Friday, May 29, 2009
What the financial collapse can teach us about the food system
What the financial collapse can teach us about the food system
by Tom Philpott
25 May 2009
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-22-financial-collapse-food/
In a recent New Yorker, Nick Paumgarten published a lucid, entertaining essay on the financial collapse. Titled “The Death of Kings,” it focuses on the hedge-fund managers, stock gurus, and private-equity wizards who reaped billions from the credit bubble.food systemIs Big Ag running the food system into the ground the same way Wall Street wrecked the economy?iStock Photo
What were those people thinking? Turns out, Paumgarten relates that during the flush times, many in the world of finance had a “moment of clarity, an inkling of doom” about what was coming. “The sky was full of signs,” Paumgarten writes.
For many, the awakening came while driving through some overbuilt exurb in California or Florida, or watching a commercial for a subprime lender (“Mortgage consultants are standing by!”), or studying a chart depicting total debt to the gross domestic product.
Paumgarten’s tale is essentially about high-level fecklessness: people with degrees from the nation’s finest universities, rewarded with nine-figure annual salaries, knowingly driving the global economy right over a cliff. Paumgarten doesn’t go there, but the same analysis applies to financial policymakers and regulators; they, too, could gawk at obviously overbuilt exurbs, or wince at debt-to-GDP charts.
The whole sorry spectacle got me thinking of the global food system, the juggernaut that feeds billions every day. It’s not hard to make analogies with the financial sector whose rubble now lays scattered about, ready to be cleaned up on the public’s dime.
Like the financial sector, the food system has dramatically globalized over the past generation, even as it has become increasingly concentrated (PDF). Just as traders in New York, Tokyo, and London—often employed by the same mega-banks—can make, say, the Argentine peso plunge or soar with a few keystrokes, global food commodity markets have become tightly intertwined.
To read the full article: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-22-financial-collapse-food/
by Tom Philpott
25 May 2009
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-22-financial-collapse-food/
In a recent New Yorker, Nick Paumgarten published a lucid, entertaining essay on the financial collapse. Titled “The Death of Kings,” it focuses on the hedge-fund managers, stock gurus, and private-equity wizards who reaped billions from the credit bubble.food systemIs Big Ag running the food system into the ground the same way Wall Street wrecked the economy?iStock Photo
What were those people thinking? Turns out, Paumgarten relates that during the flush times, many in the world of finance had a “moment of clarity, an inkling of doom” about what was coming. “The sky was full of signs,” Paumgarten writes.
For many, the awakening came while driving through some overbuilt exurb in California or Florida, or watching a commercial for a subprime lender (“Mortgage consultants are standing by!”), or studying a chart depicting total debt to the gross domestic product.
Paumgarten’s tale is essentially about high-level fecklessness: people with degrees from the nation’s finest universities, rewarded with nine-figure annual salaries, knowingly driving the global economy right over a cliff. Paumgarten doesn’t go there, but the same analysis applies to financial policymakers and regulators; they, too, could gawk at obviously overbuilt exurbs, or wince at debt-to-GDP charts.
The whole sorry spectacle got me thinking of the global food system, the juggernaut that feeds billions every day. It’s not hard to make analogies with the financial sector whose rubble now lays scattered about, ready to be cleaned up on the public’s dime.
Like the financial sector, the food system has dramatically globalized over the past generation, even as it has become increasingly concentrated (PDF). Just as traders in New York, Tokyo, and London—often employed by the same mega-banks—can make, say, the Argentine peso plunge or soar with a few keystrokes, global food commodity markets have become tightly intertwined.
To read the full article: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-22-financial-collapse-food/
US bike sales higher than car sales in 2009
US bike sales higher than car sales in 2009
By Dennis Markatos
May 27, 2009
http://www.energyboom.com/us-bike-sales-higher-car-sales-2009
During the first quarter of 2009, more bicycles were sold in the US than cars and trucks.
While the Great Recession is hurting bike sales, they didn’t fall as fast as automobiles. Around 2.6 million bicycle purchases were made, compared to less than 2.5 million cars and trucks that left our nation’s lots.
Bicycle Sales Still Hurt by Recession
I don’t mean to say that bicycle sales are unfazed by the recession. They are actually down more than 30% from the first quarter of 2008. But that percentage drop is slower than the 35+% drop in sales for cars and trucks. Since nationwide gasoline prices are now rising above $2.40 per gallon at the pump, we may see another wave of US residents shifting to bicycles for their everyday trips. The large savings from riding a bike over short distances rather than driving can help consumer confidence and support economic recovery.
Even Long Trips Can be by Bike
Visionary activists are creating opportunities for cyclists to safely travel longer distances as well. For instance, the East Coast Greenway Alliance aims to connect greenways from Key West, FL, to Calais, ME, on a 3,000-mile long paved trail. For me, it’s an exciting potential to visit family and friends in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island (or even the longer trip to my native state of North Carolina!) via bicycle. So far, many corridors of the East Coast Greenway (ECG) are built. But gaps in the trail exist that we all can chip-in to connect. One important current opportunity is for us to show our elected leaders that we support the completion of the ECG and other trails throughout our country as part of the federal transportation bill to be deliberated this summer.
Climate Benefits of Bicycling
Not only are there cost savings from such local and intercity rides, but there are environmental benefits too — especially in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. While an average solo car trip or airplane ride emits more than 1 pound of CO2 per mile, bicycling or walking emits close to zero. If we need to travel hundreds of miles, there are great low-carbon strategies for travel that include mass transit and carpooling, keeping our average emissions less than 1/2 a pound of CO2 per mile.
To read the full article: http://www.energyboom.com/us-bike-sales-higher-car-sales-2009
By Dennis Markatos
May 27, 2009
http://www.energyboom.com/us-bike-sales-higher-car-sales-2009
During the first quarter of 2009, more bicycles were sold in the US than cars and trucks.
While the Great Recession is hurting bike sales, they didn’t fall as fast as automobiles. Around 2.6 million bicycle purchases were made, compared to less than 2.5 million cars and trucks that left our nation’s lots.
Bicycle Sales Still Hurt by Recession
I don’t mean to say that bicycle sales are unfazed by the recession. They are actually down more than 30% from the first quarter of 2008. But that percentage drop is slower than the 35+% drop in sales for cars and trucks. Since nationwide gasoline prices are now rising above $2.40 per gallon at the pump, we may see another wave of US residents shifting to bicycles for their everyday trips. The large savings from riding a bike over short distances rather than driving can help consumer confidence and support economic recovery.
Even Long Trips Can be by Bike
Visionary activists are creating opportunities for cyclists to safely travel longer distances as well. For instance, the East Coast Greenway Alliance aims to connect greenways from Key West, FL, to Calais, ME, on a 3,000-mile long paved trail. For me, it’s an exciting potential to visit family and friends in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island (or even the longer trip to my native state of North Carolina!) via bicycle. So far, many corridors of the East Coast Greenway (ECG) are built. But gaps in the trail exist that we all can chip-in to connect. One important current opportunity is for us to show our elected leaders that we support the completion of the ECG and other trails throughout our country as part of the federal transportation bill to be deliberated this summer.
Climate Benefits of Bicycling
Not only are there cost savings from such local and intercity rides, but there are environmental benefits too — especially in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. While an average solo car trip or airplane ride emits more than 1 pound of CO2 per mile, bicycling or walking emits close to zero. If we need to travel hundreds of miles, there are great low-carbon strategies for travel that include mass transit and carpooling, keeping our average emissions less than 1/2 a pound of CO2 per mile.
To read the full article: http://www.energyboom.com/us-bike-sales-higher-car-sales-2009
Growing Vegetables and Fruit - Part 3
Growing Vegetables and Fruit - Part 3
by Diana Greenwood Mead
December 9, 2008
http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/169
Cold Cabbage by Diana Greenwood Mead Once you have made your mind up about where in your garden you can grow something nice to eat, the next important step is deciding what to grow.
This may sound a little obvious – but if you read traditional gardening books you can sometimes be overwhelmed as they set out for you a pattern of vegetable growing which covers all the vegetables and all the year.
Start small, and let your successes and failures guide you.
I would say, start with the herbs you like to use in food – it’s such a pleasure to add (for example) a handful of chopped parsley, mint, oregano and chives to a salad or to stuff a roasting chicken with rosemary, lavender, mint and garlic (or add to barbecued fish) – or whatever combination pleases you.
Garlic, if you like it, is easily grown, but takes quite a long time to mature - I’ve put mine in pots now, to get it ready for planting out in the spring, and it should be ready by mid-summer. Even if you don’t like the taste, it seems to be a good pest deterrent when grown close to other food plants (and also roses – some of which need all the help they can get to tackle pests).
Friends and neighbours, your local garden shops, books and the internet will all be useful in guiding you to what grows well in your part of the world – gardening is a very good way of making friends. It always pleases me when I drive along a road and see the same plant recurring in neighbouring gardens as it is a pretty good bet that cuttings or seeds have been handed from friend to friend.
As well as herbs add salad plants to your yard or pots – but don’t expect them to come up overnight. Those grown for supermarkets have often been dosed with chemicals in order to force them into maturity as quickly as possible - which is why they don’t taste of very much. Tomatoes are useful and delicious, and if you are really in a hurry try the oriental salad plants as they are fairly fast maturing.
Things like Pak Choi (also called Bok Choi) and Mizuna greens.
Don’t forget to add a few edible flowers – pansies, nasturtiums, marigolds, chive flowers all look pretty and taste good in salads. Check in books or a good internet site to make sure you are only growing the safe ones.
The most difficult habit to acquire is that of succession sowing...
To read the full article: http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/169
by Diana Greenwood Mead
December 9, 2008
http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/169
Cold Cabbage by Diana Greenwood Mead Once you have made your mind up about where in your garden you can grow something nice to eat, the next important step is deciding what to grow.
This may sound a little obvious – but if you read traditional gardening books you can sometimes be overwhelmed as they set out for you a pattern of vegetable growing which covers all the vegetables and all the year.
Start small, and let your successes and failures guide you.
I would say, start with the herbs you like to use in food – it’s such a pleasure to add (for example) a handful of chopped parsley, mint, oregano and chives to a salad or to stuff a roasting chicken with rosemary, lavender, mint and garlic (or add to barbecued fish) – or whatever combination pleases you.
Garlic, if you like it, is easily grown, but takes quite a long time to mature - I’ve put mine in pots now, to get it ready for planting out in the spring, and it should be ready by mid-summer. Even if you don’t like the taste, it seems to be a good pest deterrent when grown close to other food plants (and also roses – some of which need all the help they can get to tackle pests).
Friends and neighbours, your local garden shops, books and the internet will all be useful in guiding you to what grows well in your part of the world – gardening is a very good way of making friends. It always pleases me when I drive along a road and see the same plant recurring in neighbouring gardens as it is a pretty good bet that cuttings or seeds have been handed from friend to friend.
As well as herbs add salad plants to your yard or pots – but don’t expect them to come up overnight. Those grown for supermarkets have often been dosed with chemicals in order to force them into maturity as quickly as possible - which is why they don’t taste of very much. Tomatoes are useful and delicious, and if you are really in a hurry try the oriental salad plants as they are fairly fast maturing.
Things like Pak Choi (also called Bok Choi) and Mizuna greens.
Don’t forget to add a few edible flowers – pansies, nasturtiums, marigolds, chive flowers all look pretty and taste good in salads. Check in books or a good internet site to make sure you are only growing the safe ones.
The most difficult habit to acquire is that of succession sowing...
To read the full article: http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/169
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRESH JUICES
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRESH JUICES
One of the finest ways to obtain necessary nutriments in the diet is
through the
intake of raw fruit and vegetable juices. Many of the readily available
vitamins
and minerals in fruits and vegetables are needlessly lost during cooking,
boiling, frying and other ruinous food preparation processes.
Nature presents fruits and vegetables to us in a wholesome state,
containing all
the essentials which can sustain a high quality of life in a healthy body.
Man,
in his insatiable desire to improve upon Nature, usually comes up with an
end
product that hardly resembles the Creator's original design in appearance
or
function.
We see the market shelves (and this includes the health stores) loaded
with all
sorts of "health giving" bottled juices derived from numerous
sources--this
includes the common garden variety vegetables and the most exotic
tropically-grown fruits.
The main thing that these juices have in common is this: THEY ARE ALL
DEAD.
During the bottling or canning process the precious juices are heated to
temperatures far above the sun's ripening rays in the field or orchard.
We know that whenever a food is heated above approximately 130 degrees F.,
many
of the life-giving enzymes are destroyed. The vitamins and minerals
contained
within the substance are converted to inorganic and inassimilable toxins.
These inorganic poisons are extremely detrimental to the system because
often
they cannot be easily eliminated by weakened organs.
Several years ago we visited a large orange juice processing plant near
the
shores of the Salton Sea in Southern California. One would imagine that
the
juices of ripe oranges from the nearby orange groves would be immediately
frozen
and shipped out. This was not so, however.
The fresh orange juice underwent a process which included heating the
juice to a
temperature many degrees above the boiling point of 212 degrees F. This
was a
necessary part of the pasteurization process in order to kill any bacteria
present in the juice. It also killed the juice.
The natural Vitamin C which was destroyed by the extreme heat was replaced
by
the addition of synthetic Vitamin C to the "soup" at the end of the
process.
You may recall that we have suggested the use of bottled juices in some of
our
cleansing and rejuvenation programs, apple, grape, and so on. This is true
ONLY
when freshly squeezed juices are unavailable or out of season. There is no
satisfactory substitute for "the real thing."
Youngsters whose taste buds have not yet been numbed by years of food
abuse (the
addition of tons of salt during a lifetime to "flavor" the food, for
example)
can taste the difference between first class and "steerage" products
immediately.
Freshly squeezed orange juice was always a part of our breakfast when our
family lived up in Washington state. We remember one morning when we ran
out of
fresh oranges to make the juice. I went down to the local store and
purchased
some frozen orange juice to substitute for the fresh.
We reconstituted it and placed glasses of it before our children who were
accustomed to the freshly squeezed item. They took one swallow and said,
"Yuk!
This stuff tastes terrible. What did you do to it??" They instinctively
knew
that there was something wrong with it.
Anyone who has tasted canned carrot juice and fresh carrot juice has had
the
same reaction. The insipid cooked carrot liquid in the can has been
responsible
for many people never trying carrot juice again---even if it was fresh and
sweet. Carrot juice is one of the best foods available. We'll talk more
about it
later.
Fresh juices are easily digestible and do not tax the digestive system. We
can
compare them to a blood transfusion from the plant to the human body. With
fresh
juice taken within a few minutes after squeezing, the vital source of
energy
goes directly into the bloodstream. All juices should be sipped slowly and
"chewed" like solid food. They should be swished around in the mouth and
thoroughly mixed in with the saliva in order to properly begin the
digestive
process.
Many juices are rich and not compatible with the gastric juices when an
insufficient amount of saliva is present. This may result in discomfort or
regurgitation. So juices should not be gulped or drunk quickly in large
amounts.
Let me tell of an incident which occurred in downtown Salt Lake City. We
had a
small health store and juice bar in one of the busiest sections of
downtown. A
woman came into the juice bar and demanded to have a large glass of raw
beet
juice. I told her that it was not wise to drink such a large glass of
straight
beet juice if she was not accustomed to doing so, but that she could mix
the
carrot juice with the beet so that the body would take it more easily. "Oh
NO,"
she said. "Just give me that large glass of beet juice NOW. And hurry up
about
it. I don't want to hear any more of your stupid talk."
Well, the customer is always supposed to be right, so I gave her a large
glass
of beet juice which she immediately gulped down. She left the money for
the
juice on the counter and quickly rushed out of the store and into the
street. I
was very glad that she made it out, for as soon as she was on the
sidewalk, she
spewed forth out of her mouth the entirety of the red beet juice much to
the
alarm of the passersby who probably thought she was suffering from a
gastric
hemorrhage!! The beet juice was not mixed with her saliva and was
irritating to
her system in this form causing her body to rapidly reject it.
Quenching the thirst
The roots of the plant go down into the earth and take in food and
minerals in
solution via osmosis into the plant. Here these ingredients are processed
and
changed from inorganic to organic, and if properly selected as to juice
type,
this natural "blood" or "lifeline" in the plant is a perfect food and
liquid for
man, both for the required nourishment and liquid used by the systems.
During summertime, for instance, drinking celery juice not only quenches
the
thirst, but also supplies the natural organic salts in proper quantities
so that
the heat is not noticed (this should be used instead of the inorganic salt
tablets).
While others are in misery and sweltering with the heat, you are enjoying
life.
You have, in this simple procedure, properly thinned down a sluggish and
heavy
blood stream so that it flows rapidly and with ease through the body to
carry
off the poisons and wastes. And this is the reason why a heavy meat and
starch
eater will suffer apoplexy and strokes long before the heat even bothers
the
vegetarian or fruitarian.
Energy without stress
Juices will supply energy without overworking the body. This is because
nearly
all fresh juice from fruits and vegetables is partly assimilated
immediately
upon entering the mouth, going directly into the blood stream as an oral
transfusion. The juice will not wear out the digestive organs with a lot
of
excess materials that are difficult to digest and burdensome to eliminate.
Juice therapy
Though we have had years of experience in juice therapy and have seen
amazing
numbers of miraculous healings with it alone, nevertheless, problems
continually
arose with patients from time to time that juice therapy could not handle.
We
found the reason for the distress and after accenting the program
introduced so
ably by Professor Arnold Ehret in his mucusless diet healing system, it
was here
that we saw our mistake with using a straight juice therapy.
With fruit juice especially-but with almost any type vegetable juice
also-the
sticky mucus and waste materials would break loose from the tissues and be
carried out to be eliminated, but there it stayed, in large, gluey
deposits. Use
liquids only to clean out the accumulated filth from the body. So with all
of
your cleansing aids, these should be used "in moderation" and "with
prudence and
skill"!
We highly recommend the use of fruit and vegetable juices-and for them to
be
used copiously-but as they were intended to nourish the tissue and break
loose
the waste, these should always be coupled with raw and cooked (low heated)
fruits and vegetables as aids in elimination. After a person's body is
completely cleaned of all waste (up to 7 years on the program), and during
the
long cleansing process, more and more juice can be used; but the roughage
will
always be needed.
A juicer is the most valuable addition to the family's kitchen equipment.
It is
an investment that will pay for itself many times over. Especially if you
have
been purchasing fresh juices from the store at a high price. Vegetables
(especially carrots) can be obtained in bulk and juiced at home, thus
insuring a
tremendous saving.
There are two basic types of juicers: a centrifugal juice extractor and a
masticator juicer. The centrifugal juicers separate the pulp from the
juice by
means of stainless steel blades and a centrifugal action chamber. These
juicers
make about a quart of juice before the pulp needs to be removed from the
mesh
basket within the chamber. The masticator juicer grinds or chews the
vegetables
with a large metal "tooth" and the juice is strained through a stainless
steel
mesh. The most popular juicer of this type is the Champion juicer. It is
very
sturdy, almost industrial in design, and can make several gallons of juice
before needing to be cleaned. The pulp is expelled through an opening and
can be
collected outside the machine. We have found this model to be very
satisfactory.
It can also grind nuts into butter and puree fruits and vegetables.
Dr. N. W. Walker was one of the foremost authorities on fresh juices and
fresh
juice therapy. He was a living testimony (he lived well over 100 years of
age)
to the benefits of raw juices which he advocated since in his seventies.
He has
several books on the market which can give you a good knowledge of the
virtues
of juices. His books list the vitamin and mineral contents of juices, and
the
suggested proportions of juice combinations for the therapeutic uses of
juices.
His latest book includes a list of juices and proportions thereof compiled
by
an M.D. who has successfully used juice therapy in his practice. Following
this
article is a list from Dr. Arthur W. Snyder's Booklet, Nature's Way to
Health,
published in 1969 by Hansen's. It is a summary of ailments along with the
juices
that are most effective in restoring health. Most disease is a result of
malnutrition and using foods supplying the necessary nutriments will often
restore a balance to the ailing body. The fresh raw juices are such
life-giving
foods.
NOTES ON CARROT JUICE
John B. Lust, in his book, The New Ray Juice Therapy quotes the learned
Ragnar-Berg on carrots:
They have some protein, are rich in carbohydrates, potassium, sodium, and
calcium, there is a high alkali excess, a trace of iodine and a good
proportion
of all vitamins.
They constitute a powerful cleansing food. A large amount of carrot
carbohydrate
is one of the most effective means of changing the intestinal flora from a
putrefactive to a non-putrefactive type.
Medicinal uses: Tonsillitis, colitis, appendicitis, anemia, gravel,
acidosis,
blood poisoning, faulty circulation, ulcers, rheumatism, indigestion,
increase
milk secretion, poor teeth (high in calcium), acne, adenoids, cancer, etc.
Preparation: Whole, juice or cooked. The juice is preferred, as the
therapeutic
virtues are thereby sufficiently concentrated to supply the restorative
elements
that are needed.
Dosage Juice: 1-6 pints a day.
Administration: The juice is taken orally, or is used as a wash or in a
poultice
form externally.
Snowbound and healthy
The garden carrot is one of the great foods of all time. There is a little
town
in Idaho which had its main crop in carrots, and they did so well there
that
every farm was in carrots. This was still in the "horse and buggy days"
and the
area was quite isolated, so when fall came, the people would harvest the
carrots
and take them down to a larger town and trade for supplies as staples for
the
winter. But one particular winter they got snow-bound before they could
take the
carrots down, so they had raw carrots, fried carrots, grated carrots,
juiced
carrots, carrot salads. That is about all they lived on. And, you know,
that was
the first year in the history of that town that there was no sickness; not
even
a case of sniffles! Well, the next year, being pretty smart people, they
didn't
take the chance of the repeat performance of getting snowbound again, so
they
hurried down early to get their usual dietary staples and, of course, they
had
their regular sickness, and they kept their
local doctor happy by keeping him in business.
Dr. Loretta Foote
Dr. Loretta Foote was one of the sweetest women we ever knew; and all she
did
was try to help people. She was an herbalist, and when we had our offices
on 1st
South in Salt Lake City, she was on our staff as the obstetrician. She was
a
woman that delivered thousands of babies and most of them were delivered
in the
home; in fact, our five were delivered in our home by natural childbirth,
assisted by Dr. Loretta Foote. Dr. Foote had a friend, and a very
prominent lady
of Salt Lake (most people would know the name were it mentioned), who was
told
by her doctors that she was dying of cancer, and this was before the days
of the
juicers. Dr. Foote grated carrots for her with the old "knuckle-skinner"
(grater) and squeezed out the juice by hand with cloths, until she would
get a
quart or so every day (and sometimes 2-3 times per day), so you can
imagine how
much dedicated effort that this took. Dr. Foote fed this to her friend,
and she
was completely cured, to the astonishment of the
doctors.
This prominent lady later wrote a booklet on how she was healed of cancer,
and
we have one of the very, very few of those left in existence. Then this
fine
lady sponsored Dr. Foote in a health store, the first health store in
America,
and they went broke! So this appreciative lady said, "They don't want us
here;
let's go to the coast." Many of you have been to the coast and have seen
the
many, many juice bars, health stores-well, these two great ladies started
the
first health store and juice bar on the coast, the first ones that were
successful in the United States. And these started to gain in popularity.
Later
Dr. Foote returned to Salt Lake City and started another health food
store, and
this time it was a success. Here is a wonderful pioneer lady who did
wonders
with the juice of our common garden carrot!
The carrot poultice is good for man or beast
Traveling from our office in Evanston, Wyoming, a number of years ago, I
had to
go over to Woodruff on a house call, to a family that was very, very sick.
They
improved so rapidly and were so pleased with our program that it was with
some
reluctance and embarrassment that the man said to me "Would it insult you
if we
asked you something about an animal?" I said, "No, we're good for man or
beast."
He said that he had a favorite horse outside that got tangled up in the
barbed
wire. "The vet was here yesterday and used the last ointments, salves and
things
that he knew about, and then he said there was only one thing more left to
do,
as the gangrene is setting in, so just shoot the horse." Well, this lovely
animal was part of the family. They had quite a few children, and they
still
loved the horse, so he said, "What can we do?" So we went out and looked
at the
horse's leg. I said "All right, you have been taking carrot juice and you
have
some pulp there and a ton or so of carrots that
you have brought in from your field, just grind up carrots and make a
great big
poultice and cover that horse's leg. that will do him good, and then give
the
horse all the carrots it can eat." Within seven days time that horse's leg
was
completely healed. The flesh was fully restored.
One of the most common misconceptions regarding carrot juice is that one
will
start to develop orange or yellow colored skin after steadily drinking the
juice
because of the carotene content in the juice. This is not true. The
development
of yellowish skin is due to the fact that carrot juice is a great liver
cleanser
and the toxicity within the body is coming to the surface. Keep up with
the
carrot juice and the symptoms will soon disappear.
The formerly constipated liver is reconditioned once again to experience a
free
flow of bile the excess of which is eliminated through our largest
eliminative
organ, the skin. I have personally experienced this phenomenon during a
time
when we prepared hundreds of gallons of carrot juice a week for sale.
Because
the juice was so abundant and available, I drank it for nearly every
meal...sometimes instead of meals. My wife soon commented upon the yellow
cast
which my skin began to take on. I continued drinking the juice, however,
and
within a week my skin color was back to normal. But my liver had gone
through a
wonderful cleansing! It is often a surprise to me that the most learned of
health authorities will try to sell you the carotene theory without any
sort of
proof, personal experience or background.
In the fifth century Before Christ, Hippocrates said, "Leave your drugs in
the
chemist's pot if you can heal the patient with food." Many seemingly
miraculous
cures have been effected upon some extremely wasting diseases through the
raw
juice regime. Our own "Incurables" program has helped many, many people
out of
their deathbeds and into a new life. The majority of nourishment is
derived from
juices: apple, carrot, and grape. The program is often tried as a last
resort:
that is when all other standard drug therapy has failed. Often a patient
has
been sent home from the hospital to die because the family ran out of
money, or
there was otherwise no hope of recovery. Some of the persevering and
desperate
relatives took their loved ones on the Incurables route. These once doomed
persons are walking the earth today --- alive and healthy.
Dr. H. E. Kirschner, M.D. treated people for over 50 years. In his book,
Live
Food Juices he recounts many fabulous results in his cases of incurable
diseases
where live juices were used. Some of these diseases were malnutrition,
leukemia,
failing eyesight, arthritis, bleeding hemorrhoids, obesity, various
cancers,
kidney disease, bladder tumors ... the list could go on.
The doctor states that there could be a table loaded with all types of
vegetables and we could still be suffering from malnutrition because our
bodies
could not possibly eat enough to provide the missing nutriments. With the
juices, the pulp is eliminated and we are left with the life-giving vital
principles contained within the vegetables. It is, of course, best to use
only
the organically grown fruits and vegetables (those free of pesticides and
preserving chemicals) for our juices. But Dr. Walker states that the
detrimental
toxins remain in the pulp, and this we can discard.
Fresh raw fruit and vegetable juices are extremely tasty either alone or
in
combination. The very famous green drink (a must for those lacking
potassium)
can be made from spinach, celery, parsley, carrot and beet tops. Any other
nutritive "weeds" in the yard such as lamb's quarter, comfrey, alfalfa,
mint,
etc., can be added. The green drink is the epitome of refreshing, living
energy
from plant sources.
Some people combine pineapple juice with the greens for a sweeter drink.
Green
drink can also be made in a regular blender with pineapple juice and
greens. A
helpful drink for asthmatic conditions includes pineapple juice, comfrey
(fresh
leaves), and fresh mint leaves to taste. If the green drink is made in the
blender, you may wish to strain out some of the pulp.
You may hear also that the oxalic acid found in members of the goosefoot
family
such as spinach and chard prevent the absorption of calcium, and is
poisonous to
the system.
We can clear this fear by telling you that the oxalic acid is in an
organic,
assimilable state. If we were to cook our spinach this would cause the
oxalic
acid to become inorganic and toxic. The amount of oxalic acid taken only
prevents an equal amount of calcium to be bound.
By drinking other juices, the calcium intake can far exceed the small
amount of
calcium bound, so there is no possibility of a calcium deficiency from the
ingestion of spinach juice.
Dr. Shook gives and excellent discussion on the difference between organic
and
inorganic oxalic acid in his Advanced Treatise In Herbology.
We suggest that you look into the possibilities of including fresh, raw
fruit
and vegetable juices in your family diet. With the many sources available
on the
subject you can familiarize yourself with what has been done with juice
therapy
to restore and maintain health. Fresh vegetables and fruits are usually
easy to
obtain all year around and if there is no nearby source during the winter
months, root crops like carrots, beets, potatoes and turnips can be stored
in a
cool, dark place. Apples will often keep through the winter if properly
stored.
Let us take the best from man's technology (the juicers) and use them in
the
beneficial processing of the Creator's life-giving foods.
Recommended Books
We would like to recommend some fine books on the market emphasizing the
values
of raw fruit and vegetable juices. Some of the following books have a few
points
of view that differ from our own, but they are, in general, very
informative and
helpful. We would particularly recommend those books by Dr. N. W. Walker,
a
leader in the field of juice therapy.
*Live Food Juices, by H. E. Kirschner, M.D.
*Raw Vegetable Juices, by N. W. Walker
*Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices, by Dr. N. W. Walker -
*Raw Foods and Juices Nutrition Plan, by Dr. Max Bricher-Benner
*Complete Raw Juice Therapy, by Susan E. Charmine
About Raw Juices, About Series, Thorsons Publishers, Limited
Juice Therapy, by A. W. Snyder
Make Your Juicer Your Drug Store, by Newman
Drink Your Troubles Away, by John Lust
CONDITION INDEX
Condition with Juices Indicated In Order of Efficiency
(from Dr. Arthur W. Snyder's booklet, "Nature's Way to Health, " 1969,
Hansen's)
ACIDOSIS: Spinach, celery & spinach, celery & beet, carrot, tomato.
ACNE: Carrot & spinach, celery & watercress, grapefruit.
ADENOIDS: Carrot, carrot & spinach.
ANEMIA: Carrot & spinach, celery & parsley, beet, fig.
APPENDICITIS, Chronic: Celery, carrot, carrot & cucumber.
APPETITE, Loss of: Dandelion, celery, turnip leaf, radish.
ARTHRITIS: Celery & cucumber, carrot, endive, apple.
ASTHMA: Carrot & garlic, carrot & spinach, endive, apricot.
AUTO-INTOXICATION: Celery & cabbage, spinach, garlic, apple.
BILIOUSNESS: Celery & apple, tomato, carrot & spinach, lemon.
BLOOD BUILDER: Spinach, beet, carrot, pomegranate, grape.
BOILS-CARBUNCLES: Carrot & spinach, carrot & cucumber, carrot.
BODY CLEANSER: Celery & cabbage, dandelion, pomegranate, apple.
BONE BUILDER: Spinach, turnip leaf, watercress, orange, fig.
BRONCHITIS: Carrot & garlic, carrot & dandelion, carrot.
CATARACTS: Carrot, watercress & spinach, carrot & spinach.
CATARRH, Respiratory or Nasal: Carrot, carrot & lettuce, radish, apricot.
CHLOROSIS: Carrot & spinach, celery & parsley, beet.
CIRCULATION, Poor: Celery & garlic, lettuce & onion, grape.
COLDS: Carrot & garlic, carrot, grapefruit, lemon.
COLIC: Carrot & celery, papaya.
COLITIS: Carrot, carrot & coconut, pear, fig.
CONSTIPATION: Rhubarb, prune, fig.
CONVALESCENCE: Carrot & spinach, beet, pomegranate.
COUGHS: Carrot, carrot & spinach, blackberry, fig.
CRAMPS: Carrot, celery.
CYSTITIS: Celery, carrot & cucumber.
DECAY, Tooth: Carrot & spinach, carrot & turnip leaves.
DIABETES: Carrots & spinach, dandelion, cabbage.
DIARRHEA: Carrot, cranberry.
DIPHTHERIA: Pineapple, carrot & spinach, celery & parsley.
DROPSY: Celery, dandelion, carrot & spinach, onion & milk.
DYSENTERY: Blackberry, cranberry.
DYSPEPSIA: Carrot & celery, papaya, pineapple.
ECZEMA: Carrot, carrot & cucumber.
EPILEPSY: Turnip leaf, watercress, spinach.
FEVERS: Cucumber, blackberry, watermelon.
FLATULENCE (Gas): Celery, carrot.
GALLBLADDER, Congested: Dandelion, endive, tomato.
GALLSTONES: Celery & parsley, tomato, grapefruit.
GASTRIC CATARRH: Carrot, apple, pear.
GASTRITIS: Carrot, coconut, papaya.
GOITER: Spinach, radish, lettuce, watercress, tomato, pineapple.
GONADAL DEFICIENCY: Carrot, spinach, turnip leaf, watercress.
GOUT: Celery & cucumber, carrot & spinach.
GRAVEL (Kidney): Carrot & cucumber, endive & parsley.
HAYFEVER: Carrot, celery & parsley.
HEART TROUBLES (Functional): Carrot, cucumber & cabbage, endive, carrot &
spinach, apple.
HEADACHES: Celery, carrot-celery-parsley-spinach.
HEMORRHAGE (Lung): Carrot.
HEMORRHOIDS: Carrot & watercress, carrot & turnip leaf, prune.
HYPERACIDITY, Gastric: Celery, spinach, carrot, papaya.
HYPERTENSION (High Blood Pressure): Celery-garlic-parsley, celery,
dandelion,
grapefruit.
HYPOADRENIA (Adrenal Deficiency): Carrot & spinach, pineapple.
IMPOTENCE: Watercress, spinach.
INFECTIONS, Susceptibility to: Carrot, spinach, garlic, parsley, tomato.
INFLUENZA: Carrot, carrot & spinach, celery & garlic.
INSOMNIA: Lettuce, celery, apple, onion.
JAUNDICE: Dandelion, carrot & spinach, apple, grape, tomato.
KIDNEY AND BLADDER TROUBLES: Cucumber & parsley, dandelion, spinach.
LARYNGITIS: Carrot, pineapple.
LEUCORRHEA: Beet, celery & parsley, pineapple.
LIVER TROUBLES: Carrot-beet-cucumber, apple, dandelion, grapefruit, lemon.
LOW BLOOD PRESSURE: Beet, grape, pomegranate.
LUMBAGO: Celery & cucumber, blackberry.
MALARIA: Grapefruit, carrot & spinach, celery & parsley.
MENSTRUAL DISORDERS: Beet, celery & parsley, pineapple.
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS: Blackberry.
MYALGIA (Muscular Rheumatism): Celery, celery & cucumber, endive.
NEPHRITIS: Celery & parsley, cucumber.
NERVE TONIC: Celery, lettuce, coconut.
NERVOUSNESS: Celery, lettuce, garlic, apple, grape.
NEURALGIA: Carrot & celery, celery.
NEURITIS: Celery & cucumber, endive, carrot & spinach.
OBESITY: Celery, spinach, lettuce, orange, lemon.
OTITIS MEDIA (Inflammation of Middle Ear): Carrot, celery & parsley,
endive.
PLEURISY: Carrot & cucumber, carrot & spinach.
PIMPLES: Carrot, cucumber, grapefruit, grape, apricot.
PSORIASIS: Carrot, cranberry.
PYORRHEA: Spinach, cucumber.
QUINSY: Carrot & spinach, carrot.
RACHITIS (Rickets): Carrot, turnip leaves, spinach, watercress, plus
sunshine or
Vitamin D.
REDUCING: Grape, orange, grapefruit, lemon.
RENAL CALCULUS (Stones in Kidney): Carrot & cucumber, celery & parsley.
RHEUMATISM: Celery & cucumber, carrot, apple, lemon.
SCIATICA: Celery & cucumber, carrot & spinach.
SCROFULA: Carrot-celery-parsley-spinach, carrot & spinach.
SCURVY: Grapefruit, orange, lemon, cabbage.
SICK HEADACHE: Celery, celery & apple.
SINUSITIS: Carrot, parsley, endive, tomato, onion.
SORE THROAT: Pineapple, celery, coconut, fig.
SPLEEN TROUBLES: Dandelion, watercress.
STOMACH ULCERS: Carrot, carrot & coconut, papaya.
TONSILLITIS: Carrot, celery & parsley.
TOXEMIA: Carrot & spinach, garlic, apricot.
TUMORS: Carrot, spinach, pineapple.
ULCERS (Peptic-Duodenal): Cabbage, carrots, carrot & coconut, papaya, fig.
UREMIA: Celery & parsley, cucumber, apple.
URTICARIA (Hives): Carrot & spinach, spinach, carrot & cucumber.
WORMS: Garlic, onion, pomegranate, apricot.
Used by permission - Dr. Christopher's Newsletters - Volume 3 Number 5
return to newsletters
----------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
The information provided here is for educational purposes only, and should
not
be used to diagnose and treat diseases. If you have a serious health
problem, we
recommend that you consult a competent health practitioner.
After each product is a list of what it has been used to aid. We are not
claiming that the product will cure any of these diseases or that we
created
them to cure these disorders. We are merely reporting that people have
used the
product to aid these conditions.
Finally, we wish to caution you that the information on this web site is
for
educational purposes only. Always consult with a qualified health
practitioner
before deciding on any course of treatment, especially for serious or
life-threatening illnesses.
http://www.herbsfirst.com/NewsLetters/1100juice.html
One of the finest ways to obtain necessary nutriments in the diet is
through the
intake of raw fruit and vegetable juices. Many of the readily available
vitamins
and minerals in fruits and vegetables are needlessly lost during cooking,
boiling, frying and other ruinous food preparation processes.
Nature presents fruits and vegetables to us in a wholesome state,
containing all
the essentials which can sustain a high quality of life in a healthy body.
Man,
in his insatiable desire to improve upon Nature, usually comes up with an
end
product that hardly resembles the Creator's original design in appearance
or
function.
We see the market shelves (and this includes the health stores) loaded
with all
sorts of "health giving" bottled juices derived from numerous
sources--this
includes the common garden variety vegetables and the most exotic
tropically-grown fruits.
The main thing that these juices have in common is this: THEY ARE ALL
DEAD.
During the bottling or canning process the precious juices are heated to
temperatures far above the sun's ripening rays in the field or orchard.
We know that whenever a food is heated above approximately 130 degrees F.,
many
of the life-giving enzymes are destroyed. The vitamins and minerals
contained
within the substance are converted to inorganic and inassimilable toxins.
These inorganic poisons are extremely detrimental to the system because
often
they cannot be easily eliminated by weakened organs.
Several years ago we visited a large orange juice processing plant near
the
shores of the Salton Sea in Southern California. One would imagine that
the
juices of ripe oranges from the nearby orange groves would be immediately
frozen
and shipped out. This was not so, however.
The fresh orange juice underwent a process which included heating the
juice to a
temperature many degrees above the boiling point of 212 degrees F. This
was a
necessary part of the pasteurization process in order to kill any bacteria
present in the juice. It also killed the juice.
The natural Vitamin C which was destroyed by the extreme heat was replaced
by
the addition of synthetic Vitamin C to the "soup" at the end of the
process.
You may recall that we have suggested the use of bottled juices in some of
our
cleansing and rejuvenation programs, apple, grape, and so on. This is true
ONLY
when freshly squeezed juices are unavailable or out of season. There is no
satisfactory substitute for "the real thing."
Youngsters whose taste buds have not yet been numbed by years of food
abuse (the
addition of tons of salt during a lifetime to "flavor" the food, for
example)
can taste the difference between first class and "steerage" products
immediately.
Freshly squeezed orange juice was always a part of our breakfast when our
family lived up in Washington state. We remember one morning when we ran
out of
fresh oranges to make the juice. I went down to the local store and
purchased
some frozen orange juice to substitute for the fresh.
We reconstituted it and placed glasses of it before our children who were
accustomed to the freshly squeezed item. They took one swallow and said,
"Yuk!
This stuff tastes terrible. What did you do to it??" They instinctively
knew
that there was something wrong with it.
Anyone who has tasted canned carrot juice and fresh carrot juice has had
the
same reaction. The insipid cooked carrot liquid in the can has been
responsible
for many people never trying carrot juice again---even if it was fresh and
sweet. Carrot juice is one of the best foods available. We'll talk more
about it
later.
Fresh juices are easily digestible and do not tax the digestive system. We
can
compare them to a blood transfusion from the plant to the human body. With
fresh
juice taken within a few minutes after squeezing, the vital source of
energy
goes directly into the bloodstream. All juices should be sipped slowly and
"chewed" like solid food. They should be swished around in the mouth and
thoroughly mixed in with the saliva in order to properly begin the
digestive
process.
Many juices are rich and not compatible with the gastric juices when an
insufficient amount of saliva is present. This may result in discomfort or
regurgitation. So juices should not be gulped or drunk quickly in large
amounts.
Let me tell of an incident which occurred in downtown Salt Lake City. We
had a
small health store and juice bar in one of the busiest sections of
downtown. A
woman came into the juice bar and demanded to have a large glass of raw
beet
juice. I told her that it was not wise to drink such a large glass of
straight
beet juice if she was not accustomed to doing so, but that she could mix
the
carrot juice with the beet so that the body would take it more easily. "Oh
NO,"
she said. "Just give me that large glass of beet juice NOW. And hurry up
about
it. I don't want to hear any more of your stupid talk."
Well, the customer is always supposed to be right, so I gave her a large
glass
of beet juice which she immediately gulped down. She left the money for
the
juice on the counter and quickly rushed out of the store and into the
street. I
was very glad that she made it out, for as soon as she was on the
sidewalk, she
spewed forth out of her mouth the entirety of the red beet juice much to
the
alarm of the passersby who probably thought she was suffering from a
gastric
hemorrhage!! The beet juice was not mixed with her saliva and was
irritating to
her system in this form causing her body to rapidly reject it.
Quenching the thirst
The roots of the plant go down into the earth and take in food and
minerals in
solution via osmosis into the plant. Here these ingredients are processed
and
changed from inorganic to organic, and if properly selected as to juice
type,
this natural "blood" or "lifeline" in the plant is a perfect food and
liquid for
man, both for the required nourishment and liquid used by the systems.
During summertime, for instance, drinking celery juice not only quenches
the
thirst, but also supplies the natural organic salts in proper quantities
so that
the heat is not noticed (this should be used instead of the inorganic salt
tablets).
While others are in misery and sweltering with the heat, you are enjoying
life.
You have, in this simple procedure, properly thinned down a sluggish and
heavy
blood stream so that it flows rapidly and with ease through the body to
carry
off the poisons and wastes. And this is the reason why a heavy meat and
starch
eater will suffer apoplexy and strokes long before the heat even bothers
the
vegetarian or fruitarian.
Energy without stress
Juices will supply energy without overworking the body. This is because
nearly
all fresh juice from fruits and vegetables is partly assimilated
immediately
upon entering the mouth, going directly into the blood stream as an oral
transfusion. The juice will not wear out the digestive organs with a lot
of
excess materials that are difficult to digest and burdensome to eliminate.
Juice therapy
Though we have had years of experience in juice therapy and have seen
amazing
numbers of miraculous healings with it alone, nevertheless, problems
continually
arose with patients from time to time that juice therapy could not handle.
We
found the reason for the distress and after accenting the program
introduced so
ably by Professor Arnold Ehret in his mucusless diet healing system, it
was here
that we saw our mistake with using a straight juice therapy.
With fruit juice especially-but with almost any type vegetable juice
also-the
sticky mucus and waste materials would break loose from the tissues and be
carried out to be eliminated, but there it stayed, in large, gluey
deposits. Use
liquids only to clean out the accumulated filth from the body. So with all
of
your cleansing aids, these should be used "in moderation" and "with
prudence and
skill"!
We highly recommend the use of fruit and vegetable juices-and for them to
be
used copiously-but as they were intended to nourish the tissue and break
loose
the waste, these should always be coupled with raw and cooked (low heated)
fruits and vegetables as aids in elimination. After a person's body is
completely cleaned of all waste (up to 7 years on the program), and during
the
long cleansing process, more and more juice can be used; but the roughage
will
always be needed.
A juicer is the most valuable addition to the family's kitchen equipment.
It is
an investment that will pay for itself many times over. Especially if you
have
been purchasing fresh juices from the store at a high price. Vegetables
(especially carrots) can be obtained in bulk and juiced at home, thus
insuring a
tremendous saving.
There are two basic types of juicers: a centrifugal juice extractor and a
masticator juicer. The centrifugal juicers separate the pulp from the
juice by
means of stainless steel blades and a centrifugal action chamber. These
juicers
make about a quart of juice before the pulp needs to be removed from the
mesh
basket within the chamber. The masticator juicer grinds or chews the
vegetables
with a large metal "tooth" and the juice is strained through a stainless
steel
mesh. The most popular juicer of this type is the Champion juicer. It is
very
sturdy, almost industrial in design, and can make several gallons of juice
before needing to be cleaned. The pulp is expelled through an opening and
can be
collected outside the machine. We have found this model to be very
satisfactory.
It can also grind nuts into butter and puree fruits and vegetables.
Dr. N. W. Walker was one of the foremost authorities on fresh juices and
fresh
juice therapy. He was a living testimony (he lived well over 100 years of
age)
to the benefits of raw juices which he advocated since in his seventies.
He has
several books on the market which can give you a good knowledge of the
virtues
of juices. His books list the vitamin and mineral contents of juices, and
the
suggested proportions of juice combinations for the therapeutic uses of
juices.
His latest book includes a list of juices and proportions thereof compiled
by
an M.D. who has successfully used juice therapy in his practice. Following
this
article is a list from Dr. Arthur W. Snyder's Booklet, Nature's Way to
Health,
published in 1969 by Hansen's. It is a summary of ailments along with the
juices
that are most effective in restoring health. Most disease is a result of
malnutrition and using foods supplying the necessary nutriments will often
restore a balance to the ailing body. The fresh raw juices are such
life-giving
foods.
NOTES ON CARROT JUICE
John B. Lust, in his book, The New Ray Juice Therapy quotes the learned
Ragnar-Berg on carrots:
They have some protein, are rich in carbohydrates, potassium, sodium, and
calcium, there is a high alkali excess, a trace of iodine and a good
proportion
of all vitamins.
They constitute a powerful cleansing food. A large amount of carrot
carbohydrate
is one of the most effective means of changing the intestinal flora from a
putrefactive to a non-putrefactive type.
Medicinal uses: Tonsillitis, colitis, appendicitis, anemia, gravel,
acidosis,
blood poisoning, faulty circulation, ulcers, rheumatism, indigestion,
increase
milk secretion, poor teeth (high in calcium), acne, adenoids, cancer, etc.
Preparation: Whole, juice or cooked. The juice is preferred, as the
therapeutic
virtues are thereby sufficiently concentrated to supply the restorative
elements
that are needed.
Dosage Juice: 1-6 pints a day.
Administration: The juice is taken orally, or is used as a wash or in a
poultice
form externally.
Snowbound and healthy
The garden carrot is one of the great foods of all time. There is a little
town
in Idaho which had its main crop in carrots, and they did so well there
that
every farm was in carrots. This was still in the "horse and buggy days"
and the
area was quite isolated, so when fall came, the people would harvest the
carrots
and take them down to a larger town and trade for supplies as staples for
the
winter. But one particular winter they got snow-bound before they could
take the
carrots down, so they had raw carrots, fried carrots, grated carrots,
juiced
carrots, carrot salads. That is about all they lived on. And, you know,
that was
the first year in the history of that town that there was no sickness; not
even
a case of sniffles! Well, the next year, being pretty smart people, they
didn't
take the chance of the repeat performance of getting snowbound again, so
they
hurried down early to get their usual dietary staples and, of course, they
had
their regular sickness, and they kept their
local doctor happy by keeping him in business.
Dr. Loretta Foote
Dr. Loretta Foote was one of the sweetest women we ever knew; and all she
did
was try to help people. She was an herbalist, and when we had our offices
on 1st
South in Salt Lake City, she was on our staff as the obstetrician. She was
a
woman that delivered thousands of babies and most of them were delivered
in the
home; in fact, our five were delivered in our home by natural childbirth,
assisted by Dr. Loretta Foote. Dr. Foote had a friend, and a very
prominent lady
of Salt Lake (most people would know the name were it mentioned), who was
told
by her doctors that she was dying of cancer, and this was before the days
of the
juicers. Dr. Foote grated carrots for her with the old "knuckle-skinner"
(grater) and squeezed out the juice by hand with cloths, until she would
get a
quart or so every day (and sometimes 2-3 times per day), so you can
imagine how
much dedicated effort that this took. Dr. Foote fed this to her friend,
and she
was completely cured, to the astonishment of the
doctors.
This prominent lady later wrote a booklet on how she was healed of cancer,
and
we have one of the very, very few of those left in existence. Then this
fine
lady sponsored Dr. Foote in a health store, the first health store in
America,
and they went broke! So this appreciative lady said, "They don't want us
here;
let's go to the coast." Many of you have been to the coast and have seen
the
many, many juice bars, health stores-well, these two great ladies started
the
first health store and juice bar on the coast, the first ones that were
successful in the United States. And these started to gain in popularity.
Later
Dr. Foote returned to Salt Lake City and started another health food
store, and
this time it was a success. Here is a wonderful pioneer lady who did
wonders
with the juice of our common garden carrot!
The carrot poultice is good for man or beast
Traveling from our office in Evanston, Wyoming, a number of years ago, I
had to
go over to Woodruff on a house call, to a family that was very, very sick.
They
improved so rapidly and were so pleased with our program that it was with
some
reluctance and embarrassment that the man said to me "Would it insult you
if we
asked you something about an animal?" I said, "No, we're good for man or
beast."
He said that he had a favorite horse outside that got tangled up in the
barbed
wire. "The vet was here yesterday and used the last ointments, salves and
things
that he knew about, and then he said there was only one thing more left to
do,
as the gangrene is setting in, so just shoot the horse." Well, this lovely
animal was part of the family. They had quite a few children, and they
still
loved the horse, so he said, "What can we do?" So we went out and looked
at the
horse's leg. I said "All right, you have been taking carrot juice and you
have
some pulp there and a ton or so of carrots that
you have brought in from your field, just grind up carrots and make a
great big
poultice and cover that horse's leg. that will do him good, and then give
the
horse all the carrots it can eat." Within seven days time that horse's leg
was
completely healed. The flesh was fully restored.
One of the most common misconceptions regarding carrot juice is that one
will
start to develop orange or yellow colored skin after steadily drinking the
juice
because of the carotene content in the juice. This is not true. The
development
of yellowish skin is due to the fact that carrot juice is a great liver
cleanser
and the toxicity within the body is coming to the surface. Keep up with
the
carrot juice and the symptoms will soon disappear.
The formerly constipated liver is reconditioned once again to experience a
free
flow of bile the excess of which is eliminated through our largest
eliminative
organ, the skin. I have personally experienced this phenomenon during a
time
when we prepared hundreds of gallons of carrot juice a week for sale.
Because
the juice was so abundant and available, I drank it for nearly every
meal...sometimes instead of meals. My wife soon commented upon the yellow
cast
which my skin began to take on. I continued drinking the juice, however,
and
within a week my skin color was back to normal. But my liver had gone
through a
wonderful cleansing! It is often a surprise to me that the most learned of
health authorities will try to sell you the carotene theory without any
sort of
proof, personal experience or background.
In the fifth century Before Christ, Hippocrates said, "Leave your drugs in
the
chemist's pot if you can heal the patient with food." Many seemingly
miraculous
cures have been effected upon some extremely wasting diseases through the
raw
juice regime. Our own "Incurables" program has helped many, many people
out of
their deathbeds and into a new life. The majority of nourishment is
derived from
juices: apple, carrot, and grape. The program is often tried as a last
resort:
that is when all other standard drug therapy has failed. Often a patient
has
been sent home from the hospital to die because the family ran out of
money, or
there was otherwise no hope of recovery. Some of the persevering and
desperate
relatives took their loved ones on the Incurables route. These once doomed
persons are walking the earth today --- alive and healthy.
Dr. H. E. Kirschner, M.D. treated people for over 50 years. In his book,
Live
Food Juices he recounts many fabulous results in his cases of incurable
diseases
where live juices were used. Some of these diseases were malnutrition,
leukemia,
failing eyesight, arthritis, bleeding hemorrhoids, obesity, various
cancers,
kidney disease, bladder tumors ... the list could go on.
The doctor states that there could be a table loaded with all types of
vegetables and we could still be suffering from malnutrition because our
bodies
could not possibly eat enough to provide the missing nutriments. With the
juices, the pulp is eliminated and we are left with the life-giving vital
principles contained within the vegetables. It is, of course, best to use
only
the organically grown fruits and vegetables (those free of pesticides and
preserving chemicals) for our juices. But Dr. Walker states that the
detrimental
toxins remain in the pulp, and this we can discard.
Fresh raw fruit and vegetable juices are extremely tasty either alone or
in
combination. The very famous green drink (a must for those lacking
potassium)
can be made from spinach, celery, parsley, carrot and beet tops. Any other
nutritive "weeds" in the yard such as lamb's quarter, comfrey, alfalfa,
mint,
etc., can be added. The green drink is the epitome of refreshing, living
energy
from plant sources.
Some people combine pineapple juice with the greens for a sweeter drink.
Green
drink can also be made in a regular blender with pineapple juice and
greens. A
helpful drink for asthmatic conditions includes pineapple juice, comfrey
(fresh
leaves), and fresh mint leaves to taste. If the green drink is made in the
blender, you may wish to strain out some of the pulp.
You may hear also that the oxalic acid found in members of the goosefoot
family
such as spinach and chard prevent the absorption of calcium, and is
poisonous to
the system.
We can clear this fear by telling you that the oxalic acid is in an
organic,
assimilable state. If we were to cook our spinach this would cause the
oxalic
acid to become inorganic and toxic. The amount of oxalic acid taken only
prevents an equal amount of calcium to be bound.
By drinking other juices, the calcium intake can far exceed the small
amount of
calcium bound, so there is no possibility of a calcium deficiency from the
ingestion of spinach juice.
Dr. Shook gives and excellent discussion on the difference between organic
and
inorganic oxalic acid in his Advanced Treatise In Herbology.
We suggest that you look into the possibilities of including fresh, raw
fruit
and vegetable juices in your family diet. With the many sources available
on the
subject you can familiarize yourself with what has been done with juice
therapy
to restore and maintain health. Fresh vegetables and fruits are usually
easy to
obtain all year around and if there is no nearby source during the winter
months, root crops like carrots, beets, potatoes and turnips can be stored
in a
cool, dark place. Apples will often keep through the winter if properly
stored.
Let us take the best from man's technology (the juicers) and use them in
the
beneficial processing of the Creator's life-giving foods.
Recommended Books
We would like to recommend some fine books on the market emphasizing the
values
of raw fruit and vegetable juices. Some of the following books have a few
points
of view that differ from our own, but they are, in general, very
informative and
helpful. We would particularly recommend those books by Dr. N. W. Walker,
a
leader in the field of juice therapy.
*Live Food Juices, by H. E. Kirschner, M.D.
*Raw Vegetable Juices, by N. W. Walker
*Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices, by Dr. N. W. Walker -
*Raw Foods and Juices Nutrition Plan, by Dr. Max Bricher-Benner
*Complete Raw Juice Therapy, by Susan E. Charmine
About Raw Juices, About Series, Thorsons Publishers, Limited
Juice Therapy, by A. W. Snyder
Make Your Juicer Your Drug Store, by Newman
Drink Your Troubles Away, by John Lust
CONDITION INDEX
Condition with Juices Indicated In Order of Efficiency
(from Dr. Arthur W. Snyder's booklet, "Nature's Way to Health, " 1969,
Hansen's)
ACIDOSIS: Spinach, celery & spinach, celery & beet, carrot, tomato.
ACNE: Carrot & spinach, celery & watercress, grapefruit.
ADENOIDS: Carrot, carrot & spinach.
ANEMIA: Carrot & spinach, celery & parsley, beet, fig.
APPENDICITIS, Chronic: Celery, carrot, carrot & cucumber.
APPETITE, Loss of: Dandelion, celery, turnip leaf, radish.
ARTHRITIS: Celery & cucumber, carrot, endive, apple.
ASTHMA: Carrot & garlic, carrot & spinach, endive, apricot.
AUTO-INTOXICATION: Celery & cabbage, spinach, garlic, apple.
BILIOUSNESS: Celery & apple, tomato, carrot & spinach, lemon.
BLOOD BUILDER: Spinach, beet, carrot, pomegranate, grape.
BOILS-CARBUNCLES: Carrot & spinach, carrot & cucumber, carrot.
BODY CLEANSER: Celery & cabbage, dandelion, pomegranate, apple.
BONE BUILDER: Spinach, turnip leaf, watercress, orange, fig.
BRONCHITIS: Carrot & garlic, carrot & dandelion, carrot.
CATARACTS: Carrot, watercress & spinach, carrot & spinach.
CATARRH, Respiratory or Nasal: Carrot, carrot & lettuce, radish, apricot.
CHLOROSIS: Carrot & spinach, celery & parsley, beet.
CIRCULATION, Poor: Celery & garlic, lettuce & onion, grape.
COLDS: Carrot & garlic, carrot, grapefruit, lemon.
COLIC: Carrot & celery, papaya.
COLITIS: Carrot, carrot & coconut, pear, fig.
CONSTIPATION: Rhubarb, prune, fig.
CONVALESCENCE: Carrot & spinach, beet, pomegranate.
COUGHS: Carrot, carrot & spinach, blackberry, fig.
CRAMPS: Carrot, celery.
CYSTITIS: Celery, carrot & cucumber.
DECAY, Tooth: Carrot & spinach, carrot & turnip leaves.
DIABETES: Carrots & spinach, dandelion, cabbage.
DIARRHEA: Carrot, cranberry.
DIPHTHERIA: Pineapple, carrot & spinach, celery & parsley.
DROPSY: Celery, dandelion, carrot & spinach, onion & milk.
DYSENTERY: Blackberry, cranberry.
DYSPEPSIA: Carrot & celery, papaya, pineapple.
ECZEMA: Carrot, carrot & cucumber.
EPILEPSY: Turnip leaf, watercress, spinach.
FEVERS: Cucumber, blackberry, watermelon.
FLATULENCE (Gas): Celery, carrot.
GALLBLADDER, Congested: Dandelion, endive, tomato.
GALLSTONES: Celery & parsley, tomato, grapefruit.
GASTRIC CATARRH: Carrot, apple, pear.
GASTRITIS: Carrot, coconut, papaya.
GOITER: Spinach, radish, lettuce, watercress, tomato, pineapple.
GONADAL DEFICIENCY: Carrot, spinach, turnip leaf, watercress.
GOUT: Celery & cucumber, carrot & spinach.
GRAVEL (Kidney): Carrot & cucumber, endive & parsley.
HAYFEVER: Carrot, celery & parsley.
HEART TROUBLES (Functional): Carrot, cucumber & cabbage, endive, carrot &
spinach, apple.
HEADACHES: Celery, carrot-celery-parsley-spinach.
HEMORRHAGE (Lung): Carrot.
HEMORRHOIDS: Carrot & watercress, carrot & turnip leaf, prune.
HYPERACIDITY, Gastric: Celery, spinach, carrot, papaya.
HYPERTENSION (High Blood Pressure): Celery-garlic-parsley, celery,
dandelion,
grapefruit.
HYPOADRENIA (Adrenal Deficiency): Carrot & spinach, pineapple.
IMPOTENCE: Watercress, spinach.
INFECTIONS, Susceptibility to: Carrot, spinach, garlic, parsley, tomato.
INFLUENZA: Carrot, carrot & spinach, celery & garlic.
INSOMNIA: Lettuce, celery, apple, onion.
JAUNDICE: Dandelion, carrot & spinach, apple, grape, tomato.
KIDNEY AND BLADDER TROUBLES: Cucumber & parsley, dandelion, spinach.
LARYNGITIS: Carrot, pineapple.
LEUCORRHEA: Beet, celery & parsley, pineapple.
LIVER TROUBLES: Carrot-beet-cucumber, apple, dandelion, grapefruit, lemon.
LOW BLOOD PRESSURE: Beet, grape, pomegranate.
LUMBAGO: Celery & cucumber, blackberry.
MALARIA: Grapefruit, carrot & spinach, celery & parsley.
MENSTRUAL DISORDERS: Beet, celery & parsley, pineapple.
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS: Blackberry.
MYALGIA (Muscular Rheumatism): Celery, celery & cucumber, endive.
NEPHRITIS: Celery & parsley, cucumber.
NERVE TONIC: Celery, lettuce, coconut.
NERVOUSNESS: Celery, lettuce, garlic, apple, grape.
NEURALGIA: Carrot & celery, celery.
NEURITIS: Celery & cucumber, endive, carrot & spinach.
OBESITY: Celery, spinach, lettuce, orange, lemon.
OTITIS MEDIA (Inflammation of Middle Ear): Carrot, celery & parsley,
endive.
PLEURISY: Carrot & cucumber, carrot & spinach.
PIMPLES: Carrot, cucumber, grapefruit, grape, apricot.
PSORIASIS: Carrot, cranberry.
PYORRHEA: Spinach, cucumber.
QUINSY: Carrot & spinach, carrot.
RACHITIS (Rickets): Carrot, turnip leaves, spinach, watercress, plus
sunshine or
Vitamin D.
REDUCING: Grape, orange, grapefruit, lemon.
RENAL CALCULUS (Stones in Kidney): Carrot & cucumber, celery & parsley.
RHEUMATISM: Celery & cucumber, carrot, apple, lemon.
SCIATICA: Celery & cucumber, carrot & spinach.
SCROFULA: Carrot-celery-parsley-spinach, carrot & spinach.
SCURVY: Grapefruit, orange, lemon, cabbage.
SICK HEADACHE: Celery, celery & apple.
SINUSITIS: Carrot, parsley, endive, tomato, onion.
SORE THROAT: Pineapple, celery, coconut, fig.
SPLEEN TROUBLES: Dandelion, watercress.
STOMACH ULCERS: Carrot, carrot & coconut, papaya.
TONSILLITIS: Carrot, celery & parsley.
TOXEMIA: Carrot & spinach, garlic, apricot.
TUMORS: Carrot, spinach, pineapple.
ULCERS (Peptic-Duodenal): Cabbage, carrots, carrot & coconut, papaya, fig.
UREMIA: Celery & parsley, cucumber, apple.
URTICARIA (Hives): Carrot & spinach, spinach, carrot & cucumber.
WORMS: Garlic, onion, pomegranate, apricot.
Used by permission - Dr. Christopher's Newsletters - Volume 3 Number 5
return to newsletters
----------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER
The information provided here is for educational purposes only, and should
not
be used to diagnose and treat diseases. If you have a serious health
problem, we
recommend that you consult a competent health practitioner.
After each product is a list of what it has been used to aid. We are not
claiming that the product will cure any of these diseases or that we
created
them to cure these disorders. We are merely reporting that people have
used the
product to aid these conditions.
Finally, we wish to caution you that the information on this web site is
for
educational purposes only. Always consult with a qualified health
practitioner
before deciding on any course of treatment, especially for serious or
life-threatening illnesses.
http://www.herbsfirst.com/NewsLetters/1100juice.html
Eating to Live Rather than Living to Eat
Eating to Live Rather than Living to Eat
How to Eat Right
http://www.doctoryourself.com/eatright.html
"Nothing will benefit human health
and increase the chances for survival
of life on Earth as much as the
evolution to a vegetarian diet."
(Albert Einstein)
* One tablespoon of vegetable oil contains enough fat
for you for an entire day. The average American eats
enough fat DAILY to equal a stick of butter. (Jane
Brody, The New York Times)
* Sugar is the #1 cause of tooth decay. The level of
sugar consumption at which most of the population will
not get dental caries is 33 lbs. (15 kg) per person
per year. The average American eats over 120 pounds
annually. (Aubrey Sheiman, "Sugar and Dental Caries"
The Lancet, 8319:282-284, Feb. 5, 1983)
* Americans consume at least twice as much protein as
they need. Worldwide, 30 grams of protein daily is
usually adequate. The US RDA of protein is about 60
grams daily for a man and about 50 g daily for a
woman. We generally eat over 100 grams of protein
daily, mostly from meat (Williams, S. Nutrition and
Diet Therapy, 7th ed, Mosby, 1993). Chronic protein
excess overloads and irreversibly damages the kidneys
by middle age.
One way out of this is to copy Nature. When in
doubt, eat like a gorilla. Gorillas are very strong,
very smart, and very vegetarian. The strongest and
longest lived animals are all vegetarians. You may
think that the lion is "king of the jungle," but lions
get out of the way of passing vegetarian rhinos and
elephants. Vegetarian tortoises live up to 150 years.
To read the full article: http://www.doctoryourself.com/eatright.html
How to Eat Right
http://www.doctoryourself.com/eatright.html
"Nothing will benefit human health
and increase the chances for survival
of life on Earth as much as the
evolution to a vegetarian diet."
(Albert Einstein)
* One tablespoon of vegetable oil contains enough fat
for you for an entire day. The average American eats
enough fat DAILY to equal a stick of butter. (Jane
Brody, The New York Times)
* Sugar is the #1 cause of tooth decay. The level of
sugar consumption at which most of the population will
not get dental caries is 33 lbs. (15 kg) per person
per year. The average American eats over 120 pounds
annually. (Aubrey Sheiman, "Sugar and Dental Caries"
The Lancet, 8319:282-284, Feb. 5, 1983)
* Americans consume at least twice as much protein as
they need. Worldwide, 30 grams of protein daily is
usually adequate. The US RDA of protein is about 60
grams daily for a man and about 50 g daily for a
woman. We generally eat over 100 grams of protein
daily, mostly from meat (Williams, S. Nutrition and
Diet Therapy, 7th ed, Mosby, 1993). Chronic protein
excess overloads and irreversibly damages the kidneys
by middle age.
One way out of this is to copy Nature. When in
doubt, eat like a gorilla. Gorillas are very strong,
very smart, and very vegetarian. The strongest and
longest lived animals are all vegetarians. You may
think that the lion is "king of the jungle," but lions
get out of the way of passing vegetarian rhinos and
elephants. Vegetarian tortoises live up to 150 years.
To read the full article: http://www.doctoryourself.com/eatright.html
VITAL TO READ: How Bad are Plastic Water Bottles for Your Health, Really?
How Bad are Plastic Water Bottles for Your Health, Really?
An Urgent Warning
by www.SixWise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/How-Bad-are-Plastic-Water-Bottles-for-Your-Health.htm?source=nl
In 2008, Americans drank nearly 9 billion gallons of bottled water, which is second only to soft drinks as the largest beverage type in the U.S. market, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation.
Its popularity has been growing strong since 2000, with significant sales growth noted every year of the decade … that is until now. In 2008, the gallons of bottled water consumption went down by 1 percent, for the first time this decade. And whereas in 2007 Americans drank 29 gallons of bottled water each, in 2008 that went down to 28.5 gallons. It’s a small decrease, but perhaps a sign of larger changes to come.
What are You Really Drinking When You Drink Bottled Water?
Plastic water bottles have come under scrutiny in recent years for both their environmental and health effects, including those surrounding the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA).
That BPA can leach out of plastic during everyday use, causing health problems, is hardly news. It’s now widely known that BPA mimics the female hormone estrogen and may affect fertility and promote cancer. And just last year it came out that BPA may also lead to heart disease, diabetes and liver problems.
Studies have shown that detectable levels of BPA exist in more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, but exposure has been blamed on not only drinking water and food, but also on dental sealants, dermal exposure and inhalation of household dusts.
Which leads one to wonder, just how much BPA are we exposed to when drinking from a plastic bottle? And how great are the health risks, really?
Well, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found out.
The researchers recruited Harvard College students for the study in April 2008, and all 77 participants then began a seven-day “washout” during which they drank all cold beverages from stainless steel bottles in order to minimize BPA exposure. For the next week, participants were given two polycarbonate bottles and asked to drink all cold beverages from them.
Urine samples were taken at the end of each week-long period, and the results that came back were shocking: levels of BPA rose 69 percent after just one week of drinking out of plastic bottles.
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/How-Bad-are-Plastic-Water-Bottles-for-Your-Health.htm?source=nl
An Urgent Warning
by www.SixWise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/How-Bad-are-Plastic-Water-Bottles-for-Your-Health.htm?source=nl
In 2008, Americans drank nearly 9 billion gallons of bottled water, which is second only to soft drinks as the largest beverage type in the U.S. market, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation.
Its popularity has been growing strong since 2000, with significant sales growth noted every year of the decade … that is until now. In 2008, the gallons of bottled water consumption went down by 1 percent, for the first time this decade. And whereas in 2007 Americans drank 29 gallons of bottled water each, in 2008 that went down to 28.5 gallons. It’s a small decrease, but perhaps a sign of larger changes to come.
What are You Really Drinking When You Drink Bottled Water?
Plastic water bottles have come under scrutiny in recent years for both their environmental and health effects, including those surrounding the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA).
That BPA can leach out of plastic during everyday use, causing health problems, is hardly news. It’s now widely known that BPA mimics the female hormone estrogen and may affect fertility and promote cancer. And just last year it came out that BPA may also lead to heart disease, diabetes and liver problems.
Studies have shown that detectable levels of BPA exist in more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, but exposure has been blamed on not only drinking water and food, but also on dental sealants, dermal exposure and inhalation of household dusts.
Which leads one to wonder, just how much BPA are we exposed to when drinking from a plastic bottle? And how great are the health risks, really?
Well, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found out.
The researchers recruited Harvard College students for the study in April 2008, and all 77 participants then began a seven-day “washout” during which they drank all cold beverages from stainless steel bottles in order to minimize BPA exposure. For the next week, participants were given two polycarbonate bottles and asked to drink all cold beverages from them.
Urine samples were taken at the end of each week-long period, and the results that came back were shocking: levels of BPA rose 69 percent after just one week of drinking out of plastic bottles.
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/How-Bad-are-Plastic-Water-Bottles-for-Your-Health.htm?source=nl
The Top 10 Allergy Capitals of the United States
Abridged from sixwise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/The-Top-10-Allergy-Capitals-of-the-United-States.htm?source=nl
The Top 10 Allergy Capitals of the United States:
1. Louisville, Kentucky
2. Knoxville, Tennessee
3. Charlotte, North Carolina
4. Madison, Wisconsin
5. Wichita, Kansas
6. McAllen, Texas
7. Greensboro, North Carolina
8. Dayton, Ohio
9. Little Rock, Arkansas
10. Augusta, Georgia
To view a list of the complete rankings, with 100 spring allergy capitals listed, visit AAFA
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=33
“Anyone who lives in an Allergy Capital should take the necessary steps to minimize the impact of allergies on their life,” says Mike Tringale, director of external affairs for AAFA in an AAFA news release. “The Allergy Capital ranking is a great tool to help increase awareness about what allergy sufferers can do to avoid allergy triggers and actually enjoy the spring season.”
The good news is that there are a number of ways to ease your outdoor allergies that don't cost much money and that don't take much effort to do. If you are one of the many people battling with seasonal allergies this spring, try out as many of the tips below as you can ... and you should experience a great deal of relief, no matter where you live.
10 Tips to Minimize Your Seasonal Allergies
1. Keep your windows closed to keep pollen out (this is especially important from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. when plants release most of their pollen). This includes while you’re driving.
2. Use your air conditioner instead of opening windows, and ideally use an air conditioner that has an allergy-reducing HEPA filter in it.
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/The-Top-10-Allergy-Capitals-of-the-United-States.htm?source=nl
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/The-Top-10-Allergy-Capitals-of-the-United-States.htm?source=nl
The Top 10 Allergy Capitals of the United States:
1. Louisville, Kentucky
2. Knoxville, Tennessee
3. Charlotte, North Carolina
4. Madison, Wisconsin
5. Wichita, Kansas
6. McAllen, Texas
7. Greensboro, North Carolina
8. Dayton, Ohio
9. Little Rock, Arkansas
10. Augusta, Georgia
To view a list of the complete rankings, with 100 spring allergy capitals listed, visit AAFA
http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=33
“Anyone who lives in an Allergy Capital should take the necessary steps to minimize the impact of allergies on their life,” says Mike Tringale, director of external affairs for AAFA in an AAFA news release. “The Allergy Capital ranking is a great tool to help increase awareness about what allergy sufferers can do to avoid allergy triggers and actually enjoy the spring season.”
The good news is that there are a number of ways to ease your outdoor allergies that don't cost much money and that don't take much effort to do. If you are one of the many people battling with seasonal allergies this spring, try out as many of the tips below as you can ... and you should experience a great deal of relief, no matter where you live.
10 Tips to Minimize Your Seasonal Allergies
1. Keep your windows closed to keep pollen out (this is especially important from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. when plants release most of their pollen). This includes while you’re driving.
2. Use your air conditioner instead of opening windows, and ideally use an air conditioner that has an allergy-reducing HEPA filter in it.
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/27/The-Top-10-Allergy-Capitals-of-the-United-States.htm?source=nl
Vegetarians Should Supplement for Teeth & Gum Health
Vegetarians and especially Vegans do need to make sure they're getting enough Vitamin B-12 - Vitamin B-2 - Vitamin D - and Calcium - in their diet to ward off tooth decay, and gum problems. These are easy enough too get through supplementation or correct food choices & sunshine (Vitamin D).
On the flip-side their is a positive note too teeth & gum health from a veg diet. See below:
{The traditional belief and recent interest in 'natural food' suggests that fruits and vegetable make a positive contribution in dental health by inhibiting caries and increasing the resistance of the periodontal tissues.
Human dentition is better suited for vegetarian diet. Broad surface molars are specially suited to chew coarse fibrous food.
Most vegetarian foods have a cleansing action. A few gargles after a meal may be enough to clean the mouth. However, if some fibrous particle remains in between the teeth (inter dental space) unlike meat fibres, they do not ferment or traumatize the tissue. Thus brushing morning and night may be enough to prevent dental problems.
Vegetables and fruits are a very healthy source of natural vitamins like vitamin C and other minerals.
Salivary pH does not change fast and therefore vegetarian food does not decompose. Salivary pH has an important role to play in oral health. Most dairy products like milk, butter, and vegetable oil keep saliva almost neutral. Most vegetables, dry fruits, apples, grapes and bananas may keep saliva slightly alkaline. Meat, sea food and chicken are acid forming foods. Acidic saliva normally helps causing dental decay.
Hence, it appears that evidence is strongly in favor of a vegetarian diet. There seems to be no doubt that the incidence of dental problems is less in a vegetarian population.}
On the flip-side their is a positive note too teeth & gum health from a veg diet. See below:
{The traditional belief and recent interest in 'natural food' suggests that fruits and vegetable make a positive contribution in dental health by inhibiting caries and increasing the resistance of the periodontal tissues.
Human dentition is better suited for vegetarian diet. Broad surface molars are specially suited to chew coarse fibrous food.
Most vegetarian foods have a cleansing action. A few gargles after a meal may be enough to clean the mouth. However, if some fibrous particle remains in between the teeth (inter dental space) unlike meat fibres, they do not ferment or traumatize the tissue. Thus brushing morning and night may be enough to prevent dental problems.
Vegetables and fruits are a very healthy source of natural vitamins like vitamin C and other minerals.
Salivary pH does not change fast and therefore vegetarian food does not decompose. Salivary pH has an important role to play in oral health. Most dairy products like milk, butter, and vegetable oil keep saliva almost neutral. Most vegetables, dry fruits, apples, grapes and bananas may keep saliva slightly alkaline. Meat, sea food and chicken are acid forming foods. Acidic saliva normally helps causing dental decay.
Hence, it appears that evidence is strongly in favor of a vegetarian diet. There seems to be no doubt that the incidence of dental problems is less in a vegetarian population.}
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Plants That Will Suck Your Yard Dry
Plants That Will Suck Your Yard Dry
By Tasha Eichenseher
May 20, 2009
http://www.thegreenguide.com/greenguide/home-garden/garden/drought-resistant-plants?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
Nearly 2 billion people already live in water-stressed regions, where subtle shifts in average annual temperatures could mean inadequate water supplies for people and the environment, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
When water is scarce in sub-Saharan Africa, people spend hours searching for and collecting drinking water. When drought hits Nevada, people have to change the way they wash their cars and tend to their yards.
In urban areas of arid Texas, about 25 percent of treated water goes toward landscaping, according to experts at the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences.
Even small steps can make a difference, so when planting this spring and summer, consider using native species already adapted to the environment you live in. They will require little more than natural rainfall. You can also make soil improvements that help absorb and hold water, and use mulch to prevent water loss through evaporation. “Mulch is your greatest ally in drought conditions,” according to Organic Gardening magazine editor Ethne Clarke.
But most importantly, avoid these thirsty varieties:
Tropical and exotic plants:
Species such as hibiscus and banana, commonly used in landscaping, come from tropical regions that get a lot of rain. These plants tend to have fairly high water requirements.
"Foliage structure tells you a lot about water needs," said David Ellis, editor of The American Gardener, the magazine of the American Horticultural Society. Plants with large glossy dark leaves tend to absorb more heat and require a lot of water, and a larger leaf surface area equals greater water loss. If hydrating is a concern, stick with hairy, smaller, and lighter-colored or silvery leaves that retain water and diffuse light, such as lambs ear, rosemary, or lavender, Ellis advises.
Exotics in general will probably need more water than native species, Ellis adds. Try to avoid rapidly growing tropical plants with soft, pithy, and fleshy trunks—these are usually plants with large water contents. The banana tree, for example, is 90 percent water.
To read the full article: http://www.thegreenguide.com/greenguide/home-garden/garden/drought-resistant-plants?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
By Tasha Eichenseher
May 20, 2009
http://www.thegreenguide.com/greenguide/home-garden/garden/drought-resistant-plants?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
Nearly 2 billion people already live in water-stressed regions, where subtle shifts in average annual temperatures could mean inadequate water supplies for people and the environment, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
When water is scarce in sub-Saharan Africa, people spend hours searching for and collecting drinking water. When drought hits Nevada, people have to change the way they wash their cars and tend to their yards.
In urban areas of arid Texas, about 25 percent of treated water goes toward landscaping, according to experts at the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences.
Even small steps can make a difference, so when planting this spring and summer, consider using native species already adapted to the environment you live in. They will require little more than natural rainfall. You can also make soil improvements that help absorb and hold water, and use mulch to prevent water loss through evaporation. “Mulch is your greatest ally in drought conditions,” according to Organic Gardening magazine editor Ethne Clarke.
But most importantly, avoid these thirsty varieties:
Tropical and exotic plants:
Species such as hibiscus and banana, commonly used in landscaping, come from tropical regions that get a lot of rain. These plants tend to have fairly high water requirements.
"Foliage structure tells you a lot about water needs," said David Ellis, editor of The American Gardener, the magazine of the American Horticultural Society. Plants with large glossy dark leaves tend to absorb more heat and require a lot of water, and a larger leaf surface area equals greater water loss. If hydrating is a concern, stick with hairy, smaller, and lighter-colored or silvery leaves that retain water and diffuse light, such as lambs ear, rosemary, or lavender, Ellis advises.
Exotics in general will probably need more water than native species, Ellis adds. Try to avoid rapidly growing tropical plants with soft, pithy, and fleshy trunks—these are usually plants with large water contents. The banana tree, for example, is 90 percent water.
To read the full article: http://www.thegreenguide.com/greenguide/home-garden/garden/drought-resistant-plants?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
How to Get a Green Roof for Dirt Cheap
How to Get a Green Roof for Dirt Cheap
By Eliza Barclay
May 19, 2009
http://www.thegreenguide.com/home-garden/garden/budget-green-roofs?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
Green roofs are an environmental and economical win-win: These aboveground gardens absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, combat the urban heat island effect by deflecting the sun's rays, divert harmful storm-water runoff, and can help lower a building’s heating and cooling costs.
Living roofs are gaining serious traction in big cities like Chicago, where city hall wears a green roof. But homeowners and building managers anywhere can also join the green-roof revolution—without forking over too much dough.
First, you'll likely need to hire a landscape contractor for the project—nearly all green roof experts discourage DIY.
The first question to ask your contractor is how much weight your roof can hold, according to Bruce Dvorak of the Conservation Design Forum, an Illinois-based, environmentally friendly design firm.
Extensive roofs have a soil depth of 1 to 6 inches (2.5 to 15.2 centimeters) and can handle a weight load of 15 to 50 pounds (6.8 to 22.7 kilograms) per square foot of living roof.
Intensive roofs have a soil depth of 6 to 24 inches (15.2 to 61 centimeters) and hold 80 to 150 pounds (36.3 to 68.1 kilograms) per square foot.
Extensive projects may cost as little as U.S. $8 per square foot, while intensive green roofs tend to start at $15 per square foot.
To read the full article: http://www.thegreenguide.com/home-garden/garden/budget-green-roofs?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
By Eliza Barclay
May 19, 2009
http://www.thegreenguide.com/home-garden/garden/budget-green-roofs?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
Green roofs are an environmental and economical win-win: These aboveground gardens absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, combat the urban heat island effect by deflecting the sun's rays, divert harmful storm-water runoff, and can help lower a building’s heating and cooling costs.
Living roofs are gaining serious traction in big cities like Chicago, where city hall wears a green roof. But homeowners and building managers anywhere can also join the green-roof revolution—without forking over too much dough.
First, you'll likely need to hire a landscape contractor for the project—nearly all green roof experts discourage DIY.
The first question to ask your contractor is how much weight your roof can hold, according to Bruce Dvorak of the Conservation Design Forum, an Illinois-based, environmentally friendly design firm.
Extensive roofs have a soil depth of 1 to 6 inches (2.5 to 15.2 centimeters) and can handle a weight load of 15 to 50 pounds (6.8 to 22.7 kilograms) per square foot of living roof.
Intensive roofs have a soil depth of 6 to 24 inches (15.2 to 61 centimeters) and hold 80 to 150 pounds (36.3 to 68.1 kilograms) per square foot.
Extensive projects may cost as little as U.S. $8 per square foot, while intensive green roofs tend to start at $15 per square foot.
To read the full article: http://www.thegreenguide.com/home-garden/garden/budget-green-roofs?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg
Friday, May 15, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The Modern Lawn Contributes to Climate Change
The Modern Lawn Contributes to Climate Change by Heather Havey, M.A.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026254.html
(NaturalNews) Americans love to have a healthy and beautiful yard. They have adopted and accepted a concept of beauty known as the "lawn." Many people believe that an expanse of short-trimmed grass-covered land is the most desirable look to have in one`s yard. This may include an occasional shrub or tree to add uniqueness and "diversity." Home-owners can help combat climate change by considering more diverse options for their own yards.
Yards can support green living and biological diversity, or yards can support climate change
In this time of global climate change, humans must consider the effects of all choices on the Earth. One`s yard offers an important opportunity to make a difference as an individual. So let`s ask the question: "Does my yard promote biological diversity as well as healthy water and soil and air?" Upon first consideration it may seem like everything is just fine. The reality is, however, that most people may not know the true, long-lasting effects of choices that have long been accepted as safe or healthy.
Climate change is real and is getting worse
Climate change has led to such phenomena as:
* a hotter and drier planet
* loss of forests, trees, plants, animals, and ground covers
* depletion of soil health and minerals from using chemicals, over-farming, and mowing
* loss of usable fresh water from both pollution and over-consumption
* drying out of the soil layers as water tables lower and rain patterns change
* loss of biological diversity including birds, bees, worms, insects, and much more
* mass extinction of many of Earth`s species - forever
* storm patterns and fires increasing in number and intensity
Some prevalent causes of climate change include:
* unsustainable production processes
* unsustainable and inhumane agricultural practices
* unconscious and wasteful consumption habits
* unchecked use of and dependence on fossil fuels
* unquestioned use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides
* unquestioned use of chemical cleansers and other chemicals
* rapid and rampant deforestation (including in individual`s lawns and developing neighborhoods)
Each individual impacts the overall world balance. Every individual choice tips the balance in favor of Earth health or Earth destruction. This includes diet, transportation, use of resources, recycling, and so on. A big factor on this list also is one`s yard.
The "lawn" as we know it is unsustainable and harmful
An expanse of lawn can be lovely. However, its maintenance encourages pollutive practices:
* weekly mowing
* periodic chemical application of pesticides or fertilizers
* regular watering
* removal of trees or shrubs that may hinder ability to mow
Also, the lawn has long-term effects that encourage climate change and global warming. The lawn:
* dries out the topsoil layers, which also dries out the grass
* does not hold in water or coolness well
* space taken by grass prevents trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits and vegetables that would hold in moisture, re-mineralize the soil, and support birds, bees, and other life
* prevents sufficient biological diversity because there is no habitat for life to live in
* kills biological diversity because chemicals are designed to kill, and they do not know when to stop killing.
The overall effect of this is the transformation of Earth from a lush, diverse, abundant ground cover that protects and sustains us into a dried-out, burned-out, chemically-maintained, wildlife-killing wasteland. This look is currently seen as desirable and "beautiful." This "lawn" concept is promoting a hot, burned-out, poisoned world that lacks biological diversity.
Lawn is only one concept of beauty; there are many others that are lovelier and more sustainable.
There are incredible, beautiful alternatives to the modern "lawn."
One possibility is to fill one`s yard with trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, and trees. Choose local and native species that thrive in the conditions of the area. This will limit the need for maintenance or watering. Chemicals are unnecessary if plants are chosen well. A diverse yard like this will encourage many more birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects and animals.
Another option in addition is to grow food-bearing trees, shrubs, and plants in your yard. Combine flower beds with fruit trees and vegetable beds. Blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry bushes grow well in quite a few regions. Also in every region certain nut trees and fruit trees will grow well. Grape vines look lovely draped around a terraced porch. Many plants can even be grown in decorative pots. Pepper plants, for example, grow very well and produce many peppers. They look very lovely even inside your home.
A third way to help the Earth is to put bird houses and bathhouses among the trees. Feed birds organic birdseed. Grow sunflowers, which are lovely and produce many sunflower seeds for oneself and the birds.
Also buy eggs from a local farmer who raises them in a healthy and humane fashion. This choice ensures that one does not support animal torture or encourage development of new strains of bird flus, whose source have been linked in the past to inhumane mass farming practices.
Buy honey from local beekeepers. The bees suffer en masse from colony collapse disorder, which has been linked to both a mite and also the use of pesticides. All honeybees may soon go extinct if we do not protect them. Build a bee box and raise bees at home.
Collect food remains, mix them with soil and leaves and paper, let them decay, and spread these around the yard.
Other simple, helpful choices can include:
* plant trees every week
* plant every avocado, citrus, fruit, or nut seed from eaten foods
* give living gifts (plants and trees)
* become a guerrilla gardener (randomly plant flowers and trees in places, to help Earth and spread beauty).
What are the advantages of filling one`s yard with trees, plants, shrubs, bird houses, bathhouses, and bee boxes?
Some of many advantages include:
* Beauty
* Create protective habitat to protect dwindling bird, butterfly, bee, insect populations
* Promote wildlife diversity and survival
* Trees and plants hold in the moisture
* Trees and plants cool down the land
* Watering will be less needed
* Chemical applications will be unneeded
* Fertilizers will be unneeded
* Trees help soil to retain rain water as ground water, allowing it to linger longer in the soil for plants
* Cooling and moisturizing one`s own yard helps to counteract the devastating heating and drying of the Earth that is happening as we remove its groundcovers
Pesticides and herbicides are familiar but are not necessary
Do not trust chemicals. They were not used throughout history until the 20th century. They have an occasional beneficial need but for the most part they are simply unnecessary. Beyond this, they are very harmful. The famous bumper sticker says, "Pesticides are designed to kill, and they do not know when to stop killing."
Eat, farm, garden, and live organically.
One final choice that will greatly benefit Earth and one`s own health is the non-negotiable adoption of a natural, chemical-free lifestyle. Chemicals, again, are simply unnecessary. Nature provides everything that humans and animals need for health and well-being. Education and healthy choices are the keys.
Final thought
As our nation develops, our country is being covered by homes as well as shopping centers, business districts, and road systems. The world once was totally covered with trees, wild ground covers, and endless diverse forms of wildlife. People are removing nearly all of it through "development." The world humans are creating is the world that we see in all of our yards. At this moment, this means: very little diversity, nutrient-poor soil, no insects, virtually no habitat for birds or other animals, and an abundance of pesticide, herbicide, and chemical fertilizer. This does not provide us with oxygen, food, moist soils, moisture in the air, coolness from trees, biological diversity, health, or as much beauty. It leaves our Earth much hotter, drier, and exposed to potential further harm. There is very little room for sustainability, thriving of life on Earth, or a healthy future in what Americans currently prefer as "the perfect lawn."
The choice to transform the lawn into a vibrant, diverse, food-bearing, life-supporting garden is a choice that adds beauty, helps Earth, and helps each family. These choices honor the diversity, strength, and healing nature of Earth.
Sources
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn
2. www.american-lawns.com/history/hist...
3. Taylor, Donald W. Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY: 1948.
4. http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR%5Cgloba...
Heather Havey, M.A., is a naturalist, organic farmer, & yoga teacher. She is the author of many books, including Reflections for Radiant Living Volume 1
, The Craving Book, and others. Her websites, found at www.peacethroughkindness.com, offer recipes, ecards, books/gifts, & diy/giy meant to inspire your peace, health, & joy. Since 1998, she has helped thousands of people around the world. She offers spiritual, nutrition, fitness, farming, or personal guidance. You can reach her at info@peacethroughkindness.com.
Heather Havey invites you: love Earth, grow your own food, heal the soil, and plant trees. Make your yard a wildlife habitat and organic garden rather than a mower-dependent, chemically-maintained lawn. The world is enhanced by your care and beauty.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026254.html
(NaturalNews) Americans love to have a healthy and beautiful yard. They have adopted and accepted a concept of beauty known as the "lawn." Many people believe that an expanse of short-trimmed grass-covered land is the most desirable look to have in one`s yard. This may include an occasional shrub or tree to add uniqueness and "diversity." Home-owners can help combat climate change by considering more diverse options for their own yards.
Yards can support green living and biological diversity, or yards can support climate change
In this time of global climate change, humans must consider the effects of all choices on the Earth. One`s yard offers an important opportunity to make a difference as an individual. So let`s ask the question: "Does my yard promote biological diversity as well as healthy water and soil and air?" Upon first consideration it may seem like everything is just fine. The reality is, however, that most people may not know the true, long-lasting effects of choices that have long been accepted as safe or healthy.
Climate change is real and is getting worse
Climate change has led to such phenomena as:
* a hotter and drier planet
* loss of forests, trees, plants, animals, and ground covers
* depletion of soil health and minerals from using chemicals, over-farming, and mowing
* loss of usable fresh water from both pollution and over-consumption
* drying out of the soil layers as water tables lower and rain patterns change
* loss of biological diversity including birds, bees, worms, insects, and much more
* mass extinction of many of Earth`s species - forever
* storm patterns and fires increasing in number and intensity
Some prevalent causes of climate change include:
* unsustainable production processes
* unsustainable and inhumane agricultural practices
* unconscious and wasteful consumption habits
* unchecked use of and dependence on fossil fuels
* unquestioned use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides
* unquestioned use of chemical cleansers and other chemicals
* rapid and rampant deforestation (including in individual`s lawns and developing neighborhoods)
Each individual impacts the overall world balance. Every individual choice tips the balance in favor of Earth health or Earth destruction. This includes diet, transportation, use of resources, recycling, and so on. A big factor on this list also is one`s yard.
The "lawn" as we know it is unsustainable and harmful
An expanse of lawn can be lovely. However, its maintenance encourages pollutive practices:
* weekly mowing
* periodic chemical application of pesticides or fertilizers
* regular watering
* removal of trees or shrubs that may hinder ability to mow
Also, the lawn has long-term effects that encourage climate change and global warming. The lawn:
* dries out the topsoil layers, which also dries out the grass
* does not hold in water or coolness well
* space taken by grass prevents trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits and vegetables that would hold in moisture, re-mineralize the soil, and support birds, bees, and other life
* prevents sufficient biological diversity because there is no habitat for life to live in
* kills biological diversity because chemicals are designed to kill, and they do not know when to stop killing.
The overall effect of this is the transformation of Earth from a lush, diverse, abundant ground cover that protects and sustains us into a dried-out, burned-out, chemically-maintained, wildlife-killing wasteland. This look is currently seen as desirable and "beautiful." This "lawn" concept is promoting a hot, burned-out, poisoned world that lacks biological diversity.
Lawn is only one concept of beauty; there are many others that are lovelier and more sustainable.
There are incredible, beautiful alternatives to the modern "lawn."
One possibility is to fill one`s yard with trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, and trees. Choose local and native species that thrive in the conditions of the area. This will limit the need for maintenance or watering. Chemicals are unnecessary if plants are chosen well. A diverse yard like this will encourage many more birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects and animals.
Another option in addition is to grow food-bearing trees, shrubs, and plants in your yard. Combine flower beds with fruit trees and vegetable beds. Blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry bushes grow well in quite a few regions. Also in every region certain nut trees and fruit trees will grow well. Grape vines look lovely draped around a terraced porch. Many plants can even be grown in decorative pots. Pepper plants, for example, grow very well and produce many peppers. They look very lovely even inside your home.
A third way to help the Earth is to put bird houses and bathhouses among the trees. Feed birds organic birdseed. Grow sunflowers, which are lovely and produce many sunflower seeds for oneself and the birds.
Also buy eggs from a local farmer who raises them in a healthy and humane fashion. This choice ensures that one does not support animal torture or encourage development of new strains of bird flus, whose source have been linked in the past to inhumane mass farming practices.
Buy honey from local beekeepers. The bees suffer en masse from colony collapse disorder, which has been linked to both a mite and also the use of pesticides. All honeybees may soon go extinct if we do not protect them. Build a bee box and raise bees at home.
Collect food remains, mix them with soil and leaves and paper, let them decay, and spread these around the yard.
Other simple, helpful choices can include:
* plant trees every week
* plant every avocado, citrus, fruit, or nut seed from eaten foods
* give living gifts (plants and trees)
* become a guerrilla gardener (randomly plant flowers and trees in places, to help Earth and spread beauty).
What are the advantages of filling one`s yard with trees, plants, shrubs, bird houses, bathhouses, and bee boxes?
Some of many advantages include:
* Beauty
* Create protective habitat to protect dwindling bird, butterfly, bee, insect populations
* Promote wildlife diversity and survival
* Trees and plants hold in the moisture
* Trees and plants cool down the land
* Watering will be less needed
* Chemical applications will be unneeded
* Fertilizers will be unneeded
* Trees help soil to retain rain water as ground water, allowing it to linger longer in the soil for plants
* Cooling and moisturizing one`s own yard helps to counteract the devastating heating and drying of the Earth that is happening as we remove its groundcovers
Pesticides and herbicides are familiar but are not necessary
Do not trust chemicals. They were not used throughout history until the 20th century. They have an occasional beneficial need but for the most part they are simply unnecessary. Beyond this, they are very harmful. The famous bumper sticker says, "Pesticides are designed to kill, and they do not know when to stop killing."
Eat, farm, garden, and live organically.
One final choice that will greatly benefit Earth and one`s own health is the non-negotiable adoption of a natural, chemical-free lifestyle. Chemicals, again, are simply unnecessary. Nature provides everything that humans and animals need for health and well-being. Education and healthy choices are the keys.
Final thought
As our nation develops, our country is being covered by homes as well as shopping centers, business districts, and road systems. The world once was totally covered with trees, wild ground covers, and endless diverse forms of wildlife. People are removing nearly all of it through "development." The world humans are creating is the world that we see in all of our yards. At this moment, this means: very little diversity, nutrient-poor soil, no insects, virtually no habitat for birds or other animals, and an abundance of pesticide, herbicide, and chemical fertilizer. This does not provide us with oxygen, food, moist soils, moisture in the air, coolness from trees, biological diversity, health, or as much beauty. It leaves our Earth much hotter, drier, and exposed to potential further harm. There is very little room for sustainability, thriving of life on Earth, or a healthy future in what Americans currently prefer as "the perfect lawn."
The choice to transform the lawn into a vibrant, diverse, food-bearing, life-supporting garden is a choice that adds beauty, helps Earth, and helps each family. These choices honor the diversity, strength, and healing nature of Earth.
Sources
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn
2. www.american-lawns.com/history/hist...
3. Taylor, Donald W. Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NY: 1948.
4. http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR%5Cgloba...
Heather Havey, M.A., is a naturalist, organic farmer, & yoga teacher. She is the author of many books, including Reflections for Radiant Living Volume 1
, The Craving Book, and others. Her websites, found at www.peacethroughkindness.com, offer recipes, ecards, books/gifts, & diy/giy meant to inspire your peace, health, & joy. Since 1998, she has helped thousands of people around the world. She offers spiritual, nutrition, fitness, farming, or personal guidance. You can reach her at info@peacethroughkindness.com.Heather Havey invites you: love Earth, grow your own food, heal the soil, and plant trees. Make your yard a wildlife habitat and organic garden rather than a mower-dependent, chemically-maintained lawn. The world is enhanced by your care and beauty.
5 Ways to Save Time and Money on Your Lawn
5 Ways to Save Time and Money on Your Lawn
Already tired of cutting the grass? These green tips can help.
Then consider a bird garden
by Jeff Yeager
May 12, 2009
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/living-green/blogs/save-money/mow-the-lawn-green-460509
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/mow-the-lawn-green-460509?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr&kw=ist
I'm always struck when I travel outside the United States how rare it is to see large expanses of lawn in residential areas in most other countries. Americans are truly grass crazy. We're downright sod-o-maniacs, you might say.
grass
But our dandelion-free, putting green-perfect lawns are tough on the environment and tough on our wallets. Between the water they require, the pesticides and fertilizers, and pollutant spewing, four-cycle lawnmowers, our lawns really aren't as green as they look.
And with U.S. lawn care services now a $12 billion annual industry, our lawns are cutting a lot of the green out of our bank accounts as well. Basic lawn-care service averages about $120-$150 per month, which could easily be an expense of $1,000 a year or more depending on where you live and the length of the growing season.
Author Michael Pollan wrote, "A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule." Down with the dictator!, I say. Why not reduce the size of your lawn this summer -- or even eliminate it entirely -- and save money, time and the environment too?
To read the full article:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/living-green/blogs/save-money/mow-the-lawn-green-460509
Already tired of cutting the grass? These green tips can help.
Then consider a bird garden
by Jeff Yeager
May 12, 2009
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/living-green/blogs/save-money/mow-the-lawn-green-460509
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/save-money/mow-the-lawn-green-460509?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr&kw=ist
I'm always struck when I travel outside the United States how rare it is to see large expanses of lawn in residential areas in most other countries. Americans are truly grass crazy. We're downright sod-o-maniacs, you might say.
grass
But our dandelion-free, putting green-perfect lawns are tough on the environment and tough on our wallets. Between the water they require, the pesticides and fertilizers, and pollutant spewing, four-cycle lawnmowers, our lawns really aren't as green as they look.
And with U.S. lawn care services now a $12 billion annual industry, our lawns are cutting a lot of the green out of our bank accounts as well. Basic lawn-care service averages about $120-$150 per month, which could easily be an expense of $1,000 a year or more depending on where you live and the length of the growing season.
Author Michael Pollan wrote, "A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule." Down with the dictator!, I say. Why not reduce the size of your lawn this summer -- or even eliminate it entirely -- and save money, time and the environment too?
To read the full article:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/print-this/living-green/blogs/save-money/mow-the-lawn-green-460509
Fears of collapse as coral reefs feel the heat
Fears of collapse as coral reefs feel the heat
Under threat... coral can become bleached when water temperatures are too high.
by Marian Wilkinson, Environment Editor
May 13, 2009
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/fears-of-collapse-as-coral-reefs-feel-the-heat-20090512-b1u3.html
THE most spectacular stretch of coral reefs on the planet is in danger of collapse from climate change, overfishing and pollution, according to a report being presented today at the World Oceans Conference in Indonesia.
Scientists consider the region known as the "coral triangle" to be the centre of marine life on Earth, teeming with fish and almost one-third of the world's coral reefs. Covering 1 per cent of the planet from South-East Asia to the Pacific, the area also supports about 100 million people.
But in the past 40 years, 40 per cent of the coral reefs and coastal mangroves in the coral triangle have been lost because of pollution, coastal development and overfishing, said a University of Queensland professor, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, who led the study commissioned by WWF.
"It's an astounding amount," Professor Hoegh-Guldberg said. "At the moment the coral reefs are disappearing at about 1 to 2 per cent a year. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to see that within 40 years we could lose the rest. This may sound alarming but this is not alarmist. This is what we are probably going to experience if we don't get our act together".
To read the full article: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/fears-of-collapse-as-coral-reefs-feel-the-heat-20090512-b1u3.html
Under threat... coral can become bleached when water temperatures are too high.
by Marian Wilkinson, Environment Editor
May 13, 2009
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/fears-of-collapse-as-coral-reefs-feel-the-heat-20090512-b1u3.html
THE most spectacular stretch of coral reefs on the planet is in danger of collapse from climate change, overfishing and pollution, according to a report being presented today at the World Oceans Conference in Indonesia.
Scientists consider the region known as the "coral triangle" to be the centre of marine life on Earth, teeming with fish and almost one-third of the world's coral reefs. Covering 1 per cent of the planet from South-East Asia to the Pacific, the area also supports about 100 million people.
But in the past 40 years, 40 per cent of the coral reefs and coastal mangroves in the coral triangle have been lost because of pollution, coastal development and overfishing, said a University of Queensland professor, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, who led the study commissioned by WWF.
"It's an astounding amount," Professor Hoegh-Guldberg said. "At the moment the coral reefs are disappearing at about 1 to 2 per cent a year. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to see that within 40 years we could lose the rest. This may sound alarming but this is not alarmist. This is what we are probably going to experience if we don't get our act together".
To read the full article: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/global-warming/fears-of-collapse-as-coral-reefs-feel-the-heat-20090512-b1u3.html
Electric vs. Reel Mowers
Electric vs. Reel Mowers
Once you decide to forgo that polluting, noisy gas-powered lawn mower, what should you replace it with?
Consider the type of lawn you own, as well as the time you have available to mow, and then make your choice.
Gas mowers are loud and pollute the air, but there are other options besides this one
By Emily Main Topic
05-12-09
http://www.rodale.com/reel-or-electric-lawn-mowers?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—It must be spring: the chirping birds, the budding flowers…the roar of your neighbor’s gas-powered lawn mower at 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Between the noise and the pollution, it’s easy to see why gas mowers aren’t popular with sleeping neighbors or anyone who likes clean air. But if your muscles start to moan when you consider replacing an easy-to-maneuver gas mower with an eco-friendlier, but human-powered, reel mower, you may not realize that electric mowers offer another alternative. On the other hand, different lawns respond differently to different types of mowers. So for this week’s This or That, we approached Paul Tukey, founder of the Safe Lawns Foundation (www.safelawns.org) and author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual (Storey Publishing, LLC, 2007) to help us break down the choices.
To read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/reel-or-electric-lawn-mowers?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA
Once you decide to forgo that polluting, noisy gas-powered lawn mower, what should you replace it with?
Consider the type of lawn you own, as well as the time you have available to mow, and then make your choice.
Gas mowers are loud and pollute the air, but there are other options besides this one
By Emily Main Topic
05-12-09
http://www.rodale.com/reel-or-electric-lawn-mowers?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—It must be spring: the chirping birds, the budding flowers…the roar of your neighbor’s gas-powered lawn mower at 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Between the noise and the pollution, it’s easy to see why gas mowers aren’t popular with sleeping neighbors or anyone who likes clean air. But if your muscles start to moan when you consider replacing an easy-to-maneuver gas mower with an eco-friendlier, but human-powered, reel mower, you may not realize that electric mowers offer another alternative. On the other hand, different lawns respond differently to different types of mowers. So for this week’s This or That, we approached Paul Tukey, founder of the Safe Lawns Foundation (www.safelawns.org) and author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual (Storey Publishing, LLC, 2007) to help us break down the choices.
To read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/reel-or-electric-lawn-mowers?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA
When ‘Local’ Makes It Big
When ‘Local’ Makes It Big
By KIM SEVERSON
May 13, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?pagewanted=print
WHEN Jessica Prentice, a food writer in the San Francisco Bay area, invented the term “locavore,” she didn’t have Lay’s potato chips in mind.
But never mind. On Tuesday, five potato farmers rang the bell of the New York Stock Exchange, kicking off a marketing campaign that is trying to position the nation’s best-selling brand of potato chips as local food.
Five different ads will highlight farmers who grow some of the two billion pounds of starchy chipping potatoes the Frito-Lay company uses each year. One is Steve Singleton, who tends 800 acres in Hastings, Fla.
“We grow potatoes in Florida, and Lays makes potato chips in Florida,” he says in the ad. “It’s a pretty good fit.”
Mr. Singleton’s ad and the other four will be shown only in the farmer’s home state. A national spot featuring all five potato farmers begins next week.
Frito-Lay is one of several big companies that, along with some large-scale farming concerns, are embracing a broad interpretation of what eating locally means. This mission creep has the original locavores choking on their yerba mate. But food executives who measure marketing budgets in the millions say they are mining the concept because consumers care more than ever about where their food comes from.
“Local for us has two appeals,” said Aurora Gonzalez, director of public relations for Frito-Lay North America, which is owned by PepsiCo. “We are interested in quality and quickness because we want consumers to get the freshest product possible, but we have a fairly significant sustainability program, and local is part of that. We want to do business more efficiently, but do it in a more environmentally conscious way.”
To read the full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?pagewanted=print
By KIM SEVERSON
May 13, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?pagewanted=print
WHEN Jessica Prentice, a food writer in the San Francisco Bay area, invented the term “locavore,” she didn’t have Lay’s potato chips in mind.
But never mind. On Tuesday, five potato farmers rang the bell of the New York Stock Exchange, kicking off a marketing campaign that is trying to position the nation’s best-selling brand of potato chips as local food.
Five different ads will highlight farmers who grow some of the two billion pounds of starchy chipping potatoes the Frito-Lay company uses each year. One is Steve Singleton, who tends 800 acres in Hastings, Fla.
“We grow potatoes in Florida, and Lays makes potato chips in Florida,” he says in the ad. “It’s a pretty good fit.”
Mr. Singleton’s ad and the other four will be shown only in the farmer’s home state. A national spot featuring all five potato farmers begins next week.
Frito-Lay is one of several big companies that, along with some large-scale farming concerns, are embracing a broad interpretation of what eating locally means. This mission creep has the original locavores choking on their yerba mate. But food executives who measure marketing budgets in the millions say they are mining the concept because consumers care more than ever about where their food comes from.
“Local for us has two appeals,” said Aurora Gonzalez, director of public relations for Frito-Lay North America, which is owned by PepsiCo. “We are interested in quality and quickness because we want consumers to get the freshest product possible, but we have a fairly significant sustainability program, and local is part of that. We want to do business more efficiently, but do it in a more environmentally conscious way.”
To read the full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?pagewanted=print
Lead Is a Concern for Urban Gardens
Lead Is a Concern for Urban Gardens
Patrick Andrade
The New York Times
May 13, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/garden/14lead.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
His garden’s soil has over nine times the normal lead levels. Luckily, many edible crops were already in containers with nursery dirt.
Mr. Meuschke, an artist who specializes in landscape paintings, is well aware of the dangers of lead paint. “You know not to eat while you paint,” he said. And he had suspected that paint scraped off houses in his neighborhood might have left lead residue in the soil over the years. “But I really didn’t expect there to be that much,” he said.
Harmful even at very low doses, lead is surprisingly prevalent and persistent in urban and suburban soil. Dust from lead-tainted soil is toxic to inhale, and food grown in it is hazardous to eat.
Health officials, soil scientists and environmental engineers worry that the increasing popularity of gardening, particularly the urban kind, will put more people at risk for lead poisoning if they don’t protect themselves.
Thanks in part to the influence of the local-food movement and to economic considerations, more households in the United States plan, like the Obamas, to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries this year — seven million more households, according to the National Gardening Association, a 19 percent increase over last year.
To read the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/garden/14lead.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Patrick Andrade
The New York Times
May 13, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/garden/14lead.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
His garden’s soil has over nine times the normal lead levels. Luckily, many edible crops were already in containers with nursery dirt.
Mr. Meuschke, an artist who specializes in landscape paintings, is well aware of the dangers of lead paint. “You know not to eat while you paint,” he said. And he had suspected that paint scraped off houses in his neighborhood might have left lead residue in the soil over the years. “But I really didn’t expect there to be that much,” he said.
Harmful even at very low doses, lead is surprisingly prevalent and persistent in urban and suburban soil. Dust from lead-tainted soil is toxic to inhale, and food grown in it is hazardous to eat.
Health officials, soil scientists and environmental engineers worry that the increasing popularity of gardening, particularly the urban kind, will put more people at risk for lead poisoning if they don’t protect themselves.
Thanks in part to the influence of the local-food movement and to economic considerations, more households in the United States plan, like the Obamas, to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries this year — seven million more households, according to the National Gardening Association, a 19 percent increase over last year.
To read the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/garden/14lead.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Probiotics: What are They and Are You Getting Enough?
Probiotics: What are They and Are You Getting Enough?
by www.SixWise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Probiotics-Are-You-Getting-Enough.htm?source=nl
Probiotics, which means “for life,’ are beneficial bacteria that can assist your body with digestion and help protect you from harmful bacteria.
There are, in fact, trillions of bacteria in your digestive tract, but not all of them are good for you. One reason why probiotics are so important is because they help keep the balance of good vs. bad bacteria in check. Without them, bad bacteria would overwhelm your system, causing your cells to miss out on important nutrients and function poorly.
As written in the book Digestive Wellness, probiotics lower the pH of your colon and kill disease-causing microbes. They also produce vitamins A, B and K, protect you from illness, enhance peristalsis, and make lactase for milk digestion. Probiotics also ferment dietary fiber, producing short-chained fatty acids, one of which, called butyric acid, having low levels has been associated with ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, active colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Because of their promising benefits, probiotics have been the topic of much recent research (and have spurred a host of new food products like Dannon's Activia). Already, its been found that probiotics may:
* Enhance your immune system (70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, which means that if your gut is overrun with bad bacteria, there’s a good chance your immune system will not be functioning at its best)
* Prevent infections after surgery
* Treat acute and chronic diarrhea
* Relieve inflammatory bowel disease
* Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
* Protect against cancer development and progression
* Prevent eczema in children
* Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
* Help reduce weight gain and maintain ideal body weight
* Help reduce systemic allergic responses
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Probiotics-Are-You-Getting-Enough.htm?source=nl
by www.SixWise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Probiotics-Are-You-Getting-Enough.htm?source=nl
Probiotics, which means “for life,’ are beneficial bacteria that can assist your body with digestion and help protect you from harmful bacteria.
There are, in fact, trillions of bacteria in your digestive tract, but not all of them are good for you. One reason why probiotics are so important is because they help keep the balance of good vs. bad bacteria in check. Without them, bad bacteria would overwhelm your system, causing your cells to miss out on important nutrients and function poorly.
As written in the book Digestive Wellness, probiotics lower the pH of your colon and kill disease-causing microbes. They also produce vitamins A, B and K, protect you from illness, enhance peristalsis, and make lactase for milk digestion. Probiotics also ferment dietary fiber, producing short-chained fatty acids, one of which, called butyric acid, having low levels has been associated with ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, active colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Because of their promising benefits, probiotics have been the topic of much recent research (and have spurred a host of new food products like Dannon's Activia). Already, its been found that probiotics may:
* Enhance your immune system (70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, which means that if your gut is overrun with bad bacteria, there’s a good chance your immune system will not be functioning at its best)
* Prevent infections after surgery
* Treat acute and chronic diarrhea
* Relieve inflammatory bowel disease
* Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
* Protect against cancer development and progression
* Prevent eczema in children
* Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
* Help reduce weight gain and maintain ideal body weight
* Help reduce systemic allergic responses
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Probiotics-Are-You-Getting-Enough.htm?source=nl
Sperm Counts Sunk by Nonstick Chemicals
Sperm Counts Sunk by Nonstick Chemicals
Study: Men with high blood levels of chemicals used for nonstick coating have lower sperm counts.
Avoid anything advertised as “nonstick,” and engage in other healthy behaviors to boost sperm counts.
Coming up short: Men who are exposed to nonstick chemicals may end up with lower sperm counts, a new study suggests.
By Emily Main Topics
05-13-09
http://www.rodale.com/male-infertility-and-nonstick-chemicals?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_13-_-Top5-_-NA
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Teflon, Gore-Tex, and all the other finishes that keep water from sticking to our raincoats and food from sticking to our pans may be suppressing men’s sperm counts, suggests a new study. Many of these coatings are manufactured with chemicals called perfluoroalkyl acids, (PFAAs), the two most common of which are perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). A new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives adds credence to the possibility that these modern conveniences are making it harder to make babies.
THE DETAILS: Danish researchers analyzed semen samples from 105 men, average age 19, for the presence of 10 PFAA chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, and sperm quality. These chemicals were found in all the samples, but the men with high levels of PFOS and PFOA had half the number of normal sperm of the men with lower levels. This study was only a small sampling, and the authors write that a larger study needs to be done in order to validate their findings.
As we reported last month, another recent study found that women with the highest levels of these chemicals in their blood took longer to become pregnant. A few years ago, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection found high levels of PFOA and PFOS in public drinking water supplies, even though there wasn’t an obvious contamination source, such as a chemical manufacturing plant, nearby. The good news: 3M, the only U.S. manufacturer of PFOS, stopped making it in 2005, and 3M scientists claim they’re already seeing a reduction in environmental PFOS levels. Earlier this month the international Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants proposed a worldwide ban on it. Manufacturers of PFOA are phasing out production of that chemical as well; they’ll cut production by 95 percent next year and stop producing it
entirely by 2015.
To read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/male-infertility-and-nonstick-chemicals?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_13-_-Top5-_-NA
Study: Men with high blood levels of chemicals used for nonstick coating have lower sperm counts.
Avoid anything advertised as “nonstick,” and engage in other healthy behaviors to boost sperm counts.
Coming up short: Men who are exposed to nonstick chemicals may end up with lower sperm counts, a new study suggests.
By Emily Main Topics
05-13-09
http://www.rodale.com/male-infertility-and-nonstick-chemicals?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_13-_-Top5-_-NA
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Teflon, Gore-Tex, and all the other finishes that keep water from sticking to our raincoats and food from sticking to our pans may be suppressing men’s sperm counts, suggests a new study. Many of these coatings are manufactured with chemicals called perfluoroalkyl acids, (PFAAs), the two most common of which are perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). A new study published in Environmental Health Perspectives adds credence to the possibility that these modern conveniences are making it harder to make babies.
THE DETAILS: Danish researchers analyzed semen samples from 105 men, average age 19, for the presence of 10 PFAA chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, and sperm quality. These chemicals were found in all the samples, but the men with high levels of PFOS and PFOA had half the number of normal sperm of the men with lower levels. This study was only a small sampling, and the authors write that a larger study needs to be done in order to validate their findings.
As we reported last month, another recent study found that women with the highest levels of these chemicals in their blood took longer to become pregnant. A few years ago, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection found high levels of PFOA and PFOS in public drinking water supplies, even though there wasn’t an obvious contamination source, such as a chemical manufacturing plant, nearby. The good news: 3M, the only U.S. manufacturer of PFOS, stopped making it in 2005, and 3M scientists claim they’re already seeing a reduction in environmental PFOS levels. Earlier this month the international Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants proposed a worldwide ban on it. Manufacturers of PFOA are phasing out production of that chemical as well; they’ll cut production by 95 percent next year and stop producing it
entirely by 2015.
To read the full article: http://www.rodale.com/male-infertility-and-nonstick-chemicals?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_13-_-Top5-_-NA
The Ugly Truth Behind Organic Food
The Ugly Truth Behind Organic Food
By Sarah Newman, AlterNet
May 14, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/environment/140001/the_ugly_truth_behind_organic_food/
http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/140001
http://www.alternet.org/story/140001/
Is it time for a strawberry to make a political statement, again?
I'm standing on a farm south of San Francisco that is unremarkable in that it, like all of the other farms in the area, is a golden canvas of brilliant yellow flowers with the occasional patchwork of verdant greens, early signs of this year's season sprouting up.
It's a slice of California's multibillion-dollar agricultural region that spreads east through the state's Central Valley, down the coast toward Salinas -- America's salad bowl -- all the way to the Mexican border and north toward Oregon. While still a small minority, a growing number of these farms are now organic.
Plenty of people, including me, prefer organic produce because it is healthier and safer. But this certification does nothing to ensure that it was produced with sustainable agricultural practices.
The little strawberry I'm munching is part of a bigger story that begins in the fields and ends on your plate. It's the story of a lucrative industry that offers consumers a commodity at a low-cost but with high consequences.
Forming the backbone of this industry are the oft-forgotten armies of farmworkers who travel California's freeway arteries to plant and harvest crops in every corner of this region. The policies that oppress the 2 million people who grow our food betray its true costs.
Food writer and activist Eric Schlosser, speaking at the Slow Food Nation conference in San Francisco last fall, said that he would rather eat a conventional tomato picked by well-treated workers than a local heirloom variety harvested by oppressed workers.
To read the full article: http://www.alternet.org/story/140001/
By Sarah Newman, AlterNet
May 14, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/environment/140001/the_ugly_truth_behind_organic_food/
http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/140001
http://www.alternet.org/story/140001/
Is it time for a strawberry to make a political statement, again?
I'm standing on a farm south of San Francisco that is unremarkable in that it, like all of the other farms in the area, is a golden canvas of brilliant yellow flowers with the occasional patchwork of verdant greens, early signs of this year's season sprouting up.
It's a slice of California's multibillion-dollar agricultural region that spreads east through the state's Central Valley, down the coast toward Salinas -- America's salad bowl -- all the way to the Mexican border and north toward Oregon. While still a small minority, a growing number of these farms are now organic.
Plenty of people, including me, prefer organic produce because it is healthier and safer. But this certification does nothing to ensure that it was produced with sustainable agricultural practices.
The little strawberry I'm munching is part of a bigger story that begins in the fields and ends on your plate. It's the story of a lucrative industry that offers consumers a commodity at a low-cost but with high consequences.
Forming the backbone of this industry are the oft-forgotten armies of farmworkers who travel California's freeway arteries to plant and harvest crops in every corner of this region. The policies that oppress the 2 million people who grow our food betray its true costs.
Food writer and activist Eric Schlosser, speaking at the Slow Food Nation conference in San Francisco last fall, said that he would rather eat a conventional tomato picked by well-treated workers than a local heirloom variety harvested by oppressed workers.
To read the full article: http://www.alternet.org/story/140001/
Artificial Colors: Is the “Secret Shame” of the
Artificial Colors: Is the “Secret Shame” of the
Food Industry Harming Your Children?
by www.SixWise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Artificial-Colors-Secret-Shame-of-Food-Industry.htm?source=nl
Artificial colors are among the most questionable food additives there are, yet despite their potential health risks they’re added to countless food products ranging from candy and soda to breakfast cereal and sausage.
Numerous studies have linked artificial food colors with hyperactivity and behavior problems in children.
Decades ago in 1955, it was deemed safe for people to ingest 12 mg food dye per day. By 2007, that amount had reached 59 mg per person, per day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- a level nearly five times greater than initially was approved.
At the heart of the debate is concern that the artificial dyes cause behavior problems and hyperactivity in children, a suspicion that emerged back in 1970. Around that time Dr. Ben Feingold, an allergist in San Francisco, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed to avoid artificial food coloring.
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Artificial-Colors-Secret-Shame-of-Food-Industry.htm?source=nl
Food Industry Harming Your Children?
by www.SixWise.com
http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Artificial-Colors-Secret-Shame-of-Food-Industry.htm?source=nl
Artificial colors are among the most questionable food additives there are, yet despite their potential health risks they’re added to countless food products ranging from candy and soda to breakfast cereal and sausage.
Numerous studies have linked artificial food colors with hyperactivity and behavior problems in children.
Decades ago in 1955, it was deemed safe for people to ingest 12 mg food dye per day. By 2007, that amount had reached 59 mg per person, per day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- a level nearly five times greater than initially was approved.
At the heart of the debate is concern that the artificial dyes cause behavior problems and hyperactivity in children, a suspicion that emerged back in 1970. Around that time Dr. Ben Feingold, an allergist in San Francisco, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed to avoid artificial food coloring.
To read the full article: http://www.sixwise.com/Newsletters/2009/May/13/Artificial-Colors-Secret-Shame-of-Food-Industry.htm?source=nl
Your Heart Needs More Than Housework
Your Heart Needs More Than Housework
Mix some cardiovascular exercise into your cleaning and gardening routines for better heart health.
Be active at home, but also carve out a half hour from your day and go for a walk or jog.
Active housework has health benefits, but you should exercise, too
By Leah Zerbe Topics: exercise
05-12-09
http://www.rodale.com/burn-calories-cleaning-house?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Those with green thumbs and ultratidy homes generally live longer, but heavy-duty housework and gardening isn’t enough alone to fully protect your heart health, according to a study published in this month’s American Journal of Epidemiology.
THE DETAILS: Scottish researchers looked at data from three national health survey samples to see how intense domestic physical activity (IDPA), such as heavy housework, intense gardening, and do-it-yourself projects, affected longevity and cardiovascular health. As it turns out, people who spend a lot of time digging in the dirt and cleaning house enjoyed a 31 percent lower risk of dying. Their risk of cardiovascular disease was not reduced, though, suggesting that you need continuous forms of moderate-to-vigorous exercise to help protect your heart.
To read the full article: Your Heart Needs More Than Housework
Mix some cardiovascular exercise into your cleaning and gardening routines for better heart health.
Be active at home, but also carve out a half hour from your day and go for a walk or jog.
Active housework has health benefits, but you should exercise, too
By Leah Zerbe Topics: exercise
05-12-09
http://www.rodale.com/burn-calories-cleaning-house?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA
RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Those with green thumbs and ultratidy homes generally live longer, but heavy-duty housework and gardening isn’t enough alone to fully protect your heart health, according to a study published in this month’s American Journal of Epidemiology.
THE DETAILS: Scottish researchers looked at data from three national health survey samples to see how intense domestic physical activity (IDPA), such as heavy housework, intense gardening, and do-it-yourself projects, affected longevity and cardiovascular health. As it turns out, people who spend a lot of time digging in the dirt and cleaning house enjoyed a 31 percent lower risk of dying. Their risk of cardiovascular disease was not reduced, though, suggesting that you need continuous forms of moderate-to-vigorous exercise to help protect your heart.
To read the full article: Your Heart Needs More Than Housework
What Is A Vegan Diet? What Are The Benefits Of Being Vegan?
What Is A Vegan Diet? What Are The Benefits Of Being Vegan?
12 May 2009
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149636.php
[Click on above to see an interview with Carl Lewis - really good!]
Being a vegan is definitely more of a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than a diet. A vegan does not eat anything that is of animal origin. Vegans will not use animal based products for clothing, or any other purpose. A person can become a vegan because of ethical reasons involving animal rights, for environmental factors, or for better health. According to Wikipedia, approximately 0.2% to 1.3% of the US, and between 0.25% and 0.4% of the UK populations are vegans.
This article is part of a series called What Are The Eight Most Popular Diets Today?.
Veganism is seen as a subset of various possible vegetarian diets/lifestyles.
What is the difference between Veganism and Vegetarianism?
Some people may disagree with the meaning of vegetarianism. The general interpretation is that a vegan will not consume any foods of animal origin, not even honey, while a vegetarian might consume eggs (ovo-vegetarian), or dairy (lacto-vegetarian). Another general interpretation is that Veganism is a subdivision of Vegetarianism. However, some vegans say that the only true vegetarian is a vegan. According to the Medilexicon medical dictionary, a vegan is "A strict vegetarian; one who consumes no animal or dairy products of any type". Virtually all vegan societies also add that a vegan does not use products that come from animals, such as leather, wool, down, cosmetics, or products which have been tested on animals.
The three main reasons people adopt veganism are health, environmental, and animal rights
To read the full article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149636.php
12 May 2009
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149636.php
[Click on above to see an interview with Carl Lewis - really good!]
Being a vegan is definitely more of a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than a diet. A vegan does not eat anything that is of animal origin. Vegans will not use animal based products for clothing, or any other purpose. A person can become a vegan because of ethical reasons involving animal rights, for environmental factors, or for better health. According to Wikipedia, approximately 0.2% to 1.3% of the US, and between 0.25% and 0.4% of the UK populations are vegans.
This article is part of a series called What Are The Eight Most Popular Diets Today?.
Veganism is seen as a subset of various possible vegetarian diets/lifestyles.
What is the difference between Veganism and Vegetarianism?
Some people may disagree with the meaning of vegetarianism. The general interpretation is that a vegan will not consume any foods of animal origin, not even honey, while a vegetarian might consume eggs (ovo-vegetarian), or dairy (lacto-vegetarian). Another general interpretation is that Veganism is a subdivision of Vegetarianism. However, some vegans say that the only true vegetarian is a vegan. According to the Medilexicon medical dictionary, a vegan is "A strict vegetarian; one who consumes no animal or dairy products of any type". Virtually all vegan societies also add that a vegan does not use products that come from animals, such as leather, wool, down, cosmetics, or products which have been tested on animals.
The three main reasons people adopt veganism are health, environmental, and animal rights
To read the full article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149636.php
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tree Buying Guide
Tree Buying Guide
By Guy Sternberg
http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-4-76-982,00.html
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-4-76-982,00.html?trafficsource=OGNews_2008_10_15
Planting a tree is an investment--in time, money, and the future appeal of your landscape. Considering that some trees might be around longer than you, it's important to plant the best tree for your site. Here are some things to consider before you purchase a tree:
1. Know your soil. A tree's health and vigor depend strongly upon the compatibility of your type of soil with the roots of the tree you select. Moisture retention, drainage, depth, and soil pH are key considerations.
2. Think about site. Pick a tree with a size and shape that fits your site. Pruning to control size is sure to disfigure the tree and frustrate you. Tall trees are dangerous under power lines; those with sweeping low branches are a nuisance next to your driveway or road; and trees with berries that overhang your pool can turn the water into fruit punch. Also, make sure that there aren't underground utility lines near the planting site.
To read the full article:
http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-4-76-982,00.html
By Guy Sternberg
http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-4-76-982,00.html
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-4-76-982,00.html?trafficsource=OGNews_2008_10_15
Planting a tree is an investment--in time, money, and the future appeal of your landscape. Considering that some trees might be around longer than you, it's important to plant the best tree for your site. Here are some things to consider before you purchase a tree:
1. Know your soil. A tree's health and vigor depend strongly upon the compatibility of your type of soil with the roots of the tree you select. Moisture retention, drainage, depth, and soil pH are key considerations.
2. Think about site. Pick a tree with a size and shape that fits your site. Pruning to control size is sure to disfigure the tree and frustrate you. Tall trees are dangerous under power lines; those with sweeping low branches are a nuisance next to your driveway or road; and trees with berries that overhang your pool can turn the water into fruit punch. Also, make sure that there aren't underground utility lines near the planting site.
To read the full article:
http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-4-76-982,00.html
20 secrets to a flourishing frugal garden
20 secrets to a flourishing frugal garden
By Jenny C. McCune
http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/real-estate/20040910a1.asp
Any gardener knows that it takes a lot more than a green thumb to get
plants to grow. But you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune at the
local nursery to ensure your plants prosper.
These 20 tips can keep your flower beds and bank account flourishing.
1. Know what will grow well in the area.
Bob Gough, a professor of horticulture and an extension horticulture
specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, has watched the
frustration of transplanted gardeners. "We have so many people moving to
Bozeman who think that what grows well in Baton Rouge will grow well
here," he says. "They spend exorbitant amounts of money and then
everything dies."
Even if you've lived in the same area for years, do your homework and find
out what will thrive and survive in your soil and climate. Similarly,
determine what plants are hardier so you don't spend a lot of time and
money battling vermin or insects.
2. Get free advice.
You don't have to pay for professional planting help. Check in with your
county's agricultural extension office. It has information on what to
grow, what climate zone your home is in and the length of your growing
season.
3. Start from scratch.
Grow plants from seeds or cuttings rather than buying them. For even more
savings, collect seeds from your own or a neighbor's plants. Not only is
it economical, but you'll probably be rewarded with more variety.
But before you become a regular Johnny Appleseed, consider the time and
effort of growing from seeds and do so only when practical. If the seeds
require a lot of tender loving care, such as special lights and other
paraphernalia, it might ultimately be cheaper to buy plants.
Gough, for example, has found that growing tomato plants from scratch just
won't work in Montana's extremely short growing season. By the time the
tomato seedlings are ready to be planted in the garden, there aren't
enough cultivation days left for the plants to bear fruit.
4. Think small.
If you do opt for plants, think small rather than big, says Lance Walheim,
a horticulturist and spokesman for the Bayer Advanced line of fertilizers,
insecticides and pesticides. More mature plants, he notes, cost more.
To read the full article:
http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/real-estate/20040910a1.asp
By Jenny C. McCune
http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/real-estate/20040910a1.asp
Any gardener knows that it takes a lot more than a green thumb to get
plants to grow. But you don't necessarily have to spend a fortune at the
local nursery to ensure your plants prosper.
These 20 tips can keep your flower beds and bank account flourishing.
1. Know what will grow well in the area.
Bob Gough, a professor of horticulture and an extension horticulture
specialist at Montana State University in Bozeman, has watched the
frustration of transplanted gardeners. "We have so many people moving to
Bozeman who think that what grows well in Baton Rouge will grow well
here," he says. "They spend exorbitant amounts of money and then
everything dies."
Even if you've lived in the same area for years, do your homework and find
out what will thrive and survive in your soil and climate. Similarly,
determine what plants are hardier so you don't spend a lot of time and
money battling vermin or insects.
2. Get free advice.
You don't have to pay for professional planting help. Check in with your
county's agricultural extension office. It has information on what to
grow, what climate zone your home is in and the length of your growing
season.
3. Start from scratch.
Grow plants from seeds or cuttings rather than buying them. For even more
savings, collect seeds from your own or a neighbor's plants. Not only is
it economical, but you'll probably be rewarded with more variety.
But before you become a regular Johnny Appleseed, consider the time and
effort of growing from seeds and do so only when practical. If the seeds
require a lot of tender loving care, such as special lights and other
paraphernalia, it might ultimately be cheaper to buy plants.
Gough, for example, has found that growing tomato plants from scratch just
won't work in Montana's extremely short growing season. By the time the
tomato seedlings are ready to be planted in the garden, there aren't
enough cultivation days left for the plants to bear fruit.
4. Think small.
If you do opt for plants, think small rather than big, says Lance Walheim,
a horticulturist and spokesman for the Bayer Advanced line of fertilizers,
insecticides and pesticides. More mature plants, he notes, cost more.
To read the full article:
http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/real-estate/20040910a1.asp
5 cheap ways to go solar
5 cheap ways to go solar
Don't have $50,000 to invest in solar? Here are ways that the rest of us can harness energy from the sun.
http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/pf/Dec08-cheap-solar-video-a1.asp
Don't have $50,000 to invest in solar? Here are ways that the rest of us can harness energy from the sun.
http://www.bankrate.com/dls/news/pf/Dec08-cheap-solar-video-a1.asp
Top 10 Most Common Ingredients in Fast Food
Top 10 Most Common Ingredients in Fast Food
by William Harris
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-ingredients-fast-food.htm
On newer fast-food menus you may be able to find the caloric information, but do you know what that food's made of?Order a meal in any fast-food restaurant, and you'll likely walk away with a sandwich, fries and a drink. If you had to identify the ingredients of this meal, you might list beef (or chicken), lettuce, tomato, cheese, ketchup, bread, potatoes and soda. Not complicated, right? Wrong.
Burger and chicken joints don't think of the building blocks of a menu item as ingredients. They think of them as components, which, are made of ingredients. For example, McDonald's famous Big Mac jingle -- "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun" -- suggests the sandwich has seven components. Would you believe it has 67 ingredients?
Clearly, fast food is more complicated than it looks. Many menu items contain processed foods, which have been modified from their natural state for safety or convenience. Processed foods tend to have multiple additives to keep them fresher longer. Across an entire fast-food menu, there are thousands of ingredients, ranging from the commonplace (water) to the exotic (xanthan gum).
Considering that some of these ingredients have been implicated in serious health issues, it would be good to know which are the most common. We've set out to answer that very question. We started with menus from five popular fast-food chains -- McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC and Arby's -- did some tallying, then cross-matched our findings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's list of common food ingredients and colors. The result is the top 10 most common ingredients in fast food, organized by the type of ingredient and what it does.
Up first is the most common preservative.
- - -
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-ingredients-fast-food1.htm
10. Citric Acid: The Most Common Preservative
To Preserve and Protect
Citric acid has lots of company. The following preservatives also appeared frequently on the menus we analyzed: sodium benzoate (122 times), calcium propionate (64 times) and ascorbic acid (52 times).
Salt has been used for centuries to preserve meats and fish. It works to inhibit the growth of bacteria cells, which lose water and become dehydrated in salty environments. Over the years, food scientists and manufacturers have discovered that other chemicals also can serve as preservatives.
Citric acid, an organic acid found in many fruits, especially limes, lemons and grapefruits, is one of those chemicals. It increases the acidity of a microbe's environment, making it harder for bacteria and mold to survive and reproduce. It can also be used to bind to and neutralize fat-degrading metal ions that get into food via processing machinery.
What's great about citric acid is that it does all of this without harming the organisms that ingest it. It occurs naturally in all living things and is an important intermediate chemical in a metabolic pathway known as the citric acid cycle, or Krebs cycle. As a result, citric acid doesn't cause side effects in 99.9 percent of the population and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in foods and beverages [source: Driver]. Maybe that's why the chemical appeared 288 times on the fast-food menus we surveyed.
The next item on our list -- high-fructose corn syrup -- doesn't fare as well in the court of public opinion.
To read the full article:
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-ingredients-fast-food.htm
by William Harris
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-ingredients-fast-food.htm
On newer fast-food menus you may be able to find the caloric information, but do you know what that food's made of?Order a meal in any fast-food restaurant, and you'll likely walk away with a sandwich, fries and a drink. If you had to identify the ingredients of this meal, you might list beef (or chicken), lettuce, tomato, cheese, ketchup, bread, potatoes and soda. Not complicated, right? Wrong.
Burger and chicken joints don't think of the building blocks of a menu item as ingredients. They think of them as components, which, are made of ingredients. For example, McDonald's famous Big Mac jingle -- "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun" -- suggests the sandwich has seven components. Would you believe it has 67 ingredients?
Clearly, fast food is more complicated than it looks. Many menu items contain processed foods, which have been modified from their natural state for safety or convenience. Processed foods tend to have multiple additives to keep them fresher longer. Across an entire fast-food menu, there are thousands of ingredients, ranging from the commonplace (water) to the exotic (xanthan gum).
Considering that some of these ingredients have been implicated in serious health issues, it would be good to know which are the most common. We've set out to answer that very question. We started with menus from five popular fast-food chains -- McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC and Arby's -- did some tallying, then cross-matched our findings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's list of common food ingredients and colors. The result is the top 10 most common ingredients in fast food, organized by the type of ingredient and what it does.
Up first is the most common preservative.
- - -
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-ingredients-fast-food1.htm
10. Citric Acid: The Most Common Preservative
To Preserve and Protect
Citric acid has lots of company. The following preservatives also appeared frequently on the menus we analyzed: sodium benzoate (122 times), calcium propionate (64 times) and ascorbic acid (52 times).
Salt has been used for centuries to preserve meats and fish. It works to inhibit the growth of bacteria cells, which lose water and become dehydrated in salty environments. Over the years, food scientists and manufacturers have discovered that other chemicals also can serve as preservatives.
Citric acid, an organic acid found in many fruits, especially limes, lemons and grapefruits, is one of those chemicals. It increases the acidity of a microbe's environment, making it harder for bacteria and mold to survive and reproduce. It can also be used to bind to and neutralize fat-degrading metal ions that get into food via processing machinery.
What's great about citric acid is that it does all of this without harming the organisms that ingest it. It occurs naturally in all living things and is an important intermediate chemical in a metabolic pathway known as the citric acid cycle, or Krebs cycle. As a result, citric acid doesn't cause side effects in 99.9 percent of the population and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in foods and beverages [source: Driver]. Maybe that's why the chemical appeared 288 times on the fast-food menus we surveyed.
The next item on our list -- high-fructose corn syrup -- doesn't fare as well in the court of public opinion.
To read the full article:
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/10-ingredients-fast-food.htm
Monday, May 11, 2009
Dolphins Deafened by Sonar
Please read this article about dolphins and how they are deafened by sonar.
[Also please note: sonar makes marine mammals lose their minds, and beach themselves, because they cannot bear it.]
To read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/science/14obsonar.html?_r=2&ref=science
[Also please note: sonar makes marine mammals lose their minds, and beach themselves, because they cannot bear it.]
To read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/science/14obsonar.html?_r=2&ref=science
Learn to make hot and cold compost
Learn to make hot and cold compost
By Willi Evans
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-21-895,00.html?trafficsource=OGNews_2005_11_01
The Compost Equation
Nature creates compost all the time without human
intervention. But gardeners can step in and speed up
the composting process by creating the optimal
conditions for decomposition:
Air + Water + Carbon + Nitrogen = Compost
Air. Like most living things, the bacteria that
decompose organic matter, and the other creatures that
make up the compost ecosystem, need air. Compost
scientists say compost piles need porosity—the ability
for air to move into the pile. I like to think of
porosity in terms of fluffiness. A fluffy pile has
plenty of spaces—or pores—for air to move about. A
flat, matted pile of, say, grass clippings does not.
Even fluffy piles compress during the composting
process. Occasionally turning your pile refluffs the
material, moves new material into the center, and
helps improve air flow into the pile, says Craig
Cogger, PhD., extension soil scientist at Washington
State University.
Water. Compost microbes also need the right amount of
water. Too much moisture reduces airflow, causes
temperatures to fall, and can make the pile smell; too
little water slows decomposition and prevents the pile
from heating. Conventional wisdom says that compost
should feel like a wrung-out sponge, says Abigail
Maynard, Ph.D., agricultural scientist at the
Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station.
To read the full article:
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-21-895,00.html?trafficsource=OGNews_2005_11_01
By Willi Evans
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-21-895,00.html?trafficsource=OGNews_2005_11_01
The Compost Equation
Nature creates compost all the time without human
intervention. But gardeners can step in and speed up
the composting process by creating the optimal
conditions for decomposition:
Air + Water + Carbon + Nitrogen = Compost
Air. Like most living things, the bacteria that
decompose organic matter, and the other creatures that
make up the compost ecosystem, need air. Compost
scientists say compost piles need porosity—the ability
for air to move into the pile. I like to think of
porosity in terms of fluffiness. A fluffy pile has
plenty of spaces—or pores—for air to move about. A
flat, matted pile of, say, grass clippings does not.
Even fluffy piles compress during the composting
process. Occasionally turning your pile refluffs the
material, moves new material into the center, and
helps improve air flow into the pile, says Craig
Cogger, PhD., extension soil scientist at Washington
State University.
Water. Compost microbes also need the right amount of
water. Too much moisture reduces airflow, causes
temperatures to fall, and can make the pile smell; too
little water slows decomposition and prevents the pile
from heating. Conventional wisdom says that compost
should feel like a wrung-out sponge, says Abigail
Maynard, Ph.D., agricultural scientist at the
Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station.
To read the full article:
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-21-895,00.html?trafficsource=OGNews_2005_11_01
LAWSUIT ENDS GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS ON WILDLIFE REFUGE
LAWSUIT ENDS GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS ON WILDLIFE REFUGE
Ruling on Delaware’s Prime Hook May Affect Farming on Scores of Other Refuges
by Jeff Ruch
(202) 265-7337
March 24, 2009
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1171
Washington, DC — A federal court has ordered the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to stop planting genetically engineered (GE) crops on its Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. While the ruling is limited to Prime Hook, the lawsuit may serve as a model for similar litigation at more than 80 other national wildlife refuges now growing GE crops across the country.
Filed in April 2006 by the Widener Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic on behalf of Delaware Audubon Society, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Center for Food Safety, the federal suit charged that the Fish & Wildlife Service had illegally entered into Cooperative Farming Agreements with private parties, allowing hundreds of acres to be plowed over without required environmental review and contrary to the Service’s own policy prohibiting GE crops.
To read the full article: http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1171
Ruling on Delaware’s Prime Hook May Affect Farming on Scores of Other Refuges
by Jeff Ruch
(202) 265-7337
March 24, 2009
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1171
Washington, DC — A federal court has ordered the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to stop planting genetically engineered (GE) crops on its Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. While the ruling is limited to Prime Hook, the lawsuit may serve as a model for similar litigation at more than 80 other national wildlife refuges now growing GE crops across the country.
Filed in April 2006 by the Widener Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic on behalf of Delaware Audubon Society, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Center for Food Safety, the federal suit charged that the Fish & Wildlife Service had illegally entered into Cooperative Farming Agreements with private parties, allowing hundreds of acres to be plowed over without required environmental review and contrary to the Service’s own policy prohibiting GE crops.
To read the full article: http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1171
Plan A Beautiful Vegetable Garden
Plan A Beautiful Vegetable Garden
The path to a picturesque potager is just a few pleasant steps from the pea patch you're already tending.
By Jack Staub
http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-5-19-1434,00.html
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-19-1434,00.html?cm_mmc=OGNews-_-2009_05_06-_-growingatoz-_-plan_a_beautiful_vegetable_garden
When I began my initial foray into the world of vegetables, I was a weekend gardener with limited time and no garden education. My only knowledge of vegetable gardening was definitely of the big-square-plot-of-dirt, row-each-of-tomatoes-beans-lettuces-etc. school of kitchen gardening. That was how I thought all vegetable gardens looked. Big. Plain. Rectangular. Aggressively functional with a nodding proximity to Tobacco Road.
Since then, I've learned that this strictly utilitarian model was a 19th-century invention. It developed as people moved away from rural life and home gardens to the cities, as production became centralized on industrial-size farms, and as machines that worked best when moving straight ahead replaced human labor. Then the whole thing got retrans- lated back to the backyard. The older, far more pleasing, approach, which reigned in backyards across the globe as long ago as the pleasure gardens of Babylon and right up through the 18th century, was based on smaller, more intimate plots, often divided into garden "rooms," incorporating a scheme of multiple raised beds planted with a diverse mixture of herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers.
To read the full article: http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-5-19-1434,00.html
The path to a picturesque potager is just a few pleasant steps from the pea patch you're already tending.
By Jack Staub
http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-5-19-1434,00.html
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-5-19-1434,00.html?cm_mmc=OGNews-_-2009_05_06-_-growingatoz-_-plan_a_beautiful_vegetable_garden
When I began my initial foray into the world of vegetables, I was a weekend gardener with limited time and no garden education. My only knowledge of vegetable gardening was definitely of the big-square-plot-of-dirt, row-each-of-tomatoes-beans-lettuces-etc. school of kitchen gardening. That was how I thought all vegetable gardens looked. Big. Plain. Rectangular. Aggressively functional with a nodding proximity to Tobacco Road.
Since then, I've learned that this strictly utilitarian model was a 19th-century invention. It developed as people moved away from rural life and home gardens to the cities, as production became centralized on industrial-size farms, and as machines that worked best when moving straight ahead replaced human labor. Then the whole thing got retrans- lated back to the backyard. The older, far more pleasing, approach, which reigned in backyards across the globe as long ago as the pleasure gardens of Babylon and right up through the 18th century, was based on smaller, more intimate plots, often divided into garden "rooms," incorporating a scheme of multiple raised beds planted with a diverse mixture of herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers.
To read the full article: http://www.organicgardening.com/featureprint/1,7759,s1-5-19-1434,00.html
"Homeopathy and Spirituality: The Hidden and Unspoken Power in Homeopathic Medicine"
"Homeopathy and Spirituality:
The Hidden and Unspoken Power in Homeopathic Medicine"
by Dr. Randy W. Martin
http://www.optimalhealth4u.com/articles_homeo-spirituality.html
We often use the term homeopathy to refer to anything natural. But
homeopathy is a very specific form of healing which refers to the usage of
homeopathic remedies which are made in a very scientific and precise way.
It was discovered by a German medical doctor about 200 years ago. In fact,
all of homeopathy is governed by the United States Pharmacopoeia, which is
the internationally recognized "bible" on homeopathic manufacturing
techniques.
Although it is natural, homeopathy is not herbal medicine per se, and
doesn’t refer to, nor imply any other forms of medicine, other then the
use of these very specific types of homoepathic medications outlined in
the United States Pharmacopoeia. Homeopathic remedies are made from either
plant, animal or mineral substances, and there are literally thousands of
homeopathic remedies. Almost all natural substances in the universe can
potentially be made homeopathically, if they aren’t already!
To read the full article: http://www.optimalhealth4u.com/articles_homeo-spirituality.html
The Hidden and Unspoken Power in Homeopathic Medicine"
by Dr. Randy W. Martin
http://www.optimalhealth4u.com/articles_homeo-spirituality.html
We often use the term homeopathy to refer to anything natural. But
homeopathy is a very specific form of healing which refers to the usage of
homeopathic remedies which are made in a very scientific and precise way.
It was discovered by a German medical doctor about 200 years ago. In fact,
all of homeopathy is governed by the United States Pharmacopoeia, which is
the internationally recognized "bible" on homeopathic manufacturing
techniques.
Although it is natural, homeopathy is not herbal medicine per se, and
doesn’t refer to, nor imply any other forms of medicine, other then the
use of these very specific types of homoepathic medications outlined in
the United States Pharmacopoeia. Homeopathic remedies are made from either
plant, animal or mineral substances, and there are literally thousands of
homeopathic remedies. Almost all natural substances in the universe can
potentially be made homeopathically, if they aren’t already!
To read the full article: http://www.optimalhealth4u.com/articles_homeo-spirituality.html
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