In early December of last year, I went to an annual review event at Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center. At the event, they talked about birth defects, learning disabilities, obesity, and breast cancer from toxic chemicals. The panelists are pediatricians, toxicologist, PhD environmental activists. Those professionals gave us the facts from their studies and experiences that toxic man-made chemicals, endocrine disruptors,  such as BPA, phthalates, pesticides, and perchlorate interfere with hormone signaling. These messages exert powerful control over brain development, body growth, reproductive development, and the timing of puberty. They gave us a tip on which plastics are safe on top of just BPA free products.

However, a recent study has found that nearly all plastic, even that which claims to be BPA-free releases chemicals that have estrogenic activity (EA) and cause hormone disruption.  They tested nearly 500 products which are almost all commercially available plastic products. The study also found that “in some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than BPA-containing products.” They noted that “Chemicals having EA reportedly cause many adverse health effects, especially at low (picomolar to nanomolar) doses in fetal and juvenile mammals.”

We use a lot of plastics for food storage and take-out meals, even cooking for some people… The study states that molecules from plastic and additives used to make plastic leach into food at an accelerated rate when the plastic is exposed to common stress like the UC radiation from sunlight, microwave radiation, and boiling or dishwashing. This leaching even happens in the BPA-free plastics. Most of plastic products are made of undisclosed combinations of compounds and resins. Baby bottle, for example, may contain 5-30 different chemicals! And these chemicals can leach into food from the product when it’s stressed. So, we are eating those chemicals when you heat up food with plastic containers!!! Scary… When I think about a baby drinking warmed up milk with plastic bottle, I imagine the baby is toxicaing! The scientists in the study believe that public health practice shouldn’t ignore these findings.

Fortunately, the industry does have access to additives that have no detectable EA and have similar costs. They are antioxidants, clarifiers, colorants, inks, etc. They can be used to make flexible non-transparent or LDPE (#4) plastic items that are EA-free even after exposure to the stressors. But, we don’t know when plastic manufacturers will start changing their formulas. So, we need to think what WE can do now. We can choose to use glass, metal, wood, paper and fabrics instead of plastics for food.  Here is one company that sells great non-plastic products.

I hope this type of products become our social trend and eliminate plastics as much as possible!

Parents talk and share about their kids poops but not their own.  Adults don’t’ talk about bowel movement (BM) with peers so they may not be aware of abnormal BM, only later to find out that they are having some gastrointestinal problems or other serious illness.  Don’t take your poop and BM for granted.

Unhealthy bowel movements are an indication of unhealthy digestion. As they say, “You are what you eat”, but you are also what you don’t digest.

First, we definitely should know what healthy poop is

• Soft, but formed
• Medium-light brown in color
• Consistent shape and color throughout
• Easy to pass
• Natural smell, not repulsive
• 12 inches per day (whether in one big 12-inch poop, two 6-inch poops or three 4-inch poops) 2 to 3 the size of a small banana is perfect!!!
• Floating is the best (but if you are not vegan, you might not see one)

(Type 4 is the ideal one)

How long the transit time takes?

Normally, digested food should move through the colon in approximately 18 hours, from start to finish. However, Dr. Oz says,  “A steak dinner can take you two, maybe three days to get out of your intestine. What that means is the way you digest it is basically to rot it in your intestines. On the other hand, if you eat vegetables and fruits, they’re out of your system in less than 12 hours.”

To check your bowel transit time, a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Counselor, Alison Anton gives you a tip. “Drink 8 ounces of beet juice or take 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. Note the time, and check your poops consistently for the next day or two. You should be able to see a reddish hue if you drank the beet juice, or see the little seeds. If you see the evidence well before 18 hours, your transit time may be too quick. If two days have passed before seeing any evidence, you transit time may be too long.”

