VEGAN PROBIOTIC WATER KEFIR DIY

China: Leader In Organic Food Production [and not just the Coronavirus]?

The last, but surely not the least workshop at the recent Guelph Organic Conference  was perhaps the best! This writer is a little biased after living in Asia. With the worlds' eyes on China in terms of "development" and also pollution [and now the Coronavirus], it was a fascinating workshop. It was also a hope-full one: to know that the Chinese are also concerned about the food they eat as it relates to organic ag.

Organic tea farm in Hangzhou. 

Steffanie Scott and Zhenzhong Si shared their experience with growers, sellers, consumers and government officials in the organic sector of China. China is a leader in the organic field - #3 in area in organic production in the world - selling US $28.5B globally/yr. Canada imports US$400M/yr of food from China.

 While Canada is a larger country than China, China has 4.1M hectares in organic acreage. 3.1M hectares for crop production and 0.97M hectares for wild production  Canada has only 1.1M Ha mainly for pasture and forage, followed by field crops. China also produces 2.8M t of organic animal products and 4.8M t of organic processed food. This places China fourth in the world in terms of sales.

 The authors at the Green Cow farm in Beijing

The middle class is rising incredibly fast: going from 29M in 1991 to 531M in 2013! This translates to higher wages, being more informed about the health benefits of organic food and the ability to purchase it. People are also more aware about GMOs - and confused. Some consumers groups are actively supporting them, while others see them as part of a U.S. plot to control the Chinese food system. Yet packages are labelled if GMO - unlike in Canada/US where we must "trust" Big Ag and the government to "care for us".

But we must wonder how trust worthy the certification procedure is. I have worked with many Chinese who stress the "bribe factor" that runs the country. That is a concern for sure. Yet the national standards do include:

• Traceability
• Requirements for air, water and soil quality
• Fertilizer requirements/standards 

 Presently there are equivalency agreements with NZ and ones with the EU are being worked on.

The various structures of production include enterprises leasing in land, contract farming, CSA/alternative food networks, farmers' coops and being organic due to poverty and lack of funds to buy chemicals. It is the large scale operations that get more support both from the government and from the public.

Tu Sheng Liang Pin ecological restaurant in Nanning

Yet "Little Donkey Farm" won the country's affection and increased support for the 'little guy/girl'. But it is hard to start a small farm as there are few social supports. Some government funding is available though.There are also free bio-fertilizers for farmers. But the purity of them is suspect.

The government also considers these smaller operation to be mere "niche" and considers the yields to be too low. They seem to be too paranoid about food security without realizing that small farms can be very productive, employ more people per ha and pay more attention to building the soil. Unfortunately there are little attempts to counter this erroneous narrative.

Social media may 'save the day'. The popular platform "wechat" connects consumers with farmers and stores. People can purchase organic products enabling small scale farms to survive and hopefully thrive.

Anyone interested in more detail can purchase the book and see the authors' website here
Images from cited site and used by permission.

Turkish Sesame Bagels [Simit]

These bagels can be found throughout Turkey. You can find them under the names Simit, Gevrek or Kahke, according to Musa Dagdeviren's "The Turkish Cookbook" which inspired this recipe.

For the dough:
2 cups flour [I used 1/3 c ground millet, 1/3 ground oats, rest all purpose]
1/2 tsp salt
1 T yeast

1 T yogourt
1/2 c sesame seeds

To make the dough:

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in mix and add the yeast, along with 175ml [3/4 c] warm water. This may vary depending on the flour used. Combine well. Knead the dough at least 5 min. on a lightly floured board. Put back in the bowl and let rest at least 15 min. in a warm spot, with a damp towel over the bowl.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Divide the dough into 4 equal amounts. You can let it rest another 15 min. if desired. Then roll out the dough into 35cm [14"]. Twist the dough and attach making rings.

Dip the rings into the yogourt and then into the sesame seeds. Put on a lined baking sheet and let rest 15 min. covered with a damp cloth. Bake about 20 min.

You can enjoy them dipped in more yogourt, covered in butter or just as they are! Yum!

