Fwd: Shopping for Truth at Trader Joes-Take Action July 28-29th!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Institute for Responsible Technology <webmaster@responsibletechnology.org>
Date: Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Subject: Shopping for Truth at Trader Joes-Take Action July 28-29th!
To: Lcyerra1@gmail.com

Dear Linda, From our friends at Occupy Monsanto... "According to Fortune's "Inside the secret world of Trader Joe's" article from 2010, Trader GMOs private label brands are made by companies who regularly use GMOs in their products. We also know that TJ's parent company, Aldi, uses GMO ingredients in their low-cost food products throughout America. "Trader Joe's does not have any sort of standard or system in place, nor does it perform any testing for GMOs." "Shopping for Truth at Trader Joe's will take place on Saturday & Sunday, July 28 & 29, 2012 at Trader Joe's stores throughout the United States of America." Visit the Occupy Monsanto website to learn more! And RSVP to the event on their Facebook page! Healthy Eating! The Staff of the Institute for Responsible Technology Update your contact information (mailing address, e-mail, and phone number) here. You have received this email through your subscription to this campaign's email list. If you did not subscribe, or would no longer like to receive email updates unsubscribe here. To update your email address or change your subscription details, click here.

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gross but important

Candice Schreiber5/14/12 5:37 PM LOOK AT THIS NOW --> Processed Food: 9 Nasty Truths About The Meals You Eat (PHOTOS) huff.to/ICpZDG via @HuffPostBooks

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Linda

why fluoride in tap water is bad

We have been using fluoride free toothpaste in my home for about 4yrs now. My daughter's teeth and gums are healthy and cavity free!!!

Dr. Greg Chappell explains why fluoride in tap water is bad and very damaging to the teeth and body - youtube.com/watch?v=0eUBn_…

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Linda

GMO tv time - finally

Organic Consumers (@OrganicConsumer) 6/30/12 2:55 PM Bill #Maher and Rachel #Maddow on #GMO labeling. Watch the #video! ow.ly/bRcM3

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Linda

GMO update

HealthRanger (@HealthRanger) 7/2/12 2:16 PM Jeffrey Smith's GMO update, July 2012 - covers latest research, GMO labeling and more tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=D170A7… via @HealthRanger

Sent from my iPhone w/ love

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Linda

Fwd: @FoodMattersFilm, 6/27/12 6:00 AM

Food Matters Film (@FoodMattersFilm) 6/27/12 6:00 AM Eat Your Bugs! The human gut is a crowded neighbourhood! There are 500 species of bacteria resident in the GI tract! - ow.ly/bbDps

 

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Linda

Fwd: Study: Toxin from GM crops found in human blood

Health Impact News

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Here's the latest:

Study: Toxin from GM crops found in human blood   2012-06-23 13:18:02-04 by Dinesh C. Sharma India Today Fresh doubts have arisen about the safety of genetically modified crops, with a new study reporting presence of Bt toxin, used widely in GM crops, in human blood for the first time. Genetically modified crops include genes extracted from bacteria to make them resistant to pest attacks. These genes make [...] Read more... Woman Sues City Of Tulsa For Cutting Down Her Edible Garden   2012-06-23 20:28:06-04 By Lori Fullbright News On 6 A Tulsa woman is suing the city's code enforcement officers after she said they cut down her garden with no cause. Denise Morrison said she has more than 100 plant varieties in her front and back yards and all of them are edible and have a purpose. She knows [...] Read more... Gene Control Regions Are Protected–Negating Evolution   2012-06-23 20:38:55-04 by Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D. Institute for Creation Research The erroneous idea that complex genetic information in the form of genes and regulatory DNA can randomly evolve, has become more untenable with every new discovery in the field of genomics. Just this past week, a discovery published in the prestigious British journal Nature has once again [...] Read more... Merck is sued by former virologist employees for deliberately falsifying mumps vaccine efficacy studies   2012-06-24 21:16:04-04 by Michael Belkin TheRefusers.com This is a legal filing by former Merck virologists who claim they were pressured by Merck management to participate in fraud by falsifying Merck's mumps vaccine efficacy rate in clinical trials. This filing claims that the mumps vaccine efficacy rate is significantly lower than the 95% that Merck has misrepresented to the [...] Read more... Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Released into the Wild   2012-06-24 23:12:14-04 Are Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes the Answer to Quell Dengue Fever? by Dr. Mercola Australian research scientists have developed a strategy for fighting Dengue fever, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes that affects more than 50 million people annually and causes fever and crippling joint and muscle pain—and in some cases even death. Dengue kills FAR more people [...] Read more... Adding Cholesterol to Diet Reduces Autism Symptoms   2012-06-26 17:07:46-04 Dr. Eugene Arnold of the Ohio State University Medical Center is researching the cholesterol link to Autism. Realizing that our brains are made up of a significant amount of cholesterol, he starts with the assumption that those with Autism may not be suffering from too much cholesterol, but in fact may be suffering from too [...] Read more... URGENT: Don't Let the GMO Industry Make an End Run around the Courts!   2012-06-26 19:26:38-04 by Alliance for Natural Health We just have a few days to stop this lawlessness among our own lawmakers. Congress is close to approving a sneaky, pro-GMO rider to an important funding bill, and it may become law without most people realizing it—unless youtake action NOW. The GMO industry has inserted the worst kind of [...] Read more... GM Soy Linked to Illnesses in Farm Pigs   2012-06-27 19:16:31-04 by Institute of Science in Society A Danish farmer has gained huge public recognition for publishing his simple method for ridding his pigs of illness- removing genetically modified (GM) ingredients from their diet. Published in the farming magazine Effektivt Landbrug on 13 April 2012 [1], the farmer Ib Borup Perderson describes how his pigs suffered from [...] Read more... Statins do not save women's lives   2012-06-30 09:51:50-04 by Dr John Briffa The Cholesterol Truth Since cholesterol is believed to cause 'cardiovascular' diseases such as heart disease and stroke, and since statins reduce cholesterol, the general assumption is that statins reduce the risk of these conditions through their ability to reduce cholesterol. Actually, there is evidence that statins may not work, when they do, [...] Read more... Deaths from Prescription Drugs Lowers Life Expectancy Gap in US   2012-07-01 18:45:54-04 Racial gap in life expectancy reaches new low in US Between 2003 and 2008, the gap in life expectancy between white and black men fell from 6.5 years to 5.4, Canadian researchers found. For women, it fell from 4.6 years to 3.7 By Mike Eckel The Christian Science Monitor Excerpts: The gap in life expectancy [...] Read more...

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GMO myths

don't believe the hype!

Hannah Crum (@kombuchakamp) 7/5/12 12:24 PM GMO Myths!!! Don't believe these false arguments about GMOs. fb.me/1MFOiAQYs

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Linda

Fwd: Stop Monsanto's Sneak Attack!

TAKE ACTION!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Organic Consumers Association <ronniecummins@organicconsumers.org>
Date: Thu, Jul 5, 2012 at 2:12 PM
Subject: Stop Monsanto's Sneak Attack!
To: linda Sierra lcyerra1@gmail.com

SUBSCRIBE & Read Past Issues| View ONLINE | OCA Homepage | Donate Stop Monsanto's Sneak Attack! As we reported last week, a controversial rider has been attached to the U.S. House of Representative's 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill that would make it impossible for organic and non-GMO consumers and farmers to fight Monsanto in court (as we did on GMO alfalfa and sugar beets) when the US Department of Agriculture illegally approves new genetically engineered crops that could, as the courts have ruled, eliminate "a farmer's choice to grow non-genetically engineered crops, or a consumer's choice to eat non-genetically engineered food." The vote we expected last week has been delayed until after the July 4th recess. Already, more than 15,000 of you have taken action, along with over 50,000 of our allies in other organizations. Please join together as we raise our voices loud and clear. There's still time to stop Monsanto's sneak attack! Take Action via Email Call Your Member of Congress Who's Monsanto's Best Friend in Congress? Tom Philpott reported this week in Mother Jones that Jack Kingston (R-GA) is the Congressman responsible for inserting this "pro-industry provision that that has nothing to do with agriculture appropriations." Kingston had already established himself as a friend of the industry. In April, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, whose members include ag-biotech giants Monsanto and DuPont, named him its "legislator of the year for 2011-2012." BIO declared Kingston a "champion of America's biotechnology industry" who has "helped to protect funding for programs essential to the survival of biotechnology companies across the United States." Are there any Members of Congress tough enough to stand up to Monsanto? Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) will sponsor an amendment to the ag appropriations bill that would nullify Kingston's Monsanto-friendly provision. Ask your Member of Congress to support the DeFazio amendment! Take Action via Email Call Your Member of Congress Support OCA and OCF Worth Fighting For? Your Donation Keeps the Fight Alive "It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment." - Ansel Adams The photographer Ansel Adams had a keen eye for nature's beauty – and a keen sense of how our government was allowing its slow destruction. It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment. But we do. These past few weeks the OCA has been educating and mobilizing our members – and anyone else who will listen – on the many threats to our environment that are contained in the latest Farm Bill and, now, the agricultural appropriations bill, which contains an amendment that has been renamed the "Monsanto Protection Act." Our staff has worked relentlessly to create and circulate action alerts and petitions, spread the word on our social media networks, and provide the most up-to-date information on our website. We believe the environment is worth fighting for. But we need your help to do this important work. Please donate today to continue funding the fight for the environment. Thank you! Donate to the Organic Consumers Association (tax-deductible, helps support our work on behalf of organic standards, fair trade and public education) Donate to the Organic Consumers Fund (non-tax-deductible, but necessary for our legislative efforts in California and other states) Health Care Decision a Death Blow to Single-Payer Last week, news broke on the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act just as we were sending out our newsletter. We decided to wait on some commentary from OCA allies. Author Raj Patel's take on the decision pretty much sums it up: "Now that the insurance industry knows it'll have a multi-billion-dollar market of mandatory customers, the industry won't have to spend all that money to buy a different political decision, and it never has to worry about single-payer health care again. And that's the tragedy of the debate around the health-care plan. In all the noise around this ruling, we can't hear the voices demanding a cheaper, better system that dispenses with insurance corporations. The U.S. already spends more per capita than any other country for worse care. The ruling entrenches a bad system. The media circus drowns out discussion of a better one." OCA's ally, the Alliance for Natural Health, has written an excellent overview of what the decision means for integrative medicine. Another OCA ally, Mike Adams, of Natural News, weighs in here. Get Antibiotic Residues Out of the U.S Food Supply! When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new guidelines in April on the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, they had the opportunity to take long overdue steps to end the overuse of these drugs in the feed and water of animals that are not sick. Unfortunately, they missed that opportunity. The FDA guidance speaks of "judicious use," yet does not restrict the everyday use of antibiotics to prevent — not treat — animal disease, a common practice employed by CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) to compensate for overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. And although the FDA has spoken out against the sale of antibiotics for growth promotion, the approach they laid out to end this practice is completely voluntary and lacking in transparency. The use of antibiotics are banned in organic agriculture, which is one of the reasons why millions of Americans are shunning factory farmed meat, eggs, and dairy products and turning to organic products instead. The good news is that it's not too late for the FDA to try again. The FDA is accepting public comments on these guidelines until July 12th, and we plan to send them thousands of letters from OCA members. Join us in urging Dr. Hamburg, the FDA Commissioner, to get dangerous antibiotic residues out of the U.S. food supply. Together, we'll let the FDA know that we expect better from them. Take Action Democracy at Risk in Washington State Could Spell Disaster for Local Ballot Initiatives From Paul Cienfuegos: As many of you already know, there is a movement growing across this country of municipalities and counties exploring more effective ways to protect themselves from unwanted corporate harms, and to roll back corporate constitutional so-called "rights" at the local level. About 150 communities in seven states have already passed such laws. Over the past five months, residents of Bellingham, WA, have gathered almost 10,000 signatures to successfully place on the ballot this November a legally-binding initiative that would ban coal trains from passing through their city. Unlike the conventional regulatory and zoning laws which municipalities try to pass, and which are always struck down as violating corporate "rights", this new rights-based approach is much more complicated to challenge, and is therefore a much greater threat to those in government and corporations who want to maintain the status quo situation where We The People are powerless to defend our communities. Last week, the quite liberal city council of Bellingham voted unanimously to file a lawsuit to legally challenge the right of Bellingham residents to even get an opportunity to vote on this initiative in November. Organizers of the Coal Free Bellingham campaign are outraged that their own City Council would have the gall to pre-empt local residents from exercising their right to govern themselves at the local level. They are calling on people throughout the country to stand up for the right of Bellingham voters, and asking YOU to contact the Bellingham City Council ASAP and tell them to let the voters have their say. Take Action Video of the Week Stop Monsanto from Poisoning Hawai'i In a recent Organic Bytes, we shared a 43 minute film from Hawaii GMO Justice on "evicting Monsanto". Now you can watch and share a 2 1/2 minute trailer for the film. Watch Little Bytes Top Stories of the Week Climate Change Is Already Shrinking Crop Yields Congresswoman Pingree Gives TED Talk on Local Food Policy Raw Deal: Maine Residents' Fight for Unregulated Food Draws Crackdown Brave Minnesota Mother Risks Going to Prison for Continuing to Facilitate Raw Milk Distribution Message From Our Sponsors MetaOrganics  "We do not use any USP synthetic nutrients including synthetic herbal actives in any of our products.  All ingredients are only naturally occurring concentrates.  Our whey products are uniquely derived from year-round pasture-grass fed cows that are never grain fed." Visit Us Connect With OCA! Facebook Pages: organicconsumers millionsagainst comingclean Twitter Feeds: @organicconsumer @againstmonsanto @OCA_comingclean More: rss feed youtube channel Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power! Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association 6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652 You are subscribed as: linda Sierra lcyerra1@gmail.com new york, NY Subscribe & Read past issues and print- friendly PDF versions of Organic Bytes Unsubscribe | Donate

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Last Diet You Will Ever Need - Try Eating REAL Food! -- Health & Wellness -- Sott.net

pretty fair advice

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/247775-Last-Diet-You-Will-Ever-Need-Try-Eating-REAL-Food-#.T_rdph-U-XM.email

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Sea Soy Monsters

Catching up on emails and sharing as I go along.

Sea Soy Monsters: GMO Industry Taking Over Farmed Fish Feed, Cites New Report

A new report details plans by the genetically modified soybean industry to expand its livestock feeding of GMO soybeans to the massive amounts of aquaculture fish raised in open ocean pens located in federal waters. While soy is already being fed to some farmed fish, if this happens to the scale the industry hopes, it could mean devastating consequences for the world's oceans and consumer health, reports Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Europe, the organizations behind the report.

According to the report entitled "Factory-Fed Fish: How the Soy Industry is Expanding Into the Sea," the soy industry is positioning its products as a better alternative to feed made from wild fish—the native diet for many farmed fish. Already, nearly half of the seafood consumed around the world originates through aquaculture or a fish farm, states the report. And there are major concerns over the risks of further expanding industrial agricultural farming models into the world's oceans. Not only are scientists concerned about the risks of gene transfer and other issues with GMO crops, but the traces of the pesticides, mainly glyphosate (marketed by Monsanto as Roundup), that are used on virtually all genetically modified crops, could damage delicate oceanic ecosystems.

Creating a market demand for soy among fish farms would also mean more genetically modified crops taking up arable land and pushing toxic pesticides into the environment, a move that also concerns environmentalists as GMO soy already accounts for 93 percent of the soy grown in the U.S.. Countries like Brazil have begun growing so much GMO soy that it now outpaces the nation's production of conventional crops and has led to the devastation of critical Amazonian rainforest.

Of further concern, beyond the known risks of GMOs, is the fact that soy is not a natural diet for fish in any circumstance. Unnatural diets can lead to chronic diseases, allergies, infections, birth defects and other risk factors that could negatively impact food intended for human consumption.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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Linda

about the last post

Please read the replies to the new pesticide list.

Corn is listed as a clean 15 product but unless organic is a GMO and should not be purchased unless organic. If your buy corn from a local farmer at a market it should be safe but always ask. Corn has very little to hardly any nutritional value so it's never a food choice for me.

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Linda

Fwd: 2012 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides (The Dirty Dozen & Clean 15)

Here's my lastest Food Matters' newletter.

Dear Linda, welcome to your 'Food Matters' newsletter. July 7, 2012   2012 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides (The Dirty Dozen & Clean 15) The Environmental Working Group have continued research into the levels of pesticides found in the most common fruits and vegetables we consume daily. Find out their latest results and print out your copy of the 2012 Dirty Dozen & Clean 15 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides. Top 6 Plant Based Proteins Whether you are vegetarian or not, protein is essential for our body to function on a daily basis. Getting enough protein isn't as hard as you think. Find out in this article the amount of protein contained within your favorite plant based sources. The Forces Against Health in Australia Many doctors and academics are becoming more open to the use of diet and nutritional supplements as viable alternatives to drugs. But why is the health practice in Australia still heavily focused on treatment of the disease rather than prevention? Ian Brighthope, as featured in Food Matters, explains why. Powerful Longevity Foods It has now become more clear to us that our genetics are not necessarily the reason for longevity. Read this article to find out which foods are best for increasing our lifespan. Still A Fast Food Nation - Reflecting On 10 Years Later Ten years after his seminal book 'Fast Food Nation', Eric Schlosser reflects on how little has changed in the production, safety, and consumption of Fast-Food in America—but why he's still hopeful. In good health, James & Laurentine Filmmakers 'Food Matters' & 'Hungry For Change' enquiries@foodmatters.tv

Unsubscribe

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Linda

Fwd: Monsanto Wields Influence; BT Cotton farmer suicides; Monsanto thwarted in Mexico.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Institute for Responsible Technology <webmaster@responsibletechnology.org>
Date: Fri, Jun 1, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Subject: Monsanto Wields Influence; BT Cotton farmer suicides; Monsanto thwarted in Mexico.
To: Lcyerra1@gmail.com

June, 2012 | Click here to view in your browser and SHARE ON FACEBOOK! Jeffrey Smith     Millions in Monsanto Money Wields Influence on Capitol Hill and Beyond With an election looming this November and the Farm Bill set to expire in 2013, Monsanto has poured $1.4 million into its lobbying efforts targeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency among others. They even seek to extend their influence into public universities across the country in a funding fueled, pro-GMO public relations push. The University of Illinois has accepted $250,000 to create an "Agricultural Communications Program"; Iowa State undergraduates enjoy their Monsanto Student Services Wing; and professors of ag-science at the University of Missouri deliver their lectures in the Monsanto Auditorium. All that money comes with serious strings and an implied quid pro quo. Read more about Monsanto's attempts to purchase legislators [Read the Article] Read more on which collegiate programs accept funding from Monsanto [Read the Article] Monsanto Staffer Turned Regulator Revolving Door Plagues Europe Along With U.S. The hijacking of regulatory agencies is not limited to Monsanto's control of the FDA. In Europe, their FDA equivalent - EFSA - just ousted Diana Banati due to her participation in the biotech lobbying group International Life Sciences Institute Europe (ILSI). Naturally, upon submitting her resignation she became ILSI's executive and scientific director. In the U.S., President Obama's appointment of Michael Taylor is receiving similar scrutiny. Taylor - the former vice president for public policy at Monsanto - is currently deputy commissioner for foods at the FDA where he oversees food safety. Read more on Banati's resignation [Read the Article] Read more about the revolving door in Europe [Read the Article] Read more on Taylor and the FDA [Read the Article] Bt Cotton Leads to Cycle of Debt and Increased Suicide Rate in India As increasing rates of suicide and farm distress in India are tied to Bt cotton by the agriculture ministry, the call for alternatives has grown louder. Bt propaganda relies on shaky data while sustainable, safer and affordable alternatives are available. Monsanto seed has produced a lower than promised yield, resulting in farmers taking on debts they are often unable to repay. Read more on the Bt suicide crisis from [Read the Article] Read how one town is dealing with the increasing suicide rate [Read the Article] Monsanto-Backed Seed Monopolizing Bill Defeated in Mexico A group of farmer organizations in Mexico succeeded in blocking a bill to modify "Plant Breeders' Rights" which would effectively limit family farms from developing their own seed. The bill as written would have worsened the state of poverty and food dependency in Mexico and significantly reduced agricultural biodiversity by creating seed monopolies for transnational corporations such as Monsanto. Read more about the victory of small famer organizations [Read the Article] Action Alerts Stop Feeding our Babies Genetically Engineered Infant Formula and Baby Food! Gerber, Abbott Nutrition Labs, Mead Johnson, Walmart, Kellogg's and the Federal Government are force-feeding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the most vulnerable among us: our children. Nearly all of our infant formula, including every one of the millions of bottles distributed free by the government, contains genetically engineered corn or soy, as well as milk from cows injected by bovine growth hormone. [Sign the Petition] Support our new film on GMOs! Jeffrey Smith is working with a team to create a powerful new film with shocking evidence, showing how GMOs are wreaking havoc with our health. Please help us fund this important project! [Donate Today!] In The News Brazilian Judge Suspends Payments to Monsanto, May Impose $7.87 Billion Fine  GMWatch Boosting Beta-Carotene in Golden Rice May Be Counter Productive  NUTRAingredients California Ballot Initiative Seeks to Label GM Food  SF Gate State Action Pending to Declare Yucatan, Mexico GM-free  Yuccatan Times European Union May Order France to Lift Ban on GMO Maize  Reuters The Institute for Responsible Technology is working to end the genetic engineering of our food supply and the outdoor release of GM crops. Help us Create the Tipping Point in the American Marketplace! JOIN US ON FACEBOOK FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Shopping Guide | Support Our Campaign | Educational Materials | Media Enquiries | Donate Spilling the Beans is a publication of The Institute for Responsible Technology, with editorial support from GMWatch.org For GMWatch's daily GMO newsletter, click here. To ensure you receive updates from ResponsibleTechnology.org in your inbox (not to bulk or junk folders), please add newsletter@responsibletechnology.org to your address book. You have received this email through your subscription to this campaign's email list.  If you did not subscribe, or would no longer like to receive email updates unsubscribe here. To update your email address or change your subscription details, click here.

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Fwd: Olympic Triathlete Gold Medalist Eats a High Fat Diet that Includes Coconut Oil

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Health Impact News <editor@healthimpactnews.com>
Date: Wed, May 30, 2012 at 12:16 AM
Subject: Olympic Triathlete Gold Medalist Eats a High Fat Diet that Includes Coconut Oil
To: linda <lcyerra1@gmail.com>

Health Impact News

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Here's the latest:

Olympic Triathlete Gold Medalist Eats a High Fat Diet that Includes Coconut Oil   2012-05-23 20:45:17-04 by Laura Stone TheStar.com Excerpts: Some days, even gold medallist Simon Whitfield has to trick himself into running. The Olympic triathlete trains more times in a week than there are days, and admits there are moments he'd really rather lay around. Whitfield — who has already qualified for the Games — is poised to become one of only a handful [...] Read more... Sen. Paul Offers Amendment to Rein in FDA Abuses   2012-05-24 12:03:12-04 May 23, 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today on the U.S. Senate floor, Sen. Rand Paul introduced an amendment to the Food and Drug Administration User Fee Reauthorization bill, which would curb the Food and Drug Associations overreach and abuse of power. Sen. Paul's amendment, No. 2143, would disarm the FDA, put an end to raids [...] Read more... Cooking with Traditional Foods – Menu Planner!   2012-05-24 14:22:09-04 Health Impact News Editor Comments: We welcome today KerryAnn Foster, a veteran author and publisher on the subject of Traditional Foods. KerryAnn has the Internet's longest running traditional foods menu mailer program that can save you time, money, and energy by subscribing to menu plans and recipes based on traditional foods. Today she introduces us to the topic [...] Read more... New Report Says Antidepressants May Not Help Treat Autism   2012-05-27 01:43:11-04 by Dr. Mercola The antidepressant class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are among the most frequently prescribed drugs for autism. Although none are specifically approved for the treatment of autism, it's estimated that up to one-third of autistic children receive the drugs, often to treat the repetitive behaviors like tapping or [...] Read more... U.S. Senators File Amendment to Combat Widespread Antipsychotic Drugging of Elderly in Nursing Homes   2012-05-27 01:48:27-04 by Citizens Commission on Human Rights International U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., filed an amendment last week seeking to combat the costly, widespread and inappropriate use of antipsychotics in nursing homes. "This amendment responds to alarming reports about the use of antipsychotic drugs with nursing home residents," Grassley said. [...] Read more... More Missing Links — of Darwin, Eugenics and Hitler   2012-05-27 01:51:52-04 by Bruce Chapman Evolution News and Views Yale Alumni Magazine has done the world a favor by exposing one of the skeletons in the closet of that and other universities: the eugenics movement. The author, Richard Conniff, though himself a Darwinist, doesn't pull punches. A century ago, he explains, well-meaning professors who contributed in positive ways [...] Read more... German Medical Society Apologizes for Nazi-era Atrocities by Doctors   2012-05-28 17:02:55-04 by Vera Sharav Alliance for Human Research Protection Sixty-eight years after theverdict concluding the Nuremberg Doctors Trial–a verdict that includes the Nuremberg Code–the German Medical Association (Bundesarztekammer) has finally acknowledged the culpability of Germany's medical community during the Nazi regime. On May 23, 2012, the German Medical Association issued a Declaration and apology at Nuremberg, [...] Read more... Anthrax Vaccine Trial Ethics? Science?   2012-05-28 17:13:16-04 by Alliance for Human Research Protection A strong case for the anthrax vaccine trial would be made "if the community that's most supportive of moving this forward would volunteer their own children for the study."Amy Gutmann,Chair, Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. The Obama administration continues to push for approval of a highly controversial, [...] Read more... Pneumonia Vaccine Shown to Actually Increase Bacterial Infections It Is Supposed to Prevent   2012-05-29 20:25:35-04 by Dr. Mercola It's estimated that nearly one in 7 U.S. adults have been diagnosed with sinusitis in the past 12 months, which occurs when the mucous membranes in your nose and sinuses become irritated.iIn most of these cases (90-98%) a virus is the cause, whereas in 2-10% of cases, a bacterial infection is also [...] Read more... Low Carb High Fat Diet Blogger Lawsuit Challenges Censorship of Dietary Advice   2012-05-29 23:35:42-04 by Bob Ewing Institute for Justice Arlington, Va.—Can the government throw you in jail for offering advice on the Internet about what people should buy at the grocery store? That is exactly the claim made by the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition.  And that is why today diabetic blogger Steve Cooksey of Stanley, N.C. has teamed [...] Read more...

POB 256 - Moorpark, CA 93020 USA

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a message from NationofChange

GMOs and Whole Foods Market in St. Louis

By Barbara Chicherio , Daniel Romano and Don Fitz

Even in a city full of people working for Monsanto, virtually everyone wants labels on food with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).  And that could mean trouble for Whole Foods Market (WFM).  This is what is suggested in a survey released May 10, 2012 by the Gateway Green Alliance and Safe Food Action St. Louis.

Genetic modification (GM) consists of modifying the genetic structure of an organism by inserting a gene or altering an existing gene.  The result is a genetically modified organism (GMO).  GMOs are now used extensively in food.
WFM placed itself in the center of a dispute concerning GMOs in food when it significantly changed its position.  WFM had previously opposed the USDA's (US Department of Agriculture) deregulation of GMO alfalfa, which would allow it to be planted anywhere.  But, in January 2011, WFM endorsed "conditional" deregulation of GMO alfalfa, stating on their blog that they support coexistence though they "continue to have reservations about GE [genetically engineered] crops." 

"Coexistence," however, means accepting the planting of this GMO crop and the repercussions that come from it.  It seemed that WFM had abandoned efforts to keep GMOs out of food. 

Since it was first introduced, the process of putting GMOs into food has been controversial.  Critics have documented an extensive list of harmful effects of GMOs, including decreased nutritional value of food, toxic substances in food, allergens, increased antibiotic resistance, and increased reliance on factory farms.

Safe food activists have two reactions to the dispute surrounding the unknown dangers of GMOs in food.  Many say that GMOs should be banned from food because we do not know the true health and environmental consequences.  A second response is that food-containing GMOs should be clearly labeled so that consumers can make an informed choice of whether they want to purchase it.
As the world's largest advocate for GMOs, St. Louis-based Monsanto is the company with the greatest interest in the debate.  But an often-unnoticed player is WFM.

In addition to sparking dissatisfaction with its reversal on GMOs in alfalfa, WFM implies that food it sells is labeled if it has GMOs.  But this is not the case.  WFM actually labels food, which is free of GMOs and leaves GMO food on its shelves unlabeled. 

For over 10 years, polls have indicated that 85-95% Americans do not agree with positions of Monsanto and WFM and want labels on GMO food.  These surveys appear to be by telephone or online rather than face-to-face.  They were also national, rather than focusing on a particular community or a target group, such as those shopping at WFM.

Differences and Similarities

Safe Food Action decided to survey attitudes toward GMO foods in St. Louis.  Since many people in St. Louis know someone who works at Monsanto, it is possible that attitudes would differ from the rest of the US.  This survey targeted specific groups.  These included persons in two WFM parking lots, shoppers at a market catering to low income customers (Soulard Market), those eating brunch in a bakery, students in an Environmental Studies class, and attendees at a variety of progressive events in the St. Louis area.  
Interviews were completed by 315 persons who either filled out a card or answering questions if they were in a retail parking lot.  The survey had four brief questions:

1. Do you know what a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is? 
2. Would you serve food-containing GMOs to your family? 
3. Do you think food-containing GMOs should be labeled? 
4. Do you assume that the foods you buy at Whole Foods Market are free of GMOs? 

The targeted groups had big differences in their familiarity with the term "GMO."  While only 7% of those at progressive events were unfamiliar with GMOs, a full 37.5% of Soulard Market shoppers were unaware of what the term means.  Since the later most likely had the fewest economic resources, it is an important reminder that those discussing food issues always need to remind their audience what GMOs are.

But even people unsure of what GMOs are wanted labels on them.  A full 95% of those surveyed wanted labels on GMO food.  The response was so uniform that this was the only survey question, which did not have a statistically significant difference between the five groups interviewed.  Those asking that labels be put on GMO food are only asking what the average citizen expects.  Clearly, it is corporations such as Monsanto that are out of step with the vast majority.

WFM issues

The most intriguing pattern from the survey emerged for WFM customers.  They reported being the least likely of any group to serve GMO food to their families.  Yet, they were the most likely to expect food at WFM to be free of GMOs.  If WFM customers have the greatest dislike of serving GMOs but the greatest trust that WFM is selling them food without GMOs, then the company could have a serious problem if its customers discover that it is not only selling them food with GMOs but is not forewarning them of what it is doing.

WFM apparently instructs its employees to tell customers that it labels GM food when it does not.  WFM only labels foods free of GMOs, failing to warn customers of food, which could contain GMOs.  In light of findings in this survey, WFM could discover that it has a very large credibility gap with those who purchase its products.  If its customers do, in fact, have more economic resources than most Americans, they may not be shopping due to nearness of WFM to their residence and could easily change to another grocery store.
Given the potential problems that could confront WFM, the study ends by suggesting several actions that it could take to maintain an image of concern with the quality of its food.  

1. WFM could stop stating that it is labeling foods that contain Genetically Modified Organisms when it is not doing so.  It could make sure that its employees realize it merely labels foods that are free of GMOs and does not alert customers to potential dangers by labeling food that does contain GMOs.

2. WFM could phase out the selling of GMO foods by decreasing its stock by 20% per year.  Using 2012 as a baseline year for total amount of GMO food, WFM would have no more than 80% of that quantity of GMO food in 2013, 60% in 2014, 40% in 2015, 20% in 2016 and be completely free of GMOs by 2017.

3. WFM could voluntarily label all foods containing GMOs.  After admitting that it has misled customers with a false claim that it is labeling GMO food, it could initiate a genuine effort to do so by requiring that all of its suppliers label food with GMOs.

4. WFM could reverse its position on alfalfa.  It could state that the US Department of Agriculture should withdraw its approval of GMO alfalfa and should compensate all farmers whose crops are contaminated by pollen drift from GMO crops.

5. WFM could publicly state that coexisting with GMOs causes risk to human health, farming and wild species.

6. WFM could publicly state that it desires an end to all genetic engineering in agriculture, including forestry.

The food industry in the US is wracked with a broad variety of potential hazards and WFM is particularly vulnerable because its customers expect higher quality.  If there have been changes in attitudes over time, it has been that the consensus has grown from about 85% wanting labeling to about 95% in recent years.  Almost uniformly, Americans want the right to know what is in their food.
On April 30, 2012, we presented these results to a WFM St. Louis Store Manager and asked that the company respond within two weeks.  It is now in the hands of WFM to decide if it will admit past mistakes and move forward in providing quality food.

This article was published at NationofChange at: http://www.nationofchange.org/gmos-and-whole-foods-market-st-louis-1336914935. All rights are reserved.

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Take good care,

Linda