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Yearly Archives: 2015
The 24 hour news cycle or 24 hour stress industry?
Do you remember what life was like before the 24 hour news industry? What was television, radio, newspaper and radio like before CNN, BBC, FoxNews, MSNBC and the countless other stations, channels and corporations whose purpose it is to report something 24 hours a day? Let us not forget the endless apps for smartphones and tablets that also offer news and notifications “pushed” to your device, morning, noon, night and even overnight.
Have you ever observed someone “glued” to the TV watching the latest “Breaking News”, or one of the endless updates on news reported earlier in the day?
Recently, this National Taoism Examiner had such an experience. Early in the morning, there were several people watching one of the 24 hour news networks, with such intensity that they could not look away from the TV while speaking to someone in the same room. When the phone rang they answered the phone with their eyes still fixated on the TV. After more than an hour of watching “repeating” news stories, they decided to go out for breakfast and do a little sight seeing and shopping. Upon returning, immediately the TV went back on and the news network (approx. 6 or 7 hours later) was still reporting the same exact news from earlier in the morning. More apparent updates, of the same news.
Terror attacks around the world, bombings in the Middle East, burglaries in your neighborhood, shootings outside a nightclub, a woman raped while walking home from the bus, daily car accidents on local roads, house fires reported that occur in cities several states (or countries) away, entertainers/celebrities being arrested, Federal Reserve raising interest rates, stock market going up, stock market crashing, global warming, global climate change, Ad nauseum…
It would be interesting to see a study comparing the levels of stress observed and reported pre-1980’s compared to today, and see if there is a correlation with the rise of the 24 hour news cycle.
How many people watch the morning news while having breakfast, what do you think the effect this has on ones digestion? Is it really suitable to start ones day with a barage of bad news? Imagine the effect on sleep patterns when people watch the news right before going to sleep.
In his book “8 Weeks to Optimum Health” Dr. Andrew Weil advises people to slowly wean oneself off the news addiction that many have become accustomed to. He relays a story of a person who looked at the front page from a major newspaper, from decades prior (approx. 100 years prior), only to discover that the headlines were almost identical to the ones being reported as “Breaking News” today.
Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden:
“I am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper. If we read of one man robbed, or murdered, or killed by accident, or one house burned, or one vessel wrecked, or one steamboat blown up, or one cow run over on the Western Railroad, or one mad dog killed, or one lot of grasshoppers in the winter—we never need read of another. One is enough.”
In Taoist cultivation one is encouraged to move in a completely different direction than 24 hour news; Lao tzu stated in the Tao Te Ching:
“Without going outside his door, one understands all that takes place under the sky; without looking out from his window, one sees the Tao of Heaven. The farther that one goes out from himself, the less he knows. Therefore, the sages got their knowledge without traveling; gave their right names to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so. (James Legge)”
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Get ready this winter has the potential to deliver powerful storms
According to Taoist cosmology winter officially began around November 7th. Some signs of winters arrival are already being felt in Colorado, USA and Northern Europe. Between November 17-19 the greater Boulder Colorado area recorded approx. 18” of snow.
Yet, some parts of the United States have been unusually warm, in particular the southeastern seaboard and especially Florida, which has maintained near summer level heat well into the middle of November.
According to Master Zhongxian Wu:
“this winter season will be extremely cold in most areas of the northern hemisphere, as compared with the last few winters. I expect this to be especially true in those areas that missed cold weather last winter, for instance, in the Stockholm area.… The Cold Water Qi (manifested as heavy mist, rainstorms and snowstorms) will officially kick in about two weeks from now. [two weeks from Nov. 7th]”
The national meteorologists are predicting that this winter will have a similar pattern as the winter of 1998 with a strong “El Nino” effect. If this is true, then we could see a repeat of “The Great North American Ice Storm of 1998, which ’caused massive damage to trees and electrical infrastructure all over the area, leading to widespread long-term power outages. Millions were left in the dark for periods varying from days to weeks, and in some instances, months. It led to 35 fatalities, a shutdown of activities in large cities like Montreal and Ottawa, and an unprecedented effort in reconstruction of the power grid. The ice storm led to the largest deployment of Canadian military personnel since the Korean War, with over 16,000 Canadian Forces personnel deployed, 12,000 in Quebec and 4,000 in Ontario at the height of the crisis.”
