Do NOT Eat Tilapia!!!!!!!

Once every two weeks and sometimes every week, my wife and I would grocery shop for the week with our grocery list including scheduled dinners for the week. My wife would tell you how detailed and “by the book” I am. I love to be organized at all times with order, structure and discipline. Upon our grocery list we station our specific products under several categories such as; Produce, Dairy, Poultry, Seasonings, Snacks, Beverages, Cleaning, Frozen products etc. My wife and I are very selective when it comes to the meats we consume. Fish is one of the poultry products we enjoy. At times I would pick up Red Snapper, Catfish or Tilapia. After taking my selected product from the frozen shelve, my wife would take a look at the package. She points out that the fish is farm raised and it is not good to eat it. She didn’t go into too much details but I trusted her judgement. We went over to the butcher and requested wild caught Red Snapper. 

After reading this article link (below), my knowledge embellished even further on the dissimilarities of farm raised fish and wild caught fish. From now on our selection will always be wild caught fish. 

Article: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=266999

- Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." -Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com

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Weird Facts about the Human Body [blog #50]

• Men lose about 40 hairs in a day and women lose 70 hairs in a day.
• Your Blood has same amount of salts in it as an ocean has.
• You are taller in the morning than you are at night.
• Heart circulates blood in your body about 1000 times each day.
• Eyelashes last about 150 days.
• there are 500 Hairs in an eyebrow.
• The average human body contains approximately 100 billion nerve cells.
• It is not possible to sneeze with open eyes.
• Bones are 4 times stronger than concrete.
• Average life span of a taste bud is only 10 days. 
• You are born without knee caps and they don’t appear until age of 2 to 6 years old.
• Children grow faster in springtime
• Eyes stay the same size throughout life but nose and ears never stop growing. We born wit 300 bones but end up with 206 bones when we are an adult.
• Human Skull is made up of 26 different bones. 
• Hair is made of same substance as fingernails.
• Our entire body functions stop when we sneeze, even your heart beat.
• Typical person goes to bathroom six times a day.
• Food takes 7 seconds to reach stomach from mouth.
• Children have more taste buds than adults.
• Sneeze blows air out of nose at the speed of 100 mph. 
• Largest muscle in your body is one on which you are sitting on.

- Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." -Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com

Fast Food = Fast Death Pt. 2: Misconception of Gluttony

Santa Claus is the only make-believe character that is more readily recognized by school children Ronald McDonald. But fast food in America is not just for kids. We are an obese nation, and most of us spend more time than we’d like to admit, eating fast food. It has become a way of life for those who rush from one activity to another, with no time to grocery shop or cook. Most of our fast food decisions are not even planned. As the television says, “Life comes at you fast.”, and we don’t spend a lot time on meal planning. And why should we, when there’s plenty of fast food available on every street corner? It’s at the sports stadium, the carnival, Kmart, the shopping mall, concerts, the circus, the movies, the beach ... well, you get the picture. The family-owned restaurant is becoming a faint memory, while fast food chain restaurants are springing up all over the cities and interstates. 

Perhaps you’re wondering what’s so bad about a fast food strawberry milkshake now and then? Milk is good for you, isn’t it? And fresh strawberries are certainly healthy. That may be true, but in most fast food shakes you’ll find little milk and no strawberries. But what you will find is 59 ingredients, and 40 of them are chemicals. Let me name a few -- amyl butyrate, ethyl heptanoate, methyl anthranilate, and 4-methylacetophenone. Tasty sounding, aren’t they? Nowhere will you find an actual strawberry. The whole “shake” (Notice the absence of the word “Milk” on the menu board) is made with artificial flavorings. But if you take a whiff, you’d swear you smell strawberries.

The ingredient list of a fast food “Happy Meal” that contained chicken nuggets, fries and a High-C drink. The list of additives was half a page long! Some of the chemical additives in fast food have been linked to tumors, cancer, and other health risk.

Well, what about a fast food burger? Those shouldn’t be so bad. Wrong again. Apparently they’re not even made from the beef of one cow these days, according to Quality Health News. The USDA says that the typical fast food hamburger may contain hundreds of strips of beef from different cattle! I shudder to think how far the contaminated meat (of a cow with mad cow or any disease) could travel. Apparently, this is even true with the ground beef we now buy in the grocery store. Most of us remember the Jack in the Box fat food catastrophe in 1993, when four children died, and 750 were sickened, from a deadly strain of E. Coli bacteria. Even though a new meat inspection system is in place, because of that tragedy, consumers are still vulnerable to serious fast food risks. 

And if that’s not bad enough, the buns have dangerous additives, and so much of the fast food is fried, and is heavy on the fat, salt, and sugar. There used to be local slaughter houses all throughout the U.S., but today just 13 massive slaughter houses supply most of our country’s fast food hamburger meat. So you can see why an outbreak could spread quickly across the nation.Fast food has also been found to be psychologically and even physically addictive, because of its high fat and high sugar content.  

Potassium bromate, a dough conditioner and bleaching agent that has been banned in many countries, is still being allowed in the United States and Japan. The International Agency for Research on Cancer labeled it a Category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans). and yet, it is till currently used in the fast food buns served at Burger King, Arby’s and Wendy’s, as reported by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Blog Reference:

• Fast Food = Fast Death Pt1 

- Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." - Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com

Benefits of Onions

Benefits of Onions

What would life be like without onions? The onion has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. World onion production is steadily increasing so that onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes. There are many different varieties of onion, red, yellow, white, and green, each with their own unique flavor, from very strong to mildly sweet. Onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried, or roasted. They are commonly used to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes.

Onions belong to the lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots.  There are over 600 species, distributed all over Europe, North America, Northern Africa and Asia. The plants can be used as ornamentals, vegetables, spices, or as medicine. There are over 120 different documented uses of Onions.

Onion and other vegetables are characterized by their rich content of thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other oderiferous sulfur compounds. The cysteine sulfoxides are primarily responsible for the onion flavor and produce the eye-irritating compounds that induce lacrimation. The thiosulfinates exhibit antimicrobial properties. Onion is effective against many bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. Onion is not as potent as garlic since the sulfur compounds in onion are only about one-quarter the level found in garlic. 

The Onions Value 

Onions have a variety of medicinal effects. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of onions for the treatment of poor appetite and to prevent atherosclerosis. In addition, onion extracts are recognized by WHO for providing relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis. Onions are known to decrease bronchial spasms. An onion extract was found to decrease allergy induced bronchial constriction in asthma patients.

Cardiovascular Help

Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. In India, communities that never consumed onions or garlic had blood cholesterol levels substantially higher, and blood clotting times shorter, than the communities that ate liberal amounts of garlic and onions. Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, substances known to provide protection against cardiovascular disease. Onions are also natural anti-clotting agents since they possess substances with fibrinolytic activity and can suppress platelet-clumping. The anti-clotting effect of onions closely correlates with their sulfur content. 

Cancer Prevention

Onion extracts, rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth. In central Georgia where Vidalia onion are grown, mortality rates from stomach cancer are about one-half the average level for the United States. Studies in Greece have shown a high consumption of onions, garlic and other allium herbs to be protective against stomach cancer.

Chinese with the highest intake of onions, garlic, and other Allium vegetables have a risk of stomach cancer 40 percent less that those with the lowest intake. Elderly Dutch men and women with the highest onion consumption (at least one-half onion/day) had one - half the level of stomach cancer compared with those consuming no onions at all.

Use and Safety

Onions have a universal appeal. They are safely consumed by most people. However, consuming large quantities of onions can lead to stomach distress and gastrointestinal irritation that may result in nausea and diarrhea. There are no known interactions with drugs except that they can potentiate the action of anticoagulants. 

Conclusion

Onions, and other Allium species, are highly valued herbs possessing culinary and medicinal value. Some of their beneficial properties are seen after long term usage. Onion may be a useful herb for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially since they diminish the risk of blood clots. Onions also protects against stomach and other cancers, as well as protecting against certain infections. Onion can improve lung function, especially in asthmatics. The more pungent varieties of onion appear to possess the greatest concentration of health-promoting phytochemicals.

- Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." - Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com

Bike Ride Cardiovascular Experience

When I first moved here to Texas, I helped a professional moving company unload our truck to place our items, furniture and appliances into the house. I’ve noticed how easily fatigued I became after placing some chairs into their respective places. I was experiencing shortness of breath and an irregular heart pace. I was concerned about my blood pressure level as well. Later on that day, my wife and I drove over to Kroger’s supermarket to buy a few groceries for the house. We were making our way over to the frozen section, we passed the pharmacy and I saw this seat that checks out your blood pressure. I so happened to take a seat, press the green button and the test proceeded. The results came back as 188/82. I’ve shared the info with the pharmacist. She said, “Sir, your blood pressure level is in stroke or heart attack territory.” Then she began to ask me a series of health questions. I wasn’t stunned or shocked after hearing what I’ve just heard. I knew for a fact I haven’t been exercising nor eating the right kind of foods. The first thing that came to my mind was, “Boy, You need to exercise, drink plenty of water and eat correctly.” I’ve made a personal commitment to quit eating fast food meals, stopped eating after 8pm, cooked more healthier meals at home. The very next week I went over to Sports Authority in Plano, Texas to purchase me a Road Bike. I was SO excited. I felt like a kid on my birthday, couldn’t wait to get home to ride my bicycle. I purchased some biker shorts with butt pads, a pump, bike cup holder, bike pouch and gloves as additional accessories.  

Every morning daily at 5:30 I’d set out to exercise by way of bike riding. The gears to my bike were set to the highest level of resistance to built muscle mass and strength in my legs. I felt my heart beating faster (in a good way), I’ve sweated, thighs & legs were burning, it felt GREAT!!! I could feel my blood pumping in my veins through cardiovascular. I felt back to my normal self again. I didn’t have the weird feeling in my chest anymore, no more heavy breathing and low energy etc. I’m glad I listened to the signals my body were sending to my brain. As an encouragement to those who maybe dealing with certain health issues, by all means please listen to your body and get checked up by the doctors. Don’t wait till it’s too late. 

- Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." - Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com

One of many reasons why our tap water look cloudy sometimes.

Milky white water, also commonly described as cloudy, hazy, soapy, or foamy, is almost always caused by air in the water. One of the many properties of water is it’s ability to dissolve gases. Sometimes the air comes out of the water in the form of many tiny bubbles which gives water a milky white appearance. To see if the white color in the water is due to air, fill a clear glass with water and set it on the counter. Observe the glass of water for 2 or 3 minutes. If the white color is due to air, the water will begin to clear at the bottom of the glass first, then gradually to the top. This is a natural phenomenon and is completely normal, the water is safe to use. This can happen in the springtime when the weather begins to warm, anytime there is a significant heat wave, or whenever the water has been turned off for repairs. Cold water holds more dissolved air than warm water. In the spring, the water supply in our reservoirs is cold and contains a relatively high level of dissolved air. As the water moves through the water mains in the streets and the pipes in your house, it begins to warm and lose some of its ability to keep air dissolved. However, because the water is under pressure in the pipes, the air remains in the water. When you relieve the pressure by opening the faucet and filling your glass with water, the air is free to escape from the water, giving it a milky appearance for a few minutes. This same set of circumstances can cause your hot water to be cloudy. 

One morning I was getting set to work out. I wanted to make sure I brought bottled water with me. I used my empty smart water bottle to fill it up with tap water. Now, tap water is my last of the last, matter of life or death options. My SD 501 water ionizer was still packed away in the closet and I had no time in setting it up. Foggy white milky looking water entered into my bottle. My level of skepticism and curiosity was at an All-Time high in my mind. So, I chose to workout without taking the bottle of tap water with me. No Thank You! 

Milky white water can also form after the City Water Board has worked on a water main or you have had work done on your plumbing. When the water is shut off, air can get in the water main or your pipes. When the water pressure is restored, some of that air dissolves into the water. When you again relieve the pressure by opening the faucet, the air is free to escape from the water, thus giving it a milky white appearance for a few minutes. This phenomenon will usually last several days to several weeks, depending on many different factors.

- Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." -Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com

The Truth within the Hot Dog.

 Right now it is Baseball season, and you’ve likely eaten your share of ballpark dogs (9 percent of all hot dogs purchased are bought at baseball stadiums, after all), it’s the perfect time to delve into what’s really in one of America’s favorite foods: the hot dog.

It’s the subject of many urban legends, the object of may grade-schoolers double dares: do hot dogs contain pig snouts and chicken feathers, or are they really made from high-quality meat?

The debate certainly hasn’t put a damper on Americans enthusiam for the food. The U.S. population consumes about 20 billion hot dogs a year, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. That works out to about 70 hot dogs per person, per year. And, an estimated 95 percent of U.S. homes serve hot dogs at one meal or another.

Wondering how many hotdogs are sold each year? In 2005, retail stores sold 764 million packages of hot dogs (not including Wal-Mart), which adds up to more  than $1.5 billion in retail sales.

What’s in a Hotdog?

On to the million-dollar question: what are hot dogs made of? According to the National Hot dog and Sausage Council:

“All hot dogs are cured and cooked sausages that consist of mainly pork, beef, chicken and turkey or a combination of meat and poultry. Meats used in hot dogs come from the muscle of the animal and looks much like what you buy in the grocer’s case. Other ingredients include water, curing agents and spices, such as garlic, salt, sugar, ground mustard, nutmeg, coriander and whiter pepper”

However, there are a couple of caveats. Variety meats, which include things like liver, kidneys and hearts, may be used in processed meats like hot dogs, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that they be disclosed on the ingredient label as “with variety meats” or “with meat by-products.” 

Furthermore, watch out for statements like “made with mechanically separated meats (MSM).” Mechanically separated meat is a paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones, with attached edible meat, under high pressure through a sieve or similar device to separate the bone from the edible meat tissue.

Although Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) maintains that MSM are safe to eat, mechanically separated beef is no longer allowed in hot dogs or other processed meats (as of 2004) because of fears of “Mad Cow Disease”. Hot dogs can contain no more than 20 percent mechanically separated pork, and any amount of mechanically separated chicken or turkey.

So if you’re looking for the purest franks, pick those that are labeled “All Beef”, “All Pork” or “All Chicken, All Turkey, etc.” Franks labeled in this way must be made with meat from a single species and do not include byproducts (but check the label anyway, just to be sure. Turkey and chicken franks, for instance, can include turkey or chicken meat and turkey or chicken skin and fat in proportion to a turkey or chicken carcass).

Are Hot Dogs Unhealthy?

Eating lots of processed meats like hot dogs has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Part of that risk is probably due to the additives used in the meats, namely sodium nitrite and MSG. 

Sodium nitrite (or sodium nitrate) is used as a preservative, coloring and flavoring in hot dogs (and other processed meats), and studies have found it can lead to the formation of cancer causing chemicals call nitrosamines. 

If you love hot dogs and are looking for healthier alternative, opt for nitrate-free, organic varieties (available in health food stores and increasingly in regular supermarkets) that contain all meat, no byproducts and not artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. 

-Renix Graham, III

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." -Henry David Thoreau

Get your FREE Healthy Water eBook at: www.AbsoluteWater4theWise.com