Hershey's Chocolate Kiss of Death

…..ummm, Chocolate.  I LOVE chocolate!  As a child my favorite was the Snicker’s Bar.  Snickers had a taste of it’s own. Then at the end of grade school came “Chunky”.  Chunky had a taste of it’s own too.  Melt in your mouth.  Creamy.  Smooth.  And BIG!  Remember how big they were?  What happened?

Well, progress happened.  Greed happened.  Let’s make this product for less, change the formula, no one will notice, good for the “bottom line”.  Let’s replace real food ingredients with alternative chemicals. And Monsanto happened with their unnecessary pesticides and Genetically Modified Frankin Foods.  There are too many studies out now showing that GMO food and ingredients contribute to the cause of cancer, as well as other diseases.  The World Health Organization has proclaimed glyphosate, the main ingredient in Round Up, most likely to cause cancer.  The pesticide Roundup is sprayed on crops and absorbed into the food you eat, unless you purchase “organic”.

If Round Up and Genetically Modified Foods are so harmful, why are they still on the market for people to purchase?  GOOD question!  WHY, indeed?  It all comes down to Buyer Beware.  Do not assume that if it is sold in stores, it must be safe to eat and use.

But times, they are a changing.  People are becoming educated, informed and if our elected officials will not look out for OUR best interest…we will take our power back at the check out counter.  Consumer Power!!!  People are not going to purchase this crap anymore, causing stocks to drop and forcing companies to change their tune, get honest and remove the toxic ingredients that are contributing to the ills of this nation. 

And this is just what happened to Hershey’s Chocolate.  Last year while the people of California were trying to get Proposition 37 passed, which would require GMO foods to be labeled, The Hershey’s Company contributed $519,000 to defeat Proposition 37 and Monsanto, the world’s largest biotech seed company, spent $8.1 MILLION to defeat this proposition, preventing the consumer from their RIGHT to know what is in their food.  If Genetically Modified Food is so safe for people to eat, why do Monsanto and the food companies that offer it spend millions of dollars to prevent “GMO” from appearing on the label?  Are they hiding something?  Are they guilty of something?  Are they ashamed of something?  Or are they afraid people will not purchase their product?

Getting back to the Hershey’s Kiss.  It is made with mostly all GMO ingredients.  But Hershey’s manufactures a GMO FREE chocolate to be sold in Europe.  Why?  Why does Hershey’s put genetically modified ingredients in the candy sold in the United States, but they make special GMO Free candy to be sold in Europe?  Because the people in Europe do not consider genetically modified foods to be safe.  In the European Union there are restrictions and out right bans on the sale and production of genetically modified food. 

Two years ago, concerned and educated consumers voiced their displeasure to Hershey’s by giving them an ultimatum.  You either offer Americans the same GMO Free candy that you sell in Europe or we will no longer purchase your product.  Hershey’s received tens of thousands of Facebook posts, emails and telephone calls from consumers urging them to remove the GMO ingredients in their candy due to concerns over health issues and environmental degradation.   

At the end of 2014, feeling the pressure of public opinion, Hershey’s promised to phase out toxic high fructose corn syrup, only.  Keeping one step ahead of this deception, consumers urged Hershey’s not to use any form of GMO sugar such as GMO sugar beets.  Consumers demanded that Hershey’s go non GMO on all it’s ingredients and get a third party verification for non GMO ingredients such as The Non-GMO Project Verified Seal.  This includes sourcing milk from cows that are not feed GMO grass or grain.  Hershey’s was urged to forego any synthetic biological ingredient, starting with vanilla.  In other words, Hershey’s was urged to go back to using the natural ingredients of days gone by. 

Hershey’s must have done it’s homework and found that consumers were jumping ship and purchasing organic and non GMO Verified candy, because on February 23, 2015, Hershey’s Chocolate released a statement that it “will feature a lineup of simple ingredients, and transition some of it’s most popular chocolate brands, including Hershey’s Chocolate Kiss and Hershey’s milk chocolate bars to be GMO free by the end of this year.

Another David and Goliath story….I just love them.  And it is not just Hershey’s that is following the money. Kraft Foods just announced that due to competition with Annie’s Organic Macaroni and Cheese, Kraft will be removing the dyes and preservatives from it’s product.  Needless to say, Kraft decided to make this change after noticing a shift of preference towards Organic Foods.

And General Mills is also feeling the heat.  After reviewing their drop in sales for the 6^th straight quarter, it decided to offer Americans GMO free Cheerios, but only for it’s Original Cheerios.  General Mills has been selling GMO free cereal in Europe for years, for the same reason why Hershey’s has.  Europeans prefer non GMO food.

It seems that Monsanto’s multi million dollar campaign to stop the labeling of Genetically Modified foods is loosing ground.  The American consumer is winning the labeling wars by getting food manufacturers to remove the toxic ingredients engineered in laboratories and replacing them with “real” food that naturally occurs in nature.  I am happy to report that more and more educated Americans are choosing to Live Healthy Chemical Free……..

Hand Sanitizers....Friend or Foe?

 Awww, Fall.  My favorite time of year.  Break out the bulky sweaters, jeans and boots;  weekend drives to admire the colorful Fall Foliage;  and baking for the up coming Holidays.  And putting up with paranoid people slothering hand sanitizer all over themselves and everybody else.  How was this stuff ever approved by the FDA?....it was not.  But now, so much evidence is surfacing as to how damaging these hand sanitizers are, that the FDA is forced to take a stand and not only caution against their use, but they are going after manufacturers of hand sanitizers for making false claims.  Claims that they protect against MRSA, E.Coli, Salmonella, and other bacteria and viruses.  To date, several studies have found that the only thing antibacterial products have succeeded in doing was to contribute to the rise of antibiotic resistant germs, adversely effect the thyroid gland and lower the immune system enough to cause a person to contract colds and flu…..along with promoting the growth of cancer.  Shocked?  Why?  You believe everything Madison Avenue tells you?

Now, I was told at a very young age, by my Grandmother no less, that a little dirt is good for you.  Makes your immune system strong to help fight off colds or flu.  And I think she was right.  There are three places on your body that allows your immune system to fight germs and bacteria….your stomach, mouth and your hands.  In these 3 places you have your good bacteria and you will find bad bacteria.  Our natural biological function allows the good bacteria to fight off the bad.  Except when we do things to destroy the good bacteria, like eating GMO foods and using hand sanitizers.  I do not care WHAT Monsanto says or the members of the Medical Profession.  It has now been proven, that just washing your hands with plain soap and water will protect you better than using products that come under the name of “hand sanitizers”.  So why spend all that extra money?  Exactly.  Spend your money!  Make Johnson and Johnson rich.

75% of antibacterial products contain the chemical Triclosan, allowing the industry to make a mere $1 Billion dollars off of trusting consumers.  Triclosan was put into soap, wipes, hand gels, cutting boards, mattress pads and all sorts of home items in the hopes to eradicate any trace of bacteria from our environment.  But it was never approved by the FDA.  In 1972, the FDA was suppose to evaluate the safety of Triclosan but “somehow” never did, as Triclosan was allowed to be used in products sold to trusting consumers.  Because of the mounting evidence that can no longer be ignored, the FDA is now forced to make manufacturers prove the claims they make for Triclosan or they have until 2016 to pull their products from the shelves.  But maybe you better not wait that long to stop using antibacterial products.  The European Union considers Triclosan to be so hazardous to the health of humans that they banned it in 2010 from being used in anyway that would allow it to come into contact with food.

Fact, after 42 years of research, it can now be reported that antibacterial soaps are no more effective than conventional soap and water. Fact, antibacterial products have the potential to create antibiotic resistant bacteria.  Fact, antibacterial products are endocrine disruptors and can lead to health problems, especially with the Thyroid gland.  Fact, antibacterial products adversely effect children the most and lower their immune systems enough to cause food and environmental allergies.

One of the most popular hand sanitizers is Purell.  It’s everywhere, especially hospitals and grocery stores.  Purell does not contain the dangerous chemical Triclosan, BUT, it is not safe either.  Remember, whatever you put on your skin will get absorbed into your blood stream.  So here is what is getting deposited into your body by using Purell.  62% Ethyl Alcohol which is equivalent to 124 proof.  This is dangerous for children.  Children are being rushed to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.  Remember Mommie, children lick their hands as well.  Alcohol also dries the skin, leading to cracks and bleeding.  A perfect breeding ground for germs.

Purell also is made up of Tocopheryl acetate, propylene glychol, isopropyl myristate, glycerine, cabomer, fragrance, water and amino methyl propanol.  Not only does the use of alcohol sanitizers make certain microbial organisms stronger but it does not kill viruses.  But it does give you dry skin and can send your children to the emergency room.

The best defense against germs is to wash with plan soap and water.  We use Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Pure Castile Soap.  Peppermint is nature’s sanitizer.  During the cold and flu season, I prefer to live healthy chemical free........

