Malnutrition is the leading cause of disease in America, and children’s diets are usually worse than even our malnourished adults.  As a result, sub-clinical nutrient deficiencies are common, and show up as behavior problems, learning difficulties, obesity, anxiety, and depression. More and more children are developing cardiovascular risk factors as early as age three and are suffering from diseases that used to be reserved for older folk, like type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. No sane parent would deliberately give their child heart disease or cancer. Yet this is exactly what we do by feeding our children disease-causing “foods” like sugar, white flour, milk, ice cream, cookies, candy, cakes, fruit juice, sodas, pizza, breakfast cereals, French fries and various processed foods.  Unfortunately, the same kinds of so-called “foods” are served in school cafeterias, contributing to poor school performance and impaired social skills. Optimal development and fun…

Fish and flax oil are our two best sources of omega 3 fatty acids. The omega 3s are absolutely necessary for good health, and most Americans are deficient in them - a significant factor in our epidemic of chronic disease. However, a recent study offers a good reminder that these fats must be handled with care, as they are readily oxidized both outside and inside of the body. Excessive oxidation causes cell damage and aging. . . . it CAN, if taken without antioxidant protection!In this study, mice fed a daily diet containing 5% fish oil (the equivalent of about 4 tablespoons of cod liver oil on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet) demonstrated increased oxidative stress, which promoted aging and diminished their lifespan.Does this mean we should avoid fish oil? Absolutely not! It means that with high doses, it is very important to take the specific antioxidant vitamin E as well. One capsule for each 40 lbs. of body weight taken with breakfast is ample protection in most cases.Meanwhile, fla…

We haven’t taken sides on whether or not you should get the COVID vaccine. Following in Raymond Francis’ footsteps, we are skeptical about vaccines in general and continue to maintain that the best defense against disease is making the effort to achieve optimal health with what we’ve called “the Beyond Health Lifestyle.” There are also many unknowns about the new technologies used in the COVID vaccines, and enough is known about the older vaccines and the drug companies making the new vaccines to cause concern. Still, even with the best of intentions, not everyone will be able to achieve optimal health. The vaccines appear to be saving lives and allowing a return to something approaching normality, and the pressures to be vaccinated in order to fully participate in the new world that’s being created are intense. With that in mind, we’ve been reading what various experts in nutrition recommend for making vaccinations as safe and effective as possible. Would it surprise anyone if we star…