FAQ-Cod Liver Oil
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Tim Boyd • 21 Comments 
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•	Carlson’s 
•	How Much 
•	Orange Color 
•	Belching 
•	Sufficient calcium with CLO 
•	Cod Liver Oil and osteoporosis 
•	CLO and sun exposure
Cod Liver Oil (CLO)
For a summary of our position on cod liver oil click here for the Cod Liver Oil section of the website.
Q. Is Carslon’s a good brand of cod liver oil?
A. We no longer recommend Carlson’s because the vitamin A content is too low. See our brand recommendations here.
Q. How much cod liver oil should I take?
A. We recommend the equivalent of 10,000 IUs of vitamin A per day for general health of adults and half that for children. A high vitamin cod liver oil will have that much vitamin A in 1 teaspoon.
Q. Should cod liver oil have an orange color?
A. Vitamin A is colorless (carotenes are orange). So there is no need for cod liver oil to have an orange color. In the past, before modern filtering techniques, cod liver oil was a dark yellow or brown color, which was from the livers.
Q. Cod liver oil makes me belch, what do you suggest?
A. If someone is belching from cod liver oil, try giving a smaller dose, more often, usually just right before a meal.
Q: In Krispin Sullivan’s article on vitamin D, it mentions to be sure that you have sufficient calcium intake when you are supplementing your diet with cod liver oil. The article mentions the amount of 1200 – 2400 mg of calcium a day. Can you tell me how many mg of calcium are in 8 ounces of raw milk or 8 ounces of raw milk yogurt?
A: About 600 mg in 16 ounces of raw milk. About 200 mg in one ounce of cheese.
Q: I know that fish oil is bad for us especially because there is too much omega-3 derivatives EPA and DHA. And this disrupts the balance between omega-3 and omega-6, which weakens the immune system right? You clearly mention on your website that you don’t recommend fish oil. But cod liver oil is a fish oil right? So the same reasoning applies to cod liver oil. It will disrupt the balance between the omega-3 and 6, which is bad. In this case, is it better to take the cod liver oil with some omega-6 rich oils like safflower or sunflower oils? Dr. Mercola, and others, recommends krill oil, what do you think of that?
A: We recommend cod liver oil to get adequate A and D. Using the high-vitamin cod liver oil or even the regular dose cod liver oil, you can get adequate A and D without overdosing on either omega-6 or omega-3. Also, the vitamin A protects the polyunsaturates from oxidation. Be sure to use only the brands of cod liver oil that we recommend.
The manufacturers of krill oil do not reveal how much A and D is in their oil, so I have to assume it is not much. So there is no reason to take krill oil.
Q: I’m looking for information that backs up including fish and fish oils in our diets, but also something that takes into consideration the mercury and heavy metals issue. Basically, vegetarian groups and groups like PETA use the claim that the heavy metals and PCBs in fish preclude us eating them.

