Kew Organics News
4/79 Willsmere Rd
Telephone:
9852 8955
keworganics@optusnet.com.au
www.keworganics.com.au
Welcome
hello all!
well it's 2012 and as of now we've got about 10
months before the Mayan calendar comes to it's
conclusion. The pace of events certainly seems to be
picking up and the feeling generally seems to be that
we're in a time of change.
I think we're in for an interesting few years.
I trust that everyone had an enjoyable festive season.
As for the family and myself we headed off to
Cervantes (north of Perth) after Christmas. Apart
from being a couple of months shorter than I would
have liked our holiday was very relaxing and
enjoyable. The highlight no doubt being our visit to
the mysterious Pinnacles.
I hope you enjoy this month's offering. Remember it's
important to grab a glass of your favorite beverage
and to put your feet up before reading the Newsletter!
Watermelon & Blood Pressure
Watermelon, just how good is it for us? I had a look
around and found this great article written by Tony
Isaacs. For the full article visit www.tbyil.com.
Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is common
for many of us from time to time. In addition to
numerous mainstream blood pressure medications,
doctors have been increasingly prescribing dangerous
cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to treat high blood
pressure. Now, researchers have found that healthy
watermelons can do just as good of a job without all
the nasty side effects which have been linked to statin
drugs.
In a study recently published in the American Journal
of Hypertension, food scientists at Florida State
University found that consumption of six grams of Lcitrulline extract from watermelon extract for six
weeks normalized the blood pressure of all nine
adults in the study who previously had elevated blood
pressure.
These findings suggest that this 'functional food' has
a vasodilatory effect, and one that may prevent
prehypertension from progressing to full-blown
hypertension, a major risk factor for heart attacks and
strokes.
The large watermelon fruit is the richest edible
February 2012
source of the amino acid L-citrulline, which regulates
healthy blood pressure. L-citrulline is converted to
another amino acid, L-arginine, once in the body.
However, taking L-arginine as a dietary supplement
the latter can cause nausea, gastrointestinal problems
and diarrhea, especially among adults who already
suffer from raised blood pressure.
Helping lower and control blood pressure is just one
of many health benefits for the large summertime
favorite. Watermelons have
the highest water content of
any fruit and, in addition to
being a supreme thirst
quencher are excellent
sources of several vitamins:
vitamin A, an antioxidant
which helps maintain eye
health; vitamin C, which
strengthens immunity, heals wounds, prevents cell
damage, and promotes healthy teeth and gums; and
vitamin B6, which helps brain function and helps
convert
protein
to
energy.
Watermelon, however, has the highest concentrations
of lycopene of any fresh fruit or vegetable.
Watermelons also have plenty of thiamine,
magnesium, and potassium which are all vital for
optimal health. Thus if your children, or perhaps
yourself, are reluctant to dig into spinach, other dark
green leafy vegetables or lima beans on a regular
basis, servings of watermelon would be a very health
substitute - and would make a healthy addition at any
rate.
Watermelons help muscle and nerve function and
help maintain the body's proper electrolyte and acidbase balance. They also reduce the risk of colon
cancer, asthma, heart disease and rheumatoid
arthritis. Watermelons are also excellent for kidney
health as it can both flush the kidneys and dissolves
kidney stones.
A good one way to cleanse both the colon and the
kidneys is to go an entire day consuming nothing but
watermelon. Besides flushing the kidneys it will also
usually clean out the colon as well - so well, in fact,
that a good piece of advice is to not stray too far from
available toilet facilities from about mid-afternoon on
when doing a watermelon flush.
Kew Organics News Monthly! February 2012
U.S. Organic food - a real issue..
The main certifiers for Organic food in the U.S. is the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA's National Organic program has been in
place for around ten years now.
Unfortunately the USDA does not represent the
interests of consumers (conventional or organic), they
represent the interests of the industry.
In regard to Organics this was evident from the outset
and was the reason that EDEN Organic, an American
company, chose not to use the ESDA logo on their
products.
