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27Mar2011
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27Mar2011
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27Mar2011
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While the true extent of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill was not known for about 4 years, as Al Jazeera notes in the video above, the repercussions of BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico may become apparent more quickly.
Discovering eyeless shrimp, lesioned fish and other mutated and underdeveloped seafood, fisherman in the Gulf are pointing fingers at the BP spill. Biologist Dr. Darryl Felder told the news agency that Gulf seafood populations are dropping at alarming rates and that species richness is “diminished.”
The Gulf Restoration Network‘s Scott Eust explained the bizarre shrimp deformities. “We have some evidence of deformed shrimp, which is another developmental impact. So, that shrimp’s grandmother was exposed to oil while the mother was developing, but it’s the grandchild of the shrimp that was exposed grows up with no eyes.”
Al Jazeera reports that both the government and BP maintain that Gulf seafood is safe. BP released a statement last week, saying, “Seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is among the most tested in the world, and according to the FDA and NOAA, it is as safe now as it was before the accident.”
A study published last October in the journal Environmental Health Perspectivesfound that the FDA allowed “up to 10,000 times too much contamination” and didn’t identify the risks to children and pregnant women posed by contaminated seafood. Additionally, the study charged that the FDA’s “scientific standards [in 2010] were less stringent” than after the Exxon Valdez spill, reported OnEarth.
Despite sales dropping precipitously following the spill, the Gulf’s seafood industry was given a boost after the government’s Defense Commissary Agency began selling Gulf seafood products on 72 East Coast military bases in early 2011, reported AP.
*******
I don’t believe for a moment that the seafood is safe to eat. Thoughts? Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
After almost 20 years of banking with Wells Fargo, two years ago I decided to leave and bank elsewhere. Now after finding out more about Wells Fargo, I am so happy that I did.
Anti immigrant laws like Arizona’s SB 170 and Georgia’s HB 87, are not only a consequence of racism but also of the greed for money. It is a huge business to criminalize and incarcerate OTWs because the federal government pays private prison companies and average of $122 per day per person in prison.
Private Prison Companies such as Corrections Corporations of America (CCA) and the GEO Group have influenced politicians to pass laws that criminalize OTWs just to increase the prison population for more profit. These companies are making millions, and those who benefit are companies (shareholders) that invest in the prison industry. And as you have read, our government is building more prisons, while cutting social services and schools, all with tax payer money.
Enlacein partnership with community groups and unions across the US, is calling on all public and private institutions to divest their holdings in Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group, America’s largest private prison corporations which have profited from billions in taxpayer money.
Enlace launched the Prison Industry Divestment Campaign to convince shareholders (banks hedge funds etc.) to divest their funds from the prison industry so people like you and me can make an impact on the prison business, and reduce the power of CCA and GEO to lobby for laws that imprison our communities.
Watch the video and see legalized racial profiling in action:
So what does this have to do with Wells Fargo? Guess what? Wells Fargo is a major investor in CCA and GEO – the nations two largest for-profit companies.
Over the past 3 years, hundreds of thousands of OTWs have been subjected to excessively abusive treatments in for-profit prisons run for the federal government by the GEO Group (GEO), and Corrections of America (CCA). So do you think Wells Fargo is innocent in all of this? I don’t think so.
These are the stats:
1 million immigrants have been detained in the past 3 years
3400 is the daily population in detention camp
80% of the beds are owned by GEO and CCA
GEO and CCA’s profits in 2009 were 3.1 billion
Wells Fargo received 43.7 billion in bailout money
The cost to tax payers is 5.5million daily.
Wells Fargo profits from business from the GEO Group as a:
Major investor
Underwriter
Broker-dealer of shares
Trustee
Documentation Agent
Dealer manager
Financial advisor
Wells Fargo pays lobbyists who help GEO lobby the government for policies that incarcerate more immigrants in for GEO run facilities. Wells Fargo made contributions to Georgia’s HB87 ( Arizona’s copycat law) sponsor Senate Bill Hamrick and to several politicians in state House and state Senate who voted in favor of HB87.
Readers: And if that isn’t enough to make you mad, Wells Fargo also holds the lead in foreclosures, finances more Payday lenders than any other big bank, and they’re America’s biggest tax dodger.
