supersize me - a review

Supersize Me
Directed and Produced
  by Morgan Spurlock
Samuel Goldwyn Films,
  Roadside Attractions

Although this film came out in 2004 the information in it is still relevant today. The basic premise of this documentary film is what would happen if you only ate at McDonald's for one month.

Director Morgan Spurlock did exactly that. At the beginning of the film his personal trainer shows that he is in above average shape as compared to the majority of the American public. Some of the rules for Spurlock's McDiet were that he must eat three full meals a day from McDonald's, he could only eat food that came from McDonald's, and that he could only supersize his meal if that option was offered to him (if it was not offered he was not allowed to make that choice on his own).

sad american exports

candy | photo: mikebarry

In nutrition circles there is a abbreviation for the standard American diet, SAD.  And SAD it is.  Often overloaded with sugar, fat and/or salt, nutritionally deficient, mostly beige, it's not a health-sustaining, nourishing diet.

It's not a good thing that many of our fast food choices, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Coca Cola, Pepsi and more have all gone abroad, encouraging obesity and poor nutritional choices.

Now the SAD exports have gone one step further.  Apparently British shoppers have begun to develop a taste for "American" foods; something they call squeezy cheese as well as  jell-o, Hershey's, tootsie rolls and more.  Bringing these products into the grocery stores will create easier access and increase the potential for further destruction of health and nutrition.

Although some of the products may be manufactured slightly differently as I've mentioned in articles before, it can still be an overwhelming deluge of non-healthy food items.  I can only hope that the novelty of having foods from another country will wear off and the British will choose to avoid the over-processed, highly chemical versions of not-food coming to a grocery shelf near them.  I'm sad to think that junk food is one of our big exports, it's not something to be proud of.

on my mind monday 08.27.12

news | photo: mconnors

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  This is a collection of what I find interesting in food, nutrition, and holistic health.  It's what's on my mind.

Re-homing chickens - Most people are not aware of the fact that chickens do not lay eggs their entire life.  Just for a few years; and  yet they can live to be as much as 15 years old.  So what happens to them when they are no longer "productive?"  In the case of a commercial egg operation they're usually slaughtered.  But now an organization is finding new homes for chickens who are no longer laying eggs.  A very cool concept and definitely part of the ethical cycle of respect for the animal.

The undervalued superfood - I love the concept of superfoods, and there are many, which do not need to come from other continents.  There are so many wonderful, health-supporting foods all around us.  In this case the newest "super" food to get attention?  Beans.  High in fiber and protein, stabilizing for blood sugar, fabulous for intestinal health, these are just a few of the wonderful reasons to eat beans.

Consumers are bad at math - This is a link to a video that explains the reasons why we are bad a shopping math and how marketers use this to their advantage.  While it's harder to do this kind of math 'on the fly' when you're shopping and in a hurry to get home with your purchases, I've realized it's something I need to focus on more in order to make sure I am getting the best deals I can for my family.  My important addendum?  Make sure you are not hungry when you are shopping, that's just going to make things worse.

Ten Year Old Convinces Corporation To Give Up Styrofoam - This is one of those stories that I love.  We are surrounded more and more by kid-advocates who are taking the lead in changing the world around them and changing it for the better.  Birke Baehr, a future farmer, spreading the word about sustainable agriculture, and Julia Bluhm, who convinced a major magazine to start using un-photoshopped pictures in their pages are among just a few of the young heros making a difference.  I think they are wonderful and amazing.

For today's video we have a great one from my friend Julie Matthews - Making Veggie Latkes, a wonderful way to get more veggies into a picky eater.  This recipe also deals with issues for those whose bodies don't handle starches well.


Julie also has a great cooking program available on her website.  If you're looking to make changes to your diet, either because of Autism or because of a need to follows GAPS, SCD, Feingold, Body Ecology or other dietary protocols, this is the program for you.

What I'm Reading:

Drop Dead Healthy: One Mans Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A.J. Jacobs.  One man's mission to learn how his body works, to lose weight, lower his cholesterol, and attempt to turn himself into the ultimately healthy person.  Mr. Jacobs took two years to learn everything he could about his body.  The book is a rather self-depreciating, humorous, fact-filled look at all the things we don't know which impact our health.   Breaking the quest into 27 smaller tasks he focuses one-at-a-time on various parts of his body such as The Stomach, The Heart, The Ears, The Butt, etc.

