If you are my friend, you know that I credit of the remarkable turnaround of my health, which kept me bedridden for over eight years, to nutritional cleansing. I am on a mission. I believe that everyone who is living, breathing, and eating in this world should be cleansing. The reason? We are so bombarded by toxic elements in our environment, food and air that we have opened ourselves up to all sorts of diseases and cancers.
I hope that all I know and love will view this video .... I think it is one of the most important videos I have ever seen. Please watch because I love you.
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About Me
- Donna H - LCG Queen
- Former teacher, clinical social worker and now entrepreneur. My focus, no matter what career I am engaged in, has been on helping people. Now I am on an incredible journey to change life in a leaner, cleaner, greener way. I hope you will join me in this transition.
Showing posts with label cleanse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleanse. Show all posts
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Suzanne Somers Discusses Toxins with Peg Moline
After Suzanne Somers went through her bout with Cancer, she decided to educate herself and others about cancer and healthy living. In this discussion with Peg Moline, the editor-in-chief of Natural Health Magazine, they talk about how we are bombarded by thousands of toxins where you might least expect to find them!
If you would like to learn more about our nutritionally dense Cleanse for Life, contact me at:
or visit our web site:
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
University Study Finds Isagenix Superior to Leading “Heart Healthy” Diet
September 20, 2012 IsagenixHealth.net
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| Dr. Krista Varaday University of Illinois Chicago College of Applied Sciences |
Dr. Krista Varady discusses clinical research on Isagenix products.
The highly anticipated results are in—Isagenix products are superior to a leading “heart healthy” dietary plan for weight loss and visceral fat loss. The manuscript has been submitted to two peer-reviewed journals and is still under review; however, you can read more details about the study on our clinical research summary and marketing flyer.
Krista Varady, Ph.D., the lead investigator of the study, is a prolific researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Applied Sciences with more than 30 peer-reviewed research publications. She has a Ph.D. in nutrition from McGill University—one of the top universities in Canada. Dr. Varady has devoted much of her time to investigating the ability of weight-management strategies to decrease cardiovascular disease risk and is one of the pioneers in research on alternate-day and intermittent fasting.
Dr. Varady’s research was presented in August at the 10th annual Isagenix Celebration in Phoenix. Eager to share the exciting results, Dr. Varady answered questions from Isagenix Chief Science Officer Suk Cho, Ph.D.:
Q: What did you think when you tried Isagenix?
A: I always try things before I make my subjects do it. I used Isagenix for three weeks in January before we began the study. I didn’t want to lose a ton of weight, but I did want to see if I could lose a few pounds with it. The easy of use was great—no dishes at breakfast or lunch; you didn’t even need to have milk at home. I went out and bought a few shake products to compare it to and I’m not sure what you guys do, but the consistency is like a smoothie. The other shakes were clumpy and it made them less appealing.
Q: What else impressed you about Isagenix products?
A: I was impressed by the Cleanse Day and the high-protein IsaLean® Shake. All the ingredients actually seemed wholesome. I had thought the shake would be a high-sugar beverage, but I found it to be really nutritionally complete.
Q: What attracted you to collaborate with Isagenix on research using their products?
A: The main thing was that Isagenix incorporates fasting while on Cleanse Days. I find that really novel. If you look at other meal-replacement diets, they never really incorporate fasting or cleansing. Usually it is a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch, but they don’t use all the other products Isagenix uses. I like that it is a multifaceted approach. You are also using supplements that may provide metabolic benefit and protect against free radicals—I thought that was really neat too, but the main thing was that there was a Cleanse Day every week because I am really interested in fasting research.
Q: What can you tell us about the study’s results?
A: Our main finding was that weight loss was actually greater in the Isagenix group. On average they lost 3.9 kg, so that works out to be around 9 pounds or so. Obviously, some lost more and some less, but the Isagenix group lost 3 pounds more on average than the other diet. We also saw those changes with fat mass. With Isagenix, we saw slightly greater reductions (although not significant) in fat mass. Neither group lost a significant amount of lean mass, which is great because you want to maintain your muscle mass to keep your metabolic rate higher and that allows you to burn more calories per hour.
Q: What are the results for visceral fat (fat that surrounds the organs)?
A: Even though it wasn’t statistically significant between groups, we found that there was a much greater reduction in visceral fat in the Isagenix group—about twice as much. They lost 0.7 kg, about 2 pounds. I find that amazing—they lost 2 pounds around their organs—that’s a lot!
Q: What other part of this study’s results do you find most exciting or intriguing?
A: What I found most intriguing at first was the adherence of the Isagenix group; they seemed to adhere better because of the convenience factor of the Isagenix system. Also, the Isagenix group lost more weight and more fat (especially visceral fat); and the blood chemistry looked wonderful.
Q: What other personal observations have you made about the Isagenix products and how they affect subjects?
A: Isagenix people just seemed happier. Also, the satiety (or fullness) aspect; people didn’t feel motivated to binge after a shake or cheat on the diet because they really did find those shakes quite filling, so I was pretty impressed with that. That is the main reason that I am even testing out these diets—to find diets that people will actually do and adhere to over the long term. They liked the taste of the shake and just in terms of the easiness too, they said small things like “there were less dishes to wash” and “for breakfast all you really have to do is keep the blender clean, there’s not that much prep involved and it is a portable system.” But those are actually really important things—if a diet is hard to do, people aren’t going to do it for very long. So making it easy, making it easy to clean up after—all those things add up for long term weight loss.
Q: You had some products left over after the study and people asked you for them, right?
A: Yeah, I had 3 boxes left of the shakes and I have never seen women diving in there, fighting with each other. They were all over each other. Those were gone pretty quickly after we opened them up!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Benefits of Body Brushing
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| Image from terawarner.com |
Your skin is your largest single organ within your body, and the one responsible for removing about a quarter of the toxins from your body daily. Because of this, it is the most important of all of your waste elimination organs!
The History of Dry Brushing:
In her article entitled “The Key Benefits of Dry Brushing and How to Do It,” Vanessa O’Neill explains that dry brushing is an ancient technique and aids the skin in the process of releasing and removing toxins from your body. Many cultures have historically practiced dry brushing. For example, the Japanese have traditionally used the dry brush techniques (or loofah) to vigorously brush their skin prior to taking a hot bath. In our own country, Comanche Indians traditionally used river sand to scrub their skin, and Cherokee Indians used dry corn cobs in order to enhance the strength and beauty of the skin.
Benefits of Dry Brushing:
There are many benefits of dry skin brushing. Dry skin brushing works to exfoliate dead skin cells, aids in stimulating circulation, assists the lymphatic system in removing toxins from the body, and promotes healthy, glowing skin. It is probably one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of promoting overall health and beauty available.
1. Dry brushing cleans the lymphatic system. The lymph system is an important part of our immune system because detoxification starts here. This system is made up of white blood cells (called lymphocytes) and interstitial fluid. The combination of the blood cells and interstitial fluid bathes our cells, removes cell waste and delivers nutrients to the cells.
2. Dry brushing strengthens the immune system. Dry skin brushing may reduce the duration of infections and accelerate the clearing of toxins. One example of the benefit is that the brushing helps support the immune system during cancer and other chronic illness treatments. By stimulating the lymph vessels to drain toxic mucoid matter into organs of detoxification we can purify the entire system. After several days of dry brushing, sometimes you may notice a gelatinous mucoid material in your stools. This is a normal sign that the intestinal tract is renewing itself.
3. Dry brushing stimulates the hormone and oil glands, which helps all of our body systems perform at peak efficiency. The skin is your body's largest organ. If your skin is not properly taken care of the process of eliminating toxins from your system fall on your kidneys. Daily brushing before you bathe or shower will keep your skin clean and rejuvenated. This daily routine allows blood to flow to the skin surface making it easier for the toxins to escape.
