Month: November 2011

In this article, I expose five dangerous gifts that may literally increase the risk of disease and death. Whatever you give your family and friends this holiday season, please avoid giving these five dangerous gifts:

Dangerous gift #1) Perfumes and colognes (promote cancer)
A typical perfume product contains over 20 cancer-causing chemicals, and they're absorbed right through the skin. Perfumes and colognes — or any fragrance product, for that matter — are direct causes of cancer which remain utterly ignored by the cancer industry (that just happens to be more interested in high-profit treatments rather than profit-destroying prevention strategies).

The only "safe" perfume is one made entirely from essential oils. Legally speaking, nearly all perfumes sold in the state of California should be labeled with cancer warnings under Proposition 65, but the state never enforces this law against giant perfume corporations (interesting, huh?).

Dangerous gift #2) Processed meats, hams and sausages (promote cancer and diabetes)
You see these heavily promoted during the holiday season: Sausages, hams and other specialty meats, usually sold with natural-sounding language to make them appear wholesome and home-grown. In reality, almost 100% of these meats contain sodium nitrite, a dangerous cancer-causing chemical that's used to turn these meats red and prevent spoilage by killing living organisms.

Sodium nitrite is linked to both an increase in cancer as well as type-2 diabetes due to harmful effects on the pancreas. The USDA once tried to ban sodium nitrite from the food supply in the 1970's but was overruled by the meat industry (which now basically runs the USDA). While processed holiday meats might be a very effective gift to give someone you wanted to murder, they are simply not appropriate to give to someone you care for.

Dangerous gift #3) Video game consoles (promote violence)
Parents, if you're about to buy video games for your kids, please reconsider your decision. Video game consoles now feature game content that's more graphic and violent than ever, and they desensitize your children to acts of violence.

Even worse, some video games being designed today — "first-person shooters" — are actually developed by the U.S. military and used as recruiting tools that aggrandize war. A young male child who plays video games is not only more like to join the military and engage in mindless acts of violence, he is also more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.

There are some very good real-time strategy games that teach strategic thinking (such as Sid Meier's Civilization series), but avoid giving your children first-person shooters or other extremely violent games.

Dangerous gift #4) Mobile phones (promote type-3 diabetes)
Very few people know that there's another kind of diabetes called "type-3 diabetes." It's caused by electropollution. Quite literally, when some people are in the presence of strong electromagnetic fields, their blood sugar levels begin to swing wildly.

Mobile phones are one of the worst sources of electromagnetic pollution beamed right through your head. It's far safer to use them with a bluetooth headset, and safer still to use them only as a texting device without voice calling. (The small bursts of text data transfer are miniscule compared to full-on voice broadcast.)

If you do want to give someone a mobile phone, make sure they're not already diabetic (and buy them a bluetooth headset).

Dangerous gift #5) Clothing that's full of GMOs, dyes and pesticides
This is a tough one, but nearly all the clothing sold in stores today is absolutely loaded with GMOs, dyes and pesticides. Let me explain:

Any clothing containing cotton is almost certainly GMO, as virtually all the cotton grown in America today is genetically modified. Of course, you're not eating that pair of jeans, so this may not concern you personally, but there's still a huge environmental impact of GMO cotton being grown on farms.

Far worse from a personal health perspective are the dyes. Clothing dyes are almost always toxic, cancer-causing chemicals, and if you've ever worn a new piece of clothing and later discovered some of the dye rubbed off on your arms or legs, you know how easily these dyes can transfer from the clothing to your skin (and then into your bloodstream).

Finally, all non-organic cotton is loaded with pesticides, and those pesticide chemicals can promote Parkinson's disease, dementia and other brain disorders. The only cotton that's free of pesticides is 100% organic cotton, which is available from a few specialty stores and online retailers.

SAFETY TIP: If you do buy someone a gift of clothing, or if you receive one yourself, wash the clothes in hot water (by themselves, without polluting your other clothing) and use an extra rinse cycle. Dry them in the dryer and then wash them again! This is the only way to remove most of the dyes and pesticides found in these clothes, and even this process doesn't remove all the dangerous chemicals.

Remember this, too: Nearly all clothing containing cotton boosts the profits of Monsanto, which sells the genetically modified cotton seeds that farmers use to produce this cotton. So buying someone a pair of jeans for Christmas is essentially putting more money into Monsanto's pocket.

It goes without saying, but…
In addition to the five toxic gifts mentioned above, please do not buy anyone a flu shot gift card unless you are literally trying to kill them. Flu shots often contain live viruses and may actually cause the flu.

They can also cause neurological side effects like seizures and vomiting. If you really want to help someone boost their defenses against the flu this holiday season, buy 'em some vitamin D (5,000 IUs is the recommended dosage).

Be smart this holiday season – don't destroy the health of those you love
Whatever you give people this holiday season, be smart and consider the following:

• WHERE does this gift come from? What is its resource and manufacturing impact on the environment?

• WHO profits from me buying this gift? Does it enrich some evil corporation?

• WHAT will be the impact on the person I'm giving this gift to? Will it improve their live in a meaningful way?

The more you consider these questions, the better your gift-giving success will be… and not just at a personal level, but at a global level where you are fully aware of the global impacts of your purchasing and gift-giving decisions.

 

It is called Race IV fungus, or "the HIV of banana plantations," and it thrives in monoculture soils like the ones that grow Cavendish bananas, the type most commonly grown and sold internationally. Though there are thousands of other varieties of bananas in existence, many of which have a much better flavor and texture, large growers and exporters have stuck with the Cavendish variety because it ships well, and is said to be more visually appealing.

But this lack of genetic diversity in the banana industry appears to be leading to its demise, as scientists have been warning for years that Race IV fungus will eventually spread to the Americas. When this eventually takes place, banana growers will no longer be able to grow bananas because the plants simply will not survive — and not only will the contaminated soil become unfit for growing crops for at least a few decades, but so will the land around it.

"Race IV had probably been around for a long time, but it wasn't until these (banana) plantations went in that it had the expansion opportunity that a monoculture provides," writes Heather Smith in a recent Grist.com piece on the subject. "The 21st century looks to be the era in which those great monocultures are gradually becoming undone."

Prior to the 1960s, the Gros Michel variety of banana, also known as "Big Mike," was the order of the day in the US. This variety is more flavorful, more complex, and generally more palatable than the Cavendish variety — but just like what is happening to the Cavendish variety, monoculture ended up ruining Gros Michel. Unfortunately this time, there is nothing in the wings to replace Cavendish when it eventually goes kaput.

Throughout Central and South America, many countries still successfully grow a diverse array of bananas on small-scale farms and even in backyard gardens. And since they are not grown in a monoculture system, they remain largely free of disease — so when will the US and other nations that embrace industrial agriculture finally learn that the system is literally destroying food as we know it?

After sleeping through the night the bodily tissues are dehydrated and need clean, pure water to filter out toxins and improve energy production in the cells. Most individuals turn to stimulants like coffee in the morning to give them a jump start. Unfortunately, coffee is a diuretic that depletes your body of water reserves and essential minerals and electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium & magnesium.

People feel energized by coffee due to the effects of caffeine on the adrenal glands. Coffee stimulates these organs to pump out instant energy hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones stimulate the body to breakdown stored sugar and release it into the bloodstream. This process causes abnormal blood sugar that increases oxidative stress, free radical formation and overall tissue damage.

This is called dirty energy because it produces a rampant amount of damage to the body in order to activate energy formation. Clean energy produces cellular energy without an excessive load of oxidative stress.

Food as Bioelectrical Energy
The food and beverages we eat provide electrically charged molecules that initiate energy production in our body. An ion is part of a molecule that carries an electrical charge. Positively charged ions are called "cations," while negatively charged ions are called "anions."

Most of the food we put into our bodies comes in a cationic form, while our natural digestive processes (hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, saliva) are anionic. Lemon is one of the only anionic foods on the planet. This means that it carries a very strong negative charge and is extremely electrically active.

Fresh lemon helps oxygenate the body and maximizes enzyme function. Lemon is known to stimulate the liver's natural enzymes. This assists the liver in the process of dumping toxins like uric acid and of liquefying congested bile ducts.

Citric Acid Cleanses the System
Citric acid can also play a very important role in chelating out abnormal calcium stones. It has a unique ability to form soluble complexes with calcium that many have used to eliminate pancreatic stones and kidney stones. This mechanism can also help prevent calcium deposits from building up in the arteries that promote cardiovascular disease.

Clean water with lemon provides the body with hydration, anti-oxidants and electrolytes. Lemon is a rich source of the immune boosting vitamin C. It also has good quantities of electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Lemon is a tremendous source of citrus bioflavonoid anti-oxidant phytonutrients that have been given the label Vitamin P.

Vitamin P consists of the flavonoid glycosides hesperetin and naringenin among others. Studies have shown that vitamin P enhances the anti-oxidant capability of vitamin C. These bioflavonoids also improve capillary permeability and overall blood flow. This is especially important for oxygenating tissues and maintaining normal blood pressure. These anti-oxidants have also been shown to reduce swelling, venous backup and edema.

Upon rising take 1 full lemon and squeeze it into 16-32 oz of fresh clean water and drink. Be sure to eat out the membranous parts of the lemon where the majority of the pectin fiber and citrus bioflavonoids are located. Stevia can be added to form sugar-free lemonade. Apple cider vinegar and various herbs can be used to boost enzymatic and anti-oxidant potential.
 

Big Pharma's only recipe for health
Big Pharma, the AMA, and medical boards throughout the world consider prescription drugs as the only viable solution for human health and disease prevention. Never mind nutrition. There's no money in that for them, and they don't know much if anything about nutrition anyway. So instead of removing toxins from food and water, they want to add toxic pharmaceuticals for public health.

These experts claim "not to worry," the amounts are insignificant. This viewpoint ignores the cumulative effect from daily consumption of liquids using water in addition to water alone: Tea, sodas, coffee, soups, and boiled foods.

Boiling only gets rid of some pathogenic bacteria and parasites. It does doesn't eliminate fluoride or other drugs used to mass medicate populations.

Also consider bathing, showering, and even the water used to spray produce displayed in stores to keep those veggies fresh. Prescribing pharmaceutical drugs at high doses for specific reasons often involves side effects. Daily dosing healthy people exposes them to those side effects over the long term also.

Pushing for lithium and statins in water supplies
According to a UK Daily Mailb report, "Lithium has been heralded by some experts as the next potential fluoride, after scientists found suicide rates were lower in areas where the drinking water had higher concentrations of the element."

Lithium is used for bipolar patients. It's supposed to focus on the manic-depressives and stabilize mood swings. Lithium works by altering the brain's normal production of serotonin and norepinephrine, an adrenal hormone and neurotransmitter.

If the "medical experts" have their way placing lithium into our water supply, many would be under the influence of a mind altering drug. The side effects range from itchy skin to hallucinations and seizures. Read more here in another Natural News article (http://www.naturalnews.com/032669_l…).

Quite a few MDs in key positions have offered another mass medication idea via water supplies, statin drugs. Statins are promoted as heart health drugs because they supposedly reduce cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol as a threat to heart health has been exposed as a hoax by many health experts willing to speak out against the medical paradigm of disease for profit.

Statin drugs were essentially created as something that could be sold to healthy people, even without high cholesterol, as long as the bogus cholesterol scare holds up. Mike Adams covers this well here (http://www.naturalnews.com/024783.html).

A study published in the Cochrane Library reviewed 14 statin drug trials that involved 34,000 patients. The researchers discovered previously undisclosed side effects of depression, mood swings, and memory loss. Other known statin side effects include cataracts, muscle damage, liver dysfunction, and acute kidney failure.

Several conscientious MDs warn that statins could cause more harm than good and should not be prescribed unless there is imminent danger of a heart attack or stroke.

The combination of fluoridation plus these drugs would be devastating for most over the long term. The phrase "trust no one" applies to medical institutions and government health agencies. We need to treat our own water while lobbying locally to stop fluoridation and resist other mass medication efforts.

Zeolite

"FDA recognizes how hard it is for patients and their families to cope with metastatic breast cancer and how great a need there is for more effective treatments," Hamburg is quoted as saying by The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "But patients must have confidence that the drugs they take are both safe and effective for their intended use."

After being rapidly approved for use by the FDA back in 2007, Avastin quickly generated more than $1.7 billion for its producer Genentech within the first year. When the FDA finally got around to actually reviewing the drug after approving it, though, the agency discovered that Avastin does not lengthen the lives of breast cancer patients, and that it carries with it severe side effects that include death.

 

In her 69-page report on Avastin, Hamburg wrote that Avastin's side effects include high blood pressure, bleeding, heart attack or heart failure, and the development of perforations in the nose, stomach and intestines. In at least one case, a patient taking Avastin has died from infection.

But the way the FDA is handling the situation shows how blatantly biased it is towards the drug industry. Avastin was proven dangerous and ineffective several years ago, but the FDA allowed it to remain on the market. Now, it has decided to withdraw approval for Avastin, but is still allowing it to remain on the market.

If Avastin had been a dietary supplement in the same predicament, the agency would have immediately withdrawn its approval (if it would have approved it in the first place), and demanded that it be removed from the market. The agency likely would have also shut down Avastin's manufacturer, as it has done a lot worse to supplement companies that produce safe and effective natural treatments.

Ancient India's Healing Tradition
Ayurveda, the ancient healing system of India, often uses cinnamon to stimulate circulation as well as to increase the bio-availability of other herbs. Ayurvedic healers, prescribe remedies based on an individual's dosha or type. Ayurveda sees cinnamon as an appropriate remedy for people who belong to the kapha type (characterized as sturdy, heavy, calm, slow and moist) and the vata type (thin, cold, prone to nervousness) since cinnamon tends to have a heating and energizing effect. People who belong to the pitta type (fiery, oily, sharp) can partake of cinnamon in moderation.

Traditional Chinese Medicine
Herbalists and acupuncturists in the Chinese tradition value cinnamon for its warming qualities. Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may prescribe cinnamon, often in combination with another warming substance such as ginger, to ward off colds. TCM healers may prescribe cinnamon for disorders associated with the kidney meridian.

Anti-Viral
During the 1918 influenza outbreak, workers at cinnamon factories seemed immune to the Spanish flu which decimated the population. A potent new form of cinnamon extract may even protect against HIV. An Israeli researcher, taking a cue from a Biblical reference to high priests using a holy oil containing cinnamon, in 2007 developed a powerful cinnamon extract which may protect against modern viruses like the Avian flu.

Blood Sugar Control
There may be a touch of ancient wisdom at work in all the recipes which combine cinnamon with high-carb and high-fat ingredients. Cinnamon can mitigate the impact these foods have on blood sugar levels, slowing the rate at which the stomach empties after meals and thereby reducing the potential spike in blood sugar. Cinnamon can offer aid to people who have type 2 diabetes by preventing insulin resistance and has even been recommended by the American Diabetes Association. Research has shown cinnamon outperforms diabetes drugs. In a study published in The Journal of Diabetic Medicine, research subjects given cinnamon supplements experienced greater improvement in blood sugar levels than those who received standard diabetes drugs.

Muscle to Fat Ratio
Studies indicate that cinnamon supplements go beyond just improving blood glucose levels; they can also reduce body fat percentage and help increase lean muscle mass.

Scent
If people at the holiday dinner table seem especially alert when the cinnamon-spiced pumpkin pie is being served, it might be because of its scent, not just an appetite for sweets. A 2004 study found that the smell of cinnamon helped boost brain function. Study participants performance on tasks involving virtual recognition memory, attentional processes, working memory, and visual-motor speed while using a computer were measured comparing the relative effects of jasmine, peppermint, cinnamon and no odor. Cinnamon had the strongest positive effect on study subjects' cognitive processing skills. Cinnamon's aroma comes from cinnamonaldehyde, an essential oil in the bark of cinnamon trees.

Anti-Microbial
Cinnamon has the ability to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, molds and yeasts, including Candida yeast. In a 2003 study, two batches of vegetable broth were refrigerated, one with, and one without cinnamon oil. The broth with the cinnamon oil was resistant to food-borne pathogenic Bacillus cereus for at least 60 days. Researchers in this study observed that the cinnamon not only served as an effective preservative but also improved the flavor of the broth. In another study, researchers at Kansas State University discovered that cinnamon eliminates E. coli in unpasteurized apple cider.

Advanced Colloidal Silver

Consuming raw, vegan foods (such as sesame and mustard seeds, celery, beans, almonds, cashews, whole grains, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and cocoa powder) may work wonders on human immunity due to their high zinc content. Zinc is an essential trace element for humans and needed in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body.

With powerful antibacterial, anti-fungal and immune-supportive properties, it is a perfect ally against seasonal illnesses. Zinc has been shown to speed up recovery by supporting healing and enabling the production of virus-fighting white blood cells. A recent clinical trial that tested the relation between zinc and common cold viruses showed that zinc has the ability to effectively inhibit virus development and reduce the duration of cold symptoms.

Vitamin D is famed for being vital in maintaining bone health and promoting calcium absorption. Also known as the "sunshine vitamin", vitamin D is unique in the human body in that we can produce it naturally when we are exposed to sunlight. Less popular are vitamin D's potential benefits in the prevention and treatment of colds and flu. A study published in 2009 in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that there may be a definite link between vitamin D levels and cold resistance.

Scientists looked at data from 18,883 people to discover that those who had the highest vitamin D levels were the least likely to develop cold symptoms. Conversely, study participants with a long history of respiratory infections also had the lowest vitamin D levels. This vital nutrient is rather difficult to obtain from food, but luckily it can be found in mushrooms such as shiitake and portabella.

Herbs used in traditional medicine as immunity-boosters can also work as natural cold remedies. Astragalus is a traditional herbal remedy of Chinese origin that works as a tonic for the body by enhancing metabolism and improving digestion.

A report published in the prestigious Journal of Ethnopharmacology reveals that astragalus has "immunomodulating and immunorestorative effects". Astragalus promotes the production of a type of immune cells called macrophages, whose role is to engulf and digest pathogens, including cold and flu viruses.

Dried astragalus root can be hydrated in warm water to produce the base for a medicinal soup. Enhance the soup with various vegetables like kale, spring onions and quinoa, and you will obtain an excellent flu remedy that makes chicken soup pale in comparison!

Echinacea is an herb commonly used in infusions that boost immunity and relieve pain. A 2007 study conducted at the University of Connecticut concluded that Echinacea can reduce the chances of catching a cold by over 50%, as well as shorten the duration of cold symptoms to an average of merely 1.4 days.

A review of 13 studies published by the University of Maryland revealed that Echinacea can significantly shorten the duration of colds when taken immediately after the onset of the symptoms. While infusions help, to reap all the benefits of the herb, Echinacea should be consumed either as a tincture made from its leaves or added to green salads and soups.

The trend of migration from rural to urban life is nothing new. But what is relatively new is the heightened interest among investors from around the country, and even from around the world, in purchasing US farmland as a type of "hedge" commodity for their portfolios — and this is especially true as the value of farmland continues its rise to record levels.

A recent Reuters report explains that in Iowa, an agricultural mecca marked mostly by corn and soy crops these days, fertile farmland has become a hot commodity that is attracting many out-of-towners. Unable or simply unwilling to further the legacy of their parents and grandparents, farmland heirs are selling or auctioning off their family land to the highest bidder.

At the same time, demand for farmland is so high that many landowners feel it just makes good financial sense to sell their land. According to the latest figures, farmland prices in Iowa have increased about 24 percent within the past year, and the average per-acre price of cropland across the state is now $5,700.

Another issue is the exorbitant federal estate tax, also known as the "death" tax, that farm heirs are levied following a farmer's death. This tax, which can exceed 50 percent of an estate's total value in some cases, can force farm heirs to sell some or all of the land just to pay it, which inadvertently forces farming families out of the business whether they want to or not.

And just who is buying all this land? Well, as we reported a few months ago, wealthy investors like George Soros, and China, which currently holds the most US debt currency in the form of Federal Reserve Notes have been busy buying farmland around the world.

In other words, when the ever-worsening economic meltdown eventually leads to massive food shortages, Americans will have already sold their source of food down the river for a heap of worthless debt currency.

Recommendations made by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine back in 2009 for reforming subsidized school lunch programs include reducing the use of starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn to just two days a week, cutting sodium use, and promoting the use of whole grains. But the new Congressional bill, which is alleged to be a product of the frozen food industry lobby, seeks to undo these changes.

Proponents of the bill in Congress say it will "prevent overly burdensome and costly regulations and provide greater flexibility for local school districts to improve the nutritional quality of meals." But opponents insist that the legislation is a thinly-veiled attempt at satisfying the demands of special interest groups rather than promoting better nutrition for public school children.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a group that supports the Obama Administration's initial lunchroom reform measures, has expressed vehement opposition to the Congressional bill. CSPI's Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan recently wrote that the legislation, if passed, "may go down in nutritional history as a bigger blunder than when the Reagan Administration tried (but failed) to credit ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch program."

First off, the kind of pizza served in most school lunchrooms can hardly be considered a health food in any way, shape, or form. From the refined, brominated white flour-based dough to the recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) laden cheese, this processed food product is a detriment to the health of school children. Even the sauce used on most processed pizzas contains chemical additives and preservatives, as well as potential pesticide residues from conventional tomatoes.

While the original Obama Administration proposal represents an attempt at improving lunchroom food quality, it is inadequate at promoting real nutrition. Once the genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), refined sugars, processed flours, unhealthy GM oils, chemical salt additives, and preservatives are removed from the menu, then we can truly begin a discussion on better health through nutrition.