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Conventional wisdom has led us to believe that milk gives us strong bones, eggs are a perfect protein, meat give us strong muscles and that plants contain low quality protein. Conventional wisdom differs from scientific wisdom in that scientific wisdom has been conducted without a bias for a particular result and is peer-reviewed by other scientists who have a strong knowledge of methodology and statistical analysis. In other words, the aim with science is to find out what is likely to be true, not what is popular. Unfortunately, the prejudices of big business food industries reach more people than that of the scientific community. “Prejudices are hard to uproot when they are not recognized as such, and even more so when they are still being repeatedly reinforced within the culture at large” (Diet for a New America, John Robbins). Lets take a trip back into history and follow a few studies that have helped shape the scientific viewpoint on nutrition and its relation to disease.

Over 2,500 years ago Plato and Socrates condemned the eating of animal flesh. 2,000 years ago, so did Seneca, tutor and advisor to the Roman Emperor Nero. Later Hippocrates, the father of medicine, understood that diet prevented disease and said “food should be our medicine and medicine our food” during his time, 460-357 B.C.

In the 1800′s a few scientists continued to shape our view on nutrition. One of those scientists was Dutch Chemist Gerhard Mulder, who discovered protein in 1839. Carl Voit was a German scientist in the late 1800′s who discovered that humans needed only 48.5 grams of protein per day, but recommended 118 grams. Voit mentored a few young scientists, including W.O. Atwater who later developed the Unites States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Atwater continued to over-exaggerate the need for protein, which became synonymous with meat in the 19th century even though protein can be found in plant foods as well. This has led to classically misguided question posed to vegetarians and vegans still today of “Where do you get your protein?” (The Chins Study, T.C. Campbell and T.M. Campbell). This is also about the same time that Dr. Weston Price published his findings on the excellent dental health in primitive peoples vs. the horrible dental health in civilized peoples. He determined that processed foods were the culprit for the deterioration of dental health, even with hereditary traits such as dental arches and facial structure (Nutrition & Physical Degeneration, Dr. Weston Price).

At the same time, the medical field was being shaped by a few pioneers. Louis Pasteur, a famous French chemist in the late 1800′s, supported the germ theory of disease. The Germ theory remains the corner stone upon which vaccines, parasites, viruses and antibiotics were created upon in the medical field. It states that the immune system is a victim to such insults. His theory was very controversial and many disagreed with him. One of his opponents to the theory was Henry Lindlahr, author of “Philosophy of Natural Therapeutics”, who believed that lowered vitality weakens the immune system to fighting disease. He concluded that the well-being of a man depends on normal nutrition and wholesome surroundings and that normal nutrition allowed for proper, drainage and enervation. Dr. Rodemon further demonstrated that Pasteur was wrong by smearing his body with small pox and going out in public. Nobody got small pox. Although dramatic, he had demonstrated a very important point.

Scientists began to classify the quality of protein in animals, which contained all necessary amino acids, vs. the quality of protein in plants, which contain bits and pieces of amino acids. They concluded that animal protein was of higher quality than plant protein, but did not bother to factor in which protein was healthier for human consumption or the fact that eating a wide variety of plant foods does provide all the necessary amino acids (The China Study, T.C. Campbell and T.M. Campbell).

After World War I (1914-1918), an allied blockade cut off the supply of food to over three million residents of Denmark, causing them to have to ration the food supply. One measures taken was to re-allocate grain used to feed livestock for the people. During this time, the death rate dropped by 34% (The CHina Study, T.C. Campbell and T.M. Campbell).

During World War II (1939-1945), the Norwegian government was forced to ration their food, especially meat, while the country was occupied by the Germans. Norway experienced a drastic drop in death from circulatory diseases during this time. Death rates rose again when the Germans left and Norway returned to their former diet. Britain and Switzerland also experienced an increase in health while food was rationed during World War II, where infant and post-natal death rates as well as the occurrence of anemia dropped to the lowest recorded at that time. What rose during this time? Growth rates and dental health for children. After World War II, the National Heart Institute investigated why plaque in heart disease develops and how it leads to heart attacks. A comparison of the medical records of 5,000 residents from Framingham, Massachusetts enabled the research team to develop risk factors such as cholesterol. blood pressure, physical activity, cigarette smoking and obesity. More than 1,000 scientific papers were produced from this study that showed a strong correlation between high blood cholesterol and heart disease (The China Study, T.C. Campbell and T.M. Campbell).

