You Are What You Grow by Michael Pollan

Concerning the Energy Density of Foods



By MICHAEL POLLAN
Published: April 22, 2007
A few years ago, an obesity researcher at the University of Washington named Adam Drewnowski ventured into the supermarket to solve a mystery. He wanted to figure out why it is that the most reliable predictor of obesity in America today is a person's wealth. For most of history, after all, the poor have typically suffered from a shortage of calories, not a surfeit. So how is it that today the people with the least amount of money to spend on food are the ones most likely to be overweight? LEARN MORE

Great books and How to grow world record tomatoes

How to Grow World Record Tomatoes
by Charles Wilber
For most of his 80+ years, Charles Wilber has been learning how to work with nature. In How to Grow World Record Tomatoes he tells his personal story and offers his philosophy and approach to gardening. He reveals for the first time how he grows record-breaking tomatoes and produce of every variety. There's no magic involved. Just a well thought out system that gives plants more than they could ever want, and makes it possible for them to reach their full potential. Wilber's compost is the cornerstone along with a wide circumference around plants layered with compost, alfalfa meal and mulch. Valuable pruning and watering details are given, too, as well as a new way of looking at seeds. As you will learn, growing awesome tomatoes integrates every aspect of gardening that you can imagine. Softcover, 132 pages, Item # 6341. Order online now.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL KINDS OF GREAT BOOKS!

State Laws on School Vending - Legal Analysis

State Laws on School Vending - Legal Analysis The current issue of the Food and Drug Law Journal contains an article I wrote that analyzes the numerous state laws that have been passed in recent years to address the problem of soda and junk food in schools. While there has been much activity, a closer look reveals a chaotic patchwork quilt of policies that often make no sense. The article (co-authored by my colleague Ellen Fried) is called, State School Vending Laws: The Need for a Public Health Approach, and was supported by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. Read the PDF version.

CLICK HERE for more MICHELE SIMON appetite for profit blog.



On Line Nutrition Counseling

Dear FarmGirl,
We are excited to announce the dates for Nutrition for Life's THIRD Foundations Course of the year. Participants from the first two classes are reporting an increase in energy levels, weight loss, less anxiety, and better nights of sleep. This will be the second class that will be available to people on the East Coast. All of the classes will be conference calls so that people from all over the country can participate.
Please email Matthew LaBosco at matthew@kineticconditioning.net
or call 626-372-0469 to register.
Class size will be limited, so don't hesitate to reserve your spot today.

Foundations
Course I

Objective:
To teach people how to maximize their body's ability to make energy by Normalizing Blood Sugar Levels and to assist them in chooing the best foods and incorporating specific eating strategies into their daily schedule.
Strategy:
#1: Eating Often
#2: Balancing
Macronutrients
Education:
Learn the roles of each macronutient and how the different types of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, effect our blood sugar levels and hormones.
Addressing:
* Satiey
* Emotional
Stability
* Mental Focus
* Physical Energy
* Digestion
*Insomnia
Includes:
* Meal Planning
* Food Quality
* Strategies for
Dining Out
* Troubleshooting




Say Hello to Sprin by Going Green!

Say Hello to Spring by Going Green!
Dear Friend,
The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping — there’s just something about spring that really makes you want to give back to Mother Nature.


One great way to give a little TLC back to the planet that provides us with so much is composting. You’ll cut down on waste, create the best kind of nourishment for your garden and have a perfect excuse to go outside a little more often! Here’s some info to help you get started.

Horizon Organics Rocks!

