Posts tagged FDA
Update: Raw Milk Open Letter to Government
Oct 27th
Gosh, has it been three weeks already since I asked some government peeps to explain why they’re so against my consumption of raw milk? (Check out my original open letter if you missed it…)
I’ve just been so busy, I guess I lost track of time. I suppose that’s what happened to them too, because I haven’t heard back from anybody! Well, there was a joke of a response from the FDA (see below), but to be fair, they’re probably all really preoccupied planning the next armed raid of Rawesome (my favorite little co-op of sorts) to take the time to reply to a voting constituent. (If you haven’t seen the video of the raid, I embedded it to the bottom of this post)
Just to remind them that I’m here, and that I still want to have a legitimate conversation, I sent a little follow-up email today, and in the interest of keeping all the communication open, I am posting it as well, as I will do with any of their responses. Read the rest of this entry »
Dear Government: Why You Gotta Be Hatin’ On Raw Milk?
Oct 6th
“Why?”: An Open Letter that I’ve sent to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, Los Angeles County District Attorney, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Food & Drug Administration, and United States Department of Agriculture (cc: Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety)
“If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” – Thomas Jefferson
Hello there,
My name is Randy Clemens, and I’m perplexed. I try not to ruffle too many feathers in this world. I like having a peaceful existence, and try not to let too many issues upset me. But when I got an email this morning saying that one of my favorite food spots, Rawesome, was being ordered to shut down… well, it upset me. Read the rest of this entry »
Burger With A Side of Statins?
Aug 14th
British scientists are recommending fast food chains serve a side of cholesterol-lowering drugs
Scientists from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London have suggested that fast food restaurants supply their customers with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs alongside their heart-challenging meals. I wonder if salads are as scarce as IQ points in their neck of the woods. Do they really think this is the solution?
Senior author of the study, “Dr.” Darrel Francis states, “Statins don’t cut out all of the unhealthy effects of burgers and fries. It’s better to avoid fatty food altogether. But we’ve worked out that in terms of your likelihood of having a heart attack, taking a statin can reduce your risk to more or less the same degree as a fast food meal increases it.”
Am I the only one appalled by this? I mean, is there anyone, anywhere, nodding their head yes to this and hailing it as a scientific breakthrough or even as a good idea? I can only pray that this is some sort of deeply satirical suggestion that the American Journal of Cardiology decided to print in the hopes that it would wake somebody up out of their Whopper-induced nap and make them see the very real and very tangible dangers that fast food presents. Beyond being practically devoid of any nutritional value, it is extremely taxing to your body and your health. Read the rest of this entry »
Raw Almonds: FDA Passes The Buck To USDA
Mar 10th
OK, so here’s the story. Last month, I ranted blogged about the mandatory pasteurization of almonds, and actually sent the FDA a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request “looking to obtain any and all studies, information, public complaints or comments, illnesses reported, etc. that led up to the mandatory pasteurization of almonds.”
Well, the response is in –
Dear Mr. Clemens:
In response to your request of January 11, 2010 for information pertaining to mandatory pasteurization of almonds. [sic]
You may wish to contact the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) about this issue.
We have searched our files and found no responsive information.
Dear FDA: Stay Off My Nuts
Jan 15th
Raw Almonds
So, I’ve been trying to eat healthier over the past eight or nine months, and a lot of better choices have made their way into my regimen. No, not the usual low-fat/low-cal/low-carb crap that is pumped full of additives and promoted as a breakthrough panacea by health experts on Oprah before it is pulled from the market for causing death in lab rats. I’ve taken to eating much more nutritious, wholesome foods, and have tried to counteract my affinity for beer and cheese with regular servings of raw vegetables, leafy greens and the like.
Now, I’m certainly no Woody Harrelson all raw foodie or anything like that, but I definitely have placed more emphasis on eating minimally processed foods, which at the core of its definition would indicate a leaning towards raw ingredients. So, as I was scooping my raw organic almonds into a baggy from the Whole Foods bulk bins (prepared to pay a generous $15.99/lb for them too), I notice what I will from henceforth refer to as “the last straw.”
Just as I’m sealing up my expensive little bag, I see a sign alerting me that back in 2007 (where the hell have I been?), a ruling was made that required all almonds grown in the United States to undergo pasteurization, even those that are labeled as “raw.” WTF? Are they serious? And while “raw” organic almonds have to be steam pasteurized, conventionally grown almonds are often sterilized with propylene oxide, a compound that the FDA’s homies, the EPA, call a “mild [central nervous system] depressant” and a “probable human carcinogen.”
Oh yes, please, FDA, save us from the pure, nutritious, unadulterated bounty of earth by spraying it with a synthetic chemical wondergas that causes “moderate acute toxicity from inhalation, high acute toxicity from dermal exposure, and moderate to high acute toxicity from ingestion.” Phew, that was close! There could have been enzymes and beneficial bacteria on that nutrient dense almond. I feel much safer now — thank you! Read the rest of this entry »