Given his day job as the editor at large for Esquire magazine he had access to an astounding array of experts for support and information.  Each chapter has one or more experts that he consulted to learn the latest information about the science and theories behind what it takes to find health for that body part.

He didn't limit himself to mainstream medicine and modern theory.  He was on a mission to try it all and to learn everything he could.  Along the way he submitted himself to various activities such as a Caveman Workout (running barefoot and bare chested through Central Park), a pole dancing class, neurofeedback, and joining a laughter club.  He also shared his thoughts and reflections on how he feels physically and/or emotionally after trying many of these, being mindfully aware of how his focus is affecting him.

Scattered throughout the book are checkups where he lists his weight, and a few other variable facts (such as how many pushups he can do).  The appendices at the end of the book is filled with tips, the highlights of what he learned during the year-long experiment.  It's a quick and easy read, yet filled with fascinating facts and some good ideas about how to become healthier.

killer at large - a review

Killer At Large 
Directed by Steven Greenstreet
ShineBox Media Productions

There is an epidemic in our country. A disease overtaking the population which is forecast to increase dramatically over the next decade. That disease? Diabetes. According to a November 2010 UnitedHealth report, by 2020 more than 50% of all Americans may be affected by diabetes. This disease could wind up costing our health care system over $3 trillion dollars. And that is simply the monetary cost. The cost to those suffering from this disease is much greater.

Diabetes is a progressive disease that can result in an overwhelming range of complications from fatigue, weakness and weight gain to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, nerve damage and more. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and foot ulcers which often require amputation. Most often diabetes is tied hand-in-hand with obesity. As the rates of obesity in this country soar so do the rates of diabetes and other weight-related illnesses.

Sadly not enough is being done to educate people, especially our youth, about their health. It is a sobering thought that the current generation of youth most likely have a life expectancy that is shorter than that of their parents. It is disturbing to realize that we are surrounded by drugs and surgical procedures but not nutritional education, physical fitness and better food choices. We are assaulted by a host of negative nutritional choices, our physical activity levels have decreased dramatically, and rates for obesity continue to rise.

Killer At Large is a documentary film that looks at this issue. Filmed in 2008 the filmmakers interviewed many public figures including Former President Clinton, Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona (who call obesity “the terror from within”), and best selling author Michael Pollan. Hearing the statistics, seeing the images, this film starkly highlights the overwhelming reality of this epidemic. It is truly disturbing to watch a 12 year old girl receiving liposuction because she believes it is the only way for her to control her weight. This is a tragedy. This epidemic is a crisis.

Watching this film will hopefully encourage people to make changes. To recognize that we make over 200 food choices every day, most of which are unconscious. This film highlights the toxic food environment that we live in and how it affects our society. This awareness is, I believe, the first step toward making healthier life choices which are critical for avoiding obesity and related diseases.

Watch the trailer below and then consider organizing a screening in your community to get started on making a change.



I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.

disclaimer: cmp.ly/5

on my mind monday 08.20.12

news | photo: mconnors

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  This is a collection of what I find interesting in food, nutrition, and holistic.  Here's what's on my mind.

Hot cocoa may boost seniors' brain power - cocoa flavonols are gaining increased recognition for their healthy properties.  There were also positive changes for cardiovascular health and blood pressure modulation.  One of the drawbacks is that this study was sponsored by Mars, one of the co-authors is a Mars employee, and Mars provided all of the cocoa samples.  So while this is interesting as a start, there need to be more studies, that are done in a more controlled, less corporate connected studies.

Dry farming - Given the drought many areas of the country have been experiencing it may be time to resurrect this "old-fashioned" way of doing things.  A side benefit is increased nutrient density and flavor in the crops.  This appears, to me, to be a much better alternative to water waste and over-use of fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals.

5 years to "fix" antibiotic overuse in farm animals - This issue has been going on far too long.  The vast majority of antibiotics in this country are used in animal farming.  The consequences are dire as more and more superbugs are created due to the amount of antibiotics people eat from meat and dairy products.  You are what the animal you eat ate.  [it's okay, go back and re-read that once or twice if you need to, it's confusing to read/write but makes total sense once you understand it]  I'm outraged that it's been decades already and this issue has not been addressed.  Now we've given the system another five years to begin to make changes,  It's overwhelming and it's wrong.  Animals that are bred for food need to be raised humanely and treated well, not crammed together and given antibiotics as a routine matter-of-course.

The internet printer - apparently coming soon to a printer near you...the ability to print a roll of tweets, fb postings, recipes and more.  One of the challenges that I see for this product is that they are claiming that it is using thermal paper just like in cash register receipts.  These receipts are coated in BPA which makes the printing process easy.  Unfortunately it flakes off very easily, adhering to your fingers and then contaminating whatever you touch.  If you have to handle receipts wash your hands thoroughly before touching food.

And not one, but two videos this week to make up for no videos last week.

Rescuing bees




Raising Chickens

This is a complete turn-around in how to raise chickens. I love the fact that these chickens do really go outside. There are some companies that claim their chickens have access to the outdoors but they raise them in such a way that the chickens won't go outside when the option is offered to them. These are very healthy, happy looking birds.

cucumbers

cucumbers | photo: pdh

I've picked what I believe is the last cucumber of year from my garden.  The heat and the lessening rain have done a number on the plant which is shriveling and not likely to produce any more fruit.  Of course there are also no more blossoms, another pretty good indicator.

Although we treat them like a vegetable, cucumbers are actually a fruit, related to melons like cantaloupe.  High in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, cucumbers are a good source of vitamin K which is important to help the body properly utilize vitamin D.

Refreshing, hydrating, and delicious, cucumbers can be prepared a number of different ways, used raw in salads, creamy salads (such as raita or tzatziki), or pickled.

One of my absolute favorite ways to eat them is as a refrigerator pickle because in season I just keep throwing more cucumbers into the jar.  They only need to sit for a few days to be ready to eat.  It's important to remember that because these are not hot water bathed, they will not last outside the refrigerator and even stored in the refrigerator are probably not good to keep for more than two weeks,  I confess I eat them so quickly when I make them that I'm not really sure how long they would last.

Refrigerator Cucumber Pickles

1/2 gallon jar - sterilized

2 cups raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
6 cups of water
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 bunch fresh dill
3-4 cloves garlic cut in half
1 small vidalia onion, peeled and sliced - optional

Don't forget the cucumbers

In a medium pan combine vinegar, water and salt
Bring to a slow boil, stirring until salt is completely dissolved
Remove from heat and let cool completely
Add remaining ingredients including onion slices if desired
Wash and prepare cucumbers by cutting into slices or spears
Put as many as will fit into jar and still be submerged
Let sit 2-3 days before eating

two angry moms - a review

Two Angry Moms
A-Ray Productions
Director: Amy Kafala

Do you know what your child eats at school for lunch every day? Are you sure? Maybe you are one of those moms who packs a healthy lunch for your kids. Perhaps you allow your child to occasionally get a snack or a special lunch from the cafeteria. Can you be sure that they are making the right choices? Are they trading for other food items with friends? Are they bringing their own money? Are they using the money you may give them for things that you don't approve of?

Schools claim to want to promote “healthy eating” and “good choices.” Sadly all of that goes out the window when the Food Service Company walks in the door. Concerned with only one thing, profitability, they twist the message of healthy eating and then say it is the parents job to teach their kids to make good choices. How can they make good choices, even when taught to do so at home, if they are surrounded by bad ones?

Often the school cafeteria is full of fried foods, artificial colors, preservatives, sugary treats, flavored milks and low nutrition, often non-fresh food. School parties with candy, vending machines in the hallway, ice cream machines in the cafeteria, these all add to the lure of bad choices.

Two Angry Moms is a documentary about what happened when two women, both passionate about the heath of their kids and others, got together and attempted to change the system. Amy Kafala, a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, and Dr. Susan Rubin, Founder of Better School Food, created a grass-roots movement. Going across the country raising important questions about school food and it's impact on education, fitness, as a contributing factor to disease, and as part of forming lifelong health habits. According to their press release there are over 4.3 billion (stop and think about that number for a minute) school lunches served every year.  The two reached out to luminaries such as Chef Alice Waters, Creator of the Edible Schoolyard program, and Chef Tony Geraci, now the Director of Food and Nutrition in Baltimore, among others to highlight what is wrong with the current cafeteria setup and to show how we can all make a difference.  They share the message that it is possible to successfully get real food into the cafeteria and into our kids. Advocating to make a change and help others spread the word they are reaching out across the country.

As stated on their website, http://www.twoangrymoms.org, “Texas Agricultural secretary Susan Combs said that it’s going to take 2 million angry moms to change the school lunch program. Please join us!” Want to learn more? Check out the following organizations, watch the movie trailer, take the School Junk Food Test (you'll be surprised by what you learn).  Then become an Angry Mom (or Dad).

• Alice Water's Edible Schoolyard 
• Bettina Elias Siegel - The Lunch Tray
• Better School Food  
• Center for Science in the Public Interest School Food Kit
• Chef Ann - The Renegade Lunch Lady
• Searching for Food in the School Cafeteria
• Tony Geraci on Local School Lunches 

I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.

disclaimer: cmp.ly/5

on my mind monday 08.13.12

news | photo: mconnors

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  This is a collection of what I find interesting in food, nutrition, and holistic health.  Here's what's on my mind.

Is Sugar Toxic? - Short answer?  Yes.  It's also highly addictive.  This 13 minute video is very much worth watching to better understand the impact of sugar on our bodies and our health.

Violent TV keeps kids awake - The definition of what qualifies as violence on television has become blunted over the years.  What we've failed to realize is that this increased tolerance for violence IS having an effect.  I personally believe that it may very well prove to have an effect on older children and adults as well.

Number of Farmer's Markets Up Almost 10% - This is an encouraging sign.  Supporting the livelihood and growth of small farmers, but also connecting people to their food and their farmer.  Given the drought conditions that are currently ravaging the country, combined with the negative impact to certain crops (due to monocropping) getting back to basics and small farm industry is, I believe, a good thing.

Your Cookies (Probably) Won't Explode - This article talks about the effects of sugar and salt (among other things) on the taste buds.  How the more we get the more we want.  And yes, it is possible to re-train your tastebuds.  I have a number of clients who, as we begin to make dietary changes, realize how much more flavorful their food seems to be when it's not overpowered by the unnecessary addition of sugar hidden in many foods.  Try reducing how much you use and you may find you need less than you thought.

Downsizing Supersize - Bloomberg's soda ban is still in the news.  As this article points out however, it's not a s straightforward and simple as manufacturers would like us to believe.  They have been surreptitiously upping our intake by increasing portion sizes.  And contrary to what we like to believe, the more we are served, the more we eat.  In the 1950's a soda was approximately 7 ounces.  These days a 12 ounce soda is considered small and you can purchase big gulps all the way up to 64 ounces.  That's a pretty big gap and a huge increase in consumption.  While limiting the serving size won't stop someone who really wants that 64 ounces, limiting how much they can buy at one time may at least make them think about it.  Presumably that means that some people will choose not to drink the extra ounces.

detox bath

bathing | photo:  mconnors

Many of us take showers rather than baths.  For some it's a matter of necessity (they don't have a tub), for others convenience (they would rather not take the time.

But bathing can be a powerful way to help balance our bodies.  First there is the slow down, taking the time to soak.  That relaxing time goes a long way toward counteracting the hectic pace at which most of us lead our lives.  Baths can also, however, be a great way to help us remineralize our system.  This is done through the use of something called a detox bath.

Our skin is our largest body organ, sometimes referred to as the "third kidney."  What we put on it goes into our system.  This works for both positive and negative ingredients.  Often we are exposed to a lot of environmental stressors and/or we eat foods that may cause a more acidic body state.  While a bath cannot counteract all of that it can help to balance us.  Many people find that when they take a detox bath they feel much better and more relaxed.  It's often recommended to take the bath immediately before bed.

While you can purchase a lovely scented Dead Sea Salt bathing product, you can also make a simple detox bath at home for pennies.  It is often suggested to people that they not take this bath more than twice a week to be sure that they do not overwhelm their system.

