach MD
7450 Griffin Road Suite 190
Davie, Fl 33314
954-792-4663

Articles with related interest:

Dont Ask for HIV Test Ask For Glyphosate Test

Curing Autism with Antibiotics

Berberine Antdote for an Epidemic

References

For references, please view original publication.

Zika Virus or Roundup Herbicide The Cause of Microcephaly?
Zika Virus or Glyphosate Exposure Causing Microcephaly

Originally published on jeffreydachmd.com.

What's causing microcephaly? It might not be what the media is telling you...

Is It Zika Virus or Glyphosate Exposure ?

The news media has been reporting the Zika virus as the cause of microcephaly. The story originated in a Monsanto chemical industry press release dated Feb 17, 2016 which was then copied over the news media. The Zika virus was discovered in Uganda in 1947, and there have been no reports of microcephaly in Uganda. A US news article says, according to Associated Press journalists who visited the Zika Forest in Uganda on Feb 1, 2016, local officials have no concern about the Zika virus.(24)

New England Journal Reports

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported Zika Virus surveillance in Colombia.(80-81) Of 50 babies reported with microcephaly, only four (8 %) had laboratory evidence of congenital Zika virus infection on RT-PCR. The other 46 cases (92 %) were due to other causes.

Of 1850 pregnant women reported infected with Zika virus, no babies were born with microcephaly. The authors state: (80-81)

“maternal infection with the Zika virus during the third trimester of pregnancy is not linked to structural abnormalities in the fetus.”

Since 92% of microcephaly babies are not caused by maternal Zika virus, perhaps we should be looking for other preventable causes.

Dr Yaneer Bar-Yam reviewed this same data from the Colombia surveillance study After reviewing this data, Dr Yaneer Bar-Yam concluded in his own report entitled: “Is Zika the cause of Microcephaly?”that there is no direct link between zika virus and microcephaly, and he proposed pesticide exposure (pyriproxyfen) in the drinking water as an alternative explanation(99):

“This (data) would seem to rule out Zika as a cause of microcephaly. This gives a consistent interpretation that there is no direct link between Zika and microcephaly except for random co-occurrence.”….”An alternative cause of microcephaly in Brazil could be the pesticide pyriproxyfen, which is cross-reactive with retinoic acid, which causes microcephaly, and is being used in drinking water.”(99)

Dr Tiago Baptista Questions Zika as Sole Cause of Microcephaly

Maternal viral infection with rubella or cytomegalovirus have been known to cause fetal malformation and fetal demise. There is no doubt that viral illness during pregnancy is best avoided.(47-55) However, Dr Tiago Baptista in a 2016 BMJ article questions “whether the surge in reported cases of microcephaly is entirely due to Zika virus infection“(55) He says:

“The risk of microcephaly after maternal infection is estimated at roughly one in 100 women… This is a relatively low risk compared with other causal infections such as cytomegalovirus.”(55)

A Distraction From the Real Cause- Exposure to Glyphosate Causes Microcephaly and other Congenital Anomalies

I suggest that the Zika virus is merely a distraction away from the real cause, agrichemical exposure from Monsanto’s Round-Up Herbicide, glyphosate, (1-4)

Dr Alejandra Paganelli reported in 2010 that “Glyphosate-based herbicides produce teratogenic effects on vertebrates by impairing retinoic acid signaling.” (8)

Dr Paganelli concludes: “(congenital malformations) “produced by Glyphosate Based Herbicides are mainly a consequence of the increase of endogenous retinoid activity. ” (8)

Dr Sylvia Lopez

In 2012, Dr Silvia L. Lopez reviewed the effects of agricultural chemicals, glyphosate based herbicides, in human and animal models.(9) She says:

“It is very well known that acute or chronic increase of retinoic acid (RA) levels leads to teratogenic effects during human pregnancy and in experimental models. The characteristic features displayed by Retinoic Acid embryopathy in humans include brain abnormalities such as microcephaly, microphtalmia, and impairment of hindbrain development; abnormal external and middle ears (microtia or anotia), mandibular and midfacial underdevelopment, and cleft palate.” (9) Note: Retinoic Acid is Vitamin A Derivative.

Dr Benitez-Leite

Dr Benitez-Leite reported 52 cases of malformations in babies born of women exposed to agricultural chemicals. The congenital malformations observed include anencephaly, microcephaly, facial defects, myelomeningocele, cleft palate, ear malformations, polydactily, syndactily all consistent with the well-known and expected syndrome caused by upregulation of the Retinoic Acid pathway.(10) Left image Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide contains glyphosate.

Upregulation of Retinoic Acid Pathway

A number of reports have linked arial spraying with the mosquito larvicide pyriproxyfen to birth defects such as microcephaly in the crop sprayed towns of Northeast Brazil.(106-108) Pyriproxyfen disrupts retinoic acid (vitramin A) signalling, a known mechanism for microcephaly (106-108) In 1995, Dr Kenneth Rothman reported in NEJM that High Vitamin A Intake causes birth defects. (109)

Increasing Anencephaly in Yakima Valley in Washington State

Another mechanism is glyphosate disruption of folate metabolsm as discussed below in the Yakima Washington State case. (35-37)

Over three years from 2010 to 2013, the Washington State Department of Health reported an unusual increase in anencephalic babies born in Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties, four times higher than the national average. (33-34)

Anencephaply, microcephaly and spina bifida are all related disorders of neural tube closure associated with maternal folate deficiency. Maternal folate supplementation is preventive. Maternal folate supplementation in Yakima was not at issue, as this was similar to the national average. Barbara Peterson, in Farm Wars, makes a compelling case for glyphosate exposure as the cause, since the Yakima river running through the affected counties had been heavily treated with glyphosate for weed control during that time period.(29) Left image Yakima River Washington State.

Glyphosate Disrupts Folate Metabolism

Glyphosate disruption of folate metabolism is discussed by Stephanie Seneff in her May 2016 article on Weston Price.(35) Glyphosate acts as an antibiotic, killing friendly bacteria by blocking the Shikimate pathway. These friendly bacterial are also involved in bacterial conversion of folic acid to methyl folate, its active form. Maternal methylfolate deficiency is associated with neural tube defects in the developing embryo.(85-87)

Glyphosate Disrupts Glycine Metabolism

Stephanie Seneff’s article then discusses how glyphosate disrupts glycine decarboxylase metabolism, known to cause neural tube defects in animal studies and humans.(36-37)

Glyphosate is the amino acid glycine with an added phosphate group, so glyphosate may readily displace glycine in various biochemical reactions. Glyphosate disrupts glycine decarboxylase by displacing glycine as a substrate. In addition, glyphosate replaces glycine at insertion sites in amino acid chains during protein synthesis, producing defective enzymes (35). Glyphosate is basically the amino acid, glycine with a phosphate group added on to it.

Glyphosate is a Patented Antimicrobial, Anti-Folate Drug

Glyphosate is actually patented as an anti-microbial drug. (83,84) Glyphosate serves as an anti-folate agent working in synergy with other anti-folate drugs.(58,61) Other anti-folate drugs in common use include the urinary tract antibiotic, Bactrim (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) the rheumatology drug, methotrexate, and the anti-seizure drug Dilantin (phentoin). Maternal exposure to anti-folate drugs such as methotrexate Bactrim and Dilantin increase risk of neural tube defects in the fetus up to six-fold. (85-87) Maternal folate supplementation has been shown to reduce incidence of fetal neural tube defects (NTD), and folic acid fortification in food supply was mandated in 1998. (85-87)(100-103)

Glyphosate Inhibits the Shikimate Pathway

Glyphosate’s known mode of action is inhibition of the shikimate pathway in plants, fungi, bacteria and parasites.(58) Glyphosate blocks the pathway which produces Folate, Ubiquinone (Co-Q10), Vitamin K, and the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine.

Government Regulators Deemed Glyphosate Safe for Humans

Government regulators deemed glyphosate safe for us humans because we lack the shikimate pathway. They forgot to consider that we humans depend on the shikimate pathway in plants and gut bacteria for our folate (vitamin B9), to prevents neural tube defects. If your lunch salad comes from an agricultural field treated with glyphosate which blocks the plant’s ability to synthesize folate, how much folate are you getting in your meal ? If you are ingesting glyphosate in your food, blocking your gut bacteria from synthesing folate, how soon will you be rendered folate deficient? Dr Bekaert says in 2008,

“Humans cannot synthesize folates (vitamin B9) and thus have to rely on plant food supplying these essential vitamins.“(104)

Dr Craig Roberts suggests that Glyphosate may serve as anti-folate, anti-parasitic drug ,He says:(58)

” it is likely that the shikimate pathway is important for supply of folate precursors in this parasite….inhibitors of EPSP synthase (such as glyphosate) can act in synergy with conventional antifolates and may be a useful addition to the agents used against apicomplexan parasites.”(58)

A quote from a University of Chicago Press Release 1998 (61) explains that Glyphosate blocks production of folate:

“Effective new ways to inhibit parasites that cause malaria, toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis” June 25, 1998.(61)

“Dr. McLeod’s team showed that glyphosate, …could block the production of folate, inhibiting parasite growth and survival. Glyphosate proved effective against malaria strains that were resistant to an anti-malarial medicine, pyrimethamine, which interrupts folate processing at a different point. To confirm the finding, they demonstrated that these folate-starved parasites could be rescued, in the test tube, by giving them folate.”(61)

Brazil Annual Pesticide Sales Surpasses the US

Left Image courtesy of Reuters. Brazil sales of herbicide (glyphosate) exceeds that of US.(81)

According to Paulo Prada in her 2015 article, Brazil has a huge appetite for pesticides and herbicides, surpassing annual sales in the US.(81)

Poalo Prado explains that in Northeast Brazil, irrigation canals were built, transforming previously arid land into fertile farm land. These open air irrigation canals are heavily contaminated with herbicides and pesticides liberally applied to the crop fields. Life is primitive for the agricultural workers who live without piped in water for their dwellings. The local workers use the open air irrigation canals for their drinking water, thus are heavily exposed to herbicide and pesticide runoff.

