I am always a bit wary when I hear of new moves to create a supposed act of safety in regards to food regulations. Usually this is an action designed to lull people into believing a real solution to a problem is being implemented, when in reality those in power have no true wish to solve the probem in the first place. Controlling powers know exactly what they are doing through the current lack of consumer safety, yet most people simply are not aware of the true agenda therein.

I will, however, pass along an article written by Alexis Baden-Mayer Organic Consumers Association, June 23, 2009 relating to OCA’s position on the New House Food Safety Bill, for those interested in their take on the matter…

Straight to the Source

There’s been a lot of buzz on the web about the new Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 (HR 2749). Many of our supporters have called or emailed us to find our stance on the issue.

Although the Organic Consumers Association is fairly satisfied that the bill is intended to protect organic farmers from being negatively impacted by new food safety regulations (Sec. 419A directs the USDA to “take into consideration, consistent with ensuring enforceable public health protection, the impact on small-scale and diversified farms, and on wildlife habitat, conservation practices, watershed-protection efforts, and organic production methods”), unfortunately the bill does not address the underlying causes of America’s persistent and evermore serious food safety crisis: factory farms and chemical-intensive agriculture. When addressing the concerns of E.coli or salmonella, the bill focuses on fresh vegetables and fruits rather than CAFOs or intensive confinement factory farms, in effect treating the symptom and not the disease.

A close look at the nation’s food poisoning epidemics over the past decade reveal that the overwhelming majority of fruit and vegetable contamination incidents are a direct result of water and soil pollution from large factory farms. The OCA believes that HR 2749 should be amended to address factory farming:

1. Animals should never be fed blood, manure or slaughterhouse waste.

2. Cows need to eat grass.

3. Animals need to be spread out on enough land to absorb their waste.

4. CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) pose unacceptable risks to human health, such as antibiotic resistance, incubate dangerous viruses and pathogens, such as the Swine Flu and Bird Flu, contaminate the environment, institutionalize animal cruelty, and need to be phased out and shut down.

In addition, we share the concerns of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund and support the amendments suggested by the Maine Organic Farmers And Gardeners Association. We also agree with the Wild Farm Alliance, especially their position paper, Food Safety Requires a Healthy Environment: Policy Recommendations for E. coli O157.

The dangers to food safety of factory farms, also known as Confined Animal Feeding Operations, are well documented by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the National Resources Defense Council and Food & Water Watch.

In addition to factory farm runoff, vegetables can also become contaminated is through the use of untreated animal manure or biosolids (the fertilizer industry’s name for sewage sludge/human waste). Organic regulations ban sewage sludge and have rules for the use of manure that prevent contamination.

Certified organic farmers must maintain a farm plan detailing the methods used to build soil fertility, including the application of manure. Organic rules require raw animal manure to be composted if it is to be applied to land used for a crop intended for human consumption. Well-composted manure reduces the incidence of E. coli. Manure must be applied to the land at least 120 days prior to harvest if the edible part crops come in contact with soil, and at least 90 days prior to harvest of edible parts that do not come into contact with soil. Longer periods can be required by certifiers if soil or other conditions warrant. No other agricultural regulation in the United States imposes such strict control on the use of manure.

For more information on this and other important Organic News you may wish to visit Organic Consumer’s Association.

Today I am a really sad at a recent loss of a dear, dear friend to cancer. Cancer is so ugly, and totally the opposite of the energy I am striving to promote in my own Life and that of my loved ones. I have always followed a path of healthful activities; Physically (inside and out), Emotionally, and Spiritually. I believe there is a connection between the physical, emotional, and spiritual, which keeps us balanced and in good health. Although outside influences beyond our own control are causing our health to falter through means we are not always aware of, we can invoke a positive influence on our own bodies which may serve to counteract the negative energies assualting us from many directions.

