Music by The Refusers

Thursday, January 31, 2013

When Love And Power Unite Almighty Grace Endows Mankind


 
"When Love And Power Unite Almighty Grace Endows Mankind."
 
Egmont.

Wikileaks: The Year 2012 in Review



30 January 2013

Youtube link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWW2wcl6w9I&feature=youtu.be




5 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System by Elizabeth Renter

Source of poster:    http://www.encognitive.com/node/1114

5 Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System


by Elizabeth Renter

Natural Society,    31 January  2013

It’s flu season, and even if you don’t fall ill like Piers Morgan after publicly receiving a flu shot from Dr. Oz, you still run the risk of getting sick. Particularly in the colder months, when we are sitting inside more often, our houses are closed up, and we stay in close quarters—it’s the perfect time for illness to thrive. But, when you take precautions to keep your immune system running on high, you can skip the tissues and even natural cold remedies, and coast through winter without a second thought. Here are 5 ways to supercharge and strengthen your immune system.

 

1. Strengthen Your Immune System -Eliminate Sugar

There are many ways to boost your immune system, but eliminating sugar is one of the first steps. Sugar puts a serious damper on your immune system, in addition to increasing your risk of disease. When the recommended daily sugar intake is 25 grams and a single bottle of Coke contains as much as 60 grams, we know the modern diet is way too immersed in the sweet stuff.

If you want to seriously boost your health and reduce your risk of numerous health issues like obesity and diabetes, seriously consider reducing sugar intake. Opt for a bit of honey or a natural sweetener like Stevia instead.

 

2. Herbal Teas

Many people get out herbal tea when they are already feeling ill. But many herbs can do wonders for boosting immune function before you’re hit with sickness. Try Echinacea, elderberry, peppermint tea, green tea, and even ginger throughout the day and  before going to bed.

3. Green Smoothies and Juicing

Have a produce-packed smoothie once daily to up your overall intake of plant foods and provide a healthy dose of nutrients for your immune system. Include at least one leafy green vegetable (spinach, kale) and one good source of vitamin C (a little orange juice, pineapple, or lime). These aren’t only good for you, they are fun to make.

 

4. Expose Yourself

When your body is exposed to germs, it learns how to better fight them of and protect itself, ultimately boosting immunity. This is part of the problem with the overabundance of antibacterial soaps, gels, and lotions. Use plain soap and forgo antibacterial gels unless absolutely necessary. Breathe the same air as other people and don’t be afraid to touch a doorknob once in a while. Or, play in the dirt!

Related Read:  How to Prevent a Cold
 

5. Eat Garlic

Garlic is an amazingly wonderful immune-boosting food that no one should ignore. The food has anti-cancer properties, fights inflammation, is great for detoxing, and possesses anti-infection, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Don’t just cook with garlic though—eat it raw if you can. Coating it in raw honey can help make the pungent root more palatable.

Do you know about all of these solutions to strengthen your immune system, but never actually partake in them?! In order to stay healthy, you have healthy habits. Tis the season for colds and flu, but you don’t have to be a statistic this year. Eat right, get active, and keep your immune system functioning as it should. If you do get sick, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and consume some immune-boosting foods. Lastly, here are 5 foods NOT to eat while sick or battling a cold.

Additional Sources:


Source:
 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

I Am Waiting For You Last Summer - The Free Download of Their Latest Album, Edge Party



Youtube link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAnbrwxhEjI


Here is a free download album called Edge Party by I Am Waiting For You Last Summer.  A Russian Electronic Music Group.


Edge Party - Album Cover 


Link To Free Download






Visit their website:    http://iwfyls.com/


An Honest Coca-Cola Obesity Commercial



16 January 2013

If Coca-Cola were serious about addressing public health and making real changes to fix the obesity issue, the company would:
  • Stop targeting kids with advertisements and stop heavily influencing young children’s minds.
  • Stop fighting and keeping quite clear research linking sugary beverages to illness and disease.
  • Stop targeting minorities and pushing products in developing countries where obesity rates are escalating.
  • Create a product that is actually healthful and beneficial and push that over it’s health-destroying products.

To read more about Cokes latest efforts at damage control,  please click on the link provided below and read the article and view the orginal video presented by Coke that motivated the writing of this article: 

Source of text and article:

http://naturalsociety.com/coca-cola-claims-fighting-obesity-new-ad-campaign/

Note:  Thanks to Mike Barrett for this one.

