Saturday, December 15, 2012

Newtown Tragedy... horror... senseless loss... unspeakable pain, and then the tear driven question of broken hearts, WHY??


Tragedy... horror... senseless loss... unspeakable pain, and then the tear driven question of broken hearts, WHY??

A balance between the "right to bear arms" and protection from those who misuse this right to bring harm to innocent children, must be attained. A knife, a gun, by itself is not the "killer," it is the person that uses a weapon that brings forth the tragic loss of life. We must look at CAUSE - what moves one to kill, as opposed to the EFFECT alone. Every BEING is born innocent of crime... what has life taught a child, a teen, an adult, that leads to killing the innocent? Prevention, support of a troubled child, a distraught teenager, a frantic adult, must be provided. Medication is NOT the solution... it has been shown to bring about other aberrant behaviors without necessarily correcting the initial difficulties. SEEK CAUSE... for only then will resolve be attained.

As an educational therapist I have worked with many troubled children. When understood for their pain, when supported in their needs, when respected for their differences, CHANGE takes place. Positive transformations take hold. No longer is the child driven by frustration, confusion, and anger. No longer does the child have to lash out to feel a sense of power, no longer does the child feel hopeless in light of judgments and demands it may not be able to satisfy easily. Through supports that identify nutritional needs, guidance that is humanistic, activities that are creative and empowering, the child renews his/her sense of Self, all this WITHOUT medication, without harsh punishment. Look into the eyes of a young child... seen be the dreams, the love, yet present. When does it change? Why does it change? YES, WE ARE TO SEEK CAUSE..WE ARE TO BE PROACTIVE... and WISE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND NEED... before it fuels destruction, tragedy and senseless killings.

Rose Marie Raccioppi

For a charting of "School Shootings," "Drug Use," "Year," "Location," go to: http://www.ssristories.com/index.php?sort=drug&p=school


SSRI Stories Antidepressant Nightmares - http://www.ssristories.com/index.html#FromIndex

THE LIST (It's over a thousand...INCIDENTS, some of which involve MULTIPLE victims) - http://www.ssristories.com/index.php


The TRUE SOURCE of RANDOM & MASS SHOOTINGS and VIOLENCE - YouTube ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UhO0Pul_FcE

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Organic: Food Justice for the 99% ~ A Response to Dr. Oz

Organic: Food Justice for the 99%
November 30th, 2012
Dr. Oz in Time Magazine Slandering Families Who Choose Safe, Organic Food for Their Children — Off-Base/Ill Advised
As Americans become increasingly aware of the story behind conventional foods—the ecologically destructive monoculture fields, the petrochemical fertilizers, the toxic pesticides and dangerous fumigants—the agrochemical industry has launched an all-out media offensive against the booming organic industry.

