Your survival kit does not need to be that expensive; with the right information and research, one can get complete and quality kits without breaking the bank.

An ultimate survival kit requires appropriate storage for all the tools and supplies needed, this is normally placed in a sturdy bag. There are many survival bags that are designed for different individuals, try to look for a bag that have multiple compartments to keep tools organized based on the following categories: First Aid Kit, Food and Water, and Survival Essential Supplies

Every family must be ready at all times because when emergency situations strike it may become difficult to leave the house for several days. During the disaster, health and other problems may arise making survival more difficult without these supplies. This is the reason why families must know and understand the uses of the following survival gear and supplies:

• Food and Water – The most essential for a family to acquire during an emergency is a source of food and water. Water is necessary for survival. Try to stock enough water and buy a stainless water tumbler with measurements to be able to identify how much water is used up. Proper conservation of water is needed because rescue may be delayed. In addition, depending on the person’s needs, water can be bought at least 1 case every month and stored on a dry and cool place aside from the survival bag. Try to store at least 1 gallon of clean and drinking water for each family member. According to some experts, it is encouraged to store for a minimum of 3-4 days with additional amounts for sanitation needs and cooking.In addition, the family must have 3 days supply of food. These food products must be ones that do not require refrigeration. Try to buy foods that are dehydrated and/or ready to eat foodstuffs that have a long expiration date and that can last for at least 2-3 weeks. When it comes to food during such circumstances, families must remember to store food that are ready to eat, canned juices, high-energy foods, vitamins and food for the baby. During emergency scenarios, conserving energy is very important for a person to survive. When choosing the right kind of food, try to pick foods that are rich in energy. Nuts and candy bars are also a good idea to be included in the list food products to be included.
  

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• Medicines – When it comes to survival, medicines are also one of the important survival supplies needed at home. The following over the counter drugs must be stored: antacids, pain killers or antacids, syrup of ipecac for poisoning, laxatives, anti diarrhea and such. Families must also not forget to store emergency prescription medications particularly for family members with serious health conditions. Medications are difficult to be acquired during emergencies, it is important to be prepared making medication a priority on the lists for survival.
• First Aid Kit – During emergencies, there is a high probability for individuals to be injured perhaps from fallen debris or to become sick. Aside from the medicine listed above, a first aid kit is also needed for such emergency cases. This is especially applicable for stormy weather because paramedics are expected to be delayed to respond. First aid is a prompt health care solution for health issues during emergencies and while waiting for or in the absence of a medical health team response.According to the American Red Cross, each family must have a first aid kit that consists of sterile gloves, sterile dressing, bandages in different size, 3×3 sterile gauze pads, cohesive bandage, alcohol, antiseptic wipes, anti-bacterial ointment, medical non-latex gloves, cold packs, tweezers and scissors.

  You might also want to include:
  • Band-aids
  • Adhesive tapes and Gauze pads
  • Disinfectant pads
  • Medical tweezers
  • Surgical scalpel or razor
  • Antihistamine and Epinephrine for allergic reaction, commonly to insect bites or stings
  • Aspirin
  • Oral rehydration powder
  • Multivitamins
  • Oxytetracycline tablets for infection or diarrhea

  A simple wound can cause infection and without first aid, it can lead to serious complications. This is why a first aid kit is included on the list of ultimate survival gear needed for the home.

• Other Tools and Supplies – Families must prepare disposable plates and utensils, metal cups, bathroom tissue, garbage bags for proper disposal and hygiene products such as soap, feminine products, and toothpaste. When it comes to clothing, family members must include preparing emergency clothing, at least 2-3 pairs and waterproof footwear.Other essential tools and supplies used during emergency scenarios can help a person to survive or signal for help. When choosing your own survival essential supplies, it is important to buy ones that are a priority. Buy matches or any fire starters that are affordable and waterproof. Do not forget to buy a multi-tasking knife; it is useable for many things. Get a flashlight with long lasting batteries plus extra batteries because it is useful at night or in dark places. In some cases, nylon wires and fishhooks are also emergency supplies to help catch fish to relieve hunger.

  Do not forget to include diapers for infants, sleeping bags for each family member, thermal underwear, rain gear and blankets. When it comes to tools, store items that are non-electric like can opener, pliers, wrench, whistle, compass, plastic containers, signal flare, and writing equipments. In addition, families must not forget to store battery powered radios to be updated of news or signs of rescue.

Although law does not require you to have the survival gear, emergency experts encourage every household to prepare these essential gears at home because it is one of the best defenses in terms of surviving emergency disasters.

There are many health care professionals that will tell you that increasing the level of organic food in your diet can add years to your life. The easiest way for many people to obtain the benefits to organic food consumption is to add organic foods to their diet on a regular basis.

There are many benefits to organic food consumption that can be realized by eating and preparing organic food instead of eating the high fat, high calorie foods that are sold as convenience foods.

