This video of Peter Jennings comes from Dr. Mercola’s website. I’m not a huge fan of Mercola – he tends to be a bit in-your-face and extreme in making his point. However, this video is fantastic and offers an eye-opening connection between politics, food choices, and our nation’s health.

Click here!

After continued pressure from consumers, Starbucks has annoucned that it will supply only rBGH-free milk in their US stores by December 31st of this year!
This is a huge step in public health advocacy, as Starbucks is a significant supplier of America’s dairy consumption. Starbucks yield to consumer concern is sending a loud message to the Dairy Industry: Americans do not want added hormones in our milk!

rBGH is a genetically modified, artificial hormone added to dairy cows to encourage milk production. The amount of milk a cow fed rBGH is able to produce is around 7 to 8 additional gallons per day. However, the risk of mastitis (pussy inflammation of the udder) increases by 25%, necessitating additional antibiotics and contaminating the milk supply with both puss and excessive pharmaceuticals. Yes – there is an allowable amount of puss permitted in your glass of milk.

In addition to causing greater suffering and drugging of dairy cattle, rBGH is suspect in human cancers of the prostate, breast, and colon and is consequently banned in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and all 27 countries in the European Union.

Please express your thanks to Starbucks for taking a step to ensure quality beverages and for responding to consumer concerns. Click here to send Starbucks CEO Jim Donald a thank you, on behalf of Food and Water Watch, a public advocacy group.

More info on safety concerns of rBGH.
Wikipedia’s definition and discussion of rBGH.

This fascinating Photo Essay from Time Magazine explores the common foods eaten in a family each week across the globe. Included is price per week on groceries and favorite meals. A fascinating window into different cultures (and the pervasiveness of soda) across the world. Photos have been taken from the book “Hungry Planet” – a coffee table book on my wishlist for about a year now.

What The World Eats – Part 1:

What The World Eats – Part 2:

Dr. Joseph Mercola was one of the speakers in NYC this last weekend. He shared with us an amusing parody video on some of the pitfalls of conventional medicine.

Click here to view.

The FDA has recently approved the use of cloned milk and meat products to be introduced into our food supply. According to their studies done on the flesh and milk of cloned
animals (funded by whom?), nutrition composition is relatively indistinguishable. Since testing methods have determined cloned meat and milk to be biochemically identical to naturally created creatures, these products will not be labeled as cloned (according to Eric Schlosser of Fast Food Nation fame), despite the fact that over 60% of Americans are uncomfortable with the idea of introducing cloned products into the food supply.

This technology is only 4 years old – far too soon to rule definitively on safety. We know from the past that breeding single variations of crops lead to an increase in pesticide use due to higher risk of pests and diseases wiping out entire fields. Keep in mind there are genetic variances within the same crop species (such as iceberg lettuce) — but what would happen if the DNA were identical? Cloned species without genetic variance pose a wealth of unknown consequences. Companies which have invested in cloning are eager to be able to make a profit on their research and hard work – already the “long” four year wait has forced one comapny into bankruptcy, so pressures are high.

To find out more about some of the concerns on cloned animal products, I recommend clicking here to visit Food and Water Watch, a consumer education and advocacy group working to diminish corporate control of food and water resources. The National Organic Standards Board has met and made the recommendation that products from clones and their offspring not be labeled as organic, thus upholding the integrity of the USDA Certified Organic Label. Soon organics may be our only assurance that we are not consuming cloned animals.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of UNKNOWINGLY consuming cloned animals and their milks, you have until May 3rd to tell the FDA by emailing them your objections or calling 1-888-463-6332 . I urge you to contact them to voice your concerns!

Washington Post article

A Bill which threatens your ability to make informed decisions with your wallet

Despite significant public opposition, The House passed the National Food Uniformity Labeling Act which, if passed through the Senate, would eliminate over 200 state food labeling laws describing foods and beverages which are likely to cause cancer, birth defects, allergic reactions, or mercury poisoning. It will also overpower a state’s right to inform their citizens if a food or beverage contains genetically engineered ingredients such as Monsanto’s recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH).

The “National Uniformity for Food Act,” reduces the quality of our food safety by overturning state food safety laws that are not “identical” to federal law. Hundreds of state laws and regulations are at risk, including those governing the safety of milk, fish, and shellfish.
This bill is being pushed and supported by the big food and biotech industries. These industries have an understanding that an informed consumer, concerned about genetic engineering, irradiation and mercury poisoning will likely reject products and manufacturing practices that are in use if truthful labels are allowed to remain on products. If you are concerned about the quality and safety of our food supply, I urge you to learn more below and send a quick note to your Senator opposing this Act.