Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Man, I don’t think I can answer that. I’m not sure Dr. Fuhrman can either. After all he’s Joel Fuhrman, MD and not Joel Fuhrman, DVM. But it’s still a good question. Especially if you consider reports like these:

• Aussie Pets Plump Too
• Fat Pets Fat Owners?

And if you think about it for a minute, one of Dr. Fuhrman’s biggest gripes is the amount of refined foods shoveled down American throats. He explains better than I can. From Eat to Live:

These starchy (white flour) foods, removed from nature’s packaging, are no longer real food. The fiber and the majority of minerals have been removed, so such foods are absorbed too rapidly, resulting in sharp glucose surge into the bloodstream. The pancreas is then forced to pump out insulin faster to keep up. Excess body fat also causes us to require more insulin from the pancreas. Over time, it is the excessive demand for insulin placed on the pancreas from both carbohydrates, white flour, sweets, and even fruit juices, because they enter the bloodstream so quickly, can also raise triglycerides, increasing the risk of heart attack in susceptible individuals.

Refined Foods Are Linked To

• Oral cavity cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Intestinal cancer
• Breast Cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Respiratory tract cancer
• Diabetes
• Gallbladder disease
• Heart disease1

Another major issue on Dr. Fuhrman’s agenda is the presence of harmful substances and toxic chemicals in our food. Heck, we blog about it on DiseaseProof all the time. Here’s a few post of note:

• Secret Chemicals in Our Food
• Chemicals and Young Children
• Seattle Schools: Lead in the Water
• Living Near Landfills
• Is Organic Food Safer?
• Fishing for the Truth

So then, is it inconceivable to assume that the same thing might be happening to the food we feed our four-legged friends? In fact, I bet most of us buy our pet food only few aisles down from our people food. That should give you a hint.


Okay, a couple weeks ago I was at a local radio station and it just so happened that one of the DJs had a pet nutritionist as his guest. Yes I was intrigued, and no I didn’t plan this! Now, as I sat their listening I kept thinking, this sounds very Fuhrman-like. So after the segment I decided to introduce myself.

As it turns out pet nutritionist Diona Beam is a self-proclaimed “Fuhrman-ite.” Pretty cool, right? We chatted briefly about her talk and in the end I asked her to email me some information. Well she did, and it’s very interesting. Not to mention eerily familiar sounding. It definitely makes you think our pets’ diets could use a serious overhaul too. Check out what she sent me and let me know what you think:

Animal Protection Institute: What’s Really in Pet Food
"The amount of grain products used in pet food has risen over the last decade. Once considered filler by the pet food industry, cereal and grain products now replace a considerable proportion of the meat that was used in the first commercial pet foods. The availability of nutrients in these products is dependent upon the digestibility of the grain. The amount and type of carbohydrate in pet food determines the amount of nutrient value the animal actually gets. Dogs and cats can almost completely absorb carbohydrates from some grains, such as white rice. Up to 20% of the nutritional value of other grains can escape digestion. The availability of nutrients for wheat, beans, and oats is poor. The nutrients in potatoes and corn are far less available than those in rice. Some ingredients, such as peanut hulls, are used for filler or fiber, and have no significant nutritional value."


Earth Island Institute: Food not Fit for a Pet
"Lead frequently shows up in pet foods, even those made from livestock meat and bone meal. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study titled "Lead in Animal Foods" found that a nine-pound cat fed commercial pet food ingests more lead than the amount considered potentially toxic for children."

Earth Island Institute: Book Excerpt: Food Pets Die For
"Almost 50 percent of the antibiotics manufactured in the US are dumped into animal feed, according to the 1996 Consumer Alert brochure, "The Dangers of Factory Farming." Pigs, cows, veal calves, turkeys and chickens are continually fed antibiotics (primarily penicillin and tetracycline) in an attempt to eradicate the many ills that befall factory-farmed animals - pneumonia, intestinal disease, stress, rhinitis, e-coli infections and mastitis."

SiriusDog.com: The Dark Side of Rendering Plants
"Because animals are frequently shoved into the pit with flea collars still attached, organophosphate-containing insecticides get into the mix as well. The insecticide Dursban arrives in the form of cattle insecticide patches. Pharmaceuticals leak from antibiotics in livestock, and euthanasia drugs given to pets are also included. Heavy metals accumulate from a variety of sources: pet ID tags, surgical pins and needles."

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Most news outlets push fish oil on us with greater fervor than a Central Park Rastafarian. But whenever I hear fish oil or just plain fish, I immediately think of mercury, chemicals, and pollution. Not to mention I conduct a mini risk-benefit analysis in my head before eating things like sushi or steamed salmon. Sure fish and fish oil is loaded with omega-3, but the level of contamination in seafood always gives me pause, and is the reason why I space out my fish consumption. From Fishing for the Truth, here’s a small refresher on the potential dangers of contaminated fish:

Higher levels of mercury found in mothers who eat more fish have been associated with birth defects, seizures, mental retardation, developmental disabilities, and cerebral palsy.1 This is mostly the result of women having eaten fish when they were pregnant. Scientists believe that fetuses are much more sensitive to mercury exposure than adults, although adults do suffer from varying degrees of brain damage from fish consumption.2 Even the FDA, which normally ignores reports on the dangers of our dangerous food practices, acknowledges that large fish such as shark, swordfish, and yellowfin and bluefin tuna, are potentially dangerous. Researchers are also concerned about other toxins concentrated in fish that can cause brain damage way before the cancers caused by chemical-carrying fish appear.

