You'd have to have been living under a rock not to have heard that last week the US had the largest meat recall in its history. Over 143 million pounds of beef produced by Westland/Hallmark Meat of Chino California were recalled, an absolutely unprecedented amount that will ultimately extend to dozens of products which used even small amounts of the meat, including soups, sauces, burritos and boullion cubes.

But there's another part of this story that's not getting nearly the attention it deserves. How did we find out about the problem at Westland in the first place?

 Due to a courageous whistle blower who used a hidden video recorder to document what was going on at the factory. And that's the really, really horrific part. Cows too sick to walk were literally kicked and beaten into submission, forced to limp along to the slaughter. Workers used cattle prods on them-- the cow version of tasers-- to make them feebly hobble to their deaths. It's a scene of such horrific animal cruelty that it could make you weep.

 All the media talked about was that "sick" cows were processed into meat causing a clear and present danger (sick cows are more likely to have Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease). No doubt. But this story also tells us a lot about the conditions under which factory farmed cattle- not to mention pigs and chickens- are "raised" got almost no attention. And that part of the story got almost no attention.

 All of us who deeply love and honor animals have long been appalled by the conditions of factory farming, or what Michael Pollan calls "feedlot" farming. (Just rent "Fast Food Nation" if you want some visual images to illustrate.) Which leaves many of us- like me- with a personal and moral dilemma.

 On the one hand I don't want to contribute to or support the cruelty these animals are routinely subjected to. So I don't buy feedlot meat. On the other hand, I truly believe that we humans do better with some animal products in our diet. What to do, what to do?

 Each person has to draw the line for himself. Some won't wear fur but will wear leather. Some won't do either. Some will eat certain animals, but not others. Some will eat fish but not fowl. There's no perfect answer to this dilemma, but I'd like to share mine.

I only buy and eat grass fed beef that have lived relatively stress free lives on the open range grazing on pasture, and die relatively painless, quick deaths. And because there are no such conditions for pork that I know of, I don't eat pigs, who are subjected to perhaps the most cruel conditions of all, particularly considering that they are highly social animals and as intelligent as dogs.

 It's not a perfect solution, but it's the only one I've been able to come up with. Now if by chance you don't care about animals, there are still selfish reasons to care about the conditions under which they're raised.

Feedlot (factory farmed) animals are fattened up with tons of steroids and hormones. Because they're forced to give milk almost constantly instead of in keeping with their natural cycles, they're fed huge amounts of antibiotics to keep them from getting infections on their udders.

Because they're fed an unnatural (for cows) diet of grains, they have almost no omega-3 fats and are high in inflammatory omega-6's. And because they die in highly stressed situations where they're treated- well, like cattle- their meat is laced with hormones secreted during stress.

I'm glad that people are concerned about the potential contamination of the meat from sick cows. But I also wish the untold story of cruelty to animals that routinely takes place in these feedlots got a little more ink. - Jonny Bowden P.h.D, C.N.S.

 Otto did several workshops on living your natural genius for larger corporations in the past years. In these workshops he asked every participant for their opinion of the words YES and NO. The result wasn't much surprising. Most people have positive associations with the word YES and negative associations with the word NO. This is a very common perception, but does it really represent the truth? If you ask me: NO.

 The ability to say NO to discouragement, distraction and other negative influences is essential for being successful - especially for smart people. Here is why: Smart people can think through certain scenarios in a split of a second. They can come up with new brilliant business ideas every day. They can think through all the details of their ideas in a very short period of time. Their brain can think in a complexity and brilliance that is very impressive to anyone who listens to them. But guess what, their brilliance is their downfall if they don't know how to say NO. Even though a smart person can think up the most brilliant scenarios in a second, it usually takes them much more than a second to implement their ideas and success lies in implementation and follow-through.

 Most smart people who have never learned the effective use of the word NO fall into the trap of jumping from one idea to the next while never staying long enough with one of them to really succeed. Once you accept your genius you accept the responsibility that comes with it. It's the responsibility to focus and to go all the way with your capabilities. It also means to say NO to jumping from one idea to the next because it stops or sidetracks you.

 Saying NO to distractions is the only strategy that will keep you focused. Saying NO to discouragement is the only strategy that will keep your attitude positive. Saying NO to doubts is the only strategy that will allow you to go beyond you comfort zone.

If you look at highly successful people you can recognize that they had to say NO over and over again to be able to accomplish what they have. Albert Einstein had to say NO to his father and to his teachers who were urging him to get a practical profession and not to pursue an academic career so we could benefit from his genius.

 Tiger Woods had to say NO to all the distractions that come with being famous so he wouldn't be like so many others who are famous for a moment but not for a life time. Do the first step today and learn how to become an expert in saying NO to distractions, doubts and discouragement so you can let your genius catapult you to a level of success that you haven't experienced.

I am currently seeking 3 like-minded individuals to join my home-based business, and be part of a team, who will join me on a mission to educate and inspire people to embrace the principles of a healthy and happy lifestyle. Breathing fresh air, drinking clean water, sunshine, eating high-fiber nutrient dense whole foods, physical movement, loving relationships, having a passionate vision in your life, and getting rest and relaxation. This creates a solid foundation for a preventative based lifestyle where health and happiness will be your reward. Be a part of my Wholefood Farmacy Team!

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 Get Involved Now! Buy at Member Prices! Free Website and Hosting! Opportunity Abounds! Share the message with Family and Friends, and learn to Grow and Prosper!

My mission is to make a difference one person at a time; "To educate and inspire people to embrace The Principles of Health and enjoy a life of happiness, vitality,and longevity that is so often associated with a healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit".

When it comes to apple juice, "cloudier" may mean healthier, according to a study published in January 2007, in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. In a head-to-head comparison of apple juices, Polish researchers found that pulpy, non-clarified juice carried a greater antioxidant punch than clear juice. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, molecules that can damage body cells and contribute to disease. Unlike cloudy apple juice, the much more common clear variety undergoes additional processing to remove any apple solids. Manufacturers typically think the public will favor the more attractive, clear juice over its cloudy cousin, and retailers prefer the clear variety for its longer shelf life. But the new findings suggest that health-conscious consumers should reach for the cloudy variety, according to Dr. Jan Oszmianski, the study's lead author. "Cloudy apple juices contain much more antioxidant than clear," says Dr. Oszmianski, a researcher at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw. In fact, Oszmianski's team found, cloudy juice packed up to four times the level of polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. And in experiments, cloudy juice was the more effective free radical "scavenger," the researchers report in their findings. In addition, Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm. Enjoy some apples or cloudy apple juice each day and keep the doctor away! You can also find Apples in some of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy Foods such as Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus and Phi Plus. Have you, your family and your children had some apples or cloudy apple juice today?

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, studies that have followed large groups of people for many years are all drawing the same conclusion:  A sedentary (inactive) lifestyle increases the chances of becoming overweight and developing a number of chronic diseases.

Exercise or regular physical activity helps many of the body's systems function better and keeps a host of diseases at bay. According to the US Surgeon General's report, regular physical activity:

Improves your chances of living longer and living healthier
Protects against heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
Helps protects against certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer
Helps prevent or control type 2 diabetes  
Helps prevent arthritis and may help relieve pain and stiffness in people with this condition
Helps prevent the insidious loss of bone known as osteoporosis
Reduces the risk of falling among older adults
Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and improves mood

If you already exercise on a daily basis - keep it up!  If not, please consider taking a walk each day. Start off easy if you need to with a short 10 minute walk.  From there, gradually increase your walking to 30 minutes a day - the results will amaze you! Your mood will improve, your energy levels will increase and you'll enjoy all of the health benefits listed above.

Dr. Dana King and his team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina have just completed a very inspirational study.  Dr. King and his team set out to find if middle-aged adults could reap the rewards of habits like eating vegetables and walking 30 minutes a day.

The researchers reported in June 2007 that middle-aged adults age 45 to 64 who began eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least 2 1/2 hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking decreased their risk of heart disease by 35 percent and risk of death by 40 percent in the four years after they started.

"The adopters of a healthy lifestyle basically caught up. Within four years, their mortality rate and rate of heart attacks matched the people who had been doing these behaviors all along," said Dr. Dana King at the Medical University of South Carolina, who led the research.  Dr. King added "even if you have not had a healthy lifestyle previously, it's not too late to adopt those healthy lifestyle habits and gain almost immediate benefits."

The four key habits are eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables everyday, exercising for 2 ½ hours per week, not smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. The study participants who adopted all four healthy habits enjoyed a sharp decline in heart disease risk and in death from any cause.

It took all four -- having just three of the healthy habits yielded no heart benefits and a more modest decrease in overall risk of death. Still, said Dr. Nichola Davis at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, "These benefits are on a continuum. The more of the healthy habits that you can adapt, the better. ...These are modest changes that they're talking about."

The Wholefood Farmacy foods offer you a convenient and delicious way to enjoy five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day.  How many servings have you, your family and your children had today?

New research shows that herbs and spices also pack a powerful punch when it comes to antioxidants. A USDA study looked at nearly 40 common herbs and spices to test their antioxidant activity. Oregano emerged as the leader of the pack.

Researchers found that oregano has 3 to 20 times more antioxidant activity than the other herbs studied. In fact, it has more than many fruits and vegetables. Oregano has 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries. But that's not the only herb or spice that can improve your health. Dill, thyme, sage, rosemary, ginger and even peppermint have high antioxidant levels too.

The main ingredient in curry is turmeric, from which a spice called Curcumin is derived.  Dr. Sally Frautschy, Ph.D., is a researcher from UCLA who has done extensive testing on Curcumin. She says that "we accidentally found out that it blocks every single step in Alzheimer's pathogenesis and it kills nearly every cancer cell in the lab."  In India, curry is part of the staple diet; they also
have the lowest rates of Alzheimer's disease in the world.

Marcia Herrin, R.D., a nutritionist at the Dartmouth Medical School says "practically every herb and spice that's been studied has some health benefit," herbs and spices are loaded with antioxidants, but we may not be getting those benefits as much as we could. Herrin says Americans don't use many herbs and spices compared to the rest of the world.

Researchers also say that many of these antioxidants in herbs and spices are only absorbed by the body when they're eaten with fat, so recipes that include good fats to help your body to absorb and use the antioxidants.

You favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods are rich in a wide array of spices and combined with good fats from nuts and seeds so that your body will get the most benefit from all of the antioxidants that spices have to offer.

Add soy foods like tofu to your diet and keep estrogen levels in balance—safely.