Page 19 - Spring 2019 Journal

curing patients a sustainable business model?” she asks. The answer is No. “The potential to deliver ‛one shot cures’ is one of the most attractive aspects of gene therapy. However, such treatments offer a very different outlook with regard to recurring revenue versus chronic therapies. While this propo- sition carries tremendous value for patients and society, it could represent a challenge for genome medicine developers looking for sustained cash flow” (Moss Reports, December 14, 2018). Again, the real solutions to disease will come only from good nutrition and nontoxic agriculture, but such solu- tions are not good for corporate cash flow, only for people.
SKIM MILK AND ACNE
Traditionally, milk maids had beautiful skin; in fact, in the olden days, the young ladies who milked cows (and had plenty of fresh milk for to drink) seemed to be immune to the ravages of smallpox. But data from the massive Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found a link between milk consump- tion and acne, with a very strong link between consumption of skim milk and acne. Those opposed to consumption of dairy products, such as Michael Greger, MD, have used these data to blast away at milk, noting that there are a lot of estrogen and growth-enhancing hormones in modern milk, and that the levels in skim milk are even higher (tinyurl. com/y6ms5wx4). We have a different explanation, of course. Modern pasteurized milk is so highly indigestible and so hard on our beneficial gut flora, that acne is often the result; and since butterfat is beneficial to digestion, gut flora and the skin, to a certain extent it can mitigate the damaging effects of pasteurization. After all, there have always been growth hormones and estrogen in milk, but these didn’t seem to be harmful in the past—perhaps because components in real, raw full-fat milk help the body use these in the proper way—after all, milk-drinking tribes are traditionally taller than non-milk-drinking peoples.
WE’VE BEEN PREDICTING THIS
The Mayor of London has instituted a new policy banning “unhealthy food advertisements” at tube (metro) stations and on city buses. The ban targets foods contributing to soaring rates of obesity among British children: sugary foods such as breakfast cereals, cakes, juices, pies and breads. But the policy also bans relatively healthy foods such as sausage,
yogurt, coleslaw(!), pizza and olives because they are sources of saturated fat and salt. The policy bans foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar. . . but “Advertisers can apply for an exception by arguing they do not target children.” McDonald’s has confirmed it will continue to advertise on public transport “under the new rules” (London Evening Standard, February 21, 2019).
FLUORIDE WARNING
For decades, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA) have promoted fluori- dated water and toothpaste as a way to prevent tooth decay. Now these agencies are warning that children are getting too much fluoride from their toothpaste. They recommend no more than a pea-sized amount for children ages three to six and for those younger than three, toothpaste no bigger than the size of a grain of rice on their toothbrush. Fluoridated toothpaste actually contains a warning label stating, “If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center imme- diately,” a warning mandated by the FDA in 1997. Fluoride ingestion can cause unsightly mottling of the teeth, but more seriously, it is an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxin shown to lower IQ in children (tinyurl.com/y4hz9n55).
FSMA NOT WORKING
Remember how the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was going to make our food supply safer? Well, folks, it’s not working. Food recalls have risen 10 percent since 2013, with foodborne illnesses killing three thousand Americans per year. Meat and poultry recalls have increased by two-thirds since 2013 (tinyurl.com/yxku6laq).
Caustic Commentary
FOR SCIENTISTS AND LAY READERS
Please note that the mission of the Weston A. Price Foundation is to provide important information about diet and health to both scientists and the lay public. For this rea- son, some of the articles in Wise Traditions are necessarily technical. It is very important for us to describe the science that supports the legitimacy of our dietary principles. In articles aimed at scientists and practitioners, we provide a summary of the main points and also put the most techni- cal information in sidebars. These articles are balanced by
others that provide practical advice to our lay readers.
SPRING 2019 Wise Traditions 17