Chemical Free Food

THE AGRICULTURE / FOOD/ HEALTH CONNECTION

A bold initiative to overhaul the farming sector and deliver tangible long term benefits to public health, the environment, and the national interest.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Human Health (or lack of it) is determined by:-
• Nutrition & Food Quality – accessibility of daily requirements in available foods.
• Environmental Pollutants & Toxins – exposure to / absorption of destructive inputs.
• Virtually all disease is caused by deficiencies or excesses of the above.
• The increasing reliance on pharmaceutical solutions to nutritional problems indicate a disconnect between the underlying problem and the currently pre-eminent solution.
• There is overwhelming evidence that a wide range of medical conditions are due to mineral deficiencies, and can be addressed cheaply and easily with mineral supplementation, rather than with expensive prescription medications.
• The longer term solution required, however, is to revitalize the agricultural practices in order that produce contains all the nutritional minerals required.  This effectively addresses the primary cause of deficiencies and bolsters the underlying health of the nation.
• Food Quality (and therefore human nutrition) is determined by Agriculture.
• At present, ~ 99% of all commercial food production globally is derived from Chemical Agriculture (using Fertilisers, Pesticides & Fungicides).
• Crops take out 70+ minerals from the soil to sustain healthy growth.
• Intensive cropping techniques used in commercial agriculture remove the majority of minerals from the soil within 5 – 10 years, with only 3 minerals being replaced by commercial fertilizers (NPK - Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium).
• Crops produced with NPK are:-
• unhealthy plants grown in unhealthy soils
• therefore, highly susceptible to pest and fungal infestations,
• therefore, also characterized by pesticide and fungicide residues
• Farm economics is presently driven by yield (size and weight) and certain visual attributes, irrespective of the nutritional content of the produce, providing no incentive to change.
• Agriculture, Food Quality and Health can all be positively transformed by adopting Mineral Agriculture practices in place of Chemical Agriculture.
• Organic Agriculture goes part of the way, by eliminating use of pesticides and herbicides and by providing compost rich soil, but fails to address the underlying mineral deficiencies.
• Mineral Agriculture requires 70+ minerals being maintained in the soil to support healthy plants and consistently deliver healthy produce. The presence of the minerals eliminates the need for fungicides and pesticides.
• Mineralized produce tastes better, lasts longer, and provides nutritionally superior food.

NATIONAL BENEFITS

The adoption of mineral agriculture nationally will result in sustainable benefits:-

1. Decreased Health Care Costs
   All sectors of the national Health Care budget will be decreased.
   Current Health Budget $35 billion* -
               Conservatively 20% reduction worth $7 billion

2. Improved Land Productivity
   There are direct benefits (financial, social, environmental and political) for a rural based economy such as Australia, to invest in reversing land degradation (and reclaiming land which is no longer viable), and restoring it to productivity levels beyond living memory.
   Current Agricultural Revenue $ 33 billion** –
               Conservatively increased by 20% - worth $6.6 billion

3. Increased Export Earnings
   Premium quality produce (which could become the norm for Australians) will achieve premium prices in export markets because of improved taste, reduced wastage / longer shelf life / superior food value.
   Current Agricultural Export Revenue $12 billion**
               Conservatively increased by 20% - worth $2.4 billion

4. Increased Well-Being
   The intangible value of well-being and vitality includes increased labour productivity, reduced sick-leave, improved mental health, reduced minor medical conditions which reduce the quality of life, reduced incidence of childhood behavioural disorders, and an improved national outlook.
   

Government leadership and proactive initiatives which improve outcomes in national health, agriculture, export earnings, education, land care and the environment will provide solid political capital within the electorate.

Note;- The combined $ value of tax income derived from multinational pharmaceutical and chemical companies is miniscule by comparison to the opportunity cost of improved health, nationally in Australia.

*  ** Sources ;- Australian Government Budget Document and Australian Bureau of Statistics respectively.

MINERAL AGRICULTURE

Mineral Agriculture involves the application of a balanced dosage of natural minerals (not chemically derived substances) to restore soils to their “pre-degraded” state for the purpose of growing healthier crops. The principle of Mineral Agriculture was established and documented in the 1930s (Ref. 1936 US Senate Doc # 264 - Building Health from the Ground Up) – to build healthy soils, to build health crops, to build healthy people.

The mechanism which improves soil, crop and human health is driven by improved vitality and biodynamics (micro-organism content) of the soil. This occurs via:

• the presence of minerals, and
• the absence of harmful substances, such as chemical pesticides and fungicides. 

Soil analysis clearly demonstrates the decreased numbers of microorganisms in soils that are chemically treated, when compared to untreated soils, and conversely, the abundance of biodynamic activity in soils cultivated with 70+ minerals.

Mineral Agriculture applies to and benefits ALL FOOD produced on land via a living system, either plant or animal. This includes Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Cheese, Milk, Eggs, Grains, etc.  Although results can be achieved in animal production by addition of mineral supplements into feed, they are ideally driven by mineralization of the soil to produce a sustainable mineral rich feed source.

