Friday, September 12, 2014

97% of Terminal Cancer Patients Previously Had This Dental Procedure... |REALfarmacy.com | Healthy News and Information


97% of Terminal Cancer Patients Previously Had This Dental Procedure…

Oct 23 • Articles • 47926 Views • 728 Comments

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by DR MERCOLA

dentist sqDo you have a chronic degenerative disease? If so, have you been told, "It's all in your head?" Well, that might not be that far from the truth…

The root cause of your illness may be in your mouth.

There is a common dental procedure that nearly every dentist will tell you is completely safe, despite the fact that scientists have been warning of its dangers for more than 100 years.

Every day in the United States alone, 41,000 of these dental procedures are performed on patients who believe they are safely and permanently fixing their problem.

What is this dental procedure?

The root canal.

More than 25 million root canals are performed every year in this country.

Root-canaled teeth are essentially "dead" teeth that can become silent incubators for highly toxic anaerobic bacteria that can, under certain conditions, make their way into your bloodstream to cause a number of serious medical conditions—many not appearing until decades later.

Most of these toxic teeth feel and look fine for many years, which make their role in systemic disease even harder to trace back.

Sadly, the vast majority of dentists are oblivious to the serious potential health risks they are exposing their patients to, risks that persist for the rest of their patients' lives. The American Dental Association claims root canals have been proven safe, but they have NO published data or actual research to substantiate this claim.

Fortunately, I had some early mentors like Dr. Tom Stone and Dr. Douglas Cook, who educated me on this issue nearly 20 years ago. Were it not for a brilliant pioneering dentist who, more than a century ago, made the connection between root-canaled teeth and disease, this underlying cause of disease may have remained hidden to this day. The dentist's name was Weston Price—regarded by many as the greatest dentist of all time.

Weston A. Price: World's Greatest Dentist

Most dentists would be doing an enormous service to public health if they familiarized themselves with the work of Dr. Weston Pricei. Unfortunately, his work continues to be discounted and suppressed by medical and dental professionals alike.

Dr. Price was a dentist and researcher who traveled the world to study the teeth, bones, and diets of native populations living without the "benefit" of modern food. Around the year 1900, Price had been treating persistent root canal infections and became suspicious that root-canaled teeth always remained infected, in spite of treatments. Then one day, he recommended to a woman, wheelchair bound for six years, to have her root canal tooth extracted, even though it appeared to be fine.

She agreed, so he extracted her tooth and then implanted it under the skin of a rabbit. The rabbit amazingly developed the same crippling arthritis as the woman and died from the infection 10 days later. But the woman, now free of the toxic tooth, immediately recovered from her arthritis and could now walk without even the assistance of a cane.

Price discovered that it's mechanically impossible to sterilize a root-canaled (e.g. root-filled) tooth.

He then went on to show that many chronic degenerative diseases originate from root-filled teeth—the most frequent being heart and circulatory diseases. He actually found 16 different causative bacterial agents for these conditions. But there were also strong correlations between root-filled teeth and diseases of the joints, brain and nervous system. Dr. Price went on to write two groundbreaking books in 1922 detailing his research into the link between dental pathology and chronic illness. Unfortunately, his work was deliberately buried for 70 years, until finally one endodontist named George Meinig recognized the importance of Price's work and sought to expose the truth.

Dr. Meinig Advances the Work of Dr. Price

Dr. Meinig, a native of Chicago, was a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II before moving to Hollywood to become a dentist for the stars. He eventually became one of the founding members of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal specialists).

In the 1990s, he spent 18 months immersed in Dr. Price's research. In June of 1993, Dr. Meinig published the book Root Canal Cover-Up, which continues to be the most comprehensive reference on this topic today. You can order your copy directly from the Price-Pottenger Foundationii.

What Dentists Don't Know About the Anatomy of Your Teeth

Your teeth are made of the hardest substances in your body.

In the middle of each tooth is the pulp chamber, a soft living inner structure that houses blood vessels and nerves. Surrounding the pulp chamber is the dentin, which is made of living cells that secrete a hard mineral substance. The outermost and hardest layer of your tooth is the white enamel, which encases the dentin.

The roots of each tooth descend into your jawbone and are held in place by the periodontal ligament. In dental school, dentists are taught that each tooth has one to four major canals. However, there are accessory canals that are never mentioned. Literally miles of them!

Just as your body has large blood vessels that branch down into very small capillaries, each of your teeth has a maze of very tiny tubules that, if stretched out, would extend for three miles. Weston Price identified as many as 75 separate accessory canals in a single central incisor (front tooth). For a more detailed explanation, refer to an article by Hal Huggins, DDS, MS, on the Weston A. Price Foundation website.iii (These images are borrowed from the Huggins article.)

Microscopic organisms regularly move in and around these tubules, like gophers in underground tunnels.

When a dentist performs a root canal, he or she hollows out the tooth, then fills the hollow chamber with a substance (called guttapercha), which cuts off the tooth from its blood supply, so fluid can no longer circulate through the tooth. But the maze of tiny tubules remains. And bacteria, cut off from their food supply, hide out in these tunnels where they are remarkably safe from antibiotics and your own body's immune defenses.

The Root Cause of Much Disease

Under the stresses of oxygen and nutrient deprivation, these formerly friendly organisms morph into stronger, more virulent anaerobes that produce a variety of potent toxins. What were once ordinary, friendly oral bacteria mutate into highly toxic pathogens lurking in the tubules of the dead tooth, just awaiting an opportunity to spread.

No amount of sterilization has been found effective in reaching these tubules—and just about every single root-canaled tooth has been found colonized by these bacteria, especially around the apex and in the periodontal ligament. Oftentimes, the infection extends down into the jawbone where it creates cavitations—areas of necrotic tissue in the jawbone itself.

Cavitations are areas of unhealed bone, often accompanied by pockets of infected tissue and gangrene. Sometimes they form after a tooth extraction (such as a wisdom tooth extraction), but they can also follow a root canal. According to Weston Price Foundation, in the records of 5,000 surgical cavitation cleanings, only two were found healed.

And all of this occurs with few, if any, accompanying symptoms. So you may have an abscessed dead tooth and not know it. This focal infection in the immediate area of the root-canaled tooth is bad enough, but the damage doesn't stop there.

Root Canals Can Lead to Heart, Kidney, Bone, and Brain Disease

As long as your immune system remains strong, any bacteria that stray away from the infected tooth are captured and destroyed. But once your immune system is weakened by something like an accident or illness or other trauma, your immune system may be unable to keep the infection in check.

These bacteria can migrate out into surrounding tissues by hitching a ride into your blood stream, where they are transported to new locations to set up camp. The new location can be any organ or gland or tissue.

Dr. Price was able to transfer diseases harbored by humans to rabbits, by implanting fragments of root-canaled teeth, as mentioned above. He found that root canal fragments from a person who had suffered a heart attack, when implanted into a rabbit, would cause a heart attack in the rabbit within a few weeks.

He discovered he could transfer heart disease to the rabbit 100 percent of the time! Other diseases were more than 80 percent transferable by this method. Nearly every chronic degenerative disease has been linked with root canals, including:

-Heart disease
-Kidney disease
-Arthritis, joint, and rheumatic diseases
-Neurological diseases (including ALS and MS)
-Autoimmune diseases (Lupus and more)

There may also be a cancer connection. Dr. Robert Jones, a researcher of therelationship between root canals and breast cancer, found an extremely high correlation between root canals and breast cancer.iv He claims to have found the following correlations in a five-year study of 300 breast cancer cases:

-93 percent of women with breast cancer had root canals
-7 percent had other oral pathology
-Tumors, in the majority of cases, occurred on the same side of the body as the root canal(s) or other oral pathology

Dr. Jones claims that toxins from the bacteria in an infected tooth or jawbone are able to inhibit the proteins that suppress tumor development. A German physician reported similar findings. Dr. Josef Issels reported that, in his 40 years of treating "terminal" cancer patients, 97 percent of his cancer patients had root canals. If these physicians are correct, the cure for cancer may be as simple as having a tooth pulled, then rebuilding your immune system.

Good Bugs Gone Bad

How are these mutant oral bacteria connected with heart disease or arthritis? The ADA and the AAE claim it's a "myth" that the bacteria found in and around root-canaled teeth can cause diseasev. But they base that on the misguided assumption that the bacteria in these diseased teeth are the SAME as normal bacteria in your mouth—and that's clearly not the case.

Today, bacteria can be identified using DNA analysis, whether they're dead or alive, from their telltale DNA signatures.

In a continuation of Dr. Price's work, the Toxic Element Research Foundation (TERF) used DNA analysis to examine root-canaled teeth, and they found bacterial contamination in 100 percent of the samples tested. They identified 42 different species of anaerobic bacteria in 43 root canal samples. In cavitations, 67 different bacteria were identified among the 85 samples tested, with individual samples housing between 19 to 53 types of bacteria each. The bacteria they found included the following types:

-Capnocytophagaochracea
-Fusobacteriumnucleatum
-Gemellamorbillorum
-Leptotrichiabuccalis
-Porphyromonasgingivalis

Are these just benign, ordinary mouth bugs? Absolutely not. Four can affect your heart, three can affect your nerves, two can affect your kidneys, two can affect your brain, and one can infect your sinus cavities… so they are anything BUT friendly! (If you want see just how unfriendly they can be, I invite you to investigate the footnotes.)

Approximately 400 percent more bacteria were found in the blood surrounding the root canal tooth than were found in the tooth itself, suggesting the tooth is the incubatorand the periodontal ligament is the food supply. The bone surrounding root-canaled teeth was found even HIGHER in bacterial count… not surprising, since bone is virtual buffet of bacterial nutrients.

Since When is Leaving A Dead Body Part IN Your Body a Good Idea?

There is no other medical procedure that involves allowing a dead body part to remain in your body. When your appendix dies, it's removed. If you get frostbite or gangrene on a finger or toe, it is amputated. If a baby dies in utero, the body typically initiates a miscarriage.

Your immune system doesn't care for dead substances, and just the presence of dead tissue can cause your system to launch an attack, which is another reason to avoid root canals—they leave behind a dead tooth.

Infection, plus the autoimmune rejection reaction, causes more bacteria to collect around the dead tissue. In the case of a root canal, bacteria are given the opportunity to flush into your blood stream every time you bite down.

Why Dentists Cling to the Belief Root Canals are Safe

The ADA rejects Dr. Price's evidence, claiming root canals are safe, yet they offer no published data or actual research to substantiate their claim. American Heart Association recommends a dose of antibiotics before many routine dental procedures to prevent infective endocarditis (IE) if you have certain heart conditions that predispose you to this type of infection.

So, on the one hand, the ADA acknowledges oral bacteria can make their way from your mouth to your heart and cause a life-threatening infection.

But at the same time, the industry vehemently denies any possibility that these same bacteria—toxic strains KNOWN to be pathogenic to humans—can hide out in your dead root-canaled tooth to be released into your blood stream every time you chew, where they can damage your health in a multitude of ways.

Is this really that large of a leap? Could there be another reason so many dentists, as well as the ADA and the AAE, refuse to admit root canals are dangerous? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Root canals are the most profitable procedure in dentistry.

What You Need to Know to AVOID a Root Canal

I strongly recommend never getting a root canal. Risking your health to preserve a tooth simply doesn't make sense. Unfortunately, there are many people who've already have one. If you have, you should seriously consider having the tooth removed, even if it looks and feels fine. Remember, as soon as your immune system is compromised, your risk of of developing a serious medical problem increases—and assaults on your immune system are far too frequent in today's world.

If you have a tooth removed, there are a few options available to you.

1)Partial denture: This is a removable denture, often just called a "partial." It's the simplest and least expensive option.
2)Bridge: This is a more permanent fixture resembling a real tooth but is a bit more involved and expensive to build.
3)Implant: This is a permanent artificial tooth, typically titanium, implanted in your gums and jaw. There are some problems with these due to reactions to the metals used. Zirconium is a newer implant material that shows promise for fewer complications.

But just pulling the tooth and inserting some sort of artificial replacement isn't enough.

Dentists are taught to remove the tooth but leave your periodontal ligament. But as you now know, this ligament can serve as a breeding ground for deadly bacteria. Most experts who've studied this recommend removing the ligament, along with one millimeter of the bony socket, in order to drastically reduce your risk of developing an infection from the bacterially infected tissues left behind.

I strongly recommend consulting a biological dentist because they are uniquely trained to do these extractions properly and safely, as well as being adept at removing mercury fillings, if necessary. Their approach to dental care is far more holistic and considers the impact on your entire body—not JUST your mouth.

If you need to find a biological dentist in your area, I recommend visiting toxicteeth.org, a resource sponsored by Consumers for Dental Choice. This organization, championed by Charlie Brown, is a highly reputable organization that has fought to protect and educate consumers so that they can make better-informed decisions about their dental care. The organization also heads up the Campaign for Mercury-Free Dentistry.

Sources and References:


mercola

Image:Flickr/Wonderlane

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~A.



Thursday, September 11, 2014

Herbal Oil: Soybean Oil Benefits and Uses

Herbal Oil: Soybean Oil Benefits and Uses

Soybean Oil: Lurking Danger in Processed Foods

A popular form of vegetable oil, soybean oil is extracted from the seeds of the soybean. There has been much hype about it being a healthful oil, but there's more to soybean oil than what's advertised on product labels. It could be very problematic to use in cooking, due to factors such as hydrogenation and the presence of genetically engineered varieties. Get the lowdown on this polyunsaturated oil – and why it is one of the worst oils for cooking.

What Is Soybean Oil?

soybean oilSoybean oil is extracted from the soybean (Glycine max) and often has a dark yellow or faint green color.  Standard vegetable oil is typically composed of soybean oil.

The first domestic use of soybean is traced to the eastern half of North China in 11th BC, or perhaps a little earlier. Soybean is one of the five main plant foods of China, along with rice, wheat, barley, and millet. Early accounts have it that soybean production was localized in China until after the China-Japan War of 1894 to 1895, when the Japanese started to import soybean oil cake as fertilizer.

Soybean shipments to Europe were made in around 1908, although Europeans had been aware of soybeans as early as 1712 through a German botanist's writing. In US literature, the first use of the word "soybean" was in 1804. Most of the early US soybeans were used as a forage crop instead of being harvested for seed.

Today, Americans consume more than 28 billion pounds of edible oils annually, and soybean oil accounts for about 65 percent of the said figure. Mexico and Korea are large customers of US soybean oil.

Unfortunately, about half of the soybean oil used in the country is hydrogenated, as soybean oil is too unstable to be used in food manufacturing.  Among the problems with partially hydrogenated soybean oil is trans fat and the health hazards of the soy itself, as well as the prevalence of genetically engineered soybeans today.

Uses of Soybean Oil

Soybean oil is processed and sold mainly as a vegetable oil, while the remaining soybean meal is typically used as animal feed. It is also the primary source of biodiesel in the country, making up 80 percent of domestic production.

Lecithin is a product extracted from soybean oil, and it is a natural emulsifier and lubricant used in many foods and commercial and industrial applications. It helps keep the chocolate and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating, and is used in pharmaceutical products and protective coatings.

Soybean oil is commonly used to make mayonnaise, salad dressing, margarine, and non-dairy coffee creamers. It is a usual feature of processed foods, which is where the problem begins: processed foods are perhaps the most damaging part of most people's diet, contributing to the occurrence of disease and poor health.

Partially hydrogenated soybean oil is one of the primarily culprits in processed foods, alongside high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  Used alone or in combination, they spell trouble for your wellness. But why is there a need to hydrogenate oil? One of the most common answers you hear is that it prolongs the oil's shelf life. For example, raw butter is likely to go rancid far more quickly than margarine does.

Hydrogenation – where hydrogen gas is forced into the oil at high pressure – also makes the oil more stable and increases it melting point, allowing it to be useful in various food processing methods that use high temperatures.

In the late 1990s, experts started to see and confirm the adverse health effects of this chemical alteration. Beware, though, that "fully hydrogenated" is different from "partially hydrogenated." The latter contains trans fat, while the former does not. But this does not make fully hydrogenated soybean oil a healthful choice.

Composition of Soybean Oil

Within soybean oil are four phytosterols: stigmasterol, sitosterol, campestrol, and brassicasterol.

soybeanPer 100 grams of soybean oil, there is about 16 grams of saturated fat, 23 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 58 grams of polyunsaturated fat. Of the unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fat, is about 50 percent, while linolenic acid is about seven percent.

Leading biotech company Monsanto has come up with soy crops as a response to the growing demand for healthier diets. Its Vistive low-linolenic soybeans, for instance, was launched in 2005 and contain only one to three percent linolenic acid. Therefore, according to Monsanto, "the oil produced… does not require hydrogenation."

Yet another soybean variety it created is the high stearate soybean, which retains the properties of margarine and shortening without hydrogenation. Given the separate issue of GMO safety, I don't think these are options worth taking.

Benefits of Soybean Oil

Perhaps the main benefits of soybean oil are for food manufacturers, who are able to use cheap vegetable oils for their products. It took many years before conventional health authorities to finally warn against using trans fat.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required food manufacturers to list trans fat content on the label starting January 1, 2006 – a move that essentially allows some companies to fool buyers, as any product containing up to half a gram of trans fat per serving can still legally claim to contain zero trans fat. It turns out that the trick is to reduce the serving size to bring it below this threshold.

How to Make Soybean Oil

soybean oil compositionSoybean contains about 19 percent oil. To extract soybean oil from the seed, the soybeans are cracked, adjusted for moisture content, rolled into flakes, and solvent-extracted with commercial hexane. Afterwards, the oil is refined and blended for various applications – and often hydrogenated.

It is often that commercial brands mix soybean oil with cheaper ones to make the end product more affordable. But there are unrefined soybean oil products, cold-pressed and expeller-removed. They usually have a stronger flavor, but are said to retain a higher nutritional value than refined oils.

How Does Soybean Oil Work?

The partial hydrogenation of soybean oil creates completely unnatural man-made fats, which can cause dysfunction and chaos in your body on a cellular level. Proceed to the section below for safety issues with soybean oil, particularly with the presence of trans fat.

Is Soybean Oil Safe?

Research has associated trans fat, an unnatural fat present in partially hydrogenated soybean oil, with:

  • Cancer, through interfering with your body's cancer-fighting enzymes
  • Diabetes, through interfering with the insulin receptors in your cell membranes
  • Heart disease, through clogging your arteries (In women with underlying coronary heart disease, consuming trans fats increased the risk of sudden cardiac arrest three-fold)
  • Chronic problems such as obesity, asthma, autoimmune disease, and bone degeneration
  • Decreased immune function
  • Reproductive problems, by interfering with sex hormone-producing enzymes
  • Increased blood levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, and lowered levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol
  • Interfering with how your body uses beneficial omega-3 fats

Besides these risks, soybean oil in and of itself is NOT healthy. Its fat is primarily omega-6 fat, which we do need in certain amounts but is way too pervasive in the standard diet. Its omega-6 is also highly processed and therefore damaged, and promotes chronic inflammation in your body – the hallmark of virtually all chronic diseases.

Genetically engineered soybean oil is the worst offender. GE soybeans are linked to significant adverse health effects, including increased infertility rates with each passing generation. But even if you have organic soybean oil, it still poses several significant issues, including the following problems with soy:

  • Goitrogens – Substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism.
  • Isoflavones: genistein and daidzein – A type of feminizing phytoestrogens, and are shown by evidence to disturb endocrine function, cause infertility, and promote breast cancer.
  • Phytic acid – These bind to metal ions and prevent the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Soybean has one of the highest phytate levels of any grain or legume, and its phytates are highly resistance to normal phytate-reducing methods such as long, slow cooking. Only a long fermentation period will substantially reduce soybeans' phytate content.
  • Anti-nutrients – These are natural toxins such as saponins, soyatoxin, protease inhibitors, and oxalates. Some of these interfere with the enzymes you need to digest protein. These anti-nutrients are not problematic in small amounts, but Americans today are consuming too much soy.
  • Hemagglutinin – A clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together, with the cells unable to properly absorb and distribute oxygen to your tissues.

Side Effects of Soybean Oil

Beware of soy allergy, which can also happen in very young infants fed soy-based formula. Allergic reactions may also manifest when consuming the oil.

Through the risks and negative effects I've outlined above, I want to make it clear that you are better off avoiding soybean oil and other vegetable oils for cooking, as well as totally eliminating processed foods from your diet. This way you can avoid dangerous fats of all kinds, mostly trans fat coming from partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

I highly recommend coconut oil for cooking, as it is far superior to any other cooking oil and is loaded with healthful properties. Use organic butter (preferably made from raw milk) instead of margarines and vegetable oil spreads. Butter does not deserve a bad rap, as it offers an array of wholesome benefits.

A good nutrition plan will automatically reduce your trans fat intake, putting the focus on healthy, whole, raw foods instead of the processed junk you are using to getting at the supermarket. Remember that virtually all processed foods are guaranteed to contain either HFCS or soybean oil, or both.

Back to Herbal Oil List



~A.

Safety Questions Loom Over Quorn Brand Meat Substitute

Safety Questions Loom Over Quorn Brand Meat Substitute

Safety Questions Loom Over Quorn Brand Meat Substitute

By Dr. Mercola

If you want to stay healthy, the simple rule is to avoid processed foods and this is certainly true for meat substitutes. There are a number of meat substitutes on the market, but some appear to be more unsavory than others, in terms of safety.

The Quorn brand meat substitute falls into this category. Quorn is a fungus-based ferment. Its advertised claims include being 75 percent lower in fat and 50 percent lower in calories compared to regular meat. It's also high in fiber and protein, and low in cholesterol and salt.

That may sound all well and good, but there are lingering questions about its ability to cause severe reactions in some people. In an August 18 press release, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) writes:

"Of the several shortcomings of the Food and Drug Administration's oversight of food additives exposed in today's Washington Post, none is more glaring than the agency's lack of curiosity in the safety of Quorn-brand meat substitutes...

The fungus at issue, Fusarium venenatum, had never before been used in human food before it became Quorn. ('Venenatum,' inauspiciously, is Latin for poisonous.)"

Adverse Effects Reported

Launched in 1985, Quorn is now sold in 16 countries around the world. It's been on the US market since 2002.

It was originally developed by one of the largest chemical companies in Great Britain called Imperial Chemical Industries, and this in and of itself could serve as a clue as to its health potential...

The fungus, Fusarium venenatum, is first grown in large fermentation vats, where it is fed with oxygen, glucose, and other nutrients. Once the water is removed, what is left is a paste-like biomass, which is then processed into various food products.

Since its inception, several studies have raised concerns about Quorn's safety—especially in people with food and/or mold allergies. A CSPI survey also found that mycoprotein is more likely to cause adverse reactions than other common allergenic foods such as shellfish, milk, and peanuts.

So far, CSPI has collected more than 2,000 reports of adverse reactions to Quorn.3, Adverse effects include:

  • Nausea
  • Cramps
  • Diarrhea
  • Forceful vomiting
  • Anaphylactic reactions

Two deaths are even suspected to have resulted from eating the Quorn brand meat substitute. In a previous post, CSPI also noted that an early study done by the manufacturer found that 10 percent of 200 human subjects developed nausea or a stomachache after eating Quorn.

This might be expected if the name of the fungus is in any way indicative of its health effects. After all, the Latin word venenatum means "filled with venom."

Should You Eat Meat?

While I certainly sympathize with those who choose to abstain from meat for ethical reasons, there isn't a single meat-substitute on the market that I would recommend, and that includes soy protein, which may even be worse than Quorn.

There are health benefits to eating meat and other animal products that simply have no equivalence in the plant kingdom. However, the KEY is to choose your meat wisely. Doing so can eliminate many of the ethical objections as well.

Animals raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are best avoided, both for health and ethical reasons. CAFO cows are fattened for slaughter in gigantic feed lots as quickly as possible (on average between 14 and 18 months) with the help of grains and growth promoting drugs, including antibiotics.

This routine practice, which is done predominantly for financial reasons, has led to the current scourge of antibiotic-resistant disease, which now kills at least 23,000 Americans each year.

Besides raising your risk of antibiotic-resistant disease, regularly consuming small doses of antibiotics is also a surefire way to destroy your gut health, which in turn will have a detrimental effect on your overall health and immune function.

Organically raised, grass-fed or pastured animal products on the other hand can provide valuable nutrients that your body requires for optimal functioning, such as high-quality protein.

Cattle raised on their natural diet of plain grass typically also contain three to five times higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compared to CAFO cattle. CLA is a valuable nutrient known for its health benefits, from fighting cancer to decreasing insulin resistance and improving body composition.

Grass-fed beef also tends to be leaner, and have higher levels of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also has a healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats.

But perhaps the most crucial factor that makes grass-fed beef better than CAFO is that it doesn't contain antibiotics and hazardous growth-promoters, and hasn't been fed genetically engineered and /or glyphosate-contaminated grains.

California Slaughterhouse Charged with Selling Condemned Meat

I firmly believe we have to stop supporting our current CAFO practices for meat production and focus on more health- and environmentally-friendly options. CAFO products really have little if any redeeming value, besides being slightly cheaper at the checkout line.

This lower cost comes at a high price, however—a price that many people fail to take into account. Case in point: the California slaughterhouse Rancho Feeding Corporation in Petaluma was recently charged with "knowingly processing and distributing meat from cancerous cows," according to a CNN report.

Four former workers at the slaughterhouse, including the general manager and co-owner Jesse J. Amaral Jr., have now been indicted on charges of conspiring to sell and distribute "adulterated, misbranded, and uninspected" meat.

Authorities recalled nearly 10 million pounds of meat from the slaughterhouse in February. Nestle also issued a voluntary recall for its Philly Steak and Cheese Hot Pockets, which contained meat from Rancho. According to CNN:

"Prosecutors allege that Amaral directed Corda and Cabrera to circumvent inspection procedures for certain cows with signs of epithelioma of the eye, also known as 'cancer eye.' This included directing employees to carve 'USDA Condemned' stamps out of certain cow carcasses and to process them for sale and distribution, despite having been rejected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarian.

Corda and Cabrera are also alleged to have replaced the heads of sick cows with those of healthy ones, placing the healthy heads next to the bodies of cows whose eyes had signs of cancer. The switch occurred during the inspectors' lunch break, prosecutors said."

If convicted, the four workers could face up to 20 years imprisonment and $250,000 in fines. In February, Rancho Feeding was sold to Marin Sun Farms, which specializes in pasture-raised livestock, so chances are the facility may be properly rehabilitated. As noted by the LA Times, it's now the last remaining beef slaughterhouse in the Bay Area.

CAFO Meats Also Contain Drugs Banned in Other Countries

Besides antibiotics, CAFO livestock are also given a number of other drugs, including drugs that are banned in other countries for suspected adverse health effects. Ractopamine, for example, is a beta-agonist drug that increases protein synthesis, thereby making the animal more muscular. This reduces the fat content of the meat and increases the profit per animal.

Beta-agonist drugs have been used in US cattle production since 2003. The drug is administered in the days leading up to slaughter, and as much as 20 percent of it can remain in the meat you buy. This is disconcerting when you consider that the drug label warns: "Not for use in humans," and "individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure."  

Ractopamine is banned from food production in at least 160 countries around the world, including countries across Europe, Russia, mainland China, and Republic of China (Taiwan), due to its suspected health effects. Animal research has linked ractopamine to:

  • Reductions in reproductive function
  • Birth defects (Canadian researchers found that, in rats, the drug produced a variety of birth defects, including cleft palate, protruding tongue, short limbs, missing or fused digits, open eyelids, jaw abnormalities, limb abnormalities, and enlarged heart)
  • Increase of mastitis in dairy herds
  • Increased disability and death

In pigs and cattle, FDA reports link the drug to: excessive hunger, anorexia, bloat, respiratory and hoof problems, lameness, stiffness, stress and aggression, and death. In fact, of all reported side effects, death tops the list as the most reported problem associated with ractopamine. In humans, ractopamine is known to affect the human cardiovascular system, and is thought to be responsible for hyperactivity. It may also cause chromosomal abnormalities and behavioral changes.

Zilmax is another beta-agonist drug used in the US, and this drug has also been linked to horrific side effects in cattle. In August, 2013, Tyson Food Inc issued a statement saying it would no longer purchase Zilmax-fed cattle for slaughter due to animal welfare concerns. The company had noticed that many of the cows that had been fed the drug had trouble walking. The cattle also displayed other behavioral issues. FDA records show at least 285 cattle unexpectedly died or were euthanized after receiving Zilmax between 2007 and 2013—many of them had lost their hooves. Other reported adverse effects in cattle following the administration of Zilmax include:

Stomach ulcers Brain lesions Blindness Lethargy and lameness
Bloody nose Respiratory problems Heart failure Sudden death

Rethink Your Shopping Habits to Protect Your Family's Health

When a feed or feed additive makes an animal sick, infirm, or dead, is it really wise for you to eat the meat from it? I would suggest the answer is a firm no. Hence, when it comes to animal products, the closer you can get to the grower, the better. Ideally, you'll want to get all your animal products, including meat, chicken, and eggs, from smaller community farms with free-ranging animals that are organically fed and locally marketed.

This is the way food has been raised and distributed for centuries, before the era of corrupted politics and corporate greed took over. Small-scale butchering facilities are also more humane, which is an important concern from an ethical standpoint. The following organizations can help you locate farm-fresh foods in your local area, raised in a humane, sustainable manner:

  • Local Harvest -- This Web site will help you find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
  • Farmers' Markets -- A national listing of farmers' markets.
  • Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals -- The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
  • Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) -- CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
  • FoodRoutes -- The FoodRoutes "Find Good Food" map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSA's, and markets near you.

From September 7th -13th we launch the fourth Mercury-Free Dentistry Week. We set aside an entire week dedicated to ending the use of dental amalgam -- a primitive, pre-Civil War, pollutant that leads to cracked teeth -- for three reasons:

  1. The new Minamata Convention on Mercury is the game-changer for dental amalgam. Each nation that signs this comprehensive treaty against mercury pollution – now numbering 100, including the United States – commits itself to scaling down dental mercury without delay.
  2. Consumers for Dental Choice, who spearheads the campaign against amalgam, brings the Minamata Convention home. Commissioning a Zogby poll, they issued a scathing indictment of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for covering up amalgam's mercury from American parents and consumers – and for putting the US government out of compliance with the pledge it made at Minamata.
  3. Your financial support for Consumers for Dental Choice is now needed. Working with talented environmental, consumer, and health leaders, Consumers for Dental Choice is launching phase out campaigns in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.


~A.

How To Raise Your Own Edible Crickets | Popular Science


How To Raise Your Own Edible Crickets

Crunchy and delicious.

Science Photo Library/Getty Images

In April, Big Cricket Farms became the first U.S. company to raise insects for human consumption. It's no surprise crickets are leaping onto our plates—they require less space and fewer resources than cows or chickens, and they're packed with protein and other nutrients. But farmed crickets and premade cricket foods can be expensive. Why not breed your own crunchy critters instead? (Don't miss our recipe for cooking crickets, below.)

Instructions

1) Set terrariums near heat. In one, put crickets, food, water, soil dishes, and egg carton.

2) Periodically, check the soil for eggs. When found, move dishes to the other terrarium. 

3) When the eggs hatch, return baby crickets and dishes of fresh soil to first terrarium.

4) To eat, grab young crickets with no wings. Freeze for 24 hours, blanch, and start cooking! 

Materials

• Two 14-gallon terrariums with mesh lids (or clear boxes with mesh-covered air holes)

• Heat source at about 85°F

• 30 crickets 

• Organic whole grains for food

• Soaked sponges for water

• Two shallow plastic dishes filled with pesticide-free soil

• Egg carton to vary landscape

• Spray bottle to moisten habitat

Stats

Time: 6 weeks

Cost: $22

Difficulty: 1

Recipe: Dry Roasted Chocolate-Covered Crickets

WARNING: You're not a lizard. Clean insects before consuming and eat them at your own risk. 

This article originally appeared in the September 2014 issue of Popular Science.


~A.



tiny House links

Couple Living and Touring in 20' DIY Tiny Home on Wheels

Family's Japanese Modern/Zen Small Home in Kyoto

Man Designs and Builds a Tiny House with a Built In Outdoor Hot Tub

120 Sq. Ft. Modern Backyard Office Doubles as Micro Guest House

Man Designs/Builds His Own Tiny Log Cabin on Wheels for Vacations
 
NYC Man Turns Tiny Studio into a 2 Bedroom to Have Roommate
 
The Alto Safari Condo: High Tech and Lightweight Teardrop Camper
 
Architecture Grad's Amazing 100 Sq. Ft. Tiny Home on Wheels

Elizabeth's Unfinished But Cool DIY Tiny House in Vermont (Video)
 
Tumbleweed's Tiny House Construction DVD 40% Off Sale Now

"Any half-awake materialist well knows - that which you hold holds you."
 - Tom Robbins

This is Tiny House Newsletter Issue #552.

~A.



World Leaders Propose to Legalize All Drugs: 5 Major Changes in Global Policy |Higher Perspective


World Leaders Propose to Legalize All Drugs: 5 Major Changes in Global Policy

world leaders - HighExistence | In a radical move, the former presidents of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland joined hands with political and industrial heavy-weights Kofi Annan, Richard Branson, George Shultz, Paul Volcker and others to foster a paradigm shift in how our world perceives and regulates drugs.

They, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, just published a groundbreaking report "Taking Control: Pathways to Drug Policies that Work" which argues that the War on Drugs has been a colossal failure and something has to change.

"The facts speak for themselves. It is time to change course," Annan says of the drug war. "We need drug policies informed by evidence of what actually works, rather than policies that criminalize drug use while failing to provide access to effective prevention or treatment. This has led not only to overcrowded jails but also to severe health and social problems."

Here are the five major changes the world leaders propose to reform the global drug policy regime:

1. Put Health and Community Safety First

Treating drug users as criminals that need to be punished as opposed to patients in need of help only aggravates the problem. Not only does it make integration into society next to impossible, we take away both proven therapies to treat addiction and the tools to reduce the risk associated with drug use. Harm reduction and innovative treatment strategies like needle exchange, substitution therapies, heroin prescription and safe consumption rooms have proven to be more safe, effective and less costly than putting users in jail.

"The risks associated with drug use increase, sometimes dramatically, when they are produced, sold and consumed in an unregulated criminal environment." said Richard Branson.

2. Stop Criminalizing People for Drug Use and Possession

Imposing "compulsory treatment" on people whose only offense is drug use or possession hasn't been shown to reduce the rate of consumption of drugs. We spend hundreds of millions of dollars to lock away drug users, often targeted minorities, for victimless crimes. This encourages high risk behaviour such as re-using needles, deters people from seeking medical help, diverts police efforts away from crimes with victims and destroys millions of families haunted by criminal convictions.

"Health-based approaches to drug policy routinely prove much less expensive and more effective than criminalization and incarceration," said former President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo.

3. Allow and Encourage Diverse Experiments in Legally Regulating Markets

While it is known that alcohol and tobacco are one of the most dangerous drugs known to mankind, we can minimize risks with careful, reason based regulation. There is no reason we can not to the same with currently illicit drugs, beginning with but not limited to cannabis, coca leaf and certain novel psychoactive substances that have proven to be much safer than alcohol and tobacco.

Regulating the whole chain, from the production to the retail of drugs, allows to rollback criminal organizations, secure quality standards and protect people's life, health and safety." said former Swiss president Ruth Dreifuss.

4. Ensure Equitable Access to Essential Medicines

There are many domestic and international obstacles to getting medicine to people in need. Many psycho-active substances that have been proven to treat PTSD, social anxiety, addiction and depression are banned and it is estimated 80% of the world population can't access pain relief medication because of our current drug laws.

5. Focus on Reducing the Power of Criminal Organizations

Prohibition doesn't diminish overal drug consumption but instead forces the drug trade into unregulated underground markets, often in the hands of violent drug cartels. Prices surge up dramatically, now estimated to be in the hundreds of billions, giving more incentive for cartels to increase drug consumption and addiction. The huge profits made fuels a constant violent struggle against market competition and the state, which trickles down to citizens and corrupts the democratic legal order. Taxing a regulated drug market will bring safer and cheaper substances to users while keeping the profits to benefit society.

"Decriminalization of drug consumption is certainly crucial but not sufficient. Significant legal and institutional reforms, both at the national and international levels, are needed to allow governments and societies to put in place policies to regulate the supply of drugs with rigorous medical criteria, if the engines of organized crime profitting from drug traffic are to be truly dismantled." said former President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo.

Learn more about the War on Drugs.

In 2016 the United Nation (UN) will hold another General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on Drugs and the commission expects their suggestions to have a strong impact. The last UN meeting on drugs was in 1998 and called for a drug free world and set a myriad of unrealistic goals.

"We are driven by a sense of urgency. There is a widespread acknowledgment that the current system is not working, but also recognition that change is both necessary and achievable. We are convinced that the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) is an historic opportunity to discuss the shortcomings of the drug control regime, identify workable alternatives and align the debate with ongoing debates on the post-2015 development agenda and human rights." said Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the Former President of Brazil.

The proposals outlined in this monumental report are policies based on knowledge, compassion, health and human rights and can therefore be seen as a truly significant milestone in history. As the report argues, we need to move away from political rhetoric that pushes destructive agendas and stigmatizes drug users, and focus instead on an all inclusive harm reduction program which sees the change of ones own consciousness, whether with or without drugs, as a fundamental right.

**This article has been republished from HighExistence.com with direct permission from the author!**

About The Author - 

He is the co-founder of HighExistence, a travel junkie, a meditation practitioner and yoga lover, a student of philosophy, passionate about science and immensely fascinated about consciousness.

~A.



i heart intelligence Top 40 Useful Sites To Learn New Skills


Top 40 Useful Sites To Learn New Skills

learn-new-skills

The web is a powerful resource that can easily help you learn new skills.  You just have to know where to look.  Sure, you can use Google, Yahoo, or Bing to search for sites where you can learn new skills, but I figured I'd save you some time.

Here are the top 40 sites I have personally used over the last few years when I want to learn something new.

  1. Hack a Day – Hack a Day serves up fresh hacks (short tutorials) every day from around the web and one in-depth 'How-To hack' guide each week.
  2. eHow – eHow is an online community dedicated to providing visitors the ability to research, share, and discuss solutions and tips for completing day-to-day tasks and projects.
  3. Wired How-To Wiki – Collaborate with Wired editors and help them build their extensive library of projects, hacks, tricks and tips.  Browse through hundreds how-to articles and then add to them, or start a new one.
  4. MAKE Magazine – Brings the do-it-yourself (DIY) mindset to all of the technology in your life.  MAKE is loaded with cool DIY projects that help you make the most of the technology you already own.
  5. 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do – While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.  It's a great starting point to learn new skills.
  6. wikiHow – A user based collaboration to build and share the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual.
  7. Lifehacker – An award-winning daily blog that features tips, shortcuts, and downloads that help you get things done smarter and more efficiently.
  8. 100+ Google Tricks That Will Save You Time – Today, knowing how to use Google effectively is a vital skill.  This list links out to enough Google related resources to make you an elite Google hacker.
  9. Instructables – Similar to MAKE, Instructables is a web-based documentation platform where passionate people share what they do and how they do it, and learn from and collaborate with others as the tackle new projects and learn new skills.
  10. Merriam-Webster Online – In this digital age, your ability to communicate with written English is paramount skill.  And M-W.com is the perfect resource to improve your English now.
  11. Lumosity – Learn to improve your memory by playing a series of fun and educational brain training games.
  12. 100 Skills Every Man Should Know – Another compilation article with instructions to help you learn new skills.  This one says it's geared for men, but I think most of these skills are applicable to women as well.
  13. 5min Life Videopedia – Lot's of great tutorials and DIY videos.
  14. HowStuffWorks – Knowledge is power.  While this site isn't exactly geared to help you learn new skills, it contains so much useful information that you're bound to learn a skill or two while you browse.
  15. StumbleUpon – A collective set of recommendations from thousands of hours of searching by web users who share your interests.  It's basically a recommendation engine.  Users add to this engine by providing their personal recommendations on what sites are worth your time.  If you select topics and tags of interest like 'Self-Improvement' and 'DIY,' you'll be learning new skills in no time.
  16. Work.com – An extensive directory of how-to guides for beginning entrepreneurs.
  17. Howcast – Hosts professional how-to videos as well as how-to wiki tutorials.  Howcast combines user ideas with the expertise of professional studio video to deliver what is nothing short of amazing, informative content.
  18. VideoJug - The video content on this site covers a variety of topics including informative 'How To' and 'Ask The Expert' films that guide you step-by-step through everything and anything in life.
  19. MakeUseOf – A booming daily blog that features cool websites, computer tips, and downloads that make you more productive.  Lot's of insightful tips and tricks to learn.
  20. WonderHowTo – This site is focused on one clear organizing principle: aggregating and linking to truly great, free how-to videos from which you can learn new skills.
  21. SuTree – Another useful aggregator of how-to videos from all around the web.
  22. Zen Habits – The ultimate productivity and self-improvement blog.  Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives.  It's about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what's important, create something amazing, and find happiness.  Lot's of learning material here.
  23. Academic Earth – Online degrees and video courses from leading universities.
  24. About.com Videos – Another solid collection of how-to video tutorials.
  25. PCWorld How-To – Lot's of useful tutorials and guides related to fixing and modifying computers and other electronic gadgets.
  26. Spreeder – This site is focused on teaching you one new skill:  speed reading.  And it does a great job of doing so.
  27. Woopid – Watch free technology training videos.  Get help and answer your computer and gadget questions with thousands of video tutorials for PCs, Macs, and various software applications.
  28. DIY Network – A go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement projects.  The site offers expert answers the most sought-after questions regarding creative projects for DIY enthusiasts.
  29. Scitable – A free science library and personal learning tool that currently concentrates on genetics, the study of evolution, variation, and the rich complexity of living organisms.  The site also expects to expand into other topics of learning and education.
  30. All Recipes – A complete guide to recipes and cooking tips.  If you'd like to learn to be a better cook, this site is for you.
  31. 43 Folders – This site is more about inspiring you to follow-through with your goals than it is about learning new skills.  But I think following-through with your goals is a skill.  Most people never quite get there.
  32. Dumb Little Man – Another awesome productivity and self-improvement blog hosting lots of useful information.
  33. iTunes U – Hundreds of universities — including Stanford, Yale and MIT — distribute lectures, slide shows, PDFs, films, exhibit tours and audio books through iTunes U.  The Science section alone contains content on topics including agriculture, astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics, ecology and geography.
  34. American Sign Language Browser – Teach yourself sign language online.
  35. BBC Languages – Teach yourself a new spoken language online.
  36. Delicious Popular DIY – Lots of popular DIY articles bookmarked by users from all over the web.
  37. Khan Academy – Over 1200 videos lessons covering everything from basic arithmetic and algebra to differential equations, physics, chemistry, biology and finance.  Lot's of educational material to help you learn new skills.
  38. The Happiness Project – Learn the skills necessary to create happiness in your life.
  39. How To Do Things – Another solid collection of how-to tutorials.
  40. ShowMeDo – A peer-produced video-tutorials and screencasts site for free and open-source software.  The large majority are free to watch and download.

Also, check out these books for more ideas on pertinent life skills:

Photo by: vramak

Source MarcAndAngel

Comments


~A.



Sunday, September 07, 2014

 "The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones."

― Brandon Sanderson