This would also be consistent with Master Wu’s prediction of heavy mist, rainstorms and snowstorms as a result of Cold Water Qi.
If we look at the winters from the last two Wood Goat years (1955 and 1895) we see a definite pattern beginning to develop.
- “The Storm of the Century, Great Christmas Flood of 1955”, affected most of the US west coast
- Great Blizzard of 1955 in Wyoming
- March of 1956 most of the North Eastern United States was hit by a major winter storm/blizzard.
- The Great Freeze of 1895 affecting most of Florida, brought temperatures down to 19 degrees in Orlando and 24 degrees in West Palm Beach, decimating the citrus industry.
- Houston, Texas recorded 22” of snow in February 1895. The same system also brought 24” of snow in Rayne Louisiana, 16” in Houma Louisiana (just south of New Orleans), 22” in Lake Charles Louisiana and 6” in Mobile Alabama
It is very important to protect your vital organs, especially your Kidneys, during very cold winters with a lot of snow and/or rain. Internal cultivation (Kidney exercise, Meridian Massage, 8 Directional Exercise, lower back exercises etc…) as well as eating warming foods and drinking warming tea (ginger, cinnamon etc…). Try to conserve your energy as much as possible and avoid drafts and sweating. Also, do not over use the heater in your home as that can cause disruptions of your energy as well.
Regardless of what happens in this winter, make sure you focus on your internal cultivation, remaining calm and balanced, as well as, strengthening your body, mind and spirit.
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The real American health epidemic
Chances are you have been told that America faces several epidemics: gun violence, AIDS, poverty, heart disease, cancer, etc…
If you look around, however, you may have noticed another growing epidemic that is seldom spoken of, especially in polite company.
It appears that obesity is the new trend in America. It is also a trend that creates an unrivaled vitriol when mentioned. Fat shamming, thin obsessed, weight nazi, are just a few labels hurled at those who question this trend. Articles have been written in defense of being fat and healthy versus those who are apparently “thin and fat”.
In 1960, the average American man weighed 166.3 pounds and the average woman 140.2 pounds. By 2002 those averages rose dramatically to 191 pounds for men and 164.3 pounds for women. The most recent data from the CDC from 2012 shows an average weight for men and women has risen further to 195.5 and 166.2 respectively. That means that as of 2012, the average American woman weighed the same as the average American man in 1960.
The CDC states in their obesity fact sheet that 35% of Americans are obese and that obesity costs the economy an estimated $147 billion per year (as of 2008) and the annual “medical costs were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. (CDC)”
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases:
- More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese
- More than 1 in 3 are considered to be obese
- More than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity
- About one-third of children and adolescents ages 6-19 are considered to be overweight or obese
- More than 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 6-19 are considered to be obese.
A report by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “estimated that 67.6 million Americans over the age of 25 were obese…and an additional 65.2 million were overweight. (LA Times)” For the first time in the history of the United States, obese people now outnumber those who are overweight! According to Lin-Yang, a research associate with Washington University’s Prevention Research Center, “This is a wake-up call to implement policies and practices designed to combat overweight and obesity.”
According to the CDC “Obesity is a leading cause in heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.”
This means that most of the major health problems we are told are epidemics, are actually preventable by reducing our waist size and monitoring our diet and lifestyle.
According to Dr. Stephen T. Chang:
“When a person becomes excessively overweight, the whole body is burdened. For every inch you gain in girth, the body grows approximately four miles of blood vessels to nourish the extra tissues. Blood which would normally be sent to the head and brain remains in the abdominal cavity, aiding the digestive organs with their increased work load. The heart must work harder due to the increase in fatty tissue. Because of this undue strain, the heart gradually becomes critically weakened and more likely to collapse… Excess fat also obstructs the blood flow contributing to high blood pressure, puts stress on the spine and can cause back pain…. So there is not much to gain from being overweight.”
The economic effects listed earlier does not take into account the non-medical costs of obesity. For instance, airlines and car companies are beginning to make seats (as well as the overall size of the car) larger to accommodate larger Americans. Some companies, Subaru as an example have been criticized for not making their seats larger. Disney and Universal Studios have been sued in the past for their rides “not accommodating larger people”, as a result Universal Studios is making the seats in some of their rides larger. This extra cost will surely be passed onto consumers as the result of higher ticket prices.
