15 Ways To Beat Stress This Holiday Season

The holidays are officially upon us and that means stress levels are rising to an all time high! Here are some helpful and essential tips to lower your stress levels and allow you to have a relaxing and more importantly, fun, holiday season!

1. Emphasize an organic, whole foods diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and adequate amounts of essential fatty acid.

2. Drink plenty of pure, filtered water throughout the day, to avoid dehydration, a common but overlooked cause of stress.

3. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast can add to stress levels by making you more tired and irritable.

4. Avoid all sugars, refined carbohydrates, food additives and preservatives, and processed foods, and minimize your intake of alcohol and caffeine throughout the day.

5. Regularly practice relaxation exercises and/or meditation.

6. Exercise at least three times each week, for 30 minutes each session. Gentle aerobic exercises combined with moderate weight training can significantly relieve stress and improve your overall mood. Be sure not to overexert yourself, however, as doing so will only increase your stress levels.

7. Useful nutritional supplements include vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, as well as a complete multivitamin/multimineral formula.

8. Useful herbs for dealing with stress including American ginseng, chamomile, passionflower, and valerian root, all of which can be taken as teas.

9. Bach flowers and other flower essences can help to heal unresolved or inappropriately expressed negative emotions that can cause stress, as well as many other physical health problems.

10. Get adequate amounts of sleep each night and be sure to go to bed at the same time.

11. Set up your daily schedule so that you have plenty of time to deal with your daily tasks and focus on accomplishing those that are the most important first.

12. Become more conscious of your fears and worries and examine them objectively. Doing so can significantly reduce their hold on you.

13. Avoid long periods of isolation. Spend regular quality time with your loved ones. If you live alone, seek out your friends.

14. Find and devote yourself to one or more hobbies that you truly enjoy.

15. And finally, cultivate your sense of humor and laugh more often!

 

It’s That Time of Year Again…

‘Tis the season for sunburns! Here are some natural remedies that may help alleviate your pain!

Aromatherapy: Spray the affected area with lavender and chamomile. To prevent blistering, also massage two to three drops of lavender oil directly into the affected area.

Herbs: Apply cool aloe vera gel liberally to the sun burnt area. If you are badly sun burnt, apply a salve made with St. John`s wort and calendula flowers.

Topical Treatment: Apply a mixture of two parts apple cider vinegar and one part extra virgin olive oil to the affected area. This will help soothe the pain and hasten the healing process.

Homeopathy: Natrum mur. is a useful homeopathic remedy for preventing sunburn, while Urtica Urens and Rhus tox can help speed recovery after sunburn occurs. Calendula lotion applied topically is also helpful.

Juice Therapy: Carrot juice is perfect for a speedy recovery.

Nutritional Supplementation: Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

Prevention: The best treatment of sunburn is prevention! Click here to buy 100% organic sun screen.

Click here for more tips on how to take care of yourself naturally!

Yours in Health,
KT

Overhaul Of National School Lunch Program Does Not Affect Childhood Obesity

February 10, 2012

Natural News

By Paula Rothstein

The National School Lunch Program announced its decision to raise nutrition standards for school children across the United States. This is the first implemented change to the program in 15 years. Led by First Lady Michelle Obama, the claimed goal of her “Let’s Move” campaign is to curb the rise in obesity in school-aged children. However, nothing contained in these changes would have any significant effect on obesity. In fact, some of the changes – such as the change from whole milk to skim milk and from butter to margarine – are arguably counter-productive.

When considered in total, the recommended changes are quite small for a problem that threatens the health of children and the complex trap of obesity. Unfortunately, the food industry has its fingerprints all over each of these new “nutrition” standards. For example, tomato paste on pizza is considered to be a vegetable while french fries remain a staple. Sure, there are more vegetables being introduced and that is all well and good, even a long-time coming, so kudos to Michelle Obama for her efforts.

It is clear, however, that the government still operates under the illusion that consuming fat makes you fat. Consider the recommendations dealing with dairy. The government’s premise is this: Dairy is good for children; however, the fat content is a problem. This is simply not true. Yet removing fat from a child’s diet is at the core of nearly every change in the new standards.

Setting aside the generally accepted idea in the natural health community that milk is an excellent source of nutrition for a baby calf, if humans are going to consume it, whole milk is the optimal choice. The reason is simple: Our bodies are less able to digest the protein or absorb calcium and vitamins A and D from milk without the fat contained therein.

As for the panel’s focus on saturated fats, science has now revealed these fats actually raise good cholesterol levels. And, seriously, are we actually going to transition children to margarine – which is one molecule away from being plastic – and call it a dietary improvement?

We live in a culture that depends on “fast food” style dining, sugar-laden soft drinks and fruit juices (instead of pure water), chemically processed foods, and dairy and meat that are full of antibiotics and growth hormones. Most often these meals are being consumed in front of a television set. At issue is the “more is always better than less” mentality that permeates our modern lives.

Click here for the full report from Natural News.

Spirulina Greatly Helps Allergy Sufferers

January 30, 2012

Natural News

By Donna Earnest Pravel

Spirulina is a blue-green algae which is commercially produced and widely marketed as a “superfood” and immune booster. It is also a rich source of natural, plant-based iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C, and an excellent source of plant protein, with up to 70% of its dry weight being protein. The alpha-linolenic acid profile in spirulina is the highest in the plant kingdom, coming in third overall behind milk and evening primrose oil.

A study published in the Spring 2005 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food indicated that ingested spirulina made a significant improvement in human patients with nasal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis. In this study, researchers measured the amount of cytokines, interferon, and other immune system signals found in the bloodstream before and after taking spirulina. Cytokines are immune system molecules which send signals to alert immune “fighters” to come to the body’s aid when a pathogen is encountered. They act as auto-immune communicators. Cytokines can be either proteins, glycoproteins, or peptides.

According to the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, interferons are another type of immune system signal. They work by binding to receptors located on cell membranes, sending a “red alert” message to the cells. Cells then respond to this message by triggering 20-30 genes which then create an anti-viral cellular environment.

Click here for the full report from Natural News.

Grape Seed Extract Emerges As Anti-Cancer Powerhouse

October 3rd, 2011

Natural News

By: Ethan Evers

The therapeutic potential of grape seed extract (GSE) as anti-oxidant, anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory is so well established that this natural supplement is now being used in seven on-going clinical trials, only one of which is on cancer (of the breast). But the spotlight may soon shift to GSE’s anti-cancer potential as recent landmark studies on human patients have just uncovered remarkable protective effects of GSE against three major cancers: squamous cell carcinoma and prostate and hematologic malignancies. Even more remarkable is that this breakthrough in the science of natural medicine was not due to the foresight of medical practitioners who designed the trials, but to the patients who took GSE, on their volition, as a nutritional supplement to support general health.

74% Risk Reduction of Skin Cancer (SCC)
A recent study, just published in June 2011, was carried out in northern California on 830 participants to test the effects of general supplement use on the occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma (the second most common skin cancer). The supplements in use included vitamins A, C, D, E, multivitamins and GSE. Only the users of GSE experienced a significant reduction in risk (P = 0.031) of squamous cell carcinoma–by an astounding 74%. Multivitamin users experienced 29% reduced risk, but this was only borderline statistically significant.

62% Risk Reduction of Prostate Cancer
A much larger study conducted in Washington State tracked 35,239 male participants starting in the year 2000 in the VITamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort. Participants, aged 50-76 years, answered detailed questionnaires about specialty supplement use for the 10 years prior to the start of the study. Prostate cancer risk was assessed after a median follow-up time of 6.1 years. The results showed GSE to be the stand-alone winner. Men, who used an individual grape seed extract supplement with “high average use” over 10 years, experienced a significant 62% risk reduction of prostate cancer compared to non-users, while average users of GSE supplements experienced a 41% risk reduction. None of the other supplements observed in this study (CoQ10, fish oil, garlic pills, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, glucosamine, chondroitin or saw palmetto) were seen to offer protection against prostate cancer. Note, however, that green tea was not one of the supplements considered. This study was published in May 2011.

43% Risk Reduction of Hematologic Cancers
The same VITAL cohort as used for the prostate cancer study was also used to assess risk of hematologic cancers (involving blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes). The population was expanded to include women, for a total of 66,227 participants. Those who had ever used grape seed supplements saw a 43% risk reduction for hematologic cancers. This was only matched by those with a “high use” of garlic, who saw a 47% reduction of risk. No other supplements offered significant protection. This study was published in August 2011.

In addition to the above cancers, GSE has already demonstrated cytotoxicity to breast cancer, colon cancer, glioblastoma, and NSC lung cancer cells in laboratory studies. But the three study results on human populations given above provide a dramatic leap forward for the science backing GSE as an anti-cancer supplement. It is astounding, then, that none of the studies received much media attention. That will likely require full-blown clinical trials, which will almost certainly be kicked-off as a result of these studies, but will take years to complete. Until then, the latest findings on GSE make a compelling case for its consideration in any program or supplement regimen meant to reduce cancer risk.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Sauerkraut Offers A Spectrum Of Health Benefits

September 23rd, 2011

Natural News

By: Tara Green

Sauerkraut combines the health benefits offered by all cruciferous vegetables (a category which includes cauliflowers and brussel sprouts as well as cabbage) with the probiotic advantages derived from the fermentation process.

Cabbage offers a host of health benefits. It is high in vitamins A and C. Studies have shown the cruciferous vegetables can help lower cholesterol levels. Cabbage also provides a rich source of phytonutrient antioxidants. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory properties, and some studies indicate it may help combat some cancers. However, this already helpful vegetable becomes a superfood when it is pickled.

The fermentation process used to make sauerkraut was probably first developed centuries ago simply as a means of preserving vegetables for easy consumption throughout the winter. The health benefits derived from pickling vegetables were already well-known to early civilizations. Historical evidence suggests laborers on the Great Wall of China consumed a version of the pickled cabbage dish 2,000 years ago.

Traditional Chinese has long prescribed sauerkraut juice as a home remedy for many common ailments . The armies of Genghis Khan most likely first brought the dish to Europe. The Roman army traveled with barrels of sauerkraut, using it to prevent intestinal infections among the troops during long excursions.

In periods and cultures when natural healing methods fell into disuse, people consumed fewer fermented foods and were subject to more illness. Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) killed many British sailors during the 1700s, especially on longer voyages. In the late 1770s, Captain James Cook circumnavigated the world without losing a single sailor to scurvy, thanks to the foods his ship carried, including sixty barrels of sauerkraut.

Mainstream health experts began to pay renewed attention to sauerkraut after a study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2002. Finnish researchers reported that in laboratory studies,a substance produced by fermented cabbage, isothiocyanates, helped prevent the growth of cancer.

Even before the laboratory study, however, alternative health experts extolled the healing benefits of sauerkraut because of the lactic acid bacteria produced as a side-effect of the pickling process.

Healthy human colons contain many beneficial bacteria which feed on the waste left over from our digestion, creating lactic acid. Without these beneficial bacteria the human digestive system becomes home to harmful parasites and yeasts, resulting in the condition of candida.

Sauerkraut provides a high density source of a wide range of beneficial live bacteria which assist in the digestive process. Consuming a serving of sauerkraut can give your body as much of a health boost as many of the expensive probiotic drinks and supplements sold in stores. However, most commercially sold sauerkraut have lost most of their beneficial bacterial organisms. To gain the most benefits from sauerkraut, you may want to purchase it freshly made, or learn how to make your own.

If you want to explore recipes for making sauerkraut and other fermented dishes, an excellent place to start is with Sandor Ellis Katz’s Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live Culture Foods.

In his book, Katz points out that “Fermentation not only preserves nutrients, it breaks them down into more digestible forms.” Katz, who also wrote The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movements, recommends not only eating sauerkraut but drinking the juice which he calls “a rare delicacy and unparalleled digestive tonic.”

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Five Foods For Healthy Skin

September 20th, 2011

Natural News

By: Tara Green

Although the cosmetic industry would have us believe otherwise, beautiful skin doesn’t come from a jar full of perfumed chemicals. Beyond being born with great genes, the best thing you can do for your skin is to eat a healthy diet. Learn how to enhance your skin from the inside out by eating foods that will make your epidermis glow with health. Try adding these foods to your diet to both feel and look better.

Chia Seeds: Chia offers a multitude of health benefits. The word chia derives from the Aztec word for oily. Chia seeds offer high levels of omega-3 acids which the human body needs but cannot produce and which only come from a few dietary sources.

Without omega-3′s, people can suffer from poor circulation and dry skin, as well as heart problems, fatigue, depression and a feeling of mental fogginess. Chia seeds help keep skin (and the rest of the body) hydrated because they are hydrophilic, absorbing more than 10 times their weight in water. You can sprinkle chia seeds in your hot cereal, add a teaspoon of the tiny seeds to a glass of juice, or add a few to add extra texture to a salad or vegetable hot dish.

Almonds: These nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E which helps minimize the negative effects of sun exposure on the skin, as well as aiding against certain types of skin cancer. They also provide a quick source of strength and energy, providing fuel for exercise which also benefits the skin. Additionally, almond skins benefit human skin through their high levels of antioxidants.

Dandelions: If you look at dandelions as annoying weeds, you are missing out on a tremendous healthy food. Dandelions cleanse the liver of toxins. If you have a congested liver which cannot effectively cleanse the bloodstream, your skin is more likely to show wear and tear whether through breakouts or the effects of aging and pollution. Dandelion greens contain high levels of several of the vitamins and minerals known to contribute to healthy skin including Vitamin A, B, and C as well as copper and zinc.

Think of dandelions as the dietary equivalent of a refreshing face mask. Dandelions can easily be grown or foraged, so you can add them to your diet without adding to your grocery budget. Spring and early summer are the best times to harvest the greens. You can use them in salads or juice them. In early fall, gather dandelion roots which you can chop and dry-roast in the oven, then use to make a rich, chicory-like beverage. You can add honey plus coconut or rice milk for a dandelion latte. Just be sure not to use dandelions which have been sprayed with chemicals.

Cucumbers: These vegetables provide abundant vitamin C and silica. The trace mineral silica is essential for strong connective tissue and supports the ability of skin to heal. Without silica, skin loses its elasticity and becomes more prone to wrinkles and age spots.

Turmeric: The spice which gives curries an orangey hue derives much of its nutritional value from polyphenol anti-oxidant phytochemicals called curcuminoids. Curcuminoids provide as much as 8 times the antioxidant power as that found in most other antioxidant foods. Turmeric aids in the treatment of psoarisis, rosacea, acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. Plus, turmeric contributes to skin elasticity. It also helps to support the natural flora which can provide form a barrier on the skin skin protecting it from dangerous microbes.

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Make Sun Exposure Work For You

July 20th, 2011

The Huffington Post

By: Dr. Frank Lipman

For decades now, the mainstream medical establishment has been bombarding us with warnings to stay out of the sun! Use an SPF-50 sunscreen! Stay indoors till sunset! Wear a burka at the beach!

But has the case against sun exposure been taken perhaps a bit too far? I certainly think so. With the rise of “sun-o-phobia” what’s gotten lost in the shuffle is the fact that there are actual benefits to sun exposure in limited doses. Recent studies have shown that optimizing your Vitamin D levels may actually help prevent as many as 16 different types of cancers. And the best way to optimize Vitamin D levels? Safe, smart and limited sunscreen-free exposure to the sun! Exposure helps the skin produce the Vitamin D it needs to build bones, quell inflammation, bolster the immune system and protect against cancer (including skin cancer). Now of course this is by no means a license to overdo it, but it consider it permission to step outside and into the sun a bit less fearfully!

So how to use the sun to your advantage? Here’s what I recommend:

Manage your dose. Have a healthy respect for the sun. It is a powerful medicine with potentially dangerous side effects on your skin. Treat it like medication, using the lowest dose necessary — but don’t avoid it completely. And remember, never, ever fall asleep in the sun without protection.

Always avoid sunburn. It is sunburn, not healthy sun exposure, that causes problems. Repeated sunburns, especially in children and very fair-skinned people, have been linked to melanoma. Whereas there is no credible scientific evidence that regular, moderate sun exposure causes melanoma or other skin cancers — so prepare your skin and build up tolerance gradually. Start early in the year (spring), or early in the morning before the sun is strongest, and slowly build up the amount of time you spend in the sun.

Make your own sunscreen. Boost your “internal sunscreen” by consuming antioxidants and beneficial fats. These strengthen skin cells, helping to protect them from sun damage. Eating lots of vegetables and fruits such as blueberries, raspberries, goji berries and pomegranates, and supplementing with green powdered mixes and fish oils helps prep your body for limited, careful sun exposure.

Get frequent, short exposures. Regular short exposures have been found to be much more effective and much safer than intermittent long ones. Note that you cannot generate Vitamin D when sitting behind a glass window, because the UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D production are absorbed by glass. Get 15-30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure 2-4 times a week. Each of us has different needs for unprotected sun exposure to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D. Depending on your age, what type of skin you have, where you live and what time of the day and year it is, your needs will vary. For more specifics, I recommend the tables in “The Vitamin D Solution” by Dr. Michael Holick.

Know when to stop. After your 15-30 minutes of sun-block free time in the sun, you must protect yourself. If you’re going to be out in the sun for longer periods, wear a hat to protect your face and light-colored clothing that blocks the sun and keeps you cool. When you do apply sunscreen, use one the fewest chemicals possible.

Check out the recipe … of your sunscreen that is. What’s in the tube in high doses can be almost as dangerous as the diseases they are said to prevent — so shop smart when it comes to sunscreens. A typical sunscreen product is a chemical assault on your body, many of which contain cancer causing chemicals. According to the Environmental Working Group, the best, as in least toxic sunscreens on the market are ones without PABA, Parabens, Fragrances, Nanoparticles, Retinyl Palmitate (a form of Vitamin A), Oxybenzone, Benzophenone-3 (B-3) and Amino Benzoic Acid, whose side effects can include a host of health horrors which can effect your heart, hormones and even your DNA!

Buy the good stuff. The best sunscreen is a hat and a shirt. No chemicals to absorb through the skin, no questions about whether they work. But when you are going to be in the sun for long periods, use EWG’s top-rated sunscreens to provide broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB-sunburn) protection with fewer hazardous chemicals that penetrate the skin.

Click here for the full report from The Huffington Post

Many Sunscreens Increase Skin Cancer Risk, FDA Has Known For A Decade But Done Nothing

July 14th, 2011

Natural News

By: Ethan A. Huff

A new report issued by the consumer protection organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveals that many popular sunscreens contain ingredients known to spur the growth and spread of skin cancer cells, which defeats their stated purpose of preventing skin cancer.

Data indicates that the sun’s rays combine with certain sunscreen ingredients in the skin and damage skin cells, which can lead to lesions and tumors — and worst of all, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allegedly been aware of this critical information for the past ten years, but has done absolutely nothing to warn people about it.

According to a report by AOL News, about half of the sunscreens tested contained vitamin A ingredients and derivatives like retinol and retinyl palmitate, which FDA’s own studies have shown are photocarcinogenic, meaning they become toxic when exposed to sunlight. In fact, an older FDA report explains that sunscreens containing vitamin A ingredients cause tumors and lesions to develop and spread 21 percent faster than sunscreens that do not contain vitamin A ingredients.

Not to be confused with the vitamin A found in food and supplements that is absolutely essential for good health, vitamin A additives in sunscreen are different — their interactions with ultraviolet sun rays actually produce carcinogens in the skin.

And yet the FDA continues to remain silent about the dangers of vitamin A in sunscreen, including in its recent updated sunscreen guidelines that make no mention of them.

“There was enough evidence ten years ago for FDA to caution consumers against the use of vitamin A in sunscreens,” said Jane Houlihan, EWG’s senior vice president for research, to AOL News. “FDA launched this one-year study, completed their research and now ten years later, they say nothing about it, just silence.”

When questioned by AOL News about the matter, an FDA spokeswoman responded by claiming the agency “thoroughly checked” its records and could not find any evidence of such a study. Apparently the agency did not look hard enough, though, because a report issued in 2000 by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP) cites the same FDA research which found that vitamin A derivatives are both phototoxic and photocarcinogenic.

Vitamin A derivatives, of course, are not the only toxic ingredients in sunscreens either. According to the EWG report, hormone-disrupting chemicals like oxybenzone are prominent in many popular sunscreen brands. These same sunscreens also contain a slew of other mystery chemicals, many of which have never been proven safe or effective for use, and are likely carcinogenic as well.

In total, a mere 7.8 percent of the sunscreens tested by EWG as part of its annual analysis turned out to be “safe and effective” according to the group’s safety standards. The other 92.2 percent, which represent hundreds of sunscreens on the market today, contain one or more ingredients known to be harmful to health, a shocking figure when considering their widespread use.

As far as safe sunscreens go, EWG also recently released its fifth annual “Sunscreen Guide,” a database of more than 1,700 sun products from 292 brands that the group recognizes as having safe, non-toxic ingredients. You can access that database here: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/

For ideal health, however, regular exposure to sunlight without the use of sunscreen is vital for obtaining and maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D. Most sunscreens block the ultraviolet B (UVB) sun rays responsible for producing the vitamin D hormone in the skin — and without unfettered exposure to these beneficial rays, it is virtually impossible to maintain optimal vitamin D levels apart from supplementation.

By gradually exposing your skin to the sun on a regular, limited basis, you will eventually develop tolerance to it, even if you are prone to burning. And by supplementing with the antioxidant astaxanthin, which functions as a type of natural “sunscreen” that protects your skin from the oxidative damage caused by too much sun exposure, you will increase your sun tolerance even further, to the point that you may even stop burning under moderate exposure conditions.

The Vitamin D Council, a non-profit group dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of vitamin D for health, recommends that all individuals use the sun as their primary source of gaining vitamin D. Depending on your skin type, you will need anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour of daily sunlight exposure in order to achieve and maintain optimal levels.

If natural sunlight exposure is not feasible on a daily basis, which is common for most people during the wintertime when the sun’s decreased angle prevents an adequate amount of UVB rays from reaching the skin, daily supplementation with vitamin D3 is the next best option. The Council suggests taking anywhere between 1,000 and 6,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 a day, depending on your age.

To learn more about vitamin D, including which other vitamins and nutrients are its necessary cofactors, and which diseases and conditions can be treated and prevented simply by maintaining optimal levels, visit: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org

Click here for the full report from Natural News

Bill Gates, Monsanto Hijack ‘Humanitarian Aid’ Efforts to Push GMO Agenda

June 28th, 2011

NaturalNews.com

By: Ethan A. Huff

Those still in denial about the connection between the so-called “humanitarian” efforts of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the bigger agenda to thrust genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) on the populations of the world (among other things), need look no further than the Golden Rice Project (GRP) for proof that things are not as they seem. Hailed as the solution to “micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries,” GRP is actually nothing more than an attempted Trojan horse to usher GMOs into countries that have thus far rejected them.

According to a recent story published by Food Consumer, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $20 million to develop “golden rice,” a type of GM rice that allegedly contains higher than normal levels of vitamin A. Monsanto, creator of this “Frankenrice,” claims the crop will help end the epidemic of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) that afflicts many living in poor Asian countries. Sounds great, right? Except for the fact that introducing the rice threatens to actually worsen the VAD crisis, and promote economic and ecological debacles of epic proportions.

“Golden rice is a Trojan horse for pushing through GE-friendly biosafety regulations under the guise of humanitarian aid,” reports Food Freedom. “Once in place, these regulations open the door for the biotech industry to bring in commercial, patented GE crops; USAID and Monsanto accomplished exactly this in Kenya with their sweet potato project.”

Monsanto repeatedly uses the same strategy to sneak its Frankencrops into poor countries. It grabs hold of a food or agriculture crisis, and claims it has the solution. Its solution, of course, is always the same — persuade farmers to adopt its patented crops, and lock them into a system where they must rely on Monsanto for expensive pesticides and the yearly purchase of new, self-destructing GM seeds.

The real solution for poor countries — including those in Asia that are stricken by high rates of VAD — is to increase their agricultural biodiversity, and cultivate an enhanced system of small-scale, family-owned farms that produce a variety of nutrient-rich, natural foods.

“In a biodiverse farm, a family would have easy access to all these [beta carotene and vitamin A-rich foods]. But the mono-cropping agricultural technology (promoted by Monsanto) … has to a large extent, destroyed dietary biodiversity in rural Asia, which is the main cause of malnutrition,” wrote the Pesticides Action Network Asia & the Pacific (PANAP) in a press release, emphasizing that Monsanto and the Gates Foundation’s “solution” of golden rice will only exacerbate the problem of nutrient deficiency.

“[Monoculture] has seriously aggravated VAD. In fact, the Green Revolution has caused the loss of thousands of diverse local rice varieties … [m]any of these local varieties had special nutritional value. Golden rice perpetuates the industrial model of agriculture and so instead of reducing VAD, it will actually contribute to worsening its rate of occurrence.”

Click here for the full report from NaturalNews.com

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