November News

November News

Below is a lot of news on many different topics. I hope you will find them worth the read. Some articles give you a link to action pages on important issues. Our speaking out is so very important on behalf of good, safe food. Please take a minute to add your voice to help make good changes happen.

 

Healthy, Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate for Cool Days

Warm your milk gently on the stove (not in the microwave). Add 1/2 tsp. organic chocolate powder, 1/8 tsp. pure 100% stevia and a few grains of salt (optional). Stir briskly with a whisk or fork until blended. Add more chocolate and stevia if needed for your taste. Find a quiet spot and ENJOY!

 

Some glimmers of hope about foods and farming

State of Ohio dropping regulation in face of organiccommunity pressure

WASHINGTON , Oct. 31, 2011 — The State of Ohio today agreedthat it will no longer pursue regulations limiting labeling on organic dairyproducts. Ohio had attempted to prohibit statements on labels which informedconsumers that organic dairy products are produced without antibiotics,pesticides or synthetic hormones. After the Organic Trade Association (OTA)sued the State of Ohio, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals sided withconsumers’ right to know and gutted the Ohio rule, finding that it wasunconstitutional. Ohio has now agreed to abandon the rule rather than trying torevive it.

 

To read much more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_24246.cfm

 

Conventional Farms held responsible in MN and CA for spray drift

Someone was good enough to send me an article from a Cape Cod newspaper that reported about 2 organic farms, one in Minnesota and one in California, that have successfully sued neighboring conventional farms for damage to or loss of crops due to chemical sprays blowing into the organic fields on windy days when spraying is dis-allowed. These cases are precedent setting. Let’s hope more courts follow this lead. These cases were originally reported at www.naturalnews.com.

 

Great new drinking bottles for all ages

Bottles with an outer coating of a safe plastic, check ‘em out: http://www.lifefactory.com/index.php/contact-us

 

Stop the Secret Farm Bill

From the Environmental WOrking Group – If we don’t act now, Big Agribusiness and their powerful Congressional allies could take action that would favor processed food at the expense of healthy, organic food. They’re trying to write the next farm bill and plan to slip it into law through the top-secret Super Committee process without justification, open debate or a single vote.

Not only are they shutting out food experts, health advocates, taxpayers and the rest of us from the discussion, but Big Ag’s lobbyists also want to create a new handout that would guarantee income to the biggest farmers – despite their current record profits. Congress should be helping people in need, not shoveling money to mega farms.

Tell our Congressional leaders to say “NO” to a Secret Farm Bill and greedy lobbyists. It only takes a minute.

http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1952&utm_source=201111farmbillupdate&utm_medium=email&utm_content=image&utm_campaign=food

 

Irradiated food

The symbol above (for those who cannot see it, it is a pink circle with two leaves and a dot inside the circle) appears on foods that have been irradiated, that is, treated with very high levels of radiation (up to 10,000 times the lethal level for a human), in order to kill pathogens (bacteria, etc.) This sounds good, right? Kill pathogens? But, this process destroys much of the nutritional value and also leaves behind toxic chemicals created by the radiation. This is often done to meats, eggs. dairy products, produce, wheat, spices and more. There are safer ways to achieve this end. Read more about the concerns surrounding this process and how to avoid buying irradiated foods…

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/05/why-are-your-spices–seasonings-exposed-to-half-a-billion-chest-xrays-worth-of-radiation.aspx?e_cid=20111105_DNL_art_3

 

 

Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month.

All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies this month and you will be charged for any calls you receive from them. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.

