Four Children Dead in Amarillo, TX in Pesticide Poisoning

Four children have died in Amarillo, TX after the aluminum phosphide was sprayed under their house. The other inhabitants of the home are still in treatment, and whether they make it or not, the effects of the gas will cause long-term health problems.

Aluminum phosphide is a restricted-use pesticide due to its volatile nature. It turns into phosphine gas when mixed with water. According to the Amarillo Fire Department, a license is required to purchase the pesticide. In this case, it was bought on the black market. It was applied during the day and the toxic fumes leeched into the house during the night.

How Aluminum Phosphide Works

Aluminum phosphide turns into toxic phosphine gas when it comes into contact with water, either deliberately or in the atmosphere. Once toxic phosphine gas has been ingested, it causes the circulatory system to shut down. There is no antidote for the gas, and close to 60% of people who develop aluminum phosphide poisoning die from multiple organ failure, myocarditis, and profound shock.

Aluminum Phosphide Use in the United States

Aluminum phosphide is used to kill rodents, bedbugs, and other pests. It is also used to fumigate cereal grains, usually in tablet form and mixed with other chemicals that help keep the aluminum phosphide from exploding. The use of aluminum phosphide without a professional is not recommended. Yet similar pesticides like zinc phosphide in the form of rodent pellets are available to purchase at Wal-mart.

The people who sell pesticides cannot keep you safe because let’s face it -pesticides aren’t safe. While the pesticide used here is without question more dangerous than the average pesticide, this doesn’t change the fact that pesticides used to kill rodents and other pests are meant to kill living things, and children are especially vulnerable.

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Food, Nutrition, and Herbs for Insomnia

If your mantra in life is, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you might want to take 5 minutes to rethink this strategy. Driver fatigue is responsible for an estimated 25% of all fatal and serious car accidents and a continual lack of quality sleep is directly linked to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. You can pump the weights and crank up the cardio, but if you are not balancing your body with the healing powers of sleep, you won’t be able to stave off these debilitating symptoms and conditions forever. In fact, pushing your mind and body beyond its natural limits without rewarding it with well-earned sleep can result in chronic fatigue, adrenal dysfunction, and hormone dysregulation.

Not convinced? Research confirms that lack of sleep is also directly linked to:

  • Shrinking of the brain
  • Organ failure
  • Infertility
  • Memory reduction
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Chronic illness
  • Premature aging
  • Reduced life expectancy

Luckily, stacking your fork with slumber-inducing snacks is easier than you think. But can you really eat yourself to sleep? Is it possible to create your best dreamscape while stuffing your face? Is your dinner your best doctor? Yes, yes, and definitely yes.

The Science of Sleep

There are more than a dozen interconnected hormones and chemicals responsible for the onset and execution of a successful sleep session. They’re all important ingredients for a dream feast, but having a bite-sized understanding of these primary components will see you to sleep in no time.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It’s a vital element of the system that regulates your internal body clock and natural sleep-wake rhythms.

How and when your body creates and releases melatonin is contingent upon light exposure in the day and the gradual onset of darkness in the evening. Levels start to rise from early evening, remain high and steady throughout the night, and begin to drop off in the early morning hours.

Healthy levels are attributed to the ability to fall asleep quickly, to reduced or eliminated sleep interruptions, and to being able to wake easily at consistent times. In addition, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It is capable of free radical scavenging throughout the entire body due to its ability to penetrate cell membranes and navigate the blood-brain barrier.

Though there is still much to learn about this heroic hormone, there is growing evidence that supports the positive impact melatonin may have on countless biological functions. From heavy metal chelation, Alzheimer’s Disease treatments, and obesity prevention to insomnia, immune function, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) treatment, melatonin is king.

Studies show, melatonin has a hand in:

  • Immune function
  • Jet lag recovery
  • Headache reduction (particularly cluster headaches)
  • Managing sleep cycle disruption due to night or shift work
  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome treatment
  • Controlling sleep disorders associated with autism, cerebral palsy, blindness, and ADHD
  • Reducing withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking
  • Medication or pharmaceutical induced insomnia
  • Helping to fight certain types of cancer (particularly brain, breast, colon, lung, and renal)
  • Reducing the side effects associated with chemotherapy
  • Reducing the impact and instance of tinnitus
  • Protection from radioactivity
  • Prevention of gallstone development
  • Improved fertility

Studies suggest that it may be especially useful to treat sleep issues that are due to behavioral, developmental, or mental disorders.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is responsible for making melatonin and serotonin. Humans cannot synthesize it, and a lack of tryptophan would be lethal; it must be obtained from plant or animal sources.

This vital molecule is helpful in dealing with sleep disorders including sleep apnea, insomnia, and bruxism. It may also have a serious psychological impact, with low levels showing a correlation with depression, anxiety, irritability, and aggression. Conditions such as PMS, ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome all show symptom relief when consistently healthy tryptophan levels are present.

Due to the link with both serotonin and melatonin, tryptophan induces feelings of calm, relaxation, well-being and sleepiness. It also assists your body in manufacturing and assimilating proteins for cellular function and efficiently assists with niacin production and conversion.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the flight-or-fight hormone responsible for a wide range of functions and reactions in the body. Produced in the adrenal glands, it is transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. Cortisol creates the rise and shine impulse that wakes you up in the morning. Maintaining homeostasis of this hormone is an essential component to finding that sweet sleep spot.

Cortisol levels peak between 8-9 am. and respond to daily activity levels. Production sharply declines between midnight and 4am. This balance creates what is known as a diurnal rhythm (being awake during the day, sleeping at night).

Depending upon the cells it is interacting with, cortisol can have a directly positive impact on your stress response, blood pressure, and inflammation reduction. It also influences blood sugar control, metabolism regulation, and memory formation.

However, both high and low cortisol levels will have a negative influence on your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Cortisol regulates energy by selecting the right nutrients the body needs to function. When elevated for extended periods of time, cortisol can interfere with weight, immune function, and chronic disease.

Experiencing a spike of cortisol late in the day or evening can induce an elongated stress response due to adrenaline release that prevents the yummy wind down after a long day. Similarly, dysregulation can cause unhelpful hiccups of cortisol through the night that interfere with a solid sleep state and those vital REM periods.

Excess cortisol may present as an inability to shut your brain down at night and racing thoughts that often focus on negative experiences in the past or worries about the future – otherwise known as being “tired but wired”.

Overproduction of cortisol can be caused by being overworked, routinely stressed, worn down, or chronically ill. Over time, this can manifest as adrenal fatigue, insomnia, sleep disruption, and depression.

Low levels will reduce the “cortisol awakening response”. Energy is often at a bare minimum, inducing a state of chronic fatigue. This can prevent initiation of other hormone cycles or incite overreaction of others, creating a negative feedback loop.

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and the most important amino acid for sleep, muscle relaxation, and anxiety reduction. In short, it turns off the worrying thoughts that impede restful sleep and prepares the mind for mood balancing subconscious decongesting. These sedating effects have a huge impact on sleep quality and quantity.

GABA can be helpful with relaxation and the ability to fall and stay asleep. It has also useful in dealing with restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, and even epilepsy.

Low levels of GABA can prevent you from going into a deep sleep, which allows minor distractions to wake you up and prevent you from nodding off again. In addition, low GABA is linked to depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders.

Poor diet, illness, age, and exposure to environmental toxins can all affect the GABA levels.

When to Eat

Eating yourself to sleep involves diet consciousness. Get familiar with the best foods for supporting those 40 winks.

Make sure you’re not consuming the wrong stuff at the wrong time. It confuses the natural flow of chemicals and hormones that orchestrate revitalizing rest, which can be a tripwire for general system dysregulation. All sources of caffeine should be consumed before 2 pm. For sensitive folk, this includes chocolate. Additionally, avoid taking Vitamin D supplements or Fermented Cod Liver Oil after 2 pm. Ideally, you should stop eating for 4 hours before bed, but at the very least, skip heavy, spicy, and/or difficult to digest meals within that time frame.

If necessary, eat a small high protein/high fat snack at 7pm or earlier to tide you over and keep your blood sugar balanced. A handful of nuts promotes tryptophan production. To keep nighttime interruptions to a minimum, stop drinking about 2 hours prior to bed.

Foods and Substances That Prevent Sleep

Trans fatty acids and industrial seed oils (vegetable, canola, margarines, and shortenings) promote systemic inflammation, that encourage biological stress. Foods with a high glycemic index will also interfere with natural sleep patterns by spiking blood sugar and cortisol response. These include simple carbs, sugar, fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks.

Pharmaceuticals, Over the Counter Meds, and Substances

Medications can be seriously disruptive to sleep, but also very sneaky. It’s often difficult to ascertain whether those tablets are tampering with your sleep, particularly if you are taking multiple medications. Have a rifle through your medicine cabinet to check whether one of these top culprits is causing problems.

  • Alpha-blockers and Beta Blockers
  • SSRI antidepressants
  • Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs)
  • Cholinesterase inhibitors and ACE inhibitors
  • Second-generation (nonsedating) H1 antagonists
  • Glucosamine and chondroitin
  • Statins
  • Corticosteroids

Nicotine and THC (marijuana) could also be a factor.

The Best Sleep Diet

Let’s eat! It’s time to breakfast, lunch, and dinner ourselves into bed. These dietary additions will manufacture the building blocks of structural hormone and chemicals to balance and promote the best sleep.

Follow an organic, anti-inflammatory diet that excludes processed products and is high in whole foods, healthy fats, vegetables, and some fruits. Along with plenty of nuts and seeds, you’ll be able to load up on important antioxidants and phytonutrients while maximizing fiber intake. Be sure to keep your Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid intake ratio within the 1:3-1:4 range.

Top Foods for Melatonin Management

  • Tart cherry juice
  • Bananas, oranges, pineapple
  • Tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet corn
  • Barley, oats, rice
  • Flaxseed, walnuts, almonds
  • Fenugreek and mustard seeds

Top Foods for Tryptophan Production

  • Seeds and nuts
  • Soy
  • Cheese
  • Red meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Beans and lentils
  • Eggs

Top Foods for Cortisol Control

  • Cold water fish
  • Beef liver
  • Eggs
  • Greek or fermented yogurt
  • Flaxseed and walnuts
  • Chard (swiss, ruby, rainbow)
  • Citrus fruits and papaya
  • White beans

Top Foods That Promote GABA

  • Black, green, oolong tea
  • Halibut, mackerel, shrimp
  • Beef liver
  • Fermented foods
  • Jumbo oats and rice bran
  • Almonds and walnuts
  • Lentils

Other Foods for Sleep

There are lots of additional options and substitutes for getting the most delicious sleep. Switch regular potatoes for beta-carotene rich sweet potatoes, and that greasy side dish for some steamed dark leafy greens. Cook with coconut oil and drizzle a fresh salad with extra virgin olive or avocado oils. Incorporate grass fed gelatin and a dash of creamy milk into your smoothies.

In the evening, make up a brew of your favorite herbal tea. Chamomile, mint, lavender and St. John’s Wort are particularly soothing.

What Supplements Promote Good Sleep

Finding the right combination of supplemental additions to your diet and routine is extremely personal. There is no one-size-fits all approach, so careful experimentation and observation is an important part of finding what’s right for you.

Herbs

Vitamins and Minerals

Supplements and Extracts

Final Thoughts

Stop hiding your sleep worries under the bed. Make integrating these balancing practices into your routine a daily, lifetime habit. Eat yourself to sleep, sleep yourself to life.`

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GMO Study Finds Altered Amino Acids May Increase Histamine Reactions

One of the criteria the Food and Drug Administration considers when deciding whether or not to approve a GMO is called “substantial equivalence.” This means the nutritional profile and toxicity levels of the modified plant are within the same range as a non-modified plant. When a new strain of corn is similar enough to the original to demonstrate substantial equivalence, the product is free to pass to market with fewer safety checks. A new study looking more closely at the differences between a specific variety of GM corn, Monsanto’s NK603, and the non-modified corn it is derived from is challenging that principle.

Substantial equivalence is a standard practice in the industry. The GM crop database notes that

…small statistical differences between NK603 and control lines were observed only in: six amino acids (alanine, arginine, glutamic acid, histidine, lysine, and methionine) as measured in grain from European trials (no differences were observed in material from U.S. trials); and stearic (C18:0) acid levels. Overall, these differences were not consistent across all trial sites and they were considered to reflect random variation. All compositional results were within the ranges observed for commercial non-transformed lines.”

Peer reviewed research from Dr. Michael Antionou at King’s College in London has found that the differences in those amino acids are more important than Monsanto has considered or is disclosing.

Amino Acid Differences May Increase Allergic Reactions

In the words of Dr. Antionou,

Our study clearly shows that the GM transformation process results in profound compositional differences in NK603, demonstrating that this GMO corn is not substantially equivalent to its non-GMO counterpart. The marked increase in putrescine and especially cadaverine is a concern since these substances are potentially toxic, being reported as enhancers of the effects of histamines, thus heightening allergic reactions, and both have been implicated in the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines with nitrates in meat products.”

GMOs have been cited several times as a factor in the increase in allergies worldwide, though many scientists and researchers have remained firm in their conviction that GMOs do not contain any known allergens. The differences in amino acids found in this study suggest that while NK603 may not be derived from a substance known to cause allergies, the specific amino acids it enhances increase the likelihood of allergies occurring. Both putrescine and cadaverine are considered toxic in large doses. One could argue that GMO corn has such small amounts that it doesn’t matter, but does that argument take into account the amount of those compounds accumulating in the body over time? Without knowing the quantity of GMOs being consumed on a daily basis and the amount of chemical compound build up, it’s impossible to rule out the NK603 as a cause in increased allergic reactions.

GMO Regulation is Missing a Big Puzzle Piece

Getting a GMO approved in the United States involves three different government agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It’s a tremendous undertaking, with the average development and approval process from four years ago costing 136 million and taking 13 years. Once the company presenting the product has proved “substantial equivalence” though, it is assumed that the crop is safe and ready for market. From that point, there is no longer any incentive to continue safety testing and research. These companies are fundamentally altering the building blocks of the food we eat. Valid, peer-reviewed studies showing the negative effects of these manipulations continue to appear. Saying a product has been safety tested before its initial release is different from saying something is safe when released with incomplete information and saying that it is safe after more than a decade of data has suggested otherwise.

The companies seeing billion dollar profits from the product are left to correct the negative long term effects, often to the detriment of profits. What company is willing to do that? Regulatory systems are allowing one of the necessities of life to be irrevocably altered. A system that does not force a company to at least acknowledge (let alone fix) that alteration and its negative effects is a broken system.

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Roundup Resistance is a Growing Problem and Syngenta Offers a Problematic Solution

Tolerance to things is built up over time, although some tolerances develop more quickly than others. The development of Roundup resistance in weeds is a quick one, in large part due to the popularity and frequent usage of the chemical. From the release of Roundup in 1974, it took 15 years for the first documented case of Roundup-resistant weeds to appear. The response to that resistance didn’t actually address the problem. The introduction of genetically modified, Roundup resistant crops allowed farmers to increase the amount of the herbicide sprayed, therefore increasing the opportunities for naturally resistant weeds to thrive and pass on their wayward genes. The growth of Roundup-resistant weeds is upon us, and Big Agriculture needs an answer.

Paraquat – A Potential Answer

Paraquat is a controversial product. While one of the most popular herbicides in the world, it has been banned in the European Union due to its toxicity. Paraquat is so toxic to mammals that it’s often said, “just one sip will kill you.” It has been used to commit suicide in many third world countries due to its easy availability and low price. Despite the fact that it has been banned in the European Union, the herbicide is still manufactured there. The E.U. is not the only country that has reservations regarding paraquat, as China is also in the process of phasing out paraquat for agricultural use. Countries like the U.S. and Australia are still using the herbicide, as it’s a fast-acting product that kills a wide range of weeds.

The Herbicide Always Knocks Twice

If one is good, two must be better…or something like that. One of the suggested uses of paraquat is to use it as a clean up herbicide after glyphosate. This is known as the “double knock” system, and it’s commonly used in Australia. Many scientists and insiders have predicted that this system has the potential to double the amount of time before herbicide resistant weeds appear again. While this system might be ideal from the manufacturer’s standpoint (twice as many products bought), the health and environmental concerns are more worrying.

Everyone Agrees That Paraquat is Toxic

The E.P.A. has classified paraquat as category I, the highest level of toxicity. So we know it’s toxic. That itself is not up for debate. What is in debate is whether or not paraquat causes Parkinson’s. And by debate, that is to say Syngenta is not willing to publicly accept the role of paraquat in increasing the rates of Parkinson’s and the company has subsequently funded studies refuting that link.

But Seriously, Everyone Knows

Syngenta continues to defend paraquat in the face of 20 years of studies presenting increasing links between the herbicide and Parkinson’s. As the number of glyphosate-resistant weeds continues to increase, the agricultural market is looking for the next option in herbicides. With nature as it is, who knows how long before that herbicide will cease to work and the next chemical in line will step up?

One of the advantages of paraquat is the fact that it is partially inactivated once it hits the ground. But what about the part that isn’t? Imagine the rings of a mature oak tree. At what point will we be able to tell the age of our soil by the layers of herbicides and pesticides built up throughout?

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GMO Pink Pineapple Is Coming – Ever Heard of Pink Pineapple Disease?

The newest addition to the pineapple marketplace, which will be grown in Costa Rica, is a genetically modified pineapple dubbed the Rosé. Are consumers are just clamoring for a sweeter pineapple with a more pleasing, pink color?

Although a new and “improved” pineapple doesn’t seem to be high on our priority list, The Food and Drug Administration has given Del Monte Fresh Produce the go-ahead for their new, genetically engineered, pink pineapple. According to the FDA:

(Del Monte’s) new pineapple has been genetically engineered to produce lower levels of the enzymes already in conventional pineapple that convert the pink pigment lycopene to the yellow pigment beta carotene. Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink, so it is commonly and safely consumed.”

The statement from the FDA gives the pineapple (and genetically engineered crops in general) a glowing review. But why a pink pineapple?

Pineapple Consumption

Pineapple is the third most consumed fruit in the world, after mangos and bananas, with 24.8 million tons of pineapples produced each year. That may seem like a lot, but when compared to other GMO crops like corn (over a billion tons a year), soybeans (278 million), and sugar beets (247 million), pineapple is not a commodity product.

When you consider the amount of time and money that goes into obtaining approval for a new GMO product, the actual demand for pineapple doesn’t make it seem to be a good choice. Are we really getting a new pineapple because we need a sweeter pineapple? So why pineapple? Is it the demand?

 Pink Pineapple Disease

If you have ever eaten canned pineapple, chances are you’ve seen or eaten a piece of pineapple with a reddish or pink hue.

In fruit cocktail, it’s easy to assume cherry juice stained the pineapple, but that might not be the case at all.

Pineapples are susceptible to a disease called pink disease, which is caused by the bacteria Pantoea citrea. When this bacteria infects the pineapple fruit it turns pink in canned preparations. Manufacturers can’t tell if the fruit has been infected until it has been canned and the disease is expensive to treat.  The new pink pineapple is a brilliant solution to this problem. Rather than wonder why their canned pineapple is pink, red, or rust colored instead of the familiar yellow, consumers will see the Rosé pineapple. It will never occur to them to investigate, to discover they are eating fruit infected with a disease. This subtle deception will allow those who sell canned pineapple to normalize and pass off diseased pineapples as something else.

The bottom line? Pink is pleasing to the eye. But more importantly, pink is profitable (as Susan G. Komen knows). As each new GMO is released it becomes aching clear (if it wasn’t already) that the innovations sold as a way to feed the world are actually meant to feed wallets. We see the pink pineapple as a cosmetic choice made to protect and boost profit margins by selling diseased fruit unbeknownst to the customer.

P.S. Don’t confuse red pineapple with pink pineapple. Much of the media is making the mistake of showing the “red pineapple” (see image on the right). Genetically modified pink pineapple is supposed to be indistinguishable from regular pineapple on the outside. 

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Food Emulsifiers Linked to Gastrointestinal Disease

When you eat something from a box, can, or jar, chances are you’ve eaten an emulsifier. Emulsifiers like xanthan gum, any and all lecithins, and carrageenan extend the shelf life of products and improve their texture. Unfortunately, a recent study published in Cancer Research says they also promote intestinal inflammation, foster the growth of harmful bacteria, and increase the risk of tumors and colon cancer.

The Studies

This was not the first study on the emulsifiers and their impact on health. A previous study found that a group of healthy mice fed a diet including 1% of a commonly used emulsifier were unable to properly control their blood sugar levels, ate more, and gained more weight. An examination of the mice’s gut tissue revealed signs of low-level inflammation. In the same study, a group of mice predisposed to intestinal disease fed the same amount of emulsifiers saw an increase in the symptoms of conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and colitis. The emulsifiers increased the amount of harmful bacteria living deep in the protective mucous in the gut, increasing the potential for irritated and inflamed intestinal tissue.

Recommended: Fungal Infections – ow to Eliminate Yeast, Candida, and Mold Infections For Good

The results of the previous study dovetail nicely into the most recent emulsifier study. In the previous study, the emulsifiers caused inflammation and increased the mice’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The study released in November 2016 found that the regular consumption of emulsifiers disrupted the balance of the gut and increased the growth of colorectal tumors and rates of colon cancer. This makes sense as cancer thrives in an inflamed environment where damaged cells provide food for it.

For both of these studies, the mice consumed emulsifiers in amounts proportional to the amount found in processed foods. Federal food regulations limit the amount of a particular emulsifier to 1 or 2 percent. The regulators don’t, however, place any kind of limit on the number of emulsifiers that can be present in any given food. The mice in these studies were only exposed to two emulsifiers, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose. A basic, gluten-free loaf of white sandwich bread from Udi’s (probably the most well-known and easily accessible gluten-free brand of bread) has four added emulsifiers, xanthan gum, guar gum, sodium alginate, and locust bean gum. If one percent of two different emulsifiers can disrupt the intestinal microbiome in a significant way, what does one percent of four different emulsifiers do? Now imagine the filling between the bread also contains an emulsifier or two. That amount of emulsifying food additives causes serious gastrointestinal health issues in mice. Do we know what it’s doing to humans?

But We Aren’t Mice

The biggest issue with a study like this is the fact that we aren’t mice, and our diet requirements are different. A study like this on humans could be more difficult, in part due to the proliferation of these compounds. It’s also worth mentioning that only two emulsifying agents were used in this study, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose. Both of these emulsifiers are more processed than “natural” emulsifiers like lecithins and gums, and comparing the results found in this study with a study focusing on different emulsifiers might provide more answers.

Recommended: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

But You Already Knew That, Didn’t You?

So why does it matter? It’s only a study on lab mice that doesn’t actually prove anything, right? This study doesn’t change anything, but not for the reason you may think. Emulsifiers and most importantly, the processed food where you find them, are not good for you. This isn’t a matter of “if only we knew more.” Do the details make a difference when the universally acknowledged healthy lifestyle is the lifestyle that preaches whole foods and avoids the processed?

We live in the real world though and unless you’re homesteading in a big way, a box, can, bag, or jar will eventually make its way into your kitchen. You cannot escape the emulsifiers. Carrageenan, gums, and lecithins are some of the more easily identified emulsifiers, but until writing this article, I had no idea what polysorbate 80 actually did. Reading the label is imperative. If it reads more like a science kit than a recipe, your gastrointestinal system will not thank you.

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New FDA “Healthy” Labeling Guidelines Coming – How Would You Define It?

We all know when a food is labeled organic it is supposed to meet specifically defined criteria. But did you know that when the term “healthy” is used on a label it is supposed to meet specific FDA criteria?

The regulatory definition established by the FDA in 1993 also covered the terms health, healthful, healthfully, healthfulness, healthier, healthiest, healthily, and healthiness. Healthiness? Really? Yes, we looked it up. It is a word.

Under the 1993 rules, the two criteria attached to any derivative of the word healthy were related to fat content and specific nutrients.

The nutrient conditions for bearing a “healthy” nutrient content claim include specific criteria for nutrients to limit in the diet, such as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, as well as requirements for nutrients to encourage in the diet, including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein, and fiber.” ~ FDA

Changes to the Definition of Healthy

New scientific information is causing the FDA to rethink the definition of this label. For example, the old definition embraced the belief that a low-fat was best. Current science encourages the intake of mono and polyunsaturated fats rather than limiting fats altogether.

It seems the nutrient concerns have changed over time as well. In 1993, nutrients of concern were vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and fiber. According to the FDA, today’s concerns include potassium, vitamin D, iron, and calcium.

On July 14, 2016, the FDA released its new strategic plan for 2016-2025. In it, they address four goals: food safety, nutrition, Animal health, and organizational excellence. (see further reading)

Nutrition Facts Labels are being updated with new Daily Value (DV) requirements and the FDA is working toward changing the “healthy” definition. In the meantime, they have advised companies that they may use the healthy label for foods that meet the following:

“(1) Are not low in total fat, but have a fat profile makeup of predominantly mono and polyunsaturated fats; or

(2) contain at least ten percent of the Daily Value (DV) per reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) of potassium or vitamin D.”

These new guidelines are non-binding recommendations for the interim while the FDA goes through the process of redefining healthy.

Public Comments

The FDA is asking for the public to take part in this process. So the question is, how do you define healthy? Since we believe the only truly healthy foods are whole, fresh, organic foods in their natural form, calling any processed food healthy is a bit of a stretch. But without question, some are healthier than others.

In addition to what the food should contain, there certainly are things it should not contain. At a minimum, no food should be called healthy if it contains artificial flavors, colors or preservatives; MSG, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, or trans fats. Should we go further? Should we declare no food is healthy of it contains processed sugar? Gluten? Dairy?

What do you think? The FDA is asking for public input. If you would like your voice to be heard on this subject, comments are being collected through Jan 26, 2017. The contact information the FDA provides on their website is as follows:

Submit electronic comments on regulations.gov to docket folder FDA-2016-D-2335.

Submit written comments to:

Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061
Rockville, MD 20852.
All comments should be identified with the docket number FDA-2016-D-2335.

For additional information on commenting, including details on making submissions with confidential information, see:

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