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Plummeting sperm counts, shrinking penises: toxic chemicals threaten humanity

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‘This is nothing short of a full-scale emergency for humanity.’ Photograph: Mark Lennihan/AP.

The chemicals to blame for our reproductive crisis are found everywhere and in everything ~ 10:23 UTC Thursday, 18 March 2021

The end of humankind? It may be coming sooner than we think, thanks to hormone-disrupting chemicals that are decimating fertility at an alarming rate around the globe. A new book called Countdown, by Shanna Swan, an environmental and reproductive epidemiologist at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, finds that sperm counts have dropped almost 60% since 1973. Following the trajectory we are on, Swan’s research suggests sperm counts could reach zero by 2045. Zero. Let that sink in. That would mean no babies. No reproduction. No more humans. Forgive me for asking: why isn’t the UN calling an emergency meeting on this right now?

The chemicals to blame for this crisis are found in everything from plastic containers and food wrapping, to waterproof clothes and fragrances in cleaning products, to soaps and shampoos, to electronics and carpeting. Some of them, called PFAS, are known as “forever chemicals”, because they don’t breakdown in the environment or the human body. They just accumulate and accumulate – doing more and more damage, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. Now, it seems, humanity is reaching a breaking point.

Swan’s book is staggering in its findings. “In some parts of the world, the average twentysomething woman today is less fertile than her grandmother was at 35,” Swan writes. In addition to that, Swan finds that, on average, a man today will have half of the sperm his grandfather had. “The current state of reproductive affairs can’t continue much longer without threatening human survival,” writes Swan, adding: “It’s a global existential crisis.” That’s not hyperbole. That’s just science.

As if this wasn’t terrifying enough, Swan’s research finds that these chemicals aren’t just dramatically reducing semen quality, they are also shrinking penis size and volume of the testes. This is nothing short of a full-scale emergency for humanity.

Swan’s book echoes previous research, which has found that PFAS harms sperm production, disrupts the male hormone and is correlated to a “reduction of semen quality, testicular volume and penile length”. These chemicals are literally confusing our bodies, making them send mix messages and go haywire.

Given everything we know about these chemicals, why isn’t more being done? Right now, there is a paltry patchwork of inadequate legislation responding to this threat. Laws and regulations vary from country to country, region to region, and, in the United States, state to state. The European Union, for example, has restricted several phthalates in toys and sets limits on phthalates considered “reprotoxic” – meaning they harm the human reproductive capacities – in food production.

In the United States, a scientific study found phthalate exposure “widespread” in infants, and that the chemicals were found in the urine of babies who came into contact with baby shampoos, lotions and powders. Still, aggressive regulation is lacking, not least because of lobbying by chemical industry giants.

In the state of Washington, lawmakers managed to pass the Pollution Prevention for Our Future Act, which “directs state agencies to address classes of chemicals and moves away from a chemical by chemical approach, which has historically resulted in companies switching to equally bad or worse substitutes. The first chemical classes to be addressed in products include phthalates, PFAS, PCBs, alkyphenol ethoxylate and bisphenol compounds, and organohalogen flame retardants.” The state has taken important steps to address the extent of chemical pollution, but by and large, the United States, like many other countries, is fighting a losing battle because of weak, inadequate legislation.

In the United States today, for example, you can’t eat the deer meat caught in in Oscoda, Michigan, as the health department there issued a “do not eat” advisory for deer caught near the former air force base because of staggeringly high PFOS levels in the muscle of one deer.

And, just the other week, hundreds of residents who live near Luke air force base in Arizona were advised not to drink their water, when tests detected high levels of toxic chemicals. Scientists have found these substances in the blood of nearly all the people they tested in the US. No country or region on earth is untouched by PFAS contamination. It is a global problem. PFAS has been found in every corner of the globe. It is virtually present in the bodies of every human. It’s found in fish deep in the sea, and birds flying high in the sky.

And it’s killing us, literally, by harming and attacking the very source of life: our reproductive capacities. The rapid death and decline of sperm must be addressed, and it must be addressed now. There simply is no time to lose.

Resources: by Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich is an environmental advocate and author of the new book, Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It.

Suzanne Boothby contributed research and reporting to this article

R. I. P. Cicely Tyson

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Cicely Tyson in a scene from the CBS television show “East Side/West Side” in 1963.

