BIOP HILE 19 — DEC 07/JAN 08 — R25 - Biophile Magazine

1 9BIOPHILE 19 — DEC 07/JAN 08 — R259 771813 139003

Article Title Goes HereHow many toxins are in yourpotato chips?Acrylamide is a dangerouschemical Biophile present Magazinefoods suchas is french published fries, every potato two chips, months,breakfast in February, cereals, April, cookies June, August, andcrackers. 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TheUS you federal to reproduce limit for and acrylamide share thein information drinking water in this .5 magazine, parts perbillion, but please or about contact .12 micrograms us first toin confirm a 200ml the glass availability of water. of However,material a 170g serving you’d like of to french use.thefries can contain 60 microgramsof acrylamide. DisclaimerThe presence No guarantee of acrylamide is made andother concerning currently the unrecognizedvalidity of thetoxins information are good in reasons this publication why youshould and no avoid responsibility processed foods will be asaccepted for any errors oromissions, or comments madeby our contributors.The TeamEditor: Anthea Torranthea@biophile.co.zaCo-Editor: Steve Ventersteve@biophile.co.zaDesign Assistant: Nikki BirdSubscriptions: Coral McCallumcoral@biophile.co.za021 709 0390www.biophile.co.za/subscribeAdvertising:Steve Ventersteve@biophile.co.za021 782 3401www.biophile.co.za/advertiseAssistants: Des du Plooy,Shahied Ishmail, Debbie Enslin,Lawrence KapyepyeContact usTel: (021) 709 0390Fax: (021) 709 0392Postal: Box 39277Capricorn Square 7948Email: inbox@biophile.co.zaVisit us onlinewww.biophile.co.zaCopyLeftThis magazine has beenfreed by copyleft. Unlessotherwise noted, you are free toredistribute the content of thismagazine if you clearly credit theauthor and source.ISSN: 1813-1395Printed with lead-free inkson recycled paperMinimum 10% of profitsdonated to charity02 Inbox09 Editorial10 The Biofiles12 Get Active!issue 19 Dec 2007 / Jan 200816 Heavy Metal DetoxHow to remove mercury and other heavy metals from yourbody, safely and inexpensively.19 Self-Empowerment, SpiritualMastery and Inner PeaceSpiritual masters know that they are only masters ofthemselves.20 The Pain of Caring Too MuchTo be a bright green political ecologist is to feel emotionalpain from cut land, trashed oceans, toxic waters and adisintegrating atmosphere..22 The EarthChild ProjectWhat use is an ‘A’ in maths of your body, mind and soul areunwell and unbalanced?25 ‘Just’ a Chicken?I bought her to kill her, so she didn’t get a name. Somehow itwas easier that way. And, after all, I only knew her for a fewhours.26 Treating Depression NaturallyThe key to successful nutritional treatment of depressionis to determine a person’s biochemical individuality,and to provide focused appropriate supplementation.28 Aum Farm Eco-CommunityThe Aum Farm eco-community is a rural gathering of likeminded,spiritually aware people, who create a supportivesocial environment with a low-impact, minimum footprint,sustainable lifestyle.36 The Green Gift GuideIt’s the Season of Giving, so here’s our guideto giving the perfect green gift.38 Nuclear EmissionsChapter Four of Nuclear Power is Not the Answer by Dr HelenCaldicott: Uranium Mining, Milling, Enriching,Routine Releases And Accidental Releases42 African BlissMy husband and I have been really fortunate enough tohave found a farm where we can live growing all our foodorganically and live surrounded by beauty and nature.50 Raw Food FeastThis Festive Season, instead of a tablestrewn with the grilled, roasted and friedcorpses of slaughtered animals, why notlay out a fantastic spread of fantasticraw food?44 The Meaning of Life in 700 Words44 Through the Shadows to the Light45 Dangers of Cellphone Radiation46 Holistic Pet NutritionThe important role which herbs play in your pet’s diet.47 PVC: the Poison PlasticPolyvinyl chloride plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, isone of the most hazardous consumer products ever created.48 Printer Cartridges and theEnvironmentHow many of us have the courage and the foresight tobecome the new custodians of the environmental andhistorical heritage of places like Simonstown for ourgrandchildren?49 Raw Food LifeThis month’s raw food focus is about the ABC’s of health,candida and the anti-candida diet.52 Soil For LifeThe best way to fight rising food costs (and a whole lot ofother problems) is to become a food gardener.56 Change Your Life and Ownthis MomentThere is always something to pay, and for our freedom weneed to release ourselves of that which prevents our forwardmovement and development.58 Lunar LivingA Guide to using the Moon for gardening and emotionalwellbeing.60 Water, Water, Everywhere61 Fire Dancing with Fire31 Green Directory34 Subscription & Back Issues62 Books to Change Your Life64 Cosmic Directions1

ARTICLE TITLE GOES HEREinbox our readers writeGeothermal energyThere may be some potentialto generate some electricpower from geothermal sourcesin Southern Africa. Perhapsyou may be aware that deepabandoned mines can become asource of geothermal energy afterthey’ve become flooded withground water. Depending on thedepth of the mine, the temperatureof the ground water withinit can vary between 22ºC to over60ºC.Some of that energy can beused to heat buildings duringthe winter months. There is alsoa technology that allows electricpower to be produced fromsmall differences in temperature.The OTEC (Ocean ThermalPower Conversion) technologythat floats on the sea off thecoast of Hawaii generates electricpower from the difference intemperature between the oceansurface (about 26ºC) and thetemperature several hundredmetres below the surface (about10ºC).The OTEC technology canbe adapted to operating onland, especially if you have anabandoned mine that is near theocean (along SA’s west coast).Another option is if South Africabegins to desalinate seawaterand saves the brine. The brinecan be placed in special reservoirsnear to the ocean. Theywill eventually form into saltponds and the moisture contentcan be regulated using oceanwater. The temperature at thebottom of solar salt ponds canreach 90ºC.It would be possible to coverthe salt ponds at night to retainheat. It would be possible togenerate electric power duringthe evening hours from the differencein temperature betweenthe solar salt ponds (90ºC) andthe Atlantic Ocean (about 20ºC)along SA’s and Namibia’s Altanticcoast.Salt thermal storagetechnology has a usefullife expectancy thatcan be measured incenturies.HarryValentineContaminatedrye flourSTARLETTERIn April of this year I was asked toevaluate a house and had the honourand privilege of meeting the most amazingcouple.Sigrid and Jupp Golitz are naturalised South Africans,having emigrated from Germany over 40 years ago.My first impressions were that here was a couple thatwere very obviously still very happily married, and theirbeautiful home was a place filled with peace, contentmentand love.During the course of the conversation of why theywere thinking of selling their home, they related a story,supported by reams of documentation, of what hadcaused their medical conditions. I offered to help themby emailing as many Government Departments andconsumer watchdogs as possible, convinced that SOME-ONE would take some notice.On 18th April 2007 this email was sent to the AdvertisingStandards Authority, SA Bureau of Standards,Council for Medical Schemes, SA Medical Association,Department of Trade and Industry, Departmentof Health, SA National Consumer Union, Departmentof Agriculture, National Consumer Forum, ConsumerWatch, Directorate Plant and Quality Control:SUBJECT:CONTAMINATED RYE FLOURPlease send your letters toinbox@biophile.co.zapost them toPO Box 39277 Capricorn Square 7948or fax them to 021 709 0392The Star Letter wins a year’s subscriptionI refer to the recent headlines in The Star:US CAT FOOD POISONING PROMPTSACTION IN SA and POPULAR PETFOOD TAKEN OFF SHELVES AFTERDOGS GET ILL.I am hoping that the story I am aboutto relate will bring the same reaction,particularly as this time it relates topeople and not animals.My wife and I have lived our entirelives following a lifestyle of eating healthyfoods and ensuring adequate exercise whichresulted in both of us being fit, healthy andstrong. We had the misfortune to purchasea 25kg bag of Rye Flour in July 2000 and ourlives changed within a matter of months.By December 2000 my wife and I weresuffering from skin disorders, Allergic Conjunctivitis,spleen and blood disorders. By aprocess of elimination we established that therye flour purchased to bake bread could bethe cause of these medical problems and wehad the rye flour tested by the CSIR. We werehorrified to discover that according to thereport from the CSIR, the rye flour was not fitfor human consumption as it had a 100% contaminationof Aspergillus Flavus – Penicillium.From August 2000 to September 2003 wehave had verbal and written communicationwith the Krugersdorp Health Department,Sasko, Pioneer Foods, and the Citrusdal Miller.I have in my possession copies of all letterswritten and received, as well as LaboratoryPure Water: living sustainablyI really enjoy your magazine and all the informative articles. Thank you for shining lightinto the dark corners! I live in Hermanus and volunteer at our animal welfare kennels, doingsome fundraising, adoption drives and getting volunteers together to walk and play with thedogs. Like all animal shelters we struggle with costs. So what a surprise to be approached by asmall company called Pure Water, who wanted to present us with a fat check and an ongoingmonthly donation.The company is based in Cape Town, and owned and run by caring people, who are concernedfor the environment, and also animal lovers. Their approach is to take their bottled water(which comes from the family farm in Hex River valley and is reputedly the purest springin South Africa), into the communities at cut rate prices, delivering door to door, and giving10c from every bottle sold to various charities, of which we are one.Having just re-read the article “The Sacred Act of Living Sustainably” in BIophile Issue 16,in which it talks about how the bottled water in plastics is such a terrible pollution problem, Iwas so chuffed to hear that this company have bio-degradable plastic bottles which, onceopened, degrade in 3 months. I met the Cape Town director, Brian Bradnick, who is ayoung family man, and was impressed by his integrity, and of course his sharing ofprofits with charities. As they say, the water is from the earth and one should notcharge for it – you charge for the process of bottling it etc.Judy Miller(Brian Badnick can be contacted on 083 262 2182 or brian@globalwatertraders.co.za)2 Biophile Issue 19

eports. A letter written by Dr. Du Toit ofthe Garden City Clinic to Sasko askingfor information on chemicals or toxinsin order to treat us was never gracedwith a reply. We have been threatenedby Attorneys, forced to hire attorneysand undergone innumerable tests, biopsies,scans and hospital visits at greatexpense.We have exhausted our life savings onmedical bills of hundreds of thousands ofrands and been told that the diagnosisof all our medical problems is an allergicreaction to Aspergillus Flavus – Penicilliumand that it is incurable.Our health has deteriorated. My wifestill has skin and eye disorders and apersistent cough. I have swollen handsand feet, heart and lung conditions, highblood pressure and water in the legs.To date there is no cure for this fungusthat has attacked our bodies from thecontaminated rye flour.We feel that the people or companiesresponsible should be held accountable,and as we are unable to achieve this, weare appealing to all the agencies whopromise us, the consumers, the right tosafety of goods and services.Yours faithfully,JUPP GOLITZ”A reply was received from the Departmentof Trade and Industry, stating that a specialistconsultant would reply within one business day.Nothing happened. The reply from the SA Bureauof Standards was - “Unfortunately the SABS doesnot deal with consumer complaints of this natureas there are no SABS standards for rye flour.Consequently we suggest you contact the SouthAfrican National Consumer Union.”The reply from the National Consumer Forumwas:“ We are working with other relevantorganisations on this issue and we willinform you about the outcome.”Again, nothing happened.I emailed Carte Blanche on 20th April and,after no response, sent this email on 30th May:“Dear Carte Blanche,When asked to select a genre for thisstory, I had multiple choice - it couldhave been any of “Abuse”, “ Consumer”,“ Corruption and Scams”, “ Crime”, “ Legal”,or “ Medical and Health”. This is afollow-up to a story I submitted recentlytitled “Contaminated Rye Flour” whichdeals with what has happened medicallyand financially to Sigrid and JosephGolitz of Mondeor, Johannesburg.PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! CarteBlanche - this is far more serious thanpet food or fruit as this involves a basicfoodstuff, namely bread, consumed bythe entire nation. It is not isolated to ryeflour alone. In an attempt to discoverwhat has happened to them, the Golitz’shave obtained an enormous amountof detailed facts, figures, laboratoryreports, etc.at their own expense. Theyhave details of where the rye flour is beingused, the false advertising still goingon today, being used by companies suchas Sasko and Premier Milling, endorsedby the RedHeart Foundation.As mentioned to you previously, Ipersonally have emailed all the GovernmentDepartments and ConsumerGroups I thought would have beenof assistance, without any response.Somewhere there has to be somebodywho can bring this matter to the public’sattention, and I am hoping that it is you.Would you please be kind enough toacknowledge receipt of this request, sothat at least we know you are lookinginto the matter, or not.Joseph Golitz can be contacted on 011680-8354 or alternatively you can emailme and I will pass on any messages tohim.They are a wonderful couple anddeserve far better treatment than whatthey have received. If you spend a fewminutes with them you will be fascinatedby the cover-up of this whole matterwhich has been going on now for someyears. How is it possible in this day andage that we have a Bureau of Standardsthat does not have a standard for ryeflour, or Consumer Groups who keepsaying that the consumer has rights, butthen choose to ignore any complaintsfrom the consumer.I sincerely hope you will take up thiscause, not only for the Golitz’s, but for allthe unsuspecting consumers out therewho deserve a better shake than this!”Again - no response!On 11th July I emailed the Editors of 14 newspapers,Fair Lady magazine and John Robbie ofRadio 702. I received an email from The Mercurysaying that my email had been forwarded to TheStar. I was contacted by The Star saying theywanted “exclusive rights” before they would assigna reporter and giving me a telephone numberto contact the person. The number goes straightonto voice mail, but all the messages I have lefthave never been answered.One might think that rye flour is not consumedby everybody, but part of the Golitz’s research revealedthat it is part of the premix used by PremierMilling.I sincerely hope that you will be prepared toassist in this matter, in whatever way you canand would appreciate it if you would let me knowwhether you are willing to become involved.Sandra ChersulichI recently started reading your fantastic magazineafter my friends — who have been readingit for a while — introduced us to it a couple ofmonths ago.I love reading it and think it is great thatsomeone is saying things as they are. I work ona game farm, and from our side we are also tryingto do what we can to help save our beautifulearth, we also send out a monthly newsletter,and in the last letter we had changed our usualmonthly competition, to guests having to sendin ideas of how we can combat global warming,we have so far received quite a few interestingideas.Anyway, we have a lovely poem that we useat the Lodge and I would like to send it to youguys, maybe you can use it.The TreeLet us pausefor the taking of inventory,To measure the debtwe owe the tree.For the searching rootthat knits the soil,The cooling shadefor those who toil,The air we breathe,nature’s greatest gift,And the leaf that heraldseach season’s shift.Forget not the fruitthat feeds man and beast,The branch that burnsto prepare the feast.That sturdy framethat builds the home,And the paperon which you read this poem.The tree gives alland asks no prize,Even making the axethat ends its life.(Anonymous)Keep up the good work, and we willcontinue reading and supporting your fantasticmagazine.EstelleLeopard Mountain Game Lodgeleopardmountain.co.za035 595 8536Biophile Issue 193

Anti-DepressantsYour article Anti-depressants:panacea or problem? (BiophileIssue 19) made for interestingreading.It does seem as if the muchvaunted SSRIs are now drawingwide-spread criticism becauseof their side-effects and it is,therefore, small wonder that theuse of most of these for childrenand teenagers has been bannedin the UK as well as by theScientific Panel of the EuropeanMedicines Agency, Europe’smedicines watchdog.There is also mounting evidencethat a wide range of psychiatricdisorders can best be treated byspecific vitamin- and mineralsupplements. Researchers atthe Pfeiffer Treatment Centre inNapierville, Illinois, USA, haveshown that excessive levels ofcopper in the body and toxicoverload contribute to certaintypes of depression.The correlation between depressionand a shortage of B12 andB6 vitamins has been known forsome time.Furthermore, a recent overviewby a group of researchers at theUniversity of York and Hull alsoshows a correlation betweendepression and a deficiency offolate. Such people often havea genetic predisposition to afaulty assimilation thereof. So,quite clearly, diet plays a majorpart in both physical as well asmental health.Beatrice WiltshireSolar TowersYou may be interested to knowthat solar towers (see www.vortexengine.ca)can pump humidair into the atmosphere whereup to 10% of it will condenseinto rain within a few kilometersof the solar tower. If a vortexengine were built close to theocean water on the east side ofFalse Bay (between Gordon’sBay and Kogel Bay), it couldcause some rain to fall over thewatershed of Steenbras Dam.The prevailing wind would carrythe condensing moisture overthe watershed.I don’t know if there wouldbe any space to build a vortexengine on the west side of themountain range between CapeTown and Cape of Good Hopeor if there would be suitablestorage for water in the mountains.The one aspect of the vortex enginethat may cause concern isthat it generates a tornado thatwould remain at one location.Harry ValentineINBOX: OUR READERS WRITEClimate consciousness dimat energy summitAt a national energy summit held by the minerals andenergy department recently to initiate a review of energypolicy in the light of evolving national circumstances,climate change received some attention, but the focuswas on security of energy supply. At the risk of beingcynical, one might conclude from the balance of proceedingsthat the objective of the summit was to legitimise amassive expansion of the use of coal and nuclear power.In addition to the three new coal-fired power stations proposedby Eskom in the short term and Sasol’s proposednew coal-to-liquid fuels (CTL) Maphuta project — at80000 barrels per day, half the size of Secunda — PetroSAis apparently also keen to build a CTL plant. WithCTL product involving a carbon footprint double that ofoil-based fuels, SA is clearly looking at rapid growth ofgreenhouse gas emissions before any substantial effort tolimit emissions is initiated.It would be a bitter irony if concerns about theinternational depletion of fossil fuels were used to justifymassively expanded and accelerated use nationally.Climate change is, of course, cited as a major motivefor planning for 20000MW of new nuclear power, butit is acknowledged that the time frame for this is a lotlonger. What does not seem to be have been thoughtthrough is the contribution the expansion of the nuclearindustry will make to growing energy demand, and thussecurity of supply challenges, in the short to mediumterm. While the rate of greenhouse gas emissions fromthe nuclear fuel chain are disputed, and vary according tothe source of energy for enrichment, the fact that nuclearpower plants have the longest energy payback of any bulkgeneration option is uncontested.It was dismaying to hear that well below half of theR14,2m made available to the department’s RenewableEnergy Finance and Subsidy Office has been utilised, dueto a lack of “bankable” projects being developed, and thatthe balance has been retained by the treasury. This makeswork on a mootedtop-up feed-in tariff all the more urgent — a studycommissioned by the energy regulator is under way andthe department is commissioning its own study. Withthis measure now adopted in 41 countries, a protractedprocess would be indefensible. Given the suggestion byEskom that its target of 2% of electricity from renewableresources by 2025 (yes, in 18 years’ time) is ambitious,it seems high time that the concentrating solar powerproject is located elsewhere.Why is the government prepared to risk R6bn on aspeculative nuclear technology (the pebble bed modularreactor , moved outside of Eskom) but not implementthe commitment of the 1998 energy policy white paperPlease keep up the passion!“to ensure that an equitable level of national resources isinvested in renewable energy technologies” — as reiteratedin a paper released by department at the summit?Clearly the review of policy needs to look at why some keyprovisions have not been implemented, particularly thosethat are most consistent with a developmental state.In his summit speech, minerals and energy directorgeneralSandile Nogxina said: “The democratic statewould (therefore) have to clearly define the beneficiariesof its energy policy. The success of implementation of thewhite paper of 1998 should be measured by the degree towhich it would have changed the fundamental frameworkof the previous apartheid regime.”To achieve such a transformation, energy must beliberated from the minerals sector. For our children tobe counted among the beneficiaries of energy policy, wemust start the transition to sustainable energy now. Thusa logical conclusion of the policy review would be to splitthe department.A sweet irony that may arise from this would be therealisation of the folly of the assumption expressed at thesummit as: “We have 300 years of coal and we must burnit!” We are constantly finding new ways of utilising hydrocarbonsand simply burning all our coal (particularlyin power plants in which up to two-thirds of the energy iswasted on the spot) is far from the most value-adding option.CTL is even more wasteful. Following current planningtrends, our coal reserves are unlikely to last even 100years, but competing applications and increasing costswould bring us to our senses long before that. However,climate change requires that we come to our senses now.It will take time to scale up the utilisation of the renewableresources from which we currently fail to derive anyvalue. It will probably take more than 18 years to reachthe point at which the use of fossil hydrocarbons ascombustion fuels becomes the exception rather than thenorm. What would be ruinous to our economy, as well asour climate and local environment, is if the contributionof renewable resources to electricity supply is anywhereclose to only 2% by 2025.Increasingly, the world is realising that minerals andenergy is a marriage made in hell. It is a union that hasbrought many benefits, but is clearly not sustainable intothe future. A divorce is one that even the pope would haveto bless. And while we’re at it, let’s also liberate renewablesfrom Eskom.Richard Worthington(Richard is sustainable energy and climatechange project co-ordinator at Earthlife Africain Johannesburg.)Working for an animal welfare organization and being exposed daily to the senseless manor in which people regardanimals, it is with deep gratitude that I say - thank you for being the voice for the animals that cannot be heard. Yourmagazine is brilliant, as it is opening up the hearts and minds of people to take a deeper look into the world in whichthey live. Please keep up the passion!Cher PoznanovichPR/Fundraising/Education Manager, SPCA4 Biophile Issue 19

INBOX: OUR READERS WRITEWhat has happened toavocados ?I have recently tried growing them (like we used to do aschildren), balanced in water in a small glass to try androot them. After a month, even two, there is absolultelyno change, and no sign of life. Not only do they nevershow any sign of taking root, but in the ‘old’ days, evenjust a few years ago, I remember doing it for my children,the outer pip skin would gradually peel off in layers.Nowadays, the nut is a smooth and glossy after a monthas the day I put it in.I think something must be sprayed on them tounfertilize the nut. I’ve tried ones from the local greengrocer to Woolworths avocados and still no result. I’mnot the only one who has noticed, after making remarksAncient Swiss secretto a classless society?It’s all done with cowbells!The Swiss are, historically, a rather neutral breed ofpeople.Or? (This is where I miss the German word ‘doch!’in English. It’s such a simple, and more elegant wayof saying ‘I-totally-disagree-and-think-you’d-betterrelook-your-assumptions-immediately!’Doch! Doch! (Itrhymes with Scottish ‘loch’!)If we can steal ‘zeitgeist’ and ‘kindergarten’ why can’twe just steal ‘doch!’ while we’re at it? English speakersthe world over are totally deprived without this word.Maybe we should send a petition to Oxford or the queenor whoever…and claim it as ours. Just as our forefathersclaimed Africa, Asia, America, Australia…tea, hot chips…and the French bad habit of spelling words totally unlikethe way they’re actually pronounced.)I run away with myself as usual. We were talkingabout Swiss neutrality. ‘Level-headedness’ and all that.Well, I’ve been pondering another possibility since yesterdaywhen some new, rather noisy, yet typically Swissneighbours were deposited on my doorstep just beforesunset. They are both black and white so there’s no racisminvolved here, if that’s what you’re thinking. The onlyproblem with them as far as I can tell is that they are eachwearing nothing at all except a rather large bell!Before I continue with this story, let me ask you ato a colleague, she also said that they same non-eventhappened to her avocado-rooting process.Interesting: do you know how long a Woolies lettucelasts in the fridge if its left unopened? About TwoWeeks! A Woolworths tomato can last about three.That doesn’t seem natural, now does it?Sharon ReynoldsI have been lucky enough to get quite a few avos to sprout...but they are organic and from a local market! I wouldrather grow my own than go to a large supermarket for lettuce!Who knows where it was grown, how it was grown,what was killed to grow it and what it was washed andpreserved with... and then there is the added problem ofwhat to do with the packaging... rather grow your own!Anthearather personal question.Have you ever actually ‘experienced’ a Swiss cowbellclose up and with naked ears? This is a sound that canpierce armour, and (at 2 am particularly) can cut throughSwiss quality double glazed windows like a hot knifeto butter. Actually I think that there’s a lot more to thissound than meets the ear drum. It’s a secret weapon. Asound so piercing that it has the power to domesticatevirtually anything.I swear, hang one of those things around Bush’s neckand you’ll have a lamb in a few hours. After all, have youever really stopped to wonder what cowbells are reallyfor? Getting found in the fog when you’re always neatlyhemmed and tucked in for the night with an electricchord for blanket?Come on!I think I’ve just stumbled across an ancient Swiss secret;their centuries old tried and tested farm style recipefor a classless, peaceful democracy. It’s all done withcowbells! That’s what these things are really for. They’redesigned to neutralize brainwaves and domesticateforeigners or any neighbours who might just be gettinga little too uppity. It is called ‘integration by ear’ (somethingsimilar to ‘parking by ear’ maybe) or is it ‘disintegrationby ear’?Anyway, it has about the same effect as a frontallobotomy. Now you know why everyone smiles here allthe time! Say cheese!Jena Griffiths(www.handanalysisonline.com)Chemical vs. naturalsupplementsWhen faced with the question ofshould one take supplements ornot, the various players tell methat one needs to be careful ofthe chemical versus the naturalversions as it is apparently onlythe latter that allows for maximumabsorption/utilisation inthe human body.Are you able to give me anindication of which make(s)are predominantly the ‘good’natural variety and which aremore of the ‘ not-so-good/ bad’chemical ones.The next question would be,where are we likely to find thesupply of the ‘good’ supplements,i.e. shops/ network marketinggroup(s)/ internet/ etcI am based in the South Cape.We do have about three or fourhealth oriented shops and thanalso a fair share of the differentnetwork marketing dealing withamongst others, health care/supplement productsGeorge L BertramWhile health’ is not our line ofexpertise, from my own personalexperience I have a teaspoon ofpowdered wheat grass, barleygrass, spirulina and chlorellaevery day mixed in organic applejuice and not much else in theline of vitamins.I am a vegetarian, (almost veganand raw.. .the only dairy I have isvery occasionally a bit of organiccheese, usually feta) and myhealth is excellent. But I do makesure that I eat organic fruit andveg, in season and most is grownin my own garden! As Hippocrates,father of medicine said:“let food be your medicine andmedicine be your food’!”Good luck on your journey tohealth!AntheaBiophile Issue 195

INBOX: OUR READERS WRITEAn Outrageous Contravention ofour Freedoms of Choice,Speech and TradeA notice was posted in the Government Gazette of 19 October 2007 advising ofan amendment to the Health Professions Act, 1974 pertaining to the “Regulationsdefining the scope of the profession of Psychology”. Should the revisedregulations listed in this notice be put into effect, the work of many forms ofhealing that incorporate a counselling, personal development, psychosomatichealing or psychotherapeutic component will be severely restricted if not curtailedcompletely.These new regulations will forbid and potentially criminalizeany practitioner in this country, other than registered and internedpsychologists, from practicing in South Africa.In short, the freedom to offer, to train and to receive any counselling, psychological,psychotherapeutic, psychosomatic or personal developmental help frompractitioners other than registered psychologists will be prohibited by law in thiscountry if these regulations are to become law.The freedom to choose the form, philosophy and method of personal developmentin this country is about to be taken away and dictated to by one group ofprofessionals. We believe that this is a contravention of the freedom of choice,speech and trade, restricting, by law, human development to a narrow sectorof practitioners. We stand for each individual’s right to choose how they wantto heal their emotional wounds and grow towards realizing their potential. Webelieve these regulations are fundamentally unconstitutional.These regulations, should they become law, will make South Africa morerestricted, regulated and controlled than the United Kingdom, Australia, NewZealand, and most European countries, in terms of the freedom of professionalsand the public to develop, offer and to use their chosen forms of counselling,psychotherapy and personal development.George-Gabriel BerkovitsPlease, think before you eatWorld Day for Farm Animals has come and gone, but the suffering goes on.Please spare a thought today for the millions of abused, tortured and killed farmanimals all over the world! Please try to avoid eating meat as much as you can.Once you start, it is easy, and much healthier and happier for all concerned.What these creatures go through before they die is just unimaginably horrific!In my heart, I light a candle for each and every so-called “food”creature whosuffered and died a horrible death for humankind! One day the world will be amore compassionate place to live in, I just hope its in my lifetime!That Bloody Supermarket PackageSun beating down mercilessly,Thirst, a desperate longingShoving; pushing; groans of painNear suffocation.The miles, endless miles, from parched dayInto freezing night.Dawn, a squeal of brakes; shouts and curses,Painful prods to bruised and broken limbs,Nostrils flare and quiver, eyes roll with terror,A smell of death hangs in the air.Again, shoving, pushing; to a terrifyingDestiny unknown.Hooves clatter and trip along a cold steel surface,Metal railings crush heaving ribs,Brutal uncaring hands slam a strugglingHead into the vice,Hot, searing pain, a sea of blood clouds the eyes,Oblivion; unconsciousnessFinally, the welcome release of death!on to a journey of a different kind;music blares, shoppers moan, children whineand a polystyrene, cling wrapped packagelies in the freezer,A LIFE THAT ONCE WAS!Ingrid B TeulonPLEASE SUPPORT ANIMAL VOICEAnimal Voice is the officialmouthpiece of CompassionIn World Farming (SouthAfrica).CIWA (South Africa)headed by Louise van derMerwe, is also busy bringingout a Kind Food Guide:campaigningfor farm animals“... It has taken us 17 yearsto get to the point where aKind Food Guide is possibleand we request you please to consider telling yourcolleagues, friends and contacts about it. Believe it or not,when we started off as Humanity for Hens way back in1989 there wasn’t a single free range egg available in anysupermarket anywhere in South Africa. These days we takefree range eggs for granted. Besides the eggs, we have madeprogress for other farm animals too... ”Please support the work of CIWF (SA):Compassion in World Farming (South Africa)P O Box 825, Somerset West, 7129, South AfricaTel/fax: 021 852 8160Email: avoice@yebo. co. zaWebsite: www. animal-voice. orgAffiliated to The Humane Education TrustRegistered NPO (No. 039 611 NPO)Registered Charitable Trust (No. IT 450/2001)PLEASE SUPPORT THE SNOUTOfficial Newsletter of South Africans for the Abolition ofVivisection.“Although Snout mainly addresses the issue of vivisection,there are also other matters that need a closer look at thestory behind the façade, especially where vested interests areconcerned. Currently at the forefront of debate are ‘canned’lions and culling of elephants, as well as the slaughter ofSouth African seals. All these issues involve major crueltiesand massive disinformation campaigns by those who profitfrom them. They concern our heritage, our wild life, whichhave a massive price placed upon their heads and, as aconsequence, in many cases face extinction.”Editor: Beatrice WiltshirePO Box 17727 Bainsvlei 9338Tel: 051 451 1027Email: bwilt@telkomsa. net Web: www. snout. org. zaSAAV National OfficeP. O. Box 3018 Honeydew 2040Tel: 011-472 2380Email: info@saav. org. za Web: www. saav. org. zaBiophile Issue 197

Booze,your brain &your bodyby Kate Grossman, M.D.Facts about alcoholAlcohol is drug that works directly on the centralnervous system. Alcohol kills more male teenagersand young men than any other drug taken to affectmood and behaviour (heroin, cocaine, marijuana).Despite this alcohol is a legal (for adults) and sociallyacceptable way of altering mood states — atleast in western societies.Most deaths and injury due to alcohol are causedby the way people behave when under its influence.Men fight more, drive more recklessly , and engagein more risky behaviours. Alcohol use is a leadingrisk factor for the three leading causes of deathamong youth: unintentional injuries (includingmotor vehicle crashes and drownings), suicides;and homicides. Alcohol also puts you at greaterrisk from sexual behaviour where you find youhave more than you had planned on- a sexuallytransmitted disease or an unwanted pregnancy!Alcohol intake and teen healthBecause the body changes so much as we grow, theability both to judge and cope with alcohol changesall the time. Everyone seems to know of someonewho can drink booze by the bucket-load but thisshouldn’t be seen as something to aspire towards.Teens are the most likely group to have theirstomachs pumped after excessive alcohol intake.At the end of the day it has to be remembered thatalcohol is a toxin.Effects of excessive Alcoholon young bodies• Youthful ‘immature’ organs can literally bepoisoned by alcohol.• The liver can be damaged. It takes a few days forit to recover and to get back to normal functioningafter a ‘session’.• The heart can beat so irregularly that it can stop.• The body can lose temperature causing hypothermia.Every year some teens die when they getdrunk and pass out in the freezing cold.• Too little sugar in the body can cause coma andseizures.• Breathing can become so shallow or slow that itcan stop.• One of the most common ways in which teens(and adults) die from alcohol is by choking on theirown vomit. If you vomit when you are unconsciousyou can easily breath it in. If your body cannot getthe oxygen it needs brain damage or death results.Knowing when to stop drinkingOne of the dangers of drinking is not recognisingwhen you have had too much. Different drinkshave varying alcohol content and the body reactsdifferently to alcohol according to whether or notyou have eaten, how thirsty you are, even the timeof day it is. Even if you stop drinking the level ofalcohol can continue increasing. No amount ofcoffee, cold baths, showers, or trying to walk it offwill stop it.Taking a meal before drinking only slows theprocess. Once alcohol gets to the small intestinethe effects kick in. The only thing that reverses theeffect of alcohol is time.All this stuff may sound dramatic but ask yourparents if they ever knew or heard of someonebadly affected by booze. I remember 3 guys; onedied, one has permanent brain damage and onelost a leg in a motor bike accident.The Dangers of Alcohol UseChildren are challenged at younger ages than everbefore to try drugs. Use of tobacco, marijuana,and cocaine are serious problems. However, oneof the most abused drugs in our society is alcohol.Alcohol is a drug because it acts as a depressant onthe nervous system and is very addictive. Thoughit’s illegal for people under age 18 to drink, weall know that most teenagers are no strangers toalcohol. Many of them are introduced to alcoholduring childhood.Childhood drinking begins early, often between11 and 13 years of age, and sometimes even younger.Alcohol is often called a “gateway drug.” Whenyoung people like the feeling they get from alcohol,they may be interested in trying other drugs later.This can lead to multiple drug use, which is verydangerous. The use of alcohol, by itself or withother drugs, can harm your child’s normal growthand development.Even if a teenager only drinks occasionally,intoxicated behaviour can be lethal. Just one drinkcan impair decision making and slow down reactiontime in any situation. Alcohol is linked with avariety of risky behaviours, such as:• Crime and serious violence.• Early sexual activity, multiple partners, sexuallytransmitted diseases including AIDS, and unintendedteenage pregnancy.• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Drinking during pregnancycan cause a baby to be born with major birthdefects. No one knows exactly how much alcoholis too much during pregnancy, but the more amother drinks, the greater the risk to her baby.• Drunk driving. It is the leading cause of death foryoung adults, aged 15 to 24 years. In one study, anestimated 6% to 14% of drivers under 18 years ofage who were stopped at roadside checkpoints hadbeen drinking. This age-group makes up only onefifth of the licensed drivers in the United States,yet they are involved in almost half of all fatal carcrashes. (no stats for SA)Most adolescents never move beyond the firststage of alcohol use. Whether they do or notdepends for the most part on their personality,their family, and their community. For those whodo move to the advanced stages, the entire processcan take months or years. Many young people andadults receive help too late. This is why early detectionis so important.With a current emphasis on the dangers of underagedrinking, you may wonder why young peoplecontinue to drink alcohol. There are a variety ofreasons:• Curiosity. They have heard that getting drunk isfun and they want to find out for themselves.• They see drinking as a “rite of passage” – somethingto be experienced on the way to adulthood.• To get drunk. This explains why they often drinkuntil they are out of control. • To fit in with friendswho are already using alcohol.• To feel relaxed and to boost self-confidence.• To escape problems, such as depression, familyconflict, trouble in school or with a boyfriend orgirlfriend.In addition to these factors, young people todayare surrounded by messages in the media thatdrinking alcohol is normal, desirable, and harmless.Alcohol companies spend billions of dollarsevery year on advertising and promoting theirproducts on TV, in movies and magazines, onbillboards, and at sporting events. In fact, alcoholproducts are among the most advertised productsin the nation. Young people are the primary targetsof many of these ads.Alcohol companies and advertisers never mentionthe dangers of alcoholism, drinking and driving, orFetal Alcohol Syndrome. Most ads show drinkersas healthy, energetic, sexy, and successful. Helpyour teenager understand the difference betweenthese misleading messages in advertising and thetruth about the dangers of drinking.Article Sources: “Alcohol and Public Health.” NationalCentre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.31 Jan 2005. Centres for Disease Control andPrevention. 29 Nov 2006

Article Title Goes HereeditorialIt is Biophile’s 3rd birthday and we are celebrating and giving thanks. From thebeginning, Biophile has had a life of it own and we just go with the flow, doing our bestto avoid the rocks and stay in our boat, as we sail down the river. It has been such amagnificent vehicle for my personal growth, and I know Steve feels the same, and it hasopened up so many wonderful and amazing avenues for us.So… Thank You Biophile, and Happy Birthday!he festive season is upon us andwhile this is mostly a joyful timeTwith friends and family it is alsoa time to rest and to reflect. How manyof us really do rest and reflect and whatare we reflecting about? It often seemsthat most people are so caught up inthe social whirl that after they get backfrom ‘holiday’…, that is actually obviouslymeant to be ‘holy day’, they needa rest! Usually it has been a time ofextreme excess. Excess alcohol, food, andspending… nothing holy about these,and please don’t think that I have notbeen down this road, as I have, and I didit as well as anybody else!Quite a few years ago however, Idecided that I no longer wanted to drinkalcohol. I never felt good the next dayand it interfered with my spiritual workand my philosophy of ‘harmlessness’.How can I possibly embrace harmlessness,if I am harming my body, theplanet and often other people as it opensthe doors to aggression and abuse?Giving up drinking has been one of themost liberating things I have done, I justLOVE being a non-drinker. It has put metotally off going to social events, whichare frequented by ‘the drinkers’, as theyjust don’t get it. I am a strange phenomenon!“Aw …come on” …they say, often intheir drunken slur, “Just one”!As I said before, I have done my fairshare of drinking so I can speak from experience,but the thought of putting thatpoison into my precious body now, isludicrous. What on earth for? And whatis so amazing it that I have MUCH morefun now and laugh much more than anytime during my drinking career, and Iwake up feeling happy, connected andhealthy.What is so extraordinary is that ourwestern culture has made the whole alcoholstory ‘acceptable’! You very rarelygo to the movies or read a magazinewithout being told that it is…. cool, sexy,will help you become attractive to theopposite sex, will enhance your chancesof success in most areas of your life, andall the other lies and nonsense out thereabout alcohol. Many of our beautifulmountains and low-lying areas herein the Western Cape are covered withvines, and it is considered an excitingouting to go look at the ‘rows and rowsof the same’, that were once as naturemade it and teeming with life!Some poor people even devote theirentire working lives investing in theold or rare stuff or studying it and theyspend many hours tasting it to tellwhether is it dry, sweet, fruity, woodyor whatever else and whether it will gowith a dead little lamb, a wild buck or afancy sweet dish etc.I think we have lost the plot.I sometimes feel so incensed andhelpless as I see the vines creepinghigher and higher up the mountainas it is cleared of its beautiful naturalfynbos, home to so many animals, birdsand insects only for more and moremonoculture growing of grapes, thatwill be sprayed and fed with poisons forthe sake of greed, and do nothing otherthan distract people from their innerlife, often causing so much violence andharm and poisoning our bodies at thesame time!According to The Lancet MedicalJournal, March 2007, drawn up by ateam of highly respected experts led byProfessor David Nutt, from the Universityof Bristol, and Professor ColinBlakemore, chief executive of the MedicalResearch Council, “Alcohol is rankedmuch more harmful than the Class Adrug ecstasy in a controversial new classificationsystem proposed by a team ofleading scientists”!So why do we do it? I can remembera few reasons why I did!Firstly, because every one else wasdoing it and it used to make me feel more‘normal’ in the pack, and secondly, itoften put me in a space that I could talkmore freely and behave in ways that Iwould not have done if I had been thinkingand caring about myself and others.I had not really thought about it on anydeep level and nobody had told me that itwas actually really poisonous. So maybethis is extreme, and you could say theodd whiskey or beer or glass of wine willdo no harm, and it may not, but it may. Itmay be come a habit and it will certainlyaffect your liver as it is a poison and allpoisons have to be eliminated, but it maylead to something much worse.But much more important is whydo we feel the need to drink alcohol ortake any mind altering substance atall?My feeling on this is that we are reallynot connected to our inner world. We areescaping from the work that has to bedone to reach that state of bliss and connectionto the divine inside and outsideourselves, as it is hard work and requiresdiscipline and dedication 24/7.There are no short cuts, and the actualliving of it every minute and second,conscious of what we think, say, how wesay it, shop, eat, heal ourselves and soon, is the key to happiness and that stateof bliss we are all seeking, although someof us don’t know it yet. The list is all andeverything. The wonderful thing I findis that the more I practice being kindconsiderate the more this reflects backin my life. There are literally millions ofbooks out there that can help people ontheir path, but the TV needs to go offand other distractions forgotten andthe work needs to be done, the self studystarted and the ways adopted minuteby minute until they are what we are …fully ensconced and unmovable. What awonderful thought!We at Biophile sincerely wish all ourreaders a happy, healthy, connected andpeaceful 2008.AntheaBiophile Issue 199

ARTICLE TITLE GOES HEREHydrogenfrom Algae:Genetically modifiedalgae could be efficientproducers of hydrogenand biofuelsAlgae are a promising source ofbiofuels: besides being easy togrow and handle, some varietiesare rich in oil similar to that producedby soybeans. Algae alsoproduce another fuel: hydrogen.They make a small amountof hydrogen naturally duringphotosynthesis, but AnastasiosMelis, a plant- and microbial-biologyprofessor at the Universityof California, Berkeley, believesthat genetically engineered versionsof the tiny green organismshave a good shot at being aviable source for hydrogen.Melis has created mutant algaethat make better use of sunlightthan their natural cousins do.This could increase the hydrogenthat the algae produce bya factor of three. It would alsoboost the algae’s production ofoil for biofuels.The new finding will beimportant in maximizing theproduction of hydrogen in largescale,commercial bioreactors.In a laboratory, Melis says, “[wemake] low-density cultures andhave thin bottles so that lightpenetrates from all sides.” Becauseof this, the cells use all thelight falling on them.But in a commercial bioreactor,where dense algae cultureswould be spread out in openponds under the sun, the toplayers of algae absorb all thesunlight but can only use a fractionof it.Melis and his colleagues aredesigning algae that have lesschlorophyll so that they absorbless sunlight. That means morelight penetrates into the deeperalgae layers, and eventually,more cells use the sunlight tomake hydrogen. [MIT]Find the Good Side inevery SituationView your problemsas opportunities.When it’s dark enough,you can see the stars.Daily Guruthe biofiles news from around our worldAre Anti-microbialSoaps BreedingTougher Bugs?Th e p r o b l e m a b o u t o u r o b s e s s i o n w it hk i l l i ng g e r m s , s o m e s c i e n t i s t s a n d p u b l i ch e a l t h a d v o c a t e s w a r n , is t h a t it m a yu lt i m at e ly d o u s m o r e h a r m t h a n g o o d .Chief among those skeptics is microbiologist StuartLevy of Tufts University School of Medicine, presidentof the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics(APUA). Levy’s research has led him to question why“antibacterial ingredients, once successfully used to preventtransmission of disease-causing microorganisms amongpatients, particularly in hospitals . . . are now being addedto products used in healthy households . . . even though anadded health benefit has not been demonstrated.”That’s happening, Levy says, despite several “potentialnegative consequences” of these products, includingweakening the immune system, which could lead to agreater chance of allergies in children, and their possiblelink to the emergence of antibiotic resistance — thevery problem that is making some diseases, such asmethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA,so difficult to treat.Members of the manufacturing industry, meanwhile,including Brian Sansoni, vice president of communicationsat the Soap and Detergent Association, contendthat consumers can use these products “with confidence”because “they reduce or kill germs on the skin that canmake us sick.”Major marketing breakthroughs came when companiesfigured out how to put the antimicrobial compoundsinto more than just soap. Hand sanitizers were swiftly followedby germ-killing plastics and synthetic fibers, andsuddenly nearly every product in your house — from airfilters to wallpaper, bathroom appliances, door frames,food storage containers and the kitchen sink — could bepart of the fight against bugs.In the wake of such scares as the bird flu, E. coli infood and MRSA, Mintel says the germ-killing marketplacehas become even more fertile. In one recent threeyearperiod, new product launches increased by morethan 700 percent, from 200 products introduced in 2003to more than 1,600 in 2006.For many people, soap — the plain old soap yourgrandmother used — is unfortunately not enough.Adding specifically antibacterial agents seemed anatural next step. And although Levy and other scientistsdon’t dispute that these chemicals can kill bacteria, theyargue there’s no evidence they do any good. “No study hasshown that,” Levy says. What’s more, many illnesses suchas flu and the common cold, which prompt people to wipedown telephone handsets and doorknobs, are caused notby bacteria but by viruses — and antibacterials can’t slowa virus at all. Levy cites several studies, among them a2004 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, in which228 NewYork householdswere divided randomlyinto two groups: One usedregular soap and water; the otherantimicrobial soap. There were just as manyinstances of vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, cough,runny nose and pinkeye among the antimicrobial users.“For general use, antibacterial soaps are not superiorto cleansing with regular soap and water,” says ShmuelShoham, an infectious disease specialist at WashingtonHospital Center. His view is backed by the conclusionsof an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration,which voted 11 to 1 in 2005 that, when it comes tokeeping us healthy, antibacterial soaps and washes are nomore effective.While the arguments continue over whether antibacterialsoap does any good, there’s a second concernover whether it may actually do harm.“Evidence is accumulating,” Shoham says, “that chemicalsused in antimicrobial soaps may be causing bacteria tobecome more resistant to commonly used antibiotics.”Levy lays out this theory in his book The AntibioticParadox: Antibacterial products leave residues on thesurfaces where they are used. The active ingredients lingerand continue to kill the bacteria, but not effectively orrandomly. The naturally stronger bacteria that survivedthe initial assault develop new defense mechanismsagainst the chemicals. This selection process gives riseto a new generation that is resistant to the offendingcompounds.Certain bacteria also develop “cross-resistance” --transferring their new and improved defenses to bacteriafighting other types of antibiotics.Beyond the drug-resistance worries, somescientists are concerned that antimicrobial soap is anindiscriminate killer. Some bacteria are bad for us, butsome are good. The antimicrobials kill both. And whenthe good bacteria are gone, there’s more room for the badbacteria to grow, raising our risk of becoming sick.Besides, a germ-free environment may actuallyweaken our immune systems, some critics say. They arereferring to the Hygiene Hypothesis — the theory thatchildren build their immune systems from infancy byputting in their mouths all those dirty objects they findlying around.A number of studies have linked the development ofallergies, asthma and skin problems in children to theirhaving been raised in environments that are too sterile.“You need a little dirt,” Levy says, “to train your immunesystem correctly.” [The Washington Post]10Biophile Issue 19

Learning to Dancein the RainThere once was a woman whowoke up one morning, looked inthe mirror, and noticed she hadonly three hairs on her head.Well,’ she said, ‘I think I’ll braidmy hair today?’ So she did andshe had a wonderful day.The next day she woke up,looked in the mirror and sawthat she had only two hairs onher head. ‘H-M-M,’ she said, ‘Ithink I’ll part my hair down themiddle today?’ So she did andshe had a grand day.The next day she woke up,looked in the mirror and noticedthat she had only one hair onher head. ‘Well,’ she said , ‘todayI’m going to wear my hair ina pony tail.’ So she did and shehad a fun, fun day.The next day she woke up,looked in the mirror and noticedthat there wasn’t a single hair onher head. ‘YEA!’ she exclaimed, ‘Idon’t have to fix my hair today!’Attitude is everything . Bekinder than necessary, for everyoneyou meet is fighting somekind of battle.Live simply, Love generously,Care deeply, Speak kindly.......Leave the rest to GodLife isn’t about waiting for thestorm to pass...It’s about learningto dance in the rain.WindBelt Set to Powerthe Third WorldWorking in Haiti, Shawn Frayne, a 28-year-oldinventor, saw the need for small-scale wind powerto power LED lamps and radios in the homes of thepoor. Conventional wind turbines don’t scale downwell—there’s too much friction in the gearbox andother components.“With rotary power, there’s nothing out there thatgenerates under 50 watts,” Frayne says. So he tooka new tack, studying the way vibrations caused bythe wind led to the collapse in 1940 of Washington’sTacoma Narrows Bridge (aka Galloping Gertie).Frayne’s device, which he calls a Windbelt, is a tautmembrane fitted with a pair of magnets that oscillatebetween metal coils. Prototypes have generated40 milliwatts in 10-mph slivers of wind, making hisdevice 10 to 30 times as efficient as the best microturbines.Frayne envisions the Windbelt costing afew dollars and replacing kerosene lamps in Haitianhomes. “Kerosene is smoky and it’s a fire hazard,” saysPeter Haas, founder of the Appropriate InfrastructureDevelopment Group, which helps people in developingcountries to get environmentally sound access to cleanwater, sanitation and energy. “If Shawn’s innovationbreaks, locals can fix it. If a solar panel breaks, the familyis out a panel.”“There’s not a huge amount of innovation beingdone for people making $2 to $4 per day,” Haas says.“Shawn’s work is definitely needed.”THE BIOFILESUnderwater turbines setto generate record powerBy the end of the year, twin underwater turbines should begenerating 1.2 megawatts of electricity off the coast of NorthernIreland in a landmark demonstration of tidal power technology.Marine Current Turbines, a company based in Bristol, UK,says it will be the world’s largest tidal power project.The underwater turbines look and work very much like windpower turbines. Each blade is 15 to 20 metres across and ismounted on an axis that attaches to a 3-metre-wide pile driveninto the seabed.Tide-driven currents will move the rotors at speeds ofbetween 10 and 20 revolutions per minute, which the companyclaims is too slow to affect marine life. The turbines will drive agearbox that will, in turn, drive an electric generator and the resultingelectricity will be transmitted to the shore via an underwatercable. The Strangford Lough tidal generator is intendedpurely as a demonstration project. Eventually, MCT intends tobuild farms of turbines consisting of 10 to 20 pairs each.Each turbine requires a piece of equipment called a jack-upbarge for installation. The barge anchors itself to the sea floorand drills a hole that sets the turbines in place. Tidal and wavepower could eventually provide between 15% and 20% of theUK’s electricity needs. But operators need to develop experiencewith the technology before the price of energy generated in thisway falls to levels comparable to wind power. [marineturbines.com]Find the Good Side in every SituationWhat appear to be stumbling blocks and defeat before you,can be stepping stones to victory if you remain determined.Daily GuruBiophile Issue 19“Sustainable Cementis like VegetarianMeatballs”That’s what Professor of EngineeringJulian Allwood says.“Cement is the single biggestmaterial source of carbonemissions in the world, and thedemand is going up... If demanddoubles and the best you cando is to reduce emissions by 30percent, then emissions still risevery quickly.”“The cement manufacturersare trying, and have improvedefficiency significantly butthey are up against the basicchemistry: The chemical reactionthat creates cement releaseslarge amounts of CO2 in and ofitself. Sixty percent of emissionscaused by making cementare from this chemical processalone. The balance is producedfrom the fuel used in production,which may be mitigated bythe use of greener technology.So to “go green,” cement makerstry to cut the fuel side of theequation.”The industry says “Because ofour initiatives, emissions aregrowing slower than they wouldwithout the interventions.”But they are still growing likemad: Some 80 percent of cementis made in and used byemerging economies; Chinaalone makes and uses 45 percentof global output. Productionis doubling every four years inplaces like Ukraine. [Treehugger]11

get active! what you can doTHE IDEAS BANKREADER JENA GRIFFITHS PROMPTS BIOPHILE TO LAUNCH “IDEAS BANK”I wrote to someone about the copyright of photo I wanted to use on my website andthey pointed out that it was copyright-free from StockXchange (http://www.sxc.hu).I thought this was such a wonderful idea: a place where people can post their imagesfor others to use free of charge. It made me think of a service you could create:An “Ideas Bank” of business ideas etc that are healthy for this planet that peoplecan “draw from” free of charge.A kind of free service to the planet.Just like the rate at which we all produce photos, many of us have zillions of businessideas a day that we personally don’t have the desire to put into effect. Ideas we knowwill work. they just need to be connected to the right people. Wouldn’t it be wonderfulif there were a place where one could just post this stuff? Then if someone took theidea and ran with it they could give a percentage of profits back either to some ecocharity or to originator.To get the ball rolling, I would like to post this idea:So many ships leave Europe empty. They get filled withEnvironmental JusticeNetwork ForumEstablished to servicethe common interestsof participating SouthAfrican non-governmentaland community-basedorganizations on mattersconcerning environmentaljustice and sustainabledevelopment.Tel: +27 (0)11 403 8978Fax: +27 (0)11 339 3859Web: www.ejnf.org.zaEarthlife AfricaA membership-drivenorganization of environmentaland social justice activists,founded to mobilize civilsociety around environmentalissues in relation to people.Web: www.earthlife.org.zaBiowatchSouth African NGOpublicising, monitoring andresearching issues of biologicaldiversity,genetic engineeringand sustainable livelihoods.Tel: +27 0(21) 447 5939Email: biowatch@mweb.co.zaWeb: www.biowatch.org.zaSAFeAGESA Freeze Alliance on GeneticEngineeringTel. +27 (0)21 447 8445Email: safeage@mweb.co.zaWeb: www.safeage.orgCANE - Coalition AgainstNuclear Energy SouthAfricaA group of organisations,NGOs, Environmental Groups,Communities and Citizensfrom all over South Africa whoare opposed to Nuclear Energyas a power source.Web: www.cane.org.zasea water as ballast. This is one of the world’s greatestecological disasters.Sea water being transported from Asia/Europe to Africaetc. It’s wreaking havoc with sea life...Places like Europe have resources they (historically)consider to be waste such as wood off cuts. They are currentlyburning this ‘waste’ when it could be used to fillthe ships.Here’s my direct experience:All of a sudden, winter has come down hard on us andwith it the reality of heating our houses.I use mostly solar but when the sun doesn’t shine for afew days need to switch to wood.My ex-husband has a carpentry (most houses here builtwith wood) and he regularly dumps a huge pile of offcuts on my doorstep.I get a hefty dose of double guilt everytime I fire ourhearth.1. because of the carbon2. because I know that in some places of the world, thewood I burn is like gold. I burn enough wood every day tobuild a small shack. The wood is superior quality, mostlywhite pine but often oak and other types. I’ve attched apic of today’s load.I tackled Peter about this and he says all the carpentrieshere (and there are thousands of them) just burn theirleft overs. Claims it isn’t economically viable to take thiswood anywhere. The fuel costs are too high.I disagree. In SA the entire forest industry is set up tocreate wood chips to ship to Japan etc. Saw this in Richard’sBay. Phenomenal.So, there are 2 options: maybe someone wants to start awood chip industry and collect from all the carpentriesand a sorting depot where the bigger pieces get savedrather all minced?What do you think?Jena GriffithsWe think it’s a fantastic idea. Visit the Biophile “IdeasBank” on our website:www.biophile.co.za/ideasbank to “deposit” or “withdraw”an idea. If you’re stuck without internet access,we’ll share some of the best ideas right here in the magazine,and if you have ideas to “deposit” you’re welcometo write to us...TAKE ACTION WITHEARTHLIFE AFRICAWho Is Earthlife Africa?Earthlife Africa (ELA) is a membershipdriven organization of environmental andsocial justice activists, founded to mobilizecivil society around environmental issues inrelation to people.What does Earthlife Africa do?Earthlife Africa’s main activities are campaignrelated. This includes lobbying andadvocacy, building campaigns at communitylevel through sharing information and skills,engaging with environmental impact assessments,engaging the media, and researchingand producing information materials.We work to promote ecologically soundalternatives, like renewable energy and efficiency,organic farming and adopting the‘Zero Waste’ approach to industrial pollutionand waste management.Where is Earthlife Africa?ELA Johannesburg (Jhb) branch was establishedin August 1988 as the first branchof the organization. Since then, ELA hasexpanded to include branches in Cape Town,eThekwini (formerly Durban) and Tshwane(formerly Pretoria), as well as one in Windhoek,Namibia.How can you get involved withEarthlife Africa Cape Town?Earthlife Africa Cape Town is involved in awide range of environmental justice issuesincluding;-anti-nuclear campaigning-ethical consumerism-sustainable transportation campaigning-anti-GM campaigning-pro-renewable energy campaigning-climate change activism-zero waste approachEarthlife Africa Cape Town has a place foranybody with an environmental consciencewho has enthusiasm that they want to share.There are many activities to get involved inincluding;-activism-journalism-design-financial/marketing-ITFOR MORE INFO, OR TO JOIN EARTHLIFEAFRICA CAPE TOWN, PLEASE VISITwww.earthlife-ct.org.zaor call: 021 447 4912 orEmail: coordinator@earthlife-ct.org.za12 Biophile Issue 19

m o r e c o n v e r s at i o n s w i t h g o d...Green rectangles.Everywhere.GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in theworld is going on down there on the planet? What happened tothe dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago?I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants growin any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon.The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies,honey bees and flocks of songbirds.I expected to see a vast garden of colours by now, but all I see arethese green rectangles everywhere.St. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites.They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went togreat lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.GOD: Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attractbutterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It'ssensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want allthat grass growing there?St. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to growit and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grassand poisoning any other plant that crops up in thelawn.GOD: The spring rains and warm weatherprobably make grass grow really faSt. Thatmust make the Suburbanites happy.St. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. Assoon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimestwice a week.GOD: They cut it? Do they then bail itlike hay?St. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord.Most of them rake it up and putit in bags.GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it acash crop? Do they sell it?St. FRANCIS: No, Sir, just the opposite.They pay to throw it away.St. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer whenwe cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slowsthe growth and saves them a lot of work.St. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When thegrass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay moremoney to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to getrid of it.GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. Thatwas a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees growleaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer.In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanketto keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It'sa natural cycle of life.St. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites havedrawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake theminto great piles and pay to have them hauled away.GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots inthe winter to keep the soil moist and loose?St. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they goout and buy something which they call mulch. Theyhaul it home and spread it around in place of theleaves.GOD: And where do they get this mulch?St. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to makethe mulch.GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St.Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have youscheduled for us tonight?St. Catherine: 'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a storyabout....GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole storyfrom St. Francis.GOD: Now, let me get this straight.They fertilize grass so it will grow. And,when it does grow, they cut it off andpay to throw it away?Biophile Issue 1913

Who’s that Girl?In 1994 a Siberian elder told the entrepreneur VladimirMegre a fascinating story about the "ringing cedars" -trees respected from Biblical times for their curativepowers and the capacity to re-connect human beings withthe Divine. The elder told him where such a ringing cedarwas growing in the Siberian backwoods. Vladimir Megreset out on an expedition to find the tree. But his encounterwith the elder's granddaughter Anastasia transformed himso deeply that he abandoned his commercial plans and,penniless, went to Moscow to write a book about thespiritual insights she shared with him. What happened nextthrilled and inspired millions!With no advertisement other than word of mouth theRinging Cedars Series has become an internationalbestseller. Having sold over 10 million copies in Russianalone and translated into 20 languages, it has madeVladimir Megre into one of Russia's most widely readauthors.The books, which read like a fascinating novel, have anauthenticity of a documentary account and present spiritualinsights of incredible depth, are believed to be a mostsignificant masterpiece of Russian literature and one of themost important revelations in the history of humanity.These highly unusual books provide extraordinary insightsinto dozens of subjects - from natural child rearing to theproduction of high-energy, healing foods, from themeaning of human life to the amazing potential that awaitsevery one of us, from ancient megalithic science to the vitalimportance of breast-feeding, and from sacred sexuality tothe hidden history of world religions.Megre presents Anastasia's deep understanding ofMankind's innate spiritual connection to Nature andprovides practical solutions to the problems currentlyfacing humanity. He reveals her brilliant vision for thefuture of this planet, one full of hope and possibility.Her words of wisdom inspire and uplift in a way that has animmediate and profound impact on the reader.Now a series of 9 volumes, these books have alreadycreated a silent revolution across Russia and Europe.Books 1 – 7 Now Available in South Africa!Web: www.ringingcedars.co.zaOr e-mail books@ringingcedars.co.zaOr phone 021-439 3986These books are for you if you are INTO:Life Love Ancient HistoryEducation Nature TruthGardening Parenthood FreedomOrganics Conspiracy Practical solutionsHealth Creation Finding meaningSpirituality Science Our futureYOU NEED TO READ THESE BOOKS!What readers worldwide are saying“Thank you for these wonderful books! To read them has been an amazingexperience… my life has changed…” Virginie , FranceBook 6 is so powerful. It brings me so much joy to see something I have alwaysknown in "my bones" so beautifully articulated.” Maria“What a blast... I digested the 5 in a week. I have not been as engrossed in a seriesof books since I discovered Lobsang Rampa in the 1970's. I will be recommendingthese books to everyone I know” George, Australia“Book 1 was extraordinary… a sense of deep well-being came over me! Anastasia’scomment that illness is a conversation with God just blew me away. I have had achronic illness for 21 years now and that is exactly what it has been for me. Justcan’t stop reading this remarkable material!” Robert, Pasadena California"It is difficult finding the words to express how much [reading Anastasia] means tome and how powerfully I am impacted by it. It's as if my mind and heart have beenprepared to read this book for years! I've found a treasure for which I have beensearching desperately for years! I will be ordering the entire series soon and sharingthem with everyone I know!" ... and soon after from the same reader..."I've beenimmersed in the books. Since we last spoke, I have read book 2 AND 3! I am in aweof what I have read. I have been DEEPLY impacted and touched thus far, and I can'twait to read book 4 through 8!" Brian, Los Angeles USA"Anastasia is among - no - is the most profound work I have ever read… this issomething special. No other book has actually changed me. I am even more excitednow in expectation of acquiring Books 2 thru 4 I'm quietly confident that this isindeed the life-changing experience I have been waiting for. Cheers" Ben,Australia"I cannot even begin to describe the depth of the effect Anastasia has had on me and Ihave only read Book 1. For the first time in my life I feel affirmed on a very deeplevel and feel free to be me." Mary, New Zealand"At last! Truth that has not been distorted by dogma or someone's ego! I mightexplode from emotion if I read any more! I had a hard time getting myself to juststand still." Ana, Portugal"After reading this series I have recommended that my daughters give away all theirother reading materials." John, Melbourne, Australia"I first laid my eyes on the Anastasia books and felt the energy at once, bought them,and was completely breath taken. I had to stop reading just to cry for a while I wasso touched with the beauty and simplicity of Anastasia's spirit... I have read 100's ofbooks through the years on spiritual advancement, but there is nothing so direct andclear as this." Jan, Norway"Have just read with utter delight and joy Book 1 and would like to buy the [other]books that are translated into English." Araura, UK"I so love Anastasia and everything about her. I have read or I should say devouredthe first four books and my life has changed. I am waiting for book five with excitedanticipation." CT, Sydney"It is the first thing written in a book that has made so much sense to me. All that shesays makes sense and you just know that you are reading TRUTH. The book isawesome and I could not put it down! " D, Canada"Basically, these books make all the books that I've read to date look like a completewaste of paper! .... I think that going through life without this knowledge is a waste oftime, and not passing it on to children is a crime. I can say with confidence thatnothing like these books exists in the world today." Rafal, Australia“We should all read this book, no matter nationality, ethnicity, gender or age. Thisgives us something to discuss that we cannot receive from modern media. Thisallows us to expand upon ideas to create a community our children can thrive in.”Doug, Portland, OR (electrical engineer)

Her soft-spoken words go straight to the heart…The more you read- the better you feel! Book 7 now available.“I was so excited I couldn’t stop jumping up and down and had goose bumps all over...”WHAT IF something got you SO EXCITED...You started dancing around the room and you couldn’t sit still if your lifedepended on it?What if you COULDN’T SLEEP – perhaps for days?What if I told you about a series of books ...• That few people in the West have ever heard of?• That have sold over 11 million copies with no advertising except word ofmouth? (That’s ELEVEN MILLION !!!)• That from day one have created a frenzy of excitement among peoplefrom all walks of life?• That are the most stolen books in some overseas bookshops?• That after reading, thousands of people have quit their jobs?• That have inspired top scientists & military officers to write poetry andpaint?• That within minutes of starting, countless readers have ordered 3, 5 even12 copies to send to friends & loved ones?Sounds amazing?... IT’S ALL ABSOLUTELY TRUE!Can YOU think of ANY books, in the entire history of humanity, thathave had such a response? Well these have! And we have never heard ofthem ... until NOW.You can FEEL yourself changing as you read...If I told you your understanding of your life and your relationship withNature is about to change forever, if I told you these books contain themissing links we have allbeen looking for, if I toldyou that in many countriesthe Ringing Cedars Series isnow considered the mostsignificant book series everwritten and contains the mostimportant revelations in thehistory of humanity, wouldyou want to read them?ANTHEA TORR (EDITOR BIOPHILE): 'It is one of the mostimportant series of books to hit the planet and should be set books forall schools. Anastasia lives according to the original blueprint forhumanity... she has not been closed down by the fear based systemsthat run our lives. If you only read one book in your life, readAnastasia!'CHRIS ERASMUS (EDITOR ODYSSEY MAGAZINE): 'Thisentire series looks set to become one of those 'sleeper' publicationsthat sneaks up on the publishing world, driven by word of mouth anda resonance with something profound in the collective consciousness.This is one to read rather than talk about.'Electrifying messageswill totally INSPIREyou ...My name is Jan Wessels. I was sitting in my cubicle at one of those mindnumbingcorporate set-ups, looking around on the internet for anythingthat could help me get through the afternoon, when I came across a reviewof a book that immediately got me sitting up. The reviewer was describinga Russian book called Anastasia by Vladimir Megre and the excitement ofthe description was tangible. There was an excerpt from this book on thewebsite and I started reading through it. From that moment my lifechanged drastically and permanently.The BEST news EVER…After finally getting hold of a copy of Anastasia from the publisher I wentto sit on the beach by myself and read it from cover to cover. Sometimesin the middle of a page, I had to laugh out loud with a feeling of sheer joyrunning through me.The best way I can try to describe this to you, is: “Imagine what youwould feel like if you heard the BEST news you could possibly hear, butcould never have imagined, about Life, God, Man, Nature, the Earth andthe Universe!” This is the feeling that the deep truth and beauty inAnastasia’s words sprouts inside you. I got up with a feeling of warmthand joy all over. I quit my job immediately and vowed to distribute thesebooks as far and wide as possible in Africa! All we want now is forEVERYONE to read these books, so why not give something very specialand very meaningful to someone you care for this Christmas.Your brain starts working at a NEW level…I was so excited I couldn’t stop jumping up and down and had goosebumps all over – my whole understanding had suddenly tied together, as ifall the loose ends have found each other! All my beliefs and instinctswere confirmed and reinforced in me. I have NEVER had such a deepfeeling of knowing and awe inside me before!And the EXCITEMENT keeps growing…The past few months have been amazing. People from all over SouthernAfrica have been phoning in and writing to us - just wanting to share whatthese books have meant to them: The controls have fallen away from theirlives; they’re suddenly without fear; they’re planting their first gardens;they’re writing, painting and singing for the first time in years! Many arereading the books to their kids (who are loving it!) or giving copies awayto friends and family. Book clubs describe how they found for the firsttime something important and wonderful to discuss. There really issomething happening here!REAL Change…Millions of people across the globe have read these books and amazingthings are starting to happen. Throughout all of Europe, the US, Canada,Australia and the UK, thousands of people are changing their way of lifeand living more spiritual lives closer to Nature – deeply connected to eachother, rooted in God and touching the Earth with all their love.You’ll DISCOVER life ismore precious than youknew...I realised on a very deep level thatI CAN NOT spend anothermoment of my life doingmeaningless work in an insanesystem! Life is beautiful and fullof gifts and our capabilities andcapacity to love are endless…You have NEVER readanything like this...Readers (and editors!) alike assure us that they have never read anythinglike these books. They contain the most astounding messages you willever read, from an amazingly beautiful woman, found more than 10 yearsago, living alone in a forest in Siberia. She is considered to be a survivingmember of an ancient culture, whose powers and knowledge FAREXCEED anything known today. Since her discovery in 1995, the spiritualinsights she has shared in these books have spread like a raging wildfireacross Europe, selling over 11 million copies.These books have been translated into more than 20 languages, but onlyrecently into English. Seven volumes have been translated so far and theyget progressively more mind-blowing!Listen to Anthea - EVERYONE must read these books…Don’t make any important plans until you have read Anastasia. Thisreally is potent, critical new information. Get reading!CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: (Expires 31.12.07)Buy a set of 7 for only R990 and your postage is FREE! You save R170!Note: This offer is for SA addresses only.Email: books@ringingcedars.co.zaOr Call 021 439 3986 Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5pm.Or Visit www.ringingcedars.co.za to order on-line

HEAVYMETALDETOX16

Du e t o t h e e n o r m it y o f t h e p r o b l e m o f h e a v ym e t a l p o i s o n i n g in t o d a y ’s w o r l d , and the factthat entire books have been written on this subject,this article will attempt to bring to light some ofthe methods people have successfully employed toregain their health without going bankrupt in theprocess.Many people experience the effects of mercurybeing slowly released on a daily basis from dentalfillings. Due to this fact, the most important stepto take in removing mercury from your body is tosafely remove the mercury amalgams.Simply removing them is NOT a safe method.There is actually a science to this process. Dozensof dentists throughout the country have dedicatedthemselves to learning exactly how to do this safelyand with the least amount of adverse effects.This is undoubtedly the most expensive partof detoxing from mercury—removing the sourcethat is in your mouth. An estimated 85 percent ofAmericans have at least one mercury filling (eachfilling being approximately 50 percent mercury)and most have several mercury amalgams. Theconstant off-gassing of mercury suppresses normalimmune function by up to 88 percent whencompared to a non-mercury burdened body.The presence of mercury, aluminum and otherheavy metals such as cadmium and lead can causea virtual breeding ground for yeast, fungi, parasitesand pathogens in our digestive tracts. Manycommon health problems today, as mentioned inlast month’s column, can be resolved by removingthese metals and going on a yeast elimination diet.To check for the presence of heavy metals,many people still go by hair analysis. However,most experts on heavy metal poisoning havedetermined that a urine analysis is more accuratesince urinary porphyrins reveal the presence ofmercury and other toxic metals by evaluating theporphyrin pathway.Some people may be thinking that, since theydo not have any mercury amalgams, this informationdoes not apply to them. Wrong! Our food, airand water are constant sources of heavy metals.The ability of our liver to detoxify from the increasingamounts of metals we are exposed to dependsdirectly on the nutrient content of our diets.Chemistry professor Dr. Boyd Haley isan expert on mercury toxicity and wrote anarticle, “Concepts for Safe Human Body MercuryRemoval.” In this paper Dr. Haley stresses theimportance of first utilizing natural vitamins andsupplements instead of automatically using suchchelating drugs as EDTA, DMSA or DMPS.The most important supplements that willassist in your body’s ability to excrete mercury andother heavy metals are ascorbates (vitamin C),lipoic acid, methylcobalamin (Methyl B-12), B-6,magnesium, selenium, melatonin, methionine,and glutathione.Dr. Haley also believes that stimulating glutathioneproduction inside the cells is THE mostimportant factor when it comes to effective treatmentsfor autism. Mineral supplements such asZeolite are also very helpful since our bodies tendto store heavy metals when there is a deficiency inbio-available minerals.Dr. Armand DeFelice, a Spokane, Washingtondentist, specializes in safely removing mercuryamalgams, he claims that he can detoxify a patientfrom mercury poisoning in six months using aprotocol he developed using supplements fromStandard Process Labs.Glutathione (GSH): After hearing manytestimonials and reading several articles, it is clearthat having a deficiency of glutathione is a precursorfor one’s inability to effectively excrete mercury,aluminum, and pesticides from the body. GSH isan antioxidant, immune booster and detoxifier.Without it, your cells would disintegrate fromunrestrained oxidation, your body would havelittle resistance to bacteria, viruses and cancer andyour liver would literally shrivel up from eventualaccumulation of toxins.The research being done on glutathione isenormous with over 77,280 papers available atPubMed.com that mention GSH.Healthy cells homeostatically oppose free radicalsthrough the use of antioxidants, of which GSHplays a significant role. GSH is the most powerfulantioxidant occurring naturally in the cells of ourbody. The effectiveness of other antioxidants likevitamins C and E depends on the availability ofGSH. This is also why GSH is essential in overcomingand preventing cancer, auto-immune diseasesand other immune system related disorders.GSH plays a key role in detoxification, havingthe ability to bind to heavy metals and other toxinsthrough its sulfur molecules, thereby providingthe means for the body to eliminate these toxins.Studies have shown that children with autismhave low levels of GSH which researchers attributeto abnormalities in their methionine pathway.Another extremely important function ofGSH is its ability to protect (or at least minimize)the deadly effects on our cells from all formsof radiation, from x-rays to microwaves.The following is from Dr. Deborah Baker’swebsite www.y2khealthanddetox.com:“A recent research article publishedin the journal Radiology states that‘radiation from a single whole-bodyscan is equal to that from 100 mammogramsand is similar to that receivedby survivors of the atomic bombings ofHiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan—about1 mile from the explosions—according toradiation biologist, David J. Brenner ofColumbia University. The radiation fromone scan is enough to produce a tumorin one out of 1,200 people and, for thosewho have annual scans, the risk increasesto one tumor in every 50 people.’ Withinadequate intracellular GSH the risk isgreatly increased.”Dietary sources of GSH: Glutathioneis synthesized from three amino acids - cystein,glutamate and glycine. Since most healthy dietsrich in raw fruits and vegetables have an abundanceof glutamate and glycine, the focus shouldbe on dietary sources of cystein. Cystein contentis relatively high in proteins found in eggs, meat,red peppers, garlic, onions, brussel sprouts, oats,milk, whey protein, and wheat germ. Fruits andvegetables that are high in these precursors toGSH production are avocado, watermelon, asparagus,grapefruit, potato, squash, strawberries,orange, tomato, cantaloupe, broccoli, okra, peach,zucchini, and spinach.Dr. Baker claims that avocado, asparagus andwalnuts are particularly good sources. Cystein isalso metabolized by the body in the presence ofmethionine, these two amino acids being the twosulfur-containing amino acids. She also warnsthat, due to the stress our bodies are under dealingwith the myriad of pollutants in today’s world, it isimportant to supplement.Dr. Baker claims that the only effective GSHsupplementation that reaches the inside of ourcells is a product called GSH complex which shehow to remove mercuryand other heavy metalsfrom your body –safely and inexpensivelyby In g r i Ca s s e lBiophile Issue 1917

HEAVY METAL DETOXsells for $64 - 10.5 oz. Others have gotten goodresults using N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) whichincreases vital cellular glutathione levels. NACpowerfully neutralizes mercury as a poison if500 to 750 mg. are taken daily. Other helpfultreatments for better metabolism of GSH includeEpsom salt baths and MSM supplementation.Herbs for eliminating metals: Thereare several herbs that are useful in the eliminationof heavy metals. Tenna Merchent wrote her odysseyof detoxing herself and her son from aluminumpoisoning in her highly readable book, He’s notAutistic But... How We Pulled Our SonFrom the Mouth of the Abyss. Merchantclaims that one should use pure vegetableglycerine to eliminate mercury; bladderwrack, aseaweed, for aluminum; potassium for excess copper;and horsetail (shavegrass) for lead.Others have found that cilantro and chlorellaare helpful for mercury elimination with manyadvocates making a delicious pesto using cilantrothat includes lots of raw garlic.Again, bio-available minerals are importantand many herbs are excellent sources of theseimportant nutrients. Dr. John R. Christopher hasa formula that has been specifically designed foreliminating these heavy metals from the body. His“Heavy Mineral Herbal” formula contains bugleweed,cilantro, yellowdock and lobelia.Another herb that is gaining popularity isturmeric, which contains curcumin. Using this“spice” in therapeutic doses has shown promise intreating Alzheimer’s patients, who are known tobe loaded with both mercury and aluminum.Liver Health: When on any detoxificationprogram, it is essential to make sure your liveris also cleansed and protected. Milk Thistle isextremely important as are other blood purifyingand liver cleansing herbs. We find taheebo (paud’arco), barberry, dandelion root, chaparral, andred clover to be absolutely essential supports in theliver detoxification process.EDTA, DMSA and DMPS: These arethe most common ways of chelating mercuryfrom the body. While these chelating treatmentsare available in both oral and IV forms, it is wellrecognized that DMPS has the track record forthe being the fastest way to remove mercury andlead from the body—and is the longest lasting.Many people have found these treatments harshon their bodies, having a tendency to also chelatebeneficial minerals.Not everyone has success with this method asDr. Rashid Battar found when treating his autisticson. As a result he developed a transdermal DMPSdesigned specifically for chelating mercury in autisticchildren. However, this method does requirea prescription.Clay Baths: Many people have used magneticclay baths successfully in detoxing from mercury,aluminum, radiation and other environmental pollutantssuch as those found in “chemtrails.”The results people experience using thismethod are phenomenal and definitely worth themoney when it comes to actually getting metalsand other chemicals out of your body. It takes afew baths to have the full effect but after the firstsuccessful bath, you will likely be “hooked” andwant to share this method with others. Twelvespecific clay baths, each bath enhanced with herbsdesigned to pull out the particular contaminant(s)needing removal, are available atwww.magneticclay.comThe Cancer Connection: According toa new book by Italian oncologist Tulio Simoncini,M.D., Cancer is a Fungus, overgrowth ofcandida albicans (yeast/fungus) is at the root of allcancers. Since accumulation of both mercury andaluminum in our bodies lays the perfect foundationfor the overgrowth of candida, this doctor’sbook is proof of what many holistic practitionershave known for years.Simoncini also points out that “chemotherapyfavors the fungus...and is a leading cause ofmetastasis.”Jim Harrington: Living ConsciouslyIt is said t h at t h e h u m a n b o d y is d e s ig n e d to d is c h a r g e 70% o f it’s t o x in st h r o u g h b r e at h in g. If your breathing is not operating efficiently thenyou are not getting rid of toxins properly which may then lead to overwork of other systems within the body and of course the possibility ofillness and disease. Breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathingout… that is what keeps us alive, but this simple act that we unconsciouslydo in our every living moment is actually the invisible link thatallows us to reconnect with our vital force!Breath replenishes the body, soothes the nervous system and relaxesthe mind for concentration.In yoga we talk about pranayama. Prana means breath or life forceand ayama means length or extension. It is this very extension and controlof the breath that yoga uses to help still the mind so that we maybring awareness to everything we do, say, think and feel and so that wemay live consciously. When we are living consciously we can choose toexhale tension and negativity (and all those toxins!) and we can bringease and joy into our lives with every inhalation.A great example of the spirit of living consciously is well knownyogi, Jim Harrington who has been practising and teaching yoga andbreathing techniques since 1987. Jim was born in Australia but now livesin Cape Town. He teaches regularly at YogaWithin in Hout Bay, and athis new studio, Synergy at Sage in Gardens, but can also be found out inthe surf at Kommetjie! Jim’s vital health and calm manner are not only areflection of his character and nature, but also a clear indication that heis breathing correctly!Jim was trained in Sydney, Australia in the Yoga Synergy Style whichis a dynamic form of power yoga based on the traditional Ashtanga andIyengar schools. Incorporating modern physiotherapeutic knowledge,and adapted for the western body and mind, Yoga Synergy maintains atraditional and spiritually authentic approach. Although core strengthand flexibility are enhanced through regular practise, mental clarity is akey element and here again, breath is the divine thread.This thread links postures while maintaining awareness of anatomicaland physiological alignment. The sequences of postures, or asanas,used is carefully designed so that earlier postures prepare your body tothe do the ones that follow with least effort, and thereby allowing thepractitioner to progress towards a moving meditation with breath asthe foundation.Right now, take a moment to notice how you are breathing. Nowdraw your shoulders back and down, lift the base of the skull andbreathe deeply filling the chest and expanding the lungs and ribs, pausethere for a moment. Exhale smoothly and slowly and once again, pausefor a moment. Feel the difference?The great B.K.S Iyengar wrote that: ‘the yogi’s life is not measuredby the number of his days but by the number of his breaths. Therefore,he follows the proper rhythmic patterns of slow, deep breathing.’For more information and to find out more about classes, trainingand courses, go to Jim’s website www.karmacalmer.co.za18Biophile Issue 19

Self-empowerment,spiritual mastery & inner peaceby Ja c q u e s Ra c t l i f f eThe word self- empowerment (whether speltwith or without a hyphen) does not appear inmy laptop’s SA, US or UK English thesauruses,nor in my own Essential English- or Oxforddictionaries at home.There are all kinds of other self-‘whatevers’, butnot self- empowerment. So, I am left to my owndevices in explaining what self-empowermentmeans to me. A self-empowered person, to me,is somebody who has found, within himself orherself, the stability of mind in the knowing thateach person has their own truth within themselves.Realising that there are many truths, and not justone, will result in the knowing of the right of eachindividual to follow their own truth.The question then arises if this knowing willresult in chaos – if everybody just does what he orshe wants? The answer is NO – not when peoplehave an inner knowing of self-empowerment.Abuse of thought and taking advantage for monetarygain will be part and parcel of ANY modalitythat no truly self-empowered person will or ismorally able to make cheap reward of.In this light, self-empowerment is somethingthat comes from within a person’s psyche. It doesnot refer to riches, social standing or how muchone can show it off. Self-empowerment cannot beseen, it cannot be bought, and it is not on sale atthe nearest retail outlet. I mean, could you imagine?– it would become a bling item for a few weeksor months, purposefully marketed as a “have-tohave”by Hollywood’s finest sales reps and thenbe discarded for the next best thing – completelyhollow and without meaning.Self-empowerment is also not in-bornself-assurance, although a vital ingredient in selfesteem,self-assurance is not self-empowerment.Self-empowerment is that which one acquiresthrough wisdom gained through life experience.Self-empowerment is a personal knowingthat you are your own highest authority. It has todo with who and what you are. It is about you asa human being and not about any body else. Selfempowermentis not something you can touch,but you can feel it. Other people can also feel yourself-empowered state, but they cannot physicallytouch it. They may be able to verbally affect it, butthat will depend on the strength and conviction ofyour own state of mind.Others will “see” a strength in you – asilent strength that needs no exterior support– and they may become fearful of youand resort to blackmailing tactics in aneffort to diminish your value in your self;especially if they are seen as “superior”to you in some way in your social- orwork life.Spiritual Masters know that theyare only masters of themselves...A spiritual master’s life purpose is to guideevolution through outstanding leadership qualitiesas human life continues to evolve through theprogressive stages of enlightenment. This is toliken it to the leadership of a director of a movie, toguide from behind the scenes where the decisionsleading to the overall design are made.Spiritual masters do not function well underdominant direction for long and also realise thatto achieve their potential, they will need a firstrateeducation; continuously seeking to betterthemselves and to quench their immense thirst forknowledge. Their fast rate of learning is little shortof amazing and they are regularly called upon foradvice and/or guidance.A prominent trait of a spiritual master is theirapparent lack of emotion as they regard emotionalcontrol as fundamental to their purpose. In truththey are highly sensitive and intuitive people incombination with a powerful spiritual awareness.They are concerned with human welfare and havea huge capacity for responsibility.Those who do not recognise their ownstrengths are drawn to a singularly materialisticenvironment in an obsessive way, thus becomingunhappy, lonely and aloof. When negative, incredibledepression is the result.It is highly recommended that a spiritualmaster ensure a life of balance between work andpleasure as their considerable aptitude for workcan lead to becoming an overachiever. Artistichobbies in modules such as singing, dancing, writing,painting, and the like will enhance expressionand lead to emotional relaxation. To a spiritualmaster, learning is a life-long pursuit.Someone who has truly achieved spiritual masterywill, generally, excel at whatever they attempt,be it in any business or cultural organisation.They also have the most responsibility tohumanity. To me, spiritualityis somethingthathas tobelived from the soul’s perspective. To truthfullylive in harmony with the rest of the world andeverything in it, one has to be in harmony withoneself. To achieve this, I believe that one studiesand implements a procedure that will lead to rightliving.There are innumerable ways to do this andthere is no one-way. Bearing in mind that whateverconnection happens on the inside of you willmanifest on the outside.Ways that I have found beneficialare the following:These days as soon as a thing is introduced intothe market with an opening sale, within a few daysit will be on the closing sale.Our modern lives are, for the most part, quiterushed. Before you know it, your face will be out offashion and the shoes you bought last week - willreally be… so last week.A colleague of mine once asked my advice onhow to spend less money in a month – as soon as Idared tell her that she should stop buying all thosesuperfluous magazines, she baulked. Aaaah, thereis so much to keep us in-the-know; in our socialsettings and in business.Even in spirituality there is an astronomicalamount of paraphernalia that would qualify one asa seasoned stuffologist.By the time you have finished with all thebreathing exercises and mantras and journal writingand meditations and readings and, and, and;oh my, it’s already tomorrow afternoon – and youhave not even gone to work yet. This kind of I knownothing and believe everything attitude will landyou up in a mental institution of your own making.In our modern day, it is imperative that welessen the impact of modern stuffology. Our mentalapplications are now being over taxed – more orless like an old steam train trying to get up a steephill; by now so overloaded with coal that it justmight not make the top.The only solution to this hiccup is aconcrete attempt at throwing out.Not even filing away or, Godforbid, putting it somewhereelse for supposedlater filing or never-tohappengetting ridof.Biophile Issue 1919

“Climate change is not about on average being 2ºC warmer.It is about whole countries and regions not having food and water,about an end to ecosystems and agriculture,about enormous and continuous floods and droughts, and so much more.Climate change is about death, destruction and mayhem for billions, maybe for all.”emotional pain from cut land, trashed oceans,toxic waters and a disintegrating atmosphere.Thinking about ecological crises full-time for 20years has made my psyche tawdry and torn.Sure I have a useful insight or campaign successnow and again, but does it really matter?These achievements have been made at suchexpense to my personal well-being that I ambeginning to wonder whether it has been, andis, worth it.And then I remember what is at stake.Climate change is not about on average being2ºC warmer. It is about whole countries andregions not having food and water, about anend to ecosystems and agriculture, aboutenormous and continuous floods and droughts,and so much more. Climate change is aboutdeath, destruction and mayhem for billions,maybe for all.There are not two sides to the climate change“debate”. One is in denial, the other experiencingtruthful, immobilizing pain. Does doomand gloom — even if 100% truthful — stymie orinspire adequate responses? How does oneknow the Earth and humanity are close toself-immolation and still make small talk andmaintain personal relations with those that arewillingly ignorant on the topic?Yes, I am wound up tight and right at thebreaking point. And my ego is bruised afterbeing so naïve as to think that a well informed,intentioned and motivated person could makeany real difference in the situation. I am nearingexhaustion after giving all I have in 100+ hourwork weeks to help save the Earth; preparemy house, land and family for an imminentecological and social collapse; while having todeal with ridicule and abandonment for seeingso clearly what the future holds. Why do it?Why not just live for the moment anddamn the Earth and humanity’s future?It is because the strongest biological instinct isa species’ sense of self-protection and desirefor our children to carry on after us. Humansare animals. Those trained to be in touch withthe very earliest hominid impulses must protectall the life with who we share the Earth, becausewe understand their existence provideshabitat that makes our existence possible, andbecause they have an inherent right to be aswell. Instead of saber tooth tigers, we need toprotect ourselves from an economy run-amok,collapsing ecosystems and the mayhem thiswill release.Any thinking, caring person must now be ingreat pain as they are born into and live withinthe epic end of human and Earthly history.How few are able to overcome their conditioningas children to identify, witness to, and actupon the truths that economic growth, humanpopulations and their combined consumptionare a cancer upon the Earth; that Gaia,that gives us life and is thus godlike, is dying;and that all of us — rich and poor, black andwhite, educated and ignorant are all careeningtowards a painful, long drawn out death forourselves, families, communities, sister speciesand shared Earth.Maybe it all comes down to a fear ofdeath.Consciously I do not give it much thought, butwho does not worry about their mortality?I have had readers express that ecologicalcollapse, akin to all life dying at once, is moredesirable than making necessary personal andsocietal changes necessary to save creation.Many have allowed religion and capitalistdogma to overwrite their biological instinct tolive in a manner that perpetuates their species.We had our chance to reform industrial technologicalsociety over the past 30 years, and nowit is irredeemable. There is still hope that industrialsociety will collapse, and the necessityof right sizing human endeavors realized, priorto the biosphere becoming non-functional andunable to recover, and human death numberingin billions.There is still hope that groups of enlightenedEarth lovers will ride out the collapse andreconstitute humanity living within nature. Butthere is no longer hope that it will be achievedeasily, painlessly and without profound conflictand turmoil.The path to global ecological sustainabilityexists: fewer babies, less consumption,ending practices like the useof coal and ancient forest logging.To see it clearly, yet know that ignorance anddenial hide it to most, is utterly devastating.Yet I refuse to give up. The stakes are tooimportant. Bold ideas that would solve theclimate and ecological crises are out there, butpeople are unwilling to change. They must becompelled to do so.And this is the core of my sadness—this beautifulmagnificent Earth and all its bright andbrilliant creatures including human good worksare going to needlessly end because of greed,vanity and intransigence.I think you should allow yourself to feel theEarth’s pain strongly as well, and use it asmotivation for personal and planetary healing.Yet make sure that after you feel the pain, youmove on, for your and Gaia’s benefit. Maybewriting this essay will help me do so too.Dr. Barry is founder and President of EcologicalInternet; provider of the largest, most used environmentalportals on the Internet including theClimate Ark at www.climateark.org andwww.EcoEarth.Info“There is still hope thatgroups of enlightenedEarth lovers will rideout the collapse andreconstitute humanityliving within nature. Butthere is no longer hopethat it will be achievedeasily, painlessly andwithout profound conflictand turmoil.”Biophile Issue 19 21

Seeds of TransformationThe EarthChild ProjectThere are children having the equivalent of two cups of sugar a day.;who don’t know what lettuce is or that carrots grow under the ground.There are children who have never experienced five minutes of deep peace and relaxation.Wh a t u s e is a n A in m a t h s ify o u r b o d y, m i n d a n d s o u la r e u n w e l l a n d u n b a l a n c e d?Rather than being academic institutions thatchildren dread, schools could be warm, nurturingenvironments supporting children to blossomand find their inner potential. Rather than beinga place focusing on preparing children for life,schools could be a place where children get tocelebrate life.Looking at the current education situationhowever, one is reminded just how far we haveto go before the average South African will beable to attend such a school. What is needed areseeds of transformation and that’s where wecome in. Teaching kids the things we wish wehad learnt at school, the Earthchild Project isa non-profit organization offering holistic andexperiential education – a practical solutionthat works.We set up organic vegetable gardens wherechildren can go outside, get some sunshine,have fun and learn a valuable skill for life. Weset up recycling and teach children the conceptof Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We look atthe tuckshop and make sure there are healthysnacks on offer rather than the usual junkfood. We teach children yoga, meditationand life skills as part of the school routine.Teachers and parents are encouragedto get involved and we offer them coursesin yoga, meditation, life skills, health andwellness and organic gardening so that notonly 1000 children in one school benefitbut so the whole community. Our full timeEarthchild Facilitators, who are from thelocal community, introduce and maintainour program. They are young, dynamic,experienced and inspirational human beings.Placing an Earthchild Facilitator in aschool is like planting a seed of transformationnot only in the school but the communityat large – a seed that will blossominto a new generation of healthy, happy,confident and conscious earthchildren.The journey to become an Earthchildhowever, is one we can all explore, no matterwhat our age or who we are. After all, we areall children of this beautiful Mother Earth, even ifthe essence of this has been forgotten by some. Asthe first verse of our Earthchild Project song goes“Children of the Earth, listen to our song, brothersand sisters come and sing along. We are rising up,we’re a new generation, take each others handsand sing in celebration!”The Earthchild Project’s VisionWe believe that every human being has infinite potentialand together, we can create a world whereeach and every person is supported in becomingthe fullest expression of who they can be. A peacefuland harmonious world, where peopletreat themselves, each other, all livingcreatures and the Earth with love and respect.Inspired by the stories of what individuals haveachieved through visualization and mind powerfor themselves, we want to use this untappedresource to achieve our vision and collectivelytransform our country. Imagine thousands ofpeople visualizing the same goal every day. It can’tnot become our reality.This month, we have been teaching the kidsabout the ‘law of attraction’ and how to make anduse Vision Boards. They love the idea and cameup with some really beautiful suggestions for ourSouth African Vision Board 2008. We invite youto use this Vision Board22Biophile Issue 19

y Ja n n a Kr e t z m a rby following the instructions on the back. Join theEarthchildren and let’s make this dream a reality.How to make and useyour own Vision BoardBased on the premise of the ‘law of attraction’ andthe power of positive thinking, Vision Boardsare a practical tool that help define what we want,believe it is possible and then allow it to happen.You can make a Vision Board for yourself, yourfamily, your business or your school. All you needis paper, a pen, a limitless imagination and a trustingheart.Step 1: Decide what your Vision Board is forand write this at the top of your page.Step 2: Imagine exactly how you’d like thisrelationship, group or situation to be. Write downeach point making sure to use present tense and toonly include positive, affirmative statements.Step 3: Get creative, use colour, draw pictures,make it personal and have fun!Step 4: Put your Vision Board somewherewhere you’ll see it every day.Step 5: Once a day read over it and then closeyour eyes.Take a minute or two and imagine it exists at thisvery moment, really feeling what it would be like.Take a deep breath, hold it in for a few seconds andthen release.Now let go of the outcome and allow the universeto work its magic.Think of three things in your life for which you aregrateful. Now open your eyes and have a beautifulday. All it takes is three minutes a day. Nothingto loose but much to gain. Just do it and see whathappens.For more information about theEarthchild Project visitwww.earthchildproject.orgTo get involved or make a contributionemail info@earthchildproject.orgor call 083 4099 185.Biophile Issue 1923

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Confessionsof aConvertedCarrot Cruncherby Pa t r i c i a Gl y nbought her to kill her, so sheI didn’t get a name. Somehow itwas easier that way. And, after all, Ionly knew her for a few hours.We met on a rowdy, dirty street inAlexandra Township, Johannesburg.She was crouched in the corner of anapartment block of cages which stank offeces and fear. Her eyes were closed, andher body motionless. I thought she wasdead, but the jabbing, wire hook whichdragged her out of her small corner ofhell soon had her eyes wide open inshock. No outraged squawk emitted fromher, though. She was way beyond that.Her skin was an angry pink and utterlynude. Poking through it at regularintervals were the white shafts of whatwere once feathers. A ghastly, raspingsound came from her throat, as shebattled for each breath through lungsdrowning in a broth of puss. No onewould buy her, that was clear, and a coldand rainy night was approaching. Theleast I could do was to hasten her descentinto that final sleep which awaits us all.Her jailer looked at me in amazement asI forked out R30 in exchange for her sad,sorry form, and then headed off for thesanctuary of my less odorous suburb.The vet’s waiting room was busy. Inquisitivechildren with their floppy puppiesand old faithfuls poked their headsinto my cardboard box and recoiled inrevulsion. Every now and then my uglylittle charge rallied and made a brave butpathetic attempt to escape, poking herwild-eyed head through the flaps of thebox, and pecking at them with every last“I began to sob and sob. The vet quietly left the room, no doubtmystified as to why the death of an ugly, common, nameless birdshould provoke such grief... She had no aesthetic appeal, noenvironmental import, no scarcity value. She was just a chicken.‘Just’ a chicken.”ounce of energy she had.She sneezed often, and arched herbruised and blue neck as high as it couldreach, desperately sucking at what littleair her squishy lungs could accommodate,desperately clinging to her miserable life.I held her prickly, diarrhea-smudgedbody while the vet injected that mercifulgreen juice into her thigh. Slowly herwild, snaking neck began to quieten untilit finally folded back on itself and she wasat peace.But I was not. I began to sob and sob.The vet quietly left the room, no doubtmystified as to why the death of an ugly,common, nameless bird should provokesuch grief. You see, she wasn’t a MartialEagle, a Pel’s Fishing Owl or a NarinaTrogon. She had no aesthetic appeal, noenvironmental import, no scarcity value.She was just a chicken. ‘Just’ a chicken.And she was one of over 5 millionchickens who die EVERY WEEKin South Africa, havingspent their short livescrammed into massive,windowless shedsalong with, on average,40 000 othersof their kind. Oneof over 5 millionsentient creatureswho inhale somuch ammoniaand fecal particulatethat many ofthem suffer fromchronic respiratorydisease and stingingeyes. One of over 5million fowls whopeck relentlessly ateach other in frustrationat their crampedconditions. One of over5 million birds thatare pumped so full ofgrowth hormones thattheir little breasts oftenexpand to the point wheretheir legs can no longercarry them.She was also one of thousandsof birds that are so sick or weak thatthey are ejected from the commercialchicken chain and sold live to townshipdwellers for back-yard slaughter. You’dthink they’d made payment enoughfor the broiler farmers to give thema quicker end. But no, more pain is due,more suffering is required so that our nationcan have cheap animal protein.And that’s why I sobbed. I sobbed forover 5 million chickens that, weekly, ‘donate’their anguished lives for people whoeither remain ignorant of their plight orsimply don’t care about it. I sobbed forthe abomination of it all.Emails to: patriciaglyn@wol.co.za‘Just’ a chicken?Biophile Issue 1925

The key to successful nutritional treatment of depressionis to determine a person’s biochemical individuality,and to provide focused appropriate supplementationby Dr. El i z n a Ha n e k o mHi p p o c r a t e s , t h e g r e a t Gr e e k p h y s i c i a n a n dFa t h e r o f Me d i c i n e, s a i d: “ From the brain,and from the brain only, arise our pleasures, joys,laughter and jests, as well as sorrows, pains, griefsand tears.”It’s startling to learn that there are 15 trillionneurons (nerve cells) in the human brain. Thereare far more glial cells that fill the spaces betweenthe neurons, Schwann cells and miles of bloodvessels to nourish the three or so pounds of braintissue in the average head.Three pounds isn’t much: only 2% of the bodyweight of a person weighing 150 pounds. Braincells are hungry cells, demanding nourishmentfrom as much as 30% of the circulating blood. Thebrain is a chemical factory that produces neurotransmitters,natural chemicals that facilitatecommunication between nerve cells. To do thisjob, the brain needs raw materials in the form ofamino acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients,which act as essential cofactors for enzymecatalysts.Biochemical data on more than 3,000 (2003)persons diagnosed with clinical depression, allowedscientists at the Pfeiffer Treatment Centrein Illinois, USA to fit 95% of them into 5 separatebiochemical classifications with completely differentnutritional needs.Most persons with depression exhibit a geneticabnormality in methylation, which appears to becentral to their illness. Methylation is a processwhere one molecule passes a methyl group toanother molecule. This transaction is essentialto more than hundred processes, from the brainto the bones, and is a major factor in the ratelimitingstep in the synthesis of the neurotransmittersserotonin and noradrenaline in the brain.Undermethylated persons tend to be depleted inthe neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenalin,while the opposite is true for overmethylation.The Pfeiffer Centre Programme is based on thework of Dr Carl Pfeiffer, an American psychiatristand pioneer in orthomolecular psychiatry.This programme involves asking a basic questionthat few other practitioners ask: who is thepatient nutritionally? Finding the answer involvesextensive chemical analysis of blood, urine andhair to define the patient’s biochemistry. Treatmentrequires supplements of specific vitamins,minerals and amino acids, that need to be suppliedwith rifle-shot precision - and sometimes veryhigh doses.NUTRIENTS AND NEURO-TRANSMITTER BALANCETyrosine and 5-hydroxytryptophan(5-HTP)The neurotransmitters most closely associatedwith depression are serotonin and noradrenaline.Ground-breaking research by Professor TapanAudhya from the New York Medical Centre, hasmade the measurement of a person’s serotoninand noradrenaline levels in platelets - tiny disc-likebodies in the blood - possible.( T Audhya 2005.Clin. Chem.; 51-6)His research shows that the levels of theseneurotransmitters in platelets correlate with thelevels in the brain. He found that 82% of depressedpatients had only a third of the amount of noradrenaline,while 73% of depressed patients hadbarely a fifth the levels of serotonin compared topeople without depression.He also showed that giving the right combinationof nutrients, especially the protein constituentstyrosine, from which noradrenaline is made,and 5-HTP from which serotonin is made, resultedin significant and rapid relief from depression.5-HTP dosage is 50-100 mg taken twice a day onan empty stomach. Do not combine with prescriptionantidepressants.B vitamins:Vitamin B6, and vitamin B3, together with zinc, isrequired for the synthesis of serotonin.A deficiency of vitamin B12 is associated withdepression. (Nutr. Rev. 1996; 54) Clinical studieshave shown an inverse relationship between folatestatus and depression. Previous research hasshown “enhanced antidepressant response withfolic acid supplementation”(Bjelland et al. 2003Arch. Gen. Psychiatry; 60), while people with acertain gene that alters folate metabolism andleads to a relative folate deficiency , are much morelikely to suffer from depression.Homocysteine:Homocysteine is a toxic amino acid made fromdietary protein. High levels in the blood indicateundermethylation.A Norwegian study, involving nearly 6,000patients, found that participants with the highesthomocysteine levels were nearly twice as likelyto be depressed, as those with the lowest levels.Blood homocysteine level is easily measured, andshould ideally not be higher than your age dividedby 10. Homocysteine levels can be lowered byeating foods rich in vitamins B2, B6, B12, folateand zinc, or taking a supplement containing thesenutrients.Essential fatty acids:Research has found that deficiencies in essentialfatty acids, particularly the omega-3 type, lead to26 Biophile Issue 19

an increase in depression. (Bruinsma et al2000 Nutr. Rev. 58) Some depressed peoplemay have an impaired ability to metabolisecertain essential fatty acids, leading to lowerblood levels of omega-3s. (Prostagl. Leukotr.Essent. Fatty Acids 1999;60) Research (2007)at the Psychiatry Department of the Universityof Pittsburg shows that study participants whohad high levels of long-chain omega-3 fattyacid intake, had higher volumes of grey matterin areas of the brain associated with emotionalarousal and regulation. Studies also show thatomega-3 supplementation, is not only beneficialagainst depressive disorders, but may enhance theeffects of prescription drugs for conditions such asdepression. High and low-fat diets alter the ratioof omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids in thebody, resulting in increased levels of depression.Many people on on long-term very low-fat dietsare notably irritable and depressed. (Am. J. of Clin.Nutr. 1995;62)Chromium:People with “atypical depression” have a cravingfor sweets or other carbohydrates, a tendency togain weight, are tired for no obvious reason andtend to feel groggy much of the time. These peopleare sensitive and easily hurt. The onset of depressionis usually before the age of thirty. Chromiumis a highly effective antidepressant for people with“atypical depression”.( McLeod et al .2003. Biol.Psychiatry; 55), and also helps to stabilise bloodsugar. A dosage of 3 to 5 mcg per body weight ofchromium picolinate is recommended, taken individed doses before breakfast and lunch.Postpartum depression (PPD)Most women with PPD exhibit a copper overloadand zinc deficiency. The cause appears to begenetic. Dr Walsh, Senior Scientist at the PfeifferTreatmentCentre, found dramaticimprovements after treatmentwith supplements that lower copperlevels and restore normal copper to zincratios. (www.hriptc.org)Stress:Long-term stress increases cortisol levels, resultingin a serotonin-cortisol dysfunction which playa part in depression.Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)Glucose is the primary fuel for the brain. Lowblood glucose levels are associated with tension,depression and other negative mood states. ( Tayloret al 1988. J. of Behav. Med.; 11) In one study86% of people with hypoglycemia were depressed.A diet that promotes steady blood sugar levels,is one that consists of foods with a low glycemicindex, the glycemic index being a way of rankingfoods base on their overall effects on blood sugarlevels. A diet with moderate levels of protein willlead to a steadier blood sugar level, as protein doesnot stimulate insulin release in the same way ascarbohydrates.Conclusion:Hypothyroidism, food allergies,Candia Albicans overgrowth, recreationaland other drugs, caffeine and alcohol abuseas causes for depression, can be ruled out by a visitto a primary care physicianThe key to successful nutritional treatment ofdepression, is to determine a person’s biochemicalindividuality, and to provide focused appropriatesupplementation . This, together with qualitycounseling and simple coping behaviours formanaging stress, can bring lasting relief to mostdepressed people.Bibliography:www. alternativementalhealth.comwww.foodforthebrain.orgNew Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. Patrick HolfordBiophile Issue 1927

Th e Au m Fa r m Ec o -Co m m u n it y is a r u r a lg a t h e r i n g o f l i k e-m i n d e d, s p i r it u a l l yaware people, who create a supportivesocial environment with a low-impact, minimumfootprint, sustainable lifestyle. To help us achievethis, we are striving to integrate ecologically awaredesign practices and by using permaculture andbio-culture methods. Low impact structures, localproduction and consumption, renewable energysources and community minded building practicesare being used. Our purpose is not “set in stone”and will probably evolve as the community growsand moves from strength to strength.“Life is a journey, not adestination…”private dwellings on the property, infrastructureprojects have had to be initiated and paid for toensure the way forward would be sustainable andlong-lasting.Creating a dream this way leads to issues oftheir own:What about ownership?What about guiding the community goingforward?Who makes the decisions?The word “governance” or “hierarchy” comesup and all those strong individuals involved startbristling… they have just escaped this structureand limitation based world to live their dream.Obviously some way of mapping the way forwardto ensure community longevity and sustainabilityhas had to be put in place. But, keeping everyonehappy all of the time is an impossibility and guidelineshave had to be put in place to ensure that thisis achieved as far as possible.For a start up community to succeed, peoplewishing to join and put in their energy and moneyinto the community need to be assured that eventhough this is not a pursuit of personal wealth but away of life, their investment will not be lost to themforever. Circumstances change, events lead us inmany different directions during our lifetimes. Weneed to be able to move on if our path takes us on-One only has to Google “eco-community”, “intentionalcommunity”, “commune”, “co-housing”to get an idea of how many people worldwide arestarting to realise that there is more to life thanthe stress- filled existence in the city, pollution,clogged highways and byways, the continual pursuitof material wealth, the list is endless…While conducting these searches take note ofhow many of these ventures succeed but also howmany fail. Why is it that some flourish and othersjust fade over time, what makes a success story?What is done differently in the success cases toensure that the show goes on? And good luckdoing so!The way of life today is unsustainable andwith peak oil looming you will eventually findcommunities popping up all over the countryside,producing and consuming local products. Peoplewill once again begin using barter as the local currencyfor products as well as services.One thing you will note is that people willing toenter into such a venture are independent, strongwilled, “off the wall” individuals. Men and womenof great vision, a common vision….but differingideas on how to achieve it. This usually becomesthe first item on the agenda of any community,how do you harness the individuality and strengthof multiple souls and channel them in a commondirection for the good of all participants?Getting an adventure of this nature off theground does not come cheap: land has becomeso expensive and beyond the reach of most of usgoing it alone. With AumFarm, some memberswill remain in the city for a couple more years tofund the dream. Although individuals have usedtheir own funds to a large extent to fund their ownAum FarmEco-Community28Biophile Issue 19

wards..this has already been the case on AumFarmwhere members have developed “cabin fever” andmoved back to the city, maybe forever, maybe forjust a while, only time will tell.The AumFarm commune-ites had a dream in2002 and they individually put into action, plans togive them the ability to achieve this long term goal.Some members went overseas to earn pounds tofund their individual dream within a future communityand others remained behind.In late 2004, Al and Col bought a farm in theWaterberg, Limpopo Province to get the showon the road and to lay the foundation for futuredreamers. They were assisted by Al’s brother andhis wife who left their jobs in the city and movedonto the property on a permanent basis. Al andCol stayed in the city to earn the money needed toachieve all that was planned. The farm is situated17km’s from the nearest small town on a dirt roadin the middle of mixed small scale agriculture andgame farm properties.AumFarm has a mountain in the back yard, astream in the front yard and a whole bunch of AfricanBushveld in between…in 2006 the farm nextdoor was also added, bringing the total acreage upto roughly 130. A game fence was put up and the1. AumFarm has a mountain in the backyard, a stream in the front yard and a wholebunch of African Bushveld in between…2. October 2007 saw development underway to get the Aquaponics tunnel upand running. This will provide proteinthrough the Tilapia fish and the tunnel willprotect the more delicate leafy veggies fromthe harsh Limpopo summer sun. There arefree range bantams and chickens in a chooktractor in the permaculture gardens providingeggs, eating the bugs and compostingeach section in turn.3. The main farmhouse is currently beingused as the base camp while private dwellingsare being built. It houses the communalkitchen, lounge area with satellite TV, acouple of comfortable bedrooms for guestsand visitors and Al and Colleen’s privatesuite. The patio is equipped with the essentialhot water urn which of course is the foundationof the early morning coffee ritual. Thisis where Al and Col will be staying when theymove out to the farm permanently in 2010.4. The Waterberg can get really hotduring the summer months so we haveconverted an old water reservoir to swimmingpool status and it has been an absoluteblessing. There is nothing like a skinny dip at38 degrees5. Lynn and Ormon’s rock house onthe hill is nearing completion and, after 18months of hard work should be complete andready to move in by December 20076. The holes have been dug for the Macadamiaand Pecan trees, they will forman avenue leading from the main entrance tothe living areas, about 1.3 kilometres. Thereare 40 mango trees that came with the farmand these have been brought back to primecondition after years of neglect.7. A garlic crop will be going in, in March2008 to generate some welcome income tohelp keep the dream alive. Although communityprojects are intended to provide incomefor all community members they take up alot of energy. Private income generating enterpriseswithin the community are activelyencouraged.8. The 80m 2 cottage has just been renovated,fully tiled in slate, it is a solar and gaspowered blank canvas, waiting for suitableoccupants to take it to its full potential9. It’s not all work and no play in thecommunity, coffee is met with enthusiasmon the farmhouse patio every morning to fuelup for the day. The traditional Saturday nightbraai is enjoyed by all, the guitars and drumscome out and everyone gets taken up by thevibes, a couple of beers don’t do any harmeither.Biophile Issue 1929

AUM FARMdevelopment got under way in all earnest. All this,and the initial infrastructure was achieved usingprivate funds provided by some of the foundingcommunity members.In 2005, Lynn and Ormon, who were part ofthe original group discussion and had been slavingoverseas to fund their vision, joined the communityand started building their dream house out ofthe native rock. Orm did the design of their houseusing sacred geometries and the end result iswell…you just have to see it.2006 saw Al’s brother and his wife move backto the city to be closer to civilisation and grandchildrenagain, the secluded self-sufficient life is notnecessarily everyone’s cup of tea…but, if you don’ttry it, you will never know.Water, being a stressed commodity in today’sworld, is a major ongoing project on AumFarm.Rainwater storage is one of the most importantconcerns for times of drought. Currently, all wateris drawn by electric pump from the stream and intostorage tanks in the mountain where they gravityfeed to the houses and gardens. Gray water isutilised in the flower gardens.Compost generation is next on the list to rejuvenatethe soil. The soil is very sandy and will takeeffort and loads of compost to bring it back intotop condition, naturally. Artificial fertilisers areavoided.The permaculture gardens started by Lynnsupply 100% of the community’s veggies. Lettuce,carrots, chillies, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, rhubarb,strawberries, onions, kale, spinach and toomany others to mention thrive. The Waterberg hasan almost year round growing season so the worknever stops. The permaculture gardens comewith all the trimmings, fruit trees consist of peach,apricot, pear, mulberry, quince, plum, lemon, fig,persimmons and pawpaw. Granadillas cover everyavailable fence.Lynn is busy dabbling in medicinal herbs andher efforts are starting to pay off. Sugar does notfeature in our future, Stevia is the way to go!AumFarm is a registered WWOOF Independentshost and the summer months see a steady flow ofinternational visitors, young and old coming towork beside us. They come to learn our methods andlifestyle and also to teach alternate organic methodsthat they have picked up on their travels to variousfarms around the world. Often they arrive with musicalinstruments to add to the living energy that hasbecome AumFarm, this energy and enthusiasm is atonic for all.What of our future plans?We intend building a central boma area for generalentertainment as well as a sweat lodge. Short termaccommodation in cottages is on the cards for thosepoor city folk that cannot let go but still need to rechargetheir batteries on a regular basis. In this way,we hope to attract people in great numbers to join usfor weekend drumming sessions to add to the energyof AumFarm and to take away a new outlook on lifeFor more info about AumFarm and their paradiseyou can contact Al at 105aumfarm@mweb.co.za30 Biophile Issue 19

Article Title Goes Herethe Green Directoryproducts and services for the ethical consumerLOGONA’S NATURALPERSONAL CAREPRODUCTS FROMGERMANY!Top-selling overseas, the range is now available in SA, offeringvarious products for every person’s needs:BABY CARE - to soothe and protect. Only the most carefullyselected natural ingredients from pure, certified organicallygrown oils and herbs are used.KIDS NATURAL CARE - with a fresh, fruity fragranceprovides young skin with refreshing moisture and gentle carewith certified organic oils and herbs.DAILY CARE - the affordable yet excellent quality range for thewhole family. It includes a shampoo for normal hair, body lotion,face cream, liquid soap, shower gel, hand cream, a body oil aswell as a peppermint toothpaste.FACIAL CARE – with active phytocosmetic ingredients andpremium plant oils. Following the principle of stimulating theskins own powers of self-correction and healing, this extensiverange provides cleansers, creams and specific treatmentsformulated for every skin type. It also includes a specialised ageprotection range for the face and body.HERBAL HAIR COLOURS - Award winning, innovative haircolour powders and creams with only 100% natural, botanicalcolorants and conditioning agents. Absolutely free of syntheticcolorants, fragrances, preservatives, peroxides, ammoniacompounds or aggressive chemical ingredients.HAIR CARE - Suitable for daily use and completely free ofsodium lauryl sulphate and silicone derivatives, LOGONA’sshampoos are formulated for every hair type. They containvitalising active botanical ingredients and moisturising agentsthat provide lasting care and new glossy, supple elasticity.BODYCARE - Inspired by traditions from exotic regions ofthe world, LOGONA now offers five sets of bodycare products“Oriental, Nordic, Tropic, Mediterran and Asia” that enchant thesenses with an aromatic blend of herbs and essential oils.HYPOALLERGENIC CARE – The “FREE” range containsonly the mildest, natural ingredients that will protect, balanceand strengthen the skin’s acid mantle. The products have beenextensively tested and endorsed by the German Allergy andAsthma Association (DAAB) and are thus formulated for the careof sensitive, allergy-prone skin as well as for skin care duringhomeopathic treatment.LOGODENT ORAL CARE – The combination of latestscientific research plus the knowledge base of traditionalherbalism have been utilised in formulating this line of oralcare products for adults and children. Naturally all LOGODENTproducts are completely free of sodium lauryl sulphate, syntheticfluoride, synthetic preservatives, colours and fragrances.LOGONA MANN – Created specifically for men’s skin, thiscomprehensive line of eight products addresses all main personalcare needs for today’s man.OVER 25 YEARS EXPERTISE IN NATURALPERSONAL CAREEver since LOGONA started manufacturing natural personalcare products in 1977, the same quality standards are applied toensure that LOGONA’s cosmetics do not contain any syntheticcolours, preservatives and fragrances. No PEG’s (ethoxylatedingredients), paraffins or petrochemical derivatives are used.LOGONA uses no ingredients from genetically modified plantsand strongly opposes animal testing.Only the highest quality, natural raw materials such as premiumbotanical oils, herbal extracts and essential oils derived fromorganic agriculture and wild-crafting are used.LOGONA’s products are also BDIH certified. The GermanTrade Association has specific guidelines and regulations thatcompanies have to comply with. Products are submitted to anindependent laboratory for analysis and if the lab results meetthe criteria, the products receive the BDIH Seal. For the BDIHguidelines (also in English) please refer to www.kontrolliertenaturkosmetik.deLOGONA’s products are exclusively available at selected healthstores and from the distributor.For more information:Cell: 0834786626logona-sa@deunet.co.zawww.logona.comBiophile Issue 1931

GREEN DIRECTORYSUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTUREDesign and Consultatione-mail requirements and contactdetails to anjaholtzhausen@hotmail.com for a free quotationDOWSING FOR WATERIf you need to locate water for aborehole in Gauteng, Limpopo,Mpumalanga or North WestProvince contact Eileen011 615 7684 or 082 893 6840CRYSTAL WISDOMExplore a wonderful world ofcrystals, minerals and gemstones.Interesting variety for collectors,healers and therapists.Wilhemina 021 976 7843 (Durbanville)XHOSA LESSONSInspiring, entertaining courses,workshops, CDs, and facilitatedimmersion opportunities, perfectfor language learners and groups.UBuntu Bridge. Craig Charnock.www.learnxhosa.co.zaBUSHWILLOW RIDGEConference/Workshop Facilities,Accommodation, river frontage onthe Crocodile, Hiking Trails.Quiet and non-commercial.Location: 19 Kms from Fourways.Rock Labyrinth: Bookings Only.Doug 083 315 1996 / 083 227 7969Do you wish to leave the rat race, to lead a moremeaningful, creative and healthy lifestyle?Do you wish to grow food that you “know” isnatural? To live closer to nature, get back to yourbasics, become aware of your natural cycles andrhythms? Reconnect with Gaia!80 sq/m Cottage to rent on AumFarm, a 130 acre game farmin the Waterberg, Limpopo. We are a budding eco-communityand are striving for a minimum footprint existence.There are guidelines for those wishing to rent long-term andbecome part of the community.Rent is R1250-00pm, water and solar power is provided.(Stove, fridge and geyser will require additional expenditure for gas.)Contact AumFarm at 105aumfarm@mweb.co.za for furtherdetails and information. (Read the article on page 28, too!)ANCIENT WAYSNew Age Shop. Nature Based Religions.Alternative Healing, Books, Crystals,Stones, Essential Oils, Magical andShamanic Items.Email: ancientways@absamail.co.zawww.ancientways.co.zaTel: 044 382 2477 Cell: 082 552 7187ethicalwebsite hostingFrom R25 per monthwww.texo.co.zaNatural Bamboo Towelling Nappies, Breathable Waterproofs,Flushable & Biodegradable Nappy Liners, Re-usable Nursing Pads,Swim Nappies, Training Pants, Natural Barrier Balm,Non-Allergenic & Organic Goat’s Milk Soap,Soothing Baby Linen SprayEquine FacilitatedExperiential Learning"Horses are highly effective in helping people reintegratemind and body, increase awareness of unconscious behaviorpatterns, and develop the self-confidence, stress management,and assertiveness skills that lead to increased success inrelationships, career, school, and parenting.”Linda Kohanov, Tao of EquusClinics, Workshops and Private Sessionsfor everyone: children and adults.No horse experience required.Therapy professionals welcomefor collaboration.Vanessa MalviciniEpona Approved InstructorAppaloosa Horse FarmNoordhoek, Western Cape, South Africa+27 21 7891395vanessa@malvicini.orgwww.iCavalli.co.za32Biophile Issue 19

GREEN DIRECTORYDISTRIBUTED BYAcorn InternationalSince 1996, a true self-sustainingeco-friendly rural Pondo experience.We set the example for ourneighbours. Become part of our ecoprojectswith the communities andschools in the heartof the Wild Coast.www.thekraalbackpackers.co.zainfo@thekraalbackpackers.co.zaCell: 082 8714964SOLAR COOKER“Every home should have one! I usemine every sunny day...” Anthea TorrSunstove 2000 is a simple, new design, user-friendly,lightweight and rugged. Holds several pots.USES ONLY THE SUN’S ENERGY!Available directly from Biophile Magazine for R340.00including VAT, excluding postage.Includes a free pot!Phone 021 709 0391 or email sunstove@biophile.co.za formore information and to orderBiophile Issue 19 33

Save Money,Save a Tree!with our newdigital subscriptionSubscribe to Biophilesubscribe now and save 20%off the cover priceBACK ISSUESALSO AVAILABLE AT R15. 00 each (including postage)You now have the option of subscribingto an digital (PDF) version of Biophile.If you have a connection to the internet,you’ll be able to download your copydirectly from our website, or if yourconnection is too slow, you can opt forthe CD subscription, in which case a CDcontaining the PDF file will be posted toyou. The PDF version of the magazinewill allow you to search, extract articlesand print out any pages you wish, andis viewable with either Acrobat Readeror Foxit Reader, both of which are freesoftware.onlineFor more information, and tosubscribe, see this page on our website:biophile.co.za/subscribeSubscription rates:South Africa Neighbouring Countries6 issues: R120. 00 R180. 00 (surface) R200. 00 (airmail)12 issues: R240. 00 R360. 00 (surface) R400. 00 (airmail)Please post this subscription form,together with a cheque made payable to BIOPHILE:PO Box 39277, Capricorn Square 7948Or pay the amount directly into our bank accountAccount Name: Biophile cc Bank: Standard Bank ConstantiaBranch Code: 02530917 Account Number: 271 596 791and fax the form below,together with proof of payment to 021 709 0392NAME:POSTAL ADDRESS:TELEPHONE:EMAIL:I would like to subscribe for issues, starting with issue numberPlease add the following Back Issues to my order:Back Issues numbers:This is a gift subscription. Please send it to:NAME:POSTAL ADDRESS:34Biophile Issue 19

GREEN DIRECTORYCulross Road (off (off Main Road), BryanstonBRYANSTON ORGANICMARKETOpen Thursday and Saturday from 9.00 am am to to 3.00 pm pmFor For more more informationcontact us us on on 011 011 706 706 3671or or at at www.bryanstonorganicmarket.co.zaBiophile Issue 1935

Green GiftGuideIt’s the Season of Giving, so here’s our guideto giving the perfect green giftby The Biophile TeamGive a Gift that GrowsBiophile is all about encouraging everyone to growtheir own, deliciously organic fruit and veg. Theperfect gifts for the green gardener in your lifeinclude:• a MORINGA TREE a “nutritional miracle”which contain all the nutrients required for perfecthealth (See their advert on page 32 and visit themat moringatree.co.za)• FRUIT AND NUT TREES and• VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS grown in achemical-free organic seedling mix, all availablefrom your local nursery.The green gardener saves kitchen scraps tocompost into rich, black plant food.• a CAN-O-WORMS, WORM FACTORYor TUMBLEWEED COMPOSTER, allavailable from FullCycle (fullcycle.co.za or 021789 2922) make composting fun and easy.For PetsTreat the pet lovers (and pets!) in your life towholesome organic food and pampering.• ENCHANTRIX ORGANIC PETSHAMPOO is perfect for all our furry friends(not just cats and dogs, but pet rats and horsestoo!) Order online at enchantrix.co.za or phone021 709 0393• VONDI’S HOLISTIC PET NUTRITIONsupplies top quality pet food, with none of thenasties found in the average commercial product.See their article on page 48 for more information.For BabyMother Nature Products has some lovelygoodies on offer:• BIRTH TO POTTY NATURENAPPIES (with biodegradable and flushableliners) made from bamboo towelling• 100% NATURAL BARRIER BALM• ORGANIC GOAT’S MILK SOAP• NATURAL BABY ROOM & LINENSPRAYSee their advert on page 32 and visit them online:mothernatureproducts.co.zaEnchantrix Organic (advert on front insidecover or www.enchantrix.co.za or 021 709 0393)has created a wonderful range of baby products,including• BABY BUM BALM• BABY LOTION• BABY WASH and a• PRE-WASH NAPPY SOAKFor Bookworms• the RINGING CEDARS series of bookswill gladden the heart and lift the spirit of thereader in your life. Their double-page advert startson page 14 and you can also visit them online:ringingcedars.co.za• A huge range of BOOKS ON AYURVEDA,YOGA AND MORE of India’s eternal wisdom,is available through Vedic Books’ online shop.Visit them at vedicbooks.co.za or see their adverton page 35 for more information.Gifts to Pamper• ORGANIC SEA SALT SCRUB and• ORGANIC BODY BUTTER are both newproducts from Enchantrix Organic and willmake perfect pampering stocking-fillers. Orderonline at enchantrix.co.za or phone 021 709 0393• ORGANIC VIRGIN COCONUT BODYPRODUCTS (including a wonderful cinnamonshaving cream) areavailable from Nui.Advert on page 35,website at nuicoconut.com• NATURALPERSONAL CAREPRODUCTS (foreveryone in the familyfrom baby to Dad) fromLogona of Germany arenow available in SouthAfrica. See their adverton page 31 for moreinformation.Sweet!• LUXURY ORGANIC CHOCOLATES(as well as organic food, lavish cosmetics andother goodies from their range of over 600certified products) can be delivered to your door byEarthmother Organic. See their advert on page 35for contact info.Something DifferentBryanston Organic Market (advert on page35) is the place to go for• EXCEPTIONAL HANDCRAFTS such ashour glasses, barometers, crystals, jewellery andhandmade paper and cards• HEMP & BAMBOO FIBRE CLOTHING• DELICIOUS DELI & FESTIVE FOODS• If family members or friends are seeminglyaddicted to their cellphones, get them a SARSHIELD to protect them from the radiation.Advert on page 47, website at sarshield.co.zaAnd finally...For a gift that keeps on giving, for a year or more,• A SUBSCRIPTION TO BIOPHILE,everyone’s favourite magazine, is just perfect!See page 34 for more information, or do it allonline: biophile.co.za/subscribe36Biophile Issue 19

Greening the Webwithurban sprout is a blog-style greenwebsite that is fanatical about theenvironment, sustainability andbuying organic. With daily greennews and opinion, a directorythat lists organic and eco-friendlyproducts, and a focus on greenissues: organic food, globalwarming, sustainable lifestyles andenvironmental justice — we’re a sitefor ethical consumers.www.urbansprout.co.zaGreen websites seem to be contagious (thereare a lot of them suddenly). And stories onhow “green is the new black” appear to prey moreon our anxieties than they pretend to help us. Manyof these websites are either corporates awash withgreen spin, or retail oriented sites geared towardsflogging their products. In other words, they’relight on news and heavy on ads.Then there are some excellent sites worth visiting.Their writing is substantial, they’re not scaredto tackle issues, they provide original ideas, invitecomment or they provide some exceptional toolsand guides that make re-visiting them essential:Worldchanging.comhttp://www.worldchanging.comThis website seeks to change your thinking. Itboasts a team of over fifty writers around the worldwho operate from the premise: that the tools,models and ideas for building a better future lie allInstructables.comhttp://www.instructables.comThey call themselves the “world’s biggest show and tell” and the idea behind the site is about sharing,learning and collaborating with others. Instructables, whilst not a “green” site per se, is nonetheless filledwith a number of eco “how to’s” that make the site well worth a visit. For example: how to recycle usedpaper, how to make a water recycler, grow organic food without spending any extra money, how to builda rain barrel, and how to make a sploosh – a self-contained, outdoor toy that lets children create and playwith moving water in a small space. This is a DIY paradise.around us. They’re joining the dots – making theconnection between solutions and ideas that mayhave been overlooked in the mass media.Some of the recent front page news includes: arating system for sustainable landscaping, raisingthe bar on green business and rating a recent greenparenting website.Their planet section deals with climate change,sustainable development and biodiversity,whilst their business section covers bright greeneconomy, and you’ll find topics like urban designunder cities.Nevernesshttp://blog.greenman.co.zaCapetonian Ian Gilfillan, who is also largely responsiblefor the Ethical Co-Op’s invincible onlineordering system and timeless blog, offers a collectionof ruminations on being otherwise - “before,you are wise; after, you are wise. In between youare otherwise” – which accurately summarisesthe eclectic mix of topics. The blog is worth a visitif only for Ian’s stance on nuclear, banks and fastfood outlets, local politics, technology and theenvironment. His writing is fluid and lucid. Hemanages to tackle weighty issues with composureand his style combines a balance of wicked humourand the philosophical.Carbon copyhttp://www.carbonsmart.comAs the name of the local blog suggests, Rory Williamswrites a weblog about being carbonsmart: acollection of ideas, opinions, facts and news aboutusing the earth’s resources responsibly, and reducingour ecological footprint.His blog entries that focus mainly on energy,transport, emissions, building, design and carbonare entertaining, enlightening and written withrefreshing candour.Biophile Issue 1937

Nuclear EmissionsUranium Mining, Milling, Enriching,Routine Releases And Accidental ReleasesChapter Four of Nuclear Power is Not the Answerby Dr Helen CaldicottAs a physician I see the extraordinary effortsthat I and my colleagues pursue to save thelives of our patients suffering from cancerand genetic diseases, let alone the amount ofmoney allocated to find the cure to cancer. Yet herewe have an industry that is actively promoting andincurring massive increases in these disastrousdiseases, and society has not yet called their bluff.It is beyond time that we did.Uranium MiningUranium mining began in Europe in the late partof the 19th century when Madam Curie was refiningpitch blend from uranium ore and discoveringthe wonders of radiation. Large scale miningcommenced 65 years ago specifically to providefuel for nuclear weapons. Much of the uraniumwas located on Navajo and Pueblo tribal land. Themining continued unabated for many decadesthereafter and large numbers of Native Americanswere employed as below-ground and abovegroundminers.People who mine uranium below the groundare at great risk because they are exposed to a highconcentration of radioactive gas called radon 220which accumulates in the air of the mine. Radon isa daughter or decay product of uranium, and is ahighly carcinogenic alpha emitter which if inhaled,deposits in the air passages of the lung irradiatingcells which then become malignant. As a result,uranium miners have suffered from a very highincidence of lung cancer. One fifth to one half ofthe uranium miners in North America, many ofwhom were Native Americans, have died and arecontinuing to die of lung cancer. Records revealthat uranium miners in other countries includingGermany, Namibia and Russia suffer a similar fate.Another lethal uranium daughter is radium226, which is an alpha emitter with a half life of1600 years. This radioactive element is notoriousin the medical literature. In the early part of the20th century women painted numbers on watchdials with radium enriched paint, so that thenumbers glowed in the dark with radioactivity.To make the figures precise, they licked the tipsof the paint brushes thereby swallowing largeamounts of radium. Because radium is a calciumanalogue it deposited in their bones. Many of thesewomen subsequently died of osteogenic sarcoma– a highly malignant bone cancer, affecting theirfacial bones while others succumbed to leukemia,because white blood cells which were mutated aremanufactured in the bone marrow. Uranium minersare exposed to a similar risk because radiumis an integral component of uranium dust in themine. When they swallow the dust, radium isabsorbed from the gut and deposits in their bones.Uranium ore also emits gamma radiationwhich emanates from the ore face, so the minersare also exposed to a constant whole-bodyradiation exposure (like X-rays) emitted by otheruranium daughters, which irradiates their bodiesand continuously exposes their testicles.As the uranium ore is mined, and the uraniumis extracted, large quantities of radioactive dirtand soil are discarded and left lying in huge heapsadjacent to the mine exposed to the air and therain. This material is called tailings.Most tailings in North America are situated onindigenous tribal land of the Navajo nation and theLaguna Pueblo in New Mexico, and on the SerpentRiver First Nation in Ontario, Canada. Millions oftons of radioactive dirt constantly leak radon 220into the air exposing the indigenous populationswho live nearby in their pueblos and settlements.As they inhale the radon, many of these peoplehave and are developing lung cancer.Rain also leaches soluble radium 226 throughthe tailings piles into the underground waterwhich often is the source of drinking water forthese people. When radium enters streams andrivers it bio-concentrates thousands of times ateach step in the food chain of the aquatic life andterrestrial plants. Because it is tasteless and odourless,people in these contaminated populationscannot tell whether they are drinking radioactivewater, breathing radioactive air or eating fish orfood containing radium 226 which induces bonecancer or leukemia.Hundreds of mines and tailings heaps lieexposed to the air and wind on Navajo land.Thousands of Navajos are still affected by uraniuminduced cancers, and will continue to be so forthousands of years unless remediation takes place.In total 265 million tons of uranium tailings pollutethe American South West.Ecological RacismThere has never been any attempt by the governmentor the nuclear industry to clean up thismassive radioactive pollution which contaminatestribal land. It would be hard to imagine that thenuclear industry would be permitted to leave millionsof tons of radioactive tailings lying adjacent tothe well-heeled town of New Canaan Connecticutor near the Rockefeller estate in the Adirondacks.Uranium MillingThe US federal government covers the cost of millinguranium. The ore is crushed and chemicallytreated at the milling plant in the American SouthWest where it is converted to yellow cake. As in themining process, the waste ore is discarded on theground. These mill tailings contain radium and adangerous radioactive element called thorium – auranium daughter and a high energy gamma emitterwith a half life of 80,000 years. Thorium is usedin colour television sets. Over the last 40 years over100 million tons of mill tailings have accumulatedin the American South WestHuman cost is again important in the energydiscussion. To illustrate the dangers of looseunguarded nuclear material, in the mid 1960s,local contractors at Grand Junction in Coloradodiscovered acres of discarded mill tailings. Notknowing they were radioactive they used them forcheap landfill and concrete mix. Schools, hospitals,private homes roads, an airport and shoppingmall were constructed from this material. In 1970,local pediatricians noticed an increased incidenceof cleft lip, palate and other congenital anomaliesamongst newborn babies born to parents wholived in these radioactive structures, which continuallyemitted gamma radiation and radon gas.The EPA allocated monies to the Universityof Colorado Medial Center to study the correlationbetween the birth defects and the radioactivedwellings. However one year into the study, fundswere abolished because, the government said, ithad to save money for budgetary purposes.Uranium EnrichmentAs described in the second chapter, the uranium235 isotope is enriched from a low concentrationof 0.7% to 3% for fuel in nuclear power plants. Ifuranium 235 is enriched above a concentration of50% it can be used as nuclear weapons fuel.Workers at all stages of the enrichment processare exposed to whole body gamma radiation fromdaughters in the uranium. But the most seriousaspect of enrichment is the material that isdiscarded, and that is uranium 238. This is called“depleted uranium” (DU) because it has beendepleted of its uranium 235. But it is not depletedradioactively.DU is lying around in hundreds of thousandsof leaking disintegrating barrels at the enrichmentfacilities in Paducah Kentucky, Oak Ridge, Tennessee,and Portsmouth Ohio. At Padacah alone,some 38,000 cylinders of DU await disposal. DUhas contaminated the ground water, forcing thegovernment to provide alternative drinking waterfor the local residents.38 Biophile Issue 19

Helen Caldicott (born 1938) is anAustralian physician and anti-nuclearadvocate who has founded several associationsdedicated to opposing nuclearweapons, nuclear weapons proliferation,war and military action in general,particularly the use of depleted uraniummunitions.She is thea author of the following books:• Nuclear Madness (1979)• Missile Envy (1984)• If You Love This Planet: A Plan to Healthe Earth (1992)• A Desperate Passion: An Autobiography(1996)• Metal of Dishonor: How Depleted UraniumPenetrates Steel, Radiates Peopleand Contaminates the Environment(1997) Publisher: International ActionCenter ISBN 0-9656916-0-8• The New Nuclear Danger: GeorgeW. Bush’s Military Industrial Complex(2001).• Nuclear Power Is Not the Answer toGlobal Warming or Anything Else (2006)Visit her online: www.helencaldicott.comBut the Pentagon, in its wisdom has founda nifty use for this radioactive waste. Becauseuranium 238 is 1.7 times more dense than lead ithas been found to be the ideal antitank weapon.When shot out of a cannon at great speed its tenpound mass develops great momentum, so thesolid uranium antitank shell cuts through the steelon the other fellow’s tank like a hot knife throughbutter.But DU has several unfortunate properties. Itis pyrophoric which means that it bursts into flameupon impact and up to 80% disintegrates intofinely powdered aerosol which is distributed to thefour winds. It is radioactive, and it has a half life of4.5 billion yearsNevertheless, the Pentagon is very keen aboutthis weapon. In the 1991 Gulf war invasion theyused 360 tons of it in the form of antitank shells.In the 2002 invasion they already have deployedwell over 2000 tons, in cities such as Baghdadwhere half the population of five million people ischildren who play in the burned out tanks and onthe sandy dusty ground. Children are ten to twentytimes more susceptible to the carcinogenic effectsof radiation than adults. My pediatric colleaguesin Basra where this ordinance was used in 1991report a seven fold increase in childhood cancerand a seven fold increase in gross congenitalabnormalities.Uranium is a heavy metal. It enters the bodyvia inhalation into the lung or via ingestion into theGI tract. It is excreted by the kidney where, if thedose is high enough, it can induce renal failure. Itcan induce kidney cancer. As a calcium analogue,it lodges in bones where like plutonium, it causesbone cancer and leukemia. Last but not least it isexcreted in the semen where it mutates genes inthe sperm. This may be one of the causes of thehuge increase in congenital disease reported inBasra.Because of the infinitelylong half-life of uranium238, the food, the air andthe water in the cradleof civilization have beenforever contaminated.Biophile Issue 1939

NUCLEAR EMISSIONSIn summary, the two gulf wars have beennuclear wars and people, particularly children arecondemned to die of malignancy and congenitaldisease for ever more.Other countries involved in uranium enrichmentinclude Britain, China, Russia, Israel, Japan,Germany, Argentina, France, North Korea, Iran,Pakistan, Brazil and India. Any of these countriesif they so desired could make nuclear weapons ifthey decided to enrich their uranium beyond 50%.America set the example and the world follows.Fuel Fabrication.After milling, the uranium fuel is made into cylindricalceramic pellets the size of a cigarette filterand placed in zirconium fuel rods, half and inchthick and twelve to fourteen feet long. Each rodcontains at least 250 pellets. About 50,000 of theserods are then packed into the core of a thousandmegawatt reactor within a cylindrical space,fourteen feet high and twenty feet in diameter.Fuel fabrication workers are once again exposed togamma radiation emanating from the uranium aswell as to radium radon gas and uranium dust.It Does Not Take An AccidentRoutine ReleasesOnce the fuel in a nuclear reactor reaches criticalmass, the high radiation ambiance causes uraniumfuel to swell over time, pinhole breaks appear in thezirconium cladding and some faulty welds rupturein the fuel rods themselves releasing radioactiveisotopes into the cooling water. In addition, theradiation emitted through the wall of the fuel rodsactivates water molecules and impurities in thewater itself. For example, neutrons emitted fromthe fuel rods interact with water molecules to formtritium – a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. Theprimary coolant - water which cools the reactorcore thus becomes intensely radioactive.This thermally hot primary coolant is pipedthrough a steam generator to heat the secondarycooling system. This secondary water is convertedto steam which turns the generators to produce theelectricity. The primary coolant is not supposedto mix with the secondary coolant but of courseit does, allowing radiation to be released to theenvironment from this secondary system.Because of these factors and many more to bedescribed, a nuclear power plant cannot operatewithout routinely releasing radioactivity into theair and water.Radioactive gases which leak from fuel rods areroutinely released or “vented” into the atmosphereat every nuclear reactor. Before release they aretemporarily stored to allow the short lived isotopesto decay and then released to the atmospherethrough engineered holes in the reactor roof andfrom the steam generators. This process is called“venting”. About 100 cubic feet of radioactivegases are also released hourly from the condensersat the reactor. Planned ventings increase infrequency when the reactor shuts down due tomechanical malfunctions. Accidental ventings arenot infrequent.Planned “purges” when radioactive gasesare actively flushed into the atmosphere by a fan,are officially permitted by the NRC so that utilityoperators can decrease the intensely radioactiveenvironment into which maintenance workersmust enter. Older reactors are allowed 22 purgesper year during routine operation and 2 purgesper year during cold shut-down. (Cold shut occurswhen the fission reaction is stopped at the reactorand 30 tons of very radioactive fuel is removed andreplaced by new fuel).Some of the more dangerous gases such asiodine 131 are usually trapped by filters, but not always.After the radioactive iodine is filtered, noblegases are routinely released. The nuclear industryargues that noble gases are chemically inert andtherefore not capable of reacting biochemicallyin the body but they actually decay to daughterisotopes which themselves are chemically veryreactive.Noble gases have names that remind me ofsuperman - xenon, argon, krypton. There aremany varieties of these elements, some of which Iwill describe below. They are inhaled into the lung,particularly on a day when a meteorological inversionsystem causes the plume of radioactive gasesto cling to the ground in a concentrated form.Noble gases are high energy gamma emittersand they are readily absorbed from the lung, andenter the blood stream. Because they are very fatsoluble, they tend to locate in the abdominal fatpad and upper thighs, adjacent to the testicles andovaries. There, they can induce significant mutationsin the eggs and sperm of the people livingadjacent to a reactor.There have never been any epidemiological40 Biophile Issue 19

NUCLEAR EMISSIONSstudies performed on the effects of exposure tothe noble gases xenon and krypton. This is a gravedeficit in the study of radiation biology becausethese gases are so ubiquitous around nuclear reactors,and are released with irresponsible impunity.But many noble gases decay to other moredangerous isotopes, all of which have differentmetabolic pathways in the body. I will describeseveral of the more dangerous.Xenon 137 with a half life of 3.9 minutesconverts almost immediately to the notoriouslydangerous cesium 137 with a half life of 30 years.Krypton 90 , half life of 33 seconds, decays torubidium 90, half life of 2.9 minutes, then to themedically toxic strontium 90, half life 28 of years.Xenon 135 decays to cesium 135 with anincredibly long half life of 3 million years. Largeamounts of xenon 133 are released at operatingreactors, and although it has a relatively short halflife of 5.3 days, it remains radioactive for 106 days.Krypton 85 which has a half life of 10.4 years isa powerful gamma emitter.Argon 39 has a 265 year half life.Other dangerous noble gases include xenon141, 143 and 144 which decay to cerium 141, 143and 144.According to the National Council on Radiationprotection (NCRP Report No 60) these threecerium isotopes which are beta emitters, are abundantproducts of nuclear fission reactions and havemoderately long half lives. They bio-concentratein the food chain and they irradiate the lung, liver,skeleton and gastrointestinal tract where they actas potent carcinogens.A very important and little discussed isotopethat is routinely emitted in large quantities intothe air and waste water from nuclear power plantsis tritium, (H3) a radioactive isotope of hydrogenwhich is composed of one proton and twoneutrons. Tritium has a half life of 12.4 years andas such is radioactive for 248 years. H3 combinesreadily with oxygen to form tritiated water (H3O).Because it is impossible to remove tritium gasor tritiated water via filters, it is released continuouslyfrom reactors into the air and into lakes,rivers or seas – depending upon the reactor location.At least 1360 curies of tritium are releasedannually from each reactor.Tritium gas is an interesting radioactivematerial which is utilized extensively in exit signs,runway signs at airports and on watch faces. But itis very reactive and tends to chemically bind withany material in which it is enclosed.Tritiated water in particular is scary material.If one is immersed in a cloud of tritiated water ona foggy day near a reactor it is absorbed straightthrough the skin. It is also readily absorbedthrough the lungs and the GI tract.Because tritium is a soft energy beta emitter,all the radiation it gives off is readily absorbed bythe surrounding cells, hence it is biologically verymutagenic.There is a vast literature on the biologicaleffects of tritium demonstrating that it is highlymutagenic and causes chromosomal breaks andaberrations. In animal experiments it has beenshown to induce a five fold increase in ovariantumours in offspring of exposed parents while alsocausing testicular atrophy and shrinkage of theovaries. It causes decreased brain weight in theexposed offspring and mental retardation with anincreased incidence of brain tumours in some animals.Increased perinatal mortality was observedin these experiments as well as a high incidence ofstunted and deformed foetuses.These effects were observed with surprisinglylow concentrations of tritium, becoming threetimes more dangerous biologically at very lowdoses. Tritium is also more dangerous when itbecomes organically bound in molecules of food.As such it is incorporated into molecules includingDNA within bodily cells. Chronic exposure tocontaminated food causes 10% of the tritium tobecome organically bound within the body whereit has a biological half life of 21 to 550 days - meaningthat it can reside in the body from one year totwenty five years.When tritium is released to the environment itis taken up by plants and trees, partially incorporatinginto the ecosystem. Trees constantlytranspire water vapour into the air it has beenfound that higher concentrations of tritium occurat night at breathing height in a forest that hasincorporated tritium from a nearby reactor.Let’s look again at the reactor.The primary coolant water becomes extremelyradioactive over time because the fuel rods leak.But to add fuel to the fire, the NRC is now allowingnuclear operators to retain uranium fuel inreactors for six years instead of three, lengtheningthe “burnup” time and substantially increasingthe radiation levels in the fuel. As well the NRCis allowing a concentration of 4.5% uraniumenrichment in the fuel instead of the previouslyapproved maximum of 3.5%. This policy will alsosubstantially increase the amount of radioactivityproduced in the fuel rods.The longer the time that the zirconium fuelcladding is exposed to high levels of radiation,and the higher the radiation levels, the greaterthe damage to the cladding subsequent leakage ofradioactive materials into the primary coolant.Radioactive corrosion or activation productsnot the result of uranium fission are producedas neutrons bombard the metal piping and thereactor containment. These elements which arepowerfully radioactive include cobolt 60, iron 55,nickel 63, radioactive manganese, niobium, zincand chromium. These materials slough off fromthe pipes into the primary coolant. Officially calledCRUD (Chalk River Unidentified Deposits), thismaterial is so intensely radioactive that it poses asevere hazard to maintenance workers and inspectorsin certain areas of the reactor.According to David Lochbaum, a nuclearengineer at the Union of Concerned Scientists,during shutdowns of reactors, the utilities not uncommonlyflush out pipes, heat exchangers etc toremove highly radioactive CRUD build-up. Someof the CRUD is sent to radioactive waste dumpswhile some is released to the river, lake or sea onwhich the reactor is located.The utilities admit that about 12 gallons ofintensely radioactive primary coolant leaks dailyinto the secondary coolant via the steam generatorthrough breaks in the pipes which is then releasedto the air. Some of these emissions are not evenmonitored. Likewise about 4,000 gallons ofprimary coolant water are intentionally released tothe environment on a daily basis while some justleaks out unplanned. Many other emissions aresimply not monitored.In summary, radioactive gases, radioactivewater, and CRUD particulates are intentionallyreleased in daily batches, some in continuousstreams and some during accidents.Very radioactive primary coolant filterswhich frequently contain often contain intenselycarcinogenic plutonium 238, 239, 241, americiumand curium are shipped to nuclear waste facilities.Other dangerous elements in the filters includetechnetium 99 with a 211,100 year half life, iodine129 with 15,700,000 year half life, carbon 14 with a5700 year half life, nickel with a 100.1 year half life,and plutonium 241 with a 14.29 year half life.Almost certainly these extraordinarily dangerousmaterials which are present in the primarycoolant are escaping also in small quantities viathe gaseous or liquid effluents into the environmentat the nuclear power plant where they willbio-concentrate in the food chain, there to enterhuman bodies!It is instructive to note that most of the data ofradiation releases are not real measurements butare only estimates made by computerized mathematicalmodels based on data generated fromoperational reactors, field and laboratory tests andplant specific design calculations.Hence the nuclear industry is consistentlyguessing about its radioactive releases and has noreal idea what specific isotopes are escaping fromits radioactive mausoleums. They even admit thatwhen their operating data is non existent, informationthat was confabulated – made up and drawnfrom laboratory and field tests and from engineeringjudgement! The reference for this material isdated 1985, the last such document published bythe NRC available for the public scrutiny. Also notethat this last document was published when reactorswere relatively young and plagued with fewercorrosion and maintenance problems.In other words, all the releases are done in secret,they are at best guesstimates, and the generalpublic is kept in the dark.Reports indicating gaseous and liquid radioactivereleases vary enormously. For instance,the Millstone One reactor in Connecticut alonereleased a remarkable 2.97 million curies of noblegases in 1975, while Nine Mile Point One released1.3 million curies in 1975. In 1974, the total releasefrom all reactors in the US was 6.48 million curieswhile in 1993 it ranged between 96,600 curies to214,000 curies.Some years the nuclear industry is collectivelyreleasing millions of curies annually. But rememberthat the nuclear industry claims it is “emission”free and they are gearing up to build a new generationof nuclear power plants!The Lesson?Do not live near a nuclear power plant, otherwiseyou will never know what you are breathing, eatingand drinking.Biophile Issue 1941

