Month: December 2012

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Vitamin D Deficiency Observed In Critically Ill Children

by: Jonathan Benson

(NaturalNews) There is something to be said for allowing your children copious amounts of free time outdoors to ride their bicycles, engage in sports activities, and play with their friends, especially if you want them to grow up to be healthy, strong, and vibrant members of society. And a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics clearly illustrates this point, having found that many of the most critically ill children are also the ones with the most severe vitamin D deficiencies, which means these young ones are not getting enough natural sunlight exposure to maintain proper health.

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For their study, Dr. Kate Madden, M.D., and her colleagues from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston evaluated 511 children, all of whom were severely or critically ill, and who had been admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for treatment between November 2009 and November 2010. Each of the children was also given a blood test, which was evaluated for concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), a marker that is considered to be the most accurate indicator of vitamin D levels.Upon evaluation, the team observed that the more ill a child was, the more likely he or she was to have inadequate or deficient levels of 25(OH)D. Similarly, the team noticed that higher levels of vitamin D were associated with fewer cases of illness. Children admitted to a PICU during the summer, for instance, or who had already been taking vitamin D3 supplements were far less likely to be critically ill compared to children admitted during the winter and not taking vitamin D3.”We found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in critically ill children, which was associated with higher critical illness severity,” wrote the authors in their abstract. “Vitamin D is essential for bone health and for cardiovascular and immune function. In critically ill adults, vitamin D deficiency is common and associated with sepsis and with higher critical illness severity.”You can view the complete study here: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/3/421What these findings ultimately reveal, of course, is that children need sunlight in order to build immunity and stay healthy. Thanks to all the extensive research that has been conducted in recent years on the prohormone, we know that maintaining optimal blood levels of vitamin D between 50-80 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) is essential for deterring a myriad of chronic health conditions, including influenza, bacterial and viral infections, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders, among many others.
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Natural Cold And Flu Remedies For Children

by: Victoria Moore

(NaturalNews) There have been many recalls on Children’s Tylenol and Motrin over the years due to inadequate (or non-existent) testing procedures. This should be a major concern for parents when their children fall ill. Homeopathic medicine has shown to have an 82.6 percent success rate versus conventional medicine at 67.3 percent response in regards to respiratory tract infections. This article will share some natural alternatives to over the counter medicines.

Colloidal Silver
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Medicine cabinet must-haves
These homeopathic medicines can be found at most health food store in quick dissolving tablet form and can be used for children as well as adults.Belladonna- 6C: Helpful for fevers that come on suddenly, as well as a clear runny nose. Belladonna is also helpful in relieving headaches and inflamed red sore throats.Pulsatilla-6C: This is to be used when nasal discharge is thicker and children are acting clingy and weepy. It is also helpful for earaches that are less intense.Chamomilla- 6C: This homeopathic remedy is good to have on hand for irritability and digestive issues. It is also great to help with severe pain associated with teething, earaches and gas pains.Homemade medicines
Vapor Rub is easy to make and doesn’t contain petroleum based products such as many of the commercial alternatives. Mix eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils with your favorite oil (coconut, olive, apricot, etc.) and rub the mixture on feet and chest.Onion and honey cough medicine is a wonderful homemade alternative without alcohol and other additives. Make sure to use good honey; local, organic, raw honey is the best as it will help to prevent allergies as well. Honey and onion both have anti-bacterial properties and onions contain a compound that reduces bronchial constriction. Simply chop onions (any color will do) and place in a jar and cover onion bits with honey. Let it sit overnight and strain the next day, saving the liquid and discarding the onion pieces.Honey and cinnamon has been used to promote health for centuries. This mixture can be taken at the first sign of cold and has shown to boost the immune system both separately as well as together. Simply mix one teaspoon of honey with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Give a spoonful every couple of hours and it can knock out a cold in a couple of days.

Healing power of touch
This can be in the form of hugs, kisses, cuddles or even light placement of the hands on areas where there is pain and discomfort. Studies have shown healing touch to reduce pain, boost the immune system, lower stress levels and promote relaxation and healing.

Natural cold and flu remedies not only have a much higher success rate, but they are also much more cost effective and easy to prepare. Homeopathic medicines work to heal the imbalances that lead to sickness and can be used to prevent the illness altogether. They provide much better alternatives than the commercial, over the counter medicines that simply mask the symptoms, or antibiotics that are shown to lower the immune system and decrease resistance.

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Toxic Amounts Of Aluminium Found In Infant Formulas

by: Helen Davies MSc

(NaturalNews) Although the unacceptably excessive presence of aluminium in infant formulas has been scientifically documented and proven since the late 1990s and the manufacturing companies are sufficiently warned and very well aware of the health problems it causes, it looks like commercial infant formulas still contain too much of this neurotoxic element.

Milk substitutes are sophisticated products that aim to nutritionally support newborns and infants of several years of age. Dr Weintraub and his team were some of the first scientists that investigated the presence of toxic amounts of aluminium in commercial infant formulas in 1986. They found that popular formulas had up to 150 times more aluminium than fresh breast milk, tap water or pasteurized cow’s milk. The problem with aluminium is that it accumulates in the bones and neural tissues. Although there are no clinical studies investigating the impact of aluminium overload in healthy infants, preliminary research shows that aluminium causes significant oxidative stress in the brain of newborn rats, while it compromises the cellular antioxidant defenses.In the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (1996), we find the description of several cases of young children suffering from aluminium intoxication, which was closely associated to subsequent encephalopathies, leading to progressive degeneration of brain functions and bone abnormalities, mainly osteomalacia, which results in soft and flexible bones. Overexposure to aluminium combined with poor kidney function are the most important factors that determine to which extent toxic amounts of aluminium will accumulate in the body tissues. FDA has determined that newborn babies can tolerate up to five micrograms of aluminium for every kilogram of their weight on a daily basis. Even if we accept this limit as legitimate, an interesting study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition found that on average, preterm babies receive three times more aluminium than this arbitrary safe limit allows.There is still too much aluminium
Revisiting this important child health topic, Professor Chris Exley, from the University of Keele, UK, tested several brands of ready-made milks and powder formulas for aluminium content in 2010. Surprisingly, the samples studied, especially the ready-made preparations, were heavily loaded with aluminium, containing several times higher amounts than the ones allowed in the drinking water. The study reveals that the maximum concentration measured was 700 micrograms per liter, which was found in a milk product (Cow and Gate Nutriprem 1) destined for preterm newborns. Overall, all the commercial brands tested had alarmingly high concentrations of aluminium (200-700 micrograms/lt) resulting in the ingestion of up to 600 micrograms of aluminium on a daily basis. Professor Exley reports that infant formulas contain 40 times more aluminium than breast milk; these amounts constitute these products inappropriate for human consumption, let alone for nutritionally supporting newborns. Although the sources for this consistent contamination are hard to find, there is a considerable amount of responsibility for the manufacturing companies. Based on these facts, parents should be well aware of the potential dangers of giving commercial infant formulas to their babies or younger children.
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Outsmart The Winter Blues With These Five Herbs

by: PF Louis

(NaturalNews) The winter blues, blahs, or SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is from confinement under constantly overcast winter skies or long, arctic nights. Then there is a condition known as “cabin fever” or agitation and anxiety from confinement while snowed in.

Vitamin D3-5

Long, overcast periods and wearing lots of warm clothing outdoors invites a lack of sunshine induced vitamin D3 deficiency. Vitamin D3 deficiency can lead to depression. So it seems wise to increase D3 supplementation during those wintery periods.It’s also wise to maintain a high level of quality omega-3 in your daily diet during those darker days. Omega-3 helps stabilize moods and emotions. A highly assimilable form of magnesium serves to calm nerves and help relieve depression as well. Even soaking in a tub with Epsom salts will help your body absorb more magnesium.Many experience less SAD by using full spectrum light bulbs, supposedly developed for residents of arctic regions who have extremely long winter nights. They are expensive bulbs that emit white light emulating the sun’s spectrum of wavelengths.

Tanning beds that create ultraviolet B (UVB) rays can duplicate the sun’s ability for getting your skin’s cholesterol to begin the body’s conversion of solar energy to vitamin D3 in your body, with the side effect of a tan.

But SAD symptoms are not necessarily seasonal. They can occur with night shift workers who endure mostly darkness in their day to day existence. In addition to the solutions mentioned, stocking up on herbs that relieve depression and anxiety is a good move.

Five herbs to relieve SAD symptoms
(1) St. John’s wort is a highly regarded and clinically tested herb for relieving mild to moderate depression. It can be purchased as a tincture, in capsules, or dried leaves for making teas.

As with most herbs, it takes a little time for its effect to take place. So it’s a good idea to begin taking St. John’s wort in mid to late autumn as a preparation for winter.

(2) Lemon balm is another traditional herb for tension, headaches, and depression. It has many other medicinal uses. But it’s known as a sedative or tranquilizer that can even alleviate spasms, internal or external. It’s usually made into a tea or mixed with other oils and tinctures.

(3) Chamomile tea can take the edge off “cabin fever.” It smooths out tension and anxiety that externally enforced confinement tends to promote. It’s best to use the flowers for making the tea. You’ll enjoy its mild taste and soothing quality. Perfect for relaxing before bedtime or anytime.

(4) Valerian root has relaxing qualities that can also be used in conjunction with the previously mentioned herbs. As a tincture or oil, it’s often mixed with lemon balm or other similar herbs to mask the root’s odor.

It’s tranquilizing effects help one relax and get a good night’s sleep without side effects. It’s effectiveness peaks within two or three weeks of use. But its extended use is not recommended. Occasionally, there’s a reverse effect of hyperactivity.

(5) Kratom is an Indonesian herb you shouldn’t use if you want to get sleep. It’s a stimulant that lifts you out of any funk from SAD or other depression. It manifests its effects quickly. So take it in the morning. Jonathan Benson’s article covers Kratom’s interesting history and properties.

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High Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes

by: Randall Neustaedter OMD

(NaturalNews) A new, eye-opening study has taken the novel approach of examining a country’s high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) consumption and correlated that with the incidence of diabetes. This study examines the long-suspected assumption that corn syrup contributes to the rapidly and consistently increasing rise in diabetes in developed countries. No surprise that in this study a high HFCS use by consumers is associated with a higher incidence of diabetes in that country.

Chromium GTF

The study published in the journal Global Public Health compared 43 countries (Goran et al, 2012). Half of those countries had little or no corn syrup in their foods or citizens’ diets. Countries that consume none or very little HFCS include India, Ireland, Czech Republic, Austria, France, and China. The highest HFCS consuming countries include the US, Mexico, Canada, and Japan. The United States is by far the greatest consumer and the greatest producer of corn syrup. The average American consumes 55 pounds of HFCS per year. Far more than any other country.Those countries that consume greater amounts of HFCS have a 20 percent higher incidence of diabetes compared to countries that use none or low amounts. This result was unchanged when the study controlled for possible confounding factors such as body size, carbohydrate consumption, and population size.

Corn syrup (fructose) when eaten in excess causes negative metabolic effects including excess weight gain with accumulation of fat and insulin resistance (Stanhope et al, 2009). Insulin resistance leads to diabetes, and this study shows the clear association between corn syrup and the rise in diabetes rates.

Eliminate corn syrup and HFCS from your diets. Avoid processed foods that contain corn syrup, including highly sweetened electrolyte drinks like Gatorade and other soft drinks.

References:

Goran MI, et al. High fructose corn syrup and diabetes prevalence: A global perspective. Journal of Global Health, 2012, Nov. 28, published online ahead of print.

Stanhope KL, et al. Consuming fructose-sweetened, not glucose-sweetened, beverages increases visceral adiposity and lipids and decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight/obese humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2009, 119 (5),1322-1334.

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Some Deadly Side Effects Of Consuming Fluoridated Tap Water

by: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) The issue of water fluoridation has been in the news recently, with the City Council in Portland, Ore., voting recently to start putting fluoride in the water supply (despite stiff opposition from residents) while voters in Wichita, Kan., rejected a proposal to add fluoride to city water in November, just as residents did in 1964 and 1978, the previous two times the issue came up for a vote.

Detox Protocol

But why all of the hubbub over fluoride? After all, it’s a chemical that serves to improve our lives and our health, right? That’s what the federal government has said for the past 65 years, since the United States Public Health Service began “recommending” cities add fluoride to water supplies.The fact is research has shown repeatedly that long-term fluoride consumption can be extremely harmful, even deadly, and here are some reasons why:

Fluoride consumption leads to lowered intelligence. One of the most researched side effects of fluoride is what it does to lower your IQ. The most recent study was published in the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences journal Environmental Health Perspectives in August. Researchers from both Harvard University’s School of Public Health and China Medical University in Shenyang, in a joint meta-analysis of 27 studies, found there were “strong indications” that fluoride exposure, particularly among developing children, is highly problematic for proper cognitive development and brain formation.

“[O]ur results support the possibility of adverse effects of fluoride exposures on children’s neurodevelopment,” Anna Choi, a research scientist at Harvard, and her colleagues wrote in their report. “Fluoride readily crosses the placenta. Fluoride exposure to the developing brain, which is much more susceptible to injury caused by toxicants than is the mature brain, may possibly lead to damage of a permanent nature.”

Increased risk of cancer. According to a study by the Harvard School of Dental Health, fluoride in tap water increases risk of bone cancer in boys, at levels currently present in fluoridated water supplies.

“This is a very specific cancer in a defined population of children,” said Richard Wiles, co-founder of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research organization based in Washington, D.C., that made the research available.

“When you focus in and look for the incidence of tumors, you see the increase,” he told The Guardian newspaper.

Half of all fluoride ingested is stored in the body, accumulating in calcifying tissue such as teeth and bones and in the pineal gland in the brain, although more than 90 percent is taken into the bones, the paper said, citing the research.

Fluoride said to contain neurotoxins. This is especially true for children, whose brains are developing rapidly during their earliest years.

“Prolonged excessive intake of fluoride during child’s growth and development stages has been associated with mental and physical problems,” say researchers from the Dental Research Center and Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dental School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, which was published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. “Children residing in areas with higher than normal water fluoride levels demonstrated more impaired development of intelligence. Thus, children’s intelligence may be affected by high water fluoride levels.”

Fluoride can impede thyroid function. Another major problem caused by fluoride ingestion is the damage it can cause your thyroid gland.

“The effects of fluoride on various aspects of endocrine function should be examined, particularly with respect to a possible role in the development of several diseases or mental states in the United States. Major areas of investigation include . . . thyroid disease (especially in light of decreasing iodine intake by the U.S. population),” the National Research Council concluded in 2006.

The thyroid, which regulates the body’s metabolic rate, is extremely important in overall human health. Chemicals like fluoride can cause thyroid disruption, and can especially cause the thyroid to under-perform (hypothyroidism).

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Ginger Root Is A Miracle Cure For Prostate Cancer

by: Craig Stellpflug

(NaturalNews) Prostate cancer is one of the most over-treated cancers out there. By 50 years of age, about 40 percent of all men already have prostate cancer and likely will never know it. But it will not kill them either – unless they are screened for it and then treated with Big Pharma protocols. Then things take an ugly turn as the benign and slow-growing cancer turns into the killer kind. The numbers for prostate cancer doubles to 80 percent of all men by the age of 80 years old. If you are in the business of selling cancer treatments, this is a financial boon and a cash-cow.

Saw Palemetto

The male prostate gland naturally enlarges with age. The bigger it gets, the greater the chance that some of the cells in the prostate will turn cancerous. This is mainly due to our highly inflammatory diets full of gluten, cancer causing GMOs, sugars and chemical additives combined with our sedentary lifestyles and poor stool habits.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force this year found that PSA blood tests are too unreliable and give false positives 80 percent of the time with 1,000 men needing to be screened just to prevent a single prostate cancer death – but that's not the worst of it. Many will succumb to impotence, incontinence, heart attacks and even death from treatment of tiny tumors that never would have killed them in the first place.

Ginger is the miracle cure
The British Journal of Nutrition published the results of an American study recently in which ginger extract (zingiber officinale) actually killed human prostate cancer cells while healthy prostate cells did not die. The results occurred at a daily dose of 100 mg of ginger extract per kg of body weight (based on a man weighing 150 pounds this equals about 550 mg extract per day). In eight weeks, the ginger extract slashed prostate tumor growth in half. The researchers have estimated that 100 grams of fresh ginger eaten daily will offer the same results.

As a cancer champion, ginger has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiproliferative effects upon tumors making ginger a promising chemopreventive agent. Whole ginger extract holds significant growth-inhibitory and death-inductory effects in a spectrum of cancer cells by interrupting cancer cell-cycle progression, impairing cancer reproduction and modulating apoptosis. But most importantly, ginger does not have any toxicity in normal, rapidly dividing tissues such as gut and bone marrow.

Ginger taken orally can prevent or relieve nausea resulting from chemotherapy, motion sickness, pregnancy, and surgery.

Not only can ginger root cure cancer, but it is a natural remedy for travel sickness, nausea, indigestion, flatulence, colic, irritable bowel syndrome, loss of appetite, chills, poor circulation, menstrual cramps, dyspepsia, heartburn, indigestion and many other gastrointestinal problems. Ginger root is also a powerful anti-inflammatory for joint problems and is indicated for arthritis, fevers, headaches, toothaches, coughs, bronchitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, high cholesterol and blood-pressure and can also prevent internal blood clots. Ginger is even anti-viral and makes a warming cold and flu remedy.

Prostate do's and don'ts
There are studies showing that men consuming large amounts of synthetic folic acid and zinc oxide are more likely to develop prostate cancer. Men also taking large amounts of high-dose multi-vitamins develop prostate cancer more frequently. On the other hand, other studies suggest that fish oil, magnesium, curcumin, broccoli and lycopene (found in tomato products) help protect men against cancer. Avoiding all GMO foods and processed foods along with their litany of chemical additives is a must for prostate health. Maintaining a low-carb diet is also known to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Oh, and don't forget to take ginger root.

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Eight-year-old Girl To Be Given Forced Vaccinations

by: Ethan A. Huff

(NaturalNews) An Australian mother who desperately tried with all her might to protect her young daughter from being poisoned with vaccines has lost the battle, according to News.com.au. Judicial tyrants in the Victoria region of Australia recently ruled that the eight-year-old girl, whose mother had chosen to avoid vaccines and instead feed her child organic, biodynamic, and unprocessed foods, would have to subject the girl to the government-mandated vaccine schedule from here on out into the future.

Vaccine Protocol

The mother, who has not been publicly named due to legal restrictions, had made the conscientious and informed decision from the time when her daughter was first born not to have the child vaccinated. Instead, the mother chose to administer safe, side effect-free homeopathic immunizations to her daughter, in addition to feeding her healthy food and clean water, and exposing her to fresh air, dirt and other natural immunity boosters.

But trouble arose when the little girl's father, who is divorced from the mother and lives elsewhere, decided to have the girl vaccinated behind her mother's back while in his custody. According to reports, the father secretly allowed his new wife to take the girl to a medical center and have her vaccinated several years back for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, polio, HIB, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), and meningococcal C, in total violation of the mother's trust.

State decides homeopathic remedies are 'ineffective,' orders mother to inject her child with poison
All the dedication and hard work that the young girl's mother had invested into keeping her daughter safe from being injected with formaldehyde, mercury (Thimerosal), aluminum, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and the dozens of other chemical adjuvants commonly added to vaccines, in other words, was destroyed in an instant with just a single covert visit to a state-run medical office. And the vindictive former husband who allowed it all to happen told a family court later that he had planned to continue "secretly vaccinat[ing]" the girl against her mother's wishes.

The mother, whose hopes for her child's health had been grossly violated, tried to stop her former husband from continuing to have the girl vaccinated by filing an injunction against him. But when the issue was finally brought before family court Judge Victoria Bennett, it was determined that, because a senior pediatrician from Royal Children's Hospital personally believed there was not enough evidence to prove the efficacy of homeopathic immunizations, the girl's mother would have to continue having her daughter vaccinated in accordance with the official vaccine schedule.

So the state, rather than the parent, has once again made the final determination about what will be forcibly injected into a child's body, proving that parental sovereignty is no longer recognized and respected by many that occupy positions of power in government. And if parents are no longer free to choose what medical procedures are appropriate for their own children, then there is no more freedom, and tyranny has won.

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Gary Null Calls Out Dr. Oz For Supporting Monsanto

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

(NaturalNews) There has been a firestorm of activity concerning Dr. Oz following his publication of an opinion piece in TIME Magazine calling people who buy local, organic, non-GMO food "snobs" and "elitists" and "snooty."

 

o say this rubbed the organic food movement the wrong way would be an understatement. Dr. Oz's facebook page was hit with a barrage of angry comments denouncing Oz as being "totally out of touch" with real people who want clean, non-GMO food that isn't sprayed with chemical pesticides.

You can read some of the ongoing comments in my original article that called Dr. Oz a "sellout" for caving in to corporate interests and betraying the healthy food movement.

As part of the backlash against Oz, health pioneer and free speech advocate Gary Null wrote this letter that lays it out. Natural News applauds Gary Null for joining the call for Dr. Oz to retract his attack against organic food consumers and publicly announce his advocacy for organic food and, at minimum, GMO labeling.

Gary Null calls out Oz, asks him to reconsider
Source: http://prn.fm/2012/12/03/gary-null-letter-dr-oz/

Dear Dr. Oz,

You may remember when I invited you to appear in a PBS special, Get Healthy Now, along with other medical panelists, in 1999. We have not spoken since, however, my audience and I are very concerned about the inflammatory comments that you made in a recent issue of TIME Magazine. In effect, you stated that there is no basic difference between non-organic, genetically modified produce and organic varieties and that people are wasting their money buying organic foods. You also suggest that individuals who purchase organic foods are taking part in a "snooty" form of "elitism" and that in effect, it's the "99%" just trying to act like the "1%".

This was unexpected as a person with your reputation and resources could easily have found the several hundred to several thousand peer-reviewed articles highlighting the dangers of consuming pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and genetically engineered foods, especially to those people most vulnerable to chemical toxicity or environmentally-induced illnesses, such as children. Also, you could have examined the 40 years of scientific and lay literature on the plight of farm workers who experienced the highest incidence of birth defects and other adverse health consequences as a result of working with toxins in the soil as well as the hundreds of studies confirming the damaging effects of modern commercial meat, poultry and fish production on our health the environment. Additionally, you could have carried out a review of the water and soil conservation literature that shows how the enormous quantities of excess nitrogen released during the production of our commercial, factory farmed foods have contributed to massive fish die-offs and dead zones, the largest of which is at the mouth of the Mississippi river and is larger than the state of New Jersey. And finally, you may want to have a conversation with your wife, who recently used our studios at the Progressive Radio Network along with Jeffrey Smith, the leading critic of GMO foods in the US, to narrate a documentary challenging genetic engineering. Certainly your wife, a dedicated, conscientious and highly educated consumer activist, would be a great resource for you.

My hope is that this information will motivate you to have your staff do their due diligence, research the facts and realize that you are supporting the "1%"- Monsanto, your television network and their sponsors- and that may be a position in need of reevaluation. I will remain optimistic that you will be thoughtful enough to set aside your ego and any special interests that have propagandized you, and that you will seek the truth, speak out and write a rebuttal. I look forward to your communication.