Green Is Groovy

Make A Composting Toilet

2012-09-15T08:28:00.003-04:00

I think this is so interesting. I love the idea of water conservation.

This is a video of a better built compost toilet

Amazing Organic Weed Killer Spray.

2012-07-30T12:18:00.002-04:00

Credit to: http://homesteadsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/07/amazing-weed-killer-spray-recipe.html

1/2 gallon of Apple Cider Vinegar1/4 c table salt
1/2 tsp Dawn liquid dish soap
Mix and pour into a spray bottle

Spray weeds thoroughly.It makes 1 1/2 gallons for around $6.40
It worked better than Round Up & killed the weeds on first application. Safe to use a yard used by pets.

photo credit

Another option is to pour a pot of boiling hot water on weeds in gravel, driveways and sidewalks.
Basically anywhere your not worried about killing surrounding grass and plants.

Have a wonderful day taming those weeds.

If you know of another test method or recipe, please email us at Homesteadsurvival@hotmail.com and I will add it to this post.

We are learning together... we are both teachers and students.
I have learned so much from HS's readers.... Thank you so much.

Ten Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient and Ten Ways to Get There

2012-07-24T11:22:00.002-04:00

Here’s the same text cleaned of all HTML, properly formatted in plain text with logical paragraph breaks and consistent punctuation. *** **Credit:** Wake Up World and Activist Post **By Michael Edwards and Jeffrey Green** We are now three to five generations removed from the rural backbone that strengthened America. The world at large has undergone a similar transformation as the promise of easier work has created a migration to big cities. These mega-cities could be seen as an experiment gone awry, as general well-being has declined, with suicide rates increasing across the world. Crowded conditions and economic strife have led to rampant crime, pollution, corporate malfeasance, and a dog-eat-dog type of competition that can be described as a temporary insanity. The economic crisis we are living through has been the final straw for many people, as promises of a better, easier, and more creative life seem to have been sold to us by carnival-style tricksters who are laughing all the way to their bank. Here are the top reasons for becoming self-sufficient. These are based on fundamental, systemic concerns for why undertaking this life change is not just a passing trend, but a long-lasting means to achieve personal independence. *** ### 10 Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient 1. **Freedom from market manipulation** Traditional market-driven investment vehicles are increasingly controlled by traders and banking institutions. The failure of the private Federal Reserve Bank is just the icing on the cake after a decade of Ponzi-type schemes. Now the institutionalized looting of retirement money is being planned. 2. **Hedging against inflation** The price of goods continues to rise — even big box stores are quietly increasing prices. People may choose whether or not to buy stocks or gold, but everyone must eat. Rising food costs suggest hyperinflation ahead, and food shortages could make the problem exponentially worse. 3. **Increasing health and wellness** Some “organic” items have been falsely labeled while many “GMO-free” brands have been exposed as deceptive. GMO foods lack the nutritional value of what can be grown in a home garden. It’s time for people to take charge of their own food sources. 4. **Building community strength** Many people no longer know their neighbors due to long workweeks and fast-paced living. Creating local connections is crucial for mutual support, especially in unstable times. 5. **Working for yourself** Working hours are increasing, pay is decreasing, and executives take larger bonuses than ever. Even for those who aren’t in corporate jobs, creating work that belongs solely to you is deeply fulfilling. 6. **Having more free time** While farming once meant constant labor, methods like permaculture and aquaponics now allow for efficient, low-maintenance systems that can largely sustain themselves. 7. **Generating food and energy security** The planet is running short on food and traditional energy. Climate change, market manipulation, and GM foods are all contributing factors. Adopting energy from the air, sun, water, and geothermal sources reduces dependence on the grid. 8. **Acquiring an appreciation for life** Gardening, harvesting, and preparing food for family and neighbors fosters a deep sense of connection with nature and community. 9. **Restoring balance** Modern life is out of balance. Governments and institutions have failed to restore it. By reducing overconsumption and living more conscientiously, individuals can restore both financial and ecological harmony. 10. **Becoming a producer, not a consumer** Over 70% of the U.S. economy is based on consumption, an unsustainable imbalance. Producing your own food, clothes, or energy reverses that trend and promotes independence. As the saying goes: freedom is never free — but it certainly beats the alternative. *** ### 10 Ways to Get to Self-Sufficiency The global economic collapse has been eye-opening for many people. Rising costs of food and energy and ongoing inflation highlight the need for self-reliant lifestyles. Here are ten steps to get there: 1. **Reduce your debt** Especially credit card debt, which is largely exploitative. Ask lenders for better terms or repayment plans. If they refuse, consider ethical alternatives or seek financial advice. 2. **Reduce your consumption** Reevaluate spending habits. Distinguish between what you need and what you want, and cut excess. 3. **Reduce energy use** Use LED bulbs, unplug devices to prevent phantom power drain, and plan errands to save on fuel. 4. **Store energy** Keep backup propane and wood supplies. A generator, especially solar-powered, is a worthwhile investment. 5. **Invest in food storage** Treat stored food as a “food savings account.” Buy grains, canned goods, and seeds. Tools like dehydrators and vacuum sealers help preserve food effectively. 6. **Produce your own food** Replace lawns with gardens and fruit trees. Raise chickens, and forage for nuts, fish, and game. Always save garden seeds. 7. **Learn new skills** Explore free online courses in gardening, cooking, carpentry, renewable energy, and holistic health. 8. **Start a side business** Turn hobbies into supplemental income streams that may eventually replace your main job. 9. **Install alternative energy** Begin small — a solar hot water system, wood stove, or attic fan. Every step toward renewable energy adds resilience. 10. **Suggest solutions for your community** Join or create local cooperatives that emphasize sustainability and self-reliance. Share knowledge and work collectively toward independence. *** Every small action toward living simply decreases dependence on complex, toxic systems — and moves us closer to genuine independence. *** Would you like this text formatted further into a **printable article layout** (with headers, spacing, and title blocks), or kept as plain text for editing or quoting? Sources

Make Your Own Dr. Bronner's Laundry Soap

2012-06-10T10:14:00.002-04:00

Credit to: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/make-your-own-dr-bronners-laun-138151

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap claims 18 cleaning uses in one bottle. One of those is laundry soap. Want to know how to make your own using only a cup of Dr. Bronner's per 64 loads? Check it out:
This makes a full gallon of laundry soap, which will last 64 loads. Here's what you need:
DR. BRONNER'S HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP

1 cup Dr. Bronner's pure castile liquid soap

1 cup baking soda

2 cups water

1/3 cup salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Warm the water and mix with salt and baking soda until dissolved. Pour into a one-gallon container. Add the Dr. Bronner's and fill the remainder of the gallon jar with water. Use 1/4 cup of laundry soap per load.
This laundry soap doesn't create suds, but it doesn't need to in order to get your laundry clean.

•*¨*••*¨*•.¸¸❤¸¸.•*¨*❤*¨*•.¸¸❤¸¸.•*¨*••*¨*•

How to Make Liquid Compost

2012-05-24T09:47:00.003-04:00

Credit to: http://www.ehow.com/how_4883170_make-liquid-compost.html

By Nannette Richford, eHow Contributor

If you are in the habit of throwing your kitchen waste down the garbage disposal, you are wasting valuable nutrients that would make your flowers and vegetables thrive. Perhaps you do not have the time or space needed to build a compost bin, but that should not stop you. With a little effort, you can make liquid compost from those fruit vegetable scraps.

Instructions

Save fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, coffee grounds and any other organic matter in a small bucket or a large bowl. Avoid meats, fish, dairy or other fatty foods. Add leftover cooked vegetables, as long as they do not contain heavy seasoning or fatty sauces.

Place the scraps in the blender. Add any leftover water from cooking or add a little water to make blending easier.

Blend on high speed until the scraps are pureed. Add enough water to create a pourable mixture.

Pour into a bucket or pitcher. Add 2 tablespoons of ammonia and 1/2 teaspoon of Epsom salts per quart. Mix well. Apply to the soil around outside plants. This will provide a quick source of nutrients to your plants.

Tips & Warnings

Make a habit of blending the scraps on a daily basis. Make liquid compost when you clean out the refrigerator by blending all left over fruits and vegetables.

Plants by Type: herb

2012-05-21T14:45:00.002-04:00

All Credit To: http://www.almanac.com/plants/type/herb

We've chosen North America's most popular garden plants and provided "how to" gardening information to help you prepare, plant, and care for them.

For each plant, we've identified the hardiness zone, sun exposure, soil type, soil pH, pests and problems, harvest tips, recommended varieties, and special features. You'll also find recipes, free e-cards, and a dose of wit & wisdom. Just click on an image below to view that plant's growing guide.

Or, click the links below to browse by plant type:

Basil	Chives	Coriander and Cilantro
Dill	Mint	Oregano
Parsley	Rosemary	Sage
Tarragon	Thyme

How to purify water ~ Just in case....

2012-05-20T09:19:00.002-04:00

Boil water at a rolling boil for 10 minutes. A pinch of salt added to each quart of water improves taste. You can also purify water with two chemicals: chlorine bleach and iodine.

Chlorine bleach (unscented) such as Clorox or Purex. Check the label to be sure that hypochlorite is the only active ingredient. Do not use bleach that contains soap.

