Infinite Health Resources Resource Center

Recipe of the Week - Creamy Dill Dressing

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

August 30, 2010

Creamy Dill Dressing

Join the Friends of Food for Life program&mdash a new, monthly giving club to support our unique lifesaving class series.
Learn more >

The Cancer Survivor's Guide: Foods that Help You Fight Back! is available on our Web site. Learn more >

Nutrition and Cooking Classes
The Cancer Project's free Food for Life Nutrition and Cooking Classes for Cancer Prevention and Survival are presented nationwide. For more information and upcoming classes in your area click here.

Please feel free to tailor Cancer Project recipes to suit your individual dietary needs. For answers to questions about specific ingredients and the nutritional implications for cancer prevention and survival click here.

View The Cancer Project Recipe of the Week Archive.

Hello Viewers,

This rich-tasting, creamy dressing has no added oil. Its creaminess comes from tofu! This dressing will add punch to the most boring salads. Alternatively, you can use this dressing as a sauce to drizzle in a hearty sandwich full of roasted vegetables.

Creamy Dill Dressing

Directions

Makes 24 servings

1 package (12.3 ounces) firm silken tofu
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth.

Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, Creamy Dill Dressing will keep for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (1 tablespoon):

12 calories
0.4 g fat
0.1 g saturated fat
28.8% calories from fat
0 mg cholesterol

1.2 g carbohydrate
0 g fiber
0.9 g sugar
1 g protein

0.4 mg vitamin C
1 mcg beta-carotene
0 mg vitamin E
60 mg sodium
5 mg calcium
0.2 mg iron

Recipe from The Cancer Survivor's Guide

With a salad dressing like this one where there is no added oil, one of the greatest perks is a low-fat content. Click here to learn more about how low-fat diets can boost your immunity as well as keep you at a healthy weight.

View The Cancer Project Recipe of the Week Archive.

Resources | Protective Foods

Advancing cancer prevention and survival
through nutrition education and research.

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
The Cancer Project, 5100 Wisconsin Avenue N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20016
T: 202-244-5038 202-244-5038 | F: 202-686-2216 | info@CancerProject.org | www.CancerProject.org/

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Organic Consumers Association Newsletter #239

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Four Paths to Organic Health

Hello Viewers,

#239, August 26, 2010

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

In this issue:

Four Paths to Organic Health
1. Organic - President's Cancer Panel: Eat Organic
2. Farm Subsidies - Why Is It So Expensive to Eat Healthy?
3. Food Labels - " Warning: Eat This, You'll Get Fat and Sick"
4. Junk Food Taxes - Scientists and USDA Say Taxes Can Cut Obesity
Thanks for Your Support!
Wake Up America: Join the OCA Delegation to the World Climate Summit in Cancun
Video of the Week: Transition Cities
Little Bytes

Connect with us:

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

Organics

Four Paths to Organic Health

1. Eat Organic to Avoid Cancer

A landmark report released earlier this year from the President's Cancer Panel, " Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk, What We Can Do Now," recommends eating organic food as a strategy to reduce cancer risk.

Though the " O" word itself is scarce, the authors referenced organic food in everything but name.

" Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing, to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers Similarly, exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic runoff from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications," the report states.

Food produced without antibiotics, hormones, or toxic agrichemicals is, by definition, organic. Certified organic farms are inspected at least once a year and subject to surprise visits to make sure the harmful chemicals and drugs referred to in the President's Cancer Panel report are not being used.

Learn More

TAKE ACTION! If you support going organic as a way to reduce cancer and other diet-related diseases, please sign the Food Agenda 2020 Petition

2. Subsidize Organic - Not GMOs and Junk Food - to Reduce Obesity

Fast-food restaurants charge low prices for " value meals" of hamburgers and french fries because the government provides billions of dollars in subsidies for the genetically engineered corn and soybeans used for animal feed and vegetable oil, says Barry Popkin, a professor of nutrition at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

" We have made it more expensive to eat healthy in a very big way," says Dr. Popkin, who has a doctorate in agricultural economics and is the author of a book called The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race.

The inflation-adjusted price of a McDonald's quarter-pounder with cheese, for example, fell 5.44 percent from 1990 to 2007, according to an article on the economics of child obesity published in the journal Health Affairs. But the inflation-adjusted price of fruit and vegetables, which are not subject to federal largess, rose 17 percent just from 1997 to 2003, the study said. Cutting agricultural subsidies would have a big impact on people's eating habits, says Dr. Popkin.

Learn more

TAKE ACTION: If you support ending subsidies for GMOs and junk food, please sign the Food Agenda 2020 Petition

3. Truth in Labeling - " Warning: Eat This, You'll Get Fat and Sick"

Full Disclosure of Hidden Dangers

It takes a food chemist to translate the eight-syllable words commonly found on ingredients lists into plain English, but many of the most dangerous substances found in food today are additives, contaminants, or packaging and processing aids that don't get listed on the label, such as Acrylamide, Bisphenol A, and more.

Read Our List of Hidden Dangers

Health Warnings on Junk Food

Leading public health experts around the world are warning that fatty foods should carry official health warnings, similar to those on cigarettes.

The U.K. is instituting front-label nutrition summaries at the insistence of scientists like Professor David Hunter of Durham University who urged:

" The problem of obesity needs to be tackled by strong action from the government. There are many products which contain such high levels of fat and other ingredients that they are contributing to health problems. Rather than banning foods it would be a system of food labeling and working with the food industry to phase these products out. [Removing unhealthy foods from sale] would be in the interests of industry as well. After all, consumers can't keep buying their products if they are unwell or even dead."

- Professor David Hunter, Durham University, Britain

Learn more

TAKE ACTION: If you support truth in labeling, please sign the Food Agenda 2020 Petition

4. Junk Food Taxes - Scientists and USDA Say Taxes Can Cut Obesity

To pay for the enormous public health damage caused by junk food, OCA supports a heavy tax on junk foods and beverages, similar to taxes already in place for toxic tobacco products.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service found that a 20 percent increase in the price of high-calorie, sweetened beverages, such as soda and sports drinks, could result in a decrease in the daily calorie intake of beverages by 37 calories for an average adult and 43 calories for children. That translates into an average reduction of 3.8 pounds over a year for an adult and 4.5 pounds for a child.

Similarly, research published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine estimates that an 18 percent tax on pizza and soda could push down U.S. adults' calorie intake enough to lower their average weight by 5 pounds per year. The researchers concluded that taxes could be used to offset and reduce the health care costs of obesity, estimated $147 billion a year.

