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Old 04-15-2009, 06:36 AM   #1
Athena
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Exclamation Food For Thought

Hi Everyone,

Well, I wasn’t planning to start a Food thread just yet—though it’s an integral part of Creating a Home That Heals—but some information just came my way that feels important to share.

Some of you may already know of Clif High from Half Past Human. If not, please visit his website at www.halfpasthuman.com to learn about his work. In a nutshell, Clif specialises in a technique known as “radical linguistics” which culminates in a body of information known as ALTA reports. I respect Clif’s work and pay attention to it.

Yesterday, Clif sent me the following email, which I’m including here with his permission:

{Quote} FOR HONEY USERS:
If you are not aware of the issue, please be advised that very significant amounts of [chinese honey] *ARE* being introduced into the US food supply stream via stealth to avoid duties/charges.

There are very serious issues with the 'honey' from china. Much of it is a mixture of HFCS {Athena’s note: “HFCS” stands for “High Fructose Corn Syrup”} and 'other ingredients'. We need not go into the types of potential issues here. Suffice it to say that this will be the next 'chinese food problem'. (some hints in the data about [peanut contamination via oil]....

Since honey users are frequently also health conscious, it makes sense to do honey purchasing from known producers, either locally or across the internet to trusted sources.

Just a quick warning. (immediacy data sets pointing to an [outbreak] due to
[bad honey]...and we don't think it means '****** off girlfriends'..." {End of quote}

My motivation for sharing this information is not to “scare” people; rather it’s to give a “thumbs up/pay attention” alert to all who may be interested. It’s a public safety issue. Being an informed consumer is absolutely vital when it comes to food and feeding our families.

My interpretation of this information is guided by The Precautionary Principle which states:
When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. (1)
The precautionary principle means taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty. In order to do this we must shift the burden of proof from those who might be harmed to those who create the risks, and choose safer alternatives to potentially harmful activities or substances. (2)

In this particular situation, prevention is very simple: read food labels and do not buy anything that contains honey or high fructose corn syrup from an unknown source. Actually, I’d suggest not buying anything with high fructose corn syrup in it, period, regardless of source—but we can get into the many problems associated with HFCS on another post. Many food companies are driven by the bottom line and will purchase their ingredients from the cheapest source without any attention to purity or concern of contamination…"Hey, honey’s honey—right?" Wrong—as all of you now know.

Pay attention to obvious pre-packaged foods such as cereals, granola/power bars, honey-baked ham/turkey/chicken etc, but also pay attention to less obvious foods. The only way to really know is to read labels. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call manufacturers. Ask where they are getting their honey from, and tell them about your concerns. If the person you speak with can’t give you a satisfactory and conclusive answer, simply don’t buy their products. If you eat out regularly, you may have to re-think what you eat.

Please pay particular attention to what your children eat (at home/daycare/school/with friends). Also keep in mind any elderly family and friends, and those with already compromised immune systems. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

The good news is, that raw, unfiltered, undiluted honey from a local supplier who can verify their source, can still be enjoyed. It’s a win-win situation. You get a pure source of honey, whilst supporting your local economy. Pure honey has a multitude of health benefits when ingested and used topically. Do a Google search and learn more about this powerhouse food that’s been used for hundreds of years around the world.

Yours in great health!
Athena

Notes:
(1) Carolyn Raffensperger and Joel Tickner, Protecting Public Health and the Environement: Implementing the Precautionary Principle, Island Press, 1999.
(2) Athena Thompson, Homes That Heal, New Society Publishers, 2004.
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Old 04-15-2009, 07:30 AM   #2
Carmen
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Default Re: Food For Thought

Thanks for the warning Athena. I will be extra cautious with anything packaged that contains honey. We are planning on purchasing our own beehives here. This news makes that descision more urgent.

Cheers

Carmen
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Old 04-15-2009, 03:03 PM   #3
alyscat
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Default Re: Food For Thought

Another thing to note is that the possible contamination is peanut oil. For friends who are allergic to peanuts, this is a BIG deal. I notified a friend of it, too, just because she's sooooo allergic to peanuts, even if in flour in a restaurant, it always mean a trip to the hospital. (she always asks)
alys
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Old 04-15-2009, 09:39 PM   #4
sunflower
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Default Re: Food For Thought

Thanks, Athena, we'll stick to honey produced here in Quebec, Canada.
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Old 04-15-2009, 10:52 PM   #5
pyrangello
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Default Re: Food For Thought

Athena , In april 2003 mens health magazine I kept a copy of the article called the devil's candy. It was all about HFCS or High Fructose Corn Syrup. Here are some statements from that article.
HFCS is making america fat- it shuts off the switches in your body that control appetite-is more easily turned into fat than any other carbohydrate.

Consider this , in 1970 americans ate about 1/2 pound of HFCS, by 1997 per year an average american is consuming 62 1/2 lbs a year.

HFCS is different than other sugars that are natural in friut and honey, Corn syrup is primarily made up of sugar called glucose, which can be burned up as an immediate source of energy, but corn syrup isn't as sweet as sugar. Thats why they came up with High fructose. Basically it's a chemically altered sugar that makes your food last on the shelf 30% longer.

The bad thing about HFCS is that say you drank a 6 pack of mountain dew soda, since the HFCS blocks the trigger for your body to start burning the pop will just sit there . Same goes for if you eat a hamburger and consume HFCS. Unless your cooking with natural raw ingredients it's very tough to not consume HFCS. You'll probably get sick after you go to the store and start reading all the labels that have this in it. This stuff is bad, bad, bad.

Thanks for the heads up Athena, great info . Hope this helps too.
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