Congress Passes Bill to Block Feds From Targeting Medical Marijuana and Industiral Hemp Cultivation

The Justice Department will no longer have the funds to raid medical marijuana establishments.

Not long ago, it seemed the movement to legalize marijuana was never going to gain traction. The federal government was eager to override any state law that legalized its use, for any reason. It seemed the only push behind legalization was the positive press for marijuana’s role in treatment of glaucoma and its use to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy. And that was not enough to keep the feds from pushing back as they closed down medical marijuana operations across California.

As the years have gone by, stories continue to emerge about the healing properties of cannabis oil. It is said to heal many conditions (migraines, seizures, persistent pain, nausea, lack of appetite, etc.), but its primary claim to fame is its ability to heal cancer – skin cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer. Just take a quick look at the Internet and read the stories.

  • Mike Cutler, 63, cured of liver cancer. (Pain disappeared after 3 day’s use).
  • Michelle Aldrich, stage 3 lung cancer. Shrunk tumor by 50% in 4 months and had the rest surgically removed. No sign of cancer.
  • Andy Ashcraft, dying from pleural mesothelioma, now recovered.
  • Baby with an inoperable brain tumor, terminal. Completely cured.

The bipartisan Rohrabacher-Farr medical marijuana amendment was included in the omnibus spending bill. The purpose of the amendment is to stop the Justice Department from overriding state medical marijuana laws. It states:

“None of the funds made available in this Act to the Department of Justice may be used…to prevent such States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.”

It also… drumroll please…will protect industrial hemp cultivation through the Agricultural Act of 2014.

Medical marijuana laws now exist in 20 states and the fight continues in the states that have not yet passed sane legislation. Relieving the pressure from the federal government should help.

Is it possible we have voted for some rational, logical, reasonable legislators?

Further Reading:
Sources:


Want To Know What Factory Farms Do With Their Waste? (Video)

We’ve known the horrific conditions animals endure when raised in factory farms. One could only hope we have all seen some footage that shows chickens, cows, or pigs crammed into tiny spaces so filled that the animals cannot turn around or lay down. One thing we haven’t seen until now are the cesspools created by factory farming.

Mark Devries, director of the documentary Speciesism, the Movie, explores the cultural belief that “our species is more important than the rest.” His exposure of factory farming as “one of the greatest evils in our history” should give us pause. After all, animal cruelty laws are widely upheld when it comes to the treatment of cats, dogs, and horses. For some reason they don’t apply to factory raised animals.

Factory farms are tucked away and hidden from prying eyes. In his film, Mark crawls through bushes, flies over factory farms, and even uses a drone to videotape the landscape. In a clip (see video below) his drone reveals a cesspool the size of three football fields. The cesspool is simply a giant trench filled to the brim with pig feces and urine. The metal buildings beside the cesspool hold pigs crammed nose to tail. Waste is flushed under each building to the cesspools and then sprayed into the air.

Now here’s the interesting part. The animal waste is not pumped into a treatment facility. It is not pumped into a septic tank. It is not treated in any way. It is sprayed into the air.

From there, where does it go? While giant factory farms make an effort to hide away in rural settings, they still have neighbors. Their practice of spraying waste into the air causes it to drift onto their neighbors’ property. The odor alone is unimaginable. At times, it rain animal feces onto the neighbors’ yards and houses. Asthma rates, especially for children, are high. Runoff from factory farms contaminates waterways and groundwater.

Animals raised under these conditions are highly susceptible to disease. Initial reports regarding the Swine flu epidemic identified patient zero as a child who lived near a factory farm, but these reports were quickly squashed.

Short Clip of the Drone Footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayGJ1YSfDXs

Check out Mark Devries film, Speciesism, the Movie



A Salad a Day – New Year’s Resolution Will Do More For Your Health

We are quickly approaching the New Year, the time when we all take stock of the year before and vow to change or improve. For the vast majority of us, New Year’s resolutions include some version of eating healthier or eating less. For a week or two, we just might give it a try. But old habits die hard, and soon we slip back into the usual routine. I believe there are good reasons new eating habits don’t stick. We don’t feel better; we just feel deprived. And new routines are usually too time consuming.

