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CURRENT EVENTS
7/17/08
I just had to "weigh in" on the discussion of the latest study looking at "low carb",
"low fat" and Mediterranean diets' impact on weight loss, blood cholesterol and
blood glucose control. The study did not measure %body fat changes, homocysteine
levels or LDL particle size or oxidative status! All this time and money and it really
is not conclusive or useful. One of the most frustrating things was that it was reported
in so many different ways with various conclusions.
The "bottom" line for me was that they did not even measure percent body fat lost
versus lean body mass lost! So some of the 12 pounds lost for people on the "low
carb" diet could have been a significant amount of muscle. Muscle, or lean body
mass, is always a risk if you restrict carbohydrates to the point that you have to
devour protein to make enough carbohydrate for the brain!).
I absolutely support the Mediterranean diet as the healthiest of three diets studied.
It is based on whole plant based foods, heatlhy fats and restricted meat intake. It
provides the most antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber which have been shown
to be the real champions in fighting heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
One source (Calorielab.com) reported that the study was funded by the research
center started by Dr. Robert Atkins. That certainly would be a conflict if true.
The study was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine
(volume 359: 229-241, July 17, 2008 Number 3).
CLICK HERE for full article.
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GLOBAL WARMING has begun affect us in many ways including more severe
weather, droughts and crop loss, but this latest finding was a bit of a surprise!
CLICK HERE for the whole story on www.time.com ...
Warmer Temps, More Kidney Stones
In early July, when a former government employee accused Dick Cheney's office of deleting from congressional testimony key statements about the impact of climate change on public health, White House staff countered that the science just wasn't strong enough to include. Not two weeks later, however, things already look different. University of Texas researchers have laid out some of the most compelling science to date linking climate change with adverse public-health effects: scientists predict a steady rise in the U.S. incidence of kidney stones — a medical condition largely brought on by dehydration — as the planet continues to warm.
Kidney stones are already more common in the warmer Southern states than in the North. Urologists even talk about a "kidney stone belt," a high-risk zone through the South where populations are more likely to develop stones — crystallized chemicals (usually calcium, phosphates and oxalates from an ordinary diet) that form in the urinary tract, and often cause sharp, intense pain when they pass. The Texas researchers used regional data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to predict how this belt might grow, publishing their report this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. By 2050, the research suggests, 56% of Americans will live in regions encompassed by the kidney stone belt, compared with 40% in 2000. And by 2095, the belt should expand to 70% of the population.
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Although healthcare practitioners have known for years, the FDA has
finally admitted to the dangers of mercury containing "amalgam"
fillings.... CLICK HERE or read below
Mercury teeth fillings
may harm some: U.S. FDA
By Susan Heavey Wed Jun 4, 7:48 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Silver-colored metal dental fillings contain mercury
that may cause health problems in pregnant women, children and fetuses, the
Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday after settling a related lawsuit.
As part of the settlement with several consumer advocacy groups, the FDA agreed
to alert consumers about the potential risks on its website and to issue a more
specific rule next year for fillings that contain mercury, FDA spokeswoman Peper Long
said. Millions of Americans have the fillings, or amalgams, to patch cavities in their teeth.
"Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous
systems of developing children and fetuses," the FDA said in a notice on its Web site.
"Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more
sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury
bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their
health practitioner," the agency said.
The FDA said it did not recommend that people who currently have mercury fillings
get them removed.
The FDA must issue the new rules in July 2009, Long said.
Such a rule could impact makers of metal fillings, which include Dentsply International
Inc and Danaher Corp unit Kerr.
The new rule will give the agency "special controls (that) can provide reasonable assurance
of the safety and effectiveness of the product," Long said.
The lawsuit settlement was reached on Monday with several advocacy groups, including
Moms Against Mercury, which had sought to have mercury fillings removed from the U.S. market.
While the FDA previously said various studies showed no harm from mercury fillings, some
consumer groups contend the fillings can trigger a range of health problems such as
multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. In 2006, an FDA advisory panel of outside experts s
aid most people would not be harmed by them, but said the agency needed more information.
Mercury has been linked to brain and kidney damage at certain levels. Amalgams contain half
mercury and half a combination of other metals.
Charles Brown, a lawyer for one of the groups called Consumers for Dental Choice, said the
agency's move represented an about-face. "Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA's claims that no
science exists that amalgam is unsafe," he said in a statement.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. analyst Ipsita Smolinski said the FDA is not likely to outright ban the
fillings next year but will probably call for restrictions.
