Washington Post Letter Aug 27 2005

Hold the (Trans) Fat

Saturday, August 27, 2005; Page A16
The Aug. 16 editorial "Trans Fat Nation" said "McDonald's has also moved to modify its French fry recipe to reduce, though not eliminate, the trans fat content." This is false.
In September 2002 McDonald's, in a publicity blitz, proclaimed that it was taking a "major step" toward eliminating trans fats from the oil it uses for french fries, hash browns, chicken and fish. It promised to complete the change by early 2003. But in February 2003 McDonald's changed its mind -- quietly -- in a 30-word news release that went almost unnoticed, as the editorial showed.

The life span of Americans is dropping. As a doctor, I'm convinced that trans fats in franchise restaurant food, school and employee cafeteria food, and many items in grocery stores are the major culprit.
Brochures and Web sites and labels often do not educate even the educated. They only shift responsibility for unhealthy ingredients to consumers.
Education isn't enough. Trans fats should be treated like lead, asbestos or smoking. They are truly more lethal because millions upon millions consume them.
VINOD K. SETH
Bismarck, N.D.

Comments

TURMERIC - A spoonful a day keeps the doctor away.

I don't know what to eat. They change their minds all the time!! My patients share their confusion with me often. What do I eat? No eggs, yes eggs, no butter, yes butter, yes margarine, no margarine. Yes Vit E, no vitamin E, yes Calcium, no Calcium, yes Beta- carotene, no Beta-carotene. Low carb, high carb, no carb. Confusion reigns in the world of nutrition as defined by science. Humans have known what to eat and drink for millenia. The food habits of the vast majority of Indians who have been vegetarian for generations are a case in point. The veritable garden of Eden that India was provided a vast laboratory for long term observation and deduction. The story ot turmeric is a case in point. How did the deeply yellow ginger-like root turmeric became a ubiquitous ingredient of Indian dishes giving curry its color and stain? How did they know that turmeric was so good for you? It was only a Vippasna meditation retreat in rural Rajasthan that reintroduced me to the magic of tur

TURMERIC AND WOUND HEALING PART 2 - PHYSIOLOGY OF WOUND HEALING S AND TURMERIC & WOUND HEALING

Basic Science research on turmeric has mistakenly (?) focused on Curcurmin as the presumed active ingredient of turmeric. That focus was likely to find a commercially lucrative new drug from un-patentable inexpensive Turmeric. I believe that focus is unfortunate. Less than 5% 0f turmeric is curcumin. Multiple other compounds are present and may represent active contributory ingredients . The story of vitamin E as the active ingredient in walnuts helping in vascular and heart disease is a case in point. Millions of people for years took vitamin E because of that wrong assumption. I STRONGLY DISCOURAGE USE OF ORAL CURCURMIN AND CURCURMIN/ PIPERARINE COMBINATIONS DUE TO recent reports from Italy of POSSIBLE HEPATOTOXICITY None of those reports were about whole turmeric powder. All over this post I have quoted curcumin research because that is primarily what is online everywhere. Some turmeric clinical research is available too. I only use whole turmeric powder bought online or i

TURMERIC FOR WOUND HEALING - FREE MD GUIDANCE --vinsona atgmaildotcom

My patient was a Native American. "I have been fasting and praying for 2 days" he told me that first day of June, when I walked in to introduce myself. I told him I was an Infectious Disease (ID) doctor and would be part of the team to care for him over the next month. I was covering for my colleague on a trip to his home country. He had repeatedly refused amputation of his leg and pleaded with me for help to save it. His story began years ago. He had diabetes a long time. Admitted about 4 weeks earlier for a diabetic foot ulcer #DFU that spread #infection through the left foot he had surgery to remove the worst of the infection. He lost 4th and 5th toes and the outer part of left foot. Sorry for graphic images . ID was consulted and antibiotics guided by subsequent bone cultures were started. Wound care saw him daily. The wound did not heal. Arteriography showed blocked arteries and angioplasty to open up the leg arteries was performed. Twice . The wound still did not

Train whistle noise - Effects on health, some ideas, solutions

Vinod Seth wrote on August 27, 2006 6:40 PM:"As a doctor I look for what is the major cause of an ailment and what if fixed would be of the most benefit to the patient. Careful thought is given to the final decision. In the case of noise around Bismarck-Mandan, N Dakota I think train whistles by far and away fit those criteria best--because of both severity (loudness, 85dB) & frequency (>1000x/day.) Interstate highway noise would be a close second. Both are fixable if we the people push for it - your city government controls train speeds through town and could hold that as leverage on BNSF or whatever railroad goes thru your towns. The city could require the railroad to give us safe, whistle free European type crossings to continue to go at 35 mph thru town, or cut speed to 15 mph 10pm to 7 am. It was probably 12 years ago that the our city Bismarck increased the speed of the trains from 30 to 35mph. That means we can cut it down too. For highway I 94 speed its the state N

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