If you take painstaking care to avoid a diet of genetically modified foods, you’re among a growing number of people choosing organic, unprocessed, and even homegrown foods, instead of the 80 percent of processed foods in this country that contain GM ingredients. The long-term effects of genetic modification on our health are barely understood, but what we do know is not pretty: Infertility, birth defects, cancer, neurological disorders and major organ damage are just some of the more serious risks. But we’re not just at risk from the foods we eat. GMOs are in a number of everyday items you may be exposed to on a regular basis. How often do you come in contact with these items?

Personal care products: Watch out for soy protein and alcohol in personal care items, including lotions, face creams, soaps and shampoos. Instead of silky soft skin or thick, lustrous hair, you may end up with a head full of toxic GMO soy and corn.

Cotton: Chances are something you’re wearing now is cotton. Your bed sheets and towels probably are too, as are the swabs and cotton balls in your bathroom. And if they’re not organic, they are most likely genetically modified. Ninety-three percent of cotton planted in the U.S. in 2010 was genetically modified. Think what you wear doesn’t matter? We absorb more than 60 percent of what our skin comes in contact with.

Soy Ink: The choice for many natural/eco brands to dye clothing, use for books, product packaging, and even print magazines and newspapers, soy ink is most often made from GM soybeans. Ink is highly absorbable through the skin, so make sure to wash your hands after reading the Sunday paper.

Hand Sanitizer: There are lots of reasons to avoid using conventional hand sanitizers, but one you may not have thought of is the exposure to GM corn used in the alcohol. Eighty-six percent of U.S. grown corn in 2010 was genetically modified.

Gasoline: A new variety of corn was approved earlier this year for use in ethanol production for gasoline. Whether your skin comes in direct contact with it at the pump, or you’re just sucking in gulps of it at the gas station for a fill up or while in traffic, chances are, it’s genetically modified.

Keep in touch with Jill (the writer of this article) on Twitter @jillettinger

image: Unhindered by Talent

Fast-food chains continue to launch “healthy” menu items to appease growing concerns about obesity and diet-related illnesses plaguing our nation. Former McDonald’s global president is aiming to change that with the expansion of his fast-casual restaurant chain, Lyfe Kitchen.

Let’s not call it futility, but the remixing of highly processed fast-food menu item ingredients into seemingly healthier fare is a mostly transparent intersection where marketing genius and food science meet. And it drove Mike Roberts into creating the Palo Alto, California chain with an authentically healthy menu (Lyfe stands for “Love Your Food Everyday). “I had a great experience at McDonald’s. I respect the company. Now I want to bring farmers, growers, and restaurateurs together,” he said in a recent Bloomberg Businessweek interview.

Roberts shared plans for his new venture, which includes a Chipotle-esque focus on local and sustainable foods (and wine). The chain is planning on expanding to ten more locations next year, in addition to the forthcoming opening of a Lyfe Kitchen in Los Angeles’ Culver City. “We are bringing this food to as many people as we can. When people realize they can have food that tastes this good, is good for them, they will respect it. It will have an important impact on their lives.”

Similar to Chipotle, Roberts—and his A-list chef team (Oprah and Ellen’s personal chefs Art Smith and Tal Ronnen)—are debunking the myths that healthy food tastes bad and can’t be affordable (or fast). “When you think about healthy food, you think it won’t taste good, it won’t look good, I’ll be hungry in a few hours, it’ll be expensive,” Roberst said, adding, “We’ve tried to create an overall experience—the restaurant even has an herb wall—so people can enjoy something with friends and family.”

And if Chipotle’s success (they have more than 1,300 U.S. locations) is any indication of what lies ahead for Lyfe, this could be the start of a fast, yet casual, food (r)evolution.

[Credit goes to Jill over @ Organic Authority - Thanks for the great write up!!]
Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Image: LYFE

[Via Blisstree]

In the last 10 years, meat substitutes have come a long way. According to an NPR report, in the last year alone, over 100 new fake meat products have been introduced in the United States, including everything from “beef tips” to “orange chicken” and “pulled pork.” It’s multi-million dollar industry–but are meat substitutes really better for the planet, or for your health?

The wide-scale environmental and health impacts of industrially-produced meat products, like ground beef and hot dogs are serious. Deforestation, carbon monoxide, ammonia in the ground water, and, of course, the concerns about the humane treatment of animals are all pressing matters–but because meat substitutes have traditionally been weird-tasting, overly-chewy, or limited to cubes of flavorless, awful, GMO-laden tofus, few meat-eaters have even considered making the switch. Until recently, when fake meat manufacturers have upped their game, making more convincing, more tasty non-meat products. But they’re not exactly giving the environment (or your health) a leg up.

Quite honestly, more meaty-tasting meat substitutes means more processed, frozen, high-in-sodium, lab-made food products with large carbon footprints and health concerns of their own. Which means that simply swapping real meat for one of the hundreds of fake meats now available isn’t always the best choice. But when compared to, say, BPI’s now-famous “pink slime,” a combination of ammonia-washed meat “trimmings” essentially pulled off the factory floor, lean, protein-rich sprouted tofu, falafel, or wheat gluten starts to look a little more trust-worthy. Which could be part of the reason that the fake meat industry is beefing up–because commercially-produced meat products have become, to many, so unsavory. And with prominent writers like Mark Bittman coming out in favor of eating less meat, more and more non-vegetarians are regularly looking to replace animal proteins in their meals.

But for many meat-lovers, products like “lean beef trimmings” are still preferable to the fake stuff, if they fake stuff is a smelly Gardenburger circa 2002. Because, while the meat industry may be sketchy at times (see: attempts to use “downed” animals in sausages and hot dogs), seitan, tempeh, and tofu are just as unfamiliar and gross-seeming…unless they really, really look and taste like meat.

If converting omnivores, even just once a week, is the goal, then the fake meat industry is right on target. And for activist groups like FARM and PETA, that truly is the focus–not improved health or sustainability, but simply getting fewer people to eat animal products.

But even if more people are tempted to try a fake meat products, the environment isn’t going to be much better off. And if Americans continue to eat the way they do (tons of refined carbs, few fruits and veggies, not enough water, etc.), swapping fake burgers for real burgers isn’t going to do much for the obesity crisis, either.

Still, as a vegetarian,  I can’t say that the convenience and improved texture of fake meat isn’t winning me over. Having a grocery aisle full of easy-to-use, protein-rich substitutes makes my lazy heart go pitter-patter as much as the next time-pressed herbivore. But I try not to fool myself–the four varieties of “veggie crumbles” I have to choose from aren’t saving the world.

Image: Gardein

We all know which foods we do best to avoid (right?). Despite the alluring appeal of Oreos, Mountain Dew or McAnything, processed foods provide little nutrition and a whole lot of risks. But when it comes to the good stuff—what are the best foods to put into our bodies? While experts all agree we need a variety of foods for a healthy diet, do you know which are the healthiest of the bunch? The answers may surprise and delight you.

1. Spirulina: While the thought of eating lake algae might gross you out, spirulina is actually pretty tasty, especially blended into a smoothie or hidden in a chocolate bar. It has more antioxidants than any other food on earth and is loaded with protein and minerals making it the most nutrient dense food.

2. Kale: According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, kale is the most nutritious food, loaded with minerals, vitamins, fiber and amino acids, as well as important antioxidants that reduce inflammation and can prevent cancer. It’s also delicious and an easy to prepare, versatile food.

3. Hemp Seeds: What do you get when you combine protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals? Hemp, of course. This easily digestible seed is versatile, easy to use and extremely tasty, too.

4. Chocolate: Yes, you read right. Cacao beans are so nutrient-dense that scientists haven’t even begun to identify all the benefits in the little bean yet. Don’t grab a Snickers though—the good stuff is found only in raw cacao beans or nibs (or really, really dark chocolate). Minerals, vitamins and tons of antioxidants are great for your heart, skin, and release chemicals in the brain that make you feel like you’re in love.

5. Broccoli: Mom was right, you should eat your broccoli if you want a healthy digestive system and to decrease your risk of cancer. Broccoli has a wide range of yumminess too, from soups and stews to stir fry.

6. Spinach: Popeye was onto something with that spinach fixation. But skip the canned stuff and stick with fresh or frozen for an antioxidant, protein and fiber-rich burst of healthy goodness. Fresh or cooked, spinach’s sweet and hardy flavor brightens any meal.

7. Chia: The Aztec warriors may have died out, but their legacy is alive and strong in the chia seed. This yummy, unassuming ancient favorite is loaded with omega fats, protein and fiber. Dr. Weil says it’s a better choice than flax because “chia is so rich in antioxidants that the seeds don’t deteriorate and can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid.”

8. Berries: Unlike other fruit, berries tend to be less sugary and full of vital vitamins, minerals and those free-radical avenging antioxidants. Wild berries are always a great choice, especially black raspberries.

[via Organic Authority]

Sources:

http://www.superfoodsforlife.com/site/531699/page/103407

http://www.dwlz.com/HealthyLife/healthy50.html

http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article13.aspx

http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/andi-scale-aggregate-nutrient-density-index.html

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA365093/Chia-for-Health.html

Image: USACE Europe District

But if more people knew that chickens are complex creatures who feel pain and distress, they might think twice before eating another nugget.

Here are 10 surprising facts about chickens:

1.
Chickens can distinguish between more than 100 faces of their own species. Looks like elephants aren’t the only ones who have a great memory.

2.
Chickens know who’s boss—they form complex social structures known as “pecking orders,” and every chicken knows his or her place on the social ladder.

3.
Chickens have full-color vision—no color-blindness here!

4.
Who likes to sunbathe? Apparently everyone—humans, cats, dogs, and chickens too! You can’t blame them, and they don’t even need sunscreen.

5.
Chickens are real sleeping beauties—they experience rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which means they dream just like we do.

6.
Chickens have pain receptors that give them the ability to feel pain and distress. Put yourself in the shoes (or the feathers) of a battery hen—or 452 million of them, which is how many are used for their eggs each year.

7.
Hens defend their young from predators. Looks like calling someone a “chicken” is actually a compliment!

8.
Who needs pepper spray? Chickens have more than 30 types of vocalizations to distinguish between threats.

9.
Chickens are just like human mothers who talk to their babies in the womb—a mother hen begins to teach calls to her chicks before they even hatch.

10.
Last but not least, chickens are adorable—take a look for yourself!

Help us spread the word about how interesting chickens are by sharing with your family and friends on Facebook and Twitter.

[via Peta2 on Facebook]

Vegetarianism is the fastest growing trend in the developed world. Here are 21 reasons why you should think about turning green too.

1. Avoiding meat is one of the best and simplest ways to cut down your fat consumption. Modern farm animals are deliberately fattened up to increase profits. Eating fatty meat increases your chances of having a heart attack or developing cancer.
2. Every minute of every working day, thousands of animals are killed in slaughter-houses. Pain and misery are common. In the US alone, 500,000 animals are killed for meat every hour.
3. There are millions of cases of food poisoning recorded every year. The vast majority are caused by eating meat.
4. Store bought meat contains absolutely nothing – no proteins, vitamins or minerals – that the human body cannot obtain perfectly happily from a vegetarian diet.
5. African countries – where millions are starving to death – export grain to the developed world so that animals can be fattened for our dining tables.
6. ‘Meat’ can include the tail, head, feet, rectum and spinal cord of an animal.
7. A sausage can contain ground up intestines. How can anyone be sure that the intestines are empty when they are ground up? Do you really want to eat the content of a pig’s intestines?
8. If we eat the plants we grow instead of feeding them to animals, the world’s food shortage will disappear virtually overnight. Remember that 100 acres of land will produce enough beef for 20 people but enough wheat to feed 240 people.
9. Every day, tens of millions of one-day-old male chicks are killed because they will not be able to lay eggs. There are no rules about how this mass slaughter takes place. Some are crushed or suffocated to death. Many are used for fertilizer or fed to other animals.
10. Animals who die for your dinner table die alone, in terror, in sadness and in pain. The killing is merciless and inhumane.
11. It’s must easier to become (and stay) slim if you are a vegetarian. (By ‘slim’, I do not mean ‘abnormally slender’ or ‘underweight’ but rather, an absence of excess weight!)
12. Half the rain forests in the world have been destroyed to clear ground to graze cattle to make beefburgers. The burning of the forests contributes 20% of all green-house gases. Roughtly 1,000 species a year become extinct because of the destruction of the rain forests. Approximately 60 million people a year die of starvation. All those lives could be saved because those people could eat grain used to fatten cattle and other farm animals – if Americans ate 10% less meat.
13. The world’s fresh water shortage is being made worse by animal farming. And meat producers are the biggest polluters of water. It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat. If the US meat industry wasn’t supported by the taxpayer paying a large proportion of its water costs, then hamburger meat would cost $35 a pound.
14. If you eat meat, you are consuming hormones that were fed to the animals. No one knows what effect those hormones will have on your health. In some parts of the world, as many as one on four hamburgers contain growth hormones that were originally given to cattle.
15. The following diseases are commoner among meat eaters: anemia, appendicitis, arthritis, breast cancer, cancer of the colon, cancer of the prostrate, constipation, diabetes, gallstones, gout, high blood pressure, indigestion, obesity, piles, strokes and varicose veins. Lifelong vegetarians visit hospital 22% less often than meat eaters and for shorter stays. Vegetarians have a 20% lower blood cholesterol level than meat eaters and this reduces heart attack and cancer risks considerably.
16. Some farmers use tranquilizer to keep animals calm. Other routinely use antibiotics to starve off infection.
17. When you eat meat you are eating those drugs. In America, 55% of all antibiotics are fed to animals and the percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin went up from 14% in 1960 to 91% in 1988.
18. In a lifetime, the average meat eater will consumer 36 pigs, 36 sheep and 750 chickens and turkeys. Do you want that much carnage on your conscience?
19. Animals suffer from pain and fear just as much as you do. How would you like to spend your last hours locked in a truck, packed into a cage with hundreds of other terrified animal and then cruelly pushed into a blood soaked death chamber. Anyone who eats meat condones and supports the way animals are treated.
20. Animals which are a year old are often far more rational – and capable of logical thought – than six week old babies. Pigs and sheep are far more intelligent than small children. Eating dead animals is barbaric.
21. Vegetarians are fitter than meat eaters. Many of the world’s most successful athletes are vegetarian.

The US government, despite the pledge of Barack Obama and the protracted economic woes decimating our national fabric, continues to sink hundreds of billions into the development of highly secretive weapons programs—as if the world lacked sufficient means to kill.  One recently disclosed program is laser weaponry.  Another, all the more guarded and insidious, is HAARP, an array of microwave antennas located in Alaska that produces an impressive one billion watts, for the purpose of fomenting unusually violent and destructive weather patterns.  (It bears noting that Russia also owns several such machines).

HAARP functions by warming the ionosphere, which permits it to control the jet streams that cause weather.  Contrary to naturally induced weather patterns, HAARP initiates quick and violent weather changes: tornadoes, hurricanes, and winds that change direction rapidly, creating destructive mayhem.  HAARP also focuses violent weather upon particular — or unexpected — regions over elongated periods of time that is not characteristic of naturally formed weather patterns, which remain in one particular area for only a brief period of time.

A record number of Americans died this year from tornadoes, which struck unusual areas, including Massachusetts.  Storm patterns; e.g., record snowfalls and cold throughout America, especially in the North, impacted certain regions with a frequency defying natural probabilities, as noted by meteorologists.  Heavy rains also pounded the Mississippi River region for an unusually extended period of time, producing record floods.

By focusing a series of low 5 Hz, harmonic frequencies on a specific area, HAARP can also produce earthquakes at will.  However, this process leaves behind telltale signs: 1) it emits various colors resembling an Aurora Borealis in the sky, a byproduct of when the microwaves ionize the air, and 2) wavy lines in the clouds, as produced by the same frequency patterns.  HAARP was responsible for the recent earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, China, as well as the massive 9.0 in Japan.  This may be confirmed in part by the widespread accounts — and pictures — of the telltale aurora borealis immediately prior to each quake.

Read more

Scientists at the University of Texas, San Antonio studied data from 474 elderly Mexican and European Americans. The two-decade study concluded that the waistlines of diet soda drinkers expanded dramatically.

Moreover, researchers have also found that our previously held ideas that diet sodas are healthy alternatives are wrong.

(Continue Reading @ Frugivore….)

Science Daily reports:

Measures of height, weight, waist circumference and diet soda intake were recorded at SALSA enrollment and at three follow-up exams that took place over the next decade. The average follow-up time was 9.5 years. The researchers compared long-term change in waist circumference for diet soda users versus non-users in all follow-up periods. The results were adjusted for waist circumference, diabetes status, leisure-time physical activity level, neighborhood of residence, age and smoking status at the beginning of each interval, as well as sex, ethnicity and years of education.

Diet soft drink users, as a group, experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with non-users. Frequent users, who said they consumed two or more diet sodas a day, experienced waist circumference increases that were 500 percent greater than those of non-users.

You can’t avoid it, you can kind of minimize it for the most part (minimial doctor or dentist visits) – and you shouldn’t be too worried for the most part (kind of). Well, unless you really put yourself at risk by doing some high Radiation activities as seen below:

Click the image above to see the full sized version and possibly check out InformationIsBeautiful’s page to check for an updated version in the future.

Check out this Radiation “Dosage” Chart in full by clicking the image above.

The FDA will host a public meeting to discuss the link between artificial coloring and hyperactivity.

By Anna Peraino @ VegNews

The dye that makes ketchup red could be a cause of hyperactivity in children. While the possible link between artificial coloring and hyperactivity has been discussed for the past 40 years, recent research that found increased levels of hyperactivity in children who consumed artificial coloring has prompted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to step in.

Today and Thursday, the FDA will host public meetings on the subject, hearing from both experts and interested parties, and will use the talks to decide on a course of action. The FDA currently approves of seven dyes for use in the US.

I have personally home-self diagnosed myself with these conditions of over activity and point all fingers to dyes I ate when I was a child (now a big no-no!) But having refused any “scientifically” proven meds and went on to Raw Veggies and Vegan/Vegetarian lifestyles to improve my life.

I feel it is nearly my job to erradicate these food colorings, and anything else that would put a damper on any human being just because the countries we live in “allow” the dyes. This must be stopped, people who don’t know better are consuming this is dangerous amounts. They don’t know, we know better – but, they insist on putting it in our foods. Let’s hope this is a positive change!!!