Learn More

TAKE ACTION: If you support junk food taxes, please sign the Food Agenda 2020 Petition

Support the OCA!

OCA Needs Your Help to Fight Junk Food and Spread the Organic Revolution

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has donated to OCA over the past few weeks. We've successfully overcome our summer financial crisis and will be back to full staffing by September. But we still need your donations to fight Monsanto and junk food. We still need your help to relocalize and rebuild local food and farming systems and prevent our climate crisis from metastasizing into full blown climate catastrophe. Please send us a tax-deductible donation today and we'll send you a free " Millions Against Monsanto" bumper sticker so you can help spread the word in your community. Please be sure to put " sticker" in the comments field of your donation.

Any donation $100 and over will get a free t-shirt. Please specify your interest and size in the comments field. Help OCA and spread the word about the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign!

Please consider joining OCA staff on one or both of our 5-6-day delegations to the Global Climate Summit in Cancun, Mexico at the end of November or early December. Details follow below.

PLEASE DONATE

Alert Update

Join the OCA at the Historic Global Climate Summit and Protests in Cancun

In 1999 and 2003, the OCA helped organize protests and teach-ins against the World Trade Organization in Seattle and Cancun. These mobilizations were the coming of age of the global grassroots. Now you have the opportunity to join OCA Director Ronnie Cummins and other OCA staff on an escorted delegation to the historic teach-ins and rallies for climate justice and organic agriculture at the Global Climate Summit in Cancun, Mexico November 29-Dec. 10.

Over 100,000 concerned citizens from North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia are expected to converge on Cancun, including leading farm, food, Fair Trade, climate justice, and anti-GE activists. They'll attend a wide range of workshops, forums, and cultural events. Following up on the theme of the World Social Forum, " Another World is Possible," the emphasis in Cancun will be on presenting organic and green solutions to the climate crisis.

The OCA delegation, limited to 100 people, will include international experts on organic agriculture and climate justice, including OCA Directors Ronnie Cummins and Alexis Baden-Mayer, organic farm leader and author, Will Allen, and author and food activist Jill Richardson.

OCA and our sister network in Mexico, Via Organica, will be hosting two tours:

6-Day Tour: November 29th- December 5th, 2010
5-Day Tour: December 5th-11th, 2010
It is also possible to stay for the entire 11 day event from November 29th through December 11th, 2010.

World famous speakers and activists including Vandana Shiva, James Hansen, Bill McKibben, Pat Mooney, and Maude Barlow are expected to make presentations at the Grassroots Summit, which will take place simultaneously with the global negotiations of leaders from every nation in the world. During the week of teach-ins and protests, November 29th to December 10th, the OCA delegation will be housed in comfortable accommodations in the city of Cancun, near Palapas Park, action center of the grassroots summit.

For more information on pricing and housing options and for updates on scheduled speakers, please visit our webpage.

Video of the Week

Transition Cities on Studio 12 Episode

Public TV Host Tamara Banks takes a look at the Transition Cities movement that is working for a way of life that is environmentally friendly, supports the local economy and conserves natural resources.

Watch

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With Salmonella Recall Expanding to Half a Billion Eggs, it's Time to Rethink 'Efficiency'
READ MORE

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READ MORE

The Iraq Legacy: Tell It Like It Is
READ MORE

Climate Change Policy Ignores Women Farmers
READ MORE

Wide Range of Diseases Linked to Pesticides
READ MORE

LOCAL NY NEWS OF THE WEEK

NY - Get Involved Locally

Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in NY here.
Join NY discussion groups in our forum.
Post events in NY on our community calendar.

Message from our Sponsors

Dr. Bronner's is Celebrating Our 60th Anniversary!

Marking the 60th Anniversary of the company, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps is pleased to announce that all classic liquid and bar soaps are now not only certified under the USDA National Organic Program, but also certified Fair Trade! In addition, we are pleased to introduce a revolutionary new range of high-quality organic products, from hair rinses to shaving gels - all certified under the same USDA program that certifies organic foods.

Please visit us on the web at DrBronner.com

Become an OCA Sponsor!

Every issue of Organic Bytes now goes to 250,000 organic consumers with a thousand new subscribers each week. Please help us and your business by letting our subscribers know who you are and that you support the work of the OCA. Please contact us if you want more information! (Note: select " Sponsorship Coordinator" from the dropdown menu)

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites,
print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association

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Daily Healthy Eating May Beat Genetic Cancer Risk

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

American Institute for Cancer Research
Fall 2010 - Issue 109

Daily Healthy Eating May Beat Genetic Cancer Risk

Is it really worth it to eat a mostly plant-based diet of minimally processed foods, as AICR advises? Findings from a long-term study of immigrants' eating patterns and their cancer suggest that it is.

For several decades, scientists have observed that cancer rates for Asian immigrants to the U.S. have risen dramatically. These Asian populations historically had low cancer rates before migration, but their cancer rates rose when they adopted a Western diet high in meat, processed foods, fatty foods and alcohol.
Laurence Kolonel, MD, PhD, a cancer epidemiologist, is internationally recognized for his research on this topic. Based at the University of Hawaii's Cancer Research Center in Honolulu, he is principal investigator of the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study of more than 215,000 Japanese, Caucasians, Native Hawaiians from Hawaii, as well as African Americans and Latinos from California.
Beginning in the 1990s, the MEC has looked at a range of dietary factors to see how they might influence the higher risk for certain cancers among some ethnic groups. &ldquo One of our goals was to study how diet might interact with people's genetic makeup to affect their cancer risk,&rdquo says Dr. Kolonel.

Controlling Cancer Risk with Diet
The MEC grew from a series of migrant studies led by Dr. Kolonel in the 1970s to look at what happened to Japanese populations when they came to Hawaii.
&ldquo We found that cancer rates for each generation were different,&rdquo he explains. &ldquo For example, breast cancer incidence was low in Japan, in the migrants it doubled and in their offspring, it double again. This was powerful proof that environmental factors were largely responsible. We honed in on diet.&rdquo
Dr. Kolonel says MEC results suggest environmental factors are likely to override genetic patterns. For example, the MEC showed some phytochemicals found in many plant foods may have protective effect against pancreatic cancer. His team also found links between eating a lot o soy and other legumes and lower risks of prostate and breast cancers.
&ldquo We now know that the approach to lowering chronic disease risk is relatively simple: getting enough physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet that is varied and largely plant-based,&rdquo Dr. Kolonel says.

