The Chestnut

 These delicious nuts provide many health and beauty benefits due to the abundance of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and dietary fibers, etc.

Bharat Sharma ~ GoodHealthAll.com

Chestnuts are the nuts belonging to Genus Castanea, and are closely related to the beech family or Fagaceae family.  They are scientifically known as Castanea Sativa and are available in four varieties such as European chestnuts, Chinese chestnuts, American chestnuts, and Japanese chestnuts.  These delicious nuts provide many health and beauty benefits due to the abundance of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and dietary fibers, etc.

Health Benefits of Chestnuts

Some major health benefits of chestnuts are as follows.

(1) Strengthen Bones and Teeth

Chestnut strengthens our bones and teeth due to the abundance of bone-strengthening minerals like calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, etc. 

Calcium is an essential mineral for bone health as it promotes the growth and development of the bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Potassium improves bone density by neutralizing acid load and reducing the loss of calcium from the bones.

Potassium in chestnuts is an essential mineral for bone health as it works with calcium for the formation of bones. 

Magnesium in chestnuts also plays an important role in improving bone density. 

(2) Provide Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Anti-inflammatory compounds such as vitamin C and dietary fibers in chestnut reduces pain and inflammation caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism, rheumatoid, gouts, asthma, and bronchial asthma, etc. 

(3) Improves Digestive Health

Chestnut is good for the stomach and improves our digestive health. 

Antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A, and other antioxidant compounds like phytonutrients, etc in chestnut protects our digestive system from free radical damage. This reduces the risk of various cancers like colon cancer, abdominal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and intestinal cancer, etc.

The laxative properties of dietary fibers in chestnuts improve bowel movement and provide relief from constipation and other digestive problems like abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and flatulence, etc.    A1Q

Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it reduces the risk of diverticulosis, a condition that causes inflammation in the small areas of the inner lining of the intestinal walls. 

Other nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and B vitamins, etc in chestnuts also play a significant role in improving digestive health.

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Radiation levels in New York spike as mysterious drones terrorize the Northeast

 By MATTHEW PHELAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Radiation levels have spiked in New York City, fueling conspiracy theories that the drones terrorizing the Northeast are searching for a missing nuclear warhead.

The emissions, clocked by GQ Electronics' Geiger Counter World Map, were detected near the Bronx and Upper West Side Wednesday.

The application shows a radiation reading of 1048 counts-per-minute (CPM), i.e. how many particles were detected, in the Bronx: higher than normal background radiation.

The average person is typically exposed to background radiation that measures around five to 60 CPM, though CPM varies with sensor devices, according to NASA.

And, on the the Upper West Side, the app's reading measured a still high 175 CPM. 

Now, an attorney and long-time critic of China claims that the spikes are a clue that the northeast's mystery drones might be a secret US government effort to identify 'an implanted nuclear weapon' hidden somewhere in the city by America's enemies.

'This is not something which is just wild speculation,' that lawyer and author, Gordon G. Chang, told reporters Monday.

'For more than a decade,' Chang explained, 'US officials have been worried about the North Koreans taking apart a [nuclear] device, smuggling the parts into the United States and reassembling it in the location of their choice.'

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Forest Bathing Benefits

 By Jennifer Rae Vliet ~ Just recently, a deputy sheriff showed up at our house with plans to arrest me for trespassing on a wooded path that I had been walking on for the last 15 years. True story. I merely avoided the pokie because said deputy felt I truly did not know that I had been trespassing. Aside from the creeper that took pictures of me and followed me home without me knowing that happened to report me to the police about my recent walks, I shared with family what a bummer this is for me because being in the woods has been such a place of solace and somehow has felt healing to my being. Apparently, my phone had been listening because I had multiple reels in social media within hours sharing about the healing that can take place from being in a wooded area. Fast forward to the birth of this column for Your Health Today! A lot of this I did not know and had really never thought much about...

This is about submerging oneself in nature, getting away from technology and stress as well and about taking time to soak in all of the benefits the woods happen to have for our health! God has created a thriving eco system of life within the woodlands and there are many scientific studies to show that talking to our house plants can help THEM thrive...it makes sense that spending time with foliage and earth in this manner can give to us, too. In the woods, we are exposed to cleaner air, essential oils and other compounds that boost our immune system and fight cancer!

",,,and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" - Revelations 22:2

While this scripture is symbolic as God uses the metaphor of a tree in many respects to relay His important messages and truths, it is beautiful in its own right for this forward.

So, what is "Forest Bathing"? Forest bathing, or “Shinrin-yoku” as it's called in Japan where the practice was founded, is a way of immersing your senses in nature that has proven benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing. Time in nature can boost our immune systems and creativity, settle our minds, and lower our stress levels. But how do you forest bathe? While an actual bath in the forest is not required, here’s an introduction to get started improving your connection with nature and your health.

And of course one of my favorite humans has something to say about it too. Here is Dr. Eric Berg on the topic of Forest Bathing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oukG5O3IvNE&t=48s

From Sempervirens.com: A walk in the woods gazing at trees, flowers and, if you’re lucky, wildlife, can leave you feeling restored and rejuvenated. Although we inherently feel that spending time in nature is good for us, we may not realize just how good it can be for our health. Forests not only play a major role in cleaning our air and water, but also provide beneficial changes to the minds and bodies of those who spend time among the trees.

Exposure to forests strengthens our immune system, reduces blood pressure, increases energy, boosts our mood and helps us regain and maintain our focus in ways that treeless environments just don’t.
These benefits don’t necessarily come from intense physical activities many people do in the forest such as hiking or mountain biking. Almost anyone can reap the rewards of a short sojourn to the woods. The Japanese call it "shinrin-yoku" or "forest bathing." Even 20 minutes in a forested space is enough to produce positive changes in the body.

Why is this?

The secrets lie in the plants themselves. For one reason, forests contain a higher concentration of oxygen than urban spaces do. The next and perhaps most surprising reason comes from the chemicals plants produce called phytoncides. These chemicals are natural oils that plants use to defend themselves against unwanted pests such as insects, bacteria or fungi.

Phytoncides improve the human immune system by increasing natural killer cell activity. These cells respond rapidly to virus-infected cells and tumor formation. Studies show that increased natural cell activity can last for more than 30 days after a trip to a forest, suggesting that a trip once a month would enable individuals to maintain a higher level of natural killer cell activity. Other benefits from phytoncides include an increase in anti-cancer proteins; a reduction in blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones; reduced test scores for anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion; and increased scores for vigor

So, if you live near an evergreen forest – a forest that contains trees such as pine, cedar, spruce or fir – you live near some of the best phytoncide producers around.

In closing, I want to share a link, here to find trails and wooded paths near you so you can benefit from the blessings of being drenched in God's healing creations! Protect yourself accordingly of course, know your surroundings and get informed about any potentially threatening wildlife. If anyone has any experiences or comments on the topic, please sound off below. We always welcome comments on The Plain Truth!

FDA may outlaw food dyes ‘within weeks’: Bombshell move would affect candy, soda and cakes, revolutionize American diets

 By  Brooke Kato

The Food and Drug Administration will decide on a ban of certain food dyes in the coming weeks after receiving a petition to review the safety of Red 3, NBC News reports.

“With Red 3, we have a petition in front of us to revoke the authorization board, and we’re hopeful that in the next few weeks we’ll be acting on that petition,” Jim Jones, the deputy commissioner for human foods at the FDA, said during a Senate meeting this week, per NBC.

According to the FDA, the agency has reviewed the safety of Red 3 —which is derived from petroleum and found snacks, beverages, candy and more — in food and drugs “multiple times” since it was first approved in 1969, but the petition has requested for the additive to be reviewed once more.

Red 3, found in fan-favorite sweets and other foods, could be banned in the US, NBC News reports.Africa Studio – stock.adobe.com

The FDA will decide on the fate of the food dye Red 3, an additive found in cereals, candies and more that yields a vibrant cherry red hue, in the “next few weeks.”

“With the holiday season in full swing where sweet treats are abundant, it is frightening that this chemical remains hidden in these foods that we and our children are eating,” US Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), a ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, wrote in a letter to the FDA.

“While food companies must ensure that the food they market is safe, they are also only required to ensure that their products meet FDA’s standards. This means that thousands of products that contain this chemical can remain on the market.”

He argued that there is “no reason” for the additive to be in food “except to entice and mislead customers” to make products appear “more appealing.”

Thomas Galligan, who works at the Center for Science in the Public Interest as a principal scientist for food additives and supplements, echoed a similar sentiment.

“These food dyes only serve one function in food, to make them look pretty so you and I want to buy it, it’s a marketing tool,” he told NBC.

While the FDA has stated that food dyes are safe and do not pose health risks, the dye was banned from topical drugs and cosmetics in 1990.

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US Life Expectancy Ranking Will Drop to 66th by 2050, Study Says

 More than 260 million people in the country could be overweight or obese by 2050, leading to diseases, it said.

EpochTimesHealth

The United States is set to fall in worldwide life expectancy ranking by mid-century, with widespread obesity adversely impacting people’s health, according to a recent study.

The peer-reviewed study, published in The Lancet on Dec. 7, forecasted the life expectancy for Americans between 2022 and 2050 after taking into account the impact of more than 350 diseases and injuries.

Study authors said overall life expectancy is projected to increase from 78.3 years in 2022 to 79.9 years in 2035, and to 80.4 years in 2050. The study said the increase “is forecasted to be modest compared with that in other countries around the world.”

As a result, America’s global rank in terms of life expectancy is projected to decline from 49 in 2022 to 66 in 2050 among 204 nations and territories. In addition, ranking in terms of health-adjusted life expectancy, which estimates the average number of years an individual lives in good health, is projected to fall from 80 to 108.

Despite the slight increase in life expectancy, health improvements are expected to slow down in the nation as a result of obesity issues, said Professor Christopher J.L. Murray, co-senior author of the study and director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), said a Dec. 5 statement from the institute.

Rising obesity rates are a “serious risk factor to many chronic diseases and forecasted to leap to levels never before seen,” he said. “The rise in obesity and overweight rates in the U.S., with IHME forecasting over 260 million people affected by 2050, signals a public health crisis of unimaginable scale.”

Gender-wise, life expectancy ranking of American females is forecast to drop from 51 in 2022 to 74 in 2050. For men, the ranking is expected to fall from 51 to 65.

“These lower rankings put the U.S. below nearly all high-income and some middle-income countries,” the institute said.

Researchers pointed out that the findings “highlight the alarming trajectory of health challenges in the USA, which, if left unaddressed, could lead to a reversal of the health progress made over the past three decades for some US states and a decline in global health standing for all states.”

Between 1990 and 2021, mortality rates for several leading causes of death, like stroke, cancer, and ischemic heart disease, declined nationwide, which contributed to life expectancy improving during this three-decade term.

Chronic Obesity

The study’s categorization of excess weight as a key risk factor to good health comes as the United States is facing an obesity crisis.

More than two in five American adults are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which estimates more than 100 million Americans are obese and more than 22 million have severe obesity.

Obesity rates have skyrocketed over the past decades, jumping from 30.5 percent in 1999–2000 to nearly 42 percent during 2017–2020, with rates of severe obesity almost doubling.

“Many adults with obesity have other serious chronic diseases. For example, 58 percent of U.S. adults with obesity have high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. Also, approximately 23 percent of U.S. adults with obesity have diabetes,” the agency says.

During a hearing in December 2023, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) highlighted the issue of obesity among children, pointing out the link between having excess weight and getting diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

The senator called for banning the advertising of junk food targeting children, saying that such a move could aid in reducing obesity rates among kids.

“For decades, we have allowed large corporations in the food and beverage industry to entice children to eat foods loaded with sugar, salt, and saturated fat. This situation has led to an addiction crisis, with ultra-processed foods being as addictive as alcohol and cigarettes,” he said.

In August, president-elect Donald Trump said that he plans on setting up a panel of experts to investigate the reasons behind surging childhood health issues, including obesity.

In a video from September, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, said chemicals in the soil and ultra-processed foods as contributing factors to the country’s obesity situation.

The United States’ food supply is “loaded with high fructose corn syrup and seed oils and hundreds of artificial additives and flavors and processed carbohydrates that don’t exist in nature and that are banned in other countries,” Kennedy said.

SOURCE>>>>>

What Did Your Great-Great-Great-Grandparents Eat?

 Analysis by Ashley Armstrong from Mercola.com

Story at-a-glance

• Life expectancy in the United States is currently declining, making it the only developed nation with this concerning trend. Since the 1930s, there has been a dramatic 700% increase in chronic disease development, rising from 7.5% prevalence to 60% of the population having one or more chronic conditions today
• In the 1800s, people ate three structured meals daily (breakfast, dinner, supper) without snacking or fasting, maintaining a simpler relationship with food than we have today
• Our ancestors consumed a high-carb diet rich in saturated fats, with minimal polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), as they didn’t use vegetable oils or eat many nuts and seeds
• The 1950s marked a significant shift in dietary recommendations, particularly regarding saturated fats and animal products, leading to major changes in the American diet
• To optimize your health, return to simpler food principles: cook at home, source quality ingredients within your means, stay active, and prioritize happiness over strict dietary rules

There is profound value in looking to the past, drawing from the wisdom of our ancestors to uncover how they cultivated healthy, balanced lives and sustained their communities across generations.
While their life expectancy may not have been as long, this data is skewed by low birth survival rates, which modern Medicine has drastically improved. And did you know that the U.S. actually has a decline in life expectancy in modern times?
America is the only developed nation with a *declining* healthy life expectancy and total life expectancy!1 We aren’t doing something right!


Since the food we eat every single day plays the biggest lever in improving our health, let’s investigate the diets of our ancestors.
The 1800s offer us a unique window into a different relationship with food — one where abundance was celebrated, meals were a source of joy, and the dinner table was the heart of family life. In an era before processed foods and modern food fears/orthorexic behavior, people maintained a simpler, more intuitive connection with their meals.
What I find most intriguing is how their approach to food differs from our modern perspective. While we often grapple with complex dietary rules and restrictions, our ancestors focused on nourishment, celebration, and making the most of available ingredients.
So, let’s step back in time and explore what graced our great-great-great-grandma’s dinner table for the month of November. The meals might inspire your own culinary adventures! I’ll share some photos from a few different vintage cookbooks, then discuss some of the consistent trends at the end!

Truthfully, they ate a very metabolically supportive diet. They ate a lot of food (calories), didn’t fast, ate high carb, consumed primarily saturated-rich fat sources and ate low PUFA, and they consumed B vitamin rich animal protein sources.
I am slightly fascinated by the farming and culinary traditions of our ancestors, so I hope you enjoy these vintage meal plans as much as I do! So, first, let’s check out meals from “What shall we eat?” published in 1868. Meals our great-great-great-grandparents could have consumed.

I am slightly fascinated by the farming and culinary traditions of our ancestors, so I hope you enjoy these vintage meal plans as much as I do! So, first, let’s check out meals from “What shall we eat?” published in 1868. Meals our great-great-great-grandparents could have consumed.

Next, let’s check out a meal plan from “What shall we have to eat?” published in 1893. Meals our great-great-great-grandparents, or great-great-grandparents might have consumed.

Isn’t it eye-opening to take a look at 1800s meal plans? No crazy diet rules, no food fear, and plenty of calories. While we don’t need to go this extreme with food prep, it’s a reminder to ditch the diet stress. Notable trends:

Ate 3 meals/day, no intentional fasting, but also did not frequently graze/snack (instead of “breakfast, lunch, dinner” they called the meals “breakfast, dinner, supper”)	No dietary extremes
Did not fear carbs (ate high carb)	Consumed mostly saturated fats, and ate relatively lower polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) (no vegetable oils, and didn’t eat much nuts and seeds)
Consumed food that is demonized across a variety of diet camps: meat, dairy, flour, sugar, fruit, potatoes, and grains	No processed food/food in a package

One of the biggest changes has been the TYPES of fat consumed.

The saturated fat, animal product and cholesterol fear-mongering propaganda starting in the 1950s led to a huge shift in our dietary fat. Since the 1930s, there has been a 700% increase in chronic disease development. In the 1930s, the chronic disease prevalence was 7.5%.2 Today, 60% of the population has one or more chronic disease.3,4

I’m not sharing these meal plans to suggest that you should eat exactly as they did. Instead, my goal is to help you reduce food fear and stress as you navigate the overwhelming and often confusing health space. The last thing any of us need is more stress in our lives!

Gaining perspective from the diets of our great-great-great-grandparents can be both liberating and grounding. In today’s world, where so many foods are scrutinized, this perspective can help alleviate unnecessary fear around eating.

Letting go of food fears can significantly enhance your well-being. Feel empowered to explore traditional food preparations and discover what nourishes your body best, rather than letting someone else’s anxieties dictate your choices. And to address the elephant in the room — yes, they did not have to deal with the crappy food system we all face today. OF COURSE food sourcing is important!

Our modern food system is undeniably complex and imperfect, and it does contribute to various health issues. But better options do exist, such as organic sugar or non-GMO, organic flour. Embrace the idea that there’s always a step forward you can take.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed, consider focusing on just one area of your sourcing to improve for the rest of the year — whether it’s meat, dairy, eggs, produce, or grains. Small, sustainable changes help avoid overwhelm and empower you to make a difference. Do the best you can and avoid what you personally can’t tolerate.

But instead of stressing about eating “good” and avoiding “bad” foods on a list made from some random health influencer (which will differ depending on who you follow) … Keep it simple: cook at home, source as high of quality ingredients that you can, stay active, and prioritize happiness.

More than 113 million people are drinking tap water that contains a newly identified chemical—and nobody knows if it’s toxic or not

 Do you know what’s in your drinking water? Scientists finally do, after solving a 40-year mystery about a chemical byproduct that kept showing up in tap water, which had them baffled.  

The new chemical compound—observed in tap water by scientists for decades—had remained unidentified, due to difficulties separating it from the high-salinity (saltier) water it was found in.

BY Beth Greenfield

But dogged researchers found a way, and now, according to a Nov. 21 research article published in the journal Science, there is a name for the compound: chloronitramide. 

That’s a byproduct of naturally occurring chemicals and chloramine—a disinfectant formed when ammonia is added to chlorine, added to drinking water since the 1930s to help stop the presence of harmful organisms, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In the U.S. alone, notes the article, chloraminated water systems serve more than 113 million people.

But is it toxic? That part, unfortunately, remains a mystery.

“Although toxicity is not currently known, the prevalence of this by-product and its similarity to other toxic molecules is concerning,” writes editor Michael A. Funk in the article’s summary. 

The chloronitramide was detected in 40 drinking water samples from 10 U.S. drinking water systems using chloramines, according to the article. In some cases, researchers found it at levels higher than the EPA limit on most disinfection byproducts. It was not detected in ultrapure water or drinking water not treated with chlorine-based disinfectants—in Switzerland, for example, where ozone is used for disinfection. 

A bit of good news is that the authors identified a way for consumers to remove the chemical byproduct from water: activated carbon. “It’s been shown to be removed by activated carbon in the literature,” study co-author and EPA researcher David Wahman said in a press conference about the findings on Thursday. “There probably needs to be a little bit more work done to figure out what it’s being broken down into…But I think a Brita filter, or…any kind of carbon based filter that you’d have in your refrigerator would probably remove it.”

The news about chloronitramide comes on the heels of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., president elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department, raising concerns about fluoride in drinking water. He has said that Trump will rid tap water of the chemical ion—which has been added to water on a widespread basis since 1962 to prevent tooth decay—on his first day in office, citing a range of health risks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that fluoridated drinking water is safe. 

Regarding the chloramines, water expert David Sedlak, Plato Malozemoff Professor of Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley, told CNN, “The challenge is, we don’t really know about the health impacts, because unlike the free chlorine disinfection byproducts, there just hasn’t been as much toxicology done on these compounds.” And because local water systems cannot afford to investigate these byproducts, it will be up to the federal government, Sedlak said.

“It’s the kind of thing that, when government is functioning well, it does a good job protecting us by looking at these things. But I don’t think the EPA or CDC or NIH has the funding needed to answer these questions,” he said.

Susan D. Richardson, an expert in drinking water disinfection by-products at the University of South Carolina, told Chemical & Engineering News that the findings were groundbreaking. “It will be important to quantify this new disinfection byproduct in drinking water distribution systems to determine whether it increases or decomposes over time before it reaches consumers’ taps,” she said, adding that she suspects the chloronitramide is toxic but that the idea that activated carbon would remove it is “great.” 

Meanwhile, University of Southern California environmental engineering professor Daniel McCurry said in a Science journal commentary that the identification of chloronitramide, regardless of whether it’s found to be toxic or not, “warrants a moment of reflection for water researchers and engineers.”

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The Plain Truth About Corruption in Food and Health - YOUR HEALTH TODAY

 Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PLAIN TRUTH TODAY MIDDAY BROADCAST: The Plain Truth About Corruption in Food and Health - YOUR HEALTH TODAY

Your Health Today with Bob Barney: RFK Jr and the FDA….

    This is a very special featured publishing from The Plain Truth Today. Don't miss this broadcast by Bob Barney, himself, on how RFK Jr., can and will impact the lives of Americans should he be appointed by President Trump.

 …Do you realize right now that if you are in the 40- to 70-year-old generation, maybe even the 30- to 70-year-old range, that right now you are not going to live as long as your parents most likely. Yes, that is the plain truth and the reason for this is that our health is actually declining, it’s declining because of the foods and the chemicals that are in our life.” – Bob Barney

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BOB BARNEY’S 7:11 BROADCAST: YOUR HEALTH TODAY – RFK Jr and the FDA

TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE

Breastfeeding rates of newborns in England rises above 50% - but we still lag behind world, figures show

 By SHAUN WOOLLER HEALTH EDITOR

Breastfeeding rates for young babies have reached a record high with over half of new mothers continuing to nurse at six to eight weeks, figures show.

Some 52.7 per cent were still breastfeeding their infant at this stage in 2023/24 - the highest since comparable records began in 2015/16.

This is up from 49.2 per cent in 2022/23 and 48.0 per cent in 2019, according to the government’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

But England fares worse than other nations, with 71 per cent of children globally still being breastfed at one year old.

Health officials say breastfeeding provides the ‘best possible nutritional start in life for a baby’, protecting them from infection and offering important health benefits for the mother.

The government’s advice is that infants should be exclusively breastfed, receiving only breastmilk for the first 6 months of life (file image)

Breastfed children perform better on intelligence tests and are less likely to be overweight or obese later in life.

Women who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes.

The government’s advice is that infants should be exclusively breastfed, receiving only breastmilk for the first 6 months of life.

Following this, other drinks and foodstuffs can be introduced.

However, many women struggle to start or continue breastfeeding and others give up earlier than they would like because of a lack of appropriate facilities at work.

Of the 72 local authorities with valid data for 2023/24 and 2022/23, 46 significantly increased their breastfeeding rates, 26 were stable and none significantly decreased over this period.

However, there is wide variation across England, ranging from 27.6 per cent in Halton to 81.2 per cent in Hertfordshire.

Mothers living in affluent areas remain more likely to breastfeed than mothers living in more deprived areas.

But the gap between the most and least deprived areas has decreased from 15.8 per centre points to 10.7 percentage points over the past year.

Most deprivation groups have seen an increase year on year apart from the most affluent areas, which have seen a marginal decrease.

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The documentary "Industry Scandal: The Loss of Nutrients" exposes how modern farming practices and seed hybridization have dramatically reduced the nutritional content of our fruits and vegetables over the past 60 years.

The evidence is clear: the food on our plates today is a shadow of what our grandparents ate. Not only has flavor been sacrificed on the altar of productivity and shelf-life, but critical vitamins and minerals have plummeted as well. This nutrient collapse has profound implications for public health that we're only beginning to understand.

The Ghost of Vegetables Past

The filmmakers begin their investigation at an unlikely location — the French Academy of Agriculture. Hidden away in this venerable institution, they discover a food composition table from 60 years ago detailing the exact nutrient content of fruits and vegetables at that time. Armed with this historical data, they set out to compare it to modern nutrient levels. The results are striking:¹

"We discovered a little-known fact: fruit and vegetables have lost some of their vitamins and minerals. Take green beans for example: in 1960 they contained 65 milligrams (mg) of calcium for every 100 grams. In 2017 they contain no more than 48.5 milligrams. That's a quarter less calcium. The same thing for vitamin C — 19 mg at the time versus 13.6 mg."

This wasn't an isolated case. Examining data for the 70 most consumed fruits and vegetables revealed an alarming trend. According to the film, which is also known as "Seeds of Profit":²

"The results show a dramatic deterioration in the space of 60 years. All 70 fruit and vegetables have lost an average of 16% of their calcium, 27% of their vitamin C, and almost less than half of their iron levels."

These findings align with research conducted in the U.S. and U.K. American biochemist Donald Davis analyzed nutrient changes in 43 vegetables between 1950 and 1999, reaching similar conclusions.³ Davis’ study found statistically significant declines in six nutrients: protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and vitamin C.

The median declines ranged from 6% for protein to 38% for riboflavin (vitamin B2), and the researchers suggest that these declines are most likely explained by changes in cultivated varieties between 1950 and 1999. Specifically, they said there may be "trade-offs between crop yield and nutrient content" in the newer varieties.

The Culprit: Agricultural ‘Progress’

What's behind this nutrient collapse? The documentary points to several factors, all stemming from the industrialization of agriculture:

•Hybridization for higher yields — Over the past 50 years, seed companies have focused on developing hybrid varieties that maximize yield and visual appeal. As Davis explains, "I think that most of these declines are caused by increases in yield. When yields go up, there's less nutrients per weight of the food. A lot of agricultural scientists may not know about how big these effects are. This is kind of embarrassing. They're always wanting to increase yield."⁴

This focus on quantity over quality has come at a steep nutritional cost. The tomato, for instance, has seen some of the largest nutrient declines — losing a quarter of its calcium and more than half of its vitamins.

•The quest for eternal shelf life — Perhaps the most egregious example of sacrificing nutrition for commercial gain is the development of the "long shelf life" tomato. In the 1970s and 1980s, Israeli researchers created a hybrid tomato that decays much more slowly after being picked.

While this innovation reduced waste and revolutionized the global tomato market, it came with serious downsides. As Haim Rabinowitch, professor emeritus at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, one of the developers, admits:⁵

"The genes for ripening inhibition carry with them some negative traits. For instance, flavor deteriorates and we [have] less nutrients. But I didn't know because we never measured it. Only later in the '90s and the early 2000s, we started looking into the quality traits. I offered a project like that to many seed companies. I even gave it a name. I called it ‘ACE’ tomato.

Why ACE? Vitamins A, C and E, and I said it will be much healthier tomato. We don't have it in supermarkets, this variety. The industries, they don't care."

The Nutrient Gap: Heirloom vs Hybrid

In a revealing experiment, the filmmakers compared a modern hybrid tomato to an heirloom variety. The results were stark:

• After one week, the heirloom tomato showed signs of decay and was no longer fit for sale. The hybrid looked unchanged.
• After two weeks, the heirloom was moldy. The hybrid still appeared fresh.
• It took 25 days for the hybrid to become unsellable — extending shelf life from three days to over three weeks.

But this longevity comes at a steep price. When tasted, the hybrid was described as "tasteless" compared to the flavorful heirloom. To quantify the nutrient differences, the documentary team had both tomatoes analyzed in an accredited laboratory. The results were eye-opening:⁶

"The hybrid tomato contains a significantly lower level of the five nutrients analyzed. It contains 63% less calcium, 29% less magnesium, and 72% less vitamin C. The levels of lycopene and polyphenols, two antioxidants that help fight cardiovascular diseases, are two times lower in the hybrid than in the farmer's variety tomato."

This data provides clear evidence that the push for longer shelf life and higher yields has dramatically reduced the nutritional value of our produce.

The Global Seed Oligopoly

As the documentary reveals, the push for hybrid seeds is being driven by a handful of multinational corporations that dominate the global seed market. Just four companies — Bayer (formerly Monsanto), Corteva (formerly DuPont), Syngenta and Limagrain — control two-thirds of all seeds sold worldwide.^7,8 This concentration of power has serious implications:

1.Loss of biodiversity — As uniform hybrid varieties replace traditional seeds, we're losing genetic diversity at an alarming rate. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reports that 75% of global agrobiodiversity has been lost due to the adoption of "improved" varieties.⁹

2.Farmer dependence — Hybrid seeds don't reproduce true-to-type, forcing farmers to buy new seeds each year. This creates a cycle of dependence on seed companies.

3.Skyrocketing seed prices — The documentary reveals that some tomato seed varieties now sell for up to $450,000 per kilogram — more than double the price of gold.¹⁰

4.Exploitative labor practices — To keep costs down, seed production is often outsourced to developing countries where child labor and below-minimum wage payments are common.

The Dark Side of Seed Production

The widespread use of child labor in hybrid seed production is featured in the documentary. In India's Karnataka state, a major hub for vegetable seed production, researchers found that 10% of workers in seed fields are children under 14 — despite laws prohibiting child labor.¹¹ Why are children employed? As Davuluri Venkateswarlu, author of "Soiled Seeds," a report on the issue, explains:¹²

"The hybridization activity is very, very delicate. It requires a lot of skills. The children are preferred because they can do these repetitive activities very faster than adults, and also they are more obedient. Two children can do the work of three adults. That is the kind of calculation farmers have."

Even adult workers face exploitation. Women working in tomato seed fields earn just $2.80 per day — 40% below India's legal minimum wage. Yet these seeds will sell for tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram in Europe and North America.

This exploitation persists because multinational seed companies turn a blind eye to the practices of their local subcontractors. When confronted, they hide behind vague statements about "promoting decent working conditions" without taking concrete action.

The Health Implications

The health implications of this nutrient collapse in our food supply are immense. While the full impact is still being studied, we can draw some alarming conclusions:

1.Increased risk of nutrient deficiencies — As fruits and vegetables contain fewer vitamins and minerals, it becomes harder to meet your nutritional needs through diet alone. This may contribute to the rise in deficiencies we're seeing, particularly in minerals like magnesium and trace elements.

2.Reduced antioxidant intake — The dramatic drop in vitamin C, lycopene and polyphenols means we're getting far fewer protective antioxidants from our produce. This could increase vulnerability to oxidative stress and related chronic diseases.

3.Link to rising chronic disease — While many factors contribute to the increase in chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, the depletion of protective nutrients in our food supply plays a role.

4.Hidden hunger — Even people eating what appears to be a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables are getting far fewer nutrients than they realize. This "hidden hunger" has wide-ranging health effects.

5.Increased reliance on supplements — As food becomes less nutritious, more people will turn to dietary supplements to meet their nutritional needs. While supplements have their place, they're not a perfect replacement for nutrients obtained from whole foods.

The Path Forward: Reclaiming Our Food

The situation seems dire, but there are rays of hope. Around the world, farmers, researchers and citizens are working to preserve agricultural biodiversity and promote more nutritious food production. Here are some key initiatives:

•Seed banks and exchanges — Organizations like Kokopelli in France are working to preserve heirloom and traditional seed varieties. Their "Seeds Without Borders" program distributes these seeds to farmers and gardeners worldwide, helping to maintain genetic diversity.

As noted in the documentary, "By conserving these endangered seeds, we are taking back the choice to plant or eat non-standardized fruit and vegetables which are the best produce for both our planet and our health."¹³ Supporting these seed preservation efforts is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and giving farmers alternatives to hybrid seeds.

•Regenerative agriculture — Farming practices that focus on building healthy soils increase the nutrient content of crops. By moving away from chemical-intensive methods and embracing techniques like cover cropping, composting and diverse crop rotations, we can produce more nutritious food while improving environmental health.

•Consumer awareness and demand — As consumers become more aware of the nutrient issue, they can drive change through their purchasing decisions. Choosing heirloom varieties, supporting local farmers using diverse seed stocks and demanding more transparent labeling all make a difference.

•Policy changes — At a broader level, we need policies that incentivize farming practices that enhance soil health and nutrient uptake, protect farmers' rights to save and exchange seeds, and enforce fair labor practices in seed production globally.

How to Protect Your Nutrient Intake and Support a More Nutritious Food System

The loss of nutrients in our food supply is a silent crisis that demands urgent attention. By understanding the problem and taking action — both in our personal choices and by advocating for systemic change — we can work toward a future where our food nourishes us as nature intended.

The path to truly healthy food isn't through further industrialization or genetic modification. Instead, we must look to the wisdom of traditional farming methods, embrace biodiversity and prioritize nutrient density. Our health, and the health of future generations, depends on it. To protect your health and support a more nutritious food system, consider:

Choosing heirloom and open-pollinated varieties when possible — These often have higher nutrient levels and better flavor than hybrid varieties.	Supporting local farmers and farmers markets — Small-scale producers are more likely to grow diverse, nutrient-dense crops.
Grow your own — Even a small garden or a few containers provide incredibly nutritious produce.	Opt for organic — While not a guarantee of higher nutrients, organic produce is less likely to contain harmful pesticide residues.
Eat a diverse diet — Don't rely on just a few fruits and vegetables — incorporate a wide variety to ensure you're getting a broad spectrum of nutrients.	Consider targeted supplementation — While whole foods should be the foundation of your diet, high-quality supplements can help fill nutrient gaps.
Support organizations working to preserve seed diversity and promote sustainable agriculture.	Stay informed and spread awareness — Share this information with friends and family to help drive change.

'He woke up': Thousands fleeing organ-donation programs after man prepped while ALIVE!

 Doctors stopped harvesting process when he 'thrashed' about

By Bob Unruh

The horrific situation happened a few years ago, but the tale about a man who was being prepped for organ donation while alive has gotten much attention lately because of an investigation into the situation.

And it's caused many people to drop out of the organ donation plans to which they had subscribed.

It was legacy wire service reports at the AP that warned of a "spike" in people revoking organ donor plans.

It's because, the report said, their confidence was "shaken by reports that organs were nearly retrieved from a Kentucky man mistakenly declared dead."

The report noted that it happened in 2021 and the man remains alive today. It was exposed during a recent congressional hearing on the topic.

"The federal agency that regulates the U.S. transplant system is investigating, and the Kentucky attorney general's office said it is 'reviewing the facts to identify an appropriate response,'" the report said.

It is at PJMedia where there is an explanation of why people are running scared from the idea.

That report identified the man as Anthony Hoover, 33, who "woke up in a Kentucky hospital with medical personnel shaving his chest, bathing his body, and talking about harvesting his organs."

READ MORE>>>>

Jury: Bay Area Transit Workers Fired for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine to Get More Than $1 Million Each

 At issue is a vaccine mandate for BART workers in San Francisco that was imposed in 2021.

A woman closes her eyes while receiving a COVID-19 vaccine at Sydney Road Family Medical Practice in the Balgowlah suburb of Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 10, 2022. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Rail transit officials in California’s Bay Area have been ordered to pay more than $7 million to transit workers who were fired because they refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine years ago.

On Oct. 23, a federal jury in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California sided with six former San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) workers who had refused to get the vaccine for religious purposes.

BART was ordered to pay the group more than $7.8 million, with each individual receiving between $1.2 million and $1.5 million, the Pacific Justice Institute, which represented the transit workers in the trial, said in a statement on Oct. 24. The institute, a law firm representing the six former employees since 2022, said the eight-person jury deliberated for two days this week before returning the verdict that awarded the employees the compensation.

About a week ago, the federal jury also determined that BART had failed to prove that it suffered an undue hardship by denying accommodations to the ex-employees in the case.

On Oct. 23, the jury further found that the six employees met the burden of showing that there was a conflict between their religious beliefs and the BART vaccine mandate, which was implemented in 2021.

According to the law firm, the jury also agreed with the figures that the plaintiffs had provided for lost wages that they had suffered after losing their jobs. The jury then added $1 million each to those figures, the firm said, describing the verdict as a “legal earthquake.”

”After nearly three years of struggle, these essential workers feel they were heard and understood by the jury and are overjoyed and relieved by the verdict.”

The law firm stated: “During the trial, jurors heard compelling testimony from dedicated employees. One of the plaintiffs had worked for more than 30 years for BART, with a stretch of 10 years perfect attendance, before being unceremoniously dismissed. Another had been out on workers comp for months, with no scheduled return date, when she was fired.”

Lawyers for BART argued that multiple employees who had conflicts with receiving the vaccine had secular—rather than religious—reasons. But the jury disagreed with those arguments, the Pacific Justice Institute said.

The vaccine mandate was approved by BART’s board of directors in October 2021 and stipulated that all employees must get the COVID-19 vaccine. It allowed some employees to be exempt from the vaccine, including for religious reasons.

A year later, BART employees filed a class-action lawsuit accusing the operator of denying religious accommodations in violation of state law.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who presided over the lawsuit against BART, ruled that the operator’s policies did not violate the employees’ right to religious freedom, according to an order he issued in March.

A separate order issued by Alsup in January found that BART received 188 requests for a religious exemption and accommodation, and of that figure, 40 chose not to complete the process. They were either terminated from employment or ultimately got the vaccine.

“Plaintiffs’ putative class fails because its members have little in common beyond their request for religious accommodation,” the judge further said in his order. “They do not share a common religious objection. They do not share a vocation or a set of contractual rights. They do not present a similar set of potential accommodations and associated burdens. They do not present similar health and exposure concerns.

“Potential accommodations do not impact the same pool of coworkers. Those coworkers do not have the same bargained-for rights.”

The Epoch Times contacted BART for comment on Oct. 25 but received no reply by publication time. The rail operator’s spokesman, James Allison, told local news outlet SFGate that it had “no comment” on the verdict.