FLU News

UPDATE: US declares public health emergency for swine flu
Tamiflu Caution
Tamiflu/Relenza Hazards
Thieves Vinegar
Millenium CF
The important thing in a pandemic: DON'T PANIC. PREPARE. BE SMART.

We encourage to to think carefully and cautiously before you consider flu vaccines. Ask questions and get all the information as required by informed consent laws. Flu vaccines have been related to greater incidence of the viruses and extremely serious side effects. We do not support vaccination as our personal choice based on the evidence. Viruses are always changing. Act to build and keep your immune system strong.

What Does The Swine Flu Outbreak Mean?
by DemFromCT (dailykos.com)
Sat Apr 25, 2009

Well, that's a loaded question, and the short answer is, we don't know yet. But here's a little that we do know about pandemics.

A pandemic is defined as: a new virus to which everybody is susceptible; the ability to readily spread from person to person; and the capability of causing significant disease in humans, said Dr. Jay Steinberg, an infectious disease specialist at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta. The new strain of swine flu meets only one of the criteria: novelty.

History indicates that flu pandemics tend to occur once every 20 years or so, so we're due for one, Steinberg said.

"I can say with 100 percent confidence that a pandemic of a new flu strain will spread in humans," he said. "What I can't say is when it will occur."

Point number one: this is a novel, never before seen virus. Humans do not have protection, though there may be some cross protection. So, that makes it dangerous and worth watching.

Point number two: we don't know anything about how easily this particular virus spreads from person to person. That's partly because we know more about the few US cases and less about the many Mexican cases. We don't know how many reported suspected cases in Mexico are actually swine flu. Only a handful of cases in Mexico have been confirmed by US and Canadian laboratories. That still leaves us with worry, but not hard fact.

Point number three: that's about how much illness it causes. In the US, not much. For Mexico:

"Public health officials in Mexico began actively looking for cases of respiratory illness upon noticing that the seasonal peak of influenza extended into April, when cases usually decline in number," the medical alert said. "They found two outbreaks of illness — one centered around Distrito Federal (Mexico City), involving about 120 cases with 13 deaths. The other is in San Luis Potosi, with 14 cases and four deaths."

Authorities also detected one death in Oaxaca, in the south, and two in Baja California Norte, near San Diego, California.

So what do the authorities say? They say this:

"Our concern has grown since yesterday in light of what we've learned since then," said Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC, during a conference call today with reporters. "This is something we're worried about and taking very seriously. We are moving quickly, being very aggressive in our approach."

and

"This has a sense of urgency about it," [William] Schaffner, chief of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt, said in a telephone interview today. "They are asking us who work in hospitals to go to our emergency rooms and our pediatric wards to gather specimens and start testing them."

But none of that means this will develop into a pandemic. It does mean we are closer now than at any time in recent memory (and it could still fizzle out. Remember, we still don't know a lot about Mexico's cases, the vast majority of which have not been analyzed.) So, as we follow the news, let's review our flu and pandemic prep advice. Here's the basics: avoidance.

~Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

~Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.

~Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.

~Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. (Natural Health News note: Avoid using anti-bacterial soap and alcohol based hand sanitizers, use plain castile soap like Dr. Bronner's super baby mild, and keep skin lubricated with toxin-free natural lotion.)

~Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

~Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

You can always add

~Don't travel to countries in the midst of a novel flu outbreak. (of course, the official CDC advice is go, but practice 1-6).

Here's a status note from Reuters:
The experts will not necessarily issue firm recommendations on Saturday. Once more details are clear about the virus and its risks, the emergency panel could recommend a change in the WHO's pandemic alert level — currently at 3 on a scale of 1 to 6 — or recommend travel advisories to control the flu's spread.

and from Bloomberg:
The World Health Organization is set to declare the deadly swine flu virus outbreak in Mexico and the U.S. a global concern, potentially prompting travel restrictions, said a person familiar with the matter.

An emergency committee of the WHO in Geneva will declare the outbreak "a public health event of international concern" in a 4 p.m. teleconference today, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting is confidential. In response, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan may raise the level of pandemic alert, which could lead to travel restrictions aimed at curbing the disease's spread.

You can take a look at the CDC and WHO visualization of how pandemics develop and are classified. Take a look, just so you're more familiar with it, as it may come up in the weeks ahead.

Along the top are the WHO phases. We are currently in phase 3, and that corresponds with the Pandemic Alert Period. Skip the USG stages because they are not widely used. At the bottom, CDC has corresponding "intervals" for the graph, and they correspond to functional "what do I do and when" information about a potential pandemic. Moving from WHO phase 3 to 4 ("you are here") means moving from CDC interval "investigation" to "recognition". That's exactly where we are — investigation. But even so, should something untoward develop there'd be time do some preparation before we moved into the "initiation" and the "acceleration" interval, even if this goes sour some time in the near future.

However, moving from investigation to recognition (i.e., WHO phase 3 to 4, or moving to the right of the big red line) would trigger all sorts of changes and alarms and trip wires in pandemic plans developed by companies and countries, and that might have an effect on travel advisories. Some multinationals might call for ex-pats to return home, just as one example. Airlines and tourism might take an economic hit (that happened to Canada during the SARS epidemic in 2003, and Canadians are still sore at WHO for acting (in their view) too precipitously in issuing travel advisories.

All this is given to give you a flavor of the complex decision making that needs to go on. WHO will be meeting in emergency session to do just that, but it's not as easy as simply saying "be cautious", not when so many factors come into play. And for a look at school closures, I refer you to this previous post when we talked about exercises and seasonal cases in Hong Kong that closed their schools.

In the meantime, we'll be tracking it here, along with the rest of the country, and we'll update periodically as needed. And if you want to know what preparations you can take, go here. get pandemic ready.

It's a site we set up with Idaho's Emergency management team exactly for that reason.

Or download this flu prep manual.

Pandemic Influenza
Preparation and Response: A Citizen's Guide

We put it there so you could. This is an excellent opportunity to think about the unthinkable. And if nothing develops, you'll be better prepped for the next natural disaster that does happen.

† † †

UPDATE
WHO warns of flu pandemic as Mexico City frets
Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:05pm BST

By Catherine Bremer and Stephanie Nebehay

MEXICO CITY/GENEVA (Reuters) - A new flu strain that has killed up to 68 people in Mexico could become a pandemic, the World Health Organisation warned on Saturday, as Mexico's crowded capital hunkered down in fear of the disease. . . .

"It has pandemic potential because it is infecting people," WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said in Geneva.

"However, we cannot say on the basis of currently available laboratory, epidemiological and clinical evidence whether or not it will indeed cause a pandemic. . . .

The new flu strain — a mixture of swine, human and avian flu viruses — is still poorly understood and the situation is evolving quickly, Chan said.

As far away as Hong Kong and Japan, health officials stepped up surveillance of travellers for flu-like symptoms, and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it was actively looking for new infections in the United States.

"We are worried and because we are worried we are acting aggressively on a number of fronts," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told reporters. "The situation is serious."

Courtesy: Perelandra

Read how sauerkraut, a valuable fermented food, can help fight flu and build your immune system.

Use Current Standards for Accurate Diagnosing

Read More about thyroid, radiation exposure and cancer: Keep in mind that your mobile phone radiates the region in your neck surrounding the very important thyroid gland.

Originally posted 9/23/08 -

From time to time people are searching for information on results of the TSH
(thyroid stimulating hormone) test.

The correct range currently and for the last several years for TSH is 0.3 to 3 or 3.2 mU/L. Even some whose TSH result is in this narrowed range may still be suffering with symptoms realted to abberation in thyroid function.

One medical naturopath overlooked low thyroid in a client and focused on getting cholesterol down, not the low thyroid that raises cholesterol.

A reader of NHN this morning seems to have been told a level of 6+ is "normal".

The old range used to be up to 8, some have been using 5. Both are invalid.

From this article, ranges not current with ACCE recommendations. "Normal thyroid function (euthyroid; TSH 0.45 - 4.5 mU/L), those with subclinical hypothyroidism (divided into moderate, TSH 4.5 - 9.9 mU/L, and severe, ≥ 10.0 mU/L), and those with subclinical hyperthyroidism (TSH < 0.45 mU/L)"

From Heartwire — a professional news service of WebMD

September 22, 2008 — A new study has found that older adults with severe subclinical hypothyroidism had almost double the risk of developing heart failure (HF) compared with those with normal thyroid function over a 12-year follow-up period [1]. Dr Nicolas Rodondi (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) and colleagues report their findings in the September 30, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Rodondi told heartwire that these results were in line with those of the only other study to have looked at subclinical hypothyroidism and HF incidence, which also found an increased HF risk only in those with high levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

The findings are important to inform the debate about subclinical hypothyroidism, he says. "There is a big controversy about whether we should screen and treat people with subclinical hypothyroidism. We know that people with overt hypothyroidism with symptoms need to get treated, but about those with no symptoms and just subclinical disease, there is debate. And within this debate about whether to treat or not is another controversy about the threshold at which you should treat."

These and other results from prior studies support the recommendations of several guidelines that those with subclinical hypothyroidism and no symptoms should be treated with thyroxine only if their TSH is 10.0 mU/L or more, Rodondi says. However, he points out that some endocrinologists disagree and advocate treating such patients at lower TSH levels. The debate is important, he says, because it is has been shown that monitoring of TSH levels under thyroxine is not always accurate in clinical practice, with overtreatment having its own attendant risks.

