Playing online casino Malaysia through Alibaba33 online casino Malaysia can be a fun and rewarding experience for those who enjoy playing games for fun. trusted online casino malaysia alibaba33Bet on your favourite slots, live, sporting events and win big! If you enjoy sports, slots like Mega888 ewallet Alibaba33 online casino Malaysia has something for you.

Viagra Malaysia treat erectile dysfunction with the original ED treatment that has helped men feel confident in bed for decades. We’ll connect you with a licensed viagra malaysia healthcare provider to evaluate if our prescription ED treatments could be right for you, including super-affordable generic Viagra viagramalaysiaofficial Viagra is an oral ED medication that works by suppressing an enzyme in the body called PDE5.

Month: July 2016 - Organic Lifestyle Magazine Month: July 2016 - Organic Lifestyle Magazine

The True Cost of Industrialized Meat Production – And What You Can Do About It

We have all heard the perpetual argument about the meat industry. On one side, unwavering pro-meat eaters assert that some animals were put on this earth for our consumption, as a means for our survival. On the other side, vegan individuals claim that eating animals is not only cruel but evolutionarily outdated. Regardless of one’s moral compass or core beliefs, finding the facts can be difficult. Beyond “he said/she said,” there are some very tangible things happening around the globe that are a detriment to our health and to our planet. Sifting through what is fact and what is opinionated fiction can be difficult. Here are some of the unbiased facts.

Beef is raised in some of the most sensitive regions of the world creating a destructive path in places like the North America’s Great Plains, the Brazilian Amazon, the savannahs of Southern Africa, and the Great Barrier Reef watershed of Australia.

The meat industry is a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). The amount ranges from 18% – to an astonishing 51% depending on the study. The numbers differ depending on the exclusion or inclusion of emissions due to deforestation and land use.

Since the 1950s antibiotics have been used in industrial farming to increase the growth of the animals, which has created an antibiotic resistance in those who consume the meat. According to a recent study by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 80% of the antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used for farm animals, not for human beings, and 90% of that amount is distributed through feed or water.

The amount of water used to sustain the meat industry is astronomical. Beef is the largest offender using 2,000 gallons of water for just 1lb of meat. Beef, meat manufacturing as a whole, and consumption are water intensive and a drain on our world water supply. A good example of this is California. California produces more food than any other state and is also in a historic drought putting tremendous pressure on the water supply of the entire southwest. One-third of all fresh water in the world today is used for the meat industry.

Industrial farm waste does not stay on the farms. The antibiotics pumped into the animals is eventually excreted and ends up in waterways and our oceans. The once natural flow of water into the ocean is being replaced with flows of polluted farm runoff contributing to nutrient pollution among other things.

It’s no secret that the population continues to grow with each passing year. With that growth comes expansion. The current population is 7.2 billion by 2050 it is estimated to be  a whopping 9.6 billion. The meat industry was reported to use 26% of the Earth’s ice-free terrestrial surface for grazing making it the largest user of land resources. Pasture and land dedicated to the production of feed embodying almost 80% of the total agricultural land.

There are many conflicting ideas, statistics, and ideologies. Whether actually consuming meat is necessary for a healthy diet or not is highly controversial, but there is no denying the facts behind the environmental destruction that the meat industry has created. The science and research are undeniable. Understanding the harm caused by industrialized meat production is only half of the battle. As a concerned citizen, how can each of us impact change in such an overwhelmingly large industry, by starting right at home? Here are 5 changes you can make to impact tomorrow’s environment.

Meatless Mondays

As stated above, it is estimated that it takes 2,000 gallons of water to produce 1lb of beef. Americans lead meat consumption, eating an average of 270 lbs of meat per year, twice as much meat as is recommended for a healthy diet. Eating less meat of higher quality may be just what the doctor ordered.

Local Butcher

Buying from a small farm or local butcher is an easy way to make sure that the meat you are consuming was pasture raised without hormones and doesn’t come from a factory farm.

Raising Your Own Meat

Another option, if you live in a rural area, is to raise your own meat. There are many reasons to grow your own beef, but not supporting the industrial factories and knowing where the meat came from and has been exposed to are the most important.

Labels

If the city life is for you, learn about labels. Some are meaningless. Some are fraudulent.  Kroger and Perdue Farms both used a label  “humane.” A recent lawsuit filed by The Humane Society of The United States ended up being settled out of court. Kroger and Perdue Farms took the “humane” label off of their packaging. Similarly, there are no standards for labeling products “All Natural,” or “Antibiotic-free.”

Vegetarian/Vegan Lifestyle

Choosing a vegetarian or vegan diet is another option.  This is a hard one for a lot of people to swallow . It is a radical lifestyle change, but the benefits far outweigh the initial difficulties not only for the environment but for your conscience and your health.

