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JunkieYard Dot Com Health And Fitness Journal
Use This Superfood to Help Remove Mercury From Your Tissues in Weeks (Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:00:18 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
By Dr. Mercola
Have you noticed that practically every day a new story comes out in the media about the toxic side effects of living in the modern world?
Chemical and heavy metal dangers seem to be lurking everywhere you turn in the 21st century!
Pesticides coat much of our fresh food supply, chemical by-products from manufacturing are routinely dumped into our air and water, and mercury amalgam fillings in your teeth may be releasing mercury into your body with every bite of food you take!
The seafood in our oceans are laden with heavy metals and mercury and pass these poisons up the food chain until potentially massive doses of both wind up on your dinner plate disguised as a healthy meal.
Underground water supplies have been tainted by chemical and pesticide run off from farms, factories and high technology industries.
In fact, acceptable levels of many poisons are allowed to come into your home through your drinking and bathing water, including fluoride, chlorine and low levels of many heavy metals.
It doesn’t take much imagination to see that your body too is under attack from environmental pollution every single day.
You can seek to protect yourself and combat this hazard by eating foods that are free of pesticides and chemicals, but you simply cannot entirely remove all sources of toxins from your environment. The damage to our world is just too widespread and pervasive. You have to take it upon yourself to take measures to protect yourself and your family from this toxic world, and one of the best natural sources for moving these toxic materials out of your body is a whole-food based, green algae called chlorella.
To address the harmful and unwanted chemicals your body picks up through the food you eat, the air you breathe, and the water you drink, it is wise to develop a proactive plan. One of the most powerful parts of this plan is detoxification of the toxins you may have already built up inside your body.
Your body is naturally able to remove many of the harmful pathogens, chemicals and poisons you may come into contact with in the environment. That’s how we are all designed.
But in the 21st century, we’re seeing an explosion of accumulated toxin-related diseases like cancer, auto-immune dysfunction, brain disorders like autism, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, nerve disorders and more common ailments like depression, learning disabilities and fatigue. It can become relatively easy to overwhelm your body’s ability to remove many of these toxins. Symptoms of toxic build-up due to chronic metal exposure include:
- Fatigue
- Digestive distress, and reduced ability to properly assimilate and utilize fats
- Aching joints
- Depression
- Impaired blood sugar regulation
- Female reproductive problems
Mercury is also a potent toxin in its own right that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys, and is especially dangerous for children, fetuses, pregnant and nursing women and people who have high levels of mercury bioburden. So it clearly pays dividends to detoxify your body of the accumulated toxins built up, to get yourself to a healthier state where your body can more effectively remove the toxins you’re exposed to every day.
There are ten to 100 times more toxins in your fat than in your blood, so one of the best ways to remove toxins is to decrease your body fat. That really is your first defense. Choosing the right foods and exercise are key here. After that, one of the most effective detoxification strategies I know of is the use of an infrared sauna. This can be done for about one hour daily for a month. Remember, it’s important to hydrate well before and during the sauna treatment to avoid dehydration.
Additionally, you can exercise for 30-60 minutes immediately prior to help liberate some of the toxins from your fat.
Some clinicians have also found the use of NON timed release niacin useful, as it helps liberate toxins from the fat. However, relatively high doses of 5,000 mg are needed. These high doses need to be slowly worked up to as niacin will cause flushing. However, about one fourth of people are simply unable to tolerate the niacin flush. Please avoid timed release niacin as it can potentially lead to chemical hepatitis.
One of the most exciting nutritional resources available today to help your body naturally fight environmental pollution is a whole-food based supplement called chlorella. Chlorella is actually one of the most widely used supplements in Japan, where over 10 million people use it regularly. The Japanese use of chlorella is more widespread than the North American use of vitamin C, our most popular supplement.
Do the Japanese know something we don’t?
One of the reasons the Japanese value chlorella so highly is its natural detoxification abilities. Chlorella is a “green food,” a single-celled, micro-algae that is about two to ten microns in size. It’s very small. It is this small size combined with its unique properties that make it such a useful detoxification tool. Its molecular structure, allows it to bond to metals, chemicals and some pesticides.
When chlorella is taken into your body, its natural action will bind it to lingering heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides found in your digestive tract, which is your body’s pathway to your bloodstream where these harmful toxins are delivered and deposited into your body’s cells.
So chlorella first and foremost will help your body eliminate unwanted metals and toxins. But it does more than that.
Chlorella is uniquely designed to not bind to the minerals your body naturally needs to function optimally. It does not bind to beneficial minerals like calcium, magnesium, or zinc. It’s almost as if chlorella knows which metals belong in your body and which chemicals need to be removed. Supplementing with chlorella is like unleashing a tiny army inside your body to fight the battle of removing toxins from your tissues and ushering them back outside your body where they belong.
Chlorella is one of the most widely studied food supplements in the world. Aside from being the subject of medical research in the USA, USSR, Germany, Japan, France, England and Israel, chlorella has been extensively studied as a food source since it is made up of a whopping 50 percent protein and is considered a complete amino acid-based food.
Even NASA has studied using chlorella as the one of first whole foods in space on the international space station!
Studies in Japan have shown chlorella may help reduce body fat percentage and may be useful in fighting obesity and weight related diabetes. It may also help reduce both cholesterol and hypertension. Chlorella’s cleansing action on your bowel and other elimination channels, as well as its protection of your liver, also helps promote clean blood. And clean blood helps assure metabolic waste get efficiently carried away from your tissues.
Chlorella is such a powerful detoxifier because it is rich in chlorophyll, which is known to:
- Aid you in processing more oxygen
- Cleanse key elimination systems like your bowel, liver, and blood
- Help purify your blood and clean away toxins
- Aid you in promoting optimal blood pressure
- Support elimination of molds in your body
- Help neutralize bad air you might breathe in
- Promote growth and repair of your tissues
Chlorella is actually very useful even beyond detoxification, and its range of health benefits includes:
- Boosting your immune system
- Improving your digestion, especially if constipation is a problem
- Providing B vitamins from an animal source
- Enhancing your ability to focus and concentrate
- Increasing your energy levels
- Balancing your body’s pH
- Normalizing your blood sugar and blood pressure
- Reducing your cancer risk
- Freshening your breath
A three-year double-blind metal detoxification study with over 350 people participating was undertaken at a Russian metal foundry, where more than 20 natural compounds were used in trials to remove heavy metals from people who had been exposed at very high levels to four main metals — antimony, lead, cadmium and arsenic.
What were the results of testing chlorella as a heavy metal detoxification agent? The Russian trial using Broken Cell Wall chlorella combined with cilantro eliminated ALL heavy metals, including mercury! With no reported side-effects! In fact, the heavy metal binding power of chlorella was first discovered in the mining industry. Mixed with water, they pumped chlorella into mine shafts to collect the residual metals after bulk mining was completed.
