What
Does Avian Bird Flu - 7 Eleven and Sauerkraut Have in Common?
Have you been
reading those alarming headlines lately:
"the avian bird flu will be in the United
States in a few months because of migrating birds"?
Here's a quick review of the avian bird
flu from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
Avian influenza in birds
Avian influenza is an infection caused
by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These influenza viruses occur
naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their
intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, avian
influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated
birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
Infected birds shed influenza virus in
their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become
infected when they have contact with contaminated secretions or
excretions or with surfaces that are contaminated with secretions or
excretions from infected birds. Domesticated birds may become infected
with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected
waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces
(such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have
been contaminated with the virus.
Infection with avian influenza viruses
in domestic poultry causes two main forms of disease that are
distinguished by low and high extremes of virulence. The “low
pathogenic” form may go undetected and usually causes only mild
symptoms (such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production).
However, the highly pathogenic form spreads more rapidly through flocks
of poultry. This form may cause disease that affects multiple internal
organs and has a mortality rate that can reach 90-100% often within 48
hours.
To get a full review of the key facts
concerning the avian bird flu visit this link:
CDC - Avian Influenza (Flu) Key Facts About Avian Influenza
Well, consider this
evolving story about a possible preventative for avian bird flu: sauerkraut.
This story started
last November as scientists at Seoul National University in South Korea
fed an extract of kimchi, a spicy Korean variant of sauerkraut, to 13
chickens infected with avian bird flu, and a week later, 11 of the
birds
started to recover, according to a report by the BBC Network.
Well guess
what? A company that makes sauerkraut in Wisconsin made these
claims: "we've got the preventative, and 115,000 tons of it in
Wisconsin alone," said Ryan Downs, owner and general manager of Great
Lakes Kraut Co.
Downs said more extensive scientific research is needed to prove any
curative link to avian bird flu, but he's more than happy to tout kraut as a
healthful part of any diet.
After a Minneapolis CBS affiliate did its own story on sauerkraut's
potential in the battle against avian bird flu, Frank's checked 54 Twin
City
area stores it supplies, and found an 850 percent spike in overall sales, Lundin said.
Now the story gets
better. Headlines in January started touting the benefits of
sauerkraut (unrelated to the avian bird flu story) as being a low carb
food,
and named sauerkraut as one of the hottest foods of 2006.
Believe It or
Not: Sauerkraut was named as one of the Hottest Foods of
2006. Additionally the National Restaurant Association cites sauerkraut as an
older dish making a comeback. And lo and behold now Arby's
has introduced a new Reuben sandwich as part of their new "market fresh
sandwich" program and they use Frank's Sauerkraut, considered to be the
highest quality sauerkraut in the United States.
A Georgetown
University study (February 2006) was cited, in the latest
issue of the British Journal of Cancer, and expands upon many other
cancer studies by identifying and describing the cellular process which
gives cruciferous foods, like cabbage and sauerkraut, a strong
cancer-fighting response in the human body.
The study found that a
chemical called indol-3-carbonol (I3C) which occurs naturally in
cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and
sauerkraut, boosts the activity of two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, which
then work to detect and repair damaged DNA. Because damaged DNA can
lead cells to become cancerous, eating foods that repair DNA, like
sauerkraut, may lower the risk of cancer development.
Now the 7Eleven
connection.
I started noticing
that 7Eleven stores carry as part of their condiment arsenal,
sauerkraut. And when combined with their big bite array of
dogs it actually becomes a low carb alternative. According to Charles Stuart
Platkin, a syndicated health, nutrition, and fitness columnist, author
of the best-selling book, Breaking the Pattern
(Red Mill Press, 2002), the 7 Eleven Biggest Bite can be broken down to
the following goodies:
7 Eleven 1/3 Pound Big Biggest Bite (no
bun): 480 calories, 45g fat, 3g carbs
Mr. Platkin further
elaborates:
"All I can
say is pack on the sauerkraut -- it's your best bet. It has very few
calories and no fat. Mustard, ketchup and relish are also great deals
in terms of calories. Steer clear of butter and mayo, which have a
habit of turning up on almost everything we eat. Also, try to avoid
cheese and chili whenever possible; they can add more than 250 calories
and 15g fat to your frank.
-Sauerkraut (1 cup): 27 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs
Now you know the
connection between the avian flu, 7 Eleven and
sauerkraut.
Also, have you noticed
that no South Koreans have died from the Avian Bird Flu, even though
there
have been several infections?
Now this is
Real-Food-For-Thought !!!
Stay healthy,
Monte Luxley is a health
conscious baby boomer involved in research of natural foods as
alternatives to synthetic allopathic treatments. http://www.ArthritisHelpTips.com
http://www.Essential-Oils-For-Health.com
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