42 Biophile Issue 19

AfricanBlissby Ra e Co n t e r i oa f r i c a n B l i s stel : ( 0 4 2 ) 2 7 3 2 6 6 6rconterio@hotmail.com100%NATURALSOAPMy h u s b a n d a n d I h a v e b e e n r e a l ly f o r t u n a t ee n o u g h t o h a v e r e a l i s e d t w o d r e a m s l a t e ly.Th e f i r s t o n e is t h a t w e h a v e f o u n d a fa r m w h i c hw e h a v e m o v e d t o w it h o u r t h r e e g i r l s, w h e r ew e c a n l i v e g r o w i n g a l l o u r f o o d o r g a n i c a l l ya n d j u s t b a s i c a l ly l i v e s u r r o u n d e d b y b e a u t y a n dn a t u r e .My husband couldnt bear to walk into “Pick ‘nPay” on a regular basis anymore! The seconddream is making our own COMPLETELY NAT-URAL soap. This we decided to do after pickingup the yet another bar of soap which claimed tobe natural, which actually after looking at theingredients, was NOT natural at all!The search for a farm took us two long years.After putting our house in Plettenberg Bay on themarket, we started the search, eventually lookingfrom the Langkloof to as far afield as Ladysmithand Prince Albert. Somehow we kept comingback to the Langkloof. Over the two years wefound a couple of farms we fell in love with andmade all sorts of plans but we kept losing theproperty as we still hadn’t sold our house. It wasvery emotional, one minute on a high and thentotally distraught when the farm got bought bysomone else.We did discover though how much fun it waslooking at property, especially on the internet andit became like a permanent hobby for my husbandand I. The location of our farm has become afamily joke. One fine, very, very hot day, on ourway to meeting estate agents in Kareeudow, myhusband turned down a dirt road saying he hadto explore it as he had looked at it on the map andit would come out close to where we had to be.The temperature was in the early 30’s and thearea was also experiencing a drought. The roadwas bad and it went on forever, we didnt have atailgate on our bakkie and when we finally arrivedback on the tar road again we discovered thateverything we had on the back of the bakkie, fromfood to childrens wellingtons, was gone! I wasfurious with my husband as by now we were latefor our appointment and everyone was hot andsweaty and covered in dust.My husband, of couse, was totally in love withthe area but I vowed I would never live there! Thearea is called the Onder Kouga and is about 8 kmsfrom Joubertina, in the Kouga Mountains. Well,guess where our beautifull little farm is? Yes, inthe Onder Kouga!!! The drought is over and weare nestled in a litle valley in the mountains. It isjust the most beautifull undiscovered area andevery morning we wake up and just can’t believethe beauty of where we are living and how luckywe are.A lot of people thought we were totally mad toleave Plettenberg Bay, with no definate incomebut just a lot of dreams and ideas, we just felt wehad to take a chance as it was always somethingwe wanted to do.We originally hoped to live on the farm withanother family or a few like-minded people, asrunning the farm can get pretty hectic, especiallynow that spring has arrived. There are vegi-bedsbeing prepared, seeds being sowed, animals tofeed, at last count we realised we had a total ofnineteen pets (horses included).The making of natural soap has also been alabour of love which has taken us about a year,with a lot of research and a lot of disasters! Soapmakersare quite a secretive bunch. We have nowfinally come up with a soap using only natural oilsand pure essential oils, which we are very proudof! We have eight different soaps in our range,for dry skin, oily skin, normal skin, fynbos soap,honey soap (using honey from our hives, stillwith all the bits and pieces in it), hemp oil soap,chamomile & rooibos soap and green tea soap.Quite a lot of variety but we like to experimentwith different recipes and then we love it so muchwe have to include it as well!Also, in view of the recent articles in Biophile,we have very recently made a solid Olive Oil &Lemon Shampoo Bar, which like our soap, is100% natural. We will also be adding this to ourrange. Lastly, we also have a Fynbos MassageBar, which melts with the heat of your skin. It canbe used for massage or the bar can be rubbed overthe body as a moisturiser, plus you smell gloriousafterwards.We have just bought a REALLY smalldistiller, which distills about 3ml of oil in half anhour which is a start! Our future plans are togrow some the indigenous plants we use in oursoaps and to distill the essential oils ourselves.We’d also like to experiment with some of the indigenousplants growing around us and hopefullycreate some unusual smelling soaps.Biophile Issue 1943

The Meaning of Lifein seven hundred wordsby St o r y Wa t e r sYou are amazing. You are the creation of yourself. You are that which creates.You are the choice to experience existence - beingness. The only limitto what you can be is your self-belief and your imagination. To be born intothis reality is to enter a wonderful, shared illusion that grants you completefree-will in the creation of your own personal reality; this is your creatorship.Within the illusion we believe that we are looking at a separate, objectiveworld where we experience self and other; beneath this apparent separationwe are unified; we are one.Reality is a mirror of your being. You are creation exploringitself in a space-time mirror. Through what you choose to believe you createyour reality. You change your reality by changing your beliefs about both itand yourself. The eyes with which you look actually shape what you see (thisis now shown in quantum physics). Perception is not passive; it is an act of creation.Your choice of perception forms not only how you experience yourself,but your entire reality. Awakening to your creatorship leads your experience ofreality to become more fluid and direct. This is to enter conscious creatorshipwhere what you desire is quickly manifest.The key to conscious creatorship is the allowanceof change; the birthing of the unknown into theknown. The basis of allowance is acceptance. To change your reality youmust first accept it. As long as you reject what you do not like about your realityyou are in denial of your creatorship, leaving you feeling stuck. To acceptthat you are choosing your reality, release attachment to any preconceptionof how life should be and instead love what is. This comes through the takingof complete responsibility for every element of your reality. This is to love yourchoice. It is to love yourself. You are the choice of yourself.Release your fear. Fear is fear of the unknown,fear of being limitless. Fear creates limitation. There is a natural,beautiful unfolding to life that can only arise when you let go of the controlthat arises through fear. To face your fear is to allow yourself to be vulnerableand put down the shields you have used to protect yourself. All shields are arepresentation of a belief in danger and therefore lead you to the very dangeryou want them to protect you from. Whilst you are barricaded behind shields(fear) you will never truly feel safe. All that blocks you in life is the manifestationof your fear.The discovery of freedom is the realization thatthe only force pushing against you is you. You hold the keyto any cage you may be in. To cease to judge and control your own being is torelease struggle and enter joyful, effortless creation.You are awakening to your creatorship and thenature of the illusion. This is a natural process and requires nomore than fearlessly being yourself. This means opening and following yourheart. This is your freedom: believe whatever your heart feels to believe. Thisis to live in the Now. It is to awaken to the equality of all beingness and releasejudgment of both yourself and the world.Ever changing truth is the reflection of the ever unfolding birth of beingnessthat is life. In this state there is no such thing as ‘The Truth’. There is noneed of an answer for there is no problem. Just be. There are no limits to whatyou can be; you are infinite. The joy of this life arises through completely allowingyour own being.Within your heart is a dream. The meaning of lifeis to live that dream. You can only live that dream if you believeyou can. Believe in your dream. You are free to be whatever it is you wish tobe. You are an embodiment of all creation. The answer to every question youcan conceive is within you, for you are both the creator and perceiver of all youexperience. Allow your beingness to blossom without limitation or controland you will experience the limitless love and freedom that you are.The paththrough theshadows to thelightby Kingsley Bye, Earthmother Organic,www.earthmother.co.zaThe world is a great place of space, wonderment,abundance, joy, sorrow and all emotionsin between. There is laughter, crying and a widerange of senses, smells, tastes and sights to view,feel, smell and experience. On the light side we cansing, laugh, dance and play. On the dark side wecan fall into gloom, doom and depression, hate,anger and anguish, with dark forces dragging usdown and suppressing joy and lightness.Every aspect or every feeling, emotion andexperience is within our being, within us. Theshadow side that so many try to hide and suppress.Never allowing ‘negative’ or ‘dark’ feelings to beexpressed. Always suppressing these but the moreyou suppress, the more these aspects need to beexpressed.So why not embrace them. Do not fight yourselfand struggle with internal demons.The only true struggle and fight that anyoneendures, is not with others but with ourselves.Outwardly we may battle foes and other peoplewho seem to threaten our existence and sense ofself. Others may threaten and attack our structures,our bodies and our possessions. This threatis not only physical but also emotional. The attackerscan be strangers or our friends and family.Those closest to us, can hurt the most deeply, cuttinginto out hearts and spirits like a sharp knife.When we look closely for the cause of any reactionand the reason for the attack, you will find thatyou are the cause, you attract this into your ownreality. Once you look deep inside, find the root ofyour reaction, you will find the answer.By taking ownership of this part of yourselfand not only accepting it, but embracing it, thenegativity is washed clean with the transparency offeeling. Any pain and anguish can also be softenedby ceasing to resist and to embrace. Have you everhad a muscle or limb tense up and cramp, to findyour immediate reaction is to tense further to thediscomfit and worsen the situation.This may also apply to an emotion or feeling.When feeling hateful you burn with hate but tryto deny the feeling only to find it keeps returningand escalating. Why not bath in it, swim insidethe emotion or pain and give it comfort. It is yourfriend and wants you to go past the barriers thatyou have erected in your mind and heart. Do acleansing exercise or write down everything youare feeling and say “Yes, I am hurt… Yes I feelangry, resentful or downright mad.”Then touch it and say thank you for lettingme experience this. Look deep within and, onceacceptance has arisen, you will find the cause. Ifyou can accept this cause, take ownership of it,allow transparency to flow, take responsibility andaccountability, then this to can be released fromcausing paid and anguish. Soften to the pain orfeeling, nurture it and embrace it and then let go.The people we have chosen to be closest to us inthis life, parents, family and close friends are signpoststo our shadow self.Be a witness, observer and participant in allthings that you do, feel and experience, not onlythe good but also (sometimes more importantly),the bad.All of these experiences are gifts. Gifts thatallow you to grow into the being you were born tobe. To become one with all that is you is to becomeyou and, in this, you can find self-realisation. Foraeons, philosophers and wise people have said thatthe temple of God lies within you. Why then havewe not found it. I will tell you why, because thetemple of God lies in the shadow. What is it thatmakes the shadow? It is the light.Without the lightthere would be no shadow!44 Biophile Issue 19

Is it all in the mind?The Dangers of Cellphone Radiationby Ri c h a r d Cl e a lWhen Europe’s top environmental agency, the EEA start calling forimmediate and urgent action to reduce exposure to harmful radiationgenerated from Wi-Fi, mobile phones & their masts, you know that this isnow a real health threat! This call followsa recent international scientific reviewwhich concluded that the safety limitsset for radiation are “thousands of timestoo lenient”; and an official British reportpublished in September concluded thatit could not rule out the development ofcancers from the use of mobile phones!The European Environment Agencysuggests that a delay in taking seriousaction could lead to a health crisis similarto those caused by asbestos, smoking andlead in petrol!The scientific review produced bythe international Bio-Initiative WorkingGroup of leading scientists and publichealth & policy experts, states the “explosionof new sources has now createdunprecedented levels of artificial electromagneticfields covering all but remoteareas of the habitable space on Earth”.This “long-term and cumulative exposure”to “massively increased” radiation“has no precedent in human history”and states, “corrections are needed inthe way we accept, test and deploy” thesetechnologies “in order to avert real publichealth problems of a global nature”.A recent European Union Surveywhich polled more than 27 000 peopleacross the UK & Europe alarminglyMade in ItalyCELLPHONEfound two thirds of Britons and three quarters of Europeans believed radiationfrom mobile phones and their masts has effected their health! Moreover,this study revealed serious consumer dissatisfaction with the lack of informationprovided on any official “protection framework” against the “potentialhealth risks” from this harmful radiation! Why is this?!Is it any different in South Africa? Apparently not, as consumers blindlyget sucked into the multi-millionhype of being wirelessly connectedto cellphones and now the HSDPAinternet highway! What’s moreRADIATION!Neotel, the long awaited secondfixed-line telecom provider incompetition to Telkom will in factnot be a fixed line operator afterall – just another wireless serviceprovider like all the others addingsignificantly to our tidal wave ofelectropollution!So while the cellphone industryrakes in billions for shareholders,should they not have some formof social conscience and begineducating consumers to the realhealth risks of long term cellphoneradiation absorption and how bestto protect themselves?Or should this be the responsibilityof the authorities who licensethe industry?Interesting that the Germangovernment is already advisingits citizens to use wired internetconnections instead of Wi-Fi andlandlines instead of mobile phones!Fortunately, you can also fit theinternationally proven SAR Shieldto your cellphone, and reduceharmful cellphone radiation absorption by up to 89%! So is this all in themind? Rather looks like it’s all in the head! And where does the buck stop?…Dead in its tracks?…Let’s hope not!Protect yourself and your family now!Beware Cellphones do emit Radiation!Cellphone radiation is absorbed by human tissue!Research has raised serious concerns regardinglong term radiation exposure and the associateddevelopment of cancers, Parkinson’s disease andAlzheimer’s, plus learning related health problems!NB. Kids absorb 60% more radiation than adults!Internationally proven Protectionor call Cleal & Associates 031 266 2879SAR SHIELDREDUCES THE DANGER BY 89%300grBiophile Issue 1945

Holistic Pet Nutritionthe role herbs playby Pa u l Vo n d i s , 083 326 9931By now I am sure that most pet owners havechanged to a natural and wholesome diet fortheir pets, be it buying from Vondi’s or cooking upa wholesome nutritious meal at home.The commercial food companies were foundwanting and all we got was feeble excuses. Whenthere are 11 pet food recalls in the last 12 yearsthen we can clearly see that these “freak occurrences”are the rule and not the exception. In manyof the cases it led to the fatal death of our mostprecious beloved companions.The result is that pet lovers began to ask questionsabout what goes into their pet food, how thedried pellets are made and which brands can youtrust. The marketing brilliance of the multinationals,owners of the “premium” pet food brandswas revealed. They identified a gap in the SouthAfrican market and targeted the vets, kennels andbreeders by convincing them that their productwas “totally balanced” and offering them exclusiveselling rights, knowing that these establishmentsheld the credibility within the community.A lot has changed now and people are challengingthe food recommendations of their vets anddoing their own research and browsingthe net for alternative diets and supplysources.The American ProtectionInstitute for Animals also,recently, published on theirwebsite a list of commonmedical ailmentsresulting from feedingour companionanimal’s processeddry food, yearin and year-out.Their web addressis: www.api4animals.org and subject“Get The Facts:What’s Really inPet Food”Vondi’s HolisticPet Nutrition is,with out a doubt,the best nutritionyou can get for yourpet. Vondi’s is aregistered nutritionalpet food, naturally andholistically formulatedwith absolutelyNO nasty preservatives.The cookingprocess and ingredients,includingfreshly pickedherbs, makes ourproduct unique. The medicinal and mineral wealthin herbs is well documented and is essential to thehealth of all animals. In the wild, dogs and catswould graze a variety of mineral enriched grass,flowers and herbs, instinctively identifying thehealing and cleansing agents that they contain. It isnot uncommon for even our domesticated pets toconsume grass and roots.It is for this reason that Vondi’s Holistic PetNutrition includes a variety of over 20 freshly pickherbs and as a result have had amazing successin treating skin allergies and eczema, bad breath,bladder disorders, obesity, eye ailments, diabetes,cancer and nervousness.GARLIC is a miracle herb and has a powerfulnatural disinfectant which helps to destroyharmful bacteria in the animals system and helpsdetoxify the body. It also tones the lymphatic cellsand helps purify the bloodstream and intestines.It prevents viruses from multiplying and createshostile conditions that repel most parasites andstrengthens the immune systemROSEMARY hastraditionally been usedfor asthma and lungdifficulties,bruises,wounds,colds,depression, eczema, dandruff, hair loss, headaches,heart palpitations, muscle spasms, rheumatismand sores. It also produces glossy coats andshinny eyes.THYME It has very strong antiseptic & antiinflammatoryproperties. Used to fight infection,poor digestion, lung infections and skin inflammation.It is also known as an eye strengtherner.MARJORAM is a relaxing herb and usedin the treatment of nervous tension and stressrelated conditions.MINT reduces excess acidity and calmsnerves. It is digestive, soothing, relaxing and sleepinducing. It is a digestive alkaliser and preventsmucus formation and sinus blockingPARSLEY is rich in iron builds blood,promotes oxygen absorption, gives good pigmentto skin and hair and nourishes the nerves, musclesand internal organs. It also refreshes bad breath.FENNEL is enriched with so many wonderfulminerals and medicinal properties areenormous. It strengthens the nervous system andstamina for highly strung animals but at the sametime reduces acidity and calms nerves. It maintainsbrain, teeth, eyes and all bones of the body.BASIL promotes building of the glandswhich clear the body from toxins and also reducesfatty tissue. It is also excellent for skin and brighteyes.CARROTS herb or vegetable it doesn’tmatter because it has a wealth of minerals and amust for any pet food. It builds strong teeth, bones,cartilage and nails. It gives energy, vitality andstrength, promotes healing of woundsand aids with digestion. It is an eyestrengthener, fights infectionand maintains the health andstrength of the entire body.There are many otherherbs included in ournutrition with greatnutritional andmedicinal properties.46 Biophile Issue 19

PVCthe poisonplasticPVC (polyvinyl chloride)plastic, commonly referredto as vinyl, is one of themost hazardous consumerproducts ever created.by Mi k e Sc h a d e o f t h e Ce n t e r f o rHe a l t h , En v i r o n m e n t a n d Ju s t i c ePVC is dangerous to human health and the environmentthroughout its entire life cycle, at the factory,in our homes, and in the trash. Our bodies arecontaminated with poisonous chemicals releasedduring the PVC lifecycle, such as mercury, dioxins,and phthalates, which may pose irreversible lifelonghealth threats. When produced or burned,PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the mostpotent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which cancause cancer and harm the immune and reproductivesystems.New Car or Shower Curtain Smell?The Smell of PVCPVC is useless without the addition of a plethora oftoxic additives, which can make the PVC productitself harmful to consumers. These chemicals canevaporate or leach out of PVC, posing risks to childrenand consumers. New car smell? New showercurtain smell? That’s the smell of poisonouschemicals off-gassing from the PVC. One of themost common toxic additives is DEHP, a phthalatethat is a suspected carcinogen and reproductivetoxicant readily found in numerous PVC products.Children can be exposed to phthalates by chewingon vinyl toys.While it is still legal for US retailers to sell PVCchildren’s and baby toys containing dangerousphthalates, the European Parliament voted inJuly, 2005 to permanently ban the use of certaintoxic phthalates in toys. One EPA study found thatvinyl shower curtains can cause elevated levels ofdangerous air toxins, which can persist for morethan a month.Environmental InjusticePVC plants are disproportionately located in lowincomecommunities and communities of color,making the production of PVC a major environmentaljustice concern. Communities surroundingvinyl chloride facilities suffer from groundwaterand air pollution. In 1999, the federal governmentmeasured dioxins in blood samples taken from 28residents who lived near PVC facilities in Louisiana.The testing revealed the average resident hasthree times more dioxin in his/her blood than theaverage U.S. citizen.Workers at PVC plants may face life-longhealth risks from exposure to cancer-causing vinylchloride and other hazardous chemicals used tomake PVC. These health risks include angiosarcomaof the liver, lung cancer, brain cancer,lymphomas, leukemia, and liver cirrhosis.Hazardous to Firefighters andBuilding OccupantsWhen heated in a building fire, PVC releases toxichydrogen chloride gas, forming deadly hydrochloricacid when inhaled by firefighters and buildingoccupants. Firefighters face harmful occupationalexposures when battling fires laden with PVCbuilding materials and consumer products. Buildingoccupants may be killed from inhaling toxicPVC fumes before they are able to escape.After September 11th, the EPA measured the highestambient air concentrations of dioxins ever nearground zero, likely due to the combustion of PVCand other chlorinated materials.A Contaminant to RecyclingPVC cannot be effectively recycled due to the manydifferent toxic additives used to soften or stabilizePVC, which can contaminate the recycling batch.Most consumers do not know that a 3 in the recyclesymbol indicates that the plastic is made of PVC,and therefore recycle those products, inadvertentlyrendering thousands of potentially recycledcontainers useless. In fact just one PVC bottlecan contaminate a recycling load of 100,000 PETbottles. Recycling of PVC is negligible, with estimatesranging from 0.1% to 3% of postconsumerPVC waste being recycled.Safer, Healthier Alternatives areReadily AvailableThe good news is that safer, cost-effective, alternativesto PVC are readily available for virtually everyuse. From safer plastics, to bio-based materials,there is a growing market replacing hazardousPVC products. A growing list of companieshave committed to phase out PVC products andswitch to safer, healthier products. Some of thesecompanies include Bath and Body Works, Honda,Ikea , Johnson and Johnson, Microsoft, Nike,Toyota, Victoria’s Secret, and Wal-Mart. You canhelp build consumer demand for safer, healthierproducts by avoiding the purchase of PVC.One way to be sure if the packaging of a productis made from PVC is to look for the number “3”inside or the letter “V” underneath the universalrecycling symbol. In addition, soft flexible plasticproducts that are made with PVC often have adistinct odor, such as vinyl shower curtains.If you suspect that a product is made of PVC,contact the product manufacturer and ask themdirectly about the materials used in the product orpackaging and your concerns about PVC.PETE: Polyethyleneterephthalate ethylene, usedfor soft drink, juice, water,detergent, cleaner and peanutbutter containers.HDPE: High density polyethylene,used in opaqueplastic milk and waterjugs, bleach, detergent andshampoo bottles and someplastic bags.PVC or V: Polyvinyl chloride,used for cling wrap, someplastic squeeze bottles, cookingoil and peanut butterjars, detergent and windowcleaner bottles.LDPE: Low density polyethylene,used in grocerystore bags, most plasticwraps and some bottles.PP: Polypropylene, used inmost Rubbermaid, deli soup,syrup and yogurt containers,straws and other cloudedplastic containers, includingbaby bottles.PS: Polystyrene, used inStyrofoam food trays, eggcartons, disposable cups andbowls, carry-out containersand opaque plastic cutlery.Other: Usually polycarbonate,used in most plasticbaby bottles, 5-gallon waterbottles, “sport” water bottles,metal food can liners, clearplastic “sippy” cups andsome clear plastic cutlery.New bio-based plastics mayalso be labeled #7.Biophile Issue 1947

Printercartridgesand theenvironmentby Ro b e r t Sq u i r eNow I must be honest with you from the getgo. I have never been too concerned withhow my actions would effect the environment. Letme rephrase that, what I am trying to say is that,like most people, I have gone through life so farwithout making a conscious effort to protect theenvironment.All of that changed recently, and funnilyenough it came about when I changed jobs – surprisingwhen you find out that I am in Marketing. Irecently began working for a friend at a companycalled The Green Cartridge Company. Whiletrying to find a way to market his product, I beganquestioning him about his product to try and findout what we could use to differentiate his productfrom that of his competitors.He began to explain to me that the companyhad been called The Green Cartridge Companybecause the aim was to protect the environment,while at the same time saving his customersmoney. (Now please don’t misinterpret this article,I am not trying to hard sell products for TheGreen Cartridge Company, but rather I am tryingto make people aware of the impact that printercartridges can have on the environment if notdisposed of correctly).Upon hearing this from my friend I immediatelyset to work, and began researching the impactthat printer cartridges could have on the environment– to put it lightly I was shocked at the results.Here are just some of the results that I found.(Please note that these are the results of a studyconducted in America and Canada. Keep in mindthat these two countries are well known for theirrecycling procedures and awareness).• There are more than one million printercartridges used in Canada each year, and only 10%of these are recycled.• As of 1999, America was only recycling 5% oftheir printer cartridges.• These means that roughly 90% of the printercartridges used in these countries are ending upin landfills.Now comes the interesting part:• The plastic used in these cartridges takes over1000 years to decompose.• It takes 3.4 liters of oil to manufacture a newprinter cartridge.• In 12 months, cartridge recycling could save4.3 million liters of oil in a country of 22 millionpeople.•And finally, if the cartridges thrown away inAmerica, in one year, were to be stacked end to end,they would cover a distance of 38,000km. This isenough to circle the earth.(Source: www.thinkfood.com/en/atp-environement.html)Now I understand that with the many similarcrises that the world faces this may seem like aseemingly small problem. But just think about itfor a moment. Nearly every person in the worlduses printer cartridges, be it a young child printingthe picture that they have just drawn on the computer,to the large corporate that prints thousandsof pages every day. And what seems so unfortunateabout this problem is that it has a simple fix,and one that is not time consuming for the user.I was reading an article the other day and init, it said “The earth’s natural resources are beingconsumed at a rate that reinforces the idea thatwe are living for today and the future generationswill be paying for the consequences”. Is this reallythe legacy that we want to leave behind for futuregenerations?So I would like to stress that many organizations,like The Green Cartridge Company offera printer cartridge recycling service. The GreenCartridge Company offers a service whereby wewill collect our client’s empty cartridges and usethem to remanufacture new ones, or we will buyback your old cartridges. These remanufacturedcartridges are then resold and are not nearly asexpensive as a new cartridge.So, by simply recycling your old cartridges youare creating two ways in which your company cansave money, and more importantly you will be doingyour bit to help the environment.For more information contact The Green CartridgeCompany on (011) 450 211048 Biophile Issue 19