Another problem with the growing size of the American waist line is that funeral parlors are finding it more difficult to carry caskets large enough for the recently deceased. Many of them have to special order extra large caskets that are often double the size of a traditional casket, and double the cost as well.
A few questions we can ask ourselves are; just how large is the average person going to get? When will enough be enough? Can Americans decide individually and collectively that lifestyles and diets need to be moderated and changed or will it take government control and regulation? How high does the percentage of obesity need to be before the country’s productivity suffers as people are unable to work sufficiently and efficiently?
How long will we continue to accept death and disease caused by things that are preventable?
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Caution swim at your own risk, has an entirely new meaning
Headlines like these are sure to grab people’s attention: “Unseen killer lurking in Florida waters takes Lake County man’s life” and “Woman gets flesh-eating bacteria at Dallas mud run, goes blind in one eye”. But how many people actually understand the risks, and think that these are just isolated events.
Many people relate to a peaceful walk along the beach, a nice gentle soaking or swim in the ocean-lake-river or pool as a great way to spend a vacation or unwind during the hot summer months. How many people realize the risk they are taking every time they do this? We all know not to jump in head first in shallow water (or if you do not know how deep the water is), never swim alone, don’t wear jewelry while swimming in the ocean, no yellow bathing suits, don’t swim if you are menstruating or bleeding, never swim right after eating etc… Yet, have you ever been told that if you have a cut, go soak in the ocean because the salt water will “clean it”?
For thousands of years Taoists have advised: that life should remain as natural as possible. Fish are designed to swim and live in water, doing so is safe for them, monkeys are designed to swing from trees and doing so is safe for them as well. Problems arise, however, when life, in particular man, begins to do things that we really are not designed to do.
Carson Yeager decided to enjoy a few hours on a pontoon boat and swim in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, within 48 hours he was dead after contracting Vibrio vulnificus. He was only 26 years old.
According to the CDC, Vibrio vulnificus can cause:
“disease in those who eat contaminated seafood or have an open wound that is exposed to seawater. Among healthy people, ingestion of V. vulnificus can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In immunocompromised persons, particularly those with chronic liver disease, V. vulnificus can infect the bloodstream, causing a severe and life-threatening illness characterized by fever and chills, decreased blood pressure (septic shock), and blistering skin lesions. V. vulnificus bloodstream infections are fatal about 50% of the time.
V. vulnificus can cause an infection of the skin when open wounds are exposed to warm seawater; these infections may lead to skin breakdown and ulceration. Persons who are immunocompromised are at higher risk for invasion of the organism into the bloodstream and potentially fatal complications. (CDC.gov)”
This particular bacteria can enter the body through any open wound, including scrapes, cuts and abrasions.
In June 2015 a Texas woman participated in a “mud run” and contracted a form of flesh eating bacteria that left her blind in one eye.
In 2013 it was reported that since 2001 there were over 400 reported cases of brain eating amoebas worldwide. Since 1962 more than 30 people have died from brain eating amoebas just in Florida. Naegleria fowleri, can enter the body through any opening (eyes, nose, mouth, ears etc…).
Suggestions were made regarding how to prevent these problems in a prior article on brain eating amoebas. Those tips still apply.
A good general rule, and going back to sound Taoist advice: If you enjoy the water use a boat, if you must swim then bathe before and immediately after, keep your head out of the water, and stay out of the water if you have any type of cut, scrape or abrasion etc… If you like to swim in pools, keep in mind that a swimming pool is no different than a bathtub, just larger. Would you take a bath with those same people in the pool? If you like to swim in the ocean or lakes, keep in mind that you are swimming in the same water that the animals use for their elimination, and they not only live in the water they also die in there as well. Ever had a fish tank, then you know how difficult it is to keep it clean. Can you ever get it 100% clean? Have you ever seen a large hand with bleach and cleaning agents clean a lake or the ocean?
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Monsanto found guilty of poisoning French farmer
Your National Taoism Examiner has written several articles regarding the dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms/Food and the companies that produce them, in particular Monsanto (see recommended articles below). There have been a few articles concerning the rising tide of change that is occurring in many countries as mass protests are causing countries to change laws and companies that produce food for the mass market to change their policies and ingredients.
One major item that has been missing from these announcements is a major legal defeat that would specifically list the dangers of GM food and/or the dangers of Monsanto and other companies that produce them.
That is until now. The following verdict was announced in which it specifically states that:
“A French court upheld on Thursday [10 September, 2015] a 2012 ruling in which Monsanto was found guilty of chemical poisoning of a French farmer, who says he suffered neurological problems after inhaling the U.S. company’s Lasso weedkiller. The decision by an appeal court in Lyon, southeast France, confirmed the initial judgment, the first such case heard in court in France, that ruled Monsanto was “responsible” for the intoxication and ordered the company to “fully compensate” grain grower Paul Francois. (Reuters.com)”
This is great news for those wanting an eventual ban on GM food, including toxic pesticides, as it lays the legal framework for future action. Monsanto, is now legally guilty of poisoning a person with the dangerous poisons they created. Interesting, that the court decisions led to settlements and not prison sentences. Unfortunately, for Mr. Francois, he cannot be awarded further monetary damages from this decision as he had already accepted a settlement from the 2012 case.
“According to Francois, he became ill shortly after applying the product [in 2004]. As stated in the lawsuit, the symptoms included difficulty breathing, headaches, and memory loss. (Inquisitr)”
Lasso weedkiller is banned in Belgium, Britain, Canada and France. It was never officially banned in the United States, however, they did “phase out” the product for so called commercial reasons.
As is usual for Monsanto they are denying all charges and promising to seek another appeal, this time with France’s highest court. Hopefully, the French high court’s judgment will not be compromised or bullied by Monsanto’s corporate influence. It is unlikely that court decisions of this nature and magnitude will occur in the United States any time soon, as many politicians receive tremendous donations from Monsanto and their executives. As stated before, the current FDA senior adviser Michael Taylor was a Monsanto lobbyist. So Monsanto is literally in charge of the United States food safety laws and regulations.
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The Te of Piglet, virtue in action
In 2014 your National Taoism Examiner, reviewed the first part of Benjamin Hoff’s books on Taoist Philosophy; The Tao of Pooh. The first book was recommended for those “looking for a delightful read”, it can serve as a great introduction to Taoist philosophy and as a nice reminder for those who think they know the Tao.
His second book The Te of Piglet, continues where Pooh left off, but shifts the focus onto the smallest animal in the 100 acre forest/woods, and yet despite his size, also the most courageous and virtuous of Poohs friends. If Pooh is the character that embodies the principle of Wu Wei, then Piglet, according to Hoff, embodies another great treasure of Taoism, Te. Te, or Teh, is usually translated as great virtue, or the highest virtue, or Heaven’s Virtue.
Hoff proposes another adaptation of Te: “meaning virtue in action”. This is a thoughtful and worthy addition to the meanings of Te. What value does virtue have, if it is not put to good use? If your virtue has no action, then why have it? What is the point in being a “good person” if you live in a cave alone, cut off from the world? What is the value of not lying or being deceitful, if you are not around people to be honest and truthful with? Would the virtues of the Sun: providing light, warmth etc…matter to us if there was no Earth, would the Suns virtues even still exist?
According to Hoff:
“Te is not, as its English-language equivalent suggests, a one-size fits all sort of goodness or admired behavior that can be recognized as essentially the same no matter who possesses it. It is instead a quality of special character, spiritual strength, or hidden potential unique to the individual—something that comes from the Inner Nature of things. And something, we might add, that the individual who possesses it may be quite unaware of… (p.23)”
The Te of Piglet addresses these questions and more. Where the Tao of Pooh is very philosophical in nature, The Te of Piglet could be called pragmatic. Hoff definitely shares more of his personal observations, some reviewers called them rants, however, he does relate his observations of the modern world to several Taoist Classics.
The book is divided into 11 Chapters and 257 pages:
- What? Another One?
- Interjection
- The—What Was That Again?—of Piglet
- Very Small Animal
- The Eeyore Effect
- The Tigger Tendency
- Things as They Might Be
- Things as They Are
- The Upright Heart
- The Day of Piglet
- Farewell
A very poignent chapter is The Eeyore Effect and is most applicable in our modern society where many are obsessed with 24 hour news, social media, constant information overload and the Critic among others.
He relates the critic to his version of a Chuang tzu story:
“There is a great bird known as the Peng. Its back appears as broad as a mountain range; its wings are like clouds across the sky. It rises up like a whirlwind until it breaks through the high mist and soars into the infinite blue.
As it glides effortlessly along its journey to the sea, a quail in the marsh looks up at it and laughs. ‘What does that bird think it’s doing?’ says the quail. ‘I jump up and fly a few feet; then I come down and flutter from here to there in the bushes. That is what flying is for! Who is that creature trying to fool?’
…So it is that the knowledge of the smallminded cannot reach to that which is great, just as the experience of a few years cannot equal that of many. The mushroom of a morning knows not what takes place at the end of the month; the short-lived cicada has no awareness of what happens in the seasons beyond. (p. 67)”
It is unfortunate that Benjamin Hoff and Penguin Books had a falling out, since he could have created a truly remarkable collection by exploring, in depth, all of the Winnie the Pooh characters.
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Once again Whole Foods is found cheating customers
According to the company info. section Whole Foods Market claims to: “seek out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Add to that the excitement and fun we bring to shopping for groceries, and you start to get a sense of what we’re all about. Oh yeah, we’re a mission-driven company too.”
On first appearance this may seem to be true, and in full disclosure your National Taoism Examiner does purchase some items from Whole Foods, however, it is quite alarming the number of times Whole Foods has been accused and caught falsely labeling items, overcharging customers and misleading people, among other accusations.
“…the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, which says it has uncovered ‘systematic overcharging for pre-packaged foods’ at the city’s Whole Foods stores… New York officials said that its investigation of 80 different types of pre-packaged products found none had correct weights, and that that 89% of packages violated federal rules for how much a package can deviate from actual weight. (CNN Money)”
You read correctly, 89% of the items tested violated federal rules with regards to accurate weight. What is the response from Whole Foods: they called the allegations “overreaching” and disagreed with the findings.
If this was the first time Whole Foods was found conducting business in this behavior, then one could possibly, pardon this as a mistake, or perhaps, a vendetta from city officials wanting to raise more revenue from taxes, fines, fees and over-regulation. Unfortunately, however, this is not the first occurrence for Whole Foods.
“In a class-action lawsuit filed in Missouri in April, plaintiffs charge that “evaporated cane juice” is just another healthy-sounding way of identifying sugar, and that by using such a euphemism on the ingredient label for its nutmeal raisin cookies, Whole Foods is engaging in false and misleading advertising, Food Navigator–USA reported. (Yahoo News)”
In a prior lawsuit filed in 2013, Whole Foods was accused of labeling baked goods as “all natural” when they in fact contained synthetic ingredients, in particular sodium acid pyrophosphate, as a leavening agent.
KTLA5 News, reported in June 2014, that Whole Foods agreed to settle ($800,000) with three California cities after allegations of widespread “price violations”. This suit, alleged that Whole Foods overcharged customers by selling products that weighed less then the label stated. Under the settlement Whole Foods did not admit guilt, but promised to charge accurate prices. Well, we should all feel better about that, but wait, they are being accused of the same thing again, this time in New York.
Merchants using accurate weights and measures, is one of the hallmarks and foundations of a proper economy, whether free market or heavily regulated. Without the assurance and trust from the customers that merchants are not willfully ripping them off and doing so in complete disregard for the law and the welfare of their fellow man/customers; incidents like this pose a great threat to the delicate fabric that binds the society together.
If you look at the core of any society, whether modern or ancient, you will see that the economy was first founded on proper weights and measures, and the trust that comes with that. Often, the founding fathers of civilizations, would write some of the first laws about regulating weights and measures. Also, in many of these civilizations, the punishment was far worse than “promising to charge accurate prices next time.” Really! Perhaps, we should let other crooks, thieves, scam artists, hucksters etc… just tell the judge and society, that they promise to behave better and will not commit the crime again. Oh, and the thief will try to improve over the next 5 years. 5 years!
When disregard for reason and the common welfare of man (aka the Golden Mean/Rule) are thrown out the window, what hope does society have? Perhaps, if the legal system does not properly punish companies that blatantly break the law, then society should, by shopping elsewhere.
It is interesting to note that Trader Joe’s does not charge by weight for produce or most items, instead posting per item pricing. Do you need a bag of potatoes? There is one price per bag. Need a loose item, an onion perhaps? You pay per item not per pound. It really is not that revolutionary of an idea, but perhaps more stores could do the same. Otherwise, we might need to start cracking open those “gold weights” to see if it is really lead or clay.
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Over 400 cities march against Monsanto and GMO food
One would think that a major global protest occurring in over 400 cities, on the same day, would be breaking news. Yet, in the United States the global protest against Monsanto and GMO food was barely mentioned. Outside of the US, this was most definitely breaking news.
Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images
According to RT News, “Activists accuse the agricultural corporation of selling toxic chemicals, which are bad for people’s health, water supplies, vital crop pollinators and environment in general. The giant is also criticized for its attitude towards food safety regulations and a staunch opposition to GMO labeling. Meanwhile, small farmers blame Monsanto for monopolizing the seed market.”
France alone had over 20 cities participate in the protest. In the United States, protests were held in “New York; Washington, DC; Los Angeles; San Franciso; Chicago; Indianapolis; Portland, Oregon; Oakland, California and dozens of others… protesters marched on the White House and Monsanto’s Washington, DC headquarters as part of the anti-GMO action. (RT.com)”
Monsanto now controls approximately 90% of the seed supply in the United States alone. As reported in prior articles, one of the most dangerous aspects of Monsanto is their use of proprietary trademark laws, which state that anything their seeds touch or grow in becomes a part of their trademark. So if you use Monsanto seeds, technically your land now becomes their land. If you doubt this, then search the internet for all of the cases where Monsanto has sued farmers claiming rights to the farmers land.
With the recent announcements from several restaurants and fast food chains, that they will no longer carry either GMO food or food with artificial ingredients, combined with the ever increasing amount of protests around the world, perhaps, the tide is slowly turning against a truly dangerous and sinister industry. Time will tell. Unfortunately, since most Americans are more interested in reality TV and getting their news from stations that are more Infotainment than true news (CNN, FOX, local news included), they are unaware of this battle and the progress being made.
In future elections, perhaps a major concern for people should be, what politicians have received funding from Monsanto or other GMO companies and interests and who “owns” the politician(s) you are thinking about casting your ballot for.
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Humanity is beginning to push back against GMO
For many years it seemed like mankind was doomed to eat “franken-food” made from genetically modified organisms. The United States government and mega international agricultural companies (DuPont and Monsanto to name a few), have been long time supporters of this experimental food.
The risks of food containing GMO have been thoroughly discussed in prior articles and you are encouraged to read those prior to this article.
- The unnatural state of natural food in the US
- World unites against Monsanto and GM food
- NutraSweet: introduces a new poison to the world
- Will Mexico join the movement against GMO food?
- Peru takes a major step in the GMO battle
These prior articles will show the battles that have already taken place in this ongoing struggle for the preservation of “real food”.
Until recently, much of the progress in resisting and standing up to the GMO onslaught, has been waged in other countries, with a continued apathy by most American consumers; who for the most part appeared more than willing to give little or no thought to what they were actually eating. With only a minor pause for reflecting on … “if fries come with that”.
It was with great surprise to discover over the last few weeks that two major “Fast Food” chains have decided to take a stand against unhealthy and dangerous food additives, namely GMO ingredients and chemical additives.
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced in April 2015 that they were now 100% GMO free. They even published a nice list on their website to help educate the public on the dangers of GMO and why they chose to remove them:
- Scientists are still studying the long term implications of GMOs.
- The cultivation of GMOs can damage the environment.
- Chipotle should be a place where people can eat food made with non-GMO ingredients.
Panera Bread also recently announced that by 2016 they will remove all “artificial preservatives, colorings, sweeteners or flavors” and that all of their food will be free of any artificial or synthetic ingredients.
Now one could reasonably ask, why is it going to take them 1-2 years to switch when Chipotle, Trader Joes and others have already made the switch, that is for the consumer to decide, however, at least they have committed to the transition.
These recent decisions are evidence of what is possible when an educated populace begins to make informed decisions that affect the bottom lines of companies. It is highly unlikely, that many of these companies would have, or plan to, made the switch to healthier ingredients, if not for the fear of losing money. McDonalds, a long time advocate of GMO food, with their famous franken-chicken and mystery meat compounds, has lost a lot of business to the likes of Chipotle and Panera Bread.
Two concluding thoughts:
- We all need to make sure we keep up the pressure and insist on natural or organic ingredients and absolutely no GMOs.
- Also, what method is their to ensure that these companies are actually making the changes they are claiming? What guarantee do we have that your next burrito at Chipotle actually is GMO free and not just an elaborate marketing ploy?
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Suffering from text neck or turkey neck, Taoism to the rescue
Many people spend several hours each day either in front of a computer or using their “smart phones”. There is a good chance that you are reading this article from a “smart” device, whether it be a phone or tablet, or the ever increasing (in size anyway) phablet.
When surveyed, teenagers and people in their early 20’s report that they spend almost the entire day using their phone; texting, posting messages, reading email, browsing facebook and twitter etc… Some people even have the urge to text while sleeping; that’s right, rapid eye movement has been replaced with rapid finger taping while sleeping. If you search for “finger twitching while sleeping” you will find many people looking for advice for this relatively new problem. “According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 8-18 year olds spend an average of seven and a half hours using ‘entertainment media’ every day. (Your smart phone is a pain in the neck)”
This finger twitching/tapping, however, is a minor problem compared to the much larger and potentially problematic condition of the “text neck” or “turkey neck” phenomenon.
This condition is created as a result of repeated and prolonged poor posture that is encouraged by using so called smart devices, in particular smart phones.
The tendency is to hold the phone at chest level and tilt the head and neck forward to look down at the phone. When you do this, a tremendous pressure is placed on the neck and over time the spine begins to degenerate.
“Dean Fishman, a chiropractor in Florida, was examining an X-ray of a 17-year-old patient’s neck in 2009 when he noticed something unusual. The ghostly image of her vertebral column showed a reversal of the curvature that normally appears in the cervical spine — a degenerative state he’d most often seen in middle-aged people who had spent several decades of their life in poor posture.
‘That’s when I looked over at the patient, ‘Fishman says. She was slumped in her chair, head tilted downward, madly typing away on her cellphone. When he mentioned to the patient’s mother that the girl’s posture could be causing her headaches, he got what he describes as an “emotional response.’ It seemed the teen spent much of her life in that position. Right then, Fishman says, ‘I knew I was on to something.”
“The head in neutral has a normal weight” of 10 to 12 pounds, says Fishman, explaining that neutral position is ears over shoulders with shoulder blades pulled back. “If you start to tilt your head forward, with gravity and the distance from neutral, the weight starts to increase.”
This pressure on the neck and spine can vary between neutral to 60 pounds at a 60 degree tilt forward. Imagine carrying around 60 pounds on your neck, for several hours each day!
“Judith Gold, ScD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Temple University’s College of Health Professions and Social Work, presented evidence at this year’s meeting of the American Public Health Association suggesting that the more college students texted, the more pain they reported in their necks and shoulders.”
What can we do to prevent these problems?
The usual recommendations are good, however, they do not go far enough. For instance, recommending that the person sit with a straight back/spine, shoulders relaxed, head straight, bring the phone up to eye level rather than looking down, limit extended use by taking frequent breaks etc…
There is a better solution that will enhance the above recommendations. Practice the ancient Taoist “Turtle Exercise”.
Sit in a comfortable chair or on the floor (if floor then cross your legs), wrap your fingers around your thumbs (baby fist) and rest them on your lap. Sit with the back straight, lightly close the eyes, take a deep breath in and bring your chin down slightly and back towards the throat so the back of the neck stretches upward, exhale and bring the chin up so the back of the neck “folds into the shoulders”, repeat 12 times, slowly and do not strain. Practice 3 sets of 12 once or twice daily, or when needed. This will help to strengthen the spine, and nerves, and also serves as a meditation when combined with “Crane Breathing”.
This in addition to the other Taoist Internal Exercises will help to ensure that you prevent or help improve this painful and damaging problem.
Don’t miss another National Taoism Examiner article. Receive e-mail alerts when new articles are available. Just click on the “Subscribe” button below; also make sure you click all of those social network buttons and share the article with your friends and family as well. You can also follow the Qi Institutes Taoism blog.
Do you have a story, photo or video from your area that would be of interest to Taoists? Feel free to email (TJ@theQiInstitute.com) and they may be included or featured in a National Taoism Examiner article.
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