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In Britain, foods or animal feeds that directly contain genetically modified ingredients must be labeled as “GM.” But due to a legal loop-hole, there is no such requirement for meat and dairy foods produced from animals fed on GM crops. The Soil Association decided to conduct an in-depth investigation to see if use of GM animal feed was being kept hidden from consumers.

They found that 73 percent of the feeds tested contained GM soy. Essentially, this means that nearly all non-organic milk, dairy products and pork products sold in UK shops and restaurants are produced from GM-fed animals.

Although the Food Standards Agency has assured consumers that they would not be exposed to GM material by eating foods from GM-fed animals, four studies by different scientific teams have found that GM DNA can be detected in milk and tissues from GM-fed animals. GM-fed animals have also exhibited allergic reactions, unexplained deaths and stunted growth in offspring, raising serious questions about whether or not GM-fed animals are suitable for producing human food.

www.mercola.com

People who perform the same amount of exercise can lose different amounts of weight, according to the first evidence-based study to show that exercise impacts people in different ways.

The study involved 35 overweight and obese people who followed a supervised exercise program for 12 weeks. The program was modified so that each person would burn 500 calories per session.

They did not, however, all lose the same amount of weight.

It turns out that some of the study participants were engaging in “compensatory responses” such as eating more following their workout either as a reward or because of a biological drive.

This increase in food intake undermined the weight loss benefits you would expect from exercising.

The study demonstrates the importance of treating people as individuals. For people who are “compensating” for the increased energy expenditure of exercise, and therefore are not losing weight, attention should be given to diet and other factors.

Sources:

International Journal of Obesity September 11, 2007
Science Daily November 7, 2007

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Have you ever worked out with a friend, doing the exact same exercise routine, and noticed that your friend lost more weight than you did, or vice versa? Like diet, which is also highly individualized in the way it impacts your body, exercise impacts everybody differently.

This is partly because of differences in exercise intensity — if you don’t exercise hard enough, or if you exercise too hard, you will not experience the benefits — and also because of what this study called “compensatory responses.”

To put it simply, some people may be more likely than others to reward themselves for a hard workout by indulging in an ice-cream sundae or bag of potato chips.

This, of course, completely undermines the benefits you would have received from exercising, and really highlights the importance of listening to your body, and using diet and exercise in tandem to lose weight.

You are Not a Machine
Therefore, there is no precise equation on earth that can tell you how much you should be exercising and what you should be eating.

This is different for all of you.

When it comes to your diet, you can easily find out which foods are best for you by identifying your nutritional type. When you eat these foods, you will feel satisfied, full of energy, and not tempted by junk foods after your workout.

Similarly, you can find the right level of exercise for you by the way you feel after a workout. Folks, you should feel GOOD after you exercise. If you feel exhausted, nauseous, shaky or otherwise are in pain, you have done something that did not help your body. And, very possibly, you have overdone it or violated some other principle that was not good for your body at that time. So trust your body and listen to the gentle — and sometimes not so gentle — feedback it gives you.

Conversely, if you feel like you’ve hardly broken a sweat or aren’t gasping for air, it is highly likely you haven’t worked hard enough.

Weight loss is a powerful motivator for many to start exercising, and it is a great one. But I also want to point out some of the lesser-known benefits that exercise can bring:

• A reduced risk of cancer
• Less back pain
• Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease
• A natural treatment for depression
• A reduced risk of high blood pressure

Starting the Right Exercise Program for Your Body

The good thing about exercise is that there are an infinite number of different varieties, and everyone can find something that works for them.

Whatever form you choose, make sure you have a variety. A complete exercise routine, which may take you anywhere from 30-90 minutes a few days a week, should include:

• Cardio (elliptical machine, kick-boxing, jogging, etc.)
• Interval-type training
• Anaerobic or strength training (this is an absolutely crucial part of your exercise equation, and if you are only using aerobic training believe me you are missing the boat)

It would be wise to have clearance by your physician if you are not in good shape before embarking on an exercise program like this. However, you could start simply by walking and progress at your own pace.

Finally, there is a major component to exercise, diet and weight loss that has yet to be addressed, and that is your emotions. If you are holding on to self-sabotaging feelings about exercise (“It’s too hard for me!”) or losing weight (“I’ll always be fat.”) it is essential — for your health and peace of mind — that you release them.

www.mercola.com

World cancer experts have finally declared what NewsTarget readers learned nearly four years ago: That processed meats cause cancer, and anyone seeking to avoid cancer should avoid eating all processed meats for life.

Hundreds of cancer researchers took part in a five-year project spanning more than 7,000 clinical studies and designed to document the links between diet and cancer. Their conclusion, published in the World Cancer Research Fund’s report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective (2007), has rocked the health world with a declaration that all people should immediately stop buying and eating processed meat products and that all processed meat should be avoided for life!

Processed meats, the report explains, are simply too dangerous for human consumption. And why? Because they contain chemical additives that are known to greatly increase the risk of various cancers, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, brain tumors, pancreatic cancer and many more. The report, published at this DietAndCancerReport.org website also recommends that consumers:

• Avoid all sugary soft drinks for life.
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
• Get lean and fit, without becoming underweight.
• Limit consumption of ALL meats (even fresh meat).
• Breastfeed all infants for their first six months, avoiding infant formula.

Sadly, the WCRF still does not recommend that consumers use nutritional supplements to help protect themselves from cancer, indicating that the group still has a lot to learn about the role of medicinal mushrooms, sea vegetables, microalgae, Chinese herbs, rainforest herbs and superfood extracts in preventing and reversing cancer. But at least the group’s recommendation that consumers now avoid all processed meat products is a huge step in the right direction. It is the first time that any internationally-recognized cancer organization has found the courage to make a partial proclaimation about the health hazards of the chemicals found in processed meat products. It’s almost as big a deal as when the American Medical Association, after years of taking millions of dollars from tobacco companies, finally admitted that smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease. (A decade after the scientific evidence was irrefutable, of course, but then again, the AMA was making money off Big Tobacco by running tobacco ads in JAMA…)

What is “processed meat” exactly?

A woman asked me this question at a recent live event where I was warning the audience about the dangers of chemicals found in popular grocery products. Frankly, I was surprised to hear the question. But I’ve since learned that many people really don’t know the difference between processed meat and non-processed meat (“fresh” meat).

Here’s the difference:

Fresh meat usually has only one ingredient: The meat! Fresh meat is refrigerated and has a very short shelf life (just a few days, usually). It’s usually packaged in simple wrappers, with no fancy logos or color printing.

Processed meat has many ingredients and is usually packaged for long-term shelf life. These products almost always contain sodium nitrite, the cancer-causing chemical additive that meat companies use as a color fixer to turn their meat products a bright red “fresh-looking” color. Processed meat products include:

• Bacon
• Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Beef jerky
• Deli slices
• Hot dogs
• Sandwich meat (including those served at restaurants)
• Ham
• Meat “gift” products like Christmas sausages
• Meat used in canned soups
• Meat used in frozen pizza
• Meat used in kid’s lunch products
• Meat used in ravioli, spaghetti or Italian pasta products

… and many more meat products.

Unless it says “NITRITE FREE” on the front label, you can bet it’s made with cancer-causing sodium nitrite!

(Hint: You will only find nitrite-free meat products in two places in the grocery store: 1) In the fresh meat section where you can buy freshly-ground hamburger, for example, and 2) In the freezer, where you can find “natural” meat products that are nitrite-free.

What are the dangerous chemicals in processed meats?

Sodium nitrite is one of the most dangerous chemicals added to processed meats. Please be aware:

• You MUST read the ingredients list to find the sodium nitrite! Meat product companies do not list this ingredient on the front of the package.
• Even ORGANIC meat products and NATURAL meat products can still contain sodium nitrite. So read the labels to be sure, and avoid buying any meat product made with sodium nitrite.
• Be especially careful of food for kids! Virtually all packaged food products containing meat and marketed to children contain sodium nitrite! (Read the ingredients to protect your children.)

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a second dangerous chemical found in virtually all processed meat products. MSG is a dangerous excitotoxin linked to neurological disorders such as migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s disease, loss of appetite control, obesity and many other serious health conditions. Manufacturers use MSG to add flavor to dead-tasting processed meat products.

Essentially, dead meat products look and taste dead (because they are), so meat companies use the following three ingredients to make them look fresh and taste interesting:

Sodium nitrite makes the meat look red and fresh. (But it promotes cancer.)

MSG makes the meat taste savory. (But it causes neurological disorders.)

Processed salt makes the meat taste more interesting. (But it causes nutritional problems and high blood pressure.)

On top of these three chemical additives, processed meats also contain saturated animal fat that is often contaminated with PCBs, heavy metals, pesticide residues and other dangerous substances.

You can download my free Honest Food Guide from www.HonestFoodGuide.org which reveals the true health dangers of numerous chemicals added to processed foods. The Honest Food Guide has now been downloaded by over one million people.

Protect yourself and your family

Processed meats promote cancer. There is simply no question about the scientific validity of that statement, and anyone who disagrees with it is either working for the meat industry or hopelessly behind the times on their nutritional research.

The processed meat industry, of course, insists that processed meat is perfectly healthy and that you can eat all you want. It’s no surprise, of course: Big Tobacco insisted that cigarettes aren’t really bad for your health and that nicotine isn’t addictive, either. No industry is really willing to admit that its products are hazardous to human health, and the processed meat industry is no exception.

To protect yourself from these dangerous processed food products, here are the action steps to take:

1) Check the ingredients of all processed meat products in your refrigerator and pantry. Throw out any products containing sodium nitrite or MSG (monosodium glutamate).

2) Inform your spouse, roomates or children of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Show them the sodium nitrite right on the label of the products as you throw them out. Let them know that the World Cancer Research Fund now recommends that ALL consumers avoiding eating processed meats for life!

3) Boycott all processed meat products for life! Never buy processed meats again. That includes shopping at the grocery store, eating at a restaurant or consuming foods at a social event.

4) Spread the word. Tell others about the dangers of sodium nitrite. Print out the Honest Food Guide (www.HonestFoodGuide.com) and share it, if you want. Let people know that processed meats are dangerous for their health.

What’s next: The future of processed meats

My research tells me that chemical additives in processed meats are emerging as the next big food safety issue to hit mainstream awareness. Just a few years ago, most consumers had never heard of trans fats or the dangers of hydrogenated oils, for example. But once that issue went mainstream, fast food restaurants all over the country announced changes to avoid hydrogenated oils.

I believe that sodium nitrite in processed meats is the next big food safety issue that’s about to break into mainstream awareness. More and more consumers are suddenly aware that hot dogs promote cancer, or that bacon consumption is incredibly bad for your health. As awareness of this issue builds, there’s going to be increasing political pressure to pass laws that protect the public by strictly limited or banning the use of sodium nitrite in processed meats.

The meat industry, of course, which seems to have absolutely no respect for human or animal life, will fight this every inch of the way. The people in charge of meat-producing companies exhibit zero concern for the health of the consumers who actually eat their products, and they remain entirely focused on the profits to be had from selling more toxic meat products to gullible consumers.

But just like Big Tobacco’s marketing methods and fraudulent science was finally exposed as wholesale fraud, the processed meat industry is going to have to face scientific facts sooner or later: Sodium nitrite promotes cancer, and eating processed meat products substantially increases your risk of cancer. There’s no denying it or arguing about it, at least not by any sane person. Eating cancer-causing chemicals is blatantly and irrefutably dangerous to your health.

For now, just remember:

Processed meats = sodium nitrite = cancer

If you don’t want cancer, don’t eat processed meats. Ever.

About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a passion for teaching people how to improve their health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company.

www.newstarget.com

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, as of January 1, 2008, dairy products with labels such as “growth-hormone free” will be illegal in the state. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff announced the decision last month after convening a 22-member Food Labeling Advisory Committee to look into false or misleading claims in “absence labeling.”The ruling covers all dairy products sold in the state, forcing some out-of-state manufacturers, in effect, to make Pennsylvania-only packaging. So far, the state Department of Agriculture has notified 19 companies that their labels must change. Of the three principal types of labeling affected by the ruling, getting rid of “growth-hormone free” milk labels has proven most controversial.The PA Department of Agriculture explained its decision in a statement on its website, “[S]ome milk labels contain statements such as ‘hormone-free,’ but all milk contains hormones. Some labels also claim the absence of synthetic hormones, but there is no scientific test that can determine the truth of this claim.” Organic labeling, Mr. Wolff said, involves a certification process that includes surprise audits, so the department does not currently intend to interfere with it.

Some food safety advocates believe that Monsanto, the company that produces recombinant bovine growth hormone- rBGH or rBST- heavily influenced the state’s decision. Rick North, of the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, a leading critic of the artificial growth hormone, told the Associated Press that the Pennsylvania rules amounted to censorship. “This is a clear example of Monsanto’s influence,” he said.

Recombinant bovine growth hormone increases milk production by 15 percent, but causes an increase in udder infections in cows, and some studies have shown a correlation between certain types of cancer in humans and elevated levels of insulin growth factor, which is present in rBST-fueled milk. Canada, Japan, Australia and the European Union, have not approved the use of rBST because of health concerns.

Chuck Turner Jr., of Turner Dairy Farms in Penn Hills, PA told the Post-Gazette that rBST-free milk makes good business sense. Consumers pay an average of 25 percent more for milk labeled rBST-free. “There’s a certain customer segment out there that is interested in cows not being injected with this Monsanto stuff,” Mr. Turner said. “There’s nobody saying, ‘Give me milk with growth hormones.’ That’s the way we saw it.”

Environmentalists encourage consumers to buy organic milk and for local diaries to convert to organic methods. Organic certification ensures that consumers are drinking milk free of synthetic hormones and pesticides. The Pennsylvania ban only applies to milk labels. Advertisements may still make hormone-free claims.

www.beyondpesticides.org

According to the National Association of County Health Officials (NACHO), an independent affiliate of the National Association of Counties representing 1,300 local health departments, mercury poses the following dangers: “Mercury can be extremely toxic, especially to infants and children. Mercury occurs in three forms: the elemental form (also referred to as metallic), inorganic salt, and organic compounds called methylmercury. Each form has characteristic pathways of exposure and unique health effects. Mercury affects the nervous system, causing brain, nerve, kidney, and lung damage. Though symptoms may be absent or non-specific, a fact that will hinder diagnosis, they frequently include skin rashes, particularly redness and peeling of the hands and feet in children; tremors; muscular weakness; inability to walk; convulsions; personality changes; memory loss; and in extreme cases, death. The developing fetus is the most sensitive to the effects of mercury, and so women of child-bearing age are the population of greatest concern. Children of women exposed to relatively high levels of methylmercury during pregnancy (and through breast feeding) have exhibited a variety of abnormalities, including delayed onset of walking and talking and reduced neurological test scores.

“Elemental mercury, such as that which was once found in thermometers, slowly evaporates when exposed to the air. Nevertheless, small amounts spilled can reach contamination levels with exposure to room temperature air. Vacuuming, even with specially designed vacuums, can exacerbate the problem by increasing levels of mercury vapor. From there, mercury vapor is easily absorbed in the lungs and is toxic at low concentrations in air. Elemental mercury can also be absorbed through the skin and cause allergic reactions.

“According to the National Institutes of Health, ingestion of inorganic mercury compounds can cause severe renal and gastrointestinal toxicity. Organic compounds of mercury such as methylmercury are considered the most toxic forms of the element, with exposures resulting in neurological damage and even death.

Mercury in the Environment

“Releases of mercury to the environment are usually in the form of elemental or inorganic forms. Mercury is a naturally occurring element released when volcanoes erupt and rocks erode. It can also be released into the air through industrial pollution, including fossil fuel combustion, metal sulfide ore smelting, gold refining, cement production, refuse incineration, and industrial applications of metals. Mercury concentrations in air are usually low and of little direct concern, but when mercury enters water, biological processes change the chemical form to methylmercury, which is the organic, more toxic form found in fish. Methylmercury bio-accumulates through the food chain and, once in the body, can affect the fetal and adult nervous systems.”

In fact, they have determined mercury to be so toxic that they have created a fact sheet entitled “The Use of Mercury for Cultural and Religious Purposes” to warn local health departments of the potential danger of certain “Afro-Latino-Caribbean and Brazilian based traditions” using mercury in certain cultural traditions.

According to the fact sheet, these groups may use mercury as follows:

“Mercury is often ingested as a treatment for gastrointestinal problems. It may also be used for spiritual cleansing, to protect from evil, and to bring luck, love, and fortune. As such, mercury is sprinkled throughout homes, worn on necklaces, and burned in candles. Thus, mercury can enter the body through ingestion, direct contact to skin, or through inhalation of the scent-free vapors. Exposure to this toxin can come from indirect sources as well. People who do not use mercury in their homes may be at risk of mercury poisoning if the prior tenants have used mercury there. The vapors or physical material, both of which have a long half-life, may still be found in cracks in the floor, sink drains, or other parts of the home.”

Yet somehow, the group that compiled these data are silent on the fact that we are bringing mercury into our homes in the form of compact fluorescent light bulbs, injecting mercury into our children as a vaccine additive, and producing thousands of metric tons of this toxic chemical annually, all of which ultimately ends up in our bodies or our planet’s water supply.

While global production of mercury has been steadily declining from a high of 7100 metric tons in the early 1980s to about 1800 metric tons in 2000, the question has to be asked: Why are we still supporting the production of mercury at all? The use in lighting, electrical switches, vaccines, dental fillings, and batteries and chlorine manufacturing have all seen advances in technology that offer safer alternatives. LED bulbs are substitutes for CFL bulbs. Lithium, nickel-cadmium, and zinc-air batteries are substitutes for mercury-zinc batteries. Indium compounds substitute for mercury in alkaline batteries. Diaphragm and membrane cells replace mercury cells in the electrolytic production of chlorine and caustic soda. Ceramic composites can replace dental amalgams. Organic compounds have replaced mercury fungicides in latex paint. Digital instruments have replaced mercury thermometers in many applications.

According to GreenFacts.org, an international independent non-profit organization with a multi-stakeholder governance:

“In the past, a number of organic mercury compounds were used quite broadly, for example in pesticides (extensive use in seed dressing among others) and biocides in some paints, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. While many of these uses have diminished in some parts of the world, organic mercury compounds are still used for several purposes. Some examples are the use of seed dressing with mercury compounds in some countries, use of dimethylmercury in small amounts as a reference standard for some chemical tests, and Thimerosal (which contains ethylmercury) used as a preservative in some vaccines and other medical and cosmetic products since the 1930s. As the awareness of mercury’s potential adverse impacts on health and the environment has been rising, the number of applications (for inorganic and organic mercury) as well as the volume of mercury used have been reduced significantly in many of the industrialized countries, particularly during the last two decades.

“However, many of the uses discontinued in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries are still alive in other parts of the world. Several of these uses have been prohibited or severely restricted in a number of countries because of their adverse impacts on humans and the environment.

“Furthermore, while there is a general understanding of mercury production and use around the world, it is crucial to gain an even better understanding of global mercury markets and flows in order to assess demand, to design appropriate pollution prevention and reduction measures, and to monitor progress towards specific objectives.”

This chemical is so toxic, that the world’s 30 leading industrialized countries have agreed to “cease all further work on mercury” (and yes the United States is among the 30 OECD countries), yet we still allow this chemical to be imported from the countries which have not yet discontinued mercury production including: Spain, China, Kyrgyzstan and Algeria. We allow the importation of this dangerous chemical for strictly economic gain. We allow it to be brought into our homes in compact fluorescent light bulbs and we allow it to be injected into children as the vaccine additive Thimerasol. Mercury production should be halted globally. The US has already agreed to “cease all further work on mercury” yet we still allow the sale of products containing mercury. This must be stopped.

By purchasing CFL light bulbs or Thimerasol laden vaccines, you are supporting the production of mercury and the destruction of human health and the environment.

About the author
Herb Newborg is president of Chiropractic America LLC. Chiropractic America was established in 1994 and maintains www.YourSpine.com a website built to serve as an outlet for doctors nationwide to champion natural health care and lifestyle choices and for patients to have access to spinal health information. Chiropractic America has an advisory board comprised of leading chiropractors to ensure doctors and patients have access to the most current, accurate, and relevant information.

www.newstarget.com

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.

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Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.

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Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.

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Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.

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Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12.

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Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

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Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.

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Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

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Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one’s risk of having heart disease.

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Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.

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Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.

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Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.

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Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.

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Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.

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Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

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Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.

www.westonaprice.org

The Environmental Working Group is again sharing shocking news. After surveying 3,300 parents, comparing the baby products they use to lists of chemicals known to cause allergies, hormone disruption, damage to the nervous system, and cancer, the group found that children are exposed to 27 chemical ingredients on a daily basis that have never been assessed for safety. Not by the industry, nor by the government.

Dr. Rebecca Sutton, the environmental scientist who conducted the study, points out that:

1. 2 bromo, 2 nitropropane, and 3-DIOL create allergies and skin irritations, and in certain products can break down to form new cancer causing agents
2. Desitin diaper cream contains sodium borate, which can collect in your child’s brain and liver, causing detrimental health effects
3. Sunscreen with oxybenzone can trigger allergies, and disrupts your delicate hormone system

Surprisingly, 89 percent of products labeled “Recommended by doctor” are actually some of your worst offenders, containing what Dr. Sutton considers dangerous chemicals.

Manufacturers have responded with the following statement from the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association:

“Companies utilize a complex, multi-tiered scientific approach to extensively evaluate the safety of individual ingredients and finished products. These processes can take many months to several years to complete and utilize the expertise of leading chemists, toxicologists, biologists, dermatologists and experts from other scientific disciplines and medical specialty areas.”

Sources: Environmental Working Group October 31, 2007

Dr. Mercola’s Comments

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit public-interest research group known for making connections between chemical exposure and adverse health conditions.

Thankfully, this Washington-based organization has made it easy to calculate your risk of exposure to potentially harmful substances through the personal care products you use for yourself and your baby. Since 2004, their “Skin Deep” study has been assigning health-risk ratings to each of about 7,500 personal-care products.

Their rating system offers a means of quantifying the answer to a controversial question: Just what are you doing to yourself when you slather stuff on your body? And, what risks are you exposing your children to?

Please don’t shrug this issue off.

It is important to recognize that whatever you spread on your skin has a very real chance of being absorbed into your blood stream, with the potential to cause serious damage in your body.

The EWG’s “Skin Deep” report will tell you how many ingredients the products collectively contain. The calculator will rate the aggregate health threat those ingredients might pose to you.

Each product is ranked according to its ingredients’ potential to:

• Cause cancer
• Trigger allergic reactions
• Interfere with your endocrine (hormonal) system
• Impair reproduction or damage a developing fetus

Please. Do shield your children from as many of these dangerous chemicals as possible. It’s their future health – both physical and mental — at stake.

To keep yourself and your family safe:

• Only use natural cleaning products in your home. Most health food stores will have these available or you can search for them online
• Switch over to natural brands of toiletries, including children’s personal care products, and your own shampoos, toothpastes, antiperspirants, and cosmetics. You can usually find a good variety at either your local health food store, or by searching online.

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as simply reading a label anymore, because not all products marked “natural” or “organic” are in fact natural or organic, so make sure you check them out on the Skin Deep site.

There is reason to be concerned about the numerous toxic chemicals you are exposed to on a daily basis. I strongly urge you to read Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call. The author, Dr. Doris Rapp, is an early mentor of mine. She is one great lady and does a thorough job of uncovering the many ways you are exposed to toxic chemicals, and how they take a toll on your health, contributing to the many chronic diseases you see today.

www.mercola.com

A Pennsylvania beekeeper, John McDonald, has undertaken a study of agriculture’s effect on colony collapse disorder (CCD) of honeybees. After writing an article for the The San Francisco Chronicle that speculates on genetically modified (GM) crops’ contribution to the phenomenon, McDonald spent the last six months producing evidence to support his theory (one of many regarding the causes of CCD).

In his original article, McDonald asks, “Is it not possible that while there is no lethal effect directly to the new bees [from GM crops], there might be some sublethal effect, such as immune suppression, acting as a slow killer? … Given that nearly every bite of food that we eat has a pollinator, the seriousness of this emerging problem could dwarf all previous food disruptions.”

While CCD has been a worldwide concern, there has been minimal research in determining pesticides’ role, particularly regarding proximity to cropland. McDonald writes, “When it appeared that others weren’t interested in this experiment, I undertook to do my own investigation at my own expense.” Beginning in May, McDonald established new colonies (as his had been wiped out earlier), one in Centre County, Pennsylvania, where farming is extensive, and one adjoining Allegheny National Forest, where agriculture lay outside of the bees’ foraging range. The eight hives were monitored from May to October, and all had free access to goldenrod with which to produce honey.

By mid-October, the hives adjacent to farmland consistently did not gain weight, while those away from it grew steadily. When the “supers,” where honey is collected, were checked, the former had not produced enough honey to feed themselves, while the latter had produced close to 350 pounds of honey.

McDonald will leave the colonies in place to see if these bees die off like his last, but hopes “These results should encourage new research to determine what factor or factors are present in farm country to cause such a discrepancy in honey production.”

www.beyondpesticides.org

The debate over whether organic food is healthier than conventionally grown food may be over, according to results from a $25-million study into organic food — the largest of its kind to date.

The four-year, European-Union-funded study found that:

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

The researchers obtained their results after growing fruit and vegetables, and raising cattle, on adjacent organic and non-organic sites. They say that eating organic foods can even help to increase the nutrient intake of people who don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency, which has formerly said that there is no difference between organic and conventional foods, is reviewing the research findings.

Sources: Times Online October 28, 2007

Dr. Mercola’s Comments:

Many “health” experts continue to state that there is little difference between organic and conventionally raised produce, but if they review this evidence, they will likely have to change their tune.

Food grown in healthier soil, with natural fertilizers and no chemicals, simply has to be more nutritious. It is common knowledge — though knowledge that is greatly suppressed in the United States.

A 2003 study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, for example, found that organic foods are better for fighting cancer.

And in 2005, scientists found that, compared to rats that ate conventional diets, organically fed rats experienced various health benefits. Rats that ate organic or minimally fertilized diets had:

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

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

Be Very Wary of What Organic Foods You Buy, and Where You Buy Them

Although the organic label has really only become widely popular in the last several years, it has already been greatly compromised.

Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity, big business has now stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded.

Wal-Mart, for instance, is now the largest organic retailer in the United States. According to the Organic Consumers Association, the mega-store is:

• Selling Horizon and Aurora Organic milk that comes from intensive confinement factory farm dairies
• Importing cheap organic foods and ingredients from China and Brazil
• Posting signs in its stores that mislead people into believing that non-organic items are actually organic

In other words, organic food now represents a $14-billion business in the United States, and the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing a fast decline.

You are, in fact, being ripped off by much of the organic food you are buying.

One of the biggest rip-offs, in my opinion, is organic milk. Milk is not something I recommend that anyone drink unless it is in raw form. Organic milk is NOT raw milk, it is pasteurized milk, and will be associated with all of the health problems of pasteurized milk, regardless of its organic certification.

Another big-time deception is all of those “organic” convenience, junk foods like ice cream, crackers, cookies, pizzas and potato chips. A potato chip is one of the worst foods you can eat, regardless of whether or not the potato is organic.

Yet big business is cashing in on your desire to “have your cake and eat it too,” so to speak, and deceiving you into believing that you can eat cookies, ice cream and potato chips without feeling guilty because they’re “organic.”

Local is Now Better Than Organic

If you want to get the freshest, most nutrient-rich foods available, you simply must seek out real sources close to your home. When I say “real sources” I’m referring to farmers, food coops, farmers’ markets, and community-supported agriculture programs — NOT your local supermarket, or even your local big-name health food store.

These are the people who are growing your food, and only by speaking with them and establishing a rapport will you truly know if your food is being raised with integrity and health in mind.

Know also that many small farmers raise their foods according to organic standards, yet are unable to afford the federal certification progress to legally call them so. Ask your local farmers, and you’ll likely be surprised at how natural their farming methods are.

The bottom line?

Folks, simply stick to eating food that comes from your community, and from nature. Eat meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and more that come from a farmer you trust, according to your Nutritional Type, and you will thrive.

For those few foods you can’t find locally, buying from a supermarket or health food store is, of course, a practical option. Just make sure that these supermarket foods make up only a tiny portion of your family’s overall food.

www.mercola.com

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