A little something more on health

July 15, 2003

- Leosfun

I found this wonderful artice in a little free rag. I scanned it and posted on my web site.

It's free and very informative of the general American diet.

It's quite worth reading if you are novice or an expert.

http://matrix.mooncircle.net/Index/OilAmer.htm

The article is called The Oiling of America by Thomas Smith

Here in America, conventional wisdom is trumpeted into our perception through the most controlled media the world has ever seen. Both Hitler and Goebels would turn over in their graves in a frenzy of jealousy if they could see the way modem Americans respond to modern propaganda technology. Many Americans easily believe the most unbelievable things when they feel that they are expected to do so. Partly because technology is widely seen to be something that laymen cannot understand, we are led to accept astonishingly bad science as if it were gospel.

We either don't care or don't realize that widespread popular opinion is always designed and manufactured; somebody pays to have opinion established. It costs a great deal of money to install a cultural belief, even in a gullible population.

Nowhere is bad science more deceptively contrived and universally successful than in the fats and oils section of the grocery store.

Although fats and oils are an important, even essential part of a healthy diet, we are told that "fat cause's heart disease" and that we must reduce our fat consumption. The fact is that historically, Americans have averaged between 30% and 43% of their caloric consumption from fats and oils for well over 100 years. Since our federally led "war on fat" in the 1970's, fat consumption has actually decreased below these historic levels. Yet degenerative disease has reached epidemic proportions in the last fifty years, with each year being worse than the one before it. Obesity has become epidemic only in the last twenty-five years.

Clearly, there is something very wrong with the engineered propaganda that we're being fed. Something is also very wrong with the engineered fats and oils that we're being fed.

Not coincidentally, it was about sixty years ago that America's switch over to engineered fats and oils was greatly accelerated. Previously the nation had consumed a balance of natural animal and vegetable fats and oils. This switchover from a mix of animal and vegetable fats and oils to engineered vegetable fats and oils is now seen to be a direct cause of tile epidemic of degenerative disease that we now experience.

This isn't to say that animal fat is a healthy food; animal fat is not a healthy food. However, a healthy body can metabolize a surprising amount of animal fat before succumbing to disease if it has a good daily supply of essential fatty acids, EFA's. The only fats and oils from any animal that are genuinely nutritious are the unsaturated fish oils. Fish oil. in addition to containing high levels of Omega three oils also contain EPA and DHA. These are oils which a healthy human body can make from precursors; but, which an unhealthy human body has difficulty making. Here in America. virtually everyone who buys their food from a grocery store is seriously deficient in EFA's.

We experience a double whammy of consuming large amounts of unhealthy animal fat and engineered transfatty acids while at the same time undermining the body's ability to metabolize them by a chronic lack of EFA's. This dual assault lies at the very heart of our degenerative disease epidemic.

About thirty years ago another important change in consumer fats and oils took place; this is positively correlated to the explosive epidemic of obesity. All of the remaining sources of coconut oil were removed from American processed food. The last item to have its coconut oil replaced by artificial ingredients was the non-dairy creamer that once was available for our coffee. Coconut oil is semisolid at room temperatures, which is why it was originally used as a component of margarine. It also happens to be an easily metabolized fat that revs up our cellular metabolism by about 25%. It is great for provoking weight loss. When we lost it, coincidentally everybody started to have weight problems. Ever vigilant, it was then that our federal officials immediately declared war on fat.

Another really disastrous change in the food chain was the removal of flax oil from the grocery store. Archer Daniels Midland was the last to distribute this vital oil and they stopped doing so in 1950 when they switched over to milling flour. .

Stein et all, in their research at the Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Diabetes Research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas have conclusively demonstrated the vital importance of oils that contain the essential Omega three fatty acids. These Omega three's as well as an important Omega six are the EFA's LNA and LA. When we lack them in our diet, we suffer degenerative disease.

These changes and more; are made with the specific intent of improving shelf life of the engineered fats and oils. The food industry is a commercial industry; it is all about money. It is not about human health. It is much cheaper to procure and to hydrogenate inferior oils like Cottonseed oil than to distribute fresh healthy oils. This is why toxic fats and oils have replaced the healthy oils that our parents enjoyed.

The degenerative disease epidemic that wracks the nation came coincidentally With the introduction of engineered fats and oils. It is the type of fats and oils that we consume that is directly correlated to the rise of epidemic degenerative disease; it is not the amount of fats and oils that we eat. It is by chronically consuming the fats and oils that cause degenerative disease that we further impair our ability to consume healthy fats and oils. We also impair our ability to consume carbohydrates and thus become diabetic and obese.

With the twin impairments of our ability to metabolize both carbohydrates and lipids the human metabolism goes into a major emergency compensatory mode every time we eat. In this mode, it virtually self destructs. The resulting damage is expressed in literally hundreds of symptoms.

An important facet of this emergency compensatory mode that the body assumes is a severe disruption in the endocrine system. This disruption has been variously called "Diabetes", "Type II Diabetes", "Insulin Resistant Diabetes", "Hyperinsulinemia", "Insulin Resistant Hyperinsulinemia", "Syndrome X" and many other names as well.

There are hundreds of symptoms of the disease. Some are: atherosclerosis, heart failure, stroke (both hemorrhagic and ischemic), kidney failure, liver failure, elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, elevated adrenal hormones, obesity, elevated lepton levels, neuropathy, retinopathy, cataracts, male impotence, gangrene, poor wound healing...and too many more to enumerate.

In 1949 the medical community, in a stated effort to focus resources on our exploding epidemic of disease, completely reorganized themselves. They divided all of the symptoms that appeared in the population into various medical specialty groups. Instead of the general practitioner we now had the Heart Specialist, the Endocrinologist, the Hepatic and Biliary Specialist as well as numerous additional new specialists. Each specialist focused on his proprietary set of symptoms and nobody cured disease anymore. Nobody, except a few obscure scientists, were even willing to admit that we had only one disease epidemic with many symptoms. Instead we defined enough different diseases to keep all of our specialists in cake and caviar. The adamant refusal to even discuss the "cure" word by today's physicians dates back to this period. The only time we hear the "cure" word mentioned anymore is when a tax free foundation is soliciting money. This is when they tell you the "cure" for their proprietary disease is just around the corner.

Today nothing that the heart specialist does cures heart disease. Heart disease, like diabetes and many, many similar systemic failures, is due largely, if not entirely, to the consequences of bad engineering in our fats and oils industry.

The transfats and other toxic isomers in our engineered fats and oils are well understood to damage our cellular membranes, to interfere with cellular respiration, to inhibit glucose transport, to set in motion consequences that corrode our arteries, damage our eyesight, devastate our kidneys, destroy our venous system, and directly cause the large array of similar systemic problems. There is evidence to link these engineered fats and oils to our incredible cancer epidemic through their interference with cellular respiration. It is important to know enough about fats and oils to be able to make kitchen use of them and to make intelligent food selections of these all important substances. It's really not complicated, when information is presented with the intent to inform instead of to deceive.

The difference between fats and oils is seen most clearly in their melting point. If it is solid at room temperatures it's a fat; if liquid at room temperature, it's an oil. The term lipid is used to describe both.

A lipid molecule consists of a glycerol backbone to which is attached a number of fatty acids and sometimes other types of molecules. Many of our edible, and not so edible, lipids consist of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone. These are called triglycerides.

Each of the three fatty acids in a triglyceride may be saturated or unsaturated. If it is saturated there are no double bonds. If it is unsaturated, there are one or more double bonds.

All fatty acids, saturated or unsaturated, consist of strings of carbon atoms to which are attached the hydrogen atoms to the carbon atoms along the chain. The end is typically terminated in an acid molecule. The saturated fat, having all of its binding slots filled, has no double bonds and looks like a symmetrical straight chain. These chains of carbon atoms typically have between two and twenty-eight carbon atoms in the chain. The longer chains are solid fats and the shorter chains are liquid oils. Their melting points are proportional to their chain length.

The saturated fats are used by the body for membrane stiffening, cholesterol manufacture, certain other purposes and as fuel for the cell. Most of the needed saturated fat" may be made by the body from other unsaturated oils that we consume. None of' the saturated lipids are essential, that is, we can easily get along without ever consuming any saturated fat at all.

