Cleansing the skepticism surrounding detoxification diets

A recent article published in The Science of Biology espouses the anti-detoxification views of Professor David Bender, professor emeritus of nutritional biochemistry at University College London. In his article, titled The Detox Delusion, Professor Bender claims that…

Exclusive: Dow seeking deregulation of GE corn resistant to 2,4-D, a major component of Agent Orange

This is an exclusive breaking news story from NaturalNews, please cite this article as the source. It was received as a tip from a concerned health advocate who found it in the federal register, then forwarded it to an industry advocacy group which then forwarded it…

Epilepsy Foundation warning shows that television, movies can reprogram brain neurology

(NaturalNews) Rapidly flashing lights and other fast-moving visual effects in movies, television, and video games can trigger sudden epileptic seizures and other neurological disorders in humans, and a recent warning by an epilepsy group confirms this. According to the Baltimore Sun , the Maryland-based Epilepsy Foundation recently issued a warning about the new, hit movie Breaking Dawn , which is part of the Twilight series, that essentially proves popular media’s ability to reprogram brain neurology. Reports claim that an “intense birth scene” in Breaking Dawn that contains multi-colored visual strobe light effects has caused a number of moviegoers around the world to experience sudden seizures and other illness. And the trigger is allegedly so powerful and widespread that the Epilepsy Foundation has recommended that individuals prone to certain types of seizures avoid the film completely. “If you were parents of a child with epilepsy, you would not send your child to the movie,” said Mimi Carter, director of communications at the Epilepsy Foundation, to reporters about the potential dangers of seeing the film. “Why would you risk it?” In one instance, a California man was rushed to the hospital when he began “convulsing, snorting, (and) trying to breathe” after viewing the controversial scene, according to CBS Sacramento. And a woman from Portland, Ore., told KATU that she began feeling “sick to [her] stomach,” and became “really hot, really sweaty, like on the verge of vomiting” after watching the scene. The Epilepsy Foundation has been warning for years that light-induced epilepsy triggers, which are collectively referred to as “photosensitivity,” is a “significant health problem,” and that parents need to be especially careful about the types of media to which their children are exposed. This was made especially apparent back in 1997 when nearly 700 Japanese children were hospitalized for seizures after watching an episode of the popular Pokemon cartoon series (http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9712/17/japan.cartoon/). A bigger cause for concern, however, is how these forms of popular media are potentially able to neurologically reprogram individuals in other ways. If repeated patterns of light in movie scenes or television are able to trigger epilepsy, what else are they potentially doing to reprogram neural pathways and alter thought patterns, for instance? Since it is known that these visual effects do, indeed, cause demonstrable neurological abnormalities in some people, it is possible that they are causing not-so-visible abnormalities in many others as well. Sources for this article include: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-12-01/entertainment/bs-ae-breaking-dawn-seizures-20111130_1_seizures-epilepsy-foundation-epilepsy-experts

Exposing the hidden epidemic of crippling, painful neurological adverse effects of antibiotics