Tempeh: Plant Based Probiotic Filled Yummy-ness: Quinoa And Kidney Bean

Tempeh comes from Indonesia with some Chinese and Japanese influence in the origin of it.  It's a great source of protein, B Vitamins [even some B12 according to some, yet others dismiss as inaccessible due to it's analogue form] and probiotics. Fermentation halts many of its antinutrient qualities. It's fairly expensive in the West though. So here's how you can make it yourself! It's quite easy but the temperature range if VERY limited. You need an incubation chamber such as a dehydrator or an oven with the light on. I use a construction light on a cord with a 100W bulb.

As with most ferments, experimentation leads to truth 😆. Get set:

2 cups kidney beans soaked over-night in about 4 c water
1 cup quinoa
4 Tablespoons white vinegar
Starter [I make my own - watch for it!]

The skins need to come off the beans. You can try taking them off before cooking or after. It depends on the bean as their thickness varies. You need to do this so the mold - the mycelium can enter the flesh of the beans. An option is to slightly cut up manually or in a food processor.

Cook the beans in a pot or pressure cooker. They should be al dente. You don't want mush.
When done, cook the quinoa in 2 c water for about 10-15 minutes.

Drain both of these very well in a sieve. Mix.
These need to be slightly dried. Using a towel or a hair dryer, dry them so they are just damp.
Spread the vinegar evenly and mix all.
Put in your casserole dish or similar - but the layer should not exceed 2 cm or 1 inch.
Distribute the starter evenly over the tray[s].
Cover with plastic wrap. Put pin size holes in it about 1.5cm [1/2 in.] apart.
You could also put the mix in ziplock bags with the same type of holes throughout them.
Put in your incubation chamber. Maintain a temp. of 31C/88F.
After 12-18 hours white spores will begin to be seen. The excitement begins: it will create it's own heat. So watch carefully and turn off the heat to maintain 31C/88F.
Within 6-12 hrs. the tempeh will look like a thin white cake.
At this point you need to stop fermentation. Put in the fridge or freezer. Only freezing will halt the process totally.

Watch for recipes and how to make your own starter! Enjoy.

Veganism: Will A Plant Based Diet Make You Thrive?

 Much adieu today about eating only plants. Even Canada's Food Guide leans this way. But to regard such guides as reliable, just look at the past ones in Canada/U.S. - see how they change with the dietocrats' words. With little scientific basis, they are mainly the result of persuasive people, organizations and corporations. The bed-fellows of the FDA, USDA, Monsanto, and other toxic pesticide companies do a lot to ensure that we eat poisoned food from toxic soil. Monsanto has been sued numerous times - so perhaps some justice is being done.

Looking at the work of Weston A. Price [and others], a Canadian dentist who traveled the world examining groups who ate a "primitive" diet, high in fat: around 60% mainly from animals,  found people without cancer, heart disease, no cavities and well shaped faces/jaws, and entire bodies. Compare today, how many us don't have room for 'wisdom teeth', other teeth crowding, cavities, root canals, etc. Yet when he, and others, examined those eating the "civilized diet", consisting more of processed grains, sugar, and less animal products, he found unhealthy teeth, heads and entire bodies.

The Masai, an African tribe ate only meat, raw milk [lots of it], and blood. They are/were stronger than other tribes that did not follow that diet and had great hearts too! And few cases of cancer! Compare that with today!

But here is where science comes in. We can not draw "cause and affect" relationships based on epidemiological studies. They were not designed to study nutrition and certainly not long term stories. Yet this is oft the case with support for diets of all kinds. There are too many factors involved to pin point just one. Yet we can certainly see clear correlations.

And many of these studies do show that societies that ate more of a plant based diet, did not live as long as those in the vicinity that ate more animal products.  Teicholz has well documented that it is the low fat and vegan diet that  has caused the cancer and heart problems we see today.

We must remember that anecdotal evidence is not scientific. It should lead us to clinical trials. These are very expensive and difficult. But when we come across anecdotal stories, we need to look at the starting point of the person's diet/lifestyle. It is common to hear of the fast food guru with high blood pressure, no exercise and a tummy that you swear has 3 full grown kids in it. And I'm referring, just to men here! Then they "go vegan" and feel great. They exercise regularly, have secret vegan facebook friends/groups [for real] = social support, have purpose....No wonder they feel great! Is it the food or the other factors? All of them! But this doesn't prove plant based diets [or any other] are the real 'fixes' here. Correlated perhaps.

So now you eat a vegan burger. You feel great. You are helping "the planet" too. Actually these are worse for the "planet". See article in this blog and also here for discussion. But what is missing that healthy, sustainable [local, grass-fed, etc.] meat would provide? Meat is high in vitamin A, B12, Iron and many minerals. Talk to doctors, including naturopaths and they will tell you the multitudes of vegans and vegetarians lacking iron and B12, among other essentials.

Homo sapiens have evolved eating 45-65 per cent animal products. But "we" have chosen the fatty parts - especially the organs - which are far more nutrient dense than plants. Some argue this is why we have the brain powerhouses that we do.

Many vitamins are soluble [ie. assimilated] in fat. Vitamins A, D, E, K all need to be eaten with fat. And if you're importing coconuts oil from far far off, this is not sustainable, the workers have no rights, and huge corporations steal land from peasants to grow your fat. See my articles that deal with such issues.

Indigenous cultures are lauded around the world today. Yet few want to praise their food systems: all animal products, with a few berries. Some in tropical areas would also have eaten some grains, tubers, fruit and other plants.

But to get plant protein, one needs to eat grains and beans. Many can not digest these and are allergic to gluten. They also are high in phytic acid which leaches minerals when eaten. These anti-nutrients can be removed by fermenting, sprouting, soaking, and some argue, by cooking. The same is true for nuts.

To change one's diet or to recommend a nation to go more plant based is not looking at the history of homo sapiens. The polyunsaturate oil push did [as is still doing] just that. To alter our evolved foods must have dire consequences. I am not arguing in support of factory farming, of course not. But plants are being grown in the same manner today: production, toxic chemicals applied, speed, money! Meat/fish provide dense nutrition that we were made/evolved to assimilate. Iron from heme in meat is easily absorbed, while plant based iron is not.

Watch for more on this topic. This is a huge topic. But to put forth the claims about the wonder of plant based diets we hear today. without clear LONG TERM clinical studies [which include affects on offspring], we can not truth-fully claim much at all. Remember that epidemiological studies do not show cause and affect!

If you do rely on plant based proteins, be sure to prepare as described above. And grow your own food! Even in apartments you can grow a few herbs or veg. And support small scale local organic growers that are building the soil. Animals poop is actually needed to do this [see articles in this blog and here ]. You can also compost your poop and use to build the soil and grow food in. See here.

Superfood: Fermenting Turnips - Sauerrueben

Turnips are quite easy to grow. I start them in my greenhouse in late winter. Here a great recipe to preserve them for the winter or just to add some fizzle and beneficial bacteria to them!

Turnips fight cancer as they are part of the cabbage family. See 123EatMeOut for other foods that also fight cancer. They are a traditional food in most of Europe and much of North America. You can follow the easy recipe below and also see the video here.

All you need are:
3-4 kg of cleaned turnips
3-4 T [tablespoons] of salt [use sea salt etc. without iodine or anything else]

You can either thinly slice or shred the turnips like coleslaw. 
After doing that, rub in or sprinkle the salt on the turnips. Put them in mason jars with the top on them.
Let sit for 30 minutes or so. The water will start to come out of them.
If there isn't enough liquid, which is more common when slicing them, you can add more.
The standard mix is 3 T salt to 4 cups water.

You want them to be covered in the jar. That's it!
Leave the sealed jar on the counter 3-5 days out of the sun. Press down to get the air out. Be sure there's always enough liquid to cover veg. Leave about 1 cm air space at the top before putting in the fridge. They will last 2-3 years! Wow!

Note: be creative and add things like ginger, pepper, caraway, fennel seeds or whatever spices you like.

Edible Wild Plants: Garlic Mustard And Friends!

Many people complain about the rain, the cold and the weeds. I say "screw you all" 😼 . It's been a cold, wet [always is] spring in Ontario. We need the rain. We need gratitude! Many floods...but what do you expect when you pave over forests, plains, swamps...all places the water would have gone into and been absorbed!.Too many people using too many resources and not thinking/caring. We need to examine the destruction and act to change NOW. Time to get "political" as right-wing governments that worship money and destructive jobs are devouring the land, water, air.

Anyway, the plants are happy! So am I! Free nutritious food is popping up everywhere!

So what is out and edible now? In the pic we see dandelions, garlic mustard, violet flowers, fiddleheads [ferns] and nettles. These are all very nutritious. For e.g., garlic mustard is super high in Vitamin A and has the constituents of garlic and mustard: both with fight cancer. Nettles are high in iron and great if you have allergies. Be careful...they prickle. You may feel the sting for hours after handling. Hence they are called "stinging nettles". Both grow in disturbed areas. GM also grows in forests and may damage the tree roots. Mustards are known to "sterilize" the soil. Some are used to help kill nematodes in the soil, such as the garlic nematode.

Dandelions, also high in Vit A feed bees and many insects in early spring. Foolish people spray this wonder-full plant and medicine. It is great for the liver also. Bitter is good for you. Our stomachs, like our tongues have sensors that detect bitter, according to Jeffrey Bland, the "grand-daddy" of Functional Medicine. You can make wine from the flowers, eat the leaves and make a coffee substitute from the roots!

Violets feeds insects with the flowers. They are also great if you have a cold [so are the leaves].

Fiddleheads grow in sun and sun/shade in gardens and forests. Be sure you know which are edible. There are many types eaten all over world. They are all toxic to some degree. When cooking the ostrich fern, discard the steaming water. Watch for my fermented FH recipe. These fight cancer and have antioxidants and Omega 3/6 fatty acids. See article on foods that fight cancer in this blog.

Remember to not go off paths to collect any plants. These are all in abundance so no issue with picking too many. GM needs to be picked. Watch this blog and here for a video on making PESTO from GM! Yum.

En-joy the free, nutritious food! If you have land, you can plant all of them. But not the GM. Unless that is all you plan to grow! According to medical botanist James Duke, they can produce 100,000 seeds in 1 sq. m!
Beware! But it may be better than useless/destructive foreign grasses that stupid men are brain "washed" to love, protect and worship. Better to grow something that feeds the real world of nature [of which we are part of!].

GMO's, Science, Quaker Oats: A Deadly Breakfast

I sat down to eat what I have been told is a healthy break-fast: good old Quaker Oats. As I was eating them, I read that they, and many crops like wheat and even oranges are sprayed with the herbicide Roundup. What? My wholesome meal is tainted? Yes, Billy, the world is in a sad state today.

Years ago a farmer had told me he sprays his wheat and other crops with Roundup so they die and dry quicker for harvest. I had forgotten. This is Canada - the land of clean water and 'democracy'.

So what's the big deal? Aren't GMO's the big bad guys? The WHO says that Roundup causes non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.Wouldn't Science win and save us? Well, Mr. Monsanto got right on the job to disprove an organization that attempts to make the world better. It's amazing what money, being "buddy buddy" with the FDA/Health Canada...and supplying your own 'science' to them can do. Surprise surprise: most have no idea about this nor the fact that they are eating GMO's or crops sprayed with Roundup.

Don't we have a 'right' to know what we are eating? Let's not forget the other toxic sprays on our food that are not on labels - but should be! Let's also not forget the sweat of the workers - oft exploited beyond our imagination.

Monsanto has had to pay $289 million to compensate for a man's cancer.Recently, another $80 million being paid to victim.

The recent film, Modified reminds us that more dangerous chemicals are being used due to resistance to Roundup [glyphosate based]. The old, deadly toxin 2, 4-D is also now being engineered into crops.  Hello super weeds and more cancer, hormone disruption and...

How is it that Monsanto [bought out by Bayer - who control 25% of world's pesticide market], Canadian and American governments, that we are told protect us, do what is detrimental to our, and the "planet's" health? Do we need to move to Europe for some regulations that are in the 'peoples' interests'? Health Canada and The Canadian Food Inspection Agency wouldn't even participate in an interview for Modified! Now that's reassuring. Great to see our taxes being used wisely.

Remember that corporations lobby the politicians constantly - while the rest of us look at our phones, go to sports games, hide in fantasy entertainment....We're told Science will save us [see other articles here and here that will scare you!]. But it looks like Mr. Science got bought out by Bayer too! You see, Billy, capital-ism does work and is the best possible economic system in the world and for all time.

You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;

you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

defending the fatherless and the oppressed,

in order that man, who is of the earth, 

may terrify

no more.

Psalm 10

Thai Banana Fritters - Sugar Free!

Kanom Fak Bua [Thai]

These are yummy and easy to make. They are basically pancakes.

You need:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup water
2 medium bananas, mashed
1 egg
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger - whatever spices you prefer
oil or butter for frying

Mix all the the ingredients, except the oil in a bowl. Heat the oil or butter, gently, in a frying pan - basically just covering bottom of pan. Pour in about a tablespoon of batter so that it 'blossums' into a round patty. Cook till brown, turn over if needed, and do like-wise. Set aside. Repeat.

Serving with a thick yogourt or kefir is the ultimate. Butter on them is yummy too.

Note that like all recipes you can experiment by adding other fruit, veges, spices....

For lots of cooking videos full of yummy-ness see here.

Fermented Lemons + Limes

This is a super easy way to preserve lemons, limes or both. To see the video click here
It's similar to an Indian Chutney. If possible use organic ingredients. If you are not, I wouldn't eat the skins.

You will need:

• 10 lemons or limes or both
• 4 Tablespoons [T] sea salt
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T coriander [that is the seed; cilantro is the leafy part]
• 1 T fenugreek slightly crushed [very hard but will soften in the liquid; make great sprouts]
• 1 T freshly grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons [t] tumeric [great for fighting cancer - see past post for article about this]
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 t ground pepper [enables the absorption of tumeric]
• 2 T fennel seeds
• 1 t dried hot pepper 

All the spices above can be proportioned according to your tastes. 

1. Soak the lemons/limes in cold water for 10 minutes. If you are not using organic ones, I'd wash them before this stage. You can get special "wash". I just use an unscented dish detergent.

2. Slice them into halves. Then slice each half into thirds.

3. Put into a big bowl and mix in the salt. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

4. Crush with a potato masher or similar utensil. This will bring out the juices. Don't destroy them though :)

5. Pack them into a 1 L [or quart] jar.

6. If you need more liquid to cover, add a little brine. Everything should be under liquid to prevent rot.
A solution using the proportion of 1/4 cup sea salt to 2 L water is good.

7. Put a new small plastic bag partially filled with water as a way to keep the ferment submerged, on top.

8. Close jar with a clean top. Leave on the counter out of the sun for 3-4 weeks.This depends mainly on the temperature in the room. Taste after 2-3 weeks to be sure it is sour. If it is to your liking, then refrigerate for up to 2 years.

9. Enjoy :)

After 1 week of fermenting:

CANCER Prevention: Foods To Prevent Cancer

Fortunately there's an increasing mass of literature about how to pre-vent cancer. While 600,000 die/year in North America of this dead-ly plague, isn't it time we try to prevent it?! Wouldn't you rather avoid it than have to get chemo, radiation, etc? Not to mention the pain, death, debt [esp. if you live in U.S.]...?! The foods below also help once one has cancer. David Servan-Scheiber's "Anti-Cancer: A New Way Of Living" brings hope.. He looks at the work done at the University of Montreal. There Richard Beliveau tests foods on lab animals to see which fight cancer. Mice, for example, are grown with human cancers and treated. He notes the incredible results from food alone! His "Foods That Fight Cancer" is highly recommended [and the source for much of this post]. He has worked for years with drug companies. But they aren't too interested in things that can't be patented [read: $$$ generation].

1. Eat organic. Pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, etc. are derived from fossil fuels and are toxic. That is why they spray them on the plants/soil. If somebody tells you there are no residues left on the plants, ask which company they work for. Follow the money. The WHO recently as shown that Round Up causes cancer. And it's not just GMO's that are sprayed with it, but many crops. Canadian oats, wheat and many more are sprayed. We have been so brain-washed to think or not think about what common sense dictates. Spray toxins - eat toxins.If they listed all the pesticides used on a bag of potato chips, no one would eat them!.

2. Cabbage family: including cabbage [duh], broccoli [the star], boy choy, brussel sprouts [the super-star]...

3. Berries: blackberries, raspberries and blueberries are the stars. But also black currants. All berries are full of anti-oxidants and fight cancer.

4. Green tea. Get loose leaf and drink at least 2 cups/day. Gyoruku is a star polyphenol candidate. Most Japanese are far superior than the Chinese teas. They are oft a lot more expensive and harder to find.

5. Grass-fed meat/milk. Grass is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Non-grass-fed are fed soy and corn. The result is high Omega-6 which fuels inflammation - cancer's friend! Raw milk [and some meats with precautions such as marinating in lemon juice a few days] are best. Fermented milk products like some cheese, kefir, yogurts are best.

6. Wild fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel....high in Omega-3's.

7. Fermented veggies/beans: kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles that are fermented [not made with vinegar], natto, tempeh.... These must not be pasteurized which kills the probiotic bacteria. See my site here and my Youtube channel for videos on how to make many fermented foods.

8. Seaweed: full of minerals that support the body. Try to get from clean water sources. Great to cook with and can be added to soups and many things.

9. Eat low glycemic foods. These are foods that don't quickly affect blood sugar levels. Obvious foods to avoid are white anything - especially sugar, rice, bread, flour. Another way to put it: eat low carb foods.

10. Allium family: garlic, onions, leeks, chives. These are star cancer fighters.

11. Cucumin [aka Tumeric]. Super-star spice. Add it to any veg dish. Be sure to add black pepper so it can be absorbed. The piperine in pepper increases absorption by more than one thousand times.

12. Tomatoes. Star lycopene carrier. Best if cooked.

13. Resveratrol. Yes red wine fights cancer. The longer the grapes are fermented the better. Unfortunately the toxic sprays on grapes are especially bad. Try to buy organic. Wine is really easy to make. Watch for the how on my Youtube channel. While alcohol is also a toxin to the body, be sure to limit: 1 glass for women, 2 for men per day.

14. High fiber foods: nuts, beans, whole grain, fruits, veggies. Be sure to soak/or ferment the first three as they have anti-nutrients that need to be neutralized.

15. Mushrooms. They contain the polysaccharide Lentinan, among others, that has been shown to have anti-tumour activity. Shitake, maitake, and enokitake have large amounts of the polymers. But all mushrooms fight cancer and are immunostimulants.

16. Cocao and cinnamon. Chock full of the polyphenols: catechins. Milk "chocolate" is not applicable here! Dark chocolate [higher than 70% cocao] is ok - but the whole beans are even better!

Try to incorporate these into your daily diets. Watch for future posts on what not to eat and other healthy living/cancer prevention strategies. Enjoy these wonder-full foods! And, if you can, try to grow some of them. 

GMO "Scientists" Mock You!

In another display of outright and hidden corporate rule of our food system and our bodies/minds, those who say they know best tell us we can not be trusted. Rather, we are to trust "independent bodies" that deeply care about science and us. Oops, they never mention that they get funding from Bayer [recently bought GMO {genetically modified organism} monster Monsanto - and rule the pesticide world: 25% of world market!], and others. But I'm sure you can trust university professors [also funded by same corporations] and groups with names like "Centre for Food Integrity" and "Crop Life Canada". Worthy names indeed! Integrity and Canada. Bow.

TVO's The Agenda show of September 18, 2018 was the playground. Industry bows to "science" and "innovation". Anyone who opposes is clearly wrong and shamed as anti-sci/innovation. Shame on those who accept their pay cheques from Bayer and say they are not influenced.

Most disturbing is the absence of government funding for science that could counter corporate interest/domination. But, like "good" Canadians, Health Canada submits obliging the requests of corporations. Yet, they have not allowed BST, a GMO product that supposedly increases milk production in cows. The cows suffer with mastitis and other ills, but Monsanto reaps great flows of cash!

More disturbing is that these "speakers for the public good" don't want the public to know. They don't trust us to be educated or have the ability to make the right choice. They first want to "educate" us: "all foods are the same". So why does the EU demand labeling then? Silence is golden. Yes - golden. Lots of gold for a few corporations that will/do benefit.

Let's ignore that Monsanto recently was sued almost $300 million for it's Roundup causing cancer. See
how they plant stories and lies to convince us how much they love us! [and suppress science and silences dissent!]

The deception of the guests of this show [and the usual industry puppets] are disgusting. [The host needs, at least, to make a level playing field - not 3 against 1]. They proclaim they are doing it all for the people. Sure, make rice with Vitamin A in it. Hmmm. But Vitamin A is fat soluble. So if you don't have fat, which the poorest do not, then bye bye out the bum bum it goes! Claims to make food "affordable, nutritious and safe" from the "professor" ooze with insincerity. The GMOs now grown are soy, corn, rape, apples [BC], and Atlantic Salmon. While most people are eating processed food, lots of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc. - their dreams do not stop the nightmares. So let's get people onto a better diet - that would mean something. But they say the same talking points whenever the topic comes up.

Claiming they're doing it for farmers and that farmers are part of the project is so full of lies. I have asked farmers who grow GMO crops about their crops. Many don't even know they are GMO! And they don't know that Roundup causes cancer! Just like the Green Revolution [read Green in sense of $$ for pesticide companies], farmers are duped into doing what told - or what their funders [banks, huge corporations] demand.

If we want more nutritious food, we need to look at the source of the nutrients: the soil. But these people just want some drug/tech fix. They can't make money from good ole' manure and grass fed animals! The tech [better: ways] of the past are not to be chucked. When you can not even save your seeds to replant [you sign a contract with Bayer saying that], one must wonder how caring these corporations really are. Clearly they care about profit and controlling the seed stock. Hmmm. Is that why they buy up seed producers? We are losing diversity and independence. We need to be in control of our land, water, food. Instead a few corporations own all the seeds, pesticides, livestock [Cargil etc.]

Follow the money. Science is not unbiased. Scientist make nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, weapons, pesticides, Vioxx etc. If they work for corporations: beware. We need more publicly funded - community funded science - with OUR interests in mind - not share holders'!!! We need regulations that control corporations and protect us. They tell you the opposite. "Trust us, we care about you....we are doing this for YOU". As they say in Mandarin: BAI TUO! Come on!

The Vegan Myth Debunked: "I Don't Murder"!

What is most scary is when ideas become self-evident truths. That means that no-one questions the idea nor what formed the idea in our consciousness. Such an idea is that veganism or vegetarianism is "better for the planet". Just as unquestioned is the idea that these ideologies, turned religions, do not murder any life forms.

Let's examine these. See here for more on the topic. We don't need to debate that factory farming of animals or PLANTS is very destructive, cruel and 'in-humane" [yet many humans do]. These cause "un-due" suffering to the animals, plants, soil and other non-human be-ings - particularly micro-organisms.

The vegan who won't knowingly kill animals still eats them. Parts of pigs are used in everything from cement to paint brushes. The more we consume of many products not only uses animals products but kills by devouring the natural environment. Many vegans buy fake leather. The source is fossil fuels. No connection between these and climate change, pollution, war for oil, etc.? About 2000000 humans died in Iraq because of the U.S. invasion for oil and hegemony. And how many other life forms [not just animals] died?

So the vegan drinks almond milk instead of local, raw, grass fed cow's milk. So where do the almonds come from? How many pesticides were used? Bees are transported from all over the U.S. to pollinate such nut crops in California. What damage does this do to the bees? Then the nuts are transported all over the world - how many lives die? Well let's see. The air pollution causes climate change - which is wiping out all forms of life - including humans. Then there is the pollution to make the jets, the roads, the stores, etc. Let's not forget the pesticides, herbicides, etc. : all made - free from animals products - out of fossil fuels. The whole system is about destruction and profit [capitalism in a bag]. Some huge corporation wins. The soil and count-less lives die. Meanwhile, a local farmer has to sell his [sic] small family farm.

Traditional diets consisted of 60% fat. So how does the vegan get fat? Any local sources? Lots of local pigs, cows, ducks, etc. These animals, if on a "sustainable"/organic farm, are building the soil so that the land doesn't degrade and becomes useless. Instead, the vegan imports coconut oil, palm oil, etc. from vast distances. Not only are the labour practices terrible in these growing areas, the pollution to bring the items is immense. Let's remember the invasions of the Philippines, Central America, Hawaii...sadly the list goes on...by the U.S. for its' United Fruit Company and others...devoured the people and land for profit and food to be robbed from the people and the land. No one or any "animals" must have died though: conscience cleared!

Let's not forget the vast forests burned to plant palm recently in Indonesia and other places. Why? For consumer "goods" like cookies. Remember: lard and animal fats are bad for you! [read facetiously]. Wiping out the earth, but somehow not "killing" anything, is more moral. Sometimes it's better to stay blinded to the truth and feel self-righteous. "Look at those fat Americans eating their pizza and burgers! Shame! GO VEGAN", they chant.

The talk of nationalities leads us to the Japanese beetles. It is a bad little, though interesting, shiny, bronze coloured, insect that devours many crops including raspberries, grapes and more. Telling a city woman I was squishing one as we chatted, she said she'd never kill one. Hmm. So how many pesticides were sprayed on her vegan food to KILL the insects? Let's not forget the ones sprayed to kill weeds also. And the tractors that ripped apart snakes, worms, frogs...birds' nests. And let's not forget the change of a life sustaining eco-system from a prairie or forest to an open field where no animals can live - even, to some degree, if it's organic. Unless it's has farm animals that are "permitted", all animal life is non-existent. Birds may live happily on some organic farms. But on chemical farms, they don't have much of a chance - except to be poisoned. The same fate applies to most of the life "forms" - including us!

It's time to stop making a hierarchy of life forms. All matter - not just the "animals" called cows, pigs, etc. With the loss and degrading of soil, it's time to bring animals back to farms - roaming freely - not caged up. Building the soil and providing healthy food, these can build community and healthy inter-dependence. We all need to grow food, if possible. We need to get in touch - and touch - the soil that sustains us. Getting out of our cars and planes will kill less life than importing vegan hotdogs from a huge corporation that bought out that cute little vegan brand. Time for real food that evolution has proven we need. We have evolved eating animals with blood in them. So let's not Go Vegan! Let's Go build sustainable communities.

Thai Peanut Sauce = Yummy-ness

Check out my video for this super easy and yummy sauce. It can added to any steamed veges...just heat it up and put on them before serving. The sauce will last in the fridge for about a week or so.

See it here

Enjoy!

Make Your Own Hand and Face Cream

Tired of paying exorbitant prices to keep healthy skin? Want to avoid wrinkles caused by cold, windy winters? Tired of not really knowing what is in the products [yes companies lie....and also hide behind big chemical names...and today these are oft replaced merely by numbers!]? Consumers have had to fight to just know what is in these products [and their food]. But some ingredients or items may not even have to be labelled!

One solution is to make your own: DIY [do it yourself]. I'll make it easy for you. Try to get all organic ingredients: remember your skin absorbs whatever is put on it!

This recipe is a thick cream for winter. If it works in Canada, it will work anywhere! :) For a summer version, increase the oils. Remember when applying any cream, lotion or oil that the goal is hold in water [hydro]. So it is best to wash in warm water and mild soap [except the face], pat dry, apply cream. It may appear a little greasy for a few minutes so give it time to absorb. And apply very small quantities.

Cleanliness is vital. Using totally dry utensils is also important. Note that without preservatives you want to be careful about mold. I have never had a problem whatsoever though.

I use food grade oils. They are much cheaper and can be bought in most grocery stores. Other ingredients can be bought online.Try to get unrefined, organic and free trade ingredients.

This recipe is all natural, edible and smells fantastic: like chocolate! Enjoy.

Melt in a small sauce pan:
70 grams beeswax
100g shea butter
100g cocoa butter

Once melted, add the following:
5 Tablespoons grape seed oil
8 T Avocado oil
10 T Almond oil

If you have a favourite essential oil, you can add just before pouring into containers.But this recipe smells so good even without EO's!

Once all melted, you can pour in CLEAN containers. It is best to use glass jars. Plastic [all] may transfer estrogen into the cream. You can even use old jars, cream containers, etc. Let cool. Put tops on. Whatever you aren't using you can freeze for years!