BENEFITS OF MINERAL AGRICULTURE

1. Healthier Soils:- Mineral cultivated soils are literally “teeming with life”. All evaluation criteria (microscopic to macroscopic) confirms this. Yields from Mineral cultivated soils increase dramatically. Decreased Soil Disease translates directly to higher productivity and vibrant plant health.
2. Healthier Food:- Food produced from Mineral Agriculture;-
1. Tastes better, this is supported by higher Brixt readings, - a quantifiable parameter that is a reliable indicator of quality, including flavour.
2. Lasts better, - extends “self-life” without refrigeration and reduces spoilage.
3. Converts better - has higher levels of minerals and other natural enzymes in a form that are easily digested by the body to promote health.
3. Healthier Profits:- (1) Increased “immune competence” in mineral agriculture means no pesticides or fungicides are required. (2) Providing the complete mineral fertilizer needs of crops leads to higher crop yields. (3) Based on the superior flavour, shelf life and health benefits, minerally cultivated produce attracts premium prices. These factors combine to substantially improve both the immediate and sustainable profit outlook for farmers.
4. Healthier People:-

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE – ONLY HALF THE ANSWER

Organic Agriculture is a wonderful idea, however, the reality is often disappointing. The benefits of “clean” food (the absence of pesticides and fungicides) appear to be self evident, however, as a result of the mineral deficiencies present in their soils (and resulting poor plant immunity), many Organic farmers have ongoing difficulties resisting the need to use chemicals. In even the best soils, sustainability issues arise after a number of years.

Organic Certification stipulates that chemicals must not be used, hence to gain certification, there is a need to demonstrate residual free soils over an extended period. There is, however, no equivalent prescription for what must be used, although composting is accepted as a standard. As a result, mineral deficient soils may be certified “organic”, but they will not produce crops that fulfil expectations i.e. that they both taste good and are good for you.

Mineral Agriculture provides what Organic Agriculture lacks – Minerals.

MINERAL AGRICULTURE – THE MECHANISMS EXPLAINED

Inherent in the biology of natural systems is a high tolerance to the variation in levels of nutrients. Within those wide tolerances there appears to be an optimum health range whereby most nutrients are provided. Early research suggested 14 minerals were critical to healthy plant growth. Progressively, more minerals have being found to be desirable such that now over 70 minerals, (macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients / trace elements) have been isolated as essential for human tissue growth.

Further, while soils can utilize minerals provided in a variety of forms (rock dusts, liquids, compost etc) due to the activity of plant microbes, animal and human digestive systems do not provide the same level of bio-availability. Direct mineral supplementation ranges in effectiveness from approx 98% for plant and animal derived minerals, to 3-8% for elemental minerals.

By mineralizing the soil, Mineral Agriculture provides the optimum mineral bio-availability to the food supply of the whole population.

The pathway to health in Micro-Organisms, Soil, Plants, Animals and Humans

• Availability of 70+ minerals;
• Resulting in healthy soil micro-organisms;
• Resulting in healthy soil;
• Resulting in higher mineral availability to plants;
• Resulting in improved plant health
• Resulting in greater “produce” mineralisation
• Resulting in greater animal and human mineralization
• Resulting in greater animal and human health.

Every system involved in this process is moved toward a natural state of health.

ACTION  PLAN

The following steps must be taken to bring about the substantial abovementioned benefits for agriculture, public health, the environment and the nation:-

• Leadership:- Government at all levels must provide leadership to bring about the many changes required, including those listed below. This will require development of a master plan, and the subsequent establishment, seeding or sponsoring of initiatives to promote and deliver the plan. Leadership will also be required to stand ground and resist the influence of the multi-national chemical and pharmaceutical industries, who will undoubtedly seek to protect their entrenched positions.

• Education:- A comprehensive education programme must be developed targeting all stakeholder groups, including:-

• Departments of Agriculture and Farmers – Mineral Agriculture Training
• Departments of the Environment and Landcare - Mineral Agriculture Training
• Departments of Health and Doctors / Nurses – Mineral Nutrition Training
• Public – General Health & Nutrition Education

When initiated by government and accompanied by political leadership, the education programmes should proclaim a mandate, and build understanding of the imperatives for change.

• Communications:- There must be clear messages communicated to stakeholder groups and the public so that they are informed of the reasons for change, the changes which are likely, and the timeframe over which the changes will occur. Many of these stakeholders eg. Farmers, are conservative by nature (and resistant to change), while others eg. Doctors, have been reliant on the pharmaceutical industry for on-going education.

• Initiatives:- Working with State and Local Government to develop initiatives and incentives for the agricultural and health community to ensure that supply is developed to meet the subsequent demand fueled by the public education programmes. Initiatives may include:-

• Regional Working Models:- RWM could take the form of working farms or research farms (CSIRO model) which trial and document results and become “Centres of Influence” in each region. They would be involved in education and scientific research
  
• Mineralized Food Retailing:- This would likely be a private sector funded initiative, monitored by government to ensure that early adopters do not carry an unfair economic burden. It would provide farmers with some level of guarantee that produce could be sold for reasonable returns during a phase in period, while community education is continuing.

