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Friday 30 September 2016

Symbols of addiction - Parts 1 & 2

Our lives are profoundly defined by symbols and yet very often, they lie to us. A symbol could be something like Charlize Theron in the Dior perfume advertisement – she is the symbol of attractive womanhood, invoking romance and glamour ...

August 28, 2016 
Symbols of addiction – Part 1
As a growing child has an extraordinary demand for energy, their taste buds are
particularly attuned to sugars and fats – this is obvious from the delight
children express whenever ice cream is offered.

Our lives are profoundly defined by symbols and yet very often, they lie to us.

A symbol could be something like Charlize Theron in the Dior perfume advertisement – she is the symbol of attractive womanhood, invoking romance and glamour, and the suggestion is that puffing J’adore on a woman will somehow confer on her such passion and allure.
But it doesn’t convey the reality of the consequences of ardour – the inevitable disappointment with most partners, not to mention the (extreme) patience and tolerance needed to maintain a relationship. Also, although I find Ms Theron most charming, the scent of J’adore gives me a mild headache.
Why people need symbols is a curious phenomenon, and often it is a two-edged sword. For example, if a woman feels that wearing symbols such as fancy hairdos, expensive handbags and big diamond rings somehow elevates her status above other people, then there are probably many more people who would view such ostentation as charmless, tasteless and offensive, especially if her sources of wealth are questionable.
It reminds me of the odd story of two corrupt politicians who bumped into each other outside a swanky club, and see that they are both wearing exactly the same neckties. One says, “I see you have great taste. How much did you pay for that tie?” The other answers proudly, “$3,000 – it’s the most expensive tie in the shop.” At which point the first guy says, “You idiot! I bought mine for $5,000!”
The irrationality of symbols came to mind when exploring the causes for food addiction – why some people persistently crave to consume certain items even when they know these items actually harm them.
In fairness, sometimes substances are consumed excessively for understandable reasons, such as the reduction of pain due to severe illnesses.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/star.gif
star

But normally, an addiction is due to custom, or familiarity of some sort.

There must also be psychological, physiological or chemical reasons for such odd behaviour – and coercion to follow addictive habits (eg. by the marketing media’s use of symbols) does not help the situation.
This series of articles will cover theories of addictions related mostly to food – though there are common factors between all forms of addiction.
There are several definitions for addiction, with strong suggestions of it being both a medical and mental condition.
Addiction for food substances is characterised by several traits, such as:
• Inability to limit oneself to consuming the desired foods in moderation
• Constant craving for desirable foods
• Inability to control normal behaviour in the presence of the desired foods
• Inability to recognise health and behavioural problems related to the overconsumption of desired foods and irrational emotional responses when deprived of such desired items.

It all starts with taste and flavour

People get addicted to selected food substances usually because they simply like the taste and flavour of these foods. There are a very few people who are somehow addicted to food they actually hate eating but this is clearly an abnormal mental problem, probably to do with masochism. So investigating how humans develop their food preferences might be a good basis for understanding how food addiction can arise – and it is rather more complex than you might think.
How our taste senses work and how we enjoy flavours had already been covered in earlier articles so this piece will focus on why certain foods can become addictive.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/str2_curious2808_jg_5.jpg
The most sought-after durian in Malaysia, the Black Thorn; durian is a fruit you either hate with a vengeance or love with a crazy desire.
The most sought-after durian in Malaysia, the Black Thorn; durian is a fruit you either hate with a vengeance or love with a crazy desire.

Overconsumption – a necessity that is now unnecessary

With humans, there is probably a genetic basis for some of our general predilections for certain foods.
Since we evolved from primitive hunter gatherer tribes, our taste preferences today still remain skewed towards liking foods which can efficiently provide a lot of energy – our Palaeolithic ancestors simply needed energy to hunt and forage and the most energy-laden food substances would be anything with a high sugar content.
This explains why young children instinctively like sweets and cakes – they are conditioned by their genes to prefer high-energy foods which helps them grow, explore and learn.
Following closely behind, and often in parallel with high energy foods, would be a preference for foods with a high nutritional content, such as proteins, minerals, vitamins, etc.
Again this disposition is probably genetic in nature – and humans have made huge strides in rendering food so that it can be consumed and absorbed much more efficiently. This has even affected the physical features of humans – for example, if we had not learnt how to cook with fire, our jaws and mastication muscles would need to be much larger to handle chewing raw meat for long periods of time.
As it is, the jaws of humans are proportionately the smallest of all primates and it has been argued that cooking also permitted humans to develop larger brains as we get so much more energy from cooked food that our brains had consequently been able to evolve to grow larger and plan ever better survival strategies.
It should be noted that the constant availability of food for our Palaeolithic ancestors was very seldom guaranteed.
The simple consequence was starvation when food was scarce, then overeating whenever excess food was around – and the human body had evolved to cope with this by storing excess food (energy) as body fat which would get used up during times when the food supply is limited.
So it can be seen that our own genes can potentially lead humans to food addiction, especially if they cannot control their instincts to consume sugary and high-nutrition foods.
In the distant past, these foods provide comfort and relief in a harsh environment and it is probable that they can still invoke the same feelings today – the only problem is that modern shops and supermarkets have an unlimited supply of food all year round and therefore the instinct to overeat does not serve humans quite so well these days.

Foods that just can’t be left alone

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/str2_curious2808_jg_4.jpg
Lobster is one of Chris Chan's favourite foods and hard for me to say no to when offered.
Lobster is one of Chris Chan’s favourite foods and hard for me to say no to when offered.

Almost everyone has several favourite foods or snacks which are difficult to avoid when offered – my favourites probably include lobster, durian and steak. I had often wondered about how these strong preferences develop and a little investigation turned up some interesting facts.
A foetus in the womb can detect some of the foods ingested by the mother – the flavours are transmitted via the amniotic fluid. As such, some babies immediately after birth can already detect certain flavours eaten by their mothers – they will turn their heads towards familiar smells such as garlic and aniseed.
However, this does not mean that the babies will necessarily develop strong preferences for these foods in later life, although a study on rat pups whose mothers were fed high fat, salt and sugar diets during pregnancy demonstrated stronger than normal preferences for these foods during weaning.
Even more curious is the fact that newly-born babies come equipped with 30,000 taste buds spread throughout the mouth cavity – but they slowly start losing these taste buds as they age until an adult human ends up with only 10,000 taste buds or so, mostly on the tongue.
This means that eating and tasting food is a much more intense experience for babies than for adults. This exuberance of taste buds may explain why many young children dislike their vegetables, simply because they are much more sensitive to the bitter compounds in greens.
As growing infants and children have an extraordinary demand for energy, their taste buds are particularly attuned to sugars and fats – and this is obvious from the delight children express whenever ice cream is offered.
Human breast milk also contains 10 times more glutamate than cow milk, hence breast-feeding may possibly induce a preference for savoury, umami-laden foods in later life – coincidentally, foods with a lot of umami also tend to contain protein, which is needed for muscular development.
It is unlikely that all adult food preferences get established during infanthood as the radical changes in the number and distribution of taste buds would have a significant effect on food choices over time.
In general, as they age, most humans become somewhat desensitised and more habitual about what they eat, although a significant proportion will continue to develop new food preferences throughout their lives.
However, it is not uncommon for the desire for sugar and fats to be retained into adulthood as foods containing sugars and fats also abound with energy, which would have been very advantageous for our adult hunter-gatherer Palaeolithic ancestors.
Of course, that’s really not a good excuse to overeat and become obese – but it is almost understandable as our genes would seem to be pushing us in that direction.

A crazy desire for certain foods

We have all had little episodes when we succumb to a craving for a favourite food, despite our better judgement – but there are some people who have practically no control over their desire for certain foods.
Very often, these extreme desires would be linked to sweet, fatty or savoury foods – and actually, it would usually be food which combines more than one taste sensation.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/choc.gif
choc

A classic example is chocolate, which combines a lot of sugar with fat – I have yet to meet anyone who can refuse a proper Belgian truffle.

But then, I wouldn’t expect anyone to empty a box of two dozen truffles from the office pantry either – and this has happened more than a few times.
Why the fondness for certain food items becomes an irresistible, almost criminal urge, may have several reasons.
If we can ignore the psychological aspects, an addiction is usually the result of some form of chemical imbalance in the body, which compels a person to desire food beyond a reasonable limit. This desire may compel an addict to do things which would be normally out of character. More on the chemistry of addiction later.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/raw.gif
raw

Consuming till death comes along

Along with overconsumption of desired food substances, an addict is also able to ignore (or even crave) the blatant consequences of such unrestricted indulgence.
Normally such consequences would be related to health issues or extreme discomfort though some cases may also include financial problems and emotional burdens to other people.
In short, the habits of some serious addicts may be damaging more than their own bodies. A classic case would be alcoholism, where each bout with drunkenness and painful hangovers actually actively reinforces the need to drink even more despite the intense unpleasant consequences.
In a simplistic way, it might be a matter of perception – what one person knows is not necessarily what everyone else understands.
It reminds me of a little joke: An elderly couple attends a church sermon. About halfway through, the wife leans over and says to her husband, “I couldn’t help it – I’ve just let out a huge fart. But at least it was completely silent. What do you think?” He replies, “I think you should put a new battery in your hearing aid.”

http://www.star2.com/food/food-news/2016/08/28/symbols-of-addiction/




Symbols of addiction – Part 2


Symbols of addiction – Part 2
The latest Pokemon game has gotten many people addicted. Here's a 'Pokeburg' hamburger called 'Peakachu' caught at Down N' Out Burger restaurant in Sydney.


Addiction is always irrational – and one little story about irrationality involves a man who turns in exasperation to his girlfriend one day and says, “You’re like the square root of 2.” Puzzled, she asks, “Why?” And he replies, “Because you’re completely irrational.” If you don’t get it, then I won’t bore you further with an explanation – but you might like to search for “irrational numbers” if you’re curious.

The brain pathways

Back to addiction: Although psychological factors often have a bearing on many forms of addiction, there is also a chemical basis for practically all forms of addictive behaviour. It is a very interesting story how the body succumbs to addiction – and it starts with the dopaminergic pathways in the brain. These are neural pathways which shift a neurotransmitter called dopamine around various regions of the brain – the pathways most commonly associated with addiction are the mesolimbic pathway, the nigrostriatal pathway, and to a lesser degree, the mesocortical pathway.
As an aside, dopamine is also involved in the tuberoinfundibular pathway – and problems with this pathway are associated with hyperprolactinaemia, a condition which affects menstruation in women and sexual dysfunction in men, among other things. As explaining each pathway would involve long discourses into the neurobiology of the brain, we will restrict ourselves to only discussing elements mainly involved with the mesolimbic pathway (MLP), which probably drives the most common forms of addictive behaviour.
The MLP is often referred to as the Reward Pathway for this brain pathway directly influences the fuzzy, warm, pleasant responses we feel when something satisfies our urges. As such, the MLP is a crucial component of what motivates and incentivise us to follow our goals. Why nature has developed a system of controlling behaviour via a rewards system is actually very interesting because of its general efficiency, unless of course, it becomes a detrimental syndrome – more on this a little later.
The MLP is located right in the middle of the brain and it connects the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) to the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc), via a series of complex connections that also involves the hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus. There are also some interactions with the main frontal cortex, the dorsal raphe, the locus coeruleus and significantly, the amygdala – don’t worry, all will be clear (or at least, clearer) in a little while.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/str2_curious1109_jg_1~1.jpg
Locations of VTA and NAc in the human brain.
Locations of VTA and NAc in the human brain.
Note that the use of dopamine pathways is not a new development and it is certainly not exclusive to humans or even mammals – based on research on fossils many millions of years older than mammals, it was found that dopamine-activated neurons had been controlling behavioural responses in primitive worms and insects even then. As it is such a primitive, compelling piece of circuitry in the brain, the dopamine pathways probably also affect some of the other primal responses in humans, such as lust, jealousy, revenge and greed.
The main chemicals in focus in the MLP are dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and a curious amino acid called glutamic acid (often presented as glutamate, where a mineral ion is attached; eg. monosodium glutamate). Dopamine is synthesised from phenylalanine or tyrosine, which are amino acids found in proteins – if present, phenylalanine is converted into tyrosine via the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase and tyrosine is next converted into levodopa (L-dopa) by the action of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase.
L-dopa is then converted into dopamine by a versatile enzyme called aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) via a process called decarboxylation, which can be summarised as the removal of a COOH molecular sequence from a target compound. Note that these series of reactions will become more significant later on when discussing noradrenaline and the amygdala. The participation of glutamate is interesting: it can act as a neurotransmitter in its own right or it can involve a glutamate enzyme which acts as a precursor for the synthesis of GABA from glutamate, leaving some CO2 (carbon dioxide) as a residue – this reaction is catalysed by glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) which appears to be expressed solely by those neurons that reacts to GABA.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/str2_curious1109_jg_2-e1473548400243.jpg

Our addiction to beer and coffee and other stuff has a psychological basis but there is also a chemical basis for practically all forms of addictive behaviour.
As an aside, GAD is also produced in the pancreas and it has been observed that people with Type 1 diabetes also tend to have antibodies against GAD – these antibodies disrupt the function of the pancreas and hence interfere with the production of insulin.
And regarding glutamates, the glutamates we get from food normally cannot cross the Blood-Brain Barrier so that feeling of drowsiness from eating too much savoury food cannot be attributed to the effect of food glutamate on the brain – the tiredness after overeating is simply due to gluttony overloading the digestive system. The brain isn’t that simple as there are other compounds which interact directly or indirectly with the MLP, such as noradrenaline, serotonin, anandamide, various endogenous opioid neuropeptides (collectively known as endorphins) and so on – the full list is quite extensive and still quite possibly incomplete as it stands today.
In case you’re wondering how the brain can produce these chemicals so quickly, the answer is that certain amounts of several neurotransmitters are actually manufactured in advance, then transported by a protein called the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) for storage in the synaptic vesicles near the synapses, ready for instant use. Once the vesicles are depleted, the brain produces more neurotransmitters as required to keep the required reaction going.

Why the brain uses rewards

What is rather fascinating and also somewhat infuriating about the brain is that we know much more about how it works rather than why it works the way it does. For example, there is a good theory about how the use of rewards is much more efficient than the alternative, which would require the brain to store all responses to all the foods we have ever eaten – the good foods would get good scores and the bad foods would get bad scores.
If we did not have a reward system, it would mean that every new food we come across has to be evaluated, digested and scored – if the food is poisonous, then life would end there and then and we would not be able to prevent the poisoning because we would have had no previous experience of the poison. But by having a reward system which makes us “feel good” or “feel bad” in some fuzzy way about new food substances, probably based on foods with analogous tastes, then the brain simplifies hugely the whole process of determining between good or bad without having to go through a huge list of previous encounters.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Copyofstr2_curious1109_jg_1.jpg
The Like A Velvet has got delicious mounds of red chocolate cake and a homemade raspberry gel, which is delicious. - GLENN GUAN/The Star
Sweet and fatty foods ‘taste good’ and bitter and sour stuff simply ‘taste bad’ – and this ability to generally distinguish between good and bad food using ‘fuzzy logic’ significantly enhanced many species’ chances of survival. Photo: The Star
So in general, sweet and fatty foods “taste good” and bitter and sour stuff simply “taste bad” – and this ability to generally distinguish between good and bad food using “fuzzy logic” significantly enhanced many species’ chances of survival, including our own. Of course, this reward system also applies to behaviours other than eating – whether it is the comfort of finding shelter from inclement weather, or the pride of a hunting success, or perhaps the vindication of killing an enemy. Rewards do not always end with positive results for everyone involved.
That is currently the best theory about why we have a reward system in our brains – and it is quite a compelling doctrine called the Anhedonia Hypothesis (AH) devised by Roy Wise in 1982 which directly links dopamine with behaviours driven by rewards – and such behaviours can lead to addictions further down the line. But in truth, the function of dopamine isn’t exactly so simple and straightforward either – else it wouldn’t be so interesting. For one, although the VTA produces and sends dopamine to the NAc as a stimulatory, positive response to a food substance which is attractive and pleasurable, the levels of dopamine actually drop after extended exposure to the same food – in short, the sense of a worthy reward fades over time.
This is why food cravings die off after some time, else we would be compelled to eat the same foods every single day – a classic subjective example may be sushi, which can be seriously enjoyed several times in a row but after that, some other kinds of hot food suddenly become more desirable. There may be an evolutionary basis for why dopamine levels change like this – it might be a signal to diversify and consume different foods so as to maximise the nutritional intake.
Glutamate in the brain is an excitatory chemical causing the brain neurons to fire and become more receptive to other neurotransmitters during any brain activity – and its action can sometimes be akin to setting off a chain of fireworks. Therefore, the actions of glutamate (and other neurotransmitters) have to be modulated to prevent over-activity and this regulation is done by GABA, which damps down and controls the signalling between brain neurons. As mentioned earlier, GABA is produced by the neurons themselves when glutamate is catalysed by GAD and this appears to be a self-moderating function in neural signalling.
As an aside, it has been shown that glutamate is actually toxic, more specifically it is an excitotoxin – too much glutamate in the brain causes excitotoxicity which results in brain cell death via a process called apoptosis, which might be a glorified term to describe the suicide of brain cells after having too much stimulation.
image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/str2_curious1109_jg_3.jpg
Simply mouthwatering: Ipoh's famous nasi ganja complete with ayam merah, fish roe curry, sotong curry, coconut sambal, salted egg and gravy. The first nasi kandar business opened in Ipoh, the Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah stall was founded by Indian migrant Kasim Mohamed at the Yong Suan Coffee Shop on Jalan Yang Kalsom in Ipoh about 50 years ago. pix by: saiful bahri/7-4-2010/ipoh/chan li leen
Many people are addicted to Ipoh’s famous ‘mixed rice’ at the Yong Suan coffee shop on Jalan Kalsom, here complete with ayam merah, fish roe curry, sotong curry, coconut sambal, salted egg and a secret gravy. Photo: The Star
However, from the story so far, it seems unlikely that any food addictive behaviour can come about purely as a result of dopamine – even after being initially thrilled and immensely rewarded by interesting foods, the brain damps down by itself the production of dopamine after any extended exposure to the foods and GABA moderates the neural excitement promoted by glutamate. The theory therefore is that addictive behaviour arises from the interplay of other factors which interact with the MLP, and some of these factors may be rather surprising, though always interesting – and it isn’t always what you might assume.
It reminds me of a little story about an old man who visits a doctor with his wife for his medical examination. After looking over the old gentleman, the doctor tells him, “I need to take some samples of your stools, urine and blood.” The old man leans over, hard of hearing, and asks, “What?” So the doctor repeats more loudly, “I need samples of your stools, urine and blood now.” The old man asks again, “What did you just say?”
At this point, the wife gets up and shouts in his ear, “The doctor wants your underwear!”

http://www.star2.com/food/food-news/2016/09/11/symbols-addiction-part-2/

Thursday 29 September 2016

THIS WOMAN CURED HER STAGE 4 CANCER WITH ONLY ONE INGREDIENT!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFfofu-FerM

See also:

http://greatlifeandmore.com/index.php/2016/08/23/this-woman-cured-her-stage-4-cancer-with-only-one-ingredient/


COMMENTS
Linda Williscroft 

when you have juiced the Carrots ( as with any vegetable and fruit,) always drink it within 6 minutes of juicing, who!e the enzymes are still alive, for best results. They die after that, and although there's still benefits, nowhere near as powerful as when the enzymes are still alive.

Lindley Larrobis 

im 44 yo but still look 10 yrs younger...i take carrot juicce 1 glass a day euals 4pcs of carrots, for over a year and a half...i notie my skin become firmer and glowing,..i didnt get sick since then even simple colds and flu etc..i stop taking any synthetic vitamins anymore ...along with carrot juice i also dringking warm honey lemon right when i wake up in the morning..it boost collagen,immune system..

Michael Gregory 

I think, when it comes to something as serious as cancer, in these days, many of us have found other seemingly drastic measures that work quite well. I happened to be in Mexico 11 years ago and was advised to do chemo and/or radiation. I did neither. I started drinking a shake daily made from the natural noni fruit picked off the trees and blueberries and honey for flavor.for two months. I cut out meat (all meat, which includes turkey, chicken, beef, lamb and especially ham and pork. I stopped eating white bread. I stopped eating anything that contained sugar, especially white, which also included syrups, pastries, crackers, sodas, canned or bottled juices and such. My way worked perfectly FOR ME. I tend to be very decisive so I stick my plans to the finish if I believe in them. >> Namaste.

Lucinde McAfee 

Congratulations on your miraculous recovery!! l believe in juicing. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She's from the generation that trusts whatever their Dr. tells them. So. she chose to go through chemo. To help her get through the chemo, I made 32 ounce mason jars of carrot juice with ginger, lemons and apples. (Google search) the recipe which she dranked every day. This juice helped sustain her during her treatment since she didn't feel like or couldn't keep solid food down. The juice also kept her from getting nauseous. She has been cancer free for 8 years and looks younger than her 80 years! Plus. her hair grew back VERY quickly. I believe in juicing. I juice on a regular basis. Not just carrot. but also green juices such as kale, spinach, cucumber, jalapeno peppers, etc. Recipes are on line



Coffee won’t help you stay alert if you don’t get enough sleep

Caffeine is known for its effects as a stimulant, boosting levels of alertness and concentration.
However, new research suggests that caffeine may no longer be beneficial ...

JUNE 20, 2016


Coffee won’t help you stay alert if you don’t get enough sleep
Coffee loses its super powers when you don't sleep well for three nights. Photo: AFP/Istock

Caffeine is known for its effects as a stimulant, boosting levels of alertness and concentration.
However, new research suggests that caffeine may no longer be beneficial after three nights of just five hours’ sleep. The study was presented at the 30th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Denver, Colorado, US.
Grabbing a coffee is a familiar reflex for many people when they feel sleep-deprived, tired or overrun. And, the more tired we feel, the more likely we are to up our consumption.
Research in the journal of the American Academy Of Sleep Medicine, calls into question coffee’s famous reputation as an effective pick-me-up in certain situations.
In fact, the scientists found that after three nights of just five hours’ sleep, continuing to drink coffee had little or no benefit.
ghg
Scientists found that coffee can only help you stay alert up to a point,
which is three days of being sleep-deprived. Photo: Gratisography.com













The researchers were surprised to find that the benefits brought by two 200mg doses of caffeine per day were lost after three nights of restricted sleep.
They studied a group of 48 healthy individuals, restricting their sleep to five hours per night for a total of five days. Some were given 200mg of caffeine per day and others were given a placebo. While awake, the participants were given a series of cognitive tasks every hour to monitor their alertness and mood.
The scientists found that caffeine significantly improved participants’ performance during the first two days, but not during the last three days of sleep restriction.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guidelines recommend a daily caffeine intake of no more than 400mg for adults, which is equivalent to just over four espressos.
http://www.star2.com/health/wellness/2016/06/20/coffee-wont-help-you-stay-alert-if-you-dont-get-enough-sleep/

Wednesday 28 September 2016

Woman Miraculously Healed of Stage 4 Cancer!!




Published on 16 Sep 2015

See how a woman, who doctors told that she had only 90 days to live, is miraculously healed from stage 4 cancer!
http://www.cbn.com/700club

800-759-0700 - Toll Free Prayer Line

> Use of hyperthermia theraphyas an alternative treatment for cancer.

> Use of hyperthermia therapy as an alternative treatment for cancer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p5-SmlhKDI




Transgenic Wars — How GMOs Impact Livestock and Human Health Around the Globe

"Transgenic Wars," takes us on a journey through Europe and Latin America, looking at the effects of genetically engineered (GE) crops, both on livestock and human health ...

September 24, 2016

Story at-a-glance

  • “Transgenic Wars” journeys through Europe and Latin America, looking at the effects of genetically engineered (GE) crops on livestock and human health
  • A Danish pig farmer traced a mystery swine illness to herbicide-laced GE soy from Argentina. In Argentina, a GE farmer admits he will not feed the GE soy to his animals, as chickens fed GE soy produce inedible eggs
  • People living near GE fields in Argentina have 350 percent higher rates of birth defects than the national average; cancer rates have also risen by as much as 250 percent in just one year in some areas
By Dr. Mercola
"Transgenic Wars," an award-winning film by French investigative journalist Paul Moreira, takes us on a journey through Europe and Latin America, looking at the effects of genetically engineered (GE) crops, both on livestock and human health.
It also delves into tangential concerns, such as the increased use of glyphosate-based herbicides, atrazine and 2,4-D, the latter of which was an ingredient in the devastating defoliant Agent Orange, used during the Vietnam War.
Coincidentally, Monsanto was a leading producer of Agent Orange during the war, and its war contributions, which began with its involvement in the Manhattan Project and the creation of the atomic bomb, help explain how Monsanto has managed to secure such staunch allegiance from the U.S. government.
It's a destructive and often incomprehensible allegiance that continues to this day, with the U.S. government's support of and involvement in spreading Monsanto's genetically engineered (GE) crops and toxic chemicals around the world — now repackaged as "necessary" for agriculture.
Monsanto, being a leader in GE seeds and the chemicals that go with them, receives a fair share of the attention throughout the film. Ecologist Patrick Moore, Ph.D., who made the unlikely transition from co-founder of Greenpeace to being a professional GE supporter and lobbyist, is also featured.
In a sensational video1 that has garnered more than 1.4 million views, Moreira suggested Moore drink a glass of Roundup to prove his assertion that the herbicide is completely harmless. Moore's refusal, saying he's "not stupid," is included in the film.

Danish Pig Farmers Struggle With Mysterious Swine Disease

The film starts off in Denmark, where pig breeders are struggling to determine the cause of a mysterious swine disease, simply referred to as "the yellow death." The disease causes violent diarrhea, and is often lethal to the affected pigs.
Virtually all feed their pigs GE soy, and many suspect this may be the source of the problem. Ib Pedersen is a long-time pig farmer in Denmark.
When he first started feeding his pigs GE soy in the 1980s, the mix contained about 20 percent GE soy. Over the years, the ratio increased, and by 2002, about 90 percent of the soy in the feed was GE.
Like other farmers, Pedersen struggled to contain "the yellow death," which would kill up to 30 percent of the piglets born each year, until one day he decided to remove the GE soy from the feed mix. Within two days, changes were noticeable. There was not a single case of diarrhea among his pigs.
In the three years he's been feeding his pigs all non-GE feed, he's never had a single case of "the yellow death" again. Pedersen single-handedly managed to raise doubts about the safety of GE soy among Danish farmers. Interestingly, Pedersen may have identified the problem even more closely. He noticed two intriguing connections:
1.When GE soy was sourced from Argentina, all of the farmers who received it ended up with outbreaks of diarrhea among their pigs. What was it about this Argentinian GE soy that was so much worse than others?
2.He found images of deformed Argentinian children online, which local doctors and scientists insist are caused by pesticide exposure, as many villagers are surrounded by GE fields where toxic chemicals are sprayed with wanton abandon.
He was struck by how similar these deformities were to the deformities found in his piglets. Could pesticide-contaminated GE soy be the cause of the pig farmers' problems?

Transgenic Soy Destroying Argentina

Argentina is the third largest grower of transgenic crops in the world, and the second-largest producer of GE soy. GE crops have radically altered the face of the country.
Transgenic crops have eliminated the need for large workforces on the farm, eradicating entire villages and contributing to massive poverty.2 Gone is the agricultural diversity Argentina used to boast, replaced instead by massive single-crop fields of GE corn, soy and cotton.
Moreira visits Avia Terai, a small rural village surrounded by GE fields. Here, children are born with strange maladies and degenerative diseases of unknown origin. One little girl has large brownish-black spots all over her face and body — marks she's had since birth.
Another is slowly wasting away from an undiagnosed degenerative disease thought to be genetic, aggravated by exposure to herbicides. Many of the children are deformed in one way or another. Many of the elders are dying from cancer.
The villagers refer to Monsanto's Roundup as "the poison," and do their best to avoid getting sprayed. They all fear the large tractor that sprays one of two things on the fields: water or herbicide, and there's no telling what is being sprayed when.
One woman describes how she shuts herself and her children inside whenever she hears the tractor. Still, avoidance is difficult when you're surrounded by fields, and spray drifts in the wind, settling in water and on clothes hanging out to dry.

Argentinian Farmers Recognize GE Soy Cannot Be Used for Animal Feed

Tellingly, a GE farmer being secretly taped by Moreira reveals they do not feed this GE soy to any of their animals; "If you feed your chickens with it, you can no longer eat their eggs," he says. When asked why, he says because the eggs smell so bad you cannot eat them. This is why all of his GE soy is exported.
Meanwhile, the nearby villagers suffer, being regularly fumigated. Efforts to dialogue with the GE soy farmers have led to naught, and the companies that own the fields are so rich, fines do not dissuade them from spraying well within the illegal perimeter of residential housing.
In the 15 years that transgenic crops have been grown in Argentina, there have only been three convictions for illegal fumigation, despite it being a common occurrence. In the case of Avia Terai, the village is only 200 meters (656 feet) from the transgenic soya field.
By law, pesticides are not permitted to be used within 1.5 kilometers (just under 1 mile) of resident housing.
Their situation is not unique. In fact, the problem is so great, the Argentinian government has been forced to subsidize pesticide-induced disability centers to manage the growing health crisis. These centers are now filled with children from villages where the parents were exposed to agricultural chemicals. Overall, birth defects are about 350 percent higher in areas where GE crops are grown, compared to the rest of the country.3
As noted by one of the nurses at a disability center in Saenz Peña, "We export our [GE] soy to your countries to feed the animals you are eating … But we are the ones truly paying the price for it." Retired pediatrician Dr. Maria Del Carmen Seveso goes so far as to call it genocide, saying the situation is really serious.

Deformed Children, Deformed Pigs — Are Herbicides to Blame?

It was images of these deformed Argentinian children, posted on the internet, that got Pedersen, the Danish pig farmer, thinking. Like all other pig farmers, he had his fair share of deformed pigs being born.
He hadn't paid it much attention, other than to recognize that these things happen from time to time, but deformities had become more common, and he was struck by the similarities of the deformities he saw in the Argentinian children who'd been exposed to pesticides in utero.
When it comes to determining which pesticides are to blame, there are many open questions. As it turns out, glyphosate is not the only chemical being used on Argentina's GE soy fields. As resistant weeds flourish, many farmers have resorted to adding other chemicals to the mix, and it's unclear who's using what.
The synergistic action of chemicals will typically augment the toxicity of the mixture, compared to any given chemical on its own, but no studies have been done to determine the exact hazard level of various concoctions.
As Moreira comes across a tractor set to spray a field, he finds not only Monsanto's Roundup, but also atrazine — which is banned in Europe but extensively used in the U.S. — and 2,4-D, one of the main components of the military herbicide Agent Orange, extensively used over the jungles during the Vietnam War.
One thing's clear: The promise that transgenic crops would lead to "greener" agriculture and less chemicals has NOT come to pass. Instead, more and more chemicals are being used on our food and the feed we raise our livestock on.

Mutant Enemies

As transgenic crops have taken over Argentina, herbicide-resistant weeds have become a serious problem. More than 30 million hectares (74.1 million acres) of GE soy is planted in Argentina, and glyphosate is applied to each field at least three or four times a year. This has spawned a whole new kind of weed — one resistant to glyphosate, just like the GE crop itself.
To address the problem, farmers not only apply more pesticides, they also mix different pesticides together to prevent the weeds from adapting to a single formula. As a result, anywhere from three to five additional chemicals are routinely added to the glyphosate. Newer GE seeds are also designed to resist even more toxic combinations. 
As noted in the film, there's no definitive proof that agricultural chemicals are responsible for the health crisis in Argentina. But there's no evidence proving they're not responsible either. And the government has done nothing to determine the truth.
In fact, the government of Argentina has been and continues to be very supportive of the GE industry, and Monsanto ads are commonplace on Argentinian TV, assuring the people their products are safe and effective. Meanwhile, no studies have ever been done to ascertain whether all of these chemical cocktails create dangerous interactions or cause the severe health problems now seen among children raised in agricultural areas.

Staggering Increases in Cancer

The only independently organized investigation of the health impact of GE crops, conducted by students of the Rosario Medical University, found that cancer rates increased by 40 percent in a single year in one village. In another, the cancer rate shot up by 250 percent. What these villages have in common is that they're surrounded by GE fields and the fumigation border is extremely close to where they live.
Sadly, Argentina's economy is now fully dependent on transgenic agriculture. According to Alejandro Mentaberry at the Ministry for Science, Argentina made about $65 billion on GE crops between 1996 — the year GE crops were introduced — and 2011. Mentaberry believes the country owes its "miraculous economic recovery" to the export of transgenic crops.
But at what price this miraculous economic boon? In April 2014, Argentinians took to the streets in Cordoba to protest against Monsanto and the use of their products. "Monsanto out! Yes to life, no to Monsanto! Monsanto is poison. Monsanto is corruption," the people chanted as they marched through the streets.
The film goes on to discuss the political powers that support and steer countries into accepting genetically modified organisms(GMOs). For example, Wikileaks revealed how U.S. government officials are secretly doing the chemical technology industry's dirty work, cajoling and threatening governments with retaliation as needed. U.K. government officials have also been caught acting like lobbyists and spokesmen for the GE industry.
Transatlantic trade agreements also stand poised to dismantle any remaining prohibitions against the free flow of GMOs and toxic chemicals into Europe, where laws protecting human and environmental health are stricter than in the U.S. Depending on the final outcome of these agreements, it's possible no country will be able to oppose GMOs in the future, no matter what the human or environmental cost.

Patrick Moore and Golden Rice

Moore, a former Greenpeace activist, has become a prominent adversary of the movement against GMOs. According to Moreira, Moore left Greenpeace 30 years ago on bad terms, and has since made a name for himself as a supporter of all things anti-nature, including the nuclear industry, the mining industry and the transgenic industry. "He also thinks global warming is great for the planet," Moreira notes.
He's been a leading advocate for GE Golden Rice, designed to contain high amounts of beta-carotene, ostensibly to combat vitamin A deficiency in Third World countries. There are problems though. For starters, beta-carotene is a fat soluble vitamin. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, you need at least 3 grams of fat to ensure absorption of beta-carotene supplements.4
This enriched rice is intended for impoverished nations where dietary fats are nearly impossible to come by with any regularity, thereby rendering this type of supplementation useless at best.
It's also unknown whether the beta-carotene in Golden Rice will hold up during storage between harvest seasons, or whether traditional cooking methods used to prepare the rice will destroy the beta-carotene. Last but not least, the rice is still under development, and all claims are therefore little more than wishful thinking.
Such facts should have shut down the Golden Rice fairy tale right from the get-go, but it hasn't stopped the likes of Moore from spending much time and effort to promote it, likening the refusal to approve Golden Rice to genocide and Greenpeace's opposition to the rice "a crime against humanity."

To Build a Saner, Safer Food System, Start Close to Home

The problems may seem insurmountable, but there are solutions. The fact of the matter is farmers do not have to use chemical cocktails to produce ample food. Many areas would need serious intervention to improve and rebuild soil quality, which has been destroyed by decades of mechanized farming and chemicals, but it can be done.
As an individual, you can help steer the agricultural industry toward safer, more sustainable systems by growing your own foods and buying what you cannot grow from local farmers you trust. By far, processed foods are the most likely to contain GE ingredients, so avoiding processed foods of all kinds, including condiments, is one of the best ways to avoid them — and the chemical cocktails sprayed on these crops.
If everyone were to refuse to buy products containing GMOs, insisting on feeding their families pesticide-free, GMO-free foods, the food industry would have no choice but to respond. They cannot stay in business if people don't buy their goods, and if food companies refuse to buy GE ingredients, the chemical biotechnology industry will lose its financial power to corrupt and manipulate governments.
It's really just a massive trickle-down effect, and the masses really do have the power, even though Monsanto and their allies would like you to think otherwise.
There's a way out of this mess, and it starts with each person making different purchasing choices for themselves and their families. While many grocery stores now carry organic foods, it's preferable to source yours from local growers whenever possible, as much of the organic food sold in grocery stores is imported. If you live in the U.S., the following organizations can help you locate farm-fresh foods:
EatWild.com provides lists of farmers known to produce wholesome raw dairy products as well as grass-fed beef and other farm-fresh produce (although not all are certified organic). Here you can also find information about local farmers markets, as well as local stores and restaurants that sell grass-fed products.
Weston A. Price has local chapters in most states, and many of them are connected with buying clubs in which you can easily purchase organic foods, including grass-fed raw dairy products like milk and butter.
The Grassfed Exchange has a listing of producers selling organic and grass-fed meats across the U.S.
This website will help you find farmers markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
A national listing of farmers markets.
The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
The FoodRoutes "Find Good Food" map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSAs, and markets near you.
The Cornucopia Institute maintains web-based tools rating all certified organic brands of eggs, dairy products, and other commodities, based on their ethical sourcing and authentic farming practices separating CAFO "organic" production from authentic organic practices.
If you're still unsure of where to find raw milk, check out Raw-Milk-Facts.com and RealMilk.com. They can tell you what the status is for legality in your state, and provide a listing of raw dairy farms in your area.
The Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund5 also provides a state-by-state review of raw milk laws.6 California residents can also find raw milk retailers using the store locator available atwww.OrganicPastures.com.
About the Director
I believe in bringing quality to my readers, which is why I wanted to share some information about the director, Paul Moreira, from "Transgenic Wars." Thank you to Mr. Moreira and the wonderful people at Java Films for bringing us "Transgenic Wars."
Paul Moreira from Transgenic Wars
Paul Moreira (born in 1961 near Lisbon, Portugal) is a French journalist and documentary filmmaker who is based in Paris, France. He has directed several investigative documentaries in conflict zones, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Burma, Israel, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
On top of this, Moreira has contributed to the emergence of investigative journalism on French television. In 1999, he created a show called 90 minutes on Canal Plus, a European television network. The investigations of his team collected several prestigious French awards. Some of their films even contributed to the reopening of criminal investigations.
Following the success of the show and at the request of the management of Canal Plus, he created a weekly slot dedicated to investigative documentaries called Lundi Investigation. Award-winning movies were commissioned and broadcasted, such as "Escadrons de la mort: l'école française" by Marie Monique Robin.
This film received the award of the political documentary of "Audiovisual Club" of the French senate in 2003, best investigative film at the Festival International du Grand Reportage d'Actualité (FIGRA) and an award of merit from the Latin American Studies Association.
In 2006, Moreira left Canal Plus to create an independent TV production company called Premieres Lignes (First Lines). Since then, he has been developing investigative and comprehensive films on global issues. He works on assignment for various French channels such as Canal Plus, Arte, France Televisions and La Chaine Parlementaire. His films have been broadcasted in most European countries, as well as Canada, India, Singapore, Australia, Japan and Russia …

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