No BS weight loss 13. April 2009 William Davis (18) If there's something out there on the market for weight loss, we've tried it. By we, I mean myself along with many people and patients around me willing to try various new strategies. Maybe you say: "Well that's not a clinical trial. How can we know that there aren't small effects?" Who cares about small effects? If a weight loss strategy causes you to lose 1.2 lbs over 3 months--who cares? Sure, it may count towards a slight measure of health in a 230 lb 5 ft 3 inch woman. But it is insufficient to engage that person's interest and keep them on track. That little result, in fact, will discourage interest in weight loss and cause someone to return to previous behaviors. What I'm talking about is BIG weight loss--20 lbs the first month, 40 lbs over 4 months, 50-60 lbs over 6 months.Right now, there are only three things that I know of that yield such enormous effects: 1) Elimination of wheat, cornstarch, and sugars2) Thyroid normalization (I don't mean following what the laboratory says is "normal")3) Intermittent fastingCombine all three in various ways and the results are accelerated even more.
Self-directed health is ALREADY here 12. April 2009 William Davis (12) It can't happen. People are too stupid/ignorant/lazy or simply don't care. It is irresponsible. People will misuse, abuse, misdiagnose, fail to recognize all manner of medical conditions. It's all true. Most of the medical establishment believes it. And it is self-fulfulling: If you believe it, it will happen. But it's not true for everybody. If readers of this blog, for instance, were to view the conversations we have in our Track Your Plaque Forum, you would immediately recognize that we have a following that is more sophisticated and knowledgeable about coronary heart disease than 90% of cardiologists. That is really something. Perhaps they can't put in a stent or defibrillator, but they understand an enormous amount about this disease we are all trying to control and reverse, sufficient to seize control over much of their own healthcare for this process and related conditons. Anyway, self-directed health is already here. And it's happening on an incredible scale. Witness:--Nutritional supplements--Now a $21 billion (annual revenues) phenomenon, booming sales of nutritional supplements are a powerful testimonial to the enthuasiasm of the public for self-directed health treatments. Sure, there are plenty of junk supplements out there, but there are also many spectacularly effective products. Information, not marketing, will help tell the difference. Over the long-run, the truth will win out. The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act has allowed the definition of “nutritional supplement” to be stretched to the limit. "Nutritional supplements" includes obviously non-nutritional (though still potentially interesting) products like the hormones pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and melatonin to be sold on the same shelf as vitamin C. There are also amino acids, polysaccharides, minerals and trace minerals, herbal preparations, flavonoids, carotenoids, antioxidants, phytonutrients. In fact, I believe that the nutritional supplement pipeline is likely to yield far more exciting and effective products than the drug research pipeline! And you will have access to all of it--without your doctor's involvement. --Self-ordered laboratory testing--In every state except New York and California, an individual can obtain his or her own laboratory testing. New services are appearing to service this consumer segment. As more people become frustrated with the silly gatekeeping function of their primary care physician and as more people gain more control over some of their healthcare dollars through medical savings accounts, flex-spending, and high-deductible health insurance, more are shopping for cost-saving, self-ordered lab testing. Even at-home lab tests are becoming available, such as ZRT Lab tests we make available through Track Your Plaque. (In California, a doctor's order, or an order from a health professional allowed to prescribe, is still required which, for most people, is just a formality. Just ask your doctor to sign the form with the tests you'd like. Only the most cretinous of physicians will refuse, in which case you should say goodbye. New York is the only state in the U.S. that still dunks women to see if they float, divines the entrails of sacrificial cows, and prohibits lab self-testing.) --Self-ordered medical imaging--Heart scans, full body scans; ultrasound screening for abdominal aneurysms, carotid disease, osteoporosis such as that offered by LifeLine Screening (who does a great job). There's plenty of room here for entrepreneurial types to develop new services, though there will also be battles to fight with hospitals, radiologists, and others invested in the status quo. But it is happening and it will grow. (By the way, since I've previously been accused of making bundles of money from medical imaging: I have never--NEVER--owned and do not currently own any medical imaging facility.)So the question is not "will it happen?" It is already happening. The question is how fast will it grow to include a larger segment of the public? How much more of conventional healthcare can it include? How can we develop better unbiased information sources, untainted by marketing, that guide people through the maze of choices?
Fire your stockbroker, fire your doctor 11. April 2009 William Davis (10) Is it yet time to fire your doctor?I advocate a model of self-directed health, a style of healthcare in which individuals have the right to direct his or her own healthcare with only the occasional assistance of a physician or healthcare provider.Healthcare would not be the first industry that converted to such a self-directed model. Remember travel agents? Only 15 years ago, making travel plans meant calling your travel agent to book your arrangements. This was a flawed system, because they worked on commission, thereby impairing incentive to search for the best prices. You were, in effect, at their mercy. The investment industry is another such example, though on a larger scale. Up until the 1980s, individual investment was managed by a stockbroker or other money manager. Stockbrokers, analysts, and investment houses commanded the flow of investment in stocks, options, futures, commodities, etc. Individuals lacked access to the methods and knowledge that allowed them to manage their own portfolios. Individuals had no choice but to engage the services of a professional investor. This was also a flawed system. Like travel agents, stockbrokers worked on commission. We've all heard horror stories in which stockbrokers churned accounts, making thousands of dollars in commissions while their clients' portfolios shrunk. That has all changed. Today, the process has largely converted to discount brokers and online services used by individuals trading and managing their own portfolios. Stockbrokers and investment houses continue, of course, but are competing for a shrinking piece of the individual investment market. Independent investors now have access to investment tools that didn’t even exist 20 years ago. Companies like E-Trade and Ameritrade now command annual revenues of approximately $2 billion each. Travel agents, stockbrokers . . . is healthcare next? Can we convert from the paternalistic, “I’m-the-doctor, you’re the patient” relationship to what in which you self-direct your own healthcare and turn to the healthcare system only in unique situations?I believe that the same revolution that shook the investment industry in the 1980s will seize healthcare in the future. In fact, the transition to self-directed health will dwarf its investing counterpart. It will ripple more broadly through the fabric of American life. Health is a more complicated “product,” with more complex modes of delivery, and more varied levels of need than the investment industry. I predict that the emergence of health directed by the individual, just as the emergence of self-directed investment, will dominate in the coming years.While I hope you've already fired your stockbroker, and I doubt that anyone on the internet still uses a travel agent, I wouldn't yet fire your doctor altogether. But I believe that we are approaching a time in which you should begin to take control over your own health and begin to reduce reliance on doctors, drugs, and hospitals.
Blast small LDL to oblivion 4. April 2009 William Davis (21) Here's a graphic demonstration of the power of wheat elimination to reduce small LDL particles, now the number one cause for heart disease in the U.S. Lee had suffered a stroke due to an atherosclerotic plaque in a brain artery. She also had plenty of coronary plaque with a heart scan score of 322. Lee began with an LDL particle number (the "gold standard" for measuring LDL, far superior to conventional calculated LDL) of 2234 nmol/L. This is exceptionally high, the equivalent of an LDL cholesterol of 223 mg/dl (drop the last digit). Of this 2234 nmol/L, 90% were abnormally small, with 1998 nmol/L of small LDL particles. Lee eliminated wheat products from her diet, as well as cutting out sugars and cornstarch. Six months later, her results:LDL particle number: 1082 nmol/L--a 52% reduction from the starting value and equivalent to an LDL of 108 mg/dl. Small LDL: zero--yes, zero. In other words, 100% of Lee's LDL particles had shifted to the more benign large LDL simply with elimination of these foods---NO statin drug. (In addition to wheat elimination, she was also taking vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids at our recommended doses.)While not everybody responds quite so vigorously due to genetic variation, nor does everyone try as hard as Lee did to eliminate the foods that trigger small LDL, her case provides a great illustration of the power of this strategy.
Buy local, get a goiter 3. April 2009 William Davis (19) The notion of buying food locally--"buy local"--i.e., food produced in your area, state, or region, is catching on. And for good reason: Not only do you support your local economy, buying locally saves energy, since food doesn't have to be transported from South America or other faraway locations. But what about those of us in the Midwest, particularly around the Great Lakes basin, i.e., the region previously known as the "goiter belt"? In the early 20th century, up to a third of the residents of this region had enlarged thyroid glands, or goiters, due to iodine deficiency. Lack of iodine causes the thyroid to enlarge, or "hypertrophy," in an effort to more efficiently extract any available iodine in the blood. Well, there's been a resurgence of iodine deficiency nationwide with 11.3% of the population severely deficient, representing a four-fold increase since the 1970s. Why an iodine deficiency? Because more people are avoiding iodized salt, the principal source of iodine for Americans since the FDA introduced its voluntary program for iodization of table salt back in 1924. Approximately 90% of the patients I ask now declare that they use very little iodized table salt. While a few take multimineral or multivitamin supplements that contain iodine, the majority do not. The globalization of the food supply--eat global--however, has softened the blow, since we eat tomatoes from Mexico, blueberries from Argentina, lettuce from the Salinas Valley of California. Now, we have the growing trend to eat local. In the Midwest, it means that the vegetables, fruits, and meats grown locally will also be iodine depleted, since the soil is also iodine-poor, being so far from the sea. Ironically, two healthy trends--avoiding salt and eating local--will be accounting for a surge in unsightly neck bulges in the Midwest, as well as an increase in thyroid disease. The lesson: Avoid salt, eat local, but mind your iodine.
