nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-04--Armpit Shaving and Breast Cancer

Armpit Shaving and Breast Cancer

Shaving before applying underarm antiperspirants can increase aluminum absorption .
Could this explain the greater number of tumors and the disproportionate incidence of breast cancer in the upper outer quadrant of the breast near the armpit ?
A famous case report called “ The Mortician ’ s Mystery , ” published in the New England Journal of Medicine back in the 1980s , described a man whose testicles started shrinking and breasts started growing .
It turns out the mortician failed to wear gloves as he massaged embalming cream onto corpses .
It was concluded there must have been an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absorbed through his skin into his body , one of the first such cases described .
This case was cited as inspiration by a group of researchers who came up with a new theory to explain a breast cancer mystery : Why do most breast cancers occur in the upper outer corner of the breast ?
The standard explanation was simply because that ’ s where most of the breast tissue is located , as the so-called tail of the breast extends up to the armpit , but that doesn ’ t explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always this way .
Indeed , there has been a shift toward the appearance of breast cancer in the upper corner of the breast .
And , it also doesn ’ t explain why “ greater genomic instability ” ––chromosome abnormalities––has been “ observed…in outer quadrants of the breast , ” which may signal precancerous changes .
There definitely seems to be something happening to that outer side of the breast , and it ’ s something relatively new , occurring in the last 50 years or so .
“ Is it possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] antiperspirant which parallels breast cancer incidence could also be an explanation for the greater number of ductal tumours…and disproportionate incidence of breast cancer in the upper outer quadrant ” of the breast near the site where stick , spray , or roll-on is applied ?
I discuss this possibility in my video Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer , where you can see a graph of U.S. breast cancer incidence and antiperspirant/deodorant sales at 1:38 .
There is a free flow of lymph fluid back and forth between the breast and the armpit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed during mastectomies , the “ aluminum content of breast tissue in the outer regions [ near the armpits ] …was significantly higher , ” presumably due to the “ closer proximity to the underarm ” area .
This is a concern because , in a petri dish at least , it has been demonstrated that aluminum is a so-called metalloestrogen , having pro-estrogenic effects on breast cancer cells .
Long-term exposure of normal breast tissue cells in a test tube to aluminum concentrations in the range of those found in breasts results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can see at 2:41 in my video , once the cells have turned , those same concentrations “ can increase the migratory and invasive activity of…human breast cancer cells ” in a petri dish .
This is important because women don ’ t die from the tumor in the breast itself , “ but from the ability of the cancer cells to spread and grow at distant sites , ” like the bones , lungs , liver , or brain .
But , we don ’ t care about petri dishes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a paper was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in which the underarm antiperspirant habits of 800 breast cancer survivors were compared with those of women who had never gotten breast cancer , the first study of its kind .
The finding ?
No indication of a link between the two .
Based on this study , Harvard Women ’ s Health Watch assured women that antiperspirants do not cause breast cancer and “ women who are worried that antiperspirants might cause breast cancer can finally rest easy.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was published that found that “ frequency and earlier onset of antiperspirant/deodorant usage with underarm shaving was associated with an earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis.
” As you can see at 3:56 in my video , it ’ s as much as 20 years earlier in women using antiperspirant and shaving their armpits more than three times a week .
And , the earlier they started before versus after age 16 appeared to move up their breast cancer diagnosis by 10 or 20 years .
The researchers concluded that “ underarm shaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in breast cancer ” after all .
But what does shaving have to do with it ?
Shaving removes more than just armpit hair .
It also removes armpit skin ; you end up shaving off the top skin layer .
And , while there is very little aluminum absorption through intact skin , when you strip off the outer layer with a razor and then rub on an antiperspirant , you get a six-fold increase in aluminum absorption through the skin .
Though this is good news for women who don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or through-the-skin , aluminum uptake on shaved skin “ should compel antiperspirant manufacturers to proceed with the utmost caution.
” Both European safety authorities and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) specifically advise against using aluminum antiperspirants on damaged or broken skin .
However , shaving before antiperspirant application “ can create abrasions in the skin…thereby negating the specific warning by the FDA and EU.
” ( I ’ m sure everyone knows about the FDA ’ s cautionary advice , having read Title 21 Part 350 Subpart C50-5c1 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We get so much aluminum in our diet from processed foods—such as anticaking agents in pancake mix , melting agents in American cheese , meat binders , gravy thickeners , baking powder , and candy—that the contribution from underarm antiperspirants would presumably be minimal in comparison .
“ But everything was turned topsy-turvy in 2004 , ” when a case was reported of a woman with bone pain and fatigue suffering from aluminum toxicity .
Within months of stopping the antiperspirant , which she had been applying daily to her regularly shaved armpits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her symptoms resolved .
Although not everyone absorbs that much aluminum , the case “ suggests that caution should be exercised when using aluminum-containing antiperspirants frequently.
” Recently , as you can see at 6:29 in my video , it was shown that women with breast cancer have twice the level of aluminum in their breasts compared with women without breast cancer , though this doesn ’ t prove cause and effect .
Maybe the aluminum contributed to the cancer , or maybe the cancer contributed to the aluminum .
Maybe tumors just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested this alternative explanation is unlikely .
So , where do we stand now ?
The latest review on the subject concluded that as a consequence of the new data , given that aluminum can be toxic and we have no need for it , “ reducing the concentration of this metal in antiperspirants is a matter of urgency.
” Or , at the very least , the label should warn : “ Do not use after shaving.
” Of course , we could cease usage of aluminum-containing antiperspirants altogether , but then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , antiperspirants can make us stink worse .
They increase the types of bacteria that cause body odor .
It ’ s like the story with antidepressant drugs , which can actually make one more depressed in the long run ( as I discuss in my video Do Antidepressant Drugs Really Work ? )
.
The more we use antiperspirants , the more we may need them , which is awfully convenient for a billion-dollar industry .
Is there any way to decrease body odor through changes in diet ?
An early video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I have some new updated ones coming down the pike !
What else can we do to decrease breast cancer risk ?
See , for example : • Why Do Asian Women Have Less Breast Cancer ?
• Should Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer Avoid Soy ?
• The Role of Bovine Leukemia Virus in Breast Cancer • Preventing Breast Cancer By Any Greens Necessary • Breast Cancer and Alcohol : How Much Is Safe ?
• The Role of Bovine Leukemia in Breast Cancer PS : If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How Not To Die : The Role of Diet in Preventing , Arresting , and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers • 2015 : Food as Medicine : Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet • 2014 : From Table to Able : Combating Disabling Diseases with Food • 2013 : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

