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Ocoee High School

From: J, Peter L.
Date: Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 4:02 PM
Subject: Donated seeds
To: Qr Seeds Inc.,

Dear QR Seeds,

I want to thank you for the donated seed and soil for our student gardens. Without support from businesses like yours many hands on activities would only be a dream.
Students learn real world lessons when they experience it first hand. I cannot tell you how often that this will be a first time for a student to grow anything and start to understand the process of growing food, the value of nutrition and the life learning needed to propel this country into the 21st century.

Thank you
Respectfully,
Peter J.
Ocoee High School
Agriculture Education

Eat these veg! nerve damage repair, vision and may ward of Alzheimer's

Promising new research indicates that alpha lipoic acid (ALA) can repair nerve damage, prevent declines in vision, and possibly even ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

ALA—A Powerhouse Among Antioxidants

ALA is a powerhouse antioxidant that converts blood sugar into metabolic energy. Unlike other well-known antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, ALA can actually recycle other antioxidants once the body has depleted them.

In addition, ALA is one of the rare fat-soluble substances that can penetrate the blood brain barrier. Since the brain is made primarily of fatty tissue, this makes ALA a prime candidate for combating neurological damage.

Some practitioners already use ALA to help repair brain function in stroke victims. ALA also shows promise for its capacity to:

Protect against and repair nerve damage
Heal neuropathy from traumatic injuries
Repair diabetes-related degeneration
Repair functional damage caused by toxic pharmaceuticals

How To Take ALA

The body generates ALA on its own, and some foods also contain ALA, including broccoli, spinach, peas, Brewer’s yeast, Brussels sprouts, rice bran, and organ meats.

But experts say that therapeutic amounts of ALA are best obtained through supplements. You can find ALA supplements in capsule form at health food stores, some drug stores, and online.

For maximum absorption, practitioners suggest taking ALA supplements on an empty stomach.

source: underground health reporter

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this e-mail are based upon the research and opinions of the publisher, unless otherwise noted. The information in this e-mail is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the author. You are encouraged to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this e-mail is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Heritage vs. Heirloom, Hybrids & GMO's

Terminology defined.

What is the difference between Heritage vs. Heirloom?

They both mean the same thing, though “heritage” is usually used to describe animals, trees, while “heirloom” refers generally to kinds of vegetables. These terms describe crops and varieties of animals that have unique genetic traits, were grown or raised many years ago, and are typically produced in a sustainable manner.

Heirloom vegetables are not a special species of plants. The term heirloom vegetable is used to describe any type of vegetable seed that has been saved and grown for a period of years and is passed down by the gardener that preserved it. It has a provenance, of sorts. To be capable of being saved, all heirloom seed must be open pollinated.

Open pollinated or OP plants are simply varieties that are capable of producing seeds that will produce seedlings just like the parent plant. Not all plants do this.

Plant breeders cross breed compatible types of plants in an effort to create a plant with the best features of both parents. These are called hybrids and many of our modern plants are the results of these crosses.

At QR Seeds we use Heirloom seeds in our Kits 1 thru 4, but do offer some specialty kits for drought areas which are Hybrid and not Heirloom though we have stayed away from genetically modified organisms or (GMOs)seeds of any kind.

Hybrids should not be confused with genetically modified organisms or (GMOs) which, can be any plant, or microorganism which have been genetically altered using molecular genetics techniques such as gene cloning and protein engineering. Plants like corn that has the pesticide Bt engineered into its genetic makeup to make it resistant to certain pests are GMO crops. Bt is a natural pesticide, but it would never naturally find its way into corn seed.

Your Mother was right, veg are good for you!

At the University of California at Berkeley, the Chairman of the Nutritional Sciences Department and the Director of the National Institutes of Health Cancer Research Program were studying the biological properties of Diindolylmethane (DIM), a naturally occurring compound found in Brassica vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts), when they made a remarkable discovery: DIM is a potent activator of the immune response system. They patented their discovery and ActivaMune was launched as a first-in-class nutritional supplement to enhance the immune system and support multiple organs throughout the body: breast, prostate, cardiovascular, vision, skin and colon health. ActivaMune’s unique and patented formula combines multiple nutrients for maximum effectiveness: Diindolylmethane (DIM), Sulforaphane, Selenium, Lycopene, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Calcium and Vitamins C, D3 & E.

ActivaMune’s formula is exclusively licensed from the University of California at Berkeley. The supplement provides phytonutrients equivalent to approximately five pounds of fresh organic uncooked broccoli, tomatoes and spinach per day in addition to important vitamins and minerals. Most broccoli extract supplements on the market today do not have the active ingredients in ActivaMune as their manufacturing process (heat or freeze drying) destroys the enzyme necessary for the production of the key phytonutrients present in this supplement.

President's Cancer Panel urges consumers to demand organic.

The President’s Cancer Panel report, released today, exhorts consumers to choose food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, and growth hormones to help decrease their exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase their risk of contracting cancer. Organic products avoid the use of these chemicals.

The landmark report, “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now,” raises concerns for chemical exposures from many causes, and says relative to food:

Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing, to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers…Similarly, exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications.

“Organic production and processing is the only system that uses certification and inspection to verify that these chemicals are not used on the farm all the way to our dinner tables,” said Christine Bushway, executive director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

The report is an unexpectedly strong endorsement, according to Nicholas D. Kristof, who wrote in the New York Times:

The President’s Cancer Panel is the Mount Everest of the medical mainstream, so it is astonishing to learn that it is poised to join ranks with the organic food movement and declare: chemicals threaten our bodies.

Strawberry fields (poisoned) forever

Strawberries

The state that supplies 90 percent of U.S. strawberries has approved a fumigant pesticide that chemists are hesitant to handle in the lab. Methyl iodide is intended to replace the ozone-depleting methyl bromide. But are we jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire?

Year round

Most people I talk to do not realize they live in an area that allows them to have a garden year round or at least most of the year.

Time to get started

Its time to get started. Now that QR seeds offers really simple ways to get a garden going, its time to do minimal work and get one going. The good thing is once you do the work its done and then its just a little maintenance it will stay beautiful year after year.

Wekiva High School

From:r.ius
Email: iusr@ocps.net
School Name: Wekiva H.S.

We have a friend in the QR Seed company as we were fortunate to recieve gratis, a load of pesticide/fungicide-free Florida Muck. It has greatly enhanced our sandy soil garden to where we now have a wide variety of produce growing. We were also the benefactors of over a dozen seed types and are now growing lettuce, cukes, beans, greens, radishes, and cabbage. All this as a result of a vision, to promote healthy eating habits among school aged kids. We are fortunate to have a committed partner in education.

r.ius

Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver has done fantastic work in the UK, and we hope that we can get a chance to work with him in the USA. He recently received a TED award.

At the moment, we are working with local schools, and if you would like to talk to us about our schools program please leave us a message.

Comments or questions are welcome.

QR Seeds