Want to do something to stop Wells Fargo? Join Bay Area, Causa Justa :: Just Cause (CJJC): a multi-racial, grassroots organization building community leadership to achieve justice for low-income San Francisco and Oakland residents. CJJC is part of a Wells Fargo shareholder protest taking place tomorrow in San Francisco. And you can be a part too.
WF24:
Wells Fargo
Shareholders Meeting
Protest • Tuesday,
April 24. Justin
Herman Plaza • SF
We NEED YOU at our Wells Fargo action tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24 in San Francisco at Justin Herman Plaza, SF.
Join thousands in San Francisco, this coming Tuesday at 10am, to take over the Wells Fargo Shareholder Meeting (#wf24) and turn it in to a Peoples Meeting!
The shareholders want to meet about how to best reap profits from foreclosures, for-profit prisons and detention centers, student loans, and tax evasion.
We plan to put a crimp in their plan. More info at:
The broad coalition of community, faith, and labor organizations participating includes: Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Alliance for Just Society, Causa Justa/Just Cause, Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (CCISCO), EnLace, International Forum on Globalization, National People’s Action, New Bottom Line, Occupy SF, POWER-LA, Pride @ Work, PICO California, ReFund California, and SEIU International, SEIU Local 1021, SEIU United Workers West, SEIU Local 87, San Francisco Labor Council, We Are Oregon .
This action is also part of 99% Power, a national effort to mobilize well over 10,000 people, from all walks of life and representing the diversity of the 99%, to engage in nonviolent direct action at more than three-dozen corporate shareholder meetings across the country.
Causa Justa :: Just Cause is a multi-racial grass roots housing and immigrant rights organization building community leadership to achieve justice for low-income San Francisco and Oakland residents. We have offices on both sides of the Bay.
********
Will you be there? Blog me.
Peace & Love…
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:
Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129
The Globe and Maili recently published an article outlining “the 5 numbers that most impact your health.”
I think they have the right idea, but but I disagree with their test selections.
If you really want to monitor your health, I believe the numbers you should be tracking are the seven listed in the table below.
These are far more important than tracking your total cholesterol, blood pressure, or BMI, as recommended by the Globe and Mail.
Let’s take a closer look at these values and what they may reveal about your health.
For those who like pneumonics to help them remember things, try this one:
“I Conclude that French Fries Will Hasten my UntimelyDemise.”
1. Fasting Insulin (I)
2. Cholesterol/HDL Ratio (C)
3. Percentage Body Fat (F)
4. Serum Ferritin (F)
5. Waist/Hip Ratio (WH)
6. Uric Acid Level (U)
7. Vitamin D Level (D)
1. Fasting Insulin Level
Your fasting insulin level reflects how healthy your blood glucose levels are over time. Insulin helps sugar move from your blood into your cells, where it can be used or stored. Chronically elevated blood glucose leads to insulin resistance and numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. Elevated blood glucose and insulin resistance are epidemic today. An estimated one in four Americans are either insulin resistant or diabetic.
One of the most frequent causes of elevated glucose (and insulin resistance) is consumption of too many grains and sugars. Fructose has been shown to be especially harmful due to the way it disrupts the lock-and-key fit between insulin and its cellular receptor sites. Fructose is a powerful endocrine disruptor, capable of rapidly inducing insulin resistance when consumed in what, by today’s standards, is a relatively small amount (25 grams or more per day).
Your fasting insulin level can be determined by a simple, inexpensive blood test. A normal fasting blood insulin level is below 5, but ideally you’ll want it below 3. If your insulin level is higher than 3 to 5, the most effective way to optimize it is to reduce or eliminate all forms of dietary sugar, particularly fructose.
You can also use a simple glucose test to check your fasting glucose level. Just realize that it’s possible to have low fasting glucose but still have significantly elevated insulin levels.Generally speaking, a fasting glucose under 100 mg/dl suggests you’re not insulin resistant, while a level between 100 and 125 suggests you’re either mildly insulin resistant or have impaired glucose tolerance (sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes).
