What are the Best Dietary Sources of Magnesium, and Who Might be Deficient?
Green leafy vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard are excellent sources of magnesium, as are some beans, nuts and seeds, like almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Avocadoes are also a good source.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Americans Hoarding Light Bulbs Ahead Of “Outrageous” Government Ban
Americans Hoarding Light Bulbs Ahead Of “Outrageous” Government Ban
Iconic Thomas Edison invention to be replaced with toxic mercury-filled, illness-causing CFLs by 2014 unless Ron Paul can lead successful fight back
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Americans have begun hoarding incandescent light bulbs ahead of a government ban next year that has been labeled “outrageous” by one pressure group as Ron Paul leads a charge in Congress to repeal the draconian state phaseout of Thomas Edison’s iconic invention.
A 2007 bill signed in to law by President George W. Bush mandates that, “Manufacturers will no longer be able to make the 100-watt Thomas Edison bulb after Jan. 1, 2012, followed by the 75-watt version in Jan. 2013, and the the 60- and 40-watt bulbs in Jan. 2014.”
The legislation mirrors similar laws in Europe, where incandescent bulbs began to be phased out in 2009. The EU also plans to ban halogen bulbs by 2016, forcing people to use compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, which produce a poor quality of light with an attendant flicker affect that causes many people to become dizzy and ill.
“Neurologists are increasingly taking notice of the headaches and migraines being reported by people exposed to compact fluorescent light bulbs,” writes Mike Adams, noting that electromagnetic pollution caused by the so-called “energy efficient” bulbs is “causing devastating health effects on some people.”
The so-called “dirty energy” emitted by CFLs produces radiation that has been linked with migraine headaches, sleep abnormalities, fatigue, and other health defects.
CFLs are also more harmful to the environment because they are filled with toxic mercury that contaminates the environment when the bulbs reach the landfill.
“A report released in 2008 from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection revealed that when a CFL bulb is broken, it can release dangerously high levels of mercury into the air,” writes Ethan Huff.
“In Toronto, city officials require people to dispose of CFL bulbs at special hazardous waste facilities because they don’t want the city’s landfills to become contaminated with mercury. While used CFL bulbs are not legally recognized as hazardous waste, they are treated as such because they pose serious environmental threats when broken and released into the environment.”
According to a USA Today article, Americans have begun stockpiling dwindling supplies of incandescent light bulbs as the ban nears. Despite its best efforts to coerce subservience amongst Americans, the article discusses how people are buying bulk supplies of traditional light bulbs so that people “will be able to read in bed without squinting.”
Stock up with Fresh Food that lasts with eFoodsDirect (AD)
Hoarders include Sue Larkin of Tulsa, who stated, “I can’t see a thing with the new bulbs and can’t afford them anyway,” and Susan Drake of Marietta, Ohio, who told the paper; “I have stocked up on enough incandescent bulbs to last for the next 50 years.”
Larry Lauck of the American Lighting Association also states that he has heard many “anecdotal reports” of people stockpiling traditional bulbs.
Forcing Americans to buy CFL bulbs that are harmful to their health and the environment is completely unconstitutional. Indeed, in a similar vein to forcing Americans to buy mandatory health insurance under Obamacare, it’s a clear violation of the Commerce Clause.
Americans are also being squeezed into buying the cheaper to run CFL bulbs because of skyrocketing energy costs as a consequence of the Obama administration’s publicly stated war on the coal industry, which has manifested itself through crippling EPA regulations that have mothballed the construction of new clean-burning coal-fired plants and shut down existing ones too, driving smaller energy companies out of business and allowing transnational energy giants with close ties to the White House to eliminate competition and create artificial scarcity.
The light bulb ban is also a foretaste of what’s to come as the enforcement arm of the eco-fascist agenda unfolds. As we have documented, enviro-Nazis envisage a future world in which car use will be heavily restricted, CO2 emissions will be rationed, meat will be considered a rare delicacy, the state will decide your career, and only the mega-rich elitists enforcing all these new rules and regulations will be exempt from them.
But there is hope in the shape of lawmakers who are getting ready to fight back, with a raft of measures this month aimed at reversing the ludicrous decision to ban incandescent bulbs.
“Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and 20 other GOP House members, including Texan Ron Paul, have already proposed a bill to repeal the phaseout. Other proposals are expected this month by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas,” reports USA Today.
“The light bulb ban is an outrageous government limitation on consumer choice and intrusion into the home of every American,” Myron Ebell, the director of Freedom Action said in a statement. “There is overwhelming public support that spans the political spectrum for repealing the ban on incandescent light bulbs.”
The group has launched a national grassroots campaign to repeal the ban on incandescent light bulbs and has invited supporters to sign a petition that will be delivered to Congress.
*********************
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a fill-in host for The Alex Jones Show. Watson has been interviewed by many publications and radio shows, including Vanity Fair and Coast to Coast AM, America’s most listened to late night talk show.
Iconic Thomas Edison invention to be replaced with toxic mercury-filled, illness-causing CFLs by 2014 unless Ron Paul can lead successful fight back
Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet.com
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Americans have begun hoarding incandescent light bulbs ahead of a government ban next year that has been labeled “outrageous” by one pressure group as Ron Paul leads a charge in Congress to repeal the draconian state phaseout of Thomas Edison’s iconic invention.
A 2007 bill signed in to law by President George W. Bush mandates that, “Manufacturers will no longer be able to make the 100-watt Thomas Edison bulb after Jan. 1, 2012, followed by the 75-watt version in Jan. 2013, and the the 60- and 40-watt bulbs in Jan. 2014.”
The legislation mirrors similar laws in Europe, where incandescent bulbs began to be phased out in 2009. The EU also plans to ban halogen bulbs by 2016, forcing people to use compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, which produce a poor quality of light with an attendant flicker affect that causes many people to become dizzy and ill.
“Neurologists are increasingly taking notice of the headaches and migraines being reported by people exposed to compact fluorescent light bulbs,” writes Mike Adams, noting that electromagnetic pollution caused by the so-called “energy efficient” bulbs is “causing devastating health effects on some people.”
The so-called “dirty energy” emitted by CFLs produces radiation that has been linked with migraine headaches, sleep abnormalities, fatigue, and other health defects.
CFLs are also more harmful to the environment because they are filled with toxic mercury that contaminates the environment when the bulbs reach the landfill.
“A report released in 2008 from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection revealed that when a CFL bulb is broken, it can release dangerously high levels of mercury into the air,” writes Ethan Huff.
“In Toronto, city officials require people to dispose of CFL bulbs at special hazardous waste facilities because they don’t want the city’s landfills to become contaminated with mercury. While used CFL bulbs are not legally recognized as hazardous waste, they are treated as such because they pose serious environmental threats when broken and released into the environment.”
According to a USA Today article, Americans have begun stockpiling dwindling supplies of incandescent light bulbs as the ban nears. Despite its best efforts to coerce subservience amongst Americans, the article discusses how people are buying bulk supplies of traditional light bulbs so that people “will be able to read in bed without squinting.”
Stock up with Fresh Food that lasts with eFoodsDirect (AD)
Hoarders include Sue Larkin of Tulsa, who stated, “I can’t see a thing with the new bulbs and can’t afford them anyway,” and Susan Drake of Marietta, Ohio, who told the paper; “I have stocked up on enough incandescent bulbs to last for the next 50 years.”
Larry Lauck of the American Lighting Association also states that he has heard many “anecdotal reports” of people stockpiling traditional bulbs.
Forcing Americans to buy CFL bulbs that are harmful to their health and the environment is completely unconstitutional. Indeed, in a similar vein to forcing Americans to buy mandatory health insurance under Obamacare, it’s a clear violation of the Commerce Clause.
Americans are also being squeezed into buying the cheaper to run CFL bulbs because of skyrocketing energy costs as a consequence of the Obama administration’s publicly stated war on the coal industry, which has manifested itself through crippling EPA regulations that have mothballed the construction of new clean-burning coal-fired plants and shut down existing ones too, driving smaller energy companies out of business and allowing transnational energy giants with close ties to the White House to eliminate competition and create artificial scarcity.
The light bulb ban is also a foretaste of what’s to come as the enforcement arm of the eco-fascist agenda unfolds. As we have documented, enviro-Nazis envisage a future world in which car use will be heavily restricted, CO2 emissions will be rationed, meat will be considered a rare delicacy, the state will decide your career, and only the mega-rich elitists enforcing all these new rules and regulations will be exempt from them.
But there is hope in the shape of lawmakers who are getting ready to fight back, with a raft of measures this month aimed at reversing the ludicrous decision to ban incandescent bulbs.
“Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and 20 other GOP House members, including Texan Ron Paul, have already proposed a bill to repeal the phaseout. Other proposals are expected this month by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas,” reports USA Today.
“The light bulb ban is an outrageous government limitation on consumer choice and intrusion into the home of every American,” Myron Ebell, the director of Freedom Action said in a statement. “There is overwhelming public support that spans the political spectrum for repealing the ban on incandescent light bulbs.”
The group has launched a national grassroots campaign to repeal the ban on incandescent light bulbs and has invited supporters to sign a petition that will be delivered to Congress.
*********************
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a fill-in host for The Alex Jones Show. Watson has been interviewed by many publications and radio shows, including Vanity Fair and Coast to Coast AM, America’s most listened to late night talk show.
The word "organic" is becoming little more than a money-maker for corporations who want to jump on the bandwagon.
The word "organic" is becoming little more than a money-maker for corporations who want to jump on the bandwagon.
In fact, the FDA and USDA, which are the very agencies that are supposed to be protecting the organic food supply, are intensely active in its adulteration.
A "certified organic" product can actually have a mix of organic and conventional ingredients.
In fact, under the law, you could manufacture "organic beer" with completely conventional hops, label it "USDA Certified Organic," and charge a premium price for it -- hops are allowed to be non-organic under USDA Certified Organic products.
As Farm Wars puts it:
"It's like putting gasoline in a glass of pure water and charging a premium for that water because it only contains 30 percent of the contaminant. 30 percent contamination is probably better than 100 percent, but would you want to drink it? The whole glass of water is poisoned due to the gasoline, yet the companies selling this product would like you to believe that because it contains pure water it is good."
Sources:
Farm Wars January 6, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The organic label has become widely popular in the last several years, but unfortunately, there's still plenty of wiggle-room for companies to mislead you.
Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity, big business has stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded. There's no doubt about it—organic food is Big Business. According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009.
Unfortunately, the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing an equally fast and exponential decline.
The Most Obvious Rip-Offs
Some of the most obvious organic rip-offs include organic milk and snacks.
Why?
Because organic milk is NOT raw milk; while it is a plus that it doesn't have added antibiotics and hormones, it is still pasteurized, and therefore still associated with all of the same health problems as regular pasteurized milk. And organic junk foods like crackers, cookies, pizzas and potato chips are still some of the worst foods you can eat, regardless of whether or not the some of the ingredients are organic.
These carbohydrate-rich foods will still raise your insulin levels and contribute to insulin resistance, obesity, and all of the other associated health problems...
Food companies are clearly cashing in on your desire to "have your cake and eat it too," so to speak, and deceiving you into believing that you can eat cookies, ice cream and potato chips without feeling guilty because they're "organic." But the organic label means absolutely nothing here in terms of actually helping you obtain optimal nutrition.
Organic Businesses Increasingly Owned by Major Food Conglomerates
Then there's the issue highlighted by Farm Wars above, which is the fact that of all the certified organic labels, most of them can still contain varying amounts of non-organic ingredients that will effectively negate any benefit of the organically-grown ingredients.
If you do not understand this, you're likely to be duped...
"If the FDA is here to help us instead of make money for its corporate owners, don't you think this agency would demand that labeling be perfectly clear?" Farm Wars writes.
"ORGANIC IS ORGANIC. When it is mixed with non-organic ingredients, it is no longer organic, and no amount of agency double-talk will change that…
The word "organic" is fast becoming a high-dollar money-maker for corporations smart enough to jump on the bandwagon and start marketing their products as "made with organic ingredients," or "certified organic." Even Monsanto is taking advantage of this burgeoning market, and people naïve enough to believe that what we have traditionally thought of as pure, organic food, is still that way, are being duped.
It makes perfect sense, however, in a Machiavellian sort of way. Flood the food supply with poisons, then lead people to believe that the only safe choice left is USDA Certified Organic.
Then buy up the organic companies one by one, and start changing the "organic" rules from the inside out via the bought and paid for government agencies so that you can reap the profits from those trying to escape the poisons."
That last part is a related concern, as major food conglomerates have bought up many of the most successful organic companies. Farm Wars provides a helpful chart showing the Organic Industry Structure as of June 2009.
As you can see, many popular organic brands are in fact owned by conventional processed food giants like Kraft, General Mills, Kellog, Pepsi and Coca-Cola…
What You Need to Know About Organic Labels
First of all, it's important to realize that there are several different organic labels out there, but only one relates directly to foods: the USDA Organic seal. This seal is your best assurance of organic quality. Growers and manufacturers of organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest standards of any of the currently available organic labels.
•Products labeled "100 % Organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients
•Products labeled "Certified Organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients
•The label "Made with Organic Ingredients" can contain anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients
In order to ensure you're actually getting your money's worth, you need to make sure the food you buy bears the "100% USDA Organic" label.
The problem with the latter two labels is obvious. Anywhere from five to 30 percent of the ingredients may be conventionally-grown, so you're still exposed to pesticide residues and other questionable ingredients. The "Made with Organic Ingredients" is clearly the most misused and misleading, as it allows for plenty of conventionally-produced ingredients.
"The FDA and USDA would like us to believe that using "certified organic ingredients" somehow makes the poisons they allow in the other 30 percent okay, and companies charge through the nose for these adulterated products," Farm Wars point out, and rightfully so.
A "100% Organic" product on the other hand cannot be irradiated, and cannot contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals, nor traces of heavy metals or other contaminants in excess of tolerances set by the FDA.
It must also be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity—so it encompasses organic in a holistic way, from start to finish. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers, and livestock cannot be given growth hormones.
So, in terms of organic food, there's really only one label that can provide you with any real measure of quality, and that's the "100% USDA Organic" label.
Is Neotame Allowed in Organic Food?
Farm Wars also brings up the issue of Neotame, which is one of the latest artificial sweeteners on the market, claiming it can be included in products bearing the USDA "Made with Organic Ingredients" certification without being listed on the label.
The Cornucopia Institute has rebutted this idea, stating that:
"Neotame, as a synthetic additive, is not allowed in organic foods, contrary to the Internet rumor. … The Food and Drug Administration indeed considers Neotame to be a direct food additive (21 CFR 172.829), but this does not mean that it can be added to organic foods.
Organic foods cannot contain synthetic additives, unless these additives have been petitioned and approved to appear on the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (7 CFR 205.605).
Emily Brown Rosen, Standards Specialist at the USDA's National Organic Program, writes about Neotame: "For organic food, all additives must appear on the National List." Neotame has never been petitioned or approved for inclusion on the National List, and therefore cannot legally be added to organic foods.
We see no evidence, and see no reason to suspect, that any organic certifying agents would allow organic food manufacturers to violate the federal standards by adding this synthetic sweetener.
Moreover, as a direct food additive, Neotame must be listed on the ingredients label, contrary to suggestions that this could be added to food in a stealth-like manner (21 CFR 101.100). We have not seen any evidence to suggest that Neotame is being added covertly to organic foods. Not only would organic manufacturers be breaking the law by adding this synthetic sweetener to organic foods, they would also be breaking the law by not including Neotame on the ingredient label."
For the complete National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances under the USDA organic label, see this link.
Based on what I've seen, Neotame does not appear to be an allowed ingredient in USDA Certified Organic, or 100% Organic food, however, it may still be prudent to double-check the label of ingredients on products that state "Made with Organic Ingredients," just in case...
How to Find Healthy Food—100 Percent Organic or Not
As deplorable as this situation is, it's not surprising. Food companies, as any other primarily profit-driven company, simply cannot let such a swelling market niche go untapped.
However, if you realize that much of the organic labeling is hype, it becomes easier to navigate around the deception. In fact, many small family farms are actually fully organic even though they may not have gone through the expense of obtaining organic certification. So labels aren't everything when it comes to healthful food.
To find the freshest, healthiest foods out there, here are a few guidelines to live by:
1.Frequent farmer's markets where you can find fresh locally-grown foods that are in season
2.Join a community-supported agriculture program if one is available near you (it allows you to buy produce, meats and other foods directly from the farm)
3.Take part in food coops in your area
4.Plant a garden; even a small space can produce a lot of fresh food and herbs
5.If you must shop in a supermarket, look for locally grown items, which are likely to be fresher than other foods
6.Read the packaged food labels and don't just take the organic label at face value. Remember that the only label guaranteeing the food to be truly organic; grown and manufactured according
In fact, the FDA and USDA, which are the very agencies that are supposed to be protecting the organic food supply, are intensely active in its adulteration.
A "certified organic" product can actually have a mix of organic and conventional ingredients.
In fact, under the law, you could manufacture "organic beer" with completely conventional hops, label it "USDA Certified Organic," and charge a premium price for it -- hops are allowed to be non-organic under USDA Certified Organic products.
As Farm Wars puts it:
"It's like putting gasoline in a glass of pure water and charging a premium for that water because it only contains 30 percent of the contaminant. 30 percent contamination is probably better than 100 percent, but would you want to drink it? The whole glass of water is poisoned due to the gasoline, yet the companies selling this product would like you to believe that because it contains pure water it is good."
Sources:
Farm Wars January 6, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The organic label has become widely popular in the last several years, but unfortunately, there's still plenty of wiggle-room for companies to mislead you.
Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity, big business has stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded. There's no doubt about it—organic food is Big Business. According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009.
Unfortunately, the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing an equally fast and exponential decline.
The Most Obvious Rip-Offs
Some of the most obvious organic rip-offs include organic milk and snacks.
Why?
Because organic milk is NOT raw milk; while it is a plus that it doesn't have added antibiotics and hormones, it is still pasteurized, and therefore still associated with all of the same health problems as regular pasteurized milk. And organic junk foods like crackers, cookies, pizzas and potato chips are still some of the worst foods you can eat, regardless of whether or not the some of the ingredients are organic.
These carbohydrate-rich foods will still raise your insulin levels and contribute to insulin resistance, obesity, and all of the other associated health problems...
Food companies are clearly cashing in on your desire to "have your cake and eat it too," so to speak, and deceiving you into believing that you can eat cookies, ice cream and potato chips without feeling guilty because they're "organic." But the organic label means absolutely nothing here in terms of actually helping you obtain optimal nutrition.
Organic Businesses Increasingly Owned by Major Food Conglomerates
Then there's the issue highlighted by Farm Wars above, which is the fact that of all the certified organic labels, most of them can still contain varying amounts of non-organic ingredients that will effectively negate any benefit of the organically-grown ingredients.
If you do not understand this, you're likely to be duped...
"If the FDA is here to help us instead of make money for its corporate owners, don't you think this agency would demand that labeling be perfectly clear?" Farm Wars writes.
"ORGANIC IS ORGANIC. When it is mixed with non-organic ingredients, it is no longer organic, and no amount of agency double-talk will change that…
The word "organic" is fast becoming a high-dollar money-maker for corporations smart enough to jump on the bandwagon and start marketing their products as "made with organic ingredients," or "certified organic." Even Monsanto is taking advantage of this burgeoning market, and people naïve enough to believe that what we have traditionally thought of as pure, organic food, is still that way, are being duped.
It makes perfect sense, however, in a Machiavellian sort of way. Flood the food supply with poisons, then lead people to believe that the only safe choice left is USDA Certified Organic.
Then buy up the organic companies one by one, and start changing the "organic" rules from the inside out via the bought and paid for government agencies so that you can reap the profits from those trying to escape the poisons."
That last part is a related concern, as major food conglomerates have bought up many of the most successful organic companies. Farm Wars provides a helpful chart showing the Organic Industry Structure as of June 2009.
As you can see, many popular organic brands are in fact owned by conventional processed food giants like Kraft, General Mills, Kellog, Pepsi and Coca-Cola…
What You Need to Know About Organic Labels
First of all, it's important to realize that there are several different organic labels out there, but only one relates directly to foods: the USDA Organic seal. This seal is your best assurance of organic quality. Growers and manufacturers of organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest standards of any of the currently available organic labels.
•Products labeled "100 % Organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients
•Products labeled "Certified Organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients
•The label "Made with Organic Ingredients" can contain anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients
In order to ensure you're actually getting your money's worth, you need to make sure the food you buy bears the "100% USDA Organic" label.
The problem with the latter two labels is obvious. Anywhere from five to 30 percent of the ingredients may be conventionally-grown, so you're still exposed to pesticide residues and other questionable ingredients. The "Made with Organic Ingredients" is clearly the most misused and misleading, as it allows for plenty of conventionally-produced ingredients.
"The FDA and USDA would like us to believe that using "certified organic ingredients" somehow makes the poisons they allow in the other 30 percent okay, and companies charge through the nose for these adulterated products," Farm Wars point out, and rightfully so.
A "100% Organic" product on the other hand cannot be irradiated, and cannot contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals, nor traces of heavy metals or other contaminants in excess of tolerances set by the FDA.
It must also be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity—so it encompasses organic in a holistic way, from start to finish. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers, and livestock cannot be given growth hormones.
So, in terms of organic food, there's really only one label that can provide you with any real measure of quality, and that's the "100% USDA Organic" label.
Is Neotame Allowed in Organic Food?
Farm Wars also brings up the issue of Neotame, which is one of the latest artificial sweeteners on the market, claiming it can be included in products bearing the USDA "Made with Organic Ingredients" certification without being listed on the label.
The Cornucopia Institute has rebutted this idea, stating that:
"Neotame, as a synthetic additive, is not allowed in organic foods, contrary to the Internet rumor. … The Food and Drug Administration indeed considers Neotame to be a direct food additive (21 CFR 172.829), but this does not mean that it can be added to organic foods.
Organic foods cannot contain synthetic additives, unless these additives have been petitioned and approved to appear on the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (7 CFR 205.605).
Emily Brown Rosen, Standards Specialist at the USDA's National Organic Program, writes about Neotame: "For organic food, all additives must appear on the National List." Neotame has never been petitioned or approved for inclusion on the National List, and therefore cannot legally be added to organic foods.
We see no evidence, and see no reason to suspect, that any organic certifying agents would allow organic food manufacturers to violate the federal standards by adding this synthetic sweetener.
Moreover, as a direct food additive, Neotame must be listed on the ingredients label, contrary to suggestions that this could be added to food in a stealth-like manner (21 CFR 101.100). We have not seen any evidence to suggest that Neotame is being added covertly to organic foods. Not only would organic manufacturers be breaking the law by adding this synthetic sweetener to organic foods, they would also be breaking the law by not including Neotame on the ingredient label."
For the complete National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances under the USDA organic label, see this link.
Based on what I've seen, Neotame does not appear to be an allowed ingredient in USDA Certified Organic, or 100% Organic food, however, it may still be prudent to double-check the label of ingredients on products that state "Made with Organic Ingredients," just in case...
How to Find Healthy Food—100 Percent Organic or Not
As deplorable as this situation is, it's not surprising. Food companies, as any other primarily profit-driven company, simply cannot let such a swelling market niche go untapped.
However, if you realize that much of the organic labeling is hype, it becomes easier to navigate around the deception. In fact, many small family farms are actually fully organic even though they may not have gone through the expense of obtaining organic certification. So labels aren't everything when it comes to healthful food.
To find the freshest, healthiest foods out there, here are a few guidelines to live by:
1.Frequent farmer's markets where you can find fresh locally-grown foods that are in season
2.Join a community-supported agriculture program if one is available near you (it allows you to buy produce, meats and other foods directly from the farm)
3.Take part in food coops in your area
4.Plant a garden; even a small space can produce a lot of fresh food and herbs
5.If you must shop in a supermarket, look for locally grown items, which are likely to be fresher than other foods
6.Read the packaged food labels and don't just take the organic label at face value. Remember that the only label guaranteeing the food to be truly organic; grown and manufactured according
In fact, the FDA and USDA, which are the very agencies that are supposed to be protecting the organic food supply, are intensely active in its adulteration.
A "certified organic" product can actually have a mix of organic and conventional ingredients.
In fact, under the law, you could manufacture "organic beer" with completely conventional hops, label it "USDA Certified Organic," and charge a premium price for it -- hops are allowed to be non-organic under USDA Certified Organic products.
As Farm Wars puts it:
"It's like putting gasoline in a glass of pure water and charging a premium for that water because it only contains 30 percent of the contaminant. 30 percent contamination is probably better than 100 percent, but would you want to drink it? The whole glass of water is poisoned due to the gasoline, yet the companies selling this product would like you to believe that because it contains pure water it is good."
Sources:
Farm Wars January 6, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The organic label has become widely popular in the last several years, but unfortunately, there's still plenty of wiggle-room for companies to mislead you.
Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity, big business has stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded. There's no doubt about it—organic food is Big Business. According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009.
Unfortunately, the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing an equally fast and exponential decline.
The Most Obvious Rip-Offs
Some of the most obvious organic rip-offs include organic milk and snacks.
Why?
Because organic milk is NOT raw milk; while it is a plus that it doesn't have added antibiotics and hormones, it is still pasteurized, and therefore still associated with all of the same health problems as regular pasteurized milk. And organic junk foods like crackers, cookies, pizzas and potato chips are still some of the worst foods you can eat, regardless of whether or not the some of the ingredients are organic.
These carbohydrate-rich foods will still raise your insulin levels and contribute to insulin resistance, obesity, and all of the other associated health problems...
Food companies are clearly cashing in on your desire to "have your cake and eat it too," so to speak, and deceiving you into believing that you can eat cookies, ice cream and potato chips without feeling guilty because they're "organic." But the organic label means absolutely nothing here in terms of actually helping you obtain optimal nutrition.
Organic Businesses Increasingly Owned by Major Food Conglomerates
Then there's the issue highlighted by Farm Wars above, which is the fact that of all the certified organic labels, most of them can still contain varying amounts of non-organic ingredients that will effectively negate any benefit of the organically-grown ingredients.
If you do not understand this, you're likely to be duped...
"If the FDA is here to help us instead of make money for its corporate owners, don't you think this agency would demand that labeling be perfectly clear?" Farm Wars writes.
"ORGANIC IS ORGANIC. When it is mixed with non-organic ingredients, it is no longer organic, and no amount of agency double-talk will change that…
The word "organic" is fast becoming a high-dollar money-maker for corporations smart enough to jump on the bandwagon and start marketing their products as "made with organic ingredients," or "certified organic." Even Monsanto is taking advantage of this burgeoning market, and people naïve enough to believe that what we have traditionally thought of as pure, organic food, is still that way, are being duped.
It makes perfect sense, however, in a Machiavellian sort of way. Flood the food supply with poisons, then lead people to believe that the only safe choice left is USDA Certified Organic.
Then buy up the organic companies one by one, and start changing the "organic" rules from the inside out via the bought and paid for government agencies so that you can reap the profits from those trying to escape the poisons."
That last part is a related concern, as major food conglomerates have bought up many of the most successful organic companies. Farm Wars provides a helpful chart showing the Organic Industry Structure as of June 2009.
As you can see, many popular organic brands are in fact owned by conventional processed food giants like Kraft, General Mills, Kellog, Pepsi and Coca-Cola…
What You Need to Know About Organic Labels
First of all, it's important to realize that there are several different organic labels out there, but only one relates directly to foods: the USDA Organic seal. This seal is your best assurance of organic quality. Growers and manufacturers of organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest standards of any of the currently available organic labels.
•Products labeled "100 % Organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients
•Products labeled "Certified Organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients
•The label "Made with Organic Ingredients" can contain anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients
In order to ensure you're actually getting your money's worth, you need to make sure the food you buy bears the "100% USDA Organic" label.
The problem with the latter two labels is obvious. Anywhere from five to 30 percent of the ingredients may be conventionally-grown, so you're still exposed to pesticide residues and other questionable ingredients. The "Made with Organic Ingredients" is clearly the most misused and misleading, as it allows for plenty of conventionally-produced ingredients.
"The FDA and USDA would like us to believe that using "certified organic ingredients" somehow makes the poisons they allow in the other 30 percent okay, and companies charge through the nose for these adulterated products," Farm Wars point out, and rightfully so.
A "100% Organic" product on the other hand cannot be irradiated, and cannot contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals, nor traces of heavy metals or other contaminants in excess of tolerances set by the FDA.
It must also be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity—so it encompasses organic in a holistic way, from start to finish. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers, and livestock cannot be given growth hormones.
So, in terms of organic food, there's really only one label that can provide you with any real measure of quality, and that's the "100% USDA Organic" label.
Is Neotame Allowed in Organic Food?
Farm Wars also brings up the issue of Neotame, which is one of the latest artificial sweeteners on the market, claiming it can be included in products bearing the USDA "Made with Organic Ingredients" certification without being listed on the label.
The Cornucopia Institute has rebutted this idea, stating that:
"Neotame, as a synthetic additive, is not allowed in organic foods, contrary to the Internet rumor. … The Food and Drug Administration indeed considers Neotame to be a direct food additive (21 CFR 172.829), but this does not mean that it can be added to organic foods.
Organic foods cannot contain synthetic additives, unless these additives have been petitioned and approved to appear on the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (7 CFR 205.605).
Emily Brown Rosen, Standards Specialist at the USDA's National Organic Program, writes about Neotame: "For organic food, all additives must appear on the National List." Neotame has never been petitioned or approved for inclusion on the National List, and therefore cannot legally be added to organic foods.
We see no evidence, and see no reason to suspect, that any organic certifying agents would allow organic food manufacturers to violate the federal standards by adding this synthetic sweetener.
Moreover, as a direct food additive, Neotame must be listed on the ingredients label, contrary to suggestions that this could be added to food in a stealth-like manner (21 CFR 101.100). We have not seen any evidence to suggest that Neotame is being added covertly to organic foods. Not only would organic manufacturers be breaking the law by adding this synthetic sweetener to organic foods, they would also be breaking the law by not including Neotame on the ingredient label."
For the complete National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances under the USDA organic label, see this link.
Based on what I've seen, Neotame does not appear to be an allowed ingredient in USDA Certified Organic, or 100% Organic food, however, it may still be prudent to double-check the label of ingredients on products that state "Made with Organic Ingredients," just in case...
How to Find Healthy Food—100 Percent Organic or Not
As deplorable as this situation is, it's not surprising. Food companies, as any other primarily profit-driven company, simply cannot let such a swelling market niche go untapped.
However, if you realize that much of the organic labeling is hype, it becomes easier to navigate around the deception. In fact, many small family farms are actually fully organic even though they may not have gone through the expense of obtaining organic certification. So labels aren't everything when it comes to healthful food.
To find the freshest, healthiest foods out there, here are a few guidelines to live by:
1.Frequent farmer's markets where you can find fresh locally-grown foods that are in season
2.Join a community-supported agriculture program if one is available near you (it allows you to buy produce, meats and other foods directly from the farm)
3.Take part in food coops in your area
4.Plant a garden; even a small space can produce a lot of fresh food and herbs
5.If you must shop in a supermarket, look for locally grown items, which are likely to be fresher than other foods
6.Read the packaged food labels and don't just take the organic label at face value. Remember that the only label guaranteeing the food to be truly organic; grown and manufactured according
In fact, the FDA and USDA, which are the very agencies that are supposed to be protecting the organic food supply, are intensely active in its adulteration.
A "certified organic" product can actually have a mix of organic and conventional ingredients.
In fact, under the law, you could manufacture "organic beer" with completely conventional hops, label it "USDA Certified Organic," and charge a premium price for it -- hops are allowed to be non-organic under USDA Certified Organic products.
As Farm Wars puts it:
"It's like putting gasoline in a glass of pure water and charging a premium for that water because it only contains 30 percent of the contaminant. 30 percent contamination is probably better than 100 percent, but would you want to drink it? The whole glass of water is poisoned due to the gasoline, yet the companies selling this product would like you to believe that because it contains pure water it is good."
Sources:
Farm Wars January 6, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The organic label has become widely popular in the last several years, but unfortunately, there's still plenty of wiggle-room for companies to mislead you.
Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity, big business has stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded. There's no doubt about it—organic food is Big Business. According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009.
Unfortunately, the quality and meaning of the organic label is undergoing an equally fast and exponential decline.
The Most Obvious Rip-Offs
Some of the most obvious organic rip-offs include organic milk and snacks.
Why?
Because organic milk is NOT raw milk; while it is a plus that it doesn't have added antibiotics and hormones, it is still pasteurized, and therefore still associated with all of the same health problems as regular pasteurized milk. And organic junk foods like crackers, cookies, pizzas and potato chips are still some of the worst foods you can eat, regardless of whether or not the some of the ingredients are organic.
These carbohydrate-rich foods will still raise your insulin levels and contribute to insulin resistance, obesity, and all of the other associated health problems...
Food companies are clearly cashing in on your desire to "have your cake and eat it too," so to speak, and deceiving you into believing that you can eat cookies, ice cream and potato chips without feeling guilty because they're "organic." But the organic label means absolutely nothing here in terms of actually helping you obtain optimal nutrition.
Organic Businesses Increasingly Owned by Major Food Conglomerates
Then there's the issue highlighted by Farm Wars above, which is the fact that of all the certified organic labels, most of them can still contain varying amounts of non-organic ingredients that will effectively negate any benefit of the organically-grown ingredients.
If you do not understand this, you're likely to be duped...
"If the FDA is here to help us instead of make money for its corporate owners, don't you think this agency would demand that labeling be perfectly clear?" Farm Wars writes.
"ORGANIC IS ORGANIC. When it is mixed with non-organic ingredients, it is no longer organic, and no amount of agency double-talk will change that…
The word "organic" is fast becoming a high-dollar money-maker for corporations smart enough to jump on the bandwagon and start marketing their products as "made with organic ingredients," or "certified organic." Even Monsanto is taking advantage of this burgeoning market, and people naïve enough to believe that what we have traditionally thought of as pure, organic food, is still that way, are being duped.
It makes perfect sense, however, in a Machiavellian sort of way. Flood the food supply with poisons, then lead people to believe that the only safe choice left is USDA Certified Organic.
Then buy up the organic companies one by one, and start changing the "organic" rules from the inside out via the bought and paid for government agencies so that you can reap the profits from those trying to escape the poisons."
That last part is a related concern, as major food conglomerates have bought up many of the most successful organic companies. Farm Wars provides a helpful chart showing the Organic Industry Structure as of June 2009.
As you can see, many popular organic brands are in fact owned by conventional processed food giants like Kraft, General Mills, Kellog, Pepsi and Coca-Cola…
What You Need to Know About Organic Labels
First of all, it's important to realize that there are several different organic labels out there, but only one relates directly to foods: the USDA Organic seal. This seal is your best assurance of organic quality. Growers and manufacturers of organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest standards of any of the currently available organic labels.
•Products labeled "100 % Organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients
•Products labeled "Certified Organic" must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients
•The label "Made with Organic Ingredients" can contain anywhere between 70 to 95 percent organic ingredients
In order to ensure you're actually getting your money's worth, you need to make sure the food you buy bears the "100% USDA Organic" label.
The problem with the latter two labels is obvious. Anywhere from five to 30 percent of the ingredients may be conventionally-grown, so you're still exposed to pesticide residues and other questionable ingredients. The "Made with Organic Ingredients" is clearly the most misused and misleading, as it allows for plenty of conventionally-produced ingredients.
"The FDA and USDA would like us to believe that using "certified organic ingredients" somehow makes the poisons they allow in the other 30 percent okay, and companies charge through the nose for these adulterated products," Farm Wars point out, and rightfully so.
A "100% Organic" product on the other hand cannot be irradiated, and cannot contain preservatives or flavor enhancing chemicals, nor traces of heavy metals or other contaminants in excess of tolerances set by the FDA.
It must also be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity—so it encompasses organic in a holistic way, from start to finish. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers, and livestock cannot be given growth hormones.
So, in terms of organic food, there's really only one label that can provide you with any real measure of quality, and that's the "100% USDA Organic" label.
Is Neotame Allowed in Organic Food?
Farm Wars also brings up the issue of Neotame, which is one of the latest artificial sweeteners on the market, claiming it can be included in products bearing the USDA "Made with Organic Ingredients" certification without being listed on the label.
The Cornucopia Institute has rebutted this idea, stating that:
"Neotame, as a synthetic additive, is not allowed in organic foods, contrary to the Internet rumor. … The Food and Drug Administration indeed considers Neotame to be a direct food additive (21 CFR 172.829), but this does not mean that it can be added to organic foods.
Organic foods cannot contain synthetic additives, unless these additives have been petitioned and approved to appear on the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (7 CFR 205.605).
Emily Brown Rosen, Standards Specialist at the USDA's National Organic Program, writes about Neotame: "For organic food, all additives must appear on the National List." Neotame has never been petitioned or approved for inclusion on the National List, and therefore cannot legally be added to organic foods.
We see no evidence, and see no reason to suspect, that any organic certifying agents would allow organic food manufacturers to violate the federal standards by adding this synthetic sweetener.
Moreover, as a direct food additive, Neotame must be listed on the ingredients label, contrary to suggestions that this could be added to food in a stealth-like manner (21 CFR 101.100). We have not seen any evidence to suggest that Neotame is being added covertly to organic foods. Not only would organic manufacturers be breaking the law by adding this synthetic sweetener to organic foods, they would also be breaking the law by not including Neotame on the ingredient label."
For the complete National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances under the USDA organic label, see this link.
Based on what I've seen, Neotame does not appear to be an allowed ingredient in USDA Certified Organic, or 100% Organic food, however, it may still be prudent to double-check the label of ingredients on products that state "Made with Organic Ingredients," just in case...
How to Find Healthy Food—100 Percent Organic or Not
As deplorable as this situation is, it's not surprising. Food companies, as any other primarily profit-driven company, simply cannot let such a swelling market niche go untapped.
However, if you realize that much of the organic labeling is hype, it becomes easier to navigate around the deception. In fact, many small family farms are actually fully organic even though they may not have gone through the expense of obtaining organic certification. So labels aren't everything when it comes to healthful food.
To find the freshest, healthiest foods out there, here are a few guidelines to live by:
1.Frequent farmer's markets where you can find fresh locally-grown foods that are in season
2.Join a community-supported agriculture program if one is available near you (it allows you to buy produce, meats and other foods directly from the farm)
3.Take part in food coops in your area
4.Plant a garden; even a small space can produce a lot of fresh food and herbs
5.If you must shop in a supermarket, look for locally grown items, which are likely to be fresher than other foods
6.Read the packaged food labels and don't just take the organic label at face value. Remember that the only label guaranteeing the food to be truly organic; grown and manufactured according
Powerful and Simple Tips to Help Lower Your EMF Risks
Powerful and Simple Tips to Help Lower Your EMF Risks
Browse By CategoryPosted by: Dr. Mercola
February 09 2011
16,479 views
Share199
Email to a friend : 231
Next »You should definitely listen to Camilla Rees, of Electromagnetic Health, interviewing Vicki Warren, the past executive director of the Institute for Bau Biology & Ecology. You'll learn how to lower your risk of EMF exposure around your house.
Warren discusses residual magnetism, static build-up, power charges (the field emitted by the wiring in your walls), power frequency magnetic fields, wireless communication electrosmog, and radioactivity and its by-product radon. She reveals how she examines a house for EMF dangers, and what you should avoid.
You're guaranteed to learn some things you didn't know, and improve your health, your sleep, and your life.
Sources:
Electromagnetic Health
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
If you're a regular newsletter reader you're probably well aware of the risks that come from using your cell phone. This and other wireless devices (including cordless phones) are among the worst electromagnetic field (EMF) offenders, but they are far from the only ones.
Right now we exist in an environment that has never before occurred in nature, one that is teeming with varying levels of electrical pollution, or "electrosmog." It started with the rollout of the electrical grid a century ago, and now virtually everyone in a developed country is being bombarded with electrical frequencies from electronic devices.
Electrical Pollution Interferes with Your Body's Cells
EMF should be considered a harmful invader to your body, just like any other environmental toxin. It interferes with your health at the cellular level because you are actually an electrical being.
Your body is a complex communication device where cells, tissues, organs and organisms all "talk." At each of these levels, the communication includes finely tuned bio-electrical transmitters and receivers, which are tuned like tuning into a radio station.
What happens when you expose a radio antenna to a significant amount of external noise? You get static from the noise -- and that is what is happening to your body in today's electrosmog environment.
Two of the more well-known biological impacts from electrosmog are the interruption of your brain wave patterns leading to behavior issues and the interference with your body's communication system (cytoskeleton) leading to abnormal neurological function, such as dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
At a cellular level, your cell membrane receptors (the brain of the cell) recognize electromagnetic fields at very low levels of exposure producing a stress response similar to that produced by exposure to heavy metals or toxic chemicals.
This can cause the cell membrane to go from an "active" or permeable state where it allows nutrients in and toxins out, to an "inactive" state where the cell membrane is impermeable.
During a normal day, your cells will change states thousands of time, but when under constant environmental stress, the membranes can be locked in the inactive state.
This is often referred to as "oxidative stress" as nutrients are able to enter into the cell, while toxins (free radicals) are not allowed to leave.
There is also real evidence that this inactive state can even have geno-toxic effects, meaning electrosmog is toxic by both damaging DNA and preventing your body from repairing DNA, which can be the first step to cancer.
For health, your body must be able to communicate within itself, that is, to be in harmony with the natural rhythm of the earth and all life. The chaotic and unpredictable patterns from electrosmog can create noise in your body and force your body out of harmony.
The Six Primary Types of EMF
In the interview above Vicki Warren explains the primary EMFs to check for around your home:
1.Static Electric Fields: These are made up of static electricity caused by ions released from synthetic materials in your home. When combined, they can make you feel unwell, which underscores the importance of choosing natural materials for your furniture, cabinetry, flooring and other building supplies.
2.Residual Magnetism: Most often this occurs from metal in your bed, which can change its magnetic field. Your body sleeps best in a constant magnetic field, rather than one impacted by metals. (If you hold a liquid-filled compass over your sleeping area, north should always be north; a spinning compass signals residual magnetism).
3.Power Frequency: This includes the wiring in your walls, electrical outlets, extension cords, lamps, and other electricity sources. They produce electric fields that essentially turn your body into a large antenna and interfere with your cells' ability to communicate with one another. A bedroom disrupted with power frequency is especially unhealthy to sleep in, as cells cannot regenerate properly, potentially leading to insomnia and other diseases.
4.Power Frequency Magnetic Fields: These are caused by building wiring errors and also when power lines to your home run underground near your sleeping area. An electrical panel box located on a wall near your sleeping area or even a refrigerator or TV located on the other side of the wall from where you sleep can also lead to power frequency magnetic fields.
5.Radiofrequency/Communications: This includes a broad range of cordless phones, wireless devices, cell phones and cell phone towers, all of which can interfere with your health.
6.Radioactivity (and its byproduct radon): Radioactivity enters your home from building materials (such as granite -- one-third of the granite in homes is radioactive) or radon gas coming up out of the ground.
Light and sound are also part of the EMF spectrum, so if you're near a highway or airport that surrounds your home in artificial light or excessive noise, you can also be impacted by that, although this is less common than the EMF sources listed above.
When Dealing with EMF, Start in Your Sleeping Area
It's during sleep that your body regenerates and detoxifies, so you want your bedroom to be a sleeping sanctuary with very low EMF issues. It's a given that you're going to be exposed to varying levels of EMF during your waking hours, so giving your body a break during the night is really important.
First, make sure that your bed does not contain any metal. The vast majority of beds (90-95 percent) contain metal springs and/or frames. Unfortunately, these metal frames and metal box springs can amplify and distort the earth's natural magnetic field, which can lead to a non-restful sleep along with a range of other symptoms including:
Headaches
Hyperactivity
Nightmares
Depression and fatigue
Eyestrain
Muscle cramps
Research has shown that for your body to properly detoxify during sleep it must be alkaline, and high electromagnetic fields lead to acidity. This is especially true for heavy metal detoxification.
To find out if your bed contains residual magnetism, I encourage you to use the compass trick that Vicki Warren describes (if a liquid-filled compass spins when held over your bed, it means residual magnetism is present). You can further make your bedroom a low-EMF sleep sanctuary by:
Turning off all the fuses at night (or at least those that are in your bedroom).
Shielding your bed with a special metalized fabric to protect yourself from harmful frequencies that can disrupt cellular communication.
If you are constructing a new home or renovating one and the walls are being rebuilt you can install radiant barrier, which is a tough type of aluminum foil that will also very effectively screen out the EMF. This is what I did for my own bedroom.
At minimum, moving your bed so that your head is at least 3-6 feet from all electrical outlets. If you are constructing the walls you can put the wires inside pipes, which will virtually eliminate the fields that are generated in the room when the current runs through the wire.
Turning off and unplugging everything electrical in your sleeping area, including your computer, WI-FI, cell and portable phones.
Sleeping on a non-metal bed and mattress.
More Tips for Creating a Healthy, Low-EMF Home Environment
There are several more steps you can take to lower your EMF burden right now:
Beware that cell phones and WI-FI are not the only EMF sources you need to be cautious of. Essentially, most all electronics will generate EMFs, including the wiring in your home, electric alarm clocks, electric blankets, computers and lamps, just to mention a few. For best results, avoid using electric blankets and electric heating pads, and unplug all electrical appliances when not in use. Even better, turn off the fuses directly.
Protect yourself from cordless phones. A cordless phone base station placed about two feet from your head and plugged in for three minutes at a time can significantly disrupt your health, including your heart rhythms.
The base station of a DECT phone always transmits at full power, so this is not a device you want sitting on your nightstand next to your bed, on your kitchen counter or even on at all if it is not necessary.
If you do use a conventional cordless phone, be sure to keep the base station at least three rooms away from where everyone sleeps and where you spend the most time during the day. Or simply keep it off except in the limited circumstances where you feel you need to use it.
You can read my full list of tips to protect yourself from cell phone radiation here.
For additional EMF information, please follow EMF.mercola.com for the latest news and updates.
Browse By CategoryPosted by: Dr. Mercola
February 09 2011
16,479 views
Share199
Email to a friend : 231
Next »You should definitely listen to Camilla Rees, of Electromagnetic Health, interviewing Vicki Warren, the past executive director of the Institute for Bau Biology & Ecology. You'll learn how to lower your risk of EMF exposure around your house.
Warren discusses residual magnetism, static build-up, power charges (the field emitted by the wiring in your walls), power frequency magnetic fields, wireless communication electrosmog, and radioactivity and its by-product radon. She reveals how she examines a house for EMF dangers, and what you should avoid.
You're guaranteed to learn some things you didn't know, and improve your health, your sleep, and your life.
Sources:
Electromagnetic Health
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
If you're a regular newsletter reader you're probably well aware of the risks that come from using your cell phone. This and other wireless devices (including cordless phones) are among the worst electromagnetic field (EMF) offenders, but they are far from the only ones.
Right now we exist in an environment that has never before occurred in nature, one that is teeming with varying levels of electrical pollution, or "electrosmog." It started with the rollout of the electrical grid a century ago, and now virtually everyone in a developed country is being bombarded with electrical frequencies from electronic devices.
Electrical Pollution Interferes with Your Body's Cells
EMF should be considered a harmful invader to your body, just like any other environmental toxin. It interferes with your health at the cellular level because you are actually an electrical being.
Your body is a complex communication device where cells, tissues, organs and organisms all "talk." At each of these levels, the communication includes finely tuned bio-electrical transmitters and receivers, which are tuned like tuning into a radio station.
What happens when you expose a radio antenna to a significant amount of external noise? You get static from the noise -- and that is what is happening to your body in today's electrosmog environment.
Two of the more well-known biological impacts from electrosmog are the interruption of your brain wave patterns leading to behavior issues and the interference with your body's communication system (cytoskeleton) leading to abnormal neurological function, such as dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.
At a cellular level, your cell membrane receptors (the brain of the cell) recognize electromagnetic fields at very low levels of exposure producing a stress response similar to that produced by exposure to heavy metals or toxic chemicals.
This can cause the cell membrane to go from an "active" or permeable state where it allows nutrients in and toxins out, to an "inactive" state where the cell membrane is impermeable.
During a normal day, your cells will change states thousands of time, but when under constant environmental stress, the membranes can be locked in the inactive state.
This is often referred to as "oxidative stress" as nutrients are able to enter into the cell, while toxins (free radicals) are not allowed to leave.
There is also real evidence that this inactive state can even have geno-toxic effects, meaning electrosmog is toxic by both damaging DNA and preventing your body from repairing DNA, which can be the first step to cancer.
For health, your body must be able to communicate within itself, that is, to be in harmony with the natural rhythm of the earth and all life. The chaotic and unpredictable patterns from electrosmog can create noise in your body and force your body out of harmony.
The Six Primary Types of EMF
In the interview above Vicki Warren explains the primary EMFs to check for around your home:
1.Static Electric Fields: These are made up of static electricity caused by ions released from synthetic materials in your home. When combined, they can make you feel unwell, which underscores the importance of choosing natural materials for your furniture, cabinetry, flooring and other building supplies.
2.Residual Magnetism: Most often this occurs from metal in your bed, which can change its magnetic field. Your body sleeps best in a constant magnetic field, rather than one impacted by metals. (If you hold a liquid-filled compass over your sleeping area, north should always be north; a spinning compass signals residual magnetism).
3.Power Frequency: This includes the wiring in your walls, electrical outlets, extension cords, lamps, and other electricity sources. They produce electric fields that essentially turn your body into a large antenna and interfere with your cells' ability to communicate with one another. A bedroom disrupted with power frequency is especially unhealthy to sleep in, as cells cannot regenerate properly, potentially leading to insomnia and other diseases.
4.Power Frequency Magnetic Fields: These are caused by building wiring errors and also when power lines to your home run underground near your sleeping area. An electrical panel box located on a wall near your sleeping area or even a refrigerator or TV located on the other side of the wall from where you sleep can also lead to power frequency magnetic fields.
5.Radiofrequency/Communications: This includes a broad range of cordless phones, wireless devices, cell phones and cell phone towers, all of which can interfere with your health.
6.Radioactivity (and its byproduct radon): Radioactivity enters your home from building materials (such as granite -- one-third of the granite in homes is radioactive) or radon gas coming up out of the ground.
Light and sound are also part of the EMF spectrum, so if you're near a highway or airport that surrounds your home in artificial light or excessive noise, you can also be impacted by that, although this is less common than the EMF sources listed above.
When Dealing with EMF, Start in Your Sleeping Area
It's during sleep that your body regenerates and detoxifies, so you want your bedroom to be a sleeping sanctuary with very low EMF issues. It's a given that you're going to be exposed to varying levels of EMF during your waking hours, so giving your body a break during the night is really important.
First, make sure that your bed does not contain any metal. The vast majority of beds (90-95 percent) contain metal springs and/or frames. Unfortunately, these metal frames and metal box springs can amplify and distort the earth's natural magnetic field, which can lead to a non-restful sleep along with a range of other symptoms including:
Headaches
Hyperactivity
Nightmares
Depression and fatigue
Eyestrain
Muscle cramps
Research has shown that for your body to properly detoxify during sleep it must be alkaline, and high electromagnetic fields lead to acidity. This is especially true for heavy metal detoxification.
To find out if your bed contains residual magnetism, I encourage you to use the compass trick that Vicki Warren describes (if a liquid-filled compass spins when held over your bed, it means residual magnetism is present). You can further make your bedroom a low-EMF sleep sanctuary by:
Turning off all the fuses at night (or at least those that are in your bedroom).
Shielding your bed with a special metalized fabric to protect yourself from harmful frequencies that can disrupt cellular communication.
If you are constructing a new home or renovating one and the walls are being rebuilt you can install radiant barrier, which is a tough type of aluminum foil that will also very effectively screen out the EMF. This is what I did for my own bedroom.
At minimum, moving your bed so that your head is at least 3-6 feet from all electrical outlets. If you are constructing the walls you can put the wires inside pipes, which will virtually eliminate the fields that are generated in the room when the current runs through the wire.
Turning off and unplugging everything electrical in your sleeping area, including your computer, WI-FI, cell and portable phones.
Sleeping on a non-metal bed and mattress.
More Tips for Creating a Healthy, Low-EMF Home Environment
There are several more steps you can take to lower your EMF burden right now:
Beware that cell phones and WI-FI are not the only EMF sources you need to be cautious of. Essentially, most all electronics will generate EMFs, including the wiring in your home, electric alarm clocks, electric blankets, computers and lamps, just to mention a few. For best results, avoid using electric blankets and electric heating pads, and unplug all electrical appliances when not in use. Even better, turn off the fuses directly.
Protect yourself from cordless phones. A cordless phone base station placed about two feet from your head and plugged in for three minutes at a time can significantly disrupt your health, including your heart rhythms.
The base station of a DECT phone always transmits at full power, so this is not a device you want sitting on your nightstand next to your bed, on your kitchen counter or even on at all if it is not necessary.
If you do use a conventional cordless phone, be sure to keep the base station at least three rooms away from where everyone sleeps and where you spend the most time during the day. Or simply keep it off except in the limited circumstances where you feel you need to use it.
You can read my full list of tips to protect yourself from cell phone radiation here.
For additional EMF information, please follow EMF.mercola.com for the latest news and updates.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
IBD Editorials
IBD Editorials
. CARB Before Horse
Posted 02/07/2011 07:06 PM ET
States: A court has tentatively ruled against California's cap-and-trade law because alternatives were not considered. But then, neither were climate facts or the economic impact.
There's a delicious irony in the ruling by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ernest Goldsmith barring the California Air Resources Board (CARB) from implementing AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.
In the opinion of the court, CARB failed to complete the required environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act because it did not adequately analyze the legislation to see if there are better ways to get the job done.
One of the plaintiffs in the case is the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, a group of rabid environmentalists who backed the passage of AB32.
Claiming to seek environmental justice for minorities, the center sued on the grounds that CARB's implementation plan was too friendly to business.
According to the ruling, the Air Resources Board plan "seeks to create a fait accompli by premature establishment of a cap-and-trade program before alternative (sic) can be exposed to public comment and properly evaluated by the ARB itself."
Now businesses, consumers, taxpayers and others adversely affected by the law presumably will have yet another opportunity to expose AB32 as an ineffective and draconian attempt to repeal the Industrial Revolution, at least at the state level, and push California even closer to the economic precipice.
AB32 was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. It required that by 2020, California's emissions of carbon dioxide, which every human being exhales and every green plant inhales, and other so-called greenhouse gases be reduced 25% to 1990 levels.
A 2009 study found AB32 would cost 900,000 jobs due to increased costs to consumers and an additional 1.1 million jobs due to increased costs on small business, as AB32 caused energy prices to "necessarily skyrocket," as President Obama once put it.
The study put the annual cost of AB32 at $49,691 per small business and $3,857 per household, or $52 billion in added burdens for California families.
That's a lot of pain for no gain.
Studies of the Kyoto protocol showed its imposition of a global regime of emissions control would reduce temperatures by an amount too small to measure or matter.
What could California by itself do?
AB32 supporters say California should lead by example. Yeah, right over the economic cliff.
We can only hope that a more thorough review of AB32 would lead to the conclusion that the best implementation plan would be to have none.
. CARB Before Horse
Posted 02/07/2011 07:06 PM ET
States: A court has tentatively ruled against California's cap-and-trade law because alternatives were not considered. But then, neither were climate facts or the economic impact.
There's a delicious irony in the ruling by San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ernest Goldsmith barring the California Air Resources Board (CARB) from implementing AB32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.
In the opinion of the court, CARB failed to complete the required environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act because it did not adequately analyze the legislation to see if there are better ways to get the job done.
One of the plaintiffs in the case is the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, a group of rabid environmentalists who backed the passage of AB32.
Claiming to seek environmental justice for minorities, the center sued on the grounds that CARB's implementation plan was too friendly to business.
According to the ruling, the Air Resources Board plan "seeks to create a fait accompli by premature establishment of a cap-and-trade program before alternative (sic) can be exposed to public comment and properly evaluated by the ARB itself."
Now businesses, consumers, taxpayers and others adversely affected by the law presumably will have yet another opportunity to expose AB32 as an ineffective and draconian attempt to repeal the Industrial Revolution, at least at the state level, and push California even closer to the economic precipice.
AB32 was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. It required that by 2020, California's emissions of carbon dioxide, which every human being exhales and every green plant inhales, and other so-called greenhouse gases be reduced 25% to 1990 levels.
A 2009 study found AB32 would cost 900,000 jobs due to increased costs to consumers and an additional 1.1 million jobs due to increased costs on small business, as AB32 caused energy prices to "necessarily skyrocket," as President Obama once put it.
The study put the annual cost of AB32 at $49,691 per small business and $3,857 per household, or $52 billion in added burdens for California families.
That's a lot of pain for no gain.
Studies of the Kyoto protocol showed its imposition of a global regime of emissions control would reduce temperatures by an amount too small to measure or matter.
What could California by itself do?
AB32 supporters say California should lead by example. Yeah, right over the economic cliff.
We can only hope that a more thorough review of AB32 would lead to the conclusion that the best implementation plan would be to have none.
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