Growing Power

Many of our health woes, including obesity, cancer, heart health, diabetes, and emotional distress, stem from what we eat. Processed foods are full of chemicals and hormones. Even if they started out as living organisms, they are a far cry from that once they hit your dinner table. How can you ensure that the foods you eat are locally-grown, organic, and disease/chemical-free? GROW IT YOURSELF! Really? Absolutely! I am re-posting a blog by Dr. Alim Muhammad who is completing a course in Commercial Urban Agriculture at Will Allen's Growing Power (http://www.growingpower.org) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Enjoy!

Growing Power Graduation
(Re-posted from "Life Abundantly" at http://lifeabundantly-alim.blogspot.com/2010/05/growing-power-graduation.html

I can't wait for next week to get here. Why? It is the graduation of the 5 month course in Commercial Urban Agriculture given by Will Allen's Growing Power (http://www.growingpower.org/) in Milwaukee. It started in January the day after a blizzard dropped 16 inches of snow and the temperature hovered around 10 degrees. I walked into an almost tropical Growing Power 'hoop house' heated solely by 4 compost piles in the corners and more around the sides. I felt I had walked into the Garden of Eden! Lush green plants hanging every where, the gurgling of water through fish tanks and the rich deep smell of black soil, that I later learned by produced by Will and his worms from the mountains of compost at the site. And I do mean mountains - up to 20 feet high!

Over these 5 months we have learned all about composting, vermiculture, mushrooms, aqua-ponics, laying in raised beds, hoop house construction, bee keeping, marketing and back to composting, composting, composting. This has been the most highly structured unstructured educational program I have ever encountered. Will and his staff are completely knowledgeable on every subject, enthusiastic and definitely hands-on. They are constantly busy, doing what has to been done to care for the plants, to take care of the customer accounts, and the animals on the urban farm site in the middle of Milwaukee. Will Allen has written and spoken extensively about the food crisis in this country, but most importantly, he has acted - acted in a consistent way for a long enough time that he is now getting the recognition that he so richly deserves. He has recently been featured in Jet Magazine and selected as one of America's Most Influential People by Time Magazine. But the attention is not to feed his ego, but rather to feed hungry people who are trying to survive in the middle of all these 'food deserts' as Will calls the urban blight areas across the country where there is no real food for people to eat. How can they keep healthy like that, work and be productive, how can they have creative minds and do well academically?

So as Bro John Muhammad and I prepare for our graduation, we know that this is just the beginning of the "Food Revolution". My personal goal: 100 hoop houses built all over the country in the next 2 years! Is that achievable? You bet, especially if you help. You should get involved now. Learn all about hoop house agriculture. Build a hoop house and start growing your own food. Find out all about it by clicking on the Growing Power web site. Get started now.http://www.growingpower.org/

Believe it or not, you can get started on your porch, patio, or in your own back yard. The green house pictured above can be found at http://www.hoophouse.com.)

Be good to yourself! More next time...

Reflections

"Friends...how many of us have them?"
"One love...you're lucky just to have just one."

Today I want to share some thoughts about life, love, family, friends, and our duty to ourselves and others. Thanks to RVT, MJ, AW, LCA, GM, RAJ, RDJ, and DHG for being an inspiration to me. I love you all!

If you pay attention to the role that someone plays in your life when you experience a trial, it will be crystal clear who your real friends are.

If you expect greatness for yourself, you will inspire greatness in others.

One of the most selfless acts that you can perform is to encourage someone else to be better, especially when they don't believe that they can.

Love is as love does.

Strive to be a good example--you never know who is watching.

Spend time with those who want more for you than they need from you.

Prioritize the children in your lives.

Stay present in the moment and your future will flash before your very eyes.

Be grateful.

Being alone and being lonely are not the same thing. A lonely person has lost touch with himself and God.

Embrace those who remind you of your duty. Don't hesitate to remind others of theirs. You are your brother's keeper.

You can say a lot with a look, a hug, a kiss, or a smile. Mean what you say.

Be honest with yourself and others.

Focus on the lessons that you learn through mistakes and adversity. This will make them easier to share with others, free yourself from guilt, and empower someone else. That is kind of the point, after all.

If you're going to do it, do it right, all the way. Otherwise you haven't done it.

Be good to yourself! More next time...

Deadly Flu and Detoxing by Dr. Roni

Dr. Roni DeLuz, a naturopathic doctor, registered nurse, and owner of the Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat, offers the following insights and tips on prevention as a deterrent to disease.

The facts

"The swine flu epidemic that stroked Mexico a few months ago has become a serious public health threat both in United Sates and the rest of the world. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) there have been 300,000 laboratory confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus and almost 4000 deaths worldwide. Since this virus has been proven to be a mutation, the fear is that other mutations are still possible. Therefore, people and governments are taking all necessary measures to fight the virus and limit its damaging effects. Now we know that the 2009 strain of influenza is not really the swine flu as it was called in the beginning (April 09). It is rather a complex mutative arrangement between the swine flu, avian flu, bird flu and the human flu. This is the reason why it is being called a quadruple virus."

Prevention is the Key

"I think that the most beneficial action should be prevention. An active prevention plan boosts the immune system and renders the human organism more resistant, much less vulnerable to the H1N1 virus even when this microorganism, like all influenza viruses, chooses to shift and change. When the flu germs change and the fact that it is so versatile is what makes it such that medications like amantadine, oseltamvir, zanamivir, Tamiflu and Relenza, have no real beneficial effect in many patients. Pandemrix, the new vaccine, is highly toxic and is not expected to curb the ongoing pandemic. Prevention begins with a proper environment, proper nutrition such as “Maximum Nutrition in Small Doses’ with regular sessions of detoxification. We have a New York Times Bestseller out: 21 pounds in 21 days: The Martha’s Vineyard Diet Detox which helps all persons to detox and begin to nourish the body at the same time, We should also create around us a clean environment, emphasis on personal hygiene, less chemicals on our body, and all elements of the so-called universal precaution, including frequent hand washing."

Good Nutrition fights the flu

"Detoxification is a naturalistic process thru which we stimulate our liver, kidney, colon and lymph to get rid of toxic material and leave the body clean and healthy. We do this by eliminating toxic food and replacing with high quality supplements. The value of vitamins and other supplements is dominant in the multiple defense system we should build against H1N1. Vitamins A, C, D and zinc play a determinant role in making our body ready to face the flu virus. Equinacea is even more beneficial. Some of the best antiviral herbs include garlic, oregano, astragalus, schizandra, pycnogenol, mullein, elderberry, green tea, and licorice. Green drinks, Antioxidant drinks with Grape seed, blue berry, bilberry, broccoli, etc. are potent remedies against the swine flu. N-Acetyl cysteine has been used for several years as a good line of defense in every flu outbreak. Now its properties should be emphasized even more."

Read the entire article: http://mvdietdetox.com/archives/149

Be good to yourself! More next time...

Wyclef Jean's Haiti Relief Effort

Help Haiti Today

This could be any one of us or all of us. Do something for your fellow man today. Enough said.