Since early 2011, there has been a lot of information circulating regarding Monsanto’s purported purchasing of the natural health food store known as Whole Foods; topics like ‘Monsanto buys whole foods‘ and others quickly became hot search terms. Interestingly enough, Monsanto was also rumored to have bought Blackwater (Xe), a private military company. While it is understandable that Monsanto would buy or at least work with Blackwater (as they are both in the same corrupt business), who would believe that Monsanto could scoop up Whole Foods? In actuality, the biotechnology giant did not buy Blackwater, and did not buy Whole Foods. Here are the details.

Monsanto Buys Whole Foods?

It all started in early 2011, when the USDA finally made the decision to deregulate genetically modified alfalfa without restrictions – a decision which caused many individuals, companies, and farmers to become very upset. Before the decision was made, the USDA was considering two options which they would present to the industry: to fully deregulate the alfalfa or to deregulate it with restrictions. Unfortunately, there was no option presented to the industry by the USDA for an outright ban on GM alfalfa, so Whole Foods went with the better option available.

“Whole Foods Market advocated strongly for deregulation with restrictions to preserve the ability of non-GE and organic growers to avoid contamination. It seemed that the USDA was finally recognizing that cross-contamination of GE alfalfa could potentially impact organic and non-GE farmers and consumers, both domestically and for our export markets…Unfortunately, the USDA’s decision fell far short of this mark, and we believe that unrestricted planting of GE alfalfa without setting any clear coexistence framework, with thresholds for contamination and providing for ongoing testing and verification, is irresponsible,” states a post on the Whole Foods website.

“Many people have asked us why we endorsed the coexistence option rather than an outright ban on GE alfalfa. That was never an option in Washington!..the option of an outright ban was not on the table,” the post on the Whole Foods website said. “Whole Foods Market — along with the National Cooperative Grocers Association, the National Organic Coalition, the Organic Trade Association, and other companies and groups — endorsed the path of deregulation with restrictions, or coexistence, not because it was a perfect path, but because it was a path to create meaningful change right now in the regulating of genetically engineered foods and the protection of non-GE foods. “

Since Whole Foods supported the USDA’s approach of coexistence, some consumer groups said the company started supporting GM foods, but along with the ‘Monsanto buys Whole Foods’ rumors, this also wasn’t true. The Organic Consumer Association’s (OCA) released a rather misleading article titled “Whole Foods Caves to Monsanto” in 2011, which was the start of ‘Monsanto buys Whole Foods’ rumors.

“No! What crazy talk! We’ve never had any affiliation with that company. We are publicly traded; our majority shareholders are listed in documents filed with the SEC and, I promise, Monsanto is not on the list and never has been…You see, Whole Foods Market and others in the organic food industry met with the US Secretary of Agriculture in support of farmers’ rights to grow Non-GMO crops.  Because we did not take the exact hard-line stance that the OCA did, they accused us of ‘being in bed with Monsanto’” said a Whole Foods employee.

Additional sources:

WholeFoodsMarket

The Washington Post

What happens when Monsanto’s modified creations get out of hand and threaten the biosphere with mutated ‘super weeds’ that continue to suffocate farmland across the entire planet? Experts call upon farmers and government officials to return to traditional sustainable farming practices — the kind without Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. It was recently reported by the media (despite them always being quite, and NaturalSociety and others reporting on this extensively back in 2011) that a “fast-spreading plague” of the super weeds is spreading and they will not be stopped easily.

The super resistant weeds threaten not only independent family farmers and major agricultural businesses alike, but also the future of food production. Experts are now calling for a radical change in farming practices, with time-tested traditional methods being the ultimate goal. In addition, weed scientists seek to hold a ‘summit’ or panel of sorts to address the issue in Washington. As a leading task force member who is working with the USDA on the issue stated, this is a bi-product of rampant biotechnology that must be remedied by returning to traditional norms.

“We don’t have that next technology. We have to get back to the fundamentals,” said top weed scientist David Shaw.

Like many other issues, the USDA has failed to address the serious concerns presented by experts over the growing super weeds in the past. This fact is represented by the pure numeric volume of the weeds, which now span across millions of acres worldwide. Amazingly, resistant weeds currently cover over 4.5 million hectares (a hectare is about 2.4 acres) in the United States alone, though experts estimate the world-wide land coverage to have reached at least 120 million hectares by 2010. And the outcome of this hyper resistance, of course, is excessive use of further herbicides — which still yields virtually no results.

Just as with Monsanto’s other products, the USDA continues to wait until serious consequences are experienced before even considering action. Meanwhile, the agency is giving Monsanto special ‘speedy approval‘ to expedite their latest inventions into the marketplace with extreme haste.

The exceptional amount of health benefits associated with the use of oregano oil have been repeatedly documented by scientific research, yet very few individuals even know what oregano oil truly is. Respected among many health conscious consumers and the natural health community alike, many swear by the many oregano oil benefits as a cure for a host of ailments and conditions. From improving digestion to aiding in the fight against infections, oregano oil has a number of uses that are backed by both experience and science.

Oregano Oil Benefits | Powerful Natural Antibiotic, Digestive Aid

Showcasing one of the many oregano oil benefits, one study from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) actually found that oregano oil offered notable antimicrobial effects against both Salmonella and E. coli. This natural defense against foreign bacteria was also solidified in a number of other studies, including one performed by the Department of Food Science at the University of Tennessee. While performing their research, the Tennessee research team reached very similar conclusions surrounding the exciting antibacterial effects of oregano oil. When testing out the substance of pathogenic germs, the scientists discovered a shocking outcome: oregano oil could be a suitable alternative to harsh pharmaceuticals that are continually spawning drug-resistant ‘super’ viruses.

According to scientists from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics at Georgetown University Medical Center, oregano oil could actually be a ‘new’ and ‘safe’ antimicrobial agent that could serve to replace big pharma’s drugs. Based on their research and the findings of the other scientists, the team agreed that oregano oil could be the natural and logical solution.

Beyond being a natural antibiotic, oregano oil benefits also extend to the improving of biological functions — particularly in the liver and colon. One study, published in the prominent journal Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology, actually shows how oregano oil can benefit a number of systems within the human body. Finding that the oil could help negate the effects of induced colitis in rats, the information also suggests that oregano oil could therefore be highly beneficial to maintaining and improving the health of the colon and the liver. This is of considerable importance, of course, due to the fact that the colon and the liver must both be functioning normally in order to obtain optimum health.

High quality oregano oil can certainly help improve your health, as research has continually shown. Remember to purchase from an organic source and ensure that the product does not contain any fillers. Oregano oil can be taken in a capsule, added to your water or shake, or even added to food.

What would you do if your 3-year old son was stricken with brain cancer? Most parents wouldn’t think twice about bringing their child to a mainstream doctor, only to undergo modern-day cancer ‘treatments’ such as chemotherapy. This is what one father, Mike Hyde, from Montana did when his 3 year old was diagnosed with brain cancer, but the father doesn’t attribute his sons victory against cancer with the use of chemotherapy or any other mainstream treatment; the dad actually says marijuana oil is what made the young boy beat cancer. While the story isn’t recent, it is one that everyone should hear about.

Marijuana Oil Helps 3-Year-Old Son Beat Cancer

In May of 2010, radiologists at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Mont., discovered a stage 4 brain tumor in a 20-month-old boy named Cash. Shortly after the tumor was discovered, the toddler was brought to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was placed in intensive care. It was recommended that Cash receive three cycles of chemotherapy, only to be followed by another 3 cycles of high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue. The boy would also receive ‘max amounts’ of anti-nausea pharmaceutical medications.

“After his first round of high-dose chemo in August 2010, he no longer ate anything, and this went on through September. He was getting worse and worse…By the end of September he was so sick. He no longer was able to take feedings into his G-tube. His stomach lining was burnt from the chemotherapy, it was no longer processing anything – it was fried. I asked doctors if there was anything else we can give him and they said ‘We’re giving him max amounts of all anti-nausea medications we can give him.’ They basically told me that this was as good as it was going to get. I told them that it was unacceptable,” Hyde said.

The results of the chemotherapy were less than effective, as with most chemotherapy treatments, and the anti-nausea drug cocktail was causing numerous side-effects. These results caused Hyde to pull his son off of the medication, and begin secretly administering .3 milligrams of marijuana oil through his sons’s G-tube. Hyde says that once he began with the marijuana oil, his son started eating again and his quality of life completely changed for the better. The father was told that it was a miracle that his son began sitting up and laughing again.

“Doctors told us he was not going to make it. He was on life support for 40 days and was in a medically-induced coma. They said he would have brain damage and his lungs would fail. But I knew the medicine (marijuana oil) was in his body, and that helped him heal. It helped to rebuild his stomach lining, his liver and his lungs. He walked out of the ICU in mid-December. The nurses and doctors called him a ‘Christmas miracle’,” says Hyde

Was this one of the few cases where chemo ended up working? Perhaps, but the this mainstream treatment nearly killed the young boy in the process.

“It brought him to the edge of life, and if I wouldn’t have stepped in when I did, he wouldn’t be here right now,” Hyde explained. “The marijuana oil was the best pain drug available for Cashy, as well as a neuro-protectant, antioxidant and antibacterial. I know it saves Cash’s life.”

Seeing how marijuana oil helped the young boy to survive isn’t surprising – the benefits of medical marijuana are vast, with the plant even able to fight cancer. The point of this story is to recognize that alternative solutions do exist which can be utilized. The marijuana and cancer relationship is very real; this is just one more of many cases that proves it.

Additional sources:

Fox News

Sugar sweetened beverages such as sodas have received a wide-scale bad reputation for their negative impact on health. All the while, diet sodas are falsely promoted as a healthier alternative. But artificial sweeteners used in diet soda, such as aspartame, have also been tied to numerous health complications, with one study linking artificial sweeteners to premature delivery.

Artificial Sweeteners Linked with Premature Delivery

Although some attest to the safety of artificial sweeteners like aspartame, these sweeteners have actually been shown to cause considerable harm to health. The study looking at the relationship between soft drink consumption and pregnancy outcome found that preterm delivery risk is upped 38 percent for pregnant women having 1 or more servings of artificially sweetened drinks a day. What’s more, consuming 4 or more servings daily was associated with an increased risk of 78 percent.

“There was an association between intake of artificially sweetened carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks and an increased risk of preterm delivery…A stronger increase in risk was observed for early preterm and moderately preterm delivery than with late-preterm delivery. No association was observed for sugar-sweetened carbonated soft drinks (P for trend: 0.29) or for sugar-sweetened noncarbonated soft drinks (P for trend: 0.93),” the study states.

While the study pinpoints artificially sweetened beverages for increasing preterm delivery risk, there is other research that suggests sugar-sweetened drinks also play a role. Other studies have found that both drink types increase risk for hypertension – a known risk factor for preterm delivery. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that both drink types could affect the length of gestation since high blood glucose concentrations and low-dose methanol exposure both cause shorter gestation duration.

The leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, preterm delivery is actually among the major pregnancy complications which could occur. It was also found that preterm infants suffer from impairment in the long-term, and experience inequality in adult life. These reasons alone make it extremely important for mothers to avoid substances that may trigger premature delivery.

More research was also conducted with a focus on methanol, the primary alcoholic component used in the production of aspartame, to examine potential negative health effects. A retired food scientist and Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Nutrition at the Arizona State University Dr. Woodrow Monte describes how the toxic chemical methanol and it’s use in the production of aspartame and other chemicals could be a main factor in causing spina bifida, preterm delivery, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and more recently, autism in young children. It is also the primary factor in other developing chronic diseases and health conditions.

Needless to say, artificial sweeteners have been shown to be far from safe, and should be avoided if you’re aiming for optimal health.

Additional sources:

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Pediatrics

PubMed

Compounds found in virgin and extra virgin olive oils can actually suppress gene based inflammation, studies have found. These phenolic compounds have been shown to reduce the inflammation commonly associated with heart disease, along with other ailments related to inflammatory gene production. In essence, higher consumption of the phenol found in olive oil in a variety of foods can sufficiently reduce inflammation, thus lowering the chances of developing a heart condition or diabetes.

Biomed Central (BMC) had tested the effects of a virgin olive oil-based breakfast amongst a slew of test subjects suffering from metabolic syndrome – people that have an inherently high risk for coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and strokes because of a series of health conditions. What was found was that the phenolic compounds within the oil can substantially reduce oxidization, inflammation, and thrombosis, indirectly, and on the molecular level:

“This study shows that intake of virgin olive oil based breakfast, which is rich in phenol compounds is able to repress in vivo expression of several pro-inflammatory genes, thereby switching activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to a less deleterious inflammatory profile […] These results provide at least a partial molecular basis for reduced risk of cardiovascular disease observed in Mediterranean countries, where virgin olive oil represents a main source of dietary fat.”

The study was a double blind trial, with a group of two dozen or so people suffering from the various health conditions known collectively as metabolic syndrome, randomized into both control and test groups. The subjects were given nearly a barebones breakfast for the 2 week study, without any outside health supplement aside from the breakfast with both high phenolic content and low, ranging from about 400 parts per million down to 70 parts per million. What was found within the genetic content of the test subjects was a large amount of genes, linked to obesity and diabetes, being suppressed by the high phenolic content within the olive oil based breakfast, while other genes would be expressed in a higher volume.

What does this mean for the rest of us? In terms of the seemingly losing war against obesity, the research offers a new ray of hope, particularly amongst people that have been naturally born with the genes suppressed by the high phenolic content of the oil. This is not to say that others will not benefit as well – the gene is prevalent in many people and the phenols in virgin olive oil can be beneficial to anyone that chooses to utilize it. You may be able to potentially save yourself a lifetime of suffering if you were to implement a daily regimen of olive oil into your diet.

BioMedCentral

MedLinePlus

PubMed

In a not-so-recent report analyzing various skin creams, it was revealed that skin whitening cream you may be using could very well contain high levels of mercury – a toxic metal tied to numerous health problems. The news is concerning, as our current society pushes for flawless appearance, leading to the heavy usage of many consumer products.

Skin Whitening Cream Often Contains Toxic Mercury

The investigation was carried out by the Chicago Tribune, where 50 skin-lightening creams were sent out for certified lab testing. It was found that 6 of the 50 contained amounts of mercury banned by federal law. What’s more, 5 of the 6 contained mercury at levels greater than 6,000 parts per million – an amount capable of causing kidney damage over time.

The reason for such alarming levels of mercury? According to the Tribune, FDA spokesman Ira Allen said that the agency is unable to check all food, drug, and cosmetic products under jurisdiction while having less than 500 inspectors to review. “It is likely that things get past us,” he said.

Mercury is, or was, actually used in skin whitening cream to block melanin production, which gives hair and skin their pigmentation. While other chemicals can be used to achieve this block, mercury is inexpensive and effective, said Ellen Silbergeld, a professor of environmental health science at Johns Hopkins University. What’s interesting is that the Food and Drug Administration banned mercury in skin-bleaching or lightening products and other cosmetics back in 1990, but the agency doesn’t test the products to see if consumers are at risk – whether it be due to lack of resources, or any other reason.

In fact, mercury is such an issue in skincare products that the FDA recently issued a warning to consumers over mercury content of many ‘off-brand’ personal care products. According to the FDA report, the common culprits are marketed as skin whitening cream and anti-aging products. The agency also states that mercury-containing skin products were found in at least seven states, including Texas, California, Virginia, Maryland, New York and Minnesota. The FDA findings also reached similar conclusions to the independent analysis by the Chicago Tribune, with face cream tested by the agency containing mercury up to 131,000 times more than the allowable level.

Sadly, mercury is actually a huge problem not only in consumer products, but in food as well. Mercury is so prevalent that you could say we’re currently experiencing a hidden mercury pandemic; here’s some products to avoid in order to lower daily mercury exposure.

Additional sources:

Chicago Tribune

In today’s world, public opinion is largely shaped by external influences and ideals that have the unique ability to shape a person’s mindset, aspirations, goals and motivations. What’s more, you may not even realize that these factors are influencing your decisions — or even that they exist.

Through creative advertising, marketing, and faulty grassroots propositioning, corporations and other organizations are now shoving ideas down your throat. In fact, this process projects false images of what the world is supposed to be like. Sometimes these are simple opinions on trivial matters like what to wear, or what trendy brands are currently pushed on the consumer.

Other times, it could be seriously affecting your health. Let’s examine fast food, for example. Big industry giants like McDonald’s launch million dollar campaigns to ‘re-educate’ consumers about their food and its serious health destroying properties. With flashy banner ads of people smiling while consuming their GMO-laden salads, McDonald’s is planting a subconscious seed in the minds of passing individuals.

However, these are often intermitted with deeper, philosophical ideals that begin to unconsciously shape the opinions of those who receive them. These ideals often target core human values like the inherent desire to maintain the health of your body and mind. Instead, heavy toxification is encouraged in the name of profit and gain. Ultimately the individual is led to believe that vanity and whatever feels ‘good’ in the moment are the qualities that define success and happiness, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

The assault comes in countless forms, particularly through most types of media including television, movies and music. These forces combine with a potent tranquilizing effect administered through physical and mental degradation (think of high-fructose corn syrup in processed foods, which has been shown to decrease brain function).

In a fast paced lifestyle, most people lack the time or energy to properly look after their health. Living in a constant state of repetitive work and responsibility wears a person down, and therefore their health may suffer. Because in this case they are often malnourished and worn out, they will lack the ability to respond to mentally challenging philosophy or opinion shaping views that they may otherwise pay no heed.

This is also largely amplified by the introduction of psychotropic drugs, acting as powerful mind altering agents. Since these drugs are handed out so liberally, and a large percentage of Americans are known to use them, its no wonder many people have trouble thinking for themselves these days. Much of the vain idealism in today’s movies and music also promotes substance abuse and a lack of self control. Effectively, its now trendy to lack discretion or concern for your well being or others, but rather to seek out pleasures at any cost necessary.

Ultimately, a cocktail of physically and mentally debilitating effects permeate our daily lives. These powers combine to form a unique challenge to the individual and their willpower that has scarcely been seen before. Being independent of these workings, as well as having the ability to think for yourself is therefore of utmost importance, and will become more and more significant as the propaganda intensifies.

Unfortunately, Americans have some of the worst diets in the world, and everyone else knows it. With the average American consuming 24 lbs of artificial sweeteners, 29 lbs of french fries, and over 600 lbs of dairy per year, the average American is in a state of crisis. The average American diet is heavily responsible for the escalating obesity rates and is ultimately contributing to the development of illness and diseases.

The Average American Diet

According to the below infographic, the average American consumes about 1 gallon of soda per week, which equates to more than 18 fluid ounces, or 1.5 sodas per day. These sodas are loaded with sugar, with a 12oz can containing 35-45 grams – an amount that exceeds the recommended daily intake of ~15 grams. What’s more, these sugars are typically in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, one of the cheapest, and most health-hazardous forms of sugar that can be used.

Another concerning number in the average American diet is the amount of artificial sweeteners consumed; this includes substances like aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N’ Low, and Equal. None of these artificial sweeteners are healthful, and are even having a negative impact on your health.

• One study found that 67% of female rats exposed to aspartame developed tumors roughly the size of golf balls or larger.

• Is Splenda safe? This toxic sweetener also has many dangers. Some effects associated with Splenda are shortness of breath, joint pains, eye irritation, swelling of facial muscles, ski breaking out into hives or rashes, and more.

• Saccharin, best known as Sweet ‘N Low has been shown to have carcinogenic links. During the 1960′s, studies on rats indicated saccharin was related to bladder cancer, but the FDA has allowed saccharin to remain as a food additive.

Needless to say, there are many more problems associated with the average American diet. While consumption of food shown in weight (as the inforgraphic shows) isn’t the absolute best way to pinpoint the issues with any diet, the numbers do give us a representation and idea of how much we’re eating. If you want to compare generalizations between nations around the world, take a look at what the world eats.

Check out the infographic below for some startling statistics.

Additional sources:

NaturalNews

High-fructose corn syrup, a ubiquitous ingredient present in processed foods and sugary beverages across the globe, is a well-known health destroyer with ties to conditions like metabolic damage and cancer. Now, scientists have revealed that the substance — oftentimes genetically modified — may also be damaging the brain functions of consumers worldwide.

In fact, the official release goes as far to say that high-fructose corn syrup can make you ‘stupid’. Conducted by the UCLA and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Physiology, the study is the first to demonstrate how a diet heavily concentrated with high-fructose corn syrup can hamper brain functions — particularly those associated with memory and learning.

“Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think,” stated  professor of neurosurgery Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

The findings should come as no surprise, given that it has previously been revealed that high-fructose corn syrup oftentimes contains the toxic heavy metal mercury. Mercury, of course, is highly dangerous and can cause serious complications with biological function — particularly when exposed to the substance on a daily basis through food intake and other sources (CFL light bulbs, amalgam fillings).

Despite the negative effects of high-fructose corn syrup on the brain, the scientists also found that there are natural solutions that can help to minimize and negate the damage. Scientists found that omega 3′s helped to fortify the brain after observing the results of feeding both flaxseed oil and DHA to the study rats. The scientists found that the omega 3′s were helpful in aiding the ability of brain cells to transmit signals to one another. As a result, memory and total mental ability is improved.

It is continually being found that high-fructose corn syrup is highly toxic to the human body, and is absolutely unfit for consumption. There is simply no reason why the ingredient should exist within the food supply, other than to save companies money.