Obesogens may be Affecting your Weight

What do a bottle of water, a vegetable, and soap have in common? They all may be making adding flab to your midsection.

It may seem like a joke at first, but you could have something called obesogens running through your body and contributing to your weight gain.

The term obesogen refers to a chemical that affects the way the body uses fat. Obesogens are endocrine disruptors, which influence the hormone levels in the body. The main obesogens are as follows:

Bisphenol-A (BPA): You have probably heard a good deal about BPA in the recent past. It is found in Number 1, 3 and 7 plastics, but you might not know that it is in the lining in almost all aluminum cans.

Organotins: A chemical substance that can be found in fungicides (read: non-organic produce), seafood and shellfish, water, paints, and textiles, among other places. An organotin is a toxic compound designed to kill living beings from the microorganism level and up.

Phthalates: Phthalates (pronounced THA-lates) is commonly used to soften PVC, and can be present in Number 1 and 3 plastics. It can also be found in shampoos, perfumes, lotions, deodorants and other personal care items.

Some scientists believe the effects of obesogens suffered in utero are irreversible later on in life. On tests done with mice, the offspring exposed to obesogens in the womb had a greater amount and larger size of fat cells, particularly in the abdominal area. This ratio could not be reduced even through a reduced calorie diet and increased exercise.

In addition to affecting fat production, fetal and early childhood exposure to endocrine inhibitors have been linked to a wide variety of health issues such as: ADHD, autism, lower intelligence, certain cancers, and abnormal maturity of sexual organs.

While further testing needs to be done on this topic, it can be suggested that the extensive presence of toxins in consumer products ranging from apples to soap does not contribute to ones health and well being. It may be beneficial for some studies to be done evaluating the health of comparable individuals in two groups: one eating an organic, non-processed diet, and the other on the average American diet.

Food, Inc.

A great 90 minute film is in theatres now called “Food, Inc.” If you haven’t seen “The Future of Food”, you may be interested in the eye-opening but sickening details in this movie by award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner.

If you are one of those rare individuals who’d rather read than watch a movie, there is also a book available, containing 13 essays from experts in the food field such as Gary Hirschberg of Stonyfield Farm and Robert Kenner himself.

Here are a couple of points from the movie that you might not know about:

Did you know that in January, 2008 the FDA approved the sale of meat and milk from cloned livestock, despite two votes from Congress to delay the decision until more information was gathered, and letters from 150,000 citizens expressing their disapproval of the consumption of cloned meat? It is even more disconcerting that if cloned meat is introduced into the marketplace, the FDA will not require these foodstuffs to be labeled as cloned goods.

Did you know that 45 percent of U.S. corn and 85 percent of soybeans are genetically engineered? Many of the processed foods on supermarket shelves contain high fructose corn syrup and soybean soils, so it is estimated that over 70 percent of these foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

Did you know that 1 of the world’s 6 billion inhabitants do not have adequate food? Not a million, a billion. This issue could be improved with major changes to the way food corporations and the FDA are allowed to operate. Food, Inc. believes these changes can begin with consumers, likening each purchase we make to a vote - a vote for corporate greediness and unhealthy food, or clean and healthy sustenance.

Here is the Food, Inc. trailer:

Fulvic Acid - the Latest Trend in Mineral Supplementation

Everyone, not just vegetarians, should ensure they are getting sufficient vitamins and minerals every day. Through the years, over farming and in-organic crops have robbed our soils of their ecological integrity. Crops grown on mineral deficient soils will produce inferior fruits and vegetables, therefore reducing our daily dose of those minerals in our diets.

A great way to boost your daily mineral intake is with fulvic acid. Fulvic acid is a naturally occurring electrolyte that is harvested from ancient humic deposits in various areas of the world. They can be found as close as New Mexico and as distant as India, where fulvic acid is referred to as “shaljit” and is often utilized in Ayurvedic medicine.

There are at least 60 minerals in each dose, which are considerably more accessible to cells than other mineral supplements such as colloidal minerals.

Fulvic acid has a wide range of uses, from topically treating infections and burns to eradicating free radicals. It is purported to enhance many of the body’s functions, such as vitamin absorption and metabolism. It helps regulate the body’s pH, therefore warding off any new diseases. It also helps detoxify the body of heavy metals.

In addition to human supplementation, there are other practical uses for fulvic acid as well. It can be used on plants or crops to restore a better mineral composition to the soil and increase yields. It has also been used on livestock and pets to improve their general health and demeanor. The Fulvic Acid Company based in the United Kingdom, has designed specific products for humans, pets, horses and gardens.

Scientists have not been able to replicate the humification process (or the creation of humus), and therefore fulvic acid may not be synthesized in a laboratory.

Fulvic acid hasn’t just been discovered, of course. Tests in the 1960’s were conducted on Californian livestock, and reported an immense improvement to the animals’ health. Benefits ranged from 15 percent higher butterfat production in cows, to superior shell quality in poultry.

The FDA has yet to evaluate fulvic acid for its therapeutic properties.

New Milford's Fort Hill Farm

Oh goodness — Summer is almost over! That means that those fresh crops won't be as available any more. What a shame! Be sure to get on the waiting list for next year's Fort Hill Farm if you live in the New Milford, CT area.

New Milford’s Fort Hill Farm, run by award-winning local farmer Paul Bucciaglia, is one of the finer examples of organic, tasty and feel-good farmer’s markets in the State. Fort Hill Farm offers a 21-week long Community Supported Agriculture program, or CSA, with options of boxed or “pick-your-own” shares (PYO shares offer a reduced cost). If you don’t live near the farm, you can have a boxed share delivered to drop sites in Candlewood Isle, Darien, Fairfield, New Canaan, New Fairfield, Sandy Hook, Southbury, West Redding, Westport or Woodbury.

There is an incredible variety of crops available, which vary slightly each year. I enjoy experimenting with new and unusual vegetables that I might not even notice in the grocery store. (Broccoli rabe has been my favorite atypical veggie thus far.)

Mr. Bucciaglia even offers a fun little newsletter each week for his shareholders, containing updates about the farm, what produce to expect in the upcoming week, and appetizing recipes featuring the fruits and vegetables in season at that time. It’s also quite nice that the recipes usually have a decidedly vegetarian slant!

Bucciaglia and his farm were featured in the 2008 film, "Working the Land, the Story of Connecticut Agriculture", a varied and detailed documentary narrated by Law and Order's Sam Waterston.

The waiting list closed for 2009, but could reopen as early as January 2010. Let's just say, this produce is worth the wait. If you need to experience it before then, Fort Hill Farm’s produce is available at the Westport Farmer’s Market and New Morning Country Store in Woodbury.

However, I warn you: once you get these strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and watermelons in your mouth, you may just be spoiled against grocery store produce forever!

Visit www.forthillfarm.com for more information.