Category Archives: Health

Health, News

Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies (Part Two)

3 Comments

See Part One at the link first

Genetically Engineered Corn

The biotech industry is fond of saying that they offer genetically modified (GM) crops that resist pests. This might conjure up the image of insects staying away from GM crop fields. But “resisting pests” is just a euphemism for
contains its own built-in pesticide. When bugs take a bite of the GM plant, the toxin splits open their stomach and kills them.

The idea that we consume that same toxic pesticide in every bite is hardly appetizing. But the biotech companies and the Environmental Protection Agency—which regulates plant produced pesticides—tell us not to worry. They contend that the pesticide called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) is produced naturally from a soil bacterium and has a history of safe use. Organic farmers, for example, have used solutions containing the natural bacteria for years as a method of insect control. Genetic engineers simply remove the gene that produces the Bt in bacteria and then insert it into the DNA of corn and cotton plants, so that the plant does the work, not the farmer. Moreover, they say that Bt-toxin is quickly destroyed in our stomach; and even if it survived, since humans and other mammals have no receptors for the toxin, it would not interact with us in any case.

These arguments, however, are just that—unsupported assumptions. Research tells a different story.

Bt spray is dangerous to humans

When natural Bt was sprayed over areas around Vancouver and Washington State to fight gypsy moths, about 500 people reported reactions—mostly allergy or flu-like symptoms. Six people had to go to the emergency room for allergies or asthma.
[1],
[2] Workers who applied Bt sprays reported eye, nose, throat, and respiratory irritation,
[3] and some showed an antibody immune response in linked to Bt.
[4] Farmers exposed to liquid Bt formulations had reactions including infection, an ulcer on the cornea,
[5] skin irritation, burning, swelling, and redness.
[6] One woman who was accidentally sprayed with Bt also developed fever, altered consciousness, and seizures.
[7]

In fact, authorities have long acknowledged that “People with compromised immune systems or preexisting allergies may be particularly susceptible to the effects of Bt.”
[8] The Oregon Health Division advises that “individuals with . . . physician-diagnosed causes of severe immune disorders may consider leaving the area during the actual spraying.”
[9] A spray manufacturer warns, “Repeated exposure via inhalation can result in sensitization and allergic response in hypersensitive individuals.”
[10] So much for the contention that Bt does not interact with humans.

As for being thoroughly destroyed in the digestive system, mouse studies disproved this as well. Mice fed Bt-toxin showed significant immune responses—as potent as cholera toxin. In addition, the Bt caused their immune system to become sensitive to formerly harmless compounds This suggests that exposure might make a person allergic to a wide range of substances.
[11],
[12] The EPA’s own expert advisors said that the mouse and farm worker studies above “suggest that Bt proteins could act as antigenic and allergenic sources.”
[13]
The toxin in GM plants is more dangerous than natural sprays

The Bt-toxin produced in GM crops is “vastly different from the bacterial [Bt-toxins] used in organic and traditional farming and forestry.”
[14] First of all, GM plants produce about 3,000-5,000 times the amount of toxin as the sprays. And the spray form is broken down within a few days to two weeks by sunlight,
[15] high temperatures, or substances on the leaves of plants; and it can be “washed from leaves into the soil by rainfall,”
[16] or rinsed by consumers. A Bt producing GM plant, on the other hand, continuously produces the toxin in every cell where it does not dissipate by weather and cannot be washed off.

The natural toxic produced in bacteria is inactive until it gets inside the alkaline digestive tract of an insect. Once inside, a “safety catch” is removed and the Bt becomes toxic. But scientists change the sequence the Bt gene before inserting it into GM plants. The Bt toxin it produces usually comes
without the safety catch. The plant-produced Bt toxin is
always active and more likely to trigger an immune response than the natural variety.
[17]
Bt-toxin fails safety studies but is used nonetheless

Tests cannot verify that a GM protein introduced into the food supply for the first time will not cause allergies in some people. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) offer criteria designed to reduce the likelihood that allergenic GM crops are approved.
[18]They suggest examining a protein for 1) similarity of its amino acid sequence to known allergens, 2) digestive stability and 3) heat stability. These properties aren’t
predictive of allergenicity, but their presence, according to experts, should be sufficient to reject the GM crop or at least require more testing. The Bt-toxin produced in GM corn fails all three criteria.

For example, the specific Bt-toxin found in Monsanto’s Yield Guard and Syngenta’s Bt 11 corn varieties is called Cry1AB. In 1998, an FDA researcher discovered that Cry1Ab shared a sequence of 9-12 amino acids with vitellogenin, an egg yolk allergen. The study concluded that “the similarity . . . might be sufficient to warrant additional evaluation.”
[19] No additional evaluation took place.
[20]

Cry1Ab is also very resistant to digestion and heat.
[21] It is nearly as stable as the type of Bt-toxin produced by StarLink corn. StarLink was a GM variety not approved for human consumption because experts believed that its highly stable protein might trigger allergies.
[22] Although it was grown for use in animal feed, it contaminated the US food supply in 2000. Thousands of consumers complained to food manufacturers about possible reactions and over 300 items were subject to recall. After the StarLink incident, expert advisors to the EPA had called for “surveillance and clinical assessment of exposed individuals” to “confirm the allergenicity of
Bt products.”
[23] Again, no such monitoring has taken place.

Bt cotton triggers allergic reactions

A 2005 report by medical investigators in India describes an ominous finding. Hundreds of agricultural workers are developing moderate or severe allergic reactions when exposed to Bt cotton. This includes those picking cotton, loading it, cleaning it, or even leaning against it. Some at a ginning factory must take antihistamines daily, in order to go to work. Reactions are
only triggered with the Bt varieties.
[24] Furthermore, the symptoms are virtually identical to those described by the 500 people in Vancouver and Washington who were sprayed with Bt. Only “exacerbations of asthma” were in one list and not the other (see table).

Upper respiratory Eyes Skin Overall
Bt Spray Sneezing,
runny nose,
exacerbations of asthma		 Watery,
red		 Itching, burning, inflammation, red, swelling Fever,
some in hospital
Bt cotton Sneezing,
runny nose		 Watery,
red		 Itching, burning, eruptions,
red, swelling		 Fever,
some in hospital

(We are unaware of similar reports in the US, where 83% of the cotton is Bt. But in the US, cotton is harvested by machine, not by hand.)

The experience of the Indian workers begs the question, “How long does the Bt-toxin stay active in the cotton?” It there any risk using cotton diapers, tampons, or bandages? In the latter case, if the Bt-toxin interfered with healing it could be a disaster. With diabetics, for example, unhealed wounds may be cause for amputation.

Cottonseed is also used for cottonseed oil—used in many processed foods in the US. The normal methods used to extract oil likely destroy the toxin, although cold pressed oil may still retain some of it. Other parts of the cotton plant, however, are routinely used as animal feed. The next part of this series—focused on toxicity—presents evidence of disease and deaths associated with animals consuming Bt cotton plants.

Bt corn pollen may cause allergies

Bt-toxin is produced in GM corn and can be eaten intact. It is also in pollen, which can be breathed in. In 2003, during the time when an adjacent Bt cornfield was pollinating, virtually an entire Filipino village of about 100 people were stricken by a disease. The symptoms included headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever and allergies, as well as respiratory, intestinal, and skin reactions. The symptoms appeared first in those living closest to the field, and then progressed to others by proximity. Blood samples from 39 individuals showed antibodies in response to
Bt-toxin; this supports, but does not prove a link to the symptoms. When the same corn was planted in four other villages the following year, however, the symptoms returned in all four areas—only during the time of pollination.

The potential dangers of breathing GM pollen had been identified in a letter to the US FDA in 1998 by the UK Joint Food Safety and Standards Group. They had even warned that genes from inhaled pollen might transfer into the DNA of bacteria in the respiratory system.
[25] Although no studies were done to verify this risk, years later UK scientists confirmed that after consuming GM soybeans, the foreign inserted genes can transfer into the DNA of gut bacteria. If this also happens with Bt genes, than years after we decide to stop eating GM corn chips, our own gut bacteria may continue to produce
Bt-toxin within our intestines.

Studies show immune responses to GM crops

Studies confirm that several GM crops engineered to produce built-in pesticides provoke immune responses in animals. A Monsanto rat study on Bt corn (Mon 863), that was made public due to a lawsuit, showed a significant increase in three types of blood cells related to the immune system: basophils, lymphocytes, and total white cell counts.
[26]

Australian scientists took an insecticide producing gene (not Bt) from a kidney bean and put it into a pea, in hopes of killing the pea weevil. The peas had
passed the tests normally used to approve GM crops and were on the way to being commercialized. But the developers decided to employ a mouse study that had never before been used on other GM food crops. When they tested the pesticide in its natural state, i.e. the version produced within kidney beans, the protein was not harmful to mice. But that “same” protein, when produced by the kidney bean gene that was inserted into pea DNA, triggered inflammatory responses in the mice, suggesting that it would cause allergies in humans. Somehow, the protein had been changed from harmless to potentially deadly, just by being created in a different plant. Scientists believe that subtle, unpredicted changes in the pattern of sugar molecules that were attached to the protein were the cause of the problem. These types of subtle changes are not routinely analyzed in GM crops on the market.

Experimental potatoes engineered with a third type of insecticide caused immune damage to rats.
[27] Blood tests showed that their immune responses were more sluggish, and organs associated with immune function also appeared to be damaged. As with the peas, the insecticide in its natural state was harmless to the rats. The cause of the health problems was therefore due to some unpredicted change brought about by the genetic engineering process. And like the peas, if the potatoes had been subjected to only the type of tests that are typically used by biotech companies to get their foods on the market, the potatoes would have been approved.

Allergic reactions are a defensive, often harmful immune system response to an external irritant. The body interprets something as foreign, different and offensive, and reacts accordingly. All GM foods, by definition, have something foreign and different. According to GM food safety expert Arpad Pusztai, “A consistent feature of all the studies done, published or unpublished, . . . indicates major problems with changes in the immune status of animals fed on various GM crops/foods.
”
[28]

In addition to immune responses, several studies and reports from the field provide evidence that GM foods are toxic. In the next article in this series, we look at thousands of sick, sterile and dead animals, linked to consumption of GM crops.

[1] Washington State Department of Health, “Report of health surveillance activities: Asian gypsy moth control program,” (Olympia, WA: Washington State Dept. of Health, 1993).

[2] M. Green, et al., “Public health implications of the microbial pesticide
Bacillus thuringiensis: An epidemiological study, Oregon, 1985-86,”
Amer. J. Public Health 80, no. 7(1990): 848-852.

[3] M.A. Noble, P.D. Riben, and G. J. Cook, “Microbiological and epidemiological surveillance program to monitor the health effects of Foray 48B BTK spray” (Vancouver, B.C.: Ministry of Forests, Province of British Columbi, Sep. 30, 1992).

[4] A. Edamura, MD, “Affidavit of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division. Dale Edwards and Citizens Against Aerial Spraying vs. Her Majesty the Queen, Represented by the Minister of Agriculture,” (May 6, 1993); as reported in Carrie Swadener, ”
Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.),”
Journal of Pesticide Reform, 14, no, 3 (Fall 1994).

[5] J. R. Samples, and H. Buettner, “Ocular infection caused by a biological insecticide,”
J. Infectious Dis. 148, no. 3 (1983): 614; as reported in Carrie Swadener, ”
Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.)”,
Journal of Pesticide Reform 14, no. 3 (Fall 1994)

[6]M. Green, et al., “Public health implications of the microbial pesticide
Bacilus thuringiensis: An epidemiological study, Oregon, 1985-86,”
Amer. J. Public Health, 80, no. 7 (1990): 848-852.

[7] A. Edamura, MD, “Affidavit of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division. Dale Edwards and Citizens Against Aerial Spraying vs. Her Majesty the Queen, Represented by the Minister of Agriculture,” (May 6, 1993); as reported in Carrie Swadener, ”
Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.),”
Journal of Pesticide Reform, 14, no, 3 (Fall 1994).

[8] Carrie Swadener, ”
Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.),”
Journal of Pesticide Reform 14, no. 3 (Fall 1994).

[9]
Health effects of B.t.: Report of surveillance in
Oregon
, 1985-87. Precautions to minimize your exposure (Salem, OR: Oregon Departmentof Human Resources, Health Division, April 18, 1991).

[10]
Material Safety Data Sheet for Foray 48B Flowable Concentrate (Danbury, CT: Novo Nordisk, February, 1991).

[11]Vazquez et al, “Intragastric and intraperitoneal administration of Cry1Ac protoxin from
Bacillus thuringiensis induces systemic and mucosal antibody responses in mice,”
Life Sciences, 64, no. 21 (1999): 1897-1912; Vazquez et al, “Characterization of the mucosal and systemic immune response induced by Cry1Ac protein from
Bacillus thuringiensis HD 73 in mice,”
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 33 (2000): 147-155.

[12] Vazquez et al, ”
Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protoxin is a potent systemic and mucosal adjuvant,”
Scandanavian Journal of Immunology 49 (1999): 578-584. See also Vazquez-Padron et al., 147 (2000b).

[13] EPA Scientific Advisory Panel, “Bt Plant-Pesticides Risk and Benefits Assessments,” March 12, 2001: 76. Available at:
http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/2000/october/octoberfinal.pdf
[14] Terje Traavik and Jack Heinemann, “Genetic Engineering and Omitted Health Research: Still No Answers to Ageing Questions, 2006. Cited in their quote was: G. Stotzky, “Release, persistence, and biological activity in soil of insecticidal proteins from
Bacillus thuringiensis,” found in Deborah K. Letourneau and Beth E. Burrows,
Genetically Engineered Organisms. Assessing Environmental and Human Health Effects (cBoca Raton, FL: CRC Press LLC, 2002), 187-222.

[15] C. M. Ignoffo, and C. Garcial, “UV-photoinactivation of cells and spores of
Bacillus thuringiensis and effects of peroxidase on inactivation,”
Environmental Entomology 7 (1978): 270-272.

[16] BT: An Alternative to Chemical Pesticides,
Environmental Protection Division, Ministry of Environment, Government of British Columbia, Canada,
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/ipmp/fact_sheets/BTfacts.htm
[17] See for example, A. Dutton, H. Klein, J. Romeis, and F. Bigler, “Uptake of Bt-toxin by herbivores feeding on transgenic maize and consequences for the predator
Chrysoperia carnea,”
Ecological Entomology 27 (2002): 441-7; and J. Romeis, A. Dutton, and F. Bigler, ”
Bacillus thuringiensis toxin (Cry1Ab) has no direct effect on larvae of the green lacewing
Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae),”
Journal of Insect Physiology 50, no.2-3 (2004): 175-183.

[18] FAO-WHO, “Evaluation of Allergenicity of Genetically Modified Foods. Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Allergenicity of Foods Derived from Biotechnology,” Jan. 22-25, 2001;
http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/food/pdf/allergygm.pdf
[19] Gendel, “The use of amino acid sequence alignments to assess potential allergenicity of proteins used in genetically modified foods,”
Advances in Food and Nutrition Research 42 (1998), 45-62.

[20] US EPA, “Biopesticides Registration Action Document (BRAD)—
Bacillus thuringiensis Plant-Incorporated Protectants: Product Characterization & Human Health Assessment,” EPA BRAD (2001b) (October 15, 2001): IIB4,
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/pips/bt_brad2/2-id_health.pdf
[21] US EPA, “Biopesticides Registration Action Document (BRAD)—
Bacillus thuringiensis Plant-Incorporated Protectants: Product Characterization & Human Health Assessment,” EPA BRAD (2001b) (October 15, 2001): IIB4,
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/pips/bt_brad2/2-id_health.pdf
[22] “Assessment of Additional Scientific Information Concerning StarLink Corn,” FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel Report No. 2001-09, July 2001.

[23] EPA Scientific Advisory Panel, “Bt Plant-Pesticides Risk and Benefits Assessments,” March 12, 2001: 76. Available at:
http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/2000/october/octoberfinal.pdf
24 Ashish Gupta et. al., “Impact of Bt Cotton on Farmers’ Health (in Barwani and Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh),”
Investigation Report, Oct-Dec 2005.

25 N. Tomlinson of UK MAFF’s Joint Food Safety and Standards Group 4, December 1998 letter to the U.S. FDA, commenting on its draft document, “Guidance for Industry: Use of Antibiotic Resistance Marker Genes in Transgenic Plants,”
http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/acnfp1998.pdf; (see pages 64-68).

26 John M. Burns, “13-Week Dietary Subchronic Comparison Study with MON 863 Corn in Rats Preceded by a 1-Week Baseline Food Consumption Determination with PMI Certified Rodent Diet #5002,” December 17, 2002
http://cera-gmc.org/docs/decdocs/05-184-001.pdf, see also Stéphane Foucart, “Controversy Surrounds a GMO,”
Le Monde, 14 December 2004; and Jeffrey M. Smith, “Genetically Modified Corn Study Reveals Health Damage and Cover-up,” Spilling the Beans, June 2005, http://www.seedsofdeception.com/Public/Newsletter/June05GMCornHealthDangerExposed/index.cfm

27 A. Pusztai, et al, “Genetically Modified Foods: Potential Human Health Effects,” in: Food Safety: Contaminants and Toxins (ed. JPF D’Mello) (Wallingford Oxon, UK: CAB International), 347-372, also additional communication with Arpad Pusztai.

28 October 24, 2005 correspondence between Arpad Pusztai and Brian John

SOURCE:

https://responsibletechnology.org/genetically-engineered-foods-may-cause-rising-food-allergies-part-two/

Health, News

Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies (Part One)

2 Comments

“The allergy study identified irritable bowel syndrome, digestion problems,chronic fatigue, headaches, lethargy, and skin complaints, including acne and eczema, all related to soy consumption. Symptoms of glyphosate exposure include nausea, headaches, lethargy, skin rashes, and burning or itchy skin.”
May 7, 2007

despair-1235582_1280

From responsibletechnology.org

Genetically Engineered Soybeans

The huge jump in childhood food allergies in the US is in the news often[1], but most reports fail to consider a link to a recent radical change in America’s diet. Beginning in 1996, bacteria, virus and other genes have been artificially inserted to the DNA of soy, corn, cottonseed and canola plants. These unlabeled genetically modified (GM) foods carry a risk of triggering life-threatening allergic reactions, and evidence collected over the past decade now suggests that they are contributing to higher allergy rates.

Food safety tests are inadequate to protect public health

Scientists have long known that GM crops might cause allergies. But there are no tests to prove in advance that a GM crop is safe.[2] That’s because people aren’t usually allergic to a food until they have eaten it several times. “The only definitive test for allergies,” according to former FDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl, “is human consumption by affected peoples, which can have ethical considerations.”[3] And it is the ethical considerations of feeding unlabeled, high-risk GM crops to unknowing consumers that has many people up in arms.

The UK is one of the few countries that conducts a yearly evaluation of food allergies. In March 1999, researchers at the York Laboratory were alarmed to discover that reactions to soy had skyrocketed by 50% over the previous year. Genetically modified soy had recently entered the UK from US imports and the soy used in the study was largely GM. John Graham, spokesman for the York laboratory, said, “We believe this raises serious new questions about the safety of GM foods.”[4]

Critics of GM foods often say that the US population is being used as guinea pigs in an experiment. But experiments have the benefit of controls and measurement. In this case, there is neither. GM food safety experts point out that even if a someone tried to collect data about allergic reactions to GM foods, they would not likely be successful. “The potential allergen is rarely identified. The number of allergy-related medical visits is not tabulated. Even repeated visits due to well-known allergens are not counted as part of any established surveillance system.”[5] Indeed, after the Canadian government announced in 2002 that they would “keep a careful eye on the health of Canadians”[6] to see if GM foods had any adverse reactions, they abandoned their plans within a year, saying that such a study was too difficult.

Genetic engineering may provoke increased allergies to soy

The classical understanding of why a GM crop might create new allergies is that the imported genes produce a new protein, which has never before been present. The novel protein may trigger reactions. This was demonstrated in the mid 1990s when soybeans were outfitted with a gene from the Brazil nut. While the scientists had attempted to produce a healthier soybean, they ended up with a potentially deadly one. Blood tests from people who were allergic to Brazil nuts showed reactions to the beans.[7] It was fortunately never put on the market.

The GM variety that is planted in 89% of US soy acres gets its foreign gene from bacteria (with parts of virus and petunia DNA as well). We don’t know in advance if the protein produced by bacteria, which has never been part of the human food supply, will provoke a reaction. As a precaution, scientists compare this new protein with a database of proteins known to cause allergies. The database lists the proteins’ amino acid sequences that have been shown to trigger immune responses. If the new GM protein is found to contain sequences that are found in the allergen database, according to criteria recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and others, the GM crop should either not be commercialized or additional testing should be done. Sections of the protein produced in GM soy are identical to known allergens, but the soybean was introduced before the WHO criteria were established and the recommended additional tests were not conducted.

If this protein in GM soybeans is causing allergies, then the situation may be made much worse by something called horizontal gene transfer (HGT). That’s when genes spontaneously transfer from one species’ DNA to another. While this happens often among bacteria, it is rare in plants and mammals. But the method used to construct and insert foreign genes into GM crops eliminates many of the natural barriers that stop HGT from occurring. Indeed, the only published human feeding study on GM foods ever conducted verified that portions of the gene inserted into GM soy ended up transferring into the DNA of human gut bacteria. Furthermore, the gene was stably integrated and it appeared to be producing its potentially allergenic protein. This means that years after people stop eating GM soy, they may still be exposed to its risky protein, which is being continuously produced within their intestines.

Genetic engineering damaged soy DNA, creating new (or more) allergens

Although biotech advocates describe the process of genetic engineering as precise, in which genes—like Legos—cleanly snap into place, this is false. The process of creating a GM crop can produce massive changes in the natural functioning of the plant’s DNA. Native genes can be mutated, deleted, permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their levels of protein expression. This collateral damage may result in increasing the levels of an existing allergen, or even producing a completely new, unknown allergen within the crop. Both appear to have happened in GM soy.

Levels of one known soy allergen, trypsin inhibitor, were up to 27% higher in raw GM soy. In addition, although cooking soybeans normally reduces the amount of this protein, the trypsin inhibitor in GM varieties appears to be more heat resistant. Levels in cooked GM soy were nearly as high as those found in raw soy, and up to seven times higher when compared to cooked non-GM soy.[8] This suggests that this allergen in GM soy may be more likely to provoke reactions than when consumed in natural varieties.

Another study verified that GM soybeans contain a unique, unexpected protein, not found in non-GM soy controls. Moreover, scientist tested the protein and determined that it reacted with the antibody called IgE. This antibody in human blood plays a key role in a large proportion of allergic reactions, including those that involve life-threatening anaphylactic shock. The fact that the unique protein created by GM soy interacted with IgE suggests that it might also trigger allergies.

The same researchers measured the immune response of human subjects to soybeans using a skin-prick test—an evaluation used often by allergy doctors. Eight subjects showed a reaction to GM soy; but one of these did not also react to non-GM soy. Although the sample size is small, the implication that certain people react only to GM soy is huge, and might account for the increase in soy allergies in the UK.

Increased herbicides on GM crops may cause reactions

By 2004, farmers used an estimated 86% more herbicide on GM soy fields compared to non-GM.[9] The higher levels of herbicide residue in GM soy might cause health problems. In fact, many of the symptoms identified in the UK soy allergy study are among those related to glyphosate exposure. [The allergy study identified irritable bowel syndrome, digestion problems, chronic fatigue, headaches, lethargy, and skin complaints, including acne and eczema, all related to soy consumption. Symptoms of glyphosate exposure include nausea, headaches, lethargy, skin rashes, and burning or itchy skin. It is also possible that glyphosate’s breakdown product AMPA, which accumulates in GM soybeans after each spray, might contribute to allergies.]

GM soy might impede digestion, leading to allergies

If proteins survive longer in the digestive tract, they have more time to provoke an allergic reaction. Mice fed GM soy showed dramatically reduced levels of pancreatic enzymes. If protein-digesting enzymes are less available, then food proteins may last longer in the gut, allowing more time for an allergic reaction to take place. Such a reduction in protein digestion due to GM soy consumption could therefore promote allergic reactions to a wide range of proteins, not just to the soy. No human studies of protein digestion related to GM soy have been conducted.

Soy linked to peanut allergies

There is at least one protein in natural soybeans that has cross-reactivity with peanut allergies.[10] That means that for some people who are allergic to peanuts, consuming soybeans may trigger a reaction. While it is certainly possible that the unpredicted side effects from genetic engineering soybeans might increase the incidence of this cross-reactivity, it is unlikely that any research has been conducted to investigate this. GM soy was introduced into the US food supply in late 1996. We are left only to wonder whether this had an influence on the doubling of US peanut allergies from 1997 to 2002.

Eating GM foods is gambling with our health

The introduction of genetically engineered foods into our diet was done quietly and without the mandatory labeling that is required in most other industrialized countries. Without knowing that GM foods might increase the risk of allergies, and without knowing which foods contain GM ingredients, the biotech industry is gambling with our health for their profit. This risk is not lost on everyone. In fact, millions of shoppers are now seeking foods that are free from any GM ingredients. Ohio-based allergy specialist John Boyles, MD, says, “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it—unless it says organic.”[11]

Organic foods are not allowed to contain GM ingredients. Buying products that are certified organic or that say non-GMO are two ways to limit your family’s risk from GM foods. Another is to avoid products containing any ingredients from the seven food crops that have been genetically engineered: soy, corn, cottonseed, canola, Hawaiian papaya and a little bit of zucchini and crook neck squash. This means avoiding soy lecithin in chocolate, corn syrup in candies, and cottonseed or canola oil in snack foods.

Fortunately, the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America will soon make your shopping easier. This Consumer Non-GMO Education Campaign is orchestrating the clean out of GM ingredients from foods and the natural products industry. The campaign will circulate helpful non-GMO shopping guides to organic and natural food stores nationwide. The Campaign will provide consumers with regular GM food safety updates that explain the latest discoveries about why, Healthy Eating Means No GMOs.

Safe eating.

This article is limited to the discussion of allergic reactions from GM soybeans. The evidence that GM corn is triggering allergies is far more extensive and will be covered in part 2 of this series.

[1] See for example, Charles Sheehan, “Scientists see spike in kids’ food allergies,” Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2006, http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/living/health/

[2] See for example, Carl B. Johnson, Memo on the “draft statement of policy 12/12/91,” January 8, 1992. Johnson wrote: “Are we asking the crop developer to prove that food from his crop is non-allergenic? This seems like an impossible task.”

[3] Louis J. Pribyl, “Biotechnology Draft Document, 2/27/92,” March 6, 1992, www.biointegrity.org

[4] Ibid.

[5] Traavik and Heinemann, “Genetic Engineering and Omitted Health Research”

[6] “Genetically modified foods, who knows how safe they are?” CBC News and Current Affairs, September 25, 2006.

[7] J. Ordlee, et al, “Identification of a Brazil-Nut Allergen in Transgenic Soybeans,” The New England Journal of Medicine, March 14, 1996.

[8] Stephen R. Padgette et al, “The Composition of Glyphosate-Tolerant Soybean Seeds Is Equivalent to That of Conventional Soybeans,” The Journal of Nutrition 126, no. 4, (April 1996); including data in the journal archives from the same study.

[9] Charles Benbrook, “Genetically Engineered Crops and Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Nine Years”; BioTech InfoNet, Technical Paper Number 7, October 2004.

[10] See for example, Scott H. Sicherer et al., “Prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in the United States determined by means of a random digit dial telephone survey: A 5-year follow-up study,” Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, March 2003, vol. 112, n 6, 1203-1207); and Ricki Helm et al., “Hypoallergenic Foods—Soybeans and Peanuts,” Information Systems for Biotechnology News Report, October 1, 2002.

[11] John Boyles, MD, personal communication, 2007.
SOURCE

 

Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies (Part One)

Health, News, Pharmaceutical Industry

About 328,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe die from prescription drugs each year

Leave a comment

And why would this be any different in NZ Kiwis? Same drug companies. Same medical model. Same addressing of symptoms not root causes as is generally the case.

From herbs-info.com

A damning Harvard University report has advised that according to the European Commission, about 328,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe die from prescription drugs each year – making prescription drugs the 4th highest cause of death, on a par with stroke.

We could get into legal trouble if we advised you to go against the recommendations of your doctor; however we can advise you to be as informed as possible about the risks involved in taking prescription meds.

According to the World Health Organization, the pharmaceutical industry is worth 300 billion dollars annually – with an additional hundred million expected to add to the value in the next three years. A third of this entire multi-billion-dollar market is controlled by ten of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. According to CMR International, a partner of Thomas Reuters, global pharmaceutical sales reached one trillion dollars in 2014 and will be booming to 1.3 trillion by 2018.

It goes without saying that this is big business – but like every big business, there is a dark side as well. Can we really trust the research – seeing as the same companies selling the pills are funding many of the medical journals? And then we have the issue of doctors receiving kickbacks for prescribing certain drugs, after being “educated” on the benefits of the drugs by pharma salesmen.

Take a look at this list of seven of the most dangerous prescription drug typesand see how they can hurt you. [1][2]

#1: Sleeping Pills (OTC and prescribed)

The use of sleeping pills has been associated with an increased risk factor for stroke. A study published by Petrov, et. al. in 2014 revealed that over-the-counter and prescription sleeping pills increased a person’s risk for stroke, independently and beyond any of the other known risk factors like blood pressure, personal history of heart disease, and vices like smoking and drinking alcohol. Isn’t it worrying that compared to all other factors that place a person at risk for stroke, sleeping pills top that list? [3]

READ MORE

http://www.herbs-info.com/blog/top-7-most-dangerous-prescription-drugs/?fbclid=IwAR37v6OUl5ta8rpojtJR5WSlqPgj9Yl-bPHG7pVJpDtIPnmv4EaW89lPzBA

Health, News, Vaccines

Asked for proof showing that vaccinated children are healthier than unvaccinated, the so-called science-based CDC offers none

12 Comments

Not surprising given the US has the highest vaccination rate coupled with the highest infant mortality. Go figure. Still lining up for your jabs sleeping ones? Do the math. Join the dots. Not rocket science is it?

From thenatureofhealing.org

RECLAIMING THE VACCINE NARRATIVE: “NO SUCH THING AS A SAFE VACCINE.”

Vaccines are not “safe and effective.” There is no such thing as a safe vaccine.

But you wouldn’t know it to listen to the narrative being reported in the media. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the agency appointed to hold the final word on health and safety says, “Vaccines are safe and effective. The science is settled.”

However, when asked for proof showing that vaccinated children are healthier than unvaccinated children, the so-called science-based CDC offers none, claiming that it would be immoral to do such a study, to withhold ‘life-saving” preventatives from the population. “Trust us. Case closed.”

But curious minds do not close and do not trust opinion without proof as infectious and chronic disease rates skyrocket in children. Concerned individuals who live by the Precautionary Principle want answers. They refuse to be the guinea pigs who offer up their bodies for experimentation.

The Original Study Between The Vaccinated and Unvaccinated 

Curious minds do not accept the status quo. They seek information to make informed choices. They look to the past, before the inception of the CDC in 1946. And they discover the first study by Alfred Wallace published in 1889 between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals for the first Small-pox vaccine entitled, Vaccination: Proved Useless & Dangerous.

The study’s conclusions  based on forty-five years of registration statistics concluded the following (p 4):

  • – That during the forty-five years of the Registration of deaths and their causes, Small-pox mortality has very slightly diminished, while an exceedingly severe Small-pox epidemic occurred within the last twelve years of the period.
  • – That there is no evidence to show that the slight decrease of Small-pox mortality is due to vaccination.
  • – That the severity of Small-pox as a disease has not been mitigated by vaccination.
  • – That several inoculable diseases have increased to an alarming extent coincidently with enforced vaccination.

The first two claims were proved from the Registrar General’s Reports from 1838 to 1882. The results were indisputable, presented in figures and graphs for the entire period, so that data could not be manipulated.

The author noted that during this time period, a decline in deaths from Diarrhea and Typhus was six times greater than the decline in deaths from Small-pox due “to more efficient sanitation, greater personal attention to the law of health, and probably also to more rational methods of treatment.” Other reports of the time, such as by Dr. Walter Hadwen, MD, agreed.

READ MORE

http://www.natureofhealing.org/reclaiming-vaccine-narrative-no-thing-safe-vaccine/

Food, Health, News

This Raw Honey Kills Every Kind of Bacteria Scientists Could Throw At It (Even the Superbugs!)

8 Comments

From healthyfoodhouse.com

Honey is one of Nature’s miracles, and despite the incredibly delicious taste, it offers countless health benefits.  Honey offers powerful antibacterial properties, but one of the most powerful types of honey is Manuka honey.

It is a product from the honey bees that feed on the manuka tree and has a unique, dark brown color and stronger medicinal properties than regular honey. Raw honey has been used by all ancient civilizations, especially in the treatment of wounds and infections, due to the strong disinfectant properties.

According to Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS:

“Manuka honey benefits have been touted in the natural health world for a long time and even more in recent years because a growing body of research is starting to support thousands of years of folk medicine use. Some of the top Manuka honey uses are and benefits include:

  • Helps with SIBO, Low Stomach Acid, Acid Reflux
  • May Help Treat Acne and Eczema
  • Combats Staph Infections (MRSA)
  • Treats Burns, Wounds, and Ulcers
  • Prevents Tooth Decay and Gingivitis
  • Aids IBS and IBD Treatment
  • Improves Sore Throats and Immunity
  • Helps Allergies
  • Beauty Treatment and Health Booster
  • Improves Sleep”

Manuka honey has been found to inhibit more than 60 different species of bacteria, viruses, and fungus, and it is high in antioxidants and natural compounds like peptides, phenolics, organic acids and enzymes.

The potent antibacterial qualities of Manuka honey are also a result of the high acidity level, due to the significant amounts of naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide. Manuka honey has been found to destroy Staphylococcus aureus, or staph infections, as well as Helicobacter pylori, a stomach bacteria linked to stomach cancer.

Scientists are growingly concerned about antimicrobial resistance, as the repeated process of coming up with new antibiotic drugs to destroy previously drug-resistant microbial strains will result in “superbugs”. These superbugs will eventually become resistant to all antibiotics, so they need to be fought off with the help of natural antibiotics.

Manuka honey is believed to be the possible alternative. Experts emphasize its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, and studies have shown that these strains do not become resistant to manuka honey over time.

Therefore, Manuka honey can be used as a natural topical and oral antibiotic. It can be applied to scrapes, wounds, scratches, and infected areas, and is also effective if taken orally in the treatment of stomach and bowel infections.

Source: theheartysoul.com

https://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/this-raw-honey-kills-every-kind-of-bacteria-scientists-could-throw-at-it-even-the-superbugs/

Dementia, Health, Natural Health Care, News

7 Proven Ways to Keep Your Brain Young

1 Comment
From GreenMedInfo.com
Posted on:

Sunday, February 3rd 2019 at 9:00 am

Written By:

GMI Reporter

Over 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Another 10,000,000 suffer with severe dementia and Parkinson’s. Even more struggle with age-related mild cognitive impairment. Here are 7 natural ways to defend your brain.

Alzheimer’s disease affects about 5.3 million Americans. It’s the leading cause of dementia and the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S.  And it’s growing at an alarming rate.  Already 13% of people over 65 have been diagnosed with the disease.  An astounding 43% of those over the age of 85 are victims.[i]

Alzheimer’s has been called the defining disease of the boomer generation.  Its victims are expected to triple by the year 2050.

In addition, it’s estimated that 10,000,000 others suffer with severe dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

But even if you escape these debilitating and life-threatening diseases, you may be among millions more who suffer from mild cognitive impairment (MCI or what is frequently called “age-related cognitive dysfunction”) and normal “age–associated memory impairment.” These conditions are what many of us have experienced as “senior moments.”  The symptoms include memory loss, as well as a decline in the ability to think and reason.

Some of these problems are a result of the natural aging of our brains.  But others arise from poor nutrition and exposure to environmental toxins.

Drugs have shown little promise and serious side effects.  But here are seven proven methods to keep your brain young and sharp.

1. Bacopa Boosts Cognition

Bacopa monnieri (L.) is a traditional herb used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine.  It is prescribed as a memory and learning enhancer, a sedative, and anti-epileptic.  In Australia, it is a popular memory aid for people over 60 years old.

Bacopa grows in the wet tropics and is also commonly known by its English name, water hyssop.

In a rigorous study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, researchers found that Bacopa has positive effects on several measures of cognitive performance.  In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, they gave participants either 300 mg of Bacopa daily or a placebo pill.  The subjects were 54 volunteers, 65 or older, without clinical signs of dementia. [ii]

After 12 weeks, those taking Bacopa improved their delayed recall memory, their reaction times and their ability to ignore irrelevant information.  Placebo recipients saw no change.

In addition Bacopa recipients showed a decrease in heart rate, depression and anxiety while placebo recipients saw increases.

Three other double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies support Bacopa’s benefits in verbal learning abilities, delayed recall of word pairs, and age-associated memory impairment.[iii], [iv], [v]

Bacopa’s memory-enhancing effects have been attributed in part to saponins.   Other ways Bacopa may work include its antioxidant effects, protein synthesis in the brain, and modulation of brain stress hormones.

Other studies show Bacopa extracts also ameliorate neurotoxic effects of nicotineand aluminum, and reduce β-amyloid plaque levels in animals.

2. Ginkgo Biloba Improves Memory

For years gingko biloba has been linked to memory improvement.  It acts as a free radical scavenger, protecting neurons from oxidation.  It also improves microcirculation in the brain and reduces platelet aggregation.

Human studies show taking gingko biloba regularly can improve mental health, cognition, motor skills and quality of life.[vi]  It’s particularly helpful for memory loss, attention, alertness, vigilance, arousal and mental fluidity.[vii]

In 2005 researchers put gingko biloba up against Pfizer’s $4 billion a year prescription drug donepezil (trade name Aricept) in a 24-week randomized, double-blind study. [viii]  An extract of gingko biloba (160 mg per day) was found to be just as effective as the drug for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.  The researchers concluded there were no relevant differences in the efficacy of gingko biloba and donepezil, and use of both substances can be justified.

In a more recent double-blind trial gingko biloba was found to be significantly better than placebo in improving cognitive function and behavioral symptoms in 400 patients with Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.[ix]

3. Tea, Wine and Chocolate Improve Thinking Skills

As we get older, a diet high in some flavonoid-rich foods may help with better thinking skills.

Researchers examined the relation between 3 common foods that contain flavonoids (chocolate, wine, and tea) and cognitive performance. They followed 2,031 participants aged 70 to 74 years from the Hordaland Health Study in Norway.[x]

People who consumed chocolate, wine, or tea had significantly better scores on cognitive tests and lower rates of poor cognitive performance.

Those who ate all three foods had the best test scores and the lowest risks for poor test performance.

The good results were dose dependent.  The best performance maxed out at 10 grams per day of chocolate and 75-100 ml per day of wine.  The effect was most pronounced for wine and modestly weaker for chocolate.

Other research shows that resveratrol, found in wine and chocolate, has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

In a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry researchers showed that resveratrol selectively targets and neutralizes clumps of peptides or proteins that are bad and have been linked to Alzheimer’s, but leaves alone those that are benign.[xi]

Resveratrol is a chemical compound in plants that acts as an antibiotic to fight off both bacteria and fungus.  Besides grapes and cacao, it is found in raspberries, mulberries, blueberries, and cranberries. It’s also in peanuts, pine trees and Japanese knotweed, the source of most resveratrol supplements.

4.  Antioxidants Decelerate Brain-Aging

It’s clear that people eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables have fewer age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s. Eating more high-antioxidant foods such as berries, Concord grapes, and walnuts may enhance cognitive and motor function in older people.[xii]

Studies show supplementing with fruit or vegetable extracts high in antioxidants (e.g. blueberries, strawberries, walnuts, and Concord grape juice) helps decrease the vulnerability to oxidative stress that occurs in aging.  That can lead to improvements in behavior.

Fruits and vegetables can also enhance communication between neurons and decrease stress signals induced by oxidation and inflammation.

Other studies indicate that blueberry or Concord grape juice supplementation in humans with mild cognitive impairment increases verbal memory performance.

5.  Intermittent Fasting Regenerates Brain

Overeating is a risk factor for many age-related diseases including cognitive impairment.

Experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and stroke show that dietary restriction (reduced calorie intake) can beef up the resistance of neurons in the brain to dysfunction and death.

How?  Dietary restriction stimulates the expression of ‘stress proteins’ and neurotrophic factors. Neurotrophic factors may protect neurons by increasing production of proteins that suppress oxidation and free radicals.

In addition, dietary restriction increases the number of newly-generated neural cells in the adult brain.  In other words, it may increase the brain’s capacity for plasticity and self-repair.

Researchers suggest that limiting calories may reduce both the incidence and severity of neurodegenerative disorders in humans.[xiii]

Intermittent fasting is not as difficult as it sounds.  It doesn’t involve just drinking water.  Most intermittent fasting plans cut calories to 25% of normal amounts.  That’s about 600 calories for men and 500 calories for women on one or two days of the week.

6.  Sleep Cleans Out Brain Toxins

A University of Oregon study shows middle-aged or older people who get six to nine hours of sleep a night think better than those sleeping either fewer or more hours.[xiv]

Researchers used data involving more than 30,000 subjects in six countries. They found that individuals sleeping less than six hours and more than nine hours had significantly lower cognitive scores compared to those in the intermediate group.

The researchers used five standard cognitive tests involving immediate recall of a list of words, delayed recall of those words later, forward and backward recall of long lists of numbers, and a verbal fluency test in which they listed as many animals as possible without repetition, the use of proper nouns or descriptors.

One reason a good night’s sleep works is the brain’s trash removal system.  During sleep the brain works 10 times as hard to remove toxic proteins like the ones responsible for Alzheimer’s damage.[xv]  If you’re not asleep, the brain can’t get rid of plaques so easily.

7.  Curcumin Clears Alzheimer’s Plaques

The incidence of Alzheimer’s among adults in India is about 4.4 times less than that of Americans.[xvi]

Researchers in Singapore suggest the reason might be curry and the spice turmeric.  They looked at curry consumption and brain performance in 1,010 Asians between 60 and 93 years of age. Those who ate curry occasionally (less than once a month) and often (more than once a month) performed better than those who rarely or never ate curry.[xvii]

Over 30 studies in the GreenMedInfo data base deal with the promise of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.  According to one study, turmeric showed remarkable results in Alzheimer patients in just three months.

A 2006 UCLA study found curcumin may help clear the amyloid plaques found in Alzheimer’s disease. One way it works is by boosting the work of macrophages.  These cells in the immune system help the body fight foreign proteins.

Researchers took macrophages from the blood of Alzheimer’s patients and healthy controls. They treated some of the macrophages with curcumin.  The treated macrophages showed improved ingestion of the beta-amyloid proteins. The researchers concluded that curcumin may support the immune system to clear amyloid plaques.[xviii]

And in animal studies low doses of curcumin led to 40% less beta-amyloid than in those not given the spice.[xix]

Studies indicate low doses of turmeric over a long period of time are most effective.  That’s a good reason to add turmeric to your daily diet.  It’s great in curry sauces, scrambled eggs, deviled eggs, mustard sauces or salad dressings.

There are many other natural ways to keep your brain young including coconut oil, ginger, B-vitamins[xx], and saffron.

For much more information on healthy brain aging visit GreenMedInfo page on the aging brain.

References

[i] Alzheimer’s Association. 2012 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. March 2012; 8:131–168

[ii] Carlo Calabrese et al, “Effects of a standardized Bacopa monnieri extract on cognitive performance, anxiety, and depression in the elderly: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Jul;14(6):707-13. GreenMed Link

[iii] Stough C. Lloyd J. Clarke J, et al. The chronic effects of an extract of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi) on cognitive function in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology. 2001;156:481–484. [PubMed]

[iv] Rey A. The Clinical Examination in Psychology [in French] Paris: Presses Universitaires de France; 1964.

[v] Roodenrys S. Booth D. Bulzomi S, et al. “Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monniera) on human memory.” Neuropsychopharmacology. 2002;27:279–281. [PubMed]

[vi] Cieza A, Maier P, Poppel E. “Effects of Ginkgo biloba on mental functioning in healthy volunteers.” Arch Med Res. 2003 Sep-Oct;34(5):373-81. GreenMed Link

[vii] Clostre F. “Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761). State of knowledge in the dawn of the year 2000.”  Ann Pharm Fr. 1999 Jul;57 Suppl1 :lS8-88.

[viii] Mazza, M., Capuano, A. Bria, P., Mazza, S., Eur J Neurol. 2006 Sep;13(9):981-5.

[ix] Oleksandr Napryeyenko, Irina Borzenko, “Ginkgo biloba special extract in dementia with neuropsychiatric features. A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.” Arzneimittelforschung. 2007;57(1):4-11. GreenMed Link

[x] Eha Nurk et al, “Intake of flavonoid-rich wine, tea, and chocolate by elderly men and women is associated with better cognitive test performance.” J Nutr. 2009 Jan;139(1):120-7. Epub 2008 Dec 3. GreenMed Link

[xi] Ali Reza A. Ladiwala et al, “Resveratrol selectively remodels soluble oligomers and fibrils of amyloid aβ into off-pathway conformers.” J. Biol. Chem. jbc.M110.133108. May 28, 2010, doi:10.1074/jbc.M110.133108

[xii] James A Joseph, Barbara Shukitt-Hale, Lauren M Willis, “Grape juice, berries, and walnuts affect brain aging and behavior.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2008 Aug 13;118(3):396-404. Epub 2008 May 20. GreenMed Link

[xiii] M P Mattson, “Neuroprotective signaling and the aging brain: take away my food and let me run.” Brain Res. 2000 Dec 15;886(1-2):47-53.  GreenMed Link

[xiv] Theresa E. Gildner, Melissa A. Liebert, Paul Kowal, Somnath Chatterji, J. Josh Snodgrass. “Associations between Sleep Duration, Sleep Quality, and Cognitive Test Performance among Older Adults from Six Middle Income Countries: Results from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE).” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2014 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.3782

[xv]Lulu Xie et al, “Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain.” Science 18 October 2013: Vol. 342 no. 6156 pp. 373-377 DOI: 10.1126/science.1241224

[xvi] Pandav R, Belle SH, DeKosky ST. “Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and Alzheimer’s disease: The Indo-US cross-national dementia study.” Arch Neurol. 2000;57:824–30. [PubMed]

[xvii] Ng TP, Chiam PC, Lee T, Chua HC, Lim L, Kua EH. “Curry consumption and cognitive function in the elderly.” Am J Epidemiol. 2006;164:898–906. [PubMed]

[xviii] Zhang L, Fiala M, Cashman J, Sayre J, Espinosa A, Mahanian M, et al. “Curcuminoids enhance amyloid -beta uptake by macrophages of Alzheimer’s disease patients.” J Alzheimer’s Dis. 2006;10:1–7. [PubMed]

[xix] Yang F, Lim GP, Begum AN, Ubeda OJ, Simmons MR, Ambegaokar SS, et al. “Curcumin inhibits formation of amyloid beta oligomers and fibrils, binds plaques, and reduces amyloid in vivo.” J Biol Chem. 2005;280:5892–901. [PubMed]

[xx] De Jager CA et al, “Cognitive and clinical outcomes of homocysteine-lowering B-vitamin treatment in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.” Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Jun;27(6):592-600.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Internal Site Commenting is limited to members.
Disqus commenting is available to everyone.

© [Article Date] GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.”
Health, Led Lighting, News

A world class expert on photobiology, shares the hidden dangers of LED lighting to our health that most people are unaware of

Leave a comment

“I call these LEDs Trojan horses because they appear so practical to us. They appear to have so many advantages. They save energy; are solid state and very robust,. So we invited them into our homes. But we are not aware that they have many stealth health-robbing properties, which are harmful to your biology, harmful to your mental health, harmful to your retinal health, and also harmful to your hormonal or endocrine health,”

From Dr Mercola

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Near-infrared is important as it primes the cells in your retina for repair and regeneration, which explains why LEDs — which is devoid of infrared — are so harmful for your eyes and health
  • One-third of the energy your body consumes comes from the food you eat. The vast majority of the energy your body needs to maintain the systemic equilibrium comes from environmental infrared light exposure
  • LEDs sabotage health and promote blindness. Limit your exposure to blue light during the daytime and at night. Swap out LEDs for incandescents or low-voltage incandescent halogen lights

Can light affect your health? In this interview, Dr. Alexander Wunsch, a world class expert on photobiology, shares the hidden dangers of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting that most people are completely unaware of.

In fact, this could potentially be one of the most important video interviews I’ve done, as it has enormous impacts — not only on preventing blindness as you age but it is also a pervasive hidden risk factor for sabotaging your health.

Largely as a result of energy efficiency, there’s been a major transition to using LED as a primary indoor light source. In this regard, it worked like a charm, reducing energy requirements by as much as 95 percent compared to incandescent thermal analog sources of lighting.

However, the heat generated by incandescent light bulbs, which is infrared radiation, is actually beneficial to your health, and hence worth the extra cost.

There are major downsides to LEDs that are not fully appreciated. LED lighting may actually be one of the most important, non-native EMF radiation exposures you’re exposed to on a daily basis.

If you chose to ignore these new insights, it can have very serious long-term ramifications. It could lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the leading cause of blindness in the United States and elsewhere.

Other health problems rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction may also be exacerbated, and these run the gamut from metabolic disorder to cancer.

READ MORE & WATCH THE INTERVIEW

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/10/23/near-infrared-led-lighting.aspx

Photo credit: darf_nicht_mehr_hochladen at Pixabay.com

 

Health, News

Epstein-Barr Virus, responsible for many mystery illnesses & thrives because so little is known about it

2 Comments

From galacticconnection.com

By Anthony Williams

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has created a secret epidemic. Out of the roughly 320 million people in the U.S., over 225 million Americans have some form of EBV.

Epstein-Barr is responsible for mystery illnesses of every category: For some people, it creates fatigue and pain that go unnamed. For others, EBV symptoms prompt doctors to prescribe ineffective treatments, such as hormone replacement. And for so many people walking around with EBV, it gets misdiagnosed.

Among the reasons EBV is thriving: so little is understood about it. Medical communities are aware of only one version of EBV, but there are actually over 60 varieties. Epstein-Barr is behind several of the debilitating illnesses that stump doctors. As I said in the Introduction, it’s the mystery illness of mystery illnesses.

Doctors have no idea how the virus operates long-term and how problematic it can be. The truth is, EBV is the source of numerous health problems that are currently considered mystery illnesses, such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. EBV is also the cause of some major maladies that medical communities think they understand but really don’t—including thyroid disease, vertigo, and tinnitus.

This chapter explains when the Epstein-Barr virus arose, how it’s transmitted, how it operates to create untold havoc in strategic stages no one knows about, and the steps (never revealed before) that can destroy the virus and restore health.

EPSTEIN-BARR ORIGINS AND TRANSMISSION

Though Epstein-Barr was discovered by two brilliant physicians in 1964, it had actually begun taking hold in the early 1900s—over half a century before. EBV’s initial versions—which are still with us—are relatively slow to act, and might not even create notable symptoms until late in life. Even then, they’re only mildly harmful. Many people have these non-aggressive EBV strains.

Unfortunately, EBV has evolved over the decades, and each generation of the virus has grown more challenging than the one before.

Until the publication of this book, those with EBV would typically be stuck with it for the rest of their lives. Doctors seldom recognize EBV as the root cause of the myriad of problems it creates; plus doctors have no idea how to address the Epstein-Barr virus even when it is recognized.

There are many ways to catch EBV. For example, you can get it as a baby if your mother has the virus. You can also get it through infected blood. Hospitals don’t screen for the virus, so any blood transfusion puts you at risk. You can even get it from eating out! That’s because chefs are under tremendous pressure to get dishes prepared quickly. They often end up cutting a finger or hand, slapping on a Band-Aid, and continuing to work. Their blood can get into the food . . . and if they happen to have EBV during a contagious phase, that can be enough to infect you.

Transmission can also happen through other bodily fluids, such as those exchanged during sex. Under some circumstances, even a kiss can be enough to transmit EBV.

Someone with the virus isn’t contagious all the time, though. It’s most likely to spread during its Stage Two. Which brings up something else that until now hasn’t been revealed: EBV goes through four stages.

EPSTEIN-BARR STAGE ONE

If you catch EBV, it goes through an initial dormant period of floating around in your bloodstream doing little more than slowly replicating itself to build its numbers—and waiting for an opportunity to launch a more direct infection.

For example, if you physically exhaust yourself for weeks and give yourself no chance to fully recover, or allow your body to become deprived of essential nutrients such as zinc or vitamin B12, or undergo a traumatic emotional experience such as a breakup or the death of a loved one, the virus will detect your stress-related hormones and choose that time to take advantage.

EBV will also often act when you’re undergoing a major hormonal change—for example, during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause. A common scenario is when a woman goes through childbirth. Afterward, she may feel various symptoms, including fatigue, aches and pains, and depression. In this case EBV isn’t exploiting your weakness, but the fact that hormones are a powerful food source for it—their abundance acts as a trigger. The hormones flooding through your body effectively does for the virus what spinach does for Popeye.

EBV is inhumanly patient. This Stage One period of fortifying itself and waiting for an ideal opportunity can take weeks, months, or even a decade or longer, depending on a variety of factors.

The virus is especially vulnerable during Stage One. However, it’s also undetectable through tests and causes no symptoms, so you normally wouldn’t know to fight it, because you wouldn’t be aware it was there.

READ MORE

https://galacticconnection.com/anthony-william-epstein-barr-virus/?

Health, Natural Health Care, News

6 Natural Ibuprofen Alternatives Backed by Clinical Research

1 Comment
Posted on:

Monday, January 28th 2019 at 12:45 pm

Written By:

Sayer Ji, Founder

With the public’s growing awareness of the deadly side effects associated with the regular use of synthetic painkillers like ibuprofen, the need for natural, evidence-based alternatives has never been greater.

People generally think that over-the-counter drugs are safer than physician-prescribed ones. Unfortunately that does not hold true for drugs like ibuprofen, consumed at a rate of billions of doses, annually, and responsible for thousands of cardiovascular disease-related deaths each year.

Did you know that Merck’s blockbuster drug Vioxx caused more than 27,000 deaths and heart attacks between 1999 and 2003? In fact, it was the FDA’s own drug safety researcher, David Graham, who blew the whistle on the agency in 2004 at a Congressional hearing, estimating that over 60,000 Americans died as a result of its use, and the FDA’s inaction around their well-known side effects.

What does this have to do with ibuprofen? Researchers have known that ibuprofen is at least as dangerous as Vioxx for at least six years. But millions continue to take this drug, daily, without receiving adequate warning, while heart disease and cardiac mortality statistics continue to expand unabated.

For further background on the severe and still underreported dangers of ibuprofen, consult the following articles:

You can also view our ibuprofen database which presently collates the peer-reviewed research on the link between ibuprofen use and over 30 different diseases.

Considering the veritable nightmare of adverse effects associated with ibuprofen use — the “pain killer” that that is ‘so effective’ it permanently cures pain by killing the patient — it behooves both the medical profession and the health consumer to find safer alternatives, even if that means going back to the time-tested, multi-culturally validated tradition of herbal medicine.

Here are a 5 clinically validated, natural alternatives worth considering:

  1. Arnica: a 2007 study found that arnica, applied topically, was as effective as ibuprofen for relieving symptoms associated with osteoarthritis of the wrist, and with less side effects.

  2. Ginger: a 2009 study found that ginger was effective as ibuprofen for pain symptoms associated with difficult menstrual cycles (dysmenorrhea).

  3. Turmeric: a 2014 study found that turmeric extracts were as effective as ibuprofen for relieving symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

  4. Thyme: 2004 study found that an extract of thyme was as effective as ibuprofen in reducing pain and spasm symptoms associated with difficult menstrual cycles (dysmenorrhea).

  5. Omega-3 fatty acids: a 2006 study found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation with fish oil helped neurosurgery patients reduce their need for medications, and experienced results consistent with previous research indicating palliative effects at least as effective as ibuprofen.

  6. Cinnamon: a 2015 study found that cinnamon was as effective as ibuprofen for pain associated with difficult menstrual cycles (dysmenorrhea).

For related research, use the GreenMedInfo databases on natural anti-inflammatories and analgesics. Consider also that ibuprofen is not the only NSAID with debilitating and even lethal side effects. Learn more about the dangers of this chemical class, including aspirin, on our NSAID database.

Sayer Ji

Sayer Ji is founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Internal Site Commenting is limited to members.
Disqus commenting is available to everyone.

GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.”

Photo: GreenMedInfo

 

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/6-natural-ibuprofen-alternatives-backed-clinical-research?fbclid=IwAR3Wc3pj8jjXlJcVnPjGoGutR2oAIvCO76KG7qMuZGhC54fc3UofkBGGU7I

Health, News, Pharmaceutical Industry

A Mother believes the antidepressant Zoloft was the cause of her daughter’s death

1 Comment

These are medicated times, especially for our young people. Children are the (not so) new target for big Pharma. Here a family lost their precious daughter. Be vigilant and watch what your kids are being prescribed or even if a prescription is necessary. Research the independent data, particularly the side effects of any proposed prescription. Parents are finding out the hard way on Gardasil with three deaths already here in NZ. Informed choice is paramount.

This story is from prepforthat.com

Mathy Downing’s 12-year-old, Candace, was a far cry from a problem child. Downing describes her as having been “compassionate” and athletic. Candace was a member of her school’s swim and lacrosse teams. But when her pediatrician recommended that the family place her under the care of a psychiatrist, life changed in terrible fashion for the family.

“She was never depressed,” said Andy Downing, her father. “She had anxieties from testing at school. Had a lot of friends. Played basketball on a team. And I just kept asking myself over and over again, ‘This doesn’t make sense.’ Twelve-year-old girls don’t hang themselves.”

READ MORE

https://prepforthat.com/antidepressant-suicide-side-effects-downing-family/

Health, Medical Industry, News, Pharmaceutical Industry

Death by medicine – conventional medicine is leading cause of death & injury in US & data on serious hospital errors will now be withheld from public

2 Comments

Published on Aug 18, 2014

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/art… This video presented by Mercola.com allows you to discover how conventional medicine has emerged as the leading cause of death and injury in the United States. It also discusses how the American medical system is doing more harm than good.


ARTICLE:

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Preventable medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the US, right after heart disease and cancer, claiming the lives of 210,000 Americans each year
  • The federal government has quietly decided to “solve” the problem of hospital acquired conditions by burying the data
  • On the average, you have a 54 percent lower risk of dying in a five-star rated hospital compared to the national average. Hospitals catering primarily to Medicare patients tend to be among the worst
  • More than two million people are affected by hospital-acquired infections each year, and 75,000-100,000 people die as a result of those infections
  • Leading a common-sense, healthy lifestyle is your best bet to avoid unnecessary hospital visits. Basic tenets of optimal health are included

 

By Dr. Mercola

Harm and death caused by medical errors are a huge problem, and a major reason why the current, fatally flawed medical paradigm is in such desperate need of transformation.

Preventable medical mistakes are actually the third leading cause of death in the US, right after heart disease and cancer, claiming the lives of 210,000 Americans each year.

When you add in diagnostic errors, errors of omission, and failure to follow guidelines, the number skyrockets to an estimated 440,000 preventable hospital deaths each year.

According to the most recent estimates published last year,1 preventable medical mistakes account for about one-sixth of all deaths that occur in the US annually. This is more than 4.5 times higher than 1999 estimates.2

When you consider instances where medical errors cause some form of harm but not necessarily death, the incidence rate may be as high as 40,000 per day!3

As a general rule, staying out of the hospital is one of your best ways to prevent dying unnecessarily, and this is one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about sharing preventive health strategies with you — tips like eating right, exercising, and reducing stress.

Exceptions would naturally include cases of accidental trauma or surgical emergencies. This is where modern medicine can be truly lifesaving.

READ MORE

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/20/medical-errors-public-disclosure.aspx?x_cid=youtube

RELATED:
Watch also Gary Null’s documentary also called ‘Death by Medicine’

Health, News, Vaccines

Your Diminishing Health Freedoms – A Proposed US Bill Would Allow For In-Home Surveillance of Newborn Babies

Leave a comment

On topic, there was a time in NZ when we had ongoing post natal visits from Plunket, District Nurses etc. This was standard and was about health. My guess here is that it’s about the ongoing push for mandatory vaccines which be assured now have way more toxic ingredients than they did during my childhood. And are also given in far greater numbers and concentration. Along with all of the injuries & deaths that have been going with that. All denied of course.

Here we have the proposed return of those visits (not this country … ) with a different looking agenda.

From prepforthat.com

Oregon Governor Kate Brown introduced a new bill that will allow in-home surveillance on the families of newborn babies.

Brown introduced Senate Bill 526 to the Oregon Legislative Assembly as part of her budget package. The budget allows Oregon Health Authority personnel to look into or “study home visiting by licensed health care providers.” Lawmakers are calling SB 526 an “emergency measure.” Meaning, the bill could be rushed to approval by year’s end.

The Oregon Health Authority shall study home visiting by licensed health care providers in this state. The authority shall submit findings and recommendations for legislation to an interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to health care not later than December 31, 2019.

There are an astounding 18 sponsors to the bill who collectively state that its “necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety,” and therefore “an emergency is declared to exist.” …..

There is nothing written into the bill that cites it would be a mandatory event, but it doesn’t say it won’t be, either. It states it is “universal,” which in socialist terms, is never a comforting descriptor of any government program. Again, you’re being pitched increased safety and security; you’re getting surveillance. Hopefully, that’s clear.

Many states have pushed for increased surveillance on homeschool children, but this is a first blatant attempt to monitor all kids. Either case is bad, but the “universal” aspect is horrendous.

If you think such laws are impossible to pass, think again.

This excerpt from  ParentalRights.org explains how Supreme Court ruling from 2000 seemingly vacated parental rights over such issues.

READ MORE

 

https://prepforthat.com/oregon-sb-526-surveillance-newborn-babies/

cancer, Health, News

Why Aren’t Hospitals Treating Cancer With Black Seed Oil?

Leave a comment

Why? Because IMO they are all in bed with the Pharmaceutical industry. They only ever offer chemo, radiation & surgery, while certain outspoken MDs tell us you will live longer with no treatment at all than the latter. And if they truly cared for our health they would not have jailed the man recently in the news for the ‘serious’ crime of treating cancer patients (successfully) with means other than the aforementioned three.

From naturalnews.com blog

By 

“Thymoquinone modulates nine of the ten hallmarks of cancer.”

There are very many research studies that show great results for black seed oil treatments related to its’ cancer killing and anti-inflammatory properties.

What is Cancer?
Well, of course, that depends on what type of cancer that we are talking about. In it’s most basic explanation, cancer is cells gone wrong. The cause of which is most often not discovered. There are benign cancers and malignant cancers. It’s the latter you have to worry about.

The Research
There have been many studies that have shown the effects of Nigella sativa on many different cancers and I will quote just a few of them here. The full list of research studies that I found is included at the end of this chapter. The list is long!

Even doctors are now urging more research into thymoquinone (TQ) the main constituent in black seed oil, for adjuvants to pharmaceutical cancer treatments – REF – ‘Thymoquinone as a Potential Adjuvant Therapy for Cancer Treatment: Evidence from Preclinical Studies.’

What the scientists are looking to discover are the exact signalling pathways that helps black cumin seed oil play such a big role in killing cancer.

Many Pathways To Healing
“The anti-cancer effects of thymoquinone are mediated through different modes of action, including anti-proliferation, apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, ROS generation and anti-metastasis/anti-angiogenesis. In addition, this quinone was found to exhibit anti-cancer activity through the modulation of multiple molecular targets, including p53, p73, PTEN, STAT3, PPAR-?, activation of caspases and generation of ROS.

Thymoquinone is an active ingredient isolated from Nigella sativa and has been investigated for its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities in both in vitro and in vivo models since its first extraction in 1960s.

Its anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory effect has been reported in various disease models, including encephalomyelitis, diabetes, asthma and carcinogenesis.

In addition, thymoquinone could act as a free radical and superoxide radical scavenger, as well as preserving the activity of various anti-oxidant enzymes such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase.”

More Amazing Cancer Research With Black Seed Oil
“As non-invasive lesions progress to malignancy, the precursor period provides a window for cancer therapies that can interfere with neoplastic progression. Thymoquinone (Tq), a major bioactive component of essential oil from Nigella sativa’s seeds, has demonstrated antineoplastic activities in multiple cancers” REF – ‘Molecular Analysis of Precursor Lesions in Familial Pancreatic Cancer’

READ MORE

https://www.naturalnewsblogs.com/why-arent-hospitals-treating-cancer-with-black-seed-oil/

Photo: naturalnews.com

Health, News, Pesticides

Pesticides Compound Antibiotic Resistance

Leave a comment

From Dr Mercola

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

  • Agrichemicals and antibiotics in combination increase the evolution of antibiotic resistance
  • Bacteria may develop antibiotic resistance up to 100,000 times faster when they’re exposed to certain herbicides in the environment, particularly widely used herbicides like glyphosate (Roundup) and dicamba (Kamba)
  • It’s believed that other chemicals in the environment may also increase resistance in microbes, much like herbicides; however, regulatory agencies don’t regulate or test them for such effects — even among the 3,000 top-volume chemicals produced annually
  • Reducing the use of antibiotics may not be enough to stop this looming public health disaster — unless the use of herbicides and other chemicals that affect antibiotic resistance is also curbed

Antibiotic resistance is often pegged as a problem caused by the overuse of antibiotics — and this is a driving factor — but research suggests it may actually be only one piece to the puzzle. Environmental factors may be accelerating the rise of antibiotic resistance as well, particularly widely used herbicides like glyphosate (Roundup) and dicamba (Kamba).

Research from University of Canterbury researchers revealed that agrichemicals and antibiotics in combination increase the evolution of antibiotic resistance. In fact, bacteria may develop antibiotic resistance up to 100,000 times faster when they’re exposed to certain herbicides in the environment.1

“The combination of chemicals to which bacteria are exposed in the modern environment should be addressed alongside antibiotic use if we are to preserve antibiotics in the long term,” study author Jack Heinemann of the University of Canterbury, said in a news release.2

‘Like Trying to Put Out a Fire of Antibiotic Resistance With Gasoline’

The study found cases when exposure to herbicides made the antibiotics more toxic while at the same time increasing the antibiotic resistance. Heinemann explained why this is an alarming finding:

“We are inclined to think that when a drug or other chemical makes antibiotics more potent, that should be a good thing. But it also makes the antibiotic more effective at promoting resistance when the antibiotic is at lower concentrations, as we more often find in the environment … Such combinations can be like trying to put out the raging fire of antibiotic resistance with gasoline.”

The results suggest that herbicides enhance the ability of antibiotics to become antibiotic resistant and that such resistance may be acquired at rates much faster than those predicted in laboratory conditions. Previously, research by Heinemann and colleagues found that commonly used herbicides promote antibiotic resistance by priming pathogens to more readily become resistant to antibiotics.3

This includes Roundup (the actual formulation of Roundup, not just its active ingredient glyphosate in isolation), which was shown to increase the antibiotic-resistant prowess of E. coli and salmonella, along with dicamba and 2,4-D. Rodale News reported:4

“The way Roundup causes this effect is likely by causing the bacteria to turn on a set of genes that are normally off, [study author] Heinemann says. ‘These genes are for ‘pumps’ or ‘porins,’ proteins that pump out toxic compounds or reduce the rate at which they get inside of the bacteria …’

Once these genes are turned on by the herbicide, then the bacteria can also resist antibiotics. If bacteria were to encounter only the antibiotic, they would instead have been killed. In a sense, the herbicide is ‘immunizing’ the bacteria to the antibiotic … This change occurs at levels commonly used on farm field crops, lawns, gardens and parks.”

READ MORE

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/10/30/pesticides-compound-antibiotic-resistance.aspx

5G, cancer, EMFs, Health, News

Top 20 Facts On 5G: What You Need To Know About 5G Wireless And “Small” Cells

Leave a comment

20 Facts About 5G

Download a PDF of this information on a two page  EHT Factsheet on 5G and Health. The factsheet is hyperlinked (blue text) to research and sources. It is a great resource for policymakers.

Nationwide, communities are being told by wireless companies that it is necessary to build “small cell” wireless facilities in neighborhoods ons street lights and utility poles in order to offer 5G, a new technology that will connect the Internet of Things (IoT). At the local, state, and federal level, new legislation and new zoning aim to streamline the installation of these 5G “small cell” antennas in public rights-of-way.

1. 5G “small cell antennas are to be placed in neighborhoods everywhere. 

  • Street lights
  • Trashcans
  • Utility poles
  • Bus stops
  • Sides of buildings

2. The radiation from small cells is not small.

Wireless antennas emit microwaves — non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation — and essentially function as cell towers. Each installation can have over a thousand antennas that are transmitting simultaneously. Examples of how small cells are not small include:  

  • They increase electromagnetic radiation near homes.
  • They have refrigerator-sized (and larger) equipment cabinets.
  • Property values drop after a cell tower is built near homes.
  • Taller and wider poles are needed for the antennas.
  • Fixtures weigh hundreds of pounds.
NO. Small cell installations are not the size of pizza boxes.
Each installation has antennas on the top and electronics cabinets  at the bottom. The electronics are housed in metal boxes – called “street furniture” by industry to make it sound warm and cozy. These cabinets  can be larger than a refrigerator, so large people could fit into them. In addition, there will be various radio units, a smart meter, and potentially unseemly wires.
READ MORE
5G, EMFs, Health, New World Order, News

It’s called the 5G BEAST SYSTEM for a reason

Leave a comment

Don’t be put off by the channel title. The video is comprised of excellent research on the coming 5G technology. Learn the history & what it will mean for you.

Published on Jan 9, 2018

MORE Videos HERE http://www.whoiskjozborne.com/ Support my work by replacing toxic products in your household with SilverBotanicals: https://silver-botanicals.com/ Thanks for supporting the videos, shows, and website https://www.patreon.com/home All music courtesy of Chris Zabriskie

Children, Health, News, Pharmaceutical Industry, Vaccines

Anti-Vaccine Japan Has World’s Lowest Child Death Rate & Highest Life Expectancy

4 Comments

From healingoracle.ch

Posted By: Amanda-Mary 8th August 2018

Fact: Japan has the lowest infant mortality rate following ban on mandatory vaccinations, they urge other countries to follow this firm stance

The citizens of Japan are statistically proven to be the healthiest and longest-living people in the world. The country also has the lowest infant mortality rate on the planet. It may come as no surprise to many that the Japanese Government banned a number of vaccines that are currently mandatory in the United States and has strict regulations in place for other Big Pharma drugs and vaccines in general. Japan’s anti-vax policies have long been criticised by vaccine pushers in the US who claim that vaccinating the public “promotes health.”

However, Japanese people live longer, healthier lives than Americans, with babies born in the US twice as likely to die in infancy than those born in Japan. It’s clear to see that Western nations have a lot to learn from the Japanese when it comes to their approach to vaccinations and issues facing public health. The Japanese are vaccine sceptics, to put it simply, and due to adverse reactions suffered by Japanese children, have banned many vaccines.

READ MORE

https://healingoracle.ch/2018/08/08/anti-vaccine-japan-highest-life-expectancy/

Health, News

The Bleeding Edge: behind the terrifying new Netflix documentary

1 Comment

The $400bn medical device industry is exposed in a horrifying look at a string of products that have wreaked havoc on patients

A terrifying new documentary carries a stark warning that a nightmare has been lurking in the medical industry for decades and it might be in your body.

The Bleeding Edge, which premieres on Netflix, examines the $400bn medical device industry responsible for products such as hip implants and robotic surgeons, through the lens of five products that have wreaked havoc on the lives of thousands.

“A wide range of people know about the problems with pharmaceuticals, but very few people know about the medical device industry and the fact that it is even less regulated than pharmaceuticals,” director Kirby Dick told the Guardian. “We felt it was very important that the public, doctors and policymakers know about this because right now medical device companies can get away with just about anything.”

READ MORE

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/25/the-bleeding-edge-netflix-documentary-medical-devices

Photo: theguardian.com

Health, News

The under-recognized epidemic: Millions of people are suffering from mercury poisoning

4 Comments

(Natural News) Much of the anxiety, depression, and mental illness that plague people today can be traced back to the biochemical changes that take place after repeated exposure to toxic elements such as mercury (Hg).

Mercury is one of the most potent neurotoxins, yet it is routinely used in medicine. Millions of people are suffering from mercury poisoning because dentists still insert mercury-based dental amalgams in people’s teeth. Over time this mercury leeches into the mouth and into the blood stream. On average, a person will absorb 100 mg  of mercury daily if they have just one dental amalgam. During an operation, mercury is also inhaled.

Mercury negatively affects neurotransmitters, blocks therapeutic effect of antioxidants and minerals

Once inside the body, mercury readily binds to molecules, tissues, and cells, disrupting cellular cycles, causing oxidative stress, mitochondria dysfunction, and harming homeostasis. Exposure to mercury incites behavioral issues, neurological disorders, mood disorders, and mental illness. This is because mercury hinders the production and function of various neurotransmitters. One of the neurotransmitters affected is GABA, a crucial pathway for keeping a person calm and steady. Mercury causes anxiety because it interferes with GABA, causes zinc imbalance, and destroys the protective myelin sheath that blankets the nerves.

READ MORE

https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-08-08-the-under-recognized-epidemic-millions-of-people-are-suffering-from-mercury-poisoning.html

Photo: NaturalNews.com

Biotechnology, GE, GMO, Health, News, Vaccines

Biotech’s Dark Promise: Involuntary Cannibalism for All

6 Comments
Posted on:

Saturday, July 28th 2018 at 9:30 am

Written By:

Sayer Ji, Founder

” Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.” ~ Albert Einstein

Whereas the quote above could easily be dismissed as the ‘progress-denying’ sentiment of a disgruntled anti-GMO activist, the fact is that it came from a scientist representing the very epitome of Western rationality and accomplishment.

Perhaps Einstein was reflecting on the inevitable existential consequences of the so-called “technological imperative”–whatever can be done, will be done.  Fundamentally amoral and irrational economic and political forces drive technology’s feverish pace, infusing a certain arbitrary cruelty and disequilibrium into everything it touches.

In our continual drive to ‘improve upon Nature’ in the name of much-hyped, ‘life-saving’ biotechnological innovations, the line between humane and inhumane eventually is crossed, and there seems no going back.  Biopollution from defective or dangerous GMO genes, for example, is virtually impossible to undo once unreleased into the biosphere; you can’t “recall” a defective gene like you can an automobile. Nor can we remove from our bodies the surreptitious viruses (e.g. simian virus #40(SV40)) that contaminated millions of first-generation polio vaccines. In many ways our moral fiber suffers from the same susceptibilities. Once we have crossed a certain line – be it theft, lying, or worse, etc., – it is difficult, if not impossible to ‘go back’ and regain our innocence. Such is the human condition. And this is why we must carefully consider the medico-ethical implications of new technologies, whose developments we must first be aware of in order to guide, regulate and sometimes terminate.

The Scientific Community Moves To Embrace Embryo Cloning for Medical Purposes

For example, few are aware that the cloning of human embryos for ‘therapeutic purposes’ was made legal in the UK in January, 2001 through an amendment to the Human Embryology Act.[i]  Not long after, in August 2004, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) approved the first license for cloning human embryos in the UK.  Media reports at the time alleged the legal changes would result in the use of cloned human embryos to create “spare body parts.”

READ MORE

 

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/biotechs-dark-promise-involuntary-cannabilism-all-1

“© GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.”

cancer, Health, Natural Health Care, News

Stage-3 myeloma cancer completely ELIMINATED with a turmeric supplement – British Medical Journal

2 Comments

For decades, the medical establishment has colluded with the for-profit cancer industry to smear anyone who talked about herbs, spices or superfoods fighting cancer. Food doesn’t contain “medicine,” we were told by the dishonest establishment. Only FDA-approved toxic medications can “treat” cancer, the propagandists insisted.

Yet millions of people across the globe continued to successfully prevent and even reverse late-stage cancers using nothing but foods, herbs and natural medicine. Despite its best efforts to ignore the reality of natural cancer cures, the medical establishment has just been forced to document a stunning case of a woman completely eliminating stage-3 cancer using nothing but turmeric, a superfood spice commonly used in curry.

READ MORE

http://www.cancer.news/2018-01-04-stage-3-myeloma-cancer-eliminated-turmeric-supplement-british-medical-journal.html

Corporations, Food, Health, News

Sugar Coated — A Doco on How the Sugar Industry Managed to Dupe the World for Decades

Leave a comment

Story at-a-glance

  • Thousands of studies spanning many decades show excess sugar damages your health, yet the sugar industry successfully buried the evidence and misdirected the public with manipulated science
  • “Sugar Coated” investigates the sugar industry’s once secret PR campaign, showing it normalized excessive consumption by deflecting evidence implicating sugar as a cause of ill health
  • The manufactured uncertainty and lack of scientific consensus is what has allowed the sugar industry to thrive while health statistics have tanked
  • A 2016 paper examined the links between funding and study outcomes. Of the 60 studies, the 26 that found no link between sugary drinks and obesity or diabetes were all funded by the beverage industry; of the 34 that did find a relationship, only one had received industry funding
  • Seventy-four percent of packaged foods contain added sugars, which hide under 61 different names, many of which are unfamiliar

By Dr. Mercola

Thousands of studies spanning many decades show excess sugar damages your health,1 yet the sugar industry successfully buried the evidence and misdirected the public with manipulated science. According to the sugar industry, sugar is a harmless source of energy and may even be an important part of a healthy “balanced” diet.

Dr. Cristin Kearns, a dentist and fellow at the University of California, made headlines when she published a paper2 detailing the sugar industry’s historical influence on dietary recommendations. Evidence also shows how the sugar industry influenced the scientific agenda of the National Institute of Dental Research (now the National Institute of Dental and Cranial Research), which back in 1971 created a national caries program, downplaying any links between sugar consumption and dental caries.3

The documentary, “Sugar Coated” — which features Kearns, investigative journalist Gary Taubes, author of “The Case Against Sugar,” and Dr. Robert Lustig, a leading expert on sugar metabolism and obesity — investigates the sugar industry’s once secret PR campaign, showing how it normalized excessive consumption by deflecting evidence implicating sugar as a cause of ill health. As noted in the film’s summary:4

“In order to continue sweetening the world’s food supply, thus securing continued profits, the sugar industry turned to the very same deceptions and tactics lifted from the tobacco industry. Using big sugar’s own internal documents on this strategy, ‘Sugar Coated’ reveals the well-oiled tricks of the trade to confuse the public about what is really driving the global pandemic of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”

WATCH THE DOCO AT THE LINK:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xbac4P7l84

Health, Medical Industry, News, Pharmaceutical Industry

The War on Your Health – a movie from Gary Null

2 Comments

Much of what Gary talks about here in the info is already happening, given this was a 2012 post – things are happening fast, particularly lately.

 

Published on Jul 3, 2012

Progressive Radio Network presents A Gary Null Production WAR ON HEALTH: The FDA’s Cult of Tyranny Introduced by the director (from his speech at the world premiere in New York City, June 15, 2012) In the near future, American medical practice may change dramatically for the worse. No longer will maximal dose natural supplements—vitamins, natural compounds, and scientifically proven medicinal herbs—be available over the counter in local health and grocery stores. Holistic practice, which relies upon non-prescription natural treatments instead of Big Pharma drugs prescribed life-long, will diminish. American healthcare will be imprisoned, patients will be forced to abide by a single medical paradigm defined by corporate drug and food executives and dictated by a government enforcement agency, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the bleak scenario if the FDA succeeds in limiting Americans’ options to prevent and treat diseases. ‘War on Health’ is the first documentary detailing and challenging the FDA agenda and its allegiance with the international Codex Alimentarius, which hopes to establish a monolithic food and health regime. Betraying its founding mandate to assure drug, food and chemical safety in the interests of public health, the FDA today is a repressive bureaucracy serving pharmaceutical and agricultural greed and profits. Vaccines, medical devices, prescription drugs are fast tracked at alarming rates through the FDA at the expense of scientific oversight to assure their efficacy and safety. The result is hundreds of thousands premature deaths annually from pharmaceutical drugs, vaccines and medical devices and an epidemic of medical incompetence and fraud sanctioned by federal health officials. Featuring many pioneering American and European attorneys, physicians, medical researchers and advocates of health freedom, War on Health lifts the veil on FDA’s militaristic operations against organic food providers and alternative physicians. The film’s conclusion is perfectly clear: the FDA is a tyrannical cult founded upon the denial of sound medical science with little intention to improve the nation’s health and prevent disease. Written and Directed by Gary Null Produced by Valerie Van Cleve Associate Producer: Richard Gale Editor: Richie Williamson Offline Editing: Valerie Van Cleve, L.A. Jones Camera Operators: Marcello Coppuchino, Peter Bonilla, David Grier, L.A. Jones Gregory Jason Russ, Jake Hammer Mesmire, Edson Tanakae, Valerie Van Cleve, Richie Williamson
Health, News

Removing Children’s Tonsils and Adenoids Increases Risk for 28 Diseases, Study Finds

2 Comments
Posted on:

Saturday, July 7th 2018 at 2:30 pm

Written By:

Sayer Ji, Founder

While the conventional medical establishment calls for the removal of “broken” or “defective” body parts, a watershed study on the long-term effects of tonsillectomy and adenoid removal calls into question the propriety of this surgery, performed on nearly half-a-million children in the United States each year

If you were a child born in the U.S. from the 1950s through the 1970s, odds are high that either you or someone you know has undergone a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. I was one of those children. When I was in kindergarden, I had my adenoids removed. I was already suffering from severe bronchial asthma, requiring emergency treatment at the hospital several times a year, and somtimes as often as three times a month. The adenoid surgery was performed ostensibly to ‘relieve’ sinus obstruction. But following the procedure, my symptoms worsened. By the time I was sixteen I needed another sinus obstruction surgery, this time for sinus polyps and a deviated septum.

READ MORE

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/removing-childrens-tonsils-and-adenoids-increases-risk-28-diseases-study-finds

GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

Photo: greenmedinfo

5G, Cell Phone Towers, Cell Towers, EMFs, Health, News, RFR, WiFi

Verizon Video Features Employees Explaining How They Are Ignoring “The Precautionary Principle” to Unleash Harmful 5G Technology All Over The World.

Leave a comment

NOTE: the videos are not in this post, however the info is there for you. Important read.

From activistpost.com

By B.N. Frank

Since 2004, firefighters have been so concerned about exposure to radiation from cell towers and antennas that they’ve posted about this on the IAFF website.

No one in my home is strong, healthy or brave enough to be a firefighter.  That’s one reason why we don’t want cell towers or antennas of any size being installed near us.  My neighbors feel the same way.

Unfortunately “The Race for 5G” allows The Telecom Industry (aka Big Wireless) to install small cell towers in front of homes and pretty much everywhere else despite the fact that decades of research has already proven that exposure to all sources of wireless WiFi radiation is harmful to people, pets, nature, and wildlife.  This includes 5G millimeter waves.

All over the world there are community leaders, elected officials, and government employees also ignoring “The Precautionary Principle” and welcoming small cell towers.

This May 2018 Verizon marketing video features employees testifying about how excited they are to be providing this technology to the world.  According to the video, 5G can travel through walls and travel 3000 feet.

READ MORE

https://www.activistpost.com/2018/07/verizon-video-features-employees-explaining-how-they-are-ignoring-the-precautionary-principle-to-unleash-harmful-5g-technology-all-over-the-world.html?utm_source=Activist+Post+Subscribers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=e64414fd6e-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail&utm_term=0_b0c7fb76bd-e64414fd6e-387744166

Health, News, NZ, Telecommunications

Save Our NZ Land lines! Important info & petition

1 Comment

Introducing a new NZ website, Save Our Landlines

NB: For updates, please check our NEWS section regularly at this link:

http://www.saveourlandlines.nz/category/news/.

We also have a FB page at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/Save-Our-Landlines-NZ-1626155717464225/

Introduction

This site is a community project by New Zealanders who do not want to see our copper landline infrastructure, which will function in a power blackout to be allowed to be run down or destroyed.

A corded phone that is connected to the copper landline network is a lifeline to emergency services if a storm or other event causes widespread power outages since this type of phone will work even if your home has no power.

The copper landline phone system allows people to choose to have a safe corded home phone.

This is particularly important in households with children given that their developing brain may be more vulnerable to adverse effects from cordless or cellular phones.

Many more reasons why the copper landline system is important and should be preserved may be found at this link: http://www.saveourlandlines.nz/uncategorized/welcome/

We hope that you will support our online petition which you will be able to to access via the link below:

Whos-on-the-wire-image-of-couple-talking-on-ladnline-phones

Please join us

Your voice in defence of our copper landline network and your taking the time to help educate others about the importance of this important national infrastructure. If you would like to volunteer to help with this campaign, please contact us via the Contact Form.  Thank you.

We also have a Facebook page that you can like and/or follow at this link: https://www.facebook.com/Save-Our-Landlines-NZ-1626155717464225/

RELATED:

The Future of Landlines & Networks
http://electromagnetichealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/ReInventing-Wires-1-25-18-FINAL.pdf

5G, Cellphone Towers, EMFs, Health, Mobile Phones, News

One of the most controversial aspects of the 5G system proposed for NZ is the proposed use of millimetre wave frequencies that cause eye damage research reveals

2 Comments

Research published in 1994 (“Experimental studies on the influence of millimeter radiation on light transmission through the lens” Klin Oczna. 1994 Aug-Sep; 96(8-9):257-9) showed that rats exposed to millimetre wave radiation for only 56 days developed changes in the lens of their eyes. 

The wave length used was 5.6 mm (53 GHz).  The power output was 10 milliwatts/cm2 (100,000,000 microwatts/m2).

The authors, Prost M, Olchowik G, Hautz W, Gaweda R, conclude the abstract for their study by stating that “radiation in millimetre range can induce changes in the lens, predisposing to cataract development.”

READ MORE

http://www.5g.org.nz/2018/07/08/eye-damage-in-rats-exposed-to-millimetre-wave-radiation/

Aged, Alzheimer's, Dementia, Health, Mental health, News

Alzheimers and Dementia Summit online FREE from July 23-29, 2018 – important info for prevention

Leave a comment

Are you concerned about brain health? Or, of one day not recognizing your closest friend? If so, or if you care about friends and family members dealing with poor brain function, don’t miss The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Summit.

Brain disorders, including memory loss, are fast becoming the single biggest health problem in the world.

 

Did you know?

  • Every 3 seconds someone gets diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia
  • Dementia starts in the brain 30 to 50 years before symptoms appear
  • Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death
  • The average burden on families dealing with late-stage dementia is $300,000
  • 46+ million people are losing their minds (this will double every 20 years)
  • The “silent epidemic” of early-onset dementia is on the rise

This event represents a unique opportunity to discover the best strategies to improve brain health. Join us to find out what you can, and should, do before it’s too late – because taking action now is the key to protecting your brain health and overall well-being!

READ MORE AT THE naturalhealth365 WEBSITE

https://alzheimersdementiasummit.com/?idev_id=2517&idev_username=Jonathan&utm_source=2517

Aerospace industry, Corruption, Health, News, Pollution

Aerotoxic – An Inconvenient Truth of Flying

2 Comments
Written By:

John Hoyte

This article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2018

A seven decade old cause of mysterious public ill health will eventually be solved with solutions which exist – today

Anybody lighting up a cigarette in an airliner these days would be rightly judged by society to be on the wrong side of the law – as it has finally been proven beyond reasonable doubt that exposure to toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke is dangerous.

Yet being exposed to nerve agents contained in jet engine oil in a confined space, according to the aerospace industry, somehow doesn’t cause chronic ill health effects in humans, when repeatedly exposed?

How can nerve agents even get into an airliner cabin? In around 1962 the entire airline industry stopped using pressurised ‘Outside air’ and went over to using ‘Bleed air’ which is piping the pressurised air from the jet engines, unfiltered, into the cabin. But worse still, there are no monitors to detect the deadly contaminants, only human noses.

Back in the 1950’s, the tobacco companies realised the dangers of tobacco smoke and wisely put filters in virtually all cigarettes. Yet the airline industry is effectively back in the 1950’s, as it is only now, that carriers such as Spirit Airlines and Easyjet are planning to place both filters and nerve agent detectors in their modern jet fleets, such as PALL Aerospace’s “PUREcabin solution” featured below.

READ MORE

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/aerotoxic-inconvenient-truth-flying

© [3 July 2018] GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.”

cancer, CRISPR, Health, News

CRISPR Gene Editing Can Trigger Cancer, Two Studies Warn

2 Comments

Story at-a-glance

  • CRISPR-Cas9, a form of “molecular scissors,” allows for very precise DNA editing, i.e., the removal, addition or altering of sections of a DNA sequence
  • While CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing is more precise in that you can target a specific area of the genome, two recent studies warn the gene editing process can trigger cancer
  • When you cut the two double helix strands of the DNA, the injury triggers the cell to activate a gene called p53 — a “biochemical first-aid kit” that either mends the DNA break or signals the cell to self-destruct; so, either the genome edit is mended or the cell dies
  • In instances where the cell survives and accepts the edit, it does so because it has dysfunctional p53, and p53 dysfunction has been shown to significantly increase your risk of cancer
  • CRISPR stock dropped between 5 and 13 percent within days of the findings’ publication

By Dr. Mercola

The discovery of the gene editing method known as CRISPR1 eventually led to a novel gene editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9,2 a form of molecular scissors that allows for far more accurate DNA editing for the removal, addition or altering of sections of a DNA sequence. A layman’s explanation of the technology is presented in the video above.

CRISPR is the acronym for clustered regularly interspaced short palindrome repeat, and its function was initially discovered in 1993 by Spanish researcher Francisco Mojica.3 Mojica hypothesized CRISPR is an adaptive immune system, which has since been confirmed. Two decades later, in 2013, the technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 was successfully used to edit the genome in eukaryotic cells for the first time, demonstrating targeted genome cleavage could be achieved in mouse and human cells.

As reported by Nature4 in 2016, “Researchers use CRISPR-Cas9 to make precise changes to genomes that remove or edit a faulty gene. It has worked on nearly every creature on which they have tested it, including human embryos.” In the wake of these discoveries, a number of CRISPR-based companies have sprung to life with the hopes of furthering gene editing in everything from food and medicine5 to eventually producing “designer babies” that have had unwanted genetic traits edited out.

However, while CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing is more precise in that you can target a specific area of the genome, two recent studies call for a rethink, as the process of gene editing can trigger cancer.6,7 As noted by STAT News8 these findings could be “a potential game-changer for the companies developing CRISPR-based therapies.”

READ MORE

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/06/26/crispr-gene-editing-triggers-tumor-growth.aspx