Diets

All Diets Types and Their Explanations - How to Navigate and Choose the Best One For You

Atkins Diet

"The Atkins Diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate weight loss diet developed by Robert Atkins, M.D., during the 1960s. In the early 1990s, Dr. Atkins brought his diet back into the nutrition spotlight with the publication of his best-selling book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution".

The Atkins Diet severely restricts the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods and encourages the consumption of protein and fat. The diet is divided into four phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-maintenance, and Maintenance. During the Induction phase (the first 14 days of the diet), carbohydrate intake is limited to no more than 20 grams per day. No fruit, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, or dairy products (except cheese, cream, and butter) are allowed during this phase. During the Ongoing Weight Loss phase, dieters experiment with various levels of carbohydrate consumption until they determine the most liberal level of carbohydrate intake that allows them to continue to lose weight. Dieters are encouraged to maintain this level of carbohydrate intake until their weight loss goals are met. During the Pre-maintenance and Maintenance phases, dieters determine the level of carbohydrate consumption that allows them to maintain their weight. To prevent weight regain, dieters are told to maintain this level of carbohydrate consumption, perhaps for the rest of their lives. According to Dr. Atkins, most people must limit their carbohydrate intake to no more than 60 grams per day to keep lost weight off. In addition to the dietary restrictions discussed above, Dr. Atkins recommends regular exercise and nutritional supplementation as part of his weight loss program.

Note: The dietary recommendations issued by various organizations, including the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association, encourage a daily carbohydrate intake of approximately 300 grams. To stay healthy, you will need to consume five times more what Atkins prescribes in his diets. Can a human being last long enough on this diet without experiencing any side effects? If the dieter dares to cheat on this program, the result can be detrimental and the weight can be regained easily, twice as much as what has been lost during the diet. The quick weight gain brings about eventual depression and the dieter will eventually reach his original weight before the weight loss.

What is so attractive about the diet that so many individuals have taken the time and effort to apply?

High-protein diets are the fad regimens of the moment. Their theory for weight loss consists of eating lots of animal proteins and skipping carbohydrates such as breads, rice and pasta. The theory behind these diets is that if you load up on animal proteins, you will feel fuller faster, so you'll end up eating less.

The Atkins Diet is attractive to dieters who have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight on low-fat, low-calorie diets. Atkins dieters can eat as many calories as desired from protein and fat, as long as carbohydrate consumption is restricted. Consequently, many Atkins dieters are spared the feelings of hunger and deprivation that accompany other weight loss regimens.

The underlying premise of the Atkins Diet is that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates cause weight gain, and ultimately lead to obesity. Such diets increase the production of insulin (a hormone secreted by the pancreas). When insulin levels are high, the food we eat is quickly and easily converted into fat, and stored in our cells. By restricting the consumption of carbohydrates, the production of insulin is moderated. In addition, the lack of available carbohydrate (the body's preferred fuel source) forces the body to burn stored fat as energy.

What do the critics say?

Many nutrition experts disagree with the basic premise of the Atkins Diet - the notion that high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets cause obesity. For evidence of the implausibility of the Atkins Diet, some nutritionists point out that the traditional Japanese diet is very high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and very low in fat; however, before the introduction of high-fat and high-protein Western foods, being overweight was rare in Japan. Such findings make sense because ounce for ounce, carbohydrates contain far fewer calories than fats (4 calories from carbohydrates versus 9 calories from fat). These critics blame the over-consumption of calories (from any source) and lack of physical activity as the primary causes of obesity.

One concern about a high-protein diet stems from all the saturated fats one eats - those fats that we're told cause high cholesterol, clogged arteries and, eventually, heart disease. Critics also express concern about the impact of the Atkins Diet on the overall health of the dieter. Depending on the foods chosen by the dieter, the diet may contain a large amount of saturated fat and trans fat, putting those at risk for heart disease in danger. Recent research has found that high-protein diets speed up the progression of arteriosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks. Moreover, contrary to Atkins' claims, extremely low-fat diets have been found to reverse heart disease. In addition, the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in the Atkins Diet may lead to deficiencies of key nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals. Finally, high protein diets may increase the risk of osteoporosis and accelerate the rate of deterioration in kidney function associated with aging.

Critics concede that Atkins dieters often experience significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. However, these critics argue that the diet has a diuretic effect and that the initial weight loss is due to water loss, not fat loss. Eventually the body restores its water and sodium balance, and the rate of weight loss declines. Critics also note that there is no evidence showing that the Atkins diet leads to greater weight loss than do other diets that provide more carbohydrates, yet the same number of calories.Critics also note high-protein diets can lead to dangerous imbalances - bone loss and kidney problems - because too much protein can overwork the kidneys.

Dr. Atkins was the first person who brought a low-carbohydrates diet to major prominence in the U.S. and I credit him for defying "the system" and offering a weight loss plan that works for some people. He presents scientific fact, but for the most part his recent book provides anecdotal information from many of his patients.

Dr. Atkins claims that some people have a condition of "hyper-insulinism", in which they produce excess amounts of insulin when they eat carbohydrates, which in turn causes fat storage, diabetes, and a craving for more carbohydrates. This theory is scientifically logical but has not been accepted as proven by the medical community.

In Dr. Atkins' "maintenance phase", he advises that persons increase their carbohydrate intake to the point where they do not gain or lose weight.

All that is great, however, how can we understand the whole concept behind his diets and why do people truly believe in it? How does it actually work?

Insulin is a hormone, which is a substance that travels through the body and stimulates chemical reactions. The human body has mechanisms to regulate how much of each hormone is produced, so that their effects can be controlled. With insulin, however, there is no "shut-off" switch as there is with other hormones. The digestion of carbohydrates produces insulin, and there is no way to stop its activity once it is present in the bloodstream. There is also no way to prevent it from being produced when carbohydrates are consumed, even if these are in excess of what the body needs for fuel.

So, the more carbohydrates you consume, the more insulin the pancreas will produce to help digest the sugars of the carbohydrates. The more insulin that is being produced, the more stored fat will be sent to the cells, especially to those around your waist.
I believe Dr. Atkins' diet may be useful for persons who are very sensitive to carbohydrates and have extremely slow metabolic rates.

Dr. Atkins' diet does not restrict protein intake, which is the correct approach. However, his advice to add carbohydrate grams for the maintenance phase so that continued weight loss does not occur is not scientifically sound. There is no indication that a person will continue to lose weight below his ideal bodyweight, taking in consideration his body type and metabolism. Your body is predisposed to a certain weight, even though you interrupt carbohydrates consumption from your diet, the body will still maintain the same weight. After that phase, you will simply need to maintain it and be happy with it.

Extreme dieters will need to understand that all the information mentioned above and below these lines is to make you realize some facts that you've never taken the time to research. When a diet becomes popular, people jump on it without researching in more detail what it can do for their bodies or if the diet fits their standard. It is not because "John Doe has lost some weight on this specific diet" that you will have a similar result. The same goes for diet pills: be careful with them. If they work temporarily for some people, it doesn't necessarily mean they will have the same effect on you.

As for me, experiencing my own programs enabled me to lose weight, maintain it and still eat as much as I want of the right foods. I eat and exercise plenty.

Remember that moderation is important. If you want to eat something that is not healthy, go ahead and eat it. However, make sure to moderate the rest of the day with the right food. The following information should be helpful when it comes to moderation regarding a well-balanced diet.

Here are some good reasons to avoid high-protein diets:

1. They violate almost every known fact about nutritionally balanced eating. For some dieters, these diets can even be life threatening.
2. Popular high protein diet foods are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which are now established as major culprits in heart attacks and strokes.
3. They overload you with protein, which results in loss of calcium from your bones, which may lead to osteoporosis. Protein overload also pressurizes your kidneys as they try to eliminate large amounts of urea, a by-product of protein metabolism.
4. They forbid foods known to lower the risk of heart disease and many cancers.
5. They deprive you of carbohydrates, the nutrient group most readily converted to energy. Even moderately active people will notice this lack during exercise.
6. They deprive your brain of glucose, which it needs for normal functioning. The result is a slowdown in thinking and reaction time.
7. They deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate (cellulose).
8. They are deficient in essential vitamins. Indeed, some high protein diets even require you to take vitamin supplements for the sake of your health.
9. They cause potentially dangerous changes in your body chemistry.

10. They deliver temporary weight loss. However, a large part of it is water weight and lean muscle mass - not fat. (You lose water because your kidneys try to get rid of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that your body makes.)

Note: Weight gain is usually rapid when you go off the diet.

11. Finally, it's worth knowing that while your body burns up 23 calories for every 10o carbohydrate calories it digests, it only burns up 3 calories for every 100 "fat" calories it digests. Therefore, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet makes it easier for you to stay fat!

FYI (For Your Information):
The average Western diet contains TOO MUCH FAT.
That's why an estimated 1 in 3 American children are overweight!
That's why heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America and Europe.
We should be eating less fat, not more.

High protein diets encourage high-fat eating and - for this reason alone - should be avoided.
What are those medical miracles that are being publicized to consumers for their rapid weight loss programs? The magazine Self, in March of 2002 investigated some of the programs that are simply bogus.

"Healthy weight loss" is not a particularly sexy marketing slogan. It is quite impossible to sell these types of slogans to Americans: "Drop pounds by eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity!" Instead, manufacturers of weight loss concoctions resort to selling their products with dubious promises of magically speedy results. Thankfully, separating fact from fiction is easy.

Read full here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1516090

Whole Foods' GMO labeling

Whole Foods' mandatory GMO labeling initiative and why it will take five years to solve the GMO problem
(NaturalNews) In the wake of Whole Foods announcing mandatory GMO labeling of all products sold across its stores by 2018, there has been a lot of healthy debate on the subject. Jon Rappoport argues that Whole Foods should ditch all GMO foods and essentially become a "GMO-free" retailer.

Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association emailed me and said:

We need to raise the bar and ask coops and natural foods stores to implement comprehensive GMO labeling as soon as possible, with implementation completed no later than July 2015, which is what Washington's I-522 labeling law calls for. Washington voters are very likely to pass the I-522 GMO Labeling ballot initiative on November 5, 2013, with an 18 month implementation period.

The consensus is that Whole Foods should move more quickly on GMO labeling, and nearly everyone agrees that Whole Foods ultimately needs to be a GMO-free retailer if it hopes to uphold its image of selling premium healthy foods.

Practical concerns: Why the natural products industry would struggle to be GMO-free by 2018

In theory, I agree with Rappoport and Cummins, but on a practical level, I know that large corporate machines like Whole Foods are very, very difficult to change quickly. As someone who sources raw materials, manufactures and retails health products for our own store, I also know there are huge challenges in the supply lines of non-GMO materials.

For example, we can't keep our organic, non-GMO freeze-dried organic foods in stock because the demand far outstrips supply. When a giant retailer like Whole Foods asks its 5,000+ suppliers to label the GMO content of their products by 2018, it's essentially asking thousands of food manufacturers to find new sources for their raw materials. In reality, the non-GMO agricultural output needed to meet that demand simply does not exist in 2013.

Although the point has merit, I ultimately disagree with Rappoport's belief that consumers are likely to ignore GMO labels. I think GMO labels will be the single most frequent reason why consumers will check labels, and any product carrying a label that admits to the presence of GMOs will see pictures of its labels splattered all across the internet in a "GMO hall of shame" display. To carry an admission of GMOs on your label is to commit brand suicide. It's the equivalent of saying, "This product is intentionally formulated with poison."

I can promise you that Natural News will be posting all the product names and brands sold at Whole Foods that still contain GMOs by 2018. We will literally call it the "GMO Hall of Shame" and explain, "These companies had five years to eliminate GMOs, and they refused to do so."

GMO labeling is GMO elimination

So Whole Foods' demand that suppliers comply with GMO labeling by 2018 is very nearly a demand that they all become GMO-free by 2018. And while five years seems very far away, from the point of view of farming demand, product reformulation, raw materials changes, labeling changes, compliance and testing, it's actually not unreasonable. Yes, I would like to see GMO labeling in 2015, as called for by the upcoming Washington state law, but I honestly think it will be difficult for food manufacturers to comply by 2015.

But don't worry: We are clearly winning the war against GMOs. As HushLeaks.com recently reported, Monsanto spies were found to be walking the halls of the recent Natural Products Expo West in California. There, claims of "GMO-free" had spread like wildfire across the industry, with product literature practically inundated with anti-GMO language.

This means natural product suppliers are being hammered with questions from their own customers: "Are your products non-GMO?" GMOs are the kiss of death for natural product companies. Any product manufacturer who does not begin making the switch to non-GMO formulations will quite possibly find itself out of business by 2018.

Go non-GMO or go out of business

Thanks to Whole Foods' announcement, the natural products industry now has huge economic incentives to start eliminating GMOs once and for all. That's a good thing, and it's why I say we need to support Whole Foods in their effort to label all GMOs by 2018.

Would we like it to be done sooner? Of course we would. Is it practical to transition the entire industry off GMOs by 2015? Probably not. There simply isn't the supply of non-GMO raw materials in the pipeline.

Also, remember that farmers who have been spraying Monsanto's deadly pesticides on their farms have caused long-term damage to the soil, and it will take 7 - 10 years for those farms to recover. Right there, we're talking about a decade-long transition away from toxic biotech farming methods.

U.S. farms are also battling runaway superweeds caused by biotech herbicides, and that problem may never be solved. In a very real sense, America has gone so far down the GMO abyss that the seemingly simple act of choosing a new course is far more easily said than done.

And then there's the regulatory challenge: As I previously predicted here on Natural News, I fully expect Monsanto and the FDA to team up and try to block Whole Foods from pursuing its announced goal of mandatory GMO labeling by 2018. We, the activists who made all this happen in the first place, may need to rally our troops to support the RIGHT of Whole Foods to demand honest label compliance.

See, this is uncharted territory. To my knowledge, no large food retailer has ever stepped on the toes of the FDA like this. Food labeling is the FDA's territory, but Whole Foods has, with this announcement, effectively become its own FDA in regard to food labels. You can bet the FDA is steaming mad over this usurpation of their regulatory power, and they are going to fight this in ways that we can only begin to imagine.

This is ultimate going to come down to a legal battle between the FDA and Whole Foods, and it's not even clear that Whole Foods will win. That's why we need to keep pushing for state laws against GMOs right now. The Whole Foods labeling effort may be shut down by the FDA with claims that Whole Foods cannot "regulate food labels."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/039456_Whole_Foods_GMOs_food_labels.html#ixzz2NQm5d41M

Cooking with a microwave

Why cooking with a microwave destroys cancer-fighting nutrients in food and promotes nutritional deficiencies

(NaturalNews) Microwaves absolutely decimate the nutritional value of your food, destroying the very vitamins and phytonutrients that prevent disease and support good health. Previous studies have shown that as much as 98% of the cancer-fighting nutrients in broccoli, for example, are destroyed by microwaving.



To understand why, you have to understand the nature of vitamins and phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients). These are very delicate molecules which are fragile. They are easily destroyed by heat, which is why raw plant foods contain more plant nutrients than cooked foods. Carotenoids, antioxidants and other molecules like DIM (in broccoli) or anthocyanins (in purple corn) are all easily destroyed by microwave energy.

Microwaves "nuke" your food at a cellular level

Microwaving is the worst way to cook foods because microwaves excite the water molecules inside whatever you're cooking, causing heat to be formed from the inside out. This results in a cell-by-cell "nuking" of the food (such as broccoli, carrots, etc.), causing the near-total molecular decomposition of the vitamins and phytonutrients that promote disease.

Microwaved food is not merely "dead" food at every level, it is food that has been molecularly deconstructed, leaving nothing but empty calories, fiber and minerals. Virtually the entire vitamin and phytonutrient content has been destroyed.

Anybody who says microwaving food is a healthy way to cook is wildly ignorant of nutrition and cooking methods. While steaming vegetables is, indeed, a good method for some veggies to help make certain nutrients more bioavailable, microwaving destroys veggies from the inside out at a cellular level.

Don't be fooled by appearances

What's really deceptive about microwave cooking is that the food still appears to be basically the same, but at the cellular level, it's like a nuclear war has taken place. The actual molecular structure has been decimated. If you could see microwaved foods with a powerful microscope, you'd never eat them again because you would recognize just what a nutritional wasteland they really are.

If you want to eat in a healthy way, make sure a significant part of your diet is raw plants. It's okay to eat some steamed, stir-fried or even grilled veggies, but when grilling foods, avoid burning them because all burned parts contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that promote colon cancer.

Personally, I am absolutely astonished that more people don't already know all this. I'm even having to talk with my own staff about these issues, as they don't seem to know the full story on microwave cooking. Spread the word: Microwaves promote death because they turn nutritious, healthy food into empty, decimated calories. I gave up using a microwave well over a decade ago, and I don't even own one.

Remember, a person who cooks a lot of their food with microwaves will inevitably have chronic nutritional deficiencies that promote cancer, diabetes, bone diseases, loss of brain function, heart disease and many other health problems. The least healthy people of any society are typically the ones who frequently use the microwave oven to "nuke" their foods.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/039404_microwave_ovens_vitamins_nutrients.html#ixzz2MylFmAiT

Green tea catechins

Green tea catechins shown to shrink cancerous tumors in humans

(NaturalNews) Natural health advocates have understood and demonstrated the potent antioxidant and anti-cancer properties of green tea consumption for decades. The Chinese have brewed the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant for more than 5,000 years to benefit human health. Catechins such as epigallocatechin 3-gallate or EGCG are gaining prominent attention as they have been shown to halt cancerous tumor growth and improve arterial elasticity to promote cardiovascular health.

Researchers from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, publishing in the journal Nanomedicine have determined that EGCG extracted from green tea could be a powerful weapon in treatments for tackling cancer. The scientists developed a proprietary method for delivering the natural compound directly to tumor cells and found that nearly two-thirds of the tumors it was delivered to either shrank or disappeared within one month. The treatment displayed no side effects to normal tissues.

EGCG from green tea effectively shrinks or eliminates existing tumors in humans

This research is significant because it is believed to be the first time that this type of treatment has made cancerous tumors shrink or vanish in response to a therapy based on a totally natural compound. The lead study author, Dr. Christine Dufes noted "These are very encouraging results which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments."

To conduct the study, the scientists encapsulated the green tea extract in vesicles that also carried transferrin, a plasma protein that transports iron through the blood. Transferrin receptors are found in large amounts in many cancers, and are known to be a viable target for many cancer therapies. Testing EGCG on two different types of skin cancer, researchers found 40 percent of both types of tumors vanished, while 30 percent of one and 20 percent of another shrank. A further 10 percent of one of the types was stabilized.

Dr. Dufes concluded "The green tea extract reduced the size of many of the tumors every day, in some cases removing them altogether... these are very encouraging results which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments." There is no doubt that EGCG catechins from green tea are important to human health. EGCG can be consumed through standardized encapsulated supplements or by drinking two to four fresh-brewed cups of green tea daily to dramatically lower the risk of many cancer lines and to shield against an array of chronic illnesses.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22891867
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-08/uos-gtc082212.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120822071433.htm

About the author:
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037187_green_tea_catechins_cancerous_tumors.html#ixzz26YTdTA00

Raw chicken

Unraveling food industry lies - Your chicken is full of liquid fillers and chemicals

(NaturalNews) Those juicy, delicious chicken breasts in the meat case at your local supermarket are more than likely hiding a dirty little secret that might make you think twice about ever eating them again. Most people are unaware of it, but conventional chicken meat typically contains a whole lot more than just chicken, as it is often "plumped" up with brine (salt water), chicken stock, flavor and texture-enhancing chemicals, and even the waste byproducts of other animals that can constitute as much as 30 percent of the meat's total weight.



Rather than produce and sell pure chicken meat as most people assume they do, many conventional chicken producers inject all sorts of liquid fillers and chemicals into the meat prior to packaging it, all for the purpose of making poor quality meat appear and taste superior. The process is not only deceptive, as it tricks consumers into thinking they are getting more chicken than they really are, but it also increases the sodium content of chicken by as much as 500 percent.

Perhaps the worst part about plumping, though, is the fact that chicken producers can still label their plumped chicken as being "100 percent natural," since this terminology is not properly regulated, and does not have a standardize legal definition. As long as the injected substances are considered to be "natural" themselves -- "natural" technically cannot be legally defined in this context, either -- then anything goes as far as chicken production is concerned.

According to Foster Farms, a large chicken producer that claims not to plump its chickens, the average consumers inadvertently spends about $1.50 per package of plumped chicken just on salt water. Throughout the course of a year, this translates into a hidden cost of more than $100 per year for a family of four eating chicken with their meals roughly four days a week. (http://www.saynotoplumping.com)

Plumped chickens can contain waste byproducts of other animals like pigs, cows

Besides containing high levels of refined salt chemicals like monosodium glutamate (MSG), arsenic (http://www.naturalnews.com/032659_arsenic_chicken.html), and various other chemicals, plumped chickens may also contain bits and pieces of other animals and animal waste.

The U.K.'s Independent reported back in 2009 that many restaurants throughout Great Britain had been caught injecting their chicken meat with the bones and gristle of both pigs and cows. Similar to the agenda behind plumping with water and salt, injecting these animal waste byproducts is intended to fatten up chicken meat in order to make it appear larger, weigh more, and thus generate higher profits. (http://www.independent.co.uk)

Another investigation by BBC revealed similar plumping methods involving the flesh of other animals. It turns out that chicken processing in general often involves injecting chicken meat with the protein material of other animals. Some producers even try to cover up this dirty practice by deconstructing the DNA of the foreign animal matter so that it cannot be detected in tests. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/3047159.stm)

This is all very disturbing news, of course, especially for folks who, for religious or dietary reasons, specifically eat chicken in order to avoid eating other forms of meat. Little do they know that, since the 1970s, conventional chicken manufacturers have been pumping up chicken meat with foreign materials and animal waste in order to turn a higher profit.

Stick with local, pastured varieties when eating chicken

The best way to avoid falling victim to the food industry's chicken deception is to buy only local or specifically pasture-raised chicken meat. It is important also to make sure that the chicken meat you buy is organically fed, regardless of whether or not it is officially certified as such, since conventional birds are often deliberately fed arsenic, a cancer-causing chemical compound. (http://www.naturalnews.com/032659_arsenic_chicken.html)

To learn more about food secrets, be sure to check out the FREE NaturalNews report, 25 Amazing (and Weird) Facts About Food: http://www.naturalnews.com

Sources for this article include:

http://www.cracked.com

http://www.naturalnews.com/032659_arsenic_chicken.html

http://www.saynotoplumping.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037153_food_industry_chicken_fillers.html#ixzz26Ag2u42K

Lemonade Freedom Day

Join us for the biggest food freedom event of 2012 - Lemonade Freedom Day

(NaturalNews) Coming up in just a few short days is an amazing opportunity to join thousands of other like-minded individuals in taking a unified stand for health and food freedom. From Friday, August 17, to Saturday, August 18, the Raw Milk Freedom Riders (RMFR) will help co-host Lemonade Freedom Day, a special two-day event in the Washington, D.C., area that aims to educate the public about how to demonstrate peaceful non-compliance in the face of tyranny, as well as how to rally and organize others to do the same.

In the tradition of earlier raw milk freedom rides, which drew attention to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s continued assault on raw milk sales and consumption (http://www.naturalnews.com/033904_raw_milk_Freedom_Riders.html), Lemonade Freedom Day will raise awareness about the importance of defending our collective freedom of voluntary exchange, or the freedom to peacefully buy and sell the foods of our choice from the producers of our choice without government oppression.



Raw milk dairies, lemonade stands, home gardens, and various other independent food suppliers and producers have been the target of an increasing number of government crackdowns in recent years. Citing things like lack of permits and various other violations of the law, local and federal agents have made it their new priority to threaten, fine, and even raid the properties of individuals that buy and sell food outside the system, including young children that are simply trying to make a few extra bucks selling refreshing beverages to their neighbors on hot days.

"Two groups of activists known as the Raw Milk Freedom Riders and Lemonade Freedom Day are taking their raw milk and lemonade to the lawn of the U.S. Capitol to celebrate what they call their right to 'voluntary exchange,'" says the official announcement by Lemonade Freedom Day, which is headed by health freedom activist Robert Fernandes.

"Recent shut downs of children's lemonade stands and SWAT-style raids on small farmers have inspired these mothers and other activists to take their message to the Capitol where they plan to risk criminal charges, and possibly jail, by gathering for a picnic with these illicit foods. Media are invited to witness the peaceful exchange."

Beginning at 2:00 pm on Friday, August 17, a workshop entitled "Knowing Your Rights" will take place in the D.C. area, followed by a farm-fresh dinner. Speakers will include Farm Food Freedom Coalition co-founder Liz Reitzig, Executive Producer of FarmFoodFreedom.org Max Kane, and many others. The suggested donation cost for the workshop and dinner is $30 per person.

Day two of the event will commence at 12:00 pm at 3rd Street Southwest between Maryland and Jefferson Streets near the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Event attendees will practice civil disobedience by drinking fresh milk, lemonade, and other foods and beverages that have been the target of government officials.

To learn more about Lemonade Freedom Day, be sure to visit:
http://www.lemonadefreedom.com/

You can also sign up for the workshop and dinner on August 17 by visiting:
http://farmfoodfreedom.wufoo.com

The Lemonade Freedom Day Facebook page can be accessed here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/337640829653020/

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036799_Lemonade_Freedom_Day_food_awareness.html#ixzz23X3BPCbI

Alzheimer's is really just 'type-3' diabetes

Alzheimer's is really just 'type-3' diabetes, new research shows

(NaturalNews) Emerging research on the widespread degenerative brain disease known as Alzheimer's suggests that this prevalent form of dementia is actually a type of diabetes. Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a recent study out of Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) confirms that Alzheimer's is marked by brain insulin resistance and corresponding inflammation, a condition that some researchers are now referring to as type-3 diabetes.

Dr. Suzanne de la Monte from RIH is the one responsible for making this fascinating connection, having found in her research that diabetes is closely associated with several key neuronal factors implicated in dementia. It turns out that Alzheimer's progresses as a result of the brain developing resistance to insulin, which in turn prevents proper lipid (fat) metabolism. Over time, these lipids build up in the brain rather than properly absorb, which results in increased stress and inflammation, as well as the symptoms commonly associated with dementia.



"This study points out that once AD (Alzheimer's Disease) is established, therapeutic efforts should target several different pathways -- not just one," says Dr. de la Monte. "The reason is that a positive feedback loop gets going, making AD progress. We have to break the vicious cycle. Restoring insulin responsiveness and insulin depletion will help, but we need to reduce brain stress and repair the metabolic problems that cause the brain to produce toxins."

Eating more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil can help prevent, cure Alzheimer's

Since many elderly individuals that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's take statin drugs to lower their cholesterol levels, the first logical step would be to stop taking these drugs. Not only have statins been shown to cause and exacerbate Alzheimer's, they have also been shown to cause diabetes. So taking them, as many elderly dementia patients do, runs contrary to common sense, and will only make the problem worse.

As we covered recently here at NaturalNews, the human body needs cholesterol in order to stay healthy. If your cholesterol levels are too high, or if cholesterol is clogging your arteries, it means that your body has an inflammation problem that is preventing the proper absorption and use of cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the problem, in other words -- your body's chronic inflammation is the problem. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

Consuming more healthy saturated fats like coconut oil can not only help repair the inflammation problem that promotes the progression of Alzheimer's, but it can also increase the absorption of cholesterol in the brain, which in turn promotes healthy neuronal function. (http://www.naturalnews.com) Such advice runs contrary to the mainstream medical system's misguided philosophies about health, but science actually shows that the human body requires saturated fats and cholesterol, and that these fats are vital for maintaining optimal brain health.

"[W]hile it is positive to see studies like this help us understand some of the causes of Alzheimer's Disease, turning to drugs to treat these symptoms is heading in the wrong direction," says Health Impact News (HIN) about the RIH study. "Type-2 and type-3 diabetes is a lifestyle issue, and can be controlled or even prevented by dietary choices and avoiding too many drugs. There has also been tremendous success in controlling and eliminating diabetes through a low-carb and high-fat diet."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.rhodeislandhospital.org/wtn/Page.asp?PageID=WTN000249

http://healthimpactnews.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036708_Alzheimers_type-3_diabetes_brain_disease.html#ixzz22pLfd6zZ

Top summer superfoods

Try some of these top summer superfoods to help you cool off

(NaturalNews) As many areas of the country perspire their way through record-breaking summer heat, staying hydrated is of the essence, as is keeping your body nourished with life-giving, health-promoting superfoods. And since warm and hot foods are not always desirable during this time of year, here are a few "cool" superfood ideas to help you beat the heat and nurture your palate.



Cucumbers - Fibrous and mostly composed of water, the cucumber is one of the most effective "cooling" foods as its juice helps to lower body temperature. Cucumber seeds also contain cucurbitin, an amino acid, linoleic acid, and various other fatty acids that soothe the body both internally and externally. Try slicing some cucumbers for breakfast, or making a cucumber sandwich for lunch -- you might be surprised at how healthy you feel.

Melons - Gently sweet and refreshingly succulent, watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe are among the most popular summertime melons. Each one is composed of roughly 95 percent water, and about five percent natural fruit sugar. Melons are also rich in varying levels of vital enzymes, vitamins and minerals, and electrolytes, which make them an ideal food for replenishing the water and nutrients lost while sweating on those hot summer days.

Strawberries - An iconic summertime treat, the strawberry is refreshing, nutritious, and delicious. The fruit, which is a member of the rose family, is high in vitamin C, the trace mineral manganese, antioxidants, and various other nutrients and enzymes that promote good health. Just be sure to buy pesticide-free or organic strawberries rather than conventional, as the latter tend to be among the most toxic when it comes to chemical contamination.

Radishes - You may not necessarily think of them as an ideal summertime treat, but radishes are actually an excellent addition to your healthy, summertime diet. A powerful cleansing vegetable, the radish is both pungent and sweet, depending on the variety, and can be eaten raw, or added to salads or gazpachos. You can also throw some radishes into a pilaf or cucumber salad for a tasty, filling snack that will help stimulate healthy digestion and promote healthy liver and gallbladder function.

Mint - There are so many unique ways to use mint, particularly when it comes to summertime beverages and light fare, that a quick snippet on this healing herb hardly does it justice. But it is worth mentioning, as mint can be added to tea, lemonade, vegetables salads, marinades, smoothies, sorbets, and cocktails. Rich in fiber, iron, copper, calcium, folic acid, and omega-3 fatty acid concentrates, mint not only livens up food and beverages, but it also calms intestinal inflammation and fights harmful bacteria.

Chia seeds - Popularized by the well-known television infomercial for the pet by the same name, chia is a hydrating, rejuvenating, and lubricating superfood seed that provides lasting energy and sustained vigor, even during the heat of the day. Try adding soaked or gelled chia seeds to things like smoothies, juices, breakfast cereals, and salads to up your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, and ease inflammation throughout your body.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com

http://www.naturalnews.com/029157_watermelon_nutrition.html

http://www.organicfacts.net

http://www.naturalnews.com/036322_detox_beverages_summertime.html

http://www.mnn.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036674_summer_superfoods_cucumbers.html#ixzz22dOFm36C

Fast Food Diet

American fast food diet unleashes disease epidemic sweeping across Asia

(NaturalNews) Though increasingly looked down upon here in the U.S. as a sign of slothfulness and low socioeconomic status, routine fast food consumption in some parts of the world is actually considered to be culturally desirable. But as foreigners progressively adopt the American fast-food lifestyle in place of their own native foods, rates of chronic disease are skyrocketing, including in East and Southeast Asia where diabetes and heart disease rates are off the charts.

According to a recent study published in the journal Circulation, globalization continues to usher U.S.-style fast food into East Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Cambodia, where natives, especially those from the younger generations, are quickly adopting things like hamburgers and fries in place of their traditional fare. And based on the data, this Western fast food craze is responsible for a significant uptick in cases of diabetes and heart disease.


For their study, a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota (UM) School of Public Health analyzed data on more than 60,000 Singaporeans of Chinese descent. Study participants were interviewed beginning in the 1990s, and followed and tracked for about ten years. At the end of the study, researchers compared the participants' eating habits to rates of chronic disease.

They found that, among participants who were between the ages of 45 and 74 at the beginning of the study, 1,397 died of cardiac illness by the end of the study, and 2,252 developed type-2 diabetes. Those who ate fast food two or more times a week were 27 percent more likely than others to develop type-2 diabetes, while the same group was 56 percent more likely to die from cardiac illness.

Those who ate American-style fast food four or more times a week were even worse off, as they were nearly twice as likely to die of cardiac illness than participants who ate no fast food. And interestingly, it was only American-style fast food that was linked to the disease uptick -- native fast foods like dim sum, noodles, and dumplings did not appear to increase the participants' risk of developing chronic disease.

"Many cultures welcome (Western fast food) because it's a sign they're developing their economies," says Andrew Adegaard, author of the study from the UM School of Public Health. "But while it may be desirable from a cultural standpoint, from a health perspective there may be a cost. It wasn't their own snacks that was putting them at increased risk, but American-style fast food."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.health.umn.edu

http://www.reuters.com

http://www.scientificamerican.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036595_fast_food_chronic_disease_epidemic.html#ixzz21o0IytPt

Vitamin D as Anti-Cancer Drug

Vitamin D revealed to be miracle anti-cancer 'drug' with astonishing chemical properties

(NaturalNews) A new study published this month finds that the hormonally active form of vitamin D, Calcitriol 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), inhibits the growth of many kinds of cancerous cells, including breast cancer, indicating that vitamin D3 can be useful in treating and even preventing a variety of cancers. Authors of the study said that caner cell growth is inhibited by "anticancer actions including cell cycle arrest, promotion of apoptosis and inhibition of invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis." Vitamin D's anti-inflammatory properties and interference with estrogen synthesis further explains its anti-tumor properties.



Two studies from 2007 used meta-analysis, which combines data from multiple reports, to find that therapeutic doses of vitamin D could prevent up to half of all cases of breast cancer, and two-thirds of all cases of colorectal cancer in the United States. The studies showed a direct correlation between blood levels of vitamin D and cancer. Those with the highest blood levels were found to be at the lowest risk, and the lowest blood levels at the highest risk.

Many sources still try to cast a shadow on the effectiveness of vitamin D, citing that a specific dose strength has not yet been established, and needs more research. It likely won't be narrowed down to a one-size-fits-all dose, because every body is different, and if it were, it wouldn't be as effective. One other thing that may be giving varied results regarding dosing is the source of vitamin D used - it varies from study to study. Typically, higher doses are required of synthetic sources to increase blood levels, and they don't generally have the same effect as natural sources.

Vitamin D facts

The "sunshine" vitamin, vitamin D is fat-soluble vitamin required for the absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorous. It protects against muscle weakness, regulates heartbeat, is necessary for normal blood clotting and thyroid function, and regulates more than 2,000 genes, affecting the proliferation and death of cells.

Vitamin D comes in several forms. The kind that comes from food is D2. There is a synthetic form, D5. The most active is the most natural kind, D3. It is synthesized in the skin in response to the sun's ultraviolet rays. There is a cholesterol compound in the skin that is a precursor of vitamin D. The D we get from food and supplements is not fully active until it goes through the liver and kidneys, where it is converted, then it circulates through the blood like a hormone.

According to Bach, problems from deficiency may include: heart disease, birth defects, depression, hypertension, stroke, dementia, fibromyalgia, impaired bone mineralization, skin, breast, prostate and other cancers, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, eye problems, problems with pregnancy, and other chronic diseases. It is estimated that more than one billion people worldwide, and 77 percent of Americans, are deficient in vitamin D.

It is not possible for most people to consume enough vitamin D thorough diet alone. It is found in fatty saltwater fish and fish liver oils, such as halibut, salmon, sardines, and cod liver oil. It is also added (fortified) to diary and eggs, so you'll find it in things like milk, yogurt, and butter. Other foods that have vitamin D include dandelion greens, oatmeal, cereals, and sweet potatoes.

Having a healthy and balanced diet can prevent cancer, and the need for prescriptions that contribute to cancer, such as cholesterol reducing drugs that inhibit vitamin D absorption from the sun. Even the National Cancer Institute estimates that 80 percent of cancer cases could be prevented. Most people supplement to get enough vitamin D. The recommended doses are generally not enough to address health problems. Be sure your supplements come from whole food vitamins so that higher doses won't be detrimental to your health, as they might from synthetic vitamin sources.

Eating good food, limiting unhealthy food and substances, getting exercise, and soaking up a bit of sun are critical to happiness and lasting health. So get out there and have fun - and help prevent cancer while you're at it!

Sources for this article include:

http://www.foodconsumer.org

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070206100608.htm

Balch, Phyllis, CNC. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. p. 21.

http://www.naturalnews.com/035063_vitamin_D_cancer_facts.html

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036597_vitamin_D_anti-cancer_drug.html#ixzz21nxgrxlh

High fiber foods

High fiber foods reduce disease

(NaturalNews) According to a health review put together at the Rain Forest Research Institute in India, and recently published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, increased dietary fiber consumption can reduce the risk of developing a number of health complications. Dr. Vikas Rana, who has looked at multiple studies conducted over the last two decades across the globe, explained that dietary fiber can reduce cholesterol levels and decrease blood glucose, maintain gastrointestinal health, increase calcium bio-availability and promote immune function.

What is fiber and why do we need it?

Dietary fiber (also called roughage) consists of the indigestible part of foods, and can be grouped into two categories: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is readily fermented in the colon into gases and active byproducts, whilst insoluble fiber is not fermented, but absorbs water as it moves through the digestive system to form the bulk of the stool. Chemically, dietary fibers consist of non-starch polysaccharides (of which the most well known is cellulose), waxes, chitins and other plant components. Consequently, the term "fiber" is somewhat of a misnomer, since not all indigestible plant substances are fibrous.

To avoid gastrointestinal discomfort, such as gas and loose stool, the Indian review team advises that people gradually increase their fiber consumption throughout the day by including more fiber rich foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits (consumed with the skin on), greens, nuts and seeds.

As worrying health conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity are wreaking havoc in western populations, scientists warn that early onset of illness may be a sign of fiber-deficient diets, which could easily be corrected naturally simply by consuming a wider variety of plant-based foods. The "western-type" diet is rich in red meat, processed sugars, refined flour and countless unnatural additives, often under the pretext that people don't have enough time to spend on preparing complicated meals that are healthy. Nonetheless, porridge, smoothies, salads, mashed legumes, whole breads and crackers are examples of simple dishes that can significantly improve fiber intake. Even having just one or two more unpeeled fruits each day is beneficial to gastrointestinal health.

A warning for future generations

"Consuming adequate quantities of DF [dietary fiber] can lead to improvements in gastrointestinal health, and reduction in susceptibility to diseases such as diverticular disease, heart disease, colon cancer, and diabetes. Increased consumption has also been associated with increased satiety and weight loss," concluded the science team. For both current and future generations, now just may be the time to educate ourselves on the impact of dietary fiber on long term health.

The scientists note that since fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes are widely available all year round in western countries, getting people to eat more fiber is simply a matter of education. This way, individuals may avoid making unhealthy, low-fiber dietary choices throughout their lives.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103854.htm

http://www.inderscience.com

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fiber/

About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. In 2010, Michelle created RawFoodHealthWatch.com, to share with people her approach to the raw food diet and detoxification.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034922_high_fiber_foods_disease_prevention.html#ixzz1zChsTyTg

Food as a weapon

How food is being used as a weapon

(NaturalNews) When people begin to starve, instinctive primal triggers lead to a desire to do absolutely anything for food. Those with food, whether it is the government or a nearby family, will have complete power over others. Food could essentially be used as a weapon, thousands of times more powerful than money or most any other resource. But even in current times, food is used as a weapon by those in power through the use of government regulations and chemical additives that destroy both your health and your bank account. Artificial inflation and speculation, toxic substances hidden in the food, and government regulations are but a few examples. But where did the idea of using food as a supremely powerful weapon begin?



In 1974, the idea of using food as a weapon was introduced in a 200-page report (http://wlym.com/text/NSSM200.htm) by politician Henry Kissinger. The report, entitled National Security Study Memorandum 200: Implications of Worldwide Population Growth for U.S. Security and Overseas Interests, stated that food aid would be withheld from developing countries in need until they submitted to birth control policies that would effectively sterilize large numbers of the population to curb growth.

The document states:

"There is also some established precedent for taking account of family planning performance in appraisal of assistance requirements by AID [U.S. Agency for International Development] and consultative groups. Since population growth is a major determinant of increases in food demand, allocation of scarce PL 480 resources should take account of what steps a country is taking in population control as well as food production. In these sensitive relations, however, it is important in style as well as substance to avoid the appearance of coercion."

With little economic prowess and a nation in peril, developing countries would be forced to comply or face continued famine and death. Food was the weapon, and it was being held captive as a means of foreign policy and warfare. Holding onto valuable food aid and allowing innocent villagers to starve is not much different than waging open physical warfare upon them, which would be prohibited by international law and frowned upon by the majority of citizens worldwide. Henry Kissinger's report is but one incident of food weaponry, however. There are a number of other ways in which food is used as a daily weapon against the public.

Rapid food inflation

As the cost of living goes up, families worldwide begin to sink into the debt trap that is extremely challenging to escape from. For others, it is causing mass starvation. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO's) food price index experienced an increase of 3 points (up to 234 points) in June, a 39% increase of the year. Riots are breaking out across the globe as a result of the dramatic spike in basic food products, and citizens are demanding answers from their representatives -- or in some cases non-elected dictators.

The reason for the rapid food inflation can be traced back to a devalued commodity-dollar that has lost value due to excessive money printing and Wall Street speculation. Therefore one may label it as money manipulation, as opposed to speculation. Major players in the financial industry are determining the value of the dollar, which is no longer backed by real assets such as gold and silver. Due to the lack of valuable backing, speculation -- manipulative or not -- can alter the value of the BPA-laced dollar at any moment.

William Engdahl summarized the process: "The ability to manipulate the price of essential foods worldwide at will - almost irrespective of today's physical supply and demand for grains - is quite recent... Up until the grain crisis of the mid-1970s there was no single 'world price' for grain, the benchmark for the price of all foods and food products."

Toxic additives

Hazardous chemicals have gone incognito into the food supply, and the human population is going to be the lab rats when it comes to the long-term effects of these substances. Pesticides, preservatives, and ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) are health destroyers like never before seen in human history. Created in laboratory settings, they are synthetic health killers. The explosion in obesity, cancer, diabetes, and thousands of other conditions have all been linked in some form to at least one food additive. HFCS, for example, has been confirmed to contain mercury, one of the most toxic heavy metals.

"Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga said.

In addition to what is inside food products, there are even chemicals that leech into your skin before you even consume the toxin-laden food item.

Perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and bisphenol A (BPA) have been found in everything from food wrappers to currencies around the globe, and the amount of exposure to the average human being is astounding. In a study of Canadians ages 6 to 79, 90% of those tested had detectable levels of BPA in their urine and blood. Once contacted, BPA leeches directly into the bloodstream and cannot be washed off after a certain point. Around the time of this study, Canada banned BPA and labeled it as a toxic ingredient that endangers human health. Currently, the EPA is looking into launching an investigation over the health effects of BPA. Over 1 million pounds of BPA is released into the air each year, threatening the environmental integrity of the planet.

"A number of concerns have been raised about the potential human health and environmental effects of BPA," said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, according to UPI.

Government regulations

Through restricting food freedom -- the freedom of consumers to choose what they want to put into their bodies -- the government gains control over the food supply through forcing citizens to depend upon it. One such way of doing this is through draconian regulations that give organizations like the USDA power over basic food building blocks such as corn, wheat, soybeans and rice. Control over these in turn gives the organization control over livestock as well, as they need them for feed.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is another government agency that uses its powers to control the food and nutritional supplement industry like no other. Following legislation passed in the European Union that outlaws the use of a number of natural supplements, the FDA has introduced outlandish regulations that threaten virtually all dietary supplements in the USA that were formulated after 1994. The FDA has also suppressed the right of Americans to purchase and consume raw milk, despite known benefits to human health. The FDA and other government organizations oftentimes care more about grabbing and maintaining power over the food supply than human health, and it shows through their policies.

The Alliance for Natural Health warned against such legislation:

"We fear that they will use this power to ban any supplement innovation unless the supplement is turned into a drug and brought through the drug approval process. Since nobody can afford to pay for the new drug approval process if the substance is not patented, and supplements generally already exist in nature and cannot therefore be patented, to require full new drug approval is to ensure that there will be no new supplements. This should suit the drug industry very well and, based on past behavior, the FDA as well."

Weather

Weather hugely affects both food access and food costs. With the influx of natural disasters across not only the country but the world, an inevitable rise in food prices has been observed. Of course with such tragedies comes another possibility to exploit the issue by both speculators and government. As reported by The Sunday Times, Bill Gates has openly invested in weather modification technology to create "artificial clouds" all in the name of fighting off greenhouse gases. In fact, the creators are so eager to use the technology that they do not intend to wait for international rules allowing for it. The Sunday Times article reports:

"The British and American scientists involved do not intend to wait for international rules on technology that deliberately alters the climate."

In a 1996 document presented to the U.S. Air Force entitled Owning the Weather 2025, weather modification is a major topic of discussion. In fact, the heading on page 10 reads: "Applying Weather-modification to Military Operations." It is not outrageous to believe that since 1996 there has been at least a handful of manipulated weather occurrences that have affected crop production and transportation. With military tensions as high as they are, using weather to cripple the agricultural production of a nation may be one of the most potent weapons known to mankind. The Air Force report discusses military use of weather modification in detail:

"Offensive abilities could provide spoofing options to create virtual weather in the enemy's sensory and information systems, making it more likely for them to make decisions producing results of our choosing rather than theirs. It would also allow for the capability to mask or disguise our weather-modification activities.

[...]

"Also key to the feasibility of such a system is the ability to model the extremely complex nonlinear system of global weather in ways that can accurately predict the outcome of changes in the influencing variables.

[...]

"Conceivably, with enough lead time and the right conditions, you could get 'made-to-order' weather."

It is easy to see that weather would certainly be the weapon of choice when it comes to non-combat military weaponry that is effective yet does not require full-scale war.

Food as a weapon

Even now, before the collapse of the dollar and subsequently the world economy, food is used as a vital weapon against the individual and nation alike. When the dollar does eventually collapse, assuming nothing is done to stop its lethal trajectory beforehand, food will become the number one resource along with pure water. Gold and silver are precious assets in the accumulation of food, but you cannot eat gold and silver. As the government comes after home gardens, it is essential to secure a spot for your organic produce and to purchase high-quality additive-free storable food for you and your family.

"True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made." - Franklin Roosevelt

Sources:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/04/27/how_goldman_sachs_cr...
http://naturalsociety.com/epa-considers-launching-bpa-investigation/
http://www.financialsense.com/contributors/william-engdahl/2011/06/29...
http://www.naturalnews.com/030368_food_wrappers_chemicals.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2010/08/16/bpa-bisphenol-levels-u...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR200...
http://naturalnews.com/032912_FDA_dietary_supplements.html
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7120...

About the author

Anthony Gucciardi is a health activist and wellness researcher, whose goal is centered around educating the general public as to how they may obtain optimum health. He has authored countless articles highlighting the benefits of natural health, as well as exposing the pharmaceutical industry. Anthony is the creator of Natural Society (http://www.NaturalSociety.com), a natural health website. Anthony has been accurately interpreting national and international events for years within his numerous political articles. Anthony's articles have been seen by millions around the world, and hosted on multiple top news websites.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033343_food_weapons.html#ixzz1yGGxf7Zz