Food Imported from China?

Not even good enough for dog food:

Imported from China

Natural News- May 10, 13

Mike Adams

Do you really know what’s in all the food you’re eating that’s imported from China? If you don’t, you’re actually in good company: The FDA only inspects 1% – 2% of all the food imported from China, so they don’t know either. Even when they inspect a shipment, they rarely test it for heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs or other toxic contaminants.Mark A. Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute, added emphasis to this point as he testified this week in The House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, saying, ”We don’t trust, for good reason, the Chinese to supply ingredients for our dog and cat food. Why should we trust Chinese exporters for the food that we are feeding our children and families?”It’s a good question. Especially when, as Kastel adds, Chinese food is being routinely found to contain”unapproved chemicals, dyes, pesticides and outright fraud (fake food).”

Heavily contaminated food from China

As Natural News has already reported, food from China is frequently found to contain alarming levels of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury) and other contaminants. Politically, China is a communist dictatorship where freedom of speech is completely outlawed. Environmental regulations are virtually never enforced. The culture is one of total deception where lying, cheating, stealing or committing fraud to get ahead is considered completely acceptable — because that’s how government is operated there. The moral decay of China is directly reflected in the alarming dishonesty of the food supply. (Yes, a country’s food exports will reflect its cultural and political philosophies. Freedom produces healthy food. Oppression and communism produces deceptive, deadly food.)And yet, even with all this being widely known, Chinese farms are rarely inspected by organic certifiers. “U.S. certifiers are unable to independently inspect farms and assure compliance to the USDA organic food and agriculture standards that are required for export to the U.S.” explained Kastel in testimony. “These imports should not be allowed to reach our shore until and unless we have a system in place to assure consumers they are getting what they pay for. Just like U.S. grown organic commodities, the safety of these products must be rigorously overseen by independent inspectors.” Read Kastel’s full testimony here.

Counterfeit ingredients are the new norm in China

Also testifying at the hearing was Patty Lovera, the Assistant Director of Washington, D.C.-based Food & Water Watch. The news on food fraud out of China “is a steady stream of controversies ranging from adulteration with counterfeit ingredients like melamine in dairy products, to widespread outbreaks of animal diseases like avian flu, and high levels of pesticide residues,” Lovera testified. “Just last week, news reports described a Chinese government campaign to break up a fake meat operation, leading to arrests of more than 900 people accused of passing off more than $1 million of rat meat as mutton.”  See coverage of the fake rat meat scandal here.

You are eating far more food from China than you thinkWhy does any of this matter? Because you’re eating far more food from China than you probably think.

Not only do retailers like Whole Foods sell “certified organic” food grown in China, the vast majority of superfood powders sold in North America use raw materials purchased in bulk from China. Nutritional supplements, herbs and vitamins are often made using materials from China.

Not everything from China is bad, but in our own lab tests here at Natural News, we’ve been shocked to discover just how frequently products from China are contaminated with metals, chemical solvents and pesticide residues. We have rejected dozens of suppliers in our own search for clean ingredients to use in our product formulations, and we’ve even had to send back product that showed up at our warehouse and simply didn’t meet our stringent quality control requirements. (True fact: We recently had to return several thousand pounds of goji berries to one supplier after discovering the product failed our quality control review.)

But here’s the even scarier part in all this:

I am repeatedly told I’m the ONLY person asking these questions

When I talk to suppliers of raw materials, I am repeatedly told that I am the only person asking them for heavy metals tests, pesticide tests and product samples to send to our own lab.

This happens over and over again. From this, I have learned there is virtually NO due diligence being conducted by natural products retailers. Most retailers simply buy and sell, shipping boxes and moving product while turning a blind eye to the truth about what they are buying and selling. They literally do not care whether their products are contaminated with heavy metals. They just want to sell, sell, sell!

Even more shockingly — and I seem to be the only journalist reporting this jaw-dropping fact — there are currently NO LIMITS set by the USDA for contamination of certified organic foods. A product may be USDA organic and still contain deadly levels of mercury, arsenic or lead. The USDA does not test or even regulate heavy metals in foods via its organic certified program!

So you can be shopping at a famous natural products retailer and you might pick up a product carrying the USDA Certified Organic logo, thinking, “This is certified healthy and safe by the U.S. government.” You are being lied to. That product could be grown in China in a field of mercury runoff from an industrial factory. It could contain ridiculously high levels of mercury, arsenic, PCBs and even chemical solvents. You could be eating pure death while paying a premium for it!