A: Fish does contain mercury but if you have good intestinal flora, you are completely protected against absorbing the mercury–but you are not protected from absorption through the mouth (as in mercury fillings) or the skin. Also, mercury is store in the protein not in the fats in the fish.
There is a good article on our website on dioxins and also, do read the whole section on cod liver oil. Vitamin A from cod liver oil is our best protection against dioxins, which are found in many, many foods, not just animal foods.
Q: Does Cod Liver Oil have a negative effect on Osteoporosis?
A: from Chris Masterjohn: There is no evidence that Cod Liver Oil worsens Osteoporosis risk and the scant evidence that exists suggests it may be beneficial. Here is a very brief description of the evidence that should be beneficial.
http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitamin-d-safety.html#clo
Also I have a very lengthy review of the evidence on vitamin A in general:
http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitamina-osteo.html
In brief, vitamin A can probably aggravate the risk of Osteoporosis in someone who is deficient in vitamin D, but since most brands of Cod Liver Oil contain both, it is most likely protective. Indeed the only epidemiological study that mentioned Cod Liver Oil as a major vitamin A source, found that those with the highest vitamin A levels had the lowest risk of fracture.
Q: My husband works on an organic farm in Austin, TX – as you can imagine, he is exposed to the sun. He has been taking CLO and I am worried he maybe getting too much Vitamin D. I contacted Green Pastures and they responded that it was different Vitamin D.
How much CLO would you suggest he be taking, if any?
A: (from Chris Masterjohn) I doubt he will overdose on vitamin D because CLO contains much more vitamin A than D. While I believe it is important to also get plenty of vitamin K from a diversity of sources including leafy greens, fermented foods, and grass-fed animal foods, animal experiments suggest that having a hefty amount of vitamin A in the diet and virtually eliminate any risk of vitamin D toxicity.
That said, I think we should also be wary about overdosing on CLO because of the omega-3 fatty acids and because, traditionally, there were limits to the perceived safety. Price, for example, used 3/4 of a teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil and did not consider it advisable to use more than a teaspoon for extended periods of time. John Hughes Bennett noted that peasants would often use it in large quantities of 1-2 pints, but only for a week at most. Medical men, he said, would give 2-4 tbsp/day to adults and 1-3 tsp/day to children, but he noted that if this was continued for six or seven months it would invariably result in toxicity.
I think these problems are partly from oxidation products and modern CLO might be somewhat safer. However, I think that overdose on omega-3 fatty acids is a genuine concern, and I also think we should stick within traditional precedent.
Thus, I would say 3/4 tsp/day should be considered an absolute maximum for long-term use. If you are using it for some therapeutic reason in the short-term, you could use more, perhaps much more, but should listen to your body and only use it if it seems to be helping.
FAQ-Dairy
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Tim Boyd • 41 Comments 
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•	Heating raw dairy products 
•	Freezing raw milk and butter 
•	Spray dried milk 
•	Bovine leukemia virus in milk? 
•	Finding safe source of raw milk 
•	Nutritional value of raw vs pasteurized milk 
•	Is there growth hormone in milk 
•	Skim milk and acne 
•	Safety and value of raw cheese 
•	Raw milk and lyme disease 
•	Pasteurization of fat in cream 
•	Use of raw milk in German hospitals 
•	Aseptically packed rice milks 
•	Milk from cows that are not fed grass 
•	How much milk should you drink? 
•	Is it better to drink raw milk or no milk?
Dairy
Q. Does it harm raw cheese and other dairy products to heat them – particularly when you put raw cheese or butter over warm meals and it melts?
A. Gentle heating is probably okay, such as putting cheese in an omelet, warming milk (but not more than you can touch it without burning). But high heat does change the dairy products. If you have a high tolerance to dairy, heated cheese is probably okay in small amounts.
Q. Is it okay to freeze raw milk and butter? Is it okay to freeze milk in glass?
A. Yes It is fine to freeze raw milk and butter. There is no harm to the enzymes in milk nor to the fat-soluble vitamins in butter. Dr. Price actually tested frozen butter after a year and found no degradation. You can freeze milk in glass if the container is open and not completely full, although plastic is safer from a breakage standpoint.
Q. I have heard that spray dried milk is bad for you. Is dried cheese also and what about freeze dried cheese and milk?
A. Carcinogens are always formed in the process of spray drying. I don’t know about freeze drying, but I would suggest sticking to real, unprocessed cheese.
Q. I am considering switching my family to raw milk. However, I have only one remaining concern, I have been reading about the bovine leukemia virus that is transmitted through raw milk and there have been breast cancer studies that have found it in tissue. I’m also finding on nomilk.com that dairy farmers who drink raw milk have higher rates of leukemia. Will you comment on this?
A. Please show me this website where they say that drinkers of raw milk have more leukemia. This is a completely unsupported statement! There have been no studies of drinkers of raw milk in the US for over 60 years. Milk from pastured cows is perfectly safe to drink. These cows do not have leukemia. But I would not drink raw milk from confinement cows.
Q. I have just found a source for raw cow’s milk, who would I contact to find out what to look for and what questions to ask to know if the cow is clean and a good milk source?
A. Here are some summary guidelines. The last one is not really necessary if all the others are followed.
•	Cows graze on unsprayed pasture except during the coldest time of the year and then are fed mostly hay and silage when in barns. 
•	The herd is tested free of TB and brucellosis. 
•	When a milking machine is used, the cow’s teats are washed with iodine before putting the milking caps on. 
•	The milking shed and surrounds are clean and tidy. 
•	Milk is kept chilled in a stainless steel tank or individual containers. 
•	Milk is tested regularly to ensure the absence of human pathogens.
Q. Do you have information showing the nutritional value of raw milk vs pasteurized? 
A. The closest thing we have to an article on the nutritional composition of raw milk is the powerpoint presentation on raw milk on the splash page of realmilk.com.
The problem is that when you do an analysis for vitamins and minerals, raw milk does not look that different from pasteurized. But what is destroyed is the carrier proteins, which are destroyed by pasteurization. But the tests don’t look for this.
Q. Is there growth hormone in milk?
A. All cow milk contains growth hormones, which are identical to human growth hormones. These are being sold as a health food and are considered beneficial in the health food industry.
Q. My acne seemed to get better when I stopped drinking skim milk.
A. Skim milk could cause acne for several reasons, notably because it depletes vitamin A and also because, if it is pasteurized, the body mounts an immune response to it. Raw whole milk often clears up acne.
Q. I would like to have information on the safety and value of raw cheese.
A. There is a book called, American Farmstead Cheese, The Complete Guide to Making and Selling Artisan Cheeses, by Paul Kindstedt (with the Vermont Cheese Council). It has a chapter about raw milk cheese safety, although no recipes. It’s a pretty interesting book. I would contact him directly at the University of Vermont, Dept of Nutrition and Food Sciences.
Q. I was recently advised not to drink milk because of the possibility of it causing Lyme Disease. Please comment.
A. This is just one more slur against raw milk. Raw milk contains components that kill all pathogens. One body of opinion believes that Lyme is caused by pesticides, not a virus. One of our members, Dr. Ron Schmid, cured himself of Lyme disease by drinking lots of raw milk.
Q: What does pasteurization do to the fat in cream?
A: Pasteurization is much more damaging to the proteins than the fats. The only thing ruined in the fats will be the Wulzen Factor, which protects against arthritis. If only pasteurized cream is available, you can get the Wulzen Factor by taking high-vitamin butter oil.
Q: In your Real Milk brochure you mention German hospitals using raw milk, what are they doing?
A: In many hospitals they just give raw milk as part of the diet. They may also be using the milk fast, described here: http://realmilk.com/milkcure.html
Q:Is it lawful to purchase raw milk for personal use and take it across a state line? 
There is a federal regulation prohibiting raw milk for human consumption in interstate commerce. According to an FDA official, the agency’s position is that it is illegal to purchase raw milk for personal use and carry it across state lines. Having said that, I can tell you the FDA has never taken any action against a consumer who has done this. I would not let the FDA’s position dissuade you from obtaining foods that you believe are healthy for your family. I believe that the regulation is unconstitutional. The FTCLDF (ftcldf.org) is currently representing an Indiana farmer that is challenging their ruling.
Q: Which whey is better to use for fermenting vegetables and fruits, the whey obtained from raw goat milk cream cheese or the whey obtained from a 24-hour (heated goat milk) yogurt goat milk is the only milk I use? I find the whey from the cheese culture mild, almost sweet tasting compared to the whey from the yogurt culture which is sharper, more lemony tasting. Since I’ve been making the cream cheese more often than the yogurt, I have more of the cheese whey on hand however, I wouldn’t want my recipes to spoil on me.
Whey from sour milk, yogurt or cream cheese are all fine. But best not to use the whey from other cheeses–this whey has undergone an additional fermentation and I don’t know what the results will be We have found that using cheese whey for the baby formula causes it to curdle. 
Q: I used the recipe below to make whey using raw milk. However after 4 days I strained it and I don’t think it had separated enough, because I only got about 1/2 cup of cream cheese and the whey looks pretty thick. It does smell sour. I was wondering if I should let it sit out longer?
A: Yes, you should let it sit out longer. It might help if you added a spoonful of yoghurt to the milk, it might separate more quickly.
Q: To separate milk, do I need to open the milk bottle in the first place, or can I take a sealed and un-opened bottle of milk and place it on the counter to separate?
A: You may let it separate in the bottle if the milk is in glass bottles but the problem with letting the milk separate in a milk bottle is the small opening at the top–it is very difficult to pour out. Also, I think it would take much longer if you had not first exposed the milk to air.
Q: Can you tell me about the raw milk diet and specifically an article by J.W. Crew? Also, is the raw milk diet helpful for alcoholics?
A: The only reference I have for this is the original article by JW Crewe, which we have posted at _http://realmilk.com/milkcure.html_
Since raw milk is an excellent source of vitamin B6, that alone would make it helpful for alcoholism. Also, since on the raw milk diet, one gets off all grains, this would also make this diet helpful.
Q: If I skim cream off raw milk, is the remaining milk considered skim? Is that okay to drink and will it make him fat?
A: If you skim the cream off the milk, it is “skimmed” milk. It is probably the equivalent of about 1% milk. If you use the cream and also drink this skimmed milk, this is fine. But if you just drink the skimmed milk without consuming additional butterfat from butter or cream, you might develop nutrient deficiencies and even have weight gain.
Q. Why do you not recommend aseptically packed rice milks?
A. Because they are highly processed and contain emulsifiers, synthetic vitamin D (toxic), sweeteners.
Q. In Arizona, I can only get raw milk from one source and since there is little grass here, the cows are fed: 50% organic alfalfa, 50% organic tritical hay and oats, probiotics in the water and hay, and Redmond sea salt, bentonite clay and kelp for minerals.
I wonder if these cows contain many of the benefits bestowed in grass-fed milk?
A. This is a good question! My reply is that I would still recommend this milk and here’s why: When my children were little, my only source of raw milk was Alta Dena Dairy in California–this was a large confinement dairy and the feeding program was probably not as good as the one you describe. Yet my children thrived on this milk–it is still way, way better than pasteurized milk. And fortunately there is no soy in the feed. Just make sure you tell people what the feeding program is when they ask about raw milk.
Q. How much milk do you recommend drinking?
A. We recommend 1 quart per day for pregnant and nursing women. We don’t have any specific recommendations for children and other adults–it really depends on their personal tastes and preferences.
Q. I’m well-aware that raw milk is best, and that’s what we drink in our family, but if someone doesn’t drink raw milk, I assume it is best to at least be sure to drink whole milk, but if heating/pasteurizing the milk oxidizes the cholesterol, is it better to say drink either raw milk or NO milk?
A. Regarding milk, the more I learn about pasteurization, the more I realize how harmful it is (for other reasons than the oxidation of cholesterol). And now most milk is ultra-pasteurized, especially most organic milk.
I think if people can’t get raw milk, the next best thing is pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) cream diluted with water. The fats are much less prone to damage by pasteurization than the water portion of the milk, and at least the fats in cream have not been homogenized. This is what I did for my family when we could not get raw milk. We used diluted cream on porridge and in cooking.
Q. Do you know whether the heat process of clarifying butter would destroy the “x factor” in grass feed dairy ghee?
A. Answer from Chris Masterjohn:
My understanding is that heat destroys the Wulzen anti-stiffness factor but not the X factor, which is consistent with heat having little effect on vitamin K2.
FAQ-Farming and Cowshares
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Jill C. Nienhiser • 0 Comments 
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•	Starting a Farm 
•	Starting a Cowshare 
•	Healthy Feed for Chickens
Farming, Cow-Shares
Q. How do I start farming the way you recommend?
A. We are an organization about nutrition not the practical how-to’s of farming. We suggest you contact AcresUSA for information on the practical aspects of grass-based farming.
Q. Can you help me start a cow-share program?
A. First look at our site realmilk.com which gives information about legal issues by state. It also shows examples of contracts that can be used. You may want to contact a local farmer who has already set up a cow share program. One farmer who has been successful at this is Chuck Oliver in Michigan, you can contact him through the Detroit Chapter of our foundation.
If you have further questions and want to contact Pete Kennedy for legal help, he can be reached at (941) 349-4984 or glfcstmnrs (at) earthlink.net. You will need to pay him a fee, which is very reasonable. When you have started, you can post your information at realmilk.com. Also, you should contact your local chapter leader from our website to inform them of the service you have available.
Q. I am confused because my farmer feeds grains to chickens; is that okay?
A. Cows and sheep are ruminants and should get mostly grass. But chickens and turkeys have to get grain or they won’t grow right or lay enough eggs. We wish farmers wouldn’t give soy because the isoflavones do end up in the egg yolks and the fat. Unfortunately, most farmers doing pasture feeding are giving soy to their chickens.
Q. I am writing because I am trying to educate a local pig farmer about the hazards of feeding soy to her pigs. Do you have any research I could pass along to her?
A. I am unaware of any research on soy-fed pork. But I think you can assume that some of the isoflavones will end up in the fat, because we know that isoflavones end up in the yolks of soy-fed chickens. I am amazed that farmers will feed soy to pigs. It is really not necessary and I think it would result in them being too lean. I think it also affects reproduction, but perhaps they are not giving it to the breeder pigs.
I am writing because I am trying to educate a local pig farmer about the hazards of feeding soy to her pigs. Do you have any research I could pass along to her?
I am unaware of any research on soy-fed pork. But I think you can assume that some of the isoflavones will end up in the fat, because we know that iroflavones end up in the yolks of soy-fed chickens. I am amazed that farmers will feed soy to pigs. It is really not necessary and I think it would result in them being too lean. I think it also affects reproduction, but perhaps they are not giving it to the breeder pigs.
FAQ-Fats and Oils
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Tim Boyd • 13 Comments 
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•	Flax Oil 
•	Coconut Oil for Deep Frying 
•	Oils for sleeping 
•	Heating Polyunsaturated Oils 
•	Organic Ghee and the X-factor 
•	Erasmus Book on Fats 
•	Oleic Acid 
•	Hemp or grapeseed oil 
•	Supplementing omega-3 
•	Avocado oil and lite olive oil 
•	Rice bran oil 
•	Vegans consuming chia seeds, coconut oil, avocados
Fats and Oils
Q. I have heard that I should not take flax oil. Please clarify.
A. Flax oil is fine if it is a good quality and in small amounts (see our Shopping Guide for recommended brands). People are taking too much flax oil–about 1/2 tsp per day is all you need. Remember to always store flax oil in the refrigerator.
Q. Can I use coconut oil for deep frying?
A. We don’t recommend coconut oil for deep frying–it does not have a high enough smoke point and breaks down at high temperature. We recommend tallow or lard for deep frying.
Q. For about fifteen years after menopause I couldn’t sleep well and the books and websites on sleep never helped. But I found coconut oil with cod liver oil helped. Do you think this is what did it and why? 
A. Yes, this makes sense. These fats supply what the brain needs to function properly, including sleep. 
Q. Mary Enig in The Skinny on Fats writes that polyunsaturated oils should never be heated or used in cooking. These oils are contained in healthy foods such as wild salmon. Should these foods, therefore, not be cooked? 
A. It is when the oils are removed from the foods that they become dangerous to cook in. Inside the food they are protected. It is fine to cook foods containing polyunsaturates as long as you don’t cook at too high a temperature or burn them.
Q. When organic butter is clarified as when one makes ghee, does this alter the vitamins or destroy the X-factor?
A. No, these vitamins are very heat stable. Only the Wulzen factor is lost. But try to make clarified butter using the lowest possible temperature.
Q. Do you think Udo Eramsus’ book, Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, is a good reference?
A. The best book on fats and oils is Mary Enig’s, Know Your Fats. Udo’s book is full of mistakes. Click here to read our review of it.
Q. Why do we see such emphasis on oleic acids, as in the Zone diet? 
A. See “The Great Con-ola’, on our website; this is a quote from it:
“Let’s start with some history. The time period is the mid-1980s and the food industry has a problem. In collusion with the American Heart Association, numerous government agencies and departments of nutrition at major universities, the industry had been promoting polyunsaturated oils as a heart-healthy alternative to “artery-clogging” saturated fats. Unfortunately, it had become increasingly clear that polyunsaturated oils, particularly corn oil and soybean oil, cause numerous health problems, including and especially cancer.1
The industry was in a bind. It could not continue using large amounts of liquid polyunsaturated oils and make health claims about them in the face of mounting evidence of their dangers. Nor could manufacturers return to using traditional healthy saturates—butter, lard, tallow, palm oil and coconut oil—without causing an uproar. Besides, these fats cost too much for the cut-throat profit margins in the industry.
The solution was to embrace the use of monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil. Studies had shown that olive oil has a “better” effect than polyunsaturated oils on cholesterol levels and other blood parameters. Besides, Ancel Keys and other promoters of the diet-heart idea had popularized the notion that the Mediterranean diet—rich in olive oil and conjuring up images of a carefree existence on sun-drenched islands—protected against heart disease and ensured a long and healthy life.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsored the First Colloquium on Monounsaturates in Philadelphia. The meeting was chaired by Scott Grundy, a prolific writer and apologist for the notion that cholesterol and animal fats cause heart disease. Representatives from the edible oil industry, including Unilever, were in attendance. The Second Colloquium on Monounsaturates took place in Bethesda, Maryland, early in 1987. Dr. Grundy was joined by Claude Lenfant, head of the NHLBI, and speakers included Fred Mattson, who had spent many years at Proctor and Gamble, and the Dutch scientist Martign Katan, who would later publish research on the problems with trans fatty acids. It was at this time that articles extolling the virtues of olive oil began to appear in the popular press.
Promotion of olive oil, which had a long history of use, seemed more scientifically sound to the health-conscious consumer than the promotion of corn and soy oil, which could only be extracted with modern stainless steel presses. The problem for the industry was that there was not enough olive oil in the world to meet its needs. And, like butter and other traditional fats, olive oil was too expensive to use in most processed foods. The industry needed a less expensive monounsaturated oil.
Rapeseed oil was a monounsaturated oil that had been used extensively in many parts of the world, notably in China, Japan and India. It contains almost 60 percent monounsaturated fatty acids (compared to about 70 percent in olive oil). Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the mono-unsaturated fatty acids in rapeseed oil are erucic acid, a 22-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid that had been associated with Keshan’s disease, characterized by fibrotic lesions of the heart. In the late 1970s, using a technique of genetic manipulation involving seed splitting,2 Canadian plant breeders came up with a variety of rapeseed that produced a monounsaturated oil low in 22-carbon erucic acid and high in 18-carbon oleic acid.
The new oil referred to as LEAR oil, for Low Erucic Acid Rapeseed, was slow to catch on in the US. In 1986, Cargill announced the sale of LEAR oil seed to US farmers and provided LEAR oil processing at its Riverside, North Dakota plant but prices dropped and farmers took a hit.”3
See also Mary Enig’s Know Your Fats column, “Some Typical Questions and Misconceptions about Fats and Oils.”
Q: Do you recommend hemp oil or grape seed oil?
A: We do not recommend either of these oils. Hemp seed oil contains cannabanoids that have caused people consuming the oil to flunk their urine tests for drugs; and both hemp oil and grape seed oil are high in omega-6 fatty acids–we already have too much of these in our diets.
Q: Is it true that coconut is counter indicated for people whose renal function is failing to a larger percent? If so, is this the only case where coconut is counter indicated?

A: Where did you read coconut oil is counter indicated in kidney failure? When I Google “coconut oil kidney failure” I get one study showing a protective effect and none showing an adverse effect in the first two pages.
Q: What do you think about rice bran oil?

A: Rice bran oil is an industrially processed oil high in omega 6, so we don’t recommend it. It was not used in traditional diets.
Q: My core statement in relation to coconut oil is that there is no risk of increased LDL when coconut oil is consumed in the presence of adequate omega-6 and omega-3 fats.
The problem is to know which are adequate sources of omega-3 apart from oily fish (becoming very expensive) and pharmaceutical supplements (also expensive).
Having learned that milk and meat from pasture-fed cows is a source of omeg-3, and that fresh greens are beneficial in the human diet, I have been searching on the internet for information about the amount of omega-3 in various vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage, pea, bean, and so on. Nothing useful came out of that.
To ensure some omega-3 in my own diet I put ground up linseed on my morning cereal, and also add full-cream cottage cheese, as I once saw on the internet that this will stimulate the enzyme system that converts alpha linolenic to EPA and DHA. The name attached to that advice was Budwig, an Austrian medical person I think, possibly mentioned by Dr Mercola.
A: First, it doesn’t matter whether coconut oil increases LDL because LDL levels don’t matter. But I doubt that it even does increase LDL because the body uses LDL to fight infection and coconut oil also fights infection.
Second, if you are taking coconut oil and other saturated fats, your body actually needs very little omega-3 because saturated fats ensure that the omega-3s are used very effectively and conserved in the tissues. So you don’t need to be adding extra omega-3s to your diet, in fact this could be harmful–it is dangerous to overdose on omega-3 fatty acids. If you want to put about 1/2 tsp flax oil in your salad dressing, that is fine, but any more would not be good. And you definitely don’t need to worry about getting enough omega-6–they are in all foods.
Q: What to you think of tuna oil? I was told that that tuna oil is higher than cod liver oil in DHA than EPA which is better for the development of a baby’s brain.

A: Tuna oil is fish oil and we do not recommend any of the fish oils. We recommend certain brands of cod liver oil to get vitamins A and D. You will also get EPA and DHA–both necessary for brain development. However, you can get too much EPA and DHA by taking fish oils.
Q. My understanding is that cod liver il is primarily a source of A and D, not omega-3s (though I think it is a source of omega-3, my understanding is that it’s not necessarily a great source of omega-3s). If I wanted to supplement specifically omega-3s, what would you recommend? 
A. It’s a difficult subject and there are many opinions. Chris Masterjohn believes that we don’t need any of the 18-carbon omega-3s, but only the elongated ones (DHA and EPA), which are plentiful in cod liver oil.
The other key factor is saturated fat–the more saturated fat you eat, the less omega-3 of any type you need because with saturated fat, the body conserves them. Plus, people can get too much DHA and EPA if they are taking fish oils.
Egg yolks from pastured hens, liver and oily fish are good sources of DHA and EPA. You can also use a SMALL amount of flax oil in salad dressings in the context of a diet rich in saturated fat.
Q. Is it true that avocado oil has an excellent fatty acid composition – maybe even better than olive oil? And that it also has very low peroxide values – better than olive oil? Also – I see a lot of “light” (tasting) olive oils. Does this always mean it has been heat extracted? I’ve never seen a cold-pressed “light” olive oil.
A. I think avocado oil would be fine–it is high in oleic acid. I am not sure what is going on with the lite olive oil–my guess is that polyunsaturated oils are added. In any case, it is best avoided.
Q. I was wondering whether by being a vegan and consuming chia seeds, coconut oil and avocados provides me with an efficient source of fat for maintaining biochemical processes in my body.
A. We do not recommend a vegan diet. Chia seeds, coconut oil and avocados will not supply the crucial fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K2. You need to at least eat butter from grass-fed cows for that, and hopefully take cod liver oil
FAQ-Grains, Seeds, Nuts, Beans
Posted on March 6, 2009 by wapfadmin • 33 Comments 
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•	Sprouted soybeans/beans 
•	Toasting/heating sprouted grain products 
•	Commercially available sprouted grain products vs. Homemade 
•	Wheat germ 
•	Sprouted wheat flour 
•	Quick oats 
•	Wheat berries 
•	Irritating substances found in sprouts 
•	Are beans in the canned considered soaked? 
•	Making fermented bean paste 
•	Phytic acid 
•	Soaking whole grains 
•	Oat groats 
•	Muesli
Grains, Nuts, Seeds, Beans
Q. Please tell me if I should consume sprouted soybeans and other beans?
A. We don’t recommend soybean sprouts as the toxins are still there and soybean sprouts were not consumed in Asia. They used mung beans for sprouting. Sprouting increases some nutrients but also some toxins (which protect the sprouts from animals eating them). Also remember that in traditional societies, the grains and legumes that were sprouted were then cooked.
Q. Does it harm sprouted wheat breads, tortillas, etc. to heat/toast them?
A. No, they should be cooked.
Q. Are the nutritional benefits from sprouted wheat breads that you buy different than the benefits from soaking grains at home?
A. It is hard to say, we are suspicious of some of the additives and techniques used in commercial sprouted breads. The healthiest breads are those prepared by genuine sourdough techniques.
Q. I am having some digestive problems. I recently started consuming a kefir smoothie to which I add wheat germ. Any suggestions?
A. I do not recommend wheat germ. For one thing, it is rancid. Furthermore, it is difficult to digest.
Q. How is sprouted wheat ground into flour when it is wet and mushy?
A. When you sprout the wheat, you then have to dry it–either in an oven or a dehydrator.
Q: Do you recommend quick oats?
A: We do not recommend quick oats–they have been altered in some way, probably not good. If you soaks regular oats, they will cook as quickly as quick oats. However, even quick oats are better than extruded cereal!
Q: Where do I find wheat berries? Can you buy sprouted ones?
A: Most health food stores carry wheat berries–Whole Foods carries them. I don’t think that the bulgur sold is stores will be sprouted–you will have to enquire about this. But you can purchase sprouted wheat flour on the internet and make bread with it. I don’t think all the elements will be broken down as much as if you do sourdough but it is better than using plain whole wheat flour.
Q; Can a grain such as rolled oats or other flaked or steel-cut grain soaked overnight be eaten raw as muesli or should it always be cooked?

A: I do not recommend this. These grains should be soaked and then cooked. Otherwise you put a strain on the digestion. In all cultures, grains are cooked.
Q: Should we eat grains raw, since heat damages them?

A: The extrusion process is very high temperature (above the boiling point) and at the same time high pressure. This combination is what destroys the proteins in the grains but the temperatures of regular cooking are fine for grains.
Q: What oats should I eat? Are the phytases destroyed in the processing of oats?

A: We recommend rolled oats soaked overnight in an acidic medium and then cooked. Use rolled oats–they hydrate better than steel cut oats. I am not sure what processing does but my guess is that it diminishes phytases and leaves the phytic acid in tact. So soaking is really necessary to activiate the remaining phytases. Personally, if I don’t soak my oats, I get a horrible reaction from them.
Q: Does dry-roasting make the nuts and seeds more digestible than raw and used as a short-cut to soaking and dehydrating or is it always best to soak them first then dehydrate them? I’m questioning the dry-roasting method as to digestibility.

A: Yes, dry roasting gets rid of some of the inhibitors, but not as well as the soaking and dehydrating.
Q. What are the irritating substances found in sprouts? Do micro-greens contain any problems?
A. The worst one is canavanine, in alfalfa sprouts–you will find disagreement about this on the internet, but it really is not a good thing. Most sprouts should be cooked or steamed before being eaten–that will get rid of a lot of problematic components.
Q. Are beans in a can considered soaked because they are in the water in the can? 
A. Beans should be soaked–that is the problem with canned beans, they are softened without the soaking so all the inhibitors are there.
Q. Can I make the fermented bean paste recipe out of Nourishing Traditions without whey? Many of the other fermented recipes say you can use extra salt if allergic to dairy products, but this recipe does not give that option so I’m not sure. 
A. I don’t think I would risk it–the beans might not get acidic enough, and then they it would not be safe.
Q. Some say that phytic acid is not a problem and that sprouting is not necessary.
A. We do think phytic acid is a problem in grains and legumes because they block mineral uptake. Some people have enough phytases (enzymes that break down phytic acid) in their gut so that this is not the problem but there are many other antinutrients in grains and legumes, such as gluten, enzyme inhibitors, tanins, and lectins. Proper preparation gets rid of these along with the phytates.
Q. Whey, yogurt, cultured milk, buttermilk, lemon juice & vinegar are all suggested for soaking whole grain flours. Is one, any better than the others? And how much should be used? 
A. In my experience, kefir works the best. Equal amounts of flour and soaking liquid gives a very thick batter. Start like this and then the next morning you can thin with water if you want something thinner.
Q. After the allotted soaking time what do you do with the soaked flour? Is it just added into the mix or does the soaked flour need to be baked and dried before using in a recipe?
A. Follow the recipes in Nourishing Traditions. After overnight soaking, you add the rest of the ingredients and make pancakes, muffins, etc.
Q. Your recipes don’t say to pour off your soaking water for rice and other grains. Should you pour it off and use new water? Can you do it either way?
A. For whole grains (not rolled or cracked) you would pour off the water and rinse. But you can’t really do this for things like oatmeal as the soaking water is absorbed.
Q. I was wondering what WAPF thought of oat groats and their nutritional value compared to rolled oats.
A. To really hydrate oat groats and reduce the anti-nutrients, you would have to soak them several days and I think you would find them too sour for your taste. With rolled oats, you don’t have to soak as long—overnight will do.
Q. I recently started grinding oats the night before, and soaking them in water until the next morning. The result has been less than satisfying: the muesli now tastes very bitter! What did the Swiss and the people on the Hebrides do? They did eat lots of oats!
A. I do not know why they are turning bitter. They should be soaked in acidulated water–water with a little whey, vinegar, lemon juice or yoghurt added. Then they should be cooked very well the next morning. The taste should be sour rather than bitter.
I do not know how the people of the Outer Hebrides prepared their oats–this would be a very interesting subject to pursue. The Swiss consumed rye (made into sourdough bread), not oats.
FAQ-Miscellaneous Food Questions
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Tim Boyd • 98 Comments 
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•	Does cooking eggs harm them/oxidize the cholesterol? 
•	Sucanat vs. Rapadura 
•	Baking soda and minerals 
•	Need for salt 
•	Claybed salt 
•	Purpose of salt in crispy nut recipes 
•	Fermented foods for beginners 
•	How long do fermented veggies last 
•	Raw honey instead of Sucanat or Rapadura when fermenting beverages 
•	Kefir whey for lacto-fermentation 
•	Raw foods and enzymes 
•	Carrot juice 
•	Frozen liver 
•	No access to pasture-fed products? 
•	How much fish should I eat? 
•	Botulism in lacto-fermented vegetables 
•	Redmond’s salt 
•	Slow cooking 
•	Making whey 
•	Mercury in fish stock 
•	Mung beans 
•	Coconut juice and coconut flour 
•	Pima culture 
•	Agave 
•	Chocolate 
•	Chicken liver 
•	Pork broth 
•	Pork 
•	Liverwurst 
•	Recommendations for increasing vitamin D to a normal level 
•	Mercury in fish 
•	Minerals in read meat 
•	Stock bone scrapings
Miscellaneous Food Questions
Q. Does it harm raw eggs to scramble them or cook them? Does it oxidize the cholesterol?
A. Not at all. The whites should mostly be eaten cooked, as raw egg whites contain enzyme inhibitors that can cause digestive problems. Oxidation only occurs during commercial processing when the eggs are forced out of a tiny hole at high temperatures and pressure.
Q. I’m confused as to which type of sugar is better, Sucanat or Rapadura?
A. Both are fine; both are made by dehydrating cane sugar juice. For a while Sucanat changed the way they made it and were using white sugar, so we stopped recommending the product. But they are now making Sucanat the old fashioned way, so we can recommend it again.
Q. I have read that baking soda in baking destroys minerals. Can you respond to this? 
A. There was a theory that baking soda destroys B vitamins (not minerals) but research indicates that this is not the case.
Q. Do we need salt in our diet, so many say we do not?
A. Mary and I discuss the subject of salt in our book Nourishing Traditions. Salt is essential to life, that is why we have salt taste buds. Without salt, we die. We need salt for protein digestion, carbohydrate digestion, adrenal function, cellular metabolism and brain development. Unrefined salt provides us with many trace minerals.
Q. I wonder whether salt collected from clay beds of coastal areas would actually be pure or not. There is a lot of pollution in the ocean especially around the coasts of industrial nations, I would think. I looked on the WAP site to find info on salt and couldn’t find any. What do you know about possible pollution in this type of salt? Also, a friend of mine who is a nutritionist did her own research on salt and found Himalayan mountain salt. She says it is purer than sea salt because it is mined deep in the ground. It seems even more expensive than the Celtic salt, but she is convinced it is purer. Can you shed some light on this for me?
A. I think both products are fine; the ocean near Brittany is quite pure. But the Himalayan salt is also wonderful.
Q. When soaking nuts, why is the salt needed?
A. The salt helps activate enzymes that de-activate the enzyme inhibitors. For grains, we soak in an acidic solution to get rid of phytic acid. Nuts do not contain much phytic acid but do contain high levels of enzyme inhibitors. The method imitates the way the native peoples in Central America treated their nuts and seeds–by soaking them in seawater and then dehydrating them.
Q. Do you have a brand or type of fermented beverage or condiment that would be good for the first time user – one that would be a little subtler to the taste buds?
A. Try sauerkraut. The recipe in Nourishing Traditions is really great. Beet kvass is a wonderful beverage, really nourishing. But some of the fruit beverages or fruit chutneys might be better for first timers.
Q: How long do fermented veggies last?
A: It varies. The cabbage will keep up to a year and I have found that some of the fruit chutneys will keep almost that long (although to be cautious I say to consume within 2 months). Pickles have a relative short life- about 3 months, and the ginger carrots are the shortest; they sometimes start to go bad after about a month.
Q. A recent article states that fermented pickles allowed to sit on the counter to ferment might contribute to esophogial cancer. The say there are more rates of this in Asian contries where they use alot of fermented food.
A. The most likely cause of esophogial and stomach cancer in Asian countries is talc powder added to the rice. There is an association with Asian pickles because Asians get a lot of these kinds of cancers and Asians eat lacto-fermented pickles.
Q: Can raw honey be used instead of Sucanat or Rapadura in fermenting beverages?
A: Yes.
Q: Can whey from kefir be used in lacto-fermentation?
A: Yes.
Q. Should I consume only raw foods so I don’t kill the enzymes?
A. What the enzymes do is help digestion in the upper stomach, where there are no digestive fluids. But most foods are not good sources of enzymes. You need to lacto-ferment the foods to get a lot of enzymes. So the lacto-fermented foods eaten with cooked foods more than compensate for the loss of any enzymes in the food you cooked. Lacto-fermented foods are ‘super-raw’ foods. Lacto-fermented foods also provide lactic acid and good bacteria, which do survive the digestive process.
Q: What do you think of the many fruit concentrate drinks like Mona Vie that are being sold?
A: They are often sold as panaceas for everything from heart disease to ingrown toenails. They will be high in fructose, without the fiber. Read labels carefully, often they contain citric acid, which can contain MSG. In general, these are not part of our dietary principles.
Q. Is popcorn, whether air-popped or oil-popped, healthy to eat? Is there any way to remove or reduce phytic acid from popcorn?
A. Corn is fairly low in phytic acid so popcorn in moderation is probably fine. Also, when it is eaten with melted butter, the saturated fats help mitigate the effects of phytic acid.
Q: If the proteins in milk and in grains become toxic when subjected to high heat such as when milk is pasteurized and when cereals are extruded, then why wouldn’t the proteins in meat react the same way when cooked? And why is wheatena an exception to the extruded cereals as they are also subjected to high heat? Wouldn’t all the grains even whole grains like oats also be damaged when cooked?
A: The proteins in meat are much stronger than the proteins in milk and grains and in fact might be more available after cooking. But even for meat, it should not be cooked at temperatures that are too high, or for too long. By the way, I understand that some brands of cornflakes are not made by extrusion–I think they are instead roller dried, so this would definitely be better.
Regarding the cooking of grains, this is not a damaging process as extrusion is. In fact, grains need to be cooked for humans to digest them.
Q: My sauerkraut develops a moldy-looking substance on the top if I leave it in the refrigerator too long. Can I freeze it, will that kill the enzymes in sauerkraut? 
A: The enzymes will survive, but I am not sure about all the bacteria, and I am not sure how the texture would be after freezing. You can just lift that mold off carefully. Sauerkraut should really last about a year.
Q: Is hemp appropriate for human consumption?
A: Hemp was not traditionally used as a food except during periods of starvation as seen in the book, The Year 1000: What Life was Like at the Turn of the First Millennium — An Englishman’s World, by Robert Lacey. In a chapter called “July: The Hungry Gap,” he writes about the period of near starvation that would occur every summer for poor people before the August harvest was ready. You’ve probably heard of the LSD-like mold that grew on rye. But he also writes, “This hallucinogenic lift was accentuated by the herbs and grains with which the dwindling stocks of conventional flour were amplified as the summer wore on. Poppies, hemp and darnel were scavenged, dried and ground up to produce a medieval hash brownie known as ‘crazy bread.’ So even as the poor endured hunger, it is possible that their diet provided them with some exotic and artificial paradises. ‘It was as if a spell had been placed on entire communities,’ according to one modern historian.” (p.102)
Q. In “Nourishing Traditions” it is not recommended to drink juice. However, in the “tonics” section, one of the beverages is carrot juice with cream, made with a juicer. How do you recommend using tonics? If the author is recommending them for medicinal use, isn’t this akin to a promotion of juicing?
A. The carrot juice is one exception, and that is because it has added cream–I consider it more like a smoothie.
Q. How long can you freeze liver and what is considered ‘fresh’ liver?
A. I’m not sure about how long you can freeze it, maybe one year. Fresh means uncooked.
Q. I have NO access to pasture fed animal products, cows, lamb or chickens, do you still recommend we follow the advice of consuming their livers, organs, meats and fats along with using them for bone broths. I do have access to raw milk.
A. I would purchase calves liver but not beef or chicken liver from the grocery store, along with regular fresh meat and eggs, especially beef and lamb. Most calves (not raised for veal) in the U.S. spend the first part of their life on pasture.The raw milk will go a long way to protect you.
Q. I had a question about how many servings of fish the indigenous populations usually eat per day. Also, how many servings would the Weston Price foundation recommend per day?
A. We don’t have any specific recommendation–some groups had seafood every day, some had none. But a good recommendation is 2-3 times per week. Shellfish and fish eggs are the most nutrient-dense seafoods. Of course we recommend cod liver oil every day.
Q. Have there been any reported cases of botulism that have come from consuming the lacto-fermented vegetables or fruits? The book said that if they were spoiled that it would be obvious. Isn’t botulism odorless?
A. A USDA scientist was recently quoted as saying that lacto-fermentation was the safest way of preserving food there is (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/07/FDS617UQKF.DTL). I have only heard of one person getting sick (just a tummy ache) from some lacto-fermented vegetables and that was using a recipe that had no salt.
Botulism does not occur in anything that is sufficiently acidic. If you are unsure, you can get a pH meter and test the pickles. If the liquid is under a 4.0, you can be assured that they are safe.
Q. I have recently read in an article on your website that underground mined salt may contain radioactive elements because of leaching from radioactive/nuclear sites underground. I have tried in vain to find out whether Real Salt is included in this concern. Do you have any comments on this?
A. I am afraid I do not know the answer to your question. The only way to resolve it is to test the salt with a Geiger counter. However, there is another concern about Redmond’s and that is the high iron content. It should not be used by those with iron accumulation problems, or for livestock in areas where there is a high iron content in the soils.
Q. If one slow cooks meat and vegetables in a crock pot or slow cooker for an extended amount of time (ie more than 10 hrs), will that still effect the levels of amines? Dr Mercola’s website site suggests to slow cook food by using these methods but does not discuss the duration of slow cooking.
A. This is a good question and I am not sure of the answer. I know that glutamic acid is freed up by the long slow cooking and some people are sensitive to this. However, long slow cooking was the way almost all food got cooked in the past, so I am sure that it is fine for a healthy person.
Q. I attempted to make whey, but after 5 days the separation has not occurred. Can you give me advice?
A. Yes, it is more difficult to make the whey from fresh milk. You really have to leave it a long time, until you see definite separation into curds and whey. I would start with milk that is a little old to begin with, and keep it at room temperature. You could add a few drops of lemon juice or a spoonful of yoghurt to make it separate more quickly.
Q. Is there a danger of mercury in fish stock?
A. Not unless you are using carcasses from tuna or swordfish.
Q. How do I soak mung beans?
A. The soaking technique for mung beans will be similar to other legumes. The simple idea to remember is that a very warm water temperature plus time will allow for the greatest reduction in phytates. Aim for about 140 degrees F for your soaking water (this maximizes the activity of the endogenous enzymes) and keep the covered beans in a warm place in your house at least overnight and 12 or so hours is even better. I pour water over the beans in a pot, add enough boiling water from the tea kettle to make it very warm to the touch and then set them on the heat vent overnight (in the winter, of course). Remember to drain this water off and thoroughly rinse the beans before you cook them the next day. For a longer period of soaking (more than 12 hours) you will want to change the water somewhere in the middle of the soaking period.
Q. Should the mung beans be in slightly acidic water for soaking?
A. Sources debate this, some say the beans are less permeable to flavorings and are harder later in cooking when whey is used, but more important is the close-to-hot water and the length of soaking time. Sprouted mung beans actually retain more phytates than beans soaked in very warm water for approximately 12 hours.
Q. Is coconut juice (or water) okay? What about coconut flour?
A. Coconut water is an excellent beverage. It is very healthy – good for the kidneys and a good sports drink.
Coconut flour is fine to use unless you are sensitive to salicylates. Coconut is fairly high in salicylates and can cause problems in some people.
Q. What is a source for pima cultures?
A. Piima: GEM Cultures (called Fil Mjolk) (253) 588-2922 http://www.gemcultures.com/dairy_cultures.htm or
Moonwise Herbs (920) 452-4372 http://www.moonwiseherbs.com/piima_culture.htm
These are listed in our Shopping Guide.
Q. In a recent article, WAPF stated that agave is not a good sweetener. I think agave is okay as it has a low glycemic index.
A. Our article does not argue that agave and HFCS have a lower glycemic index; but these highly processed products are detrimental for other reasons, mainly the very high levels of free fructose, and an isomer of fructose that is not found in nature. Those selling agave “nectar” tend to change their stories frequently. The product is not natural and does not have GRAS status.
Q. Please tell me why cocoa (chocolate) is or is not a good food.
A. Chocolate is a tough one. I do not want to tell you that you should never eat chocolate, nor will I say that I have never eaten chocolate myself. But it should not be consumed habitually. It is somewhat addictive, enhances the sensitivity of endorphin receptors (thus can cause a let down afterwards), contains a caffeine-like substance and also needs to be sweetened. So try not to make a habit of it. We do not allow products with chocolate at our conference or in our shopping guide.
Q. If the liver is an organ where most toxins build up, why is the chicken liver so good for us? 
A. Chicken livers from pastured animals are rich in vitamins A, D, K, E and B12; also a wonderful source of iron. Baby needs all these nutrients for optimal growth and adults benefit too. Of course the livers should be from organic and, preferably, pasture-raised animals. The liver is not the most toxic organ in the body. It is not a storage organ and would not contain any more toxins than any other part of the animal.
Q. Can you make stock/broth from pork bones and is it nutritious? 
A. Yes pork neck bones, etc make good stock. You can even add bacon and ham rind. If you can include some skin from a ham or bacon–this provides wonderful material for our own skin.
Q. Why is pork not included in Nourishing Traditions?
A. It was left out in deference to co-author Mary Enig, who is Jewish. But she agreed to include some pork recipes in Eat Fat Lose Fat. I think pork needs to be carefully prepared by soaking in something acidic–usually vinegar–this is how it is done in China–or curing in some way, tantamount to fermentation.
Q. Do you have a recipe for liverwurst?
A. There are many online. Here is one that looks good, but leave out the nonfat milk powder. http://homecooking.about.com/od/porkrecipes/r/blpork27.htm
Q. My wife has many food and chemical sensitivities. She can consume raw milk and pure foods. She cannot take cod liver oil. Her vitamin D levels are below average. Do you have any recommendations for increasing her vitamin D to a normal level?
A. You will need to stress vitamin-D rich foods, such as fish eggs, shrimp, egg yolks from pastured hens, chicken and pork liver. Also, spend plenty of time in the sunlight during the warmer months.
Q. I am concerned about mercury, is it still safe to eat wild caught fish from the ocean, or fresh waters such as in Alaska?
A. I think we should still eat fish. Studies show that women who eat fish while pregnant have smarter offspring, in spite of the mercury. And in general, only the very large fish have mercury accumulation. PLUS, if you have good gut flora, they bind with mercury and prevent its absorption. A much bigger threat than mercury in fish is mercury from amalgam fillings
Q. Are the calcium, phosphorus, vanadium and silica actually biologically available in red meat, or do you have to get those from dairy, bone, grain, legume and veggie products?
A. I don’t think there is a lot of calcium and silica in red meat, but what’s there should be available. Meat is a good source of available phosphorus, and I imagine that vanadium would be there if it is in the soil.
Q.Last week I accidentally simmered my stock bones for a total of 36 hours. When scooping out the marrow I noticed the bones were much softer than usual and as an experiment I scraped and shaved off as much of the bone as I could. I have about a cup of shaved bone dust now. Does this bone dust contain nutritionally useful minerals and, if so, should I consume it in the broths?

A. These bone scrapings sound just great–I would add them to soups or stews. The minerals are in the bone until the bone disappears–the longer they are cooked, the more minerals will come out. But some people are sensitive to long-cooked broth because glutamates are also released with the long cooking.
Q. I’ve noticed that after I make my stocks, the bones crumble easily- I am wondering if they are safe for consumption? 
A. Yes, in fact some people put the soft chicken bones in the blender to make a bone paste and eat that. Primitive people ground up small bones and added them to their food.
FAQ-Miscellaneous Questions
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Tim Boyd • 7 Comments 
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•	Cause of bird flu/protecting yourself 
•	Stephen Byrnes’ death 
•	Toxicity of statin drugs 
•	Dr. Price’s wording 
•	Diet to change underdeveloped face 
•	Testing blood levels of Vitamin D 
•	Native American diet 
•	Multiple Sclerosis and saturated fat 
•	Locating The Milk Book 
•	Snopes Article on House Bill 2974 
•	Was Weston Price a research director for the ADA 
•	Should well water be softened? 
•	Sugar in Kombucha tea 
•	Metabolic typing 
•	Source for azomite 
•	Colloidal silver

Miscellaneous Questions
Q. What is the cause of bird flu and what can we do to protect ourselves?
A. We don’t really have any answers although my guess is overcrowding in industrial bird facilities (yes, they have these in Asia also). The best protection is our diet, especially fermented foods like sauerkraut, and cod liver oil.
Q. I was sad and discouraged to learn Stephen Byrnes died so young, even on this diet.
A. Stephen Byrnes had been under enormous stress for at least three years, including being hounded by the Hawaiian Department of Health and being cheated out of a lot of money. Also, Stephen was a very excitable person. Plus, we never will know just how good he was about following our dietary principles. Constant stress can do terrible things to a person, even one on the best of diets.
Q. Where can I find the statement on the Japanese finding statin drugs to be toxic?
A. Coronary Heart Disease
The Dietary Sense and Nonsense
George V. Mann, ScD, MD
Janus Publishing Company, London, England, 1993
This statement is on page 14: In the 1960s the Japanese discovered a substance in a mold that inhibits the in-vivo synthesis of cholesterol from simple precursors. . . But the Japanese found the substance (lovastatin) toxic in animal trials, and so they sold their process to Merck and Company in the United States. With remarkable and unexplained speed, the FDA approved the Merck drug now known as Mevacor.
Q. I am not sure what is meant by this sentence on your site: “These primitives with their fine bodies, homogeneous reproduction…”
A. Another way that Price expressed this (and yes, these are his words) was that in primitive societies, all the men looked like brothers and all the women looked like sisters, even if they were not related. This is because the diet supported the full expression of the genetic potential.
Q. My child has an underdeveloped face, can diet change that?
A. It is not clear how much can be done with diet alone; we recommend orthodontics to widen the palate. However with a good diet, you can reverse this in the next generation, and also ensure that your child has a healthy life, in spite of the underdeveloped face.
Q: On your website, Krispin Sullivan suggests that any vitamin D supplementation be accompanied by testing blood levels of D. This seems contrary to WAPF. Should I be concerned about vitamin D toxicity?
A: We do not agree with Krispin on this. See the clarification here. We will be addressing the issue of Vitamin D toxicity in the Fall 2006 issue of Wise Traditions.
Q: I have recently read an article claiming that Native Americans ate only plant foods and began eating game with the coming of white settlers. Please comment.
A: The Native Americans cultivated many plant foods, but to claim that the eating of game came with the advent of the white settlers is ridiculous. They ate everything available to them–not only plant foods but fish, shellfish, birds, reptiles, eggs and mammals. When they had little animal food, they had many health problems. See our article Guts and Grease: The Diet of Native Americans.
Q: In his book The Multiple Sclerosis Diet Book, Dr. Roy Laver Swank claims that saturated fats cause MS. Please comment.
A: Dr. Swank is absolutely wrong about saturated fats. They are very important for general health, especially the health of the nervous system.
We have just received an interesting article by Mark Purdey on the causes of MS. He speculates that one factor is heavy metals, especially barium, in the absence of calcium, magnesium and sulphur. Here is the abstract. (Barium taken before abdominal x-rays is a real threat.)
http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877(04)00022-2/abstract
Q: How do I find William Douglass’ book, The Milk Book?
A: There are several versions: The Milk Book: The Milk of Human Kindness is not Pasteurized – Last Laugh Publisher, 1985. It was also published under that name by Second Opinion Publishers, Atlanta, 1985. Then Rhino Publisher using an ISBN 996263654X. Finally, it was published under the title, The Milk Book: How Science is Destroying Nature’s Most Perfect Food, ISBN 1885236042 and on www.bookfinder.com.
Q:I’m always concerned about the ill effects of mold or fungi since these are said to be a detriment to health. If I see any mold in fermented foods should I discard it?

A: I wouldn’t worry about a small amount of mold that develops in fermented food. It is harmless. Just remove the moldy part from the product, carefully, using a spoon.
Q: From reading Price and Pottenger’s books, I know that some of the healthiest people we have found were the Eskimos and the Masai warriors, both of whom live primarily on high-fat animal food.. I have recently been reading Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselsyn M.D. of the Cleveland clinic of medicine and “The China Study” by Dr. Colin Campbell Ph.D. In these books they recommend a plant based diet exclusively. They require a diet of no more than 10% daily fat intake and that from plant sources. They claim remarkable results in arresting the advance of heart disease in patients suffering from cardiac disease and in addition show that they have been able in many cases to reverse atherosclerosis. They have taken people with seriously clogged arteries and returned those arteries to the condition of a teenager. Why are their results so at variance with your theories and with the experiences of people like Dr. Eates and Atkins. How is this explained?

A: These are important questions and we spend a good deal of time trying to correct the misinformation put out by folks like Esselsyn and Campbell, misinformation that causes people to turn away from healthy dietary principles.
Campbell actually lies about the results of the China Study. He did not find any benefits from a plant-based diet in the China study. See the review of his book at
http://www.westonaprice.org/book-reviews/the-china-study-by-t-colin-campbell/
and also my article about diet in China:
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/food-in-china-variety-and-monotony/
Regarding Esselsyn’s book, we reviewed this in the Summer 2008 issue of Wise Traditions.
Here is a link regarding the problems of an animal-based diet.
http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/diet-myths-do-primitive-peoples-really-live-longer.html
The study on the Eskimos was looking at modernized Eskimos–their health is abysmal. But before modernization, they enjoyed excellent health and considerable longevity.
It is difficult to find reliable statistics on truly primitive Africans.
But we do have studies of vegetarians and these show that they have a greater all-case death rate than non vegetarians. For information, visit these links.
Q: I am concerned about my thyroid. I was told that I am not getting enough iodine; it is present in unrefined salt and if I am not eating seafood I am certainly lacking in iodine. I was also told that cruciferous veggies, even fermented, will hurt my thyroid. Please respond.

A: In addition to seafood, butter is an excellent source of iodine. Also meat, eggs, etc, are if there is iodine in the soil. Unrefined salt is actually a good source. Certain vegetables provide iodine, such as asparagus and artichokes.
If you are concerned about getting enough, then use some seaweed flakes in soups,
etc. (You might want to do this if you live in a goiter belt.)
The crucifers are fine if you don’t overdo and are getting adequate iodine in the diet.
Q. I received an email from you about the House Bill 2974 on the proposed changes to our food supply. Please comment on the following snopes article addressing your email: http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/organic.asp
A. The key points are:
1) The alert deals with a different bill than the snopes article. The alert is about HR 2749, not HR 875
2) The snopes report is mostly correct. HR 875 would not have criminalized backyard gardens or organics, and the connection between DeLauro and Monsanto is very tenuous. Our analysis of HR 875 and HR 2749 did not make those inaccurate claims.
There was a lot of inaccurate information circulating the internet about HR 875. But this is a different bill, and the alert was written by the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund after analysis of the bill by several attorneys. You can read their full analysis, which includes references to the specific provisions of the bill, at http://www.farmtoconsumer.org/news/news-15june2009.htm.
In fact, the snopes article on HR 875 identified the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund as a good source for understanding how the bill could impact small farmers. This new bill, HR 2749, poses very significant problems for our small farmers and local food processors. It should not be dismissed simply because some individuals circulated inaccurate information about a different bill earlier this year.”
Q. Was Weston Price a research director for the ADA?
A. Price was head of research for the National Dental Association, which was eclipsed by the ADA when it was formed. ADA promoted fluoride and amalgams and the NDA refused to do this.
Q. We have well water which I like because it has good minerals and no fluoride added. However, we use a water softener because we were told that the well water has too many minerals that will clog up the pipes. I’m not sure that softened water is good to drink? What do you think?
A. We are not experts on water, but generally it is better to drink water containing minerals, especially magnesium. Unless there are some toxic minerals that can be toxic in high amounts, like manganese, I would think the softener to be unnecessary (although nice for washing hair and clothes).
Q. Is kombucha tea any more nutritious or medicinal when it is allowed to work until it is tart compared to stopping it when it is still slightly sweet? Is there more remaining sugar in it when it is a bit sweet rather than tart? Also, does the caloric content change as a result?
A. Yes, the more tart, the more nutritious, the more beneficial organic acids. If it is still sweet, that means there is some remaining sugar. The caloric count goes down; eventually the final product has about the same calories as vinegar.
Q. Metabolic Typing – please comment on this.
A. This is a huge subject but we do discuss it in the article The Right Price, on our website.
There is no doubt that there are different metabolic types, but my gripe with the MT folks is that they pretend to determine your MT with a simple question and answer, and then they give these different diets, all of which are bad diets. They evoke the name of Weston Price without any understanding of his findings–none of the MT diets (Wolcott) are WAPF-friendly, they do not contain sufficient fat-soluble activators. You can have a high carb diet and a low carb diet both conforming to Price’s principles, but the MT folks do not understand the principles. In the West, given our food preferences, it is easier to apply the WAPF principles with a high-fat, low-carb diet that includes plenty of nutrient-dense animal foods.
In India, they are not really vegetarians because the food is not sterile and there are huge amounts of insect parts and insect feces–very rich in B12–in the food–to look at it with a microscope is very revealing. If they try to follow the same diet in the West, where the food is fumigated and sterilized, they get into trouble. And people in India are likely to be of a different “metabolic type.” In India, they are not obligate carnivores as a Native American would be, so they can make EPA and DHA out of the 18-carbon parent omega-3 fatty acids. (See Tripping Lightly Down the Prostglandin Pathways, on the website.) Remember also they do consume ghee and fermented dairy.
In Asia, they never consumed soy in large amounts until the American processors went over there–soy is about 1% of calories in the traditional Asian diet. And they certainly are not vegetarians. 65% of calories in the Japanese diet comes from fish and in China, 65% of calories comes from pork. There are lots of lies going around about the Asian diet–like the lie that the people of Okanawa don’t eat much animal food. They eat pork and fish daily, and they cook in lard.
Q. What is a source for azomite?
A. wheatgrasskits.com (866) 948.4727
Q. What is your opinion of colloidal silver for infections?
A. It might be OK to use the colloidal silver in emergencies, but people who use it all the time risk turning green literally and permanently. Silver can cause toxic effects. Better to use cod liver oil to fight against infections! Some experts on metal toxicity even warn against using a silver spoon.
Q. I just read in Nourishing Traditions that “Sprouting inactivates aflatoxins, potent carcinogens found in grains.” Would you explain what aflatoxins are?
A. From the Wikipedia entry for aflatoxins: Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins that are produced by many species of Aspergillus, a fungus, most notably Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known.
Aflatoxin-producing members of Aspergillus are common and widespread in nature. They can colonize and contaminate grain before harvest or during storage. Host crops are particularly susceptible to infection by Aspergillus following prolonged exposure to a high humidity environment or damage from stressful conditions such as drought, a condition which lowers the barrier to entry. Genetically engineered grains are particularly prone to aflatoxins.
The native habitat of Aspergillus is in soil, decaying vegetation, hay, and grains undergoing microbiological deterioration and it invades all types of organic substrates whenever conditions are favorable for its growth. Favorable conditions include high moisture content (at least 7%) and high temperature.
Crops which are frequently affected include cereals (maize, sorghum, pearl millet, rice, wheat), oilseeds (peanut, soybean, sunflower, cotton), spices (chilli peppers, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, ginger), and tree nuts (almond, pistachio, walnut, coconut, brazil nut).
The toxin can also be found in the milk of animals which are fed contaminated feed.
Virtually all sources of commercial peanut butter in the United States contain minute quantities of aflatoxin,] but it is usually far below the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommended safe level.
FAQ-Soy
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Kaayla Daniel • 4 Comments 
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•	Eggs from soy-fed chickens 
•	Studies about soy 
•	Soy protein drinks 
•	Soy candles 
•	Soy processing 
•	Rectal itching &amnp; intestinal health 
•	What soy is safe 
•	Phytoestrogens and natural hormone cream 
•	Safe soy products? 
•	Soy cheese and yogurt 
•	Soy and tumors 
•	Andrew weil and soy 
•	Non-gmo lecithin
Soy
Q. Will the phytoestrogens get into the eggs of chicken fed soy?
A. Yes, the phytoestrogens can end up in the yolks–not as high as in commercial eggs, but they will be there. However, eggs are such a good food that we still recommend them.
One of our goals is to get farmers away from using soy for their chickens. But this is going to be difficult as the practice is almost universal–even for pastured poultry. We’d like to see chickens given whey, skim milk and bugs as their protein source. But without soy (which contains growth-stimulating estrogens), chickens grow much slower. Consumers must be prepared to pay more for soy-less chicken and eggs.
Q. Where can I find studies that explain the problem with soy?
A. Click here to go to the Soy Alert section of westonaprice.org. There you will find lists of studies and many well-referenced articles. I also suggest The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel (wholesoystory.com), which is a very well referenced book.
Q. Please explain what are the problems with soy protein drinks.
A. Soy-based liquid protein drinks (and soy protein in general) are high in many toxins and antinutrients. The may also predispose to arrhythmias. The reference for this is: Chiang, CE and others. Genistein Inhibits the Inward Rectifying Potassium Current in Guinea Pig Ventricular Myocytes. J Biomed Sci 2002;9:321-326. Dietary isoflavones genistein dose-dependently and reversibly inhibit the inward rectifying K+ (potassium) current in guinea pigs ventricular myocytes, suggesting the potential for soy isoflavones to cause heart arrhythmias. But supplementation with liquid protein drinks predisposes to arrhythmias. High protein diets that do not contain fats, particularly animal fats, can deplete stores of vitamin A and D and consequently interfere with mineral assimilation.
For more on why too much protein in general in the diet is bad, click here to read the article Guts and Grease, under Traditional Diets, on the website.
Q. Can I use soy candles?
A. I think soy candles should be fine unless you are allergic to soy. People who are allergic can be affected by soy dust, soy ink, and probably the emissions from soy candles. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. Is the problem of soy the processing?
A. In my book, in chapters 8 and 11, I thoroughly discuss soy processing and the nitrites issue. Chapter 22 discusses fluoride toxicity. Both problems are primarily the result of modern industrial processing, typical of most of the soy foods and many soy milks now in the marketplace. In addition, all soybeans (regardless of processing) contain many other antinutrients and toxins, as well as endocrine-disrupting plant estrogens. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. Can soy cause rectal itching and compromise intestinal health?
A. To the best of my knowledge there are no studies that specifically link soy to rectal itching. However, there are hundreds of studies that link soy with damage to the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to numerous problems including parasites and other possible causes of itching. If I were in your situation, I would avoid all soy products and eat a varied, organic and omnivorous diet such as is recommended in the book Eat Fat/Lose Fat by Mary Enig & Sally Fallon. Despite its title, the book is not just about weight loss and has helped many people regain their health and energy. The book discusses the importance of good fats, including coconut oil and coconut milk, which have greatly helped many of my clients who are recovering from soy. You may also wish to consult a holistic MD, naturopathic doctor (ND) or clinical nutritionist (CCN) who can run tests to check for GI tract damage, parasites, etc. and who can recommend supplements that will help heal such damage and stop the itching. There’s no reason for this problem to be life-long. Be sure that the health practitioner you choose is aware of the dangers of soy foods. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. What soy is safe to consume? 
A. I share your concerns about GM soybeans and have covered that issue in my book. I also share your concerns about soybean processing, including matters of glutamate toxicity, and cover that issue in my book as well. My book has been endorsed by Dr. Russell Blaylock, a leading researcher on excitotoxins. In terms of safe soy consumption for those who are not allergic or sensitive to soy, I recommend small amounts of the fermented products miso, natto, tempeh, shoyu and tamari made with organic soybeans if eaten in small quantities and no more than a few times a week. That is also the position of the Weston A. Price Foundation as stated in many of its publications. I also don’t worry about the occasional vegetarian potluck with tofu or whatever. But these are very hazardous for people who react poorly to MSG. However, the bottom line is that all soybeans, including organic soybeans, contain naturally occurring antinutrients, toxins and phytoestrogens that have been linked to thyroid damage, reproductive problems, infertility, ADD/ADHD, cognitive decline and a host of other problems, including heart disease and cancer growth. Although old-fashioned fermentation processes eliminate most of the antinutrients (protease inhibitors, phytates, etc.), all soybeans and soy products sold in the marketplace contain the dangerous phytoestrogens. I document this thoroughly in my book, which is 457 pages with 44 pages of references (should you wish to do your own follow up). Several chapters from my book are posted on www.westonaprice.org (The Promotion of Soy, Soy Lecithin, Soy Carbohydrates, Not Milk and Uncheese). Two Special Reports taken from the book can also be obtained free from my website. As for nattokinase, it’s a supplement and may have clinical uses. A few studies have come out that suggest it is promising, but I don’t really know whether there are risks. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. Is there a difference between the phytoestrogen that is harmful in soybeans and the phytoestrogen that is found in wild yams and is used in Ostaderm? I am looking for a natural hormone cream to use for relief of menopause symptoms. Thank you for your assistance. 
A. I am not familiar with the specific product Ostaderm but most of the over-the-counter wild-yam creams contain progesterone precursors. These are not reliably converted to progesterone in the body. I am a clinical nutritionist and not an MD, but if I were seeking to balance my hormones and increase progesterone levels, I would not self medicate but see an alternative doctor or other health professional who can test hormone levels and, if appropriate, prescribe hormones of known quality and quantity. Hormone levels should then be monitored. Many women are using progesterone creams, some of which have no effect, and some of which produce excessive levels of progesterone in the body. In many cases, women are estrogen dominant and the priority needs to be decreasing those levels and not just increasing progesterone to improve the ratio. In short, it’s a complicated issue and so best to work with a knowledgeable health professional. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. I have seen some supplement companies advertise their soy products as better than others and not dangerous, are these comments true?
A. I receive numerous letters every week from people who have developed serious health problems (most often thyroid damage) from eating soy shakes, soy energy bars and other products sold by companies such as ReLiv, HerbLife, Revival, Shaklee and others. All of these companies claim that their products are safe and healthy due to patented “breakthrough” processing methods that are unlike those used by any of their competitors in the marketplace. This is simply not true. While some of these companies might use organic soy and and/or make slight changes in the manufacturing process (such as using less alkaline rinses), none of these “innovations” markedly improve soy safety. None of these methods remove many of the plant estrogens and other toxins and antinutrients from soy protein. And the literature dispersed by these companies invariably tout the “health benefits” of these same estrogens, toxins and antinutrients.
I discuss soy processing methods in depth in chapters 4-12 of my book. I’m a clinical nutritionist and not a medical doctor so cannot diagnose or prescribe for you, but I personally would not eat any of these products. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. If I avoid GMO soy, can I eat soy cheese and yogurt?
A. In Chapter 6, I discuss soy milks, soy yogurt and soy cheeses in depth. Contrary to popular belief, these products were not consumed traditionally in Asia but were first promoted and manufactured by Seventh Day Adventist missionaries from America. Although it’s better to eat non-GMO soy if you insist on eating soy, all soy products including organic products include naturally occuring antinutrients, toxins and plant estrogens. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. Can soy cause or worsen tumors? Is it bad for my condition, which is neurofibromatosis?
A. I do not have any other testimonials from people suffering from neurofibromatosis but have many stories of people whose tumors (of many different types) have grown because of the plant estrogens in soy foods, soy milk or soy isoflavone supplements. Many of those people saw their tumors shrink after removing all forms of soy from their diets. I am a clinical nutritionist and not a medical doctor so cannot give you medical advice. But if I were in your situation, I would eliminate all soy from my diet as well as foods containing plant estrogens including flax seeds and flax oil, clover and alfalfa sprouts and margarines, spreads and other products containing sterols. Also, please do inform your doctor that soy phytoestrogens may have contributed to your situation. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q. What do you think about other health professionals such as Andrew Weil, recommending soy?
A. I find it appalling that Andrew Weil has become rich and famous as America’s leading proponent of “alternative medicine” yet endorses soy, fluoride and vaccinations! His bestselling books have been fueling the soy fad for some time now, but I think the tide is turning. More and more people are starting to hear about the health problems caused by soy. Just this week the Israeli Health Ministry issued a health advisory warning. So people are starting to hear the truth despite the fact that we can’t compete with the soy industry, which has spent millions building soy’s “miracle food” image through advertising, lobbying in Washington etc, and favorable press. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
Q: I have cosmetics from an organic and natural company. One of the ingredients in the concealer, foundation and body cream is non-GMO lecithin. I am wondering if you would use these products? 
A: Soy lecithin is a waste product from soy oil manufacture. However, it is not usually a problem even for people who are allergic to or sensitive to soy. It’s hard to find food or cosmetic products without lecithin, which is used as an emulsifier. The most serious health problems are from soy protein and soy oil. Lecithin is used in very small quantities and is rarely a problem. Chapter 10 of my book discusses soy lecithin in depth. –Response by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story
The following SOY comments are by Dr Kaayla Daniel – author of The Whole Soy Story
Q: Is there a connection between soy and autism?

A: Last May I spoke at the AutismOne conference in Chicago, so I am very familiar with issues related to soy and autism. Although I have no studies linking soy to autism, soy is a major problem because most parents who try to put their children on gluten-free, casein-free diets end up using a lot of soy substitutes. This inevitably exacerbates digestive distress, weakens the immune system and creates other health problems. There is also a firm link between ADD/ADHD (and possibly autism) to manganese toxicity, which often occurs when babies are given soy infant formula during their first six months of life.
Q: My children are suffering from allergies especially to soy and peanuts. I’ve read that they are related, please comment on this.

A: I am hearing more and more stories of people who are reacting severely to both peanut
and soy. Peanut and soy are close botanical cousins and there’s a lot of cross reactivity. We also have some evidence that reactions have worsened since GM soybeans and peanuts have entered the food supply. As people substitute pea protein for soy (happening increasingly in
shakes), I expect to hear many more stories about reactions to pea protein as well.
Bone broth will be very helpful in healing the gut — always the highest priority when healing severely allergic people. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of my website www.soyfreesolutions.com also has tips that may be helpful to you and your family.
Q: This summer in an effort to lose some weight I decided to try NUTRI-SYSTEM, little did know that almost ALL of the food they offer is laden with soy protein. I have had hashimoto’s thyroiditis years ago but have not had any serious problems with it for years, and within a month of starting the program, it’s thrown me back into total inflammation and hypothyroidism, with my antibodies skyrocketing to 1000. The thing I take issue with is no where in their advertising, print or television, does it state anything about soy. I believe it should be clearly stated that soy protein exists-as soy is like poision to someone with thyroid disease – and many people trying to lose weight have thyroid problems.
A: As you may know, more than 60 years of studies link soy to thyroid problems, including hashimoto’s thyroiditis. By law Nutri-System is required to label its products as containing soy. Soy is now one of the top allergens and this labeling has been required since January 2006 by the Food Allergen & Labeling Act. If Nutri-System has not done so on its packaging, you should report them to the FDA. If you do so, please let me know what kind of response you receive from the FDA. Keep in mind that Nutri-System is required to list soy on its packaging but not required to disclose that in their advertising.
In terms of your recovery, I would eat an omnivorous diet based on the books Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat/Lose Fat, both by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. The latter book discusses the healing powers of coconut oil, which will nourish the thyroid and support the immune system, both of which are crucial for your recovery from soy. Finally, I would strongly recommend that you work with an alternative MD, nutritionist or other health professional who is familiar with the dangers of soy and has helped clients recover.
FAQ-Supplements
Posted on March 6, 2009 by Tim Boyd • 11 Comments 
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(See also the separate FAQ on Cod Liver Oil)
•	Azomite 
•	B12 
•	Vitamin D 
•	Filters Removing Minerals 
•	Glyconutrient pills 
•	Soy in vitamin E supplements 
•	Do store-bought enzymes work? 
•	Does Frontier yeast have added vitamin B 
•	Bio-K Plus CL1285 probiotic 
•	Iron Supplement 
•	Protein Powder
Supplements
Q. Is azomite a problem because of the aluminum, etc?
A. Yes, I get a lot of questions about Azomite. It is safe for human consumption. I recommend it because it is a natural, inexpensive mineral supplement. Tests have never been done on humans and won’t be because the FDA won’t allow it. There have only been studies with animals and it is a good mineral supplement for animals.
It does contain aluminum, but it is also rich in silica, which counteracts the aluminum. People have been eating clay and dirt as a tradition for thousands of years and all clay contains aluminum and silica.
Here’s some information on minerals that may answer your questions.
This being said, I don’t feel this strongly about it. You can also get lots of good minerals from sea salt, raw milk, bone broths, etc.
Q. What type of vitamin B12 should I take?
A. Pure Encapsulations is a good one–not sublingual but it is the right form of B12. This is recommended by Dr. Dommisse, who spoke at our 2005 conference. Or you can try Jarrow sublingual methylcobalimum for B12.
Q. I am in the sun every day, do I need to supplement with vitamin D? I am having vaginal dryness and am looking for relief.
A. Being in the sun every day is not going to supply you with adequate vitamin D unless you have most of your clothes off and the sun is directly overhead. Also, you won’t get vitamin A, the best treatment for vaginal dryness from the sun. You can still take cod liver oil and I suggest a high vitamin one from Radiant Life (888-593-8333) or Green Pasture. This should help with the vaginal dryness. Take a dose that provides at least 20,000 IU vitamin A and 2000 IU vitamin D.
Q. Please explain what levels of Vitamin D cause hypercalcemia.
A. Vitamin D does not need to cause hypercalcemia to result in soft tissue calcification. It has been used to produce kidney calcification in chickens at doses that did not result in hypercalcemia, and there were recent human case reports of bone-loss with accidental overdosing at levels that did not result in hypercalcemia (which was not rigorously proven to have resulted from the vitamin D, but evidence strongly suggests it did). The idea that vitamin D can only result in toxicity at 40,000 IU definitely is not sound, and is based on the idea that hypercalcemia is requisite for toxicity, which isn’t true.
Optimal blood levels are at least 32 ng/mL. There is some support for 45 ng/mL, but the benefit of going from 20 to 30 ng/mL is huge compared to the benefit of going from 30 to 40 ng/mL. To my knowledge there is little evidence for any advantage of going up to 60 ng/mL, but this is the level found in people in sun-rich living conditions (who have 20 times higher risk of kidney stones than the general population!), such as Israeli lifeguards and Puerto Rican farmers. Heaney’s group found that supplementing for the six coldest months of the year in Omaha for two consecutive years with 1,000 IU led to 30 ng/mL; 5,000 IU led to 60 ng/mL; 10,000 IU led to 85 ng/mL. The first dose reached a full plateau, whereas the latter two doses came very close to reaching a plateau but did not. So the dose that leads to 60 ng/mL in Omaha when used for the coldest six months of the year is probably somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 IU per day. 10,000 IU per day leads to 85 ng/mL, right around the level associated with three times the risk of heart disease in India (greater than 89 ng/mL) – not proven to produce heart disease, but associated with it. And given the role of soft tissue calcification in contributing to heart disease, there seems at least to be grounds for caution in achieving a blood level greater than 60 when there is no scientific evidence that it is any more beneficial than 40-60 ng/mL.
To convert these numbers to nmol/L, multiply by 2.5.
A recent large double-blind placebo-controlled trial published in NEJM found 400 IU plus 1g calcium carbonate to produce a 17% increase in the risk of kidney stones. This can’t be blamed on the vitamin D alone, due to the presence of calcium carbonate, but again, kidney stones are the first thing to come up before hypercalcemia in animal experiments, and there is quite a bit of evidence connecting excess vitamin D to kidney stones as summarized by John Cannel here, under the second heading:
http://www.vitamincouncil.com/newsletter/2006-aug.shtml
Q. I have heard that reverse osmosis filters remove minerals, is that true?
A. Yes, RO filters take out all the minerals, but they also are the only way to take out all the fluoride. So if you have fluoridated water, use an RO filter and then add minerals back in via mineral drops.
Q: What do you know about glyconutrient pills?
A: I don’t know a lot about this product, but ask yourself–how did humans get along before glyconutrient pills? Because the body makes them, as even their literature admits. Much more important for you to spend your money on is cod liver oil. See our Guide to Super Foods.
Q: I would like to use a whey powder for my recipes, is that okay? It includes: Whey protein concentrate (milk), whey protein isolate (milk).

A: Whey proteins are very fragile and easily messed up by processing. You should make your own whey, it is not difficult especially from a good quality store-bought yogurt. There is a recipe in Nourishing Traditions.
Q: How is oral vitamin D is made and what it is made from? I have been told by someone that checks all labels for vitamin D and that some are made from swine (pig) skin.

A: My understanding is that vitamin D3 is made by irradiating sheep’s lanolin, and vitamin D2 by irradiating yeast. I have never heard that vitamin D3 is made from pig skin, however, lard is an excellent source of vitamin D.
Q. I would like to know if I should avoid a supplement that contains vitamin E from soy?
A. Nearly all the vitamin E supplements derive from soy, so it’s very hard to avoid. Unless the person is extremely allergic to soy, this isn’t a problem as the quantity is very small.
Q. I have been wondering whether or not store bought enzymes really work?

A. This is a huge subject for which I have few answers–it is not my area of expertise. I do think that certain brands do work, these are brands that have been freeze dried. But it is always best to get one’s enzymes from fermented foods.

Q. Does Frontier Yeast have added vitamin B?
A. The company states that there are NO added B vitamins but it does contain naturally occurring B vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12.
Q. What is your opinion about a probiotic in Canada called Bio-K Plus CL1285. It is like a 3.5 oz kefir drink. Ingredients are: water, skim milk powder, whey protein concentrate, active bacterial cultures L Acidophilus and L Casei, 50 billion. The sales approach is that one container is like drinking 200 yogurts, it is human derived and that it supports the immune system, especially for someone fighting cancer. Do you have any concerns with the ingredients? www.biokplus.com
A. I would have great concerns about the skim milk powder and the whey protein concentrate. These are highly artificial, probably full of nitrates and damaged proteins. Plus this beverage is too high in protein. Better to make your own yoghurt or kefir from whole milk.
Q. When someone is low in iron, what supplements do you recommend?
A. First of all, cod liver oil as you need A to absorb iron. We would recommend foods first. Iron-rich foods include meat, liver, egg yolks, beets. But if taking a supplement, I understand that ferrous citrate is the best.
Q. If protein powders are harmful, what do you recommend using instead?
A. We recommend real, complete protein from food (meat, dairy, eggs, seafood) WITH the fats that proteins naturally come with. Read the article “Guts and Grease” on our website ( http://www.westonaprice.org/traditional-diets/guts-and-grease ). Lean meat and protein powders rapidly deplete vitamin A. You do not need to supplement with extra protein as long as you are including protein-rich foods in your diet.