Tom's Blog on Life

At two meals a day, consume 3 grams of cumin in yogurt. Cumin is highly recommended for those wishing to lose weight. It is believed that the sterol it contains, phytosterol, prevents the accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the body and boosts metabolism.
Scientists from the Iran University of Science and Technology took 88 women who had excessive weight problems and randomly assigned them into two different groups. All received weight counseling and consumed the same calories each day. Everything they ate was organic and healthy.
Twice daily, group 1 ate yogurt with 31 grams of cumin powder. Group 2 ate plain yogurt. After 3 months, the difference was dramatic. Group 2 did lose weight but group 1 lost 14 pounds extra.
Group 1 lost more body fat – 14.64%, whereas the group 2 fat loss was just 4.91%. The study also found cumin significantly reduced blood lipid levels. Triglycerides dropped 23 points in group 1 compared to only 5 points in group 2. And LDL cholesterol level dropped by 10 points for group 1 compared to less than one point for group 2.
Refer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25456022
and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25766448

Myth #1: It only happens to older people.
Myth #2: Heart disease runs in my family, so I’m doomed.
Myth #3: My cholesterol is normal, so my heart disease risk is low.
Myth #4: I’ve been smoking for so long it won’t make a difference if I quit.
Myth #5: My blood pressure is controlled with medication, so my risk is minimal.
https://www.holisticblends.com/blogs/holistic-blends-blog/the-5-most-deadly-heart-disease-myths

I have just added weight loss tip 103 to my book.
103. Avoid BPA (the cancer causing agent in NCR receipts and plastics). In a 2016 survey comparing 24 people who were divided into two groups – those who avoided BPA laden products and those who didn’t, those who avoided lost .6 of a pound, those who didn’t gained 3.6 pounds. From: http://content.alsearsmd.com/?yuUhbs8t2VCUH9GuK5wvTnIN7DWoZfw2y
If you want to shortcut your learning curve, my book is at http://www.howtolivethehealthiestlife.com

Conventionally-grown fruit: These four-digit numbers run the gamut from guava to kiwi. For example, guava is 4299 and a banana is 4011. You can also search PLU codes online.
Organically-grown fruit: This produce has five digit labels that start with the number 9. An organically-grown banana would be 94011.
Genetically modified food: These five digit labels start with an 8, so a genetically engineered vine ripe tomato would be 84805.

A great example to show your kids of the fireball that ensues when you put water on an oil fire. This is why I keep two oil/electric fire suitable extinguishers in the home – one immediately outside the kitchen (so I can access it if the kitchen is on fire) and one on the stair landing.
http://www.richannel.org/modern-alchemy-pouring-water-on-an-oil-fire

I was doing some research into the nutrient content of the dietary intake on a standard day. Read an interesting article that had this as the last paragraph:
“One problem that seems to persist is consumers’ perception of what constitutes healthy eating. In this regard, consumers have persistently demonstrated a tendency to be myopic. Too often they focus on avoiding one or two “bad” food concerns (e.g., fat or saturated fat) and don’t consider the contribution of vitamins, minerals and other desirable nutrients. Highly engineered foods that contain increasingly larger proportions of fat replacers and bulking agents may indeed contain less fat and fewer calories, but in many cases, they also may contain significantly reduced levels of beneficial nutrients. The education part of the NLEA must be improved for consumers to benefit from nutrition labels. Good nutrition involves more than counting calories.”
I could not agree more with Ray, the author of the piece. In the first place, fat is not the demon it is made out to be. Never was. And most consumers have it 100% wrong. “Fat is the No. 1 consumer nutrition concern and saturated fat is No. 2, according to a recent telephone interview of 1,500 adults sampled nationwide…”
The truth is, the more fat you eat, the less fat you are. Check out the Framingham study for proof.
The article even gives the game away when it says, “Despite the shift to eating foods with lower levels of fat, consumers are heavier than ever.” It’s not so much “Despite” as it is “Because”!
The article continues, “A recent survey by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) shows that 33% of American adults are now overweight – an 8% increase over 10 years ago. A study by the National Institutes of Health revealed that in 1992-1993 the average weight of Americans age 25-30 was 171 lbs. The same age group had an average weight of only 161 lbs. in 1985-1986. Excess caloric intake from nonfat sources is undoubtedly contributing to this weight gain.”
I knew right there and then it must be an old article as the figure is now 66%. So I found the date – 1996!
https://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/1996/06/counting-calories.aspx