Low vitamin D levels linked to depression in children

Are your kids getting enough vitamin D? If not, they could be at a higher risk for depression. A new study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom shows that children and teens with higher levels of vitamin D are less likely to experience depression than…

Medical Mafia using financial leverage to enforce children’s vaccinations on poor families

(NaturalNews) Australia has a very high percentage of children fully vaccinated by age five. Only 11% are not fully vaccinated by five years of age. The Australian government has created financial incentives to almost force parents into vaccinating. Still, the Australian government isn’t happy with what they have. Australia’s medical mafia In Australia, parents receive $726 per child as Family Tax Benefit (FTB) at year’s end. In order to receive those benefits now, parents will have to provide proof of vaccinations for each child at one, two, and five years of age. So if a parent refuses to consent to their child’s vaccinations to the full schedule, that family would be minus $2,178. Already, non-vaccinating families were prohibited from child care benefits and rebates. The benefits program offered assistance to lower income families. Rebates are available for any income level family to pay half of out of pocket children’s annual medical expenses up to a maximum $7500. This latest ruling replaces the bribe of $129 for meeting the full vaccination schedule at the ages of two and five. The bribe and the two benefit restrictions seemed to have worked with most parents. Yet, the government is not satisfied with this high percentage. This last financial blackmail mandate comes at the same time the childhood vaccination schedule was made more severe. The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) three in one shot will be a four in one with a chickenpox vaccine added. And it will be administered at 18 months instead of the MMR’s previous schedule at four years of age. So 89% of Australian children have received all their required vaccinations by age five, and a quick survey poll in Australia’s Herald Sun shows 60% favor penalizing parents who don’t fully vaccinate their kids. Is Australia setting the pace for a world of “vaccine zombies”? (http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=6D05173308E7F4169D7259EB85CDF522). Herd protection fiction Convincing concerned citizens that diseases are stopped only by vaccinating 90% of a given population is a major guilt producer among vaccine advocates. It serves to ostracize those who do not wish to be vaccinated and make them feel guilty for refusing. And it’s bogus on at least three points. The first point is that there have been several instances, internationally, of measles and mumps outbreaks within schools or other groups that were vaccinated against them at or over 90%. Here’s one example. (http://www.naturalnews.com/028142_mumps_vaccines.html). The second point is this: If vaccines truly immunize, what is there to worry about? It would seem that a vaccinated child should remain unharmed among kids with any disease for which he or she has been vaccinated. But in fact, the reverse is often the case. A child vaccinated with attenuated live viruses may shed some of those viruses for up to 20 days. That child becomes an unwitting virtual virus bomb terrorist! In 1976, Jonas Salk the creator of the original polio vaccine with killed virus strains, testified that a live virus oral polio vaccine had been the source of most polio occurrences since 1961. Thirdly, in 1976 USA President Gerald Ford publicly launched a Swine Flu vaccination program and took a jab (really?) on camera. That year’s swine flu epidemic scare was based mostly on one soldier who had dropped dead during a forced march while he was flu ridden . Several thousand Americans took FDA and CDC advice and got vaccinated to “stop the swine flu from spreading.” There were so many adverse reactions, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, that the vaccination program had to be halted, leaving most Americans without the vaccination . Yet, the swine flu did not spread to the millions of those not vaccinated after the “immunization” program was halted in 1976. Sources for this article include: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-25/immunise-or-lose-benefits-parents-told/3694236 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/inject-children-or-lose-money/story-fn7x8me2-1226205382138 http://www.doctoryourself.com/vaccination.html http://www.mychild.gov.au/childcarerebate/

CSPI to file lawsuit against General Mills for selling ‘fruit’ snacks that contain no fruit

