Show of the Month December 7 2013
Show of the Month December 14 2013
Show of the Month December 21 2013
Show of the Month December 28 2013
Bill 113 –signed By Mayor of Hawaii-GMO Free Zone
Specific plasma lipid classes and phospholipid fatty acids indicative of dairy food
consumption associate with insulin sensitivity
Natural Gene Therapy for Precision and Safety
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Bill 113 –signed By Mayor of Hawaii-GMO Free Zone
William P. Kenoi -Mayor
Walter K.M. Lau -Managing Director
Randall M. Kurohara -Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawaii--Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740
(808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440
December 5, 2013
J Yoshimoto, Chair
And Members ofthe Hawai 'i County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawai'i 96720
Aloha, Chair Yoshimoto and Members:
On Nov. 19, 2013 the Hawai'i County Council adopted Bill 113 Draft 3 adding anew article relating to Genetically Engineered Crops and Plants, and on Nov. 21, 2013 delivered the bill to me for my consideration. After careful deliberation and discussions with members ofmy administration and the public, I am signing Bill I I 3. Our community has a deep connection and respect for our land, and we all understand we must protect our island and preserve our precious natural resources. We are determined to do what is right for the land because this place is unlike any other in the world. With this new ordinance we are conveying that instead of global agribusiness corporations, we want to encourage and support community-based fanning and ranching.
The debate over this bill has at times been divisive and hurtful, and some of our hard-working farmers who produce food for our community have been treated disrespectfully. We are determined to protect every farmer and rancher. Agriculture on Hawai'i Island will continue to grow with county assistance, investment and support. That commitment includes initiatives such as the public-private partnership to improve and expand the Pa'auilo Slaughterhouse to support our grass-fed beef industry, and the launch of the Kapulena Agricultural Park, the largest agricultural park in the state on 1,739 acres of county-owned land. It also includes support for innovative training programs to grow the fanners of the future, and to train veterans to engage in agriculture on Hawaiian Home Lands, and the introduction and advancement ofKorea11 Natural Farming as a sustainable method ofproducing healthier crops and livestock. It includes completion ofthe first-in-the-state Food Self-Sufficiency Baseline Study ofHawai'i Island to
measure the island's progress toward food self-sufficiency. County ofHawai' i is an Equal Oppotnmity Provider and Employer. J Yoshimoto, Chair, And Members of the Hawaii County Council
We are determined to reunite our farming community to create a stronger and more vibrant agricultural sector. It is time to end the angry rhetoric and reach out to our neighbors. Our farmers are essential to creating a wholesome and sustainable food supply on this island, and they deserve to be treated with respect and aloha. We must tum now to a meaningful, factual dialogue with one another. With my approval ofthis bill, our administration will launch a year ofresearch and data collection to investigate factual claims and to seek out new directions that farming in our community should take. This work will include an expanded database detailing the locations of both organic and conventional farms, the crops that are grown, more accurate estimates of the revenue earned from these enterprises, and the challenges our farmers face in meeting food
safety and organic certification requirements. We will work with our farmers and our ranchers to carefully monitor the impacts of this bill over the next year to separate speculation and guesswork from the facts.
Today our communities expect that government will be as cautious as possible in protecting our food and water supplies. We all want to minimize impacts to the environment while also producing abundant, affordable food for local consumption. This ordinance expresses the desires and demands ofour community for a safe, sustainable agricultural sector that can help feed our people while keeping our precious island productive and healthy.
Aloha,
William P. Kenoi ---MAYOR
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Specific plasma lipid classes and phospholipid fatty acids indicative of dairy food consumption associate with insulin sensitivity
+ Author Affiliations----1From the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia (PJN, NS, NAM, GW, CKB, MTG, and PJM), and Metabolomics Australia, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (DPDS and DLT).
· ↵3 Address correspondence to PJ Nestel, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, PO Box 6492, St Kilda Road Central, Melbourne 8008, Australia. E-mail: paul.nestel@bakeridi.edu.au.
Abstract
Background: Reports have suggested that the consumption of dairy foods may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes on the basis of evidence of raised circulating ruminant fatty acids.
Objective: We determined whether certain phospholipid species and fatty acids that are associated with full-fat dairy consumption may also be linked to diminished insulin resistance.
Design: Four variables of insulin resistance and sensitivity were defined from oral-glucose-tolerance tests in 86 overweight and obese subjects with metabolic syndrome. Plasma phospholipids, sphingolipids, and fatty acids were determined by using a lipidomic analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to provide objective markers of dairy consumption. Food records provided information on dairy products. Associations were determined by using linear regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders age, sex, systolic blood pressure, waist:hip ratio, or body mass index (BMI) and corrected for multiple comparisons.
Results: Lysophosphatidylcholine, lyso-platelet-activating factor, and several phospholipid fatty acids correlated directly with the number of servings of full-fat dairy foods. Lysophosphatidylcholine and lyso-platelet-activating factor were also associated directly with insulin sensitivity when accounting for the waist:hip ratio (Matsuda index unadjusted, P < 0.001 for both; adjusted for multiple comparisons, P < 0.02 for both) and inversely with insulin resistance (fasting insulin unadjusted, P < 0.001 for both; adjusted, P = 0.04 and P < 0.05, respectively; homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance adjusted, P = 0.04 for both; post–glucose insulin area under the plasma insulin curve during the 120 min of the test adjusted, P < 0.01 for both). The substitution of BMI for the waist:hip ratio attenuated associations modestly. Phospholipid fatty acid 17:0 also tended to be associated directly with insulin sensitivity and inversely with resistance.
Conclusion: Variables of insulin resistance were lower at higher concentrations of specific plasma phospholipids that were also indicators of full-fat dairy consumption. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00163943.
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Trans Fat “Ban” Not What It Appears
It may actually be a way to promote a Monsanto GMO product. Action Alert!--You may have already heard the news: the FDA has banned trans fats! Well, sort of.--Under the FDA’s proposed rule, trans fat itself is not banned. Instead, the ban is on the major source of trans fats in processed food—partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs). PHOs are artificial trans fats, created via the process of adding hydrogen to vegetable oils in order to make them semi-solid. Naturally occurring trans fat is found in some meat and dairy including beef, lamb and, in small amounts, butter. Many margarines, on the other hand, are made with PHOs and therefore contain high levels of artificial trans fats. Increasingly, margarines are switching to palm oils (which are semi-solid at room temperature and solid if refrigerated) to eliminate PHOs.--It’s important to note that since this is a proposed rule, and not a final one, there’s still a chance it could be changed or dropped. In the rule, the FDA mentions that the agency is open to alternate approaches to addressing PHOs in food, such as the setting of acceptable trans fat threshold levels.---The timing and intent of the FDA’s rule is suspect for two reasons. First, it was announced only after most companies had already eliminated trans fat—it’s currently only in a handful of foods. Second, the ban will promote market demand for two new GMO soybeans by Monsanto and DuPont, which are engineered for trans fat free oils.---Essentially, the FDA released the PHO ban at a politically perfect point: when it would no longer anger Big Food, but would be of tremendous benefit to Big Biotech’s and Big Food’s newly deregulated products.
Here’s the timeline:
- January 2006: The FDA mandates labeling for foods containing trans fat. There is, however, a loophole that allows foods containing fewer than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving to claim “zero trans fat.”
- 2007 to 2011: By 2011, trans fat is reduced or eliminated in 66% of the most common processed supermarket products. Essentially, the “war” on trans fat in processed food is over.
· January 2011: The FDA signs off on a “safety assessment” on Monsanto’s Vistive Gold soybean (aka MON 87705)—based, of course, on studies submitted by Monsanto.
- December 2011: The USDA deregulates the Vistive Gold soybean, meaning it can be planted anywhere without restrictions.
- November 2013: The FDA issues its proposed ban on trans fat.
Monsanto and DuPont’s soybeans and the oils derived from them (DuPont makes a competing product called Plenish High Oleic Soybean Oil) are meant to appeal to consumers by giving them a “healthy” veneer since they are trans fat free. This is only the beginning: increasingly biotech companies are marketing products that are positioned to benefit consumers’ health but actually contain GMOs. (Read more about it in our article on the subject).--This move ignores the fact that since many processed foods and most whole foods are already free of trans fats, the new GMO soybeans are a superfluous “innovation.” The biotech giants also fail to tell the public that conventional soybean oil, due both to its overuse in American foods and the way it is created, can be incredibly unhealthy.--For the past five or six decades, soybean oil—which is composed of 35% to 55% omega 6 fats—has been the leading fat in processed food: the average American consumes 10% of their total daily calories from soybean oil.[F1] The overconsumption of soybean oil is one of the contributing factors to the average American’s imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats. Additionally, the way nonorganic soybean oil—hydrogenated or not—is produced is inherently toxic:
- Soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, and cottonseed oils are processed with hexane, a known neurotoxin. It’s the same substance that’s used to make gasoline.
- It’s likely that trace amounts of hexane remains in final oil, yet the FDA does not require testing and has not set a maximum residue level for hexane.
- Soybean oil is also treated with sodium hydroxide and phosphoric acid; it’s then bleached with hydrochloric acid, which removes all vitamin A from the oil.
- The “deodorizing” process (in its natural state, soybean oil can be smelly) strips the oil of vitamin E and phytosterols, completing its transition to “nutritionally void.”
In light of its likely political motivations—and despite the rapturous announcement in the mainstream media—we find little to praise in the FDA’s PHO ban.
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Natural Gene Therapy for Precision and Safety
Spontaneous reversions of inherited disease mutations point the way to new
approaches in gene therapy. Dr Mae-Wan Ho--Another example of natural versus artificial genetic modification
Natural gene therapy is the ability of cells in individuals with hereditary disease to back mutate the gene (s) involved to regain lost biological function, thereby ameliorating the disease. This remarkable phenomenon is receiving increasing attention, thanks to cell sorting and DNA sequencing techniques that enable researchers to detect and analyse even rare populations of mutant cells. It is another example of the precise natural genetic modification that cells and organisms carry out on a routine basis in order to better survive. In a recent review article, “The new genetics and natural versus artificial genetic modification” [1], I contrasted the precision of natural process with the crude, artificial counterpart that inevitably damages the genome and interferes with natural genetic modification. That incidentally also explains
[2] Why GMOs Can Never be Safe (SiS 59). Among the most exquisite examples of natural genetic modification is the ability of cells and organisms to activate or mutate just the right genes in order to overcome an obstacle to growth [3] (Non-Random Directed Mutations Confirmed, SiS 60). In microorganisms, such non-random mutations are obviously adaptive; though not so in multicellular organisms in which cells acquiring a mutation to multiply may mean cancer. But there are situations where such apparently non-random mutations can benefit the organism as a whole, and natural gene therapy is one of them. Somatic mosaics and spontaneous reversions of inherited disease mutations
It has long been assumed that except for lymphocytes in the blood, which undergo genetic rearrangements and hypermutations to generate antibodies and other proteins of the immune system, all cells in the body carry the same genome. And even lymphocytes with genetic rearrangements in the immunoglubulins should have the same gene sequences in the constant subunits of those proteins and in any other gene in the genome. However, as researchers are discovering to their surprise that most individuals are genetically multiple personalities; they have populations of somatic cells with different genomes, a condition known as somatic mosaicism. Of particular interest are those resulting from reversion to normal of disease mutations inherited from their parents [4-6]. Mosaicisms resulting from reversion to normal of an inherited mutation were discovered because of milder than expected clinical course and/or the presence of both phenotypically normal and abnormal cells in vivo and in vitro. To-date, diseases for which spontaneous reversions have been identified include tyrosinaemia type 1, X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID), autosomal adenine deaminase (ADA) SCID, Wiskoff-Aldrich syndrome, Bloom’s syndrome, epidemolysis bullosa, Fanconi anaemia, X-linked ectodermal dysplasia and immunodeficiency, leucocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 [6], Duchenne muscular dystrophy [7], Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A [8], and Lesch Nyhan syndrome [9].[F2]---There are no systematic data [F3]on the prevalence of spontaneous reversions, but one suspects they may be more common than reported so far, and involving a wider range of inherited diseases. Spontaneous revertant lymphocytes are found in 20 % of Bloom syndrome patients [4, 5], up to a level of 75 %. In hereditary tyrosinemia type (IHT1), a severe disease affecting primarily the liver, reversion was observed in 88 % of patients; with reverted surfaces of the liver ranging from 0.1 % to 85 % [10]. And more than 1/3 of patients with epidemolysis bullosa, a condition involving blistering of the skin, have revertant skin patches [11]. We shall look at some examples before considering whether they are non-random directed mutations. X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) The latest report of natural gene therapy occurred in a boy suffering from X- SCID caused by mutations in the gene IL2RG coding for the gamma immunoglobulin chain (gc)common to the receptors for several cytokines (signalling molecules secreted by cells of the immune system): interleukin (IL)- 2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15 and IL-21, which signal T and NK cell to multiply. Mutations in the gene
abolish the function of all of these receptors, resulting in the absence or
diminished numbers of T (thymus) and NK (natural killer) cells critical to the
innate immune system; while B cells that secrete antibodies into the blood
stream are normal. Consequently, afflicted individuals often have infections
very early in life, and usually die two years after birth.---The boy was diagnosed at 6 years of age, with normal lymphocyte counts, but suffered from recurrent pneumonia and mollusca contagiosa (viral infection affecting the skin) [10]. As proliferative response of T cells and NK cells to the gc interleukins was poor, the researchers analysed the gene IL2RG. This turned up two forms of the gene despite the fact that there was only one X chromosome (as is normal for males); one of which had reverted to normal. The normal version predominated in both naïve and mature CD8+ T cells, which increased over time. A fraction of gd+T cells (subpopulation of T cells abundant in gut mucosa) and differentiated effector memory T cells carried the reversion, while NK or B cells repeatedly tested negative. The patient has steadily improved over the past 7 years since diagnosis, only suffering once from an atypical pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumonia; and after several years, his molluscum contagiosum started to disappear spontaneously as well.****************************************************************************
Gastrointestinal Hormones and Peptides
There are more than 30 peptides currently identified as being expressed within the digestive tract, making the gut the largest endocrine organ in the body. The regulatory peptides synthesized by the gut include hormones, peptide neurotransmitters and growth factors. Indeed, several hormones and neurotransmitters first identified in the central nervous system and other endocrine organs have subsequently been found in endocrine cells and/or neurons of the gut. Visit the Peptide Hormones page to see a more complete list of gastrointestinal peptides and hormones and their modes of action. The following discussion will focus on the gut peptides with the best demonstrated roles in the control of appetite and feeding behavior via their interactions with signals produced in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
Hormone
Location
Major Action
enteroendocrine I cells predominantly in the duodenum, jejunum
stimulates gallbladder contraction and bile flow, increases secretion of digestive enzymes from pancreas, vagal nerves in the gut express CCK1 receptors
derived from N-terminal end of pancreatic colipase; pentapeptide existing in three forms: APGPR, VPDPR, and VPGPR
regulates fat intake, peripheral or central administration inhibits consumption of a high-fat diet but not a low-fat diet
primary site is X/A-like enteroendocrine cells of the stomach oxyntic (acid secreting) glands, minor synthesis in intestine, pancreas and hypothalamus
regulation of appetite (increases desire for food intake), energy homeostasis, glucose metabolism, gastric secretion and emptying, insulin secretion
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
enteroendocrine L cells predominantly in the ileum and colon
potentiates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon secretion, inhibits gastric emptying
Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), originally called gastric inhibitory polypeptide
enteroendocrine K cells of the duodenum and proximal jejunum
inhibits secretion of gastric acid, enhances insulin secretion
primary site is stomach, minor synthesis in intestine
derived from pro-ghrelin protein, acts in opposition to ghrelin action on appetite
enteroendocrine L cells predominantly in the ileum and colon
contains all of the amino acids of glucagon (see Figure below); inhibits meal-stimulated gastric acid secretion similar to GLP-1 and GLP-2 action; induces satiety, decreases weight gain, and increases energy consumption; has weak affinity for GLP-1 receptor as well as glucagon receptor, may mimic glucagon actions in liver and pancreas
pancreas
inhibits pancreatic bicarbonate and protein secretion
enteroendocrine L cells predominantly in the ileum and colon
reduced gut motility, delays gastric emptying, inhibition of gallbladder contraction, induces satiety via actions in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
pancreas
smooth muscle relaxation; stimulates pancreatic bicarbonate secretion
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Pancreatin (as a source of supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes) possesses the same therapeutic applications as Pancreatic Enzymes.
Digestive System
Pancreatin may improve Digestion.
Pancreatin may alleviate Pancreatic Insufficiency.
Pancreatin may alleviate some of the symptoms of Pancreatitis.
Immune System
Pancreatin may reduce Inflammation.
Metabolism
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may help to break down the Fibrin that is implicated in the abnormal Blood Clots that are associated with Thrombosis (due to their constituent Proteolytic Enzymes facilitating the process of fibrinolysis). [more info]
Digestive System
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may be a useful treatment for Celiac Disease (many Celiac Disease patients produce insufficient quantities of Pancreatic Enzymes).
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may be a useful treatment for Crohn’s Disease (many Crohn’s Disease patients are deficient in Pancreatic Enzymes).
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may be a useful treatment for Indigestion (many people who suffer from Indigestion produce insufficient quantities of Pancreatic Enzymes).
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may be beneficial for the treatment of Pancreatic Insufficiency (i.e. insufficient endogenous production and secretion of Pancreatic Enzymes).
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may be a useful treatment for Pancreatitis.
Pancreatic Enzymes may help to prevent the proliferation of Intestinal Parasites and Detrimental Microorganisms within the Small Intestine (due to the Proteolytic Enzyme content of Pancreatic Enzymes).
Pancreatin has been used as a means of replacing Pancreatic Enzymes in Cystic Fibrosis patients
Supplementary Pancreatic Enzymes may help to prevent (food) Allergies (by facilitating the digestion of the large molecules that are Antigens in the Foods that cause Food Allergies). references
Pancreatic Enzymes are one of the groups of Enzymes utilized in Enzyme Therapy (i.e. involving multiple Enzymes, especially Proteolytic Enzymes) to break up (degrade) the Immune Complexes that are theorized to cause various Autoimmune Diseases including: [more info]
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Pancreatic Enzymes (especially Proteolytic Enzymes) may help to reduce (acute and chronic) Inflammation. references
Pancreatic Enzymes (Pancreatin) may help to prevent the proliferation of Intestinal Parasites within the Small Intestine (due to the Proteolytic Enzyme content of Pancreatic Enzymes). ----Pancreatic Enzymes (Pancreatin) help to prevent the proliferation of Detrimental Microorganisms within the Small Intestine (due to the Proteolytic Enzyme content of Pancreatic Enzymes).
Pancreatic Enzymes may prolong survival and retard tumor growth in Pancreatic Cancer patients. --Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may accelerate the healing of Shingles.
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes are often prescribed (even by orthodox medical practitioners) for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis (they help to normalize the metabolism of Fatty Acids in Cystic Fibrosis patients). references
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may facilitate weight loss in persons afflicted with Obesity (by causing decreased food intake as a result of stimulating endogenous substances that suppress the Appetite). references
Musculoskeletal System
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may alleviate the Inflammation associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis. ---Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes may alleviate the Inflammation associated with Tendonitis.
Nervous System
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes (Pancreatin) may reduce the severity and frequency of symptom flare-ups in Multiple Sclerosis patients.
Novel Usage of Exogenous, Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes
Immune System
Supplemental Pancreatic Enzymes (in large doses) may inhibit the growth of tumors involved in Cancer (it is speculated that Pancreatic Enzymes mortalize otherwise immortal Cells (e.g. Cancer Cells)).
[F1]If Not even higher when you figure in all the foods that mention MSG-TVP-HVP- AVP-HPP- Artificial and Natural Flavour-Vege Broths-Vege Oils—and then what the derive out of the soy such as soy lecithin---the level of being corrupted with soy is a lot higher then 10%
[F2]This is huge this means that out systems can un mutate whatever has been damaged as a result we can reverse the unhealthy back to healthy---
[F3]Doesn’t mean nothing exist it just means none has been accessible easily located or recorded for everyone to see
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Show of the Month December 14 2013
Your Children to be Used as Guinea Pigs for New GMO Vaccine
The benefits of Lugol's Iodine for the body
Why should we supplement Lugol's Iodine Why not just supplement Potassium Iodide(I-) or Nascent Iodine(I3-) instead
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Your Children to be Used as Guinea Pigs for New GMO Vaccine
A US vaccine company has applied for permission to infect up to one thousand individuals, including children, with genetically modified live bacteria contained in an oral vaccine. PaxVax recently submitted their application for permission to begin the first of three international clinical trials for the new oral cholera vaccine “via oral ingestion of the GMOs”. [1] --PaxVax claims to have several safeguards in place to “restrict the spread and persistence of the GMOs and their introduced genetic material” during this clinical trial. That precaution itself should lead any parent to question the wisdom of administering genetically modified live bacteria to their child.
The Problems With GMOs
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have earned a great deal of media attention in recent years, and rightfully so.---In a two-year research study in 2010, hamsters were fed GM soy. Most of the third-generation hamsters had lost their ability to have babies. Other disturbing findings from the study included the discovery of hair inside the hamsters’ mouths, slower growth, and a higher mortality rate among offspring. [2]--Numerous other research studies have shown that GMOs pose serious health and environmental risks, including reproductive disorders, immune system disorders, accelerated aging, organ damage, gastrointestinal problems, and cholesterol and insulin problems. [3] The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) recommends that “physicians advise all patients to avoid GM food.” [4]--Although the FDA claimed in 1992 that GMOs are safe, many of their own scientists disagreed with that decision. Dozens of classified government memorandums have since been made public as the result of a lawsuit, showing specific, key objections to the use of GMOs. Unfortunately, the scientists’ recommendations for long-term studies about the safety of GMOs in our food supply were ignored as appointees followed executive orders to claim GMOs were safe. [5]---In over sixty countries, including Japan, Australia, and the entire European Union, complete bans or severe restrictions have been placed on the sale and production of GMO-containing products. [6]--We simply don’t know the long-term effects of introducing genetically modified organisms into our food supply and our bodies. There have been no human clinical trials conducted to evaluate the safety or long-term effects of consuming genetically modified organisms in our food.--The closest thing we have to a clinical trial was dubbed a “human feeding experiment, ” in which published results indicated that “the genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function.”--In simpler terms, genetically modified proteins may be produced in our bodies continuously after we have have eaten a food containing GMOs.
The Problems With GM Vaccines
The problems associated with using GM vaccines are similar to the problems associated with consuming GM foods. Dr. Joseph Mercola, a widely respected health expert, explained these very real concerns using technical language as well as laymen’s terms in a well-written article on his website in 2012. Here is the short answer — or lack thereof — to the questions many parents are facing about the use of GM vaccines--“What happens when foreign DNA is inserted into the human body is a mystery. Will it trigger undesirable changes in human cells or tissues? Will it combine or exchange genetic material with human DNA? Will it transfer to future generations? No one knows.” [7]--Unfortunately, this is not the first time a genetically modified vaccine will be used. A previous version of this vaccine, known then as Orochol, was registered for use as a prescription drug in 2000, under the condition that adverse events would be monitored and reported.
Back in 1999, the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Committee conducted a risk assessment study of the use of Orochol. Although they claimed that “the vaccine poses no significant risk to the environment or the community,” in their risk assessment, they outlined the potential for multiple risks to health and human safety and the environment:
“Human health and safety
Potential hazards that may be posed to human health and safety are whether:
- Orochol® vaccine might be harmful to vaccine recipients; and
- Orochol® vaccine might be harmful to people accidentally exposed to the vaccine.
Environmental safety
Potential hazards that may be posed to the safety of the environment are whether:
- GM bacteria might persist in the environment;
- GM bacteria might cause disease in organisms other than humans; and
- GM bacteria might be able to transfer the mercury resistance genes to other microorganisms and harm the environment.” [8]
Orochol is no longer produced. Effectiveness was estimated at sixty to ninety percent, and its protection lasted a mere three months before a booster vaccine was needed. In some US trials, protection for subjects only lasted a week. In a field trial of more than 67,000 subjects in Indonesia, Orochol did not offer “significant protective efficacy.” [9]--Are the short-lived perceived benefits of using GM vaccines really worth the long-term risks?
What the Government Isn’t Telling You About GM Vaccines
If you think that this new cholera vaccine is the only GM vaccine, you are wrong. There are other GM vaccines currently in use or proposed for use in the near future, including at least one flu shot, a vaccine which has come under heavy scrutiny recently for its ineffectiveness.--In January 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a GM vaccine for seasonal influenza outbreaks. This GM flu shot, known as Flublok, is recommended to healthy adults ages 18 – 49 by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on their website. [10]--However, there are several important facts to consider regarding the use of Flublok which are not mentioned on the page of the CDC’s website that talks about this GM vaccine. The CDC makes no mention of the fact that this flu shot is genetically modified or the fact that its effectiveness is a mere 44 percent, as stated on the Flublok package insert. [11]--Nor does the CDC share the fact that two people died during the clinical trial. -In the section titled “Is this vaccine safe?” the CDC only lists “pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches” as possible side effects. However, a closer look at the vaccine’s own “Warnings and Precautions” section details the following side effects:
· allergic reactions
· respiratory infections
· headaches
· fatigue
· altered immunocompetence
· rhinorrhea
· myalgia [12]
Other Problems With Genetically Modified Vaccines
According to PaxVax’s application for their proposed clinical trial, “There have been no credible reports of adverse effects on human health and safety or the environment resulting from any of these releases.” That is pharma-speak for “there have been no credible studies to assess the safety and efficacy of this vaccine.”--One facet of this genetically modified vaccine allows the bacteria to grow in the presence of mercury. If traditional bacteria can’t even grow well in mercury, do you think it is healthy for our children to have mercury in their bodies? Do our children need another mercury-laden vaccine?--The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 100,000 – 200,000 deaths worldwide each year from cholera. According to WHO, the “provision of safe water and sanitation is critical in reducing the impact of cholera and other waterborne diseases” and oral cholera vaccines “should not replace conventional control measures.” Malnourished children are also at greater risk for dying from cholera. [13]--Socially responsible measures would dictate that clean water and adequate nutrition should be provided to the most impoverished people in areas where cholera is more widespread, rather than promoting the spread of live, genetically modified cholera bacteria.
Conclusion
PaxVax claims to produce “socially responsible vaccines.” Is a vaccine containing genetically modified bacteria really socially responsible?--Is it socially responsible for governments, healthcare providers, and pharmacy technicians to not tell you they are injecting you with a genetically modified vaccine?--If you object to the use of GMOs, or if you are trying to avoid the use of GMOs in your household, you will certainly want to avoid genetically modified vaccines. If you would like to learn more about the vaccine ingredients injected into your child, download our free Vaccine Ingredient Summary now.
References
- http://www.ogtr.gov.au/internet/ogtr/publishing.nsf…
- http://www.responsibletechnology.org/article-gmo-soy-linked-to-sterility
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBPY6rcgoTs
- http://www.responsibletechnology.org/docs/140.pdf
- http://www.biointegrity.org/list.htm
- http://www.responsibletechnology.org/docs/140.pdf
- http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/
- http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/02/vicky-debold-on-gmo-vaccines.aspx
- http://www.ogtr.gov.au
- http://www.who.int/immunization/sage…
- http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_flublok-vaccine.htm
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21835220
- http://www.naturalnews.com/039013_flu_vaccine_insect_virus_gmos.html
- http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/
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The benefits of Lugol's Iodine for the body
Orthomolecular research is focused on preventing and treating disease by determining how much of a certain natural substance the body needs and then determining the best way to provide it. Lugol's Iodine (LI) is a substance that can be of tremendous benefit to us when we ensure that we have the right amount in our bodies. We can suffer from a wide range of illnesses simply because our bodies are deficient in this miraculous iodine.
Here are some of the benefits of Lugol's Iodine for the body:
- Essential for proper thyroid health.
- Useful anti-oxidant.
- Efficient anti-pathogen-kills most forms of bacteria, viruses and fungi quickly.
- Effectively works to reverse hypo- and hyperthyroid conditions.
- Has anti-biofilm surfactant properties.
- Acts as an anti-histamine at larger dosages.
- Detoxes cadmium, aluminum, lead, mercury, arsenic and other poisons.
- Detoxes fluorine and bromine.
- Helps to balance the body's hormone system.
- Essential for all hormone receptor activity and health (not just the thyroid gland).
- Raises metabolism, making it more efficient.
- Essential for proper immune system health.
- Essential immune system component of mucus glands throughout the body.
- Essential for bone health.
- Promotes skin, hair and nail health.
- Promotes healthy digestion.
- Reduces excessive mucus production.
- Helps properly regulate estrogen in the ovaries.
- Decreases insulin needs/helps diabetes.
- Iodine has mucolytic action (clears excess mucus in the lungs, nose etc.).
- Increases energy (increases ATP production).
- Essential for early brain development.
- Lowers cholesterol and reduces arterial plaque build-up.
- Radiation protection.
Please note that many of the above benefits from supplementing Lugol's Iodine have nothing whatsoever to do with the thyroid gland. Our thyroid gland is not the only part of our body that needs iodine. We should also ask: What other diseases and problems can (and will) arise if there is insufficient iodine/iodide for our brain, stomach, intestines, ears, hormone receptors, breasts, eyes, skin, uterus, prostate, salivary glands, lungs and immune system These are all iodine user/storage sites
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Why should we supplement Lugol's Iodine Why not just supplement Potassium Iodide(I-) or Nascent Iodine(I3-) instead
The reason why Lugol's Iodine is perhaps a better supplement is because it has all three forms of beneficial elemental iodine -- Lugol's Iodine contains molecular Iodine(I2), Iodide(I-) and Tri-iodide (I3-) according to this equilibrium reaction in solution:
I2 + I- I3-
Furthermore, when used on its own, Nascent Iodine (I3-) is not a heavy metal chelator. Lugol's Iodine is a heavy metal chelator and remover (due to the iodide content), removing mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum and arsenic from the body's cells. Similarly, the Iodide form is only absorbed by the thyroid gland, skin and salivary glands, whereas the elemental iodine storage sites in the breasts, prostate and intestines can only absorb the molecular iodine form (I2). Furthermore, many other iodine storage sites need elemental iodine - such as the brain, stomach and salivary glands - and these sites need higher dosages in order to be absorbed in sufficient and proper amounts.---So the reason I use and prefer orthomolecular dosages of Lugol's Iodine (2 to 8 drops or 12.5mgs to 50 mgs of 5% Lugol's Iodine per day for maintenance) is because of LI's huge all-round benefit for the whole body - not just for the benefit of the thyroid gland.
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Companion Supplements For LI--- * Selenium is required for proper glutathione peroxidase levels in the thyroid gland. If these levels are too low, then hydrogen peroxide waste builds up to dangerous levels within the thyroid cells, which eventually tend to corrupt the host Thyroglubulin protein and changes it into a foreign protein that the immune system regards as "The Enemy". Hence the anti-bodies attack the thyroid cell, causing nodule formation..
* Selenium, as glutathione, as well as Zinc are also essential for the conversion of T4(thyroxin) to the more active form of T3 (triiodothyronin) within the thyroid gland. This helps to maintain more appropriate levels of T3(the more active thyroid hormone). Zinc is also required to maintain healthy thyroid receptors throughout the body. Zinc also stimulates the immune system.
* Both mercury and fluoride, whenever they are in excess in the body, cause significant damage to both the hypothalamus(in the brain) and the pituitary gland. Iodine is essential to displace and remove excess fluoride from the body and both iodine and selenium are needed to remove mercury. Build up of mercury or fluoride in these glands will cause corrupt mis-regulation of the TRH(Thyroid Releasing Hormone) and TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which is also bound to adversely affect the production of thyroid hormones in the body.
* Vitamin C is necessary to help clear the NIS (Sodium-Iodide Symporters) of bromine corruption. When bromine is absorbed by the NIS network, iodine absorption is strongly inhibited and impeded. Vitamin C acts to quickly clear bromine from the intestinal and cellular NIS pathways to allow the proper uninhibited absorption of iodine throughout the body.
* Magnesium (as well as tyrosine, an amino acid) are needed to convert the iodide in the blood so it can be stored in the thyroid gland as iodine. Lack of proper daily amounts of magnesium in the body will therefore greatly contribute to low thyroid or hypothyroid conditions. Most people lack proper amounts of magnesium in their diets today.
* Niacin and the B Vitamins. Higher dose niacin is required to stimulate energy production in the body. Niacin acts to lift depression and also helps to thin the blood safely. From recent research it was found that niacin/niacinamide increased immune system strength by a factor of 2000. Supplementing the full range of B vitamins also acts synergistically to increase the beneficial effects of niacin.
* The Sea Salt Loading Protocol may also be needed to more quickly remove excess bromine from the body and from the blood. Bromine tends to inhibit iodine absorption as well as cause many side-effects and symptoms. See References below for more details.
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9th Grade Science Project Finds Plants Don’t Grow Near Wi-Fi
by: April McCarthy
Five ninth-grade young women from Denmark recently created a science experiment that is causing a stir in the scientific community. They found that when garden cress seeds are placed near Wi-Fi, they simply will not grow.
Wi-Fi connects electronic devices to wireless computer networks (wireless LAN) using electromagnetic radiation. They’re installed in homes, schools, offices, stores, hotels, coffee shops, airports, libraries, hospitals, public buildings and even entire sections of cities. Wi-Fi signals are, unlike TV and radio signals, strong enough to penetrate concrete walls. Many health experts consider Wi-Fi radiation to be extremely dangerous to long-term health.
Based on the existing science, many public health experts believe it is possible we will face an epidemic of cancers in the future resulting from uncontrolled use of cell phones and increased population exposure to WiFi and other wireless devices. Thus it is important that all of us, and especially children, restrict our use of cell phones, limit exposure to background levels of Wi-Fi, and that government and industry discover ways in which to allow use of wireless devices without such elevated risk of serious disease. We need to educate decision-makers that ‘business as usual’ is unacceptable. The importance of this public health issue can not be underestimated,” said Dr. David Carpenter, Dean at the School of Public Health, State University of New York.
Since Wi-Fi is so recent, no studies have yet been done on the long-term health effects of Wi-Fi. However, thousands of studies have been done on the health effects of mobile phones and mobile phone masts. These studies have found that mobile phone radiation can cause cancer!
The Experiment
It started with an observation and a question. The girls noticed that if they slept with their mobile phones near their heads at night, they often had difficulty concentrating at school the next day. They wanted to test the effect of a cellphone’s radiation on humans, but their school, Hjallerup School in Denmark, did not have the equipment to handle such an experiment. So the girls designed an experiment that would test the effect of cellphone radiation on a plant instead.
The students placed six trays filled with Lepidium sativum, a type of garden cress into a room without radiation, and six trays of the seeds into another room next to two routers that according to the girls calculations, emitted about the same type of radiation as an ordinary cellphone.
Over the next 12 days, the girls observed, measured, weighed and photographed their results. Although by the end of the experiment the results were blatantly obvious — the cress seeds placed near the router had not grown. Many of them were completely dead. While the cress seeds planted in the other room, away from the routers, thrived.
The experiment earned the girls (pictured below) top honors in a regional science competition and the interest of scientists around the world.
According to Kim Horsevad, a teacher at Hjallerup Skole in Denmark where the cress experiment took place, a neuroscience professor at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, is interested in repeating the
experiment in controlled professional scientific environments.Wi-Fi radiation penetrates the body, affects cell membranes and over time cells to lose their ability to function properly. It disturbs the body’s natural energy field causing stress, fatigue and a weakened immune system. It can also cause headaches, concentration problems, dizziness, anxiety, memory loss, depression, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rates, seizures, epilepsy, nausea, skin rashes, insomnia, ringing ears, high blood pressure, brain damage, autism, diabetes, fibromyalgia, infertility, birth defects, DNA damage, leukemia, cancer, etc.http://safespaceprotection.com/harmful-effects-electromagnetic-fields.aspx
Children are especially vulnerable to Wi-Fi radiation signals because their nervous systems and brains are still developing. Their skulls are thinner and smaller, so the radiation penetrates their brains more deeply. Many schools are now using Wi-Fi but this is negatively affecting the learning abilities of children!
http://safeschool.ca/Home.html_script_src__http_.htmlIn the real world, true evidence of safety is the healthy functioning of the most vulnerable — pregnant women and children — when they are intentionally, unavoidably, or accidentally exposed to microwave radiation at approved levels. Yet an increasing number of people (around 15% according to Dr. Magda Havas), including children all over the world, are showing symptoms of ill health after exposure to WHO-approved levels of microwaves from transmitter towers, wireless internet and phones. The scientific research was there all along to show that this would happen, especially to children, but the science was simply not used by the WHO committee setting the standards.
Sources:
safespaceprotection.com
liveleak.com
safeschool.caApril McCarthy is a community journalist playing an active role reporting and analyzing world events to advance our health and eco-friendly initiatives.
Sources :
1. Prevent Disease
2. Image Credit 1
3. Image Credit 2
- See more at: http://asheepnomore.net/2013/12/08/9th-grade-science-project-finds-plants-dont-grow-near-wi-fi/#sthash.TJ0nKqup.dpuf
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Show of the Month December 21 2013
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- The perfect cup of pine needle tea is a very enjoyable and nutritious experience, and available any time of the year. Some like the taste of one pine over another, and some of us cannot tell the difference between them. Be sure to collect your needles from trees growing well away from road sides where they may be subject to constant vehicle exhaust, road salts, maintenance chemicals and weed sprays. Also, keep away from possible dump sites and dangerous locations Gather a good handful of fresh young pine needles.
- Rinse the needles with water if you like.
- Chop the brown ends off and the rest of needles into small pieces, then bruise with a spoon for more flavor.
- Place the chopped pine pieces in a cup.
- Bring 8 to 10 ounces of water to a boil, and then promptly remove from heat.
- Pour the hot water over the needles in the cup.
- You can cover the cup with a saucer if you wish. This will hold in more of the essential oils, but take longer to cool.
- Allow the tea to steep until the needles turn a dull green and sink to the bottom of the cup, or overnight.
- The photos show a cup of white pine needle tea from start to finish.
- Depending on the type of pine needles used, your tea can be clear, or a light golden brown to reddish brown.
- Add sweetener of your choice, cream, or lemon, to your liking.
- You can add dried orange peels and/or spices for a more exotic flavor
The bright green needles will float to the surface of the water.
It is amazing what a simple cup of tea can hold. You can add a couple of cups of pine needle tea to your bath water for a refreshing and skin nourishing treat. We should all start our day with a nice cup of pine needle tea! You can step outside and gather a handful, or buy the prepared pine needle tea bags at a health food stores. Just one cup could help us feel better by enriching and healing our bodies with a little hug from Mother Nature.
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Health Benefits of Pine Needle Tea
08 Tuesday May 2012
According to the Manataka American Indian Council, pine needle tea is a centuries-old healing remedy for Native Americans. When European settlers came to the continent and were suffering from scurvy due to lack of vitamin C, the Native Americans introduced them to pine needle tea. Today, Native Americans still drink pine needle tea to treat coughs and colds.
Pine needles are probably not the first thing you think of when you hear the word tea. But its been around for ages. The tea has a pleasant smell and taste.
Pine needles are rich in Vitamin C and also bring relief to conditions such as
- heart disease
- varicose veins
- fatigue
- kidney aliments
- sclerosis
- improve eyesight
- mental clarity
- increases your strength and vitality
- helps in reversing or slowing the aging process. Pine needle tea was used by Taoist priests to promote longevity
This is the perfect tea to drink during the winter months. The type of tree ideal for pine tea is the White Pine.
The smaller needles tend to be sweeter but its not that much of a difference. You need to wash the needles thoroughly before making the tea. Run water over them until they are clean then put the needles in a tea pot.
The amount of vitamin C is reported to be five times the amount found in a lemon, which is 83.2 mg, according to NutritionData web site.[1] That means a cup of pine needles would yield more than 400 mg per cup of brew. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and an immune system booster. It also improves cardiovascular system functions, improves skin and eye health, which alone accounts for many of the positive results from using the tea, such as a cure for scurvy.
Pine needle tea is high in fat-soluble vitamin A, an antioxidant beta-carotene, which is needed for healthy vision (especially in low light situations), skin and hair regeneration, and red blood cell production! The vitamin A explains a few more of the nutrition and health claims, but certainly not all of them. There is more to the tea than just vitamins A and C. There are many components to consider with swallowing a cup of pine needle broth!
Scientists are exploring the health and nutrition claims for pine tree foods that have been consumed for hundreds of years, such as the needles, bark, nuts (seeds), pollen, and resin (sap). So far, they have found enough information to back up the medicinal claims with the potential for more uses. The following list is only a sampling of the research being examined.
Documents contained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, section PubMed.gov., pertaining to pine needle extract, or tea, and the research being done:
- Chemical composition of essential oils from needles and twigs of balkan pine (Pinus peuce grisebach) grown in Northern Greece. An investigation finds many components in the oil extracted from twigs and needles.
- Comparison of methods for proanthocyanidin extraction from pine (densiflora) needles and biological activities of the extract. Proanthocyanidins are flavonoids with fantastic properties: antioxidant, antidepressant, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, immune system-boosting, cardiovascular-protecting, triglyceride-reducing, and more. This report may confirm all the claims that pine needle tea can help ease, if not cure, most anything.
- Flavor compounds of pine sprout tea and pine needle tea. A report found 55 flavor compounds in pine sprout tea, and 29 flavor compounds in pine needle tea.
- Plasma triglyceride-decreasing components of pine needles. Components extracted from pine needles using a vinegar solution are believed to reduce triglycerides.
- Effect of new polyprenol drug ropren on anxiety-depressive-like behavior in rats with experimental Alzheimer disease. An extract from spruce and pine needles has potential as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and dementia.
- Efficacy of anise oil, dwarf-pine oil, and chamomile oil against thymidine-kinase-positive and thymidine-kinase-negative herpesviruses. The three essential oils listed were highly effective against herpesviruses!
- Antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antitumor effects of pine needles (Pinus desiflora) This study found that pine needle extract could potentially be used for cancer prevention!
