HOUSEPLANTS HELP CLEAN INDOOR AIR

Deborah L. Brown Extension Horticulturist

Chamaedorea sefritzii (Bamboo palm)

Our space program has led the way to a fascinating and important discovery about the role of houseplants indoors. NASA has been researching methods of cleansing the atmosphere in future space stations to keep them fit for human habitation over extended periods of time. They’ve found that many common houseplants and blooming potted plants help fight pollution indoors. They’re reportedly able to scrub significant amounts of harmful gases out of the air, through the everyday processes of photosynthesis. Some pollutants are also absorbed and rendered harmless in the soil.

Plant physiologists already knew that plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen as part of the photosynthetic process. Now researchers have found many common houseplants absorb benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene, as well.

Chances are, all houseplants are beneficial in this regard, at least to a certain degree, though they haven’t all been tested. Of those tested, not all have proven equally efficient cleaners. Nor can we assume all harmful pollutants can be removed in this manner.

Some houseplants are better at removing formaldehyde from the air, while others do a better job on benzene; none is much help when it comes to tobacco smoke. But there are enough known plants that do a good job of removing pollutants from the air we breathe to cause us to view houseplants as more than just an attractive feature in decorating the interior environment.

These are three of the worst offenders found in relatively new homes and offices. Newer buildings are constructed largely with man-made building materials and furnished with synthetic carpeting, fabrics, laminated counters, plastic coated wallpaper, and other materials known to “off-gas” pollutants into the interior environment.

The advent of the “energy crisis” a number of years back has increased the problems associated with indoor pollutants. Newly constructed buildings are better insulated and sealed tightly to conserve heat or air-conditioning. While it does save both money and energy, this new found efficiency has its downside in that pollutants may be trapped indoors and have less opportunity to dissipate to the outside. The phrase coined to describe this unfortunate result is “sick building syndrome.”

If your home is old enough to be leaky and drafty, you may not need to worry about “sick-building syndrome.” But if you live in a newer, energy-efficient home with windows and doors tightly sealed, or you work in a building where the air feels stale and circulation seems poor, the liberal use of houseplants seems like an easy way to help make a dent in the problem.

NASA scientists studied nineteen different plant species for two years. Of the specimens studied, only two were primarily flowering plants; chrysanthemums and gerbera daisies. Though commonly used to bring a touch of color indoors, particularly for holidays and special occasions, these plants are generally not kept indoors very long. After they’re through blooming they’re usually discarded or planted outdoors.

Most of the plants tested are “true” houseplants, kept indoors year-round in our climate, though they may be placed outdoors during warm summer months. One is the common succulent, Aloe vera (now renamed Aloe barbadensis), also known as “medicine plant.” Many people already have one in a bright kitchen window because of the soothing, healing properties its viscous inner tissue has on burns, bites and skin irritations.

Most of the plants listed below evolved in tropical or sub-tropical forests, where they received light filtered through the branches of taller trees. Because of this, their leaf composition allows them to photosynthesize efficiently under relatively low light conditions, which in turn allows them to process gasses in the air efficiently.

Soil and roots were also found to play an important role in removing air-borne pollutants. Micro-organisms in the soil become more adept at using trace amounts of these materials as a food source, as they were exposed to them for longer periods of time. Their effectiveness is increased if lower leaves that cover the soil surface are removed, so there is as much soil contact with the air as possible.

Best results were obtained with small fans that pulled air through a charcoal filter in the soil, cleaning more than foliage could alone or in combination with a “passive” pot of soil. Even without the fan and filter, however, houseplants did remove trace pollutants from the air.

The NASA studies generated the recommendation that you use 15 to 18 good-sized houseplants in 6 to 8-inch diameter containers to improve air quality in an average 1,800 square foot house. The more vigorously they grow, the better job they’ll do for you.

Detox Your Home: Best 5 First Steps

reathing furniture polish or having floor cleaner on your skin for a few minutes at a time may not make you sick. But green-cleaning queen Annie Bond says mounting research is raising questions about the cumulative effects of years of “normal” exposures like these to common household cleaning products that often contain known carcinogens.

The author of Clean & Green, Home Enlightenment and other books on keeping a health-friendly and earth-friendly abode, Bond says these five steps should be your first to detox your home.

1. Switch to nontoxic cleaning products

Read up on what’s in the cleaning solutions and laundry products you use — then choose a naturally brand you trust. When I wrote Clean & Green, you couldn’t buy a nontoxic commercial version of every product you need in the house. But there have been big breakthroughs. You can now find a nontoxic cleaning product for almost anything, and you don’t need to choose anything with warnings on the label stronger than “CAUTION.”

Or make your own, such as this simple multipurpose soft-scrub: Mix about 1/2 cup baking soda in a bowl with enough natural liquid soap or detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop onto a sponge and clean the bathtub or tiles. Rinse. It’s so versatile and so simple.

2. Stop dry cleaning clothes and using mothballs

They off-gas perchlorethelyne, a recognized carcinogen. Hand-wash items that are dry-clean only, or use an eco-friendly dry cleaning or wet cleaning service. I’ve learned how to hand-wash almost everything. At the very least, don’t bring clothes that have been around these chemicals into your bedroom or closet; air them out in an outdoor area first.

Use cedar chips, blocks, balls and hangers or sachets made with herbs like mint, rosemary, thyme or cloves to repel moths without harmful chemicals.

3. Choose foods with the fewest number of additives, and choose organic whenever you can

Besides the possible health risks of chemicals used on crops, there are very good environmental reasons. Those chemicals end up in runoff water that goes into our groundwater and oceans. There are also new studies showing that the nutrient value of organic food is higher.