Improving Your Health

There are many health benefits to organic food consumption that are attributed to eating organic foods on a regular basis. People that obtain the benefits to organic food consumption tend to be closer to their target weight and do not exhibit the weight related problems that many people that are considered to be over weight have to contend with on a daily basis. Many benefits to organic food consumption involve the lower amount of calories found in organic foods, helping the person that is trying to moderate their intake of calories as well as assisting the person in losing or maintaining their weight.

People that consume organic food also tend to have less heart related problems during their lifetime. Obtaining the benefits to organic food consumption by eating organic foods on a regular basis reduces the risk of developing many different heart related illnesses, including heart attack and stroke, and reduces the person’s risk of developing heart disease. If a person needs more help, their doctor may prescribe them a medication that is specially formulated to reduce the toxins and bad cholesterol in the body.

Additional Benefits To Organic Food Consumption: It Is Delicious!

Many people that decide to enjoy the benefits to organic food consumption immediately think that they will have to eat bland and tasteless foods in order to increase the amount of organic food in their diets. The truth is that it is very easy to obtain the benefits to organic food consumption by finding foods that you will enjoy because many of the foods that we encounter everyday can be found as an organic food; it just depends on how the food was grown. For example, most types of fruits and vegetables can be an organic food option if obtained from a farm that uses organic food growing processes.

Image courtesy of zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Not too long ago, coffee was not considered as a health drink because of its high caffeine content. There were studies saying that coffee could be associated with cancer. This prompted people to avoid drinking the caffeinated drink.

A few years after that study, researches have recounted the research saying that the earlier research is flawed. But now, more and more studies show that coffee—in moderation—can be considered as a health drink because of the number of benefits one can enjoy from drinking it.

Harvard researchers are saying that coffee, when drank regularly, can be a cure for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer. It could even improve your mood and treat daily headache problems. It could even be drank to lower risk of cavities.

Research shows that regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent less likely to have Parkinson’s disease. While 2-cups-a-day drinkers can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 25 percent and 80 percent in liver cirrhosis risk. It can even slash the risk of gallstones by half. There are even studies showing that people who smoke and drink heavily, have less heart and liver damage because of their coffee intake.

So, what causes these benefits? It is the anti-oxidants, and surprisingly from the caffeine also. Currently, drugs for curing Parkinson’s disease are being developed. These drugs have a derivative of caffeine as their component. Coffee also has chlorogenic acid and tocophenols which are antioxidants. These mineral components can improve insulin sensitivity. When we talk about insulin sensitivity, it is the body’s response to insulin.

There were studies conducted in Europe citing that the trigonelline, the compound which is why coffee smells good and has bitter taste, also has benefits. It can be both antibacterial and anti-adhesive. These prevent the formation of dental cavities.

Enjoy that cup of Joe

In most workplace settings, a normal person can consume at least four cups of steaming brewed coffee in a day. In most countries, coffee is considered as a staple drink. In fact, all over the world, people have their specialty coffee from beans that only grow and can be found in that part of the globe.

Nowadays, a lot of people are becoming more aware about what they are actually buying and how it is grown. One of the most noticeable trends is organic coffee. This type of coffee is very similar to regularly grown coffee, the only difference is the method by which the farmer grew the coffee. The process does not include pesticides, chemicals, and other substances except the ones found in nature where the coffee beans are grown.

Today, coffee — whether its organic or not—is considered by many people as a health drink because it is believed to contain more antioxidants in one typical serving compared to that of other juices such as grapes, oranges, raspberries, and blueberries. In fact, more and more dieticians agree that coffee can be a good alternative for commercial health drinks because it can bring benefits that can be good for a person’s overall health. Here’s a list of what coffee—as a health drink—can do for the coffee lovers out there.

1. Excellent source of anti-oxidant. A cup of coffee is believed to be loaded with tannin and antioxidants that are beneficial in keeping diseases away and can help achieve a healthier skin. Certain properties of coffee are believed to help control the cell damage which leads to the development of certain diseases.
2. Good for the cardiovascular system. Experts agree that coffee contain properties that are good for the heart and its arteries. It also helps improve the circulation of blood within the person’s heart.
3. An alternative headache and asthma reliever. People who consume enough amount of caffeine are known to reduce risks of possible asthma attacks because the caffeine is believed to be a good pain buster.
4. Promotes healthy liver. Aside from reducing the risk of several serious cardiovascular illnesses, coffee is believed to bring about healthy benefits to the liver especially those who have cirrhosis and gallstones.
5. Controls sugar levels among diabetics. Coffee is known to be a good source of “chlorogenic acid,” that are proven to reduce large amounts of glucose concentrations in the blood. People who are prone to diabetes can consume larger quantities of coffee because it greatly helps in the prevention of diabetes.
6. It can boost to athleticism. As a health drink, drinking coffee can be a good way to boost one’s athleticism because of its high caffeine content. Experts agree that caffeine can enhance the athletic endurance and performance of an athlete, what more in an ordinary person?

But can everybody drink coffee?

Unfortunately, not everybody can drink coffee. People with bladder and kidney problems, existing diabetes, gallstones, heart problems, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia and generalized panic and /or anxiety attacks should avoid drinking coffee altogether. Avoiding drinking coffee is also advised to pregnant women and those with high risk of osteoporosis.

For pregnant women, if coffee cannot be avoided, then it is recommended just to drink one to two cups a day. Infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight among babies are the primary reason why pregnant women are recommended against drinking coffee.

Excessive caffeine intake can also lead to nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat. The caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, making the adrenal glands work overboard. Osteoporosis patients are also advised against coffee. Coffee reduces the capability of bones to absorb the necessary minerals, making the bones weak and in risk of osteoporosis. But the effects can be reduced if milk is mixed with coffee.

For some people, coffee can also be addictive. People who have stopped drinking coffee experience withdrawal symptoms. They would get headaches, less energy and alertness, difficulty in being focused, get irritated easily and sometimes even get depressed.

Over caffeine consumption can also have an impact on your skin, since it increases the risk of developing stretch marks. Caffeine may also play a role in weight gain. Although, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers may lose weight in the short-term, but in a longer period of time, coffee can lead to weight gain.

Coffee both has good and bad effects. Similar to other beverages and food, once it is taken in big amounts, then it is likely that they may have undesirable effects to your body. Whether coffee can be considered as a health drink, it is up to you to make the choice.

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I know this because I’ve been an investigative journalist and activist in the natural health industry for over a decade. Natural News is arguably the most-read natural health news website in the world, reaching millions of readers a month. I’ve walked the floors of countless trade shows, conducted hundreds of interviews and spent tens of thousands of dollars on laboratory tests to determine what’s in these products. On top of that, I’m deep into organic product formulations and certified organic food production, serving as the supervisor of a USDA-certified organic food production and packing facility.

When I look around the natural products industry, I see examples of super honest, high-integrity companies like Nature’s Path and Dr. Bronner’s. I also see an alarming number of cheats, crooks and charlatans who are only involved in the industry to profit from the explosion of interest in health supplements. In truth, some nutritional products are downright dangerous to your health. My role as a journalist and activist is to help you tell the difference between products that are GOOD for you vs. products that might actually be toxic. Because ultimately, I want you to be healthy, vibrant, intelligent and active. I want you to enjoy life and improve the quality of your life.

Be prepared to be shocked in reading what follows. After reviewing this list, you will probably throw out quite a few products in your refrigerator and pantry. Very few people are willing to tell you the truth revealed here, so some of this may come as a complete shock (see #1 and #2, below).

#1) Maltodextrin (from GM corn)

Let’s start out with the big one first: If you pick up a natural product and the ingredients list says “maltodextrin,” chances are very high that the maltodextrin in the product is derived from Monsanto’s GM corn.

Virtually all the maltodextrin used throughout the natural products industry is genetically modified. Products that are certified USDA organic, however, are not using GMO maltodextrin.

The non-GMO, non-corn replacement for maltodextrin derived from GM corn is tapioca maltodextrin, and you’ll find tapioca starch / maltodextrin in many certified organic, non-GMO products. Corn maltodextrin should be avoided unless it’s certified USDA organic. Look for tapioca maltodextrin instead (or no maltodextrin at all).

#2) Vitamin C / acorbic acid (from GM corn)

Here’s another whopper that’s sure to open some eyes: Nearly all the “vitamin C” sold in vitamins across America right now is derived from GMO corn.

This means that many of the supplements sold at Whole Foods, the vitamins sold on Amazon.com, the pills at your local pharmacy, and especially the products at the grocery store are (nearly) all routinely made with genetically modified vitamin C. It’s typically called “ascorbic acid,” and nearly 100% of the ascorbic acid used in the natural products industry is derived from GMOs.

Sourcing non-GMO vitamin C requires you to go outside the United States. There is no existing supply chain of certified organic, non-GMO ascorbic acid available anywhere in America (at least not to my knowledge). You can’t even run batches of non-GMO ascorbic acid production in the USA because all the facilities are contaminated with residues of GM corn.

Rest assured that all those cheap “vitamin C” pills sold at retail are derived from genetically modified corn.

#3) Hexane-extracted soy and rice proteins

Nearly 100% of the “natural” soy proteins and rice proteins sold in the USA are extracted in China using a hexane extraction method. This is true for brown rice protein superfoods as well as the soy protein used in nearly all so-called “protein bars.”

Here’s a list of many of the protein bar brands currently using soy protein:

http://www.naturalnews.com/032862_soy_protein_food_bars.html

Hexane is a highly explosive chemical. It is not only extremely hazardous to the environment, there may also be trace amounts of hexane left remaining in the resulting protein products. My understanding is that hexane extraction is not allowed in certified organic proteins, so if you have a choice, go for certified organic instead of just “natural” (which means nothing anyway).

Hexane extraction, by the way, is also used in the manufacture of textured vegetable protein (TVP). Read more about TVP here:

http://www.naturalnews.com/033728_TVP_textured_vegetable_protein.html

#4) High levels of Aluminum in detox products

Natural News helped expose high aluminum levels (over 1200ppm) in a popular detox liquid, causing the main U.S. distributor to issue a “recall” notice and provide over $1 million in refunds to customers.

The manufacturer of this product, Adya Clarity, intentionally and knowingly deceived consumers by mislabeling the product and not mentioning the 1200ppm of aluminum it contained. The FDA seized some of the products and ran its own lab tests, confirming the high aluminum level as well as identifying multiple labeling violations.

Adya Clarity is just one of many so-called “detox” products containing alarming levels of aluminum and other metals. Ingesting these in order to “detox” your body may be harmful to your health. This experience also proves you can’t always trust health products sold through online webinars, where manufacturers can ignore labeling laws and fabricate false claims. Buyer beware when it comes to metals in detox products that claim seemingly magical results.

#5) Lead and arsenic in herbs from China

China is the most polluted nation on the planet (by far), yet many fruits, vegetables and herbs are grown in China and exported to North America for use in natural products.

High levels of lead and arsenic are routinely found in various food, supplement and herbal products from China. I’m not concerned about 1ppm or lower, by the way, of heavy metals like lead and mercury. Even aluminum isn’t necessarily a problem when found organically grown inside foods that test at higher levels such as 150ppm. But when lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium get to high saturation levels (or are present in inorganic forms), it makes the products potentially a source of heavy metals poisoning for consumers.

Astonishingly, many of the small and medium-sized companies that import and retail products from China conduct no metals testing whatsoever. I know this as a fact because I’ve talked to people doing this.

For the record, everything packed under my own brand name (Health Ranger Select) and sold at the Natural News Store is independently tested by us to ensure full product safety and regulatory compliance.

#6) Inorganic minerals in cheap vitamins

Would you eat iron filings and call it nutrition? The majority of people don’t know that most of the cheap vitamins sold today are made with iron filings. “Scrap metal,” almost.

The calcium found in cheap vitamins is often just ground-up seashells, and magnesium is often sold as cheap magnesium oxide which may be completely useless to your body’s cells. If you’re buying mineral supplements, you may be wasting your money unless the minerals are in the right form: Magnesium orotate or malate, for example.

When it comes to mineral supplements, you’ll often find trace levels of scary things like barium and lead in liquid supplements, but these are typically at such low levels (ppb) that they are no real concern. But the No. 1 best source for all minerals is, not surprisingly, fresh plants. If you really want to boost your minerals, feed ‘em to sprouts or garden plants, then eat or juice those plants. Your body wants “organic” minerals from plants, not inorganic minerals from rocks.

#7) Carrageenan?

The Cornucopia Institute, a highly-effective food activism group that we’ve long supported, recently published a warning about carrageenan in foods. Cornucopia says carrageenan is linked to “gastrointestinal inflammation, including higher rates of colon cancer, in laboratory animals.”

It goes on to report:

Given its effect on gastrointestinal inflammation, Cornucopia urges anyone suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome/IBS, spastic colon, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, etc.) to consider completely eliminating carrageenan from the diet to determine if carrageenan was a factor in causing the symptoms.

Personally, I have never had any problem with carrageenan, and given that it’s derived from seaweed, I also didn’t mind the source. I actually consume quite a lot of carrageenan in Blue Diamond almond milk, which I drink when I’m too busy to make my own raw almond milk. And I’ve never had a problem with it whatsoever. So from my personal experience, I don’t see carrageenan as a worrisome ingredient, but I do understand that some people experience it differently, and it may be troublesome for people whose digestive systems are more sensitive than my own.

For the record, I definitely don’t consider carrageenan to be anywhere near as worrisome as, say, aspartame, GMOs or MSG.

#8) Acrylamides

Acrylamides are cancer-causing chemicals produced during the cooking of carbohydrates. Fried snack chips, for example, contain acrylamides. They don’t have to be listed on labels because they are technically not “ingredients.” They are chemicals produced during cooking or frying. Consuming acrylamides increases kidney cancer risk by 59 percent.

The FDA has published an extensive reference guide on acrylamide levels in foods, revealing that french fries have the highest levels of all. But they are also present in prune juice and even breakfast cereals.

A bag of organic snack chips can have just as many acrylamides as a bag of conventional snack chips. This is why fried snack chips should be eaten only sparingly, or never at all. I’m guilty of eating some of these chips myself from time to time, but I limit the quantity and make sure I’m taking chlorella or other superfoods at the same time to counteract the acrylamides.

Interestingly, it turns out that vitamin C blocks acrylamides from causing damage to your body. But if your vitamin C is from a GMO source (see above), you may want to rethink that strategy. Natural citrus juice, rose hips or even camu camu berry powder is a much better choice of natural, full-spectrum vitamin C.

If you eat fried foods of any kind, make sure you ingest a lot of vitamin C, astaxanthin and chlorella before and after your meal or snack.

#9) Hidden MSG / yeast extract

Hidden MSG is a huge issue across the natural products industry. Pick up almost any veggie burger, and you’ll find it’s made with yeast extract, a hidden form of MSG (monosodium glutamate).

Yeast extract is unbelievably prevalent in the food industry because it looks nicer on the label than “MSG.” Most people are trained to avoid MSG, but yeast extract slips by, so food manufacturers put it into canned soups, dip mixes, snack chips, microwave dinners and especially in vegetarian products, many of which are so loaded with chemicals and additives that I won’t dare touch them. Just because a food says “vegetarian” doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Hidden MSG is also labeled as “autolyzed yeast extract” or “torula yeast” or even “hydrolyzed vegetable protein.”

#10) Fluoride in green tea

Green tea is famous for being contaminated with high levels of fluoride. This is frustrating, because green tea is phenomenally good for your health. It has been proven to lower “bad” cholesterol levels, and it may even help prevent cancer and neurological disorders. It’s probably one of the healthiest beverages you can ever drink.

The tea plant that produces green tea just happens to uptake a huge amount of fluoride from the soils. So when there’s fluoride present in those soils, the green tea will have a surprisingly high concentration, sometimes as much as 25ppm.

An interesting article on this issue is found at Toxipedia.org:

http://toxipedia.org/display/toxipedia/Fluoride+Content+in+Tea

While this fluoride in green tea might not be a health hazard all by itself, the governments of the world seem insistent on pumping even more synthetic, chemical fluoride into the water supplies, thereby creating a high risk for fluorosis. Adding green tea to the fluoride consumption you might experience from tap water is a recipe for disaster: brittle bones, discoloration of teeth and even cancer.

The final “dirty little secret” of the natural products industry

Finally, there’s one more secret you need to know about. Most importers, packers, vendors and retailers of natural products foolishly trust the lab results provided by the manufacturers and exporters!

So a typical U.S. company that sells, for example, pomegranate powder on the internet may never conduct their own tests for lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and aluminum. They will simply take the lab tests provided by the manufacturer and consider those to be absolute fact!

This is extraordinarily foolish. Growers and exporters routinely lie about their lab tests in order to pull the wool over the eyes of importers, formulators and retailers. The lab tests are easily faked or simply bought off in their home country. Contaminated products can be easily sold and exported because the FDA doesn’t routinely check imported raw materials for heavy metals contamination.

On the good news side, I do know for a fact that all the higher-end retailers such as Natural News, Mercola, Gary Null, etc., all routinely test their raw materials for contaminants. I’m pretty sure Gaia herbs (www.GaiaHerbs.com) routinely tests all their batches, and I know that VitaCost, before it changed hands a few years ago, was running their own lab to test raw materials on-site (for their in-house formulations). But I also know of smaller retailers who absolutely do not test anything and are far more interested in moving boxes than knowing what’s really in them. I also know that some operations are claiming to sell “organic” products even though they do not have any kind of organic certification, and that’s an irresponsible practice that should be rectified. (Look for the USDA organic logo when you buy “organic” products. If they don’t have the logo, they aren’t really organic.)

So once again, buyer beware. You need to be asking for lab test results on anything from China, and it’s good to ask for them on just about everything else as well. For our part, Natural News Store is already in the process of building a mechanism where we can post lab results for all the batches we import, pack and retail. We reject anything with high levels of metals, which is why it took us so many months to secure a really clean source of chlorella.

Article written by Mike Adams
Natural News

Monsanto Protection Act Proves Corporations More Powerful Than US Government

We’ve seen similar scenarios in the past, events in which the massive financial power of multi-national corporations is able to buy out legislators who were elected to ‘represent’ voters. But now, Monsanto has set the bar even higher. Instead of just getting a few kickbacks or avoiding USDA regulation, Monsanto lobbyists have gone as far as to generate legislative inclusions into a new bill that puts Monsanto above the federal government.

It’s called the Monsanto Protection Act among activists and concerned citizens who have been following the developments on the issue, and it consists of a legislative ‘rider’ inside (Farmer Assurance Provision, Sec. 735) a majority-wise unrelated Senate Continuing Resolution spending bill. You may already be aware of what this rider consists of, but in case not you will likely be blown away by the tenacity of Monsanto lobbyist goons.

If this rider passes with the bill, which could be as early as this week, Monsanto would have complete immunity from federal courts when it comes to their ability to act against any new Monsanto GMO crops that are suspected to be endangering the public or the environment (or considered to be planted illegally by the USDA). We’re talking about courts that literally can do nothing to Monsanto if it’s found that their newest creation may be promoting cancer, for example. Whether it’s a GMO banana or an apple, Monsanto could continue planting the food abomination all it wants under court review.

Food Democracy Now has launched a petition on the subject, explaining:

“The Monsanto Protection Act would strip judges of their constitutional mandate to protect consumer rights and the environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new untested genetically engineered crops.”

What really enraged Monsanto was the incident back in 2010, when a federal judge actually revoked Monsanto’s approval to plant GMO sugar beets due to environmental concerns. This is exactly what Monsanto intends to stop, literally becoming more powerful than federal courts in their conquest to monopolize the entire food chain.

What really enraged Monsanto was the incident back in 2010, when a federal judge actually revoked Monsanto’s approval to plant GMO sugar beets due to environmental concerns. This is exactly what Monsanto intends to stop, literally becoming more powerful than federal courts in their conquest to monopolize the entire food chain.