Also, you need to make sure your BM is consistent.                               Naturopathic Doctor, Sorai Susanne S. Stuart, PhD ND says,  “It may be said that almost every chronic disease known is directly or indirectly due to the influence of bacterial poisons absorbed from the intestines. The colon is a sewage system, your personal garbage disposal, by neglect and abuse it transforms into a cesspool. When it is clean and normal we feel healthy and balanced; allow it to stagnate, and it will distill the poisons of decay, fermentation and purification into the blood thus poisoning the brain and nervous system so that one becomes mentally depressed and irritable; it will poison the heart so that one is weak and listless; poisons the lungs so that the breath is foul; poisons the digestive organs so that one is distressed and bloated; and poisons the blood so that the skin is sallow and unhealthy. In short, every organ of the body becomes poisoned, we age prematurely, look and feel old, joints are stiff and painful; neuritis, dull eyes and a sluggish brain overtakes one’s health, thus the pleasure of living and thoroughly enjoying life is gone.”

A distended abdomen is a definite sign of a more serious large intestinal problem. Obvious symptoms are halitosis, foul-smelling stools, acne, skin rashes and irritations, lower back pain, knee pains, flatulence (gas), diarrhea, headaches, sinus infections, excess mucus, constipation, fatigue, painful joints, insomnia, bladder infections, prostate discomfort, depression, mood swings, low-sex
drive, abdominal bloat, nausea, and anxiety. Autointoxication plays a large role in the development of diseases in the female genito-urinary apparatus; this may be regarded as intestinal stasis. Potential misdiagnosed gallbladder ailments are possibly severe blockages within the large intestinal hepatic flexure. Stuart who specialized in colonics says many symptoms or problems are reduced or possibly eliminated once intestines are cleaned.

So, as I said in the beginning, you can’t ignore unhealthy digestion. Please check your poop every time you have and exam that:

• If Your Stool Looks BLACK, TARRY, AND STICKY It Could Mean:
  Bleeding in your upper digestive tract. The black color comes from digested blood cells.
• If Your Stool Looks VERY DARK BROWN It Could Mean:
  You drank red wine last night or have too much salt or not enough vegetables in your diet.
• If Your Stool Looks GLOWING RED OR MAGENTA It Could Mean:
  You’ve eaten a lot of reddish foods such as beets.
• If Your Stool Looks LIGHT GREEN It Could Mean:
  You’re consuming too much sugar, or too many fruits and vegetables with not enough grains or salt.
• If Your Stool Looks PALE OR CLAY-COLORED It Could Mean:
  Minimal amounts of bile are being excreted, perhaps because of problems with the gallbladder or liver.
• If Your Stool Looks BLOODY OR MUCUS-COVERED It Could Mean:
  Hemorrhoids, an overgrowth of certain bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract, colitis (inflammation of the colon), Crohn’s disease (also known as inflammatory bowel disease), or colon cancer. Red blood usually means the ailment is located near the end of your digestive tract, whereas black blood signals partially digested blood coming from an ailment higher up the tract. Seek medical advice promptly.
• If Your Stool Looks PENCIL-THIN AND RIBBON-LIKE It Could Mean:
  A polyp or growth in your colon that narrows the passage for stool. Or spastic colon. It can also be from a prolapse at either side of the transverse colon constricting the colon and lack of fiber.
• If Your Stool Looks LARGE AND FLOATING, WITH GREASY FILM ON TOILET WATER It Could Mean:
  Malabsorption — your digestive system isn’t getting full nutritional use of food.
• If Your Stool Looks LOOSE AND WATERY, SOMETIMES DIARRHEA WITH UNDIGESTED FOODSTUFFS It Could Mean:
  Possible causes are food poisoning, lactose intolerance, antibiotics, antacids, dietary intolerance, dietary changes, travel, anxiety, stress, inflammatory bowel disease, or irritable bowel syndrome.
• If Your Stool Looks SMALL, HARD, ROUND PELLETS It Could Mean:
  Constipation-even if you’re defecating frequently. Possible causes are eating too much dry food, including protein, and not enough vegetables and raw foods; laxative abuse; worries; or irritable bowel syndrome.
• If Your Stool (Has) ALTERNATING BOUTS OF DIARRHEA & CONSTIPATION It Could Mean:
  Irritable bowel syndrome. This chronic condition can be aggravated by red meat, spices, sugar, alcohol, LACK of fiber, allergy-causing foods, irregular hours, and chaotic relationships.
• If Your Stool (Is) REALLY BAD SMELLING It Could Mean:
  An imbalance of intestinal bacteria or eating too much animal protein, which can putrefy in your digestive tract.