Detox Bath

1 cup epsom salts
1 cup baking soda
5-7 drops relaxing essential oil
     (the most relaxing ones are lavendar, ylang ylang, geranium, and vanilla)

Run a hot bath and add the ingredients
Soak for 20 minutes immediately before bed

Note:  hot baths are not recommended if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition which might be negatively affected by immersion in high heat.

august is peachy

peaches | photo: Grendelkahn

August is National Peach Month.  Which makes sense considering that this is the time of year when these juicy, fragrant fruits are at their peak.  I am often tempted, when walking into the product section of the grocery store, to purchase some.  When they are ripe and particularly fragrant, even if they are not on my list, I find myself seduced by their luscious perfume into getting just a couple.  I like to serve them with a good cheese, dice them into yogurt, or just eat them fresh, the way they are.

A good source of vitamin C and A, peaches also provide a fair amount of potassium, beta-carotene (which becomes vitamin A), and fiber.  When they are ripe and juicy they are also very hydrating.

There are many different ways to use peaches and to enjoy them.  This particular recipe is from my mom.  It's simple and easy to put together and a perfect dessert after just about any meal.

Frenchtown Cobbler

The biscuit topping is from a July 1997 issue of Gourmet magazine:

5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Cut butter in pieces
In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal
If using a food processor transfer to a bowl
Add milk and vanilla and stir until the mixture forms a dough
Drop topping by rounded spoonfuls onto filling (do not completely cover it) and bake in the middle of the oven 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and cooked through.

The filling is modified from one found in the July/August 1996 Cook's Illustrated

3-4 peaches, peel, pit, and slice thick
2 cups blackberries, rinsed
Mix 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and  1 Tablespoon brandy
Toss with fruit to coat

Serve with ice cream or lightly whipped cream

i married a nutritionist

I Married A Nutritionist is a book on health and nutrition with a twist.  It's written as a conversation between nutrition expert Karen Roth and her husband, Steve, a television comedy writer.  It's very apparent from the beginning that Karen knows her stuff and Steve is a pretty funny guy.  Each chapter is a zingy back-and-forth between Steve and Karen while presenting information about health and nutrition for the reader.  The information is presented in a modestly racy form (inching towards an R rating as Steve mentions in the book).  Presumably this is to lean more toward the guy point of view.

The first chapter covers "The Big Stuff" and presents an overview of issues surrounding soy, organics, healthy choices for meat and eggs, as well as providing information about soy, nuts, and gluten.

Other chapters cover liquids, veggies, fruit, cooking, and toxins.  There is also as a chapter which deals with body issues such as allergies, sleep, hormones, and more.  Each chapter has subsections which are just a few pages in length making them easy to get through.

In each subsection of each chapter is a "bottom line" point which is written in boldface type to make it easy to find. One bottom line point: "Organic Fermented Soy, like miso or tempeh, good.  Processed Soy, such as soy milk and soy burgers, bad.  And people who consume too much soy are creating excessive estrogen in the body and for men, as well as women, that's not a good thing."  These bottom line very concisely sums up the point although there is more in depth information to be found in the subsection itself.

The book also includes some recipes as well as food preparation suggestions which give the reader some ideas as to how to make the transition to healthier choices.  One example of a not-quite-but-really recipe is the conversation about beets on page 64. It looks like a conversation but winds up being a recipe for a delicious sounding appetizer with beets, balsamic vinegar, goat cheese and endives.  Other more formal recipes are scattered throughout the book.

My one complaint about the book is that it doesn't have an index making it easier to find things like vitamin D across all categories, or highlighting the pages of the recipes, or mentions of specific health conditions.

If you are looking for a campy yet serious talk about nutrition and health this may be just the book you are looking for.

disclaimer: cmp.ly/1, cmp.ly/5

on my mind monday 08.06.12

news | photo: mconnors

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  A collection of what I find interesting in the world of food, nutrition and holistic health.  Here's what's on my mind.

GMO Sugar Beets Approved - Quite frankly this is bad news, in my opinion.  We do not need more GMO foods, we need less.  We also need to clearly identify which foods are GMO.   Add beet sugar (if you use it) to the list of foods that now need to be purchased organically in order to ensure that you do not get GMO contamination.

Waterbeds for Cows - seems like an interesting concept.  Apparently it's healthier for the cows and more sanitary as well.   I'm all for health and sanitation.  I just wonder if the cows notice the difference.

Mashed Potato Machine - And in the totally disgusting category...we now have a machine that dispenses mashed potatoes.  No doubt chemically laden, definitely a cheap, fast source of carbohydrates.  Not sure why anyone would want to eat machine made mashed potatoes.  All this will do is contribute to ill health.

The Last Days of Low Fat - Adding to the confusion that many eaters have about food the pendulum is at least swinging in the right direction.  It has been shown a number of times that low fat has, quite possibly, contributed greatly to our epidemic of obesity.  This is because when you remove fat and replace it with trans-fats, simple carbs, and sugars, you overwhelm the system.  Fats are not bad for you, if you choose healthy fats.

Lentils in your yogurt? - Lentils are a source of inulin which is a prebiotic food (something that feeds probiotics).  Recent studies have shown that adding green lentil powder to yogurt inoculated with live cultures increased the probiotic activity.  Too much lentil, however, caused very high levels of fermentation activity and caused the yogurt to look curdled.  I'm guessing it won't be long before we see lentil powder as an ingredient on the yogurt label.

national watermelon day

watermelon | photo: Beyond silence

Enrique Caruso once said, "Watermelon, it's a good fruit.  You eat, you drink, you wash your face."

One of the most alkalizing foods, watermelon is a refreshing, hydrating, low calorie wonderful addition to summertime menus.  High in vitamin A and C while also providing some magnesium and potassium, watermelon is a great antioxidant fruit.  It also provides high levels of lycopene which studies have shown to be helpful in preventing various types of cancer.
Watermelon appears to also have some effect on lowering blood pressure.

There are many delicious ways to include watermelon into your summertime menus such as making watermelon water ice or granita, making agua fresca, fruit salads, or even a savory sweet salad.  My current favorite fruit salad is rich in lycopene and anthocyanins, those dark rich fruits which are supportive of cognitive function while helping to reduce inflammation in the body.  This salad is refreshing and satisfying, I've even been including it as part of my breakfast for a delicious treat.

Anthocyanin-rich Fruit Salad

2 cups watermelon, balled
1 cup blueberries, rinsed
1 cup strawberries, rinsed and sliced
1 cup cherries, rinsed, pitted, and quartered

dressing:

zest 1 small lime
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Mix together fruits
Mix together dressing in a separate cup
Pour dressing over fruits and toss gently
Let sit 30-60 minutes in the fridge before serving

the future of food - a review

The Future of Food 
Written and Directed by Deborah Koons Garcia
Cinema Libre Studio

Released in 2004 the subject matter of The Future of Food is not only still relevant but increasingly important. The film presents a very sobering and disturbing look at how un-labelled, patented, genetically modified (GM) foods have invaded the shelves of our grocery stores. We literally are surrounded by GM without knowing it because unlike Europe, Canada, and other places, there is no labeling requirement for GM.

Focusing heavily on the persecution by Monsanto of Canadian farmers, whose crops were contaminated when GM seed drifted onto their property, the film brings to light the heavy-handed, threatening tactics Monsanto employs to prosecute farmers for theft of patent even though the circumstances were not of the farmer's choosing, were beyond their control, and represents an end to their livelihood as they know it. The film also reveals a truly disturbing picture of the “revolving door” that exists between major agriculture corporations (Big Ag) and the United States Government which virtually assures the hands-off policy that currently exists regarding GM crops. It also highlights the government's unwillingness to investigate and support bio-diversity and sustainable agriculture.

The film starkly points out “whoever owns the seed owns the food” while reminding us that these seeds are originally from nature. However their modification has created huge corporate profits (and greed) and a reduction in bio-diversity which could potentially lead to failures of epic proportions. Monsanto has even created a “suicide gene” which causes seed to terminate itself after one season, thereby blocking reproduction. Many environmental experts are shown expressing their concern should this terminator gene ever successfully cross-breed in the wild.

However it's not all bad news. The film also shows the resurgence of organic farmers and farmer's markets. Highlighting a a grass-roots grocery/consumer opposition to the attempts by Big Ag to control the food supply. After you watch it be sure to visit the Center for Food Safety, The Institute For Responsible Technology, and the Organic Consumers Association to learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your family. Remember, your food choices are, and should be, up to you. 

The trailer is available on YouTube.



I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.


disclaimer: cmp.ly/5