Related Reading:
Sources:



Why We Need Informed Consent for Vaccinations

We all love our children and want the absolute best for them. That’s why we research and read reviews on daycares, car seats, bouncers, highchairs, and toys. We scrutinize products from baby soap to diapers to sunscreen along with the food they eat. We just want them healthy and happy.

When it comes time for childhood vaccinations, are we doing the same research? Are we learning about what is in them and about the side effects and adverse reactions that can happen? Or do we blindly put our trust in our doctors, the CDC, and the FDA? Certainly, vaccines are not harmful, right?

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Well, data from the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) along with the National Childhood Injury Act of 1986 (NCVIA) tell us otherwise.

Informed Consent

The definition of informed consent is, “The permission granted in the knowledge of the possible consequences, typically that which is given by a patient to a doctor for treatment with full knowledge of the possible risks and benefits.”  Being informed is having full knowledge of both the positive and negative side effects of any medical procedure or prescription – in other words, having and understanding all of the facts and possible outcomes.

  • When you go to the pediatrician or doctor’s office, do they go over the complete vaccine insert with you? If not, there is no possible way for you to give them informed consent to vaccinate.
  • Do they discuss the benefits and risks of the vaccine? If they don’t, you cannot give informed consent and they are not complying with the legal requirements put in place for vaccine providers. (Refer to the link in sources.)
  • Do they talk to you about the live viruses that could shed up to six weeks and longer? If not, you cannot give informed consent.

It is sad and scary that they can just hand you a brochure about all the “benefits” of the vaccines and think that you will be informed enough to give proper consent, especially if they do not disclose all of the relevant aspects of the vaccine. When you give doctors or nurses consent to vaccinate, you are acknowledging that if you or your child has a severe adverse reaction or dies, you will not be able to hold them legally accountable. The vaccine manufacturers, the medical professional who administered the vaccine, and the CDC will not take responsibility for any adverse effect that vaccines can cause. That is a sad reality and a very heavy truth.

The MMR sheds because it contains live viruses. If your child is vaccinated, your child can potentially infect other individuals even those who are already vaccinated. Vaccines are not 100% effective. The insert admits this. Did your pediatrician tell you about viral shedding? If not, once again, you did not give informed consent.

The chance of actually dying from the measles is microscopic compared to the chance of having a severe adverse reaction from the vaccine. In 2015, only 189 cases of measles were reported. Out of those 189 cases, there were zero deaths. In fact, there has not been a single death from the measles since 2003.

Sixty-seven percent of individuals who were admitted due to febrile seizures were linked to the MMR vaccine and seizures are just one of many possible adverse reactions. Another is encephalitis, swelling of the brain. This happens to 1 out of every 1000 who are vaccinated, and 50% of them end up with neurological brain issues.

In the first half of 2016, 57 deaths due to the MMR vaccine were reported, but we know these numbers are highly inaccurate. Only 1% to 10 % of doctors report vaccine adverse reactions to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System(VAERS), the program created to gather vaccine adverse reaction data and make it available to the public. (See link below.) Many do not recognize or acknowledge the connection between vaccine adverse reactions and the vaccine, even when a reaction occurs hours or days after the vaccine.

The media and medical professionals portray measles as a scary, horrible disease that always ends in death. That is simply not the case. Measles usually starts out with a mild to moderate fever, a cough, a runny nose, and a sore throat. Sometimes conjunctivitis is a symptom as well. After 2 to 3 days, the body breaks out in small red spots from the head down. While this is happening, the fever can rise as high as 104 to 105.8.

High fevers can scare us, especially if we don’t understand that fevers are good, that they are a sign that the immune system is working to fight off a virus. The increase in body temperature is the body’s reaction to kill the virus by making the body uninhabitable for the virus. (See link below.)

In the 50’s, catching the measles wasn’t a big deal. Kids were just happy to stay home from school.  Today, the pharmaceutical industry and vaccine manufacturers have indoctrinated the medical field to believe that measles is a horrific disease and refusal to vaccinate is one step away from signing your child’s death certificate. In reality, measles is usually nothing more than a scary looking rash and fever.

Related: Vaccine Articles

Think about it, what would you and your child rather have? Measles for a few uncomfortable days followed by natural immunity that lasts a lifetime or daily seizures from a vaccine that still may not guarantee 100% immunity? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC, recommends vaccination with the MMR at 12-15 months and then again between the ages of 4-6, and again as an adult if your blood-work does not show immunity. How can they recommend a vaccine so many times when it has numerous adverse reactions and even death associated with them?

Vaccination Timeline Graphs

Did you know that the mortality of measles was almost 100% wiped out right before the measles vaccine was introduced? This 1900-1963 measles graph from the CDC tells us so. The measles vaccine was introduced in 1963.

CDC Graph Measles Death Rates

Then here we have the diphtheria graph. The diphtheria toxoid was licensed in 1923 and again, the decline of death from the disease had already started before the vaccine was introduced. 

