Category Archives: Organic Gardening

Help with growing a garden patch for healthier, inexpensive veggies & fruit

Could This Be the Reason Food Allergies, Autism & Other Health Issues Are Skyrocketing?

Skyrocketing rates of Autism & so many food allergies should awaken us.  “This generation of children should be called Generation RX, because of the amount of doctor visits & allergy prescriptions being written for them” says Robyn O’Brien. (see her bio below)  Since the inroduction of GMOs in the 80’s to now, statistics show a rapid rise. Monsanto & other biotech corporations have developed GMOs for our food supplies.  Biotech companies are telling us that GMOs are safe, but no tests are required to show the safety of GMO foods.  Independent research studies are prevented because the process of GMOs, itself is patented, to protect the companies & their shareholders.
 
A bill called “The Monsanto Protection Act” by opponents, the budget rider shields biotech behemoths like Monsanto, Cargill and others from the threat of lawsuits and bars federal courts from intervening to force an end to the sale of a GMO (genetically-modified organism) even if the genetically-engineered product causes damaging health effects. So who is protecting us?  

 

Labeling would help you decide the safe foods for your family.  Whole Foods, Sprouts & Target are introducing lines of food that do Not contain GMOs. The food industry is fighting the labelling, saying it is too costly to label but many of them are already labelling in 64 countries, just Not the USA!    

 
People are Food Illiterate.  Recent film documentaries are helping. People need visuals. Many non-fiction books & many magazines are now exposing hidden knowledge of what is going into our food supply,  In a recent nutrition class, I watched one of those documentaries and was “blown away” with seeing just the tip of the iceberg in “Food, Inc.”. It is important for you to research for your family’s safety.  A few years ago, we attended a seminar in Orlando, Florida

 
The State of Washington will be the first state to hopefully lead other states to follow.  If the measure passes, “Washington would be the first state to pass a mandatory GMO food-labeling law with no strings attached” quotes the Bellingham Washington News.
 
I’m from a generation who lived on peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, today P & J has the potential to kill a child in minutes.  What happened? Parents need to know foreign protein is being produced, so new, so novel and because of patents cannot truly be researched by independent studies.
 
We, the consumers have the power to Change the marketplace!  Will we continue to casually glance through a book or magazine that is attempting to give us a real picture of what is happening to our food supply or will we just accept the “spinmaster’s” words and continue to poison our children?
 
Many farmers who are currently using GMO/Monsanto seed are so afraid of the crops they are growing, they do not allow their children to use them.  Many farmers are fighting for survival, but to convert a farm takes 3 years to get the farms back to clear ground of chemicals & GMO crops. It could mean a fight for their survival.
 
Consumers do not understand because there have been no studies, the jury is still out and with labeling.
we would be able to choose, What if….we could reverse the rising rates of food allergies?  We, the consumers have the power to Change the marketplace!
 
So much to process, that something we felt was safe, like corn is being grown as genetically altered to produce it’s own pesticide,  Roundup will kill weeds but will not affect the GMO plant, because it has altered genes producing its’ own pesticide.  70% of a child’s immune system is in their digestion system.  How do these chemicals effect their sensitivities. Their body is rejecting those foods in our supply, “Are they allergic to food or what has been done to it?”   We need all hands on deck to help with this movement, Stop Buying as consumers, look for products that do not contained GMO”, Robyn O’Brien.
 

Robyn O’Brien – Fighting Food Allergies

Robyn-O'BrienRobyn O’Brien was a financial and food industry analyst whose life was turned upside down by her daughters’ sudden allergy-induced illness. Robyn’s love of her kids led her to take an honest look at our food system. What she discovered changed her life forever. She went on to found AllergyKids, and to become one of the most formidable forces in the food movement today.

With her wildly popular TED talks, books, magazine columns, and her online advocacy, Robyn has become what the New York Times called “food’s Erin Brockovich“. What she’s uncovered about food allergies – and GMOs – will rock your world!

Robyn O’Brien – Fighting Food Allergies
Robyn-O’BrienRobyn O’Brien was a financial and food industry analyst whose life was turned upside down by her daughters’ sudden allergy-induced illness. Robyn’s love of her kids led her to take an honest look at our food system. What she discovered changed her life forever. She went on to found AllergyKids, and to become one of the most formidable forces in the food movement today.

With her wildly popular TED talks, books, magazine columns, and her online advocacy, Robyn has become what the New York Times called “food’s Erin Brockovich“. What she’s uncovered about food allergies – and GMOs – will rock your world!

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Spin Masters For Monsanto Are Lying to You

Vandana Shiva, Ph.D. – Food Security In A Global Community

Vandana ShivaDr. Vandana Shiva is founder of Navdanya (“nine seeds”), a movement of thousands of Indian farmers promoting biodiversity and use of native seeds. Vandana is a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, often called “The Alternative Nobel Prize”, and the director of the Research Foundation on Science, Technology, and Ecology.

She is author of many bestselling books, including Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply. Forbes named Vandana “one of the 7 most influential feminists in the world,” and Time selected her as an “environmental hero.” Vandana will inform you of the real global impact of GMOs and inspire you to consider the deeper implications of seed patenting and ownership.

I just listened to Dr. Shiva and she says that the chemicals & poisons used in the GMOs, like Golden Rice, are causing disease and cancers.

Biodiversity is important and you will benefit by growing “native seeds” in your own garden.  You do not need a huge amount of land, you can grow in containers, pots, whiskey barrels or learn to grow “up”.

Inflammed brains, inflammed guts are symptoms of GMO foods, doctors are learning & many are recommending we avoid GMO foods.  Diagnosis of ADHD, autism and several other current diseases are being traced to GMO use and other poisons that are being used by Monsanto.  Organic vegetables, your own backyard garden or local Farmers Markets is the way to your better health.

John & Ocean Robbins are a great inspiration to those of us who are fighting for safe foods for our kids’ future.  Take a look, our government is not protecting us. They are sleeping with the enemy.

Did You Have a Rain Barrel?

We sang a song…”Playmate, come out and play with me. And bring your dollies three. Holler down my rain barrel, slide down my cellar door and we’ll be jolly friends forevermore.”  Great childhood memories and I taught that song to my daughters, also. Bet they still can sing it and they’re in their fifties.
Today, I want to tell about a different kind of rain barrel, our way of harvesting water, an easy system to conserve your rain water.  It is fairly simple and very inexpensive to build.  My husband, Brian has four 50 gallon barrels. on brick platform, connected to hoses from the gutters and we are able to harvest rain water to conserve and to use on plants when we have No rain.Water Harvesting

Pan-Seared Salmon Over Mediterranean Vegetables

SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
ingredients

3 olive oil, divided
2 prosciutto, diced
3 fresh garlic, minced
1 1⁄2 red onion, chopped
10 button mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly-sliced
4 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
4 (packed) spinach leaves, chopped
1 fresh basil leaves, torn
4 4-ounce salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
instructions

Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a small nonstick skillet over low heat. Add prosciutto. Sauté for 5 minutes, or until crispy. Stir in garlic; turn off heat.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and sauté for 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Stir in tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add spinach and basil and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in prosciutto-garlic mixture. Cover; keep warm. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper.

Heat remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil in the same skillet used to cook prosciutto over medium heat. Add salmon, skin-side down. Cook, covered, for 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Use a spatula to loosen fish from its skin, which will stick to skillet. Divide vegetables among 4 plates, top with salmon and serve immediately.

Nutrition Info:

(1 fillet over 1 cup veggies) 330 calories

83 g calcium
19 g fat (52%)
4 g fiber
25 g protein (30%)

– See more at: http://www.shape.com/dinner/pan-sauteed-salmon-over-mediterranean-vegetables#sthash.AlSVnZqP.dpuf

1st Ever report by WHO (World Health Organization)

The United Nation’s World Health Organization (WHO) released its first ever report on non-communicable diseases. Diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity have reached global epidemic proportions and currently lead to more deaths than all other diseases combined. Three out of five deaths were caused by a chronic disease in 2008. Deaths caused by these diseases are expected to increase by 15% in the next decade – from 36 million in 2008 to 44 million in 2020. In 2030, it will cross the 50 million mark.

The study documents four critical risk factors found in 80% of Chronic Diseases. These four items will almost certainly be detrimental to your health long-term:

Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17 million people annually, followed by cancer (7.6 million), respiratory disease (4.2 million), and diabetes (1.3 million). These four groups of diseases account for around 80% of all NCD deaths, and share four common risk factors:

tobacco use
physical inactivity
the harmful use of alcohol
poor diet

By Dr. Andrew Meyers & Dr. Louis Ignarro

Powerful Pomegranate Fruit or Juice by Kay

Nutritional Information

Didjaknow?….Pomegranate juice by POM is one of the most powerful antioxidants on the market today and it is organic. It is powered by pomegranate antioxidants, it’s authentic, delicious and 100% pure. No added sugar*, colorants or cheap filler juices. Several of the grocers in Tucson carry it.  I have been buying mine at Costco, 60oz is about $9.  It is a little tart, a little sweet and great to make a shake.

Dr. David Heber has written many papers on the great value of pomegranate and it is now being used in an Herbalife product, “Cell Activator”, a capsule that is part of our Core product line, Cellular Nutrition.  Cell Activator is key to be sure your body absorbs all the nutrition in our Formula #1, our multivitamin and even better absorb nutrients from your food.



Eating Your Veggies Gives You Antioxidants

Dr. David Heber,M.D., Ph.D., Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition wrote that we should be eating 7-9 servings of veggie/fruit in his book “What Color is Your Diet?” Why colorful? Each color is for a specific organ.

Vegetables, like salad greens, broccoli, green beans, asparagus and zucchini, are low in calories but high in volume. Each vegetable serving is about 25 calories, and
typical serving sizes are 1 cup raw, a half-cup cooked or 2 cups leafy vegetables. Interesting because you can eat 7 servings and still only be 200 calories, without sauce and butter, of course.

Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash contain more calories, about 70 calories in a half-cup serving.