Critique of Weigh Down, a Continuing Dialogue

by Karen Railey
Karen is the author of the popular book, How to Improve Fading Memory and Thinking Skills with Nutrition.

I have read Pete Holzmann's response to my Weigh Down critique and would like to elaborate on a few of the more significant points.

PH: Gwen recognizes that God has gifted mankind with skills enabling us to create some wonderful, tasty, nutritiously safe/beneficial foods... none of which grow on trees.

KR: Yes, God has gifted us with many skills. However we have often greatly misused them. Man has perverted God's creation in the realm of food as well as other areas. Man's concoctions may taste wonderful to us but most are totally deformed shadows of the original substance and a misuse of God's wonderful gift of food. The reason they taste so good to us is because they dull and distort our tastes for natural flavors and interfere with our God given desire to eat foods that are truly beneficial to our physiology. These things are formulated by man to appeal to and perpetuate this distorted sense of taste and make profits without due consideration regarding the nutritional detriment that they cause.

The healthiest way to eat is to choose foods that are the closest to their original state. The more processed a food is, the less healthy it becomes

· These are the foods that were created for us and are physiologically compatible with the human body and conducive to creating and maintaining health, quality of life, and longevity.

PH: I'd hope that Karen would agree bread is a "man made" food that is used throughout history and throughout the Bible. :-)

KR: This depends on what your definition of bread is. The bread made and consumed during Bible times and in traditional societies was very different than some of the stuff we call bread today. It was definitely whole grain and sprouted grain bread, minimally processed then dried or baked. Many of our breads today are made of white flour that has been stripped of all its nutrients and bleached with chemicals. It then has synthetic vitamins and minerals added which the human body cannot assimilate. If that wasn't enough, it is then loaded with preservatives, colorings, and other chemicals. It has no nutritional resemblance to the whole grains it originated from or the bread consumed in earlier times or in primitive cultures. Fortunately there are still some good organic whole grain and sprouted grain breads available to us.

· ...The foods God created will satisfy those requirements. Fresh, whole, unprocessed, or minimally processed foods are best. By contrast, the concoctions that are man made or foods that have been adulterated by man lack the proper nutritional content to maintain life and/or contain substances that are toxic and disruptive to our health and our bodies.

PH: While there is a strong kernel of truth in this statement, it is a broad overgeneralization that is demonstrably false. Throughout history, people have eaten "concoctions" that combine a variety of ingredients into a wholesome, nutritious meal. Longevity is not dependent on eating fresh/whole/unprocessed foods. (Think about Italians, who eat olives and olive oil -- rather highly processed foods! -- with long, long lifespans.)

KR: Longevity, health, and quality of life are very dependent on what we eat. There is much evidence of this. The following is just one example.

Dr. Weston Price was a dentist who traveled the world extensively during the 1920's and 30's studying the effects of traditional or primitive diets and processed foods on the health and longevity of many diverse populations. The conclusions of his research show that cultures which were of the best character, the strongest and healthiest, and with the greatest longevity and resistance to disease, consumed diets based on whole, natural foods. They ate much of their food raw: fruits, vegetables, dairy, and even much of the meat if meat was eaten in a particular culture. The food consumed by these cultures was of high quality: Produce was free of pesticides, grains whole, the animals were lean and free of hormones, antibiotics, and pesticide residues, and fed their natural diets. These people were virtually free of the common diseases of civilization-hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, colitis, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and stroke, to name a few. Many lived well beyond 100 years of age and were not ill in any way, but still active and alert. Dr. Price noted that when these people moved to cities and began to consume processed foods, they begin to fall prey to these diseases, and life expectancy was shortened. Those who returned to their native village and began eating their traditional diet again got well. There is information on Dr. Price's research in Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine by Ronald F. Schmid and Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston Price.

As for the Italians, olives and olive oil do not constitute the entirety of their diet. It is what comprises the bulk of their dietary intake that makes the difference. Their native diet includes much whole, fresh, seasonal food and minimally processed whole grains, whole grain pastas and breads. As their diet becomes more westernized and more processed foods are consumed their longevity, quality of life and health will be compromised. It has happened in every culture where processed foods have been introduced, including our own.

Extra virgin olive oil is not highly processed. Gentle pressure is used for the first pressing and this generates low heat that is not much above average room temperature. Olive oil contains health-promoting components and has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Olives go through more processing as they must be "pickled" or cooked in vinegar before they are edible. Commercial processors also put the olives through a lye bath, then a lye removal bath.

· Advocating the use of diet drinks and artificially sweetened teas is not health promoting advice. Aspartame is a substance that is a neurotoxin, and has caused a whole host of problems for people consuming it: headaches, memory problems, joint pain, weight gain, and brain tumors to name a few.

PH: Karen has bought into an urban legend here. If you examine the studies, you'll find: 1) There's little or no difference between incidence of most of these symptoms in the control (placebo) group and the test (Aspartame) group. 2) The guy promoting the idea that Aspartame causes brain tumors blew it, VERY badly. Using his own data, one must conclude that if anything, increased use of Aspartame REDUCES brain tumors! Yes, there has been an increase in brain tumors that correlates with use of Aspartame in the general population. But if one breaks it down by age group, one discovers that the age group using the most Aspartame has seen REDUCED incidence of tumors, while the group with the biggest increase in tumors uses relatively little Aspartame. Gotta be careful with our use of statistics! :-)

KR: NutraSweet is made of aspartic acid, phenylalanine and methanol. The first two ingredients are amino acids. The third ingredient, methanol, is a highly toxic solvent that used in the production of fuel and anti-freeze.

There is an excellent web-site with an abundance of information about aspartame. I suggest that people look at the information on this site and it's links then decide if aspartame is something that they want to include in their diet.

http://www.hsv.com/pub_serv/aspertim/

· The idea that exercise is not important is an unhealthy idea, because exercise will help with losing weight as fat, will raise the metabolism, and increase lean tissue mass. Dissuading exercise contributes to discouraging beneficial life style changes in the lives of the participants.

PH: Weigh Down doesn't dissuade from exercise. We briefly discussed the beneficial health aspects of exercise. It was just pointed out that exercise is a separate issue related to health, not to weight/eating.

KR: More is involved in properly losing weight as fat and not lean body mass than just cutting down on the amounts eaten. Let's look at some important considerations in weight loss, including exercise.

Weight loss without exercise can result in the loss of a substantial amount of lean body mass along with body fat and can result in detrimental changes in body composition. Muscle, bone, and even vital organ tissues, the components of lean body mass, can be lost. Exercise increases the metabolic rate, the rate at which our body converts food into energy; will increase the amount of calorie consuming enzymes inside the muscle tissue; and increase lean body mass. As the muscle tissue increases, the metabolic rate increases and calories are burned at a faster rate.

The types of foods eaten play an important role in losing weight as fat and not muscle. Fresh whole thermogenic foods that are high in fiber will reduce the amount of fat available to the fat cells by reducing the fat levels in the blood. These foods are lower in calories and fat than other foods and because fiber swells with moisture will be more filling than foods lacking fiber. The intestinal transit time for high fiber foods is shorter, which will result in the absorption of fewer calories. Whole grains, beans, legumes, and fresh vegetables and fruits are all high in fiber. Eating a variety of nutritionally dense foods will help with hunger. If the body is getting the nutrition it needs it won't be constantly hungry. Intake of fats, sugar, salt, and processed foods should be minimal.

In The Healing Power of Foods, Dr. Murray states that regular fruit consumption may also help control the appetite and promote weight loss. While aspartame (NutraSweet), glucose, and sucrose may increase the appetite, several studies have found that fructose actually decreases the quantities of calories and fat consumed.

Dieting by drastically cutting caloric intake will result in loss of lean body mass and not fat loss. The body doesn't distinguish between famine and intentional calorie reduction, it just knows it is getting fewer calories. The body, sensing the reduction in calories goes into a famine mode where the metabolic rate is reduced and instead of burning fat, will began to store it

There is a vital connection between drinking water and fat loss. It is believed that when we burn 16 ounces of fat, the body generates 22 ounces of water, which must be flushed out by drinking more water. Drinking less than 64 ounces of water a day can result in fluid retention because the body will feel threatened by the lack of water and to protect itself will hold onto the water in the body. Water can suppress the appetite naturally and helps the body to metabolize stored fat. Drinking water eliminates fluid retention and more fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize the fat quickly. The kidneys cannot function properly without enough water and when they don't work to capacity, some of their work is loaded on the liver forcing it to metabolize less fat. Water helps to flush out toxins and helps in maintaining normal bodily functions such as temperature control and electrolytic balance. It helps to prevent constipation as well as sagging skin during fat loss.