Most of the important action in the human body is with the unsaturated oils. These oils come in different geometries. Because of the double bonds at the locations characteristic of the unsaturated oils, these molecules are not necessarily straight line molecules as are the saturated lipids. At the particular point where a double bond exists, the molecule becomes "bent" in a natural "cis" configuration. These "bends", both the number of bends and the location of the bends, become very important to the metabolic processes of the body. These bends interact with the geometry of the enzyme systems of our body so that these fatty acids can be properly metabolized by these enzymes. If the right number of bends are in the right place, our enzymes recognize the fatty acid and the body knows what to do with it

When the unsaturated fatty acid, in its triglyceride configuration, remains in the seed or nut from which it originated it remains in the "cis" (The prefix used to indicate that groups are located on the same side of a molecular bond about which rotation is restricted. (Dictionary.com)) configuration. When it is refined from the seeds and nuts by modem expeller pressing and deodorizing technology, it is severely damaged. In particular some of it is totally fragmented so that our enzyme systems cannot recognize it as a food. Some of it .is transformed into toxic isomers ((chemistry) Any of two or more substances that are composed of the same elements in the same proportions but differ in properties because of differences in the arrangement of atoms. (Dictionary.com)) that actually poison our metabolism. Some is transformed into the "trans" configuration. With few exceptions, these are the "refined" and "polyunsaturated" and "monounsaturated" oils that appear in pristine clear plastic bottles on room temperature grocery shelves.

From my own research of the scientific literature when I was forced to find a cure for my Type II Diabetes, I know that this "trans" configuration is a major cause of Type II Diabetes. I also know that the complete removal of these toxic fats and oils and the consumption of therapeutic quantities of the EFA's rapidly leads to reversal of Type II Diabetes.

The "trans " configuration of the unsaturated oil, unlike the "cis", has a straight line geometry that does not operate with our enzyme systems. It is similar to but not identical to saturated fatty acids. As a result, transfats are used for membrane repair and stored as body fat. When used for membrane repair they cause every membrane in the seventy trillion cells of our body to become stiff and sticky. This is a mechanism that severely limits glucose transport and directly causes Type II Diabetes.

After these unsaturated fatty acids come out of the refining or hydrogenation process, virtually all of the "cis" geometry is destroyed. It is this "cis" geometry that enables our body to properly metabolize the tatty acid. It is this "cis" geometry that causes it to become rancid very quickly at room temperatures. It is the destruction of this "cis" geometry that enables the retailer to keep it on a room temperature grocery shelf for extended periods without the oil going rancid.

When an unsaturated oil goes rancid, oxygen molecules attach to the double bonds along the carbon chain. This is an endothermic reaction; that is, it requires some energy from the environment. It can get this energy by being heated or by light photons impinging upon the molecule. This is why it is important to refrigerate these oils and to package them in opaque containers. When the oil goes rancid it has an unmistakable, disagreeable taste. Unlike unsaturated fats and oils, saturated fats and oils, having no double bonds, do not get rancid easily. They are good "keepers" without refrigeration. Because of this they, historically, have been a preferred food before refrigeration became available. Trans fats, being much like saturated fats do not go rancid as easily as their Cis counterparts.

Always look for cold pressed unrefined oils; when in doubt call the manufacturer and try to talk to a knowledgeable person. All pressing technology raises the temperature of the oil that is pressed from nuts and seeds. How fast they operate the press to achieve large daily volumes has a great deal to do with the quality of the oil. Whether or not the press is set up to exclude oxygen during the pressing cycle is important also.

All fats and oils are mixtures. One never finds a pure saturated or unsaturated lipid. Most oils contain a mixture of several different unsaturated and saturated oils. When buying or using fats and oils it is useful to have some understanding of the type of lipids that they contain.

Olive oil contains about 8-10% Omega six, unsaturated oil, about 1% or less Omega three unsaturated oil and the rest Omega nines and saturated oils. The Omega six and trace an10unts of Omega three are essential.

The small amount of Omega three necessitates having another source of Omega three. Olive oil also contains a great deal of other, non-lipid. nutrition. If unsaturated in content, it is easily damaged and destroyed; it is not a good cooking oil. If you must cook with it, mix it 50-50 with water. The water will prevent the temperature from getting high enough to ruin the oil. If the oil starts to smoke it is ruined and has become inedible. Because the oil is obtained from the soft pulp of the olive, it is not usually damaged in pressing. Because virgin olive oil is from the first pressing it is produced with the lowest pressing temperatures. Later pressings from the same olive pulp are therefore less desirable.

Corn oil is often solvent extracted; that is, it is extracted from the corn seed with chemistry which then must be removed from the mix. It is then refined to remove the toxic chemistry used to extract it. It is most often rancid in the grocery store. If one can find cold pressed unrefined com oil that is not rancid it is a good source of Omega six's. It contains no Omega three's. In addition to the Omega six's it contains mostly Omega nine's and saturated fatty acids. It I is a mediocre oil at best and at its worst, not worth buying.

Canola oil derives its name from Canadian oil. It is a rape seed oil. Originally great controversy raged because rape seed oil contains a lot of Eurcic acid and this was felt to be toxic. Canada went through a major development program to develop low Eurcic acid rape seed. It is this low Eurcic acid rape seed oil that is marketed today as Canola oil. After this it was discovered that Eurcic acid is not toxic; indeed, it may even be beneficial. This is a monounsaturated oil that also contains both essential fatty acids (about 7% Omega three and 30% Omega six). The Omega six's that it contains can be found in many oils. This oil is always sold in its refined state. Even though it contains some of both essential fatty acids it is questionable because of its refined state. A good example of a heavily engineered oil that one should question closely.

Flax oil is very high in the essential Omega three. It is usually sold unrefined and can be found in the refrigerator in the health food store. I have never seen it in a grocery store. It is an excellent therapeutic oil for Omega three deficiency; a deficiency that is widespread in America. Since Omega three and Omega six oils should be taken in proportion, long term use. After the therapeutic interval has passed, necessitates using it in conjunction with an oil that is high in Omega six's. Perilla oil is another oil that is high in Omega three's and, in capsule form, is an excellent oil for Omega three maintenance after the therapeutic interval is over.

Coconut oil contains small amounts of Omega six's and nines but is about 90% saturated vegetable fat. It is the best all around cooking oil by far. It also has the interesting biochemical property of reving up the metabolism and causing weight loss.

Safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, rice bran oil, and a few others are high in Omega six's, Omega nine's and saturated fat. They naturally contain antioxidants that tend to protect them on the shelf. When found in the unrefined state in opaque containers they are generally good oils. They complement high Omega three oils such a.~ flax oil, perilla oil and hemp oil.

Cottonseed oil has been well known as toxic for almost 100 years. It is cheap. It appears as an additive to much of our frozen, canned and processed food, It is quite important to actively and consciously avoid buying any food that contains this toxic material. Read food labels at least as carefully as the lawyer that wrote them.

Soy oil, when it is unrefined, is an excellent source of EFA's, lecithin, phytosterols and many other good and nutritious natural food factors. Unfortunately, it is has come into question because in also contains phytoestrogens. These are reputed to have negative effects on the hormonal systems of both men and women. This is an oil that is found in many processed food items and is currently gaining prominence in fats and oils advertising. Proceed with care when evaluating this oil and deciding to consume any food product that contains it.

Suitable cooking lipids are saturated fats. Being saturated they do not have a Cis geometry that can be destroyed easily by heat. Butter and coconut oil are good nutritious cooking lipids.

Unsaturated oils are not cooking oils. Saturated fats are for cooking.

One of the most blatant of the frauds found in the fats and oils industry is their marketing use of the terms "monounsaturated" and "polyunsaturated", Unsaturated oils in general can, and often do, have more than one double bond location. For example both of the EFA's, LNA and LA, have three unsaturated locations. They differ in where these locations are along the chain. The salesmen that trumpet "monounsaturated" and "polyunsaturated" do not tell you that these oils are refined and the that most of the "monounsaturates" and "polyunsaturates" are of the "trans" geometry. The reason they do not tell you is because the law does not require them to tell you. When you buy a refined polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oil from a room temperature grocery shelf you are buying transfatty acids for your table.

The undamaged "cis" geometries require constant refrigeration, turn rancid quite easily at room temperature and come in opaque containers.

One more important point should be mentioned. There is, in addition to modern refining technology, another excellent way to engineer an oil to be really cheap to manufacture and to be really toxic to the human metabolism; that is by "hydrogenating" it. When an unsaturated oil is hydrogenated hydrogen molecules are supplied in a high temperature process to bind to the unfilled double bonds of the carbon chain. This causes the oil to become less liquid and more solid like a saturated fat. This technique is used to adjust the texture of table fats like margarine. It produces a margarine product that often contains 40% transfatty acids; the transfatty acid content sometimes goes as high as 60%.

When buying table fats and oils for your family, or even for your pet, proceed with caution. Always look first in the refrigerator for cold pressed, unrefined oils in opaque containers.

Thomas Smith is a reluctant medical investigator having been forced into seeking a cure for his own Diabetes because it was obvious that his doctor didn't have one. He has published the results of his successful Diabetes investigation in his best selling book entitled "Insulin: Our Silent Killer" written for the layman but also widely valued by the medical practitioner. Thomas Smith has posted a great deal of useful information about the cause and cure of this disease on his web page www.Healingmatters.com He can be reached at his toll free number 1 (866) 320-7700

LeosfunPersonal Web site: http://www.geocities.com/leosfun