Shaving before applying underarm antiperspirants can increase aluminum absorption. Could this explain the greater number of tumors and the disproportionate incidence of breast cancer in the upper outer quadrant of the breast near the armpit?
A famous case report called “The Mortician’s Mystery,” published in the New England Journal of Medicine back in the 1980s, described a man whose testicles started shrinking and breasts started growing. It turns out the mortician failed to wear gloves as he massaged embalming cream onto corpses. It was concluded there must have been an estrogenic compound in the cream that was absorbed through his skin into his body, one of the first such cases described.
This case was cited as inspiration by a group of researchers who came up with a new theory to explain a breast cancer mystery: Why do most breast cancers occur in the upper outer corner of the breast? The standard explanation was simply because that’s where most of the breast tissue is located, as the so-called tail of the breast extends up to the armpit, but that doesn’t explain the fact that it wasn’t always this way. Indeed, there has been a shift toward the appearance of breast cancer in the upper corner of the breast. And, it also doesn’t explain why “greater genomic instability”––chromosome abnormalities––has been “observed…in outer quadrants of the breast,” which may signal precancerous changes. There definitely seems to be something happening to that outer side of the breast, and it’s something relatively new, occurring in the last 50 years or so.
“Is it possible that the increasing use of [underarm] antiperspirant which parallels breast cancer incidence could also be an explanation for the greater number of ductal tumours…and disproportionate incidence of breast cancer in the upper outer quadrant” of the breast near the site where stick, spray, or roll-on is applied? I discuss this possibility in my video Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer, where you can see a graph of U.S. breast cancer incidence and antiperspirant/deodorant sales at 1:38.
There is a free flow of lymph fluid back and forth between the breast and the armpit. If you measure aluminum levels in breasts removed during mastectomies, the “aluminum content of breast tissue in the outer regions [near the armpits]…was significantly higher,” presumably due to the “closer proximity to the underarm” area.
This is a concern because, in a petri dish at least, it has been demonstrated that aluminum is a so-called metalloestrogen, having pro-estrogenic effects on breast cancer cells. Long-term exposure of normal breast tissue cells in a test tube to aluminum concentrations in the range of those found in breasts results in precancerous-type changes. Then, as you can see at 2:41 in my video, once the cells have turned, those same concentrations “can increase the migratory and invasive activity of…human breast cancer cells” in a petri dish. This is important because women don’t die from the tumor in the breast itself, “but from the ability of the cancer cells to spread and grow at distant sites,” like the bones, lungs, liver, or brain. But, we don’t care about petri dishes. We care about people.
In 2002, a paper was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in which the underarm antiperspirant habits of 800 breast cancer survivors were compared with those of women who had never gotten breast cancer, the first study of its kind. The finding? No indication of a link between the two.
Based on this study, Harvard Women’s Health Watch assured women that antiperspirants do not cause breast cancer and “women who are worried that antiperspirants might cause breast cancer can finally rest easy.” But two months later, another study was published that found that “frequency and earlier onset of antiperspirant/deodorant usage with underarm shaving was associated with an earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis.” As you can see at 3:56 in my video, it’s as much as 20 years earlier in women using antiperspirant and shaving their armpits more than three times a week. And, the earlier they started before versus after age 16 appeared to move up their breast cancer diagnosis by 10 or 20 years. The researchers concluded that “underarm shaving with antiperspirant/deodorant use may play a role in breast cancer” after all.
But what does shaving have to do with it? Shaving removes more than just armpit hair. It also removes armpit skin; you end up shaving off the top skin layer. And, while there is very little aluminum absorption through intact skin, when you strip off the outer layer with a razor and then rub on an antiperspirant, you get a six-fold increase in aluminum absorption through the skin. Though this is good news for women who don’t shave, the high transdermal, or through-the-skin, aluminum uptake on shaved skin “should compel antiperspirant manufacturers to proceed with the utmost caution.”
Both European safety authorities and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically advise against using aluminum antiperspirants on damaged or broken skin. However, shaving before antiperspirant application “can create abrasions in the skin…thereby negating the specific warning by the FDA and EU.” (I’m sure everyone knows about the FDA’s cautionary advice, having read Title 21 Part 350 Subpart C50-5c1 of the Code of Federal Regulations.)
We get so much aluminum in our diet from processed foods—such as anticaking agents in pancake mix, melting agents in American cheese, meat binders, gravy thickeners, baking powder, and candy—that the contribution from underarm antiperspirants would presumably be minimal in comparison. “But everything was turned topsy-turvy in 2004,” when a case was reported of a woman with bone pain and fatigue suffering from aluminum toxicity. Within months of stopping the antiperspirant, which she had been applying daily to her regularly shaved armpits, her aluminum levels came down and her symptoms resolved. Although not everyone absorbs that much aluminum, the case “suggests that caution should be exercised when using aluminum-containing antiperspirants frequently.”
Recently, as you can see at 6:29 in my video, it was shown that women with breast cancer have twice the level of aluminum in their breasts compared with women without breast cancer, though this doesn’t prove cause and effect. Maybe the aluminum contributed to the cancer, or maybe the cancer contributed to the aluminum. Maybe tumors just absorb more aluminum. Subsequent research has suggested this alternative explanation is unlikely. So, where do we stand now?
The latest review on the subject concluded that as a consequence of the new data, given that aluminum can be toxic and we have no need for it, “reducing the concentration of this metal in antiperspirants is a matter of urgency.” Or, at the very least, the label should warn: “Do not use after shaving.” Of course, we could cease usage of aluminum-containing antiperspirants altogether, but then wouldn’t we smell? Ironically, antiperspirants can make us stink worse. They increase the types of bacteria that cause body odor. It’s like the story with antidepressant drugs, which can actually make one more depressed in the long run (as I discuss in my video Do Antidepressant Drugs Really Work?). The more we use antiperspirants, the more we may need them, which is awfully convenient for a billion-dollar industry.
Is there any way to decrease body odor through changes in diet? An early video of mine discusses Body Odor and Diet, and I have some new updated ones coming down the pike!
What else can we do to decrease breast cancer risk? See, for example:
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-06--How to Treat Bacterial Vaginosis

How to Treat Bacterial Vaginosis

Vitamin C is pitted head-to-head against antibiotics for bacterial vaginal infections .
A study published in 1999 raised the exciting possibility that “ cheap , simple , innocuous and ubiquitous vitamin C ” supplements could prevent a condition known as preeclampsia , but after a decade of research , we realized that was merely a false hope and that vitamin C supplements appear to play little role in women ’ s health .
But this was in regard to oral vitamin C , not vaginal vitamin C , which has been found to be an effective treatment for bacterial vaginosis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ characterized by a foul-smelling , watery , gray discharge , which I discuss in my video Treating Bacterial Vaginosis with Vaginal Vitamin C. Bacterial vaginosis “ can best be described as an ‘ ecological disaster ’ of the vaginal microflora.
” The good , normal , lactobacillus-type bacteria get displaced by an army of bad bacteria .
Probiotics may help , repopulating the good bacteria , but the reason the bad bacteria took over in the first place was that the pH was off .
I ’ ve talked before about the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the condition .
( See my video Bacterial Vaginosis and Diet for more . )
For example , saturated fat intake may increase vaginal pH , allowing for the growth of undesirable bacteria , so why not try to re-acidify the vagina with ascorbic acid , otherwise known as vitamin C ?
This isn ’ t just plain vitamin C tablets but specially formulated silicone-coated supplements that release vitamin C slowly , so as to not be irritating .
How well do they work ?
One hundred women suffering from the condition were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaginal vitamin C beat out placebo .
But how does vitamin C compare with conventional therapy , an antibiotic gel ?
This is an important question .
“ Although perceived as a mild medical problem , ” bacterial vaginosis may increase the risk of several gynecological complications , including problems during pregnancy , when you want to avoid taking drugs whenever possible .
The vitamin C appeared to work as effectively as the antibiotic .
So , vitamin C can really help , especially in the first trimester of pregnancy when you really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like topical antibiotics .
And for women with recurrent episodes , using vitamin C for six days after each cycle appears to cut the risk of recurrence in half , as you can see at 2:36 in my video .
Another way to get vitamin C into the body is by dripping it directly into the vein .
Does that actually do anything ?
See : • The Role of Vitamin C in the Treatment of Terminal Cancer For those of us who prefer to get vitamin C the old-fashioned way , through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supplements , the question becomes What Is the Optimal Vitamin C Intake ?
If you ’ re considering taking oral vitamin C in supplements instead , make sure to watch this video first : Do Vitamin C Supplements Prevent Colds But Cause Kidney Stones ?
.
PS : If you haven ’ t yet , you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How Not To Die : The Role of Diet in Preventing , Arresting , and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet • 2014 : From Table to Able : Combating Disabling Diseases with Food • 2013 : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

Vitamin C is pitted head-to-head against antibiotics for bacterial vaginal infections.
A study published in 1999 raised the exciting possibility that “cheap, simple, innocuous and ubiquitous vitamin C” supplements could prevent a condition known as preeclampsia, but after a decade of research, we realized that was merely a false hope and that vitamin C supplements appear to play little role in women’s health. But this was in regard to oral vitamin C, not vaginal vitamin C, which has been found to be an effective treatment for bacterial vaginosis, an all too common gynecological disorder characterized by a foul-smelling, watery, gray discharge, which I discuss in my video Treating Bacterial Vaginosis with Vaginal Vitamin C.
Bacterial vaginosis “can best be described as an ‘ecological disaster’ of the vaginal microflora.” The good, normal, lactobacillus-type bacteria get displaced by an army of bad bacteria. Probiotics may help, repopulating the good bacteria, but the reason the bad bacteria took over in the first place was that the pH was off. I’ve talked before about the role diet may play in the development of the condition. (See my video Bacterial Vaginosis and Diet for more.) For example, saturated fat intake may increase vaginal pH, allowing for the growth of undesirable bacteria, so why not try to re-acidify the vagina with ascorbic acid, otherwise known as vitamin C? This isn’t just plain vitamin C tablets but specially formulated silicone-coated supplements that release vitamin C slowly, so as to not be irritating. How well do they work? One hundred women suffering from the condition were split into two groups, and the vaginal vitamin C beat out placebo. But how does vitamin C compare with conventional therapy, an antibiotic gel?
This is an important question. “Although perceived as a mild medical problem,” bacterial vaginosis may increase the risk of several gynecological complications, including problems during pregnancy, when you want to avoid taking drugs whenever possible. The vitamin C appeared to work as effectively as the antibiotic. So, vitamin C can really help, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy when you really don’t want to using drugs like topical antibiotics. And for women with recurrent episodes, using vitamin C for six days after each cycle appears to cut the risk of recurrence in half, as you can see at 2:36 in my video.
Another way to get vitamin C into the body is by dripping it directly into the vein. Does that actually do anything? See:
For those of us who prefer to get vitamin C the old-fashioned way, through the mouth and in foods rather than supplements, the question becomes What Is the Optimal Vitamin C Intake?
If you’re considering taking oral vitamin C in supplements instead, make sure to watch this video first: Do Vitamin C Supplements Prevent Colds But Cause Kidney Stones?.
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-11--How to Lower Your Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio

The potassium content in greens is one of two ways they can improve artery function within minutes of consumption .
More than a thousand years ago , for the treatment of hypertension , an ancient Persian medical text advised lifestyle interventions , such as avoiding meat and pastries , and recommended eating spinach .
A thousand years later , researchers discovered that a single meal containing spinach could indeed reduce blood pressure , thanks to its nitrate content .
All green leafy vegetables are packed with nitrate , which our body can use to create nitric oxide that improves the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This may be why eating our greens may be one of the most powerful things we can do to reduce our chronic disease risk .
As you can see at 0:54 in my video Lowering Our Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio to Reduce Stroke Risk , just switching from low-nitrate vegetables to high-nitrate vegetables for a week can lower blood pressure by about 4 points , and the higher the blood pressure people started out with , the greater benefit they got .
Four points might not sound like a lot , but even a 2-point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 10,000 fatal strokes every year in the United States .
Potassium-rich foods may also act via a similar mechanism .
If we get even just the minimum recommended daily intake of potassium , we might prevent 150,000 strokes every year .
Why ?
Potassium appears to increase the release of nitric oxide .
One week of eating two bananas and a large baked potato every day significantly improved arterial function .
Even a single high-potassium meal , containing the equivalent of two to three bananas ’ worth of potassium , can improve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high-sodium meal—that is , a meal with the amount of salt most people eat—can impair arterial function within 30 minutes .
While potassium increases nitric oxide release , sodium reduces nitric oxide release .
So , the health of our arteries may be determined by our sodium-to-potassium ratio .
As you can see at 2:30 in my video , after two bacon slices ’ worth of sodium , our arteries take a significant hit within 30 minutes .
However , if you add three bananas ’ worth of potassium , you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As I show at 2:48 in my video , when we evolved , we were eating ten times more potassium than sodium .
Now , the ratio is reversed , as we consume more sodium than potassium .
These kinds of studies “ provide additional evidence that increases in dietary potassium should be encouraged , ” but what does that mean ?
We should eat more beans , sweet potatoes , and leafy greens , the latter of which is like giving you a double whammy , as they are high in potassium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousand years ago to eat spinach is pretty impressive , though bloodletting and abstaining from sex were also encouraged , so we should probably take ancient wisdom with a grain of salt—but our meals should be added-salt free .
Why might abstaining from sex not be the best idea for cardiovascular health ?
Because the opposite may actually be true .
See my video Do Men Who Have More Sex Live Longer ?
.
What else can we do about stroke risk ?
Check out : • Does Diet Soda Increase Stroke Risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more on potassium , see in Potassium and Autoimmune Disease and 98 % of American Diets Potassium-Deficient .
Interested in learning more about the dangers of sodium ?
See : • Sodium Skeptics Try to Shake Up the Salt Debate • Big Salt : Getting to the Meat of the Matter Sodium isn ’ t just bad for our arteries .
Check out How to Treat Asthma with a Low-Salt Diet and Sodium and Autoimmune Disease : Rubbing Salt in the Wound ?
.
I further explore the wonders of nitrate-rich vegetables in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Improving Athletic Performance • Best Brain Foods : Greens and Beets Put to the Test • Best Brain Foods : Berries & Nuts Put to the Test Sweet potatoes are an excellent high-potassium , low-sodium choice , but what ’ s the best way to prepare them ?
Check out The Best Way to Cook Sweet Potatoes .
PS : If you haven ’ t yet , you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How Not To Die : The Role of Diet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our Top 15 Killers • 2015 : Food as Medicine : Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet • 2014 : From Table to Able : Combating Disabling Diseases with Food • 2013 : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

The potassium content in greens is one of two ways they can improve artery function within minutes of consumption.
More than a thousand years ago, for the treatment of hypertension, an ancient Persian medical text advised lifestyle interventions, such as avoiding meat and pastries, and recommended eating spinach. A thousand years later, researchers discovered that a single meal containing spinach could indeed reduce blood pressure, thanks to its nitrate content. All green leafy vegetables are packed with nitrate, which our body can use to create nitric oxide that improves the flexibility and function of our arteries. This may be why eating our greens may be one of the most powerful things we can do to reduce our chronic disease risk.
As you can see at 0:54 in my video Lowering Our Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio to Reduce Stroke Risk, just switching from low-nitrate vegetables to high-nitrate vegetables for a week can lower blood pressure by about 4 points, and the higher the blood pressure people started out with, the greater benefit they got. Four points might not sound like a lot, but even a 2-point drop in blood pressure could prevent more than 10,000 fatal strokes every year in the United States.
Potassium-rich foods may also act via a similar mechanism. If we get even just the minimum recommended daily intake of potassium, we might prevent 150,000 strokes every year. Why? Potassium appears to increase the release of nitric oxide. One week of eating two bananas and a large baked potato every day significantly improved arterial function. Even a single high-potassium meal, containing the equivalent of two to three bananas’ worth of potassium, can improve the function of our arteries, whereas a high-sodium meal—that is, a meal with the amount of salt most people eat—can impair arterial function within 30 minutes. While potassium increases nitric oxide release, sodium reduces nitric oxide release. So, the health of our arteries may be determined by our sodium-to-potassium ratio.
As you can see at 2:30 in my video, after two bacon slices’ worth of sodium, our arteries take a significant hit within 30 minutes. However, if you add three bananas’ worth of potassium, you can counteract the effects of the sodium. As I show at 2:48 in my video, when we evolved, we were eating ten times more potassium than sodium. Now, the ratio is reversed, as we consume more sodium than potassium. These kinds of studies “provide additional evidence that increases in dietary potassium should be encouraged,” but what does that mean? We should eat more beans, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens, the latter of which is like giving you a double whammy, as they are high in potassium and nitrates. The recommendation from a thousand years ago to eat spinach is pretty impressive, though bloodletting and abstaining from sex were also encouraged, so we should probably take ancient wisdom with a grain of salt—but our meals should be added-salt free.
Why might abstaining from sex not be the best idea for cardiovascular health? Because the opposite may actually be true. See my video Do Men Who Have More Sex Live Longer?.
What else can we do about stroke risk? Check out:
For more on potassium, see in Potassium and Autoimmune Disease and 98% of American Diets Potassium-Deficient.
Interested in learning more about the dangers of sodium? See:
Sodium isn’t just bad for our arteries. Check out How to Treat Asthma with a Low-Salt Diet and Sodium and Autoimmune Disease: Rubbing Salt in the Wound?.
I further explore the wonders of nitrate-rich vegetables in:
Sweet potatoes are an excellent high-potassium, low-sodium choice, but what’s the best way to prepare them? Check out The Best Way to Cook Sweet Potatoes.
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-13--What Explains the Egg-Cancer Connection

What Explains the Egg-Cancer Connection

The reason egg consumption is associated with elevated cancer risk may be the TMAO , considered the “ smoking gun ” of microbiome-disease interactions .
“ We are walking communities comprised not only of a Homo sapiens host , but also of trillions of symbiotic commensal microorganisms within the gut and on every other surface of our bodies.
” There are more bacterial cells in our gut than there are human cells in our entire body .
In fact , only about 10 percent of the DNA in our body is human .
The rest is in our microbiome , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ walking community ” we call our body .
What do they do ?
Our gut bacteria microbiota “ serve as a filter for our largest environmental exposure—what we eat ” —and , “ technically speaking , food is a foreign object that we take into our bodies ” by the pound every day .
The “ microbial community within each of us significantly influences how we experience a meal…Hence , our metabolism and absorption of food occurs through ” this filter of bacteria .
However , as you can see at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bacteria Can Use Eggs to Accelerate Cancer , if we eat a lot of meat , including poultry and fish , milk , cheese , and eggs , we can foster the growth of bacteria that convert the choline and carnitine in those foods into trimethylamine ( TMA ) , which can be oxidized into TMAO and wreak havoc on our arteries , increasing our risk of heart attack , stroke , and death .
We ’ ve known about this “ troublesome ” transformation from choline into trimethylamine for more than 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we learned about the heart disease connection .
Why were researchers concerned back then ?
Because these methylamines might form nitrosamines , which have “ marked carcinogenic activity ” —cancer-causing activity .
So where is choline found in our diet ?
Mostly from meat , eggs , dairy , and refined grains .
The link between meat and cancer probably wouldn ’ t surprise anyone .
In fact , just due to the industrial pollutants , like PCBs , children probably shouldn ’ t eat more than about five servings a month of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chicken combined .
But , what about cancer and eggs ?
Studies going back to the 1970s hinted at a correlation between eggs and colon cancer , as you can see at 2:45 in my video .
That was based just on so-called ecological data , though , showing that countries eating more eggs tended to have higher cancer rates , but that could be due to a million factors .
It needed to be put to the test .
This testing started in the 80s , and , by the 1990s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which 10 suggested “ a direct association ” between egg consumption and colorectal cancer , “ whereas five found no association.
” By 2014 , dozens more studies had been published , confirming that eggs may indeed be playing a role in the development of colon cancer , though no relationship was discovered between egg consumption and the development of precancerous polyps , which “ suggested that egg consumption might be involved in the promotional ” stage of cancer growth—accelerating cancer growth—rather than initiating the cancer in the first place .
This brings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the TMAO made from the choline in meat and eggs that ’ s promoting cancer growth .
Indeed , in the Women ’ s Health Initiative study , women with the highest TMAO levels in their blood had approximately three times greater risk of rectal cancer , suggesting that TMAO levels “ may serve as a potential predictor of increased colorectal cancer risk.
” As you can see at 4:17 in my video , though there may be more evidence for elevated breast cancer risk with egg consumption than prostate cancer risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on TMAO and cancer looked at prostate cancer and did indeed find a higher risk .
“ Diet has long been considered a primary factor in health ; however , with the microbiome revolution of the past decade , we have begun to understand how diet can ” affect the back and forth between us and the rest of us inside , and the whole TMAO story is “ a smoking gun ” in gut bacteria-disease interactions .
Since choline and carnitine are the primary sources of TMAO production , the logical intervention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dairy , and egg consumption .
And , if we eat plant-based for long enough , we can actually change our gut microbial communities such that we may not be able to make TMAO even if we try .
“ The theory of ‘ you are what you eat ’ finally is supported by scientific evidence.
” We may not have to eat healthy for long , though .
Soon , Big Pharma hopes , “ we may yet ‘ drug the microbiome ’ …as a way of promoting cardiovascular health.
” What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this information ?
Distort the scientific record .
See my video Egg Industry Response to Choline and TMAO .
This is not the first time the egg industry has been caught in the act .
See , for example : • Who Says Eggs Aren ’ t Healthy or Safe ?
• Flashback Friday : Who Says Eggs Aren ’ t Healthy or Safe ?
For background on TMAO see my original coverage in Carnitine , Choline , Cancer , and Cholesterol : The TMAO Connection and then find out How to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see : Flashback Friday : How to Reduce Your TMAO Levels .
This is all part of the microbiome revolution in medicine , the underappreciated role our gut flora play in our health .
For more , see : • How to Change Your Enterotype • Paleopoo : What We Can Learn from Fossilized Feces • How to Become a Fecal Transplant Super Donor • How Our Gut Bacteria Can Use Eggs to Accelerate Cancer • The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Autism • Microbiome : We Are What They Eat • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whole Grains • Flashback Friday : Effect of Sucralose ( Splenda ) on the Microbiome • The Best Diet for Colon Cancer Prevention PS : If you haven ’ t yet , you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How Not To Die : The Role of Diet in Preventing , Arresting , and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers • 2015 : Food as Medicine : Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet • 2014 : From Table to Able : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