Dr. Fuhrman takes fish contamination seriously. So seriously, that he actually includes fish in his list of foods mothers should avoid during pregnancy. Take a look. From a previous post entitled Precautions to Take When Pregnant or Nursing:

The real concerns are not microwave ovens, cell phones, and hair dryers. The things we know to be really risky for you and your unborn children are:

• Caffeine
• Nicotine, including secondhand smoke
• Alcohol
• Medications, both over-the-counter and prescription drugs
• Herbs and high-dose supplements, vitamin A
• Fish, mollusks and shellfish, sushi (raw fish)
• Hot tubs and saunas
• Radiation
• Household clear, paint thinners
• Cat litter (because of an infectious disease called toxoplasmosis caused by a parasite found in cat feces)
• Raw milk and cheese
• Soft cheese and blue-veined cheeses such as feta, Roquefort, and Brie
• Artificial colors, nitrates, and MSG
• Deli meats, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and undercooked meats

So with all this being said, a new study that touts the benefits of consuming fish oil during pregnancy is enough to make anyone say, “What the—?” Well it’s true. Steven Reinberg of HealthDay News reports Australian researchers have determined toddlers whose mothers took fish oil supplements during pregnancy developed superior hand-eye coordination. Why? Well those omega-3’s of course:

"Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly referred to as 'fish oil,' are essential nutrients for human health," said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. He was not involved in the study…


… It will take more research to clarify the optimal dose of omega-3 fatty acids, and the long-term health effects of supplementation during pregnancy, Katz said. "But we know enough already to conclude that fish oil from supplements is generally a good idea, during pregnancy especially. I routinely advise 1 gram, twice daily, of fish oil to my pregnant patients -- and my non-pregnant patients, too."

I don’t think Dr. Fuhrman would agree with Katz’s fish oil recommendation, especially if that particular brand of supplement ran the risk of containing mercury or some other contaminate. So this begs the question, are we stuck with fish? Or are there other sources of omega-3’s that don’t potentially expose mothers or unborn children to harmful chemicals and compounds? Yes. Check out what Dr. Fuhrman recommends in this post, Dr. Fuhrman's Anti-ADHD Plan:

Flax seeds and walnuts are rich sources of beneficial but hard-to-find short-chain omega-3 fats, plus they are rich in lignans, minerals, and vitamins. Until recently, the primary source of DHA dietary supplements was fish oil. However, new products are available that contain DHA from algae, the fish’s original source. Unlike fish oils, the algae-derived DHA, grown in the laboratory, is free of chemical pollutants and toxins that may be present in some fish oil-based brands.

Now I’m no doctor, in fact I’m just a lowly blogger with a Marketing degree, but if I had to pick, I’d go for the contaminate-free option every time. How about you?
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Written by Lisa Fuhrman for the March 2003 edition of Healthy Times:

The lovely wooden outdoor play-set you lovingly bought for your children may actually expose them to arsenic—transmitted right from their hands to their mouths! Exposure to arsenic can be deadly. According to Hal Stratton, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), children can develop a lifetime risk of lung or bladder cancer from using playground equipment that contains arsenic. Arsenic also increases risk of other cancers, such as skin cancer.


Over 90 percent of all outdoor wooden structures in the United States, including the deck and porch on your home, contain arsenic because most wood used in this type of construction has been treated with a preservative and pesticide called chromate copper arsenate (CCA). CCA contains arsenic, chromium, and copper. It protects wood from rotting and other damage from insects and microbial agents. In addition to decks and porches, CCA-treated lumber has been used in outdoor railings, picnic tables, fences, and docks, since the 1930's.The majority of the wood used in residential settings since the 1970's is CCA-treated wood.

Unfortunately, arsenic does not safely dissipate over time. The arsenic levels found on surfaces of treated-wood structures more than twenty years old are similar to those found on treated-wood structures less than a year old. As a result, tests have shown that arsenic levels in soil near or under the treated-wood structures can be many times higher than the cleanup standard at Superfund toxic waste sites!

Wood preservatives containing arsenic have been increasingly targeted as unsafe by many advocacy groups. "Wipe tests" showed that the amount of arsenic coming off the wood in many cases exceeded what levels were allowed in drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by at least three times. In some cases, the amount was 250 times the amount allowed in drinking water!

