Como o Kefir Pode Ajudar seu Cãozinho?

Como o kefir salvou a vida de um cão

Lendo sobre kefir de leite na alimentação canina na internet, me deparei com a história um cachorro que mora nos Estados Unidos que me impressionou bastante. O artigo contava o caso de Christian, um cão que sofria de um quadro gastrointestinal muito severo. Christian estava evacuando sangue, e vomitando o tempo todo. Os proprietários o levaram ao veterinário fizeram exames, mas não conseguiram fechar o quadro. Christian foi medicado com três medicamentos diferentes, que ajudaram parcialmente, mas o cão tinha que receber uma dieta rigorosa a base de frango e arroz. Se desviasse desta dieta, tanto a diarreia com sangue quanto o vomito voltariam. Durante sete meses Christian viveu sob esta tortura, sem que os veterinários pudessem compreender o que estava acontecendo com ele. Até que um certo dia, a proprietária de Christian conheceu o kefir de leite e começou a oferecer diariamente vitaminas com kefir para sua família. Em um dado momento, ela pensou, se o kefir é tão bom para minha família será que ele também não poderia ser benéfico para meu cachorro?

Kefir de leite na alimentação dos cachorros

Imediatamente, ela misturou um pouco de kefir na comida de Christian e suspendeu a medicação. Após três dias sem medicação e oferecendo kefir de leite todos os dias, o sangue nas fezes  e a dor de estômago sumiram. Desde então Christian toma todos os dias uma xícara de kefir e pode comer qualquer coisa. Hoje, Christian é um cãozinho normal e muito feliz, e sempre que vê sua dona fazendo as vitaminas de Kefir de leite, fica andando atrás dela implorando para ganhar mais kefir de leite. Christian foi salvo pelo kefir de leite em apenas três dias, após meses de uma vida cheia de dor e desespero de seus donos.

O kefir pode ser utilizado na alimentação de cães com infeções fúngicas

Hoje a leitora Elisangela Veiga Dos Santos, fez um comentário no artigo sobre tratamentos caseiros para fungos em cachorros, perguntado sobre qual seria o iogurte indicado para tratar infecções fúngicas. Neste artigo, indico que você pode utilizar iogurtes funcionais na alimentação de seu peludo, com o intuito de melhorar a imunidade de seu cão. Prometi escrever em breve um artigo sobre o kefir de leite. Muitos sites nos quais os autores são entusiastas de uma alimentação natural para nossos cães, sugerem que você introduza o iogurte e até mesmo o kefir na alimentação de seu cão a fim de complementar a alimentação de animais que são alimentados com ração industrializada.

Eu já utilizei kefir na alimentação de meus cães e realmente, os resultados são formidáveis. Já li a respeito de muitos cães com problemas gástricos que estabilizaram após o hábito regular de tomar kefir de leite diariamente.

Como o kefir atua no corpo do cachorro?

 

Kefir de leite na alimentação dos cachorros

As principais funções do cólon são a absorção de água e sais minerais, e a formação e a eliminação de fezes. O cólon contém cerca de sessenta variedades de microflora, ou bactérias, para auxiliar a digestão, promover a produção de nutrientes vitais, para manter o equilíbrio do pH, e para prevenir o crescimento de bactérias nocivas.

Estas bactérias fornecem funções importantes, tais como a síntese de ácido fólico e valiosos nutrientes dos alimentos, incluindo vitaminas ‘K’ e porções do complexo ‘B’. Bacillus coli e acidophillus compreendem a maioria de bactérias saudáveis ​​no cólon, juntamente com muitos outros tipos contrastantes de bactérias em menor número.

O processo de digestão, a partir da ingestão de alimentos até a eliminação, normalmente leva entre 12 a 24 horas, assumindo que o cólon esteja totalmente funcional. Movimentos intestinais irregulares ou pouco frequentes podem permitir que os resíduos tóxicos, a partir dos subprodutos de alimentos não digeridos, permaneçam no cólon.

Por isso o organismo precisa dessas bactérias boas para ajudá-lo a realizar seu trabalho.

Mas afinal o que é kefir?

O kefir é um alimento rico em probiótico que pode ser comparado a um iogurte, porém é muito superior. Em Portugal o kefir também é conhecido como flor do iogurte.

O kefir também é um alimento fresco e acaba saindo muito barato, pois é cultivado por você. Além disso, é uma das melhores fontes de probióticos de alta qualidade, pois contêm mais cepas de bactérias e mais probióticos do que a maioria dos iogurtes funcionais disponíveis no mercado. O kefir normalmente contém 5 bilhões de bactérias benéficas.

O kefir é um alimento lácteo e cremoso, que é obtido a partir do leite de vaca ou cabra, também pode ser obtido através de cultura em outros tipos de leite como ovelhas, leite de coco, arroz ou soja. O Kefir é uma das mais antigas formas de leite fermentado. Embora seja semelhante ao iogurte, o kefir oferece ainda mais benefícios para a saúde do que um iogurte tradicional. Saiba mais sobre os benefícios do kefir e como cultivá-lo aqui.

Como surgiu o Kefir?

O uso de Kefir remonta cerca de 2000 anos. Ele foi desenvolvido por pastores nas montanhas do Cáucaso. Os pastores carregavam leite fresco em bolsas de couro. Em um dado momento, o leite fermentou em grãos, o que resultou em uma bebida efervescente. Os grãos foram considerados preciosos. Após a descoberta, o povo da montanha aprendeu como fazer a cultura do kefir, misturando os grãos de kefir com leite fresco e cru. Eles deixavam o leite em sacos de couro de cabra para fermentar e assim adquiriram os grãos.

Quais são os ingredientes ativos do Kefir

Resultado de leite fermentado, formam-se pequenos grãos que se parecem com pequenas floretes de couve-flor. Os grãos de kefir são constituídos por caseína e colônias gelatinosas de bactérias benéficas, é um alimento predominantemente lácteo fermentado pelas leveduras Torula kefir e Saccharomyces kefir conjuntamente com as bactérias Lactobacillus caucasium e Streptococcus lactis. Além disso, os núcleos incluem algumas leveduras. Kefir é o único produto a base de leite fermentado que tem mais de três tipos de mico-organismos benéficos, e normalmente uma média de cerca de 10 espécies de bactérias.

Quais são os benefícios de oferecer do Kefir ao meu cachorro?

Kefir de leite na alimentação dos cachorros

Como já falamos anteriormente, normalmente, uma colher de sopa de kefir contém 5 bilhões de bactérias benéficas. Sendo assim, uma fonte rica e concentrada de bactérias benéficas ao organismo. Os probióticos encontrados no kefir de leite contribuem para a saúde de uma forma variada e ampla.

• Contém triptofano, e aminoácidos essenciais;
• O kefir, contém uma quantidade substancial de vitaminas do complexo B, cálcio, vitamina A, vitamina D, magnésio, fósforo;
• Ajuda a evitar doenças;
• É de fácil digestão;
• É excelente para estimular o sistema imunológico;
• Funciona como um antibiótico natural e possui propriedades anti-fúngicas;
• Promove ações anticancerígenas e antitumorais no organismo;
• Promove o aceleramento de cicatrizações de feridas;
• Promove a redução dos efeitos da intolerância a lactose;
• Promove efeito antioxidante;
• Tem propriedades antimicrobianas;
• Promove a diminuição do colesterol sérico;
• Auxilia no tratamento de síndromes de imunodeficiência;
• Incrementa o valor biológico das proteínas do leite;
• Restabelece e equilibra a microbiota intestinal e pode ser utilizado também em cães que apresentam diarreia;

O que não devo fazer ao introduzir Kefir na alimentação de meu cachorro?

Açúcar e adoçantes artificiais não são bons para cães, portanto ofereça ao seu peludo apenas o kefir natural, eles adoram e só irá trazer benefícios ao seu peludo. Apesar de gostarem muito do sabor do kefir, não ofereça este alimento em excesso. Para cães pequenininhos, uma colher de sopa, talvez já seja a dose suficiente para que ele desfrute dos benefícios deste alimento. Já cães maiores, podem se beneficiar das maravilhas do kefir, tomando até uma xícara por dia.

Como devo introduzir Kefir na dieta de meu cachorro?

Kefir de leite na alimentação dos cachorros

Como acontece com qualquer novo alimento que você deseja introduzir na dieta de seu cachorro, inicie lentamente a administração deste alimento. O probiótico de kefir é altamente concentrado e é importante que você inicie a administração com bastante cautela para que o seu organismo se ajuste a ele. Durante os primeiros dias, fracione a dosagem indicada para o tamanho de seu cachorro pela metade (aproximadamente 1/2 xícara ou 1/2 copo americano ou de requeijão). Isso irá evitar problemas gastrointestinais enquanto o corpo de seu cão se ajusta ao aumento da quantidade de probiótico. Sugiro que você aumente a dosagem diária, até chegar na quantidade ideal recomendada, em dois ou três dias, mas se desejar pode fazer esta adição de maneira ainda mais gradativa. Se seu cachorro tiver uma reação negativa ao kefir, suspenda imediatamente. Todos os meus cães que se alimentaram com kefir, diariamente nunca tiveram uma reação negativa (e aqui cabe um parênteses para explicar que devo ter oferecido para algo entre 18 e 22 cães simultaneamente).

A capacidade de imuno-modulação, que resulta através da ingestão oral de kefir, já foi descrita em alguns estudos. O consumo de kefir não apenas afeta de maneira positiva a digestão mas também influencia no metabolismo e na função imune.

Por isso a adição de kefir na dieta de cães saudáveis é amplamente recomendada, mas principalmente em casos de cachorros que apresentam estômago sensível, intolerância a lactose, infecção por fungos, distúrbios digestivos, intestino preso, inflamação intestinal, gastrite, e outros problemas alérgicos, podem se beneficiar amplamente ao alimentarem-se com kefir de leite. Também é muito interessante utilizar kefir como preventivo de tumores em animais mais velhinhos. E se você quiser apenas mimar seu cão e ainda assim, melhorar seu sistema imunológico, não deixe de oferecer kefir para seu cão todos os dias, certamente ele irá adorar.

Como faço para conseguir kefir para meu cachorro?

Busque na internet “Doadores de kefir de leite”, em sua região. O kefir não é um alimento comercializado tradicionalmente e por ter uma grande procura, são doados de mão em mão em pequenas quantidades, da mesma forma que é feito a milhares de anos.

Para melhorar ainda mais a saúde do seu cãozinho

Procure rações livres de cereais (transgênicos) e conservantes nocivos e elimine as pulgas e carrapatos sem substâncias tóxicas.

COMO RECEBER DOAÇÃO DE KEFIR: clique aqui 

Referência:

http://www.blogdocachorro.com.br/como-kefir-pode-ajudar-seu-cachorro/

Como fazer Whey Protein e Yakult com o Kefir de Leite

Editado em 24/05/2015.

Em outro artigo, mostrei como fazer o cream-cheese com kefir, o assunto ficou extenso e resolvi dividi-lo em partes para facilitar.

A primeira coisa que você vai precisar são os grãos do Kefir de Leite, se ainda não os tiver, verifique os links de doação destes ao final do seguinte post: Os inúmeros benefícios do probiótico Kefir.

Ao filtrarmos o leite fermentado com kefir, teremos 2 subprodutos:
O cream-cheese probiótico e o soro probiótico de kefir, cuja proteína é conhecida como o whey.

Não podemos desprezar o soro resultante da filtragem do leite fermentado com kefir, ele tem várias aplicações em nossa alimentação.

As aplicações do soro de leite na indústria alimentícia são várias, desde bebidas lácteas até sorvetes e bolos. Devido a seu alto valor nutritivo, a proteína do soro pode ser isolada e sua aplicação está relacionada com melhoramento do rendimento esportivo em atletas amadores ou profissionais.

Utilize coador de nylon (de café) e separe o soro

Soro de kefir drenado

Receita:  Gelatinas probióticas

Receita de chucrute:  Kefircrute  do blog Coisinhas da Bárbara 

E que tal fazer uma bebida probiótica com soro do leite fermentado com kefir? 

Antes que me perguntem, a bebida não fica igual ao original! Nem a concorrência

conseguiu imitar o verdadeiro sabor da bebida, mas faça e aproveite as propriedades

probióticas do kefir e ofereça uma bebida infinitamente mais saudável as crianças e

sem excesso de açúcar e corantes.

Receita de "Yakult"  genérico com Kefir

• 100 ml do soro também chamado de kefiraride
• 50 ml do leite fermentado com kefir de leite
• 1 colher de sopa de açúcar mascavo
• 1 gotinha de extrato de baunilha natural (ou compre sua fava aqui e aprenda como fazer o extrato de baunilha natural aqui)

Misture tudo e sirva gelado.

Quando o leite é transformado em queijo, o soro desse leite é filtrado e separado.
O resultado é o whey, uma proteína de altíssima qualidade.
É a base de muitas bebidas de proteína para atletas ou outras pessoas que desejam construir ou reparar tecidos musculares quando oferecido como uma bebida de proteína, geralmente é encontrado em forma de pó.
O subproduto é também um suplemento importante para aqueles que têm mobilidade limitada nos membros, em que contribui para a prevenção de atrofia, ou definhamento, de células musculares.
A Proteína do soro do leite, sendo seu nome comercial mais conhecido como Whey Protein, é uma proteína de baixo peso molecular obtida do soro do leite através de um processo de troca iônica , o que proporciona o mais alto valor biológico de proteína e capacidade de absorção.
Possui alto teor de aminoácidos essenciais e de cadeia ramificada BCAA, necessários para o ganho de massa muscular magra.

Whey Protein

Conhecida por conter altos teores de Lactoalbumina, nome genérico com o qual os cientistas batizaram a proteína, este complemento alimentar possui pequenas concentrações de gordura e proteína de elevado grau de pureza. 

As proteínas do soro representam até 20% das fontes proteicas de alimentação, e estão divididas em quatro grupos: caseínas, proteínas do soro do leite, proteínas das membranas dos glóbulos de gorduras e outras.

A proteína do soro do leite é comercializada de diversas formas para consumo, de acordo com a necessidade de concentração do consumidor. 

Os médicos recomendam consultas a especialistas antes de se consumir este produto (fonte).  

OBS: O máximo a ser consumido do Whey de Kefir é 100 ml ou meio copo americano por dia, pois pode provocar diarreia.

Outra utilidade do soro do leite de kefir:

 

Nas Leguminosas (feijão, ervilha, grão de bico e lentilha)

Usar na imersão de leguminosas para aumentar a sua digestibilidade e conteúdo nutricional e para reduzir o ácido fítico e lectinas. 

Deve-se deixar 1 kg de feijão de molho na água filtrada com 2 colheres de sopa ou mais de soro, trocar a água a cada 12 h, enxaguar e adicionar mais 2 colheres de sopa do soro à água com feijão e após 24 h descartar esta água e enxaguá-lo bem.

Após este período, cozinhe com água filtrada em panela de pressão de cerâmica certificada ou de inox por 15 minutos (fonte).

Nos Cereais Integrais

Muito se recomenda o consumo de grãos integrais, porém as cascas desses são ricas em fibras insolúveis, estes alimentos tendem a conter um teor maior de ácido fítico.

A dica é deixar os cereais de molho em água morna acrescidos do soro do leite de kefir por no mínimo uma noite (por 8 a 12 h), inclusive a quinoa. Deixar de molho neutraliza inibidores enzimáticos presentes em todas as sementes e estimula a produção de outras enzimas benéficas, cuja ação aumenta a quantidade de vitaminas disponíveis, especialmente as do complexo B.

O ácido fítico provoca gases, "sequestra" minerais essenciais como o cálcio, magnésio, ferro e zinco e, portanto, pode contribuir para deficiência destes minerais em pessoas cuja dieta seja baseada em alimentos que são ricos em ácido fítico. Desta forma, o mesmo é um antinutriente. Para pessoas que já possuam um baixo consumo de minerais essenciais, seus efeitos podem ser indesejáveis.

OBS1: Validade do soro: 6 meses em geladeira.
OBS2: Caso você não possua o soro, pode utilizar 2 colheres de sopa de limão.

Gelatina de Mel  e Whey

Gelatina de whey

Materiais (2 porções):

• Soro de leite: 10 colheres de sopa;
• Gelatina em pó incolor ou ágar-ágar: 3 a 4g;
• Açúcar mascavo ou demerara ou mel: 10 a 15g;
• Suco de limão: 1 colher de sopa.

Aqueça e dilua a gelatina em um pouco de água, e acrescente os demais.

Enfeite com pedaços de frutas. 

Referências:

http://recipe.rakuten.co.jp/recipe/1480004812/

http://kefiralimentoprobiotico.blogspot.com.br/2013/08/whey-cream-cheese.html

http://pat.feldman.com.br/fazendo-feijao/

https://portuguese.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/10/27/limite-lectinas.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1AcbY_HL_bVEdIJhBmABy6SMm1bZWo0hqQdLV9Nz9J2K7t8BxMNvl91wc

"Discover the Incredible Benefits of Kefir"

If you are serious about supporting your immune system and increasing your daily energy, then adding traditionally fermented foods to your diet is a must.

Although not widely known, the health benefits of these foods are tremendous. I am a major proponent of traditionally fermented foods.

And now, you can achieve the amazing health benefits of traditionally lacto-fermented food with this exceptional Kefir Starter.

Beneficial Fermented Foods vs. Commercially Processed

Long ago, food preservation was accomplished through lacto-fermentation, a process that adds a host of beneficial micro-organisms to food. This makes food easier to digest, and helps increase the healthy flora in our intestinal tracts.

Because fermentation is an inconsistent process, commercial food processors developed techniques like pasteurization -- a method that destroys dozens of precious enzymes -- to help standardize more consistent yields.

Sadly, I believe that modern culture has sacrificed many of the advantages of traditionally fermented healthy foods for faster and cheaper methods of mass production. I believe that it's time to return to the health-supporting foods of our past.

Why You Should Drink Kefir

Kefir, which means 'feel good" in Turkish, is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that help balance your "inner ecosystem" to help maintain optimal health.

Among its many beneficial powers, Kefir:Kefir's tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, and it contains beneficial yeast as well as the friendly 'probiotic' bacteria found in yogurt. When used regularly, the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in Kefir help balance your intestinal flora and support your immune system.

• Supports your healthy immune system
• Helps support your normal intestinal tract function, supports regular bowel movements and your healthy digestive system
• Curbs unhealthy food cravings by making your body more nourished and balanced

Kefir's Superior Nutrition

The exceptional nutritional content of Kefir offers a wealth of healthy benefits. More than just beneficial bacteria, Kefir contains minerals and essential amino acids that help your body with its maintenance functions.

The complete proteins in Kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body.

Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids abundant in Kefir, offers loads of calcium and magnesium.

Kefir contains vitamins B12, B1, and K. Kefir also gives you biotin, a B vitamin which aids the body's absorption of other B vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12. Kefir's ample supply of phosphorus -- the second most abundant mineral in our bodies -- helps utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for cell growth, maintenance and energy.

Kefir vs. Yogurt

Ingredients: Kefir Starter

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris

Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis

Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris

Lactobacillus kefyr

Klyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus

Saccaromyces unisporus

Carrier: dextrose, waterfree

While both Kefir and yogurt are cultured milk products, they contain different types of beneficial bacteria. Yogurt contains transient beneficial bacteria that keep your digestive system clean and provide food for the friendly bacteria that already are present. Kefir actually helps to colonize your intestinal tract.

Additionally, Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt: Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species. It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces Kefir and Torula Kefir, which help balance the intestinal flora, including promotion of beneficial yeast in the body.

Kefir's active yeast and bacteria may provide more nutritive value than yogurt by helping digest the foods that you eat and by keeping the colon environment clean and healthy. The curd size of Kefir is smaller than yogurt, so it's also easier to digest.

What if I'm Lactose-intolerant?

Unlike yogurt, the lactose in Kefir is all digested by the time it is ingested, and some of the proteins have been broken down -- so even most individuals with sensitivities to milk can use it.***

Kefir can be made from any type of milk: goat, cow, or sheep. Kefir is made from gelatinous white or yellow particle granules. This makes Kefir unique, as no other milk culture forms these granules.

How Kefir is Made

The granules contain the bacteria/yeast mixture clumped together with casein (milk proteins) and complex sugars that ferment the milk, incorporating their friendly organisms to create the cultured product. The granules are then removed with a strainer before consumption of the Kefir and added to a new batch of milk.

Introducing Kefir to Your Diet

Some people thrive on Kefir right from the start and others may need to proceed more slowly. For those who are concerned about a healthy balance of yeast, I recommend a slower buildup for tolerance. Start with about four ounces in the morning on an empty stomach. Every second day, increase the amount until you are able to drink a full eight ounce glass.

For anyone who may still have trouble digesting the milk Kefir, I recommend making it from the juice of young green coconuts. Most Americans are familiar with the mature (brown, hairy) coconut; a green coconut is really the same food, but it is just younger. Look for either the green shell or a white "husk" if the outer shell has been removed. While hard to find in the produce section of most big-chain supermarkets, they are available in ethnic or farmers' markets -- and many health food stores will carry them upon request.

Why Body Ecology is My Preferred Kefir Starter

"Wow, I just tried my 1st batch of kefir, made with live kefir grains, and it tasted great. Interesting tasting to say the least. The taste reminded me of a cross between buttermilk and yogurt with a real zip to it. Very tasty...and the process to make the kefir was too easy." Suzanne Delich Dyer, IN

Body Ecology offers a back-to-basics approach to supporting health and energy.

Body Ecology Kefir Starter is specifically designed to help you cultivate, nourish, cleanse and balance your abundant inner ecosystem effectively and naturally.

Tips for Making and Using Kefir

Time and temperature are two important factors that determine how thick and tasty your Kefir will be. In the warmer months Kefir may be ready to drink in 18 hours. If you let it sit out too long at room temperature, it will become thick and eventually start turning into cheese and whey. If your Kefir is "lumpy" and too sour, you are leaving it out too long. It should be creamy and "drinkable"...a little thicker than milk. At this point, shake it well and place the Kefir into your refrigerator. It will thicken slightly since it is continuing to culture, but at a much slower pace.

Making Kefir is an art, not an exact science. With each batch you make, adjust the time until you get it just the way you like it. Body Ecology's Kefir Starter culture is just that... a Starter. After you start your first batch of Kefir, you can use a small amount of that first batch to make your second batch. How much to use is included in the instructions found in the package. If you transfer too much Kefir from one batch to the next, you'll create a product that cultures too fast and tastes too sour.

Order Your Kefir Starter Now!

Body Ecology Kefir Starter is easy, economical and even fun to make at home. Simply take one packet and combine with your favorite milk or coconut juice. It tastes great plain, with your favorite fruit, or it makes a great base for smoothies, dips, and salad dressings.

One Starter box contains six packets and instructions for making up to 42 quarts of Kefir. You can make as many as seven such "transfers" from one packet and each batch will last up to a week when refrigerated.

At the low price of only $26.95 per box -- each quart of Kefir costs you less than 65 cents! So order your incredibly nutritious Kefir Starter now...

Source:

http://products.mercola.com/body-ecology/kefir.htm 

“The Future of Food” and the Soil

New Documentary “Symphony of the Soil” Extols the Importance and Mystery of Soil here.

By Dr. Mercola

“If we have declared a war against the soil itself, then we are literally committing a species level suicide.” — Dr. Vandana Shiva

One of Earth’s greatest treasures is soil, without which we could not survive. Soil is the mother of nearly all plant life, and ultimately, all animal life on this planet. It’s the interface between biology and geology—the living skin of the earth.

A new documentary, “Symphony of the Soil,” extols the importance and mystery of soil, as discussed by some of the world’s most esteemed scientists, farmers, and activists.1 This visually stunning film reveals how the future of humankind largely depends on how well we care for this vital natural resource.

Interestingly, the film was made by Deborah Garcia who also made “The Future of Food” 10 years ago. This is the film that catalyzed my commitment to eliminating GMOs. In September of this year, I actually had an opportunity to meet Deborah and we did the short interview here.

The Big Picture

Today’s chemical agriculture is destroying our planet’s soils at a disturbing pace—soils that took hundreds, even thousands of years to develop. A food system based on monoculture, genetically engineered foods, and toxic agrichemicals is decimating to the soil, which is a living, breathing ecosystem.

Despite what industry purports, biotechnology is not the answer to world hunger, nor is it sustainable. The rate at which we are using up fuel, water, and soil does not bode well for the longevity of our species, especially in light of the latest world population estimates.

New predictions, based on revised algorithms described to be far more accurate, predict the world population will reach 11 billion by the end of the 21st Century.2, 3Feeding this many people requires a VASTLY different approach than the present system.

The rate at which soils are disappearing from our globe is alarming. If you visit Worldometers,4 you can view a real-time clock that tracks the area of land lost to soil erosion, along with other environmental statistics. As of my last check, the area of land lost to soil erosion so far this year amounted to 4,987,477 hectares—and of course, the year isn’t over yet.

The focus of our food system should not be on growing food, but rather on developing healthy soil, which should be a priority if we want to survive as a species.

One Tablespoon of Healthy Soil Contains 50 Billion Busy Microbes

Most of the planet consists of solid rock, upon which most plants can’t grow. Approximately 75 percent of soils are transported soils (such as from windblown sediment, or loess), with only 25 percent forming in place. Soils are incredibly diverse, and different plant communities adapt to different soils.

Soil starts with a mineral source—weathered rock, glacial silt, river sediments, lava flows, sand, etc.—but it isn’t soil until organic matter is added. Organic sources can be living or non-living. Old leaves, dead animals, and tiny living things all enrich the soil with its necessary carbon.

Healthy soil is about 50 percent solids and 50 percent air and water, simply teeming with life—mites, nematodes, protozoa, and a whole menagerie of other organisms, most of them smaller than the head of a pin.

Soil microorganisms are so abundant that 70 to 80 percent have yet to be identified. It’s estimated one tablespoon of soil contains about 50 billion microbes.5 More than 90 percent of land plants are nourished by mycorrhizae, a symbiotic form of fungi that help move nutrients from the soil into the plants’ roots.

But there are also thousands of other microbes playing their parts in this microbial symphony in the soil. According to North Carolina University Cooperative Extension:6

“As soil life forms move through the soil, they create channels that improve aeration and drainage. Nematodes and protozoa swim in the film of water around soil particles and feed on bacteria. Mites eat fungi; fungi decompose soil organic matter.

The microorganisms' primary role is to break down organic matter to obtain energy. They help release essential nutrients and carbon dioxide, perform key roles in nitrogen fixation, the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, denitrification, immobilization and mineralization.

Microbes must have a constant supply of organic matter or their numbers will decline. Conditions that favor soil life also promote plant growth.”

Soil Has Its Own Life Cycle

The full life cycle of soil, in all of its stages, can be seen across the Hawaiian Islands in soils that are several hundred to several million years old, with lava as their substrate. On the new island like the Big Island of Hawaii, you will find soils as young as 300 years to extraordinarily rich 20,000-year-old soils in which just about anything can grow, to 350,000-year-old soils whose nutrients have been washed out by eons of rainfall.

Extremely old Hawaiian soils, like Kauai, reaching four million years, are almost completely devoid of nutrients. These ancient soils are highly compressed and essentially just clay.

Unfortunately, agriculture the way it’s typically done today greatly accelerates this soil aging process. Soils that would have remained viable for millions of years in nature are rendered dead and lifeless by monoculture in a few short years. Tragically, these soils will take hundreds to thousands of years to recover fully in nature—and not until all agricultural assaults are ceased.

Chemical farming results in waterlogged soil that’s easily compacted by heavy machinery, rendered impermeable and susceptible to erosion. One-third of the world’s arable land has already been lost to soil erosion.  

Chemical Farming Pollutes the Planet, Kills Bees, and Injures Babies

Only a few hundred of the 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States have been tested for safety. The majority ends up in our soil and waterways, destroying soil’s beneficial organisms while allowing pathogens to flourish. Not only are these chemicals decimating our soils, but they’re also killing off bees, butterflies, and other flora and fauna. According to this documentary, 60 percent of the world’s ecological systems are nearing collapse, yet industry continues to turn a blind eye to the destruction.

Not only are agrichemicals making our soils sick, but their long-term effects on humans have yet to be determined. Residues of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup, are found in most commonly consumed foods in the Western diet, courtesy of genetically engineered (GE) sugar, corn, soy, and conventionally grown wheat that has been desiccated.Atrazine and nitrates form a deadly combination, as nitrates shut off your body’s defenses against these chemicals.

Research suggests glyphosate may “enhance the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and toxins in the environment to disrupt normal body functions (including gut bacteria) and promote disease.” Glyphosate also appears to stimulate hormone-dependent cancers even at extremely low concentrations.

Studies show that even tiny exposures to common lawn chemicals can induce abortions and resorbtion of fetuses. In fact, the greatest effects appear to be from the lowest doses. Very small exposures can alter developmental trajectories, resulting in birth defects, irregularities in genitalia, and learning impairments. Babies conceived during the months of highest lawn chemical use are known to have greater risks for these birth defects and developmental abnormalities.

Nitrogen Depletion and Nitrogen Pollution—Two Sides of the Same Coin

Nitrogen is extremely important for plants, but 70 percent of it is in the air, in an unusable form. Soil bacteria transform this atmospheric nitrogen into a form plants can use. Typically, this is done through nitrogen fixing bacteria like the types that are present on many legumes. However, if soil bacteria are absent, plants require some other source of nitrogen. In conventional commercial agriculture, synthetic fertilizer is typically used—in massive quantities.

Synthetic fertilizers increase plant biomass, so farmers enjoy higher crop yields in the short run. However, a large amount of this nitrogen ends up going to the wrong places. Plants can only use a limited amount of nitrogen, so the excess gets released into the air as a potent greenhouse gas, and into waterways and ultimately oceans, resulting in dead zones.

On average, only half of the added fertilizer is taken up by the plants—the other half is lost immediately to runoff and evaporation. This is even worse with vegetable crops, which can lose up to 80 percent of added nitrogen. However, in spite of all this excess nitrogen, the soil itself becomes depleted in nitrogen, since most of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria have been killed off.

Nitrogen pollution reduces oxygen levels in seawater, which causes plankton and other organisms to die off. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone covers 7,000 square miles—an area the size of New Jersey—largely the result of nitrogen leakage down the Mississippi River from massive corn growing operations.

But it’s a completely different story with organic farming. There is minimum leakage of nitrogen because it’s released slowly and taken up again by living organisms, and there is much less water runoff. Small amounts of nitrogen are continuously brought into the system by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Also, cover crops such as vetches, oats, peas, and other legumes and manure continuously release nitrogen into the soil.  

Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers are extremely costly in terms of energy. Fertilizers account for 50 percent of the energy use in conventional agriculture. Studies show that using cover crops (crop rotation) when growing corn or soy can reduce nitrogen leaching by 70 percent, as well as beginning to rebuild the soil in just two to three years.

Soil Health Can Be Enhanced by Grazing Animals

Soil erosion is made worse by careless overgrazing. In the US, there are 100 million head of cattle, seven million sheep and four million horses grazing the land. The vast majority of these livestock operations do not incorporate soil regeneration practices—they just continuously take from the soil without putting anything back. When soil is spent, they move on to “greener pastures.”

Additionally, livestock are given parasiticides, which pass through in their feces and end up killing many of the dung beetles responsible for breaking down cow patties. Dung beetles carry their little “dung balls” up to four feet away from the dung pile, spreading those nutrients into neighboring areas. Without dung beetles, this natural fertilization process doesn’t occur. Some suggest the answer to overgrazing is to stop using animals for food. However, properly managed grazing combined with organic farming actually builds the soil, as opposed to killing it, resulting in higher crop yields and fewer weed and pest problems.

Irrigation Is Draining the World’s Water Supply

Our fresh water resources are being drawn down at an unsustainable rate through irrigation—70 percent of all fresh water is used for crops. According to a UN study, the world’s need for fresh water is projected to double over the next 50 years.7, 8 In China, 80 percent of grain is dependent on irrigation. Chemical farming requires FAR more water than organic farming. In arid regions that irrigate, soil losses due to salinization equal those of soil erosion, accounting for a loss of 25 million acres of land each year across the globe. Plants grown in healthy soil have only five to 10 percent of the water requirement of plants trying to grow in sickly soil.

If soil is unhealthy, and compacted from the lack of a cover crop or mulch, water can’t penetrate the soil layer and instead becomes runoff, so it doesn’t replenish the aquifers. Severe droughts will continue to plague our food supply, like the one currently parching the American Southwest. California is in the death-grip of a record-breaking drought, with ravages easily seen in a series of before-and-after images posted on Vox.9 Here are a few things you can do to keep your soil healthy and reduce your water requirements:

• Grow organically; at Rodale Institute, organic farming outperformed chemical farming by 70 percent under drought conditions
• Use drip lines for irrigation, which use water more efficiently
• Avoid plowing and tilling, and cover your home garden with a mulch like hay or wood chips  
• Plant cover crops, such as legumes and oats, during the off season
• If you live in a rainy area, harvest rainwater in rain barrels to use during the dry season.10 Using mulches like hay or wood chips will also dramatically reduce the need for watering

Plowing and tilling are inadvisable as they disturb the soil’s delicate ecosystem, once established. A better approach is direct seeding and topcoating the soil with amendments. There is no need to remove all of the dead plant matter, as it naturally decomposes and nourishes the soil. Even “weeds” can be helpful to the overall system—what you might consider a weed may actually be a plant that’s making a valuable contribution. In fact, some weedy areas have actually been shown to produce higher crop yields than weeded areas.

Wood Chips Is One of the Best Ways to Improve Your Soil Health

I am so grateful to Paul Gautschi, whose video Back to Eden, helped me understand the value of using a protective ground cover mulch like hay or wood chips. The simplicity and low cost were massively appealing for me, and I believe it may be the single best way to optimize soil microbiology with very little effort. Paul replicates what occurs in nature, which doesn't make compost piles, but degrades the ground cover of leaves, twigs, and stems slowly over time. It seems obvious to me that this is precisely the type of environment that soil microbes are adapted to.

The key here is to create stable carbon complexes. Biochar is certainly one way to do that as it will last in the soil for centuries, but you can actually create something similar for far less time and money with wood chips. The chips and leaves gradually break down and are digested and redigested by a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes in the soil. Once the carbon can't be digested anymore, it forms humates that last in the soil for centuries and provide a host of benefits. The longer you leave the chips on, and the deeper you put on the wood chips, the deeper the topsoil will be. This simple method also cuts down on weeding and irrigation needs, and eliminates the need of fertilizers.

Nearly any biomass can be used for mulch but wood chips are one of the best for a variety of reasons, one being the cost. In many communities, they are merely thrown into landfills and can easily be obtained for next to nothing by calling tree cutting services in your area. Mulches will also normalize whatever soil you have. Paul Gautschi used wood chips for decades and, when a soil test was done, most of his nutrient levels were literally 10 times higher than the great levels, and he never added any fertilizers. Finally, wood chips serve as a great insulation blanket for your soil and moderates the temperatures in the summer and the winter.

Corn-Based Biofuels are NOT the Solution

Contrary to the claims of the Obama administration, corn-based biofuels are not the answer, for the following reasons:

• A new federal study11 found that corn biofuels are worse than gasoline in greenhouse gas contributions, at least in the short run; corn-based biofuels release seven percent more greenhouse gases in the early years compared with conventional gasoline
• Corn grown in the US causes more erosion and uses more synthetic fertilizer, insecticides, and herbicides than any other crop
• It takes 40 percent more fossil fuel to produce a gallon of ethanol than a gallon of gasoline, further driving up atmospheric carbon dioxide levels
• More than three tons of carbon dioxide can be sequestered per acre with organic agriculture, whereas chemical agriculture emits carbon dioxide
• 1,700 gallons of water are required to produce just ONE gallon of ethanol

Better Living Through Biology

One of the more insidious aspects to the industrial food system is that, as soil becomes sicker and less able to perform its functions, farmers become increasingly dependent on the chemical technology industry—they become trapped. The use of glyphosate begins a downward spiral, making it necessary for farmers to use more and more herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and GE seeds. Weeds become resistant to glyphosate, so farmers have to use more weed killers. Crops become nutrient-deprived, so they have to increase synthetic fertilizers. Weeds and bugs become superweeds and superbugs... and on and on in a vicious cycle.

The best way to avoid this trap is to refrain from using agrichemicals in the first place. Any organic farmer will tell you that they are growing SOIL, not food—a properly cared for soil will take care of growing your food. As was expressed in the film, all you need to do is “feed your soil compost and seeds.” This is actually a KEY factor I would encourage you to look for when purchasing food. Certainly get non-GMO foods but also seek to only purchase produce from local farmers who are using soil regenerative techniques, such as no till, cocktail cover crops, and livestock integration. The key is to use regenerative soil techniques not factory farming degenerative approaches.

The answer to world hunger is not genetically engineered foods or fuels, but rather reverting to ecologically rationale and sustainable agricultural practices, with an emphasis on supporting small local farmers. In a comprehensive global report entitled “Agriculture at a Crossroads,” IAAST (International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development) gave high-tech farming a dismal two thumbs-down.12, 13 Resistance to revamping the food system can be expected from a few mega-corporations whose pockets are lined by the chemical technology and pesticide industries, but as a consumer, you have a great deal of power as you vote every day with your wallet.

Take Control of Your Health—Choose Your Foods Wisely

In a recent interview with to Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a number of frightening revelations concerning GE foods came out during the Beijing conference. Besides the potential hazards associated with GE foods—which includes heightened allergenicity—the issue of glyphosate contamination is a very important one. It appears to play an instrumental role not only in celiac disease, but also in autism, Alzheimer's, and cancer. In fact, Dr. Seneff's work suggests it may play a role in most chronic diseases.

I recently named the GMA “the most evil corporation on the planet,” considering the fact that it consists primarily of pesticide producers and junk food manufacturers who are going to great lengths to violate some of your most basic rights—just to ensure that subsidized, genetically engineered and chemical-dependent, highly processed junk food remains the status quo.

The insanity has gone far enough. It’s time to unite and fight back, which is why I encourage you to boycott every single product owned by members of the GMA, including natural and organic brands. To learn more about this boycott, and the traitor brands that are included, please visit TheBoycottList.org. I also encourage you to donate to the Organic Consumers Fund. Your donation will help fight the GMA lawsuit in Vermont, and also help win the GMO labeling ballot initiative in Oregon in November.

Voting with your pocketbook, at every meal, matters. It makes a huge difference. By boycotting GMA Member Traitor Brands, you can help level the playing field, and help take back control of our food supply. And as always, continue educating yourself about genetically engineered foods, and share what you’ve learned with family and friends.

Referência:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/04/symphony-soil.aspx?e_cid=20140926Z1_DNL_artTest_B6&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=artTest_B6&utm_campaign=20140926Z1&et_cid=DM56478&et_rid=672682149