In this week’s Gary Null’s Newsletter:
• Vegetarianism, Part 8: Vegetarianism and Women’s Health
• Gary Null’s Show Notes
• Recipe for Cream of Potato Soup
Vegetarianism, Part 8: Vegetarianism and Women’s Health
By Gary Null
This week we continue our series on vegetarianism.
As talked about in our general remarks on Seventh-day Adventist vegetarians, women from this group have lower cancer mortality rates than women in the general population, including from breast and endometrial cancers. One reason for this may be that diet affects hormonal patterns, and these patterns are critically important factors in women’s disease risk.71
One way hormones are linked to disease relates to the age of a young woman’s first menstruation. An early onset of this physical change has been seen as contributing to greater breast cancer risk. The increasing appearance of breast cancer in the West, then, may be tied to the fact that the age of menarche, or first menstruation, has been decreasing. Such a speeding up of puberty seems to be the product of our changing diet, with more fat, simple carbohydrates, and hormone-laden meat.
How much of an issue is it? 72 Let’s say that the statistics are curious. In an article appearing in the Women’s Health Activist Newsletter in the fall of 2009, Kathleen O’Grady reports that, “the average age of first menstruation in White US girls has declined by several years, from an average of 13 to 17 years of age... White girls in the US now menstruate at an average age of 12.6 years; African American girls at 12.1 years; and Latinas at 12.2 years.” It is believed that these differences result from continuous exposure “to low-level endocrine disruptors in their diets, drinking water and air supply” which mimic hormones in the body.
It stands to reason, then, that living as naturally as possible—from the food and water we consume to the products we use—is essential for a balanced physiology, and psychology for this matter. We used to be able to say living “close to nature” was the way to go, and it would be if we weren’t currently experiencing the level of toxicity that we do in our water, soil, and air.
Even still, researchers have proven experimentally that this “trend toward early menarche can be reversed when a balanced vegetarian diet is selected in place of the ordinary American diet.”73 Other researchers, again turning to the valued subject of Adventists, have found that the maturation delay of vegetarian Adventist teenage girls, compared with meat-eating schoolgirls, “may carry potential health benefits in adult life. A later age of menarche has been consistently associated with decreased risk for several cancers, particularly of the breast.”74
Turning our look now from early on in a woman’s life cycle to much later, it is agreed that maintaining necessary mineral content in bones is a primary concern for older women. Here, too, vegetarians have an advantage, as green eating has been shown to contribute to strong bones in post-menopausal women. As researchers explain, “The primary dietary characteristics of a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet that may be of benefit to bone tissue are the sources of protein and quantities of calcium and phosphorus in the diet. Investigators [further]... suggest that vegetable protein produces a lower-acid ash than animal protein when metabolized and thus helps to conserve calcium.”75 Statistics reported in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association back up this contention: “Lacto-ovo vegetarian women 50 to 59 years of age lost 18% bone mineral mass while omnivorous women lost 35%.”76
However, take caution in interpreting this, as you can eat all the dairy products that you wish. Amy Lanou Ph.D., author of Building Bone Vitality, and chair and associate professor of health and wellness for the University of North Carolina, Asheville, states that, “The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.” She continues: “Vegetarian diets can help people build strong bones, and plant-based diets reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. To build strong bones and healthy bodies, people need weight-bearing exercise and low-acid, plant-based diets rich in fruits and vegetables.”
Moreover, the 12-year-long Harvard Nurses’ Health Study found that those who consumed the most calcium from dairy foods broke more bones than those who rarely drank milk. By the way, this is a broad study based on 77,761 women aged 34 through 59 years of age. In the authors’ own words, “These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures.”77
In an article on SaveOurBones.com, Vivian Goldschmidt, MA writes, “Even drinking milk from a young age does not protect against future fracture risk but actually increases it.”78 Shattering the ‘“savings account”’ calcium theory, Cumming and Klineberg report their study findings as follows: “Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, was associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in old age.”79
What does the research currently say about vegan diets and their effect on bone health? Two things: One study reports that vegetarian diets, particularly vegan diets, are associated with lower BMD (Bone Mineral Deficiency), but that the magnitude of the association is clinically insignificant.80 A second study by the same authors reported that a vegan diet did not have adverse effect on bone loss and fracture. The report further notes that corticosteroid use and high intakes of animal protein and animal lipid were negatively associated with bone loss.81
Here are some lifestyle topics and suggestions from Harvard School of Public Health for being the healthiest possible vegetarian:
Getting regular exercise, especially weight-bearing and muscle strengthening exercise.
Getting adequate vitamin D, whether through diet, exposure to sunshine, or supplements. Consuming enough calcium to reduce the amount the body has to borrow from bone. Consuming adequate vitamin K, found in green, leafy vegetables.
Not getting too much preformed vitamin A.82
Again, the effect of vegetarianism on women’s health is too large a topic to cover in one section, but enough has been said to make clear that balanced green eating offers a cornucopia of health benefits to women.
From Dental Health to Diabetes: The Benefits of Vegetarianism Abound
We’ve talked about a number of important areas in which green eating has proved to be remarkable in fending off disease and lowering the risk of physiological factors that are a prelude to ill health, such as the presence of unhealthy cholesterol. I don’t want to try to cover all the regions in which there have been studies testifying to the worth of vegetarianism, because there’s far too much out there. The evidence on the health-enhancing effects of green eating has been piling up for years. Still, rather than neglecting this other material totally, it might be of value to give you a sample of the range of information that has been accumulating regarding the health enrichment and protection that follows from green eating.
Beginning in this section, I will call attention to a few articles by quoting them in sample form and continuing. Then I will give more details when I get to the topic of plant nutrients in the next chapter, so as to convey a sense of the scope and depth of the available research, which has been replicated repeatedly. Yes, it will be something of a grab-bag, but one from which I don’t doubt you will pull some facts that are significant for you. Here are some conclusions drawn by various scientists following scientific investigations into the value of vegetarianism:
...[It was found that] the dental and periodontal status of the Seventh- day Adventist group was significantly better than that of the controls, suggesting that vegetarianism is beneficial to oral health.83
... when healthy elderly vegetarian women are compared with closely matched non-vegetarian peers, the vegetarian diet is associated with several benefits, primarily lower blood glucose and lipid levels.84
After controlling for height, boys and girls in the Seventh-day Adventist schools were found to be leaner than their public school peers...
These results suggest that a health oriented lifestyle in childhood and adolescence, such as the one followed by Seventh-day Adventists, is compatible with adequate growth and associated with a lower weight for height.85
During 21 years [of study and follow-up], the rate of diabetes as an underlying cause of death in Adventists was only 45% of the rate for all US whites.86
All-cause mortality showed a significant negative association with green salad consumption and a significant positive association with consumption of eggs and meat. For green salad and eggs, the association was stronger for women; for meat, the association was stronger for men. All the observed associations were adjusted for age, sex, smoking history, history of major chronic disease, and age at initial exposure to the Adventist Church.87
Systolic [maximum] blood pressure in Adventists was lower in early adult life and rose less with aging than in the other two groups [from the general population]. This pattern also occurred with diastolic [minimum] blood pressure. [Maximum and minimum rates depend on when the heart has acted, the flow being stronger right after the heart pumps.]... The differences in plasma lipid levels between Adventists and other population groups can be explained by a vegetarian diet, and this may have contributed also to the blood pressure levels.88
[In a study] vegetarian students consumed significantly higher amounts of calcium and phosphorus than did omnivore students, suggesting that... the vegetarian students were making superior food pattern selections.89
Having given you a lot of detail quickly in that spate of citations, let me now finish up by enlarging a little on the ideas presented in the last note—that vegetarians tend to have superior nutritional status as shown by measures of important nutrients. This idea has been seconded by numerous studies, such as one presented in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, whose method was to first match groups of vegetarian and non-vegetarian elderly women for a variety of non-dietary factors, and then ask them to keep records of what they ate over a week-long period. Looking at the results they provided, it was seen that vegetarians consumed significantly less cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, and caffeine, but more carbohydrates, dietary fiber, magnesium, vitamins E and A, thiamin, pantothenic acid, copper, and manganese. “In summary,” said the report, “when healthy elderly women were compared with closely matched non-vegetarian peers, the vegetarian diet was associated with improved nutrient intake and associated reductions in blood glucose and lipid levels.”90
You see in this study that the vegetarian diet was providing not only more nutrients, but a better internal environment with less cholesterol in the blood. These results were backed up by another study pairing vegetarian and omnivorous postmenopausal women, with the diets of the vegetarian being found to provide:
Higher nutrient density for folate, thiamin, vitamin C, and vitamin A
Lower total fat, saturated fatty acids, and cholesterol
Higher dietary fiber.91
Other studies further emphasize the nutrient- and fiber-rich nature of vegetarian eating.92-94
Still, you will want to take note here that there are consistent vitamin deficiencies (vitamin D, iron, B12, etc.) that vegetarians are susceptible to and need to guard against. These will be addressed in a future issue on the diet of the healthy vegetarian. Before this, we will finish our conversation on the good news about vegetarianism.