"Indirect evidence" that thyroxine might prevent HF

Rodondi and colleagues studied 3044 adults who were 65 or older participating in the Cardiovascular Health Study, all of whom were free of HF at baseline. They compared adjudicated HF events over a mean of 12 years of follow-up and changes in cardiac function over the course of five years among those with normal thyroid function (euthyroid; TSH 0.45 - 4.5 mU/L), those with subclinical hypothyroidism (divided into moderate, TSH 4.5 - 9.9 mU/L, and severe, ≥ 10.0 mU/L), and those with subclinical hyperthyroidism (TSH < 0.45 mU/L).

Over the follow-up period, 736 people developed HF events. Those with TSH 10.0 mU/L or more had a greater incidence of HF compared with euthyroid participants (adjusted HR 1.88, p=0.01). No such increased risk was seen in those with TSH 4.5 - 9.9 mU/L or in those with subclinical hyperthyroidism compared with euthyroid participants.

Baseline peak E velocity — an echocardiographic measure of diastolic function associated with incident heart failure in the cohort — was also greater in those with TSH 10.0 mU/L or more compared with euthyroid participants (0.80 m/s vs 0.72 m/s; p=0.002). And over the course of five years, left ventricular mass increased among those with TSH 10.0 mU/L or more, although other echocardiographic measures were unchanged.

In a further exploratory analysis, the researchers stratified people with TSH 10.0 mU/L or more into those who received thyroxine replacement therapy and those who didn't. They found that those who got thyroxine did not have an increased risk of HF, "providing indirect evidence that [thyroxine] might work to prevent development of HF in those with TSH 10.0 mU/L or more," said Rodondi.

He stressed, however, that "to definitively prove a link between subclinical thyroid dysfunction and HF, a randomized clinical trial would be needed in which one group is treated with thyroxine vs placebo to see if the former reduces the risk. That would be proof of concept, but it has not been done as yet."

Overtreatment with thyroxine has risks too

Rodondi said their findings — that those with less severe subclinical hypothyroidism do not seem to be at risk of HF — are "important," because a high proportion of older adults fit into this category and are treated with thyroxine in clinical practice, without consistent evidence that this is of benefit.

Monitoring of TSH levels under thyroxine is not always accurate in clinical practice, he explains, and it is estimated that around 20% to 30% of people receiving thyroxine are overtreated. This in itself has risks, as subclinical hyperthyroidism has been associated with atrial fibrillation and increased fracture risk.

"In aggregate, our findings might help refine a treatment threshold at which clinical benefit would be expected and demonstrate a subpopulation at risk for a life-threatening condition," he and his colleagues say in their paper.

"Clinical trials should examine the efficacy of screening for and treating subclinical thyroid dysfunction and assess whether the risk of HF might be ameliorated by thyroxine replacement in individuals with TSH levels above 10 mU/L," they conclude.

Source: Rodondi N, Bauer DC, Cappola AR, et al. Subclinical thyroid dysfunction, cardiac function and the risk of heart failure. The Cardiovascular Health Study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;52:1152-1159.

Boosting Brain Stamina With Drugs

Back in 1970 it seemed as if Ritalin was the "Big Drug on Campus" that everyone picked up freely from student health for marathon study nights before exams. Little seems to have changed.

Perhaps overlooked in all of this, especially the complaint of lack of energy, is the wireless revolution and how EMF impacts cellular energy.

Following on outstanding reports from a current trial with my formula, ADVENTURX, I'd suggest it is more worth a try for students than the prescription drugs they seem to be relying on for all sorts of things on their way to a big crash.

Well - Tara Parker-Pope on Health
New York Times, April 21, 2009
Boosting Brain Stamina With Drugs

This week’s New Yorker has a fascinating article about the growing use of “neuro-enhancing” drugs by college students and others to improve focus, reduce sleep needs and lengthen study time and work hours.

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, typically prescribed to improve focus of people with attention deficit problems, now are being taken by people with healthy brains to help them boost achievement. One doctor has even coined a term for the practice: cosmetic neurology. Author Margaret Talbot writes:

A young man I’ll call Alex recently graduated from Harvard. As a history major, Alex wrote about a dozen papers a semester. He also ran a student organization, for which he often worked more than forty hours a week; when he wasn’t on the job, he had classes. Weeknights were devoted to all the schoolwork that he couldn’t finish during the day, and weekend nights were spent drinking with friends and going to dance parties. …Since, in essence, this life was impossible, Alex began taking Adderall to make it possible.

Adderall, a stimulant composed of mixed amphetamine salts, is commonly prescribed for children and adults who have been given a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. But in recent years Adderall and Ritalin, another stimulant, have been adopted as cognitive enhancers: drugs that high-functioning, overcommitted people take to become higher-functioning and more overcommitted…. College campuses have become laboratories for experimentation with neuroenhancement.

To learn more, read the full article, “Brain Gain: The Underground World of Neuroenhancing Drugs.”

See also

That Pink Salt from Pakistan

UPDATE: 16 June - For those who don't seem to grasp the problem with fluoride, whether natural or chemical, please take the time to glean some facts from this 2008 article by John Graham: Riding the Fluoride Tiger.
--------------------------------------------------
I would like to have anyone interested in "Himalayan" salt to understand one thing about the fluoride content in this product, and consider the implications very seriously.

The other day an anonymous visitor to Natural Health News sent the following comment - "Naturally occurring fluoride (and iodine) have a much different effect on the body than their industrially refined chemical counterparts."

I would like to reply by asking this anonymous visitor, or anyone else who ignores science in favor of marketing hype, just like the American Dental Association spews out, or those pushing municipal water fluoridation, if for one moment in time they looked into the science.

And I also wish to propose the following query, wondering if anyone asked just exactly why it is that so why do so many countries around the world - such as China, India, etc - have endemic fluorosis from "naturally occurring" fluoride???

Perhaps you will ask this of the MLM or other mail order companies marketing pink Himalayan salt as a cure for everything...

Remember just this one thing: Fluoride, even in a naturally occurring state, is a POISON and has CUMULATIVE effects.



POST SCRIPT: Ed Leach wanted this information posted: "As the Original inporter of Himalayan Crystal Salt from Pakistan, I can say with confidence, supported by laboratory analysis, that our brand, Original Himalayan Crystal Salt contains less than .01ppm of fluoride. This amount is barely measureable and I have been assured by many scientists that it poses no threat to human beings."

Leach has contacted us previously.
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/salt-savvy.html

As a scientist and researcher in the health field for many decades I cannot accept the position that fluoride is safe. Fluoride IS a TOXIC, CUMULATIVE POISON. Fluoride is commonly used as a rat and ant poison and fertilizers. It's run-off damages aquatic life in places such as Puget Sound, causing skeletal damage and bone tumours.

For more information, where you can decide for yourself, please read more here.

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/good-dental-health-resource.html

Health Nut

UPDATE: 3 August 2011.  From Italy.  Cashews make great gravy by the way.

Health properties of nuts

Nuts are one of the very best natural nutritious foods available anywhere

by S. C.

Nuts are among the greatest natural foods we can eat, besides, so being called a ‘nut’ is quite alright.

What are the best nuts to eat if you want to incorporate them into your daily diet? They are all good for you, but some are better than others. They also vary a great deal in price so knowing the nutritional value should help when you are at the market picking up your weekly supply.

In general, nuts provide you with essential proteins and unsaturated fats, which helps to regulate your cholesterol levels and increase fiber. There is no better food available for pure and digestible protein. They need no cooking or preparation. Simply eat them in their natural form for terrific results.

The very best of the nuts is the walnut. They are usually available all year as they keep well when they are harvested, usually in winter months. Walnuts come in two varieties. The more commonly available type is English walnuts. The other is the black walnut, grown only in select locations and available in chopped or crushed form and is used in baking and cooking. The black walnut is considerably more expensive as it is rarer, harder to process, and has a unique flavor. If you have ever consumed black walnut ice cream you have had a taste of the unusual and delicious flavor.

The next best on the list is almonds. An almond is sweet and can be eaten alone or added to baking or cooking a variety of foods. Almonds can be purchased whole, sliced, crushed, and you can choose raw, roasted, and salted or unsalted. They contain manganese, B2, vitamin E, and copper among other things, and are helpful in lowering your bad cholesterol levels. The raw form is best, of course, but any way you eat these will give you a boost in nutrients.

Cashews are delicious and have a creamy taste and texture. They can be bought raw or roasted and salted. Just a quarter cup of cashews provides 196 calories and is lower in fat than other nut varieties. They have the same type fat found in the mother of healthy foods - olive oil. Next time someone calls you a ‘nut’ you might want to thank them now that you know how valuable they are.

by S. C.

01 August 2011 Teatro Naturale International n. 8 Year 3

© REPRODUCTION RESERVED

http://www.teatronaturale.com/article/2923.html

Original post -

Make sure when eating walnuts you are using about one-fourth cup as a serving and that they are raw; organic nuts are always the best choice. Too many, however, can possibly suppress thyroid function.

Walnuts contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties.

More about walnuts

Nutritional Data

Walnuts may prevent breast cancer
Eating walnuts may help to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, research suggests.

The nuts contain ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols that may all reduce the risk of the disease.

Mice fed the human equivalent of two ounces (56.7g) of walnuts per day developed fewer and smaller tumours.

The US study was presented to the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.

“ We know that a healthy balanced diet - rich in fruit and vegetables - plays an important part in reducing the risk of many types of cancer ”
Josephine Querido Cancer Research UK

Researcher Dr Elaine Hardman, of Marshall University School of Medicine, said although the study was carried out in mice, the beneficial effect of walnuts was likely to apply to humans too.

She said: "We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases."

"It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer."

Previous research has suggested eating walnuts at the end of a meal may help cut the damage that fatty food can do to the arteries.

It is thought that the nuts are rich in compounds that reduce hardening of the arteries, and keep them flexible.

In the latest study mice were either fed a standard diet, or the walnut-based diet.

The animals fed walnuts developed fewer tumours, and those that did arise took longer to develop and were smaller.

Molecular analysis showed that omega-3 fatty acids played a key role - but other parts of the walnut contributed as well.

Nutritional value

Anna Denny, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said evidence for nuts reducing the risk of heart disease was currently stronger than it was for their anti-cancer properties.

She said: "Although nuts are high in fat (and thus calories), the fatty acids in nuts are predominantly 'good' unsaturated fatty acids.

"Other additional components of nuts that may contribute to a reduction in heart disease and cancer risk include fibre and 'bioactive' compounds.

"Among the many bioactive compounds found in nuts are phytosterols and flavonoids.

"More research is needed before it will be possible to attribute specific health benefits of nuts to specific bioactive compounds because nuts contain a complex mixture of different bioactive compounds."

Josephine Querido, of the charity Cancer Research UK said there was insufficient evidence to show that eating walnuts could prevent breast cancer in humans.

She said: "We know that a healthy balanced diet - rich in fruit and vegetables - plays an important part in reducing the risk of many types of cancer.

"The strongest risk factor for breast cancer is age - 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 so attending screening is important.

"Making lifestyle changes, such as keeping a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake and taking regular exercise, can also help reduce breast cancer risk."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/8009647.stm
Published: 2009/04/22 00:47:06 GMT © BBC MMIX

Fibromyalgia and Naltrexone?

Heroin Addiction Drug May Relieve Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Here is some information about Naltrexone you may find helpful.

It can cause liver problems when given in large doses. Stop using this medication and tell your doctor immediately if symptoms of liver problems develop (e.g., persistent nausea, abdominal/stomach pain, yellowing eyes/skin, pale stools, dark urine).

This medication should not be used in patients who already have liver or kidney problems.

You should carry identification to alert medical personnel to the fact that you are taking REVIA. A REVIA medication card may be obtained from your physician and can be used for this purpose. Carrying the identification card should help to ensure that you can obtain adequate treatment in an emergency. If you require medical treatment, be sure to tell the treating physician that you are receiving REVIA therapy.

The risk of depression and suicide is known to be increased, as is lethargy and a slightly higher risk of some cancers.

http://www.rxlist.com/revia-drug.htm

Once again I am amazed at the focus on drugs for FMS rather than effective therapy for recovery from this illness. Revia is not the first drug used with FMS that has dire consequences of depression and suicide as well as many other health related side effects.

I am pleased to learn that my formulas, Heart Leaf Remedy 6:4 and ADVENTURX, have proven helpful to so many with fibromyalgia.

Our complete program has helped many to recover.

Adminstration failed to act to protect public health

US environment agency to deem CO2 a health risk
9 mins ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US Environmental Protection Agency was set to shift course and deem carbon dioxide a health risk on Friday, sources said, in a turnabout important to global warming-related regulation.

Five out of nine Supreme Court justices ruled in April 2007 that carbon dioxide was a pollutant under the Clean Air Act.

They ordered the EPA to decide if the greenhouse gas endangered public health and welfare and said that if a so-called endangerment finding was made, the agency must draft rules to reduce vehicle emissions of carbon dioxide.

In December 2007, the EPA sent a draft finding to the Bush White House, presenting evidence that CO2 did endanger public welfare.

But the administration of president George W. Bush failed to acknowledge the report and spent the remainder of its tenure resisting the Supreme Court decision.

A Concern for All

I understand and believe in natural care. I have concerns too from time to time because of the many natural products now flooding the market that might not be as good as in years gone by.

Commercialism has its negative side, and along with that there is the worry that Big Pharma wants just too much control over natural products. That's a money issue, not a concern for health benefits.

What bothered me today is a UPI article on the synthetization of one element from the herb Club Moss.

Briefly, Club Moss has been used for many years as an effective diuretic that eases many conditions associated with suppressed urine, including the flushing of stones and gravel from the kidneys and gallbladder, accumulation of fluids in the tissues that produce swelling (edema), bladder irritation, cystitis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. It is used in certain cases for Alzheimer's.

What Big Pharma fails yet to understand is that plants come as a whole. Singling out one elements may be beneficial is the lab or the short term, but this isn't the way things should be.

In its whole state, Club Moss has a number of Beneficial Uses:

Club Moss is a diuretic that has been used to treat chronic urinary complaints, such as mumps, dropsy (or edema, the accumulation of fluids in tissues that produces swelling), irritability of the bladder and cystitis.

Further supporting its diuretic applications, Club Moss helps to treat many ailments that are characterized by the suppression of urine, such as renal colic, stones and calculi in the kidneys and bladder (by helping to increase urine flow and flush debris through the system). This action also helps to relieve gout, hardening of the testes and rheumatoid arthritis.

Club Moss is said to be helpful in "women's complaints" and is thought to help treat irregular menstruation.

Used externally, Club Moss may be used as a dusting powder to relieve various skin diseases, such as eczema, itchy or irritated areas and erysipelas, and it can also be used to absorb fluids from injured tissues and as a powder to prevent chafing in infants. Moreover, it can be dusted on wounds to stop bleeding or inhaled to stop bleeding noses.

Club Moss is considered a stomachic that strengthens the function of the stomach, and as such, it has been used to aid digestion and ease gastritis. It is also thought to be an antispasmodic and nervine that helps to calm spasms, diarrhea, dysentery and hydrophobia.

The concern really is, "it's the whole herb that does the job".

Homeopathy Eases Cancer Therapy

NASHVILLE, April 16 (UPI) -- U.S. chemists say they have developed an efficient technique to produce the synthesized herbal alkaloid Serratezomine from the club moss Lycopodium serratum.

Vanderbilt University researchers said the moss -- a creeping, flowerless plant used in homeopathic medicine -- contains potent alkaloids. But the plant makes many of the compounds in extremely low amounts, hindering efforts to test their therapeutic value.

The scientists said their technique to synthesize Serratezomine is important because the alkaloid might have anti-cancer properties and could combat memory loss. The scientists said it took six years to develop the process because they had to invent entirely new chemical methods to complete the synthesis. But they said their success should make it easier to synthesize alkaloids and other natural compounds with therapeutic potential.

"This was a challenging problem," said Professor Jeffrey Johnston, who led the research. 'It takes years to develop a new chemical reaction and then apply it to the natural product target. So, once we start, we don't stop."

The study that included Aroop Chandra; Julie Pigza, Jeong-Seok Han and Daniel Mutnickwas was reported in the March 18 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Be Aware of SOY Risks

UPDATE: 28 April, 2010 - GMO SOY RISKS IDENTIFIED

UPDATE: 14 April, 2009
I have about 46 posts related to SOY on Natural Health News.
Here is something today to consider as well:goitrogens, soybean agglutinin (SBA), and phytates found in soy products?

"Goitrogens" is a term that is seldom used in peer-reviewed research studies, but in past years it was used to refer to substances that could interfere with thyroid metabolism, production of thyroid hormones, and could potentially cause the thyroid to increase in size (a condition called goiter). No large-scale human research studies have been conducted that examine the thyroid-related effects of long-term consumption of whole, natural soy foods consumed in ordinary amounts. Studies in this area have mostly focused on rats fed dietary supplements containing soy components like isolate soy protein or soy isoflavones.

In the human studies that we have reviewed, only one repeated finding has given us cause for concern when it comes to adult consumption of whole soy foods and thyroid-related effects. That concern involves individuals who regularly consume soy foods while at the same time following a diet that is deficient in iodine. That combination of iodine deficiency and regular consumption of soy foods may increase risk of thyroid problems above and beyond the risk posed by iodine deficiency alone. (Iodine is a mineral that is essential for production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland.) If you are an individual who is at risk of iodine deficiency, I definitely recommend that you consult with your licensed healthcare provider before making the decision to include soy foods in your Healthiest Way of Eating.

Soybean agglutinin (SBA) is a protein- and carbohydrate-containing molecule (called a glycoprotein) that also falls into the category of substances called lectins. In legumes (including soybeans), lectins might play a key role in allowing certain soil bacteria to work together with the roots of the soybean plant. There are hundreds of lectins found in legumes, and even though researchers aren't yet certain about their function, it is likely that most of these molecules play important roles in cell-to-cell communications occurring within the plants.

