Page 15 - Spring2013

Caustic Commentary

have the ability to form a tough, protective endospore that EXTRA POUNDS HEALTH ADVANTAGE
allows them to survive extreme conditions. The researchers After years of browbeating to get people to be extra thin,
identified Paenibacillus bacteria as the most important spore researchers have discovered that being moderately over-
formers in dairy products, and say that strains of this bacteria weight does not automatically make a person at high risk for
can survive extreme conditions and have adapted to survive early death. The analysis of nearly three million people was
both high heat and refrigeration. The health implications of published in the Journal of the American Medical Associa-
prolonged consumption of these spore-formers are not yet tion. Researchers pooled data from ninety-seven studies in
known, but research shows that they can foul milk and other the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, China, Taiwan, Japan,
food products. The lab at Cornell's college found that reducing Brazil, India and Mexico (2013;309(1):71-82). As expected,
the refrigeration temperature can decrease the growth of the they found that people who were significantly obese, with a
bacteria, especially when the product is kept for a long time body mass index (BMI) of thirty-five or more, had short life
after pasteurization. Some dairy processors have increased spans compared to people of normal weight. But the scientists
the pasteurization temperatures further, in an attempt to kill also found that people classed as overweight (with a BMI of
spore-formers. Early reports indicate that these measures twenty-five to thirty) died at slightly lower rates―not higher
only result in more spoilage. Nature has a way of foiling our rates―than those of so-called normal weight. And those who
most vaunted technologies (www.news.cornell.edu/stories/ were mildly obese (with a BMI of thirty to thirty-five) died in
July12/FoodSpoil.html). no greater numbers than did their normal-weight peers. Lead
author Katherine M. Flegal said that smoking, which raises
NEW GUIDELINES FOR BABIES the risk of early death but also tends to keep people thinner,
For years, governments have recommended puréed vegetables doesn't appear to be the explanation. It appears that you can,
and cereals as baby’s first foods. In a major departure, new indeed, be too thin.
Canadian guidelines say parents should be offering their six-
month-old infants puréed meat, fish and poultry two or three WI-FI WORRIES
times a day. (Unfortunately, they also allow “meat alterna- Didier Bellens, president of Belgacom, the Belgian mobile
tives” for baby.) According to the guidelines, these iron-rich communications company, explains to school children that
foods should be the first that babies consume. “Traditionally, Wi-Fi is dangerous. He uses a landline in his office and pro-
we’ve been telling parents that meat is the last food to intro- vides DSL service, not Wi-Fi, to employees working on the
duce,” said Daina Kalnins, manager of clinical dietetics at twenty-seventh floor of his cellphone company's skyscraper.
the Hospital for Sick Children. “But when you look at why, According to a Belgacom spokesperson, "Didier Bellens is
there is no reason to do that.” Iron is critical for a baby’s only indicating the precautionary principles recommended
growth and cognitive development. By about six months, by the World Health Organization" (Sudpresse, November
a baby’s iron stores start to diminish and those solely fed 25, 2011).
breast milk will not meet their iron requirements and are in
danger of becoming anemic or iron-deficient. According to FOR SCIENTISTS AND LAY READERS
Kalnins, iron deficiency during infancy and childhood may Please note that the mission of the Weston A. Price
affect proper brain development. Interestingly, the guidelines Foundation is to provide important information about
mention that meat and fish have been traditional first foods diet and health to both scientists and the lay public. For
for some aboriginal groups. Parents are urged to make baby’s this reason, some of the articles in Wise Traditions are
food, puréeing meat and fish with water. Unfortunately, they necessarily technical. It is very important for us to describe
recommend leaving out salt. Still, the recommendation to the science that supports the legitimacy of our dietary
principles. In articles aimed at scientists and practitioners,
introduce meat early is a real step forward in baby care (www. we provide a summary of the main points and also put
thestar.com, September 24, 2012). the most technical information in sidebars. These articles
are balanced by others that provide practical advice to
our lay readers.
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