Folate vs Folic Acid: Are you being duped?

Posted on January 6, 2018 by Megan Normansell, CHC, AADP, CFH

Folate, or vitamin b9, is a water-soluble nutrient that was first discovered when it was found that brewer’s yeast (a source of b vitamins) could prevent anemia. Folate is essential for brain health, energy production, formation of red blood cells, immune system, protein metabolism, and regulation of homocysteine levels. It’s a coenzyme in DNA and RNA synthesis, so it is important for healthy cell division and replication. Folate is especially important during pregnancy as a deficiency can result in neural tube defects and/or premature birth. Pre-conception nutrition is important, because low folate levels BEFORE conception increases the risk of birth defects as well. For men, women, and children, low folate levels can cause anemia, digestive problems, fatigue, prematurely greying hair, memory problems, insomnia, paranoia, anxiety, weakness, growth impairment, and depression.

Just a “little bit” pregnant with my daughter, Eliana

Now the big debate: is there a difference between folate and folic acid? The short answer is yes. Folate is the version of b9 that occurs naturally in foods. Folic acid is a synthesized version of the vitamin that will never be found in nature. Vitamins are always best when obtained from real, whole food sources. For some, particularly for those with an MTHFR genetic defect (fairly common), folic acid can mean trouble as it can be difficult to convert the synthetic version over to the usable form of the vitamin.

Now here’s where food & supplement companies trick you:

Even if folate is listed on the nutrition facts, it’s not always actually folate. Manufacturers know ‘folate’ is something consumers are looking for, so they may list it as “folate (as folic acid).” If the nutrition facts list the form as ‘folate’ but you see ‘folic acid’ on the ingredients list, it is indeed synthetic folic acid. If you do not see the word ‘folic acid’ anywhere in those two spots, it should be the natural form of the vitamin.
“Early Promise Prenatal” Gentle Multiple
A product labeled “all natural” or “organic” is not always 100% natural and not always using natural forms of the vitamins. Check your labels for ‘folic acid.’ Many “high quality” nutritional shakes, protein powders, and multivitamins tout themselves as being natural or whole food based, when the reality is they’re going the cheap route and using poor quality vitamins. Marketing, marketing, marketing.
Whole foods don’t need vitamin fortification, because they are whole foods. The nutrients are already in there, in the perfect balance nature intended. When you see a food fortified with folic acid, it means it’s been highly processed and is most likely not healthy at all.
(real food tastes better anyways!)

Where CAN I get folate from?

Genuinely natural multivitamin or folate supplements. Check out my list of some of my favorite multivitamins that only use the food-derived folate instead of folic acid.
REAL FOOD! Really, this is always the best way. While supplements can be helpful (especially during pregnancy) they can never replace the ample vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that unprocessed food provides. While toxicity risk is low, it’s still near impossible to overdose on folate from foods (who accidentally eats 14 cups of broccoli??), where it’s easy to overdose with a supplement by taking just a couple too many pills. You can’t absorb one vitamin properly without all of the appropriate co-nutrients in balance, and this is where whole food always delivers. For example, the best food source of folate is lentils. Let’s look at the breakdown of the nutrient content of lentils- it’s about way more than folate!
Data from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 28, via “Nutrition Data” app

The best food sources of folate per 1 cup, according to daily value (DV):

Lentils (90% DV)
Pinto beans (74% DV)
Garbanzo beans (71% DV)
Asparagus (65% DV)
Spinach (65% DV)
Black beans (64% DV)
Navy beans (64% DV)
Kidney beans (57% DV)
Collard greens (44% DV)
Beet root (34% DV)
Split peas (32% DV)
Papaya- 1 whole (29% DV)
My “Fiesta Ranch” salad

If you want more in depth guidance to heal your body naturally, this is what I help people with every day! In my one-on-one personalized holistic health programs, we visit every area of your health in depth to ensure you accomplish all of your health goals permanently. My comprehensive programs give you the step-by-step nutritional changes, personal guidance, support, stress management, recipes, accountability, food sensitivity evaluations, and other tools necessary to make life-changing changes last a lifetime.

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Warmly,

Megan Normansell, CHC, AADP, CFH

Certified Holistic Practitioner/Holistic Nutrition/Herbalist/Wild Edibles Guide

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10 Best Pregnancy Foods at the Farmers Market

Posted on July 28, 2013 by Megan Normansell, CHC, AADP, CFH

A healthy pregnancy is only a farmer’s market away. Consider this your personal “farmacy!” Not only are they super healthy for you and baby, but you get the added benefit of the food being fresher, locally grown, and you can meet your farmer/forager.

1. Beets
No vegetable works harder at keeping your baby healthy than beets. The pigment that gives beets their rich color, betacyanin, is excellent at protecting DNA and preventing birth defects. Beets stimulate the liver to remove toxins, which protects your little one and helps to prevent toxin-induced nausea, fatigue, and headaches. Its high potassium content helps keep your blood pressure healthy and minimize swelling. The mineral content of beets promotes teeth & bone health in both mother & baby, while the iron helps to build up the blood and prevent anemia.

2. Mint
Mint can be a life saver in pregnancy, as it relieves nausea, upset stomach, constipation, heartburn, and indigestion. It has a calming effect, so try mint tea for any anxiety or stress. It selectively targets bad bacteria, so it can prevent any harmful bacteria from harming you or your baby, while helping your good bacteria to flourish.

3. Raspberries
Loaded with antioxidants, raspberries help protect both of you from the damaging effects of free radicals. One phytochemical, fragine, is believed to help strengthen the uterus and prepare it for labor. Because raspberries enhance circulation, they will help deliver oxygen & nutrients more effectively. This may also help with that occasional numb arm or leg, and with varicose veins or hemorrhoids. Their high fiber content is important for keeping you regular.

BONUS: Use the raspberry leaves!
Raspberry leaf tea is one of the most popular traditional herbs for the third trimester of pregnancy. Because it strengthens the uterine & pelvic muscles, it can help your contractions to be more effective and to shorten the second stage of labor. Post-partum, this tea helps the uterus shrink back to its normal size and encourages breast milk production.

4. Wild Leeks/Ramps
The high sulfur content of leeks are great for promoting a gentle detox. Leeks act as a nutrient delivery system, helping baby get all the nourishment it needs. The high amount of prebiotic fiber helps keep you regular while promoting your good bacteria, which is important for immunity and possibly preventing autism.
*If onions give you heartburn during pregnancy, substitute with leeks!

5. Green Beans
Green beans are the ultimate food for stabilizing blood sugar levels and keeping you at a healthy weight while expecting. They are a rich source of insoluble fiber, which removes toxins before they can hurt the baby, while promoting regularity and keeping your appetite in check.

6. Cucumber
Dehydrated? Try a cucumber with your water. It’s refreshing, hydrating, and helps reduce swelling & edema. It helps to keep your blood pressure healthy and has an anti-inflammatory effect. Cucumbers are high in silica, which provides support for your skin while it’s stretching. A cucumber a day just might keep those stretch marks away! The caffeic acid in this veggie is useful for preventing yeast infections during pregnancy.

7. Kale
This important superfood supplies silica, calcium, magnesium and iron, which are necessary for bones, collagen, elastin, connective tissue, and cartilage to form. Magnesium is especially important during pregnancy, as low magnesium can cause preeclampsia.
The high folate content helps prevent neural tube defects. Rich in vitamin E, kale can support elasticity of your skin. Vitamin E is considered to be important for helping your baby grow to full-term: premature babies often have low vitamin E levels. The vitamin C & various phytochemicals in kale also help promote healthy estrogen & progesterone levels, protect the baby from toxins, and promote eye health.
*Kale is on the dirty dozen list. Always buy organic to prevent consuming harmful pesticides.

8. Apples
Apples are one of the best food sources of bioflavonoids. These work to prevent miscarriage, keep blood vessels strong (prevent bruising & varicose veins), minimize stretch marks, keep you regular, and prevent weak uterine walls.
*Apples are on the dirty dozen list. Always buy organic or wild harvest to prevent consuming harmful pesticides.

9. Butter
Butter supplies many components crucial to growth and healthy hormones during pregnancy. The sex hormones estrogen & progesterone can only be made from the right kinds of fats. The medium-chain triglycerides in butter are used as a dense source of energy, and are the building blocks of breast milk.
*Always buy butter from organically raised, grass-fed cows. The milk from grain & soy-fed cows are high in omega 6’s, which are pro-inflammatory, but low in omega 3’s, which are anti-inflammatory. Grass-fed & organic butter is rich in DHA, which is essential for baby’s brain to develop, and is naturally higher in vitamin D, necessary for immunity and for the skeletal system to develop.

10. Asparagus
Asparagus provides a wide variety of the nutrients that are in highest demand during pregnancy, including vitamin A, E, glutathione, quercetin, selenium, zinc, lutein, & beta carotene. The powerful antioxidants present are excellent in helping prevent DNA damage & birth defects. Asparagus also provides that same valuable prebiotic fiber that leeks contain.

Thanks for visiting!

Megan Normansell (Kerkhoff), CHC, AADP, CFH

Certified Holistic Practitioner/Holistic Nutrition/Herbalist/Wild Edibles Guide

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more recipes and healthy living ideas!

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The Greatest Threat to Human Health May be in Your Fridge Right Now

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Megan Normansell, CHC, AADP, CFH

I’m still astounded at the millions of people who showed up in 40 countries around the world for “March Against Monsanto” on May 25 to work to save our food supply, protect our health, and save our environment. I was honored to be asked to speak about the health effects of GMOs at our Appleton event, and we had a fantastic group of nearly 200 show up. Thank you to all how participated- you were a part of history!! In case you missed it, the following is my speech along with some pictures from that day.

“Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal when given half the chance. I’ve seen it all- heart disease healed, chronic pain healed, obesity healed, diabetes healed, cancer healed, depression healed, allergies healed, infertility healed. The power of food has no limits. But when we consume this 70% of our grocery store food that is genetically modified & toxic- promoting disease and blocking healing- our bodies end up in a sorry state.

Cancerous tumors, accelerated aging, infertility, allergies, birth defects…

You’d think a product that causes this level of devastation would immediately be banned by the government, in an effort to protect us citizens.

When an herbal supplement, for example, causes one death when misused, is it all over the news and immediately the FDA jumps on it and bans it. So why, with the remarkable amount of evidence that we have today proving that Genetically Modified Organisms are wreaking havoc on our bodies, our environment, our wildlife, our farms, does our government turn a blind eye?

And why, in Spring 2013, did Congress pass a bill that protected the rights of the company who creates this product, and in turn taking away our rights away as citizens? They can no longer be held responsible when we get sick from their product. We can’t even always choose non-GMOs, because we aren’t even given the right to a label! We can slap a label on a water bottle that says “gluten free” or label orange juice with the vitamin C content, but it’s way too expensive and complicated to add the words “Contains GMOS” to a label? This product, Genetically Modified Organisms, is the largest government-endorsed mass-poisoning of US citizens we ever seen, unprecedented in history. This is the greatest threat to human health most of us will ever see in our lifetimes.

Monsanto, the same company that brought us Agent Orange, DDT, & PCB’s is now biochemically producing nearly all of our corn, soy, cotton, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, and canola in the US. Two newcomers to the GMO list are zucchini & crookneck squash. Did you know that nearly all grocery store milk today contains genetically modified ingredients? Most milk, ice cream, cheese, & yogurt you see on shelves today comes from cows treated with rBGH, Monsanto’s genetically engineered synthetic growth hormone. If you or your children have received vaccinations in the last decade, you’ve likely been injected with cloned or genetically engineered viruses.

While countries like Japan, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, Ireland and many more are banning these controversial crops, our government- that works for us, the people- has chosen to not only ignore our demands, but pass laws to protect this company from being held responsible for the worldwide devastation they are causing.

As the information I’m giving you today is based on valid scientific studies, I think it’s important to understand Monsanto’s version of what’s considered science. Here’s a few interesting points from Monsanto’s cornerstone study for proving the safety of GMO’s:

The study lasted only 90 days
Test subject’s organs were never measured
GM’s were diluted up to 12 times. According to an expert review, this was most likely done to prevent any undesirable effects from occurring before the short test period was up.
Samples were pooled from different locations and conditions, and data from the only side-by-side comparison was removed and never published.

Monsanto & USDA studies are, on average, 90 days. Between 1992 & 2002, when we had the biggest boom in GMO’s, the USDA spent $1.8 billion on GMO research. 1% of that went to safety testing. Meanwhile, the agricultural industry uses its patents to maintain tight control over who researches what, how the research is done, and on what outcomes they would like to be made public at US Universities.

The longest, most comprehensive study on GMO’s was conducted at France’s University of Caen, and published in the peer-reviewed journal “Food & Chemical Toxicity.” Over the course of 2 years, 10 groups of rats were fed either GMO corn or Roundup herbicide in their water, or both, and the control groups consumed non-GMO corn, and non-GMO rat chow. Nothing much happened in the first 90 days, which is the industry’s gold standard time frame for GMO testing. But after those initial 90 days?

The groups fed the Round-up ready corn & Roundup herbicide both showed “severe adverse health effects” including mammary tumors, & kidney & liver damage, leading to premature death. This happened whether they were consumed separately or together. At the end of the study, 50-80% of the females had large tumors, compared to small tumors in 30% of the control groups. 50% of males & 70% of females died prematurely in the Roundup/GMO groups, vs 30% & 20% in the control groups.

One action of Round-up, or glyphosate, is that it chelates vital minerals from plants. By depriving the plant of iron, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, calcium, boron, and other nutrients, the plant dies. And this action doesn’t stop at just plants- it also continues on to deplete these same nutrients from us. Alzheimer’s, for example, is a disease linked with reduced copper and magnesium- this disease has jumped 9000% since 1990. Glyphosate-induced mineral deficiencies can easily go unidentified and untreated. Laboratory tests can sometimes detectadequate mineral levels in the body, but miss the fact that glyphosate has already rendered them unusable. Deficiencies in these particular minerals alone can cause disorders ranging from heart disease and osteoporosis to obesity and arthritis.

A press advisory from The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) was sent out in 2009, calling for immediate moratorium On Genetically Modified Foods. They urged physicians to “educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible, and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.” They also recommended that physicians should “consider the role of GM foods in their patients’ disease processes.”

The AAEM states the following as the health risks of GMOs:

Infertility
Immune problems
Accelerated aging
Insulin regulation
Changes in major organs
Gastrointestinal changes and problems
Here’s a sampling of some more results of independent studies:
GMO potatoes were found to cause cancer in rats
GMO foods were found to disrupt the kidneys, liver, heart, & spleen in rats & mice
GMO bt toxin corn induced autoimmune disease in mice, commonly associated with arthritis, Lou Gehrig’s disease, osteoporosis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Indian studies found infertility, spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and premature death in buffalo fed GMO cotton products
Animals fed GMO foods have developed bleeding stomach ulcers
Soy allergies have skyrocketed after the introduction of GMO soy- many believe there is a relationship between the two.
GM genes have been found to damage human gut flora, which may play a role in GMO’s links to autoimmune disease, impaired immunity, cancer, and allergies.
GMO corn was found to cause sterility in pigs

Now fertility is an important topic, as we continue to find reproductive failure as a recurring theme in studies. What do we, the human species, have, if not the ability to reproduce? How can humankind possibly continue if we are sterilizing ourselves with every bite?

When it comes to infertility, research suggests that glyphosates could be to blame. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide created by Monsanto- aka Roundup. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide. Many crops today are genetically modified to be resistant to this chemical, therefore larger than normal doses can be used to kill invading plants, without risk of harming the crop. It is believed that this herbicide throws off the delicate balance of hormones required for both conception and for fetal growth.

A study published in 2000 found that in humans, Roundup interferes with an enzyme involved in testosterone production, as well as aromatase, an estrogen biosynthesis enzyme. A 2009 study on mice found Roundup-induced chromosomal aberrations and damage to DNA. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition October 1999 it was published that glyphosate may interfere with folic acid absorption, which could increase risk of chromosome disorders and spina bifida. Although purely speculation at this point, doesn’t it seem possible that glyphosate could play a large part in the chromosomal disorders we see today, such as Down Syndrome & Turner Syndrome?

In government-sponsored research in Italy, mice fed Monsanto’s bt-toxin corn had damaged sperm cells and their offspring had a 5-fold increase in mortality, with an inability to reproduce. In a 2009 French study, scientists discovered that Roundup kills the outer layers of cells on the placenta of pregnant women, which can ultimately kill the placenta. These results were from the use of small, residual amounts of glyphosate- the levels typically found in the standard American diet. A Canadian study of 4,000 pregnant women found that women exposed to glyphosate during the 3 months before pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of miscarriage. When fathers were exposed shortly before conception, the women had a moderate increase in preterm delivery and miscarriage.

A 2005 study at the Russian National Academy of Sciences found that 50% of the babies from rats fed GMO soy died within 21 days. The non-GMO control group had a 10% death rate. The babies in the GMO group were also smaller and infertile. In a Canadian study it was found that bt-toxin is now present in 69% of non-pregnant women’s blood samples, and in 93% of pregnant women’s. In frogs & chicken embryos Roundup was found to cause malformations of the skull, face, brain, and spinal cord.

It may not seem like you are able to save the world as one person, but when we all come together we create a ripple effect that WILL change the world. Fight back with your grocery dollars by buying organic. Even better, buy organic & local. Vote this company out by not giving them your money. Fight back by not using hazardous chemicals in your lawn or home. Tell your friends, neighbors, family, about the devastation that is happening right under their noses- the public deserves to know. Demand labels. Write your representatives. Meet with them. Keep writing and meeting with them if they continue to vote against what the people are demanding. We may not be able to buy members of Congress like Monsanto, but we can keep bugging them until they listen!

Sources:

J Toxicol Environmental Health, Use of genetically modified viruses and genetically engineered virus-vector vaccines- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16982535

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious

Disease, Vaccines

– http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/vaccines/understanding/pages/typesvaccines.aspx

The American Journal of Pathology, The Endogenous Adjuvant Squalene Can Induce a Chronic T-Cell-Mediated Arthritis in Rats, 2000- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1850095/

NVIC.org Rotavirus- http://www.nvic.org/vaccines-and-diseases/Rotavirus.aspx

PharmPro January 16, 2012 – http://www.pharmpro.com/articles/2012/01/expanding-vaccine-market

SourceWatch.org – http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bayer

Greenpeace.org – http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/genetic-engineering/ge-industry/other-companies/

Organic Consumers Association, USDA Watch- http://www.organicconsumers.org/usda_watch.cfm

Monsanto.com Who We Are – http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/Pages/monsanto-relationships-pfizer-solutia.aspx

Seattle Global Justice August 25, 2010 – http://www.seattleglobaljustice.org/2010/08/for-immediate-release-gates-foundation-invests-in-monsanto/

Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating by Jeffrey M. Smith

Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods by Jeffrey M. Smith

Scientific American September 19, 2011

Chemical Research in Toxicology 2010; 23(10):1586-1595

Ecological Society of America August 2005; 15(4): 1118-1124

Walsh, LP; McCormick, C; Martin, C; Stocco, DM (2000). “Roundup inhibits steroidogenesis by disrupting steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein expression”. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1638308/ Environmental health perspectives 108 (8): 769-76. doi:10.1289/ehp.00108769. PMC 1638308. PMID 10964798. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10964798

Prasad, Sahdeo; Srivastava, Smita; Singh, Madhulika; Shukla, Yogeshwer (2009). “Clastogenic Effects of Glyphosate in Bone Marrow Cells of Swiss Albino Mice”. Journal of Toxicology 2009: 1. doi:10.1155/2009/308985 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jt/2009/308985/

Daruich, J; Zirulnik, F; Gimenez, MS (2001). “Effect of the Herbicide Glyphosate on Enzymatic Activity in Pregnant Rats and Their Fetuses”. Environmental Research 85 (3): 226-31. doi:10.1006/enrs.2000.4229. PMID 11237511 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935100942294

Daruich, Jorgelina; Zirulnik, Fanny; Giménez, María Sofía (2001). “Effect of the Herbicide Glyphosate on Enzymatic Activity in Pregnant Rats and Their Fetuses”. Environmental Research 85 (3): 226-31. doi:10.1006/enrs.2000.4229. PMID 11237511 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935100942294

Lammer, Edward J.; Chen, Diane T.; Hoar, Richard M.; Agnish, Narsingh D.; Benke, Paul J.; Braun, John T.; Curry, Cynthia J.; Fernhoff, Paul M. et al. (1985). “Retinoic Acid Embryopathy”. New England Journal of Medicine 313 (14): 837-41.doi:10.1056/NEJM198510033131401. PMID 3162101. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3162101

Durston, A. J.; Timmermans, J. P. M.; Hage, W. J.; Hendriks, H. F. J.; De Vries, N. J.; Heideveld, M.; Nieuwkoop, P. D. (1989). “Retinoic acid causes an anteroposterior transformation in the developing central nervous system”. Nature 340 (6229): 140-4.doi:10.1038/340140a0. PMID 2739735

. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v340/n6229/abs/340140a0.html

Paganelli, Alejandra; Gnazzo, Victoria; Acosta, Helena; López, Silvia L.; Carrasco, Andrés E. (2010). “Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Produce Teratogenic Effects on Vertebrates by Impairing Retinoic Acid Signaling”. Chemical Research in Toxicology 23 (10): 1586.doi:10.1021/tx1001749 PMID 20695457

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx1001749

Strengthen your bones with “Sweets ‘n Beets”

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Megan Normansell, CHC, AADP, CFH

Who has room in their bellies for a whole salad of beet greens, a large beet, an apple, a tangerine, and a whole sweet potato? I sure don’t, so I created a delicious fresh juice instead. And I shall call my creation “Sweets ‘n Beets!”
It has a mild, earthy, and pleasantly sweet flavor to it. I have a ton more energy already and I’m only halfway through drinking it!

So what are the benefits?
This juice cleanses the liver, aids the lymphatic and digestive systems, flushes out uric acid, builds the blood and red blood cells, keeps gums healthy, promotes strong connective tissue, promotes wound healing, lowers risk of cancer, increases energy, lowers cholesterol, protects against viruses, alkalizes your pH, prevents birth defects and reduces nicotine cravings. The beets are great for preventing osteoporosis and keeping your teeth healthy.

It can help treat: liver & gallbladder problems, kidney stones, stomach and intestine maladies, anemia, weakness, blood disorders, liver problems, and depression (increases serotonin).

“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.

Slavic peoples get their physical characteristics from potatoes, their smoldering inquietude from radishes, their seriousness from beets.

The beet is the melancholy vegetable, the one most willing to suffer. You can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip…

The beet is the murderer returned to the scene of the crime. The beet is what happens when the cherry finishes with the carrot. The beet is the ancient ancestor of the autumn moon, bearded, buried, all but fossilized; the dark green sails of the grounded moon-boat stitched with veins of primordial plasma; the kite string that once connected the moon to the Earth now a muddy whisker drilling desperately for rubies.

The beet was Rasputin’s favorite vegetable. You could see it in his eyes.”

― Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume