OrganicEye is a trusted watchdog of the organic foods industry. They are warning consumers about proposed rule changes within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding organic standards. USDA is looking at permanently codifying practices that violate the spirit and letter of the current law surrounding organic food. Corporations who have bought-up small farmers and who are exerting more and more control over the industry hailed the proposed rule changes as an effort to improve "animal welfare" in organic farming, but it is far from that. What it really furthers is the ultimate destruction of independent organic farms who do things right. These smaller farms cannot compete financially with the "organic mega-corporations" who sell their foods at far lower prices, because they cheat on the organic standards.

There is a Facebook group called Breast Implant Illness and Healing by Nicole that has nearly 200,000 members. The failure of breast implants has led to countless horror stories with many doctors telling women that their concerns are all in their head. Although it is not an official disease diagnosis, breast implant illness (BII) is a collection of complex symptoms that occur in healthy women after they decide to have implant surgery. The symptoms are far-ranging and often debilitating. Since the symptoms are so numerous and varied, doctors have a difficult time pinpointing an exact diagnosis. In 2020, the top ten symptoms reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) involving breast implants were fatigue (49%), brain fog (25%), joint pain (25%), anxiety (24%), hair loss (21%), depression (19%), rash (18%), autoimmune diseases (18%), inflammation (18%), and weight problems (18%). 

The flavor and nutritional value of fruit are the result of each fruit and vegetable's unique composition and essential nutrients. A ZME Science study found that fungicides, which are designed to interrupt cell processes to control fungi growth that damages crops, also damages the fruit by interfering with the production of compounds that are essential to flavor. Consumers have complained for years about the change in the flavor of strawberries. Scientists have suspected the pesticides and fungicides were responsible, but the exact mechanisms were unknown. 

Do you remember hearing people speak during the last few years about something called quercetin in conjunction with natural COVID treatments? If you did, you learned that it was an amazing compound. Quercetin has a remarkable list of research-backed therapeutic credentials of which you may not be aware. Elderflower (pictured on the right) is rich in quercetin. An extract made from Elderflower (and put in a tonic) is traditionally used to boost immunity. In supplement form, quercetin is used to prevent and treat the common cold and influenza. But that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Light is a nutrient for the body and mind. That sounds funny; but nevertheless it is true. Our modern, indoor lives are lit up with artificial light that can cause us to become chronically depleted of the positive biological effects of natural light. A lack of sunlight leads to a serious deficiency of vitamin D3. This, in turn, can lead to many autoimmune and degenerative diseases. Unfortunately, many of us have been taught to fear the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. People slather up with sunscreens that contain harmful carcinogenic ingredients to ward off the sun's light and don't realize they are doing great harm to themselves (see my book, pages 80-81). Healthier sunscreen alternatives do exist, but it's important to realize that direct UVB radiation from the sun is essential for the body to produce vitamin D3, and thus strengthen our immune systems. 

It used to be a felony to bring raw milk across state lines from Pennsylvania to Maryland. Fortunately, that was 20 years ago and things have been changing thanks to the Weston A. Price Foundation. For information on how to get fresh, clean, real milk in your area see RealMilk.com or follow this link to a map of all 50 states detailing the laws governing the sale of raw milk. Only the states of Nevada and Hawaii make it completely illegal to sell raw milk. A plethora of studies document that people who drink raw milk (not pasteurized) are less prone to allergies, ear infections, asthma, and eczema. My book, There's An Elephant in the Room—Exposing Hidden Truths in the Science of Health (pages 141-142), discusses the dangers of pasteurization and the benefits of raw milk. Another excellent book on the history and benefits of raw milk is The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid. 

Dr. Peter McCullough is a practicing internist and cardiologist in the Dallas, TX area. He spoke recently and provided his insightful testimony before the Arizona State Senate. His remarks were recorded and published as episode 342 on the Highwire. My notes from that recording are as follows:
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Dr. McCullough informed the Arizona State Senate that he had testified only weeks before to the European Union (EU) Parliament on Sep 13, 2023. The EU was considering whether or not to pass an international agreement called the WHO Pandemic Treaty Alliance, which would require all countries to abide by the mandates and directions of the World Health Organization (WHO). 

​While it isn't one of the eight sugars we discuss in our Wellness Journey Class, trehalose is a plant-based sugar that can safely replace refined sugar (sucrose) used in the kitchen (baking, cooking, etc.). It needs to be non-GMO as a lot of it on the market is bioengineered. One important reason the GRM recommends this replacement sugar is because it is made up of only glucose molecules. Glucose is one of the 8 sugars and it is also the primary fuel sugar (blood sugar) used by the mitochondria in each cell to power all of the energy requirements of our bodies. Other sugar substitutes consist of synthetic or diverse sugar molecules that are more foreign to the body—glucose is the main sugar driver in the body.

​Trehalose consists of two glucose molecules geometrically inverted to each other. You would think that two molecules of glucose would make it twice as sweet as one molecule of glucose. But this mirrored geometry creates a unique effect within the body. Trehalose has a glycemic index (GI) rating of only 70 for the two molecules compared to a rating of 100 for a single glucose molecule. ​In addition to this special spatial reflection of glucose, the enzyme that breaks down the sugar trehalose (called trehalase) is located in the lower portion of the GI tract. These aspects of trehalose are especially pertinent for diabetics as any blood sugar spike is reduced and delayed.

How could there be any controversy around apium graveolens--better known as celery? It's a vegetable with a long fibrous stalk tapering off into leaves. Put some peanut butter on it and it is a tasty, healthy snack. It has many powerful health benefits. Celery is chock-full of antioxidants like quercetin, vitamin C (which the body converts into serotonin to brighten mood), and minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. It is one of the top non-dairy sources of a nutritional carbohydrate called galactose (one of the eight glycobiology sugars we talk about in our Wellness Journey Class). It lowers inflammation, blood pressure (hypertension), and is antibacterial—fighting bacteria like e. coli responsible for urinary tract infections.  

Who eats more ice cream than Americans? Only the citizens of New Zealand. Americans eat 20 pounds (4 gallons) per person annually. Many people fear ice cream because they believe milkfat will make you fat. Low-fat/no fat was the mantra of nutritionists from the late 1970s to 2014. There was a battle in the 1970s between sugar and fat. People wanted to know which one caused heart disease. Scientists thought fat made you fat and that it led to clogged arteries and heart disease. So, vegetable oil replaced animal-based oils and low-fat/no fat products hit the marketplace. Low-fat products had to be sweetened with sugar because removing the good fats destroyed their taste, making them unappealing (like eating cardboard). So, sugar was used to cover up the problem.