Source:   http://www.returnoffreewater.org/coke%20kills.html

Antidepressants During Pregnancy Could Lead to Child’s Neurobehavioral Problems by Elizabeth Renter


Source of poster:   http://www.drugwatch.com/ssri/pregnancy/
 

Antidepressants During Pregnancy Could Lead to Child’s Neurobehavioral Problems

by Elizabeth Renter
Natural Society,  30 January 2013

There have been countless studies to date that demonstrate the serious risks of women taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs- a class of antidepressants) during pregnancy. The drugs have been linked to preterm delivery, miscarriage,  and increased risk of behavioral issues, autism, and seizures in the child. And for every medial story we see covering these risks, we see a disclaimer about the risks of women going off their anti-depressants. What these arguments in favor of SSRI’s fail to recognize is that there are very real and very effective ways to help depressed women through pregnancy without the use of drugs.

An estimated one-in-ten adults in the United States takes anti-depressants, and the majority of these are SSRI’s. They are the most popular prescription drugs, and people of all ages and all walks of life take them—this includes women who are pregnant.

These wildly popular drugs have wildly dangerous effects, however. It’s been estimated that anywhere from 15 to 30% of babies born to mothers who took SSRIs while pregnant have some neurobehavioral problem. These babies are also far more likely to be born preterm or to not be born at all. And often times, women are not being warned of these effects.

Many within mainstream medicine would argue that the risks of going off of antidepressants while pregnant are greater than staying on them—that a depressed woman is less likely to get her regular check-ups, to eat right, or take care of herself. But, to them, we say—these women are not living in a bubble.

In modern times, we have taken independence to whole new, and frightening levels. There was a time when women would gather around a pregnant woman to help her ensure she would deliver a healthy baby and keep her healthy mind in tact throughout the wild ride of pregnancy. What is missing for many women now is that support system.

We know depression is not a simple case of the blues. But we also know that it’s not just a “chemical imbalance” as many doctors would have you think. Time and time again, you can find cases of people successfully beating depression through natural means—including diet, herbs, exercise, and behavioral therapy when warranted

Antidepressants During Pregnancy? Try Some Other Solutions

As it stands, if a woman is depressed and finds out she is pregnant, she will ask her doctor and may do some internet research on the topic. What she’ll find is very conflicting information. Here’s to hoping that increasing coverage of the risks of these drugs will lead to a greater amount of information on natural ways to treat depression—both for the sake of the pregnant woman and her unborn child.

Medication during pregnancy simply may not be the best idea. Here are a few tips to shake yourself of depressive feelings:
  • Try acupuncture
  • Try yoga
  • Boost your vitamin D levels by spending time in the sun or supplementing with vitamin D3
  • Avoid junk food, fast food, and soda
  • Engage in some physical activity
  • Take life more lightly

Additional Sources:

CNN

Source:

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Prescription Sleeping Pills Lead to 4x Increase in Premature Death Risk by Elizabeth Renter

 

Prescription Sleeping Pills Lead to 4x Increase in Premature Death Risk


by Elizabeth Renter

Natural Society,  29 January 2013

As a nation, our dependence on prescription drugs continues to climb.  Even kids are heavily medicated, with over 25% of children being on some type of prescription drug, wheather it be antidepressants, antipsychotics, or ADHD pills. Prescription sleep aids, called hypnotics, are also being tossed back at an alarming rate and with little thought to their negative effects. One recent study revealed that these pills may do more than help you get some zzz’s; they may kill you.

Increasing Risk of Premature Death

According to the Alliance for Natural Health, 60 million prescriptions for sleeping pills were filled in 2011, that’s compared with 47 million in 2006. That’s due, in part, to the millions of people who have trouble sleeping. An estimated 70 million Americans struggle with insomnia and other sleep disorders. So, like every other modern ailment, the modern American visits their doctor for a “fix”.

In this case, the “fix” is a class of drugs known as hypnotics. They help you sleep, but can also lead to nausea, dizziness, headaches, and addiction. But what many people don’t realize, is that they can also lead to premature death.

According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, if you take a prescription sleep aid, even as little as 18 pills throughout the year, you increase your risk of premature death by four times. And if that isn’t bad enough—you increase your risk of cancer by 35%.

It’s worth noting that the study didn’t find a cause and effect relationship here. In other words, scientists aren’t 100% sure that the pills lead to the problems. It could be that people who are more likely to take these prescription drugs are more likely to have other health problems overall. And that wouldn’t be a surprise. After all, sleep disorders like insomnia are directly tied to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.

But, the link cannot be ignored. If you turn to prescription sleep drugs, this should serve as a wake-up call.
You can’t run to a prescription when your body shows symptoms of discord. Insomnia could be a symptom of stress, depression, or brought on by obesity. Determining the cause of the insomnia will help you better treat it without adding all of the risks that go with a hypnotic-drug regimen.

In the mean time, try turning to herbal sleep remedies or natural sleep apnea treatments if you suffer from sleep apnea.

Additional Sources:



Source:

Monday, January 28, 2013

GOD IS LOVE By BEINSA DOUNO



10 December 2013

God Is Love

Performed by the String Quartet of  Petar Ganev, Bozhanka Ganev, Kiril Hristov and  Dimitar Tench.

Peter Ganov has hopes of reaching a wider audience and in this regards, I am glad to be of service to help him to introduce this lovely music and song to many outside of Bulgaria.   This music lifts one from their sadness and will bring one in touch with the the best part of oneself, the human heart.

One doen't need to know Bulgarian to feel the beauty in this music.   


To learn  more about Peter Deunov, also called Beinsa Douno who inspired the lovely music you have just listened to or will listen to,  please click on one or more of the links provided below: 


http://mnhopkins.blogspot.se/2012/03/good-wisdom-of-peter-deunov.html

http://mnhopkins.blogspot.se/2012/08/true-freedom-wisdom-of-peter-deunov.html

http://mnhopkins.blogspot.se/2012/08/peter-deunov-how-one-man-saved.html

The Teacher and Visionary Peter Deunov
1864 to 1944



Heritage Pig Farm Embargoed, USDA and DNR Close In by Heather Callaghan



Youtube link to video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RPVfduwUx-g

Heritage Pig Farm Embargoed, USDA and DNR Close In


by Heather Callaghan

Farm To Consumer News,  17 January  2013

“Our farm is basically embargoed. We can raise all the pigs we want, but can not move them out to our market. That cuts off cash flow, effectively starving the farm financially and the pigs practically.” - Jill Baker

Baker’s Green Acres made the news last spring as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) went on a mission to eradicate heritage pigs, calling them a feral invasive species. This move would wipe out the entire small-scale farm whose animals pose no threat to typical hog species. New blockages from multiple government agencies are making it impossible to run the farm.

Mark and Jill Baker of Marion, Michigan decided to fight the Invasive Species Order but have not been allowed to have a hearing, and it’s been a year. So, after feeding all the Russian boar and Mangalitsa pigs ($200-300 per day) to keep them alive while in limbo, they decided to take them to slaughter. Isn’t that what the State wanted—wouldn’t that make them happy?

But when they went to take some to the USDA slaughterhouse, they were blocked right before Christmas by an issue from the USDA who is supporting the DNR move.

Many of us don’t hear what goes on with victimized farmers after the initial news hits—makes one wonder if these court cases are dragged out on purpose. But Mark lets us know in his Situation Report with rousing, patriotic words about our food and farming rights. He aptly compares these government actions to, as Jill said, “the Soviet blockade of Berlin post-WWII. They attempted to gain control of the entire strategic city forcibly by controlling the food and fuel the people could have…”

Here are some points to know about Baker’s Green Acres’ situation compiled from their blog:


  • These pigs needed to go to a USDA slaughter facility (unlike game hunting) and be certified healthy by an accredited veterinarian.
  • Once in the kill facility, they cannot be released back to the farm—if unacceptable, they are disposed of or transferred to another USDA facility.
  • Michigan had recently rejected health paperwork for a fellow farmer and even threatened the license of the vet who certified the animals as healthy.
  • This facility had processed the Bakers’ Mangalitsas before, but now their name would be flagged because of the pending lawsuit.
  • As the Bakers suspected, the USDA inspector had photos and forms flagging the outlaw characteristics.
  • The Bakers wanted to avoid the possibility of the pigs being simply disposed of and the family actually being charged a “disposal fee” as they would be deemed “feral.”
  • Having them “tagged” on the kill floor would cost time, money and problems for both the Bakers and the plant.
  • The inspector wasn’t unreasonable—he was practical and caught in the middle.
  • In both cases, the State is making our veterinarians the enforcers by threatening their license to practice if they break rank.
  • This isn’t just a move from the rogue DNR (allegedly working in tandem with Michigan’s corporate Pork Producers)—it involves agencies that deal with farms that raise animals for USDA slaughter like the MI Dept of Ag and USDA—but the DNR, that is supposed to oversee hunting preserves, public parks, and hunting operations has manipulated farm processing facilities, blurring the lines of authority significantly.
  • “Our farm is basically embargoed. We can raise all the pigs we want, but can not move them out to our market. That cuts off cash flow, effectively starving the farm financially and the pigs practically.” — Jill Baker

In the Situation Report, Mark thought that just maybe the pigs could make it until spring and have a hearing, but according to their Facebook page, they asked for volunteers to help butcher some sows on their property and gave away the meat to those in need.