A person who is thin can be carrying body fat where it is dangerous…next to vital organs, where it can cause problems far more serious than the body fat seen on the outside. Thin does not mean healthy, nor does it indicate a low percentage of body fat.

· I do not believe eating the SAD, even less of it, is God's original plan for eating. To encourage focus on God and spiritual growth the following could be implemented into a program:

PH: (Not sure what the "SAD" is, but Karen's recommended program is basically what Weigh Down teaches, with significantly more depth. As far as I can tell, the main disagreement here is over what are "truly healthful foods". Weigh Down allows for a far broader range of foods than Karen does.

KR: SAD stands for the Standard American Diet.

The health of the American people has steadily declined over the last few decades and poor nutrition caused by dietary changes is the most significant factor. While there are other dietary trends such as vegetarian, raw food, macrobiotic, and whole food diets, for most American families whole food consumption is minimal. Families are eating an extremely unbalanced, unhealthy diet consisting mainly of cooked, processed and fast foods.

Misleading information from the various food and food processing industries, government agencies, and the media has had a dramatic influence on our food choices. They have promoted many foods as healthful when in fact they are detrimental to our health and well being. Many people believe they are eating a healthy diet when in reality they are not. Also, food choices are often made considering only taste and/or convenience and ease of preparation, rather than nutritional benefit. Other factors influencing food choices are cultural conditioning, and price. Some foods are addictive and this also affects food choices.

Let's look at some of the foods that are the basis of the SAD, and the inherent problems concerning them. Included are some suggestions for transitional and replacement foods that may help with dietary change. Much of the following information about the SAD foods was harvested from God's Way to Ultimate Health by Rev. George Malkmus, and Recipes for Life by Rhonda Malkmus. These are two excellent books for those desiring to make a transition to a healthful diet.

Meat and Poultry
Today the fat content of animal food is much higher than in the grazing and wild animals of the past. Presently beef cattle contain 25% to 50% fat or more. Wild and free-range grazing animals of the past have had fat contents as low as 4%. Meat in primitive diets contained four to five times the beneficial fatty acids contained in meats today. Neal Barnard, M.D., states: "The over-consumption of livestock products have led to cancer and heart disease in epidemic numbers, and has killed more people than any other factor in America. More than automobile accidents, more than tobacco, more than all the wars of this country combined." Dr. Paavo Airola, warns that excessive protein contributes to toxemia, excessive acidity, nutritional deficiencies, uric acid accumulations and putrefaction in the intestines. It also contributes to arthritis, kidney disease, atherosclerosis, cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, schizophrenia and pyorrhea, lowers life expectancy, and leads to premature aging.

Cattle and poultry are now raised in overcrowded, unhealthy conditions and routinely given preventive antibiotics. The animals are also given growth hormones and ingest many chemicals from their feed such as pesticides and fungicides. These contaminants, many of which are carcinogenic, are stored in the animal's fatty tissue and eaten by those consuming meat. Now non-organic meat can be irradiated and there is no requirement for inclusion of that information on the labels.

Animal products contain cholesterol and contain no fiber. Fiber is essential for proper function of the digestive system.

If you feel you must consume meat, choosing organic and free range animal foods and eating meat or poultry only occasionally, will go a long way in diminishing the problems caused by the overuse of these products. To replace meat, use brown rice and other whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, and tofu.

Dairy Products
Most commercial dairy products are pasteurized and homogenized. The nutritional value of dairy products is destroyed due to the high temperatures required for pasteurization. Synthetic vitamins are added back into these products; unfortunately these vitamins are not readily assimilable by the human body. Physical problems experienced by babies and young children include colds, ear infections, swollen glands, and allergies, and have been associated with the consumption of milk and other dairy products. Studies have linked the use of dairy products to skin rashes, arteriosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tooth decay, and other diseases. In his book, Don't Drink Your Milk, Frank A. Oski, M.D., head of Pediatrics, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, says: "Cow milk has no valid claim as the perfect food. As nutrition, it produces allergies in infants, diarrhea and cramps in the older child and adult, and may be a factor in the development of heart attacks and strokes...cows' milk also contains a bovine virus that causes tumors in cattle. This virus is not destroyed in the pasteurization process and has been proven to introduce leukemia in cattle and in chimpanzees." According to Dr. Oski, most infections that can be transmitted to chimpanzees can also be transmitted to humans.