House Passes 1.1 Billion Zika Virus Bill. Methyl-Folate is Cheaper.

Instead of spending 1.1 Billion dollars on a “controversial” Zika Virus Bill, I have a better idea for prevention of microcephaly and neural tube defects. (90) Suppose we instead allocate 100 million dollars to give out free methyl-folate tablets to all pregnant women exposed to glyphosate here in the US, and in Brazil. That would solve the problem at a fraction of the cost, saving a Billion Dollars.(90)

53 Countries Have Mandatory Flour Fortification with Folate

Folate fortification of flour for prevention of neural tube defects (anencephaly, microcephaly, spina bifida etc.) is mandated in 53 countries. Fortification of flour with folic acid was mandated in the US in 1998, the most successful public health measure in history, with reduction of neural tube defects by 36%.(100-103) In 2009, Dr Oakley declared this success story a “modern miracle of epidemiology”.(103)

Study Blood Folate Levels in North East Brazil

Why not allocate research funds to study blood folate levels in women in Northeast Brazil at high risk for having babies with neural tube defects? This was done here in the US before and after starting folate fortification in 1998, showing reduction incidence of neural tube defects by 36%.(101) Folate deficiency (blood folate levels less than 3 ng/ml)) decreased from 21% to less than 1% of the population. (101)

In Australia, mandatory fortification of bread with folate and iodine was introduced in 2009, resulting in a 50-80 per cent reduction in neural tube defects in at-risk indigenous women and teenagers.(100-112)

Reducing Microcephaly in Brazil with Folate Fortification

Studies done in Brazil shows folate deficiency is severe, affecting 94% among the poor.(113) Folate fortification of flour in three south American countries (Brazil, Argentina, Chile) resulted in significant reduction in 52 different fetal anomalies including reduction in microcephaly and anencephaly.(114) Currently all South American countries except Venezuala have mandatory folate fortification legislation.(115) In populations using folate fortification there have been decreases in neural tube defects from 30-50%.(115)

How is Such an Error Possible ?

You might ask the obvious question, “how is such an error in thinking possible” that the government would waste a billion dollars on Zika instead of Folate Fortification? This is called CrimeStop or “Protective Stupidity“, aptly described in 1984 by George Orwell (91):

“The mind should develop a blind spot whenever a dangerous thought presented itself….Crimestop, they called it in Newspeak….the Party says the earth is flat’, ‘the party says that ice is heavier than water’—and trained himself in not seeing or not understanding the arguments that contradicted them.”

“Crimestop means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any dangerous thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments…”…”Crimestop, in short, means protective stupidity.”(91)

Using Fear and Smear Tactics to Distract Attention from Monsanto

This article in the Huffington Post Feb 16 is typical of the Monsanto tactics to distract attention away from Roundup glyphosate as the cause of the birth defects in agricultural workers in Brazil; A Viral Story Links The Zika Crisis To Monsanto. Don’t Believe It. by Anna Almendrala Senior Healthy Living Editor Huffington Post. Anna’s piece is pure Monsanto propaganda masquerading as journalism, don’t believe a word of it. If you trust anything Monsanto says, then I have a bridge to sell you.

Monsanto has known for decades that Glyphosate causes birth defects, see this report: Roundup and birth defects. Is the public being kept in the dark ? by Michael Antoniou Earth Open Source June 2011

Search Google Scholar for articles with key words “microcephaly pesticide“ : you will see 2160 articles pop up.

Glyphosate is “Probably Carcinogenic to Humans”

A number of studies show glyphosate exposure doubles the incidence of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.(92) As reported in Lancet Oncology by Dr Kathryn Guyton, on March, 2015, 17 experts from 11 countries met in Lyon France and classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (89)

Zika Distraction from Glyphosate – The Elephant in the Room

Certainly, maternal viral illness with Rubella, (CMV) cytomegalovirus and Zika are all risk factors for fetal demise, and fetal malformations, and are best avoided.(93-95) However, the Zika Virus is a distraction from the real cause of the problem, massive glyphosate exposure to pregnant agricultural workers in Brazil. Glyphosate is a patented anti-folate drug, Anti-folate drugs are known to cause microcephaly and neural tube defects in animals and humans.

Professor Don Huber, GMO Food and Glyphosate

Increased incidence of birth defects in the population caused by exposure to the anti-folate agent, glyphosate is only the “tip of the iceberg”. The adverse health consequences of GMO food and glyphosate contamination of our food and water supply are much more extensive as outlined in a series of articles posted on the Stephanie Seneff home page. Here is a quote from Professor Don M. Huber:(88) from his document GMO Failed Promises Flawed Science Serious Health Safety Issue

” Future historians may well look back upon our time and write, not about how many pounds of pesticides we did or did not apply, but about how willing we are to sacrifice our children and jeopardize future generations for this massive experiment we call genetic engineering that is based on failed promises and flawed science, just to benefit the bottom line of a commercial enterprise.” Dr. Don M. Huber

Link to this article: http://wp.me/p3gFbV-3En

Jeffrey Dach MD
7450 Griffin Road Suite 190
Davie, Fl 33314
954-792-4663

Articles with related interest:

Dont Ask for HIV Test Ask For Glyphosate Test

Curing Autism with Antibiotics

Berberine Antdote for an Epidemic

References

For references, please view original publication.

https://greenmedinfo.com/blog/zika-virus-or-roundup-herbicide-cause-microcephaly

Sugar: The Sweet Truth and the Big Fat Deception
Obesity and chronic disease are more complicated than we've been led to believe

Dr. Syed Haider
Sugar: the demonisation of a product or ...
Sugar gets demonized a lot. I used to demonize it too.

Robert Lustig is a famous pediatric endocrinologist and physician researcher specialized in obesity, who, ever since his video, Sugar: The Bitter Truth went viral on Youtube in 2009, has been on a crusade against sugar (I wondered who funds him and could not figure it out).

He was instrumental in helping formulate the 2009 American Heart Association’s strict guidelines on added sugar: no more than 100 calories per day for women (6 teaspoons) and 150 for men (9 teaspoons).

Meanwhile this graph recently made the rounds calling into question the correlation between sugar intake and obesity:

Image
Sugar intake, while still much higher than historic norms, had been plummeting for over a decade by the time Lustig went viral with his anti-sugar message in 2009, yet obesity rates continued climbing as though nothing had changed.

So what’s going on here? Is sugar really the primary cause of obesity, or just one of many rising causes? Or is it more complicated?

I’ve found that some people feel best when they eat a lot of carbs. Not just a temporary sugar high, but truly better health all around.

There’s a whole subculture of Ray Peat aficionados who had often spent years on low carb, no sugar diets and felt terrible - until they started eating more sugar, often in the form of whole food carbs, but also added refined sugar.

On the other hand there are probably many more people who have been heavily addicted to sugar their entire lives, also feel terrible, and quitting sugar and carbs seems to make all the difference to their health.

Meanwhile, historically, most human societies have gotten by just fine with a significant amount of carbohydrates in their diets, without obesity - just look at the US, we ate less refined sugar 70 years ago, but still dramatically more than any other civilization in human history, and we were not anywhere near as obese or unhealthy as we are today.

Sugar Consumption in the US Diet
Maybe that sorta plateau between 1920 and 1980 was just the furthest limit of sugar consumption we could possibly sustain without blowing up into human balloons?

That’s certainly a reasonable possibility. Looking at this zoomed out graph you can see that what looked like a precipitous drop earlier, just looks like a dent in the long term uptrend now.

But there’s another subculture of biohackers and optimizers that has found themselves going from sugar intolerant to sugar tolerant.

Some people have found that when they correct their metabolic dysfunction and remain lean for long enough, they no longer have to be as strict as they used to in order to avoid regaining excess weight or re-triggering type 2 diabetes.

They can seemingly miraculously eat a normal amount of carbs and sugar again.

Thank you for reading Dr. Syed Haider. This post is public so feel free to share it.

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What could explain these seeming outliers? And could this be something we could all aspire to?

It may be that sugar intolerance (weight gain, diabetes) is just a superficial problem manifesting due to some deeper dysfunction.

The best candidate for this deeper dysfunction is vegetable seed oils.

This toxic trash was never used before in human history, until debt driven fiat monetary inflation made it necessary for governments to identify cheaper cooking oils.

The reason it was never used before was that it tasted and smelled repulsive.

As nature intended: you see vegetable seeds are not meant to be eaten. At the most they're meant to pass through an animal’s digestive tract and be planted in the earth to propagate the plant species. So unlike the sweet fruits that plants “want” animals to consume from them, the seeds are very bitter.

Bitterness is a useful signal to animals: it means this is toxic, don’t eat it. If you do you’ll be sorry, it will make you sick.

The only way we could make the oils that came from crushing those seeds seemingly fit for human consumption was by complex industrial processes involving heavy machinery and a lot of chemicals to deodorize and sanitize the sludge that had previously only been used by sane people to grease the wheels of other machines.


Now, what we eat for fat is of the utmost importance because fat is what we use to make the chemical messengers called hormones, and even more importantly it’s like the cement in a city: every single cell wall is built out of fat.

The right kinds of healthy traditional fats from animals and fruits, like olive and coconut oils, will create cell walls with just the right amount of pliability, stability and durability.

Whereas cell walls constructed out of vegetable seed oils create the wrong kind of cell walls.

This changes the function of cells, their ability to respond to their environmental/chemical signals and to produce their own signaling compounds.

The other problem is that the seed oils are inherently unstable and inflammatory, they develop harmful trans fats and carcinogenic chemicals like acrolein within them due to their processing, and they tend to “oxidize” other normal oils around them, so in a way they “infect” other fats and spread their inflammatory dysfunction.

Some seed oils are labelled “heart healthy” because they are particularly high in omega 3s, like canola.

However the other problems far outweigh the supposed benefits of the omega 3 consumption (and even the omega 3s themselves should be called into question when eaten in refined isolation from the living food matrix of the fish or plants they originated within.

Chris Masterjohn has done some great work suggesting that high dose Omega 3s taken as supplements are initially anti-inflammatory, but later lead to a pro-inflammatory state.

We need to consider that acute inflammation isn’t bad, and chronic inflammation is not the root dysfunction causing chronic illness. What is triggering the chronic inflammation is the real problem, so simply reducing the inflammation, while it reduces symptoms, is not a solution. It is standing in the way of the solution, and likely increasing the foothold the problem has within you, since the body’s immune response is being hampered).



So it’s entirely possible that the original metabolic sin is the consumption of seed oils, leading to leptin resistance (spurring appetite), and then insulin resistance (with carb sensitivity) - both of these leading to visceral fat accumulation, weight gain and all other chronic diseases.

There are other chemical “obesogens,” particularly pesticides, plastics, and xenoestrogens, that tend to make us fat and sick, but none are consumed in the tremendous quantities that seed oils are.

What makes the problem particularly insidious is that it takes as much as 2 years after stopping seed oil consumption to fully clear the seed oils out of most of the body’s cells and then discover to your surprise that you can tolerate carbs and sugars again without going down the slippery slope of weight gain and chronic disease.

So, certainly many people need to start with low carb because they do not tolerate carbs at the moment. Carbs do contribute to their weight problem right now. But I consider that only half the battle.

While strictly avoiding carbs, apparently healthy function may be recovered, but resilience won’t not be, until you can once again tolerate an appropriate amount of carbs.

It’s not possibly to determine what’s appropriate without first getting healthy by detoxing from seed oils, chemicals, chronic infections/infestations, and heavy metals and then seeing what you can tolerate and feel optimal eating.

For most people it’s probably not the minuscule amounts allowed on a ketogenic diet. and for many people it could be much higher carb intake than they might expect.

Paul Saladino became famous with the social media username “Carnivore MD,” which he still uses, but he has long since evolved to eating 300+ grams a day of what he considers healthy carbs from minimally processed fruits, honey and milk.

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He initially felt great on an all meat diet, but after some years began to deteriorate significantly until he added back carbs.

People who experiment with the other extreme on vegan diets often experience a similar journey of initial profound improvements in chronic disease followed by worsening a few short years later.

Doing what’s required to get better is hard enough without the trial and error, which is why people save a lot of time and money when they just go straight to someone who knows what they’re doing.

My choice for people who want an all natural approach that works better than any other alternative, is Hakim Shabaz Ahmed, which is why he now works closely with us at mygotodoc.com/hakim. I can confidently say he is the best in the world at healing people at the deepest levels, because he began with himself and then fine tuned his approach on hundreds of people around the world who were so desperate they had no option but to follow his often difficult to implement advice.



But what’s difficult becomes easy when you’re certain it will work and not just waste your time and effort. If you can become convinced that after a short but difficult path you’ll achieve everything you ever wanted, it’s relatively easy to decide to pursue it. Doubts are what stand in the way of most people, so it’s a good thing Hakim Shabaz is good at dispelling them. His confidence shines through when he speaks, and he will usually be able to tell patients things about themselves that he should have no way of knowing, because of not only intuition, but a deep understanding of underlying principles, which reveal connections most people don’t even know exist.

https://blog.mygotodoc.com/p/sugar-the-sweet-truth-and-the-big

Correcting Vitamin Imbalances From Long Periods of Over-Supplementing Specific Micronutrients
A, D, E, K, copper/zinc, B complex, selenium/iodine, calcium/magnesium. Also: sunlight, plankton, and your ever-changing, easy-swap microbiome.

Dr. Syed Haider
What are plankton?
Plankton
Answered a bunch of questions in the livestream Q&A this week, including on long haul shortness of breath, gut issues, methylene blue, how to deal with reactivated viruses, HBOT and muscle cramps. It airs every Wednesday at noon EST (unless I’m traveling) and the recording can also be found on Twitter, YouTube and Rumble (though the entire stream doesn’t always make it through on Rumble).

The first question was on vitamin imbalances, and it deserves a deeper dive than what I was able to do during the stream:

“Doctor Haider mentioned that after us all being on C,D, Zinc, Quercetin, etc....that we are all probably needing A,E and the B vitamins as well. Do we need to just switch to a good multi vitamin or add in the A,E and B's?”

The reason this question came up is because I’ve said that many people took high doses of Vitamin D and zinc for months to years during the pandemic scare, which may have left them deficient in A, E, K and copper.

So there are 4 fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K (which has important subtypes: K1, crucial for clotting, and K2, necessary for proper calcium metabolism and bone mineralization. K2 is Dr Weston Price’s “X-Factor” that he identified as being absent in industrial diets that led to improper tooth and jaw development).

It’s generally thought that humans don’t convert K1 from plants into K2, which primarily comes from animal sources like butter. This may or may not be true, but it’s safest to just eat butter, especially grass-fed butter, and for a high-heat cooking oil, you can easily separate the oil from the small amount of solids present to make clarified butter at home.

The important point in terms of vitamin imbalances is that if you make a point of over-consuming particular fat-soluble vitamins, it may block the absorption of the others, so that over time you may develop a deficiency in the ones you are not supplementing. And the same may happen between zinc and copper.

Chris Masterjohn, who first identified K2, has some interesting articles discussing why he believes Vitamin A balances out high doses of Vitamin D to prevent D toxicity.

I added vitamin K2 to my bestseller IMMUNITY [Vitamins] because of a similar concern. The IMMUNITY [vitamins] was a riff on the popular pandemic supplement stack touted by the late Dr. Zev Zelenko who recommended Vitamins C, D, Zinc and Quercetin. The C and D were immune boosting antivirals, and the Quercetin was a “zinc ionophore” that increased the transfer of zinc into cells where it also had a powerful antiviral effect.


The problem I saw was that the quercetin was poorly absorbed without the addition of bromelain, and vitamin D would increase the uptake of calcium which requires K2 to tell it where to go in the body (bones and teeth). Like Masterjohn I thought it likely that most people living in modern industrialized countries were very deficient in K2.

Even if it turns out the body can convert K1 from plants to K2, most people don’t even get a lot of K1 from plants. As for K2 from animal products like butter, many people don’t eat enough butter to begin with, let alone the high quality grass fed butter that’s rich in K2.

So I added bromelain and K2 because there was just enough room in the formulation to accommodate them and I considered those the two most important additions I could make.

Thank you for reading Dr. Syed Haider. This post is public so feel free to share it.

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I would have liked to have added vitamins A, E, and copper as well as magnesium (most diets seem to be deficient in this as well which is necessary for hundreds of chemical reactions), but we had already reached the tipping point on price. I wanted to keep it affordable and around the same price as competitors who had not even added the Vitamin K2 and Bromelain. I also saw it as a short term immune booster rather than a long term daily multivitamin type product. I also thought most people were deficient in C and D, and I don’t remember if I was initially even aware of the zinc/copper issue (doctors famously get only a few hours of nutrition training in med school after all, though even that is probably worse than none, given the quality of mainstream nutrition advice). Regardless, I wouldn’t have thought it was a problem for a short term supplement.

Fast forward a couple years and I hear that some people have been taking these supplements every day just in case.

Now without evaluating each person individually I can’t say if that’s a good thing or not. It all depends on the specifics of their body and situation, but what I can say is that generally speaking it is optimal to get micronutrients from food, and it may be more important than we could even realize given our modern pseudoscientific assumptions, experimental blinders and overall myopia.

If we think of everything in terms of information, the body is a super supercomputer (each and every cell is a supercomputer) that processes information from the external and internal environment at all times. That information comes in many forms: light, sound, thought, emotion, food, water, air, temperature, humidity, etc. We process massive amounts of information every minute that we are not even aware of.


Showing only the known and mapped metabolic pathways in the human body, to display these clearly the photo is usually printed out on an 8 foot x 12 foot poster. In December 2004 Romero and colleagues wrote in Gene Biology: “Of the 1,653 metabolic enzymes, 622 are assigned to a pathway in HumanCyc (comprehensive database of known human metabolic pathways), and the remainder are not assigned to any pathway; we expect that in the future some of the latter group of enzymes will be assigned to some known human pathways not yet in HumanCyc, and to some human pathways that remain to be discovered.”
To make this all happen internal cellular processes occur at astonishing speeds: mitochondrial motors rotate faster than jet engines, molecules of glucose move at 250 miles per hour inside of cells, and a typical protein molecule will “tumble” around a cell at 60 million RPM). Visualizations like the one below have to remove 99.99% of what would be present to let you see the 0.01% they are focusing on, and slow things down 1,000 to a million times or more, so you can make sense of anything. For example the still image before you play the video shows a kinesin motor protein that looks like a pair of feet dragging a giant vesicle down a microtubule pathway. In the video it’s lumbering along, but in reality it’s high stepping it 100 times a second.



Our mitochondria, which are the energy power houses of our cells, vary their energy production processes based on the quality of the sunlight and the temperature, which signifies what time of year it is, so that the optimal food for you at any time is what is growing locally. If you’re in a cold place where fruit doesn’t grow in the winter, it would be optimal for your metabolism and health to avoid eating fruit carted in from the tropics. Eating locally and seasonally will provide your body with the food information it has prepared itself to receive based on local environmental conditions.

The food encodes complex information within a living matrix.

Nutrients and bioactive compounds in food act as signals, influencing metabolism, growth, and gene expression. Hormonal responses, gut microbiome interactions, and phytochemicals play key roles in this communication. Dietary patterns and environmental factors, like seasonal variations, affect metabolic processes and health. Poor dietary signals can lead to chronic diseases.

So refining out isolated units like vitamin D from fish oil that was extracted from fish meat and organs could have unexpected effects on our physiology.

Vitamin D naturally comes from whole foods like fatty fish or our own body makes it using dietary cholesterol and external sunlight. The vitamin D in the ocean originates in plankton that also make it from cholesterol and sunlight, and form the base of a food chain that concentrates D. So vitamin D is a distilled form of the energy of the sun. That energy taken out of context may be harmful. When vitamin D is made in our skin from sunlight, we also receive many other beneficial effects from that sunlight, which alter our physiology. Various wavelengths of light change the characteristics of our blood and mitochondria, and sunlight (especially in the morning, but also throughout the day) helps set our circadian rhythms. The important effects of the sun aside from the creation of vitamin D are encoded in the fish, just as they are in us. If we consume the entire fish we benefit from all the other information, and it affects our physiology in a comprehensive way. If we refine out the vitamin D and take it in the absence of all the other information that usually comes with it, there are bound to be imbalances created.

So the best way to get vitamin D is probably from sunlight, unless you’re in an environment where that’s impossible like up north in the winter, when UVB doesn’t make it through the atmosphere, in which case you should probably: a. get plenty of sun in the summer so you have adequate D stores to tide you over, and b. eat fatty fish through the winter to top up along the way.


Another exception to the rule
Same goes for all the vitamins and mineral. Get them from food or natural sources whenever possible and leave supplements for last minute emergency situations.

Vitamin A is found in beef liver, which also has high amounts of many B vitamins. Vitamin E can be found in nuts, salad greens, avocados, and asparagus. As mentioned earlier K1 is present in greens and K2 in grass fed butter (also very high in emu oil). Copper and zinc can be found in shellfish, organ meats and beans.

Eating “nose to tail” is one way to get everything the body needs because an animal like a cow (or even a fish, which is why tiny sardines with the head on are so great) basically has everything the human body needs, and any specific nutrients that are especially necessary for a particular organ will be found concentrated in that organ, so whatever your brain needs will also be found in an animal brain, same for the heart, liver, kidneys, etc. You can also find powder supplements forms of all these, but the real food is always preferable.

Thank you for reading Dr. Syed Haider. This post is public so feel free to share it.

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As an overview here are some of the vitamin imbalances we’ve already discussed along with other common ones to watch out for:

Vitamin D and Vitamin K2

Vitamin D: High doses of vitamin D can increase calcium absorption.

Vitamin K2: Insufficient vitamin K2 can lead to improper calcium metabolism, causing calcium to deposit in soft tissues instead of bones, potentially leading to vascular calcification.

Vitamin A and Vitamin D

Vitamin A: Excessive vitamin A can interfere with the action of vitamin D.

Vitamin D: An imbalance between vitamin A and D can affect bone health, as these vitamins work synergistically to regulate calcium levels.

Zinc and Copper

Zinc: High doses of zinc can interfere with copper absorption.

Copper: Deficiency in copper can lead to issues such as anemia, weakened immune function, and cardiovascular problems.

Vitamin E and Vitamin K1

Vitamin E: High doses of vitamin E can interfere with vitamin K function, affecting blood clotting.

Vitamin K1: Deficiency can lead to bleeding disorders due to impaired clotting.

Calcium and Magnesium

Calcium: Excessive calcium intake can lead to magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium: Adequate magnesium is needed for proper calcium metabolism. Imbalance can affect muscle function and cardiovascular health.

Iron and Zinc

Iron: High iron levels can interfere with zinc absorption.

Zinc: Zinc deficiency can impair immune function and wound healing.

B Complex

Many B vitamins use similar pathways and transport mechanisms for absorption in the intestines. Excessive amounts of one vitamin can saturate these pathways, reducing the absorption of others. For example high doses of folic acid (vitamin B9) can compete with vitamin B12 for absorption, at the same time folate can potentially mask the vitamin B12 deficiency by correcting B12 deficiency induced megaloblastic anemia without addressing neurological damage that can also be caused by B12 deficiency.

B vitamins often act as co-factors for the same enzymes in metabolic reactions involved in energy production, DNA synthesis, and neurotransmitter function. An imbalance in one vitamin can disrupt the optimal functioning of these enzymes, affecting the levels of other B vitamins. For example excessive vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) can saturate certain metabolic pathways leading to increased functioning of enzymes that also require vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B3 (niacin), leading to available stores of vitamins B2 and B3 being used up, leading to their deficiency in other necessary reactions. A similar imbalance can occur when over supplementing vitamins B3 or B2.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Omega-3: Excessively high intake of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the body’s ability to use omega-6 fatty acids properly due to their competition for the same enzymes.

Selenium and Iodine

Selenium: High selenium levels can negatively affect thyroid function if iodine is deficient.

At mygotodoc.com we run Chris Masterjohn’s comprehensive functional vitamin panels occasionally for interested patients, but it seems to me that the complexity involved inside the body, along with the inherent inaccuracy of nutritional testing, combine to create a very difficult time for those trying to interpret patient test results and provide actionable insights.

Masterjohn’s protocols are publicly available for anyone to interpret their own tests and anyone who has reviewed them will notice that there are a lot of ifs, ands and buts sprinkled throughout. Long story short: you won't usually find any definitive answers there. And what definitive answers you may think you have found could turn out to be wrong. We might misunderstand what the bodies getting at by itself creating and perpetuating a particular “deficiency” or “excess” in our best interest given the impossibly toxic situation it’s in.

With a deep wholistic approach it’s rare to need much if any testing because the signs pointing you in the direction you need to go are more obvious at the macroscopic than the microscopic scale.

No one reads those signs like my colleague Hakim Shabaz Ahmed and in his vast clinical experience with patients it’s become clear that the best way to uncover your own optimal dietary needs is to first get yourself really healthy and then you will notice very clearly how various foods make you feel and which ones your body is asking for at a particular time in your life (it can vary based not only on you, but on what you’re doing and going through at a particular time). Both stages: the getting really healthy part and then the optimizing foods part go a lot faster with an expert guide.



One final note: Hakim Shabaz suspects the body and microbiome may be even more flexible than anyone suspects, capable of not only interconverting similar nutrients like K1 to K2, but also very dissimilar micronutrients and minerals. There is some interesting buried research from the late 19th century that seems to back this up (we’re working on an article on this topic).

We do know that the right bacteria can create perhaps anything we might want or need, which highlights the importance of avoiding the indiscriminate use of broad spectrum antibiotics which have destroyed the microbial diversity of many modern peoples. Maybe we should all visit some jungle tribes once in awhile to gather what they're still carrying with them. Of course every environment has its own unique challenges that intact microbiomes will be perfectly attuned to. We may just need to meticulously avoid antibiotics long enough and optimize our personal habits (food, sun, sleep, EMF exposures, comprehensive detoxification, etc), to allow the beneficial microbes in our environment to recolonize us. If anyone still has them it’s most likely to be those who are still particularly healthy and impervious to modern diseases. It might be a good idea to make friends with as many of those people as you can so whatever beneficial microbes they have can rub off on you too.

This idea might sound silly and you might think you need a stool transplant, but the research shows microbial transfers actually happen all the time and our microbiome is incredibly responsive and can change rapidly:

(F)armers have a different microbiome than city workers58…the oral microbiota of sailors is significantly altered by their occupational activities, so that after 120 days at sea, they show a five-fold reduction in alpha diversity and an increase (in) Streptococcus59... Finally, couples who physically interact have a more similar microbiota than people who share the same living quarters but do not physically interact14, indicating that physical interaction influence microbial sharing and hence microbiome similarity, highlighting the effects of social interaction on the microbiome.
(Gilbert 2020)


https://blog.mygotodoc.com/p/correcting-vitamin-imbalances-from

S'porean, 36, has been eating insects since 2015, prefers them over snacks like chips
Foo finds them to be healthier and more environmentally friendly than conventional snacks.

Ashley Tan

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On Jul. 8, 2024, the Singapore Food Agency announced that the import, sale, manufacturing, processing, and farming of select insect species for human consumption is allowed.

Samsung
Regulations were initially targeted to come into effect in the second half of 2023.

When asked for his thoughts on the latest announcement, Foo Maosheng, who has been snacking on insects for years, noted that reactions to the news this time are more pronounced, but "it is as expected".

He also sensed that younger people appear to be more open to trying insects as food.

Nevertheless, he shared that he is "excited", and "can't wait to purchase" the products off the shelves.

"It is just in time for me to stock up," he quipped.

Note: This interview was first published on Dec. 7, 2022.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has started looking to allow the import and sale of insects and insect products for human consumption and animal feed in Singapore.