Asian Chicken Salad Wrap
2 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
½ tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
1 cup bok choy cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Romaine lettuce
4 scallions, trimmed, finely sliced
½ red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
½ cup shredded carrot
4 fat-free (10 inch size) whole wheat flour tortillas
1 lb cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

For dressing, whisk first four ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside. In large bowl, toss vegetables together. Place ¼ vegetable mixtures in line across each tortilla, 1 inch from edge. Place equal amounts of chicken on top of each serving. Roll each wrap tightly, securing with toothpick if needed and serve.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 410 calories, 14 grams total fat (3grams saturated fat), 26 grams carbohydrates, 40 grams protein, 4 grams dietary fiber, 340 mg sodium.

Savoring Squash

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

American Institute for Cancer Research
Fall 2010 - Issue 109

Savoring Squash
From spiced pumpkin to creamy butternut squash soup, Fall's bounty of flavorful winter squash varieties also comes packed with cancer-fighting nutrients.

One of the &ldquo three sisters&rdquo
The next time you enjoy a piece of fresh, tender squash, know that you are eating a vegetable dating as far back as 8,000 years. Squash is one of the &ldquo three sisters&rdquo crops, referring to an Iroquois myth about three inseparable sisters. Nearly every Native American tribe planted squash, corn and beans.
During growth, bean vines can climb corn plants while fixing nitrogen on their roots, improving the soils fertility. Squash's long stems and large leaves retain ground moisture and repel pests. Squash became a staple for early Europeans settling in America. Then, in the nineteenth century, merchant seamen returned with new varieties from other parts of the Americas. This resulted in the many colors, shapes and sizes available today.

&lsquo Tis the Season for Squash
Winter squash is usually available year round but remains most abundant in the early fall through winter. It includes acorn, butternut, Delicata, Hubbard, spaghetti and turban squash, as well as pumpkin.
You can meet the AICR recommendation to base meals mainly on plant foods by adding hearty winter squash. One half cup serving provides a whole day's worth of vitamin A. Winter squash's deep, vibrant orange color indicates the presence of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in the body and may protect against cell damage. You'll also be getting vitamin C, the bone friendly mineral potassium and a good amount of fiber from eating winter squash.
Choose squash heavy for its size and with a smooth blemish free skin. Look for pre-cut squash, found in many supermarkets, or ask the green grocer to cut it up for you.

Squash and Apple Puree
1 (2 ½ lb) butternut squash
3 large red apples, cut in half and cored
2 Tbsp. light cream
2 Tsp. fresh parsley, minced
½ Tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch cloves
Olive oil cooking spray
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half and remove ends. Scoop out seeds and stringy portions. If using conventional oven, place squash in large glass baking dish, cut side down and bake until soft, 45-60 minutes' or microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Cook apples by adding to squash in conventional over 30minutes before squash is done or microwave separately on high for 5-8 minutes until tender but not mushy. Scoop squash from shells and chop apples into cubes. Place squash and apple in food processor. Add cream, parsley, cinnamon and cloves. Puree to desired consistency. Lightly coat baking dish with cooking spray' spread puree in dish. Sprinkle almonds evenly over top. Bake 20minutes until piping hot.
*To toast almonds, spread on dry baking sheet and place in 400 degree oven for 5-7minutes, until fragrant. Or place in dry skillet on stovetop over medium heat and stir constantly about 5minutes until fragrant.
Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 120 calories, 2.5grams total fat (< 1 g saturated fat), 25 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams protein, 6 grams dietary fiber, 5 mg sodium.

&ldquo Three Sisters Pilaf&rdquo with Squash, Corn and Beans
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ large onion, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (1 lb) fresh butternut squash peeled and cubed (or use frozen cubed)
1 (15 oz) can red kidney or other canned beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
3 cups cooked brown rice
Dash hot pepper sauce or chili powder, to taste (optional)

In large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and squash. Sauté for 5minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add beans and corn. Stir over medium heat, cover and cook until heated through. Stir in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve over brown rice, with hot pepper sauce if desired.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 440 calories, 10grams total fat, (2 grams saturated fat), 74 grams carbohydrate, 16 grams protein, 18 grams dietary fiber, 230 mg sodium.

Lawsuit: Antimicrobial Soaps Damage Reproductive Organs

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

A nonprofit environmental group has sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, claiming the agency failed to regulate toxic chemicals found in " antimicrobial" soap and other personal care products.

The National Resources Defense Council alleges that two common ingredients, triclosan and triclocarban, can damage reproductive organs, sperm quality and the production of thyroid and sex hormones.

According to the suit, which also names U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as a defendant, recent bio-monitoring results found " residues of triclosan in 75 percent of Americans over the age of 6."

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Tuesday. Representatives of the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment, saying it was a matter of policy not to comment on lawsuits.

Plaintiffs contend that the FDA violated federal law in its delay over establishing safe conditions of use. More than 30 years ago, the agency first proposed to regulate such products for over-the-counter use, but they remain on the market and are unregulated, the group said.

" As a result of the FDA's lengthy delay, consumers remain exposed to triclosan and triclocarban through a variety of over-the-counter drug products, such as antimicrobial hand soaps, that proliferate on the market," the lawsuit stated.

The suit seeks an order requiring the FDA to finish its study on the conditions of use by a specific deadline.

No manufacturers or retailers were named as defendants or were cited in the lawsuit.

The FDA said in April it was reviewing the safety of triclosan. It noted there was no evidence it could be harmful to people and did not recommend changing consumer use of products that contain the agent.

POPULAR PRODUCTS

The popularity of antimicrobial products has grown in recent years and the products are increasingly found in homes and offices, where germs can easily be passed from person to person.

The lawsuit cites various recent studies that associate the chemicals with a host of health risks, from lower thyroid hormone levels to the disruption of testosterone production.

In 1978, according to the lawsuit, the FDA proposed to ban from interstate commerce both triclosan and triclocarban either six months or two years after publication of its final study, but no action was taken until 1994, when some ingredients were reclassified.

" Healthcare antiseptics containing these chemicals remained on the market and increased in prevalence" since 1994, the lawsuit said.

The National Resources Defense Council said it had met with the FDA to try to hasten the study, to no avail.

Responding to a letter from U.S. Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts in February, the FDA said it could not give a specific timeline, but said it was " working diligently" to publish the proposed rule. It also cited a lack of long-term data regarding potential health effects from exposure to the toxins.

Global Plant Productivity

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Global plant productivity, as measured by photosynthesis, slowed in the last decade due to more frequent droughts, potentially threatening food and biofuel supplies, according to a study of NASA satellite data. Productivity increased 6% in the &lsquo 80s and &lsquo 90s but grew just 1% in the last 10 years.

The World's Costliest Disease

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Cancer is the world's costliest disease, a new report suggests. Cancer cost $895 million globally in 2008 in terms of disability and years of life lost, not including the cost of treating the disease. The figure was equivalent to 1.5% of the world's GDP. About 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2008, and about 12.4 million new cases are diagnosed each year.

Smoking Scenes in Movies

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The number of smoking scenes dropped significantly after 2005 according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, more than half of the 145 top movies didn't contain a smoking scene, a record high for the past two decades. In 2005, nearly, 4,000 scenes showed cigarette use, but the number dropped steadily to 1,935 last year, the study said. Since 2007, the Motion Picture Association of America has considered smoking as a factor in its rating system.

Some Pesticides Linked to ADHD

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Exposure to a certain class of pesticides has been linked to attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children, with the greatest risk falling on children whose mothers ingested the pesticide-laced foods while pregnant. Organophosphates work by attacking the nervous systems of insects. The findings suggest pregnant women and children should eat more organic produce or spend more time washing produce.

PCRM Action Aleart - Tell the Department of Energy to Veto NASA's Planned Monkey Experiments.

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Hello Viewers,

For months, we have been keeping you abreast of our efforts to urge NASA and Brookhaven National Laboratory, a Department of Energy facility in Upton, N.Y., to cancel proposed space radiation experiments on live monkeys.

Now is the time to keep public pressure on the Department of Energy (DOE) to stop these planned experiments. Please call or e-mail the director of the DOE Office of Science, William Brinkman, Ph.D., who has veto power over these experiments, and urge him to cancel this cruel and needless study.

The planned study would expose squirrel monkeys to doses of heavy-ion radiation. So far, the DOE has ignored all calls for the experiments to halt, despite mounting criticism on the grounds that the proposed experiments are cruel, scientifically flawed, and in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act.

Because Dr. Brinkman has veto power over experiments conducted by the DOE, he needs to hear from you. Please call or e-mail his office today.

After contacting Dr. Brinkman, forward this message to your friends.

If you have any questions, please contact me at ngittell@pcrm.org. Thank you for everything that you do.

Best regards,

Noah Gittell
Research and Education Programs Coordinator

Donate Now

Join PCRM

Renew Your Membership

Noah Gittell
Research and Education Programs Coordinator
ngittell@pcrm.org

NASA fact sheet (PDF)

PCRM's Complaint to NASA's Office of the Inspector General (PDF)

Boston area supporters protest NASA-funded experiments

Subscribe to future PCRM e-mail communications

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Ste. 400
Washington, DC 20016

Phone: 202-686-2210
E-mail: info@pcrm.org

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Recipe of the Week - Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

August 20, 2010

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Join the Friends of Food for Life program&mdash a new, monthly giving club to support our unique lifesaving class series.
Learn more >

The Cancer Survivor's Guide: Foods that Help You Fight Back! is available on our Web site. Learn more >

View The Cancer Project Recipe of the Week Archive.

Hello Viewers,

These cookies make a great treat and the cranberries contain an array of cancer-fighting antioxidants. The deep red pigments also protect against cancer. Feel free to substitute the brown sugar with 1/4 cup of date sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar. (If using agave, reduce the 1/2 cup nondairy milk by a tablespoon.)

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Directions

Makes 27 cookies

3/4 cup vegan margarine
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 cups quick-cooking or rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream together margarine and sugars until smooth. Add vanilla and nondairy milk and mix well.

Add flour, baking powder, and spices until well mixed, then stir in oats and cranberries.

Spoon 1 1/2-inch balls onto a lightly sprayed pan and bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until done.

Nutrition Information

Per cookie:

143 calories
5 g fat
1 g saturated fat
30.9% calories from fat
0 mg cholesterol

23.1 g carbohydrate
1.4 g fiber
11.9 g sugar
2 g protein

0 mg vitamin C
32 mcg beta-carotene
0.5 mg vitamin E
24 mg calcium
0.8 mg iron
64 mg sodium

Recipe from Saladmaster®

Oats are a great source of fiber, but what can fiber really do for me? Learn more

Oats for healthy weight control? Learn more

View The Cancer Project Recipe of the Week Archive.

Resources | Protective Foods

Advancing cancer prevention and survival
through nutrition education and research.

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
The Cancer Project, 5100 Wisconsin Avenue N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20016
T: 202-244-5038 | F: 202-686-2216 | info@CancerProject.org | www.CancerProject.org/

Change E-mail Preferences | Unsubscribe

An eye for style

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Hello Viewers,

Your voice has helped EWG accomplish so much this year. Now, we need your eye for style. We're rethinking our coveted reusable shopping bag. As a thank-you for supporting us throughout the year, we want you to help us pick the best design.

Check out the designs here. Vote early and often for your favorite!

EWG is working with Chico Bags to bring you a brand-new bag, and as a thank-you for your support we're inviting you to help select the new look.

Click here to see the choices and vote for the one that grabs you.

In true EWG fashion we want to keep giving you the tools to live green -- like EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides, our cosmetics database and our Healthy Home Tips series.

Now you can carry EWG's message of green living with you. Click here to pre-order EWG's brand-new reusable shopping bag!

I'll fill you in on the winning design as soon as we count the ballots. Look forward to sharing with you our new bag! Thanks for voting and helping to support EWG.

Ken Cook
President, Environmental Working Group

DONATE | TELL A FRIEND | UNSUBSCRIBE | CHANGE OPTIONS

The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization dedicated to using the power of information to protect human health and the environment. The EWG Action Fund is a legislative advocacy organization that uses EWG research to promote healthy and sustainable policies.

HEADQUARTERS 1436 U St. NW, Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 667-6982

Healthy Shopping with EWG

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Hello Viewers,

It's hard to believe that back-to-school season is just around the corner. Many schools have sent parents and students their classroom supply lists already. And we're left scratching our heads, wondering how we can buy it all quickly, cheaply, and, importantly, without toxic chemicals. So EWG put together some tips to help you navigate the school supply aisles.

Click here for EWG's Back-to-School Guide.

And buy all your supplies on Amazon -- it benefits EWG!

Picking greener school supplies is easy and important. Eco-healthy school supplies are readily available, from reusable water bottles and BPA-free lunch boxes to PVC-free backpacks and spiral notebooks without plastic covers. The trick is knowing what to choose!

Use our handy tip sheet when you shop on Amazon, where EWG benefits from your purchases, or print out the PDF to take with you to the store.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, before the school bell rings. Thanks for reading!

Environmental Working Group

P.S. Join EWG on Facebook, where we talk about green living and share the latest news about toxic chemicals. See you there!

DONATE | TELL A FRIEND | UNSUBSCRIBE | CHANGE OPTIONS

HEADQUARTERS 1436 U St. NW, Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 667-6982

Recipe of the Week - Apricot Chik'n with Broccoli

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

August 16, 2010

Apricot Chik'n with Broccoli

Join the Friends of Food for Life program&mdash a new, monthly giving club to support our unique lifesaving class series.
Learn more >

The Cancer Survivor's Guide: Foods that Help You Fight Back! is available on our Web site.

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View The Cancer Project Recipe of the Week Archive.

Hello Viewers,

Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which has the ability to create detoxifying enzymes that can break down carcinogens, help repair DNA, and stop cancer growth. This recipe is great for those who like their savory dishes with a hint of sweetness, and the apricot preserves provide just that.

Apricot Chik'n with Broccoli

Directions

Makes 4 servings

1 cup apricot preserves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon oil
2-3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 8-ounce package seitan (thawed if frozen)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1-2 cup frozen broccoli

Combine apricot preserves, garlic, oil, tamari, and vinegar and mix. Add mixture to skillet and combine with seitan, bell pepper, and broccoli. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (1/4 recipe):

332 calories
3.8 g fat
0.6 g saturated fat
10.2% calories from fat
0 mg cholesterol

61.1 g carbohydrate
2.3 g fiber
40.8 g sugar
14 g protein

45.5 mg vitamin C
423 mcg beta-carotene
1 mg vitamin E
55 mg calcium
1.7 mg iron
300 mg sodium

This week's recipe is courtesy of Julie Wimmer.

To learn more about how vegetables' antioxidant content is beneficial to the body, click here.

View The Cancer Project Recipe of the Week Archive.

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EWG's latest Healthy Home Tip.

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Hello Viewers,

Click here for EWG's Back-to-School Guide.

And buy all your supplies on Amazon -- it benefits EWG!

Use our handy tip sheet when you shop on Amazon, where EWG benefits from your purchases, or print out the PDF to take with you to the store.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, before the school bell rings. Thanks for reading!

Environmental Working Group

P.S. Join EWG on Facebook, where we talk about green living and share the latest news about toxic chemicals. See you there!

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Organic Consumers Association Newsletter #236

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Stand Up for the OCA

Hello Viewers,

#236, August 5, 2010

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

In this issue:

Urgent Message from Ronnie Cummins, OCA Director
Challenging the Biotech Bullying of the Infamous Chemical Company
Millions Against Monsanto Headquarters
How to Spread the Word
Take Action on Current Alerts
Read the Blog

Connect with us:

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

An Urgent Message from Ronnie Cummins

Dear Friend,

I'm writing you today because this is the first time in 12 years that the Organic Consumers Association has faced such a serious financial crisis. The situation in the U.S. and the world today obviously requires us to step up our efforts to spread the organic revolution, to fight Monsanto, and to reverse global warming before it's too late, but unfortunately we don't have the financial means to do so. Strategic staff and campaign efforts are in jeopardy.

We're getting more new network members, petition signers, and online donors everyday. Our web traffic, newsletter subscribers, media exposure, Twitter activity, Facebook friends, and marketplace pressure are expanding, but the average donation from our network members has fallen from $40 to $20 over the past two years. This means we need twice as many donors as we've ever had before. The unfortunate bottom line is that many of the nation's most conscious and committed organic consumers, those who support the OCA, are struggling financially.

The good news is that our organic food and farming revolution is growing every day. OCA and our allies have managed to beat back most of corporate agribusiness's attempts to degrade organic standards. Over 100,000 people have joined our Millions Against Monsanto Campaign. Consciousness is rising, but meanwhile our public health, political, and climate crisis is metastasizing into a full-blown disaster. While the oil companies, Wall Street, corporate agribusiness, and the military industrial complex still call the shots in Washington, Monsanto and Food Inc. are increasing their stranglehold over the future of food and farming, apparently hell-bent on dragging us, along with the planet's life support systems, over the cliff with them.

We need to raise $50,000 or more in the next few weeks. Last week, in response to our emergency appeal for funds, Organic Bytes readers stood up in support of OCA's mission as never before, but we're not out of the woods yet. This week, a longtime supporter in Maryland has agreed to match or double up to $10,000 in donations. So please stand up for the OCA. Click here to make your donation.

Regards and Solidarity,

Ronnie Cummins
Co-Founder and National Director Organic Consumers Association

P.S. Donating isn't the only way you can help.

If you've already given as much as you can, please try using Facebook's Causes application to invite your friends to join and donate to the Organic Consumers Association's Facebook Cause, Stop Monsanto.

There are lots of ways to raise money on Causes:

Make a Birthday Wish

Add the Causes Bar

You can build Organic Consumers Association's network of activists and supporters by making a commitment to use e-mail, blogs and social networking sites to spread OCA's life-affirming message that organic farming can solve the global food, health, and climate crisis!

Read on to learn more about how you can strengthen OCA's Millions Against Monsanto campaign.

PLEASE DONATE

Millions Against Monsanto

Challenging the Biotech Bullying of the Infamous Chemical Company

Only 26% percent of US consumers are aware that most of the non-organic processed food in the nation is contaminated with gene-spliced DNA, bacteria, and viruses - ingredients derived from Monsanto's genetically engineered crops or from animals given genetically engineered growth hormones, vaccines or feed.

The aim of the Organic Consumers Association's Millions Against Monsanto campaign is to make US consumers aware that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are hazardous, untested, and unlabeled, and that the chemical fertilizers and pesticides applied to GMO crops are damaging the environment, polluting our water and food, and releasing dangerous greenhouse gases. The U.S. government has never tested genetically engineered foods to find out whether they are safe for human consumption. Consumers need to know that many scientists are now warning that these foods are damaging the vital organs and fertility of animals, and therefore obviously poisoning humans as well. Monsanto and the food industry have up until now blocked all U.S. legislation to label GMO-tainted foods, because they know that most consumers, if given the choice (as in the EU, where labels are required), would not consume them.

Stand up for the OCA. Stand up against Monsanto.

Millions Against Monsanto Headquarters

What you'll find:

How to Spread the Word

While you're at Millions Against Monsanto Headquarters:

* Join the 39,000 people who like the Millions Against Monsanto Facebook page.

* Click the Share button to tell your friends about Millions Against Monsanto via Twitter, Email, Delicious and Digg.

Take Action on Current Alerts and Tell a Friend

If you haven't already, take action on the Millions Against Monsanto campaign's current alerts. Then, ask your friends to do the same.

Each of our alerts has a button at the top that allows you to share them through Facebook, Twitter and 300 other AddThis devices. There's also a Tell-a-Friend button at the bottom that allows you to send the alert via e-mail.

Look at the Millions Against Monsanto page's current alerts.

Read the Blog

OCA Director Ronnie Cummins has a popular blog! Read on Huffington Post, DailyKos, Firedog Lake, Common Dreams and CounterPunch. Turn your friends on to the Millions Against Monsanto campaign by reading, commenting on and distributing these recent posts:

Top 10 Reasons to Label Genetically Engineered Foods (Slideshow)

Monsanto's Permit to Poison Us

Generation Monsanto

Monsanto, Dupont and Obama

NY - Get Involved Locally

Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in NY here.
Join NY discussion groups in our forum.
Post events in NY on our community calendar.

PLEASE DONATE!

OCA Needs Your Help to Fight Monsanto and Spread the Organic Revolution

OCA and our growing network of organic consumers and farmers understand that we have a positive life-affirming solution for the global food, health, and climate crisis: organic food, farming, and ranching. But to fight Monsanto and Big Food and get out our all-important message we need your support. Please send us a tax-deductible donation today and we'll send you a free " Millions Against Monsanto" bumper sticker so you can help spread the word in your community. Please be sure to put 'sticker' in the comments field of your donation.

Pictured are OCA warriors Honor and Lindsay wearing our new Millions Against Monsanto t-shirts, 100% organic and fair trade. This week any donation $100 and over will get a free t-shirt. Please specify your interest and size in the comments field. Help OCA and spread the word about the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign!

PLEASE DONATE

Message from our Sponsors

Dr. Bronner's is Celebrating Our 60th Anniversary!

Please visit us on the web at DrBronner.com

Become an OCA Sponsor!

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites,
print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association

6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

New York could be next

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Hello Viewers,

We've shown you pictures and video of people being able to light their tap water on fire, thanks to nearby natural gas drilling gone horribly wrong.

Now natural gas companies want to drill in upstate New York -- home of one of America's largest and cleanest sources of fresh water. Natural gas drilling has the potential to contaminate local water supplies, yet companies are exempt from most major federal environmental laws.

Click here to read our Enviroblog post and watch a new video about drilling in New York.

Hydraulic fracturing (aka fracking), the drilling procedure that companies like Halliburton would use to extract the gas involves injecting, at high pressure, up to 8 million gallons of water and toxic chemicals into a well. This fluid fractures underground formations, unlocking natural gas that had been trapped.

Drinking water contamination and property damage have been linked to hydraulic fracturing across the nation, from Pennsylvania to Wyoming. In one incident that polluted a Colorado creek, nearby groundwater is still contaminated with benzene -- six years later.

New York could be next.

Click here to read our blog post and watch a new video about fracking in New York.

EWG has been a leader in researching the effects of natural gas drilling on the surrounding environment and communities, as well as pushing for sensible policies that will protect clean water sources.

Sincerely,

Ken Cook
President, Environmental Working Group

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HEADQUARTERS 1436 U St. NW, Suite 100 | Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 667-6982

The Great Ape Protection Act Reaches the Senate: Take Action Today

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Donate Now

Join PCRM

Renew Your Membership

Join our Facebook cause!

Noelle Callahan
Research Program Coodinator
ncallahan@pcrm.org

End chimpanzee experiments, pass the Great Ape Protection Act

Celebrities for chimps: The Great Ape Protection Act

Subscribe to future PCRM e-mail communications

Hello Viewers,

As you know, more than 1,000 chimpanzees live in U.S. laboratories, many having been kept in small cages and subjected to invasive experiments for decades.

Yesterday, the campaign to end invasive research on these amazing animals took a critical step forward: Sen. Maria Cantwell introduced the Great Ape Protection Act with bipartisan support in the Senate. With nearly 150 members of the House of Representatives already supporting this important legislation, we are gaining ground in Congress. But we need your help!

Please call Sen. Gillibrand and Sen. Schumer today and ask them to co-sponsor the Great Ape Protection Act, S. 3694.

Sen. Gillibrand - (202) 224-4451

Sen. Schumer - (202) 224-6542

Please make sure to convey these key talking points:

I live in [state], and I am calling about S. 3694.
S. 3694, the Great Ape Protection Act, would prohibit invasive research on chimpanzees in the United States.
The Great Ape Protection Act will save taxpayers $20‐25 million annually.
Urge your senator to strongly support and co-sponsor S. 3694 if she/he has not already. This bill is in the best interest of both humans and chimpanzees.

S. 3694, the Great Ape Protection Act, will end the use of chimpanzees in invasive research and release more than 500 federally owned chimpanzees to permanent sanctuaries, saving taxpayers $20-25 million annually.

For more than 30 years, the government and private researchers have spent untold amounts of money on cruel and ineffective chimpanzee experiments. Despite decades of research using chimpanzees, we still do not have vaccines against HIV, hepatitis C, or malaria in humans, because significant genetic and physiological differences between humans and chimpanzees simply make them poor models for these diseases. It says something that the United States is the last country in the world to permit large-scale invasive research on great apes like chimpanzees.

Together we can work to ensure that our tax dollars are not used to fund inhumane and unnecessary medical research.

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

Noelle Callahan
Research Program Coordinator

P.S. After you have called, be sure to pass this on to your family and friends.

Organic Consumers Association Newsletter #235

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT

The Organic Solution to the Climate Crisis

Hello Viewers,

#235, July 29, 2010

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

In this issue:

Quote of the Week: " The future of life on this planet may depend on what we eat."
Alerts of the Week:
Video of the Week: Cooking Up a Story - Diet for a Hot Planet
Little Bytes

Connect with us:

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

An Urgent Fundraising Appeal from the Organic Consumers Association

Thank you to everyone who has already made a donation to the Organic Consumers Association this year! We are very grateful to have more supporters than ever! Unfortunately, the average donation that people are able to give is a lot smaller than in past years. The Great Recession has hurt nearly everyone and we're all struggling with less these days. This is definitely true for the Organic Consumers Association. We've implemented temporary layoffs and pay cuts and will now be forced to operate with a smaller staff until the financial situation improves.

If you haven't given this year, or can make an additional donation, we badly need your help. One budget item in particular, the action alert system that allows us to send you this e-mail and provide you the opportunity to contact decision-makers, is in jeopardy. We must raise $24,000 before September 15 to renew our contract for the next year.

Please donate as much as you can today. Everyone who gives $100 or more will receive a Millions Against Monsanto t-shirt. No donation is too small. We have Millions Against Monsanto bumper stickers for all! Put " Monsanto Bumper Sticker" in the comments field to receive yours. Thanks!

PLEASE DONATE

Quote of the Week

The Organic Solution to the Climate Crisis

" The future of life on this planet may depend on what we eat. Factory farmed junk food is the #1 cause of climate change, but we can save the planet by going organic.

" The greenhouse gas emissions from factory farms, deforestation, industrial crop production, food processing, and long-distance distribution make the food sector the biggest cause of climate change, responsible for at least a third of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Factory farmed meat, dairy and eggs alone may contribute as much as 51%!

" But we can change food system pollution into food system solutions. A worldwide shift to local, organic food production would drastically reduce food system emissions and turn the world's farmland into a carbon sink to capture and store 40% of global greenhouse gas pollution."

- Excerpt from Organic Consumers Association's " Food Agenda 2020: The Organic Alternative"

Sign the " Food Agenda 2020" Petition - Three Food Policies Essential to Solving the Climate Crisis

1. Truth in Labeling

Tell Consumers How Food Choices Impact Climate Change

Local, organic and fair trade food and products are the climate-friendly, humane and healthy choice, but consumers should have the same right to know when their purchases have a negative impact on health, justice or sustainability.

Food labels should reveal the presence of genetically engineered ingredients and pesticide residues, the use of antibiotics and artificial hormones, the product's carbon footprint and its country of origin.

2. Green Budget Priorities

Subsidize Solutions Not Pollution!

Voters want clean energy, green jobs, and a food system that's local, organic and fair trade, but it's not going to happen as long as our tax dollars are spent on industrial food and farming, fossil fuels, and war.

U.S. taxpayer subsidies to fossil fuels and industrial food and farming amount to $60 billion a year, while resource wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost us $200 billion annually. This wasted money is enough to fast-track the conversion of the U.S. and global economy to organic agriculture and clean energy and save the world from climate catastrophe.

3. Regulations That Promote Health and Sustainability

Protect Consumers and the Environment from Hazardous Agricultural Practices

Consumers often complain that local, organic and fair trade products are too expensive. Of course, you can economize on your organic food or green product purchases if you can buy directly from the farmer or producer or buy in bulk quantities with others in your community, but there's no denying that Food Inc.'s " business as usual" practices - polluting the earth, destabilizing the climate, using toxic chemicals, cutting corners on ingredients and nutrition, and exploiting workers from the farm to the checkout counter - generate products with lower sticker prices. However if you add in the hidden health and environmental costs and collateral damage of GMOs, pesticides, antibiotics, heavily processed and packaged foods, and the climate and environmental " footprint" of chemical and energy-intensive food and farming, our cheap food system is in fact dangerously expensive.

To level the playing field for healthy, organic climate-friendly foods and products, we need to make the polluters and junk food purveyors pay for the damage they are causing to public health and the environment. We need to demand sensible and equitable regulations from our elected public officials that protect consumers and the environment, and we need these policies now, not in ten years. We can start by phasing out the inhumane confinement of animals in factory farms and eliminating billion dollar subsidies for genetically engineered crops and biofuels. We can phase out toxic pesticides, methane generating chemical fertilizers, artificial hormones, the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics, sewage sludge " fertilizer," and animal feed made from slaughterhouse waste.

Sign the Petition

Alerts of the Week

Toxic Sludge Is NOT Organic!

Why Won't Alice Waters Stand Up Against Sludge?

The toxic sludge end-product of the industrial, hospital, and household waste that passes through our municipal sewer systems is routinely dumped on non-organic farmland or fraudulently sold as " organic compost" to backyard gardeners and used to grow food. Sewage sludge fertilizer is banned in organic agriculture because it routinely contains hundreds of toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and pathogens that threaten public health and the environment. Out of 80,000 chemicals in commercial use, only 10 are regulated in the sewage sludge that is used as fertilizer on thousands of non-organic farms and ranches across the country.

San Francisco, like most municipalities, struggles to find cheap ways to dispose of its sewage sludge. The city sends it to landfills, farmland in surrounding counties, and, believe it or not, has been giving it away it to Bay Area gardeners and schools, claiming that its sewage sludge is " organic biosolids compost."

When the Organic Consumers Association learned that San Francisco, where Gavin Newsom had been named " World's Greenest Mayor" by Organic Style magazine, was giving away sewage sludge and calling it " organic," one of the first persons we thought would want to help us was Alice Waters. Waters, the celebrity chef and author who founded the Chez Panisse restaurant, is one of the world's most famous organic advocates. Plus, she's a Bay Area community gardener who started the Edible Schoolyard movement. We were sure that Alice would be appalled by San Francisco's practice of calling toxic sludge " organic," and basically dumping sewage sludge on backyard gardens, schoolyards, and farms.

But, our request for help from Alice Waters and her Chez Panisse Foundation was rejected.

We were shocked when we learned why!

Learn More and Take Action

Alerts of the Week

Stop Industrial Farm Antibiotic Abuse!

Healthy chickens, pigs, and beef cattle raised on industrial farms are routinely fed antibiotics to make them grow faster and compensate for overcrowding and unsanitary living conditions.

This practice can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans.

Antibiotics are vital tools used to treat scores of human illnesses, but drug-resistance is on the rise.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics on industrial farms creates stronger and more drug-resistant bacteria, also known as " superbugs." And, when these superbugs are acquired by humans through contaminated meat, direct contact with animals, or the environment, the results can be tragic.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are cropping up throughout the country causing serious, painful illnesses and even death in vulnerable individuals such as children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, as well as in healthy people.

Now the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may weaken a regulation and make it even easier for agribusiness to feed antibiotics to healthy livestock and poultry, putting our health at greater risk. In addition, a recent FDA directive on antibiotics in food animal production only called for voluntary measures to curb usage by agribusiness.

We don't need more unenforceable recommendations. Now is the time for definitive action forcing agribusiness to end the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.

Tell the FDA and White House to Stand Up for Human Health by Limiting Antibiotic Use in Animal Feed!

Click here to tell the FDA and the White House to stand up for human health and end the misuse and overuse of antibiotics.

Video of the Week

Cooking Up a Story

A conversation with Anna Lappé on climate change, industrial agriculture, and conversion to a climate-friendly food system

The most important challenge of our generation is to stop polluting the atmosphere with greenhouse gases and to re-stabilize the climate before the climate crisis metastasizes into climate catastrophe. Transforming our out-of-control chemical and energy-industrial food and farming system to one which is organic and sustainable is the most immediate and effective step we can take to safeguard our survival. Anna Lappé 's new book, Diet for a Hot Planet, is perhaps the most important book of the year.

Watch

Little Bytes

Why Am I Here? Our Struggle for Meaning
READ MORE

Collin Peterson is Not Organics' Darling
READ MORE

Raw-Food Raid Highlights a Hunger
READ MORE

Children's Exposure to Toxic Chemicals Costs Billions
READ MORE

The Despicable Reason Behind Raw Milk Bans
READ MORE

Exploring Genetically Engineered Algae as Fuel
READ MORE

LOCAL NY NEWS OF THE WEEK

NY - Get Involved Locally

Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in NY here.
Join NY discussion groups in our forum.
Post events in NY on our community calendar.

PLEASE DONATE!

OCA Needs Your Help to Fight Monsanto and Spread the Organic Revolution

PLEASE DONATE

Message from our Sponsors

Become an OCA Sponsor!

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites,
print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association

6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

Without review or approval

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:00:00 GMT

Hello Viewers,

Have you ever counted how many cosmetics or personal care products you use in a day? Chances are it's about 10. And those products aren't required to be tested for safety before going onto shelves. That's almost 126 unique ingredients you use everyday that the government can't guarantee are safe.

Congress introduced a bill last week, The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 (H.R. 5786), that could change all that. It would expand the regulation of ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products, like allowing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit the use of dangerous ingredients.

Congress needs to know that you think this legislation is important. EWG is the leader in researching personal care product safety. Will you stand with us and pledge your support today?

Click here to pledge your support for the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.

Manufacturers may use almost any ingredient or raw material in your soap, shampoo or makeup without government review or approval. According to EWG's research, 22 percent of all personal care products, including children's products, may contain a cancer-causing ingredient, 1,4-Dioxane, and 60 percent of sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a potential hormone disruptor. Other studies have raised alarms about lead in lipstick, secret chemicals in fragrance and preservatives in personal care products.

It's time that the FDA has the authority to regulate ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products. From prohibiting the use of certain ingredients, including carcinogens and reproductive and developmental toxins, to recalling products that fail to meet safety standards and requiring product labels to name each ingredient, the FDA will be better able to ensure that what you're buying is safe for you and your family.

You have the right to know what you are putting on your face, hair, and skin. And you should feel safe buying any product allowed on store shelves. Tell Congress we need action on the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.

Click here to let Congress know that you want reform. Pledge your support for the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 today!

It's time for the FDA to be able to hold the personal care products industry accountable. Thank you for supporting the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.

Together we are stronger,

Ken Cook
President, EWG Action Fund

P.S. While the government is getting around to protecting you and your family, check out the safety of your personal care products at EWG's Skin Deep Database.

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HEADQUARTERS 1436 U St. NW, Suite 101 | Washington, DC 20009 | (202) 667-6982

Infinite Health Resources Resource Center

Recipe of the Week - Creamy Dill Dressing

Creamy Dill Dressing

Organic Consumers Association Newsletter #239

Four Paths to Organic Health

#239, August 26, 2010

Health, Justice and Sustainability Newsfrom the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

In this issue:

Connect with us:

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

Organics

Four Paths to Organic Health

Support the OCA!

OCA Needs Your Help to Fight Junk Food and Spread the Organic Revolution

Alert Update

Join the OCA at the Historic Global Climate Summit and Protests in Cancun

Video of the Week

Transition Cities on Studio 12 Episode

Little Bytes

LOCAL NY NEWS OF THE WEEK

NY - Get Involved Locally

Message from our Sponsors

Dr. Bronner's is Celebrating Our 60th Anniversary!

Become an OCA Sponsor!

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association

6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

Daily Healthy Eating May Beat Genetic Cancer Risk

Savoring Squash

Lawsuit: Antimicrobial Soaps Damage Reproductive Organs

Global Plant Productivity

The World's Costliest Disease

Smoking Scenes in Movies

Some Pesticides Linked to ADHD

PCRM Action Aleart - Tell the Department of Energy to Veto NASA's Planned Monkey Experiments.

Recipe of the Week - Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Spiced Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

An eye for style

Healthy Shopping with EWG

Recipe of the Week - Apricot Chik'n with Broccoli

Apricot Chik'n with Broccoli

EWG's latest Healthy Home Tip.

Organic Consumers Association Newsletter #236

Stand Up for the OCA

#236, August 5, 2010

Health, Justice and Sustainability Newsfrom the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

In this issue:

Connect with us:

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

An Urgent Message from Ronnie Cummins

Millions Against Monsanto

Challenging the Biotech Bullying of the Infamous Chemical Company

Millions Against Monsanto Headquarters

How to Spread the Word

Read the Blog

LOCAL NY NEWS OF THE WEEK

NY - Get Involved Locally

PLEASE DONATE!

OCA Needs Your Help to Fight Monsanto and Spread the Organic Revolution

Message from our Sponsors

Dr. Bronner's is Celebrating Our 60th Anniversary!

Become an OCA Sponsor!

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association

6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

New York could be next

The Great Ape Protection Act Reaches the Senate: Take Action Today

Organic Consumers Association Newsletter #235

The Organic Solution to the Climate Crisis

#235, July 29, 2010

Health, Justice and Sustainability Newsfrom the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

In this issue:

Connect with us:

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

An Urgent Fundraising Appeal from the Organic Consumers Association

Quote of the Week

The Organic Solution to the Climate Crisis

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites,
print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites,
print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites,
print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power!