Re: Fast guideline from the chapter "Fasting" "The Complete Handbook of Nutrition" by Gary and Steve Null

nothingbetter:

Good rebuff for the "Fasting Debate forum", but I found out a few contradictions with "quackwatch". First, their website denies outside influence.

http://quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/funding.html
 

Who Funds Quackwatch?

"The total cost of operating our many Web sites is approximately $7,000 per year. If donations fall below what is needed, the rest comes out of my pocket."

Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions Operated by Stephen Barrett, M.D.

"funded mainly by small individual donations, commissions from sales on other sites to which we refer, sponsored links, and profits from the sale of publications. Money donated to Quackwatch supports research, writing, and legal actions that can protect many people from being misled." 

Who is Stephen Barrett, M.D.?
Your argument could have been better served by an unbiased websits like Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Barrett

"Stephen Joel Barrett^[1] (born 1933) is a retired American psychiatrist, author, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), and the webmaster of Quackwatch. He runs a number of websites dealing with quackery and health fraud. He focuses on consumer protection, medical ethics, and scientific skepticism. Numerous sources have cited Quackwatch as a useful source for online consumer information"

Who is Gary Null"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Null

Gary Michael Null (born in 1945) is an American talk radio host and author on alternative and complementary medicine and nutrition. He is also a critic of the medical and psychiatric communities.

One particular point amazed me that when I did a futher search of QuackWatch opinions they do not site calcium food sources outside of animal products and neither does the usda web address which they I cite in the following web addresses.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/natural_hygiene.html

The Bottom Line

Natural Hygiene is dangerous because it encourages prolonged fasting and discourages proven medical interventions. While its recommended diet has two admirable characteristics (low fat content and high fiber content), its recommended avoidance of dairy products is an invitation to osteoporosis. No scientific study has ever compared the disease and death rates of Hygienists with those of other people. But it appears to me that the hazards far outweigh the possible benefits.

His statement,"avoidance of dairy products is an invitation to osteoporosis", fails to mention alternative calcium sources can be found in Blackberries Blackcurrants, Dates, Grapefruit, Mulberries, Orange, Pomegranate, Prickly Pears, Amaranth leaves, Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut squash, Celery, Chinese Broccoli, French Beans, Kale, Okra, Parsnip, Spirulina, Swiss Chard, Turnip, Almonds, Amaranth, Brazil Nuts, Filberts/Hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios, Sesame Seeds, Wheat - Durum, Wheat - Hard White, and animal and fish products according to http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/minerals-nutrition-chart.html.

Further, when researching the Calcium IU daily requirements on the USDA site they only cite Cambells Soup as a source on"http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/"

I entered Calcium for Keyword(s): and Select Food Group Vegetables and Veg products the table displayed:

CAMPBELL Soup Company, V8 Vegetable Juice, Calcium Enriched V8

When I entered Calcium for Keyword(s): and Select Food Group fruits & fruit juices

the table displayed:

Juice, apple, grape and pear blend, with added ascorbic acid and calcium
Orange juice, chilled, includes from concentrate, fortified with calcium
Orange juice, chilled, includes from concentrate, fortified with calcium and vitamin D

But have a complete Calcium table on: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp#h3

My conclusion is that Quackery is a front for an organization bent on dicreadeting any source which it does not have a vested interest.  According to Wikipedia, an unbiased information source Gary Null has been a longstanding critic of the medical community and foods which contribute to ill health.  Stephen Barrett, M.D has long since taken up the chore of represening those interest.  His display of negating non-animal alternative calcium sources as at least a supplement to combat osteoporosis since the daily intake of calcium which can be up to 1000-1200mg IU lacks informative comprehesive details.  Further, if a USDA website on Calcium food groups can be comprimised then a privately funded group like "Quackery" is much more likely to be compromised.

I recognize the Gary Null is not perfect, but he has made powerful enemies in the both the medical and food industries.  The latter commands an unlimited finacial resoures to undermine and discredit anything and anybody in government, industry, and individuals to safeguard those investments.

Sincerly,

CarmanAnthony