Agave nectar WORSE than High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Hm, I've seen agave nectar touted as a great alternative to sugar, it's been served at a lot of the fertility retreats I attended while writing my fertility article for Natural Health. I know the jury's been out on it, but it IS true that I haven't been able to find any historical evidence that it's a food that ancient people used (not like the way it's been distilled into alcohol spirits), and I have seen it being possibly linked to miscarriage (because of the saponins) and so I am inclined to agree with Dr. Mercola and at the very least suggest that things are murky enough that you might want to stick with truly natural sweeteners like honey (and in moderation)!

If it's true that it causes insulin resistance, that's something that can REALLY screw up your fertility...

From Mercola.com:

Agave syrup has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener -- ranging from 70 to 97 percent, depending on the brand, which is FAR HIGHER than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which averages 55 percent.

This makes agave actually WORSE than HFCS.

It is important to understand that fructose does not increase insulin levels, which is not necessarily good as what it does do is radically increase insulin resistance, which is FAR more dangerous. You see, it’s okay for your insulin levels to rise, that is normal. You just don’t want these insulin levels to remain elevated, which is what insulin resistance causes.

That is why fasting insulin is such a powerful test, as it is a very powerful reflection of your insulin resistance.

In addition to insulin resistance, your risk of liver damage increases, along with triglycerides and a whole host of other health problems, as discussed in this CBC News video about the newly discovered dangers of high fructose corn syrup. The study discussed in this news report is about HFCS, however, it's well worth remembering that agave contains MORE fructose than HFCS, and in all likelihood, it's the FRUCTOSE that is causing these severe liver problems.

read more here.

Big Downside to Vitamin K shot--it also may not be necessary

Wow, I remember feeling AWFUL about doing this to J:

By Dr. Mercola

It has been standard practice in the U.S., and most western countries, since 1944 to welcome babies into the world by subjecting them to a variety of medical interventions, one of which is a painful jab with a syringe full of vitamin K.

This injection is routinely done to almost all newborns, unless you, as a parent, refuse to consent.

Birth is an overwhelming sensory experience for your baby. He has never before experienced cold or hunger, been blinded by artificial lights, or felt the touch of hands or metal instruments, paper or cloth. Even gravity is a foreign sensation.

A needle stick is a terrible assault to their suddenly overloaded sensory system, which is trying to adjust to the outside world.

Is this injection really in your baby’s best interest? Is vitamin K really necessary immediately after birth? Or is there a more compassionate alternative?

PepsiCo to Invent Designer Junk Food To Kill You More Slowly

Argh, I saw the happy announcement in the Yale Alumni Bulletin how Pepsi gave the university about a gazillion dollars to set up a research institute on....junk food. But it's junk food with the Yale imprimateur. They are researching, basically, on how to make high-tech junk food that will kill you more slowly.

Check this out from the Wall Street Journal (which, though it has a conservative bent that I largely disagree with, I find the WSJ has done some really, really good health reporting, and so I follow their leads):

Instead, working with scientists at about a dozen academic institutions and companies in Europe and the U.S., PepsiCo studied different shapes of salt crystals to try to find one that would dissolve more efficiently on the tongue. Normally, only about 20% of the salt on a chip actually dissolves on the tongue before the chip is chewed and swallowed, and the remaining 80% is swallowed without contributing to the taste, said Dr. Khan, who oversees PepsiCo's long-term research.

PepsiCo wanted a salt that would replicate the traditional "salt curve," delivering an initial spike of saltiness, then a body of flavor and lingering sensation, said Dr. Yep, who joined the company in June 2009 from Swiss flavor company Givaudan SA.

"We have to think of the whole eating experience—not just the physical product, but what's actually happening when the consumer eats the product," Dr. Yep explained.

read more here.

Loki Wild Salmon jerky: Savory protein and Omega 3 snack!

I admit I'm a snacker, especially while I'm writing or reading. As you know I avoid processed foods, especially simple carbs and I don't eat wheat/gluten. But in terms of crunchy satisfying snacks, what is there besides popcorn, wheaty-y pretzels, chips, corn-y Pirate Booty, and crackers?

Ahhhhh..Loki Fish. Loki is the Norse trickster God, which is something I knew only because I'm from Minnesota where there are 100000 Norwegians. Loki Fish's salmon jerky is the perfect fertility snack. It's crunchy and a little bit chewy, sweetened with a bit of naturally sourced honey (I also don't recommend sugar, so this is perfect), no icky additives. They only use their own catch, i.e., it's WILD and they use varieties of salmon that are smaller and don't spend as much time in fresh water so it's low-toxin, like my other favorite salmon place, Vital Choice. Pink salmon in particular are the smallest of all the salmon, with the shortest (two year) life cycle and lighter, milder flesh. They are also subsequently the cleanest of all the salmon. Both fisheries are committed to sustainable fishing and I, like many environmental and health groups, recommend you NEVER eat farmed salmon.

So for a perfect snack full of fertility-friendly omega 3s and protein, Loki Salmon Jerky is the way to go. Support a family-run operation with a superior product. A 10% disccount: use coupon code GREENFERTILITY.

FDA Warning on Maalox!

I don't take these kinds of OTC products, but my friend who is an ER doc says they have people drink tons of Maalox when they come in for all sorts of abdominal pain and upset. So I guess it's used often, so check out this warning of a product that says MAALOX on the box but is not the same as the stuff people normally take. It can be dangerous!

From Medscape (a physicians' site where they often broadcast breaking news):

February 18, 2010 — At least five "serious adverse events" occurred in people who took Maalox Total Relief thinking it was Maalox antacid, the FDA warns.

The two over-the-counter drugs are not the same. Maalox Total Relief contains bismuth subsalicylate, a drug with aspirin-like side effects that include stomach and intestinal bleeding. This drug should never be used by people with a history of gastrointestinal ulcers or bleeding disorders.

Maalox Advanced Regular Strength and Maalox Advanced Maximum Strength contain antacid and anti-gas ingredients. People who are able to take regular Maalox may not be able to safely take Maalox Total Relief.

The drugs have different indications:

• Maalox Total Relief is for diarrhea, upset stomach associated with nausea, heartburn, and gas due to overeating.
• Maalox antacids are for acid indigestion, heartburn, sour stomach, upset stomach, and gas.

The drugs are not interchangeable. Yet the two products have similar labels that feature the Maalox brand name -- a name many consumers associate with the antacid.

Antidepressants May Permanently or Reversibly Affect Fetal Brain Development

No surprise that something that affects your brain may affect fetal brain development! Doctors do treat depression in pregnancy with SSRIs. But you should be informed of the risks beforehand.

From Medscape news:

March 2, 2010 — Antidepressants may permanently or reversibly affect fetal brain development depending on the timing of exposure during pregnancy, according to the results of a study reported online February 22 in the March issue of Pediatrics.