aw food lifeThe ABCs of health by Be r y n Da n i e lThis month’s raw food focus is about theABC’s of health. We’ve been getting a lot ofqueries about candida and the anti-candida dietso this forms a little summary and reminder.A = AcidB = BloodC = CandidaA. The most important balance that the bodystrives to maintain is the one between acid andalkaline.Overacidification of the body underliesall disease. An overly acidic body is vulnerableto disease and allows germs to gain a foothold,hence our focus on green alkalising foods.B. Our blood is mildly alkaline at 7.365 pH.It is absolutely vital that our body’s maintainour blood at this delicate pH level. Our bodiescannot tolerate extended acid imbalances, yetneedless to say a standard western diet is almostentirely acidic in nature. Early symptoms ofacid/alkaline imbalance include things such asskin rashes, headaches, allergies, colds and fluand sinus problems. These should be your earlywarning signs to go out and order 4x doubleshots of wheatgrass from Kauai. Just the otherday after burning the candle at both ends for 4days running I found myself with an ulcer on mytongue! Many people would just accept this asstandard and wait for it to pass. I got mad! Withso much emphasis on diet and staying alkaline Irealised I’d forgotten to get in enough alkalisinggreens and ordered Peter to juice us 2xquadruple-sized wheatgrass shots... after swirlingthe grass around my mouth and getting agood night’s sleep - I woke up the next morningwith ... no more ulcer - the result I was lookingfor was practically instantaneous.It is really great when you get in touch withyour body in this way. We all fall off the wagonfrom time to time, but it’s what we do consistentlyday by day that really makes the difference.If we can notice these mild symptoms thatmost people accept as common place as totallyABNORMAL - plus we know what to do torebalance and centre ourselves - dis-ease andgerms will leave us alone in search of greener orshould I say ‘less green’ pastures.C. Ahhh, the big candida hype. The anticandidadiet is nothing more than an anti-aciddiet or a poison-free, predominantly raw fooddiet.No wheat, sugar or dairy. Anyone who tellsme they are on the candida diet and then bewailstheir fate at how hard it is to stick with I replyto in this way... “Everyone should be on thecandida diet - if you’re not on the candida dietyou’re on the composting diet.” The compostingdiet is a technical term and it basically meansthat your body has recognised that there is fartoo much acid in your system, which means it’stime for you to start to be recycled - returnedto the earth in a manner of speaking - and soyeast, mold and fungus move in to help speed upthe process. Candida is nothing more than outof control, overgrown yeast and fungus. Oncethe overgrowths are well set in they perpetuatethemselves by adding their own acid waste or excrementto the body. In fact it is their toxic wastethat produce disease symptoms in the body,not the bacteria, yeast, fungus or mold itself.Rudolph Vichow writes: “Mosquitoes seek thestagnant water, but do not cause the pool tobecome stagnant.”General early symptoms of overgrowthinclude: infection, fatigue, indigestion, diarrhea,food cravings, depression, intestinalpain, hyperactivity, asthma, colds and flu, badbreathe, thrush, hayfever, acne , headaches,lethargy, bladder infection, athlete’s foot, overandunder-weight conditions, gas/bloating etc.Microforms thrive on acidity and low oxygenlevels which is why we encourage breathing,exercise and good diet and of course good cleanwater too .BUTWhere do we get our bread fix on a wheatfreediet?Sprouted wheat bread... of course!These are treats we include when we feel likea starchy fix. We don’t eat them every day. If youfeel you’re on the wrong side of the ABC’s I’drecommend green juices and wheatgrass shotsEVERY day and bread and burgers as once aweek (or less) occurences. But we also have tostay sane and as I’ve said over and over the rawfood health approach is not about deprivation -it’s about finding a healthier substitution.Another proven method to enhance health is tosmile always.“Not a shred of evidence exists that life is serious.”Jan MarshallLook out for the Detoxing and Cleansing feature inthe February issue of Biophile.Gourmet Raw meat-free burgers1 Cup walnuts, soaked overnight1 Cup almonds, soaked overnight1 Cup mushrooms, finely chopped½ Cup grated carrot1 Tbs dark miso¼ onion, finely chopped2 Tbs Braggs liquid aminosMince the nuts with mincing screen of juicer (orprocess fine in food processor).Mix in all other ingredientsDehydrate for 8 hoursSprouted wheat or Essene bread2 Cups organic wheat seedsSprout 2 cups wheat for 2 days, by soaking themin water and rinsing daily, then grind in an Oscarwith the solid plate.Make a round disc shaped bread approx 2 cm thickand dehydrate at 46 degrees C for 12 hours. If youdon’t have a dehydrator you can bake in a slowoven(110 degrees C) until slightly crisp.In the old days this bread was baked on a flat stonein full summer sun from morning till noon, thenflipped onto the other side from noon till evening.If you would like to experience full immersioninto this way of eating raw and livingfoods and superfoods, book yourself ontoone of the 4 week raw food preparationclasses for the full experience. Classes are2 ½ hours, once a week, for 4 weeks. Formore info please call Peter or Beryn on 0217864068 or visit www.superfoods.co.za andcheck out the ‘events’ page.Biophile Issue 1949

prepare the ultimateRAW FOOD FEASTThis Festive Season, instead of a table strewnwith the grilled, roasted and fried corpses of slaughtered animals,why not lay out a fantastic spread of fantastic raw food?Mango Avocado SaladThis really is one of the best combinations ever.Simple, elegant, and sensuous.1 Large Avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped1 Tablespoon Lime Juiced2 Teaspoons Olive Oil1 Tablespoon Cilantro Leaves1 Tablespoon Black Sesame SeedsInstructions:Hand mix all of the ingredients together and serve.* To make pumpkin puree, peel and seed a smallpumpkin (don’t worry about getting all the stringypart off), roughly chop the pumpkin, and toss it inthe food processor. Process until it is a consistenttexture, but it will never be smooth.* To make date paste, put pitted dates in either ablender or food processor and add as little water aspossible to achieve a paste.Dice the carrot, turnip, dates and apricot intosmall 1/4” pieces. Mince the jalapeno, shallot andgarlic. Shred the kale into 1/4” strips. Add all ofthese plus the pine nuts to the cauliflower mixture.Add the olive oil and soy sauve, stir to combine.Push the soaked tamarind pulp through a finemesh strainer over the bowl. Stir to combine.Add the freshly ground cumin seed, coriander seed,grated turmeric root, black pepper, chopped mintand cilantro. Stir to combine.Check for seasonings — it may need a pinch of seasalt to balance the tamarind.At this point you could eat it as is — or you candehydrate it for two hours at 40°C to bring all ofthe flavors together.You may need two dehydrator shelves so it lays ina single layer.Raw Pumpkin Bread3/4 cup Almond Pulp*1/4 cup Golden Flax Meal*1 cup Pumpkin Puree*1/2 cup Date Paste*1/4 tsp. nutmeg1/2 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. allspice1/4 tsp. cloves1/2 smidgen saltDirections:Mix by hand and form into a loaf about one and ahalf inches thick. Dehydrate at 40°C for 8 hours ona non-stick sheet then remove the non-stick sheetand dehydrate for additional 16 hours and enjoy!Optional:To make a dryer bread, slice the bread and dehydratefor an additional 8 hours.* To make almond pulp, make almond milk and strainout the pulp.* To make golden flax meal, put golden flax seeds in adry blender and blend to a powder. Brown flax mealwill also due just fine.Cauliflower Tagine1 small head of cauliflower1 turnip, small dice1 carrot, small dice1 tbs. garlic, minced1 tbs. shallot, minced2 dried apricots, diced2 dates, diced4 leaves kale, chopped2 tbs. pine nuts2 tbs. olive oil1 tbs. soy sauce1 tbs. tamarind, soaked at least 30 minutes in 3tbs. water2 tsp. cumin seed2 tsp. corriander seed1 tsp. fresh tumeric root1 tbs. cilantro1 tbs. mint1 jalapeno, mincedTo prepare the cauliflower, you want to break itdown to the smallest piece you can — the bestway we’ve found is to grab a large piece and startby snapping off the big stem and begin to “flake”the smaller pieces off by working around the headusing your thumb to pull them apart. It’s a littletedious to be sure, but you really want small pieceshere. Add them to a large mixing bowl.Garam Masala Gobi1 head cauliflower cut into bite size pieces1 cup brazil nuts1/4 cup olive oillemon to taste3 T garam masalapinch of cayenne1 bunch cilantro for garnishDirectionsPlace bite size pieces of cauliflower in large bowl.Blend nuts, oil, lemon, cayenne, salt, masala untilsmooth. Toss cauliflower in sauce and place ina dehydrator 1-2 hours. Sprinkle with choppedcilantro.Don’t have a dehydrator? Use your oven! Placetemp settings on low and open the oven doorevery so often to cool the dish down. Use an oventhermometer to monitor temperatures to try andstay lower than 40°C.50 Biophile Issue 19

Chocolate Bars(makes 15-20 pieces)Nougat filling1 cup almonds, unsoaked1 cup cashews, unsoaked3 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon water, or more if neededCaramel1 cup dates1/4 cup maple syrupjuice of one half lemon1 tablespoon coconut oil¼ teaspoon sea salt1 cup waterMilk Chocolate1 cup cocoa powder1 cup maple syrup½ cup coconut oil¼ cup waterSoak dates in the water and lemon juice for an hour.Reserve soaking water. Meanwhile, make nougats.In a coffee grinder, grind cashews into a finepowder. Remove. Process the almonds into a finepowder.Place nut powders in a large bowl. Add honeyand water. Stir until mixture is a thick paste-likeconsistency.Form nougat into miniature candy pieces. Placenougat pieces on a plate and put in the freezer foran hour.To make the caramel, process soaked dates, coconutoil and sea salt in a blender.Using soaking water one tablespoon at time, blenduntil you achieve a thick creamy mixture.Spread caramel on top of nougat pieces andreturn the candy to the freezer while you make thechocolate.In a large bowl, whisk cocoa powder, maple syrup,coconut butter and water together until smoothand creamy.Pour chocolate over candy pieces and freeze anadditional hour or until chocolate sets hard.Meat-Free BBQ“Chicken Fingers”Batter Ingredients2 Cups Carrots2 Cups Sprouted Lentils3/4 Cup Orange Juice1/4 Cup Onion4 Tablespoons Olive Oil2 Tablespoons Honey1 1/2 Tablespoons Curry1 Tablespoon Poultry Seasoning2 teaspoons Sea SaltInstructionsThe Raw Version of Imitation Chicken, deliciousserved with honey-mustard sauce.First process the carrots in a food processor untildiced.Second, add in all of the other ingredients, thenblend until well blended. (These should not becompletely smooth, but more grainy looking).Then pour onto a suitable baking tray anddehydrate at 40°C for 10 hours. (flip halfway through if possible)Notes: These will seem a little soupybefore you dehydrate them, just pourthem out and try to build them upas much as possible, you don’twant them to be paper thin. Itis very important to use theright amount of orange juice.Apple-Butternut Soup10 apples, cored1 large. butternut squash, peeled2 oranges, peeled1 lemon, peeled1 med. red onion, peeled3 C almond milk1-1/2 C pumpkin seeds1 bunch parsley1/4 C tarragon, driedIn a food processor, combine all ingredients andprocess thoroughly.Whenever you can,buy local,buy organic.Support your localfarmers’ market andorganic box co-op.Biophile Issue 1951

soilforlifeThe best way to fightrising food costs(and a whole lot ofother problems) is tobecome a foodgardenerby Pa t Fe a t h e r s t o n eSoil for Life is a Cape Town-basedNGO which teaches people to growtheir own food. For more informationabout Soil for Life membership,and organic methods for growingvegetables, herbs and fruit, pleasephone Pat on (021) 794 4982More and more people are realising theimportance of growing their own food. It’snot only about feeding the body and reducing one’svulnerability to the whims of the market place. It’salso about building a strong immune system byeating fresh, safe, nutritious and tasty food grownon healthy soil that is packed full of life-givingminerals and cosmic vibrations. More than this,the body’s natural ability to cope with sickness anddisease is taxed to the extreme by the deluge of microbesand toxins from our polluted environmentand the stressful lifestyles that we have fashionedfor ourselves.Food gardeningprovides exercise,fresh air, sunshineand mental relaxationthat are vitally importantfor boosting one’s defencesystem. If you haven’t alreadystarted your veggieand herb patch,get going and giveyourself a break – inmore ways than one.Don’t think for one minute though that if youdon’t have a plot of land that you cannot grow atleast some of what you eat. Here are a few simple,cost- and space-effective ideas for growing some‘life-support’ on your sunny kitchen window sill oroutside the backdoor.Start an organic farm on your kitchen windowsill.It will save you time, money and water.Sprouts are the easiest-to-grow,most power-packed, year-roundfood.They grow very quickly, are always fresh andare, uncontaminated by pesticides. You can eatthem everyday in salads, stir fries and sandwiches,in soups and stews, or just as a snack. They arethe most economical food and use very little waterto grow. The rinsing water can be used in yourgarden, or added to the cooking pot.Clive McCay, professor of nutrition at CornellUniversity, once described soya bean sprouts as analmost perfect food - ‘A vegetable which will growin any climate, will rival meat in nutritive value,will mature in three to five days, may be plantedany day of the year, will require neither soil norsunshine, will rival tomatoes in Vitamin C, willbe free of waste in preparation and can be cookedwith little fuel…’And cheap, into the bargain.Some seeds from yourkitchen cupboard thatyou can sprout:Lentils, chickpeas, soyabeans, peas, peanuts, mung beans,fenugreek, mustard, and alfafaor Lucerne. You can even sproutonion and broccoli seeds, but makesure that you never eat the seeds from the packetsthat you buy for planting in your garden. They mayhave poison on them!How to go about sprouting:• Place one tablespoon of seeds in a large, cleanglass jar.• Cover with water and leave to soak overnight.• In the morning drain off the water and tie a pieceof mesh over the top of the jar. (An old stocking oran orange mesh bag will do the job just fine). Rinsethe seeds with clean water at least twice a day. Youmay need to put the bottle lid over the mesh coveringto prevent the sprouting seeds from drying outin between rinsings.• Keep the seeds in a warm, dark place until thetiny roots and shoots appear, and then put themin a sunny place so that the baby leaves turn brightgreen.• On the fourth day, depending on how warm theweather is, the sprouts should be ready to eat.P.S. 1 tablespoon of alfafa seeds will give you about250g or more of sprouts.Carrot-tops taste like a cross betweencoriander and parsley...Grow your own baby greensSprouts are not all you can grow on the kitchenwindow sill.Turnips, beetroots, radishes and carrots areusually grown for their roots, but their leaves(especially young ones) are delicious and verynutritious.Next time you harvest (or buy) any of these veg-Become a food gardener and enjoy ofmind and a sense of deep satisfaction …52Biophile Issue 19

in about a week to ten days. Snip them off with apair of kitchen scissors and pop them into yoursalad, a sandwich, or the juicer. The lentils will regrowa few times, but the one sunflower seed givesyou one juicy sprout.So often one sees bunches of wilted, verysad-looking dhanya in the supermarkets. Growingyour own, as described above, means having itcrisp and fresh all the time and, like turnip andbeet tops, dhanya is rich in Vitamin A which is soessential for boosting the immune system.What could be easier than creating a minigardenin your kitchen? Careful planning and successionplanting will ensure that there is alwayssomething fresh and green to add to your meal.Wheat and barley greens are just as easy toproduce. However, since you do not a have a fullset of grinding molars like true herbivores, youngshoots will have to go through a juicer to extractthe goodness.If you don’t have space on the window sill, usewall space to create a vertical garden.A simple construction of wooden planks andrope hung up on a north-facing wall providesvertical space for growing a variety of plants andsprouts which will add essential nutrients to yourdiet. Some other examples of what you can grow:• Two carrots in an old milk box or bag.• A parsley plant in an old chamber pot.• Chives and spring onions in a plant pot.• Thyme and oregano. Herbs added to your foodimprove the flavour and reduce the necessity ofadded salt which plays havoc with blood pressure.Use your imagination to come up with interestingand practical containers to accommodate theplants of your choice.etables, cut off the crown, about ½ cm from the top.Eat the root, cooked or raw, and save the crown.Stand the crowns in water in a shallow tray ina sunny place. Water regularly and, within a week,the first new growth will start to show. Pick thenew, baby leaves when they are about 10 cm longand add them to a salad or a stir-fry, or sauté themin a little olive oil as a side-dish. Carrot tops tastelike a cross between coriander and parsley andmake an unusual addition to your food.And while we’re looking at growing veggies ina rather unusual manner, try growing sunflowerseeds, lentils and dhanya in discarded polystyrenetrays, cottage cheese containers or any other suitablediscarded packaging.Fill the trays to about 1 cm from the topwith compost or good garden soil. Sow theseeds so that the soil surface is pretty muchcovered (only one seed deep though) andcover them over with a light sprinkling ofsoil, compost or vermiculite. You can evencover them with wet newspaper or kitchentowel but you will have to keep looking tosee when the seeds are sprouting so that youcan remove the cover and allow them thelight they need to grow further. Water themlightly and make sure that the soil remainsdamp while they are germinating. Keep in awarm, sunny place.The young green shoots are ready to eatBiophile Issue 1953

Food from thelemon treeAlong with other citrus fruits, the lemon (Citruslimon) is one of the most widely consumedfruits in the world today. Apart from using thejuice in all sorts of ways in the preparation of foodsand cordials, lemon peels and the underlying whitepith contain a number of health-giving substances.The lemon tree is perhaps one of the most valuableadditions to the kitchen garden.The first lemon trees to arrive at the Capewere imported from St Helena and planted in theCompany’s garden by Jan Van Riebeeck. Thesewere the predecessors of the rough-skinned lemonthat we grow today and which is frequently usedas a rootstock onto which other citrus varieties aregrafted.The lemon tree belongs to the family Rutaceaewhich includes about 800 species, nearly all whichare characterised by oil glands on the leaves. Holda lemon leaf up to the light and you will see tinytranslucent dots. Interestingly, the various typesof buchu (highly prized for their medicinal properties),the Cape Chestnut, White Ironwood, Horsewoodand Knobwood are all included in this family.By the way, the Citrus family is not indigenous toSouth Africa and is thought to have originated inSouth East Asia and China.We are all familiar with at least some of theuses of lemons in the kitchen and in the home:• A drizzle of lemon juice over freshly cut fruitsand vegetables stops the cut surfaces turningbrown and unsightly in the presence of air. Thejuice contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and lycopene,amongst other important phytochemicals(phytonutrients), which are anti-oxidants.• Lemon juice is a healthier addition to saladdressings, mayonnaise and marinades thanvinegar as it has an alkalising effect on the blood.Many of us are wondering why we are feelingtired, have aching joints, are overweight and sufferfrom Candida. Doctors Robert Young and ShellyRedford explain in their book, The pH Miracle, thenegative effects on one’s metabolism of havingacidic body fluids.• Lemon juice brings out flavours, adds tartnessto titillate the taste buds and reduces therichness of meat and seafood dishes.• Various drinks, iced teas, punches and thelikes, wouldn’t be the same without a dash oflemon juice, or a sliver of the fruit.• The acidity and the pectin contained in lemonsis an integral part of the jam-making process.• Lemon zest (peel) is used to flavour a varietyof dishes (both sweet and savoury) and preserves.It is laden with aromatic oils which most of ushave, at least once in our lives, squeezed into theflame of a candle for a mini fireworks display. It isthe lemon peel which contains the highest concentrationof phytochemicals (or phytonutrients).• And, of course, lemon juice is a rich source ofVitamin C and, therefore, an important part of thediet. Hot lemon and honey served up to cold andflu patients is soothing and healing.• A slice of lemon in a glass of water makes itSOIL FOR LIFEthat much easier to drink the daily ‘eight glasses’recommended for good health.• We haven’t mentioned the other uses of lemonjuice as an astringent for the skin, as a bleach fornappies and perspiration stains, an addition to furniturepolish, and a cleaner for brass and polish. Itremoves urine smells, makes hair shine, removesmildew and black ink and so the list goes on.• There is a whole host of other medicinal benefitsof the lemon. Those important phytochemicalshave been shown to play a part in fighting cancerthrough their anti-oxidant properties, to prevent,and repair, damage to DNA, to destroy cancer cellsand to prevent the spreading of tumours.• The white pit, below the zest, contains rutinwhich strengthens the walls of blood vessels andhelps to prevent heart and circulatory problems.It makes you think that having your very ownlemon tree would be a very good idea and that alemon a day would do a lot for your health andwell-being.Visit your local nursery once you have identifieda protected spot in your garden. Lemon treesdo not take kindly to strong, drying winds or frost,and prefer well-drained, light soils. There are anumber of cultivars from which to choose:• The Cape rough-skinned lemon is not verysour, the trees start bearing when very young andhave fruit on them nearly all year round.• Eureka is a vigorous tree which bears largejuicy fruits with very few pips.• Meyer trees also bear large fruit, but only onecrop a year.• Villa Franca is similar to Eureka but also bearsonly one crop a year.Other issues of Biophile have instructions fortree-planting. Just make sure that you make a shallowbasin around the stem and water well whenyou plant the tree, and also when it is in flower andfruit. Composting and heavy mulching around thebase of the tree help to prevent water loss throughevaporation.An added benefit of having a lemon tree in yourgarden is that you will be visited by the magnificentCitrus Swallowtail butterfly – Papillio demodocusdemodocus – which will not only feast on the nectarfrom the fragrant flowers, but use the leaves as thenursery and feeding grounds for its young.54 Biophile Issue 19

All great cooks use lemons. Hereare a few recipes to try out thissummer. Please use organicingredients whenever possible.Lemon CurdThe most delicious spread for hot toast, sconesand muffins. It tastes so good that you can eat itby the spoonful straight out of the jar. Use othercitrus fruit or granadillas to make a change.100g organic butter200g organic sugar4 organic eggsJuice and grated rind of 4 lemons, or 3 oranges and1 lemon or 2 lemons and the pulp of 4 granadillas1. Melt butter and sugar in double boiler2. Add well beaten eggs and juice and rind of lemons(and/or oranges or granadilla pulp).3. Continue heating, stirring occasionally until themixture has thickened like custard.4. Pour into clean, heated jam jars.5. Seal and store in a cool cupboard, or refrigerate.6. Eat within a month. (Freezes well)Lemon CordialA deliciously refreshing drink servedwith water or sodaJuice of 10 to 12 lemonsGrated rind of 3 – 4 lemons2½ kg organic sugar1 packet tartaric acid (15ml or 1tablespoon)1 packet citric acid (15ml or 1tablespoon)1 packet Epsom salts (15ml or 1tablespoon)2 litres boiling water1. Dissolve the sugar, tartaric acid,citric acid and Epsom salts in the boilingwater.2. Add the grated lemon rind and lemonjuice. Mix together and allow to cool.3. Pour the cordial into sterilised glass orplastic bottles and store in a refrigerator.4. Dilute with water (or soda water) totaste. Add ice cubes and a sprig ofmint for a refreshing summerdrink or add boiling waterand a slice of lemon for awinter drink.Lemon and basilrisotto125g organic butter300g Arborio rice1 onion – finely chopped1 celery head, finely chopped1 bunch celery leaves1 clove garlic, minced150 ml dry white wine6 tablespoon fresh organic basil1 litre vegetable stockJuice and zest of 4 organic lemons100 g grated parmesan cheeseSalt and pepper to taste1. Heat the stock and check for seasoning.2. Gently sauté onions and garlic in butter untilsoft and add the garlic and chopped celery leavesSOIL FOR LIFEand stir..3. Add the rice and lightly sauté.4. Add the white wine and allow to reduce.5. Add the stock ladle for ladle, stirring constantly.Allow each ladle of stock to be absorbed beforeadding the next.6. Constantly stir until the rice is cooked but stillal dente.7. Stir in most of the basil, lemon juice, zest andhalf the parmesan. Season to taste.8. The consistency should be very creamy and soft.9. Serve with remaining basil leaves and Parmesancheese.Lemon shortbread100 g organic butter90 g castor sugar1 organic egg yolk½ teaspoon vanilla2 teaspoons lemon zest1 teaspoon lemon juiceSoil for Liferuns monthly workshops inCape Town on all aspects oforganic gardening.Check their websitewww.soilforlife.co.zafor details of theseworkshops.Book early to avoiddisappointment!Biophile Issue 19155 g cake flour1. Preheat an oven to 150°C.2. Cream the butter and sugar until light andcreamy.3. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, lemon zest and lemonjuice, and mix well.4. Sift in the flour and gently fold into the mixture.5. Knead gently until the dough starts to cometogether.6. Cover the dough in plastic and refrigerate for2hours.7. Lightly grease a baking tray.8. Roll the dough out between two sheets of bakingpaper and even thickness.9. Cut biscuits from dough and bake for 12 to 14minutes.10. Dust with castor sugar while still hot.11. Let them cool slightly before transferring themto a cooling rack.Preserved lemonsDelicious in salads, risottos, dressings, marinadesand on sea food.Fennel seedsCoriander seedsCinnamon stickPeppercornsBay leavesSea saltLarge fat lemons with the leaves still attached1. In a bowl mix the spices into the sea salt.2. Cut a cross into the lemons – almost to thebase, but so that the quarters stay together.3. Push the seasoned salt into the lemon segmentsand pack the lemons as tightly as possibleinto an airtight jar.4. The less space there is between the lemons themore attractive it will look and you won’t need touse so much salt.5. The lemons will be ready after one month ofpreserving, and will last for about 2 years.When required, the lemons are removed fromthe jar and all the white pith should be cut fromthe yellow peel or zest and discarded. The zestis then shredded, thinly slices of finelychopped.References:Medicinal Plants ofSouth Africa – Ben-Erikvan Wyk, Bosch vanOudtshoorn, NigelGericke. Brize Publications1997Trees of Southern Africa,Volumes 1 and 3 – Eve Palmerand Norah Pitman. A ABalkema/Cape Town 1972Food Plants of the World- Ben-Erik van Wyk. BrizaPublications 2005Butterfly Gardening in South Africa– Jill Reid. Briza Publications 2000Fruit and Vegetable Gardening in South Africa – ZoeGilbert and Jack Hadfield. Struik 1996Raw Energy – Leslie and Susannah Kenton, VermilionLondon 1994Medicinal Seasonings: The Healing Power of Spices – DrKeith Scott Medspice PressThe Green Cleaner – Barbara Lord S and W Books,Melbourne 1989Chef Justin Patterson of Chef-on-Call, www.chefoncall.co.za55

We are part of a world that pulses withconsciousness. A door is being openedto the greater reality and it behovesus to enter as beings freed of fear and filled withlove. As we wake to each new day, our very firstthought and feeling determine the quality of ourexperience. This is our opportunity to enter themiraculous and consciously create the reality wedream of.Are you warmly lit from within with deepgratitude, or do you simply choose to fall into it,resigned, allowing yourself to succumb to all thedifferent inner weathers, mechanically followinglearned and required responses to whatever lifepresents you with? In this light, accepting, throughyour indifference or acquiescence, to be a part of asociety where breaking free of normal constraintsand fully taking responsibility for what you havehelped to create in terms of disharmony, becomespersonally extremely disturbing, far too risky andcompletely destabilizing.Apparently, it is so much easier to keep redefiningone’s reality according to difficulties or thestatus quo, which is ironic because it requires lessenergy to change than it does to stay the same. DoA non specific place and time, rather an innerspace/time where we hold the recognition thatall are worthy of caretakership, and each one isworthy of belonging. What does it mean to live lifewakefully? Surely when our eyes are open, then weare awake and participating in this life ritual, goingthrough the motions of our designated ages, isn’tthat what life is about? What if beyond the usuallearned emotional and psychological responsesthere were many more levels of experience? Whatif we could tap into these by changing an innergear; a higher gear that allowed us to view theworld differently? What if we were all on the vergeof an elevated and heightened awareness; a consciousnessthat in many ways was stepped up, to adifferent level than the one the general populationexperiences presently.This perception of an acceleration of time issomething that the majority of humanity is currentlyexperiencing. Why are we running fasterthrough life? Have you ever noticed how a planeusually needs to build up land speed before it takesoff? The connection to the ground is something itneeds to break free of in order to lift itself to heightswhere it can cruise at altitudes where the normalserve in any other way but to keep us asleep andtrapped. The analogy of the plane is again relevanthere...because flying requires that we take minimalbaggage. We have to be discerning about what weinclude as well as packing light. For some this isnear to impossible and a fee is exacted for any extraweight.There is always something topay, and for our freedom we needto release ourselves of that whichprevents our forward movementand development.It is more than a discarding process becausethat which is released, ultimately gives us ourfreedom. There is no longer anything to hold usback and our burgeoning inner growth can thenbe likened to replanting a root-bound tree in opensoil. The conditions become optimal and the treehas the opportunity to become more of what it is!Speed of life does not mean less time, it meanswe have grown to the point as humanity where wecan more readily manipulate our environment atwill; both outside ourselves and within ourselves.Everything we are experiencing is a reflection ofaspects of ourselves and the sooner we understandSo Much More!Change your Lifeand own this Momentby Fi o n a Al m e l e hyou actively choose to meet with yourself in theroutine of life, transforming this into sacred ritualtime, time that is no different to that which is speciallydesignated and assigned to special places,whether they are for prayer or politics? Is it onlywhen we gaze upon life’s wonders that we acceptand rest into our divinity? Surely humanity’s questfor itself needs to continually align with a highermodus operandi, as we birth new generations andgo through the cycles of life experiencing the fullgamut of emotions.Perhaps this search involves surrendering tofiner levels of being as we make those choices tolove and cherish the gift of life, honouring ourplanet and taking full advantage of the opportunitywe have whilst here.The question that begs to be asked is, howcan we all enter sacred space with ourselves andultimately with each other moment by moment?weather patterns affect it less. There is also, as partof the flight plan, a focus on a specific destination.Once airborne, freed somewhat of gravitationalconstraints, passengers are able to view thelandscape below slightly differently and even witha modicum of detachment. Perspective changesat these higher altitudes and often people can slipinto a comfortable anonymity, where neither titlenor qualifications need to define them. There isa separation from the hurly burly of living whichgives an opportunity for reflection. Agreed thatthere are those who sleep even more blissfully, butthe distance and space offers the same possibility;peace to turn within.Something, intrinsic to who we are, is requiringof us at this crucial time, to ‘run faster’ and at thesame time to take greater cognizance of our innerlandscapes, adjusting our perception of things andreleasing outmoded patterns and ideas that don’tthat we are capable of moving mountains, so tospeak, the sooner we can take charge of the way werespond to any given situation.When we acknowledge and accept this we cancollectively and deliberately focus all our attentionon moving forward in a way that no longer harms;a way that will secure our footing as we make aquantum leap to higher levels of consciousness.This does not imply that webreak our ties with the earth; infact we strengthen our allegianceto her and act in ways that aremore suiting of caretakers as shein all her magnificence moves forwardas a spiritual being.We’re often blindsided by difficult events andtend to rely on old coping skills because the root56 Biophile Issue 19

of the established pattern of behaviour is part ofour emotional strategizing from very early on; itseems that these responses are hard wired intous and they offer themselves as the first line ofdefence in the way we choose to use these copingmechanisms to move past the painful or challengingexperiences in our lives.More often than not, these protocols wereestablished when we were very young and sometimeseven before we were verbal. We need to teachourselves that it is actually possible to re-inventaspects of oneself by choosing new ways of relatingto life’s challenges.This process of evolving can be likened to anew consciousness that doesn’t react but ratherresponds with an inherent understanding froma place of learned wisdom. In order to do this wemust employ a very constant ‘inner gardener ‘, onewho watches the seasons and looks for anythingthat might hinder the growth of the plants in hiscare.By looking once more to Nature and seeingourselves as part of a greater living organism wecan be guided by her rhythms and cycles as wemore easily adapt to change. Boundaries that we ashumanity put in place now with regard to our owndevelopment as a species must honour the positivemovement forward of all life on this planet. Nolonger can we act as if what we do and think is oflittle consequence.For harmony to find its wayback into the heart and mind ofhumankind we need to own eachmoment as if it were the most precioustreasure.How do we change? Perhaps all we need todo is to start simply observing...observing theway we interact with others and the way we carryourselves through each day.The little things, like the way we eat; the way wecleanse our bodies; the way in which we drive ourcars etc; the way in which we greet the lady at thetill; the way in which we drink a cup of tea; the waywe connect with the earth. Do we just go throughthe motions of living or can we impart richness toeach and every experience, regardless of it beingmenial or other? Can we learn to re-activate ourappreciation of the small things, the seeminglyirrelevant details of living? Can we turn eachmoment into a jewel; one that reflects the light in amyriad of ways?Is it possible to suspend judgement of eachand every experience and encounter; qualifyingany given response with a justification based onbelief? This is possible if we stop the chatter insideallowing for the experience of whatever it is togrow us. If we listen to the continual backdrop ofnoise in the mind we start to notice the repetitionof these soul destroying mantras. They worksubliminally to sabotage any effort for change untilwe recognize them, find their source and literallybreathe them out of ourselves, allowing the releaseto transform us.Nobody can do the work for us. We need todevelop ourselves, and this requires passion andcommitment to our elevation and evolution. No effort,however small on our part, is ever lost and ourchildren and future generations will be a testamentto what we attain consciously. There is no separation.Every new breath we take reminds us of ourcontract with this beautiful planet we call home.A deep respect and love of life is moving within,reminding us as humanity to fulfil our destinies asheart - centred light beings.May your next breath be love!Dare we set our course for a new direction,keeping our gaze on a world in which we participate fully,as conscious and responsible beings?Biophile Issue 1957

Lunar LivingA guide to using the moon for gardeningand emotional wellbeingby Sh i r e e n Fr e e m a nOne of the beauties of organic gardening is the following of naturalseasons and patters of the earth and seasons to create healthy, livingplants and foods. This intrinsic harmony between ourselves andour gardens enhances not only our mind/body relationship but also gives usdeep insight into the emotional and spiritual wellbeing that comes with beingconnected to natural cycles.There is no doubt that by being part of the process of growing our own food(even if you are just starting off with a simple herb garden or veggie patch) weheal ourselves and become more spiritually rooted in our bodies.The moon has been part of ancient agriculture since the beginning oftime when we first noted the effects the moon has on the daily cycles withinseasons. We also know that the moon has a great influence on our emotionalstates and that if we use the moon as a guide in our lives, we open ourselves toreceiving many emotionally satisfying experiences.The moon has a 28 day cycle where she waxes from new moon to full moonthen wanes to last quarter and then fades into dark moon until she reappearsas new moon again. During this cycle the moon travels through the signs ofthe zodiac where the four different elements of the signs – earth, air, fire andwater – enhance the energy of the phase of the moon, adding a unique dimensionto the energy available to us. Working with the appropriate phase of theMoon for all aspects of planting, cultivation, and harvesting will increasequality as well as quantity in your crops. I know herbalists who are using thissystem and producing vastly more potent medicinal and culinary plants.NEW MOON PHASE12 hours after Dark Moon to First Quarter. The Moon rises and sets withthe Sun at this time, and for the first one or two days is invisible. Every nightshe sets approximately one hour later; and can first been seen as a waxingcrescent (increasing in light) close to the Sun, at sunset.During this phase there is an upsurge of energy which all living things58 Biophile Issue 19

can greatly benefit from. This is the time to plantand start projects. Some lunar gardeners believethat one should wait until you can actually see thecrescent of the new moon while others believe it’sok to start 12 hours after Dark Moon.During this phase sap rises within the plantsso it’s a time to sow, plant, and transplant annualswhich produce above ground crops, especiallythose of a leafy kind that produce seeds outsidethe fruit, also cereals and grains. During thistime avoid harvesting as rot sets in more quickly.Mow and to encourage growth. Plants need moreoxygen at this time.On an emotional and spiritual level, now is thetime to open ourselves up to receiving abundancefrom the universe. Keywords for the New phaseare: beginning, birth, emergence, projection, clarity.It is the time in a cycle that you are stimulatedto take a new action. During this phase the newcycle is being seeded by your vision, inner andouter. Engage in physical activity. Spend timealone. VISUALIZE your goals for the 29.6-daycycle ahead.FIRST QUARTER PHASEFirst Quarter to 12 hours before Full Moon. Bythe First quarter phase the Moon is rising at noon,setting at midnight. She slowly grows in light, illuminatingthe first half of the night sky.During this phase the energy and the sap isstill fresh and continuing to rise within the plants.Now is a great time to plant, graft and transplantannuals that produce above ground, especially ofa vine-type with seeds produced inside (like beans,peas, peppers, squash and tomatoes). It is alsotime to plant cereals and grains. All activities listedfor the New Moon phase are just as successfulif done now. The last two days of this phase, justbefore the Full Moon are considered optimum forplanting, and grafts take best if done at this time.Keywords for the First Quarter phase are: action,expression, growth, breaking away. It is thetime in a cycle to take the initial action necessaryto achieve your goal by expressing your needs anddesires. FEEL & MOVE. Make phone calls. Writeletters. Dance. Act now.FULL MOON PHASE12 hours after Full Moon to Last quarter. The FullMoon rises brilliant and full at sunset illuminatingthe sky for the whole night. It will rise later andlater in the evening as it moves through its waningphase.The Full Moon phase sees a peak of electromagneticenergy within all living things with it’szenith at the exact time of the Full Moon. Over thenext two weeks, this energy wanes along with themoon.During this phase the sap is now flowingdownwards into the roots, so plant perennials,biennials, bulb and root crops - anything thatproduces below ground. This is also time to pruneand harvest all crops. Medicinal herbs and plantsare most potent when harvested during Full Moonand of course the sense of splendor when harvestingby moonlight cannot go without its due credit.This is also a wonderful time to sprout seedsfor eating however, not a good time for sproutingto plant. The reason for this is that there will bea good initial growth spurt followed by spindlygrowth thereafter.Keywords for the Full phase are: fulfillment,illumination, realization, experience. It is the timein a cycle that you are given a clear view so that youcan make adjustments to put you back on trackto manifesting the goals you set at the new phase.Go to a public place. Do something with a friend.LISTEN. Receive awareness. Understand others.LAST QUARTER PHASELast Quarter to 12 hours before Dark Moon.The Last Quarter Moon rises at midnight in thebeginning of the phase, showing us her slowlyvanishing crescent in the early morning easternsky. She then moves closer to the Sun until shebecomes visible for the last day or two of the phase.The cycle is complete.This is a barren phase during the cycle thatcalls for rest and preparation for the next NewMoon. It is vital for us to allow this phase to enhanceour gardens as well as ourselves: pull weeds,turn the earth and prune. Apply organic fertilizersany time during Waning Moon and mow todecrease growth.Now is the time to harvest crops that you wishto store for a period of time without it rotting orlosing flavour.Keywords for the Last Quarter phase are:realignment, revision, integration, cleansing. Itis the time in a cycle to take closing action, tofollow-up and complete the activities begun at theNew phase. During this phase you become awareof what is and is not working with respect to theachievement of your goal for the cycle. The movementis toward integration. Open to your success.MANIFEST YOUR GOAL. Be responsible.FIRE SIGNS - FRUIT, SEEDGROWTHAries Leo SagittariusWhen you plant in a FIRE sign, the Moon’sinfluence is channeled into the fruit and seed ofthe plant: wheat, corn, tomatoes, beans, squash,peas and all fruit. It is a good idea to plant now toensure quality seeds for the following year. Thisis also a good time to harvest fruit and seed cropsespecially during a fire sign full moon!Cultivate, till and plough. Plant garlic, leeks,onions, peppers and chicory for an exciting spicycrop.AIR SIGNS - BLOSSOM GROWTHGemini Libra AquariusWhen you plant in an AIR sign, the Moon’s influenceis channeled into the blossom growth. Herewe plant all flowers and flowering plants - exceptcauliflower and broccoli which do better in a Watersign. This is the time for fragrance and beautyso get creative and colourful in the garden.The Moon in Gemini is good for floweringherbs, while the Moon in Aquarius is good forplanting or harvesting hybrids (though hybridsdon’t respond well to lunar planting methods).This is also a good time for cultivation, weedingor eliminating pests. If you can’t plant now, plantin Fire.EARTH SIGNS - ROOT GROWTHTaurus Virgo CapricornWhen you plant is an EARTH sign, the energyof the Moon is focused into the roots of the plant.Here we plant carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes,and all tubers to produce strong, hardy wellanchoredplants. Turn compost heaps.The Moon in Capricorn will produce anexceptionally hardy plant which will last throughdry weather spells. When the Moon is in Virgo, putyour garden in order; tie up plants, apply organicfertilizers. The Earth signs are considered to be extremelyfertile, so if you can’t figure out what signyou should be using, or can’t possibly organizeyour time for a specific sign, then plant in an Earthsign or a Water sign. The best day to cut grass is inthis sign in the waning moon.WATER SIGNS - LEAF GROWTHCancer Scorpio PiscesWhen you plant in a WATER sign, the energy willgo into the leaves. Lettuce, spinach, grass, cabbage,cress, any leafy growth will thrive plantednow. This is considered to be the most productivesign, even more so than Earth. This is an excellenttime for fertilizing and irrigating. Start compostsheaps. Sow pass. Don’t harvest now, crops willdecay too soon. Plant melons, grapes, any fruitwith high water content will do well at this time.Biophile Issue 1959

From a Spiritual PerspectiveWater, Water, Everywhereby Lo u Bo g n o nTh i s h a s b e e n a s e a s o n o f w a t e r r i s i n g r e c o r d s .In China alone more than two hundred millionpeople were displaced or affected in some way.In just two of India’s provinces another 20 millionpeople were left homeless and hungry for daysbefore help on such massive scale could cover theenormity of the area and the numbers of people.As for low lying Bangladesh by the time it wasevident that half the country was under waternobody bothered to estimate how many more millionswere affected.Main stream corporate media suddenlystopped reporting about England’s worst everfloods which of course by then looked almostbenign when compared to Asia’s.As I write this column, Switzerland, Germanyand parts of France are starting to be added to thelist and this is not to mention Eastern Europe’sstorms and flash floods that did not even make itto the world news for us all to notice. Same couldbe said of the washing and killing rains of Sudan, acountry we are more accustomed to associate withwar, genocide and desert.Now, we all have – in every continent, withoutexception – come to understand what globalwarming is all about – or at least the palpabletangible effects – or should I say side effects of it.Scientists are still divided in camps of “told you so”and “what global warming?’ – even though thelatter camp seem to be marginalizing themselvesin the face of such powerful evidence now beforeus (and them) even before those paid to look theother way by some major political and economicallobbies.Al Gore and his documentary “An InconvenientTruth” showed us images that speak louder thanany of his own or anybody’s statements, especiallythose pertaining to the melting of the glaciers, therise in temperatures and how the world maps arelikely to change.From a spiritual perspective, those of us whoare deeply connected to Mother Earth and all lifeforms evolving on Her, we know that this she is anurturing, sentient and intelligent being trying tocope as best she can with the unbearable pain wehave inflicted upon her, her creatures and uponeach other through our collective greed, carelessnessand mindless consumption.Our collective pollution is not just the visiblerubbish we have accumulated, from our ownhomes to the waste dumps, but most serious still,is the emotional pollution we have created with thebelief systems that have separated us, drove us to“just”, “liberation” “independence” “holy” and allkinds of wars, creating unbearable suffering andexploitation of all kinds and in general brought usto this sense of dirt and clutter that prevails.And what would each one of us do if we wereto feel dirty, cluttered, raped, violated, used andlonely? We would want to wash it all away – andthat is exactly what she is doing. Mother Earth iswashing herself now. And her bath is just fillingup. Like a pained and overwhelmed mother she isallowing the bath to run over. This season she willnot care - all she wants and all she needs is waterwatereverywhere.Become her life line – send her your love andgentle words. Act for Her:sell your gas guzzler, plant more trees, walk onHer body with your bare feet and tell her you loveher often, become a mindful consumer, live fromthe heart, and whatever you do, buy, create, invent,sell, connect to her to find out if it is good for herand all the life forms she supports.She needs our collective healing love.Now!The more of us do this the faster she willchoose to heal. By not changing anything in ourlives and in our behaviour, we choose to experiencethe alternative: sleep in the bath water withher and perhaps never wake up again on her lovingheart.Lou Bognon is a spiritual healer, author, teacher,producer and presenter of The Inner Voice, aninspirational program on Channel Africa which isbroadcast internationally in English and French.www.loubognon.com or lou@loubognon.com60 Biophile Issue 19

From a Spiritual PerspectiveFire Dancing With Fireby Lo u Bo g n o nAs I write this column, the lungs of our planet arechoking on a chilli, dancing with fire, call itwhat you wish as you may by now have guessed –yes – the Amazon is burning…Again – and sadly – corporate mass media theworld over has not found this news worthy. Whyshould they? Britney Spears little demons and firesof her own, are they not more interesting to reportad nauseam? Yeah sure – let us keep the massesamused, after all the more the “whatitz name zone”,burns the more land is then “freed” for hamburgersfor the masses to eat….Here is a simple idea: perhaps we could renameit Hamzone – this way not only can the fires burnbut mass media could make a reality show out of ittoo, sponsored by all the mindless consumers whosestomach burns too…burp!According to the UK’s Independent articledated 5 October 2007, by Daniel Howden and JulesSteven, quote:Vast areas of Brazil and Paraguay and muchof Bolivia are choking under thick layers of smokeas fires rage out of control in the Amazon rainforest,forcing the cancellation of flights.(…) RobertoSmeraldi, head of Friends of the Earth Brazil, saidthe situation was out of control: “We have a strongconcentration of fires, corresponding to more than10,000 points of fire across a large area of about twomillion sq km in the southern Brazilian Amazon andBolivia.”Each year at the end of the dry season, in anticipationof the first winter rains, farmers and cattleranchers throughout South America set fires to“renovate” pasture land. (…) Mr Smeraldi was clearon who was to blame for this year’s fires: “They aremainly, I would say more than 90 per cent, the resultof expanding cattle ranching.” The first rains havearrived but they are weaker than usual in most areasand have been useless against the fires. Unquote.We definitely live in a world of disconnect fromour Mother Planet – in fact most of humanity is sodisconnected we may just as well be living in anotherplanet or parallel universe all together.As I sit here to write this second of the series ofarticles dedicated to the four elements, I can nothelp but think that the fires that devastated Greecethis Summer, parts of France and Portugal, as wellas those of California, Australia, South Africa, etc.were just little steps by mother nature in her danceof hallucination that has now reached the beautyand vastness of the Amazon in this massive reportedscale.Have you ever watched someone a bit tipsy, andthe ways they move their limbs about? There youhave it - a nice and simple image to understand thatfire is what drives those movements. Now you willunderstand the full fire dance - the one where thebody is out of sync all together as it twirls aroundand moves in states somewhat compared to thoseof alternating spasmodic-hallucinating moves withthose slower flyer-drifting ones we rather associatewith zombies.Such is the state of our beloved Mother Earth –she is now dancing – or playing if you prefer her firewith fire - in one of the most important places of herbody.On the good news front though, we mustacknowledge that the people of Indonesia, whosedance with fire went on unabated for years in theirancient ex-forests, have recently announced thatthey will be planting 79 million trees in one singleday, 28 November 2007, ahead a major UN climatechange meeting later this year.Mother Earth will surely smile upon them andthe spirits of the Devas and Elementals will return asthey always do – filled with love and compassion forus humans - to assist with growth and nurturing ofthe green underworld upon which our own survivaldepends – not just as food but most importantly asAir.But that will be the next element I will writeabout.Till then, again I ask you:Plant trees, plants, flowers, walk upon the bodyof our beloved Mother Planet with love and reverence,expressing as you go along the gratitude youcan master for the blessings and the bounty of hergifts, gifts we no longer can or should continue totake for granted.And yes – do not forget to tell her of your love –consume less, eat less meat, inflict no harm, do whatyou can, make a difference…otherwise how else canshe chose to heal and be whole again? You are a childof the Earth and our Mother needs our help now!Biophile Issue 1961

Books to change your lifeAurelia Louise JonesThe Seven Sacred FlamesThe book contains seven chapters, onechapter for each one of the seven mainsacred flames. It ends with a section offeringinvocations to each one of the rays. This istruly the book humanity has been waitingfor to manifest a major quantum leap inpeople s evolution. The concept of this bookwas first conceived in the Light Realm bythe Masters of Wisdom over 50 years ago. Itcontains Pearls of Wisdom and Knowledgethat will assist those seeking to attain Christconsciousness and Ascension.About the AuthorAurelia Louise Jones was born in Montrealin a French Canadian family in the early 40s.She graduated as a nurse in the early partof her working career, and also worked as aSpiritual and Health Counselor most of heradult life, as a naturopath and a homeopath,using several holistic modalities. Aureliamoved to the USA in 1989. Under the sponsorshipof the Brotherhood of Light and theorder of Melchizedek, she was ordained asa minister in 1998, and has been devotingmuch of her time to the spiritual ministryever since. She is also a spiritual teacherof higher consciousness principles leadingto Ascension Realization. While livingin Montana in 1997, she received directguidance from Adama and the LemurianCouncil of Light of Telos to move to MountShasta to be prepared for a mission withthem that eventually would become themajor aspect of her life s work. She movedto Mount Shasta one year later in June 1998.She is now the founder and owner of MountShasta Light Publishing and The LemurianConnection Newsletter and Work.Hardcover: 280 pagesPublisher: Mount Shasta Light Publishing(June 27, 2007)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0970090285ISBN-13: 978-0970090287Gabriel Cousens, M.D.Rainbow Green Live-Food CuisineMedical researchers have found that ahigh-fat, high-sugar diet, combined withenvironmental pollutants and stress, canlead to a buildup of toxins in the bodycollectively known as chronic degenerativedisease. Here holistic physician GabrielCousens provides a dietary regimenthat may help reverse this process byintroducing whole, natural, organic, andraw foods into the diet. These restorative“live” foods can reverse chronic diseaseand bring back health and vitality. Thiseclectic cookbook shares 250 deliciousvegan recipes from chefs at the Tree ofLife Cafe. Dishes include Avocado Saladwith Rosemary, Green Dragon Broccoli,Raw-violis, Lavender Milk, and CarobCoconut Cream Eclairs. Internationalentrees, juices, and aromatherapeuticremedies are also featured.About the AuthorDr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. is an internationallycelebrated spiritual teacher,author, lecturer, world peace-worker, andphysician of the soul. He is the world’sforemost physician promoting live-foodnutrition for physical health and spiritualgrowth. He received his M.D. degreefrom Columbia Medical School in 1969,and completed his psychiatry residencyin 1973. As a leading researcher andpractitioner in the field of rejuvenation,he specializes in the healing of manychronic degenerative diseases. To thehealing process he also brings experienceas a homeopathic physician (M.D. (H)),Diplomate in Ayurveda, family therapist,and live-food nutritionistDr. Cousens founded and directs theTree of Life Foundation, Tree of LifeRejuvenation Center, and Tree of LifeHealth Practice in Patagonia, Arizona.He is a frequent guest on popular radiotalk shows, and has published articles inhealth journals and popular magazineson a number of health, nutrition, andsocial topics. Visit his website at www.treeoflife.nuPaperback: 568 pagesPublisher: North Atlantic Books (August22, 2003)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 1556434650ISBN-13: 978-155643465562 Biophile Issue 19

Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.Women Who Run With The WolvesFolklore, fairy tales and dream symbols arecalled on to help restore women’s neglectedintuitive and instinctive abilities in thisearthy first book by a Jungian analyst.According to Estes, wolves and women sharea psychic bond in their fierceness, grace anddevotion to mate and community. This comparisondefines the archetype of the WildWoman, a female in touch with her primitiveside and able to rely on gut feelings tomake choices. The tales here, from variouscultures, are not necessarily about wolves;instead, they illuminate fresh perspectiveson relationships, self-image, even addiction.An African tale of twins who baffle a manrepresents the dual nature of woman; fromthe Middle East, a story about a threadbarebut secretly magic carpet shows society’sfailure to look beyond appearances. Threebrief, ribald stories advocate a playful, opensexuality; other examples suggest waysto deal with anger and jealousy. At times,Estes’s commentary--in which she urgesreaders to draw upon and enjoy their WildWoman aspects--is hyperbolic, but overallher widely researched study offers usableadvice for modern women.Reader ReviewSince this book was first published in 1992,I have made it my New Year’s resolution tore-read Women Who Run with the Wolvesevery year. I have given more copies of thisbook away than I can remember - and I amthrilled to do so. I begin again in 2006 forthe 15th full reading (thoughI pick a page throughout theyear to journal with and‘wake me up’.)To begin the wondrous journeyof discovery to my wildand intutive self is a gift anda new journey to uncoveringthe jewel within. New depthsof power are accessed withevery reading and I am bathedin feminine myth and mystery.This book has inspired me todesign, write, accomplish andaccept fulfillment at so manylevels. Please read this book.Women Who Run with theWolves is a MUST tool for everyfemale. It’s a treasure.Elaine Maginn Sonne, PhD,Author Legends of the Stones.Paperback: 608 pagesPublisher: Ballantine Books (November27, 1996)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0345409876ISBN-13: 978-0345409874TO PURCHASE A COPY:Please emailpatriciaglyn@wol.co.zaor phone Patricia on082 881 8550Footing with Sir Richard’s GhostIn 1863, English gentlemen Sir Richard GeorgeGlyn and his brother Robert came to Africa,lured to the continent by its big game and theastounding cascade that David Livingstone hadrecently ‘discovered’ and named The VictoriaFalls.The brothers set off from Durban and, despiteterrible trials, reached the Falls four and a halfmonths later, becoming the fourth foreign partyto do so. The men came close to dying of thirst,they got lost in the cruel Kalahari, they facedmutiny and abandonment by their staff, andthey had close encounters with some of Africa’smost dangerous animals.Richard kept a diary about their extraordinaryodyssey, a journal which inspired his and Robert’sgreat-great-grand niece, Patricia Glyn, toshadow their expedition in 2005. But unlike herancestors, Patricia did the journey entirely onfoot. Accompanied by her little African dog, Tapiwa,this remarkable woman walked nearly 2 200kilometres, following her forebears’ route alongthe 19th-century wagon trails that once snakedalong the great rivers of the sub-continent.Trudging through deep desert sand, battlingthrough thick thornveld and walking unarmedin Big Five territory, she met Africa’s graciousrural people, consorted with Zimbabwe’s notorious‘war veterans’ and sought out the descendantsof the people who had helped Richard andRobert through their most trying times.Keeping strictly to the timetable set by Richard,she moved when his wagons moved, andstopped when they did — reaching the Falls onexactly the same day as her ancestors had, 142years before her. This is the story of two braveadventures told through two illuminating, interwovendiaries.This is a gripping read from beginning to end. It is beautifully written, and had me both rocking with laughterand with tears. It is a remarkable story, written by a remarkable woman. Patricia journey’s along the same routetaken by her intrepid ancestor Sir Richard Glyn. The revelations are astounding as we are made to realise thedevastation our modern detached ways of living are having on the environment, and the cruelty animals have tosuffer in the name of commerce, culture and habit is clearly brought to light. AntheaBiophile Issue 1963

Mars turned retrograde in the middle of Novemberand continues in an apparent backwardsmovement until the end of January 2008. It is notuntil the end of March that Mars moves out of theshadows of the position he previously occupied, soApril is the first time Mars has freedom of movementagain. When the planet that deals with fightor flight is moving in an uncomfortable mannerand in Cancer, a sign that he is not comfortable in,we can expect some interesting ways to expressdissatisfaction and aggression.Disagreements can be dealt with, with floodsof tears and emotional knee jerk reactions, passiveaggression, or flight, just simply running away.Issues that should be dealt with directly may betackled with crab style tactics - two steps forward,retreat, move to the side, then advance.This is not a time to initiate new projects,rather reflect back on existing activities that mayrequire some attention or adjustment beforeproceeding, or complete unfinished business fromthe past. During this time that Mars is retrograde,any time, effort or energy spent on the home andfamily will be time well spent. This is a good timeto get on top of that list of repairs and chores thatneed to be attended to around the home.New Moon 9th DecemberThe new moon on the evening of the 9thDecember starts off indicating a positive timewith some good cheer, good tidings and appearsencouraging, but the momentary benevolence isnot sustained throughout the festive period andthe tone changes by the full moon on Xmas eve.At the beginning of the last month of the year,there is enough optimism around to look for thesilver lining in any clouds that appear. Thereis enough mutable energy to assist with cooperation,negotiation and flexibility when facingdisruptions to carefully planned and structuredroutines, or difficult people. There will be moregoodwill among men now than later in the month.This is the time to take advantage of thisgeneral time of benevolence before the energyshifts. For those who were planning to celebrateXmas, do not leave everything, or for that matteranything, till the last minute. This year, more thanever, is the time to shop and plan early.The new moon falls in a pleasant alignmentof no less than 5 planets in positive, optimisticSagittarius. This is really great where one hasan open and compassionate heart but is a recipefor disaster if one hits the shopping malls with acredit card with a limit that is seen as a target, andwithout the means to clear the balance come duedate. Boundaries or a little bit of discipline wouldbe useful.Pluto and Jupiter meet in this alignment beforethey both move into Capricorn and this can bringabout the greatest expansion, extraordinary powerCosmicDirectionsand ability to achieve success. This powerful combinationneeds to be utilised with great caution,as like with any hugely powerful energy, it can bemisused. People who have their birthdays aroundthe time of the winter and summer solstices will bepersonally involved.Xmas Eve Full MoonBernadette Medderof Cosmic DirectionsConsultant and Teachersince 1993021 794 4150 orcosmicdirections@icon.co.zaMarsRetrogradeThe heavenly patterns for this Xmas period aredifficult. The sky map shows a clear oppositionin the sky, a division between them and us. Onthe one side we have the very feminine full moonsitting right next to the warrior planet, Mars, bothin the sensitive, home and family oriented sign ofCancer.On the other side we have the masculine Sun,Mercury and Jupiter at the beginning of Capricornclose to Pluto in the last degrees of Sagittarius, theonly planet more warlike than Mars. This is a patternfor strong disagreements.If we take this pattern and bring it down toearth, this is the time when there could be ructionsbetween any opposing parties, and a time whendifferences of opinion become more visible andheated.If we bring this closer to home, we may wellfind this energy around the festive family table,so we can be assured of more than an interestingtime. This is a time of power plays and short fuses,the battle of wills, and opposing views. Unlessdue caution is taken to avoid the pitfalls, it can bean explosive and destructive time. It will take amature and compassionate approach to be able towork with this.This continues way into the New Year and ifwe look at the world at large we will be aware ofextreme power struggles globally. This can includeacts of ruthlessness and even violence.Crunch time!As with all opposition planetary patterns,issues of projection are often involved. Sinceanger is a quality very few like to own, nowhereis projection more apparent. This is a good timeto acknowledge anger issues and own them, andwhile it may be a good idea not to sweat the smallstuff, fight for things of value and relevance.2008If the New Year is the best time to initiate thoseNew Year resolutions, then the new moon in theearly hours of the new day on the 8th January isthe time to reinforce them. We are still workingsynchronistically with a very powerful andpower driven energy, so be careful what you wantbecause you may get it.The year starts with a Libran Moon the signthat symbolizes the desire for harmony. It is in adreamy and idealistic position, but 8 days laterat the time of the new moon we will be facing thereality. The Karmic nodes of the Moon move intothe Aquarius, Leo axis and change from flexible tostubborn.This means that we can expect some action andactivity as opposing forces become less negotiableand more obstinate. By the time of the full Moonin the afternoon of the 22nd of January, Venus willbe getting up close and personal with Pluto, butopposing Mars. While there is a possibility thatVenus may soften the sky’s greatest warrior, weshould not forget that this same very feminineenergy was actually the initiator and cause of theTrojan War. So be wary of a modern version of theconsequences of golden apples!However you spend this holiday season, mayyou find peace in your heart, a song on your lips,and embrace 2008 with all the happiness and hopethat a new birth brings.64 Biophile Issue 19