Use the following amounts:

1% chlorine - Add 40 drops of bleach/ gallon of water
4 to 6% chlorine - Add 8 drops of bleach/gallon of water
7 to 10% chlorine - Add 4 drops of bleach /gallon of water

Mix bleach into the water and let stand for 30 minutes. Water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn't, repeat the process and let the water stand for an additional 15 minutes.

Iodine. Iodine from your medicine chest can also be used to purify water. The iodine should be 2/United States Pharmocopeia(U.S.A.) Strength. Add 20 drops/gallon of clear water, and 40 drops/gallon of cloudy water.

Water purification tablets are available at drugstores. Follow manufacturer's directions.

- Disaster Preparedness Home Page -

Why Gardening Makes You Happy and Cures Depression

2012-05-16T09:49:00.002-04:00

With thanks to: http://permaculture.com.au/online/articles/why-gardening-makes-you-happy-and-cures-depression

Written by Robyn Francis

Robyn Francis

While mental health experts warn about depression as a global epidemic, other researchers are discovering ways we trigger our natural production of happy chemicals that keep depression at bay, with surprising results. All you need to do is get your fingers dirty and harvest your own food.

In recent years I’ve come across two completely independent bits of research that identified key environmental triggers for two important chemicals that boost our immune system and keep us happy - serotonin and dopamine. What fascinated me as a permaculturist and gardener were that the environmental triggers happen in the garden when you handle the soil and harvest your crops.

Getting down and dirty is the best ‘upper’ – Serotonin

Getting your hands dirty in the garden can increase your serotonin levels – contact with soil and a specific soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers the release of serotonin in our brain according to research. Serotonin is a happy chemical, a natural anti-depressant and strengthens the immune system. Lack of serotonin in the brain causes depression.

Ironically, in the face of our hyper-hygienic, germicidal, protective clothing, obsessive health-and-safety society, there's been a lot of interesting research emerging in recent years regarding how good dirt is for us, and dirt-deficiency in childhood is implicated in contributing to quite a spectrum of illnesses including allergies, asthma and mental disorders.

At least now I have a new insight into why I compulsively garden without gloves and have always loved the feeling of getting my bare hands into the dirt and compost heap.

Harvest 'High' - Dopamine

Another interesting bit of research relates to the release of dopamine in the brain when we harvest products from the garden. The researchers hypothesise that this response evolved over nearly 200,000 years of hunter gathering, that when food was found (gathered or hunted) a flush of dopamine released in the reward centre of brain triggered a state of bliss or mild euphoria. The dopamine release can be triggered by sight (seeing a fruit or berry) and smell as well as by the action of actually plucking the fruit.

The contemporary transference of this brain function and dopamine high has now been recognised as the biological process at play in consumers addiction or compulsive shopping disorder. Of course the big retail corporations are using the findings to increase sales by provoking dopamine triggers in their environments and advertising.

I have often remarked on the great joy I feel when I forage in the garden, especially when I discover and harvest the ‘first of the season’, the first luscious strawberry to ripen or emergence of the first tender asparagus shoot. (and yes, the photo is my hand plucking a deliciously sweet strawberry in my garden) I have also often wondered why I had a degree of inherent immunity to the retail-therapy urges that afflict some of my friends and acquaintances. Maybe as a long-term gardener I’ve been getting a constant base-load dopamine high which has reduced the need to seek other ways to appease this primal instinct. Though, I must admit with the benefit of hindsight, I now have another perspective on my occasional ‘shopping sprees’ at local markets buying plants for the garden.

Of course dopamine responses are triggered by many other things and is linked with addictive and impulsive behaviour. I suppose the trick is to rewire our brains to crave the dopamine hit from the garden and other more sustainable pursuits and activities. As a comment on PlanetDrum stated, “all addiction pathways are the same no matter what the chemical. As long as you feel rewarded you reinforce the behavior to get the reward.”

So in other words it all comes down to the fact that we can’t change our craving nature but we CAN change the nature of what we crave.

Strengthening the Case for Organic
Glyphosate residues deplete your Serotonin and Dopamine levels

Of course, for all of the above to work effectively and maintain those happy levels of serotonin and dopamine, there’s another prerequisite according to another interesting bit of research I found. It appears it will all work much better with organic soil and crops that haven’t been contaminated with Roundup or Glyphosate-based herbicides. This proviso also extends to what you eat, so ideally you’ll avoid consuming non-organic foods that have been grown in farmland using glyphosates.

A recent study in 2008 discovered that glyphosate, the active ingredient of Roundup, depletes serotonin and dopamine levels in mammals. Contrary to Monsanto claims, glyphosate and other Roundup ingredients do perpetuate in the environment, in soil, water, plants and in the cells and organs of animals. One study found glyphosate residues in cotton fabric made from Roundup-ready GM cotton can absorb into the skin and into our nervous and circulatory systems.

No wonder there’s so much depression around, and stress, and all the addictions and compulsive disorders in the pursuit of feeling good. I think back on when I moved to Sydney in 1984 for a few years and was contacting community centres in the inner west to see if there was interest in permaculture or gardening classes. A very terse social worker snapped at me “listen dear, we don’t need gardening classes, we need stress therapy classes”, and promptly hung up on me with a resounding “Huh!” when I replied that gardening was the best stress therapy I knew.

So enjoy the garden, fresh organic food and make sure you have fun playing in the dirt on a regular basis.

Robyn Francis 2010

Robyn Francis is an international permaculture designer, educator, writer and pioneer based at Djanbung Gardens, Nimbin Northern NSW. She is principal of Permaculture College Australia.

Here’s some interesting sites and extracts for further info and reading

Glyphosate Report PDF

fhrfarms1.com/docs/.../Gly%20monograph%20PANAP%204-10.pdf An in-depth and comprehensive report of independent research on impacts and effects of Glyphosate and Roundup published by Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific, Nov 2009

Soil Bacteria Work In Similar Way To Antidepressants

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/66840.php

UK scientists suggest that a type of friendly bacteria found in soil may affect the brain in a similar way to antidepressants. Their findings are published in the early online edition of the journal Neuroscience.

Soil bacteria can boost immune system

Harmless bug works as well as antidepressant drugs, study suggests

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18082129/

EXTRACT: Exposure to friendly soil bacteria could improve mood by boosting the immune system just as effectively as antidepressant drugs, a new study suggests.

The researchers suspect, however, that the microbes are affecting the brain indirectly by causing immune cells to release chemicals called cytokines. “We know that some of these cytokines can activate the nerves that relay signals from the body to the brain,” Lowry said in a telephone interview.

The stimulated nerves cause certain neurons in the brain to release a chemical called serotonin into the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain known to be involved in mood regulation, among other things.

Scientists think the lack of serotonin in the brain is thought to cause depression in people.

Previous studies have linked early childhood exposure to bacteria to protection against allergies and asthma in adulthood. The new finding take this idea, called the “hygiene hypothesis,” a step further, and suggests bacteria-exposure not only boosts our immune systems, but alters our vulnerability to conditions such as depression as well.

“These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health,” Lowry said. “They also leave us wondering if we shouldn’t all be spending more time playing in the dirt.”

“Selfish behaviors are reward driven and innate, wired deeply into the survival mechanisms of the primitive brain, and when consistently reinforced, they will run away to greed, with its associated craving for money, food, or power. On the other hand, the self restraint and the empathy for others that are so important in fostering physical and mental health are learned behaviors – largely functions of the new human cortex and thus culturally dependent. These social behaviors are fragile and learned by imitations much as we learn language". Dr. Peter Whybrow - "American Mania"

Some interesting insights and food for thought…

Status and Curiosity – On the Origins of Oil Addiction by Nate Hagens

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/4240

The various layers and mechanisms of our brain were built on top of each other, via millions and millions of iterations, keeping intact what 'worked' and adding on what changes and mutations helped the pre-human, pre-mammal organism incrementally advance. … We are, all of us, descended from the best of the best at surviving and procreating, which in the environment of privation and danger where we endured the most 'iterations' of our evolution, meant acquiring necessary resources, achieving status, and possessing brains finely tuned to natural dangers and opportunities. In our modern environment, it is the combination of pursuit of social status and the plethora of fun, exciting/novel activities that underlies our large appetite for oil.

research tells us that drugs of abuse activate the brain’s mesolimbic dopamine reward system, the neural network that regulates our ability to feel pleasure and be motivated for “more”. When we have a great experience… our brain experiences a surge in the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine. We feel positively charged, warm, ‘in the zone’ and happy. After a while, the dopamine gets flushed out of our system and returns to it's baseline level. We go about our lives, looking forward to the next pleasurable experience.

Hagens also muses that “There is anecdotal evidence that the typical american diet high in processed starches and sugar robs us of our baseline serotonin - the zen master of brain neurotransmitters. Lack of serotonin makes us more susceptible to cravings/behavioural changes and throws the reward machinery out of whack. Food we buy/eat is available at stores and restaurants because a)it is profitable b)it is convenient and c)it tastes good. I suspect that future changes in diet towards more vegetables and less processed food might improve our collective addictions/impulsivity.

The difference between open-pollinated, heirloom, and hybrid seeds

2012-05-10T09:18:00.001-04:00

ALL CREDIT TO: http://blog.seedsavers.org/open-pollinated-heirloom-and-hybrid-seeds/

The difference b

Deciding which seed to plant can be a daunting task, and the decision is often more complicated than simply trying to pick which beautiful tomatoes to grow. Among the more important decisions every gardener makes is the choice between open-pollinated, hybrid, and heirloom seed varieties. Each of these seed types has something to offer, depending on the gardener’s needs, interests, and values.