CDC Diptheria Death Rates

We see the same thing happening with typhoid fever. The typhoid vaccine was introduced in 1914.

CDC Graph Thyphloid Death Rates

The FDA blows the whole “…un-vaccinated children give other children pertussis” argument out of the water. On their site, they say the following:

 This research suggests that although individuals immunized with an acellular pertussis vaccine may be protected from disease, they may still become infected with the bacteria without always getting sick and are able to spread infection to others, including young infants who are susceptible to pertussis disease.”

Read the link at the bottom to see what they have to say about the rising rates of pertussis, aka whooping cough.

Just like many other diseases, pertussis was already declining before the pertussis vaccine was licensed in 1949. Since the vaccine, cases are on the rise.

CDC Graph Pertussis Cases

The same thing again can be seen with polio. It was already nearly eradicated due to clean water and better sewer and sanitation systems. The vaccine was introduced in 1955.

CDC Graph Polio Cases

Ever since we started injecting the live virus back into people, there have been more outbreaks because vaccines contain the live viruses and those who are vaccinated shed the virus. The unvaccinated are being blamed for it, but how can that be? Healthy kids and adults don’t spread diseases because they simply don’t have any. Sick individuals who contain live viruses in their bodies are the ones who spread it to others. The data speaks the truth.

All of these diseases were declining at a rapid pace since the introduction of clean water, better sewer and sanitation systems, refrigeration systems, and better hygiene, but sadly, the CDC is taking extreme measures to have you believe that vaccines are responsible for the decline of diseases. Why? Because the vaccine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry with huge profit margins.

Dating back to 1880-1900, better sewer and sanitation systems were slowly being built across the states. Looking back at the 1850’s, they used clay for the sewer systems, which in turn caused poor coverage and many leaks in the pipeline. The degrading and primitive clay sewer system allowed sewage to leak out into the ground water that was then consumed by many citizens.

Polio is a disease spread by contaminated fecal matter. Once better sewer and sanitation systems were developed, polio started to decline before a vaccine was licensed and introduced.

By 1900, the importance of proper hygiene became known. It improved the lifespan by up to 6 years. This included not only washing hands but washing clothes as well, which took care of lice and vermin. Proper hygiene ended the typhoid epidemic.

Refrigeration systems were introduced in 1904. Refrigeration allowed food to be stored for longer periods without contamination.

The CDC graphs show that sewer, sanitation, and refrigeration systems were all introduced around the same time many diseases started their rapid decline. We were well on our way to the eradication of diseases before (and until) vaccines were introduced.

Healthcare physicians are taught to believe that vaccines are and always have been safe and effective. They were not taught to question the safety of them or what is in the vaccines.

Physicians’ textbooks are bought and paid for by the pharmaceutical industry. Every year the pharmaceutical companies spend $5 billion dollars in marketing. (See link below.)

If $5 billion dollars was spent in third world countries to build sanitation systems and provide access to clean water, widespread diseases would be dramatically decreased. Pharmaceutical companies do not want to eradicate disease. Without disease, they would lose their enormous profits.

Ingredients

Here are a few out of the many toxic ingredients found in vaccines. Did you know that there are aborted fetal cells in some vaccinations? It lists them in the vaccine inserts as MRC-5 and WI-38. Some also list it as human diploid cells. (See the CDC and NCBI link below.)

Glutaraldehyde

Glutaraldehyde is used as a sterilant and high-level disinfectant. It is so dangerous to those who work with it that they have to wear respirators, isolation gowns, gloves, eyewear, and sleeve protectors. If exposed, it can cause chronic asthma, constant itching of the eyes, rhinitis, dermatitis, and eczema. Not all reactions happen immediately. Studies show that reactions can be delayed from a few weeks to several years after exposure.

Polysorbate 80

Polysorbate 80 is a solubility agent found in ointments, creams, soaps, and common foods such as pickles and ice cream. It is a known carcinogen that can cause severe, non-immunologic anaphylactic shock, which means that it can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is also a known carcinogen. Scientists say any exposure to it can cause certain types of cancers.

2-phenoxyethanol

2-phenoxyethanol is used as an insecticide.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a neurotoxin linked to Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia as well as cancer.

Thimerosal

Thimerosal is a form of mercury. It is a known neurotoxin.

Phenol

Phenol is a germicidal agent that is highly toxic to the skin. It causes irritation to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. If contacted orally, it can cause ongoing weight loss, vertigo, diarrhea, and blood and liver effects. In animals, it causes abnormal development in their offspring. Injecting phenol can cause the skin to rub off, motor weakness, sensory loss, tremors, convulsions, chest pain, shortness of breath and drowsiness, and more. When injected, phenol acts as a nerve block that temporarily destroys nerves.

Recombinant Human Albumin

Recombinant human albumin is a natural protein found in the body and taken from plasma and blood donators. It says not to mix it with any other types of blood or blood components, yet it is in a vaccine with fetal bovine serum. There are no studies to deem this safe and effective for pregnant woman or children younger than 12. Adverse reactions can include edema, tachycardia, fever, chills, vomiting and headaches. Since it is a blood product, there is also a small risk of the transmission of a viral disease. Fetal bovine serum is another name for fetal calf serum. It is the blood remaining after the natural coagulation and the removal of any remaining blood cells.

Other Ingredients

Other scary and toxic ingredients include, but are not limited to:

  • Potassium chloride, which can stop the heart
  • Monosodium L-glutamate (MSG). This can cause diabetes and is associated with dementia.
  • Sorbitol, which is said not to be injected
  • Sodium bicarbonate also known as baking soda.
  • Sodium borate, also known as Borax, which is used for insecticide and detergent. It is linked to seizures and convulsions.
  • Vero cells, which are cells from a monkey’s kidney.
  • Chick embryo cell cultures.
  • Embryonic guinea pig cultures.
  • Human lung cultures.
  • Antibiotics.

More about the vaccine ingredients can be found below and by reading vaccine inserts.

NVIC Act 1986

In 1986, the National Vaccination Information Center teamed up with Congress to come up with the National Childhood Injury Act of 1986 because far too many children were having adverse reactions and they didn’t want the manufacturers of the vaccines to be liable for any injury or death because the public’s trust in them would subside. In order to set this up, a percentage of every vaccine given is put into the fund. The vaccine manufacturer can no longer be sued even in cases of severe disability or death. The US Court of Claims has paid out $3 billion dollars to devastated vaccine injured victims, even though 2 out of 3 cases are denied compensation. (See link below.)

So how is it pharmaceutical companies and government agencies can claim vaccines are safe when people all around the world are having adverse reactions and even dying? Isn’t vaccinating your child like playing Russian Roulette since you have no way of knowing how their bodies will react to the heavy toxins?

Conclusion

We live in a time when IKEA dressers can be recalled due to 6 deaths, but vaccines continue to kill and maim both children and adults. We don’t recall the vaccines. Instead, our government claims they are safe, effective, and needed for the common good. They pass laws to mandate their use.

As long as pharmaceutical companies are allowed to wield their power over government regulatory agencies and the general practice of medicine as a whole, their profits will supersede public health. If we become informed – truly informed – will we continue to give consent, to place our children at risk of death or lifelong disability? 

Related Articles:

Sources:




Natural Approaches to Combat Depression

Depression can be experienced on different levels and driven by various factors, including insufficient nutrient intake, unhealthy lifestyle, chronic disease, hormone imbalances, challenging circumstances, and emotional trauma, to name just a few.

Serotonin, a brain chemical referred to as the “happy hormone”, is at a biological level responsible for a happy, uplifted mood. The good news is that the body has the ability to produce sufficient amounts of serotonin naturally if the correct building blocks (nutrients) are adequately provided.

Foods That Aid in Serotonin Production

Several foods are particularly rich in nutrients required for serotonin production: whole rolled oats, free range chicken, avocados, bananas, cashews, almonds, and dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, mustard greens, etc.). Eggs, salmon, walnuts and chia seeds provide nutrients that support communication between brain cells, thereby improving the brain’s ability to regulate mood.

Organic sources of the mentioned foods may ensure optimal nutrient intake and minimum exposure to toxins, which is another factor to consider in depression. A diet rich in whole foods (unprocessed, unrefined and fresh) will contribute to the intake of a variety of nutrients that supports the body’s serotonin production and mood regulation.

Sunlight and Serotonin Production

Daily exposure to natural sunlight assists the body to produce its own vitamin D, which is required for serotonin production and hormone regulation. Aim for 10-15 minutes of unrestricted sun exposure per day, preferably not between 11h00 and 14h00 (11am and 2pm).

Physical Exercise and Mood

Physical exercise promotes the release of various brain chemicals involved in uplifting the mood. Partaking in a form of exercise that you truly enjoy adds to a general feeling of joy, over and above an increase in these brain chemicals. Aim for 2-3 sessions of physical exercise per week, even if it’s just 20 minutes at a moderate intensity.

Foods That Negatively Influence Mood

Regular intake of sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners may all negatively influence mood. They may contribute to mood swings, depression, anxiety, and a dysregulated mood in general. Avoiding these dietary components or reducing intake of them is suggested to support emotional well-being and overall health.

Blood Sugar and Mood

Imbalanced blood sugar levels have been shown to be a key driver in imbalanced mood and heightened appetite (especially for sugar and starchy foods). Balancing blood sugar levels can be attained by avoiding refined starches (white bread, pizza, pasta, pastries, sugar, etc.) and instead opting for high-quality carbohydrate sources: vegetables, fruit, whole rolled oats, brown rice, and quinoa. Combining carbohydrates with a protein source (e.g.: pulses, beans, a handful of nuts, etc.) is also useful to regulate blood sugar levels.

