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Friday, October 10th, 2008
12:00 am	Psych Drug Handbook Written with Drug Industry Ties http://www.NaturalNews.com/024451.html (NaturalNews) An analysis by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has revealed widespread conflicts of interest among the experts overseeing the next revision of the American Psychiatric Association's (APA's) diagnostic manual. On its Web site "Integrity in Science," CSPI reports that 16 of the 28 members of the task force charged with producing the fifth edition of the APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) have reported some financial connection to the drug or medical device industries. The analysis was based on financial disclosures published on the APA's Web site. "We have made every effort to ensure that DSM-V will be based on the best and latest scientific research, and to eliminate conflicts of interest in its development," said APA President Carolyn B. Robinowitz. The DSM-V, being developed along with the National Institute of Mental Health, is expected to be complete in 2012. APA regulations allow task force members to accept financial contributions from drug and device companies while working on the DSM-V, but total individual income from such contributions cannot exceed $10,000 per year. There are no limits on money that can be accepted before the members' appointment to the task force or after the completion of the manual. CSPI described the conflicts of interest as ranging "from small to extensive." The record for the highest number of drug industry financial ties was William Carpenter, Jr., director of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center at the University of Maryland. During the past five years, Carpenter has accepted consulting money from 13 different pharmaceutical companies, including Astra Zeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer and Wyeth. The degree of conflict of interest - more than 50 percent - reported by CSPI is similar to that found in a 2006 study of the 170 experts who worked on the DSM-IV, which was released in 1994. Because the APA had no disclosure policy at that time, the researchers had to compile data from legal and patient records, journal articles, conflict-of-interest databases and other sources to uncover these statistics. They found that 56 percent of contributors had received money from a drug company at least once between 1989 and 2004. While many had only received research support, 22 percent of contributors had received consulting income and 16 percent had served on company speaking bureaus, both of which tend to be more financially rewarding. For certain sections of the manual devoted to severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, the conflict of interest rate was even higher, up to 100 percent in some cases. Some mental health professionals and patient advocates have criticized recent DSM revisions for classifying too much normal human variation as disorder, such as social phobia. These "disorders" are then often treated with drugs such as antidepressants. And since a disorder's inclusion is heavily influenced by political factors and testimony from experts in the field, conflicts of interest can have a distorting influence on the content of the manual. The DSM is the most widely used mental disorder diagnostic manual in the United States, and many insurance companies require adhesion to its criteria before they will accept a diagnosis as valid. John M. Grohol, Psy.D., said that given psychiatry researchers' close ties with the drug industry, conflict of interest in the DSM-V was unavoidable. "While I'm disappointed to see the pharmaceutical industry influence in the DSM-V, I think it was inevitable without an outright ban by the APA on such professionals participating," he said. But with drug industry money so "prevalent, widely available, and accepted," such a ban would be impossible, he added. The number of mental health professionals with financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry has increased by 14 percent since the last revision of the DSM in 1994. The conflicts of interest inherent in the DSM go beyond financial connections to drug companies, Grohol warned. "Remember, many of the experts chosen to sit on these committees are the same professionals who have made their livelihood studying these disorders," he said. "Nobody's career is going anywhere if the disorder they've dedicated their life to researching is suddenly downsized or kicked out the DSM altogether." Because the professional careers of the task force members (and the people in the APA who pick the task force members) are invested in the expansion of certain disorders, Grohol said, it is very hard for skeptics to make it onto DSM committees. "So by its very nature, the DSM emphasizes growth of mental disorders, and the APA naturally seeks out experts who will help it achieve that goal," Grohol said. The DSM has long been controversial, largely due to its premise that mental disorders can and should be classified on a symptom-based model. Many professionals have argued that this fails to account for the fact that symptoms may be produced by an unhealthy environment rather than an internal disorder that requires medical treatment. For example, evolutionary psychologists have argued that certain emotional responses, such as anxiety or sexual jealousy, may be evolved responses to specific situations. While some reactions may be inappropriate in a modern environment, these experts argue, that does not mean they are disorders. Likewise, depression and other "mood disorders" may arise from an unhealthy physical or social environment, rather than from nervous system malfunction. The DSM has also been criticized for assuming that there is one model of "normal" human behavior, and that everything else should be classified as a "disorder." Sources for this story include: www.cspinet.org, psychcentral.com. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Common Reflux Drugs Are Causing Hip Fractures http://www.NaturalNews.com/024450.html (NaturalNews) A very large Canadian study has confirmed that using drugs to treat reflux enormously increases your chances of having a hip fracture -- by nearly five times after several years of taking the drugs! Often prescribed by allopathic doctors for minor or nebulous complaints such as undiagnosed stomach discomfort, these drugs are highly habit forming and tend to be taken for years afterward, no matter how minor the original problem was. Yet they may be among the riskiest drugs prescribed today, leading directly to osteoporosis for far too many. Losec, Prevacid, Nexium, Pantoloc and Pariet are the most recent, most powerful, and most problematic of these drugs; but Zantac and other first generation proton-pump inhibitors are only somewhat less dangerous, and then only somewhat less dangerous precisely because they are somewhat less effective. The problem? You need acid to absorb calcium. Cut down on your available stomach acid after you've eaten and the calcium you can't absorb, but need, has to be taken directly out of your bones. Over just a few years, the study shows, this more than doubles your risk of fracture, and the odds keep climbing steeply after that. Yet these drugs are commonly taken, not just for years, but for decades! That's because a lack of calcium also causes -- wait for it... yup, reflux. Excess acid is most easily controlled by having the body release a little calcium into the mix. As well, calcium increases gut mobility, which is important because medical researchers say that reflux "is primarily a motor disorder." This means that if you aren't absorbing much calcium due to the reflux drugs you're taking, and don't have calcium to spare, you're back to reflux -- and reaching for another pill, or an even stronger pill. So it's no accident that pharmaceutical companies have reaped such extraordinary profits from these drugs over the last year or two; these are the perfect drugs: they both treat the symptoms and cause the disease they "treat." That's allopathic medicine's perfect profit scenario, and it has kept the drug companies floating in profits, despite having fewer new wonder drugs in the pipeline, and drastic problems with many recently introduced drugs. While stomach bleeding (often caused by overuse of NSAID painkillers such as Aspirin and Advil) can be life threatening, and so reflux sometimes has to be treated by any means available; proton pump inhibitors are clearly adding hugely to the public's burgeoning health care costs, at the same time as the Drug companies that shoved them onto the market are running to the bank giggling. As someone once remarked, often the best course of action is to "Just say no!" Even brief use of these drugs may cause even sharper episodes of reflux when they are discontinued. If your doctor naively continues to prescribe them to you, you may be in for a world of hurt later on. Even after you stop the drugs, it may be years before your body can restore a proper calcium balance so that your reflux vanishes on its own. There are many articles here in NaturalNews.com offering natural alternative treatments for reflux you might wish to consult; including Apple Cider Vinegar, eating more greens and vegetables, green supplements such as spirulina and marine phytoplankton (for a better ph-balanced diet -- the editor's choice is Oceans Alive from Sunfood, and he swears he isn't getting a kickback from them), supplements of calcium, and so forth. Possibly even more important -- good health starts at your light switch. One of the most common symptoms of jet lag is reflux, because flying half-way 'round the world upsets your biological clock, just as staying up 'till three A.M. under light bulbs, or sleeping into morning light do. Having a rigid bedtime, getting real darkness (that means no light), using a red light if you have to get up to go to the bathroom, as well as increasing your period of darkness to an ideal nine or ten hours all helps. See (www.darknessheals.com) for more advice. Finally, and needless to say, getting other lifestyle factors under control which are badly upsetting your biological clock, such as tobacco and alcohol, is a great idea as well. Source: Pubmed.com research article numbers: 18695179, 15729198, 17201221, 15628717 About the author Russell Johnston is a private health researcher and writer with a background in the philosophy and history of science. He began DarknessHeals.com in order to help publicize dramatic recent medical research showing the extraordinary importance sleep and chronobiology have for everyone's health. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Merck's Combination Children's Vaccine Linked to Convulsions http://www.NaturalNews.com/024449.html (NaturalNews) Children who take Merck's combination vaccine ProQuad suffer from convulsions twice as frequently as children who are given two separate vaccines, a federally funded study has found. In response, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has reversed its prior position of recommending ProQuad, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and chicken pox, over two separate vaccines for chicken pox and MMR. "Safety, shortages, delivery issues - lots of reasons not to state such a strong preference," advisory committee member Patsy Stinchfield said. Previously, the committee had recommended ProQuad over the separate vaccines in order to reduce the number of shots that children would have to undergo. ProQuad costs approximately the same as the chicken pox and MMR vaccines combined. Due to manufacturing problems, the vaccine has been in short supply since 2007. Researchers in the new study looked at 43,000 children between the ages of 12 and 23 months who had been vaccinated with ProQuad and 315,000 who had received two separate MMR and chicken pox vaccines. They found that within seven to 10 days after vaccination, those given ProQuad suffered twice as many cases of fever followed by convulsions as those given the separate shots. This amounted to one extra convulsion per 2,000 children receiving ProQuad. In absolute terms, nine of every 10,000 children receiving ProQuad suffered fever-related seizures, compared with four in 10,000 children in the dual vaccine group. Children undergoing seizures did not appear to suffer any lasting effects, and there were no recorded deaths. A similar study conducted by Merck also found a doubling of seizure risk within five to 12 days of vaccination with ProQuad, but said that the difference in seizure rates vanished in a 30-day time period. The absolute seizure rate from ProQuad was lower in the Merck-funded study, at five convulsions per 10,000 children vaccinated. (Comment on this)
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
12:00 am	New Special Report: How to Build Your Financial Safety Net http://www.NaturalNews.com/024443.html (NaturalNews) On the heels of the worst financial disaster to emerge since the Great Depression, NaturalNews has released an online special report entitled How to Build Your Financial Safety Net: Twelve Ways to Achieve Prosperity During (and After) the Global Financial Crisis. The special report is available here: http://www.naturalnews.com/report_financial_safety_net_0.html Authored by Mike Adams, the editor of NaturalNews.com, How to Build Your Financial Safety Net warns readers about the risks of depending on governments or corporations for paychecks. It then shows readers how to build low-cost, high-return revenue streams that combine the reader's greatest strengths and interests with genuine consumer needs. The report emphasizes low-risk income-building strategies that can solidly generate additional revenue streams of a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars a month. Concepts covered in the online report include: • Why the financial bailout will sharply devalue the dollar • Why paychecks, pensions and employee benefits may be at risk • How to best insulate yourself (and your money) from financial turmoil • Five things you should never buy (or spend money on) in pursuit of income streams • How to determine which activities will keep you happy while earning revenue • The 18 "basic human drivers" that influence ALL consumer purchasing decisions • How to tap into the 18 human drivers in a way that's profitable and enjoyable • Details examples of generating revenue streams from hobbies or interests • The five absolute rules of marketing anything (without spending a fortune) • Seven key ways to generate income streams on any topic • Key questions to ask yourself that will practically guarantee your success • Why the global financial situation demands new action to create new income streams • Which ways of creating income streams are easier, more portable, and more profitable • The five steps to successful action that turn hopeful dreams into revenue streams • Fifteen online resources to help with marketing, customer communications and more • The nutrition secret to successful business: Why your diet determines your success The special report is available now at: http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Financial_Safety_Net_0.html The author of the report, NaturalNews.com editor Mike Adams, believes many consumers are finally coming to realize they cannot depend on paychecks from corporations or governments. "California is bankrupt, New York is nearly bankrupt and the federal government is heading towards financial collapse," said Adams. "People who depend on paychecks or employee benefits from government organizations may soon find themselves jobless." Corporations, too, are about to suffer what Adams calls the "third wave of bankruptcy" that will sweep through the commercial sector. "Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost as the economy contracts," said Adams, who believes the solution is for people to take their financial future into their own hands by building reliable income streams using the skills and interests they have right now. Ongoing income streams can be started in as little as 30 days, Adams said, and within 12 to 24 months, they can completely replace a full-time paycheck income. "People need to build incomes that they own and control rather than blindly trusting some other organization to keep paying them for their time." The free online report How to Build Your Financial Safety Net intends to show people that building their own reliable income streams isn't difficult; it just requires proper strategy, planning and a commitment to action. The full report is available now at: http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Financial_Safety_Net_0.html (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Study Suggests Vitamin D Improves Survival From Colorectal Cancer http://www.NaturalNews.com/024442.html (NaturalNews) A study led by Kimmie Ng, M.D., M.P.H., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has found that colorectal cancer sufferers with high levels of vitamin D had better survival rates during a follow-up period when compared to those with low levels of the vitamin. The study also involved the Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Medical University of South Carolina. These findings are significant because, while previous research have shown a link between vitamin D levels and colorectal cancer occurrence, this study actually establishes correlation between levels of vitamin D in the blood with survival among persons who have already developed colorectal cancer. Methodology and Details The study, reported in a June issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, looked at data pertaining to 304 persons who had participated in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) -- these studies monitored the health of participants for many years. The 304 persons had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer from 1991 to 2002 and also had their blood vitamin D levels measured at least two years before their cancer diagnoses. The patients were categorized into four quartiles according to the measured levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 (25(OH)D) levels in their blood -- top 25%, next 25%, and so on. 25(OH)D levels in the blood reflect the body's store of all sources of vitamin D, including that from diet, supplements, as well as that synthesized by the body after exposure to sunlight. The patients were then observed till January 2005 (for the HPFS) or June 2005 (for the NHS), or until they passed away, whichever took place first. During the follow-up period, 123 persons passed on, with the cause of death being colon cancer or rectal cancer for 96 of them. The study found that persons in the top quartile -- in other words those with the highest measured levels of vitamin D in their blood -- were 48% less likely to die in the follow-up period than those in the bottom quartile. This figure relates to death from any cause. With specific regard to colorectal cancer, the reduction in risk was found to be 39%. This is a significant relationship. The results remained largely unchanged even after the exclusion of patients who were diagnosed within 5 years of having their blood samples collected. The study, partly supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, concluded that "among patients with colorectal cancer, higher pre-diagnosis plasma 25(OH)D levels were associated with a significant improvement in overall survival". And the protective effects of vitamin D are not restricted to colorectal cancer. For example, a study on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in Feb 2007 concluded that "vitamin D may be associated with improved survival of patients with early-stage NSCLC, particularly among stage IB-IIB patients". Possible Limitations The nature of the study could make its findings limited in some ways. For example, the sample size of the study, especially those who did die from colorectal cancer, was relatively small. There were also variations in the time period between the point of vitamin D measurement and cancer diagnosis. In addition, information on the treatment taken by the cancer patients was not taken into account. Then, there may be related factors which could contribute to the difference in survival rates. For example, those with higher vitamin D levels in their blood also tended to be physically more active. However, even after physical activity, body-mass index (BMI) and other factors which influence cancer survival were controlled, the association between higher levels of vitamin D and better survival rates was still independently significant. Thus, all in all, despite these limitations, the findings of the study are still important. Previous Studies on Vitamin D and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer The role of vitamin D in battling colorectal cancer becomes more pronounced when we consider its protective effects against the disease. As mentioned earlier, numerous other studies have already shown vitamin D to have a preventative effect on colorectal cancer. For example, a pooled analysis of the results of five previous serum studies carried out by the University of California, San Diego in 2006 concluded that 'the evidence to date suggests that daily intake of 1000-2000 IU of vitamin D(3) could reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer with minimal risk'. In Jan 2007, the American Journal of Epidemiology reported the findings of a multi-ethnic study which "support the hypothesis of protective roles for calcium, vitamin D, and dairy products in the risk of colorectal cancer". Another study conducted by the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, Japan and published in July 2007 suggested that "a low level of plasma 25(OH)D may increase the risk of rectal cancer". Should Cancer Patients load up on Vitamin D? Investigators involved in the NHS / HPFS study feel that it is premature to recommend vitamin D supplements as part of cancer treatment. Dr. Ng has advised that current sufferers of the disease should consult their doctors regarding vitamin supplementation, and she suggested that future studies should look at the use of vitamin D supplements by colorectal cancer patients. Sources of Vitamin D The truth is, there are some studies which suggest that dietary vitamin D does not significantly lower the risk of colorectal cancer. However, according to "A Critical Review of Studies on Vitamin D in Relation to Colorectal Cancer", authored by William B. Grant and Cedric F. Garland, the likely reason for this is that "dietary sources provide only a portion of total vitamin D, with supplements and synthesis of vitamin D in the skin in association with solar UV-B radiation providing the balance". Further, in "Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer?", Cedric F Garland and Frank C Garland state that "the strong inverse association of sunlight and colon cancer raises the possibility that vitamin D, which prevents rickets, may also act in the prevention of colon cancer". What Next? How do all these add up? Colorectal cancer is today one of the major causes of death in the United States and many first world countries. Somewhat surprisingly, though, relatively little research has thus far looked into the impact of lifestyle factors on the survival prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. This includes lifestyle habits both during active cancer treatment as well as after. With the health benefits and immune-boosting effects of sunshine and vitamin D well-documented, there is really no need to wait for bigger and better designed studies to empirically prove that vitamin D forms a useful part of the arsenal against colorectal cancer. Instead, as part of an overall healthy lifestyle, it is an extremely good idea to spend some time out in the open, without sunscreen, to enjoy moderate sun exposure. Throw in some exercise -- according to the Textbook of Cancer Epidemiology, physical activity is also linked to better survival rates from several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer -- and we have got a much more potent mix in the battle against colon and rectal cancers. Main sources: Circulating 25-Hydroxy vitamin D Levels and Survival in Patients With Colorectal Cancer (http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/18/2984) Circulating 25-Hydroxy vitamin D Levels Predict Survival in Early-Stage Non,Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients (http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/abstract/25/5/479) Optimal vitamin D status for colorectal cancer prevention: a quantitative meta analysis (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17296473?dopt=Abstract) Calcium and Vitamin D Intake and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: The Multiethnic Cohort Study (http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/165/7/784) Plasma vitamin D and risk of colorectal cancer: the Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study (http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v97/n3/abs/6603892a.html) Reviews: A Critical Review of Studies on Vitamin D in Relation to Colorectal Cancer (http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1207/s15327914nc4802_1) Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer? (http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/35/2/217) About the author Reuben Chow has a keen interest in the area of natural health and healing and carries out regular research on the topic. His website, All 4 Natural Health, offers a basic guide on natural health information. It details simple, effective and natural ways, such as the use of nutrition, various herbs, herb remedies, supplements and other natural remedies, to deal with various health conditions as well as to attain good health. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Three Different Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Failure http://www.NaturalNews.com/024441.html (NaturalNews) Scientists have discovered that an unbalanced ratio of omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids may lead to heart failure and other dietary diseases. These acids are known as essential fatty acids (EFA) that are obtained from the foods we eat. They are metabolized and stored in tissue membranes as highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) [1]. The connection between foods and coronary heart disease (CHD) The energy levels of tissue omega-6 and omega-3 HUFA have been measured in diverse groups of people and compared to the Mortality rates associated with those groups. It was found that heart failure rates are proportional to the percentage of n-6 long chain acids in the tissues of the study groups. An empirical formula was developed to estimate percentages of omega-6 in HUFA. [1] There are four variables used to predict risk in the formula: Omega-3 (n-3) and Omega-6 (n-6) short (18 carbon), and n-3 and n-6 long (20 and 22 carbons). When the formula is applied to a daily food plan the CHD risk factor in the range from 20% to 90% is obtained. Researchers have correlated these risk factors with CHD mortality rates for various diet types. Typical USA diets have CHD mortality rates of nearly 200 per 100,000 and the HUFA risk factor of 78%. The Japanese CHD mortality rates were 50 per 100,000 and a Tissue HUFA risk factor of 48%. The Mediterranean diet has a CHD mortality rate of 90 per 100,000 and a risk factor of 58%. There are at least three ways to lower the CHD Mortality Rate associated with our diets: 1. Manage our daily meal plans with KIM-2 to replace high risk foods with lower risk foods. 2. Take fish oil supplements rich in the omega-3 fatty acids. 