Canada’s Bill C-51

An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts

Proposed legislation brought forth to Parliament in April, 2008 could potentially have a major impact on natural health in Canada and restrict the choices Canadian people have when it comes to health products.

Highlights from the Urgent Member bulletin summarizing Bill C51 from the Canadian Health Food Association:

WHAT IS BILL C-51? THE FACTS

• FACT: Legislation tabled April 8, 2008 by the federal government that proposes amendments to the Food & Drugs Act

• FACT: Potential significant negative impact on the natural health products and foods industries. Currently, it does not affect the implementation or enforcement of the NHP (Natural Health Product) Regulations

• FACT: Proposes new increased enforcement powers, increased penalties to all sectors of the industry including retailers

• FACT: Redefines natural health products, cosmetics, medical devices and cells, tissues & organs as “therapeutic products”

• FACT: The current Bill does NOT remove products from your shelves

• FACT: We have to work together for change NOW; we need a SEPARATE Category for Natural Health Products

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

• A third category, as promised in the 1998 Standing Committee on Health’s Report, is critical at this time

• We want our products to stay on store shelves; we need to work together

• Bill C-51 pushes natural health products closer to the pharmaceutical model

• Potential for limited product availability due to increased powers for inspectors to enforce the regulations and achieve compliance

• Increased penalties for non-compliance; monetary penalties are the same whether you are a small retail operation or a large multi-national

• There are many potential negative issues around Bill C-51; we need a clear understanding of all the implications to our industry.

More information below from the Draft Discussion Paper - Legal Review [PDF - 72k] by Shawn Buckley, president of the NHPPA (Natural Health Products Protection Agency):

What the Act does: the Act gives broad power and responsibility to Health Canada inspectors to force “regulated persons” to take whatever measures the inspectors deem necessary to ensure safety. I am troubled by this due to the following scenario developing:

1) currently roughly 60% of natural health product license applications are failing. The majority of these license applications are for single ingredient products which are easier to license then multi-ingredient products. The percentage of failed license applications is expected to increase as more multi-ingredient product license applications are considered. My estimate is an overall failure rate of 70%. This means that over 60% of the natural health products on the market will fail the licensing process and will become illegal. At that point the manufacturer can willfully withdraw them from the market or Health Canada can take enforcement action;

2) the NHPD has been given more resources to process license applications which means that the majority of the products will become illegal sooner rather than later;

3) Health Canada is currently going to universities to recruit university graduates as inspectors because Health Canada anticipates an increased need for enforcement, and

4) Bill C-51 gives inspectors new powers to force products off of the market.

Concerned?     ~ Here is what you can do to take action!

• Read Bill C-51 or download the print-version PDF [344kb].
• Contact your Member of Parliament ASAP. Inform him/her that:
1. -you are opposed to Bill C-51;
2. - you want him/her to vote against Bill C-51; 
3. - you want your access to natural health products protected.
• Contact your Member of Parliament representative.
• Send handwritten letters of concern to all members of Parliament,
1. - your local MP;
2. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper;
3. - Tony Clement, Minister of Health.
• You can send your letters without postage to:(Name of person) > House of Commons > Ottawa, ON > K1A 0A6
• Best bet: send a stamped envelope with your comments to:
• Carmen DePape - Clerk of Standing Committee on Health 131 Queen Street Room 5-80. Fifth Floor Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
• Ask her to copy your letter to ALL MEMBERS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE. This means your letter goes to one hundred Members of Parliament!
• Review and print an excellent sample letter outlining the concerns of the current bill. Click here to download it in pdf form.
• Phone your MP and the Prime Minister’s Office to voice your concerns. Dial toll-free 1-866-599-4999 and ask to be transferred to any MPs office.
• The hours of this service are: Monday - Thursday, 8:30 - 6:00 pm Eastern standard time. Friday only, 8:30 - 5:00 pm Eastern Standard time.
• Stephen Harper’s phone numbers are (613) 992-4211 and (403) 253-7990. Tony Clement’s phone numbers are (613) 944-7740 and (705) 746-9053.

