Health & Fitness

For years, concerns have been raised that previous flu vaccination seems to increase patients’ risk of contracting more severe pandemic illness. This occurred during the 2008 to 2009 flu season, when prior vaccination with the seasonal flu vaccine was associated with an increased risk of H1N1 “swine flu” during spring/summer 2009 in Canada.¹

A January 2020 study published in the journal Vaccine also found people were more likely to get some form of coronavirus infection if they had been vaccinated against influenza during the 2017 to 2018 flu season.²

Compared to unvaccinated individuals, those who had received a seasonal flu shot were 36% more likely to contract unspecified coronavirus infection (it did not specifically mention SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19) and 51% more likely to contract human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection, which has symptoms similar to COVID-19.³

Again, in October 2020, another positive association was found between COVID-19 deaths and flu vaccination rates in the elderly,⁴ raising further questions about the potentially serious unintended side effects of annual flu shots.

Flu Vaccination Linked to Increased Risk of COVID-19 Death

Christian Wehenkel, a professor of forest genetics, forest ecosystem analysis, forestry, biometrics, forest growth and biodiversity with the Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango, and a PeerJ editor, analyzed data sets from 39 countries with more than one-half million inhabitants.⁵ He expected to find that prior flu vaccination would be linked to lower COVID-19 death risk, but instead the data revealed the opposite.

Among people aged 65 years and older, flu vaccination was positively associated with COVID-19 deaths, meaning those who got a flu vaccine were more likely to die from COVID-19. “Contrary to expectations, the present worldwide analysis and European sub-analysis do not support the previously reported negative association between COVID-19 deaths (DPMI) and IVR [influenza vaccination rate] in elderly people,” Wehenkel wrote.

A May 2020 analysis by online news publication The Gateway Pundit similarly found that European countries with the highest COVID-19 death rates had high rates of flu vaccination — at least 50% —  among the elderly.⁶ For instance, they wrote, “Denmark and Germany, with lower use of the flu vaccine, had considerably lower Covid-19 mortality.”

They attempted to update their figures for fall 2020, and were able to update COVID-19 mortality rates but did not obtain current vaccination data. Spikes in COVID-19 deaths were noted, which they suggested could be related to a sudden uptick in flu vaccination in countries that had previously lower vaccination rates:⁷

“This [increase in COVID-19 deaths] could simply be due to the virus reaching endemic level later in east Europe, but another factor could be sudden increase in flu vaccination in counties of hitherto low uptake. Are they unwittingly endangering their seniors?

The World Health Organization is vigorously promoting flu vaccination in Europe, with posters warning ‘don’t bring home an unwanted visitor: protect your family by getting vaccinated.’ The Covid-19 pandemic has terrified the public and many people see a vaccine as the only means of escape.”

Wehenkel’s data, however, picks up where they left off, showing by scatterplot a clear association of COVID-19 deaths per million inhabitants with flu vaccination rate, up to July 25, 2020 (each dot represents a different European country):^8,9

The Problem With Pathogenic Priming

Given the PeerJ study’s highly controversial finding, which, if proven to be causative, would call into question annual flu vaccination, a publisher’s note at the top reminds readers that correlation does not necessarily mean causation.

“[T]his article should not be taken to suggest that receiving the influenza vaccination results in an increased risk of death for an individual with COVID-19 as there may be many confounding factors at play (including, for example, socioeconomic factors),” it reads.¹⁰ It also doesn’t rule out causation, however, and this is a potential link that must be urgently explored. The Gateway Pundit explained:¹¹

“It is right to ask the question: are patients who die of / with Covid-19 more likely to have received the flu vaccine? Given the clear correlation from Wehenkel’s data, an urgent investigation is needed to ascertain whether the large increase in Covid-19 deaths in eastern Europe in the autumn of 2020 correlates with an increase in flu jabs in autumn 2020 in those same countries.”

They didn’t stop there:¹²

“This leads on to the further explosive question: are flu jabs not only correlative with Covid-19 mortality, but causative by way of pathogenic priming? If the data from autumn 2020 confirm correlation, causation should be investigated with rigor and urgency.”

What is pathogenic priming? It’s a scenario in which, rather than enhancing your immunity against the infection, exposure to a virus or vaccine enhances the virus’ ability to enter and infect your cells, resulting in more severe disease.¹³

Research published in the Journal of Translational Autoimmunity confirmed that treatment with a vaccine may increase the risks associated with a wild type virus rather than protect against it, and concluded, as its title suggests, “Pathogenic priming likely contributes to serious and critical illness and mortality in COVID-19 via automimmunity.”¹⁴

Coronavirus Vaccines Have Enhanced Disease in the Past

The Journal of Translational Autoimmunity article, written by James Lyons-Weiler with the Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge, a nonprofit organization that performs scientific research in the public interest, explains how pathogenic priming occurred during previous trials of a SARS coronavirus vaccine:¹⁵

“In SARS, a type of ‘priming’ of the immune system was observed during animal studies of SARS spike protein-based vaccines leading to increased morbidity and mortality in vaccinated animals who were subsequently exposed to wild SARS virus.

The problem, highlighted in two studies, became obvious following post-vaccination challenge with the SARS virus … recombinant SARS spike-protein-based vaccines not only failed to provide protection from SARS-CoV infection, but also that the mice experienced increased immunopathology with eosinophilic infiltrates in their lungs.

Similarly … ferrets previously vaccinated against SARS-CoV also developed a strong inflammatory response in liver tissue (hepatitis). Both studies suspected a ‘cellular immune response.’

These types of unfortunate outcomes are sometimes referred to as ‘immune enhancement’; however, this nearly euphemistic phrase fails to convey the increased risk of illness and death due to prior exposure to the SARS spike protein. For this reason, I refer to the concept as ‘pathogen priming’.”

At the time, even long-time pro-vaccine advocate Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, was shaken. According to a feature published in PNAS:¹⁶

“When SARS, also a coronavirus, appeared in China and spread globally nearly two decades ago, Hotez was among researchers who began investigating a potential vaccine.

In early tests of his candidate, he witnessed how immune cells of vaccinated animals attacked lung tissue, in much the same way that the RSV vaccine had resulted in immune cells attacking kids’ lungs. ‘I thought, ‘Oh crap,’’ he recalls, noting his initial fear that a safe vaccine may again not be possible.”

Despite years of additional research and alternative development strategies, immune enhancement concerns remain, and, as explained by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in our 2020 interview, coronavirus vaccines remain notorious for creating paradoxical immune enhancement.

