Vitamins, Couch Potatoes, and Government Regulation

July 4th, Independence Day, the day we celebrate our adoption of the Declaration of Independence, seems a good time to post this. Without any fanfare or media coverage, President Obama quietly signed an Executive Order June 10, 2010, Establishing the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council.

Sec. 5. National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy.
Not later than March 23, 2011, shall develop and make public a national prevention, health promotion, and public health strategy (national strategy)

(c) contain a list of national priorities on health promotion and disease prevention to address lifestyle behavior modification (including smoking cessation, proper nutrition, appropriate exercise, mental health, behavioral health, substance-use disorder, and domestic violence screenings) and the prevention measures for the five leading disease killers in the United States...

The Surgeon General shall serve as the Chair of the Council, which shall be composed of:

(1) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(2) the Secretary of Labor;
(3) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
(4) the Secretary of Transportation;
(5) the Secretary of Education;
(6) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
(7) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(8) the Chair of the Federal Trade Commission;
(9) the Director of National Drug Control Policy;
(10) the Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council;
(11) the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs;
(12) the Chairman of the Corporation for National and Community Service; and
(13) the head of any other executive department or agency that the Chair may, from time to time, determine is appropriate.

One of the things this order does is to assure the USA becomes fully compliant with Codex:

Sec. 6. Reports.
(g) contains specific plans to ensure that all prevention programs outside the Department of Health and Human Services are based on the science-based guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under subsection (d) of this section.

The CDC doesn't have a good track record with complementary and alternative medicine... and Vitamins and herbs, under Codex, are considered toxic substances which would be under strict regulation.

The U.K. is already under Codex, as are many European nations. Until 1996, the average German citizen could buy 500 mg Vitamin C tablets.. or 400 IU capsules of Vitamin E. Today the highest dosage available without a prescription is 200 mg Vitamin C, and 45 IU Vitamin E. (If I am coming down with a cold, I take 2,000 mg Vitamin C every 4 hours for 24 hours (per Linus Pauling, I think it was.) Works wonderfully.) In addition, our bodies need Vitamin C to work with Vitamins A and D for optimum health, and our foods contain far less of these natural vitamins with the increasing soil nutrient deficit.

In Norway, citizens can purchase 2.4 mg of vitamin B1, 2.8 mg of B2, 4.2 mg of B6, and 32 mg of niacin. Any dosage for these vitamins that exceed this level requires a prescription.
In Canada, any herb making health improvement claims is classified as a drug. In Europe, the European Economic Community (EEC) has said if an herb is medicinal, it is medicine and should be sold as a drug.

The original proposals for Codex came from Germany. They were made by a panel sponsored by three giant drug companies: Hoechst, Bayer and BASF. These companies resulted from the disbandment of I.G. Farben after World War II. BASF (of Germany) and LaRoche Holding AG (of Switzerland) recently pleaded guilty to the largest antitrust conspiracy as yet uncovered to fix vitamin prices. Each paid hefty fines. Source

As you ponder this, understand that Codex decisions override those of individual countries. When complaints are filed, they are settled by world courts with little concern about whether Americans get enough Vitamin C every day. Severe trade restrictions can be used by the World Health Organization to twist arms of nations into compliance.

Another disturbing clause is under Sec. 3, Purposes and Duties:

(b) develop, after obtaining input from relevant stakeholders, a national prevention, health promotion, public health, and integrative health-care strategy that incorporates the most effective and achievable means of improving the health status of Americans and reducing the incidence of preventable illness and disability in the United States, as further described in section 5 of this order;

Who are the "relevant stakeholders"???

Who will enforce "appropriate exercise"... an armed Homeland Security Officer?

Per the President's order, he expects "changes in Federal policy to achieve national wellness, health promotion, and public health goals, including the reduction of tobacco use, sedentary behavior, and poor nutrition..."

I wonder what effect this might have on all the proven harmful GMO foods on our grocer's shelves? HA! Fat Chance.

There is a silver lining. This is our wake-up call to start eating right and get healthy. We can learn what's really good for us and not go by marketing propaganda, whatever the source. We can grow fruit, vegetables and herbs. We can raise backyard chickens and rabbits. We can plant Rugosa Roses for their wonderful rose hips full of Vitamin C. We can take responsibility for ourselves, our own bodies.