The United States is the world’s largest grower and consumer of genetically-modified (GM) foods. As of 2010, the United States had 66.8 million hectares of GM crops planted, covering 16.5 percent of our total agricultural area. Because GM foods are made with proteins from organisms that weren’t previously part of the food chain, GM foods have caused allergic reactions in children several years after these foods were made available for public consumption. Additionally, genetically modifying food can result in disease-causing bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, leading to widespread food-borne illnesses.
As Americans eat GM foods and get sick, they rely on drugs made by pharmaceutical companies to get well. The relationship between Monsanto, a chief grower of GM crops, and Pfizer, one of the world’s largest prescription drug manufacturers, is insidious. According to Monsanto’s own website, prior to September 1, 1997, the Monsanto Company owned a pharmaceuticals business that later became known as Pharmacia, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pfizer. Both companies are heavily invested in growing food that makes people sick when they eat it, and selling sick people the drugs to treat those health conditions.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

North Dakota, Montana and Kansas were the first to embark on what is known as Ag Gag back in 1990-91. Three more states elected to impair the First Amendment in 2012 when Iowa, Utah, and Missouri lost their independence to big-agri. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Mercy for Animals, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) say ag-gag bills suppress their whistleblower activities, which often result in criminal convictions for animal cruelty. The six states listed above have clearly defined themselves as protectorates of the criminal class.

This legislative season, the animal groups enlisted a broader coalition of interests against the bill, from country stars in Tennessee to journalistic organizations in Washington D.C. In the end, they’d killed bills in Arkansas, California, Indiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming.

“Ag-gag legislation threatens a wide array of public interests—including animal welfare and food safety—by silencing the very people in a position to document abuse,” said Nancy Perry, senior vice president of ASPCA Government Relations. ”We hope the defeat of these 11 bills encourages lawmakers to shift their focus toward achieving accountability for those who are inflicting abuse on animals and putting consumers at risk instead of focusing on misleading efforts to suppress whistleblowers who want to expose those problems.”

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

Have the rows of organic honey jars at the farmers market got you thinking about starting your own backyard beehive? If you live in a suburban area, you may think that starting a beehive cannot be done. However a common suburban backyard can be a perfect place for beehives if done correctly and you do a bit of research and planning before ordering your bees and supplies. It is actually a very simple and easy process with the right tools.

Mason jars are a staple of the self-sufficient lifestyle. They can be used to serve, grow, or preserve many things, but this is the first time we’ve seen them used as a home for honey bees. It’s easy to turn some scrap wood and quart-sized big mouth jars into unique hives that allow you to watch the bees as they bottle your honey!

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

While the dollar skew in science is seemingly all pervasive, the recent declarations concerning the efficacy, or lack thereof, in vitamin and mineral supplements would appear to betray the corporate line. On the one hand, big-agri would like you to believe that nutrient rich foods can be produced from nutrient depleted soils. On the other hand, big-pharma wants you buying supplements and medicines to compensate for poor nutrition. This co-dependency relationship sometimes makes it difficult for their wholly-owned subsidiaries, the FDA and USDA, to remain on step. Our elected “representatives” also find it hard to please their actual owners for the same reason.

Nutrient gaps were rare on the family farm. Raw milk, for example, was never a problem for those consumers who were just a few steps and a few minutes from the cow. That cow was grass fed on a pasture that was not only expansive, it featured an appropriate bovine population density. The cow poop that hit the ground was totally digested in a matter of days on healthy soil that benefitted from a high microbial biomass. Compare that to the pat that only disintegrates because it is dried by the sun, pounded by the rain, fissured by the freeze, and scattered by the wind.

The microbes that once populated the gut were close cousins to those living in the soil. There were no supplements designed to promote “regularity” because traditional farm dwellers didn’t need them. The genetically modified organisms (GMOs), that are designed to resist pests and ripen on the truck, won’t be necessary once the chemical industry has completed its program of sterilizing the soil while also advancing the pick or short-circuiting the physiological drop.

There is very little science being done without funding by interested parties and this causes big gaps in the ongoing research. We’re limited to the research that self-serving special interests want done. The GMO problem, for example,  is rooted in agenda science which is, in itself, a betrayal of true science. The values of one who engineers a food crop for big money, without regard to a paltry nutritional worth, clearly don’t align with the high purpose of the scientific discipline, the cardinal precepts of which are a religious and philosophical proposition.

The integrity of science depends ultimately upon consumer sovereignty. If buyers refuse to buy from packagers or grocery stores that don’t provide GMO labeling, it doesn’t matter who owns the politicians. If we express a preference for foods produced on biodynamic farms, the mammon service will be forced to cannibalize its own corporatocracy. If we push back from the antibiotics, the hormones, the pink slime, and the high fructose corn syrup of the damn pusher man, we can again become arbiters of our own destiny.

Solar is not alternative energy and nutrition is not alternative medicine. Without the sun there would be no fossil fuels or petroleum based fertilizers. Without good nutrition, there would be no health.

The alternative paradigm is at the heart of the deception, and it all maps back to Genesis wherein God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”  Contrast this with a seriously dumbed down “Good News” bible translation that reads: “I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for you to eat.” We will henceforth refer to this as the Monsanto Version.

— © 2013 Robert H. Kalk

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

Experts at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have found there is good evidence that they can damage the developing human nervous system – particularly the brain.

Such a finding suggests these chemicals are a particular threat to developing babies and children by damaging their ability to learn, which could limit their achievements in school and later life.

The European experts are recommending that the residue levels that are allowed on food crops should be lowered as a safety measure. The experts are also calling for a comprehensive new testing regime to understand whether other chemicals in the same group could have the similar harmful effects.
The pesticides – Acetamiprid (ACE) and Imidacloprid (IMI) – belong to a new class of insecticides called neonicotinoids that are widely used to protect crops from insects and domestic animals from fleas.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

While no specific food has been officially acknowledged by scientists and government regulatory authorities as providing a health benefit, there is ample evidence to indicate the health benefits of diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. Current medical research is focused on whether health effects could be due to specific essential nutrients or phytochemicals.

AscensionCafe and PracticalSustenance have consistently stressed the value of micronutrients in our diet. On the micronutrient field the Most Valuable Players or MVPs of health include the Minerals, Vitamins, and Phytochemicals of the plant world.

Most people I talk with are unfamiliar with the term phytochemicals and so we offer this working definition: Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means “plant” in Greek). Some are responsible for color and other organoleptic properties, such as the deep purple of blueberries and the smell of garlic. The term is generally used to refer to those chemicals that may have biological significance, such as through the role played by antioxidants.

There are over ten thousand of these chemical compounds that are believed to provide health benefits. Not all of them have names, but situated among the stars are these:

Phenolic compounds

Natural monophenols

• Apiole – parsley, celery leaf.

• Carnosol – rosemary, sage

• Carvacrol – oregano, thyme, pepperwort, wild bergamot.

• Dillapiole – dill, fennel root.

• Rosemarinol – rosemary.

Polyphenols

Flavonoids

red, blue, purple pigments

• Flavonols

• Quercetin – red and yellow onions, tea, wine, apples, cranberries, buckwheat, beans.

• Gingerol – ginger.

• Kaempferol – tea, strawberries, gooseberries, cranberries, grapefruit, apples, peas, brassicates (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage), chives, spinach, endive, leek,tomatoes.

• Myricetin – grapes, red wine, berries, walnuts.

• Rutin – citrus fruits, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, berries, peaches, apples, pagoda tree fruits, asparagus, buckwheat, parsley, tomatoes, apricots, rhubarb, tea.

• Isorhamnetin – red turnip, goldenrod, mustard leaf, ginkgo biloba.

• Flavanones

• Hesperidin – citrus fruits.

• Naringenin – citrus fruits.

• Silybin – blessed milk thistle.

• Eriodictyol

• Flavones

• Acacetin – Robinia pseudoacacia, Turnera diffusa.

• Apigenin – chamomile, celery, parsley.

• Chrysin – Passiflora caerulea, Pleurotus ostreatus, Oroxylum indicum.

• Diosmetin – Vicia.

• Tangeritin – tangerine and other citrus peels.

• Luteolin – beets, artichokes, celery, carrots, celeriac, rutabaga, parsley, mint, chamomile, lemongrass, chrysanthemum

• Flavan-3-ols (flavanols)

• Catechins – white tea, green tea, black tea, grapes, wine, apple juice, cocoa, lentils, black-eyed peas.

• (+)-Catechin

• (+)-Gallocatechin

• (-)-Epicatechin

• (-)-Epigallocatechin

• (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) – green tea;

• (-)-Epicatechin 3-gallate

• Theaflavin – black tea;

• Theaflavin-3-gallate – black tea;

• Theaflavin-3′-gallate – black tea;

• Theaflavin-3,3′-digallate – black tea;

• Thearubigins.

• Proanthocyanidins.

• Flavanonols

• Anthocyanidins (flavonals) or Anthocyanins – red wine, many red, purple or blue fruits and vegetables.

• Pelargonidin – bilberry, raspberry, strawberry.

• Peonidin – bilberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach.

• Cyanidin – red apple & pear, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, peach, plum, hawthorn, loganberry, cocoa.

• Delphinidin – bilberry, blueberry, eggplant.

• Malvidin – bilberry, blueberry.

• Petunidin

Isoflavonoid

• Isoflavones (phytoestrogens).

• Daidzein (formononetin) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, kudzu, other legumes.

• Genistein (biochanin A) – soy, alfalfa sprouts, red clover, chickpeas, peanuts, other legumes.

• Glycitein – soy.

• Isoflavanes.

• Isoflavandiols.

• Isoflavenes.

• Pterocarpans or Coumestans (phytoestrogens)

• Coumestrol – red clover, alfalfa sprouts, soy, peas, brussels sprouts.

Flavonolignan

• Silymarin – artichokes, milk thistle.

Lignans

A phytoestrogens – seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, poppy), whole grains (rye, oats, barley), bran (wheat, oat, rye), fruits (particularly berries) and vegetables.

• Matairesinol – flax seed, sesame seed, rye bran and meal, oat bran, poppy seed, strawberries, blackcurrants, broccoli.

• Secoisolariciresinol – flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, zucchini, blackcurrant, carrots.

• Pinoresinol and lariciresinol – sesame seed, Brassica vegetables

Stilbenoids

• Resveratrol – grape skins and seeds, wine, nuts, peanuts, Japanese Knotweed root

• Pterostilbene – grapes, blueberries

• Piceatannol – grapes

• Pinosylvin

Curcuminoids

• Curcumin – turmeric, mustard. (Oxidizes to vanillin.)

Hydrolyzable tannin

• Ellagitannins

• Punicalagins – tea, berries

• Castalagins

• Vescalagins

Aromatic acid

Phenolic acids

• Salicylic acid – peppermint, licorice, peanut, wheat.

• Vanillin – vanilla beans, cloves.

• Gallic acid – tea, mango, strawberries, rhubarb, soy.

• Ellagic acid – walnuts, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, guava, grapes.

• Tannic acid – nettles, tea, berries.

Hydroxycinnamic acids

• Caffeic acid – burdock, hawthorn, artichoke, pear, basil, thyme, oregano, apple, olive oil.

• Chlorogenic acid – echinacea, strawberries, pineapple, coffee, sunflower, blueberries.

• Cinnamic acid – cinnamon, aloe.

• Ferulic acid – oats, rice, artichoke, orange, pineapple, apple, peanut.

• Coumarin – citrus fruits, maize.

Capsaicin

chilli peppers.

Tyrosol esters

• Tyrosol – olive oil

• Hydroxytyrosol – olive oil

• Oleocanthal – olive oil

• Oleuropein – olive oil

Alkylresorcinols

wholegrain wheat, rye and barley

Terpenes (isoprenoids)

Carotenoids (tetraterpenoids)

Carotenes

orange pigments

• α-Carotene – to vitamin A, in carrots, pumpkins, maize, tangerine, orange.

• β-Carotene – to vitamin A, in dark, leafy greens and red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables.

• γ-Carotene – to vitamin A,

• δ-Carotene

• Lycopene – Vietnam Gac, tomatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, guava, apricots, carrots, autumn olive.

• Neurosporene

• Phytofluene – star fruit, sweet potato, orange.

• Phytoene – sweet potato, orange.

Xanthophylls

yellow pigments.

• Canthaxanthin – paprika.

• Cryptoxanthin to vitamin A, in – mango, tangerine, orange, papaya, peaches, avocado, pea, grapefruit, kiwi.

• Zeaxanthin – wolfberry, spinach, kale, turnip greens, maize, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, oranges.

• Astaxanthin – microalge, yeast, krill, shrimp, salmon, lobsters, and some crabs

• Lutein – spinach, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, eggs, red pepper, pumpkin, mango, papaya, oranges, kiwi, peaches, squash, brassicates, prunes, sweet potatoes, honeydewmelon, rhubarb, plum, avocado, pear, cilantro.

• Rubixanthin – rose hips.

Monoterpenes

• Limonene – oils of citrus, cherries, spearmint, dill, garlic, celery, maize, rosemary, ginger, basil.

• Perillyl alcohol – citrus oils, caraway, mints.

Saponins

soybeans, beans, other legumes, maize, alfalfa.

Lipids

• Phytosterols – almonds, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, whole wheat, maize, soybeans, many vegetable oils.

• Campesterol – buckwheat.

• beta Sitosterol – avocados, rice bran, wheat germ, corn oils, fennel, peanuts, soybeans, hawthorn, basil, buckwheat.

• gamma sitosterol

• Stigmasterol – buckwheat.

• Tocopherols (vitamin E)

• omega-3, 6,9 fatty acids – dark-green leafy vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts.

• gamma-linolenic acid – evening primrose, borage, blackcurrant.

Triterpenoid

• Oleanolic acid – American pokeweed, honey mesquite, garlic, java apple, cloves, and many other Syzygium species.

• Ursolic acid – apples, basil, bilberries, cranberries, elder flower, peppermint, lavender, oregano, thyme, hawthorn, prunes.

• Betulinic acid – Ber tree, white birch, tropical carnivorous plants Triphyophyllum peltatum and Ancistrocladus heyneanus, Diospyros leucomelas a member of the persimmonfamily, Tetracera boiviniana, the jambul (Syzygium formosanum), chaga, and many other Syzygium species.

• Moronic acid – Rhus javanica (a sumac), mistletoe

Betalains

• Betacyanins

• betanin – beets, chard

• isobetanin – beets, chard

• probetanin – beets, chard

• neobetanin – beets, chard

• Betaxanthins (non glycosidic versions)

• Indicaxanthin – beets, sicilian prickly pear

• Vulgaxanthin – beets

Organosulfides

• Dithiolthiones (isothiocyanates)

• Sulphoraphane – Brassicates.

• Polysulfides (allium compounds)

• Allyl methyl trisulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.

• Sulfides

• Diallyl disulfide – garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots.

Indoles, glucosinolates/ sulfur compounds

• Indole-3-carbinol – cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, rutabaga, mustard greens, broccoli.

• Sulforaphane – broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbages

• 3,3′-Diindolylmethane or DIM – broccoli family, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale

• Sinigrin – broccoli family, brussels sprouts, black mustard

• Allicin – garlic

• Alliin – garlic

• Allyl isothiocyanate – horseradish, mustard, wasabi

• Piperine – black pepper

• Syn-propanethial-S-oxide – cut onions.

Protein inhibitors

• Protease inhibitors – soy, seeds, legumes, potatoes, eggs, cereals.

Other organic acids

• Oxalic acid – orange, spinach, rhubarb, tea and coffee, banana, ginger, almond, sweet potato, bell pepper.

• Phytic acid – (inositol hexaphosphate) – cereals, nuts, sesame seeds, soybeans, wheat, pumpkin, beans, almonds.

• Tartaric acid – apricots, apples, sunflower, avocado, grapes, tamarind.

• Anacardic acid – cashews, mangoes.

• Malic acid – apples

— © 2013 Robert H. Kalk

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

Hidden hunger is a form of malnutrition that strikes both the underfed and the overfed. It affects close almost two billion people worldwide. It is caused by micronutrient deficiencies. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts in the body, and which are essential to growth and development.

Children and mothers from developing countries are among the most vulnerable to suffering from hidden hunger. Poor nutrition during pregnancy and during a child’s first two years in life significantly slows down growth and cognitive development in children. It also makes the body more susceptible to illness and premature death.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

The Center for the Public Interest in Science downgraded Splenda from “safe” to “caution,” citing their need to evaluate a forthcoming Italian study linking the artificial sweetener to leukemia in mice as a basis for their decision.

Another recent human study linked Splenda to diabetes-associated changes, calling into question its value as a non-calorie sweetener for those suffering with, or wishing to prevent, blood sugar disorders.

The new study, however, may be the most concerning yet to surface in the peer-reviewed literature. Titled, “Sucralose, a synthetic organochlorine sweetener: overview of biological issues,” it reveals an extensive array of hitherto underreported safety concerns, not the least of which is the formation of highly toxic chlorinated compounds, including dioxins, when Splenda is used in baking, an application which its manufacturer, McNeil Nutritionals (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), actively encourages.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

Ever since Monsanto developed, marketed and patented the glyphosate molecule — Roundup (®) herbicide’s active ingredient — beginning in the early 70’s, a substantial and ever-growing portion of the earth’s arable surface has been transformed into an environmental and human health experiment, of unprecedented scale.

Roundup Ready (®) (glyphosate resistant) genetically modified (GM) plants (also created by Monsanto) now constitute 70% of all genetically modified food plants on the market today.2 This has required the use of increasingly larger quantities of glyphosate-based herbicides in the regions where these plants are cultivated, making human exposures inevitable, and now simply a question of to what degree. Despite manufacturers’ claims, pest resistance to GM crops and commonly used herbicides, are becoming a serious problem, and companies like Dow Agrosciences are seizing the opportunity with newly created GM crops that are ‘three herbicide” resistant, requiring the future use of even more toxic combinations and greater quantities of herbicides in America’s farmlands, including 2,4 D, a chemical once used in Agent Orange.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!

An affordable and effective alternative to glass greenhouses is the walipini (an Aymara Indian word for a “place of warmth”). Also known as an underground or pit greenhouse, it was first developed over 20 years ago for the cold mountainous regions of South America, this method allows growers to maintain a productive garden year-round, even in the coldest of climates.

A walipini combines the principles of passive solar heating with that of an earth-sheltered building. It utilizes nature’s resources to provide a warm, stable, well-lit environment for year-round vegetable production. Locating the growing area 6’- 8’ underground and capturing and storing daytime solar radiation are the most important principles in building a successful Walipini.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.

More about God’s Handiwork!