As I already knew our bodies are animated through Life Force Energy, and our health depends upon what we feed our bodies, as well as that energy in which we gather and store, it was an easy choice to open the following book and soak up the knowledge within… Raw Food Life Force Energy: Enter a Totally New Stratosphere of Weight Loss, Beauty, and Health.

Raw Food Life Force Energy – by Natalia Rose is not your average weight loss type book. I don’t diet, and never have. I like to feed my body that which I believe is naturally good for me, yet even I was shocked at a few eye openers I found within the pages of Natalia’s book!

If you are striving to feel beautiful, healthy, and alive, then I would suggest taking a few moments to learn what Natalia Rose has compiled. She is a top nutritionist, and highly sought after amongst people from all walks of life. Her insights teach us that we can all have a beautiful lean body, youthful radiant skin, abundant energy, and attain a state of natural bliss. The secret is tapping into the ultimate source of well-being-Life Force Energy. If we can properly harness and increase our Life Force Energy through simple dietary and environmental principles, and therefore cleanse and bring our bodies back to their natural, harmonious frequency, we can experience radically improved levels of health, beauty, and happiness.

Rose presents four fundamental energy principles and practical applications, leading us to the best sources of natural energy-such as raw fruits and vegetables, sunlight, and fresh air, to name a few. These principles lay the groundwork for Rose’s comprehensive 21-day program, followed by more than seventy original, mouthwatering recipes that range from healthful cooked fish dishes to raw vegetarian soups, entrees, and desserts to accommodate all levels of raw food energy dieters.

I am quite excited about getting my hands on this book, and although I have not quite finished the program as outlined above, I will be certain to create an updated review as soon as I do! I am already well versed in gathering energy from Nature and the Environment around us, so I am curious to see how my body responds to a positive change from what I feed it. I was actually suprised to find certain foods in which I thought were healthy, are in fact not good for our bodies at all!

I wish any and all who venture on the Path to inner Vitality, Health, and Beauty much luck and good thoughts to help you on your journey. We are all Energy Beings who deserve to live up to our full potential. Happiness will follow, of that I am certain!!

Enjoy each moment,

Teri
~

Vegan breakfasts are easy: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and don’t think I let being vegan get in the way of that. Here are some yummy vegan breakfast ideas that are filling and nutritious.

1. Porridge. Steel-cut oats cooked with almond milk on the stovetop. Add in a drizzle of flax or coconut oil at the end of cooking for richness, and lots of chopped dates and apricots for sweetness.

2. Sweet potatoes. Yes, baked for an hour in the oven tastes best. I like to mash in lots of almond butter for protein, as well as a dash of cinnamon.

3. Scrambled tofu. No, it tastes nothing like eggs, but yes, it is delicious. My favorite recipe, lovingly titled Golden Tofu Scram involves tahini, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. How does that not sound good?

4. Granola mash-up. Warm up some homemade berry compote, top with a few handfuls of granola, and pour in a little hemp or almond milk for creaminess. Then, stir away! Trust me, its delicious.

5. Breakfast burrito. Wrap beans, guacamole, and leftover stir-fry veggies in a whole wheat tortilla for one commute-friendly breakfast.

6. Quinoa pilaf. While quinoa is cooking in water or your favorite non-dairy milk, stir in some pecans and dried cranberries. When finished, fluff with a fork and top with a little grated orange zest.

7. Cherry smoothie. This one is especially great in the summer. Combine 1 cup frozen cherries, 1 cup water, 1/2 T coconut butter, 1 T cocoa powder, 2 T unsalted almonds, and a few medjool dates in a blender and whizz away. Fresh, frothy, and fabulous.

8. Vegan pancakes. They’re easy! Doctor up your favorite traditional pancake recipe like this: Replace each egg with 1 T ground flaxseeds and 2 T water, and sub hemp soy or oatmilk with a little bit of cider vinegar for the buttermilk. I also like to replace half the white flour with whole wheat, and add in some blueberries or sliced banana.

9. Fruit salad. Another warm-weather favorite when you’re looking for something light. My favorite is a mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, topped with chopped almonds.

10. Banana boats. You can do this with one or two bananas, depending on how hungry you are. Split each banana length-wise and spread each half generously with peanut butter. Top with raisins, drizzle on the agave nectar, and dust with cinnamon.

~ By Marygrace Stergakos, Eat. Drink. Better. ~

Some days I just wonder how we manage to live in a natural and healthy way. Unless we grow and produce all our own food, it is always uncertain exactly what is inside, even when claims are made as to the wholesome and natural aspect of a given product. I tend to stay away from prepared foods as often as possible, yet I am not the only member of my household who does the preparation and cooking, so I am always concerned with what my family is consuming. My shopping cart looks like a giant fruit and veggie mobile, and I love to go to markets when the season permits.

Organic foods are avidly sought after items and my cupboards are loaded with what I hope are truly natural food stores. It costs me more to eat this way, as I am very picky about what passes through my mouth, and I only use pure maple syrup on my delicious oat and grain pancakes and when we need a great natural sweetener in our recipes. We only cook with olive or grapeseed oil, and corn oil seems to last forever as we only use it upon the rarest of occasions.

Still, I always wonder at the quality and true source of the food grown. Is the soil safe and clean? Are we getting true nutrients from the food grown? Is it handled in a responsible manner so we are not given harmful germs or viruses? Why are we still getting deadly diseases such as cancer if we are following our instincts by living as naturally as possible?

I woke up today after a night full of disturbing dreams. My dreams tend to tell of things to come, as I have dreamed true dreams of events before they occur on many, many occasions, so I pay very close attention to them for this reason. I dreamt of a terrible accident involving a loved one, and it put me in a strange mood upon waking. Of course I was upset, so I performed a calming excercise to give myself a chance to consider the implications from a place less full of the panic of my waking moment. I decided to just keep my senses aware and my eyes and heart open to events, and possibly avoid a dangerous situation which may or may not occur. The world is a very unsettling place to live in, so this is how I walk forth anyhow, yet I vowed to keep extra vigilence of my surroundings and in watching out for my loved ones.

I have experienced so much loss in the past few years, and most of these losses occured through preventable causes. Cancer and health related issues have taken several family members and friends to the other side before their time, in my eyes and heart. I am very close to the age of these dear ones who have crossed, and I am blessed with excellent health. I have always striven to take good care of this body the creator has blessed me with, and try to set good examples for those I come into contact with, or those who enter my sphere of influence.

Yet what about those who cannot afford to do this? And those who are not aware of the dangers surrounding them… how can we truly know what is safe and what may be potentially toxic?

I do not wish to experience the devastating feeling of grief and loss of losing a loved one through either neglect, or blatant disregard of our fellow humans health after consuming what they think is a pure and natural product. Most people do not seem to realize that they are stocking their homes with a whole lot of poisons and cancer-causing products, from household cleaners to soaps, shampoos, lotions, scented sprays, and even make-up. The list is huge, and I am always grateful when someone points me in the right direction by informing me of dangers inherent in a certain product, either consumed or applied to my body. Cancer is so ugly and dark, and I have no wish to allow it entry into my life or that of my loving friends and family. I am not afraid to speak out in a firm, yet gentle way, when I see people walking forth in ignorance to the dangers surrounding them. That is what Love is.

I am also deeply concerned when it comes to our four-legged furry friends. We have four guinea pigs, five rats, a dog and two cats. They get the same treatment as other family members, as they are family too, and we feed them as naturally as possible as well. They get plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, and a diet which is appropriate for them. Dogs and cats have not survived through the centuries from food out of a bag, full of fillers and goddess knows what else, which may not be prepared with the care most loving animal friends may think. Our furry friends are given the best we can find and supply, and are healthy and happy for it. We do not mind the extra time it takes to ensure quality, and the efforts to prepare healthy snacks and meals are well worth it. The balance in our home brings such a good feeling, and at the end of the day I feel good about doing what I can to keep my family happy, safe and healthy.

As an avid bean and berry lover, I found the following article to be quite interesting. I have been taught to follow the example of our veggie eaters in the animal kingdom, as Nature truly shows us the way to optimum health and healing. My family enjoys the delights of dining on every color of the rainbow. I suppose science will catch up someday…

‘Berries, Beans Top ‘Best Antioxidants List’
(HealthDayNews)

A variety of veggies, fruits and nuts battled it out this month for the top spot on a new list of the 20 most antioxidant-rich foods, ranked by nutrition scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In the end, small red beans won the day, narrowly beating out wild blueberries as the food with the highest concentration of disease-fighting compounds per serving.

Antioxidants fight damage to cells from rogue molecules called “free radicals.” Experts believe this assault on cells may fuel killer diseases such as heart disease and cancer, and even aging itself.

The new Top 20 list, published in the June issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, “is a relative ranking of the capacity of foods to interfere with or prevent oxidative processes and to scavenge free radicals,” explained list co-creator Ronald L. Prior, a USDA nutritionist and research chemist based in Little Rock, Ark.

Prior and his colleagues used the most advanced technologies available to tabulate antioxidant levels in more than 100 different types of fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts and spices. Their Top 20:

* Small red beans (dried)
* Wild blueberries
* Red kidney beans
* Pinto beans
* Blueberries (cultivated)
* Cranberries
* Artichokes (cooked)
* Blackberries
* Prunes
* Raspberries
* Strawberries
* Red delicious apples
* Granny Smith apples
* Pecans
* Sweet cherries
* Black plums
* Russet potatoes (cooked)
* Black beans (dried)
* Plums
* Gala apples

There’s “still a lot we haven’t learned” about why some foods are richer in antioxidants than others, Prior said. Even though the small red bean came out on top, “we don’t have a lot of information on beans,” he added.

Berries are better understood. “The components that contribute a lot of the antioxidant activity are what are called anthocyanins, the compounds that give many berries their dark blue color,” he said.

In fact, color may be key to spotting foods that fight free radicals, said Roberta Anding, an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman and a nutritionist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

“If you’re looking for the best places to get antioxidants, I will usually tell folks to look at the colors of the rainbow,” she added.

For example, “you’ll find lutein with some of the yellow pigments found in corn; orange can be the pigments from the carotenoid family that are found in cantaloupe, butternut squash and mango; red could come from things like lycopene, found in tomatoes and watermelon. And then the darker colors — the purples, blues, in berries,” she said.

But Prior cautioned that just because a food has proven to be antioxidant-rich in the USDA’s lab, that doesn’t mean all those nutrients will be successfully absorbed by the human digestive tract.

“As we learn more and more, we’re finding that, depending on the chemical makeup of antioxidants in different foods, some of them aren’t apparently absorbed as well, or else they are metabolized in a form where they are no longer antioxidants,” he said.

Whether a food is eaten fresh, frozen, processed or cooked can also affect its antioxidant potency — for good or ill, he said. Blueberries are best when eaten fresh rather than cooked in a pie, for example. On the other hand, research has shown that gentle cooking raises the antioxidant power of tomatoes, he noted.

Although experts are working hard on the project, ongoing efforts to come up with daily dietary guidelines for antioxidant consumption will be “a long process,” Prior said.

“How antioxidants behave, how they act within the body, the dose-response — we just don’t know enough about it,” he said.

For her part, Anding said people shouldn’t get too hung up on gorging on one particular food, but “cast your net widely,” eating generous daily servings of a variety of fruits, vegetables and other wholesome foods.

Looking over the USDA’s list, Anding suggested creating what she called an antioxidant “power salad.”

First, she said, “put together a salad with a variety of mixed greens. Then I’d throw in some dried cranberries or blueberries from the health food store, toss in a few nuts, with a low-fat salad. Again — choosing from the colors of the rainbow.”