4. Avoid products that contain synthetic fragrances

There are as many as 300 chemical ingredients in a single fragrance! Choose fragrance free cleaning products or made with essential oils rather than with artificial fragrances. Making this simple choice helps protect your health and your family’s health, and it’s more sensitive to other people —according to the FDA, fragrances are responsible for 30 percent of all allergic reactions.

5. Eighty-six the pesticides

You don’t need them. There are some really great, effective alternatives to chemical pesticides. For example, soap-based solutions have been used for centuries as all-purpose pesticides. They’re nontoxic to the environment and to people — and they work on a wide variety of garden insects by disrupting their cell membranes and causing dehydration.

The key is not to use too much soap, or you’ll also kill the vegetation near the pests. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons liquid soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap (do NOT use detergent) into 1 quart water in a bucket, then transfer to a spray bottle.

This ONE Action Keeps Brain Function at its Peak…

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
October 03 2009
Researchers have found that individuals with a high daily intake of vegetables and fruits also demonstrate higher cognitive performance. Please notice that vegetables are mentioned first because they are FAR more important than fruits.

Subjects with a high intake (about 400 grams per day) of fruits and vegetables had higher antioxidant levels, lower indicators of free radical-induced damage, and better cognitive performance.

The findings were independent of age, gender, body mass index, and level of education. Further studies are planned that will include larger subject cohorts, patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and patients with mild cognitive impairment.
This latest study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease confirms previous studies on vegetable intake and dementia. Here, healthy subjects between the ages of 45 and 102 underwent cognitive testing while their blood was checked for antioxidant micronutrients and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Their daily fruit and vegetable intake was also assessed.

The subjects in the high fruit and veggie intake group scored significantly higher on the cognitive tests, and they also had higher antioxidant levels and lower biomarkers for oxidative stress than those in the low intake group.

Cognitive test scores were positively correlated with blood levels of α-tocopherol and lycopene, and negatively correlated with F2α isoprostanes (potent vasoconstrictors) and protein carbonyls – a byproduct of oxidation that causes cell damage.

The results were independent of age, gender, body mass index, education, total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and albumin.

The researchers concluded that “modification of nutritional habits aimed at increasing intake of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged to lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in later life.”

The Key to Brain Health

I’m pleased that they focused their recommendation on fruits and vegetables as opposed to the antioxidants themselves, as previous studies have shown that while antioxidants from food have a beneficial impact on your brain and can prevent cognitive decline, supplements do not appear to offer the same benefits.

It seems your brain is too smart to settle for second best, and the key for brain health is FOOD based, and can likely not be duplicated by supplements alone.

For example, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2002, found that diets rich in vitamin E – another antioxidant — may delay the onset of memory-robbing Alzheimer’s disease.

During normal cell processes, compounds called free radicals are released, which can be harmful to your body tissues and lead to so-called oxidative damage or stress. Experts have linked oxidative stress to many illnesses, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Since antioxidants can neutralize free radicals, quite a bit of research has focused on these nutrients and it’s believed they can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. However, they keep finding that this benefit only becomes apparent when the nutrients are consumed in food.

In the JAMA study, those with the highest intake of vitamin E from food appeared to be the least likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Even smokers who consumed the most antioxidant nutrients appeared to cut their Alzheimer’s risk.

Is Alzheimer’s a Form of Diabetes?

Interestingly, in more recent years Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly being referred to as a third form of diabetes.

Along with your pancreas, your brain also produces insulin. Insulin and insulin receptors in your brain are crucial for memory and learning, and it’s known that these components are lower in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

In your brain, insulin binds to an insulin receptor at a synapse, which triggers a mechanism that allows nerve cells to survive, and memories to form. A recent study in the journal Neurology discovered that a toxic protein in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients — called ADDL — removes insulin receptors from nerve cells, and renders those neurons insulin resistant.

It has been suggested that ADDLs accumulate at the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease and thereby block memory function. There is even a test that measures ADDL in your spinal fluid that claims to detect Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages.

People with diabetes also have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Vitamin D May Also Play a Role

Another factor that can further strengthen the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s is a form of diabetes is that vitamin D, just like insulin, also appears to play a role in both diseases.

It has already been established that type 1 diabetes can be prevented with sufficient vitamin D levels.

For example, in one study, babies who received at least 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily were nearly 80 percent less likely to develop type 1 diabetes over the next three decades compared with infants who had lower intakes of the vitamin.

Type 1 diabetes is considered to be an autoimmune disease, and vitamin D has been shown to be an important ingredient to enable the optimal function of your immune system and in preventing too aggressive attacks against your body’s own tissues.

In the same issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease is the study showing the benefits of vegetables on cognitive performance, there’s also a report discussing the potential for vitamin D to protect against dementia.

Observational studies have found that low vitamin D levels are associated with increased risk for:

Cardiovascular diseases

Type 1 diabetes

Depression

Dental caries

Osteoporosis

Periodontal disease

All of these conditions are either considered risk factors for dementia or have preceded incidence of dementia, so your vitamin D levels may indeed be one of the underlying causes of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s as well.

Laboratory studies also show that vitamin D offers neuroprotection, and that it plays a role in reducing inflammation in your body, which is an important aspect of protecting yourself against Alzheimer’s disease.

Guidelines to Prevent Both Alzheimer’s and Diabetes at the Same Time

Three of the most important strategies to prevent Alzheimer’s disease are actually identical to those recommended to prevent diabetes.

This may seem odd at first glance, but is easily understood when you grasp the fact that the single most important factor that can help prevent nearly every chronic disease known to man is to normalize your insulin and leptin levels.

