Wednesday 24 January 2018

Sick

I'm sick.  Yeah, I have a goddamned cold and I'm fucking sick.  And when I get sick I get grouchy.  Therefore I'm pissed off and generally feeling ranty.  I don't think I'll have a lot cohesive to say here, so this may be a bit of an oddball post.  But whatever, I'm the one who's sick so fuck it.  Let's just get on with it.
Right.

I'm fucking tired of "organic".  I'm tired of people who sell organic food thinking they're somehow better, and I'm tired of people who buy organic food thinking it's healthier.  You aren't, and it isn't.  How the fuck did organic become a thing?  Organic does NOT mean "pesticide-free" (yes, "organic" farms still use pesticides), it actually just refers to any compound that contains carbon.  But now it means pretentious expensive bullshit.

And I'm tired of natural.  Yeah, pretty much anything that calls itself "natural".  There's natural shampoo, natural dog food, natural dish soap.  You know what's natural?  Fucking everything.  Everything on this earth comes from this earth (except perhaps meteorites).  And why do so many people think natural is good?  Hurricanes and tornadoes are natural.  Pit vipers are natural.  Deadly nightshade is natural.  Arsenic is fucking natural.  Nature is constantly trying to kill you, yet you think natural is good?  In case you don't believe me, check out this picture from The Naked Label, a bullshit website run by a "certified nutritionist" (a certification which does not actually exist):
What's the problem, you may ask?  That mushroom is Amanita muscaria, and it is fucking poisonous.  Yeah, I think my bolognese is better than that poisonous fungus that nature made in order to kill me.

And I'm tired of companies jumping on the non-GMO fear-mongering bandwagon, advertising anything and everything as non-GMO.  I can't tell you how many products I've seen labelled as "non-GMO verified" when they don't contain any ingredients that have ever been genetically modified.  For example, you can buy non-GMO pickles:
God damn it, there is no such thing as a GMO cucumber!  And if that wasn't bad enough, there is also non-GMO water.  Yes, really:
You can also buy non-GMO salt:
For fuck's sake, do these fucking companies even realise what the "G" in "GMO" stands for?  Genetically.  GENES!  Water and salt do NOT have genes!  And do I really have to state what the "O" stands for?  Is water a fucking organism?

Oh, and while I'm on the subject, I'm fucking sick of hearing about gluten.  Sure, gluten is very bad for you if you have cœliac disease.  But gluten is otherwise absolutely fine.  It's just a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, and it is not dangerous or unhealthful.  But way too many people seem to think gluten is the cause of all their problems, and they simply must get it out of their diet.  Just walk through a grocery store these days to see all the new "gluten-free options".  Like these:



Do we see the problem here?  Exactly, THERE IS NO GLUTEN IN CORN OR RICE.  And there is most definitely no gluten in fucking beef.  Oh, and go back up to the picture of the bottle of water up there.  In addition to being non-GMO water, it's also gluten-free water.  FUCKING GLUTEN FREE WATER.  All these companies are doing is jumping on the very lucrative bandwagon, and it pisses me off.

And I'm tired of hearing about "real food".  Don't tell me to eat real food and avoid fake food.  Real food is anything with any nutritional value that I put in my mouth, chew, swallow, and later shit out.  Don't tell me my Oreos are fake food, because they aren't.  They contain actual food products that actually contain calories and a token tiny amount of vitamins and minerals thrown in for good measure.  You know what fake food is?  The bowl of plastic fruit my grandparents had on their coffee table that fooled me at least twice (that plastic apple looked really real).  I know Oreos are not good for me, which is why I eat them only rarely.  But they most certainly are not fake.  I have no idea why "junk food" has been replaced by "fake food".  Was someone offended by the term "junk food"?

And then there are the various waters.  There is hydrogen water, alkaline water, pH-balanced water, supercharged water, kangen water, and all other kinds of bullshit water.  Yeah, it's all bullshit.  If you want water (and yes, you do), there is an unending stream of it that comes out of your tap at any time.  It's pure, clean, safe, and costs about 0.01% (or less) of any of the bottled water you can buy.  If your municipal water supply tastes too minerally for your taste, buy a filter.  Bottled water just pisses me off almost as much as pre-peeled oranges repackaged in plastic.

I think that's about enough ranting for one day.  There's only but so much ire my body can take per day.  Besides, I think it's about time to redose my various cold medicines even though they don't fucking work.

And don't even get me started on quinoa and kale.  Because fuck that shit.

110 comments:

  1. Yeah but theyll instantly all fall in love with those oreos if you point out they are also in fact vegan.
    I constantly tell my sister the gluten free and non gmo stuff is bullcrap but she refuses to listen. Im not sure if shes dumb enough to buy non-gmo water but ill ask.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have bad news for eaters of natural food. Plant foods contain carcinogens, natural pesticides that cause cancer in rats. Examples are basil, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, fennel, grapefruit, mushroom, mustard, orange, parsley, parsnips, pepper, pineapple, and raspberry.

    Those darn plants don't want to be eaten by animals and insects before their time. They manufacture pesticides to live another day. Sometimes it is just those chemicals which give the flavors we like or which many people dont like.

    These chemicals are present from 70 ppb (parts per billion) to 4 parts per thousand (4,000,000 ppb). These levels are enormously higher than man-made pesticide residues in plant foods.

    The good news is that the risk of cancer is negligible at levels we get from plants, french fries, or grilled food.

    Many plants are outright poisonous, including some we eat, such as red kidney beans. Boiling for 5 minutes deactivates the toxin. As few as 10 beans will make you quite sick if you should manage to eat them raw.

    A good read: Danger, Natural Pesticides
    http://www.fortfreedom.org/s42.htm

    ReplyDelete
  3. Doc, you've apparently missed seeing news of the raw water fad.

    yes, in California, the latest trend is drinking raw water. apparently cooking it or filtering it kills the nutrients.

    which reminds me, my grandparents developed the habit of drinking coffee while spending time in a place where they had to cook their water to prevent getting dysentery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For those into the raw water con, go see what happens when people drink raw water, dysentery, cholera, parasitest, all the bad crap that all the begging charities tell us are really bad for those forced to drink it. Who knew they were trend setters?

      If you boil water, does it become cooked water?

      Delete
    2. I prefer mine sauteed, and lightly seasoned with a steak.

      Delete
  4. I have bought pre-peeled oranges before, the same way I bought pre-cut pineapple. This is due to my hands not letting me peel or cut fruit. If I wanted to eat those things I had to buy them already prepared.

    I don't think everyone should go for the prepared fruits, but I am grateful that they exist for anyone who cannot otherwise eat those things.

    For anyone who responds saying "just get someone to do that for you and stick it in your fridge" 1. that's not an option for everyone and 2. it sucks to have to rely on someone else for everything. This gives bodily autonomy which is something most people want to have.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you not read the part about not being able to cut it? I’m not trying to be mean, but it was clearly stated in the original comment that the person also couldn’t cut it.

      Delete
    2. to be even more specific, there was a hand problem referenced - which probably means using a knife is not a useful option, either.

      Delete
    3. I was still picturing doing it by hand my bad (using fingers to "cut" into the peel. I dont knoe) Personally ive never been able to peel an orange without a knifel

      Delete
    4. we all make mistakes, now and then. yeah, I used to own special tools made by Tupperware that worked great for peeling citrus - but your hands still have to work well to use them.

      Delete
  5. You forgot chemicals. People don't want chemicals in their food. But ecause everything is made of chemicals, this is a pretty impractical desire.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Besides all this, it's not morally justifiable to eat vegetables. Plants have feelings, you know, and the fact that they can't express themselves very well is no excuse for tearing them apart and torturing them for your selfish culinary pleasure.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You forgot to add a little tidbit about bottled water...a lot of it is in fact tap water - had to help inspect some bottling plants in my past life. Sorry water snobs. The springs the water (allegedly) comes from also feeds the local reservoirs that feed the taps.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. my sister in law drank bottled water until my brother pointed out she could see the bottling plant from their house.
      OTOH, I've known a few company reps from beverage companies, and they told me bottled water is actually their lowest profit product - because it is a lot cheaper to make Coca Cola taste consistent than it is to make Dasani taste consistent.

      Delete
  8. Kale is awesome. Don’t diss kale. Even my kids eat it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What about packaged hard boiled eggs that are peeled ? I saw these at Costco the other day.
    I was reading your blog doc and my husband glanced over at my iPad and asked why there was a picture of a poisonous mushroom.
    I hope you feel better soon Doc.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Chicken soup, lots of water, and Mrs Bastard saying "there' there' it will be all right!"
    Add to the blather....expiration dates on bottles of water. Yes I know it's for the bottle it's in, but sheesh. I usually buy 2 bottles of water a month and then refill it from the filtered fridge water. One to drink and one to get cold.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is one I love!
      I saw a bottle of water once that said something like:
      "naturally filtered through shale-beds for 1000 years" then at the bottom: "Best before 3 July 2018" (or whatever).
      If it's spent 1000 years in the ground, what can possibly go off in a couple of months in a plastic bottle?!
      Ugi

      Delete
    2. it's the bottle. it they could make one out of shale, it'd be good for another 1000 years.

      Delete
  11. “Nature is constantly trying to kill you, yet you think natural is good?”
    *Looks at Australia*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why do you think it is so far away from everywhere else?

      It is in the planetary equivalent of the naughty corner

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. Take some tamiflu...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Could you please address essential oils?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Essential oils
      c/o Doc Bastards blog
      T'interweb
      The Earth

      make sure to use enough postage please if mailing by snail mail

      Delete
    2. Essential oils are not essential. They smell nice though.

      Delete
  14. I have been boring my family for years with this exact same rant! (Minus the f-bombs). Drives me crazy that my daughter-in-law buys organic, and I refuse to go to Chipotle because they're GMO-free, the prissy frauds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just refuse to go to chipotle because they're overpriced.

      Delete
    2. Well, that too.

      Delete
  15. Thank you for that. If they had glasses that block out these words plus clean eating, Whole 30, and diet, I'd buy them. And thank you for the laughs every day.

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  16. There is no gluten in corn nor rice, no, but there is in barley malt, sometimes used in cereals, and a GF claim on these foods also reassures coeliacs that there has been no cross contamination in the factory. Often, 'may contain wheat' is found on otherwise GF products, and the GF claim can reassure consumers that protocols are in place to prevent that issue. There are extreme examples out there of GF use which deserve to be pulled up, but sometimes there's a genuine explanation - I recall a Brazilian bottle of water labelled GF being derided on social media some years back. Brazilian law requires all food and drink - without exception - to declare whether or not it is GF, hence the claim on the label.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I had a boyfriend who was going into the medical field and anytime he saw something unnecessarily labeled as Gluten-Free (like water) he would scream "WHYY WOULD THIS HAVE GLUTEN? WHYYYY?" And to this day whenever I see it I can't help chuckling :D

    ReplyDelete
  18. Believe it or not, Corn Flakes actually contained wheat until everyone decided that they must eat gluten free and created a market for gluten free products. Now people with celiac can actually go into a regular grocery store and find cereal, bread and cake that we can eat without eroding our guts and breaking out in eczema. Awesome how that has worked out for us.

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    Replies
    1. I know some products contained malt. I actually looked that up before publishing this. I'm glad coeliac patients have far more options that ever.

      Delete
    2. As a recently diagnosed patient w/celiac disease*, I personally am thankful for the increased prevalence of GF food in stores; it makes life a hell of a lot easier when I can find things I can eat that don't totally break the bank, and cereal is expensive enough without having to buy only the "special" kinds. Believe me, I wouldn't be giving up things like, oh, artisanal bread if I didn't absolutely have to, and going out to restaurants now requires a degree of planning and research that makes it almost not worth the effort; the fact that people do it to avoid non-existent "toxins" makes me want to throttle them while screaming at them "Do you have any idea just how LUCKY you are to still be able to eat anything you want?!?" (Why yes, I *am* still bitter about my diagnosis...why do you ask?)

      *I found out in mid-November; apparently it was the progressively worsening anemia over the past several years that tipped them off, as having diverticular disease, gynecological issues, and scar tissue from abdominal surgeries left me assuming that any gastrointestinal issues were due to those rather than anything else *sigh*

      Delete
    3. sorry for your diagnoses, though I am glad for you that you found the answer. hopefully the diet change is bringing improvements in your health.

      Delete
  19. I'm sorry. I hope you feel better soon.

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  20. I went vegan a few months ago. The level of woo and pseudoscience in online vegan groups makes me crazy. I've been banned from two so far for challenging ridiculous health claims for vegan diets and for saying that GMOs are great and could save the world.

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  21. Aparently Amanita muscaria is edible if parboiled before cooking to remove the alkaloids (I wouldn't try it, but in Europe, where they eat anything, they do). Not only that, it's a "magic mushroom!" Maybe it would help you forget your cold. Feel better soon!

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  22. Honestly, I'd do the exact same thing if I had even the smallest amount of control over any food company. Of COURSE all of this is bullshit, but if you can get gullible idiots to spend twice the regular price on your product simply by throwing a label on there stating it doesn't contain something that isn't in there anyway.... you'd be a fool not to go for it.
    The people who buy and preach this stuff though, that's another matter entirely and I can't quite get my head around it. I can never quite figure out if nutritionists are like psychics (in that they MUST know their profession is bull in order to pull it off) or if they genuinely believe all the baseless crap they throw around.

    Good read as always though Doc! Always makes me smile to see you've made a new post, no matter what the topic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh they believe all the baseless bull. Thats what makes it so...ugh.

      Delete
  23. STOP ABUSING KALE, DAMMIT! Get some organic (yes, I prefer fruits & veggies that haven't been sprayed with Roundup -- sue me!) lacinato kale, brush it with olive oil, sprinkle on some salt & onion powder, bake it on a cookie sheet for 15 min. & voila! I've got crunchy, yummy, HEALTHY chips that the crumb snatchers in my life love to eat. Which makes me a Rock Star Babysitter who is loved by dozens.

    Do you know how hard it is to get a 5-yr-old to eat anything other than damn chicken nuggets & french fries? To eat anything green that's not a gummy bear? Maybe the young Bastards are sophisticated diners who relish green veggies & other nourishing foods. But the little hood rats in my family are marauding beasts who will destroy your purse in search of candy or treats as soon as you enter their domain. They even eat Altoids which are way too strong for normal, civilized kids. If it weren't for kale, I shudder to think how I would ever get nutritious food into them on the occasions when I babysit. So all praise is due to KALE!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've never had kale that tasted like anything worth eating, but I'm one of those odd ones that eats broccoli on purpose.

      Delete
    2. i love broccoli and sprouts and mushrooms

      Delete
    3. With you, Ken. I was one of the weird kids too: I love(d) spinach, brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Didn't develop a taste for (non-fried) potatoes until adulthood.

      Delete
    4. When my elder daughter was about 4 we were in the supermarket at autumn time when sprouts came back in for the season.

      You can't imagine the appalled looks you get from other shoppers when your little girl physically jumps up and down shouting "Yay! Sprouts! WeyHey!". I think they assumed she's usually fed nothing but dry bread and water! Actually, she does just really like sprouts.

      Ugi

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    5. PS even she doesn't like kale!

      Delete
  24. Feel free to ask any vet about "grain free" pet foods as if the whole grains that are so critical for our cardiac health are somehow toxic to our pets. "Fillers" not a real term. "By-products" are just the non meat parts of the animal, like liver or kidney. People listen to a commercial and think they are being fed the truth...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. the other side of that equation is there are some cheap pet foods that have more corn than an Orville Reddenbacher's franchise.

      Delete
    2. I heard that apparently children cannot/just do not understand that a commercial is trying to just get your money. Maybe theres something about vegans and stupid people too?

      Delete
    3. Madison Avenue hopes most adults don't understand, either.

      Delete
  25. The reason You're ill is because you ate gluten and drank non-GMO water. You should try my snake oil, it works wonders.

    ReplyDelete
  26. xkcd on bottled water:
    https://xkcd.com/1599/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even better, and *quite* relevant to Doc's rant:

      https://xkcd.com/641/

      Delete
    2. I do have to say, though, that the two times I was visiting New Orleans I ended up drinking bottled water (Poland Spring, FWIW) the whole time I was there, because the stuff out of the tap, while probably safe to drink, tasted nasty to me. OTOH, I drink the stuff here in metro Boston out of the tap w/no problems whatsoever, and it tastes just fine; then again, it probably hasn't been through God knows how many other people's bladders on its way down the Mississippi.

      Delete
    3. drinking a brand of bottled water because you prefer the taste is valid.

      Delete
  27. I live in California, where raw water is a current fad, and people are putting their cats on vegan diets...
    But on the other hand, I recently brought some baked goods to work, and warned my colleague the dessert was not vegan. Her reply: "I'm vegan but not stupid."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *chokes back urge to begin screaming uncontrollably* Has anyone ever told these morons that cats are OBLIGATE CARNIVORES, and will become very sick and perhaps even DIE without meat? Look at their teeth, for God's sake--they've got incisors for cutting into meat, not molars for grinding plant matter! *pushing face into pillows and begins screaming while in another room, away from my cat*

      Delete
    2. they have told them repeatedly. they say they know better.

      Delete
  28. 'Way back in the 70s, my college botany prof exploded one day, and said, "Stop talking about "natural" like that means it's perfect! Gonorrhea and cockroaches are 'natural', and you don't see people lining up to get those!" I sure enjoyed his class.

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  29. There are many reasons to oppose genetically engineered plants - though not necessarily because they are unhealthy, but because they put farmers at the mercy of a few transnational forporations who patent those seeds. Initial conflicts over patent rights in Northern America show how, in the future, farmers may lose some of the rights concerning their crops. Patents o­n life are not compatible with the concept of intellectual property rights. They confer rights which go far beyond what the "inventor" has really accomplished.

    Cheerio
    Softship

    ReplyDelete
  30. I gotta say, while I definitely agree that all of this is bullshit, none of it bothers me in the slightest. More choice isn't bad in this case. If people want to be clueless sheep, and only buy products with logically irrelevant labels, well that doesn't affect me in any way. And I look at the bright side - people with coeliac can now, like never before, find a vast selection of all sorts of food that's safe for their consumption. It may have come for the wrong reason, but I'd say it's definitely a good thing.

    The rest of the stuff, yeah they're all pretty dumb (especially that poisonous mushroom image, god damn) but they really are harmless in my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure it's completely harmless - if it makes parents feel that they have to push themselves into debt order to avoid poisoning their kids with non-GM-free water and non-gluten-free beef then it is clearly harmful.

      I agree that it's causing no harm to spoiled rich idiots and I have no sympathy for them. But not everyone is one of those. If you see it as being a choice between affording natural organic gluten-free food and swimming lessons then the marketing disinformation has caused harm.

      Ugi

      Delete
  31. In the UK food does not contain any GMO if made in the UK or europe.
    American food is full of it.
    They tried selling ot over here but we rebelled with our wallets and now they don't seell it if made in the EU.
    American goods do contain it and it has to be included on the label so things like hersheys, reeses, lucky charms etc tend not to sell too well.
    There were problems when people eho had allergies were reacting to GMO foods and it was discovered that a particular gene 9nut or whatever) was causing the rather unexpected reaction.

    I won't eat it on the grounds that cereals do not cross breed with fruits or fish which is some of the stuff they have tried.
    Also it is very bad to have seeds that can only be bought from one company at extorniate prices and are protected using said firms chemicals and which has a nasty habit of killing off all the beneficial insects etc which is very bad.


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Enough. No one is 'allergic to GMOs'. What can they eat, then? Teosinte? And the supposed 'European GMO ban' is a flat-out lie that I'm not even going to bother addressing when freakin' Wikipedia will tell you otherwise.

      Delete
    2. @fluffy Overreact much when you don't read carefully? Tania said that "There were problems when people WHO HAD ALLERGIES were reacting to GMO foods....," not that they were 'allergic to GMOs' as you misstated. I submit that Tania has a right to her opinion in as much as you have a right to yours, yes? Minus your condescension, of course. (Read; who made you the authority on "freakin" gmos?) Lighten up, whydoncha? You work for Monsanto or something?
      M in NC

      Delete
    3. the reaction comes from dealing with so many people who think "GMO" stands for "Roundup Ready Wheat"
      there are a wide variety of GMO cultivars, ranging from roundup ready wheat, to drought resistant rice, to corn that produces the same insecticide that is approved for organic farmers to pour all over their crops. And, of course, there are many other varieties.

      Delete
  32. I was beginning to wonder if you'd been stalking me. I've delivered the exact same rants in my science class for years. I realised you hadn't when I got to your comment on pre-peeled oranges. I used to mock them, but I have been taught that such produce is an important factor in supporting independence for people with disabilities. It's not just about the physical ability to hold an orange and peel it but also about the energy toll it takes. You acknowledge that gluten free is important to people with coeliac, pre peeled oranges are important to a whole bunch of people too.

    I hope you get over your cold soon. Have you tried vitamin C ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emergen-C can shorten your cold from two weeks to just 14 days.

      Delete
    2. I so wish I could upvote/like comments.