In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and over 30,000 American soldiers were killed. Military medical investigators examined the hearts of 300 male soldiers and published their results in the Journal of the American Medical Association finding 77.3% of the hearts examined showed “gross” evidence of heart disease.

Many scientists have contributed to the development of true scientific understanding of nutrition in relation to disease since then. Dr. George Macilwain, a prominent surgeon of the 1800′s and a vegetarian, has contributed fourteen books on medicine & health popularizing “the constitutional nature of disease.” Dr. John McDougall, author of ten books on nutrition including “The McDougall Plan,” also advocates a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Dr. Dean Ornish, Harvard graduate, is famous for his Lifestyle Heart Trial where he enforced stress management, meditation, three hours of exercise per week, breathing and relaxation exercises as well as cutting out almost all animal products from their diets. He found that 82% of his patients who adopted the lifestyle changes experienced a regression of their heart disease in one year.

Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., aka “Dr. Sprouts,” was a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and at St. George’s Hospital in London, president of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons and voted one of the best doctors in America in 1994-95. Dr. Sprouts began studying nutrition and found that diets rich in meat, fat and highly refined foods caused disease. He began experimenting with his patients putting them on a vegetarian and had the greatest success ever recorded on treating heart disease. Never before has their been such a compelling mountain of evidence recommending a whole-foods, plant-based diet. This stacked up against the equally important and pressing issue of the record deterioration of American health with correlation to the Standard American Diet.

Many of us are unaware of these studies because there is no agency or industry with the motivation to share them with. As a Biology major graduate and a nutritional educator, I am not interested in what is popular, but what is believed to be true by the standards of the most well-respected scientists in the field. We cannot be held responsible for what we do not know, but hopefully, now you can make an educated decision on where to go from here. Stepping out into the unknown is scary. And often times people switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet, fill themselves with the wrong replacement foods. It is necessary to fill your diet with smarter food choices, ones that promote health and wellness. Start learning by reading as many articles and books you can written by reputable and unbiased resources and begin applying what you learn to buying food at the market. Sunrider International makes the most pure and concentrated whole food products that are so convenient to use. They are made from Chinese herbs, which have the backing of over 5,000 years of empirical knowledge of the Chinese royal family on their people. The owners of Sunrider are members of the royal family and have been handed down this ancient knowledge. Dr. Te-Fu Chen is a world renowned herbalist and pharmacologist. Dr. Oi-Lin Chen is a licensed western medical doctor. Together, they make the best foods on the planet! Their factories are pharmaceutical-grade and their quality control is unmatched by any company on the market today.

It is easy to catch one’s attention using 18X24 poster printing. Just take a walk in the city you’ll see the evidence. There are even more posters in malls vying for your attention, especially with stores competing for attention in announcing sales and other promotions

Conventional wisdom dictates that the bigger the medium, the better the chances of getting media mileage. This proves to be true as more products and services are endorsed through 18×24 posters.

Through life, we rely heavily on visual materials to guide us through life. Media such as television and print ably helps us conceive ideas better, imitate models and the like. This is one of the strongest points of advertising, selling products with stunning images that will wow all kinds of audiences.