Just a couple of weeks ago I highlighted a wonderful article written by David Marchese for the New York Times Magazine on Cicely Tyson. She spoke about living her life to the fullest, and she truly did. One question that was posed to her read, “This is an inelegant segue, but at your age, you must think about death now and then. Does it scare you? I’m not scared of death. I don’t know what it is. How could I be afraid of something I don’t know anything about?” What an inspiring piece.

Then, sadly on Thursday, January 28th, 2021, my heart dropped when I read the headlines across my phone, Cicely Tyson, purposeful and pioneering actor, dead at 96. She was gone!

My heart just dropped and chills came over my entire body learning of her passing. So many things rummaged through my brain. Did she get COVID? Was she sick? Did she get the COVID Vaccine? Which vaccine? I wanted answers. I skimmed through that article so fast. Nothing was mentioned, but then I thought back to that original New York Times Magazine article, and I released a sigh and relaxed a little. Cicely lived an amazing fulfilling life. She had no regrets, and she’s at her final resting home now with her Maker.

There has been so many deaths, just within the past year from COVID. When I hear of someone passing; immediately, I think it’s from COVID. Deaths of many different ranges of ages too. Everyday there’s a new tally on the news of all those souls that have gone home too soon. I’m also mourning my very own dear father who also passed away in 2020, but not from COVID. His passing weighs very heavily on me daily. It hasn’t been easy on me but prayer, family, close friends, and the gym gives me strength.

Truly an icon!

Learning of the passing of Cicely and reading about her family being there with her, comforted me. I wish my family had that special moment with my father, but I’m happy the Tyson family was able to share that together. I will continue to hold on to my wonderful loving memories of my dad, and forever cherish them and him.

May Cicely and my dad Rest In Peace!

You’re Cleaning Mushrooms Wrong

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This is a public service announcement, and it won’t take long. If you’ve been reading Heated this month, you may have noticed that we’ve been talking a lot about meat alternatives — such as high-tech burgers that “bleed” like beef but are made mostly of plants (that sort of thing), and this mushroom-nut burger. Well, before any of this stuff existed, people who wanted something “meaty” without eating meat ate mushrooms. For better or worse, the default “oh, so you don’t eat any meat?” dish served to vegetarians at restaurants and parties was a portobello “burger” or some analogous concoction where the mushrooms masquerade as meat.

Whether you cook mushrooms constantly, infrequently, or somewhere in between, there’s a decent chance you’re cleaning them wrong.

There’s this myth that you should never ever wash mushrooms because they’ll absorb too much water. Instead, what we’ve been taught to do is daintily wipe the dirt off with a damp cloth or paper towel.

This is maddeningly slow and a huge waste of time. To clean mushrooms, you should rinse them under running water. Yes, mushrooms are porous, and if you leave them sitting in a bowl of water they will soak it up like a sponge. But a quick blast of running water to wipe the dirt off will not make them any worse for wear, and will save you a lot of time and frustration in the kitchen.

If cleaning mushrooms is less frustrating, maybe we’ll cook more mushrooms. If we cook more mushrooms, maybe we’ll eat less meat. If we eat less meat, maybe (definitely) we’ll be healthier and so will the earth. PSA over.

By: Mark Bittman

What I’m Reading Now?

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I’m journeying on a new path to learn how to meditate. I need to bring calm, stillness, and peacefulness to my mind. I’ve heard and read about the many amazing benefits on practicing meditation, and I’m at the right stage in my life where I need it the most. With a full time career, three children, husband, and a dog; it’s a time much needed. I chose The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness by Andy Puddicombe to kick start my journey because it came highly recommended by Bill Gates. No, I don’t know him personally, although I wish! I follow his blog, gatesnotes. If you don’t, you should. He’s brilliant, Google him. Bill is the reason why I researched Andy in the first place. Andy is 47 with many years of training in monasteries in India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Australia, Russia, and Scotland. He’s even an ordained Buddhist monk.

Andy’s approach to meditation is clear and easy to understand. He teaches amazing techniques, and they’re easy to apply to your everyday busy lifestyle. Andy also believes all you need is 10 minutes a day. Obviously, if you have the ability and time to meditate longer, by all means meditate. When you think of 10 minutes, it’s actually not that long; however, it’s hard for the average person to sit still with a clear mind. More importantly, the practice of meditation is about much more than simply sitting down for a set period of time each day. Andy says, “it’s about training in awareness and understanding how and why you think and feel the way you do, and getting a healthy sense of perspective in the process.” His book also looks deeper in the differences between understanding mindfulness and headspace. He even have an app called, Headspace available on IOS. I haven’t downloaded it yet, but I intend to. Let’s take a look at mindfulness, Andy explains it as the temptation to judge whatever emotion that comes up, and therefore neither opposing or getting carried away with a feeling. And headspace is the result of applying this approach. Headspace delivers a sense of ease with whatever emotion is present.

How many times you’ve been in a situation where someone pissed you off? It angers you, and you feel like you just want to explode. Then you move through your day retelling that scenario over and over to everyone you possibly can share it with. Instead of moving forward productively with your day, you dwell and relive that situation over and over again transferring that negative energy to your friends, love ones, and even into your workplace. This behavior is toxic and becomes debilitating to your mind, body and soul. Who wants to go through life this way? Surely not me! Knowing how to let go and release these toxic thoughts and energy is my goal.

Andy’s book offers four steps to help you achieve meditation. His Take10 summary is recommended to follow each and every time before you meditate.

  1. Getting Ready
  2. Checking-in
  3. Focusing the mind
  4. Finishing-off

The book explains in detail what you need to do in each step to get your mind and body ready. I’m almost midway finish reading the book. I feel more confident than ever. This book has already taught me about the layers of my thoughts, dealing with my emotions, and how to tackle each one as they come to mind. I’ve re-read many chapters and made side notes. It’s definitely a page turner. If you’re interested in learning how to meditate, this book may help you. I would love to hear about your journey or any suggestions on meditation.

Pickled Hot Peppers

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Pickling hot peppers is an island delight for Jamaicans. I’ve watched my mother preserve her peppers this way for decades, and now it has become one of my favorite things to do with my homegrown hot peppers.  This is also a wonderful way to preserve your hot peppers.  You can use any type of hot pepper or vegetables to add to your jars.  My mom loves to put carrots in hers. I’ve done it before in the past and it comes out just as great.  For this recipe, I’m keeping it simple.  I had a lot of peppers to start with so these 4 jars is equivalent to 4 pints/16 oz. You can also modify this recipe by decreasing the vinegar to 2 cups per jar. 

Ingredients 

  • 4 Large onions sliced
  • 4 Green bell peppers 
  • 8 Scotch bonnet peppers
  • 4 Ghost peppers
  • 24 Habanero peppers 
  • 4 Tbsp Dried Pimento seeds (whole allspice)
  • 2 Tbsp sugar 
  • 8 Cups White Vinegar 

Cooking tip: Wear protective gloves and goggles (optional). When done, wash all tools and surface with cold water and soap. 

Instructions

  1. Sterilize the mason jars in a large pot with boiling water for 30 minutes. 
  2. While your jars are boiling slice your onions and peppers into desired shapes. Leave the seeds. 
  3. Remove jars with a tong and set aside to cool. 
  4. After about 10 minutes, layer the vegetables, peppers, and pimento seed in the jars. 
  5. Warm the vinegar and sugar in a pot on the stove.  Do not bring to a boil. 
  6. Pour warm vinegar into jars and set aside to cool.  
  7. Tighten carefully with the lids. 

You do not have to refrigerate your jars.  I know some people who do.  It’s optional. These jars are beautiful to give away as gifts. Just add a ribbon to make them even more special.  

Enjoy! 

Homemade Tomato Sauce

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     When August and September rolls around and you have a sea of freshly picked tomatoes, there’s only one thing I could think of, pasta sauce. After I’ve shared and eaten and picked, it’s time to preserve for the winter. As if I live in the wilderness. I don’t obviously, but it’s cost effective to preserve for later uses.  My tomatoes were at its ripest and that’s what you want. The reddest, sweetest and densest tomatoes. 


INGREDIENTS

  • 10 pounds fresh tomatoes 
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 garlic clove, halved
  • 2 basil springs 
  • 3 bay leaf

PREPARATION

Step 1:  Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 8-9 cups.

Step 2:  Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.

Step 3:  Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 4 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.

I freeze mines. Let it cool completely and insert desired amount in ziplock freezer bags. I like the quart sizes. Enjoy!!

Happy Earth Day

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Today, Saturday, April 22, 2017 is Earth Day. On this day we all should embrace our environment and take time out to do something for our environment. I’m not referring to the one in a shopping mall, nail salon, or in your bed. I’m referring to Mother Nature.  Earth day is a special day too.  The founder Gaylord Nelson, who was a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin got the idea after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.  That catastrophe brought out many people, mostly students who supported the anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that same energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes from Harvard as national coordinator.  Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.  April 22, falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, was selected for Earth Day. 