The agrochemical industry’s communications specialists have apparently found willing partners in major nationwide media outlets like The New York Times and Time magazine, which have recently published articles discouraging people from buying organic foods.  The message is nearly always the same, as industry-friendly researchers and reporters downplay the role and harm caused by agricultural chemicals and focus instead on the differences between a handful of common nutrients.  Despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, the conclusion is always that organic foods are not worth the extra price because the nutritional differences are minimal.
First, we must set the record straight.  Scientific studies show that milk from pastured cows contains higher levels of beneficial fats.  Beef from grass-fed cattle and eggs from pastured hens are lower in cholesterol and saturated fat and higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamins A and E.  Organic strawberries and tomatoes contain more healthy antioxidants.  These are all undisputed facts laid out in a myriad of published, peer-reviewed scientific papers.
Consumers increasingly turn to organic and grass-based foods, based on this scientific evidence that has been reported in magazines, including Time, in recent years.  Now, the latest issue of Time mindlessly repeats the agribusiness mantra: “Nutritionally, an egg is an egg.”  Milk is milk. And canned peas, with toxic pesticide residues, heated to extreme temperatures during processing, and then placed in a container lined with a suspected endocrine disruptor, are just as healthy as those for sale at a farmer’s market, picked fresh from a local field just hours ago.
The purpose of these media reports and stories seems to be to pull Americans away from thoughtful discourse about our food and back to blissful ignorance.  Concern over pesticides, animal welfare, fostering local economies, and pollution turn people toward organic and local foods—and that’s bad for business for the chemical and industrial farming industries.  No wonder they want us all to look at an egg, whether produced on a factory farm or laid by a free-range, pastured hen, and see nothing more.
The paternalistic message—to shut up and eat our food—is no longer working.  Americans are no longer ignoring the mounting scientific evidence that pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, antibiotics and other drug residues are harming us, even at extremely low levels, and especially our children.
This scientific evidence about pesticides’ harmful effects, most recently reviewed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and covered in the latest issue of Pediatrics, will continue to be a major driving force behind the booming success and growth of the organic food movement.
The agrochemical industry will not win the hearts and minds (and stomachs) of Americans, especially when the health of our children is on the line.  So they have turned their latest attempt to bring Americans back to blind trust in conventional foods by focusing on our collective class resentments.  A more sinister message has taken hold, likening a diet of conventional foods to “The 99% Diet” and a chemical-free organic diet as “elitist.”
In Time magazine, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who once told millions of viewers, “I want you to eat organic foods” and “your kids deserve better than to be part of a national chemistry experiment,” has seemingly changed his tune and turned the decision to buy organic foods into a political and class issue.
Not only did Dr. Oz write that conventional foods are nutritionally equal to organic foods (he never mentions pesticide contamination), he calls organic foods “elitist.”  Suddenly, a middle-class mother who decides to pay extra for a safe haven from pesticide contamination is called “snooty” and a “food snob” by the very same celebrity physician who once urged her to protect her children from agricultural chemicals by choosing organic.
Of course, the scientific evidence has not changed since Dr. Oz told us to buy organic.  The study, for example, that showed statistically significant higher rates of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children with higher levels of dietary pesticide exposure has not disappeared, and is considered as scientifically sound and convincing today as it was when it was first published in 2010 and reported in media outlets including Time..
The conventional food advocates are now attempting to dissuade Americans from buying organic foods by turning the issue into one of class and privilege.  The tactic is to paint food as a reflection of one’s position in society, like owning a Mercedes or fancy yacht, rather than a question of health and safety—organic food is painted not as a safe haven from pesticides, but as an elitist food for the “1%.”  Would any of us 99%’ers want to be considered a “snob?”
Middle-class Americans who prioritize personal finances and choose to protect their children from harmful pesticide residues should be proud of this decision, and should not be bullied or shamed by Oz.  Our children, as Dr. Oz once noted, should not serve as the human equivalents of lab rats.  Rather than malign organic foods as elitist, we must recognize the very real and indisputable health benefits of organics and work to make pure, wholesome, uncontaminated foods more accessible and affordable for all.
Charlotte Vallaeys, M.S., M.T.S.
Director, Farm and Food Policy
The Cornucopia Institute

The Time cover story on “What to Eat Now” by Dr. Mehmet Oz is available:
The full story is available to Time subscribers only. Excerpts from the article, with Cornucopia’s responses:
Dr. Oz: “Nutritionally speaking, there is little difference between the farmer’s-market bounty and the humble brick from the freezer case.”
Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz compares conventional and organic foods throughout the article by focusing exclusively on the differences between a handful of nutrients. This is exactly what the agrochemical and conventional farming industries, and their front group, the Alliance for Food and Farming, would like the American public to focus on. Just two months ago, Dr. Oz told the viewers of his syndicated television show to buy organic vegetables to avoid pesticide residues. Now, in his copywritten Time story, the word “pesticide” or “agricultural chemical” is never mentioned.

Dr. Oz: “Dispelling these myths—that boutique foods are good, supermarket foods are suspect and you have to spend a lot to eat well—is critical to improving our nation’s health. Organic food is great, it’s just not very democratic.”
Cornucopia response: What can be more democratic than consumers voting with their food dollars to support organic farmers who protect our environment and our health by eschewing harmful and polluting agrochemicals?
Even if there were no direct benefit to our families (plenty of published scientific research indicates there is), when we choose organic food we are protecting farmers and farmworkers from exposure to toxic chemicals. Many farmers, farmworkers and their children have elevated levels of certain cancers and chronic diseases.
Dr. Oz: “After several years of research and experience, I have come to an encouraging conclusion: the American food supply is abundant, nutritionally sound, affordable and, with a few simple considerations, comparable to the most elite organic diets. Save the cash; the 99% diet can be good for you.”
Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz’s research apparently missed the countless studies showing that organic foods are nutritionally superior, lower in pesticide residues, lower in antibiotic-resistant pathogen contamination, etc. In addition to being published in peer-reviewed journals, testing by independent sources such as Consumer Reports (Consumer Union) and government agencies such as the USDA corroborate these findings.
Dr. Oz: “I consider it a public-health service to the consumer who has to feed a family of five or the person who wants to make all the right choices and instead is alienated and dejected because the marketing of healthy foods too often blurs into elitism, with all the expense and culinary affectation that implies.”
Cornucopia response: The added expense of buying organic foods is an investment in health. In the interest of public health, Dr. Oz should have mentioned the pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, synthetic preservatives, artificial dyes and sweeteners, and other harmful inputs used in conventional farming and food production. Comparing nutrients is just one aspect of a cost-benefit analysis. Dr. Oz owes his loyal fans, who respect his judgment, a more thoughtful and nuanced analysis.
Dr. Oz: “There’s no question that free-range chickens and grass-fed, pasture-dwelling cows lead happier–if not appreciably longer–lives than animals raised on factory farms. They are also kept free of hormones and antibiotics and are less likely to carry communicable bacteria like E. coli, which are common on crowded feedlots. If these things are important to you and you have the money to spend, then by all means opt for pricier organic meats.”
Cornucopia response: Yes, Dr. Oz, avoiding hormones and antibiotics is important to us, and it should be to you, too.
However, just because a package says “free range” or “grass-fed” does not mean it is certified organic, and therefore is not certified to be produced without some of the most dangerous and objectionable drugs. Concerned consumers should go out of their way to seek out the organic seal.
Dr. Oz: “But for the most part, it’s O.K. to skip the meat boutiques and the high-end butchers. Nutritionally, there is not much difference between, say, grass-fed beef and the feedlot variety.”
Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz’s statement is not backed by scientific data, which consistently shows lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fat and higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fats and vitamins in grass-fed beef compared with feedlot beef.
Dr. Oz: “Let’s also take a moment to celebrate the tuna-salad sandwich, which is to lunch what the ’57 Chevy is to cars–basic and brilliant.”
Cornucopia response: It is unconscionable that Dr. Oz touts the nutritional benefits of canned tuna, without mentioning the FDA and EPA warnings concerning methylmercury contamination. The FDA and EPA recommend that women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children limit their consumption of canned light tuna to no more than 12 ounces per week, and their consumption of canned albacore tuna to no more than 6 ounces per week.
Dr. Oz: “Preserves and jams without added sugar can be great sources of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.”
Cornucopia response: Preserves and jams without added sugar often contain added artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, which has been linked in studies to cancer and neurological damage. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are banned in organic products.
Dr. Oz: “We know more about the connection between food and health than ever before—down to the molecular level, actually. This has provided us the curious luxury of being fussy, even snooty, about what we eat, considering some foods, well, below our station. That’s silly. Food isn’t about cachet. It’s about nourishment, pleasure and the profound well-being that comes from the way meals draw us together.”
Cornucopia response: Dr. Oz spends the entire article attempting to convince the American public that there are few, if any, differences between conventional and organic foods. Yet in his closing paragraphs he tacitly acknowledges that we “know more about … food and health than ever before – down to the molecular level.” This contradicts his earlier statements that there are no differences.
Most people who buy organic foods do so not because they are “snooty,” as Dr. Oz suggests, but because they seek to protect themselves and their families from the widely recognized harmful effects of pesticides and other agrichemicals.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Dr. OZ ~ A letter from Gary Null...



Gary Null: Letter To Dr. OZ

 
Dear Dr. Oz,

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Gary Null
 Gary Null: Letter To Dr. OZ - Home - Gary Null - Your Guide To Natural Living

Resources Provided:

lStudies Showing the Health Benefits of Organic Versus Conventional with Summary:
Three-year Italian study shows organic peaches and pears have more polyphenols and vitamin C than conventional alternatives
J. Agric. Food Chem., 2002, 50 (19), pp 5458–5462
DOI: 10.1021/jf0202584

Organic crops have higher phenolic content compared to non-organic crops
Brandt K and Molgaard JP (2001), 'Organic Agriculture: Does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of food plants', Journal of Science in Food and Agriculture, 81, p. 924 - 931

UK’s Soil Association finds that organic produce generally contains higher amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients than conventional produce

Soil Association (2001) Organic Farming, food quality and human health: a review of the evidence.

Independent analysis determines organic foods contain significantly greater amounts of vitamin C, magnesium, iron and phosphorus compared to conventional foods

Worthington V (2001) Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains. The Journal of Complimentary Medicine, vol. 7, No. 2, p. 161 - 173.

Organic oranges offer more vitamin C than conventional oranges

American Chemical Society (2002, June 3). Research At Great Lakes Meeting Shows More Vitamin C In Organic Oranges Than Conventional Oranges. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 7, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2002/06/020603071017.htm

Organic soups found to have an average of 600% more  of the anti-inflammatory compound salicylic acid than non-organic soups


Baxter, GJ, Et Al. "Salicylic Acid in Soups Prepared from Organically and Non-organically Grown Vegetables." European Journal of Nutrition 40.6 (2001): 289-92.Pubmed.gov. Web. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11876493>.


Research demonstrates organic tomatoes have higher antioxidant content than those that were sprayed with pesticides

Anna Vallverdú-Queralt, Olga Jáuregui, Alexander Medina-Remón, Rosa Maria Lamuela-Raventós. Evaluation of a Method To Characterize the Phenolic Profile of Organic and Conventional Tomatoes. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012; 60 (13): 3373 DOI: 10.1021/jf204702f

Study of organic and non-organic strawberry crops finds that organic strawberries have greater concentrations of antioxidants and vitamins and also survived longer without rotting.

Reganold JP, Andrews PK, Reeve JR, Carpenter-Boggs L, Schadt CW, et al. (2010) Fruit and Soil Quality of Organic and Conventional Strawberry Agroecosystems. PLoS ONE 5(9): e12346. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012346


Blueberries produced by organic farming practices displayed significantly higher levels of antioxidants when compared to conventionally-grown varieties

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Vol. 56, pages 5,788-5794 (2008), published online on July 1, 2008.

Four-year Study from Europe discovers organically-grown vegetables, fruits, and milk show greater antioxidant activity and healthy fatty acid content.

"Organic Food Is More Nutritious Say EU Researchers." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 29 Oct. 2007. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86972.php>.


Organic lemonade contains 10 times as much of the antioxidant eriocitrin than lemonade made with conventional fruit.


Biopharmaceutics & Drug Disposition, Vol. 29, pp. 63-82, September 2007.


52% more vitamin C in organic corn than conventional corn and higher antioxidant content in organic marionberries compared to the conventional kind.

Danny K. Asami, Yun-Jeong Hong, Diane M. Barrett, and Alyson E. Mitchell
J. Agric. Food Chem., 2003, 51 (5), pp 1237–1241


Organic foods contain higher levels of certain nutrients, lower levels of pesticides, and may provide health benefits for the consumer

Crinnion, WJ. "Organic Foods Contain Higher Levels of Certain Nutrients, Lower Levels of Pesticides, and May Provide Health Benefits for the Consumer." Alternative Medicine Review 15.1 (2010): 4-12. Pubmed.gov. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20359265>.


Swedish Study shows that extracts from organically grown strawberries are more effective combating cancer growth than extracts from conventional strawberries.

Olsson, Marie E., C. Staffan Andersson, Stina Oredsson, Rakel H. Berglund, and Karl-Erik Gustavsson. "Antioxidant Levels and Inhibition of Cancer Cell Proliferation in Vitro by Extracts from Organically and Conventionally Cultivated Strawberries." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54.4 (2006): 1248-255. Pubmed.gov. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16478244?dopt=Abstract>.

Study shows ascorbic acid and phenolic activity higher in organic broccoli than non-organic broccoli

Zapata, PJ, Et Al. "Quality Parameters and Antioxidant Properties in Organic and Conventionally Grown Broccoli after Pre-storage Hot Water Treatment." J Sci Food Agric (2012): n. pag. Pubmed.gov. 30 Aug. 2012. Web. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22936597>.

Mineral content greater in organic produce compared to non-organic produce

Journal of Applied Nutrition  1993; 45:35-39.


Studies Showing the Health Risks of Pesticides with Summary:

The connection between pesticides and childhood cancers

Daniels JL, Olshan AF, Savitz DA 1997. Pesticides and childhood cancers. Environ Health Perspect 105:1068-1077. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.971051068

Adler T 2007. Keep the Sprays Away?: Home Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancers. Environ Health Perspect 115:A594-A594. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a594a

Sandler DP, Ross JA. Epidemiology of acute leukemia in children and adults. Seminars in Oncology 1997; 24:3-16.

"Environmental Health Perspectives"; Household pesticides and risk of pediatric brain tumors.; Pogoda, Preston-Martin 1997; 105:1214-20.

Prenatal exposure to the pesticide impairs neurodevelopment, cognition and motor skills in children

Barrett JR 2007. Pesticides: Toxic Legacy. Environ Health Perspect 115:A190-A190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a190b


Lower IQ in elementary school students whose mothers were exposed to higher amounts of pesticides during pregnancy

Rauh V, Arunajadai S, Horton M, Perera F, Hoepner L, Barr DB, et al. 2011. Seven-Year Neurodevelopmental Scores and Prenatal Exposure to Chlorpyrifos, a Common Agricultural Pesticide. Environ Health Perspect 119:1196-1201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1003160

Bouchard MF, Chevrier J, Harley KG, Kogut K, Vedar M, Calderon N, et al. 2011. Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides and IQ in 7-Year-Old Children. Environ Health Perspect 119:1189-1195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1003185

Engel SM, Wetmur J, Chen J, Zhu C, Barr DB, Canfield RL, et al. 2011. Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphates, Paraoxonase 1, and Cognitive Development in Childhood. Environ Health Perspect 119:1182-1188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1003183

Research links autism and pesticide exposure in utero

Shelton JF, Hertz-Picciotto I, Pessah IN, 2012 Tipping the Balance of Autism Risk: Potential Mechanisms Linking Pesticides and Autism.Environ Health Perspect 120(7): doi:10.1289/ehp.1104553

McGovern V 2007. Autism and Agricultural Pesticides: Integrating Data to Track Trends. Environ Health Perspect 115:A504-A504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a504a


Long-term exposure to low levels of pesticides result in cognitive impairments in adults

Baldi I, Filleul L, Mohammed-Brahim B, Fabrigoule C, Dartigues J-F, et al. 2001 Neuropsychologic Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Pesticides: Results from the French Phytoner Study. Environ Health Perspect 109(8): doi:10.1289/ehp.01109839


Examining the connection between Parkinson’s Disease and chemical pesticides

Twombly R 2004. Pesticides and Parkinson Disease. Environ Health Perspect 112:a548-a548. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.112-a548b

Brown TP, Rumsby PC, Capleton AC, Rushton L, Levy LS, 2005 Pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease—Is There a Link?. Environ Health Perspect 114(2): doi:10.1289/ehp.8095


Studies associating pesticide exposure with increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease

Parrón, T., et al. 2011. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. Epub ahead of print

Hayden KM, et al. 2010. Neurology, May 11;74(19):1524-30

Tyas SL, et al. Int J Epidemiol. 2001 Jun;30(3):598-9]


Adults exposed to pesticide oxychlordane twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes

Airaksinen, R., P. Rantakokko, J. G. Eriksson, P. Blomstedt, E. Kajantie, and H. Kiviranta. "Association Between Type 2 Diabetes and Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants." Diabetes Care 34.9 (2011): 1972-979. Print.

Pesticide applicators up to 200% more likely to suffer from diabetes

Montgomery MP, Kamel F, Saldana TM, Alavanja MCR, Sandler DP. Incident diabetes and pesticide exposure among licensed pesticide applicators: Agricultural Health Study 1993 – 2003, Amer J Epidemiol, 2008;167:1235-46.




Studies Showing the Dangers of Consuming Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs)


Review of 19 studies in which mammals were fed GM foods shows a consistent trend of kidney and liver damage.

Séralini GE, Mesnage R, Clair E, Gress S, de Vendômois JS, Cellier D. Genetically modified crops safety
assessments: Present limits and possible improvements. Environmental Sciences Europe. 2011; 23(10).

Rabbits on a diet of GM soy found to have abnormal enzyme function in the kidneys and heart.
Tudisco R, Lombardi P, Bovera F, et al. Genetically modified soya bean in rabbit feeding: Detection of DNA fragments and evaluation of metabolic effects by enzymatic analysis. Animal Science. 2006; 82: 193–199.

Consumption of GM tomatoes causes stomach lesions in rats
Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009; 49(2): 164–175

Mice fed a diet of GM peas found to be more susceptible to allergic reactions
Prescott VE, Campbell PM, Moore A, et al. Transgenic expression of bean alpha-amylase inhibitor in peas results in altered structure and immunogenicity. J Agric Food Chem. 16 Nov 2005; 53(23): 9023–9030.

A GM corn diet corresponds with digestive disorders in sheep and cellular alterations in the pancreas and liver in lambs.

Trabalza-Marinucci M, Brandi G, Rondini C, et al. A three-year longitudinal study on the effects of a diet containing genetically modified Bt176 maize on the health status and performance of sheep. Livestock Science. 2008; 113(2): 178–190.

Diet of GM soy increases aging of the liver in mice.
Malatesta M, et al. A long-term study on female mice fed on a genetically modified soybean: effects on liver ageing. Histochem Cell Biol. 2008; 130: 967–977.

GM corn causes a disruption to immune cells and biochemistry in mice
Finamore A, Roselli M, Britti S, et al. Intestinal and peripheral immune response to MON810 maize ingestion in weaning and old mice. J Agric Food Chem. Dec 10 2008; 56: 11533–11539

Rats that consumed GM potatoes display organ toxicity and changes related to the development of cancer.
Pusztai A, Bardocz S. GMO in animal nutrition: Potential benefits and risks. In: Mosenthin R, Zentek J, Zebrowska T, eds. Biology of Nutrition in Growing Animals. Vol 4: Elsevier Limited; 2006:513–540.

Ewen SW, Pusztai A. Effect of diets containing genetically modified potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small intestine. Lancet. Oct 16 1999; 354(9187): 1353-1354


Additional Reading:
Epstein SS. Potential public health hazards of biosynthetic milk hormones. International Journal of Health Services 20:73-84, 1990.

Davis SR, et al. Effects of injecting growth hormone of thyroxine on milk production and blood plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factors I and II in dairy cows. Journal of Endocrinology 114:17-24, 1987.

Furlanetto RW & DiCarlo JN. Somatotropin-C receptors and growth effects in human breast cells maintained in long-term tissue culture. Cancer Research 44:2122-2128, 1984.

Rosen N, et al. Insulin-like growth factors in human breast cancer. Breast Cancer research Treatment 18(Suppl):555-562, 1991.

Pappa V, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptors are over expressed and predict a low risk in human breast cancer. Cancer Research 53:3736-3740, 1993.

LeRoith D. Insulin-like growth factors and cancer. Annals of Internal Medicine 122(1):54-59, January 1995.

Bohlke K, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-1 in relation to premenopausal ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. Epidemiology 9(5):570-573, 1998.

Del Giudice ME, et al. Insulin and related factors in premenopausal breast cancer risk. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 47(2):111-120, 1998.

Hankinson SE, et al. Circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 and risk of breast cancer. The Lancet 351:1393-1396, 1998.

Agurs-Collins T, et al. Insulin-like growth factor-1 and breast cancer risk in post-menopausal American women. Proceedings of the American Association of Cancer Research 40:152, 1999.

Toniolo P, et al. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 and breast cancer. International Journal of Cancer 88(5):828-832, 2000.

Thorogood M, Mann J, Appleby P, McPherson K. Risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. Br Med J 1994; 308:1667-70.
Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R, Eilber U. Mortality patterns of German vegetarians after 11 years of follow-up. Epidemiology 1992;3:395-401.
Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R. Dietary and lifestyle determinants of mortality among German vegetarians. Int J Epidemiol 1993;22:228-36.
Barnard ND, Nicholson A, Howard JL. The medical costs attributable to meat consumption. Prev Med 1995;24:646-55.
Skog KI, Johansson MAE, Jagerstad MI. Carcinogenic heterocyclic amines in model systems and cooked foods: a review on formation, occurrence, and intake. Food and Chem Toxicol 1998;36:879-96.
Robbana-Barnat S, Rabache M, Rialland E, Fradin J. Heterocyclic amines: occurrence and prevention in cooked food. Environ Health Perspect 1996;104:280-8.
Thiebaud HP, Knize MG, Kuzmicky PA, Hsieh DP, Felton JS. Airborne mutagens produced by frying beef, pork, and a soy-based food. Food Chem Toxicol 1995;33(10):821-8.
Sinha R, Rothman N, Brown ED, et al. High concentrations of the carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-[4,5] pyridine [PhlP] occur in chicken but are dependent on the cooking method. Cancer Res 1995;55:4516-19.
Jagerstad M, Skog K, Grivas S, Olsson K. Formation of heterocyclic amines using model systems. Mutat Res. 1991 Mar-Apr;259(3-4):219-33.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

What Price Profit


What price profit at the cost of our health and well being... this is not to go unnoticed... we are NOT to have our children become a corporate profit experiment... the campaign for NO to GMO must be made, stronger... our outcry on behalf of the health of our children MUST BE HEARD!!!

Coalition Drops Opposition to Dow’s Genetically Engineered Crops - NYTimes.com

When reading this article it became clear that a tradeoff of well being is clearly being made for corporate control and profit. What absurdity of thinking are we willing to accept?  Have we not come to learn and appreciate that there is an intelligence beyond man's comprehension in plant and animal life. When will we look at the growing disease states that have come to run rampant as a result of impaired immune system function. Chemical manipulation, DNA manipulation, toxic pesticides, have not brought about wellbeing, nor have they supported the growth and development of our growing children. How many more studies need there be before what is obvious harm will gain acceptance?  Are we to allow corporate profit and control to take precedent over sound thinking and the health of the populace? You decide... your action, individually and collectively can and will make a difference... Let your voice be heard... your position be known!!! 


Organic Consumers Association: Millions Against Monsanto

Occupy not your style? How about organizing a Millions Against Monsanto rally or event? Contact us for flyers, posters and petitions and tell us about your event so we can help you mobilize. .... I never signed a contract. If I would go to St.
California is poised to be the first state with mandatory GMO labeling laws through the 2012 California Ballot Initiative process. Polls show support to get this initiative on the ballot & voted in. Over 80% of those polled supported mandatory labeling.

Support the California GMO Labeling Ballot Initiative

A win for the California Initiative would be a huge blow to biotech and a huge victory for food activists. Monsanto and their minions have billions invested in GMOs and they are willing to spend millions to defeat this initiative. California is the 8th largest economy in the world. Labeling laws in CA will affect packaging and ingredient decisions nation-wide.The bill has been carefully written to ensure that it will not increase costs to consumers or producers.

A moment of your time, an action on your part, and the well being of our children will be supported... our children are suffering from digestive disorders resulting from GMO ingested foods... Institute for Responsible Technology - 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs

Human studies show how genetically modified (GM) food can leave material behind ... and disorders such as autism, reproductive disorders, digestive problems, and ... we start protecting ourselves, and especially our children who are most at risk. ... GMO contamination has also caused economic losses for organic and ...
www.responsibletechnology.org
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/10-Reasons-to-Avoid-GMOs

BE informed... take action... our children deserve no less!!!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Keeping the Home Runs Safe and Green!!


Keeping the Home Runs Safe and Green!!


Global Sports Alliance (GSA) is a global network of sport enthusiasts that want to leave a healthy environment for our future generation!



Pesticide-Free Cooperstown

GSA New York is working to promote environmental stewardship at Doubleday Field, the iconic 'Birthplace of Baseball' in Cooperstown, New York. Having received a grant from the State of New York and Cornell University, GSA-NY Team Captain Kevin Trotta and Doubleday Field head groundskeeper Joe Harris have teamed up on a project to manage this historic ballfield without conventional, synthetic pesticides. 

Voted the Sports Turf Managers Association’s 2004 Baseball Field of the Year, this village-owned diamond hosts nearly 300 events per year. This extraordinary schedule presents a world class management challenge. Unlike a residential lawn, sports fields are subjected to the tremendous demands of withstanding intensive usage under a range of climatic conditions. 

This stress leaves the field vulnerable to amplified pressures from common problems like weeds and turfgrass diseases. The conventional strategy of addressing turfgrass pests with synthetic pesticides has come under increased scrutiny as the general public weighs the potential health and environmental risks associated with these chemicals. 

These concerns have prompted the progressive Village of Cooperstown and the Doubleday Advisory Committee to work with Kevin and move toward the complete elimination of synthetic pesticides by exploring and implementing alternative means of management.

Kevin and Joe hope to bring attention to the link between land care decisions and environmental responsibility. The Village of Cooperstown is located on the southern tip of Otsego Lake. This lake is the birthplace of the mighty Susquehanna River, which begins its 444 mile journey here to the Chesapeake Bay (715 km). 

GSA New York has strong ties to both the Chesapeake and Doubleday Field, having participated in sports field education at the ballfield and as a supporter of Cyclists for the Bay. This connection presents the opportunity to set an eco-friendly example and demonstrate strategies that link sports field management and environmental stewardship, promoting the ecoflag message - Think environment ! 

LINKS:
Cooperstown -http://www.visitingcooperstown.com/baseball.html
Chesapeake Bay Watershed - http://www.cbf.org/page.aspx?pid=433
Environmental Turf Craft - http://www.environmentalturfcraft.com/

Source: Global Sports Alliance NEWS: 08/28/2012