Category: Quality Control (Page 41 of 74)

Too Many Choices, So Little Time

January 28, 2012 / Staff

Too many choices can leave us empty handed.

Believe it or not, having more choices doesn’t necessarily mean that you will end up with the perfect selection.

Studies have shown that having too many options often lead us to make no choice at all.

In our quest for perfection we may be holding out too long when we would have been quite nicely satisfied with good enough.

The conclusion: When given so many choices, people have more trouble making any decision, and this sense of indecisiveness could lead to a cascade of negative effects. In his seminal book, “The Paradox Of Choice,” Dr. Barry Schwartz writes, “Choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis. And in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression.”

Quality Control, Research

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The World’s Healthiest Foods!

January 28, 2012 / Staff

Kale and Berry Smoothie

The most nutritionally dense foods on earth are not rare or expensive, yet few of us take advantage of what nature has to offer.

A few simple recipes is all you need to incorporate these healthy choices into your diet.

1. Spirulina: While the thought of eating lake algae might gross you out, spirulina is actually pretty tasty, especially blended into a smoothie or hidden in a chocolate bar. It has more antioxidants than any other food on earth and is loaded with protein and minerals making it the most nutrient dense food.
2. Kale: According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, kale is the most nutritious food, loaded with minerals, vitamins, fiber and amino acids, as well as important antioxidants that reduce inflammation and can prevent cancer. It’s also delicious and an easy to prepare, versatile food.
3. Hemp Seeds: What do you get when you combine protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals? Hemp, of course. This easily digestible seed is versatile, easy to use and extremely tasty, too.
4. Chocolate: Yes, you read right. Cacao beans are so nutrient-dense that scientists haven’t even begun to identify all the benefits in the little bean yet. Don’t grab a Snickers though—the good stuff is found only in raw cacao beans or nibs (or really, really dark chocolate). Minerals, vitamins and tons of antioxidants are great for your heart, skin, and release chemicals in the brain that make you feel like you’re in love.
5. Broccoli: Mom was right, you should eat your broccoli if you want a healthy digestive system and to decrease your risk of cancer. Broccoli has a wide range of yumminess too, from soups and stews to stir fry.
6. Spinach: Popeye was onto something with that spinach fixation. But skip the canned stuff and stick with fresh or frozen for an antioxidant, protein and fiber-rich burst of healthy goodness. Fresh or cooked, spinach’s sweet and hardy flavor brightens any meal.
7. Chia: The Aztec warriors may have died out, but their legacy is alive and strong in the chia seed. This yummy, unassuming ancient favorite is loaded with omega fats, protein and fiber. Dr. Weil says it’s a better choice than flax because “chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don’t deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid.”
8. Berries: Unlike other fruit, berries tend to be less sugary and full of vital vitamins, minerals and those free-radical avenging antioxidants. Wild berries are always a great choice, especially black raspberries.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Research, Resources, Wellness

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Oral Cancer Virus Higher Among Men

January 27, 2012 / Staff

Incidence of oral cancer virus among men is higher than it is for women.

“This study of oral HPV infection is the critical first step toward developing potential oropharyngeal cancer prevention strategies,” Gillison said. “This is clearly important, because HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer is poised to overtake cervical cancer as the leading type of HPV-caused cancers in the U.S.”
More studies are needed to know whether the HPV vaccine effectively prevents oral HPV infections, the researchers said. Currently, the vaccine is recommended to prevent cervical cancer, anal cancer and genital warts.

The take away is to get early screening and to use protection when engaging in any kind of sexual activity.

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

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French McDonald’s McDo it Better!

January 26, 2012 / Staff

The French do fast food better than we do!

Not only are the restaurants designed better but the food is locally grown and the restrictions on meat insure grass fed antibiotic free, chlorine free food.

The French simply will not allow poor quality.

And McDo is no different!

There is a lesson to be learned here and holding the food industry accountable is a big part of that.

French cattle are all grass fed, which many argue makes them tastier. Growth hormones are illegal here and each animal has a passport showing where it was born, raised, and slaughtered, according to McDonald’s France. That’s called traceability, and we don’t yet have such a national system in place.
As for chicken nugget lovers, French chickens, unlike some of their American counterparts, are not rinsed in chlorine to disinfect them. The regular use of chlorine in the U.S. chicken industry is why poulet americain has long been interdit in the European Union.

Check out the photos below to see what raising the bar looks like.

Quality Control

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Common Chemicals Threaten Vaccine Effectiveness

January 26, 2012 / Staff

Chemicals can make vaccines less effective in children.

Environmental pollutants such as PFCs have been used in nonstick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics and some food packaging for decades and have been detected in blood tests of children.

Normally, a vaccine causes the production of lots of antibodies to a specific germ. But Grandjean says the response to tetanus and diphtheria vaccines was much weaker in 5-year-olds whose blood contained relatively high levels of PFCs.
“We found that the higher the exposure, the less capable the kids were in terms of responding appropriately to the vaccine,” Grandjean says. The results raise the possibility that “the immune system is not really developing optimally.”