Does fluoride belong in our tap water?

Here's a great Web site about the effects of fluoride in tap water.

http://www.fluoridealert.org/

Meat from cloned animals already in our food supply

It was all over the news about a month ago - meat from cloned animals was approved but since the technology was so expensive, we didn't need to worry that it was in our food supply . . . and the story died out because if we didn't have to worry we were eating it, who cared.

Well . . . according to a Kansas cattle producer, offspring of cloned animals have already entered the food supply. Donald Coover, a cattleman and veterinarian, says that he has sold semen from prize-winning clones to many US meat producers in the past few years, and that others may be doing the same.

"This is a fairy tale that this technology is not being used and is not already in the food chain. Anyone who tells you otherwise either doesn't know what they're talking about, or they're not being honest. I have sold offspring of cloned animals into feedlots, and they are in the food chain," Coover told the Star-Telegram on Wednesday.

And of course there is no label to tell you whether meat is from cloned animals or not. Organic meat however can not be from cloned animals.

For more info, go to http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10496.cfm

vaccine safety

If you're wondering whether or not to vaccinate your children or get a flu shot, you might want to read this article.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2/26/how-vaccines-can-damage-your-brain.aspx

artificial sweeteners again linked to weight gain

Foods and beverages containing artificial sweeteners seem to ruin your ability to control food intake and body weight, according to new research by psychologists at Purdue University’s Ingestive Behavior Research Center.In their study, when compared with rats that ate yogurt sweetened with glucose (a simple sugar), rats that ate yogurt sweetened with the zero-calorie artificial sweetener saccharin:

- Consumed more calories (and didn’t make up for it by cutting back later)
- Gained more weight
- Put on more body fat

It seems that consuming artificial sweeteners doesn't trigger the same biological response as food with sugar leading the rats (and humans) to overeat.

Find more info at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2/26/artificial-sweeteners-once-again-linked-to-weight-gain.aspx

Pesticides found in urine of children

Government promises to rid the nation's food supply of brain-damaging pesticides aren't doing the job, according to the results of a yearlong study that carefully monitored the diets of a group of local children.The peer-reviewed study found that the urine and saliva of children eating a variety of conventional foods from area groceries contained organophosphates, the family of pesticides spawned by the creation of nerve gas agents in World War II.

When the same children ate organic fruits, vegetables and juices, signs of pesticides were not found. After eight to 36 hours of the children switching to organic food, the pesticides were no longer detected.

The study has not yet linked the pesticide levels to specific foods, but other studies have shown peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, nectarines, strawberries and cherries are among those that most frequently have detectable levels of pesticides. Broccoli, on the other hand, is usually found with lower pesticide levels.

Chuck Benbrook, chief scientist of the Organic Center, a nationwide, nonprofit, food research organization said that the pesticide limits that EPA permits are far, far too high to say they're safe. And,there's been a steady increase in pesticide-contaminated imported foods, which are capturing a growing share of the market." The study found that pesticide levels in urine were higher in the winter months when more produce is imported.

Your best bet is to buy from local farmers that grow organically or minimize their pesticide use.

For more info, go to: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_10066.cfm

non-plastic water bottle reviews

For The Whole Family column for VegFamily this month, I tested and reviewed several non-plastic water bottles for kids and adults. Check it out at: http://www.vegfamily.com/whole-family/plastic-water-bottle-safety.htm