3. Take fish oil supplements and also reduce the quantities of high risk foods. The Mediterranean diet is an example of making better food choices while the traditional Japanese diet is richer in EPA and DHA omega-3's. The Kim-2 Diet Planning Program A computer program named Keep it Managed (KIM-2) was written that uses data from the USDA Nutrition database and the above mentioned empirical formula. The program allows the selection of foods from the USDA database to create daily food plans. It calculates the CHD risk factor for each plan and allows the plan to be adjusted by making changes in the food selections and serving sizes. The program is available for downloading here [3]. High risk foods The KIM-2 program was used to compare the effect of adding foods to a given meal plan. The plan chosen was a 1500 KCAL plan with an initial percent of the long 6 of 80%. Over 5,000 foods were tested by adding them to the base plan, one at a time and the change in percent long 6 was recorded. Each food was assigned a food group and the results were subtotaled by food group. It was found that the following food groups raised the percent long 6: all meats, eggs, margarines, and seafood from farms. All other food groups had little effect except for fish oil and seafood which significantly lowered the percent long 6. Supplementing with fish oil An example of the second option: supplement with fish oil, was tested using the KIM-2 software. If a Fish Oil supplement has 300 mg of n-3 per 1,000 mg capsule. Then 6.7 capsules would contain 2 g of n-3! The following table shows the predicted CHD risk factors and calculated mortality rates vs. number of these fish oil capsules per day. Capsules -- % n-6 in 1500 kcal -- Mortality Rate/100,000 0 ----------------- 83.9 ----------------- 180 1 ----------------- 76.9 ----------------- 158 2 ----------------- 71.4 ----------------- 142 3 ----------------- 66.8 ----------------- 128 4 ----------------- 63.1 ----------------- 116 5 ----------------- 59.9 ----------------- 107 6 ----------------- 57.1 ----------------- 98 7 ----------------- 54.7 ----------------- 91 This table shows that 6 (1 g) capsules of Fish Oil per day could lower the CHD Mortality rate to about 98 per 100,000 people from about 180 per 100,000. A reduction of 45%! Adding Seafood to the diet would have similar results. People could use supplements in lieu of seafood and vice verse. The data in this table was obtained by using the KIM-2 program to obtain the % en n-6 long in total HUFA for various serving sizes of fish oil in a typical 80% 1500 KCAL diet plan. The results were correlated with the Mortality rates using the following formula: Mortality = 3.029*(%en n-6 long in total HUFA)-74.675 [1]. The dietary reference intakes (DRI) for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are 0.6%-1.2% of the daily energy. For a 2,000 KCAL diet [4] that translates to 1.33-2.66 grams. Likewise for a 1500 KCAL diet the DRI translates to 1-2 grams n-3 per day. Approximately 10% of the total can come from HUFA n-3 and n-6. Visit this website (http://www.foodandmortality.com) for more information, including a food table that was obtained by the addition of 1 Ounce (28.4 g) servings of each food in turn. The resulting % en HUFA in total HUFA is listed along with the % en for each of the four omegas: n-3 short, n-3 long, n-6 short, and n-6 long. References: 1. William E Lands: "Functional Foods in Primary Prevention or Nutraceuticals in Secondary Prevention", Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research Vol. 1, No.2, pp. X-X, 2003 2. Bill Lands: "A critique of Paradoxes in current advice on dietary lipids" (www.sciencedirect.com) 3. KIM-2 Free Software to Choose Foods, (http://efaeducation.nih.gov/sig/kim.html) 4. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (2002). Food and Nutritional Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academies. About the author John Yarlott developed his writing skills during his career as a Mechanical Engineer with Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. His work included testing jet engines and writing the test reports for use by the design and management groups. He later worked at IBM as writer of guides for computer design. He ran technical symposiums and published the hundreds of technical reports on computer packaging. John was also a store systems engineer in IBM marketing where he wrote computer programs for customers that generated reports based on transaction data in the checkout terminals. John's last assignment before retiring was as a technical support engineer for IBM's database software. During retirement he wrote training manuals for Microsoft Office Products at Hill and Knowlton, a division of WPP. He wrote web based data acquisition programs that captured human resources data in a MS Access database. The firm had offices in 52 countries therefore using the Internet to communicate with the database in New York was a time saving solution. Now retired for the second time, John has turned his attention to web publishing about matters of his own interest including health, nutrition, food economics, and global energy on his personal website: http://jmyarlott.com . (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Licorice Heals Ulcers, Inflammation, and Skin Conditions http://www.NaturalNews.com/024440.html (NaturalNews) Most of us have fond memories of those black and red licorice whips we ate as kids. Now we are finding out that licorice is a lot more than a treat for the sweet tooth. Licorice root has recently been shown effective against allergies, hepatitis, inflammation and swelling, hypertension, excessive potassium in the body, skin conditions, viral infections, and tumor formation and cancer. History of a healing superstar Licorice root has been used since ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman times in the West, and since the second and third centuries B.C. in the East. In traditional Chinese medicine, licorice is one of the most frequently used drugs. In Japan, the oldest specimen of licorice introduced from China in the middle of the 8th century still exists in the Imperial Storehouse. In both East and West, licorice has been used to treat a variety of illnesses ranging from the common cold to liver disease. The herb is highly valued for its ability to sooth and coat inflamed membranes, and to act as an expectorant, getting rid of phlegm and mucus from the respiratory tract. It is particularly popular for relief from respiratory ailments such as allergies, bronchitis, colds, and sore throats. It is also used as treatment for acid reflux, heartburn and stomach ulcers, digestive tract inflammation, diseases of the skin, relief from stress, and diseases of the liver. More amazing properties of licorice revealed Recent studies have provided additional evidence of licorice's anti-inflammatory properties. In the July 24 edition of the journal Shock researchers found that inflammation, swelling, tissue damage and cell death were markedly reduced in mice with induced spinal cord injury. The mice had been treated with glycyrrhizin extract from licorice root administered up to six hours following injury. In a separate study, these researchers found that glycyrrhizin extract treatment significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function following spinal injury. This study suggests that the devastating trauma that frequently follows spinal cord injuries may be significantly reduced in humans if they are quickly treated with glycyrrhizin extract following injury. Human trials are needed to support this suggestion. Another study, reported in the June 11, 2008 edition of Pharmacological Research supports these conclusions. Researchers evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of glycyrrhizin extract in a mice model of acute inflammation caused by induced lung injury resulting in pleurisy characterized by fluid accumulation. Again, potent anti-inflammatory effects were seen and measured parameters of the injury were significantly reduced. Researchers concluded that the method of prevention was through the NF-kappa B and STAT-3 activation pathways. And to prove that there is no end to what laboratory mice have to endure on this earth, the journal Z Naturforsch, May-June issue, reports mice induced with ear and paw edema being treated with licochalcone A extracted from licorice root. At the same time, prostaglandin biosynthesis by licochalcone A was also studied in mouse macrophage cells. The licorice extract was shown to be remarkably effective against acute induced inflammation. It significantly reduced paw edema compared to controls by hour four following injury. Both COX-2 activity and expression were significantly inhibited by the extract at all test doses. The increased incidence of skin conditions and the desire to use natural products to treat them has led to clinical studies evaluating the composition and clinical usefulness of natural products in the treatment of inflammatory skin dermatoses. The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, July edition reports that licorice among other natural products is effective for use in treatment of rosacea, atopic dermatitis, sensitive and irritated skin, drug-induced skin eruptions, and psoriasis. Animal studies and trials in humans have supported the value of licorice for stomach ulcers. One study found that aspirin coated with licorice reduced the number of ulcers in rats by 50% , even though high doses of aspirin have been shown to cause ulcers in rats. Studies in humans have shown that preparations containing the glycyrrhizin extract may be as effective as leading anti-ulcer medications in relieving pain associated with stomach ulcers and ulcer recurrence. In one study, licorice root fluid extract was used to treat 100 patients with stomach ulcers for 6 weeks. Ninety percent of the patients improved, with ulcers completely disappearing in 22 of the patients. Licorice has a long history of promoting liver health and has been successfully used to prevent hepatitis. It has also been documented against tumors and cancer. Researchers report a May, 2008 study to determine the effectiveness of a formulation containing licorice root against liver cancer and on immune function. Growth induced liver cancer in mice was markedly inhibited with high, moderate and even low doses (49.66%, 48.52%, and 36.91% respectively). Natural killer (NK) cells and interleukin 2 level showed remarkable increases compared to controls. Licorice is showing well in studies of its use in heart treatment. In recent research, people with high cholesterol experienced significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after taking licorice root extracts for one month. Systolic blood pressure was reduced by 10%. These measures returned to their previous elevated levels when the participants stopped taking the licorice supplements. In earlier studies with mice, licorice root extract reduced the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). A study has found that glycyrrhizin inhibited the growth of Japanese encephalitis virus in test tubes. In a human study, licorice was found to reduce body fat. Fifteen normal-weight subjects consumed licorice for 2 months (3.5g per day). Body fat mass was measured before and after treatment. Licorice was able to reduce body fat mass and to suppress the levels of aldosterone, the hormone responsible for retention of salt and water in the body. Another study found that a topical preparation of glycyrrhetinic acid was able to reduce the thickness of fat on the thigh in human subjects. Other research found that licorice mimics the effects of estrogen in the body. These phytoestrogenic activities resulted in decreased symptoms of PMS and menopause, including mild depression. It has also been shown to boost memory and cognition, two areas about which those with estrogen deficiency express great concern. Licorice as a healing tool Licorice products are made from the dried root of the plant. In addition to glycyrrhizin, the roots contain coumarins, flavonoids, volatile oils, and plant sterols. Licorice is available as preparations for teas, tablets, capsules, and liquid extracts. Licorice candy contains little to no licorice and is not effective as a therapeutic agent. Some licorice root extracts have had the glycyrrhizin removed, and are known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL). This form retains many of licorice's healing properties and is the better choice for long term use. Excessive consumption of glycyrrhizin can cause a condition in which an individual becomes overly sensitive to aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Fatigue, headaches and high blood pressure may result. DGL may be the better choice for treatment of stomach or duodenal ulcers. Studies have shown that DGL reduces inflammation and is as effective as prescription drugs for gastric ulcers, without the side effects. Natural health experts Phyllis and James Balch report that licorice with glycyrrhizin should not be used during pregnancy, nor by persons with diabetes, glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, severe menstrual problems, or history of stroke. It should not be used on a daily basis for more than seven days in a row. For treatment of children's sore throat, a piece of licorice root may be chewed or licorice tea can be swallowed. The following doses for adults are those endorsed by the University of Maryland Medical Center: * Dried root: 1-5 g as an infusion or decoction (boiled), three times daily * Licorice 1:5 tincture: 2 to 5 ml, three times daily * Standardized extract: 250-500 mg, three times daily, standardized to contain 20% glycrrhizinic acid * DGL extract: 0.4 to 1.6 g three times daily for peptic ulcer * DGL extract 4:1: chew 300-400 mg. three times daily 20 minutes before meals, for peptic ulcer Additional Source: University of Maryland Medical Center "Licorice" About the author Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
12:00 am	Ten Steps to Personal Power in Trying Times http://www.NaturalNews.com/024431.html (NaturalNews) This is a really rough time for Americans. We are living through an unparalleled time of social division, watching a few become really rich while many sink into poverty. We work everyday to support a government we believe has betrayed us. Our health care system doesn't keep us healthy. We are facing financial collapse, and life as we know it seems to be imploding. We feel frustrated, stressed and powerless. We can choose to stick our heads in the sand until the misery blows over, or we can choose to take some steps to empower ourselves. If we choose the latter, here are some suggestions for boosting personal power. End your part in the competition game For a long time Americans have been players in a very strange game. We have borrowed, stolen and sold our souls to put on the biggest display of material possessions possible, as though whoever spends the most money is the winner. The problem is that no matter how much money we manage to get our hands on, there is always somebody else who seems to have more stuff than we do. There is no way to stand out as an individual in this game. If you manage to buy yourself a huge new house and a luxury car, you just end up like everybody else who has them. Nobody will notice or care about your big house and car, because they are too busy trying to figure out how to pay for their big house and car. There is nothing to be won at this game. All of the players are losers. Substitute gratitude for envy There was a time in our not too distant past when most Americans had a standard of living that was similar. In the mid 1900's almost nobody's house was more than twice as big as anybody else's. Everybody drove a GM, Ford or Chrysler car. Envy was kept locked in a box. Now think about what is going on. Everywhere you look you see a new palace being built and you want to know why you can't get a palace too. Envy is out of the box and running wild, and the only antidote to envy is appreciation. By using your psychic energy to appreciate what you already have, you can get envy back in its box. Once you do that, you are on the road to lower stress and higher feelings of well being. A person who has one possession he treasures and cares for has a chance at happiness. A person who has 10 possessions he doesn't care about because he is too busy trying to get possession number 11, has no chance at happiness. Live beneath your means When you have to reach for something, you may be able to grab that thing you want, but most likely you will grab yourself a handful of stress at the same time. It is only when you take what is easily in your reach that you can maintain your psychological well being. The first time you borrow money to buy something, what you are really doing is packing some snow into a hard ball in your fist. As your life goes by and you take on more debt, that snowball gets bigger and bigger. You begin to realize that much of your work day is spent earning money to pay the interest on the debt you have accumulated. At this point you have willingly surrendered your freedom and become a slave to your creditors. When you buy fewer possessions and only those you can easily afford, you feel free and light as air. You have money put aside to deal with any stress producing contingency, and you are in a position to live your life as you choose. Take control of your health Most of us have been indoctrinated to believe that germs make us sick, doctors make us well, and we have no part in it. When we think this, the disease establishment has us right where they want us. Have you ever sat outside of a medical building and looked at the people going in and out? They are not people who look healthy, happy or empowered. They look like victims. Once you decide that this isn't how you want to end up, you will realize that your only alternative is to take charge of your own health. After all, you are the one with the vested interest. When you have assessed your current physical state, educated yourself about what it takes to get from that state to a level of vibrant health, you will have grabbed yourself a large chunk of empowerment. Exercise No, not the grueling tread mill kind of exercise. In the Western world, we have been taught that the mind and body are two separate entities. But this isn't true at all, and the kind of exercise that empowers is the kind that lets mind and body sing together as one. Move your body. Find the movements that induce a positive mental state and that are enjoyable to you. Maybe walking is empowering to you because you are expanding the scope of your surroundings, or maybe just because it makes you feel good to be a person walking upon the earth. Yoga may bring tone to your body and mind. Or maybe you will seek the pounding and competition of a tennis game. You might listen to music and pretend you are the conductor. The thing here is that when you get your mind and body moving as one, it brings a feeling of well being into every area of your life. Sleep If you have a lot of stress in your life, you may not have much time to sleep. By the time you work all day, take the kids around and do your chores at home, the day is pretty well shot. The only chance you have for a little relaxation is to stay up later and make do with less sleep. And maybe you've been reading those studies that say you really only need a few hours of sleep to be healthy. The truth is that those studies are designed to help you work yourself to death. You really need a minimum of 8 hours of sleep in a pitch dark room every night in order to go from feeling exhausted all day to feeling empowered. Once you have taken steps to make that snowball melt down, you will probably be able to get to sleep without a struggle or a sleeping pill, just like your ancestors did. Say 'no' to your children It is amazing how easily your relationship with your child can siphon off your personal power. A little needling and whining, a tantrum or two at a time when you are tired, involved in something or already stressed and before you know it, your child gets the idea that you are a pushover. And maybe you are. Maybe you have given in and let him think he can make decisions that you don't really want him to make. But in reality, he really doesn't want to make them either. He knows that he doesn't know how to run things. That's what he needs you for. When you take the time and energy to say 'no' to anything you don't think is just right, he may challenge you or throw a few fits. But if you do not waiver, he will come around eventually. Once you have re-established your power as a parent, you will feel a lot better and so will your child. Look behind the curtain Many Americans have chosen to remain in denial in the face of the obvious, and to seek guidance in conformity and conventionality. They have chosen to believe what their politicians, doctors, media, churches, and schools tell them is true, while all around they see evidence that what they are being told is a lie. Yet they make the choice to keep on believing and stick their heads deeper into the sand. This is the response that the people who are lying to you are counting on. Although at first it may feel good to choose to be oblivious, it is a trick your subconscious mind isn't buying because it has figured out what's really up. More and more of your energy will be required to maintain your oblivion as the nagging voice of your subconscious gets louder and louder. When so much of your energy is required for self-deception, you have really reduced your empowerment. Who was it that said, "Knowledge is power"? Challenge yourself with a new experience There is probably something lurking in your mind that you would like to do, but much effort would be required and you have always been able to come up with a reason for not doing it. Now is a good time to think about what it would feel like to really become part of this experience and to see it through. If thinking about this experience produces feelings of tension within you, be aware that psychological tension along with physical tension is necessary for health. It is through experience that life becomes meaningful. Find that little kernel that is you Victor Frankel was a personality theorist who spent years in the Nazi concentration camps. He realized that after he was stripped of family, friends, material possessions, work, personal freedom and the small pleasures of life, one thing remained that could never be taken from him. He saw this as the last remaining human freedom ,- to choose his attitude and make meaning for himself from any given set of circumstances. Imagining ourselves stripped of all that defines us is an anxiety provoking experience for Americans. To a large degree we have defined ourselves by these external measures. Yet that kernel that defines who we really are is a part of each of us. It is up to us to seek it out as though it were a tiny seedling, to water it, give it light and encouragement to grow. When we have accomplished that, we will be ready for whatever life brings to us. About the author Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Just One Week of Exercise Boosts Function of Insulin-Producing Beta Cells in Pancreas http://www.NaturalNews.com/024430.html (NaturalNews) Just one week of exercise appeared to reduce the risk of diabetes in sedentary older people at risk of the disease, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Michigan and published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Researchers measured insulin sensitivity and beta cell function in 12 sedentary people aged 60 and over both before and after a one-week exercise stint composed of one hour of exercise per day. All participants worked out on a treadmill, exercise bike and cross-training machine hard enough to reach 60 to 70 percent of their maximum heart rate capacity. After one week, insulin sensitivity in the participants had decreased by 53 percent, while beta cell function had improved by 28 percent. No changes were detected in other diabetes risk factors such as body fat mass or blood fat levels. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes less sensitive to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin, which is secreted by beta cells in the pancreas. This decreased sensitivity leads to the high blood sugar levels that can cause damage to the body's organs or even be fatal if untreated. Aging is known to lead to decreases in insulin sensitivity and beta cell function, though the reason for these changes is not understood. "Longer-term exercise training studies are required and are currently in progress to evaluate further exercise training effects on beta cell function in age-related glucose intolerance," the researchers wrote. An estimated 20 million people in the United States, or 7 percent of the population, have been diagnosed with diabetes, while another 6.2 million are undiagnosed and 41 million are prediabetic, according the American Diabetes Association. It is one of the world's fastest growing diseases; worldwide, the number of diabetes patients is expected to increase from 171 million to 350 million by 2030. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Chemicals in Household Cleaning Products Linked to Asthma, Allergies http://www.NaturalNews.com/024429.html (NaturalNews) Exposure to household cleaning products during pregnancy and early life makes children more likely to develop asthma. Research has already proven that a young child's risk of acquiring asthma increases if their early life lacks viruses, bacteria and endotoxins (pathogen products). This is called the 'hygiene hypothesis' and it theorizes that this exposure in a person's early life is required for the immune system to develop and strengthen properly. This research, contained in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) of the University of Bristol of the United Kingdom, takes this theory one step further by suggesting that it is not merely the lack of bacteria and their products that lead to asthma and allergies, but in fact, the chemicals within household cleaning products. Previous evidence for this mechanism has come from studies of workers who are regularly exposed to similar cleaning chemicals and thus, have an increased risk of asthma and other respiratory ailments. [1] Perhaps both a lack of antigens for a developing immune system to fight and chemicals in cleaning products have a role in the hygiene hypothesis. This long-term study has followed more than 13,000 children from before their birth to the age of sixteen. Early life exposure, including during pregnancy, to said chemicals correlated to a 41 percent increase in a child's risk of acquiring asthma by the age of seven. The prevalence of asthma in the United Kingdom and other developed countries has increased in recent years. The chemicals of household cleaning products are just one factor of the multifaceted origin of asthma's development. Other indoor environmental factors include tobacco smoke, dust mites, synthetic pillows with synthetic chemicals, and plasticizers from plastics found in household dust. [2] Of the high-volume chemicals produced in amounts greater than 10,000 or 1 million pounds per year, which number almost 20,000 according to a study in 1996 [3], only 43% have been tested for human toxicity and just 7% have been studied for effects on human development. This study shows that the risk of asthma is not entirely dependent on the genes inherited from a person's parents. While genetics probably has some role to play, the environment surrounding a developing person is as important to his health as the quality of the soil, light and water is to a growing plant. References: [1] (http://www.brunel.ac.uk/news/pressoffice/cdata/chemicals+in+home) [2] (http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/17455111.2.3.255?) [3] US EPA: Environmental Threats to Children's Health. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA (1996). About the author Tom Mosakowski, B.S. Biochemistry. He can be contacted at TomMosakowski@gmail.com (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Is the Federal Reserve Engaged in Acts of Economic Warfare Against America? http://www.NaturalNews.com/024427.html (NaturalNews) In 1942, German intelligence officers rounded up skilled Jewish prisoners and launched Operation Bernhardt, a clever scheme designed to counterfeit hundreds of millions of dollars worth of British Pounds and destroy the British economy by flooding it with counterfeit money. Located in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, Operation Bernhardt was, even by modern standards, a runaway success that resulted in the creation of forged bank notes worth 132 million British Pounds. This "economic warfare" operation resulted in a devastating economic effect on the British economy. You can read the true history of this operation here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bernhard It is important to note that Operation Bernhardt was an act of war, specifically pursued for the purpose of destroying Britain's economy by creating so much new money that the value of the money already in circulation would plummet. This was considered a strategic attack, just as effective as carpet-bombing tank factories or mowing down soldiers on the field with German-made MG42 machine guns. What does all this have to do with the Federal Reserve? Today, the Federal Reserve is engaged in an eerily similar operation, counterfeiting trillions of dollars in U.S. bank notes and flooding the U.S. money supply with money created from nothing. The result, of course, is the same as was intended by Operation Bernhardt in 1942: The economic destruction of the target nation. Only this time, the target is the United States of America. Hilariously, the Fed claims it's doing this to save the economy. Yet the laws of economics tell us that flooding the money supply with trillions of dollars in new money actually harms the economy. And the Fed has been hard at work causing this harm: $250+ billion two weeks ago, $600+ billion last week and $900 billion earlier this week! It's beginning to crank up the printing presses to the tune of a trillion dollars a week, and by doing so, it's contributing to the destruction of the U.S. economy at a pace the Third Reich could have barely imagined. Has the Fed declared war on the working class? If the actions pursued by the Federal Reserve were being masterminded by Al-Qaeda, they would be denounced as acts of war. In World War II, such actions were deliberate acts of war. Targeting the economy for destruction by flooding the money supply with counterfeit currency is, by any measure, a threat to any nation. So why is the Federal Reserve engaged in actions that, if committed by other nations, would warrant a military response? This is not an idle question. I'm not asking this in a satirical way. I'm quite serious about this: Why is the Fed committing acts of economic warfare against the United States of America? (The Fed, by the way, is a private company. It is not, as you've been led to believe, part of the U.S. government.) The answer is obvious. You've probably already figured it out: The Federal Reserve is at war with America. It's an economic war, of course, not a bombs-and-bullets war. The casualties, though, are just as real: Savings accounts, retirement funds, bank accounts, jobs, businesses, pensions and much more. By counterfeiting trillions of dollars like a Sachsenhausen operation on steroids, the Fed is carpet-bombing the U.S. economy with an unprecedented flood of fiat currency, causing the exact same economic destruction intended by the Nazis in World War II (but on a much more devastating scale). And it's doing this as part of a new economic war. Class warfare has begun What war? The war between the wealthy elite and the working class. The Fed is working hard, of course, to protect the wealthy elite. Over a trillion dollars of taxpayer money has already been earmarked to bail out the rich, elite bankers who lost other people's money in a series of idiotic bets on fictitious financial instruments. And what are these bankers doing with this taxpayer money? According to an Associated Press report published yesterday, executives of the failed insurance company AIG were sent on a $440,000 retreat "to a posh California resort" less than one week after the U.S. government bailed them out. At the spa, AIG executives enjoyed spa treatments, massages, organic food buffets and bodywork therapy, all while the American taxpayers footing the bill were slaving away in real jobs, doing real work. That's how this new class warfare is taking shape: YOU (the working class) get all the debt, all the losses, and all the financial burden. THEY (the wealthy elite) get all the profits, all the luxury spa treatments, all the tax breaks and billions of dollars in free money from the Federal Reserve. In the 1942 Operation Bernhardt, the Germans literally planned to load hundreds of millions of dollars in British Pound bank notes and air-drop them over London. The resulting chaos, it was believed, would shut down the British economy, halting the flow of money needed by Britain to fund its war effort. In the United States today, the Fed is taking a different approach: Air-dropping trillions of dollars into the laps and bank accounts of wealthy bankers and financial institution CEOs, concentrating the massive creation of fiat currency into the hands of less than 1% of the population. And just to make sure the economic carpet-bombing is a complete success, the Federal Reserve and U.S. government are conspiring to create more than a trillion dollars in new money each week, then flood those funds into banks, businesses and insurance companies. This will, of course, devastate the value of the dollars being saved, held or earned by the wage slaves who labor their lives away under this economic regime. (That would be you and me.) It's a brilliant plan... if you're interested in destroying a nation. This kind of attack would bring almost any nation to its knees. It's an act of war that requires no violence, no bombs and no destruction of real infrastructure. And yet it achieves what every war in history has ever sought to achieve: The transfer of power from the hands of the many to the hands of the few. The Federal Reserve, in effect, has become a modern-day economic Third Reich, and it has set its sights on the U.S. economy. Acts of economic terrorism? Perhaps a more accurate metaphor here would be that the Fed's creation of trillions of dollars of new money is "an act of economic terrorism" against the United States. In fact, the terrorists who masterminded 9/11 are no doubt watching this whole thing with a great sense of satisfaction. The U.S. government is now doing to its own people what the terrorists could never have accomplished: The destruction of a large portion of its economy, its currency and the savings of its people. The economic losses of 9/11 pale in comparison to the financial destruction that has been unleashed onto America by the Federal Reserve. Two days ago, the market reaction resulted in the wipeout of $2 trillion in retirement savings of the American people. Yesterday's market drop added another $2 trillion (or so) in losses. And this is possibly just the very beginning. There is no limit to the economic destruction that can now be unleashed upon America by the Fed's counterfeiting operation. Yet, amazingly, it wasn't "terrorists" who put this plan into place. Who was it, exactly? Your Congressional representatives! In a grand, historical betrayal of the American people, members of your own U.S. House of Representatives and Senate voted to unleash this economic assault on America, violating the wishes of 99% of the American people (who are aligned against bailing out the rich on the backs of the poor). Of course, to hear them explain it, their actions are meant to save the taxpayers. Yep, that's their plan: To save YOU, the taxpayer, by confiscating your money and handing it over to the wealthy elite. And whatever money can't be stolen from the taxpayers will be counterfeited by the Fed's money-creation machine. The Real Agenda: A Massive Transfer of Wealth We are not watching an economic rescue, friends. We are watching an economic coup. Creating and dumping trillions of dollars into the money supply is an act of war. But it's a war with a specific purpose. What's happening right now is that the United States is being taken over by King Henry and his accomplices. More than fifty percent of the housing and nearly twenty percent of the entire U.S. economy is now controlled by one person -- Henry Paulson -- and that person answers to no one. He isn't elected, he can't be removed from office, and he's subject to no law. King Henry controls unlimited funds. He can print any amount of money, or confiscate any amount from the taxpayers (by spending taxpayer dollars to bail out his rich friends). If the Federal Reserve is the new Third Reich, King Henry is its Hitler. The economic war has already been lost by the People. It was lost on September 30, 2008, when Congress surrendered the U.S. economy to King Henry. The People now own nothing but paper money and ephemeral digital account numbers, all of which could be turned into worthless digits overnight by a single decision from King Henry. In this economic bailout and the Fed's unlimited creation of new money, America has suffered the greatest act of economic terrorism in our nation's history. Note carefully that it wasn't conducted by the Nazis, Saddam Hussain or Al Qaeda. It was, in fact, put into place by 172 Democrats and 91 Republicans in the House, and a similar majority in the U.S. Senate. (See the complete list below.) So what can YOU do right now? A system of exchange is not dependent on the dollar alone. Commerce will survive the collapse of one currency. Trade will go on after this economic chaos passes, and businesses will continue to be an important part of our economic future. People will still need food, clothing, nutritional supplements, fuel, services, computers, tutoring, services, pet products, children's products, cars, MP3 players and much more. The end of the U.S. dollar is NOT the end of the world. It is simply the end of one empire... In my view, the best way to financial survive this economic warfare being conducted by the Federal Reserve against the People is to create your own economic abundance by owning (or launching) your own independent income sources. In fact, I've written an entire report on how to accomplish this. It's called How to Build Your Financial Safety Net. Due to this economic crisis, I've decided to release it at no charge, and it's available right now at: http://www.naturalnews.com/report_financial_safety_net_0.html Read it if you want to be empowered, informed and insulated from the demise of the dollar. Using the strategies you'll find in that report, you can drastically limit your losses in this economic carpet-bombing of the U.S. economy. In fact, I believe you can emerge with greater wealth than you had when it all started. You probably won't be getting paid in dollars, however. Expect a new currency to be the future system of exchange in America. But building reliable income streams now is a smart way to survive the coming economic implosion that will put corporations, governments and non-profits out of business. (If you work for a paycheck, your paycheck may be in danger right now.) What's Really Radical By the way, do you think this article is radical? Some people have told me that my reporting on the economic situation is "radical." You know what I told them? I said imagine two households. One household balances its budget, spends only what it brings home in income and has no debt. The other household spends twice as much as it earns. It owes $50,000 on credit cards and borrows money from loan sharks to meet the minimum payments on its credit cards. Which household is "radical?" Now consider this: The second household sneaks into the first household and steals money to pay its own debts. On top of that, it has a counterfeit cash printing machine in the basement, and it's cranking out thousands of dollars a week just to attempt to pay off its credit cards. It's immune to the law because it buys off the local police for criminal immunity. Which household is headed towards financial disaster? Which household has a real future, and which one doesn't? That second house, of course, is the United States government. My reporting on the U.S. financial situation is downright tame compared to what's really going on behind the scenes. I can't get radical enough to accurately describe the degree of deception and outright theft that's taking place in Washington right now. History will show that not only were my warnings accurate, they were understated by a wide margin. Reporting the truth is a delicate thing. People can only stomach so much truth at any one time. Few people can handle the whole truth, which is why I usually refrain from reporting it. There are things stated in this article that only hint at much bigger stories that will someday be told by others. Only the most open-minded, skeptical thinkers can even mentally consider the real truth of what's happening in our world today. Most people have been brainwashed into living in a fictional world, and they are unable to even consider truths that threaten their grip on reality. As Morpheus explained, "The mind has trouble letting go." As a result, the public has to be led by the hand from one realization to the next, little by little, until they attain the ability to see the world as it really is rather than the illusion that has been constructed for them by the very people running this financial scam. Below, I have a riddle for you. Here you'll find an anagram. If you can figure out what this means (and if these words mean something to you), then you're probably among the very few who are truly informed. Advice Kid, Free Snef J., Jean Loxes Video: How Money Creation Actually Works Check out this video to see how the Fed (and the fractional-reserve banking system) creates money out of nothing: http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000340_fractional-reserve_banking_Federal_Reserve_money_supply.html How Congress Voted Here is the list of those Congressional representatives who surrendered your economic future to King Henry. A "Y" means a "Yes" vote (in favor of the financial bailout legislation). This is, in essence, a list of those who have betrayed the People by conspiring to instigate acts of economic warfare against We the People. ("N" means they voted No. "Y" means they voted Yes.") ALABAMA Democrats - Cramer, Y; Davis, Y. Republicans - Aderholt, N; Bachus, Y; Bonner, Y; Everett, Y; Rogers, Y. ALASKA Republicans - Young, N. ARIZONA Democrats - Giffords, Y; Grijalva, N; Mitchell, Y; Pastor, Y. Republicans - Flake, N; Franks, N; Renzi, N; Shadegg, Y. ARKANSAS Democrats - Berry, Y; Ross, Y; Snyder, Y. Republicans - Boozman, Y. CALIFORNIA Democrats - Baca, Y; Becerra, N; Berman, Y; Capps, Y; Cardoza, Y; Costa, Y; Davis, Y; Eshoo, Y; Farr, Y; Filner, N; Harman, Y; Honda, Y; Lee, Y; Lofgren, Zoe, Y; Matsui, Y; McNerney, Y; Miller, George, Y; Napolitano, N; Pelosi, Y; Richardson, Y; Roybal-Allard, N; Sanchez, Linda T., N; Sanchez, Loretta, N; Schiff, Y; Sherman, N; Solis, Y; Speier, Y; Stark, N; Tauscher, Y; Thompson, Y; Waters, Y; Watson, Y; Waxman, Y; Woolsey, Y. Republicans - Bilbray, N; Bono Mack, Y; Calvert, Y; Campbell, Y; Doolittle, N; Dreier, Y; Gallegly, N; Herger, Y; Hunter, N; Issa, N; Lewis, Y; Lungren, Daniel E., Y; McCarthy, N; McKeon, Y; Miller, Gary, Y; Nunes, N; Radanovich, Y; Rohrabacher, N; Royce, N. COLORADO Democrats - DeGette, Y; Perlmutter, Y; Salazar, N; Udall, N. Republicans - Lamborn, N; Musgrave, N; Tancredo, Y. CONNECTICUT Democrats - Courtney, N; DeLauro, Y; Larson, Y; Murphy, Y. Republicans - Shays, Y. DELAWARE Republicans - Castle, Y. FLORIDA Democrats - Boyd, Y; Brown, Corrine, Y; Castor, N; Hastings, Y; Klein, Y; Mahoney, Y; Meek, Y; Wasserman Schultz, Y; Wexler, Y. Republicans - Bilirakis, N; Brown-Waite, Ginny, N; Buchanan, Y; Crenshaw, Y; Diaz-Balart, L., N; Diaz-Balart, M., N; Feeney, N; Keller, N; Mack, N; Mica, N; Miller, N; Putnam, Y; Ros-Lehtinen, Y; Stearns, N; Weldon, Y; Young, N. GEORGIA Democrats - Barrow, N; Bishop, Y; Johnson, N; Lewis, Y; Marshall, Y; Scott, Y. Republicans - Broun, N; Deal, N; Gingrey, N; Kingston, N; Linder, N; Price, N; Westmoreland, N. HAWAII Democrats - Abercrombie, Y; Hirono, Y. IDAHO Republicans - Sali, N; Simpson, Y. ILLINOIS Democrats - Bean, Y; Costello, N; Davis, Y; Emanuel, Y; Foster, Y; Gutierrez, Y; Hare, Y; Jackson, Y; Lipinski, N; Rush, Y; Schakowsky, Y. Republicans - Biggert, Y; Johnson, N; Kirk, Y; LaHood, Y; Manzullo, N; Roskam, N; Shimkus, N; Weller, Y. INDIANA Democrats - Carson, Y; Donnelly, Y; Ellsworth, Y; Hill, N; Visclosky, N. Republicans - Burton, N; Buyer, N; Pence, N; Souder, Y. IOWA Democrats - Boswell, Y; Braley, Y; Loebsack, Y. Republicans - King, N; Latham, N. KANSAS Democrats - Boyda, N; Moore, Y. Republicans - Moran, N; Tiahrt, N. KENTUCKY Democrats - Chandler, N; Yarmuth, Y. Republicans - Davis, N; Lewis, Y; Rogers, Y; Whitfield, N. LOUISIANA Democrats - Cazayoux, N; Jefferson, N; Melancon, Y. Republicans - Alexander, Y; Boustany, Y; McCrery, Y; Scalise, N. MAINE Democrats - Allen, Y; Michaud, N. MARYLAND Democrats - Cummings, Y; Edwards, Y; Hoyer, Y; Ruppersberger, Y; Sarbanes, Y; Van Hollen, Y. Republicans - Bartlett, N; Gilchrest, Y. MASSACHUSETTS Democrats - Capuano, Y; Delahunt, N; Frank, Y; Lynch, N; Markey, Y; McGovern, Y; Neal, Y; Olver, Y; Tierney, Y; Tsongas, Y. MICHIGAN Democrats - Conyers, N; Dingell, Y; Kildee, Y; Kilpatrick, Y; Levin, Y; Stupak, N. Republicans - Camp, Y; Ehlers, Y; Hoekstra, Y; Knollenberg, Y; McCotter, N; Miller, N; Rogers, N; Upton, Y; Walberg, N. MINNESOTA Democrats - Ellison, Y; McCollum, Y; Oberstar, Y; Peterson, N; Walz, N. Republicans - Bachmann, N; Kline, Y; Ramstad, Y. MISSISSIPPI Democrats - Childers, N; Taylor, N; Thompson, N. Republicans - Pickering, Y. MISSOURI Democrats - Carnahan, Y; Clay, N; Cleaver, Y; Skelton, Y. Republicans - Akin, N; Blunt, Y; Emerson, Y; Graves, N; Hulshof, N. MONTANA Republicans - Rehberg, N. NEBRASKA Republicans - Fortenberry, N; Smith, N; Terry, Y. NEVADA Democrats - Berkley, Y. Republicans - Heller, N; Porter, Y. NEW HAMPSHIRE Democrats - Hodes, N; Shea-Porter, N. NEW JERSEY Democrats - Andrews, Y; Holt, Y; Pallone, Y; Pascrell, Y; Payne, N; Rothman, N; Sires, Y. Republicans - Ferguson, Y; Frelinghuysen, Y; Garrett, N; LoBiondo, N; Saxton, Y; Smith, N. NEW MEXICO Democrats - Udall, N. Republicans - Pearce, N; Wilson, Y. NEW YORK Democrats - Ackerman, Y; Arcuri, Y; Bishop, Y; Clarke, Y; Crowley, Y; Engel, Y; Gillibrand, N; Hall, Y; Higgins, Y; Hinchey, N; Israel, Y; Lowey, Y; Maloney, Y; McCarthy, Y; McNulty, Y; Meeks, Y; Nadler, Y; Rangel, Y; Serrano, N; Slaughter, Y; Towns, Y; Velazquez, Y; Weiner, Y. Republicans - Fossella, Y; King, Y; Kuhl, Y; McHugh, Y; Reynolds, Y; Walsh, Y. NORTH CAROLINA Democrats - Butterfield, N; Etheridge, Y; McIntyre, N; Miller, Y; Price, Y; Shuler, N; Watt, Y. Republicans - Coble, Y; Foxx, N; Hayes, N; Jones, N; McHenry, N; Myrick, Y. NORTH DAKOTA Democrats - Pomeroy, Y. OHIO Democrats - Kaptur, N; Kucinich, N; Ryan, Y; Space, Y; Sutton, Y; Wilson, Y. Republicans - Boehner, Y; Chabot, N; Hobson, Y; Jordan, N; LaTourette, N; Latta, N; Pryce, Y; Regula, Y; Schmidt, Y; Tiberi, Y; Turner, N. OKLAHOMA Democrats - Boren, Y. Republicans - Cole, Y; Fallin, Y; Lucas, N; Sullivan, Y. OREGON Democrats - Blumenauer, N; DeFazio, N; Hooley, Y; Wu, Y. Republicans - Walden, Y. PENNSYLVANIA Democrats - Altmire, N; Brady, Y; Carney, N; Doyle, Y; Fattah, Y; Holden, N; Kanjorski, Y; Murphy, Patrick, Y; Murtha, Y; Schwartz, Y; Sestak, Y. Republicans - Dent, Y; English, N; Gerlach, Y; Murphy, Tim, N; Peterson, Y; Pitts, N; Platts, N; Shuster, Y. RHODE ISLAND Democrats - Kennedy, Y; Langevin, Y. SOUTH CAROLINA Democrats - Clyburn, Y; Spratt, Y. Republicans - Barrett, Y; Brown, Y; Inglis, Y; Wilson, Y. SOUTH DAKOTA Democrats - Herseth Sandlin, N. TENNESSEE Democrats - Cohen, Y; Cooper, Y; Davis, Lincoln, N; Gordon, Y; Tanner, Y. Republicans - Blackburn, N; Davis, David, N; Duncan, N; Wamp, Y. TEXAS Democrats - Cuellar, Y; Doggett, N; Edwards, Y; Gonzalez, Y; Green, Al, Y; Green, Gene, N; Hinojosa, Y; Jackson-Lee, Y; Johnson, E. B., Y; Lampson, N; Ortiz, Y; Reyes, Y; Rodriguez, N. Republicans - Barton, N; Brady, Y; Burgess, N; Carter, N; Conaway, Y; Culberson, N; Gohmert, N; Granger, Y; Hall, N; Hensarling, N; Johnson, Sam, N; Marchant, N; McCaul, N; Neugebauer, N; Paul, N; Poe, N; Sessions, Y; Smith, Y; Thornberry, Y. UTAH Democrats - Matheson, N. Republicans - Bishop, N; Cannon, Y. VERMONT Democrats - Welch, Y. VIRGINIA Democrats - Boucher, Y; Moran, Y; Scott, N. Republicans - Cantor, Y; Davis, Tom, Y; Drake, N; Forbes, N; Goode, N; Goodlatte, N; Wittman, N; Wolf, Y. WASHINGTON Democrats - Baird, Y; Dicks, Y; Inslee, N; Larsen, Y; McDermott, N; Smith, Y. Republicans - Hastings, N; McMorris Rodgers, N; Reichert, N. WEST VIRGINIA Democrats - Mollohan, Y; Rahall, Y. Republicans - Capito, N. WISCONSIN Democrats - Baldwin, Y; Kagen, N; Kind, Y; Moore, Y; Obey, Y. Republicans - Petri, N; Ryan, Y; Sensenbrenner, N. WYOMING Republicans - Cubin, Y. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Congressional Birdbrains - Your Health at Risk http://www.NaturalNews.com/024426.html (NaturalNews) On Monday, Sept 29, the American public witnessed firsthand the utter ineptitude of the United States House of Representatives, hitting Main Street directly in the pocketbook. While leaders try to figure a way out of an impending economic crisis, it is now clear for everyone to finally see that we have an equal crisis in political leadership. In my efforts to help secure health freedom for all Americans I have had a number of interactions with Congress in the past few years and have reached the following conclusions: 1) The Senate is made up of multi-millionaires who maintain power by accepting and granting favors. Those with large amounts of money, such as the Big Pharma lobby, mostly get what they want even though the American public is typically shafted in the arrangement. Senators don't need their paychecks; they get high on brokering power and facilitating deals to the highest bidder, based on whichever political party is most in control and who their friends may be. 2) While the House has some entrenched multi-millionaires who operate like those in the Senate, most members of the House are not the cream of any crop and could not make as much money in the private sector as they are being paid by their position in the House of Representatives (which includes a retirement plan that would be the envy of every American). Most of these people desperately need their paychecks and will do almost anything to keep them coming. Collectively, Congress behaves more like a high school click with a cult-like method of keeping its members in line, than representatives of the people. As the House vote on the economic bailout plan failed, it was plain to see that the members of the House of Representatives, collectively speaking, are not very bright. Many smart people on Wall Street and Main Street were left scratching their heads. If the plan was not good enough to pass, then why didn't they come up with a solution that could pass, rather than send a shock wave through an already teetering market? The answer is two-fold. Collectively, they don't have enough economic skills to come up with such a plan. Most of them could not run a successful business if their life depended on it, so how could we expect them to solve a real economic problem? And, an election is coming up and a majority of those in tight races put their position as members of the House ahead of everyone else in the country, self-serving to say the least but par for the course. Our society has something terribly wrong. It is a dark day indeed when talking heads on business cable channels have far more average intelligence than the men and women being counted on to make tough leadership decisions for our country and take effective action. Within the next 10 years, most likely sooner than later, a costly health care crisis will come front and center and threaten the U.S. economy at least as much as its current problems. Working on a solution based on identifying the actual problems would ease the pain, and give us time to implement better solutions than waiting until the last minute when hundreds of billions are then needed just to put a Band-Aid on a totally broken system. Like the current economic crisis, the handwriting is clearly on the wall. Unlike the current crisis, the taxpayer billions will simply be poured down a drain with no chance to recover anything. The problem is far more serious than either presidential candidate cares to acknowledge, as talking about it or how to actually solve it would cost lots of votes. Big Pharma fraud is rampant and not only needlessly killing Americans on a daily basis, but racking up tens of billions of dollars in pointless taxpayer expense. Will the government bail out Big Pharma as its sales eventually collapse, putting taxpayers on the hook for more failed businesses? Millions of baby boomers, many of whom by choice have not taken good care of themselves, are entering the world of taxpayer-subsidized health care known as Medicare. The younger generations cannot possibly foot this bill. At the same time equally massive numbers of low income people, many of whom suffer from self-induced obesity, are clamoring to be covered by "socialized" health care. Once again, hard-working Americans cannot possibly foot this bill. Currently, middle class Americans can hardly afford health care for themselves and their families , much less pay for all the people wanting a free handout. Where is the money going to come from? The "rich" can't pay for everything. Where will our society draw a line between self-induced health care costs and the obvious need to cover individuals who experience serious accidents or medical problems beyond their control? Only in America can politicians talk about health care while successfully ignoring every elephant in the room. It is no surprise that the Big Pharma sponsored media gives them a free pass. Politicians certainly can't upset seniors, baby boomers, or minorities , how could they win? Even worse, how can they stay in power? It is a sad comment on the decline of the moral fiber of a society when candidates pander to drooling constituents with a plethora of free handouts , rather than debating actual issues with all the cards and elephants on the table. We all need to be more productive, not more entitled. Another aspect of this issue is that of health freedom, as your free access to dietary supplements and natural remedies teeters on the brink of extinction as CODEX, regional trade agreements, the FDA Trilateral Cooperation Charter, and other "one world government" ideologies based on "free trade" that isn't free at all threaten to undermine effective ways for you to take care of your own health. Then we could talk about how big business has nearly destroyed the quality of our food supply. This scandal runs deep and has for decades. We have the makers of junk food. We have the mass market farming operations and food traders, which have destroyed family farms and communities, while massively polluting the environment. These companies are delivering disease-producing food to the American public and school lunch programs. I'll bet you can't wait to eat a cloned-meat hamburger. We have chemical contamination of food with toxic and often experimental pesticides. We have the Frankenfood movement, which genetically alters food in a grand experiment on the nature of food itself , splicing toxins into the essence of the food that everyone is supposed to eat (all for the financial benefit of the biotech industry). The FDA and EPA are puppet organizations, utter failures in protecting the public health, and little more than unelected government officials (often on the take) acting as economic gatekeepers for those wishing to sell toxic compounds as food or those wishing to further contaminate the environment. These issues are intimately involved with the cause of cancer and heart disease in this country , and would cost billions to fix , yet must be fixed. Otherwise, we will end up spending the same billions on health care. These are the kinds of issues we need government to solve, so as to improve the health of all Americans. We do not need any more stupid public health programs telling people to eat less and exercise more , everybody already knows that. Our government could help by having guidelines that force food companies to put real quality food on the table for Americans to eat, while banning the sale of disease-producing additives that permeate our current food supply , and doing its best to actually clean up our environment to get nasty pollution out of our food supply. Alas, all you need do is look at the ineptitude of Congress to solve any problem, even when it hits them in the face as a crisis, and you can see that you have little choice but to take your health and the health of your family into your own hands. Congressional "solutions," at least those currently existing and those on the drawing board, will do little more than create another huge economic crisis while pitting Americans against Americans in class and generation warfare. Your best plan is to not need any healthcare because you are healthy. This requires a lot of hard work and doing the right things more often than not. There is no easy path to staying healthy as you age , but there is a path. We already know those in Congress can point fingers; can they look in a mirror? Will any real leaders please stand up? Link to more health articles by this author: http://www.wellnessresources.com/health_news.php About the author: Byron J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist, nationally-renowned nutrition expert, and founder of Wellness Resources is a leader in advocating the value of dietary supplements as a vital tool to maintain health. He is an outspoken critic of government and Big Pharma efforts to deny access to natural health products and has written extensively on the life-shortening and health-damaging failures of the sickness industry. www.wellnessresources.com askbyron@wellnessresources.com (Comment on this)
12:00 am	How to Keep Your Colon Clean and Healthy http://www.NaturalNews.com/024425.html (NaturalNews) If you want to experience your best health, an essential requirement is keeping your colorectal region clean and healthy. Keeping your colon and rectum clean and healthy provides a number of health benefits, the main ones being: 1. A lowered risk of developing colorectal cancer, the second or third leading type of cancer in most industrialized countries. 2. A lowered risk of experiencing irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, and chronic diarrhea. 3. A lowered risk of developing hemorrhoids. 4. Less objectionable gas production. 5. More efficient absorption of water and minerals. 6. A feeling of lightness, comfort, and well-being in your abdominal region. Your colon and rectum are collectively referred to as your large intestine, which is the last part of your digestive tract. A Journey Through Your Large Intestine After food passes through your stomach and small intestine, the remaining material, mostly waste products in liquid form, move on to the first part of your large intestine -- your colon. Your colon is approximately 6 feet long and serves primarily to dehydrate liquid waste material. Your colon begins at the lower right hand corner of your abdomen, where it is called your cecum. Attached to your cecum is a twisted, worm-shaped tube called your appendix. From your cecum, your colon travels up the right side of your abdomen, where it is called your ascending colon. When it reaches your lower right ribs (just below your liver), it turns to travel across your abdomen to just below your lower left ribs; here, it's called your transverse colon. Just below your lower left ribs, it makes another turn and travels down the left side of your abdomen -- this portion is called your descending colon. Your colon then makes one last turn toward the middle of your abdomen, forming an "S" shaped segment that is called your sigmoid colon. Your sigmoid colon empties waste materials into your rectum, which is like a storage pouch that holds onto your feces until contractions in your large intestine stimulate a bowel movement. In order to understand how to keep your colorectal region clean and healthy, let's go over a few key details on how your large intestine works. Large Intestine Physiology Movement of Waste Material After you eat a substantial meal, your stomach expands enough to trigger a reflex that causes a contractile wave (called a peristaltic wave) to travel through your small intestine and push any liquid waste material (chyme) that is sitting in the last part of your small intestine into your large intestine. Once enough liquid waste material accumulates in your cecum (the first part of your large intestine), the waste material begins to move up your ascending colon. Movement of waste material through your colon is facilitated by something called "haustral churning". Your colon is divided along its length into small pouches called haustra. When a haustrum is filled with substantial waste material, its muscular walls contract and push the waste material into the next haustrum. The contractile reflex that allows haustral churning is regulated by your enteric nervous system, which is a division of your autonomic nervous system. On average, your colon experiences anywhere from about 3 to 12 moderate waves of contractions every minute. After every substantial meal, your colon experiences a much larger contractile wave, called "mass peristalsis". Mass peristalsis serves to push waste materials from your transverse colon all the way to your rectum. In most people, mass peristalsis occurs about three times a day. Water and Nutrient Absorption The mucosal lining of your large intestine is lined with tiny pits that open into long, tube-like intestinal glands; these glands are lined with specialized cells that absorb water, and other specialized cells (goblet cells) that release mucous into your large intestine to lubricate your stools and to protect the lining of your large intestine against acidic substances and noxious gases. The specialized cells that absorb water from your waste materials are responsible for about 10 percent of the water that you absorb from the foods and beverages that you ingest; the remaining 90 percent is absorbed by cells that line your small intestine. This 10 percent of water absorption in your large intestine amounts to anywhere between a pint and a quart of water in most people, and represents a significant portion of your body's daily intake of water. As water is absorbed from the waste material in your colon, so are some nutrients, mainly minerals like sodium and chloride. It takes anywhere between 3 to 10 hours for your large intestine to absorb enough water from waste material to turn it into solid or partially solid stools. Your stools consist mainly of water, mucous, fiber, old cells from your intestinal lining, millions of microorganisms, and small amounts of inorganic salts. When your rectal pouch is distended with enough feces to trigger a contractile reflex, your feces are pushed out through your anus. When you consciously contract your abdominal wall, your diaphragm moves downward and helps open up muscles that line your anal sphincter. Your rectum is lined with three horizontal folds, called your rectal valves; these valves are what prevent stools from passing through your anal sphincter when you pass gas. If you choose not to release stools when you experience an urge to do so, your reflex contractions may stop, in which case you likely won't have a significant bowel movement until the next mass peristalsis occurs. Diarrhea and Constipation Explained When waste material travels through your digestive tract too quickly for sufficient water absorption to occur, your stools will be runny and more frequent than normal. Three main causes of diarrhea are: * Undesirable microorganisms * Food intolerances (like lactose intolerance) * Stress In the first two cases listed above, it makes sense that your body would want things to move quickly through your system; your body doesn't want to spend time digesting foods that it cannot properly extract nutrients from or that are laced with disease-causing microbes. Stress can cause transit time to shorten by messing with your enteric nervous system; please recall that your enteric nervous system controls the reflex contractions that mark "haustral churning". Your enteric nervous system is a part of your autonomic nervous system, and your autonomic nervous system regulates your physiological responses to emotional and physical stress. When waste material travels through your colon more slowly than it should, so much water is sucked out of your waste material that your stools become hard. Five main causes of constipation are: * Eating sporadically, or eating meals that are too small to illicit mass peristalsis. * Not going when you feel an urge to go * Lack of a healthy intestinal lining that is capable of producing enough mucous to properly lubricate your stools (vitamin A deficiency is a potential cause of this situation) * Insufficient intake of water, water-rich foods, and/or fiber-rich foods. * Stress Natural Ways to Keep Your Colorectal Region Clean and Healthy Please note: A number of the following ways to keep your colon and rectum healthy are tied to preventing chronic constipation. Chronic constipation is the single greatest cause of having an unclean and unhealthy colorectal region because over time, constipation causes your bowel walls to face excessive pressure -- pressure that is created by you straining to go and by your colon walls creating stronger contractions to help eliminate hard stools. Excessive pressure on your colon walls can cause little pouches called diverticuli to form. Sometimes, small bits of waste material can get lodged in diverticuli. Eat substantial meals; don't nibble on small amounts throughout the day Each time you eat a substantial meal, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines, ensuring regular movement of waste material through your colon and rectum. Also, eating substantial meals allows significant "chunks" of waste materials to travel together through your colon, turn into well formed stools, and get eliminated from your body in an efficient manner. Don't suppress the desire to go If you regularly suppress the urge to have a bowel movement, waste materials spend more time than is optimal in your colon, causing excessive dehydration of waste materials and formation of hard stools. Ensure adequate intake of water and/or water-rich foods Water helps to move waste materials along, and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stools to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to drink several glasses of water per day. If you eat plenty of water-rich plant foods, then you can rely on your sense of thirst to dictate how much water to drink. For more guidance on this issue, please view: (http://drbenkim.com/drink-too-much-water-dangerous.html) Eat fiber-rich foods regularly Fiber adds bulk to the boluses of waste material that travel through your large intestine, and this bulk is essential to your colon's ability to turn waste materials into well formed stools. A diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains ensures high fiber intake. Ensure adequate vitamin D status Adequate vitamin D status significantly lowers your risk of developing all types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. When you aren't able to get regular exposure to sunlight, enough to tan without getting burned, look to ensure adequate vitamin D status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin D, such as wild salmon and a high quality cod liver oil. Ensure adequate vitamin A status As mentioned above, glands that line the mucosal lining of your colon are responsible for releasing mucous that is needed to lubricate your feces; vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of these specialized cells that release mucous. It's best to ensure adequate vitamin A status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin A. For a list of healthy foods that are rich in vitamin A, view: (http://drbenkim.com/nutrient-vitamina.html) Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats All of your cells, including those of your large intestine and nervous system, require a constant influx of undamaged fatty acids and cholesterol to remain fully functional. If you don't ensure adequate intake of healthy fats, your nervous system and the smooth muscles that surround your digestive passageway -- both of which are responsible for creating peristaltic waves throughout your digestive tract -- may deteriorate in function. Also, intake of healthy fats is necessary for optimal absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A, which, as mentioned above, is critical to building and maintaining the mucosal lining of your colon. Healthy foods that are rich in healthy fats include: avocados, organic eggs, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconuts, raw nuts, raw seeds, and cold-water fish. Build and maintain large colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract Large populations of friendly bacteria can keep your digestive tract clean and healthy by: * Promoting optimal digestion, thereby preventing build-up of toxic waste materials * Taking up space and resources, thereby helping to prevent infection by harmful bacteria, fungi, and parasites The easiest way to build and maintain healthy colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract is to take a high quality probiotic. Work at feeling emotionally balanced As mentioned above, stress can interfere with your ability to clean your colon through its effect on your enteric nervous system. Most people who have come to me over the years with a chronic colon-related health issue have had significant emotional stress in their lives. If you have a challenge with colon and rectal health, I encourage you to take a careful look at ways that you can more effectively manage emotional stress in your life. Here's the bottom line on this topic: Your body is well designed to keep your colon and rectal regions clean and healthy. If you follow the steps outlined above, you can rest assured knowing that your lifestyle choices are minimizing your risk of having colon-related health issues. About the author Ben Kim is a chiropractor and acupuncturist who lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife and two sons. He provides information on how to experience your best health as you age at his website, http://drbenkim.com. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
12:00 am	White Sugar Now Coming From Genetically-Modified Sugar Beets http://www.NaturalNews.com/024417.html (NaturalNews) This year saw the first commercial planting of genetically modified (GM) sugar beets in the United States, with that sugar to hit the food supply soon after. Farmers across the country will soon be planting Monsanto's Roundup Ready sugar beet, genetically engineered for resistance to Monsanto's herbicide glyphosate (marketed as Roundup). John Schorr, agriculture manager for Amalgamated Sugar, estimates that 95 percent of the sugar beet crop in Idaho will be of the new GM variety in 2008, or a total of 150,000 out of 167,000 acres. Approximately 1.4 million acres of sugar beets are planted in the United States each year, primarily in Minnesota and North Dakota's Red River Valley, as well as the Pacific Northwest, Great Plains and Great Lakes areas. In response to the anticipated flood of GM sugar onto the food market, the consumer group Citizens for Health has launched an email campaign to pressure three major sugar and candy companies to refuse the new product. In 2001, American Crystal Sugar, Hershey's and M&M Mars all promised that they would not use GM sugar; Citizens for Health is asking consumers to email those companies from the group's Web site and urge them to keep that promise. "Since half of the granulated sugar in the U.S. comes from sugar beets, the infiltration of GE sugar beets represents a significant alteration of our food supply," Citizens for Health says on its Web site. "Unlike traditional breeding, genetic engineering creates new life forms that would never occur in nature, creating new and unpredictable health and environmental risks." In 1999, candy companies' refusal to purchase GM sugar scuttled Monsanto's first attempt to introduce Roundup Ready sugar beets. On another front, a coalition of farmer and environmental groups is seeking to block the planting of the GM beets through a federal lawsuit. The plaintiffs in the case - the Center for Food Safety, High Mowing Organic Seeds, the Organic Seed Alliance and the Sierra Club - are represented by lawyers from the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice. In 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) changed the classification of Roundup Ready sugar beets from regulated to deregulated, meaning that the GM beets could be planted without a special permit. But the lawsuit alleges that the USDA failed to properly conduct an environmental review into the impacts of this deregulation. "The law requires the government to take a hard look at the impact that deregulating Roundup Ready sugar beets will have on human health, agriculture and the environment," said Greg Loarie of Earthjustice. "The government cannot simply ignore the fact that deregulation will harm organic farmers and consumers, and exacerbate the growing epidemic of herbicide resistant weeds." Critics point out that Roundup Ready crops encourage increased chemical use, with dangerous effects on both human health and the environment. In addition to contaminating soil and water, pesticides leave potentially dangerous residue on food plants themselves. Citizens for Health says that this is a particular concern in light of the Environmental Protection Agency's recent compliance with a Monsanto request to increase the allowable levels of glyphosate residue on sugar beet roots by 5000 percent. "Sugar is extracted from the beet's root, and the result is more glyphosate pesticide in our sugar," the group said. Another concern is that such plants encourage the development of "superweeds" that are resistant to Roundup. "Just as overuse of antibiotics eventually breeds drug resistant bacteria, overuse of Roundup eventually breeds Roundup-resistant weeds," said Kevin Golden of the Center for Food Safety. "When that happens, farmers are forced to rely on even more toxic herbicides to control those weeds." USDA data reveals that in the 10 years after the 1994 introduction of Roundup Ready crops, herbicide use increased by 15 times. This has led to a concurrent increase in superweeds. While no cases of Roundup-resistant weeds were known in the U.S. corn belt in 2000, this year the roster of such weeds includes marestail, common and giant ragweed, waterhemp, Palmer pigweed, Cocklebur, lambsquarters, morning glory and velvetleaf. Ninety-nine percent of U.S. superweeds are resistant to Roundup. GM crops may also cross-breed with non-GM plants of the same or closely related species. The primary seed-growing region for sugar beets - the Willamette Valley of Oregon - is also a major seed-growing area for the closely related organic chard and table beets. Since all these species are wind pollinated, the chances of contamination are very high. "Contamination from genetically modified pollen is a major risk to both the conventional and organic seed farmers, who have a long history in the Willamette Valley," said Matthew Dillon, director of advocacy for the Organic Seed Alliance. "The economic impact of contamination affects not only these seed farmers, but the beet and chard farmers who rely on the genetic integrity of their varieties." Crops contaminated by cross-pollination with GM varieties can no longer be certified organic. Since corn syrup is an even more widely used sweetener than sugar and the majority of corn grown in the United States is also Roundup Ready, food safety advocates note that nearly all sweetened food in the United States will soon be GM. Because U.S. law does not require labeling of GM ingredients, consumers of products from candy to breakfast cereal will soon be unknowingly exposed to engineered sugar, with unknown health consequences. "As a consumer, I'm very concerned about genetically engineered sugar making its way into the products I eat," Neil Carman of the Sierra Club said. Sources for this story include: www.citizens.org, www.organicconsumers.org. (Comment on this)
12:00 am	Choosing Products That Promote Beauty and Well Being http://www.NaturalNews.com/024416.html (NaturalNews) Millions of Americans are adversely affected each year by a silent from of chemical warfare that's taking place every day within the comforts of our own homes. While we worry about the chemical weaponry of terrorists and lead-contaminated imported toys, we are literally poisoning our immune systems with thousands of toxic chemicals that are known carcinogens, hormone disrupters, and cancer-causing agents. It starts with your morning routine. If you are a man, you will probably use shampoo, soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, hair gel or styling products, shaving cream, and aftershave or cologne. A typical day for a woman starts much the same, with the added possibilities of shower gel, body and face cream, lotion, moisturizer, make-up, hair spray, perfume, and nail polish. By the time you have made it to the door, you have swallowed, inhaled and absorbed through your skin hundreds of toxic chemicals, some of which have been proven to be deadly to laboratory animals and many of which are known to be carcinogens. If you are suffering from dry flaky skin, persistent skin irritations, rashes, sinus problems, allergies, asthma, respiratory ailments and other health problems that never seem to get cured, it may be time for you to examine the negative effects your personal care products are having on your health. It's great to exercise and watch what you eat, but you must also watch what you put on your body and even what you use to clean your house if you want to achieve optimal health. Any substance you put on your skin, or inhale will enter your bloodstream just as surely as if you had swallowed it. Once these chemicals enter your bloodstream, they are perceived by your immune system as foreign and not recognizable, and they are perceived by your liver as toxins. When your immune system and liver are dealing with toxic chemical overload they aren't available to do the jobs they were intended to do. That's why people who insist on putting toxic chemicals into their bodies suffer from frequent bacterial and viral infections, other mysterious maladies, and even cancer. Have you ever taken a close look at the ingredients in your personal care products? Whatever you are seeing probably includes water. Is there anything else on that label that you recognize as a naturally occurring substance you might actually want to put inside your body? If it doesn't occur in nature, it shouldn't be inside of you, because you are a natural being. Kiss My Face Corporation makes a wonderful soap bar that lathers up and cleans just fine. The only ingredients on its label are olive oil, water and salt. There are no toxic chemicals or fragrance. That's what a label should look like. How does the label on your soap look? No matter what the advertisements try to make you think, fragrance does not come from flowers or anything else natural. More than 4,000 chemicals are used in fragrances, many of which are waste products from the petroleum industry. Several of them are known to cause cancer, birth defects, infertility, and brain and central nervous system damage including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's. Since so many products are now scented, the number of people who are made ill by fragrances is steadily increasing. Babies and children are especially vulnerable along with those recovering from illness or disease. Chemical fragrances are everywhere: laundry detergent, fabric softeners, dish washing liquids, suntan products, sunscreen, incense, lotions, moisturizers, lip balms, almost every personal care product, and more. It's even found in many products labeled as unscented because it is contained within a compound when that compound is added to the product. Exposure to scented products can cause the persistent symptoms that mystify people, such as chronic aches and pains, headaches, allergies, swollen glands and lymph tenderness, heart palpitations, memory, fatigue, asthma, nausea, and neural-motor functioning including dizziness, and fainting. Exposure in children and even adults can cause learning and behavioral problems, attention deficit and hyperactivity in addition to any of the other symptoms. Continued exposure to chemical fragrances along with other toxic chemicals can cause development of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Disease. When you have this disease, the slightest whiff of a toxic chemical makes you so ill you cannot function. Your ability to interact with the rest of the world is seriously compromised. It's tempting to say to your self that these products must be alright or the 'government' wouldn't let them be sold, but this isn't true. The personal care products industry is not supervised. The FDA does not require manufacturers to register their products or to file safety data on the ingredients they use in them. They are free to put in as many toxic chemicals as they want. The only thing that stops them is reaction from the public. A few years ago, magazines came with scented strips advertising the latest perfumes. So many people were sickened and complained that the strips were discontinued. If enough people refuse to buy toxic products, manufacturers would stop making them. Products you use while taking a shower are particularly dangerous since you are using them at a time when your pores are opened by hot water, allowing quick and easy access to your bloodstream. A look at the ingredients in your shampoo may be shocking. There are more than 100 toxic chemicals traditionally used in shampoo, and most brands contain 20 to 30 of them in addition to chemical fragrance and dyes. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a dominant ingredient in almost all shampoos. In addition to its toxic effects on your immune and detoxification systems, SLS has been shown to corrode the hair follicles and impede hair growth. It has been blamed for premature hair loss. The Material Safety Data Sheet provided by the U.S. government says exposure to SLS can lead to burning, coughing, wheezing, laryngitis, shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting. The American College of Toxicology says that SLS stays in the body for up to five days and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs and brain. While there are many natural alternative substances available that will clean and beautify you far better than these toxic concoctions, the large corporations that produce personal care products won't use them because it would cost too much money and interfere with their profits. They even try to disguise their cheap chemicals with tiny amounts of natural ingredients that are prominently featured on the front of the bottle. This is done to deceive you into buying what you think is an item that promotes health. But turn the bottle over and you will see a mind boggling list of toxic ingredients. If you have decided that you don't want to pay your hard earned money to a corporation that strives to deceive you and tell you lies, you will find that discovering how to replace your toxic products with products that promote good health is a very difficult task. No matter what it says on the label, there are virtually No products in any of the discount stores, traditional supermarkets, or drugstores that are not filled with health compromising chemicals. Some supermarkets featuring organic or health sections carry Burt's Bees products. These are certainly far preferable to those produced by the large corporations, but Burt's Bees has recently been bought out by Clorox Corporation, so its quality may soon be compromised. For now, some of Burt's Bees products are safe, and some contain toxic ingredients such as fragrance, endocrine system disrupting glucose oxidase, and borax (the active ingredient in most ant poisons). You will have a better chance of finding products that promote health at a health food market. But even there, you can't just walk in and buy what appeals to you on sight. Many products marketed as 'natural' contain high levels of toxic ingredients. Whole Foods Market publishes a list of ingredients not allowed in the foods they sell, but many of these ingredients are contained in their personal care items. Apparently it is alright with them if the toxins enter you body through your skin instead of your mouth. When you try to replace your personal care products with ones that promote health, you will find that almost every item you pick lists ingredients that sounds like chemicals. The only way to be sure of what you are buying is to research these ingredients. Here is a website where you can easily research many of these ingredients using their search box: (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) . Many people have found that the easiest and most cost effective way to shop for health promoting products is online using one of the large supplement companies such as Lucky Vitamin or Vitacost. Each of these carries an amazing array of the personal care and cosmetic products typically found in health food stores. There is one line of products that stands out above the rest. Aubrey Organics consistently provides items that are of very high quality and free of toxins. Many of their lotions and shampoos are highly scented with natural oils. Of course, these products are fairly expensive, but if you order them online there is a substantial savings. Kiss My Face makes that luscious olive oil soap without scent or