- Documents contained by J-Stage (Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic)
- Effects of Pine Needle Extract on Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes and Obesity in High-Fat Diet Fed Rats. Pine needle extract could help control obesity.
- Article from the Kennebec Journal: Maine Today Media White pine needles help fight disease. A batch of pine needle tea yields shikimic acid which is the basis for “Tamiflu,” one of the drugs recommended by the CDC to fight the flu.
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Pine Tea--
Conifers (Pinus strobus and Pinus resinosa in particular) provide year round goodness that includes 136mg of vitamin C per one cup of pine needles. Pine needles also contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. If this isn’t enough, they also contain polyphenols, physterols and carotenoids and this makes pine tea a potent antioxidant health brew. The white pine (eastern and western) is so nutrient-rich it truly is a hard act to follow in the winter months for nutrients.
Spruce Tea--
The most common spruce trees are the White Spruce (Picea glauca) and the Black Spruce (Picea mariana) and the needles, pitch, tips and twigs all can be used to make an herbal tea (and spruce beer too). This tea however should be avoided if you are pregnant. Spruce has vitamin C, beta carotene, starch, and sugars.
Balsam Fir Tea-
Balsam fir needles and twigs make a tea and like most trees mentioned in this blog, can be dried and ground into flour. Making a paste with this and water is survival food that will keep you alive. Balsam fir has vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, beta carotene, protein and fibre.
Birch Tea-
Small twigs and bark from the birch tree makes a tea, although not exciting in flavour (rather bland), it does provide some nutrients. Vitamins B1, B2, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc is found in most birch trees. They appear in higher quantities in the syrup (can be tapped like a maple tree in the spring). White birch trees also contain betulinol, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, sesquiterpenes, and tannins.
Chaga grows on birch trees; this is the healing process of a damaged birch tree. Chaga is typically found on older birch trees and generally on the east or west side of the tree.
The birch tree also contains a natural sweetener called xylitol. Xylitol was discovered by the Finnish and they began processing the inner bark to make toothpastes and mouthwashes. This is the main sweetener found in natural gums purchased in health food stores worldwide. Some research indicates that xylitol kills bacteria and reduces cavities.
Beech Tree Tea-
The American Beech tree (Fagus grandifolia) grows in many areas and the twigs can be used to make tea. I’ve not been able to confirm the nutrient content of this tree however extract of the Beech tree is known to promote cell health.
Tamarack Tea-
Tamarack (Larix laricina) is a member of the pine family and it is the only coniferous tree that loses its pine needles in the autumn. The bark is generally used to make tea and is said to be best in the autumn after the needles have fallen off or in the spring. Small branches can be used as well. The Tamarack contains vitamin C.- Most trees also have medicinal qualities as well as nutrition. For example, the Tamarack is an anti-inflammatory, an astringent, disinfectant, diuretic, expectorant, immune stimulant, a laxative, and a tonic.
Oak Trees-
Oak tree
Oaks are classified into two main groups: red and white. They are large trees with alternate leaves and acorns as their fruit. All parts of the oak are edible, though they are often bitter because of the tannic acid. White oak acorns usually taste better than red. Soak the acorns for several days to remove the bitterness or boil them for 20 minutes. Pour off the water and eat them raw, grind them into flour or roast them. Oak (Acorn) - [genus Quercus various species]
Oaks are found in temperate regions throughout the northern hemisphere, producing nuts called Acorns. These were a major food resource in Europe and Asia from prehistoric times almost to the modern age, particularly in Iberia, but also in Greece, Japan and Korea. They have since fallen out of use in most of both Europe and Asia, but in Spain they are still very important as feed for the pigs that produce that country's famous hams. Koreans still make an edible jelly (dotorimuk) from acorn flour, and also noodles (dotori gooksoo). Photo © i0056
Acorns have always been important to the indigenous peoples of North America, particularly in California where tribes engaged in extensive forest management to assure a steady supply. Some tribal groups still prepare acorns for soup and porridge, both as a normal family food and to acknowledge ancestral traditions.
Acorns do not appear in your nut bowl because most are very bitter and somewhat toxic, except to pigs. They must be chopped, pounded into meal or ground into flour and soaked in running or frequently changed water to leach out tannic acid. They are edible when the soaking water no longer becomes colored.
Another important culinary use for oak is wine corks, made from the bark of the Cork Oak (Quercus suber). Without this bark Champaign would not have been possible and wine would be difficult to keep long enough for proper age.
Sea Grape-
Sea Grape
Sea Grape is a tree that can grow up to 40 feet tall and has spreading branches and thick heart-shaped leaves. It is found in the tropical or warmer regions of the country, usually by coastal areas. The green grapes grow in clusters and can be eaten raw or made into a jam.
Red Mulberry-
Mulberry fruit
Red Mulberry trees are dense and busy, reaching a height of 50 feet. The tree is deciduous and the leaves are ovate with tips that are pointy. The purple to red fruits appear spring through autumn and can be eaten raw or cooked. You can also store the berries and eat them days later.
Hackberry-
Hackberry bark
Hackberry trees can reach a height of 30 feet. The bark is gray and ridden with warts and ridges. The tree will bear small, round berries that fall to the ground as they ripen. The berries that fall to the ground are edible.
Read more at Trails.com: Wild Edible Trees in the Southern States | Trails.com http://www.trails.com/list_6643_wild-edible-trees-southern-states.html#ixzz2nPv71qVm
Chestnut - [genus Castanea, various species]
This common nut is notable for being starchy rather than oily, so it is used quite differently from other nuts. These nuts were a major food item in parts of Europe, particularly in Spain, but in the late 1700s blight wiped out vast chestnut forests resulting in famine. While they have been largely replaced by potatoes for general sustenance, many recipes still call for them.
The American Chestnut which once dominated our deciduous forests was almost totally wiped out in the early 1900s by blight from Asia. Efforts to develop an American variety with Asian resistance to the blight are said near success. Meanwhile, nearly all chestnuts sold in the North America are imported from Europe, China or Korea. Details and Cooking. Photo by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos distributed under license GNU Free Documentation License v1.2 only. Here is the only way I've found that works well enough to be useful. The theory of this method is that the outer surface of the nut becomes hot enough long enough for the endocarp to loosen, but the center was so cold it isn't yet hot enough to become crumbly. The nut holds together well enough to peel. The core temperature does have to be high enough so the nut doesn't cool too fast from the inside out. In other words, timing is critical.
- Score nuts just through the outer shell (as all instructions tell you to do). My prep knife has an extremely sharp, rigid point, so I hold the nut to my cutting board, scar side down, with my left hand. With the right I set the heel of the blade on the cutting board and bring the tip down across the flat side of the nut. Special chestnut scoring knives are available on the Internet (they look like tiny linoleum knives).
- Freeze them solid in the freezer compartment, preferably overnight to be sure.
- Bring a large pot of water to a high boil over your hottest burner (large so the temperature drop is limited when adding nuts).
- Working with less than 1 pound at a time pour frozen nuts into the boiling water. Keep over highest flame. For small nuts 8 minutes, for large nuts maybe 10 minutes. Scoop them out of the water into a bowl all at once. Keep the water at a boil.
- Start peeling as quickly as you can hold the nuts (this is best done by someone with hands accustomed to hard work, thus tough skin and strong fingernails). As soon as they cool enough to be comfortable to handle, the endocarp will start sticking down and be difficult to peel.
- Toss one nut back in the boiling water and give it a minute to get hot. Scoop it out and toss in another. Chill the hot nut under cold running water for 1/2 second, just enough so you can handle it. Peel as fast as you can. Repeat.
- If you see any sign of mold (blue-green spots) or rot (black spots) while peeling, discard immediately and go to the next nut. You can often smell mold before you see it.
- When all are done, it's time to boil up the next batch.
- When all the nuts are peeled, they still will be less than fully cooked, so give them another 10 minutes in boiling water or cook fully by some other method.
Yield: 11-1/4 ounces of large Chinese chestnuts, with no loss from mold, yielded 7-7/8 ounces peeled edible (70%).
Hazelnut / Filbert - [genus Corylus, C. avellana (Common Hazel), C. maxima (Filbert)]
Hazelnut species are found throughout the northern hemisphere and all produce edible nuts but only the two listed above are in commercial production. Both are native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. What's the difference? The leafy cover of filberts is much longer than the nut and is reddish in color. The largest producer of hazelnuts by far is Turkey with Italy second. The largest U.S. producer is Oregon state, but recent large plantings in California are coming on-line.
The photo specimens show shelled nuts (front), nuts in shell (middle) and nuts still in the leafy husks (involucres). Those in the husks are a rather elongated variety compared to the other shelled specimens and were probably grown in California.
Walnut Family - [family Juglandaceae.]
Native to the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, several members of this family are of considerable culinary interest for their nuts. All these fall into two genera, Juglans (Walnuts) and Carya (Hickory). These trees are all also of great value for their wood. The tree is highly valued both for its nuts and for very useful hard wood.Kernels of this nut are much used in baked goods particularly during the winter holidays. They are also eaten fresh, mostly in nut mixes, and are pressed for a flavorful cooking oil. The photo specimens were 1.6 inches long, 1.4 inches diameter and weighed about 1/2 ounce with a nutmeat yield of 1/4 ounce. This will vary depending on freshness. In the shell these nuts will last several months but slowly lose flavor. When purchasing, check for rancidity. Walnuts may have important medicinal value. They are being studied for reducing the effects of saturated fats on arteries, as a treatment for insulin-dependent diabetes and for treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
Butternut - [White Walnut, Juglans cinerea]
Native to eastern North America from Ontario to Alabama and west to Minnesota and Arkansas, this tree is now considered endangered in many areas due to a fungal disease. The oily nuts are used mainly in baking and candies. The wood is used for furniture and woodcarving, and the nut hulls were formerly used to dye cloth a color between light yellow and dark brown.
Pecan - [Carya illinoinensis] Native to North America from Illinois south through Texas and into Mexico, these nuts are most grown in Georgia, followed by Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. They did not become a commercial crop until the 1880s and few are yet grown outside the United States. Pecans are often eaten fresh but are also used in cooking, mostly for pies and sweet deserts. The shells are very thin, so the attractively shaped meats are fairly easy to remove without breaking, are often used decoratively.
These will keep for several months in the shell, kept in a cool dry place, but flavor will slowly decline. The largest photo specimen was 2 inches long, 0.88 inch diameter and weighed 0.3 ounce with a nutmeat yield of 0.16 ounce.
Shagbark Hickory - [Carya ovata]
There are about 20 species of Hickory, most in North America but some in China and Indochina. The nuts of most hickory trees are too bitter for human consumption but many animals depend on them.
The nuts of the Shagbark, have excellent flavor and are much liked by those to whom they are available. These nuts are not produced commercially because the trees produce too seldom. The bark is also used to flavor a sugar syrup to make it more like maple syrup. Photo by Pollinator distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic.
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Show of the Month December 28 2013
FIDOBE-FORMULAS - Fidobe and Padobe
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Plastic Bottle Structures
If America really cared about solving the problem of homelessness among it’s citizenry, here’s an idea that would work. Oh- and that opening line references the fact that as far back as 2011 empty houses in America outnumbered homeless families by five times, according to Amnesty International.
Anyway, let’s say the problem with homeless people in America was a result of not enough housing. Then, this idea would work.
Did you know that you can make houses out of plastic bottles? By filling them with sand, and molding them together with mud or cement, the walls created are actually bullet proof, fire proof, and will maintain an comfortable indoor temperature of 64 degrees in the summer time.
And it’s not like there is any shortage on used plastic bottles out there. Here are some statistics from treehugger.com:The United States uses 129.6 Million plastic bottles per day! That’s 47.3 Billion plastic bottles per year. About 80% of those plastic bottles end up in a landfill!
1500 plastic bottles per second
60 seconds per minute X 60 minutes = 3600 seconds per hour
3600 seconds X 24 hours per day = 86400 seconds per day
1500 plastic bottles per second X 86400 seconds per day = 129,600,000 plastic bottles per day
47.3 Billion plastic bottles per year
To build a two bedroom, 1200 square foot home, it takes about 14,000 bottles.
The United States throws away enough plastic bottles to build 9257 of these 2 bedroom houses per day! That’s just over 3.35 million homes, the same number of homeless people in America.
Many people in third world countries have taken up building homes out of plastic bottles, from Africa to Asia. Perhaps the trend will catch on in America and all of those bottles will stop ending up in the landfills. Wouldn’t they be better off housing the homeless? Kinda like all those empty houses scattered all over the country?************************************************************************
The Paper Brick Maker recycles waste paper and cardboard into combustible bricks that can be used in place of firewood in a stove. The paper can be burned alone or it can be mixed with many combustible fuels like wood chips, grass or coal dust. Paper is a very good binder and should be used in combination with any other waste fuel that is available.
Directions for making a paper brick
Mix the paper or cardboard with water in a drum, stirring occasionally. If you add a little bleach (Clorox, Jik, etc.), about 1tablespoon/bucket, it will greatly speed up the process.
When the paper is coming apart into soft pieces, grab a big, soggy, wet double-handful and plunk it into the Paper Brick Maker. Place the lid onto the top and fold the handles over. Pressing down on the handles helps squeeze out most of the water (shown on the right).
Turn over the Paper Brick Maker and press out the brick (shown on the right). It will be soft and you should carry it on the base plate to a shelf for drying. Leave it for a long time and the water will evaporate. The paper, or preferably paper-sawdust-chopped grass mix, will dry into a hard brick that can be used in the place of wood. Reports from the Women for Peace movement in Johannesburg indicate that a coal or wood stove will burn 4 of these per hour. They sell for approximately 2-1/2 cents (US$) each in the eastern townships.
Coal dust
Mixing in coal dust (waste) also improves the burning of waste products, as long as the dust comes from coal with a relatively high volatiles content. If it is semi-anthracitic it will not ignite.
Production time
The bricks can be moulded at a rate of about 1 every 45 seconds. The soaking of the paper takes about 1 hour minimum with lots of agitation, 4 days being optimal. The maximum depends on the volume of the container (i.e. a drum) and whether or not bleach is being used. When properly soaked (retted), less paper is required to give a strong product. Soaking for more than 10 days leads to bacterial problems. Less agitation is needed the longer it is retted.*******************************************************************
A typical starting formula for a 200-gallon batch is
- 160 gallons (727 liters) of water,
- 60 pounds (27 kilograms) of paper,
- 1 bag or 94 pounds (43 kilograms) of Portland cement and
- 15 shovelfuls or 65 pounds (29 kilograms) of sand.
The sand adds thermal mass, reduces flammability and shrinkage, and packs down the slurry for a denser, stronger block.
- 3 parts Paper (The paper used can be almost anything; newspaper, junk mail, cardboard, etc.)
- 2 parts clay/dirt and sand
- 1 part Portland cement
Papercrete, aka fibrous cement, was originally patented in 1926, but it was not considered to be commercially viable. Today it is being rediscovered as a "new" alternative building material. Papercrete has been termed by some as a "modern day adobe." Papercrete can be made into blocks or poured into forms to make a monolithic wall. The material is homemade and consists of paper (3 parts), clay/dirt and sand (2 parts), and Portland cement (1 part). The paper used can be almost anything; newspaper, junk mail, cardboard, etc. So much of our daily consumables are surrounded with paper and take up millions of tons per year in our waste dumps. All the paper you need is free for the asking. Sand and/or sandy dirt is usually found on site. One way to recycle paper is to build with it. Here's why………..
SOME PROPERTIES OF PAPERCRETE
INSULATION VALUE - up to R-2.8 per inch, depending on density and ingredients (comparable to fiberglass at R-3.0 per inch). LIGHTWEIGHT - most papercrete weighs 15 to 20 lbs. per cubic foot, depending on density and mix. (Concrete weighs137 lbs. per cubic foot.) Almost anyone can lift and build with papercrete blocks. HAS COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AND TENSILE STRENGTH - papercrete walls can support roof loads (not yet code approved) and can span across window and door openings with little or no header, if desired. TERMITE PROOF - termites do not touch papercrete! FIRE RESISTANT - papercrete cannot burst into flame. If exposed to intense heat and fire it will smolder slowly until extinguished. After the fire is out, simply dig out the char and patch with papercrete. ABSORBS SOUND AND VIBRATION - may do well in earthquake prone areas. ABSORBS WATER INSTANTLY - not a plus for housing projects. After construction is complete and the walls are dry, the exterior needs to be sealed. A papercrete stucco mix can be applied without the need of chicken wire, and then can be painted.
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Another method to make PaperCrete
Things You'll Need
- 10 pounds of newspaper
- 18 pounds of cement
- 1-1/2 shovel fulls of sand
Instructions
- 1
Place your newspaper, cement, sand and water into your cement mixer. Turn on the mixer at a slow speed. Periodically take some out with your shovel to see how well it is blending. Put the papercrete back in when you're done inspecting.
- 2
Add more materials to suit the needs of your papercrete. Add paper or sand to make the mixture thicker. Put more water in to make your paper thinner and keep it wet. Turn off your mixer when you are pleased with the papercrete consistency.
Take a shovel full of papercrete out of the mixer and place it on your table. Keep your mixer running while you craft. Put on gloves to avoid getting papercrete stuck to your hands.
- 4
Grab a large ball of the papercrete and push your thumbs down into the center to create a hole. Widen the hole by pinching with several fingers.
- 5
Pinch the papercrete upwards to create the walls of your pot. Make them as high as you want, pinching up more papercrete to keep the walls a continual thickness.
- 6
Turn the papercrete in your hands as you pinch to continue making walls. Watch the thickness of your walls and make sure they are the same thickness throughout.
- 7
Continue to turn the pot in your hands until your walls are a consistent thickness and are as tall as you want. Pull up more papercrete, if necessary.
- 8
Turn over the pot and gently pat the bottom of the pot to create a flat bottom. Avoid patting too hard as this can damage the pot.
- 9
Flatten the outside and inside of your walls using your crafting knives. Cut away the uneven or rough areas. Create a ridge on the top if you want, using your craft knife. Place your pot to the side and use the rest of the papercrete to make more pots.
- 10
Let your pots sit for at least four hours before using them. Wait longer if they aren't sufficiently hard yet. Clean them out with water before using them.
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FIDOBE-FORMULAS - Fidobe and Padobe
If you are opposed to using Portland cement, you should try some experiments with paper and clay and with other binders (see Other Binders below). There are some interesting websites on the internet, which give some fascinating insights into "paperclay." What you need for fidobe (any fibrous material and earth with clay) or padobe (paper and earth with clay) is a fibrous material or paper, and earth with high clay content. The clay content of the earth should be at least 30 percent. With regular adobe, if the clay content is too high the adobe may crack when drying, but adding paper fiber to the adobe mix strengthens the drying block and gives it some flexibility, which helps prevent cracking. The earth (with clay) to paper ratio can be varied for different applications. Since earth is different in every location, do some baseline experiments with 4-to-1 ratio - earth to paper, by weight. This is a good place to start in order to find a mix for a strong, lightweight block.
If Portland cement in small amounts is acceptable to you, you might try ratios like 6:3:1 or 7:2:1 paper, earth, cement. Basically, the more clay in the earth, the more paper you can use, but the binder should not fall under ten percent. --In the above ratios, keep in mind that the paper should be pulped with water before the other ingredients are added.
Before mixing the above ingredients, screen the rocks and small stones out of the earth. Again, the earth should have 30 percent clay or better. If you are wondering how you determine the amount of clay in earth, there are two easy ways. First of all, make sure you are testing earth with no organic materials in it. Usually that is found below the roots of plants and grass a foot or two underground. If you want to test a large volume of earth for clay content, make sure you a get a few handfuls from different points in the sample area and mix them together before screening. If there is any clay present, and it is the slightest bit moist, (spray some water on it if necessary) it will stick and cake up on your shovel making the shovel quite heavy. Take a handful of this damp earth and squeeze it. If it stays intact in a lump, it has some clay in it. If it can be rolled out into a "worm" without breaking up, it has more clay in it. If the worm can be draped over the edge of your hand about three inches and stay intact, it has quite a bit of clay in it.
OTHER BINDERS
There are alternatives to Portland cement, which can be used as binders, either alone or in combination with Portland cement. They include fly ash, bottom ash, rice hull ash, Plaster of Paris and lime. There may be others. Fly ash is ash left over from burning coal, which in the past was allowed to fly out of the smokestacks of power plants into the atmosphere. It is now caught in giant air filters, bagged and sold. I examined several structures built with papercrete block using fly ash and Portland cement in a 35 percent to 65 percent ratio as a binder. They were five years old and in excellent condition. Using fly ash as 35 percent of the binder cuts the Portland cement cost nearly in half and helps recycle fly ash. Bottom ash is heavier than fly ash so it sinks to the bottom of the furnace. I have heard of bottom ash being used, but have not seen papercrete made with it. Rice hull ash is burned in power plants in areas of the country where rice is grown. We currently have 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of rice hull ash on standby for tests. Test results with rice hull ash will be posted in Tests soon. Plaster of Paris is a variety of calcined gypsum. You probably have seen it in the form of drywall sheets. In powder form, it is really quite expensive, but in situations where it is necessary to join papercrete and wood, it is very effective. A small sample made with it was placed on a 2 x 6 piece of wood and was very difficult to pry off with a trowel. The papercrete seemed literally glued to the wood. -Hundreds, if not thousands of years before Portland cement was discovered, lime was used as a binder, mortar and plaster. The Romans used it in their stone construction. It can be purchased in most home improvement stores. -More tests need to be done on all of these binders.
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What Are Yurts? Nomadic people used yurts as portable housing.
Yurts are circular structures first used by people in Central Asia as portable homes. The word "yurt" has Turkish roots but came into English by way of the Russian word "yurta." Yurts are inexpensive to build when compared with traditional houses. Though yurts are commonly one-room dwellings, their designs can expand to include additional rooms such as modern kitchens and bathrooms. Have a question? Get an answer from a Handyman now!
Construction o Traditional yurts consist of a collapsible wooden frame with felt walls and a hole in the center of the roof for light and ventilation. The frame is self-supporting and ideally suited for withstanding high winds and earthquakes. Modern yurts consist of a wider variety of materials, including more advanced insulation and durable canvas for walls. The entrance to a yurt consists of a wooden frame with wooden doors or some type of felt or cloth covering for the doorway.
Assembly of the Yurt: The FrameThe supporting frame of a yurt is made of wood.
The crown is bound together with the two support columns and deposited in the center of the construction site. Any larger pieces of furniture may also be placed within the circle now, so they don't need to be squeezed through the small door once the yurt is finished.
The lattices of the wall segments are expanded and arranged in a circle. The door comes at the front looking south. It is important to place the segments in the right sequence. Usually they are nubered in counter clockwise direction, starting next to the door. The upper third of the wall poles are slightly bent inwards, which results in the typical silhouette of the yurt. At first, the wall segments are only connected losely. The binding strings are only tightened after the hight of the wall has been set correctly on all sides.
Two straps to stabilize the walls are now pulled around the circumference, and fixed at the sides of the door. The straps are thread through the inside where the lattices are connected, to keep them at the right height. The ends also go to the inside before they reach the door. Short pieces of rope are already fixed at the inside of the door frame, and the straps are knoted to their ends.
Now the support columns with the crown get erected in the center. This phase is easier to manage with more than two helpers, until the crown is stabilized by enough of the roof poles.
Now the roof poles are installed between walls and crown. They get placed in a sequence so that there is always an even distribution of poles around the circle, so that the crown gets equal support from all sides. The thin ends of the poles fit into the holes in the ring of the crown. The other ends rest on the forks of the wall lattices. In addition, there's a loop of string attached to the end of each pole, which latches over the inner end of the fork to secure the pole in place.
Over the door, the thick end of the roof poles finds rest in grooves in the frame. Those six or eight poles carry numbers matching the respective groove, because each one has a different length. The total number of roof poles is determined by the holes in the crown. The walls need to provide the same number of forks, including the grooves in the door frame. He who hasn't counted carefully enough may have to move some of the poles in the end.
If the roof poles slip out all the time, then the upper strap needs to be tightened a bit more. If the poles seem to be too long, then the strap must be loosened. In the end, the strap gets a little additional tension, to fix all the poles in their position. The door should stand upright.
As an additional safety measure, a thin rope is spanned from the crown in each cardinal direction. To the front it gets fixed in a ring on the top of the door frame, in the other directions it is bound around a crossing point of the lattice.
Assembly of the Yurt: The Cover
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The white roof lining Gets fixed to the frame first. After that, the felt cover is applied to the walls first and then to the roof. Historically, the then completely unwashed felt also served as rain protection. Today an impregnated canvas is normally placed over it. To protect better against the rainy european climate, we replace this by a synthetically coated cloth in our imported yurts. For good looks, a white cotton cover is placed on top of everything, which may have blue patterns along the edges. All those layers are bound to the wooden frame at strategic points.
Two or three straps are pulled over the cover around the circle of the walls, starting at the sides of the door. They are meant to keep the wind from blowing under the cloth. In addition, they support the stabilizing function of the inner straps.
Finally, the suqare cover gets spanned over the crown. The ropes from three corners are fixed with the straps, and may also be weighted if the wind requires it. The fourth end serves as an opening mechanism. It is pulled to the rear end of the yurt to open the crown, and forward to the door to close it.
After installing the curtains along the inside of the walls and moving all pieces of furniture to their final position the yurt is ready for its occupants.