Lucknow: A push for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya is likely to gain momentum from Guru Poornima next week when saints gather at the Naradanand Ashram in Sitapur to chalk out a roadmap in this regard.

"Saints from different akhadas of Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states will be assembling at the ashram to discuss and deliberate on the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya," Swami Vidya Chetanaiya Maharaj, who heads the Nardanand Ashram (in Sitapur), said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditiyanath. PTI

"Guru Poornima is on 9 July and it will mark the beginning of a campaign to gather support from not only the saints, but also from the common public for construction of the Ram temple," he told PTI.

Referring to his 27 June meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Chetanaiya Maharaj said, "We are confident that the commencement of construction of a grand Ram temple will begin well before 2019."

The 58-year-old saint also informed that after the Guru Poornima rituals are completed in Naradanand Ashram, he will embark on a special rath (chariot) and travel to different ashrams in the state, and also in the neighbouring states of Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand to elicit support for construction of the temple.

"After nearly one-and-a-half months, I will be returning to the ashram. And, then the final roadmap will take shape," he said.

President of the Rashtriya Kisan Manch, Shekhar Dixit, said until and unless the condition of 'rishi' (saints) and 'krishi' (agriculture) is improved, and problems addressed, "dawn of Ram Rajya in India will always remain a distant dream".

"Both rishi and krishi are an asset to the nation, and if their interests are not taken care of, then this will definitely not augur well for the country as a whole."

Dixit went on to say, "A large number of saints and farmers face threat from the land mafia, which tries to grab their land. If the Uttar Pradesh government intervenes, and sends the land mafia behind bars, then it will set a right precedent."

He added that on Guru Poornima, the volunteers of Rashtriya Kisan Manch will take a pledge to dedicate themselves to resolve these problems.

"We will work tirelessly, and continue to do so till the last farmer gets justice," he said. He was also of the view that time has come for construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

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Demand for Ram temple to get a major push as saints gather to mark Guru Poornima - Firstpost

On Monday, Shanghai police officers intervened before a planned mass brawl between mixed martial artists and tai chi practitioners could take place. The proposed fight is the latest in a string of incidents that have shaken up the Chinese martial arts scene. It comes on the heels of rumours that the government of China had taken action - via internet censorship - to squash the rivalry between MMA and traditional martial arts.

At the centre of this latest incident is Xu Xiaodong, head of of the Beijing MMA association. It was Xus streetfight with Wei Lei (a tai chi master) that caused the MMA vs tai chi/traditional martial arts rivalry to go viral last May. Xu won that fight in around 10 seconds, after a single flurry of punches. The conflict between Xu and Wei started with an argument online over the merits of various forms of martial arts.

After Xu knocked out Wei, he told a crowded gym that he believed tai chi - and disciplines like it - were a sham. This lead to a number of tai chi masters circling Xu and offering to fight him. Xu escaped that situation unscathed and then took to Chinese social media platform Weibo to continue his diatribe against traditional martial arts. Xus rants culminated in him issuing a challenge to traditional martial artists to fight him for a cash prize.

Like the fight with Wei, Xus challenge went viral and a number of Chinese martial artists took him up on his offer. Later, Xus Weibo account was taken offline (along with a number of posts mentioning his challenge). An article in The Economist suggested that this was another incident of the Chinese government censoring Weibo, possibly motivated by a vested interest in upholding the popularity of traditional Chinese martial arts; which they view as an important tool for diplomacy and tourism. After his Weibo account was disabled, Xu told the BBC that he was going to study traditional martial arts himself, as well as keep quiet on the internet.

However, it seems Xus belief that MMA is superior to tai chi and kung fu has not died down. Nor has his eagerness to prove it. The South China Morning Post reports that Xu was set to lead a team of four mixed martial artists into battle versus four tai chi experts, led by Ma Baoguo (a master of Chen style tai chi). Reportedly, the group brawl was arranged online.

Moments before the group fight was set to begin Shanghai police raided the venue. Videos posted to YouTube show the moment officers confront Xu. With a large crowd circling around them Xu is heard (per South China Morning Post) telling the officers that, I will certainly cooperate, but dont push me. You wont be able to push me! A separate video then shows Xu being escorted from the venue.

Despite Xus social media presence dwindling (because either he or someone else closed his accounts) there remains some support for the MMA advocate online. South China Morning Post reports that internet users had dubbed the cancelled group brawl as Xus resurrection after weeks of online silence. Users also alleged that messages about Xu and the group brawl were being censored.

One user is reported to have written, Blocked again! This is regional politics! [Xu] can defeat all of the fakeness across the lakes and rivers, but he cannot defeat the government.

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Video: Shanghai police shut down MMA vs. Tai Chi mass brawl ... - Bloody Elbow

The Register-Guard

Morning tai chi The Register-Guard Karen Meats joins others for tai chi at East Eighth Avenue and Oak Street in downtown Eugene on Tuesday morning. Meats has been practicing tai chi for about 31/2 years. Tai chi classes are held at 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through the summer ...

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Morning tai chi - The Register-Guard

Vegan nutrition refers to the nutritional aspects of vegan diets diets which include no animal products.

While a well-planned, balanced vegan diet is suitable to meet all recommendations for nutrients in every stage of life, improperly-planned vegan diets may be deficient in vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iodine, iron, zinc, riboflavin (vitamin B2), long-chain fatty acids EPA and DHA, and omega-3 fatty acids.[1]

Doctors Dean Ornish, T. Colin Campbell, John A. McDougall, Michael Klaper, Caldwell Esselstyn, Michael Greger, Joel Fuhrman, and Neal D. Barnard claim that high animal fat and protein diets, such as the standard American diet, are detrimental to health.[2][3][4] They also state that a lifestyle change incorporating a vegan whole foods diet could not only prevent various degenerative diseases, such as coronary artery disease, but reverse them.[5][6][7][8][9] A number of documentary films, such as Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, Planeat and Forks over Knives, focus on the purported health benefits of plant-based diets. Although there is general consensus amongst doctors advocating plant-based diets, Joel Fuhrman and Michael Greger have disagreed with Campbell and Esselstyn on the use of nuts and seeds.[10]

Some athletes, such as Brendan Brazier, follow a vegan diet, including raw veganism.[11] Other examples of endurance and strength include ultramarathon runner Scott Jurek, who has set several records, and has won two dozen ultramarathons on a vegan diet, and strongman competitor Patrik Baboumian, who has set 4 strongman world records while vegan.

Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fibre, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and phytochemicals, and lower in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12.[12] Because uncontaminated plant foods do not provide vitamin B12 (which is produced by microorganisms such as bacteria), researchers agree that vegans should eat foods fortified with B12 or take a daily supplement.[13]

The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada state that well-planned vegan diets can meet all nutrient requirements and are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.[14] The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association), adds that well-planned vegan diets are also appropriate for older adults and athletes, and that vegan diets can reduce the risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease), type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, obesity, and chronic disease.[15][16] Special attention may be necessary to ensure that an all-plant (vegan) diet will provide adequate amounts of vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and iodine. These nutrients are available in plant foods, with the exception of vitamin B12, which can to be obtained from B12 fortified vegan foods or supplements. Iodine may also require supplements (iodized salt).[17]

Vitamin B12 deficiency is potentially extremely serious, leading to megaloblastic anemia, nerve degeneration and irreversible neurological damage.[18]

Evidence shows that vegans who are not taking vitamin B12 supplements do not consume sufficient servings of B12 and often have abnormally low blood concentrations of vitamin B12.[19] This is because, unless fortified, plant foods do not contain reliable amounts of active vitamin B12. Vegans are recommended to do one of the following dietary options:[20]

The US National Institutes of Health recommends B12 intake in a range from 0.4 micrograms a day for infants, to 2.4 micrograms for adults, and up to 2.8 micrograms for nursing mothers. [21] The European Food Safety Authority set the Adequate Intake at 1.5 micrograms for infants, 4 micrograms for children and adults, and 4.5 and 5 micrograms during pregnancy and nursing. [22]

These amounts can be obtained by eating B12 fortified foods, which include some common breakfast cereals, soy milks, and meat analogues, as well as from common multivitamins such as One-A-Day and Flintstones. Some of the fortified foods require only a single serving to provide the recommended B12 amounts. [23] Other B12 fortified foods include: some almond milks, coconut milks, other plant milks, nutritional yeast, vegan mayonnaise, tofu, and various types and brands of vegan deli slices, burgers, and other veggie meats.

Proteins are composed of amino acids and essential amino acids cannot be synthesised by the human body. A 1994 study found a varied intake of such sources can be adequate.[24] Protein levels of vegan diets typically meet or exceed the recommended levels, as long as sufficient calories are consumed. Eating soy and legume products regularly, will help ensure adequate protein levels.[25]

Vegan diets can be low in omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA). Major vegan sources of O3FA include algae, hempseeds and hempseed oil, walnuts, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, olive oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, avocado and chia seeds. However, diets lacking generous amounts of sea vegetables (seaweed) generally lack a direct source of long-chain O3FA such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).[citation needed] Vegan diets, like the standard American diet, may also have a high ratio of O6FA to O3FA, which inhibits the conversion of short-chain fatty acids such as alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA), found in most vegan O3FA sources, to EPA and DHA.[1] Short-term supplemental ALA has been shown to increase EPA levels but not DHA levels, suggesting poor conversion of the intermediary EPA to DHA.[26] DHA supplements derived from DHA-rich microalgae are available,[1] and the human body can also convert DHA to EPA.[27]

There is only weak evidence that omega-3 benefits cardiovascular health,[28] and although omega-3 has previously been thought useful for helping alleviate dementia, as of 2016[update] there is no good evidence of effectiveness.[29]

While there is little evidence of adverse health or cognitive effects due to DHA deficiency in adult vegetarians or vegans, fetal and breast milk levels remain a concern.[26] EPA and DHA supplementation has been shown to reduce platelet aggregation in vegetarians, but a direct link to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which is already lower for vegetarians, has yet to be determined.[30]

The most concentrated sources of these fatty acids are seeds, such as flax, chia, camelina, canola, and hemp, as well as walnuts, and their oils. Supplements are also available.[31]

It is recommended that vegans eat three servings per day of a high-calcium food, such as fortified soy milk, other plant based milks, almonds, hazelnuts, kale, collard greens, Chinese greens, etc., and take a calcium supplement or other calcium-fortified foods as necessary.[1]

Many studies have examined possible correlation between veganism, calcium intake, and bone health. The EPIC-Oxford study suggested that vegans who consumed 525mg or less of calcium per day have an increased risk of bone fractures over meat eaters and vegetarians, but that vegans consuming more than 525mg/day had a risk of fractures similar to other groups. Overall, the entire group of vegans had a higher risk of fractures.[32] A 2009 study of bone density found the bone density of vegans was 94 percent that of omnivores, but deemed the difference clinically insignificant.[33] Another study in 2009 by the same researchers examined over 100 vegan post-menopausal women, and found that their diet had no adverse effect on bone mineral density (BMD) and no alteration in body composition.[34] Biochemist T. Colin Campbell suggested in The China Study (2005) that osteoporosis is linked to the consumption of animal protein because, unlike plant protein, animal protein increases the acidity of blood and tissues, which is then neutralized by calcium pulled from the bones resulting in hypercalciuria. Campbell wrote that his China-Oxford-Cornell study of nutrition in the 1970s and 1980s found that, in rural China, "where the animal to plant ratio [for protein] was about 10 percent, the fracture rate is only one-fifth that of the U.S."[35]

Calcium is one component of the most common type of human kidney stones, calcium oxalate. Some studies suggest that people who take supplemental calcium have a higher risk of developing kidney stones, and these findings have been used as the basis for setting the recommended daily intake (RDI) for calcium in adults.[36][37][38]

One study reported a "potential danger of iodine deficiency disorders due to strict forms of vegetarian nutrition, especially when fruits and vegetables grown in soils with low [iodine] levels are ingested."[39] Vegan diets typically require special attention for iodine, as it is generally only available from sea vegetables and iodized salt and supplements. The iodine content of sea vegetables varies widely and may provide more than the recommended upper limit of iodine intake.[40]

It is recommended for vegans to eat iron-rich foods and vitamin C daily.[41] In several studies, vegans were not found to suffer from iron-deficiency any more than non-vegans.[42][43][44][45] However, due to the low absorption rate on non-heme iron it is recommended to eat dark leafy greens (and other sources of iron) together with sources of Vitamin C.[46]

It is recommended for vegans to eat food rich in choline, as plant based sources of choline are limited.[47] Soy lecithin, cauliflower, spinach, wheat germ, firm tofu, kidney beans, quinoa and amaranth are vegan sources of choline. The Adequate Intake (AI) of choline is 425mg (milligrams) per day for adult women; higher for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The AI for adult men is 550mg/day.[48] Choline deficiency can lead to health problems such as liver damage, a result of liver cells initiating programmed cell death (apoptosis), as well as an increase in neural tube defects in pregnant women.[49] In a study, 77% of men, 44% of premenopausal women, and 80% of postmenopausal women developed fatty liver or muscle damage due to choline deficiency, showing that subject characteristics regulate the dietary requirement.[50] Choline deficiency has also been associated with hypertension in rats.[51] There is also some evidence that choline is an anti-inflammatory as well, but further studies are needed to confirm/refute findings.[52] In order to avoid these problems, it's important to meet the adequate intake, especially since many multivitamins do not contain enough choline.[53] Although many animal products, like liver and egg, contain high amounts of choline (355mg/3 oz and 126mg/large egg, respectively), wheat germ (172mg/cup), brussel sprouts (63mg/cup), and broccoli (62mg/cup) are good sources of choline as well.[49]

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Vegan nutrition - Wikipedia

Yep, its true! Haagen-Dazs, has launched four flavors of creamy, vegan ice cream into Target!

The flavors include:chocolate salted fudge truffle,mocha chocolate cookie, peanut butter chocolate fudge,andcoconut caramel!

coconut caramel vegan haagen dazs

The new vegan ice cream is posted on the Haagen-Dazs website, along with all of the ingredients.

Although its available at my local Target, I called another Target store nearby and they didnt have it in stock yet, so be sure to call first. Also, you can search on the Haagen-Dazs website for stores that carry it, but I noticed it wasnt fully updated.

So if you dont see a store listed near you, still call just to be sure! You might just be in luck.

If anyone out there still isnt convinced that theres a huge paradigm shift to all things vegan, the explosion of plant-based ice cream, made without ANY animal products, should convince you otherwise.

Were not just talking about small mom and pop start-ups here; were talking Target, carrying a vegan ice cream made by Nestle, on the heels of Unilevers launch of lots of vegan Ben & Jerrys ice cream and an assortment of vegan Breyers Ice Cream, too.

vegan peanut butter chocolate fudge haagen dazs

Even So Delicious, maker of my favorite vegan ice cream: Cashew Milk Salted Caramel Cluster (YUM!) was snatched up by Danone, a french company which generates over 22 billion dollars a year in sales.

And get this: Just last month Danoneannounced theyre launching a multi-million dollar campaign to promote So Delicious vegan ice cream!

Yes, its always bittersweet when small companies get gobbled up by the big ones, snatching their smart ideas and products, but this is how the shift occurs, folks. Id rather small companies get gobbled up than have the animals get gobbled up, wouldnt you?

According to Nielsen, in the 52 weeks ending April 29, U.S. non-dairy ice cream sales in the grocery and supercenter sectors surged 46%!

So even if you dont like ice cream (are there such people?), after all a bowl of fresh fruit is much healthier (tis true!), theres something to be happy about here, folks!

The world is going vegan in a very delicious way. Enjoy!

Jackie Day, Author of the new bookThe Vegan Way: 21 Days to a Happier, Healthier Plant-Based Lifestyle That Will Transform Your Home, Your Diet, and You(St. Martins Press / Macmillan)

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Haagen-Dazs Launches Vegan Ice Cream at Target Nationwide! - My Vegan Journal

Produce processors and retailers are finding it increasingly difficult to secure sufficient supplies of organic produce as domestic demand continues to rise at a pace that exceeds production, according to a new report from CoBank.

The dollar value of U.S organic produce sales doubled from 2011 to 2015 and annual sales now amount to $5.5 billion. Currently, 15 percent of all U.S produce sales are organic. While organic acres have nearly doubled over the last decade, that pace of supply-side growth has been sluggish relative to demand.

Sales of organic fruit, vegetables and nuts have increased dramatically in recent years and this growth trend will continue, said Christine Lensing, CoBank senior economist in specialty crops. More than half of U.S. households are now purchasing some organic produce. But for a variety of reasons, production has not been keeping pace with demand and the supply gap is widening.

More domestic growers would need to transition to organic to bridge the supply gap, Lensing said. But given current consumption trends and the length of the required transition period, she added, organic produce supplies will likely remain under pressure over the next three to five years.

Food companies and large retailers have increased imports to meet demand and secure supplies throughout the year. The volume of U.S. imports of selected organic specialty crop items soared by almost 800 percent from 2011 to 2013 before leveling off.

Its quite clear the market for organic produce will continue to grow, which creates opportunities for growers, Lensing said. However, transitioning to organic comes at a cost and is not without risk. Steady domestic supply growth will be dependent on consistent, wide premiums that reward growers for accepting the elevated risks associated with organic production.

Despite premiums of 30 to 50 percent, the perceived risks associated with transitioning to organic are often a significant deterrent for conventional growers. Key among those risks is the absence of an established market that offers transitioning growers a premium price during the lengthy three-year transition period, Lensing said. Concerns about market and price sustainability, the additional labor required for organic farming, and the absence of support systems such as subsidies or grants compound grower reluctance.

According to Lensing, the organic industry recognizes these challenges and is taking steps to help alleviate some of the pressures on transitioning growers.

A new partnership between the Organic Trade Association (OTA) and the USDA has been established to provide guidance to growers transitioning to organic production and is laying the foundation for a transitional organic market.

Initiatives such as the transitional organic certification program and the formation of additional strategic partnerships should serve to encourage more domestic organic production and help address the marketing challenges created by supply shortfalls, Lensing said.

Grand Island Independent (NE)

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Surging demand for organic produce widens US supply gap - Scottsbluff Star Herald

GOFFSTOWN --A herd of Jersey cows is grazing on a hilltop on Shirley Hill Road with the Uncanoonuc Mountains in the background.

Jim Shirley's family has farmed these 500 fertile acres - on Shirley Hill and Wallace roads - for nine generations, dating to 1763, 13 years before the founding of the United States of America. Over the years, they have grown vegetables, apples and hops, produced milk and harvested timber and hay.

Shirley, an attorney and shareholder in the Manchester firm of Sheehan, Phinney, Bass & Green in Manchester, jokes that his role on the farm today is to provide "cheap labor."

For 15 years, Jim's wife, Sara, also an attorney, operated a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in which people buy shares for the certified organic vegetables grown on the farm. The CSA is no more but organic vegetables are still grown by nine families, including the Shirleys, who share in the cost, work and bounty.

Four years ago, they found Max and Melissa Blindow to manage the farm for them.

Melissa was born in Michigan and grew up in Peterborough. She studied ecology, math and philosophy, and worked on farms in America and in Germany - where she met Max, who was born in Munster. Max apprenticed and managed farm operations in New Zealand, Germany and America.

Melissa co-founded a green building cooperative, helped convert a hot lunch program to organic local food and taught after-school cooking and gardening classes. She worked as Land For Good's New Hampshire field agent for three years before turning to farming full time.

They met while working on a biodynamic farm in Velbert, Germany, and moved to New Hampshire shortly after to start Benedikt Dairy in Bedford.

At the time they were brought on board at Shirley Farm, they had their own CSA for Benedikt Dairy, which was operating out of the educational Joppa Hill Farm in Bedford. In 2013, Joppa Hill ran into problems with the town because the barn had become dilapidated and was found to have asbestos in it.

Sara Shirley said an individual who was a member of both her and the Blindows' CSAs called her up and asked if she would be interested in the dairy cows.

"In February of 2013 we were introduced to the Shirleys and moved our original four cows to Shirley Farm when the barn at the educational farm at Joppa Hill in Bedford was closed for remediation and we outgrew the space there," said Melissa Blindow.

Today, the Blindows have about 45 cows, 600 chickens and 20 pigs. A milking herd of about two dozen graze at Shirley Farm, and heifers and steers, raised for their meat, are housed on another organic farm.

All the cattle have names.

"We generally name them with names that start with the first letter of their mothers' name. Copper is the daughter of Casey, and Claire and Carlie are Copper's daughters," Melissa wrote in an email. "Birte is Bianca's daughter, Elfrida is the daughter of Echo, etc.

"The bull calves are named by various themes. We had a series of philosophers: Rauls, Copernicus, Camus and Socrates among others, then historical dictators like Bashar, Benito, and Slobo. But caring for dictators felt dubious after a while, so we moved on to Vikings, and now world politicians."

Among the milking herd are three young calves; five more are expected to be born in the next month.

They have continued their Benedikt Dairy CSA, with organic ice cream, one of the most popular products. Everything they sell is certified organic.

"Anyone can sign up for the CSA," she said. "Our ice cream CSA is almost at capacity with just a couple shares left currently. Raw milk, cream, egg, and yogurt shares are still available for Monday, Thursday or Saturday pick ups. Other days are currently at capacity."

The CSA is flexible with all items offered a la carte so plans can be tailored to each household's weekly needs, she said.

Melissa said she and her husband feel fortunate to be "helping to manage and maintain this farm and its natural resources. Careful consideration is given to the history and beauty of Shirley Farm, and our goal is to produce foods that taste delicious and pure. Food that comes not only from our labor but from the labor of those before us."

Jim and Sara Shirley intend to keep the land as a working farm while caring for its historic buildings. The Shirleys live across the street from the dairy operation in a farmhouse built circa 1840. The original building, Jim Shirley said, burned down.

In 2008, they gave a conservation easement of 75 acres of the farm to the town and, with the assistance of the U.S. Farmland Protection Policy Act, the town bought a conservation easement on a neighboring farm on Shirley Hill.

As a result, more than 270 acres on the top of the hill are protected farmland.

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Organic produce, dairy now the focus at 254-year-old Shirley Farm ... - NewHampshire.com

Anti-GMO rally in Pack Square, Asheville, North Carolina (May 25, 2013). Photo Credit: J. Bicking/Shutterstock

The trailer of the new documentary "Food Evolution," which negatively portrays both me and the organic food movement, fails to acknowledge the reality of American mothers. Our families are sick and struggling. And yet, whenwe remove GMOsand related toxins from our diet, we get better. The trailer implies that the movie will focus on the so-called noble promises of GMOs, yet fails to present reality in a noble manner.

In the last paragraph of the description of the film on its website, filmmakers Trace Sheehan and Scott Kennedy say, "And as we take in the scientific process at work, let's do our best to put aside bias so we can have more productive conversations and make the most informed decisions we can."

Yet, in the trailerbefore the movie is even outthey take my words out of context, misrepresenting what I say with heavy editing and belittling the experiences of thousands of American families. That doesn't look like putting bias aside; it looks like an advertisement for GMOs.

In fact, Scott Kennedys crew misrepresented their intentions in order to interview food movement proponents Jeffrey Smith, Vani Hari and myself. Claiming that the film would be a balanced representation of both sides of the food movement was misleading and ignoble.

Vani Hari told me she did not grant permission for her image to be used in the film, yet it was used anyway. Jeffrey Smith and I granted permission for one interview with first right of refusal. The filmmakers failed to honor that agreement and never showed us the first cut. Marion Nestle and I have asked for our interviews to be removed from the film, with no response.

A few months after the interview with Jeffrey Smith and Vani Hari, I was surrounded by GMO proponents Kavin Senapathy and Karl Haro Von Mogel at the March Against Monsanto in Chicago. They shouted at me in order to try to antagonize me into appearing like a hysterical activist. I told them they did not have my permission to use my image, but they did anyway. The filmmakers are more interested in appeasing the chemical companies that sell GMOs and pesticides than of accurately portraying concerned Americans.

In the film they edited my interview in order to make it look like I said, I trust social media more than scientists. What I actually said was that I trust the mothers who are seeing their children get sick after consuming GMOs and related toxins and are courageously sharing their new reality on social media, more than the scientists who are conducting isolated experiments funded by Big Ag.

I said that when I see my child get sick after consuming GMOs and toxins, and then see him get better when he eats organic foods, I dont need another scientific study to tell me we should avoid GMOs and toxins. Thousands of moms agree with me and they are sharing their experiences as well. I trust the moms who are sharing their truth. Apparently Scott Kennedy does not.

This film is not only blatantly pro-GMO, it is patronizing. The filmmakers are trying to make the issue look like its an issue of emotional moms vs. science. The fact is, GMO proponents are nervous because we have the truth and we havesound science to back us up. The filmmakers would not be trying to invalidate us if we did not have something valid to say.

The film attempts to discredit the organic food movement by belittling the power of social media, but the world knows that social media is now the dominant way to reach people with a message. (Just ask President Trump.) Social media is filled with honest stories of sick children, desperate families and skyrocketing medical costs. Unfortunately, pro-GMO proponents are pushing cherry-picked scientific data from short-term studies, while failing to disclose their funding.

Their perspectives are limited by their lack of real-world experience and their motivations are questionable. Its no coincidence that the point the film is trying to make aligns with huge profits for chemical companies.

In theNew York Times reviewof the film, the reviewer writes that while it's true there is an increased use of pesticides with GMOs, "those pesticides are far less toxic."

What degree of food toxicity is acceptable for you to give to your children? Maybe science doesn't know the answer to that question, but mothers do.

RELATED STORIES

Neil deGrasse Tyson Owes Fans a More Honest Conversation About GMOs than 'Food Evolution'

Neil deGrasse Tyson Narrates New Doc 'Food Evolution': A Blatant Case of Monsanto Corporate Propaganda

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Have the 'Food Evolution' Filmmakers Mistreated Moms? - AlterNet

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross called Amazons recent $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods a clever move because it marries Amazons marketing and distribution expertise with a high-quality, niche retailer. One suspects that perhaps Secretary Ross, a 79-year-old billionaire investor and art collector, doesnt do a lot of grocery shopping.

More to the point, as to the high quality of Whole Foods operation and reputation, he might wish to check with his government colleagues at the FDA and Department of Justice, because Whole Foods violations of state and federal law have been escalating: Theyve gone from defrauding their customers in various ways to adopting food-preparation practices that actually endanger them.

The acquisition could benefit shareholders and consumers alike if Amazon repurposes Whole Foods vast store space, adding new kinds of capacity to its broader businesses. Consider, for example, the shelf space devoted to high-saturated-fat coconut oil, which Whole Foods last summer said was (still!) trending [in a positive direction] and for good reason. Good reason, indeed. Whole Foods is partly to blame for 72 percent of Americans considering coconut oil to be a healthy food, compared with only 37 percent of nutritionists, according to a survey conducted by the polling firm Morning Consult and the New York Times. (It isnt.)

Amazons growing dominance irks those who have a sentimental preference for shopping locally, even if that is at local behemoths such as Whole Foods and Lowes. But for those concerned about things like their grocery products carbon footprint, Amazons efficient approach is undoubtedly greener than the outmoded, illogical Whole Foods model.

Consider this: Last week, one of us (Jeff Stier) called Lowes to see if they had a specific Weber grill in stock, before driving ten miles round-trip to pick up the one item. While getting bounced around the stores phone system and put on hold for the second time for more than three minutes, Jeff, who tries to be as efficient with his resources as he is with the earths, found the grill at Amazon.com. He ordered it, with free two-day delivery, at the same price hed have paid at Lowes, whose employees didnt pick up before Jeff completed his Amazon purchase and hung up the phone.

But a grill isnt an ethically and locally grown organic, non-GMO, gluten-free cherry, a defender of Whole Foods might say. True, but when it comes to sound management, efficiency, and honest dealing with customers, Whole Foods has more in common with Lowes (or, for that matter, United Airlines) than Amazon.

Known sardonically as Whole Paycheck for its outrageous prices, Whole Foods has repeatedly been found guilty of widespread cheating. New York City Department of Consumer Affairs investigators found in 2015 that the company systematically ripped off unwitting customers by routinely overstating the weight of prepackaged foods including meats, seafood, dairy, and baked goods. The co-CEO dismissed these thefts as mistakes.

That travesty followed an $800,000 settlement the previous year with the city attorneys of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and San Diego after Whole Foods stores were found to be overcharging by not accounting for the weight of containers at their already overpriced salad bars.

Whole Foods bills itself as Americas Healthiest Grocery Store, even trademarking the term. Yet on June 8, 2016, in a devastating warning letter one of the most severe compliance actions that the FDA has at its disposal the FDA said Whole Foods was manufacturing, packaging, and storing food in ways that promoted contamination with microorganisms that cause food poisoning.

Among the long list of serious problems identified during multiple inspections in February 2016 at a 70,000-square-foot facility that supplied prepared foods and other products to 74 stores across eight states were foods such as pasta and mushroom quesadillas prepared or stored in places where condensation was dripping from ceilings, a doorway, and a fan.

In addition, the company kept dirty dishes near food, did not supply hot water at some hand-washing sinks, and allowed high-pressure hoses used for cleaning to spray food-preparation areas.

In 2015, Whole Foods had to recall batches of its curry-chicken salad and a pasta salad from East Coast stores after the products were found during a routine inspection of the same plant to be contaminated with a nasty bacterium called listeria. And last October, organic micro greens were recalled from Whole Foods because of salmonella contamination that was discovered not by the grower or Whole Foods but during a random check by the FDA.

This year (through June 19), Whole Foods has announced no fewer than 32 recalls, most often for undeclared allergens or pathogenic bacteria in its food products. These included cheeses made from raw, unpasteurized milk, a known hazard. The fact that many problems failed to be detected by Whole Foods quality-control systems strongly suggests that there are far more safety problems that we dont know about.

There are other ways that Whole Foods fails to live up to its claims about being the healthiest. The companys disingenuousness in providing information to its customers is as bad as its deficient food preparation and storage. Its website promotes the practice of homeopathy including for treating illnesses in babies, some of which, including the flu, can be serious even though homeopathy is pseudoscientific rubbish from the same mold as perpetual-motion machines. (And it ignores both that homeopathic products may actually be harmful and that for many illnesses there are real drugs that actually work.)

Central to the companys grossly inflated pricing and popularity are misleading representations about its organic-food offerings. There is, for example, the holier-than-thou Whole Foods importing large amounts of its supposedly organic produce from China, of all places. Those imports even included Whole Foods house brand, California Blend. The company insists that Chinas organic certification of its agricultural products is just as strict and reliable as that in the United States. If you believe that, we can offer you a terrific price on the Golden Gate Bridge which, by the way, really is in California.

The company must have a low threshold for optimism, because it cites shoddy, cherry-picked research from biased sources.

For instance, it has cited leading research by the Organic Center, an outfit directed by organic-food and organic-supplement makers. Moreover, Whole Foods fails to acknowledge persuasive evidence that debunks the organic-is-healthier hoax. A widely publicized, peer-reviewed analysis published in 2012 in Annals of Internal Medicine by researchers at Stanford Universitys Center for Health Policy aggregated and analyzed data from 237 studies to determine whether organic foods are safer or healthier than non-organic foods. They concluded that fruits and vegetables that met the criteria for organic were on average no more nutritious than their far cheaper conventional counterparts.

Whole Foods may have enjoyed financial success (at least until its share price began to decline in late 2014; it is currently off 36 percent from its high), but lets not confuse doing well with doing good. Wells Fargo and the tobacco companies are cases in point.

Amazon changed the retail landscape by giving consumers what they want convenience, reliability, value, and first-rate customer service. Reconciling that ethos with the current version of Whole Foods might not check out.

READ MORE: Let Us Plunge toward Our Fast-Unfolding Future Whole Foods Cultural Appropriation of the Chopped-Cheese Sandwich College Op-Ed: We Have to Make Veganism Intersectional

Henry I. Miller, a physician and molecular biologist, is the Robert Wesson Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution. He was the founding director of the FDAs Office of Biotechnology. Jeff Stier is a senior fellow and the director of the Risk Analysis Division at the National Center for Public Policy Research.

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Is $13.7 Billion a Good Price for Whole Foods? - National Review

Miami Herald

This hospital grows its own food, then serves it to patients Miami Herald The goal was to create educational programs that would give patients access to organic, sustainable foods. Squire leads the efforts in providing meals to patients with serious illnesses and putting on workshops for staff, students and the community on ... and more »

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This hospital grows its own food, then serves it to patients - Miami Herald