Archive for the ‘Food-Nutrition-Health’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

GMO Apple: Comment to USDA by Dec 16, 2013

Thursday, December 12th, 2013
Frankenfood

Frankenfood

by Catherine Haug, Dec 12, 2013 (image, right, used by permission from the OCA)

DEADLINE DECEMBER 16: Tell the USDA You Don’t Want a GMO Apple!

You’ve probably heard about the latest GMO food seeking approval from the government. This apple has been genetically modified to prevent browning when the apple is peeled or cut.

Huh?

Don’t these people know about soaking the cut apple in water with lemon juice added, to prevent browning? Browning of the apple flesh is a natural reaction when an enzyme in the apple cell is exposed to oxygen in the air, when the cell wall is penetrated by the knife. This browning has proved to be of no harm to humans for eons. Unlike the GMO aspect which most certainly will have a health risk.

And there’s the rub…. (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Food-Nutrition-Health, GMO | Comments Closed

Victory Gardens – Grow your own food year ’round

Friday, November 8th, 2013
Straw Bale Garden (Wikipedia)

Straw Bale Garden (Wikipedia)

by Catherine Haug, Nov 6, 2013 (photo, right, from Wikipedia)

The term ‘Victory Garden’ came to life in early 20th century, as a way for people on the home front to support our military overseas during WWI, and also as a way to feed their families during the wartime food shortages. Gardens big and tiny sprouted up all over the nation. Victory gardens again came to life during WWII.

But our wars since then – Korea, Viet Nam, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan – have not prompted people to the same level of support and home-front pride. I wonder, why is that?

Today, however, a new war is bringing people back to the soil and seed: the battle against GMOs, obesity and other diet-related disorders. It’s time to take up your spade and hoe.

But, it’s winter! you cry. (more…)

Posted in Community, Food-Nutrition-Health, Gardening | Comments Closed

Country of Origin of Foods

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013
Reusable Grocery Bag

Reusable Grocery Bag

by Catherine Haug, Nov 5, 2013 (photo, right, from This Domestic Life blog)

Do you ever wonder about where a particular item of food came from – which country? For example, after all the bad news about contaminated food from China, people became more aware of how important it is to know where the food you eat was grown, raised or processed.

I recently learned of a correlation between the UPC code (part of the bar code on food) and the country-of-origina, and was excited to share that with our readers. Unfortunately, as I delved into my research on this topic, I learned that there is inconsistency in this correlation – that you can’t count on the code actually telling you where the food came from, only which country issued the code – the food using the code may have actually came from a different country. (more…)

Posted in Food-Nutrition-Health | Comments Closed

The grocery bag dilemma

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013
Reusable Grocery Bag

Reusable Grocery Bag

by Catherine Haug, Nov 3, 2013 (photo, right, from This Domestic Life blog)

Do you answer the question, “Paper or plastic” with, “Neither, I’ve brought my own” when you check out at the grocery store? If so, then listen up.

You’ve probably seen some headlines warning about bad microbes lurking in your reusable grocery bag. Is there any truth to this? See Are Reusable Shopping Bags Really a Hazard to Your Health? by Jason Best (1).

Should we go back to having to choose between polluting our planet with plastic bags, or deforesting the planet to make paper bags?

I say “No way.” But there are things we can do to lessen the risk of bad bugs. (more…)

Posted in Ecology, Health, Recycle | Comments Closed

Free online screening of Genetic Roulette, Nov 2 – 8, 2013

Saturday, November 2nd, 2013

by Catherine Haug, Nov 2, 2013

(As an aside, tonite, Nov 2, is the night to turn your clocks back one hour to standard time)

The Institute of Responsible Technology (IRT) announces a opportunity to view this important film about the harm of GMO foods for free, Nov 2 – 8, 2013. To sign in and view, go to geneticroulettemovie.com/grm. Alternately you can view it on Mercola’s website: Genetic Roulette, The Gamble of Our Lives

From the IRT site’s “About the film:” (more…)

Posted in Free Stuff, GMO | Comments Closed

Foster Farms chicken and salmonella outbreak

Saturday, October 19th, 2013

by Catherine Haug, October 19, 2013

It has just come to my attention that rotisserie chicken sold under the Kirkland brand at Costco stores nationwide, and traced to three Foster Farms plants in California, is subject to a major recall after over 300 people nationwide were sickened with an antibiotic-resistant strain of salmonella (1,2,3). Foster Farms brand chickens grown in Washington are sold at many local stores including Bigfork’s Harvest Foods, but are not involved in the recall.

Are these fresh chicken products risky? How do chickens become infected with salmonella? (more…)

Posted in Agriculture, Ecology, Food-Nutrition-Health, Health | Comments Closed

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »