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Health And Wellness Report – Wednesday May 9th, 2012

Filed under: Alternative Health, Diseases, Health, Holistic Health, Medical Research, Natural Health, Nutrition, Pet Health, Poisons in Our Foods, Vaccines — Leave a comment

May 9, 2012

Health

Advance toward an imaging agent for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease

ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters

Scientists are reporting development and initial laboratory tests of an imaging agent that shows promise for detecting the tell-tale signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the brain — signs that now can’t confirm a diagnosis until after patients have died. Their report appears in the journal ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters.

Masahiro Ono and colleagues explain that no proven laboratory test or medical scan now exists for AD, which is claiming an increasingly heavy toll with the graying of the world’s population. Patients now get a diagnosis of AD based on their medical history and symptoms, and symptoms like memory loss often are identical to those of normal aging. Currently, the only definitive way to diagnose AD involves an autopsy with examination of brain samples for the presence of the clumps and tangles of abnormal protein that occur in the disease.

The scientists describe the synthesis and lab testing of a new imaging agent (called FPPDB), which bound tightly to ß-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles — signs of AD — in human brain samples. In normal laboratory mice, which served as stand-ins for humans, FPPDB stayed in the body long enough for a PET scan (a sophisticated medical imaging technique). With further development, the imaging agent may allow early AD diagnosis in humans, the scientists indicate.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

Masahiro Ono, Ph.D.
Department of Patho-Functional Bioanalysis
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Kyoto University
Kyoto, Japan

Handheld device for doing blood tests moves closer to medical use

Analytical Chemistry

Scientists are reporting a key advance in efforts to develop a handheld device that could revolutionize the complete blood cell count (CBC), one of the most frequently performed blood tests used to diagnose and treat disease. In a report in ACS’ journal Analytical Chemistry, they describe adding a key feature to their “blood lab-on-a-chip” that allows it to count white blood cells more accurately.

Hywel Morgan, Cees van Berkel and colleagues explain that current CBC technology requires expensive equipment housed in central laboratories, which can take several days to process tests. The CBC test measures levels of the different components of human blood, including red and white blood cells. High or low levels of certain components can indicate a variety of conditions, ranging from infections and anemia to certain forms of cancer. Hoping to make those diagnoses faster and easier, Morgan and van Berkel have been working on a handheld device similar to the blood sugar tests used by people with diabetes.

In their latest advance, the scientists describe successfully adding a new feature to the chip, which sends a blood sample through channels only a few times as wide as a human hair to an electrode that counts blood cells as they pass. The feature breaks down red blood cells in a way that allows the chip to count white blood cells more accurately. Tests on blood samples from patients produced results comparable to those from tests performed on the same samples by a full-scale hematology lab.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

American Chemical Society
Most recent columnsAmerican Chemical Society, ACS is a congressionally chartered independent membership organization which represents professionals at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry and sciences that involve chemistry. Learn more about ACS.

Device might spark memories in some with Alzheimer’s

By Andrew M. Seaman

The results do not signal the device could someday cure the disease, but that it may restore some measure of activity in areas of the brain whose decline is linked to Alzheimer’s symptoms like memory loss, depression and agitation.

“What we can say is that the changes in brain activity are encouraging, but before we can make any sort of comments about the potential of the treatment we really have to study it in more individuals,” said Gwenn Smith, the study’s lead author, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

The implant, which delivers continuous electrical impulses into the brain, is already commonly used in patients with Parkinson’s disease and tremors to help control their movements.

Although the new research is only in its beginning stages, it’s a promising avenue to explore since available Alzheimer’s treatments “aren’t that great,” said Dr. Bryan Klassen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study.

Smith, who was part of a team that did the initial research while at the University of Toronto, said they are just starting to look into what this could mean for Alzheimer’s patients.

The researchers, who published their findings in the Archives of Neurology, came to the idea of testing the device in Alzheimer’s patients after using it in a study of brain pathways involved in appetite, and found that memory improvement was an unexpected side effect of the brain stimulation.

Read Full Article Here

Bipolar symptoms may begin in teen years

By Kerry Grens

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The number of teenagers who have experienced mania — a hallmark of bipolar disorder — is close to the number of adults estimated to have the mood disorder, suggesting that for many the condition begins during adolescence, according to a new study.

“The traditional wisdom has been that mania begins in your 20s and 30s,” said Kathleen Ries Merikangas, the study’s lead author and chief of the genetic epidemiology branch at the National Institute of Mental Health.

“I think the important thing is for people to recognize that mania does occur in adolescents,” she said.

Mania is a mood disorder characterized by excessive energy, a lack of sleep and sometimes risky and impulsive behaviors.

The most common diagnostic definition of bipolar disorder includes alternate cycles of mania and depression, though one type of bipolar diagnosis involves mania alone.

Merikangas said there have been smaller studies estimating how common mania is among children, and she and her colleagues sought to get a better handle on national rates of the disorder in kids.

The study included more than 10,000 teenagers who went through extensive interviews about their moods and behavior.

The research team found that 2.5 percent met the criteria for having had mania and depression, and 2.2 percent of teens had experienced it within the last 12 months.

Also within the year preceding the survey, 1.3 percent of the kids had mania alone and 5.7 percent had depression.

Read Full Article Here

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Holistic Health

Use these natural remedies to fight and overcome superbugs

By Sarka-Jonae Miller,
(NaturalNews) Nearly half of the meat sold in the United States has been found to contain methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA), a strain that causes a staph infection but is resistant to antibiotic drugs. Antibiotic resistance caused by overusing antibiotics in people and animals creates superbugs, germs that cannot be killed with regular antibiotics. To combat antibiotic resistance, doctors try stronger meds. However, essential oils, garlic and vinegar can work as a natural MRSA treatment…

Read Full Article Here

Natural remedies for migraine headaches

By Willow Tohi,
(NaturalNews) More than thirty million people in the U.S. suffer from migraine headaches. That means that there is a migraine sufferer in twenty five percent of households, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders. Traditionally, sufferers use prescription drugs – 2.5 times more than the amount non-sufferers use – to help them get through it. However, even with the prescriptions, most experience an inability to function normally while having a migraine. The American Academy of…

Read Full Article Here

Powdered coffee ‘creamer’ isn’t food, it’s processed chemicals

By Ethan A. Huff,
(NaturalNews) Every day, millions of Americans add powdered coffee “creamer” products to their morning cups of joe because they falsely believe that these substances are somehow healthier than real cream. But little do they know that most coffee creamer products contain no actual cream, or food for that matter, as they are really nothing more than a crafty blend of toxic chemicals. When powdered coffee creamers first came onto the scene back in the 1950s, they actually contained real dehydrated…

Read Full Article Here

The Measles Lie, and the ongoing ad campaign disguised as news

By D Holt,
(NaturalNews) An article in the Daily Mail UK, has reported that there has been the highest rate of measles infection since 1988. It goes on to say that 214 cases have been reported in the Mersey-side area alone. In a blatant advert for the MMR vaccination, Dr Roberto Vivancos from the Health Protection Agency, said “It is obvious from these statistics that people who are not fully vaccinated are not just at risk themselves, but they pose an infection risk to others.” He is also quoted as saying…
Read Full Article Here

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Pet Health

Give That Dog (or Cat) a Bone!

By Dr. Becker
>In order to be optimally healthy, your pet’s body requires nutrients — specifically calcium and phosphorus — provided by bones derived primarily from beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey.

Nutritional Components of Bone

In order to understand the nutrition bones provide to pets, it’s first necessary to nail down exactly what we’re talking about when it comes to bones.

Raw bones contain marrow.

However, marrow isn’t bone.

It’s comprised primarily of fat and blood components, which are high quality nutrients – just not nutrients provided by the bone itself.

There is also cartilage attached to raw bones.

Cartilage also isn’t bone.

It is connective tissue composed of about 50 percent collagen and mucopolysaccharides (chains of glucose molecules combined with mucous).

Collagen is fibrous connective tissue that is poorly digested by pets.

According to Miller’s Anatomy Of The Dog, 2nd Editionⁱ:
“Bone is about one third organic and two thirds inorganic material. The inorganic matrix of bone has a microcrystalline structure composed principally of calcium phosphate.”
So bone is composed primarily of calcium phosphate. Calcium and phosphorus ratios and total amounts in a pet’s diet are important. This is especially true for large breed puppies with unique nutritional requirements (0.8 percent calcium and 0.67 percent phosphorus is considered the ideal ratio for these pups).

The ideal total amount of calcium in dog food is 1.0 to 1.8 percent of the dry weight of the food. Many inexpensive, poor quality dog foods contain higher amounts of calcium – sometimes twice the recommended percentage. This is because large quantities of ground bone wind up in meat, poultry and fish meal pet food ingredients. Any pet food with “meat and bone meal” at or near the top of the ingredient list probably has an excessive amount of calcium, which can be detrimental for growing animals.

Read Full Article Here

The Myth of the Alpha Dog

By Dr. Becker
>Most behavior problems in dogs involve either normal canine behaviors owners don’t like or understand, or undesirable behaviors rooted in anxiety.

