LET US GIVE THANKS FOR SMALL BLESSINGS We have much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving is just a few days away and we don't often pause to reflect on our good fortune. We definitely live on a continent of bounty from land that, at least at present, feeds everyone. If we were all a little more conscientious, we would certainly be able to feed the populace. What have we done to deserve this land of plenty? We have the right to decide our own destiny and still have the right to eat what we want, go where we want, think what we please and medicate ourselves the way we want to. We can choose to go to a medical doctor or an alternative practitioner, a homeopath or a herbalist to cure what ails us. In this vein, we must be thankful that we can buy whatever alternative remedies we choose, compared with European countries where even Vitamin C is becoming regulated. There are some jurisdictions where Vitamin C cannot be purchased in a size larger than 200mg tablets. American law, so far has not embraced Codex Alimentarius principles and regulations that are in force in most European countries. I can see that food controls are needed (labeling and control of indiscriminate irradiation of foods and spices,) and that we need to be assured of safe, easily attainable basic foodstuffs, but the Codex people seem to want to take over the control of herbal and alternative supplements as well as the manufacture of drugs. It seems like they have given up and turned all facets of alternative remedy manufacture over to the large pharmaceutical companies with such harsh guidelines that the consumer hardly has a chance anymore. And the bottom line is money. The pharmaceutical companies have no control over herbs because herbal remedies cannot be patented, so they are grabbing at other methods of controlling a burgeoning market of substances that are in direct conflict with "their" drugs which have few if any side effects. Let's be thankful for the great "American Way" of doing things! We can choose what we want to put into our bodies and how much…are we not all responsible, mature, citizens? If we want to go the alternative route, we should be able to make the decision with no interference. A disturbing thought, though, since I recently read some of the Codex information is that the FDA only refused to participate completely in the plan because of widespread protest and letters to government wanting the plan abandoned. They bowed to pressure, but nobody knows for how long. The Codex lobby is strong and is working under the auspices of the World Health Organization with the plan to have the whole world co-operating in their scheme. We must beware to keep from being swallowed up by the power of the "Big Drug companies." So we must give thanks for the right to protest and to voice our opinions. Sometimes it is worthwhile. Many countries do not allow their citizens to come out against government policies, and are severely punished for voicing opinions on how the government rules. Let us be grateful that we live in a democratic country. Let us be thankful for the wealth that we generate (our tax dollars) that promote technology and that allow so many millions of people to have access to the internet and be able to write worldwide at the drop of a hat. This has made our world so much smaller and more accessible, but many of us take this for granted when the majority of the world struggles with poor technological resources and a lack of funds. I live in an area where high-speed technology is available to everyone... This is a definite move in the right direction for our future as a techno-smart continent. So give thanks this week for health, a full belly, a secure place to live (so-to-speak,) but let us continue to fight for the right to heal ourselves and for the right to use what we feel is important to our health. To Our health!!!!! The Good Lord never made any material as resilient as the human spirit." --Bern Williams "Nothing will content him who is not content with a little." --Greek proverb "I figure if I have my health, can pay the rent, and have my friends, I call it 'content'." --Lauren Bacall Back to the Writing Index