Monsanto Overcomes US Government
Monsanto has literally gotten away with murder ever since it was founded way back in 1901. Very few people actually realize the history of this company. Not many activists realize that this is the same company that was responsible, along with Dow Agrosciences, for creating Agent Orange. Created for the US military to be used during Vietnam as a ‘defoliant’ (really used for incognito chemical warfare operations which affected both allied and enemy troops), the concoction that was Agent Orange consisted of a medley of highly toxic ingredients including dioxin — a type of toxic substance considered to be one of the deadliest on the planet.

Agent Orange, from Monsanto, killed 400,000 people and led to 500,000 children born with troubling birth defects. And in addition to those stats 1 million were rendered disabled or at least suffer from health issues from Agent Orange exposure. This includes US soldiers.

So what happened to Monsanto after they designed a ‘defoliant’ that was actually a deadly chemical weapon that killed, maimed, and ruined lives of innocents and US soldiers? Monsanto issued a truly heart-felt statement that their Agent Orange wasn’t really that dangerous despite all of the evidence that is now accepted as fact:

“We are sympathetic with people who believe they have been injured and understand their concern to find the cause, but reliable scientific evidence indicates that Agent Orange is not the cause of serious long-term health effects.”

Oh, and they settled for what amounts to chump change in order to silence the dying veterans, paying 45% of the 180 million dollar payout in order to make the veterans drop the charges. Then, of course, they eventually went on to make genetically modified crops and take over 90 plus percent of the GM seed market. A market that they have actually cornered by patenting their seeds, which India calls ‘biopiracy’. Before that, they mass produced plastics that we now know are morphing the hormones of consumers.

But let’s also not forget that Monsanto has so many ties inside the US government that it has managed to slip into a very comfortable position. Former Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto, Michael Taylor ultimately became a major head the FDA. Before that, Taylor conveniently worked specifically on Monsanto’s “food and drug law” practices. Specifically in regards to Monsanto’s cloned rBGH. But remember, this was before Monsanto decided to go for a more ‘blatant’ route.

Now, instead of just operating in the shadows, Monsanto is pushing a much bolder move with the Monsanto Protection Act. It not only sets a troubling precedent for Monsanto, but also for other bloated multi-national corporations that want to obtain higher authority and immunity from US courts.

Anthony’s article first appeared on NaturalSociety.com.

While it will take blood tests, an endoscopy and a biopsy to check if you have this disease it is very important to go through all of these things. However, you may know that you already have this disease before you receive the results of these tests. This is because the most common symptoms of celiac disease include poor appetite, inability to gain weight, irritability, swollen stomach, pale stools, vomiting and diarrhea in children. On the other hand, the most common symptoms in adults include constipation, abdominal bloating, weight loss and offensive diarrhea. Other minor symptoms in adults include depression, over-tiredness, mouth ulcers, skin rashes and bone pain.

Using Gluten Free Food To Treat Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is not a condition that can be cured. Rather, adhering to a strict gluten free food diet can reverse the effects caused by gluten to someone suffering from celiac disease. If you have this disorder, you really should consult with an expert dietitian for advice. They will be able to tell you if you need to supplement your diet with iron tablets, calcium and folic acid. These things are especially important whenever you are on a strict gluten free food because it is low in fiber.

What A Gluten Free Food Diet Consists Of

If you are on a gluten free food diet, then you will have to avoid foods such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, biscuits, cakes and pastries unless they are specifically labeled as being gluten free food. Of course, you may not expect this to also be true of such foods as soups, fried food, cooking oils, beers, alcohol, mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce and malt vinegar but it is. You also need to be careful whenever you are eating oats as they may have been cross-contaminated by other grains and thus contain some gluten. The safest gluten free foods include fruit, vegetables, salads, rice, maize and nuts. Other things that are fine include chicken, red meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.

Go Foods Global Gluten Free Pack

The GO Gluten Free Pack consists of 24 pouches of our gluten-free products including Natural Oatmeal, Cheddar Broccoli Soup, Southwest Tortilla Soup, Sweet Corn Chowder, Potato Cheddar Soup, Western Potato Chowder, Au Gratin Potatoes, Chicken Cheddar Rice, Santa Fe Fiesta Rice, Seasoned Mashed Potatoes, and the Tropical Fruit Mix.

Many of the GoFoods Global products are gluten free, so look for the icon if gluten is a concern in your diet.

GoFoods CEO/President, Brad Stewart, discusses in this audio the GoFoods commitment to Non-GMO and Gluten Free products in our food line.

1. Discuss the idea with your family, your partner or your roommates but do it rationally, calmly so that they don’t think you are off your rocker. After all, if and when you find yourself in that emergency situation, it is not as though they won’t need to eat and drink so they might as well listen.

2. Pack a small bag with the things you will need in the event that disaster strikes and you are not at home. Just in case you get tempted and become wayward, we are talking about a small bag here, ideally something you won’t have to throw into the trunk of your car; something that will fit in somewhere in your office desk.

In this bag, make sure you have a pair of walking shoes, water (1 bottle, not half a dozen), an extra shirt, sunglasses, a bandanna, a flashlight, a small radio and some energy bars. You bring this bag with you wherever you go. You do not leave it in the car five floors away from your workplace.

3. Collect your supplies and store them. Do not put them in the basement and forget they ever existed. Unlike tax returns, they need to be visited and changed regularly. Yes, regularly, maybe once in two months check them out and change the ones that are too near their expiration date.

Food is your greatest dependency and having a storable food reserve is a pretty simple matter that can make a huge difference for you and your family.

4. Apart from your get your small survival bag ready, get your bigger, main survival bag. This is the bag that has the things you need to survive for three days but you still have to be very discriminating about the things you put in your bag. A rule of the thumb to follow where two items serve the same purpose, the lighter and smaller item gets in.

5. Plan a route for evacuating and master it. Map out the surface streets you need to go through in case the freeways are closed. While you’re at it, make an alternate route. Have the map ready and in your bag. Once you are under pressure, it becomes easy to forget names of streets, the number of the exit you are supposed to take. You could even be in such a panic you might forget your name.

6. Be ready with sanitation supplies. Good wipes, tissue paper, hand sanitizers –all these are necessities you don’t want to forget.

7. Get a good medicine kit together – not a cute white bag with cute little band aids. Be ready with good plaster, elastic bandage, alcohol, antibiotic cream and disinfectant.

8. If it is possible, learn how to operate a ham radio. If there is no electricity and cell sites are destroyed, your only way of getting in touch with people in other places will be a ham radio.

9. Try to be as healthy as you possibly can be. Remember, fainting won’t work. The age of chivalry is dead and people who faint get relieved of the contents of their pockets and bags.

10. In the meantime, read, study and practice your survival skills. Go on with life as usual. Do not start wearing your fatigues. Unless they come in your favorite shade of pink.

All of these concerns and information awareness have led to a growth in the organic food industry. The trend for growth in the organic food industry has been shown by the market increasing from about one billion dollars in 1990 to about twenty billion dollars in 2007. This is a huge trend for growth in the organic food industry, and has peaked the interest of marketers in different areas across the food and health care world. The organic food industry trends look like they will continue moving in the direction of increasing the market for these products.

What Organic Means

When an individual buys organic food, it means a variety of different things.

• Organically grown foods mean that there are not conventional pesticides that are used get rid of the insects that might plague the crops. These pesticides are made of synthetic and toxic chemicals that leave a residue on the crops, as well as being absorbed into them as they grow.
• Sewage sludge is also not used to fertilize crops since that is also a terrible means of fertilization and can cause some serious illnesses, as evidenced by some vegetable recalls in recent years.
• Buying organic food also means that the individual can be sure that additives and preservatives are not used in producing the crops. These additives and preservatives are also chemicals that are synthetically made and have been shown in studies to cause detrimental effects to human beings.
• Buying organic food means that the animals were not raised with the antibiotics and hormones that are used in the traditional means of ranching. Instead they are fed on organic foods so that they are raised as close to their natural state as possible. In addition, these animals in most cases have not been genetically modified which can also cause some issues to human beings that consume products made from these animals.

Pricing and Availability

The price of organic foods is usually much higher than the prices of the products that are produced from traditional means. The reason for this is that natural and organic food industry farmers and ranchers have to use different methods so that they can produce the same amounts of food and make a profit. These methods require more care be taken of the fruit and vegetable production so that cheap but toxic chemicals for fertilization and pesticides are not used, but the fruits and vegetables still grow healthy and strong.

Natural and organic food industry products used to only be available at the local farmer’s market or in health food stores that specialized in that type of product. Where it used to be impossible to find organically grown foods in a grocery store in the past, today almost all grocery stores will carry at least some organically grown products in their produce and meat sections so that individuals have more of a choice in that area. The items will be marked organic or free range so that the consumer knows that they are buying organically grown or raised products. In addition, there are some restaurants that are now leaning toward natural and organic food industry products in their meals so that individuals can be assured that the food that they are eating at the restaurant is free of the toxins that they try to avoid by eating organically at home.

There are organic websites where individuals can find all sorts or resources on where to buy organically grown foods in their area, which includes farming supplies as well as restaurants and grocery store items. For example, see:

• The Cornucopia Institute
• Organic Consumers Association
• Forks Over Knives
• Farm Wars
• Natural News

There are some individuals who like to grow their own vegetables or to take care of their lawns organically, and these resources are also available online.

Another trend in the organic food industry is for natural ingredients to be used in other health care products such as skin care products. Instead of these products being made from petroleum based ingredients and other chemicals and preservatives; these products that are produced organically are using natural fruit and vegetable ingredients so that it is better for the skin.

Since there has been such a growth in the organic food industry, another trend is that there are more laws governing the production and labeling of organic foods as well as watch dog organizations who monitor how farmers and ranchers are producing their products. There are more and more products on the market today that are marked organic, but there was not a system in place to ensure that everyone was abiding by the same standards in marking their foods and products organic. Even with the watch dog organizations, individuals still need to be careful when buying these products from the natural and organic food industry to make sure that they do not claim to be organic but really only use one or two natural ingredients in the product.

More recently, people living on the east coast of the U.S. have endured Hurricane Sandy and now what some are calling the worst winter storm in history, winter storm Nemo. The governors of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New York all declared state of emergencies as snow dumped on the Northeast, and gusting winds swept through the region.

When one takes these things into consideration, it does seem as if it does make a lot of sense in preparing for disasters – even if you don’t undertake this with the same urgency as survivalists do. If you are entertaining the thought of being prepared for a disaster, here are some sensible urban survival tips for you to review and judiciously follow.

1. Determine the kind of immediate disaster you should be preparing for. If you are in earthquake prone areas, you should be ready to ensure that you and your family can survive earthquakes. If you are in flood prone areas then you need to study how you can be less vulnerable to flashfloods. If you feel that a nuclear disaster is what you should be preparing for then you should go ahead and look into the matter of how you can live out such a holocaust. Anyway no matter what disaster you prepare for, you will be gathering some basic supplies that are useful in any kind of disaster.

2. Once you know what you are preparing for, you are now ready to move on to assessing how ready you are to survive it. Your disaster preparedness should cover food, supplies, energy and communication, health, safety and your habitat. You can begin by assessing all these areas in terms of how well they can withstand the onslaught of catastrophes. Ask yourself if you have enough food, water and medicine to live out a crisis; if you have tools and equipment that can help you meet crises; if you have a space in your house that is safe in case of flood, earthquake or a nuclear fallout and also evaluate what ways you can use to communicate when phone lines are down, cell phones are out and nothing electronic works.

3. If you are serious about being prepared to survive disaster then you need to get your family or housemates or partner to be on the same page. Everyone in your intimate circle needs to work on this and it helps a lot when there are no deprecating smirks or ridiculing remarks. In addition, each member of the circle has to be responsible for some aspect of the preparations – even if it is only for making sure he or she has an individual survival bag.

4. Once everyone agrees that being prepared for disaster, establish a communication procedure that everyone will understand and follow. This includes steps to take should disaster strike at a time when people are in school or at work; identifying possible meeting places in case emergency and maybe even a buddy system.

5. Once everyone has agreed to take this undertaking seriously, it is time to get your stuff together. Draw up you’re a list of your survival supplies and assemble your bag. There are many resources that will tell you what things to collect and as you go through various lists, you will find that more than half of the stuff you need is probably already in your home. Involve everyone in making your survival list so you are conscious of special needs.

6. After you have your list and you know how to go about obtaining everything you need, begin with making your habitat safe or preparing an escape plan. This may make you feel as if you are creating another Noah’s ark but remember that Noah and his family did make it through the flood.

7. Finally, be healthy in all aspects: spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Exercise, get your shots updated, go to the doctor and make sure everything is fine. Of all urban survival tips, this last bit is probably the most timelessly useful and beneficial – whether there is a deluge or not – so get to it, pronto!

Basically, children have different cognitive responses to understand how important survival means compared to adults. According to some survival experts, children have difficultly absorbing the topic of ultimate survival, but with the aid of role playing methods that include basic survival drills; children can process and retain how important survival is. This is applicable for disasters whether man-made or natural ones. When it comes to role playing, make it simple and interactive so that children are able to participate and get fun out of the exercise.

Children do not have the brain structure and ability to sustain complex survival methods and strategies compared to adults. Given the fact that disasters do not affect people based on gender, age and especially the level of intellect, children may have different cognitive understanding and response but they can be taught the basic survival skills.

Here are some ways to teach and train survival lessons for children:

• Stop – When in danger or caught in an emergency scenario, try to incorporate the word stop to children. Stop means taking a deeper breath, staying calm and acknowledging the problem. Try to explain to them that it is impossible to undo the past, but looking forward to the future to survive is what must be thought of.
• Think – Children are commonly dismissed by adults when it comes to thinking on their own especially during stressful situations. However, children have a very wide understanding and imagination when it comes to survival. Try to develop and sharpen those cognitive skills by letting them know what to prevent during stressful situations, which is panic. Do not forget to emphasize to them the phrase “Don’t Panic”, instead think of a better way and act with caution. Panic can imbalance the young minds of children and eventually may lead to possible mistakes and injuries.
• Observe – One of the things that must be taught to children is to observe. Try to give them drills were they can assess and observe options that can enhance survival. This includes equipment, supplies, surroundings and personal capabilities to survive.
• Plan – Children can be taught to plan to survive and prioritize basic needs in dealing with the emergency situation and how to conserve the supplies and equipments wisely. Make sure to insert advice that a plan can be altered along the way and they must have a back-up plan every now and again until the rescue arrives.

You might consider using the abbreviation of the word “STOP” where “S” stand for stop, “T” is for think, “O” is for observe and “P” is for plan. This kind of method is simple yet easy to remember for children when they encounter a stressful scenario.

Knowing and understanding some basic survival skills can help an individual to survive in any emergency scenario even if they are young children.