Happy Healthy Long Life

GMO Concerns. Who's Watching Out for the Consumer? Are We Playing "Genetic Roulette"? Are Consumer Concerns Based on Shaky or Real Science? Is the Evidence Anecdotal or Evidence-Based?

 

 

 

Genetically Modified Crops include Bt (Bacillius thuringiensis) Cotton & Corn, and Herbicide-Tolerant (HT) Soy, Cotton, and Corn.  Almost All Soybeans Grown in the United States are Now Genetically Modified. 

Data from USDA Reports  (Mother Earth News Apr/May 2012)

 

If you received this post via email, click here, to get to the web version with all the links, & to watch "Genetic Roulette" 

 GMOs in the Grocery Store?  What Does It Mean, Exactly?

 

A little back-story, to get you started.

 

“Genetic modification” refers to the manipulation of DNA by humans to change the essential makeup of plants and animals. The technology inserts genetic material from one species into another to give a crop or animal a new quality, such as the ability to produce a pesticide.

These DNA transfers could never occur in nature and are not as precise as proponents make them sound. 

Some genetically modified crops have been engineered to include genetic material from BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), a natural bacterium found in soil.

Inserting the Bt genes makes the plant itself produce bacterial toxins, thereby killing the insects that could destroy it. The first GM crop carrying Bt genes, potatoes, were approved in the United States in 1995. Today there are Bt versions of corn, potatoes and cotton.

Roundup-Ready crops — soybeans, corn, canola, sugar beets, cotton, alfalfa and Kentucky bluegrass — have been manipulated to be resistant to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s broadleaf weedkiller Roundup.

These two GM traits — herbicide resistance and pesticide production — are now pervasive in American agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service says that, in 2010, as much as 86 percent of corn, up to 90 percent of all soybeans and nearly 93 percent of cotton were GM varieties.

You’re eating genetically modified foods almost daily unless you grow all of your food or always buy organic."

-Robin Mather, "The Threats from Genetically Modified Food,"  Mother Earth News, April/May 2012-

The pros & cons of GMO food are more than I could begin to tackle in a single blog post.

To get a handle on the concerns with the pervasiveness of GMOs in our food supply--YOU, dear reader, should you choose to accept this assignment--will have do some homework.  But, no worries.  All the assignments are listed below.

• Watch "Genetic Roulette" before September 23, while it's FREE.
• Read Robin Mather, "The Threats from Genetically Modified Food,"  Mother Earth News, April/May 2012-
• Read Mark Bittman's Opinionator column, "GMO's: Let's Label 'Em"
• Read Linda Watson's piece,"Stanford Organic Study: Should You Take It with a Grain of Salt (Slide Show) in the September 12, 2012 Huffington Post.

Frankly, the whole GMO issue is something I haven't paid all that much attention to.

That's is--until recently.

The published research into the potential adverse health effects of GMO-foods is on the scant-side, because companies like Monsanto don't have to give out their seeds to be tested.  Corporate patent laws protect them from scrutiny.  

 But, reports from respected physicians, veterinarians, botanists, agriculture researchers, policy makers, government scientists, and farmers present a whole laundry list of worrisome side effects:

• Livestock illnesses & malnutrition caused by eating GMO soy & corn (Don Huber, PhD, professor emeritus, Purdue University)
• Pet illnesses, especially of the GI tract, from consuming corn or soy pet food
• Birth defects in birds & amphibians; cancer, endocrine disruption, DNA & developmental damage to mammals exposed to low doses of glyphosate (that's the active ingredient in Monsanto's herbicide, Round-Up which is used as part of the whole package when farmers use Round-Up resistant seeds)  (Check out the 2011 Report "Roundup and Birth Defects: Is the Public Being Kept in the Dark?--a report by 8 international scientists)
• Increases in animal infertility, reproduction disorders, & birth defects. 
• Increases in human food allergies & digestive disorders, like leaky gut--especially in infants & children.  (Dr. Michelle Perro)
• Increases in inflammation caused by GMO allergies & the toxins "genetically embedded into GMO plants"
• Animal liver & kidney toxicity from GMO corn
• Possible autism spectrum connections
• Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder from Bt-embedded plants, which causes "honey bee dementia"
• Intestinal permeability caused by the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) which is genetically implanted into seeds to kill insects.   Bt may also be responsible for changing healthy human microflora in the gut.
• Autoimmune disorders caused as a response to ingesting an "unnatural gene-modified food"
• Infants & children are more sensitive to GMO's in food & formula because of their fast growth rates, high metabolisms, & low body mass.  Consider the widespread exposures to GMO-soy formulas like Similac Soy, Gerber Soy, Enfamil soy, & Walmart Soy.  Sadly, the WIC soy formulas are all GMO. Non-GMO or organic brands are fine.

 

So, how is it possible that there is so little published research on the long-term effects of GMOs on human & animal health, considering that GMO-seeds now totally dominate the farming industry?

Turns out, the FDA allowed Monsanta to conduct its own research prior to approval of GMO seeds in the 1990's.  That's right!  No independent investigators.  Monsanto did their own research in-house.  And none of the studies were long-term, which would be necessary to show any connection to cancer, birth defects, or reproductive disorders.  In fact, there was only one human feeding study conducted, prior to approval of Round-Up ready soy seeds.

The FDA policy commissioner at the time of GMO approval was Michael R. Taylor, who had previous ties to Monsanto as their legal counsel--and has had a revolving door of positions between Monsanto, King & Spalding, a law firm representing Monsanto, & the FDA.  Right now, he's the FDA's "Food Safety Czar".  

 

"As the system now stands, biotech companies bring their own research to the government body overseeing their proposed products. The agency may be the US Dept. of Agriculture, the federal Food and Drug Administration or the Environmental Protection Agency.

These government bodies do no independent studies on the safety and efficacy of the proposed products. Instead, they rely strictly on the research conducted by the companies.

"We don’t have the whole picture. That’s no accident. Multibillion-dollar agricultural corporations, including Monsanto and Syngenta, have restricted independent research on their genetically-engineered crops,” wrote Doug Gurion-Sherman of the Union of Concerned Scientists in a February 2011 Los Angeles Times op-ed piece.

“They have often refused to provide independent scientists with seeds, or they’ve set restrictive conditions that severely limit research options.”

 

Honestly, the whole corporations-versus-consumer-versus-the-FDA-&-the-USDA controversy is so shrouded with secrecy & accusations that it's hard to get a bottom line on the real risks of GMOs to our health & our environment.

 My bottom line:  I'm not a GMO fan.  I'm concerned.  I'm going to make every effort to avoid the stuff.  Why wait until it's too late?

 

Why Not Watch Jeffrey M. Smith's Documentary, "Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives" and Decide About GMO's for Yourself?

 

Do Not Miss This One!!!  It's a  worthwhile investment of 1 hr and 24 mins.   And besides, it's free online from Sept. 15-22nd only.  So don't put this off for too long.

You'll find the link to this disturbing documentary, here.   Sorry, I couldn't insert it into the post.

The Lab Rat & I watched "Genetic Roulette" last night.  It's a new documentary that "reveals the serious health impacts of genetically engineered foods in our diets."   No coincidence that its release is timed to the upcoming California Proposition 37 to label GMOs in food.

We were spellbound--glued to our chairs. Now we "get" what GMO seeds are all about--as well as their potential for harm to humans, animals, & the environment.

Scientists, veterinarians, physicians, policy makers, & farmers, together make one heck of a convincing case against GMO foods-& the biotech invasion into the food industry. But, decide for yourself.

I admit it--I was a little skeptical that it might be sensational pseudo-science. I was wrong (unless someone I respect & trust can convince me otherwise).

Frankly, I was unaware of the health ramifications & the lack of scientific oversight of the GMO industry--by the FDA or the USDA before viewing this documentary.  This is one complex story. 

Do yourself & your family a favor & watch this film--and then decide for yourself how closely you want to start reading food labels.

There's an accompanying phone app & a shopping guide that you can download to check out which foods are non-GMO. The Lab Rat just checked out his Wheat-a-Bix & then went through the fridge reading labels. 

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

Which foods are GMO--unless otherwise labeled?

Soy (I only buy non-GMO)
Corn (not popcorn)
Cottonseed (for oil)
Canola (for oil)
Sugar beets (for sugar)
Papaya
Zucchini
Yellow crookneck squash
Alfalfa (for hay)
Aspartame

All of the foods listed above (or their derivatives, like corn syrup, etc), are genetically modified (GMO) if they were grown in the US & are not labeled organic or non-GMO.

Organic foods are all non-GMO.

Mark Bittman of the New York Times Weighs in on GMO's, Too.

"GMO's: Let's Label 'Em"

 

 

Mark Bittman gets to the bottom of the consumer's "Right to Know" Proposition 37--making GMO food-labeling a law. This quick-must-read explains the big Food-Labeling Fight in California. Big-Agra vs Consumers

How many of us want to know if our food is genetically engineered?  

A whopping 91% of Americans--crossing all political party lines. (65% of California's are for Prop 37, 20% against, 15% undecided)

Who's fighting the Proposition 37 in California's Nov. 6th election with tens of millions of $$$?

Monsanto & whole lot of food manufacturers. Why?  Because "as California goes, so goes the nation."  

"Prop 37 isn’t a ban on foods containing genetically engineered material; it’s a right-to-know law.

Big Food is worried that this is the thin edge of the wedge, and I (Bittman) hope they’re right. If we win the right to know what’s in processed food, we might be inclined to demand to know how other food is produced. (You might think of Prop 37 as the anti-ag-gag law.) If genetically engineered food is so terrific, persuade us; if it’s not, well, fine. In any case, it should be up to us to buy it or not, but first we have to know what it is.

I (Bittman) want to know — quite technically, in all the detail available — how my food is produced, and I’m far from alone. We’d be able to make saner choices, and those choices would greatly affect Big Food’s ability to freely use genetically manipulated materials, an almost unlimited assortment of drugs and inhumane and environmentally destructive animal-production methods."

 

The Murky Money Story Behind the Funding for the Stanford Organic Food Study

 

This one's a real EYE-OPENER!!  If you haven't read it already, be sure to read Linda Watson's piece, "Stanford Organic Study: Should You Take It with a Grain of Salt (Slide Show) in the September 12, 2012 Huffington Post.

Just follow the corporate money trail on the recent Archives of Internal Medicine Stanford study that found "no huge benefits" to eating organic produce. How naive of me!!

I believed the article's disclaimer: "The authors received no external funding for this study." But, who funds Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, & who funded the researchers' study? 

 

 

"A simple look at FSI's 2011 annual report shows that it is funded by Cargill and others who have a strong financial interest in Monsanto, McDonalds, Walmart, and other businesses that profit from industrial food practices.

Before you head out to the market, check out this slide show (in Watson's Huff Post article) to see how the Stanford Institute that funded the study gets its money and to see some of the other reasons to choose organic when you can. Tell us which ones you would take with a grain of salt."

 

Check out: "Uneasy Allies in the Grocery Aisle," by Stephanie Strom, September 13, 2012, New York Times.  Get a better handle on the key players fighting the GMO-Labeling California ballot issue, Proposition 37.

The whole "organic food" & pro-non-GMO story gets even more complicated. Look who's funding the huge anti-GMO labeling campaign to defeat proposition 37 in California?   Along with Monsanto & DuPont are a whole lot of organic food companies who are now owned by big corporations.

 

The Corporate Seed Connection

 

What Do You Think?

 

Are GMOs Something to Be Concerned About

OR

Are Consumer Fears Based on Anectdotal Evidence & Shaky Science?

 

The Bee Movie. The Queen of the Sun - What Are the Bees Telling Us?

 

 

 

If you received this post via email, click here, to get to the website & view the trailer, the links, & leave a comment.

On Thursday, my husband forwarded this to me at work. 

The message:  What were you thinking when you added this to our Netflix queue?   Another loser movie?

Me:  Not me.  You must have added it!  You probably heard about it from one of your gardening magazines or when you were doing research for your insect presentation.  Why would I order a movie about bees?

Lab Rat:  Definitely not me!  You added it.

Turns out--it was me.  As I wrote this post, I realized I added it months ago from a recommendation by Frederic & Mary Brussat.

 

Saturday Afternoon - Sitting in Our Lush Sunny Backyard

 

We grabbed books, the newspaper,  and sank into lounge chairs to enjoy the sun and the quiet of the late afternoon.  Son #2 enjoyed a Green Smoothie along with Chex Mix--a old-time favorite comfort snack of his. 

 It was peaceful, relaxing, delightful.  But, not completely silent.

Lab Rat:  What's that noise?  Do you hear it?

Me:  Yeah.  What's that noise?  It's so loud.

Lab Rat:  Bees.  Honey Bees.  Don't worry, they won't bother you a bit.  They're just busy at work.

 

Sunday Evening:  We Watched the Queen of the Sun

 

Beekeeper and healer Sara Mapelli performs with 12,000 bees in a scene from Queen of the Sun

 

 

"Queen of Sun explores the varied reasons for colony collapse while providing a road map for combating it: the eradication of monoculture farming, abandoning the use of pesticides that end up harming bees more than the pests they're meant to eradicate, and stopping migratory beekeeping that truck bees all over the country, killing millions in transit and stressing the colonies."

-Ian Buckwalter, "'Sun' Days: A Time of Hanging On and Hoping,"  NPR, June 9, 2011-

 

The honey bees had us completely under their spell for 1 1/2 hours!

I still had no idea which of us had added The Queen of the Sun to our Netflix queue--but, what a winner this documentary was. 

Beauty,  science, nature, spirituality,  gentle caretaking, man's misguided interference and a serious warning to the world.  An ancient insect is now in peril. 

If you're a gardener.   If you love flowers.   If you love fruit.  If you're intrigued by the intricate symbiotic nature of nature.  If you have concerns about pesticides--add Alzheimer's for bees to your worry list.  If you want to know how genetically-modified (GMO) seeds are made--and what their impact might be on our environment & future food production--this will be an eye-opener.  If you had no idea how miles and miles of fields planted only with one crop--like, corn and soybeans--can harm bees--you'll find out.  If you had no idea that bee hives are now trucked thousands of miles in order to pollinate crops--and even bees are being fed high-fructose corn syrup.  Or that there's such a thing as artificial insemination for Queen Bees--and there's a price to pay for messing with Queen's sex life!

You'll want to watch this movie.

But, is it boring and dry?  Another gloom and movie, that should have been called, "Bee-pocalypse"?

Not at all!  Gorgeous flowers.  Some zany characters.  Fascinating beekeepers & scenery from Italy, France, New Zealand, Oregon, and even the Bronx.  An entomologist.  A physicist.  Biologists.  And your eyes will be opened.

The honey bees are our canaries in the coal mine!  

And they're telling us something.

 

If You Don't See the Trailer on Your Screen Click Here

 

 

 

 

"QUEEN OF THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? is a profound, alternative look at the global bee crisis from the award-winning director of THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN. 

Taking us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, this alarming and ultimately uplifting film weaves together a dramatic story of the heart-felt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers around the world. 

This spellbinding film explores the long-term causes that have led to one of our most urgent global food crises, illuminating the deep link between humans and bees. 

The story unveils 10,000 years of beekeeping, highlighting how that historic and sacred relationship has been lost. Inspiring and entertaining, QUEEN OF THE SUN uncovers the problems and solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature."   

-The Queen of the Sun website-

Go to the documentary's website, to learn more!

 

Don't Just Take My Word About How Good This Movie Is

 

“A remarkable documentary that's also one of the most beautiful nature films I've seen.”
- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

“Revelatory! Honey has never looked so delicious. Or so precious.”
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times - Critic’s Pick

"Visually sumptuous...lovingly shot, near-psychedelic imagery, which serves as an unusually visceral reminder of the rich variety in nature—and what’s at stake if bees bug out for good,  Village Voice

  “An inspiring documentary, one of the best films of 2011.”   Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

“A creative exploration of the global honeybee crisis replete with remarkable nature cinematography, some eccentric characters and yet another powerful argument for organic, sustainable agriculture in balance with nature.”   -Alissa Simon, Variety

"Bee Movie is no B Movie. Whether or not you like honey on your morning muffin, you ought to be concerned with the health of the nation's bees."   -Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

“Colony Collapse Disorder should be a planetary wake up call akin to Rachel Carson’s 1960s pesticide expose Silent Spring.”  David Lamble, Bay Area Reporter

“Beautifully blends poetry and science to tell the story of what may be the most important co-evolutionary bond on Earth… Queen of the Sun's optimistic tone suggests solutions will flower from the seeds of new perspectives.”  - Rick Marianetti, The Examiner

“I never thought that a documentary about honeybees would make me both laugh and cry-but filmmaker Taggart Siegel’s Queen of the Sun is one such film.”  -Dennis Hartley, Hullabaloo

 

You can watch the movie here, for $4.99.

Or buy the video.

Or order it from Netflix, like we did. 

Or borrow it from your library.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

I'm trying to convince the Lab Rat to become a beekeeper.  He's thinking about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Healthy Librarian's Homework - Four Articles - Four Movies - Soba Miso Bok Choy Comfort Soup. The New York Times Interviews Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Vanity Fair's FDA Clinical Trial Expose, Living on Earth's Sex & Endocrine Disruptors & Vitamin D

Part of My Framed Applique Birthday Present

 

Much of the good in this world comes when ordinary people have the courage to do the right thing--in spite of the risks to their reputation or financial security.  In spite of ridicule, dismissal, censure, or pressure from family & friends.  It's so much easier to leave things as they are, and not make waves.

-This one's from me--based on the articles, movies, & even the cookbook author mentioned in this post-

 

If you received this post via email, click here to get to the web version with all the links.

I probably won't have much time to post over the next 10 days.  I'm going to play & hang out with our gorgeous 19-month old "little man".

So, I'm leaving you with some homework to do while I'm gone. 

• I've got four articles for you to read.  Two have certainly set my head spinning--and two have cleared things up nicely for me.  Now I want to know what you think of them. 
• I'm also leaving you with four movies to see.  All four are true stories about ordinary people who did what they knew was the right thing to do.  It would have been a whole lot easier to sit back, stay at home, give up, or shut up.  Oh, and I'm also giving you a link to some excellent thought-provoking movies for grown-ups.  It's cold, the days are short--the perfect time for a delcious dinner & a movie night.
• I've got a good recipe, too!  A rib-sticking-nutritious-comfort soup based on a Mark Bittman creation.

All the articles--the movies--and even the recipe could be posts of their own.  But, I've run out of time--got some grandson book shopping to do, plus some laundry, some packing, and a whole lot more..

 

The Homework Articles

The New York Times Interviews Dr. T. Colin Campbell--"Nutrition Advice from the China Study"  1/7/11.  Click here for this quick read interview by NYT writer, Tara Parker-Pope.  

Campbell's a man who has stellar academic & research credentials--but he's put them all on the line, risking censure & reputation--to speak out about the damaging toll our American diet is taking on our health.  The U.S. meat & dairy boards wish he'd just shut up & go away.

"Six years ago a small Texas publisher released an obscure book written by a father-son research team. The work, based on a series of studies conducted in rural China and Taiwan, challenged the conventional wisdom about health and nutrition by espousing the benefits of a plant-based diet.

To everyone’s surprise, the book, called “The China Study,” has since sold 500,000 copies, making it one of the country’s best-selling nutrition titles. The book focuses on the knowledge gained from the China Study, a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine that showed high consumption of animal-based foods is associated with more chronic disease, while those who ate primarily a plant-based diet were the healthiest."

If you want more background on Campbell read my post:  T. Colin Campbell of “The China Study” Pays a Visit – Does This Mean I Have to Become a Vegan?

 

Vanity Fair, January 2011.  "Politics - Deadly Medicine," by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele.  Click here for the article.   My sister-in-law said I had to read this one.  She was right.  Disturbing, to say the least.  I've passed it on to some doctor friends to get their opinions--is this truth, or just an over-exaggerated scary story to sell magazines? 

I would love to hear what Dr. Steve Nissen has to say about it.  But, this much I do know--if the piece is true, the only way it could have been written was because of the courage of those insiders who chose to do the right thing--and speak out.  Truth or lie?  Or a bit of both?

"Prescription drugs kill some 200,000 Americans every year. Will that number go up, now that more clinical trials are conducted overseas—on sick Russians, homeless Poles, and slum-dwelling Chinese—in places where regulation is virtually nonexistent, the F.D.A. doesn’t reach, and “mistakes” can end up in pauper’s graves? The authors investigate the globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, and the U.S. Government’s failure to rein in a lethal profit machine."

"Overall, deaths from F.D.A.-approved prescription drugs dwarf the number of people who die from street drugs such as cocaine and heroin. They dwarf the number who die every year in automobile accidents. So far, these deaths have triggered no medical crusades, no tough new regulations. After a dozen or so deaths linked to runaway Toyotas, Japanese executives were summoned to appear before lawmakers in Washington and were subjected to an onslaught of humiliating publicity. When the pharmaceutical industry meets with lawmakers, it is mainly to provide campaign contributions.

And with more and more of its activities moving overseas, the industry’s behavior will become more impenetrable, and more dangerous, than ever."

To learn more about the current controversies within the FDA's drug approval process, read my earlier post about crusading Dartmouth med school professors, Drs. Lisa Schwartz & Steve Woloshin, "Drug Safety and Drug Benefits--The FDA Information That Never Reaches Doctors & the Public. Dr. Lisa Schwartz & Dr. Steve Woloshin Discover the Data That Gets Lost in Transmission"

 

NPR's Living on Earth, "Sex and Endocrine Disruptors," by Ashley Ahearn, January 7, 2011.   Click here for the story.  Meet the physicians & lab researchers who are wondering if the ubiquitous chemicals in our environment may be causing serious changes to the reproductive systems of infant boys--and perhaps even affecting sexual orientation.  These changes have been seen in frogs & fish for years--but what about in humans?  Researchers in this field now have concerns that common synthetic chemicals might be responsible for feminizing effects, as well as genital birth defects in male children.  An abnormality of the male infant genitalia--called hypospadias--is now the second most common birth defect in the country, behind heart defects.  Is there a chemical connection?

AHEARN: Talking about problems with reproductive health is something society has never handled well. And perhaps because most hypospadias can be corrected with surgery, very few doctors have raised questions about the underlying causes of this birth defect.

But endocrine disrupting chemicals show up in almost 100 percent of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and many of these chemicals are known to disrupt normal reproductive system development in animals - think back to Tyrone Hayes' frogs here.

So I asked Dr. Theo Colborn, who's been studying endocrine disruptors for over 30 years, if she thought our environmental exposures could be affecting our reproductive health. Or more specifically, given what we're seeing with hypospadias, I asked her, do you think we are feminizing our baby boys?

COLBORN: I definitely do. I think there's a certain percentage that are definitely being affected and there's no denying it.

For more background read these earlier posts:

• Cleaning Up My Kitchen - Clearing Out the Bisphenol-A and Other Lurking Toxic Chemicals
• ADD, Autism, Hyperactivity, Behavioral Problems? Could BPA or Phthalates in Cans, Plastics, Carpets & PJs Be Responsible? 
• The Consumer Reports Tested BPA Levels in Canned Food. It's Time to Ditch the Cans and the Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole. Safe Levels Are Much Lower Than the FDA Allows 

 

Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, December, 2010.  "Medical Grand Rounds - Vitamin D and the heart:  Why we need large-scale clincal trials," by Joann E. Manson, MD, DrPH, FAHA, Chief, Division of Preventive Medicine, Harvard Medical School.  Click here for the article.

Manson is the principal investigator in the upcoming VITAL Trial, which is set to follow 20,000 healthy older men & women for 5 years--testing the health effects of daily taking 2000 IUs of vitamin D3 & 1 gram of marine omega-3 against that of placebos.  Manson also took part in the Institute of Medicine's recent revision of the  guidelines for vitamin D.  She's an outspoken physician/researcher who carefully sifts through study minutiae before she comes to any conclusions.  If you want an excellent, balanced, and thorough explanation of the vitamin D research, read this article.  For more on the VITAL STUDY, click here.

"Although vitamin D supplementation appears to be a promising intervention for reducing risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases, existing evidence on its benefits and risks is limited and inconclusive. Recruitment is now under way for the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), the first large-scale randomized clinical trial of these nutritional agents for the primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Key points

1. Laboratory evidence suggests that vitamin D may lower cancer risk by inhibiting cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and inflammation.

2. Vitamin D may also reduce cardiovascular risk by inhibiting vascular smooth muscle proliferation, regulating blood pressure and glucose metabolism, and reducing inflammation.

3. Some observational studies indicate there may be a threshold for vitamin D intake above which there is no increase in benefit and which may increase risk.

4. The VITAL trial is currently randomizing 20,000 healthy older men and women throughout the United States to receive either 2,000 IU of vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol) per day or placebo, as well as 1 g of marine omega-3 fatty acids per day or placebo, for 5 years."

The Movies - Ordinary People with the Courage to Change Themselves and Sometimes the World

Made in Denhagen

The remarkable, funny, and inspiring true story of women fighting for equal pay in a Ford Motor Company in 1968 England.  Rita O'Grady is the woman of courage in this film.  Click here to read more.  I loved it!

The Fighter

A combination biopicture and dramedy that has us rooting for a working-class hero as he struggles to find his style in the ring and outside the ring within his dysfunctional family.  Dickie Eklund and his half brother, Mickey Ward are the men with a more personal kind of courage in this film--the courage to  change the direction of their lives and to stand up for themselves.  Click here to read more.  I loved it!

The King's Speech

An enthralling and heart-stirring biodrama about an unusual friendship that transforms the life and soul of King George VI of England.  England's about to go to war against Germany, they're in the middle of the Depression, and the country is feeling anxious & dispirited.  In the midst of this uncertainty, Prince Edward cavalierly gives up his claim to the throne, leaving his brother, Prince Albert, with no choice but to become King of England.  Against all odds Prince Albert has the courage to accept the position--overcome a severe stutter--and take a key role in uniting and lifting up the spirits of his countrymen.  Click here to read more.  I loved it!

Forks Over Knives

This documentary film tells the story of the courage of Dr. T. Colin Campbell & Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.  Both have stood steadfast in their position that our Western diet is hazardous to our health--and that many of our present day chronic diseases are "nothing more than food-borne illnesses" that could be cured if only we'd change our diets. 

Campbell & Esselstyn are both in their mid-seventies, and they are no longer beholden to any academic, medical, or governmental institutions--nor are they concerned about damaging their reputations--they are free to speak the truth.  They aren't motivated by financial gain, or fame.  They are unassuming, approachable, and motivated only by wanting to share what they have learned.  They don't have to do this!

I've seen the film--and can say without a doubt, it's a must-see!  It officially opens nationally in March 2011, but there have been previews all over the country.  For an updated list of previews in your area, click here.

To read my summary of the film, "The Research-Based Documentary That Will Change the Way You Eat. "Forks Over Knives" The Story of Dr. T. Colin Campbell's China Study & Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's Heart Disease Reversal Study. Getting Your Health Back on a Plant-Based Whole Foods Diet,"  click here.

For links to some top thought-provoking movies for grown-ups--those currently playing--and the best films of 2010--click here.

 

Dinner and a Movie - "Enlightened" Miso Soup with Bok Choy, Soba Noodles, and Grilled Tofu or Salmon

 

The Soup

Getting Ready to Grill the Tofu - Spread with Dragunara Sweet Chili Sauce

Gorgeous Grilled Tofu Made on a Cuisinart Green Gourmet Stovetop Grill Pan

Eden Brand 100% Buckwheat Soba Noodles

Bok Choy Greens, Chopped

Bok Choy Stems, Chopped

White Miso

 

This recipe is based on one I found in Mark Bittman's, The Food Matters Cook Book.  Bittman's a long-time food writer for the New York Times--and he's taken some courageous steps as a food writer in recent years.  For a guy who make his living from food--writing, cooking and eating--Bittman risked a lot when he make a 180 degree change in his own eating habits.

"I've been eating like Food Matters--the title of this book's predecessor, a book that encourages us to concentrate on eating more plants and few animal products and processed foods--for three years.  If you swap the basic proportions in your diet--increasing unprocessed fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains--you'll wind up losing weight and improving your overall health while also improving more difficult-to-measure situations like global warming, the environment in general, and animal welfare."  Mark Bittman

 

Miso Soup with Bok Choy, Soba Noodles, and Tofu (or salmon)  click here for a copy of the recipe on one page 

Makes: 4 servings

Time:  about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

8 ounces of soba noodles (look for the Eden brand that's 100% buckwheat

14 ounces of lite, firm tofu (I prefer NaSoya brand);  Salmon option: 8 ounces of wild salmon

Sauce of choice to season tofu:  I like Dragunara Sweet Chili Sauce, or use teriyaki or another Asian sauce

1 tsp five-spice or chili powder & black pepper if broiling salmon

1/3 cup any miso (I used white miso)

1 pound bok choy, stems separated and chopped, leaves cut into ribbons

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted if you like

1/4 cup chopped scallions

Instructions:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2.  Prep the tofu.  Drain the water from the package, and cut the block into thirds, horizontally.  Wrap the three slices in a tea towel & put a heavy pot or weight on top of it to press.  After 30 minutes, cut each slice into 4 triangles, & spread one side with the sauce of your choice. 

3. Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender but not mushy, 3 to 5 minutes.  Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and rinse the noodles with lots of cold water until cool. 

4.  Put 4 cups of vegetable broth into the pot, along with the 2 cups of reserved "noodle liquid", and set it to boil again--you'll have 6 cups of liquid.

5.  Heat up a stove-top grill pan on high, and when it's hot, add the tofu triangles, sauce side down.  Spread top of tofu with sauce.  Watch carefully--it doesn't take too long for the tofu to nicely brown (as shown).  Flip when the tofu is browned with grill marks.  If using salmon, sprinkle with seasoning & either pan-fry without oil, or grill it.  Tofu won't stink or smoke up your kitchen!  Trust me on this one.

6.  When the water in the pot is almost boiling, put the miso in a small bowl, ladle in a cup or so of the heated broth, and whisk it until it's smooth.

7.  When the broth is boiling, add the bok choy stems to the pot and let them cook for about a minute.  Add the bok choy "ribbons" and continue cooking, adjusting the heat so the soup bubbles steadily, until the bok choy gets silky, 3 to 5 minutes more.

8.  Turn the heat down to low, pour the miso mixture into the pot along with the soba noodles, and heat just long enough to warm everything, only a minute or two.  Taste, adjust the seasoning.

9.  Serve the soup immediately, topping with 3 tofu triangles each (or 1/4 of the salmon), and sprinkle with sesame seeds, and scallions.

It's great as leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day!

The Poisoned Waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the Puget Sound. Filled With Chicken Manure, Toxic Chemicals, PCBs & Stormwater Runoff

Poultry farmer Lee Richardson, cleaning up after a flock was sold. (Baltimore Sun photo by Doug Kapustin / May 29, 2008)

Frontline's Poisoned Waters

Here is the one advantage to having the cheapest version of cable TV--the one that ONLY includes the free network stations. 

The selections are so bad, that you actually opt to watch PBS--which is how I got to see Pulitzer-Prize winning Hedrick Smith's investigative examination of the waters of the Chesapeake Bay & the Puget Sound.  Frontline: Poisoned Waters aired on Tuesday night April 21, 2009.

Here's my testimonial: normally, my husband would be sacked out by 9:30 pm on a Tuesday night, but this program kept him up until 11:00 pm.  Check it out online at the Poisoned Waters website.

I Thought We Cleaned Up Our Waterways Years Ago

So, what has happened since the 1970's when the public demanded action to clean up our waterways?  Nixon's EPA sued big polluters, tackled auto emissions, and DDT. 

What's changed since then? Our waterways were supposed to be fishable & swimmable by 1983 and 25 years past that deadline we aren't even remotely close to success.

Hedrick Smith spent 18 months looking into our crown jewel waterways, the Chesapeake Bay & the Puget Sound and in the end he was shocked at what he discovered.  As he says, "The worst pollution is invisible.  The water looks OK, but it's not."  And Smith is plenty worried for his grandchildren.

Fresh clean water is a resource we can't live without and after watching Frontline, it's clear that no one with clout is minding the store. 

And this problem isn't going away anytime soon.

Here's just a sample of what I learned about our nation's water supply:

1. The Chesapeake Bay & Puget Sound are just the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to our nation's water supply.

2.  Agriculture is the biggest threat to our clean water--the animal waste & chemical runoff.  Who would have guessed?

3.  Dead zones now occupy 40 percent of the Chesapeake Bay in the summer--vast areas where not a single crab or fish or blade of precious bottom grass can live because there's no oxygen to sustain life.  These dead zones are rapidly growing and not just in the Chesapeake. 

4.  The reason: The tremendous amount of chicken manure runoff.  There is over 1.5 billion pounds of it a year that makes its way into the Bay.  It's the main source of the excess nitrogen & phosphorus that just sucks the oxygen right out the water--creating these Dead Zones.  And Perdue chickens have something to do with it.

That's more manure than the human waste of New York City, Washington, DC, San Francisco & Atlanta put together.  But human waste gets treated--animal waste doesn't.  And the same problem exists from the hog, cattle & poultry farms all over the country.

5.  For a graphic that illustrates the size of the animal industry, courtesy of NYT's Mark Bittman, click here--and notice the number of chickens we're consuming!

6.  Our drinking water is a toxic soup filled with drugs & chemicals that our out-of-date water treatment plants were never designed to filter out.  

Consider this: The U.S. Geological Survey has been testing rivers and drinking water all over the country.  Tests of the water before it enters the Washington D.C. aqueduct have found 85 worrisome chemical compounds--that's before the water was treated.  

The tests of the water after it was filtered still contained two-thirds of these chemicals.  And this water is going straight into the homes & businesses of over a million people in the D.C. area.  When one of the scientists working with the USGS was asked if she drinks the D.C. water, she answered,  "No, I woudn't drink that water."

7.  Researchers with the National Institute for Environmental Health Studies & Johns Hopkins University's School of Public Health know that many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors  that kill fish, cause mutations in frogs, lower human sperm count, threaten human health, increase the risk of breast cancer, and are responsible for male genital anomalies in infants.  And this isn't limited to the Chesapeake Bay area.   The USGS study has found the same contamination in tests all across the country.

8.  The Pristine Pugent Sound?  Not exactly.   Most experts in the environmental community think the Puget Sound is in terrible shape and that we have less than a generation to clean it up.  The Orca whales are already seriously threatened by the contamination.

There's the oil and gas run off from highways and based on actual sampling in the Puget Sound basin, it's estimated that the volume of oil that is carried into the Puget Sound by stormwater runoff is equal to the Exxon Valdez spill in Prince William Sound.

And the Puget Sound is a hot spot for PCBs from left-over asphalt and industrial sites and the Boeing Shipyard contaminants....and the list goes on and on.

Want to know more?

So What's Safe to Eat and Drink?

Weren't Our Waters Supposed to Be Cleaned Up Years Ago?

I Want To Get Involved.  What Can I Do? 

The Endocrine Disruptors.  Evidence accumulates that manmade chemicals, known as endocrine disruptors, are causing abnormal mutations in marine creatures. Does that mean they're having an impact on human health?  Read what the experts have to say.

King Corn - and the Real Story Behind the Demise of the Family Farm, the Rise in Obesity, Type II Diabetes & Fast Food

“For the first time in American history, our generation was at risk of having a shorter lifespan than our parents. And it was because of what we ate.”

—Curt Ellis, KING CORN filmmaker

This documentary, filmed & produced by two likable college buddies, is a must see!  It's about a serious subject - how a simple innocent plant - commercial corn - has contributed to the demise of the family farm, the rise of the factory feedlot, the increase in obesity, the development of Type II diabetes at young ages, the growth of the fast food industry, the invention of high fructose corn syrup, the increased use of animal antibiotics, and the rise of inflammatory Omega-6s in our food supply.  And 1973 is the year it all began.  Whew, that's a mouthful!

If you've wanted to read Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma, and didn't have the time to spend   reading it--do yourself a favor & watch this enormously engrossing entertaining "Cliff Notes" version of Pollan's award-winning book.  It's only 90 minutes long!

My husband was a little skeptical when I brought this film home, but we were hooked from the start!
I may never again let corn-fed beef or chicken pass my lips.  Grass-fed, yes.  Corn-fed, no.  And finding grass-fed anything is near impossible these days!

I don't want to spoil any of the surprises, but just to let you know---the road to our industrial food supply fiasco began somewhere around 1908 with the Nobel Prize winning invention of nitrogen fertilizer.  Fast forward to 1973 and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz comes up with a well-intentioned plan to stop paying farmers to not plant--and to start subsidizing them to grow as much corn as they can.  And the rest is a story you won't read in a history book. The Law of Unintended Consequences!

"Behind America’s dollar hamburgers and 72-ounce sodas is a key ingredient that quietly fuels our fast-food nation: corn. In KING CORN , recent college graduates Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis leave the east coast for rural Iowa, where they decide to grow an acre of the nation’s most powerful crop.

Alarmed by signs of America’s bulging waistlines, the filmmakers arrive in the Midwest enthusiastic about their new endeavor. For their farm-to-be, they choose a tiny town in Floyd, County, Iowa—a place that, coincidentally, both Ian and Curt’s great-grandfathers called home three generations ago. They lease an acre of land from a skeptical landlord, fill out a pile of paperwork to sign up for subsidies and discover the U.S. government will pay them 28 dollars for their acre. Ian and Curt start the spring by injecting ammonia fertilizer, which promises to increase crop production four-fold. Then it’s planting time. With a rented high-tech tractor, they set 31,000 seeds in the ground in just 18 minutes. Their corn has also been genetically modified for another yield-increasing characteristic: herbicide resistance. When the seedlings sprout from Iowa’s black dirt, Ian and Curt apply a powerful herbicide to ensure that only their corn will thrive on their acre......"    Read more about the film on the PBS Independent Lens Web Site

The Web Link for the 2 minute preview is here if you aren't seeing the video.

You'll find the film at Netflix, some public libraries (but not many), and on the Independent Lens of PBS.

Ian Cheney & Curt Ellis are a charming refreshing departure from the attack-dog style of Michael Moore.  Their moms must be awfully proud of them!

Dr. Servan-Schreiber's People's Pharmacy Interview: The Top 5 Reasons for the Increase in Cancer Today

Dr. David Servan-Schreiber is one of my favorite health experts and I recently had a chance to listen to his interview with Joe & Terry Graedon on The People's Pharmacy.

A partial summary follows:

Who is Dr. David Servan-Schreiber?

I first wrote about Dr. Servan-Schreiber back in Sept. 2008, and you can read that post here.  

Fifteen years ago, when Servan-Schreiber was a 31-year old ambitious neuroscientist he used himself as a research subject when a volunteer failed to show up for an MRI brain scan.  He was completely taken by surprise when the scan revealed he had a brain tumor.

After surgery and chemotherapy, he asked his oncologist what he could do to lead a healthy life style and hopefully avoid a relapse. The oncologist replied, "Lead your life normally.  We'll do CAT scans at regular intervals and if your tumor comes back we'll detect it early."  Servan-Schreiber went back to his usual lifestyle. Coke, McDonald's, working too hard.

The cancer returned and this time Servan-Schreiber took his health into his own hands. After 9 months of research he began to understand how he could help his body "protect itself against cancer."

 Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, is currently a neuroscientist and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He co-founded the Center for Integrative Medicine there. He is also a founding member of Doctors Without Borders.  

Why Has Cancer Risen Dramatically Since the 1940's?

According to the World Health Organization, cancer will soon be the Number 1 cause of death, supplanting heart disease.  Rates have risen dramatically since the 1940's & they can't be explained away easily by saying, "The population has aged--and cancer rates increase in older populations."  Or by saying "We have better detection and screening methods."  According to Servan-Schreiber, age & screening tools explain at most 50% of the increases. 

1. Consider this: cancer rates in children have increased steadily at a rate of 1-1.5% per year--children's ages always stay the same---and kids aren't screened for cancer!
2. Look at regions where cancer rates haven't changed at all--like remote provinces of China.  These are regions where no breast cancer exists, even when women are screened by modern methods.  Since these same women develop cancer in 1-2 generations when they move to Western cultures, the obvious conclusion is that they are protected by their lifestyle, not by their genes.

What Are the Top 5 Reasons for the Cancer Rate Increase in Western Countries?

• Sugar Consumption.  The rate of sugar consumption has climbed steadily in the U.S.  In the 1800's we consumed on average 12 lbs. of sugar per person, per year.  In 2000 we consumed on average 154 lbs. of sugar per person, per year.  Cancer cells can only feed on sugar--and we even use that property to detect cancer in the body with PET scans, by injecting the body with radioactive glucose to scan where it accumulates!  Glucose accumulates in cancer cells.  The more sugar we eat, the more we feed cancer cells.  Sugar isn't a carcinogen, like tobacco--it doesn't cause cancer--It Just Feeds Cancer.  One of three New Year's resolutions is to eliminate sugar.  So far, so good.
  

• Fats we consume.  The kinds of fats we consume has changed dramatically since the 1940s.  We consume increased amounts of inflammatory omega-6 oils, like: corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower and assorted other vegetable oils.  They're in practically everything we eat--if we buy processed foods. Trans fats--think French fries- (hydrogenated oil) became popular in the 1940's when butter was rationed & margarine gained favor.  In the 1950s the American Heart Association encouraged us to use vegetable oils, under the mistaken belief that it would prevent heart disease.  (click here for the history of trans fats).  These kinds of fats also contribute to the growth of cancer--and they can double the rate of breast cancer in women if you compare the cancer rates in women who eat more, with women who eat less.

• Environmental chemicals.  The number of chemicals in our environment has increased dramatically since the 1940s.  Never before have people been exposed to as many chemicals as they are now.  Many of these chemicals can change our bodies--like Bisphenol A, (BPA)-- the chemical in hard plastic which has been in the news lately--and I've written about (click here & here)  And that's just one example.  It leaches out of containers that are heated up, like baby bottles, water bottles, canned goods & plastic tea kettles.  BPA promotes the growth of cancer cells--it's known as an endocrine (hormone) disruptor--and it can promote the growth of breast, prostate and uterine cancers.

• Exercise.  Think of our grandparents, and many of our parents--they all walked to school--unlike kids today.  For that matter, most of our grandparents (and parents) didn't drive much--they walked everywhere.  Physical activity protects us from "growing cancer".  It's been researched widely. Click here, here, here, and here.

• Social Networks.  Our social networks--our family, friends, community involvement & religious institutions--aren't what they used to be--and they've been fraying at the seams since the 1940s.  We move on average every 5 years--and families are separated by too many miles.  Bowling leagues & club memberships--they're history--think Robert Putnam's  Bowling Alone.  When things are going well social networks aren't all that important--but in times of stress--like now!--social networks are the No. 1 factor to alleviate stress.  How do our social networks protect against cancer?  High levels of stress produce nasty chemicals, like cortisol and norepinephrine which contribute to the growth of cancer.  And besides--if you want to be happy--it's all about that social network and showing up for each other!

Today's Cancer News Story

High Insulin Levels Raise the Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women- Need any more evidence of the sugar-cancer link?

Higher-than-normal levels of insulin place postmenopausal women at an increased risk of breast cancer, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University report. Their findings, published in the January 7, 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggest that interventions that target insulin and its signaling pathways may decrease breast cancer risk in these women.  Higher insulin levels mean insulin resistance--and the question we should be asking is:

What causes insulin resistance and how can we prevent it?

"How does insulin resistance happen? First, there is a genetic tendency. The family history of someone with insulin resistance often includes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. This genetic tendency is then accentuated by improper diet.

Second, if susceptible individuals are exposed to high levels of insulin for prolonged periods of time, their bodies lose their responsiveness to insulin and begin to develop more resistance to the effects of insulin. The same is true of many other substances including alcohol, painkillers, and most medications as well as hormones such as insulin.

The treatment of insulin resistance is relatively straightforward and effective. The goal of treatment is to lower insulin levels, and keep them low long enough for our bodies to regain their sensitivity to insulin. In order lower insulin levels, we must avoid the two main causes of high insulin: 1) SUGAR, as well as any foods our bodies convert to sugar rapidly, and 2) Large meals.

Therefore, the person with insulin resistance should be sharply reducing sources of sugar from their diets. They should also be limiting those foods such as bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereals & excess alcohol, which our bodies convert rapidly to sugar. They should also be eating smaller, more frequent meals as opposed to larger meals once or twice a day."    According to Drs. Mark Liponis & Mark Hyman (authors of Ultra Prevention)

Google to the Rescue! Eric Schmidt & GE Are Working on Alternative Energy & They Have a Plan

"Think about it. It would create a lot of high-paying jobs; the jobs would be in interesting places where there's a joblessness issue: rural areas, places with a lot of wind, a lot of solar, a lot of heat. All of those would contribute to energy security. The next wars are all going to be about oil, aren't they? Why don't we remove that from the equation? And as a byproduct, really make a dent in this climate-change issue."

   --Eric Schmidt, Google CEO--

Finally, some good news.  With Wall Street investment banks collapsing and news of wacko investment practices like "Naked Short Selling" it's starting to look as if our whole financial system is nothing but one giant Ponzi Scheme (this definition comes straight from the SEC), and now we're left holding the bag.

I first heard about "Naked Short Selling" and learned who Christopher Cox was on Sunday's  "This American Life".  By the way, if you haven't heard by now, he's the Chairman of the SEC who was asleep at the switch.

Now you too can listen to Alex Blumberg's chilling broadcast of "Naked Short Selling".   It's 20 minutes long, but it's worth a listen. Click Here!

And if you want a clear explanation of what's going on in our economy, read yesterday's "Freakonomic's"  in the New York Times. Click Here.

Oops, I got carried away.  I'll make this quick because I really must get going.  Here's the good news from Google & GE.  I heard it last night on the way home from work & if you read my post about Thomas Friedman's new book, "Hot, Flat, & Crowded", this really is a breath of Fresh Air! Someone just may be minding the store--at least the Energy Store!

Here's What Google & GE are working on:

All Things Considered, September 18, 2008 · A partnership between Internet search giant Google and General Electric is designed to invest in — and promote — technologies for renewable energy.

The plan for the partnership, announced Wednesday, is to establish renewable-energy plants, promote plug-in electric cars and transform the nation's electricity grid.

Although it's an Internet company, Google has a vested interest in renewable energy because it consumes a vast amount of energy — and contributes to waste — with its data centers, says Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt.

"Understand that the energy prices drive the cost of Google," Schmidt tells NPR's Michele Norris. "So if we can spend money now to save money in the future, that ultimately produces better long-term shareholder value."

Schmidt says Google has been studying the grid to ensure that the company is "doing the right things."

"The story's not good — the electrical grid and the power transmission have had very little investment over the last 20 or 30 years," Schmidt says. "While all of us have ended up with our digital cameras and mobile phones … the underlying infrastructure that we use does not have the kind of technology investment that it should have."

The program will include both a research push to refine new clean energy sources and a lobbying effort meant to push policymakers toward smarter distribution paths.

Schmidt says the broader implications surrounding energy and climate change are compelling.

"If you assume that the two largest issues in the world are the possibility of death by nuclear bomb — nuclear proliferation — and climate change over a 50- to 100-year period in terms of the number of people they're going to affect," Schmidt says, "[for] at least one of the two most important things in the world, we can help."

As the head of a technology company looking at how things are used, Schmidt says he's privy to the incredible amount of waste generated in the country — and he acknowledges Google is a contributor.

One solution for the company to cut down on electricity waste was to put its data servers near dams, which have "excess electrical load and capacity," Schmidt says.

Unfortunately, Schmidt says, the company has "run out of places to do that kind of power."

Schmidt says that by 2030, the U.S. should be using renewable energy for 100 percent of its power generation. He adds that the company's calculations show that this is a conservative estimate assuming constant use.

He suggests the federal government put together a stimulus package to try to redo the energy infrastructure in the U.S.

"Think about it," he says. "It would create a lot of high-paying jobs; the jobs would be in interesting places where there's a joblessness issue: rural areas, places with a lot of wind, a lot of solar, a lot of heat. All of those would contribute to energy security. The next wars are all going to be about oil, aren't they? Why don't we remove that from the equation? And as a byproduct, really make a dent in this climate-change issue."

 

Goodbye to Happiness. It's Going to Get Hot, Flat and Crowded - Addicted to Oil, Global Weather Weirdness & No One's Minding the Store!

"Drill, Baby, Drill!"  It's as if that Republican convention, on the eve of the birth of the Internet and the personal computer, was up chanting, "Let's stick with IBM Selectric typewriters!  IBM Selectrics forever!  Type, Baby, Type!"

--Thomas L. Friedman, three-time Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, speaking on the need for a Green-Revolution in America--

Monday night.  I just got home--the phone's ringing as I open my front door.  It's my husband.  His voice sounds urgent.

Husband:  "Are you listening to NPR?"

Me: "No. Why?"

Husband:  "I'm listening to "Fresh Air".  Terry Gross is interviewing Thomas Friedman on energy, oil, and the presidential candidates.  You won't believe this.  We are "SO expletive." Turn it on now! I'll explain what you've missed when I get home."

My husband is the antithesis of a political junkie and he rarely listens to NPR.  He always listens to AM Sports Talk on his ride home.  Why was he listening to "Fresh Air" & why was he so concerned?

I listened to the rest of the interview. Then I went online to hear the complete interview & I downloaded the transcript to read as well.  I strongly recommend you do the same and make your own decisions.  Friedman travels the world, talks to all the experts, and he knows what he's talking about.  Here's the Fresh Air interview.  It's only 33 minutes long! Believe me, I had a big pit in my stomach after listening to what he had to say.

**The interview is not a snoozer, I promise!

The U.S. is hemorrhaging middle-class jobs to India, China & Mexico.  Gasoline prices are over-the-top.  The upcoming middle-class of China and India are hungry for more fossil-fuel energy.  Climate change is accelerating.  And most of us haven't a clue how our oil addiction supports petro-dictatorships, and inadvertently funds terrorists, and supports the most intolerant, anti-modern, anti-Western, anti-women's rights strain of Islam; as well as reversing democratic trends in Russia and Latin America. It's funding every bad trend we see in the world.

The answer isn't "Drill, Baby, Drill."  The answer is leadership that provides incentives to innovators to develop & expand wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.  The answer is leadership that provides disincentives for using gasoline, and a system for delivering alternate energy to us, in the same way that we now get gasoline, electricity & natural gas.  As Friedman says,

"If we could find a way to truly get off our addiction to oil, it just isn't a win/win, it's a win/win/win/win/win/win.  Think of the things that happen.  Our trade deficit dramatically improves.  Our dollar strengthens.  We weaken the worst regimes in the world.  We mitigate global warming.  We clean up our air.  We become healthier, more secure, more economically strong, competitive and respected in the world.  And people are out there saying, "drill, baby, drill."  What planet are these people inhabiting? What am I missing here?  What planet are they on exactly?"

Think it's an impossible pipe-dream?

It's happening in Denmark today. 

They took oil independence seriously back in the 70's & 80's, when we just gave up on it.  Fortunately, they discovered some oil & gas in the North Sea, but that wasn't the key reason they were able to wean themselves off of foreign oil.

They invested huge amounts in energy efficiency, imposing a CO2 tax, heavily taxing gasoline to create a disincentive for using it, creating systems to capture the heat from burning coal & incinerating waste products, and then using it for home heating.  Brilliant! Today they have the leading wind turbine company and 2 of the leading ethanol enzymatic companies in the world. And guess what, when the U.S  Congress under Reagan took all the tax incentives away from wind & solar energy in the 80's, Denmark bought the American wind companies that went belly-up, along with their technology.  And the U.S. solar companies we helped spawn in the 80's--their technology was bought by the Japanese when they went bust after tax subsidies ended here.  And by the way--Denmark's unemployment rate is 1.6%.

What are we doing to encourage investment in alternative energy?

Nothing!  Since the oil companies are such huge political campaign contributors to both parties, tax-incentives for alternate energy is completely stalled in the Senate.  Alternative energy companies just don't have the political clout or money to compete. So, every major new alternative energy project out there has been stalled.  And we're talking about huge projects that would bring the new jobs we desperately need.

Alternative energy tax credits end on December 31, 2008.  A bill to extend those tax credits & stimulate growth in alternative energy industries has been defeated 8 times in the Senate this year. John McCain has been absent for every vote.  The one time he was actually in Washington, and could have voted, he didn't, and the bill failed by 1 vote, 59 to 40. 

Republican Senator George Voinovich from Ohio also voted against solar tax credits, even though he has a major solar company in his own state. First Solar was looking to build a new factory in the U.S.  They ended up building their newest factory in Franfurt Oder, East Germany, instead of the U.S., because East Germany was providing tax credits.  300 engineering jobs hemorrhaging to E. Germany. John Sununu, the senator from New Hampshire, also voted down the  alternative energy tax credits, and GT Solar, one of the best solar equipment companies in the world is in his state.  What's going on here?

It's not Global Warming.  It's Global Weirding.

Yes, our climate is affected by us!  "The world's top 2500 climatologists have concluded that mankind is interfering with the climate."  Hunter Lovins coined the term, "Global Weirding", because it better describes what's actually happening to our climate.  Extreme weather! Hotter hots, longer droughts, wetter wets.  More frequent, more forceful hurricanes, and tornadoes showing up in places where they've never showed up before.  It's not just a little "global warming".  It's going to get weird.  Do you think that maybe it already has?

What's Making the Weather So Weird?

Friedman asked Nate Lewis, an energy chemist at Cal Tech, "What is it about Hurricane Katrina that kind of bothered us so much?"  Lewis thought about it and said,

"Who made it hot?  What's going on now is we've introduced so much CO2 into Mother Nature's operating system, we don't know anymore the difference between an act of God and an act of man.  Who made it hot?  We don't know anymore."

Developing energy independence is no small task.  If we want to move from a "dirty fuel" system to a "clean fuel" system, it's going to need huge investments of money, research, our best minds, and our best leaders.  It's beyond partisanship.  In fact, for it to happen both parties are going to have to come together.  Otherwise, as my husband said, "We are So Expletive."  Speaking for myself, I hadn't an inkling of the enormity and complexity of these issues before listening to Friedman speak so passionately about them.  I plan to read the book!

Prevent and Control Cancer with the Anti-Cancer Way of Life--Dr. David Servan-Schreiber

"If we don't tell people that the science shows how they can protect themselves from disease with their own choices and what they can decide to take into their own hands, we are giving them false hopelessness.

Cancer lies dormant in all of us.  Like all living organisms, our bodies are making defective cells all the time.  That's how tumors are born. But our bodies are also equipped with a number of mechanisms which detect and keep such cells in check.  In the West one person in four will die of cancer--but three in four will not:  THEIR DEFENSE MECHANISMS WILL HOLD OUT."

-Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, Psychiatry Professor, Univ. of Pittsburgh-

Fifteen years ago, when Servan-Schreiber was a 31-year old ambitious neuroscientist he used himself as a research subject when a volunteer failed to show up for an MRI brain scan.  He was completely taken by surprise when the scan revealed he had a brain tumor.

After surgery and chemotherapy, he asked his oncologist what he could do to lead a healthy life style and hopefully avoid a relapse. The oncologist replied, "Lead your life normally.  We'll do CAT scans at regular intervals and if your tumor comes back we'll detect it early."  Servan-Schreiber went back to his usual lifestyle. Coke, McDonald's, working too hard.

The cancer returned and this time Servan-Schreiber took his health into his own hands. After 9 months of research he began to understand how he could help his body "protect itself against cancer."

"The idea of natural healing just wasn't part of my world as a doctor before I had cancer.  There is an enormous amount of scientific data which shows that natural healing mechanisms can be more effective than any drug when it comes to controlling cancer,"  according to Dr. Servan-Schreiber.

Servan-Schreiber is emphatic that there is no alternative approach to cure cancer.  And it would be insane to forgo all the conventional tools that Western medicine has to fight cancer: chemotherapy, surgery, radiosurgery, immunotherapy, and the upcoming molecular genetics. 

However, we are deluding ourselves if we don't seriously utilize the body's natural capacity to protect itself against tumors.  Cancer isn't transmitted genetically--genetics accounts for at most, 15% of cancer deaths. "Genes load the gun, but our environment pulls the trigger."

As we've seen in heart disease, once again, inflammation has a large part in contributing to the disease process.  Wayward cancer cells proliferate; they poison the surrounding cells with chemicals that cause inflammation; which in turn sustains the cancer's growth. Research in the journal Science confirmed that the most "successful", the most aggressive cancers--the ones that ultimately reach the lymph nodes--are the ones that provoke the most inflammation.

"Oncologists at the University of Glasgow have been measuring inflammation levels in the blood of patients with various cancers since the 1990's and have found that patients with the lowest levels of inflammation were twice as likely as the others to live for several years."

So what can we do now to tamp down inflammation, prevent cancer, stop any wayward cancer cells from growing or prevent a relapse if we have cancer?  What did Servan-Schreiber discover through his 9 months of research?

It takes from 10-40 years for the "seed" of a cancer cell to become a detectable tumor. It would be unwise to just wait for a tumor to be discovered before one takes action.  Everything in the "Anti-Cancer Lifestyle" is the same as what's in the "Anti-Heart Disease Lifestyle" or the "Balanced Living Lifestyle".  It's everything we already know.  As my good friend Tess says, "We all know this stuff.  It's just finding the time to do it, in this crazy rush-rush American Lifestyle."

Environmental chemicals to avoid:

    * Dry cleaning chemicals-air garments out for several hours before wearing. (avoid perchloroethylene/tetrachlore-ethylene)
    * Cleaning products such as liquid detergents, disinfectants, and toilet bowl sanitizers that contain alkylphenols (nonoxynol, octoxynol, nonylphenol, actylphenol)
    * Deodorants and antiperspirants containing aluminum
    * Cosmetics, shampoo, lotions, gels, hair color, nail polish, perfumes, and sunscreen containing estrogens or placental products, or those with parabens or phthalates
    * Chemical household pesticides and insecticides
    * Heating foods or liquids in plastic containers made with PVCs, Bisphenol A, polystyrene, or Styrofoam
    * Preparing food in scratched Teflon® pans

Improve your diet--Phytochemicals have a profound influence on our physiology:

    * If you eat animal products, stick to organic grass-fed beef & dairy products. Limit meat to 11 ounces a week. Beans, lentils, soy, tofu are preferred.
    * Reduce your intake of sugar---according to Servan-Schreiber and Nobel Prize winner Otto Heinrich Warburg, "Cancer feeds on sugar".
    * Reduce your intake of white flour, products containing omega-6s (sunflower oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, margarines, hydrogenated fats, non-organic animal fats
    * Increase your omega-3 intake (fish, and grass or linseed-fed animal products)
    * Increase your intake of anticancer products (turmeric, green tea, soy, fruits, vegetables)
    * Filter tap water: use a carbon filter or an inverse osmosis filter, or drink mineral water or spring water
    *Increase cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms, berries, onions, garlic, leeks, chives, beets, citrus
    *Organic produce is best--but eating more fruits & vegetables is key-even if they are grown with pesticides.

Exercise--Reduces cancer recurrence by 50%.

    * Practice 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity per day
    * Expose yourself to sunlight for 20 minutes each day

The Mind-Body connection.

    * Practice a method of relaxation and self-centering (yoga, cardiac coherence, meditation, qigong, tai chi)
    * Focus on what gives you satisfaction--not on what's wrong.
    * Foster balance in your life--stress causes the release of hormones that trigger inflammation which slows down digestion, slows tissue repair, and reduces immune function.
    *We nourish life in ourselves by making the time to spend quiet time alone.

To learn more, read excerpts from the book at the Daily Mail, published in the UK.
Read Julie's Health Club post at the Chicago Tribune.
For recommendations of non-toxic green products, check out the National Geographic's Green Guide, here.
For recommendations of cosmetics, food, and consumer products, check out the Environmental Working Group's site, here.

And be sure to listen to Dr. David Servan-Schreiber tell his story. It's only 7 minutes long. Click HERE  if the YouTUBE video isn't displaying on your screen.
 

How Does Your Sunscreen Measure Up? Pick Your Poison. Environmental Working Group's New Report on 952 Brands.

 

"Only 15% of 952 products analyzed met EWG's criteria for safety and effectiveness, blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards." 

-The Environmental Working Group's 2008 Sunscreen Report-

Yikes!  Lately I feel like I'm spreading more unhappiness than happiness with all this news about toxins in our plastics, food and sunscreens.  Please forgive me.

The EWG's scientists looked at almost 400 peer-reviewed studies of the 17 sunscreen chemicals approved for  use in the U.S.  Turns out that "some sunscreen chemicals actually break down when exposed to sunlight.  Others penetrate the skin and pose health concerns including allergic reaction, hormone disruption and skin damage."

And as for the sun protection--the SPF rating only refers to protection against UVB rays.  A good sunscreen should also protect against UVA radiation--which penetrates the skin more deeply and can cause skin cancer & wrinkles.  Only 7% of the SPF 30+ sunscreens had UVA protection.

What's Wrong with Our Sunscreens?

• Most lack UVA protection
• Most contain unsafe chemicals

TOP 5 Sunscreens for Safety & Effectiveness

1. Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock
2. Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum
3. California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance
4. Badger Sunscreen
5. Marie Veronique Skin Therapy Sun Serum

Recommended Common Brands

1. Blue Lizard - anything without oxybenzone

2. California Baby - anything with SPF 30+

3. CVS - with zinc oxide

4. Jason Natural Cosmetics - Sunbrellas Mineral Based Sunblock

5. Kiss My Face - "Paraben Free" series

6. Neutrogena - Sensitive Skin Sunblock

7. Olay - Defense Daily UV Moisturizer with zinc

Some of the Worst Offenders

1. Coppertone--none of their 41 sunscreen products met EWG's safety & effectiveness criteria
2. Banana Boat--only 1 of its products met the standards
3. Neutrogena--only 1 of its products met the standards

Check Out How Your Sunscreen Measures Up Here

For a Link the Environmental Working Groups Sunscreen Page Click Here

How Did My Long-Time Favorite Sunscreen Measure Up?

Not so well.  I've used Coppertone Sport Sunblock Lotion for years because it's waterproof & ultra-sweatproof.  Good thing I only use it when I'm out in the sun for a long time, because it's an 8 out of 10 for safety.  NUMBER 0 is the safest in the EWG's rating scale.

Here's why my sunscreen is rated poorly

• Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) - developmental/reproductive toxicity; allergies/immunotoxicity; persistence & bioaccumulation, enhanced skin absorption, biochemical or cellualr level changes.
• Triethanolamine - Cancer, allergies/immunotoxicity, organ system toxicity (non-reproductiove)
• Fragrance - Neurotoxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, miscellaneous
• There are 10 other questionable ingredients in this sunscreen
• No UVA protection
• 56% of the 952 sunscreens are better than what I've been using!

Isn't it ironic that many of the sunscreens we use to protect ourselves from skin cancer, are to different degrees both ineffective and unsafe?  And now it turns out that many of us are deficient in Vitamin D, which is blocked by sunscreen, and puts us at risk for osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer & heart disease.  Yikes!!