These three steps form the foundation for normalizing your insulin and leptin levels:

Exercise — Exercise protects your brain just as it protects the rest of your body from diabetes. According to one study, the odds of developing Alzheimer’s were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during their leisure time, between the ages of 20 and 60, compared with their peers.

Similar to a healthy diet, regular physical activity is one of those things that can significantly improve many aspects of your physical and emotional health. For the elderly, simple activities such as walking and light weight training would likely provide benefits. For those who are younger, more strenuous exercise may heighten the benefits.

Diet — Eating a nutritious diet of mostly organic, whole foods that are right for your nutritional type.

Omega 3 fats — A diet rich in omega-3 fats has been found to ward off both Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

Keep in mind that most fish today are grossly contaminated, so despite the fact that they are a major source of healthy omega-3’s I do not recommend eating much fish these days, as the health hazards far outweigh the benefits. Your best alternative is to take an animal-based omega-3 supplement, such as krill oil.

Additional Strategies to Keep Your Mind Sharp

By 2050, it’s estimated that 1 out of 8 people will have Alzheimer’s disease…
This is NOT a natural state of affairs, as your brain is capable of remaining fully functional no matter how old you get. That is, as long as you take care of it.

So in addition to the three important tips above, here are a few more strategies to help you keep your mind sharp well into old age:

Optimize your vitamin D levels

Avoid and remove mercury from your body. Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury, however you should be healthy prior to having them removed. Once you have adjusted to a nutritious diet, you can follow the mercury detox protocol and then find a biological dentist who will know how to remove your amalgams in a safe manner that will not harm your health in the process.

Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants, cookware, etc.

Avoid flu vaccinations as they contain both mercury and aluminum!

Eat wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content that are known to guard against Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.

Challenge your mind daily. Mental stimulation, such as traveling, learning to play an instrument or doing crossword puzzles, is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

How to Stay Sharp as a Tack

Friday, October 02, 2009 by: Dr. Julian Whitaker

(NaturalNews) A few days ago a song got stuck in my head- the slow, haunting violin melody that set the mood in the movie Platoon. But I couldn’t recall who wrote it, and it bugged me. Later, when I wasn’t thinking about it, I suddenly remembered it was Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings.

We all have episodes like this. We forget names and misplace things. We lose our train of thought, and we walk into rooms with no recollection of why we went there in the first place. This is normal human behavior. Now, forgetting a close family member’s name, constantly repeating yourself, or getting lost in familiar places is another issue. Still, even run-of-the-mill memory lapses can be disconcerting, especially if you’re older. You may wonder, “Am I losing it? Is Alzheimer’s just around the corner?”

It’s a valid fear. More than 5 million Americans are living with this disease, and the older you are, the greater your risk. The upside is that there are a number of steps you can take to maintain and actually improve your memory. Let’s take a look at the latest research.

Shape Up

Australian researchers reported in a 2008 JAMA study that when people with mild memory problems exercised for 50 minutes three times a week, their cognitive function was enhanced. The exercise wasn’t strenuous- most people walked. But the results were significant and improvements endured for at least a year, even though the study lasted only 24 weeks.

Among its many benefits, exercise improves blood flow to the brain. This three-pound organ consumes about 20 percent of the oxygen and glucose you take in, and when poor circulation hampers their delivery, memory is obviously affected. Physical activity also helps control blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight. Hypertension is the number-one cause of “mini-strokes” that can lead to severe cognitive dysfunction. Diabetes before age 65 doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. And abdominal obesity during midlife triples the risk of dementia at age 70!

Take a Look at Your Drug Regimen

A host of drugs can impair memory, and the usual suspects- sedatives, sleep aids, painkillers, and psychiatric meds- are just the tip of the iceberg.

Zantac and Tagamet, acid blockers for ulcers and GERD, have been found to cause memory decline in a third of older people who use them. Statin drugs prescribed for lowering cholesterol are linked with both acute temporary amnesia and long-term cognitive problems. Some antihistamines (Benadryl and Sudafed), antibiotics (Cipro and Keflex), antihypertensive medications (beta-blockers), and anticholinergics (used to treat asthma as well as urinary and gastrointestinal problems) are also implicated in cognitive dysfunction, especially in older people.

Talk to your doctor if you’re on any drugs. Safe alternatives are available for virtually all of them.

Consider Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy ameliorates many aspects of aging, including memory loss. Cognitive problems are a well-recognized symptom of hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function. In fact, this condition can actually mimic Alzheimer’s. Because a significant percentage of older women and men have undiagnosed hypothyroidism, I encourage everyone over age 50 to have their thyroid hormone levels checked. Natural thyroid replacement can make a world of difference.

The research on estrogen and testosterone isn’t as clear cut. However, my clinical experience has been that men who use supplemental testosterone and women who use bioidentical hormone replacement therapy usually report improvements in alertness, concentration, and overall sense of well-being.

Surf the Web

The admonition to “use it or lose it” isn’t news. We’ve known for years that people who read, play musical instruments, do puzzles, and are otherwise involved in stimulating activities have a reduced risk of memory impairment. Mental exercise builds what scientists call “cognitive reserve.” By increasing the number and variety of neural connections and networks, the brain becomes more resilient to damage.

So what creates cognitive reserve? Higher education, challenging work and leisure activities- and searching the Internet. UCLA researchers discovered that people over age 55 who regularly “surfed the Web” had twice as much activity in the areas of the brain involved in complex reasoning and decision making while engaging in this activity.