This means that some time in the near future, Singaporeans might be able to buy such products off local shelves and consume them wherever and whenever they want here.

The revelation that some people here might be crunching on the critters daily sent netizens into a frenzy of shock and disgust, but one Singaporean welcomed this piece of news.

"I actually was quite happy that they [the government] are actually allowing this to happen now," says Foo Maosheng.

Like Rice Krispies

Foo has been eating and incorporating insects into his diet since 2015.

He got his first taste when a colleague brought back some fried bamboo worms from Thailand.

Here's what they look like.

Photo from Wikipedia
"It was actually not bad," the 34-year-old recalled. "It's a bit like eating Rice Krispies but just with less flavour."

Foo does not hold the same apprehension towards insects most people do.

As an entomologist studying bugs and other creepy-crawlies at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (National University of Singapore), eating insects, or entomophagy, as it's scientifically termed, is not a new concept to him.

He shared that prior to his first taste of insects, he was already aware of what it could potentially taste like, and thus when the opportunity presented itself, it was simply a moment of "okay, now that it's available for me, [there's] a chance to try, so just go ahead and try it".

"Even if I'm not an entomologist, I think I'll still be open to eating [insects]," Foo reflects.

Keeping a cockroach as a pet

Foo's fascination with bugs started as a young child, as is common among kids. Unlike others though, this interest did not fade into adulthood.

While other children frolicked around the playground, Foo recalls that he could typically be found crouched among the bushes and grass, in search of insects to collect and bring home.

A core memory for him is keeping a cockroach as his first "pet'.

Seven-year-old Foo had found it in his home, and later lured it with a piece of cut apple. He kept the cockroach for around a week in a small plastic container before another insect, a caterpillar, caught his attention.

He sustained this interest in bugs as he grew up, and Foo eventually went on to study environmental biology at the National University of Singapore.

2015 was the year Foo tried insects for the first time, sparking an all new gastronomic journey for him.

In search of other insects to try and new exotic flavour additions to his palate, he ventured online to search if any company in Singapore sells or distributes the products, but to no avail.

This is because the import and sale of insects for human consumption has not been authorised by SFA.

Foo later discovered online shops that sell the edible products he was looking for. One in particular, Thailand Unique, is located in the land of smiles but ships worldwide.

Eating it "like snacks"

Now, Foo purchases various packs of edible bugs from Thailand Unique once a year.

Each silver ziploc pack, adorned with labels with pictures of the bugs it contains, are actually rather affordable, costing around S$4 to S$5 per pack, excluding shipping fees.

One pack can last Foo two to three weeks.

Here is Foo's stash, which includes bugs such as crickets, sago worms, weaver ants, and cicadas.

Photo by Ashley Tan
Foo shares that he munches on the insects like snacks and describes the texture as similar to nuts or biscuits.

He either eats them straight from the pack, or sprinkles them over his food dishes, like croutons on a salad, or furikake over his rice.

Occasionally, he bakes a mean pandan cake infused with bits of cricket. This, he explains, introduces a bit of a nutty taste to the sweet dessert.

When asked about his less-than wary reception to eating bugs, Foo ponders for awhile, and acknowledges that he is generally quite curious and open to trying new cuisines and foods.

"I do get that from my family. They always notice that I'm always trying new foodstuff instead of always going for the same popular or common food dishes that we can eat.

I'm not a foodie, just always open to trying new stuff."

Foo has tried introducing edible insects to his family, friends and colleagues, to mixed reactions. While some are willing to give it a try, others, more squeamish, keep the bugs at an arm's length.

"I have friends who say 'I'd rather die than eat that'."

Thus far, none of the people he knows have taken to eating insects quite like he has, and he recognises that he might one of the very few in Singapore who eats them regularly.

Bug benefits

You might be wondering why Foo chooses edible insects over conventional snacks like chips and nuts.

After all, the edible bugs aren't exactly more flavourful than the latter, and they aren't as easily accessible for purchase either.

Foo elaborates that the main draw for him is that being much more protein-rich, which makes bugs a healthier choice than other snacks.

"Better than eating too much carbs," he remarks.

The environmental benefits of bugs as food, over meat, for example, are a boon for him as well.

Agriculture is currently a significant contributor to global warming. Meanwhile, insect cultivation uses only a fraction of the land and other resources required for the farming of meat like beef and chicken.

Crickets produce up to 80 per cent less methane than cows, according to a study by researchers in the Netherlands. Additionally, replacing half of the meat eaten around the world with mealworms and crickets can reduce the use of farmland by one-third.

For Foo, Singapore's goal to produce 30 per cent of its food supply locally by 2030 aligns with his lifestyle of entomophagy as well.

Reviewing bugs: Fishy and salty

After expounding on the advantages of eating bugs, there's no way I can leave without at least trying some out, especially after Foo very kindly dug out his whole stash for the interview.

I've tried crickets and bamboo worms before — Foo calls them "starters", as they're the most common bugs that those new to entomophagy typically try first.

These usually have a nutty or salty taste, similar to dried salted fish.

Although Foo takes pains to elaborate on the different tastes of each bug — for example, cicadas have more earthy notes while the sago worms taste more fatty — the bug-eating amateur that I am finds that they all taste fishy and salty to me.

One of the packets is called Jungle Trail Mix. Photo by Ashley Tan
As the bugs come roasted in their packs, they're usually quite crispy and will crumble once you bite down.

To be very honest, they're not particularly aesthetically appealing either.

Silkworm pupae, cicadas and centipedes. Photo by Ashley Tan
A fried sago worm. Photo by Ashley Tan
After trying some of the tamer specimens, Foo enthusiastically whips out a scorpion and very large water bug from their packs, much to my apprehension.

The water bug, he says, isn't very appetising, so I tentatively nibble on a very crisp leg, which ended up not really tasting like anything.

Photo by Ashley Tan
Interestingly, according to Foo, the scorpion apparently tastes like bak kwa with a bitter aftertaste.

As I take a chomp of its torso, my unrefined palate is unable to taste the meaty flavour. To me, it simply tastes salty and slightly charred.

Photo by Ashley Tan
The most exotic specimen Foo has eaten is the zebra tarantula, which costs around S$16. A single tarantula comes uniquely packaged in a small can.

Although I didn't get to try the tarantula, it supposedly tastes like crab meat, something which celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has testified to before.

Photo by Ashley Tan
Foo assures that one does not need to fear eating venomous invertebrates like the scorpion and tarantula, as the venom is deactivated once they're cooked.

However, he cautions that some people might suffer allergic reactions to the remnants of the venom left behind.

Overall, my verdict on entomophagy: It was a unique experience, and I would recommend trying it at least once.

Who knows, you might take a liking to it too.

Normalising eating bugs

Foo foresees bugs becoming a staple in his diet, whenever it becomes readily available in Singapore.

He notes that with inflation and rising prices of protein sources like chicken and eggs, insects would be a good alternative.

Clearly from how some netizens responded to SFA's announcement in October, a good number of people in Singapore may disagree with Foo's sentiment.





Healing the Divide's Iris Koh even started a petition against SFA's announcement, calling it a threat to public safety. Thus far, it has garnered over 600 signatures.

While Foo is able to somewhat understand the netizens' perspectives, he believes that permitting the sale and consumption of insects is a progressive move.

"So when you bring this in, people may think, oh yeah, we're becoming third world. Because we are bringing that way of living from a third world country into our country. So it's understandable, but I wouldn't say is exactly that we are becoming a third world country. But it's just that we are actually moving forward ahead in order to make sure that our human population, at least in Singapore, will be able to meet that protein requirements."

Foo concedes that normalising entomophagy here will not be an easy feat — he acknowledges that there exists a "gross factor", and that the unsavoury image of bugs has been perpetuated by media and will be challenging to purge.

"It will definitely take some time," he said, and adds that educating the public, including children, on the benefits of entomophagy and debunking the stigma surrounding creepy-crawlies might go a long way.

Foo sums up his thoughts towards the naysayers in a Facebook post responding to Koh's petition:

"All in all, eating insects is not a last resort, entomophagy and the import of insects for human consumption is part of Singapore food security and food sustainability. No one is forcing you to eat insects, it is an option that is open to you."

Photo by Zhangxin Zheng
Top photo by Zhangxin Zheng and Foo Maosheng's IG

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https://mothership.sg/2024/07/sporean-eating-insects-since-2015/

The Sisi-linked cartel boss in charge of Gaza "file" - Why Egypt is not a friend of Palestine Part 3
The Sinai Mafia boss and powerbroker linked to the Sisi regime and military

vanessa beeley

Ibrahim Al-Arjani (Organi) the Sinai cartel chief in charge of Gaza. Image from FT.

Ibrahim Al Arjani rose to prominence during the alleged Egyptian war on terror in the Sinai as head of the Sinai Tribal Union. His rise was meteoric and his Empire established almost overnight as the Al Organi group that dominates construction and trade in the Sinai Peninsula. Al Arjani was a smuggler during the Mubarak era but became one of the most powerful men in Egypt under the Sisi regime. According to a 2023 article in Egypt Watch:

The man whose name was associated with the president’s son, who helps him control the General Intelligence, suddenly seemed to have an empire or, as it is called, the Al-Arjani group, which is a partner of the regime internally and externally and is considered as an ambassador of the “Decent Life” initiative, and one of the warlords who will help the Armed forces in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

Timothy Kaldas, deputy director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, said the nature of the political economy under Sisi “means almost nobody can be a big player in business without co-ordination and some kind of dependence on the regime”. Financial Times

14 years ago Al Arjani was in prison as a Bedouin tribal leader targeted in the crack down on Bedouin protests against the destruction of their environment as mentioned in Part Two of this series.