Healthy 18-Year-Old Who Died of COVID-19 Got Flu Shot

NBC News Chicago reported the death of an 18-year-old girl from Tinley Park, Ill., who died from COVID-19 in December 2020 just three days after being hospitalized.¹⁷ It’s the type of tragic story that strikes fear in millions, but it’s important to remember that this type of death is extremely rare.

The COVID-19 survival rate among newborns to age 19 is 99.997%, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cited by Dr. Reid Sheftall.¹⁸ What this heartbreaking loss should trigger, however, is increased investigation into why a previously healthy teenager died so unexpectedly from a virus that’s rarely dangerous in that age group.

In an interview, her mother stated that she had gotten a flu shot. Could this have been a factor in her body’s severe, and ultimately fatal, response to the virus? It’s impossible to know, but given the increasing research suggesting flu vaccination may worsen viral illness, it’s a connection that must be considered.

Research published in the Journal of Virology in 2011, for instance, found that seasonal flu vaccine may weaken children's immune systems and increase their chances of getting sick from influenza viruses not included in the vaccine.

“[L]ong-term annual vaccination using inactivated vaccines may hamper the induction of cross-reactive CD8+ T cell responses by natural infections and thus may affect the induction of heterosubtypic immunity. This may render young children who have not previously been infected with an influenza virus more susceptible to infection with a pandemic influenza virus of a novel subtype,” the researchers noted.¹⁹

Flu Shots Could Be ‘Potential Contributors’ to Pandemic

Dr. Allan S. Cunningham, a retired pediatrician, reiterated what the data bear out — that flu vaccines should be evaluated as potential causative agents or, at least, contributors to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a rapid response to an article published by The BMJ, he stated:²⁰

“A randomized placebo-controlled trial in children showed that flu shots increased fivefold the risk of acute respiratory infections caused by a group of noninfluenza viruses, including coronaviruses²¹ …

Such an observation may seem counterintuitive, but it is possible that influenza vaccines alter our immune systems non-specifically to increase susceptibility to other infections; this has been observed with DTP and other vaccines.²² There are other immune mechanisms that might also explain the observation.

To investigate this possibility, a case-control study is in order … Influenza vaccines have become sacred cows in some quarters, but they shouldn’t be.”

Meanwhile, in the U.S. the CDC reported that the percentage of respiratory specimens submitted for influenza testing that test positive decreased from greater than 20% to 2.3% since the start of the pandemic.²³ In short, flu has essentially disappeared, for reasons unknown. But even while stating that flu cases are next to nonexistent this season — they still want you to get your flu shot, “especially this season.”²⁴

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In his December 24, 2020, video report,^1,2 "The Future of Vaccines," investigative journalist James Corbett reviews how the novel COVID-19 vaccine is paving the way for nonconsensual medical experimentation on the general public.

As noted by Corbett, if the international medical establishment get their way, nothing will get back to "normal" until world health officials have definitively determined there is an effective COVID vaccine in place.

Even then, however, things may not go back to the normal we're accustomed to or expect. Since the beginning of the pandemic, world leaders have warned that social distancing, mask wearing, travel restrictions and other measures will become part of our "new normal."³

Be that as it may, the refrain we keep hearing from the likes of Bill Gates, Dr. Anthony Fauci and a long list of other world leaders is that any sense of normalcy will remain elusive until or unless the entire global population gets vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

Brave New World of Vaccines

"The public is being prepared for an unprecedented global vaccination campaign," Corbett says. However, one major problem with this is that the current COVID-19 vaccines are still in the experimental stage. While they've been granted emergency use authorization, they still haven't completed Stage 3 clinical trials. Data for some end points won't even be collected until 24 months after injection.

Another problem is that the COVID vaccines' adverse side effects are still relatively unknown due to the "fanatical" warp speed at which they were developed.

Even if there is only one serious event per 1,000 people, cumulatively that would equate to 100,000 people being harmed by the vaccine for every 100 million vaccinated — a steep price for an infection that has an overall noninstitutionalized infection fatality rate of just 0.26%.⁴ Among those under the age of 40, the infection fatality rate is a mere 0.01%, which is lower than that for seasonal influenza.⁵

A third issue that Corbett homes in on in his report is the fact that the COVID-19 vaccines are "unlike any vaccines that have ever been used on the human population before," and "as radically different as these vaccines appear, they represent only the very beginning of a complete transformation of vaccine technology that is currently taking place in research labs across the planet."⁶

Are COVID-19 Vaccines Really as Effective as Advertised?

On an important side note, while Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines have reported very high success rates, their "success" is only measured by their ability to lessen moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms such as cough and headache. Presumably, this would lower the risk of hospitalization and death for vaccinated individuals.

However, as explained in "How COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Are Rigged," the vaccines were not evaluated for their ability to actually prevent infection and transmission of the virus. So, since the vaccine cannot reduce infection, hospitalizations or deaths, it cannot create vaccine-acquired herd immunity and end the pandemic, even though this has been the vaccine's primary selling point. Furthermore, as noted by Corbett:⁷

"The studies are touted as involving tens of thousands of people, but in Pfizer's trial, only 170 of them were reported as being 'diagnosed with COVID-19' during the trial. Of those, 162 were in the placebo group and eight were in the vaccine group.

From this, it is inferred that the vaccine prevented 154/162 people from developing the disease, or '95%.' But as even the British Medical Journal points out,⁸ 'a relative risk reduction is being reported, not absolute risk reduction, which appears to be less than 1%.'"

COVID-19 Ushers in a Whole New Breed of Vaccines 

Getting back to the main point of the Corbett report, the COVID-19 vaccines under development are unlike any other vaccine ever released. They're mRNA vaccines, and do not work like conventional vaccines. In summary, RNA are molecules that encode certain proteins. The RNA used in COVID-19 vaccines encode for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

The idea is that by injecting this RNA, your own cells will start to produce and secrete the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Your immune system will then respond to the presence of that viral protein by producing antibodies. It's important to realize that this technology is entirely unproven, and there's no telling how this RNA programming might affect your health in years to come. As explained by Corbett:⁹

"The term 'vaccination' … came to refer to the general process of introducing immunogens or attenuated infectious agents into the body in order to stimulate the immune system to fight infections. But this is not how mRNA vaccines function.

In contrast to vaccination, which involves introducing an immunogen into the body, mRNA vaccines seek to introduce messenger RNA into the body in order to 'trick' that body's cells into producing immunogens, which then stimulate an immune response …

Despite the straw man argument that opposition to the vaccine comes solely from ignorant members of the public who are worried about being 'injected with mircochips,' there are genuine concerns about the long-term safety of these vaccines coming from within the scientific community, and even from whistleblowers from within the ranks of the Big Pharma manufacturers themselves."

December 1, 2020, two such whistleblowers — Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg, former chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Health Committee, and Dr. Michael Yeadon, former vice-president and chief scientific officer at Pfizer Global R&D — filed a petition¹⁰ calling on the European Medicine Agency to halt Phase 3 clinical trials of the Pfizer mRNA vaccine until they've been restructured to address critical safety concerns.

Key Safety Concerns

The four key safety concerns specified in the petition¹¹ to the European Medicine Agency are:

In an interview — a snippet of which is featured in the Corbett Report — Del Bigtree asked Wodarg how we can ensure we don't end up making the greatest scientific error in history with this vaccine campaign. Wodarg answered:¹⁶

"Protect yourself and protect your neighbors and friends so that they don't get this vaccine … And you have to show up. You have to tell the politicians that you will blame them for what they do with this. I think what's happening … is a great betrayal. We are betrayed. And people who betray normally are punished, and we won't forget this if they go on doing this with us."

Health Freedom Undermined in the Name of 'Emergency'

As noted by Corbett, even more fundamental than any particular safety concern is the fact that a vaccination campaign of this magnitude, using an entirely novel technology, sets "the most dangerous public health precedent in the history of humanity." By drumming up unnecessary panic, many are now willing to forgo all manner of freedom in the name of responding to a global health emergency.

"One of these core freedoms is the ability to refuse an experimental medical procedure, a freedom that was acknowledged in the Nuremberg Code of 1947¹⁷ and enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that 'no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation,'" Corbett says.¹⁸

"Despite the fact that the clinical trials surrounding these experimental vaccines are ongoing and that the FDA itself admits¹⁹ that there is 'currently insufficient data to make conclusions about the safety of the vaccine in subpopulations such as children less than 16 years of age, pregnant and lactating individuals, and immunocompromised individuals' and 'risk of vaccine-enhanced disease over time, potentially associated with waning immunity, remains unknown,' governments around the world are contemplating making these vaccinations mandatory, or compelling people to take them against their will by restricting their access to public life until they subject themselves to this medical experimentation.

The threat of forcing or compelling people to become unwilling guinea pigs in an ongoing medical experiment is immoral on its face. But even the prospect of enforcing such mandates would entail the erection of a surveillance and tracking system that further threatens basic rights and liberties.

After all, in order to determine who has been vaccinated — and thus who is allowed to board an airplane or access a stadium or enter a store with a vaccine policy — there will need to be a system for identifying and tracking each vaccine recipient."

Indeed, I've written several articles detailing how the tracking of vaccination status will usher in a surveillance apparatus greater than anything we've ever experienced before. This initial vaccine surveillance system will ultimately be tied into other digital systems, such as all other medical records, biometric ID and an all-digital banking system.

The implementation of a Google-based social credit system, similar to that implemented in China in 2018, is highly likely as well. Under a social credit system, points are awarded or subtracted for certain types of behavior. When your score falls below a certain point, punishment is meted out in the form of travel restrictions or the inability to obtain a loan, for example.

"There are already apps like IBM's Digital Health Pass and CLEAR's Health Pass that envision a world where our biometric ID will be linked via our smartphones to our health data in order to grant or deny access from public spaces and public events," Corbett says.

"Once the COVID vaccines are widely distributed, it would simply be a question of linking one's vaccination record to the health pass app to prevent the unvaccinated from accessing any given space …

The COVID vaccine presents governments, intelligence agencies and corporations that have a direct interest in suppressing dissent, monitoring dissidents and controlling their populations with the perfect opportunity to make such systems a permanent fixture of daily life.

After the immediate 'threat' of the declared public health crisis subsides, the public is already being warned that these apps will be transitioned seamlessly into general monitoring of the population."

The precedent being set up right now is one that, in the future, will grant health authorities the "right" to force any number of experimental drugs, vaccines and technologies upon us in the name of public health. If the right to refuse an experimental medical procedure is not upheld now, the entire population of the earth will be available for experimentation without recourse. 

Novel Medical Technologies Under Development

While COVID-19 vaccines do not contain tracking-enabled microchips, we are indeed looking at a future where quantum dot tags and hydrogel biosensors will likely be used in vaccine delivery, and they will allow far more than just identifying or tracking your vaccination status.

They'll be able to collect and transmit all sorts of information about what's going on in your body. The ramifications of handing all of this biological data over to some artificial intelligence-driven machine run by a technocratic elite hell-bent on owning all the world's resources is anyone's guess.

Already, there's a study underway to evaluate how an implantable biosensor, which continuously monitors your body chemistry, can be used as an early warning system for disease outbreaks, biological attacks and pandemics by sending a signal when it detects the onset of an infection. Other medical technologies under development include:

• Edible vaccines
• Remote-controlled vaccine delivery systems — For example, a hydrogel mesh sphere containing a vaccine can be injected under the skin, and when you swallow a particular substance that dissolves the hydrogel, the vaccine is released. Proof of concept for this was demonstrated in 2014
• Autonomous DNA nanorobots that can carry molecular payloads into your cells
• Shape-changing microdevices called "theragrippers" that, when placed into your gastrointestinal tract, extend drug delivery

As noted by Corbett:

"Nanobots. Shape-changing bioelectronic devices. Remote-controlled vaccines. This is not the stuff of science fiction but of science fact, and the precedent that is being set during the COVID era to rush experimental and unproven medical technologies into use on the back of a declared crisis is the same precedent that could be used to foist these injectable technologies on the public in the future …

These injectables are part of an elaborate system of biological, economic, and political control that is being bankrolled into existence by powerful special interests."

Indisputable Facts

While the technocratic elite behind the Great Reset insist there's nothing nefarious about any of these experimental technologies, mRNA vaccines included, the fact that they will lead us into a future that a vast majority of people would never choose, given the chance, seems inevitable. Corbett notes:²⁰

"Despite the protestations of those like Bill Gates who have a financial interest in these experimental vaccines, and the Big Pharma corporations that are selling these vaccines, and the governments that are being bribed²¹ by the international public health cartel to purchase these vaccines and pressure their public to accept them, and the corporate media who relies on these Big Pharma corporations for their advertising dollars, some facts about these novel coronavirus vaccines are indisputable:

That this represents the most reckless and brazen experiment in the history of the world is undeniable on its face. Never before have billions of people been pressured to submit to a completely experimental, invasive medical procedure on the basis of a disease with a greater than 99% survival rate …

Surely those who wish to be the test subjects in this ongoing experiment should be free to make themselves into guinea pigs for the Big Pharma manufacturers.

But every mandate or compulsion to force the vaccine on an unwilling recipient sets a dangerous precedent, a precedent that will one day lead to a tracked and surveilled population unable to resist the next generation of injectable bioelectronics.

This is not a game, this is not a test. Billions of people are being asked to participate in a gigantic experiment, not just an experiment in medical technology, but an experiment in compliance and blind trust.

The pressure to say yes and to go along with the crowd in this experiment is enormous. But if we lose the freedom to say "no" to this, then we may lose control over our bodily autonomy — and, ultimately, our humanity — forever."

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Tales of post-apocalyptic landscapes in which few survivors emerge into a new and much different world have long been popular tales woven by screenwriters and authors. While many enjoy these stories, thinking of them as nothing but a guilty pleasure, they may not realize that immersing themselves in fiction has prepared them for the reality of 2020, according to a team of researchers.

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COVID pneumonia is significantly different from pneumonia caused by other causes, reports a new study. It shows how hijacks the lungs' own immune cells and uses them to spread across the lung over weeks. The infection leaves damage in its wake and fuels the fever, low blood pressure and damage to the kidneys, brain, heart and other organs in patients with COVID-19. Scientists discovered a target for treating COVID pneumonia.

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A shadow over the promising inhaled interferon beta COVID-19 therapy has been cleared with the discovery that although it appears to increase levels of ACE2 protein -- coronavirus' key entry point into nose and lung cells -- it predominantly increases levels of a short version of that protein, which the virus cannot bind to.

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Epigenetic biomarkers in human sperm have been identified that can indicate a propensity to father children with autism spectrum disorder. In the study, researchers identified a set of genomic features, called DNA methylation regions, in sperm samples from men who were known to have autistic children. Then in a set of blind tests, they were able to use the presence of these features to determine whether other men had fathered autistic children with 90 percent accuracy.

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With much of the world practicing varying degrees of social distancing and lockdown, researchers have been investigating the key to happiness in isolation.

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Researchers have discovered immune cells resident in the lungs that persist long after a bout of flu. Experiments with mice have shown that these helper cells improve the immune response to reinfection by a different strain of the flu virus. The discovery could yield approaches to developing longer-lasting vaccinations against quickly-mutating viruses.

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A team of scientists has developed a bio-compatible surgical patch that releases non-opioid painkillers directly to the site of a wound for days and then dissolves away. The polymer patch provides a controlled release of a drug that blocks the enzyme COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2,) which drives pain and inflammation.

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Engineers design a computational model that will ultimately serve as the engine to predict how long a hip implant could last for a specific patient. The unique model incorporates fluid dynamics and the physics of implant wear and aims to streamline trial-and-error in the design of future implants.

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Researchers have developed an infectious disease early warning system that includes areas lacking health clinics participating in infectious disease surveillance. The approach compensates for existing gaps to support better observation and prediction of the spread of an outbreak, including to areas remaining without surveillance.

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When an accident occurs, the reactions of bystanders are important. Researchers have studied whether laypeople realize the severity of the situation when someone in their proximity begins to bleed, and whether they can estimate how much the person is bleeding. The results show a discrepancy related to the victim's gender: for a woman losing blood, both blood loss and life-threatening injuries were underestimated.

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A set of biomarkers not traditionally associated with cell fate can accurately predict how genetically identical cells behave differently under stress, according to a new study. The findings could eventually lead to more predictable responses to pharmaceutical treatments.

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Marijuana use increases throughout the calendar year, with use up 13 percent on average at the end of each year compared to the beginning.

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Scientists have uncovered new evidence of the potential health risks of chemicals in tobacco and marijuana smoke.

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In diseases characterized by bone loss -such as periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis -- there is a lot that scientists still don't understand. What is the role of the immune response in the process? What happens to the regulatory mechanisms that protect bone? Researchers now describe a mechanism that unlocks a piece of the puzzle.

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For some years, an active substance from the leaves of an ornamental plant has been regarded as a possible forerunner of a new group of potent drugs. So far, however, it has been very laborious to manufacture it in large quantities. That could now change: Researchers have identified a bacterium that produces the substance and can also be easily cultivated in the laboratory.

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COVID-19 patients who also suffer from high blood pressure are more likely to fall severely ill with the disease, which also leaves them at greater risk of death. Scientists have now found that the immune cells of patients with hypertension are already pre-activated, and that this pre-activation is greatly enhanced under COVID-19.

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A new study has found that up to 20% of aggressive brain cancers are fueled by overactive mitochondria and new drugs in development may be able to starve the cancers.

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Researchers have discovered a key mechanism underlying bacterial skin colonization in atopic dermatitis, which affects millions around the globe. By identifying a major mechanism through which Staphylococcus aureus binds to the skin of patients with AD the team has opened the possibility of targeting this pathway as a therapeutic option in AD.

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Good news for those who need a cuppa to start the day. Food scientists have created new probiotic coffee and tea drinks that are packed with over 1 billion units of gut-friendly live probiotics. These non-dairy and plant-based beverages are can be stored chilled or at room temperature for more than 14 weeks.

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Cleverly combining artificial and human intelligence leads to improved prevention of psychosis in young patients.

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A new study suggests a link between toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection and the risk of glioma, a type of brain cancer, in adults.

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Researchers have taken an important step forward in developing a controlled human infection model to test leishmaniasis vaccines.

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The gut plays a central role in the regulation of the body's metabolism and its dysfunction is associated with a variety of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, colitis and colorectal cancer that affect millions of people worldwide. Targeting endocrine dysfunction by stimulating the formation of specific enteroendocrine cells from intestinal stem cells could be a promising regenerative approach for diabetes therapy. For this, a detailed understanding of the intestinal stem cell lineage and the signals regulating the recruitment of intestinal cell types is critical.

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A 2019 survey of 2,000 people in the U.S. crowned corn the new favorite vegetable, with an approval rating of 91%.¹ Onions followed not far behind with an approval rating of 87%, making it among the top five favorite vegetables. The survey found some of the least favorite vegetables included asparagus, mushrooms and eggplant.

Many experts believe that the first onions appeared in Central Asia. Most agree the vegetable has been cultivated for nearly 5,000 years and might be one of the first cultivated crops since they are easy to grow and transport, and have a long shelf life.²

Pliny the Elder catalogued how Romans used onions in Pompeii before being killed by the volcano. His documents showed that onions’ curative powers included the ability to induce sleep, heal toothaches and mouth sores and address vision problems. Others have documented their use in the treatment of headaches and heart disease.³

In the Middle Ages, onions were used to help relieve headaches, hair loss and help to pay the rent. The first pilgrims brought them on the Mayflower to America to cultivate, where they became one of the first products brought to market in New England.

Onions are a member of the allium family, which also includes garlic, leeks, shallots and chives.⁴ About 125,000 acres produce 6.2 billion pounds of onions each year in the U.S.⁵ The top producing states are California, Eastern Oregon, Idaho and Washington.

Other countries producing a large number of onions include Turkey, Pakistan, China and India. According to Live Science, the average person in the U.S. eats 20 pounds of onions each year.

Nutrient Value Basis of Onion’s Health Benefits

It's likely the many health benefits derived from eating onions comes from the nutrient value of the vegetable. One small onion has just 28 calories, 6.5 grams (g) of carbohydrate and 1.1 g of total fiber. It also contains:⁶

• Calcium, 16.1 milligrams (mg)
• Magnesium, 7 mg
• Potassium, 102 mg
• Vitamin C, 5.18 mg
• Choline, 4.27 mg

Onions are also surprisingly high in beneficial polyphenols.⁷ This group of plant compounds plays an important role in the prevention and reduction of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In a comparison of the polyphenol and antioxidant capacity between red and yellow onions researchers found the outer layers of the onions had the highest number of total polyphenols and flavonoids.

The outer layers of both types of onions also had the highest antioxidant activity. However, overall, the red onion had better antioxidant activity, with a higher number of total polyphenols and flavonoids that were associated with antioxidant activity. Onions have over 25 varieties of flavonoids that help prevent cellular damage contributing to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

In addition to the calcium content promoting strong bones, onions may also relieve oxidative stress, which in turn decreases bone loss and can help prevent osteoporosis.⁸ Onions are also good sources of vitamins A and K, which in addition to vitamin C help protect your skin from ultraviolet rays. Vitamin C also helps your body produce collagen, a structural support for your skin and hair.

Prebiotic Compound Has Multiple Benefits

Prebiotics are indigestible fiber that help nourish the beneficial bacteria in your body. In turn, these bacteria help with digestion and absorption of your food, as well as play a significant role in the function of your immune system. One of these prebiotics is inulin, a water-soluble form of dietary fiber that's found in onions.⁹

Inulin is found in thousands of species of plants, but most experts agree that chicory root is the richest source with up to 20 g of inulin per 100 g in weight. Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, asparagus and raw onion are also significant sources, with Jerusalem artichokes measuring up to 19 g and raw onion measuring from 5 to 9 g.¹⁰

Your gut thrives on adequate amounts of fiber as it helps improve digestive health and relieves constipation. In one study, researchers found those who took inulin had bowel movements with improved stool consistency,¹¹ and another four-week study showed older adults experienced better digestion with less constipation.¹²

In addition to feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome, inulin also demonstrates the ability to promote weight loss and reduce liver fat cells in people who are prediabetic.¹³

Since inulin is colorless, has a neutral taste and is highly soluble, manufacturers are adding it to food products to help increase the fiber content of processed foods.¹⁴ In a review of inulin studies published in U.S. Pharmacist, the data showed inulin also has an effect on mineral absorption and a potential effect on lipid levels.¹⁵

Several studies showed it helps improve calcium absorption, which is highly beneficial in the onion since it is also a rich source of calcium. Overall, the data on the effect on lipids were mixed as most studies had a small number of participants. However, past research has shown that soluble fiber does lower lipid levels.¹⁶

In one study of women who had Type 2 diabetes, the researchers found those who used insulin had better glycemic control.¹⁷ It also appears that flavonoid-rich foods such as onions may help inhibit the growth of H. pylori, a type of bacteria responsible for most ulcers.¹⁸

Allium Vegetables Linked to Cancer Prevention

Allium vegetables are popular in different dishes worldwide and some epidemiological studies have found an association between people eating large amounts of allium vegetables and a reduced risk of cancer, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract.¹⁹

The majority of these studies have come from mechanistic research, or studies that are “designed to understand a biological or behavioral process, the pathophysiology of a disease, or the mechanism of action of an intervention.”²⁰

Some of these have been clinical trials evaluating the mechanism sulfur compounds in allium vegetables have on bioactivation of carcinogens and antimicrobial activities. In a review of the literature, researchers found:²¹ “Allium vegetables and their components have effects at each stage of carcinogenesis and affect many biological processes that modify cancer risk.”

In early 2019, a study published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology revealed the results of an analysis of 833 patients with colorectal cancer who were matched against an equal number of healthy controls.²² Demographic and dietary data were collected using interviews.

After the analysis, the researchers found that adults who ate high amounts of allium vegetables had a 79% lower risk colorectal cancer. Dr. Zhi Li, of the First Hospital of China Medical University, was the senior author, who commented on the results saying:²³

"It is worth noting that in our research, there seems to be a trend: the greater the amount of allium vegetables, the better the protection. In general, the present findings shed light on the primary prevention of colorectal cancer through lifestyle intervention, which deserves further in-depth explorations."

Angela Lemond, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agrees that foods high in antioxidants and which are "one of the richest sources of dietary flavonoids,”²⁴ are important to good health:²⁵

"Foods that are high in antioxidants and amino acids allow your body to function optimally. Antioxidants help prevent damage, and cancer. Amino acids are the basic building block for protein, and protein is used in virtually every vital function in the body."

Quercetin Linked to Blood Pressure and Immune Function

Quercetin is another compound found in onions that is linked to a large number of health benefits. This single antioxidant flavonoid is found in high concentrations in onions. Researchers have found some onions store quercetin in the outer layers and others have higher concentration in the inner layers.²⁶

Red onions and chartreuse onions have the highest levels in the outer layers, whereas the highest levels of quercetin were detected in the inner layer of the yellow onion. In this study, data showed the yellow onions had more total quercetin than red onions, and chartreuse onions had the highest level overall.

The most common onions are red, yellow and white, whereas chartreuse is a relatively rare genetic genotype.²⁷ There are two main classes of flavonoids in onions — anthocyanins that are responsible for the color of red onions and quercetin that is responsible for the yellow and brown skins of other varieties.²⁸

In one review of the literature researchers evaluated the anti-obesity activity of onions and their effect on related comorbidities.²⁹ Analysis revealed studies that demonstrated “quercetin-rich onion peel extract” could inhibit fat cell generation in the lab and an animal model.

Additionally, they found raw extract could reduce blood sugar in an animal model after 24 hours and had the potential for pancreatic beta cell regeneration. The benefits extended to overweight and obese patients with high blood pressure who used concentrations of quercetin extracted from onion skin.

In this study, a group of participants took three capsules each day and while there was no difference in blood pressure measurements in the total group, blood pressure was significantly reduced in the subgroup of participants who had high blood pressure.

As I’ve written in the past, quercetin in combination with vitamin C has a powerful effect on your immune system and specifically to help prevent COVID-19. Since 1 cup of chopped onions provides 13.11% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C,^30,31 onions are a healthy addition to your daily nutritional intake.³² The benefits to your immune system are extensive and include:³³

“Quercetin is known for its antioxidant activity in radical scavenging and anti-allergic properties characterized by stimulation of immune system, antiviral activity, inhibition of histamine release, decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines, leukotrienes creation, and suppresses interleukin IL-4 production.

It can improve the Th1/Th2 balance, and restrain antigen-specific IgE antibody formation. It is also effective in the inhibition of enzymes such as lipoxygenase, eosinophil and peroxidase and the suppression of inflammatory mediators.”

How to Pick, Peel and Store Your Onions

Whether you're harvesting from your own garden or selecting onions at the grocery store, use those that are dry and firm. Although they have a long shelf life, once they reach the end the flesh begins to get soft and moist.³⁴ The onion should have little or no scent before you begin cutting.

As you peel the onion, take off the least amount of skin from the outer layer. As with many other vegetables, the outer layers are packed with antioxidants, which are best used in your meal and not in the garbage or compost pile.

The chemical properties of onions that make them savory are the same that trigger your tears as you’re peeling and chopping. These are sulfur compounds the plant uses in chemical warfare against predators. As you slice an onion, it produces a sulfur-based gas. This reacts with your tears and forms the familiar irritation triggered by a sulfenic acid substrate.³⁵

To reduce the effect, try standing farther away so as the gas is released it disperses before reaching your face. You can also try cutting onions in front of a fan that blows the gas away from you. Try refrigerating the onions for 30 minutes and leaving the roots intact as you're cutting and peeling. According to the National Onion Association, the roots have the highest concentration of sulfur.³⁶

Onions should be stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated area. Instead of a plastic bag, consider wrapping each in a paper towel before placing in the refrigerator. The sweeter the onion, the higher the water content, which means sweet onions have a shorter shelf life than other types of onions.

If learning about the health benefits of eating onions has inspired you to include them in your meal planning, then you’ll want to check out the National Onion Association Guide to help choose the different types of onions, their flavors and how they are best prepared.³⁷ You’ll also find this and more health information about onions in “Onion Power!”

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A compelling report¹ in the journal Gastroenterology offers a radically novel yet logically sound explanation as to why some COVID-19 patients develop life-threatening organ failure. According to the authors, data indicate that COVID-19 mortality rates are heavily influenced by the amount of unsaturated fats you eat.

Simply put, unsaturated fat intake is associated with increased mortality from the infection. On the bright side, they believe early treatment with inexpensive calcium and egg albumin will reduce rates of organ failure and ICU admissions.

While no clinical studies have been done yet on this type of therapy, the authors believe it’s time to do one, as it appears early albumin and calcium supplementation can bind unsaturated fats and reduce injury to vital organs. They also point out that saturated fats are protective.

The Most Dangerous Fat of All

I’m currently writing a book on what I believe might be the primary disease-maker in the Western diet, namely omega-6 linoleic acid (LA). And, since diet-related comorbidities are responsible for 94% of all COVID-19-related deaths,² taking control of your diet is a simple, common-sense strategy to lower the risks associated with this infection.

LA makes up the bulk — about 90% — of the omega-6 consumed and is the primary contributor to nearly all chronic diseases. While an essential fat, when consumed in excessive amounts, LA acts as a metabolic poison.

The reason for this is because polyunsaturated fats such as LA are highly susceptible to oxidation. As the fat oxidizes, it breaks down into harmful sub-components such as advanced lipid oxidation end products (ALES) and OXLAMS (oxidized LA metabolites). These ALES and OXLAMS are actually what cause the damage.

One type of advanced lipid oxidation end product (ALE) is 4HNE, a mutagen known to cause DNA damage. Studies have shown there’s a definite correlation between elevated levels of 4HNE and heart failure.

LA breaks down into 4HNE even faster when the oil is heated, which is why cardiologists recommend avoiding fried foods. LA intake and the subsequent ALES and OXLAMS produced also play a significant role in cancer. HNE and other ALES are extraordinarily harmful even in exceedingly small quantities.

While excess sugar is certainly bad for your health and should typically be limited to 25 grams per day or less, it doesn’t cause a fraction of the oxidative damage that LA does.

Processed vegetable oils are a primary source of LA, but even food sources hailed for their health benefits contain it, and can be a problem if consumed in excess. Cases in point: olive oil and conventionally raised chicken, which are fed LA-rich grains. To learn more about this hidden source of LA, see “Why Chicken Is Killing You and Saturated Fat Is Your Friend.”

Many now understand that your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is very important, and should be about 1-to-1 or possibly up to 4-to-1, but simply increasing your omega-3 intake won’t counteract the damage done by excessive LA. You really need to minimize the omega-6 to prevent damage from taking place.

LA Damages Your Mitochondria 

In order to understand how excess LA consumption damages your metabolism and impedes your body’s ability to generate energy in your mitochondria we need to explore some molecular biology. There’s a particular fat only located in your mitochondria — most of it is found in the inner mitochondrial membrane — called cardiolipin.

Cardiolipin is made up of four fatty acids, unlike triglycerides that have three, but the individual fats can vary. Examples include LA, palmitic acid and the fatty acids found in fish oil, DHA and EPA. Each of these have a different effect on mitochondrial function, and depending on the organ, the mitochondria work better with particular kinds of fatty acids.

For example, your heart preferentially builds cardiolipin with LA, while your brain dislikes LA and preferentially builds cardiolipin in the mitochondria with fats like DHA. As mentioned, LA is highly susceptible to oxidation.

The LA within the mitochondria cardiolipin is exposed to cytochromes in the electron transport chain that contain iron, which in turn can catalyze oxidation of the cardiolipin. This is bad news because oxidation of cardiolipin is one of the things that controls autophagy.

In other words, oxidation of cardiolipin is one of the signals your body uses when there’s something wrong with a cell, so it triggers the destruction of that cell, a process called apoptosis. Your cells know that they’re broken when they have too many damaged mitochondria, and the process that controls this is largely the oxidation of omega-6 fats contained within cardiolipin.

So, by altering the composition of cell membranes and stored fatty acids in cells to one that's richer in omega-6 fats, you make your cardiolipin far more susceptible to oxidative damage. The good news is that by making a few well-chosen tweaks to your diet, you change the composition of fatty acids in both your cell membranes and your cardiolipin to a favorable composition.

Fat Intake Linked to COVID-19 Outcomes

Getting back to the issue of how your fat intake can affect your COVID-19 outcome, the Gastroenterology paper³ points out that unsaturated fats “cause injury [and] organ failure resembling COVID-19.” More specifically, unsaturated fats are known to trigger lipotoxic acute pancreatitis, and the sepsis and multisystem organ failure seen in severe cases of COVID-19 greatly resembles this condition.

The solution they propose, namely early supplementation with egg albumin and calcium, is thought to be helpful because they are known to bind unsaturated fats, thereby reducing injury to organs. The two conditions also share other risk factors. As explained in the paper:⁴

“Unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) generated by adipose lipolysis cause multisystem organ failure, including acute lung injury. Severe acute pancreatitis and severe COVID-19 share obesity as a risk factor, along with lipase elevation, hypoalbuminemia, and hypocalcemia.”

The authors further explain that the ACE2 receptor that the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses to gain entry into your cells resides on fat cells, and oleic acid — a monounsaturated omega-9 fat found in olive oil — has been shown to cause multisystem organ failure, including acute lung injury.

PUFAs in general also depolarize mitochondria and increase inflammatory mediators. All of this is what caused the researchers to explore the potential connection between lipotoxicity (toxicity caused by harmful fats such as LA) and severe COVID-19 resulting in organ failure.

The paper contains an interesting diagram that summarizes the investigative approach they took to reach the conclusion that unsaturated fat intake correlates to COVID-19 outcomes, which I unfortunately cannot include here. In summary, though, it shows that higher intakes of polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), primarily LA, resulted in a greater risk of severe COVID-19, while higher intake of saturated fat lowered the risk.

PUFAs Raise COVID-19 Mortality While Saturated Fat Lowers It

The researchers discovered that hypocalcemia (lower-than-average levels of calcium in your blood or plasma) and hypoalbuminemia (low albumin in your blood) are observable early on in patients with severe COVID-19.

When looking at data from COVID-19 patients, the also found that low arterial partial pressure of oxygen and percentage of oxygen ratios were associated with higher levels of unbound fatty acid levels in their blood. They also speculate that UFAs may cause vascular leakage, inflammatory injury and arrhythmia during severe COVID-19.

In tests on mice, animals given LA developed a range of conditions resembling lethal COVID-19, including hypoalbuminemia, leucopenia (low white blood cell count), lymphopenia (low lymphocyte count), lymphocytic injury, thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), hypercytokinemia (cytokine storm), shock and kidney failure.

How to Calculate Your LA Intake With Cronometer

Considering the damage LA imparts, it’s not surprising that it could play a significant role in the outcome of COVID-19. As mentioned, virtually all of the comorbidities associated with COVID-19 are diet related, share many of the same risk factors, and can be triggered or worsened by high LA intake.

Fortunately, you won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to have your food analyzed for LA. All you need to do is accurately enter your food intake into Cronometer — a free online nutrition tracker — and it will provide you with your total LA intake. The key to accurate entry is to carefully weigh your food with a digital kitchen scale so you can enter the weight of your food to the nearest gram.

cronometer.com is free to use when you use the desktop version. If you feel the need to use your cellphone (which is not recommended) to enter your data, then you will need to purchase a subscription. Personally, I have used the desktop version exclusively for the last five years as it has greater functionality and allows me to avoid electromagnetic fields from my phone.

Ideally, it is best to enter your food for the day before you actually eat it. The reason for this is quite simple: It’s impossible to delete the food once you have already eaten it, but you can easily delete it from your menu if you find something pushes you over the ideal limit.

Once you’ve entered the food for the day, go to the “Lipid” section on the lower left side of the app. The image below is taken from one of my recent data entries and shows you what the section looks like. To find out how much LA is in your diet for that day, you merely need to see how many grams of omega-6 is present. About 90% of the omega-6 you eat is LA.

To find out the percentage of calories the omega-6/LA represents in your diet, go to the “Calories Summary” section shown in the image below. In my case, I consumed 3,887 calories. Since there are nine calories per gram of fat, you will need to multiply the number of omega-6 grams times nine to obtain the total amount of omega-6 calories. In my case, that is 69.3 calories. 

Next, divide the LA calories by your total calories. In this example, that would be 69.3/3887 = .0178. If you multiply that number by 100, or move the decimal point two spaces to the left, you will have the percentage as a whole number. In my example, it is 1.8% of LA. This falls within the ideal LA percentage range, which is between 1% and 2% of your total calorie intake.

Cronometer is in the process of automatically displaying the “Percent of Omega-6” in your diet, but that will not be deployed until early 2021, so use the formula above to calculate it for yourself until then.

Helpful Feature You Might Not Be Aware Of

Most people aren’t aware of an incredibly helpful feature in Cronometer that allows you to easily identify where all your LA is coming from. If you mouse over the percent field next to the omega-6 value, you will see a popup displayed that will rank order the foods based on the quantity of LA they contain. 

In my case, below, you can see that the four eggs I ate are my largest source of LA. Eggs are a very healthy food but, unfortunately, nearly all chickens, including pasture raised, are fed grains that are loaded with LA. Even if the grains are organic, they still contain LA.

I raise my own chickens and am in the middle of an experiment to change this by feeding my chickens a very low-LA, no-grain diet. I will have the eggs analyzed in a research lab and hope to get the LA levels 90% lower, which should hopefully get my LA intake below 5 grams.

It is interesting to note from my analysis that my primary protein, bison, only contributes 0.5 grams of LA even though I had 8 ounces that day. For the most part, fruit is also LA-free, which makes it a better source of healthy carbs than grains. 

I also use rice on my high-carb diet days, in this case about 100 grams of carbs for the day, and the rice has no LA in it. Both rice and millet are two of the best grains to use as they have no gluten. The rice has the additional advantage, though, of being LA-free. It is best to use white rice, as the fiber in brown rice provides little nutritional benefit and may actually cause some problems.

Carbohydrates — Choose Wisely

I must admit that I have a prejudice in this area as my first book in 2004 (which was a New York Times best seller) was “The No Grain Diet.” The concern about avoiding grains was largely based on consuming excessive carbohydrates that could lead to insulin resistance. At the time, I wasn’t aware that increased LA consumption was likely a far more significant issue than excessive carbs, or that most grains are typically loaded with LA.

However, when you have increased carbs in the form of sugar and processed wheat, and then add seed oils, you have the Devil’s Triad, which collectively contribute to most metabolic diseases.

So even though I wrote the book 17 years ago, I still believe most grains should be avoided, or at the least minimized, because they are typically high in carbs and LA. Many are also loaded with other problems like gluten, oxalates and phytates.

In my more recent book, “Fat for Fuel,” I advocated the cyclical use of balanced and healthy carbs in the form of fruits and healthier grains. For most of us, fruit is a far healthier option than grains as there is virtually no LA in fruit, with exceptions like avocado, which is technically a fruit.

Metabolic Flexibility Is Key for Optimal Health

About 90% of the population is insulin resistant. Ideally, you will first want to become metabolically flexible and improve your ability to burn fat as your primary fuel. I discuss this strategy extensively in “Fat for Fuel.” It typically takes a few weeks to a few months for someone to transition to a metabolically flexible state.

When you are metabolically flexible, you will typically have normal blood pressure, not be overweight, and have a fasting blood glucose below 90, which you can easily measure at home.

While limiting carbs to less than 50 grams per day when you are metabolically inflexible is a powerful strategy, once you regain your ability to burn fat for fuel, most will find that they need to include a healthy source of carbs back into their diet. A simple strategy would be to shoot for around 50 grams on your low-carb days and double or triple that on your high-carb days. 

You can start by simply alternating low and high carb days and monitor your fasting blood glucose. If it starts to rise over time, you will know that it is probably better to decrease the frequency of your high-carb days. Again, the best carbs to use would be fruit or white rice, as they are virtually LA-free. After you have been on a low-LA diet for a year or two, you can integrate other carbs that are higher in LA.

Fats — Be Careful of Cooking Oils

Ideally, it would be best to limit the amount of oil you use for cooking. Typically, it is better to cook using no oils and substitute grass-fed butter, instead. This is because seed oils are the single greatest source of omega-6 LA and the higher you heat food, the more toxic byproducts you create.

You might wonder how you can limit your cooking oils. Let me give you an example. If you were cooking ground beef or bison, you could cook in a frying pan or in a covered pot over low heat using the water in the meat to convert to steam and cook the food at a low 212 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If you choose to use oil for cooking, then you can use the table⁵ below to help you select the best oils. It is color coded to guide you. The preferred oils are shaded green. Notice that concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) beef tallow or butter has three times as much LA as the grass-fed version.⁶ They still are very low and within an acceptable range, but it is clearly better to choose the higher quality grass fed version when you can.

Lard and palm oil are less preferred options because of their higher LA content. There is a load of confusion around olive oil, though, that needs to be cleared up. And, while avocado oil isn’t widely appreciated, it too has the same concerns as olive oil.

Both olive oil and avocado oil LA content varies widely. Typically, it will average around 10%, although some oils could be twice as high. The reason one needs to be ultra-careful using these oils is because the vast majority (over 80%) are adulterated with cheaper and high LA oils like safflower.

So, if you plan on using either of these oils, you need to have independent objective confirmation that the oil has not been tampered with. These brands are typically more expensive as authentic olive and avocado oils have much higher production costs.

Oils that should be completely avoided at all times are the primary culprits of destroying health in the 20th century: the toxic seed oils that are shaded in red. That said, the dose makes the poison. So, you can theoretically use any of the oils in the table below so long as your total intake of LA for that day is less than 2% of your total calories. The higher up on the table the oil is, the more likely you will exceed your safe limit for the day.

What About Seeds and Nuts?

Seeds and nuts can be used in moderation. The table below indicates approximately how much LA is common seeds⁷ and nuts.^{8,9, 10} You can see that most are nearly half LA. For that reason, it is very easy to reach really high levels of LA if you eat lots of seeds and nuts, with the exception of macadamia nuts.

Seeds/Nuts	% Linoleic Acid
Poppy seed	62%
Hemp	57%
Wheat germ	55%
Walnut	53%
Pecan	50%
Pumpkin	45%
Brazil nuts	43%
Sesame	41%
Peanut	32%
Pine Nuts	33%
Chia	16%
Almond	16%
Flaxseed	14%
Pistachio	13%
Hazelnuts	12%
Cashew	8%
Macadamia	2%

Also keep in mind that even if the nut has a relatively low quantity of LA, like almonds, it could be loaded with other potential problems like oxalates. Oxalates are razor sharp crystals contained in many nuts and seeds. They are water soluble and only found in the unprocessed seed or nut. If you are consuming an oil version of the seed or nut, it will contain virtually no oxalates.

So, the key here is that seeds and nuts are clearly allowed, but large quantities should be avoided. Be sure to enter them into Cronometer so you can see precisely how much LA they contain and how they are influencing your total daily intake.

Please note that the percent of LA indicated for the foods above is the typical average. It is important to understand that the percent of LA in any specific food can be highly variable based on many factors, but the values listed are what are typically found in the literature.

Ideal Sources of Protein

In general, animal foods are typically much lower in LA than vegetable sources. This is especially true for seeds and most all nuts, except macadamia, as you can see in the table above. Additionally, many vegetable sources have oxalates, phytates and gluten, which have been previously well-documented to have adverse health effects.

There are two important exceptions, though. Ideally, you will want to limit your intake of chicken and pork as these animals are universally fed grains that are loaded with LA. It is common for them to have LA levels from 10% to 20%. They will contain lower amounts of LA if they are not raised in a factory farm (CAFO), but most likely will exceed levels in lamb, beef, bison and other game animals like elk, by 10-fold.

For most of us, the ideal source of protein would be from bison, followed by beef and lamb. An 8-ounce serving of these foods typically has less than 1 gram of LA. In addition to eating muscle meat, it would be wise to regularly include sources of organ meats, as they are loaded with important micronutrients not found in muscle meat.

Eggs are another source of LA concern as the yolks are about 16% LA. This is because nearly all chickens, including those that are pasture raised, are given grain as their primary feed. As long as you aren’t allergic to eggs, they are an incredibly healthy nutrient-dense food and one of the finest sources of bioavailable choline available. 

I believe it would be wise to limit eggs to four or less per day, as that would provide about 2.5 grams of LA. As mentioned earlier, I am currently in the middle of an experiment.

I’m feeding my 20 chickens a low-LA carnivore-type diet consisting of 1 gallon of 4-day-old sprouted mung beans with 4 ounces of melted butter mixed in, along with a regular supply of beef liver and mealworms. I will be analyzing the eggs for LA in the next few months as it takes some time for LA to be liberated after it’s consumed.

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