Aging Gracefully
In one recent, six-month, in-depth holistic lifestyle study, incorporating vegetarianism and extensive supplementation, our aim was to show that vegetarians can not only reap the benefits of living healthier, longer lives, but can also look better and younger while aging gracefully.
As I’ve discussed in other books, when I talk about looking better and aging gracefully, I’m not speaking about images promulgated by Madison Avenue—ultra- thinness for women and chiseled jaws for men—but rather the glow of loveliness that almost always accompanies a fit person free from disease and distress that honors themselves, others, and the natural world by living purposefully into a peaceful existence.
Conventional medicine focuses on treating symptoms of diseases after healthy functioning has broken down, rather than on creating health. Our goal in this study was to maintain and improve already existing healthy functioning as well as to bolster areas in which optimal functioning had lapsed. Specifically, we wanted to improve the condition of the subjects’ hair and skin, which are observable indicators of the aging process, and of some weakening of metabolic processes. Many participants had experienced balding, thinning, or graying hair for at least seven years. While the general public explains such changes in older people as the inevitable and unavoidable expression of their years, my perception before starting the study was that many, not all, of these effects were the result of a breakdown that was reversible.
To see how to accomplish a shift in these typical aging patterns, we studied the effects of changes in five lifestyle components: nutrition, physical activity, stress management, attitude, and personal environment. This study was part of a larger, ongoing study that measured levels of function in participants, using such parameters as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, hormone levels, and overall wellness. For this particular six-month component of the examination, we focused in on measuring the quality of the subjects’ hair and skin.
Our study, focused on people who had the type of hair change and loss that most people consider a “natural” part of aging. We were aiming at the seemingly impossible goals of inducing new hair growth in bald areas, slowing thinning, and reversing graying. For skin, our second concern, the goal was to reverse the effects of sun damage and premature aging.
Participants aged 55 and older did well with the protocols, scoring improvements in hair, skin, and functioning; but the mean scores of younger participants were significantly better in 11 of the 42 measures. Also, the mean scores of women were significantly better in 12 of the 42 measures.
The Bottom Line—a Longer, Healthier Life
My last point in this discussion is more holistic. I frequently noted that the adoption of a vegetarian diet is often, and should be, linked to a particular worldview, one that emphasizes harmony with nature—an environmentalist ethic, per se. While the scientists who have studied vegetarians are looking at them simply as green eaters and not delving into their philosophies, they have found one holistic relationship: that the many health benefits seen so far all add up to green eaters living longer and healthier lives.
Here is one finding from a book on plant proteins: “Compared to Adventists who heavily use meat, the vegetarian Adventists have a substantially lower risk of fatal coronary disease, fatal diabetes and death from any cause, especially among men. Among men who use few animal products... the risk of fatal prostate cancer is one third that of Adventist men who heavily use such products.”95
Studies conducted at Loma Linda University revealed that Seventh-day Adventists (aged 45-54) who eat meat six or more times per week are three times as likely to die of heart disease as vegetarian Seventh-day Adventists... [and] have twice the incidence of obesity (30% overweight or above), which is related to increased death rate from diabetes... Vegetarian Seventh-day Adventist women aged 55 and above have significantly less osteoporosis than the meat-eating non-Seventh-day Adventists.96
Remember my earlier mention of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Oxford study, which showed that vegetarians had a 32% lower risk of hospitalization or dying from cardiovascular disease.97 Researchers owe these results to the improved cholesterol profiles and lower blood pressure in the vegetarian population.98,99
Good health in your later years is intimately tied to your quality of life, throughout life. While the effects of smoking and heavy drinking can be largely reversed, this must be done with a radical change of lifestyle and early enough in life to result in a longer, healthy lifespan. Those who are in poor health, who consistently rely on pharmaceuticals throughout life, and who make frequent visits to the hospital don’t have the chance to reap the rewards of their long experience or of the greater free time they may have received at retirement.
The same point made in the last-cited study is repeated in an examination of lifestyle and the use of health services described in a 1994 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Close to 30,000 Seventh-day Adventists were divided into four groups: vegetarian and non-vegetarian, men and women. They were then tracked for a year to see how much health care they required.
The results? Non-vegetarians reported more overnight hospitalizations, surgeries, and X-rays than their vegetarian counterparts. Medication use by non- vegetarian males was double that of their peers, while the rate for non-vegetarian females ranged from 70 to 115% higher. In short, the vegetarians were simply healthier. “We conclude that a vegetarian diet may decrease the prevalence of chronic disease, medication use, and health services use, and thus, potentially, health care costs,” said the study.100
I myself have been convinced of these conclusions and have been for a long time. One has only to examine the vast body of scientific literature to see why. Though I want to continue looking at health benefits in the next chapter, these last two studies are ones to always bear in mind. It’s not only that green eating helps you prevent and/or avoid disease, but that it is a foundation for overall well-being. When 17th-century English poet and Anglican priest George Herbert wrote, “Living well is the best revenge,” I believe he was not talking about having tons of money, but rather was referring to something much better in the long run—keeping throughout your long life the full bloom of health. This is what we will explore next: What is the diet and lifestyle of the healthy vegetarian?
FOOTNOTES
71 PK Mills et al., “Risk Factors for Tumors of the Brain and Cranial Meninges in SeventhDay Adventists,” Neuroepidemiology, 8 (1989):266275.
72 BK Armstrong et al., “Diet and Reproductive Hormones: A Study of Vegetarian and Nonvegetarian Postmenopausal Women,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 67 (1981):761767.
73 Kathleen O’Grady, “Early puberty for girls: The new “normal” and why we need to be concerned,” Women’s Health Activist Newsletter (National Women’s Health Network, 2009), Accessed March 16, 2015 from https://nwhn.org/early-puberty-girls-new-%E2%80%9Cnormal%E2%80%9D- and-why-we-need-be-concerned.
74 A Sanchez et al., “A Hypothesis on the Etiological Role of Diet on Age of Menarche,” Medical Hypotheses, 7 (1981):13391345.
75 J Sabate et al., “Lower Height of LactoOvovegetarian Girls at Preadolescence: An Indicator of Physical Maturation Delay,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 92 (1992):12631264.
76 FA Tylavsky and JB Anderson, “Dietary Factors in Bone Health of Elderly Lactoovovegetarian and Omnivorous Women,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 48 (1988):842849.
77 AG Marsh, et al., “Cortical Bone Density of Adult Lactoovovegetarian and Omnivorous Women,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 76 (1980):148151.
78 D Feskanich et al., “Dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study,” American Journal of Public Health, 876 (1997):992-7.
79 Vivian Goldschmidt, “Debunking the milk myth: Why milk is bad for you and your bones,” (Save Institute, 2010), Accessed March 16, 2015 from http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis- milk-myth/.
80 Robert G Cumming and Robin J Klineberg. “Case-control study of risk factors for hip fractures in the elderly.” Am J Epidemiol., 139 (1994):493-503.
81 Lan T Ho-Pham et al. “Effect of vegetarian diets on bone mineral density: a Bayesian meta- analysis.” American Society for Nutrition, 90 (2009): 43-950.
82 Lan T Ho-Pham et al. “Vegetarianism, bone loss, fracture and vitamin D: a longitudinal study in Asian vegans and non-vegans.” Eur J Clin Nutr., 66 (2012):75-82.
83 The Nutrition Source, “Calcium and milk: What’s best for your bones and health?” (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 2008), Accessed March 16, 2015 from http://www.hsph.harvard. edu/nutritionsource/calcium-full-story/
84 E Linkosalo, “Dietary Habits and Dental Health in Finnish SeventhDay Adventists,” Proceedings of the Finnish Dental Society, 84 (1988):109115.
