Pesticides that May Damage the Brains of Children

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!

abstract-rainbow

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!




Among the MVPs of Nutrition — Phytochemicals

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!

abstract-rainbow

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

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!

abstract-rainbow

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!




Sucralose (Splenda) Baking Releases Dioxin

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!

abstract-rainbow

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!




Is Monsanto’s Glyphosate Destroying The Soil?

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!

abstract-rainbow

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!




Positive Qualities – Approving & Emerging

Your choices determine your destiny. Choose well. — Merritt Horn
An Approving comment, smile, or pat on the back is the universal method of segregating good from better. We are all Emerging souls. We are growing into our new selves as we choose. Let’s help each other see the best in ourselves.
Peace,
Jim
            APPROVING
Definitions: (1) to have <and particularly express> a favorable attitude or opinion; (2) to be pleased with; to think or declare something or someone to be good or satisfactory; (3) to commend; endorse; sanction
Synonyms: accrediting, admiring, authorizing, certifying, consenting, encouraging, praising, promoting, ratifying, supportive

Quote:
What do you call love, hate, charity, revenge, humanity, magnanimity, forgiveness … different results of the one master impulse, the necessity of securing one’s self‑approval. —    Mark Twain [born Samuel Clemens] (1835-1910) American Humorist

           EMERGING
Definitions: (1) coming forth naturally, blooming; (2) becoming visible, apparent, or known; (3) coming into being through evolution as something new or improved
Derivation: Latin, “to rise up or out”
Comment: Rising out of one’s own past often leaves a person with the feeling that what did happen was destined to happen, after all it all happened so naturally. But you can also imagine many very different outcomes if you had made differing choices. You truly are the creator of your own subjective reality. The next trick is to see how you and your choices can be connected to objective reality. Which person will emerge?
Symbol: a cocoon
Consider the Source




A Place of Warmth for a Continuously Productive Garden

walipiniAn 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!

abstract-rainbow

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!




City Zoning Laws Allow Tiny Homes for the Homeless

Madison Wisconsin has changed its zoning laws to allow tents and tiny houses on property owned by churches and other non-profit organizations. The groups would need to have a management plan for sleeping areas, restrooms and parking, under the amendment.

Occupy Madison’s “OM Build” initiative to create a sustainable village of “tiny homes” for the homeless is credited with building support for the changes in the Madison city ordinances. The new housing model for the homeless is being developed in other cities as well, including Austin, Tex., where Community First Village, a decade in the making, soon will break ground.

Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

abstract-rainbow

“The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head,” and so it is today for many of his followers. Despite all the warnings about the snares laid by moneylenders, despite the fact that gage mort is literally translated as a pledge to give up one’s life, millions have lost their homes through mortgage exploits, and their quality of life through the service of debt.

Find Out How to Get Your Life Back!




Freedom that Makes the Church Grow

“They prefer a life caged in their precepts, in their compromises, in their revolutionary plans or in their [disembodied] spirituality.”
So said Pope Francis in his remarks following the readings last Friday, he focused on the day’s Gospel, drawn from that according to St Matthew (11:16-19). There, Jesus compares the generation of his time to always unhappy children, explaining that they were, “not open to the Word of God.” Their refusal, he explained, was not of the message, but of the messenger. “They reject John the Baptist,” he said, who came, “neither eating nor drinking ,” saying of him that he was “a man possessed.” They reject Jesus because they say, “He is a glutton, a drunkard, a friend of publicans and sinners.” They always have a reason to criticize the preacher:
“The people of that time preferred to take refuge in a more elaborate religion: in the moral precepts, such as the group of Pharisees; in political compromise, as the Sadducees; in social revolution, as the zealots; in gnostic spirituality, such as Essenes. They were [happy] with their clean, well-polished system. The preacher, however, was not [so pleased]. Jesus reminded them: ‘Your fathers did the same with the prophets.’ The people of God have a certain allergy to the preachers of the Word: they persecuted the prophets, [even] killed them.”
Then the Pontiff turned his attention to the Chritians of our day saying: “Seeing these children who are afraid to dance, to cry, [who are] afraid of everything, who ask for certainty in all things, I think of these sad Christians, who always criticize the preachers of the Truth, because they are afraid to open the door to the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for them, and pray also for ourselves, that we do not become sad Christians, cutting off the freedom of the Holy Spirit to come to us through the scandal of preaching.”
Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

abstract-rainbow

When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Learn how to enjoy boundless opportunity and unlimited progress!




Pseudo Philanthropy

Wealthy philanthropic giving is on the rise, paralleling the rise in super-rich giving that characterized the late nineteenth century, when magnates (some called them “robber barons”) like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller established philanthropic institutions that survive today.
But a large portion of the charitable deductions now claimed by America’s wealthy are for donations to culture palaces – operas, art museums, symphonies, and theaters – where they spend their leisure time hobnobbing with other wealthy benefactors.
Another portion is for contributions to the elite prep schools and universities they once attended or want their children to attend. (Such institutions typically give preference in admissions, a kind of affirmative action, to applicants and “legacies” whose parents have been notably generous.)
In economic terms, a tax deduction is exactly the same as government spending. Which means the government will, in effect, hand out $40 billion this year for “charity” that’s going largely to wealthy people who use much of it to enhance their lifestyles.
They’re often investments in the life-styles the wealthy already enjoy and want their children to have as well. Increasingly, being rich in America means not having to come across anyone who’s not. They’re also investments in prestige – especially if they result in the family name engraved on a new wing of an art museum, symphony hall, or ivied dorm.
What portion of charitable giving actually goes to the poor? The Washington Post’s Dylan Matthews looked into this, and the best he could come up with was a 2005 analysis by Google and Indiana University’s Center for Philanthropy showing that even under the most generous assumptions only about a third of “charitable” donations were targeted to helping the poor.
At a time in our nation’s history when the number of poor Americans continues to rise, when government doesn’t have the money to do what’s needed, and when America’s very rich are richer than ever, this doesn’t seem right. If Congress ever gets around to revising the tax code, it might consider limiting the charitable deduction to real charities.
Consider the Source

 Consider the First Source!

abstract-rainbow

When we align our objectives with the Divine will, when we strive for the attainment of a worthy goal, when we begin our work with a well defined plan, and when we have ability to work together with others effectively, we have already achieved the trajectory for success. For we know that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Learn how to enjoy boundless opportunity and unlimited progress!