Health & WellnessS


Attention

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to be Released in the US for the First Time

Mosquito
© Natural Society

To those of you who have been eager to hear the latest news concerning the potential release of genetically modified mosquitoes - here it is. It turns out that the genetically modified mosquitoes could be released into the U.S. environment as early as January of 2012. A private firm plans to initiate the release of the GE mosquitoes in the Florida Keys. Florida will be the first beta testing grounds to determine whether or not the mosquitoes lead to detrimental environmental and genetic impact. Residents in this area will also be subjected - without choice - to these genetically manipulated insects, unless the private firm decides to seek permission.

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes | An Unknown Dangerous Experiment

The first mosquito release took place in the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean in 2009. On Sunday, October 27, the release was discussed in a scientific paper by the journal of Nature Biotechnology with the report concluding the releases' success. A second trial occurred in 2010, where 6,000 mosquitoes were released in Malaysia for further experiments. The mosquitoes are genetically modified with a gene designed to kill them unless given an antibiotic known as tetracycline. Offspring of the GM mosquitoes will receive this same lethal gene which will kill the offspring before it can ever reach adulthood. As more genetically modified mosquitoes mate with wild mosquitoes, the idea is that more and more offspring will be produced with the lethal gene, thereby reducing the mosquito population.

Of course the risks these mosquitoes pose both on the environment as well as the health of all living creatures are highly unknown, leaving everyone with many more questions than answers. We have already seen how terribly genetic modification can threaten the environment and human health, yet people are still moving toward a genetically modified world. With the release of genetically modified insects could come the downfall of both local and global ecosystems as well as negative consequences concerning the food chain. There is simply no way of knowing what could happen by replacing the naturally born life forms on planet earth with genetically modified creations.

Megaphone

How to Win a GMO Debate: 10 Facts Why Genetically Modified Food is Bad

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© chickachickaya.blogspot.com
It's happened to the best of us. The topic of genetically modified (GM) food and crops comes up and someone somewhere starts spewing a spate of pro-GMO rhetoric like, "GM food is the only way to feed the poor! GM crops benefit farmers! GM food and crops are safe!" and we are left with a stammering retort of, "but, but, no, but, uhm, no!"

Next time be prepared by bolstering your argument with these 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs, courtesy of international bestselling author and GMO expert Jeffrey Smith from The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT). This list of ten facts and supporting text clearly explain just how serious a threat GM food and crops pose to our personal health as well as the health of the planet.

Comment: The following articles were written by author and researcher Jeffery Smith; director of the Institute for Responsible Technology:

The GMO Tipping Point

GMO Researchers Attacked, Evidence Denied, and a Population at Risk

Genetically Modified Soy Linked to Sterility, Infant Mortality in Hamsters

GMOs Linked to Organ Disruption in 19 Studies

Monsanto's Roundup Triggers Over 40 Plant Diseases and Endangers Human and Animal Health

Non GMO Month: An Interview with Jeffery Smith


Magic Wand

Health Benefits of Turmeric

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© healthjockey.com
The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.

Bacon

How to Interpret Cholesterol Test Results

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Before we get into the big job of interpreting cholesterol numbers, let's review what cholesterol actually is.

Cholesterol is cholesterol: a waxy steroid of fat that serves as an essential structural component of cellular membranes and in the production of steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. Contrary to what the terminology indicates, there's actually only one "type" of cholesterol in the human body, and it's called, quite simply, cholesterol. What we think of when we use the word "cholesterol" is actually a lipoprotein - a fatty conglomerate of protein and lipids that delivers cholesterol and fat and fat-soluble nutrients to different parts of the body. It's not just free cholesterol floating around in your blood; it's cholesterol bound up by lipoproteins.

Health

Turmeric: The Return of The Golden Goddess


Ancient Indians believed that turmeric contained the energy of the Divine Mother. Modern science now confirms that it has therapeutic properties relevant to well over 500 health conditions, and may bestow on those who take it, protection from many common causes of suffering.

The author has personally reviewed the majority of 4,000+ biomedical citations on turmeric and its primary polyphenol curcumin, available to view on the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic reference database known as MEDLINE (and searchable through engines like Pubmed.gov), and has been awed by how diverse, powerful and seemingly ideally suited this spice is for addressing the broad range of diseases and/or disease symptoms that commonly afflict our species.

Info

7 Foods Experts Won't Eat

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© wakeup-world.com
1. GMO FOODS (Any of them)

The Expert: Jeffrey Smith, author of Seeds of Deception and founder of Institute for Responsible Technology

The Situation: GMO foods encourage the massive spraying of herbicides on our topsoils, polluting the ground, waterways, animals and humans. Scientific studies have shown the RoundUp Ready genes in GMO foods to transfer to our intestinal flora and the pesticide producing genes, called Bt-toxins, to be present in both unborn fetuses and their mothers. In short, GMO foods pollute our environment and out bodies. No long term health studies of GMO foods have been performed on humans. In addition to polluting our bodies with mutant DNA, eating RoundUp Ready GMO foods insures a hefty dose of herbicide given that GMO crops are even more heavily sprayed than conventional non-organic crops. The environmental, political, economic, and social damage by GMO foods is staggering. GMO foods include corn, soybeans, sugarbeets, potatoes, alfalfa, canola, potato, papaya, rice, honey, squash, rapeseed, tomatoes, sweet corn, tobacco, peas, and more in the pipeline.

The Solution: Check that all the food you purchase is non-GMO. Demand a halt to GMO foods any chance you get. Support mandatory labeling of GMO foods. Buy ORGANIC. Plant a garden.

Smoking

Weed Wars: Medical Marijuana Hits Reality TV


"Most of our patients and our staff were really skeptical about doing a reality TV show because they were watching Jersey Shore and The Kardashians," says Andrew DeAngelo, general manager of Oakland, California's Harborside Health Center, the largest medical marijuana dispensary in the world. Andrew and his brother, Harborside's Executive Director Steve DeAngleo, are co-stars of Weed Wars, a new show by the Discovery Channel that looks into lives of those who run Harborside, the patients that seek out their services, and the politicians looking to shut them down.

Beaker

Alarm as Dutch Lab Creates Highly Contagious Killer Flu

flu virus
© n/a
Fear of terrorism as university prepares to publish key details

A deadly strain of bird flu with the potential to infect and kill millions of people has been created in a laboratory by European scientists - who now want to publish full details of how they did it.

The discovery has prompted fears within the US Government that the knowledge will fall into the hands of terrorists wanting to use it as a bio-weapon of mass destruction.

Some scientists are questioning whether the research should ever have been undertaken in a university laboratory, instead of at a military facility.

The US Government is now taking advice on whether the information is too dangerous to be published.

Attention

Genetically Modified HIV Vaccine Approved - Human Tests to Begin Shortly

Vacine
© Natural Society

At a further attempt to halt the spread of HIV, the United States is making a bold and extremely risky decision. Researchers from the University of Western Ontrario developed a new vaccine, and the Food and Drug Administration announced its approval on Tuesday for use in the US. Not only should you be weary of this vaccine due to negative history revolving around vaccines, but the fact that it is made with a genetically modified virus adds even more concern over its approval. While the researchers are delighted by the creation, individuals are being sought out for human trials - but you won't want to volunteer.

The researchers have been studying HIV and AIDS for 20 years and have spent the last 10 developing the vaccine. Starting in January, the vaccine will undergo three phases of human clinical trials.

Phase I - The first phase is meant to analyze the vaccine and determine if it is toxic in the human body.

Phase II - During phase two of the human clinical trials the researchers will look at the immune response to see if the vaccine actually performs like it is supposed to by inducing the proper immune response.

Phase III - In phase three 6,000 people are needed so that statistical data can be accumulated and later presented. For the testing, a vaccinated and non-vaccinated group will be compared to see if the vaccine protects against HIV infection or not.

Ambulance

France to offer surgery if breast implants a risk

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© Charles Platiau/Reuters Alexandra Blachere, who heads an association of women with faulty breast implants, holds silicone gel breast implants during an interview in Paris
Paris: France will offer surgery to remove the breast implants of up to 30,000 women if a study due out this week finds that the silicone they are made from could cause cancer, the health minister said Tuesday.

Eight cases of cancer have appeared in women with breast implants made by Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), which is accused of using industrial-grade silicone, normally used in everything from computers to cookware. The company is no longer trading.

Health Minister Nora Berra told journalists the ministry would respond to the growing health scare Friday once the National Cancer Institute completed its inquiry.

If a link is established, French social security will pay for all women with the implants to have them removed, but only fund surgery to replace them in cases where women have had reconstructive surgery, for example after a mastectomy, Berra said.