(NaturalNews) Consumers are increasingly holding junk food manufacturers responsible for the false claims they make about their products, especially when such products are labeled as “natural” or as containing fruit when they really do not. Attorneys from the nutrition advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) are filing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of consumers against food giant General Mills for selling “fruit snacks” that contain little or no fruit, and that are loaded with refined sugars, trans fats, and artificial colors. General Mills “Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups,” for instance, do not actually contain strawberries. They are, however, loaded with questionable additives like corn syrup, dried corn syrup, refined sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and various other chemicals and petroleum-based dyes. The only fruit-related ingredient in “Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups” is a form of pear concentrate that represents only a small fraction of the overall product’s content. Similarly, General Mills “Fruit by the Foot Strawberry” snacks, which bear a label claiming they are “fruit flavored,” are packed with the same refined sugar, corn syrup, artificial food coloring, and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil as Fruit Roll-Ups — and they also contain no strawberries. Many other “fruit” snacks marketed by General Mills also contain labels that say things like “fruit flavored” and “naturally flavored,” and are typically marketed as if they are high in nutrients, and healthy for children. In truth, though, these products are nothing more than junk food posing as loosely-defined health food. “General Mills is basically dressing up a very cheap candy as if it were fruit and charging a premium for it,” says Steve Gardner, litigation director at CSPI. “General Mills is giving consumers the false impression that these products are somehow more wholesome, and charging more. It’s an elaborate hoax on parents who are trying to do right by their kids.” General Mills makes many phony natural products filled with junk ingredients Earlier in the year, NaturalNews conducted an investigation into General Mills cereals and found the very same thing about many of them. General Mills “Total Blueberry Pomegranate” cereal, for instance, contains neither pomegranates nor blueberries. It does, however, contain many of the same harmful ingredients as Fruit Roll-Ups and “Fruit by the Foot.” This list includes refined sugar, corn syrup, and petroleum-based dyes (http://www.naturalnews.com/031053_General_Mills_Total_cereal.html). More recently, the Cornucopia Institute (CI) issued a shocking report about “natural” cereals in general and found that many of them are no better than conventional varieties made by brands like General Mills. Though marketed as if they are the equivalent of organic, and often priced more expensively than organics, these imposter cereals are typically loaded with genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides, and other chemicals (http://www.naturalnews.com/033838_breakfast_cereals_GMOs.html). Sources for this article include: http://www.cspinet.org/new/201110141.html

BMJ had secret financial ties to Merck during publication of articles attacking Wakefield

(NaturalNews) When a corrupt medical group wants to discourage dissidence from within, it targets a high profile figure to disgrace. This intimidates others from doing the right thing if it disrupts the lies and profits of Big Pharma. Dr. Andrew Wakefield was a high profile scapegoat, smeared with lies from the media and medical journals to protect the UK from vaccine injury payouts while maintaining high profits for the vaccine industry. Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s Research Dr. Wakefield arrived at Royal Free Hospital in London to coordinate and record research that had already started for seven children. This number increased to twelve and consequently was called the Wakefield 12 two years later. The gastroenterology treatments and study had started on the original seven and was headed by Dr. John Walker-Smith. Parents of those twelve children took them to the Royal Free Hospital because of its reputation for Pediatric Gastroenterology. Their family doctors had failed to diagnose and/or treat their kids. The kids were suffering terribly from bowel disorders and exhibiting autistic behavior, pushing the parents to the limit. These were not mere tummy aches and diarrhea. After Dr. Wakefield joined them, he published his findings in a paper for the 1998 British medical journal Lancet . A few years later, Wakefield’s Lancet paper’s conclusion was intentionally twisted by journalist Brian Deer in order to launch a government/vaccine industry attack on doctors Wakefield and Walker-Smith. Claims that Dr. Wakefield and his team concluded that MMR vaccinations are totally responsible for autism are completely inaccurate. Wakefield’s Lancet paper simply advised that measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations should be done separately instead of all at once until further research is done on the safety of MMRs. The parents had voluntarily mentioned that their children’s unusual and intense bowel disorders as well as autistic behaviors occurred shortly or immediately after the kids received their MMR vaccination. Dr. Wakefield simply included the parents observations in his Lancet report. Dr. Wakefield also included the medical fact that the same viral strain of measles was found in all of the children’s intestinal tracts in his journal report. These discoveries were made after the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) shots were given to those twelve children and their symptoms were apparent. Wakefield’s Published Findings Confirmed by Others The viral measles discovered by the Wakefield/Walker-Smith team of doctors were not wild virus measles. They were of the type prepared for MMR vaccines. Recently, even the London Mail reported similar results from other studies of children with autistic behaviors and strange, severe bowel disorders. One study was in Dublin, Ireland in 2001. The other report was from Wake Forest Medical School in the USA in 2010. In the USA study, 70 out of 82 autistic children were found with the same unusual bowel disorder, autistic enterocolitis, and the same non-wild measles strain. You’d think this would create a public vindication and restore Doctors Wakefield and Walker-Smith’s right to practice medicine in the UK. But it hasn’t. That’s the tragedy. The vaccine industry/government conspiracy succeeded. The Point Man for the Conspiracy Against Wakefield and Walker-Smith Brian Deer is a self professed independent investigative journalist. He is not independent, according to Age of Autism He has over a decade’s history of working for different vaccine industry front groups, both in America and Great Britain. And he doesn’t really investigate. It appears he fabricates. Yet, he is the author of articles condemning the Wakefield Lancet 1998 paper, publishing in both the London Sunday Times and the British Medical Journal (BMJ) starting in 2004 and continuing into 2010. Brian Deer also filed a formal complaint to the GMC (General Medical Council), the group responsible for medical licensing in the UK. Not one of the parents filed any complaints anywhere. They all praised the Wakefield/Walker-Smith team for the understanding and relief that medical team had provided. But they complained bitterly about being denied their testimony on the Wakefield/Walker-Smith team’s defense in the GMC hearings, which Brian Deer attended daily for several weeks. The Lancet was compelled to publically retract Wakefield’s paper. The GMC removed both Doctors Wakefield and Walker-Smith from medical practice in 2010. The BMJ and Brian Deer defend their lies to this day by accusing Wakefield of lying. Screaming sensationalism seems to get the mainstream media’s attention over calmly delivered facts. For more on Brian Deer’s nasty aggressive manner against the Wakefield 12 children’s parents, who speak their version of events, see the short version of the documentary “Selective Hearing” here: http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=B04E670B2B566343D1CE5D822CFB22E8 The full documentary is viewable from the sources section below. It is compelling. So how does one sociopath vaccine industry shill hack journalist manage to pull this off? He was supported by friends in high places. Big Pharma’s Vaccine Hit List The pharmaceutical industry has hit lists, and apparently Brian is one of their hit men to stir up trouble with the help of vaccine industry supporting medical journals and public media publications. A lawyer in an Australian class action suit against Merck’s Vioxx spoke of threats from Merck to intimidate critics or cut off research funding. The attorney read the following from a Merck internal memo: “We may need to seek them out and destroy them where they live.” There was also memo content that mentioned “neutralizing or discrediting” doctors who spoke out against them. Merck is a major provider of MMR vaccines in the UK and USA. Following the Money High Court Judge Sir Nigel Davis wouldn’t permit parents who wanted to testify on Wakefield’s behalf. Nigel’s brother is a board member of the publishers of the Lancet who is also on the Board of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). GSK is a pharmaceutical giant also heavily involved in vaccine manufacturing. GSK now has James Murdoch on its Board. He’s the son of Rupert Murdoch and editor of the Sunday Times . This was Deer’s first platform to launch attacks on Wakefield. The Murdoch family has strong financial interests with GSK. Deer used Medico-Legal Investigations to gather information for his evil spin. This private company seems to be a front group for Big Pharma, since their only source of funding is the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. Reuters is a news agency rivaling the Associated Press (AP). The head of Reuters is a Merck Board member. Miriam Stoppared’s husband, Christopher Hogg, was Chairman of GSK in 2004. Miriam is feature writer for the Daily Mirror. Dr. Kumar, the chairman of the GMC Fitness to Practice Panel that ruled against Wakefield would not answer questions about his known GSK holdings. He declared that there is no such thing as vaccine damage and parents who claimed such should be treated with scorn. There have been allegations of financial connections between Merck and BMJ and its editor Dr. Fiona Godlee. It’s certain Merck funds award to BMJ’s selected MDs and researchers. Both the BMJ and Lancet journals serve as advertising forums for Merck and GlaxoSmithKline. Meanwhile the UK medical system, which is completely supported by government financing, can breathe a sigh of relief for not having to be held liable for vaccine injury complaints by parents of MMR shots or other vaccinations. After all, purchased and promoted vaccines are already paid for. They don’t want them to go to waste. And no need to add the expense of awarding compensation for vaccine injury if it’s been declared they don’t exist. Regarding the Wakefield case, Fiona Godlee recently announced: “Many other medical frauds have been exposed but usually more quickly after publication and on less important health issues.” Really? How important is childhood measles or mumps? What is important is evidence from several international sources have determined a causal link to unusual bowed disorders and autistic behavior. The real fraud is denying this research. The real crime is profiting heavily while causing enormous suffering for millions of children and their parents. Sources for this article and your perusal include: The full Brian Deer vs. Wakefield 12 parents documentary “Selective Hearing” http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=21C9E60E7A00D3D8B3DF37796B661886 Recent Daily Mail report on findings similar to Wakefield’s http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-388051/Scientists-fear-MMR-link-autism.html Exposing the Murdoch Empire’s crimes and vaccine industry investments http://coto2.press.com/2011/07/17/murdoch-and-vaccines-exposure-of-murdochs-crimes-expose-a-much-larger-story/ Natural News Mike Adams on what Wakefield actually did at Royal Free Hospital http://www.naturalnews.com/033425_BMJ_Andrew_Wakefield.html Mike Adams on documents proving BMJ and Deer’s lies against Wakefield’s innocence http://www.naturalnews.com/031116_Dr_Andrew_Wakefield_British_Medical_Journal.html Merck hit list memo http://www.news.com.au/story-0-1225699594111#ixzz1WpVwgg3a

Meet your new Federal Family (and don’t use the word "government" please) (satire)

(NaturalNews) As the reputation of the U.S. government is now in shambles, the feds are turning to the same bait-and-switch tactics used by the Corn Refiners Association as they tried to rename High Fructose Corn Syrup to the more innocent sounding “corn sugar.” The federal government no longer wants to be called a “government” at all. Instead, you’re supposed to refer to them as your “federal family.” Seriously. This is the word from FEMA, which announced last week, “Under the direction of President Obama and Secretary Janet Napolitano, the entire federal family is leaning forward to support our state, tribal and territorial partners along the East Coast.” Family? Really? Sort of like an organized crime family , perhaps? Let’s take a look at this family, shall we? Note: This article is obviously satire. All photos used herein are presented under Fair Use for the purpose of public commentary and satire. Father Obama First there’s Father Obama. He runs the family’s finances, and that’s why the entire family is irreversibly bankrupt and forever on the verge of being evicted from their home which is about to be repossessed by the bank. Father Obama sounds like he knows what he’s talking about, but he’s actually completely clueless. Every time he mandates that the family do something, the outcome is disastrous. One time he ordered everybody in the family to buy all their own health insurance, threatening to take away their allowance money if they didn’t. Another time, he launched bottle rockets at the neighbor’s house on July 4th, setting their roof on fire and burning their house to the ground. It turned out he was trying to get the local kids hired as part of the house reconstruction team and claimed to be engaged in “creating jobs” for the neighborhood. Big Sis Janet Napolitano Don’t wrestle with your big sis Janet. She’s got the skin of a mutant rhinoceros and the face of a Roman battering ram. She’s the “muscle” of the criminal family, complete with bad breath and everything. When you come home late on a Friday night, she insists on searching your pockets for weed, then interrogating you on where you’ve been and why you think you have the right to travel at all. She’s also big on surveillance, so she runs a series of secret nanny cams throughout your house to gather evidence on you and tattle to your parents. She keeps a secret database of all your violations and threatens to use them against you to get what she wants, which just happens to be personally conducting “enhanced pat-downs” on other women. When she’s not busy spying on her siblings, Big Sis Janet is hanging out behind the local bowling alley, selling the weed she confiscated from her brother to raise money to support her S&M fetish. She wields a baseball bat and carries a set of brass knuckles to remind the locals who’s in charge. Uncle Ben Bernanke Uncle Ben Bernanke is the dodgy white collar criminal of the family who runs an illicit printing press in the basement, cranking out counterfeit hundred dollar bills and hoping he won’t get caught by the U.S. Treasury Department. When he’s not printing counterfeit money, he’s running financial scams on little old ladies by selling them derivates, or purchasing mail order goods with counterfeit money orders and cashier’s checks. Like any con man, he’s clean-cut and sounds intelligent, but behind the scenes, he’s always running “get rich quick” schemes that only end up stealing money from people. Even though his ideas never work, he always thinks he’s smarter than everyone else, and he struts around the house with an attitude of total arrogance, screaming about how he’s going to “save the world!” The rest of the family members just scowl and him and scream in return, “Grow some hair where it counts!” “Crazy” Grandpa Harry Reid Harry Reid (US Senate Majority Leader) is that grumpy old grandpa of the family who still thinks he’s running the household but has long since been labeled “demented” by the rest of the family. His ideas about the world are universally wrong, but he can’t stop blabbing at the family dinner table about how brilliant he is and how the whole family would be better off if everyone would just listen to him. Grandpa Harry also has an integrity problem. He once convinced the family members to all pitch in and hire a neighbor kid to mow the lawn, but it later turned out Grandpa was getting a kickback equal to 25% of the kid’s wages, then using that money to buy vodka. He also went racist on everyone and insisted that the family hire no “negroes” to do the mowing, unless they were “light skinned” and spoke with “no Negro dialect.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid#Criticism) “Mommy” Margaret Hamburg Margaret Hamburg (current head of the FDA) is the psychopathic, medication-addicted mother of the household. She’s a total hypochondriac who keeps trying to put all the kids on psychiatric medications, and she hoards pain pills in her own medicine cabinet then gobbles a handful when life just gets to be too much. She starts up an argument any time Father Obama brings home vitamins or herbs, claiming that “vitamins are deadly” and that the family needs to receive annual vaccination shots to avoid colds and the flu. She suffers from migraine headaches herself, though, and every time she experiences one, she runs around the house screaming about how she wants to leave this world “and take the children with me, dammit!” Predictably, the family gets sick every year during the flu season, during which “Mommy” Margaret goes crazy blaming everybody else for “not taking their prescribed antibiotics!” The rest of the family has pretty much decided that Margaret is mentally deranged and they are seriously considering asking a court judge to declare her incompetent. Cousin “Good ol’ boy” Tom Vilsack Cousin Tom is a corn-fed, barbeque-eating country boy from Iowa. He seems okay on the outside, but his prostate is the size of a Fukushima-mutated canteloupe because he’s been dining on genetically engineered corn and sucking down hormone-injected beef products for too many years. As suspected, Cousin Tom is becoming a mutant. One time at Thanksgiving, Father Obama told a joke about the economy that made Cousin Tom laugh so hard, he coughed up his own scrotum. He’s also growing a sixth finger on his right hand and a curious appendage from his tailbone that seems to wag when you laugh at it… which happens a lot when Cousin Tom starts talking about how his “genius” ideas are helping so many people (http://www.cagw.org/newsroom/porker-of-the-month/). On the science front, Tom is currently overseeing a small patch of “experimental lawn grass” in the back yard, using seeds he got from Monsanto. That patch of grass has grown to five times its normal size, and small animals recently began disappearing when they wandered nearby. The family dog has gone missing, too, but Cousin Tom seems excited about the new GMO grass and plans to expand the plot to cover the entire perimeter of the house where it can function as “security grass,” he says, with the added benefit that it will “eat intruders.” Gotta love Monsanto technology, eh? Don’t you love your new Federal Family? Your new “Federal Family” isn’t the only family we all know about, is it? There are other famous families in U.S. history that might also right a bell, such as: The Chicago mob boss crime syndicate family. This was a group of families, actually, who surged into power during the era of Prohibition and made money off the fact that alcohol was illegal. The scheme failed to stop alcohol and only made violent crime war worse, so the federal government decided to end prohibition. At about the same time, it enacted prohibition-style laws that outlawed marijuana, and it then began trafficking all the illegal drugs itself, taking over as the “Federal Family” of drug trafficking. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_drug_trafficking) The difference between the mafia crime families and the government “Federal Family” is that at least the mafia knows it’s stealing from you. The federal government, on the other hand, claims YOUR money is automatically THEIRS! That’s why they steal a little bit out of every paycheck you earn and then promise to send you checks for your retirement someday… but behind the scenes, they’ve already spent your retirement money on their own bloated salaries and pet pork projects. The federal family, it turns out, steals from you just like real family … but without the annual picnic and mandatory wedding attendances.

Back to school health checklist

(NaturalNews) Packing lunch for school can be hard on parents. I suggest you sit down with your kids and make a list of things they want to eat in their lunches. This can lead to (yet another) discussion of the foods that are nourishing and foods that are not so good for your body. Putting food choices into a context that kids can understand can be helpful. The traffic light model works well. Green light foods are good for you. Eat as much of them as you like. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, nuts, and organic meats and dairy. Red light foods are those kids should not eat, like corn syrup, diet foods with Nutrasweet, caffeine products, and artificial colors and flavors. Yellow light foods are those you should slow down on, like desserts, processed white flour products, and juice. A healthy packed lunch includes fruits such as organic blueberries, strawberries, grapes, or apples, some protein like peanut butter or meat and cheese sandwiches on whole grain bread, yogurt (without corn syrup), nuts or trail mix, organic chips, carrot sticks, seaweed snacks, or cheese sticks. Avoid juice boxes. Beware of lunch boxes. Plastic lunch boxes may contain BPA (bisphenol-A), a synthetic estrogen that contributes to hormone disruption and cancer. The vinyl lining of lunch boxes and lunch bags marketed for children often contains lead. Seek out a BPA and lead-free tag on the bag to ensure that the food in your child’s lunch is not exposed to these toxins. Legal action was taken by the FDA and the Center for Environmental Health against lunch box manufacturers, but some of these may still contain toxins. Supplements . Keep your kids healthy by supporting their immune systems. Exposure to other children with viruses is bound to pass colds around the classroom, but you can help to minimize symptoms by giving some specific supplements during the school year. Several types of supplements can help boost immune function. Adaptogenic mushrooms are one of the most potent immune system activators. An excellent formula that also includes astragalus and elderberry is Immunoberry by Designs for Health. A probiotic formula with lactobacillus and bifidobacteria species will also help to protect children from viruses. Vitamin D3 is an essential supplement in the winter months (2,000 IU per day). And a colostrum or whey protein supplement to supply immunoglobulins and lactoferrin will also boost immune function. Vaccines . Do not allow yourself to be pressured into giving vaccines to your child. Make an informed choice rather than just conceding to the pressure of school requirements. Consider the likelihood of exposure, seriousness of the disease, and side effects of the vaccine. Vaccines being forced on school age children these days include pertussis in DTaP (whooping cough), measles (MMR), and HPV (cervical cancer). Read about the vaccines in my book, The Vaccine Guide, or search the NaturalNews website for information about each vaccine before you comply with routine vaccination. Remember, an exemption from vaccination is always available to you. Exercise . Schoolwork can be demanding, and homework time consuming. Many schools have limited the amount of time devoted to PE. Make sure that your kids are getting some form of exercise every day, either in an organized sport or bike riding or just running around at the park. Staying fit is important for mental function as well as physical health.

Dangerous levels of lead found in many garden hoses

(NaturalNews) Allowing your kids to play with the garden hose, filling the inflatable kiddie pool, nourishing your garden with hose water — these all seem like harmless activities. However, research is now proving otherwise. Many commercially bought water hoses contain dangerously high levels of lead which leech into the water flowing through them. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, water sitting in a garden hose that has been left in the sun can contain a level of lead that reaches 100 times over what is considered a safe amount. Many garden hoses are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – a toxic plastic – and lead is often used as a stabilizer in PVC. The dangerous levels of lead in garden hoses could potentially cause lead poisoning, cancer, birth defects and/or reproductive harm. According to a special ABC report on Good Morning America, reporters from ABC’s Phoenix affiliate KNXV-TV randomly purchased 10 garden hoses at places such as Wal-Mart, Target, Ace Hardware, and Home Depot (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=3369894&page=1). These reporters filled sections of the garden hoses with clean water, sealed the ends and put these hoses outside for about a day. The water was then delivered to a lab. Five of the 10 hoses, or 50%, came back showing levels of lead much higher than 15 parts per billion (ppb), which is what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deems safe for drinking water. Four of those hoses came back showing extremely high lead levels. The same report found that some garden variety hoses are leaking up to 20 times the amount considered safe for usage. Consumer Reports also tested 16 of the most popular hoses sold nationwide, finding that many leached up to 100 times the safe amount at the initial flush of standing water. Imagine the water flowing through these hoses contaminated with such high levels of lead – do you want your kids splashing around in it in a kiddie pool, or drinking it in the midst of summer play outdoors? Why exactly is lead exposure so dangerous? Lead is highly toxic and harmful even in very low doses. The Environmental Protection Agency clearly states on their website that exposure to lead in water that is being consumed above the action level, or 15 ppb, can result in delays in physical and mental development in children, anemia, and muscle problems. In adults, it can cause increases in blood pressure and, eventually with heavy exposure, the development of kidney problems or nerve disorders. According to the National Safety Council, young children under the age of six are especially vulnerable to lead’s harmful effects because their brains and central nervous system are still being developed. For these children, even very low levels of exposure can have disastrous effects, from reduced IQ and behavioral problems to stunted growth and kidney damage. At higher levels of exposure, children could become mentally retarded, fall into a coma, and even die from lead poisoning. Within the last decade, children have died from lead poisoning in both New Hampshire and in Alabama. Lead can also enter tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials, which is another important reason to invest in a good water filter. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead pipes; however, new homes are also at risk because even legally “lead-free” plumbing can contain up to 8 % lead. Lead-laden soil and your beloved garden And let’s not forget about the fate of your garden. The same lead-infused water your children may be playing in is most likely also being used to saturate the soil your fresh-grown veggies are growing in. A disheartening New York Times article on lead in garden soil said that lead is “surprisingly prevalent and persistent” in both urban and suburban soil, which is more increasingly being used for the foundation of home gardens. Many health officials, soil scientists and even environmental engineers are concerned that the increasing popularity of urban “backyard” gardening will put more people at risk for lead poisoning and other hazardous health effects especially those that don’t protect themselves. The EPA and Department of Housing and Urban Development suggest — but don’t require — lead levels in soil of lower than 400 parts per million (ppm) in children’s play areas, and 1,200 p.p.m. in all other soil. However, many and cities, states, and entire countries have set much lower limits, such as in the Netherlands, where 40 p.p.m. is considered highly substandard. Most unpolluted soil averages about 10 p.p.m. In the New York Times article mentioned, one random urban resident’s garden had soil containing lead levels of 939 p.p.m. Dangerous amounts of lead have been documented for almost a decade in backyard and community gardens in major cities such as New York, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and many others. Lead-laden soil has been found in both inner city neighborhoods and suburban areas. The reasons for these hazardous levels of soil contamination are many, from lead paint, leaded gasoline, lead arsenate pesticides, lead plumbing, lead batteries and automotive parts, roadways, and so on. While many of these products may have been banned years ago, the remnants of highly toxic lead often remain in the environment. Now, lead-laden garden hoses can be added to the list of dangerous hidden lead. How to avoid lead contamination While environmental engineers and soil experts have said any place is potentially tainted with soil contaminated with lead, there are steps that can be taken in order to protect yourself and your family. First, eliminate the potentially poisonous garden hose and replace it with one you know for certain is safe and lead-free. This will drastically reduce the amount of lead being deposited in your yard and notably eliminate direct exposure when watering by hand or caring for the garden. A lead-free garden hose is also much safer for providing children a much-needed drink or play in the sprinklers, and pets will also be spared of potential lead poisoning from water bowls filled from the hose. Warning labels accompany hoses in some cases, but not all. A lead-free garden hose will clearly be marked as safe for drinking. One idea is to invest in a medical grade hose with nickel-plated fittings. These hoses are often sold as marine or recreational vehicle (RV) hoses and are commonly sold in marine/RV stores. The types of garden hoses that Consumer Reports claim to be safe from lead contamination are as follows: • Teknor Apex Boat and Camper NeverKink • Swan Marine/Camper • Gardener’s Supply Co. 33-469 • Better Homes and Gardens Kink-free Keep in mind that these manufacturers might produce other hoses that are not lead-free, so read packaging closely to ensure you have the right hose. Although it is impossible to eliminate all contaminates from the environment, switching to a lead-free garden hose is a good start as well as an intelligent choice for the health conscious consumer. The widespread presence of lead contamination in soil doesn’t mean you have to give up gardening, but it does suggest the necessity of caution, as well as a possible change in plot design and crop choice. Local public health departments and county extension services often offer free soil testing; at the least, they can recommend companies or schools that do it for a small fee. Individuals generally mail dirt in sealed plastic bags for analysis. If high levels of lead are found in your soil, experts advise covering it with sod. You can also alkalinize the contaminated soil by adding organic matter such as compost and lime, or replace it entirely. Soil with a pH level above 7 binds with lead, which lessens the chance of absorption by both crops and the human body. Fortunately, the body will eliminate low levels of lead naturally, as long as you maintain a healthy daily diet. Home gardens can be planted with fruiting crops such as squash, eggplant, tomatoes, corn and beans because these plants don’t easily absorb lead. Some lead-leaching crops are leafy greens, herbs, and root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots. Sources: http://containergardening.about.com/b/2009/05/21/warning-lead-in-garden-hoses.htm http://healthy-family.org/caryn/24/lead-poisoning-and-your-garden-hose http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/garden/14lead.html?_r=1&hp http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=3369894&page=1 http://containergardening.about.com/od/greencontainergardening/a/Gardenhose.htm http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/index.cfm

Sitting may be just as dangerous for your health as smoking

(NaturalNews) Is our lack of motion killing us? Absolutely. In fact, one of our most unhealthy “activities” is our lack of activity, the sedentary lifestyle of our first-world nation status, where more and more, we sit – at a desk, at a computer, in front of a television – nearly every day of the week, as opposed to engaging in any meaningful physical activities. In fact, some experts even say our chronic immobility is as dangerous to our health as cigarettes. “Smoking certainly is a major cardiovascular risk factor and sitting can be equivalent in many cases,” Dr. David Coven, cardiologist with St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York, said. Coven said the latest research indicates that excessive sitting and inactivity has been linked to a whole host of health problems, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and even premature death, CBS News/San Francisco reported. “The fact of being sedentary causes factors to happen in the body that are very detrimental,” he said. When we sit for long periods of time, he said, our bodies essentially go into a sort of storage mode, made worse the longer – and more often – we remain essentially motionless. Dr. Coven’s warning mirrors that of the World Heart Federation , which said the same thing – inactivity could kill you as quickly as smoking – this week. “Even moderate exercise such as a brisk walk for 30 minutes most days helps control weight, cuts stress, anxiety and depression,” said Prof. Mario Maranhao, president of the organization. “Wherever you live in the world, there is no substitute for moderate but regular exercise and with a small amount of effort you can make a big difference.” The group said research shows inactivity increases the risk of high blood pressure by one-third and Type 2 diabetes by half. Prof. Maranhao also warned that too many children around the world aren’t getting enough physical exercise and as such, are early candidates for these diseases. That’s not news – it’s been known for some time now that inactivity is a large part of why American kids are increasingly obese. When kids spend too much time in front of a TV or video game, not only do their waistlines increase but their brain power suffers too. What’s troubling, however, is when officialdom ignores these well-known facts and instead puts the blame on some abstract concept, like the health care system in general. Activity is the key. Get the kids up and outside – to run, play, ride a bike, or, since it’s summer, in a pool to swim. You should do yourself a favor and join them. Don’t let your office cubicle be the death of you.

Health experts announce 5 ways to protect children from toxic chemicals

(NaturalNews) Imagine parents who would put their children in danger, placing them in situations that could cause serious health problems and distress such as difficulty breathing or a disruption of their male and female hormones — or even shorten their kids’ lives. We must be talking about psychopaths, right? After all, most moms and dads would do anything to protect their offspring. Unfortunately, without realizing it, countless parents who wouldn’t consciously do anything to hurt their youngsters are unwittingly exposing their children to dangerous, toxic chemicals in the home. The result could be health problems now and when the youngsters are grown, too. As NaturalNews has extensively reported, you can’t rely on the government to make sure the products you use in your home are safe for you or your kids, either. In the U.S., for example, the FDA has done little except finally express “concern” over the powerful hormone disrupter bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in a host of household goods, toys and food containers (http://www.naturalnews.com/028567_BPA_oceans.html#ixzz1PMyjbbWy). Instead of feeling helpless in the face of so many household toxins that can threaten the health of children, the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment (CPCHE), a coalition of Canadian environmental and health experts, has announced it’s time for parents to get serious about the potentially dangerous chemicals found in too many homes. And the good news is you can take five simple actions to avoid a chemical-laden home and safeguard your children’s health — by keeping dust levels down, avoiding plastics, saying no to mercury containing fish, using only green cleaners, and keeping pregnant women and youngsters away from home renovation areas. “If parents take simple actions in these five areas, they can significantly reduce their children’s exposures to toxins — and even save money,” Erica Phipps, CPCHE Partnership Director, said in a media statement. Dust from lead paint and chemicals including pesticide residue can be brought inside the home on shoes and clothes, get into the air and into the lungs. But frequent wet mopping, vacuuming and dusting with a damp cloth can go a long way to keep toxic substances out of the home. “House dust is a major source of children’s exposures to toxic substances including lead which, even at very low levels, is known to be harmful to the developing brain,” Prof. Bruce Lanphear of Simon Fraser University, a world-leading expert on children’s environmental health who serves as an advisor to CPCHE, said in the media statement. The CPCHE experts also urge parents to go green when you clean. You’ll save money, too, by getting rid of toxic chemical cleaners and switching to simple, non-toxic cleaners including baking soda and vinegar. Also important: avoid the use of air “fresheners” and use fragrance-free laundry detergents. Chemical “scents” used in these products have been linked to the disruption of normal hormone function in youngsters. In addition, the CPCHE panel also advises against the use of antibacterial soaps. Renovating your house? The CPCHE says it is crucial to keep pregnant women and children away from areas being renovated to avoid exposure to contaminant-laden renovation dust and toxic fumes from products like paints, caulking and glues. Another important way to protect health: avoid plastic products, especially when it comes to serving and storing food. In fact, the CPCHE warns against using plastic containers or wrap in the microwave, even though the label reads “microwave safe”, because chemicals in the plastic can migrate into the food or beverage. The group also calls for eating fresh and frozen foods whenever possible. this will reduce exposure to BPA which is used in the lining of most food and drink cans. BPA is associated with a wide range of health problems, including harming the developing brain and disruption of endocrine function. PVC, commonly called just plain vinyl, contains a class of chemical plasticizers known as phthalates that should also be avoided, especially by kids. Even though phthalates are now banned from some children’s toys, many other vinyl products are still on the market in some bibs, shower curtains and children’s raincoats. The safest solution? Throw away older toys and teething rings made of soft plastic. If you serve your youngsters a lot of fish, you may also be serving them mercury, which is toxic to the brain. The CPCHE urges parents to do their homework and only serve varieties of fish that are low in mercury — such as Atlantic mackerel, herring, rainbow trout and wild salmon. For more information: http://www.healthyenvironmentforkids.ca/

Alba Botanica SunBlock, Mineral protection, Kids SPF 30, 4-Ounce Tube, (Pack of 2) Reviews

Alba Botanica SunBlock, Mineral protection, Kids SPF 30, 4-Ounce Tube, (Pack of 2) Extracts of aloe vera, chamomile and lavender soothe and repair Formulated with natural titamium dioxide Protect sensitive skin against the free radical damage For all skin types 4-ounce bottle This fragrance free, gentle lotion for all-over use helps protect kids from sunburn [...]

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