If your stool-watching isn’t winning any awards, you might want to try a Colon Cleanse before joining the ISWA (International Stool-Watchers Association

Have you guys heard or read about The New York Times article, “Bad Food? Tax It and Subsidize Vegetables”? It was in the July 24 Sunday paper. The article is about an idea that the writher, Mark Bittman came up with.  The idea is to link taxes on unhealthy “hyper processed” foods like soda, French fries, and doughnuts, directly to healthy food subsidies — i.e. one pays for the other. Isn’t it a great idea?? Bittman analyzed that a 20 % increase in the price of sugary drinks nationally, could result in about a 20% decrease in consumption, which in the next decade could prevent about 1,500,000 Americans from becoming obese, and 400,000 cases of diabetes, which would save about $30 billion!

Last year, Mayor Bloomberg tried to push the Soda Tax (it wasn’t a perfect package but it was a great start) but couldn’t make it. There are many corporations who do not want to lose their market share from the soda tax. They are only concerned with their own profit. Everything is about them, not us. The concept of protecting large corporations and/or top executives should end soon. Please think globally, as a whole. I am hoping  that the “Bad Food Tax” will become reality in the near future!

Infertility is big business. According to data released in 2008 by Marketdata, an independent market research publisher, the “Baby Business” is worth $4 billion.

Many women (including me) have delayed childbirth to pursue careers and are in need of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures such as IVF to get pregnant. However, it is not easy to afford. Each IVF cycle can cost around $12,000 and many women require several cycles in order to be successful. Since only 14 states mandate insurance coverage (2008 report), this is paid out of pocket…” according to Research Director, John LaRosa. I went to see 4 different doctors and 3 out of 4 insisted on IVF without asking my lifestyles and/or diet. The last doctor was a Holistic gynecologist, so she did a lot of blood test on me. Very fortunately, I got pregnant without any treatment.

In December 2007, Newsweek issued an article “Fat, Carbs and the Science of Conception” which  referred to a book, “The Fertility Diet” by Jorge Chavarro MD, Walter Willett MD, and Patrick Skettett. It talked about the importance of eating slow carbs, plant based protein, and full fat dairy instead of low or nonfat one. I totally believe that diet, and eating habits contributes to your fertility.

Moreover, last week, a joint American and Spanish study reported that junk food can make healthy men infertile by damaging their sperm. All the men were assessed to ensure they were in optimum shape and had no other problems that may affect their reproductive system. The sperm of men with poor diets were found to be less likely to survive the journey to fertilize an egg, even if the men were a healthy weight and exercised.

So those men who were tested were not obese (the Newsweek article mentioned that some studies indicate that overweight men aren’t as fertile as their healthy weight counterparts). Even though you are in shape, as long as you are eating “Junk Food”, the success rate is low. I’ve heard often that men don’t want to do sperm test and believe that their partner has the problem. If you are trying to have a baby, the first thing you might need to look into may not be those famous IVF doctors, but your diet.

I know this is something we don’t want to hear but you may need to pay close attention to this fact if you have anemia or low bone density.

Cacao is now treated as one of the very healthy food items. It is high in polyphenol and iron. In fact, pure cocoa powder without any cocoa fat, milk, or sugar, provides the most iron with 36mg in a 100g serving, or 200% of the RDA. That is 1.8mg of iron per tablespoon of cocao powder, or 10% of the RDA. Unsweetened baking chocolate provides 17.4mg per 100g (97% RDA), or 23mg (128% RDA) per grated cup. Most sweetened milk chocolates will provide around 2.4mg per 100g (13% RDA), or 1mg (6% RDA) of iron in an average 1.5 ounce bar.

However, Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. wrote an article on the Mayo Clinic website saying that, “Chocolate contains oxalate — a naturally occurring compound in cocoa beans — which can inhibit the absorption of calcium. Calcium binds to oxalate in your intestines, limiting its absorption into your bloodstream. People with oxalate kidney stones, which could occur when there is too much oxalate in the urine, should limit the amount of oxalate in their diets.

A 2008 study found that elderly women who ate one or more servings of chocolate a day had lower bone density and strength than did women who ate fewer servings of chocolate. Researchers believe this may be due to oxalate inhibiting calcium absorption — but it could also be due to the chocolate’s sugar content, which may increase calcium excretion.”

Oxalates are also found in spinach, kale, beets, nuts, chocolate, tea, wheat bran, rhubarb, strawberries and herbs such as oregano, basil, and parsley. They are inhibitor foods for iron absorption too. The presence of oxalates in spinach explains why the iron in spinach is not absorbed. In fact, it is reported that the iron from spinach that does get absorbed is probably from the minute particles of sand or dirt clinging to the plant rather than the iron contained in the plant.

The polyphenol in cacao is also a major inhibitor of iron absorption. The Iron Disorder Institution says on their website: “Polyphenols are major inhibitors of iron absorption. Polyphenols or phenolic compounds include chlorogenic acid found in cocoa, coffee and some herbs. Phenolic acid found in apples, peppermint and some herbal teas, and tannins found in black teas, coffee, cocoa, spices, walnuts, fruits such as apples, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries all have the ability to inhibit iron absorption. Of the polyphenols, Swedish cocoa and certain teas demonstrate the most powerful iron absorption inhibiting capabilities, in some cases up to 90%. Coffee is high in tannin and chlorogenic acid; one cup of certain types of coffee can inhibit iron absorption by as much as 60%.   These foods or substance should not be consumed within two hours prior to and following your main iron-rich meal”

So, you can indulge yourself with Chocolate but think about the timing and quantity. Select high quality organic one if you want.

Autumn has begun but it’s been very warm here in NY. It’ss like summer.

The favorite phrase in Japan for autumn is”minori no aki”, meaning ‘the season of harvest’, andAindeed it is!  It is the season tables are laden with a wide variety of delicious things to eat, when rice matures and is harvested, fruit ripens, and fish taste their best. Autumn, the season of harvest that yields the rich variety of nature’s abundance, is indeed the shokuyoku no aki, a season of hearty appetites.  The autumn food from Japan that I miss most is fish, especially sanma (saury). Sanma is a long slender fishshaped like a short sword.  The characters used to write the name are: (literally, ” autumn sword fish “)  Between October and November, sanma put on fat, rising from 8 to 20 percent, making it more attractive to diners. Sanma is usually eaten salt-grilled and eaten with grated daikon and shoyu as condiments. I only see Sanma at the Japanese Grocery Store and is imported from Japan. It seems that Sanma is only found in the Pacific Ocean… (Please correct me if I am wrong!)

Anyway, when you buy fish, make sure you know what you re getting. Asking a few questions can help ensure you get the fish you want.

1. Where does this fish come from? – local is better
2. Has it been previously frozen? – frozen is OK as long as it is frozen on the boat.
3. Was the fish farmed or caught in the wild? – Always Wild
4. Is the coloring of the fish natural? – Of course non-coloring
5. Can I freeze this fish? – better not to

Are you having arthritis or joint pain? Nowadays a lot of people suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other joint problems like gout. The author of The Nightshades and Health, N. F. Childers Ph. D. and a Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Garrett Smith claims that the plants in the drug family, Solanaceae (nightshades) are an important causative factor in arthritis in sensitive people. This family includes potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), and peppers (Capsicum sp.) of all kinds except the black pepper (family, Piperaceae).

A typical American diet includes a lot of potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. Also spices such as chilli powder, paprika, chipotle, and cayenne all belong to the nightshade family and are consumed in fair amounts in the American diet.  So, what is wrong with the nightshades? Some research says that a particular group of substances in these foods, called alkaloids, can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and humans, and may also be able to compromise joint function.

The below is research finding that Childers and Margoles M.D. state  in Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medical Surgery (1993) 12:227-231 tells you more detail about the “causes”

