Innovation of the Week: Handling Pests with Care Instead of Chemicals

by: NourishingthePlanet

Wed Aug 11, 2010 at 07:20:39 AM PDT

Between the years of 1975 - 1976, the Cambodian farmer, Name Name, like most farmers in the country during that time, grew vegetables and rice to feed the soldiers of the Lon Nol regime.

Using his bare hands, Name mixed the chemicals DDT, Folidol, Phostrin and Kontrin in order to keep the pests away from his crops. As a result, he suffered from strange and uncomfortable physical symptoms. Sometimes he was unable to move or feel his hands and lower arms, and he experienced pain in his lungs and heart. His short term memory was also affected. All of these symptoms often persisted for up to six months after exposure to the chemicals.

Antibiotics in Our Food Can Kill Us

by: teacherken

Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 13:16:35 PM PST

A study by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that in the United States, 70 percent of antibiotics are used to feed healthy livestock, with 14 percent more used to treat sick livestock. Only about 16 percent are used to treat humans and their pets, the study found.

I am not a scientist.  I already am limited in drugs I can use by allergies, for example, I cannot use penicillin (one of many).  Overuse of antibiotics creates resistant strains of bacteria, super bugs if you will.  My allergies perhaps make me more at risk than most people, since I am limited in alternatives

But it does not matter if the strain is resistant to all known antibiotics

MRSA, a kind of staph infection - kills about 18,000 Americans annually. That's more than die of AIDS.

Which is why you should read Nicholas Kristof this morning.

Olive Oil, Part Two, the Recipes

by: Asinus Asinum Fricat

Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 10:09:52 AM PST

There are basically two ways of making infused oils: hot and cold. I much prefer to go the cold way for the simple reason that I have burnt oils in the past. Even if you know how to use a thermometer, you might still get it wrong as it is a delicate process. The cold way is dead easy: select your desired herb or spice, add it to the (extra) virgin oil and store in your pantry for two weeks before use.

To be cross-posted on the Big Orange.

Ohio Food Co-op Swat Team Raid Trial This Week

by: Miep

Mon Oct 05, 2009 at 04:08:53 AM PDT

health care - lower the cost, and pay for the rest

by: teacherken

Sat Sep 19, 2009 at 06:18:53 AM PDT

Imagine that someone proposed a path to universal health care that would significantly lower the cost and provide the means to pay for the rest of it.  One would think that politicians and the American people would jump at the chance.  And yet. . .  I had a parent who is a geologist speak with my students on energy policy this week, and among the things he reminded them is that there is no free lunch and everything is connected to everything else.

This diary is written as a result of two op eds in today's major newspapers.  Neal Bernard, a nutrition researcher and president of the  Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine offer Neal Barnard: Another Way to Reduce Costs -- Get Healthier, and the Boston Globe's Derrick Jackson argues Soda Tax:  It's the Real Thing

You should read both.  I will explore both and offer some thoughts of my own.

Cheap Healthy Food: pasta salad

by: Youffraita

Sun Aug 02, 2009 at 23:45:01 PM PDT

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08...

Sampler Platter 07.16.09

by: JayinPortland

Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 17:22:04 PM PDT

• Boo!  California's Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee, the board charged under that state's Proposition 65 with identifying and listing substances that can cause birth defects, developmental or reproductive harm, quivered and kneeled down before NAMPA and their other BPA industry chronies, voting 7-0 against listing BPA as a chemical believed to cause reproductive harm.  The difference between the US and the EU's approach to the public health was clearly on display here - the board members "voiced concerns over the growing scientific research", yet ignored their own concerns because human lives have always taken a back seat to corporate profits in America.

• Beware of stealth Starbucks stores posing as local independent coffee shops, coming soon to a neighborhood near you...

• A massive, jellyfish-entangling mystery blob has been found floating off the Alaskan Coast.  The US Coast Guard has ruled out any manmade explanations (i.e. - oil spill); although it may be an algae bloom, none of the researchers have ever before seen anything quite like this.

• A second breeding pair of wolves have now taken up residence in Eastern Washington.

• A Bush Administration-era bull trout protection plan was just tossed by a judge in Montana, now giving the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service six months to come up with a new plan to protect the endangered fish's habitat.  Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior Julie MacDonald was found in December 2008 to have taken "actions that potentially jeopardized the Endangered Species Act decisional process in 13 of the 20" decisions investigated by the Office of the Inspector General, and this (bull trout habitat protection) plan was deemed "too illogical to withstand legal review" by the court.

• From the Christian Science Monitor, another article on urban beekeeping.

• Homeless advocacy groups, after reviewing policy and practices in 273 US cities, have released a report this week naming Los Angeles as the American city which most criminalizes homelessness; other cities on the "Top 10 Meanest" list include Orlando, Atlanta, Honolulu, San Francisco and Berkeley, CA.

What Is Food Independence?

by: Jill Richardson

Sat Jul 04, 2009 at 14:35:56 PM PDT

The very sad truth is that we don't get to break the laws of Mother Nature. Think of her like any other parent who says "As long as you're in my house, you have to live by my rules!" Thus - we humans can't fly, even if we jump off our roofs and flap our arms. The law of gravity will get us. And we have to follow a whole bunch of food-related rules as well. Fortunately, if we do it right, we can enjoy ourselves within the bounds set by Mother Nature.

An occasional tiramisu is OK (thank goodness!). We're offered an incredibly wide range of foods, so its OK if you never want to eat broccoli again, just like President George H.W. Bush. If you hate it - don't eat it. But if that's the case, then you probably oughta look into other cruciferous veggies that are more appealing to you, or perhaps find a way to prepare them that you enjoy. And an awful lot of healthy foods are actually quite tasty (ripe strawberries, watermelon, cocoa, avocados... mmm).

That said, if you declare the ultimate food freedom and indulge in whatever you want, whenever you want, Mother Nature is going to punish you by restricting another sort of freedom: your health.

The best case scenario is that you'll need to take prescription drugs to cope with your health problems for the rest of your life. That might cost a lot and make it harder for you to get insurance, but it's not a huge deal in the scheme of things. But you might end up with a body that cannot enjoy the activities it once could, and all of the emotional anguish that goes along with being trapped in a body that makes you unhappy. Or, you might end up with expensive medical procedures and scary incidents that land you in the hospital. Worst of all, your life of food freedom might end at too young an age because your body simply could not handle all of that freedom.

I don't want to be a downer on this Fourth of July, but I'd much prefer to see us proclaim our freedom from poor health instead of our freedom to eat whatever the hell we want. An all-tiramisu diet might be enjoyable, but it's not worth the consequences.

Runner's High Yesterday And My Garden Was Stolen

by: Curtis Abbey

Mon Jun 15, 2009 at 11:09:01 AM PDT

Over on La Vida Locavore some of us are doing a vegan diet challenge for 45 days. I'm interested in their results and part of me would like to join that challenge. In the end I just don't want to give up meat, fish and eggs.
But instead I'm going to try and reduce my intake of factory farmed meats, cut out any sweetened beverages, add exercise and yoga 10x a week for 45 days. (I think the best combo would be exercising 6 days a week and yoga 4 of those days) I invite any and all of you to join us in one or more challenges. Or to assist by submitting vegan or other healthy recipes, and or weight loss/exercise advice.

This Week In BPA: Heart Disease In Women, Fertility Defects

by: JayinPortland

Wed Jun 10, 2009 at 14:19:55 PM PDT

• A new study finds BPA may contribute to heart disease in women.  FDA agreed earlier this month to review their decision on BPA, and hopefully they'll use real science this time.

  Women are more likely to die from heart attacks than men mostly because of problems caused by arrhythmias, Belcher said.

  "It looks like BPA will be very harmful to the female heart," he said.

  [...]

  Low doses of BPA "markedly increased" arrhythmias, [Scott] Belcher [leader of the University of Cincinnati research team] said, and the effect was amplified when the heart cells were exposed to both BPA and estrogen.

Two more items below the fold...

Cheap Healthy Food: Rice with Coconut Milk

by: Youffraita

Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 01:55:44 AM PDT

Well, last week I just got lazy.

Your victory garden and your local farmer can change the world

by: MinistryOfTruth

Fri Jun 05, 2009 at 16:05:27 PM PDT

    Economically speaking, this also means that you are what you consume.

   Since consumer spending makes up over 70% of our national economy, logic dictates that the smarter, healthier and more sustainable our purchasing is as individuals, the more sustainable and strong our national economy will become.

   The simple ripples in the water can have drastic effects, in the long run.

    So, here's what we do.

   If Americans ate less meat, less fast food and manufactured food and instead ate more locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as whatever food you can grow yourself, we could bring about the change we need without having to wait for anyone to take the lead.

   Simple changes to your daily diet, even if done in moderation, combined with enough people doing the same thing can literally change the world.

   If Americans bought half of their fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry and dairy products from local providers, we could

1.      Directly effect the energy crisis. The less a food travels the better it is. Oil that profits America's enemies (terrorist supporting/financing nations, the Bush family, the Cheney family, etc) would not be in such high demand, which would lower the price and decrease the amount of damage being inflicted on our fragile ecosystem.

2.     Supporting your local economy means a stronger and more secure future for America. Factory farmed foods often lack the nutritional value that other foods have because of pesticides used on them, as well as the GMO's and other unnatural methods used to farm these foods in a way that is most profitable. Not only does this profit come at the cost of safety, the money these corporations make go towards the status quo that keeps America unhealthy, poor and in the dark about issues that directly affect our health.

3.     Preventable health issues can be avoided through proper diet. If you eat an apple instead of a McMuffin your body will thank you for it, and so will your local farmers, your doctor, the environment in which we live and anybody who may be attracted to you.

   These are just a few good reasons. There are plenty of reasons to eat less meat, prepackaged foods and GM foods. It is good for your body, for our local and national economies, it is energy efficient, socially conscientious and best of all, it is easy. If America can't sit on it's fat, lazy butt and stuff our faces to save the world, what will we be willing to do?

   I say this with love, of course.

   Seriously, though, it is so easy a caveman could do it. I know, because the cavemen founded the first agrarian economies.  

   Everything that you consume that is locally grown is one less gallon of oil our nation must buy from un-democratic, terrorist supporting regimes. Every time you eat at home instead of at a Corporate owned fast food location there is one less dollar that would have gone to supporting wasteful and unsafe factory farms, frankenfoods and the parasitic corporations that thrive with them. Every time you buy locally you keep another job in America, and every time you grow your own food you reap the reward of bringing a living thing into this world.

   I am not a vegetarian, but I try to do my part. I only hope that others may do the same.

   Next week we will diary, grow your own pot and help save the world.

   At the end of the day, much of the change our world needs is something we can do ourselves.

   So, get your forks, your re-usable shopping bags and your gardening clothes, and let's change the world.

   Isn't this how progress happens? One step at a time.

A Follow up to The Unbearable Weight of Being Obese, this is Political

by: Ellinorianne

Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:57:09 AM PDT

Yesterday I wrote a diary entitled, The Unbearable Weight of Being Obese and was overwhelmed by the response.  I want to follow it up with some important points I think that are relevant to not only a community diary but to the progressive political movement that many of us here at Daily Kos support.

With the emergence of recent books such as Pollan's, The Omnivores Dilemma and his other book, In Defense of Food we've seen a growing movement for how we relate to our food, it's impact on our environment and the questioning of large AG Business and Corporate influence on our food choices.

Yes, you can avoid mosquitoes without using DEET

by: desmoinesdem

Sat May 23, 2009 at 18:41:28 PM PDT

I got my first mosquito bite of the year yesterday, so I knew it was time to get out the bug spray and post a new version of this diary.

Unfortunately, many public health authorities still recommend using insect repellents containing DEET. Having researched this issue a few years ago after my older son was born, I would not recommend DEET for anyone, especially children or adults living in a household with children.  

Soft drink makers pit public health advocates against "moderation moms" and "hard-working families"

by: desmoinesdem

Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 23:30:35 PM PDT

Iowa native Susan Neely will lead the opposition to policies aimed at getting Americans to drink less pop, soda or sugary juice and sports drinks. In the Sunday Des Moines Register, Philip Brasher profiled Neely, who has been president and chief executive of the American Beverage Association since 2005. I recommend reading his whole article, but I will comment on a few key points after the jump.