In October 2005 Congress voted to allow toxic
synthetic ingredients in organic food. In late 2006 the
USDA stacked the National Organic Standards Board
(NOSB) with corporate and personal special interests.
This has allowed imitators and adulterators to more
easily cash in on the public's trust of the claim
'organic.'
The Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry
research
and
watchdog
organization, announced it has
formally requested the USDA’s
Office of Inspector General
(OIG) to investigate corruption
at its National Organic Program
resulting in the use of illegal
synthetics in organic food.
What happens is that companies
want to sell a food as "organic" but it has ingredients
that aren't in the standard, The solution is to change
the standard so that those ingredients are allowed.
The controversy surrounds products developed by
Martek Biosciences Corporation (part of a $12 billion
Dutch-based conglomerate), who recently petitioned
for approval of its genetically modified soil fungus
and algae as nutritional supplements in organic food.
Martek’s formulated oils are processed with synthetic
petrochemical solvents in a blend containing a
myriad of other synthetic chemicals. Supplements
derived from these oils, commonly marketed as DHA
and ARA, are being added to milk, infant formula
and other organic foods by such companies as Dean
Foods (Horizon), Abbott Laboratories (Similac) and
Nurture, Inc. (Happy Baby).
After a formal legal complaint by Cornucopia, and an
investigative story by the Washington Post, the
USDA announced in April 2010 that it had
“inappropriately” allowed Martek oils to be included
in organic foods.
The problem is that these toxins are still being used
today as the Obama administration has delayed the
enforcement of the decision.
Page 2
More recently it came to my attention that, wait for it,
Neotame (an artificial sweetener in the same class as
aspartame) is an allowed ingredient in USDA organic
food. Neotame’s manufacturing process involves
combining aspartame with 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde,
a chemical categorized as a highly flammable irritant.
To put it in a nut shell, it would appear that organic
certification by the USDA is not worth the certificate
it's printed on.
In what may be a related developing story there have
been a number of YouTube videos recently from the
U.S. where there appears to be a plastic film covering
fresh produce (lettuce is one such item).
I came across a very well researched blog (you can
also watch some of the videos there) at
www.realitybloger.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/that-isnwax-on-your-apple/ which shows that the FDA has
approved a number of edible plastics (oxymoron!) to
be used on produce. This is achieved by either
spraying the produce or dipping it. Apart from some
of the non vegetable sources and chemicals used to
make these plastics, they can also disguise spoilage
making the food less safe.
Of concern too is that in one of the videos that shows
plastic being peeled off a lettuce it is stated that the
lettuce is organic. It's unclear whether these plastics
are approved under the USDA certification.
Most people are aware of the concerns regarding
China's organic industry, the concerns are mainly in
regard to the state of the environment and the
strictness of it's organic regulating bodies.
I'd suggest that we need to be equally, if not more,
concerned about organic food imported from the
U.S.A.
Over the next few weeks we will be reviewing the
certification of our U.S. manufactured products and
deleting them where appropriate.
Additionally I'll be sending the companies involved
an email to let them know that we are deleting their
product and why, with a copy to the USDA.
If you feel as I do, you may wish to do the same from
a "consumer".
Kew Organics News Monthly! February 2012
I'd also encourage any other retailers reading this to
do the same.
A little pressure on the USDA and those using their
certification won't do any harm, and improve the
chance that decisions will be made that will improve,
rather than harm, the organic standards in the U.S.
And I'll finish with the observation that the more
home grown and locally produced organic produce
that we consume, and the less processed food
(organic or otherwise) that we eat, the better off both
we and our world will be.
Sources:
http://realitybloger.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/that-isn-wax-on-your-apple/
http://naturalsociety.com/toxic-artificial-sweetener-neotame-may-be-lurking-inyour-organic-food/
http://www.cornucopia.org/2012/01/largest-corporate-dairy-biotech-firm-andusda-accused-of-conspiring-to-corrupt-rulemaking-and-pollute-organics/
http://www.edenfoods.com/about/organic_skeptic.php
Car Air Purifier
What a good idea. Susie C got me onto these and we
should have some to offer in the next week or so.
While snooping around I found that there are many of
these types of ionisers around but some of them emit
positive ions. It is the negative ions that help purify
the air by binding to positively charged particles in
the air.. Although the ions produced aren't small
enough to be therapeutic (like the Elanra models)
once it's plugged into your car's lighter receptacle it
goes to work cleaning your air from airborne
impurities such as road exhaust, particles, dust,
smoke, mold, pollen, and other allergens.
Keep an eye out for them on our counter!
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The health benefits of Radish
Did you know that the leaves of the radish can be
eaten too and that they actually contain more Vitamin
C, protein and calcium than their roots. You could
probably guess this but radishes are very low in fat,
cholesterol and calories so they're an ideal addition to
your diet if you're trying to lose a kilo or two.
Here's some ways that Radishes can assist with
various ailments:
 Jaundice: Radish is very good for the liver
and the stomach and it is a very good
detoxifier too, that is, it purifies blood.

Piles: Radish is very rich in roughage, i.e.
indigestible carbohydrates. This facilitates
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Page 3
digestion, retains water, cures constipation
(one of the main causes for piles) and thus
gives relief in piles.
Urinary Disorders: Radishes are diurectic in
nature, i.e. increase production of urine. Juice
of radish also cures inflammation and burning
feeling during urinating. It also cleans the
kidneys and inhibits infections in kidneys and
urinary system
Weight Loss: Radishes are very filling, i.e.
fills your stomach and satisfies your hunger
easily without giving you many calories, as
they are low in digestible carbohydrates, high
in roughage and contain a lot of water.
Can be used as an effective treatment for
insect bites, stings of bees, hornets, wasps etc.
Its juice also reduces pain and swelling and
soothes the affected area.
Fever: It brings
down
the
body
temperature
and
relieves
inflammation due to
fever. Drink radish
juice mixed with
black salt. Being a good disinfectant, it also
fights infections which cause fever, thereby
helping cure it.
Respiratory Disorders, Bronchitis and
Asthma: Radish is an anti congestive, i.e. it
relieves congestion of respiratory system
including nose, throat, wind-pipe and lungs,
due to cold, infection, allergies and other
causes. It is a good disinfectant and also rich
in vitamins, which protect respiratory system
from infections.
Liver & Gallbladder: Radish is especially
beneficial for liver and gallbladder functions.
It regulates production and flow of bile and
bilirubin, acids, enzymes and removes excess
bilirubin from the blood, being a good
detoxifier. It protects liver and gallbladder
from infections and ulcers and soothes them.
Other Benefits: Apart from above benefits,
radish is a good appetizer, mouth and breathe
freshener, laxative, regulates metabolism,
improves blood circulation, is a good
treatment for headache, acidity, constipation,
nausea, obesity, sore throat, whooping cough,
gastric problems, gallbladder stones and
dyspepsia.
source: www.organicfacts
Kew Organics News Monthly! February 2012
Page 4
Smart Meters.....
.
For all the up to date information on Smart Meters, as
well as forums and a mailing list go to
www.stopsmartmeters.com.au. You'd be aware that
our state government has approved the full rollout of
smart meters across the state.
As for my home my meter has been padlocked and
I've installed a viewing window so that the meter can
still be read.
As you may be aware the meter at our shop is inside,
We've told our power company and the government
that they don't have our consent to install at either
locations.
Now it's wait and see what they do, sigh
Last December friends of the Earth published their
most recent guide issue of Safe Sunscreen Guide..
They are now recalling it after new research cast
doubt on the nanoparticle content of popular
sunscreens.
Scientists from the National Measurement Institute
say results from an unpublished study show the
presence of nanoparticles in sunscreens which have
been promoted as nano-free.
If you've used their guide to purchase your sunscreen
you may need to check with them
Pina Colada - yum!
Non
Alcoholic
Thanks to Michelle for passing this delsh recipe on to
us. We've made it twice now at home and it's truly
delicious.
Ingredients:
Coconut water from one coconut
1/2 large Pineapple
Flesh from 1/2 coconut
Juice from 2 limes
Vanilla Essence (about 1 teaspoon)
Argave Syrup (about 2 tablespoons)
Blend it all up and enjoy, you'll get about 4 glasses
out of it.
Nanoparticles in sunscreens
Grape Seed Extract Kills Cancer,
Leaves Healthy Cells Unharmed
from http://www.wellnessresources.com
Add grape seed extract to the list of nutrients that can
tell friend from foe, offering safe and helpful nontoxic remedies for those dealing with cancer or
wishing to prevent it. The latest study published last
week in the journal Carcinogenesis is a mouse study
involving head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
cells. It showed that grape seed extract damaged the
DNA of cancer while blocking the ability of cancer
cells to repair such damage. In contrast, grape seed
extract is one of the friendliest and most helpful
nutrients known to healthy cells.
“It’s a rather dramatic effect,” says Rajesh Agarwal,
PhD, investigator at the University of Colorado
Cancer
Center.
“Cancer cells are
fast-growing cells.
Not only that, but
they are necessarily
fast growing. When
conditions exist in
which they can’t
grow, they die. Yet
we saw absolutely
no toxicity to the
mice, themselves. I think the whole point is that
cancer cells have a lot of defective pathways and they
are very vulnerable if you target those pathways. The
same is not true of healthy cells.”
I have previously reported that grape seed extract
reduces prostate cancer risk, helps prevent skin
cancer, and is effective against leukemia cells. One
study shows that grape seed extract and resveratrol
work synergistically to knock out colon cancer cells.
Kew Organics News Monthly! February 2012
It is becoming clear that nutrition offers great hope
for prevention of cancer as well as treatment, actually
helping chemo drugs work better at lower doses.
Nutrition actually has intelligent gene-management
function, demonstrating the ability to kill cancer cells
while helping to assist healthy cells. Other nutrients
in this category include tocotrienols, curcumin, green
tea catechins, quercetin, DHA fish oil, and many
others.
Individuals should not consider any one nutrient or
combination of nutrients as a sole treatment for
cancer. However, the ridiculous recommendation by
many oncologists to discontinue all antioxidants
during cancer treatment should be thrown into the
trash bin of ignorance and incompetence. It is high
time the FDA and other public health institutions
embraced the stunning ability of nutrition to prevent
and help combat disease.
Obviously buying seeded grapes will provide the
same benefits, just make sure you chew the seeds a
little!.-J
Page 5
Body scanner Update
You're likely aware that Minister Albenese recently
announced that all of Australia's airports would be
installing Body Scanners to be used for commuters
flying out of Australia.
The scanners to be employed are the Milliwave
scanners which emit microwaves near the end of the
microwave spectrum.
Albenese, in his press release, stated that the scanners
were "perfectly safe".
Yet anyone with serious medical conditions may be
exempt from being scanned.
The obvious question is that if they are "perfectly
safe" then should seriously ill people avoid them?
The answer of course, is that they are not perfectly
safe.
Adrenal Burnout Syndrome
"Thousands of people suffer from constant fatigue
that is not relieved by rest and sleep. This is the main
symptom of adrenal weakness or adrenal burnout
syndrome. This article examines this extremely
common syndrome – its causes, symptoms and the
process of recovery of vibrant health with a
nutritional balancing program".
And so opens a very interesting and informative
article by Lawrence Wilson MD.
From a definition of the syndrome to causes,
symptoms, diagnosis, myths and recovery Lawrence
covers every aspect of Adrenal Burnout Syndrome.
The article itself is way too long to reproduce (even
in edited form) here so I'd highly recommend you
visit
http://drlwilson.com/articles/adrenal_burnout.htm
for the full article.
Many thanks Adrienne for the link.
There is any amount of research readily available
attesting to the fact that man made microwaves are
unsafe for the human body.
This one http://arxiv.org/abs/0910.5294 shows that
the Terahetz radiation (as used by the body scanners)
can "influence intricate molecular processes involved
in gene expression and DNA replication".
According to crikey.com.au L-3
Communications, a key member of
the US defense establishment and one
with links to some of the worst
scandals of the past decade, has the
contract to install these scanners.
On top of all that, if you don't agree to be scanned
then you won't be flying, unlike in the U.S where you
have the choice to be groped.
there's much that doesn't make sense about all this.
Another thing I don't quite get is that, given that the
biggest (alleged) terrorist attack in history, 9/11 took
place using domestic flights, why the focus on
international travel?
Love to see these scanners installed at parliament! :)
Kew Organics News Monthly! February 2012
Page 6
Abode Cleaning Products
More on Grapes!
You may have seen (or even purchased) a book
called "Health home Healthy family" in our shop.
The author is Nicole Bijlsma.
Nicole is an accomplished naturopath, acupuncturist
and building biologist who has been in clinical
practice since 1989. She is also the founder of the
Australian College of Environmental Studies which
was established in 1999 to educate people about the
health hazards in the built (artificial) environment.
Nicole and her husband Mark have devoted the last
few years of their lives to create a
range of products that would
revolutionise the industry and set a
benchmark for cleaning products in
health food stores. The Abode
Cleaning Product range has been
specifically formulated from the
ground up to ensure that they are
devoid of nasty chemicals such as
ammonia, bleach, and detergents like
coco-betaines and sodium lauryl
sulphates, as well as palm oil,
phosphates and so on.
And yes, we are now stocking the
Abode Cleaning range which is made
right here in Australia.
Nilda and I so far have used the
dishwashing liquid and it's as good, if
not better, as anything else we've used.
We'll be replacing our other cleaners with Abode
products as we use them up.
So check them out next time you're in.
And just in case I haven't talked you in to purchasing
some of our grapes here's news of another recent
study, this one with fresh grapes!
GM Corn concerns
This is interesting.
http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm#headingA11
A recent study showing that 3 gm crops that have
been approved for
consumption
cause
organ damage.
FSANZ readily admits
that it's approval of GM
foods is largely based
on the industry's own
safety study. The data used for the above study was
exactly that which was used by Monsanto to gain
approval.
The fox guarding the hen house.
Our governments response has, as with the U.S.
government, been quick and decisive.
They have both ignored the study.
from http://naturalsociety.com
A new study published in Free Radical Biology and
Medicine shows how grapes can be utilized as a
powerful tool in halting or slowing blindness brought
on by age. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
is a progressive eye condition which leads to a
suffering
retina.
The
condition affects millions
of elderly individuals
worldwide, but knowing
this information can put a
stop to the increasing
statistics and even make it so that no eye-sight
‘promoting’ pharmaceuticals are needed.
The study examined the effects 3 different diets had
on aging mice: a diet rich in grapes, a diet with added
lutein, and a normal diet. Mice are prone to
developing retinal damage in old age very similar to
how humans do, so the impacts of antioxidant-rich
diets should have a very similar impact on humans.
What the researchers found was that the diet
containing grapes provided significant protection
by shielding against oxidative damage of the retina
and also prevented blindness. A diet containing
lutein was also effective, but not quite as effective as
a grape-rich diet. A ‘normal’ diet was conclusively
the least positively impacting. These results indicate
that age-related vision loss is the outcome of
cumulative oxidative damage over many years.
“The protective effect of the grapes in this study was
remarkable, offering a benefit for vision at old age
even if grapes were consumed only at young age,”
states principal investigator Silvia Finnemann, PhD,
Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham
University in New York. Of course those already
entrenched in a healthy lifestyle probably don’t need
to worry about AMD. Consuming a diet rich in dark
leafy greens, yellow peppers, pumpkin, blueberries,
carrots, or any other food with antioxidants is a sure
way to avoid degeneration of all kinds – and that
includes that of the eyes. As with any food, it is best
to buy organic as they are of the utmost quality.
Grapes in particular should definitely be bought
organic due to high risk of contamination. Vineyards
can be sprayed with different pesticides during
different growth periods of the grape, and no amount
of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination
because of the grape’s thin skin.