Did the Green Revolution Fail? (Part 2)

Dear Friends

What happens when we export our Western food and farming culture?

Before we continue with our discussion of the failing of the two green revolutions (thus far!), let us bring to view an example of the first green revolution and its unintended consequences.

The Micronesian people, which includes the people of Yap, are suffering from chronic degenerative diseases today.

“Vitamin A deficiency and chronic diseases are serious problems in the Federated States of Micronesia and other Pacific island countries. Nutrition education programs to address these in Micronesia have had limited success, partly due to lack of information on nutrient content in local foods.”

“Vitamin A deficiency in Micronesia was first documented in the late 1980s. It appears that the problem is new and is related to great dietary changes in the past four decades. Imported foods containing little or no provitamin A carotenoids, such as white rice, flour and sugar, have increasingly replaced local staple foods including banana, giant swamp taro and breadfruit.”

These were the observations of Englberger L.et al. in their research entitled, Micronesian banana, taro and other foods:  newly recognized sources of provitamin A and other carotennoids. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis; 16 (2003): 3-19.

The researchers analyzed samples of cultivars (diverse varieties) of 12 banana, 13 giant swamp taro and 10 breadfruit and four other local foods for their significant levels of beta and alpha carotene.  The results highlighted the potential health benefits these multiple varieties of produce could provide.  As they stated, Epidemiolgoical evidence suggests that carotenoid-rich foods protect against some chronic disease, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and age-related macular degenration.

Yap, the Island of Stone Money, historically had shunned the Western culture.  They were a proud people, and reluctant to adopt the modern Western ways. When I was there as a Public Health Official between 1966 to 1968, my documentations and reports showed that they were a virtually chronic disease free people. They were healthy, living off the land and the sea. Maintaining a diet of alive, diverse, plentiful, potent foods.

But no longer. The Micronesians are experiencing the health issues associated with the Western highly processed, fast foods.  They have gotten away from their traditional fresh farmed foods.  As the scientist postulated in their above study if the Micronesians were to shift  their diet back to their rich horticultural and wild crafted heritage chronic disease would be greatly reduced.

What a difference a decade or two can make in the health of a people. One of the consequences of the First Green Revolution is the reduction in diversity of fruits and vegetables regularily consumed as a part of the affected cultures daily diet.  We have see this problem worldwide with chronic illness becoming the new norm.

Fortunately, this problem can be corrected and it begins with dietary changes, bringing toxin free, powerful, diverse, alive foods back into our regular dietary consumption. That is the point of the Second Green Revolution that we’ve labeled Ecological Farming.  And, this is the point of the Therapeutic Food Supplements.  Food can be just the right medicine to help our bodies.

Take a look at Clinical Notes and the potent ingredients in Phyto Power.

Sincerely yours,

Seann Bardell

Clinical Notes:

Phyto Power embraces the concept and importance of biodiversity in our diet. It not only provides three powerful plant source of wild crafted foods but multiple species of them. In each capsule there are 100mg of 4 species of whole blueberry (including a small amount of leaves), 200mg of 3 species of rosehip (including the seed where all the catechins reside) and 200mg of 4 species of dandelion (including the roots, leaves and flowers).  Two capsules a day provides a powerful addition to your diet.  Read More

The Last Quiz Answer:

Albatross are an amazing spectacular sight.  They have the longest wingspan of any bird—up to 11 feet.  Some species mate for life.  And, a long life they can have, up to 50 years.  Mating pairs produce a single egg and take turns caring for it.  The young may fly within three to ten months. They feed primarily on squid and fish.