4. Dry Brushing tightens the skin by increasing the flow of blood. Believe it or not, dry skin is a sign of detoxification. With daily brushing, you are removing dead skin cells and revitalizing the skin and improving the skin texture and cell renewal. This process moves toxins and lessens the appearance of cellulite. Our bodies make a new top layer of skin every 24 hours. Skin brushing removes the old top layer, allowing the clean new layer to come to the surface, resulting in softer, smoother skin.
5. Dry Brushing tones the muscles. Hate doing free weights but still want to tone those muscles? Dry skin brushing helps to tone muscles by stimulating the nerve endings which causes the individual muscle fibers to activate and move. Brushing also helps mobilize fat and helps to even out the distribution of fat deposits.
6. Dry brushing stimulates circulation. I mentioned that brushing helps stimulate blood circulation earlier in this post, but did you know that your skin actually breathes? For most people, their pores are so clogged with dead skin cells and un-removed waste (which was excreted through perspiration), the toxins are unable to eliminate your body’s metabolic wastes. The increased blood flow to your skin will increase electromagnetic energy and you will feel more energized and invigorated.
7. Helps digestion. Dry skin brushing helps your skin to absorb nutrients by eliminating clogged pores. Healthy, breathing skin contributes to overall body health. When you brush, the pores of your skin open allowing your skin to absorb nutrients and eliminate toxins. Healthy, breathing skin contributes to overall body health.
How to Choose the Right Brush:
When choosing a body brush for dry skin brushing, you will want to choose a natural bristle brush because synthetic bristles can actually produce toxins themselves. Body brushes generally come in two different styles – ones that fit in the palm of your hands and ones with a handle on them. Sometimes you can find a palm brush that includes a handle to extend it. Body brushes with handles work well on the back of your body, but may be a little difficult to use in close in areas such as your feet. Choose the stiffest bristles you can stand. The stiffer the bristles are on your body brush, the better as you will be able to generate more lymphatic system stimulation. If your skin is really delicate currently, you may have to work your way up to a stiffer brush over time. Cactus body brushes are excellent for this technique and aids in stimulating circulation, assists the lymphatic system in removing toxins from the body, and promotes healthy, glowing skin. It is probably one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of promoting overall health available.
Dry Skin Brushing Technique:
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| Image from veggienook.com |
1. Always use brush strokes inward and upward toward your heart. Brushing towards the heart facilitates detoxification, while brushing away from the heart can adversely affect circulation in the blood vessels and lymph system.
2. Start with the bottom of your feet first. Acupuncturists tell us that the nerves in the soles of our feet are connected to every other area of your body. Include clockwise and counterclockwise strokes on the bottoms of your feet.
3. Move up from the feet to the legs, brushing up your torso. Start at the fingertips and move inwards towards your heart. When brushing the sensitive areas like your breast and neck, begin with gentle strokes and work up to stronger strokes as you become more accustomed to dry brushing. Use several clockwise strokes on the stomach, both sides of the chest, and your arm pits. Then repeat these areas with counterclockwise motions. You can also brush in a circular motion on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet. Concentrate on areas which suffer from dryness or cellulite, but avoid areas of broken skin or rashes.
Tips:
■Its best to sit or stand on a towel or in your tub to collect any dead skin from exfoliation.
■Do not wet yourself or the brush – this will stretch your skin and you will not get the same benefit.
■Wash your body brush after use to every few weeks and allow it to dry completely before using again.
■It is generally recommended to use dry brushing once or twice a day.
You can experiment to find a method of brushing that is comfortable to you
So now you know the facts. Keep up your dry brushing and you will assist your body in its detoxifying process, increase your circulation, and increase the natural beauty of your skin. Skin brushing is also notorious for increasing your energy level because of these effects.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Why You Should Take an Epsom Salt Bath
I was reading some cleansing tips and one of the suggestions was to take Epsom salt baths. I had heard that Epsom salts were great for soaks when you sprain and ankle, but I began to wonder how they helped in the detoxing process.
According to the Epsom Salt Council, Epsom salts contain sulfates and the sulfates help to flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells. .
Our skin is a very porous membrane. If you add the right minerals to your bathwater, they trigger a process called reverse osmosis, which actually pulls salt out of your body, and harmful toxins along with it.
But how does it work? Imagine your body as a party with lots of people -- both those who were invited and those who weren't. When the party's over, usually at least some of those uninvited partygoers are still sticking around. It's late, and you're trying to figure out how to politely send them on their way. When you take an Epsom salt bath, those "uninvited" pollutants are told to leave your body. That message is delivered by none other than magnesium sulfate.
A little more about Magnesium Sulfate: Magnesium helps keep your bodily functions running smoothly, including some of the pathways that lead toxins right out of your body. Sulfate helps to strengthen the walls of your digestive tract so that it's easier to release toxins. As a compound, magnesium sulfate also raises the amount of digestive enzymes in the pancreas.
Epsom Salt Baths: If you're ready for an Epsom salt bath, consider your tub size and water depth before you begin pouring in the salt. More salt isn't necessarily better. The Epsom Salt Council suggests that a common formula is to add a cup or two (about 0.25 or 0.5 liters) of Epsom salt to warm water in a standard-size bathtub. If your bathtub is bigger or smaller than most, you may want to adjust the amount of Epsom salt you add.
The water you use in an Epsom salt bath -- and any bath, for that matter -- should be warm, not hot. Warm or tepid water is best for your skin because it doesn't strip away as much protective oil, and it helps to dissolve the Epsom salt. Before you climb into the bath, make sure that all of the salt has dissolved so that it can be more easily absorbed into your skin. Any salt that hasn't dissolved in the water may dry on your skin as an opaque white powder. If you see this residue on your skin after the bath, don't worry; excess salt should be harmless and is easily rinsed off.
The Epsom Salt Council recommends soaking in an Epsom salt bath for about 15 minutes up to three times per week.
Cautions and Contraindications: Despite the benefits, Epsom salt baths generally aren't recommended for people who have conditions such as heart problems, high blood pressure or diabetes. If you aren't sure whether an Epsom salt bath is safe for you, consult your doctor first.
Now … take some pamper time for yourself, draw a warm bath, swirl in some Epson salts, light some candles …. And relax!!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Why is it important to drink at least six 8-ounce glasses of water every day?
You have probably heard these water facts before, but I think it is important to add them again: Water is vital for good health and a long life. In fact, our bodies are made up of about 60 - 70% water. Although you can live for days without food, your survival depends on drinking water. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions.
Here are some of the benefits of drinking an adequate amount of water each day:
• Your body needs to stay hydrated. If you become dehydrated your body can’t carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and give you a feeling of fatigue.
• Your body temperature is regulated. Drinking water reduces cardiovascular stress and improves performance. This is particularly important if you work out, jog, or work strenuously. And water reduces body temperature, making the exercise and other activities safer and more effective.
• Your skin looks more youthful and healthier. Water hydrates and irrigates impurities from the skin, keeping it healthy and glowing. It is almost like cleaning your skin from the inside.
• Helps your body absorb nutrients. Water transports essential nutrients, minerals, vitamins, proteins and sugars through your body for assimilation.
• Water helps flushes wastes and toxins from your body. Water aids in circulating and excreting waste products and cleansing the interstitial tissues, helping us to flush toxins out of your system. Your body can process and eliminate some of the chemicals that enter it, but the rest get stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys, fat cells, intestines, blood stream, and skin. Without enough fluids to flush out your system, these accumulated toxins in your body will slow down your organ function, possibly causing premature aging or resulting in chronic illness.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Why Cleansing is Essential for Weight Loss
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I read this article on Suite101.com. It explains why I have been able to lose 100 pounds with my cleansing program. Those who know me know that I had all the odds stacked against me when it came to losing weight. I think I finally tapped into the secret, and this article explains what that secret is!! |
| Phoenix Rising |
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Storage of Toxins in the Liver and Fat Tissue May Hinder Weight Loss By Victoria Anisman-Reiner, Suite 101.com
Toxic build-up can be the cause of weight gain and may interfere with conventional weight loss efforts. Cleansing draws out these toxins for a slimmer and healthier body.
If you haven't heard of cleansing, the concept may seem to contradict conventional approaches to weight loss. Cleansing approaches the body from a fundamentally different perspective than calorie-restricted diets. Instead of counting calories and eating less, a cleanse helps you to eat the right foods and supplements so your body can purge toxins and wastes that accumulate in organs (such as the liver) and in adipose tissue, or fat.
A New Paradigm for Weight Gain and Loss
The conventional understanding of weight gain and loss tell us that the body stores fat when it is fed excess calories, and breaks fat down for energy when food is scarce. According to this model, body weight is based on a person’s unique metabolic rate and how much they consume.
Holistic weight loss experts present an alternate model in which it is the chemical toxins in our food (pesticides, preservatives, MSG, artificial colors and flavorings, and artificial sweeteners)
Where Does the Human Body Store Toxins?
Our bodies are equipped with complex systems to drain toxins and metabolic wastes through the skin, kidneys, lungs, liver and colon. But with exposure to food additives, synthetic personal care products, and chemicals in our water and air, the human body can be overloaded with chemicals to detox.
Most of the toxic load which cannot be detoxified is stored in the liver (right at your midsection) or isolated from the body’s systems in additional adipose tissue, or fat.
Why Some Diets Work and Others Don’t
If weight gain is the body’s way of segregating toxins where they can’t harm the rest of your system, then it logically follows that a weight-loss diet that does not help the body to purge these stored toxins will only succeed temporarily.
Weight loss can’t last without some form of cleanse because the toxins that were stored in fat tissue circulate in the bloodstream and other systems of the body - causing headaches, fatigue, achiness, pain, dizziness, moodiness, and other withdrawal-type symptoms - until the body locks them away in new fat tissue.
For optimal functioning, the body wants to segregate whatever toxins it can’t remove - which is why people regain weight after most diets.
Cleansing For Healthy, Sustained Weight Loss
If you’re interested in clearing out the toxins polluting your body and achieving real, permanent weight loss, the following tips will help you in your next cleanse:
Stop eating or drinking diet products! “Diet” sodas, "sugar-free" snacks and most energy bars are loaded with artificial sweeteners and flavorings. In the long run, these only sabotage better health and a slimmer body.
Don’t eat white. White bread, white flour, and white sugar are bleached and heavily processed.
Likewise, stop eating artificial sweeteners. They may say "lo-cal," but they’re even worse for your health and weight than white sugar.
Don’t starve yourself. Starvation dieting only slows down metabolism.
Go organic. Non-organic fruits and vegetables (especially these worst offenders) only put more pesticides into your body.
Try adding more fresh lemons, uncooked virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, goji or wolfberries to your diet, all of which promote healthy weight loss and cleansing.
Replace refined sugars with healthier sweeteners like agave and stevia, which balance blood sugar levels, support the pancreas, and do not promote weight gain.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Isagenix Products are Verified as Genetically Modified Free
Concerned about the nature of the food you eat and whether or not it has been genetically modifed through biotechnology?
Isagenix appreciates the right of customers to make informed dietary choices with the knowledge of whether or not the foods they purchase and consume contain any genetically modified (GM) ingredient.
The company also recognizes that uncertainty can exist in the marketplace centered around the labeling of GM ingredients despite consumer protections provided by governments such as those of Australia and New Zealand. For these reasons, the company is providing confirmation about the matter of GM ingredients and whether or not they are in Isagenix products.
This statement serves the interest of consumers in all markets (Australia, New Zealand, U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) that Isagenix does not include any GM foods or ingredients in its products, nor does the company include any additives or processing aids in its products that contain any novel DNA or protein from a GM food.
In addition, Isagenix customers in Australia and New Zealand should be assured that all Isagenix products and their labels adhere to GM food labeling requirements and are in accordance with the Food Standards Code. All products can be claimed as “non-GM” or “GM free” in accordance with Australia and New Zealand regulations that prohibit representations about food that are false, misleading or deceptive.
The company ensures compliance to these standards through extensive manufacturing audits, raw material documentation, verification of origin and identification testing used in all of our products worldwide.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Why is it Important to Detox Your Body?
In our modern environment, pollution and food processing has increased our toxic load considerably. Humans have added thousands of new chemicals that pollute our air and water. These toxins can often end up in our foods, not just in plants, but concentrated in the animals that we eat. Food is also laden with chemicals in form of pesticides, processing agents and artificial ingredients.
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| Diagram from http://www.dustyducts.com/ |
Continual flow of pollutants into water sources increases our risk of exposure to toxins.
As our bodies are endlessly exposed to toxins, the toxins can overwhelm the body’s natural detoxification defenses. A slow accumulation of toxins in our bodies may eventually disturb our natural processes.
It only adds to our toxic load when—in an age where portion sizes have grown out of proportion—we eat a lot more food than ever before. Most of the foods available are designed, not to support us nutritionally, but to appeal to the power of our taste buds. Our busy schedules have also made processed foods all the more convenient, adding to the waistline-expanding potential of sedentary lifestyles, and putting further burden on our bodies.
Human Body
The human body has had to adapt over the generations to removing varying toxic loads. Our bodies come equipped with powerful protections in forms of detoxification or cleansing systems. They are found throughout the body: in the stomach, the intestine, the liver and the kidneys.
The liver is a primary detoxification organ, metabolizing thousands of different chemicals we’re exposed to daily. Much of what we eat must pass through our livers. As the liver breaks nutrients down, it also metabolizes toxic substances. In most cases, these toxins are cleared from the blood, then eliminated through bile or urine. At other times, they can become stored in fat.
In addition, each individual cell contains its own inherent protections from the daily stresses of simply living. These include powerful detoxification and antioxidant enzymes, which help maintain cellular integrity so that the cell may function appropriately.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Article: What's Holding Americans Back? by Gerald Celente
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| Picture from: thescienceblog.com |
The Pop-Tarts® and Egg McMuffins® washed down with Coke® for breakfast? The Baconator® Triple, The Whoppers®, The Big Macs®, the $5 Foot-Long Subs, the bucket-of-chicken and 32oz. Big Gulp®? Too many trips to the All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet or The Never Ending Pasta Bowl®? Or was it the Slurpees, tubs of ice cream, or boxes of donuts grabbed at the convenience store?
Could it have been the factory-farmed, battery-raised, hormone implanted, antibiotic-laced, pesticide sprayed, genetically modified beef, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy, vegetables, grains that were used in the highly processed, synthetic, ultra pasteurized, artificially sweetened, colored and flavored “product” passed off as food?
What drove a nation with a relatively well-off and well-educated population to inflict such suicidal behavior upon itself? It was easy to point to the poor for buying cheap and eating stupid. But what excused the smartest of the smart and the richest of the rich from buying cheap and eating stupid?
A case in point: celebrated for “powering his way through the day with a punishing Diet Coke regimen,” even Obama’s chief economic advisor – the always “brilliant” Larry Summers (who brilliantly jumped the sinking ship of state when his “brilliant” economic strategy to rescue America failed brilliantly) – was too stupid to eat smart.
A look around the cabinet, survey of Capital Hill, AMA, ABA, PTA or pow wow of American Indian chiefs proved he was not alone. America had become one big “Mike & Molly” sitcom. Yet, even though just about everybody knew better, just about everybody made the same excuse for abusing the body and deadening the mind: it was cheap and/or it was convenient.
Sure, money was tight and time was precious, but plenty of people were still going to the malls and spending big on hi-tech, high-end running shoes, taking vacations, eating out and buying new cars. Even low-end shoppers at Dollar Stores – while saving a buck – were filling their carts with junk snacks, junk soft drinks and junk “Made in China” bric-a-brac.
Or was it something in the polluted air and fluoride-treated water that deadened individual pride, courage, passion and self respect? Could it have been the quadzillions of tons of chemical mix poisoning the planet that made everyone susceptible?
Or could it have been the medicine chests full of Lipitor®, Oxycontin®, Xanax®, Celebrex®, Paxil® … or the Ritalin® force-fed to kids and gobbled down like M&Ms® that deadened heir minds or whacked them out? Whether prescribed indiscriminately as quick fix, symptom-relief solutions by legal “pushers” (a.k.a. doctors) or unwittingly washed down with a glass of municipally doctored “pharma-water,” voluntarily or involuntarily, a large segment of the populace was doing drugs.
Drugs Found in Drinking Water
A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows. (AP, 10 March 2008)
Or was it the “food for thought”? Could it have been the mind-numbing news served 24/7 by networks, cable and radio? All those know-it-alls — anchors, big mouths, blow-hards, clowns, pundits, experts, strategists, think tank wankers — telling audiences what to think, how to think and what to believe?
Food, pharmaceuticals, movies, music, TV, literature, art, fashion — down the line, across the board, from top to bottom, every sector was monopolized by the unholy trinity of Big Government, Big Business and Big Media.
The “American Century” — an age of opportunity characterized by the entrepreneur — had passed into history. America had been corporatized, homogenized, dumbed down and chained to the chains … and by the chains … restaurant chains, retail chains, movie chains, funeral home chains, auto-parts chains. They had cornered the market on everything they could get their hands on: tires, eye glasses, mufflers, dental care, banks, brokerages, drug stores, hardware, pet supplies.
Even in the mad rush of the monopolistic, oligopolistic, mega-maniacals to control the market place, there was room for the individual entrepreneur to flourish. In certain sectors, particularly retail and food, the quality conscious “Davids” — providing gourmet/unique products, tasteful ambience, impeccable service — could operate among the Goliaths.
If you were chained to a chain, you were chained. Working for a chain or patronizing a chain, there would be no real freedom until the chains were boycotted and finally broken. It would take a mass awakening; a quality revolution across the socioeconomic spectrum to bring down the gluttonous Goliaths.
Yet, in 2010, it was still neither welcome nor “politically correct” (itself an oxymoron since nothing “political” is “correct”) to tell Americans to look in the mirror to see what they had become; overweight, overstressed, overmedicated, under-motivated, slovenly dressed. A trip to Wal-Mart spoke a thousand words. The American psyche was reflected in the American physique.
Of all the Renaissance-related trends forecast by Gerald Celente and The Trends Research Institute, few could play a more powerful role in the creation of a new society than the upcoming Agrarian Revolution. From titillating the taste buds and nourishing the body, to providing the satisfaction of getting fit by working the land and living with — and from — nature, the trend would revivify Americans.
Besides providing millions of jobs and new entrepreneurial opportunities (especially for the young unemployed and the many unemployables) the Agrarian Revolution was a unique feature of the “American Renaissance.”
“Renaissance”! The word conjures up an image of the artistic and cultural ferment that began in 14th and 15th century Italy and subsequently spread across Europe. When asked what to do with his excesses of wealth, Cosimo de Medici’s answer was “create beauty.”
The “American Renaissance” that begins in the 21st century will not be initiated by excess wealth, but rather by pressing need. And it will have different distinguishing features, among them: the rebirth of food. For, finally, both the man in the street and the man in the ghetto would realize the life and death consequences of eating well; that, yes, “you are what you eat.”
Already in 2010, the seeds of change could be seen in the farmers’ markets, “buy local” movements, urban gardens and roof gardens that were sprouting up around the nation. Backyards and lawns that once grew nothing but grass were now growing food.
Regards,
Gerald Celente
for The Daily Reckoning
[Editor's Note: The above essay is excerpted from The Trends Journal, which is published by Gerald Celente. The Trends Journal distills the ongoing research of The Trends Research Institute into a concise, readily accessible form.]
Gerald Celente is founder and director of The Trends Research Institute, author of Trends 2000 and Trend Tracking (Warner Books), and publisher of The Trends Journal. He has been forecasting trends since 1980, and recently called “The Collapse of ’09.” Also a Close Combat practitioner and black belt trainer, Celente has made many media appearances including Oprah, CNN, The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, C-Span, and CNBC. He has been cited in the Economist, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Entrepreneur, USA Today, and many other publications.
Read more: What’s Holding Americans Back? [Article pulished in The Daily Reckoning online newsletter]
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