For more information…

• Trojan Horse Legislation Sponsored by Big Pharma: “Canadians need to wake up and see what type of Bills that the Harper Conservative government is trying to introduce and bring into law in Canada.”

• Canada’s C-51: Trojan Horse Legislation Sponsored by Big Pharma — Bill C-51 Unlawfully Suppresses Canadian Citizens’ Rights and Freedoms — Educate Yourself

 If successfully passed, Bill C-51 will:

• Remove democratic oversight, bypassing elected officials to vote in laws and allow bureaucrats to adopt laws from other countries without our consent.
• Remove 70% of Natural Health Products from Canadians and many others will be available by prescription only.
• Restrict research and development of safe natural alternatives in favor of high risk drugs.
• Punish Canadians with little or no opportunity for protection or recourse for simply speaking about or giving a natural product without the approval of government. More than 70% of people in Canada use a Natural Health Product. The new law goes so far as to warrant action against a person who would give another person an unapproved amount of garlic on the recommendation that it would improve that person’s health.
• It would become an offence not to follow the instructions of a Health Canada Inspector regardless of whether that direction creates a health risk. Natural Health Practitioners who are told to stop providing a treatment will be committing an offence if they continue to help their patients. Manufacturers of Natural Health Products will be committing an offence if they continue to provide products people rely upon for their health. In effect, Bill C-51 enables Inspectors without medical training to make health decisions; the scope of the definition of “sell” is expanded in a manner that will include single sales of compounded NHPs by natural health practitioners in a clinic environment.
• Fines for violations are increased by unprecedented factors of 500 and 1000 times. Directors and officers are made personally liable. Few in the NHP Community could survive a prosecution if Bill C-51 passes;
• Inspectors can seize private property for any reason, for any length of time, and without judicial oversight or pre-approval; Inspectors can destroy seized property without Court approval; Property owners are liable for seizure, transportation and destruction costs regardless of whether the seizure and destruction was justified.

It is your right to choose your health products and therapies — Stop government from enforcing U.S. law and other jurisdictions upon Canadians without consent — Stop C-51.

 For more information visit

Stop C-51: The Official Stop C-51 Website 

Natural Health Products Protection Association

 

For additional Sample Letters to the Minister of Health

-click here to download a sample letter in pdf form.

- for more sample letters and for a greater understanding about how new laws become passed, visit:

Canadian Health Food Association

During the winter months of limited sunlight exposure or in the case of individuals who rarely are exposed to sunlight, vitamin D deficiencies may be prevalent.

Known as the sunshine vitamin and manufactured on the skin, Vitamin D is converted by the liver to an inactive storage form called calcidiol (25-hyrdoxy vitamin D) and then converted again by the kidneys into the biologically active form 1,25-dihydroxy Vitamin D (also known as 1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferal), which is stored in fat calls and also circulates through the bloodstream.

Vitamin D is involved in the production of numerous proteins and enzymes used to fight disease, repair muscles, strengthen bones and maintain overall health. Vitamin D works with Magnesium to stimulate the absorption of Calcium into the bones and works best taken together with these minerals.

When outdoors and before application of a sunscreen, exposure of the arms, legs and face to the suns ultraviolet rays for 15 minutes daily will likely ensure adequate levels of Vitamin D synthesis into the body.

Studies indicate that deficiencies of Vitamin D can be a contributing factor in the development of colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, infectious disease, and inflammatory bowel disease and auto immune dysfunction such as: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis. Research is also indicating that daily Vitamin D supplementation offers protection against the development of  rickets, osteoporosis, colorectal, prostate and breast cancer. Supplementation with Vitamin D cannot guarantee the development of these disorders; however it is certainly one of many nutrients known to protect the body from onset of chronic disorders.

Food sources of Vitamin D include salt water fish, egg yolks, dandelion greens, sweet potatoes, tuna, vegetable oils, salmon, halibut, sardines, herring, mackerel, parsley, nettle, horsetail and alfalfa.

Individuals suffering from malabsorption problems such as celiac disease or crohn’s may not be absorbing adequate amounts of Vitamin D; certain medications such as some cholesterol medications, antacids, mineral oil, steroids, cortisone and thiazide diuretics can also interfere with absorption of Vitamin D.

In supplement form, there are 2 types of Vitamin D: Naturally occurring and the most active form, D3 or cholecalciferol (from fish oil, eggs, organ meats, sheep’s wool, cod liver oil and plant sources) and the synthetic, irradiated D2 or ergocalciferol, (less biologically active) and found in fortified foods, fortified milk and some supplements.

Ensure you take only the naturally occurring pure Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), as the body assimilates this in the same way that it uses Vitamin D formed from sunlight. Avoid ingestion of the synthetic Vitamin D2, as similar to many synthetic products, the synthetic Vitamin D  has been shown to be toxic in high dosages.

Determine your need for supplementation with Vitamin D before you take it. A lack of vitamin D will contribute to many chronic illnesses however like many fat soluble vitamins, Vitamin D is stored in the body thus taking too much is not desirable; request a calcidiol 25-hydroxyvitamin D (or a 25(OH)D) blood test from your doctor to determine if you are deficient. Ideal calcidiol [25-hydroxy vitamin D] levels are between 35-65 ng/ml [87-162 nm/L], year around.

Individuals with sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, or lymphoma should avoid the use of Vitamin D supplementation without first consulting a health care professional.

For more reading please click on the following Vitamin D links:

The Cholecalciferol Council

 

Making delicious herbal Chai Tea at home is quite straight forward, you will only need some basic ingredients and creativity. Ensure that the herbs you are using are potent and relatively fresh, they should possess their characteristic aromatic scent before blending them into the tea and not be faded in color.

In a sauce pan with a tight fitting lid combine the following:

• 4 cups water
• 6-8 slices of fresh ginger root or 1 heaping teaspoon of dried ginger root
• 1/3 tsp dried cardamom seeds
• 1 tsp dried cinnamon bark chopped
• A dash of nutmeg powder
• 1 teaspoon of dried fennel seeds (or/and anise seeds)
• 6-9 dried cloves
• 1 teaspoon of dried orange peel
• 1 teaspoon of chopped licorice root
• 4-5 black peppercorns

Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat, to a low temperature. Add all ingredients and simmer, covered for at least 20 minutes. The herbs can be simmered longer for a stronger, more spicy flavor. This tea can be sweetened with stevia or honey.

Options: For a creamy smooth drink you can also add in almond milk or coconut milk. Adding in 1 teaspoon of green tea to the mixture will produce a stronger variation.   Or for a completely different spicy fruit flavor, add in hibiscus flowers.

When choosing a multivitamin or nutritional supplement, reading over the list of non medicinal ingredients is as important as checking out the strength of the active ingredients.

The August, 1990 issue of the Alive Magazine, an informative Canadian Holistic Health Magazine states that in the last 30 years, food additives alone have increased by an alarming 1000 %! Numerous additives, fillers and colorings placed in over-the-counter products, pharmaceutical and prescription pills and packaged foods have been documented to have cumulative and harmful effects on our health.

Label reading is crucial for your health and the health of your family.Take the time to educate yourself and consciously choose to avoid ingesting additional chemicals in your food, supplements and prescription medication.

 Not all nutritional supplements are manufactured with the same diligent care and high standards as others. While there are many excellent, quality oriented companies committed to improving the health and wellbeing of their clients; there are unfortunately also other companies are clearly more concerned with profit than quality.

In my opinion if a supplement contains a long list of non-medicinal ingredients, complete with chemical sounding names, then it is likely NOT the best quality product. Become an expert label reader. Take the time to read the fine print of all pills and supplements, compare one item with another brand, educate yourself on the names of harmful ingredients and learn how to avoid products containing unnecessary ingredients.

What to look for when choosing high quality supplements? The absence of some non-medicinal ingredients is as important as what the product actually contains. Below is a list of  non-medicinal ingredients that are best avoided.

According to “A Consumers Guide of Food Additives”, the highly recommended book written by Ruth Winters and published in 2004, the following ingredients have detrimental effects in the body:

• Aspartame and artificial sweeteners: Aspartame contains methanol, (a poison, which breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly nerve toxin) and phenylalanine. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain has been found to decrease the levels of seratonin in the brain, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human studies that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame. Aspartame is also linked to many documented adverse reactions include: headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain, to name a few…
• FD & C Blue # 2: a colorings agent derived from coal tar, shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies.
• FD & C Red # 3: another coal tar derivative, also shown to be carcinogenic, may interfere with message relay in the nervous system. (Also found as the coloring agent in maraschino cherries!)
• FD & C Red # 40: Allura Red: one of the newest colors, not yet established as safe!
• FD & C Yellow # 5: Tartrazine, derived from coal tar, used primarily in the soft drink industry and found in some lower quality childrens multivitamins. Chemically similar to aspirin, those allergic to aspirin often have an allergy to tartrazine. It is stated in the above reference book that over 60 % of over the counter prescriptions contain tartrazine. Reactions include asthma, rhinitis, rashes, nasal congestion, and changes in mental behavior.
• FD & C Yellow # 6: (also known as monoazo sunset yellow) an artificial coloring agent, thought to cause allergic reactions.
• Hydrogenated Soybean Oil: is converted from polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat and can affect the levels of fat in the blood leading to clogged arteries.
• Avoid any products containing Sucralose, Splenda or any other artificial sweeteners.
• Hydrogenated vegetable oil: contains MSG, a flavor enhancer linked to allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness, throat constriction and chest pain.
• Hydrolysed Protein: Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein: a flavor enhancer that also contains MSG, it is recommended that there be a limit placed on the amounts of MSG consumed in children due to its neuro toxic affects in the body. For additional information on MSG click here.
• Mineral Oil: derived from petroleum based products, known to be carcinogenic, with a toxic effect on the immune system.
• Lactose: a milk sugar that is best avoided for any individuals with a dairy sensitivity.
• Isopropyl alcohol: a solvent, also used in antifreeze compositions, prepared from peopylene obtained in the cracking of petroleum.
• Hydrolysed polyvinyl alcohol: a synthetic resin, thought to be carcinogenic and tumor inducing.
• Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT): a preservative thought to be toxic to the kidneys, by converting into toxic substances or cancer causing agents. BHT is prohibited as an additive in the United Kingdom.

While I will refrain from listing the brands of common commercial supplements best to be avoided; I will suggest however, that choosing health minded, (often) smaller companies committed to quality and consumer education is the best choice, rather than supporting big pharma companies…and it does pay off to take the time to read the labels of nutritional supplements before selecting your choice.Remember: The non-medicinal ingredients are as important as the nutritional content and vitamins listed.

In particular, keep your eyes open for listings of sugar, sucrose and artificial colorings (no one needs unnecessary sugars and fillers, particularly in their multivitamin!).

As some companies conveniently omit the listing of the fillers used in their products, one can not assume that simply not listing the ingredients means that the product is clean. Specifically look for the listing of the non-medicinal ingredients or find a comment stating that the product specifically does not contain additives and fillers.

A positive indication of quality is companies which specifically state on their label, the absence of particular items. On the label, a high quality supplement should specifically list: “contains NO artificial preservatives, artificial colorings, sugar or starch, wheat and dairy”.

So you are interested in incorporating plant medicine into your lifestyle and are wondering where to begin…

For individuals who are just beginning to use herbs medicinally; preparing and drinking herbal teas are excellent first steps in familiarizing oneself with plant medicine.

When preparing an herbal tea for medicinal use, there are two types of preparations: infusions and decoctions.

Herbal Infusions

Herbal Infusions are similar to preparing a pot of earl grey tea. Simply pour boiling water over the herbs and steep, strain and drink. This process is used for preparing the more delicate and aromatic parts of a plant, such as the flowers, leaves, fruit, and aromatic seeds. An infusion is best when preparing an herbal tea for its high nutritional (mineral and vitamin) content.

Rule of thumb: The general measurement for an adult when preparing herbal teas is 1 tsp. of the herb for every cup of water, steep for 15 minutes, strain then drink 3-4 cups of the tea daily.

Method 1. Place the herbs in a container with a tight fitting lid and pour freshly boiled water over the herbs. Cover the container and allow it to steep for 10-20 minutes. The length of sitting time depends upon the chemical constituents in the plant.

Method 2. Let the tea steep overnight and reheat in the morning. Never use a microwave to heat the water or reheat a tea, instead gently reheat on the stove. Storing the tea in the fridge and reheating or storing in a thermos in a convenient way of keeping the tea hot for hours.

Herbal Decoctions

Decoctions are generally used for the extraction of chemicals from heavier plant material (roots, barks, nuts, and non-aromatic seeds). A decoction is more concentrated than an infusion and used to pull out mineral salts and bitter principles of the plants.

Method 1. Bring the water to a boil, add the herbs, cover and simmer gently over low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and drink.

Method 2. Add the herbs to cold water, place over low heat and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, keeping the lid on. These herbs can be reused 2 or 3 times before discarding.

Rule of Thumb: Always use glass or enamel containers and do not use microwaves, aluminum or cast iron pots as they will affect the quality and effectiveness of the prepared medicine.

For more information on herbal medicine, preparation and home use visit my website by clicking here and for ongoing encouragement, health tips, recipes and up to date information on herbal medicine, sign up for my newsletter Taking Charge of Your Health.

• Snack on protein throughout the day. High protein foods can increase the sensation of “feeling full” and helps to curb those sugar cravings.

• Chew foods well before swallowing to bring out the natural sweetness of the food. Complex carbohydrates often taste sweeter when chewed.

• Integrate sweet tasting vegetables into your diet. Jerusalem artichokes, beets, sugar peas, carrots, winter squash and sweet potatoes can all be healthy sweet substitutes to manage cravings.

• Increase your water intake between meals to increase the sensation of feeling full. Sometimes feelings of hunger are actually misinterpreted for signals that the body is dehydrated.

• Consume at least 3 meals per day and do not skip meals. Begin each day with breakfast. Missing meals during the day can lead to overeating at night, and often the overeating of junk food. The body requires most of its fuel (calories) during the day to fuel physical activity and support mental capacities. Infrequent eating can lead to blood sugar fluctuations and sugar cravings.

• Snack throughout the day. Overeating at one meal leads to a sensation of bloating and fullness, then a feeling of emptiness a few hours later. Keeping food in your stomach throughout the day will create a slightly full sensation in your stomach, when slightly full one is less likely to overeat and crave sugar.

• Eat a piece of fruit, before indulging in a chocolate bar or sugary sweet. Fruit sugars do not affect blood sugar fluctuations like sucrose (white sugar) and the fiber content will help to fill you up.

• Introduce variety to your taste buds. Cultivate an appreciation for slightly bitter foods and cut down the amount of sugar and sweeteners used in baking. Over time ones taste buds will become accustomed to less sweet flavors.

• Substitute an alternative pleasure. The best way to break any habit, including a food craving, is to substitute a healthier option. If emotions trigger overeating or eating of sweets, then identify what conditions trigger your cravings, such as boredom, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and commit to other ways to perk yourself up. Try exercise, a hobby, music, or just close your eyes for a few minutes and visualize something that relaxes you before going back to your every day tasks.

• Weekend treats. If you mentally resists giving up certain foods, eventually you will eventually give in and fall back into past habits. Instead, just cut down on how frequently and how much you eat and explore substituting some alternatives, such as low fat sorbet and dried fruit. Eventually, as your body learns to identify the difference between super sweet foods and foods containing less sugar, you will begin to crave what’s good for you and many sweet foods will seem far too rich.

• When your taste buds need a sweet fix, try adding Stevia Leaf into a brewing herbal tea. Or alternatively Stevia can be purchased in a concentrate powder or liquid form and used in baking instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Stevia does not cause blood sugar fluctuations and it does not carry any of the health concerns that surround artificial sweeteners. For more information on artificial sweeteners click on the link!

At the dock, we catch our speedboat to head down the Amazon River; a freighter like tanker was also transporting people traveling to various villages… a very different kind of transportation, hammocks appeared to be the visible option for lying down, looped up and tied in the main foyer, perhaps enough hammocks for 30 passengers. I was as fascinated by the boat, the sleeping quarters and the passengers, as they are of me.   The Amazon River is muddy brown coloured, the strong smell of petrol and fish overpower my olfactory senses yet surprisingly, florescent bright pink dolphins also live in these waters and periodically show their bright colors framed against the grey backdrop.     

 

At the edge of the jungle, the lush green of the foliage, heat and out-of-control humidity introduce me to ‘just the beginning’ of the rich jungle life… butterflies, crazy looking bugs, papaya trees, huge mounds of bananas, monkeys, roosters, chickens and foreign insects sporting florescent red, black, bright yellow and indian red colours (with intricate ancient designs on their wings) whiz by.  Anthills and ant crossings, with some serious traffic congestion cross our path and huge brown mud-caked-like termite nests are spotted in the lush green tropical trees…            

My translator and guide explains that termites are known by the villagers to have insect repellent properties and individuals that reside in the jungle often gather the termites on their arms and rub the insects right in to their skin (apparently, I am told, the termites do not bite humans!). The locals also believe that eating termites is a good treatment for a sore throat. That is a traditional remedy that I will not be trying!

Lunch at the jungle lodge is simple yet delicious…cerviche, camu camu juice (a subtle pink juice, refreshing like our lemonade, but naturally sweet) fried plantains (maduro), steamed yucca, heart of palm (or palmito), rice and beans… a guitarist plays Spanish ballads and traditional Andean tunes…

The jungle is alive with sounds…nature’s orchestra…completely alive and pulsating to its own rhythm… I stop to think, if man believes he has dominance over nature, has mastered and can exert control over mother earth, then he should spend a night in the jungle!

The Life Force here is awesome, trees are known to slowly move their roots in the direction of moisture and shift their towering tree trunks towards the light and some particularly sensitive jungle plants actually recoil at the contact of a foreign human hand. Then there are the jungle sounds…chirping, cawing, trilling, cooing, a low pitched growling…an endless chatter of community. WOW! Man is but a tiny force (and small voice) compared to the majestic, pulsating life force and strength of voice found in the jungle.

We visit an animal reserve: anacondas, toucans, monkeys, rattlesnakes and alligators. I pick up a tiny alligator, about 2 feet long in length from head to toe…what a nice pet. : )

 

 I fall in love with sloth’s (perhaps one of the slowest animal species in existence) relatively uninspired-looking koala bear types, with huge friendly eyes and a permanent half grin on their faces. Being vegetarians, it appears to me that sloth’s are only interested in eating leaves, which they inhale with great speed compared to their other slow plodding movements.   

After picking one up and petting her wiry, wig-like pelt, I set the sloth back down on the ground; taking advantage of  her getaway moment, she begins to move in slow-motion, arms and legs branched out like a spiders….her half crawling motion is slower than a turtle. 

 

An early morning walk into the market of Iquitos (known to Peruvians as the City of Love), the entrance to the Amazon Jungle; the market area is known in tourist guide books as the ’slums’ of Belen but I prefer to think of this charming district as the magical ‘floating city’ of Belen….the community is buzzing with life, morning chatter, live animals and fresh produce of all sorts and colours.

There are 2 seasons in Iquitos, the wet season, or more accurately named, the high water season and the dry season or low water season. Depending largely on the snow melting and the amount of rainfall in the Andean mountains.

In Belen, single room homes with palm tree roofs are built on either basala logs, which float as the water rises, or homes built on stilts to prevent flooding during the rainy or “wet” season; there is no running water or electricity in Belen….

I learn that in the high water season, as the water floods the muddy river banks, Belen is transformed to a floating city; families here typically have 2 canoes which they use to travel from their stilt homes… 1 canoe for the parents and the other canoe for the small children, to boat to school.

Wandering into the marketplace, definitely the heart of the city, bustling with life at 6:30 am…WOW….papayas, pineapple, fried plantains, huge avocados and yams the size of an adult thigh, enormous soup pots simmering on open fires, live catfish (cara chama) in wicker baskets and a little old lady singing while twisting the necks of the fish…freshly pressed juices, condiments and powdered herbs stored in plastic bags…

I find the people in the market to be warm, friendly, happy spirits who, of course, are very curious. I doubt that many had ever seen a camera before, let alone seen their picture on a digital camera. After asking permission to take photos, I show them their pictures captured on camera; the results were warm smiles, laughter, looks of surprise and glee. Many women gestured to have pictures taken of their friends and one stall merchant demanded the camera be brought over his way, insisting that his picture be taken also.

Then I find my dream… I turn a corner into a narrow side street and discover the herb market district! Pasaje Paquito. Herbal Medicine of all forms, cats claw, ginger, cinnamon, cactus bulk herbs, tonics, bottles, potions… dried powders and various jungle medicines….

I befriend an herb merchant and his son. He invites me into his small outdoor stall and shows me myrrh gum, paulo santo (a fragrant resinous wood which is burned as incense), potions and amulettes de amore * love potions…  

I show the herb merchant my insect bites, memories of some foreign insect attack; the bites still very swollen and red on my leg… he rushes off to find an herbal ointment which he smears on my calf… instantly I feel relief and purchase his ointment…a great interaction / my leg has not felt this good in 4 days!
I later discover that families who live in the Amazon jungle or who fish in the Amazon river can travel up to 1 week in tiny wooden boats (sometimes with 4-5 children on the small boat), camping on the banks of the Amazon river at night -the destination is the large market in Iquitos where they sell their wares, often crates of live fish, bananas, heart of palm or yams.  

We have been taking day trips into the Andean mountains… today, on route in our journey; the taxi stopped in the middle of nowhere and went to speak to some people on the side of the road. The taxi driver was gone for awhile then came back, rolling a spare tire that he had borrowed from someone building an adobe house… that sets me up for an optimistic drive into the mountain back roads of the Sacred Valley…

The pavement far behind us, we continue gaining elevation on the steep, bumpy boulder roads, the air thick with dust and the one lane traffic winding through the mountains higher and higher until finally, there were no more mountain peaks looming above us, we were driving on the top of the mountain range….

We finally arrive at a small village -a textile community which rarely sees tourists (my kind of traveling)…The community was dressed in their traditional colours, felt hats for the women and woven beaded hats the colours of the rainbow for the men, colourful cloths to carry their bambinos (babies)…The whole community was like a big family, they weave together, about 50 or so adults…their weaving looms set up in the center of a common yard. Someone is responsible for winding wool into thread, a section of the yard was set up for dying the lama wool various earthy colours (they use salt and men’s urine to cure or set the colour in the wool) …I will never look at another hand woven cloth the same again…. 

 

    

I was honored to witness an Andean celebration yesterday, with the procession line heading through the town market of Pisaq, everyone adorned in various colours of sacred dress, the elders and tribal healers wearing proud ceremonial headdresses of feathers, bones, leather and beads… Men and young boys playing wood flutes and young girls wearing woven headbands, huge smiles and carrying armfuls of sage.

I have met so many amazing people in Peru… a wise older woman, bent from years of living, perhaps 4 feet tall, her face lined from the sun and from the memories of a long life… and her eyes….I approached her and made connection, her eyes drew me in….she allowed me to photograph her… not in a way in which she was posing, but instead she connected with some distant memory and truth inside of her, gently smiled and let that truth show through the photo…

There are many children in the market, dressing up in their traditional clothing holding baby lambs or a tiny dog, who want to sell a picture… we pay them to capture the ‘traditional’ looking moment.

The Andean people are so striking, beautiful, their woven alpaca and wool clothing, traditional felt hats (women wear flowers in their hats if they are single and looking for a suitor!), gentle eyes, quick to smile and faces full of character… I often see them traveling with enormous packs on their backs, carrying a pile of eucalyptus leaves tied together, or a child under a colourful blanket.

It is common for the women to travel daily, (from high up in the mountains, down the steep mountain slopes) to the village in the valley, every day to sell their wares…Extremely fit and used to the high altitude, they can almost run up and down the mountains, traveling light footed on the tips of the narrow, steep stairs, (which have been painfully carved out of rock and set into the mountain over many years) They do not fight to balance like me, as I rest my feet carefully on the flat steps themselves (and at times stumble from the steep grade), but instead these skilled hikers balance on the point of the stair and run resting their feet only on the tips of the stairs… definitely Andean acrobatics and sure footing.