# Have you changed your diet after Fukushima?



## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I stopped drinking milk and eating dairy also giving them to my kids. I'm limiting meat and organic eggs. We eat lots of nori, kelp and seaweed soup. I'm avoiding strawberries, kale, spinach, cabbage and broccoli and produce from California. I've been eating frozen veggies, tropical fruits and grapes from chillie (I wouldn't have bought in the past due to pesticides). I don't know what to do after I finish the frozen meat and veggies in the freezer that I bought pre fukushima. I buy old aged cheedar for now. Probably I will go vegan and will force my children to be vegan? It will be healthier for me, but being a vegan is not easy for kids especially for picky eaters. Very frustrating... How about you? Do you do any supplmenets?


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

no I haven't. I don't see any reason to at all.


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## Ldavis24 (Feb 19, 2009)

WOW...You are on the west coast so I can understand modifying a little bit, especially related to anything from the sea but just wow!

That seems really really drastic but if you are happy with it more power to you.

Personally we haven't change anything here but we also didn't buy a lot of produce that comes from the west coast unless we absolutely have to. Dairy is pretty local as well so no changing that, we get our eggs from our own chickens so another non issue. We are on the East Coast.

The only thing I have changed is avoiding salmon a bit more than usual and well we weren't really doing a lot seafood anyway since the oil spill in the gulf. They can say it is all fine and the oil is gone and it hasn't impacted the seafood but I think it is a load of bull...Then again we aren't a big shellfish family anyway.


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## RubThyNeighbor (Oct 31, 2009)

Wow

A tad extreme?

We just added some watercress (high in iodine) and some sea vegetables

Took out the fish from my fav sushi place which comes from Japan.


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## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I'm in Vancouver and concerned especially of the constant radioactive rain even in May.

I'm following the advice here.

http://www.infowars.com/europeans-warned-to-avoid-milk-and-vegetables-due-to-high-radiation-levels/

I'm also following discussions at the uc berkley nuclear engineering department's public forum. http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/forum/218

I'm being cautious as I'm still breastfeeding and I have small children.

I'm really surprised that I'm viewed as extreme on this board. I am viewed as such by mainstream people though. But those are the people who don't believe in organic/natural foods anyways. People are speculating but there is a thought that free range meat and grass fed beef less safe than factory farmed meat because the animals feed on grass contaminated with radiation. What an irony. I just want to give up on meat if I have to eat factory farmed chemical loaded meat.


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## Ldavis24 (Feb 19, 2009)

Sora, I wouldn't call you extreme but it certainly is kinda drastic to go VEGAN because of your concerns....

That said you aren't extreme in my head because a guy on another forum I visit about chickens has been apparently taking Iodine tablets or something and was wondering how to force his chickens to take them as well...So you might be out there, but you aren't EXTREME!


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## 95191 (Nov 8, 2007)

Quote:


> I'm really surprised that I'm viewed as extreme on this board.


if you do go vegan what do you plan to eat-just frozen and south american? and for how long?

are you not concerned about a "balanced" approach and not getting a rounded nutrient diet?

I also find it extreme and know that most products prior to the Japanese disaster were not routinely checked and thus you really don't have a base to know what the levels were (even extremely low ones) prior to now.

If you are avoiding your local meats and eggs are you also avoiding all local produce, regardless of organic, because they could be washed with high level water?

What about your drinking supply?

Not eating food directly effected in one thing, avoiding is still quite hard, not to mention just dealing with daily life of washing hands.


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## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I'm trying to minimize risk as much as I can. The higher up the food chain, the more pollutants are eaten and stored. so less animal product = healthier.

I'm thinking of growing sprouts and wheatgrass indoors with filtered water from Reverse Osmosis (don't know if it actually removes radiation).

Of course there are things I cannot do about - air, rain, and water and everything else practically. What about kids playing in the dirts and grass and playing with sand? I am exposed to rain every day.

Are there efforts going to be futile because I cannot control most of exposures.


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## Ldavis24 (Feb 19, 2009)

NM I take it back, yeah I think you are getting extreme but I'm way over on the other side of the country so it's not really freaking me out at all.


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## 95191 (Nov 8, 2007)

In the US and Canada, not to mention the rest of the world, we have been importing food and OTHER goods from Japan since WWII--remember 2 big bombs were dropped???

very extreme -IMO


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## happyhippie (Apr 1, 2011)

Hi Sora, well we are directly on the west coast. At first I was very nervous, and figured that we should eliminate a lot of foods.

However, what was the alternative? Is there anything better for us than leafy greens? Anything better for you than local organics? Pesticide ridden produce from other parts of the world? Nope sorry. Frozen veggies, bottled water, food that is processed? Nothing, for us, outweighed the goodness of local organics, be it meat, dairy, veggies, whatever.

I suppose if it makes you feel comfortable, go vegan. However, a Vegan without spinach, kale, and sprouts??

Anyways, this is our new reality. We have to pick up and move on. Since we are being exposed to rad in food and water we have to choose other helpful habits, like eliminating sugars, and ridding ourselves of other environmental toxins within our homes.


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## HollyBearsMom (May 13, 2002)

Yeah, way extreme. How long do you plan on eating like that?


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## Alyantavid (Sep 10, 2004)

I think the exposure you're getting from Fukushima is probably less what you're exposed to on a daily basis. You can't prevent everything from happening and the benefits of local, grassfed meat outweigh any risk of them ingesting grass that may have a bit of radiation on it.

Even if you somehow found a way to eat something that hadn't ever been exposed to this particular radiation, it's probably been exposed to something else that could potentially cause some other problem.

You have to figure out the best way to feed your family. But you can't do that based on every news story that comes out or pretty soon you won't be able to eat or drink anything.


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## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

I hope you guys are right. Having a balanced diet might outweigh. Because honestly I don't know how long I can live like this. There has been background radiation all around but ingesting particles of radiation is different from being exposed to x rays and being on the plain. I learnt alot from raido ecoshock.org. But the more I learn, the more I get scared.

Who to believe? There is so much info out there. I'm leaning towards believing sources mentioned in ecoshock, such as Chris Busby, Helen Caldicott. There are differences in opinions.



> Epidemiologist Dr. Wing thinks people outside of Japan shouldn't do anything to attempt to reduce radiation exposure: Leading Epidemiologist: Instead of Trying to Avoid Japanese Radiation, Put Your Energy Into Demanding a Saner Energy Policy
> 
> French anti-nuclear NGO CRIIAD says that pregnant women and infants should take steps to reduce exposure: French Nuclear Group Warns that Children and Pregnant Mothers Should Protect Themselves from Radiation
> 
> Prof Chris busby,


I attach my "don't panic" paper. However, since then I have re-thought this advice as the thing is still fissioning and releasing 10 to the fourteen becquerels a day. This will mean that Sr-90 [strontium 90] and Uranium and particulates will be building up in the USA and Europe. I will assess this later but for now I think it prudent to stop drinking milk.


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## laohaire (Nov 2, 2005)

I file this under the "what can ya do?" category.

I won't tell you that radiation is not a problem, and I won't tell you that you shouldn't be concerned about environmental contaminants, and I won't tell you that thinking about what you eat is not worthwhile, and I won't tell you that going vegan is extreme. I don't believe any of those.

I do think it's easy to lose sight of the big picture, though, and that's coming from someone who's done just that from time to time.

There is, quite unfortunately, a limit to what you can protect yourself from. It's not right and it's not fair - the selfish choices of other humans are forcibly imposed on us all. And some of it is just humans just doing the best they can with what they've got. And some of it is just the physics of the world; we do live in a global ecosystem as well as living in subsystems and subsubsystems and so on.

So all the radiation in the world, and not just from Fukushima, is a reality in our lives. Some of it caused by humans, some natural. The pesticides and other chemicals of the world are affecting even those who follow the most strict organic lifestyles. We have our choice of showering in chlorinated water or poisoned rainwater. Most of us have mercury slowly leaking into our bloodstreams from dental fillings. I am not making light of these things at all, they concern me. But the radiation fallout here is just one factor of many hazards we have to face - and all we can do is muscle on through the best we can.

You might indeed choose to eat vegan. Personally, I've pretty much decided to stop eating the top-of-the-food-chain fish myself, because indeed they accumulate a lot of poisons from our sadly destroyed oceans. I am not sure if factory farmed meat is necessarily better off because they have to eat the corn that's been out in the field anyway. I don't see any real risk to you trying whatever you want to try, including growing wheatgrass on your windowsill - as long as you can continually evaluate the risks and benefits. Please don't choose malnourishment over eating something grown in the soil.

Don't forget, people in Japan have to keep on going, they don't have a choice either. i won't claim that nobody will suffer any consequences from it, but we need to just do the best we can, right?

This is a sincere question and not a dig in any way: do you have anxiety? I think that our survival depends on the right balance to anxiety. We need to be aware of the threats in our lives, and I value mindfulness above all else. Yes, ask these questions, research them. But for us to really survive, we can't get caught up in details too much. We have to keep the big picture in mind. Don't let your worry about Fukushima impact your life more than Fukusima itself.


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## springmum (Aug 30, 2008)

According the UC Berkely's radiation dept. (they are testing local air, water, milk, and some veggies) http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/node/2525#kale there are still detectable levels of cesium in kale and strawberries. Cesium worries me enough that we can afford to avoid them for now until I can grow some in our garden.

The EPA did testing all over America and radiation was showing up in the air, water and milk across the U.S. at various points so being far from the west coast doesn't mean we aren't getting exposure. (see their site for results)

I'm not on the west coast, and although my risk many not be zero I feel comfortable buying local meat, and growing my own veggies this summer. I have been selective about large leaf veggies from the west coast as we are TTC.

Yes, the levels are low, but I saw the quote somewhere about no safe level of radiation.....and don't forget we are ingesting it, as well as drinking it, as well as breathing it as well as getting rained on.

So am I on the "extreme" side....no, but I totally get why some are trying hard to reduce their exposure. If I were on the west coast I might be doing things differently. We of course learned from Chernobyl about the problems with milk (iodine compounds up the food chain, many children developed cancer) Don't forget we are milk producing as well....if I were nursing right now I would likely be taking a few more precautions.

I have increased our anti-ox vitamin's (especially Vit c) and read something about spirulina http://www.resorthealth.com/herbs/spirulina.html being given to children after Chernobyl to help protect them. So I'm adding some of that too. For some increasing iodine is good.....caution with too much iodine as it can cause more problems.

Japan has just released a news article saying that the plant experienced a nuclear meltdown 16 hours after the flood, so I don't trust they are giving us accurate info. That is a significant amount of radiation poured into our atmosphere. The media has totally dropped the story because it's not interesting enough, but for some this is still very important.

At the end of the day we all have to decide for our own families what we are comfortable with and who's information we choose to believe.

I feel very sad and angry for the people in Japan....they of course are in a much more serious situation


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## sora (Oct 7, 2006)

Thanks for the great advice. Your words are very helpful and put things into perspectives. I do think I have an anxiety issue, overly concerned about health in particular. That happened after I had my first baby and started reading a lot about toxins and chemicals.My husband once said that he missed me who once I was, who could really enjoy life. Now I'm a worrier.

Still on the fences about milk and dairy though...


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## happyhippie (Apr 1, 2011)

Sora.

Quote:



> Don't let your worry about Fukushima impact your life more than Fukusima itself.


Very well put laohaire. I appreciate this point of view.


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## mommy212 (Mar 2, 2010)

I don;t worry about it, and we are in Tacoma, WA. I will be joining a CSA soon and buying local raw milk. In my opinion the only way to protect them totally would be to hole up in a shack in the appalachian mountains or something. I still prefer to buy local organic food since it is either vegetables grown with poison nearby or vegetables grown with poison elsewhere.


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## mommytimes2 (Jul 19, 2010)

Sora--I don't think you are being extreme. You have very good reason to be concerned and anxious. It is a really awful situation, especially for those in Japan. I can't even imagine what mothers there are going through. As you already know from the links you provided, in Europe it was recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid raw local milk and leafy vegetables. The same article also noted that on the US West Coast/Canada, the fallout levels would be 8-10x higher. I live in CA, with two small children. Given that iodine 131 is showing up in the milk supply right now, we are avoiding dairy for a few months. I think this is reasonable. I am also buying frozen vegetables for now. With small children, the risks from ingested radiation are much greater. Some precautions are not a bad thing.

One thing I found while doing my own research about Fukushima that was interesting was how much of our planet has already been exposed to significant fallout from nuclear testing. That did put some things in perspective for me. Of course, I'd heard of the nuclear testing, but did not realize how extensive it was. In the US, literally hundreds of nuclear weapons were detonated above ground, and hundreds more below ground, in Nevada. This spread significant radioactive fallout all over the US, with most of it landing in the mid-west. As you know, radioactive isotopes like cesium, strontium, and plutonium take hundreds even thousands of years to decay. And much of our food (wheat, corn, beef, milk) is grown here. So, this is something we have been living with/exposed to since the 1940's when testing began. Kind of ironic that that made me feel better. But, with that said, it is estimated that close to 75,000 thyroid cancers in the US resulted from children drinking milk from cows that grazed on these pastures where fallout landed. Because the US gov't never warned anyone.

Sorry, none of this is probably making you feel any better. With all that said, UC Berkely in CA has testing (air, rainwater, milk, etc) information, and the results are somewhat reassuring: http://www.nuc.berkeley.edu/UCBAirSampling Take care!


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## springmum (Aug 30, 2008)

Mommytimes2 - very interesting info! IT reminds me of Pennsylvania 1979...Three Mile Island http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mile_Island_accident (excuse the Wiki source info...just giving it a general summary) Gov't 's from Chrenobyl to Nuc testing to Three Mile Island have NEVER been honest with the general population. "Nothing is wrong...no one will get sick....cancer is caused by too many factors to determine this was the cause...."

Found this cancer study as a result of Three Mile Island http://www.albionmonitor.com/9703a/3milecancer.html "Among those in the most direct path of the plumes, lung cancer incidence went up by 300 to 400 percent, and leukemia rates were up by 600 to 700 percent." Did the Gov't protect anyone then and tell them what to do do avoid radiation....no.

Are they doing it now....no. The media has stopped reporting...the EPA is reducing their testing frequency. The UC Berkely team are still testing, but it is a small sample area.

So my thinking is this - I will change the things I can, choose not to obsess over the things I cannot control, and take supp's/vit's to help protect my family.

I will say again with the concerns with milk. WE are milk producing and eat the animals (and vegetation) that eat the vegetation with radiation. It accumulates and concentrates the higher it goes up the food chain. It has never been tested...but I am very concerned. (no I'm not advocating early weaning! I'm just giving people something to think about) I would focus on reducing exposure while nursing for sure.

Sora - I can relate to your anxiety about toxins and your family. You have to give yourself the power to change what you can, and do the best to protect your bodies with healthy foods/vitamins - to protect you from the things you cannot change. Our immune system has handy little cleaners that can clean up cells damaged by free radicals. If we support those cleaners in doing their job, the theory is that they can clean up the damaged cells before turning cancerous. Studies have shown the power of positive thinking in people already diagnosed with cancer. A person can literally extend their life by believing they can. Stress releases cortisol in the body and wreaks havoc on our immune system. Practice some meditation and visualize something positive to keep the anxiety away - believe that everything will be okay  If you are caged by fear, you may miss the most important years of your and your families lives - enjoy every minute of it.


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## mommytimes2 (Jul 19, 2010)

Yes, I agree with you springmum. Like so many things in life, we need to do our own homework to get the information we need. This is another example. Like you said, the media is no longer reporting on Fukushima, and our gov't has stopped its testing. This is unconscionable, in my opinion. There was certainly a cover-up regarding Three Mile Island, and it's looking like we might be in the middle of one now.

You made another great point: radiation kills, but so does stress. My thinking is to educated myself on what is happening so I can best protect my children, take some reasonable precautions, and try my best to enjoy my life because we never really know how much time we have. Oh, and I was never much of an activist or put myself out there, but this situation is making me try to be more vocal about the inherent dangers of nuclear power so this world can be a better place for my little ones.


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## 95191 (Nov 8, 2007)

My DH was in elementary at the time of TMI and grew right in Harrisburg (20+ years and could see the smoke stacks) had no choice but to eat mostly local food-and we choose to have a child, as did many others.

sadly fear can cause a tremendous amount of damage


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## springmum (Aug 30, 2008)

I agree that living in fear is very damaging, it can paralyze people, and lead to even more damage sometimes. It is not a way to make life decisions.

While I personally may be anxious about some of the things discussed, my decisions about lifestyle in regards to this do not come from a place of fear. I still choose to live everyday as I always have, just with some changes to help prevent what I can (and maybe I can't prevent anything, I comfortable with knowing I tried)

Not everyone exposed to radioactive isotopes or cesium will develop cancer...there are many factors to influence that. We do know that radiation and cesium (and plutonium) do increase the risk significantly. I'm just going do the best that I can with the information and resources available. If I can help reduce the number of factors in our lives that can lead to cancer, then I will. Am I going to extremes or living in fear....no, just making decisions that I feel are good for our family....then moving on.

I will live my life to it's fullest, b/c it's situations like this that make me realize how fragile our earth and people are, but also how resilient we are too.


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## mamayogibear (May 8, 2011)

Okay, so I haven't read this whole thread. But I have to warn you being Vegan and avoiding leafy greans, strawberries and local produce is really difficult! Like some days I just think 'eww this again' I would love a crispy pseudo-caesar salad right about now! BTW My daughter is also vegan and by son is too (aside from breatmilk I made the tough decision to stop my share with the CSA I belong to due to the levels of radiation found in produce in CA by UCBerkeley. I have stocked up a freezer with fruits and veggies packaged before then but loath having to switch to canned food after we run out and would much rather eat semi fresh imported foods. I have been buying fruits from South America that I would prevously not bought because of the carbon footprint of importing it to the Pac NW. I can't seem to find veggies from South America though, any suggestions on where to buy them in the Seattle area?

As for supplements don't get me started! I follow Dr. Apsley's suggestion for my whole family http://doctorapsley.com/RadiationTherapy.aspx We also take apple pectin supplements and my older daughter and I take Bentonite clay. If anyone has any information on giving Bentonite to babies I would love to read it as I want to do everything I can to keep my son safe but do not want to do something that I can not find good information on. I do however give him baths in non edible bentonite, baking soda and salt.

Well I hope you all don't think I need a tin foil hat now althought that would keep of the nanometer particles of radioactive dust in the air... wouldn't do much for the gamma rays though.

Oh and we also only drink water filtered by reverse osmosis that is isotonic and have a hepa filter in each room but we did that pre-fukushima.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sora*
> 
> I stopped drinking milk and eating dairy also giving them to my kids. I'm limiting meat and organic eggs. We eat lots of nori, kelp and seaweed soup. I'm avoiding strawberries, kale, spinach, cabbage and broccoli and produce from California. I've been eating frozen veggies, tropical fruits and grapes from chillie (I wouldn't have bought in the past due to pesticides). I don't know what to do after I finish the frozen meat and veggies in the freezer that I bought pre fukushima. I buy old aged cheedar for now. Probably I will go vegan and will force my children to be vegan? It will be healthier for me, but being a vegan is not easy for kids especially for picky eaters. Very frustrating... How about you? Do you do any supplmenets?


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## Chicharronita (Oct 8, 2006)

I'm going to start taking french green clay, and I have started eating more miso, seaweed, and apples (for the pectin).


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## mommaklo (Jul 15, 2010)

I didnt read all the responses on here, but I keep getting contacted by a friend "updating" me on the dangers of this whole thing. I have had EXTREME pp anxiety in the past year, and have learned that I CANNOT worry or even dwell on this stuff or I will on the fast track to insomnia again and I cannot go there. I know shes trying to help but sheesh. Anyway, I think that this is something that we can only do so much about, and I think that the pestecides that they use in S America are probably worse than potential radiation exposure in food grown in the US. DDT keeps appearing in blood streams? Yea, because even tho its banned from use, it still is being made and sold to SA. And I have heard that food grown in other countries can call anything "Organic" without proof. Even if USDA checks it out and gives it a stamp, whos to say they stay that way. I dont have alot of faith in the continents food. I have heard the fish oil plants in chile have turned the west coast down there into a sludge mess. I can find nothing to prove or disprove this. I cant find anything at all which makes me suspicious.

I definitely agree with avoiding milk, there are great alternatives anyway, and what about checking into, like, locker beef of a decent grower in the area. The cow has been dead for a while, and its still good meat. We are eating our way through a cow butchered in feb and I am fully confident we will have good safe meat for awhile.

And I dont think you are extreme, but I think there is the theory of buying into the media shushing and smoothing this thing over because the government is directing them too so there isnt a widespread panic, or buying into fear. Just keep educating yourself.


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## mamayogibear (May 8, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mommaklo*  And I have heard that food grown in other countries can call anything "Organic" without proof. Even if USDA checks it out and gives it a stamp, whos to say they stay that way. I dont have alot of faith in the continents food.


I was under the impression that most of the produce coming out of Argentina, Paraguay and Uraguay were quite pesticide free and natural. I also read somewhere that Argentina has strict regulations on what is organic more like the Okotec regulations in Germany (I think that's what their organic standards are called). I do agree that most foods from north of Brazil are not up to the same standards. I hope someone has done more research on which countries have the most pesticide free and highest 'organic' standards so that I can learn more too.


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## countryangels (Apr 12, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mamayogibear*
> 
> I was under the impression that most of the produce coming out of Argentina, Paraguay and Uraguay were quite pesticide free and natural. I also read somewhere that Argentina has strict regulations on what is organic more like the Okotec regulations in Germany (I think that's what their organic standards are called). I do agree that most foods from north of Brazil are not up to the same standards. I hope someone has done more research on which countries have the most pesticide free and highest 'organic' standards so that I can learn more too.


Any updates???

Anyone....


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