Stroke Stoppers response

[Guest guest]

I thought you might be interested in the letter I just sent to our local

newspaper in response to an article on strokes

Peace,

Kris , gardening in harmony with nature in northwest Ohio

http://home.woh.rr.com/billkrisjohnson/

On the Fallacy of our Cheap Food policies:

http://home.woh.rr.com/billkrisjohnson/Kris/Justice.htm

The Toledo Blade

541 North Superior

Toledo, Ohio 43660

Dear Sir/Madam;

I notice in your article Strokes Stoppers in today's Blade that the list of

risk factors omits several important risk factors that are often overlooked,

as they are off the radar screen of most health professionals. Three that I

identify are:

a.. Eating too many highly processed foods that have been stripped of

their God-given nutrients which are important to the healthy functioning of

our bodies - refined sugar in its various forms, white flour, and commercial

vegetable oils are the most obvious examples. Many deficiencies of essential

nutrients have been associated with stroke, high blood pressure and heart

disease, yet we strip away these nutrients with little thought for the

consequences. But many traditional societies that eat (or ate) a diet of

whole natural foods have radiant health with little of the chronic diseases

that plague modern man.

b.. Low blood levels of Vitamin D, which are endemic in our society, and

have been associated with high blood pressure, heart disease and a host of

other ailments, including cancer. The extent of this problem is only

beginning to be realized in this country. Much of the year we in northern

climes cannot get enough Vitamin D from sunlight, so cod liver oil was daily

fare in times past. Higher blood levels of Vitamin D in people living in the

tropics indicate that our " normals " are much too low.

c.. An imbalance between the omega-6 and omega-3 essential fats due to our

reliance on grain-fed, confinement raised meat animals and excessive use of

omega-6 rich vegetable oils. Cattle and chickens raised and finished on good

pasture produce meat, milk, and eggs with a good balance of these essential

fats, which can contribute to excellent health. The campaign against the

saturated fat and cholesterol in these healthy foods is based on myths that

need to be laid to rest. The amazing story of how we acquired the misguided

view that fat and cholesterol are bad is a story for another day, that

should be covered by The Blade.

Yours truly,

Carolyn K.

Retired dietitian