In 1986, the EPA banned most arsenic pesticides but allowed the use of CCA to continue in pressure-treated wood. The agency classified it as a "restricted-use" pesticide to protect factory workers, while manufacturers agreed to voluntarily distribute consumer "fact sheets" about its use. Due to pressure by advocacy groups, the EPA is producing a report on the risks of the pressure-treated wood, which is expected in late 2003.

Fortunately, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is holding a public meeting in March to consider banning the arsenic-based preservative in playground equipment. In 2002, the preservative manufacturers agreed with the EPA to stop using the chemical in new wooden play-sets by December 2003.

It is difficult to distinguish CCAtreated wood from non-CCA-treated wood. A call to the manufacturer might help to determine if your play-set contains CCA or not. If you are not sure whether or not it contains CCA, you should assume it does.

Since children can get arsenic residue from the treated wood on their hands and then put their hands into their mouths, researchers recommend that once a child has finished playing on a play-set, caregivers should wash the child's hands thoroughly with soap and water. They also recommend that children not eat while on the play-set.

Based on limited data, some groups suggest applying certain penetrating coatings, such as oil-based, semi-transparent stains, on a regular basis (once a year or every other year, depending upon wear and weathering). This may reduce the amount of arsenic that comes out of the wood. Unfortunately, research data is too limited to know for sure if this actually helps. If you decide to remove your CCA-treated wood play-set, dispose of the wood properly. The EPA states that CCA-treated wood should never be burned in open fires, stoves, fireplaces, or residential boilers. Contact EPA (www.epa.gov) or your state or local solid waste management offices to receive instructions on how to dispose of it.

The EPA has registered a number of non-arsenic-containing preservatives to pressure-treat wood for consumer use, including copper boron azole (CBA).Wood treated with this preservative is sometimes available at retail outlets and is sold under the name "Wolmanized Natural Select." CBA-treated wood costs more because it contains more copper (which is expensive). While CBA is now common in Japan and Europe, it is still going through some investigation in the U.S.

If you are planning to purchase a play-set, you have a few good options. You can find natural cedar wood and redwood play-sets that are not chemically treated. You also can buy metal swing sets or a combination metal swing set with a redwood deck. There are also play-sets made with PVC (low-maintenance plastic) that do not contain CCA. Bottom line—don't put a treated-wood deck, porch, fence, or other product around your home. If you already have treated wood around your home, give it multiple coats of oil-based paint or get rid of it.

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I’ve never known that many asthmatics, so my familiarity with the condition is minimal. But until I read Disease-Proof Your Child I didn’t realize that asthma is another condition that can be treated with superior nutrition. Like many Americans I thought it was just one of those things you’re born with and can’t really do much about. Not so according to Dr. Fuhrman:

Allergies and asthma are often a reaction to inhaling substances such as pollen, house dust, and cat hair, or the hyperactivity of the airways may be triggered by infections, chemical irritants, exercise, and even emotions. In virtually every case, there is an underlying abnormality—an excessive irritability of the airways that leads to inflammation and narrowing of the airways.


It is always prudent to avoid and remove things that are known to trigger a reaction in a sensitive child, but what is most important, but rarely even considered, is why an individual is so hypersensitive or allergic to begin with. Learning why a person has allergies or asthma makes it possible to take steps to improve and reverse this common chronic condition.

So, why do I bring this up? Well a couple days ago The New York Daily News ran a rather startling article. Apparently the Bronx is a hotbed of childhood asthma attacks, despite the overall decline in the number of kids being hospitalized for asthma citywide. Lisa L. Colangelo has more:

The overall hospitalization rate for the city decreased last year from 6.5 per 1,000 children to 5.4 per 1,000, according to a recent Health Department study. But the Bronx rate was 8.9 per 1,000, and the numbers in three Bronx neighborhoods were higher still…


…Similar high numbers were found in low-income neighborhoods around the city.

Now, I’m no detective, but maybe these low-income neighborhoods have something to do with it. This excerpt from Disease-Proof Your Child might leave you feeling the same way:

The occurrence of asthma and allergies is also related to lifestyle factors and dietary patterns. Genetics play a role, but not the major role. Children’s growing bodies and dividing cells make them more susceptible to damage, but there is an up side, too. Their growing bodies are also more malleable and can make dramatic recoveries from serious diseases such as asthma easier than an adult’s can, when a program of superior nutrition is adopted.


Certainly, living in an urban area around pollution is an important contributor. Non-dietary risk factors include exposure to day care before four months of age, and exposure to wood smoke, oil smoke, or exhaust anytime from birth to age five all increase asthma risk by 50 percent.1 But nutritional influences are also powerfully linked and appear again and again in multiple scientific studies. One important risk for the development of allergies and asthma is lack of breast-feeding and high dietary ration of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids.2 Animal products (except for fish) are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, while flax seeds and walnuts are rich plant sources of omega-3 fats. This same inadequate dietary fatty acid pattern in mother’s diet during pregnancy has also been shown in scientific trial to beget a higher number of allergic and asthmatic children.3

This report reminded me of January's New York Times investigation of diabetes in Manhattan . Check it out and let me know if you see some similarities too.
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