85 DC Nieman et al., “Hematological, Anthropometic, and Metabolic Comparisons Between Vegetarian and Nonvegetarian Elderly Women,” International Journal of Sports Medicine, 10 (1989):243250.
86 J Sabate et al., “Anthropometric Parameters of Schoolchildren with Different Lifestyles,” American Journal of Diseases of Children, 144 (1990):11591163.
87 DA Snowdon and RL Phillips, “Does a Vegetarian Diet Reduce the Occurrence of Diabetes?” American Journal of Public Health, 75 (1985):507512.
88 HA Kahn, et al., “Association between Reported Diet and AllCause Mortality: TwentyOne Year FollowUp on 27,530 Adult SeventhDay Adventists,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 119 (1984):775787.
89 IW Webster and 0K Rawson, “Health Status of SeventhDay Adventists,” The Medical Journal of Australia, (1979):417420.
90 N Nnakwe et al., “Calcium and Phosphorus Nutritional Status of Lactoovovegetarian and Omnivore Students Consuming Meals in a Lactoovovegetarian Food Service,” Nutrition Reports International, 29 (1984):365369.
91 DC Nieman et al., “Dietary Status of SeventhDay Adventist Vegetarian and NonVegetarian Elderly Women,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 89 (1989):17631769.
92 IF Hunt et al., “Food and Nutrient Intake of SeventhDay Adventist Women,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 48 (1988):850851.
93 KA Lombard and DM Mock, “Biotin Nutritional Status of Vegans, Lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and Nonvegetarians,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 50 (1989):486490.
94 BM Calkins, “Consumption of Fiber in Vegetarians and Nonvegetarians,” in 0A Spiller and D Chern, CRC Handbook of Dietary Fiber in Human Nutrition (Boca Raton, Fl.: CRC Press, 1986): 407414.
95 TD Shultz and JE Leklem, “Vitamin B6 Status and Bioavailability in Vegetarian Women,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 46 (1987):647651.
96 RL Phillips and DA Snowdon, “Mortality Among SeventhDay Adventists in Relation to Dietary Habits and Lifestyle,” in R.L. Ory (ed.), Plant Proteins: Applications, Biological Effects, and Chemistry, (Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society, 1986).
97 UD Register, “The SeventhDay Adventist Diet and LifeStyle and the Risk of Major Degenerative Disease,” in Frontiers in Longevity Research:7482.
98 Francesca L Crowe, et al., “Risk of hospitalization or death from ischemic heart disease among British vegetarians and nonvegetarians: results from the EPIC-Oxford cohort study,” American Journal of Clinical Nutritio,n (2013).ajcn.112.044073.
99 “Vegetarianism Can Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease by Up to a Third,” ScienceDaily.
(Jan 30, 2013). Accessed on March 3, 2015 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2013/01/130130121637.htm. Accessed March 21, 2013.
100 SF Knutsen, “Lifestyle and the Use of Health Services,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59 (1994):1171S1 175S.
Gary Null’s Show Notes
Why iodine deficiency during pregnancy may have disastrous consequences
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology February 7, 2022
Higher mammals, such as humans, have markedly larger brains than other mammals. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden recently discovered a newmechanism governing brain stem cell proliferation. It serves to boost the production of neurons during development, thus causing the enlargement of the cerebral cortex – the part of the brain that enables us humans to speak, think and dream. The surprising discovery made by the Dresden-based researchers: two components in the stem cell environment – the extracellular matrix and thyroid hormones – work together with a protein molecule found on the stem cell surface, a so-called integrin.
Broccoli and kale microgreens pack a nutritional punch that varies with growing conditions
American Chemical Society, February 16, 2022
Although microgreens were initially gourmet ingredients for upscale restaurants, they’ve become popular among gardeners and home cooks. Despite their “superfood” label, the levels of healthful compounds, such as phytonutrients, in most varieties of microgreens are unknown. Researchers in ACS Food Science & Technology now report that kale and broccoli microgreens grown in either windowsills or under commercial growing conditions are rich in phytonutrients, though the levels of some compounds varied considerably between the two environments. As indoor gardening has taken off in recent years, the most commonly planted varieties of these small seedlings are from the Brassica family, which includes broccoli, kale, cabbage and mustard. The mature, fully-grown versions of these vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and environmental conditions can impact the plants’ nutritional contents.