(NaturalNews) The adverse reactions from a certain specific class of antibiotics resemble the crippling adverse reactions of the vaccine injured. But there is much less notoriety among these agonized and debilitated victims of the Medical Mafia, except for one PBS Nightly News special from June 16th, 2011. (PBS, source below) Most antibiotic victims are adults with no one to look after them. Unlike unfortunate autistic or paralyzed vaccine injured kids who have parents dedicated to taking care of them. Thanks to social networking and internet forums, these victims have some support. Unfortunately, most of them are locked into the Medical Mafia system of harmful drugs and brain washed medicine. Their complaints are often disregarded as delusional, or they’re misdiagnosed for rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, or MS. And that’s because their symptoms are similar, and worse. They often suffer from the constant pain of extreme neuropathy. Very few adverse event reports make it to the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS). It’s estimated by even the FDA that less than ten percent of actual adverse events make it into this system. It’s not advertised to patients as the complaint department of choice, and doctors tend be averse to reporting adverse events from drugs they’ve prescribed. So the forums and social network systems such as a facebook “wall of pain” containing personal stories and photos of current victims are their sole recourse and support. Most of them are motivated with the desire to warn others and curse the FDA. They don’t have ambulance chasing attorneys – yet. The most troublesome antibiotics Fluoroquinolone antibiotics appear to be the most pernicious class of antibiotics causing the worst adverse effects. They are prescribed and sold as Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), Levaquin, Avelox, and Tequin . Apparently enough adverse event reports have gotten through, causing the FDA to issue a black box warning for Levaquin specifically and fluoroquinolones in general. The black box is the FDA’s most severe warning, but it goes only to whoever is prescribing the drug. It’s up to physicians and pharmacists to sound the alarm for their patients and customers. But usually those alarms don’t get sounded, even, according to many victims, when queried about their safety. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics seem to be popular. They are dispensed for minor infections when they should be used only for extremely serious infections, though there could be problems there too. At least the ratio of benefit to risk would be closer then. A professor of pharmacology at Indiana University was quoted as saying “you don’t use big guns to kill mosquitoes.” Fluoroquinolone adverse effect symptoms An unusual side effect, exclusive to this type of antibiotic, is tearing tendons. They may literally fall apart within days of using a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. The others are crippling losses of motor abilities, difficulty thinking, tinnitus, chronic insomnia, depression and anxiety among others. The constant pain is the most difficult to bear. Neuropathy can be restricted to tingling, twitching, and numbness. But the level of neuropathy for many of the fluoroquinolone victims causes constant extreme pain throughout the joints and body. Oddly enough, these symptoms are similar to Lyme disease victims who clamor for life-long antibiotic use. Adverse effects may show up after only one pill or not begin until a year or more after taking a series of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. If not treated, the adverse effects last long enough to ruin lives completely. Perhaps alpha lipoic acid, especially combined with extra potent B vitamins, could do wonders for their comfort and recovery. Skilled homeopathic doctors could help them also. Unfortunately, most of these victims are stuck in a system that makes huge profits from selling solutions to problems they’ve created. Sources for this article include PBS report and individuals’ videos here: http://healthmaven.blogspot.com/2011/12/must-viewthese-antibiotics-cause-severe.html “Wall of pain” – click photos for their stories http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=pu.209182505773463&type=1

Artificial Sweetener Disease; a new breed of sickness

(NaturalNews) Artificial Sweetener Disease (ASD) is sweeping across America, affecting tens of thousands of consumers, and Western medicine calls it anything but what it really is, so that doctors can prescribe expensive pharmaceuticals and set up “check up” appointments for the following weeks. Call it recurring headaches, unbearable migraines, depression, anxiety, muscle pain, arthritis flare ups, buzzing or ringing in the ears, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, inflammation, even acid reflux, but don’t call it ASD, or the patient may stop consuming synthetic sweeteners, and then not schedule more doctor visits. The symptoms of ASD can change overnight, depending on how much chemical sweetener you consume, and which ones. Some combinations are especially toxic. Consumers can go from a migraine headache to vomiting or from vision problems to an upset stomach. Many people experience central nervous system disorders, cramping, nervous twitches and abnormal reflexes. (http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/) It all started when Ronald Reagan took office in 1980. He immediately fired the head of the FDA, under advisement from Donald Rumsfeld (CEO of Searle Pharmaceutical at the time), and hired Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., who auspiciously approved aspartame. It was the decade of the diet craze, and Rumsfeld and his constituents made a fortune off the artificial sweetener which had been banned for decades due to laboratory testing results proving it was carcinogenic. The same FDA tainted approval process gave way to sucralose in 1991, and then sorbitol in 2003. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-gennet/donald-rumsfeld-and-the-s_b_805581.html) Gulf War Syndrome mainly ASD It is not a coincidence that a wave of fibromyalgia cases hit the American troops during the Gulf War. Studies revealed that drinking diet sodas in the 120 degree heat lead to serious health repercussions. It was cleverly chalked up under the umbrella term “Gulf War Syndrome,” but the same problems are occurring for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan now. (http://www.militaryspot.com/resources/gulf_war_syndrome/) It is also no coincidence that 4 out of 5 fibromyalgia cases affect women, who are more likely to eat diet foods and consume diet drinks than men. Nearly all chewing gum and breath mints are loaded with artificial sweeteners. (http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/383-why-a-stick-of-gum-is-more-harmful-to-your-health-than-anything-that-you-eat.html) The popular saying that “there’s not enough artificial sweetener in any specific product to cause health concerns” is a lie, especially now that in 2011 there are synthetic sweeteners in over 25% of all food, drink, gum and candy available. This cumulative effect has created ASD, and thanks to little or no regulation of chemical agents in food, it’s not going away any time soon. There is no prescription drug, and there never will be one, that cures the problems that artificial sweeteners create . In fact, over 70 percent of reported cases of fibromyalgia, chronic depression, IBS and acid reflux are caused by consuming chemical agents which have been approved by the FDA for consumption. (http://www.foodintol.com/food_intolerance/irritable_bowel_syndrome) Cancer may be the distant, long term result of consuming chemicals, but ASD is the short term consequence, and it is very serious. If you look to prescription drugs to cure these “chronic ailments,” then you will experience even more side effects from the prescription medicines, and maybe worse ones than you already have. The good news is the cure for Artificial Sweetener Disease is absolutely free and involves no doctor, no health insurance co-pays, and has zero side effects. Here is the secret cure for ASD: throw away your sugar free gum and candy, and then trash all foods and drinks you have that are labeled “light” and “zero.” Read the labels on everything, so you can filter out all artificial sweeteners from your products , including aspartame, sucralose, sorbitol, acesulfame-k, aspartic acid, and saccharine. As an alternative to poisoning yourself, try Xylitol or Stevia in order to cut calories, or simply eat more organic vegetables! If problems persist, take a list of everything you ate this week to your Naturopath or Nutritionist to analyze. Remember, if you’re getting sick from moldy bread, don’t look for a prescription drug to cure you, just stop eating moldy bread . Sources for this article include http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-gennet/donald-rumsfeld-and-the-s_b_805581.html http://www.militaryspot.com/resources/gulf_war_syndrome/ http://www.aspartamekills.com/mpvalley/ http://www.medicinenet.com/artificial_sweeteners/page8.htm http://www.naturalnews.com/022785.html http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/aspartame.html http://www.foodintol.com/food_intolerance/irritable_bowel_syndrome http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/383-why-a-stick-of-gum-is-more-harmful-to-your-health-than-anything-that-you-eat.html http://www.thepanelist.net/general-finance-10103/1231-orbit-gum-whiter-teeth-plus-gout-and-heart-disease http://www.naturalnews.com/034320_aspartame_sweetener_side_effects.html http://www.naturalnews.com/033914_Splenda_Essentials_sweetener.html

Many invasive pests necessary for pollination of plants, eliminating them could cause global devastation

(NaturalNews) Native pollinators like birds and bats are becoming extinct in some areas of the world, and this loss is wreaking major havoc on many of the world’s ecosystems. But new research published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B has found that non-native animals, which are typically viewed as undesirable and destructive pests, are actually pollinators themselves — and eliminating them could cause further devastation of plants and food crops than has already occurred. Dr. David Pattemore and his colleague David Wilcove, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and public affairs at Princeton University, recently set out to learn more about non-native animals and their role in ecosystem management and restoration. What they found is shocking in that, though destructive en masse, these invasive “pests” actually take on the role of former pollinators that have since become extinct — and in some cases, they actually do the job better. Case in point is New Zealand’s North Island, an area where native vertebrate pollinator species have become largely extinct, and that has become overrun with invasive pests like ship rats and silvereye birds. Compared to plants on Little Barrier Island, another area of New Zealand where native pollinating vertebrates are still intact, plants on North Island were found to still be getting pollinated in the same way, but instead by the non-native pests. “These foreign species performed some of the same functions as the locally extinct native pollinators and, in the case of the New Zealand honeysuckle and Veronica macrocarpa, the rats and silvereyes provided pollination services as good or better than the endemic vertebrates,” said Wilcove. “Ironically, ship rats are believed to be a major cause of the loss of New Zealand’s native vertebrates. So, essentially the killer stepped in to do the job of its victim.” Controlling invasive species is still necessary, however, as they obviously can overrun ecosystems and destroy native species. But the extent to which they should be controlled has now been called into question, thanks to the duo’s game-changing discovery. “[O]ur findings show that eliminating an invasive species for the benefit of native species could actually harm an ecosystem, a surprising dynamic that could frustrate ecosystem restoration efforts,” added Wilcove. Sources for this article include: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116104514.htm

Fair Trade USA certifier severely dilutes standards to include non-fair trade products

(NaturalNews) Concerned about the horrific working conditions and measly wages that many of the world’s poorest must deal with every single day, many consumers are now opting for “fair trade” products that, while slightly more expensive at times, come from farms and factories that operate ethically and honestly. But one of the prominent fair trade certifiers in the US, Fair Trade USA, has decided to compromise its standards and begin accepting products that are not technically fair trade, at least not by international standards. Much like the certified organic label, the fair trade label has come to be recognized as a symbol of quality, integrity and sustainability. Unlike many conventional products, fair trade products are meant to embody non-exploitative trade, or as Fair Trade USA puts it on its website, a “market-based approach that gives farmers fair prices, workers safe conditions, and entire communities resources for fair, healthy and sustainable lives.” But the group’s new policy changes have many reeling in disgust, according to The New York Times (NYT). Rather than continue to promote small-scale coffee and cocoa farms that treat their workers humanely and pay them fair wages, for instance — fair trade coffee and cocoa represent the vast majority of the fair trade market in the US — Fair Trade USA wants to allow large plantations the opportunity to achieve fair trade status. Under current guidelines, fair trade products certified by Fair Trade USA also must have at least 25 percent fair trade content in order to bear the full “Fair Trade Certified” logo (http://www.fairtradeusa.org/certification/label-usage). But under the new guidelines, products with as little as ten percent fair trade ingredients could bear the same label, which some say will confuse customers and ultimately destroy the integrity and reputation of the fair trade market. “Starbucks, Green Mountain and other coffee companies will be able to become 100 percent fair trade not because they’ve changed their business practices one iota but because Fair Trade USA has changed the rules of the game,” said Dean Cycon, founder of the Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Company in Orange, Mass., to the NYT. And along the same lines, Rink Dickinson, president of Equal Exchange, an importer of fair trade coffee, chocolate, tea and bananas, said the move is a “betrayal” and that Fair Trade USA has “lost their integrity.” Sources for this article include: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/24/business/as-fair-trade-movement-grows-a-dispute-over-its-direction.html

Advanced electrical stimulation technology can repair damaged nerves, restore neuron function with virtually no side effects

(NaturalNews) Patients suffering from nerve damage or paralysis may soon be able to better regain function, thanks to a new electrical stimulation technique developed by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Mass., and engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Science Daily reports that the new method of functional electrical stimulation (FES) reduces electrical output by 40 percent and better protects surrounding nerves and tissues from damage by focusing energy directly to the damaged site. Published in the journal Nature Materials , the findings reveal a method of stimulating neuronal activity in patients with nerve damage that is superior to traditional FES technologies. By reducing the amount of electrical current emitted and better concentrating it into damaged areas, scientists have successfully developed a safer and more efficient method of helping nerve-damaged patients regain function with less damaging side effects. “This new device works by manipulating the concentration of charged ions surrounding the nerve,” said Samuel J. Lin, MD, a surgeon at BIDMC’s Divisions of Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, and co-author of the study. “This could potentially mean reduced risk to surrounding nerves because less electrical current is required to stimulate the affected nerve.” Since sensory nerves and the nerves that control movements are located very closely together, reducing both the amount of electrical current as well as its spread is crucial to maximizing the benefits and reducing the side effects of FES treatments. And after experimenting with the various ions in the fluid that surrounds nerves, the research team discovered that removing the positively charged calcium ions helps to focus the electrical current on the damaged nerve areas while protecting the healthy areas. “Nerve fibers fire their signals based on the message they receive from the interaction of ions, or charged particles,” added Lin. “The nerves that control movements and the sensory nerves that carry pain signals are extremely close together, so existing FES therapy has had limitations. This (new discovery) is an important step towards the design of a device to help patients suffering from nerve paralysis and chronic neurological conditions.” Sources for this article include: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121194131.htm

Android smartphone software tracks every user action and keystroke, analysis finds

(NaturalNews) Smartphone devices are convenient, handy tools for staying in touch with friends and family, getting directions on the go, and accessing a variety of helpful user applications from virtually anywhere. But a recent analysis of smartphones loaded with Google’s Android software platform reveals that the technology can also track every movement, action, and keystroke of users, which represents a serious breach of privacy. The UK’s Telegraph reports that preloaded Android software known as “Carrier IQ” secretly monitors and records the websites Android users access from their mobile phones, as well as the text messages they send and receive and even the individual keystrokes they make. The technology also logs a history of where users are located geographically while performing these tasks. Carrier IQ claims that its software only tracks this information for the benefit of its users and their smartphone experience, and does not sell the information to third parties. But Trevor Eckhart, a developer of Android “app” software and a security researcher, conducted a test on his own personal Android phone and found that the software keeps an active record of every keystroke made, every text message sent, and where users conduct such activity — and it sends all this information directly to Carrier IQ. Eckhart recently posted a video to YouTube that explains how the data collection process works, and how it is quietly transmitted back to Carrier IQ without user knowledge. You can view that video here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TrevorEckhart On the one hand, the collection of such information makes sense as it allows network providers and application developers to better understand how mobile phone users use their phones, which can then be used to improve the overall user experience. On the other hand, private information could end up in the hands of government officials and others who may want to spy on citizens and track their private activity. “I have no problem with improving service. I hate dropped calls too,” says Tim Armstrong, a researcher at Kaspersky Lab, an antivirus software developer, concerning the issue. “What I do have a problem with is service providers who are intentionally uninformative about what they are doing with your data on a device you’ve paid for, and then not allowing any type of removal or opt-out.” A recent Fox News report explains that several class-action lawsuits have been filed in California, Delaware, and elsewhere against Carrier IQ over its data collection practices. Sources for this article include: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phones/8927164/Software-on-Android-phones-tracking-every-key-stroke.html http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/removing-carrieriq-really-bad-idea-most-mobile-phone-users-120711 http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/12/06/in-tracking-companies-reveal-their-low-iq/

Report: 45 tons of highly radioactive water leaked from Fukushima

(NaturalNews) The woes of Fukushima are far from over as the plant’s owner, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), announced recently that a purification mechanism has leaked at least 45 tons of highly radioactive water, some of which ended up flowing directly into the ocean. TEPCO officials are reportedly in the process of investigating the situation to determine the extent of the damage caused. Throughout the past year, government authorities have been working with TEPCO to bring the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility into a complete, cold shutdown by the end of the year. This means that instead of exceeding its boiling point and reheating nuclear fuel as has been the case since the devastating March 11 disaster, nuclear cooling water is effectively maintained below its boiling point in order to prevent any further leakage and damage (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/02/us-japan-nuclear-shutdown-idUSTRE7B104520111202). But according to information posted on TEPCO’s website, a decontamination device that had been purifying radioactive cooling water sprung a leak, which sent at least 45 tons of highly radioactive water outside the containment facility. Cracked concrete also allowed some of that water to leak into a gutter that drains directly into nearby ocean waters (http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/index-e.html). Samples taken of the water surrounding the purification device revealed shockingly high levels of radiation, with reports indicating 16,000 becquerels per liter (Bq/l) of cesium-134 and 29,000 Bq/l of cesium-137. This amount of radiation is 270 times and 322 times higher, respectively, than the government’s maximum safety thresholds, according to the Citizens’ Nuclear Information Center in Tokyo. A BusinessWeek report explains that the water also contained 1.8 millisieverts per hour of gamma radiation and 110 millisieverts of beta radiation, both of which are damaging forms of ionizing radiation emitted from nuclear waste that can cause cell damage, leukemia, cancer and various other severe health problems. “The source of the beta radiation in the water is likely to include strontium 90, which if absorbed in the body through eating tainted seaweed or fish, accumulates in bone and can cause cancer,” said Tetsuo Ito, head of Kinki University’s Atomic Energy Research Institute, concerning the situation. Data gathered found that strontium levels in the water are has high as one million times the government’s maximum safety threshold. Sources for this article include: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/12/05/water-leaks-from-crippled-japanese-nuclear-plant/ http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LVPG781A74E901-48V5TPE8SHT4ECD0HGHI681CL5

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