Make It Quick, Easy, and Life Changing

If you were to make one dietary change this year–just one—this one could change your life. Make a resolution to eat raw, fresh, organic produce each day. Your goal is to make raw produce 80% of your diet. For the majority, this will be a radical change, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult one.

Once a week, buy all the necessary veggies to make an incredible salad. Make one big batch every few days, and eat a big salad at least once a day (but know that the health benefits are greater if you make each and every salad fresh).

This is not the usual, wimpy salad. This salad is an adventure and the most nutritious salad you will ever eat. It is so good, you’ll never get tired of it. That said, you can always change it up. Just be sure you have a very large variety of veggies in your salad.

The Perfect Salad

This is your base:

  • Spinach
  • Field greens
  • Red cabbage
  • Collard greens (cut in fine strips)
  • Kale
  • Swiss chard
  • Collard greens
  • Beet Greens (they spoil fast, so eat these within a few days)

Forget iceberg lettuce. From now on, your “lettuce” should consist of at least five of the aforementioned leafy vegetables. Then you top it with shredded root vegetables.

These are your shreds:

  • Beet root
  • Carrots
  • Daikon radish
  • Artichoke root
  • Zucchini
  • Yellow squash

Zucchini and squash don’t last as long as the root veggies once they’re shredded, so take that into consideration when making them in advance.

Toppings:

  • Cilantro
  • Red onions
  • Leeks or green onions
  • Cucumber
  • Garlic
  • Turmeric
  • Pepper (or dried, ground up, non GMO papaya seeds)
  • Sunflower seeds (and/or chia seeds, walnuts, whatever you like)
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Cranberries

I also like to add soft-boiled eggs and raisins and then top it off with a mix of balsamic vinaigrette, apple cider vinegar, and either flax seed oil or an omega 3 oil blend. Mix it up well to get the seasonings and dressing over all of the vegetables. I also used to add sheep feta cheese and chicken or steak, too. If you’ve got a meat eating friend who’s health you’re trying to turn around, and they balk at the idea of salads, then throw in a nice sheep feta and some meat, and they’ll love it.

Eating one salad a day plus several servings of raw fruit each day is a habit that is easy to include in your daily life if you prepare one or two big batches of salad a week. You will feel so much better, so quickly, you will not want to go back to your old habit of eating a sandwich and chips, fast food, or a frozen entree for lunch. If you are detoxifying, or dealing with illness and wish to incorporate these salads, be sure to make them fresh each time.

Of course, whenever possible, buy organic produce. Get to know your farmer’s markets if you have any near. And from now on, always have a salad in the fridge waiting for you. You’ll start to crave them in no time, as other habits, the not so healthy ones, begin to lessen their hold on you. The transformation is amazing. More than anything else, in my experience, these salads have been the precursor to a much healthier and disease free life for so many people. Seriously. These salads are that powerful. Put your health in your own hands.

Check out 80% Raw Food Diet for a salad dressing recipe that is to die for! And if you’re ready for step two, drink a gallon of cranberry, stevia lemonade a day (recipe here). And let us know if you’ve got some salad recipes or tips that you can share with us.

Further Reading:


Powerfully Healing Raspberry Cream Smoothie Recipe

This is a powerful smoothie. The health benefits are enormous. If you have arthritis, diabetes, cancer, or any other major health ailment, or your goal is to prevent these diseases, this is a smoothie you should drink regularly.

For a massive boost of enzymes, tons of antioxidants, and a tremendous amount of anti-inflammatory healthy fats, you can’t do much better than this recipe.

If you suffer from Candida, we recommend you take some SF722 or some other yeast killer, as pineapple is very high in natural sugars. We also recommend adding a few scoops of Total Nutrition Formula for extra nutrition.

This smoothie is absolutely delicious; I’ll bet it’s the best you’ve ever had. And it’s kid friendly!

Just watch the video below and we’ll prove it.

A few of the many benefits of avocados

  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Reduces the risk of diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease
  • Promotes a healthy body weight and BMI
  • Reduces the risk of cancer
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Promotes a healthy immune system
  • Promotes healthy hair and skin

A few of the many benefits of pineapple

  • Prevents free radical damage
  • Helps build strong bones
  • Promotes healthy gums
  • Helps prevent macular degeneration
  • Reduces the risk of diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease
  • Promotes a healthy body weight and BMI
  • Reduces the risk of cancer
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Promotes a healthy immune system
  • Promotes healthy skin
  • Detoxifies the liver

A few of the many benefits of coconut oil

  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Reduces the risk of diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease
  • Promotes a healthy body weight and BMI
  • Reduces the risk of cancer
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Promotes a healthy immune-system
  • Promotes healthy hair and skin
  • Antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral 

A few of the many benefits of raspberries

  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Reduces the risk of diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease
  • Promotes a healthy body weight and BMI
  • Reduces the risk of cancer
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Promotes a healthy immune system

Recipe

This is about as easy as it gets. The recipe serves four. It’s perfect for a Vitamix. If you have a smaller blender, you may need to cut the recipe in half. Of course, all ingredients should be organic whenever possible.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole, fresh, medium pineapple
  • 10 ounces frozen raspberries
  • 1 medium to large avocado
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Blend pineapple first.
  2. Then add avocado and coconut oil.
  3. After the first ingredients are fully blended, add the frozen raspberries and blend until smooth.
  4. Enjoy!

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:


Winter Squash with Delicata Squash Fries Recipe

It’s harvest time for winter squashes. How many of these beauties have you tried?

  • Acorn
  • Butternut
  • Delicata
  • Hubbard
  • Kabocha
  • Spaghetti
  • Sweet Dumpling
  • Turban

Winter squashes can be baked or boiled, though boiling is a lot more work. Peeling and dicing the tough skinned veggies in order to boil the inner flesh isn’t easy. The simplest way to cook these wonderful anti-oxidant filled beauties is in the oven.

Fist scrub the outside under running water to remove all dirt. Carefully cut the squash in half and remove all seeds and strings. Brush the flesh with oil and cook right side up in a 3500 preheated oven until tender (30-60 minutes). Or don’t brush it with anything and cook it with the cut side down. Or even easier, bake it whole after piercing the skin several times with a knife or a skewer.

For a sweet version, you can brush the flesh with orange juice, cook until it is 80-90% done then cover the flesh with a glaze of honey, brown sugar, oil and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, a touch of cayenne). If you score the flesh before putting it in the oven, it will hold the juices better.

Winter squash can also be filled with any concoction from vegetarian rice or quinoa based stuffing to meat based stuffing. Or you can cook it and cut it into cubes to store in the freezer to add to recipes as needed.

Spaghetti squash is unusual due to its stringy texture. You can cook this one with the cut side down or cook it whole. You can use it like spaghetti with any sauce you choose or heat up butter with lots of fresh garlic, basil, and parmesan cheese and toss with squash strands. All you have to do to get the strands is scrape the pulp out of the cooked squash with a fork. It divides up into strands much like pasta.

Delicata Squash Fries Recipe

My favorite thing about delicata squash is that you can eat the skin. It makes them perfect for squash fries.

Ingredients:

  • 1 delicata Squash
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • Sea salt, black pepper, paprika to taste

 

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Cut the delicata squash in half and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into pieces roughly ¼ of an inch.
  • Put the squash in a mixing bowl and add the coconut oil and spices. Mix it all together. It’s easier to do this if you heat up the coconut oil so it coats the squash.
  • Distribute the squash evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Bake the fries for 30 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy, turning them over halfway through the baking cycle.

The fries taste the best hot out of the oven.

Since this recipe is a fairly simple, it’s great for experimenting with different spices and flavors. You could substitute cayenne pepper for paprika if you want more of a kick. You could also try using herbs like rosemary or thyme. The possibilities for a delicious fall veggie dish are only as limited as your imagination!

It would be fun to try every squash on the list, if you haven’t already had the pleasure. Kabocha tastes like a combination of a sweet potato and a pumpkin, sweet dumpling squash tastes a little like corn, and turban tastes a bit like hazelnuts.

What are your favorite winter squash recipes?

 



Common Nutrient Deficiencies: Iodine, Vitamin B12, Magnesium

Many health fanatics are determined to live a healthy lifestyle. They monitor their eating habits and exercise routines carefully. While this is great, it isn’t always enough.

Even the healthiest eating plans – like the Paleo diet and veganism – might not be as great as you think. Many people suffer from nutrient deficiencies, and they don’t even know it.

Check out the three most common nutrient deficiencies. Are you at risk?

Iodine Deficiency

Iodine is a trace mineral. Its primary role is to maintain the health of our thyroid. Previously, iodine deficiency was believed to be a health issue that was confined to third-world countries. However, the deficiency is becoming more prevalent in developing countries too.

There are several symptoms of an iodine deficiency:

  • Goiter – Iodine is tasked with thyroid development. If iodine levels drop, the thyroid’s health will be affected. Many times, the gland will expand, causing a visible lump.
  • Hypothyroidism – Iodine is necessary for proper thyroid hormone production. Without iodine, hormone levels will dip. This usually causes weight gain, loss of hair, various skin conditions, erectile dysfunction, infertility, and much more.
  • Cretinism – If pregnant moms don’t get enough iodine, the baby could be born with a neurological birth defect.

There are two main causes of an iodine deficiency. First, most people don’t eat enough iodine-rich foods. If you’d like to increase your iodine levels naturally, try cooking up some fish. Grilling retains more of the iodine than boiling. Also, egg yolk is a great source of iodine.

Secondly, many health nuts cut salt out of their diet. While this may, in theory, be a good idea, you are robbing yourself of a primary source of iodine – iodized salt.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

This is one of the most common – yet severely under diagnosed – nutrient deficiencies. Why is it prevalent and undetected at the same time?

Most people don’t go looking for a vitamin B12 deficiency. And fewer doctors routinely test for it. If you eat even a marginally healthy diet, it is assumed you are getting enough vitamin B12.

When symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, anxiety and depression start emerging, vitamin B12 levels might get checked. Usually, testing isn’t the go-to response until something major like dementia and autism spectrum disorder (in children) start showing up.

A vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the few deficiencies that cannot easily be “fixed” with the diet. Usually supplementation is needed.

If the nutrient is taken via oral pills, the body will have to first absorb it into the bloodstream before it can be used. The vast majority of the nutrient is actually lost during this process. On the other hand, vitamin B12 shots ensure the full dose is utilized.

Which populations are most susceptible to a vitamin B12 deficiency?

The first population is anyone who has another health issue that is impairing the body’s ability to absorb the vitamin B12. For example, Crohn’s disease or celiac disease make it nearly impossible for the body to utilize the consumed nutrient.

Another population segment that is commonly afflicted with a B12 deficiency is vegetarians and vegans. Since they don’t eat animal products (the only source of vitamin B12), they often need alternative sources.

Lastly, senior citizens are very susceptible to vitamin B12 deficiencies. As we age, our bodies struggle to produce intrinsic factor—a necessary ingredient in the B12 absorption process.

If you don’t mind eating animal products and your digestive system is functioning properly, try eating foods rich in vitamin B12 – like liver, salmon, or sardines.

Magnesium Deficiency

Studies show a mere 25% of all Americans reach the recommended daily intake of magnesium. This lack of magnesium consumption can lead to major health concerns like:

  • Diabetes
  • Osteoporosis
  • Heart issues
  • Asthma and other respiratory issues
  • Colon cancer

While the deficiency is still in the beginning stages, individuals can expect to experience:

  • Severe headaches
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Cramps
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Constipation

There are three main reasons why the general population suffers from a magnesium deficiency. First, our water is too clean! When purifying drinking water, magnesium is usually removed.

Second, there isn’t enough magnesium in the soil. Since magnesium is generally found in plant foods (not animal foods), the soil needs to be rich with magnesium in order to pass it along in the foods we eat.

Third, few of us eat enough magnesium dense foods. For example, when was the last time you sat down to a large serving of Swiss chard or spinach?! Fortunately, there are other sources, too – like nuts, seeds, espresso (yum!), dark chocolate (double yum!) and halibut.

Living a healthy lifestyle is admirable. But if you want to truly take care of your body, you’ll assess your eating habits and foods at the nutrient level.

Sources:


6 Great Kitchen Additions for the Healthy Eater

Let’s face it, technology has made many food preparation tasks so much easier. While a mandolin is a thing of beauty, I just can’t seem to get comfortable with it. I’m too sure I am about to lose a fingertip to the blades. Give me a great food processor every time.

If you eat a conventional diet, you open cans, tear open boxes, pop things into the oven or the microwave. But if you eat right, there are a few kitchen gadgets you might truly enjoy. The best possible diet consists of 80% or more raw produce. You can interpret this the simple way – grab raw veggies out of the fridge and eat them. Nothing could be more simple, right? Or the complicated way: you must become a raw chef. I choose the middle ground. I make a lot of salads. A wide variety of vegetables is the preferred eating plan. This means a little prep time. A few gadgets minimize my time in the kitchen.

Food Processor

Most kitchens contain a food processor these days. But is yours a good one? The difference between a cheap food professor and a high end one is surprising. A high end food processor (Breville Sous Chef (16-cup) or Cuisinart Elite (14 cup) are excellent machines. Both have a smaller bowl (the Cuisinart has 2) for smaller jobs and both have seals to keep in liquids, unlike cheaper models. The Breville has an adjustable slicing disk with 24 settings; the Cuisinart, 6 settings.

The large capacity, the multiple disks, the wide mouth, and the ease of cleaning make these machines worth their hefty price tags. (Both are currently listed at $299.00).

Blender

The Vitamix is definitely the top contender when it comes to blenders. It is also the most expensive. But let’s face it, the Vitamix makes nut butters and soups from cold vegetables along with incredible smoothies. It even makes flour out of grains.

Dehydrator

There is a lot you can do with a dehydrator but if your family is trying to kick the chip habit, veggies chips may be your best friend. Kale chips? Zucchini chips? If you bought the Breville food processor, you can make very thin crispy chips. Try flax seed chips, too. And of course you can make dried fruits and veggies. (Bananas? Tomatoes?) along with raw treats such as cookies, bars, and breads. Excalibur makes awesome machines.

Sprouter

Yes, you can grow sprouts in a jar. But it is a lot more fun to grow a whole bunch at one in a self watering sprouter. We park our Freshlife Sprouter on the table and grab sprouts to throw on our meals right there as they grow. You can buy an extra tier to grow twice as many at once!

Spiral Slicer

There are a few brands of spiral slicers or spiralizers out there. I have no idea why someone doesn’t make a serious one constructed out of stainless steel instead of these wimpy plastic ones. None are very expensive; they are all fun. Use spiral slicers to make long strings of veggies in the shape of noodles or ribbons. Very cool for those of us who eat a lot of veggies.

Coconut Opener

If you don’t open coconuts, you have no idea how grateful one could be for a simple kitchen gadget. Without this, opening a coconut is an exercise in both patience and precision as you try to whack the same 4 spots multiple times with a very heavy, very sharp blade. The Coco Jack is a quick, safe, and easy way to open a coconut in seconds.

 

Sources:

(These are not affiliate links)