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Bird Flu Outbreak in Dairy Cows Fails to Deter U.S. Raw Milk Sellers
U.S. sellers of raw milk appear undeterred by federal health warnings for consumers to avoid drinking unpasteurized milk in light of a bird flu outbreak that has affected dairy herds in nine states and sickened at least one dairy farm worker.
Thirty of the 50 U.S. states permit the sale of raw milk, which accounts for less than 1% percent of U.S. milk sales. A nationwide survey of pasteurized milk — heated to kill pathogens — found avian flu virus particles in about 20% of samples tested.
Many raw milk drinkers share a deep skepticism of public health officials, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which also battled political polarization and misinformation during and after the COVID pandemic.
Maryland-based raw cheese producer Sally Fallon Morell said she doubts the accuracy of the federal government’s findings and believes the latest raw milk warnings are driven by worries that the product is eroding pasteurized milk sales.
“It’s all smoke and mirrors,” said Fallon Morell, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which advocates for raw milk.
Bird Flu Outbreak: Don’t Drink That Raw Milk, No Matter What Social Media Tells You
Don’t drink raw milk, no matter what social media tells you. Seriously. In an update on the outbreak of bird flu in the U.S. on Wednesday, federal agencies revealed that recent testing on commercial dairy products detected remnants of the virus in one in five samples. However, none contained the live virus that could sicken people.
Officials also said that testing on contaminated dairy reaffirmed that pasteurization kills the bird flu virus, making it safe to consume.
Despite the assurances, a seemingly growing pocket of influencers and content creators online, particularly TikTok, have taken to boasting about drinking raw milk, touting supposed benefits and sowing seeds of skepticism as to the safety of pasteurization.
Study Finds Social and Psychological Factors Fuel Teen Cravings for Ultra-Processed Foods During Screen Time
A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics discusses adolescents’ perceptions, attitudes, and motivations regarding the consumption of ultra-processed food products during screen time.
A national health survey conducted in Spain in 2017 reported a prevalence of 18% and 10% of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents, respectively. Since then, the rising prevalence of obesity and overweight among adolescents has remained a significant public health concern worldwide.
Several lifestyle factors, such as lack of physical activity and consumption of ultra-processed foods, also significantly contribute to overweight and obesity. Eating during screen time, a typical adolescent behavior can also lead to increased consumption of unhealthy foods.
Existing evidence indicates that food advertisements watched by adolescents during screen time can potentially influence their decisions to purchase and consume ultra-processed foods, which are high in calories, trans-fats, and sugars.
In the current study, scientists explore adolescents’ perceptions, attitudes, and motivations regarding consuming ultra-processed foods during screen time. The perceived educational needs of adolescents regarding nutrition and their knowledge about ultra-processed foods were also assessed.
In an Unprecedented Action, Latin American Organizations Denounced Bayer to the OECD for Glyphosate-Related Damages
In an unprecedented action, four organizations from Latin American countries and a German initiative joined a denouncement of the biochemical company Bayer to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the impacts of the pesticide glyphosate on the environment and human health.
The aim is to raise awareness of Bayer’s responsibility for the negative impacts on the environment due to the use of genetically modified products, such as seeds and agrochemicals based on glyphosate. According to the organizations, these impacts have violated human rights in the countries of the so-called Cono Sur region for the past 30 years.
The discussion on whether or not to ban glyphosate is taking place in parallel with international studies pointing to the carcinogenic aspect of this pesticide. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is linked to the World Health Organization (WHO), published a report stating that glyphosate is a potential cancer-causing agent, specifically non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
In the complaint brought to the OECD, the Brazilian case in question is the consequences of the use of glyphosate on three Avá-Guarani Indigenous communities in the towns of Guaíra and Terra Roxa, about 645 kilometers from Curitiba, the capital city of Paraná state, and on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. According to the petitioning organizations, 509 of the 661 agricultural establishments in Guaíra and 921 of the 1,209 agricultural establishments in Terra Roxa use pesticides, predominantly on soya and maize plantations.
Can You Actually Avoid ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Your Diet?
It’s no secret that many of our favorite foods contain an array of chemicals that can lead to serious health risks.
In addition to pesticides, there have been growing concerns about PFAS, short for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. Dubbed “forever chemicals,” PFAS are a group of synthetic chemical compounds that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s because of their ability to resist grease, oil, water, and heat.
Although the chemicals are useful in food packaging and cookware, they are harmful to human health and our environment. PFAS take at least a century to break down in the human body, and even longer in the environment. Prolonged exposure and consumption of PFAS also contribute to a higher risk of cancer, autoimmune disease, thyroid problems and other health issues.
Unfortunately, PFAS are widespread in our foods — specifically, some produce items, packaged foods and seafood — and even our drinking water. Today, more than 97% of the national population has PFAS in their bodies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To make matters worse, human exposure to PFAS has become increasingly difficult to assess with the creation of new substances in recent years. PFAS are almost impossible to avoid, many experts have said. Further research into the chemicals — both new and existing — is also ongoing.
Mediterranean Staple May Lower Your Risk of Death From Dementia, Study Finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
For more than 92,000 adults observed over 28 years, consuming at least 7 grams — a bit over half a tablespoon — of olive oil daily was linked with a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death, compared with those who never or rarely ate olive oil, found the study published Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The study is the peer-reviewed and finalized version of an abstract — early research the authors presented in July 2023 at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting. To the authors’ knowledge, it was also the first to investigate whether the Mediterranean diet staple is linked with risk of death from the disease.
The potential benefits of olive oil for brain health could be due to antioxidant compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier, directly affecting the brain,
The potential benefits of olive oil for brain health could be due to antioxidant compounds that can cross the blood-brain barrier, directly affecting the brain, said study coauthor Anne-Julie Tessier, a research associate in nutrition at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Investors With Questions: How a ‘Clean Food’ Farm Scheme Born of COVID Vaccine Fears Descended Into Rancour
A promotional video for the Mount Lion Family Farm from last January shows soaring drone shots of lush paddocks filled with what it describes as “activated, wonderful, aware, awake people” at a party with pizza, live music and campfires. One local in the nearby town of Kyogle, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, described some people arriving at the farm in Teslas, while others “looked like they’d just climbed out of the lantana in Nimbin.”
Born out of a prominent pandemic-era group that opposed COVID-19 vaccines for children, the Family Farm project aimed to grow food outside what it called a “corrupt” food system and provide a sanctuary in an emergency.
After the pandemic lockdowns, the idea was enthusiastically received. About 400 investors poured an estimated $22m into buying close to 500 hectares of land across at least three properties in two states, in many cases using self-managed super funds.
“People in this community started discussing buying a farm and growing their own food,” said Adam Gibson, a key promoter of the Family Farm. “It was as simple as that.”
But the path out of the “system” is not always smooth. Investors have found it can be hard to run a property when hundreds of people need to agree and some disputes have wound up in court.