This is not an attack on the USDA, by the way. Their organic certification program is surprisingly good for the scope of what it attempts to accomplish. But understand that USDA organic certifies a process, not a result. At the farm level, it means foods are not intentionally grown with pesticides and herbicides, but it does not say anything whatsoever about heavy metals contamination of food production fields in China.

Massive organic food RAUD

In truth, what’s really happening right now on a global scale is a massive organic food fraud. Food is grown in China and certified organic even though no U.S. inspectors even visit the farms. That food is then imported into the U.S. and almost never inspected. It’s packaged and sold at top dollar in natural foods retail stores, emblazoned with the USDA Organic label.

But nowhere along the way — except in extremely rare cases — is that food ever tested for heavy metals or other contaminants. This is why Mark Kastel correctly states this food can’t even be trusted “for dog food,” much less to feed yourself and your family.

Make no mistake about it: China is a nation full of immoral, unethical liars and deceivers. (Taiwan, on the other hand, is very different and has a much stronger moral code as well as basic human decency.) Remember: I speak Mandarin Chinese. I’ve lived in the Chinese culture. I’ve traveled throughout Asia and even given numerous public speeches to Chinese audiences. At the same time, I’ve investigated and written about food and food safety for more than a decade. Very few people are as qualified to tell you the truth about what’s really in your food coming out of China, and I can tell you that I don’t trust it.

In fact, the only way I will eat anything from China is if I subject it to extensive testing and verify that contamination levels are acceptably low. There are some great products out of China that are completely safe and healthy. Certain medicinal mushrooms, for example, are produced in China and are very clean. Some producers of goji berries are very honest and clean. There are no doubt organic growers who are producing very clean products in China, but these would be the exception, not the rule. By default, we must all now assume that anything from China is heavily contaminated.

Almost universally, food grown in North America is cleaner and less contaminated. This isn’t true 100% of the time, but usually so.

Toxic Chinese agriculture puts honest U.S. farmers out of business

The sad part about all this is that food from China is economically displacing U.S. and Canadian farmers who are generally far more honest and ethical in their farming practices. So while U.S. farmers are being put out of business for following the rules set by the EPA, FDA and USDA, the Chinese farmers are selling us contaminated, toxic “organic” food frauds produced by breaking all the rules!

That’s why I say grow local, buy local and eat local as much as possible. And until China cleans up its act on food contamination, do your best to avoid food from China. I don’t trust it unless EVERY BATCH is comprehensively lab tested and those lab tests are made public.

Props to Cornucopia’s Mark Kastel for having the courage to lay a lot of this out in congressional testimony. Rest assured Congress will never ask me to testify on food contamination because I would describe a truth so horrifying that people would stop eating for days. 

Rat Meat Sold as Lamb Highlights Fear in China: NY Times

www.nytimes.com/2013/05/04/world/asia/rat-meat-sold-as-la

Dying Gracefully

Dying Gracefully

Isha.Org

Death is inevitable, but only a few people have the fortune of a graceful death. Sadhguru tells us about how to ensure a graceful exit for a dying person, and the importance of taking away the “choppiness” of death.

Everywhere in the world, people talk about dying peacefully. All they are talking about is they do not want to die in a choppy manner; they want to recede gently. To take away the choppiness of death, one simple thing you can do is to have  a lamp – preferably with ghee but you can also use butter – burning constantly, 24 hours of the day next to that person. This creates a certain aura so that the choppy nature of withdrawal can be regulated to some extent. Another thing you can do is to set up some kind of a universal chant – – at a very mild volume. A consecrated sound like this in the background will also make sure that choppy withdrawal can be avoided.

Having a lamp and a simple chant going should continue up to 14 days after one has been certified dead, because he may be medically dead but not existentially dead; he is not completely dead. Death happens slowly. The withdrawal of the life process from this lump of earth – the body – happens step-by-step. For all practical purposes, the activity of the lungs, heart and brain has stopped so they are declared dead, but it is not yet so. Even if the person’s body is burnt, he is still not dead because his movement into the other realm has not started.

It is based on this that there are various kinds of rituals in India up to 14 days after somebody dies. Unfortunately, the knowledge and power behind these rituals have mostly been lost and people are just doing things for their livelihood. Very few people truly understand the significance of what it is. Unless one leaves absolutely consciously that he is instantly off, for such a person we do not do anything, but for all others, these things are done because you have to show them the way.

So the first thing that is done when somebody dies is, anything that has been intimately in touch with their body, such as underclothes, is burnt. Other clothes, jewelry, everything is distributed – not just to one person – but among many people within three days. Everything is distributed as quickly as possible so that they get confused. They will not know where to hang around anymore. If you were to give a bundle of their belongings to someone, they would go there because the energy of their own body still exists in the clothes. These things were done not only to settle the dead but also to settle the family and relatives, so that they understand that it is over. It doesn’t matter how involved and attached you were to somebody, when it is done, it is done – the game is up.

Generally, everywhere in the world irrespective of which culture, it is said, “even if it is your enemy who is dying right now, you must create a peaceful atmosphere for him, you don’t do ugly things.” Maybe you shot him in battle, but you take off your hat when he is leaving or you say, “Ram Ram,” or whatever you know. When somebody is dying, at that moment the whistle has already been blown and the game is over. There is no point kicking now.

That is the reason why, when you see that even the dead are not treated with respect, something within you shakes. Not because you have to treat a body with respect but because he is exiting slowly. It doesn’t matter how he lived, at least that must happen well. Every human being must have that much intention.

Canola Oil and GMOs

GMOs and why you should never use Canola oil

Vanessa Runs

 

Olive oil comes from olives. Sesame seed oil comes from sesame seeds.

But what is a canola? Canola is actually a made-up word for a genetically modified product.

Canola stands for “Canadian oil low acid.” It’s (sadly) a Canadian invention and subsidized by the government. The subsidies make it very cheap to use, so almost all processed or packaged foods contain canola oil. Be sure to read the ingredients. Here’s why you should:

THE SCOOP ON CANOLA

Canola oil is developed from the rapeseed plant, which is part of the mustard family of plants. These oils have long been used for industrial purposes (in candles, lipsticks, soaps, inks, lubricants, and biofuels). It’s an industrial oil, not a food.

Rapeseed oil is the source behind mustard gas, and on its own it causes emphysema, respiratory distress, anemia, constipation, irritability, and blindness. But through the beauty of genetic modification, we now sell it as an edible oil.

The claim is that canola is safe to use because through modification it is no longer rapeseed but “canola.” Except… canola is just genetically modified rapeseed. It has been marketed as a wonder oil that is low in saturated fats with a beneficial omega-3 fatty acid profile. It is recognized by the American Dietetic Association and the American Heart Association based on the belief that the absence of saturated fats alone makes it healthy.

It is now believed that rapeseed has a cumulative effect, taking almost 10 years before symptoms begin to manifest. One possible effect of long-term use is the destruction of the protective coating surrounding nerves called the myelin sheath. This is like having raw, open wires in the body. Some symptoms include:

• tremors and shaking
• uncoordination when walking or writing
• slurred speech
• deterioration of memory and thinking processes
• fuzzy or low audio levels
• difficulty urinating/incontinence
• breathing problems/short of breath
• nervous breakdown
• numbness and tingling in extremities
• heart problems/arrhythmia

From a nutritional perspective, canola oil has been found to deplete Vitamin E. It has a tendency to inhibit proper metabolism of foods and normal enzyme function. It also depresses the immune system.

THE SCOOP ON GMOS

Today, 72% of all products from the United States are genetically modified. The top 3 genetically modified foods are:

1. canola
2. corn
3. soy

Not too far behind them are potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, peanuts, and sunflower.

Companies that commonly use genetic modification are:

• Kellogg’s
• Kraft
• Miss Vickie’s
• Hershey’s
• Coke
• Gatorade
• General Mills
• Labatt beer
• McCain
• No Name
• President’s Choice
• Quaker Oats
• Ragu

When an attempt was made for new legislation to force the labeling of genetically modified products in grocery stores, the three companies of Kellogg’s, Monsanto, and DuPont spent $55 millions to fight it and eventually won. It is not mandatory for companies to let the consumers know when they have used genetic modification. Which is why today I refuse to use a Kellogg’s product (very corn-based). Produce that is genetically modified is sometimes identified by a 5-digit number on its sticker that starts with an 8. But not always.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GMOS ON HUMANS

1. Toxicity

Apparently they have GMO Christmas trees that glow in the dark. Slightly cool, but kind of disturbing. They can also make pigs glow in the dark by injecting them with jellyfish.