On April 22,1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment.  This is the day we honor our land, sea, and climate. Doing nothing is worst.  Look at Earth Day like any other special day like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and even Christmas.  We honor our love ones by doing something special for them. Well, on Earth Day do something special for the earth.  Here are some great ideas:

  • Take action and donate
  • Plant wildflowers
  • Start a organic vegetable garden
  • Ways to Conserve water 
  • Recycle ♻️ Zero Waste Programs
  • This is my favorite: Eat Less Meat: The meat industry generates nearly one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Help make a difference by limiting your meat consumption.

Take action and let’s Celebrate Earth Day!


Resources:

Care2.com: For Earth Day: RESIST Trump’s Offshore Oil Drilling Agenda petitions

The Old Farmers Almanac Earth Day 

Earthday.org:  This year’s campaign is all about environmental & climate literacy.

 

Homeopathic Cough Remedy with Raw Honey

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     My grandmother on my paternal side taugh me this homemade remedy for coughs and sore throats. Since the weather has changed here in New York, one of my kids already caught a sore throat. ‘Tis the season of battling sicknesses, so what’s the best remedy for treating a sore throat? It’s Honey!  I actually remember the first time my grandmother whipped this honey concoction up for me. I had a sore throat with a dry cough, and I was constantly gargling with salt water. I must have been between eleven or twelve years old. She said, I was irritating my throat even more and that I needed something to soothe it.  We went into the kitchen and she chopped up onions and covered it with raw honey in a glass. It sat for one hour before I had a table spoon full.  

     Surprisingly, it tasted good and within a few minutes my throat felt less irritated and after about ten minute my cough was lesser.  The taste of the onions was pronounced but the honey makes up for it.  My twist on my granny’s recipe is adding garlic. I make this every year around the fall and throughout the winter months. I give it to all my children from the youngest of six years to the eldest, who is fifteen.  It is a very simple and effective remedy, and it works for us, and it may even work for you.  
Recipe 

  • 2 Medium Onions
  • Raw honey
  • Half head of garlic (5 gloves) 

Directions

     Peel and slice the onions evenly. Peel and cut each garlic in half.  Place everything in your jar (I purchased mines from IKEA). Pour the raw honey over everything until majority of contents are covered. Cover lid and let it sit on your counter overnight for 6-8 hours. I like to give it a little stir after the times up.  I give 1 table spoonful which is equivalent to 2 teaspoons to my children. Depends on the severity of the situation, a child may get 2 spoonful an hour.  Overtime, I store on the counter or even in the fridge. You could always add more ingredients overtime if you’re running low. The onions will eventually breakdown. I usually eat them when I take a spoonful. The hardest part is to get the kids to eat it. 

     I highly recommend using raw honey for this recipe because store bought honey sometimes have additives like high fructose corn syrup. Please read your labels!  These three natural ingredients have the capability to fight colds, coughs, allergies, sore throats and even boost your bodies immunity.  Honey is truly an amazing substance.  It is a natural sweetener and it encompasses an intricate chemical composition of carbohydrates, free amino acids, vitamins, trace elements and flavonoids/antioxidants. Not to forget anti-bacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.  Studies of the antimicrobial effect of honey have demonstrated its broad-spectrum antimicrobial actions against upper-respiratory tract infections.  Honey has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of coughs for a very long time (1).  Research shows honey works as well as dextromethorphan, which is a common ingredient in over the counter cough medications to soothe cough(2).  This home remedy, works better according to the study.   Honey naturally soothes. 

     The antibacterial and antiviral properties of garlic controls infection from bacterias and viruses.  Onions and garlic are members of the Allium family, and both are rich in sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odors and for many of their health-promoting effects.  Onions antioxidant rich flavonoids provides us with the benefits to keep chronic unwanted inflammation under control (3). The use of honey is also prohibited under the age of one due to poor immunity against Clostridium Botulinum, a potential contaminant (4).  Richard S. Rivlin wrote in the Journal of Nutrition that the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (circa. 460-370 BC), known today as “the father of Western medicine”, prescribed garlic for a wide range of conditions and illnesses.  Hippocrates promoted the use of garlic for treating respiratory problems, parasites, poor digestion and fatigue. It’s great for flavoring your food and to treat illnesses. 



Resources: 

(1) Study: Bactericidal activity of different types of honey against clinical and environmental isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

(2) Study: Honey for Treatment of Cough in Children

(3) Study: Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of quercetin oxidation products from yellow onion (Allium cepa) skin.

(4) Study: Incidence of Clostridium botulinum in honey of various origins.

WARNINGS ⚠️ 

Homey is NOT for children under one years old. My mission is to extend the knowledge of healthly eating through this blog. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.

Study: Clinical Trials Funded by Big Pharma

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     In the United States, all drugs potentially destined for use have to undergo clinical trials for safety and efficacy.  Now, the question here is, who is conducting those studies? Have you heard of the term, ‘Big Pharma‘?  It means big pharmaceutical companies essentially like Merck & Co., Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer to name a few who have an enormous amount of monetary power to do as they please or manipulate outcomes. New data from the Johns Hopkins University suggests that the funding of clinical trials by corporations with vested interests is now the norm.  These clinical trials are more than likely funded by the pharmaceutical industry.  Third party testings are not required, so the drug industry is basically policing itself. Go figure!  Clinical trials funded directly by the United States National Institute of Health (NIH) are considered independent, a large portion of trials conducted by the NIH are now funded by major pharmaceutical corporations.  

     The Johns Hopkins report showed that the number of independent NIH-funded trials fell by 24 peecent from 2006 to 2014, while pharmaceutical-funded NIH trails increased by 43 percent in the same time period. Fewer independent trials means that the FDA is not acting with impartiality.  It is also worth noting that NIH has less money for running independent studies because Congress has cut its funding. Big Pharma is willing to fund the clinical trials, however, and is not held accountable for lack of transparency in drug testing.  

     The pharmaceutical industry have one goal, and that’s to make money. Not to cure people, to basically collect collateral, and be the first to put out that wonder drug that promises positive results.  They hate everything natural, organic,  homeopathic, alternative, or herbalist practices because they cannot make money from it. If doctors stop writing prescriptions for pain, what do you think will happen?  Profits will fall dramatically.  The marijuana industry is booming now, and that’s an herb.  How do you think they feel about that? Marijuana takes away pain, period.  There’s a new body of research showing that painkiller abuse and overdose are lower in states with medical marijuana laws. These studies have generally assumed that when medical marijuana is available, pain patients are increasingly choosing pot over powerful and deadly prescription narcotics. But that’s always been just an assumption. A new study conducted by Ashley B. Bradford and W. David Bradford found that the use of prescription drugs for which marijuana could serve as a clinical alternative fell significantly, once a medical marijuana law was implemented.  


According to the Washington Post, the Bradfords took their analysis a step further by estimating the cost savings to Medicare from the decreased prescribing. They found that about $165 million was saved in the 17 medical marijuana states in 2013.  In a back-of-the-envelope calculation, the estimated annual Medicare prescription savings would be nearly half a billion dollars if all 50 states were to implement similar programs.  This is outstanding.  Big Pharma is real and scary people. I’ve included these cartoon clippings below to describe the reality of our country’s situation. Choose your care wisely. I’m a huge advocate for eating a whole food plant-based diet. This diet has proven success for reducing, reversing, and even curing illnesses. For more information on nutritiously regaining your health back to normalcy, visit www.nutritionstudies.org. 




Resources:  “Unsettling Truth: Most Clinical Trials Are Funded by Big Pharma,” by Christina Sarich, at http://www.naturalsociety.com 

WP Article:  One striking chart shows why pharma companies are fighting legal marijuana

Fresh Cut From OrganicREADY’s Garden

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My first cucumber from the garden. There’s nothing better than picking fresh vegetables and eating it on the same day. The taste is fresher than any store bought produce on the market, even organic vegetables. Plus, all the nutrients are all there.  Store bought vegetables travel from afar and takes days even weeks before we get them. By the time we buy them in the supermarket, they have already lost most of their nutrients.  


I’m looking forward to juicing these lovely cucumbers. If you didn’t know, eating the skin of organically grown cucumbers are highly beneficial. One, the wax on organic cucumbers are non-synthetic and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals, and two the skin contains more nutrients than the flesh.  Conventionally grown is another story.  Those cucumbers contains pesticides, synthetic wax and nasty chemicals. Wash it thoroughly with vinegar and water, then peel and peel the skin all off.  Since I grow my own, a simple cold water rinse is sufficient.  As you see above, nothing’s going to waste😘. For more information about the health benefits of cucumbers click here. 

Eat organically and be happy🌱