A recent study published in the UK caused a big kafuffle in the organic industry when it claimed there was no nutritional benefit to organic produce over conventional. The researchers looked at studies conducted over the last 40 years, and while the organic foods often did contain a higher amount of vitamins and minerals, they decide the difference was not “nutritionally” significant. In a single piece of produce, a 17 % difference in beta carotene, as one study found, may not be significant, just as they said. But what if that 17% were missing from everything you ate, day after day, year after year?  Would that make a difference? Probably, but that is the holistic nutrition perspective, not the conventional.

I put that concept out there because it needs to be said. Good health is easier to achieve if all the food consumed has the maximum amount of nutrients possible. However, the important aspect of the study to note, is that the studies they looked at examined vitamin and mineral content. Unfortunately, they did not look at the phyto-nutrient content, the new superstars in the health world, linked to prevention of many diseases prevalent today. As part of the plant’s defense system, phyto-nutrient content goes up in food when the plants are attacked by bugs or fungus.

Check out this interesting article about doctors and nurses and supplements. They are using them and recommending them but do not have the education to being doing so. Even amongst alternative practitioners there could be a debate about supplements; especially standardized extracts versus whole food and whole herb supplements. Most of us have been educated quite significantly on both topics or should be. The comment at the end of the artcile is the most interesting as it comes from either a nurse or a doctor and makes it quite clear the issues they encounter by doing this. 

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I would like to bring to your attention that there is a bill, HR2749  ,going through congress in the US that is greatly threatening our food choices. You can read more below including links to  several blogs on HR2749 .

 A recent Toronto Star Article titled “Is Oprah Winfrey Giving Us Bad Medicine?” by David Gorski, an American oncologist, as well as a recent Newsweek article typifies the dilemma we face as alternative practitioners. Both state that the idea of Oprah Winfrey and the platform she provides for various individuals and their anecdotal health stories is somehow negligent toward the public’s well being. Gorski quotes examples such as Suzanne Somers with her theories on reclaiming her youth and Jenny McCarthy’s claims regarding vaccinations and autism as examples of sloppy unscientific information.

What is missing from the Gorski article is that this M.D. had no intention of writing a fair and balanced piece.  He discusses unscientific methodology vs. the double blind placebo study that is now the gold standard of the scientific community. I say the only real science is Nature’s science.

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Now Playing in Toronto: Look for it in a theatre near you

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment.

From fellow Alumna, Rosalie Moscoe

It is with great sadness, as Vice Chair of the International Schizophrenia
Fnd. I send this notice to you about the passing of Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD,
founder of the ISF, pioneer of orthomolecular medicine, author of 32 books,
600 research papers. At age 91, he worked 4 days a week up until a few weeks
ago. Can you kindly forward this obituary to colleagues. His son and
daughter are asking any donations in his memory be made to the International
Schizophrenia Foundation, 416 733 2117 or centre@orthomed.org
Thanks!