How SBA affects human health is a more complicated question that has yet to be clearly answered in research studies. Adverse reactions to food lectins are well documented in scientific research and sometimes referred to under the heading of "food intolerance." For this reason, we'd place soybeans higher up on the list of foods potentially able to cause adverse reactions. But it's also important to note that the research on SBA is clearly mixed in terms of benefits and risks, and that large-scale human research on whole soy foods is still non-existent in this area. SBA and other soy lectins appear to have inflammatory effects under certain circumstances and anti-inflammatory effects under others. They also appear to have different effects on different types of cancer cells when studied in extract form in laboratory settings. From my perspective, no strong conclusions can be reached at this point with respect to SBA and soy lectins, except to reinforce awareness of soy food in general as potentially more likely to cause adverse reactions in susceptible individuals.

Soy also contains phytate (also called phytic acid) that can sometimes decrease mineral absorption, including absorption of the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Each of these minerals has a role to play in our health. Traditional methods of soybean fermentation appear to lower the activity of phytates found in soy. With cooking alone, there is more debate about the changes in phytate level. I have not seen any research that would support avoidance of whole soy foods for the sake of optimizing calcium, magnesium, iron, or zinc status. But I have seen research suggesting that highly processed soy foods-like commercially produced soy milks-may best be fortified with minerals like calcium in order to assure healthy mineral absorption. All of the precautions listed above are important considerations when deciding the role of soy foods in your Healthiest Way of Eating.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted 3/2/08Scientists Cite Adverse Effects on Cardiovascular, Thyroid and Immune Systems

WASHINGTON, DC: February 19, 2008. Internationally acclaimed heart expert Kilmer McCully, MD, father of the homocysteine theory of heart disease, joined other scientists and consumer advocates in asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to drop the heart disease health claim for soy protein in documents filed February 19.

The Weston A. Price Foundation, a non-profit nutrition education organization based in Washington, DC, submitted a petition to the agency in response to FDA's request for comments as the agency considers rescinding the heart health claim that has been used by manufacturers to market soy as “heart healthy” since October 1999. McCully was one of several researchers who prepared the document.

“We have filed this petition because there was never a sound basis for a soy health claim and the heavy marketing of soy as a 'miracle food' has put American men, women and children at risk.” says Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food and lead author of the 65-page petition filed this morning at the FDA offices in Rockville, Maryland. “The heart health claim gave soy a “healthy” image and quickly boosted sales from under one billion per year to more than $4 billion per year.”

The petition was filed by Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation. In addition to Dr Kilmer S. McCully, winner of the 1998 Linus Pauling Award, author of more than 70 papers in peer reviewed journals and author of two popular books The Homocysteine Revolution and The Heart Revolution, signers included Mary G. Enig, PhD, a world renowned biochemist and nutritionist who exposed the dangers of trans fats in the late 1970s; and Galen D. Knight, PhD, a biochemist who has extensively researched the role of vitalethine in humoral immunity and cancer prevention.
The petition notes that the FDA is mandated by law to retract the soy/heart disease health claim for the following reasons:

o Soy protein isolate and other highly processed modern soy protein products are not safe and have no long history of use in the food supply

o The evidence on soy protein and heart disease is contradictory and inconsistent, and no “standard of scientific agreement” has been met.

o Studies published since 1999 undermine the credibility of -- and conclusions drawn -- from key studies evaluated by the FDA when it approved the health claim in 1999.

o Recent studies show that soy can contribute to or cause heart disease, including endothelial damage (especially in women), heart arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy, an increasingly prevalent condition that affects 1 in 500 Americans.

o The mechanism by which soy might lower cholesterol could cause endocrine disruption, diminished humoral immunity and cancer development.

The ten thousand-member Weston A. Price Foundation has been a leader in alerting the public to the health dangers of soy oil and soy protein. “Thousands of studies link soy protein to digestive distress, thyroid damage, reproductive problems, infertility, ADD/ADHD, dementia, even heart disease and cancer,” says Dr. Daniel. “Populations at special risk are infants on soy formula, vegetarians who consume soy protein as meat and dairy substitutes and adults self-medicating with soy foods because of their belief that soy can prevent heart disease and other health problems.”

In 2005, the Weston A. Price Foundation protested a soy-prevents cancer health claim filed by the Solae Company with the FDA. Solae subsequently withdrew their petition in the face of massive evidence that soy can cause, contribute to and accelerate the growth of cancer, particularly breast cancer.

The FDA announced that will review the evidence on soy protein and heart disease because of mounting doubts and concerns by scientists and government agencies about soy protein. In January 2006, the American Heart Association in its journal Circulation advised health practitioners that soy has little effect on cholesterol and is unlikely to prevent heart disease. In August 2005, the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality published a 245-page report stating that nearly all the research carried out on soy is “inconclusive,” that soy products appear to exert “a small benefit on LDL cholesterol and triglycerides” but that those effects are of “small clinical effect in individuals.”

Three foreign governments have issued warnings about soy. In 2005, the Israeli Health Ministry warned its citizens that babies should not receive soy formula, that children age 18 and under should consume soy foods or soy milk no more than once per day to a maximum of three times per week and that adults should exercise caution because of adverse effects on fertility and increased breast cancer risk.

In 2006, the French Food Agency (AFSSA) announced tough new regulations that will require manufacturers to improve the safety of soy infant formula and to put warning labels on packages of soy foods and soy milk.

In 2007, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment warned that babies should not be given soy infant formula “without clear, concrete medical reasons” and that adults should be wary of excess soy food and soy supplement consumption because they offer no proven health benefits and may pose health risks.

“Clearly soy is not the solution for people at risk for heart disease,” says Dr. Daniel. “In fact, possible benefits are far outweighed by proven risks to the thyroid, reproductive and immune systems. The time has come for the Food and Drug Administration to protect the public and withdraw the spurious 1999 heart disease health claim for soy protein.”

CONTACTS
Sally Fallon, President
The Weston A. Price Foundation
202-363-4394
safallon@aol.com

Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
505-266-3252
wholenutritionist@earthlink.net

Kathleen M. Campbell, Campbell Public Relations, LLC
877-540-6022
kcampbell@thecompletesolution.com

Kaayla T. DANIEL, PhD, CCN, is THE WHOLE NUTRITIONIST®. She earned her PhD in Nutritional Sciences and Anti-Aging Therapies from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, is board certified as a clinical nutritionist (CCN) by the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists in Dallas and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Weston A. Price Foundation. As a clinical nutritionist, she specializes in digestive disorders, women’s reproductive health issues, infertility, and recovery from vegetarian and soy¬based diets.

Dr. Daniel is the author of The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food (New Trends, 2005), which has been endorsed by leading health professionals, including Kilmer S. McCully MD, Doris J. Rapp MD, Jonathan V. Wright, MD, Russell Blaylock, MD, Larrian Gillespie, MD, Debra Lynn Dadd and Larry Dossey, MD, who called it “science writing at its best.”

Sally FALLON, MA, is President and Treasurer of the Weston A. Price Foundation and author of the best-selling Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats with Mary G. Enig, PhD. Fallon is a leading advocate for traditional diets and nutrient-dense foods. An articulate communicator, Fallon has extensive radio and television experience.

Sally Fallon (safallon@aol.com)
The Weston A. Price Foundation
PMB 106-380 4200 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20016
Phone : 202-363-4394

A Good Dental Health Resource

When I put mt first web site up it was about 1991. I had natural dental health information at that time posted on my web site and one of the resources I listed was David Kennedy, DDS.

I've posted his blog in my interesting links section in the right hand column.

Also of interest is his YouTube Channel with a number of videos helpful to your good dental health, one absent of fluoride.

http://www.youtube.com/user/davidkennedydds

Enjoy!

Avoiding Harsh Chemicals in Egg Dyes

FDA approved dyes are made with toxins such as coal, tar, and other petroleum based products.

You might wish to use natural dyes as listed here from science teacher Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Color - Ingredients

Lavender: Small Quantity of Purple Grape Juice, Violet Blossoms plus 2 tsp Lemon Juice, Red Zinger Tea

Violet Blue: Violet Blossoms, Small Quantity of Red Onions Skins (boiled), Hibiscus Tea, Red Wine

Blue: Canned Blueberries, Red Cabbage Leaves (boiled), Purple Grape Juice

Green: Spinach Leaves (boiled), Liquid Chlorophyll

Greenish Yellow: Yellow Delicious Apple Peels (boiled)

Yellow: Orange or Lemon Peels (boiled), Carrot Tops (boiled), Celery Seed (boiled), Ground Cumin (boiled), Ground Turmeric (boiled), Chamomile Tea, Green Tea

Golden Brown: Dill Seeds

Brown: Strong Coffee, Instant Coffee, Black Walnut Shells (boiled), Black Tea

Orange: Yellow Onion Skins (boiled), Cooked Carrots, Chili Powder, Paprika

Pink: Beets, Cranberries or Juice, Raspberries, Red Grape Juice, Juice from Pickled Beets

Red: Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled), Canned Cherries with Juice, Pomegranate Juice, Raspberries

Food Safety: More Progress Needed

Here's another reason to consider vitamins: Vitamin C helps effectively treat food poisoning.

But at the front end we do need less factory farming with methods that promote herbicides, pesticides and higher health risks from salmonella and E.coli.

While we do need to buy local to reduce health risks in the food chain, we are at a time when the government - one that hasn't been able to get past pressure from Big Pharma and Big Ag - wants to interfere with home gardening. ( Just an observation but it did not seem to me to be gardening when Mrs. Obama planted potted herbs and vegetables at the White House. These plants had to come from a nursery or retail store and seems to be little more than a photo op. What happened to organic seeds, the real way to grow a garden?)

One thing you can do is think about how you clean the food you buy. This might make you want to get a copy of our food cleansing Healthy Handout, yours with a donation.

U.S. making little progress on food safety
By Julie Steenhuysen Thu Apr 9, 2009

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Efforts to improve food safety in the United States have "plateaued," exposing the need for an overhaul of the nation's food safety system, government health officials said on Thursday.

Despite work to improve food safety in recent years, the number of foodborne infections remained steady, with little change in the past few years, suggesting fundamental problems are not being solved.

"Progress has plateaued. This indicates to us that further measures are needed to prevent more foodborne illness," Dr. Robert Tauxe of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told reporters in a telephone briefing.

Overall, CDC identified 18,499 laboratory-confirmed cases of food poisoning in 2008 using FoodNet, a tracking system that looks at foodborne illness in 10 states, covering about 46 million people or 15 percent of the U.S. population.

"When we compared the year 2008 information with the three previous years -- 2005 to 2007 -- we see no significant change in the incidence of these infections," he said, noting that 2004 was the last year gains had been made at curbing infection rates.

Salmonella infections were the most commonly diagnosed and reported foodborne illnesses in 2008, and their numbers were essentially unchanged compared with data from 2005-2007.

The 2008 findings represent just a portion of the Salmonella Typhimurium infections caused by tainted peanuts and peanut products processed by the now bankrupt Peanut Corp of America, which has led to the biggest food recall in U.S. history.

The outbreak, which began in September, forced the recall of more than 3,200 products and sickened more than 680 people in 46 states, perhaps killing nine. A series of other incidents involving pistachios, lettuce, peppers and spinach have eroded public confidence in food safety and renewed calls for change.

NEW APPROACH

Dr. David Acheson, associate commissioner for foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the report "underscores the need for a change in approach."

"This change needs to address the safety problems around foods and really focus on how to prevent these problems in the first place," Acheson told reporters on the call.

He said the FDA was embarking on "an aggressive and proactive approach" aimed at protecting and enforcing the safety of the food supply.

"Clearly we are working very closely with the new administration and Congress on addressing these issues."

Acheson said FDA has expanded its presence overseas and now has offices in China, Latin America, Europe and India, and plans to add more scientists, investigators and inspectors to help ensure food safety in the United States.

And he said FDA has set up rapid response teams in six states to help the agency react more quickly when and outbreak occurs, with plans to add more.

"I think it has become clear preventive controls are critical," he said.

The CDC estimates that each year 76 million Americans get food poisoning, more than 300,000 are sick enough to be hospitalized and 5,000 die.

(Editing by Maggie Fox and Jackie Frank)Copyright © 2009 Reuters Limited.

The Importance of Vitamins

When my children were infants our pediatrician prescribed vitamin drops that included vitamins A and D as well as being a multiple. They contained 5000 IU of vitamin A, and there was no furor over these vitamin drops. Nothing happened to my children because of it and both of them are now healthy adults.

They also had real food, including raw milk, and lots of vegetables and fruit. They ate butter and broth made from bones, and homemade bread and real yoghurt.

Their vitamins were good brands we did not buy at the grocery store of other of the low cost box stores.

You do get what you pay for in vitamins, and they do benefit your health, even at levels well beyond the too low RDA levels. Remember that RDA levels are very arbitrary and too low for therapeutic benefit. Now days you want good vitamins and good levels because of all the issues with health care and you want them to be able to help you support your health.

It is good that Consumer Lab is doing this testing, but it is also at a time when Big Pharma and the FDA are trying to get you to believe you don't need vitamins for health or they are tainted.

This philosophy could not be further from the truth.

Over the years as the health market became cluttered with every kind of product we've always stayed with out tried and true clean and hypoallergenic vitamins. We know what is in them and we know they are effective.

Report warns of problems with multivitamins
Thu Apr 9, 2009

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – More than 30 percent of multivitamins tested recently by ConsumerLab.com contained significantly more or less of an ingredient than claimed, or were contaminated with lead, the company reports.

ConsumerLab.com, based in White Plains, New York, is privately held and provides consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. According to the company, it is neither owned by nor has a financial interest in any companies that make, distribute or sell consumer products.

Several multivitamin products tested, including three for children, exceeded tolerable upper limits established by the Institute of Medicine for ingredients such as vitamin A, folic acid, niacin and zinc, according to the report posted on www.ConsumerLab.com.

For example, the Institute of Medicine sets a recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 1,300 international units (IU) of vitamin A for children ages 4 to 8 years and an upper tolerable limit of 3,000 IU. However, one multivitamin tested provided 5,000 IU of vitamin A.

In the short term, too much vitamin A may cause nausea and blurred vision, and, in the long-term, may lead to bone softening and liver problems.

Upper tolerable limits for niacin and zinc were also exceeded by some of the supplements for young children tested. Excess niacin may cause skin tingling and flushing and high levels of zinc may cause immune deficiency and anemia.

Tests turned up problems with some men's multivitamin products as well. Two of three men's multivitamins failed to pass testing. One contained too much folic acid, which may increase the risk of prostate cancer, while another was contaminated with lead.

Among four women's multivitamins tested, one provided only 66 percent of its claimed vitamin A; one of five seniors' multivitamins selected contained only 44 percent of its vitamin A; and among three prenatal vitamins, one was short on vitamin A.

Two out of five general multivitamins were short on ingredients: one provided only 50 percent of its claimed folic acid and the other was missing 30 percent of its calcium.

A vitamin water tested by ConsumerLab.com had 15 times its stated amount of folic acid, so drinking one bottle would exceed the tolerable limit for adults; less than half a bottle would put children over the limit, the company warns on its website.
http://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/Multivitamin_Multimineral_Supplements/multivitamins/

Excellent Comments and a Good Read

and from an astute commentator, or two -

Death rates fall when doctors strike

from Mirdza Hayden on ryze.com courtesy Jeff Rense

"There are only four times in recorded history that the death rate actually fell. The first was in highly technologically developed Israel in 1973. During a one-month physicians' strike, the national death-rate reached the lowest rate ever. According to statistics by the Jerusalem Burial Society, the number of funerals dropped by almost half.

The same thing happened again in 1976 in Bogota, the capital city of Colombia. There, the doctors went on strike for 52 days. The death rate fell by 35% (National Catholic Reporter and confirmed by the National Morticians Association of Colombia).

Similar events happened in California a few years later, and in the United Kingdom in 1978 (see "Confessions of a Medical Heretic", by Robert Mendelsohn, MD)."

So, does in not stand to reason to find others ways to stay healthy, other than using allopathic doctors and getting prescriptions filled?

Think about it...

Mendelsohn's book is worth reading if you want to know the workings of modern mainstream Western medicine.

Health Care and Economics

Perhaps one reason we have a problem with job loss today is that holders of the Oval Office brought us NAFTA and GATT. You aren't hearing this in the news, however. These "agreements" are among the reasons why so many jobs have been lost over the last few decades, and things aren't going much better right now.

It seems too that health care is taking a bigger than expected hit as the fat cats get their bonuses and people lose jobs and insurances. We have not heard that Congress, their staff and bureaucrats offer to take a cut in pay, lesser perks, and forgo bonuses. There is a transparency issue here, Barack!

This could not be a better time to take a hard look at what you can do to become more in charge of your health.

It is also a time when mainstream media would be talking with people like me who can give valid and scientifically based information about how natural health care can be of great help during these times.

Not being a TV watcher I just happened to zero in on 60 Minutes last night because of a health related report. The focus was on people in Nevada who have been pushed into a dark hole of no access to care because of cuts at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, especially the cancer care services.

I think CBS and UMC should get together to make the useful facts about how herbs, vitamins, supplements and nutrition do heal people from cancer and other chronic disease. Of course on the front end these approaches prevent dis-ease too.

This BLOG has, along with our long-established domains on the web, provides information to help do just this. We also have much more information that we could ever get posted on any of our three sites, and in collaboration with other friends and colleagues.

We are not trying to overtake the market like a competitor with a similar name, seemingly obsessed with SEO and control of information.

We are trying to get you to not give up hope and to know there are things you can do to help, and keep, your health.

Ignorance and Sports Drinks

UPDATE: April 16. Here is an absolutely crazy way for athletes to get energy - use something loaded with artificial sweeteners.

"Researchers tested three drinks. One contained glucose, a sugar. A second had maltodextrin, a tasteless carbohydrate. The third was plain water. All three were laced with artificial sweeteners until they tasted identically sweet."

It's a heart damaging thing, adding all that artificial sweet stuff.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
If one takes the time to look up the ingredients for the "sports" drink category there are a number of red flags as far as health and nutrition.

A major concern is the use of high fructose corn syrup as a key sweetener in these products. HFCS has a negative effect on health and contributes to obesity. It is also involved in dental health, generally in a negative way.

Citric acid is also a concern, and its effect on dental enamel has been known for a very long time.

The inclusion of sucralose, aspartame and acesulfameK are also problematic as are the food colorings and artificial flavorings used in the products.

Aluminum cans react with certain ingredients in these products.

In general we recommend to avoid any products with HFCS and artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners.

Our herbalYODA's sportZtea is a healthier alternative.

We also suggest our natural tooth powder that helps rebuild dental enamel.

Sports Drinks May Damage Your Teeth
Researchers Say the Drinks Cause Tooth Erosion; Beverage Industry Calls Study Methods Unrealistic
By Bill Hendrick, WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
April 3, 2009 -- Sports drinks may boost your energy, but they can also weaken your teeth, a new study shows.

The popular energy drinks sipped by many athletes to increase stamina contain levels of acid that can cause tooth erosion, hypersensitivity, and staining, according to the findings of New York University dental researchers.

The beverages also can cause excessive tooth wear and may damage underlying bone-like material, causing teeth to soften and weaken, the researchers say. The drinks may also possibly trigger conditions leading to severe tooth damage and loss.

The findings are being presented at the International Association for Dental Research in Miami.

"This is the first time that the citric acid in sports drinks has been linked to erosive tooth wear," says Mark Wolff, DDS, professor and chairman of the department of cardiology and comprehensive care at New York University College of Dentistry.

He says people who use sports energy drinks for energy should not brush their teeth immediately after drinking the beverages. Softened enamel, he says, is highly susceptible to the abrasive properties of toothpaste.

To prevent tooth erosion, Wolff says:
Drink sports drinks in moderation.
Wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth to allow softened enamel to reharden.
If you drink a lot of sports drinks, ask your dentist if you should use an acid-neutralizing remineralizing toothpaste to help reharden soft enamel.

Sports Drink Study 'Unfair'
In the study, cows’ teeth were cut in half. Half of the specimens were immersed in a sports drink, the other half in water, and then the halves were compared. The five sports drinks tested were Vitamin Water, Life Water, Gatorade, Powerade, and Propel Fit Water.

All five caused softening, but Gatorade and Powerade also caused "significant" staining, according to an abstract of the study.

Cows’ teeth were used because of their close resemblance to human teeth, according to a news release.

Craig Stevens, spokesman for the American Beverage Association, says such studies are unfair and do not present "an accurate or actual picture of the way sports drinks are consumed."

"The testing procedures they used are outside the realm of what happens in real life," he says. "Beverages pass right through the mouth, and these beverages have a purpose, and are proven to enhance physical performance. To use them like this is simply providing unhelpful information to consumers."

He adds: "To suggest that sports drinks are a unique cause of dental caries or tooth erosion is overly simplistic. Oral health is determined by a variety of factors, including types of food consumed and the length of time foods are kept in the mouth."

SOURCES:
News release, New York University.
International Association for Dental Research, Miami, April 1-4, 2009.
Craig Stevens, spokesman, American Beverage Association.
© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/energy-drinks.html
http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/there-are-healthy-energy-drinks.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/18/FDGS24VKMH1.DTL

http://www.leaflady.org/sweet_but_not_so_innocent.htm

Question Authority and Breast Screening

Since 2005 I have posted 45 articles on Natural Health News regarding the risks and hazards of mammogram.

For more than 20 years I have been questioning mammogram and educating people about the known facts that mammogram does not statistically improve discovery, treatment and or cure of breast cancer, and in deed, increases the incidence.

All of this has been known for more than 50 years.

Just this week I sent a message to the Inland NW contingent of the Komen Foundation who are gearing up for another "Race for the Cure". My message was the same: "Why aren't you providing women with the facts about mammogram?"

I also asked why there is no information about thermography, a better screening test with earlier detection and no risk of increasing rates of breast cancer.

You can get the information you need from our non-profit organization with a donation. We do not get any greatly needed donations from pink lids.

Even the local media outlets have refused my efforts over many years, although more then five years ago, one did give some coverage to my concerns.

Women who are most at risk of developing breast cancer deserve better.

CHI's Healthy Handout on Risks of Mammography is available with a donation.

Breast Cancer: To Screen Or Not To Screen?

ScienceDaily (2009-04-04) -- Women are often told that mammography saves lives. But rarely is the question asked, "how often?" Researchers set out to examine how often this life-saving event occurs. ... > read full article

Real Age? Real Cagey...

Oprah's doctors, Oz and Roizen, are linked to RealAge, an on-line actuarial questionnaire that evaluates your lifestyle to give you an age that reflects how healthy your choices are. You may end up older or younger than your chronological age as a result of their quiz.

I took it once when they first published it and came out about 20 years younger than my chronological age.

Then along came one of their daily facts I disagreed with, and so did the science.

Do you think they would correct the error of their ways? No way, Jose!

Now it appears - according to some data dug up by Public Citizen, that the folks who bring you the RealAge questionnaire also sell your info and email to pharmaceutical companies.

Website Collects Medical Data and Uses That Data for Drug Company Solicitations

Online Age Quiz Is a Window for Drug Makers

A word to the wise: You'd better skip this test.

Drugs Contribute to Dementia, Delirium

I'd like to thank Public Citizen for bringing their report to the attention of Natural Health News.

For Immediate Release: April 1, 2009
Contact: Joe Newman (202) 588-7703, Rick Claypool (202) 588-7742

Drug-Induced Dementia and Delirium Common in Seniors But Often Undetected, Public Citizen Says
Condition Is Usually Reversible, Can Be Caused By 136 Drugs Listed on WorstPills.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Older patients become more susceptible to drug-induced dementia and delirium as they age, but the symptoms are often overlooked by doctors who don’t realize that the condition may be caused by drugs and reversed, Public Citizen writes in a Worst Pills, Best Pills News article released today on WorstPills.org, the organization’s drug safety Web site.

Unlike most forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, which cannot be reversed, dementia caused by prescription drug use may be stopped by discontinuing the offending medication. The drug safety experts at Public Citizen have identified 136 commonly prescribed medications, especially certain antidepressants and pain medications, that can cause difficulty thinking.

Drug-induced dementia and delirium are commonly misattributed to underlying medical illness or merely to “old age.” But by stopping or modifying the dosage of numerous, frequently prescribed drugs, most patients can be restored to a pre-drug state of mental clarity.

Older people are more susceptible to drug-induced delirium and dementia because the body’s ability to rid itself of drugs decreases with age, often because of normal age-related decrease in kidney and liver function. Also, older patients are often prescribed multiple drugs at the same time, resulting in complicated interactions and enhanced side effects. Some research also suggests older patients’ brains may be more sensitive to drugs’ effects on the central nervous system.

“Sadly, doctors don’t always recognize cognitive impairment as a side effect, so many patients needlessly suffer from this debilitating but reversible condition,” said Sidney Wolfe, M.D., director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group and acting Public Citizen president. “After beginning new drugs, doctors, patients and their families should watch for subtle changes in cognition and assume changes may be caused by drug therapy. People already suffering from some cognitive impairment are most susceptible.”

Delirium is a syndrome of changes in vision, hearing and thinking that usually starts abruptly and is commonly seen in the hospital setting or during an acute illness; symptoms typically improve when the cause is treated. Dementia, on the other hand, is a chronic alteration in thinking that progresses slowly. Alzheimer’s disease is dementia’s most common cause, but it also can be caused by strokes and other conditions.

WorstPills.org includes the full list of 136 implicated drugs. Some examples include: widely used antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benedryl); a drug widely used for treating urinary incontinence, tolteridine (Detrol); a nausea treatment drug, metoclopramide (Reglan); and drugs in the benzodiazepine category such as popular sleeping pills Ambien (zolpidem) and Lunesta (eszopiclone).

Worst Pills, Best Pills News is a monthly newsletter available in print and electronic formats through Public Citizen’s subscription Web site, WorstPills.org. The article about drug-induced dementia and delirium will be available free for the next seven days. The site has other searchable in formation about the uses, risks and side effects associated with prescription medications.

WorstPills.org is an unbiased analysis of information from a variety of sources, including well-regarded medical journals and unpublished data obtained from the Food and Drug Administration, that allows Public Citizen to sound the alarm about potentially dangerous drugs long before they are banned by the federal government and to recommend safer drugs. For example, Public Citizen warned consumers about the dangers of Vioxx, ephedra, Baycol and Propulsid years before they were pulled from the market.

A partial list of drugs is below. I chose Antihistamines because it is the time of year when people often turn to these products.

Antihistamines (these are OTC meds, and too numerous to list)

Azelastine (ASTELIN)*

Chlorpheniramine injection

Cyproheptadine (PERIACTIN)

Desloratadine (CLARINEX)*

Diphenhydramine injection

Hydroxyzine (ATARAX, HY-PAM, VISTARIL)

Olopatadine (PATANOL)

Many of the drugs on this extensive list are some of the most commonly prescribed for all age groups. They are extremely problematic for the elderly and small-statured persons.

Please make sure to ask your health care provider to tell you of the side effects of any drug prescribed. Double checking with your pharmacist is also worth your trouble.

NB: There are excellent natural remedies for most health concerns; Detrol is one that comes to mind because it is mentioned in this article. Please contact us for more information.

$33M for TB

I have pointed to this research for many years, and I'll take the opportunity again to report this.

Garlic has proven in microbiology studies to effectively treat drug resistant TB.

It would appear to me that an inexpensive approach to this seemingly major public health problem could be promptly implemented for much less that the $33M Bill Gates just donated to China for more studies and an attempt to come up with a new drug, and some patient tracking.

