http://www.sott.net/signs/list_by_category/7-Health-Wellness Signs of the Times: The World for People who Think. Featuring news and commentary on world events. en-us Original content Copyright 2012 by Signs of the Times/Sott.net. For other content, see our Fair Use Policy at www.sott.net. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:31:05 -0600 http://www.sott.net/images/sottlogo_rss.jpg SOTT.net http://www.sott.net http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241438-Overlooked-and-Undetected-Infections-From-Fungus- Say the words "fungal infection" and most people think of athlete's foot. But fungal infections are actually the root cause of many illnesses - from sinusitis to kidney disease. Fungi invade through our lungs, skin and digestive tract. Food, especially grains and peanuts, is rampant with fungi. Once inside our bodies, fungi can survive indefinitely. Fungal infections have been documented in every body part except teeth. What's more, they are an area of medicine that is largely ignored by conventional physicians. Here's what you need to know to protect yourself... http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241438-Overlooked-and-Undetected-Infections-From-Fungus- Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:31:01 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241437-The-Fattening-Effects-of-Insulin The New England Journal of Medicine recently published the photograph to the left. It is of a 55-year-old man with Type 1 diabetes who has been injecting insulin under the skin of his belly for more than 30 years. Those who inject insulin regularly are often advised to 'rotate' (vary) the site of injections. One reason for this is that if they don't, they can run the risk of developing 'lipohypertrophy' - enlargement of fat cells local to where the insulin is injected. The picture is a graphic example of this condition. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241437-The-Fattening-Effects-of-Insulin Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:58:43 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241436-Can-Lack-of-Sleep-Lead-to-Obesity- I don't believe that the best way for people to lose weight is to consciously restrict how much they eat. I have no issue with people eating less, I just believe that, for the best results, it needs to be done in a way that is both easy and sustainable. For the most part an essential component here is a regime that does not induce undue hunger. My preference is generally for a carbohydrate controlled diet 'primal' diet. Such a diet will usually provide enough protein to keep the appetite sated, while allowing fat loss from fat tissues which can then 'feed' the body, thereby potentially quelling appetite through this mechanism too. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241436-Can-Lack-of-Sleep-Lead-to-Obesity- Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:34:15 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241434-4-Proofs-The-FDA-Does-Not-Care-About-Your-Health The stated mission of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to protect and promote public health through the regulation of everything from food products to pharmaceutical drugs. Based on the agency's actions (or perhaps their severe lack of real action) however, it is quite apparent that this government organization has a blatant disregard for your health and is most certainly not in the business of 'promoting' health. Here are 4 ways in which the FDA has gone against public health and safety. 1. FDA Sits Back as You Consume Mercury in Your Food The FDA, despite having full access to the studies that were heavily publicized even on mainstream media websites, apparently feels that carcinogenic mercury tainting the food supply is nothing to worry about. Found to be present in over a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products, research has shown that you are most likely consuming mercury if you consume processed food items or many beverage products. High-fructose corn syrup is a main carrier of the harmful element, which is especially concerning when you consider the fact that the average American consumed 37.8 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup in 2008! Despite experts speaking out and calling on the FDA to come to the aid of the public, the FDA still does nothing. "Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply," the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Dr. David Wallinga, a co-author of both studies, said in a prepared statement. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241434-4-Proofs-The-FDA-Does-Not-Care-About-Your-Health Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:44:28 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241425-Toxic-Artificial-Sweetener-Neotame-May-Be-Lurking-in-Your-Organic-Food Often marketed as Equal and Nutrasweet, aspartame is a well-known neurotoxic sweetener used in many food products. This cancer-causing artificial sweetener is threatening the health of populations worldwide, and has even been found to be created using genetically modified bacteria. While most individuals know about aspartame and its dangers, there is another, lesser known sweetener in the food supply that many people don't know about - Neotame. Neotame: An Unknown Artificial Sweetener Lurking in Your Food Introduced by biotech giant Monsanto, Neotame was created as a new sweetener and flavor enhancer to be used in food products. On July 9, 2002, the United States Food and Drug Administration decided that Neotame's safety and functionality made it available for consumption, thus resulting in its approval. What's concerning is, while Neotame has a similar structure to aspartame, the chemicals used in its manufacturing process seem to make the sweetener even more toxic than aspartame. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241425-Toxic-Artificial-Sweetener-Neotame-May-Be-Lurking-in-Your-Organic-Food Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:05:27 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241396-Physically-abused-children-report-higher-levels-of-psychosomatic-symptoms Researchers studied 2,510 children aged 10, 12 and 15. Children who display multiple psychosomatic symptoms, such as regular aches and pains and sleep and appetite problems, are more than twice as likely to be experiencing physical abuse at home than children who do not display symptoms, according to a study in the March edition of Acta Paediatrica. Swedish researchers who studied 2,510 children aged 10, 12 and 15 from 44 schools found a strong association between reported physical abuse and three or more psychosomatic symptoms. The association was highest in children who were physically abused and also witnessed intimate partner violence (IPV). However, there was no significant association between IPV on its own and multiple symptoms. "The children were asked if they had experienced any of the following symptoms at least twice in the last month: stomach ache, headache, sleeplessness, dizziness, back pain and loss of appetite" explains co-author Professor Staffan Janson from the Division of Public Health Sciences at Karlstad University, Sweden. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241396-Physically-abused-children-report-higher-levels-of-psychosomatic-symptoms Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:20:36 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241384-Cell-Phones-Shown-to-Negatively-Influence-Fetal-Brains Cell phones - an incredibly convenient device that make our lives infinitely easier. While these phones have created great steps forward in communication, talking on them comes at a price. The massive increase in cellular phone use in our current society has resulted in a large degree of research examining the potential negative health effects they have on humans. Very recent research has shown that microwave radiation emitted by cellular devices negatively influences fetal brains. The experiment took 32 pregnant rats and divided them into 4 different groups, with one of them receiving no exposure to microwave radiation. The other three groups were exposed to different intensities of microwave radiation from cellular phones, with each of them being subjected for different amounts of time. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241384-Cell-Phones-Shown-to-Negatively-Influence-Fetal-Brains Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:58:42 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241353-Drinking-large-amounts-of-soft-drinks-associated-with-asthma-and-COPD A new study published in the journal Respirology reveals that a high level of soft drink consumption is associated with asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Led by Zumin Shi, MD, PhD, of the University of Adelaide, researchers conducted computer assisted telephone interviewing among 16,907 participants aged 16 years and older in South Australia between March 2008 and June 2010 inquiring about soft drink consumption. Soft drinks comprised Coke, lemonade, flavored mineral water, Powerade, and Gatorade etc. Results showed that one in ten adults drink more than half a liter of soft drink daily in South Australia. The amount of soft drink consumption is associated with an increased chance of asthma and/or COPD. There exists a dose-response relationship, which means the more soft drink one consumes, the higher the chance of having these diseases. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241353-Drinking-large-amounts-of-soft-drinks-associated-with-asthma-and-COPD Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:44:08 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241352-Growing-up-on-a-farm-directly-affects-regulation-of-the-immune-system Immunological diseases, such as eczema and asthma, are on the increase in westernised society and represent a major challenge for 21st century medicine. A new study has shown, for the first time, that growing up on a farm directly affects the regulation of the immune system and causes a reduction in the immunological responses to food proteins. The research, led by the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences, found that spending early life in a complex farm environment increased the number of regulatory T-lymphocytes, the cells that damp down the immune system and limit immune responses. Dr Marie Lewis, Research Associate in Infection and Immunity at the School of Veterinary Sciences, who led the research, said: "Many large-scale epidemiological studies have suggested that growing up on a farm is linked to a reduced likelihood of developing allergic disease. However, until now, it has not been possible to demonstrate direct cause and effect: does the farm environment actively protect against allergies, or are allergy-prone families unlikely to live on farms?" http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241352-Growing-up-on-a-farm-directly-affects-regulation-of-the-immune-system Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:32:38 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241348-New-Study-Finds-Secret-to-a-Faster-Metabolism Eating carbohydrates makes you store belly fat. Eating protein puts on muscle. Most people know that. But a recent study1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that when you over eat on a low protein diet, you store bad fat around your organs including the liver, kidneys and pancreas. But if you eat a high protein diet, you add muscle and increase your resting metabolism and muscle mass. Since muscle burns seven times as many calories as fat, that's a good thing. In the study, researchers admitted 25 brave volunteers to a hospital ward for 12 weeks. They controlled everything they ate and did. But they made them all overeat about 1,000 calories a day. The only different was where the calories came from - protein or carbs. The low protein group (5% protein) lost 1.5 pounds of muscle, and gained 7.5 pounds of fat. The high protein group (25% protein) gained 6.3 pounds of metabolically active muscle. They also gained fat because they were being force fed. But even though they gained more total weight, they were LESS fat than the low protein group. This has important implications for our thinking about calories. Bottom line: Not all calories are the same. Some calories make you store fat, while others make you store muscle. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241348-New-Study-Finds-Secret-to-a-Faster-Metabolism Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:50:30 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241345-India-The-Werewolf-Sisters-Sangli-Sisters-Afflicted-by-Bizarre-Syndrome Pune: In an incredible quirk of fate three sisters are afflicted by one of the rarest condition in the world, affecting just one in a billion. The Sangli sisters are suffering from a rare genetic disorder known as werewolf syndrome - where they are covered from head to toe in thick hair. Savita, 23, Monisha, 18, and 16-year-old Savitri Sangli, who live in a small village near Pune, inherited the hypertrichosis universalis disorder from their father. Hypertrichosis universalis is a genetic mutation, in which cells that normally switch off hair growth in unusual areas, like the eyelids and forehead, are left switched on. The girls have abnormal hair growth on their faces, affecting their eyebrows, nose and giving them appearance of having a beard. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241345-India-The-Werewolf-Sisters-Sangli-Sisters-Afflicted-by-Bizarre-Syndrome Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:31:53 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241335-Chocolate-Candy-or-Cutting-Edge-Medicine- Chocolate is clearly one of the most enjoyed foods on the planet, and has one of the oldest documented histories of use going back to 1100 BC. And yet many still harbor guilt about consuming it because they associate it with "candy" and have never been exposed to the research indicating it may actually be closer to a "medicine." Now, new research from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has revealed that the consumption of chocolate, or its active constituents (cocoa, flavan-3-ols), reduces a broad range of risk factors for cardiovascular disease including insulin resistance. The researchers looked at 42 acute and long-term studies and found a 33% median reduction in insulin resistance following chocolate consumption. What is so unique about this new study is that chocolate consumption is generally believed to elevate blood sugar and blood insulin levels; not only does it disprove this myth but it sheds additional light on why chocolate consumption (especially dark, organic) may be beneficial in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241335-Chocolate-Candy-or-Cutting-Edge-Medicine- Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:39:42 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241330-US-The-California-Whooping-Cough-Cover-Up 2011 was the first year in more than two decades during which there were no deaths from whooping cough. In 2010, 10 infants died from the disease. The number of people who became infected also dropped from 9,000 in 2010 to just 3,000 in 2011. The state passed a law requiring students in grades 7 to 12 to get vaccinated, but many parents chose to opt out of the program. The Los Angeles Times reports: "[D]eaths ... can be prevented if cases are identified and treated quickly ... Pertussis is a bacterial disease that infects the respiratory system. It can be particularly dangerous for infants". It's a good time to reflect back on the SCARE that was created over people not getting pertussis vaccines. Now it's been revealed that those vaccines require six follow-up booster shots just to continue to work ... if they work at all. More likely than not, the vaccine provides NO protection in any case, as the strain that is causing the damage is not actually in the vaccine. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241330-US-The-California-Whooping-Cough-Cover-Up Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:58:38 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241329-Inactive-Phthalates-Widespread-in-Medications- Researchers from Boston University and Harvard University found more than 100 different prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements contain phthalates as inactive ingredients. That is, the chemicals do not act as medicines but instead carry and deliver the medicinal ingredients. It's no secret that pharmaceuticals contain phthalates. The chemicals are sometimes listed as ingredients, and they have been measured in urine in people with chronic diseases - such as cystic fibrosis - who take a lot of medications. What's surprising is the extent of their use in such different types of products, including nutritional supplements. The exposures and possible health risks from the widespread sources remain unknown. However, any increase in exposure levels to these chemicals from dietary and medicinal sources is concerning because of health effects associated with certain phthalates. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241329-Inactive-Phthalates-Widespread-in-Medications- Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:28:05 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241328-A-Headline-You-Will-Never-See-60-year-old-Man-Dies-of-High-Cholesterol Never saw a headline like this? Neither have I. That's because it doesn't happen. Cholesterol doesn't harm, maim, or kill. It is simply used as a crude - very crude - marker. It is, in reality, a component of the body, of the cell wall, of lipoproteins (lipid-carrying proteins) in the bloodstream. It is used a an indirect gauge, a "dipstick," for lipoproteins in the blood to those who don't understand how to identify, characterize, and quantify actual lipoproteins in the blood. Cholesterol itself never killed anybody, any more than a bad paint job on your car could cause a fatal car accident. What kills people is rupture of atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. For all practical purposes, you must have atherosclerotic plaque in order for it to rupture (much like a volcano erupts and spews lava). It's not about cholesterol; it's about atherosclerotic plaque. Plaque might contain cholesterol, but cholesterol is not the thing itself that causes heart attack and death. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241328-A-Headline-You-Will-Never-See-60-year-old-Man-Dies-of-High-Cholesterol Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:03:15 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241327-My-Letter-to-the-Wall-Street-Journal-It-s-NOT-Just-About-Gluten The Wall Street Journal carried this report of a new proposed classification of the various forms of gluten sensitivity: "New Guide to Who Really Shouldn't Eat Gluten." This represents progress. Progress in understanding of wheat-related illnesses, as well as progress in spreading the word that there is a lot more to wheat-intolerance than celiac disease. But, as I mention in the letter, it falls desperately short on several crucial issues. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241327-My-Letter-to-the-Wall-Street-Journal-It-s-NOT-Just-About-Gluten Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:50:58 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241318-Authoritative-Verdict-WHO-Admits-That-Cell-Phones-Cause-Cancer Mobile phone owners were urged to limit their use last night after the World Health Organisation admitted they may cause cancer. The UN's health agency advised 'pragmatic' measures to reduce exposure, such as using hands-free kits and texting instead of calling. The disturbing report marks the first time the WHO has linked mobiles with cancer, and follows earlier research linking just half an hour's use a day with up to 40 per cent higher odds of brain cancer. However the mobile phone industry was quick to point out that the devices had not been directly shown to cause cancer. More than 70million mobile phones are now in use in Britain - more than one for every man, woman and child. Worldwide, the total tops five billion. Dr Christopher Wild, director of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: 'Given the potential consequences for public health, it is important that additional research be conducted into the long-term, heavy use of mobile phones. 'Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure, such as hands-free devices and texting.' IARC's conclusion follows a week-long review of all available scientific evidence by 21 scientists from 14 countries, including fresh research that has yet to be published. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241318-Authoritative-Verdict-WHO-Admits-That-Cell-Phones-Cause-Cancer Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:32:46 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241305-The-Healer-s-Grail "Life is electrical. A new medicine and a new Earth will arise from this premise!" - Capt. Randall We have all been alive since the first spark in the beginning, carrying the flame of life through the epochs and are of the primordial mother cell, all of us. The oneness of all living is exceeded only by the fact we are all (one) matter, born of the original energy that blasted the worlds into existence. You are me, the rock, the ocean and the galaxy. I'd say EVERYTHING is pretty closely related. The molecules that surround us are the same ones that construct our bodies and perpetuate life out of air, water and soil. These molecules may be packed with electrons or hungry for some, and this determines their behavior and associations (redox). Electrons themselves capture the power of photons and radiant heat from the Sun as the common currency of energy. Have-not molecules seek out those that have, and take them or share, and in sharing become larger. Large enough to build cells, large enough to build DNA and carry information and large enough to generate magnetic fields and... consciousness. It stands to reason that if molecules build cells and our bodies, that they must be of the correct elemental type and charge...and be capable of performing the business of cells, the biochemistry of life. Just as Dr Frankenstein infused his monster with gobs of electricity, we must quantitatively supply electrons to the body we live in and its cells must generate more. When through inappropriate nutrition or charge-robbing toxins and toxic thoughts our actual measurable voltage drops, our molecules begin to act erratically, cells refuse oxygen, immune systems grow weak and DNA malfunctions. Unchecked, this condition spirals down into disease, YES, MOST ALL DISEASE. When a healer's efforts are organized to reverse these negative conditions, magically cells regain function and the monster rises robust and healthy. These efforts must be directed at the inventory of molecules AND their energetic condition, their electron balance. Once an overwhelming electron presence is restored, oxygen becomes available, mitochondria fire up their furnaces and the grid is brought to full power. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241305-The-Healer-s-Grail Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:06:09 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241217-Chemotherapy-Negatively-Impacts-Genetic-Coding-for-Future-Generations Chemotherapy is an accepted method by the mainstream medical establishment as a means to fight against cancer, but its effectiveness and reliability is highly in question. Now, research even brings into question the effect chemotherapy has on your entire hereditary line, with researchers linking chemotherapy drug usage with DNA mutations that extend to your offspring. You probably know somebody who has undergone some cancer treatment at one point or another. The effects of chemotherapy on the body are highly destructive, and often leave the cancer patient in a worse state than they were in before. Unfortunately, using an unnatural chemical substance to effectively blast the cancer cells has the same effect on the healthy functioning cells as well. As a result, most chemotherapy patients are highly damaged by the process and sometimes sustain injuries that are irrevocable. Three common drugs used for chemotherapy have been found to cause DNA mutations within the users. This is already highly dangerous, but according to new research, this damage may have the ability to pass into future generations. These findings shed light on the long term negative effects pharmaceuticals are having on our bodies. If the bodily effects were not enough to cope with, the use of these treatments may actually have a long term effect on the health of those to come afterward. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241217-Chemotherapy-Negatively-Impacts-Genetic-Coding-for-Future-Generations Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:08:17 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241208-Jeff-Green-Talks-about-Toxic-Fluoride-Sources-in-Food-and-Water http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241208-Jeff-Green-Talks-about-Toxic-Fluoride-Sources-in-Food-and-Water Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:19:14 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241204-Why-You-May-Be-Drinking-Soda-That-Contains-a-Dangerous-Flame-Retardant-Banned-in-Europe-and-Japan Some soda drinkers may be getting a dose of a synthetic chemical called brominated vegetable oil, or BVO. It's Monday night at the Battle & Brew, a gamer hangout in this Atlanta suburb. The crowd is slumping in chairs, ears entombed in headphones, eyes locked on flat-screen monitors and minds lost in tonight's video game of choice: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. To help stay alert all night, each man has an open can of "gamer fuel" inches from his keyboard. "I've seen some of these dudes plow through six sodas in six hours," said Brian Smawley, a regular at the gamer bar. Gamers say they chug their fuel for the sugar and caffeine, but drinkers of Mountain Dew and some other citrus-flavored drinks are also getting a dose of a synthetic chemical called brominated vegetable oil, or BVO. Patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant, and banned in food throughout Europe and Japan, BVO has been added to sodas for decades in North America. Now some scientists have a renewed interest in this little-known ingredient, found in 10 percent of sodas in the United States. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241204-Why-You-May-Be-Drinking-Soda-That-Contains-a-Dangerous-Flame-Retardant-Banned-in-Europe-and-Japan Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:20:06 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241199-CDC-Now-Pushes-Gardasil-HPV-Shot-on-All-Boys-11-to-12 Will hundreds of more websites soon be popping up telling the tragic tales of young men whose lives were riddled with adverse effects after receiving the Gardasil vaccine? Based on the devastating history of the HPV shot Gardasil, the answer is most likely an unfortunate 'yes'. Following the advice of an advisory panel who failed to examine the high number of adverse reactions and deaths associated with Gardasil use, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now recommending that all boys between the ages of 11 and 12-years-old receive the Gardasil shot. The advisory panel and the CDC both fail to mention that Gardasil was linked to 3,589 harmful reactions and 16 deaths between May 2009 and September 2010 alone, which could be of major concern to parents considering injecting their children with the shot. Permanent disability was the result of 213 cases; 25 resulted in the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome; and there were 789 other "serious" reports according to FDA documents. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241199-CDC-Now-Pushes-Gardasil-HPV-Shot-on-All-Boys-11-to-12 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:47:16 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241198-Schoolgirls-Mystery-Illness-Mass-Hysteria-or-Environmental-Toxin- A bizarre illness has affected about a dozen students at a western New York high school and is making national news. During the first few months of the school year, the students - all girls except one, and mostly friends - began experiencing involuntary jerks and tics. Sometimes their limbs, neck or face would suddenly spasm; other times they would twitch, grunt or shout. It was strange and troubling behavior, made all the more scary because it had no clear cause. The students at Le Roy High School, in Le Roy, a small town near Buffalo, were examined by school nurses and private doctors, officials from the Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Columbia University. None could find any biological basis for the symptoms. The school was thoroughly checked for mold, lead, carbon monoxide and other environmental contaminants; those tests also came back negative. All the experts came to the same conclusion - one that has not been well received by the afflicted students and their parents. It has been widely described as a baffling mystery and unexplained puzzle, but for most doctors it's neither unexplained, nor mysterious. In fact, the students in the Le Roy case have all the classic symptoms of a well-known (but widely misunderstood) problem called conversion disorder, in which psychological symptoms are converted into physical conditions. Collectively it is known as mass sociogenic illness, or, more commonly, mass hysteria. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241198-Schoolgirls-Mystery-Illness-Mass-Hysteria-or-Environmental-Toxin- Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:04:15 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241197-Drug-Resistant-Superbugs-Found-in-Antibiotic-Free-Meat-Products Meat is a staple food in the diet of many across the world. Whether or not you chooses to eat meat, its widespread consumption is undeniable. Many meat-eaters opt to purchase organic meat in order to avoid the cocktail of hormones, additives, and other unwanted ingredients that go along with conventional meat products. Despite this, the many forms of meat products are largely contaminated and have their own host of issues - including 'antibiotic-free' meats, according to a new report. Whether it be through the use of hormones on animals, the issue of genetically modified feed for animals, the feed itself being inferior quality, or the fact that the FDA allows the use of bacteria-eating viruses to clean meat, the global meat supply is in a dire state of contamination. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241197-Drug-Resistant-Superbugs-Found-in-Antibiotic-Free-Meat-Products Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:59:36 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241194-Silver-Bullet-for-Cancer-Metal-can-Kill-Some-Tumours-Better-than-Chemotherapy-with-Fewer-Side-Effects Silver can kill some cancers as effectively as chemotherapy and with potentially fewer side effects, new research claims. Scientists say that old wives tales about the precious metal being a 'silver bullet' to beat the Big C could be true. The metal already has a wide range of medicinal uses and is a common antiseptic, antibiotic and means of purifying water in the third world. And British researchers now say that silver compounds are as effective at killing certain cancer cells as a leading chemotherapy drug, but with potentially far fewer side-effects. They compared it to Cisplatin, currently used to treat a wide variety of cancers, but known to have harsh side effects including nausea, vomiting and even kidney damage. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241194-Silver-Bullet-for-Cancer-Metal-can-Kill-Some-Tumours-Better-than-Chemotherapy-with-Fewer-Side-Effects Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:57:36 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241192-US-Tics-and-Toxins-Pesticide-Ban-Rainfall-Could-Point-to-Poisonous-Fungus-as-Factor-in-Student-Outbreaks LeRoy, New York - Last year, during the wettest spring ever recorded across large swaths of New York state, a little-noticed law took effect: As of May 18, pesticide use was banned from the grounds of every school in the state. That same month, a girl at the junior/senior high school here, and another at a high school near Albany, developed a mysterious tic disorder. The total number of cases in LeRoy has now risen to 15. This convergence adds a new possibility to the list of suspects already being scrutinized in this picturesque Western New York village of 4,400, suspects that range from a 1970 train derailment that spewed toxic chemicals, to an autoimmune disorder called PANDAS, to leaks from gas wells on school grounds that may or may not have employed "fracking." The new possibility: Poisoning from a fungus that grows on a grass commonly planted on school grounds. The fungus is called ergot, and it can grow when ryegrass - used on most athletic playing fields - sprouts a floweret that gets infected. That most often happens during wet spring months and on low-lying or marshy areas. (This photo was taken on school grounds last week.) http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241192-US-Tics-and-Toxins-Pesticide-Ban-Rainfall-Could-Point-to-Poisonous-Fungus-as-Factor-in-Student-Outbreaks Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:34:36 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241151-Canada-Maple-Leaf-Foods-Changes-Misleading-Product-Labels Natural Selections line of meat contains preservative that may be linked to cancer A number of food companies offer supposed health benefits that don't check out with nutrition and medical experts, including a product line from Maple Leaf Foods, a CBC Marketplace investigation has revealed. Consumers are often interested in healthier alternatives - based largely on the packaging displayed in the grocery store - and are willing to pay extra for it. Companies make reference to natural ingredients, the presence of vitamins or minerals and or the absence of substances that are linked to certain diseases. Others suggest consumers will become smarter or healthier, including providing a nutritional or immunity boost, as a result of using the products. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241151-Canada-Maple-Leaf-Foods-Changes-Misleading-Product-Labels Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:55:53 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241124-Norovirus-Strikes-2-Cruise-Ships-in-Caribbean An outbreak of norovirus has forced two cruise ships in the Caribbean to make early returns to their home ports in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Reports say a total of 248 people have been stricken on the two ships, the Crown Princess and the Ruby Princess. Norovirus triggers severe gastroenteritis and is highly contagious. It is spread easily by person-to-person contact, especially through food or any items people touch. Princess Cruise Lines say the ships will undergo a complete disinfection. Norovirus is a viral infection that almost always include vomiting and/or diarrhea and may include muscle aches and low-grade fever. Symptoms usually last only 48 to 72 hours and can be debilitating for the very young, the very old and those with weakened immune systems. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241124-Norovirus-Strikes-2-Cruise-Ships-in-Caribbean Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:33:07 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241105-The-Honey-You-Should-Never-Buy-It-May-Be-Tainted-with-Lead-and-Antibiotics Bees have been dying off around the world for more than a decade now, a phenomenon that has been named "Colony Collapse Disorder," or CCD. The U.S. and the U.K. both reported losing a third of their honeybees in 2010. Italy lost half. The die-offs have spread to China and India, in addition to many other countries. A third of the U.S. food supply requires the assistance of the honeybee. The collapse of bee colonies is probably multifactorial, rather than a response to one type of toxic assault. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241105-The-Honey-You-Should-Never-Buy-It-May-Be-Tainted-with-Lead-and-Antibiotics Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:17:40 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241102-Toxic-Sugar-Should-We-Regulate-It-Like-Alcohol- Should sugar be regulated like alcohol? That's the premise of a new position paper, published today in the journal Nature by three leading obesity researchers from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. They argue that added sugar in all forms - sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup alike - is as perilous to public health as a controlled substance like alcohol. Bolstering their argument with statistics on obesity and other chronic disease, as well as evidence that our bodies process sugar in a way that is harmful to our health, they advocate for regulation to temper sugar consumption worldwide. The researchers' main impetus came from a 2010 United Nations report revealing, for the first time, that more people are dying from chronic, non-communicable diseases, so-called "lifestyle diseases" like heart disease, than from infectious disease. "The UN announcement targets tobacco, alcohol and diet as the central risk factors in non-communicable disease," wrote the researchers. "Two of these three - tobacco and alcohol - are regulated by governments to protect public health, leaving one of the primary culprits behind this worldwide health crisis unchecked." http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241102-Toxic-Sugar-Should-We-Regulate-It-Like-Alcohol- Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:57:06 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241101-Selenium-The-Missing-Link-for-Treating-Hypothyroidism- A healthy thyroid is a critical component of one's overall health, and many people are struggling with thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism, specifically Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis. In this autoimmune condition, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, with the resulting inflammation leading to an underactive thyroid gland or hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's disease is the most common form of hypothyroidism and was the first condition ever to be classified as an autoimmune disease. I've written extensively about thyroid health, focusing on a multitude of environmental factors that may effect thyroid function, including gluten, gut health, stress, excess iodine, and vitamin D deficiency. I've also discussed why dietary changes are always the first step in treating Hashimoto's, and why replacement thyroid hormone is often necessary for a successful outcome. There is yet another nutritional factor that may play a role in thyroid health: selenium. Selenium deficiency is not thought to be common in healthy adults, but is more likely to be found in those with digestive health issues causing poor absorption of nutrients, such as Crohn's or celiac disease, or those with serious inflammation due to chronic infection. 1,2 It is thought that selenium deficiency does not specifically cause illness by itself, but that it makes the body more susceptible to illnesses caused by other nutritional, biochemical or infectious stresses, due to its role in immune function.3 Adequate selenium nutrition supports efficient thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism and protects the thyroid gland from damage from excessive iodine exposure.4 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241101-Selenium-The-Missing-Link-for-Treating-Hypothyroidism- Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:14:20 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241077-Scientists-Want-FDA-to-Ban-BPA-Endocrine-Disruptors For the past 20 years, much of MU biology professor Frederick vom Saal's research, thoughts and time have converged into one point: trying to get endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere with the hormone system and can cause obesity, infertility and cancer - out of daily use. He's accomplished the laboratory part, which resulted in dozens of scientific papers outlining the negative effects of bisphenol-A, an endocrine disruptor found in plastics. Endocrine disruptors are everywhere in the environment: in plastics, food cans, clothing fabrics, furniture and household and beauty products. Now he's doing the communicator's part, trying to convince U.S. authorities to regulate the chemicals. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241077-Scientists-Want-FDA-to-Ban-BPA-Endocrine-Disruptors Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:01:57 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241072-Crude-Awakening-Mineral-Oil-Contaminates-Everyone-s-Bodies The scientific literature indicates that there are at least two dozen adverse health effects linked to exposure to mineral oil, a crude oil derivative. New research indicates these fat-soluble hydrocarbons are accumulating to disturbing levels in our bodies, and affecting newborns by contaminating breast milk. How did they get there? Mineral oil is legally allowed to be added to our foods, drugs and cosmetics, where they accumulate in our bodies over time, with the highest concentrations found in our fat deposits. One autopsy study performed in 1985, revealed that 48% of the livers and 46% of the spleens of the 465 autopsies analyzed showed signs of mineral-oil induced lipogranuloma (a nodule of necrotic, fatty tissue associated with granulomatous inflammation or a foreign-body reaction around a deposit of an oily substance), indicating just how widespread pathological tissue changes associated with exposure reallly are. In the United States, the FDA has approved mineral for use in cosmetic products, as well as a food additive up to 10 mg/kg a day. For a 150 lb adult (68.03 kilograms) this is the equivalent of 680 milligrams a day, or 248 grams (over half a pound!) a year. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241072-Crude-Awakening-Mineral-Oil-Contaminates-Everyone-s-Bodies Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:10:57 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241043-US-Mystery-Teen-Illness-Grows-in-Upstate-New-York-More-Cases-Reported LeRoy -- The mystery illness now producing Tourette's-like symptoms in a more than a dozen girls from upstate New York is also affecting a 36-year-old who is experiencing the same tics as the teens. Nurse practitioner Marge Fitzsimmons, who has spent her whole life in LeRoy, N.Y., lives just a few miles from the school the teens attend. "It started out with sudden head jerks in the middle of October," Fitzsimmons told NBC News, the tics occasionally interfering with her ability to talk. It got so bad she had to leave her job working with developmentally disabled patients until the tics subside. "The motor tics wouldn't stop, and the vocal tics started, and I went to one of the bosses and said I have to go." http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241043-US-Mystery-Teen-Illness-Grows-in-Upstate-New-York-More-Cases-Reported Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:04:03 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241041-Study-Air-Pollution-Appears-to-Cause-Alzheimer-s-like-Brain-Changes-in-Children A study examining postmortem brains of children and young adults suggests that exposure to air pollution causes changes in the brain that are similar to those seen in Alzheimer's patients. Children and young adults from areas with highly polluted air in Mexico had physical and genetic changes in their brains akin to those found in adults with Alzheimer's disease. The changes seen are surprising because they are not supposed to occur in younger brains. Alzheimer's afflicts older adults and those in middle age with specific family genetics. Experts are not sure what causes the onset in older age but think environment might play a role. This study builds on a growing body of research suggesting that air pollution exposure can affect the brain. Previous studies have found links between air pollution exposure and signs of inflammation - a basic body response that indicates injury - in dog and mice brains. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241041-Study-Air-Pollution-Appears-to-Cause-Alzheimer-s-like-Brain-Changes-in-Children Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:19:27 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241032-Tax-Toxic-Sugar-Doctors-Urge Sugar is so toxic that it should be taxed and slapped with regulations like alcohol, some U.S. researchers argue. In a commentary published in Wednesday's issue of the journal Nature, doctors from the University of California, San Francisco, say that rising global rates of major killers such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes aren't caused by obesity as commonly thought. Instead, obesity is a marker for those health problems, and sugar is the true culprit, Dr. Robert Lustig, Laura Schmidt and Claire Brindis said. "We recognize that societal intervention to reduce the supply and demand for sugar faces an uphill political battle against a powerful sugar lobby," they wrote. Measures such as smoking bans in public places, the use of designated drivers and the addition of condom dispensers in public washrooms were also battlegrounds that are now taken for granted for public health, the authors said in calling for sugar regulations. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241032-Tax-Toxic-Sugar-Doctors-Urge Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:14:53 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241018-US-29-Billion-Reasons-to-Lie-About-Cholesterol $29 Billion Introduction from 29billion on Vimeo. Millions of people around the world take medications known as statins to lower their cholesterol. The current value of the cholesterol-lowering drug industry is estimated at around $29 billion -- and this is clearly a conservative estimate considering spending on cholesterol drugs in the United States alone reached nearly $19 billion in 2010. But have the facts about cholesterol and heart disease been distorted by drug companies eager to increase their profits? A new documentary film project is underway to look for answers, and get the truth out about cholesterol once and for all... Why Haven't You Heard the Truth About Cholesterol? There may be $29 billion very good reasons why ... and this is the premise behind the new documentary film $29 Billion Reasons to Lie About Cholesterol (based on a book by the same name, authored by Justin Smith). As the film's synopsis explains: "So many resources are currently directed at cholesterol-lowering, however, a huge body of evidence suggests that this cholesterol-lowering is having little or no effect on people's health. In fact, it may even be doing more harm than good. We want to present the facts about cholesterol to the general public. These facts are fully supported by published studies within the medical literature, but unfortunately they are hardly ever discussed. The pharmaceutical industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year promoting the idea that high cholesterol causes heart disease. The other side of the story receives very little attention. As a result, even doctors may have been misled; since they have only been exposed to the pharmaceutical industry's viewpoint." Could it be possible that nearly everything your doctor and the media is telling you about high cholesterol and how it relates to saturated fats, heart disease and strokes is wrong? Absolutely! http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241018-US-29-Billion-Reasons-to-Lie-About-Cholesterol Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:20:44 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241017-Report-Finds-Tanning-Salons-Are-Misleading-Customers A new congressional report accuses tanning salons of misleading their customers to try and gain business. The probe found that tanning salons are downplaying the risks of tanning in beds, and promoting benefits that do not exist to its younger clients that do not know any better. The investigation by the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee found that nearly all indoor tanning salons contacted denied the known risks of indoor tanning, and four out of five salons claimed it is beneficial to a person's health. The committee posed as fair-skinned 16-year-old girls, contacting 300 indoor tanning salons throughout the U.S. They found that 90 percent of the salons told the "girls" that indoor tanning did not pose health risks, and more than half the salons denied that indoor tanning increased the risk of cancer. The report said that many salons described these statements as "rumors" and "hype", and over three-quarters of salons said it actually is beneficial to the health of a teenage girl. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241017-Report-Finds-Tanning-Salons-Are-Misleading-Customers Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:18:35 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241011-Eating-Gluten-Increases-the-Need-For-Thyroid-Hormones A new study shows Hashimoto's patients with symptomless celiac disease (i.e., no digestive complaints) require 49 percent more T4 to achieve the same TSH levels as non-celiac Hashimoto's patients. After the patients followed a gluten-free diet for 11 months their TSH levels came down with the same T4 requirement as the non-celiac Hashimoto's patients. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241011-Eating-Gluten-Increases-the-Need-For-Thyroid-Hormones Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:16:38 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241008-FDA-s-New-Claim-Your-Body-Is-a-Drug-and-We-Have-the-Authority-to-Regulate-It- In another outrageous power-grab, FDA says your own stem cells are drugs - and stem cell therapy is interstate commerce because it affects the bottom line of FDA-approved drugs in other states! We wish this were a joke, but it's the US Food and Drug Administration's latest claim in its battle with a Colorado clinic over its Regenexx-SD™ procedure, a non-surgical treatment for people suffering from moderate to severe joint or bone pain using adult stem cells. The FDA asserts in a court document that it has the right to regulate the Centeno-Schultz Clinic for two reasons: 1. Stem cells are drugs and therefore fall within their jurisdiction. (The clinic argues that stem cell therapy is the practice of medicine and is therefore not within the FDA's jurisdiction!) 2. The clinic is engaging in interstate commerce and is therefore subject to FDA regulation because any part of the machine or procedure that originates outside Colorado becomes interstate commerce once it enters the state. Moreover, interstate commerce is substantially affected because individuals traveling to Colorado to have the Regenexx procedure would "depress the market for out-of-state drugs that are approved by FDA." http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241008-FDA-s-New-Claim-Your-Body-Is-a-Drug-and-We-Have-the-Authority-to-Regulate-It- Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:40:31 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241006-Flesh-Eating-Bug-Spread-by-Sneezes-and-Coughs Coughing and sneezing on crowded trains and buses can spread deadly flesh-eating superbugs, commuters are being warned. The bacteria are more virulent than the infamous hospital MRSA, can affect otherwise healthy people and are spreading across Britain. They can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and hugging as well as sneezing and coughing. One strain, called USA300, can lead to blood poisoning or a form of pneumonia that eats away at lung tissue. The bacteria are usually resistant to several types of antibiotics and can cause large boils on the skin. Chris Williams, professor of molecular genetics at the University of Birmingham, said: 'It breaks down tissue. If it gets into your heart, bacteria can get into your bloodstream and take hold of different parts of your body. That could lead to death quite easily.' http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241006-Flesh-Eating-Bug-Spread-by-Sneezes-and-Coughs Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:26:35 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240998-US-A-Million-Birth-Control-Pills-Recalled-Again-Could-the-Pill-Get-You-Pregnant- It's happened again. Just months after a major mix-up in birth control pill packaging, another alarming recall has been issued. On Wednesday, the drug company Pfizer announced the recall of more than 1 million packets of Lo/Ovral-28 (and the generic Norgestrel/Ethinyl Estradiol) due to a packaging error. The problem stems from placebo pills that were possibly misplaced in monthly blister packs. So on days when women thought they were taking active hormones they may have been taking sugar pills. The mistake means that an unknown number of women may be at risk of an unplanned pregnancy. A public statement by Pfizer urged "consumers exposed to affected packaging" to "begin using a non-hormonal form of contraception immediately." http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240998-US-A-Million-Birth-Control-Pills-Recalled-Again-Could-the-Pill-Get-You-Pregnant- Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:28:53 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240986-Germany-Pensioner-s-Post-War-Tub-of-Lard-Ok-to-Eat- A German pensioner who had kept a tub of lard in his cupboard for 64 years, took it to authorities who pronounced it very much fit for consumption - if a little tasteless. Retired chemist Hans Feldmeier, 87, told AFP he had received the pig fat as a student in 1948 near the northern city of Rostock as part of the post-war US aid programme. Feldmeier said he had been given the tub together with two tins of noodles and some milk. "I just didn't want to throw it away," he explained. Finally, after 64 years, he took it to food safety agents and was astonished at their appraisal. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240986-Germany-Pensioner-s-Post-War-Tub-of-Lard-Ok-to-Eat- Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:47:28 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240978-Chlorella-A-Superfood-That-Helps-Remove-Mercury-From-Your-Tissues-in-Weeks Have you noticed that practically every day a new story comes out in the media about the toxic side effects of living in the modern world? Chemical and heavy metal dangers seem to be lurking everywhere you turn in the 21st century! Pesticides coat much of our fresh food supply, chemical by-products from manufacturing are routinely dumped into our air and water, and mercury amalgam fillings in your teeth may be releasing mercury into your body with every bite of food you take! The seafood in our oceans are laden with heavy metals and mercury and pass these poisons up the food chain until potentially massive doses of both wind up on your dinner plate disguised as a healthy meal. Underground water supplies have been tainted by chemical and pesticide run off from farms, factories and high technology industries. In fact, acceptable levels of many poisons are allowed to come into your home through your drinking and bathing water, including fluoride, chlorine and low levels of many heavy metals. It doesn't take much imagination to see that your body too is under attack from environmental pollution every single day. You can seek to protect yourself and combat this hazard by eating foods that are free of pesticides and chemicals, but you simply cannot entirely remove all sources of toxins from your environment. The damage to our world is just too widespread and pervasive. You have to take it upon yourself to take measures to protect yourself and your family from this toxic world, and one of the best natural sources for moving these toxic materials out of your body is a whole-food based, green algae called chlorella. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240978-Chlorella-A-Superfood-That-Helps-Remove-Mercury-From-Your-Tissues-in-Weeks Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:10:35 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240972-Why-is-Hot-Chemo-an-Acceptable-Cancer-Treatment-But-IV-Vitamin-C-is-Too-Far-Out-There- Patients liken hot chemotherapy to "being filleted, disemboweled, and then bathed in hot poison." Best patient care, or merely the biggest moneymaker? According to the New York Times, hot chemotherapy, which couples extensive abdominal surgery with blasts of heated chemotherapy to the abdominal cavity and its organs, was once a niche procedure used mainly against rare cancers of the appendix. Most academic medical centers shunned it. Now it's being offered to patients to treat more common colorectal or ovarian cancers. Dr. David P. Ryan, clinical director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, says there is little evidence that it really works and "has almost no basis in science." The treatment is extremely costly, and is something of a desperation move by leading medical centers because the competition for patients and treatments is so intense. So why is this dangerous, scientifically unsound, and outrageously expensive procedure considered a viable treatment option for cancer patients, when intravenous vitamin C - safe, effective, and far less expensive - is questioned as an adjunct therapy? Why is this common vitamin, administered in high doses intravenously, labeled an unapproved drug by a hostile FDA? http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240972-Why-is-Hot-Chemo-an-Acceptable-Cancer-Treatment-But-IV-Vitamin-C-is-Too-Far-Out-There- Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:45:12 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240963-McDonald-s-Confirms-That-it-s-no-Longer-Using-Pink-Slime-Chemical-in-Hamburgers McDonald's announced last week that, as of last August, is has stopped using ammonium hydroxide in the production of its hamburgers. MSNBC reports that the chemical, used in fertilizers, household cleaners and even homemade explosives, was also used to prepare McDonalds' hamburger meat. And while the announcement is making headlines, you may (or may not) want to know about some other unusual chemicals being used in the production of some of our most-popular foods: The International Business Times lists some other questionable chemicals showing up in our foods: Propylene glycol: This chemical is very similar to ethylene glycol, a dangerous anti-freeze. This less-toxic cousin prevents products from becoming too solid. Some ice creams have this ingredient; otherwise you'd be eating ice. Carmine: Commonly found in red food coloring, this chemical comes from crushed cochineal, small red beetles that burrow into cacti. Husks of the beetle are ground up and forms the basis for red coloring found in foods ranging from cranberry juice to M&Ms. Shellac: Yes, this chemical used to finish wood products also gives some candies their sheen. It comes from the female Lac beetle. L-cycsteine: This common dough enhancer comes from hair, feathers, hooves and bristles. Lanolin (gum base): Next time you chew on gum, remember this. The goopiness of gum comes from lanolin, oils from sheep's wool that is also used for vitamin D3 supplements. Silicon dioxide: Nothing weird about eating sand, right? This anti-caking agent is found in many foods including shredded cheese and fast food chili. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240963-McDonald-s-Confirms-That-it-s-no-Longer-Using-Pink-Slime-Chemical-in-Hamburgers Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:34:44 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240951-Cell-Phone-Induced-Bodily-Harm-How-The-Bees-Can-Help Cell phones and the communications infrastructure that makes them possible, are ubiquitous today, making complete avoidance of their radiation next to impossible. Plenty of evidence already exists showing that cell phones emit a type of electromagnetic radiation -- in the microwave range -- capable of adversely affecting a wide range of organs, with the nervous system of those exposed perhaps most sensitive to its adverse effects. Below is a sampling of some of their adverse health effects as demonstrated in the biomedical literature. New research indicates that the problems associated with cell phone radiation exposure are far more profound that previously believed. In fact, pregnant women may need to exercise additional caution in order to protect their unborn from adverse neurological effects associated with cell phone radiation exposure. In a study entitled "The influence of microwave radiation from cellular phone on fetal rat brain," and published in the journal Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine on Jan. 23rd 2012, researchers discovered that pregnant rats exposed to microwave radiation from cellular phones had fetuses whose brains showed signs of harm, as measured by enhanced oxidative stress and altered levels of neurotransmitters. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240951-Cell-Phone-Induced-Bodily-Harm-How-The-Bees-Can-Help Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:05:44 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240950-Sugar-Should-Be-Regulated-As-Toxin-Researchers-Say A spoonful of sugar might make the medicine go down. But it also makes blood pressure and cholesterol go up, along with your risk for liver failure, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Sugar and other sweeteners are, in fact, so toxic to the human body that they should be regulated as strictly as alcohol by governments worldwide, according to a commentary in the current issue of the journal Nature by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The researchers propose regulations such as taxing all foods and drinks that include added sugar, banning sales in or near schools and placing age limits on purchases. Although the commentary might seem straight out of the Journal of Ideas That Will Never Fly, the researchers cite numerous studies and statistics to make their case that added sugar - or, more specifically, sucrose, an even mix of glucose and fructose found in high-fructose corn syrup and in table sugar made from sugar cane and sugar beets - has been as detrimental to society as alcohol and tobacco. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240950-Sugar-Should-Be-Regulated-As-Toxin-Researchers-Say Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:45:10 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240945-Vitamin-C-Prevents-Radiation-Damage Workers with severe radiation exposure at the Fukushima nuclear plant had major reduction in cancer risk when supplemented with vitamin C and other anti-oxidative nutrients. Sixteen men aged between 32 and 59 years worked 5 to 6 weeks in a radiation contaminated area, collecting contaminated water, measuring radiation levels, operating heavy machinery, and removing debris. Blood samples were obtained to measure whole blood counts and blood chemistry, plasma levels of free DNA, and 47 cancer related gene expressions. Four workers who took intravenous vitamin C (25,000 mg) therapy before they went in, and continuously took anti-oxidative supplements during the working period, had no significant change in both free DNA and overall cancer risk. Three workers that did not have preventive intravenous vitamin C had an increase in calculated cancer risk. After 2 months of intervention with intravenous vitamin C and oral anti-oxidative nutritional supplements, free DNA returned to normal level and cancer risk score was significantly decreased. (1) http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240945-Vitamin-C-Prevents-Radiation-Damage Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:11:33 -0600 http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240929-The-Organic-Elite-Surrenders-to-Monsanto "The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well. True coexistence is a must." - Whole Foods Market, Jan. 21, 2011 In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto's Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation's 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America's organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it's time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto's controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for "coexistence" with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack. http://www.sott.net/articles/show/240929-The-Organic-Elite-Surrenders-to-Monsanto Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:43:00 -0600