In order to improve any type of dog behavior issue, the steps must always include:

Learning what ‘normal’ means in the canine world
Identifying and minimizing risks associated with the behavior
Effectively communicating with the dog
Learning to read the dog’s signals
Meeting the dog’s needs

Unfortunately dog trainers, veterinarians and other canine experts have been conditioned over the years to believe ‘bad’ behavior is driven by a dog’s desire to be dominant over his humans.

So owners receive the message that exerting control over their dog – showing him who’s ‘boss’ – is the key to improving behavior.

This is an anthropocentric focus on the relationship between people and dogs which considers only the needs of the human.

The Merriam-Webster definition of anthropocentricⁱ:

considering human beings as the most significant entity of the universe
interpreting or regarding the world in terms of human values and experiences

According to Dr. Karen Overall of the University of Pennsylvania, an Applied Animal Behaviorist,
“The entire concept of dominance as applied to pet dogs is almost always based on a profound misunderstanding of the shared history of dogs and humans.”

Read Full Article Here

PhantomHD – Kitten in Slow Motion

Uploaded by TPSFilmStudio on Jan 11, 2011

Check out our newest video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYE0pKBOWW8
We would like to present you, a relaxing video of an adorable little kitten playing in the garden. It’s filmed entirely on the Phantom HD with framerates ranging from 400 to 800 frames per second.
A gallery of the kitten is available @ http://www.phantomhd.eu/m/zdjecia/6/?photo=23&page=
Footage shot by: Michael Szymczak
Editing: Arek Arciszewski
Music “Serengetti Bliss” composer Papa J, publisher: Extreme Music / SM Publishing Poland

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Positivity Mind and Body

The Quest! Marianne Williamson Deepak Chopra Stephen Covey Thomas Moore

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes 'FAIR USE' of any such copyrighted material.]

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Health And Wellness Report – Sunday April 22nd, 2012

Filed under: Alternative Health, Diseases, Health, Holistic Health, Medical Research, Natural Health, Pet Health, Positivity In Mind and Body, The Human Mind, Uncategorized — Leave a comment

April 22, 2012

Health

Poor Sleep in Elderly Increases Mental And Physical Risks

By Mamta Singh

New research has come in from the University of Rochester Medical Center suggesting that older adults who sleep poorly are at an increased risk of developing poor physical and psychological outcomes. This is due to their altered immune system response, which has resulted from the poor sleep pattern.

A particular marker of inflammation associated with poor health and even death, interleukin 6 was found significantly higher in poor sleepers compared to the good sleepers.

Interleukin 6 is a protein found in our blood secreted by T cells which are a type of immune cells that stimulate immune response, inflammation being one such response.

According to assistant professor of Psychiatry at the Medical Center, Kathi L. Heffner, Ph.D, “This study offers more evidence that better sleep not only can improve overall well-being but also may help prevent poor physiological and psychological outcomes associated with inflammation. Our study suggests that, for healthy people, it all comes down to sleep and what poor sleep may be doing to our physiological stress response, our fight or flight response.”

The research that was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Aging and published in American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry clearly suggested that though there were other factors of immune dysfunction such as depression, loneliness and perceived stress, it was poor sleep alone that caused a heightened inflammatory response to acute stress.

Read Full Article Here

Close Laundry Detergent Right After Use, Expert Says

HealthDay
Apr. 21, 2012 8:50PM PDT

SATURDAY, April 21 (HealthDay News) — A new survey finds that most Americans remember to seal laundry detergent containers immediately after use, an important part of safe laundry practices.

Only 12 percent of people sometimes, rarely or never seal laundry detergent containers after each use, according to the American Cleaning Institute poll.

Laundry detergents contain chemicals that can be poisonous if accidentally ingested by a child or pet, experts say.

Read Full Article Here

Most of us like to think we know the basics of kitchen cleanliness, whether it’s how to handle raw chicken or that veggies should be thoroughly washed before eating. But restaurant kitchens are held to much more exacting standards than most of us ever impose on ourselves.

We decided to see what we could all learn, so we sent a kitchen-cleanliness expert, Mark Nealon, to scrutinize the kitchens of two Prevention

families as they prepared dinner on a busy weeknight. A f rmer New York City restaurant inspector, Nealon now helps restaurants institute the very best food-safety practices to avoid being slapped with health-code violations. These two moms, both of whom consider themselves quite safety conscious, were shocked, as you’ll be, to discover where their kitchen habits fell short.

10 Worst Germ Hot Spots

Case Study #1: Stacey Glick and Jeremy Zirin, Haworth, NJ

Food preparation is often a hectic family affair for Stacey, 40, a literary agent; her husband, Jeremy Zirin, 42, an equity strategist; and their daughters, Samantha, 7; Alea, 5; and identical twins Chelsea and Talia, 3. All six of them crowd into the kitchen to help out. Under Nealon’s watchful eye, Stacey and her family put together a quick pizza, using premade crust from the supermarket, and a salad.

Stacey says she tries to avoid obvious food safety mistakes, such as letting her kids share eating utensils. But she adds: “I don’t have time to sanitize everything, and I know I’m probably overlooking some dangers.” Her biggest worry: the state of her two jam-packed refrigerators. (She keeps one in a nearby closet to accommodate all the food she buys.) “I know I overbuy food, and things get forgotten until they’re moldy. Then I worry about bacteria from spoiled food contaminating the other food we’ll be eating.”

Read Full Article Here

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Holistic Health

Rose Hip

What You Need to Know About Rose Hip

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide

Rose hip is the fruit that develops from the blossoms of the wild rose plant. A common ingredient in herbal teas, rose hip is also available in supplement and powdered form. Rose hip contains a number of antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and lycopene.

Uses for Rose Hip

Rose hip is touted as a natural remedy for a variety of health problems, including:

In addition, rose hip is purported to strengthen the immune system, stimulate circulation, reduce inflammation and help prevent heart disease.

Benefits of Rose Hip

Although research on the health effects of rose hip is fairly limited, there’s some evidence that rose hip may offer certain benefits. Here’s a look at several key study findings:

1) Rose Hip and Arthritis

A number of studies suggest that rose hip may help treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Read Full Article Here

Natural Treatments for Panic Attacks

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide

Natural treatments for panic attacks are sometimes recommended to people with panic disorder, a form of anxiety that affects about six million American adults. Marked by sudden feelings of intense fear, panic attacks typically cause symptoms like rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, and nausea. When treated with the help of a mental health professional, panic disorder tends to improve. But while some mind-body approaches show promise in treatment of panic disorder, very few studies have tested the use of natural treatments for panic attacks.

Research on Natural Treatments for Panic Attacks

Although natural treatments like passionflower, kava, and St. John’s wort are said to stop panic attacks, there is limited evidence for their effectiveness in treatment of panic disorder. Here’s a look at the available findings on other complementary treatments for panic attacks:

Read Full Article Here

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Pet Health

Respiratory Tract Infection in Birds

Avian Aspergillosis

Airway and respiratory tract diseases are very common in pet birds. One such disease commonly is Aspergillosis, which is a fungal infection of the bird’s respiratory tract.

Symptoms and Types

The symptoms of the disease are dependent on the form of the infection. For birds, the fungal spores lodge in the air sacs of the lungs. But, it can also involve the bronchi, trachea, and syrinx (voice box) of the bird. If not treated quickly, Aspergillus can even spread to other organs. There are two forms of Apergillosis disease found in birds.

Read Full Article Here

Bird Care 101

Caring for Your Bird

There’s more to getting a bird than simply buying a cage (although more on that below). Birds are delicate and complex creatures that need lots of loving care and attention to be happy and healthy. So don’t be fooled, playing them Sesame Street to see their friend, Big Bird, or the film the Bird Cage doesn’t count for much.

Like with any pet, research the breed before bringing it home. This way there’ll be no surprises. Important things to pay attention to: genetic health risks, size, and the breed’s personality traits. Some birds, for example, require much more care than others, even special foods. Then, once you find a breed that fits your lifestyle and personality, you can move on to the nitty-gritty.

Now I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Don’t worry about designing a fanciful fun house for the bird. Your bird isn’t going to care about pretty bars and ornate details. It will, however, care about room to move.

Obviously the size of the bird dictates the size of the cage, but it’s essential the bird have enough room to spread both of its wings and move about freely. The wider, the better. The perch, meanwhile, should be at a height that suits your particular bird, preferably at a level where the bird can climb and settle on top of without too much effort. Don’t overdo the amount of perches, though. Too many perches may hinder the bird’s ability to move.

Read Full Article Here

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Positivity Mind and Body

Deepak Chopra – The Happiness Prescription

Published on Mar 13, 2012 by gcbhswellness

Deepak takes us on an inspirational journey beginning with the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment. The result is a prescription for living life mindfully, joyfully, and with effortless spontaneity — a prescription that only Deepak Chopra could offer us.

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Health And Wellness Report – Friday April 13th, 2012

Filed under: Alternative Health, Diseases, Health, Holistic Health, Medical Research, Natural Health, Nutrition, Pet Health, Poisons in Our Foods, Positivity In Mind and Body, The Human Mind, Uncategorized — Leave a comment

April 13, 2012

Health

Dangerous Games Your Kids Should Avoid

Risks of the ‘cinnamon challenge’ and other games can include choking, lung collapse, and even death

By Miriam Weiner

A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down, but a spoonful of cinnamon… that’s an entirely different story.

It sounds like something you’d see on the television show, Iron Chef, only the seemingly innocent “cinnamon challenge” poses an alarming number of risks for kids and teens who take it on. (The goal: to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon without washing it down with water.) Over the past few months, emergency rooms and poison control centers across the country have been flooded with calls from panicked parents and concerned school nurses about this prevalent trend….

Read Full Article Here

More Than 1 in 5 Children Could be Obese by 2020

Without reducing consumption, more than one in five children will be obese by 2020

TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) — American youngsters have a long way to go to reach new goals for a lower childhood obesity rate, a new study shows.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set a goal of reducing the childhood obesity rate to 14.6 percent by 2020, and to do so children aged 2 to 19 would need to eliminate an average of 64 calories a day.

Without this reduction in calorie intake, the average child or teen would be nearly 4 pounds heavier in 2020 than a child of the same age in 2007. In addition, more than 20 percent of youth would be obese, up from 16.9 percent currently.

The last time the childhood obesity rate in the United States was 14.6 percent was in 2002.

“Sixty-four calories may not sound like much individually, but it’s quite a consequential number at the population level, and children at greatest risk for obesity face an even larger barrier,” study author Dr. Y. Claire Wang, an assistant professor of health policy and management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, said in a university news release…..

Read Full Article Here

Mystery sapovirus strikes nursing homes, new tests reveal

Dr. Charles Humphrey, CDC

Sapovirus, previously regarded as rare, is showing up more often as the nasty culprit between outbreaks gastrointestinal illness in nursing homes.

By JoNel Aleccia

For sheer misery, few germs can cause the chaos of norovirus in a nursing home. The gut bug can spread rapidly through food, on surfaces or person-to-person, afflicting victims with violent diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain.

About 20 million people suffer from acute norovirus infections in the U.S. each year, health officials say, but new research suggests that the nasty germ has an equally cruddy but little-known cousin: sapovirus.

Health researchers in Oregon and Minnesota have discovered that once-rare sapovirus may be more common than thought and, worse, on the rise, particularly in nursing homes and long-term care centers….

Read Full Article Here

Out-of-whack sleep habits can cause diabetes

By Robert Bazell
Chief Science and Medical Correspondent
NBC News

How hard is shift work on a worker’s body?

Research out Wednesday from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston demonstrates very precisely the way fighting the body’s natural sleep patterns can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

More than 21 million Americans are “shift workers,” according to U.S. Census figures. That is, they labor during the hours that most of us set aside for rest or sleep, either all or part of the time. That number is increasing 3 percent a year because of the nature of our service economy and the need for ever more people to take whatever work they can.

The sleep research team at Brigham and Women’s, under the direction of Dr. Charles Czeisler, has spent decades documenting how shift work can lead to increased obesity, heart disease, diabetes and many other health problems. In this latest research in their sleep lab they show how one mechanism creates the risk….

Read Full Article Here

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Holistic Health

The 5 best natural antibiotics and anti-virals that destroy superbugs and just about everything else

By JB Bardot,

(NaturalNews) Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the antibacterial power of the mold Penicillium notatum in 1928. Even though it was a natural healing agent effective in destroying Staphylococcus aureus and other noxious bacteria, the pharmaceutical industry got hold of nature’s bounty and it became — along with multiple other Big Pharma inventions — the nightmare of modern antibiotics, causing as many problems for mankind as they were supposed to help. Because of the overuse of antibiotics, super…

Read Full Article Here

Ammonium hydroxide, health effects of “pink slime”

By Dr. Daniel Zagst,

(NaturalNews) Awareness of “pink slime” in the schools, restaurants, and supermarkets has caused quite a stir in recent days. BPI, a leading manufacturer of the stuff has subsequently shut down all but 1 of their factories. There are still slime burgers out there and BPI refuses to disclose their consumers. If it’s not the process of stripping the scraps, melting them, and spinning them that worries consumers, then it should be the ammonia gas! Effects of the gas chamber Consumers are told by the…

Read Full Article Here

The anti-cancer medicine in broccoli (DIM nutrients) isn’t released until you chew them to combine two phytochemicals

By Mike Adams,
(NaturalNews) Broccoli and related vegetables such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts naturally contain a chemical known as glucobrassicin. When these vegetables are crushed by chewing, a chemical reaction transforms glucobrassicin into indole-3-carbinol (I3C). In laboratory studies, I3C has been found to have tumor-suppressing effects, which may partially explain broccoli’s cancer-fighting properties. But the story doesn’t end there: When broccoli is digested, two molecules of I3C combine to form…

Read Full Article Here

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Pet Health

Breathing Difficulties in Dogs

Dyspnea, Tachypnea and Panting in Dogs

Troubled or labored breathing is medically referred to as dyspnea, and excessively rapid breathing is medically referred to as tachypnea (also, polypnea). The respiratory system has many parts, including the nose, throat (pharynx and larynx), windpipe, and lungs. Air comes in through the nose and is then carried down into the lungs, through a process referred to as inspiration. In the lungs, the oxygen is transferred to the red blood cells. The red blood cells then carry the oxygen to other organs in the body. This is all part of the physical process of a healthy body.

While oxygen is being transferred to the red blood cells, carbon dioxide is transferred from the red blood cells into the lungs. It is then carried out through the nose through a process referred to as expiration. This cyclic motion of breathing is controlled by the respiratory center in the brain and nerves in the chest. Diseases that affect the respiratory system, or the respiratory center in the brain, can bring about breathing difficulties. Troubled or labored breathing is medically referred to as dyspnea, and excessively rapid breathing is medically referred to as tachypnea (also, polypnea).

Breathing difficulties can affect dogs of any breed or age, and the problem can quickly become life threatening. If your dog is having problems with breathing it should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible…..

Read Full Article Here

Common Fleas that Affect Dogs and Cats

Siphonaptera Species that Affect Dogs and Cats

By Jennifer Kvamme, DVM

You are probably aware of the fact that fleas are the most common (and annoying) type of pest, responsible for the discomfort of our dogs and cats (and us). But did you know that there are over 2,000 species of fleas that exist around the world, and that there are more than 300 of these varieties that live in North America alone?

These small, wingless, blood-sucking insects belong to the order Siphonaptera, so named because of their siphon-like mouthparts. All variations of flea species tend to live in their own groups, and do not mix or breed outside of their species.

The different species all have a particular kind of host animal that they prefer to feed from over all others. However, while they may prefer a dog to a cat, most fleas will take blood from any animal that’s available (even a human) if they can’t find their preferred meal. Here we will discuss some of the most common flea species that you may find feeding from your pet.

Read Full Article Here

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Positivity Mind and Body

Wayne Dyer How To Get What You Really Want, Part 1 – 13

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Articles of Interest

Ron Paul admits in speech to public that the FDA And Big Pharma ‘are in bed together’

By NaturalNews,
(NaturalNews) Ron Paul makes a groundbreaking admission to the public on tape – that the FDA and Big Pharma are indeed “in bed together,” both building up their monopolies and only interested in making more money. The Republican presidential candidate confirms that the corrupt corporations are running the show, that the FDA is doing more harm than good and many other eye-opening admittances.
http://www.naturalnews.tv/e.asp?v=E422FE9A5D1E2C455393C681BB0E1D80&s=1

Proposed ‘Natural Health Products Bill’ in New Zealand would fine individuals $50,000 for making a cup of unapproved herbal tea

By Ethan A. Huff, April 10 2012
(NaturalNews) The health freedom of New Zealanders is under very serious threat, as the federal government there pushes to pass a bill known as the Natural Health Products Bill (NHPB), or Bill 324-1, that will bring the nation into compliance with the overbearing and authoritarian food and health restrictions found in Codex Alimentarius, the so-called world food code. If passed, NHPB will combine with the equally-threatening New Zealand Food Bill (http://www.naturalnews.com) to make it essentially…

Read Full Article Here

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Crossroads News – Events in our changing world and our place in it -Saturday April 7th, 2012

Filed under: Chemicals, Environmental, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Hacking, Internet Neutrality, IT, oil, Psy - Ops — Leave a comment

April 7, 2012

Environmental

Mexican plan for Gulf deepwater wells sparks new worries

Tim Johnson

MEXICO CITY — Two years after the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, Mexico’s state oil company is about to test its hand at drilling at extraordinary depths in the Gulf of Mexico.

If all goes as planned, Petroleos de Mexico, known as Pemex, will deploy two state-of-the-art drilling platforms in May to an area just south of the maritime boundary with the United States. One rig will sink a well in 9,514 feet of water, while another will drill in 8,316 feet of water, then deeper into the substrata.

Pemex has no experience drilling at such depths. Mexico’s oil regulator is sounding alarm bells, saying the huge state oil concern is unprepared for a serious deepwater accident or spill. Critics say the company has sharply cut corners on insurance, remiss over potential sky-high liability.

Mexico’s plans come two years after the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, the worst oil spill in U.S. history. On April 20, 2010, a semi-submersible rig that the British oil firm BP had contracted to drill a well known as Macondo exploded off the Louisiana coast, killing 11 workers and spewing 4.9 million barrels of oil in the nearly three months it took engineers to stop the spill.

BP has said the tab for the spill — including government fines, cleanup costs and compensation — could climb to $42 billion for the company and its contractors.

Pemex’s plans to sink even deeper offshore wells underscore Mexico’s pressing need to maintain sagging oil production — exports pay for one-third of government operating expenses — along with oil companies’ desire to leverage technology and drill at ever more challenging depths.

Carlos A. Morales, the chief of the Pemex exploration and production arm, which employs 50,000 people, voiced confidence that his company has to the ability to sink wells in ultra-deep water.

“Pemex is ready to undertake the challenge and to do it safely,” Morales said in an interview in his 41st-floor office at Pemex headquarters in this capital city.

“You have to bear one thing in mind,” he said. “Pemex is the biggest operator in the Gulf — including everyone — both in production and in the number of rigs we operate. We are operating more than 80 rigs offshore.”…..

Read Full Article Here:

Millions of Pounds of Toxic Poison to Flood US Farmland

By Cassandra Anderson

The EPA announced that it has completed the first part of its study on dioxin, after more than 25 years of stonewalling.

Dioxin is the most caustic man-made chemical known. Dioxin is a general term for hundreds of chemicals that are produced in industrial processes that use chlorine and burning. Disturbingly, it has a half-life of 100+ years when it is leached into soil or embedded in water systems. Dioxin was the most harmful component in Agent Orange (the recipe for Agent Orange is 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T herbicides).

The EPA says that air emissions of dioxin have decreased by 90% since the 1980′s, but dioxin is dangerous at any level. The study appears to omit any analysis of dioxin transmission in water and land. The danger is growing because Dow AgroScience has received preliminary USDA approval for its 2,4-D herbicide resistant GMO corn. This means that dioxin contaminated 2,4-D herbicide will drench US farm land and pollute water supplies if the crops are widely planted.

EPA Dioxin Assessment Report

The EPA’s press release on dioxin’s health effects trumpeted the lie that current exposure rates “don’t pose significant health risks”. But the EPA does admit that there is a cancer risk, although they are not releasing their study on cancer at this time. Perhaps the delay is due to the fact that 95% of Americans have measurable levels of dioxin in their bodies.

The EPA’s claim that current levels are not a health risk is contradicted by another webpage on the EPA’s own site says that dioxin accumulates over a lifetime, persists for years, is likely to lead to an increased risk of cancer, and that the current exposure levels are “uncomfortably” close to levels that can cause “subtle” non-cancer effects. These so-called subtle effects may include birth defects, reproductive problems and immuno-suppression.

There were 500,000 victims of birth defects in Vietnam that can hardly be considered subtle. Dioxin is bad at any level especially since it accumulates in the body.

Humans are exposed to dioxin primarily through food sources. The EPA’s press release fails to mention that people who eat animal based foods like meat, dairy and eggs will continually increase their dioxin levels.

If dioxin is so safe, why does the Veterans Administration make automatic payments for a wide range of claims that include several types of cancers and leukemia, liver disease, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes? American taxpayers are footing the bill for veterans’ Agent Orange dioxin injuries that are estimated to cost $42 billion over the next 10 years! Monsanto and Dow, the top 2 Agent Orange producers, should pay for all damages — not taxpayers.

While the EPA’s press release does acknowledge “certain industrial activities” as a cause of dioxin pollution, they omit any reference to chemical herbicides and pesticides. The EPA doesn’t mention that herbicide 2,4-D (half of the Agent Orange recipe) is the seventh largest source of dioxin in the US. Dow Chemical is the biggest 2,4-D manufacturer, and Dow is also listed as the #2 and #3 biggest industrial dioxin dumper in the US. Herbicide 2,4-D is polluting groundwater.

Shocking EPA Omission

The most disturbing omission by the EPA is its complete lack of oversight of a specific type of dioxin, 2,7-DCDD, that is one of the most potent kinds of dioxin. It is reported that DCDD is an inevitable by-product of 2,4-D herbicide manufacturing. The EPA doesn’t even regulate or monitor DCDD!

Therefore, the EPA’s report is incomplete and the true levels of dioxin are unknown.

Read Full Article Here

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Cyber Space

DHS Looks to Spy on Video Game Consoles in Search of Pedophiles, Terrorists

Tiffany Kaiser

The government is more concerned with the platforms rather than the games themselves, mainly because newer systems like Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 allow users to communicate with one another via messaging and chat systems

Gamers may want to be careful about what they say when jumping onto their consoles for an innocent bout of slaying dragons or killing zombies — the government will be watching.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Navy have launched a new research initiative that will explore ways of allowing the government to hack into gaming consoles like the Xbox 360, Wii, or PlayStation 3 to obtain information on gamers.

In 2008, a project called “Gaming Systems Monitoring and Analysis Project” was executed when law enforcement became worried about pedophiles using game consoles to talk to children. Later, law enforcement authorities went to DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate in search of help on an instrument that could observe game console data. DHS then went to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to find Simson Garfinkel, a NPS computer science professor, to offer a contract to a company that could conduct the research and offer a product.

The U.S. Navy ended up recently awarding the $177,237 contract to Obscure Technologies, which is a computer forensics company based in San Francisco, California. Obscure Technologies will be expected to create new hardware and software capable of extracting data from video game consoles. DHS wants to be able to extract data from both new and used games systems bought on the secondary market as well.

Read Full Article Here

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Psy – Ops

This Is Your Brain on the Department of Defense

The Department of Defense has long had its eyes on emerging neuroscience technologies. Should we be worried?

By Azeen Ghorayshi

April 04, 2012 “Information Clearing House” — Science and the military have historically made creepy bedfellows, with military curiosity about neuroscience leading the pack. Yet it’s no secret that since the early 1950s, the US military has had a vested interest in harnessing cutting-edge developments in neuroscience to get a leg up on national defense (a la well-publicized failures like Project MK-ULTRA [1]). In 2011, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon’s research arm credited with, among other things, spearheading the invention of the internet [2], had a budget of over $240 million [3] devoted to cognitive neuroscience research alone. From brain-scan-based lie detection to memory-erasure pills, some of the technologies are, at first glance, simply the stuff of sci-fi. But an essay published in the March issue of PLoS Biology [3] tells a cautionary tale of high-tech neuroscience developments on the horizon that “could be deployed before sufficiently validated.”
The two authors, Michael Tennison and Jonathan Moreno, are no strangers to the broader implications of science; both are bioethicists, and Moreno, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has been a part of multiple government advisory bodies, including President Obama’s bioethics commission. “They see me as an honest broker,” says Moreno. “I worry about the ethical questions behind a lot of these technologies, I’m left-leaning, but I’m no pacifist—I have kids, and I think we do have to worry about national security.”

A lot gets said about scientific research that’s so-called “dual-use [4],” e.g., its potential for good is matched or outmatched by its potential to do harm. Case in point: the recent H5N1 hubbub [5], where Dutch and American scientists made a potentially dangerous airborne strain of the already-dangerous bird flu virus, but only in the interest of “preventing a pandemic [6].” Similarly, Moreno runs through recent developments in neuroscience, connecting them to their well-funded, though still highly speculative, DoD research goals—as well as the knotty legal and ethical questions these experimental technologies suggest. “Neuroscientists haven’t had the atom bomb moment that Einstein and Oppenheimer had, they haven’t even had the bird flu moment; but that time is fast-approaching,” Moreno says. Here are some of the top neuroscience developments that Moreno, and DoD, is keeping an eye on—and why he thinks we should care.

Read Full Article Here

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Articles of Interest

Shady Companies With Ties to Israel Wiretap the U.S. for the NSA

By James Bamford

Army General Keith Alexander, the director of the NSA, is having a busy year — hopping around the country, cutting ribbons at secret bases and bringing to life the agency’s greatly expanded eavesdropping network.

In January he dedicated the new $358 million CAPT Joseph J. Rochefort Building at NSA Hawaii, and in March he unveiled the 604,000-square-foot John Whitelaw Building at NSA Georgia.

Designed to house about 4,000 earphone-clad intercept operators, analysts and other specialists, many of them employed by private contractors, it will have a 2,800-square-foot fitness center open 24/7, 47 conference rooms and VTCs, and “22 caves,” according to an NSA brochure from the event. No television news cameras were allowed within two miles of the ceremony.

Overseas, Menwith Hill, the NSA’s giant satellite listening post in Yorkshire, England that sports 33 giant dome-covered eavesdropping dishes, is also undergoing a multi-million-dollar expansion, with $68 million alone being spent on a generator plant to provide power for new supercomputers. And the number of people employed on the base, many of them employees of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, is due to increase from 1,800 to 2,500 in 2015, according to a study done in Britain. Closer to home, in May, Fort Meade will close its 27-hole golf course to make room for a massive $2 billion, 1.8-million-square-foot expansion of the NSA’s headquarters, including a cybercommand complex and a new supercomputer center expected to cost nearly $1 billion.

Read Full article Here

Monsanto’s Top Corporate Secrets Exposed

This is an unbelieveable resource on the power that Monsanto holds over the world and everything in it. An unprecedented look its web of power over you and me. An absolute gem of a resource I bring to you via its author Kelly Dericks whom I applaud to no end for her dedication and bravery in making this interactive map. spread the word!!

Read Full Article Here

Invisible Empire A New World Order Defined Full

Tags: A New World Order, a NPS computer science professor, Agent Orange, allowing the government to hack into gaming consoles, bioethicists., California, cancers and leukemia, CAPT Joseph J. Rochefort Building at NSA Hawaii, cognitive neuroscience research, communicate via messaging and chat systems, Companies With Ties to Israel Wiretap the U.S. for the NSA, computer forensics company based in San Francisco, create new hardware and software, cut corners on insurance, Cyber Space, DCDD, deep water drilling in the Gulf, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Department of Defense, DHS, diabetes, dioxin, Dow AgroScience, emerging neuroscience technologies, Environmental, EPA, expanded eavesdropping network., extract data from both new and used games systems, extracting data from video game consoles, Gamers, games systems bought on the secondary market as well., heart disease, immuno-suppression., in Search of Pedophiles-Terrorists, Invisible Empire, John Whitelaw Building at NSA Georgia., liver disease, memory-erasure pills, Mexican plan for Gulf deepwater wells, Mexico, Michael Tennison and Jonathan Moreno, Monsanto, Monsanto's Top Corporate Secrets Exposed, more than 80 rigs offshore.", Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Obscure Technologies, Parkinson’s disease, Pemex, Pemex's plans to sink even deeper offshore wells, Petroleos de Mexico, PlayStation 3, Project MK-ULTRA, Psy - Ops, remiss over potential sky-high liability., semi-submersible rig, Simson Garfinkel, Spy on Video Game Consoles, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to obtain information on gamers., Toxic Poison to Flood US Farmland, true levels of dioxin are unknown., U.S. Navy, watch what you say, Wii, Xbox 360

Comment

Is This More-Dangerous-than-Aspartame Sweetener Hiding in Your Food?

Filed under: Food Safety, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Health, Nutrition, Poisons in Our Foods — 2 Comments

March 29, 2012

Is This More-Dangerous-than-Aspartame Sweetener Hiding in Your Food?

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/28/neotame-more-toxic-than-aspartame.aspx?e_cid=20120328_DNL_art_1

By Dr. Mercola

One of the more recent toxic additions to our food supply is the artificial sweetener called Neotameⁱ.

In the European Union, where it was approved as a flavor enhancer as of November 2010, it is known by its “E number,” E961ⁱⁱ.

Made by NutraSweet (a former division of Monsanto and the original manufacturer of aspartame), neotame is 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar, and about 30 times sweeter than aspartame.

It’s based on the aspartame formula—despite the fact that 80 percent of all FDA complaints pertain to adverse reactions from aspartame.

Neotame is essentially aspartame plus 3,3-dimethylbutylⁱⁱⁱ–the presence of which ends up reducing the production of phenylalanine, which allegedly makes it safe for those suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU).

(Hence neotame does not need to bear a PKU warning label like aspartame.)

Unfortunately, it may actually be an even more potent and dangerous neurotoxin, immunotoxin and excitotoxin than aspartame.

Proponents of neotame claim that increased toxicity is of no concern because less of it is needed to achieve the desired effect.

Still, Monsanto’s own pre-approval studies of neotame revealed adverse reactions, and there were no independent studies that found neotame to be safe.

On August 16, 2000, the law firm of Hartman & Craven filed comments on the neotame docket pertaining to the lack of safety data submitted in support of neotame^iv, stating in part:

“A food additive petition has been submitted to the FDA for the artificial sweetener neotame. In that petition, the sponsor claims the data presented demonstrate that the compound produces no adverse effects at a dose of 1000 mg/kg/day in the rat. The sponsor also claims that the product should be safe for patients with diabetes. A review of the data submitted to the FDA does not support these conclusions.

In fact, no safe human usage level can be determined based on the submitted data. The animal experimental evidence indicates a toxic effect on growth. The clinical evidence raises concerns about glucose control in patients with diabetes.

Searches for an explanation resolving the adverse findings leave no clear acceptable answers that would insure the safety of the public but does stimulate speculation on questions relating to possible liver effects.”

Is Neotame Allowed in Organics?

While some writers have made the claim that neotame is allowed in organic foods, there does not appear to be any supporting evidence for this. Ditto for the rumor that it doesn’t have to be listed on the label. For example, according to a recent article on Sott.net^v:

“Neotame was approved by the FDA for general use in July 2002 … The FDA loosened all labeling requirements for Neotame as part of a large-scale effort to make it a near-ubiquitous artificial sweetener, to be found on the tabletop, in all prepared foods, even in organics. It simply does not have to be included in the ingredient list.”

The Cornucopia Institute wrote a rebuttal to this internet rumor last year, stating^vi:

“Organic foods cannot contain synthetic additives, unless these additives have been petitioned and approved to appear on the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances (7 CFR 205.605). Emily Brown Rosen, Standards Specialist at the USDA’s National Organic Program, writes about neotame: “For organic food, all additives must appear on the National List.” Neotame has never been petitioned or approved for inclusion on the National List, and therefore cannot legally be added to organic foods.

We see no evidence, and see no reason to suspect, that any organic certifying agents would allow organic food manufacturers to violate the federal standards by adding this synthetic sweetener.

Moreover, as a direct food additive, neotame must be listed on the ingredients label, contrary to suggestions that this could be added to food in a stealth-like manner (21 CFR 101.100). We have not seen any evidence to suggest that neotame is being added covertly to organic foods. Not only would organic manufacturers be breaking the law by adding this synthetic sweetener to organic foods, they would also be breaking the law by not including Neotame on the ingredient label.”

Why is Neotame Dangerous?

That said, my recommendation for neotame is similar to that for aspartame, which is: avoid it at all costs if you care about your health. Neotame is like aspartame on steroids, so while you want to avoid both, neotame appears to be more toxic. One way of avoiding all artificial sweeteners is to purchase foods bearing the USDA 100% Organic label. I don’t believe there’s any reason to suspect organic foods will contain neotame.

I’ve previously expounded on the many health dangers of aspartame, and all of those dangers apply equally to neotame. But as if aspartame wasn’t bad enough, NutraSweet “improved” the aspartame formula by adding 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde, which blocks enzymes that break the peptide bond between aspartic acid and phenylalanine, thereby reducing the availability of phenylalanine. This eliminates the need for a warning on labels directed at people who cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine.

Neotame is also more stable at higher temperatures than aspartame, so it’s approved for use in a wider array of food products, including baked goods.

However, one of the byproducts your body creates by breaking down aspartame is formaldehyde, which is extremely toxic to your health even in very small doses^vii. Furthermore, in a search of PubMed.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine, which has over 11 million medical citations, neotame fails to include any double-blind scientific studies on toxicity in humans or animals. If neotame was indeed completely safe to ingest, you would think the NutraSweet Company would have published at least one double-blind safety study in the public domain?

Well, they haven’t… Why not?

In and of itself, 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde is categorized as both highly flammable and an irritant, and carries risk statements for handling including irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory system^viii. Does this sound like something that belongs inside your body?

How Did these Chemicals Get Approved for Human Consumption?

Today, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could rightfully be accused of being a “subsidiary” of the Monsanto Company. When you realize just how many Monsanto executives and employees who have migrated into positions of power within the FDA and other government agencies, a truly disturbing picture emerges of the foxes guarding the henhouse.

The FDA is packed by pro-business, pro-corporation advocates who often have massive conflicts of interest when it comes to protecting the health of the public. In fact, the revolving door between private industry and government oversight agencies is so well established these days, it has become business as usual to read about scandal, conflicts of interest and blatant pro-industry bias, even when it flies in the face of science or the law.

Aspartame and Neotame—a Dieters WORST Enemy?

One of the most effective marketing and PR tactics for artificial sweeteners has been the claim that they help in the battle against obesity. Unfortunately, they don’t. In fact, the research and the epidemiologic data suggest the opposite is true, and that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and neotame tend to lead to weight gain.

As I’ve often said, there’s more to weight gain or weight loss than mere calorie intake.

One reason for aspartame and neotame’s potential to cause weight gain is because phenylalanine and aspartic acid – the two amino acids that make up 90 percent of aspartame and are also present in neotame — are known to rapidly stimulate the release of insulin and leptin; two hormones that are intricately involved with satiety and fat storage. Insulin and leptin are also the primary hormones that regulate your metabolism. So although you’re not ingesting calories in the form of sugar, aspartame and neotame can still raise your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels, in turn, are two of the driving forces behind obesity, diabetes, and a number of our current chronic disease epidemics.

Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant to it, just as your body can become resistant to insulin, and once that happens, your body can no longer “hear” the hormonal messages instructing your body to stop eating, burn fat, and maintain good sensitivity to sweet tastes in your taste buds. So, you remain hungry; you crave sweets, and your body stores more fat… Leptin-resistance also causes an increase in visceral fat, sending you on a vicious cycle of hunger, fat storage and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and more.

Neotame Added to Cattle Feed to Fatten Livestock…

If you want more proof that artificial sweeteners like neotame are not a dieter’s best friend, consider this: neotame is actually used as a substitute for molasses in cattle feed. The product is marketed as “Sweetos” in India. The makers of Neotame, in partnership with an Indian health care company called EnSigns Health Care Pvt Ltd, introduced the neotame-laced cattle feed sweetener back in October 2010ix. According to the press release:

“Sweetos is an economical substitute for molasses. Sweetos guarantees the masking of unpleasant tastes and odor and improves the palatability of feed. This product will be economical for farmers and manufacturers of cattle feed. It can also be used in mineral mixture,” said Craig Petray, CEO, The NutraSweet Company, a division of Searle, which is a part of Monsanto.

… “We are in talks with the animal husbandry department to reach out to farmers and are trying to tie up with extension services with co-operative societies as well. Cattle consume more fodder when mixed with Sweetos. This product has great export potential as well,” said Mohan Nair, chairman, Ensigns Health Care.” [Emphasis mine.]

This brings up several disturbing facts… Not only are some countries now producing animal products that are potentially laced with neotame residues, but they’re clearly stating that the “diet” sweetener increases the amount of fodder consumed by the animals, so how exactly is it supposed to help you lose weight? Loss of appetite control is never a good thing when you’re trying to lose weight, and the statement made about Sweetos fodder speaks volumes about neotame’s impact on your appetite.

How to Report Adverse Reactions to Aspartame or Neotame

Did you know that only a fraction of all adverse food reactions are ever reported to the FDA? This is a problem that only you as the consumer can have an impact upon. In order to truly alert the FDA to a problem with a product they’ve approved, they must be notified – by as many people as possible who believe they have experienced a side effect. This mean you can take action against the manufacturers of these chemicals that continue to put your optimal health at risk, if you feel you have had a bad reaction to their product.

I urge you, if you believe you have experienced side effects from aspartame or neotame, let the FDA know about it!

Please go to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator page, find the phone number listed for your state, and report your adverse reaction.

There’s no telling just how many reports they might need before considering taking another look at the safety of aspartame or neotame, but the only way to press them is by reporting any and all adverse effects. And in the meantime, do your health and the health of your family a favor and treat all foods and drinks that contain aspartame or neotame as if they were deleterious to your optimal health. Because, in my opinion, they are.

REFERENCES

i Neotame Ingredient Overview, neotame.com
ii UK Food Standards Agency,
iii Neotame Ingredients, Sci-toys.com,
iv http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/00/Aug00/082200/c000004.pdf
v Sott.net March 13, 2012,
vi Cornucopia Institute, January 6, 2011,
vii Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in vivo, Life Sciences, 1998;63(5):337-49,
viii Chemical Book, 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde,
ix Ensigns Health launches cattlefeed sweetener, Pravda Godbole / Mumbai/ Pune Oct 30, 2010,

Natural Health Articles and Newsletter

This information is brought to you by Dr. Joseph Mercola, a world-renowned physician and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He established his website, Mercola.com, in 1997 and today it is the #1 Natural Health Website in the world. Dr. Mercola is a licensed physician and surgeon in the state of Illinois. His practice first opened outside of Chicago in 1986 where he has treated over 20,000 patients.

Tags: 000 times sweeter than table sugar, 3, 3-dimethylbutyl, 3-dimethylbutyraldehyde is highly flammable, 30 times sweeter than aspartame., a division of Searle - which is a part of Monsanto., Added to Cattle Feed to Fatten Livestock, an irritant, Aspartame, aspartame is formaldehyde, aspartame on steroids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, blocks enzymes, diabetes, Elevate insulin and leptin levels, Ensigns Health Care, fat storage, FDA, Hartman & Craven, Hunger, increased risk of heart disease, Insulin, irritating to skin- eyes and respiratory system, lack of safety data, leptin, Leptin-resistance, metabolic syndrome, Monsanto Company., more potent and dangerous neurotoxin- immunotoxin and excitotoxin than aspartame., Neotame, neotame is 13, Neotame was approved by the FDA for general use in July 2002, nsanto original manufacturer of aspartame, NutraSweet a former division of Monsanto, phenylalanine, phenylketonuria (PKU)., PubMed.gov, Sweetos, The NutraSweet Company, the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Toxic, toxic to your health even in very small doses, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), visceral fat

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Food Safety and Health News – Thursday March 29th, 2012

Filed under: Alternative Health, Food Safety, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Health, Holistic Health, Natural Health, Nutrition, Pet Health, Poisons in Our Foods — Leave a comment

March 29, 2012

Food Safety

Eating This Common Food Could Damage Your Kidneys

Posted By Dr. Mercola

After years of assurance that genetically engineered (GE) crops are the answer to pesky pest problems, corn rootworm is now turning into a nightmare for America’s agricultural biotech companies.

These insects have developed resistance to an inserted gene in the genetically altered corn crop that is designed to kill them.

In a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 22 of the nation’s top experts on corn pests are calling for the agency to take action “with a sense of some urgency.”i

The researchers want seed companies to stop routinely inserting anti-rootworm genes into their corn lines. Overuse of the gene increases the chances that insects will become resistant to it.

According to the NPRii:

“The researchers are calling on farmers in some parts of the country to stop planting corn with anti-rootworm genes altogether, or to plant such corn only intermittently …

If the recommendations in this letter were, in fact, put into practice, it would compel wrenching changes in the way that major seed companies like Monsanto and DuPont breed and market their corn seed.”….

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/27/corn-pests-on-gmo-crops.aspx?e_cid=20120327_DNL_art_1

Is This More-Dangerous-than-Aspartame Sweetener Hiding in Your Food?

One of the more recent toxic additions to our food supply is the artificial sweetener called Neotame.

In the European Union, where it was approved as a flavor enhancer as of November 2010, it is known by its “E number,” E961ii.

Made by NutraSweet (a former division of Monsanto and the original manufacturer of aspartame), neotame is 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar, and about 30 times sweeter than aspartame.

It’s based on the aspartame formula—despite the fact that 80 percent of all FDA complaints pertain to adverse reactions from aspartame.

Neotame is essentially aspartame plus 3,3-dimethylbutyliii–the presence of which ends up reducing the production of phenylalanine, which allegedly makes it safe for those suffering from phenylketonuria (PKU).

(Hence neotame does not need to bear a PKU warning label like aspartame.)

Unfortunately, it may actually be an even more potent and dangerous neurotoxin, immunotoxin and excitotoxin than aspartame.

Proponents of neotame claim that increased toxicity is of no concern because less of it is needed to achieve the desired effect.

Still, Monsanto’s own pre-approval studies of neotame revealed adverse reactions, and there were no independent studies that found neotame to be safe.

On August 16, 2000, the law firm of Hartman & Craven filed comments on the neotame docket pertaining to the lack of safety data submitted in support of neotame, stating in part:

“A food additive petition has been submitted to the FDA for the artificial sweetener neotame. In that petition, the sponsor claims the data presented demonstrate that the compound produces no adverse effects at a dose of 1000 mg/kg/day in the rat. The sponsor also claims that the product should be safe for patients with diabetes. A review of the data submitted to the FDA does not support these conclusions.

In fact, no safe human usage level can be determined based on the submitted data. The animal experimental evidence indicates a toxic effect on growth. The clinical evidence raises concerns about glucose control in patients with diabetes.

Searches for an explanation resolving the adverse findings leave no clear acceptable answers that would insure the safety of the public but does stimulate speculation on questions relating to possible liver effects.”….

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/28/neotame-more-toxic-than-aspartame.aspx?e_cid=20120328_DNL_art_1

FDA to Respond This Week to Petition to Ban BPA

By Helena Bottemiller

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is set to announce this week whether it will ban bisphenol A, a controversial chemical commonly known as BPA, in food and beverage packaging. The deadline, this Saturday, was set as part of a…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/fda-to-respond-to-petition-to-ban-bpa-this-week/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120328

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Health

This Could Give Women Deadly Blood Clots – US Health Officials Admit

Posted By Dr. Mercola

Emerging markets — primarily in developing countries in Southeast and Central Asia, and Africa — have been on vaccine makers’ radar for quite some time.

One reason that vaccine makers are interested in exploring markets in these parts of the world is that that’s where most of the world’s deaths from major infectious diseases occur — and world health leaders have long suggested that most, if not all, of these diseases could be prevented by vaccines.

The only problem has been that, until recently, making vaccines to sell to undeveloped countries with no money to pay for them was not exactly a profitable goal for vaccine makers.

The GAVI Alliance, a public-private partnership formerly known as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, is set to change all of that with a new initiative to vaccinate millions of individuals worldwide with either GlaxoSmithKline’s Cervarix or Merck’s Gardasil HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines.

The campaign should generate a handsome profit for the vaccine makers, as well as the GAVI Alliance, but it will also be putting the health of millions at risk…..

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/27/merck-making-millions-vaccinating-poor-nations.aspx?e_cid=20120327_DNL_art_2

Kotex assures woman that moldy tampons aren’t unusual

Ladies, you regularly check your unused tampons for mold, right? Well, you’re going to from this day forward, because we’re about to tell you how a woman found spots of black mold growing on her new, unused Kotex cotton tampons…..

http://now.msn.com/living/0328-black-mold-tampon.aspx

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Holistic Health

Bogus vitamin E study used single-form, synthetic variety to claim nutrient causes bone loss

By Jonathan Benson

(NaturalNews) The Big Pharma-backed pseudoscience brigade is at it again trying to malign natural vitamins as if they were dangerous pharmaceuticals. A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine claims that taking vitamin E is linked to causing bone loss in mice, but fails to mention that the research involved just one of the eight forms of vitamin E, alpha-tocopherol, which was likely synthetically-derived from petrochemicals. Contradicting a multitude of research over the years verifying…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035363_vitamin_E_bone_loss_study.html

The best homemade remedies to treat hay fever and seasonal allergies

By JB Bardot

(NaturalNews) Homemade remedies for hay fever can quickly reduce seasonal allergy reactions, providing relief from symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, itching, congestion and coughing. Hay fever affects the mucous membranes of the sinuses, nose, throat, eyes and palate. Grasses and plant pollens are the cause of inflammatory reactions that stimulate the immune system, and are made worse by the presence of chemicals, dust and pollutants. Research indicates that approximately 20 percent of the population…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035367_hay_fever_seasonal_allergies_remedies.html

Beware dangerous new advice to use daily aspirin to prevent cancer

By Tony Isaacs

(NaturalNews) Before anyone jumps on the latest mainstream media bandwagon and begins taking daily aspirin to prevent cancer, there are several strong reasons to hesitate. To begin with, the study which produced the media storm was flawed and the claimed benefits are highly questionable. The new aspirin study was conducted by Professor Peter Rothwell at the Stroke Prevention Research Unit at Oxford University. According to the study, taking an aspirin a day could reduce your risk of cancer within…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035369_aspirin_prevent_cancer_side_effects.html

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Pet Health

Carbohydrates: Key to a Balanced Dog Food

When you are comparing the hundreds of dog food options available to feed your dog, there are many ideas to keep in mind. Reading the label carefully will tell you which ingredients and how much of them make up the food (see Demystifying the Dog Food Label). There are many ingredients that go into a quality dog food, and here we will focus on just one category: the carbohydrates

Carbohydrates typically make up anywhere from 30-70 percent of a dry dog food. They come mainly from plants and grains, and provide energy in the form of sugars. Carbohydrates have several important functions in a dog food……

http://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_dg_carbohydrates_key_to_balanced_dog_food#.T3QA1LRZfe8

Doga: Yoga for Dogs

We just love to take our dogs with us wherever we go. In the car, to the beach, for walks, a swim. And now, there’s something else you can do with your dog — Yoga!

Dubbed “Doga,” it seems this new craze is taking the nation by storm. There are books and DVDs and even classes to be had …

http://www.petmd.com/dog/wellness/evr_dg_doga#.T3QBb7RZfe8

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Allergen Alert

Allergen Alert: Dried Potato With Sulfites

By Julia Thomas

Strong America Ltd. is recalling a dried potato product imported from China that may contain sulfites, which are not listed on the label.According to the notice, the recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/allergen-alert-dried-potato-with-sulfites/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120328

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Articles of Interest

Supreme Court rules biotech Prometheus Laboratories can’t patent ‘laws of nature’

By Ethan A. Huff

(NaturalNews) The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are known for trying to hijack nature and claim it as their own personal property via the patent process. But a recent Supreme Court ruling has set a new precedent against this fraudulent practice, as Associate Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has ruled invalid two medical diagnostics patents held by Prometheus Laboratories, a biotech company owned by food giant Nestle. According to reports, Prometheus had developed a diagnostic…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035368_patents_laws_of_nature_Supreme_Court.html

Tags: 3-dimethylbutyliii, Africa, Allergen Alert:, alpha-tocopherol, anti-rootworm, Aspartame, aspirin, bisphenol A, cancer, Carbohydrates, China, Deadly Blood Clots, diabetes, Doga: Yoga for Dogs, excitotoxin, FDA, flavor enhancer, Food recalls, Food Safety, GAVI Alliance, genetically engineered (GE) crops, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix or Merck's Gardasil HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines., Global Alliance for Vaccines, glucose control, hay fever, Health, Holistic Health, homemade remedies, immunotoxin, Key to a Balanced Dog Food, Kotex, laws of nature, medical diagnostics patents, moldy tampons, Monsanto, Neotame, Nestle, neurotoxin, New York State Department of Agriculture..., NutraSweet, Pet Health, Petition to Ban BPA, phenylalanine, phenylketonuria (PKU)., Prometheus Laboratories, Recalls, seasonal allergies, Southeast and Central Asia, Stroke Prevention Research Unit at Oxford University, Strong America Ltd, Supreme Court, tampons, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Vitamin E, vitamin E study

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Food Safety and Health News – Sunday March 18th,2012

Filed under: Alternative Health, Diseases, Environmental, Food Safety, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Government, Holistic Health, Natural Health, Nutrition, Poisons in Our Foods — Leave a comment

March 18, 2012

Food Safety

Kansas Warns Public About Raw Milk Danger

By Dan Flynn

This past January, Kansas experienced its third outbreak of disease associated with consumption of raw milk since 2007. Chelsea Good, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Agriculture, says because the 18 people who became ill in January with Campylobacter infection…

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/kansas-warns-public-about-raw-milk-danger/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120316

Health

Not Enough Young Women Getting Tested for Chlamydia: CDC

TUESDAY, March 13 (HealthDay News) — Far too few sexually active young women are getting tested for chlamydia, an oversight that could lead them down a perilous path to severe health consequences, including infertility, later in life.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/03/13/not-enough-young-women-getting-tested-for-chlamydia-cdc?s_cid=rss:not-enough-young-women-getting-tested-for-chlamydia-cdc

5 Non-Dairy Foods With Calcium

Don’t eat or don’t like dairy? These non-dairy options pack a calcium wallop

It can be tough to get all the calcium you need each day, especially if you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or just don’t like dairy products. But you shouldn’t skimp on calcium. This important mineral does more than strengthen your bones—it also plays a role in regulating your blood pressure and maintaining a healthy heart. If your body doesn’t get enough, it’ll compensate by leeching calcium from your bones, leaving them brittle and weak.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/living-well-usn/articles/2012/03/14/5-non-dairy-foods-with-calcium?s_cid=rss:5-non-dairy-foods-with-calcium

Raw Milk Is Gaining Fans, but the Science Says It’s Dangerous

Dairy farm owners report growing interest in buying shares in their cows

Kitty Hockman-Nicholas’s phone is ringing off the hook. Callers to her dairy farm in Winchester, Va., are so eager to buy a share in one of her 20 hormone-free, grass-fed Jersey cows that she expects her 150 cow co-owners to double in number this year.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/articles/2009/03/20/raw-milk-is-gaining-fans-but-the-science-says-its-dangerous

6 Surprising Behaviors That Age You
Want to stay young? How your exercise habits, and even your cooking style, can hurt you

When you think of factors that prematurely age you, your mind probably turns to smoking, overeating, or excessive stress. And if you’ve been following the news, you might add tanning to the list (it makes you more susceptible to skin cancer—

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/living-well-usn/articles/2012/03/15/6-surprising-behaviors-that-age-you?s_cid=rss:6-surprising-behaviors-that-age-you

Repeat C-section may be safer option for moms, babies

For women who delivered their first baby by cesarean section, delivering a second baby also by C-section may be somewhat safer for both mother and baby than a vaginal birth, a new study reveals.

Australian researchers found that, among babies born by a planned repeat C-section, 0.9 percent died or had serious complications, compared with 2.4 percent of babies born by a planned vaginal birth after a previous C-section.

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/14/10687312-repeat-c-section-may-be-safer-option-for-moms-babies

Holistic Health

Detox with the Ancient Ayurvedic Practice of Oil Pulling

(NaturalNews) Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine, is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita where it is called Kavala Gandoosha / Kavala Graha, and it is claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases ranging from headache, migraine, diabetes, asthma, skin conditions, allergies, oral bacterial infections, gum problems and more.

http://www.naturalnews.com/027460_oil_ayurvedic_detox.html#ixzz1pQyNJGEO

Agriculture

Monsanto’s False Advertising

You may see advertisements in print and on TV or radio for a clever advertising campaign, America’s Farmers. It’s a feel-good series of ads that purports to show America’s family farmers — working hard, caring about sustainability and the Earth, taking every care to bring you safe, clean and healthy food.

Trouble is, you have to read the tiny print to see that the campaign is sponsored by Monsanto — now the world’s largest seed company and the largest producer of both toxic herbicides and seeds genetically modified to resist them.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/healthy-people-healthy-planet/monsantos-false-advertising.aspx#ixzz1pRxCdF4I

How to Make Herbal Teas, Herbal Infusions and Herbal Tinctures

Learn how to prepare basic herbal remedies such as teas, infusions and tinctures, and try these three easy recipes to sip your way to better health or simply a more soothed state-of-mind.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/how-to-make-herbal-teas-infusions-tinctures-ze0z1202zhir.aspx#ixzz1pRy08V4q

Obesogens: An Environmental Link to Obesity

Convincing evidence suggests that diet and activity level are not the only factors in the rising world-wide obesity trend — chemical “obesogens” may alter human metabolism and predispose some people to gain weight.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/atrazine-probable-obesogen-zwfz1202zhun.aspx#ixzz1pRySuGRp

Misc

The Department of Homeland Security plans to build a high-risk virus research center in the heart of America

By J. D. Heyes,

(NaturalNews) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to begin construction on a new high-risk bio-weapons research facility on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan, though critics say the decision is fraught with risk because of the potential for damage from nearby earthquake fault lines. In a statement on its Web site, DHS said it needs the new facility to replace an aging one located at Greenport, N.Y. That facility, known as the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, has…

http://www.naturalnews.com/035266_virus_research_center_Kansas_laboratory.html

Tags: 150 cow co-owners, Agriculture, allergies, asthma, Australian researchers, Ayurvedic Practice of Oil Pulling, Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita, basic herbal remedies, Behaviors That Age You, C-section, Calcium, CDC, cesarean section, Chlamydia, Corn, cure about 30 systemic diseases, Department of Homeland Security, Detox, DHS, diabetes, Environmental Link to Obesity, False Advertising, Food Safety, GE, genetcally modified seeds, genetically modified, Genetically Modified Organisms, GMO, grass-fed Jersey cows, Greenport, Greenwashing, gum problems, headache, Health, Heart of America, Herbal Infusions, Herbal Teas, Herbal Tinctures, high-risk virus research center, Holistic Health, hormone-free, human metabolism, important mineral, Kansas, Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kavala Gandoosha, Kavala Graha, Kitty Hockman-Nicholas, lactose intolerant, largest seed company, maintaining a healthy heart., migraine, Monsanto, Monsanto’s False Advertising, N.Y., Non-Dairy Foods, Non-Dairy Foods With Calcium, Obesogens:, Oil Pulling, oral bacterial infections, Plum Island Animal Disease Center, raw milk, Raw Milk Danger, Raw Milk Gaining Fans, regulating your blood pressure, Robin Mather, Roundup-Ready, skin conditions, soy, strengthen your bones, sustainable agriculture, toxic herbicides, vegan

Comment

Food Safety and Health News – Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Filed under: Alternative Health, Food Safety, Holistic Health, Natural Health, Nutrition, Poisons in Our Foods — Leave a comment

March 8, 2012

Food Safety

Pink Slime For School Lunch: Government Buying 7 Million Pounds Of Ammonia-Treated Meat For Meals

Pink slime — that ammonia-treated meat in a bright Pepto-bismol shade — may have been rejected by fast food joints like McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Burger King, but is being brought in by the tons for the nation’s school lunch program.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/pink-slime-for-school-lun_n_1322325.html

Health

Nutrition a Pressing Concern for Native Americans

Part I: The Nature of The Problem

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/nutrition-a-pressing-concern-for-american-indians/

Nutrition a Pressing Concern for Native Americans, Part II

Reversing a negative trend

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/nutrition-a-pressing-concern-for-american-indians-part-ii/

Nutrition a Pressing Concern for Native Americans, Part III

Diabetes: Not a Death Sentence

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/nutrition-a-pressing-concern-for-american-indians-1/

Too Many Going Gluten-Free?

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/too-many-may-be-going-gluten-free-study-shows/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120307

Holistic Health

Barley Grass

What You Need to Know About Barley Grass

Barley grass is the leaf of the barley plant (a type of whole grain). Sometimes referred to as “barley leaf” or “barley green,” barley grass contains chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/Juice/a/Barley-Grass.htm?nl=1

Orthosilicic Acid

What You Need to Know About Orthosilicic Acid

Orthosilicic acid is a substance found naturally in seawater, drinking water, and certain beverages (including beer). Sometimes referred to as “soluble silica,” orthosilicic acid is a dietary form of silicon (a mineral involved in the formation of collagen and bone). Available in supplement form, orthosilicic acid is said to offer a number of health benefits.

White Tea

Benefits of White Tea

What Is White Tea?

Like green tea and black tea, white tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. In addition to boasting greater antioxidant activity than its green and black counterparts, white tea offers the least amount of caffeine. Since there’s no heating or oxidizing involved in its preparation, white tea is also recognized as the least processed tea variety.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/whitetea.htm?nl=1

Tea Tree Oil for Acne

What is Tea Tree Oil?

Tea tree oil is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to Australia.

Pure, undiluted tea tree oil is found in health food stores and online. Tea tree oil is also an ingredient in a number of commercial products, such as gels, lotions, creams, toothpaste, mouthwashes, and shampoos.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/teatreeoil/a/teatreeoilacne.htm?nl=1

Comment

Food Safety and Health News – Monday , March 6th, 2012

Filed under: Food Safety, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), Government, Healthcare, Holistic Health, Natural Health, Nutrition, Poisons in Our Foods — Leave a comment

March 6, 2012

Health

Nutrition a Pressing Concern for Native Americans

Part I: The Nature of The Problem

by Gretchen Goetz | Mar 05, 2012

Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a three-part series about health issues linked to nutritional problems in American Indian communities.

The battle with obesity has become one of the most urgent health issues in America today, as over one third of adults and 17 percent of children are now obese. But for Native Americans, this problem is even more dire.

American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) adults are 1.6 times more likely to be obese than Caucasians, according to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health. Almost 33 percent of all American Indians and Alaskan Natives are obese, and over half of AI/AN women are overweight.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/nutrition-a-pressing-concern-for-american-indians/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120305

Holistic Health

Don’t believe the lie: Organic farming CAN feed the world

Monday, March 05, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

http://www.naturalnews.com/035150_organic_farming_feed_the_world_soil.html#ixzz1oHaPROtV

Support the more than 300,000 organic farmers who lost their court battle to Monsanto – sign the heartfelt petition to OSGTA today!

Monday, March 05, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

http://www.naturalnews.com/035148_Monsanto_organic_farmers_petition.html#ixzz1oHcoVv00

FDA finally admits cholesterol drugs need warning labels about risk for diabetes and memory loss

Monday, March 05, 2012 by: Elizabeth Walling

http://www.naturalnews.com/035147_cholesterol_drugs_warning_labels_memory_loss.html#ixzz1oHd2yw7C

Food Safety

Resistant Bacteria Remains Problem for Meat

by Helena Bottemiller | Mar 05, 2012

Antibiotic resistance remains common among meat-borne pathogens, according to the annual National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System report released late last week.

NARMS, which is coordinated between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and some state laboratories, is meant to serve as a “reference point identifying and analyzing trends in antimicrobial resistance among these organisms.”

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/resistant-bacteria-remains-problem-for-meat-narms-data-shows/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120305

Why Do Some People Drink Raw Milk?

by Cookson Beecher | Mar 05, 2012

Despite a multitude of warnings about the dangers of drinking raw milk (milk that hasn’t been pasteurized), why do some people continue to turn a deaf ear to those warnings, even in light of continued food poisoning outbreaks linked to raw milk?

Could it be the “messenger” — typically federal and state agencies and public health officials?

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/why-do-some-people-drink-raw-milk/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120305

‘Organic’ Fertilizer Maker Pleads Guilty to Fraud

by News Desk | Mar 05, 2012

A man who misrepresented chemical fertilizer as organic has pleaded guilty in federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

Peter Townsley, owner of California Liquid Fertilizer in the Salinas Valley, admitted to defrauding his organic farmer customers by saying his fertilizer, Biolizer XN, was approved for use in organic agriculture when it actually contained chemicals prohibited in organic crop production.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/organic-fertilizer-maker-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120305

Recalls

Allergen Alert: ‘Gluten Free’ Candy With Wheat

by News Desk | Mar 05, 2012

Jelly Belly Candy Co. of Fairfield, CA has recalled Peter Rabbit Deluxe Easter Mix “Gluten Free” candies because the malted milk balls may contain wheat.

The recall is for 2.7 oz. bags with UPC 071567992794; Lot codes 111111, 111215, and 120120; best before January 11, 2013, February 15, 2013 and March 20, 2013 respectively.

The candy assortment was distributed nationwide. Go here for a distribution list for California.

For more information contact Jelly Belly customer service at 800-323-9380, Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/allergen-alert-gluten-free-candy-with-wheat/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120305

Misc

Produce Farming on the Brink

by Daniel B. Cohen | Mar 05, 2012

Opinion

Our process of framing and regulating produce food safety is upside down and backwards.

Human pathogens constantly flow from urban environments and animal production into farm environments, contaminating water and soil, and finding a home in wildlife. Then we ask farmers to deliver pathogen-free fruits and vegetables.

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/produce-farming-on-the-brink/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=120305