Dairy contains antibiotics, growth hormones, and pesticides ingested by the cow, and they will be in the dairy products that your family consumes. Alternatives to cows' milk include soy and rice milks, nut and seed milks, oat milk, and organic, raw goat milk. Soy cheese, nut and seed cheeses, or raw, organic goat cheese is preferable to using pasteurized, processed cheese made from cows' milk.

Sugar
Sugar (sucrose) is an addictive substance, has no food value, and is extremely detrimental to good health. Sugar is added to most processed foods, and many of the best selling breakfast cereals contain as much as 50% sugar! One candy bar contains the same amount of sugar as three pounds of apples. Nancy Appleton, M.D., reveals in her book, Lick the Sugar Habit, that sugar can suppress the immune system (30 teaspoons will shut down the immune system for a day); upset the mineral balance in the body; and cause or contribute to many conditions including hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, kidney damage; cancer of the breast, ovaries, intestines, prostate, and rectum; poor eyesight; hypoglycemia, acid stomach, aging, arthritis, asthma, Candida, gallstones, appendicitis, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, periodontal disease, high cholesterol, and migraine headaches. Sugar interferes with protein absorption and can alter the structure of DNA in the human body. The Sugar Task Force reported that children between the ages of one and 18 are acquiring about 25% of their calories from sugar

Sugar substitutes
NutraSweet and Equal (aspartame) are also dangerous and are used to sweeten various products such as soda, cereal, low fat ice cream and frozen yogurt. According to Dr. Mary Ruth Swope, some symptoms experienced in those who use NutraSweet and Equal include loss of memory, loss of eyesight, epileptic seizures in those whose families do not have a genetic history of seizures, heart palpitations that lead to fibrillation's and can lead to death, deep depression, small multiple tumors on the brain and migraine headaches. In Food for Life, Neal Barnard, M.D., writes, "Finding anything good to say about synthetic sweeteners is hard. Their main benefit is to their stockholders, not to the consumer." Saccharin and cyclamates, other chemical sweeteners, are both suspect of being cancer causing."

Fresh fruits provide natural sugar in combination with essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fiber. These are the best source of sugar. Natural sweeteners include raw honey (not to be given to infants), pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave syrup, molasses, and sorghum. These should all be used sparingly. The Stevia herb is an excellent sweetener, which helps normalize blood sugar levels and aids digestion. No need to worry about how much you use of this, though very small amounts are required for sweetening. Stevia is available in powder and tincture form.

Salt
The sodium requirement for a one-year-old child is 225 milligrams if sodium per day; for an 18-year-old it is 500 milligrams a day. The Bogalusa Heart Study in Louisiana conducted research, which showed that after two years of age, the average child consumed 2,670 milligrams of sodium chloride daily. By the time a child reaches age 17, consumption had increased to 3,670 milligrams daily. Excessive consumption of salt is implicated in elevated blood pressure, distorted vision, arthritis, ulcers, edema, and can result in kidney, liver and heart problems, and tumors. Most commercial products contain added salt.

Raw fruits and vegetables can supply most of the sodium required by the human body. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (Note from Chet: We recommend using sea salt. Because of MSG issues, we do not consider Bragg's Liquid Aminos to be a healthy seasoning), or herbs and herbal blends are healthy and make wonderful seasonings. Natural, unprocessed sea salts such as Celtic or Lima are also available but should not be used in excess.

Colas and Other Soft Drinks
Soft drinks contain coloring agents, which have been found to have genetic effects, and are suspected of being carcinogenic. Polyethylene glycol, which is used in antifreeze, is sometimes used in soft drinks. Saccharin and aspartame sweeten diet drinks, while sugar, cane syrup or corn syrup is used in regular colas. The average 12-ounce cola has more than nine teaspoons of sugar. Patricia Guenther, a nutritionist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reports that children consuming one or more soft drinks per day have 20% less calcium absorption than those who do not consume soft drinks. Caffeine, which is an addictive stimulant, is another component of colas. Effects from the consumption of caffeine are many, including increased incidences of bladder and stomach cancer, raised blood pressure, increased heart rate, aggravation of diabetes, and stomach lining damage. Coffee should also be avoided due to its' caffeine content and other harmful substances.

Hans Diehl, M.D. says that all soft drinks are very acidic, particularly colas. It takes 32 glasses of high pH alkaline water to neutralize one glass of cola. It is a well-known fact in the medical profession that disease thrives in an acidic environment. The phosphoric acid and carbon dioxide that cause the bubbles and fizz in soft drinks can potentially burn human insides.

The phosphorus in the acid upsets the body's calcium-phosphorus ratio and dissolves calcium out of the bones. This can eventually result in osteoporosis. Also, the phosphorus is incompatible with the hydrochloric acid in the human stomach and renders it ineffective. The results of this are indigestion, bloating, and gas in many individuals. A manufacturer of a world-famous soft drink, was once given a government warning for the drinks suspected effect on the bones of children due to the large amount of phosphoric acid in it. Pouring coke over an extracted baby tooth or a 10-penny nail will totally dissolve it in a few days.

Fresh, raw fruit and vegetable juices, distilled water with a little lemon or lime in it and organic herbal teas are healthy replacements for soft drinks. Instead of coffee try herbal teas, Roma, or Teecino.

Food Additives
There are many additives in processed foods: sugar, salt, dyes, BHA, BHT, sodium nitrate, MSG, propyl gallate, and sulfites, to name a few. The majority of these are toxic and many have been connected with various types of cancers. These ingredients are found in most canned, dried, bottled and packaged foods. Knowing that even our fresh fruits and vegetables are being contaminated with pesticides, fungicides, and chemical fertilizers, is important.

When purchasing canned goods or other packaged foods, read labels. This goes for labels in health food stores as well as regular supermarkets. Not everything that is sold in health food stores is healthy. If the list of ingredients is long and contains words that are hard to pronounce, or if the products contain added sugar, salt, and additives, leaving them on the shelf is best. Buying fresh organic produce whenever possible is preferable, but eating inorganic fruits and vegetables is better than not eating them at all. Do the best you can. Nontoxic produce washes are available that will remove most surface contaminates. It is advisable to include a good percentage of raw foods in our daily diet. Fruits and vegetables are easily eaten this way.

Refined flour and white flour products
White flour has had the bran and germ, removed during processing. This effectively removes all of the nutrients. It is then bleached with a bleaching agent similar to Clorox. Vitamins, which are coal-tar derivatives, are added to the flour and it is sold as "enriched." White flour and the products made from it have no nutritional value and deplete the nutrient levels in the body, clog the intestines, and create excess mucus in the body. Many products are made from this flour, including crackers, bread, muffins, pasta, and pastries. If a label lists wheat flour or unbleached flour the product contains white flour. Whole grain flour was used if the label specifies whole-wheat flour.

Many nutritious whole grains are available and include brown rice, barley, millet, quinoa, spelt, amaranth, buckwheat, and oats. Whole grain or sprouted grain breads, pasta, crackers, and rolls are also available.

As we have seen, today a large part of our foods can rightfully be called non-foods. Dr. Mary Ruth Swope in her book Green Leaves of Barley says they are "drugged, embalmed, dead, coal-tarred, artificial, skeletonized, polished, processed, refined, sterilized, oiled, sprayed, waxed, degenerated, unclean, frozen, canned, dried, impure junk...they do not feed the cells with the nutrients required to create and sustain healthful bodies."

The definition of food in The American Heritage Dictionary is as follows: "Material, usually of plant or animal origin, containing or consisting of essential body nutrients, as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, that is taken in and assimilated by and organism to maintain life and growth." I don't believe that many of the processed foods eaten today can technically fit into that definition in that they cannot and do not efficiently maintain life and cell regeneration.

In the Weigh Down book on page 93 you will find Gwen's sample three-day menu. This is a good example of the SAD. While it is true she does say not to use it as a guide for your own eating, it is the example she is putting forth and she states many times in her book that the content of your food does not matter.

It is difficult to even imagine that God would want us to regularly consume typical SAD foods, because they are not beneficial and are very clearly detrimental to our bodies, which are the temple of the Holy Spirit. With the gift of life comes a solemn responsibility. In spiritual terms we are to be mindful of the quality of the things we allow into our minds and are to nurture our spiritual life. It should be so with our physical life as well. It is the physical that houses the spiritual.

It is a good thing that people are realizing spiritual and emotional growth through the Weigh Down program. It is unfortunate however, that the apparent physical benefits may be deceptive and the nutritional philosophy of the program is not conducive to good health in the long term. The deterioration of health can be a subtle, slow process, and it may take 20, 30, 40 or more years of poor nutrition for the dire consequences to become evident. It is not a question of "if" it will happen, but rather, "when" it will happen. Look at our own culture and the ever rising incidence of chronic disease since the advent of food processing and other meddling with the food supply.

· "Good health is more related to when you eat and how much you eat than what you eat, since most meal selections are so similar in chemical and nutrient content." I do not see a nutrient similarity between a breakfast of a donut and coffee and one of a fruit smoothie, or whole grains. What you eat is just as important, or more important than when and how much you eat.

PH: This is a question of emphasis. In terms of the food I eat, which will introduce the larger health change: A) Switch from eating 5x too much food, of any kind, to eating normal quantities of foods (even some junk foods!) B) Continue eating 5x too much food, but switch from junk to "healthy" food (still 5x overeating). Weigh Down claims, and I agree, that (A) is the more important change. Not that a switch to healthy foods is unimportant by any means.

KR: If you switch to A) you are still eating unhealthy foods. The quantity may be less and that is good, but the needed nutrition is still not present in the diet and the harmful substances are still having their effects. When consuming a diet based on fresh whole foods it is very difficult to overeat. The body is getting the nutrition it needs…the nutrition it was designed for and will be satisfied with appropriate amounts of food. This is physiological but will have beneficial effects on the psychological and emotional levels as well.

· "If organic means chemical free to you, think again. All foods are chemicals. God made your body (without your having to worry about it!) to detect and rid itself of harmful chemicals that are a part of the normal dietary process" -- "So if you like foods advertised as being "organic," fine. Just do not count on their being better for you -- just more expensive."

PH: Note what is said here: "harmful chemicals that are a part of the normal dietary process" -- Karen misses the point! Weigh Down does not suggest that pesticides are somehow good for you or easily removed by bodily processes....

KR: The point is that the digestive process is a natural and God created process. Our bodies are made to deal with the natural workings of the digestive system and it's by-products. Yes, foods are comprised of chemicals but the naturally occurring chemicals found in the foods which God created are very different from the unnatural man made chemicals that are so freely sprayed onto and added to foods today. Ingesting foods laden with hundreds of various chemicals such as pesticides, fungicides, colorings, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. is not natural or healthy and puts a huge strain on the human physiology.

· "Your body does not know if it ate honey, unrefined sugar from the sugar cane plant, refined table sugar, or bread because all the units are converted to glucose in the liver then dumped into the bloodstream to be used by the body cells." Some sugars contain vitamins, minerals, and enzymes and some - such as sucrose, do not. Our bodies know the difference. Sucrose will rob our bodies of the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes it does not contain so that is can be metabolized.

PH: Karen misses the point. When it comes to the sugar molecule itself (not the additional vitamins, minerals, etc.), our bodies really do NOT know the difference (basic biology class). Certainly, we need to get the other vitamins and minerals somehow, and its better to get them via food than via man-made chemicals.

KR: The point is that all sugars are not identical and they are handled differently by the body.

In The Healing Power of Foods, Michael T. Murray, N.D. says:

"The natural simple sugars in fruits and vegetables have an advantage over sucrose (white sugar) and other refined sugars in that they are balanced by a wide range of nutrients that aid in the utilization of the sugars. Problems with carbohydrates begin when they are refined and stripped of these nutrients. Virtually all of the natural vitamin content has been removed from white sugar, white breads and pastries, and many breakfast cereals."