The reason egg consumption is associated with elevated cancer risk may be the TMAO, considered the “smoking gun” of microbiome-disease interactions.
“We are walking communities comprised not only of a Homo sapiens host, but also of trillions of symbiotic commensal microorganisms within the gut and on every other surface of our bodies.” There are more bacterial cells in our gut than there are human cells in our entire body. In fact, only about 10 percent of the DNA in our body is human. The rest is in our microbiome, the microbes with whom we share with the “walking community” we call our body. What do they do?
Our gut bacteria microbiota “serve as a filter for our largest environmental exposure—what we eat”—and, “technically speaking, food is a foreign object that we take into our bodies” by the pound every day. The “microbial community within each of us significantly influences how we experience a meal…Hence, our metabolism and absorption of food occurs through” this filter of bacteria.
However, as you can see at 1:22 in my video How Our Gut Bacteria Can Use Eggs to Accelerate Cancer, if we eat a lot of meat, including poultry and fish, milk, cheese, and eggs, we can foster the growth of bacteria that convert the choline and carnitine in those foods into trimethylamine (TMA), which can be oxidized into TMAO and wreak havoc on our arteries, increasing our risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
We’ve known about this “troublesome” transformation from choline into trimethylamine for more than 40 years, but that was way before we learned about the heart disease connection. Why were researchers concerned back then? Because these methylamines might form nitrosamines, which have “marked carcinogenic activity”—cancer-causing activity. So where is choline found in our diet? Mostly from meat, eggs, dairy, and refined grains. The link between meat and cancer probably wouldn’t surprise anyone. In fact, just due to the industrial pollutants, like PCBs, children probably shouldn’t eat more than about five servings a month of meats like beef, pork, or chicken combined. But, what about cancer and eggs?
Studies going back to the 1970s hinted at a correlation between eggs and colon cancer, as you can see at 2:45 in my video. That was based just on so-called ecological data, though, showing that countries eating more eggs tended to have higher cancer rates, but that could be due to a million factors. It needed to be put to the test.
This testing started in the 80s, and, by the 1990s, 15 studies had been published, of which 10 suggested “a direct association” between egg consumption and colorectal cancer, “whereas five found no association.” By 2014, dozens more studies had been published, confirming that eggs may indeed be playing a role in the development of colon cancer, though no relationship was discovered between egg consumption and the development of precancerous polyps, which “suggested that egg consumption might be involved in the promotional” stage of cancer growth—accelerating cancer growth—rather than initiating the cancer in the first place.
This brings us to 2015. Perhaps it’s the TMAO made from the choline in meat and eggs that’s promoting cancer growth. Indeed, in the Women’s Health Initiative study, women with the highest TMAO levels in their blood had approximately three times greater risk of rectal cancer, suggesting that TMAO levels “may serve as a potential predictor of increased colorectal cancer risk.”
As you can see at 4:17 in my video, though there may be more evidence for elevated breast cancer risk with egg consumption than prostate cancer risk, the only other study to date on TMAO and cancer looked at prostate cancer and did indeed find a higher risk.
“Diet has long been considered a primary factor in health; however, with the microbiome revolution of the past decade, we have begun to understand how diet can” affect the back and forth between us and the rest of us inside, and the whole TMAO story is “a smoking gun” in gut bacteria-disease interactions.
Since choline and carnitine are the primary sources of TMAO production, the logical intervention strategy might be to reduce meat, dairy, and egg consumption. And, if we eat plant-based for long enough, we can actually change our gut microbial communities such that we may not be able to make TMAO even if we try.
“The theory of ‘you are what you eat’ finally is supported by scientific evidence.” We may not have to eat healthy for long, though. Soon, Big Pharma hopes, “we may yet ‘drug the microbiome’…as a way of promoting cardiovascular health.”
What did the egg industry do in response to this information? Distort the scientific record. See my video Egg Industry Response to Choline and TMAO.
This is not the first time the egg industry has been caught in the act. See, for example:
For background on TMAO see my original coverage in Carnitine, Choline, Cancer, and Cholesterol: The TMAO Connection and then find out How to Reduce Your TMAO Levels. Also, see: Flashback Friday: How to Reduce Your TMAO Levels.
This is all part of the microbiome revolution in medicine, the underappreciated role our gut flora play in our health. For more, see:
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-18--Food Combining for Prostate Cancer

Food Combining for Prostate Cancer

What would happen if you secretly gave cancer patients four of the healthiest foods ?
In my video Pomegranate vs .
Placebo for Prostate Cancer , I discussed how pomegranate pills appeared useless in the treatment for prostate cancer , and the same disappointing results were seen with a pomegranate beverage , but that was just a pomegranate extract as well .
So , maybe the pomegranate itself “ can not be blamed for the ineffectiveness seen in the study ” but rather the low dose of the pomegranate active principles in the extract .
But what is the active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of ellagic acid , definitely “ one of the most potent of the phytochemicals found in pomegranate .
However , it is not as strong as pomegranate ” itself .
What researchers mean is that the components may act synergistically : The whole may be greater than the sum of its parts .
As you can see at 1:07 in my video Best Supplements for Prostate Cancer , human prostate cancer cells in a petri dish churned away at 100 percent growth , but after dripping on a pomegranate fraction , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent .
However , dripping on a different fraction appeared useless .
What do you think would happen if you added them both together ?
30 % suppression + 0 % suppression = 70 % suppression !
That ’ s synergy , where 1 + 1 is greater than 2 .
Under a microscope , prostate cancer cells appeared sparser with the combination of fractions .
“ Any attempt to characterize the phytoceutical power of a medicinal food by standardizing a single chemical is missing the entire point ” of plant-based medicine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ cynical , lucre-driven [ money-driven ] attempt to replace the power of the pomegranate with the power of ellagic acid .
The pomegranate needs no such tricks or enhancements.
” It ’ s powerful as is .
So , why don ’ t researchers just try the fruit on cancer patients ?
Because you can ’ t stuff a pomegranate in a pill , so you can ’ t compare it to an indistinguishable sugar pill placebo .
Drugs are easy to study .
People don ’ t know if they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they tend to notice if they ’ re eating a pomegranate or not .
So , if you gave a bunch of cancer patients some pomegranates to eat and the cancer slowed down , you wouldn ’ t know if it was the pomegranates or just the placebo effect .
Of course , the patients wouldn ’ t care .
They ’ d just care that they got better .
But , to change medical practice , we want to know if the fruit is actually something special .
I suppose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoothie versus a fake smoothie , but that sounds logistically difficult .
So , researchers tried powdering it .
Three times a day , 199 men with prostate cancer got either a placebo or a tablet containing 100 mg of powdered whole pomegranate—the whole fruit with just the water taken out .
How much can fit in a tablet ?
It comes out to be about six pomegranate seeds ’ worth a day , about 1/100th of a pomegranate each day .
Since so little could fit into a pill , researchers tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cancer using diversity .
As you can see at 4:01 in my video , two groups of people ate approximately the same amount of fruits and vegetables , but one group ate a relatively low biological diversity diet , where they ate tons of really healthy foods but just less variety than did a second group who ate smaller servings of a high diversity diet .
Which group do you think would win in terms of protecting their DNA from free radical damage ?
The high diversity group .
This suggests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have greater potential to exert beneficial effects than larger amounts of fewer phytochemicals.
” Same result for inflammation .
Greater variety in fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower inflammation even if you eat the same number of servings .
Same with improving cognitive function , too .
Greater variety in fruit and vegetable intake is also associated with a better mental status , executive function , attention , and memory function in some cases , even after adjustment for total quantity .
So , if you have two people eating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the one eating a greater variety may do better .
Going back to the study with the 199 prostate cancer patients getting either a placebo or a tablet with 100 mg of powdered whole pomegranate three times daily , the researchers didn ’ t just put in pomegranate powder .
They also added powdered broccoli , powdered turmeric , and powdered green tea concentrate .
So , the tablet contained a fruit , a vegetable , a spice , and a leaf in tiny amounts—about one floret of broccoli a day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaspoon of turmeric , and about one sixth of a tea bag worth of green tea .
All great plants , but could such tiny amounts actually affect the progression of cancer ?
Yes .
As you can see at 5:55 in my video , in the group of men with early stage prostate cancer trying to avoid surgery , the PSA levels in the placebo group rose nearly 50 percent , indicating that the cancer continued to flourish , whereas the PSAs didn ’ t rise at all in the pomegranate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food supplement group .
And , in those with more advanced disease—patients who had already had surgery or radiation and were trying to avoid chemo—there was a 70 percent greater rise in PSA levels in the placebo group .
This was enough to significantly delay some of these more toxic treatments .
Indeed , the study found significant , short-term , favorable effects .
However , they only had enough money to run the study for six months , because it was a “ non-commercial ” endeavor , funded by charities , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no supplement until the investigators dreamed it up from scratch for the study .
Of course , now there ’ s a supplement , given the study ’ s extraordinary results , but the only reason the researchers put the foods in pill form was to match it with a placebo .
In my mind , what this study should tell cancer patients is to eat curried broccoli with fruit for dessert and to sip some green tea .
A completely plant-based diet may even shrink the tumor , not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s no reason we can ’ t do both with a plant-based diet chock full of especially powerful plants .
I love that study !
You and I both know why these types of studies aren ’ t performed more often .
Who would profit ?
( Other than the millions of people suffering and dying from cancer , of course ! )
The note I ended on , the landmark Ornish study , is detailed in Cancer Reversal Through Diet .
For those unwilling or unable to make such significant dietary changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do .
See Prostate Cancer Survival : The A/V Ratio .
Changing a Man ’ s Diet After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis isn ’ t easy !
For more on the 2 + 2 > 4 concept , see Food Synergy .
What about preventing prostate cancer in the first place ?
Check out my videos like Prostate Cancer and Organic Milk vs. Almond Milk and Eggs , Choline , and Cancer to get a sense of what you might want to avoid .
But , in terms of what to eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Prostate Cancer Prevention and Fermented or Unfermented Soy Foods for Prostate Cancer Prevention ?
.
• The Best Advice on Diet and Cancer • How to Win the War on Cancer PS : If you haven ’ t yet , you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How Not To Die : The Role of Diet in Preventing , Arresting , and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers • 2015 : Food as Medicine : Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Able : Combating Disabling Diseases with Food • 2013 : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

What would happen if you secretly gave cancer patients four of the healthiest foods?
In my video Pomegranate vs. Placebo for Prostate Cancer, I discussed how pomegranate pills appeared useless in the treatment for prostate cancer, and the same disappointing results were seen with a pomegranate beverage, but that was just a pomegranate extract as well. So, maybe the pomegranate itself “cannot be blamed for the ineffectiveness seen in the study” but rather the low dose of the pomegranate active principles in the extract. But what is the active principle? Extracts will boast about the level of ellagic acid, definitely “one of the most potent of the phytochemicals found in pomegranate. However, it is not as strong as pomegranate” itself.
What researchers mean is that the components may act synergistically: The whole may be greater than the sum of its parts. As you can see at 1:07 in my video Best Supplements for Prostate Cancer, human prostate cancer cells in a petri dish churned away at 100 percent growth, but after dripping on a pomegranate fraction, the cancer growth rate was cut by 30 percent. However, dripping on a different fraction appeared useless. What do you think would happen if you added them both together? 30% suppression + 0% suppression = 70% suppression! That’s synergy, where 1 + 1 is greater than 2. Under a microscope, prostate cancer cells appeared sparser with the combination of fractions. “Any attempt to characterize the phytoceutical power of a medicinal food by standardizing a single chemical is missing the entire point” of plant-based medicine. So, the standardized extracts represent a “cynical, lucre-driven [money-driven] attempt to replace the power of the pomegranate with the power of ellagic acid. The pomegranate needs no such tricks or enhancements.” It’s powerful as is. So, why don’t researchers just try the fruit on cancer patients?
Because you can’t stuff a pomegranate in a pill, so you can’t compare it to an indistinguishable sugar pill placebo. Drugs are easy to study. People don’t know if they are taking the active drug or a placebo, but they tend to notice if they’re eating a pomegranate or not. So, if you gave a bunch of cancer patients some pomegranates to eat and the cancer slowed down, you wouldn’t know if it was the pomegranates or just the placebo effect. Of course, the patients wouldn’t care. They’d just care that they got better. But, to change medical practice, we want to know if the fruit is actually something special. I suppose you could create some kind of pomegranate smoothie versus a fake smoothie, but that sounds logistically difficult. So, researchers tried powdering it. Three times a day, 199 men with prostate cancer got either a placebo or a tablet containing 100 mg of powdered whole pomegranate—the whole fruit with just the water taken out. How much can fit in a tablet? It comes out to be about six pomegranate seeds’ worth a day, about 1/100th of a pomegranate each day. Since so little could fit into a pill, researchers tried to maximize their chances of beating back the cancer using diversity.
As you can see at 4:01 in my video, two groups of people ate approximately the same amount of fruits and vegetables, but one group ate a relatively low biological diversity diet, where they ate tons of really healthy foods but just less variety than did a second group who ate smaller servings of a high diversity diet. Which group do you think would win in terms of protecting their DNA from free radical damage? The high diversity group. This suggests that “smaller amounts of many phytochemicals may have greater potential to exert beneficial effects than larger amounts of fewer phytochemicals.”
Same result for inflammation. Greater variety in fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower inflammation even if you eat the same number of servings. Same with improving cognitive function, too. Greater variety in fruit and vegetable intake is also associated with a better mental status, executive function, attention, and memory function in some cases, even after adjustment for total quantity. So, if you have two people eating the same number of servings of healthy foods, the one eating a greater variety may do better.
Going back to the study with the 199 prostate cancer patients getting either a placebo or a tablet with 100 mg of powdered whole pomegranate three times daily, the researchers didn’t just put in pomegranate powder. They also added powdered broccoli, powdered turmeric, and powdered green tea concentrate. So, the tablet contained a fruit, a vegetable, a spice, and a leaf in tiny amounts—about one floret of broccoli a day, less than an eighth of a daily teaspoon of turmeric, and about one sixth of a tea bag worth of green tea. All great plants, but could such tiny amounts actually affect the progression of cancer? Yes. As you can see at 5:55 in my video, in the group of men with early stage prostate cancer trying to avoid surgery, the PSA levels in the placebo group rose nearly 50 percent, indicating that the cancer continued to flourish, whereas the PSAs didn’t rise at all in the pomegranate, broccoli, turmeric, and green tea food supplement group. And, in those with more advanced disease—patients who had already had surgery or radiation and were trying to avoid chemo—there was a 70 percent greater rise in PSA levels in the placebo group. This was enough to significantly delay some of these more toxic treatments. Indeed, the study found significant, short-term, favorable effects. However, they only had enough money to run the study for six months, because it was a “non-commercial” endeavor, funded by charities, not some supplement company. In fact, there was no supplement until the investigators dreamed it up from scratch for the study. Of course, now there’s a supplement, given the study’s extraordinary results, but the only reason the researchers put the foods in pill form was to match it with a placebo. In my mind, what this study should tell cancer patients is to eat curried broccoli with fruit for dessert and to sip some green tea. A completely plant-based diet may even shrink the tumor, not just slow it down, but there’s no reason we can’t do both with a plant-based diet chock full of especially powerful plants.
I love that study! You and I both know why these types of studies aren’t performed more often. Who would profit? (Other than the millions of people suffering and dying from cancer, of course!)
The note I ended on, the landmark Ornish study, is detailed in Cancer Reversal Through Diet. For those unwilling or unable to make such significant dietary changes, there’s still something you can do. See Prostate Cancer Survival: The A/V Ratio. Changing a Man’s Diet After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis isn’t easy!
For more on the 2 + 2 > 4 concept, see Food Synergy.
What about preventing prostate cancer in the first place? Check out my videos like Prostate Cancer and Organic Milk vs. Almond Milk and Eggs, Choline, and Cancer to get a sense of what you might want to avoid. But, in terms of what to eat, see The Role of Soy Foods in Prostate Cancer Prevention and Fermented or Unfermented Soy Foods for Prostate Cancer Prevention?.
Also, see:
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-20--How the Lead Paint and Gas Industries Got Away with It

We have known for thousands of years that lead can be toxic and for more than a century that children could be poisoned by lead paint .
Since those first cases , the “ lead industry has mobilized against the advances of science , ” as I discuss in my video How the Lead Paint Industry Got Away with It .
By 1926 , lead poisoning was already “ of relatively frequent occurrence in children , ” yet “ the United States continued to allow the use of lead-based paint until 1978.
” In contrast , in Europe , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
No , thanks .
and “ banned the use of lead-based paint as early as 1909.
” “ The delay in banning lead-based paint in the United States was due largely to the marketing and lobbying efforts of the lead industry , ” profiting from the poison .
It knew it couldn ’ t hold off forever , but the industry boasted that its “ victories have been in the deferral of implementation of…regulations.
” And now , “ peeling paint turns into poisonous dust , ” and guess where it ends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a Harvard neurology professor put it : “ Lead is a devastating poison .
It damages children ’ s brains , erodes intelligence , diminishes creativity… ” and judgment and language .
Yet , despite the accumulating evidence , the lead industry didn ’ t just fail to warn people— “ it engaged in an energetic promotion of lead paint.
” After all , a can of pure white lead paint had huge amounts of lead , which meant huge profits for the industry .
But , as you can see in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my video , “ [ t ] here is no cause for worry ” if your toddler rubs up against lead paint , because those “ fingerprint smudges or dirt spots ” can be removed “ easily without harming the paint.
” Wouldn ’ t want to harm the paint .
After all , “ painted walls are sanitary… ” The director of the Lead Industry Association blamed the victims : “ Childhood lead poisoning is essentially a problem of slum dwellings and relatively ignorant parents.
” “ It seems that no amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no public outrage could get industry to care that their lead paint was killing and poisoning children , ” but how much public outrage was there really ?
“ It goes without saying that lead is a devastating , debilitating poison ” and that “ literally millions of children have been diagnosed with varying degrees of elevated blood lead levels… ” Compare that to polio , for example .
“ In the 1950s , for example , fewer than sixty thousand new cases of polio per year created a near-panic among American parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccination campaigns that virtually wiped out the disease within a decade.
” In contrast , despite “ many millions of children [ who have ] had their lives altered for the worse by exposure to lead… [ a ] t no point in the past hundred years has there been a similar national mobilization over lead.
” Today , after literally a century , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates over five hundred thousand children still suffer from “ elevated blood-lead levels.
” The good news is that blood lead levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as one of our great public health achievements .
But , given what we knew , and for how long we knew , “ it is presumptuous to declare the decline in childhood lead poisoning a public health victory.
” Indeed , “ even if we were victorious…it would be a victory diminished by our failure to learn from the epidemic and take steps to dramatically reduce exposures to other confirmed and suspected environmental toxicants as well as chemicals of uncertain toxicity.
” That ’ s one of the reasons I wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to learn from our history so the next time some industry wants to sell something to our kids , we ’ ll stick to the science .
And , of course , lead levels aren ’ t declining for everyone .
As the whistle-blowing pediatrician who helped expose the Flint drinking water crisis explained , “ The people in Flint have a 20-year lower life expectancy than people in a neighboring suburb .
We were already struggling with every barrier to our children ’ s success .
Then we gave them lead.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in water supplies from the Great Lakes to the polluted Flint River “ created a perfect storm ” for lead contamination , doubling the percentage of kids with elevated lead levels in their blood , as you can see at 0:42 in my video How the Leaded Gas Industry Got Away with It , whereas out in the suburbs , where the water supply remained unchanged , children ’ s lead levels stayed about the same .
That ’ s how she knew it was the switch in water supplies .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flint crisis : a doubling of elevated lead levels .
But wait a moment : Even before the switch from Lake Huron to the polluted Flint River , when everyone was getting the same water , lead levels in children in Flint were twice that of the suburbs .
There was already a doubling in elevated lead levels in Flint and other poor communities around the country , but where have all the crisis headlines been ?
Indeed , even with all the bottled water in the world , the children in Flint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment .
Many have pointed out the irony that the new water from the Flint River was “ so corrosive ” that the nearby General Motors plant switched back to a clean water source when it started noticing rust spots on its new parts , all while water quality complaints from Flint residents were being ignored .
But , there is an additional irony : General Motors is a major reason why the world is so contaminated with lead in the first place , as GM invented leaded gasoline .
“ Shortly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ psychotic and die.
” “ In the wake of blaring headlines ” about the lead-poisoned workers , public health leaders “ warned of the potential for damage to broad swaths of the population ” posed by putting this “ well established toxin ” into gasoline , “ into the daily lives of millions of people .
Yet , despite these warnings , millions…were harmed…and this entirely preventable poisoning still occurs today.
” “ Virtually all the lead in the environment is there as a result of human activity.
” Because we put it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away , deep underground or under the ocean , but that was before we drove it around the Earth .
“ In the early 1970s , 200,000 tons of lead was emitted from automobiles in the United States each year , mostly in urban areas.
” Had lead not been added to gasoline , the industry would have had to use higher-octane gas , which is less profitable .
So , the “ oil and lead industries…successfully thwarted government efforts to limit lead in gasoline for 50 years.
” But , how were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Early public health warnings were not heeded because the industry assured the scientific community and the public that there was no danger.
” I could see how a gullible public might be swayed by slick PR , but how do you manipulate the scientific community ?
By manipulating the science .
“ The lead industry was able to achieve its influence in large part by being the primary supporter of research on health effects of lead , ” and it got the best science money could buy .
“ Long before Big Tobacco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ value of purchasing ‘ good science.
’ ” “ Consequently , the vast majority of relevant studies of lead in gasoline published [ for decades ] …were favorable to the lead industries.
” What ’ s more , they “ even sent a delegation to try to convince the U.S. EPA administrator that the lead regulation was not necessary because they alleged lead was an essential mineral required for optimum growth and development.
” Of course , the exact opposite is true .
Lead is toxic to development .
There are , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead toxicity .
For example , there are food components that can help decrease the absorption of lead and help flush it out of your body .
I ’ ve produced a series of three videos on specific dietary interventions , such as particular foods to eat , but—spoiler alert—in general , “ food patterns that reduce susceptibility to lead toxicity are consistent with the recommendations for a healthy diet.
” As soon as I learned about the unfolding crisis in Flint , Michigan , I knew I had to take a deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there is anything these kids might be able to do diet-wise to reduce their body burden .
Most of the time when I cover a subject on NutritionFacts.org , I ’ ve addressed it previously , so I just have to research the new studies published in the interim .
But I had never really looked deeply into lead poisoning before , so I was faced with more than a century of science to dig through .
Yes , I did discover there were foods that could help , but I also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about our shameful history with leaded paint .
By learning this lesson , hopefully , we can put more critical thought into preventing future disasters that can arise when our society allows profits to be placed over people .
This is part of a series on lead .
You can view the rest of the series here : • The Effects of Low-Level Lead Exposure in Adults • How to Lower Lead Levels with Diet : Thiamine , Fiber , Iron , Fat , Fasting ?
• How to Lower Lead Levels with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Milk , Tofu ?
• Can Vitamin C Help with Lead Poisoning ?
You may also be interested in How to Lower Heavy Metal Levels with Diet .
If you enjoyed this article , you may also like : • Who Determines If Food Additives Are Safe ?
• Collaboration with the New Vectors of Disease • Is Lipstick Safe Given the Lead Contamination ?
• Can Saunas Detoxify Lead from the Body ?
• How Much Lead Is in Organic Chicken Soup ( Bone Broth ) ?
• Should Pregnant Women Take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What relevance does this have for us today ?
See , for example , my video How Smoking in 1959 Is Like Eating in 2019 .
PS : If you haven ’ t yet , you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How Not To Die : The Role of Diet in Preventing , Arresting , and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers • 2015 : Food as Medicine : Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet • 2014 : From Table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food • 2013 : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

We have known for thousands of years that lead can be toxic and for more than a century that children could be poisoned by lead paint. Since those first cases, the “lead industry has mobilized against the advances of science,” as I discuss in my video How the Lead Paint Industry Got Away with It.
By 1926, lead poisoning was already “of relatively frequent occurrence in children,” yet “the United States continued to allow the use of lead-based paint until 1978.” In contrast, in Europe, many countries said, Hmm, poisoning children? No, thanks. and “banned the use of lead-based paint as early as 1909.”
“The delay in banning lead-based paint in the United States was due largely to the marketing and lobbying efforts of the lead industry,” profiting from the poison. It knew it couldn’t hold off forever, but the industry boasted that its “victories have been in the deferral of implementation of…regulations.”
And now, “peeling paint turns into poisonous dust,” and guess where it ends up? As a Mount Sinai dean and a Harvard neurology professor put it: “Lead is a devastating poison. It damages children’s brains, erodes intelligence, diminishes creativity…” and judgment and language. Yet, despite the accumulating evidence, the lead industry didn’t just fail to warn people—“it engaged in an energetic promotion of lead paint.” After all, a can of pure white lead paint had huge amounts of lead, which meant huge profits for the industry.
But, as you can see in an old advertisement featured at 1:55 in my video, “[t]here is no cause for worry” if your toddler rubs up against lead paint, because those “fingerprint smudges or dirt spots” can be removed “easily without harming the paint.” Wouldn’t want to harm the paint. After all, “painted walls are sanitary…”
The director of the Lead Industry Association blamed the victims: “Childhood lead poisoning is essentially a problem of slum dwellings and relatively ignorant parents.”
“It seems that no amount of evidence, no health statistics, no public outrage could get industry to care that their lead paint was killing and poisoning children,” but how much public outrage was there really?
“It goes without saying that lead is a devastating, debilitating poison” and that “literally millions of children have been diagnosed with varying degrees of elevated blood lead levels…” Compare that to polio, for example. “In the 1950s, for example, fewer than sixty thousand new cases of polio per year created a near-panic among American parents and a national mobilization that led to vaccination campaigns that virtually wiped out the disease within a decade.” In contrast, despite “many millions of children [who have] had their lives altered for the worse by exposure to lead…[a]t no point in the past hundred years has there been a similar national mobilization over lead.” Today, after literally a century, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates over five hundred thousand children still suffer from “elevated blood-lead levels.”
The good news is that blood lead levels are in decline, which is celebrated as one of our great public health achievements. But, given what we knew, and for how long we knew, “it is presumptuous to declare the decline in childhood lead poisoning a public health victory.” Indeed, “even if we were victorious…it would be a victory diminished by our failure to learn from the epidemic and take steps to dramatically reduce exposures to other confirmed and suspected environmental toxicants as well as chemicals of uncertain toxicity.”
That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do this series on lead. We need to learn from our history so the next time some industry wants to sell something to our kids, we’ll stick to the science. And, of course, lead levels aren’t declining for everyone.
As the whistle-blowing pediatrician who helped expose the Flint drinking water crisis explained, “The people in Flint have a 20-year lower life expectancy than people in a neighboring suburb. We were already struggling with every barrier to our children’s success. Then we gave them lead.”
Her research showed that the switch in water supplies from the Great Lakes to the polluted Flint River “created a perfect storm” for lead contamination, doubling the percentage of kids with elevated lead levels in their blood, as you can see at 0:42 in my video How the Leaded Gas Industry Got Away with It, whereas out in the suburbs, where the water supply remained unchanged, children’s lead levels stayed about the same. That’s how she knew it was the switch in water supplies. That’s what broke the story of the Flint crisis: a doubling of elevated lead levels.
But wait a moment: Even before the switch from Lake Huron to the polluted Flint River, when everyone was getting the same water, lead levels in children in Flint were twice that of the suburbs. There was already a doubling in elevated lead levels in Flint and other poor communities around the country, but where have all the crisis headlines been? Indeed, even with all the bottled water in the world, the children in Flint will continue to live in a lead-polluted environment.
Many have pointed out the irony that the new water from the Flint River was “so corrosive” that the nearby General Motors plant switched back to a clean water source when it started noticing rust spots on its new parts, all while water quality complaints from Flint residents were being ignored. But, there is an additional irony: General Motors is a major reason why the world is so contaminated with lead in the first place, as GM invented leaded gasoline. “Shortly after manufacture began, workers…began to become floridly psychotic and die.”
“In the wake of blaring headlines” about the lead-poisoned workers, public health leaders “warned of the potential for damage to broad swaths of the population” posed by putting this “well established toxin” into gasoline, “into the daily lives of millions of people. Yet, despite these warnings, millions…were harmed…and this entirely preventable poisoning still occurs today.”
“Virtually all the lead in the environment is there as a result of human activity.” Because we put it there. It used to be locked away, deep underground or under the ocean, but that was before we drove it around the Earth. “In the early 1970s, 200,000 tons of lead was emitted from automobiles in the United States each year, mostly in urban areas.” Had lead not been added to gasoline, the industry would have had to use higher-octane gas, which is less profitable. So, the “oil and lead industries…successfully thwarted government efforts to limit lead in gasoline for 50 years.” But, how were they able to do that? “Early public health warnings were not heeded because the industry assured the scientific community and the public that there was no danger.” I could see how a gullible public might be swayed by slick PR, but how do you manipulate the scientific community? By manipulating the science.
“The lead industry was able to achieve its influence in large part by being the primary supporter of research on health effects of lead,” and it got the best science money could buy. “Long before Big Tobacco, the lead industry understood the inestimable value of purchasing ‘good science.’”
“Consequently, the vast majority of relevant studies of lead in gasoline published [for decades]…were favorable to the lead industries.” What’s more, they “even sent a delegation to try to convince the U.S. EPA administrator that the lead regulation was not necessary because they alleged lead was an essential mineral required for optimum growth and development.”
Of course, the exact opposite is true. Lead is toxic to development. There are, however, nutritional interventions that can help alleviate lead toxicity. For example, there are food components that can help decrease the absorption of lead and help flush it out of your body. I’ve produced a series of three videos on specific dietary interventions, such as particular foods to eat, but—spoiler alert—in general, “food patterns that reduce susceptibility to lead toxicity are consistent with the recommendations for a healthy diet.”
As soon as I learned about the unfolding crisis in Flint, Michigan, I knew I had to take a deep dive into the medical literature to see if there is anything these kids might be able to do diet-wise to reduce their body burden.
Most of the time when I cover a subject on NutritionFacts.org, I’ve addressed it previously, so I just have to research the new studies published in the interim. But I had never really looked deeply into lead poisoning before, so I was faced with more than a century of science to dig through. Yes, I did discover there were foods that could help, but I also learned about cautionary tales like this one about our shameful history with leaded paint. By learning this lesson, hopefully, we can put more critical thought into preventing future disasters that can arise when our society allows profits to be placed over people.
This is part of a series on lead. You can view the rest of the series here:
You may also be interested in How to Lower Heavy Metal Levels with Diet.
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
What relevance does this have for us today? See, for example, my video How Smoking in 1959 Is Like Eating in 2019.
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-25--The Flint Lead Crisis May Be the Tip of the Iceberg

Back in the 1960s , a Pulitzer prize-winning scientist described the problem of childhood lead poisoning as “ so well defined , so neatly packaged with both causes and cures known , that if we don ’ t eliminate this social crime , our society deserves all the disasters that have been forecast for it.
” As I discuss in my video Lead in Drinking Water , “ We have the knowledge required to redress this social crime .
We know where the lead is , how people are exposed , and how it damages health .
What we lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be done.
” Unfortunately , “ many policy makers consider the costs of action primarily in economic and financial terms and ignore the costs of inaction on human health and communities ’ livelihoods.
” “ At this point , most Americans have heard of the avoidable and abject failure of government on the local , state and federal level ; environmental authorities ; and water company officials ” —in fact , failure across the board— “ to prevent the mass poisoning of hundreds of children and adults in Flint , Michigan.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money had led public officials to switch the city ’ s water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River , once the sewer for the auto industry.
” Flint citizens “ complained that their tap water was foul and discolored .
But city , state , and federal officials took no heed.
” Why ?
Could it have anything to do with the fact that those who complained are “ among the poorest in America , mostly African American ” ?
Officials failed to act for eighteen months , “ until a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in children ’ s blood.
” An investigation didn ’ t just find fault but highlighted seeming falsification of water-quality results to keep people in the dark .
Though “ the specific breed of alleged government corruption ” may be unique to Flint , “ the end result might not be so rare in the USA—home to an ageing water system.
” As the president of the Children ’ s Health Fund said , “ The Pandora ’ s box is now wide open.
” Flint may be only “ the tip of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of a great many icebergs.
” “ In addition to lead-based paint and residual lead in soil ” —found everywhere from leaded gasoline— “ a significant source of childhood lead exposure occurs through drinking water as a result of leaching from lead pipes , lead solder , or brass fixtures.
” This has been recognized to be a health issue in the United States as early as 1845 , a year our flag only had 26 stars .
Yet , the use of lead in water pipes and solder was not restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 141 years later .
Was the city you ’ re living in built before 1986 when the amendment was passed ?
Today , the “ exact number of lead water pipes currently in use is not clear ” as about one in three cities surveyed shrugged their shoulders , “ not being able to state how much lead piping exists.
” There are anti-corrosion chemicals you can add to tap water to try to keep the lead in the pipes .
Flint could have done that , but it could have cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ the cost of repairing the Flint water system is estimated at $ 1.5 billion… ” Let me close with a quote from the heroic pediatrician who blew the whistle , Dr. Hanna-Attisha .
She was asked , “ What advice would you have for other physicians taking on a whistle-blower role ?
” She replied , “ This is our job .
This is why we went to medical school—to help people.
” Wasn ’ t there lead in paint , too , for the longest time ?
Yes , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video How the Lead Paint Industry Got Away with It .
And what about leaded gasoline ?
How many of you remember going to the pumps and seeing the choice between leaded and unleaded ?
That ’ s the subject of How the Leaded Gas Industry Got Away with It .
I also get into what the effects are and what we can do about it .
Check out : • The Effects of Low-Level Lead Exposure in Adults • How to Lower Lead Levels with Diet : Thiamine , Fiber , Iron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Lower Lead Levels with Diet : Breakfast , Whole Grains , Milk , Tofu ?
• Can Vitamin C Help with Lead Poisoning ?
• Is Lipstick Safe Given the Lead Contamination ?
• Can Saunas Detoxify Lead from the Body ?
• How Much Lead Is in Organic Chicken Soup ( Bone Broth ) ?
• How to Lower Heavy Metal Levels with Diet PS : If you haven ’ t yet , you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations : • 2016 : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diet in Preventing , Arresting , and Reversing Our Top 15 Killers • 2015 : Food as Medicine : Preventing and Treating the Most Dreaded Diseases with Diet • 2014 : From Table to Able : Combating Disabling Diseases with Food • 2013 : More Than an Apple a Day • 2012 : Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death