Gee Bill are you really serious about this and some other health issues you are funding?

Gates Foundation, China announce $33M TB project

What about Heart Healthy Herbs?

This story is interesting because it follow on a report yesterday from the BBC that seemed to indicate a plan to promote this combo pill to any one over 55 years of age.

What happened to the art of diagnosis? Maybe it is too much cell phone use as a vector, food allergy or something obscure. We may never know.

And what about side effects, or what about the cholesterol hoax and the terrible side effects of these drugs. And what about the fact that anti-hypertensives and diuretics can lead to diabetes, even osteoporosis. Then there is aspirin that can cause lots of problems like silent bleeding and 8th cranial nerve damage that can affect hearing and maybe lead to Bell's Palsy. And don't forget electrolyte loss and CO Q 10 destruction. Yes, there's more...

Sounds crazy to me, but then I'd rather try vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin C, cod liver oil, nutritional yeast, lecithin, hawthorne, meadowsweet, or something else other than a drug to maybe have a small effect along with high risk of other disease.

So are you willing to go for profit and more problems when, if your systolic B/P is 150, you can expect to lower it by .05 percent, to 142.5 mm Hg ?

Not sure this is a statistically valid premise.

from UPI: 'Polypill' combines heart medications
Published: March 31, 2009 at 1:08 AM

HAMILTON, Ontario, March 31 (UPI) -- A "polypill" that combines blood pressure drugs, a cholesterol-lowering statin, aspirin and folic acid may minimize heart attacks, Canadian researchers say.

Dr. Koon Teo of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, says the polypill could reduce cardiovascular events by more than 80 percent in healthy people.

In a double-blind trial in 50 centers in India, 2,053 people without cardiovascular disease -- ages 45-80 and with one risk factor -- were randomly assigned to the Polycap. It consisted of low doses of the drugs: 12.5 mg. thiazide, 50 mg atenolol, 5 mg ramipril, 20 mg simvastatin and 100 mg aspirin per day.

Subjects were otherwise assigned to eight other groups, each with about 200 individuals, of aspirin alone, simvastatin alone, hydrochlorthiazide alone, three combinations of the two blood-pressure-lowering drugs, three blood-pressure-lowering drugs alone, or three blood-pressure-lowering drugs plus aspirin.

Compared with groups not receiving blood-pressure-lowering drugs, the Polycap reduced systolic blood pressure by 7.4 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 5.6 mm Hg, which was similar when three blood-pressure-lowering drugs were used, with or without aspirin.

The findings were published in The Lancet.

Reality101: THE LAWS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

Reality101: THE LAWS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

MRSA UPDATES

This last two weeks found me working on my newsletter, herbalYODA Says! that was published on March 26. The topic was "The Color of Health".

While I was researching material I found an abstract on the use of Blue Light for MRSA. This always is of interest to me because I have been cataloguing material on this topic since 1993.

"Blue, vibrating at 450-495 nanometers, represents communication. It is located in the throat and is associated with the thyroid or metabolic system in your body. Blue is the coolest, purest and deepest color of the spectrum. It will help with rest, relaxation, sleep and regeneration. Blue is a good color to help with high blood pressure, lowering your heart rate, reduce stress and nervousness, and will calm your entire body. Looking into the blue sky on a sunny day is very calming to me.

If you have headaches or sleeping difficulty, blue may help you. It also influences digestion, heart rate, cholesterol level, muscle strength and your mental state.

Using blue in meditation may be helpful and it can also be used to improve communication, aid spiritual growth and facilitate higher mental function. It is the color of your creative power and will support you in a state of peace and balance.

Blue light is suggested as a treatment for MRSA.

Blue 470-nm Light Kills Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Vitro

Chukuka S. Enwemeka, Ph.D., FACSM,1 Deborah Williams, M.D., Ph.D.,1,2 Sombiri K. Enwemeka,1 Steve Hollosi, D.O.,2 and David Yens, Ph.D.2

Abstract

Background Data: In a previous study, we showed that 405-nm light photo-destroys methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The 390-420 nm spectral width of the 405-nm superluminous diode (SLD) source may raise safety concerns in clinical practice, because of the trace of ultraviolet (UV) light within the spectrum.

Objective: Here we report the effect of a different wavelength of blue light, one that has no trace of UV, on two strains of MRSA-the US-300 strain of CA-MRSA and the IS-853 strain of HA-MRSA-in vitro. Materials and

Methods: We cultured and plated each strain, and then irradiated each plate with 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 J/cm2 of energy a single time, using a 470-nm SLD phototherapy device. The irradiated specimens were then incubated at 35°C for 24 h. Subsequently, digital images were made and quantified to obtain colony counts and the aggregate area occupied by bacteria.

Results: Photo-irradiation produced a statistically significant dose-dependent reduction in both the number and the aggregate area of colonies formed by each strain (p _ 0.001). The higher the dose the more bacteria were killed, but the effect was not linear, and was more impressive at lower doses than at higher doses.

Nearly 30% of both strains were killed with as little as 3 J/cm2 of energy. As much as 90.4% of the US-300 and the IS-853 colonies, respectively, were killed with an energy density of 55 J/cm2. This same dose eradicated 91.7% and 94.8% of the aggregate area of the US-300 and the IS-853 strains, respectively.

Conclusion: At practical dose ranges, 470-nm blue light kills HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA in vitro, suggesting that a similar bactericidal effect may be attained in human cases of cutaneous and subcutaneous MRSA infections.
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/pho.2008.2413?cookieSet=1"

Another new product tha's just come on the market, and proven effective against MRSA, is the Alli-C gel. Just click on the Alli-C bottle in the right hand column to order. Sales help support this BLOG.

As a related note, a reader was looking for information about headache from Humira. Blue light may help as noted above, however this is a reportable adverse reaction and the reader is advised to call your doctor to report it.

and not to forget the benefits of thorough handwashing -

Handwashing More Important Than Isolation In Controlling MRSA Superbug Infection, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (2009-03-31) -- Regular handwashing by hospital staff and visitors did more to prevent the spread of the MRSA superbug than isolating infected patients. The rates of cross infection with MRSA when patients were not moved to single rooms or nursed in separate MRSA bays were compared to the periods when patients were moved. There was no evidence of increased transmission of infection when patients were not moved. ... > read full article

Natural Health Education Series On-Line

This morning marked the start of our natural health series, herbalYODA Says! LIVE, on BlogTalkRadio.

Some of our BLOG readers and newsletter subscribers may recall the many popular programs I did with Butch Chancellor on 'These Orwellian Times' that aired on Republic Broadcasting Network.

This new series is dedicated to Butch.

I'm keeping the programs to 15 minutes for now, just because I am aware of how limited time seems to be for most people.

This is a call-in format so if you're listening to the next live program, Sunday April 12, call in with your questions, or submit them before the show and I'll answer during the program. Program topic ideas are welcome. I really do like to hear from listeners, and BLOG readers too. Your input helps me do a better job.

Listen to this morning's program.

Insurance Companies May Not Be Your Friend

With all the talk about the health stimulus plan and the recent wave of backlash from Big Insurance against universal care, we now have some insight into what this industry does as a routine practice.

What ever way health care goes, the issues at stake are pretty big ones. It surely is just one more reason why you should start now to get healthy and stay healthy, plus learn what you can do to maintain your health.

Reliance on insurance and the government might not be your best call.

Senate takes on out-of-network insurance issue
By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Ever wonder how that bill was calculated if you had to pay to see a doctor outside your insurance network?

Might be a scam, says a senator investigating the issue.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wants answers at a hearing Tuesday from the chief executives of UnitedHealth Group Inc. and its subsidiary Ingenix Inc., a claims database used by insurers nationwide to calculate out-of-network rates.

The inquiry follows lawsuits and an investigation by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo alleging that UnitedHealth and Ingenix manipulated rate data so insurers had to pay less and patients more for out-of-network services.

"They're lowballing deliberately. They deliberately cut the numbers so the consumer has to pay more of the cost," Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday.

"It's scamming. It's fraud," he said.

In January, UnitedHealth agreed to pay $350 million to settle a suit by the American Medical Association and others over the issue. UnitedHealth did not admit wrongdoing. But, under pressure from Cuomo, the company agreed to pay $50 million toward creation of an independent claims database and eventually close down the Ingenix databases.

Cuomo has secured similar agreements from other major insurers, including WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., and Cigna Corp. The AMA is pursuing suits against those companies, too.

"Our view is that we've reached a resolution on this matter and we're moving forward," UnitedHealth spokesman Tyler Mason said in a voicemail message Friday. "We think it's positive that this information will continue to be made available in the health care marketplace so that people can make informed decisions."

A spokeswoman for Ingenix referred calls to UnitedHealth.

Rockefeller and other lawmakers, along with doctors and consumer groups, view the matter as far from over. They say more accountability and transparency is needed in how insurance companies determine out-of-network rates, and that patients need to understand how it's done to avoid sticker shock when they get their medical bills.

One such patient is Mary Jerome of Yonkers, N.Y. She went out of network to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006. When she began getting her bills she discovered that Memorial Sloan-Kettering was not being reimbursed by her insurer anywhere near as much as the center was charging and that she was responsible for paying the rest.

"Unknown to me, they were operating with deceptive methods of reimbursement," Jerome told Rockefeller's committee in written testimony. "I had to battle cancer — and I am still battling it — and I had to battle my insurance company to try and get fair coverage."

More than 70 percent of workers who get health care through their employers are enrolled in plans that allow them to go out of network, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Typically, those plans will pay a set percentage, say 70 percent, for an out-of-network visit.

But unknown to many consumers, when patients go out of network, their plan doesn't actually pay 70 percent of the doctor's visit cost. It pays 70 percent of what it determines is the "usual, customary and reasonable" cost for the procedure or doctor's visit in question.

Insurance companies determine that cost themselves, and there's scant regulation or oversight of how they do it.

In the case of UnitedHealth and Ingenix, they were allegedly manipulating claims data so that the "usual, customary and reasonable" costs they used were lower than they should have been, leaving patients to pay more. Cuomo's office said Ingenix was understating the market rate for doctor's visits across New York state by 10 percent to 28 percent.

Even with the UnitedHealth settlement, lawmakers and others want bigger changes in the system so rate calculations are fairer and better understood. Rockefeller said federal legislation might be needed.

"You ask me how are their 'usual and customary' rates being determined," Rockefeller said. "I don't know."
___

On the Net: Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/

UnitedHealth Group: http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com
Ingenix: http://www.ingenix.com/
N.Y. Attorney General's office: http://tinyurl.com/d6n89j
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSITIVITY AWARENESS MONTH

Make a Note of This - MAY 2009

The Mayor of Broward County (Fort Lauderdale and area), Florida, The Honorable Stacy Ritter has proclaimed May 2009 as ELECTROMAGNETIC SENSITIVITY AWARENESS MONTH.

EHS is a serious and growing illness that most politicians and doctors in North America are not willing to even talk about. Thanks to the brave and sensible stance of Mayor Ritter and her council, EHS will now get the recognition that it deserves.

What is Electrohypersensitivity

from Martin Weatherall

There are healthy energy drinks

Commercial energy drinks are all the buzz and have been for a number of years now. Those quick energy poppers at the grocery check out are probably in the same class. Most of these contain sucralose (a toxic hydrochlorocarbon) or a blend of aspartame and sucralose or aspartame and acesulfame K (all highly toxic artificial sweeteners)
According to Wikipedia, Red Bull, the most advertised of these drinks, has health risks.

However, in an effort to stem this tide, herbalYODA developed an herbal sports tea blend shortly after creating Formula One (sold as ADVENTURX) in 2004. sportZtea is a blend of 5-6 herbs that provide you with nutrients supplying vitamins and minerals to support your health and hydration. No stimulants and no artificial sweeteners.

And for the man from Austria (not Dr. Mueller-Toeroek) that brought you Red Bull, remind him that you don't need all the stuff in RB to relieve jet lag. I guess you didn't consult this favorite herbalist.

"[edit] Origins of Red Bull
Red Bull was inspired by an energy drink from Thailand called Krating Daeng. Red Bull is the literal translation of Krating Daeng in Thai. (Krating = Bull, Dang = Red) The logo of redbull is even the same as logo of Krating Daeng. Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian entrepreneur developed the Red Bull Energy Drink brand. Mateschitz was the international marketing director for Blendax, a toothpaste company, when he visited Thailand in 1982 and discovered that Krating Daeng helped to cure his jet lag.[2] Between 1984 and 1987, Mateschitz worked with TC Pharmaceutical (a Blendax licensee) to adapt Krating Daeng for the European market. At the same time Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya founded Red Bull GmbH; each investing $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. They gave the remaining 2% to Chaleo's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.[3] Red Bull GmbH launched the Red Bull in 1987, which is carbonated and not as sweet as Krating Daeng, the Thai energy drink. Red Bull entered its first foreign market (Hungary) in 1992, and the United States (via California) in 1997.[4]

Red Bull has taken almost half of the US market for energy drinks, and up to 80% of the market in some other countries.

In 2006, Forbes Magazine listed Chaleo as being the 292nd richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of over $2.5 billion[5] while Mateschitz was listed at number 317.[6]

[edit] Product
Marketed as an energy drink "to combat mental and physical fatigue", it contains, per 250 mL (8.4 U.S. fl. oz.) serving, about 21.5 g sucrose, 5.25 g of glucose, 50 mg of inositol, 1000 mg of taurine, 600 mg of glucuronolactone, vitamin B — 20 mg of niacin, 5 mg of vitamin B6, 5 mg of pantothenic acid and 5 μg of vitamin B12 , 80 mg of caffeine. The caffeine in one serving is similar to that found in an average cup of brewed coffee (typically 100 mg/250 ml cup, but 72 mg for a U.S. regular 6 fluid ounces cup of coffee) or twice as much as found in a can of Coke (40 mg/330 ml can). A sugar-free version has been available since the beginning of 2003. Sugar-free Red Bull is sweetened with aspartame and sucralose, as opposed to sucrose and glucose.

Red Bull has the flavor of a carbonated guarana drink. It is commonly used as a mixer with alcoholic drinks such as vodka, and is the base ingredient in a Jägerbomb.

[edit] Ingredients
A can of Red Bull from the United Kingdom states the ingredients as: Water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, agave, glucuronolactone, caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, caramel and riboflavin. In comparison, a can of Sugar Free Red Bull from the United Kingdom states the ingredients as: water, acidity regulator sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, glucuronolactone, sweeteners (acesulfame K, aspartame), caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, thickener xanthan gum, colours (caramel, riboflavin).

Taurine is a naturally occurring organic acid in the human body and is also present in foods like poultry, fish, and scallops. In addition to being an antioxidant, it is mainly used by the body during physical exertion and stress.[7] In its natural form, taurine is derived from animal tissue, having been first isolated from bull (Bos taurus) bile, hence the name "Red Bull"; however, the taurine used in the Red Bull drink is produced synthetically. It is also the first energy drink to list glucuronolactone in its ingredient list. Glucuronolactone is a carbohydrate involved in detoxification. The chemical naturally occurs in the human body, but is also present in foods like grain and wine.[7] It has often been referred to have a similar taste to Dandelion & Burdock, a traditional British soft drink, drunk in the British Islands since about 1265. Traditionally it is made from fermented dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock (Arctium lappa) roots, and is naturally carbonated.

[edit] Health effects
A review published in 2008 found no documented reports of negative health effects associated with the taurine used in the amounts found in most energy drinks, including Red Bull.[8]

Commonly reported adverse effects due to caffeine used in the quantities present in Red Bull, are insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia (see Caffeine intoxication). In cases of extreme over consumption, death is possible.

A 2008 position statement issued by the National Federation of State High School Associations made the following recommendations about energy drink consumption, in general, by young athletes:[9]

Water and appropriate sports drinks should be used for rehydration as outlined in the NFHS Document “Position Statement and Recommendations for Hydration to Minimize the Risk for Dehydration and Heat Illness.”

Energy drinks should not be used for hydration.
Information about the absence of benefit and the presence of potential risk associated with energy drinks should be widely shared among all individuals who interact with young athletes.
Energy drinks should not be consumed by athletes who are dehydrated.
Energy drinks should not be consumed without prior medical approval, by athletes taking over the counter or prescription medications.

[edit] Anaerobic muscular endurance and work
A study conducted in 2007 on 15 healthy young adults, found that Red Bull consumption led to an acute increase in upper body anaerobic muscular endurance; however, no effect was found on either peak lower body anaerobic muscular work, or average lower body anaerobic muscular work.[10]

[edit] Cardiovascular effects
The results of a single study conducted in 2008 showed that the ingestion of one, 250mL can of sugar-free Red Bull, in a sample of 30 healthy young adults, had an immediate detrimental effect on both endothelial function, and normal blood coagulation. This temporarily raised the cardiovascular risk in these individuals to a level comparable to that of an individual with established coronary artery disease.[11]

Based on their results, researchers involved with the study cautioned against the consumption of Red Bull in individuals under stress, in those with high blood pressure, or in anyone with established atherosclerotic disease.[12]

Red Bull representatives, however, stated that this observed increase in cardiovascular risk was not felt to be different than that associated with drinking a regular cup of coffee. They also stated that they believed that Red Bull must be safe, as it was felt the only way Red Bull could have such substantial global sales is if various health authorities had concluded the drink safe to consume.

There has been at least one case report of Red Bull overdose causing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in a young athlete.[13]

A February 3, 2009 article in The Daily Telegraph called, "Red Bull 'may have triggered heart condition that killed student'" reported on the death of a 21 year-old woman who died after drinking four cans of Red Bull and several VKs, a vodka based drink which also contains caffeine. It was believed, but had not been proven, that she suffered from a rare heart condition called long QT Syndrome[14]. She was on medication for epilepsy. A medical examination found that there were no illegal drugs in her system. The article quoted a doctor as saying, "The QT levels may have grown over a few years, or it may have been artificially pushed over the limit by caffeine." [15]

Energy Drinks May Be Harmful To People With Hypertension, Heart Disease

ScienceDaily (2009-03-26) -- People who have high blood pressure or heart disease should avoid consuming energy drinks, according to a new study. Researchers found that healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink experienced an increase in their blood pressure and heart rate. No significant changes in EKG measurements were reported. ... > read full article

Natural Health News has 38 posts with information about the toxic effects of sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame.