Hi! Just a quick note to qive you a link to the Food & Drug Administration link to comment on CBD (cannibidiol) the Hemp-derived phytocannabinoid dietary supplement that has been recently praised by FDA as “beneficial”.
Not only did FDA declare CBD beneficial; it is asking for comments from the public. What a unique opportunity eh?
It should be noted this FDA quandry is in response to requests from the WHO (World Health Organization). It is not just CBD being discussed, as they are also soliciting comments on drugs such as Tramadol and Ketamine which are pharmaceutical drugs.
If you have something to add to the discussion of CBD as a legal dietary supplement in the US, and of its benefit to others, join the discussion by submitting your comments today.
Bulletproof coffee – stand back. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been known to put a little coconut oil in my coffee. It’s actually a great idea. But lately I’ve been starting my day with a dose of electrolyte minerals and I’ve been really impressed with the results!
Humic acid, and its related metabolite fulvic acid, have been increasingly researched for their beneficial health effects. It is no secret that the abundance of trace minerals found in connection with humic fulvates are beneficial and energizing. They even kind of look like coffee! Talk about the doctrine of signature; I don’t know how I missed this combination that has been right in front of my face.
I’ve been adding a tablespoon per cup of coffee. It is fine to heat the minerals, but I have found it works best to add it in to the java once it has been brewed. The same way humic and fulvic acid can boost absorption of nutrients, minerals and botanicals – they can do for you and your morning caffeine beverage. You could even go crazy and add the minerals AND the coconut oil to your morning elixir. Have fun with it!
I’ve been trying an experimental new protocol (at a number of top secret research facilities) and I’m finally able to share some of the results with the world.
That’s right : it is coming soon; our Maca rainbow whole food pre-workout. While these are not published clinical trials – the gold standard of food supplements – you can bet that everyone involved has been impressed with the results!
One of the secrets; at least the only one I can divulge at this time – is a TRIFECTA of Maca rainbow energy. Yes, that’s right folks we’re combining Red Maca , Black AND Yellow Maca (organically grown in the Andes mountains in their raw state) to find out – the amount of whole food synergy is this combination is astounding.
More on this, and the other important whole food ingredients in this formula, to come.
You would have to been under a rock to have not heard of “Bullet Proof Coffee” and perhaps you won’t be surprised to know that the inventor has written a book called the “Bullet Proof Diet”.
However when it comes to supplements there may be some holes in the program. One potentially misguided recommendation of the author, who recommends relying on ‘good fats’ such as MCTs in coconut oil and grass-fed butter, may be the recommendation of Krill Oil over Omega-3 Fish Oil supplements. Continue reading →
Cod Liver oil, the result of the process of extracting the omega-3 fatty acids from wild-harvested Cod fish livers, has a long history of traditional use in the Kingdom of Norway, considered one of the most progressive countries in the world. Though the Nordic people endure harsh winters and long periods of darkness, their culture became pioneers in nutritional supplementation long before the industrialized world evolved.
Today, we are free to buy Cod Liver Oil even though it does not fit into the mainstream model of using only pharmaceutical drugs as medicine. So, the next time you pick up a bottle of Cod Liver Oil to enjoy the natural benefits of Omega-3 EPA & DHA and natural Vitamins A & D – take a minute to be thankful that you live in a country where you have the freedom to choose natural; even when it goes against the grain of the established system. Research shows Cod Liver Oil may have benefits for the heart and many other parts of the body.
In fact, it really shouldn’t go against the grain of medicine – it is historically important to note the widely recognized benefits of Cod Liver Oil. Modern advances in technology of processing (and vertically-integrated sustainability) have brought us the finest Cod Liver Oil in the free world. Be thankful for the freedom to choose natural!
On Monday, the NY Times reported that the New York Attorney General’s office had accused four major retailers (Walgreen’s Wal-Mart, Target and GNC) of having adulterated and useless (or potentially harmful) products on their shelves. The paper of record reported that “The authorities said they had conducted tests on top-selling store brands of herbal supplements at four national retailers — GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart — and found that four out of five of the products did not contain any of the herbs on their labels. The tests showed that pills labeled medicinal herbs often contained little more than cheap fillers like powdered rice, asparagus and houseplants, and in some cases substances that could be dangerous to those with allergies.”
This could be attributed to what many in the natural products industry had already believed – that the products carried under the brand of big box retailers like Wal-Mart might be less than stellar quality. The unfortunate reality might also be that this could have negative ramifications for other companies as well.
Today the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) responded publicly to the charges from the NY State Attorney’s office by saying “the New York State Attorney General used an inadequate and unproven analytical method to test herbal supplement products at the core of the State’s allegations that several retailers are selling adulterated and/or mislabeled herbal dietary supplements. The results of this analysis, therefore, cannot be considered valid. According to AHPA Chief Science Officer Maged Sharaf, Ph.D., the New York State Attorney General and the laboratory that conducted the analysis relied on an analytical technology that does not have the capacity to reach the degree of certainty represented by the State in its accusations.”
While this is clearly an evolving case, it underscores the need for consumers to support high quality natural products supplements that use the kind of rigors in keeping with GMP. Read more about AHPA’s response here.
It really pains me to type that title, folks. I’m a big fan of Maca. It is one of the best ‘tonic’ super foods – meaning that it is safe enough to eat every day and provides continual body strengthening benefits. It is a member of the Cabbage family that only grows in the Andes mountains on the coast of South America.
When the Food Movement project first began bringing Red and Black Lepidium preuvianum (Maca root) from Peru into the US health food store market, I was ecstatic that we were able to bring this international superstar to folks at a fair price, and were able to work with our supplier partners to obtain verifiable certified organic plants in a raw form. Now international demand has pushed prices sky high and made good materials more scarce.
So here’s the long a short of it; if you see a Maca you like on the shelves right now – especially at prices consistent with what they were earlier in the year – buy it all. If you liked Maca at $13.99 for an 8 oz (retail price on TFM Red Maca before the recent disruption) you can expect to buy quite a bit more as the overall market absorbs supply-side price increases of 400 to 500%!
Consider this recent report from America TV
While price increases can cause problems for retail and wholesale suppliers, as well as importers (not to mention consumers!) the real problem may end up being one of supply. For a crop that only grows properly in a certain part of the world, there can be only a certain amount of supply without sacrificing quality. At this moment I’d rather pay too much for Maca than have none at all! It seems that it may be the only option we have.
As far as blaming Asian markets for this problem – if anyone is to blame it might just be the Chinese government. Because they had state-controlled limits on birth rates, recently lifted, their people were not concerned with procreating at the rate they are in the free world. China’s one-child policy from 1979 to 2009 may have averted as much as 200 million births, although ethnic minorities within China were not limited by the single child rule and other exceptions were actually made to this limit. Even so, since the change in China’s family planning policy, their demand for products ranging from Prenatal Vitamins and EFAs to aphrodisiacs such as Maca root, have skyrocketed. As these pressures impact our global market, we can only do our best to keep our eyes on the prize in regards to sustainability, fair trade principles, and environmental footprint. Good Maca will likely continue to be available, but we will always struggle with increased levels of inferior products as Maca poaching and other tactics become more profitable than ever.
I’ve been trying an experimental new protocol (at a number of top secret research facilities) and I’m finally able to share some of the results with the world.