Today Al Arjani is one of Egypt’s most influential warlords with shared business interests and close ties to the son of the Egyptian president, Mahmoud Al Sisi.

Arjani, who owns some of the largest construction firms in Egypt, takes his orders from Egyptian intelligence – and also a big cut of Egypt's aid to Gaza, and from the movement of goods from Egypt into Gaza, mostly those that pass through the Saladin checkpoint in Rafah.

Al Arjani has a de facto monopoly in the Sinai development project:

Al-Arjani is a member of the board of directors of the National Agency for the Development of the Sinai Peninsula, a public economic agency affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for granting the right for Egyptians and foreigners to own or use land, as well as managing and investing in land in Sinai.

Please refer to Part One for information on the international (majority Gulf State) investment in the Sinai. The Sisi regime claims that it has spent $ 12.8 billion since Sisi took power in 2013 on the Sinai development project - headed up by Al Arjani.

The Treasure Plane scandal

In August 2023, 2 months before the Israeli genocide was launched, scandal rocked the Sisi strong-arm regime. While the majority of Egypt suffers power cuts, gas shortages, economic uncertainty and corruption a plane carrying millions of dollars, gold and weapons left Cairo and landed in Zambia where it was promptly seized by the authorities. According to a report in Middle East Monitor:

Such speculation is reinforced by reports of links between the aircraft and Sinai businessman Ibrahim Al-Arjani, who is close to Mahmoud Al-Sisi, the son of the Egyptian president. Al-Arjani is suspected of being involved in the attack on the National Security headquarters in El-Arish last month in an attempt to release detainees belonging to his Tarabin tribe. Some say that those behind the attack were paid back in Zambia.

This incident exposed the deep corruption within the Sisi regime’s close circle. Millions of dollars being smuggled during a time of severe dollar hard currency shortages in the country and while the regime was requesting yet another loan from the International Monetary Fund point to insider dealing.

The plane was reported to have carried out multiple mysterious missions over the years. There is potential that scrutiny of these missions will highlight the involvement of regional and even international partners. Political opponents have claimed that the plane is affiliated to the General Intelligence Services and to Mahmoud Al Sisi. Middle East Monitor reported:

Pictures being circulated show that the location of the aircraft often coincided with the presence of Egyptian intelligence and security delegations. These include officials from the Egyptian intelligence service accompanied by Al-Arjani in Libya, as well as Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfiq at the head of an Egyptian security delegation participating in the 40th session of the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council in Tunisia in February.

Al Arjani’s Gaza Monopoly

Al Arjani’s monopoly extends into the Rafah border and Gaza itself. In 2021 Egypt was given the exclusive contract to rebuild Gaza after the May 2021 Zionist aggression against the besieged enclave that left thousands of Palestinians injured and killed an estimated 250 (probably a much higher number)


Post-Zionist-aggression billboards were erected along the coastal road in Gaza emblazoned with Sisi’s image. Egyptian bulldozers rolled into the enclave along with construction workers and engineers - their mission to “rebuild Gaza”. Egypt pledged $500 million to reconstruct and to build new roads inside Gaza. An article in Haaretz at the time reported:

The main beneficiary of the reconstruction plan is the company Beni Sinai, owned by Bedouin businessman Ibrahim al-Arjani, who also heads the Tarabin Bedouin tribe and the association of the tribe's leaders in northern Sinai – which are cooperating with Egyptian intelligence in its war against the terrorist groups in the Sinai Peninsula. Arjani, who owns some of the largest construction firms in Egypt, takes his orders from Egyptian intelligence – and also a big cut of Egypt's aid to Gaza, and from the movement of goods from Egypt into Gaza, mostly those that pass through the Saladin checkpoint in Rafah.

Egypt was awarded a monopoly over more than just the initial rebuilding efforts. With the consent of Israel, the United States and the United Arab Emirates, Qatar agreed to a new arrangement for transferring its aid: Qatar would pay Egypt for oil and gasoline that Egypt would supply to Gaza where Hamas would have control over the sale of the resources.

The pretext given by Israel for this change was that it no longer wanted Qatar-managed suitcases of cash being brought into Gaza. Israel has always claimed that Hamas has used a percentage of this cash to fortify the Resistance infrastructure and to buy weapons.

Egypt would therefore take charge of the indirect distribution of $ 30 million per month. In the past this sum was divided three ways. One part was paid out directly to poor families, another was for buying diesel fuel for the Gaza power plant, and the third was for projects to create jobs and reduce unemployment that has now topped 60 percent.

The irony is that the Sisi regime benefits from the sale of gas and oil to the Gaza strip while 1. the Egyptian people endure power outages and gas shortages 2. There are 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas sitting 20 nautical miles off the Gaza coastline that Palestinians have never been given access to by the Zionist regime and its allies in the UK and US.

Please refer to Part Two for Sisi’s deepening ties with Israel.

The Rafah Border provides blood money for the Sisi regime

The Rafah border crossing is the only crossing allegedly not controlled by Israel. The reality is a little different, Israel controls Egyptian policy at the Rafah crossing without a doubt.

In his November 2023 CNN interview, Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar addresses the challenging situation regarding the transfer of infants from Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital to Egypt. Despite Egypt’s preparedness, boasting 37 hospitals and over 11,000 beds, the transfer process is stalled due to required clearances from an unspecified authority. When probed about Israel’s potential role in controlling border access, Ghaffar, while non-committal, acknowledges the influence of an external decision-maker. Israel. Watch:

A young Iranian team of journalists and researchers put together this short report on the intricacies of the 2005 Philadelphi Accords, perceived by Israel as an extension of the 1979 Camp David agreement:

Al Arjani has control over trade and construction at the Rafah border. That trade extends to the millions extorted from Palestinian refugees, many children, who have fled to Egypt. An adult is charged $ 5000 and a child $ 2,500. An average family of two parents and three children will be forced to pay $ 17,500 to enter Egypt where they are given only a three month visa which does not include a work permit. After three months they are effectively illegal aliens and face expulsion back to Gaza.

Palestinians desperate to leave Gaza are paying bribes to brokers of up to $10,000 (£7,850) to help them exit the territory through Egypt, according to a Guardian investigation. [..] Belal, a US citizen from Gaza, was told he would need to raise $85,000 to get 11 family members out of the territory, including five children under three.

Before the genocide, the cost was $ 500. This is a shocking exploitation of human suffering to profit from their bloodshed by Al Arjani and the Sisi regime - while Egypt is portrayed as a peace broker and mediator, it is taking blood money from the most vulnerable Palestinians without remorse.


When Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry was asked in March whether the government condoned Hala now charging $5,000 for Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip, he said: “Absolutely not.”

“We will take whatever measures we need so as to . . . eliminate it totally,” Shoukry told Sky News.

Yet weeks later Hala was still providing the service. Financial Times

Where next for Al Arjani and the Sisi regime?

A recent report in the Financial Times has detailed the “shuttering” of the Rafah Crossing. The Zionist military occupation of the crossing has dealt a blow to the Egyptian regime’s economic stake in Gaza, controlled by Al Arjani.

The FT reports that Al Arjani’s response to the crisis was to create the “Union of Arab Tribes” to “work side by side with the Egyptian state” on security.

In a sign of Cairo’s concerns, Organi, a leader of the Tarabin, Sinai’s largest tribe, last month announced the formation [already formed, perhaps mothballed and revived - my note] of an “Union of Arab Tribes” to “work side by side with the Egyptian state” on security.

There have been recent reports on social media that Egypt is increasing its military presence in Sinai close to the Rafah border. According to Zionist media, at least 160 armoured vehicles and 140 other vehicles have been deployed to the area. It is wishful thinking to assume that this may be a reaction to halt the genocide that Israel has been conducting since October 7th.

Instead I believe that this is linked to Al Arjani’s “security” project which is designed to PREVENT the exodus of exhausted, starved and hunted Palestinians from Gaza.

Experts viewed the move as a sign of an anxious government seeking the support of the Bedouin — once nomadic tribes that inhabit the Sinai — amid concerns that Israel’s offensive could eventually drive Palestinians into Egypt. “It is with one eye towards Rafah and long-standing fears about displacement [of Gazans],” said Michael Hanna, an expert at Crisis Group. FT

With the effective occupation of the Rafah border by Israel, with very little concrete protest by Egypt - Al Arjani will instead assume the role of policing the Egyptian side of the border with the tribal alliance.

Sabry said he saw no signs that militias were being re-established, but added that the military was likely to be “trying to organise a locally grown, broad network of spies and informants” to monitor events on the Sinai side of Gaza’s border. FT

A spokesperson for the alliance made it even clearer:

Mostafa Bakry, spokesman for the union, has said the alliance would not be armed, adding that weapons were collected from the previous tribal union three years ago.

But he told a Saudi television channel that the alliance “comes at a very important moment”.

“We are surrounded by a ring of fire,” Bakry said. “We are facing a displacement plot and the president has been very clear from the start. We will not allow displacement [of Gazans].” FT

During a televised address on Sunday 30th June, Sisi made the following statement:

The region is going through serious changes recently amid intense Israeli war in the Gaza Strip and attempts to impose forced displacement towards Egyptian territories.

The conscience of humanity was absent in this war. The international community remained silent, turning its face away from tens of thousands of innocent victims. (Emphasis added)

I don’t think I need to spell out the rank and criminal hypocrisy of such a statement in the context of this article and Part One and Two.


Von Der Leyen and President Sisi in Cairo. Body language says it all.

Meanwhile European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announces the signing of more than 20 memorandums of understanding between European companies and Egyptian companies worth more than 40 billion euros, covering the fields of hydrogen, water, construction, chemicals, shipping, aviation, and automobiles.

Egypt is the Ukraine of West Asia.


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Happy to see my lettuce grow! Excited for some salad after a month!<br />grt uhtty
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Thanks you

Everything to know about the Health Benefits of Beets
Some benefits of eating beets may include lower blood pressure and better athletic performance, among others. Eating beets raw or juicing and roasting them may be more beneficial than boiling them.

Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a vibrant and versatile type of vegetable. They’re known for their earthy flavor and aroma. Many people call them a superfood because of their rich nutritional profile.

In addition to bringing a pop of color to your plate, beets are highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds, many of which have medicinal properties.

What’s more, they’re delicious and easy to add to your diet in dishes like balsamic roasted beets, hummus, fries, and salads, among many others.

Here are 9 evidence-based benefits of beets, plus some tasty ways to increase your intake.

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Beets boast an impressive nutritional profile.

They’re low in calories yet high in valuable vitamins and minerals. In fact, they contain a bit of almost all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs (1Trusted Source).

Here’s an overview of the nutrients found in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of boiled beetroot (1Trusted Source):

Calories: 44
Protein: 1.7 grams
Fat: 0.2 grams
Carbs: 10 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Folate: 20% of the Daily Value (DV)
Manganese: 14% of the DV
Copper: 8% of the DV
Potassium: 7% of the DV
Magnesium: 6% of the DV
Vitamin C: 4% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 4% of the DV
Iron: 4% of the DV
Beets are particularly rich in folate, a vitamin that plays a key role in growth, development, and heart health (2Trusted Source).

They also contain a good amount of manganese, which is involved in bone formation, nutrient metabolism, brain function, and more (3Trusted Source).

Plus, they’re high in copper, an important mineral required for energy production and the synthesis of certain neurotransmitters (4Trusted Source).

Summary
Beets are loaded with vitamins and minerals yet low in calories and fat. They’re also a good source of several key nutrients, including folate, manganese, and copper.

Beets have been well studied for their ability to decrease elevated blood pressure levels, which are a major risk factor for heart disease (5Trusted Source).

In fact, some studies show that beetroot juice could significantly lower levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

The effect appears to be greater for systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure when your heart contracts, rather than diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure when your heart is relaxed. Also, raw beets may exert a stronger effect than cooked ones (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

These blood-pressure-lowering effects are likely due to the high concentration of nitrates in this root vegetable. In your body, dietary nitrates are converted into nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels and causes blood pressure levels to drop (9Trusted Source).

Beets are also a great source of folate. Although research has turned up mixed results, several studies suggest that increasing your intake of folate could significantly lower blood pressure levels (10Trusted Source).

However, keep in mind that beets’ effect on blood pressure is only temporary. As such, you need to consume them regularly to experience heart-health benefits over the long term (11Trusted Source).

Summary
Beets contain a high concentration of nitrates, which can help lower your blood pressure levels. This may lead to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.

Several studies suggest that dietary nitrates like those found in beets may enhance athletic performance.

Nitrates appear to affect physical performance by improving the efficiency of mitochondria, which are responsible for producing energy in your cells (12Trusted Source).

According to one review, beetroot juice could enhance endurance by increasing how long it takes to become exhausted, boosting cardiorespiratory performance, and improving efficiency for athletes (13Trusted Source).

Promisingly, beet juice has also been shown to improve cycling performance and increase oxygen use by up to 20% (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

It’s important to note that blood nitrate levels peak within 2–3 hours of consuming beets or their juice. Therefore, it’s best to consume them a couple of hours before training or competing to maximize their potential benefits (16Trusted Source).

Summary
Eating beets may enhance athletic performance by improving oxygen use and endurance. To maximize their effects, consume them 2–3 hours prior to training or competing.

Beets contain pigments called betalains, which possess a number of anti-inflammatory properties (8Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).

This could benefit several aspects of health, as chronic inflammation has been associated with conditions like obesity, heart disease, liver disease, and cancer (19Trusted Source).

One study in 24 people with high blood pressure found that consuming 8.5 ounces (250 mL) of beet juice for 2 weeks significantly reduced several markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) (8Trusted Source).

Plus, an older 2014 study in people with osteoarthritis — a condition that causes inflammation in the joints — showed that betalain capsules made with beetroot extract reduced pain and discomfort (20).

Beetroot juice and extract have also been shown to reduce kidney inflammation in rats injected with toxic, injury-causing chemicals (17Trusted Source).

Still, more studies in humans are needed to determine whether enjoying beets in normal amounts as part of a healthy diet may provide the same anti-inflammatory benefits.

Summary
Beets may have a number of anti-inflammatory effects, although further research in humans is needed.

One cup of beetroot contains 3.4 grams of fiber, making beets a good fiber source (1Trusted Source).

Fiber bypasses digestion and travels to the colon, where it feeds friendly gut bacteria and adds bulk to stools (21Trusted Source).

This can promote digestive health, keep you regular, and prevent digestive conditions like constipation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), and diverticulitis (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

Moreover, fiber has been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including colon cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).

Summary
Beets are a good source of fiber, which benefits your digestive health and reduces the risk of several chronic health conditions.

»MORE:Living with diabetes? Explore our top resources.
Mental and cognitive functions naturally decline with age, which can increase the risk of neurodegenerative disorders like dementia.

The nitrates in beets may improve brain function by promoting the dilation of blood vessels and thus increasing blood flow to the brain (26Trusted Source).

Particularly, beets have been shown to improve blood flow to the frontal lobe of the brain, an area associated with higher level thinking like decision making and working memory (27Trusted Source).

Furthermore, an older study in people with type 2 diabetes found that reaction time during a cognitive function test was 4% faster in those who consumed 8.5 ounces (250 mL) of beetroot juice daily for 2 weeks, compared with a control group (28Trusted Source).

However, more research is needed to determine whether beets could be used to improve brain function and reduce the risk of dementia among the general population.

Summary
Beets contain nitrates, which may increase blood flow to the brain and improve cognitive function. However, more research in this area is needed.

Beetroot contains several compounds with cancer-fighting properties, including betaine, ferulic acid, rutin, kaempferol, and caffeic acid (29Trusted Source).

Although more research is needed, test-tube studies have shown that beetroot extract can slow the division and growth of cancer cells (30Trusted SourceTrusted Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source).

Several other studies have found that having higher blood levels of betaine may be associated with a lower risk of developing cancer (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).

However, it’s important to note that most studies on the topic have used isolated compounds rather than beetroot. Therefore, further research on beetroot consumption as part of a well-rounded diet and cancer risk is needed.

Summary
Some studies show that certain compounds found in beets could have cancer-fighting properties. Still, further research is needed to better understand this potential connection.

Beets have several nutritional properties that could make them a great addition to a balanced diet.

First, they’re low in fat and calories but high in water, which can help balance your energy intake. Increasing your intake of low calorie foods like this root vegetable has also been associated with weight loss (35Trusted Source).

Furthermore, despite their low calorie content, they contain moderate amounts of protein and fiber. Both of these nutrients can make it easier to achieve and maintain a moderate weight (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).

The fiber in beets may also support digestive health, decrease appetite, and promote feelings of fullness, thereby reducing your overall calorie intake (38Trusted Source).

Additionally, by including them in smoothies or other recipes, you can easily increase your intake of fruits and vegetables to improve the quality of your diet (39Trusted Source).

Summary
Beets have are high in water, moderate in fiber and protein, and low in calories. All of these properties can balance your energy intake and improve your diet quality.

Beets are not only nutritious but also incredibly delicious and easy to incorporate into your diet.

You can juice, roast, steam, or pickle them. For a convenient option, you can purchase them precooked and canned. You can even enjoy them raw, either sliced thinly or grated.

Choose beets that feel heavy for their size with fresh, unwilted green leafy tops still attached, if possible.

Because dietary nitrates are water-soluble, it’s best to avoid boiling beets if you’d like to maximize their nitrate content.

Are beets good for people with diabetes?

Here are some delicious and interesting ways to add more beets to your diet:

Salad. Grated beets make a flavorful and colorful addition to coleslaw or other salads. Try this recipe for Amazing Dressed Beets or a Beetroot, Orange, and Carrot Salad.
Dip. Beets blended with Greek yogurt and fresh garlic make a delicious, healthy, and colorful dip. Have a go at this Beetroot and Honey Lemon Houmous.
Juice. Fresh beetroot juice is typically better than store-bought versions, which can be high in added sugar and contain only a small amount of beets. Try this beetroot juice recipe, which uses carrot, apple, ginger, celery, and lemon for flavor
Soup: Borscht is a popular soup in Eastern Europe and Northeast Asia. Try this classic recipe or this beetroot and tomato variation.
Leaves. You can cook and enjoy fresh beet leaves similarly to how you’d use spinach. Get some ideas for cooking beet greens here.
Roasted. Wedge beetroots and toss them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs or spices of your choice. Then, roast them in a 400°F (205°C) oven for 15–20 minutes until they’re tender. Or try these Balsamic Roasted Beets.
Summary
Beetroot is a delicious and versatile vegetable that’s easy to add to your diet. If possible, choose beets that feel heavy for their size with green tops still attached.

Can you eat beets everyday?

It’s always best to follow a varied diet.

Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients. A high daily beet consumption may also mean you are not getting nutrients from other foods, however, so try to vary your diet.

Always speak with a doctor before making significant dietary changes.

Are beets a superfood?

Some people call beets a superfood because they are rich in essential nutrients.

Are beets anti-inflammatory?

Beets contain betalains, a natural coloring agent with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Some research suggests belatains may help reduce both symptoms and biological markers in the body related to inflammation (8Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 20).

Can beets boost your sexual health?

Beets contain nitrates and there is some evidence they may improve the body’s nitric oxide production (40Trusted Source).

The body needs nitric oxide to open the blood vessels that are necessary for getting and maintaining an erection. This may make them suitable for people with erectile dysfunction, although there is no scientific evidence to confirm this.

Can beets help with sexual function?

Beets are highly nutritious and loaded with health-promoting properties.

They can support the health of your brain, heart, and digestive system, are a great addition to a balanced diet, boost athletic performance, help alleviate inflammation, and possibly slow the growth of cancer cells.

Best of all, beets are delicious and easy to include in your diet. For example, they’re a great addition to salads, side dishes, smoothies, dips, and juices.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-beets#nutrients-and-calories

Crack into Health: The Egg-ceptional Power of Nutrient-Packed Goodness in Your Healthy Diet
In the pursuit of a wholesome and nourishing diet, one food item stands out as a true powerhouse – the humble egg. Packed with essential nutrients, eggs play a vital role in promoting overall health. In this article, we'll delve into the myriad benefits of incorporating eggs into your daily diet and explore the nutrient-rich goodness that makes them a stellar choice for those committed to well-rounded wellness.

The Nutrient Punch:

Eggs are a nutritional marvel, delivering a perfect blend of high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals. One large egg contains about 6 grams of protein, making it an excellent source for those looking to build and repair body tissues. What's more, eggs are rich in essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein crucial for optimal health.

But the nutritional perks of eggs don't stop there. Eggs are a goldmine of vitamins, with significant amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy skin and vision, while vitamin B12 is crucial for nerve function and the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin D, often dubbed the "sunshine vitamin," plays a pivotal role in bone health and immune system function.

Minerals like iron, phosphorus, and selenium further contribute to the nutritional value of eggs. Iron is essential for preventing anemia, phosphorus supports bone health, and selenium acts as a powerful antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

The Perfect Egg for a Healthy Diet:

Not all eggs are created equal, and opting for the right kind can amplify the health benefits. Free-range or pasture-raised eggs, where hens roam outdoors and have a more varied diet, are often considered superior in nutritional content compared to conventionally produced eggs. These eggs typically have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health.

Egg-citing Ways to Include Eggs in Your Diet:

Now that we've established the nutritional prowess of eggs, let's explore some creative and delicious ways to incorporate them into your daily meals:

Breakfast Brilliance: Rise and Shine with Eggs

Start your day with a protein-packed breakfast by enjoying eggs in various forms – whether it's a classic omelet loaded with colorful vegetables or a simple poached egg served over whole-grain toast.

Salads with a Sunny Side: Egg-quisite Greens

Elevate your salads by adding a boiled or poached egg on top. The creamy yolk serves as a delectable dressing, adding both flavor and nutritional value to your greens.

Egg-straordinary Snacking: Hard-Boiled Delights

Hard-boiled eggs make for convenient and portable snacks. Simply sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper for a satisfying midday pick-me-up that won't compromise your health goals.

Dinner Delights: Eggs in Every Bite

Incorporate eggs into your dinner routine with dishes like vegetable stir-fry topped with a fried egg or a protein-rich frittata filled with your favorite veggies.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the egg is a nutritional powerhouse that deserves its place in a balanced and healthy diet. Packed with essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, eggs contribute to overall well-being and can be enjoyed in a variety of delicious ways. So, crack into the goodness of eggs and embrace a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle today. Your body will thank you for it!

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The Ultimate Keto Meal Plan

The ketogenic diet, or keto for short, has gained immense popularity for its ability to help individuals shed excess weight by encouraging the body to burn fat for fuel. Central to the success of the keto lifestyle is a well-structured meal plan that keeps carbohydrates at bay while embracing healthy fats and moderate protein. Here's a guide to the ultimate keto meal plan to help you navigate this low-carb, high-fat journey.

Breakfast:

Kickstart your day with a keto-friendly breakfast that is both satisfying and nourishing. Consider scrambled eggs cooked in butter, topped with avocado slices and a sprinkle of feta cheese. This protein and fat-rich breakfast will keep you satiated, helping to curb mid-morning cravings.

Lunch:

For a midday meal that aligns with the keto principles, opt for a hearty salad featuring leafy greens, grilled chicken or salmon, and an assortment of low-carb vegetables like cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Enhance the flavor with a generous drizzle of olive oil or avocado dressing for a dose of healthy fats.

Snacks:

Incorporate keto-friendly snacks to keep energy levels stable between meals. Nuts, such as almonds or macadamias, are an excellent choice, providing healthy fats and a satisfying crunch. Cheese slices or celery sticks paired with guacamole are also convenient and delicious options to keep hunger at bay.

Dinner:

A well-rounded dinner is crucial for sustaining the ketogenic lifestyle. Opt for a protein-rich dish like grilled steak or baked salmon, accompanied by a side of non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus. Cooking with olive oil or butter ensures an ample supply of healthy fats to maintain ketosis.

Dessert:

Indulge your sweet tooth without derailing your keto journey. Consider a dessert made with keto-friendly sweeteners such as stevia or erythritol. A simple yet satisfying option is dark chocolate dipped in nut butter or a creamy avocado chocolate mousse.

Beverages:

Stay hydrated with water, herbal teas, and black coffee. Be cautious with fruit juices and conventional sodas, as they often contain high levels of hidden sugars. If you're craving a creamy option, choose unsweetened almond or coconut milk.

Tips for Success:

Monitor Macros: Keep a close eye on your macronutrient intake, aiming for a daily distribution of approximately 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates.

Plan and Prep: Planning and preparing meals in advance can help you stay on track and avoid impulsive food choices.

Choose Quality Fats: Opt for healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and nuts to ensure your body receives essential nutrients.

Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. The keto diet encourages mindful eating, so eat when hungry and stop when satisfied.

Stay Consistent: Consistency is key when following the keto lifestyle. Stick to the plan, and over time, your body will adapt to burning fat for energy.

In conclusion, the ultimate keto meal plan emphasizes a balance of healthy fats, moderate protein, and minimal carbohydrates. By incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense foods, staying hydrated, and being mindful of macronutrient ratios, you can enjoy the benefits of the ketogenic diet while savoring delicious and satisfying meals.
Join the keto community, share your experiences, and find inspiration from others on the same journey. Whether you're looking to lose weight, boost energy, or improve overall health, the keto lifestyle could be the key to unlocking your full potential.-- https://shrinkme.info/UZsJe

Here are the terrorist factions that the US and Israel have been nurturing in #Syria and #Iraq who went MIA since the #AlAqsaFlood began:

Al Qaeda
ISIS
Jundallah
Army of Muhammad
The army of the Companions
Omar Corps
The Islamic Army
Al-Rashidun ArmyIslamic Front
Ansar al-Sunnah Army
Mujahideen Army
Salafist group
National Front for the Liberation of Iraq
Jaysh Tahrir al-Sham
Mujahideen Shura Council
Army of Conquerors
The Army of the Victorious Sect
Naqshbandi method
Jihad Brigades
Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq’s armySaladin Al-Ayyubi Brigades
Army of Glory in Iraq
The army of the Sunnis and the community
Hamas Iraq
Just Retribution Brigades
Green Islamic Organization
Islamic Struggle Movement
Hamat al-Aqeedah Front
Armed clan rebels.

If you find those terrorists show them where Gaza is on the map.

Not a surprise that all those bafoons asking "Where is the Axis of Resistance from what's going on in Gaza" support those terrorists.

Find those, then we can educate you what the axis has done and still is doing.

Hello everyone.
Welcome to my blog.
Have you heard about Be Frugal not Stingy community?
Check out it's first writing Contest
It's a fun one to engage with, don't miss out.

The week's Topic is :
If you found a little bit of money and wanted to splurge on a little food treat , what would you buy? Ice cream? Pizza? Street food? Or perhaps head to the market and buy a delicacy you don't normally buy.
What would you get?
How much would it cost?
Is there a special reason you like it?


When I saw these questions I smiled and wanted to jump in and respond quick.
I later discovered that I currently have three options to choose one.
I will share the three things and still choose one.

The first is shawarma and fanta.
You smiled right?
Yes, I am among the ladies that love shawarma especially beef shawarma.

Hopefully if the money is upto #1500($3.2) we are good to go.
I can get beef shawarma for #1200($2.6) and a bottle of fanta for #200($0.4)

The second one is suya.
Suya is a spiced meat sold by mostly the Northerners street vendors.
I love it because is spicy and dry, and munched to filling.
It is sold for various prices ranging from #300 ($0.6) to above.
I can get suya of #500($1.08) and a bottle of fanta #200($0.4) to enjoy.

The third is Fruit salad.
Ingredients and prices for my fruit salad.

Banana - #200($0.4)
Watermelon - #100($0.22)
Cucumber - #100(0.22)
Groundnut - #100($0.22)
Pawpaw - #100($0.22)
Tin milk - #400($0.87)
Everything summing upto #1000($.2.15)


So among the three I will go for Fruit salad.
This makes a whole meal for me. Mouth watering and delicious.
It can be rotational though but for now, I will go for the third one.
Because is more healthy.

So, what about you?
Share with us, I will love to know.
That's it for now.
See you some other time.
Thank you very much for stopping by.

All photos are taken with my Android mobile phone.
Dividers made by @thepeakstudio.