Rye, Oh, Rye!

Fungus on rye crops has been a perpetual problem throughout history. Farmers and consumers of the contaminated grain were oblivious to its effects, which is why symptoms of gangrenous extremities and nervous dysfunction persisted for hundreds of years. Few people attempted to solve the mystery of these symptoms. All that was known was they occurred prominently among the poor, attacked children and weaker adults, and was without the normal, rampant spread that had been seen in plagues across Europe.

The fungus, ergot, which inhabited many rye crops since the 1st century A.D. was so prevalent on rye it was thought to be part of the plant. The plant was harvested, milled, and sold with the toxins in the flour, and then consumed. Consumption of the toxins affected people differently, with the most common being gangrene in fingers, toes, and other extremities, convulsions and hallucinations.

Symptoms in humans were well documented, but the actual cause of ergotism, or ergot poisoning, was not known until the 1670's when a French physician studied commonalities among patients. The physician was able to treat patients, but wasn't able to convince the farmers of the problem and its consequences. Ideal climate conditions for growth of ergot continued, farmers continued to harvest the grain, and thousands of people suffered over the next two hundred years.

Professor Mary Kilbourne Matossian, is a current expert on historical correlation between consumption of grains containing mycotoxins and death in rats and humans. Her past studies include plagues, epidemics of madness, witchcraft and the Salem Witch Hunts in the United States.

Prof. Matossian studied reports of different age groups and of nervous symptom disorders and found innumerous similarities, including hallucinations, convulsions, compulsive bodily movements, reduction in fertility and spontaneous abortions. Matossian linked the Salem Witch Hunts and witchcraft to ergotism by studying where the incidents occurred, the temperature, rainfall, the crops grown in that area and who was affected. The areas where most trials occurred were areas conducive to growing rye, where the temperature was colder and wetter, and ergot fungus was prolific.

Crazy as it sounds, fungus can do just about anything to the health of humans. Ergot poisoning is pretty rare these days, but there is plenty of other fungus lurking in unwanted places to cause a person to wonder where their symptoms came from.

Don't Feed It!

Fungus. Most fungus will proliferate if the body continues to function on a diet high in carbohydrates and simple sugars. Any body will retaliate if subjected year after year to this kind of diet. This is not natural and not meant to be the food of choice for humans. And the general public and medical practitioners wonder why there are so many health problems in this world today, specifically in the United States?

Its bad enough when a person eats poorly, but then add environmental exposure to chemicals, molds, and airborne microorganisms, and the use of medications, and the perfect haven for fungus in the body is created. Its no wonder people acquire fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, migraines, skin conditions and stomach disorders.

Address the real issue, the real cause of these conditions and start the recovery process. Start a diet with little or no carbohydrates, eliminate peanuts and grains, and fruits high in sugar and the biggest step has been taken. Within the first week there will be a positive difference in sleep patterns, weight, digestion and mood. Continue with this diet and also follow an antifungal regimen to eliminate the toxins in the body and your body will definately thank you.

Stop feeding the fungus inside you today and start feeling better than ever before!

Red Flags

Lets talk about food. Some people are avid label readers, choosing those food products that list good-for-you ingredients and are the freshest, and some people have the 'its a free-for-all' attitude and put whatever they want in their shopping cart. Here are a few thoughts on what foods to avoid to help the already conscientous shopper and create hesitation in those who aren't.

Choosing the right foods to eat can be a time consuming and costly process. The most obvious steps to take are to read food labels, check for organically, locally grown foods, and the least obvious steps - think about a food's origin and look closely at all foods for any signs of mold or deterioration.

There are food products in this country, and elsewhere, that should raise a red flag for mold content or any contamination. Remember Mad Cow Disease? But, it isn't just meat that can be tainted. Grains are a breeding ground for molds and mycotoxins (the waste product of molds) that may not necessarily be seen in the final product. They are stored in silos for periods of time, and if exposed to moisture, initiate mold very quickly. Once the mold is present, it should not be eaten, by livestock or humans. Mold contamination easily affects feed for livestock, which then potentially gets passed on to humans through the meat and dairy products.

Also, fruits and vegetables have high moisture content. They need breathing room to stay dry and inhibit mold. Purchase the dryest, freshest fruits and vegetables possible that are stored in packages adequately vented. Organic foods are best but can still become wet and lay compacted in the vegetable case. Always store fruits and vegetables in a clean, breathable area in the refrigerator to not pass on mold from previous foods stored. Noticably contaminated food is hard to throw when there are hungry people in the world, but for safety and health reasons, it should be a given.

This topic is not meant to be frightening, just as a hint of caution. Maybe it will help make the next trip to the grocery store a little easier knowing about these red flags.