::: Cloquet Natural Foods and Wellness Center ::: Bud's Blog

Why Cancer's Gaining on Us

2008-10-29T22:04:00.000-06:00

Published on Monday, October 27, 2008 by The Boston Globe
by Rita Arditti

For all the pink ribbons, breast-cancer awareness events, fund-raisers, and celebrations of "survivorship," the facts remain grim. In this country, a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer is one in eight. In 1975, the risk was about one in 11.

Outside of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. It is estimated that in 2008 there will be 250,230 new cases of breast cancer among women. An estimated 41,000 women will die of metastatic breast cancer in 2008. Because we still do not know what the causes of breast cancer are, primary prevention remains an elusive goal while mammography and early detection are the focus of attention.

Since World War II, the proliferation of synthetic chemicals has gone hand-in-hand with the increased incidence of breast cancer. About 80,000 synthetic chemicals are used today in the United States, and their number increases by about 1,000 each year. Only about 7 percent of them have been screened for their health effects. These chemicals can persist in the environment and accumulate in our bodies. According to a recent review by the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, 216 chemicals and radiation sources cause breast cancer in animals.

Nearly all of the chemicals cause mutations, and most cause tumors in multiple organs and animal species, findings that are generally believed to indicate they likely cause cancer in humans. Yet few have been closely studied by regulatory bodies. There is concern about benzene, which is in gasoline; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are in air pollution from vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, and charred foods; ethylene oxide, which is widely used in medical settings; and methylene chloride, a common solvent in paint strippers and glues.

There is also broad agreement that exposure over time to natural estrogens in the body increases the risk of breast cancer, so it is important to consider the role of synthetic estrogens in breast cancer development. Many other chemicals, especially endocrine-disrupting compounds -- chemicals that affect hormones, such as the ubiquitous bisphenol A, which is found in plastic bottles and cans -- are also thought to raise breast cancer risk. Endocrine-disrupting compounds are present in many pesticides, fuels, plastics, air pollution, detergents, industrial solvents, tobacco smoke, prescription drugs, food additives, metals, and personal-care products including sunscreens.

Is there definitive evidence that these substances cause breast cancer? Have they been sufficiently studied? Well, no. We need to know more about the timing, duration, and patterns of exposure, which may be as important as dosage. But shouldn't we do everything possible to reduce exposure to the suspected chemicals? Shouldn't we take precautionary measures, as we continue and deepen the research? In Massachusetts, the leading cause of death in 2006 was cancer. It is time for action.

In our state, the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, a coalition of more than 160 organizations, has worked for the passage of the Safer Alternatives Bill, which would create a program to replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives when feasible. The bill would establish a pragmatic, gradual approach to reducing health impacts from many of the toxic chemicals that we are exposed to in everyday life. The bill passed the Senate unanimously this year, but was not voted on by the House. The alliance will introduce it again in the 2009 legislative session.

Yes, we need early detection but also primary prevention, and, of course, effective treatments for those of us with extended disease. Rachel Carson, who herself died of breast cancer in 1964, said it best: "For those in whom [cancer] is already a hidden or a visible presence, efforts to find cures must of course continue. But for those not yet touched by the disease and certainly for the generations as yet unborn, prevention is the imperative need."

Rita Arditti is one of the founders of the Cambridge-based Women's Community Cancer Project, a grassroots organization committed to cancer prevention. She has been living with metastatic breast cancer since 1979.

Broccoli may undo diabetes damage

2008-08-10T13:26:00.001-06:00

Broccoli may help ward off prostate cancer

Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.

A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane.

It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.

Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have previously been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes

Professor Paul Thornalley
University of Warwick

People with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes; both are linked to damaged blood vessels.

The Warwick team, whose work is reported in the journal Diabetes, tested the effects of sulforaphane on blood vessel cells damaged by high glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), which are associated with diabetes.

They recorded a 73% reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).

Hyperglycaemia can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and such high levels can damage human cells.

The researchers also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2, which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.

Countering vascular disease

Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said: "Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes.

"In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will."

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at the charity Diabetes UK, stressed that research carried out on cells in the lab was a long way from the real life situation.

However, he said: "It is encouraging to see that Professor Thornalley and his team have identified a potentially important substance that may protect and repair blood vessels from the damaging effects of diabetes.

"It also may help add some scientific weight to the argument that eating broccoli is good for you."

Tuesday, 5 August 2008 00:12 BBC News

Industrial/Environmental Toxins

2008-05-17T17:33:00.000-06:00

How to Avoid the Top 10 Most Common
Industrial/Environmental Toxins

By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege

There are many upsides to living in a modern, high-tech society (like having access to the Internet and digital cameras and MP3 audio players to name a few of my favorites.) But as with most things in life and in nature, whether you call it yin and yang, balance or the principle that opposites attract, with the upside comes a significant downside.

For all of the conveniences and advances that we have grown so accustomed to comes a slew of environmental toxins -- chemicals and other materials largely from industry and carelessness -- that have very much saturated our water, our food and the very air we breathe.

Many of these toxins are things that you can't see, smell or feel, at least not right away. One of the major problems with them is just that. We don't realize that we're being affected until we come down with a chronic disease after years of subtle and often consistent exposure to a combination of these toxins.

This makes it almost impossible to pinpoint a specific environmental toxin as the source of illness, yet when you look at the facts -- the increasing numbers of cancers, immune system disorders, neurological problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities, allergies and hormonal disturbances that are facing the nation -- it is hard NOT to take notice. Consider these statistics:

Some 77,000 chemicals are produced in North America
Over 3,000 chemicals are added to our food supply
More than 10,000 chemical solvents, emulsifiers and preservatives are used in food processing
1,000 new chemicals are introduced each year
Where do all of these chemicals end up? They are absorbed into our groundwater, rivers, lakes and oceans, spewed into our air, and added, quite intentionally, to our food supply.

The Effects of Toxins on Your Body

A study in last year's British Medical Journal estimated that perhaps 75 percent of most cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, including exposure to chemicals. Another report, this one by the Columbia University School of Public Health, estimated that 95 percent of cancer is caused by diet and environmental toxicity.

This is really not surprising when you consider that estimates show most Americans have somewhere between 400 and 800 chemicals stored in their bodies, typically in fat cells. Some of the short- and long-term effects of these toxins include:

Neurological disorders (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, etc.)
Cancer
Nutritional deficiencies
Hormonal imbalances
Enzyme dysfunction
Altered metabolism
Reproductive disorders
Fatigue
Headaches
Obesity
Muscle and vision problems
Immune system depression
Allergies/Asthma
Endocrine disorders
Chronic viral infections
Less ability to tolerate/handle stress
The 10 Most Common Toxins

The following toxins are among the most prevalent in our air, water and/or food supply. This list is by no means all-inclusive, as thousands of other toxins are also circulating in our environment. Keep reading to find out tips to avoid these toxins and others as much as possible.

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): This industrial chemical has been banned in the United States for decades, yet is a persistent organic pollutant that's still present in our environment.

Risks: Cancer, impaired fetal brain development
Major Source: Farm-raised salmon. Most farm-raised salmon, which accounts for most of the supply in the United States are fed meals of ground-up fish that have absorbed PCBs in the environment and for this reason should be avoided.

Pesticides: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 60 percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides are known to be carcinogenic. Alarmingly, pesticide residues have been detected in 50 percent to 95 percent of U.S. foods.
Risks: Cancer, Parkinson's disease, miscarriage, nerve damage, birth defects, blocking the absorption of food nutrients
Major Sources: Food (fruits, vegetables and commercially raised meats), bug sprays

Mold and other Fungal Toxins: One in three people have had an allergic reaction to mold. Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) can cause a range of health problems with exposure to only a small amount.
Risks: Cancer, heart disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, diabetes
Major Sources: Contaminated buildings, food like peanuts, wheat, corn and alcoholic beverages

Phthalates: These chemicals are used to lengthen the life of fragrances and soften plastics.
Risks: Endocrine system damage (phthalates chemically mimic hormones and are particularly dangerous to children)
Major Sources: Plastic wrap, plastic bottles, plastic food storage containers. All of these can leach phthalates into our food.

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): VOCs are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products.
Risks: Cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment
Major Sources: Drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellants, air fresheners.

Dioxins: Chemical compounds formed as a result of combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels (like wood, coal or oil).
Risks: Cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, chloracne (a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions), skin rashes, skin discoloration, excessive body hair, mild liver damage
Major Sources: Animal fats: Over 95 percent of exposure comes from eating commercial animal fats.

Asbestos: This insulating material was widely used from the 1950s to 1970s. Problems arise when the material becomes old and crumbly, releasing fibers into the air.
Risks: Cancer, scarring of the lung tissue, mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer)
Major Sources: Insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes and healing ducts from the 1950s to 1970s.

Heavy Metals: Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body.
Risks: Cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer's disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels
Major Sources: Drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials, dental amalgams, chlorine plants

Chloroform: This colorless liquid has a pleasant, nonirritating odor and a slightly sweet taste, and is used to make other chemicals. It's also formed when chlorine is added to water.
Risks: Cancer, potential reproductive damage, birth defects, dizziness, fatigue, headache, liver and kidney damage.
Major Sources: Air, drinking water and food can contain chloroform.

Chlorine: This highly toxic, yellow-green gas is one of the most heavily used chemical agents.
Risks: Sore throat, coughing, eye and skin irritation, rapid breathing, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pain in the lung region, severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (a type of asthma)
Major Sources: Household cleaners, drinking water (in small amounts), air when living near an industry (such as a paper plant) that uses chlorine in industrial processes.

Tips to Avoid Toxins

Way Healthier Air Purifiers duplicate Nature's own methods by creating ultraviolet lightrays and hydroxyl radicals to oxidize organic odors, germs and fungi -- the most effective and safe method to clean and revitalize your indoor air. Way Healthier uses exclusive technology you won't find in any other air purifier to:

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Learn More About Way Healthier Air Purifiers

It's impossible in this day and age to avoid all environmental toxins. What you can do, however, is limit your exposure as much as possible with the following tips:

Buy and eat, as much as possible, organic produce and free-range, organic foods. If you can only purchase one organic product it probably should be free range organic eggs. Fortunately most grocery stores now have these available. If they don't contact the store manager and encourage them to carry them. Additionally I believe raw milk products are a key to staying healthy. They are best obtained locally but many people have a great challenge finding them. I have made special arrangements with a dairy in the only state that raw milk products are legal, California, so you can easily obtain them.

Rather than eating fish, which is largely contaminated with PCBs and mercury, consume a high-quality purified fish or cod liver oil like Carlson's. Contact your favorite health food store for it or another high quality brand or use our store for your immediate convenience. Another option is to have your wild-caught fish lab tested to find out if it is a pure source (we've found a delicious Alaskan wild red salmon that is mercury- and PCB-free and safe).

Avoid processed foods -- remember that they're processed with chemicals!

Only use natural cleaning products in your home. Most health food stores will have these available or you can search online for them. You can also choose the PerfectClean ultra-microfiber cleaning cloths. Due to their ultra-microfiber construction, you can use them with only water (so you eliminate the need for cleaning your home with chemicals).

Switch over to natural brands of toiletries, including shampoo, toothpaste, antiperspirants and cosmetics. Same sources here, either your local health food store or you can search on line.

Avoid spraying insect repellants that contain DEET on your body. There are safe, effective and natural alternatives out there, like Neem-Based Botanical Outdoor Gel.

Remove any metal fillings as they're a major source of mercury. Be sure to have this done by a qualified biological dentist. Although nearly any dentist is technically qualified to replace your amalgam fillings, far less than 95 percent have any clue on how to do it properly so your risk of mercury exposure is minimized. Please avoid the mistake I have seen THOUSANDS of patients make and have your fillings replaced by a non-qualified dentist. I made this mistake myself nearly 20 years ago. Do it right the first time and save yourself the expense and grief. If you don't personally know a qualified biological dentist, many people find one by contacting several of the health food stores in their area and asking the employees who they know. This is typically an excellent resource as they are usually networked quite well in the local health community.

Avoid using artificial air fresheners, dryer sheets, fabric softeners or other synthetic fragrances as they can pollute the air you are breathing.

Avoid artificial food additives of all kind, including artificial sweeteners and MSG

Get plenty of safe sun exposure to boost your vitamin D levels and your immune system (you'll be better able to fight disease).

Have your tap water tested and, if contaminants are found, install an appropriate water filter on all your faucets (even those in your shower or bath).

Seek to build your health up through the nutrition insights detailed in my Total Health Program, and then limit your use of drugs (prescription and over-the-counter) as much as possible. Drugs are chemicals too, and they will leave residues and accumulate in your body over time.

DANGERS OF HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP- HFCS

2008-04-25T07:31:00.002-06:00

DANGERS OF HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP- HFCS

HFCS high fructose corn syrup is responsible for a dangerous epidemic of obesity and diabetes. People under the age of 45 are “children of the corn.” Like Stephen King's thriller, they are reaping the consequences of the food industry’s high fructose corn syrup. They were children or young adults in the late 70s, 80s and 90s when high fructose corn syrup was introduced to the American food supply as a cheap replacement for sugar. Now many of them are struggling with an epidemic of obesity and diabetes, also being referred to as diabesity.

In a recent chemical analysis of eleven carbonated soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), researchers from Rutgers University found very high levels of reactive carbonyls.

Reactive carbonyls, which have been linked to tissue damage and complications of diabetes, are elevated in the blood of people with diabetes. A single can of soda, however, has five times that concentration of reactive carbonyls. Old-fashioned table sugar, on the other hand, has no reactive carbonyls.

When people from Iceland visit the United States, the first thing they notice is the number of fat people they see. The average weight of American women (164 pounds) and men (191 pounds) has increased 25 pounds since 1960. We are the fattest people on earth, thanks to Coke, Pepsi and ADM - Archer Daniels Midland - the largest producer of HFCS.

Due to federal agribusiness subsidies, every dollar of profits earned by ADM's corn sweetener operation costs consumers $10. Of the $113.6 billion in taxpayer commodity subsidy payments distributed by the USDA between 1995 and 2004, corn drew $41.8 billion -- more than cotton, soy, and rice combined. What's wrong with this picture? Maybe it's the Iowa presidential primary. Where do the presidential candidates and your congress people stand on corn subsidies? Who sucks up to ADM?

The occurrence of new cases of type 2 diabetes has doubled over the past three decades, according to a report in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation - June 2006. The percentage of overweight children in the United States has tripled since 1980. The epidemic of type 2 diabetes cases across the nation is likely to lead to a substantially higher incidence of strokes among middle-aged adults and newly diagnosed diabetics.

"Most, but not all, of the increase in diabetes occurred in people who were obese - those with a body mass index of 30 or more," according to the National Lung, Heart, and Blood Institute in Framingham, Massachusetts.

A person with diabetes has a 50 percent chance of having a heart attack compared with a risk of 5 percent for people without diabetes or who don’t know if they have a vascular disease. In fact, diabetes puts you at the same risk for a heart attack as a non-diabetic who has had a heart attack and whose risk of another is substantially higher.

More than one out of every three individuals in the United States has diabetes or impaired fasting glucose, a condition that increases the risk of developing diabetes.

The CDC estimates that diabetes costs the United States $92 billion in medical costs and $40 billion in indirect costs.

It is getting difficult to find a food product at the grocery store or McDonalds that is not loaded with HFCS. One 20-ounce bottle of Coke, Pepsi, Mt Dew, Sprite or Dr. Pepper is the equivalent of pouring 17 teaspoons of sugar straight into your body. HFCS is the leading ingredient after carbonated water in these beverages. Women who drink at least one regular soda a day are 85 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who drink less. It also leads to tooth decay.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is found in fruit drinks like Capri Sun, Sunny Delight, Snapple, Hawaiian Punch, Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice and in most energy drinks. It is also found in chocolate drinks like Yoohoo, Arizona Tea, SoBe Beverages, cookies, ice cream, Campbell soup, Heinz Ketchup, Ragu, Aunt Jemima Syrup, Hershey's Syrup, Breyers Yogurt, Kraft Barbecue Sauce, Smucker's Preserves and some breakfast cereals.

High fructose corn syrup masquerades under the name of crystalline fructose in Glaceau Vitamin Water and some energy drinks. Naive teenagers guzzle this "poison" because they think it is good for them. Then they go on a diet and wonder why they are still gaining weight.

Have you seen the new commercials on TV for Capri Sun? The ad suggests that Capri Sun is now healthy for you because they have added antioxidants. As long as they continue to sweeten Capri Sun with HFCS, they are lying to you.

People who use HFCS as a sweetener increase their triglycerides 32 percent relative to people who use mostly sugar, according to University of Minnesota professor John Bantle. The body metabolizes high fructose corn syrup differently than sugar. It blunts the body's ability to recognize when it is full and increases a person's appetite.

High Fructose Corn Syrup puts people at risk for metabolic syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Having just one of these conditions — increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels — contributes to your risk of serious disease. In combination, your risk is even greater."

There is a a rise in uric acid in the bloodstream that occurs after fructose is consumed. The temporary spike of HFCS blocks the action of insulin, which typically regulates how body cells use and store sugar and other food nutrients for energy. If uric acid levels are frequently elevated, over time features of metabolic syndrome may develop, including high blood pressure, obesity and elevated blood cholesterol levels.

Research by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals that high fructose diets shorten the life span of laboratory mice from the normal two years to a mere five weeks.

Overweight Hispanic-American children who consume lots of sugary foods and drinks show signs of pancreatic beta cell decline - a forerunner of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Southern California came to that conclusion after studying 63 overweight Hispanic children, ages 9 to 13, all without diabetes. The team tracked the children's eating habits and also took blood samples before and after giving them sweets.

Beta cells in the pancreas create insulin in response to sugar obtained from food. When beta cells start to function less effectively, they produce less insulin, leading ultimately to diabetes. The USC team found that about 40 percent of the sweets consumed by the children in this study came from sugary drinks such as soda or sweetened juices.

If you compare the population of non-diabetics to diabetics, the average life span is 10 years less. There are many complications that occur with diabetes. They include coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, blindness, kidney disease and loss of sensation in the hands and feet.

Older people may have something to worry about also. The leading theory about the cause of Alzheimer's Disease implicates insulin. Insulin concentrations in the brain drop significantly in early Alzheimer's and continue to fall as the disease worsens, suggesting that Alzheimer's Disease may be Type 3 diabetes. Researchers found that insulin is not just produced in the pancreas, but also in the brain.

If you wish to prevent diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, the prudent thing to do is to read the label of food items and beverages before you buy them at the store. If you see High Fructose Corn Syrup or crystalline fructose - Don't Buy It!

One tip is to try an ethnic grocery store - such as an Asian or Latino food store, if you have trouble finding HFCS free foods that you like. The American food industry doesn't give two "toots" about your health.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, MD "Immediate action is needed to address this problem on a societal level. The time for blaming the victim, for putting the entire responsibility of the obesity epidemic on a gluttonous population is over. The science is clear, and we have the means to save lives and millions in health care dollars.”

Question of the decade: Why doesn't the FDA approve stevia as a sweetener? Stevia was introduced in the 1970s in Japan and accounts for over 40% of the sweetener market there. It is also commonly used in South America. Only 24 percent of Japanese aged 15 and older are believed to be overweight, compared to over 65 percent of adults in the United States.

In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the FDA labeled stevia as an unsafe food additive. It is truly absurd that the medical establishment and government watch dogs in the U.S. are so myopic as to believe that if a product has not been scientifically proven safe inside the borders of the U.S., then it is dangerous until proven otherwise. What's wrong with this picture?

http://www.femhealth.com/DangersofHFCS.html

Study Finds High Levels of Chemicals in Infants Using Baby Cosmetics

2008-02-05T20:57:00.000-06:00

by Maria Cone

Infants and toddlers exposed to baby lotions, shampoos and powders carry high concentrations of hormone-altering chemicals in their bodies that might have reproductive effects, according to a new scientific study of babies born in Los Angeles and two other U.S. cities.

The research, to be published today in the medical journal Pediatrics, found that as the use of baby care products rose, so did the concentration of phthalates, which are used in many fragrances.

The lead scientist in the study, Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana of the University of Washington’s Department of Pediatrics, said the findings suggested that many baby care products contain a variety of phthalates that enter children’s bodies through their skin.

Manufacturers do not list phthalates as ingredients on labels, so it is unknown which products contain them.

The researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Rochester stressed that the potential effects on babies were uncertain.

But previous animal and human research suggests that early exposure to some phthalates could reduce testosterone and alter reproductive organs, particularly in males.

The three phthalate compounds found in the highest concentrations in babies in the study were linked to reduced testosterone in a 2006 study of newborns in Denmark.

Some scientists theorize such changes in hormones could lead to fertility problems and male reproductive disorders.

Representatives of the fragrance and cosmetics industries said they were surprised by the findings and questioned their validity. They said only one phthalate compound is used in baby products, and it is found in such low levels that they doubt it could explain high concentrations found in the babies.

In the study, doctors tested the urine of 163 children between the ages of 2 months and 28 months born in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Columbia, Mo., between 2000 and 2005. All had detectable amounts of at least one type of phthalate, and more than 80% had seven or more types.

“Phthalate exposure is widespread and variable in infants. We found that mothers’ reported use of infant lotion, infant powder and shampoo was significantly associated with . . . urinary concentrations,” the scientists wrote in the new study.

In the study, babies exposed to baby lotion, shampoo and powder had more than four times the level of phthalates in their urine than babies whose parents had not used the products. The highest levels were reported in babies under 8 months old, and those exposed to lotions.

Previous studies have focused on a different route of exposure for children: sucking on soft, vinyl toys. Phthalates, in addition to helping cosmetics retain fragrance and color, are used as plasticizers in some vinyl. A recently passed California law will ban six types in children’s toys and feeding products, beginning next year. But no federal or state law in the United States prohibits their use in personal care products or cosmetics.

The study is the first to report that skin transfer may be a main route of exposure for babies.

In their report, the scientists advised parents who want to reduce their baby’s exposure to stop using lotions and powders unless their doctors recommend them for medical reasons. They also suggested limiting use of shampoos and other products. Many adult lotions and other personal care products also contain phthalates.

John Bailey, chief scientist for the Personal Care Products Council, an industry trade group, said diethyl phthalate, or DEP, is used in the fragrances of some baby lotions and other baby products.

But DEP is used at “very low levels, in the part-per-million range, below what could possibly account for the levels they are finding” in the babies’ urine, Bailey said. “All of the other phthalates, if they’re present, have to be coming from someplace else,” such as plastics or other products, he said.

Bailey said he couldn’t explain why the researchers found such high concentrations in the babies that used lotions and the other products.

But he said the scientists shouldn’t have advised parents to stop using them because they did not test any products and cannot prove they were the source.

“The results that are being presented and the conclusions being made don’t make a great deal of scientific sense,” Bailey said. “There’s a lot that makes you question whether their findings are valid.”

Europe has banned some phthalates in baby toys and cosmetics, but not the DEP found in fragrances.

More than half the mothers in the new study reported using baby shampoos on their infants within 24 hours of the urine tests, and about one-third had used lotion, and 14% used powder within the same time period.

No link was found to baby wipes or to diaper creams.

The highest concentrations in the babies were for a phthalate known as MEP, which comes from DEP, the compound used in fragrances. One baby had an extremely high level of MEP — 4.4 parts per million.

marla.cone@latimes.com Published on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 by The Los Angeles Times

A Primer on Cholesterol

2008-01-29T17:57:00.000-06:00

No Such Thing as Bad Cholesterol: Dispelling the Marketing Myth

by Al G Smith

(NewsTarget) Cholesterol seems to be one of those things that strikes fear into the hearts of many, so to speak. But is the reputation that this oily substance has acquired truly deserved? What is certain is that the 'little knowledge' that the media often imparts means many folks assume cholesterol is simply a 'bad' thing. Alternately, a good number of us may have heard the terms 'good' cholesterol and 'bad' cholesterol bandied about without knowing much about what this really means. In fact it is a fairly safe bet that if you asked anyone on the street for his or her instinctive response, if asked about cholesterol, they would probably say that we simply need to 'reduce it'.

The 'noddy-science' offered by marketing men to a generally scientifically-naive public has led many people to believe that we should replace certain food choices with specially developed products that can help 'reduce cholesterol'. Naturally this comes at a price and requires those who can afford it to pay maybe four or five times what a 'typical ordinary' product might cost. But is this apparent 'blanket need' to strive towards lowering our cholesterol justified? And, indeed, is it healthy?

For anyone who has had the official diagnosis of 'high cholesterol' in their bloodstream, they may even have embarked upon a program of medicinal intervention. In fact it is quite likely that they may have joined the legions of long-term pill-poppers who are already lining the pockets of the profit-oriented pharmaceutical giants.

But let's take a moment, now, to review some of the facts and fallacies about the much-maligned substance: cholesterol.

First of all, cholesterol is a naturally occurring lipid. This means it is a type of fat or oil and it is in fact an essential component in creating and sustaining the membranes of the cells of all bodily tissues. So this alone means we need cholesterol to survive! Most of the cholesterol that is found in our bodies is actually naturally manufactured within our own cells. However there is also an additional contribution that we get from external 'nutritional' sources - the foods we consume. In a typical diet providing around 400mg of cholesterol per day from food sources, about half to two-thirds of this amount is actually absorbed through the process of digestion. The body will normally secrete about a gram (1000mg) of cholesterol per day into the bile via the ducts, and approximately three-fifths of this is then re-absorbed.

Where our tissues or organs are a particularly dense complex of cells, which have closely packed cell membranes, there will naturally be higher levels of cholesterol. The key organs that need, and contain, these higher amounts of cholesterol include the liver, the brain and the spinal cord - none of which would work well if we reduced cholesterol too much!

In effect cholesterol plays an essential role in the development and maintenance of healthy cell walls. It is also a critical factor in the synthesizing of steroid hormones, which are a key factor in our natural physical development. Cholesterol is used by the adrenal gland and the sex glands to create these necessary hormones. As you may know, hormones are important regulators of many control mechanisms that occur throughout our bodies as we grow, develop and simply function every day.

Being a lipid, cholesterol is fat-soluble, but it is not soluble in blood. However it needs to be transported around the body to the places where it can be utilized. This is why, in order to be moved around, it must become 'associated' with certain lipoproteins which feature a water-soluble (therefore 'blood transportable') coat of proteins. There are two key types of lipoproteins that transport cholesterol around the body: low-density and high-density variants. The essential cellular function of cholesterol requires that sufficient amounts are manufactured by specialized sub-systems (or organelles) within the body's cells called the endoplasmic reticulum. Alternatively, the cholesterol we need must be derived from our diet. During the process of 'digestion and assimilation' of foods, it is the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that carries dietary cholesterol from the liver to various parts of the body.

When there is sufficient cholesterol for cellular needs, the other key transport mechanism in this amazing 'logistics system' - high-density lipoprotein (HDL) - can take cholesterol back to the liver from where any unnecessary excess can be processed for excretion.

The 'noddy-science' of the so-called 'functional food' manufacturers would have us believe that there is such a thing as 'bad' cholesterol and 'good' cholesterol. This is, in fact, totally untrue. The cholesterol itself, whether being transported by LDL or HDL, is exactly the same. Cholesterol is simply a necessary ingredient that is required to be regularly delivered around the body for the efficient healthy development, maintenance and functioning of our cells. The difference is in the 'transporters' (the lipoproteins HDL and LDL) and both types are essential for the human body's delivery logistics to work effectively.

Problems can occur, however, when the LDL particles are both small and their carrying capacity outweighs the transportation potential of available HDL. This can lead to more cholesterol being 'delivered' around the body with lower resources for returning excess capacity to the liver.

LDL can vary in its structure and occur in particles of varying size. It is the smaller LDL particle sizes that can easily become 'trapped' in the arteries by proteoglycans, which is, itself, a kind of 'filler' found between the cells in all animal and human bodies. This can then cause the cholesterol the LDL carries to contribute to the formation of fatty deposits called 'plaques' (a process known as atherogenesis). As these deposits build up, they restrict the arteries' width and flexibility. This causes an increase in blood pressure and can also lead to other cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks or strokes.

The LDL itself is consequently sometimes referred to as 'bad cholesterol', but you can now appreciate the fact that this is simply incorrect. In fact LDL, HDL and cholesterol are all essential to our health. However, it seems that it has become common for humans to have a preponderance of 'unhealthily' small LDL particles, which can become a precursor to heart and arterial disease due to the mechanisms described. It is apparently healthier to have a smaller number of larger LDL particles carrying the same quantity of cholesterol than a large number of small LDL particles might transport, but for some reason this is less common. This is an interesting area that demands more research.

When LDL becomes retained by the glycol-proteins in the arteries it is subject to being oxidized by 'free radicals'. This is when the process can become health threatening. It has therefore been suggested that increasing the amount of antioxidants in our diet might effectively 'mop up' free radicals, and consequently reduce this harmful oxidation. Although the idea of consuming foods rich in antioxidants, or even using supplements, is now widely promoted, the scientific evidence for their efficacy still remains to be fully established.

Another point to consider is the occurrence of substances called 'very-low-density-lipids' or VLDL, also known as triglycerides. VLDL is converted to LDL in the bloodstream and therefore contributes towards increased levels of LDL and to subsequent potential cholesterol-related health problems. This is why triglycerides are usually measured when a cholesterol test of your blood is undertaken.

The production of VLDL in the liver - which amounts to a combination of cholesterol and low-density apolipoprotein - is exacerbated by the intake of fructose. Fructose is the type of sugar found in many fruits, it is also a component of sucrose and of the widely used food ingredient high-fructose corn syrup. This implies that anyone whose LDL or triglyceride levels are unduly high should cut back on those sweet sugary snacks, and even on the sweeter, fructose laden fruits; not simply reduce their intake of fatty foods!

Vitamin B3, otherwise known as niacin, on the other hand, actually lowers the amount of VLDL, and therefore also LDL. In addition, niacin helps to stimulate the production of helpful HDL, the lipoprotein that carries excess cholesterol back to the liver for excretion. However, in keeping with the best traditions of consuming 'all things in moderation', currently recommended upper limits for daily intake of niacin is 35mg, given that it can have toxic effects in larger amounts. Even so, medical professionals have been known to prescribe niacin in doses as high as 2g, up to three times a day, for treatment of those with dangerously high blood cholesterol levels. Naturally you should never self-medicate with high doses of niacin without taking appropriate medical advice.

Niacin in the diet is typically derived from high protein foods including liver and other meats, as well as significant amounts being found in certain nuts and whole grains.

However one of the fashionable types of pharmaceutical drugs of recent times, introduced to treat the apparently increasing incidence of high cholesterol levels particularly in the West, are Statins. These drugs work by interfering with the liver function and reducing the production of LDL. But Statins are a questionable innovation on at least a couple of accounts. Firstly they are not without side-effects: they can, for example, lead to the breakdown of major muscular material, which can ultimately overwhelm the kidneys and even cause acute renal failure.

Statins also appear to reduce the body's natural levels of the vitamin-like, cellular protection agent known as Co-enzyme Q10. This benzoquinone plays an important role in cellular energy release, particularly in hard worked areas like the lungs, liver and heart. CoQ10 (as it is sometimes called) has also been shown to protect the brain against neurological degeneration. But perhaps most interestingly, with respect to cholesterol, CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant, particularly active in protecting the system against LDL oxidation and the potential problems associated with this as described above. So whilst Statins might provide a reduction in LDL per se, they might also be causing more problems in the long-term. Naturally, as with many modern drugs, they generally have to be taken for the long-term by anyone who has been prescribed them.

What is particularly disturbing about Statins is, perhaps, the fact that they may be seen as a 'quick fix' for unhealthily high LDL, and consequently cholesterol levels throughout the body. They need to be taken over a long period - which makes them very profitable for drugs manufacturers. But they may also be prescribed without the over-arching message that in order to address any cholesterol problem 'naturally', the sufferer must change their lifestyle and diet. Statins can seem an easy option but may indeed merely be the beginning of a process where the 'negative health pay-off' is simply delayed rather than actively defused! That is not to say that in extreme cases of high blood cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, there may not be a useful role for Statin therapy when natural strategies fail or do not prove effective, or feasible.

In truth, and in summary, cholesterol is an important and essential substance that we need for health at a cellular level. It is most likely that any imbalance in our cholesterol transport system comes down to long-term poor dietary and exercise habits. Ensuring that we consume some extra anti-oxidant foods, along with including niacin rich foods, might well be of benefit. But it is perhaps most important to recognize that deliberate and continued levels of activity and the consumption of a healthful diet is a better solution than questionable quick-fix drugs, if we ever are diagnosed with levels of cholesterol and triglycerides that might give cause for concern.

About the author

Al G Smith MSc BSc - Has been working and teaching in the food related sector for over 30 years and is currently a website publisher (http://www.gonaturalandorganic.com) and Independent Representative for the World's first extensive range of Certified Organic skin care and cosmetics (http://www.saferalternative.com). Originally published January 29 2008

Antidepressants May Not Work

2008-01-19T17:39:00.000-06:00

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Patients and doctors alike may have received some fuzzy truth about the effectiveness of antidepressant medication.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, many studies have found that best-selling antidepressants like Wyeth's Effexor and Pfizer's Zoloft may have little or even no effect on patients. Many of those studies, though submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, were left unpublished.

Researchers accordingly suggested in this week's New England Journal of Medicine that doctors and patients may not have been able to see the full antidepressant picture.

Both Pfizer (PFE, Fortune 500) and Wyeth (WYE, Fortune 500) told The Wall Street Journal that they will disclose all study results, but they will not necessarily publish them in medical journals. The FDA does not require pharmaceutical companies to publish the studies that they sponsor, which leaves many studies unpublished.

Separately, 74 studies involving 12 antidepressant drugs were submitted to the FDA between 1987 and 2004, 38 of which the FDA called "positive." Though all but one of the "positive" studies were published, only 14 of the 36 "negative" studies were printed in medical journals.

But even with the large disparity of reports that the pharmaceutical companies published, not all of the negative stories were all that "negative."

According to the NEJM researchers, at least 11 of the 14 "negative" studies presented unfavorable findings as beneficial ones by highlighting positive secondary outcomes and ignoring negative primary results.

The New England Journal of Medicine researchers believe this "publication bias" can complicate doctors' understanding of the effectiveness of medications. For instance, when considering all of the studies' data, the researchers found that Zoloft only has a "small" effect on patients as opposed to the "medium" effect that the mostly-positive results had shown.

CnnMoney.Com

Aspartame Part 2: Don't Even Consider It!

2007-11-11T09:25:00.000-06:00

By Andrea McCreery

Roseville & Rocklin Today

"In the keynote address by the EPA at the World Environmental Conference, it was announced that there was an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and system lupus and they did not understand what toxin was causing this to become rampant across the United States.

"When the temperature of aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which, in turn, causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis; thus, people are being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in error. Multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence; methanol toxicity is.

"Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially in Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. With methanol toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four 12 oz cans per day, some even more. In the cases of systemic lupus, which is triggered by aspartame, the victim usually does not know the aspartame is the culprit. The victim continues its use and aggravates the lupus to such a degree, that it sometimes becomes life threatening. When people quit using aspartame, those with systemic lupus usually become asymptomatic. Unfortunately, this disease cannot be reversed. On the other hand, in the case of those diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, (when in reality, the disease is methanol toxicity), most of the symptoms disappear. In some cases, vision and hearing have returned. This also applies to cases of Tinnitus. If you are using Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc.) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision or memory loss, you probably have "Aspartame Disease".

"The Ambassador of Uganda noted that their sugar industry is adding aspartame. He continued by saying that one of the industry leader's sons could no longer walk due in part to product usage. This is a very serious problem. Additionally, during a visit to a hospice, a nurse said that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke drinks, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence!

"Here is the problem. There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was originally included as a sweetener in 100 different products. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings. Nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets. Now, there are over 5,000 products containing this chemical and the patent has expired. At the time of this first hearing, people were going blind. The methanol in the Aspartame converts to formaldehyde in the retina of the eye. Formaldehyde is grouped in the same class of drugs as cyanide and arsenic - deadly poisons. Unfortunately, it just takes longer to quietly kill, but is killing people and causing neurological problems. Aspartame changes the brain's chemistry. It is the reason for severe seizures. This drug change the dopamine level of the brain. Imagine what this drug does to patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. This drug also causes birth defects.

"There is absolutely no reason to use this product. It is "not a diet product"/ The Congressional record said, "It makes you crave carbohydrates and will make you FAT." Dr. H. J. Roberts, a diabetic specialist and expert on Aspartame poisoning, states that when he took patients off of Aspartame, their average weight loss was 19 pounds per person. Aspartame is especially deadly for diabetics. All physicians know what wood alcohol will do to a diabetic. We find that physicians believe that they have patients with retinopathy when, in fact, it's caused by the Aspartame. The Aspartame keeps the blood sugar level out of control, causing many patients to go into a coma. Unfortunately, many have died. It was reported at the Conference of the American College of Physicians that those patients that switched from saccharin to an Aspartame product had eventually gone into a coma. Their physicians could not get their blood sugar levels under control. The patients suffered acute memory loss, and, eventually, coma and death. Memory loss is due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are neurotoxins without the other amino acids found in protein. Thus is goes past the blood brain barrier and deteriorates the neurons of the brain. Dr. Russell Blaylock, a neurosurgeon, said "The ingredients stimulate the neurons of the brain to death, causing brain damage of varying degrees."

"Dr. Blaylock and Dr. Roberts will be writing a position paper with some case histories and it will be posted on the Internet. According to the Conference of the American College of Physicians, "We are talking about a plague of neurological diseases caused by this deadly poison." Dr. Roberts realized what was happening when aspartame was first marketed. He reported, "My diabetic patients are suffering memory loss, confusion and severe vision loss." At the Conference, doctors admitted not knowing why. They had wondered by seizures were rampant (the phenylalanine in aspartate breaks down the seizure threshold and depletes serotonin, which causes manic depression, panic attacks, rage and violence). Just before the Conference, Norway asked for a possible antidote for this poison because they are experiencing so many problems in their country. This poison' is now available in 90 plus countries worldwide. Fortunately, speakers and ambassadors at the conference from different nations have pledged their help.

Take anything that contain aspartame back to the store. Monsanto, the creator of aspartame knows how deadly it is. They fund the American Medical Association, American Dietetic Association, Congress and the Conference of the American College of Physicians.

On November 15, l996 the New York Times ran an article on how the American Dietetic Association takes money from the food industry to endorse their products. Therefore, they cannot criticize any additives or tell about their link to Monsanto. How bad is this? A mother who had a child on NutraSweet was told to get off the product. The child was having grand mal seizures daily. The mother called her physician, who called the ADA and was told not to take the child off of NutraSweet. The mother can not be convinced that the Aspartame is causing the seizures. Every time someone gets off Aspartame, seizures stop.

There are 92 documented symptoms of aspartame, from coma to death. The majority of them are neurological because Aspartame destroys the nervous system. Aspartame Disease is partially behind some of the mystery of the Desert Storm health problems. The burning tongue and other problems discussed many cases can be directly related to the consumption of aspartame. Several thousand pallets of diet drinks were shipped to the Desert Storm troops. (Remember: heat can liberate the methanol from the aspartame at 86 degrees F). These diet drinks sat in the 120 degree F Arabian sun for weeks at a time on pallets. The serviceman and women drank them all day long. All of their symptoms are identical to aspartame poisoning.

Additionally, Dr. Roberts says, "Consuming Aspartame at the time of conception can cause birth defects." According to Dr. Louis Elsas, Pediatrician and Professor of Genetics at Emory University, in his testimony before Congress, the phenylalanine concentrates in the placenta, causing mental retardation. In the original lab tests, animals developed brain tumors; phenylalanine breaks down in DKP, a brain tumor agent. When Dr. Esposito was lecturing on Aspartame, one physician in the audience, a neurosurgeon said, "When brain tumors are removed and studies, high levels of Aspartame were found in them."

"Stevia or Xylitol, a sweet food and "not an additive" helps in the metabolism of sugar. It would be ideal for diabetics and has now been approved as a dietary supplement by the FDA. For years, the FDA has outlawed this sweet food, because of their loyalty to Monsanto. If it says "sugar free" on the label - do not even consider it."

Andrea McCreery, Ph.D. is located in Fair Oaks, CA. She may be contacted at <http://www.life-sources.com>www.life-sources.com or 916 536-9930.
______________

Since this time a safe sweetener has become available called "Just Like Sugar" which is sold in Whole Foods and Wild Oats.

With regard to Multiple Sclerosis here are two reports by Doctors H. J. Roberts and Russell Blaylock.

Multiple Sclerosis or Aspartame Disease, by H. J. Roberts, M.D., http://www.mpwhi.com/ms_or_aspartame_disease.htm

The MS and Aspartame Connection by Russell Blaylock, M.D., http://www.wnho.net/ms_and_aspartame.htm

13 new studies showing Aspartame Toxicity in 24 months: http://www.mpwhi.com/13_aspartame_research_studies.htm

Read the proof and my invitation to speak at the World Environmental Conference: www.dorway.com/nomarkle.html

Dr. Russell Blaylock's article: "What To Do If You Have Used Aspartame" www.wnho.net/wtdaspartame.htm

Dr. Ralph Walton's new article on psychiatric disorders and aspartame: http://www.mpwhi.com/aspartame_and_psychiatric_disorders.htm

The whole timeline on aspartame from the Ecologist:
http://www.mpwhi.com/ecologist_september_2005.pdf

Aspartame

2007-11-11T09:23:00.000-06:00

Google Drops Aspartame Article Under Industry Pressure

By Dr. Betty Martini,D.Hum.
bettym19@mindspring.com
11-3-7

For a little while yesterday morning, Google carried Andrea McCreery's report, ASPARTAME, DON'T EVEN CONSIDER IT. Immediately, my phone started ringing. Are you Nancy Markle? the caller asked. "No", I replied, "I'm Betty Martini who lectured for the World Environmental Conference. Nancy Markle signed her name to my original report on my lecture at the WEC in 1995. It became a shot heard round the world that has helped millions escape the deadly effects of Aspartame Disease, an Ignored Epidemic, which happens to be the name of a 1,038 page medical text by Dr. H.J. Roberts. www.sunsentpress.com He was named The Best Doctor in the United States by a national medical journal in 1984. The text is dedicated to me and Mission Possible volunteers and documents the symptoms and diseases I discussed at the lecture."

Documentation including my invitation to speak is at www.dorway.com/nomarkle.html Monsanto sold the NutraSweet Company in l999, as they could not put out the fire with people getting well off the toxin the world over. Then victims, physicians and activists expanded more operations of Mission Possible circling the globe. MS victims walked out of wheelchairs, many blind regained their sight, seizures ceased, joint pain/fibromyalgia and psychiatric problems disappeared, and women who thought they would never have children started families. Aspartame is an endocrine disrupting agent, stimulates prolactin and causes infertility. It's also an abortifacient and teratogen triggering birth defects and mental retardation should it be used in pregnancy. It interacts with drugs and vaccines as discussed in the medical text making no drug safe to an aspartame user.

I downloaded Andrea McCreery's article just in time, because Google immediately deleted it, though they left it on the menu. Somebody at aspartame [Diet Coke, Equal, NutraSweet, E951, Ajinomoto, Merisant, or the other suspects] had the clout to kill the release to continue blinding consumers about their addictive
neurotoxic, carcinogenic junk. In this case what you don't know can kill you.

McCreerys article follows below my signature. For 16 years from the creation of aspartame our FDA denied approval of that chemical because it causes brain tumors. The agency even compiled a list of 92 symptoms of aspartame poisoning from over 10,000 volunteered consumer complaints. FDA now denies there ever was such a list but here it is on their stationery: http://www.mpwhi.com/92_aspartame_symptoms.pdf It took Don Rumsfeld to leave his job as head of the company that made aspartame to become Reagan's Secretary of Defense. The day after President Reagan taking office, Arthur Hayes, a pharmacologist became the new FDA Commissioner. He over-ruled the Board of Inquiry that had revoked the petition for approval and then hired on with NutraSweet's public relations firm. So aspartame was approved not by science but political chicanery. From the aspartame documentary, Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World, is a clip by Attorney James Turner explaining how Rumsfeld committed this deadly deed and poisoned the world: http://www.sweetremedy.tv/pages/rumsfeld3.html President Reagan even wrote an executive order making the FDA powerless to do anything about aspartame until Hayes could get to the FDA.

Aspartame's record is one of smarmy anti-science and political pressure plays. The FDA and CDC have become branch offices of the profiteers, and these agencies disregard the research and revelations of world famous doctors. A 3 year study on 1,800 rats by Dr. Morando Soffritti at an Italian cancer research institute concluded aspartame is a multipotential carcinogen. It was peer reviewed by seven world experts. For his work Dr. Soffritti was honored with an award at the Mount Sinai Institute in NYC earlier this year as he released a new study showing it only takes a small amount of aspartame to trigger cancer and babies who survive a pregnant women who used it can grow up to cancer.

Here are the summaries of these two important studies that confirmed the carcinogenicity of aspartame that FDA acknowledged in original studies.

The first ERF study (2005) was conducted on 1800 Sprague-Dawley rats (100-150/per sex/per group). In order to simulate daily human intake, aspartame was added to the standard rat diet in quantities of 5000, 2500, 100, 500, 20, 4, and 0 mg/Kg of body weight. Treatment of the animals began at 8 weeks of age and continued until spontaneous death. The results show that APM causes a statistically significant, dose-related increase of lymphomas/leukemias and malignant tumors of the renal pelvis in females and malignant tumors of peripheral nerves in males. These results demonstrate for the first time that APM is a carcinogenic agent, capable of inducing malignancies at various dose levels, including those lower than the current acceptable daily intake (ADI) for humans (50 mg/kg of body weight in the US, 40 mg/kg of body weight in the EU).

The second ERF study (2007) was conducted on 400 Sprague-Dawley rats (70-95/per sex/per group). In order to simulate daily human intake, aspartame was added to the standard rat diet in quantities of 100, 20, and 0 mg/Kg of body weight. Treatment of the animals began on the 12th day of fetal life until natural death. The results of the second study show an increased incidence of lymphomas/leukemias in female rats with respect to the first study. Moreover, the study shows that when lifespan exposure to APM begins during fetal life, the age at which lymphomas/leukemias develop in females is anticipated. For the first time, a statistically significant increase in mammary cancers in females was also observed in the second study. The results of this transplacental carcinogenicity bioassay not only confirm, but also reinforce the first experimental demonstration of APMs multipotential carcinogenicity.

The National Soft Drink Association (now American Beverage) originally protested to Congress against aspartame approval. Their objections cover many pages in the Congressional Record of 5-7-85.

Coverup is customary for the criminals who concoct this poison and feed it to half the world. In August the New Zealand Soil & Health and Safe Food Campaign brought me to their beautiful land for a 3-week lecture tour and to present official documents and medical reports to their NZ Food Safety Authority. Abby Cormack's case of poisoning on Wrigley's aspartame gum in NZ had been making world news. The NZFSA Authority is an agency responsible to protect New Zealanders from toxic substances, but they refused to see me or even to accept the federal and medical documents I traveled 10,000 miles to bring them. Chris Wheeler, Mission Possible New Zealand wrote the most indepth report on what was going on. http://www.rense.com/general78/dying.htm It was obvious who was writing the propaganda for the NZFSA since Ajinomoto was using this as an advertisement on the web.

Reminds me of when there were efforts against aspartame in New Mexico and I wrote this paper, "Aspartame Makers In A Tizzy" - http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_makers_in_tizzy.htm

It has been 12 years since I actually lectured for the World Environmental Conference when Dr. Clarice Gaylord of the EPA said: "We have an epidemic of MS and lupus and can't identify the toxin". I answered, "I'm here to lecture on MS and lupus and identify that toxin as NutraSweet (aspartame/E951/Equal/Canderel, etc.). Today it has been fully confirmed. Besides Dr. Roberts medical text, Dr. Russell Blaylock wrote "Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills on the subject". www.russellblaylockmd.com His lecture "The Truth About Aspartame" discusses the famed Ramazzini Study.

Dr. Gaylord knew MS and lupus was epidemic from field reports as she discussed with me. Today there is a New report showing MS is escalating at an incredible rate proving Dr. Gaylord and myself were right. http://www.mpwhi.com/new_report_at_neurology_conference.htm MS victim Cori Brackett, co-owner of Sound and Fury Productions, was a heavy diet pop drinker. In a wheelchair hardly able to talk she had a hard time of it, but after abstaining from aspartame eventually walked out of her wheelchair as did many others who read this report. Eight months later her large lesion all but disappeared. She went on to make the documentary, "Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World", www.soundandfury.tv Other MS victims appear in this film.

The epidemic of lupus is obvious to explain. James Bowen, M.D. says "the ability of methyl alcohol/formaldehyde to create antigenicity, especially as combined in aspartame molecules is so great as to cause severe autoimmune reactions to the tissues deformed by formaldehyde polemerization, adduct formation. The immune system turns against the victim's tissues: Lupus."

It was l996 when 60 Minutes did the story on aspartame and brain tumors because of famed Dr. John Olney's journal article in Neurology. Neuroscientist Dr. John Olney founded the field of neuroscience called Excitotoxicity and tried to prevent approval of aspartame. Dr. Ralph Walton explained even at this time 92 per cent of independent scientific peer reviewed studies showed the problems. http://www.dorway.com/peerrev.html In the last 24 months 13 more studies have shown the toxicity.

I contacted Andrea McCreery and let her know her story had been deleted. She wrote and said, "Yes, I am aware of the feathers ruffled." Since I had printed out the article it appears below to prevent the sabotage. Let's forward it so it will get many times more publicity than it would have, and show the aspartame industry their attempts are foolish. Keep it going folks and save a life today. We simply won't allow industry's shenanigans to continue. The public deserves the facts. Enough is enough of the front groups as well:
http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_no_hoax.htm

B. Martini, D.Hum, Founder
Mission Possible International
9270 River Club Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097
770 242-2599
www.mpwhi.com, www.dorway.com
www.wnho.net
Aspartame Toxicity Center, www.holisticmed.com/aspartame
Aspartame Information List,
www.mpwhi.com

Major Study Finds Good News About Vitamins E and C

2007-08-13T19:05:00.001-06:00

A new study has found that natural vitamin E and vitamin C can significantly reduce the risk of several cardiovascular diseases. The study was published in the August 13, 2007, issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a journal published by the American Medical Association.

Nancy R. Cook, ScD, of the Harvard School of Public Health, and her colleagues asked 8,171 women to take 600 IU of natural-source vitamin E, 500 mg of vitamin C, and 50 mg of beta-carotene, or various combinations of these antioxidant nutrients every other day for an average of nine and one-half years.

When Cook and her colleagues analyzed data from people who consistently took their supplements, they found these specific benefits:

• Vitamin E led to a 22 percent reduction in the risk of heart attack.

• Vitamin E led to a 27 percent less risk of stroke.

• Vitamin E led to a 9 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

• Vitamin E led to a 23 percent lower combined risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular-related death.

• Vitamin E and vitamin C together lowered the risk of stroke by 31 percent.

Despite these positive findings, initial newspaper and television reports on the study tended to be negative, stating that the benefits were marginal or that there were no benefits at all. The negative media spin originated with a news release from Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston, where the research was conducted, as well as from a news release from the American Medical Association.

The researchers reported that, overall, vitamin E supplements led to a "marginally significant" 11 percent lower risk of combined cardiovascular disease events, including heart disease and stroke.

But when the researchers analyzed results from people who consistently took their supplements, the found the "stronger" benefits.

Including people who infrequently took supplements with those who consistently took them diluted the overall findings. However, focusing only on people who regularly took supplements strengthened the findings and benefits of vitamin E and antioxidants.

Beta-carotene did not have any clear cardiovascular benefits, and the researchers also pointed out there were no signs of harm from any of the supplements. Other studies have pointed out that beta-carotene may have benefits in preventing cancer among people who do not eat many fruits and vegetables.

From News Target

Our New Billboard

2007-06-09T18:32:00.001-06:00

Here's our new billboard located at the insection of 35N and Hwy 33.

No Organic Honey Bees Losses

2007-05-25T08:30:00.001-06:00

There has been much attention focused this year on the number of honey bee losses in colonies here and aboard. Honey bees are very important for the pollination of our food. There are multiple explanations for what has happened to the bees, and this article adds another idea that seems highly plausible to me. Another highly plausible idea that has been discussed is the ingestion of pollen from genetically modified plants. In a German study the offspring from bees who got pollen from GMO crops were found to have bacteria in their guts that mirrored the same genetic traits as the ones in the GMO plants. Other reasons suggested for the bee losses include cell phone towers, pesticides, land destruction, and global warming.

http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=974
No ORGANIC Bee losses
2007 05 06

"Sharon Labchuk is a longtime environmental activist and part-time organic beekeeper from Prince Edward Island. She has twice run for a seat in Ottawa's House of Commons, making strong showings around 5% for Canada's fledgling Green Party. She is also leader of the provincial wing of her party. In a widely circulated email, she wrote:

I'm on an organic beekeeping list of about 1,000 people, mostly Americans, and no one in the organic beekeeping world, including commercial beekeepers, is reporting colony collapse on this list. The problem with the big commercial guys is that they put pesticides in their hives to fumigate for varroa mites, and they feed antibiotics to the bees. They also haul the hives by truck all over the place to make more money with pollination services, which stresses the colonies.

Her email recommends a visit to the Bush Bees Web site at Here <http://bushfarms.com/bees.htm> , Michael Bush felt compelled to put a message to the beekeeping world right on the top page:

Most of us beekeepers are fighting with the Varroa mites. I'm happy to say my biggest problems are things like trying to get nucs through the winter and coming up with hives that won't hurt my back from lifting or better ways to feed the bees.

This change from fighting the mites is mostly because I've gone to natural sized cells. In case you weren't aware, and I wasn't for a long time, the foundation in common usage results in much larger bees than what you would find in a natural hive. I've measured sections of natural worker brood comb that are 4.6mm in diameter. What most people use for worker brood is foundation that is 5.4mm in diameter. If you translate that into three dimensions instead of one, it produces a bee that is about half as large again as is natural. By letting the bees build natural sized cells, I have virtually eliminated my Varroa and Tracheal mite problems. One cause of this is shorter capping times by one day, and shorter post-capping times by one day. This means less Varroa get into the cells, and less Varroa reproduce in the cells.

Who should be surprised that the major media reports forget to tell us that the dying bees are actually hyper-bred varieties that we coax into a larger than normal body size? It sounds just like the beef industry. And, have we here a solution to the vanishing bee problem? Is it one that the CCD Working Group, or indeed, the scientific world at large, will support? Will media coverage affect government action in dealing with this issue?

These are important questions to ask. It is not an uncommonly held opinion that, although this new pattern of bee colony collapse seems to have struck from out of the blue (which suggests a triggering agent), it is likely that some biological limit in the bees has been crossed. There is no shortage of evidence that we have been fast approaching this limit for some time.

We've been pushing them too hard, Dr. Peter Kevan, an associate professor of environmental biology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, told the CBC. And we're starving them out by feeding them artificially and moving them great distances. Given the stress commercial bees are under, Kevan suggests CCD might be caused by parasitic mites, or long cold winters, or long wet springs, or pesticides, or genetically modified crops. Maybe it's all of the above...

Researchers Conclude Diets Don't Work

2007-04-10T08:47:00.000-06:00

In a review of 31 weight loss studies ranging from 2-5 years researchers at UCLA concluded that dieting does not work. The study will be published in the April issue of the American Psychologist. Initially dieters may lose 5-10% of body weight in the first 6 months but most regain that weight and the majority of dieters add more over the next 4-5 years. In fact, most of the dieters would have been better off not undergoing the wear and tear on the body from losing weight. In one study of healthy live styles of 19,000 men one of the best predictors of weight gain over the 4 years of the study was whether one had lost weight by dieting. More research is needed on the effects of weight loss but preliminary results show that losing and regaining weight may contribute to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and altered immune function. If you want to lose weight you need to change your lifestyle, eat healthy foods in moderation, and exercise.

Herbal Remedy for Urinary Tract Infections

2007-04-08T18:23:00.000-06:00

A study conducted at Duke University and reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Nature Medicine shows that the herb Forskolin can greatly reduce urinary tract infections. These infections are 4 times more likely to occur in women than men and are predominantly caused by the E coli bacteria. These bacteria are difficult to eradicate completely with antibiotics because bacteria hide in the lining of the bladder. Forskolin forces the bacteria out of their niches and into the urine where it can be killed by the antibiotic. Forskolin, , an extract from the Indian Coleus plant, has also been shown to be effective an vasodilator, weight loss aid, and a supplement to fight gluacoma.

Food For Thought

2007-03-31T18:45:00.000-06:00

Dr. Gary Kohls will be in our store on April 12, 6-7 p.m. to present “Natural Foods, Nutrients for the Malnourished Brain, and Mental Health. Dr. Kohls is a family physician, a father and grandfather. He has special interests in 1) posttraumatic stress disorder, 2) the psychology and science of the mind-body-spirit connections, 3) neurotransmitter-related brain/mental disorders 4) the dangers of and solutions for America's current prescription drug use epidemic. He has also developed a comprehensive program for teen violence and suicide prevention for communities. He send this article along to us.

Top 10 Things The Giant Food Corporations Don’t Want You To Know
Originally published August 14 2006

The giant food corporations have one mission: selling more food and beverage products to consumers. Succeeding with that mission depends on keeping consumers in the dark on certain issues such as the presence cancer-causing chemicals found in popular food products.
Here are ten things the food corporations, whose products dominate grocery store shelves across the United States and other countries, absolutely do not want you to know.

1. The ingredients listed on the label aren't the only things in the food. Cancer-causing chemicals such as acrylamides may be formed in the food during high-heat processing, yet there's no requirement to list them on the label. Residues of solvents, pesticides and other chemicals may also be present, but also do not have to be listed. The National Uniformity for Food Act, currently being debated in the U.S. Congress, would make it illegal (yes, illegal) for states to require cancer warnings on foods that contain cancer-causing chemicals (such as California's Proposition 65.)

2. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is added to thousands of food and grocery products through a dozen different innocent-sounding ingredients, imbalances endocrine system function, disabling normal appetite regulation and causing consumers to keep eating more food. This chemical not only contributes to nationwide obesity, it also helps food companies boost repeat business.

3. MSG is routinely hidden in foods in these ingredients: yeast extract, torula yeast, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and autolyzed yeast. Thousands of common grocery products contain one or more of these chemical taste enhancers, including nearly all "vegetarian" foods such as veggie burgers (read labels to check).

4. ADHD in children is caused almost entirely by the consumption of processed food ingredients such as artificial colors and refined carbohydrates. Eighty percent of so-called ADHD children who are taken off processed foods are cured of ADHD in two weeks.

5. The chemical sweetener aspartame, when exposed to warm temperatures for only a few hours, begins to break down into chemicals like formaldehyde and formic acid. Formaldehyde is a potent nerve toxin and causes damage to the eyes, brain and entire nervous system. Aspartame has been strongly linked to migraines, seizures, blurred vision and many other nervous system problems.

6. Most food dips (like guacamole dip) are made with hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and monosodium glutamate. Many guacamole dips don't even contain avocados.

7. Plastic food packaging is a potent health hazard. Scientists now know that plastics routinely seep the chemical bisphenol A into the food, where it is eaten by consumers. Cooking in plastic containers multiplies the level of exposure. Bisphenol is a hormone disruptor and can cause breast formation in men and severe hormonal imbalances in women. It may also encourage hormone-related cancers such as prostate cancer and breast cancer.

8. Milk produced in the United States comes from cows injected with synthetic hormones that have been banned in every other advanced nation in the world. These hormones help explain why unusually young teenage girls develop breasts at such a young age, or why hormone-related cancers like prostate cancer are being discovered in unprecedented numbers. In order to protect Monsanto, the manufacturer of hormones used in the industry, the USDA currently bans organic milk producers from claiming their milk comes from cows that were not treated with synthetic hormones. Even organic milk is now under fire as the Organic Consumers Association says Horizon milk products are falsely labeled as organic. (The solution to all this? Drink raw almond milk instead.)

9. Most grocery products that make loud health claims on their packaging are, in reality, nutritionally worthless (like meal replacement shakes, instant chocolate milk, etc.). The most nutritious foods are actually those the FDA does not allow to make any health claims whatsoever: fresh produce.

10. Food manufacturers actually "buy" shelf space and position at grocery stores. That's why the most profitable foods (and hence, the ones with the lowest quality ingredients) are the most visible on aisle end caps, checkout lanes and eye-level shelves throughout the store. The effect of all this is to provide in-store marketing and visibility to the very foods and beverages that promote obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other degenerative conditions now ravaging consumers around the world.

Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. Newstarget.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NewsTarget.com

American's Eating Habits Declining

2007-03-20T08:37:00.001-06:00

A new report by researchers at John Hopkins University shows that Americans are eating fewer vegtables than they did a decade ago. Fruit consumption has stayed about the same. The goals established as benchmarks for whether criteria were met or not were:

Two or more servings of fruit, including fresh fruit, dried fruit, and 100% fruit juice
Three or more servings of vegetables (fried potatoes count).

Even with the dubious inclusion of french fries the report showed that only 32% versus 35% from the earlier study were meeting these very modest goals. The report also showed that people tend to eat the same vegetables repeatedly with little diveristy in their diet. The study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. A summary of the article can he found here.

If you'd like to improve your diet by adding fruits and vegetables to it consider eating by colors. At each meal your goal should be to have three different colors on your plate. For more colorful guidelines visit here. Here are some other practical suggestions for increasing your intake of fruit and vegatables, and some quick cooking ideas.

Without exception improving your well-being and reducing the risk of chronic diseases begins with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Here are some other healthy reasons to change your eating habits.

New Diet Study

2007-03-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

A new study published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that the Atkins Diet, high protein and low carbs, produced more weight loss among a sample of obese women than did the Ornish, LEARN, and Zone diet plans. However, while the women on the Atkins diet lost a few more pounds over the year their weight loss was statistically insignificant from the other plans. While heart health factors did improve in the Atkins diet, one researcher commented, "lower-carbohydrate diets look like a good option, but if you consider them, eat olive oil and fish rather than butter and sausage."
One danger of the low carb high protein diets is kidney stress and bone loss. Protein is very acid forming in the body and acid ash or residue is very hard on the kidneys. The South Beach diet, not included in the study, may be the most balanced diet. The diet works in phased timeframes. The two are are more restrictive promoting weight loss to your desired level while the third phase is designed to maintain your desired weight. Research has shown that in the short term dieting can work, but many people who diet eventually regain their lost weight. The best approach to weight loss seems to be lifestyle changes that result in a healthy diet and exercise program. Dr. Deb's class on March 29 looks at the relationship between Proteins, Fats and Carbs in the healthy diet.

Linda Doing Well After Knee Surgery

2007-03-04T09:02:00.000-06:00

Thursday, March 1, Linda underwent knee replacement therapy. Surgery was successful and she will be leaving St. Mary's Hospital for a rehabilitation center on London road for a couple of weeks. Upon completion of her rehabilitation she will return to her apartment in Cloquet.

Yet, Another Antibotic for Cattle!

2007-03-04T08:33:00.000-06:00

It appears that the FDA is set to approve yet another antibotic for cattle that combats respiratory disease. Although there are already a number of effective antibotics on the market for respiratory disease it appears this drug is being pushed by the largest beef producers who produce their cattle in close quarters on what are called "intensive farms." "The FDA's own advisors, the Veterinary Medical Advisory Committee, voiced such concerns when they voted in September to reject approval of cefquinome by InterVet Inc." The over prescription of antibotics in both humans and animals has lead to more virulent strains of bacteria that are becoming more resistant to treatment. Congresswoman Lois Slaughter, who is also a microbiologist has questioned the integrity of the FDA's drug review process "amid allegations that the agency has put the interests of industry and politics above science." Read the entire article here. It is more important than ever to know where and how your meat and milk are produced.

Acid/Alkaline Class

2007-02-18T16:02:00.000-06:00

Our in-store classes began this week. Each month two classes will be offered by Dr. Deb and other professsionals in the region focusing on healthy living, to include nutrition, mental health, lifestyle changes, and functional medicine. Class size is limited so early sign-up is important. This past week Dr. Deb talked about acid/alkaline balance. Then each of the 15 class members did a salivary pH test for their acid/alkaline balance and discussion followed about nutritional choices that create imbalances in the body. By popular request this class will be offered again in the next two months. A complete list of spring classes will be available shortly.

Obesity Research: MSG and Aspartame

2007-02-12T20:32:00.000-06:00

In this month's issue of Well Being Journal (March/April 2007) there is an interesting article, "The Obesity Epidemic." Jack Samuels examines research initiated by John W. Olney, M. D. in 1968 at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis. Olney found lesions in the hypothalamus of obese mice who had been given the food ingredient monosodium glutamate (MSG) a chemical additive used in foods to enhance taste. Subsequently, many scientists have confirmed Olney's finding suggesting that the food additive MSG does damage the hypothalamus which may result in obesity. Furthermore, it appears that aspartic acid found in the artificial sweetner aspartame also causes similar lesions to the hypothalamus. Aspartame is widely used in diet sodas. Dr. Janet Hall in her book Sweet Poisons list the many neurologic and psychological adverse reactions and side effects to ingesting this chemical. Samuels concludes his article by unequivocally asserting that the epidemic of obesity has been caused by the increasing use of MSG and aspartame in our food supply. Read the entire article. Samuels website has extensive information on the adverse effects of MSG. Likewise Dr. Hall's website details the effects aspartame.

Cloquet Natural Foods celebrates 30 years, new owners

2007-01-29T22:14:00.000-06:00

Wendy Johnson's excellent article on the store appeared in the January 24th issue of the Pine Journal. Her article follows:

There’s a certain sense of relaxation and well being that envelops you when you walk into Cloquet Natural Foods and Wellness Center at 502 Carlton Avenue. Perhaps it’s the subtle aroma of fresh-ground spices that permeates the air. Perhaps it’s the welcoming smile from the clerk at the front counter. Or just maybe it’s that less tangible sense that you’ve been there before – and you’re glad to be back.

Whatever it is that makes Cloquet Natural Foods so appealing, it has served the specialty shop in good stead in the community for the past 30 years – and growing. Read More

Dahl's Sunrise Dairy

2007-01-20T21:14:00.001-06:00

We now carry Wayne Dahl's Sunrise Dairy milk and butter. His milk comes in returnable half-gallon glass bottles and has the flavor and creamy richness of real milk. More importantly it is homone (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone or rBGH) free! The growth hormone is banned in Canada and Europe. A recent article in the Duluth News Tribune provides a wonderful overview of Wayne's dairy. The dairy is in Babbitt, MN just behind John F. Kennedy High School. I drove to Babbitt to meet Wayne two weeks ago and can tell you he takes great pride in the milk he produces. This spring he will begin making his own ice cream which we will carry in the store.