2. Cholesterol/HDL Ratio
Cholesterol has been demonized for the past few decades, thanks to a landmark study by Dr. Ancel Keys in 1953 that has been used to justify a low fat diet approach to achieve health. This study resulted in cholesterol’s being blamed for just about every case of heart disease in the last 20 years. But the fact is, cholesterol is most likely not going to destroy your health (as you have been led to believe), and is also not the cause of heart disease. Most of the recent credible science has debunked Keys’ theory, but thecholesterol myth stubbornly persists in the mainstream because it’s so deeply embedded in our culture.
We now know that your body actually requires cholesterol to manufacture vitamin D from sunlight, to synthesize sex hormones, and for proper brain function. Measuring total blood cholesterol tells you practically nothing about your heart disease risk. More value can be derived by looking at the relative types of lipids circulating in your bloodstream, and today we have sophisticated tests that can measure these. The following two ratios are far better indicators of heart disease risk than total cholesterol alone:
Your HDL/Cholesterol ratio: HDL (high-density lipoproteins) to total cholesterol percentage is a very good predictor of heart disease risk. Just divide your HDL number by your total cholesterol. Ideally, this number should exceed 24 percent; below 10 percent predicts an increased risk for heart disease.
Your Triglyceride/HDL ratio: Divide your triglyceride number by your HDL. This percentage should ideally be below 2.
3. Percentage Body Fat
Body composition, meaning your relative amounts of lean body mass to body fat, is a powerful way to measure your overall health. There is a strong correlation between higher body fat and negative health outcomes, such as heart disease and stroke. And percentage body fat says more about your overall fitness than body weight or body mass index (BMI). BMI can be particularly misleading, causing fit bodybuilders to be classified as overweight as it does not take into account the higher weight of muscle compared to fat. Also, increased organ or abdominal adipose tissue in particular (a “beer belly”) has been shown to be more strongly associated with heart disease and a variety of chronic diseases than just weight in relation to height.
The most common way to assess body fat percentage is the skinfold measurement technique, which utilizes a skinfold caliper. (Skinfold measurement is the method most widely used by fitness trainers.) The American Council on Exercise provides the following percentage body fat guidelinesii for men and women:
Category
Women
Men
Essential Fat
10-13%
2-5%
Athletes
14-20%
6-13%
Fitness
21-24%
4-17%
Acceptable
25-31%
18-24%
Obesity
>32%
>25%
For even greater accuracy, you can resort to hydrostatic weighing, where you get weighed under water. This measures the density of your body, which is then used to calculate how much body fat you have.
Another technique that is gaining support by medical and fitness experts is the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). To measure body impedance, an electrical signal is passed through your body. Impedance is greatest in fat tissue, which contains low amounts of water, while fat-free mass, which contains up to 75 percent water, allows the signal to pass through fairly unimpeded. This measurement, along with other factors such as your height, weight, and body type, is then used to calculate your percentage of body fat, fat-free mass and other body composition values.
There are now bathroom scales that use this technology. I picked one up from Eat Smartiii that I have been using for the last four months. I find it’s a simple way to monitor my body fat percentage. It likely overestimates the value a bit for me as it has me at 14 percent when I am likely between 11 and 12 percent, but it is very accurate in measuring day to day variability, and can be an excellent and inexpensive way to monitor your progress on optimizing your body fat so it is line with your health goals.
4. Serum Ferritin
You’re probably already know that iron is an important nutrient for your body. But you might not be aware that iron is a double-edged sword—both too much and too little can lead to major health problems.
Iron serves many functions in your body, but one of the most important is carrying oxygen throughout your body by binding to hemoglobin molecules in your bloodstream. Without proper oxygenation, your cells quickly begin to die. If you don’t have enough iron in your body, you end up with iron deficiency anemia, a common problem among children and menstruating women. But your body also has a limited capacity to excrete iron, so it can build up in your tissues if you’re getting too much in your diet.
Processed foods fortified with iron and multivitamins with iron can contribute to iron overload over time. The problem with excess iron is that it’s also a very potent oxidative stressor, causing dangerous free radicals that candamage your heart and your DNA, and lead to diseases such as cancer. Therefore, you should regularly check yourself for iron overload with a serum ferritin test. This blood test measures iron’s carrier molecule—a protein called ferritin found inside your cells upon which the iron is stored. If your ferritin levels are low, it means your iron levels are also low, and vice versa. Use the following guidelines to interpret your serum ferritin level:
The healthy range of serum ferritin is between 20 and 80 ng/ml
The ideal serum ferritin range is 40 to 60 ng/ml
Below 20, you are iron deficient; above 80, you have an iron surplus.Ferritin levels can go really high. I’ve seen levels over 1,000, but anything over 80 is likely to be a problem.
It is VITAL to appreciate that about one in five men and postmenopausal women have iron levels that are too high and actually causing premature disease and death. If you or someone you love has triple digit ferritin levels you need to lower them ASAP. The higher the number the worse it is, with numbers over 250-300 being particularly dangerous. Fortunately there is a very simple way to lower it. I would not advise using supplements like phytic acid (IP6), which can bind other helpful minerals. The single best way to lower your iron s to simply donate blood. If you have risk factors that prevent you from having your blood accepted for donation, you can have your doctor write you a prescription for a therapeutic phlebotomy.
5. Waist-to-Hip Ratio
There is scientific evidenceiv that BMI (body mass index) is a very flawed measurement when it comes to predicting your risk of dying from heart disease. Waist size provides a far more accurate benchmark for predicting your risk of death from a heart attack and from other causes. Determining your waist size is easy. With a tape measure, measure the distance around the smallest area of your abdomen, below your rib cage and above your belly button. The following is a general guide for healthy waist circumference:
Men: 37 to 40 inches is overweight; greater than 40 inches is obese
Women: 31.5 to 34.6 inches is overweight; greater than 34.6 inches is obese
The reason why this is a better indicator of heart disease risk is because your waist size is related to the type of fat that is stored around your waistline, called “visceral fat” or “belly fat.” This type of fat is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases. It is thought that visceral fat is related to the release of proteins and hormones that cause inflammation, which can in turn damage your arteries and affect how you metabolize sugars and fats. An expanded waistline is associated with insulin resistance, high blood pressure, lipid imbalance, cardiovascular disease, thickening of the walls of your heart, and even increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease decades later.
6. Uric Acid Level
You may already know that elevated uric acid levels cause gout. But did you know uric acid can serve as a marker for fructose toxicity?
Fructose, when over-consumed, is very taxing to your body’s metabolic processes. One of the by-products of fructose metabolism is uric acid, so when you consume too much sugar—particularly concentrated fructose—your uric acid levels may rise. Fructose turns you into a uric acid factory! Elevated uric acid is thought to explain much of the damage fructose causes in your body. This is especially pronounced if you are particularly fructose-sensitive, as I am. I’m grateful to Dr. Richard Johnson, author of The Sugar Fix, for bringing the uric acid link to my attention. As an aside I have helped proof his new book, The Fat Switch, which is beyond prenominal and will also be available shortly.
The connection between fructose consumption and increased uric acid is so reliable that a uric acid level taken from your blood can actually be used as a marker for fructose toxicity. I now recommend that a uric acid level be a routine part of your blood screening.
According to the latest research, the safest range for uric acid is between 3 and 5.5 milligrams per deciliter, and there appears to be a steady relationship between uric acid levels and blood pressure and cardiovascular risk, even down to the range of 3 to 4 mg/dl. As you know, two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight, and most of these people likely have uric acid levels in excess of 5.5. Some may even be closer to 10 or higher. Dr. Johnson suggests that the ideal uric acid level is probably around:
4 mg/dl for men, and
3.5 mg/dl for women
7. Vitamin D Level
Vitamin D deficiency is at epidemic levels in the United States, but many Americans—including many physicians—are still unaware of the implications. In the U.S., the late winter average vitamin D is only about 15 to 18 ng/ml, which is considered a very serious deficiency state. In fact, 85 percent of Americans may be deficient in vitamin D, including more than 95 percent of all seniors.
Vitamin D influences about 3,000 of the 30,000 genes in your body, which is why it’s involved with the expression of so many diseases, from cancer to autism to heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis, just to name a few. A study by vitamin D expert Dr. William Grant, Ph.D., found that about 30 percent of cancer deaths could be prevented each year with higher levels of vitamin D. Beyond preventing cancer, researchers have estimated that increasing vitamin D levels could prevent diseases that claim nearly one million lives globally each year. Vitamin D also fights colds and flu because it helps your immune system defend against bacteria and viruses.
You should regularly check your vitamin D level, but you must obtain the correct test. There are two vitamin D tests: 1,25(OH)D and 25(OH)D. Of the two, 25(OH)D (also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D) is the better marker of overall vitamin D status.
The following ranges were obtained in a large-scale clinical study by evaluating healthy people in tropical or subtropical parts of the world, where they are receiving healthy sun exposures. It seems more than reasonable to assume that these values are in fact reflective of an optimal human requirement. When getting your vitamin D level tested, please realize that many commercial labs are using old, outdated reference ranges, and that their “normal” is likely to be far below these optimal and clinically relevant values.
(Holick MF. Calcium and Vitamin D. Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Clin Lab Med. 2000 Sep;20(3):569-90)
If your vitamin D level is too low, the best way to increase it is with exposure to natural sunlight, in appropriate amounts, or using a safe tanning bed. If neither of those options are feasible, you can opt for an oral vitamin D3 supplement. Just remember that if you supplement orally, it is even MORE important to have your blood levels checked regularly, as there is a wide variation in how efficiently people absorb vitamin D orally. While the latest research indicates adults need about 8,000 IU’s of vitamin D per day to achieve vitamin D levels of 40 ng/ml, you need to monitor your levels carefully in order to determine the dosage you need in order to reach and maintain optimal levels, as this is highly variable. There is no magic dosage when it comes to vitamin D; rather it’s the serum level that really matters.
For more information about vitamin D testing, refer to my comprehensive article on the topic. I also strongly recommend you watch my one-hour vitamin D lecture, included at the top of this section.
********
Peace Love and Good Health. Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:
Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129
It is amazing to me that we actually need laws need to be put into place to protect women from abuse from men. It is a continual effort to support and protect women. Why? Because it is needed. Men abuse women. There are no laws that I know of that protect men from the abuse of women. So we go to great lengths because all across the country and the world, men abuse women. Now we all know it isn’t all men. But it is certainly enough that laws need to be passed to protect us.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passed in 1994, strengthens the ability of the Federal Government, States, law enforcement, and service providers to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
The new VAWA legislation has provisions that include protection and resources for all women, including undocumented immigrants, same-sex couples and those on tribal lands. Moreover, it would create a community that promotes education on how to prevent domestic violence.
Recently VAWA was brought to a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. And guess what? The republicans remain the party of “no”. Every single Senate republican voted “no”.
And to add insult to injury, these Senators justified their votes based on purely ideological objections that should be set aside if we are truly serious and committed to aiding victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Thankfully we have a strong, wonderful woman of the world, on our side: Rep. Gwen Moore.
Julia: Thank you for sharing your life story, for being here with us, and for your kind words. You are an amazing, brave woman. I wish you and yours my very best. I dedicate today’s write to you:
I was molested as a child. There was no ominous stranger or dark alley. This abuse was perpetrated by someone I knew and by someone who knew me — a family friend. Sadly, these events of my youth would only be the beginning of a lifetime of experiences with abuse and violence.
When I was in high school — an ambitious young woman, very focused on my education — a young man joked with his friends and made a bet that he could “bed the egghead.” He took me out on what I thought was an innocent date with the boy that I liked, and when he got me alone, he forced himself on me. It was my 18th birthday. I don’t even think he thought it was wrong. He and his friends thought it was a rite of passage, nothing big. But it altered the course of my life.
These memories hold much pain and haunted me through many phases of my life. But it is partly through these experiences that I found my calling — to be an advocate for the many nameless, faceless and voiceless women and children who endure this abuse everyday throughout this country.
No mother, no sister, no child should ever have to suffer the physical, psychological and emotional abuse that I and so many others were forced to endure. Yet, each day there are hundreds that do. In fact, nearly one in five women in the United States has been sexually assaulted in her lifetime.
As legislators and as Members of Congress, it is our obligation to speak up for those who are being ignored in our society. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) does just that.
I spoke recently about what this Act would have done for me, had it been enacted before the time of my assault. This legislation, originally passed in 1994, strengthens the ability of the Federal Government, States, law enforcement, and service providers to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The new VAWA legislation has provisions that include protection and resources for all women, including undocumented immigrants, same-sex couples and those on tribal lands. Moreover, it would create a community that promotes education on how to prevent domestic violence.
Domestic violence is a cancer that has infected our society, crossing all ethnic, socioeconomic and party lines. Protecting those victimized by domestic violence should never be a partisan issue. Yet as with many other pieces of common-sense legislation, this Congress has pushed this bill into partisan corners. Recently, when the Violence Against Women Act was brought to a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, every single Senate Republican on that Committee voted “no.” And to add insult to injury, these Senators justified their votes based on purely ideological objections that should be set aside if we are truly serious and committed to aiding victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Thankfully, President Obama has recently taken action on this issue, directing federal agencies to develop policies for addressing domestic violence in the federal workforce. These policies will build on ongoing efforts of federal agencies to improve workplace safety, and outline steps employers can take to provide support and assistance to employees whose lives are affected by domestic violence.
It is time we stop playing partisan politics with the Violence Against Women Act. This is real life, with real women and real consequences. Until this Congress decides to take the safety of women, children and families seriously, our country will continue to spiral through a vicious circle of denial that will sadly only lead to more violence and abuse.
Women are waiting for this Congress to come together to pass this important legislation. Until that time, I along with my Democratic colleagues will continue to fight the good fight so that the Gwen Moores of this world no longer have to live in fear.
*W*W*O*T*W*
Thoughts? Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:
Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129
Last December, the U.S. National Organic Standards Board, an expert panel that advise the USDA Secretary on organic matters, narrowly approved Martek Biosciences Corporation’s petition to allow the use of their genetically modified soil fungus and algae as nutritional supplements in organic food.
The product is an omega-3/omega-6 oil (DHA/ARA) synthesized from fermented algae and soil fungus.
The oil is extracted from this biomass using hexane, a neurotoxic byproduct of gasoline refinement that is specifically banned in organics.
The Cornucopia Institute investigated Martek’s patent and safety filings at the FDA, and discovered that the product also contains synthetic chemicals, stabilizers, carriers, and some of the ingredients are also genetically modified.
(As it turns out, some of their products were developed by Monsanto before Martek bought the technical rights.)
Martek’s formulated oils are added to “organic” milk, infant formula, and a number of different foods. After a formal legal complaint, the USDA announced in 2010 that it had “inappropriately” allowed Martek oils to be included in organic foods.
But enforcement of their removal was delayed for 18 months in an apparent effort to permit corporate lobbyists to petition for review and legal inclusion in organic food. According to the Conucopia Institute:
“Although Martek told the board that they would discontinue the use of the controversial neurotoxic solvent n-hexane for DHA/ARA processing, they did not disclose what other synthetic solvents would be substituted. Federal organic standards prohibit the use of all synthetic/petrochemical solvents”.
How Did Unapproved Ingredients Make it into Baby Food?
It is distressing to see that chemical additives have skirted USDA approval and made their way into infant formulas—some of which even bear the USDA Organic Seal! This confirms that even organic certification is NOT watertight, and you, the consumer, will need to stay on your toes.
Martek’s DHA and ARA products are synthetic attempts at omega-3 fats that have been in the U.S. marketplace since 2002, and in organic products since 2006. They are chemically extracted from certain types of algae and fungi that have never before been part of the human diet, and have never been approved by the USDA. Yet they have made their way into your baby’s bottle.
In fact, it is unlikely that the production process of these agents has been examined at all—and for good reason. The Cornucopia Institute has uncovered an entire list of questions regarding the source, processing, and other ingredients used in the manufacturing of Martek’s DHA and ARA, any one of which could result in a ban from their use in certified organic products.
GMOs, Lies, and Petrochemicals
For starters, Martek’s synthetic oils are extracted using a toxic petrochemical solvent called hexane—a process that’s just about as NON-organic as you can get. Hexane extraction is widely used in the production of oils, such as fatty acids and vegetable oils, but is banned in organic produce because it’s a non-organic material.
So what’s their loophole?
Martek Biosciences was able to dodge the ban on hexane-extraction by claiming USDA does not consider omega-3 and omega-6 fats to be “agricultural ingredients.” Therefore, they argue, the ban against hexane extraction does not apply. The USDA helped them out by classifying those oils as “necessary vitamins and minerals,” which are exempt from the hexane ban. But hexane-extraction is just the tip of the iceberg. Other questionable manufacturing practices and misleading statements by Martek includei:
Undisclosed synthetic ingredients, prohibited for use in organics (including the sugar alcohol mannitol, modified starch, glucose syrup solids, and “other” undisclosed ingredients)
Microencapsulation of the powder and nanotechnology, which are prohibited under organic laws
Use of volatile synthetic solvents, besides hexane (such as isopropyl alcohol)
Recombinant DNA techniques and other forms of genetic modification of organisms; mutagenesis; use of GMO corn as a fermentation medium
Heavily processed ingredients that are far from “natural”
Your Body Knows These “Nutrients” are Fake
Although DHA and ARA from real foods are indeed important nutrients, the synthetic versions are not even remotely the same. They are foreign to your body, and to your infant’s body, which is why many babies are having terrible adverse reactions. Naturally derived omega-3 fats have important benefits to your baby’s eyes and brain. Martek has manipulated this fact into a clever marketing ploy that convinces mothers that this artificial concoction is as good for their babies as breast milk.
But there is no scientific evidence to substantiate Martek’s health claims. Martek claims that their formula is “proven in independent clinical studies to enhance mental development.” According to the Cornucopia Institute, this claim is based on one single study involving just 19 infants. Martek neglects to mention the numerous other clinical studies that fail to show any advantage in brain development.
The Perfect Formula for Diarrhea, Vomiting and Gastrointestinal Pain
The Cornucopia Institute has compiled a summaryii of hundreds of adverse reports submitted to the FDA about possible intolerance to DHA/ARA-supplemented infant formula. Of those reports, 98 are said to be “confidently linked” to intolerance to the DHA/ARA oils. Many hundreds more are highly suspect. The reported gastrointestinal symptoms include:
Severe gas
Diarrhea and vomiting
Gastric reflux
Constipation and bowel obstruction
Agitation, fussiness, crying, and severe distress
The adverse reaction reports filed with the FDA represent only the tip of the iceberg, as most parents are unaware that Martek’s additives may be the cause of their infants’ problems. Some parents and their babies have endured these symptoms for weeks or months before identifying the cause, believing it was simply colic or unexplained fussiness.
A few companies have made a conscious decision to not use Martek’s additives in their baby food products, in order to protect the organic integrity of their foods. Cornucopia has published a list of “USDA Organic” products containing Martek’s additivesiii. Shockingly, ALL organic infant formulas with the exception of ONE (Baby’s Only Organic) contain Martek’s DHA! Some baby foods also contain it, so it’s a good idea to get in the habit of reading ALL of your labels.
Beware of Other Known Contaminants in Infant Formula
Your child is perhaps never more vulnerable than in the first few months of life, when his or her fragile body is still rapidly developing. Pound for pound, infants experience greater exposure to chemicals than adults, and have immature and porous blood-brain barriers, which allow greater chemical exposures to reach their developing brains.
It is best to avoid infant formulas whenever possible. Breastfeeding is best. Infant formulas have been found to be contaminated with a variety of problematic chemicals, including:
Perchlorates (a component of rocket fuel)
Melamine
Advanced glycoprotein end products (AGEs)
Please avoid feeding your baby soy based formula due to dangerously high concentrations of manganese and estrogenic compounds, among other problems. Most infant formulas also contain far too much sugar. The most recent contaminant found in infant formula (as well as food and commercial juices) is arsenic. This is particularly worrisome for babies because they are especially vulnerable to arsenic’s toxic effects.
Is there Arsenic in Your Baby Formula?
Researchers at Dartmouth College warned that there is an “urgent need” for regulatory limits on arsenic in food products after levels in two infant formulas were found to be up to six times the U.S. federal limit for drinking water. ivThere are currently NO regulations for arsenic levels in foods or juices.
The arsenic in infant formulas is thought to come from the brown rice syrup used to sweeten some formulas. Rice is a plant that is very efficient at taking up arsenic from the soil, regardless of whether or not it’s grown organically.
You Can Avoid All of These Problems by Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding offers a list of life-long health benefits for both mom and baby, making it the best food you can give to your baby by far.