"In animals, antidepressant exposure in early life causes changes that persist into adulthood," write Lars Henning Pedersen, MD, PhD, from Aarhus University in Aarhus, Denmark.

Dye Easter eggs with onions! Recessionistas: it's also free

I shudder to wonder what-all was in that Easter egg dye we used to use when we were little--it would also dye the egg white some unholy color, and then we'd eat it.

I was charmed to read that traditionally people used onion skins to color eggs--how cool! Recycling, repurposing, non toxic AND pretty AND free . You can get the instructions here.

Plus, it was fun to read the discussion of how many people's parents and grandparents did this. Where are all our fun, low cost non toxic folkways going, People?

Review: Transition Nutrition's Golden Princess Brittle

Raw chocolate is known to have high antioxidants, but sugar and other things can be a problem. I like Transition Nutrition's handmade chocolate brittle that uses organic maple for sweetener AND has the good-for-fertility pistachios.

Raw organic fair-traded cacao beans & butter from Ecuador, organic maple granules, raw organic Tahitian Vanilla, Royal Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt and raw organic pistachios and Himalayan raisins.

There's a spring sale going on, check it out here. PLUS you can get %15 off your paid order by mentioning GREEN FERTILITY. Enjoy!

Fire Retardants also Retard Fertility!

Yuck, we got rid of our NEW foldout couches because of worries about PBDE for our son. (at the time, my husband thought I was a bit loopy). I didn't know it has such a huge impact on fertility. Ugh! My tip is to buy furniture from IKEA because they adhere to European standards--i.e., they already know to ban those @)(*#&$ chemicals there!:

If your home is your sanctuary, you might want to reconsider what you decorate it with, especially if you plan to get pregnant. A recent study out of the School of Public Health at the University of California in Berkeley has found that chemicals commonly used to fire-proof furniture, textiles, plastics and electronics manage to get into the bloodstream and apparently, exert a powerful influence on fertility.

The study involved 223 women who were trying to get pregnant. Those subjects who had high levels of certain fire-retardant chemicals in their blood took about twice as long to get pregnant as the women who had low levels. The chemicals, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, became common in the 1970s. According to study author Dr. Km Harley, "For every tenfold increase in PBDEs in the blood, we saw a 30% to 50% decrease in the odds of becoming pregnant in any given month," said study author Dr. Kim Harley.

read more here.

Elevated Levels of Cobalt and Chromium Found in Offspring of Moms with Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants

This is kind of scary considering how "popular" hip plants are getting. Makes you think of other things we just stick in the body (from Newswise):

Newswise — Women with metal-on-metal hip implants, where both the ball of the joint and the surface of the socket are made of metal, pass metal ions to their offspring during pregnancy, according to a study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The ions are the result of wear and corrosion as the metal parts rub against one another.

The data showed a correlation between levels of cobalt and chromium – components of metal implants – in mothers and their babies at the time of delivery.

The study will be presented March 9 at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in New Orleans.

Celery can help protect your memory

Remember when celery was touted as the perfect diet food because it supposedly burned more calories to eat than it contained? I don't know if it's true, but it DOES seem that celery contained a super ani-inflammatory flavonoid, luteolin, that may help protect your brain's hippocampus, and, theoretically improve and maintain your memory.

To be filed under, couldn't hurt, might help. Why not? Plenty of fiber plus water, trace minerals. And choose organic, so you're not introducing anything detrimental into your system.

This everday food ingredient might be make YOU infertile!

Check out my article on FertilityAuthority.com to find out what this ingredient is! Click here.

Do Lawn Chemicals Make us Age more Quickly? Dr. Oz

We already know pestcides and fertilizers found in lawn chemicals are horrible for fertility and for little children (how ironic). How about for your aging? Again, it's a good idea to take your shoes off in the house--go Korean.

From safelawns.org:

CHICAGO — Thanks to America’s most popular talk show host, Dr. Mehmet Oz is quickly becoming the nation’s go-to physician when it comes to diet and aging.

Dr. Oz, a regular guest on Oprah Winfrey’s syndicated talk show, turned the green industry on its collective ear on Monday, Nov. 5, when he linked common lawn chemicals to the aging process.

“It’s important to remove your shoes as soon as you enter your home,” said Oz. “Otherwise, you could track in the lawn chemicals that can lodge into your carpet and expose you and your family to the toxins.”

Oz, who is co-author of the best-selling book titled YOU: The Owner's Manual: An Insider's Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger, also recommended that homeowners avoid the chemicals commonly found in cleaning solutions, paints, fumigants and other household products.

The message, according to SafeLawns Founder Paul Tukey, is an important one.

“Growing up, I think we inherently knew not to mix household chemicals, but no one ever really told us that daily exposures to these common products would ever harm us if we used them as directed,” said Tukey. “To get the message out about toxicity in a forum like Oprah’s is tremendously powerful. It will ultimately protect people from the inherent danger in lawn chemicals in particular and make them think twice about exposing their families to these risks.”

Green Tea May Not Be Good in Pregnancy

Interesting, green tea is so good for you, but it's possible that the compounds that make it anti-cancer may (in high doses) affect the way your body uses folate, which could lead to birth defects or other things. Not to mention caffeine, while the jury is out whether it hurts a pregnancy, doesn't seem to help, either.

Check it out:

Green tea is rich in antioxidants, and has a host of health benefits relating to dental health, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and weight loss. But researchers have found, whilst examining the active constituent of green tea, the epigallocatechins, or EGCG for short, that it may affect the way the body uses folate. Folate is important for pregnant women as it prevents neural tube birth defects in babies.

The problem of green tea during pregnancy is that the EGCG molecules are structurally similar to a compound called methotrexate. Methotrexate is able to kill cancer cells by chemically bonding with an enzyme in the body called enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). Healthy people have this enzyme also - it is part of what is called the folate pathway, which is the pathway, or steps, the body takes to transform nutrients like folate into something that can be used to support its normal functions.

read more here.

Get rid of Toxins in your home

Our world is so chemical saturated, now you need to dust, not because you're Martha Stewart, but FOR YOUR HEALTH. Our friends at Environmental Working Group put this list of what to do and how to do it:

TIP 9: GET RID OF THAT (TOXIC) DUST

Dust bunnies aren't just unsightly and sometimes allergenic; they contain toxic chemicals. Why? The many chemicals in and around your homes wind up in your indoor dust when they migrate from home products and come in through open doors and windows and on your shoes. But the good news is it's pretty easy to keep those dust bunnies at bay -- and reduce your family's toxic exposures, too. Read on to learn:

1. Why your household dust is toxic
2. How toxic dust can affect your family
3. Tips to remove dust safely and effectively
4. How to create less toxic dust in the first place

read more here.

Sara Lee "Eco Grain" greenwashing

I never trust corporations, ANY corporations (look at Toyota!) further than I can throw them.

From Natural News:

(NaturalNews) The Sara Lee company stands accused today of engaging in blatant greenwashing through its highly misleading marketing of its new "EcoGrain" bread.

The Cornucopia institute has released news describing how this product line by Sara Lee is made with "toxic agrochemicals" even though it's being marketed as better than organic.

The full statement from the Cornucopia Institute follows (www.Cornucopia.org)

Common culprit in infertility

In some of the immune-issue fertility lists I'm on, I'm noticing more and more people are going gluten (wheat) free. This makes sense for almost anyone because at the very least, wheat is hard to digest, and any energy you're spending on digestion could be used for, well, other purposes. Many top level athletes are going gluten-free, too.

This article on how it affect fertility is from mercola.com:

Millions of people have celiac disease, but most don’t know they have it, in part because symptoms can be so varied. It is an often overlooked digestive disorder that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is eaten.

Infertility seems to be more common in women with untreated celiac disease. Other gynecological and obstetrical problems may also be more common, including miscarriages and preterm births.

For men, problems can include abnormal sperm -- such as lower sperm numbers, altered shape, and reduced function. Men with untreated celiac disease may also have lower testosterone levels.

The good news is that with proper treatment with a gluten-free diet and correction of nutritional deficiencies, the prognosis for future pregnancies is much improved.

Pregnant Olympian!

This is interesting, a Canadian curler is 5 1/2 months pregnant...http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Canadian-curler-is-five-months-pregnant?urn=oly,219941

Review: Bamboosa Organic Bamboo flutter top

I love bamboo because it's renewable, green, doesn't need pesticides, and as a fabric it's silky, warm, drapes beautifully, antibacterial. Well, bamboo clothes don't get any nicer than this.

Bamboosa's Priya boat neck top is stylish, comfortable, and ORGANIC. It would also be the type of versatile clothing that would work well in early pregnancy. I like wearing Bamboosa's Priya line because it's comfy and stretchy--I can do yoga on the spot if I want to--but I can also throw a nice jacket over it and go out, go to work, etc.

Also, especially for people trying to conceive, these products are , free of chlorine and formaldehyde.
You may have seen a previous post where my friend who makes organic clothing said that yes, even organic clothes can have formaldehyde. Lastly, it's American Made and sweatshop-free.

SPECIAL FOR GREENFERTILITY READERS!
Use the coupon GFertility10

for 10% off orders - will not apply to Sale or Gift Sets, which are already discounted.

Check it out here.

Valentine's Day special

Chocolate may help lessen your chances for a stroke! Happy valentine's day, a little early. From Newswise, the journalists'-only new source:

Newswise — Eating chocolate may lower your risk of having a stroke, according to an analysis of available research that will be released today and presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010. Another study found that eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after suffering a stroke.

The analysis involved reviewing three studies on chocolate and stroke.

“More research is needed to determine whether chocolate truly lowers stroke risk, or whether healthier people are simply more likely to eat chocolate than others,” said study author Sarah Sahib, BScCA, with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Sahib worked alongside Gustavo Saposnik, MD, MSc, where the study was completed at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto.

Industrial Cleaner causes Parkinsons, especially auto parts workers.

It's not a well-known fact, but almost all medical scientists agree that Parkinson's is NOT a disease of old age, but some kind of environmentally-triggered illness. But from what? No one really wants to figure that out, especially if it might piss off some big company in our corporatocracy that makes a lot of money making poisons. But if someone you know works in an auto parts place or other, check this out about workers exposed to industrial cleaners are at risk for Parkinson's. From Newswise the journalists'-only site:
---------

Newswise — Workers exposed to tricholorethylene (TCE), a chemical widely used to clean metal such as auto parts, may be at a significantly higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010.

“This is the first time a population-based study has confirmed case reports that exposure to TCE may increase a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” said study author Samuel Goldman, MD, with the Parkinson’s Institute in Sunnyvale, California, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “TCE is a popular industrial solvent that is still widely used to clean grease off metal parts.”

Giving up coffee experiment

I'm giving up coffee. Check it out here: http://www.fertilityauthority.com/blogger/5

Good news for older moms!

I remember when I interviewed Dr. Christiane Northrup for an article on natural fertility, she said she didn't like how age 35 had become a "hex" for women, extinguishing hope just because some doctor tells you you're too old. She said she saw PLENTY of women in her OB/gyn practive getting pregnant in their 40s and 50s....this article from the BBC also bears out much of this observation. So don't let some doctor tell you your "eggs are too old." (I have heard this from so many people! Makes them feel like they have rotten eggs inside...)

From the BBC:

The Family Planning Association (FPA) believes the message on infertility and age has gone "too far".

Although fertility does wane, women can still fall pregnant well into their thirties, forties and even fifties.

Abortion rates for women aged 40 to 44 match those for the under 16s, figures for England and Wales show.

In 2008, both of these groups had an abortion rate of four per 1,000 women.

Whilst the message about fertility declining with age is an important one, it is often overplayed FPA Chief Executive Julie Bentley

There are many reasons why some women opt for an abortion - including birth abnormalities in the baby, which are more common when the mothers are older.

But FPA says its anecdotal evidence suggests some of the abortions are because women wrongly assumed they could not get pregnant because they were too old.

read more here.

Pharma exec kills 8 year old son with Ambien and Xanax

Makes me wonder a bit if these younger stars (Heath Ledger, Brittany Murphy) are UNINTENTIONALLY ODing on RX drugs. p.s. the 8 year old in the story is autistic:

http://www.naturalnews.com/028103_Gigi_Jordan_Big_Pharma.html

Review: Design & Asia pashmina scarf

Design & Asia has a cool green concept of a traveling green boutique that sells one-of--kind artisanal goods from all over Asia--and they have personal relationships with their crafters.

Pashmina is an excellent Valentine's day idea! It's light and comfy and all-season. Since it's so light, you can slip it in a bag to carry on the plane since they don't have blanekts anymore...

Check it out here.

Soft drinks cause pancreatic cancer

I'm not so surprised to hear about this...and it comes down to insulin resistance again. People with fertility issues need to be very careful about this (e.g., PCOS), as it's a leading cause of infertility. From Newswise, the journalists' only site:

Newswise — Consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who did not consume soft drinks, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Although relatively rare, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most deadly, and only 5 percent of people who are diagnosed are alive five years later.

Mark Pereira, Ph.D., senior author on the study and associate professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, said people who consume soft drinks on a regular basis, defined as primarily carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages, tend to have a poor behavioral profile overall.

However, the effect of these drinks on pancreatic cancer may be unique.

“The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth,” said Pereira.

-------------

Also: other reasons soda pop is hard on your body

and Try Brain Toniq instead

Save energy in your home with some quick fixes

Dr. Ben Kim shares some energy saving (and $$$ saving!) tips here: http://drbenkim.com/energy-saving-tips.htm

Look at the guy's fingers to determine fertility

Interestingly, you can judge a man's fertility by looking at his hands (try this at a bar!) Apparently testosterone makes the ring finger on the right hand grow longer...longer ring fingers have been associated with virility, fertility and aggression. Supposedly stock traders and soccer players have longer ring fingers...

Rosasharn Farms Goat Milk Soaps

Love these soaps! I have been to this farm and can tell you these goats are well cared for, organic, HAPPY. And the soap is lovely, goat milk is really really rich so this soap doesn't dry you out (which is why people by products like Cetaphil--but why not do it naturally, organically and without the chemicals?), the botanicals are really neat.



I bought a bunch for my mother for Christmas and soon she was re-dividing them because everyone wanted some. Support Anne, a small farmer, and her cute, cute goats.

Ordering info here.

Avoid this if you want to get pregnant, or just be healthy

We already know how awful high fructose corn syrup is, but here are a few fun facts from Dr. Mercola. Just keep in mind that if your body is struggling to digest this stuff (don't forget insulin resistance can be a big part of fertility/infertility), there's less left over for conception:

High Fructose Corn Syrup Has Only Been Around One Generation!

HFCS was invented in 1966 in Japan and introduced to the American market in 1975. Food and beverage manufacturers began switching their sweeteners from sucrose (table sugar) to corn syrup when they discovered that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was far cheaper to make -- sucrose costs about three times as much as HFCS.

HFCS is also about 20 times sweeter than table sugar. So it was expected that less sweetener would be needed per product. Instead, the amount of sweeteners has steadily risen.

The switch from sugar to fructose drastically altered the average American diet. The statistics are beyond alarming:

• Corn syrup is now found in every type of processed, pre-packaged food you can think of. In fact, the use of HFCS in the U.S. diet increased by a whopping 10,673 percent between 1970 and 2005, according to a report by the USDA[i].

• The current annual consumption of sugar is 141 pounds per person, and 63 pounds of that is HFCS.

• Adolescents are taking in 73 grams per day of fructose, mostly from soft drinks and juice drinks -- and 12 percent of their total caloric intake is from fructose alone.

• In the past century, fructose consumption has increased 5-fold.

• Processed foods account for more than 90 percent of the money Americans spend on meals.

You’ve probably heard the statistic that one soda a day is worth 15 pounds of fat per year. However, one soda today does not equal one soda of yesteryear. The original coke bottle was 6.5 ounces. Now, you have 20-ounce bottles and a 44-ounce Big Gulp.

Tragically, many infant formulas are more than 50 percent sugar -- 43 percent being corn syrup solids. You might as well be giving your baby a bottle of Coke or Pepsi.

No wonder there is an obesity epidemic.

Rocking embryos helps IVF

I'm not surprised by that gently rocking embryos (and maybe singing to them?) improved IVF success, but it also argues for getting yourself healthy and letting Mother Nature do her thing. I wonder if there will be any long term consequences from IVF...

From CBC news Canada:

(HealthDay News) - Scientists say they boosted the success of in vitro fertilization in mice by gently rocking embryos before implanting them into the womb.

No evidence yet proves that the same technique would work with human embryos, but authors of a new study hope it might do just that.

"By making the cells feel more at home, we get better cells, which is key to having better infertility treatment," said study co-author Shu Takayama, an associate professor in the University of Michigan's department of biomedical engineering.

The idea of the research is to mimic the motion that an embryo feels traveling through the fallopian tube to the uterus. Human embryos created with the assistance of in vitro fertilization don't get the benefit of such exposure.

Horrible Bpa source: receipts!

Just to show how chemicals have really invaded every corner of our lives, now they've found there's the endocrine-disrupting BPA (no good for anyone's fertility) in RECEIPTS. I had done a few posts on BPA in polycarbonate SIGG bottles, but this is even more serious.

From Science News:

While working at Polaroid Corp. for more than a decade, John C. Warner learned about the chemistry behind some carbonless copy papers (now used for most credit card receipts) and the thermal imaging papers that are spit out by most modern cash registers. Both relied on bisphenol-A...

“When people talk about polycarbonate bottles, they talk about nanogram quantities of BPA [leaching out],” Warner observes. “The average cash register receipt that's out there and uses the BPA technology will have 60 to 100 milligrams of free BPA.” By free, he explains, it’s not bound into a polymer, like the BPA in polycarbonates. It’s just the individual molecules loose and ready for uptake.

As such, he argues, when it comes to BPA in the urban environment, “the biggest exposures, in my opinion, will be these cash register receipts.” Once on the fingers, BPA can be transferred to foods. And keep in mind, he adds, some hormones — like estrogen in certain birth-control formulations — are delivered through the skin by controlled-release patches. So, he argues, estrogen mimics like BPA might similarly enter the skin.

read more here.

Antidepressants may lead to lactation difficulties

Yes, not being able to breast feed can be REALLY depressing...

From Newswise, the journalists'-only web site:

Newswise — According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), women taking commonly used forms of antidepressant drugs may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve their breastfeeding goals.

Breastfeeding benefits both infants and mothers in many ways as breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. This new study shows that certain common antidepressant drugs may be linked to a common difficulty experienced by new mothers known as delayed secretory activation, defined as a delay in the initiation of full milk secretion.

“The breasts are serotonin-regulated glands, meaning the breasts’ ability to secrete milk at the right time is closely related to the body’s production and regulation of the hormone serotonin,” said Nelson Horseman, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati and co-author of the study. “Common antidepressant drugs like fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs and while they can affect mood, emotion and sleep they may also impact serotonin regulation in the breast, placing new mothers at greater risk of a delay in the establishment of a full milk supply.”

Cleaning chemicals, etc., cause pediatric dermatitis

When are people going to realize that harsh cleaning chemicals aren't good for you? We use baking soda and tea tree oil, works rather well and it's cheap! From Newswise,, the journalists' only new site;

Newswise — Considered a dermatological nuisance that was long gone, skin irritations caused by toilet seats appear to be making a comeback in pediatricians’ offices, according to research led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Center investigator Bernard Cohen, M.D.

“Toilet seat dermatitis is one of those legendary conditions described in medical textbooks and seen in underdeveloped countries, but one that younger pediatricians have not come across in their daily practice,” says Cohen, director of pediatric dermatology at Hopkins Children’s. “If our small analysis is any indication of what’s happening, we need to make sure the condition is on every pediatrician’s radar.”

Analyzing five cases from the United States and India in the February issue of the journal Pediatrics, Cohen and colleagues said the culprits responsible for the reemergence of the condition are harsh cleaning chemicals and exotic wooden toilet seats — making a comeback as bathroom décor —especially seats covered with varnishes and paints.

Cohen says children can develop irritation after several uses of a wooden seat or repeated exposure to residue from harsh cleaning chemicals. He urges pediatricians to inquire about toilet seats and cleaners used both at home and at school any time they see a toddler or a young child

Reasons why Sex is Good for You

This came via Lifehacker.