Can EPA-rich supplements help brains work ‘less hard’ and boost mental performance?
Swinburne University (Australia) February 10, 2022
Omega-3 supplements rich in EPA may improve cognitive performance with a reduction in neural activity observed, indicating that the brain worked ‘less hard’, report researchers from Australia. On the other hand, DHA-rich supplements were associated with an increase in functional activation and no improvement in cognitive performance, according to results published in Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental . Isabelle Bauer from Swinburne University and her co-authors said that this indicated that DHA-rich supplements are less effective than EPA-rich supplements for boosting neurocognitive functioning.
Study ‘leaves little doubt’ about Pycnogenol’s benefits for menopause symptoms
Keii Medical Center (Japan), February 13, 2022
Daily supplements of extracts from the bark of French Maritime Pine may help reduce the symptoms of the menopause like hot flashes and night sweats, says a new study. Twelve weeks of supplementation with Pycnogenol were associated with significant reductions in scores of menopause symptoms, according to findings published in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine. The researchers recruited 170 perimenopausal women to participate in their randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. The women were randomly assigned to receive either daily Pycnogenol supplements (60 mg per day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the groups for estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone, insulin-like growth factor, IGF binding protein 3, and dehydroepiandrosterone, which meant there were no hormonal effects of Pycnogenol, said the researchers.
Yale study links common chemicals to osteoarthritis
Yale University School of Environmental Studies, February 14, 2022
A new study has linked exposure to two common perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) with osteoarthritis. PFCs are used in more than 200 industrial processes and consumer products including certain stain- and water-resistant fabrics, grease-proof paper food containers, personal care products, and other items. Because of their persistence, PFCs have become ubiquitous contaminants of humans and wildlife. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, looked at the associations between perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and osteoarthritis, in a study population representative of the United States. “We found that PFOA and PFOS exposures are associated with higher prevalence of osteoarthritis, particularly in women, a group that is disproportionately impacted by this chronic disease,” said Sarah Uhl, who authored the study. Women in the highest 25% of exposure to PFOA had about two times the odds of having osteoarthritis compared to those in the lowest 25% of exposure.
Find at: https://prn.live/the-gary-null-show-notes-02-17-22/
Recipe for Cream of Potato Soup
Yield: 4 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 cups vegetable stock bunch watercress, washed well, reserve ½ cup of leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup sunflower seeds, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
Add the sweet potatoes and stock, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
Add the watercress, parsley, almond milk, salt, and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes
Remove from heat. Purée in a blender or food processor and return to the saucepan.
Garnish with watercress and sunflower seeds.
Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin C, and also contain high amounts of calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene. They are a low-glycemic food, so are great for people with diabetes who want to manage cravings.
From: Anti-Arthritis Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: Healing Through Natural Foods. By Gary Null, PhD. Essential Publishing.
About Gary Null
An internationally renowned expert in the field of health and nutrition, Gary Null, Ph.D is the author of over 70 best-selling books on healthy living and the director of over 100 critically acclaimed full-feature documentary films on natural health, self-empowerment and the environment. He is the host of ‘The Progressive Commentary Hour” and “The Gary Null Show”, the country’s longest running nationally syndicated health radio talk show which can be heard daily on here on the Progressive Radio Network.
Throughout his career, Gary Null has made hundreds of radio and television broadcasts throughout the country as an environmentalist, consumer advocate, investigative reporter and nutrition educator. More than 28 different Gary Null television specials have appeared on PBS stations throughout the nation, inspiring and motivating millions of viewers. He originated and completed more than one hundred major investigations on health issues resulting in the use of material by 20/20 and 60 Minutes. Dr. Null started this network to provide his followers with a media outlet for health and advocacy. For more of Dr. Null’s Work visit the Gary Null’s Work Section or Blog.GaryNull.com In addition to the Progressive Radio Network, Dr. Null has a full line of all-natural home and healthcare products that can be purchased at his Online Store.
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