Listen to Memory-Enhancing CDs

When I first came across CDs that claimed to enhance memory, the idea sounded too good to be true. But then I looked at the research. These CDs are based on a well-studied technology called brainwave entrainment that uses rhythmic stimulus such as sound or light to synchronize the brain’s electrical cycles. In one study, individuals who listened to these CDs for at least 70 minutes for 25 days in a row reported feeling more attentive and mentally clear- and their IQ test scores improved by an average of 18.9 percent!

I’ve tried several brain entrainment systems over the years, and many of them require special glasses and headphones. These CDs, however, are by far my favorite because they can be used anytime, anywhere. I’ve been playing them as background music in my office and car, and though I don’t know if I’m getting any smarter, I do feel more clear-headed and relaxed.

Eat, Drink, and Get Smart

There is a consensus that the best “brain foods” are those that address the underlying processes in age-related degeneration: inflammation and free-radical damage. That being said, the standard American diet of meat, potatoes, breads, sweets, and processed foods is a recipe for dementia. Saturated fat fuels inflammation. Potatoes, breads, and sweets precipitate insulin resistance and weight gain. And processed foods are devoid of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that nourish the brain.

Replace meat with salmon and other omega-3- rich fish that dampen inflammation. Eliminate starches and sweets, and eat more beans and other low-glycemic carbohydrates. And load up on protective nutrients by eating plenty of vegetables and a little fruit. If you’re looking for a food plan to follow, make it the Mediterranean diet, which, in addition to these items, includes modest amounts of olive oil and wine. A recent study revealed that older people who most closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet over four and a half years were 28 percent less likely to develop cognitive impairment.

I also recommend drinking coffee. You probably know that coffee makes you more alert and improves short-term memory, but did you realize it also protects against Alzheimer’s? Scandinavian scientists recently found that people who drank three to five cups of coffee a day during middle age were 65 percent less likely to develop dementia!

Take Vitamin D…

Studies on the diverse benefits of vitamin D keep pouring in, and one of the latest focuses on cognitive function. Researchers tested the vitamin D blood levels of nearly 2,000 Brits over age 65. After adjusting for age, education, and other factors, they found that those with low levels of vitamin D were more than twice as likely to have cognitive problems.

Deficiencies in this vitamin are common among the general population, but they’re rampant in older people, who have a decreased ability to produce vitamin D in the skin. One of the most important things you can do to preserve your memory is to get your blood level of this vitamin tested and take supplements to bring it into the optimal range.

…And Other Supplements

Vitamin D isn’t the only nutrient that improves brain health. Vitamin B12 guards against age-related brain shrinkage and reduces risk of dementia. Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) lowers levels of a protein linked to Alzheimer’s. Folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 keep toxic homocysteine in check. And you can’t protect against free-radical damage without antioxidants.

Fish oil is crucial because it provides DHA, a dominant fat in the brain, and EPA, a potent anti-inflammatory. Curcumin, an extract from turmeric, curbs inflammation, and vinpocetine, a periwinkle extract, improves cerebral blood flow. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylserine (PS) are also important constituents of neuronal cell membranes, plus PC is a precursor to acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter.

Due to inefficient absorption and poor diet, the vast majority of older Americans are deficient in some or all of these nutrients. Simply correcting nutritional deficiencies can engender dramatic improvements in memory and general health. Therefore, I cannot over-emphasize the importance of a good nutritional supplement program when it comes to cognitive support.

Keep Your “Entries” Intact

Oscar Wilde once said, “Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us.” Keep your “entries” intact by taking these recommendations to heart, and enjoy optimal cognitive function for years to come.

Recommendations

The easiest way to meet the suggested supplement recommendations is to take a good daily multivitamin, two or more fish oil capsules, and a combination brain/memory formula. Look for these products in your health food store or call (800) 722-8008 to order my formula, Memory Essentials.

Talk to your doctor about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and vitamin D testing. For information on receiving these services at the Whitaker Wellness Institute, call (800) 488-1500.

To order iMusic’s memory-enhancing BrainAmp CDs, call (800) 722-8008.

References
Huang TL, et al. A comprehensive review of the psychological effects of brainwave entrainment. Altern Ther Health Med. 2008 Sep-Oct;14(5):38-50.
Lautenschlager NT, et al. Effect of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease: a radomized trial. JAMA. 2008;300(9):1027-1037.
Llewellyn DJ, et al. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D concentration and cognitive impairment. J Geriatr Psych Neurol. 2009 Feb 4. E-pub ahead of print.
Scarmeas N, et al. Mediterranean diet and mild cognitive impairment. Arch Neurol. 2009 Feb;66(2):216-225.
Small GW, et al. Your brain on Google: patterns of cerebral activation during internet searching. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009 Feb;17(2):116-126.
Spira AP, et al. Sleep-disordered breathing and cognition in older women. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008 Jan;56(1):45-50.

Autism rates double in children as vaccines poison an entire generation

Tuesday, October 06, 2009 by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor Key concepts: Vaccines, Autism and Chemicals View on NaturalPedia: Vaccines, Autism and Chemicals

(NaturalNews) According to a U.S. government survey just published, rates of autism in children have doubled since 2003. Today, an estimated 1 in 91 children are being diagnosed with autism, making this the highest rate in any population in the history of human civilization. Meanwhile, the vaccination push in America continues, specifically targeting children with not just seasonal flu vaccines (which may contain thimerosal), but also the H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

It all begs the question: Is there a link between vaccinesand autism?

In defending vaccines, many doctors have blamed autismon a genetic cause. But if it’s genetic, why are rates skyrocketing so quickly? The gene pool obviously isn’t changing that dramatically. There’s no such thing as a “genetic epidemic.” If genes caused autism, the rate of autism diagnosis should be holding steady year after year. Clearly, something else is at work, causing the sharp increase in autism.

Autism is a neurological disorder. If you’re looking for the cause of autism, it only makes sense to look at causes involving environmental factors that expose children tochemicals linked to neurological disorders. Vaccines immediately come to mind, not only because they containthimerosal — a preservative made with methyl mercury that’s extremely toxic to the nervous system — but also because they contain chemical adjuvants like squalene, which directly cause inflammation of the nervous system.

So what happens when a nutrient-deficient child is exposed to more than one hundred vaccines injected with thimerosal, squalene and other chemicals? It’s not unreasonable to suspect that vaccines — which inject these chemicals directly into the body — might be one of the more obvious causes.

The pharmaceutical industry (which thrives on vaccines) claims there is absolutely no link between vaccines and autism. Well of course they do! The entire future of pharmaceutical profit-making depends on the continued propagandizing of the myth that chemical intervention improves human health. They’re no more likely to find fault with their own vaccines than a cigarette company is to admitcigarettes cause cancer.

“Asking the pharmaceutical industry to investigate the safety of vaccines is like asking Big Tobacco to investigate the safety of cigarettes.

What’s clear is that rates have autism have paralleled the rise in children’s vaccines. Each year we get more vaccines pushed onto children, and each year we see increases in autism. Given that many vaccines contain a neurotoxic heavy metal (mercury) and neurotoxic adjuvants, it only seems reasonable to start looking at vaccines as one of the important contributing factors (if not the main cause) of autism.

Other factors for autism

There are likely other factors involved, and their danger potentially gets multiplied in the presence of methyl mercury from vaccines. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), for example, is a neurotoxin, too, and kids today are eating more and more foods laced with MSG as flavor enhancers. (It’s found in canned soups, gravy mixes, salad dressings, snack dips, and virtually all “instant” microwaveable meals.) Look for “yeast extract” on food labels: It’s a covert source of MSG that manufacturers use to avoid having to place “MSG” on the ingredients label.

There’s also aspartame and diet sodas. Aspartame is a potent neurotoxin that could be making the nervous system especially vulnerable to damage from vaccines. Beyond chemical food ingredients, the human nervous system can also be compromised by pain drugs administered during childbirth, antidepressant drugs or diabetes drugs given to expectant mothers, or even the highly toxic chemicals commonly found in “baby care” products used in hospitals around the world.

Even before they’re born, most first-world babies are exposed to a toxic stew of synthetic chemicals. The chemical invasion of a vaccine injection might be the one final blow that sends the nervous system in a downward spiral of destruction.

The facts cannot be denied: Our children are being neurologically poisoned by chemicals, and vaccines are one of the most worrisome sources of chemical suspects. In my opinion, any parent subjecting their child to vaccines today is directly putting their child in harm’s way. They are risking their child’s life in order to comply with a highly unethical, profit-focused vaccine push that has but one objective: To sell more dangerous pharmaceutical chemicals to children who don’t need them.

There will be a day in the future, I’m sure, when injecting a child with a neurotic chemical will be considered a felony crime, punishable by years in prison. Until that day comes, this same criminal act is innocuously called “administering a vaccine.”

Sources for this story include:

ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMo…

The 8 traits of a wealthy woman

Jean Chatzky says that anyone can prosper in even the toughest economic times…if they possess the key traits and abilities that will set them apart. She calls these traits The Difference, and in her new book Jean describes how you can go from the person who lives paycheck to paycheck to the person who lives in comfort.

Do you have The Difference? And, if not—how can you get it? Jean shares the eight things that matter most to help you become financially free.

HAPPINESS AND OPTIMISM
Some people believe money leads to happiness. Not true. Once you’re living comfortably, more money doesn’t buy more happiness. The reverse, however, is true: Happiness leads to money. And success. Likewise, so does optimism. Both enable you to solve problems, conjure ideas, take long-range consequences into consideration and come back and try again if you miss the first time.

RESILIENCE
People who have moved from a bad financial situation into comfort or wealth have resilience. They can overcome—on the job, in their personal lives, with their finances. They don’t deny the bad things that happen, but they’re able to turn their focus to things over which they have control with the belief that they have the ability to effect change. The good news is you don’t have to be born with resilience—you can learn it by controlling the things you can control and letting go of the others.

CONNECTEDNESS
Ever heard of social capital? It’s the asset created when relationships between people change in ways that lead to action, generally for good. It’s an important component of The Difference, and the wealthy and financially comfortable not only have more of it than people living paycheck to paycheck, they know how to use it. They cast a wider net, socializing with neighbors, co-workers, people who can help them advance financially or in their careers. To get your share of social capital, you have to make time for people and put yourself forward as a leader.

PASSION
It is a key element that moves people from a life of financial struggle to one of financial success. The wealthy, simply put, want it more than the rest of that. Some want it in the form of money, but most are quite passionate about the careers they choose to pursue. And, at a time where doing what you love may seem not so possible, it’s important to know you can learn to love what you do.

INTUITION
Over the years, your brain has scored up scads of patterns, information that tells you that if one thing happens, something else is likely to follow. We feel these signals in our gut—and we call them hunches. They are really our intuition, a sixth sense that is more developed in the wealthy than in anyone else. You can learn to bring yours forward by adopting strategies like giving your intuition a little room to breathe: Jean herself says she has the best aha! moments when she’s not searching for them.

HABITUAL SAVING
The wealthy people in our study certainly have the funds to be crazy spenders, but most are not. Both wealthy and financially comfortable individuals say that saving more money has been an “absolutely essential” financial goal as an adult. If you’re not a habitual saver already.

INVEST IN STOCKS
Jean did the research for this book when housing prices were cratering and the markets were falling out of the sky. Yet, one lesson emerged again and again: The wealthy understand the need to take risks in the market—in good times and in bad—in order to make their money work as hard as they do.

RATITUDE
The Karma Kickback. The people who get rich—and stay rich—are not just grateful. They practice gratitude by giving back to their communities, to organizations they believe in and the people they care about. Even if you are thinking of something you view as mundane—like your job—when you think about it as a gift, you focus on what life might be if you didn’t have it.

Ten Things That Are Missing from Obama’s Health Care Reform Debate

NaturalNews) You can’t fix one broken system by replacing it with another broken system. Sure, the current health care system of “that’s a pre-existing condition” insurance companies, employer-funded health insurance and miserable Medicaid is a public health disaster, but if we’re going to fix the system, we have to come up with something that actually addresses the root cause of disease in America.

The current health care reform debate in Washington is really just a distraction — a ploy to keep everyone focused on all the wrong topics while quietly refusing to talk about the big issues that threaten the health of an entire nation.

Here are the top 10 things missing from Obama’s health care reform plan (and often absent from the debate):

#1) Ending the FDA’s suppression of natural cures and safe, effective nutritional supplements.

#2) Initiating a real investment in public education to teach people about how to prevent disease with nutrition.

#3) Ending Big Pharma’s monopoly on drug prices and drug patents (not to mention patents on human genes and animals).

#4) Restoring the ability for local doctors to practice local medicine without being controlled from bureaucrats in Washington.

#5) Cracking down on junk food advertising, soda advertising and pharmaceutical ads that convince people to purchase products that will only harm them.

#6) Banning dangerous chemical ingredients that cause diseases in the first place (aspartame, MSG, sodium nitrite, etc.)

#7) A real effort to improve school lunches and serve food that’s nutritious instead of food that’s cheap and convenient.

#8) Ending bizarre food subsidies on crops like corn that end up making high-fructose corn syrup the cheapest sweetener for manufacturers to use.

#9) Affirming health freedom for parents who wish to opt out of the current system of forced vaccinations and gunpoint-enforced chemotherapy.

#10) Requiring honest food labeling where irradiated and GMO foods are clearly labeled as such.

The Health Revolution Petition is more relevant now than ever…

In fact, the current health care reform debate is missing a long list of items that are essential to a genuine improvement in the health outcome of the American people.

With the help of several health freedom pioneers (and attorneys), I put together the Health Revolution Petition (http://www.HealthRevolutionPetition.org) which offers an affordable, freedom-oriented approach to real health care reform.

Here’s the full text of the petition:

We, the People of these United States of America, hereby call for revolutionary changes in our health care system that encourage health and prosperity instead of disease and corporate profit.

Specifically, we call for:

1. Federal government encouragement and reward for the People taking personal responsibility for their own health
- A full federal income tax deduction, with no minimum, for the purchase of any product, service, or device that is intended for use in the improvement of health. This includes, but is not limited to, dietary and herbal supplements, gym memberships, health coaching services, exercise equipment, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies or any other health-enhancing products and services.

- The immediate creation of an investigatory panel, comprised of leaders from both conventional and naturopathic backgrounds, that would investigate the “Citizens In Charge” debit card health care system described at www.HealthRevolutionPetition.org/Ci…

* The “Citizens In Charge” health care system is a “socialized-free-market” system of health care that eliminates all health insurance and puts health care decisions back into the hands of the People, allowing them to spend their government-provided health care funds on any health-related products or services they choose (conventional, alternative, licensed or unlicensed).

* The investigatory panel shall report on the economic viability (and potential savings) of the program, as well as the likely improvements in health care outcomes. This report shall be made publicly available on the internet for all citizens to read and discuss.

2. Restore Health Freedom to All Americans and Legalize Healing

- Allow all practitioners of the healing arts, licensed or otherwise, the freedom to practice healing arts with the consent of patients. End all government persecution of alternative and complementary care practitioners and clinics.

- End FDA oppression of free speech about health products and therapies.

- Protect access to dietary supplements, colloidal silver, medicinal herbs and anti-cancer products.

- End FTC and FDA assaults on the Free Speech rights of natural health companies who accurately describe the health benefits of their products.

- Affirm the rights of American moms and dads to choose to avoid mandatory vaccinations of their children.

- End federal assaults (DEA) on the possession or sale of medicinal plants that have been medically recognized and legalized by States such as California.

- Legalize Healing: End state monopoly medical licensing laws that grant conventional medical authorities absolute power to decide who can or cannot practice medicine.

3. End FDA Tyranny, Censorship and Corruption

- End the FDA’s definition of a “drug” and strip it of authority to censor truthful health claims about dietary supplements.

- End revolving door employment between the FDA and Big Pharma; fire current FDA employees and advisors with past financial ties to Big Pharma.

- Require full disclosures of financial conflicts of interest of FDA managers, scientists and decision panel members.

- End the FDA’s Big Pharma-initiated attack on compounding pharmacies and bioidentical hormone therapy.

- Investigate the FDA’s collusion with pharmaceutical companies in hiding clinical trial data from the American public.

4. Protect the Food Supply

- Ban GMOs in the U.S. food supply.

- Ban harmful food additives: MSG, aspartame and sodium nitrite.

- Require honest labeling of irradiated foods.

- Require country-of-origin labeling for all foods sold in the U.S.

- Ban the importation of foods using pesticides outlawed in the U.S.

- Save California’s almond growers and end the fumigation of raw almonds.

- Require honest investigation into mad cow disease and the questionable practices of factory animal farms.

- Only permit “harmonization” of our healthcare and food laws with other nations if all the freedoms and rights mentioned in this petition are respected and guaranteed both domestically and in the harmonizing nation.

5. Restore Honest Science to Medicine

- Require the open, timely publication of all medical studies.

- Require open disclosure of all ties between study authors, researchers and for-profit entities.

- Require clinical trial results to report ABSOLUTE numbers, not just relative numbers.

- Require long-term testing of drugs (at least 12 months) before approval in order to determine real-world side effects.

- Require safety testing of multiple drug combinations that are commonly prescribed to real patients.

- End disease mongering and the psychiatric medication of infants and toddlers. Outlaw the drugging of young children with mind-altering chemicals such as ADHD drugs.

6. End Era of Big Pharma Domination Over Health Care

- End all drug-company-funded “benefits” to doctors, including vacation-style CME events, speaking fees, consulting fees and author fees.

- Investigate and prosecute drug company executives for intentionally hiding negative drug trial data and misleading the public about the safety of their products.

- Get Big Pharma out of medical schools.

- Guarantee the right of consumers to sue drug companies and medical device manufacturers for damages caused by unsafe products.

- Restore power to the FTC to regulate commercial drug advertising practices.

- Modify the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to double product liability and personal injury awards involving any pharmaceuticals that are advertised in a Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) manner.

- Enact legislation that would impose substantial criminal penalties for executives of drug companies that advertise drugs for which serious adverse events were known by the company at the time the drug was submitted to the FDA for approval.

- Regulate direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription medications by removing its jurisdiction from the FDA and shifting it to the FTC, which is normally the agency that exercises jurisdiction over commercial advertising. Additionally:

* Require such ads to prominently and conspicuously display, for a period of no less than five seconds, a toll-free phone number that drug consumers may use to report drug side effects.
Thursday, August 20, 2009 by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

* Disallow the practice of using celebrity spokespersons for the promotion of any drug.

* Disallow ads that exaggerate claims of drug benefits or that do not accurately reflect the scientific findings of clinical trials.

* Require all statistical claims of drug benefits to be stated in absolute numbers, not relative numbers.

* Require drug side effects reports gathered through the toll-free phone number to be reported on a timely basis to the FDA.

* Require the FTC to disallow pharmaceutical “lifestyle advertising” that suggests taking a drug will dramatically transform the lifestyle of the patient. Lifestyle advertising sends a dangerous message that the “before” person (depressed, miserable, unhealthy-looking) will be magically changed into the “after” person (healthy, vibrant, happy, energetic and sexy) by taking the drug.

7. Protect Children From Products That Compromise Their Health

- Restrict commercial advertising of junk foods, sodas and caffeine energy drinks to programming hours not commonly viewed by children.

- Eliminate junk food and soda vending machines from all schools and public buildings.

- Get processed foods out of the school lunch program and encourage the use of fresh, unprocessed foods.

- End mandatory vaccination requirements (as per section 2, above), restoring this decision to parents.

8. Ban Man-Made, Non-Natural Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

- Ban man-made, non-natural chemicals in cosmetics that have not been proven safe.

- Require government-funded testing of commonly used man-made, non-natural chemicals to determine their safety.

- Require honest labeling of cosmetics and personal care products with appropriate cancer warnings.

- Recognize that the skin absorbs chemicals, and chemicals used on the skin can enter the bloodstream.

9. Invest in Disease Prevention

- Encourage and permit tax deductions for routine testing of vitamin D as part of routine patient exams.

- Encourage vitamin D supplementation and sensible sunlight exposure to correct deficiencies.

- Teach the population about nutrition, vitamin D, medicinal foods and disease prevention by using Public Service Announcements.

10. Protect the Environment from Drug and Chemical Companies

- Require the EPA to investigate the environmental impact of pharmaceuticals in the water supply.

- End the chemical fluoridation of public water supplies.

- Require hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes to dispose of expired pharmaceuticals in an environmentally-conscious away that avoids more drugs being flushed down the drain and passing intact through waste water treatment facilities and then into our bodies when we consume tap water.

(Note: The actual wording of this petition may change slightly over time for purposes of clarity and completeness. Any changes will be minor and shall honor the spirit and substance of the petition text you are reading now.)

You can sign the petition yourself at: http://www.HealthRevolutionPetition.org

Antidepressant Commonly Prescribed for Autism Found Utterly Useless

(NaturalNews) The antidepressant Celexa, commonly prescribed to alleviate some symptoms of autism in children, has no medical benefit in such patients, while exposing them to a significant risk of side effects.

Researchers treated 149 autistic children between the ages of five and 17 with either Celexa (generic name citalopram) or a placebo for 12 weeks. While one third of the patients who took Celexa showed improvement in symptoms over the study period, just as many patients showed improvement on the placebo. Children who took Celexa were twice as likely to suffer from side effects, including insomnia and impulsiveness, as children who took a placebo.

Lead researcher Bryan King noted that doctors prescribing drugs for “off-label” uses not approved by the FDA — often uses for which few studies of effectiveness or safety have been done — may think the treatment is actually working because of strong placebo effects like that seen in this study.

Celexa is an antidepressant in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. Because many SSRIs have shown some effectiveness in treating the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder in adults, growing numbers of pediatricians are turning to the drugs to treat obsessive, repetitive behaviors in autistic children. Many autistic children are prone to carry out repetitive behaviors like counting or arm flapping almost uncontrollably, often flying into a tantrum if interrupted.

