stars2man: August 2023

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Food Is Less Nutritious Than It Used To Be

The U.S. government admits poor eating has led to nearly half of all Americans living with at least one chronic disease. However, while junk and snack food companies seek to garner consumers interested in organic production, it's essential to note that organic ingredients can't make junk food healthy

Research within the last five years has also demonstrated a decline in nutrients, including iron content in vegetables grown in Australia.5 The researchers looked at the iron content of vegetables and legumes and noted a decrease of 30% to 50% in sweet corn, redskin potatoes, cauliflower and green beans, and pronounced reductions in legumes. The researchers warned that as plant-based diets become more popular, monitoring nutrient composition is "strongly recommended."6

Another study noted a 23% decline in protein content in wheat7 and notable reductions in manganese, zinc, magnesium and iron. The impact of declining nutrient density in produce and grain affects not only vegetarians but also meat eaters. Livestock are fed less nutritious grasses and grains, which in turn has an impact on many animal-derived products that are not produced on biodynamic or regenerative farms, including meat, dairy and eggs.

These studies demonstrate that it turns out you can simultaneously gain weight and be starved of vital nutrients essential to good health. Donald R. Davis of the University of Texas at Austin was the lead author of the 2004 study and worked on subsequent papers on the same subject. He commented:8

"Efforts to breed new varieties of crops that provide greater yield, pest resistance and climate adaptability have allowed crops to grow bigger and more rapidly but their ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients has not kept pace with their rapid growth."

In addition to declining nutrient value, world crises are making a bad problem worse. Ukraine has been called "the breadbasket" of Europe9 as the country is responsible for producing and exporting roughly 12% of all food calories traded on the international market. Russia is also a major exporter, and the two countries together account for nearly 30% of global wheat exports, nearly 20% of the world's corn and more than 80% of the sunflower oil.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture projected that wheat exports from Russia and Ukraine would be down by more than 7 million metric tons in 2022. According to a report in January 2023,10 the exports from Ukraine had reached 23.6 million metric tons of grain, which had fallen from 33.5 million recorded at the same time in the previous season.

Ukraine’s government reported that the grain harvest would reach 51 million metric tons, a decline from the record 86 million in 2021 because of a loss of land and lower yields. By July 2022,11 the UN had brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Russia and Ukraine. This allowed Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea from ports that had been blocked since mid-February.

While the initiative helped facilitate exports from Ukraine, price volatility for wheat had reached its highest level in more than 10 years. International markets adjusted and adapted, resulting in higher-priced foods that nearly everyone has experienced at the grocery store.

According to data from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the change in wheat exports from 2021 to 2022 dropped by 5.3 million metric tons in Ukraine, 8.5 million metric tons in Argentina and rose by 10.5 million metric tons in Russia.12

Perfect Storm Threatens Public Health

As crop nutrient density declines, so does public health. Nutritional deficiencies are linked to a higher incidence of viral illness,13 gluten sensitivity,14 autism,15 dementia16 and depression17 to name a few. Multiple challenges have arisen that appear to be contributing to this issue of food insecurity.

As Davis noted, high-yield plants have resulted in lower nutrient density. National Geographic explains18 that crops with higher yields are grown in fields with finite resources. This means that the nutrients must be distributed across a greater volume of produce, which in effect, dilutes the nutrient value.

Another challenge to growing nutrient-dense crops is soil damage from high-yield practices, such as tilling, monocropping and GMO seeds. Most crops benefit from partnerships with soil fungi as it improves the plant's ability to absorb nutrients and water.19 Yet these high-yield practices hurt beneficial fungal growth.

Growing just one crop species, also called monocropping or monocultures, increases the farmers’ efficiency in the short-term but it also increases the risk of disease and pests, and leads to soil exhaustion.20 Using genetically modified crops gained widespread commercial use by 1996 and today, most corn, soybean, cotton and canola are genetically modified.21

While some continue to promote genetically modified seeds and the subsequent high-dose herbicides and pesticides used to control weeds and pests, further study reveals how this damages soil microbes, and subsequently our food supply. Glyphosate is one of the most widely applied broad-spectrum herbicides in agriculture.

However, as the Soil Association notes,22 glyphosate negatively affects soil bacteria and harms beneficial fungi that live near plant roots. In past years, glyphosate has increased the severity of crop diseases, possibly by altering the balance of soil microbes. It also has had a negative impact on the activity of several earthworm species.

Another factor that plays a role in reducing crop nutrient density is the use of nitrogen fertilizers. These fertilizers consistently favor the growth of pathogenic fungi23 while harming beneficial fungi necessary for strong plant growth. Yet corporate farmers have grown reliant on nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers.

The combination of the breakdown in logistics during the pandemic and the later conflict in Russia and Ukraine led experts to predict fertilizer prices could double in the following growing seasons.

Nearly 40% of the global export of potash, a key fertilizer ingredient, and 48% of ammonium nitrate is exported from Russia.24 Prices rose in 2022 but dropped in the first quarter of 2023. However, experts believe this trend may not continue and likely is giving farmers false hope, as experts anticipate price reductions could be temporary.25

Biodynamic and Regenerative Farming Choices Offer Hope

Chemical-based agriculture has destroyed rural economies, raised air and water pollution, destroyed pollinators and biodiversity, increased soil erosion and lost fertility. The U.S. spends $4.3 trillion on health care each year,29 which is more than any other nation and yet public health just keeps getting worse.30

It's clear that we live in an increasingly toxic environment, eating cheap junk-filled foods, while nearly half of all Americans live with one or more chronic diseases that even the government admits "many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns."31 In 2010,32 over 90% of Americans did not eat the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recommended intakes of the most important vitamins and minerals necessary for health and the number didn’t change in 2020.33

And it's apparent from mounting evidence that lower nutrient density means it will take more food to achieve the same nutritional goals. Research consistently demonstrates that organically produced foods are significantly higher in antioxidants, especially in no-till regenerative systems.34 While there are separate efforts to create certifications for regenerative agriculture, it's worth noting that the "gold standard" certification already exists.

Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach that focuses on the natural use of the soil. It was first introduced by Austrian scholar Rudolf Steiner,35 and is an approach that provides far superior harvests when compared to conventional chemical-based agriculture. Yet at the same time, it also helps to heal the soil damage caused by conventional growers.

Biodynamic farming provides a higher volume of crops with increased nutrient density and biodynamic farms are completely self-sustaining. For example, most of the feed for the livestock originates on the farm. Organic certifications are not nearly as stringent as biodynamic certification.

For example, a farmer can section off part of the farm for organic goods,36 but 100% of a biodynamic farm must be compliant. The best hope for the future of the world's food supply is for farmers to embrace biodynamic certification in greater numbers rather than trying to invent new regenerative standards to compete with organic certifications.

- Sources and References

Friday, August 25, 2023

American fast food ingredients banned in other countries

What if someone informed you that the food on your plate was preserved with the same chemicals found in yoga mats, wax food packaging, and a key ingredient in rat poisoning? Yeah, not exactly enticing. Unfortunately, that is the truth of what just entered your stomach, which is bad news for Americans.

If you’re a fan of American snacks and fast food, you might be surprised to learn that some of your favorite treats are banned in other countries! Here’s a rundown of some American foods that have been deemed too dangerous or unhealthy for foreign markets and how they might impact your health:

1. GMO corn: Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are plants or animals that have had their DNA altered through genetic engineering. In the U.S., GMO corn is commonly used in processed foods and animal feed. However, it has been linked to organ damage and other adverse health effects in animal studies, leading several European countries to ban it.

2. Artificial food dyes: These colorful additives are used to make processed foods and drinks look more appealing, but they’ve been linked to hyperactivity and other behavioral issues in children, as well as an increased risk of cancer. Artificial dyes are banned in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland.

3. Sodium benzoate: This preservative is commonly used to extend the shelf life of processed foods and beverages. However, it has been linked to health issues like asthma, allergies, and hyperactivity in children. Sodium benzoate is banned in Austria, Japan, and Norway.

4. Brominated vegetable oil (BVO): This synthetic chemical is used as a stabilizing agent in some American foods and drinks, but it has been linked to neurological and reproductive issues in animal studies. BVO is banned in over 100 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland.

5. High fructose corn syrup: This sweetener, which is made from corn, is commonly used in processed foods and beverages in the U.S. However, it has been linked to a variety of health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. While it’s not outright banned in other countries, some countries, like Mexico, have placed taxes on products containing high fructose corn syrup in an effort to reduce its consumption.

While these American foods may be tasty and convenient, it’s important to be aware of the potential health risks they may pose. Next time you’re craving a snack, consider opting for something a little healthier!

In conclusion, it is clear that certain American foods that are banned in other countries can have negative impacts on human health. From genetically modified corn to artificial food dyes and preservatives, these banned items have been linked to a variety of health issues. While these foods may be readily available and popular in the United States, it is important to consider the potential health risks and make informed choices about what we choose to eat. It is also worth considering the stricter regulations and health standards in other countries, and whether or not these banned American foods would be allowed on the market in the first place.

Protecting our health should always be a top priority, and being aware of the potential risks of certain foods is an important step in making healthy and informed choices. So, next time you’re considering chowing down on a bag of dyed, preserved, and genetically modified corn chips, remember: your body is a temple, not a trash can!

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
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Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

the Rise Of Totalitarianism

The cancellation of Professor Norman Fenton's presentation at the UK's NHS Health and Care Analytics Conference indicates a deeply disturbing increased level in the censorship of science.

The gravity of current developments is onerous. It is important to recognize parallels from the past and understand the initiating factors — including intolerance of ideas threatening state-approved ideology — that eventually allowed the rise of totalitarianism.

The National Health Service's correspondence with Professor Fenton reveals this degradation. His scheduled presentation had nothing to do with the recent pandemic; the grounds for his dismissal claimed his views on vaccines may be distracting.

…the conference organising committee has just been alerted to the controversy around vaccinations on your Twitter account and fear that this may distract from the conference. They have asked that we not proceed with the planned session on Bayesian networks.

After receiving this notice, Professor Fenton wrote;

I was canceled not for the content of my talk but because I had done other work raising concerns about covid vaccine safety.

The NHS organizers openly admitted that an unacceptable perspective on a scientific topic — designated incontestable by authorities — is grounds for ex-communication.

This denial of participation is solely because of Professor Fenton's willingness to appraise and discuss subject matter deemed controversial. However, no one who has examined his cautious analysis of data during the pandemic has presented evidence disputing any of his findings.

Scientific integrity doesn't matter to conference organizers — in the same way, truth didn't matter to censors in the past.

The efforts to expunge all scientific data and opinions countering government and news media narratives on the pandemic and vaccines — bear a strong resemblance to known undertakings applied in pursuit of totalitarianism. Today's compromised ethical standards in controlling science reverberate with the initial restrictions on thought that permitted the ultimate brutality of previous regimes.

A repressive act against an accomplished scientist is analogous to the Nazi party's initial marginalization of researchers and academics who interfered with their quest for absolute authority.

Referencing past historical similarities is appropriate and relevant as today's scientific climate is strikingly similar to the atmosphere in early 1930s Germany. Although some observers recognized the dangerous implementation of fascism, no one predicted that the Nazis and their collaborators were about to murder an estimated 17 million people.

From the beginning of the twentieth century until 1933, German science had been held in great respect, responsible for breakthroughs in chemistry, medicine, and physics. As Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power, they exerted control of free expression in science and experimental processes.

Early indications of a repressive order were the cancellations of presentations and denunciations of great innovative thinkers. In 1932, Albert Einstein left Germany with a price on his head. The Nazis were interested in eliminating any competition outside of party doctrine, and their agenda was quickly implemented. Many of the brilliant German scientists of the era were purged from the system well before the beginning of World War II as the fantasy of a superior race dominated nationalistic rhetoric. Renowned physicists, doctors, and researchers were incarcerated; if they had the means, they fled Germany because they were not allowed to work or were in fear for their lives.

State financial support actually increased for those scientists willing to bend to the Nazi government's priorities. These included Nobel prize winners and leading academics; they had no problem criticizing and ejecting colleagueswho refused to follow the new order. Many of them continued their work up until the Allied victory over Germany. The Nuremberg doctor's trials revealed a new low in the level of scientific depravity and human experimentation.

The end of the war was both a military victory and a corporate takeover. Top Nazi scientists were recruited by the United States in a morally bankrupt attempt to ensure technological superiority. When news of this program, dubbed Operation Paperclip, reached Albert Einstein, he wrote to President Truman.

We hold these individuals to be potentially dangerous carriers of racial and religious hatred. Their former eminence as Nazi Party members and supporters raises the issue of their fitness to become American citizens or hold key positions in American industrial, scientific, and educational institutions. If it is deemed imperative to utilize these individuals in this country we earnestly petition you to make sure that they will not be granted permanent residence or citizenship in the United States with the opportunity which that would afford of inculcating those anti-democratic doctrines which seek to undermine and destroy our national unity.

The employment of former Nazis was not limited to scientists; the CIA turned a blind eye to atrocities by recruiting former Gestapo and SS officers in their blind pursuit of destroying the Soviet Union.

The course of authoritarian development is always reinforced by a narrow-minded and ethically depraved intelligence community. The empowerment of special forces and secret police is a necessity in enforcing dubious proclamations and mandates. These ruthless forces disseminate coercive propaganda and subvert challenging thought, particularly from the scientific world. Eventually, they will murder dissenters.

The justification for totalitarianism includes the spurious claim that rulers have a right to control all human activity in order to prevent dangerous outcomes, even if this includes censorship, terrorism, and violence. Because historical eventualities are ultimately dependent on ideas and knowledge, powerful regimes know the import of manipulating and containing scientific discourse.

The Nazi Party justified the suppression of information by promulgating a fantasized racial purity to scapegoat Jews and other minorities. The reign of Stalin's version of communism, which pretended to be cleansing Russia of monarchists and capitalists similarly sacrificed truth to gain control. Although these tactics seemingly were for different reasons, they both were ploys to eliminate reasonable criticism by intellectuals, particularly academics, and scientists.

This is a dangerous syndrome, and the increasing control of thought and speech alerts us to the possibility of an impending cataclysm. Crushing voices of dissent is a necessity for any bureaucracy seeking absolute power. It is a verifiable symptom of the rise of a totalitarian state.

With the recent deterioration in freedom of intellectual expression, it is imperative that the potential for further decline is recognized and disrupted.

It is a precarious mistake to ignore the outrageous and dangerous marginalization of concerned medical practitioners, brilliant researchers, and experienced analysts like Norman Fenton, Robert Malone, Mattias Desmet, David Martin, Karen Kingston, Peter McCullough, Vandana Shiva, Paul Marik, Mary Talley Bowden, Pierre Kory, Jay Bhattacharya, Jessica Rose, Brian Hooker, Geert Vanden Bossche, John Campbell, and Meryl Nass. This is only a partial list of the hundreds of thousands of other doctors, scientists, and concerned citizens — including those who signed the Great Barrington Declaration — whose open minds threaten an establishment boldly disparaging their views and wisdom.

Today's circumstances permitting this repression are in plain sight. Pirates and profiteers continue to rule by corrupting leaders and their countries. Meanwhile, inhabitants of the Earth battle over boundaries, resources, and religious views; degrading enemies and dismissing ethical values.

The vast majority of scientific work is directed towards serving profits and power rather than applying knowledge to build a better world. This twisted logic serves the desires of an elite class; the duplicitous continue to thrive and dominate.

History will record that in the early 2020s reasonable scientific voices were silenced in the name of government policies based on corporate preferences. If the perilous nature of this current coercive betrayal of democracy is recognized, there is an opportunity for a reversal.

The horrific crimes of World War II were committed not long ago; survivors of the worst atrocities are still alive to remind us of how quickly intellectual persecution can turn to violent oppression. Their accounts are a reminder that resistance to recalling the past needs to be overcome.

To never forget isn't a passive slogan of remembrance; it means never again allowing the worst of humanity's conduct. This concept demands recognizing and defying the elements of emerging totalitarian stratagems. An effort to prevent the present situation from devolving into extremely inhumane and destructive behavior — must include the examination of present similarities to historical trends.

Yet mainstream media shames free thinkers who dare mention Nazi atrocities and downplays the repercussions of censorship.

Attempts at humiliation in the guise of news reporting reveal the subjugation of journalism to government and corporate dictates. Press attitudes affirm an ominous climate where science is compromised, allowing corrupt ideology to flourish.

Authorities will fight in every way to repress scientists who question the self-righteousness of the state. They are counting on hesitation and silence from those who are becoming aware of the disorder and deceit.

The response to the rising tide of totalitarian behavior will determine the next chapter in this precarious epoch. To reverse this mindset, the noble battle to support open scientific dialogue must be as relentless and loud as possible.

Speaking out against the madness and abuse is the only recourse.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
~ Pastor Martin Niemöller

Friday, August 11, 2023

Fwd: What is killing people?

What is killing people?

In a new op-ed in USA Today, Pierre Kory and Mary Beth Pfeiffer explore a mysterious spike in deaths that has been happening even as deaths from COVID-19 decreased.

FLCCC ALLIANCE

AUG 11

Something strange began happening in the autumn of 2021. According to life insurers, excess deaths—the number of people dying beyond what is considered normal—inexplicably shot up. This mysterious spike in deaths happened even as deaths from COVID-19 decreased, and not just among the elderly or infirm, but among younger, working, prime-of-life people.

Writing in USA Today, Dr. Kory and Mary Beth Pfeiffer explore this trend and ask the question: what is killing people?

Among working people 35 to 44 years old, a stunning 34% more died than expected in the last quarter of 2022, with above-average rates in other working-age groups too. "COVID-19 claims do not fully explain the increase," the Society of Actuaries said in a comprehensive new report.

From 2020 through 2022, there were far more excess deaths proportionally among white collar than blue collar workers—19% versus 14% above normal. The disparity nearly doubled among top-echelon workers in the fourth quarter of 2022, U.S. actuaries reported. And there was an extreme and sudden increase in worker mortality in the fall of 2021 even as the nation saw a precipitous drop in COVID-19 deaths from a previous wave. In the third quarter of 2021, deaths among workers 35 to 44 years old reached a pandemic peak of 101% above—or double—the three-year pre-COVID-19 baseline. In two other prime working-age groups, mortality was 79 % above expected.

But it isn't only happening in the United States. The United Kingdomalso saw "more excess deaths in the second half of 2022 than…any year since 2010," according to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. In the first quarter of 2023, deaths among people 20 to 44 years old were akin to "the same period in 2021, the worst pandemic year for that age group," U.K. actuaries reported. Younger-age death rates were "particularly high" when compared to the average mortality for 2013 to 2020.

Week-in, week-out, this unnatural loss of life is on the scale of a war or terrorist event.

In Australia, 12% more people died than expected in 2022, according to that nation's Actuaries Institute. A third of the excess was non-COVID-19 deaths, a figure the institute called "extraordinarily high."

Death rates are lower, of course, than in 2020 and 2021. But they are far from normal.

In the year ending April 30, 2023—14 months after the last of four pandemic waves in the U.S.— over 104,000 more Americans died than expected, according to the data tracker, Our World in Data. In the U.K., 52,427 excess deaths were reported in that period; in Germany, 81,028; France, 17,731; Netherlands, 10,418; and Ireland, 2,640.

Week-in, week-out, this unnatural loss of life is on the scale of a war or terrorist event. The actuarial reports can only speculate on the factors causing these deaths, including oft-cited delayed healthcare, drug overdoses, and even weather patterns. But the question remains: what explains this ongoing wave of excess deaths?

…Governments and regulatory agencies should cooperate with life insurers to investigate this trend at the national and multinational level. Without a thorough and collaborative exploration, we can't know what's killing us – or how to stop it.

You can read the full editorial in USA Today here. We have our suspicions about the cause of these deaths, but we'd also love to hear your thoughts. What do YOU think is behind the spike in excess deaths?

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