"We do believe that the agency will ask for the label to indicate that mercury is an ingredient in
the filling, and that special populations should be exempt from such fillings, such as: nursing
women, pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals," Smolinski
wrote in a research note on Wednesday.
Fewer patients have been opting for mercury fillings in recent years, instead choosing lighter
options such as tooth-colored resin composites.
Only 30 percent of fillings given to patients were mercury-filled ones as of 2003, according to
the American Dental Association (ADA). Other options include glass cement and porcelain as
well as other metals such as gold, but they cost more and are less durable, the group has said.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; editing by Carol Bishopric)
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Pharmaceutical drugs found in
drinking water... yuk!
Drug Traces Common in Tap Water
Published: March 10, 2008
Filed at 12:09 p.m. ET
A vast array of pharmaceuticals -- including antibiotics, anti-convulsants,
mood stabilizers and sex hormones -- have been found in the drinking water
supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.
To be sure, the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in
quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. Also,
utilities insist their water is safe.
But the presence of so many prescription drugs -- and over-the-counter medicines
like acetaminophen and ibuprofen -- in so much of our drinking water is heightening
worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.
In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been
detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas --
from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.
Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed,
the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers
said the public ''doesn't know how to interpret the information'' and might be unduly alarmed.
How do the drugs get into the water?
People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes
through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged
into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking
water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove
all drug residue.
Read HERE about the issue and
HERE... about how REVERSE OSMOSIS
can remove these traces of pharmaceuticals.
Reverse Osmosis also removes RADIOACTIVE
elements such as Strontium 90 (also found in
drinking water through the work of the RPHP.
Read the press release HERE.
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1/8/08
LONDON - Following a diet abundant in
fruits and vegetables,
shunning smoking and drinking and exercising regularly will add
at least 14 years to a person's life, according to a new study by
researchers at the University of Cambridge and the
Medical Research Council.
12/11/07
ONCE AGAIN...
Studies link RED MEAT to INCREASED CANCER RISK...
CLICK HERE for links to news stories. Beef...
it's NOT what's recommended for dinner!
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11/18/07
Global Warming... Does it really matter?
Check out this report... Click on the headline below.
By ARTHUR MAX,
Posted: 2007-11-17 19:58:33
VALENCIA, Spain (Nov. 17) - The Earth is hurtling toward a
warmer climate at a quickening pace, a Nobel-winning U.N. scientific
panel said in a landmark report released Saturday, warning of
inevitable human suffering and the threat of extinction for some species.
 Ian Waldie, Getty Images
Britain's Meteorological Office reported in January that 2007 is likely to the
the warmest year ever recorded. El Nino and high levels of greenhouse
gasses are raising global temperatures enough to break the record set in 1998.
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ONCE AGAIN!
Evidence indicates that toxic chemicals in
our environment / food / water cause illness,
hormonal disruption and even obesity!!
The story is covered in USA Today
August 2007 and other news sources...
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ORGANIC FOODS are found to be healthier for you, and more nutritious!
The BUZZ this July...
From The Times
July 5, 2007
Valerie Elliott, Consumer Editor
Organic fruit and vegetables may be better for the heart and general health than
eating conventionally grown crops, new research has found.
A ten-year study comparing organic tomatoes with standard produce found that they
had almost double the quantity of antioxidants called flavonoids which help to prevent
high blood pressure and thus reduce the likelihood of heart disease and strokes.
Alyson Mitchell, a food chemist, who led the research at the University of California,
believes that flavonoids can also help to stave off some forms of cancer and dementia.
She found that levels of quercetin and kaempferol, both flavonoids, were on average 79
and 97 per cent higher, respectively, in organic tomatoes. Her findings are due to be
published in full in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry...
CLICK HERE. for more articles demonstrating the superior nutritional value of organics.
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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED.
Maintain ACCESS TO NUTRITION SUPPLEMENTS, learn how the
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS plans to gain complete control over food and
nutrition supplements worldwide.
Listen to *Rima E. Laibow*, MD explain the history and global intervention
of the Codex Alimentarius. Her website is HealthFreedomUSA.org.
I found this information upsetting... Check it out for yourself.
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Thank you HOMETOWN NEWS! Hometown News printed my Rant/Letter to the Editor
about the misleading and dangerous assumpton that Nuclear Power is a safe and clean
alternative fuel... Click below to link to Hometown News online. Feel free to rate the article!
Posted: 2007 Mar 09 - 01:26
To the editor
Hello.
I am a qualified, credentialed nutritionist here in Palm Beach County and need to rant about
recent discussions stating that nuclear power is a safe and clean alternative to power plants
that emit greenhouse gases.
Radiation has always caused cancer and always will. Children are particularly vulnerable.
Just investigate the cancer clusters in Port St. Lucie around the nuclear power plant there.
Or around the Turkey Point power plant in Homestead or the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant
in Tom's River, N. J.
I worked personally with scientists Ernest Sternglass and Jerald Brown on the "Baby Teeth"
study that demonstrated absorption of radioactive material into children's teeth (and subsequently
into bones, soft tissue, etc.) and into our drinking water, particularly around nuclear power plants.
A similar study in the 1950s and 1960s led to a ban on above-ground nuclear testing.
The current study led to a lawsuit in Port St. Lucie citing radiation as the direct cause of a local
child's leukemia.
I know this may be a sensitive, political issue, however, I implore you to research the facts and
find a way to continue to bring this information to the forefront.
Visit the Web sites radiation.org or NutritionMission.org/ Radiation Poisoning for more information.
Thank you.
Beth Ellen DiLuglio, MS, RD, CNSD, CCN
Singer Island
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WHY are studies still condoning the use of weight loss diets that dangerously
restrict all carbohydrates, even healthy whole food sources, while encouraging
EXCESSIVE INTAKE of animal based fats and protein ?
JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE LOSES WEIGHT, it does not mean that it is a healthy way
to do it.
I cannot believe that these studies do not measure or even ADDRESS two MAJOR
risk factors for heart disease, CRP (C-Reactive Protein which measures inflammation) and
HOMOCYSTEINE (an amino acid, a byproduct of meat metabolism, that is correlated more
closely with heart attack and heart disease than cholesterol levels).
These high protein, low carbohydrate diets also make the blood very acidic which is a
major risk factor for osteoporosis... Not to mention diabetics who follow this high protein,
low carbohydrate diet put themselves at significant risk for kidney failure!
Here is a current article and a very well balance reply from
Dr. Howard Eisenson, director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center at Duke University in Durham, N.C.
CLICK HERE FOR THE ABC NEWS ARTICLE from abcnews.go.com March 7, 2007.
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AND YOU THOUGHT THAT TRANS FATS were bad !!
Just when we seemed to have gotten the use of unhealthy TRANS FATS under control,
PROCESSED FOODS are now starting to contain another unhealthy additive called
INTERESTERIFIED FATS. They were designed to take the place of TRANS FATS in
processed foods that require a longer shelf life. Apparently these new altered fats
significantly lowered HDL and raised glucose levels... obviously unhealthy changes!
As the study below was financially supported by the Malayasian Palm Oil Board, we will
wait for the results to be repeated and verified before recommending that people avoid
interesterified fats. HOWEVER in keeping with my basic philosophy, we should avoid
processed foods and concentrate on natural, unprocessed, whole foods...
Read for yourself the article in Nutrition and Metabolism (nutritionandmetabolism.com) and it's
CONCLUSION:
A natural saturated fat, palm olein, was compared to two forms of modified replacement fats, one containing trans fatty acids, the other interesterified with 18:0. Both modified fats adversely altered metabolism of plasma lipoproteins and blood glucose in humans. Further investigation is warranted before interesterification is disseminated as the process of choice for replacing partial hydrogenation as a primary means for hardening vegetable oils for use in foods
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COULD it be true that
| 90% of the ocean's edible species may be gone by 2048 |
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| HUNGRY FOR FISH |
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As supplies dwindle, the American appetite for seafood grows. U.S. annual consumption per person:
1960: 10.3 pounds
1970: 11.8
1980: 12.5
1990: 15.0
2000: 15.2
2004: 16.6
Source: National Marine Fisheries Service
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 Enlarge |
By Klas Stolpe, AP |
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| A worker guides a haul of black cod from the hold of a tender at Petersburg, Alaska, on Oct. 2. |
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By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
Oversight of commercial fishing must be strengthened or there may
eventually be no more seafood.
That's the conclusion of a report in today's Science journal that predicts
90% of the fish and shellfish species that are hauled from the ocean
to feed people worldwide may be gone by 2048.
Even now, 29% of those species have "collapsed," meaning a
90% decline in the amount being fished from the sea, said
Boris Worm, lead author and a professor of marine conservation
biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.
"It is a very clear trend, and it is accelerating," Worm said.
The paper represents four years of work by an international
team of researchers at various universities who analyzed
ocean species diversity over the past 1,000 years.
The team concludes that this trend can be reversed.
"We need to implement sustainable fishing methods,
create marine sanctuaries where species can replenish
themselves and limit pollution from coastal areas," said
Heike Lotze, a marine ecologist at Dalhousie University.
"If the habitat is gone or the water's destroyed," the fish
populations can't bounce back, she said.
"We know how to do this. But it must be done soon," Worm said.
"With each species that is lost, the opportunity for the system
to repair itself is diminished."
The findings are too pessimistic and not true of the USA, said
Steve Murawski, chief scientist for the National Marine Fisheries
Service, which oversees fishing regions in U.S. waters.
Murawski said "aggressive fisheries management" is reducing
the percentage of U.S. overfished species, which he estimated
is now 20%. U.S. fishing regions represent about 10% of the
world's catch.
Worldwide, overfishing is a big part of the problem, the researchers said. "Every year it's estimated that
human beings remove 150 million metric tons of life from the seas," said Joshua Reichert, environment-program director
at Pew Charitable Trusts in Philadelphia.
But fishing isn't the only problem, the report states. The destruction of
coastal areas, estuaries and reefs by dredging, building and pollution
destroys nursery habitats for young fish.
As marine species disappear, the ability of others to survive is further harmed
by the drop in the ocean's overall productivity and stability, the researchers found.
Fish and seafood are key protein sources for a world that's expected to add
another 3 billion people by 2050. But it's also a problem for people who don't
eat fish. Sixty percent of Americans live within 60 miles of a coast. Declines in
marine biodiversity can:
•Increase coastal flooding because of the loss of floodplains and erosion
control provided by the wetlands, reefs and underwater vegetation that are a
cornerstone of marine life.
•Reduce water quality by destroying the plants, shellfish and fish that are the
ocean's biological filtering apparatus.
•Increase beach closure because of harmful algae blooms, such as red tide,
facilitated by diminished filtering
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SHOULD WE REVISIT THE 1970's SCI-FI CLASSIC FILM
"Soylent Green" ??!! What would
Charlton Heston, AKA "Thorn" say now ?!
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How much is TOO MUCH?
Because pesticides have only been used to kill pests for less than a generation, we really don't know how
much the human body can handle, especially children. Of course "pesticides" were originally formulated
to kill humans, being used as weapons of war... but how much does it take to make us sick?
Ultimately WE DON'T KNOW! Our bodies, under ideal circumstances can "detoxify" a certain amount of
pesticide, but we must be in good nutritional status and have plenty of nutrients, antioxidants and
phytochemicals available.
We should demand that the EPA take appropriate, not innappropriate action..
"Government scientists are blowing the whistle on the Environmental Protection Agency's attempt to allow
the continued use of 20 highly controversial organophosphate pesticides without conducting adequate
safety testing. Previous research indicates that these pesticides pose serious health hazards, especially to
babies in the womb, infants and children. EPA scientists report that they are being pressured to skip key risk
assessment tests. This controversy comes on the heels of the EPA's new rule which would allow the
intentional dosing of pregnant women and children with pesticides."
CLICK HERE for the full story from Organic Consumers Association and
the chance to send a letter to the EPA
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Parkinson's Disease AGAIN linked to pesticide exposure... even low level home exposure...
From medicalnewstoday.com:
Pesticides Linked To Parkinson's Disease
Main Category: Parkinson's Disease News
Article Date: 26 Jun 2006 - 10:00am (PDT) 
Exposure to pesticides is linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, say researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, USA. People with low level exposure to pesticide sprays have a 70% increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease when compared to people with no or very low exposure. |
Read HERE about the Annals of Neurology article dated June 26, 2006.
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Read HERE about the role that HORMONES and SLEEP play in maintaining a healthy weight.
Fat Hormones Exposed
Researchers zero in on the main culprits of overeating.
AOL Diet and Fitness
By AMY PATUREL, M.S., M.P.H.
Why do you find yourself heading for a pint of Chunky Monkey after a full dinner (and when you're already
busting out of your pants)? Researchers are convinced it has a lot to do with hormones. According to
Andrea Giancoli, M.P.H., R.D., of the American Dietetic Association, hormone levels fluctuate based on how much sleep you get, how many calories you take in (and when) and what those calories consist of.
Now it seems researchers are zeroing in on four so-called "fat hormones."
In fact, some might argue that the growing body of research linking weight loss with adequate sleep,
low stress and an optimistic outlook falls under the larger umbrella of these four hormones. The details:
Ghrelin: A hormone secreted by your gut (tummy and intestines), ghrelin rises when you haven't noshed
in a while and falls after a midday meal. The trick to keeping ghrelin levels in check? "Don't starve yourself,"
says Giancoli, "and get enough sleep." Ghrelin levels are higher in people who get less sleep.
Leptin: Leptin is produced by fat cells and it signals the brain to stop eating. When you lose weight, you
lose leptin, too. The result: rebound weight gain. To lose weight and keep it off, strive for slow steady
weight loss -- no more than one to two pounds per week, says Giancoli.
Obsetatin: Recently identified by Stanford researchers, obestatin slows down the digestive process.
Scientists are still entrenched in the journey of discovery on this one, but it holds promise. It's probably a
safe bet that what keeps this hormone in check is the same as the others: adequate sleep, balanced diet
and minimal stress.
Cortisol: Low on energy and high on stress? Your cortisol levels are likely to climb through the roof.
Cortisol increases blood sugar, which gives you energy, but also makes you hungry. Still some research
indicates that cortisol has no connection to obesity. My anxiety-induced binge fest begs to differ. So until
researchers tease out the truth, relax!
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Please contact your congressman to SUPPORT LABELING of GENETICALLY ENGINEERED foods here in
the U.S.A....
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) recently introduced two bills related to GE crops and foods in the
House of Representatives. One bill, HR 5269, The Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act of 2006,
would require mandatory labeling of all GE foods; the other, HR 5268, The Genetically Engineered Food Safety
Act, would require mandatory, pre-market safety testing of GE foods.
We need you to contact your Representatives and encourage them to support these important bills!
Take Action Now! Contact your Representative and ask them to co-sponsor and support HR 5268 and HR 5269! The Center for Food Safety Campaign ends on December 1, 2006.
Tell me more
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We all KNOW that smoking is not good for our health... but here are two EXCELLENT reasons to
QUIT NOW!
Protect infants from second hand smoke and
Protect your family from the anguish.
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Did you know that the diesel engine was originally designed to run on VEGETABLE OIL ?
Yes, Frederick Diesel designed his new engine to run on peanut and vegetable oil... he proudly
showcased it in the early 1900's until he mysteriously disappeared. Apparently his body was never
found. The diesel engine was converted to run on petroleum products.... hmm.....
Read HERE about 2 guys from Ohio running their Volkswagen Jetta on SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil).
You can also read more in a book called "From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank" which I have shared with
many of my students.
Straight vegetable oil may be better than BIODIESEL if the BIODIESEL is made from virgin crops...
better to make biodiesel from algae... a technology showcased by GREENSHIFT, the only stock I own!
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Finally someGOOD news ! More research supporting the health benefits of a plant based diet, specifically
how a Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia... CLICK HERE.
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They did what? The infamous "they" have now found a way to splice a worm gene into cloned pigs
to raise their Omega-3 fatty acid content.... Hasn't anyone told "them" that you just need to feed the animal
differently to alter its Omega-3 and Omega-6 content? And of course such tunnel vision ignores the
downside of raising animals in mass quantities and the negative health effects of the meat itself....
I find it mad science.... which apparently, according to the 3/27/06 Forbes.com article,
is federally funded (!?)
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In a study involving 23 elementary school-aged children, eating an organic diet was found to significantly
lower exposure to organophosphorus pesticides...
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EPA Plan Would Allow Industry to Pollute Communities With Dangerous Chemicals Without Notifying
The Public
13 JAN 2006 | EPA's proposed rollback of the Toxics Release Inventory, the nation's premier right-to-know
pollution law, would terminate reporting of all pollution and disposal information for 228,000 pounds of five
persistent bioaccumulative toxics at 123 facilities in 35 states.
• EWG Investigation
• News Release
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Junk Food Marketing.... is it making your children sick?
Read the Institute of Medicines recent press release...
How marketing influences children and youth is the focus of the IOM report, Food Marketing to Children
and Youth: Threat or Opportunity? The report provides the most comprehensive review to date of the
scientific evidence on the influence of food marketing on diets and diet-related health of children and youth.
The study was requested by Congress and sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
The report finds that current food and beverage marketing practices puts children's long-term health at risk.
If America's children and youth are to develop eating habits that help them avoid early onset of diet-related
chronic diseases, they have to reduce their intake of high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks, fast foods,
and sweetened drinks, which make up a high proportion of the products marketed to them.
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ALERT: U.S. PROPOSES DOUSING WILDERNESS AREAS WITH PESTICIDES
Click Here to Sign Petition
(your info will not be shared - privacy policy)
Note: Public comment period ends Jan.9,2006
 The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposed to apply massive amounts of pesticides to public lands
in 17 Western states. The BLM claims these pesticides need to be applied to forests, rangelands and aquatic
areas in order to reduce the risk of fire and slow the spread of invasive weeds. Under the proposal 932,000
acres would undergo chemical application in 17 western states, including National Monuments and National
Conservation areas.
An integral part of this proposal involves aerial spraying of toxic pesticides, which increases negative impacts
on non-targeted vegetation, wildlife, and people, including recreationists, tourists, and native peoples (pesticide application areas
include Alaska, where native fishing and plant gathering is widespread).
The pesticides that would be used include persistent and mobile chemicals, including known developmental and reproductive
toxins. The list of pesticides includes 4 new chemicals and 14 other pesticides, including 2,4-D, bromacil, chlorsulfuron, diquat,
diuron, fluridone, hexazinone, teburthiruon, triclopyr, and picloram. The proposal would also allow the use of "new chemicals that
may be developed in the future."
Fortunately, the proposal also includes an analysis of possible outcomes of using nonchemical means of managing these areas
and offers an option (Option C) wherein traditional methods of vegetation management are used on public lands, not the use
widespread application of toxic chemicals.
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SOS! SAVE ORGANIC STANDARDS!!!
Click HERE for full story...
SOS Update October 6, 2005
Over the past week, Organic Consumers Association network members have deluged the U.S. congress with over 90,000 emails and over 15,000
telephone calls. Thank you for your support. This nearly unprecedented grassroots upsurge has temporarily rattled Congress and the industry,
delaying the initial Sneak Attack in the Senate on organic standards, resulting in a compromise amendment (H.R. 2744) September 21 calling
for “further study of the issue.”
Unfortunately we expect another, possibly even more serious, Sneak Attack in the House/Senate Conference Committee over the next week as
Congress members put the final wording together for the 2006 Congressional Agriculture Appropriations Bill (for a list of committee members and
contact info, click here). Therefore OCA is now calling on consumers and the organic community to apply pressure to their House of Representatives
members as well as their Senators to stop the Conference Committee from degrading the standards. In addition we urge everyone to start applying
pressure to the Organic Trade Association, who are unfortunately spearheading this Sneak Attack. We ask everyone who has read our SOS Action
Alert and signed our petition to Congress to call your House of Representative member 202-224-3121, as well as the OTA: 413-774-7511.
(If you are an organic business, please sign on to the petition to stop the OTA rider here)
Background of the Sneak Attack
After 35 years of hard work, the U.S. organic community has built up a multi-billion dollar alternative to industrial agriculture, based upon strict
organic standards and organic community control over modification to these standards.
Now, large corporations, such as Kraft, Wal-Mart, & Dean Foods--aided and abetted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and members of the
Organic Trade Association, are moving to lower organic standards by allowing Bush appointees in the USDA National Organic Program to approve a
broad list of synthetic ingredients and processing aids that would be allowed in organic production. Even worse these proposed regulatory changes
will reduce future public discussion and input and take away the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in setting standards.
What this means, in blunt terms. is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not consumers, will have near total control over what can go into
organic foods and products. (Send a quick letter to your Congresspersons online here)
During the next week, acting in haste and near-total secrecy, the U.S. Congress is being lobbied by industry to vote on a rider in the House/Senate
Conference Committee to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that could take away control over organic standards from the National Standards Board
and put this control in the hands of federal bureaucrats in the USDA (remember the USDA proposal in 1997-98 that said that genetic engineering, toxic
sludge, and food irradiation would be OK on organic farms, or USDA suggestions in 2004 that heretofore banned pesticides, hormones, tainted feeds, and
animal drugs would be OK?).
For the past week in Washington, OCA has been urging members of Congress not to reopen and subvert the federal statute that governs U.S.
Organic standards (the Organic Food Production Act: OFPA), but rather to let the organic community and the National Organic Standards Board resolve
our differences over issues like synthetics and animal feed internally, and then proceed to a open public comment period. Unfortunately most members
of Congress seem to be listening to industry lobbyists more closely than to us. We need to raise our voices.
(Send a quick letter to your Congresspersons online here)
In the past, grassroots mobilization and mass pressure by organic consumers have been able to stop the USDA and Congress from degrading organic standards.
This time Washington insiders tell us that the "fix is already in." So we must take decisive action now. We need you to call your Congressional Representatives
and Senators today. We need you to sign the following petition and send it to everyone you know. We also desperately need funds to head off this attack in the
weeks and months to come. Thank you for your support. Together we will take back citizen control over organic standards and preserve organic integrity.
Call the Capital Switchboard here: 202-224-3121, and tell your Congresspersons not to support any ammendments to the ag appropriations bill that would
lower organic standards. You can send a quick letter to your Congresspersons online here: www.organicconsumers.org/rd-ofpa.htm
CLICK HERE for related Press Releases.
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TOXIC ELEMENTS found in the cord blood of newborn infants...
CLICK HERE for full story.
Toxic elements found in infants' cord blood
By Christine Stapleton
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 14, 2005
In a benchmark study released today, researchers found an average of 200 industrial compounds, pollutants
and other chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns, including seven dangerous pesticides — some
banned in the United States more than 30 years ago.
The report, Body Burden — The Pollution in Newborns, by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental
Working Group, detected 287 chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborns. Of those chemicals,
76 cause cancer in humans or animals, 94 are toxic to the brain and nervous system and 79 cause birth
defects or abnormal development in animal tests.
• 76 chemicals that cause cancer in humans or animals.
• 94 that are toxic to the brain and nervous system.
• 79 that cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests.
|
READ MORE ABOUT HUMAN EXPOSURE TO INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS AND CARCINOGENS from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals
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DANGERS of Atkins' diet revealed...
Judge Orders Atkins Nutritionals
to End Secrecy and Produce
Internal Business Records
Ruling Is the Latest Legal Victory
for Former Dieter Suing Atkins
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA—A Florida judge has ordered Atkins Nutritionals to produce internal business
records as well as other evidence sought by plaintiff Jody Gorran, a former dieter who is suing the weight-loss
corporation. Gorran developed a near-fatal artery blockage after following the high-fat Atkins diet for
two-and-a-half years, and his lawsuit, filed last year, has withstood repeated attempts at dismissal. In the
face of Atkins’ repeated refusal to produce documents and answers to questions in the discovery phase of the
case, Gorran filed a motion to compel.
In a hearing today before Palm Beach County judge Susan Lubitz, Gorran’s motion to compel was successfully
argued by Dan Kinburn, associate general counsel for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Gorran
believes that Atkins Nutritionals’ internal business records are crucial to his case because they will likely show
that the corporation engaged in deceptive commercial speech not protected by the First Amendment.
In another recent victory for the former dieter, Atkins Nutritionals has agreed to produce documents and other
evidence relating to the dangers of the diet. “It has taken a judge’s order, but now Atkins Nutritionals can no longer
conceal its biggest business secret: its strategy for marketing a dangerous diet. Soon, the public will learn that the
low-carb plan is all about hype, not health,” says Jody Gorran.
In his lawsuit, Gorran contends that the Atkins diet caused him to develop severe coronary artery disease,
including dramatically elevated cholesterol levels, crushing chest pains, and a potentially fatal arterial blockage
requiring an angioplasty and a stent. A heart scan done prior to Gorran beginning the diet showed no signs of
heart disease. He is asking that all Atkins products and books be required to carry warning labels, and he is
seeking less than $15,000 in damages.
For an interview with Jody Gorran, or Dan Kinburn, contact Jeanne S. McVey at 202-686-2210, ext. 316 or jeannem@pcrm.org.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that
promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical research studies,
opposes unethical human experimentation, and promotes alternatives to animal research.
###
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20016
Phone: 202-686-2210 | Email: pcrm@pcrm.org
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Super Size Me !
Is a ground breaking film that I have shared with my college nutrition classes. I was truly astounded at the damage that a
junk food diet can cause... Below is a clip from the website...
"Why are Americans so fat? Find out in Super Size Me, a tongue in-cheek - and burger in hand -- look at the legal, financial and
physical costs of America's hunger for fast food.
Ominously, 37% of American children and adolescents are carrying too much fat and 2 out of every three adults are overweight
or obese. Is it our fault for lacking self-control, or are the fast-food corporations to blame?
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock hit the road and interviewed experts in 20 U.S. cities, including Houston, the "Fattest City" in America.
From Surgeon Generals to gym teachers, cooks to kids, lawmakers to legislators, these authorities shared their research, opinions
and "gut feelings" on our ever-expanding girth.
During the journey, Spurlock also put his own body on the line, living on nothing but McDonald's for an entire month with three
simple rules:
1) No options: he could only eat what was available over the counter (water included!)
2) No supersizing unless offered
3) No excuses: he had to eat every item on the menu at least once
It all adds up to a fat food bill, harrowing visits to the doctor, and compelling viewing for anyone who's ever wondered if man could
live on fast food alone.
The film explores the horror of school lunch programs, declining health and physical education classes, food addictions and the extreme measures people take to lose weight and regain their health.
Super Size Me is a satirical jab in the stomach, overstuffed with fat and facts about the billion-dollar industry besieged by doctors, lawyers and nutritionists alike. "Would you like fries with that?" will never sound the same"
AND
Check out great healthy alternatives for School Lunch Programs...
Nutritional Resource Foundation & Natural Ovens Bakery have partnered up to bring you nutritional fresh whole food guidelines designed
to help you take the needed steps in improving school breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.
The information packet outlines relevant topics such as "Improving the School Nutrition Environment” & “Six Essentials for Healthy
Students."
It's an in-depth guide to what needs to be done, from the ground up, to foster a healthier, more productive environment in our kids'
schools.
The guide comes with a 14 minute DVD that covers the six-year experience with the Appleton, Wisconsin Alternative School.
This was the school featured in the movie that got amazing results with "troubled" teens by changing their diet!
The DVD shows you just how powerful fresh whole foods can be to the lives of our youth.
For more info, click here for the Schools page at the Natural Ovens Bakery site.
To download the packet, without DVD, click here.
The full packet with the accompanying DVD is $25. To obtain it, please contact:
Melissa Luedtke
Nutritional Resource Foundation
920-758-2500 ext. 131
NRF@naturalovens.com
Don't forget to pass this on to your local PTA, teachers, parents, school board members, city council members, students, mayor,
or other influential representatives or organizations.
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EPA WILL USE POOR KIDS AS GUINEA PIGS
IN NEW STUDY ON PESTICIDES
Study Launch Date Suspended Until Early 2005
Offers Public Comment Period
| Note: This alert now contains a new Question & Answer section that will be regularly added to as this issue progresses |
 11/16/2004: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Bush appointees, is seeking input on a new proposed
study in which infants in participating low income families will be monitored for health impacts as they undergo exposure
to known toxic chemicals over the course of two years. The study entitled Children’s Environmental Exposure Research
Study (CHEERS) will look at how chemicals can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3
years old.
For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation.
In October, the EPA received $2.1 million to do the study from the American Chemistry Council, a chemical industry front group that
includes members such as Dow, Exxon, and Monsanto (see full list of members on sidebar of this page). Critics of the research, including
some EPA scientists, claim the study's funders guarantee the results will be biased in favor of the chemical industry, at the expense of the
health of the impoverished children serving as test subjects.
For 30 years the ACC has known the high level of toxicity of the specific chemicals being "studied" in this project. These are some of the
most dangerous known chemicals in household products. The ACC knows full well the intensel
Healthy lifestyle
adds 14
extra years to life... CLICK HERE
Published: March 10, 2008
Filed at 12:09 p.m. ET
A vast array of pharmaceuticals -- including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones -- have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.
To be sure, the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. Also, utilities insist their water is safe.
But the presence of so many prescription drugs -- and over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen -- in so much of our drinking water is heightening worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.
In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas -- from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.
Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed, the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public ''doesn't know how to interpret the information'' and might be unduly alarmed.
How do the drugs get into the water?
People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.
Exposure to common chemical
may be harmful
Americans are exposed to far more of a controversial chemical than previously thought —
levels that likely surpass the government's current safety standard and which have been
shown to cause harm in animals, according to a joint statement issued Thursday by
38 leading scientists.
While the chemical, bisphenol A, is hardly a household word, it is found in nearly every home —
and nearly everybody. Government tests have found bisphenol A — used in plastic baby bottles,
dental sealants and linings of metal cans — in 95% of people studied.
While scientists haven't yet conducted definitive studies in people, animal tests have linked
bisphenol A — which acts like a hormone — to problems such as obesity, early puberty,
hyperactivity, and abnormal sexual behavior and reproductive cycles.
In their joint statement, however, scientists say they took a conservative approach,
including only statements backed by many strong studies.
Scientists agreed that even very low doses cause profound effects on laboratory animals,
particularly during pregnancy and infancy. The chemical can permanently rewire genetic
programming before birth,potentially predisposing exposed animals to cancer.
Bisphenol A also changes brain structure, body size and behavior in animals studied,
scientists said. |
