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Genetically modified (GM) soy accounts for 91 percent of soybeans planted in the US and is rapidly growing throughout the world [1]. The dangerous biotech created science behind the introduction of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) is rapidly mounting and can no longer be ignored by scientists or the public. The biotech propaganda of increasing crop yield and ending world hunger have been proven false, and attempts to skew the simple fact that the sole reasoning for the mass introduction of untested, toxic and dangerous GMOs into our plants, soil, animals and genes is to increase profits at any expense for the large multinational biotech companies.

Transgenic or GM soy is created by haphazardly blasting a gene into the soybean that allows the bean to be resistant to the cytotoxic effects of Roundup (glyphosate). Farmers are able to dose their entire soybean fields with glyphosate and only kill the weeds. But, wouldn’t it make sense that if something kills anything (including weeds) it also would be killing human cells? Also, what health effects are evident from consuming soybeans which have been genetically altered with a promoter virus to ensure the gene slips past the immune system of the plant?

Monsanto created Roundup in the 1970’s to kill weeds and has since catapulted this product to be the world’s number one selling herbicide. Before the patent on Roundup was set to expire in 2000, Monsanto needed a surefire way to keep the profits of Roundup from bottoming out. Monsanto quickly began purchasing the majority of the world’s seed companies while simultaneously creating GMOs that farmers needed to sign contractual agreements to only use Roundup. Subsequently, revenue from Roundup never dropped and in fact topped more than $4 billion in 2008, up 59% from 2007 [2].

GM-soy is estimated to be present in up to 70% of all food products found in US supermarkets, including cereals, breads, soymilk, pasta and most meat (as animals are fed GM-soy feed). Although Monsanto has consistently relied on industry-funded data to declare the safety of GM-soy and glyphosate, objective research published in peer-reviewed journals tells another story.

Toxicity of Glyphosate

A recently published study by Italian researchers [3] examined the toxicity of four popular glyphosate based herbicide formulations on human placental cells, kidney cells, embryonic cells and neonate umbilical cord cells and surprisingly found total cell death of each of these cells within 24 hours. The researchers reported several mechanisms by which the herbicides caused the cells to die including: cell membrane rupture and damage, mitochondrial damage and cell asphyxia. Following these findings, the researchers tested G, AMPA and POEA by themselves and concluded that, “It is very clear that if G, POEA, or AMPA has a small toxic effect on embryonic cells alone at low levels, the combination of two of them at the same final concentration is significantly deleterious”.

Although previous researchers have proposed that the supposed “inert ingredients” alter the role of cell membrane disruptors in fish, amphibians, microorganisms [4] and plants [5], independent of G, this study is the first of its kind to report similar findings in human cells. The researchers concluded that, “the proprietary mixtures available on the market could cause cell damage and even death around residual levels to be expected, especially in food and feed derived from R [Roundup] formulation-treated crops” which are pervasive in GM-soya.

Furthermore, a recent study presently being prepared for publication by embryologists and biologists in Argentina found that glyphosate induced malformations in amphibian embryos [6]. Reduced head size, genetic alterations in the central nervous system, an increase in the death of cells that help form the skull, and deformed cartilage were effects that were repeatedly found in the laboratory experiments, said lead researcher, Carrasco. Carrasco explained that in the first phase of the experiment, amphibian embryos were submerged in a solution of herbicide diluted in water in a proportion that was 1,500 times weaker than that used today on genetically modified soybeans. The embryos subsequently suffered head deformations. In the second stage, embryonic cells were injected with glyphosate diluted with water, alone. The deleterious impact was multiplied, showing that the active ingredient accounts for the toxicity, rather than the additives, Carrasco said.

“One should be able to suppose, with certainty, that the same thing that happens to amphibian embryos can happen to humans,” said Carrasco, whose team of specialists in biology, biochemistry and genetics has been working on the study for 15 months. The researchers concluded that, “It is clear that glyphosate is not innocuous and that it does not degrade or break down, but accumulates in cells”.

Dangers of GM-Soy

In addition to the toxicity of glyphosate, several animal studies have found several health issues directly related to the consumption of GM-soybean. Rabbits fed GM-soy were found to have altered enzymatic activity in their livers as well as a higher metabolic activity [7]. Microscopic analyses of the livers of mice fed Roundup Ready soybeans revealed altered gene expression and structural and functional changes [8]. Much of these changes reversed after the mice diet was switched to non-GM soy, indicating that GM soy was the culprit.

Molecular geneticist Michael Antoniou, Ph.D., described that the findings “are not random and must reflect some ‘insult’ on the liver by the GM soy.” Antoniou, who does human gene therapy research in King’s College London, said that although the long-term consequences of the GM soy diet are not known, it “could lead to liver damage and consequently general toxemia” [9].

A study presented in December of 2005 by Dr. Ermakova found that rats fed a GM-soy flour diet had 56 percent of their offspring die at birth compared to only 8 percent in the control group [10]. Ermakova (2005) also reported that, “From the data it is evident, that 36% of the pups from the GM soya group weighed less than 20 g, in comparison with the 6% in the positive control group, and with the 6.7% found in the traditional soya supplemented diet group. Study of pups’ organs mass showed that the organs of small pups from GM group were tiny in comparison with the same of other groups except the brain mass. This fact indicated that the pups from the GM group were the same age as others, but changes were occurred with the development of internal organs” [10]. Furthermore, Ermakova found that the male rats who were fed GM soy had their testicles change color from normal pink to dark blue.

Researchers also found that the cells in the pancreatic cells of mice fed Roundup Ready soy had profound changes and produced significantly less digestive enzymes [11]. Furthermore, mice fed GM soy were found to have altered young sperm [12] and even the embryos of GM fed parent mice had significant changes in their DNA [13]. Clearly, GMOs are either an arrogant blend of controlling life through food or an insidious plot for population control.

Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/026334.html

Raw milk is gaining in popularity among people who are looking to eat a more natural and less processed diet. Although there is a large amount of variation in raw milk, true raw milk is milk from organic grass-fed cows that is cooled to 36-38 degrees Fahrenheit and then bottled for consumption. No homogenization, pasteurization, or filtering is part of the process. Raw milk that adheres to this definition is a complete and balanced food with healing properties and many health benefits.

Pasteurization has been used since the 1890`s to kill bacteria in milk including salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, e.coli, and brucella. However, in addition to the killing of the “bad” bacteria such as these, pasteurization also kills “good” bacteria such as lactobacillus. These good bacteria actually kill the bad bacteria that can contaminate milk and make people sick. Cows that are fed fresh grass are consuming the nutrients necessary to produce milk with a healthy amount of good bacteria thereby producing milk that is safe without pasteurization and full of health benefits.

Besides reducing the risk of food-borne illness, the good bacteria found in raw milk is beneficial (especially after the fermentation process that turns milk into yogurt or kefir) for the digestive tract because they produce enzymes which help break down protein. This can be especially beneficial for people with digestive issues that are related to medication, illness, or age. Other types of good bacteria found in raw milk work to change lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid. Lactic acid increases absorption of iron, phosphorus, and calcium.

Another benefit of raw milk is the high amount of conjugated linoleum acid (CLA). CLA is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found in milk from grass-fed cows and is known to boost metabolism, reduce insulin resistance, strengthen the immune system, reduce allergic reactions to food, build muscle, and reduce abdominal fat. Grass fed cows are known to have three to five times more CLA than cows that are grain fed.

Since raw milk is not available commercially in the U.S., except some rare stores in New Mexico, California, and Connecticut, it takes some research to find a supplier. When deciding upon a supplier for raw milk it is imperative to be educated about the diet of the cows. The safety and health benefits of raw milk vary greatly based on diet. The milk from grain fed cows affects fat levels, nutrient levels, and must be tested more often than milk from grass-fed cows for safety. Ideally, cows should be fed organic fresh grass if possible.

The health benefits of raw milk are numerous. Good bacteria and CLA make raw milk an excellent choice for consumers who choose to include dairy in their diet.

Source: http://www.natural…

A glut of organic milk, fueled by giant factory farms, threatens to wash family farmers off their land.  Farmers and their advocates are calling an emergency rally this coming Thursday, July 16, in an effort to demonstrate their plight to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.  Vilsack will be in West Salem, WI on July 16 as part of a national tour.

Under the Bush administration, the USDA was accused of “looking the other way” as large corporate agribusinesses invested in organics while allegedly violating federal standards.  In the dairy sector, there are now estimated to be 20 large industrial dairies, each milking thousands of cows, producing as much as 40% of the nation’s organic milk supply.

“With the slowdown in the economy, the market is no longer able to absorb the growing supply of organic milk,” stated Mark Kastel, senior farm policy analyst with The Cornucopia Institute.  “Processors have now cut the price of milk for farmers, and imposed production caps.  Many family farmers are now in danger of losing their farms.”

Billed as the “Save the Organic Family Dairy Farm Rally,” the event will be held at 11 AM, July 16, at the La Crosse Interstate Fair in West Salem, Wisconsin.  It immediately precedes a town hall meeting on rural issues with Vilsack, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  Secretary Vilsack has been invited to say a few words to the farmers prior to the town hall session.  “His acknowledgment of the dilemma that faces organic dairy producers will be a big morale boost,” said Kastel.

Besides The Cornucopia Institute, the emergency organic dairy rally is cosponsored by: Family Farm Defenders, Center for Rural Affairs, Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Midwest Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, Church’s Center for Land and People, National Family Farm Coalition, and the Interfaith Program Action Council.

In addition to the serious financial losses some farmers are experiencing, two of the largest organic milk processors and handlers, Dean Foods (marketing Horizon milk) and HP Hood, which owns Kemps dairy in the Midwest (marketing Stonyfield milk) have informed some of their farmers that they will not renew their contracts.

“These corporations have, in essence, signed a financial death warrant for these farmers,” said Kastel.  Many organic producers borrowed tens of thousands of dollars, some well over $100,000, to convert to organics and modernize their farms.  Without contracts to sell organic milk, many of these operators face bankruptcy and risk losing the farms that have been in their families for multiple generations.

“The only way we have been able to continue in business is to cash in our retirement IRA, our life savings,” says Bruce Drinkman, who milks 50 cows with his wife Mari outside of Glenwood City, WI.  “If the secretary of agriculture and others in power don’t recognize our plight, soon we will lose everything.”

For years, members in the organic community and the National Organic Standards Board, the expert panel set up by Congress, have appealed to the USDA to crack down on “scofflaws” bending the organic regulations on giant factory dairies, mostly in the desert-West.  “We are asking Secretary Vilsack to view this as a legitimate emergency and take immediate action, to shut down the giant farms that are violating federal organic law,” Kastel added.  “Otherwise many of the ethical, hard-working farmers who built this industry will be driven out of business by cheaters.”

In addition to immediate enforcement action against factory farms allegedly “gaming the system,” Cornucopia has asked Vilsack to request the Justice Department to look into possible antitrust violations by the nation’s largest conventional and organic milk bottler and marketer, Dean Foods.

“I intend to tell the Secretary that there has been a sweetheart relationship between Dean Foods, and other giant agribusinesses, and the USDA for too long,” said John Kinsman, a LaValle, Wisconsin organic dairy farmer.  “We need new management at the National Organic Program, the kind of change that President Obama promised during his campaign,” Kinsman added.

While the dustup over the large factory farms producing organic milk is infuriating to many organic farmers and consumers alike, there is no shortage of organic milk that is widely perceived to meet both the letter and spirit of the organic regulations.

The Cornucopia Institute completed an in-depth study last year rating the country’s 110 organic dairy brands based on their ethical approach to milk production.  Nearly 90% of all namebrand organic dairy products were highly rated in the scorecard (www.cornucopia.org).

“In every market in this country, in every product category—cheese, butter, ice cream and milk—it is easy for consumers to find organic dairy products that truly meet their expectations,” said Will Fantle, research director at Cornucopia.  “In general, consumers can really trust the organic label.  These giant corporate dairies are just bad aberrations.”

Consumers, organic farmers other than dairy producers, businesspeople, organic industry stakeholders, and people in rural America who have benefited from the growth of organics are all encouraged to stand with the farmers at this “critical emergency rally.”

Organizers say that farmers will be bringing small quantities of their organic milk to “symbolically dump,” to illustrate the falling value of their farms and their output.  They are encouraging all participants at the rally to bring non-perishable food items to share with others less fortunate.

“We want to welcome Secretary Vilsack to Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland, where there are more organic dairy farmers than any other state,” said Kastel.  “We know he understands the promise of organic agriculture for rural America.  We just want to make sure he understands that families producing milk, conventional and organic, have their backs to the wall and desperately need his help.”

Source: www.cornucopia.org

Dean Foods Creates “Natural” Dairy Products Using Conventional Milk

BOULDER, CO:  A division of Dean Foods, the organic industry’s largest namebrand manufacturer, rocked the organic world this week when it was reported that the agribusiness giant intended to create an entirely new, lower-priced, product category, “natural dairy,” aimed squarely at pirating away organic customers.  If successful Dean, the largest milk processor in the United States, will add to the pain many organic farmers are feeling due to slowing sales caused by the economic downturn.

For the first time the Horizon namebrand will market products that are not certified organic.  Horizon has had the highest dollar volume of any organic industry brand.

Dean’s WhiteWave-Morningstar division, which controls the Horizon, Organic Cow, Silk, and other specialty brands and is based in Longmont, Colorado, has launched their “alternative to the organic label” at a time when sales in the industry have flattened after averaging 20% per year growth rates for more than a decade.  Recent articles in the New York Times, Boston Globe, and the Associated Press have profiled falling prices and production caps now being placed on farms producing organic milk—with many of these family farmers now facing financial ruin.

“This move by Dean Foods comes at a time when organic dairy farmers around the country are in financial crisis due to a glut of milk,” said Mark A. Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute.  “Responsible participants in this industry are using their marketing strength to ramp up organic demand.  Dean has instead chosen to profiteer at the expense of the hard-working family farmers who have built this industry.”

This move comes on the heels of the recent decision by Dean/WhiteWave to switch almost the entire product offerings of their Silk soymilk line to “natural” (conventional) soybeans.  Many consumers and retailers have expressed outrage when the switch to conventional soybeans was quietly made in Silk products without lowering the price.  Industry critics have referred to the move as “sheer profiteering.”

“They are handling the introduction of natural products under the Horizon label a little bit differently than they handled their switch to conventional soybeans sourcing in Silk,” Kastel stated.  “With their soy products the appearance of their packaging and UPC product codes remained the same.”

Many retailers and consumers around the country, who had been longtime loyal customers, were outraged to find that their favorite organic brand had been switched to conventional, somewhat clandestinely.  This has caused some retailers to now drop the Silk products.

Sara Loveday, a marketing communications manager at WhiteWave told the Natural Foods Merchandiser, an industry trade publication:  “We’ve only been organic in the past and the majority of our business will remain organic.  These are our first natural offerings in the marketplace, and Horizon always tries to provide great-tasting products for moms and for families.”

The Dean/WhiteWave spokesperson continued by saying the natural Horizon products would be “easier on the pocketbook.”

“Many consumers do not understand green terminology,” said Suzanne Shelton, whose firm, the Shelton Group, just released a national survey examining consumer perception about food labeling.  “They prefer the word ‘natural’ over the term ‘organic,’ thinking organic is more of an unregulated marketing buzzword that means the product is more expensive.  In reality, the opposite is true: ‘Natural’ is the unregulated word. Organic foods must meet government standards to be certified as such,” Shelton concluded.

“It is apparent to us that moves toward “natural” dairy products offerings will have a negative impact on the organic category,” said Jack Lazor a certified organic dairy farmer from Westfield, Vermont.  “It is now more important than ever that consumers of organic dairy products understand the benefits of organic foods and farming.  We need to cultivate meaningful relationships with our customers so that we can cut through the veil of corporate greed where natural is easily mistaken for organic.”

Lazor and his wife, Anne, widely respected as one of the first organic dairy farmers in the United States, founded Butterworks Yogurt in 1984, a leading organic brand in the Northeast.

Organic food has grown from a small niche to a successful $24 billion market category fueled by consumers desire for a safer and more nutritious food supply.

“When the first Horizon natural products are introduced—a yogurt aimed at children and single-serve milk—they will promote them as being without growth hormones.  But Dean Foods will not be able to mention that the products are produced without pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other drugs, and genetically modified feed crops, or that the cows are required to graze in pastures rather than confined to factory farm feedlots.  These are all factors that truly differentiate organic production from natural/conventional agricultural and livestock production,” explained Kastel.

In a letter today to Dean Foods’ chairman Greg Engel, The Cornucopia Institute, widely recognized as the nation’s preeminent organic farming industry watchdog, suggested that in order to preserve the integrity and shareholder value in two of the nation’s leading organic brands, Horizon and Silk, that the corporation reconsider its new tactical direction.  It questioned why a company, after substantial investments, would want to alienate a market demographic that has proven, over the years, to be highly dedicated and passionate.

“Dean Foods has just declared war on the organic industry.  Although the first shot has been fired it will not be the last,” Kastel lamented.  We hope they will reevaluate this ill-advised product launch.”

Source: The Cornucopia Institute

With fad detox methods around every corner, it’s hard to know which one can provide a healthy cleanse without unpleasant side effects. A coconut oil detox is an excellent way to cleanse without using complicated formulas or living off nothing but water for days on end. Coconut oil is a powerful cleansing food that also provides plenty of natural energy during a detox.

Coconut oil is largely comprised of medium-chain fatty acids, which are sent directly to the liver for energy rather than storage. This type of fat is ideal for a cleanse, since it can provide the energy needed at a time when less food is being consumed.

These same medium-chain fatty acids play a crucial role in cleansing the body from toxins. Coconut oil is heralded as a natural health food, and a coconut oil detox simply speeds up healing results by thoroughly flushing the entire body of toxins in a short time. Here are just four types of conditions coconut oil can combat during a detox:

- Candida. In modern society, candida overgrowth is almost an epidemic. More people are experiencing systemic candida, when the problem spreads throughout the body and causes a myriad of unpleasant side effects. A coconut oil detox is completely void of sugar and other carbohydrates, which effectively starves off all candida in the system. People who suffer from candida will notice many conditions improve or disappear after a coconut oil detox, including sugar cravings, fatigue, eczema, acne, repeat sinus infections and poor concentration.

- Fungal infections. Often connected with candida, repeat fungal infections like ringworm and jock itch are linked to an imbalance of bacteria and fungal organisms in the body. The lauric acid and caprylic acid in coconut oil are antifungal, so a coconut oil detox is an effective way to cleanse the entire system of fungal growth. Many people with fungal conditions report a complete recovery within the cleansing period.

- Digestive conditions. A coconut oil detox can help banish digestive conditions like irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and leaky gut syndrome by restoring health and balance to the digestive system.

- Viruses. Lauric acid, which is found in abundance in coconut oil, is converted into monolaurin in the body, which has strong antiviral properties that can protect against and even destroy lipid-coated viruses like herpes and influenza.

How to Detox with Coconut Oil

A coconut oil cleanse is a very simple detoxification method that replaces regular food with coconut oil, usually for about 3-7 days. Start your day with two tablespoons of coconut oil and take 1-2 tablespoons throughout the day as necessary for up to 14 tablespoons total each day.

Take the coconut oil plain if you enjoy it that way, but those who can’t tolerate swallowing the oil straight can mix it with warm lemon water or plain organic yogurt if necessary. You can use stevia if you’d like to sweeten the lemon water or yogurt, but no sugar should be consumed during the cleanse. In his book Coconut Cures, Dr. Bruce Fife adds that you can eat up to four ounces of fresh coconut meat daily while on the detox if needed.

The best kind of coconut oil to use to detoxify is organic, raw extra virgin coconut oil. This type of oil should be completely unrefined, expeller- or cold-pressed, unbleached and not deodorized. This ensures you are getting the maximum natural benefits from your coconut oil.

If you have never taken coconut oil before, then you’ll want to let your body adjust by slowly incorporating it into your diet before trying a coconut oil detox. Start with 1/2-1 teaspoon three times per day. Gradually work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons three times daily. It may take two weeks to work up to the full amount. When you feel comfortable taking this much coconut oil, then you should be ready to start a coconut oil detox.

Some people will experience “die-off” symptoms when they begin a coconut oil detox. These symptoms are often flu-like, including headaches, joint stiffness, dizziness and foggy-thinking. It may not feel so good, but it’s a sign that your body is ridding itself of harmful toxins like fungal organisms. Die-off symptoms usually only last for 3-5 days, but you can ease them by gradually introducing coconut oil to your diet before doing a detox.

During a coconut oil detox, it’s important to drink plenty of filtered water to nourish the body and facilitate cleansing benefits. Here is a recipe for a delicious drink that can replenish you during a cleanse:

1 cup pure lemon juice
6 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon sea salt

The lemon juice has cleansing properties, and the sea salt replaces minerals that may be lost during a cleanse. Add stevia for a sweeter taste, but do not sweeten with any kind of sugar.

Remember, if you have medical conditions or if you are on prescription medications, it’s important to talk with your physician before trying a coconut oil cleanse.

Source: www.naturalnews.com