Amid H1N1 Flu Fears Garlic Prices Surge in China

FOOD AS MEDICINE

Amid H1N1 Flu Fears Garlic Prices Surge in China
Rumors that garlic helps defend against the H1N1 virus have sent prices of garlic rocketing in recent months

Garden of Healing®

BEIJING

Garlic prices have jumped so high in China recently that the crop has outperformed gold and stocks to be the country's best performing asset this year.

As H1N1 swine flu continues to worry China's leaders, its people seek a more traditional remedy. Just as some Chinese turned to turnips to prevent the SARS virus in 2003, garlic has emerged as a swine flu fighter in 2009.

"Garlic kills bacteria, and I eat at least half a bulb each day," says Liu Zhan, 43, whose prices have leapt from just five cents a pound in February to almost 55 cents today.

Although Chinese government experts have cautioned consumers about the lack of scientific proof for garlic's flu-killing powers, its supporters remain adamant. "Garlic can definitely help prevent swine flu," claims Li Jingfeng, chairman of the Jinxiang Garlic Association in eastern China's Shandong province.

Self-promoted as China's "hometown of garlic," Jinxiang county grows a quarter of all garlic in China, which in turn provides more than a quarter of global output, says Wang Hao, marketing manager for the China Garlic website. Jinxiang, whose name means Gold Village, has enjoyed its best sales year, says Li.

"Next year, the price will be even higher, but our American and European buyers still think it's cheap, as garlic sells for $6.60 for a pound in their countries," he says.


© 2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. The Star Raconteur™. All Rights Reserved.

What Does Anger Smell Like?

ANIMALS

What Does Anger Smell Like?
A whiff of a rage-inducing pheromone can turn peaceful fruit flies into violent brawlers.

By Eric Bland

Discovery News
http://news.discovery.com/animals/anger-smell-fruit-flies.html


The scent of a single chemical can turn peaceful, happy fruit flies into flying fists of fury.

For the first time, scientists have found a rage-inducing pheromone and the neuron that detects it in fruit flies. The research, detailed in the journal Nature, could help explain everything from bar fights to species-wide population control.

"Not only did we identify the pheromone that leads to aggression and its neuron," said David Anderson, a scientist at Cal Tech and co-author of the Nature study, "but we were able to manipulate the ability of the flies to increase aggression."

For the most part, fruit flies are a peaceful species. Give a group of flies a piece of food, and they graze peacefully. Give them some land, and they usually share the territory without incident.

For the full story:
http://news.discovery.com/animals/anger-smell-fruit-flies.html


Copyright © 2009 Discovery Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a Breath of Fresh Cabin Air

TOXICITY

Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a breath of fresh cabin air
The successful launch of the Boeing Dreamliner this week has highlighted concerns about the amount of toxic air in conventional aircraft cabins.

By Charles Starmer-Smith

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

The new lightweight plane, which is designed to cut fuel costs by 20 per cent, has been hailed as the answer to the problem of contaminated air that scientists claim affects up to 200,000 British passengers each year – known in the industry as aerotoxic syndrome.

Since 1963, all commercial aircraft have used the "bleed air" system, whereby compressed air is drawn through the engines and into the cabin. The air passes through filters that remove bacteria or viruses but do not remove fumes or vapours from the engine – so if there is an oil or hydraulic fuel leak, toxic chemicals can contaminate the air supply.

On its new Dreamliner, Boeing is to pump fresh cabin air from a separate source (away from the engines) for the first time since the Fifties. This had previously been deemed too expensive.

"This marks a serious milestone in aviation history, with the long-awaited first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner," said Tristan Lorraine, a former commercial pilot and spokesman for the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE), which represents thousands of airline staff. "The GCAQE urges other manufacturers to design aircraft with this new 'bleed-free' design and stop using out-of-date technologies, which fail to protect passengers and crews from being exposed to toxic chemicals."

Earlier this year, undercover investigators claimed to have found high levels of a dangerous toxin on several planes using the bleed-air system. Of 31 swab samples taken secretly from the aircraft cabins of popular airlines, 28 were found to contain high levels of tricresyl phosphate (TCP), an organophosphate contained in modern jet oil as an anti-wear additive, which can lead to drowsiness, respiratory problems and neurological illnesses.

Dr Mackenzie Ross, a clinical neuropsychologist at University College London, has claimed that contaminated cabin air may affect up to 200,000 passengers each year. A Telegraph Travel investigation last year disclosed that hundreds of incidents of contaminated air had been reported by British pilots.

Reports linking exposure to contaminated air with long-term harm to health have led to an increase in the number of passengers and crew seeking redress. Earlier this year a former American Airlines attendant, Terry Williams, 40, launched a lawsuit against Boeing over illnesses she claims were caused by toxic fumes.

A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said that investigations were continuing, but that there was no evidence of a link between cabin air and ill health.


© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2009. All Rights Reserved.


Related Links: http://www.aerotoxic.org/

Wisconsin Man Argues Right to Sell Raw Milk

FOOD

Wisconsin man argues right to sell raw milk

By Chris Hubbuch

La Crosse Tribune

VIROQUA, WI

Max Kane Farley thinks unpasteurized milk saved his life.

The Chicago native, who goes by Max Kane, was diagnosed with the digestive disorder Crohn's disease at age 10.

He suffered abdominal and joint pain. He had thin bones and only 110 pounds on his 5 foot 10 frame.

"I looked like someone who came out of a German concentration camp," Kane said.

After 13 years, he heard about the primal diet — raw meat, raw eggs, raw milk. He gained 80 pounds, and his symptoms went away, he said. He hasn't needed medication in five years.

He credits raw milk and has devoted himself full-time to promoting its benefits and helping others get it. He rode his bike 3,600 miles, mostly on a raw dairy diet.

The 32-year-old, who lives in Viroqua, founded a Chicago-based club through which members could buy unpasteurized dairy products.

That's put him at the center of a legal battle over the state's authority to regulate food sales.

The thirst for raw milk has been growing, attracting the notice of lawmakers and health officials. As a bill to legalize the sale of unpasteurized milk makes its way through the Wisconsin Legislature, the state is cracking down on black market sales.

Kane's case started in March, after the mother of an ill 16-year-old told health officials he'd drank raw milk she got from Kane's club, Belle's Lunchbox. Although tests did not link the illness to milk, Illinois officials notified Wisconsin officials.

Kane received a letter requesting details about his club, his providers, handling practices and licenses, as well as tax returns.

He sent a "cease and desist" letter stating the department had no jurisdiction over his club and accusing officials of violating the Constitution and state law. He threatened to sue.

The state subpoenaed him.

Kane will get his chance today in Vernon County Court to explain his position.

Raw dairy proponents say unpasteurized milk is tastier, healthier and easier to digest. It has been touted as curing everything from asthma to lactose intolerance and childhood behavior problems.

Federal and state officials say uncooked animal products are dangerous and can carry bacteria capable of causing illness and death.

"All it takes is a fleck of manure on a cow's teat and you've got contamination," Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Donna Gilson said.

Raw milk advocates say the benefits far outstrip the risks.

Twenty-eight states allow on-farm sales of raw milk. In nine, consumers can buy raw milk in stores.

The Department of Agriculture estimates a couple dozen Wisconsin farmers sell raw milk.


Copyright ©2009 The Appleton Post-Crescent. All Rights Reserved.

Study; Coffee and Tea may Reduce Diabetes Risk

DIABETES

Study; Coffee and Tea may Reduce Diabetes Risk
It's possible that there's something in coffee and tea that lowers diabetes risk, but that something is likely not caffeine

Garden of Healing®

People who drink tea or coffee, even if it's decaf, seem to have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a review of studies reported this week.

The study, appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine, was a meta-analysis, meaning it reviewed all the literature on coffee, tea, and diabetes risk. The researchers, led by Rachel Huxley, of the George Institute for International Health at the University of Sydney, narrowed their review down to 18 studies published between 1966 and 2009, involving almost 460,000 participants.

Six studies included information about regular and decaffeinated coffee and diabetes risk, and seven studies reported on tea consumption.

When the authors combined the data, they found that each additional cup of coffee consumed in a day was associated with a seven per cent reduction in diabetes risk.

People who drank three to four cups of coffee a day had about a 25 per cent lower risk of diabetes than those who drank two or fewer cups a day.

The researchers say the apparent protective effect of tea and coffee appeared to be independent of other factors that may raise the risk of diabetes, such as a high body mass index, increased age and family history of diabetes.

But it's also possible that there's something in coffee and tea that lowers diabetes risk. But that something is likely not caffeine, since even decaf coffee was linked to a lower diabetes risk.

Instead, other compounds in coffee and tea may be involved, including magnesium, antioxidants known as lignans or chlorogenic acids.

"The identification of the active components of these beverages would open up new therapeutic pathways for the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus," the authors write.

"It could also be envisaged that we will advise our patients most at risk for diabetes mellitus to increase their consumption of tea and coffee in addition to increasing their levels of physical activity and weight loss."


© 2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. The Star Raconteur™. All Rights Reserved.

Formula for Health is not in the Vitamin Aisle

NUTRITION

Formula for health is not in the vitamin aisle
Supplements do not work as well as food, yet 40 per cent of Canadians take them every day, study says

By Leslie Beck

Source: Globe and Mail

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

It's estimated that 40 per cent of Canadians take vitamin and mineral supplements each day. Yet according to a report in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the formula for optimal health isn't in the supplement aisle of a health-food store.

Instead, the best strategy for staying healthy and lowering your risk for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers is to eat a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods - a practice that for many people is not a habit.

Still, the report recognizes that some people do require vitamin and mineral supplements. Knowing which ones to take - and how much - can be confusing.

The fact is, the maintenance of good health is related more to the types and amounts of foods you eat than to the amount of certain vitamins or minerals you consume. When obtained from foods, certain nutrients have been demonstrated to guard against a number of health conditions. But studies investigating the effect of supplements on health outcomes have turned up disappointing results.

Foods are complex, providing more than just a single vitamin or mineral. Plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains also contain fibre, along with hundreds of disease-fighting compounds called phytochemicals. It's thought that vitamins and minerals work in concert with other components of food to exert health benefits.

You've heard it over and over: Choose mainly whole grains, get seven to 10 daily servings of fruit and vegetables, eat beans and lentils more often, and so on. Yet a very small percentage of Canadians lives by Canada's Food Guide.

According to national survey data, Canadians of all ages don't get enough magnesium, folate or potassium from their diet. Most adults don't get enough calcium from foods. And women under 50 consume too little iron.

While it's ideal to try to meet your daily nutrient requirements from food, for some people this is hard to do. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, strict vegetarians, people with food intolerances and allergies, and elderly adults often need to fill dietary gaps with a multivitamin and mineral pill.

People with certain health conditions, or who take medications that alter their need for some vitamins or minerals, may also need to rely on supplements. And older adults, people with dark skin and those with inadequate sun exposure require extra vitamin D.

If you fall into one of the following categories, consider taking certain supplements in addition to eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods.

Women of childbearing age Women who may become pregnant should take a multivitamin supplement that provides 0.4 to 1 milligram of folic acid, a B vitamin that reduces the risk of neural tube defects - birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord.

Menstruating women also need 18 milligrams of iron per day, an amount that's challenging - if not impossible - to get from foods alone. Look for a multivitamin with 10 to 18 milligrams of iron. (Vegetarians need an extra 14 milligrams to account for reduced iron absorption from plant foods.)

Pregnant women

During pregnancy, women need 0.6 milligrams of folic acid from a daily supplement in addition to food sources of folate. Natural sources include spinach, lentils, asparagus, broccoli, avocados and oranges.

Pregnant women also need 27 milligrams of supplemental iron each day (vegetarian women 48 milligrams). Choose a prenatal multivitamin supplement with 0.6 to 1 milligram of folic acid and 27 milligrams of iron.

Older adults

The U.S.-based Institute of Medicine advises that people over 50 get 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 each day in the form found in fortified foods and supplements. That's because aging reduces ability to digest B12 from food.

Vitamin B12 helps maintain nerve function, keeps red blood cells healthy and is needed to make DNA. Evidence also suggests it may guard against heart disease and maintain cognitive function.

To get your B12, choose a multivitamin and mineral supplement. If you prefer, take a B-complex supplement that contains all eight B vitamins.

Choose a product that provides no more than 0.4 milligram of folic acid, the recommended daily intake. Recently, there's concern that higher doses may accelerate the growth of pre-cancerous cells or early cancer growths.

In healthy cells, folic acid ensures that DNA replicates normally. But cancer and pre-cancer cells synthesize new copies of DNA faster than normal cells and need folic acid to multiply.

There's no evidence that the B vitamin in foods is harmful. In fact, the evidence shows that a diet rich in natural sources of folate is good for you.

At 50, calcium requirements increase to 1,500 milligrams daily. In most cases, people need to rely on calcium supplements in addition to diet to meet daily needs.