• Transition Planning:- Develop a plan which incorporates management of the consequences of these changes to Agriculture, Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Health industries (both direct and indirect) in terms of workforce retraining, product evolution (phase-in / phase-out), industry restructuring.

• Benchmarking: - The Australian Bureau of Statistics would play an important role in measuring the results of the various initiatives. This could include:-

• Analysis of various parameters at a micro-level.
• Comparison of these parameters on a regional basis compared to National Averages
• Trend analysis of agricultural production
• Trend analysis of national health and healthcare costs.
• Survey of efficiency of health / nutrition education programmes
• Trend analysis of a range of degenerative diseases Cancers, Arthritis, Diabetes, Arteriosclerosis, Heart Disease, and Mental Illness
• Trends for workforce productivity, absenteeism, job satisfaction and staff turnover
• Trends in agricultural exports, farm profitability and national economic outcomes

REFERENCES

Following is a list including Medical Research, U.S. Senate documents, Nutrition Texts, and Agricultural Research, representing a small sample of information available. This information from such a diverse range of sources validates the summary presented above.

• US Senate Document #264.
• Dr Igor Tabrizian - Nutritional Medicine Fact and Fiction
• Dr Igor Tabrizian - Another Dose of Nutritional Medicine
• Wallach Dr. Joel - Rare Earths Forbidden Cures
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency  Air, Water and Land Toxin and connection to Human Health
• Determination of Toxins from Sources- Food Safety, Agriculture, and the Food .Prof. Gerald L. Larsen. North Dakota State University
• Johns Hopkins News Services; A report published as a collaborative effort between the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centres  for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Arthritis Foundation, and the American College of Rheumatology; May 1998
• Dr Ibrahim Abouleish. Successful Eco- Agri Business. Promoted by International Monetary Fund to expand his model in Africa.
• Boxer I. A. et al. Correction of leukocyte function in Chediak- Higashi syndrome by ascorbate. New England Journal of Medicine295:1041-1045 1976
• Britton et al. Dietary magnesium, lung function, wheezing and airway hypersensitivity in a random adult population sample. Lancet 344.357-362 1994
• Cassel, W. Magnesium and Myocardial Infarction. Lancet,April 2,343.808-809 1994
• Clarke,I. C. et al: Effects of selenium supplementation for prevention of cancer in patients with carcinoma of the skin. A randomized controlled  trial.Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Association. 276. 1957-1963, 1996.
• Clague et al Intravenous magnesium loading in chronic fatigue syndrome.Letter Lancet 340.124-125,1992
• Cohen et al Magnesium sulphate and digitalis- toxic arrhythmias. Journal of the American Medical Association 249 2808-2810 1983
• Coldisitz G. A. Selenium and cancer prevention, promising results indicate further trials required. Journal of  the American Medical Association 276 (24) 1984, 1996
• Cox et al Red blood cell magnesium and  chronic fatigue syndrome Lancet 337.757-760 1991
• Glauser et al Blood Cadmium levels in normotensive and untreated hypertensive humans The Lancet 1 717-718 1976
• HeinrichH.C. Iron deficiency without anaemia. Lancet 1968
• Kok F. J. et al Decreased selenium levels in acute myocardial infarction. Journal of the American Medical Association261:1161-1164 1989
• McCarthey M Zinc lozenges shorten duration of common cold. Lancet. 348. 184, 1986
• Krishna G et al Increased blood pressure during potassium depletion in normotensive men. The New England Journal of Medicine 320.1177-1182 1989
• Menkes M. S. et al Serum beta carotene, vitamins A and E, selenium and the risk of lung cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 315:1250,1986
• Moore M.P. Redman C. W. Case- control study of severe pre eclampsia of early onset. British Medical Journal 287.580-83 1983
• O’BrienP  et al Progesterone, fluid and Electrolytes in Premenstrual Syndrome. British Medical Journal (1) 1161-1163 1980
• Okayama H et al Bronchodilating effect of intravenous magnesium sulphate in bronchial asthma Journal of the American Medical Association 257 (8) 1076-1078 1987
• Oski F Iron deficiency in infancy and childhood. The New England Journal of Medicine 329.190-193 1993
• Bain C et al Diet and Melanoma. An exploratory case-control study Ann Epidemiol.33): 235-8 1003
• Barch D.H. Esophageal cancer and microelements. J Am Coll Nutr. 8(2) :99-107 1989
• Block G et al Fruit, vegetables and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological evidence.  Nutr  Cancer 181-20 1992
• Boing H et al Regional nutritional pattern and cancer mortality in the Federal Republic of Germany. Nutr Cancer: 7(3): 121-30 1985
• Bostick  R.M. et al Sugar, meat and fat intake and non dietary risk factors for colon cancer in Iowa women. (U.S.) Cancer Causes Control 5. 38-52 1994
• Butterworth C.E. et al Folate status, woman’s health pregnancy outcome and cancer. J. Am Coll. Nutr. 12(4):438-41 Reviev Aug. 1993
• Johns Hopkins,PR Newswire and Reuters news services, Summaries of interviews and meetings of the AAAI. April and May 1998
• South African Water Research Commission Endocrine Disrupting Contaminants (edc’s)

Toxins in Human Milk

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