Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that supermarket chickens have a higher proportion of Campylobacter bacteria than they did ten years ago. Drug-resistant Campylobacter is a major cause of concern for health officials, with more than 300,000 infections a year in the U.S. causing symptoms like diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, and temporary paralysis. The elevated levels of this pathogen in supermarket protein confirm what scientists and medical professionals have increasingly been saying – treating food animals for long periods with antibiotics intended for human use has caused a major health crisis.

Dangerous Practices

If we are unable to find an answer to antibiotic-resistant pathogens, the World Health Organization predicts that they will kill more people than cancer does by the year 2050. Even major pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer are beginning to recognize the severity of this issue, removing or adjusting sales incentives related to the sale of antibiotics. Yet British and European authorities still allow chickens to be treated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics, that have been restricted by the FDA for human use.

The Tipping Point

Pharmaceuticals have been slow to develop new antibiotics, and farmers continue to use medication intended for human use on their food animals. At some point, something will need to change. So what can you do right now?

The easiest and most obvious way to protect yourself is to avoid antibiotics, through what you consume and the medications you take. Conventionally raised meat and dairy are a key factor in the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and should be avoided.  While antibiotics may be necessary in some cases, they are prescribed far too often in the modern medical system. Fortifying your immune system decreases the likelihood of catching a bug that would need antibiotic treatment.

Sources:

• Chickens From British Supermarket Show Record Levels of Antibiotic Superbugs – Collective Evolution
• Biggest Threats – CDC.gov
• Be Warned: FDA Issues New Stronger Warnings About Risks of Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics – Collective Evolution
• Four companies move to decouple antibiotic sales volumes from sales agents’ bonuses – Access to Medicine Foundation

Genetically modified rice developed in China has passed safety inspections by the U.S. FDA, the first step for the rice to be exported to the U.S. The good news is that neither China nor the U.S. has approved the genetically modified rice for mass cultivation. The FDA’s letter says that the agency has reviewed the data submitted and has no further questions at this time.

[The letter] also reminds the developer that it is responsible for ensuring the safety of any food it puts on the market – thus absolving the FDA of all responsibility if anything should go wrong!” – GM Watch

Related: The Difference Between Heirlooms, Hybrids, and GMOs

The insect-resistant rice called “Huahui 1” passed FDA safety and nutrition inspections. The rice had previously passed safety inspections by the EPA regarding pesticide residue levels.

Having passed safety inspections by the FDA and EPA, Huahui 1 and its products are able to be exported to the US for consumption. It suggests safety evaluations by Chinese testing institutes of Huahui 1 have been fully recognized by institutes in the US.” – ChinaDaily

Related:  Scientists Against GMOs, Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

The species is said to be able to resist destruction caused by insects such as larva, and can “greatly reduce the use of pesticides during production.” Huahui 1 was successfully bred by a university in China in 1998 and was awarded with a biosafety certificate by China’s Ministry of Agriculture in 2009, following safety evaluations that lasted for almost 10 years, according to the university.

Related: Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods

GM foods including this rice breed is not likely to win approval in China for large-scale production any time soon; the Chinese population has no interest in GMO foods. Researchers in the university are looking to the US for commercial use. China Daily also states,

China has the world’s most strict safety evaluation system for GM products, and all GM products that have passed inspections by the authorities in China are safe, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.”

Related: How to Avoid GMO Apples

A study recently published in the academic journal, Frontiers in Psychology, found that teaching a lesson to children outside allowed teachers to retain the attention of the kids for almost twice compared to a subsequent indoor lesson.

We wanted to see if we could put the nature effect to work in a school setting. If you took a bunch of squirmy third-graders outdoors for lessons, would they show a benefit of having a lesson in nature, or would they just be bouncing off the walls afterward?” – Ming Kuo, lead study author

Recommended: Common Bad Parenting Advice You Should Ignore

The study was conducted over a 10-week period in a Midwestern elementary school. Two third-grade classrooms participated. One of the classrooms had a teacher who was enthusiastic about the concept while the other teacher who was skeptical, thinking like many do that there would be too many distractions. Each teacher held one lesson a week outside before returning to their regular classroom setting.

