Food for Thought

Processed People

The statistics are terrifying.

Two hundred million Americans are overweight and 100 million are obese. More than 75 million Americans have high blood pressure. 24 million people are diabetic. Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death for men and women, followed by stroke and obesity-related cancers. Obesity is about to overtake tobacco as the No. 1 cause of preventable deaths in the United States.

60% of bankruptcies are caused by what has become known as “medical debt.”

Fast food, fast medicine, fast news and fast lives have turned many Americans into a sick, uninformed, indebted, “processed” people.

Alarming News!

Gotcha! I had to make an interesting headline no?

Well anyways, it worked - I have your attention. I wanted to make sure you all read my post below. Its form anemail I received today from EWG. They have examined the impact of Americans' eating habits on health and the environment. So here you go, the "eye-opening results"

http://breakingnews.ewg.org/meateatersguide/?utm_source=2011meateaters1&utm_medium=email&utm_content=first-link&utm_campaign=food

BBC News - Global fish consumption hits record high

And on the heels of my last post ...

BBC News - Global fish consumption hits record high

Findings published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stressed that the status of global fish stocks had not improved.

It said that about 32% were overexploited, depleted or recovering.

They said that most stocks of the top 10 commercial species, which accounted for almost a third of global catches, were fully exploited.

"Of the 23 tuna stocks, most are more or less fully exploited (possibly up to 60%), some are overexploited or depleted (possibly up to 35%) and only a few appear to be underexploited (mainly skipjack)," they wrote.

"In the long-term, because of the substantial demand for tuna and the significant overcapacity of tuna fishing fleets, the status of tuna stocks may deteriorate further if there is no improvement in their management.

GMO Alfalfa Officially Is Almost Here

"If you eat meat or dairy, you indirectly consume alfalfa. It is a leading source of hay for cattle"

THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY. MONSANTO WINs AGAIN ... we have to figure out a way to stop this from happening

Genetifically Modified Alfalfa Officially On The Way - Barry Estabrook - Food - The Atlantic

On Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) had approved the unrestricted planting of genetically modified alfalfa sold by Monsanto Co. and Forge Genetics, despite protests from organic groups and public health advocates and comments from nearly 250,000 citizens asking the department to keep this GMO genie in its bottle. With this announcement, the Obama administration showed whose side it is on in the battle between proponents of sustainable, organic agriculture and the big businesses that profit from conventional, chemical agriculture. Big Ag won. It wasn't even close.

"This is very disappointing," said Will Fantle, co-director of the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute, an organic and small-farm watchdog group that is a plaintiff in a lawsuit brought against the USDA claiming that it did not take the required legal steps before originally approving GM alfalfa in 2007. "Tens of thousands of people spoke out against this contamination," Fantle said. "They were completely ignored. It looks like the biotech industry has all the political power."

Widespread application of Roundup, Monsanto's trade name for the weed-killing chemical called glyphosate, has already led to the proliferation of "superweeds" that have mutated and can survive applications of the chemical. Currently, Australia ranks first in the world for weed resistance to herbicides. Speaking to a farmers' group in January, Stephen Powles, a renowned resistance expert at the University of Western Australia, warned that the United States might overtake his country if present trends continue.

Attack of the Mutant Bed Bug!!!

Its like a bad horror movie, but worse. Its real!

(NaturalNews) Bedbugs are coming back with a vengeance, and a new study out of Ohio State University says that pesticides and insecticides are at least jointly responsible for spawning a new breed of mutant bedbugs that is genetically-resistant to the very chemicals commonly used to eradicate it.

Pesticide resistance is hardly a new phenomenon, as it has been known for years that genetically-modified (GM) crops and the pesticides used to cultivate them are responsible for the emergence of pesticide-resistant "superweeds". And the same is true for the overuse of antibiotics, which have led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs".

But now the scourge of modern chemical interventions has actual bugs to grow resistant, and made them stronger than ever at evading efforts to eliminate them.

YIKES!!!

Wanna learn more: Pesticides give rise to mutant bed bugs

Compassion in a Purse

Inspiring compassionate funky fashion. Does it get any better?

A Handbag Empire Built on Compassion

Inder Bedi has often told the story of how he built his handbag empire.

The 37-year-old founder of Matt & Nat vegan accessories was asked at age 18 by a Hare Krishna priest to go vegetarian for 30 days:

"And it changed my whole life," he says.

Almost 20 years later, Bedi's Via Vegan company is thriving, although he won't provide numbers. His faux leather bags, belts and wallets under the Matt & Nat label (www.mattandnat.com) are sold in Canada, the U.S., U.K., Italy, Germany, France and elsewhere -- in perhaps thousands of shops, Bedi allowed.

"It's not about the numbers. It's about the people that we touch. I meet someone who says, 'I love what you guys stand for."

Dead Cows are Dead Cows

"No matter how you slice it, eating beef will never be the greenest thing you do in a day."

A great start to a great article.

All dead cows are not created equal

And when your done, you may want to read this:

Daily Red Meat Raises Chances Of Dying Early

19th Annual Wellness Show

I love attending these kinds of events. They are always so interesting and educational .. and full of samples and FREEBIES! And who doesn't love a good freebie?

Choices presents the 19th Annual Wellness Show at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Canada Place. Designed to bring holistic living to the forefront, the Wellness Show features exhibits and guest speakers for all

ages. With upwards of 300 exhibitors, there is sure to be something for everyone at one of Canada’s largest health and wellness showcases. This year, the public has a number of engaging lectures and workshops to

choose from including the following:

• Two cooking demonstrations, focusing on buy local, eat fresh, will take place at the Celebrity Cooking Stage, featuring Choices' Chef, Antonio Cerullo and the winner of our Health Appetizer Contest.

• A talk on Eating Well with Diabetes featuring Choices' Dietitian, Nicole Fetterly, RD.

• A talk on Iron, It's in Your Blood, Or is it? featuring Dr. Cathy Carlson-Rink, ND, RM, Canada’s first naturopathic physician and certified midwife. (I will be at this one for sure!)

General admission tickets for the Wellness Show are $12.50, seniors and students are $10, children 6–15 years are $5, children 5 and under are free. Three-Day Passes available for $27. Tickets now available online at www.thewellnesshsow.com or may be purchased at the door. 

Animal Abuse at an Egg Farm? SHOCKER!

Could you sense my sarcasm in the post title? No, well I was being VERY SARCASTIC!

Cal-Maine is the single largest egg producer in America with approximately $1 billion in annual sales and has nearly 30 million laying hens.

The Humane Society has released footage and an investigative report exposing the rampant abuse and food safety problems at a factory farm owned by Cal-Maine.

Watch the video HERE: Investigation Exposes Rampant Abuse

Read the full report HERE: Cal-Main Investigation Report

Milk: Its Grosser than You Think

Where Does My Milk Come From from Animal Aid on Vimeo.

Making the Connection: Chapter 6 Environment

What we eat, how we eat and how it effects the environment.

Please watch!

Making the Connection: Chapter 5 Farming

Making the Connection: Chapter 4 Global Food Security

GO VEGAN WEEK

The 5th Annual GO VEGAN WEEK is taking place between October 24 - 31.

If you are not currently living a vegan lifestyle, take the plunge and try it - Even if just for the week.

Sign up and take the Vegan Pledge and go vegan for 7 days.

Take action, for the animals and the planet. A plant based diet not only improves your health, it significantly reduces your carbon footprint and helps to preserve our natural resources for all our future generations.

Canada's Food Safety Rated Among World's Best!

Sometime I am so proud to be Canadian!

A report comparing Canada's food safety system with other industrialized nations places the country among the best in the world at protecting the quality of the food supply.

Canada tied for fourth place with the United States, behind Denmark, Australia and the United Kingdom, according to the independent report prepared and paid for by the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, part of the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina.

The nation's food safety is ranked as superior based on factors such as the rate of food-borne illness, inspections, education programs, use of agricultural chemicals and strategies on bioterrorism, risk management and food recalls.

Read more: CBC News - Consumer Life - Canada's food safety rated among world's best

Its sweet to be VEGAN

Its once again time for the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. And once again, it proves that even small vegan steps can have a big impact on breaking down stereotypes and educating non-vegans. So go out and take a big bite out of a delicious vegan cupcake or brownie and ask some questions and do a little thinking ...

(CNN) -- When animal rights activist Jasmin Singer found herself face to face with a scientist who conducts animal testing, a cupcake was exchanged instead of harsh words.

"A good vegan cupcake has the power to transform everything for the better," Singer said. "It's almost like a political statement with icing."

Singer was co-hosting a vegan bake sale in New York last week as part of the second annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. More than 120 groups across six continents are holding vegan bake sales from April 24 through May 2.

Bake sale participants see the sweet treats as a way to introduce those unfamiliar with a vegan diet to some of the flavorful foods they can eat.

While vegetarians stay away from meat but may consume dairy and eggs, vegans give up all animal products.

Some people become vegan for animal welfare reasons. Others view it as a way to reduce their carbon footprint. Still others choose the plant-based diet as part of a healthier lifestyle.

Ruxandra Costescu, of Bucharest, Romania, said most attendees at the bake sales she helped organize weren't vegan.

One person who showed up couldn't decide what he wanted, so he took one of everything, she said, adding that he came back later to buy more of his favorites for his family.

"It's really nice to have people who eat anything really appreciate the vegan treats," Costescu said. "Usually people are amazed that they're so tasty."

In Sydney, Australia, Amanda Salles was inspired to start regularly holding vegan bake sales after joining the first worldwide bake sale last year.

She has never gone to an animal rights rally, but she tries to make a difference by baking vegan desserts like gingerbread cookies.

"I know a lot of people probably think it's not enough or that you should be going to protests or demonstrations," she said. "But it's a good way to participate. It's not very aggressive."

Some approaches to vegan outreach are less subtle. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has had half-naked activists campaign against meat consumption by covering themselves in fake blood and lying in human-sized meat packages.

PETA's theatrics may seem a far cry from a bake sale, but the organization sees the sales and protests as means of reaching the same goal.

"Even if [people] don't like the medium that we're using to get things across, we really just try to make sure they understand why we're doing it," said PETA senior campaigner Ashley Byrne.

Gary Loewenthal, director of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, said he believes bake sales can be a nice change of pace for people used to more confrontational forms of activism.

"I liked it because it combined this time-honored, well-liked tradition with vegan outreach," he said.

He started planning last year's event from his home in Falls Church, Virginia, after brainstorming fundraising opportunities with Compassion for Animals, the animal advocacy group he helps run.

Loewenthal sent invitations to cities all over the world and soon generated a buzz online. In 2009, the event had close to 100 participants and raised more than $25,000.

Each group decides where to direct the proceeds of its own bake sale. While the money is not required to go to any specific type of organization, many opt to donate to nonprofit groups.

Two events in Seattle, Washington, last week raised $1,770 for Pigs Peace Sanctuary, where Edgar, a potbellied pig, is being treated for a broken leg.

Funds from a vegan bake sale in California on Sunday will benefit breast cancer research and education through the Avon Foundation. A group in Louisiana will send its proceeds to Food For Life, a vegan hunger-relief organization.

When Loewenthal started researching vegan bake sales in 2008, a Google search yielded few results. Now, he says, one can find at least a handful of them taking place in any given month.

In late January, more than 25 U.S. cities held vegan bake sales to raise money for Haiti hurricane relief. They were able to donate more than $75,000, according to organizer Isa Moskowitz, author of a number of vegan cookbooks.

The growing popularity of vegan bake sales makes Loewenthal think about the future of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale.

"We've got some ideas going forward about how to keep it fresh," he said. "But we're also prepared for it to be obsolete. ... We can call it a success and go on to something else."

Source: CNN

I think I have a pretty good hand with an icing bag and fondant no?

Food, Inc. - The Passionate Eye | CBC News Network

Sunday April 11 at 10 pm ET/PT & Saturday April 17 at 7 pm ET on CBC News Network

If you are in Canada or have access to CBC and you havent already seen this (or even if you have) - YOU MUST WATCH SUNDAY NIGHT!

Food, Inc. - The Passionate Eye | CBC News Network

Victory: Monsanto drops GE Wheat

I dont even know what to say. I know this is old news but it makes me want to jump for joy, yell from the roof tops and do cartwheels.

I am overjoyed that Monsanto is starting to be put in their place. Hopefully this is just the begining.

Thanks to years of pressure from environmental groups, the consumers, our cyberactivists and Greenpeace, today we can annnounce a victory for the environment following the announcement by Monsanto that they would suspend further development or open field trials of its genetically engineered, Roundup Ready wheat.

"This is a victory for the environment, farmers and consumers," said Pat Venditti, our GE campaigner in Canada. "Strong rejection of GE wheat from virtually every corner of the globe once again showed the resistance to GE foods."

Monsanto announced today that they will defer all further efforts to introduce Roundup Ready wheat, and that they will discontinue breeding and field level research of the crop. This follows a similar announcement in 2003 when the company announced its withdrawal from the development of pharmaceutical crops.

"Let's hope GE wheat permanently joins GE flax, GE tomatoes and GE potatoes in the dustbin of bad ideas. Rather than having to restage this battle in four years time, we hope that Monsanto has heard loud and clear that genetically engineered wheat is a non-starter," continued Mr. Venditti. "The Canadian Government should make a note of this and re-think its devotion to this unnecessary technology."

Continue Reading ...

Take Action: Stand up for your rice!

Rice is daily food for half of the world's population. Genetically modified (GM) rice, on the other hand, is a threat to our agriculture, our biodiversity and a possible risk to our health.

At present, GM rice is not grown commercially anywhere in the world. But Bayer, the German chemical giant, has genetically manipulated rice to withstand higher doses of a toxic pesticide called glufosinate, which is considered to be so dangerous to humans and the environment that it will soon be banned from Europe.

In just a few weeks, the European Union will decide whether or not this GM rice can enter EU countries, appear on supermarket shelves and end up on our dinner plates. If the EU approves the import of Bayer GM rice, farmers in the US and elsewhere may soon start planting it.