A British study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives has found that people with high levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their blood also have higher rates of thyroid disease. PFOA is a chemical used in the production of many industrial and consumer products including non-stick cookware, stain-resistant carpet coatings, and fabric waterproofing treatments.
Nearly 4,000 American adults over the age of 20 were tested for PFOA between 1999 and 2006 and evaluated based on thyroid function. Researchers found that those with the highest blood serum levels of PFOA, above 5.7 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml), were twice as likely to have thyroid disease than those with the lowest levels below 4.0 ng/ml.
Despite the fact that thyroid disease is typically more common in women rather than in men, researchers found that the link between PFOA and thyroid disease is as just as prevalent in men as it is in women.
Health & Wellness
A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has studied food prices over 20 years' time and compared those to average caloric intake to find an association between food prices, dietary intake, and weight assessments. The study concluded that adding a tax to increase the price of soda or pizza by 10% would produce a weight loss of -7.12% (an average of 5 pounds) per year. In other words, by adding a "sin tax" to foods considered "junk," the average American would be forced to lose 5 pounds of body fat in a year's time. The problem here is that the study completely ignores what makes most North Americans obese (cheap, highly processed, bad-for-you food) and why it's so cheap. Subsidies.
The United States Government subsidizes crops grown by American farmers to the tune of $10-$30 billion per year, depending on market prices for crops and disaster payments for lost crops. About 35% of those subsidies go towards corn, 14% to wheat, and 7% to soybeans. This means that 56% of all federal subsidies go towards crops that are used as the base for nearly every kind of junk food you can name.
Corn is made into high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and is the second ingredient in most sodas after water. Corn is also used to artificially fatten beef and other livestock before slaughter (with questionable nutritional outcomes) while wheat and soybeans are the base for thousands of breads and filler items.
The United States Government subsidizes crops grown by American farmers to the tune of $10-$30 billion per year, depending on market prices for crops and disaster payments for lost crops. About 35% of those subsidies go towards corn, 14% to wheat, and 7% to soybeans. This means that 56% of all federal subsidies go towards crops that are used as the base for nearly every kind of junk food you can name.
Corn is made into high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and is the second ingredient in most sodas after water. Corn is also used to artificially fatten beef and other livestock before slaughter (with questionable nutritional outcomes) while wheat and soybeans are the base for thousands of breads and filler items.
It seems that the medical establishment, along with the pharmaceutical industry, may have a new excuse to put a LOT more people on blood pressure medications. Of course, you can imagine the billions of profit dollars this could generate; so many pharmaceutical companies may be jumping for joy at this news.
What is the news? Well, new research is suggesting that people with consistently high blood pressure aren't the only ones that need to be on medications. The findings are showing that people with variable blood pressure readings may need to be on them as well, because of a substantial risk of stroke.
This could mean that millions more people would be prescribed various medications to regulate their blood pressure on an ongoing basis. The goal is that these deadly spikes, or blips, in blood pressure would be minimized. It also means that the pharmaceutical industry would see profits for their related drugs skyrocket, and patients would be on even more medications. As if America isn't already over medicated!
What is the news? Well, new research is suggesting that people with consistently high blood pressure aren't the only ones that need to be on medications. The findings are showing that people with variable blood pressure readings may need to be on them as well, because of a substantial risk of stroke.
This could mean that millions more people would be prescribed various medications to regulate their blood pressure on an ongoing basis. The goal is that these deadly spikes, or blips, in blood pressure would be minimized. It also means that the pharmaceutical industry would see profits for their related drugs skyrocket, and patients would be on even more medications. As if America isn't already over medicated!
It's amazing that the day before the health care "reform" bill is passed in America, the FDA announces that one of the most popular statin drugs sold in America causes so much kidney damage that it might kill you. And then the day after this health care bill passes, the FDA announces that a popular rotovirus vaccine made by Merck is being halted because it is contaminated with a mysterious DNA sequence from a pig virus called porcine circovirus type 1 or PCV-1.
The reason this is important is because cholesterol drugs and vaccines represent what conventional American medicine is all about: Drugs and injections. It's not about health and prevention; it's about drugs and injections (and surgery too, of course).
And the legislation that was just passed is focused entirely on how to expand the failed system of drugs and injections so that it causes harm to everyone rather than just those who voluntarily choose to be suckered into it. This is the medical equivalent of a wartime draft that forces soldiers into battle against their will. Except this isn't a war against some foreign enemy -- it's a war being waged against your body by the pharmaceutical industry, the cancer industry, the surgery pushers and all the corporations that prey upon the public for their sick-care profits.
The reason this is important is because cholesterol drugs and vaccines represent what conventional American medicine is all about: Drugs and injections. It's not about health and prevention; it's about drugs and injections (and surgery too, of course).
And the legislation that was just passed is focused entirely on how to expand the failed system of drugs and injections so that it causes harm to everyone rather than just those who voluntarily choose to be suckered into it. This is the medical equivalent of a wartime draft that forces soldiers into battle against their will. Except this isn't a war against some foreign enemy -- it's a war being waged against your body by the pharmaceutical industry, the cancer industry, the surgery pushers and all the corporations that prey upon the public for their sick-care profits.
There was a mumps outbreak in the New York area late 2009 through early 2010 that surprised many because virtually all those infected had been vaccinated for mumps. Approximately 80% of the almost 2000 afflicted had received the required two shots of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) three in one vaccines. So what are regional health authorities recommending as a solution? A third dangerous MMR shot!
Even a CDC reviewed site admits that mumps in children is a mild disease, and once you've had the mumps, you won't get it again. You've been immunized by having it! Mumps and measles used to occur mostly with children well before puberty.
What's weird about this outbreak is that the average age for the afflicted is 15! In some communities years ago, parents would intentionally expose their kids to children with measles, mumps, or chickenpox to confer future immunity, successfully. So what's with all these vaccinations?
Even a CDC reviewed site admits that mumps in children is a mild disease, and once you've had the mumps, you won't get it again. You've been immunized by having it! Mumps and measles used to occur mostly with children well before puberty.
What's weird about this outbreak is that the average age for the afflicted is 15! In some communities years ago, parents would intentionally expose their kids to children with measles, mumps, or chickenpox to confer future immunity, successfully. So what's with all these vaccinations?
As little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times per week can reduce the risk of early heart-disease-related death by 60 percent, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Department of Cardiology in New Orleans and published in the American Journal of Medicine.
"This study proves once again that exercise has both psychological and physical benefits for patients with heart disease," the British Heart Foundation said. "Health authorities must ensure that all suitable heart patients are offered cardiac rehabilitation. Structured, well-resourced programs have been shown to improve physical and psychological well-being and reduce mortality."
Researchers offered 522 heart disease patients a 12-week exercise class, which included three weekly sessions consisting of a 10-minute warm-up, 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise, and a 10-minute wind-down stretch. Aerobic exercises included walking, jogging, rowing and cycling. All exercise program participants were advised to exercise a further one to three times per week, and were given diet and lifestyle advice.
"This study proves once again that exercise has both psychological and physical benefits for patients with heart disease," the British Heart Foundation said. "Health authorities must ensure that all suitable heart patients are offered cardiac rehabilitation. Structured, well-resourced programs have been shown to improve physical and psychological well-being and reduce mortality."
Researchers offered 522 heart disease patients a 12-week exercise class, which included three weekly sessions consisting of a 10-minute warm-up, 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise, and a 10-minute wind-down stretch. Aerobic exercises included walking, jogging, rowing and cycling. All exercise program participants were advised to exercise a further one to three times per week, and were given diet and lifestyle advice.
© Center for Advanced Military Science
Old defense approach: the military fails to address social stress.
Old defense approach: the military fails to address social stress.
The paper describes the concept of a "Prevention Wing of the Military," a group of military personnel that practices the advanced TM-Sidhi program twice daily as a group. A group that reaches a critical threshold in size has been scientifically shown to reduce collective societal stress.
© Harvard University
Bisphenol A, a common ingredient in plastics, has been shown to cause birth defects in mice
Bisphenol A, a common ingredient in plastics, has been shown to cause birth defects in mice
The scientists, whose study appears in the latest issue of the journal Current Biology, urged more research into the potential effects of bisphenol A, a chemical long criticized by environmentalists as being a hormone disruptor that could cause defects in embryos.
The defects observed in tests on mice, had they occurred in humans, could lead to miscarriages or mental retardation such as Down Syndrome - and they seem to be caused at what were considered to be low levels of exposure, the researchers reported.
Madison, Wisconsin - Today, Governor Doyle signed the BPA Free Kids Act into law, making Wisconsin the third state in the nation to ban the toxic chemical, bisphenol-A (BPA), from children's products.
"Wisconsin is leading the way with today's signing of the BPA Free Kids Act. This is a historic day for toxics reform, public health and consumer protection, but this is just the first step" said Bruce Speight, WISPIRG Director.
"Wisconsin is leading the way with today's signing of the BPA Free Kids Act. This is a historic day for toxics reform, public health and consumer protection, but this is just the first step" said Bruce Speight, WISPIRG Director.
"Our kids are exposed to thousands of toxics chemicals, most of which are on the market with little to no safety testing. We are just starting to see the health effects; we must build on this important victory for the health of our kids and for the health of all of us."The BPA Free Kids Act prohibits the manufacture and sale at the wholesale level of baby bottles and sippy cups that contain BPA. It also requires that these bottles and sippy cups be clearly labeled as being "BPA Free." The law will go into effect 90 days from today.
March 22nd is World Water Day. On this day all eyes will be turned overseas to the 1.1 billion people that lack access to clean drinking water. What few Americans realize is that the world water crisis has hit America with little fanfare and if we do not act soon, the devastating effects will be irreversible. But luckily this year something significant is being done about it. Beginning on world water day, an amazing new award-winning documentary, called Tapped, will embark on a 30-day cross-country trip across America in an effort to raise awareness of the water crisis in America and wean the public off their reliance on bottled water.
And yet, this is just a "drop" of what needs to be done.
While 90 percent of the US has access to clean drinking water, the remaining 10 percent live in conditions that resemble a third-world country. In a bonus clip for Tapped offered on their website, Tapped takes us to a town just three hours from Los Angeles where the water has been so polluted by the local farming community that residents must make daily trips to buy bottled water to cook, clean, and bathe in. They spend their paychecks buying bottled water thinking they will limit their exposure to the toxins in their tap water, not realizing that only a few of us really know what's in our bottled water because less than one full-time staff person at the FDA is responsible for making sure that bottled water is safe for us.
And yet, this is just a "drop" of what needs to be done.
While 90 percent of the US has access to clean drinking water, the remaining 10 percent live in conditions that resemble a third-world country. In a bonus clip for Tapped offered on their website, Tapped takes us to a town just three hours from Los Angeles where the water has been so polluted by the local farming community that residents must make daily trips to buy bottled water to cook, clean, and bathe in. They spend their paychecks buying bottled water thinking they will limit their exposure to the toxins in their tap water, not realizing that only a few of us really know what's in our bottled water because less than one full-time staff person at the FDA is responsible for making sure that bottled water is safe for us.
Comment: Despite FDA concern, American Chemistry Council insists Bisphenol A is safe for everyone: For more information on the negative health effects of Bisphenol A or BPA read: The Real Story Behind Bisphenol A
Listed below are several articles that clearly depict the toxicity of BPA and it's effects on the human body.
New Study Confirms Bisphenol A Found in Plastic is Linked to Heart Disease
BPA Study Points To Intestine Damage
BPA Linked To Male Sexual Dysfunction
Bisphenol A Linked to Metabolic Syndrome in Humans
Plastics chemical alters female brains - Research renews debate over the toxicity of bisphenol A, a plastics chemical found in humans
Prenatal BPA Exposure Linked to Behavioral Issues
Bisphenol A exposure dangerous for human heart and reproduction
BPA Should Be Avoided, Federal Official Says