      Delete
  33. "Organic" is a legitimate food term. Organic eggs come from hens that were allowed to roam freely and weren't treated with hormones. It's one of the few terms regulated by the USDA. Organic may not be better for humans, but it can be better for the animals producing the food or for the environment, and that matters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ⬆️ This. Thank you.

      M in NC

      Delete
    2. actually organic eggs can come from battery hens, organic beef can come from feedlots, and organic produce can be saturated with pesticides. it's just a matter of using the products that have been arbitrarily approved to be advertised as "organic." - and the criteria have nothing to do with being carbon based or being inherently healthy.
      a responsible farmer can follow the guidelines to produce good quality food, but a responsible farmer can produce equally good quality food without greasing the palms to get the organic label.

      Delete
    3. Ken, actually, you might want to read up on what "organic eggs" means.
      Organic eggs must come from chickens that live in cage-free environments and have access to the outdoors, even if their outdoor area is just a small pen or enclosed yard area. Pens are used to protect the chickens and their eggs from predators like hawks, foxes, raccoons, coyotes and other animals.
      Source: https://www.thespruce.com/whats-cracking-with-organic-eggs-1708923

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    4. Ken, actually, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, organic means that the laying hens must have access to the outdoors and cannot be raised in cages. Only natural molting can occur within the flock; forced molting is not allowed. Organic certification also requires maintenance of basic animal welfare standards.

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    5. So if I could sell my body's eggs, does that make them organic? I roam freely and haven't been treated with hormones.

      Delete
    6. it's always good to have the official source:
      https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Eggs/ucm360028

      I see a lot of wiggle room, there.

      Delete
    7. I don't see a lot of "wiggle room".

      The USDA National Organic Program regulations require that organic poultry have year-round access to the outdoors. Birds must have access to the outdoors, shade, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air, clean water for drinking, and direct sunlight (7 CFR 205.239(a)(1)). Poultry are allowed to be temporarily confined in some circumstances, such as inclement weather or conditions under which the birds’ health, safety, or well-being could be jeopardized (7 CFR 205.239(b)). However, continuous total confinement indoors is prohibited by USDA’s regulations (7 CFR 205.239(a)(1)).

      Just admit that you were wrong, Ken.

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    8. also if you have less than 3000 chickens. so you can lock them inside if it is too rainy, too hot, too cold, or other inclement weather, you can lock them inside if there might be a predator, poacher, eclipse, exhibitionist, etc.
      there is no legal size requirement for the outside run. it's all still a branding thing, and the farmer can treat the chickens like machines and still claim organic.

      yes I was incorrect in that the USDA does require chickens for organic eggs to be able to go outside, that doesn't change the fact that Organic is a branding thing a and an "organic" label is no guarantee of quality.

      Delete
    9. Ken, there is no such thing as a "guarantee of quality" for any foods. But the chances are greater of getting eggs from chickens which have endured less torture if you buy "organic" eggs. Your initial statement was simply incorrect, own it.

      We can continue with "organic" beef. Did you know that to be certified "organic", cattle should never have received growth hormones and never received antibiotics. There is ample evidence that humans' resistence to antibiotics has a lot to do with the trace amounts of antibiotics they ingest by eating meat.

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    10. it is not that humans become resistant to antibiotics. BACTERIA become resistant to antibiotics. and the existence of antibiotic resistant bacteria has more to do with improper use of antibiotics on HUMANS than the trace amounts they ingest by eating meat from cows that are improperly used on.

      but tell me, does the cow also have to be able to access an outdoor feedlot to be considered organic?

      Delete
    11. Ken, I just happened to drop by - can't believe you're so stubbornly trying to defend your mistakes and create more in the process.
      Humans' bacteria are a part of the human body, and most bacteria which we have a essential for our survival. Your attempt to "teach" me who and what is resistent to antibiotics is nothing less than silly.
      Even the WHO acknowledges that antibiotic resistance in humans is also caused by overuse of antibiotics in animals.
      There is also little evidence that failing to complete a prescribed antibiotic course contributes to antibiotic resistance, it’s time for policy makers, educators, and doctors to drop this message, argue Martin Llewelyn and colleagues:
      http://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j3418
      You question about cows' access to an outdoor feedlot is just a stupid little ploy to detract from the fact that you were mistaken. Get over it and move on.

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    12. you're absofuckinglutely right. it is
      PEOPLE who become immune to a ntibiotics, Organic food is defined by whether chickens can go outside, therefore organic food is inherently superior to food that doesn't carry an organic label, it does absolutely no harm to stop taking your antibiotics just as soon as you feel better, and softship sees all and knows all.

      except you;re being a fucking ponce. I said several posts ago that you are right that the FDA definition of an organic egg is an egg laid by a chicken that was allowed to go outside. I also said that only points out how the definitions of organic have become a branding thing, and can be manipulated to allow farmers to get away with their same practices.
      I did NOT say that misuse of antibiotics in animals doesn't contribute to antibiotic resistant BACTERIA.
      and the WHO ALSO seems to be concerned that courses of antibiotics are sufficient to kill all the bacteria.
      http://www.who.int/features/qa/stopping-antibiotic-treatment/en/

      and no, my question about cows' access to an outdoor feedlot is an attempt to SUBTLY point out you are being a pedantic TWIT.
      but suince it failed, here it is.

      you are being a pedantic TWIT. get over yourself.

      Golden Graham
      Ken

      Delete
    13. Hi Teapot...

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    14. BTW - from your own WHO link...

      Evidence is emerging that shorter courses of antibiotics may be just as effective as longer courses for some infections. Shorter treatments make more sense – they are more likely to be completed properly, have fewer side effects and also likely to be cheaper. They also reduce the exposure of bacteria to antibiotics, thereby reducing the speed by which the pathogen develops resistance.

      Whoops...

      Cheerio
      Softship

      Delete
    15. And that's about enough of that. I have few rules here, but remaining neighbourly is one of them.

      You're both pretty. Now stop it.

      Delete
  34. Long time lurker, first time commenting. The gluten free label can also mean it is free of cross contamination. Oats are gluten free, however most oatmeal cannot be considered gluten free because it is processed in facilities that also process flour. I have a celiac friend, and cross contamination is a big issue for her as she reacts very strongly. So even though most oatmeal should be fine, she can't risk it and must buy the more expensive gluten free oatmeal because she knows it won't affect her.

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  35. Doc Bastard, you have to stop being so self-righteous and ignorant. It may be hard for you to believe, but in some places it is not progressive to rant about vaccines because everyone is in agreement, or about organic food because it's not controversial. You sound, pardon me, juvenile. (And Australian.)

    We know that "organic" means carbon-based; however, it also means in the food industry something specific and different. You sound like someone who hasn't gotten his general education.

    Organic food is better for the environment and livestock; it has nothing to do with better human nutrition. It's not always about humans. Also, I had never heard about "raw water" until I read about it here. Could it be possible that you are promoting pseudoscience that people would not have otherwise heard about until you brought it up?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so you totally missed my comments on organic branding, just above...

      Delete
    2. Oh hai john. So hows your nonexistent sex life aaaaaah?

      Delete
    3. Ken, you totally missed my comments on your comment on organic eggs. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, organic means that the laying hens must have access to the outdoors and cannot be raised in cages.

      Delete
    4. there was a glitch and it didn't display. I'll comment on it, up there.

      Delete
    5. There are several people pretending to be the same Anonymous. Heads up.

      Delete
    6. Anon - If you really think I don't know what "organic" has come to mean in the food industry, then I'm surprised you have the brain capacity to turn on a computer, let alone type such a reply. I am fully aware of what the term has come to mean. What I was complaining about is the hijacking of a scientific term for what is essentially a marketing ploy.

      Don't you dare try to tell me it has nothing to do with nutrition. I fucking know that, but I also know that more than half of Americans believe organic food is better for them. Don't believe me? How about now? http://www.organicauthority.com/nearly-half-of-americans-dont-value-the-health-benefits-of-organic-food-poll-shows/

      And don't try to pull that "Well I didn't know about raw water until you mentioned it" bullshit. If you believe anyone is going to think, "Oh! Raw water! I should totally try that!" after reading what I say about it, then you're not even as bright as I expected.

      Oh, and saying that I sound Australian as if that were some kind of an insult is fucking offensive. Fuck off.

      Delete
  36. Whenever you use a word inside quotations at the end of a sentence, the punctuation mark goes inside the quotation marks. I'm not trying to be a "grammar Nazi." Just a heads up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. artistic license allows using the punctuation mark outside the quotes, if needed, to ensure the clarity of what you have written.

      because
      did the officer say "you're under arrest, dirtbag?"
      is different from
      did the officer say "you're under arrest, dirtbag."?

      Delete
    2. Dillyn - British English and American English treat this point differently. In British English the punctuation goes either inside or outside the quotation marks. https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-use-quotation-marks

      Delete
    3. Ken - the rule is different for periods and question marks, no doubt. DocBastard's link illustrates that point.

      Doc - I was not aware of this difference between British and American English. Thank you for the link.

      Delete
  37. I love this post. 100% agree, couldn't have said it better. Thank you Doc!!

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  38. Could someone explain Organic Sea Salt to me?

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  39. the only time i ever drank bottled water was when i had well water in my home. it was perfectly healthy water(we tested it to hell and back), but it smelled and tasted awful(why we kept testing it).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. wells tend to be a bit like gambling. fortunately, my well is a winner.

      Delete
  40. There's also non-celiac wheat sensitivity, and researchers have found out something about the mechanism. See "Intestinal cell damage and systemic immune activation in individuals reporting sensitivity to wheat in the absence of coeliac disease" http://gut.bmj.com/content/65/12/1930
    You linked to a paper by Peter Gibson et al, but he excludes people with an abnormal intestinal biopsy as he has in a previous study showing FODMAPS were the problem. People with NCWS tend to have a mildly abnormal intestinal biopsy with an increase in intraepithelial lymphocytes - Marsh 1.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They say in the paper "Celiac disease was considered adequately excluded if the duodenal biopsy was normal while on a gluten-containing diet or if the individual was negative for both HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8.
      So someone who had an abnormal duodenal biopsy but wasn't DQ2 or DQ8 might be included.
      They also excluded people who were allergic to nuts or sesame seeds, and people with non-celiac wheat sensitivity (at least, the kind that's an immune reaction) tend to have allergy issues otherwise.

      Delete
  41. The raw water crap cracked me up, sewage over flow is bad but if someone wants to pay me 60.00 for a gallon of gross river water, be my guest.

    Got in to an argument with a vegan once in college, pretentious bastard wanted to bitch because we were eating meat in class.. We all knew he was gay too, because he had to make all of us aware of that along with his veganism every damn day.
    I asked him if he blew his boyfriend, he took offense..
    I asked again if he blew his boyfriend, he finally answered with a yes..
    I asked him if he swallowed, and he took offense..
    I asked again because he had pissed me off enough I was going to make a big deal about it.. he answered yes..
    Told him he wasn't a fucking vegan and just a hypocrite, because he ate mammal proteins, in essence he's a cannibal..
    He refused to talk to me or talk near me after that and the last 6 weeks were pleasant..

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  42. RE gluten... speaking from experience, sometimes it's not about which bandwagon you jump on, but what you try when looking for a healthier lifestyle.

    Meaning, at one point I took a look at myself and said, sheesh! I have to start eating more healthy! My problem was not just WHAT I ate but also HOW OFTEN I ate, and HOW HUNGRY I often was. And yes, how much I was spending on food.

    No need for the whole story... short version is, I eventually tried paleo for a month. From that experience I emerged with a gluten- and lactose-free diet (there's far more to paleo, of course, but it all seemed... off, to me) and feel (subjective impression!) much better for it, not being either as hungry or as bloated as before (and my bowel moves more regularly and with less strain). I even enjoy making simple substitutes for wheat flour and milk products; it's a bit of a game! I also lost about 8kgs (12 at first, but then those extra 4kgs creeped up and seem to be here to stay).

    My point... yes, there is a fad, and fads are pretty crazy, and I remain unconvinced on whether gluten is actually BAD for you (I have some opinions on why not to eat it, but they're outside the scope of this post). BUT, giving it a go has allowed me to discover a healthier lifestyle which suits me best, without actually buying into the craziness.

    It's like the bible, or any other holy book. They have nuggets of wisdom, and can be a powerful moral compass, sort of like a reference book for life - and you don't even have to be religious to recognise that. But the minute you start seriously taking it literally... oh boy.

    Too much is too much.

    On an somewhat unrelated note: I'll never forget going to the supermarket, buying a bag of peanuts, just plain shelled toasted peanuts, and reading the following on the back:

    PEANUTS
    Ingredients: Peanuts
    MAY CONTAIN: Peanuts

    I sure *hope* it contains peanuts! ;)

    ReplyDelete

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