2. Allergic reactions

Our bodies were not built to recognize and consume GMOs. They are foreign substances in our digestive system and in our bloodstream.

3. Antibiotic resistance

Many plants are engineered to become resistant. We consume those same toxins and may in turn develop resistances.

4. Cancer

GMOs are an offense to our cells. They depress our immune system and may allow for the onset of cancer.

5. Immuno-suppresion

Our immune system doesn’t recognize GMOs. It works to expel them from our bodies as soon as possible, and has less time to work towards our general well being.

Besides the above, GMOs have a negative effect on nature. It upsets the balance of the earth, harms wild plants, and disturbs the life cycle of wild animals.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Since learning the above, I’ve made some changes. They’re small, but I feel good about them.

1. I don’t buy or use anything that contains canola.
2. I don’t buy or use any Kellogg’s products.
3. I look at the produce stickers on my fruits and vegetables. Just in case.
4. I stay away from processed foods, as they are most likely GMO.

GMOs are a big scary topic. But even without labeling, most of us can incorporate small changes to eat more naturally. source

Harmful Food Additives

10 Harmful Food Additives to Avoid

Cassie Goldring

Takepart.com

1) Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Commonly found in Chinese food, MSG is used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips and frozen foods. MSG overexcites cells, causing them to die, and research has shown a correlation between the overconsumption of foods containing MSG and medical conditions such as depression, disorientation, eye damage, fatigue, headaches, and obesity. 

2) Artificial Sweeteners (Aspartame/Saccharine/Mannitol)

Although these artificial sweeteners will allow you to indulge in a tasty drink without the extra calories, they are also packed with chemicals that can be extremely harmful to your body in the long run. Almost all of these sweeteners contain the chemical Aspartame, a neurotoxin and carcinogen. Studies have linked the consumption of Aspartame to brain tumors, diabetes, lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and emotional disorders like depression and anxiety. It has also been known to cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, mental confusion, seizures, and affect short-term memory and intelligence. 

3) High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Found in almost all processed foods, this ingredient has become the number one source of calories in America. But beware! High-fructose corn syrup, which provides zero nutritional benefit, is found in the healthy foods we eat as well. Be sure to check the labels of your yogurts, cereals, and granola bars for this harmful additive. 

4) Artificial Food Coloring

That pink-and-red-flowered cupcake you just ate may have looked pretty, but the artificial coloring used to make it can have a very negative effect on your health. Artificial color enhancers can be found in many of the food products we consume, including macaroni, ice cream, cereal, chips, candy, sodas, lemonade, jams and more! Food dye has been known to contribute to thyroid cancer, kidney and adrenal tumors, and causes serious chromosome deterioration. 

5) Sodium Nitrate/Nitrite

Sodium nitrate is used to preserve meats and enhance flavor in processed food products such as bacon, hamburgers, corn beef, and hot dogs. This ingredient is a carcinogen and is extremely destructive to the internal organs, particularly the pancreas and the liver. 

6) Sodium Sulfite

Sodium sulfite is frequently used during wine production and can be found in dried fruit. It can cause extremely dangerous reactions in people sensitive to it, and has been linked to asthma, rashes, headaches, and breathing problems. 

7) Sulfur Dioxide

This toxic additive, commonly found in beer, dried fruits such as apricots, chips and soft drinks, has been said to cause diseases such as conjuctivitis, bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma, and cardiovascular disease. 

8) BHA And BHT

Although these additives may prevent your food from changing color, losing flavor, or becoming rancid, they may potentially increase your chances of getting cancer. Found in gum, jello, cereal, and even certain rices.

9) Trans Fat

Trans fat, which is found in most fast food and processed food products, is considered one of the most dangerous substances to consume. Used to extend the shelf life of many food products, the consumption of trans fat has been linked to serious medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and can even cause heart attacks, strokes and heart disease.

10) Potassium Bromate

Used to increase the volume of bread products, this additive has been proven to cause cancer in animals. Even small amounts can negatively impact the health of humans.

Attention Shoppers! Read the labels, then steer clear of these additives.   source

Dangers of Fructose @ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2145141/Does-sugar-make-stupid-Study-suggests-sabotages-learning-memory.html

Meat & Masculinity @ http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/05/18/men-meat-and-masculinity-linked

Sugar Affects Brain @ http://www.volunteertv.com/news/national/headlines/Sugar_may_make_you_stupid_but_omega-3_might_mitigate_the_effect_rat_study_suggests_152052095.html

HFCS & Dangers @ http://www.infowars.com/common-ingredient-in-soft-drinks-causes-damage-to-brain-function

Fluoride & Brain Damage @ http://www.infowars.com/study-proves-fluoride-brain-damage/

HFCS is equal to Corn Sugar @ http://www.infowars.com/high-fructose-corn-syrup-getting-rebranded-as-corn-sugar/

Junk Food affects Brain @ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2081079/Junk-food-really-DOES-mess-brain-Research-shows-trans-fats-causes-brain-damage.html

 

Saffron:Healing Powers

Ancient Saffron: Magical Healing

Powers are Confirmed by Science

Greenmedinfo.com

By Sayerji 

 

Clearly there is something magical about the Crocus sativus flower, from which the spice saffron is derived.  If its striking beauty does not immediately cast a spell on its beholder, often it simply takes experiencing the spice to fall into full enchantment with it.  While saffron is exceptionally expensive, because it takes approximately 150 flowers to yield just 1,000 mg (0.035 oz) of dry saffron threads, and costs approximately $1,000 a pound, it does not take much to have an effect. Its uniqueness is also illustrated by the fact that it shuns mechanization, requiring of its would-be possessors that it be painstakingly harvested by hand , as no doubt has been done for tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years. Because each Crocus sativus flower bears no more than four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas from which the spice is derived, at most only 12 stigma are produced by each, which yields the equivalent of 30 mg (0.011 oz) of fresh saffron or 7 mg (0.00025 oz) dried.

Saffron has been documented to have been used as a versatile medicine since ancient times. In 2004 researchers studying 3,500 year old frescoes at Thera, a Greek island in the Aegean, found depictions of a goddess presiding over the manufacturer and use of a drug from the saffron flower. [i]   Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that 50,000 year-old depictions of prehistoric places in northwest Iran contained saffron-based pigments, indicating the human relationship with saffron is as old as time itself.[ii]

Saffron’s chemistry expresses otherworldly complexity. It contains over 150 volatile and aroma-yielding compounds – a biochemical symphony that ensures its mystery will never fully be plumbed, at least insofar as it great medicinal power remains refractory to the reductionist gaze of modern pharmacology. What power might that be?

While recent mainstream coverage of saffron weight loss promoting properties (via appetite suppression) on the Dr. Oz show has caused quite a surge of renewed interest in this exotic spice, saffron has far more to offer than that. It may, in fact, hold promise for serious neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease…

A 22-week multicenter, randomized, double-blind controlled trial of saffron in the management of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease published in 2010, showed 15 mg twice a day was as effective as donepezil (Aricept) at 5 mg twice a day, with significantly less vomiting as a side effect. Another 16-week, randomized and placebo-controlled trial also published in 2010, showed that 15 mg of saffron twice per day was both safe and effective in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

The petals of the Crocus sativus plant have also been shown nearly equipotent to Prozac (fluoxetine) as a treatment for depression.  According to a study published in the journal Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry in 2007, 15 mg of Crocus sativus petals were as effective as 10 mg of Prozac in treating mild to moderate depression, putting 25% of the participants into full remission. Another depression study published 2004 showed that saffron, at 30 mg a day, was as effective as the drug imipramine, at 100 mg a day, in the treatment of mild to moderate depression.

Other experimentally confirmed, potential medicinal properties of Saffron are:

Anxiety Disorders	Asthenozoospermia (low sperm)	Cardiac Hypertrophy
Chemotherapy-Induced Liver Toxicity	Colorectal Cancer	Diabetic Neuropathy
Dysmenorrhea (irregular menstrual cycles)	Erectile Dysfunction	Hypertension
Inflammation	Liver Cancer	Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion
Multiple Sclerosis	Opiate Addiction/Withdrawal	Pancreatic Cancer
Psoriasis	Respiratory Disease	Wound Healing

Saffron has been shown to modulate at least 22 biological pathways through the following pharmacological actions:

