It may seem counterintuitive, but there are many instances where science can actually hold us back from new discoveries and knowledge. Unfortunately, mainstream science is quick to discount anything which cannot be physically seen or felt, making notions like 'energy points' within the body seem like pure science fiction. But just because we can't physically see something, does not mean it doesn't exist. Nikola Tesla told us that "the day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence," and hundreds of scientists around the world have been taking on this task for several years. Within the next few decades, the examination of non-material science is going to skyrocket, and we all stand to benefit. What we know as science is definitely changing.

One example where non-material science could benefit the human race is healthcare, as a number of publications have revealed the importance of mind-body connections, and how our thoughts, emotions, feelings, the perception of the environment around us and more are all connected to the health of our body and regulation of our immune system. A study published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies titled "The Primo Vascular System as a New Anatomical System" is one that has recognized the importance of these concepts.

Last year, the American Gastroenterological Association published a study analyzing the effects of antibiotics taken before age 2 on obesity levels by age 4. They found that young children who had been exposed to antibiotics before age 2 had a 25 percent relative increase of being obese by age 4.

The risk is strongest with 3 or more repeated courses of antibiotics. Frank Irving Scott, MD, MSCE, assistant professor of medicine at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, and adjunct scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, stated, "Antibiotics have been used to promote weight gain in livestock for several decades, and our research confirms that antibiotics have the same effect in humans. Our work supports the theory that antibiotics may progressively alter the composition and function of the gut microbiome, thereby predisposing children to obesity as is seen in livestock and animal models."

Since the 1970s, the percentage of American children who are obese has tripled. Currently, about 1 in 5 school-aged children is obese in the US. In Canada, WHO estimates one third of Canadian children are obese. The CDC lists several ways obesity impacts a child's well-being:

Sugar, spice and everything nice...that's what girls are made of. Society has played a role in promulgating the myth of the compassionate and tender female and people hold the belief that all women are pleasant and agreeable -- it's the males of the species who warrant suspicion. All women are kind and in touch with their emotions and the emotions of others. They're all nurturing caregivers with a strong mothering instinct. Right? Wrong! It's because of these false beliefs that people can be blindsided when a Nasty Woman crosses their path.

On this episode of the Health and Wellness Show we discuss Nasty Women -- the borderlines, the histrionics, the female psychopaths and the ones you can't quite label but you know something is off. What are their tactics, how do they differ from Nasty Men, who are their prey and how can we protect ourselves from these she-devils?

Stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Health Segment where the topic will be species appropriate nutrition.

Running Time: 01:49:22

Download: MP3

I always get a headache from certain scents, and recently heard that people can develop all kinds of physical symptoms in response to odors. Can you tell me if it is the scents themselves that cause this or is it an allergy? - 1/31/2017

What you experience appears to be fairly common. A study published in October 2016 found that more than one-third of Americans react to artificially fragranced products with symptoms that include migraine headaches, asthma attacks and other breathing problems, dizziness, rashes, congestion, seizures, nausea and more. According to the study, in half of these cases, the effects are potentially disabling, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The study author, Anne Steinemann, Ph.D., an engineering professor at Australia's University of Melbourne, drew her data from a nationally representative population survey in the U.S. using a random sample of 1,136 adults. She reported that the products that seemed to cause the most problems are air fresheners, cleaning supplies, laundry products, scented candles, cologne, and personal care products.

Experts warn we face a global epidemic of blindness if we continue to spend hours you spend staring at a screen.

The high energy light emitted from digital screens is causing irreversible damage to our eyes by deteriorating the retinas.

Damage to the retinas - the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye - is the biggest cause of central blindness.

And a new report warns 'it is now clearer than ever that we are facing a global epidemic' of sight loss - particularly for the millions of children who are exposed to digital screens earlier than ever.

Lead researcher Dr Celia Sanchez-Ramos said: 'It is paramount for adults and parents to act now and protect themselves from further damage.'

"The science is largely complete. Ten epidemiological studies have shown MMR vaccine doesn't cause autism; six have shown thimerosal doesn't cause autism."— Dr. Paul Offit, "Autism's False Prophets"

"16 studies have shown no causal association between vaccines and autism, and these studies carry weight in the scientific industry."— Dr. Nancy Snyderman, NBC Today Show Medical Editor

Conventional wisdom holds that the autism-vaccine question has been "asked and answered," and that at least 16 large, well-constructed epidemiological studies have thoroughly addressed and debunked any hypothesis that childhood vaccination is in any way associated with an increased risk for autism spectrum disorders.

But there are several critical flaws in such an oversimplified generalization, and they are rarely given close examination by public health experts or members of the media.

To begin with, it is unscientific and perilously misleading for anyone to assert that "vaccines and autism" have been studied and that no link has been found. That's because the 16 or so studies constantly cited by critics of the hypothesis have examined just one vaccine and one vaccine ingredient.

Airborne particulate matter emitted by automobiles and power plants in urban areas may account for 21 percent of dementia cases and may nearly double the likelihood that women older than 64 years will develop cognitive impairment, a new study says.

The chances of developing dementia increase by around 92 percent for women ages 65 to 79 who are exposed to air pollution consisting of particulate matter up to 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) in diameter, a level that exceeded US Environmental Protection Agency standards from 2012, according to the study, released this week in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

Applying the study's findings to the population beyond older women, PM2.5 could be the cause of about 21 percent of all dementia cases, according to the University of Southern California researchers responsible for the study. PM2.5 "mainly comes from power plants and automobiles," researchers said in a news release.

"Microscopic particles generated by fossil fuels get into our body directly through the nose into the brain," said Caleb Finch, co-senior author of the study and a professor at the University of Southern California's Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. "Cells in the brain treat these particles as invaders and react with inflammatory responses, which over the course of time, appear to exacerbate and promote Alzheimer's disease.

Milk is touted to build strong bones, but a compilation of all the best studies found no association between milk consumption and hip fracture risk; so, drinking milk as an adult might not help bones, but what about in adolescence? Harvard researchers decided to put it to the test.

Studies have shown that greater milk consumption during childhood and adolescence contributes to peak bone mass, and is therefore expected to help avoid osteoporosis and bone fractures in later life. But that's not what researchers have found (as you can see in my video Is Milk Good for Our Bones?). Milk consumption during teenage years was not associated with a lower risk of hip fracture, and if anything, milk consumption was associated with a borderline increase in fracture risk in men.

It appears that the extra boost in total body bone mineral density from getting extra calcium is lost within a few years, even if you keep the calcium supplementation up. This suggests a partial explanation for the long-standing enigma that hip fracture rates are highest in populations with the greatest milk consumption. This may be an explanation for why they're not lower, but why would they be higher?

Nearsightedness is incredibly common, affecting an estimated 40 percent of Americans and up to 90 percent of young adults in Asian countries.¹ According to research published in 2009, rates of nearsightedness in the U.S. have risen by 66 percent since the early 1970s.²

A 2015 study estimated up to one-third of the world's population may be nearsighted by the end of the decade — that's 2.5 billion people.³ The following year, a meta-analysis of 145 studies predicted nearly half of the world will be nearsighted by the year 2050.⁴

Just what might be causing this rapid mass-deterioration of vision? One longstanding theory was that excessive reading at close distance (particularly in poor lighting) could lead to nearsightedness by altering growth and shape of the eyeball.

As computers and smartphones grew in popularity, squinting at computer screens has received a majority of the blame.

The "bookworm theory" first emerged centuries ago when German astronomer Johannes Kepler claimed his studies caused his nearsightedness. It seemed plausible enough, especially as rates of the condition skyrocketed in regions like Shanghai, where teens spend about 14 hours a week on homework.⁵

However, once investigated further, the bookwork theory came up short. When researchers looked at number of books read per week or hours spent using a computer among children in Singapore, no significant link to nearsightedness was actually found.⁶

According to the authors, "neither reading nor parental myopia history were associated with values for anterior chamber depth, corneal curvature, or lens thickness."

They went on to suggest that "corneal curvature and lens thickness may be subject to unrelated postnatal growth control mechanisms." Interestingly, a number of studies now suggest one of these control mechanisms might be sun exposure.

A Missouri House bill would ban public health clinics from administering vaccines that contain mercury or any other metal put into the vaccine for preservation purposes, contradicting approved federal policy.

House Bill 331 (HB331) was introduced by Rep. Lynn Morris (R-Nixa) to mitigate concerns regarding vaccine safety. With the exception of health emergencies determined by the Department of Health & Senior Services with concurrence from the governor, the following provision would apply:

Beginning August 28, 2018, no vaccine containing mercury or other metal for preservation or other purpose shall be administrated to a child or adult in a public health clinic in Missouri.

HB331 begins the process of nullifying potential vaccine mandates, which generally have their basis in federal recommendations or guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although these federal rules are not technically binding, they often influence policy-makers and individuals at the local and state levels to adopt coercive mandates regarding mercury-laced vaccines and other toxic substances.

By taking the rule-making power back into their own hands, the state of Missouri can disconnect from federal control and restore its sovereignty on this key issue.