Unlike many food supplements, chlorella has one unique feature that makes the manufacturing process one of the primary concerns when considering a source of supplementation. Chlorella is completely indigestible by humans. We simply do not have the enzymes to break down its cell wall.
Unlike other green foods, chewing and digesting chlorella will not release the powerful health benefits contained within this green algae. This is because chlorella’s tough outer cell wall, which is also chemically responsible for binding with the toxins inside your body, cannot be broken down by your biology,
Therefore, it is imperative that the manufacturing process break down the tough outer cell wall for you, as this is the only way to make the chlorella biologically available to remove toxins from your body.
This is why I only recommend supplementing with Broken Cell Wall chlorella, because this is the only form that allows your body to use this powerful detoxification agent. Another concern when choosing your chlorella is to be sure that the source waters where it is grown and harvested are free of any contamination. Since chlorella is a natural green food, it will be affected by polluted water and will retain environmental toxins if it’s grown in contaminated waters. So be certain any chlorella you supplement with comes from a naturally clean water source.
One other aspect of chlorella you need to be aware of is some people tolerate it better than others.
You should always start any detox with chlorella gradually, taking just a small amount at first to see how your body tolerates this powerful detoxification tool. Some people also report benefits from beginning a detoxification by first eating small amounts of cilantro for a few days. Cilantro also promotes a detoxification response in your body, but at a less intense level — which may help your body ease into a smoother detoxification response from chlorella.
The best results of using broken cell wall chlorella for detoxification have also been documented as coming from mixing chlorella with the green plant cilantro, so this might be another consideration for you when undertaking your detoxification program. I recommend finding an organic source of cilantro, to insure you are not putting more unwanted chemicals into your body as you try to detoxify your body’s already existing heavy metal burden.
One other thing to be aware of when using chlorella is that this green algae does contain large concentrations of iron. Iron levels in women should not be a problem due to the loss of iron related to the menstrual cycle, but for men, or postmenopausal women, excessive iron can become a problem.
So for men using chlorella, you want to have your blood iron levels checked regularly to ensure the iron in your blood is staying within healthy levels. The simple best screen is ferritin. Ideally it should be between 20 and 80 ng/ml. Levels over 150 or higher become problematic and should be treated by blood donations or therapeutic phlebotomies.
Chlorella is also a great source of complete amino acid protein, and is made up of 50 percent protein. So vegans and vegetarians can benefit not only from the detoxification properties of chlorella, but can also enhance their B vitamin and protein intake as well through chlorella supplementation.
Many claim that it can also be a useful source of vitamin B12. While chlorella does contain this vitamin, most people develop deficiencies because they lose the ability to absorb it. So swallowing it will not provide the same benefit as injecting it or using it in a sublingual drop or spray.
To the best of my knowledge, chlorella is not an effective alternative to animal sources of vitamin B12 which can be an issue for vegans.
Sometimes living in the modern world can feel like you’re at war with the environment around you, and sources of pollution are often silent and unavoidable. You can do your best to avoid pollution and toxins, eat only the healthiest organic foods, drink only filtered water, avoid exposure to harsh man-made chemicals, and yet still find yourself exposed daily to massive amounts of harmful pollutants that are totally outside of your control.
Maintaining optimum wellness includes creating defensive mechanisms to fight back against these pervasive and unavoidable environmental assaults on your good health.
By implementing a detoxification program now you can help your body naturally remove the unwanted and harmful heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides you may unknowingly taken into your body. And lessening your toxic burden has been shown to improve many common health ailments, from lack of energy and insomnia, to sluggish digestion, lack of immune response and mental fatigue.
In fact, almost everything inside your body, including all of your organs, function better with reduced loads of systemic toxins.
And by removing the toxins now and not letting them accumulate to dangerous levels, you may be helping your body ward of such killers as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension, along with all of the now too common neurological disorders that may not manifest for decades to come.
Just remember to start slowly, perhaps using cilantro first, and gradually increase your intake of chlorella at a pace your body can tolerate.
It took a long time for your body to accumulate these toxins and it will probably take you many weeks and even months to effectively remove them from your system. So if you experience any indigestion or discomfort from chlorella supplements, you’re probably taking too much too fast.
It will be crucial to lower your body fat as low as possible as this will remove large amounts of toxins from your body that are stored there. You can also use the infrared sauna in conjunction with exercise and niacin as described above.
Be patient, stick with chlorella supplementation, and in a few weeks you’ll most likely begin to notice an overall improvement in your health as you naturally start to remove these heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides from your body.
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Why Online Backup Is The Best (Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:00:11 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
External hard disks, tape units, zip drives, CDs, and DVDs are backup tools of the past. Today, nothing smacks of practicality and convenience more than online backup solutions.
Backing up online has manifold advantages, not least of which is relief from the intricacies attendant on manually making copies of files. From an application perspective, managing backup solutions is complicated enough of itself, especially if it involves tape cartridge devices. With tape backup, you need to bother with vaulting tapes offsite, at hours you certainly didn’t appoint.
Online backup fills a universal need of businesses to reduce capital and overhead. It also tremendously does away with risk, which is never more unwelcome among small- and medium-scale enterprises; remote offices; and mobile consumers.
Conventional backup solutions are a big mishmash in the market but many of them can’t guarantee effectiveness. Entrust your precious files to the wrong backup company and you may lose them forever. Your best bet then is opting for online backup providers.
1. Online backup is easier.
Unlike, say, tape backup, online backup is wholly automatic. You need not take backups home, switch tapes, and move files every hour on the hour. Simply decide on how often you want your data backed up in a day and the provider would do the rest.
On the contrary, traditional backup methods take so much of your energy and time. Since online backups are entirely automatic affairs, you can become more productive with work that needs to be done.
2. More data centers = less risk of data loss
Customarily, online backup providers rely on specially built data centers. These gargantuan repositories of information are located all across the world. What this means for you is negligible risk of data loss due to unstoppable circumstances, such as natural calamities. There simply are many copies of your data, retrievable from anywhere on earth to your system and back.
3. It puts you in charge.
With each backup, you are updated at length, via email, on which files have been changed, removed, or added. Online backup clearly puts you in control.
4. Utmost privacy
Since online backups are encrypted—making your data accessible only through a password nominated by you—neither your closest loved one, let alone the service provider, can read your data.
5. Easy file restoration
Online backup has made file restoration easier than ever. You can do so by tapping the software or signing in the provider’s network. Either way, you can choose which files you want to recover or restore, anywhere, 24/7.
In recovering or restoring data, you have a choice of many older versions, e.g. yesterday, past week, last month, and beginning of time. You can revert to these versions in any location in your system or network.
WPDesigner has pared down the best storage solutions online for your consideration. They have sorted them according to such criteria as ease-of-use, price, server security, reliability, control panel, and customer support. They also rated the providers by their repute and credibility.
Visit WPDesigner now so you can decide on whom to commend your treasured files and documents.
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New Evidence Refutes Fraud Findings in Dr. Wakefield Case (Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:00:11 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
By Dr. Mercola
In February 1998, the Lancet published Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s case series of a group of autistic children with gastric problems, which has become one of the most controversial studies in medicine because part of the patients’ story included regression after receiving the MMR vaccine.
The debate is a heated one, as the study suggests there may be a link between the MMR vaccine, bowel disease and autism.
In an interview I conducted with Dr. Wakefield in 2010, he said he knew he was about to enter treacherous waters when the study was published, and he expected the inevitable backlash from the vaccine industry.
However, “backlash” is putting it mildly, as Dr. Wakefield’s reputation was completely smeared.
The latest revelations in this controversy add yet another twist, and suggest that a series of articles published by the BMJ in January 2011 alleging that Wakefield falsified data, making the original Lancet article fraudulent, were in fact the inaccurate ones …
At the heart of the Wakefield controversy has been whether or not the children in the study were, in fact, diagnosed with non-specific colitis, or if that information had been fabricated — allegations that were largely initiated by investigative journalist Brian Deer.
Writing in the BMJ, research microbiologist David Lewis, of the National Whistleblowers Center, explains that he reviewed histopathological grading sheets by two of Dr. Wakefield’s coauthors, pathologists Amar Dhillon and Andrew Anthony, and concluded there was no fraud committed by Dr. Wakefield:
“As a research microbiologist involved with the collection and examination of colonic biopsy samples, I do not believe that Dr. Wakefield intentionally misinterpreted the grading sheets as evidence of “non-specific colitis.” Dhillon indicated “non-specific” in a box associated, in some cases, with other forms of colitis. In addition, if Anthony’s grading sheets are similar to ones he completed for the Lancet article, they suggest that he diagnosed “colitis” in a number of the children.”
In a press release, Lewis continued:
“The grading sheets and other evidence in Wakefield’s files clearly show that it is unreasonable to conclude, based on a comparison of the histological records, that Andrew Wakefield ‘faked’ a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
Now that these records have seen the light of day, it is time for others to stop using them for this purpose as well. False allegations of research misconduct can destroy the careers of even the most accomplished and reputable scientists overnight. It may take years for them to prove their innocence; and even then the damages are often irreparable. In cases where mistakes are made, every effort should be taken to fully restore the reputations and careers of scientists who are falsely accused of research misconduct.”
While the press continues to battle over Dr. Wakefield’s purported guilt or innocence, the bigger issue — that there appears to be a connection between inflammation, and particularly gut inflammation, and autism — is getting lost in the shuffle. Plus, other research has confirmed Wakefield’s hotly contested findings, linking the MMR triple vaccine with bowel disease and autism — contrary to what you might hear in the press.
” … a team from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina are examining 275 children with regressive autism and bowel disease – and of the 82 tested so far, 70 prove positive for the measles virus … the team’s leader, Dr Stephen Walker, said: ‘Of the handful of results we have in so far, all are vaccine strain and none are wild measles.
This research proves that in the gastrointestinal tract of a number of children who have been diagnosed with regressive autism, there is evidence of measles virus. What it means is that the study done earlier by Dr Wakefield and published in 1998 is correct.
That study didn’t draw any conclusions about specifically what it means to find measles virus in the gut, but the implication is it may be coming from the MMR vaccine. If that’s the case, and this live virus is residing in the gastrointestinal tract of some children, and then they have GI inflammation and other problems, it may be related to the MMR.”
The lead researcher, Stephen J. Walker, Ph.D., was also quick to state however, that this does not necessarily mean the MMR vaccine causes autism. Still, his research notes the same connection that Wakefield’s team did, which is that many autistic children have chronic bowel inflammation, and have the vaccine strain of the measles virus in their intestines.
Says Dr. Wakefield of his original 1998 findings:
“… it’s been replicated in Canada, in the U.S., in Venezuela, in Italy… [but] they never get mentioned. All you ever hear is that no one else has ever been able to replicate the findings. I’m afraid that is false.”
You can see a list of 28 studies from around the world that support Dr. Wakefield’s controversial findings in this past article. In addition to his hotly contested MMR study, Dr. Wakefield has published dozens of peer-reviewed papers looking at the mechanism and cause of inflammatory bowel disease, and has extensively investigated the brain-bowel connection in the context of children with developmental disorders such as autism. As described below, other researchers are also doing the same …
In her research, Dr. Campbell-McBride discovered that nearly all of the mothers of autistic children have abnormal gut flora, which is significant because newborns inherit their gut flora from their mothers at the time of birth. Establishing normal gut flora in the first 20 days or so of life plays a crucial role in the maturation of your baby’s immune system. Babies who develop abnormal gut flora are left with compromised immune systems, putting them at higher risk for suffering vaccine reactions.
If your baby has suboptimal gut flora, vaccines can become the proverbial “last straw”—the trigger that “primes” his/her immune system to develop chronic heath problems.
In short, there is a close connection between abnormal gut flora and abnormal brain development—a condition Dr. Campbell-McBride calls Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS).The best way to prevent GAPS is for the mother to avoid all antibiotics and birth control pills prior to conception and then by breastfeeding and avoiding the use of antibiotics after delivering. This is because they destroy the balance of gut floras and promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In addition to breastfeeding,
I highly recommend the use of fermented foods and probiotics for your baby to help reduce his/her risk of GAPS.
Fortunately, it’s possible to screen your child for GAPS before he or she is vaccinated, so that you can make a better-informed vaccination decision. Dr. Campbell-McBride describes the entire process in her book. It involves providing a detailed family health history to a knowledgeable healthcare provider, combined with stool and urine analysis, and these combine to give you a picture of your baby’s gut health and overall immune status.Dr. Campbell-McBride states:
“If your child has abnormal gut flora, we can assume that your child has compromised immunity, and these children must not be vaccinated with the standard vaccination protocol because they simply get damaged by it. They should not be vaccinated.”
These non-invasive tests are now available in most laboratories around the world for, typically, $80 to $100 each. This cost is insignificant compared to the incredible expense of treating an autistic child, once the damage is done.
New research published by the American Society for Microbiology further contends:
“Many children with autism have gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances that can complicate clinical management and contribute to behavioral problems. Understanding the molecular and microbial underpinnings of these GI issues is of paramount importance for elucidating pathogenesis, rendering diagnosis, and administering informed treatment.
Here we describe an association between high levels of intestinal, mucoepithelial-associated Sutterella species and GI disturbances in children with autism. These findings elevate this little-recognized bacterium to the forefront by demonstrating that Sutterella is a major component of the microbiota in over half of children with autism and gastrointestinal dysfunction (AUT-GI) and is absent in children with only gastrointestinal dysfunction (Control-GI) evaluated in this study.”
Remember, you make serious, at times life-and-death, decisions based on what and who you believe … The avalanche of autism must be curbed—and quickly! And for now the burden rests on you, the parent, to take control of your and your child’s health, and to arm yourself with information that can have life-altering ramifications when it comes to making health care decisions.
Please, as always, make your vaccination decisions educated ones.
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New Warning About Manicures, Piercings and Tattoos (Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:00:20 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
By Dr. Mercola
About 4.4 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis — and most of them have no idea they have it. A new study has shown that customers in nail salons could be putting themselves at risk for the deadly disease.
Many nail salons use sharp instruments, which carry a risk of infection if they are re-used.
I’m willing to bet many of my female readers enjoy getting their nails done. I know I enjoy having mine done periodically.
Aside from looking well-groomed, getting a manicure and/or pedicure is a good stress reliever too, I’m told.
But there are certain risks involved. To protect yourself from accidental exposure to diseases such as hepatitis, make sure scissors and clippers are disinfected after each use, and that only disposable files are used.
The same goes for the pedicure bath and all suction screens in the tubs.
You’d also be wise to always bring your own nail polish—ideally a non-toxic version, which I’ll discuss in a moment—as the polish can be both a source of infectious contamination as well as adding to your toxic burden.
Woman’s Health Channel reports:
“It’s not just nail salons to watch out for… [A]nyplace where you can get tattoos, ear piercing, body piercing, and even dental offices can put you at risk.”
“Hepatitis” means liver inflammation. The “A,” “B” and “C” designations refer to the type of hepatitis virus involved. Symptoms of hepatitis A and B are very similar, and include:
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
However, hepatitis B is often called “the silent killer” because as many as 95 percent of those with the disease exhibit no symptoms at all, until it’s too late. The disease can progress unnoticed for years in some cases, and patients oftentimes learn they have chronic hepatitis B once they develop severe liver damage.
But as mentioned above, anytime you’re getting tattooed or pierced, or
even just getting a manicure or pedicure, you can be exposed to the
virus via contaminated instruments breaking through your skin. The virus is spread through contact with blood and/or body fluids of an infected person. Common routes of infection include:
- IV drug abuse
- Sexual activity with an infected partner
- Blood transfusion using contaminated blood
Fortunately, in most cases, the hepatitis B infection will resolve on its own provided you have a well-functioning immune system. Symptoms can be relieved by:
- Resting
- Avoiding foods that weaken your immune function, such as sugars/fructose, grains, and processed foods. Healthful foods that help boost your immune system include fermented foods and organic vegetables. (For a list of the top 12 most beneficial foods for robust immune function, please see this previous article)
- Optimizing your vitamin D levels
- Drinking plenty of pure water
- Avoiding alcohol and drugs
A diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B, on the other hand, will typically include some form of antiviral medication, and depending on how far along your disease has progressed, you may even require a liver transplant. If you were born in or after 1991, you’ve probably received the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, but if you think that means you don’t have to worry about these risks, think again… There are few or no detectable antibodies in the blood of most children within 7-10 years after vaccination, indicating that the inoculation does NOT provide lasting protection.
While we’re on the subject of hepatitis B, I want to quickly touch on the use of hepatitis B vaccine in newborns, as fears about this disease may lead some people to mistakenly assume vaccination is the best, if not the only, answer. But this vaccine is fraught with dangerous side effects that every parent needs to be aware of…
Routine use of the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns began in 1991, and according to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), operated jointly by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there were 36,788 officially reported adverse reactions to hepatitis B vaccines between 1992 and 2005. Of these, 14,800 were serious enough to cause hospitalization, life-threatening health events or permanent disabilities; 781 deaths were also reported.
These numbers, while large, are likely still an underestimation as doctors rarely report serious health problems following vaccination. Studies have estimated that a maximum of 10 percent, and as little as one percent of side effects are ever reported… When comes to infant deaths post vaccination, most are automatically attributed to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) without investigation into whether the vaccine caused the baby’s sudden death.
There’s no shortage of evidence of harm from this vaccine however, for those willing to look. GreenMedInfo.com lists 46 medical articles that specify more than 60 diseases or adverse unintended consequences associated with hepatitis B vaccination. Common reactions to the vaccine include fatigue, muscle weakness, fever, headache, irritability, and joint pain. But there have been reports of disabling neurological and immunological disorders that have developed following hepatitis B vaccinations as well, including:
| Multiple sclerosis (MS) | Guillain Barre syndrome | Bell’s Palsy |
| Diabetes | Rheumatoid arthritis | Lupus |
| Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia purpura | Convulsions and brain disorders such as encephalitis (brain swelling) and brain demyelination | Immune dysfunction |
| Visual and hearing impairments, including optic neuritis | Pancreatitis | Autism spectrum disorders |
The hepatitis B vaccine for newborns is the least justifiable of any vaccine I can think of. Remember, the disease is only transmitted via contaminated needles, blood transfusion, or contact with contaminated blood and/or body fluids. Babies can essentially only contract hepatitis B via their mother, if the mother is infected. So why not screen all pregnant women for the disease and only give the vaccine to those infants whose mothers actually test positive for hepatitis B? That policy would be a lot less expensive, and a lot safer for the majority of babies born in the United States.
If you’re an expecting parent, it’s important to know that the hepatitis B vaccine is given to virtually every newborn in the hospital—many times without parents’ consent—shortly after the child is born. If you choose not to have your 12-hour-old newborn vaccinated, it may take a lot of effort and insistence on your part to make sure this vaccine is not given without your informed consent.
Now, getting back to manicures and pedicures, viral infections are not the only health hazard you’re exposing yourself to at the nail salon.
Certain manicure procedures and most nail polishes typically involve or contain a number of toxic chemicals that can wreak havoc if accidentally introduced into your body. For example, two years ago, a woman reportedly ended up with chronic nerve damage after getting a gel manicure—a procedure in which a special solution is applied to your nails and then hardened under a UV light for a longer-lasting manicure. Most problems arise due to chemicals getting into abrasions, which can easily occur if a nail file slips or if your cuticles are cut back too far. Tip-offs that a manicure procedure could harm you include:
| Your salon uses bottles in unmarked containers | Your skin is abraded or cut during the procedure | Your skin or nails hurt during or after the nail service |
| The products smell unusually strong or have a strange odor | The instruments used on you are not sterilized | You see swelling, redness or other signs of infection |
Your nail polish may also add to your toxic burden (remember, women who use make-up on a daily basis can absorb almost 5 pounds of chemicals into their bodies each year, so every little bit certainly adds up). Dangerous chemicals commonly found in nail polish include:
- Dibutyl phthalates (DBP), known to cause lifelong reproductive impairments in male rats. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), dibutyl phthalates has been shown to damage the testes, prostate gland, epididymus, penis, and seminal vesicles in animals.
- Toluene is made from petroleum or coal tar. Chronic exposure linked to anemia, lowered blood cell count, liver or kidney damage, and may affect a developing fetus
- Formaldehyde
- Oxybenzone
The EWG’s 2006 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics managed to create some positive change in terms of making safer nail polishes available, with several popular brands vowing to reformulate their products to remove some of the most harmful ingredients, such as DBPs, toluene and formaldehyde. I highly recommend using the EWG’s Skin Deep Database to research any cosmetic or personal care product you’re thinking of buying, including nail polish. Also beware that many nail polish removers score quite high on toxicity, but there are completely non-toxic versions on the market as well.
Whenever possible, I like to point out safer, healthier alternatives, and I’m happy to say that there is another option even when it comes to beautifying your nails, and that is: buffing. Simple buffing can create a nice, smooth sheen to your nails, without using any nail polish whatsoever. An added boon is that it may actually help your nails grow stronger and longer due to increased circulation, and you won’t have to worry about chipped nail polish either. The following video demonstrates how to buff your own nails, and for more information, check out this eHow article.
Getting a manicure can be a wonderful way to pamper yourself, and I’m not against the practice at all – just be mindful of how it’s done, and make sure your manicurist adheres to all the safety precautions to prevent spread of infections, and try to avoid as many harsh chemicals as possible.
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Hello 2012, Goodbye Better Health (Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:00:16 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
Dear Better Health Friends & Contributors,
2012 will mark Better Health’s 4th year anniversary of group medical blogging. I began Better Health with the hope of organizing “voices of reason” in the health blogosphere so that our ideas would enjoy greater circulation and be more influential. We were the early adopters of social media – some of the first physicians, nurses, patient advocates, and scientists to join together to provide trustworthy content to our readers via blogs. We grew to represent over 130 bloggers and, over the years, were joined by such prestigious organizations as the American College of Physicians, Harvard Health Publications, Diario Médico, and the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. I am proud of our excellent writing, and I know that we touched many lives through our blogging.
Many of our contributors have enjoyed such success in blogging that they are regular features of several publishing platforms. Others have gone on to careers in social media education and are now sought-after speakers across the U.S. and beyond. Today’s blog audiences often receive their health information via personalized “filters” on Facebook and Twitter, rather than specific websites. And so for these reasons, Better Health has achieved its purpose to promote medical bloggers. I will discontinue future publication of blog posts at the getbetterhealth.com website as of today. Better Health, LLC will continue on as my personal consulting company.
I want to thank you all for contributing content to Better Health – I have personally enjoyed reading your work and I wish you success in your future writing endeavors. As I look forward to the next chapter of my life I hope to remain in touch with you all via email, Facebook (/drvaljones) or Twitter (@drval).
Please note that Grand Rounds will continue as usual, and that the getbetterhealth.com website will remain in archive format indefinitely.
With all my best for 2012,
Val
P.S. I will continue to promote medical blogging via Grand Rounds, and I will be hosting it at USA Today in the near future (date TBD). Please stay tuned for submission information. The Grand Rounds calendar will remain updated at the top of the Better Health home page indefinitely.
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Toxic Enough to Require Haz-Mat Transport… Yet Safe for You and Your Children? (Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:00:18 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
By Dr. Mercola
The World Health Organization (WHO) released its final report on dental amalgam, and has taken a stance against the use of mercury in dentistry — a move that could signal the beginning of the end for this toxic, outdated practice.
In their report, Future Use of Materials for Dental Restoration, WHO committed itself “to work for reduction of mercury and … facilitate the work for a switch in use of dental materials.”
The report states that amalgam “has been associated with general health concerns” and releases a “significant amount of mercury” into the environment.
It also notes that alternatives to amalgam are readily available.
The final WHO report urges “a switch in use of dental materials” away from amalgam.As reported by Charlie Brown, director of Consumers for Dental Choice,”[F]or many reasons,” WHO explains, “restorative materials alternative to dental amalgam are desirable.” As Consumers for Dental Choice, which was founded by Bob Jones and Sue Ann Taylor, reported, WHO noted the following three reasons for the new position:
- Amalgam releases a “significant amount of mercury” into the environment, including the atmosphere, surface water, groundwater, and soil. WHO reports:
“When released from dental amalgam use into the environment through these pathways, mercury is transported globally and deposited. Mercury releases may then enter the human food chain especially via fish consumption.”
- WHO determines that amalgam raises “general health concerns”: While the report acknowledges that a few dental trade groups still believe amalgam is safe for all, the WHO report reaches a very different conclusion: “Amalgam has been associated with general health concerns.” The report observes:
“According to the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit, the majority of cases of side-effects of dental filling materials are linked with dental amalgam.”
- WHO concludes “materials alternative to dental amalgam are available” and cites studies indicating they are superior to amalgam. For example, WHO says “recent data suggest that RBCs [resin-based composites] perform equally well” as amalgam. And compomers have a higher survival rate, says WHO, citing a study finding that 95% of compomers and 92% of amalgams survive after 4 years.
In particular, WHO explains that “Alternative restorative materials of sufficient quality are available for use in the deciduous [baby] dentition of children” – the population whose developing neurological systems are most susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of dental mercury. Perhaps more important than the survival of the filling, WHO asserts that:
“Adhesive resin materials allow for less tooth destruction and, as a result, a longer survival of the tooth itself.”
The report also included mention of the known toxic effects of mercury exposure, stating:
“Mercury is highly toxic and harmful to health. Approximately 80% of inhaled mercury vapor is absorbed in the blood through the lungs, causing damages to lungs, kidneys and the nervous, digestive, respiratory and immune systems. Health effects from excessive mercury exposure include tremors, impaired vision and hearing, paralysis, insomnia, emotional instability, developmental deficits during fetal development, and attention deficit and developmental delays during childhood.”
This is the latest revelation in a string of positive progress that has been made this year toward ridding the dental industry of dangerous mercury-containing amalgams.
As a result of enormous public pressure from dentists, health professionals and consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also promised to make an announcement by year’s end about dental amalgam. While the agency is being vague about the substance of this announcement, it is known that FDA is currently reconsidering whether or not to warn the public of the dangers of dental amalgam, and possibly even restrict its use.
As the Chicago Tribune reported:
” … in response to concerns about its ruling, the FDA convened a panel last December to re-examine the issue and expects to make a new announcement by the end of this year.”
A series of grassroots protests, petitions, and town meetings in three states this year hosted by the FDA’s Center for Devices has resulted in the FDA’s reconsideration of its appalling 2009 amalgam rule.
Thanks to Consumers for Dental Choice, town meetings previously attended mostly by industry representatives pleading with the FDA to “go easier on them” are now instead being dominated by consumer advocates demanding government accountability. Their greatest hope is to see mercury amalgams banned altogether, but short of that, Consumers for Dental Choice hopes the FDA will at least make all consumers aware that amalgams are more than 50 percent mercury.
The American Dental Association (ADA) has historically covered up that fact, and, as the 1990 60 Minutes video above noted, even at one time declared that removing mercury fillings is unethical — despite the known fact that dental amalgam emits mercury vapor after it is implanted in your mouth, and this mercury is bioaccumulative and endangers your health in many ways.
Incidentally, the ADA also takes money from Coca-Cola and other companies whose products promote the formation of cavities. But the tide is certainly changing, as evidenced further by the FDA’s December 2010 hearings, which included two days of testimony that were alternatively scientific and emotional. The results were utterly convincing, even to scientists handpicked by FDA. With no dissent, they recommended that FDA promptly:
- Make sure that all consumers and all parents know that amalgam is mainly mercury
- Stop amalgam use for children and pregnant women
As panelist Dr. Suresh Kotagal – a pediatric neurologist at the Mayo Clinic – summed it up, there is “no place for mercury in children.”
Unprecedented press coverage accompanied these hearings, with every network and most major newspapers writing stories that FDA is determining the health risk of amalgam. Fifty percent of dentists are now mercury-free; you can help abolish the use of mercury fillings by supporting one of them. We are on the brink of prompting real change in the fight for mercury-free dentistry, as the FDA is set to make an announcement on mercury fillings by the end of 2011.
The FDA panelists are not alone in their assertion that amalgam should no longer be used for children and pregnant women. Other countries are already working to protect vulnerable populations, especially children, from exposure to amalgam.
For example:
- The 47 nations of the Council of Europe passed a resolution calling on the nations to start “restricting or prohibiting the use of amalgams as dental fillings,” explaining that “amalgams are the prime source of exposure to mercury for developed countries, also affecting embryos, fetuses (through the placenta) and children (through breastfeeding).
Exposure to mercury can seriously affect the health of both patients and dental professionals, and early exposure to low doses of mercury (during pregnancy and through breastfeeding) increases the risk of a decrease in the intelligence quotient (IQ) among children.… According to the World Health Organization in 2005, certain studies show that mercury may have no threshold below which some adverse effects do not occur.”
- Australia’s National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) says amalgam should be avoided in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and people with kidney disease. As the government of the state of Queensland explained:
“Amalgam is now generally avoided for filling children’s teeth. Growing children tend to be more sensitive to the effects of exposure to any chemical substance in their environment… High level exposure to mercury (which is present in silver fillings) may affect the kidneys. Therefore, the NHMRC, suggest people with kidney disease may be more concerned than others to minimize exposure to mercury.”
- Health Canada directed its dentists to stop using amalgam in children, pregnant women, and people with impaired kidney function – way back in 1996.
The metallic mercury used by dentists to manufacture dental amalgam is shipped as a hazardous material to the dental office. Any amalgam leftover is also treated as hazardous and requires special precautions to dispose of, as it should because it can cause wide-ranging damage to your health.
Charlie Brown states:
” … mercury is a reproductive toxin. Meaning, of course, it can harm your unborn baby. It’s a neurotoxin meaning it can harm your brain. It’s a nephrotoxin meaning it will harm your kidneys. There is no safe level of mercury. This dentist is playing Russian roulette with your child or you if he or she is giving you a mercury filling.”
Virtually any kind of stimulation can cause these fillings to release mercury. Eating, drinking, brushing your teeth, grinding your teeth, chewing gum, anything. If you want to see the vapors released for yourself, watch the shocking video below.
Mercury vapor from the amalgams passes readily through cell membranes, across the blood-brain barrier, and into your central nervous system, where it causes psychological, neurological, and immunological problems. Children and fetuses, whose brains are still developing, are most at risk, but really anyone can be impacted.
Further, dental mercury is the number one source of mercury in our wastewater, so dentists are handing the clean-up bill for their pollution to taxpayers and water ratepayers. And this mercury ends up in your food supply, where it can cause continued damage to your health if you eat fish and other contaminated seafood.
Far from being an essential dental product with no viable alternatives, amalgam is interchangeable with many other filling materials, as WHO noted — including resin composites and glass ionomers — which have rendered amalgam completely unnecessary for any clinical situation. In fact, the mercury-free alternatives are so advanced that entire nations, such as the Scandinavian countries, have stopped the use of amalgam. Already, about half of U.S. dentists are mercury-free and 77 percent of consumers who are told that amalgam contains mercury choose mercury-free alternatives.
One of the most popular alternatives to amalgam is resin composite. Resin composite is made of a type of plastic reinforced with powdered glass. It is already common throughout the U.S. and the rest of the developed world, offering notable improvements over amalgam, as it:
- Is environmentally safe: Composite, which contains no mercury, does not pollute the environment. This saves taxpayers from paying the costs of cleaning up dental mercury pollution in our water, air, and land – and the costs of health problems associated with mercury pollution.
- Preserves healthy tooth structure, because, unlike amalgam, it does not require the removal of significant amounts of healthy tooth matter. Over the long term, composite preserves healthy tooth structure and actually strengthens teeth, leading to better oral health and less extensive dental work over the long-term.
- Is long-lasting: While some claim that amalgam fillings last longer than composite fillings, the science reveals this claim to be baseless. The latest studies show that composite not only lasts as long as amalgam, but actually has a higher overall survival rate.
A lesser-known alternative is increasingly making mercury-free dentistry possible even in the rural areas of developing countries. Atraumatic restorative treatment (also called alternative restorative treatment or ART) is a mercury-free restorative technique that has been demonstrated a success in a diverse array of countries around the world, including Tanzania, India, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Turkey, South Africa, Thailand, Canada, Panama, Ecuador, Syria, Hong Kong, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Chile, Nigeria, China, Uruguay, Peru, and the United States.
ART relies on adhesive materials for the filling (instead of mercury) and uses only hand instruments to place the filling, making it particularly well-suited for rural areas of developing countries.
It should be clear that there’s simply no such thing as a safe mercury filling. However, please do NOT make the mistake of having your amalgam fillings removed by a dentist who is not properly trained in safe amalgam removal. Doing so could expose you to tremendous health risks, due to the large amounts of mercury vapor being released during the removal process. Research has shown that if you do not take proper safety precautions during the removal process, mercury levels in your blood can rise three to four-fold, which may result in acute toxicity.
SO PLEASE …
Make sure to use a so-called biological dentist that is trained in properly removing mercury fillings. Some things that need to be done to keep you (and your dentist) safe during the procedure include:
- Providing you with an alternative air source and instructing you not to breathe through your mouth
- Using a cold-water spray to minimize mercury vapors
- Putting a rubber dam in your mouth so you don’t swallow or inhale any toxins
- Using a high-volume evacuator near the tooth at all times to evacuate the mercury vapor
- Washing your mouth out immediately after the fillings have been removed (the dentist should also change gloves after the removal)
- Immediately cleaning your protective wear and face once the fillings are removed
- Using room air purifiers
For a complete description of how to safely remove mercury amalgam, see this PDF created by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT). The proper procedure is also explained in the featured video. Here are several sources to help you locate a dentist trained in biological dentistry:
- Consumers for Dental Choice’s Campaign for Mercury-Free Dentistry
- IAOMT’s database
- International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine
- The Holistic Dental Association
Avoid making the same mistake I did 20 years ago when I had all my amalgams removed by a competent dentist. Unfortunately, he was clueless about mercury toxicity and used no precautions and as a result I got kidney damage. Additionally, I had to remove all the crowns he put in because they were metal. It was a very expensive and health-damaging mistake.
I also suggest you get healthy BEFORE having your fillings removed, as you want your detoxification mechanisms optimized prior to removal. To remove mercury that has already accumulated in your body, I highly recommend reviewing my Mercury Detoxification Protocol, which details the things you can do right now to help rid your body of this toxin. If your mercury levels are seriously elevated, you should work with a knowledgeable health care practitioner to help you through the detoxification process.
Your voice is needed in order to bring about permanent change in the fight for mercury-free dentistry. We need to keep the momentum going between now and year’s end. You must urge the FDA to heed the advice of its own scientists convened in December 2010 and the World Health Organization. To voice your opinion, contact Dr. Shuren at:
Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, Director
Center for Devices, U.S. Food & Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Ave.
WO66-5431, Room 5442
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002
Phone: 301-796-5900
Fax: 301-847-8149 or 301-847-8109
Email: jeff.shuren@fda.hhs.gov
The following are Charlie Brown’s recommended talking points for this contact:
- Thank Dr. Shuren for agreeing to act on amalgam fillings this year.
- Please end the use of amalgam immediately for children, pregnant women, and hypersensitive adults (as a minimum).
- Please make sure every parent knows amalgam is mercury, not silver, by making warnings mandatory. Every consumer should be told the truth about what’s going into their mouths, and their children’s mouths.
- Please follow WHO’s lead and act now. In its 2011 report, the World Health Organization calls on health authorities like FDA to take action now: “Health authorities can play an active role in advocacy for use of dental materials alternative to amalgam.” It is time for FDA to act now, NOT an announcement that the FDA’s decision will be postponed. We have irrefutable scientific evidence about the dangers of mercury amalgams. Your children are being subjected to harm now—they can’t wait another year.
I also urge you to contribute to Consumers for Dental Choice. I strongly believe in their mission and their commitment to the Campaign for Mercury-Free Dentistry. They rely on public donations to complete this important mission. (Consumers for Dental Choice is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advocating mercury-free dentistry. Contributions are tax-deductible in the U.S.)
Donations can be made online or through the mail:
- Online donations: http://www.toxicteeth.org/donate.cfm
- Checks can be mailed to:
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E.,
Suite 210
Washington DC 20002
Also, for timely updates and information, please join Consumers for Dental Choice on Facebook.
Thank you for your help in keeping the ball rolling—help make 2011 a landmark year for your dental health!
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Tweet via something (Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:00:15 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
Twtter is the biggest all in one Twitter application directory. People here can subscribe to whole lots of apps and get benefits- of all the applications free of cost. Twitter is not just a place where you Tweet, it is more than that where people can share and help each other out. So, twtter has been making application that makes user ease their twitter.
You can tweet via anything you like that are listed on the directory. Posting and Updating new status using cool applications like iPhone, iPad, Android, Twitter, Google and more. You do not need to have the device or applications on your own, you just need to allow your Twitter to access and you will be ready to go. Just type any status you want to post via and press the Tweet button, and you see the tweet updated on Twitter time line.
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The Shortcomings Of Many Physician Rating Websites (Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:00:19 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
“We’re Listed With the Plumbers Now”
Angie’s List can help you locate a reputable handyman. Yelp can push you in the direction of the perfect restaurant for your anniversary dinner. Amazon’s consumer reviews can even help you choose the TV that will fit in the corner of your den. So why wouldn’t you turn to the Internet to find your next doctor?
39-year-old Jennifer Stevens did just that when she needed an obstetrician for her first child. Not wanting to reveal her pregnancy too soon by asking friends for suggestions for a good OB, she turned to the Web for more information on potential physicians. She soon found that a lot of the information she needed to make this important decision was missing. “A lot of sites gave stars, but I didn’t really know what those stars meant. I just wasn’t comfortable picking an OB based on that kind of vague information,” she said.
Lindsay Luthe, a 30-year old Washington, D.C. resident, consulted the popular ratings website Yelp after asking her friends to recommend a physician. “I perused the reviews for this particular doctor and saw how positive they were. Those reviews, combined with my friend’s personal recommendation, led me to make an appointment with the doctor. I think I even used the contact info on the Yelp page to call the office,” she said.
The success of physician ratings websites—such as HealthGrades, or RateMyMD, among many others—has been mixed. (more…)
*This blog post was originally published at Prepared Patient Forum: What It Takes Blog*
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Caution: The "Best Route" to Good Health is Causing 106,000 Deaths/Year (Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:00:16 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
By Dr. Mercola
Over the course of the past two decades, U.S. spending on prescription drugs increased from $40 billion to more than $230 billion.
Illegal drug company activities are one factor contributing to this inflated spending.
One 2010 study looked at trends in federal and state criminal and civil actions against drug companies in order to assess the impact of such shady activities.
Among other findings, the study showed that while the defense industry used to be the biggest defrauder of the federal government under the False Claims Act, the drug industry has now overtaken them.
In fact, the drug industry now tops all other industries in the total amount of fraud payments for actions against the federal government under the False Claims Act.
Four companies stand out as the worst of the worst.
GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Schering-Plough accounted for 53 percent of all financial penalties imposed on pharmaceutical companies between 1990 and 2010.
Most recently, on November 3, the New York Times reported that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has settled another round of litigation against them to the tune of $3 BILLION. (The previous record was held by Pfizer, which in 2009 paid a fine of $2.3 billion for illegal marketing.) The charges against GSK included illegal marketing of the dangerous diabetes drug Avandia, kick-backs to doctors, and manipulation of medical research. Three billion dollars is no chump change, but it’s still just a drop in the bucket when you consider the astronomical profits these companies rake in, which are significantly bolstered by their criminal activities.
For example, GSK has an annual revenue of about $28 billion, so how much of a deterrent can $3 billion really be?
The record over the past 20 years tells us that financial fines have done nothing to curb the criminal mindset within the pharmaceutical industry. On the contrary, it has increased in the past several years, despite larger fines being levied. This is largely due to the perversion of corporate influence on the government, as most eloquently explained by one of the most famous political lobbyists of all time who was able to freely spill the beans about the process in the 60 Minutes sequence below, after having served time in federal prison.
Please understand that the drug industry has the LARGEST political lobbying force in the United States.
“Over the past two decades, especially during the past 10 years, there has been a marked increase in both the number of government settlements with pharmaceutical companies and the size of the accompanying financial penalties. The reasons for these increases are likely related to a combination of increased violations by companies and increased enforcement on the part of federal and state governments.
The danger to public safety and the loss of state and federal dollars that comes with these violations require a more robust response than the government’s current practices. Given the relatively small size of current financial penalties when compared to the perpetrating companies’ profits, both increased financial penalties and appropriate criminal prosecution of company leadership may provide a more effective deterrent to unlawful behavior by the pharmaceutical industry.”
In August of last year, the Bureau of Investigative Journalists also shed some much needed light on the vast corruption within the pharmaceutical industry. A large number of pharmaceutical companies are guilty of fraud, cover-ups of fatal side effects, and huge kickbacks paid to doctors.
A total of 19 drug companies also made AllBusiness.com’s Top 100 Corporate Criminals List for the 1990s. Charges run the gamut from international price-setting, illegal marketing, false claims, hiding serious problems with their drugs and, in one case (Ortho, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), obstruction of justice and eight counts of persuading employees to destroy documents in a federal investigation.
Between those three sources alone, there’s no longer a shred of doubt that the pharmaceutical industry is officially the most crime-infested and crooked industry on the planet—at least in terms of criminal activities that are actually being caught, pursued and prosecuted. (For a running list of the most recent news on False Claims Act cases, see the Taxpayers Against Fraud site.)
Yet toxic drugs designed, manufactured, and peddled by these top criminals are what the medical industry and government health agencies try to pass off as the “best” route to good health… despite the fact that pharmaceutical drugs, taken as prescribed, are also directly responsible for the death of at least 106,000 people annually, on top of everything else.
It would be funny if it wasn’t so profoundly tragic.
By scouring through comprehensive databases of all major criminal and civil settlements between federal and state governments and pharmaceutical companies occurring between 1990 and 2010, the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group made some sobering discoveries.
For example:
“Of the 165 settlements comprising $19.8 billion in penalties during this 20-year interval, 73 percent of the settlements (121) and 75 percent of the penalties ($14.8 billion) have occurred in just the past five years (2006-2010).
… The practice of illegal off-label promotion of pharmaceuticals has been responsible for the largest amount of financial penalties levied by the federal government over the past 20 years. This practice can be prosecuted as a criminal offense because of the potential for serious adverse health effects in patients from such activities.
Deliberately overcharging state health programs, mainly Medicaid fraud, has been the most common violation against state governments and is responsible for the largest amount of financial penalties levied by these governments. This type of violation is also the main factor in the considerable increase in state settlements with pharmaceutical companies over time.”
Last year, I also did some of my own research into the biggest wrong-doers. The chart below shows the type of criminal activity, lawsuits and fines or judgments I was able to find for each of the six drug companies featured in that report.
Keep in mind that these are conservative numbers as many records are not available without a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Also, many are not readily available online unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, and what year.
| Type of criminal activity | Pfizer | GSK | Baxter | Merck & Co. | Roche | Johnson & Johnson |
| Guilty of fraud and/or Illegal sales activity | 9 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 14 |
| Federal and/or Civil lawsuits | 10,000+ Individuals or together in class action suits | 800+ | 226+ Unnamed number of persons w/AIDS | 100,000 Individuals or together in class action suits | 5,000+ Individual and/or class action | 500+ Individual and/or class action |
| Dollar Amount of fines, judgments as a result of criminal or civil litigation | $4 Billion+ | $5 Billion+ | $1.3 Billion+ | $5.5 Billion+ | $1.7 Billion+ | $1 Billion+ |
Sadly, all of the statistics included in this article indicate that the pharmaceutical industry shows no signs at all of changing its ways. If anything, their behavior is getting more reprehensible as time goes on, as the price to be paid is never ‘costly’ enough to deter further malfeasance.
Ditto for the American healthcare system as a whole, which of course is based on the drug paradigm with a pill for every ill… Is it any wonder then that our health statistics are so abysmal? Virtually every measurable index indicates that despite the ever-increasing amounts of money invested, if you live in the U.S., your chances of achieving optimal health through the medical system is only getting worse. While the U.S. spends more than twice the amount on health care as other developed nations, we rank 49th in life expectancy worldwide—lower than a dozen other developed nations!
That alone should tell you that the system is not working. But there’s plenty more evidence showing that our health care system is in dire need of a complete overhaul, away from the drug paradigm and toward nutrition and preventive health measures.
In a June 2010 report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, study authors said that in looking over records that spanned from 1976 to 2006 (the most recent year available) they found that, of 62 million death certificates, almost a quarter-million deaths were coded as having occurred in a hospital setting due to medication errors.
Many more are harmed by other types of medical mistakes. For example, an analysis in the New England Journal of Medicine published in November of last year concluded that, despite efforts to improve patient safety in the past few years, the health care system hasn’t changed much at all. Instead, 18 percent of patients were harmed by medical care (some repeatedly) and over 63 percent of the injuries could have been prevented. In nearly 2.5 percent of these cases, the problems caused or contributed to a person’s death. In another 3 percent, patients suffered from permanent injury. In all there were over 25 injuries per 100 admissions.
Surely, there must be a better way?
I believe there is, and it all starts with taking control of your diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle.
Most of you know that I rarely recommend pharmaceuticals, and in fact my mission is to catalyze a transformation of the fatally flawed health care system that uses expensive pharmaceuticals, and surgeries –as the primary strategy. We need to shift the direction and focus on treating and preventing the foundational underlying causes. In many cases, your health will actually improve when you stop taking drugs and are no longer subjected to their side effects.
Naturally, you should not stop any medications you are currently taking until you are working with a knowledgeable natural health care practitioner who can help guide you, but minimizing your use of drugs should be a goal if you want to achieve optimal health. Keep in mind, too, that many drugs are designed to create life-long dependency.
For instance, acid-reducing medications actually induce acid-related symptoms like heartburn and acid regurgitation once treatment is withdrawn. Headache drugs can also cause “medication overuse headaches” leading you to seek another drug to relieve the pain caused by the first one. It’s all too common to have to take one or more additional drugs solely to treat side effects caused by your initial drug treatment, so the more you can stay away from this warped system, the better.
The desire to solve problems by taking drugs is a product of our culture, perpetuated by everyone, from drug manufacturers, to doctors, to government health officials, to you.
When you teach your child that the appropriate response to pain or discomfort is to take a pill, the result may be that he seeks comfort by taking drugs when faced with the challenges of adolescence and, later, as an adult. But you CAN take control of your health, and you can typically do so without using medications.
My site is chock full of free comprehensive recommendations that can serve as an excellent starting point. The tools I provide on this site will help you to reduce your reliance on the broken health care system, including its overuse of drugs and provide you with the tools and resources to Take Control of Your Health.
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What Is Distracting Doctors More Than Electronic Devices? (Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:00:14 +0000)
Article Source: Health And Fitness Journal
I admittedly snorted out loud when I read a New York Times article earlier last week regarding increased physician distraction due to electronic devices, especially with the advent of the smartphone with its emails, text messages, calls, and other alerts that ping intermittently throughout a typical work day.
There is no question that electronic devices distract physicians as the article pointed out… But that’s like complaining about a leaky faucet when there’s a flooded basement and a hole in the roof.
The bigger problem that should be mentioned is hospital bureaucracy which probably creates just as much if not more unintended distractions for physicians and nurses.
What many patients and lay public may not realize is that (more…)
*This blog post was originally published at Fauquier ENT Blog*
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