Page 15 - Summer2009

Caustic Commentary

place? Several explanations come to mind: trans fats (which of disease-causing bacteria in air samples from the outside
inhibit receptors and chemical reactions), lack of fat-soluble and the inside of the cars. The study was carried out on the
vitamins (needed for the production of neuropeptides), poor Delmarva Peninsula, which has one of the highest densities
diet in general and childhood emotional trauma. While of broiler chickens per acre in the country (Washington Post,
UHVHDUFKHUV ZLOO EH ORRNLQJ IRU D PDJLF SDWHQWDEOH ¿[ WKLV December 1, 2008).
research cries out for a truly holistic approach to diabetes.
PORTENT OF THINGS TO COME?
CAFFEINE POISONING Two recent agricultural calamities—one with corn and one
Energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster, Rock Star and SoBE, with cows—have ominous implications for the future of
and herbal supplements like guarana, are increasingly popular the industrial agricultural model. In three South African
among young people. Increased consumption of these caf- SURYLQFHV IDUPHUV SODQWLQJ JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGL¿HG FRUQ KDYH
feine-containing beverages may explain the rise in emergency suffered up to eighty percent crop failures. Three varieties
hospital trips for caffeine poisoning. When people indulge RI JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGL¿HG FRUQ GLG QRW SROOLQDWH SURSHUO\ $F-
in caffeine at toxic levels, the amount found in two to three cording to Monsanto, producer of the corn, the problem was
cups of coffee or more, they can experience anxiety, head- just a mistake in the laboratory—hard to believe when three
aches, dehydration, tremors, heart palpitations and nausea. different varieties of corn were affected (www.digitaljournal.
The problem of caffeine overload is particularly harmful to com/article/270101). In Germany, a mysterious illness caus-
still-developing teenagers and people with heart conditions. ing calves to bleed to death has veterinarians stumped. The
More than half the calls made to poison control centers regard- two-to-three-week-old calves begin bleeding massively and
ing caffeine over indulgence were made on behalf of young are often dead within hours. Theories as to the cause include
people under the age of nineteen. Regular sodas also contain vaccinations, radiation from cell towers, decades of inbreed-
caffeine—a visit to Starbucks, a soft drink, an energy drink, LQJ DQG JHQHWLFDOO\ PRGL¿HG VR\ LQ WKH IHHG ZZZ VSLHJHO
a bar of chocolate can all add up to a life-threatening jolt to GH LQWHUQDWLRQDO JHUPDQ\ KWPO 'HVSHUDWH
the adrenal glands and a trip to the emergency room. farmers are turning to prayer, but it might be better to just
turn the cows out on grass. Are these two events harbingers
COINCIDENCE? of industrial agriculture’s collapse? If so, the renaissance of
Property owners in Ireland who obtain their water from private small, pasture-based farms represents more than just a niche
ZDWHU ZHOOV DUH DW VLJQL¿FDQW ULVN RI LQIHFWLRQ IURP YLUXOHQW E. for yuppie consumers, but the difference between eating and
coli O157:H7. Ireland’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre starving.
UHSRUWHG ¿YH FDVHV RI NLGQH\ IDLOXUH LQ FKLOGUHQ DVVRFLDWHG
with the bug in 2007. The risk is much greater in rural than
XUEDQ DUHDV ZZZ LQGHSHQGHQW LH KHDOWK $SULO FOR SCIENTISTS AND LAY READERS
Ireland is the European country with the greatest increase in
FRQ¿QHPHQW DJULFXOWXUH LQ UHFHQW \HDUV &RLQFLGHQFH" Please note that the mission of the Weston A. Price
Foundation is to provide important information about diet
TAILGATING DANGERS and health to both scientists and the lay public. For this
Trailing too closely behind trucks taking broiler chickens from reason, some of the articles in Wise Traditions are neces-
sarily technical. It is very important for us to describe the
factory farms to the slaughterhouse could expose motorists to science that supports the legitimacy of our dietary prin-
antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Researchers from the Johns Hop- ciples. In articles aimed at scientists and practitioners, we
kins Bloomberg School of Public Health took samples from provide a summary of the main points and also put the
FDUV WKDW KDG GULYHQ WZR RU WKUHH OHQJWKV EHKLQG ÀDWEHG WUXFNV most technical information in sidebars. These articles are
carrying open crates of conventionally raised caged chickens balanced by others that provide practical advice to our
over a distance of seventeen miles and found increased levels lay readers.

SUMMER 2009 Wise Traditions 13