The only drug approved by the FDA to treat irritability and aggression in autistic children is the atypical antipsychotic risperidone. Federal law allows doctors to prescribe drugs for any use they wish, however.

Treatment of obsessive symptoms in autistic children with Celexa or other SSRIs has been premised on the untested assumption that such symptoms stem from similar neurological pathways as those of adult obsessive compulsive disorder. The new study has cast serious doubt onto that hypothesis.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer

Good Bacteria Fight the Flu: PROBIOTICS

“PRO” = GOOD. “BIOTIC” = LIFE …. GOOD BACTERIA

“ANTI” = BAD. “BIOTIC” = LIFE …. BAD BACTERIA

Bacteria present naturally in your body and sometimes found in food could keep cold and flu viruses at bay.

According to a study, young children who drank a mixture of such bacteria, known as probiotics, had fewer colds, needed fewer antibiotics, and missed fewer days of school.

Researchers have already shown that probiotics can benefit those who are ill, and the bacteria are thought to boost the immune system’s response to invaders.

SOURCE:
ABC News July 27, 2009

For most of you reading this, cold and flu season is right around the corner, and with it will come the yearly push urging you to get a flu vaccine to stay healthy.

This year the push will be even more magnified with the exaggerated swine flu risks … and the dangerous vaccine solution … being heavily promoted.

If you take nothing else away from this article, let it be this: you have at your disposal tools to bolster your immune system and drastically reduce your risk of colds and the flu. You do not need a vaccine to do this. In fact, a vaccine could easily make your health worse.

And one of these “tools” that I urge you to look into right away is good bacteria, or probiotics.

Eighty percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, so–it makes perfect sense that probiotics would be very effective at warding off cold and flu viruses

Remember, a robust immune system is your number one defense system against ALL disease, and in order to keep your immune system in top working order you must have a healthy balance of good to bad bacteria in your gut (the optimal balance is about 85 percent “good bacteria” and 15 percent “bad”).

The researchers in this new study actually found quite significant benefits among 3- to 5-year-old children who received either a single strain or combination of probiotics twice a day for six months.

Compared to the placebo group, the single and combination probiotic groups had reduced fever by 53 percent and 73 percent respectively, decreased coughing by 41 percent and 62 percent, and reduced runny noses by 28 percent and 59 percent.

Antibiotic use was also 68 percent and 84 percent lower, respectively, which is a major gain in and of itself because antibiotics are vastly overused in children and contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Why are Probiotics so Important?

Probiotics are one of only two supplements that are recommended to all new patients who come to the Natural Health Center that I stared in 1985 (the other being an omega-3 fat supplement). It’s also one of the few supplements that I personally take every day.

In many cultures, probiotic-rich food and drinks, such as the fermented superfoods natto, kefir, lassi (an Indian yogurt drink) and sauerkraut, are an integral part of the daily diet.

If you eat a diet rich in fermented foods like these that have NOT been pasteurized (pasteurization will kill the probiotics), then you will likely enjoy great digestive, and immune system, health.

However, if you find yourself strongly drawn to processed foods or rely on mostly cooked foods, as is commonplace in the United States, the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract will have a hard time staying optimal.

This is most unfortunate because this ratio between the “good” bacteria and the other bacteria is one of the critical factors determining your optimal health, as the good bacteria are essential for:\

• The proper development of your immune system

• Protection against over-growth of other microorganisms that could cause disease

• Digestion of food and absorption of nutrients

The probiotics in your gut also play a role in helping numerous bodily functions, such as:

• Digesting and absorbing certain carbohydrates.

• Producing vitamins, absorbing minerals and eliminating toxins.

• Keeping bad bacteria under control.

• Preventing allergies. Friendly bacteria train your immune system to distinguish between pathogens and non-harmful antigens, and to respond appropriately.

• Providing vital support to your immune system. Beneficial bacteria have a lifelong, powerful effect on your gut’s immune system and your systemic immune system as well.

Sugar is also an incredibly efficient fertilizer for growing bad bacteria and yeast in your gut, so if you indulge in a lot of it you’re fueling the bad bacteria rather than the good.

Likewise, stress, pollution, and taking antibiotics can further upset the balance in a negative way.

Since helpful bacteria are increasingly absent in most people’s diets, it is important to purposely include foods that contain live probiotic bacteria in your diet, or take a probiotic supplement — especially since flu season is just around the corner.

Here’s What You Need to Know to Avoid the Flu This Year

Now is the time to start making healthy changes that will keep you virtually immune to cold and flu viruses. If you follow the tips I recommend, you can easily sail through each and every winter (and fall, spring and summer) without so much as a case of the sniffles.

You can avoid it too — without getting vaccinated — by following these simple guidelines.

• Optimize your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is the likely cause of seasonal flu viruses. Getting an optimal level of vitamin D will help you fight infections of all kinds. In fact, the largest study yet of the association between vitamin D and respiratory infections found people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu.

• Eat plenty of probiotic-rich fermented foods, or take a high-quality probiotic supplement to support your digestive and immune system health.

• Avoid or Limit Sugar. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately and a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness.

• Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight off cold and flu viruses.

• Have Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

• Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads.

• Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil, which is crucial for maintaining health.

• Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for this — antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

Also, be careful not to overdo it. Washing your hands too much can actually remove much of the protective layer on your skin and increase your chances of acquiring an infection.

Comments from Dr. Mercola

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/15/Good-Bacteria-Fight-the-Flu.aspx

quote of the day

Thought for Today

“My prayer for myself, my friends and the world is that we become ever more conscious—aware of our meaning and purpose. I pray for peaceful pauses within ourselves to acknowledge our gratitude for life and all its complexities.”
— Oprah