Monthly Archives: January 2012
Aborted-baby flavoring in your favorite “foods”?
Oklahoma lawmaker wants to stop Pepsi from using aborted fetus cells in soda flavoring research
Ethan A. Huff
Natural News
2012 January 26
In order to simulate various flavors in processed foods, some food manufacturers are actually using aborted fetal cells to test and produce these artificial chemical enhancers that millions of Americans consume every single day. Concerned about the ethical and moral implications of such a process, Oklahoma Senator Ralph Shortey has introduced new legislation to prohibit this practice from occurring in his home state.
Senomyx, a California-based biotechnology company that specializes in developing food flavorings, is one such company that uses aborted embryonic cells to create “isolated human taste receptors,” which are used in the production of food chemicals. And this company has partnered with several major food manufacturers, including Kraft, PepsiCo, and Nestle (http://www.naturalnews.com/032043_human_fetal_cells_artificial_flavors.html).
“There is a potential that there are companies that are using aborted human babies in their research and development of basically enhancing flavor for artificial flavors,” Sen. Shortey is quoted as saying by KRMG News Talk Radio. “What I am saying is that if it does happen then we are not going to allow it to manufacture here.”
According to Children of God for Life (CGL), a pro-life watchdog group, Senomyx uses HEK 293 to produce its artificial flavor enhancing chemicals. HEK 293 is code for human embryonic kidney cells that are manipulated to produce taste receptors that express a specific protein known as the G protein. But CGL says the company could also use animal, insect, or other more acceptably-derived cells instead, and still procure the same results.
Big Brother will make sure you take your medicine
Edible drug-tracking microchips to be unveiled in UK by year’s end
Ethan A. Huff
Natural News
2012 January 20
Imagine a world where the government monitors everything you eat and drink, and makes sure you take all your pharmaceutical drugs by feeding you an edible microchip that transmits this compliance information remotely to authorities. Such a world is almost a reality, as a California-based biotechnology company is about to unveil an edible microchip tracking device in the UK that monitors patients’ compliance with prescribed drug regimes, and sends this information to family members and caretakers.
The UK’s Independent says Proteus Biomedical, the company responsible for making the edible microchip, has formed a commercial partnership with Lloyds pharmacy, a UK pharmacy and healthcare provider, to begin selling the tiny chips to patients by year’s end. Smaller than a grain of sand, the tiny chip will monitor which drug pills are taken, and electronically send this information to patches worn on patients’ arms. The patches will then send the information to the mobile phones of patients’ relatives and physicians.
The chips are reportedly made of “ingredients commonly found in food,” and are layered with copper, magnesium, and silicon components. When consumed along with pharmaceutical drugs, these chips are activated by stomach acids, which causes them to generate electric currents marked with specific signatures that match the drugs taken. When the process is complete, parties receiving the information will know whether or not patients took their medications, and at what time they took them.
Hemp is an excellent source of protein
Discover the superfood power of hemp
Dr. David Jockers
Natural News
2011 January 12
Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered ‘super-foods.’ One of the oldest and yet seemingly most misunderstood superfoods on the planet is hemp. Hemp is an incredible multi-purpose plant that can be used for anything from paper, rope, and cloth. It is also one of the most nutritionally well-balanced foods on the planet.
Although many people associate hemp with its sister plant marijuana (Cannabis sativa l.) the two are not the same. Hemp products come from a special variety that contains virtually no THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the chemical that gives marijuana its psychoactive effects. Therefore hemp is a perfectly safe food that will not make one “high” or cause anyone to fail a drug test.
Hemp has been cultivated and used by many ancient cultures since the beginning of recorded history. Researchers have found its use in China, India, Babylonia, Persia, Egypt, and the native cultures in North & South America. Hemp fiber was used to make rope and cloth, while the stalk was used to make paper. These cultures also used the seed for nutritional purposes. It can be eaten as shelled seeds, oil, butter, flour, and protein powder.
Hemp protein is one of the very few plant based complete protein sources. This means that it contains sufficient quantities of all 9 essential amino acids. Hemp is a great source of sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, which are necessary for cellular detoxification and the production of vital enzymes. Additionally, it is rich in branched chain amino acids that are needed for muscle growth and repair.
Almost 60% of the protein in hemp is made up of a globulin source called edestin. Most of the rest is in the form of albumin. Albumin and Edestin have a very similar molecular makeup as the protein found in the human body. Because of this common link, hemp protein is very easily absorbed into human blood and used for roles as critical as DNA repair.
Mountain Dew could dissolve a mouse
Mountain Dew offers odd defense in mouse charge
Natalie Wolchover
MSNBC
An attempt to win a small court battle this week has put Mountain Dew in peril of losing a much larger war.
PepsiCo, the soft drink’s parent company, defended itself against a man who claimed he found a dead mouse in a can of the citrus soda. Experts called in by PepsiCo’s lawyers offered a stomach-churning explanation for why it couldn’t be true: the Mountain Dew would have dissolved the mouse, turning it into a “jelly-like substance,” had it been in the can of fluid from the time of its bottling until the day the plaintiff opened it, 15 months later.
Forget legal disputes over canned vermin. The new question has become: Is Mountain Dew really so corrosive that it can dissolve a mouse carcass? And if so, what does it do to your teeth and intestines? Is Mountain Dew’s classic slogan — “It’ll tickle yore innards” — the world’s most sickening understatement?
Key to Pepsi’s legal argument is that there’s no chance a mouse’s corpse could survive, intact, for 15 months swimming in Mountain Dew. While published studies have not been conducted on how rapidly Mountain Dew would dissolve a mouse, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the neon green soda can eat away teeth and bones in a matter of months, and would likely do quite a number on a rodent.
“I think it is plausible that it could dissolve a mouse in a few months,” said Yan-Fang Ren of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, who has studied the effects of citric acid on bones and teeth. “But dissolving [the mouse] does not mean it will disappear, because you’ll still have the collagen and the soft tissue part. It will be like rubber.”
According to Ren, Mountain Dew contains citric acid, a substance naturally found in citrus fruits that exists as a powder in its purified, industrialized form. Most citrus sodas mix in the stuff to give drinks their tangy bite, while most colas, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, incorporate phosphoric acid for the same effect. Consequently, these drinks have a low pH value around 3 (very acidic). Coca Cola, with its dark coloring and non-fruity flavor, may be the soft drink most often compared to battery acid, but in 2004, a well-known study led by dentist J. Anthony von Fraunhofer found that citrus sodas like Mountain Dew and Sprite erode tooth enamel around six times faster than colas. [ How Long Do Mafia Victims Take to Dissolve In Acid?]
When Fraunhofer’s team soaked human molars in Mountain Dew for two weeks (a period of time comparable to approximately 13 years of normal beverage exposure, the researchers calculated) the molars’ enamel lost more than 6 percent of its volume. Meanwhile, molars soaked in Coca Cola for two weeks lost slightly more than 1 percent of their enamel volume. (As a side note, “Diet” labels won’t shield your teeth from the damage: In the study, Diet Mountain Dew eroded more than 8 percent of the tooth enamel in the course of two weeks.)
10 must-have foods
10 Foods you can’t live without
Aloka Mehta Gambhir
Times of India
2012 January 6
Yes that’s right! Here’s a list of healthy and nutritious foods that you simply cannot ignore. These foods are tasty, aid fitness, and should be consumed on a regular basis to ensure you eat a well-balanced, all-round healthy diet.
The vegetarians among you will need to find alternatives and substitutes for a few, but don’t worry – there are plenty of plant based healthy foods in this list of 10 foods you can’t ignore.
Lots of fish rich in Omega 3 – A fatty fish rich in Omega 3 is really important to get your ratio balance to 1:1 (Omega 3 : Omega 6). The top 5 fish for this purpose are – Mackeral, Trout, Herring, Tuna, and Salmon. Vegetarians should take Omega 3 supplements, if a fish oil supplement is a no no. Here is the low-down on the supplements.
Broccoli – The benefits of broccoli are many. This is one vegetable that is a tasty addition to your salad if cooked well and can be a fun addition to your daily dinner. And absorbent broccoli does a great job of soaking up fats and helping flush excess out of your system.
Eggs – This is one addition to the diet that even vegetarians should partake in. With healthy fats and proteins, eggs are great for a filling breakfast and if you eat these you won’t need to eat again in a hurry. Eggs can be enjoyed in a spicy masala curry as well as a great dish for dinner, for those who cant stand to eat them along. Here are some recipes for unique ways to cook eggs.
Spinach – Another must have vegetable made popular by Popeye, this fictional character got it right! Spinach offers calcium and magnesium in plenty, pairs well with meat of any kind, can be sauteed, steamed, thrown into soups, or eaten raw, and provides roughage. As flexible as they come, this green vegetable has so much nutrition that it’s hard to ignore.
Berries – So rich in antioxidants and so low in sugar, most berries are right up there with foods we should try to get out hands on as often as possible. These are the most nutritionally dense fruits you can eat. Read more about the best fruits here.
Nuts – Macadamia, almonds, pistas, most nuts are great because they are a great filler between meals, they actually keep you full, and they are rich in proteins and good fats. Keep some nuts handy on you and they will prevent you from reaching for that bag of chips. Read more about the best snacks to keep you full.
Resolve to be healthier. You can do it!
Healthy resolutions bring a happier and more natural New Year
JB Bardot
Natural News
2012 January 3
Avoid MSG and artificial sweeteners
Monosodium Glutamate, or MSG, and artificial sweeteners may make foods taste better; but they’re neurotoxins that contribute to a wide range of disease conditions. Symptoms of MSG poisoning may include headaches, dizziness, trembling, palpitations, and cognitive or neurological dysfunction. Artificial sweeteners have been associated with various cancers as well as insulin and other pancreatic disorders.
Avoid GMO foods
Foods that are genetically modified are done so at the expense of life-building nutrients and a healthful environment. Genetically modified crops destroy the ground in which they’re grown, damage natural environmental life cycles and cause a variety of nutritional deficiencies and digestive disorders. The most common GMO crops are corn, soy and canola.
Eat organic
Eating organic foods provides natural nutrients to sustain life and build healthy immune systems. Organic food is real food, without additional chemicals or foreign genes added to alter its makeup. Integrate organic foods into your diet throughout the year until it becomes a primary eating style.
Abounding Wellness 