For seed-saving purposes, the most significant distinction among these types is that gardeners can save true-to-type seed from open-pollinated and heirloom varieties, but not hybrids. Here are a few more distinctions that might help you decide what to grow this season:

Open-pollination is when pollination occurs by insect, bird, wind, humans, or other natural mechanisms. Because there are no restrictions on the flow of pollen between individuals, open-pollinated plants are more genetically diverse. This can cause a greater amount of variation within plant populations, which allows plants to slowly adapt to local growing conditions and climate year-to-year. As long as pollen is not shared between different varieties within the same species, then the seed produced will remain true-to-type year after year.

An heirloom variety is a plant variety that has a history of being passed down within a family or community, similar to the generational sharing of heirloom jewelry or furniture. An heirloom variety must be open-pollinated, but not all open-pollinated plants are heirlooms. While some companies create heirloom labels based on dates (such as a variety that is more than 50 years old), Seed Savers Exchange identifies heirlooms by verifying and documenting the generational history of preserving and passing on the seed.

Hybridization is a controlled method of pollination in which the pollen of two different species or varieties is crossed by human intervention. Hybridization can occur naturally through random crosses, but commercially available hybridized seed, often labeled as F1, is deliberately created to breed a desired trait. The first generation of a hybridized plant cross also tends to grow better and produce higher yields than the parent varieties due to a phenomenon called ‘hybrid vigor’. However, any seed produced by F1 plants is genetically unstable and cannot be saved for use in following years. Not only will the plants not be true-to-type, but they will be considerably less vigorous. Gardeners who use hybrid plant varieties must purchase new seed every year. Hybrid seeds can be stabilized, becoming open-pollinated varieties, by growing, selecting, and saving the seed over many years.

So what’s it going to be—hybrid, open-pollinated, or heirloom varieties? While hybrids have their benefits, choosing open-pollinated varieties conserves the genetic diversity of garden vegetables and prevents the loss of unique varieties in the face of dwindling agricultural biodiversity. Furthermore, focusing on heirloom varieties creates a historical connection to gardening and food production, building a more sustainable future by carrying on our garden heritage. By choosing open-pollinated and heirloom varieties, you have the ability to help conserve biodiversity and to contribute to the stories behind our seeds.

Learn more about seed saving and SSE’s collection of heirloom vegetable seeds for sale in the Seed Savers Exchange Online catalog.

30 Most Popular Herbs for Natural Medicine

2012-05-07T15:21:00.004-04:00

Source Site: http://ybertaud9.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/30-most-popular-herbs-for-natural-medicine/

“the fruit of it shall be for eating and leaf of it for healing…” (Ezekiel 47:12)

Herbs are a wondrous thing. They not only assist in flavoring dishes and filling the air with delightful aromas, but they also hold medicinal properties that promote healing. Those of you who have herbal gardens of your own, no doubt have a few of these herbal friends already planted. Many of the plants listed below are also listed in my Top 10 Medicinal Herbs that should be in every garden. However, it seems that there are a few more worth mentioning.

Our Herbal Friends

Aloe Vera – Antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, wound and burn healer, natural laxative, soothes stomach, helps skin disorders.
Basil – Powerful antispasmodic, antiviral, anti-infectious, antibacterial, soothes stomach.
Black Cohosh – Relieves menopausal hot flashes, relieves menstrual cramps, helps circulatory and cardiovascular disorders, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol, useful for nervousness and stress. Note: Do not use during pregnancy.
Black Walnut – Good for eliminating parasites, good for fungal infections, good for warts and poison ivy, aids digestion.
Cinnamon – It has been proven that 99.9% of viruses and bacteria can not live in the presence of cinnamon. So it makes a great antibacterial and antiviral weapon.
Cayenne- Catalyst for other herbs, useful for arthritis and rheumatism (topically and internally), good for colds, flu viruses, sinus infection and sore throat, useful for headache and fever, aids organs (kidneys, heart, lungs, pancreas, spleen and stomach, increase thermogenesis for weight loss.
Clove Bud – Improves the immune system, they are also an antioxidant and doubles as an antibacterial and antimicrobial fighter.
Cypress – The therapeutic properties of cypress oil are astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic, deodorant, diuretic, haemostatic, hepatic, styptic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, respiratory tonic and sedative.
Dandelion – Helpful for PMS, good for menopause, increases ovarian hormones.
Echinacea (coneflower) – Boosts white blood cell production, immune system support, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, good for colds, flu and infection. Note: Use no more than two weeks at a time. Do not use if you are allergic to sunflowers or related species.
Eucalyptus – Anti-infectious, antibacterial and antiviral.
Garlic – Helps fight infection, detoxifies the body, enhances immunity, lowers blood fats, assists yeast infections, helps asthma, cancer, sinusitis, circulatory problems and heart conditions.
German Chamomile – Helps stress, anxiety and insomnia, good for indigestion, useful for colitis and most digestive problems, effective blood cleanser and helps increase liver function and supports the pancreas. Improves bile flow from the liver, it is good for healing of the skin that might come from a blistering chemical agent.
Geranium – Dilates bile ducts for liver detoxification, antispasmodic, stops bleeding, anti-infectious, antibacterial.
Ginger – Helps nausea, motion sickness and vomiting, useful for circulatory problems, good for indigestion, and is also an effective antioxidant.
Lavender – Assists with burns, antiseptic, used as a stress reliever, good for depression, aids skin health and beauty.
Lemon – Is known for its antiseptic properties, Essential Science Publishing says that: According to Jean Valnet, M.D. the vaporized essence of lemon can kill meningococcal bacteria in 15 minutes, typhoid bacilli in one hour, Staphylococcus aureus in two hours andPneumococcus bacteria within three hours. Lemon also improves micro-circulation, promotes white blood cell formation, and improves immune function.
Marjoram – Anti-infectious, antibacterial, dilates blood vessels, regulates blood pressure, soothes muscles.
Marshmallow – Aids bladder infections, diuretic (helps fluid retention), helps kidney problems, soothes coughs, sore throats, indigestion, and as a topical agent it is said to be anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and wound-healing.
Melissa – Assists in issues with the nervous system, blisters, and has antimicrobial properties.
Mullein – Can be used as a laxative, good for asthma and bronchitis, useful for difficulty breathing, helps hay fever.
Myrrh – Anti-infectious, antiviral, soothes skin conditions and supports immune system. Also an antispasmodic that helps to reduce spasming due to spasms caused by nerve agents.
Oregano – is a powerful antibiotic and has been proven to be more effective in neutralizing germs than some chemical antibiotics. It has been effective against germs like Staphylococcus aureas, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica and Pseudomonasaeruginosa.
Pine – Antidiabetic, cortisone-like, severe infections, hypertensive
Rosemary – Antiseptic, Antibacterial, Cleansing and detoxes the body. Supports the liver and combats cirrhosis.
Rosewood – Anti-infectious, antibacterial, and antiviral.
Sage – Used in anxiety, nervous disorders, as astringent, in abdominal disorders, anti inflammatory.
Spearmint – To calm the Nervous System, aide with Nerve Agents.
Tea Tree – Disinfectant, antibacterial, anti-fungal, burns, good for all skin conditions.
Thyme – Effective against Anthrax and Tuberculosis

Perhaps it is time that we begin taking more proactive steps in our physical well being. In the book, Natural Health Remedies: An A-Z Family Guide it states that natural medicine does not simply seek to suppress symptoms with drugs and so forth, but it attempts to discover and eliminate the root cause of disease. Even further, the author suggests that natural medicine teaches not only the treatment of disease but also itsprevention by instilling dietary and lifestyle habits that promote health.

Related Links:

Benefits of Raised Vegetable Garden Beds

2012-05-03T10:38:00.003-04:00

Well Folks, it's that time of year again when all good Hippies get dirt dirt under their nails. I love this cider-brick raised be idea only I would want mine 2-deep. Maybe next year. This year due to health issues I am going with the Pot Garden. It's all 'groovy' :) Garden on.....

Original Article Here: http://www.botanical-journeys-plant-guides.com/raised-bed-vegetable-garden.html

**Early planting. The soil in a raised garden bed warms up more quickly in the spring. This allows you to get your veges into the ground sooner and to harvest them weeks earlier. This becomes more meaningful the shorter your growing season.

**Less digging. The soil in raised vegetable garden beds does not have to be double dug every year. This is because you never step into the beds. The soil stays loose and friable. You can dig in some compost each season if you really feel a need to dig. Otherwise, just spread it on top of the soil and rake it in.

**Drainage. Because the soil is never compacted by your feet, it maintains perfect drainage.

**Productivity. Gardening in raised beds produces more food per square foot than raising vegetables in rows or in containers.

Especially if you build a raised bed garden that is 12 inches deep.

The soil is richer and plant roots can move freely through it. Your veges will not be constantly stubbing their toes on rocks and what not like they would be if planted into the native soil.

Vegetable Garden
Raised Bed Soil Management

In order to support the kind of intensive gardening you will surely want to do, the soil needs to be very fertile. Don't skimp on additives. Dig in copious amounts of composted manure when preparing the beds for their first planting season.

Thereafter, spread a generous layer of compost or composted manure atop the beds each spring before you replant them.

This is a good time to add some slow-release, organic fertilizer as well.

If your raised bed vegetable garden is in a lawn, it might be a good idea to line it with several layers of damp newspaper before adding the soil.

The newsprint will suppress weeds and grass. This is especially important in a shallow (6 inch) bed.
After the vegetables are planted, you will want to mulch the beds to regulate the soil temperature, hold in moisture and discourage any weed seeds that happen to wander in.

How Deep to Build a Raised Bed Garden

The standard depths of raised bed garden kits are 6 and 12 inches but there are deeper raised garden bed kits available. How deep your raised bed vegetable garden needs to be depends on what you intend to grow.

If you are not sure what you will be raising from year-to-year, install a 12 inch deep bed. The deeper bed will give you more leeway where plants are concerned.

6 Inch Vegetable Garden Bed Plants

Lettuce

Nasturtiums

Kale and most other greens

Most annual herbs

Parsley

Small chili pepper plants, the kinds that could grow in a 6 or 8 inch pot.

12 Inch Raised Bed Garden Vegetables

The deeper bed will allow you to grow all of the above plus:

Determinate tomatoes*

Eggplant

Sweet Potatoes

Beans

Squash

Melons

Sweet peppers

Cayenne Peppers or any other large chili

Carrots

*Indeterminate tomatoes really need a deeper bed to grow and produce well.

Where to Put a Raised Vegetable Garden Bed

The elevated raised bed in the photo above can be placed on a wooden deck or concrete patio. This is also an excellent raised bed design for someone with back or mobility problems.

The other raised bed vegetable gardens depicted on this page would not be suitable for use on a deck as the moisture and weight might damage the structure.

This will not be a problem on a concrete or slate surface.

If you are building a raised bed vegetable garden on a patio, be sure to place it a few inches from your home's wall so that air can circulate. If you wish to butt the raised bed up against the wall, waterproof the wall first.

When placing vegetable garden raised beds on a lawn, try to situate them on level ground. This is easier said than done as most lawns are not as flat as they appear to be.

Use soil, rocks or wood scraps to make the bed level before filling it with soil. Otherwise any water applied will run to 1 side and it will be difficult to maintain even moisture around the roots of your plants.

Video~ Groovy, Cheap & Easy Hoop/Green House

2012-04-23T10:10:00.002-04:00

I am going to do this!!!

Power of Community: How Cuba survived Peak Oil Crisis (slovenski podnapisi)

2012-04-18T12:13:00.001-04:00

This is an amazing video. Informative, encouraging....

Tomato Cage Made With PVC Pipe

2012-04-16T09:02:00.002-04:00

Instructions here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Tomato-Cage-with-PVC/

The 9 nastiest things in your supermarket

2012-04-15T12:23:00.000-04:00

Article here: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/the-9-nastiest-things-in-your-supermarket

By Rodale News

Photo: danieljordahl/Flickr

1. "Pink slime"

The gross factor: The meat industry likes to call it "lean finely textured beef," but after ABC News ran a story on it, the public just called it what it looks like — pink slime, a mixture of waste meat and fatty parts from higher-quality cuts of beef that have had the fat mechanically removed. Afterwards, it's treated with ammonia gas to killSalmonella and E. coli bacteria. Then it gets added to ground beef as a filler. Food microbiologists and meat producers insist that it's safe, but given the public's reaction to the ABC News report, there's an "ick" factor we just can't overcome. The primary producer of pink slime just announced that it's closing three of the plants where pink slime is produced, and Kroger, Safeway, Food Lion, McDonald's and the National School Lunch Program (among others) have all pulled it from their product offerings.

Eat this instead: Organic ground beef is prohibited from containing pink slime, per National Organic Program standards, so it's your safest bet. If you can't find organic, ask the butcher at your grocery store whether their products contain the gunk.

2. Vet meds in beef

The gross factor: Hankering for a burger? Besides a hefty dose of protein, a 2010 report from the United States Department of Agriculture found your beef could also harbor veterinary drugs like antibiotics, Ivermectin, an animal wormer linked to neurological damage in humans, and Flunixin, an anti-inflammatory that can cause kidney damage, stomach and colon ulcers, and blood in the stool of humans. Still hungry? We didn't think so.

Eat this instead: Look for beef from a local grass-fed beef operation that rotates the animals on fresh grass paddocks regularly, and inquire about medicine use. Typically, cows raised this way are much healthier and require fewer drugs. The meat is also more nutritious, too. If you're in the supermarket, opt for organic meats to avoid veterinary drugs in meat.

3. Heavy metal oatmeal

The gross factor: Sugary and calorie-laden, those convenient instant-oatmeal packets all have one thing in common. They're sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which, according to tests from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, may be contaminated with mercury. The group tested 55 samples of HFCS and found mercury in a third of them at levels three times higher than what the average woman should consume in a day.

Eat this instead: Buy yourself some instant oats, which cook in less time than it takes to microwave a packet of the sugary stuff, and add your own flavorings, like fresh fruit or maple syrup. And buy HFCS-free versions of other foods, as well. The artificial sweetener lurks in seemingly all processed foods.

4. Filthy shrimp

The gross factor: Food safety experts refer to imported shrimp as the dirtiest of the Seafood's Dirty Dozen list, and it's not hard to see why when you consider the common contaminants: Antibiotics, cleaning chemicals used in farmed shrimp pens, residues of toxic pesticides banned in the U.S., and pieces of insects. Less than 2 percent of all imported seafood is inspected — clearly, that's a problem.

Eat this instead: Look for domestic shrimp. Unfortunately, 70 percent of domestic shrimp comes from the Gulf of Mexico, and the recent oil spill may have long-term impacts on its shrimp stocks. But shrimp can be purchased from Texas, the East Coast, Maine and the Carolinas, so you still have options.

5. MRSA in the meat aisle

The gross factor: Hard-to-treat, antibiotic-resistant infections are no joke. Superbug strains like MRSA are on the rise, infecting 185,000 people — and killing 17,000 people — annually in the U.S. Thought to proliferate on factory farms where antibiotics are overused to boost animal growth, a January 2012 study from Iowa State University found that the dangerous organisms wind up in supermarket meat, too. The dangerous MRSA strain lingered in 7 percent of supermarket pork samples tested. The bacteria die during proper cooking, but improper handling could leave you infected. The spike in superbug infections is largely blamed on antibiotic abuse in factory farms that supply most supermarkets.

Eat this instead: The Iowa state researchers found MRSA in conventional meat and store-bought "antibiotic-free" meat likely contaminated at the processing plant. SearchLocalHarvest.org to source meat from small-scale producers who don't use antibiotics or huge processing plants.

6. Pregnancy hormones in a can

The gross factor: Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that acts like the hormone estrogen in your body, is used to create the epoxy linings of canned food. What food processors don't tell you is that the chemical was created over 70 years ago as a drug that was intended to promote healthy pregnancies. Though it was never used as a drug, the food industry saw no problem adding this pregnancy drug to a wide range of products, including canned food linings and plastic food containers. "Low levels of BPA exposure has been linked to a wide range of adverse health effects, including abnormal development of reproductive organs, behavior problems in children, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic changes that result in altered insulin levels, which leads to diabetes," says Sarah Janssen, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. And its use in canned food is the number one reason why 90 percent of Americans have it in their bodies.

Eat this instead: Look for products in glass bottles or aseptic cartons. Canned food manufacturers are in the process of switching over to BPA-free cans, but because those cans are produced in facilities that also produce BPA-based can linings, there's no way to keep BPA-free cans from becoming contaminated.

7. Bacteria-infused turkey

The gross factor: Turkey marinated in MRSA? It's true. A 2011 study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found that half of the U.S. supermarket meat sampled contain staph bacteria, including potentially lethal MRSA. Turkey was the worst offender: Nearly 80 percent of turkey products samples contain staph bacteria. Pork (42 percent) was next in line in terms of bacterial contamination, followed by chicken (41 percent), and beef (37 percent). Researchers ID the overuse of antibiotics as the culprit.

Eat this instead: If you serve meat for Thanksgiving, invest in an organic, pastured turkey, such as one from Ayrshire Farm in Maryland.

8. Moldy berries

The gross factor: If pregnancy hormones in your canned fruit isn't enough to make you turn to fresh, consider this: The FDA legally allows up to 60 percent of canned or frozen blackberries and raspberries to contain mold. Canned fruit and vegetable juices are allowed to contain up to 15 percent mold.

Eat this instead: Go for fresh! When berries are in season, stock up and freeze them yourself to eat throughout the winter. To freeze them, just spread fruits out on a cookie sheet, set the sheet in your freezer for a few hours, then transfer the berries to a glass jar or other airtight, freezer-safe container.

9. Rocket fuel in lettuce

The gross factor: Lettuce is a great source of antioxidants, and thanks to the great state of California, we can now eat it all year long. However, much of the lettuce grown in California is irrigated with water from the Colorado River. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Colorado River water is contaminated with low levels of perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel known to harm thyroid function, and that perchlorate can be taken up inside lettuce plants. A separate study from the Environmental Working Group found perchlorate in 50 percent of store-bought winter lettuce samples.

Eat this instead: Perchlorate is hard to avoid, but some of the highest levels in the country have been found in California's agricultural regions. If you eat locally and in season, you can ask your local farmers whether it’s a problem in their irrigation water supply.

Story by Emily Main and Leah Zerbe. This article originally appeared on Rodale.com and is reprinted here with permission.

Kale Chips

2012-04-11T15:05:00.000-04:00

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/kale_chips.html

From EatingWell: September/October 2011Not a fan of kale? These crispy baked kale chips will convert you! For the best result, don’t overcrowd the pans.
4 servings, about 2 cups each | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn into pieces (about 16 cups; see Note)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Position racks in upper third and center of oven; preheat to 400°F.
If kale is wet, very thoroughly pat dry with a clean kitchen towel; transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with oil and sprinkle with salt. Using your hands, massage the oil and salt onto the kale leaves to evenly coat. Fill 2 large rimmed baking sheets with a layer of kale, making sure the leaves don’t overlap. (If the kale won’t all fit, make the chips in batches.)
Bake until most leaves are crisp, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, 8 to 12 minutes total. (If baking a batch on just one sheet, start checking after 8 minutes to prevent burning.)

Nutrition

Per serving : 110 Calories; 5 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 16 g Carbohydrates; 5 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 210 mg Sodium; 642 mg Potassium
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Note: Choose organic kale when possible. Nonorganic can have high pesticide residue.

The Best Veggie Burger Ever

2012-04-11T07:35:00.002-04:00

WITH THANKS TO:

http://vkreesphotography.com/the-best-veggie-burger-ever/

That’s right, the best veggie burger ever. Well, the best I’ve ever made at home, anyway. The burger is the main event here but it doesn’t hurt that I’ve paired it with avocado, grilled pineapple, sauteed onions, red peppers, and ranch-like dressing. This is the ultimate vegan Hawaiian burger.

Burger Ingredients

1 package of Gimmie Lean, ground beef style (I've used Boca Burgers)

1 cup of cooked brown rice

1/2 small onion, diced

The pulp of 1 large beet after juicing

Annie’s Vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs Olive Oil, for cooking

Burger Directions

Combine the Gimmie Lean, rice, onion, and beet pulp in a large bowl and stir until it is all very well incorporated.

Form into 5-6 patties.

Coat the patties with a thin layer of the Worcestershire sauce.

Add the oil to a pan and heat it up on the stove. Fry the patties on both sides. Add more oil if needed.

Serve on a toasted bun with grilled pineapple, ripe avocado, red pepper, lettuce, sauteed onion, and vegan ranch. …Or whatever you like on your burger. =)

Awesome reusable produce bag out of an old knit T-shirt

2012-03-29T16:23:00.000-04:00

I love these produce bags!!! Instructions here: http://deliacreates.blogspot.com/2011/05/greeneasy-knit-produce-bag.html

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil - Documentary Film

2012-03-28T20:54:00.003-04:00

The Power of Community. How Cuba Survived Peak Oil (sub español) from El Tránsito Necesario on Vimeo.

Repurposing a laundry detergent bottle into a watering can

2012-03-28T13:24:00.000-04:00

With much thanks to: http://www.kristanlynn.com/2011/04/reuse-repurpose-upcycle.html

REUSE * REPURPOSE * UPCYCLE

Thanks to the lovely Heather Leigh, I’m loving all things repurposed! If you do not follow her Repurposing board onPinterest… you really should! She pins the neatest ideas!

Like this one:

Repurposing a laundry detergent bottle into a watering can! (first seen here)

Can you say LOVE!
I hadn’t bought a watering can for the garden yet, because…
well, because they’re too darn expensive,
and I knew I could somehow make something to do the trick.

I actually had an 8 dollar one in my cart the other day,
then put it back before heading to the check out line.

The very next day, Heather pinned this Upcycled DIY Watering Can!
The best part about this: I just threw out TWO detergent bottles!
I instantly went and fished them outta the garbage!

It’s super easy too.
Just rinse out the detergent bottle until there are no soapy suds.
Take a drill with a tiny drill-bit, and start making holes in the cap.

Don’t forget to put a hole or two in the handle for air.

All my temporary planters are upcycled too!
I feel it makes my little garden even greener!

It works just as well as a store-bought watering can!

TIP:
You don’t need a million holes like I put.
Making the holes was the most time consuming part of this mini project, and while this one works GREAT, I do believe it would have worked just as well with less holes.
Thus, making this little Do-It-Yourselfer even faster.

How about you, what have you repurposed lately??

Raging hormone disruptors: Common chemicals cause trouble even in small amounts

2012-03-27T11:45:00.000-04:00

http://grist.org/pollution/raging-hormone-disruptors-common-chemicals-cause-trouble-even-in-small-amounts/

By Sarah Parsons

The BPA in your water bottle may be even more dangerous than you think.

A major new paper is raising the alarm about low-level exposure to endocrine disruptors, substances like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates that interfere with hormones in the human body. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, are found in a vast array of everyday products like plastics, household cleaners, cosmetics, pesticides, upholstery, and paper receipts.

“The dose makes the poison” is a widely accepted tenet in the field of toxicology, suggesting that a substance’s impact on the body increases with the amount of exposure. Case in point: A drop of arsenic in a well may not produce any noticeable health problems; a generous pour mixed into lemonade can kill a man.

Get ready for a change in accepted dogma: A paper published in the journal Endocrine Reviews found that low doses of EDCs — amounts that average people are exposed to through consumer products every day — can have serious negative health impacts.

“This is the biggest and broadest review of this work that’s been done to date,” says Laura Vandenberg, lead author of the paper and a post-doctoral fellow at the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology. She and a team of 11 other scientists combed through 840 scientific studies that examined dozens of EDCs’ low-dose impacts.

“At high doses [like in industrial accidents], endocrine-disrupting chemicals can kill people, cause birth defects and severe malformations of fetuses,” says Vandenberg. “These studies overwhelmingly show that EDCs have actions at low doses, too. They’re not killing people, but instead they are changing the development of organs that can have permanent effects.” For example, low-level EDC exposure has been linked to cancers, obesity, infertility, neurobehavioral disorders, and immune-system issues, among other health problems.

Further complicating the picture, some EDCs produce one effect at a low level of exposure and a totally different effect at a high level, or even no effect at all — a relationship known as non-monotonicity.
To illustrate a non-monotonic effect, Vandenberg points to PCBs, compounds that, while no longer used regularly, still persist in the environment. “If you have the highest doses of PCBs, you’re not at the highest risk,” says Vandenberg. “It’s actually people who have moderate levels that are more likely to get things like cardiovascular disease.”

Another example is tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer. At high doses, this hormone disruptor inhibits breast-cancer growth. At low doses, it actually stimulates it.

“The assumption has always been that if a little is bad, a lot more is worse, and it’s all dose-related,” says Patricia Hunt, a reproductive biologist at Washington State University who was not involved with Vandenberg’s paper. “That’s not how hormones work, and that’s not how endocrine disruptors work. These non-monotonic dose responses aren’t a rare thing — they’re an expected thing for endocrine-disrupting chemicals.”

Of course, not everyone agrees with the assessment by Vandenberg et al. The American Chemistry Council, an industry group, isn’t convinced that low doses of endocrine disruptors harm human health. “[R]egulatory agencies around the world, which review extensive scientific data, have not confirmed the validity of low-dose effects or their relevance to human health,” ACC spokesperson Kathryn St. John said via email.

It’s no wonder the industry isn’t happy with the research: Getting EDCs out of plastics, pesticides, and other widely used products would be a massive undertaking.
“It’s terrible and it’s frightening, but in pretty much every aspect of our lives, we’re being exposed to these chemicals,” Vandenberg says.

She and other concerned scientists hope that this paper will spur regulation of EDCs, as well as more comprehensive research. “If regulators are going to read the paper and really pay attention to it, it should change the regulation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals,” says Shanna Swan, a professor of preventive medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “I don’t think it’s avoidable after reading this — the way chemicals are regulated is not protecting health.”

Several states have already banned BPA in children’s products. More change is being driven by consumer pressure. Most baby-bottle makers have voluntarily phased out BPA, and some food manufacturers are starting to do the same. These are small steps forward on just one of dozens of EDCs Americans are regularly exposed to, but they show what’s possible with enough pressure.

“Regulatory agencies that are charged with protecting the American people and the world need to think about how we test chemicals for these low-dose effects,” says Vandenberg. “Can a chemical that mimics a hormone ever be used safely? We really believe that chemicals that act like hormones are not products that should be in our bodies. We need to think about phasing them out, replacing them and changing the way we test chemicals that are coming onto the market now.”

Sarah Parsons is a freelance writer and editor based in Washington, D.C. Her work has also appeared in Popular Science, GOOD, Audubon, OnEarth, Plenty, Change.org, and Inhabitat.com, among others.

80 Incredibly Healthy & Healing Herbs You Can (Legally) Grow at Hom

2012-03-24T10:34:00.000-04:00

With Thanks To: http://pharmacytechniciancertification.net/80-incredibly-healthy-healing-herbs-you-can-legally-grow-at-home/

Tired of the perpetual barrage of artificial chemicals and questionable side effects, many individuals have turned to ancient and completely natural solutions to quell their various ills. DIY types with a bit of space to spare – even a windowsill will do! – may want to take their pharmaceutical pursuits one step further and create for themselves a garden full of traditional herbs and plants. However, it is always a good idea to execute plenty of research before committing to whipping up remedies medicinal herbs. Obviously, not every climate stands as suitable for every botanical, so be sure to discuss which ones thrive best in a given region. Second, one must always consult with a physician and/or pharmacist before committing to any herbal treatment. They are not regulated by the FDA, so caution needs to be taken when it comes to allergies, negative reactions with certain medical conditions or toxicology. Never enter into such a pursuit blindly, though responsible care and use of a medicinal plant can certainly yield plenty of hearty and healthy rewards.

1. Mint
Good for more than just mojitos, mint freshens breath, calms the stomach and plays numerous other valuable roles in herbal home remedies.

2. Dill
This spunky little herb assists in digestion, combating halitosis and the lessening of swelling, boils, cramps – among other great benefits.

3. Basil
A popular additive in cuisines from around the world, basil enjoys praise for its defenses against low blood sugar and antioxidant properties almost as much as it does for the rich flavor.

4. Parsley
Chomp down on parsley for a beneficial boost to Vitamin C and A levels, as a conduit for stabilizing blood pressure, a natural breath freshener and more!

5. Sage
Sage is a very common addition to home herb gardens due to its value as a flavoring agent and easy care. But many do not realize that it also helps relieve cuts, inflammation, memory issues and other health problems in need of addressing.

6. Rosemary
One of the most flavorful herbs available – especially when it comes to poultry! – rosemary also serves the added benefit of infusing a diet with the antioxidants needed to keep the body free of harmful compounds.

7. Thyme
Home herb gardeners looking for a natural disinfectant, digestive aid or infection cure would do well to plant a bit of thyme.

8. Coriander/Cilantro
For those who do not taste soap when they nosh on a sprig of cilantro, the fresh, slightly peppery taste enjoy the myriad benefits it provides against oxidants, stomach upsets, cholesterol and other health issues.

9. Fennel
Many parts of the lovely, licorice-tinged fennel plant – the seeds in particular – find their way into herbal remedies as a breath freshener, natural pesticide and defense against upset stomachs.

10. Chamomile

Head Automatica was a little bit right when they promoted “chamomile for nerves of steel.” This popular flower frequently finds itself playing a starring role in herbal teas to stimulate muscle relaxation, quell depression and anxiety and promote sleep – all of which a body needs to remain alert and operating at peak performance.

11. Jasmine
Jasmine mainly comes accompanied by the always valuable green tea, making it a nice way for home gardeners to add a touch of delicate flavor to their antioxidant intake. Many also claim that it greatly benefits ocular and dermatological health and well-being, too!

12. Lavender
Gentle lavender boasts a sweet, soothing scent perfect for inspiring relaxation and promoting healthy sleep patterns – so much so that many herbalists recommend it as a natural treatment for headaches and migraines.

13. Catnip
Grown primarily as a stimulant for feline friends to go entertainingly insane, but humans can take advantage of the plant’s minty goodness as a relaxing agent, diuretic and laxative to enjoy while watching their cats absolutely lose it.

14. Chives
The perfect partner for tangy sour cream, this member of the garlic family reduces inflammation, prevents cancer, repels insects and serves as an excellent source of beta carotene and Vitamin C as well – among many, many other amazing benefits.

15. St. John’s Wort
Moderate amounts of St. John’s Wort are believed to alleviate – though not cure – depression and anxiety. Many also use it in order to combat muscle pain as well. However, anyone considering growing the plant may want to discuss doing so with a medical professional beforehand, as ingesting too much of the stuff can cause a few health problems.

16. Garlic
For a simple, cheap, healthy and extremely flavorful way to prevent cancer and swab out dangerous free radicals in one fell (if stinky) swoop, bite down on this beloved bulb.

17. Onion
In spite of their odiferous reputations, onions actually have much to offer the human body. This anti-inflammatory anti-bacterial benefits the cardiovascular, skeletal, and digestive systems while simultaneously working to prevent cancer.

18. Bay Laurel
Teas brewed from bay laurel leaves have been known to help those suffering from dandruff slough off their itchy white flakes and stave off the pain caused by arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

19. Kava
Kava roots have been used extensively throughout the Pacific for its tranquilizing properties that come without a crash or a hangover, though it is illegal in Canada and France. But even beyond the anesthetics, kava serves as a go-to source for maladies as diverse as migraines and gonorrhea.

20. Dandelions
Individuals who embrace this commonly (and wrongly!) perceived weed will be treated to a natural diuretic and laxative that helps promote healthy liver and kidney functions. Just be sure not to eat any wild ones, as they may have come in contact with harmful pesticides and herbicides.

21. Arrowroot
A natural antiseptic, cookies crafted with arrowroot flour are a common treat for young children in order to keep their digestion and waste elimination regular.

22. Ginger
One of the cornerstones of Chinese herbal medicine, tangy ginger serves as a natural relief for nausea, menstrual, heartburn and migraine pain in addition to potentially killing off ovarian cancer cells.

23. Ginseng
Energy drink manufacturers plop ginseng into their cloyingly sugary wares to boost mental and physical functionality, though different varieties do boast different features.

24. Green Tea
Tiny tea bushes are legal plants that provide home gardeners with a steady source of antioxidants and a means of lowering their risk of heart disease. Toss in other herbs and spices for rich flavoring that quells monotony.

25. Peppermint
As with many of the other members of its family, peppermint is particularly notable for its ability to promote proper digestion and agreeable breath. However, many do not realize that it also stands as a nice source of Vitamin B, calcium and potassium as well.

26. Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is a terrifically easy plant to grow, so with minimal effort home gardeners may enjoy improved blood flow, antioxidants and hundreds of nutrients whenever they so desire.

27. Safflower
Oil produced from the safflower plant lowers one’s risk of contracting diabetes later in life by encouraging weight loss, and on top of that it also contains anti-inflammatory properties.

28. Salvia
One must be careful of which variety of salvia ends up in a garden, as the hallucinogenic features possessed by a few species elicit a bit of legal turmoil. The non-controversial plants – many of which are common types of sage – have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries in order to promote healthy hearts and livers.

29. Peony
As with many of the ingredients for herbal and natural remedies featured on this list, teas can be fashioned from the roots, leaves and flowers of peonies for a natural means of curbing menstruation pains and finding some degree of physical relief from terminal illness.
30. Shiitake

Though not technically an herb from a botanical standpoint, dried shiitake mushrooms have earned a well-respected place amongst natural medicine enthusiasts for bombing the body with numerous vitamins, nutrients and minerals that fortify it against heart disease and infection.

31. Indian Winter Cherry
Different parts of the Indian Winter Cherry get used in different alternative treatments, appreciated for its numerous benefits to memory, arthritis, dermatology and other facets of health and wellness.

32. Stevia
Grow the pretty little stevia plant for quick access to one of nature’s own sweeteners with no pesky calories to get in the way of a fun, healthy time.

33. Yerba Maté
This nifty shrub is used to brew a smoky tea in Latin America, beloved for the flavor and possession of over 24 necessary vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function properly.

34. Goji Berries/Wolfberries
Wolfberries, known more by their market name of goji berries, have become quite a trendy little ingredient lately. They have earned the accolades, though, possessing the antioxidants needed to fight cancer, heart disease and complications from aging.

35. Licorice
Popping an antiviral licorice plant into an herb garden rewards the resourceful green thumb with an impressive plethora of benefits – including antioxidants, antifungals, the slowing of HIV/AIDS, ulcer relief, skin care and many more.

36. Camphor Laurel
As the most pungent ingredient in Tiger Balm, the camphor laurel is a great plant for encouraging the muscles to relax. Beyond that, though, it also stimulates proper circulation, respiration and metabolism.

37. Boldo
South Americans with an appreciation for herbal, natural remedies appreciate the boldo plant for its digestive properties and nurturing of gall bladder health.

38. Rhubarb
Anyone growing rhubarb should always remove the leaves entirely before consumption, as they are toxic to humans. The stalks, however, possess an astringency valuable to relieving constipation, cleaning the blood and keeping eyes functioning properly.

39. Cloves
They may smell like a Cure concert (which, for most people, is by no means a bad thing), but cloves certainly appeal to a general audience. This pungent partner to a smoky ham also kills off many harmful bacteria strains, staves off inflammation and relieves the pain from stomach and tooth issues.

40. Chervil
A lovely little herb, chervil may provide a bit of a bolster to human brain functioning as well as a bit of depression alleviation. Some use it to create eyewashes to relieve soreness and swelling.

41. Winter Savory
Crushed winter savory boasts a number of useful applications for the home herbologist, with diverse benefits ranging from clearing up oily skin and insect bites to relieving sore throats and colds.

42. Hyssop
Hyssop and its affiliated essential oil have plenty to offer humanity, and anyone seeking to relieve a staggering variety of painful maladies would do well to toss a plant or 2 into their gardens.

43. Witch Hazel
Anyone hoping to use herbal treatments in the fight against painful and scarring acne, varicose veins, eczema, poison ivy, hemorrhoids and more may like the idea of growing witch hazel, a natural astringent, to help them out.

44. Aloe Vera
Everyone associates aloe vera with burn and skin disorder relief, rarely realizing its detoxifying potential when taken orally. In juice form, the plant encourages healthy digestion, facilitates weight loss and keeps circulation flowing smoothly.

45. Rooibos
Also known as red tea, rooibos provides consumers with antioxidants, relief from diseases as diverse as HIV/AIDS and compromised respiratory systems, a way to possibly slow aging and more when brewed.

46. Asarum
Frequently travelling under the moniker of “wild ginger,” asarum promotes improved circulation in addition to many of the other benefits offered by the fellow plant with which it shares a name.

47. Rue
Pregnant women must avoid rue, as it triggers a natural abortion. Everyone else, though, may appreciate it when they need a stimulant, an antiseptic or a conduit for relieving gas and worms.

48. Dang Gui
Traditional Chinese medicine considers Dang Gui one of its main components, using it in the treatment of PMS and other menstrual problems. However, it also assists everyone with circulation, pain relief and the alleviation of swelling.

49. Pennyroyal
Because pennyroyal is toxic under certain circumstances, extreme care must be taken when incorporating it into an alternative medicine regimen. Teas brewed from the plant allegedly relieve the pain from multiple diseases, including cancer and indigestion.

50. Reishi
Another mushroom wielded by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, the reishi variety garners praise for its assistance in alleviating liver diseases and cardiovascular difficulties.

51. Watercress
Herb gardeners with access to a small pond may want to beautify their natural spaces with watercress, which can be harvested to imbue a diet with insane amounts of the vitamins and minerals necessary to keep a body happy and healthy.

52. Wintergreen
This small evergreen shrub boasts numerous healthful properties and can be served up in a number of different ways. Depending on a patient’s needs, the various ways wintergreen gets cooked up can relieve pain in a manner similar to aspirin or soothe indigestion – among other positives.

53. Bupleurum
Bupleurum may contain some excellent, healthful facets, but it is best known as an alternative remedy to treating various liver ailments.

54. Tarragon
Known mainly as a fragrant and tasty kitchen herb, many brew tarragon into a tea to take advantage of its antioxidants, generous punch of vitamins and minerals and support of liver and stomach functions.

55. Nettle
Some alternative medicine aficionados use nettle tea to alleviate headaches, prevent allergies, relieve the symptoms of PMS and many, many other benefits – including improved heart health.

56. Lemongrass
Fans of herbal remedies looking for antioxidants such as beta carotene or a defense against cancer and eye inflammation should check into whether or not their area is conducive to growing flavorful lemongrass stalks.

57. Hibiscus
These beautiful, exotic flower has much more to give than a pretty pastel face. Cancer prevention, for one, and improved blood circulation for another.

58. Marjoram
Grow marjoram for more than culinary reasons, as it also holds the potential to lessen inflammations and encourage healthy appetite and digestion – and more!
59. Astragalus
Another herb valued by anyone practicing traditional Chinese medicine, the astragalus earns its keep by encouraging the immune system to keep fighting against numerous nasties out to do a body harm.

60. Garden Cress
The cardiovascular and respiratory systems and digestive tract all love garden cress, which also carries with it a slew of necessary vitamins and minerals.

61. Oregano
A beloved accompaniment to lush Mediterranean food, oregano imbues meals with an antibacterial antioxidant. It can also help keep skin feeling happy and healthy by alleviating any itching, pain, swelling and inflammation when applied alongside olive oil.

62. Myrrh
Resin crafted from the myrrh tree – definitely difficult to grow in many regions – nurtures the production of “good cholesterol” and helps combat the negative effects of the bad.

63. Bindweed
Better known as the morning glory, bindweed galvanizes bile when taken internally and eases abscesses and bleeding when applied externally.

64. Kaffir Lime
The leaves of kaffir lime reinforces dental hygiene and can serve as a natural cleanser for improved hair and skin health – not to mention all the scurvy-fighting goodness of the limes themselves!

65. Turmeric
Fragrant and richly colored, turmeric has always been valued as an anti-inflammatory. Though as of late, it has also earned praise for many of its other eclectic uses as well.

66. Magnolia
The magnolia is such a pretty flower that few realize the medicinal potential that lay beyond its ivory petals. When used properly, it may actually serve as a great stress reliever that discourages anxiety-related weight gain.

67. Coptis Chinensis
Chinese herbalists frequently use the root of a Coptis Chinensis plant in the treatment of maladies as diverse as insomnia and acne, though many of its benefits tend to involve digestive or cramping issues.

68. Celandine
Home herb gardeners in search of detoxifying agents and the stimulation of various organs may want to plant a celandine or 2 in their yards.

69. Milfoil
Alternately known as yarrow, milfoil primarily works as an anti-inflammatory that also staves off the symptoms of aging and regulates blood pressure and metabolism as well.

70. Calendula
Brewing a tea of calendula flowers bolsters the body with an excellent number of vitamins and minerals, and creating a poultice of the stuff can help to bring down inflammation.

71. Sea Buckthorn
Rich in vitamins and other integral nutrients, the sea buckthorn has plenty to offer in terms of keeping skin healthy and free of redness, pain, itchiness and swelling.

72. Meadowsweet
Herbalists praise the meadowsweet plant for its aspirin-like properties, using it in the exact same ways as mainstream physicians use the little white pills.

73. Rose
Already a popular addition to many gardens around the world, many do not realize that these aesthetic flowers also play host to a treasure trove of health benefits! Given their ability to ease inflammation in the joints, they are certainly of great use to anyone suffering from arthritis and similar afflictions.

74. Perilla
Most “Westerners” recognize perilla as the leaf uses to beautify plates of sushi, but noshing on these plants can serve as an anti-inflammatory that also helps keep allergies in check.

75. Chrysanthemum
This natural antioxidant swirls with vitamins and minerals, and Chinese herbalists frequently fashion a tea out of the flowers in order to improve upon a patient’s sense of sight and hearing.

76. Flax
Flax seeds and juice both encourage healthy digestion and regular waste expulsion with its hefty amount of fiber – not to mention how the plant also reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease as well!

77. Feverfew
As with many other plants utilized in herbal remedies, feverfew finds itself called upon in order to lessen the torment of inflammation and other skin ailments.

78. Milk Thistle
For a natural combatant against acne, liver problems and digestive upsets, plant a few milk thistles in an herb garden for quick and easy cultivation.

79. Pawpaw
Grow a pawpaw tree in a climate that meets its needs. It not only provides a sweet source of vitamins and minerals, but also chases away pests that eat away at other valuable plants or spread nasty diseases as well. Among other assets, of course.

80. Cumin
Tiny little cumin seeds pack a massive punch of necessary nutrients that perform a plethora of functions meant to keep a body running smoothly and efficiently.
Though not every plant or fungus on this list qualifies as an herb from a botanical perspective, practitioners of traditional medicine seem to lump them together under this banner. All of them may legally be grown in most areas, though whether or not the overall climate is conducive to their growth varies from region to region. After discussing the pros and cons of each herb, consider planting a garden that serves as a quick pharmaceutical bounty for basic health and wellness needs.

Lakota Prayer

2012-03-17T19:44:00.002-04:00

Lakota Prayer by Russell Means

18 foods that fight common ailments

2012-03-06T10:43:00.001-05:00

http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/18-foods-that-fight-common-ailments

POWER PLANTS: Vitamin-rich greens like bok choy can help prevent illness. (Photo: Philippe Put/Flickr)

Did you know that falling asleep easier, preventing PMS and easing the aches and pains of arthritis could be as easy as stocking your kitchen with the right foods?

Take 47-year-old Sarah. When I first met her, she was 50 pounds overweight and had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. Together we created a plan that incorporated the best foods into her diet. After just three months, Sarah's cholesterol dropped by 60 points and she had lost 30 pounds. Even better, she was able to say goodbye to her diabetes and blood pressure meds!

Another client, Eleanor, had long suffered from debilitating migraines. But within two weeks of adding 1 to 2 cups of spinach to her diet daily and eliminating trigger foods (like cheese and wine), she saw a dramatic improvement.

These are just two stories that inspired my book, "Joy Bauer's Food Cures," which shows how you can radically improve your health with some simple nutrition upgrades. Obviously food can't always take the place of medication, but it can be a part of your better-health solution. Here, some of my best findings. Dig in!

What's ailing you: Arthritis

Ginger

Why it's good: This spicy root contains compounds that work similarly to some anti-inflammatory medications. However, ginger can also act as a blood thinner, so if you're taking a blood-thinning medication, ask your doctor if it's safe to eat ginger.

Eat up! Ideally you want to get a hit of ginger every single day. Steep a few slices of the root in hot water to make tea, grate it into stir-fries or add ground ginger to smoothies.

Pumpkin

Why it's good: Research has shown that certain antioxidants may help prevent arthritis, slow its progression and relieve pain by reducing inflammation associated with this condition. And pumpkin's bright-orange hue is a clue that it's rich in two of these antioxidants: beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. In fact, researchers from the UK found that people whose diets were high in beta-cryptoxanthin were half as likely to develop a form of inflammatory arthritis as those who ate very foods containing it.

Eat up! Try to eat one can of 100 percent pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!) every week. I make a "pudding" by stirring a dollop of pumpkin purée into vanilla yogurt along with a dash of cinnamon. You can also add a scoop of the puree to ground turkey meat sauce, taco filling or chili (the puree doesn't altar the taste).

Red bell pepper

Why it's good: Red bell peppers contain an impressive amount of inflammation-fighting carotenoids, but they also have more than 250 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C. Research suggest that people who eat a diet low in vitamin C may be at greater risk for developing certain kinds of arthritis.

Eat up! Aim to have three red bell peppers a week. Mix pepper with cucumber, chickpeas and feta for a quick and easy lunch.

What's ailing you: Type 2 diabetes

Beans

Why they're good: Whether they're kidney, pinto or navy, beans provide a winning combination of high-quality carbohydrates, protein and fiber that helps stabilize your body's blood sugar levels and keeps hunger in check. (People with type 2 diabetes have trouble keeping their blood sugar levels stable because their bodies can't produce or properly use insulin, which helps move glucose from your bloodstream into your cells.)

Eat up! Have beans as often as you can. Protein-rich beans and lentils are a smarter side dish than carb-filled pasta, rice or potatoes. Turn chickpeas (garbanzo beans) into a crunchy snack. Pat cooked beans dry, sprinkle with paprika, cumin or other spices, and roast in a 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned and crunchy.

Egg whites

Why they're good: Egg whites are the perfect base for a diabetes-friendly meal because they're low-calorie (17 calories apiece) and rich in high-quality protein, so they can help keep your weight and blood sugar level on an even keel. And they’re cholesterol-free, since all the cholesterol is in the yolk.

Eat up! Aim to have at least three or four egg-based meals a week. An omelet with 4 egg whites (or 1 whole egg plus 2 or 3 egg whites), plenty of vegetables and some reduced-fat cheese for breakfast will set you up for a day of even-keeled blood sugar.

Nuts

Why they're good: Nuts — all types, including peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, pecans and cashews — are primarily composed of heart-healthy fats and protein, two ingredients that keep blood sugar stable by slowing down the rate at which your body absorbs carbohydrates. Nuts also contain monounsaturated fat and, in some cases, omega-3s, both of which improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Since having type 2 diabetes also puts you at a higher risk for heart disease, nuts are a win-win.

Eat up! Snack on an ounce (one small handful) of your favorite nut daily — they all contain healthy fats.

What's ailing you: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Cheese

Why it's good: Studies have found that women with PMS have lower levels of calcium around ovulation than women who don't experience PMS symptoms, so amping up your intake of cheese and other dairy products is worth a shot if you're prone to cramps and mood swings.

Eat up! Make sure you're getting at least the recommended amount of calcium daily — experts say only 10 percent of us are getting it through diet alone! Women younger than 50 need 1,000 mg; if you're 50 or older, 1,200 mg. Aim for three servings of calcium-rich foods like cheese and yogurt daily; women older than 50 should tack on a fourth serving. If you don't think that's possible, talk to your doctor about taking a calcium supplement.

Pineapple

Why it's good: This fruit has three things going for it. First, it's one of the best sources of manganese, and one study found that women with low manganese intakes were more likely to experience premenstrual mood swings, breast tenderness and cramping. Second, pineapple and other water-rich fruits and vegetables (think berries, citrus fruits, melon, cucumbers, bell peppers) can help banish bloat associated with your monthly cycle because their high water content helps flush out excess fluid. Lastly, deliciously sweet pineapple is a healthy way to indulge sugar cravings, which often intensify as your period approaches.

Eat up! In the seven to 10 days leading up to your period, have 1 cup of fresh pineapple daily. If it's too expensive or underripe, see if your store carries frozen chunks or canned pineapple packed in 100 percent juice.

Almonds

Why they're good: Almonds are an excellent source of magnesium, another mineral that may provide some PMS relief. Studies have found that magnesium — in addition to helping relieve PMS headaches — can improve mood and lessen water retention in the week or two before you get your period.

Eat up! Enjoy an ounce of almonds (about 22 nuts) a day, and enrich your diet with other magnesium-rich foods like quinoa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dark leafy greens, edamame and green beans.

What's ailing you: Osteoporosis

Broccoli

Why it's good: Broccoli gives you four bone-building nutrients in one convenient package: vitamins C and K, potassium and some calcium. Studies have found that getting enough of vitamins C and K is linked to having high bone density. Potassium (and other compounds found in produce) may reduce bone loss by acting as a buffer against metabolic acids, which some studies suggest contribute to the breakdown of bone tissue.

Eat up! Serve broccoli at least three times a week, and if you need extra incentive to dig in, sprinkle your florets with a bit of grated cheese (which adds more calcium!).

Skim milk

Why it's good: Skim milk is an obvious choice for strong bones, since 1 cup contains 300 mg of calcium — about a third of the daily recommended amount.

Eat up! Work it into your daily diet by making oatmeal with a cup of skim milk instead of water, including 1 cup in a fruit smoothie, or having a mug of low-fat cocoa made with 1 cup of nonfat milk. Feel free to substitute soy or almond milk (as long as the carton says it's fortified with calcium).

Yogurt

Why it's good: If you don't get enough calcium in your diet your body will start "borrowing" what it needs from the calcium stored in your bones. What's great about yogurt is that it's a good source of calcium and protein — and both are necessary for bone strength. Studies show that people who don't get enough protein have lower bone density.

Eat up! Opt for Greek varieties over traditional yogurt to get twice as much protein (and go for non-fat).

What's ailing you: Heart disease

Oatmeal

Why it's good: It's rich in soluble fiber, which latches on to cholesterol compounds and helps carry them out of your body. Research shows that people who eat an average of 2.5 servings of whole grains (like oats) daily have a 21 percent lower risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke than people who hardly eat any.

Eat up! Enjoy oatmeal at least three times a week, and spruce it up with berries, nuts, dried apricots, even peanut butter.

Sweet potato

Why it's good: Sweet potatoes deliver more heart-healthy fiber than their white cousins, along with a hefty dose of potassium, a mineral that helps offset sodium's negative effect on blood pressure.

Eat up! Try to eat at least two of these spuds a week. I like to mash them with a drop of skim milk, a pat of whipped butter and a bit of cinnamon.

Wild salmon

Why it's good: Wild salmon is one of the most concentrated sources of omega-3 fats, which can help lower triglycerides, raise levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, and help reduce inflammation in the body — a factor that's been linked to an increased risk of diabetes as well as heart disease. What's more, numerous studies have found that people whose diets are high in omega-3s have a substantially lower risk of coronary heart disease, as well as sudden death from arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat).

Eat up! Aim to eat salmon at least twice a week. Although wild and farmed salmon contain similar levels of omega-3s, wild is lower in contaminants and has as much as four times the amount of vitamin D. But wild salmon is more expensive and not as widely available as farmed. If you can't make room for it in your budget, you're better off eating farmed salmon than going without it completely.

What's ailing you: Migraine headaches

Quinoa

Why it's good: Magnesium deficiency has been linked to migraines, and 1 cup of whole grain quinoa, a protein-rich seed, provides 30 percent of the daily recommended amount of magnesium. Getting enough of this mineral seems to be particularly helpful in preventing menstrual migraines.

Eat up! Have a helping at least three times a week in place of rice, pasta or other starches. Turn quinoa into a pilaf with chopped carrots, enjoy it as a hot cereal (like oatmeal), or use it as a base for a stir-fry or chili.

Ground flaxseed

Why it's good: Studies have shown that omega-3s — found in high amounts in flaxseeds — can help reduce the frequency, duration and severity of headaches, probably by reducing inflammation.

Eat up! Add a tablespoon a day to yogurt, oatmeal, cereal or smoothies. You can also mix ground flaxseed into meatballs or combine with whole-wheat bread crumbs for a crispy coating for baked chicken tenders.

Spinach

Why it's good: Spinach contains a good amount of magnesium as well as riboflavin, a B vitamin that may help reduce headache frequency and severity.

Eat up! Squeeze in at least three servings of spinach a week, and try to get more of other riboflavin-rich foods like lean beef, whole-grain cereals, mushrooms and asparagus. Also, speak to your doctor about whether riboflavin supplements might help.

This article is reprinted with permission from WomansDay.com.

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Monsanto Found Guilty of Chemical Poisoning in France

2012-02-22T07:53:00.000-05:00

by: Anthony Gucciardi, Natural Society [3] | Report

http://www.truth-out.org/monsanto-found-guilty-chemical-poisoning-france/1329834175

In a major victory for public health and what will hopefully lead to other nations taking action, a French court decided today that GMO crops monster Monsanto is guilty of chemically poisoning a French farmer. The grain grower, Paul Francois, says he developed neurological problems such as memory loss and headaches after being exposed to Monsanto’s Lasso weedkiller back in 2004. The monumental case paves the way for legal action against Monsanto’s Roundup and other harmful herbicides and pesticides made by other manufacturers.
In a ruling given by a court in Lyon (southeast France), Francois says that Monsanto failed to provide proper warnings on the product label. The court ordered an expert opinion to determine the sum of the damages, and to verify the link between Lasso and the reported illnesses. The case is extremely important, as previous legal action taken against Monsanto by farmers has failed due to the challenge of properly linking pesticide exposure with the experienced side effects.
When contacted by Reuters [6], Monsanto’s lawyers declined to comment.
Monsanto’s Deadly Concoctions
Farmer Paul Francois was not alone in his quest to hold Monsanto accountable for their actions. He and other farmers affected by Monsanto’s deadly concoctions actually founded an association last year to make the case that their health problems were a result of Monsanto’s Lasso and other ‘crop protection’ products. Their claims were also met by many other farmers. Since 1996, the agricultural branch of the French social security system has gathered about 200 alerts per year regarding sickness related to pesticides. However only 47 cases were even recognized in the past 10 years.
Francois, whose life was damaged by Monsanto’s products, has now set the powerful precedent in the defense of farmers.
“I am alive today, but part of the farming population is going to be sacrificed and is going to die because of this,” Francois, 47, told Reuters.
It is also important to note that Monsanto’s Lasso pesticide was actually banned in France back in 2007 following a European Union directive that came after the ban of the product in other nations.