2. Sex helps you forget
Oxytocin, which triggers orgasm, has an amnesic effect that lasts up to five hours. So for a period of time you forget that he maxed out your Visa card or she was an hour late getting home from work. Women get an additional benefit. During orgasm that parts of the brain that govern fear, anxiety, and stress are switched off. (Faking orgasm gives no such benefit.)

5. Heightened sense of smell
After sex, production of prolactin surges, causing stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s smell center (olfactory bulb).

6. Weight loss
Rambunctious sex burns a minimum of two hundred calories, about the same as running fifteen minutes on a treadmill. British researchers determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year.

9. Healthier heart
Women who have more sex have higher levels of estrogen, which protects against heart disease.

10. Cure for the common cold
Once-a-week sex produces 30 percent higher levels of immunoglobulin A, which boosts the immune system.

11. Better bladder control
Sex strengthens the pelvic muscles that control the flow of urine.

15. Relief for a stuffy nose
Really. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can even help combat hay fever and asthma.

17. Boosts immune system
Endorphins stimulate immune-system cells that fight disease.

19. Protection against Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis
Women who have more sex have higher levels of estrogen, which protects against Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.

Toxic cheap jewelry poisons children

What little kid DOESN'T chew on stuff. Stay away from cheap jewelry!

LOS ANGELES – The country's top product safety regulator warned parents and caretakers Wednesday to take cheap metal jewelry away from children out of concern they could be exposed to toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium.

Writing in a blog to be posted Wednesday evening, the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission noted that children who chew, suck on or swallow a bracelet charm or necklace may be endangering their health.

read more here.

Monsanto GMO corn and organ failure

I can only say EAT ORGANIC!!! Blech. Some other GMO corn I think kills monarch butterflies...scary stuff.

In a study released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, analyzing the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers found that agricultural giant Monsanto's GM corn is linked to organ damage in rats.

Read more here on the Huffpo.

Use of potentially harmful chemicals kept secret under law

This is so scary, I don't even know where to begin. Recently people have been finding out there had been a weird additive in MILK that for whatever weird reason hasn't had to be disclosed on the label. Maybe that's why milk has such a bad rap, it's a good food turned awful by processing. I am so glad we buy our milk from our farmer friend.

It's so sad that with documented declining fertility (especially sperm counts) that these chemicals that are KNOWN hazards to reproductive health are all over the place. Let's demand great transparency!! Thank you to writer Miranda Spencer alerting GreenFertility to this.
--------------------------------

By Lyndsey Layton

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 4, 2010

Of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States -- from flame retardants in furniture to household cleaners -- nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, their names and physical properties guarded from consumers and virtually all public officials under a little-known federal provision.

The policy was designed 33 years ago to protect trade secrets in a highly competitive industry. But critics -- including the Obama administration -- say the secrecy has grown out of control, making it impossible for regulators to control potential dangers or for consumers to know which toxic substances they might be exposed to.

At a time of increasing public demand for more information about chemical exposure, pressure is building on lawmakers to make it more difficult for manufacturers to cloak their products in secrecy. Congress is set to rewrite chemical regulations this year for the first time in a generation.

read more here.

Natural Thyroid back on the market

Okay, for some reason doctors are REALLY against using natural thyroid products like Armour because supposedly it's harder to "control"--I think having natural thyroid might mean we get whatever unknowable thing is already in it. Synthroid made me feel WORSE. But I've been waiting with bated breath as the supplies for my Armour thyroid kept dwindling, and I was switch to Nature-throid, which was also having some shortages. But the good news, it's back!

From Mary Shomon:

Tuesday January 5, 2010

Good news for the new year. Today, Dai Jinn, Chief Science Officer at RLC Labs confirmed that Nature-Throid -- RLC's natural desiccated thyroid drug -- is shipping in the 1 grain tablet size. Says Jinn: "I can definitely say that the product started shipping last week. As indicated, it still may take a week or so to reach all of our clients and then a bit more to ultimately reach down to the patient level." So Nature-Throid 1 grain IS on now its way to distributors and ultimately to pharmacies around the country.

MORE INFORMATION:

Artificial smoke flavor may be toxic

Why am I not surprised that an artificial, lab-created flavor might be toxic?

From the BBC:

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says one of the flavourings used to give smoke flavour to meat, cheese or fish, may be toxic to humans.

The authority looked at 11 smoke flavourings commonly used in the European Union.

It says several of the flavourings are dangerously close to levels which may cause harm to humans.

The European Commission will now establish a list of smoke-flavouring products that are safe for use in food.

The smoke flavourings are products which can be added to foods to give them a "smoked" flavour, as an alternative to traditional smoking.

EFSA says it "cannot rule out concerns" about a flavouring called Primary Product AM 01, which is obtained from beech wood.

The wood particles are burnt under controlled conditions and the hot vapours are dissolved in a solvent.

The Panel says the use of the substance "at the intended levels is a safety concern".

Rattan makes good bones

Wicker bones, what next? Actually, using a natural substance probably works better than, say plastic. From the BBC:

A novel - and natural - way of creating new bones for humans could be just a few years away.

Scientists in Italy have developed a way of turning rattan wood into bone that is almost identical to the human tissue.

At the Istec laboratory of bioceramics in Faenza near Bologna, a herd of sheep have already been implanted with the bones.

The process starts by cutting the long tubular rattan wood up into manageable pieces.

It is then snipped into even smaller chunks, ready for the complex chemical process to begin.

The pieces are put in a furnace and heated.

In simple terms, carbon and calcium are added.

The wood is then further heated under intense pressure in another oven-like machine and a phosphate solution is introduced.

'Very promising'

After around 10 days, the rattan wood has been transformed into the bone-like material.

CT scans and cancer risk

Careful of CT scans, ESPECIALLY of your pelvis. From Medscape:
--------------------------------

December 17, 2009 — Computed tomography (CT) scans are widely used and are an invaluable tool for medical imaging. However, the possible overuse of CT scans and the variability in radiation doses might subsequently lead to thousands of cases of cancer, according to findings from 2 new studies published in the December 14/28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

In the first study, researchers found that radiation doses from common CT procedures are higher and more variable than what is typically cited. For example, the authors note that the median effective dose of an abdomen and pelvis CT scan is often cited as 8 to 10 mSv, but they found that the median dose of this type of scan was actually 66% higher, and the median dose of a multiphase CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was nearly 4 times higher.

Use LED bulbs--no mercury

I keep telling people that LEDs are better than Compact Flourescents (CFLs) for lighting becuase CFLs (of course, carried by Walmart) have mercury, which means if you break them, you have to call the EPA for cleanup (or contaminate your house) or eventually it goes to the dump and you pollute the environment.

I also like the clean light of LEDs, and according to this study they save substantial energy, too. From the NY Times:

Does the latest generation of energy-saving light bulbs save energy? A comprehensive study conducted by Osram, the German lighting company, provides evidence that they do.

Rick Friedman for The New York Times

A standard incandescent bulb over its life will use almost five times the energy of an LED bulb, a German study concluded.

While that may seem self-evident, until the release of the report on Monday the answer remained unclear.

That is because no one knew if the production of LED lamps required more energy than needed for standard incandescent bulbs. While it is indisputable that LEDs use a fraction of the electricity of a regular bulb to create the same amount of light, if more energy were used in the manufacturing and distribution process, then the lighting industry could be traveling down a technological dead end.

The study results show that over the entire life of the bulb — from manufacturing to disposal — the energy used for incandescent bulbs is almost five times that used for compact fluorescents and LED lamps.

The energy used during the manufacturing phase of all lamps is insignificant — less than 2 percent of the total. Given that both compact fluorescents and LEDs use about 20 percent of the electricity needed to create the same amount of light as a standard incandescent, both lighting technologies put incandescents to shame.

read more here.

Doctor Exam Trumps C Scan

Are we surprised by this? The problem is, today's doctors grow up with all the fancy tools and don't learn the less glamorous art of OBSERVATION. But watch out for CT scans--lots of radiation. Doctors now count on the PATIENTS to keep track of the various sources of radiation they are getting, unlike, say, in Europe or Korea where all this info is centralized! [In Korea you get all your health info on a flash drive![
----------------------------------

Newswise — Sometimes, a simple bedside exam performed by a skilled physician is superior to a high-tech CT scan, a Loyola University Health System study has found.

Researchers found that physicians' bedside exams did a better job than CT scans in predicting which patients would need to return to the operating room to treat complications such as bleeding.

"The low cost, simple, but elegant neurological exam appears to be superior to a routine CT scan in determining return to the operating room," researchers report in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

Patients typically receive CT scans following open brain surgery to remove tumors, repair aneurysms, treat brain injuries, etc. But practices vary. Some surgeons order CT scans right after surgery. Others wait until the following morning.

There are downsides. CT scans cost hundreds of dollars and expose patients to radiation

Newswise — Sometimes, a simple bedside exam performed by a skilled physician is superior to a high-tech CT scan, a Loyola University Health System study has found.

Researchers found that physicians' bedside exams did a better job than CT scans in predicting which patients would need to return to the operating room to treat complications such as bleeding.

"The low cost, simple, but elegant neurological exam appears to be superior to a routine CT scan in determining return to the operating room," researchers report in the Journal of Neurosurgery.

Patients typically receive CT scans following open brain surgery to remove tumors, repair aneurysms, treat brain injuries, etc. But practices vary. Some surgeons order CT scans right after surgery. Others wait until the following morning.

There are downsides. CT scans cost hundreds of dollars and expose patients to radiation

Gerberding, Former CDC Director Now Heads Merck's Vaccine Division

This really bothers me, when a person who is RESPONSIBLE to oversee vaccine safety for the public later goes to work for a VACCINE MANUFACTURER. It makes me wonder if any of her decisions were made thinking about her next job.

From the American Chronicle:

Julie Louise Gerberding MD MPH, former director of the Centers for Disease Control has been named the president of Merck Vaccines. While certainly no surprise, I am once again astounded at the audacity of the vaccine manufacturers and our government. Mrs. Gerberding will no doubt do quite well in her new position since she has had quite a bit of experience selling both vaccines and the notion that they are beneficial to society, in her previous position as one of the top government health officials in America. This is just another example of how closely related and intertwined our government is with industry.

Those in the natural health and "anti-vaccine" communities have witnessed this unseemly and disgusting relationship between government and industry for years. Consider the Homeland Security Act that sureptitiously had a rider slid into it at the last possible minute prior to the vote that basically absolved Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals from any and all liability regarding the controversial mercury containing vaccine preservative, Thimerosal. Consider the SARS, Avian and Swine flu scares that have made both Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defence and Dick Cheney, former VP of the U.S. very rich men.These scares caused our government to purchace and push TamiFlu, a money making dream come true for these two former executives with the manufacturer of this drug.

We´ve witnessed the revolving door policy between government and business between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies as well as Monsanto. Bring someone from industry into the government regulating division that´s in need, get the vote or approval desired, then return said official to the private sector again, to reap the benefits. We´ve seen this again and again. This recent news is simply another example in a long line of government/industry collusion.

read more here.

Erroneous Swine Flu Diagnoses

I wonder how many people took the vaccine on this erroneous data. NB the CDC is going to announce the new autism rate is ***1***** in ****100***

I think they're going to stop saying it's colely environmental now. And curious how the rate goes up with more and more vaccines and the large scale introduction of GMOs...

From Natural News:
(NaturalNews) This week, Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that only one in five people who were diagnosed with swine flu actually had the disease and that four fifths were instructed to take Tamiflu unnecessarily.

The Government agency reported that around one million packets of Tamiflu have been prescribed so far, but more than 800,000 of these were not necessary. In one seven-day period, the rate of correct diagnosis dropped to an astonishing 1 out of 20, with 38,000 citizens taking the controversial antiviral. These alarming figures only came to light after the HPA took swabs from random samples of people who had used the NHS helpline.

This means close to a million people needlessly stayed at home in isolation over the summer, in the false belief that they had swine flu. "These figures are a damning indictment of the government's approach to tackling swine flu," said Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb. "Ministers had years to prepare for such an outbreak but completely failed to put in place an effective flu-line service. It's seriously concerning that large numbers of patients may have been put at risk through high rates of misdiagnosis.While protecting people during an outbreak has to be the priority we cannot escape the fact that an enormous amount of money has been wasted by giving people drugs they simply didn't need."

On top of an estimated 500 million pound cost to the UK economy, the misdiagnosis may have caused new health problems for the members of the public who took the antiviral. The Medicines and Health Regulatory Authority has been swamped with complaints of side-effects from members of the public who had taken Tamiflu, with 11 percent reporting nausea.

Fertility Gift Basket!

The other place I blog, Fertility Authority, is giving away a sweet, sweet, fertility basket of products worth $500!

Anyone can enter to win it from now through December 24. Just register as a member on the site AND check the Subscriptions: Daily Shot: The FertilityAuthority Newsletter option--and check out my GreenFertility blog posts OF COURSE.

You can get all the details about the giveaway here:

http://www.fertilityauthority.com/articles/win-fertility-gift-basket

BPA causes sexual dysfunction in men

Ok, previously I warned you about Sigg bottles...for good reason! Now they've definitively found BPA causes sexual dysfunction in men. And of course Consumer Reports found BPA in organic and "BPA free" labeled products., Sigh!

From Natural News:

(NaturalNews) A recent study published in the journal Human Reproduction has found that exposure to high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) is causing various reproductive and sexual problems in men. Funded by the federal government, the study revealed that BPA is detected in the urine of roughly 93% of the U.S. population, a staggering figure when considering the immense harm the chemical inflicts on the body.

A compound that is found in thousands of everyday consumer products from canned food linings and plastic drinking bottles to composite dental fillings, BPA is a difficult toxin to avoid. Despite efforts by some manufacturers of reusable drinking containers, of baby bottles, and of certain health-food products to remove BPA from their products, a great majority of packaged food on the market today is exposed to plastics containing BPA.

Study findings revealed that Chinese males exposed to BPA in their workplaces were four times as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction and seven times as likely to suffer with proper ejaculation compared to workers who worked in facilities where there was no BPA in the facility. De-Kun Li, a scientist at the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute where the study was conducted, found that sexual dysfunction began to occur only months after new workers were exposed to BPA in the workplace.

The five-year study concluded that BPA, a synthetic form of estrogen that was created in the 1930s, definitively alters the hormonal balance in the human body. Since the study analyzed BPA effects on human beings rather than laboratory animals as has typically been done, BPA apologists can no longer dismiss the serious harm BPA inflicts on human hormonal balance and proper sexual function.

Consumer Reports recently issued its own report that found BPA in cans labeled both "organic" and "BPA-free". The group tested many food products and reported its findings to consumers concerned about BPA contamination of food.

Mammogram Math

Ok, so longtime readers here know I don't get mammograms, the simplest explanation being that the death rates from breast cancer between people who get mammos and those who don't are roughly similar, so I decided to skip the bad energy and spend my time sniffing flowers instead.

Here's an EXCELLENT article by mathematician Jonathan Allan Paulos about why these numbers bear out what the studies say, and having women do less mammograms is actually BETTER, not anti-woman. He brings up the other good point that if mammograms are only beneficial, then why not start screening at twenty? In the teens? There have now been reported CHILDREN having breast cancer. Why not start at six?

Much of our discomfort with the panel’s findings stems from a basic intuition: since earlier and more frequent screening increases the likelihood of detecting a possibly fatal cancer, it is always desirable. But is this really so? Consider the technique mathematicians call a reductio ad absurdum, taking a statement to an extreme in order to refute it. Applying it to the contention that more screening is always better leads us to note that if screening catches the breast cancers of some asymptomatic women in their 40s, then it would also catch those of some asymptomatic women in their 30s. But why stop there? Why not monthly mammograms beginning at age 15?

The answer, of course, is that they would cause more harm than good. Alas, it’s not easy to weigh the dangers of breast cancer against the cumulative effects of radiation from dozens of mammograms, the invasiveness of biopsies (some of them minor operations) and the aggressive and debilitating treatment of slow-growing tumors that would never prove fatal...

Assume there is a screening test for a certain cancer that is 95 percent accurate; that is, if someone has the cancer, the test will be positive 95 percent of the time. Let’s also assume that if someone doesn’t have the cancer, the test will be positive just 1 percent of the time. Assume further that 0.5 percent — one out of 200 people — actually have this type of cancer. Now imagine that you’ve taken the test and that your doctor somberly intones that you’ve tested positive. Does this mean you’re likely to have the cancer? Surprisingly, the answer is no.

To see why, let’s suppose 100,000 screenings for this cancer are conducted. Of these, how many are positive? On average, 500 of these 100,000 people (0.5 percent of 100,000) will have cancer, and so, since 95 percent of these 500 people will test positive, we will have, on average, 475 positive tests (.95 x 500). Of the 99,500 people without cancer, 1 percent will test positive for a total of 995 false-positive tests (.01 x 99,500 = 995). Thus of the total of 1,470 positive tests (995 + 475 = 1,470), most of them (995) will be false positives, and so the probability of having this cancer given that you tested positive for it is only 475/1,470, or about 32 percent! This is to be contrasted with the probability that you will test positive given that you have the cancer, which by assumption is 95 percent.

The arithmetic may be trivial, but the answer is decidedly counterintuitive and hence easy to reject or ignore.

read more here:

CDC: antibiotics linked to birth defects

I was just thinking about this, how we're all on antibiotics so frequently we may forget, for instance, while trying to conceive--oops. I remember I had to go to the ER once for whate turned out to be high fever from my chronic fatigue syndrome--but what did the puzzled resident do? He assumed sinus infection and put me on antibiotics.

So use care when you're trying to conceive. Staying away from antibiotic-laden meat and eggs might be helpful, too.

MONDAY, Nov. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Taking antibiotics during pregnancy does not raise the risk for most birth defects, though there are some exceptions, new research has found.

Penicillin, which is the most commonly used antibiotic during pregnancy, as well as erythromycin, cephalosporins and quinolones, other widely prescribed antibiotics, were not associated with increased risk for about 30 different birth defects.

However, the study found that two types of antibiotics were linked with a higher risk for several birth defects: nitrofurantoins and sulfonamides, sometimes called "sulfa drugs," which are prescribed for urinary tract and other infections.

Women whose children had anencephaly, a fatal malformation of the skull and brain, were three times more likely to have taken sulfonamides, the study found. Sulfonamides were also tied to an increased risk for such heart defects as hypoplastic left heart syndrome and coarctation of the aorta, choanal atresia (a blockage of the nasal passage), transverse limb deficiency and diaphragmatic hernia, an abnormal opening in the diaphragm that results in severe breathing difficulties.

Holiday Gift Idea: wool vehicles

What could be cuter and safer than some handmade New Zealand wool vehicles by En Gry and Sif for the wee one in your life? These are made with eco friendly dyes and are fair trade (from Nepal). Washable, chewable, you name it.

Check it out (and a lot of other cool gifts) at Elegant Roots: http://www.elegantroots.com/Handmade-Stuffed-Wool-Car-Set-by-En-Gry-Sif-p-111.html

Green Pharma Reps?

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this release that was sent to me. Also unscores how most pharma companies use "fashion forward" Barbie and Ken dolls (former cheerleaders are a big group they recruit) instead of biomed majors (as they used to--a friend of mine was a rep 20 years ago):

Green Fertility

Ms. Marie Lee Blogger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

High resolution photography available on request. In studio visits available upon request. Onsite interviews and photo opportunities are available at Redhanded’s Studios or at the GoGreen Expo in NYC this spring.

Contact: Aaron Turney (919) 324-5240 or email flydesigns@redhandedbags.com or hit reply to this email.

Pharm giant sales force goes green with high fashion handbags

Raleigh NC-based fashion designers Aaron Turney and Tracy Russomano are used to working with fashion conscious women. But this year, they devoted their special talents efforts to addressing the special needs of a unique group of highly specialized handbag users – pharmaceutical sales reps.

GlaxoSmithKline asked them to design an environmentally friendly work bag specifically for their pharmaceutical sales reps to use on the job.

Avoid Brain Tumors by avoiding Equal

Blech, I had a friend who's mom was a chemist who told her before aspartame was even approved how she should stay away from it at all costs. Also, DONALD RUMSFELD, then the CEO of Searle was instrumental in getting it approved even though it was causing seizures. Via Dr. Ben Kim, not surprised to hear this:

Reasons to Avoid Aspartame

Posted By Dr. Ben Kim on Dec 07, 2009

• Health Warnings

When Tim Gullickson, former professional tennis player and coach to Pete Sampras, died in 1996 from complications related to brain tumors, I distinctly remember reading about Tim's fondness for diet Coke; according to one close friend, Tim was addicted to the stuff - he always seemed to have a can in hand.

When I began private practice a year later, within a few months, I encountered three patients who had brain tumors and drank several diet sodas a day. These findings were easy to notice and group together in my mind, as I took a detailed dietary survey during each new patient evaluation.

From that point on, I shared my suspicions about aspartame with family, friends, and patients. And over time, I learned about the ways in which aspartame injures nervous tissue on a cellular level - most of my education on this issue has been from the work of Dr. Russell Blaylock, a retired neurosurgeon who has long maintained that aspartame and MSG are harmful to human health.

Aspartame, the technical name for popular brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure, has been documented by the United States FDA to be a cause of the following symptoms:

• Inability to concentrate
• Short-term memory loss
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Trouble sleeping
• Depression and irritability
• Seizures
• Nausea
• Numbness
• Muscle spasms
• Fatigue
• Difficulty breathing
• Heart irregularities
• Joint Pain

Historic finding: Greenhouse gasses HARM HUMANS

Wow! From the AP:

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration took a major step Monday toward imposing the first federal limits on climate-changing pollution from cars, power plants and factories, declaring there was compelling scientific evidence that global warming from manmade greenhouse gases endangers Americans' health.

read more here.

Consumberlab.com

Want to know what's actually in your vitamins (including excipients and potential contaminants?) I love Consumerlab.com and often use them when writing product reviews. It was the place, actually, where I found out that with all the zillions of fish oils out there, even the cheap ones didn't have much mercury in them! About the only thing they found wrong was that one of them (from the Garden of Life, which I normally think of as a good brand) had gone rancid, which is NOT doing yourself any favors, healthwise.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/health/05patient.html?em

Who are the angriest Americans?

Hm, don't quite know what this means, but it's interesting

Anger is more likely among the young, those with children at home, and the
less educated, a new study finds. A national survey of 1,800 Americans aged
18 and older questioned participants on how and when they feel angry in order to
build "a broader social portrait of anger in the United States," said study
researcher Scott Schieman, now at the University of Toronto.
These angry emotions range from mild annoyance to yelling and feelings of outrage.
While anger is a normal human emotion, it could be detrimental if you hold
on to it too long.

And those who express their anger might actually live longer than those who keep it bottled in, one study found.

read more here.

Can mammograms increase cancer risk for some women?

Man oh man but I've been saying this for a long time...the data's already out there, in Europe (I guess where they keep track of such things). Women who get more mammos get...hm...more radiation and....hm...more cancer!

From TIME magazine:

As women are still struggling to make sense of the new mammogram recommendations released in November by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, research presented today at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America suggests that, for women at high risk of developing breast cancer, who are often urged to undergo annual screenings beginning at age 25, exposure to radiation through mammograms may actually be harmful.

This research is preliminary and future analysis is essential to bear out the findings, but it is particularly concerning because it suggests that women at highest risk, who are in most need of screening, may be the most vulnerable to the radiation in mammograms. In the review of six studies that included roughly 5,000 high-risk women, who have an increased likelihood of developing breast cancer due to genetic reasons or family history, for example, researchers found that high-risk patients who were exposed to radiation were 1.5 times more likely to develop cancer than high-risk patients who had no exposure. High-risk patients who had greater levels of exposure to radiation—either beginning mammograms before age 20, or having five or more exposures—were 2.5 times more likely to develop cancer.

Researchers say that the findings may suggest the need for a change in screening methodologies

Read more: http://wellness.blogs.time.com/2009/12/01/can-mammograms-increase-cancer-risk-for-some-women/?xid=rss-topstories#ixzz0YXZtz5RP

Grassfed Ghee/butter is delicious and healthy

We're always looking to maximize the nutrition in the foods we eat, the bonus being that the freshest foods taste the best. Happy to use an Indian clarified butter called ghee, which has the milk protein removed so it is casein-free. Even better to find Pure Indian Food's organic and GRASS FED ghee. It's a bit runny because it is made with spring milk (when cows eat fast growing grass that has all those great vitamins--as opposed to cows eating grain, which is not good for them), a beautiful gold color, and it tastes great. We used it in some of J's cannabis cookies.

Thinkers like Dr. Weston Price believe that spring-grass-fed milk products are good for fertility, possibly because of something he called "activator X," that might have been an early identifying of Vitamin K.

Also,from their web site:

More Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA):
Pasture-grazed cows have more CLA in their milk than grain fed cows and our lab tests show our ghee has more CLA than plain butter. CLA is an antioxidant and essential fatty acid that has been getting a lot of attention lately. In animal studies, it reportedly exhibits anticarcinogenic and other beneficial physiological effects. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/ScienceForums/forum03/E-04.htm

And...this company is run by a family, which has been making ghee since 1889. It's slightly more money than the ghee I get at the health food store, but I'll be getting my ghee from Pure Indian Food because they work hard to make the healthiest product possible.

Here's an idea: Instead of spending money on more disposable, unwanted STUFF for the holidays, why not get you and your family THE GIFT OF GOOD HEALTH?

Sandeep Agarwal, one of the owners, kindly passed on this delicious recipe.


Healthy, healing recipe:

KHICHDI (Rice & Mung Bean Stew)
¾ cup split mung (or moong) beans (rinse, soak overnight, and drain)
¾ cup white basmati rice (rinse, soak overnight, and drain)
6 cups water
¾ cup frozen green peas, thawed
¾ cup potato, cut into small wedges
¾ cup cauliflower, broken into small florets
¾ cup carrot, diced
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small pinch of asafoetida powder
2 whole cloves
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
2 teaspoons sea salt

Heat a stockpot over medium heat. Add rice, mung beans, water, turmeric powder and salt. Bring it to
a full boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally for about 40 minutes or
until rice and beans are mushy.

While the rice and beans are being cooked, heat ghee in a large skillet. Add cumin seeds and sauté until they start to pop. Turn the heat low. Add asafoetida powder and cloves and cook for 5-10 seconds.

Add all the cut vegetables and mix well. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender.
Now mix cooked vegetables into rice and beans. Ladle khichdi into bowls. Make a small hole in the center of khichdi and pour one teaspoon ghee into it. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Yogurt or Indian pickles could be delicious accompaniments.
Serves 6.
Copyright © 2009, Pure Indian Foods Corporation. All Rights Reserved.