The outdoor classroom was a grassy spot just outside the school, within view of a wooded area. Following the outdoor lesson, class engagement was assessed in four ways: the teacher’s perception of the students’ level of engagements; the students’ ratings of theirs and their classmates’ engagement; the number of ‘redirects’ during the lesson, when teachers had to call the kids’ attention back to the lesson; and independent photo ratings, where ratings of classroom engagement by an independent observer were based on photos of the observation period.” – TreeHugger

Recommended: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

What was the effect of lessons outside regarding classroom engagement? Does outdoor learning leave pupils too excited to focus? In this study, classroom engagement was improved after lessons in nature. The advantage of the time outside held true for “four of five measures of classroom engagement.”

We found higher levels of classroom engagement after lessons in nature than after carefully matched classroom-based counterparts; these differences could not be explained by differences in teacher, instructional approach, class (students, classroom, and class size), time of year, or time of day, nor the order of the indoor and outdoor lessons on a given topic. It would seem that lessons in nature boost subsequent classroom engagement, and boost it a great deal; after a lesson in nature, teachers were able to teach for almost twice as long without having to interrupt instruction to redirect students’ attention. This nature advantage persisted across 10 different weeks and lesson topics, and held not only for a teacher with positive expectations for nature-based lessons but also for a teacher who anticipated negative effects of such lessons. The findings here suggest that lessons in nature allow students to simultaneously learn classroom curriculum while rejuvenating their capacity for learning, or “refuel in flight.” Because providing children with more contact with nature in the course of the school day is likely to yield a whole host of additional dividends as well, including improved physical and mental health (see Chawla, 2015 for review), the findings here argue for including more lessons in nature in formal education.

Recommended Reading:

• Five Things You Can Do to Help Your Child Manage ADHD Naturally
• ADHD, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Autism – What Do They Have in Common?
• Shaken Baby Syndrome – Child Abuse or Vaccine Injury?

This video takes things a step further, check it out!

Some of the best natural remedies take root thousands of years ago, and only today are making a huge comeback. No wonder, some of these can completely change if not save lives.

One of these remedies that is quickly growing in popularity is black seed oil, also known as black cumin oil, black caraway oil, Roman coriander oil, or black sesame oil.

The oil is derived from the Nigella sativa plant, a native to Asia. The plant’s small, black, crescent-looking seeds were used for centuries in India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. It was used to make the oil as early as 3,000 years ago in Egypt. The oil was even found in the famous Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb. It is also been said that Hippocrates, a Greek physician, used it for digestive issues.

Related Product:  Annatto Tocotrienols with Black Cumin Seed Oil • 60sg – Designs For Health

What’s so special about this oil? Over 630 scientific peer-reviewed studies have suggested that there is virtually no health issue that black seed oil cannot help defeat.

This is not surprising, looking at its long list of properties. Black seed oil is:

• Anti-bacterial
• Anti-fungal
• Antiviral
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Analgesic
• Antispasmodic
• Insulin-sensitizing
• Anti-hypertensive
• Hypotensive

Black seed oil contains over 100 compounds! Its powerful medicinal properties come from arachidonic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, protein, calcium, phosphorous, folate, zinc, iron, copper, and vitamins B1, B2, B3.

But its best active compounds are crystalline nigellone and thymoquinone.

Must Read: Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease

Black Seed Oil: Cures Everything Except Death!

It is said that the prophet Mohammad said that black cumin can cure everything but death itself. And it truly may be so! From heart disease and severe allergies to diabetes and cancer.

Reasons to Consume Black Seed Oil Regularly

Cancer prevention

Colon, lung, brain, prostate, pancreatic and multiple other cancers can be significantly reduced by using black cumin oil. A 2012 study found that thymoquinone has an anti-tumor effect and can be used to reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy. Other studies also suggested that it can protect the body from radiation, for those who are using conventional cancer therapies.

Black seed oil also helps prevent and treat cancer because of its many mechanisms: anti-metastasis (prevents spreading of secondary cancer), anti-proliferation (prevents spreading of cells), and anti-angiogenesis (prevents developing of new blood vessels, which feed and grow tumors).

Heart health

Because black seed is full of unsaturated omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. In addition to providing phytosterols, they help you keep a healthy heart, healthy blood pressure, and healthy cholesterol — all of which are interconnected. Just consuming a teaspoon of black cumin oil every day will have these positive effects on the heart.

Weight Loss

Have you ever wished you lost cravings for junk food? Black cumin’s unique combination of compounds reduces appetite for unhealthy foods! Meanwhile, it also helps burn body fat. It may be one of the best natural anti-obesity remedies on the planet!

Hair and Skin

Back in ancient Egypt, Cleopatra is said to have used black seed oil for her long, beautiful hair to give it shine and luster. It also strengthens hair roots, giving it an incredible ability to restore hair loss, likely to its high antioxidant content. While promoting new hair growth, black seed oil clears out dandruff. Leaving it on the hair for 30-60 minutes is the best treatment for hair.

It successfully treats not only hair damage but also skin damage. From a simple hand cream for dryness to addressing hand eczema, this oil is popular to use on skin.

Immune System

Black cumin stimulates the increase of white blood cells in the body, which are responsible for fighting off disease. This boost of the immune system can be vital in treating a cold, flu, or even bronchitis and pneumonia.

Respiratory Problems

Having a hard time breathing? The respiratory tract is not doing well due to allergies or congestion? Black seed oil can reduce inflammation in the body and allow you to breathe freely again. For this health problem, it is better to take the oil as a preventative than as a medicine to treat an existing issue.

Coughing

Speaking of respiratory health, for a simple cough, just adding black cumin oil to ginger tea and a teaspoon of honey does wonders. It suppressed the need to cough and relaxes bronchial muscles, all while soothing a sore throat.

Rubbing black seed oil on the chest also helps open up and clear out the airways.

The third way to use it to relieve a cough is to add it to boiled water and breathe in the healing steam.

Recommended: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Digestion

Hippocrates knew what he was doing when he used this remedy for digestion. Black cumin can aid healthy digestion, decrease bloating, relieve gas, and alleviate muscle cramps. It also has a soothing effect on the whole intestines, which can provide real relief for those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.

Anxiety and depression

Black cumin seeds can stabilize the mood, and by doing so decrease anxiety and lift depression.

Related: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

Other uses:

• Acne
• Allergies and sinus infections
• Arthritis and joint pain
• Asthma and cholesterol
• Bacterial infections and the flu
• Blood sugar
• Boils and carbuncles
• Breast pain
• Bruising and scars
• Colic
• Diabetes
• Diarrhea
• Epilepsy
• Fertility issues and low testosterone
• Fever
• Fungal infections
• Gum disease
• Headaches and migraines
• Heartburn and constipation
• Hemorrhoids and gallstones
• Hypertension
• Infections and nasal congestion
• Insect Bites
• Insomnia
• Kidney stones and Liver Health
• Lactation issues
• Lead poisoning
• Memory problems
• Menstrual pain
• Moles
• Muscle spasms and cramps
• Nausea and upset stomach
• Nosebleeds
• Opioid addiction
• Osteoporosis
• Pain
• Parasites
• Pink eye and earaches
• Psoriasis
• Toothaches
• Vision problems
• Ulcers

Most of these are thanks to thymoquinone — heals anything but death!

NOTE: black cumin oil should NOT be taken by pregnant women as it can trigger a miscarriage; or by those with diabetes as it can lower blood sugar. Taking too much of this oil can be problematic for people who have liver and kidney problems. For anyone, do not take more than one teaspoon of this oil twice a day.

Easiest Ways to Take Black Seed Oil

Many holistic doctors agree that one teaspoon of black seed oil a day is the perfect amount to take to receive all of its health benefits (1 tsp for a 150-pound person). Because it can be too bitter for some people prefer to mix it with honey for taste and to add extra medicinal properties.

Related Product: Organic Black Seed Oil

The best time to take the oil is first thing in the morning. By itself, with honey, or mixed with a small amount of water on an empty stomach, black seed oil will kick-start your metabolism.

The oil can also be used in cooking. It is not the kind to use for fried foods, but rather as a dressing.

Cooking with it can also be a great way to incorporate it into the diet. You can add it to bread or bagels, soups or stir-fries, and mix it into seasonings such as mustard.

Finally, black seed oil also has great cosmetic uses. It can be used on the skin as a moisturizer, an exfoliator, or a face mask; or added to shampoo for split hair prevention and a healthy scalp.

Sources:

• Scientific studies on Nigella sativa — U.S. National Library of Medicine
• Black Cumin Seed Oil Benefits: The Seed You Need — Activation Products
• 7 Proven Black Seed Oil Benefits — Dr. Josh Axe

President Donald Trump has been ignoring his campaign promises regarding vaccine safety. He proposed creating a vaccine safety committee to be led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but it didn’t happen. There is good news for anti-vaxxers, however. President Trump has created a division within the Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights called the “Conscience and Religious Freedom Division.”

Related: We Consume Livestock Vaccines When We Ingest Meat

Law protecting religious freedom and conscience rights are just empty words on paper if they aren’t enforced. No one should be forced to choose between helping sick people and living by one’s deepest moral or religious convictions, and the new division will help guarantee that victims of unlawful discrimination find justice. For too long, governments big and small have treated conscience claims with hostility instead of protection, but change is coming and it begins here and now.” – Press release

This new division is said to allow doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers to be able to “decline to participate in care that goes against their religious beliefs.” Vaxxter.com reported on the story and is hopeful that the new division could allow anyone a formal means to register complaints of infractions on basic religious freedoms and receive protection. This protection could conceivably benefit those who may be forced to vaccinate lest they are removed from school or lose their job.

Related: How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

Will this protection lend itself to those who are mandatorily forced to take vaccines or be removed from a public school or lose their job? It seems that President Trump has created a form for those who want to report totalitarian abuses by the system.” – Vaxxter.com

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was helped make this new division a reality,

In the past this office sent the message, now is not the time for freedom, it is time for you to conform. What a difference one year makes.”

Must Read:

• One Million Receive Faulty Dengvaxia Vaccine Which May Cause Dengue Rather Than Prevent it
• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
• How Plumbing (Not Vaccines) Eradicated Disease

Trump’s Vaccine Stance In 2014

Autism WAY UP – I believe in vaccinations but not massive, all at once, shots. Too much for small child to handle. Govt. should stop NOW!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2014

Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes – AUTISM. Many such cases!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2014

No more massive injections. Tiny children are not horses—one vaccine at a time, over time.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2014

I'm not against vaccinations for your children, I'm against them in 1 massive dose.Spread them out over a period of time & autism will drop!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2014

On Monday (1/22) Vermont became the ninth U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana use on Monday. Republican Governor Phil Scott signed a bill passed by the legislature earlier this month,

Today, with mixed emotions, I have signed H. 511.”

The law legalizes marijuana possession of up to 1 ounce, two mature plants, and up to four immature plants. No one under 21 may possess marijuana and the new law does not trade in the drug. Governor Scott noted that he vetoed the earlier version of the bill that would have allowed sales of the marijuana.

Eight other states have legalized marijuana use as a result of voter initiatives. What makes this law unique is that the law was passed through legislation and not by ballot initiative. Vermont is one of 23 states in the nation that don’t allow ballot initiatives.

The Law Needs Work

The law contains some tricky use of the word “or” that confuses the issue.

Also: In some places the law says an adult may possess two mature plants or four immature plants. In other places the law says an adult may possess two mature and four immature plants.

Also also: The law mentions “hashish” but makes no mention of edibles, topicals, concentrates like shatter or wax (is “hashish” a catchall?), vape oil, tinctures, or any other common cannabis products. The use of “hashish” makes it seem like the legislators who wrote the law time-traveled to the 1970s to learn about cannabis.” – Leafly

Leafly went through the final language of the bill and come up with the handy guide.

What to Know Before You Go…and Consume

The new law:

• Removes all criminal and civil penalties for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, or more than five grams of hashish, for persons 21 years of age or older. As the law is written, it’s unclear whether this is an either/or situation—in other words, whether you can possess both an ounce of flower and five grams of hash, or whether you’re limited to an ounce or five grams and cannot possess both.
• Does not allow for the commercial cultivation and/or sale of cannabis to persons 21 years of age or older. Vermont’s law is strictly a homegrow, personal-use law as it stands now. The law does, however, mandate that the state make plans to adopt a “comprehensive regulatory structure for legalizing and licensing the marijuana market.” The Governor’s Marijuana Advisory Commission has been directed to report on such a system by Dec. 15, 2018.
• Legalizes the possession of paraphernalia for cannabis use for persons 21 years of age or older.
• Legalizes the cultivation of two mature cannabis plants or four immature plants, for anyone 21 years of age or older. “Immature” means a female plant that has not flowered and does not have visible buds. Those plants must be in an enclosure screened from public view and secure so that access is limited to the cultivator. The cultivation limit applies to each dwelling, regardless of how many residents 21 or older reside in the dwelling. So: One house, two mature plants, period. The law is clear that these plants may be possessed in addition to the one ounce of cannabis flower. The law is not clear about whether a person may possess two mature plants and four immature plants—again with the “or” problem in the law’s language. In some of the law’s sections, two mature or four immature plants may be possessed. In other sections, two mature andfour immature plants may be possessed. Read the rest here.

Recommended Reading:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
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Earlier this month Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City is filing suit against all five major oil companies for damages related to climate change.