Soil & Plants (Part 189)

By: John Ferguson

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021) has found that there are more tree species on Earth than previously believed. Previously it was believed that there were about 64,100 tree species on Earth. The new study suggests that there are 73,300 species of trees. This means are around 9,200 tree species yet to be discovered. 

I recently read a paper from King’s College in London on the gut microbiome. Gardeners have known for years that if we want healthy plants, we need beneficial bacteria and fungi in the soil along with many other species of microbial life. 

The study found that when three species of bacteria were present in one’s gut microbiota, it nearly doubled the chance of survival from the cancer melanoma. 

We know that many species of microbes in our gut come from the soil as we spend time in the woods or our gardens. These species are found in healthy soils, IF they have not been killed off by artificial fertilizers, fungicides, and other toxic chemicals. Nature Medicine (2022).  

The reasons to use modern organic methods based on soil biology continue to increase as they cost less, give better results and are good for our health and the environment. 

The bible teaches us that we are to study nature and let it teach us. A magazine I enjoy is Life Extension which is reviewed and published by about 50 medical professionals and researchers. The April 2022 issue had an article on reducing “brain fog”. A few excerpts are: 

– Mango leaf extract contains a compound called mangiferin which “improves our reaction time, reduces mental fatigue, and boosts attention, performance and working memory”. 

– Peppermint oil “significantly reduces the development of mental fatigue and improves aspects of attention and memory”. Peppermint has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years for its health benefit. 

Maybe this is one of the reasons I love to grow peppermint every year as I enjoy the fragrance when I break off a piece and just smell it. 

Another article was on the benefits of chromium (Cr) in lowering blood sugar. The herbs Amia (Indian Gooseberry) and Shilajit have been used for centuries for their health effects. 

Shilajit is high in fulvic acid a compound that is also found in good compost, that is known for its health promoting benefits.  

Another plant, brown seaweed is rich in iodine (I) and has been shown to reduce the conversion of glucose. It also improved after-meal cognitive function. 

When we are growing fruits, vegetable or herbs, it shows the importance of re-mineralizing our soil. If these elements are not in the soil, they do not get into our food supply. 

We have talked about rubber tire mulch on several occasions, how toxic it is and how it harms plant growth. New research from Oregon State University has found that small particles from tires inhibited the growth and caused adverse behavioral changes in aquatic ecosystems. 

These micro-plastic tire particles leached synthetic rubber, oils, filling agents, etc. into the environment. Journals Chemosphere and Journal of Hazardous Materials 2022 

Tire mulch also leaches large amounts of zinc (Zn) into the soil causing a chemical imbalance in the soil that leads to many gardening problems. 

My Crop Science, Soil Science and Agronomy news magazine had a recent article on ecosystem benefits in an urban environment (2022), that pulled data from many studies. On numerous occasion I have mentioned forest bathing and other benefits of green space in our gardens.  

A study in the Journal of Happiness (2022) found that food forests can fight food insecurity and have a positive psychological benefit of green space also. 

A study in the journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening (2021) found that more biodiverse, natural-looking urban green spaces contributed most positively to mental health by city dwellers. 

The Detox Project published a recent report titled “The Poison in Our Daily Bread”. The link below takes one to the summary and go to the click “Here” at the bottom to get the full report. 

https://detoxproject.org/the-poison-in-our-daily-bread-glyphosate-contamination-widespread-in-essential-foods/ 

This report is about glyphosate, a toxic chemical found in herbicides like Round-Up that ends up in our food supply. It is well established that this chemical causes cancer, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, organ damage and more. 

Animal studies have shown that as little as 1/10 of one part per billion can cause organ damage. This toxic chemical is in our water supply and in many food items. 

This report list brands (companies) tested and the amount of this herbicide in their products! Companies from Wal-Mart, Target to Whole Foods and many more are peddling contaminated food items.  

It also shows many brands that do not contain this dangerous chemical (have no detectable residue). To protect our families these are the brands we need to purchase and support. 

For example, they found that the two most contaminated products were bread. The brand Village Hearth from HyVee grocery stores tested at 1,150 ppb and the whole wheat sandwich bread, 365 brand from Whole Foods tested at 1,040 ppb! 

In animal studies less than 0.5 ppb caused liver damage, this amount is 2,000 times higher. 

This report illustrates the need to grow more of our own food organically for the health and safety of our families. 

The Alliance for Natural Health newsletter (The Pulse of Natural Health) reported on a study by a senior university MIT researcher on autism. For the last three decades autism has been steadily increasing, and by 2025 one-half of all children born will be autistic. 

From the newsletter: 

Children with autism have biomarkers indicative of excessive glyphosate, including zinc and iron deficiency, low serum sulfate, seizures, and mitochondrial disorder. 

A fellow panelist reported that after Dr. Seneff’s presentation, “All of the 70 or so people in attendance were squirming, likely because they now had serious misgivings about serving their kids, or themselves, anything with corn or soy, which are nearly all genetically modified and thus tainted with the herbicide Roundup and its glyphosate.”  

Dr. Seneff noted the ubiquity of glyphosate’s use. Because it is used on corn and soy, all soft drinks and candies sweetened with corn syrup and all chips and cereals that contain soy fillers have small amounts of glyphosate in them, as do our beef and poultry since cattle and chicken are fed GMO corn or soy. Wheat is often sprayed with Roundup just prior to being harvested, which means that all non-organic bread and wheat products would also be sources of glyphosate toxicity. The amount of glyphosate in each product may not be large, but the cumulative effect (especially with as much processed food as Americans eat) could be devastating. A recent study shows that pregnant women living near farms where pesticides are applied have a 60% increased risk of children having an autism spectrum disorder. 

The full report can be found at: https://anh-usa.org/half-of-all-children-will-be-autistic-by-2025-warns-senior-research-scientist-at-mit-2/ 

The bible tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. These means do them no harm. When we garden with the obsolete toxic chemical rescue model of gardening, we are harming our neighbors in direct violation of God’s word. 

I bet Satan smiles every time someone uses Round-Up.