From: Extropian Agro Forestry Ventures Inc. (megao@sk.sympatico.ca)
Date: Thu Apr 04 2002 - 22:56:07 MST
Consumer-driven Access to Natural Health Products
Can Natural Health Products Therapeutic Coops working with small and
medium size private nutraceutical/food product manufacturers promote
Agriculture sustain-ability and Quality of Rural Life? I believe the
answer can be Yes. If one utilizes diligence to increase the system
extropy of the consumer to farmer value chain. (Definition:The extent of
a system's intelligence, information, order, vitality, and capacity for
improvement)
Throughout this article, I will try to demonstrate how Extropian
Agroforestry Ventures Inc. is creating a new model for “Healthful
Businesses”. This model tries to find solutions for long standing
problems so is a work in progress. Comments which might make our model
work better are highly encouraged...We do not think we have any monopoly
on making good ideas practical and workable.
Current Agricultural Trends: In Western Canada it has been accepted
that large equipment utilizing technological innovations including
Global Positioning Satellite equipment will optimize agricultural
inputs. Physical and internet marketing of raw product is balanced by
trading futures and options. Investment of off farm income is used to
build a farm. Later, investment of agricultural profits into large
non-agricultural businesses creates a retirement nest-egg. Control of
a larger and larger land base part owned, part rented or leased is the
trend for the next 20 or so years. If history and other sectors of
agriculture are any indication of the future of Western Canadian
Agriculture, individual owned and operated family farm businesses are
going the way of the wood grain elevators and branch rail lines. There
is currently some desire to move beyond this crude form of
industrialization of agriculture to a kinder, gentler more consumer
driven one. The task I feel at hand is to empower small and medium
sized nutraceutical food/ingredient producers and processors not to go
the way of the ”Tyson Foods” Poultry factory Mega-farm model. The
concept that improved quality of life for the customer should directly
translate to improved economic and social benefits to the
farmer/processor provider of services is best exemplified by the
Organic farming community. These farms use knowledge as intensively as
their factory farm neighbors use chemicals.
There is a considerable lag in time between medical discovery of
healthy food chemistry and when people can conveniently buy and
consume these specially selected foods.
For example, over the last 30 years I can cite 3 specific instances of
drugs of which I have personal knowledge of , which have not been put to
the uses that medical researchers originally found for them. In each of
these cases company politics and profits as well as government
regulations prevented access by the North American consumer to safe,
cheap drugs. These drugs are Dimethyl-sulfoxide, Levamisole and
Piracetam. The lesson to learn for those who desire freedom of access
to Natural Health Products is that history must not be let to repeat
itself.
In Canada , the Natural Health Products (NHP) Directorate, beginning in
2004 will regulate 25-30,000 food and supplement ingredients and
products. Foods such as flax and hemp oil, high omega-3 eggs,
ingredients such as stevia(a natural non-nutritive sweetener), soy germ
isoflavones, as well as all current food supplements and some over the
counter products will all be considered NHP’s. If you have a poultry
farm that grows, packages and sells omega 3 pork or eggs you will have
no choice but to spend large sums of money to hire personnel, licence
your farm production facilities, and do things like pave the lane up
to your production site.
The cost to bring a new item directly from the farm to the customer,
even for test purposes will be completely out reach for small business
people and farmers with less than 2 million dollars of assets and cash
The pharmaceutical and applied Healthcare industry constantly creates
new miracles. The spin-off of this is a massive amount of new basic
medical knowledge. The rate of knowledge creation exceeds the rate of
full application of this knowledge to deliver health products and
services. The cost to acquire health benefits for the consumer is all
too often too high to allow people the full benefits of all the
disease treatments (Example- beta-interferon drugs for multiple
sclerosis) Health service providers (USA) and Medicare (Canada) ration
healthcare utilizing a science which analyzes the cost of treatment in
comparison with the likelihood that life will be extended. This
mathematical analysis is called pharmaco-economics. Simply put it
determines if it is cheaper to prevent disease (set aside degenerative
conditions until the very end of life) or wait until disease symptoms
appear and attempt to treat an already damaged body. In the USA
“Medical Foods” have been proposed by lawmakers to be eligible for
health insurance coverage.
The USA market currently severely restricts hemp products because they
lack formal GRAS status and also make DEA drug law enforcement
(marijuana) more difficult . Buffaloberry can be sold currently, but
could in the future be challenged to produce data to support a formal
FDA-GRAS status. Canada has allowed several markets for hemp and
cannabis as a highly-controlled pharmaceutical/nutraceutical.
So how does the consumer get direct access to NHP’s on their own terms?
OTTAWA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2001- Pg 4913, 4914 Canada Gazette Part
I
These Regulations would place requirements on persons who sell NHPs,
namely manufacturers, distributors, importers, packagers and labelers.
The NHPD considers that growers, who handle and/or treat a product in
order to preserve the integrity of the raw material, are not considered
manufacturers. Heath care practitioners (for example, pharmacists,
Aboriginal healers, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners,
herbalists, naturopathic doctors, etc.) who compound products at the
request of a patient are not included within the manufacturer
definition, and therefore, the Regulations do not apply to products
compounded by these people.
EAV conceived of a better way to link customers needs with primary
agricultural production and this has been called the Natural Health
Products Therapeutic Coop (NHP). The manner in which NHP members can
request specially compounded Natural Health Products (NHPs) also
specifically exempts these products from mandatory compliance with the
NHP regulations being phased in over the next 2 years. This is the
niche EAV and its NHP Coop occupy.
The members of this coop would also be shareholders. Members would
consult with their regular medical doctor, alternative health
practitioner, herbalist, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, or
aboriginal healer to monitor their health and specify individual needs
to be included with their own personal bar supply. An initial order of
base formula bars and consultation would establish that the bar was
acceptable to all parties. A long supply contract would be entered into
after this. EAV’s greatest weakness is its small production runs.
This becomes its greatest asset however if its customers demand
compounded variants of a basic proprietary food bar formula unique to
EAV. Individual health problems or dietary restrictions can be
accommodated and individualized bars manufactured on demand.
NHP intends to develop a method of gathering health related information
from customers and analyzing this information to verify the specific
health benefits the base formula and individual custom formulations
provide. This Scientific research can then be published. After that
application for specific health claims can be made for Lifespan bars.
The end point of the initial Research Permits from Health Canada will be
the collection of sufficient information to support a GRAS Status
application in the USA for both Hemp products (foliage as well as
oilseed) and buffaloberry shrub products. As well sufficient data to
support product specific health claims is anticipated. Research papers
will also be submitted to Scientific Journals for publishing to document
discoveries and advances in scientific knowledge.
One very special benefit of organizing our business in this way is also
that it will exempt it from (allow voluntary rather than mandatory
compliance) of the forthcoming Natural Health Products Regulations. For
a small, growing business, the cost of immediate, full-compliance would
mean that none of the founders of EAV would have the academic
qualifications to even work in their own business. Voluntary compliance
would mean that EAV could send employees out to further their education
and hire them back rather than bringing in new people at the same time
as laying off current staff.
The business Extropian Agroforestry Ventures (EAV) was formed in 1999
by Arla Johnson, Beaubier, Saskatchewan initially and brought in other
partners (investors) later on. Prior to 1999 her husband Morris had
performed personal research for 25 years in the area of diet and length
of healthy lifespan. Their farm, between 1999 and 2002, has been
absorbed by EAV. The farm land now owned by EAV is planted to crops and
managed as an organic farm. The land is divided into about 140 strips
by tree rows. Land between the trees is currently planted to ordinary
field crops. This is a form of Agroforestry called “Alley Cropping”.
The first trees were planted in 1989. About 200,000 trees
(buffaloberry, chokecherry, caragana, sea-buckthorn, oak) have been
planted to date. The trees were chosen for 2 traits- the first being
that they could survive any climatic changes produced by global warming-
the second was that they might be able to be harvested for medical
uses. February 1998, it was decided that the time had come to make
edible products which contained the medicine of buffaloberry, flax,
buckwheat and other complimentary food ingredients.
The scientific knowledge acquired between 1973-1999 was converted into
the first EAV food bars. During 2000-2001, the name Lifespan was
trademarked and the bars themselves changed from a formula to something
that was economical to manufacture with a flavor that was good enough
that you did not have to be forced to eat it. It was as big a challenge
in 2001 to combine the ingredients and make them palatable as it had
been to create the basic formula.
The original “powerful, Full-bodied flavor” LIFESPAN XXX-TRA
AR-MOR Hemp Breakfast snack bar contains: honey, milled hemp
seed/flour/oil blend, buffaloberry fruit/leaf/bark/stem blend, natural
flavorings (vanilla and vinegar), milled flax seed, cranberry fruit,
cocoa, specially milled soy-germ, milled fenugreek seed, a selected
variety of milled buckwheat seed, soy lecithin, ginger root, cinnamon
bark, spray-dried bovine colostrum, selected grape tannins, turmeric,
special selected variety of mustard seed, cloves, rosemary leaf, rice
bran, ground sesame seed, Wild Oat flour, stevia leaf extract.
Non THC containing food products with Hemp Foliage in addition to
oilseeds(oil & hemp oilseed cake - flour) can only currently be
accessed with a medical marijuana or research permit from Health
Canada. Health Canada has implemented a medical access program for high
THC cannabis as well. This program provides 3 levels of access
segmented according to the severity or graveness of the illnesses for
which medical doctors feel they can prescribe cannabis. This program is
not well suited to all those who may apply. Many may wish to obtain the
benefits of cannabis without THC in the dosage form of a food bar. Many
may wish the benefits of the hemp cannabinoids without the “Buzz” of
THC.
EAV’s founder, Arla Johnson currently holds a “section 56" Health Canada
medical marijuana exemption and has enjoyed piloting the use of the hemp
foliage containing XXX-TRA Cannabis bar which has been specially
compounded for her by Morris.
The Lifespan bars go under the basic formula name “XXX-TRA” with custom
formulation possibilities : - Fenugreek”(for diabetics),
Buffaloberry”(for nutritional support during cancer therapy),
Cannabis”(medical marijuana), Broccoli”(for stress ), Buckwheat” (for
heart patients), Chlorophyll”(medicinal porphyrins), CLA “conjugated
linolenic acid”(for dieters) , Bison “pemmican bar”(jerky) to name a
few possibilities
Lifespan bars offer carefully selected food items most individuals
would have great inconveniences buying individually and incorporating in
precise quantities into their daily diet in a stable, palatable
combination.
NHP Customers/Members or their health care advisors will be able to
specify the specific ingredient options they personally require within
limitations including - personal limits for daily consumption of
individual ingredients, counter-indications between bar ingredients and
customers’s medications and diet, individual taste preferences.
Anticipated customized formulations- deletion of colostrum for the
lactose intolerant, sweeteners other than honey (unrefined or pure
stevia) for diabetics, Certified organic ingredients, food allergy
related functional substitutions(different ingredient with same
function).
NHP members will be reliable long term, repeat purchasers of bulk
packaged product. The distribution chain will include also retail
outlets already selling NHPs as well as existing independent medical
and alternative medical practitioners and herbalists. The linking of
primary production to pure science , product development and finished
product sales is critical. To do all of this this cost effectively is
the difference between a “good idea” and something that can survive in
the real world.
Ownership of this NHP coop will be a joint venture between EAV and
member-shareholder-investors. The NHP coop will also be the primary
source of secure long term revenue to expand EAV past the Canadian
boundaries into the USA by its 4th year of operation.
EAV costs include R&D, cost or raw product, manufacturing , packaging
and bulk distribution.
NHP Coop costs include customer service, final distribution and
member/shareholder contract setup costs.
Scientists have documented health benefits of the individual food
ingredients.
The consumption of all the ingredients in a Lifespan bar at one sitting
provides health benefits not available if they are simply consumed
randomly over an extended period of time. It is now time to create the
kind of proofs the medical establishment needs in order to recommend
that society in general undertake specific diets to increase healthy
lifespan.
Eav currently sells its bars through stores and independent distributors
in western Canada.
EAV will soon begin to solicit outside investment and provide sufficient
shares to investors commensurate with the risks of this business to
underwrite the NHP creation.
-ground flax seed is used for its heart healthy omega 3 oils , and
antioxidant fibers (lignins).
-hemp seed oil contains antioxidants like olive oil is a source of
omega3 and GLA fats and plant sterols and stanols for cholesterol
management . Certain cancers appear to be reduced, nerve tissues
healthier and even the calcium in food is absorbed and put into bone
better growth as a result of a generous consumption of omega 3 type
oils.
-Soy germ isoflavones and the accompanying soy germ nutrient package
promote vascular health as well as reducing osteoporosis especially when
combined with omega 3 oils. There is reported to be a 10 to 10,000 fold
increase in the overall antioxidant effects of certain
phenolic/flavone/anthocyanin/tannin food components when combined with
soy isoflavones.
- buckwheat (specific variety) . Blood vessel health(ACE inhibition),
promotion of muscle growth, prevention of Type 2 diabetes are among the
many functions of its flavonoids and tannins.
-cranberries are naturally antibacterial, a natural preservative, a
urinary acidifier, as well as (in combination with certain spice
components) oxidative stabilizer of unsaturated omega 3 oils.
Cranberry contains some of those useful anthocyanin, polyphenol,
flavonoid fytochemicals.
-spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves and turmeric are all functional
sources of flavonoids and tannins. As a group they manage blood sugar,
reduce inflammation and reduce DNA mutations.
-Cocoa as of late has been patented for its hair re-growing and cancer
treatment properties which appear to be directly related to its
antioxidant properties.
-Lecithin is a source of functional phospholipids as well as being part
of the glue that helps hold seal , bind and blend all the different food
components into one.
-rice bran and sesame seed share properties found in both flax and
lecithin but have a different antioxidant chemistry.
-mustard and radish and cress are crucifers or members of the cabbage
family. Their functional components glucosinolates and sulforaphane are
one key to reducing whole body cancer risk and chemical (oxidative)
stress.
-bovine colostrum contains a whole chemistry of its own. Your gut
contains nearly the same number of microbes living within it as you have
cells in the rest of your body. Lo and behold recent discoveries
suggest that gut chemistry profoundly effects ....maybe going so far as
to turn on and off genes in distant unrelated parts of the body.
Colostrum stabilizes immune function as well as promoting what is
believed to be a stable positive gut ecosystem.
-buffaloberry berry components have been shown to work together with
colostrum in maintaining gut health as well as being a source of
fytochemicals similar to buckwheat and cranberry.
-hemp seed flour is very high in arginine, an amino acid. In the USA, a
food bar , the “Heartbar” promoted to treat or prevent heart disease is
on the market This bar has only one functional ingredient L-arginine.
-Grape tannins, anthocyanins,flavonoids are the “red wine” derived
factors promoted as the “French heart health diet factor” In this bar
they also interact with the soy isoflavones for added benefits. Tannins
inhibit cancers, treat glaucoma to name but 2 of their functions.
-Taken together , buffaloberry shrub leaves, branch growing parts and
tree bark has tested as being able to neutralize nearly 100% of all
(ROS) body damaging “free radicals”. Buffaloberry form the core
feature of EAV’s Agroforestry farming practices which combine annual and
perennial organic crops in narrow strips with trees
-Fenugreek and Stevia together manage both high and low blood sugar and
promote weight loss
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