"Although fructose is 1-1/2 times sweeter than sucrose (white sugar), it is handled differently by the body. To be utilized, fructose must be changed into glucose in the liver; consequently blood sugar (glucose) levels do not rise as rapidly after fructose consumption as they do after consumption of sucrose. Sucrose, which is composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose, causes an immediate elevation in blood-sugar level."

The Nutrition Desk Reference by Robert Garrison, Jr., M.A., R.Ph and Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D. has this to say: "Sugar (sucrose) indirectly contributes to malnutrition. Sugar supplies calories without nutritional benefits. Therefore, body stores of vitamins and minerals are robbed to metabolize the sugar. In addition, sugar has been linked with numerous diseases including obesity, CVD, cancer, and diabetes."

· "The liver is a large (silent, thank goodness) organ that converts Fritos, M&Ms, Doritos and dip, and Twinkies into usable substances that are sent into the regular circulatory system." The liver is not going to make usable substances out of something that has none to begin with. These foods can be extremely harmful to our livers. If this were true we could eat Twinkies and Ice Cream all the time and it wouldn't make any difference.

PH: I think Karen missed the point. The point is not that junk food is full of valuable nutritional content (it isn't), but that our bodies do an amazing job of extracting whatever good stuff there is in such things.

KR: The point is that there is no true nutritional value in this type of food to begin with, however there are many harmful substances contained therein. The liver is not going to make something out of nothing or something good from something harmful. Eating this type of food has no nutritional benefit whatsoever for the human body, but on the contrary is quite destructive. These foods overwork the liver and other organs and eventually compromise the immune system, as do many of the other foods that are the bulk of the SAD.

PH: Weigh Down goes to great lengths to teach us to listen to our bodies' cravings for Real Food. Not just junk food! I think the key is this: Weigh Down is all about introducing a comprehensive lifestyle change, *one step at a time*. The switch to more healthy food is a core element of learning to listen to our bodies. For many people, who have been eating garbage all of their lives, that is not an easy change. It takes time. So rather than slam people with instantaneous "radical" changes in their diet, Weigh Down teaches spiritual principles, and over time shows people how to listen to their own bodies to discover what is nutritionally best. It's easy for me to believe that God gave me a body that can identify what is truly healthy for me.

KR: I agree that it can be difficult to make changes, but the rate of those changes really depends on the individual. Some people need to take one step at a time and that is OK. Others want to, and can, make an abrupt change because they see how much healthier and natural it is to eat properly, or because they are sick and know an immediate change would be beneficial for their health. It is up to each individual to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider what changes to make and how fast to make them. A goal must be realistic and attainable for each individual, so that permanent, healthy life style changes will result. Attitude is important. If we focus on how hard changes are, then they will be more arduous. If we go into the process looking at it as and adventure, a time of discovery, learning and growth, and a path to improved health, then it can actually be a very rewarding, fulfilling, fun experience. Spiritual principles are important and this is not what I disagree with in the Weigh Down program. There also must be real understanding and guidelines concerning nutrition and which foods are truly healthful and those that are in fact harmful. I do not see any indication that there are any guidelines for the type of nutrition that will result in long term health in the Weigh Down program. It is a diet comprised of, in Gwen's words, "regular food"…The food that is the basis of the SAD.

In Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine, Ronald F. Schmid, N.D. says that everyone trying to eat a more natural diet goes through a process of learning not to want refined foods. Commitment and time are needed-along with the realization that the products of factories and a poisoned agriculture are halfway foods, macabre and twisted perversions of the living foods God* designed the human body to thrive on.

I believe that it is of extreme importance that people understand the problems with much of the food (non-food) that is being consumed today and the consequences of such a diet. It took 40 years for it to catch up to me. I became extremely ill and it has been a long hard climb back to health. It is highly likely that I would not be here typing this today were it not for homeopathy and a radical dietary change. A fresh, whole foods based diet including raw foods and fresh juices has been a primary asset in my recovery. I believe that God allowed me to go through this illness and led me through the many steps of discovery, learning, change, and recovery for a reason: To let others know that they don't have to get sick, and if they are sick they can get well. People do not have to accept disease as "normal" or "just part of growing old." It does require taking responsibility for our own lifestyles and health. It takes effecting change in lifestyle and diet; a radical change for some, but God is there with all His strength to help us and show us the way. The benefits are remarkable and many.

*Dr. Schmid used the word nature