TIME for a PUBLIC OPTION on plantmilks?? Let's not WAIT UNTIL we get sick. Let's get our plantmilks NOW.

TIME for a PUBLIC OPTION on plantmilks??
Let's not WAIT UNTIL we get sick.

Let's get our plantmilks NOW.

So MUCH competition in the plantmilk space is broadening opportunities for consumers to try an array of very different plantmilks (not all plantmilks are the same - in fact, NO plantmilks are the same as any other plantmilks; they ALL differ).

But if ACCESS to plantmilks is the issue, there are SOME locations - by zip code - where plantmilks are NOT immediately accessible to coffee drinkers, cereal eaters, and others who tipple at the extruded plants.

Arguably, all this competition in the plantmilk space may be great for consumers, but the price point BENEFITS of competition cannot be GREAT for the fiscal sustainability of all these risk-taking innovators.

Some plantmilk producers will WIN - and some may go out of business after they have done 'their yeoman's duty' to expand the market for plantmilks.

Is it not time for some public strategy for dispersing plantmilks among the ENTIRE human population - maybe granting plantmilk as a protected right - so that everyone can have some plantmilk when and where they need it, and so that the nation's farmers can know that there's a continuing demand for high quality organic non-GMO plants to supply this industrial demand for producing soymilk.

In nations outside the USA, a national healthcare plan can mandate universal coverage yet periodically open to competitive bidders for supplying the national 'right to healthcare'! A national right to plantmilks could be organized the same way without disemboweling competitors who want to continue producing. Those additional competitors would just not win the federal contract for supplying the public option, and the public option could be 95% powered by private industry efforts.

What MIGHT be DIFFERENT (and hopefully BETTER) would be ACCESS to nondairy plantmilks, nondairy cheeses, nondairy creamers, and (I think that this would be INESSENTIAL) nondairy desserts.

I'd wager that restaurants in THAT kind of economic regime would carry plantmilks as a rule because it's a right, not because they suddenly took pity on the paying consumer.

Those who declare 'SOY MILK IS A RIGHT' can build upon their public values.

Plantmilk availability COULD become or be declared ethically normative in such a society.

Today's Haymarket Haul - 06/10/2017

Today's Haymarket Haul - 06/10/2017

2 extra jumbo cantaloupes - $1.00

5 extra large Portabello mushrooms - $1.00

6 lbs Rosebud carrots - $1.00

9 Anjou pears - $1.00

9 Bosc pears - $1.00

9 yellow bananas - $1.00

14 yellow summer squash - $1.00

21 luscious limes - $1.00

Total cost:  $8.00 US

Total poundage: about 45 lbs of edible vegetables and fruits

More enjoyable, I saw and interacted with some of the vendors I really, really like!

I researched this and found that the very clever VegetaBowls.com is NOT vegan!

Check out VegToons.com - stored on Vimeo

4 years ago

8603:26

VEGTOONS - Episode 1: Bean There, Done That

Vegtoons

2 years ago

3102:59

VEGTOONS - Episode 2: Give Peas A Chance

Vegtoons

2 years ago

1003:07

VEGTOONS - Episode 3: Fellow Earthlings

Vegtoons

4 years ago

0000:09

Vegtoons - GoMacro

Vegtoons

Plant-Based Protein

Plant-Based Protein

"Bean There Done That"

The Nativity's Hope for All Creatures

The Nativity's Hope for All Creatures

What makes the festive season so special is that sense of hope and expectation leading up to Christmas Day. Hope is a powerful emotion and few sights are able to inspire more hope than that of a new life entering the world.
 

Perhaps that is why the nativity scene is so timeless in its ability to evoke anticipation, optimism and promise. It was in fact St. Francis of Assisi who was credited with creating the first nativity display in 1223, turning the Biblical narrative into a living, breathing, noisy, smelly tableau that brought a once elusive retelling into vivid experience for the eyes.

Visibly today, from children’s school plays to Christmas cards, Church posters to product advertisements, this scene of the infant Christ in a manger surrounded by highly inquisitive farmyard animals is a firm part of our traditional Christmas celebrations.

Christmas underscores the emotive power of the amazing animals with which we share our world. A nativity image, no matter how sentimentally portrayed, reminds us of the beauty and innocence of these endlessly mysterious and familiar beings who live complex lives beyond our control or comprehension.

The birth of Christ is a prime opportunity to remember that Christmas is not just about humanity. Rather the arrival of the infant Christ promises cosmic, restorative consequences for the whole of creation.

The hope of the nativity challenges us to look beyond the darker side of our use and abuse of animals to a manger scene which compels us to live out the love, mercy, and compassion of Christ in the here and now.

And don't forget to eat your fiber, which only comes from plants.

Eat Your Fiber

Eating your daily supply of fiber will keep the intestine and colon running healthy, helping to prevent colon cancer and various intestinal diseases.

Bird Conservation Group Wants Tighter Controls on Wind Industry - Blades run afowl of the MBTA

Bird Conservation Group Wants Tighter Controls on Wind Industry | Wind | Rewire | KCET

The SOLUTION - the ENGINEERING SOLUTION - is to SHIFT THE PLANE from rotating the blades in the VERTICAL plane to rotating the blades in the HORIZONTAL plane.

Let's THANK animal (bird) advocates for raising this issue, but let's insist that future design integrate this concern from the outset.

Lots of blade building has already gone ahead, production machinery has been purchased, and workers have been hired and put on the assembly lines.

I raised this concern nearly a decade ago - and suggested this solution about 3-4 years ago. 

Advocates didn't see that as an issue at that time (or some merely said, yes, the blades shouldn't hurt the birds).

News and analysis about energy in California with an eye toward renewables.

FB

TW

[=]

Calling bird law violations inevitable at wind facilities, a group wants tighter controls on permitting. | Photo:  Changhua Coast Conservation Action/Flickr/Creative Commons License

WIND

Bird Conservation Group Wants Tighter Controls on Wind Industry

by Chris Clarke 

February 24, 2015 2:45 PM

A national bird protection group is calling on the federal government to require wind energy operators to get permits to kill birds that are protected under one of the nation's oldest environmental laws.

The Washington, D.C.-based American Bird Conservancy, which projects more than 1.4 million annual bird deaths in coming years from wind turbines and their associated transmission lines, petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this month to require owners of wind power facilities to apply for permits under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 before being allowed to build their projects.

USFWS has been asking wind companies to follow voluntary bird-protection guidelines when siting and designing their projects, but American Bird Conservancy claims in its petition that the voluntary approach has been roundly ineffective at protecting birds from wind turbines.

The petition, filed earlier this month with the U.S. Department of the Interior, is actually a follow-up to an earlier attempt by the group to compel USFWS to crack down on wind industry violations of the law. This month's petition was sent to provide new information on the scope of the threat wind turbines pose to birds.

As part of that update, the group summarized a December 2014 study, commissioned by the group and conducted by researchers at Mississippi State University, that indicates USFWS' voluntary compliance policy has failed to prevent wind turbines from being built in extremely sensitive bird areas:

Nearly 30,000 wind turbines have already been installed within areas identified as being of high importance to federally-protected birds in the United States, with more than 50,000 additional turbines planned for construction in similar areas. These include more than 18,000 in the migration corridor of the whooping crane -- one of the nation's rarest and most spectacular birds, 1,800 in greater sage-grouse breeding strongholds, and nearly 1,400 in locations deemed to be of the most critical importance to conserving the nation's birdlife. This clearly indicates that the voluntary guidelines are not working to protect our public trust resources, especially since proper siting is probably the best and most effective form of mitigation.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) makes it illegal to kill or harm any of the 800-odd species of bird specifically listed under the law without a permit. Penalties for a single offense -- injury to a single bird -- range up to $200,000 in fines and a year's imprisonment.

As Rewire reported two years ago, USFWS has been highly reluctant to enforce the law against operators of wind turbines.

"In effect, the MBTA is not being enforced, except perhaps under very special circumstances," said Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy's Bird Smart Wind Energy Campaign. "This reality is particularly significant for the wind industry because wind energy projects will inevitably take birds protected under the MBTA. In fact, because it is virtually impossible to operate a wind energy facility without killing or injuring at least some migratory birds, most operational wind energy projects are in ongoing violation of the MBTA, and are effectively breaking the law with impunity."

Reducing Cholesterol Naturally | DrFuhrman.com

Online Library | Articles | Reducing Cholesterol Naturally | DrFuhrman.com



Reducing Cholesterol Naturally

Share on linkedinShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on myspaceMore Sharing Services575

Almost 50% of American adults have total cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl, placing them at risk for cardiovascular disease – elevated cholesterol is one of the most important risk factors for heart disease.1 Elevated cholesterol is also associated with increased risk of several cancers.2

A high-nutrient diet is by far the most effective method ofreducing cholesterol while avoiding side effects. A dietary intervention study using my recommended eating style found that LDL cholesterol was reduced by 33% in just 6 weeks. Similar six-week interventions using low-fat vegetarian, Mediterranean, or other diets have not been nearly as effective.3-6 

Statin drugs are also not as effective for reducing cholesterol as an excellent diet coupled with exercise. After six weeks of taking cholesterol-lowering statin medications, cholesterol levels decreased by 26% – almost as much as a high nutrient diet, but statins have harmful side effects compared to the healthful benefits of a high nutrient diet.7 Statins are associated with liver dysfunction, acute renal failure, cataracts, diabetes, and impaired muscle function.8 In contrast, not only will a high nutrient diet lower cholesterol, it will also decrease heart disease risk by improving other factors such glucose levels, blood pressure, inflammation, and body weight.

The safest and healthiest strategy for reducing cholesterol and preventing future heart attacks and strokes starts with eating a high nutrient, vegetable-based diet with plenty of raw and cooked vegetables.9, 10  In particular, follow these 8 simple rules to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and to protect against heart disease:

Download a printable PDF version
of the 8 Simple Rules to Lower Your Cholesterol

1. Eat at least one cup of beans every day.Beans are packed with resistant starch, soluble fiber, and phytochemicals, which help to lower cholesterol – a pooled analysis of 10 trials found that consuming beans regularly significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol.11 Plus, a 19-year study found that people who eat beans at least four times a week have a 22% lower risk of heart disease than those who eat beans less than once a week.12
2. Eat at least one ounce of raw nuts and seedsdaily. When eaten regularly, nuts not only reduce total and LDL cholesterol, but also aid in weight control, reduce the glycemic load of the diet, and reduce heart disease risk by 35%.  Nuts and seeds have a variety of heart healthy nutrients, including plant sterols, antioxidants, minerals, and arginine.13-16  Include walnuts in your diet for their omega-3 and other heart protective benefits.
3. Eat one large green salad each day, and include raw onion. Higher leafy green and cruciferous vegetable intake is linked to lower risk of heart disease. 9, 17, 18
4. Eat steamed green vegetables with every lunch and dinner.  Recent research suggests that phytochemicals from green vegetables can turn on the body’s natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection mechanisms. 
5. Include tomatoes/tomato sauce, berries and/or pomegranate in your diet daily. The antioxidants in berries and pomegranates, such as anthocyanins and punicalagin, are especially effective in improving both LDL and HDL cholesterol.19, 20 Many observational studies have made a connection between higher blood lycopene (the signature carotenoid of the tomato) and lower risk of heart attack. 21-23
6. Have 1 Tbsp. of ground flax or chia seeds plus a DHA supplement each day. Flaxseeds contain the beneficial omega-3 ALA, lignans, flavonoids, sterols, and fiber. Clinical trials show that daily flaxseed consumption reduces total cholesterol by 6-11%.24 Chia seeds are also rich in ALA and fiber, and taking a DHA supplement ensures adequacy of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, because conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA varies greatly among individuals. 
7. Avoid refined carbohydrates and added oils. Processed foods are full of these calorie-dense, nutrient-poor ingredients that promote weight gain and increase heart disease risk .25-27
8. Minimize animal products to less than 5 percent of total calories per week. If you have heart disease or significantly high cholesterol, avoid animal products altogether. Higher animal product consumption is linked to increased heart disease risk.28

References:

1. Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, et al: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics--2012 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation 2012;125:e2-e220.
2. Hu J, La Vecchia C, de Groh M, et al: Dietary cholesterol intake and cancer. Ann Oncol 2012;23:491-500.
3. Bemelmans WJ, Broer J, de Vries JH, et al: Impact of Mediterranean diet education versus posted leaflet on dietary habits and serum cholesterol in a high risk population for cardiovascular disease. Public Health Nutr 2000;3:273-283.
4. Bunyard LB, Dennis KE, Nicklas BJ: Dietary intake and changes in lipoprotein lipids in obese, postmenopausal women placed on an American Heart Association Step 1 diet. J Am Diet Assoc 2002;102:52-57.
5. Sharman MJ, Kraemer WJ, Love DM, et al: A ketogenic diet favorably affects serum biomarkers for cardiovascular disease in normal-weight men. J Nutr 2002;132:1879-1885.
6. Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Bertron P, et al: Effectiveness of a low-fat vegetarian diet in altering serum lipids in healthy premenopausal women. Am J Cardiol 2000;85:969-972.
7. Frolkis JP, Pearce GL, Nambi V, et al: Statins do not meet expectations for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels when used in clinical practice. Am J Med 2002;113:625-629.
8. Hippisley-Cox J, Coupland C: Unintended effects of statins in men and women in England and Wales: population based cohort study using the QResearch database. BMJ 2010;340:c2197.
9. Zhang X, Shu XO, Xiang YB, et al: Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;94:240-246.
10. Bazzano LA, He J, Ogden LG, et al: Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in US adults: the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76:93-99.
11. Bazzano LA, Thompson AM, Tees MT, et al: Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD 2011;21:94-103.
12. Bazzano LA, He J, Ogden LG, et al: Legume consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in US men and women: NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Arch Intern Med 2001;161:2573-2578.
13. Sabate J, Oda K, Ros E: Nut consumption and blood lipid levels: a pooled analysis of 25 intervention trials. Arch Intern Med2010;170:821-827.
14. Mattes RD, Dreher ML: Nuts and healthy body weight maintenance mechanisms. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2010;19:137-141.
15. Kris-Etherton PM, Hu FB, Ros E, et al: The role of tree nuts and peanuts in the prevention of coronary heart disease: multiple potential mechanisms. J Nutr 2008;138:1746S-1751S.
16. Sabate J, Ang Y: Nuts and health outcomes: new epidemiologic evidence. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:1643S-1648S.
17. Hung HC, Joshipura KJ, Jiang R, et al: Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of major chronic disease. J Natl Cancer Inst2004;96:1577-1584.
18. Joshipura KJ, Hu FB, Manson JE, et al: The effect of fruit and vegetable intake on risk for coronary heart disease. Ann Intern Med 2001;134:1106-1114.
19. Qin Y, Xia M, Ma J, et al: Anthocyanin supplementation improves serum LDL- and HDL-cholesterol concentrations associated with the inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in dyslipidemic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;90:485-492.
20. Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, et al: Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr 2004;23:423-433.
21. Rissanen TH, Voutilainen S, Nyyssonen K, et al: Low serum lycopene concentration is associated with an excess incidence of acute coronary events and stroke: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Br J Nutr 2001;85:749-754.
22. Rissanen T, Voutilainen S, Nyyssonen K, et al: Lycopene, atherosclerosis, and coronary heart disease. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2002;227:900-907.
23. Rissanen TH, Voutilainen S, Nyyssonen K, et al: Serum lycopene concentrations and carotid atherosclerosis: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2003;77:133-138.
y6 24. Bassett CM, Rodriguez-Leyva D, Pierce GN: Experimental and clinical research findings on the cardiovascular benefits of consuming flaxseed. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2009;34:965-974.
25. Mozaffarian D, Aro A, Willett WC: Health effects of trans-fatty acids: experimental and observational evidence. Eur J Clin Nutr 2009;63 Suppl 2:S5-21.
26. Sieri S, Krogh V, Berrino F, et al: Dietary glycemic load and index and risk of coronary heart disease in a large italian cohort: the EPICOR study. Arch Intern Med 2010;170:640-647.
27. Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg EW, et al: Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults. JAMA Intern Med 2014.
28. Menotti A, Kromhout D, Blackburn H, et al: Food intake patterns and 25-year mortality from coronary heart disease: cross-cultural correlations in the Seven Countries Study. The Seven Countries Study Research Group. Eur J Epidemiol1999;15:507-515.