You can still petition Governor Snyder here, but as Mark states in this short film, “dollars and cents are the real bullets” of this war in the right to access and farm the foods of our choice. And state politicians can easily ignore pleas in reverence to state agencies. Time is running out as government agencies and corporate influence close in on small fresh farms, unbeknownst to a vast sleeping public.

From Jill:

 We, the citizens of this country must stand up and stand together. The purposes of this government are in defiance of the people’s expressed will. This administration seems to go that way more often than not (reference the Canada to Detroit bridge issue and the handling of the ‘right to work’ legislation). This has all sparked a lot of discussion about what to do with the pigs, examination of any possible options, and several sleepless nights for the feeder of the pigs. Not exactly ‘holiday spirit’ stuff.

Read more details on the pending case, and donate to the Bakers here to help save the pigs and the family farm.

You may also wish to visit these websites:

http://bakersgreenacres.com

http://anyonecanfarm.com

Source:

Farm To Consumer News



Sunday, January 27, 2013

Flu Shot Narcolepsy, Bye Bye Scanners, Privacy Glasses - New World Next Week With James Corbett & Media Monarachy



24 January 2013

Welcome to http://NewWorldNextWeek.com - the video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy that covers some of the most important developments in open source intelligence news. This week:

Story #1: Evidence Grows for Narcolepsy Link to GSK Swine Flu Shot
http://ur1.ca/clo4e

Breaking: Scientists To Resume Work With Lab-Bred Bird Flu
http://ur1.ca/clo4h

Nurses Fired for Refusing Flu Shot
http://ur1.ca/clo4k

Story #2: TSA Removes Body Scanners From Airports
http://ur1.ca/clo4n

'Naked' Airport Scans Could Undergo Revamp In Canada
http://ur1.ca/clo4p

'Body Scanners' Archive On Media Monarchy
http://ur1.ca/clo4v

Story #3: Privacy Visor Block Facial Recognition Software
http://ur1.ca/clo4y

Video: Google Opt Out Feature Lets Users Protect Privacy By Moving To Remote Village
http://ur1.ca/clo4z

Visit http://NewWorldNextWeek.com to get previous episodes in various formats to download, burn and share. And as always, stay up-to-date by subscribing to the feeds from Corbett Report http://ur1.ca/39obd and Media Monarchy http://ur1.ca/kuec Thank you.

Previous Episode: #IdleNoMore, Mali War, Garden Score
http://ur1.ca/clo51

Source:   http://theflushot.org/nurse-admitted-to-her-own-intensive-care-unit-after-flu-vaccine-adverse-reaction/

Flu Shots Reported Links to Narcolepsy in Children & Adults

Source:   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Agriculture-Society/217990047058

Flu Shot Linked to Child Narcolepsy – Reuters Reports

Child Health Safety,   25 January 2013

Reuters reports that GlaxoSmithKline’s Pandemrix H1N1 swine flu vaccine has caused 800 cases of narcolepsy in children.  Taking under-reporting into account, this could amount to between at least 5,600 cases or a figure around up to 40,000 in the countries concerned. Cases have been recorded in children from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Ireland and France. Narcolepsy is a serious condition which can debilitate a child for life.  Sufferers can fall asleep on the spot any time without warning.

To gain an idea of the potential extent of this adverse reaction in children caused by this vaccine and to adjust for under-reporting it is necessary to multiply by up to 50 times.  [Under-reporting in all drugs and not just vaccines is 98 in every 100 adverse reactions – hence multiply by 50: Spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting vs event monitoring: a comparison: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Volume 84 June 1991 341.]

Read the Reuters’ report here:

 

Insight: Evidence grows for narcolepsy link to GSK swine flu shot – By Kate Kelland, Health and Science Correspondent, Reuters, STOCKHOLM | Tue Jan 22, 2013


See also our CHS article today:



And these selected CHS articles:









Emergency” Based on Wildly Exaggerated Statistics

Source:


Note:  This has been a big problem in Sweden with the Government in denial for some time.  They only admitted there may be a connection between the flu shots and narcolepsy after the Finnish study and a group of parents went public with this to support their claims which the doctors, nurses and authorities in Sweden have up to then been denying.  Also, not mentioned is the large number of adults who have developed narcolepsy after the flu shot.  I have seen more than one in public places with their head down asleep or seen them nod out in the middle of doing something.  I have also heard other accounts of young people with friends who fall asleep while at the Pub or visiting others.  Let me just say, that in their circle of friends there is no one taking any flu shots anymore.