Essential Oils and Mood

If you enjoy taking relaxing baths, add a few drops of ylang-ylang, lavender, and rose essential oils to the water and soak in the bath for at least 15 minutes. These oils have been indicated in lifting the mood and calming the nervous system. Lavender is also indicated in promoting deep, restful sleep and thereby helping the body to recuperate and for the brain to discharge any deep-seated negative emotions. Inadequate or poor quality sleep may significantly influence mood.  Most people will attest to feeling groggy and moody the next day after too little sleep.

Gut Health and Mood

Digestive health is important for emotional well-being, first of all to ensure that nutrients required for serotonin production are absorbed, but also to support serotonin production in the gut. (It is estimated that 90% of serotonin is produced in the digestive tract). If you suspect that your gut health is sub-optimal, it may be useful to see a natural health practitioner who will tailor a personalised program to support your digestive function.

There are several useful herbal remedies associated with mood regulation and to alleviate depression, which you can also discuss with your natural health practitioner to make sure you’re given the most appropriate herbal remedy and dose according to your current health, presenting symptoms, and other factors such as age and medication.

Chronic Stress and Mood

Chronic stress may directly contribute to depression, especially if the stress is related to emotional and social challenges. Chronic stress may deplete the body’s nutrient stores and thereby reduce the amount of nutrients available to produce serotonin and support overall well-being. Chronic stress has also been shown to reduce the amount of circulating serotonin, thereby impacting mood. Chronic stress can be supported through a nutrient-dense diet, healthy lifestyle habits, deep breathing exercises, and identifying and dealing with its cause.

Regularly partake in hobbies or activities that you enjoy, whether it’s knitting a sweater, doing scrapbooking, or sitting in nature in solitude. Turn off those electronic devices that not only distract, but may be implicated in causing biological changes that contribute to depression!

Often a change in attitude can be the key turning point when it comes to overall emotional well-being. Self-limiting and self-sabotaging beliefs can keep us in a hopeless, helpless, and depressed state of mind. Gaining a fresh perspective on your life and your situation can shift your attitude towards a more self-nurturing attitude, which may bring about a deeper sense of contentment, acceptance, and appreciation of life, simply for the joy of being you and being alive.

Author:

Jeanne Van Zyl lectures in Nutrition for the group of colleges that includes CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine), in Europe, and CNH (College of Natural Health) in South Africa.

Related Reading:



How Negative Ions and Positive Ions Affect our Health

An atom or a molecule (a group of atoms) with more positive electrons than negative carries a positive charge. When there is an extra negative electron it has a negative charge. We call these positive and negative ions.

Positively charged ions do not have a positive effect on our physical and mental health. They are associated with an increase in allergies, infections, lethargy, depression, anxiety, suicide, and more.

Negatively charged ions have a positive effect. They elevate our mood by increasing serotonin levels, they help stabilize blood pressure, increase the body’s alkalinity, strengthen bones, heighten immunity, accelerate physical recovery, they purify and clean the air, and more.

Obviously, it is in our best interest to increase our exposure to negative ions. But how can we do this?

Spend more time outside. Negatively charged ions are abundant in nature with the highest concentrations forming near moving water and old growth forests. Have you ever noticed how you feel when you sit near a waterfall or walk along the beach? What about when you stand in a forest or stroll through a lush garden? You breathe in that fresh, clean air and you feel energized yet calm, alive, vibrant, refreshed.

Positively charged ions concentrate indoors. Electromagnetic fields, fluorescent lights, carpet, metal, plastics, and air pollution all increase the number of positive ions in an environment. Your first defense is to open the windows to fresh air! The next? Get rid of those fluorescent light bulbs! While you’re at it, toss the microwave.

While most of us will not give up our modern electrical conveniences, we can limit our exposure by turning off electronics that are not in use and by shutting it down at night. Turn off your “instant on” appliances. Yes, unplugging them and plugging them in again is a hassle. Why not plug them into a surge protector so you can just flip the switch?

Cell phones are great when you’re out and about, but many of us have done away with our landlines and use our cell phones exclusively. If you or a family member spends lots of time on the phone, consider the benefits of maintaining a landline. More evidence is mounting that links brain cancer to extensive cell phone use, especially when usage begins in the teen years.

In addition to stopping some of the electronic pollution at its source, you can invest in ways to produce negative ions in your home. How can we increase negative ions on the home? Open windows, eliminate carpet, buy an all-natural mattress, set up an indoor waterfall, use salt lamps, or try a negative ion generator. We recommend utilizing all of these options.

Increase your exposure to negative ions and start grounding (or earthing) each day as well, and your body will thank you!

Further Reading:
Related Products:
Sources:



GMO Labeling Bill Passes Senate – Did Whole Foods Sell Us Out?

On Thursday, July 7th, the senate voted 63-30 to approved a bipartisan compromise bill for a federal labeling of food made with genetically modified organisms. The bill is moving to the House of Representatives next.

