Health & WellnessS


Health

800 reasons turmeric threatens big pharma

Sayer Ji
Greenmedinfo.com
Mon, 04 Jul 2016 14:41 UTC
tumeric

No single herb threatens the pharmaceutical industry's global monopoly as much as turmeric. Here's why...

Turmeric has received a lot of attention in the past few years. The reason has everything to do with the power of social media to undercut traditional pharmaceutical industry controlled media channels, along with the reality that the available published literature that has accumulated on turmeric's health benefits is astoundingly vast. The open access database MEDLINE, for instance, now contains over 10,000 study abstracts on turmeric and/or its components, such as the polyphenol known as curcumin. Our intention at GreenMedInfo.com is to save you time looking through these thousands of studies by putting all the relevant ones to natural and integrative medicine in one spot. In the case of the burgeoning volume of turmeric and curcumin literature, that spot is our Turmeric Research dashboard.

Comment: Health Benefits of Turmeric

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Chess

The trivialization of the GMO debate

Colin Todhunter
Counter Punch
Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:55 UTC
GMO debate
When people don't possess sufficient expertise on matters, they require simplicity. They desire easily manageable packages of knowledge, and these packages become taken for granted stocks of 'common sense' that enable them to cope with or to understand the world around them, no matter how faulty or misrepresented that 'knowledge' may be.

Powerful corporations and the media recognise people's need for simplicity. And here lies the problem. To rally the masses around certain ideas and to make things 'simple' for them, corporations have taken their cue from Edward Bernays, the modern father of advertising, propaganda and public relations. Bernays knew how to manipulate groups of people and get the masses to acquiesce and hooked on the products and messages of capitalism. We are now all subjected to this type of manipulation each and every day by the incessant bombardment of commercials and official pronouncements.

Comment: Also read Colin Todhunter's article: Inside the church of pro-GMO activism: Genetic engineering, twisted science & altered truth
The problem is that rich corporations and individuals have manipulated the idea of science and have been able to distort scientific research. They have translated their vast financial influence into political clout and the control of science and scientific institutions. The result is that science institutes, research programmes and practitioners now too often willingly serve the interests of powerful corporations. Far from liberating humankind the control of science and scientific research and media-led rational debate in the public sphere have become a tool of deception.

The reason why so many people doubt science is because they can see how science is corrupted and manipulated by powerful corporations. It is because they regard these large corporations as unaccountable and their activities and products not properly regulated by governments.


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Pills

Gut microbes: An overview

John F. Kokai-Kun, Synthetic Biologics
Live Science
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 07:08 UTC
Gut microbes
© Juan Gaertner / Shutterstock.comYour body is infested with bacteria that you need to stay healthy.
Microorganisms live and thrive throughout your body, and as strange as it may sound, scientists have found that these microbes are vital to your health.

These microbes live on the surface of your skin, in between your toes and on your scalp. They make their homes in your nasal passages, in between your teeth and in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This is the human microbiome, and it is a collection of billions of microorganisms that live together in harmony on and inside people's bodies. The naked eye cannot see these microorganisms, but they are there.

At this point, you're probably asking yourself, "What exactly is it these microbes do, and how can I get rid of them?" But these bugs may actually be some of your greatest allies for staying healthy, and rather than trying to get rid of them, you should try to maintain their balance in order to remain in good health.

Comment: Further reading:

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Life Preserver

Vagus nerve stimulation significantly reduces the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis


EurekAlert
Mon, 04 Jul 2016 00:00 UTC
vagus nerve
Clinical trial data published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) demonstrates stimulating the vagus nerve with an implantable bioelectronic device significantly improved measures of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects 1.3 million people in the United States and costs tens of billions of dollars annually to treat. The findings, announced by the Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and SetPoint Medical, appear online in PNAS Early Edition and will appear in an upcoming print issue.

The publication, titled "Vagus nerve stimulation inhibits cytokine production and attenuates disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis," highlights a human study designed to reduce symptoms of RA, cytokine levels and inflammation by stimulating the vagus nerve with a small implanted device.

"This is the first study to evaluate whether stimulating the inflammatory reflex directly with an implanted electronic device can treat RA in humans," said Professor Paul-Peter Tak, MD, PhD, FMedSci, the international principal investigator and lead author of the paper at the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology of the Academic Medical Center/University of Amsterdam. "We have previously shown that targeting the inflammatory reflex may reduce inflammation in animal models and in vitro models of RA. The direct correlation between vagus nerve stimulation and the suppression of several key cytokines like TNF as well as reduced RA signs and symptoms demonstrates proof of mechanism, which might be relevant for other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases as well."

Comment: Rather than relying on an implantable medical device, the vagus nerve can be safely and effectively stimulated by gentle breathing exercises. The Éiriú Eolas stress relief breathing and meditation program is one method that can be quickly learned and can be practiced almost anywhere.

For more information on the amazing benefits of vagus nerve stimulation, see:

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Candle

Another holistic doctor found dead in parking lot before seminar

Erin Elizabeth
Health Nut News
Tue, 05 Jul 2016 12:54 UTC
Dead doctors
Wasn't it just last week I was reporting on yet another holistic doctor in Michigan, also headed to a seminar, who had a heart attack in the car on the way to event? And that same week, another Michigan holistic doc had a heart attack, too? She was only 32 and her colleagues were shocked. There are also other doctors who allegedly died right before attending events or just after...

Comment: See also: New York holistic doctor thought to have died naturally was poisoned by her close employee

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Pills

Common painkiller acetaminophen kills human empathy in addition to causing liver damage, severe illness and death

Matt Agorist
The Free Thought Project
Mon, 04 Jul 2016 00:00 UTC
tylenol acetaminophen big pharma
© Scott Olson / Agence France-PresseTylenol tablets, which contain acetaminophen.
Touted as a risk-free pain reliever, Tylenol sends as many as 78,000 people to the emergency room annually and results in 33,000 hospitalizations a year, according to federal data. The active ingredient in Tylenol, acetaminophen, is also the leading cause of acute liver failure, according to data from an ongoing study funded by the National Institutes for Health.

In spite of most experts noting that Tylenol can be taken daily, virtually free from danger, studies show that ingesting just a little bit more than the daily recommended dose of 4 grams of Tylenol over the course of a few days can result in severe illness and even death.

Aside from liver damage, overdose, severe illness, and death, a new study shows acetaminophen to effectively kill human empathy.

The study, published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (Mischkowski et al., 2016) found that Tylenol, or one of the other 600 different acetaminophen medications, reduces people's empathy for the pain and suffering of others.

Comment: While widely advertised as a 'harmless' painkiller, acetaminophen is turning out to be anything but harmless:

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Cloud Grey

The miserable catch-22 of mental illness

Jill Richardson
Alternet
Wed, 29 Jun 2016 17:20 UTC
depression
© Atlantis Images/Shutterstock
Anxiety and depression can make it harder for people to reach out for the help they need.

I'm depressed.

I've dealt with mental health issues for decades now. Nothing fancy or interesting like multiple personalities or hallucinations. Just run-of-the-mill boring ones—good old depression and anxiety, and maybe some undiagnosed PTSD to go with it.

Mental illness has a stigma, but most sufferers are like me. Boring. Struggling. Outwardly pretty normal. Not a threat to society. Sometimes we even push our way through work, relationships, raising kids, or—in my case—graduate school.

Comment: Mutiny of the soul: Another way of looking at fatigue & depression

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Pills

Hidden hand of BigPharma? Elderly patients prescribed anti-hypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure


Science Daily
Mon, 04 Jul 2016 00:00 UTC
Blood Pressure
© Thinkstock
According to a new study in the journal Age and Ageing, a significant proportion of patients over 70 remain on antihypertensive medication despite having low blood pressure. This, the study argues, has a significant effect on increased mortality rates and admissions to hospital.

After analysing results of 11,167 patients over 70 years old, the researchers from CHSS at the University of Kent and East Kent Hospitals found that hypotension was independently associated with increased morality and hospital admissions. Of the 1899 people with some degree of low blood pressure, 1246 of these were on antihypertensive medication (lowering blood pressure). Lead author Professor Chris Farmer, explained:
"Treating hypertension in old age reduces strokes and other cardiovascular events. However in elderly patients with multiple risks, there is a trade-off between using antihypertensives to reduce the risk of future disease and increased risk due to adverse effects of medication."

"Once medication is initiated," Professor Farmer continued, "it is not always regularly reviewed to adjust for physiological changes associated with ageing and the effects of additional drugs."
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Life Preserver

The many surprising benefits of spending time in a sauna

Amanda Froelich
TrueActivist.com
Mon, 04 Jul 2016 00:00 UTC
sauna benefits
Using a sauna after a refreshing swim - or yoga class - can be a relaxing treat, but are you aware just how beneficial a sweat session can be?

Reportedly, spending time in a sauna - which is basically a hot box, heated to approximately 150-200 degrees F - for at least 10-15 minutes each week can help you in more ways than one. Not only does the deep, penetrating heat help your body detoxify heavy metals and toxins from which are easily accumulated in today's polluted world, it boosts the immune system and can even help you look more beautiful!

Indeed, sweating in a sauna could be one of the keys to living a longer, happier, and healthier life. Following are 7 ways using a sauna benefits your mental, physical, and emotional health.

Improves Skin Appearance

Perhaps the best-known benefit of using a sauna is that it helps flush toxins from the body. Because your skin is the body's largest organ, cleaning it through profuse sweating often results in better skin due to improved blood circulation. One might also notice a diminishment in acne and blackheads as saunas help to remove dead skin. Finally, saunas provide a significant boost in growth hormone levels, which provide a bounty of anti-aging benefits.

Boosts The Immune System

It's easy in today's world to become bogged down by environmental pollution, stress at the office, and unhealthy dietary and eating habits. Luckily, saunas help boost the immune system because the steam stimulates the body to produce more white blood cells.

Of course, properly detoxifying the body and adopting healthy habits will naturally improve your immune system, but this is an extra benefit of regularly using a sauna.

Comment: Infrared saunas can improve the health results achieved as compared to conventional saunas. They use infrared light instead of conventional heat to bring up the body temperature, which can increase the core body temperature by 2-3 degrees to significantly expedite the detoxification process. Infrared saunas heat your tissues several inches deep, which can enhance your natural metabolic processes, enhance circulation and help oxygenate your tissues.

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Red Flag

Kinder and Lindt chocolate bars revealed to contain cancer-causing carcinogens


RT
Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:55 UTC
kinder chocolate
© Wikipedia
Tests carried out by a German watchdog revealed Kinder chocolate bars and two other brands tested positive for a hazardous cancer-causing substance.

Foodwatch called for Ferrero's Kinder Riegel, Lindt's Fioretto Nougat Minis, and Sun Rice Classic Schokohappen by Rübezahl to be taken off the shelves on Monday after tests found "possible carcinogens."

The sweet treats had been contaminated with "so-called aromatic mineral oils (MOAH)," says Foodwatch, but the manufacturers are allegedly reluctant to recall their products.

"The manufacturer is guilty of gross negligence. Instead of clearing the dangerous candy from the shelves and alerting consumers, they [postulate]... that everything was undertaken legally," said Foodwatch's John Heeg.
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