PIERS MORGAN TAKES FLU VACCINE AND GETS THE FLU!


Source of picture:    http://mnhopkins.blogspot.se/2013/01/flu-shot-narcolepsy-bye-bye-scanners.html

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Why 80 Percent of People Worldwide Will Soon Stop Eating Wheat by Natasha Longo

Source:    http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-Not-on-the-Market/Wheat
Why 80 Percent of People Worldwide Will Soon Stop Eating Wheat

By Natasha Longo

Prevent Disease.Com,   20  March 2012

The future of wheat is certain, and it's toxic. There are as many health risks associated with the consumption of wheat as there are nutritional benefits claimed by the wheat industry. Why is there such a strong emphasis on the development of wheat products all over the world when there are so many adverse and crippling effects such as neurological impairment, dementia, heart disease, cataracts, diabetes, arthritis and visceral fat accumulation, not to mention the full range of intolerances and bloating now experienced by millions of people?

Approximately 700 million tons of wheat are now cultivated worldwide making it the second most-produced grain after maize. It is grown on more land area than any other commerical crop and is considered a staple food for humans.

At some point in our history, this ancient grain was nutritious in some respects, however modern wheat really isn't wheat at all. Once agribusiness took over to develop a higher-yielding crop, wheat became hybridized to such an extent that it has been completely transformed from it's prehistorical genetic configuration. All nutrient content of modern wheat depreciated more than 30% in its natural unrefined state compared to its ancestral genetic line. The balance and ratio that mother nature created for wheat was also modified and human digestion and physiology could simply could not adapt quick enough to the changes.

The Nutrional Value of Wheat is Practically Non-Existent
In Its Current Form


So-called health experts in nutrition who continue to promote the health benefits of wheat are extremely uninformed about the nature of modern wheat and its evolution from growth to consumption. It is shocking how many professionals in public health still recommend wheat products without an assessment of their individual requirements, especially considering the amount of evidence regarding its lack of nutrition and health risks for proportionally large segments of the population.

The majority of wheat is processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction--the standard for most wheat products means that 40% of the original wheat grain is removed. So not only do we have an unhealthier, modified, and hybridized strain of wheat, we also remove and further degrade its nutritional value by processing it. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain--its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost. Any processed foods with wheat are akin to poison for the body since they cause more health risks than benefits. The body does not recognize processed wheat as food. Nutrient absorption from processed wheat products is thus consequential with almost no nutritional value.

Some experts claim if you select 100% whole wheat products, the bran and the germ of the wheat will remain in your meals, and the health benefits will be impressive. This is again a falsity promoted by the wheat industry since even 100% whole wheat products are based on modern wheat strains created by irradiation of wheat seeds and embryos with chemicals, gamma rays, and high-dose X-rays to induce mutations. Whether you consume 10% or 100% of wheat is irrelevant since you're still consuming a health damaging grain that will not benefit, advance or even maintain your health in any way.

Dr. Marcia Alvarez who specializes in nutritional programs for obese patients says that when it comes to nutrition, wheat may be considered as an evil grain. "Modern wheat grains could certainly be considered as the root of all evil in the world of nutrition since they cause so many documented health problems across so many populations in the world." Dr. Alvarez asserted that wheat is now responsible for more intolerances than almost any other food in the world. "In my practice of over two decades, we have documented that for every ten people with digestive problems, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, arthritis and even heart disease, eight out of ten have a problem with wheat. Once we remove wheat from their diets, most of their symptoms disappear within three to six months," she added. Dr. Alvarez estimates that between the coming influx of genetically modified (GM) strains of wheat and the current tendency of wheat elimination in societies, that a trend is emerging in the next 20 years that will likely see 80% of people cease their consumption of wheat from any form.

Genetic Modification


The GM wheat currently being tested for approval for production in Canada is a new variety of hard red spring wheat which has been genetically engineered to be tolerant to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. Monsanto Canada Inc. requested the approval of GE wheat from Health Canada in July 2002 and for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in December 2002.

In July 2009, the most hated company in the world Monsanto, announced new research into GM wheat and industry groups kicked their promotion of GM wheat into high gear. "Widespread farmer and consumer resistance defeated GM wheat in 2004 and this global rejection remains strong, as demonstrated by today's statement," said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

There are now even claims by researchers in Australia have developed a form of salt-tolerant wheat that will allow farmers to grow crops in soil with high salinity. They created the new form of wheat by crossing a modern strain with an ancient species, and the researchers believe this new super-wheat will allow farmers to grow more food crops on land previously thought to be off limits to agriculture. Critics suggest that new strains will be foreign to current ecological systems and will be unsustainable without massive chemical intervention
.