This registers you on the National DO NOT CALL list for five years. You must make this call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

 

 

VERY Important Info on Vaccines and Our Health Freedom

In brief – Our health and liberty is seriously threatened by increasing pressure from pharmaceutical and medical lobbyists promoting more mandatory vaccinations, effectively branding unvaccinated citizens as enemies of the stateThe base cost for a child to get every government recommended vaccine has increased from $80 per child in 1986 to a whopping $2200 per child in 2011 Americans, who represent about five percent of the world’s population, consume nearly 40 percent of all pharmaceutical products sold American children are now receiving 70 doses of 16 vaccines, starting from the day of birth—three times as many as they received in the early 1980′s In February, the U.S. Supreme Court granted pharmaceutical industry total immunity from lawsuits—even if they could have made a vaccine less harmful—because vaccines are “unavoidably unsafe”

To read much more VERY important info and learn what you can do: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/05/health-liberty-and-forced-vaccination.aspx

 

Gardasil curbed in surprising move by FDA Gardasil is a vaccine used on young people (male and female) from ages 9-26 to prevent HPV (human papillovirus), a sexually transmitted disease. This disease is curable with antibiotics (and natural methods, of course). The biggest concern is that, left untreated, HPV may lead to cervical cancer. The vaccine has been linked to 64 deaths  and to many serious health problems, such as increased risk of blood clots and Guillain Barre Syndrome along with many lesser side-effects. Merck, its maker, most recently tried to expand its use to women up to age 45. Read more on the FDA’s surprising ruling…

 

http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/10/07/even-fda-stops-mercks-gardasil-expansion/

 

The vaccine does not prevent other sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy, but many girls who have been vaccinated think it does. This has led, of course, to many undesireable results. To read more about the risks, go to the National Vaccination Information Center (note that it is nvic.org; nvic.com is a site for finding places to get vaccines).

http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/hpv.aspx

 

Read about vaccines and the law here.

http://www.nvic.org/vaccine-laws.aspx

 

Articles on the flu vacine, its low effectiveness, also info on other vaccine issues:

http://www.anh-usa.org/cdc-mercury-in-vaccines/

 

Go here for lots of resources and information about vaccinations and how to refuse them

http://www.holisticmoms.org/2009/04/15/620/

 

New take on Fluroide from the CDC and ADA

After years of pushing fluoride in tap water, dental treatments, toothpaste and mouth rinses, the CDC and ADA have finally conceded what natural practitioners have been saying for decades, fluoride actually harms teeth in children under 8 and especially in infants fed formula prepared with fluroidated tap water. They have not extended this warning to all ages, but many health professionals have. These recent findings address only fluorosis, a noticeable discoloring of teeth. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest that fluoride is harmful to health, period. For example, fluoride also harms your thyroid by competing with iodine, which is needed for proper thyroid function. (People with low thyroid function should especially avoid chlorine, fluorine and bromine. These are all in the same chemical family as iodine, and therefore all compete with iodine in the thyroid.)

 

3 ways to avoid fluoride:

–avoid tap water if it is treated with fluoride

–choose toothpaste and mouthwash that have no fluoride

–just say ‘no’ to dental fluoride treatments

 

Strong teeth come from a good diet rich in minerals. Weak teeth come from a poor diet and/or toxic body.

 

To read the whole article…

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/13/cdc-and-ada-now-advise-to-avoid-using-fluoride.aspx

 

For women and those who care about them

Safer hygiene products, Q-tips, cotton balls, etc.

http://femininecare.mercola.com/?e_cid=20111105_DNL_ban_HL

 

Great Information on Sugars and Artificial Sweeteners

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/08/the-4-best-and-3-worst-sweeteners-to-have-in-your-kitchen.aspx?e_cid=20111008_DNL_art_3

Chicken McWhat?

An eye popper on what is in the ever-popular McNuggets…

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/08/do-you-have-any-idea-of-the-chemicals-used-in-fast-food-chicken.aspx

and see a McBurger that shows no signs of decomposing after being left on a counter for more than a decade

 

June 2011 News

Refreshing & healthy summer beverage

Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to taste in filtered water, add a small touch of 100% stevia for sweetness. No sugar, no additives, just a nice, healthy and refreshing summer sipper – AAAAHHH!!!

Cat Burglar Video

ENJOY!!! A 2 minute video, too funny! http://www.goodcleanhumor.net/cat-burglar/

Two Supreme Court decisions this week

Wow. Click below for a quick read on two decisions made this week in favor of the drug companies, one which says that generic drug manufacturers do not need to give the patient the same safety warnings as the brand-name equivalent of the drug, the other which says that drug companies can buy your prescription records from your doctor for marketing purposes…

http://www.fairwarning.org/2011/06/supreme-court-provides-immediate-relief-for-drug-firms/

Some GOOD NEWS!!!

Whole Foods is in the process of certifying their 365 brand as GMO-free. They hope to have this completed by the Fall of 2011. Because of their corporate size and well-known name, Whole Foods is one of the biggest advocates we consumers have in move to keep GMOs out of our food. Look for the NON-GMO Project seal on their brand in the Fall, and on other NON-GMO Project brands.

To read Whole Food’s interesting recent press release about their non-GMO Project involvement, go to:

http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/07/non-gmo-verified/

GMOs and your tummy

The main GM/GMO crops are corn, canola, soy, cottonseed (oil), sugar beets (from which much ‘sugar’ is derived), among others. These foods cause abnormal cell growth in the stomachs of test animals. Read the informative article below for more information, and check out the recent articles in the right hand column for much more info on a variety of important topics. There are also links to quick and easy petitions you can sign:

http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/06/12/ge-food-alters-our-digestive-systems-usda-to-deregulate/

GMO toxin concern, especially for pregnant women:

http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/06/12/ge-food-alters-our-digestive-systems-usda-to-deregulate/

GMO link to food allergies, milk

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/14/why-are-there-so-many-food-allergies-now.aspx

Exploding Watermelons?

These days, many agricultural truths are stranger than any fiction we could imagine.

Acres of watermelons have exploded due to the use of the growth “regulator” (read, “hormone”) forchlorfenuron. This growth hormone also affects us. According to the EPA pesticide fact sheet on forchlorfenuron, side effects in animal studies included:
Increased incidence of alopecia (hair loss)
Decreased birth weight
Increased mortality of offspring
Decreased litter sizes

Does this sound like a good thing to be ingesting?

Growth hormones have long been used for livestock. Their use on fruits and vegetables is relatively new. The main way you may guess that they have been used on something that you are eating is if it has little or no flavor and light color. Otherwise, it is hard to tell. The exploding watermelons incident happened in China, but others that did not explode may be in your supermarket. Keep in mind also that this growth hormone and others are also used in the U.S. and other countries and on other fruits and vegetables, so avoiding watermelons from China will not protect you from this and other growth hormones on your produce.

What can you do? Buy organic produce or buy from local farmers who do not use these chemicals, and/or learn to “grown your own.” Get your friends and neighbors to grow their own, too, and share various crops with each other. Join a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or shop at a local farmer’s market.

One more thought: people often say to me that buying organic food costs more. I ask them, “Would you rather spend a little more now on food that is actually good for you (in so many different ways, and good for the environment, too), or pay much more later trying to retrieve your lost health from damage caused by a wide variety of unknown toxins?”

Read more valuable info on this topic here:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/03/why-are-nonorganic-watermelons-exploding-in-china.aspx

Produce PLU codes update

I reported recently that a 5-digit PLU code on produce beginning with “9″ designates organic produce, and this is correct.

But, the 5-digit PLU code beginning with “8″ that was supposed to designate GMO produce has “never been put into use” according to a recent report. Producers do not want consumers to be able to identify GMO produce. So, this means that the more common 4-digit code used to designate conventionally grown produce is also being used on GMO produce. Once again, the only safe bet is to stick to the organic choice.

New World Health Organization pronouncement on cell phones

This  week the World Health Organizations officially classified cellphones as possibly  carcinogenic to humans.

This statement was made from a team of 31  scientists from 14 countries who made this decision after reviewing the data  from previous peer-reviewed studies. The team looked for links between cancer  and the type of radiation found in cellphones.

Their conclusion was to  classify cellphones in category 2B which means cellphones are possibly  carcinogenic to humans. Other compounds in the 2B category include lead, nickel,  DDT, chloroform and gasoline exhaust.

Protect yourself by holding your phone and carrying your phone 1 inch from your head and body, especially when it is in use. This significantly reduces the radiation your body receives.

Learn more:  http://www.naturalnews.com/032608_cell_phones_cancer.html

A New Take on Cancer?

Note these newly published cancer findings from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body.. These cancer cells do not showup in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. Whendoctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in theirbodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancercells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to 10+ times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyedand prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritionaldeficiencies. These could be genetic, but also from environmental, foodand lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat moreadequately and healthfully, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements willstrengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and alsodestroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinaltract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damageshealthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumorsize. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in moretumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation theimmune system is either compromised or destroyed. The person can then die from various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and becomeresistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells tospread to other sites.

Holistic, natural health care can be extremely helpful for all cancer patients, whether they opt for chemo and radiation or not. It can help rebuild the immune system, detoxify the chemo-toxins (after treatment), offer measures that can protect against the damage of the radiation, improve nutritional status and rebuild overall health in many other ways. If you know someone who has cancer now or has had it in the past, please pass this information along to them. I will be happy to answer any questions they may have.

What’s in YOUR Fortified Water?

Dr. Mercola has put together a chart of several leading bottled fortified water beverages. Bolded ingredients are particularly of concern. He also lists 3 relatively safe beverages. To read more about some of these and other ingredients, and also learn about a new product marketed to kids, called MiO Liquid Water Enhancer (which is much worse than these products), follow this link: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/06/04/now-they-are-trying-to-sell-you-diet-water.aspx

I would go further than Dr. Mercola did on the less than desireable ingredients, but, beyond the ingredient debate, the “bottom line” is (pun intended), are you getting what you pay for? Doubtful. How about making your own fortified water with filtered water, freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice and a touch of pure stevia for sweetness, if desired? That’s a truly beneficial beverage! Carry it in a glass bottle saved from some other beverage or in a hard plastic, BPA-free  bottle. Do not freeze it, as this brings cancer-linked dioxin out of the plastic. For a little added color and flavor for your own use or for the kids, add a bit of 100% juice concentrate. No chemicals at all. Just real stuff.

Non-GMO Project, new law restricting supplements in EU (and in US?)

How to shop to avoid GMO (genetically modified) ingredients

Keep in mind that the FDA allows packaged “Organic” foods to be up to 5% non-organic, so some minor ingredients may be GMO. The newest GMO foods on the market are salmon and sugar from sugar beets. To avoid the latter, look for ingredients “sugar cane” or “organic sugar” and avoid “sugar.”

 

Below is a link to a wealth of information and a downloadable list of GMO-free products.

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/buy-non-gmo 

Whole Foods Market’s “365″ store brand is enrolled in the Non-GMO Project. This should mean that buying the store brand avoids GMO ingredients, look for the language “Non-GMO Project verified” to be sure.

 All foods from the Haines-Celestial companies that have the USDA Organic seal or the word “Organic” in the name of the item are 100% non-GMO:

Celestial Seasonings

Garden of Eatin’

Health Valley

WestSoy

Earth’s Best

Arrowhead Mills

DeBoles

Hain Pure Foods

Hollywood

Spectrum Naturals

Spectrum Essentials

Walnut Acres Organic

Imagine Foods

Rice Dream

Soy Dream

Ethnic Gourmet

Yves Veggie Cuisine

 The brands featured below are enrolled in the Non-GMO Project.

365 (whole Foods’ store brand)

Eden

Follow Your Heart

Growing Naturals

Hemp Bliss

Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss

Manitoba Harvest

Nancy’s

Native Forest

Organic Valley

Pacific Natural Foods

Pulmuone Wildwood

Silk

So Delicious

Soy Kaas

Westsoy

WholeSoy & Co.

The following baby food brands are enrolled in the non-GMO Project:

Earth’s Best

HAPPYBABY Pouches

HAPPYTOT

Little Duck Organics

Organic Baby

 

If you like using herbs and supplements, read this…

 

As of May 1, 2011, almost all herbal supplements will be outlawed in the European Union. The process required of herbal companies for staying legal is lengthy and expensive, – too expensive for many small producers. This law effectively leaves the public no option except pharmaceuticals. This is all done in the name of protecting the public from unregulated products. What is interesting is that death or serious illness from these natural products is extremely rare (and usually due to misuse or abuse), while death and serious illness from pharmaceuticals numbers in the hundreds of thousands every year.

 

Why does what is happening in the EU matter to us here in the U.S.? Because lawmakers are trying to make the same moves here. Senator John McCain has introduced a bill that will force a similar impossible situation upon herbal and other supplement companies here. Below is a link where you can sign a petition to stop this bill.

 

http://dev.healthfreedoms.org/content/reject-s-3002-nutritional-supplement-prohibition-act

If you want to read more about the actual law as it stands in the EU, go to:

http://www.anh-usa.org/dark-times-for-herbal-medicine-in-europe/

BE part of the change you wish to see – write to Whole Foods

Whole Foods stands in a unique position, as the largest seller of natural and organic foods, to put pressure on food producers and the USDA to support policies that protect organic farmers and the public from the negative impacts of the GMO invasion of our food sources.

YOU can help make this happen.

Write to Whole Foods using the link below. Ask them to make a GMO-free section in all of their stores. (In response to consumer requests, they added a gluten-free aisle.) This will help us shop to avoid GMO ingredients that are in almost allprepared foods. It will support GMO-free producers and organic farmers, and as we shop, send a message loud and clear to the USDA and food producers that more and more Americans are becoming aware of this issue and will put their dollars where their beliefs are. When you get to the page, choose a store, then choose the topic “Company Policy” and write your comment. Then send this blog address to everyone you know and ask them to do the same!

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/service.php

Join the fight to save organic foods!

People-power has saved Organic Foods laws twice before, we can do it again with GMO (genetically modified) foods! Every voice counts! Below is information and some easy steps YOU can take to help save some organic crops from being lost forever.

Last week, THE USDA FAILED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN A BIG WAY, AGAIN.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT ORGANIC FOOD, IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN, THE ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER CREATURES, IF YOU THINK THAT “GENETICALLY MODIFIED” (GMO), or “GENETICALLY ENGINEERED” (GE) CROPS ARE NOT ‘NATURAL’ (AS THE COMPANIES THAT GROW THEM WOULD LIKE YOU TO THINK), IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO EAT NON-GMO FOOD, YOU MUST READ THIS:
 
The USDA has decided to completely de-regulate GMO alfalfa. This move will no doubt pave the way to the ultimate goal: the de-regulation of all the other GMO crops: corn, soy canola, cotton, sugar beets, cow products (meat and dairy), salmon, and others that already exist or are in testing and development.

The more de-regulated these crops are, the more (and sooner) they will cross with conventional and organic crops and make them genetically modified. Once this happens, there is no way to reverse it. The organic versions of these crops, and all the foods and ingredients we derive from them, will be lost forever.
 
If you eat any packaged food, you are already eating ingredients made from these GMO crops.

Examples: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, lecithin, soy and canola oil in dressings and other prepared foods; corn/soy/canola/cottonseed oil in chips, baked goods, cookies; most dairy products and beef, and many more. Unless these ingredients are specified as being ‘organic,’ then they are almost certainly from GMO crops.
 
Here are a few of the problems with GMO/GE crops:
 
*Genetic modification spreads uncontrollably to NON-GMO crops, making them genetically modified.
*All crops that become contaminated in this way become the property of the GMO corporations!
*We have no way, currently, to stop this spread. With de-regulation, rganic crops will become a thing of the past, forever.
*GMO crops require more and stronger herbicides and contaminate the environment in others ways even more than ‘conventional’ crops.
*GMO foods have caused animals to stop reproducing, caused abnormal thickening of the stomach lining and other health problems. Animals will not eat them when given a choice. What do they know that we don’t?
*Many other damaging results are suspected, but not yet proven, such as the loss of butterflies.
 
Click the link below to read more. At the bottom of the page, use the link to easily send a letter of protest to the President, head of the USDA and others, in about one minute. Then send this blog address on to your friends and ask them to do the same. People-power has stopped several past attempts to destroy the organic food laws and hold back GMO proliferation. If enough of us speak out, we can stop this devastating trend.

http://www.anh-usa.org/usda-completely-deregulates-genetically-engineered-alfalfa-it-is-time-to-demand-congressional-hearings-action-alert/
 
additional info: http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/01/30/usda-fully-deregulates-gmo-alfalfaopen-pollinating-crop-threat-to-organic-farming/

Andover Natural Health Care – January News

This is great fun with kids (and parents)!!
 
We all know that monsters under the bed at night can be detrimental to parents and kids getting a restful night’s sleep. Here is a super easy “Monster” spray that you and your kids can make to keep those scary creatures far away! Or, it can be simply a Sleepytime Spray, if you are lucky enough not to have any monsters!
You will need:
–one 6 oz. spray bottle (choose a shape, size, and color that best represents your fight against monsters)
–8-12 drops lavender oil (Young Living or Snow Lotus brands highly recommended)
– witch hazel (available near the alcohol in any pharmacy)
Fill your spray bottle 3/4 of the way full with water, 1/4 with witch hazel, add lavender, shake.
 
To use, shake bottle, lightly spray under bed, in closets, or any place else ‘monsters’ hide.
Spray on you hands and let child inhale ‘monster’ protection.
Additional Tip: Decorate your spray bottle with pictures or small items that can be tied on to the bottle. Can also be used to calm daytime melt-downs.
************************************************************************************************************
 
IN THE NEWS

Chemicals in Mom’s bodies
Here is an open letter from one M.D. on the chemicals in moms-to-be –

“We’re basting babies in a chemical wash — marinating them in a womb full of toxins and waste. A new study finds pregnant women are filled with the worst alphabet soup imaginable: PCBs, PFCs, PBDEs and BPA.

And that’s not all — in fact, that’s just the beginning.

Researchers examined blood and urine samples from 268 pregnant women, and found 43 risky chemicals in nearly all of them — including phthalates, pesticides, perchlorate, sunscreen chemicals, and more. So naturally, the researchers from the University of California-San Francisco who conducted the study concluded that pregnant women should eat less fat.

Say WHAT???

Listen, I don’t know what chemicals got into the water at the University of California-San Francisco, but the last thing a pregnant woman or her baby needs is less fat. Fats are essential to the development of the fetus and play a crucial role in the baby’s growth. There’s a reason breast milk doesn’t come in skim!

If you really want what’s best for baby, don’t avoid fats — avoid plastics, cans, processed foods, soy, sunscreens, fancy soaps, and shampoos instead.

William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

Pam’s comment: go to goodguide.com for great info on safer body care products. And, get detoxed (before getting pregnant or after you stop nursing, not while pregnant or nursing). We use several great detox methods at Andover Natural Health Care, including the Advanced Ion Therapeutics footbath.

VACCINES – Recently on the news there was a big story about the discrediting of Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his pioneering research regarding the MMR vaccine as a contributing cause of autism. The story made it sound like Dr. Wakefield was the only professional who has ever made this claim. It was being reported that the study participants were paid (as if this were a unique event in such studies, which it is not) and that his research was completely falsified.
 
I cannot speak to the validity of the first study Dr. Wakefield did, but I can assure you that he has done other studies since, and so have many other researchers who firmly believe that the MMR and other vaccines are contributing not only to autism, but also to allergies, ADHD and asthma. I have seen a pattern with children in my practice who have started having skin problems, asthma and other problems within 2 weeks of having vaccines. I refer you to one of several books on this subject, Healing the New Childhood Epidemics – Autism, ADD, Asthma and Allergies by Kenneth Bock, M.D. Dr. Bock’s information and conclusions about the connection between vaccinations and these illnesses (and others) rest on a broad base of professional research and experience.
 
It is the stance of most alternative practitioners, that vaccines are generally more harmful than helpful to the overall health of the person receiving them. And there may be other, more subtle, long-term problems. For example, recent reports indicate that the incidence of shingles in the elder population is rising rapidly. Many think that this is due to the fact that adults are no longer being exposed to chicken pox (=shingles) virus through their contact with children and grandchildren who have chicken pox, leading to lowered immunity to this virus as adults age.
 
So, what is a parent to do? Research! There is a ton of information at the National Vaccination Information Center, complete with legal information. Ask to spread out vaccines into different weeks. Ask for mercury-free (thimerosal-free) products and for inhaled or swallowed vaccines rather than shots, which bypass the body’s first line of defense, the mucus membranes. Consider not having children vaccinated for illnesses that are not usually life-threatening. Talk with other parents who are not having their children vaccinated at all to find out how they are dealing with school systems.
 
************************************************************************************************************
 
HELP WITH FOOD BILLS
 
The West Congregational Church in Haverhill, MA (767 Broadway, 978-397-8025) participates in a program called Angel Food Ministries. This is a nationwide program. Pass the word to folks who might benefit from this in other parts of the country.
 
Through this program you can get, I am told, good quality food for very discounted prices. There is a variety of plan choices, some more veggies, some more fruits, some a mixed box. You choose what you want and need.
************************************************************************************************************
INFO ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD
Learn about genetically modified foods, the considerable risks associated with their cultivation and consumption, and ways you can become involved in the crusade against them
Dr. Oz actually did a whole show on this topic on Dec 7. There are links to blogs and much more.
 
************************************************************************************************************
GENETICALLY MODIFIED MILK 
Learn about the difference between milk from cows treated with the genetically modified (GM) hormones called “rBGH” and “rBST” and those not so treated.
 
Just two (of many) points to consider, the GM milk contains higher amounts of pus, and the cows die much sooner.

************************************************************************************************************
WebMD’s NOT-SO-INDEPENDENT INFORMATION
WebMD, a widely used website, says that it is an independent source of medical information, but it’s not. Many people rely on this site for information. You might want to check out the sponsors behind the scenes.
 
************************************************************************************************************
HOW DRUG COMPANIES SELL DRUGS TO DOCTORS
Interesting info and statistics that we should be aware of…
 
************************************************************************************************************
IMPORTANCE OF FILTERING TOWN AND CITY WATER, INCLUDING SHOWER AND BATH WATER
The chlorine in our tap water competes with iodine in the thyroid, and many think this is contributing to hypothyroidism, which is becoming more and more common. Read on…
 
A long, hot shower can be dangerous. The toxic chemicals are inhaled in high concentrations.
-from: Bottom Line; Dr. John Andelman, PhD.

Water is chlorinated to kill microorganisms, but the Chlorine also kills the healthy probiotic bacteria in the intestines.
-from: Restoring Your Digestive Health; Jordan S. Rubin, N.MD., PhD.

Avoiding contact with chlorinated water is of the utmost importance.
This includes bathing water and drinking water. Chlorine kills bacteria,
friendly and unfriendly, in the intestines. it can be absorbed through the skin.
I recommend installing a shower filter to remove Chlorine.
-from: Patient, Heal Thyself; Jordan S. Rubin, N.MD., PhD.

What is the Effect of Chlorine in the Shower (or bath)?
Chlorine is a toxic gas which attackes living cells. It was used during World War I as a chemical warfare agent. It is used today as a additive to drinking water to kill harmful micro-organisms. While this can be an important health benefit, Chlorine itself is far from beneficial: it attacks organic material, such as the skin and skin oils, which dries out the skin and hair. Because Chlorine vaporizes along with the hot water, it is inhaled into the lungs. It is also absorbed into the skin. According to some experts, 5 times more Chlorine enters the body through the skin during a shower than enters through drinking 8 glasses of chlorinated tap water!

What are the Benefits of Using the Premium Shower Filter?

* Moister, smoother skin- less itching, requires less moisturizer
* healthier hair- less brittle, fewer split ends, deeper, longer lasting color
for dyed or highlighted hair
* Eliminates chlorine odor from skin and hair
* Prevents breathing Chlorine gas or its absorption into skin
* Stops burning around the eyes of Chlorine-sensitive people

How Long Before I Notice Results?

* Elimination of Chlorine odor is immediate!
* 5 to 7 days are required for skin and hair
to regain their natural balance
 
A choice of shower filter heads and bath balls is available on line, at luckyvitamin.com, among other sites.