“The Solanaceae cause at least two known health problems. They contain cholinesterase inhibiting glycoalkaloids and steroids [6,34,35,36] including, among others, the drugs solanine in potato and eggplant, tomatine in tomato, nicotine in tobacco, and capsaicin in garden peppers. When these inhibitors accumulate in the body, alone or with other cholinesterase inhibitors such as caffeine or food impurities containing systemic cholinesterase inhibiting pesticides, the result may be a paralytic-like muscle spasm, aches, pains, tenderness, inflammation, and stiff body movements [2]. These symptoms may dissipate in a few hours or days if ingestion is stopped; people vary in sensitivity. The second problem is the ability of the Solanaceae (those species analyzed) to develop naturally the very active metabolite of vitamin D₃ (1a25 dihydroxycholecalciferol) that results in calcinosis of soft tissues, ligaments, and tendons, mineralization in walls of major arteries and veins, and osteopetrosis and related pathology [10,14,16,17,18,19,20,28,37] in livestock (Fig. 3). In time, there is progressive lameness and extended uselessness, with eventual death of livestock. Copper deficiency in the liver and other tissues associated with arthritic-like symptoms has also been diagnosed with the livestock disease [18].
There could be other factors such as a saponic-like glycoalkaloid [8], possibly capsaicin [6], causing irritation of the walls of the digestive tract after extended usage by sensitive people, resulting in an ulcer, diverticula, and polyps [2]. The nightshades can cause red blood cell destruction in vitro [8], and the steroid alkanine is readily absorbed by the intestine; this could be responsible for associated nervous symptoms [6,8].”

So, do you need to get rid of those nightshade foods in your diet? If you do have joint related health issues, I highly recommend that you stop consuming them for at least a month. Childers research shows in his survey that those who stuck to an elimination diet, 94% had complete or substantial relief from symptoms. I believe that dairy products contribute to inflammatory disease (autoimmune) as well, so eliminating both would work even better.

You’ve probably heard that your cell phone emits radiation to send voice and text messages from you to the other caller.  Some research says that frequent cell-phone use may increase your risk of getting cancer. Also for children, the radiation may increase their risk of having behavioral problems.  The Environmental Working Group investigated many celullar phones and created a guide for us to choose a safer and low-radiation phone.

Best and Worst Phones*

Listing is based on phones currently available from major carriers.

BEST PHONES (low radiation)		WORST PHONES (high radiation)
	LG Quantum [AT&T]		Motorola Bravo (MB520) [AT&T]
	Casio EXILIM [Verizon Wireless]		Motorola Droid 2 Global [Verizon Wireless]
	Sanyo Katana II [Kajeet]		Palm Pixi [Sprint]
	Pantech Breeze II (P2000) [AT&T, AT&T GoPhone]		Motorola Boost i335 [Boost Mobile]
	Samsung Mesmerize (Galaxy S) [CellularONE, U.S. Cellular]		Blackberry Bold 9700 [AT&T, T-Mobile]
	Samsung Fascinate [Verizon Wireless]		HTC Magic (T-Mobile myTouch 3G) [T-Mobile]
	Samsung SGH-a197 [AT&T GoPhone]		Motorola i335 [Sprint]
	Samsung Contour (SCH-R250) [MetroPCS]		Motorola W385 [Boost Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless]
	Samsung Gravity T (SGH-T669) [T-Mobile]		Motorola Boost i290 [Boost Mobile]
	Samsung SGH-T249 [T-Mobile]		Motorola Quantico [U.S. Cellular, MetroPCS]

 

Best and Worst Smartphones*

Listing is based on all Smartphones in the database. You can also see all Smartphones ranked by radiation.

BEST PHONES (low radiation)		WORST PHONES (high radiation)
	LG Quantum [AT&T]		Motorola Bravo (MB520) [AT&T]
	Samsung Mesmerize (Galaxy S) [CellularONE, U.S. Cellular]		Motorola Droid 2 Global [Verizon Wireless]
	Samsung Fascinate [Verizon Wireless]		Palm Pixi [Sprint]
	Samsung Captivate (I897) [AT&T]		HTC Magic (T-Mobile myTouch 3G) [T-Mobile]
	Samsung Continuum [Verizon Wireless]		Blackberry Bold 9700 [AT&T, T-Mobile]
	Motorola Devour [Verizon Wireless]		Motorola CHARM [T-Mobile]
	Motorola Flipside (MB508) [AT&T]		Motorola DEFY [T-Mobile]
	Motorola Backflip Enzo [AT&T]		Motorola Droid [Verizon Wireless]
	Samsung Transform [Sprint, CREDO]		Motorola Droid R2D2 [Verizon Wireless]
	Garmin-Asus Garminfone [T-Mobile]		Motorola Droid 2 [Verizon Wireless]

The Environmental Working Group(EWG) recently announced a study about how meat affects our health as well as the environment. Some of you may have heard of it but the truth is very shocking. So, I would like to share their findings in this newsletter.

We’ve seen many burger joints popping up in NYC. I totally believe Americans are true burger lovers.  According to EWG, “Americans consume 60 per cent more than Europeans (FAO 2009) and the global appetite for meat is exploding. From 1971 to 2010, worldwide production of meat tripled to around 600 billion pounds while global population grew by just 81 percent (US Census Bureau, International Data Base). At this rate, production will double by 2050 to approximately 1.2 trillion pounds of meat per year, requiring more water, land, fuel, pesticides and fertilizer and causing significant damage to the planet and global health (Elam 2006).” As you know, the former president, Bill Clinton is famous for being burger lover and sure enough he had to go through bypass surgery. He is now on a plant-based diet. He understands that what we eat affects our health. It is well-known how our mass produced meat affects our health (antibiotics, growth hormone, and toxins in the meat cause heart disease, cancer and other diseases).  But additionally, those mass produced meats are causing massive environmental damage. So what EWG found was…

Climate and Environmental Impacts

The chart EWG made below shows the lifecycle total of greenhouse gas emissions for common protein foods and vegetables, expressed as kilograms (kg) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) per kg of consumed product.

Figure 1. Full Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Common Proteins and Vegetables

Lamb, beef and cheese have the highest emissions. This is true, in part, because they come from ruminant animals that constantly generate methane through their digestive process, called enteric fermentation. Methane (CH₄) – a greenhouse gas 25 times more (CH₄) potent than carbon dioxide (CO₂), accounts for nearly half the emissions generated in this study’s Nebraska beef production model (see chart below). Pound for pound, ruminants also require significantly more energy-intensive feed and generate more manure than pork or chicken (see figure 2).

• Lamb has the greatest impact, generating 39.3 kg (86.4 lbs) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e) for each kilo eaten – about 50 percent more than beef. While beef and lamb generate comparable amounts of methane and require similar quantities of feed, lamb generates more emissions per kilo in part because it produces less edible meat relative to the sheep’s live weight. Since just one percent of the meat consumed by Americans is lamb, however, it contributes very little to overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
• Beef has the second-highest emissions, generating 27.1 kilos (59.6 lbs) of CO₂e per kilo consumed. That’s more than twice the emissions of pork, nearly four times that of chicken and more than 13 times that of vegetable proteins such as beans, lentils and tofu. About 30 percent of the meat consumed in America is beef.
• Cheese generates the third-highest emissions, 13.5 kilos (29.7 lbs) of CO₂e per kilo eaten, so vegetarians who eat a lot of dairy aren’t off the hook. Less dense cheese (such as cottage) results in fewer greenhouse gases since it takes less milk to produce it.

Feed production. Most U.S. livestock are fattened on fishmeal, corn, soybean meal and other grains. Grain production, in particular, requires significant quantities of fertilizer, fuel, pesticides, water and land. It takes 149 million acres of cropland, 76 million kilos (167 million lbs) of pesticides and 7.7 billion kilos (17 billion lbs) of nitrogen fertilizer to grow this feed. Fertilizer applied to soil generates nitrous oxide (N₂0), which has 300 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide. Irrigation pumps, tractors and other farm equipment also release carbon dioxide, but in relatively small amounts. Pesticides and fertilizers often end up in runoff that pollutes rivers, groundwater and oceans. Feed crops are heavily subsidized by taxpayers through the federal Farm Bill, to the tune of $45 billion over the past 10 years. Fertilizer and pesticide production requires a significant amount of energy, but our model found that together they account for just 12 percent of the emissions from growing feed. The biggest impact is from the nitrous oxide emissions resulting from fertilizer application.

Manure: Animal waste releases nitrous dioxide and methane and pollutes our water and air, especially when it is concentrated. In 2007, U.S. livestock in confined feeding operations generated about 500 million tons of manure a year, three times the amount of human waste produced by the entire U.S. population (EPA 2007). Manure is the fastest growing major source of methane, up 60 percent from 1990 to 2008 (EPA 2010) . While manure is a valuable nutrient for plants, it can leach pollutants – including nitrogen, phosphorus, antibiotics and metals – into groundwater when storage facilities leak or too much is spread on farm fields. More than 34,000 miles of rivers and 216,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs in the U.S. have been degraded by waste from confined feeding operations (EPA 2009). Decomposing waste releases dust, smog odors and toxic gases, including ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which degrade air quality and can cause itching, dizziness and discomfort to workers and nearby residents.

Wasted Food is a Major Source of Emissions

EWG’s analysis found that discarded food accounts at least 20 percent on average of the emissions associated with producing, processing, transporting and consuming meat and dairy products. Reducing waste and buying only as much as you can eat is the easiest way to reduce greenhouse gas and other environmental impacts of food.

Most of the emissions attributed to waste come from producing food that is ultimately discarded – from fertilizer and pesticide production, growing feed, transportation, etc. Foods with higher waste rates such as farmed salmon (44 percent is thrown away by retailers and consumers) have much higher emissions during production since it takes a lot more salmon to produce the amount that is actually consumed. Some of the waste-related production emissions are unavoidable, such as moisture and fat loss during cooking. These must be accounted for in the lifecycle analysis, but there is very little consumers can do to minimize these losses. (See Figure 5.)

Figure 5. Production Emissions from Eaten and Wasted Meat, Eggs and Cheese

Over a year:

If you eat one less burger a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for 320 miles or line-drying your clothes half the time. ¹⁰

If your four-person family skips meat and cheese one day a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for five weeks – or reducing everyone’s daily showers by 3 minutes. ¹¹

If your four-person family skips steak once a week, it’s like taking your car off the road for nearly three months. ¹²

If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would be like not driving 91 billion miles – or taking 7.6 million cars off the road. ¹³

Why Go Organic, Grass-Fed and Pasture-Raised?

Health Benefits

A considerable number of studies show that grass-fed beef has less fat and more nutrients than far more common and less expensive grain-fed beef (Duckett 1993, 2009; Rule 2002; UCS 2006). A 2009 study comparing both types found that grass-fed beef had lower total saturated and mono-unsaturated fat, more heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids, a lower (and healthier) ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, and higher levels of vitamin E, beta-carotene and B-vitamins (Duckett 2009). Choosing certified organic and/or grass-fed products reduces your exposure to traces of sub-therapeutic antibiotics and artificial hormones that are given to conventionally raised animals. Going organic also reduces exposure to toxins from pesticides that might accumulate in animal fat.

Lower Risk of Disease

“Exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications if it is available.”

- President’s Cancer Panel, Annual Report 2008-09.

Food from free-range, pasture-raised animals may also reduce the risk of bacterial contamination. A 2007 study found that the prevalence of fecal salmonella in open-pasture chicken farms was about half that of conventional farms (16 percent versus 30 percent) (Siemon 2007). Other studies have found that grass-fed cattle carry less E. coli overall than grain-fed, confined animals (Russell 2000, Bailey 2003). Organically raised meat may also be safer. A recent USDA-funded study found that salmonella prevalence in fecal samples from organic poultry farms was significantly lower than in samples from conventional farms (6 percent versus 39 percent). Similarly, only 5 percent of organic feed samples were contaminated with salmonella, versus 28 percent of conventional feed samples (Alal 2010).

Environmental Benefits

Well-managed grazing and grass-fed operations are better for the environment. They use fewer energy-intensive inputs and, by regularly moving animals to fresh pasture and keeping them away from streambeds, they spread the manure more evenly and improve the quality and quantity of forage growth. This helps to conserve soil, reduce erosion and water pollution, increase carbon sequestration and preserve biodiversity and wildlife (Johnson 2002, FAO 2009, Pelletier 2010). Organic feed production and grazing practices are also better for the environment. They reduce fertilizer and pesticide runoff into waterways, and the use of compost, cover-cropping and rotational grazing helps build healthy, productive and water-conserving soils. Organic methods also enhance pest and weed resistance without the use of chemicals and ultimately foster greater resiliency in the face of extreme weather and climate change.

Climate Impact

There are few definitive studies of the net amount of greenhouse gas emissions from grass-fed versus confined-feedlot, grain-fed meat. Since pasture-raised cattle gain weight more slowly than grain-fed animals (an average of 25 percent slower in one recent study (Gurian-Sherman 2011), those animals take longer to reach slaughter weight and consequently emit more methane and nitrous oxide. Confined cattle gain weight much more quickly on their high-starch corn feed.

These higher emissions may be offset, however, by the carbon sequestration benefits that well-managed pasture systems can provide (Pelletier 2010). Rotational grazing and the application of organic soil treatments can have a significant impact on building up soil carbon in pastureland (Follet 2001, Conant 2001). Far fewer energy-intensive inputs are used in grass-fed beef production.

The climate impact of grass-fed animals depends on factors that vary greatly from one production system to another. They include: average weight gain and quality of forage (the slower the animals gain weight, the more methane they emit); the rate of soil carbon sequestration; and crowding (greater density of animals means more concentrated manure deposits and higher methane and nitrous oxide emissions).

Much more research is needed to determine the comparative climate impact of pasture-based versus confined feedlot systems.

Conclusion:

Eating Less, Greener and Healthier Meat is Good for Your Health and the Planet

Climate impacts are just one factor in choosing what to eat. There are many compelling health, environmental and animal-welfare reasons to eat less meat and to opt for meat from organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed animals. It may cost more, but when you buy less meat overall you can afford healthier, greener meat.

Eating and wasting less meat (especially red meat) and cheese can simultaneously improve our health and reduce the climate and environmental impact of food. Choosing grass-fed, free-range, pasture-raised and/or organic products also helps to expand market demand. As the market grows, more farmers and ranchers will choose more sustainable and humane production methods, which in turn will make these products more affordable and available.

Choosing healthier, greener food is important, but significantly cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change will also require governmental action. We all need to get engaged to push for comprehensive public policies that put the nation on a path to greener energy. Reducing meat production’s negative impacts on soil, air and water will take stronger regulatory enforcement and better policies – in addition to significant changes in meat consumption habits.

The company I am partnered with, Pharmanex, has a revolutionary device, called the Biophotonic scanner. The Biophotonic scanner measures the antioxidant status in your skin cells using a non-invasive Nobel prize-winning technology called Raman Spectroscopy. This measurement is called a Skin Carotenoid Test.  Further research concluded that the antioxidant status of skin cells was indicative of overall antioxidant status.  This scanner was recently featured on the Dr. OZ show for the subject of “Cancer Fighting Antioxidants”.

Dr Oz had everyone in the audience take the Skin Carotenoid Test, which takes about 90 seconds Carotenoids are a specific category of antioxidants most commonly found in fruits and vegetables.  The audience Carotenoid scores ranged from about 10,000 to 50,000+.  The low end of the range is noted as red, followed by orange, and the top two ranges being green then blue the highest.  Doctor Oz said that you want to be in the blue or green ranges, but unfortunately most of the people in his audience were in the red and orange ranges, which is where most of America is.  Almost 40% of the people in his audience were in the lowest category possible.  37.1% of people from his audience were in the second lowest category, which is still dangerously low.  Only 6% of Dr Oz’s audience were in the blue and green ranges.  This means that most people are getting only 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day at best, rather than 5-9 servings recommended by the FDA.  Doctor Oz took the Carotenoid Skin Test and found his levels were 75,000 which is extremely impressive!

Also surprisingly, the show demonstrated that most of the general public who were interviewed don’t know what Antioxidants are. The name itself is seen everywhere you go, but do you really know what it is? Dr. William Li, a Cancer Prevention pioneer said that Antioxidants are laced naturally into food and they help to protect our DNA and healthy cells from the damage caused by Free Radicals. So that brings us to the next question – what are Free Radicals?  They alter or destroy cells. Cells that die, and cells that replicate in a damaged state are the cause or contribute to premature aging, sickness and disease such as cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and many others. Where do free radicals come from? Actually, everywhere! Smoking, stress, sunlight, pesticides, pollution, airline travel, medications, food additives, X-rays, exercise, chlorine in treated water, mercury in seafood and teeth fillings and so on.

I highly recommend that you check your anti-oxidant level periodically, especially those where cancer has been experienced in their family. I have a Biophotonic Scanner, so please contact me for your Antioxidant checkup.