Industry claims that the introduction of GM wheat will lead to a reduction in herbicide use, a claim that has been made prior to the introduction of other herbicide tolerant (HT) crops such as Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans, canola and corn. These claims have been contradicted by US government statistics that show that GM HT crops such as RR crops use more pesticides than conventional crops. These state GM crops can receive as much as 30 percent more herbicide than non-GM crops. Not only do GM crops use more pesticides but they also force the farmer to purchase one single brand of herbicide, in this case Monsanto brand Roundup.

If introduced, GE wheat will enter farmers’ rotations along with the already HT canola and soybeans. This compounds the issue of superweeds as each crop sown would be HT, so any seed that fell from the crop before harvest would pose a threat of becoming an uncontrollable weed, or contained by using increasingly toxic herbicides. How can we believe that pesticide use will decrease with GE wheat?

These developments are also taking place in the United States which is the third largest wheat producer in the world. Fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and growth regulators are all becoming more chemically potent and their frequency of application continues to increase every 5 years. American scientists are currently developing GM strains of wheat conferring resistance to fungal diseases. Wheat is becoming such a transmutated grain, that it someday may not even be called wheat.

Health Effects

A powerful little chemical in wheat known as 'wheat germ agglutinin' (WGA) which is largely responsible for many of wheat's pervasive, and difficult to diagnose, ill effects. Researchers are now discovering that WGA in modern wheat is very different from ancient strains. Not only does WGA throw a monkey wrench into our assumptions about the primary causes of wheat intolerance, but due to the fact that WGA is found in highest concentrations in "whole wheat," including its supposedly superior sprouted form, it also pulls the rug out from under one of the health food industry's favorite poster children.

Each grain of wheat contains about one microgram of Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA). Even in small quantities, WGA can have profoundly adverse effects. It may be pro-inflammatory, immunotoxic, cardiotoxic ... and neurotoxic.

Below the radar of conventional serological testing for antibodies against the various gluten proteins and genetic testing for disease susceptibility, the WGA “lectin problem” remains almost entirely obscured. Lectins, though found in all grains, seeds, legumes, dairy and our beloved nightshades: the tomato and potato, are rarely discussed in connection with health or illness, even when their presence in our diet may greatly reduce both the quality and length of our lives. Yet health experts dismiss the links between disease and wheat despite all the evidence.

Dr William Davis has documented several hundred clinical studies on the adverse effects of wheat. These are studies that document the neurologic impairments unique to wheat, including cerebellar ataxia and dementia; heart disease; visceral fat accumulation and all its attendant health consequences; the process of glycation via amylopectin A of wheat that leads to cataracts, diabetes, and arthritis; among others. There are, in fact, a wealth of studies documenting the adverse, often crippling, effects of wheat consumption in humans.


The other claim is that wheat elimination ‘means missing out on a wealth of essential nutrients. Another falsity. Dr. Davis states that if you replace wheat with healthy foods like vegetables, nuts, healthy oils, meats, eggs, cheese, avocados, and olives, then there is no nutrient deficiency that develops with elimination of wheat. Dr Davis also states that people with celiac disease may require long-term supplementation due to extensive gastrointenstinal damage caused by wheat.

People with celiac disease do indeed experience deficiencies of multiple vitamins and minerals after they eliminate all wheat and gluten from the diet. But this is not due to a diet lacking valuable nutrients, but from the incomplete healing of the gastrointestinal tract (such as the lining of the duodenum and proximal jejunum). In these people, the destructive effects of wheat are so overpowering that, unfortunately, some people never heal completely. These people do indeed require vitamin and mineral supplementation, as well as probiotics and pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

Due to the unique properties of amylopectin A, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar higher than many candy bars. High blood glucose leads to the process of glycation that, in turn, causes arthritis (cartilage glycation), cataracts (lens protein glycation), diabetes (glycotoxicity of pancreatic beta cells), hepatic de novo lipogenesis that increases triglycerides and, thereby, increases expression of atherogenic (heart disease-causing) small LDL particles, leading to heart attacks. Repetitive high blood sugars that develop from a grain-rich diet are, in my view, very destructive and lead to weight gain (specifically visceral fat), insulin resistance, leptin resistance (leading to obesity), and many of the health struggles that many now experience.

Wheat gliadin has been associated with cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, gluten encephalopathy (dementia), behavioral outbursts in children with ADHD and autism, and paranoid delusions and auditory hallucinations in people with schizophrenia, severe and incapacitating effects for people suffering from these conditions.


According to statistics from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, an average of one out of every 133 otherwise healthy people in the United States suffers from CD. However, an estimated 20-30 percent of the world's population may carry the genetic susceptibility to celiac disease--and the way to avoid turning these genes 'on' is by avoiding gluten.

When you consider that undiagnosed CD is associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of premature death, the seriousness of this food sensitivity becomes quite evident. The primary disease mechanism at play is chronic inflammation, and chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions are endemic to grain-consuming populations.

Changes in genetic code and, thereby, antigenic profile, of the high-yield semi-dwarf wheat cultivars now on the market account for the marked increase in celiac potential nationwide. "Hybridization” techniques, including chemical mutagenesis to induce selective mutations, leads to development of unique strains that are not subject to animal or human safety testing--they are just brought to market and sold.

Author and preventive cardiologist William Davis, MD, wheat's new biochemical code causes hormone disruption that is linked to diabetes and obesity. "It is not my contention that it is in everyone's best interest to cut back on wheat; it is my belief that complete elimination is in everyone's best health interests," says Dr. Davis, "In my view, that's how bad this thing called 'wheat' has become."

Chemical mutagenesis using the toxic mutagen, sodium azide, of course, is the method used to generate BASF’s Clearfield herbicide-resistant wheat strain. These methods are being used on a wide scale to generate unique genetic strains that are, without question from the FDA or USDA, assumed to be safe for human consumption.


Wheat-Free Options

* Note that many of the wheat-free options still contain gluten.

1. Cereal Grains: Barley, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, tef and wild rice are all in the same cereal grain family as is wheat. All flours ground from cereal grains may be used as a wheat substitute. Commonly available are barley, buckwheat, rice and rye flour. The less utilized flours may be purchased online or from natural food stores. Note: people with a gluten allergy must also avoid barley, oats and rye.
2. Non-Cereal Grains: Amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat are three grain-like seeds unrelated to cereal grains. (Despite its name, buckwheat is not a wheat-relative.) It is rare for anyone to develop a sensitivity to these non-cereal grains. Amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat are gluten-free and therefore not suitable for making leavened bread; however, they make excellent quick breads and cookies.
3. Nut Meal: Ground nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts make the richest flour substitute for cookies and cakes. Because their fragile fatty acid content gives them a brief shelf life, it’s preferable to grind your own nuts in a food processor just prior to use. Nut meal requires a binding agent such as eggs. Because chestnuts are lower in fat than other nuts, chestnut flour has a longer shelf life. It is available online.
4. Bean Flour: Dried beans, such as navy, pinto and chickpeas may be milled and used, in combination with other flours, as a wheat alternative. Bean flour is, however, not always recommended. It tastes like beans and makes baked goods dense and hard to digest.
5. Other Flour Substitutes: Potato starch, arrowroot powder, and tapioca are thickening agents that substitute for wheat in sauces and gravy. In baked goods these starchy ingredients serve as a binding agent.
Due to the irresponsible high frequency hybridization, processing and inevitable genetic modification of modern wheat, there is only one solution for the health and wellness of future generations. Stop eating wheat and educate as many people as you can on the coming strains of this grain which will be much more deadly than they already are today.

Natasha Longo has a master's degree in nutrition and is a certified fitness and nutritional counselor. She has consulted on public health policy and procurement in Canada, Australia, Spain, Ireland, England and Germany.

Sources:

inspection.gc.ca
cban.ca
rebeccawood.com
greenmedinfo.com gmo-compass.org
inhabitat.com
wheatbellyblog.com
mercola.com
whfoods.com
sierraclub.ca
rsc.org

Modern Wheat Really Isn't Wheat At All

Source: 

Prevent Disease.com


 

Friday, January 25, 2013

Death Valley USA Dreamlapse



22 January 2013

Enjoy

Source:

Calendula Plant Benefits: Grow Your Own Medicine by Elizabeth Renter

Source of picture:    http://www.innovateus.net/health/benefits-calendula

Calendula Plant Benefits: Grow Your Own Medicine


by Elizabeth Renter

Natural Society,  24 January 2013


Calendula officinalis is a plant most often used to brighten up a garden or flower bed. It’s a popular choice because it’s pretty and is super easy to grow. But, what many people don’t know is that their pretty garden-addition is a valuable herbal remedy.

Calendula, also known as “pot marigolds” are usually a bright golden color. It is often mistaken for “common marigold” or Mexican marigold, which are very different and are members of the Tagetes genus. They don’t offer the same medicinal benefits as calendula, so it’s crucial when looking for the herbal remedy that you know what you are after.

The flowers of Calendula have been used for centuries for a variety of ailments and health problems. Some of those benefits include:
  • Wound healing
  • Burn soothing
  • Immune boosting
  • Collagen regeneration
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Liver, gallbladder, and uterine tonic
  • Anti-fungal
  • Rash soothing
  • Calming scrapes, cuts, bites, and other minor wounds
  • General skincare

Calendula officinalis also has antimicrobial, antiviral, and astringent properties, and is a go-to skin treatment for many herbalists.

“Calendula is such a soothing and calming skin herb when used topically,” says herbalist Dawn Marie Dillon of Breathless Beauty. “I use Calendula in every baby soap and salve I make.”

Making Calendula Oil

Because calendula is most often used topically, an infused oil is great to have on hand at all times. Dillon and other herbalists recommend infusing the petals in organic olive oil.

Directions:

Simply put dried Calendula flowers in a clean, glass jar. Cover with olive oil, ensuring there is at least one inch more of olive oil than flowers (they will expand). Place the jar in a warm windowsill and shake a few times a day. As it brews, the flowers will infuse the oil with all of their goodness. After about four to six weeks, you can strain off the plant material and bottle the oil for herbal preparations.

You can use the oil plain– to dab on cuts and scrapes, or rub into tired and sore muscles– or you can add an essential oil, and beeswax to make a salve.

Calendula Tea

Another simple option for reaping the benefits of this flower is a tea. Use one to two teaspoons of calendula flowers and cover with boiling water. Allow to steep for three to five minutes before drinking. When taken internally, Calendula works to fight Candida albicans—a yeast imbalance that can lead to everything from yeast infections in women to mood swings, inflammation, and fatigue. It also promotes liver and gallbladder health, improves digestion, and aids in soothing PMS.

Your tea can also be used topically. A compress can be soaked in the tea and then applied directly to wounds and sore muscles.

 

Growing Calendula Officinalis Yourself

When it comes to beginning gardening, Calendula officinalis is where it’s at. Like the mint plant, from which you can experience peppermint tea benefits, these flowers require little effort and are easy to grow from seed. You can sow the seeds directly in the ground or use pots. They will do best outdoors but can also be successfully cultivated in a sunroom.

The best time to plant your Calendula seeds is early spring, or even start them indoors in late winter before moving to the garden when things warm up. You have about two months from the time you plant your seeds until you begin seeing your first blooms.

They prefer full sun, but will do well with a little shade too. You don’t need to worry about fertilizing the plant, as they will do good with any rich soil. Make sure Calendula doesn’t completely dry out though; take care to water thoroughly in the summertime.

You can being harvesting your Calendula as soon as your blooms begin opening. Actually, the more you harvest, the more it encourages new growth, so don’t worry that you’re taking too many. Simply snip or pinch off the entire flower head and use fresh or dried.

Where you start with Calendula officinalis or you’d rather being with growing thyme, growing your own medicine can take you on a fantastic, educational journey through connecting with nature.

Additional Sources:

MountainRoseBlog

FrugallySustainable

Gardening.About.com

AllNatural.net

Ageless.co.za

Source:

Natural Society



Thursday, January 24, 2013

Farmer to Farmer- A Brit Farmer Interviewing American Farmers on GMO Crops



Farmer To Farmer:  The Truth About GM Crops

Michael Hart, a conventional livestock family farmer, has been farming in Cornwall for nearly thirty years and has actively campaigned on behalf of family farmers for over fifteen years, travelling extensively in Europe, India, Canada and the USA.

In this short documentary he investigates the reality of farming genetically modified crops in the USA ten years after their introduction. He travels across the US interviewing farmers and other specialists about their experiences of growing GM.

During the making of the film he heard problems of the ever increasing costs of seeds and chemicals to weeds becoming resistant to herbicides.

US farmers told him that a single pass (one herbicide application) is a fallacy and concurred that three or more passes are the norm for GM crops.

As weeds have become more resistant to glyphosate there has been a sharp increase in the use of herbicide tank mixes (most of them patented and owned by the biotech companies).

Astonishingly some farmers were now having to resort to hand labour to remove weeds.

Farmers have seen the costs spiral, for example, the price of seed has gone from $40 to over $100 per acre over the last few years.

Farmers referred to co-existence (the ability to grow GM crops next to non-GM and organic crops) as “unsolvable” and say that it does not work.

In summary:

- A huge “weed” problem.
- The myth of co-existence.
- Farmers trapped into the genetically modified biotech system.
- Huge price increases for seeds and sprays- well beyond the price increases farmers have received for their crops.

In short, the film shows US farmers urging great caution to be exercised by UK and European farmers in adopting this technology.

Source of Text: