COLORING AGENTS CAN DESTROY YOUR CELLS, DISRUPT YOUR HEALTH!!! , WHATCH OUT!!!

Ban Food Dyes? The FDA Says No

Against the wishes of many prominent public health advocates, an advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided Thursday that there isn't enough evidence to ban food dyes or require labels stating that some evidence exists linking food dyes to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). After a two-day hearing on food dyes at which a handful of doctors, researchers, and parents testified, the panel concluded that existing evidence between dyes and ADHD is weak and more research is needed.

The details: The FDA hearings took place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week at the behest of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which has been campaigning against food dyes for quite some time and wants to see them banned from foods and medications. "I have monitored the safety of food additives for almost 40 years, and food dyes have always stood out as the category with the most problems," Michael Jacobson, PhD, executive director of CSPI  told Rodale.com in an interview last July.

But the FDA remains unconvinced by studies linking food dyes to a variety of problems, including hyperactivity in children, and said so in a report released prior to the hearings. "Based on the data reviewed in these publications, FDA concludes that a causal relationship between exposure to color additives and hyperactivity in children in the general population has not been established," the panel of scientists wrote.

Could your dinner be killing you?

Many of the experts testifying before the FDA advisory panel seemed to agree that the science linking food dyes to ADHD is tenuous. But that research has been called into question. The CSPI's July 2010 report on food dyes noted that most safety studies are conducted by industry. Another group represented at the hearing, the Feingold Association, a nonprofit organization helping parents avoid synthetic food additives (including dyes) to treat behavioral, learning, and health problems, noted that the studies used food-dye exposure levels far below what children are usually exposed to. They used levels of dye as low as 1, 5, or 13 milligrams, but Shula Edelkind, the Feingold Association's director, presented results of lab tests her organization had done on a cupcake with frosting dyed with FD&C Red 40. The test revealed that the three tablespoons of frosting on the cupcake contained 58 milligrams of dye. "The more dyes ingested, the more people are affected," she said, citing studies linking food dyes not just to antisocial and violent behavior problems, but also to headaches, stomachaches, sleep disorders, speech disorders, learning problems, DNA damage, and in the case of FD&C Red 3, thyroid cancer in animals.

What it means: More food dyes have been banned in this country than any other food additive, but eight remain on the market. In the European Union, labeling laws require any food product containing dyes to bear the warning label "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." Because of that warning, many companies in that market have switched to plant-based food dyes, based on sources like grape skins, beet juice, and carrots, whereas in the U.S., food dyes are nearly always synthetic and derived from petroleum.

In the absence of labeling laws, the FDA should at least enforce its own standards of food dye safety, says Jane Hersey, national director of the Feingold Association. "If you take a look at FD&C Red 3, you see that it actually is not legal," she says. "The FDA says that it does not allow companies to use additives that have been found to cause cancer in humans or animals," referring to the study finding that the dye caused thyroid cancer in animals. And, she adds, the agency needs to reform its criteria, considering that the last time food dye safety laws were passed was in the 1960s.

Secret added sugars are a major threat to your health

Another troubling element to food dyes is their sheer widespread use, which has quadrupled since 1950, according to one doctor who testified at the conference. "There's no health benefit to food dyes," said Jacobsen. "They're just used to trick people into thinking there are some real food ingredients in processed foods."

Adding petroleum-derived chemicals to food doesn't benefit your health, and may be harmful. And it doesn't help the health of the planet either. So here are a few ways to avoid them:

• Eat whole foods.

Nearly all processed foods contain some form of coloring, so the easiest way to avoid dyes is to avoid processed foods whenever possible.

ANCIENT WISDOM THAT REVEALS OUR BODY'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Amla Extract: Amla Berries are also known as Indian gooseberries found on small tree's that grow throughout India. The Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis) is a deciduous tree of the Euphorbiaceae family. Amla contains some of the highest amounts of Vitamin C in natural form. Amla is referred to in historic texts as an herb that "promotes longevity and induces nourishment" Amla has been a very important herb in Ayurveda for more than 3,000 years. 

 

---

Originally, Ayurveda defined seven body types. These, referred to as doshas, were Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Sama, Vata-Kapha, Vata-Pitta, and Pitta-Kapha. The first three types occur in their pure form very rarely and so seldom is it that anyone is primarily influenced by one dosha alone. Most Ayurveda reference the following three doshas:

The vata dosha combines the elements ether and air. It is considered the most powerful dosha because it controls very basic body processes such as cell division, the heart, breathing, discharge of waste, and the mind. Vata can be aggravated by, for example, fear, grief, staying up late at night, eating dry fruit, or eating before the previous meal is digested. People with vata as their main dosha are thought to be especially susceptible to skin and neurological conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, anxiety, and insomnia.

The pitta dosha represents the elements fire and water. Pitta controls hormones and the digestive system. A person with a pitta imbalance may experience negative emotions such as anger and may have physical symptoms such as heartburn within 2 or 3 hours of eating. Pitta is upset by, for example, eating spicy or sour food, fatigue, or spending too much time in the sun. People with a predominantly pitta constitution are thought to be susceptible to hypertension, heart disease, infectious diseases, and digestive conditions such as Crohn's disease.

The kapha dosha combines the elements water and earth. Kapha helps to maintain strength and immunity and to control growth. An imbalance of the kapha dosha may cause nausea immediately after eating. Kapha is aggravated by, for example, greed, sleeping during the daytime, eating too many sweet foods, eating after one is full, and eating and drinking foods and beverages with too much salt and water (especially in the springtime). Those with a predominant kapha dosha are thought to be vulnerable to diabetes, cancer, obesity, and respiratory illnesses such as asthma.

The key to maintaining physical and mental health is in keeping these elements and doshas in harmonic balance through proper diet, herbs and life style, otherwise early aging and various diseases can manifest. These three doshas can even be traced back to the very beginning of creation as representing the three Gods in Vedic wisdom Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. One or more of these doshas or elements will predominate in every individual living entity creating seven possible body types. By knowing which type you are by symptoms, the proper diet and herbal treatment can be established for you.

• Eliminating impurities. A process called panchakarma is intended to cleanse the body by eliminating ama. Ama is described as an undigested food that sticks to tissues, interferes with normal functioning of the body, and leads to disease. Panchakarma focuses on eliminating ama through the digestive tract and the respiratory system. Enemas, massage, medical oils administered in a nasal spray, and other methods may be used.
• Reducing symptoms. The practitioner may suggest various options, including physical exercises, stretching, breathing exercises, meditation, massage, lying in the sun, and changing the diet. The patient may take certain herbs-often with honey, to make them easier to digest. Sometimes diets are restricted to certain foods. Very small amounts of metal and mineral preparations, such as gold or iron, also may be given.
• Increasing resistance to disease. The practitioner may combine several herbs, proteins, minerals, and vitamins in tonics to improve digestion and increase appetite and immunity. These tonics are based on formulas from ancient texts.
• Reducing worry and increasing harmony. Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes mental nurturing and spiritual healing. Practitioners may recommend avoiding situations that cause worry and using techniques that promote release of negative emotions.
• Cold Water Extracted. It extracts and concentrates the medicinal properties of the herbs. Removing all the fibers and unnecessary parts to make the herb as pure as possible. Making just a little bit go a very long way, allowing ¼-1 teaspoon more than enough.