File this under things you probably never thought you could do. Give up the tantalizing mouthfeel of smoked gouda melted over juicy summer tomatoes in a sandwich? Forgo fresh mozzarella cradled in the sensual embrace of balsamic and basil? Nix crispy nachos swimming in a whirlpool of cheddar, scallions and tomatoes?

As it turns out, slashing dairy from your diet has numerous health benefits, from improving digestion to lowering your risk of chronic disease. Not to mention dropping weight fast by eliminating the calories and bad fats that dairy can pack. Read on to find out what giving up dairy can do for you and your waistline.

A variety of controversies have seriously eroded public trust in American agriculture. Genetically modified crops (GMOs), agricultural chemicals, and concentrated animals feeding operations (CAFOs) or "factory farms" are among the most prominent on a growing list of public concerns. With respect to GMOs, more than 30 states are considering legislation requiring labeling of food products that contain genetically engineered ingredients.^[1] Maine and Connecticut already have labeling laws that are pending implementation. The world's most popular weed-killer, Roundup, has just been identified by the World Health Organization as a "probable carcinogen."^[2] The most commonly used herbicide on U.S. farms, Atrazine, has long been identified as a probably endocrine disruptor linked to a host of potential adverse health impacts.^[3]

Nowhere are the public concerns and controversies about agriculture more prominent than for CAFOs - frequently called "factory farms." CAFOs actually are far more like factories than farms. Nine states have banned the use of gestation crates in CAFOs, which continuously confine breeding hogs is spaces so small they can't even turn around.^[4] Only a veto by Governor Christie prevented New Jersey from become the tenth, and bans are under active consideration in several other states. McDonalds has been joined by a growing list of restaurant chains demanding "cage-free" eggs for their customers.^[5] Legislation that has been persistently proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives would ban the routine feeding of antibiotics to animals - a common practice in factory farms. The legislation has been blocked thus far by the large drug companies.^[6] Under growing pressure for action, the FDA reluctantly adopted "voluntary guidelines," for antibiotic use in CAFOs, which the drug companies endorsed.^[7]

A common trend in recent human history is this: we think something isn't harmful, but find out it really is years after its introduction into the global marketplace. Cigarettes are the most obvious example, but the use of cell phones may very well become just as vilified.

We now live in an era where children born today are introduced to cell phones and other electronics almost instantly, and the very first cell phone generation is now reaching adulthood. They haven't been around long enough for us to see any harmful consequences fully materialize, but there is more than enough information out there validating what seem to be innumerable concerns over cellphone usage.

There is a growing body of evidence to indicate that this may just be the case, for it is certainly disturbing a great many of our body's processes. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is food additive found in a significant percentage of processed food products we consume including dairy, cereals, condiments, sauces and many others.

Modeling is based on the consumption of manufactured foods containing Titanium dioxide. When Food intake is approx. 500gms per day, the consumption of titanium dioxide may be as high as 1%. This equates to approximately 5gms of Titanium Dioxide being consumed per day.

The number one reason blamed for childhood deaths in America used to be accidents; now it's cancer.

ABC News is reporting today that cancer has officially outranked every other cause of childhood death in this country:

Cancer is the leading cause of childhood death in the United States, with 13,500 new diagnoses each year according to the American Cancer Institute. One out of every 300 boys and one out of every 333 girls will develop cancer before their 20th birthday, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Cancer in America has seen a sharp increase over the last 100 years across all age groups. Data from the U.S. Public Health Service estimates that cancer death rates in 1900 were around 64 per 100,000; that number has increased almost threefold to 188.7 per 100,000 in 2005.

The long, smoldering hot days in the Northern hemisphere referred to as the Dog Days of Summer can be attributed to the tilt of the Earth which allows for the sun's light to hit the Earth at a more direct angle for a longer period of time throughout the day. This time of year has actually nothing to do with dogs except for the fact that the brightest star in the Canis Major (Large Dog) constellation named Sirius - "Dog Star" by the ancient Romans was believed to contribute to the heat of the sun during the hottest days of the summer. The ancient Romans were sweating in their togas from about July 24th to August 24th. Today, because of the shifting and drifting of the constellations we experience the canine assigned effect from about July 3rd to August 11th.

Good oral hygiene and high-quality dental care are important for long-term health and have benefits that extend far beyond the teeth and gums. Likewise, poor oral health can lead to adverse outcomes and increase the risk of disease. In fact, many health issues and chronic systemic diseases are directly correlated to certain dental treatments and infections.

How serious is this problem? Leo Cashman, executive director of Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions (DAMS) and a featured expert at the Holistic Oral Health Summit says:

"The root canal-treated tooth is a real serious problem for people that have them because it's a dead tooth that is prone to infection. And, it could end up quite toxic without the ability to fight off the infection of a dead tooth."

California just dealt Monsanto a blow as the state's Environmental Protection Agency will now list glyphosate — the toxic main ingredient in the U.S.' best-selling weedkiller, Roundup — as known to cause cancer.

Under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 — usually referred to as Proposition 65, its original name — chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm are required to be listed and published by the state. Chemicals also end up on the list if found to be carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) — a branch of the World Health Organization.

In this moment when it is vital to assert that Black lives matter, the U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance honors Black and Afro-Indigenous farmers, fishermen, and stewards of ancestral lands and water. We especially honor them as a vital part of food chain workers, who together are creating food sovereignty, meaning a world with healthy, ecologically produced food, and democratic control over food systems.

In 2015, the U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance's two prize winners are the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in the U.S., and the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras. The prizes will be presented in Des Moines on October 14, 2015.

The Federation of Southern Cooperatives strengthens a vital piece of food sovereignty: helping keep lands in the hands of family farmers, in this case primarily African-American ones. The Federation was born in 1967 out of the civil rights movement. Its members are farmers in 16 Southern states, approximately 90% of them African-American, but also Native American, Latino, and White.

The Federation's work is today more important than ever, given that African-American-owned farms in the US have fallen from 14% to 1% in less than 100 years. To help keep farms Black- and family-owned instead of corporate-owned, the Federation promotes land-based cooperatives; provides training in sustainable agriculture and forestry, management, and marketing; and advocates to the courts and to state and national legislatures.

If you want to add seven years to your lifespan, set aside 20 to 25 minutes for a daily walk. This simple habit, which can also arguably be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day, has been found to trigger an anti-aging process and even help repair old DNA.

The research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress, followed 69 people between the ages of 30 and 60. Those who engaged in daily moderate exercise, such as a brisk walk or jog, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and strength training experienced anti-aging benefits that could add an additional three to seven years to your life.¹