Email Newsletter from 10/24/06
Ever met a GNU? Let me introduce you to Health Freedom's new mascot, the GNU (that's Good News Update!)
There's enough good news on the health freedom scene to write home about! There is so much, in fact, that we are devoting this issue of the Health Freedom Alerts Newsletter to it: here's the latest Good News Update (GNU).
You already know that Health Freedom is complex because it encompasses so many aspects of our lives:
- Codex
- Access to drug free therapies
- Clean food
- Vaccination choices
- Labeling food properly (think unlabeled GMOs mixed into the food supply)
- Processing food (or not -think spraying food with viruses)
- Corrupt regulatory agencies (think FDA)
- "Strange fruit" (think biotech)
- Deadly ingredients (think aspartame)
You get the idea.
Surveying the scene, however, the results are quite encouraging! There is a LOT of good news which I want to share with you.
Before the Good News Update (GNU), a couple of requests:
- Please remember to use the Yahoo search engine, www.GoodSearch.com, for EVERY search you make and specify "Natural Solutions Foundation" as your designated charity. We get paid one penny for each search. They can add up: you are supporting health freedom without any additional effort! Make it your homepage!
- The Health Freedom Alerts Newsletter is rich in vitally important information which everyone on your list needs to know for either personal or professional reasons (or both). Won't you make it a regular habit to forward this newsletter to your whole list and add your own message urging them to get involved and spread the word? Thanks, in advance.
Now let's go see the GNUs!
GNU 1
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOUNDATION TO RECEIVE COVETED CARLTON LEE AWARD
I am humbled and honored to tell you that the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) will award General Stubblebine and me the sought-after Carlton Lee Award given "in recognition of exemplary efforts in further the principles of Environmental Medicine". Thank you, AAEM! Every referable physician you find on the AAEM website, www.AAEM.com, has been trained not only in environmental medicine, but in nutrition! Fancy that! When people ask me for a referral, I send them first to this extraordinary organization.
The AAEM, along with the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (www.IAOMT.org) and the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (www.NANP.org) endorses the Natural Solutions Foundation. This strengthens us and strengthens them at the same time. To my mind, that's the most effective way to fight a battle: everyone strengthens the efforts of everyone else. We receive recognition and their members are encouraged to support our work. The organizations receive accurate information on an up-to-the-minute basis and they know that they and their members have a vigorous ally fighting for their interests at the national and international level. If your professional organization should be endorsing the Natural Solutions Foundation, contact your board and let us know, too. Write to me at rima.laibow@healthfreedomusa.org to let me know what's in process.
GNU 2
CODEX HAS A STRONG PRO HEALTH ITEM ON ITS AGENDA
The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) is meeting outside of Germany for the first time in its history. It will be chaired by someone other than "the Dr. Strangelove of nutrition", Dr. Rolf Grossklaus. Its next meeting will be in Chiang Mai, Thailand from October 30-November 3, 206. Of course the Natural Solutions Foundation will be there advocating for health. And we have a growing base of allies, countries that increasingly see things our way.
South Africa has introduced its powerful 11 points for further consideration in guiding Codex to implement the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. It focuses on using Codex to bring optimal health to the world THROUGH DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS IF DESIRED (!), banning trans fats and marketing of junk food to children, and other strong pro-health requirements. These requirements can open a whole new vista for Codex: consumer well-being! We believe in this initiative and know that, if adopted, it will change the direction of Codex! 1, 2
GNU 3
CODEX, US SUPPORT FLUORIDE IN INFANT FORMULA. OUR POSITION PAPER HAS CHANGED THE MINDS OF SEVERAL COUNTRIES
Fluoride is a deadly poison, not a health aide. Codex proposed allowing 60 ugm per 100 kcal of infant formula. We submitted comments urging the US to oppose any fluoridation. Our "friendlies" have taken up our position! We'll see what happens at the CCNFSDU meeting and let you know how it turns out.
Read more about the fluoride battle here.3
GNU 4
THE FDA'S DEEP AND DEADLY CORRUPTION IS COMING TO LIGHT
The FDA is charged with regulating drugs, foods and cosmetics. Somewhere in there you would think that it would take steps to keep you safe. Apparently not. Approving dangerous drugs, viruses sprayed on foods, contaminated vaccines, warring against safe and effective alternatives to drugs (i.e., nutrients), financial corruption that kills, suppressing information, etc. That's our FDA. The fine men and women who do their jobs in an ethical way are intimidated and punished for their ethical stands. But the times, they are apparently a-changing'.
Lester Crawford, the FDA Commissioner who resigned abruptly "to spend time with him family" may instead be spending time in jail or on house arrest: his financial double dealing has caught up with him and he has pleaded guilty.
Read more about this wholesome development: perhaps an outraged Congress will follow the lead of its outraged constituents instead of its generous industrial lobbyists and do what is right! 4
GNU 5
DISNEY COMPANY DOES WHAT US IS UNWILLLING TO: END ADVERTISING AND SELLING JUNK FOOD TO KIDS!
The Disney Company, a major marketer and purveyor of food to kids through on-site sales at its properties and marketing of branded "character" products, impacts that health of a large number of children around the globe.
In a major pro-health initiative, the Disney Company will voluntarily restrict calories, carbs and other junk-y components on foods specifically marketed to children, they announced on October 17, 2006.
"The Walt Disney Company is preparing for a major turnaround in the types of foods it promotes to children, announcing yesterday the introduction of new nutritional guidelines for its licensed products."
The move by the global kids' entertainment giant is likely to set the pace of food promotion to children, which has increasingly been in the spotlight as childhood obesity rates continue to grow according to FoodUSAnavigator.com.
"Disney's new policy means that it will only use its name and characters on kid-focused products that meet specific guidelines, including limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. It also plans to serve more nutritious options and eliminate trans fats from meals served throughout its entertainment parks.
Disney said it "expects most of its licensed products and promotional tie-ins to meet the new guidelines by the end of 2008, [implementing] a cap on calories that will deliver appropriate kid-sized portions. Added sugar will not exceed 10 percent of calories for main dishes and side dishes, and 25 percent of calories for snacks. Total fat will not exceed 30 percent of calories for main and side dishes and 35 percent for snacks. And saturated fat will not exceed 10 percent of calories for main dishes, side dishes and snacks."
Disney believes that "The Disney brand and characters are in a unique position to market food that kids will want and parents will feel good about giving them," according to Disney President Robert Iger. Yes, they are. The Disney Company has applied huge effort to get them there and now is determined to use them as a force for health. Good News, indeed.
Somehow, the US Government needs to take notice that although it is protecting the corporate interests of pediatric junk food companies, those companies themselves see the wisdom in cleaning up their nutritional and marketing act!
GNU 6
YOUR SUPPORT IS TAKING US TO THAILAND AND INDIA!
I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, commitment and participation in this health freedom campaign. You know that we came home from our last trip with major funding pledged. It did not happen. So we were left with two problems: 1. Find a way to fill up the financial hole the last trip created and 2. Regroup so that we can continue what we are doing without that funding.
What happened? You supported us. You set up lectures, fund raisers, volunteered your creativity and suggestions, created a brilliant dance benefit, offered your art for sale (we are setting that up) and let us know how important what we are doing is to you.
When we changed the website a couple of days ago so that you can sign the Citizens Petition and email it directly from the web page, the CP's fairly flew into my computer -- we got several hundred in the last 2 days! (By the way, if you have not signed the CP, now would be a very good time. And tell everyone you know that they need to do the same. Just go to http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/action/step3/petition-letter.shtml and fill in your information and follow the buttons.
Your involvement and support is more important than you can imagine. This is a people-to-people effort and it's real people who make this battle really matter!
By the way, have you sent the Nutricide link on Google Video to your list? It helps people to "get" what the battle is about. Send them to http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5266884912495233634&q=Nutricide
GNU 7
ORGANIC SUPPLEMENT STORE IS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION -- WATCH FOR IT!
I have personally selected over 2000 totally organic products for you to choose from. You'll be able to select what you want from our online store knowing that there are NO GMOs, NO dangerous chemicals, NO artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or other toxins. You will be able to buy herbs, homeopathics, bars, snacks, etc. confident that there are NO pesticide or heavy metal residues.
And you will be making a tax deductible contribution every time you purchase anything at all! You'll get an email for your tax records and we'll all be supporting the vitally important organic products industry. I am really excited. Coming soon to a computer screen near you: clean, unadulterated high potency nutrients and foods! Just what the doctor ordered!
The next time you read our newsletter, we will be writing from the Codex meeting! I'll keep you posted.
Yours in health and freedom,
Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
1. South Africa's pro-health principles, http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2006/05/03/381188/commentsouthafrica.pdf
2. Press release about US opposition to Optimal Health and support of advertising junk food to kids, https://console.prweb.com/prweb/preview/only/144517/prweb381188.php
3. Dr. Laibow's Health Freedom Blog and Natural Solutions Foundation Comments on Fluoride, http://blog.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?year=2006&monthnum=10&day=25
4 Dr. Laibow's Health Freedom Blog on FDA corruption, http://blog.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?year=2006&monthnum=10&day=25