18×24 Posters and Advertising

If you’re thinking of advertising your products, you should know that it isn’t just a one shot deal. You have to continuously promote your products and services, such that your company and brand’s presence may be felt all throughout the year. This can only increase your sales activity more favorably.

o And while everyone cannot afford expensive production and air time costs for televisions or even billboards, you can always go for cheap poster printing.

o Even if you’re a small-scale business owner, you too can afford advertising through economical means. One of which is offset poster printing, using 18×24 posters.

o As said earlier, there is nothing like a huge-sized poster print to arrest your target market’s attention. Its presence alone makes itself stand out.

o Crowds can easily gaze at and read your poster. Big prints can be viewed near or far that both pedestrians and motorists can ably and easily take notice of your posters.

o You can place posters strategic locations such as high-traffic areas and you’ll see just how many people have become aware of your products in a day.

o Unlike television commercials which rely on people to switch on their television sets, posters can reach out to various audiences without requiring anything of them.

Poster Advertising Strategies

You always have to have a plan set-up when you print posters. You have to set your goals and get the results you need – be it for increasing the sales of a particular product or your whole store in general.

1. A good tactic to use is by increasing the quantity of your posters. Literally bombard popular places where crowds gather with posters holding images of your product or brand, to remind and prompt people to buy.

2. Quality, full color posters are more attractive to the eyes. Always go for full color printing.

3. Posters can also be printed on both sides and are useful in advertising indoors and outdoors. On your store windows, you can advertise to pedestrians and motorists as they pass by. Using the same posters, you can advertise more of your products to your customers while they are inside your store.

4. Posters can be pasted up or displayed on windows. But you can also hand them up on light posts, in hallway ceilings and the like. Follow the direction of your eyes and see just where your eyes land on when walking in the most populous places.

Use 18×24 poster printing to advertise your business. See to it that you only contact a color printing expert, so you stand to gain colorful posters too at wholesale prices. Make your business, brand and services stand out with 18×24 posters. Employ these strategies too so you know just how you can make full use of your posters.

Wherever you look, you are guaranteed sight of an ad for a weight loss product or service. It can be a careful pitch from a local aerobics class or an over-the-top claim for a “natural” product that you can eat as much as you like and still lose weight. This evidences a sad truth. As millions of us grow steadily more overweight, there are thousands of companies and tens of thousands of products and services that target us. The intention is to exploit our fears and insecurities, and so extract the maximum amount of dollars from us. This business is worth billions every year and, truth be told, the first thing that gets lost in the marketing is the truth. Although the FDA has a specific department tasked with policing the advertizing of all weight-loss products, it has been consistently underfunded and is completely unable to stay on top of the flood of ads that compete for our attention. Similarly, the majority of states have “false claims” laws that allow action to be taken against any seller or service provider exaggerating the quality, effectiveness or value of their product or service. But states are often reluctant to interfere in the “free market” and leave it to individuals to claim they have been cheated by the companies.

As an example of the problems affecting all of us, let’s look at the activities of Basic Research and ThinCare International. These two linked companies are based in Utah but sell online to all US states. Their sales pitch is simple. If you take two pills before your main meal, you will lose weight no matter how much you eat. Better still, this is effortless weight loss and guaranteed even though you never stir from the couch. Instead of the conventional wisdom, “No pain, no gain!” (or should that be loss?), there’s no need to exercise. The pounds just drop off your body thanks to the chemical wizardry of these companies. What has made this ad campaign so successful has been the presence of Jillian Michaels as brand ambassador. Ms Michaels appears on the reality show, “The Biggest Loser”, as a personal trainer to the contestants as they sweat and groan their way towards cash and other prizes for losing weight. In this role, her reputation depends on a clear and consistent message. If you want to lose weight, you have to be disciplined in exercising and eating healthy food. For her to endorse an “effortless” product therefore looks less than completely honest.

It is significant that the two companies and the FDA are already engaged in court battles. The companies allege the FDA is wrong in rejecting their “scientific” evidence of effectiveness. To that litigation, you can now add false claims actions in California and Utah. Of course, you can take the cynical line that everyone knows ads always exaggerate the truth. Anyone who buys a product based on the marketing deserves to lose his or her money. Except there comes a point when the law has to step in and say, “Enough!” It seems this point has been reached with these products. It will be for Ms Michaels to defend her reputation. All of which bring us to phentermine hcl which has quietly been selling for decades as the best of the real drugs designed to support weight loss. It makes no exaggerated claims. Its effectiveness is supported by real scientific evidence. When you buy phentermine online, you are buying a successful product. Honest!

Winter weather will soon be here in many parts of the country, yet many of us enjoy our wild birds year-round. Should you continue feeding them in winter? What should you feed them, and how should you go about it?

The “conventional wisdom” has always been that you should feed wild birds in winter because their normal source of food – small seeds and insects – has dramatically diminished. But is the conventional wisdom correct? By attracting birds to our feeders, are we making them too dependent on a free source of food, and weakening their ability to find food on their own? Do we actually put birds at greater risk because of cats and flying into windows?

These are not easy questions to answer because there has been little research into the subject. However a three-year study of chickadees by the University of Wisconsin found that winter survival rates were highest among chickadee populations that were fed – but only during the harshest winters. During more moderate winters (and lower latitudes) there were no significant differences in survival rates and spring hatching rates between chickadees that were fed and those that foraged for themselves.

What if the feeders are removed? Can chickadees “remember” how to find food on their own? In a similar study, feeders were suddenly removed after conditioning the birds to feeders for many years. The birds immediately resumed feeding on their own. Again, survival rates were the same as for chickadees that were not used to feeders. While more research needs to be done, these studies indicate that feeding chickadees – and presumably, other wild birds – does not result in feeder dependency.

Some argue that feeders put birds at risk because of the presumed greater risk of predation. However, birds that eat from feeders eat more in less time than if they forage in the wild, giving them more time to watch for predators. You can minimize the risk to birds at your feeder by placing feeders where they are inaccessible by cats, and by adding tape or decals to your windows so birds won’t fly into them.

That’s the research. Now, if you do want to feed wild birds this winter, here are some specific things you can do to keep your wild birds well fed.

Birdscape your yard. Both deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs provide seeds and shelter. In the spring, they provide nesting places. Ornamental grasses also provide food and shelter for ground birds. Perennial flowers that have been allowed to go to seed can also provide food over the winter.

Provide a source of water. Wild birds need water, even in winter. Obviously, freezing is an issue, so a heater is a necessity. Also, birds like moving water, and water jigglers are available as well. Locate your bird bath where you can see it so you can enjoy watching the birds frolic in the water.

Selecting a Feeder. There is a huge variety of feeders on the market, but some are better than others. Steel, aluminum, plastic or glass feeders have an advantage over wood because they are easier to keep clean and will probably last longer. Look for feeders with metal components and feeding ports, as they will last longer than plastic.

The feeder should keep the food dry in wet weather. Feeders are available with domes or roofs that will help keep the food dry. If the feeder is a platform style (as opposed to a tube style) make sure there are drain holes in the bottom.

Squirrels and Raccoons are a constant problem, as they will empty a feeder, denying your wild birds their food. They will destroy a wood or plastic feeder by chewing though it, so the additional cost of a well-made feeder is money well spent. Some squirrel-proof feeders are quite effective, but proper installation is the real key to keeping moochers off your feeders.

Maintaining your feeder. The most important part of maintaining your feeder is ensuring that the food is fresh and clean. A huge feeder with a “ten pound capacity” is not necessary or even desirable because it is likely the food will spoil before it is eaten. Some very good tube feeders will hold a lot of food, but the purpose of the long tube is to prevent squirrels from hanging from the top, not for huge food capacity.

After a rain or period of damp weather, inspect your feeders and discard any food that has gotten wet. Wet food will coagulate in the feeder, blocking food from naturally dropping to the feeding ports. Also, wet food is a breeding ground for algae and mold that will discourage birds from eating and may make them sick.

Set up more than one feeder with different types of food – perhaps sunflower seeds in one, and finch food in another.

Your feeders should be installed to minimize the chances of predation. The primary preditors are cats, so the feeder must be installed so that cats cannot climb or jump to the feeding area.

Bottom line – don’t feel you are doing your birds harm by feeding them during the winter. Follow the above suggestions, and you can enjoy your wild birds all winter long.