More vitamin D

Evidence suggests that optimal vitamin-D status helps prevent certain cancers, heart attacks, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The fact that Canadians don't produce enough vitamin D in their skin from sunlight between October and March prompted the Canadian Cancer Society in June, 2007, to recommend that adults take 1,000 international units (IU ) of the vitamin daily in fall and winter.

Older adults, people with dark skin, those who don't go outdoors often, and those who wear clothing that covers most of their skin should take the supplement year-round.

Before you buy, figure out how much vitamin D you're already getting from multivitamin and calcium supplements. Choose a supplement than contains D3 instead of D2, which is less potent.

Haphazard eaters, dieters

If you don't eat well despite your best intentions, or you consume less than 1,600 calories per day, a multivitamin and mineral supplement can help make up for shortfalls. But keep in mind that supplements can't replicate the nutritional and health benefits of whole foods.

Speak to your dietitian or doctor about which supplements and what doses might be appropriate for you. If you take medications, ask about possible interactions.

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday.

Her website is http://www.lesliebeck.com/


© CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Monsanto Named Worst Corporate Climate Lobbyist

CLIMATE

Monsanto named worst corporate climate lobbyist
US company wants its GM crops to be given carbon credits and to be at the forefront of tackling climate change despite link to deforestation.

The Ecologist

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/381809/monsanto_named_worst_corporate_climate_lobbyist.html

COPENHAGEN

Biotech giant Monsanto has been criticised for its aggressive corporate lobbying on climate change at the Copenhagen summit.

In a public vote organised by an alliance of NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and Spinwatch, the US agricultural company came out ahead of oil giant Shell and the American Petroleum Institute.

Monsanto was nominated for its promotion of genetically modified (GM) crops as a solution to climate change and for pushing its crops to be used as biofuels.

According to the alliance, the expansion of GM soy in Latin America is contributing to major deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon credits

The company has also been lobbying for carbon credits for its RoundUp Ready crops on the basis that it does not need ploughing because it can be heavily sprayed with herbicides.

While not ploughing the fields leaves more carbon in the ground, the alliance says the spread of soy monocultures in Latin America has caused deforestation, the displacement of local people and an increase in the use of herbicides, which have been linked to health problems.

‘Big business must not be allowed to sabotage action against climate change by promoting their vested interests,’ said vote organiser Paul de Clerk from Friends of the Earth International.

‘All the nominated companies have lobbied to protect their own profits and prevent effective action to tackle climate change. Governments need to stop listening to them and choose real solutions to the climate crisis.’

The other nominees for the Angry Mermaid Award for corporate lobbying were:

•American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity
•American Petroleum Institute (API)
•European Chemical Lobby (Cefic)
•International Air Transport Association (IATA)
•International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
•Sasol
•Shell


Copyright 2009 Ecosystems Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Having a Baby Face may Mean You Live Longer

AGEING

'Baby-Faced' People Seem to Live Longer
People blessed with youthful faces are more likely to live to a ripe old age.

Garden of Healing®

LONDON

A new study by Danish scientists says appearance alone can predict survival, after they studied 387 pairs of twins.

Research published Monday in the British medical journal BMJ suggests that people who look younger than their years also live longer.

The researchers asked nurses, trainee teachers and peers to guess the age of the twins from mug shots.

Those rated younger-looking tended to outlive their older-looking sibling, the British Medical Journal reports.

Key pieces of DNA called telomeres, which indicate the ability of cells to replicate, are also linked to how young a person looks.

A telomere of shorter length is thought to signify faster ageing and has been linked with a number of diseases.

In the study, the people who looked younger had longer telomeres.

All of the twins were in their 70s, 80s or 90s when they were photographed.

Over a seven-year follow-up the researchers, led by Professor Kaare Christensen of the University of Southern Denmark, found that the bigger the difference in perceived age within a pair, the more likely it was that the older-looking twin died first.

The age, sex and professional background of the assessors made no difference to any of the results.

“It's probably a combination of genes plus environment over a lifetime that are important” UK expert Professor Tim Spector.

Professor Christensen said it might be that people who have had a tougher life are more likely to die early - and their life is reflected in their face.

The researchers told the BMJ: "Perceived age, which is widely used by clinicians as a general indication of a patient's health, is a robust biomarker of ageing that predicts survival among those aged over 70."

Professor Tim Spector, a UK expert who has been doing his own twin research, said: "We are also finding this in our study.

"It's probably a combination of genes plus environment over a lifetime that are important."


© 2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. The Star Raconteur™. All Rights Reserved.

Spending Bill Heads to Obama

ECONOMY

Spending bill heads to Obama
Senate approves $1.1 trillion package

Garden of Healing®

WASHINGTON

On Sunday the Senate passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill with increased budgets for the federal government, including health, education, law enforcement and veterans' programs.

The 1,000-plus-page package, one of the last jobs of Congress in 2009, passed 57-35 and now goes to President Barack Obama.

After the vote, the Senate immediately returned to the debate on health care legislation that has consumed its energy for weeks. Senate Democrats hope to reach a consensus in the coming days on Obama's chief domestic priority.

But even as they sent the measure to Obama for his signature, Democrats were deeply divided over efforts to substantially raise the federal debt limit.

The idea of increased spending and more red ink provoked new congressional alarm, and some Democratic deficit hawks were insisting that Congress and the White House agree to new efforts to rein in the deficit.

Failure to increase the $12.1 trillion debt limit to cover federal borrowing could lead to a technical government default.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and others said they wanted a vote on a new proposal to create a bipartisan independent commission to recommend spending cuts and revenue increases to pare the deficit. Others want an agreement by Congress to follow "pay as you go" rules when considering legislation.

If they are unable to strike a deal with the White House and the congressional leadership, the lawmakers said they would support only a short-term increase in the debt limit — perhaps into February — to allow for more negotiations.

The spending bill combines six of the 12 annual appropriation bills for the 2010 budget year that began Oct. 1. Obama has already signed five others into law.

The final one, a $626 billion defense bill, will be used as the base bill for another catchall package of measures that Congress must deal with in the coming days.

Those include raising the debt ceiling and considering proposals to stimulate the job market.

The spending bill passed Sunday includes $447 billion for departments' operating budgets and about $650 billion in mandatory payments for federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Those programs would see increases of about 10 percent.

All but three Democrats voted for the bill; all but three Republicans opposed it.

Democrats said the spending was critical to meet the needs of a recession-battered economy.

Appearing Sunday on "State of the Union" on CNN, Lawrence Summers, the president's chief economic adviser, said Obama was receptive to new ideas for reducing the deficit.

"What's fundamentally important is that we find a solution that works," he said.


© 2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. The Star Raconteur™. All Rights Reserved.

Personal Care Positioned for Rebound

PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

Personal Care Positioned for Rebound
The naturals segment remains a relatively high-growth proposition

Natural Foods Merchandiser
http://naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com/

Sales of natural personal care products have grown about 8 percent in the United States in 2009, a slowing growth rate from 15.3 percent a year earlier, but still healthier than the personal care industry as a whole, according to new research.

And personal care will rebound in 2010, driven by natural products, global demand and value lines, New York-based Kline Group predicts.

“The naturals segment remains a relatively high-growth proposition from both a product and packaging standpoint in personal care and home care,” Carrie Mellage, Kline Group’s director of consumer products, wrote in a newsletter.

Value brands and private-label products have also surged in growth, with double-digit gains in sun care products, shampoos and personal cleansing products, as shoppers look for cost savings.

“Personal care was hit pretty hard in the last year, less so in the natural sector,” said Lynea Schultz-Ela of A Natural Resource in Hotchkiss, Colo.

Better growth will be driven by new products, where small companies have the edge because they’re able to bring items to market faster, she said.

“Innovation is the name of the game in personal care,” Schultz-Ela said.

Mellage told NFM that greater availability of natural products has pushed down prices, hampering dollar growth. But the “relatively untapped” area of private label natural personal care has the potential to grow, as cash-strapped naturals consumers are lured back into the category by house brands with natural ingredients.

“I think we will also see a greater shift toward mass natural brands, so prices will be pushed downwards,” Mellage told NFM.

High-growth overseas markets have put their own unique spin on natural personal care, with Brazilian natural products emphasizing biodiversity and the rainforest, while Indian consumers favor products based on Avurveda and Chinese products reflect China’s heritage of herbal medicine, Mellage noted.


Copyright 2009 New Hope Natural Media. All Rights Reserved.

Ugandan Bill seeks Executions for Gays

HUMAN RIGHTS

Uganda's Anti-Gay Death Law
Bill calls for those convicted of "aggravated homosexuality" to receive the death penalty.

Mark Isaac Thyss
Garden of Healing®

The Ugandan government says their new anti-homosexuality bill seeks to strengthen "the nation's capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family." But the bill amounts to state sponsorship of the execution of gay and lesbian people.

A legislator in Uganda wants to impose the death penalty on gays living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape.

Landlords who rent rooms or homes to gays also could get seven years in prison if they fail to report them to authorities. Anyone with "religious, political, economic or social authority" who fails to report anyone violating the law faces three years in prison if convicted.

Christian leaders who are themselves divided over homosexuality jumped in joining forces to oppose the proposed Ugandan law.

"Our Christian faith recognizes violence, harassment and unjust treatment of any human being as a betrayal of Jesus' commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves," reads the statement released Monday and signed by dozens of leaders.

David Bahati, the legislator sponsoring the bill, said the measures are necessary to stop gays from recruiting children.

The bill calls for those convicted of involvement in homosexual acts to be sentenced to life in prison and those convicted of "aggravated homosexuality" to receive the death penalty.

Uganda's ethics minister, James Nsaba Buturo, said the death sentence is needed to counter foreign influence. Homosexuality "is not natural in Uganda," he said.


© 2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. The Star Raconteur™. All Rights Reserved.

Cold Defense

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Cold Defense
Cold and flu remedies and products that support the immune system are up 70% over last year.

By Christina Veiders

Supermarket News

This year's cold/flu season, plagued by especially bad bug viruses, has driven consumers to seek defense by downing immune-system elixirs.

The sales numbers tell the story for demand of flu-related products in general.

Nielsen reported last week that consumers stocked up on preventive, treatment and sanitizing products at an increased rate. Thermometers, vitamins, cough and cold remedies, orange juice, cleaning products, tea and soup all reported year-over-year increases.

Researchers and industry observers say immune-system support products have particularly benefited during the severe flu season, with sales on some product up as much as 20% to 25%. Retailers merchandised an array of products that ranged from simple vitamin C to probiotics to special formulas of combo immune nutrients.

Wendy McLain, health and beauty aids merchandiser for Seattle-based PCC Natural Markets, reports that sales of cold and flu remedies and products that support the immune system are up 70% over last year.

PCC Markets' best sellers are: Alacer Emergen-C, Boiron Oscillo, PCC-brand vitamin D, Source Naturals Wellness Formula and, in general, hand sanitizers.

The retailer used its bi-monthly ad circular to promote these products.

Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas, turned its stores into immune-support destinations by offering a wide range of immune-support products.

Featured items are: Source Naturals Wellness Formula, which is said to "rebalance well-being"; Gaia Herbs Rapid Relief Black Elderberry Syrup, packed with vitamin C that "supports a healthy immune response"; and Whole Foods' private-label 365 Everyday Value Flu Ease, a homeopathic formula that "provides relief from body aches, chills, fever and other symptoms."

The natural-food retailer also produced a number of podcasts and blogs devoted to cough-cold-flu topics. In-store lectures and brochures discussed differences between colds and flu; how ingredients like garlic turmeric, cayenne pepper and kale can help strengthen the immune system; which herbs and supplements provide immune support; recipes for immune system-boosting soups and smoothies; and seasonal wellness tips to help ward off colds and flu.

A local media source reported last month that a Whole Foods in Winston-Salem, N.C., set up two immune-boosting kiosks that displayed natural alternative medicines like echinacea, elderberry and probiotics. The store enjoyed a 10% boost in vitamin sales. Michelle Tisdale, Whole Body specialist, was quoted in the report as saying, "We also have a lot of new people who have never been in a health food store and want to try something natural. Some of the people are those who want added protection along with the vaccine and others are those who don't plan on getting vaccinated."

With a scarcity of vaccines and a constant media barrage over the H1N1 "swine flu" virus and the seriousness of the flu season, consumers naturally sought out alternative remedies. "Our research shows 44% of those who take vitamins and minerals do so to help ward off illness. Additionally, some 29% of vitamin-takers say that they frequently change the supplements that they take based on new information in the news," noted Molly Heyl-Rushmer, senior analyst for research firm Mintel International.

However, the demand for immunity supplements also has come with controversy over marketers' health claims.

Early this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published guidance for dietary supplement manufacturers on what it considers to be sufficient scientific substantiation for the health claims made on their products. The guidance, which takes the form of recommendations rather than rulemaking, refers to all nutritional deficiency, structure/function or general well-being claims.

Yet, the FDA and Federal Trade Commission were forced to issue warning letters.

As a result, some manufacturers and retailers had to change their labeling and health claims. Some faced hefty fines. CVS, Woonsocket, R.I., for example, paid nearly $2.8 million to settle FTC charges over misleading claims that its AirShield dietary supplements can prevent colds, fight germs and boost immune systems. The case was similar to those the FTC announced in 2008 - against Airborne Health, Improvita Health Products and Rite Aid Corp. - which involved dietary supplements that purportedly treat colds and the flu.

The FTC charged CVS with making false and deceptive advertising claims that using its product would reduce the risk of colds and protect against catching colds in crowded places, such as schools, airplanes, offices, health clubs, theaters or restaurants. The FTC alleged that the company had no evidence that the products could boost the immune system or prevent colds. A settlement with Rite Aid regarding similar claims for its Germ Defense products was announced in July, resulting in a Rite Aid consumer refund program.

Such cases put retailers on notice that they assume "gatekeeper responsibility" that the products they put on their shelves meet FDA and FTC standards, said Loren Israelsen, executive director, United Natural Products Alliance, Salt Lake City. "It's sometimes counter-intuitive for retailers who are interested in getting products on shelves but in this new regulatory environment, that is the message from the regulator to the regulated.

The companies that sell the products have the same obligation."

Other cases cited by federal authorities included Internet retailer DrWeil.com for its Immune Support Formula claims that the product was a prevention, treatment or cure for the H1N1 flu virus. The product contained astragalus, a traditional herb said to boost immunity, and immune-supportive polypore mushrooms.

Prior to the flu season, an industry coalition comprised of the American Herbal Products Association, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Natural Products Association and United Natural Products Alliance issued a statement advising against the use of dietary supplements as a swine flu remedy and cure.

"Nothing changes from year to year. This year we had an unusual, aggressive public concern about H1N1; we saw this new government take substantially more active steps than we saw in past years. Yes, that will continue," said Israelsen.


© 2009 Penton Media. All rights reserved.

Woman Sues Food Company Over E. Coli

FOOD WARNINGS

Woman Sues Food Company Over E. Coli

By Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

A Minnesota woman who became severely ill from E. coli after eating a tainted hamburger sued a division of the agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. on Friday.

The woman, Stephanie Smith, 22, of Cold Spring, became ill in September 2007 after eating hamburger produced by the Cargill division. Her infection led to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication that causes kidney failure. She suffered seizures and was in a medically induced coma for three months.

She was featured this year in an article in The New York Times that traced the beef trimmings that went into her burger patty to four plants in two countries. The article generated worldwide attention and spurred Congress to consider tougher food safety laws.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Minneapolis, names Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., which is based in Wichita, Kan.

Her lawyer, Bill Marler, said settlement talks between Cargill, Cargill’s insurance carrier, AIG, and Ms. Smith’s lawyers recently collapsed.

Mr. Marler said Ms. Smith’s medical bills already total more than $2 million and were likely to add up to tens of millions of dollars. Cargill, based in Minnetonka, has paid for some of her bills.

Related Links: http://www.marlerblog.com


Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Cadbury Bid Moves Forward

BUSINESS DIGEST

Cadbury Bid Moves Forward
Kraft Foods takes its $16.3 billion hostile takeover offer straight to Cadbury shareholders.

By Mark Isaac Thyss
Garden of Healing®

LONDON, ENGLAND

On Friday, Kraft Foods Inc. took its $16.3 billion hostile takeover offer for Cadbury PLC straight to shareholders of the British candy company.

The deal is nearly unchanged from an earlier offer Cadbury rejected.

Kraft has now started the clock ticking on a series of regulatory deadlines to get the majority support it needs and may flush out rival bids.

Kraft announced a proposed takeover in September and formally issued the bid in November. Cadbury immediately rejected the offer, saying it undervalued the company.

Cadbury declined to comment on the offer but has been clear about its disinterest at this price. Under British regulations, Cadbury has two weeks to give a formal response to the offer before shareholders.

Retaining the original offer gives Kraft some wiggle room to increase its bid should a rival suitor emerge.

Kraft wants to get the majority shareholder votes by January 5, but can take until February to complete the process under regulations.

U.S. chocolate company The Hershey Company and Italy's Ferrero International SA have said they are considering an offer.

Cadbury PLC is the world's second-largest candy maker. It is an attractive acquisition for any of the companies.

Kraft, the world's second-largest food maker, said the acquisition could lift its revenue and earnings.

Cadbury is one of the world's largest confectionary companies and has strong international reach, with a key presence in emerging markets.


© 1996-2009 The Garden of Healing® Company. All Rights Reserved.

Do Healing Gardens Really Heal?

HEALING GARDENS

Do Healing Gardens Really Heal?
And other insights about the power of hospital design

SOURCE: http://www.ssoe.com/news

“Evidence-based design” of hospitals has been credited with laudable improvements in patient care: faster recovery, reduced medication errors, improved staff safety and lower stress levels for everyone. The proponents of this design approach aren’t radicals. They are architects whose design reflects scientific research that proves certain environmental characteristics can create impressive results.

In the last decade, leading researchers proposed the idea that hospital design decisions should be based on documented results. From that point forward, rather than make assumptions about how to design a better functioning hospital, the profession took the position, “We need to prove it.”

Most of us have first-hand knowledge of the annoying aspects of hospitals—the disruptive noises, harsh lighting, stark décor, uncomfortable furniture, lack of privacy and more. And the staff can cite many design features that make it difficult to deliver the best medical treatment. Thanks to the ongoing compilation and quantification of hundreds of studies on the affects of certain environmental factors, architects know much more about how to improve outcomes.

Let’s take a tour of a model evidenced-based designed hospital to understand the environmental changes it incorporates.


For the full article: http://www.ssoe.com/news/article10.aspx



© 1948-2009 SSOE Group. All Rights Reserved.

Nebraska Company Poised to Lose Organic Certification

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION

Nebraska Company Poised to Lose Organic Certification
Company kept inadequate records and refused to let USDA inspectors review the records it did have.

By Josh Funk

The Wisconsin State Journal

Promiseland Livestock will lose its organic certification for four years unless it appeals a ruling issued last month because the company kept inadequate records and refused to let USDA inspectors review the records it did have.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture filed a formal complaint against Promiseland in 2008 and accused it of a number of violations of organic standards, including using non-organic feed and reselling conventional grain as organic.

A judge ruled Nov. 25 that the livestock company had violated USDA rules by refusing to provide records to inspectors when they visited Promiseland's facilities in Nebraska and Missouri. But the judge did not rule directly on whether Promiseland's practices violated organic standards.

The Promiseland problems were uncovered as part of an investigation of milk producer Aurora Organic Dairy of Boulder, Colo., because Aurora had bought more than 12,000 cattle from Promiseland.

No one answered the phone at Promiseland's Bassett, Neb., headquarters Wednesday.

A USDA spokesman declined to comment on the Promiseland case Wednesday.

The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based watchdog group, has filed several complaints against large-scale dairies that have promoted their milk as organic, including Aurora.

Mark Kastel, Cornucopia's co-director, said he's glad that Promiseland will likely lose its organic certification, and that the USDA under President Barack Obama appears to be more aggressive in its response to complaints about companies not following the organic rules.

"The good news for consumers is the system worked," he said. "The bad news is that it took several years for it to happen."

Kastel said Promiseland made it harder for small organic dairy farmers to compete because it wasn't following organic standards in its operation, so Promiseland had lower costs.

Consumers typically pay more for organic food because they believe it is free of hormones or pesticides and produced with greater respect for the environment.

Large corporate farms say they can farm organically on a large scale, while sustainable family farms and the Cornucopia group complain that such operations are not really organic. The critics say the large farms contribute to surpluses that drive down prices.

The USDA said in its complaint that government investigators repeatedly requested records from Promiseland during the first half of 2007. But Promiseland officials did not provide the records and refused to let federal investigators review records during an unannounced review, according to the federal complaint.

The USDA said Promiseland has ranches or feedlots near Bassett, Neb.; and Falcon, Lebanon, Elkland and Grant City, Mo.

The company also has about 12,000 dairy heifers and 10,000 slaughter cattle, the USDA said in its complaint.


© Copyright 2009 The Wisconsin State Journal. All Rights Reserved.

Oil Reserves Far Lower than Reported

ENVIRONMENT

Key Oil Figures were Distorted by U.S. Pressure
Exclusive: Watchdog's estimates of reserves inflated says top official

Source: The Guardian.co.uk

The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit, according to a whistleblower at the International Energy Agency who claims it has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for fear of triggering panic buying.

The senior official claims the US has played an influential role in encouraging the watchdog to underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields while overplaying the chances of finding new reserves.

The allegations raise serious questions about the accuracy of the organisation's latest World Energy Outlook on oil demand and supply to be published tomorrow – which is used by the British and many other governments to help guide their wider energy and climate change policies.


For the full article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/09/peak-oil-international-energy-agency


2009 © Guardian News and Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.