Anti-anxiety	Anti-inflammatory	Anticarcinogenic
Antidepressive	Antimutagenic	Antioxidant
Antiproliferative	Aphrodisiac	Apoptotic
Bronchodilator	Calcium Channel Blocker	Cardioprotective
Chemopreventive	Chremotherapeutic	Cyclooxygenase inhibitor
Excitatory Amino Acid Agonist	Hypnotics and Sedatives	Hypotensive
Neuroprotective	Prostaglandin Antagonists	Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Inhibitor

A note of caution is due with saffron, as any plant with such a great many modes of action and high biological activity at exceedingly low quantities, should be used with caution. In very small amounts, an herb like saffron may nudge a system into balance, or in a direction that the user may experience as a positive shift — for example, as occurs when saffron is used in a dish as a spice, or consumed as a tea.  However, in higher “pharmacological dosages,” especially when mixed with over-the-counter and prescribed drugs, there is a risk of doing serious harm. Therefore please be careful, and consult a medical herbalist and/or physician whenever possible before using more than culinary doses of saffron.

To power through a slump, you need a healthy snack—not a sugar overdose: One 20-ounce bottle of VitaminWater contains more sugar than a Snickers bar. Too much of the sweet stuff suppresses white blood cells, reducing their ability to capture and destroy bacteria, says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That said, don’t sweat the natural sugar in fruit, whole grains and vegetables. These foods contain fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

Parabens is used in many cosmetics, mostly in deodrants/anti-perspirants. It is known however that Parabens are able to be absorbed through the skin and bind to the body’s estrogen-receptors, where they can encourage breast cancer cell growth. For example, a study published in 2004 (Darbre, in the Journal of Applied Toxicology) detected parabens in breast tumors.

Related articles below :

1)  Concentrations of Parabens in Human Breast Tumours  @ http://www.maxgreenalchemy.com/images/ParabenReportDarbre.pdf

2)  Cancer Cure:Sodium Bicarbonate @  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=00tE6U22sEw#!

3)  Forbidden Cures @  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7k-GlLhpp8&feature=related

4) Cancer Feeds on Fructose @  http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/cancer-feeds-fructose-america%E2%80%99s-1-source-calories

5) Fork over Knives:Review @ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110511/REVIEWS/110519995/-1/RSS

————————————————————————————————————

[i] Honan, W. H. (2004), “Researchers Rewrite First Chapter for the History of Medicine“, The New York Times, 2 March 2004, retrieved 13 September 2011

[ii] Willard, P. (2002), Secrets of Saffron: The Vagabond Life of the World’s Most Seductive Spice, Beacon Press (published 11 April 2002), ISBN 978-0-8070-5009-5

Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically Modified Foods or GMO

Global Healing Center

Dr. Edward F. Group 

Scientists have been and are currently introducing genetic material into organisms to alter, create and affect changes in living plants and animals. These radical changes scientists are developing create specific, desirable traits that might never evolve naturally and in my opinion are extremely dangerous.

Collectively called recombinant DNA technology, this practice changes the core genetic make-up of organisms. This genetic manipulation gives scientists the ability to create any trait that they wish, or suppress natural traits they don’t want. There are several reasons this unnatural genetic manipulation may affect you.

1. It’s usually not clear which consumables have been genetically manipulated.
2. You don’t know the long term health effects of these genetically modified foods. Initial research has shown that short-term reactions can be severe.
3. Agro-chemical companies and the government are planning to charge farmers fees to grow their GMO crops, thereby negatively affecting the economy and environment.

Cultivated Genetically Modified Foods

From bacteria (E. coli) and fungus, fruits and vegetables to animals, genetic manipulation is becoming more and more common in our society. In the US market now, 60-70% of the processed foods are genetically modified. In 2006, United States GMO crops reached just shy of 135 million acres, with the total global area exceeding 250 million acres!¹

This is a short list of the genetically modified food crops that are grown in the US today:

• Corn
• Soy bean
• Sugar cane

• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Sweet peppers

• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Zucchini

• Pineapples
• Cocoa beans
• Yellow squash

And each week more are being created at an alarming rate!

Processed Consumer Goods Made With GMO Ingredients

The bio-chemical industry is fiercely going after two crops, corn and soy, because of their high demand for use throughout our processed goods and biofuel industries.

For companies to increase and control the yield of these crops, it would mean controlling a large part of the processed goods and biofuels markets. It would also mean considerable profit as they can patent these crops and technically OWN THEM!