Many are aware that breast milk contains antibodies, or immune molecules, that are transferred to the baby, giving her immunities to illnesses that the mother is immune to. The converse is also true — if your newborn is exposed to a germ, she will transfer it back to the mother while nursing. The mother’s body will then make antibodies to that particular germ and transfer them back to the baby at the next feeding.
So it’s not just a matter of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats that makes breast milk far superior to formula. In fact, breast milk also contains substances that may significantly enhance your baby’s gut and support the healthy development of her entire nervous system.
If you are unable to breastfeed, you may want to consider the option of purchasing human breast milk, which is becoming a hot commodity online. Nursing women are now earning up to $1,200 a month from selling their extra milk to other families, many of whom are pairing up online via Craigslist and other classified sites. This trend harkens back to ancient times when wet nurses (women who breastfeed babies other than their own) were used for a variety of purposes. For more about this option and some cautions, please refer to this article on the sale of breast milk.
Is the U.S. Becoming a “Dumping Ground” for Substandard Products?
Food in the European Union (EU) seems to be getting saferv, while American food may be becoming more dangerous. The EU has been progressively tightening their standards, while the U.S. has been loosening theirs. Consider herbicides, for example.
Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the U.S. and is the primary ingredient in Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup, which is causing incredible damage to our environment. As a result of Monsanto’s lobbying, a U.S. regulation passed in 2011 increased the tolerance for residues of the herbicide glyphosate on corn. The tolerance is even higher than the one allowed by international standards. The Codex Alimentarius Commissionvi has established a maximum residue level for glyphosate on corn at 5 parts per million, but the U.S. regulation now allows 13 parts per million.vii
The EU herbicide/pesticide legislation is probably the strictest in the world, a testament to their commitment to consumer protection. Besides limiting these chemicals, they ban genetically engineered foods and the hormone rBGH, whereas the U.S. continues to allow them. Many more such examples can be found.
As the European Union and other nations have begun to tighten their environmental standards, manufacturers have begun to use America as a dumping ground for consumer goods that fail to meet other nations’ standards for toxic chemical content. Manufacturers ship wood, toys, electronics, pesticides and cosmetics to the U.S. containing substances that are banned or restricted elsewhere, because they raise the risk of cancer or cause reproductive or neurological damage.
Think about all of the dangerous and poor quality products we’re importing from China that make the news now on a regular basis. Unlike the European Union, which uses a “precautionary principle” that prescribes protective steps whenever there is scientific evidence of risks to public health or the environment, the U.S. EPA relies on voluntary steps from the industries themselves. This model of consumer protection has unfortunately been swallowed up by corporate corruption. If the government is unable to provide the oversight needed to ensure public safety, then it’s up to YOU, the consumer, to protect yourself.
What You Can Do
The Cornucopia Institute has posted an Action Alert in the form of a proxy letter you can sign and mail off today. They will hand-carry your letters to the USDA spring meeting to protect organic products from synthetic additives. You can print out this proxy letter here.
The Cornucopia Institute
PO Box 126
Cornucopia, Wisconsin 54827
Also consider including a donation check with your letter, to support the invaluable work the Cornucopia Institute performs to protect your and your family’s right to clean, wholesome, truly organic food. As of right now, there does not appear to be any additional benefit to contacting your congressman, but if the need arises, Cornucopia will notify all their members and subscribers with the information.
I can’t encourage you enough to participate in this process. It’s important to recognize that you CAN make a difference! Always remember that collectively, we have the most effective power in the marketplace that can exceed the power of these multibillion dollar, multinational corporations. We can vote with our pocket books. But we also need to make our voices heard; we have to let these agencies know that we are watching, we’re paying attention, and we’re not going to allow this immoral, if not downright illegal, industrial favoritism to continue.
Until American consumers are willing to vote LOUDLY and CLEARLY with their checkbooks by refusing to purchase cheap products created under poor standards of safety, we will continue to be suckers for substandard and even dangerous products that can compromise our health, along with the health of future generations.
So think carefully before you purchase your products! The real cost of “cheap products” comes in the price you pay for your long-term health.
******
Readers: What kind of person allows baby formula to contain toxic ingredients, poisoning the future of our children…the future of our planet? How low can greed go?
I’ve got an early run. blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:
Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129