Fruit Should Come From Nature Not From A Chemical Lab...Carrageenan's Connection to Cancer

A couple weeks ago, Jeff and I made our weekly visit to Costco.  Not only is it a very interesting place, but they give out FREE samples too!  Too bad I refuse to eat most of them.  But I make sure I have my fun.

That week, a nice man was handing out FREE “Fruit By the Foot”, Strawberry flavored, from none other than Betty Crocker, manufactured by the General, General Mills.  People were lining up like Sheep to get their “fruit”….including Jeff.  I do not know how “Betty” can get away with calling it “Fruit” when it looked like 12 inches of a plastic looking substance which reminded me of fly-paper, except it was pink in color and people were unquestioningly gobbling it down like it was manna. 

I sauntered over to the table and picked up the colorful box it came in and read the ingredients.  It was advertised as real fruit, good source of Vitamin C and naturally flavored. I started reading the ingredients:  pears from concentrate.  Concentrate is NOT fruit, it is sugar syrup that has been heated to the point where all the nutrients have been boiled out, plus, chemicals and artificial flavorings have to be added to make it palatable.  You know, taste good.

Then I found listed sugar, maltodextrin, corn syrup and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil.  All Genetically Modified ingredients that can hardly be associated with “Fruit”.   The box said fortified with Vitamin C.  Vitamin C was listed but in the form of Ascorbic Acid, which is an artificial form of vitamin C that does not come from food but is manufactured in a laboratory. 

The rest of the genetically Modified ingredients in “Fruit by the Foot” are Citric Acid, Acetylated Monoglyceride, Sodium Citrate, Malic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Citrate, Natural Flavors and Color (Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 1)  Now I ask you…does this sound like fruit to you?

But the one ingredient listed that was so concerning it made Jeff promptly get out of line was carrageenan.  Carrageenan comes from Red Seaweed and is found in many foods and beverages and especially dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese and milk substitutes.  It is even found in infant formula, deli meats and cheeses.  If you are a beer drinker, chances are you are drinking carrageenan.  It is found in many organic products so what is the problem, you might ask?  The problem is carrageenan produces irritation and inflammation to the digestive tract.  This triggers an immune response similar to salmonella.  This immune response causes inflammation which can lead to ulcers and bleeding in the intestines.  But what is more important, this inflammation is being connected to gastrointestinal cancer in lab rats, along with ulcerative colitis, intestinal lesions, colon cancer and other diseases like diabetes.  It is also proven that inflammation is the root cause of heart disease, alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease as well.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Research Council of the United States both have determined that carrageenan is a carcinogen – a substance that causes cancer.  And the FDA allows it in your food and drink.  Why?

Carrageenan has no nutritional value, so why is it used?  Well, first of all, it is cheap.  But logistically it is used in liquid and beverage products to keep ingredients from separating.  It is also added in foods like yogurt, chocolate, soymilk, and even ice cream to give the foods a thicker consistency and to make low-fat versions taste fuller. 

Researchers have been linking carrageenan to gastro intestinal disease since the 1960’s.  If carrageenan is so dangerous why is it still being used?  I don’t know.  Why don’t you ask the FDA?  The Cornacopia Institute has recently launched a Nation wide petition urging the FDA to ban it from our food supply.  While organic foods ban the use of GMOs, chemical pesticides, and toxic synthetic additives, the program does allow carrageenan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Standards Board isn't set to vote on removing it from organics for four more years. 

But you do not have to wait for government agencies to act in your best interest.  YOU have the power.  Please become informed. The law requires the listing of carrageenan in food, so please read your labels and avoid all food and beverages that contain carrageenan.  So many informed consumers from coast to coast are refusing to by products containing carrageenan so much so that food manufacturers are falling all over themselves to remove it from their products.  Companies like Stonyfield Farm, So Delicious, Eden Foods, and Oregon Ice Cream.  Not because they care about you.  But because they are feeling the hit in their “bottom line”.  If they cared, they would not use it in the first place.  As for “Fruit by the Foot”?.....Shame on you Betty!  People want to Live Healthy Chemical Free…………….

The Cornicopia Institute is trying to get the EPA to remove Carrageenan from our food supply.  Please read the information they provide here of the dangers of Carrageenan.
http://www.cornucopia.org/carrageenan-2013  

If You Had A Headache...Would You Drink Antifreeze???

Fall certainly came early this year and with it my Fall allergies.  A couple weeks ago I was suffering from a Sinus Headache that would not go away no matter how many aspirins I took.  So, of course, I blamed the aspirins…..they are not strong enough;  they are generic and I need one of those fancy brand name aspirins.  So Jeff drove me to Walgreens where we found ourselves in Aspirin Heaven

There were so many brands to choose from….Bayer, Excedrin, Aleve, Advil just to name a few.  I saw a box of Excedrin Extra Strength and thought that is just what I need.  Extra Strength. I was on day 4 of my headache and extra strength sounded comforting.  So I automatically looked at the ingredients list and in amazement I saw listed “propylene glycol”.  Propylene Glycol?  Why, that is antifreeze!  Isn’t antifreeze poisonous if ingested? And I soon discovered Propylene Glycol is a common ingredient in most aspirins….along with shellac, Titanium Dioxide, SLS and many other toxic and carcinogenic ingredients.  I was amazed.  How does a company get away with putting antifreeze in aspirins?  I soon discovered that it is even FDA approved.  What exactly does “FDA approved” mean anyway?  If you pay me enough money I will let you get away with murder?

So I decided not to purchase any aspirins laced with antifreeze and went home to check the ingredients on my cheap, generic aspirins.  The brand is TopCare, 325mg of Aspirin/tablet.  It did not contain antifreeze, or shellac, or any of the other ingredients that were listed on the “brand name” aspirins which are known to be toxic and to cause a number of adverse side effects.  But what my brand of aspirins DID NOT have was caffeine, which the other brands did have.  So, I placed 3 more tablets of my cheap, generic aspirins in my hand and drank them down with a cup of “organic” coffee.  In about 10 minutes I could feel my headache start to go away.  Coffee is “key”.  The caffeine in coffee acts like a high powered delivery system to get the aspirins into your system.

But being the little Sherlock Holmes that I am, I went to my computer to see how antifreeze got into the production of aspirins.  And much to my amazement, I found that Propylene Glycol (PG as we will call it here) is in practically EVERYTHING! It is in candy, gum, breads, baked goods, make up, skin care products, DOG FOOD?!, medications, salad dressing, baby wipes, deodorant…..it was even in the Table Talk Pie my mother was eating.  I grabbed the box and there on the back….next to the words “Baked with Pride by Table Talk Pie”…was the ingredients list and PG was listed.  Miralax, given to people with IBS, is made up of Polyethylene Glycol which is suppose to be safer but so many people have ended up in the hospital after taking Miralax that the FDA has put it on a “list” of products that can have severe side effects.  How special.  Why not “ban” the product as being hazardous to your health?

The people at the FDA decided that tiny amounts of PG was not really going to hurt you.  Oh, it is toxic, but in teeny-tiny amounts things should be fine.  The fact remains, it is still toxic.  It is still a poison.  And it accumulates in your body.  And the fact remains that it is in practically EVERYTHING…even in your hand sanitizers, e-cigarettes, laundry detergents.  It is fed to cows and sprayed on produce.  So by the end of the day, your body has consumed, absorbed and accumulated a large amount of PG, enough to become toxic and harmful to your health.  And that is why people are now having allergic reactions to anything with Propylene Glycol in it.  People are starting to get sick.  A lot of them are not connecting the dots and do not realize that the bread they eat, the make up they use, the e-cigarettes they suck on, etc. are the reasons why they are developing skin problems, allergies, breathing problems, kidney disorders, joint pain, headaches and the list goes on and on.  But, there are many people who do make the connection between products with PG and adverse side effects.  Cynthia Albertson writes, “I have found that my severe migraines and weird body aches have almost disappeared since I figured this out and started avoiding PG. To add, watch coffee…it is used (PG) for extracting flavor, especially in blends and flavored. Also anything that sprays, such as Febreze, Lysol, hairspray.”

As in the case of Aspirins, the popular brands that are advertised on television may not be your safest choice.  If one really wants to go back to basics, try taking the herb White Willow Bark as an alternative to aspirin.  It has pain relieving and anti inflammatory properties.  Actually, salicylic acid (aspirin) is derived from white willow bark.  It comes in a tea or in a capsule form and can be purchased at your local health food store or on line.  I order my organic herbs from Oregon’s Wild Harvest at www.oregonswildharvest.com.

I hope I have lighted a fire in your mind.  Please be careful when making your purchases.  Always read the ingredients and educate yourself as to what these ingredients actually are.  And always remember, it is safer to live healthy chemical free….

The Life You Save may Be Your Own.....Vinegar vs Roundup

June has proven to be a busy month this year.  We got a late start getting our garden in but we made it.  And with all the rain, Jeff has been busy mowing the lawn, and mowing the lawn and mowing the lawn.  This week I decided to get rid of the grass and weeds growing in the cracks of the driveway and sidewalk with my safe and effective weed killer…..Vinegar.  Sorry Monsanto, you have done a great job brainwashing people into thinking they need Roundup to KILL those nasty weeds.  But all one needs to do is to get a gallon of white vinegar, a spray bottle and some dish liquid and you are set to go.

I picked a day that was going to be bright and sunny and started my spraying around 10AM.  Jeff bought me the cutest spray bottle at Walgreens with an adjustable spray nozzle.  First I poured 3-4 ounces of dish liquid into the bottle and filled it the rest of the way with white vinegar from the grocery store.  No need to purchase an expensive name brand such as Heinz, the store brand will d0.  I then screwed on the spray nozzle and gave the bottle a shake to blend the dish liquid and vinegar.  The dish liquid breaks down the waxy covering of the grass and weeds, allowing the vinegar, acetic acid, to soak into the weeds and burn them down to the roots.  By the time Jeff came home at 5pm, the grass and weeds were burnt, devoid of any green color. 

I also spot sprayed the dandelions and plantain growing throughout the lawn, being careful to adjust the nozzle to spray just the weeds and not the grass.  I walked over to the back of the shed and sprayed a patch of poison ivy that gave my mother an itchy time last year.  The vinegar from the grocery store is about 5% acetic acid.  You can use vinegar that is 20% acidic acid for hardier weeds but you will have to get it at a garden store, as it is called agricultural vinegar.  Due to chemical regulations, it is regarded as an herbicide.  Some people like to put food grade oil of orange, and/or salt into the mix, but I have had 100% success with just the vinegar and dish liquid.

The advantages of using vinegar over Roundup or other Glyphosate herbicides are many.  First of all, there is the cost.  A gallon of vinegar is about $3.00.  A half gallon of Roundup concentrate at Home Depot is $45.98. 

Vinegar is safer to use.  It does not harm the environment, it’s biodegradable in the soil and poses no health risks.  Monsanto use to advertise Roundup/Glyphosate as being biodegradable….BUT, in 2009 a French court found Monsanto guilty of lying, falsely advertising it’s Roundup herbicide as biodegradable and environmentally friendly. 

Roundup is neither SAFE, nor Environmentally Friendly.  Not only does Roundup strip the soil of it’s nutrients and contaminate ground water, but it is detrimental to your health, the health of your family, pets and neighbors.  According to Dr Senoff, a research scientist at MIT, glyphosate is possibly “the most important factor in the development of multiple chronic diseases and conditions that have become prevalent in Westernized societies”;  including but not limited to autism, allergies, cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, gastro intestinal disease, heart disease, Obesity, infertility….just to name a few.  Plus recent studies show that the inert ingredients in Roundup can kill human cells.  Vinegar doesn’t kill anything but the weeds.  Vinegar is so safe you can put it on your food and eat it. 

Did you ever wonder why so many people blindly RUSH out to purchase Roundup and other Glyphosate herbicide weed killer?  Have they been hypnotized into doing, blindly, what their television tells them to do without question?  OMG!!! A Dandelion!  (horrors)  Quick!  Spray the hell out of it with some Roundup, even though it will most likely give me Kidney Cancer or Bladder Cancer…..can’t have the neighbors seeing a Dandelion on my lawn.  (gasp).

Well…if it was so dangerous, the government wouldn’t let it on the market to be sold to us. Hahahahaaaaaa!  Really.  Do you really think your elected officials care about you?  Do you REALLY think the EPA is going to watch out for your best interest?  Let’s take a look at who the members of the EPA and FDA are.  They were all employees and members of Monsanto, the very company that is killing you softly with their GMO Food, GMO Grass and soon to be out, GMO Trees.  And killing you with their herbicides and pesticides and you make it easy for them by buying the stuff and using it faithfully.  The next time your child gets, say cancer…..instead of running for the cure why not sit yourself down and try to think about the cause.

OK.  So let’s see how Monsanto has invaded our government putting “YOUR best interest” in jeopardy.  Remember Donald Rumsfeld?...former board member of Monsanto.  Tom Vilsac, our US Secretary of Agriculture was a former Monsanto lawyer.  Our Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was a former Monsanto lawyer.  Former Secretary of Agriculture Anne Veneman was a former board member of Monsanto.  Former US Secretary of Health, Tommy Thompson received $50,000 in campaign contributions from Monsanto.  Deputy Commissioner of the FDA, Michael Taylor, was Monsanto’s Vice president of Public policy.  Hillary Clinton, now there’s a name for ya, was a former Monsanto lawyer.  Former Deputy Commissioner of the EPA, Linda Fisher, was Vice president of Monsanto’s Public affairs.  And the list goes on and on, just google “Monsanto in government” and you will find high ranking government officials with ties to Monsanto….making this a HUGE conflict of interest that seems to go unnoticed.

So many people are using Roundup and Glyphosate products that unacceptable levels of carcinogenic glyphosate are now found in human blood, urine and breast milk….in the air, water and ground.  This is not a natural part of Nature or God’s Creation.  This is man made destruction of all life on Earth, straight from Satan himself.  And you still purchase it….and worst of all, our elected officials, who you voted for to work on your behave, are allowing these products to be sold. Did you ever, EVER ask yourself WHY?

Now I ask you, what would you feel safer using?  Vinegar or Roundup?  Both kill weeds but I think vinegar kills weeds faster and safer.  Life doesn’t have to be complicated.  Why would anyone want to use a product that is a toxic poison when something as simple as vinegar will do the same job?  As always, I choose to live healthy chemical free……

Ants Are Not the Problem….Pesticides Are

Last week Jeff and I saw a few ants in the house.  A couple in the office scurrying across the desks, a couple running across the kitchen counter and a couple at the front door.  Did we Panic?!  No.  Did we call the Orkin Man?!....no.  Instead we went down to Lowe’s and purchased some Terro Liquid Ant Baits, a natural non toxic product that has a Borax base.  It works every time and it is safe.  It is not a harmful, hazardous chemical…it is not a toxic pesticide.  It is a solution of borax and sugar in a liquid solution.  Easy to use and completely safe for humans, children, pets, the elderly and the neighbors.  A one ounce bottle will cost $3.29 and it also comes in convenient, pre-filled liquid ant baits which are what we use.  A box of 6 liquid filled ant stations costs $5.97 plus tax.  Terro also offers ant stations for outside and around the foundation.  Simple and easy to use, safe and inexpensive.  And, for those who hold the EPA Gospel, the EPA considers Terro to be the safest and least toxic chemical available to consumers.

We just place the bait traps where we see the ants and in a very short time, a large number of worker ants will appear, enter the trap and drink to their hearts content.  They LOVE this stuff.  When they are full, they go back to their nest or colony and feed the other ants especially the Queen.  In a short while, the borax in the solution will dry out the lining of their stomachs and interfere with their digestive systems and the ants die.  It is a slow kill but 100% effective…..Queen and all.  You get rid of the ants you see and the ants you don’t see.  After a few days, all that needs to be done is to pick up the bait stations and vacuum up the dead ants that may be visible on the floor.  Job done.  No muss…no fuss, and no danger to the health of family members, pets and the neighbors. 

Terro kills all types of ants, even the tiny sugar ants.  When I lived in Canton, Terro even killed carpenter ants that are so prevalent to wooded areas.  If ants are nesting inside the walls, there is no need to drill tiny holes to apply your ant killer.  All you have to do is set the bait on any flat surface and the ants will find it, no matter where they live.  You can use this product inside your house or out, without worrying about harming the environment.

OR!....you can call the Orkin Man or companies like that who use toxic chemicals and pesticides.  Even though these products are approved by the EPA, they are not safe.  And they really are not effective.   As the ants become immune to the pesticides used, a stronger more toxic pesticide is then needed.  The companies that apply the pesticides will tell you they are safe, they are not.  Over the years, science has uncovered health hazards due to these pesticides. The chemical companies and the government have launched campaigns to suppress and discredit the information that is being discovered.  I know this to be true, as I am a victim of pesticide poisoning and no chemical company, government official or farmer or exterminator is ever going to convince me that they are safe.  They are known immune suppressors, hormone disruptors, cholinesterase inhibitors and even carcinogenic.  They have been responsible for the onset of asthma and allergies and the list goes on and on.

Knowing what I know about the dangers of pesticides, it is amazing to me to see people calling the “Orkin Man”, or exterminating companies like them, when all they have to do is purchase inexpensive Terro and get the same results.  So I did some research and called the two most popular exterminator companies in the area….Terminex and Orkin.  Their marketing approach and exterminating methods are almost identical but makes no sense to me. 

When I made my call, the person on the other end insisted on giving me a brief course in ANTS-101.  Without taking a breath, she explained to me that I had a catastrophic problem that will take a year to solve.  A technician will come out to look the place over and plan a strategy of attack.  She could not tell me what chemicals/pesticides would be used, only that they were perfectly safe.  I would need to have chemicals and pesticides applied out side all around the foundation and 3 feet out.  Also pesticides would be applied to the house starting from the foundation and 3 feet up…..to make sure all critters are killed.  Then all the rooms inside will have to be treated with chemical pesticides, even between the walls.  They would come every other month for a year and that should do it.  Well, I certainly hope so!!!  Sounds like “chemical warfare” to me but I was told it is perfectly safe.  That seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through for some ants.

Then I asked the important question….how much?  Like I said….they have a plan of attack that takes a year so it ends up to be quit an expense.  For Orkin, the cost for a year was approximately $700 to $900 depending on the type of ants.  And Terminex was a little less….only approximately $600 a year.  And to think we use Terro for only $5.97 plus tax for a box of 6 bait stations, no matter what type of ants we find.  Plus there is no need to drill through walls to inject pesticides between the walls…..as with Terro, the ants find it, eat it, then go back to the nest and feed it.   Job done.  Clean, simple, effective and safe.

As I said, the customer service person would not tell me the exact name of the poisons being used so allow me to do my best to give you a little picture of the hazards of pesticide ant control.  Insect growth inhibitors are used such as methoprene and pyriproxyfen , which is very toxic to aquatic life as it has a tendency to lower the immune system.  Proper disposal is required.  It is important that it does not get into the ground water. 

Hydramethylnon types can be used.  They are damaging to developing fetuses and interfere with reproduction.  Neonicotinoids are harmful to insects such as bees, they are toxic to humans as well.  Absorbed through the skin, they are toxic to the nervous system and lowers sperm count. 

Avermectin are granular type pesticides that are toxic to the nervous system and to developing fetuses at very low doses.  Fipronil is another commonly used pesticide that is toxic to the nervous system and has been classified as a possible carcinogen by US EPA.  Fenoxycarb is toxic to the liver and also is a probable carcinogen. 

Fipronil, Metaflumizone, Indoxacarb baits all have weighed in with a certain amount of toxicity.  The problem occurs when you are continuously and repeatedly exposed to these pesticides over a period of time.  Both Orkin and Terminex recommend what they call repeated monthly maintenance treatments which will add to your family’s repeated exposure and possible adverse health effects.  Is it worth it?

Pyrethroids have been implicated as causing asthma attacks and setting off allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Organophosphates and carbamates are neurotoxic at relatively low doses, and several are probable or possible carcinogens.  Now I ask you.  Does this sound “Safe” to you???

So there you have it.  You can hire an exterminator to come to your house forever and spray harmful chemicals putting your family at risk for hundreds of dollars to solve your ant problem…..or you can purchase Terro for a few dollars, put it down yourself and all you have to do in a few days is to sweep up dead ants.  No muss….no fuss.  And as always, it is to your advantage to live healthy chemical free.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words…Putting Corporate Wealth over Human Health

If GMO Food is not bad enough, Scott’s Miracle Grow is coming out with a Genetically Modified Kentucky Blue Grass, engineered to be resistant to the herbicide Roundup and other Glyphosate based herbicides.  They are marketing this GMO Grass as if it is going to save the world, but according to peer reviewed scientific research, it will add to the use of more pesticides, namely Roundup, that will pollute the environment and further destroy the health of every man, woman and child not to mention the family pet.  To make matters worse, it will NOT be regulated by the USDA.  People are waking up to the dangers of Genetically Modified products and do NOT want this technology. But it seems the people who make the laws and regulations are more concerned with pleasing lobbyists and big Agra Business than doing what is in the best interest of their constituents. 

This Spring Scott’s will be testing this GMO Grass at the homes of several of their employees, allowing the homeowner to spray large amounts of Roundup over the entire lawn to kill weeds without damaging the grass.  This will increase the sales of Roundup, which is manufactured by Monsanto and marketed by Scott’s.  The new GMO grass seed is expected to generate over $500 million dollars in sales for Scott’s and a marked increase in sales of Roundup for Monsanto.  BUT at what cost to human health and the environment?  

So what can be the problem you say?  Roundup resistant weeds is one answer.  The more a chemical is used constantly, the more likely the weeds will become resistant, and you eventually will get what is called Super Weeds.  More Roundup will be needed and the only thing that will be accomplished will be an increase in sales and profits for Monsanto but the weeds will persist.  In short, the very thing that Scott’s is marketing for a weed free lawn will eventually give the homeowner a huge headache in the form of More WEEDS.

Another problem will be the migration of GMO grass seeds to contaminate other lawns, gardens and pastures for miles, invading properties of people who DO NOT WANT GMO Grass.  The GMO grass testing in Oregon a few years back was called off for this very reason.  This contamination by Scott’s GMO seeds will destroy the Organic Farming industry in Connecticut, which is growing by leaps and bounds and becoming the PREFERRED food of choice.  Not only will organic vegetable farms be in danger of Scott’s contamination but organic cattle and dairy farms as well.  This, in turn, will make it impossible for consumers like me to purchase safe food in the form of Organic GMO Free Verified vegetables, meats and dairy products.

Most of all, the problem with Scott’s GMO seeds will be the destruction of the health of your family, pets and neighbors as Roundup, as well as other pesticides and herbicides, is proven to cause disease, illness and cancer.  While the EPA and Department of Agriculture claim Roundup to be safe, the recent study by Giles-Eric Seralini proves glyphosate, at concentrations lower than EPA standards, kills human cells.  Science has now linked Roundup to fatal kidney disease and countries are beginning to ban the sale of Roundup, Shri Lanka being the first.  Many countries are refusing the sale and importation of GMO products and South Africa will not allow Monsanto to ADVERTISE in their country because the company’s claims to safety are proven to be false.

Concerned, informed and educated citizens of Connecticut have banned together to form the organization GMO Free CT.  Please visit their web site at gmofreect.org and read more about the dangers of GMO technology.  Another Connecticut organization you need to get to know is CONNFACT and you can read all about them at connfact.org.  This is an era of Buyer Beware because, ladies and gentlemen, the chemicals that are being marketed to you in a pretty safe package are really dangerous weapons of mass destruction that is killing you softly.

So the people of CONNFACT and GMO Free CT went to the State Senate Environmental Committee with a bill to ban GMO grass and the use of pesticides where children play, bill SB 443.  Seems like a pretty reasonable request, right?  And the committee thought so too, as they passed SB 443 and sent it to the State Senate for vote.  This important piece of legislation that was created solely for the safety of Connecticut residence, especially the children was PASSED by the CT Senate but SHOT Down by the CT House of Representatives….why?!?  Why would our elected officials, who took an oath to serve the people of this state, vote in such a way as to allow such dangerous products and practices?  And to make matters worse, they voted like thieves in the night.  The CT House prematurely called the bill to a vote in order to kill it before our voices could be heard. 

House Speaker Sharkey (D) said he called the bill to vote to “avoid the distraction that was going to inevitably occur if we kept it on the calendar for days and weeks”.  What distraction?  The voices of the tax paying citizens of CT?  The last time I studied Civics in school, the people of a state have a RIGHT to contact their elected officials to voice their opinions and desires because the elected officials are to represent the PEOPLE and not Big Business.   So now we are considered distractions?

Rep. Dan Carter (R) voted “nay” because he said we are voting against something that does not exist.  Oh, I see.  Instead of preventing a problem, we wait until the problem is here and out of control.  With that line of thinking, why vaccinate?  If you do not already have the disease, why take the precaution….are we to wait until we are sick before we do something?

Rep. Cook (D) said, the ban would send the wrong message about CT to industry.  WHAT?  You care more about Industry than the health of CT residence?  If industry offers a safe product they should be welcomed.  But when industry comes to a state offering a product with the potential to cause more harm than good, our elected officials should vote on the side of “safety” for the people of this state and not care about being popular with Big Business.

Rep. Cook thought the ban on GMO Grass could hurt Scott’s Miracle Grow Company.  But Cook ignores the recent and up to date facts that this GMO grass seed will impose a dangerous level of Roundup to be used in this state and THAT would be putting our people especially our children at risk.  Where does Cook’s allegiance lie?  She is suppose to have the best interest of the people in mind…not the bottom line and profits of Big Business.  Cook said Scott has $27.5 million in sales in CT and employs 226 people in this state.  “For me, this (bill) is just not good business,” she said.  WHAT!!!  She was elected to vote for the welfare of big business???  I thought she was to represent the “people”?

And this brings me to the Plainville area.  In the State Senate, we have Jason Welsh.  Sen. Welch voted “nay”.  It is OK with him to let a questionable product to be used in the state and deal with the consequences later.  And we also have Rep. Betty Boukus who also voted “nay”.  So I called Rep. Boukus’s office to ask her for an interview for this article but she never returned my call. 

So there you have it, the next time a politician “kisses” up to you for their vote….remember where their allegiance lies.  And as always, it is safer to Live Healthy Chemical Free…..