Thursday, January 19, 2012
A Cow's Best Friend
CUD from Joe York on Vimeo.
The other side of last week's video post. This man is my (and his cows') hero :)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Meet Your Meat
Alec Baldwin narrates this important look into the meat industry, encouraging you to "meet" the meat you have been consuming all of these years. I have posted this before, and each time feel the need to apologize for the graphic nature of the video; however, I realize now that the only thing to apologize for is the years I spent eating this food without any regards to how it got to my plate, and the support that I inadvertently gave to those who allowed these cruel and disturbing practices to take place in order to get it there. I hope you will watch this with an open heart, an open mind, and with the understanding that it was made with the intention of highlighting the truths that the meat and dairy industries have worked so hard to conceal all of these years. Remember, what you dont know can hurt you, our planet, and its creatures.
In posting this video, it is my intention not to suggest that everyone immediately become vegetarian or vegan, but to shed light on the importance of making food choices that are in alignment with your own beliefs and intentions.
For information on how to find humanely raised sources of meat and dairy, here are some links to try:
http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/index.php?page=consumersmainpage
http://www.americangrassfed.org/aga-producer-members/
http://www.certifiedhumane.org/about/
http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?id=Home
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
In posting this video, it is my intention not to suggest that everyone immediately become vegetarian or vegan, but to shed light on the importance of making food choices that are in alignment with your own beliefs and intentions.
For information on how to find humanely raised sources of meat and dairy, here are some links to try:
http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/index.php?page=consumersmainpage
http://www.americangrassfed.org/aga-producer-members/
http://www.certifiedhumane.org/about/
http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?id=Home
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Get a Flu Shot, Increase Your Risk of Cancer?
The title of this post may seem alarming and dramatic, though unfortunately not exactly untrue according to a recent study* by some of the world's top virology researchers. To preface, the authors are NOT anti-vaccine (though I hate to use that unforgiving, overused term), and in fact have spent the majority of their research careers aiming towards the formation of new and improved vaccines, quite contrarily.
The study set out with the aim of examining the immune systems of a small sample of children in order to compare the effects of vaccination (and/or lack thereof) on the immune system of healthy children and those previously diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).
The Scientific Findings and Rationale:
Authors found that children in both groups who were vaccinated against the flu had the same CD4 cell (see below for explanation of these terms) response as those who were unvaccinated, suggesting that this response was in fact initiated, though suggesting that a vaccine may not have been necessary to elicit this response. However, appropriate CD8 cell (otherwise known as "killer T cells") response which was present in unvaccinated children, even as they got older, was not present in the vaccinated children.
The Simple Explanation:
CD4 cells are "helper" cells, meaning that though they cannot kill infected cells themselves they help to mediate the immune response to such cells with various mechanisms. CD8 cells, aka "killer T cells, are responsible for destroying cells that are infected with viruses or are malfunctioning in some similar way (such as tumor and cancer cells).
The Bottom Line:
This study suggests that while flu vaccines in childhood may help to prevent whatever flu strains happen to be in any particular vaccine (typically only 1-3 out of dozens of known strains) for the year they are administered, they seem to actually leave a child more vulnerable to other disease in the immediate and distant future. Given the observed absence of the CD8 cytotoxic T cell response seen in children who were vaccinated, these children theoretically would be at higher risk for any infection or illness which thrives on malfunction within these killer T cells. Theoretically this includes other strains of flu, Hepatitis B, and even Cancer.
While the authors in no way seemed to set out to conclude this hypothesis, nor did they specifically mention cancer (only indirectly, via proposing the vaccine-induced malfunctions in the mechanism by which cancer manifests itself), they respectfully published their data in a seemingly honest and direct fashion, leaving room and emphasizing the need for future follow up research to further explore the surprising, albeit concerning, results. While the study is preliminary, it may be an important factor to consider in the difficult decision of whether or not to vaccinate your child against influenza, among numerous others.
* Bodewes R, Fraaij PL, Geelhoed-Mieras MM, van Baalen CA, Tiddens HA, van Rossum AM, van der Klis FR, Fouchier RA, Osterhaus AD, Rimmelzwaan GF. Annual Vaccination against Influenza Virus Hampers Development of Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Immunity in Children. J Virol. 2011 November 85(22):11995-2000. Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
The study set out with the aim of examining the immune systems of a small sample of children in order to compare the effects of vaccination (and/or lack thereof) on the immune system of healthy children and those previously diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).
The Scientific Findings and Rationale:
Authors found that children in both groups who were vaccinated against the flu had the same CD4 cell (see below for explanation of these terms) response as those who were unvaccinated, suggesting that this response was in fact initiated, though suggesting that a vaccine may not have been necessary to elicit this response. However, appropriate CD8 cell (otherwise known as "killer T cells") response which was present in unvaccinated children, even as they got older, was not present in the vaccinated children.
 |
| CD8 killer T cell |
The Simple Explanation:
CD4 cells are "helper" cells, meaning that though they cannot kill infected cells themselves they help to mediate the immune response to such cells with various mechanisms. CD8 cells, aka "killer T cells, are responsible for destroying cells that are infected with viruses or are malfunctioning in some similar way (such as tumor and cancer cells).
The Bottom Line:
This study suggests that while flu vaccines in childhood may help to prevent whatever flu strains happen to be in any particular vaccine (typically only 1-3 out of dozens of known strains) for the year they are administered, they seem to actually leave a child more vulnerable to other disease in the immediate and distant future. Given the observed absence of the CD8 cytotoxic T cell response seen in children who were vaccinated, these children theoretically would be at higher risk for any infection or illness which thrives on malfunction within these killer T cells. Theoretically this includes other strains of flu, Hepatitis B, and even Cancer.
While the authors in no way seemed to set out to conclude this hypothesis, nor did they specifically mention cancer (only indirectly, via proposing the vaccine-induced malfunctions in the mechanism by which cancer manifests itself), they respectfully published their data in a seemingly honest and direct fashion, leaving room and emphasizing the need for future follow up research to further explore the surprising, albeit concerning, results. While the study is preliminary, it may be an important factor to consider in the difficult decision of whether or not to vaccinate your child against influenza, among numerous others.
* Bodewes R, Fraaij PL, Geelhoed-Mieras MM, van Baalen CA, Tiddens HA, van Rossum AM, van der Klis FR, Fouchier RA, Osterhaus AD, Rimmelzwaan GF. Annual Vaccination against Influenza Virus Hampers Development of Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Immunity in Children. J Virol. 2011 November 85(22):11995-2000. Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Greater Good
A documentary which looks at both "sides" of the vaccine debate, including the state of the science of vaccine safety and policy in our country. It is definitely worth the time, and is only available for free here until November 4th. Comments encouraged and welcomed...
Thursday, March 17, 2011
We're back!
Sound Mindfulness has returned from hiatus! And now for an important message from our sponsor... reality.
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Harlem Children's Zone Needs Our Support!
Post taken from The Harlem Children's Zone
What is The Harlem Children's Zone?
An innovative and unique community-based organization, offering
education, social-service and community-building programs to children and families since 1970.
This summer over 340 communities nationwide applied for Promise Neighborhoods grants from the US Department of Education. Their goal is simple - they want to break the cycle of poverty for their
children and families by creating comprehensive initiatives based on the Harlem Children's Zone model.
President Obama proposed $210 million in his fiscal year 2011 budget for Promise Neighborhoods so communities can transform their visions into reality for poor children nationwide. But the House of Representatives recently slashed the proposed Promise Neighborhoods budget from $210 million to $60 million. Quite simply this means that for thousands of children, the failing schools, dangerous streets,
poor health care and other ills may not be addressed in the holistic way that the communities need.
We ask you to let your Senate and Representatives know that you want Promise Neighborhoods funding restored to $210 million for fiscal year 2011 in two ways:
1) Send a message to Congressional Leaders
2) If your organization is interested in signing onto a letter calling
to restore the funding, (view letter) contact HCZ's Policy Director
Kate Shoemaker at kshoemaker@hcz.org to add your organization.
Thank you!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Pesticides and ADHD
A new study, receiving ubiquitous media attention recently, has shown a possible link between certain types of pesticides and a diagnosis of ADHD. The study was published in Pediatrics and conducted by University of Montreal and Harvard Universtiy researchers. The urine concentration of certan byproducts of organophosphates, a type of pesticide which accounts for over half of the pesticides used in this country, was tested in over 1100 children. Researchers found that for every ten-fold increase in urine concentration of organophosphates, children were 35% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Perhaps an even more worrisome finding was that children who had even the lowest levels of organophosphates in their urine were twice as likely to have ADHD than those whose urine showed no previous exposure. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved 32 classes of organophosphate pesticides in 2006, despite the numerous requests from its own scientists not to do so. One particularly disturbing letter, written by the EPA union presidents, can be found here.
The findings of this recent study are significant, but it is near impossible to show that pesticides were, without a doubt, the cause of the ADHD. However, the connection shown here as well as several other studies may be reason enough to make a conscious effort to lower the amount of pesticides you and your family are exposed to daily. Here are some ways to minimize dietary pesticide exposure:
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