Self-directed thyroid management 2. April 2009 William Davis (9) Is there an at-home test you can do to gauge thyroid status? Yes. Measure your temperature. Unlike a snake or alligator that relies on the sun or its surroundings to regulate body temperature, you and I can internally regulate temperature. The hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid glands are the organs involved in thermoregulation, body temperature regulation. While the system can break down anywhere in the sequence, as well as in other organs (e.g., adrenal), the thyroid is the weak link in the chain. Thus, temperature assessment can serve as a useful gauge of thyroid adequacy. Unfortunately, temperature measurement as a reflection of thyroid function has not been well explored in clinical studies. It has also been subject to a good deal of unscientific discussions. How should temperature be measured? The temperature you really desire is between 3 am and 6 am, while still asleep. However, this is difficult to do, since it would require your bed partner to surreptitiously insert a thermometer into some body orifice without disturbing you. A practical solution is to measure temperature first upon arising in the morning, before drinking water, coffee, making the bed, etc.--immediately.While traditionalists (followers of Dr. Broda Barnes, who first suggested that temperature reflects thyroid function) still advocate axillary (armpit) temperatures, in 2009 it is clear that axillary temperatures are unreliable. Axillary temperatures are inconsistent, vary substantially with the clothing you wear, vary from right to left armpit, ambient temperature, sweat or lack of sweat, and other factors. It also can commonly be 2-3 degrees Fahrenheit below internal ("core") temperature and does not track with internal temperatures through the circadian rhythms of the day (high temperature early evening, lowest temperature 3-6 am). Rectal, urine, esophageal, tympanic membrane (ear), and forehead are other means to measure body temperature, but are either inconvenient (rectal) or require correction factors to track internal temperature (e.g., forehead and ear). For these reasons, we use oral temperatures. Oral temperatures (on either side of the underside of the tongue) are convenient, track reasonably well with internal temperatures, and are familiar to most people. Though there are scant data on the distribution of oral temperatures correlated to thyroid function, we find that the often-suggested cutoff of 97.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 36.4 C, seems to track well with symptoms and thyroid laboratory evaluation (TSH, free T3, and free T4). In other words, oral temp <97.6 F correlates well with symptoms of fatigue, cold hands and feet, mental fogginess, along with high LDL cholesterol, all corrected or improved with thyroid replacement and return of temperature to 97.6 F.But be careful: There are many factors that can influence oral temperature, including clothing, season, level of fitness, "morningness" (morning people) vs. "nightness" (night owls), relation to menstrual cycle, concurrent medical conditions. Also, be sure that your thermometer can detect low temperatures. Just because it shows low temperatures of, say 94.0 degrees F, doesn't mean that it can really measure that low. If in doubt, dip your thermometer in cold water for one minute. If an improbable temperature is registered, say, 97.0 F, then you know that your device is incapable of detecting low temps.A full in-depth Special Report on thermoregulation will be coming soon on the Track Your Plaque website.
Self-directed health: At-home lab testing 29. March 2009 William Davis (20) I have a prediction. I predict that more and more healthcare can and will be obtained directly by the individual--without doctors, without hospitals, without the corrupt profit-at-any-costs modus operandi of the pharmaceutical industry. I predict that, given the right tools, Joe or Jane Q. Public will have the choice to manage his or her own health using tools that are directly accessible, tools that include direct-to-consumer medical imaging (CT scans, ultrasound, MRI, etc.), nutritional supplements (a loosely-defined term, to our advantage), and direct-to-consumer laboratory testing. Done responsibly, self-directed healthcare is superior to healthcare from your doctor. While no one expects you to remove your own gallbladder, you can manage cholesterol, blood sugar issues, vitamin D, low thyroid, and others--better than your doctor.As everyone becomes more comfortable with the notion of self-directed health, you will see new services appear that help individuals manage their health. You will see prices for direct-to-consumer medical imaging and lab testing drop due to competition, something that doesn't happen in current insurance-based healthcare delivery. People are being exposed to larger deductibles and/or draw money from a medical savings account and will seek more cost advantages. Such direct-to-consumer competitive pricing will meet those needs. Overall, the presently unsustainable cost of healthcare will decline. To help accelerate the shift of human healthcare away from conventional paths and divert it towards the individual, we have launched a panel of direct-to-consumer at-home laboratory tests that we are making available on the Track Your Plaque website. On your own (except in California, which requires a doctor's order or prescription; and NY, the only state in the nation that prohibits entirely), you can now test, in the comfort of your own home with no laboratory blood draw required, parameters including: --Thyroid tests--Free T3, free T4, TSH--Lipids--C-reactive protein--Vitamin D--Testosterone--Progesteroneand others. As the technology improves, more tests will become available for testing at home. (Lipoproteins are not yet available, but will probably be available within the next few years. That would be an enormous boon to those of us interested in supercharged heart disease prevention and reversal.) Anyone interested in our at-home testing can just go to the Track Your Plaque lab test Marketplace. When I first began the Track Your Plaque program around 8 years ago, I saw it as a way for people to learn how to control or reverse coronary atherosclerotic plaque, and I'd hoped that physicians would begin to see the light and become patient advocates in this process. But I have lost hope that most of my colleagues are interested in becoming your advocate in health. They are too locked into the "call me when you hurt" mentality. I now see Track Your Plaque as a way for people to seize control over coronary plaque with minimal assistance from their doctors. Indeed, some of our Members have achieved reduction of their plaque in spite of their doctors. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what's to come. Brace yourself for a cataclysmic shift in returning health to you and away from those who would profit from your misfortune.
Vitamin D for Peter, Paul, and Mary 27. March 2009 William Davis (15) Why is it that vitamin D deficiency can manifest in so many different ways in different people? One big reason is something called vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes, the variation in the receptor for vitamin D. It means that vitamin D deficiency sustained over many years in:Peter yields prostate cancerPaul yields coronary heart disease and diabetesMary yields osteoporosis and knee arthritis. Same deficiency, different diseases.VDR genotype-determined susceptibility to numerous conditions have been identified, including Graves' thyroiditis, osteoporosis and related bone demineralization diseases, prostate cancer (Fok1 ffI genotype), ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer (Fok1 ff), birth weight of newborns, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, susceptibility to type I diabetes, Crohn's disease, and neurological or musculoskeletal deterioration with aging that leads to falls, respiratory infections, kidney cancer, even periodontal disease. Why is it that the dose of vitamin D necessary to reach a specific level differs so widely from one person to the next? VDR genotype, again. Variation in blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D from a specific dose of vitamin D can vary three-fold, as shown by a University of Toronto study. In other words, a dose of 4000 units per day may yield a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood level of 30 ng/ml in Mary, 60 ng/ml in Paul, and 90 ng/ml in Pete--same dose, different blood levels. Should we all run out and get our VDR genotypes assessed? So far the data have not progressed far enough to tell us. If, for instance, you prove to have the high-risk Fok1 ff genotype, would you do anything different? Would vitamin D supplementation be conducted any differently? I don't believe so. Virtually all of us should be supplementing vitamin D at a dose that generates healthy blood levels, regardless of VDR genotype. For those of us following the Track Your Plaque program for coronary plaque control and reversal, that means maintaining serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels between 60-70 ng/ml. As the fascinating research behind VDR genotype susceptibility to disease unfolds, perhaps it will suggest that specific genotypes be somehow managed differently. Until then, take your vitamin D.
Blowup at Milwaukee Heart Scan 26. March 2009 William Davis (20) A local TV investigative news report just ran a critical report of the goings-on at Milwaukee Heart Scan:Andy Smith went to Milwaukee Heart Scan. "It passed the smell test like a road kill skunk. I mean it was bad," Smith explained.Our hidden cameras went inside the high pressure sales pitch. "On a good day I sell eight, nine, 10 people. On a bad day probably three," sales manager Angelo Callegari told us.What the heck happened? Let me tell you a story. Back in 1996, I learned of a new technology called UltraFast CT scanning, or electron-beam tomography (EBT), a variation on the standard CT technology that permitted very rapid scanning, sufficiently rapid to allow visualization of the coronary arteries. Back then, only a few dozen devices had been established nationwide. But the technology was so promising and the initial data so powerful that I lobbied several hospital systems in town to consider purchasing one of the $1.8 million devices. I was interested in applying this exciting technology for early detection of coronary heart disease in Milwaukee. While administrators from several hospitals listened, they quickly lost interest when they figured out that the scanner was primarily a tool for prevention, and would not be directly useful to increase revenue-generating hospital procedures. I floundered about for a year, trying to drum up support for obtaining a scanner. The manufacturer of the device, Imatron, put me in touch with a couple from Indiana who were also interested in setting up a scanner and had actually obtained the investment capital to do it. We met and, over the next year, got Milwaukee Heart Scan up and running. I served as Medical Director (but never an investor or owner). Milwaukee Heart Scan was busy from day one, performing EBT heart scans, as well as CT coronary angiograms as long ago as the late 1990s, virtual colonoscopies, and other imaging tests. We all spent a great deal of time educating the public and physicians on what this technology meant for detection and prevention of disease. Despite the public's perception that the owners, Nancy and Steve Burlingame, were making a bundle of money, in reality they could barely pay their expenses. As price competition heated up in Milwaukee with the lower-cost competing multidetector scanners cropping up, the Burlingames often did not pay themselves. My interest was to keep this device afloat. I therefore told the Burlingames that they should pay their bills first--their staff, overhead, the scanner costs, and pay themselves--and not worry about reimbursing me for the (very modest) heart scan interpretation fees. For several years, I read thousands of scans without any compensation. But that was okay with me--I just wanted to be sure this device remained available. But in 2008, some business people from Chicago contacted Steve Burlingame with prospects of applying a contract model of long-term scanning to patients,i.e.,getting people to sign a several-year contract for discounted imaging. They proposed that Milwaukee Heart Scan offer heart scans for free to get people in the door. What was peculiar about all this is that none of the four physicians on staff at Milwaukee Heart Scan had any knowledge of these discussions at all, including myself. Personally, I figured something was afoot when I came in to read scans in the summer of 2008. While, ordinarily, there is a single stack of scans to read from the preceding few days, this time there were numerous stacks of scans, hundreds of scans in all. Not a word had been said to me or my colleagues. I quickly figured out (thanks to the staff filling me in) that they had been offering scans for free. Not surprisingly, many people took them up on the offer. Up until then, I had been readily willing to read heart scans without compensation, provided I could perform scan readings in a modest time commitment every week on the weeks it was my responsibility. But work several hours every day for free? Impossible. My colleagues and I were deeply upset and concerned and insisted on a meeting with all the people involved, including the Burlingames, who had engineered this new sales program. We expressed serious reservations about what they were doing and insisted that they dramatically scale back the promises being made to people. I personally asked that they fire several of the people they had hired as sales people, given what we thought was unprofessional appearance and behavior. The Burlingames and their new business partners essentially thumbed their noses at the physicians and ignored our advice. So, of the four physicians (one radiologist, three cardiologists), three of us resigned. (The one remaining cardiologist, I believe, didn't really understand what was going on.)Apparently, after we left, the hard sales tactics continued. The news media got hold of the story through some understandably disgruntled people, and you know the rest. The tragedy in all this is that, as wonderful as heart scans are, they don't make money for the people who invest in the technology. In the sad case of Milwaukee Heart Scan, it meant that my former friends, the Burlingames, turned to questionable tactics to make this technology pay. Make no mistake: Heart scans remain a wonderful medical imaging modality. EBT, in particular, remains a fabulous technology that would--even today--remain the pre-eminent means to image coronary arteries, except that GE (who acquired Imatron some years ago) decided that a more direct path to bigger revenues was to purchase Imatron, then promptly scrap the entire operation, choosing to focus on multidetector technology exclusively. Don't let the spotty past and petty ambitions cloud the fact that heart scans remain the best way to identify and track coronary plaque. Just don't get tempted by the offer of any free scans "without obligation."
Do you work for the pharmaceutical industry? 24. March 2009 William Davis (30) In response to my post, Lovaza Rip-off, I received this angry comment:Very high triglycerides, as you all know, is a very serious and life-threatening condition. Therefore, it is very important that any medication you take for treatment must be FDA proven and scientifically backed. This is true for a few reasons. First, there have been zero studies done to show the effects of Costco brand fish oil pills on patients with high triglycerides. So, you cannot assume, simply because the pills you are taking "claim" to have a certain amount of Omega 3 in the them, that they actually do (supplement labeling is self-submitted by the company, and not regulated by any external or 3rd party agency). Secondly, the other components in fish oil, and maybe in Costco brand (no one knows because it isn't on the label) can actually inhibit the bioavailablity of Omega 3, most notably, Omega 6. And, nowhere on the Costco label does it tell you how much Omega 6 is in it. We also cannot underestimate the importance of purity with these compounds: a top selling brand of fish oil found stores like CVS was recently recalled because it was found to have large amounts of fire retardant in it! These supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA. Thirdly, be careful when you compare costs. The cost of hospitalization due to acute pancreatitis (a risk of very high triglycerides) far outweighs the cost of taking Lovaza for even several years. If you have a real disease, you need a real drug. And, until Costco does a prospective long-term clinical trial to show that it lowers triglycerides, it should not be used in place of Lovaza. Finally, I am a living example of how taking a high-potency supplement form of Omega 3 barely lowered my triglycerides, yet within 2 weeks of being on Lovaza there was a significant difference. I am now at my goal. So, before you knock a company, that, in my opinion, has saved my life, please do your research and do not mislead people into thinking that an Omega 3 is an Omega 3 is an Omega 3. If your insurance covers the most potent, the most pure, and the ONLY proven Omega 3 pill on the market, you should be thankful.The comment was posted anonymously, so I don't know who it came from. But I can tell who I think it is: Someone who works for the drug industry. This is a common phenomenon: Large corporations are fearful of the comments that are generated on internet conversations and other media. On the internet, there are actually people whose job it is to do "damage control." I suspect this came from one of them. Why bother? Surely there are better things to do? Well, that's easy. There are billions of dollars at stake. Lovaza, in particular, is sold on the perception that it is somehow superior. If word gets out that maybe you can achieve the same results at a fraction of the cost . . . Perhaps the "commenter" should also question whether omega-3 fatty acids can come from eating fish. As part of my cardiology practice, I provide consultation on complex hyperlipidemias, or unusual lipid abnormalities. I have many patients with something called familial hypertriglyceridemia, a genetic condition that permits triglyceride levels of 500, 1000, even many thousands of mg/dl, levels that, as the anonymous commenter points out, can be dangerous. I virtually never prescribe Lovaza for these people. In their treatment program, I use simple fish oil supplements, such as that from Costco, Sam's Club, or other retailers. I have not witnessed a single failure in treating these people and reducing triglycerides. People with lesser triglyceride abnormalities likewise respond very nicely to inexpensive fish oil that we can buy at the health food store. (I do rely on useful services like Consumer Reports and www.consumerlab.com to reassure us that no pesticide residues, mercury, or other contaminants are in the brands we use.) Excellent, high-quality fish oil supplements are sold by Carlson, Life Extension, Barlean's, even the Members' Mark brand from Sam's Club. So, the notion that only prescription fish oil is capable of reducing triglycerides is, in a word, nonsense. Take that back to your CEO.
More on the American Heart Association Check Mark program 11. June 2007 William Davis (3) Take a look at the list of foods on the American Heart Association's (AHA) Check Mark endorsement program (below). After I saw the list, I was convinced either that the people who designed the program are either startlingly ignorant, or the AHA simply does this for money.Many of these foods have nothing to do with health, heart or otherwise. In fact, many of these foods are prominent culprits that contribute to the American epidemic of obesity. There are cured meats with sodium nitrite (a potent cause of colon cancer). Some of these companies have been accused of unhealthy food manufacturing practices. Tyson Foods, for instance, has been in court many times defending their brutal factory farm practices and were the focus of a federal investigation for paying bribe money to USDA Secretary, Mike Espy. (Espy was acquitted but two Tyson executives were convicted, only to be later pardoned by then President Bill Clinton.)This is a smarmy list to be included on. Though there are some rare healthy exceptions on the list, from the Track Your Plaque viewpoint, this is a list of shame, foods that have no place in a genuinely heart healthy nutrition program. 8th Continent, LLC8th Continent Fat Free Premium Original Soymilk8th Continent Fat Free Premium Vanilla Soymilk8th Continent Light Chocolate Soymilk8th Continent Light Original Soymilk8th Continent Light Vanilla Soymilk8th Continent Premium Chocolate Soymilk8th Continent Premium Original Soymilk8th Continent Premium Vanilla SoymilkAmerican Italian Pasta CompanyGolden Grain Mission Whole Grain Penne RigateGolden Grain Mission Whole Grain RotiniGolden Grain Mission Whole Grain SpaghettiHeartland Whole Grain PenneHeartland Whole Grain RotiniHeartland Whole Grain SpaghettiHeartland Whole Wheat Angel HairHeartland Whole Wheat Elbow MacaroniHeartland Whole Wheat PenneHeartland Whole Wheat RotiniHeartland Whole Wheat SpaghettiMueller's Whole Grain PenneMueller's Whole Grain RotiniMueller's Whole Grain SpaghettiAtalanta CorporationCelebrity 99% Fat Free Premium Imported Healthy HamBeefmaster Cattlemen, L.P.Nolan Ryan's All Natural Ground Beef Round 96/4, 4% FatBimbo Bakeries USABimbo's 100% Integral/Bimbo 100% Whole Wheat BreadMrs. Baird's 100% Whole Wheat BreadOroweat 100% Whole Wheat BreadOroweat Country 100% Whole Wheat BreadOroweat Double Fiber BreadOroweat Original Health Nut BreadBoar's Head Provisions Company, Inc.Boar's Head Aroastica Seasoned Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastBoar's Head Blazing Buffalo Style Boneless Skinless Roasted Chicken BreastBoar's Head Branded Deluxe 42% Lower Sodium HamBoar's Head Cracked Pepper Mill Smoked Turkey BreastBoar's Head Golden Classic Oven Roasted Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastBoar's Head Hickory Smoked Black Forest Turkey Breast - 43% Lower SodiumBoar's Head Hickory Smoked Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastBoar's Head Italian Style Oven Roasted Seasoned Beef with Classic Braciole SeasoningBoar's Head Lemon Pepper Boneless Skinless Roasted Chicken BreastBoar's Head Londonport Top Round Seasoned Roast BeefBoar's Head Maple Glazed Honey Coat Cured Turkey BreastBoar's Head Mesquite Wood Smoked Skinless Roasted Breast of TurkeyBoar's Head Our Deluxe Low Sodium Low Fat Oven Roasted Choice Beef Cap Off Top RoundBoar's Head Our Premium Oven Roasted 47% Lower Sodium Turkey Breast - SkinlessBoar's Head Our Premium Oven Roasted 50% Lower Sodium Turkey BreastBoar's Head Ovengold Roast Breast of TurkeyBoar's Head Ovengold Roast Breast of Turkey - SkinlessBoar's Head Pastrami Seasoned Turkey BreastBoar's Head Salsalito Roasted Breast of TurkeyBryan Foods, Inc.Bryan 97% Fat Free Butcher Fresh Pork TenderloinBumble Bee Foods LLCKirkland Signature Solid White Albacore Tuna in WaterMember's Mark Solid White Albacore Tuna in WaterCalifornia GiantCalifornia Giant StrawberriesCalifornia Strawberry CommissionCalifornia Fresh StrawberriesCalifornia Frozen StrawberriesCampbell Soup CompanyCalcium Enriched V8 100% Vegetable JuiceCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request Chicken NoodleCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request Classic Chicken Noodle Microwaveable BowlCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request Grilled Chicken and Sausage GumboCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request Grilled Chicken and Sausage Gumbo Microwaveable BowlCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request Hearty Beef BarleyCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request New Englad Clam ChowderCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request Old Fashioned Vegetable BeefCampbell's Chunky Healthy Request VegetableCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Chicken Noodle SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup (Food Service)Campbell's Healthy Request Condensed Chicken Rice SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Cream of Celery SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Cream of Chicken SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Cream of Mushroom SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Homestyle Chicken NoodleCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Minestrone SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Tomato SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Vegetable Beef SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Condensed Vegetable SoupCampbell's Healthy Request Tomato JuiceCampbell's Low Sodium Tomato JuiceCampbell's Select Healthy Request Chicken and Egg NoodlesCampbell's Select Healthy Request Italian Style Wedding Microwaveable BowlCampbell's Select Healthy Request Italian-Style WeddingCampbell's Select Healthy Request Mexican Style Chicken TortillaCampbell's Select Healthy Request Mexican Style Chicken Tortilla Microwaveable BowlCampbell's Select Healthy Request Savory Chicken and Long Grain RiceCampbell's V8 Fusion Strawberry BananaCampbell's V8 Fusion Tropical OrangeCampbell's V8 Regular Vegetable JuiceCampbell's V8 V.Fusion Light Peach MangoCampbell's V8 V.Fusion Light Strawberry BananaCampbell's V8 V.Fusion Pomegranate BlueberryEssential Antioxidants V8 100% Vegetable JuiceLow Sodium V8 100% Vegetable JuicePrego Heart Smart Mushroom Italian SaucePrego Heart Smart Traditional Italian SauceCargill Meat Solutions96/4 All Natural Extra Lean Ground BeefExcel's Tender Choice 97% Fat Free Pork TenderloinsExcel's Tender Choice Extra Lean Boneless Pork LoinOur Certified 100% Pure All Natural Ground Beef 96/4Sterling Silver Extra Lean Pork Tenderloins - 12% MarinationSterling Silver Lean Boneless Pork Loin - 12% MarinationChiquita Brands Company, N.A.Chiquita BananasClearwater Seafoods Limited PartnershipClearwater Frozen Arctic Surf ClamsCliffstar CorporationDeerfield Farms No Sugar Added 100% Grape Juice (Purple)Safeway 100% Grape Juice (Purple)Sam's Choice 100% Grape Juice (Purple)Walgreens 100% Grape Juice (Purple)Clougherty Packing CompanyFarmer John® California Natural® 4% Fat Extra Lean Ground PorkFarmer John® California Natural® Premium Extra Lean Boneless Pork TenderloinsMinute Maid Premium Blends - Orange Passion Calcium Juice-FrozenMinute Maid Premium Blends - Orange Tangerine Calcium Juice - FrozenMinute Maid Premium Country Style Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Country Style Orange Juice - FrozenMinute Maid Premium Extra Vitamins C and E Plus Zinc Orange Juice - FrozenMinute Maid Premium Home Squeezed Style Calcium + Vitamin D Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Low Acid Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Low Acid Orange Juice - FrozenMinute Maid Premium Original Calcium + Vitamin D Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Original Calcium Orange Juice - FrozenMinute Maid Premium Original Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Original Orange Juice - FrozenMinute Maid Premium Pulp Free Calcium + Vitamin D Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Pulp Free Orange JuiceMinute Maid Premium Pulp Free Orange Juice - FrozenSimply Orange Calcium Pulp Free 100% Orange JuiceSimply Orange Country Stand Calcium Medium Pulp 100% Orange JuiceSimply Orange Grove Made High Pulp 100% Orange JuiceSimply Orange Original Pulp Free 100% Orange JuiceColleen Strawberries, Inc. / EKT FarmsColleen StrawberriesConAgra Dairy FoodsEgg Beaters 99% Real Eggs-FrozenEgg Beaters 99% Real Eggs-RefrigeratedEgg Beaters Cheese & ChiveEgg Beaters Egg WhitesEgg Beaters Garden VegetableEgg Beaters Ham & CheeseEgg Beaters SouthwesternConAgra Food ServiceLamb Weston Sweet Things Mashed Sweet Potatoes, FrozenConAgra Frozen FoodsHealthy Choice Café Selections Apple Glazed Pork MedallionsHealthy Choice Café Selections Beef MerlotHealthy Choice Café Selections Cajun Style Chicken & ShrimpHealthy Choice Café Selections Chicken Fried RiceHealthy Choice Café Selections Chicken MargheritaHealthy Choice Café Selections Chicken TuscanyHealthy Choice Café Selections Creamy Dill SalmonHealthy Choice Café Selections Four Cheese PizzaHealthy Choice Café Selections General Tso's Spicy ChickenHealthy Choice Café Selections Gourmet Supreme PizzaHealthy Choice Café Selections Grilled Basil ChickenHealthy Choice Café Selections Grilled Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper AlfredoHealthy Choice Café Selections Grilled Chicken BajaHealthy Choice Café Selections Grilled Chicken CaesarHealthy Choice Café Selections Grilled Chicken MarinaraHealthy Choice Café Selections Grilled Whiskey SteakHealthy Choice Café Selections Italian Style Pepperoni PizzaHealthy Choice Café Selections Roasted Chicken ChardonnayHealthy Choice Café Selections Roasted Chicken MarsalaHealthy Choice Complete Selections Asiago Chicken PortabelloHealthy Choice Complete Selections Beef Pot RoastHealthy Choice Complete Selections Beef StroganoffHealthy Choice Complete Selections Beef Tips PortabelloHealthy Choice Complete Selections Beef with Classic BBQ SauceHealthy Choice Complete Selections Blackened ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Chicken Broccoli AlfredoHealthy Choice Complete Selections Chicken ParmigianaHealthy Choice Complete Selections Chicken TeriyakiHealthy Choice Complete Selections Classic Grilled Chicken BBQHealthy Choice Complete Selections Country Breaded ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Country Herb ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Creamy Garlic ShrimpHealthy Choice Complete Selections Fiesta ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Four Cheese ManicottiHealthy Choice Complete Selections Glazed ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Grilled Chicken MontereyHealthy Choice Complete Selections Grilled Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Complete Selections Grilled White Meat Chicken with Smokehouse BBQ SauceHealthy Choice Complete Selections Honey Balsamic ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Lemon Pepper FishHealthy Choice Complete Selections MeatloafHealthy Choice Complete Selections Mushroom Roasted BeefHealthy Choice Complete Selections Roasted ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Salisbury SteakHealthy Choice Complete Selections Sweet Bourbon SteakHealthy Choice Complete Selections Sweet and Sour ChickenHealthy Choice Complete Selections Traditional Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Low Fat Premium Sorbet & Cream Bars-Orange or StrawberryHealthy Choice Premium Caramel Swirl SandwichHealthy Choice Premium Fudge SandwichHealthy Choice Premium Fudge Swirl SandwichHealthy Choice Premium Low Fat Ice Cream BarHealthy Choice Premium Vanilla SandwichHealthy Choice Simple Selections Breaded Chicken Breast Strips with GravyHealthy Choice Simple Selections Cheese French Bread PizzaHealthy Choice Simple Selections Cheesy Chicken and RiceHealthy Choice Simple Selections Chicken EnchiladaHealthy Choice Simple Selections Chicken Fettuccini AlfredoHealthy Choice Simple Selections Chicken RigatoniHealthy Choice Simple Selections Four Cheese ManicottiHealthy Choice Simple Selections Glazed ChickenHealthy Choice Simple Selections Grilled Chicken White Meat Chicken & PastaHealthy Choice Simple Selections Grilled White Meat Chicken & GravyHealthy Choice Simple Selections Lasagna BakeHealthy Choice Simple Selections Macaroni & CheeseHealthy Choice Simple Selections Mandarin ChickenHealthy Choice Simple Selections Pepperoni French Bread PizzaHealthy Choice Simple Selections Roast Turkey Breastin Savory Sauce with MushroomsHealthy Choice Simple Selections Salisbury SteakHealthy Choice Simple Selections Sesame ChickenHealthy Choice Simple Selections Slow Roasted Turkey Breast with GravyHealthy Choice Simple Selections SpaghettiHealthy Choice Simple Selections Supreme French Bread PizzaConAgra Grocery FoodsACT II 94% Fat Free Butter Microwave PopcornACT II 94% Fat Free Butter Mini Bags Microwave PopcornACT II 94% Fat Free Kettle Corn Microwave PopcornHealthy Choice Bean & Ham SoupHealthy Choice Beef Pot Roast Microwavable Bowl SoupHealthy Choice Chicken & Dumplings SoupHealthy Choice Chicken Tortilla SoupHealthy Choice Chicken with Rice Microwavable Bowl SoupHealthy Choice Chicken with Rice SoupHealthy Choice Country Vegetable Microwavable Bowl SoupHealthy Choice Country Vegetable SoupHealthy Choice Fiesta Chicken SoupHealthy Choice Garden Vegetable SoupHealthy Choice Garlic & Herb Pasta SauceHealthy Choice Hearty Chicken SoupHealthy Choice New England Clam Chowder SoupHealthy Choice Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Microwavable Bowl SoupHealthy Choice Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle SoupHealthy Choice Split Pea & Ham SoupHealthy Choice Traditional Pasta SauceHealthy Choice Vegetable Beef SoupHealthy Choice Zesty Gumbo with Chicken & Sausage SoupHunt's Family Favorites Seasoned Tomato Sauce for LasagnaHunt's Organic Crushed TomatoesHunt's Organic Diced TomatoesHunt's Organic Pasta Sauce Roasted GarlicHunt's Organic Whole TomatoesHunt's Tomatoes Crushed in Thick Tomato PureeHunt's Tomatoes DicedHunt's Tomatoes Diced in SauceHunt's Tomatoes Diced with Mild Green ChiliesHunt's Tomatoes Diced-Green Pepper, Celery & OnionsHunt's Tomatoes Petite DicedHunt's Tomatoes Stewed-No Salt AddedHunt's Tomatoes WholeHunt's Tomatoes Whole-No Salt AddedOrville Redenbacher's Mini Bags Smart Pop Butter Microwave PopcornOrville Redenbacher's Mini Bags Smart Pop Butter/Kettle Corn Microwave Popcorn Variety PackOrville Redenbacher's Mini Bags Smart Pop Kettle Corn Microwave PopcornOrville Redenbacher's Organic Kernal JarOrville Redenbacher's Organic Smart Pop Butter Microwave PopcornOrville Redenbacher's Original Kernal JarOrville Redenbacher's Original Kernal JugOrville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter Microwave PopcornOrville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Kettle Corn Microwave PopcornOrville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Movie Theater Butter Microwave PopcornOrville Redenbacher's White Kernal JarRosarita Diced Green ChiliesRosarita Green Chilies StripsRosarita Whole Green ChiliesConAgra Refrigerated FoodsHealthy Choice Deli Thin Baked Cooked HamHealthy Choice Deli Thin Honey HamHealthy Choice Deli Thin Honey Ham & Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey Breast Variety PackHealthy Choice Deli Thin Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli Thin Mesquite Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli Thin Oven Roasted Chicken BreastHealthy Choice Deli Thin Oven Roasted Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli Thin PastramiHealthy Choice Deli Thin Smoked HamHealthy Choice Deli Thin Smoked Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Honey HamHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Honey Maple HamHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Medium Cooked Roast Beef-20% MarinationHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Mesquite Smoked Honey HamHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Roast Beef-20% MarinationHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Smoked HamHealthy Choice Deli-97% Fat Free Virginia Brand HamHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Browned Chicken BreastHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Chicken BreastHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Golden Oven Roasted Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey Breast with BrothHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Mesquite Smoked Chicken BreastHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Mesquite Smoked Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Smoked Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-98% Fat Free Southwest Grill Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-Honey Cured HamHealthy Choice Deli-Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-Oven Roasted Chicken BreastHealthy Choice Deli-Oven Roasted Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Deli-Roast Beef-20% MarinationHealthy Choice Deli-Virginia Brand Cooked HamHealthy Choice Deluxe Thin-Sliced Baked Cooked HamHealthy Choice Deluxe Thin-Sliced Honey HamHealthy Choice Deluxe Thin-Sliced Honey Ham/Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Variety PackHealthy Choice Deluxe Thin-Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Honey HamHealthy Choice Low Fat Smoked SausageHealthy Choice Pre-Sliced Sandwich Solutions Roast BeefHealthy Choice Pre-Sliced Sandwich Solutions Skinless Oven Roasted Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Pre-Sliced Sandwich Solutions Skinless Smoked Turkey BreastHealthy Choice Pre-Sliced Sandwich Solutions Virginia Brand HamHealthy Choice Virginia Brand HamHealthy Choice Zip Pack Cooked HamHealthy Choice Zip Pack Honey HamHealthy Choice Zip Pack Oven Roasted Chicken BreastHealthy Choice Zip Pack Oven Roasted Turkey BreastHebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef FranksConAgra Retail FoodsHealthy Choice Hearty 100% Whole Grain BreadHealthy Choice Hearty 7-Grain BreadCoolham Holdings, Inc. DBA SunMilk Dairy Co.SunMilk-Fat Free Milk with Sunflower Oil (The Taste of 1%)SunMilk-Fat Free Milk with Sunflower Oil (The Taste of 2%)Cooper FarmsCooper Farms All Natural Turkey Breast FilletCrider, Inc.Kirkland Signature Premium 99% Fat Free Chunk Chicken BreastDare Foods IncorporatedBreton Reduced Fat & Sodium Wheat CrackersEl Aguila Food Products, Inc.El Aguila Stoneground Corn TortillasEurofresh Inc.Eurofresh Campari TomatoesFPL Foods, LLC96/4 All Natural Extra Lean Ground BeefFarmland FoodsFarmland 97% Fat Free Fresh Ground PorkFarmland Nutrition Wise 97% Fat Free Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin FiletFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Butterfly Cut Pork Loin ChopsFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Center Cut Pork LoinFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin ChopsFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin RoastFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Pork Chops - America's CutFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Pork TenderloinFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Pork Top Round RoastFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Pork Top Round SteakFarmland Nutrition Wise Boneless Sirloin Tip Pork RoastFarmland Nutrition Wise Pork Cube SteakFarmland Nutrition Wise Pork CubesFarmland Nutrition Wise Pork ScallopiniFarmland Nutrition Wise Pork StripsFieldale Farms CorporationJewel All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib MeatJewel All Natural 99% Fat Free Chicken Breast TendersOur Premium 98% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Breast with Rib Meat - 15% MarinationSpringer Mountain Farms All Natural 98% Fat Free Boneless Skinless BreastsFlorida's Natural GrowersFlorida's Natural Calcium & Vitamin D No Pulp Orange JuiceFlorida's Natural Growers Style Most Pulp Orange JuiceFlorida's Natural Home Squeezed Calcium & Vitamin D with Pulp Orange JuiceFlorida's Natural Home Squeezed with Pulp Orange JuiceFlorida's Natural Original No Pulp Orange JuiceFoodTech InternationalVeggie Patch California Veggie BurgersFoster Poultry FarmsFoster Farms 98% Fat Free Honey Roasted & Smoked Breast of TurkeyFoster Farms 98% Fat Free Oven Roasted Breast of TurkeyFoster Farms 98% Fat Free Oven Roasted Chicken BreastFoster Farms 99% Fat Free 100% Natural Boneless & Skinless Breast FilletsFoster Farms 99% Fat Free 100% Natural Boneless & Skinless Breast SteaksFoster Farms 99% Fat Free 100% Natural Boneless & Skinless Breast TendersFoster Farms 99% Fat Free Honey Roasted & Smoked Turkey BreastFoster Farms 99% Fat Free Oven Roasted Turkey BreastFoster Farms All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breast Tenders (8% Marination)Foster Farms Fresh & Easy 99% Fat Free 100% Natural Boneless & Skinless Breast FilletsKirkland Signature/Foster Farms 99% Fat Free 100% Natural Boneless & Skinless BreastsKirkland Signature/Foster Farms All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts (8% Marination)Fresh Express IncorporatedChiquita Apple BitesFresh Express American SaladFresh Express Hearts of Romaine SaladFresh Express Italian SaladFresh Express Triple Hearts SaladGFA Brands, Inc.Smart Balance Smart 'N Healthy Deluxe Microwave PopcornSmart Beat Healthy Fat Free Non-Dairy Slices - American FlavorSmart Beat Healthy Fat Free Non-Dairy Slices - Lactose FreeSmart Beat Smart Squeeze Nonfat Margarine SpreadGeneral Mills, Inc.Apple Cinnamon CheeriosBerry Berry KixBerry Burst Cheerios-Strawberry BananaBerry Burst Cheerios-Triple BerryBerry Lucky CharmsCheeriosCheerios CrunchChocolate Lucky CharmsCocoa PuffsCookie CrispCount ChoculaDora The ExplorerFrosted CheeriosFruity CheeriosHeart Smart BisquickHoney Nut CheeriosKixLucky CharmsMulti-Grain CheeriosOatmeal Crisp Crunchy AlmondOatmeal Crisp Hearty RaisinOatmeal Crisp Maple Brown SugarPillsbury Oven-Baked Whole Wheat Dinner RollsProgresso Healthy Favorites Chicken & Wild Rice SoupProgresso Healthy Favorites Chicken Gumbo SoupProgresso Healthy Favorites Chicken Noodle SoupProgresso Healthy Favorites Garden Vegetable SoupProgresso Healthy Favorites Italian-Style Wedding SoupProgresso Healthy Favorites Minestrone SoupTotal Cranberry CrunchTotal Honey ClustersTotal Raisin BranTotal with StrawberriesTrixWhole Grain TotalYogurt Burst Cheerios StrawberryYogurt Burst Cheerios VanillaHain Celestial Group, Inc., TheDeBoles Organic Ancient Grain PenneHealth Valley Empower CerealHodgson Mill, Inc.Hodgson Mill Oat Bran All Natural Hot CerealHodgson Mill Whole Wheat Angel HairHodgson Mill Whole Wheat FettuccineHodgson Mill Whole Wheat LasagnaHodgson Mill Whole Wheat PenneHodgson Mill Whole Wheat Spinach SpaghettiHodgson Mill Whole Wheat Whole Grain ElbowsHodgson Mill Whole Wheat Whole Grain SpaghettiIndiana Packers Corp.Indiana Kitchen All Natural Boneless Pork Sirloin RoastIndiana Kitchen All Natural Pork TenderloinInterstate Brands CorporationHome Pride Whole Grains 100% Honey Whole Wheat BreadHome Pride Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat BreadMerita Country Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat BreadKFP International, Ltd.Kedem 100% Pure Concord Grape Juice-No Sugar AddedKansas City Steak CompanyKansas City Seasoned Beef Chuck Tender SteakKansas City Seasoned Beef MedallionsKashi CompanyKashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat WafflesKashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted CerealKashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal - Apple CinnamonKashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal - Golden Brown MapleKashi Heart to Heart Instant Oatmeal - Raisin SpiceKashi Heart to Heart Oat Flakes & Wild Blueberry ClustersKellogg USA, Inc.Kellogg's All-Bran Bran BudsKellogg's All-Bran Extra FiberKellogg's All-Bran OriginalKellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats - Strawberry DelightKellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats - Vanilla CremeKellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Big BiteKellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite SizeKellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats Maple & Brown SugarKellogg's Smart Start Antioxidants - OriginalKellogg's Smart Start Healthy Heart - Maple & Brown SugarKellogg's Smart Start Healthy Heart - OriginalKellogg's Smart Start Healthy Heart Cinnamon RaisinKing SoopersGround Beef 96/4 Extra LeanKroger Company, TheKroger Moist & Tender Silver Platter Pork TenderloinLaura's Lean Beef CompanyLaura's Lean Beef - Beef Pot Roast Au JusLaura's Lean Beef - Shredded Beef with Barbecue SauceLaura's Lean Beef 4% Fat Ground RoundLaura's Lean Beef 4% Ground SirloinLaura's Lean Beef Sirloin SteakLiDestri Foods, Inc.Francesco Rinaldi No Salt Added Traditional Pasta SauceLido Veal & Lamb Inc.Veal USA Boneless Veal Shoulder Roast from Lido VealVeal USA Low Fat Ground Veal from Lido VealVeal USA Veal Leg Cutlets from Lido VealVeal USA Veal Stew from Lido VealM & I Seafood Manufacturing Inc.Chesapeake Bay Gourmet Crab CakesMW Polar FoodsPolar All Natural Chunk Light Tuna in WaterPolar All Natural Solid White Albacore in WaterPolar Chunk Light Tuna in WaterPolar Solid White Albacore Tuna in WaterMalt-O-Meal CompanyMalt-O-Meal BalanceMalt-O-Meal Crispy RiceMalt-O-Meal Frosted Mini SpoonersMalt-O-Meal Honey & Oat BlendersMalt-O-Meal Honey Nut ScootersMalt-O-Meal Hot Wheat Cereal - ChocolateMalt-O-Meal Hot Wheat Cereal - Maple & Brown SugarMalt-O-Meal Hot Wheat Cereal - OriginalMalt-O-Meal Maple & Brown Sugar Mini SpoonersMalt-O-Meal Mom's Best 100% Natural Quick OatsMalt-O-Meal Mom's Best Instant Oatmeal - Apples & CinnamonMalt-O-Meal Mom's Best Instant Oatmeal - Maple & Brown SugarMalt-O-Meal Mom's Best Instant Oatmeal Variety Pack - Maple & Brown Sugar/Apples & Cinnamon/Cinnamon & SpiceMalt-O-Meal Raisin BranMalt-O-Meal ScootersMaple Leaf Consumer FoodsMaple Leaf Sodium Reduced 98% Fat Free Cooked Ham with Natural JuicesMaverick Ranch AssociationMaverick Ranch 96/4 Extra Lean Grass Fed Organic Ground BeefMaverick Ranch 96/4 Extra Lean Natural Ground BuffaloMaverick Ranch 96/4 Extra Lean Natural Ground Pork SirloinMaverick Ranch Free-Range Chicken-All Natural Air Chilled Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastMaverick Ranch NaturaLite 96/4 Extra Lean Ground Beef RoundMaverick Ranch NaturaLite Beef - 96/4 Extra Lean Ground Beef ChuckMaverick Ranch NaturaLite Beef - 96/4 Extra Lean Ground Beef SirloinMaverick Ranch Natural Beef Cubed SteakMaverick Ranch Natural Beef Top Sirloin SteakMaverick Ranch Natural Buffalo Top Sirloin SteakMaverick Ranch Natural Center Cut Pork Loin ChopsMaverick Ranch Natural Lite 96/4 Extra Lean Natural Ground BeefMaverick Ranch Natural Pork 4% Fat Extra Lean Pork TenderloinMaverick Ranch Natural Skinless Chicken DrumsticksMaverick Ranch Natural Skinless Chicken ThighsMaverick Ranch Organic Air-Chilled Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastsMayoli Inc.Mayoli All Natural Reduced Fat Mayonnaise Dressing with Pure Olive OilMcNeil Nutritionals, LLCLACTAID® Calcium-Fortified Fat Free MilkLACTAID® Fat Free MilkMeijer Distribution, Inc.Meijer Purple Grape JuiceMichael Foods, Inc.All Whites Egg Whites - White CheddarBetter 'n Eggs Ham & CheeseBetter 'n Eggs PlusBetter 'n Eggs Three CheeseKirkland Signature Egg StartsKroger Break-Free 100% Liquid Egg WhitesKroger Break-Free Real Egg ProductPapetti Foods All Whites - 100% Liquid Egg WhitesPapetti Foods Better 'n EggsMills Family FarmsMills Family Farms Green Cascade Mix-Baby Romaine & Baby Green LeafMills Family Farms Wholeaves Sandwich & Salad Lettuce - Green LeafMills Family Farms Wholeaves Sandwich & Salad Lettuce - Red LeafMills Family Farms Wholeaves Sandwich & Salad Lettuce - RomaineMilton's Baking CompanyMilton's Baking Classics Cinnamon Raisin Wheat BreadMilton's Baking Classics Corn BreadMilton's Baking Classics Oat Bran BreadMilton's Baking Classics Wheat BreadMilton's Healthy Multi-Grain Plus BreadMilton's Healthy Whole Grain Plus BreadMilton's Original Healthy Multi-Grain BreadMilton's Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat BreadMotts LLPYoo-hoo Lite Chocolate DrinkMurray's Free Roaming Chicken, Inc.Murray's Extra Lean 99% Fat Free Boneless & Skinless ChickenNew World Pasta CompanyRonzoni Healthy Harvest Multi-Grain Pasta-FusilliRonzoni Healthy Harvest Multigrain Pasta - Spaghetti StyleRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Extra Wide Noodle - StyleRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta - LinguineRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta - Penne RigateRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta - RotiniRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta - Spaghetti StyleRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta - Thin SpaghettiRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Pasta-LasagnaRonzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Wide Noodle - StyleNonna's Kitchen, Inc.Columbus Reduced Sodium Turkey BreastNorth American Beverage CompanyChocolate Moose - All Natural Premium Milk Chocolate DrinkChocolate Moose - Cookies & Cream Premium Milk Chocolate DrinkMega Moose Energy Drink-Strawberry BlastNulaid Foods Inc.Nulaid ReddiEgg Real Egg ProductOberto Sausage CompanyKirkland Signature Premium Brisket Roast BeefOld Orchard Brands LLCOld Orchard 100% Grape JuiceOld Orchard 100% Grape Juice - Frozen ConcentratePOM Wonderful, LLCPOM Wonderful Fresh Pomegranate ArilsPOM Wonderful Frozen Pomegranate ArilsPOM Wonderful PomegranatesPackerland Processing Co., Inc.Meijer Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/4Peco Foods, Inc.Member's Mark All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib MeatMember's Mark All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken TenderloinsPepperidge Farm, Inc.Pepperidge Farm 100% Natural 100% Whole Wheat BreadPepperidge Farm 100% Natural 9 Grain BreadPepperidge Farm 100% Natural German Dark Wheat BreadPepperidge Farm 100% Natural Honey Flax BreadPepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat BagelsPepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat English MuffinsPepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Hearty Texture Whole Grain BreadPepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Mini BagelsPepperidge Farm 15 Grain Hearty Texture Whole Grain BreadPepperidge Farm Farmhouse Soft 100% Whole Wheat BreadPepperidge Farm Golden Harvest Grains Hearty Texture Whole Grain BreadPepperidge Farm Light Style 7 Grain BreadPepperidge Farm Light Style Soft Wheat BreadPepperidge Farm Oatmeal Hearty Texture Whole Grain BreadPepperidge Farm Soft Honey Oat Smooth Texture Whole Grain BreadPepperidge Farm Soft Honey Whole Wheat Smooth Texture Whole Grain BreadPepperidge Farm Very Thin Soft 100% Whole Wheat BreadPepperidge Farm Whole Grain Multi-Grain BagelsPepperidge Farm Whole Grain Swirl Bread - CinnamonPepperidge Farm Whole Grain Swirl Bread - Cinnamon with RaisinsPerdue Farms, Inc.Perdue Individually Frozen All Natural 99% Fat Free Chicken TenderloinsPerdue Tender & Tasty 99% Fat Free Individually Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastsPerdue Tender & Tasty 99% Fat Free Individually Wrapped Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastsPerdue/Kirkland Signature Individually Frozen All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastsPilgrim's Pride CorporationEat Well Stay Healthy Chicken Breast SaladEat Well Stay Healthy Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Chicken Broth)Eat Well Stay Healthy Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Thin Sliced Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Chicken Broth)Eat Well Stay Healthy Fresh Chicken Breast Tenderloins (15% Chicken Broth)Eat Well Stay Healthy Fully Cooked Rotisserie Skinless Chicken Split Breasts - Garden HerbGold Kist Farms 100% Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastGold Kist Farms All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless BreastsGold Kist Farms/Kirkland Signature All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless BreastsHyVee/Country Pride 97% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets with Rib Meat (15% Chicken Broth)HyVee/Country Pride 97% Fat Free Skinless Split Chicken Breasts with Ribs (12% Chicken Broth)HyVee/Country Pride 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins (15% Chicken Broth)Meijer Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins (15% Marination)Meijer Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Marination)Pilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Grilled Chicken Breast FilletsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Grilled Chicken Breast StripsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Italian Style Grilled Chicken Breast FilletsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Key Lime Flavor Chicken Breast FilletsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Kids Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken NuggetsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Kids Fully Cooked Breaded Popcorn ChickenPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Lemon Herb Chicken Breast FilletsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Savory Chicken Breast FilletsPilgrim's Pride Eat Well Stay Healthy Szechwan Chicken Breast TenderloinsPilgrim's Pride Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat Individually Wrapped (15% Chicken Broth)Pilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken 100% Natural Boneless Skinless Breasts with Rib MeatPilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken 100% Natural Boneless Skinless Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Chicken Broth)Pilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken 100% Natural Breast TenderloinsPilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken 100% Natural Breast Tenderloins (15% Chicken Broth)Pilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken 100% Natural Skinless Split Breasts with RibsPilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken 100% Natural Skinless Split Breasts with Ribs (12% Chicken Broth)Pilgrim's Pride Fresh Chicken Breast Tenderloins Individually Wrapped (15% Chicken Broth)Pilgrim's Pride Individually Frozen Fully Trimmed 99% Fat Free All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (15% Chicken Broth)Schnucks 99% Fat Free Chicken Breast TenderloinsSchnucks 99% Fat Free Skinless Chicken Breast FilletsSchnucks 99% Fat Free Thin Sliced Skinless Chicken Breast FilletsQuaker Oats Company/Tropicana Products, Inc., TheCrystal Wedding OatsOld-Fashioned Quaker OatsQuaker Cinnamon LifeQuaker Essentials Oat BranQuaker Essentials Oatmeal Squares - Brown SugarQuaker Essentials Oatmeal Squares - CinnamonQuaker Essentials Toasted Oatmeal - Brown SugarQuaker Essentials Toasted Oatmeal - Honey NutQuaker Honey Graham LifeQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Apple CrispQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Apples & CinnamonQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Cinnamon & SpiceQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Cinnamon RollQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Flavor VarietyQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Maple & Brown SugarQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Raisins & SpiceQuaker Instant Oatmeal - Regular FlavorQuaker Instant Oatmeal Bakery Favorites Variety Pack (Apple Crisp/Cinnamon Roll/Banana Bread)Quaker Instant Oatmeal Crunch - Apples & CinnamonQuaker Instant Oatmeal Crunch - Magicolor CinnamonQuaker Instant Oatmeal Crunch - Maple & Brown SugarQuaker Instant Oatmeal Crunch - Mixed BerryQuaker Instant Oatmeal Lower Sugar - Apples & CinnamonQuaker LifeQuaker Life Chocolate Oat CrunchQuaker MultiGrain Hot CerealQuaker Oat Bran Hot CerealQuaker Take Heart Instant Oatmeal - BlueberryQuaker Take Heart Instant Oatmeal - Golden MapleQuick 1 Minute Quaker OatsTropicana Pure Premium Calcium + Vitamin D No Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Fiber Some Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Golden No Pulp Grapefruit JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Grovestand Calcium + Vitamin D Lots of Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Grovestand Lots of Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Healthy Heart No Pulp Orange Juice with Omega 3Tropicana Pure Premium Homestyle Some Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Light 'n Healthy Calcium No Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Light 'n Healthy Calcium No Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Low Acid No Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Original No Pulp Orange JuiceTropicana Pure Premium Ruby Red Some Pulp Grapefruit JuiceR.A.B. Food Group LLCManischewitz Premium 100% Grape JuiceRader Farms, Inc.Rader Farms Nature's Three BerriesRed Gold, LLCSacramento Tomato Juice from Concentrate with Enhanced Tomato FlavorRuprecht CompanySommers 100% Organic Extra Lean Beef BurgersSal & Judy's Products, LLCSal & Judy's Heart Smart Italian SauceSealord North America, Inc.Sealord Deep Sea Dory FilletsSealord Orange Roughy FilletsSetton International Foods, Inc.Setton Farms Heart Healthy MixSimmons Foods, Inc.Member's Mark All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken BreastSmithfield Lean Generation CutsSLG: All Natural Pork TenderloinSLG: Marinated Hickory Sweet Center Cut Boneless Pork LoinSLG: Marinated Hickory Sweet Pork ChopsSLG: Marinated Hickory Sweet Pork Loin FiletSLG: Marinated Hickory Sweet Pork TenderloinSLG: Marinated Peppercorn & Garlic Pork TenderloinSLG: Marinated Pork Loin Fillet - Peppercorn & GarlicSLG: Self-Basting Boneless Pork Loin Center Cut ChopsSLG: Self-Basting Boneless Whole Pork LoinSLG: Self-Basting Pork TenderloinSmithfield Lean Generation DeliSLG Deli: 98% Fat Free Canadian Brand Maple HamSLG Deli: 98% Fat Free Cooked HamSLG Deli: 98% Fat Free Honey Cured HamSLG Deli: 98% Fat Free Tavern HamSLG Deli: 98% Fat Free Virginia Brand HamSmithfield Premium CutsSmithfield: Self-Basting Pork TenderloinSolis Brands, Inc.ZOIC Belgian Chocolate Nutrition DrinkZOIC French Vanilla Nutrition DrinkSpringerhill Ranch Meat ProductsSpringerhill Ranch Brand All Natural 98% Fat Free Beef Tenderloin SteaksSpringerhill Ranch Brand All Natural Ground Beef-98% Lean 2% FatStarKist Seafood CompanyStarKist Chunk Light Tuna in WaterStarKist Chunk White Albacore Tuna in WaterStarKist Gourmet Choice Albacore Tuna Fillet in WaterStarKist Gourmet Choice Chunk Light Tuna in WaterStarKist Gourmet Choice Solid Light Tuna Fillet in WaterStarKist Low Sodium Chunk Light Tuna in WaterStarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in WaterStarKist Very Low Sodium Chunk White Albacore Tuna in WaterSunrise Growers, Inc.Sunrise Growers California StrawberriesSwift Foods dba Swift & CompanyExtra Lean Ground PorkSwift Boneless Pork Sirloin CutletsSwift Natural Fresh Pork-Boneless Pork Center Cut Loin ChopsSwift Natural Fresh Pork-Boneless Pork Leg for London BroilSwift Natural Fresh Pork-Boneless Pork Top Loin RoastSwift Natural Fresh Pork-Pork Strips for BarbecueSwift Pork Center Cut LoinSwift Pork Sirloin Tip RoastSwift Pork TenderloinSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Boneless Bottom RoundSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Boneless Center Cut Loin ChopsSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Boneless Pork Loin FiletSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Boneless Pork TenderloinSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Boneless Sirloin CutletsSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Boneless Strips for BarbecueSwift Premium Guaranteed Tender Pork-Pork Top RoundSwift/Kirkland Signature Pork Sirloin Tip RoastTrader Joe's Butcher Shop - Pork Sirloin Tri TipTrader Joe's Butcher Shop Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin CutletsTrader Joe's Butcher Shop Natural Pork-Boneless Pork Loin ChopsTrader Joe's Butcher Shop Natural Pork-Pork Shoulder Boneless StripsTrader Joe's Butcher Shop-Pork TenderloinT. J. Kraft, Ltd.Hawaiian Pacific Ahi Tuna SteaksTaylor Packing Co., Inc.Century Farm 96/4 Extra Lean Ground BeefThe BakerThe Baker 7-Grain Sourdough Whole Wheat BreadThumann's IncThumann's All Natural Black Forest Brand HamThumann's All Natural Capless Roast BeefThumann's All Natural Oven Roasted Gourmet Chicken BreastThumann's All Natural Oven Roasted Gourmet Turkey BreastThumann's Buffalo Style Oven Roasted Chicken BreastThumann's Capless Roast BeefThumann's Golden Roasted Filet of Turkey - Rotisserie FlavorThumann's Golden Roasted Gourmet TurkeyThumann's Our Short Cut Deluxe Cooked Ham - Lower SodiumThumann's Oven Roasted Premium Chicken BreastTony Downs Foods CompanyMember's Mark 98% Fat Free Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in WaterTopco Associates, LLCFood Club Individually Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts-15% Seasoned Chicken BrothFood Club Individually Frozen Chicken Tenderloins-15% Seasoned Chicken BrothTumaro's Inc.Tumaro's Chipotle Chili & Peppers Healthy Flour TortillasTumaro's Garden Spinach & Vegetables Healthy Flour TortillasTumaro's Honey Wheat Healthy Flour TortillasTumaro's Jalapeno & Cilantro Healthy Flour TortillasTumaro's Pesto & Garlic Healthy Flour TortillasTumaro's Premium White Healthy Flour TortillasTumaro's Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Healthy Flour TortillasTyson Foods, Inc.Tastybird Individually Frozen Chicken-Boneless, Skinless Breast Portions with Rib MeatTastybird Individually Quick Frozen Chicken-Boneless, Skinless TenderloinsTyson 100% All Natural Thin 'N Fancy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (<3% Water)Tyson 100% All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (<1%/,2% Water)Tyson 100% All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (15% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson 100% All Natural Chicken Breast Tenderloins (15% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson 100% All Natural Chicken Breast Tenderloins (<1% Water)Tyson 100% All Natural Premium Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson 100% All Natural Skinless Split Chicken Breasts with Ribs (12% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson 100% All Natural Skinless Split Chicken Breasts with Ribs (>3% Water)Tyson 100% All Natural Thin 'N Fancy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson Ice Glazed Chicken Individually Frozen 99% Fat Free Boneless, Skinless Breast Tenderloins (8% Seasoned Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Fresh Frozen All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenderloins (8% Water & Kosher Salt)Tyson Individually Fresh Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Fresh Frozen Chicken Tenderloins (15% Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Frozen 100% All Natural Individually Wrapped Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (15% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Frozen All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins (8% Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Frozen All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (8% Broth Glaze & 15% Seasoned Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Frozen All Natural Extra Lean Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast with Rib Meat (8% Chicken Broth)Tyson Individually Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat (15% Chicken Broth)Tyson/Kirkland Signature All Natural 99% Fat Free Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (8% Water & Kosher Salt)Tyson/Tastybird Individually Frozen Boneless Skinless Breasts with Rib Meat (10% Seasoned Chicken Broth)Tyson/Tastybird Individually Frozen Chicken-Boneless Skinless Breasts with Rib Meat (10% Natural Chicken Broth)Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc.100% Pure Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/496/4 All Natural Extra Lean Ground BeefUnited Food Group, LLCMiller's 100% Pure Ground Beef - 4% FatMoran's All Natural 4% Fat 100% Ground Beef Hamburger PattiesMoran's All Natural 4% Fat Ground BeefTrader Joe's Butcher Shop 4% Fat Ground BeefWelch Foods, Inc.Welch's 100% Grape Juice (Purple)Welch's 100% Grape Juice (Purple) - Frozen ConcentrateWelch's 100% Grape Juice (Purple) - Pourable ConcentrateWelch's 100% Grape Juice Calcium (Purple)Welch's 100% Grape Juice with FiberWelch's Organic 100% Concord Grape JuiceWelch's Organic 100% Concord Grape Juice - Frozen ConcentrateWest Liberty Foods, LLCHoney Roasted & Smoked Breast of Turkey - 98% Fat FreeKirkland Signature All Natural Fully Cooked Sliced Turkey BreastOven Roasted Breast of Turkey Browned in Soybean Oil - 98% Fat Free
More on the American Heart Association 9. June 2007 William Davis (1) I'm very troubled by the American Heart Association's (AHA) willingness to lend its logo and stamp of approval to a multitude of garbage foods like Cocoa Puffs and Berry Kix cereals.So I contacted the AHA and spoke to the manager of the Food Certification Program, Ms. Linda Rupp. Ms. Rupp proved very helpful in helping me to understand.I originally called her to find out just how many products were turned down. In view of 768 products on the approved list, I wondered how many had been rejected to generate this "select" group.Unfortunately, she said that the number of products rejected was not tracked, though she did intimate that it was not a lot. Sometimes, she added, a rejected product will undergo a few "improvements" to help it achieve the criteria necessary for AHA approval.What exactly is considered in an application for the Food Certification Program?A food must have 1)total fat 3.0 grams or less, 2) saturated fat 1.0 gram or less, 3) 20 grams or less cholesterol, 4) 480 mg or less sodium, all per serving.She also pointed out that, given the fact that a food as useless and lacking in health qualitites as jelly beans could meet this criteria, the AHA employs a special "Jelly Bean Rule" that stipulates that 10% of the Daily Value of 6 nutrients (e.g., fiber, vitamins A and C, etc.) must also be contained in a serving.So those are the startlingly lax requirements to gain the privilege of affixing the AHA Heart Check Mark on your product and informing the public that your box of Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp cereal, or Berry Kix is "heart healthy."There is an epidemic of obesity in the U.S. I don't believe that the AHA endorsement helps. In fact, I believe that it has been a contributor to obesity.Pardon me while I eat this bag of M&M's for my heart.
Exercise and blood pressure 7. June 2007 William Davis (0) Stan did everything right. He followed the Track Your Plaque "Rule of 60". He was slender, had run a marathon a few months earlier, in fact. He included fish oil at therapeutic doses. He replenished vitamin D to a blood level of 57 ng/ml 25-OH-vitamin D3. Though ambitious and hard-working, he was a generally happy, optimistic person. Yet his CT heart scan score increased 28% in one year, from a starting score of 379 to 485. What did he do wrong? Well, Stan did nothing wrong. But I suggested to him that one "hole" in his program could be exercise-induced high blood pressure. I've witnessed this effect many times. Blood pressure normal or "borderline" high while seated and relaxed, sky-high with exercise. So we put Stan on a treadmill. Starting blood pressure: 123/76. Blood pressure with exericse (13 mets): 220/78--sky high. That's why Stan's heart scan score went up. A good pressure with this level of exercise: 150/70, but certainly no higher than 170/80. If blood pressure is high with exercise, it's probably high with emotional upset, anxiety, being in a hurry, etc., also, all the irritations and pressures of life. We'll see in future how much of a role reducing Stan's blood pressure will play in gaining better control over his heart scan score. A practical difficulty will be in assessing the adequacy of blood pressure control in Stan, since its full potential only becomes evident with exerise. It means that future blood pressure assessments are more likely to be on a treadmill. It would also explain why Stan's thoracic aorta was mildly enlarged and his aortic valve was mildly leaky when I met him, both potential consequences of intermittent high blood pressure.
Cheese and vitamin K2 6. June 2007 William Davis (5) If you've been following the Track Your Plaque conversation, you know that, contrary to prevailing opinion among many cardiologists, there is an emerging notion that coronary calcification is an active process, a true part of the disease. Vitamin D3 is an important aspect of this question. So is vitamin K2. Not to be confused with K1 that plays a role in blood coagulation, K2 has an important role in calcium metabolism. Thus, vitmain K2 deficiency is related to osteoporosis and to coronary calcification. Getting K2, like getting D, is difficult from food sources. The choices for K2 sources includes:--Natto--generally, an impalatable choice. I've had it and it was intolerably gooey and weird-tasting. It is, nonetheless, the most concentrated food source of K2.--Pate--Though liver products have the potential for containing many other unhealthy things, like pesticide residues, since the liver acts as a filter for the blood.--Fermented cheeses--Since K2 is a product of fermentation of cheese, as it is in Natto. For years, we've advised people to avoid or minimize cheese because of saturated fat or cholesterol content. I think that there's reason to re-think this advice based on the emerging data. How can you tell the difference between fermented and non-fermented cheese? First, look for the holes in the cheese. The holes are the remnants of gas pockets created during fermentation. Second, look for the word "cultures" on the label, meaning organisms for fermentation were added. If "processed cheese" is anywhere on the label, this is a dairy product that has been chemically coagulated and is not fermented. Fermented cheeses are generally "gourmet" cheeses, not eaten a pound at a time on a pizza, but meant to be eaten in small portions. How much fermented cheese is necessary for its presumed inhibitory benefits on coronary calcification and osteoporsis? Are some fermented cheeses better than others? These issues remain unsettled. Stay tuned.
Vitamin D disappointment ahead 5. June 2007 William Davis (9) Anyone following the Track Your Plaque conversation know that we are rabid fans of normalizing blood vitamin D blood levels (25-OH-vitamin D3).A wonderful report on vitamin D was aired this morning on the NBC Today show. The interviewed guests did a good job of describing the health effects of vitamin D, thought the focus was on some new data on the use of vitamin D for breast and prostate cancer. I learned that shiitake mushrooms have some vitamin D--I didn't know that! (They contain 260 units per 4 mushrooms.) Unfortunately, the closing comments from the guests, among whom was nutritionist and author, Joy Bauer,MS, was that you should get vitamin D from your multivitamin or your calcium with vit D. That is absolutely wrong. When you check blood levels of vitamin D, as we do in everybody we see, you quickly learn what works and what doesn't. Vitamin D in multivitamins is very poorly absorbed, if at all. Likewise, about 90% of the D in most calcium preparations is not absorbed. The vast majority of tablet or powder preparations, such as those in calcium tablets, are not absorbed to any significant extent. Take all you want and you remain vit D-deficient with osteoporosis, growing coronary plaque, low HDL, and exposed to risk for prostate and colon cancer. If you take vitamin D in supplement form, it must--MUST--be in an oil-based capsule. The tablets are simply much too poorly and erratically absorbed to be reliable. There's nothing more frustrating to take, for instance, 4000 units of vitamin D in tablet form, only to have a blood level of 12 ng/ml--severe deficiency. Take the same 4000 unit dose in capsule form and blood level skyrockets to 58 ng/ml. And it's no more expensive.One other thing: If you want to waste time and money, take the prescription vitamin D prescribed by many doctors. This is vitamin D2, also known as "ergocalciferol". Why use the synthetic vitamin D2 when D3 is the form your body needs? Because the D2 is patent-protectable and profitable to the drug manufacturer, similar to using Premarin (horse estrogens) when human preparations would suffice--or be superior. I saw a woman today taking 50,000 of prescription D2 once per week. Her blood level of 25-OH-vitamin D3? 17 ng/ml--severe deficiency. Don't waste your time with this garbage.
In search of truth 4. June 2007 William Davis (2) I am continually amazed at the amount of time and energy we all expend in the search for truth. Rely on your hospital and you will be steered towards strategies that, at worst, aim to increase your use of hospital procedures. At best, they steer you towards physicians who are often under their employ. How about your doctor? This is a source of immense frustration. Doctors remain interested in treating the catastrophic illness. They remain lukewarm towards prevention and self-empowerment. Thus, supplements are dangerous, everything requires a doctor's endorsement. Drug companies? That's like relying on a used car salesman for truth. Exagerration, slick talk, and plain deception might be better descriptions of what you can count on from the drug manufacturers. The internet? Perhaps, if you're selective. WebMD? An obvious voice-box for the drug industry. Just look at the proliferation of drugs ads that accompany each report. In fact, the majority (80%) of WebMD's revenues come from drug manufacturers. The profit motive has created a mountain of good information. It has also created a sea of mis-information, all created to provide personal financial enrichment. But I continue to be optimistic that the internet will also become a forum for truth, particularly through its capacity for networked interaction among participants. As our collective wisdom permits us to more effectively separate the wheat from the chaff in looking for the truth, I believe that we will zigzag towards a system of healthcare that is self-empowering, self-directed, and resorts to hospitals and procedures only in the most dire circumstances, saving billions of dollars every year.
American Heart Association stamp of approval 2. June 2007 William Davis (8) The American Heart Association (AHA) has a program called the Heart-Check Mark, an "approval" process that permits a food manufacturer to affix the AHA logo and stamp of approval on various food products. A company simply makes application to the AHA. The application and product details are reviewed and then approved or turned down. To date, 106 companies have obtained the AHA stamp of approval on 768 products. What kinds of products are on the approved list? Here's a sample:--Honey Bunches of Oats--Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats --Cocoa Puffs cereal--Cookie Crisp cereal ("The great taste of chocolate chips in every bite!")There are 764 others. If you doubt this, just go to the store and take a look at the product containers. What the heck is going on here? Most of us with any judgment know that these products are pure sugar. They may contain "no more" than 15-40 grams sugar per sugar, but the principal products--corn, wheat, fructose--mean that these products are, in effect, nearly pure sugar. Yet they carry the AHA stamp of approval. What do products like this cause? It's a long list but the major effects include:--Obesity--Diabetes--Drop in HDL--Rise in triglycerides--Small LDL particles--Heightened inflammation (i.e., C-reactive protein)--Mental cloudinessNeed I go on? Why are products like these and many others deserving of the AHA heart-check approval? Because they lack high fat and saturated fat (3.0 grams, 1.0 grams respectively, by AHA criteria). In other words, just lacking these ingredients means that, to the AHA, they qualify as "heart healthy." By that same line of reasoning, many candy bars are "heart healthy", as are many cookies and cupcakes. What's the reason behind this extraordinary absurdity? Is the AHA stupid? There may be many reasons, but one very suspicious fact becomes immediately obvious when you realize these endorsements product a substantial revenue source for the AHA, since companies must pay for the right to use the heart-check approval mark. Also, just look at the major contributors (millions of dollars) to the AHA: ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft, etc.) You get the picture.Does this make the AHA evil? Not necessarily. But it seriously erodes credibility. it also should make you very leery of any advice that comes from such an agency that is reluctant to bite the food manufacturer hands that feed it.In my view, we simply cannot rely on the AHA for genuine, unbiased heart health advice.
"Your heart scan score means nothing" 1. June 2007 William Davis (7) Charles was visibly confused. He'd gotten his CT heart scan after hearing one of the local scan center's ads on the radio. His score 2773, obviously in the 99th percentile for any age. "Do you think the score means anything? My primary doctor said that it was meaningless because it was all in the deep wall of the artery. He said that it has nothing to do with risk for heart attack. As long as I feel good, he says don't do anything."What exactly did his doctor mean, in the "deep wall of the artery"?What the doctor is referring to is the fact that some people with a long history (many years) of diabetes or kidney failure (also for many years) tend to develop calcium deposits in the media, or muscular layer of arteries. The media is the tissue thin layer just below the intima, the most inner layer of arteries that we usually associate with atherosclerotic plaque and the layer that is most prone to calcium accumulation that we score on heart scans.Aging, generally into your late 70s, 80s, and onwards, also increases the likelihood of medial calcification. Lastly, longstanding deficiency of vitamin D encourages medial calcification.Is there any way to distinguish intimal vs medial calcification on a heart scan? No, there is not. Having read many thousands of CT heart scans, I can tell you that there is no practical way in 2007 to tell the difference. Then how did this doctor "know" that Charles' calcium was "deep walled" or medial? Simple: He didn't. This was yet another example of ignorance based on old thinking. Unfortunately, he did Charles a serious disservice by dismissing his heart scan score that predicted a 25% per year risk for heart attack. Interestingly, whether calcium is intimal as in atherosclerotic plaque, or medial, both are strongly associated with risk for heart attack. In other words, if calcium is confined to the intima, heart disease risk is present. If calcium is limited to the media, risk is still present. In all practicality, the only difference we make of the intima vs. media argument (that is, when the distinction has been made by some other means like intracoronary ultrasound, the test that is truly necessary to distinguish the two patterns) is that medial calcification may be more powerfully related to vitamin D deficiency. Thus, someone with heavy medial calcification may require closer attention to maintaining a perfect year-round blood level of 25-OH-vitamin D3. But that's the only practical difference.
Vitamin D toxicity? 30. May 2007 William Davis (3) "My primary care doctor said to stop the vitamin D because it's toxic. So I stopped it and I just take a multivitamin. He said that a multivitamin and two glasses of milk a day was all I needed."So proclaimed Eleanor to me. This happens around once every week by doctors frightened of the vitamin D. So I reminded Eleanor that, before starting vitamin D supplementation, her blood level of 25-OH-vitamin D3 had been 17 ng/ml--severe deficiency. On 4000 units per day (oil-based gelcap), her blood level had been 37 ng/ml--still deficient, below the desirable range of 50-60 ng/ml. That's the dose Eleanor's doctor had declared "toxic."When exactly does deficiency develop? There's not full agreement on this, but Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University, among the most experienced and insightful authorities on vitamin D, states that toxicity is more likely when blood levels exceed 150 ng/ml (Nutr Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;22(3):297-304).In other words, Eleanor and her doctor should not be concerned with toxicity, but with the persistent levels of deficiency she is suffering. Some authorities call the behavior of vitamin D "bi-phasic": Deficiency is toxic, excessive levels are toxic. We're really just trying to achieve a middle ground in vitamin D levels that are above deficiency but below toxicity. In reality, deficiency is exceptionally common. In fact, it's the rule around here (northern U.S.), with >95% of everybody we check severely deficient in winter, mildly-moderately deficient in summer. Very few people approach normal levels year round without supplementation. Toxicity, on the other hand, is exceedingly rare. I have seen it once in a woman who was taking a toxic dose of 50,000 units a day on the instructions of her (mis-guided) doctor. Thankfully, no ill-effects developed from this little "experiment."So, it's not toxicity that is the overwhelmingly common worry, but deficiency, severe and sustained.
Non-profit hospitals 30. May 2007 William Davis (0) Take a look at your local hospital and you're likely to notice several curious things:1) It is likely non-profit, meaning it enjoys a non-profit status with the Internal Revenue Service and enjoys the tax benefits of not paying taxes on profits. This provides an advantage to tax-protected hospitals. 70% or more of hospitals in the U.S. are "non-profit."2) Non-profit or no, many hospitals operate under the guise of a religious affiliation, e.g., St. Mary's Hospital, Trinity Hospital, All Saints', Jewish Hospital, etc. 3) Executives in non-profit hospitals can make capitalistic salaries. One CEO of a Milwaukee hospital took home $3.7 million dollars in salary last year. That's not including the very substantial perks and business interests in the spin-off businesses the hospital owns, including pharmacies, drug and medical device disitributors, even a venture capital division. "Non-profit" does not have to mean that executives within the operation can't benefit handsomely. That same hospital system spends over $10 million dollars in a year in local marketing for TV ads, print advertising, etc. Ads are slick and professionally produced. Make no bones about it: These are "non-profit" for tax purposes only . They are for-profit in every other sense of the phrase, including rich rewards for the insiders.Guess how those fat executive salaries and large marketing budgets are paid for? That's right: the 12-inch incision in your chest; the four stents, defibrillator, and repeated nuclear stress tests; the revolving door of hospitalization after hospitalization that typifies the "heart patient" experience. See the hospital for what it is: In the 21st century, it is no longer a charitable operation worthy of your volunteer time and donations. It is a business no different than Home Depot, IBM, or--Enron. Yes, they do perform needed services, as well. But the perverse equation that often determines who needs hospitalization and who doesn't, who needs a heart procedure and who doesn't, is not always based on necessity but on financial return. Just ask the CEO.