For now, you won’t see GMO on the labels of foods in the US. Currently, producers are not required to tell you, because, believe it or not, the Federal government has declared it’s their choice to determine what is good for you and what foods are safe for your consumption — and we know how far that is gotten us.

Following is a short list of processed foods made with genetically modified organisms:

• Popcorn
• Canola Oil
• Cottonseed Oil

• Soy Sauce
• Frozen Pizza
• Frozen Dinners

• Dry Cereal
• Baby Formula
• Canned Soups

• Cookies
• Ice Cream
• Aspartame Sweetener

The list of GMO products on the market today is long and growing. So, I recommend doing your research because the USDA made the following determination: These products don’t need to be labeled with GMO content information unless the product presents the threat of causing allergic reactions in humans. Amazing, huh?

Several sites on the internet today are working hard to track and compile such information regarding these man-made foods. The items above are compiled from several lists including the 2003 food guide from The True Food Network².

The long-term dangers of Genetically Modified Foods are uncertain, but we have already seen severe short-term reactions

In 1989, a Japanese company paid out a $2 billion dollar settlement to several thousand American citizens who became ill from a genetically modified version of L-Tryptophan³. Several dozen Americans died from ingesting L-Tryptophan before it was taken off the market. Today, some health practitioners are returning to non-GMO L-Tryptophan for use in treating sleep disorders.

In 1996, animal tests, conducted after the danger was inflicted on humans, proved that there was a severe danger fromgenes spliced from Brazil nuts and soybeans. The danger: allergic reactions so severe that the individuals could suffer anaphylactic shock, possibly leading to death⁴.

In 2006, Japan suspended long grain rice imports from the US after tests revealed that the rice contained trace amounts of GMO that were not approved for human consumption. In the US, we still accept variations of the banned genetic modification to the rice⁵.

It all started by the government giving blanket approval to the “Frankenstein” tomato. You see, by 1994, the government made a stunning decision, one that reeks of something foul. They decided that since the Flavr Savr® performed “so well in its tests” that its results would stand for any further GMO produce. Because of that, no further testing would be required before presenting it to consumers for consumption.⁶

Shocking Fact About Genetically Modified FoodsThe FDA suppressed a report that described lesions being created in the stomachs of mice that had eaten the Flavr Savr®. As a matter of fact, “Seven out of forty rats tested died within two weeks for unstated reasons.” ⁸

Are there fees that farmers will have to pay to grow GMO crops?

Genetically Modified Foods are now being marketed as the crops of the future. You can have everything you want in produce, meat and milk, and they can make it happen. Don’t doubt the economic gain that these agro-chemical companies are seeking.

The following two plans are under development by Monsanto of the US, and AstraZeneca of Britain. They fall under the trait-specific technology, called Genetic Use Restriction Technology (T-GURT).

“Technology Protection,” is how they sell it. “Terminator” technology makes plants that would produce sterile seedsafter one season. This means, farmers have to buy more seeds for the next harvest.

“Traitor” technology is a trait-specific technology that develops traits which would remain dormant in crops. Farmers can choose to activate this trait by spraying their crops with a proprietary chemical compound. This means, they’ll have tobuy the proprietary compound to treat their crops in order to activate it. There are even biochemical companies requiring farmers to sign agreements to not save any of their seeds for re-planting. This means that instead of using the seeds for the next planting season, they have to get rid of them and buy more seeds.

Why would business and the government do something like this?

The USDA, Monsanto and AstraZeneca, have contrived a way to make money on two fronts: First they make money on gene modification. Second, they make money because farmers have to pay them annually to continue to grow crops. It’s apparently dollars and cents all the way, no sense of human protection involved. The USDA is actually in business with Monsanto in owning some of the genetic engineering technology patents.

Did You Know?Margaret Wertheim, in a 2002 article in LA Weekly, expressed fears that “Quietly and stealthily, our fields are being turned into industrial factories. This is potentially the most dangerous technology since nuclear power, yet we have no way of finding out what is being done.”⁷

How Are GMO Foods Toxic?

Genetically modified foods affect the human physiology. A study of people in the Philippines reported that their bodies developed antibodies to Bt toxin. What this means is that, the human body processed these engineered traits into their guts and reacted to them. These same consumers of the GMO corn in the Philippines also developed a resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin.

This antibiotic resistance is something that science hadn’t foreseen-which is indicative of questionable experimentation and not enough testing. And it makes me wonder if there is a bigger picture at hand. Maybe to create more illness and sell you more pharmaceuticals?

How to Eliminate Toxins from Genetically Modified Foods

• Whenever possible, eat all natural foods. Shop at your local farmers market for fresh foods which supports your local economy.
• Use only organically grown fruit and vegetables. Organic crops are grown using no genetic modification or toxicpesticides and herbicides.
• Your zucchini and yellow squash may be genetically modified too. Use only locally grown or organic produce.
• Be careful to eat only organic varieties of popcorn and corn. They are very often genetically modified.
• Start your own organic garden. Growing your own fruit and vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your family. Be sure your location is not in close proximity to plants, industry or bioengineered farms.
• When you’re shopping for meat and dairy products, be sure to look for the hormone and antibiotic-free, organic, range fed information on the label.
• Avoid canola oil and cottonseed oil. Use instead, organic sources of grape seed oil, virgin coconut oil, hempseed oil and olive oil which are available at organic and whole foods markets.
• Check your condiments for organic labels. You can find organic fermented sources for soy like natto (fermented soybeans), tempeh, miso, tamari, and tofu.
• Aspartame is genetically modified and is very toxic, it’s best to avoid all products that contain this substance.
• Take action. Write your council members and grocery executives. Let them know that you want fresh foods in your stores. Ask them to stock organic and no GMO foods.

Recommended Readings Below:

• Genetically Modified Foods: Why You Should Avoid Them
• What is rBGH in your milk?
• What are Vegetarian Eggs?
• Facts you should know about Monsanto
• GMOs 101
• Dangers of Fructose
• Aluminum & Fluoride= Alzheimer’s
• ASPARTAME

How to Use Feng Shui

Feng Shui Tips for Better Health

Feng shui priorities for a home that will support vibrant health:

1. Fresh, good quality air. Easier said than done, I know. Very often ignored, good quality air is indeed the # 1 feng shui health priority. Work with feng shui air-purifying plants, open the window often to aerate the space, use essential oils to clear the air, use air-purifiers, etc. Do whatever it takes to find solutions for better air in your home; breathingclean air regularly is the feng shui foundation for your health and well-being.

1. Sufficient natural light. This also includes intelligent, smart indoor lighting. I know this feng shui step, again, is easier said than done. Once you focus on the quality of light, though, you will very quickly sense  a shift in your health and well-being. Light is our #1 nutrient, be wise and give your body enough light nutrition. This also includes the smart use of feng shui colors, as color is light.

1. A clutter-free space. Again, not easy to do, thus often the feng shui step of clutter clearing is ignored in favor of more “flashy” feng shui cures. Be serious and realize that no amount of wind chimes, good feng shui colors or feng shui plants will negate the low, depressing energy of clutter. You just have to deal with your clutter, as clutter constantly drains energy from you.

You might not have the energy to start clearing clutter or do major furniture rearranging, but you might still employ some easy feng shui solutions to help you out.

• Thoroughly cleanse your kitchen and let go of any unhealthy foods.
• Bring fresh herbs like basil, rosemary or mint (Wood feng shui element), ideally in clay pots (Earth feng shui element) and find a good place for them in your kitchen.
• Always have fresh water in site. A good idea is to place a row of spring water bottles (Water feng shui element) that you replenish as necessary.
• Have 9 oranges (Fire feng shui element) in a round metal bowl (Metal feng shui element.) Replenish them, too, as needed.
• Be sure to aerate your kitchen often and let natural light in.
  

  What makes the energy unhealthy?

  clutter - energy which has become stuck and stale around piles of stuff which we have not attended to for some time, can make us congested in our body, confused in our mind and stuck in our life.

  badly arranged furniture or rooms - bed facing the wrong direction, furniture out of balance in the room,  corners and edges of furniture aiming at people, long empty stretches of room or hall.

  harmful energy from outside - single trees or telegraph poles in line with the front door, heavy foliage in the front, weak foliage at the back, energy rushing around instead of meandering

  wrong colours - each colour has an energy vibration which affects us in different ways.

  badly placed objects - spiky plants,  the wrong picture for the room, poor lighting, uninspiring ornaments

  a negative attitude - which can affect you, your environment, other people and your life situation – but this is where feng shui can help.

  1) Wealth Tips      2) Wealth Feng Shui   3) Harmony at Home