Back in the 1960s, a Pulitzer prize-winning scientist described the problem of childhood lead poisoning as “so well defined, so neatly packaged with both causes and cures known, that if we don’t eliminate this social crime, our society deserves all the disasters that have been forecast for it.”
As I discuss in my video Lead in Drinking Water, “We have the knowledge required to redress this social crime. We know where the lead is, how people are exposed, and how it damages health. What we lack is the political will to do what should be done.” Unfortunately, “many policy makers consider the costs of action primarily in economic and financial terms and ignore the costs of inaction on human health and communities’ livelihoods.”
“At this point, most Americans have heard of the avoidable and abject failure of government on the local, state and federal level; environmental authorities; and water company officials”—in fact, failure across the board—“to prevent the mass poisoning of hundreds of children and adults in Flint, Michigan.”
“A government plan to save some money had led public officials to switch the city’s water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River, once the sewer for the auto industry.” Flint citizens “complained that their tap water was foul and discolored. But city, state, and federal officials took no heed.”
Why? Could it have anything to do with the fact that those who complained are “among the poorest in America, mostly African American”?
Officials failed to act for eighteen months, “until a local pediatrician revealed dramatically elevated lead levels in children’s blood.” An investigation didn’t just find fault but highlighted seeming falsification of water-quality results to keep people in the dark.
Though “the specific breed of alleged government corruption” may be unique to Flint, “the end result might not be so rare in the USA—home to an ageing water system.” As the president of the Children’s Health Fund said, “The Pandora’s box is now wide open.” Flint may be only “the tip of an enormous iceberg”—potentially “just one of a great many icebergs.”
“In addition to lead-based paint and residual lead in soil”—found everywhere from leaded gasoline—“a significant source of childhood lead exposure occurs through drinking water as a result of leaching from lead pipes, lead solder, or brass fixtures.” This has been recognized to be a health issue in the United States as early as 1845, a year our flag only had 26 stars. Yet, the use of lead in water pipes and solder was not restricted until the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendment, 141 years later. Was the city you’re living in built before 1986 when the amendment was passed? Today, the “exact number of lead water pipes currently in use is not clear” as about one in three cities surveyed shrugged their shoulders, “not being able to state how much lead piping exists.”
There are anti-corrosion chemicals you can add to tap water to try to keep the lead in the pipes. Flint could have done that, but it could have cost about $100 a day. Today, “the cost of repairing the Flint water system is estimated at $1.5 billion…”
Let me close with a quote from the heroic pediatrician who blew the whistle, Dr. Hanna-Attisha. She was asked, “What advice would you have for other physicians taking on a whistle-blower role?” She replied, “This is our job. This is why we went to medical school—to help people.”
Wasn’t there lead in paint, too, for the longest time? Yes, and that’s the subject of my video How the Lead Paint Industry Got Away with It. And what about leaded gasoline? How many of you remember going to the pumps and seeing the choice between leaded and unleaded? That’s the subject of How the Leaded Gas Industry Got Away with It.
I also get into what the effects are and what we can do about it. Check out:
In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.
PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my free videos here and watch my live presentations:


nutritionfactsorg--2020-08-27--How to Survive a Pandemic is now out in paperback!

My newest book , How to Survive a Pandemic , is now out in paperback !
This book cuts through the prevailing noise and nonsense and reveals not only what we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones during a pandemic , but also digs deeper into the roots of the problem and tackles the fundamental question : How can we stop the emergence of pandemic viruses in the first place ?
All proceeds I receive from the book are donated to pandemic prevention charities such as the The Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new volume is out today and is available as a streaming video so you can start watching it immediately .
Here ’ s the full list of chapters from the new volume—a preview of what ’ s to come over the next few months on NutritionFacts.org : • Stainless Steel or Cast Iron : Which Cookware Is Best ?
Is Teflon Safe ?
• The Best Diet for Weight Loss and Disease Prevention • The Benefits of Fasting for Healing • Are There Health Benefits of Spending Time in Nature ?
• The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How to Get the Weight-Loss Benefits of Ephedra Without the Risks • The Effect of Drinking Water on Adrenal Hormones • What Is the Safest Metabolism Booster ?
• The Effects of Marijuana on Car Accidents • The Optimal Vitamin B12 Dosage for Kids , Pregnancy , and Seniors • The Best Type of Vitamin B12 : Cyanocobalamin or Methylcobalamin ?
• Which Foods Have the Lowest Carbon Footprint ?
• Which Diets Have the Lowest Carbon Footprint ?
• Are There Benefits of Pole Walking for Weight Loss ?
• How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have retired the volume DVDs , but all volumes are available for streaming at DrGreger.org/collections/downloads .
And remember , if you watch the videos on NutritionFacts.org or YouTube , you can access captions in several different languages .
To find yours , click on the settings wheel on the lower-right of the video and then “ Subtitles/CC.
” If you are a $ 25+ monthly supporter and opted in to our donor rewards , you ’ d already be an expert on these new topics by now , having already received a complimentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ d like to receive them before they ’ re available to the public , please consider becoming a monthly supporter .
Sign up on the donation page to become a $ 25+ monthly contributor and be given an opportunity to receive the newest downloads for free as long as your contributions are current .
More than 90 % of stroke risk is attributable to modifiable risk factors .
August 27 is the day .
Every month now I do Q & As live from my treadmill , andis the day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel at 1pm ET .
I ’ ll be streaming to both at the same time !
You can now find links to all of my past live YouTube and Facebook Q & As here on NutritionFacts.org .
If that ’ s not enough , remember I have an audio podcast to keep you company at http : //nutritionfacts.org/audio .

My newest book, How to Survive a Pandemic, is now out in paperback! This book cuts through the prevailing noise and nonsense and reveals not only what we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones during a pandemic, but also digs deeper into the roots of the problem and tackles the fundamental question: How can we stop the emergence of pandemic viruses in the first place?
All proceeds I receive from the book are donated to pandemic prevention charities such as the The Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association. Order your copy today!
New volume covers B12, fasting, & climate change
My new volume is out today and is available as a streaming video so you can start watching it immediately.
Here’s the full list of chapters from the new volume—a preview of what’s to come over the next few months on NutritionFacts.org:
Are Aluminum Pots, Bottles, and Foil Safe? Stainless Steel or Cast Iron: Which Cookware Is Best? Is Teflon Safe? Are Melamine Dishes and Polyamide Plastic Utensils Safe? The Best Diet for Weight Loss and Disease Prevention The Benefits of Fasting for Healing The World’s Largest Fasting Study Are There Health Benefits of Spending Time in Nature? Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Lupus Type 1 Diabetes Treatment: A Plant-Based Diet The Role of Epigenetics in the Obesity Epidemic How to Get the Weight-Loss Benefits of Ephedra Without the Risks The Effect of Drinking Water on Adrenal Hormones What Is the Safest Metabolism Booster? Optimizing Water Intake to Lose Weight The Effects of Marijuana on Car Accidents The Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency The Optimal Vitamin B12 Dosage for Adults The Healthiest Food Sources of Vitamin B12 The Optimal Vitamin B12 Dosage for Kids, Pregnancy, and Seniors The Best Type of Vitamin B12: Cyanocobalamin or Methylcobalamin? Hospitals Profit on Junk Food Win-Win Dietary Solutions to the Climate Crisis Which Foods Have the Lowest Carbon Footprint? Which Diets Have the Lowest Carbon Footprint? Are There Benefits of Pole Walking for Weight Loss? How to Reverse Heart Failure with Diet
We have retired the volume DVDs, but all volumes are available for streaming at DrGreger.org/collections/downloads . And remember, if you watch the videos on NutritionFacts.org or YouTube, you can access captions in several different languages. To find yours, click on the settings wheel on the lower-right of the video and then “Subtitles/CC.”
If you are a $25+ monthly supporter and opted in to our donor rewards , you’d already be an expert on these new topics by now, having already received a complimentary link to the new download. If you’d like to receive them before they’re available to the public, please consider becoming a monthly supporter. Sign up on the donation page to become a $25+ monthly contributor and be given an opportunity to receive the newest downloads for free as long as your contributions are current.
Join the Daily Dozen Digest My Daily Dozen Checklist was designed as a guide to inspire you to include some of the healthiest of healthy foods into your daily routine. To assist your healthy eating journey, we’re kicking off the Daily Dozen Digest, a free, 11-week email program with tips and information for each box of the checklist. We kick it off next week, so click here to sign up today!
How to Prevent the Next Pandemic We need to reform the food system before it’s too late.
And can pets like cats and dogs get infected and be infectious?
More than 90% of stroke risk is attributable to modifiable risk factors.
Live Q&As today, August 27