Is chocolate Toxic??

No amount of lead is safe for humans. Lead exposure has been a major public health issue for decades. Lead is linked to a host of neurological impairments, including learning disabilities, seizures, and a lower IQ. Developing fetuses and children are most vulnerable to lead exposure because their brains are in critical growth and development.

Big industry has contaminated our environment with lead, and now we must do everything we can to protect ourselves and our children, “who are the most vulnerable, from every possible exposure,” said Sean Palfrey, MD, a pediatrician and Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health at Boston University School of Medicine.

Cadmium shows evidence that cause reproductive problems. Cadmium can cause damage to the kidney, liver, and bones, while also effecting neurological development. Children are more susceptible than adults to exposure from low doses of cadmium over time.

As You Sow has conducted independent laboratory testing of over 469 chocolate brands for lead and cadmium. Based on the testing results, which found 285 of the 469 chocolate products tested contain lead and/or cadmium above California’s MADLs, legal notices were filed with over 20 companies, including Trader Joe’s, Hershey’s, Lindt, Whole Foods, Kroger, Godiva, See’s Candies, Mars, Theo Chocolate, Equal Exchange, Ghirardelli, and Chocolove, for failing to warn consumers that their products contain cadmium and lead.

Roughly 70 percent of the world's cocoa beans come from four West African countries: Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. The Ivory Coast and Ghana are the two biggest producers of cocoa, accounting for more than 50 percent of the world´s cocoa. Currently there is no Lead or Cadium found at these sources. Keep this in mind when researching where the chocolate is produced and its manufacturing process. Mass production of any products are good indicators that it may contain unsafe ingredients. Always keep it simple, avoid chemicals and food additives and know where your food comes from.

Watch this educational video below.

Marijuana plants -The inequality of food

The use of marijuana is widely used by many for recreation or to helping minimize symptoms of disease. How we consume this powerful plant is where the confusion of its value comes into play. Most people burn the plant for smoking, which creates carbon that you ingest into the lungs and are only able to extract the mind numbing THC and miss out of the CBD healing values of the rest of the plant. This is logically not for medicinal purposes, but who’s judging? Next we have the edible variety. This is a very powerful and more healing method of usage after the bud is loosened, roasted and slow heated for an hr in butter or oil to release the chemicals in the plant, it is then used to create a batter or mixture for baking. Which type of plant is up to how you wish to feel. it is very hard to measure exact potency as well, so you will not want to eat the entire edible all at once. If you want to reduce inflammation, do not sweeten with sugar or make candy out of it. Sweeten with organic maple syrup or make something savory instead.

3 types are:

Indica: Indica creates a powerful “body” high. After consuming a strong indica strain, many consumers feel physically heavy, unwilling to move, and extremely relaxed. Indicas also tend to stimulate the appetite.

Uses: Muscle spasm, pain, anxiety, insomnia

Sativa: Sativa is known for its “head” high that is felt mostly in the brain. This makes sativa strains a bit more hallucinogenic than indica. It also means that while the brain may feel high, sativas do not cause the sluggish body high that sends indica consumers to the couch.

Uses: ADHD, appetite suppressant, depression

Hybrid: There is no one set of effects from hybrid cannabis. Because hybrid strains combine sativas and indicas, the results will depend on which strains were chosen to be bred together. Some hybrid strains can be extremely high in THC, while others may have lower percentages of THC and higher concentrations of CBD. Meanwhile, a varying range of terpenes help round out the effects of each individual strain.

Next is my favorite and most logical sub species of marijuana plant HEMP. Hemp has no psychoactive effects and has many sustainable uses from fibers and building materials, to alternative fuel sources. The most attractive usage is for human consumption. Hemp seeds can be used for a variety of food and health purposes. They can also be ground into flour and protein powder and mixed into soups. The oil pressed from the flowers can be used as a high-CBD supplement, while hemp seed oil is high in healthy fatty acids and can be used for cooking. Hemp leaves are a healthy addition to the diet.

Inequality: Since factory farms and big pharma own a large percentage of the seeds including marijuana, you are charting in unsafe territory. If you do not do extensive research on the source at which you consume marijuana, or any food for that matter, consuming marijuana can be very deadly. Food inequality is a real problem. Monsanto and Dupont control 38% of the seed market. No company should own nature and this is the very reason why commercial agriculture and industrial farming is sickening our society.

Conclusion: It’s best to avoid burning your food and herbs and use the consumption method, verses the smoking method, if you want to obtain the health benefits. It’s also vital to have the right information and curiosity to know where your food comes from.

Is your tap water safe? How to discover this for yourself.

In the US we have major issues with food and water quality and sourcing as well as the regulations surrounding safety. Developed countries should not have to fight for these basic needs. I noticed a change in my water about a week ago. I started to taste chlorine when brushing my teeth. I boil my drinking water once to remove contaminants and preserve the minerals but now this discovery has pushed me to get a shower filter as well. Our skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs toxins. What we put on our bodies matters as much as what we put in. You can find out what’s in your water simply by going to http://ewg.org/tapwater . They will also give you helpful tips on what you can do in your area. Feel free to ask questions in the comments below or email me.

The importance of sleep - cure insomnia

In the first quarter of your sleep cycle., 20 minutes is deep sleep, 25 minutes of REM cycle (dream state) and the rest is light sleeping. We often disregard the importance of nutrition on your sleep cycle. Going to bed at the same time each night in a comfortable setting, is essential for healthy sleep patterns and more efficient cellular repair; however we rarely discuss how food and alcohol consumption or over the counter sleep aids affect our sleep cycles.

As we grow to acknowledge food as medicine, it is important to dictate the negative affects that eating too late at night and or consuming alcohol and sleeping pills before bed have on the body.

We do not benefit from a more restful sleep when we are digesting food, therefore it is most beneficial to stop eating at least 2 to 3 hrs before bedtime.

Alcohol is a toxin at which the body does not favor. If you drink wine or any alcoholic beverage before bed, you are causing your organs and liver to work very hard to remove those toxins as quickly as possible, therefor never reaching your deep sleep or REM cycle. You end up reducing the amount of cells being repaired and cause a build up of damaged cells, dehydration and organ dysfunction, which leads to cognitive brain disruption and mental strain. The result in many cases is insomnia.

The essentials of life exist for a reason. These examples are not the only means of repairing your health but they are meant to bring awareness to the causes of sleep disruption and insomnia.

Protein Powder, an Ingredients nightmare

There has been a great deal of talk about protein powder and supplements over the years. Often, athletes and presumed “Healthy eating” advocates have made various protein powder supplements part of their daily diet. I have read and researched dozens of protein powders and if you took the time to evaluate the ingredients, you would find it shocking.

Heavy metals and other carcinogens are flooding these “plant based” protein compounds as well as synthetic sugars, food binders, gums and stabilizers. The fact is, none of it is real food!

Last year, the Clean Label Project™ completed a study examining 134 plant-based and animal-based protein powder products from 52 different brands. They screened for over 130 toxins, including heavy metals, BPA, pesticides, and other contaminants with ties to health problems.

Poor sourcing and production processes are the root cause of how these toxins and heavy metals are getting added. Including but not limited to Arsenic, Lead, BPA, Cadmium, Sweeteners & Flavorings, Fillers, preservatives and gums.

The conclusion here is, we can avoid all this stuff by eating real food.

Additional sources: Food Revolution, Clean label Project

SUGAR ADDICT

There are dozens of different sugars, derivatives and additives and they began in the science lab and into all the packaged food Americans purchase and consume everyday. The grocery store shelves are filled with creative packaging and buzz words to entice the consumer and tug at their cravings. The truth is, Sugar in almost all forms is poison to humans. The taste is lovely but the impact is deadly. Sugar can be as addictive as any street drug from Alcohol to Heroine. I had a serious addiction to sweets over the years and it made me sluggish and ill to a degree that I had to do something to stop. My diet needed more work than I had thought. Since processed sugar is considered a toxin, I couldn’t figure out why, that no matter how healthy I ate, that I was still reaching for something sweet. I did all the necessary cleansing, fasting and food consumptions needed to feel better, but what I failed to consider is muscle memory. Our bodies are great at adapting and learning. The programming was a simple habit of “what’s next” rather than recognizing nutritional satisfaction, out of pure habit, i would reach for sugar. The re-programming didn’t happen overnight, but once it did, the need for sugar stopped and I completely forgot. If I have anything sweet today, it comes only from whole seasonal fruits and berries full of soluble fiber and antioxidants.

Watch this video that explains the biochemical affects of sugar and alcohol.