Fluoride – A Historically Known Toxin

Prior to 1945 when communal water fluoridation took effect, fluoride was a known toxin.
For example, a 1936 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association stated that fluoride at the 1 ppm (part per million) concentration is as toxic as arsenic and lead.
The Journal of the American Medical Association stated in their September 18, 1943 issue, that “fluorides are general protoplasmic poisons that change the permeability of the cell membrane by certain enzymes.” And, an editorial published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, October 1, 1944, stated,

"Drinking water containing as little as 1.2 ppm fluoride will cause developmental disturbances. We cannot run the risk of producing such serious systemic disturbances. The potentialities for harm outweigh those for good."

More recently, Christopher Bryson, award winning journalist and former producer at the BBC revealed the multi-tiered abuse of power by military and industry scientists and public health officials in his book The Fluoride Deception. In it, he describes the intertwined interests that existed in the 1940’s and 50’s between the aluminum industry, the U.S. nuclear weapons program, and the dental industry, which resulted in fluoride being declared not only safe, but “beneficial to human health.”
The political back story of how fluoride was introduced into your drinking water reads like a cross between a psychological thriller and mind-boggling science fiction.
Read Bryson’s book, and you’ll never think of fluoride the same again… Because the bottom line is that when you swallow fluoride, it does nothing to decrease disease, it merely accelerates it.

Do You Know What’s REALLY in Your Water?

What would you do if you suddenly found out that “fluoride,” which advocates claim is an all-natural element that you ingest anyway and is good for your teeth and bones, was not safe at all, but was actually a carcinogenic industrial waste?
That’s right! The fluoride in your water supply is not what you think it is.
The natural form of mineral fluoride found both in nature and in your teeth and bones, is called Apatite (calcium fluoro-chloro-hydroxyl phosphate).
Inside your mouth, there is a natural equilibrium between hydroxyl-apatite (calcium phosphate) dissolving and forming in your tooth enamel from substances occurring naturally in your saliva. Like everything else, your diet and various physical conditions shift this equilibrium back and forth constantly.
When you have more calcium phosphate dissolving than being adhered, you end up with a demineralization condition called caries. This is when cavities form in your teeth.
However, this has nothing to do with fluoride or fluoridation, but a good fib must always start with a kernel of truth, or else no one will listen to you.
So when it comes to the so-called “health benefits” of fluoride, it’s essential to understand what’s really being added to your water and other products you use on a regular basis, such as toothpaste.
When “fluoride” is added to your drinking water, it’s NOT the natural mineral. Instead, the fluoride in question is another chemical fluoride compound – the toxic waste product from phosphate fertilizer plants.
There are three basic compounds commonly used for fluoridating water supplies:

1. Sodium fluoride (NaF)
2. Sodium silicofluoride
3. Hydrofluorosilicic acid

The last two, sodium silicofluoride and hydrofluorosilicic acid, are the compounds used for water fluoridation, with hydrofluorosilicic acid being the most commonly used additive, according to the CDC.
These are chemical byproducts of aluminum, steel, cement, phosphate, and nuclear weapons manufacturing. Such fluoride is manmade, and in this form, fluoride has no nutrient value and no health benefits whatsoever.
But there’s yet another tidbit that is not talked about openly, and that is the fact that these hazardous industrial wastes – the fluoride compounds actually added to your water -- have NEVER been fully tested to ascertain their full potential health hazard.
Instead, the pharmaceutical grade “sodium fluoride” (the first one on the list) is used in the majority of studies evaluating the risk to human health.
Therefore, the real danger to your health may be far greater than any of the studies done so far have shown, and numerous studies have already identified the pharmaceutical grade sodium fluoride as a toxic agent, capable of doing irreparable harm to your body.

Fluoride May Actually CAUSE More Cavities Than it Prevents!

Studies have also shown that fluoride does not even help prevent cavities, which is the number one reason for water fluoridation in the first place.
Instead, studies have shown that consuming too much fluoride might actually cause tooth decay.
One such study, published in the September 2001 issue of International Journal of Pediatric Dentistry, found that South African children who drank water containing high levels of natural fluoride (3 ppm), had more tooth decay than children in other parts of South Africa who drank much lower concentrations (between 0.19 to 0.48 ppm).
And fluoride-saturated American teenagers had twice the rate of cavities as the South African children drinking low levels of natural fluoride!

The Many Health Dangers of Fluoride

According to information from its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), and from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the pharmaceutical grade sodium fluoride is a dangerous toxin that can cause serious physical harm.
The chemical targets your:

• Kidneys
• Heart
• Gastrointestinal system
• Bone and skeletal structures
• Teeth
• Nerves

The MSDS for sodium fluoride also states that fluoride compounds can induce:

• Systemic toxic effects on your heart, liver, and kidney
• Depleted calcium levels in your body leading to hypocalcaemia and death

It points out that the toxic effect of fluoride might be delayed, and that laboratory experiments have resulted in the development of tumors.
In order to understand the long-term dangers of fluoride, it’s important to realize that fluoride is a cumulative poison.
Ninety-eight percent of the fluoride you ingest in water is absorbed into your blood through your gastrointestinal tract. From there, it enters your body’s cellular tissues. On average, about 50 percent of the fluoride you ingest each day gets excreted through your kidneys. The remainder accumulates in your teeth and bones, pineal gland, and other tissues, such as the aorta.
The amount deposited into your bones and teeth varies depending on your age. In children, more than 50 percent of an ingested dose of fluoride is deposited in bone, but in adults only about 10 percent is stored there.
As with teeth, fluoride is deposited in bone by the ionic exchange with hydroxyl-apatite as mentioned earlier. It does dissolve from bone as well, but at a slower rate than it is deposited, so if your intake remains constant, the level of fluoride in your bones increases linearly with age.
Therefore, if your kidneys are damaged, fluoride accumulation will increase, and with it, the likelihood of harm.
There are numerous health problems associated with the accumulation of fluoride in your body, such as:

• Hyperactivity and/or lethargy
• Arthritis
• Dental fluorosis (staining and pitting of teeth)
• Lowered thyroid function
• Lowered IQ, and dementia
• Disrupted immune system

Fluoride also causes genetic damage and cell death, inactivates at least 62 enzymes in your body, and accelerates the aging process.

Overdosing is Easy

When water fluoridation first began, the “optimal” level of fluoride for dental benefit was said to be 1 mg/day for an adult male, based on the estimate that the average adult male drank one liter of water per day. However, even at that level, 10 percent of the population (those in the high-risk group) was expected to get fluorosis.
But water is not the only source of added fluoride.
Although you may not know it, you are exposed to fluoride from many sources other than the obvious lineup of toothpastes and mouth rinses.
Far less obvious sources of fluoride include:

• Food and beverages processed with fluoridated water
• Mechanically de-boned meat
• Pesticide residue on food
• Pharmaceutical drugs, especially SSRI antidepressants and fluoroquinolone antibiotics like Cipro
• Soy baby formulas
• Instant tea

A 1991 review by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows just how drastic your overexposure might be when taking multiple sources into account.

Fluoride exposure levels for a 110-pound adult from food, beverages, toothpaste, and mouthwash

Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water	Total Fluoride Intake	Percentage Over 1 mg "Optimal" Dosage
Unfluoridated Communities  < 0.3 mg/L	0.88 - 2.20 mg/day	as much as 120 %
"Optimally" Fluoridated       0.7-1.2 mg/L	1.58 - 6.60 mg/day	as much as 560 %
Fluoridated communities          > 2.0 mg/L	2.10 - 7.05 mg/day	possible  >  605 %

If you were to evaluate all the sources of fluoride you’re exposed to on a regular basis, you may be shocked by how much fluoride you and your children are actually ingesting.

Diet, Not Fluoride Builds Healthy Teeth

If you’re wondering how to keep your teeth healthy, remember that fluoride was never the answer in the first place.
Instead, you need to look to your diet if you want healthy teeth. In fact, most people whose diet includes very little sugar and few processed foods have very low rates of tooth decay.
Limiting or eliminating sugar, and avoiding processed foods and eating plenty of green vegetables and vitamin K2 -- along with regular cleanings with your natural dentist – is the best way to ensure your teeth stay healthy naturally.

Further Education

I strongly advise you to continue educating yourself about fluoride and to avoid it as much as you can.
The Fluoride Action Network is a phenomenal resource for further education, and they’re doing much to pressure the US government for change. Their Statement asking Congress to end water fluoridation in the United States has now been signed by over 2,750 professionals.
There are also a number of books on the subject that are well worth reading, including:

• The Fluoride Deception by Christopher Bryson
• Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride by Bernard Meyer Wagner
• Fluoridation: the Great Dilemma by George L. Waldbott
• Fluoride the Aging Factor : How to Recognize and Avoid the Devastating Effects of Fluoride by Dr. John Yiamouyiannis
• Scientific Knowledge in Controversy: The Social Dynamics of the Fluoridation Debate by Brian Martin.
• The Grim Truth About Fluoridation by Robert M. Buck

 From Mercola.com

GMO

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/29/jeffrey-smith-interview-specter-rebuttal.aspx

Butterbur's Two-pronged Action for Migraine Headache Relief

Butterbur acts on migraine headaches in two ways. It removes painful migraine headache symptoms by lowering the inflammatory effect of chemicals like leukotrienes and prostaglandin E2. The second active benefit found in butterbur is its ability to function as a natural beta blocker whose action results in the normal flow of blood to the brain. This helps control blood pressure and spasmodic capillary action, which can also contribute to the onset of migraine headaches.

Wondering how well butterbur works? In a study of 245 people conducted by the Department of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 68% of participants saw the incidence of migraine headache symptoms reduced by at least 50%. This is a huge breakthrough for people suffering from migraine headaches and the results are better than those of many dangerous over-the-counter and prescription medicines

Film on Economy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb1n1X0Oqdw&feature=player_embedded#!
This video has a lot of information backed by real math, not fake numbers like the government would have us believe. This video also has an interesting solution that can contribute to stopping the free fall called the 20% solution.

Another health site resource

Some interesting articles here. I don't agree with everything on this site. But it seemed like it had a lot of good information.

http://www.tbyil.com/healthnews.htm

My Healthcare Plan by Ann Coulter

[Here is an article by Ann Coulter. She makes some really good points in here although I don't always like the way she says certain things. She can be a bit vulgar at times.]

It's a one-page bill creating a free market in health insurance. Let's all pause here for a moment so liberals can Google the term "free market."

Nearly every problem with health care in this country -- apart from trial lawyers and out-of-date magazines in doctors' waiting rooms -- would be solved by my plan.

In the first sentence, Congress will amend the McCarran-Ferguson Act to allow interstate competition in health insurance.

We can't have a free market in health insurance until Congress eliminates the antitrust exemption protecting health insurance companies from competition. If Democrats really wanted to punish insurance companies, which they manifestly do not, they'd make insurers compete.

The very next sentence of my bill provides that the exclusive regulator of insurance companies will be the state where the company's home office is. Every insurance company in the country would incorporate in the state with the fewest government mandates, just as most corporations are based in Delaware today.

That's the only way to bypass idiotic state mandates, requiring all insurance plans offered in the state to cover, for example, the Zone Diet, sex-change operations, and whatever it is that poor Heidi Montag has done to herself this week.

President Obama says we need national health care because Natoma Canfield of Ohio had to drop her insurance when she couldn't afford the $6,700 premiums, and now she's got cancer.

Much as I admire Obama's use of terminally ill human beings as political props, let me point out here that perhaps Natoma could have afforded insurance had she not been required by Ohio's state insurance mandates to purchase a plan that covers infertility treatments and unlimited OB/GYN visits, among other things.

It sounds like Natoma could have used a plan that covered only the basics -- you know, things like cancer.

The third sentence of my bill would prohibit the federal government from regulating insurance companies, except for normal laws and regulations that apply to all companies.

Freed from onerous state and federal mandates turning insurance companies into public utilities, insurers would be allowed to offer a whole smorgasbord of insurance plans, finally giving consumers a choice.

Instead of Harry Reid deciding whether your insurance plan covers Viagra, this decision would be made by you, the consumer. (I apologize for using the terms "Harry Reid" and "Viagra" in the same sentence. I promise that won't happen again.)

Instead of insurance companies jumping to the tune of politicians bought by health-care lobbyists, they would jump to tune of hundreds of millions of Americans buying health insurance on the free market.

Hypochondriac liberals could still buy the aromatherapy plan and normal people would be able to buy plans that only cover things such as major illness, accidents and disease. (Again -- things like Natoma Canfield's cancer.)

This would, in effect, transform medical insurance into ... a form of insurance!

My bill will solve nearly every problem allegedly addressed by ObamaCare -- and mine entails zero cost to the taxpayer. Indeed, a free market in health insurance would produce major tax savings as layers of government bureaucrats, unnecessary to medical service in America, get fired.

For example, in a free market, the government wouldn't need to prohibit insurance companies from excluding "pre-existing conditions."

Of course, an insurance company has to be able to refuse NEW customers with "pre-existing conditions." Otherwise, everyone would just wait to get sick to buy insurance. It's the same reason you can't buy fire insurance on a house that's already on fire.

That isn't an "insurance company"; it's what's known as a "Christian charity."

What Democrats are insinuating when they denounce exclusions of "pre-existing conditions" is an insurance company using the "pre-existing condition" ruse to deny coverage to a current policy holder -- someone who's been paying into the plan, year after year.

Any insurance company operating in the free market that pulled that trick wouldn't stay in business long.

If hotels were as heavily regulated as health insurance is, right now I'd be explaining to you why the government doesn't need to mandate that hotels offer rooms with beds. If they didn't, they'd go out of business.

I'm sure people who lived in the old Soviet Union thought it was crazy to leave groceries to the free market. ("But what if they don't stock the food we want?")

The market is a more powerful enforcement mechanism than indolent government bureaucrats. If you don't believe me, ask Toyota about six months from now.

Right now, insurance companies are protected by government regulations from having to honor their contracts. Violating contracts isn't so easy when competitors are lurking, ready to steal your customers.

In addition to saving taxpayer money and providing better health insurance, my plan also saves trees by being 2,199 pages shorter than the Democrats' plan.

Feel free to steal it, Republicans!

Introduction to Yeast Candida Infections and Associated Illness's

This site seems interesting. It is also the link to the the previous post. I haven't really read much here. It might be worthwhile checking it out.
http://www.yeast-candida-infections-uk.co.uk/

Mental illness, Depression.. An infectious disease... appendix is associated with schizophrenia

As has been pointed out in previous articles by Dr Mercola Omega 3 is only one of many mineral/vitamins the average westerner is short of …But is it just a nutritional problem or is it that we are now failing to metabolise food properly because of antibiotic damaged gut flora?....from my site…. “When a pathological state exists, this finely balanced symbiosis may be damaged and cease to function normally. Several different states in the gut may exist. Symbiotic bacteria may be damaged, causing the malabsorbtion of critical vitamins and minerals. If the damage is extensive and/or long lasting, pathogenic yeast and gram-negative bacilli will begin to fill the vacuum left by the healthy bacteria.”
Parents of children with autism were roughly twice as likely to have been hospitalized for a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, than parents of other children,
Read in my site how the appendix is associated with schizophrenia. And the “chemistry of mental illness”
When we have a gut dysbiosis , Pandora’s box has been well and truly opened,  restoring normal is not just a case of taking friendly probiotic bacteria , probiotic bacteria are transient they neither stay or multiply in the gut …. Read my site for more ..
www.yeast-candida-infections-uk.co.uk/.../58

Fluoride

Is Fluoride Really As Safe As You Are Told?

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
February 02 2002 | 14,545 views

[ Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 ]

Next >>

Fluoride is added to the water supply of most American cities for the ostensible purpose of dental hygiene. The reader will be amazed to find out that such a thing is not only unlikely, but actually the reverse of the ongoing reality

The U.S. has been fluoridating drinking water for so many decades that we hardly think about it. Very few articles appear about fluoridation in newspapers and magazines any more.
At least chlorine will evaporate from a glass of water if you let it sit for an hour or so. No such luck with fluoride. Even cooking, food processing, filtration, or digestion doesn‘t remove fluoride. Goes right up the food chain. Accumulates in fat cells.

(click on title of this post to go to Part 1 or copy and past the below link, from there you can access Part 2 and 3)

Part 1: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/02/fluoride-safety-part-one.aspx

Factory foods filled with disease

You may like you chicken baked, broiled, grilled or fried... but odds are you're also enjoying it with a heaping helping of contamination.

Consumers Union, the organization behind the magazine Consumer Reports, found bacterial contamination in nearly two-thirds of store-bought chickens during a recent test.

And guess what? That number's an improvement! Just two years ago, they found 80 percent of all supermarket chickens to be contaminated.

In the recent analysis, the company bought 382 fresh broiler chickens from 100 supermarkets in 22 states. And they found the number-two cause of food-borne illness, campylobacter, present in 62 percent of the chickens.

Not only that, but they also found salmonella – our leading cause of food-borne sickness – in 14 percent of the chickens.

Still feel like getting your meat from factory farms?

These numbers may shock you – but I'm not surprised in the least. It's a testament to American resilience that we're not dropping dead left and right from massive waves of food poisoning, and not just from the chickens.

I won't eat any of the contaminated garbage that emerges from these filthy factory operations, and not because I don't like meat. I'm a certified carnivore – but I only eat grass-fed beef and meat from free-range chickens from smaller farms that know how to keep things clean and safe.

More expensive, sure – but this isn't an area where you want to skimp, because once meat enters those big soiled slop-halls, anything can happen.

Just take a look at the recent news out of Texas, where a Tyson plant that makes seafood soup was cited for food contamination.

FDA inspectors found "serious violations" there... so here's what they did: They sat around for a couple of months... and then they wrote the plant a letter. I wonder if they used a quill dipped in ink and sent it via Pony Express, too.

Meanwhile, seafood soup from this place is out there on supermarket shelves right now... and the plant is still in operation, probably in the same condition – since the company has of course denied any problems there.

One more reason to avoid canned food at all cost.

Ruffling feathers and kicking cans,

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

Behind the Push for Pasteurization

If you love your milk so fresh you can still hear the moo, watch out: Big Dairy is coming after you – again.

Two lobbying groups backed by untold piles of dirty dairy dollars are urging lawmakers to put raw milk out to pasture, calling it a "significant food safety hazard."

But as long as we're talking farm, let's call that what it really is: hogwash (yeah, another farm word came to mind first... but I try to keep this family-friendly).

The International Dairy Foods Association and the National Milk Producers Federation want all unpasteurized products to follow the same standards as other milk products – in other words, they want everything pasteurized.

But the problem with raw milk isn't that it's dangerous – because it isn't. I've been drinking this stuff for years, and I'm just one member of a small-but-devoted army of raw-milk lovers. And believe me, we're healthier than most people.

No, the problem is that it's harder for Big Dairy to turn a profit on raw milk, and harder to tax.

Think about it – legal raw milk would mean small farmers everywhere could sell it at market price direct to consumers from roadside stands... the way many of them now sell peach pies.

Big Dairy wouldn't earn a dime off that. And Uncle Sam gets nervous because it would be difficult to keep tabs on all these small operations at tax time.

So instead, farmers are essentially forced to sell their milk to Big Dairy for a fraction of its value.

But the dairy barons can't ever tell you that... so they pretend it's about safety instead.

I'll say it again: Hogwash!

Pasteurization sucks many of the nutrients out of the milk, including vitamins C, B6 and B12. It even sucks the calcium out – any calcium you find in store-bought milk is usually added during fortification.

All that, and it's still not guaranteed to be perfectly safe. People still get sick and even die from bacteria in pasteurized milk – bacteria that, in theory, shouldn't be there.

One study found that between 1982 and 1997, 220,000 people were sickened by salmonella in pasteurized milk. During that same period, not a single person reported getting sick from raw milk.

Raw milk should be celebrated... instead, we're forced to hide and sneak and find creative ways around laws designed to stop us from getting our milk... like buying shares in cows the same way some people buy partial ownership of vacation homes.

If you're interested in all the benefits of raw milk, visit a local dairy farmer and see what he can do for you.

Not only does the real stuff taste far better than that milk-colored store-bought junk, but it contains more essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and a natural antibiotic called lactoferrin. Raw milk drinkers will tell you the benefits include weight loss, better immunity from colds and even pain relief.

One warning: Drinking raw milk means you may be treated like an outlaw... when all you really want is a chance to do your body good.

(From the Douglass Report )

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products.
Risks: Cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment
Major Sources: Drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellants, air fresheners.
-Mercola.com

St. Claude on Humility

"A really humble person sees only her own faults and not those of others. What a wretched occupation it is to be always examining what others do! Let us prefer rather to be blind and without judgement than to use our powers to consider and judge the actions of our neighbor. A heart that is full of the love of God occupies itself quite differently; it only thinks of suffering for Him whom it loves, and it loves all those who give it an opportunity of suffering for its Beloved."

Uses for Table Salt

This is from Jenny Thompson at HSI [Anything you have to ingest or eat I would substitute with unrefined sea salt. I actually haven't read this all the way through, but some of them seemed interesting]:

1. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
2. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
3. Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.
4. Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.
5. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
6. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.
7. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
8. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
9. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
10. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.
11. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
12. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
13. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten your bathtub and toilet bowl.
14. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
15. Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
16. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
17. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
18. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
19. Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
20. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.
21. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
22. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.
23. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
24. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
25. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
26. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
27. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
28. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
29. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.
30. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
31. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
32. Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
33. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
34. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
35. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
36. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
37. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
38. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
39. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
40. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
41. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
42. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
43. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
44. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
45. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
46. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
47. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
48. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odor.
49. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
50. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
51. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
52. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.
53. Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.
54. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
55. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
56. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
57. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.
58. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.
59. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson

10 Reasons to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
February 27 2010 | 22,801 views

GM foods won’t solve the food crisis

A 2008 World Bank report concluded that increased biofuel production (crops grown for fuel rather than food) is the major cause of the increase in food prices.  GM giant Monsanto has been at the heart of the lobbying for biofuels -- while profiting enormously from the resulting food crisis and using it as a PR opportunity to promote GM foods!

GM crops do not increase yield potential

Despite the promises, GM has not increased the yield potential of any commercialized crops. In fact, studies show that the most widely grown GM crop, GM soy, has suffered reduced yields.

GM crops increase pesticide use

U.S. government data shows that in the U.S., GM crops have produced an overall increase, not decrease, in pesticide use compared to conventional crops.

There are better ways to feed the world

A major UN/World Bank-sponsored report compiled by 400 scientists and endorsed by 58 countries concluded that GM crops have little to offer global agriculture and the challenges of poverty, hunger, and climate change, because better alternatives are available.

Other farm technologies are more successful

Integrated Pest Management and other innovative low-input or organic methods of controlling pests and boosting yields have proven highly effective, particularly in the developing world.

GM foods have not been shown to be safe to eat

Genetic modification is a crude and imprecise way of incorporating foreign genetic material into crops, with unpredictable consequences. The resulting GM foods have undergone little rigorous and no long-term safety testing, but animal feeding tests have shown worrying health effects.

Stealth GMOs in animal feed -- without consumers’ consent

Meat, eggs and dairy products from animals raised on the millions of tons of GM feed imported into Europe do not have to be labeled. Some studies show that if GM crops are fed to animals, GM material can appear in the resulting products, and that the animals’ health can be affected.

GM crops are a long-term economic disaster for farmers

A 2009 report showed that GM seed prices in America have increased dramatically, cutting average farm incomes for U.S. farmers growing GM crops.

GM and non-GM cannot co-exist

GM contamination of conventional and organic food is increasing. An unapproved GM rice that was grown for only one year in field trials was found to have extensively contaminated the U.S. rice supply and seed stocks. In Canada, the organic oilseed rape industry has been destroyed by contamination from GM rape. In Spain, a study found that GM maize “has caused a drastic reduction in organic cultivations of this grain and is making their coexistence practically impossible”.

You can’t trust GM companies

The big biotech firms pushing their GM foods have a terrible history of toxic contamination and public deception. GM is attractive to them because it gives them patents that allow monopoly control over the world’s food supply. They have taken to harassing and intimidating farmers for the “crime” of saving patented seed or “stealing” patented genes -- even if those genes got into the farmer’s fields through accidental contamination by wind or insects.

Sources:

  GM Watch February 2010

Guest Comment by Jeffrey M. Smith

1. Eating genetically modified (GM) foods may cause disease

GMOs may be the greatest health disaster in the American diet. Within 9 years of their introduction in 1996, multiple chronic illnesses jumped from 7 percent to 13 percent of the population,^[1] food allergies doubled in less time, and many other ailments have been on the rise.
Millions may already be suffering health problems caused by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their diet. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has urged doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients, and cites animal studies that show how GMOs cause disorders such as vital organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system problems, accelerated aging, infertility, and dysfunctional regulation of insulin and cholesterol.

Baby rats from moms that ate GM soy were smaller than those fed natural soy. More than half the GM soy group died within three weeks. Irina Ermakova, 2005-2007.

2. GMOs might cause infertility or hurt newborns

When GM soy flour was added to the diets of female rats, most of their babies died within three weeks—compared to only a 10 percent death rate among mothers fed natural soy.^[2] The GM-fed offspring were smaller, and later had problems getting pregnant.^[3] When male rats were fed GM soy, their testicles changed from the normal pink color to dark blue.^[4] Mice testicles also showed changes, including damaged young sperm cells.^[5]

The DNA in mice embryos functioned differently when their parents ate GM soy.^[6] And an Austrian government study reported that mice fed GM corn had fewer and smaller babies.^[7]
About two dozen US farmers say that thousands of their pigs became sterile after consuming certain GM corn varieties. Some had false pregnancies, others gave birth to bags of water.
Cows and bulls also became infertile when fed the same corn.^[8] Investigators in the state of Haryana, India, report that most buffalo that ate GM cottonseed had reproductive complications such as premature deliveries, abortions, infertility, and prolapsed uteruses. Many calves died.^[9]

3. GM corn contains a toxic pesticide in every bite

Some GM varieties produce poison—their DNA creates an insect killing “Bt-toxin” in every cell. Monsanto and others claim that the toxin is safe for humans and mammals because the gene that produces it comes from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis.
Farmers have long used these natural bacteria as a pesticidal spray. But when the spray was widely dispersed to fight gypsy moths in Washington and Vancouver, about 500 people reported allergic and flu-like symptoms.^[10]

Genetic engineers insert the bacteria’s toxin-creating gene into corn and cotton plants, which produce a more toxic poison. It’s thousands of times more concentrated than the spray and cannot be washed off.
Now, thousands of Indian farm laborers who are exposed to Monsanto’s Bt cotton plants are suffering from the same symptoms as those in the Pacific Northwest.^[11]
In addition, thousands of sheep, goats, and buffalo have died after grazing on Bt cotton plants.^[12] Countless other livestock have suffered reproductive disorders, skin disruptions, and upper respiratory ailments.
In one small feeding study, all the sheep that consumed Bt plants died within a month. Those that ate natural plants remained healthy.^[13]
Bt corn is also linked to animal deaths in Germany^[14] and The Philippines,^[15] and according to an Italian government study, evokes serious immune responses in mice.^[16] Even Monsanto’s 90-day rat feeding studies with Bt corn showed vital organ damage and signs of toxicity.^[17]

4. GMOs might cause allergies

Soon after GM soy was introduced to the UK, soy allergies skyrocketed by 50 percent.^[18] There are many reasons why people may be more reactive to GMOs.

• GM soy, corn, and papaya fail the allergy screening protocol recommended by the World Health Organization; their GM proteins have properties of known allergens.^[19]
• The widespread collateral damage resulting from the process of creating GMOs can introduce new allergens or elevate existing ones. GM corn contains a new unintended allergen^[20] and GM soy has up to seven times more of the soy allergen trypsin inhibitor.^[21]
• Preliminary allergy tests confirm that some people have skin prick reactions to GM soy, but not to a wild natural variety.^[22]
• Consuming GMOs may also provoke allergies to other foods.
• Mice not only reacted to Bt-toxin^[23] and an experimental GM pea,^[24] they then started reacting to other foods that previously had no impact.
• GM soy drastically reduces digestive enzymes in mice.^[25] If your digestive ability is also impaired, you could become allergic to many types of food.

5. GMOs have higher residues of poisonous herbicide

The primary reason crops are engineered is to allow them to drink poison. They’re called herbicide tolerant, and are inserted with bacterial genes that allow them to survive otherwise deadly doses of toxic herbicide.
Biotech companies sell the seed and herbicide as a package. Monsanto sells Roundup Ready crops and Roundup herbicide. Bayer CropScience sells Liberty Link crops and Liberty herbicide.
Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on these poison drinking GMOs.^[26]
Because weeds are becoming resistant to the overused herbicide, farmers are spraying considerably more each year. The last 2 years of the 13-year study alone accounted for 46 percent of the increased herbicide use.

6. GM genes can convert your intestinal bacteria into living factories that continuously produce pesticides or other harmful products

The ONLY published GMO human feeding study (that’s right, there’s only one) confirmed that genes transfer from GM soybeans into the DNA of bacteria living inside our small intestines and continue to function.^[27]
Human subjects that ate Roundup Ready soybeans ended up with “Roundup Ready gut bacteria”—unkillable with Roundup. If the pesticide-producing Bt gene in corn chips were also to transfer, it could turn your intestinal flora into living pesticide factories—possibly for the long term.

7. GMOs are approved without adequate safety studies

In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration claimed they had no information showing that GM foods were substantially different from conventionally grown foods. Therefore absolutely no safety studies were required.
But secret internal memos made public by a lawsuit show that the actual consensus among FDA scientists was that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies.
Sadly, the FDA official in charge of policy ignored the warnings. He was Michael Taylor, Monsanto’s former attorney and later their vice president.
Because of him, the same biotech companies who have been found guilty of hiding toxic effects of their chemical products are now in charge of determining whether their GM foods are safe. A close look at their so-called GMO safety studies shows how they rig research to avoid problems. They’ve got bad science down to a science.
Tragically, Michael Taylor, who may be responsible for more food-related illness and death in human history, is now back at the FDA as the US Food Safety Czar.

8. GMOs cause irreversible genetic pollution

GMOs cross pollinate and spread into the environment. A total recall is impossible.
The self-propagating genetic pollution already released will outlast the effects of global warming and nuclear waste.

9. GMOs work against feeding a hungry world

The most authoritative evaluation of agriculture, the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development,^[28] determined that the current GMOs have nothing to offer the goals of reducing hunger and poverty, improving nutrition, health and rural livelihoods, and facilitating social and environmental sustainability.
The report was a three-year collaborative effort with 900 participants and 110 countries, and was co-sponsored by all the majors, e.g. the World Bank, FAO, UNESCO, WHO. In reality, GMOs reduce yield,^[29] increase farmers’ dependence on multinationals, reduce biodiversity, increase herbicide use, and take money away from more successful and appropriate methods.
In developing nations, GMOs can be catastrophic.
In India, for example, Monsanto convinced hundreds of thousands of farmers to take out high interest loans to pay for expensive GM cotton seeds and associated chemicals. Inconsistent yields left desperate farmers unable to even pay back their loans. The UK Daily Mail estimates that an astounding 125,000 indebted GM cotton farmers committed suicide.^[30]

10. By avoiding GMOs, you help create a tipping point to drive them out of our food supply

Because GMOs give no consumer benefits, if even a small percentage of us start rejecting brands that contain them, GM ingredients will become a marketing liability. Food companies will kick them out.
The tipping point can come quickly.
In Europe, for example, within 10 weeks of a high profile GMO safety scandal that hit the papers in 1999, virtually every major food company committed to stop using GM foods. In the US, a consumer rebellion against genetically modified bovine growth hormone used on dairy cows has also reached a tipping point. Drugged milk and/or yogurt has been rejected by Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Dannon, Yoplait, and about 60 of the top 100 dairies so far.
The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America is designed to achieve a tipping point against GMOs in the US. The number of non-GMO shoppers needed is probably just 5 percent of the population.
They key is to educate consumers about the documented health dangers and provide a Non-GMO Shopping Guide, to make avoiding GMOs much easier. Thus, by choosing healthier non-GMO brands, and telling others about GMOs so they can do the same, we can quickly reclaim a non-GMO food supply.
Visit the Campaign’s website for GMO educational materials to read, watch, listen to, and pass onto others.

Take Action Against GM Alfalfa Now … We Need Your Help!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is, for the first time, conducting an analysis known as an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a GM crop. This crop is Monsanto’s genetically engineered Roundup Ready alfalfa, and we need your help to voice your opinion and help keep this plant from getting approved.
In 2006, the Center for Food Safety sued the USDA for illegally approving GM alfalfa. Federal courts agreed and banned GM alfalfa until the USDA could provide an EIS -- which they did in December 2009.
There is now a comment period open to the public, but it ends on March 3, 2010 -- so time is running out.
The USDA’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement admits that if GM alfalfa is approved:

• GM contamination of non-GM and organic alfalfa crops will occur
  
• GM contamination will economically impact small and family farmers
  
• Foreign export markets will be at risk due to rejection of GM-contaminated products
  
• Farmers will be forced to use more toxic herbicides to remove old stands of alfalfa
  

Yet, the USDA has brushed off these concerns as insignificant, and intends to approve GM alfalfa anyway. They even went so far as to say in the EIS that consumers don't care if their organic food is GM contaminated and neither do organic farmers!
This case is not only important for the future of GM alfalfa … the final decision on this case could have broad implications for the future of all GM crops.
So please call your Congressional Representatives today and ask them to urge Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack to deny approval of Monsanto's GM alfalfa.
To do so, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senator/Representative’s office. You can find the name of your Senator/Representative here.
When you speak with the agriculture staff person (or leave a message), be sure to let them know that you DO NOT support the deregulation of GM alfalfa. You can also mention these reasons, which were compiled by the Center for Food Safety, as to why:

• GM contamination of non-GM and organic crops would be inevitable
• You won’t buy products that are GM-contaminated
• Alfalfa is a major food source for livestock and GM alfalfa would destroy the integrity of organic dairy products
• You support the rights of farmers to grow the crops of their choice, and GM contamination makes that impossible
• GM crops increase pesticide use, harming human health and the environment
• Ask your Representative and Senators to contact Secretary Vilsack and urge him to deny USDA approval of Monsanto's GM alfalfa

You can also submit your comments online here, and the True Food Network has compiled a sample email that you can use for inspiration.
Again, the deadline for public comment is March 3, so please let your opinion be heard. Tell your Representative and Senators that the USDA is wrong -- you DO care if your organic food is contaminated with GM crops, and you do NOT support the approval of Monsanto’s genetically engineered Roundup Ready alfalfa.

About the Author

International bestselling author and filmmaker Jeffrey M. Smith is the leading spokesperson on the health dangers of GMOs. His first book, Seeds of Deception, is the world’s bestselling and #1 rated book on the subject. His second, Genetic Roulette, documents the health dangers of GMOs and why current assessments are not competent to protect consumers.
He is the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, which runs the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America, and lives with his wife in Iowa—surrounded by genetically modified corn and soybeans.

Please click on title of this post to go to the link to see the footnotes.

Saturated Fat is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease

Click on the title of this post to go to the article. Make sure after you read the article you click on the comments. Often times the comments are very informative.

Hazards of Genetically Engineered Food

Click on the title of this post and watch the video at that link.

Beeswax Candles

This is from some site I can't remember where:
Beeswax is a sweet, simple renewable fuel that burns long and bright. It is non-toxic and hypo allergenic. Beeswax has the highest melting point of any other candle wax and thus provides ridiculously long burn times.

Beeswax Emits Negative Ions!
Yes it's true and finally there is a scientific study to back up the hype! For years alternative health practitioners, entomologists and most notably beeswax candle makers have celebrated the fact that beeswax is the only candle fuel that emits negative ions which in turn cleanse the air. In a study performed by a Japanese laboratory comparing the negative ion emissions of a paraffin candle versus a beeswax candle the paraffin candle did indeed emit negative ions but did so at a significantly lower rate than the beeswax candle. So while beeswax is not the only fuel to emit negative ions it is definitely superior to paraffin and does not contain the carcinogenic compounds that paraffin does.

How do negative ions work?
Airborne contaminates like dust, mold and odors are held aloft by positively charged ions. Negative ions are drawn toward positive ions, latch on and the now weighted contaminates fall to the ground. A rainstorm is an example of a negative ionic event and that is why the air smells so fresh and clean after a rainstorm.

Types of Beeswax
The 100% pure beeswax candle market is dominated by two general types of beeswax; highly filtered beeswax and unrefined beeswax.

Highly Filtered Beeswax
Highly filtered beeswax has been cleaned of impurities (honey and pollen) using an intensive filtration system. The end product is a fantastic candle fuel but unfortunately it lacks the sweet honey fragrance found in raw beeswax. Many manufacturers and sellers of filtered beeswax candles talk about the “subtle” honey scent but really the proper description would be “barely recognizable” honey scent. Filtered beeswax can be white or yellow.

Unrefined Beeswax
Unrefined beeswax is no doubt a magical substance. It varies in appearance as radically as did the flowers from which the bees took pollen. The color ranges from a dull brown to an almost translucent bright yellow and the honey scent, while always present can also be very different from wax to wax. One thing is sure, what makes for fragrant raw beeswax also causes problems in burning. These impurities tend to clog the wick, weaken the flame and cause tunneling. The larger the diameter of candle, the more problems you will encounter. 7/8" Tapers are a great candle to use raw beeswax with; 3" pillars are more troublesome. The very lightest yellow raw waxes are certainly better than their darker counterparts but they too require a much larger, more robust wick to carry the particulate load. This can lead to excessive smoking.

New! Lightly Filtered Beeswax
At Bluecorn we have created the best of both worlds by using lightly filtered beeswax that burns cleanly and easily and retains the quintessential sweetness of the unrefined wax.

Honeycomb Beeswax
Honeycomb candles are rolled from a solid sheet of filtered beeswax that has been imprinted with the honeycomb pattern. The finished product is a very lightweight candle that burns much more quickly than a solid beeswax candle.

Test for Stroke

from HSI:
Quick diagnosis of a stroke is essential. But this can be difficult because early signs are often subtle. If irregular behavior raises suspicions of a stroke, here's an easy four-step stroke test that can help you spot a problem:

1) Ask the suspected victim to smile
2) Ask him to repeat a simple sentence
3) Ask him to raise both arms
4) Ask him to stick out his tongue straight out

If any one of the four tests can't be completed, call 911 immediately and describe symptoms to the dispatcher.
Then be ready to move quickly. The quicker the better.

Suffering

"Even suffering is part of the truth of our life. Thus, trying to
shield the youngest from every difficulty and experience of
suffering, we risk creating, despite our good intentions, fragile
persons of little generosity:
The capacity to love, in fact, corresponds to the capacity to suffer,
and to suffer together." Benedict XVI

Penance

"Penance is nothing more than accepting all our crosses daily willingly. No matter how small, accept them with love. "
---I forgot where I got this quote--possibly Grou

My Favorite Saint Quotes on the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

from the blog Catholic Fire:

On this feast day of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, I would like to share some of my favorite quotes from the saints on Mary.

* St. Josemaria Escriva: "Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle." "When you see the storm coming, if you seek safety in that firm refuge which is Mary, there will be no danger of your wavering or going down."
* St. Alphonsus Liguori: "Such is the will of God that we should have everything through Mary."
* Venerable Pope John Paul II: "From Mary we learn to surrender to God's will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust when all hope is gone. From Mary we learn to trust her Son and Christ the Son of God."
* St. Bonaventure: “It is the privilege of the glory of Mary, that after God, our greatest happiness is from her.”
* St. Teresa of Avila: “The devotions we practice in honor of the glorious Virgin Mary, however trifling they may be, are very pleasing to Her Divine Son, and He rewards them with eternal glory.”
* St. Philip Neri: “Believe me, there is no more powerful means to obtain God’s grace than to employ the intercessions of the Holy Virgin.”
* St. Louis de Montfort: “When the Holy Spirit finds Mary in a soul, He enters that soul completely and communicates Himself completely to that soul.”
* St. Catherine of Siena: “Mary is the most sweet bait, chosen, prepared, and ordained by God, to catch the hearts of men.”

12 Foods You Don't Have to Buy Organic?

[Don't just read this list and discard the rest of the article. Further down shows why some of the foods on this list may not be so safe. I don't remember where I got this article from...possibly from Six-Wise]

Of the 43 different fruit and vegetable categories in the Guide to Pesticides, the following twelve foods had the lowest pesticide load when conventionally grown. Consequently, they are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume:

* Broccoli
* Eggplant
* Cabbage
* Banana
* Kiwi
* Asparagus
* Sweet peas (frozen)
* Mango
* Pineapple
* Sweet corn (frozen)
* Avocado
* Onion

The biggest study ever into organic food – a four-year EU funded project called the Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) project – found that organic food is FAR more nutritious than ordinary produce, and can help improve your health and longevity. You're likely to hear more about this again, once they publish their findings in full, which is expected to occur by the end of this year.

This study may have considerable impact, as its findings may even overturn government advice – at least in the U.K. – which currently states that eating organic food is no more than a lifestyle choice.

For example, this study found that:

* Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
* Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
* Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants

The researchers even went so far as to say that eating organic foods can help to increase the nutrient intake of people who don't eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Food grown in healthier soil, with natural fertilizers and no chemicals, simply has to be more nutritious. It is common knowledge -- though knowledge that is greatly suppressed in the United States. But science is catching up, making suppression of this fact more difficult to sustain.

A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, for example, found that organic foods are better for fighting cancer. And in 2005, scientists found that, compared to rats that ate conventional diets, organically fed rats experienced various health benefits, including:

* Improved immune system status
* Better sleeping habits
* Less weight and were slimmer than rats fed other diets
* Higher vitamin E content in their blood (for organically fed rats)

Does this mean that you should ditch all of your conventional produce and meat, and only buy certified organic foods? Well, yes … and no.

What Should You Buy Organic?

Aside from the fact that organic food contains higher levels of vital nutrients, organic foods are also lower in other residues and compounds that are seriously detrimental to your health, such as herbicide- and pesticide residues.

Additionally, the use of pesticides and herbicides in conventional farming practices contaminates groundwater, ruins the soil structure and promotes erosion. They've also been linked to the mysterious "colony collapse disorder" that threatens pollinating honeybees around the world. With that in mind, buying or growing as much organic food as possible is not only best for your health, but for the health of the entire planet.

That said, however, certain fruits and vegetables are subjected to far heavier pesticide use than others. And with food prices rising, many are looking for ways to buy the healthiest foods possible at the lowest cost. One such way would be to focus on purchasing certain organic items, while "settling" for others that are conventionally-grown.

This is where the EWG study of pesticide residue on produce really helps.

Of the 43 different fruit and vegetable categories tested, these 12 fruits and vegetables had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy or grow organic:

* Peaches
* Apples
* Sweet bell peppers
* Celery
* Nectarines
* Strawberries
* Cherries
* Lettuce
* Grapes (imported)
* Pears
* Spinach
* Potatoes

Conventionally-grown strawberries, in particular, were found to be highly toxic due to a poisonous blend of pesticides in a previous 2007 EU study as well.

But be VERY careful as the list above is for fruits and vegetables. Non-organic meats have far higher concentrations of pesticides than all of the fruits and vegetables. And the highest concentration of pesticides is actually in non-organic butter.

So if you can only buy one organic food item it should be butter. Next priority would be meats and once those are addressed, you will want to focus on the fruit and vegetable list above.

Locally-grown organics are your absolute best bet, but bear in mind that many times buying locally-grown food is your best choice even if it's grown conventionally, as the environmental impact of shipping organic produce across the globe can cancel out many its benefits. Organic farming standards are also questionable in many parts of the world.

These Conventionally-Grown Foods are Low in Pesticide Residue -- But Watch Out For GMO Varieties!

While you may have heard about the most common GMO food sources, such as corn, many people are clueless about JUST HOW MUCH of your produce is now available in GMO varieties. And, perhaps even worse, just how many deliberate GMO field trials are actually going on, all across the world.

A perfect example of the repercussions of this practice can be seen in Hawaii, where non-GMO papaya seed supplies are now so seriously contaminated by GMO seeds that at least 50 percent of organic seeds test positive for GMO!

That means you have a greater than 50/50 chance of buying GMO even when buying organic Hawaiian papaya…

Although the U.S. does not require GMOs to be labeled, you can still find out whether or not your produce is genetically engineered, by looking at its PLU code. For example:

* A conventionally grown product carries a 4-digit PLU code (Ex: conventionally grown banana: 4011)
* An organic product carries a 5-digit code, starting with the number 9: (Ex: organic banana: 94011)
* A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) product has a 5-digit code, starting with the number 8: (Ex: GE banana: 84011)

Here are a few other fruits that are LOW in pesticide residue, and therefore good candidates to purchase as conventionally-grown, however, double-check to make sure you're not buying a GMO variety.

* Avocado – A new GMO avocado variety is scheduled to be introduced this year that is immune to "stress" and pests, per an Indian state report published in March, 2008.

* Bananas – The first GMO banana with extra genes that increase its levels of pro-vitamin A and iron is being unleashed in Australian field trials this year. At Cornell University, researchers are also working to develop a banana that carries the hepatitis B vaccine.

* Pineapple -- GMO pineapples, designed to produce greater levels of proteins, vitamins and sugars may already be on the market. Australia applied for pineapple into environment all the way back in 2002. The pineapple is called "Smooth Cayenne," which has delayed flowering and herbicide resistance. It also contains the tobacco acetolactate synthase gene (suRB) from Nicotiana tabacum.

* Kiwi -- The transgenic variety of kiwi fruit is the Actinidia deliciosa from Italy.

Remember, if you can't afford to purchase all organic food, at least aim to buy produce that has a lower toxic load and is non-GMO.

Can the sun cause skin rash?

Lack of essential fatty acids and antioxidants can cause skin rash from the sun. SPF suntan lotion is toxic and compounds the problem.

Recorded by David J. Getoff, CTN, CCN, FAAIM, Vice President PPNF.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN (8.1 MB - Run Time = 23 Min 28 Sec)
http://www.ppnf.org/catalog/ppnf/ppnf_speaks_out.htm

Pillows – a hot bed of fungal spore

from HSI:
"Pillows – a hot bed of fungal spores" is the somewhat threatening title of a discussion in the Allergies forum. And while you may not want to even think about what really goes on in your pillows, asthma patients and people with weak immune systems need to be aware of how to avoid problems caused by fungal spores.

An HSI member named BaronVonLucis starts the thread off with a press release from the University of Manchester where researchers examined samples from feather and synthetic pillows. Four to 16 different species of fungus were detected. Synthetic pillows were particularly vulnerable to Aspergillus fumigatus, a species of fungal spores that can trigger disease and create a condition known as Aspergillosis, which prompts infection and aggravates asthma.

The press release is followed by this: "Question from the Baron: What would be good way to disinfect pillow? Soak with CS or GSE [colloidal silver / grapefruit seed extract]?"

Billy: "After reading this I soaked my pillow case and pillow liner in CS and GSE and hung them out in the sun. My pillow is the memory foam type and would take forever to dry. I may just spray it with the disinfectants. I hope this helps my asthma."

Five days later, Billy posted this follow up: "It may be a coincidence but after I soaked my pillow case & liner in CS & GSE and after encasing my pillow & mattress in zip-up bags, I'm now off all asthma meds."

Jo UK: "This must be why most Europeans put their duvets and pillows out of the window each morning - sunlight and fresh air are the best cleaning agents for bedding."

Naturalway: "My grandmother always put the bedding out in the sun. Also, she had a dryer but always hung the clothes out. She said the sun killed germs. I've been hanging my clothes out in the sun, instead of using the dryer, as well as the bedding. Guess I'll put the pillows out, too."

Ruth: "I was told by an allergist (old school) 15 years ago that putting my son's pillow and stuffed animals in the freezer for 8 -12 hours would kill the dust mites. You'd think this would also kill the fungi as well."

Jerry: "We have used the Medibed pillow and mattress cover for a couple of years now and they are excellent. They provide a barrier between you and the mattress (and pillow). They go on underneath your sheets and pillow cases and you just take them off every three months and wash them. Dust mites and their feces are a bigger problem than people realize. Oprah even had a show about it a while back."

Leppert: "After this thread's reminder I washed my down pillow in hot water (front loading machine) with a dropperful of Citricidal GSE, one scoop of Tide, and two full scoops of Oxyclean. I put on the longest cycle. I used vinegar in a couple extra rinses. It turned out really great."

Why are Babies Being Born Toxic?

Why are Babies Being Born Toxic …
and What Does This Mean for YOU and Your Family?
by www.SixWise.com

Babies, who represent what is most innocent and pure about humanity, are being exposed to high levels of chemicals while still in the womb. Sadly, this chemical exposure leads to babies being born toxic with greatly heightened potential to develop chronic diseases much earlier in life.
EWG’s study found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in babies’ cord blood, including pesticides, consumer product ingredients and wastes from burning coal, gasoline andgarbage. Also found in the babies’ cord blood samples were:

• Eight perfluorochemicals used as stain and oil repellants in fast food packaging, clothes and textiles
  
• The Teflon chemical PFOA, which has been called a likely human carcinogen by the EPA's Science Advisory Board, was among the eight perfluorochemicals detected.
  
• Dozens of widely used brominated flame retardants and their toxic by-products
  
• Numerous pesticides
  

Further, out of the 287 total chemicals detected in umbilical cord blood, EWG reports that:

• 180 cause cancer in humans or animals
  
• 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system
  
• 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests
  

“The dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins have never been studied,” EWG’s report stated.
EWG further shared their shocking findings with the data that follows:
Chemicals and pollutants detected in human umbilical cord blood:

• Mercury (Hg) -- tested for 1, found 1

Pollutant from coal-fired power plants, mercury-containing products, and certain industrial processes. Accumulates in seafood. Harms brain development and function.

• Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) -- tested for 18, found 9

Pollutants from burning gasoline and garbage. Linked to cancer. Accumulates in food chain.

• Polybrominated dibenzodioxins and furans (PBDD/F) -- tested for 12, found 7

Contaminants in brominated flame retardants. Pollutants and byproducts from plastic production and incineration. Accumulate in food chain. Toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system

• Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) -- tested for 12, found 9

Active ingredients or breakdown products of Teflon, Scotchgard, fabric and carpet protectors, food wrap coatings. Global contaminants. Accumulate in the environment and the food chain. Linked to cancer, birth defects, and more.

• Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans (PCDD/F) -- tested for 17, found 11

Pollutants, by-products of PVC production, industrial bleaching, and incineration. Cause cancer in humans. Persist for decades in the environment. Very toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system.

• Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) -- tested for 28, found 21

DDT, chlordane and other pesticides. Largely banned in the U.S. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and numerous reproductive effects.

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) -- tested for 46, found 32

Flame retardant in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulates in the food chain and human tissues. Adversely affects brain development and the thyroid.

• Polychlorinated Naphthalenes (PCNs) -- tested for 70, found 50

Wood preservatives, varnishes, machine lubricating oils, waste incineration. Common PCB contaminant. Contaminate the food chain. Cause liver and kidney damage.

• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) -- tested for 209, found 147

Industrial insulators and lubricants. Banned in the U.S. in 1976. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and nervous system problems.

Babies are Extremely Vulnerable to Chemical Exposures
A 1993 report from the National Academy of Sciences explained just why children are so at risk from exposures to environmental chemicals:

• A developing child's chemical exposures are greater pound-for-pound than those of adults.
  
• An immature, porous blood-brain barrier allows greater chemical exposures to the developing brain.
  
• Children have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, allowing more of a chemical to reach "target organs."
  
• A baby's organs and systems are rapidly developing, and thus are often more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposure.
  
• Systems that detoxify and excrete industrial chemicals are not fully developed.
  
• The longer future life span of a child compared to an adult allows more time for adverse effects to arise.
  

The EPA also concluded in 2003, after reviewing 23 studies of early life exposures to cancer-causing chemicals, that carcinogens average 10 times the potency for babies than adults, and some chemicals may be up to 65 times more powerful in babies.
Potential Health Effects to Early Chemical Exposures
No one knows for sure what the result of these toxic exposures will be, however there are already signs that signal the dangers. For instance:

• Kids who were conceived in June, July or August have, on average, test scores for math and language that are 1 percent to 1.5 percent lower than scores of kids who were conceived during other months. Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine found this correlation is due to the increased pesticide exposure the fetus receives during the summer months. Aside from lower test scores, birth defects are also more common between April and July, as are premature births.
  
• Girls appear to be reaching puberty at younger and younger ages, and studies suggest that environmental chemicals that mimic hormones might be involved in this phenomenon. Specifically, those chemicals include DDE, a breakdown of the pesticide DDT, and compounds used to make plastics, including bisphenol A, or BPA, andphthalates.
  
• A study by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that babies born to mothers who live near landfills have a greater risk of birth defects.
  

These findings have implications not only for women who are pregnant right now, but also those who may become pregnant in the future. They also apply to families with young children right now … and any adult who wishes to keep their own chemical body burden to a minimum.
“As a Rule”: What is good for a pregnant mother and her baby is good for us all!
What Can You do to Lower Your Chemical Exposure and Help Detox Those You’ve Already Had?
There are many strategies available to help you keep your chemical exposure to a minimum, both in the immediate future and the long term:

• Buy organic produce, meats, eggs and dairy products as much as possible to reduce pesticide exposure.
  
• Eliminate chemical cleaners from your home.
  
• Use safe, natural brands of cosmetics and other toiletries. Most health food stores carry chemical-free varieties of everything from shave cream to moisturizing lotion.
  
• Replace the need and cost for most household toxic chemical cleaners
  
• Use proper precautions, including masks, gloves, protective clothing and adequate ventilation, when exposure to chemicals cannot be avoided.
  
• Avoid using synthetic air fresheners, laundry detergents and fabric softeners,
  
• Choose glass storage containers for your food and drinks when possible, and avoid heating your food in plastic containers or covered in plastic wrap.
  
• Be especially diligent in avoiding chemicals, such as paint, new carpeting (which outgases chemicals), pesticides, hair color, etc., while pregnant or breastfeeding.
  
• Avoid using synthetic pesticides in your home or yard.
  
• Dispose of chemicals properly to reduce environmental contamination.
  
• Filter your home's air to remove airborne pollutants. 
• Water R/O or spring--not in plastic bottles

How to Detox Toxins in Your Body Right NowAt Sixwise we highly recommend that you use HMD™ (Heavy Metal Detox), the natural oral formula that helps to effectively eliminate heavy metals from your body, without any side effects.
HMD™ is actually the ONLY chelator that has undergone a $1 million, three-year double-blind placebo-controlled research trials with several hundred people! During these three years over 25 different natural products and combinations were tried but the synergistic components of HMD™ were the only ones that worked for all metals tested. It presently has a worldwide patent-pending.
Dr. George John Georgiou -- HMD™ Inventor and worldwide Patent holder -- has 9 degrees and diplomas, including two doctorates and has been researching natural heavy metal chelators for a number of years, after he discovered that he became ill himself with mercury poisoning after replacing 12 amalgam fillings with composites.
After a number of years of searching, Dr. Georgiou discovered a unique synergistic formula comprising three natural components: Chlorella Growth Factor, Cilantro or the herb Coriandrum sativum and a homaccord of Chlorella. None of these natural products worked when tested individually, but when combined there was a “magic” synergy that eliminated a large number of toxic metals, including the ones mentioned here.It is not only a very powerful chelator of toxic metals, but a very gentle one too. It has been tried and tested in many thousands of people worldwide, including children with autism, with no side effects when used at the correct dosage. It has therefore been dubbed “The Gentle Chelator.”
Important Note for Pregnant Women and Women Trying to ConceiveDr. Georgiou advises AGAINST using any type of chelator, even the gentle HMD™, when you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as the mobilization of metals in the mother will go through the placenta into the baby. It is recommended that women detoxify before pregnancy and after breastfeeding finishes -- you can then give the baby a couple of drops of HMD to help the little one detoxify too.

Due to many requests we are providing you more specific links to the DrHMD.com line of products. Click here to learn more about: DrHMD.com ULTIMATE DETOX PROTOCOL.

Pass It On! Because YOU Know Loved-ones Who Will Love and Appreciate This Article!

Recommended Reading
How Many Dangerous Chemicals are in Your Shampoo (Including Your Organic and Baby Shampoo!)?


Four Common but Toxic Chemicals to Avoid During Pregnancy, Pre-Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

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Sources
EWG Report, Body Burden – The Pollution in Newborns