Mass medication - our daily bread

[peasea]

Yes, read that too some where, or heard it on the radio but was definitely referred to some where!

We are gluten intolerant and are very careful about what we bake with.

Mass medication pisses me off it comes from state school teachers, the way they punish the majority for the behaviour of the few mental attitude!

Bloody socialists don't understand personal responsibility and freedom of the individual.

Dumbing-down, stereo-typing, cookie-cutter kids/adults, blindly following the 'norm' is exactly what they are aiming for. 'They' being 'them', it's a conspiracy and they're watching us now, they know we're paranoid but because WE know they know WE are more knowing. (But they know that.)

[mstriumph]

Dumbing-down, stereo-typing, cookie-cutter kids/adults, blindly following the 'norm' is exactly what they are aiming for. 'They' being 'them', it's a conspiracy and they're watching us now, they know we're paranoid but because WE know they know WE are more knowing. (But they know that.)

Wot he said!!
Bling awarded

[James Deuce]

(Chief Wiggum Voice) Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat (Chief Wiggum Voice Off)

[idb]

Crumbs!!!!

[Genestho]

Down with folic in bread! And flour?? (haven't read the whole thread, no time. Only know a little bit bout this travesty)

Uh uh no way! I Don't do gluten based stuff MUCH, but my kids do!

[Badjelly]

Only know a little bit bout this travesty.

But you know it's a travesty?

[Genestho]

When I became pregant, I knew what my body needed, because I found out what my unborn child and body needed, and so, adjusted my diet. (Referring to Folic acid and Iron intake) My kids eat well nutrionally.

Our food could be medicated because others don't know what their body requires???

That alone, is enough for me to know, and say, this is a travesty.

In saying that - I'm sure there's surely got to be more to it than that, surely.

How about adding nutrients to the soil? I've heard in NZ we miss an important mineral. And so, some of our produce suffers, don't know enough about it though. Also, educating women their iron and folic needs, why, and how to get these in our diets?

[Naki Rat]

......
How about adding nutients to the soil? I've heard in NZ we miss an important mineral. And so, some of our produce suffers, don't know enough about it though.

That's only part of the problem. The fertilizers commonly used in conventional farming address pretty much only the 'macro elements' (i.e. N,P,K, magnesium, sulphur, calcium) with the micro (trace) elements being largely ignored. As the macro's are replaced the trace elements often run down over time resulting in crops and pastures that are deficient in these essential substances which in turn fails to provide the elements to the livestock and us. So then the food, which is further robbed of nutrients during processing, requires additives to make up for these shortfalls or we purchase those same missing nutrients as highly priced supplements from the chemist/health store or get wise/worried and purchase organic.

And this hit or miss way of balancing our nutritional needs can be blamed for far more of our declining health levels (and rising obesity) than authorities will admit, or are even aware of.
End of today's rant

[Badjelly]

OK, T. G. W., I agree with you & pretty much every commenter on this issue that "mass medication" is a bad thing. (It is an irritatingly emotive phrase, but apparently quite effective.) But if mass medication is bad, why do we have iodide in the salt and fluoride in the water. Someone, I think Mom, said they're not comparable. I'm buggered if I can see why. People who think they need more iodide or fluoride can take tablets or use fluoridated toothpaste. Why should I run the risk of the harm that iodide or fluoride can do to me for their benefit? There's no risk, someone says? You can't prove that. Lack of risk can never be proved. Demanding that it be proved is a good way of arguing against anything.

OK, so salt is normally iodised to protect people from goitre. (Does anyone know if this is a legal requirement?) But you can buy non-iodised salt.

So how about allowing folate to be added to bread, with mandatory labelling thereof. For people who think the distinction between synthetic and natural folate is likely to be important (not me) the labels could make this clear.

[phred]

I am a man. I think it very unlikely I will get pregnant and have a child with spina bifida! ergo I don't expect to be medicated by the food nazi's. Eating 11 slices of bread per day to save ourselves from a fairly rare birth defect will definitely create plenty of work for Doctors resolving our ever increasing obesity proble - 11 slices fer phuk sake.
I say send very annoying and rude emails to the Minster for Health explaining in simple terms that she do her job properly. Going on national TV and saying she don't agree - it was all labours fault but she ain't doing squat about it deserves a poke.

[mister.koz]

I think the (emotively labeled - good point Badjelly) mass medication is bad across all counts, iodised salt is easy, buy non-iodised salt but fluoride in everyones's water and folate in all bread sold in new zealand takes away the choice.

Its the lack of choice thats the issue i reckon.

There's lots of anti-fluoride zealots around who claim that fluoride causes cancer (so does bloody everything these days) and will bring on satan and the 4 horsemen.

There's arguments and evidence for both sides of all arguments but the decision to medicate an entire country without the option of opting out is demented to me... everyone should get the choice to take medication or not.

[Genestho]

That's only part of the problem. The fertilizers commonly used in conventional farming address pretty much only the 'macro elements' (i.e. N,P,K, magnesium, sulphur, calcium) with the micro (trace) elements being largely ignored. As the macro's are replaced the trace elements often run down over time resulting in crops and pastures that are deficient in these essential substances which in turn fails to provide the elements to the livestock and us. So then the food, which is further robbed of nutrients during processing, requires additives to make up for these shortfalls or we purchase those same missing nutrients as highly priced supplements from the chemist/health store or get wise/worried and purchase organic.

And this hit or miss way of balancing our nutritional needs can be blamed for far more of our declining health levels (and rising obesity) than authorities will admit, or are even aware of. .

Thanks for the technofunky version Naki! and I was interested in this part of the picture. !

[Genestho]

OK, T. G. W., I agree with you & pretty much every commenter on this issue that "mass medication" is a bad thing. (It is an irritatingly emotive phrase, but apparently quite effective.) But if mass medication is bad, why do we have iodide in the salt and fluoride in the water. Someone, I think Mom, said they're not comparable. I'm buggered if I can see why. People who think they need more iodide or fluoride can take tablets or use fluoridated toothpaste. Why should I run the risk of the harm that iodide or fluoride can do to me for their benefit? There's no risk, someone says? You can't prove that. Lack of risk can never be proved. Demanding that it be proved is a good way of arguing against anything.

OK, so salt is normally iodised to protect people from goitre. (Does anyone know if this is a legal requirement?) But you can buy non-iodised salt.

So how about allowing folate to be added to bread, with mandatory labelling thereof. For people who think the distinction between synthetic and natural folate is likely to be important (not me) the labels could make this clear.

Yea, I think you raised a good point here, that we can buy Non-iodised salt.

I just CHOOSE not to buy this bread and/or flour for my kids. I know we eat healthy!
I agree with Mr.Koz, because there are always arguments - no matter how you look at things, but this is my point.

I don't want to be told I have no choice.

But, if YOU want to buy this bread, and you believe it's a good addition to your diet, then I don't see why you shouldn't!
Everybodies happy? Right?

[Ixion]

.. So how about allowing folate to be added to bread, with mandatory labelling thereof. For people who think the distinction between synthetic and natural folate is likely to be important (not me) the labels could make this clear.

Fair enough. if I can go into the shop and buy non-foliated bread, I've no problem with you going in and buying a foliated version

Dissension is because the gubbmint does not allow that. I *Have* to buy the foliated stuff

[davereid]

Fair enough. if I can go into the shop and buy non-foliated bread, I've no problem with you going in and buying a foliated version

Yeah, maybe the governments "out" will be to say "if you make foliated bread it must meet the aussie rules for foliated bread".

Rather than if you make bread it must meet the aussie rules for foliated bread.