US NGO initiatives on Food Policy

Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 6:03 PM
Subject: 2 US NGO initiatives on Food Policy


Dear All,

Two interesting developments for you US watchers:
1. adoption of food policy guide by the American Planning Association
(attached)
2. Food and Farm Policy Project (funded by the Kellogg Foundation)
statement: "Seeking Balance in US Farm and Food Policy". This can be downloaded after clicking on the hotlink for the FFPP Declaration:
http://www.foodsecurity.org/policy.html#FFPPnow

Tim Lang, PhD, FFPH
Professor of Food Policy
City University
Centre for Food Policy
Northampton Square, London EC1V OHB, UK
t: +44-(0)20-7040-8798
e: t.lang@city.ac.uk
web: http://www.city.ac.uk/hmfp/foodpolicy/ MSc Food Policy:
http://www.city.ac.uk/hmfp/foodpolicy/courses/index.html

Highlight: Mixed outlook for pharmaceutical crops in California

Highlight: Mixed outlook for pharmaceutical crops in California

Pharmaceutical crops - those genetically engineered to produce medicines, vaccines and other pharmaceutical proteins - have been cultivated on a limited scale in California, amid increasing regulations, according to a review article published in the April-June 2007 issue of the University of California's peer-reviewed California Agriculture journal. The USDA imposed more stringent regulations on "pharma crop" field trials in 2003 to reduce risk of gene flow and contamination of human food and livestock feed. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the FDA fight it out

National Association of Nutrition Professionals News <info@nanp.org> wrote:
From: National Association of Nutrition Professionals News

The US FDA is at it again. They have been notorious for decades for
their biased attacks and uneven handling of natural, non-
drug/surgery/radiation based health options. This time, though, they
are playing for keeps.

The goal is simple: through a "Guidance" about the regulation
of "CAM" (which they conveniently define as "Complementary and
Alternative MEDICINE" the FDA hopes to serve the interests of Big
Pharma by eliminating all CAM practices and products. ALL of them.

Here's how this deadly game is played:

1. By using the term "Medicine" rather than "Modality" for CAM
practices, the FDA sets the stage so that anyone who is not a
licensed physician is breaking the law by using these modalities
since they are therefore 'practicing medicine without a license'.

2. By using the term "treatment" rather than "therapy", the FDA
limits those who can perform these practices to licensed physicians
and, again, anyone who is not a licensed physician is breaking the
law by using these modalities since only licensed practitioners can
treat. So people using these modalities are therefore 'practicing
medicine without a license'.

3. By using the terms "Medicine" and "treatment" instead
of "Modalities" and "therapy", all substances, including vitamins,
minerals, herbs, co-factors, etc., automatically become untested
drugs since they are being used to prevent, treat, mitigate or cure
disease states. Such use can only legally take place with FDA
approved drugs.

Here's How We Protect CAM Practices,
Practitioners and Products

Numbers. Sheer volume of response. Nothing more and nothing less. NOW
is the time to act. Our window of opportunity slams shut on April 30,
2007.

http://tinyurl.com/2u7ghc

That is the link which allows you to send a comment directly to the
FDA about their deadly "Guidance". Will it matter? Yes, if millions
of people respond. So I am asking you to take this "viral".Here is
what you need to do
NOW
if you value your freedom:

1. Click on the link below and add your name to the letter. When you
click "Send" it will be electronically delivered to the FDA docket
site and posted.

2. Write a brief note (or copy the information in this email)
including this link , http://tinyurl.com/2u7ghc , and mail it to
every one you can. In your email please:

a. Include everyone you know and tell them that their freedom to
choose their own health modalities and options is under serious
attack.

b. Send the same email to the the companies which make the vitamins,
minerals and herbs you use and ask them to send it out to their
entire mailing list.

c. Impress upon the people you contact that we are facing a virulent
and highly organized assault on ALL natural products and procedures
because they do not feed the pharmaceutical coffers and that their
help is crucial.

d. Include a link to the Natural Solutions Foundation website
(www.HealthFreedomUSA.org ). Ask them to become familiar with the
site in order to lend their support to the health freedom battle
which threatens their right to make their own health choices.

The Top 10 Foods to Eat Organically

The Top 10 Foods to Eat Organically
Excerpted from Your Organic Kitchen, by Jesse Ziff Cool.

Some conventionally grown foods are treated with more pesticides than others. Some retain more of the pesticides. Here is a list of the top 10 foods containing the most pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

The Seven Deadly Sins of Obesity: How the Modern World is Making us Fat

The Seven Deadly Sins of Obesity: How the Modern World is Making us Fat

Jane Dixon , Dorothy Broom

Argues that the skyrocketing increase in obesity levels is not caused by individuals’ moral weakness, but is due to modern society lacking the virtues necessary for people to adopt and maintain healthy behaviours. In a fresh and highly original approach, the book proceeds to identify a set of seven social and environmental ‘sins’ that characterise our contemporary world, and then describes how each impacts on the level of obesity.

Tell us what you think!

School Garden Grants Available Now!

For all those interested in school gardens,

School gardens are a great connection to farm to school. The California Instructional School Garden funding through the California Department of Education has been finalized. The program makes available two different non-competitive grants to support garden-based education. Equipment and supplies grants and professional development grants are available to eligible California public schools.

More information and the application can be downloaded at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r9/cisg06rfa.asp


These non-competitive grants are available on a first come first served basis, so if you are interested in receiving funds to support a garden in your school you should act quickly.

-Moira Beery




California Farm to School Program
Center for Food & Justice
Urban & Environmental Policy Institute
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA
Ph. (323) 341-5099
Fax (323) 258-2917
www.farmtoschool.org
www.uepi.oxy.edu

Alcoholic cirrhosis cannot occur without unsaturated fats

Did you know?

Alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver cannot occur unless there are unsaturated oils in the diet. [Nanji and French, Life Sciences. 44, 1989.] CLICK HERE for MORE

National Ag Day is coming up!

Event: Ag Day 2007

Date: March 20, 2007

Details:

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is hosting "Ag Day '07" at the State Capitol with the theme "Agriculture: Powering Our Future." A special guest will be Shaun White, gold medalist snowboarder and professional skateboarder. This public event will feature speeches, cooking demonstrations, music and more!

The event will take place on the West Steps of the California State Capitol in Sacramento, CA. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Are Unsaturated fats toxic?

I just had an interesting chat about unsaturated fats. Are they unhealthy for you? We hear they turn toxic when temperatures increase so what happens when they are digested into your body at some where around 98.6. Check this out and let us know your thoughts - CLICK HERE

Unhealthy Vegetable Oils?
Does Food Industry Ignore Science Regarding Polyunsaturated Oils?
Implications for Cancer, Heart Disease


By CJ Puotinen


“The polyunsaturated fatty acids or PUFAs in vegetable seed oils are the bane of human health — they actually cause cancer, diabetes, obesity, aging, thrombosis, arthritis, and immunodeficiencies. Their only appropriate use, he says, is as ingredients in paints and varnishes. CLICK HERE

Kids fight obesity!

Check out this story about kids who are fighting obesity: CLICK HERE...

Jill Brook, of http://dietforhealth.com, who has helped FarmGirl and many other folks get a grip on their nutritional health. Go Jill!

One man's protein...

"One man's protein is another man's fat" MFS

Know what food is right for you!

Essays on Agriculture

Agriculture in 2025
by LaTasha Cote

The alarm sounds off at about 8:00; a young man reaches over to turn it off. He gets up, jumps in the shower, eats his breakfast, and then heads out the door toward his milk barn. There is no rush to get to the cows because they have already been milked...

Food for Profit

MICHELE SIMON'S APPETITE FOR PROFIT BLOG UPDATES
February 2007


IN THE NEWS

Food Giants’ Endless Appetite for Profit Many thanks to my wonderful ex-editor Matthew Wheeland at AlterNet for interviewing me about my book. Here’s how he sets things up: “Appetite for Profit helps illuminate the many ways that food companies — from General Mills to McDonald’s — market the unhealthiest foods to boost their profit margin and fight any attempts to reverse this trend. Read interview.

FarmGirl is Back!

Hey there kids,
We're back - finally! We had a wedding and all sorts of activities and finally caught up on energy. It's all about eating the right foods and watching your health, which we didn't necessarily and paid the price. But we're fighting back strong with healthy, organic meals. More to come, watch this spot!