Proponents of the bill say the law will be good for consumers, allowing shoppers to know what they’re getting, and the bill will provide a national standard for labeling.

There are three labeling options. Companies can label the food product as genetically modified or they can use a symbol that denotes GMOs, an on-pack symbol, the bar code, or the unreadable QR product code. When companies choose to label only through the QR code (and we guess that’s what most will do), the customer is expected to scan the barcode with their smartphones or call an 800 number.

Critics are quick to point out that this law will wipe out existing labeling laws like Vermont’s current legislation that does require clear and conscious GMO labeling. Also, this bill could exempt certain genetically modified foods from any kind of GMO labeling.

Proponents of labeling insisted that nothing short of text on packages would do. Some, including Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and erstwhile presidential candidate, also raised concerns over the definition in the bill for determining which foods would require labels, a sign that if the bill becomes law, legal challenges will almost certainly follow.” – New York Times

For example, if a biotech product is genetically engineered with items ‘found in nature,’ (such as bacteria), then it can be passed as a natural food product. Other GMOs, which cannot yet be detected by current technology, would also pass as whole foods under the new law. This would include foods made with non in vitro recombinant DNA techniques.”Natural News

The USDA Secretary would also have the power to determine what concentration of GMO ingredients would fall under the labeling law, so it’s not unlikely consumers may ingest GMOs even after verifying that the QR bar Code says no GMO.

Even if the customer has a phone and a QR bar code app, and wants to take the time to scan the product, more often than not, cell phones don’t work at all or the internet is extremely slow inside a grocery store. Some grocery stores don’t even allow cell phones (This is true for Dekalb Farmer’s Market in Decatur Georgia. Be sure to check them out if you haven’t).

The law will not go into effect for two years if it does make it all the way to be signed into law. Consumers will have to wait, and no other states will be able to legislate labeling in the meantime.

Is Whole Foods in Cahoots With Monsanto?

Walter Robb, the CEO of Whole Foods backs the new bill, saying:

The alternative is that Vermont goes into effect and then there’s a number of other states behind that, it makes it difficult for manufacturers to be able to label and label to that different standard…

And I think the way she’s put the bill together, which is to give manufacturers choices, is I think the marketplace and the customers will take it from here… so obviously, I think she’s done a great piece of work… we are already are out there further with our commitment to full transparency by 2018. We’re not gonna… we’re looking at how these two live with each other, but we’re already past that, but I think in this day and age, to come together, to create some sort of a reasonable standard that manufacturers can… and gives the customer a lot more information is a pretty good thing.”

Whole Foods backed the bill. As Walter made clear, Whole Foods is looking out for their food manufacturers first and foremost. Whole Foods has helped champion the idea of food transparency, but the company would not get behind previous, more conscious legislation to label GMO foods. This bill’s ambiguous text leaves a lot to be interpreted, and it is clear this is a bill written by the food companies in an attempt to appease the public without actually affecting GMO sales.

Conclusion

If the bill passes into law, is it a step in the right direction? Maybe. It depends on how the legislation plays out. The bill, as it is now, leaves so much up for interpretation. The harder the public pushes for transparency, the more likely the bill will get better for consumers along the way, or get replaced by something better. Regardless, the best way to avoid GMOs is to avoid buying processed, manufactured food. Stick to the produce section in grocery stores (whole produce GMOs are very rare), visit your local farmer’s markets and get to know the farmers (not the guys who buy food from distributors and pretend to be farmers, get to know the actual farmers). And grow your own food! It’ll be interesting to see what happens with labeling whole produce if the bill passes and more foods do get genetically modified.

Related Reading:
Sources:



Autism, Gut Health, Obesity, the MMR Vaccine, and Andrew Wakefield

In recent years, scientists have learned more about the microbes residing in the human gut and how they affect health and wellbeing. We have learned that microbes outnumber human cells in the body – roughly 90% microbes to 10% human cells. We know the microbes in our gut help digest our food and in the process help create vitamins, neurotransmitters, and hormones. We know 80% of our immunity begins in the gut. We are beginning to understand the link between the gut, autoimmune diseases, and neurological syndromes.

Earlier studies confirmed that bacteria in the gut of obese people is different than normal intestinal flora. Thin people have a diverse and plentiful microbial ecosystem in their gut, whereas obese individuals do not. Some particular strains in obese people even differ from those who are lean. Transplanting these microbes can cause obesity in mice studies. Further studies will tell us if the reverse is true, if transplanting healthy microbes can reverse obesity.

Next, we learned that maternal obesity was associated with alterations in the gut microbiome of their babies. Then scientists performed statistical studies that revealed children born to obese mothers showed an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Then the question arose – Does the intestinal microbiota and what has been known as the gut brain axis play a part in neurodevelopmental disorders? Could altered gut microbiota induce autistic behaviors?

The answer is a resounding yes. A new study clearly showed that mice born to obese mothers were missing several strains of bacteria in their guts. Behavior equivalent to autism in humans become prevalent in this group. When given the missing bacterial species, oxytocin levels and synaptic dysfunction were corrected and social deficit behaviors were reversed, but not all symptoms were eliminated.

This fascinating study clearly linked gut health and autism, and opened the door to further research as well as prevention and treatment options for obesity and autism.

How many children have been sacrificed to protect the pharmaceutical industry in the last 20 years?

This is not the first time that gastrointestinal disease has been associated with autism. An earlier investigation into the connection between gut health and autism began 20 years ago. Unfortunately, the causal factor for that study was not maternal obesity. Instead, the MMR vaccine appeared to be the common cause of the intestinal disease in most of the children, but like the recent study, the intestinal disease was clearly tied to the autism.

A Fresh Look at Dr. Andrew Wakefield

It all began on May 17th, 1995, when Dr. Andrew Wakefield received a call from a mother who told him that her child was developing normally before receiving an MMR vaccination. After the vaccine, her child regressed into autism and began suffering from terrible gastrointestinal problems. She told him there were other children she knew of with the same story.

In February 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, Prof. John Walker Smith, Dr. Simon Murch, and 10 other co-authors published a case study of 12 children in the Lancet, a British Medical Journal. The case study of these 12 autistic children with gastrointestinal disease stated the following:

“Findings: Onset of behavioral symptoms was associated, by the parents, with measles, mumps, rubella vaccination in 8 of the 12 children.” Lancet 1998

The researchers were correctly reporting information as collected, as they would in any case study. But Wakefield went on to publicly bring attention to the possibility that the MMR vaccine might be a causal factor in autism, and he recommended that parents choose the individual measles, mumps, and rubella shots (spaced out over time) rather than the MMR combination vaccine.

The individual shots, which were available in both the UK and the USA at the time of Wakefield’s recommendation, were soon discontinued (within 6 months in the UK). The publication, the publicity, and the controversy caused an uproar. Dr. Wakefield was blamed for a sharp decline in vaccine compliance in the UK and to some extent in the U.S.A.

Dr. Wakefield contends that the decline in the MMR was matched by an uptake of the individual shots before they were discontinued, that vaccine compliance was not actually affected until the individual shots were discontinued. He believes the blame for the decline in the vaccination rate should rest with those who chose to discontinue the individual vaccines.

The controversy Dr. Wakefield stirred was probably enough to make him a target, but he increased his risk by agreeing to serve as an expert witness for parents of autistic children who were entering litigation.

Then the United Kingdom General Medical Council regulatory board (GMC), the licensing board for physicians in England, ruled that the study and the published paper were fraudulent. Ten of the authors signed a letter retracting the claim that the MMR vaccine caused autism, even though the paper stated no such conclusion. Wakefield, Smith, and Murch refused to sign the paper and were brought up before the GMC on misconduct charges.

In an interview, Andy Wakefield said,

At the GMC, there were 3 defendants: Professor Walker Smith, who was at the time the world’s leading pediatric gastroenterologist, a very senior man with an impeccable record, an unimpeachable career, one of his juniors, Dr. Simon Murch, and… and myself. All three of us were found guilty.

“Simon Murch did not lose his license, but Walker Smith and I lost our license. He was then funded to appeal in the English high court. I did appeal but I … for financial reasons… it was impossible for me to pursue that. And it was not a primary objective after that to restore my license. There were more import things to do.

“But Professor Walker Smith did appeal and at that appeal, the first time this case had ever come before a proper judiciary…a proper judge… and the judge destroyed the General Medical Council’s decision.

“He said effectively they were incompetent. They were not in a position to judge the evidence. That they made mistakes; they got the facts wrong. They misrepresented the evidence. And worse of all, they were biased. They had made up their minds from the outset that we were guilty. And he completely overturned their decision and said in effect this must never happen again.

“Walker Smith was completely reinstated and all charges against him utterly dismissed. Ninety percent of the charges against Walker Smith were the same charges as those against me. The paper should have been reinstated and yet the Lancet editor refused to do that in order to protect his reputation and his job.”

It was 2012 when Professor Smith won his appeal against the GMC and his license to practice medicine was restored. The story, according to Wakefield, was published in one newspaper. How many children have been sacrificed to protect the pharmaceutical industry in the last 20 years?

Andy Wakefield continues to defend the paper he and his co-authors published, and he continues to state the need for the MMR vaccine to be discontinued and individual shots to be manufactured and distributed in its place. He recently came back into the news as the director of the film Vaxxed: From Cover Up to Catastrophe, a film about the CDC whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson who revealed data was removed from a study that confirmed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Though Andrew Wakefield is alive and well, when Del Bigtree, the producer of Vaxxed, discussed Wakefield’s past, the loss of his license, position, and influence in this critical area of research, he sounds like he is delivering a eulogy.

The world lost one of the greatest scientific minds of our times when Andy Wakefield was taken from us. This was a man who was doing studies that were going to lead to healthier vaccines and better ways to take care of the health of our children. That, unfortunately, was going to cost a lot of money for the vaccine industry, and they cared a lot more about their industry and their money than they did the health of children. And so I can confidently say, that I am proud to be working on this picture about the CDC whistleblower with Andy Wakefield.”  – Del Bigtree interview for ABC World News Tonight 3/26/16

Conclusion

Clearly, evidence that our health is dependent on our gut microbiome keeps growing. Leaky gut syndrome leads to a host of illnesses including autoimmune diseases. The microbiome is linked to mental illness, obesity, and immunity. And now, we once again are seeing a clear link with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders on the autism spectrum.

Whether adult or child, a healthy gut is fundamental to a healthy life. And gut health begins with diet. A prebiotic diet with 80% fresh, raw, organic produce helps establish and maintain a healthy microbiome. We need to avoid antibiotics along with artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Eliminate MSG and GMOs. Limit or eliminate processed sugar and gluten. Eat real food, not nutrient stripped processed food. Avoid pesticides.

We can rebuild a healthy gut through diet as we detox from heavy metals and the chemicals that disrupt and kill healthy bacteria in our gut. We can kill off the overgrowth of Candida that causes us to have a permeable gut. We can choose to live a healthy lifestyle and we can help our children live a healthy lifestyle. Some of those choices will be hard. Do we continue to eat the standard American diet? Do we keep poisoning our food and our bodies with glyphosate and GMOs? Do we use conventional soaps and shampoos filled with chemicals? Do we follow the current vaccine schedule? With the looming prediction that 1 of every 2 children will have autism if we continue on this path, we need to make the right decisions now.

Further Reading:
Sources:

 




CDC Alert: Candida Auris – Our Latest Superbug Creation

Fungal infections caused by Candida are the most common type of fungal infections in the world. Fiercely opportunistic, Candida is a part of everyone’s intestinal flora. It doesn’t actually cause problems unless it takes over and crowds out the good bacteria. Then it causes numerous health issues. Four different species of Candida make up the majority of fungal infections in the United States: Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis. If you catch them early, most of these Candida infections can be taken care of with an adjustment in diet.

A Possible Scenario

The conventional medical treatment for Candida involves pharmaceuticals. Somewhat effective in killing Candida, these drugs also kill other microbes in the intestinal tract and leave you without enough beneficial bacteria to fight off other new infections.

The Center for Disease Control has issued a clinical alert to U.S. healthcare facilities asking them to be on the lookout for one such infection associated with high mortality, a resilient species of yeast called Candida auris that has shown resistance to three major classes of antifungals.

The New, Interesting Fun Guy on the Block

Identified in 10 countries worldwide, including the U.S, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, Candida auris causes invasive infections in the ear, bloodstream, and wounds. It has also shown up in the respiratory tract and in urine tests.

It may be underreported. Advanced testing facilities are needed to isolate and confirm Candida auris since it closely resembles other species of Candida. There’s speculation that Candida auris is not a new species as much as it is a result of the medical community’s unintentional and highly successful super-bacteria and fungus breeding program.

The Hospital is a Petri Dish

So why the clinical alert from the CDC, as opposed to a general notice? Tests of Candida auris outbreaks in healthcare facilities in other countries have been very closely related genetically, suggesting that the healthcare facilities are where the fungus is developing and thriving. 

pathogen memeConsider the sad irony. The fungal and bacterial pathogens that pose the most risk to us are the result of the healthcare and farm industries.

The origin of the average yeast infection isn’t a mystery, as Candida exists in everyone’s personal microbes. But the evolution of a common garden variety microbe into a species associated with a high mortality rate gets a boost from the lack of competition and the survive and thrive environment of a hospital. Go to the hospital for a yeast infection, take medication and wipe it out (along with a lot of your beneficial microbes), and you might pick up something new while you are even less equipped to fight pathogens. Convenient, no?

Are We Prepared for What’s Next?

There was one confirmed case of Candida auris in the U.S. in 2013 (although due to the lack of definitive testing, that number is likely to be higher). Sure that’s one case. But if only one confirmed case in the United States is enough for the CDC to issue a clinical alert, what does that say about this particular infection?

Bacteria and fungi are becoming increasingly resistant to drug therapy and last resort medications, and it stands to reason that the evolution of parasites and other microbes will follow close behind. In the twenty years since the first identification of Candida auris, the fungus is rapidly burning a hole through standard treatments. It’s past time to stop making drug therapy the first response. If the symptoms of these conditions continue to be merely managed and repeat infections are treated rather than addressing their causes with real change and education, everyone will be affected, not just the people who have to check into the hospital.

Related Reading:
Sources: